Who to believe – Ralph or Arnhim?

2.FEB.07

EDITOR: One day I will like to be elected as a parliamentarian because in my own way I’m a politician, that’s what am being told. I think everyone has a right to try and hold a high office, while contemplating, I often wonder if what we are getting from the politicians today is the right attitude.

When Dr. Gonsalves was in opposition, he created awareness so everyone can know their rights to be a politician. Dr. Gonsalves eventually became our Prime Minister, one of his pet words is Caribbean Civilization and its importance. He told us that Mr. Eustace is a true son of the Caribbean civilization and we must respect him – that we did!{{more}}

When I sit and listen to our Prime Minister, I wonder if he remembers what he told us about Mr. Eustace. Sometime ago the Prime Minister presented his 2007 Budget presentation, he told us what we should expect; I have no reason to doubt our Prime Minister because he’s surrounded by the Budget Director Mr. Edmond Jackson, Fiscal Advisor Mr. Cims Martin, Director of Finance, Mr. Maurice Edwards, and Dr. Rudy Matthias and he will tell us that he’s so advised by the experts.

Mr. Eustace who was former Fiscal Advisor, Minister of Finance, Prime Minister and Economist by Profession thinks that the Prime Minister’s Budget has no financial vision; the question is – who should I believe? The team with the Prime Minister or Mr. Eustace who is a disciplinarian and knows the importance of telling the truth; we all have a right to know which direction our country is going and we depend on the intellectuals to let us know and if for some reason they are not telling us the truth I am wondering who to turn to.

When I sit and listen to Parliament I’m wondering which direction it is going, there seems to be a lot of confusion in the House of Assembly; am hoping that 2007 will bring an improvement starting with the Speaker of the House Mr. Hendrick Alexander, controlling the proceedings, demonstrating that he has control and not the Prime Minister; we expect impartiality from him as the Speaker. I am not calling for him to resign because I think he can improve. I will agree that the Prime Minister is the Leader of the House but in this instance, don’t follow the leader; take leadership Mr. Speaker, it starts with you.

It’s time for the New Democratic Party (NDP) to take their work seriously for 2007 – stop walking out of the House, and find some other way to demonstrate their frustration with the functioning of the House of Assembly. Don’t do like Ivan O’Neal and his Green Party calling for the Speaker to resign – if by any chance I am recommending Jomo Thomas, he will be better and impartial.

Kingsley DeFreitas