Exercise greater levels of tolerance when in public life

Tue, Oct 4. 2011

Editor: Imagine the number of African descendants and descendants of Indentured Labourers who voted for the Unity Labour Party, so that Montgomery Daniel could enjoy an elevated status in Vincentian society.{{more}}

If Montgomery knows his history as he claims, he should have known that Arawarks and Caribs were referred to as Amerindians who originated from the South American mainland. So, like you, all of us born here and that’s an immutable fact of life. You don’t throw words give everybody or give us message to give Bowman; you go and deal with him as two ‘big men’.

In public life, an individual must display a greater level of tolerance and sensitivity. I have no doubt that the Minister is sufficiently cultured and exposed, so as to issue a more tempered response.

Is Montgomery humorously mocking Vincentians? Could you visualize Montgomery Daniel grinning to himself when he sees us going about our daily task, including voting on Election Day, “those African Descendants and Descendants of Indentured Labourers”?

The persons who were patient with Montgomery and facilitated his political career are descendants of African Slaves who came here in chains.

His cabinet colleagues, and co-workers in the Ministry of Agriculture comprise descendants of African Slaves and Indentured Labourers.

It is a fact that Mr. Daniel has to face; the Ministry, which he astutely runs, has serious deficiencies. It is the only Ministry, under the same Minister, in which two Permanent Secretaries were removed because of their questionable practices. Under Mr. Daniel’s watch, it is believed that his Diversification Unit lost $1 million in funding

from the EU. Is it not the same Ministry that brought in Motor Oil instead of Horticultural Oil to spray Bananas?

It is Mr. Daniel who told the public it took him four months before he found out that an officer, just a few doors from his office, did not send a document to the Ministry of Finance. Who is it that told us your Permanent Secretary took two days to find a simple document on a desk? Payments for the pilot of the spray plane remained pending for months.

Montgomery, it is your Ministry that grossly failed the banana farmers; they are deeply hurt, emotionally and financially. If the farmers are making the situation political, it is your Ministry that gave them an issue to trample on. What about that you can’t understand?

The Minister has obviously extended the lens of the microscope on himself and his Ministry. Since they have decided to further bury bananas, Mr. Daniel needs to refocus the Ministry’s energies towards major export-based initiatives.

I must say, Montgomery, even with hindsight of the situation, will remain stubbornly defiant and resistant of genuine criticism. This is characteristic of the Honourable Montgomery Daniel.

Disgusted