Letters & Opinion, Sounding Off

Wherefore art Thou, Democracy

Image of Rochelle Gonzales

AS it is known that an Empire is ruled by an Emperor and a Kingdom is ruled by a King (or Queen), it now makes pure sense to me with the way St. Lucia is being run…It is an Island so it is ruled by a single “I”.

Am I the only one who is worried about the circus act taking place at our island’s helm?

Since coming back home and coming to my senses about the island, the people, their needs and the people elected to take care of them, I have never seen such folly as to what is going on today.

Now I know that in the last general elections, there was talk of great change, but boy are we getting some change…only, it’s not the kind of chingching change that was promised. Instead, it is seemingly the kind of change that is taking us back to the days of colonialism, where all answered to and bowed down to ONE. Like a pyramid scheme, we have one person at the very top calling all the shots, then his henchmen under him feeling important and then all the henchmen’s minions getting their tummies rubbed.

I promised, shortly after the elections results were revealed that I would be fair and without rushing to judgment, I would quietly observe the ways of the newly elected government. But we’re now, 134 days in and I am befuddled!

Firstly, our PM is seemingly fly-by-night…Literally (take it as you may), because he is hardly ever home to know what is going on with the people who had so much faith in him that they put him in charge.

I know that he has his ministers et al to do that for him, (and I will come back to that) but whatever happened to the “people’s PM” who would take walks through the George Charles Boulevard, sit with the locals playing dominoes and stop off at KFC to buy his own lunch?

Where did that guy go? Oh, sorry, he is somewhere in the skies on his way to his next big meeting or taking care of family affairs.

I’m sorry but I’m not sorry for feeling angry, and disrespected. The people chose you and you have turned your back and left your “boys” to do your job! What, are we not important enough for you to actually govern in a personal manner?

And here is a genuine question…are those family issues that you keep flying off to so personal and dire, that you have no other possible choice than to leave the mammoth task of governing an entire island so that you could tend to them?

And the excuse that family comes first simply does not cut it. Yes, family is and should always be important but at the same time, there are sacrifices to be made…You signed up to swim with the Big Boys, you won, so swim already…this is no paddling pool. Imagine a neuro/cardio surgeon saying that they will put their families or meetings first when there are lives at stake…No Sir, you signed up for this so you need to do what you have been hired to do!

Going back to the ministers left behind to do the PM’s job for him, how insulting is that?!

I would be seething to know that I was not only hired, but actually ELECTED to do a job, only to be benched because the leader of my party thinks it best if HE went along to the meetings concerning MY designated ministry, as he would be taken more seriously. So in other words, he’s basically saying that he will not send a boy to do a man’s job? And you ministers are unashamedly standing by with Vaseline smiles and taking it? How are you all still standing with the absence of spines?

Then there is the “so humiliating that it’s uncomfortably hilarious” game of “Name The next Acting PM”

Why isn’t there a Deputy PM? How is anyone supposed to take St. Lucia seriously with such a track record? It’s like the PM is in the middle of a ring game with one hand over his eyes as he spins and points whilst singing: “EenieMeenieMinie Moe, catch a Minister by the toe” This is so unsettling that I’m even beginning to question reality…like, how is this being allowed to go on?

I bet some people must really be feeling duped by now right? Especially after the fact that they were PROMISED more “chingching” in their pockets, yet we are currently seeing a sleight of hand and wool over eyes tactic being pulled.

Going ever so slightly off topic, I have this funny memory where at the victory rally in Micoud, the new PM stood on a podium and marveled at the number of candles being lit to celebrate his victory and he said something along the lines of, had he known that so many candles would have been purchased, he would have invested in candles so that he could have put some chingching in his pockets.

Now whilst the crowds laughed at his “joke” I remember thinking: “Wow, now there is a man with his own pocket on his mind! You mean to tell me that in the same breath you are telling people that you want to put money back in their pockets, you are talking about capitalising off of them and putting their little chingching in your pockets? Don’t you already have enough?” I would be willing to bet my last cent that even though it was said as a joke, he would totally do it given the chance.

But yes, back to the issues at hand, it’s like I said, sleight of hands and wool over eyes, because whilst the VAT will be decreased (by less than 3%) say hello to other taxes including the Airport Tax and Redevelopment Tax (bye bye family vacations…unless you are rich)…Oh what a palaver!

And last but not least, we have the ALLEGED threats to media houses and forced apologies from reporters…It’s like the Gestapo is the only added touch that’s missing to have the media dead on that bull’s eye, thus preventing us from practising our constitutional right:

“10. PROTECTION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

(1) Except with his or her own consent, a person shall not be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions without interference, freedom to receive ideas and information without interference, freedom to communicate ideas and information without interference (whether the communication be to the public generally or to any person or class of persons) and freedom from interference with his or her correspondence.”

But oh well, I guess with employers, the money coming in is worth more than any single employee so I will cut that one short lest I’m “asked” to issue an apology or go home.

On the flip side, I could have it all wrong. Maybe just maybe our PM can do it all so who am I to dare ask questions?

With that said, please free to imagine the tears flowing down my cheeks as I try to say the previous sentence with a straight face.

Hey, I’m just being an observer and I have a right to do so. I do not like what I see…in fact, I’m feeling worried and unsettled by all of this. If you’re not worried, it’s on, I’ll give you time to wake up and smell the unaffordable coffee.

Rochelle entered the Media fraternity in May 2011 as a fresh-faced young woman with a passion for the English language, a thirst for worldly knowledge and a longing to inform the world of what was happening around them, whether it was good or bad.

She began as part of a small news team at Choice Television, which falls under the MediaZone umbrella. She was hired as one of the original members of the newly created Choice News Now team...Read full bio...

 

13 Comments

  1. Ms. Rochelle, your incite in this developing catastrophe is remarkable, and in light of the public humiliation served to reporters by this man Chastanet, who needs Elementary School remedial “READING RITHMATIC RITING”, I will add balls or courage to your many deserving attributes.

    But now that I have reflected on this unfolding calamity, I recall correctly that castrations were standard punishments inflicted upon the Black African who had his dignity intact.

  2. /

    Play a song for me, in the jingle jangle morning I’ll come following you. — The Nobel Prize folk tried to buy/bribe Bob Dylan, but true to form he has ignored their fake accolades. The Negro Derek Walcott had to renounce his Black African Ancestry and become the Honorary White Man with his Caucasian woman as his Nobel Prize to rub the faces of the Black African Women who fed this ingrate, turning pig guts and bowels into nutritious meals to make the Nigger survive Caucasian Christian Slavery on the Sugarcane Plantations..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxLMr784l0Q

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    1. Well she did have pics showing her inked out finger on elections day all over fb. But what does that matter? Even Coco can see she eh lying so vote or not, she can say what she sees

    2. NotYet
      The reason for begging the question is to lend credence or validity for an election edging based on these two electoral IMPROPRIETIES:
      – MICOUD SOUTH (a UWP PUPPET constituency belonging to the Flambeau political machinery) was exchanged / transferwd to the Party leader for an undisclosed number of COCO- nuts 🙂
      – After trawling the pulpits of many strategic churches, the omen fearing PAGANS dreading the “strong medicine” of He who scampers and barks like a French Poodle-
      avoided the voting booths in droves . Thus, only about 50% of the electoral population inked on election day.
      It is all good because like wayward sinners praying for redemption Looshans shall rise like the Phoenix after disavowing their false values and beliefs.

  3. !!

    ROB:

    This aficionado of this ignorant sleazeball Allen Chastanet, identifying himself as NY STEPHEN, is so mesmerized by Chastanet and his so-called white woman, that he will die for his Slave Masters.

    “NOW, ALL YOU BLACK FOLKS, I SUGGEST THAT ALL OF YOU GET AWAY FROM THESE WHITE FOLKS WHO TEACH YOU THAT GOD IS A WHITE MAN”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McLk_G7jkzI

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  4. ………Rochlle,…..unprofessionalism will become your downfall; not some unsubstantiated perceived muzzle;………a thought often corrosively expressed by goons like SOM…..

    1. SAMJackazz
      Your veiled threat is but an expected rusted
      overwrought gauntlet that is already answered by lady Rochelle’s Valiant Vanguards.
      Unlike your rich sponsors she has real loyal warriors -not pay to play soldiers.
      Unlike the tithe you pay for continuance of your SPIRITUAL HYPOCRISY – we who love true freedom have pledged and committed our materials and economic viability to her own economic sustainability.
      She is le champion of conscience -commentator for We the People and
      shall not be be bullied a la Trump……..
      Perhaps, I shall invite “Robin of Nottingham” to practice his bow on your material holdings?
      Once upon a story time in Sherwood forest I learnt that the rich act like a bee had bitten their arz when arrows of truth separate them from their ill gotten gains, n’est pas?

  5. /

    SamJ:

    What has the truth done to you that makes you so averse to it ? You are one of those ingrates who will kill yourself and all Lucians to save the Chastanet Crime Family. yours is a lost cause, for Allen Chastanet is a charlatan and impostor sent as a Plague of Pestilence upon our people.

    I expect you will be extremely depressed NOW THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS WON THE PRESIDENCY and America falls headlong into Hell taking you and your Clinton Crime Family along with him.

    Surah Luqman

    O my dear son! Lo! though it be but the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Lo! Allah is Subtile, Aware. (16)

    O my dear son! Establish worship and enjoin kindness and forbid iniquity, and persevere whatever may befall thee. Lo! that is of the steadfast heart of things. (17)

    Turn not thy cheek in scorn toward folk, nor walk with pertness in the land. Lo! Allah loveth not each braggart boaster. (18)

    Be modest in thy bearing and subdue thy voice. Lo! the harshest of all voices is the voice of the ass. (19)

    See ye not how Allah hath made serviceable unto you whatsoever is in the skies and whatsoever is in the earth and hath loaded you with His favours both without and within? Yet of mankind is he who disputeth concerning Allah, without knowledge or guidance or a scripture giving light. (20)

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