Kenny Anthony’s or Allen Chastanet’s?
By Abetta Country
GIVE your fellow Saint Lucians a break politicians.
Isn’t the SLP’s rebuff of Michael Chastanet’s visibly emotional recount of his experience with an impoverished mother of Bruce Ville, Vieux Fort another example of misplaced attention and confused priorities? Why are persons in this society always so inclined to react to and dwell on the trivialities instead of addressing the real issues?
No doubt, this needy mother that Mr. Chastanet spoke about would not care less how authentic are the tears of Allen Chastanet or Kenny Anthony. If she cannot even feed her own children, it is rather obvious that her priority would be on obtaining help and relief for herself and family and rightfully so.
Given the manner in which this issue was brought to light, through partisan lenses, the plight of this individual and others like her is most often lost on the politically divided public. That pressing need for some type of social welfare mechanism to support indigent students in obtaining school supplies is lost in the grand scheme of things.
Apparently as soon as politicians decide to put on a side show, a large section of the public becomes distracted and sidetracked, at the expense of more pressing economic and social issues currently bearing down on the citizenry. Issues including the presence of a major social scourge like the one Chastanet referred to underscores that in the midst of the economic decline, parents are barely scraping to send their children to school. Parents on the most extreme end of the poverty spectrum are too indigent to even consider sending their children to school on their own pockets in 2015 in Saint Lucia. The fall -out of such socio–economic woes may result in children being deprived of their education.
Persons are continually blinded to the substantive situations and discussions which should form part of the agenda for development and progress simply because the ego or image of politicians is supposedly bruised. The emotional portrayals of politicians are irrelevant.
Abetta Country wishes that one day persons will come to have a more responsible social conscience which is not swayed by the questionable devices politicians use to gain points over their opponents.
Anyone trained in public speaking will attest to the emotive techniques that speakers can use, be they facial, tonal or body language to connect with one’s audience. Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony has used this device effectively on countless occasions. Coming quickly to mind, among others, are his most recent swearing– in ceremony when he bowed his head for about a minute or two seemingly overcome by emotion, then the post-Christmas Eve trough press conference and the following New Year’s address among countless public appearances when the Prime Minister really seemed to be all solemn and sad faced.
There is no barometer to measure his sincerity but the Prime Minister connected with his audience by showing empathy at a time of loss, despair, sadness and destruction. However, the same options to use such devices should and do remain open to others as well.
Politicians are among the segment of the society who ought to be able to best take care of themselves; yet the society obsesses and fawns over them as if they are little babies. Turns out the people who are really suffering can’t find a voice to speak up on their behalf because everyone is so busy speaking for and protecting politicians so that their extra fragile egos are not bruised or the huge chips on their shoulders do not fall off. What a society.
The real disgrace in this matter was Allen Chastanet’s broadcasting the mal -ley-wez asking him for help, and then using the plight of this poor woman as a political prop. If a person helps another he should not let the world know what he did if his intention is to please God by performing a charitable deed. When you give in charity, it is better that your left hand did not know what your right hand did.
Surah Al-Baqara
In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful.
O ye who believe! Render not vain your almsgiving by reproach and injury, like him who spendeth his wealth only to be seen of men and believeth not in Allah and the Last Day. His likeness is as the likeness of a rock whereon is dust of earth; a rainstorm smiteth it, leaving it smooth and bare. They have no control of aught of that which they have gained. Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk. (264)
And the likeness of those who spend their wealth in search of Allah’s pleasure, and for the strengthening of their souls, is as the likeness of a garden on a height. The rainstorm smiteth it and it bringeth forth its fruit twofold. And if the rainstorm smite it not, then the shower. Allah is Seer of what ye do. (265)
I think that type of behaviour is called political expediency. Once again this man has been out manuovered by the SLP and the rank and file of the UWP should bury their heads in the sand. But some UWP supporters want to call the woman a lair while others claim she was paid by the SLP to publicly rebuke Chastanet for his public revelation of their encounter. They may very well be right but in any event the rug is no longer underneath his feet. He left himself exposed for the SLP to take a shot at his breast and that they did wonderfully. Who is now wondering what hit them?
If pressed I would probably admit it was a cheap blow but then as you said trying to score political points using the calamities a downtrodden is even cheaper. And I would question his vigilance and knowledge of the social terrain he is operating if he only now became aware that there are those who are so poor they are not even able to send their children to school. That situation was present under the watch of John Compton and it is going nowhere yet. So now I think Chastanet’s very honesty is under the spotlight and it all has to do with his foolishness!
Allah the most bloody god that man ever conceived of, is most what? You must be out of your stinking IS bloodthirsty primate mind?
Selective editing
Very interesting
St. Lucia should have at the very least a social welfare program for the poor.
.A fair taxation system, wherein everybody over a certain income pays their fair share of taxes.
Only then can the citizens of St. Lucia have access to health care, education and proper social services.
Pay a decent living wage and stop exploitation of the poor.
Simple Solution: Stop breeding like rabbits, hoping that the children will become your life insurance policy or your ATM. They join gangs and end up instead like road kill.
Stop having unprotected sex, expecting that the accidents that come from that is the job of the society to help you raise those. Saint Lucians are mentally sick people. Children are breeding lots and lots of badly mal-nourished children, most of whom have a very loose screw up there..
The “airport prime minister” is hardly on the island to deal with the problems. That ring master of our political circus is always running away somewhere from the hell hole he has created.
In most small post (Euro) colonial societies, assuming the heavier than dead weight mantle of CAPITALISM, is a feat of colossal propensity; only the mythical Atlas could attempt to lift-with confidence.
Additionally. as the last blogger suggested; it is the wayward , irresponsible practices of ordinary citizens that lead these fragile economies to veer away from the black and into a sea of red ink.
I recall vividly the consternation of many a visiting islander to the NY metro (end of Summer shopping for sales) remarking on how ordinary folks were tying up hereditary real estate, meager salaries, etc in bank loans for LUXURY items. Their living HIGH ON THE HOG was evidence of the following:
– a fundamental disregard for the distinction between NEEDS & WANTS
– inability to plan short or long term household budget
– an addictive impulse to outdo the “Jones” (neighbors)
– easily swayed by the Pleasure Principle of the ID as in governed by EROS.
These negative economic pathways spiral into THE VICIOUS CYCLE of economic oblivion: Thus subsequent generations are doomed to even greater hurdles and challenges from the unforgiving relentlessness of a misunderstood capitalist system; wherein the disparities between the haves and have not are as wide (and geologically dynamic) as the length of the Rift Valley and longer than the combined chains of the Andes, Himalayas, Rockies and Alps.
The only preparation that stands a slim opportunity to soar the above-mentioned constraints are:
-intense / focused early and continuous education, well balanced – stable-adequately supportive family structure (both socio-economic & socio-emotional) are all relevant for a healthy, resilient cognitive apparatus as well as achieving success at all major (natural) developmental milestones.
Unfortunately, both opposition parties have taken the easy -sleazy (think Vegas hooker) strategy. Their proposed marches have all the coy substance of a female hitch hiker thumbing a ride from passing motorists while exposing a bare thigh, all the way to the crease of her french hi cut yellow VS undee.
An authentic challenge to the incumbent leadership can only be achieved via (well I am not gonna help slicksters or hustlers).
The marches planned by the opposition are fraudulent deviations from viable solutions.
To use a football 9US) analogy, Chas is deploying the old Houston Oilers “Run &Shoot” offense against defensive tacklers who are faster than his wide receivers. It is a sort of knee jerk strategy from his Basketball resume.
Prudent deploys only “Hail Mary’s simply because he is one dimensional as in – flat1
The incumbent is mixing up his offense, the standard winning strategy. As a result he must be mobile to create or adjust effective “economic” play action.
And Pee-tar thru a Hose-he does (ex Odlum wanna be) runs the flambeau ball straight up the middle against the strong curtain of the defense (predictably) -on every down. Even his hand-offs from the snap are as naked as spring water.
He is so ripe for a LT or Gastineau sack rush, oui!
The complimentary term “airport prime minister” describes his proactive mobility for seeking solutions.
Here is a statistical fact that no one is discussing:
The GLOBAL MELTDOWN was like a tsunami that caught most islanders already way too deep in debt and living larger than life – lifestyles.
THEREFORE, the recovery MUST be slower than usual.
Remove the cannabis from their pipes and let ’em smoke on this reality for awhile.
Then and only then we can equate comparing GREEN GOLD Compton to tough times Klean -up Kenny
-as Comparing Grapefruits to Julee Mangoes, n’est pas?
COME NEXT ELECTION: THE ST. LUCIA LABOUR PARTY WILL ANNIHILATE the uwpsssss once and 4 all.
THIS IS A PROPHETIC MESSAGE 2 ALL uwpsssss.
so it is written so it will come 2 pass.
tell allan that he was very lucky that the daughter of “God’s chosen Leader” Kenny did not RIP his ball off and send him away just like a mule.
not knowing if he is male or female.
SON OF MAN THE Hour have come 4 my return into battle. I LOVE U MY BROTHER. May Allah blessing b upon U.