A Spider’s Web

By Jack Spaniard

Lennard “Spider” Montoute has always had an exaggerated opinion of hos ability especially in politics. Even in Sir John’s time he pranced about like he felt he was to be Sir John’s successor, but he was being used to keep Gros Islet town’s people happy as a poor local boy, who in their eyes had reached the top.

As time went by it was realized that he had this opinion of himself and was temperamental or short tempered. The crunch came when Sir John was about to meet his Maker, lying on a bed at Tapion Hospital. The Spider had to be restrained when he persisted on entering the hospital ward at all times of his choosing.

I can tell you that Sir John died thinking of Montoute as a second rate politician. And he was right as usual because a woman beat him at the last election and will beat him again at the next general election. As deputy to the Political Leader, he has given his leader no assistance or even befriended him enough to give him some assistance in any manner. The Spider (or Tarantula) I am told has fought the Political Leader from the start even trying to have the representative for Micoud North to turn her back on him. I heard her speak at a private indoor meetig words which made me wonder if she had forgotten that it was Chastanet’s only political error so far, making her Leader of the Opposition I place of Stephenson King. However, in my view she has bee better than he would have been. I say this based on the closeness which had developed between King and Kenny and King by nature avoiding heated arguments.

Mary Polius is another story. Chastanet tried to acommodate her until he discovered that she was worming her way between the two factions. I was at a loss to decide if she was just helping out Spider, Steve or Preville. I am told that herself and Montoute (both pro Steve) have been against Chastanet from the start, joining up with Petra Nelson in alliance against him.

Now Stephenson King is a man I have in the past always admired but my admiration for him is now dwindling. Steve became Prime Minister in an irregular manner. The process was not followed but because out great Chef-Sir John did it his way no one seriously questioned the manner in which it was being done. Both King and Ausbert visited him regularly at his house during his last days, but the latter was of superior intellect while the former was an experienced politician so he had to choose the former.

As Prime Minister no one could point a finger at King calling him dishonest. But his colleagues at Cabinet meetings saw his weakness when persons like Tori Fatal would challenge him openly without reprimand. The then Minister of Health who brought about the famous or infamous TUXEDO VILLA case is one such instance showing the then Prime Minister acquiescing after first objecting to what Mondesir was proposing. The Spider, I am told, did not seriously object to anything. It would seem that his present objection to Chastanet is because he still dreams of becoming Prime Minister of Saint Lucia.

Those caught in the web of deceiving Saint Lucians, must realise that apart from the amounts siphoned from the Consolidated funds as far there are at least hundreds of thousands of Taiwanese dollars which the Labour Government might use for election purposes this coming election. The Opposition Party and those paupers who seek to lead the U.W.P including the Spider will be caught penniless as they are at present.

Allen Chastanet has money, his wife his money, his father has money, his father-in-law has money, his business contacts have money unlike the Spider and the others who are all paupers relying on their salaries to exist.

Finally I wish to point out that the great John Compton had a worthy ally, confidant and friend in Henry Giraudy plus other members of the executive who did all they were supposed to do to keep the Party supreme, but Allen Chastanet is not that lucky so he had to learn the ropes first and so he did.

King let the branches around the island go domant which Chastanet has revived. He tried this with the Executive but unfortunately for the country some of them are jealous of his competence and ability and are trying to bring him down and the country be damned. Those of them who have been caught in the Spider’s we wanted convention soon and the leader obliged setting it for November. At first all those detractors were happy but now are in panic because Chastanet has lined up his troops of faithful U.W.P’s to overwhelm them. They have now become television personalities spewing their racial and poison arrows at him. But he is a man of sterner stuff than those racists and will overwhelm them at the same convention they demanded, even worse than he did the veteran (Steve) and the “Johnny came lately”, Preville who has gone into hiding.

Chastanet anxiously awaits his next victim at the convention which was demanded by the paupers caught up in the Spider’s Web but he shall not be moved, whether it be the ordinary Spider or the more dangerous one known as the Tarantula better known as Tori Fatal who waits in the dark for its prey.

Chastanet will win and become our leader for the third time because he has the connections both here and abroad. Go to Desruisseaux and ask any school child. “Who is Allen Chastanet” and the child would say “the Leader of the U.W.P.” If you should ask “who was out last Prime Minister?” The answer is likely to be “I donno!”

I am only a Jack Spaniard but I say when Allen wins again at the next Convention demanded by “Spider” and his crew, they will have to fall in the line behind him more for their own survival rather than for love of him or even love of country.

All those in the Spider’s web will be forgiven on condition that like Allen Chastanet they put their country first whether you have been a Spider from Gros Islet or a dangerous Tarantula from Castries Central or parts unknown.