You Expect Us To Believe That?

THERE is a lot of money changing hands in this political merry-go-round, from the many disenfranchised campaign managers, who have yet to be paid, to moneys paid by both sides to have candidates run a particular constituency, to constituents who want to be paid to cast their votes a certain way, to representatives who secure a pension after two terms of representation.

Politics, sadly, is a business and those who benefit are the investors, so look out for all of those establishments sponsoring the refurbishment of this and that project in your community, they are not being magnanimous. They are being promiscuous.

So Dr. Long’s short lived stay in politics is supposed to be viewed as an act of goodness? I suppose so. I have no problem with backbenchers in government. In fact the position should give you more time for your constituency. An acquaintance of mine was arguing that Anse la Raye was maligned when its parliamentary representative was denied an office. I do not agree with that. A ministerial position is nothing but personal gain. I asked: “What great difference has been made in Choiseul because Lorne Theophilus is Minister of Tourism? Which hotel investment came to Choiseul because of Minister Theophilus’ stewardship? What buoyant festival was given birth to in Choiseul? What cottage industry was established or propelled alongside the touristic exchanges in the village? The one thing that the ministerial position has done is to make Lorne a stranger to his constituents.

Let me here say that the independent model proposes than no parliamentary representative should be a Minister of government.

Back to Anse la Raye. I was not privy to the entire press conference held by the SLP earlier this week but among all the allegations that Dr. Long dealt with he failed to deal with the accusation that he is the most ineffective representation that the constituency has ever had, except to say that the job was interfering with his private practice. For God’s sake, you did not envision that before your entry into politics? Your representation has been dismal and your standing again would have been a definite loss for the party.

Now on to the Jufalli affair. No doubt that the opposition is making political mileage on that issue but what baffles me is how the government and its supporters are trying to draw wool over our eyes. You really expect us to believe that this diplomatic deal was above board? A promised project cannot materialize in over a year and a half after an appointment. And the absenteeism at meetings on matters for which your appointment is concerned is not at all credible. How do you keep holding on to an employee who does not report to work? Unless of course the employee is really, the employer. There is something nefarious about this appointment and time will reveal it at all. But is time against us?