Political back-scratching
Editor: The Prime Ministerâs decision not to renew the lease to the CIC will go down in the annals of this countryâs as being one of the clearest examples of political back scratching.{{more}}
The NLC and WINFA are both headed by persons who are affiliates of the Prime Minister, so for the Prime Minister to say that it is only fair to pass on the parking lot to other entities is to suggest that one set of persons should not profit too long from anything that is government owned, or at least that is what the average Vincentian is reading into this statement, this writer included.
Should we reason then that someone else should be given the Job of Mr. Brian George, one of the highest paid civil servants of the land? After all, it is only fair that someone else benefits from this rather huge take home, or wouldnât it be fair that some boards get new directors so that some new people could feast on the goodies that are available to them.
One can go on and on with examples that I am sure must be flowing now as you read.
The move by the government can be looked on as a âbad minded oneâ. Imagine that the CIC came up with their idea, made a huge investment and they have been largely successful in realizing a profit. What if the venture was not profit-making? Would the Prime Minister want to give it to the NLC and WINFA? The answer is very obvious. The present scenario reminds me of a young man I went to school with: bright, full of ideas and willing to take up a challenge; he went to one of our financial institutions seeking a loan to finance a business venture. Business plan et al was submitted and the long and short of it is that the loan was not approved. Months later, however, a business almost identical to the plan the young man had submitted emerged, funded by the same institution. Go figure!
I liken this to corruption. My choice, I choose to define it as such. Magistrate Donald Browne last week told a thief in Bequia that he had yet to meet an honest thief, after the young man declared himself to be an honest man. Imagine a thief trying to convince the learned Magistrate of his honesty. Honest people stay hungry and pay their debts. For those of us saddled with lifetime mortgages and who juggle bills from month to month the incident at the NCB has indeed left a very bitter taste in our mouths not likely to go away soon.
The issue of Mark Dennieâs boat is quite confusing to me. What bureaucratic nonsense! Why should it take so long to get the funds released? Mr. Ryan needs to speak to Mr. Julian Francis and he would give him the much needed pointers as to how one can get around the red tape that exists in the Public Service. Remembering that he did it already and he has promised to do it again. Take him up on the promise, Mr. Ryan, and GET THE MAN HIS BOAT. He deserves it. He went through virtual hell. The entire Vincentian population of people with a heart say use our taxes to get the man his boat.
Finally, I wish that if the PM reads this that he would answer two questions for me.
1. Mr. PM, can two wrongs make one right?
2. The sweetheart mortgages which were allegedly given to the NDP members of parliament: were they repaid? Are they being repaid?
Observer
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