BEST WEEK EVER:

Arnhim Eustace must be the happiest man in the world! Despite reports that he was “hounded” out of office, the former Opposition Leader must be breathing a sigh of relief to be rid of the stresses of leading a party that has been in opposition for almost 16 years! For all that time, Eustace has not only been the target of 90 per cent of the political jabs launched by the governing Unity Labour Party (ULP) on the New Democratic Party (NDP), but also the brunt of many of the attacks from those within his own ranks who blame him for keeping them in opposition.{{more}} So, as the ULP’s talk show hosts and others scramble to find new talking points and put together new playlists, Eustace must be having a hearty laugh while softly humming “Ah geh rid ah de blight in muh life”. We predict an influx of smiling photos of Eustace in the not-so-distant future!

Runner-up:

As promised by the Prime Minister in his Independence address last month, four prisoners have been granted early release for the relatively minor crimes they had been imprisoned for earlier this year. Unless you’re a seasoned criminal, being incarcerated is a highly stressful experience. So, to be given an ease on that? Oh, happy day! Ranging in age from 17 to 60, these four men had been convicted of theft and breach of bond. We hope that they’ve learnt their lessons, and will stay on the straight and narrow from now on.

As vice-president of the NDP and parliamentary representative for Central Kingstown, St Clair Leacock has been chomping at the bit, waiting for a chance to give his political party “fresh legs”. When it became apparent that Eustace would finally be handing over the reins, he probably thought he was a shoo-in for the job. Being the only NDP politican to have increased his votes in the 2015 general elections, he wouldn’t have been wrong in expecting such. But it appears that his parliamentary colleagues had other ideas! No wonder he was only too happy to spill the beans that Eustace had been “hounded” out of office. Sour grapes, anyone?

Deputy Commissioner of Police Colin John definitely had a tough week. After four gruesome, random murders in the space of three hours, he said SVG is a safe place to live and we have nothing to fear. Within hours of that statement, a businessman was shot in his shop and a man gunned down on the way home from football, in the presence of his children. That is more than enough to put the fear of God into the general populace. John probably would have been better off reminding Vincentians to take the usual precautions when going about their daily lives, especially at night and in lonely areas. The trick is to calm the public, not ride over their fears with platitudes.

How are we treating the bright young media professionals who are supposed to be being primed to take the industry into a glowing future? A talk with many of them, across the various media houses, tells a tale of woe… a tale of creativity being stifled, less than favourable pay, and ingratitude from both employers and the public. If we continue to chase them away, where does that leave the industry in another decade?

If I had a question in SVG Parliament

I would ask the Minister of Finance if, with the economic situation in the country being as tight as it is, if it is not time to take another look at an Economic Citizenship Programme for SVG. While our Govern-ment struggles here to meet its basic obligations of fixing roads, paying salaries, stocking the hospital with drugs and supplies and providing schools with ink and paper, we hear of St Kitts/Nevis, where there is a thriving Economic Citizenship programme, being so awash with cash that their prime minister has announced a double salary for public servants for December. Prime Minister Harris has been quoted as saying that he is able to be so generous because 2016 has been a very good year, with all fiscal accounts being in surplus from January to October.