Having read the scathing attack by Judge Wit at the latest crime symposium at Port of Spain regarding the role of politicians passing the buck, was indeed an eye opener and we quote “DENIAL AND A REFUSAL TO OWN UP TO THEIR FAILURES ARE STANDARD BEHAVIOUR OF POLITICIANS IN OFFICE. IT IS THEREFORE NO SURPRISE THAT SEVERAL POLITICIANS AT THIS WEEK’S CARICOM CRIME SYMPOSIUM BLAMED EVERYONE BUT THEMSELVES FOR SPIRALING CRIME” unquote.
We have always subscribed to the fact that persons need to do as they say and not do as they wish and it is high time that we hold our politicians accountable. For years promises are made particularly at election time and these promises are allowed to simply fizzle away. St Lucia is faced with two glaring examples at this time. Our first experience originated when the SLP won the last elections. There was absolutely no reason for Mr. Pierre to have expunged over one hundred persons charged for breaking the law. It is here that two situations arose. The offenders and others immediately spotted the weakness of the administration as political expediency and the second was a slap in the face to the police.
Today we have a minister of government deliberately disposing of valuable waterfront lands to purchase a building without any special features and we have a PM who has responded in a wishy-washy manner despite the seriousness and unusual manner the transaction was implemented. According to the minister, the transaction was implemented to save the rent on the property but he has not disclosed the cost of the repairs which we understand is exorbitant. Would it not have been less costly to have the landlord upgrade the building at their expense?
In this case a PM, who said repeatedly that any minister found guilty of unlawful behaviour would be dismissed. The evidence in the matter is glaring and the mathematics does not add up, further, there has never been any precedence for that kind of behaviour. The PM, ever more importantly, in a very simple manner offered an unacceptable response clearly displaying his weakness in the matter. Laws are meant to be upheld if we are going to run a country with direction. St Lucia has become a nation of law breakers and today we are paying a high price by way of recklessness on our roads and the upsurge in crime as pointed out by Judge Wit. Failing to act appropriately, the judges will not help neither will our move to the CCJ make things any better.