WHEN extraordinary situations arise, we sometimes have to look into the mirror and ask ourselves certain questions. Today, we need to reflect on what has transpired in Russia and ask ourselves could a similar situation arise here at home. As an ardent contributor to The Voice Newspaper, I have taken the liberty to address this very important question. Before so doing, I intend emphasizing on the importance of placing men of integrity in charge of the affairs of our country.
Many of us may not have followed closely the most frightening political disturbance in Russia where one man, Mr Priozhin, head of the Wagner Group with some twenty-five thousand followers laid down the terms to President Putin regarding his dissatisfaction with certain members of the hierarchy of the Russian Army. Under normal circumstances, such a demand would be unthinkable but it happens to be abnormal circumstances. Both Mr Putin and Mr Priozhin happened to be persons without integrity and without any further explanation, therein lies the reason which brought about this dilemma.
Putin as President of Russia could never be trusted by the West as he was proved to be a liar and deceitful. Mr Priozhin the leader of the Wagner Group had two criminal convictions which caused him to spend a number of years in prison the last offense surrounding a murder case for which he served ten years in prison. Despite this checkered past, Putin entrusted him with a private army to execute his undesirable wishes against his enemies which meant deviating from standard Russian laws.
The former PM of St Lucia over the past two years has repeatedly cautioned the nation about following the principles of law and democracy while at the same time displaying the evidence of wrongdoing right before their eyes. There has been clear evidence of one minister openly flouting the law by way of circumventing the laws of the Ministry of Finance. We have another minister dealing inappropriately by way of disposing state lands, a minister who voluntarily advised the nation that his bank accounts were withdrawn by a local bank and so the list goes on. Our PM who remains weak and ineffective has refuse to address a festering situation. Similar to the situation in Russia today, the time will come when individuals within the Cabinet of Ministers will go one step further by overstepping their bounds thereby leaving the PM in a compromising situation.
We witnessed exactly what happened after our elections when party supporters’ wrongdoings were expunged. What did we witness? Senseless killings from an increased impartation as law breakers sense the signs of weakness. Looking into the mirror, we sincerely trust that no one within our Cabinet of Ministers feels it necessary to move forward in that direction.