Never a dull moment in Vincentian politics

10.AUG.07

Editor: These days, there seems to never be a dull moment in Vincentian politics. The latest issue that has been taking centre stage is a letter from the Leader of the Opposition to the Prime Minister in which several critical issues were raised.{{more}} In his letter, the Opposition Leader calls for the 2005 election report; for Senator Julian Francis to explain how he got access to the number of Syrians who voted in the 2001 and 2005 elections; for the ULP billboards to be dismantled and for the Supervisor of Elections to resign. If these issues are not satisfactorily dealt with, the Opposition Leader has threatened to withdraw the Opposition’s support from the Constitutional Review Process.

First of all, after listening to a press conference last week with Senator Francis and the Deputy Prime Minister where an attempt was made to explain the statement made by the Senator, one is still not convinced that the method(s) supposedly used by the Senator and his agents could have allowed for such precise assertions concerning the number of Syrians who voted in the 2001 and 2005 elections. Simply assessing someone’s body language is not a fool proof method of determining voting behaviour and the other methods supposedly used are in no way scientific enough to lend to the sort of precise assertion made by the Senator. Even if scientific methods were employed, given the complexities of human behaviour, one still would have had to allow for a certain margin of error which would have also ruled out precision. In saying all this, one is not suggesting any impropriety on the part of the Senator. However, as is often said, the appearance of impropriety is sometimes greater than the actual impropriety itself and this is probably one of the reasons why the issue has blown up in the manner in which it has. Had a statement like that come from one of the so-called agents, persons may have frowned on it and not taken it to task. However, for such a statement to have come from a member of Government is unacceptable.

It is also important to note the response of the Deputy Prime Minister to the Leader of the Opposition’s threat to withdraw from the Constitutional Review Process if the issues raised in his letter are not satisfactorily dealt with. While one agrees that the Opposition Leader should not have tied such issues to an important a process as constitutional review, one must also equally condemn the arrogance of the Deputy Prime Minister in asserting that the process will go on with or without the Opposition. This sort of arrogance has become almost synonymous with the manner in which the Government handles critical and controversial issues of late as well as the manner in which persons are dealt with who may have a difference of opinion with Government.

In closing, while one acknowledges that the issues raised by the Opposition have merit, one must nonetheless express general dissatisfaction with the opposition and the manner in which it operates. At best, the Opposition appears to be weak, indecisive and lacking in substance. The Opposition has waited far too long to raise as serious an alarm as it is now trying to do on the issues outlined in Mr. Eustace’s letter to the Prime Minister. Senator Francis commented on the number of Syrians who voted for him since last year; it has been some 18 months since the last general elections and the ULP billboards have also been up for some 18 months. Therefore, to come at this stage to ask the Senator to explain his statement; to come now and ask the ULP to dismantle its billboards and to come now and request the 2005 election report really makes one wonder whether or not we have a serious Opposition in this country.

If we had a serious Opposition, the election report would have already been demanded some three months after the last general elections; the ULP billboard at Sion Hill and elsewhere would have been down before the day of the last election and Senator Francis would not have had to be speaking now on an issue that he commented on since last year. In fact, he would have had to bow out of politics in fine Campbell style.

The Opposition seriously needs to get its act together and contribute to the governance of this country as it should. On more than one occasion, the Government has been caught napping but who can blame them – the Opposition is fast asleep.

Joel K. Richards