Loading ...Earlier this week Kenny Anthony at a public meeting of the Labour Party accused the government of being able to do one thing only: increase taxes.
He further suggested that what he had abolished to the relief of taxpayers, the government had reimposed on them: Vehicle licenses for one. Such claims should not be allowed to go unchallenged. The continued use of sophistry, a sign of intellectual arrogance, by a well-educated former prime minister and law professor on unsuspecting less-educated listeners expecting to be told the plain truth is shameful. This sort of behaviour by the Leader of the Opposition has now become a trade-mark.
Kenny Anthony, once king of all he surveyed, photographed during the 2001 election campaign.
Here is what the then Prime Minister and Minister of Finance said in his budget address for the fiscal year 1998/1999 on the issue of motor vehicle licenses: “Mr Speaker, over the years there has been a significant shortfall in revenue because a substantial number of vehicle owners did not pay their annual licenses.” He went on to provide the relevant statistics to underscore his point. “What it means is this: vehicle owners who pay their licenses are subsidizing those who do not. Peter continues to pay for Paul. That cannot be fair.”
Kenny Anthony clearly recognized the problem of collecting vehicle licenses and was determined in the name of fairness to ensure those who should pay did pay. At the time there were more demanding reasons to ensure vehicle licenses were not only collected but increased according to the former prime minister.
Here is what he proffered: “The UWP government borrowed US$9M from Caisse Francaise to finance the construction of the two tunnels. In accordance with the agreement with Caisse Francaise, the UWP Cabinet in 1997 approved increases in vehicle licenses but lacked the courage to implement them.”
In light of the foregoing, Prime Minister Kenny Anthony came up with this solution: “Mr Speaker, it is our view that collecting road and vehicle user fees via petroleum tax is a more efficient and more equitable mechanism. Effective 15 May 1998 vehicle licenses will be abolished and replaced by a consumption tax on gasoline and diesel.”
So when the former prime minister was suggesting that his administration had offered relief for motorists while the current administration was burdening them with the introduction of a vehicle license was he telling the truth?
When will Kenny Anthony recognize that he cannot get away with this type of behaviour? As a former PM seeking again to run this country his words get in the way of his credibility.
Add this latest misrepresentation of the truth to Roachamel, NCA, Helen Air, the finger-printing boo-boo and you arrive at one conclusion: this man should not be given another opportunity to lead the country. These are not just mistakes, they are suggestive of political schizophrenia.
If the Labour Party does not wish to move on, then the country must, in the hope of improving the quality of leadership the country that is so desperately needed. Stephenson King cannot be the standard bearer for Kenny Anthony’s legitimacy as the next leader of this country.
Lessons should be drawn from Gordon Brown, who earlier this week resigned as leader of the British Labour Party because the electorate had rejected him. This is what honourable politicians do: they take responsibility for the consequences of their leadership. By resigning, Brown was also allowing his party the freedom to reorganize itself to more adequately address the demands of the society. Unfortunately, such behaviour is never emulated by local leaders and the reason is this: the power they seek is more about their self-aggrandizement than service the people.
Kenny Anthony must be kept under scrutiny and exposed so voters are fully aware of the political and financial risk to which they would be exposing the country with another Labour government led by Anthony.
I make no apology for my persistence with this matter. It is my civic duty.
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Please ENLIGHTEN those religious ZEALOTS that wear religion on their Sleeves……they need to WAKE UP from years of brainwashing!
the man is just plain arrogant……that is why slp lost the last elections and thats why they will never be reelected…….case close….vote for change,,,,,,,let us get rid of the past……..foward ever………stlucia nice
Your civic duty will not fool us St Lucians this around, because it does not matter how much baggage you highlight and continue to recycle time after time about Kenny. We have been hearing the same recycled baggage or garbage from you for the past ten years, we know all of them. We have made kenny pay for his mistakes. If you are fair and balance as you claim to be. Kenny is now out of government, you must start telling us, or highlight the baggage or the achievements of the of the present which we are now paying to take care of our affairs. We want to know if we are better off now than when we were governed by Kenny. What political and financial risk will the country be exposed to with the return of the SLP? I also want you to point out to us or tell us which government in this world which is perfect and has not made mistakes? Has this present government not made countless mistakes? Why are you only highlighting Kenny mistakes? Are you not satisfies with the amount of development that took place in St Lucia for the nine years of the SLP rule? why do you want to keep kenny under any scrutiny, whiles the government goes scotch free in taking the country on a downward slide?I do not believe you are the one, or it is your job to advice or tell people who to elect to run their affairs, you have one vote and you should your vote as your please. Amen
So we are able to be fooled once…and not again…. so one side gets elected and the other side fools the electorate into putting them into power….is the electorate stupid….so if we were fooled once….how u so sure we can’t be fooled twice???
I must agree that there was an eerie air of predictability about this article. I understood the argument but it was hardly convincing especially after a barrage “old news” Roachamel anecdotes.
I think that we all know Kenny’s faults but the question is; do we have resounding confidence in the benefactors of Daddy Compty’s legacy? Are they truly paving the way to a brighter future (tunnel vision style)? The last budget left many of us in doubts. We’re tired of the criticisms, they might work on hardcore party hacks but some of us are actually paying attention and shift our allegiance swiftly in the face of mediocrity.
Some problem solving proposals and critiquing of both the red and yellow shirts would be a good move.
Maryanna and Toot too Boo She seem to be one and the same, as,for close to a year since i’ve visiting this forum all i hear from the two of them is the same old tired talking points.Kenny has admitted to his faults,although i believe there are others that can be leadership material in the near future, we need someone with some idea of how to cushion the impacts of these difficult times.
@truth!! You’ve been mislead. Do you think my people back home are not tired of drinking that poisoned RED koolaid day after day?If so, how utterly stupid you are. St Lucia is not on a downward spiral. Be honest, speak your name “truth”.
Please tell us what has been on the upward trail since this government has been in office? The only thing that is growing and is on an upward climb is CRIME, KILLING, GUN VIOLENCE, MUGGING OF TOURIST, HOLDING UP PEOPLE AT GUN POINT, ROBBING UNEMPLOYMENT. Tell me i am not speaking the TRUTH, you bias what you are.
Truth!! Take your happy pill and chill.You are a very shallow person your comment was absolutely unnecessary especially towards John,I know you cannot wait for rum and chicken to flow again.Stop hating,thats old news clown you not only stuck on yesterday but you also stuck on stupid.
What must i chill about? I am a St lucian just like you and i love my country, i find you to be rude to want to quiet me. I remember when Kenny was in office, he was developing the country by leaps and bounds, but still all the media and the uwp supporters were making a lot of noise. Where you at that time to ask them to chill? The uwp use to blame Kenny for crime and everything wrong that was happening in St Lucia. They promised to do better, now they are now in office and things are now worse. Mostly every weekend there is killings in St Lucia, that is what i hate. FURIOUS you call me shallow but i have not read anything of substance you have written. You still talking that nonsense about chicken and run flowing, please tell us what you mean by that? because i think you just hear people mention that and you are repeating it. I was born in St Lucia, i have been to all political parties rallies and i have never gotten anything free or seen any chicken and rum flowing freely. If i do not have money to BUY, i would stave. the only thing that is gotten easy are political T SHIRTS. I also know at election time the party in office will make things a little easier, by fooling SOME PEOPLE with a little hand out here and there. I will also tell you, only illiterate people who cannot express themselves call others names. What did i say that is old news? Is the escalation of crime, unemployment we have today in St Lucia is old news? Check yourself.
What a joke this so call Mayanna is. The one who has lost all credibility is Maryanna. Maybe kenny should take you out on a date for you to feel good. You wrote his statement about vehicle licenses and what he said. Clearly your interpretation is way off. kenn stressed the need for the license fees to be collected not for it to be increased. he went on to speak about those who are paying are in a sense subsidizing those who are not. no where in his statement did he advocate for increasing the fees. I am sure some people will read your interpretation and say ahh haa, I caught Kenny. But all they need to do is re-read what kenny say and the ah ha will be I caught Maryann in more lies
kenny had people to believe that his government provided relief when he abandoned the tax “vehicle license” but what he really did as the article clearly indicates was to find a different way of charging the license. That is the issue of the article that seem to have escaped you totally. The article is a fair comment howeverr embarassing it may be to some. it is the sort of thing politicians do I think it to be clever, it is not . it is simply dishonest.
And they say he didn’t rule with an iron-fist? Ha!
“There is no wound so severe as that of a ruptured ego and none that heals more slowly” - Validivar.
Simon read again what Kenny said and you may understand what he was saying or maybe you won’t get it since you get your information from the propaganda machine better known as Maryanna.
So Ben, is it a crime to have Maryanna as my CNN and are you the new blog police?
Anyways, you cult leader is in purgatory at the moment and he will be there for a long, long time cuz Karma is always on PMS and you don’t want to mess with her.
We must reap what we sow Ben, and Kenny did plant some very bad seeds in the past.
Simon i am not the new blog police,I am just the one who is hell bent on pinpointing stupidity as yours.You highlight the lack of knowledge and thorough thinking that is plaguing this country we all so love
Ben, if you are a man of God then you should leave politics for heathens like me. Christ despised politicians with a passion but it seems that you have a thing for Kenny or you’re just politically tribal. You can’t serve 2 masters.
One of the frustrating things about Kenny Anthony is that you never know which of his two personalities will show. Whether it’s Kenny or Tony? He has yet to fully atone for betraying the faith of St. Lucian voters during his two terms in office. He is now playing the role of a prophet, as if his catastrophic two terms as PM never happened.
What catastrophic two terms? Wake up and smell the coffee and compare kenny’s two terms to JC six or more terms. Stop the party politics and move this country forward!
You should apologized. You are on one track which is going nowhere. Start making a real contribution if you are sincere.
What is the point here is this a smear campaign against the former PM. He was justified in going that route, instead of depending on the police or the Ministry to follow up on delinquent owners. How practical is this solution forwarded by the present government when the police presence is not felt in the community. Are they going to call on the citizens to inform on others (their only stragegy in resolving crime). They have added the annual tax on vehicles which it is indeed but have the considered the consequences of this. When a tax on gas is an effective way of collecting revenue for developing states. Instead we decide to put in a price monitoring mechanism in place. Is that a case of monkey see and monkey do following developed states. St. Lucian petrol station owers complained saying the government was making too much profit via the tax on gas. My question is who is managing the state is it the business owers or the government? How can we change procedure to benift a few (shows that the poor will remain poor). We have yet been able to see the benifits to the state or the buyer in light of the the new procedure. All of us should realise that when the state benifits we all benifit and if a new tax is not practical we are to complain on the basis that the state will not be able to carry out it’s affair in a prudent way. Poor management of the economy is to be blamed when taxes are not used for the purpose of development. Talking about who said what or who did what is of little importance in this stage of our development . We should look at the issues as a whole (the big picture). This means looking at the problem and trying to get the best practical solution to it. Kenny did this, Kenny did that, as if he is our moral bench mark. These articles should not make Kenny primary focus and address the main issue which is this the best solution to the problem and how practical it is. Stop shooting yourself in the foot by trying to please the minority.
Lessons should be drawn from Gordon Brown, who earlier this week resigned as leader of the British Labor Party because the electorate had rejected him. If that was a lesson to learn then King has just missed the mark. When G-Brown was selected he was suppose to go to the people and ask to be elected s Pm he refused to call general elections fearing that he would lose. King has made a similar mistake in that he was supposed to call elections in the interest of the people instead of going to bed with all and sundry to show face. The deputy leader was not considered when their leader died says alot about the democratic system in the UWP. The point is he like G Brown was selected and not elected; hungry for power. Hope he will be prepared to face the people in the next elections when we decide if he passes that fit and proper person test of leadership. He may be sacrificing the seats of others to stay as leader. Just some food for thought most of us under the Westminster system look at the leading when deciding to vote for our local representative. Not a big fan of Kenny either. But the devil is always in the details. How could you (UWP) be so straight and you are not honest in your affairs. Majority voted for a change in style of management and not a replacement of managers. You missed the point and you will be reminded at the next G-elections.
civic duty?You are and have been on a mission to degrade,humiliate and discredit Kenny.I am not saying that Kenny doesnt have issues.he isnt the first to squander resources,tell a lie or mispeak. You say it’s your civic duty,well its my right to call you out to reveal yourself as your credibility as an objective voice has been tarnished and thus cannot be trusted.
Well done Mary Anna. While I do believe that you do have a thing for Kenny, you are right this time. The Kenny I have followed since his advent into politics is the Kenny incapable of speaking the truth even when the truth is to his advantage or in his best interest if you may. The man gloats in his ability to mislead the masses. Like the Sarah Flood confrontation in the house on outright denial of th truth. Yes it is arrogance, the Bernard syndrome of the massa in charge. Unfortunately the electorate is not sophsiticated enought to detect the subtle massa mentality of the man. Oh and for the sychophant educated opportunist who follow even when they know the truth but tacitly give support to such a leader, I say there is greater shame. For the SOCALLED SDA Christians like the respected Doctor who tacitly endorse the lies in the name of politics I say where is your integrity. Why not speak out against these abuses or at least distance yourself. Is your leader next to or above the GOD you claim to serve? I don’t care much for King and company, but I care less for Christians who demonstrate hypocritical integrity. If your leader consistently lies outrightly or twist the truth you need to speak out no matter what the consequence to your political career. By remaining silent you are as guilty of the deceit of the masses you claim to be in politics to serve, and dishonest because your allegiance is not to truth but to political survival. My learnt Doctor when is the truth not neccessary, or a lie or half truth OK? Is this what you hold as doctrine, and does it reflect the the teachings of your Chirch, and does it represent Christ in you. No wonder so many are turned off by christianity and in particular adventism. Don’t you know that being in the spot light you are duty bound to where your cloak of christianity?
John you have crossed a line which many dare not to cross because this threshold put in in danger of contradicting yourself as you just did.I am an SDA and we SDA’s believe in forgiveness and second chances which is what is being extended to Dr. K. by the SDA MP. Lucians, people we need to stop think analyze before opening our traps………
What lies are you talking about.
Please mention as many as posible
if in 2011 we stlucians can not see that uwp and slp should be given a state fruneral we have a lot more problem than the crime situation ….we just plain sick….toof
I am not saying you are wrong, but you must provide us with an alternative, for the time being we have to be governed, so we must use what we have available to us, which the SLP and uwp. Form your party and we might for you.
JOHN, we all know JOHN is a Dangerous sickness in St Lucia and only a sick person can write so much garbage because the sickness is eating away his brain. You said Kenny is not speaking the truth but you never gave one example. You talking about that Sarah who called her fellow government members murderers in the house, now the present government is paying her and her whole family from our taxes to have a good time in New York. You think Sarah care about you? What did Kenny lied about when it comes to Sarah? You also spoke about arrogrance, what is Kenny arrogrant about? You came back with that massa thing again, i though it was people like Guy joseph who used that word in the house, oh you are a Joseph you might be related to Guy, so i am not supprised. Who has told more lied to St Lucians King or Kenny? Talking about christians, is Guy Joseph a not SDA christian also, is he perfect? How comes you finding fault in one and not the other? You called others hypocrite, is that not making you a hypocrite also? How can you be so be talking about the Bernard syndrome in relation to Kenny? Nobody including Kenny do not choose their parents, if i had to choose my parents ii would ask for Oprah or donald Tramp etc, so cut off your non sense about the Bernards. Please give us some examples of the lies or half truth you are talking about, or in other words think and make some sense before you write because people have to waste their time to read your crap..
KENNY IS RESPECTED BY THE OECS…………BUT ST.LUCIAN I ASHAME OF YOU. HE WILL BE BACK 2011
STOP DAT B.S…..what kenny did 4 the country is curently unmarch with KING ADMIN…the wrongs kenny did the present gov has to not only do better than what kenny did but prove to the people of st lucia the better way because that’s what lucian’s voted 4,not to come and point finger at kenny prov us you’re better but you’re not,develop the country.mordernize our city and towns to get maximum returns but instead you their siting down and smiling.st lucia any leader who cannot give us what we demand VOTE them OUT………
Ouch!! Turn down your stupidity please.It’s so loud, dam.You all haters come out in full force,simply because Maryanna speak the truth.Sad to say you all are talking with both sets of lips,the horizontal ones and the bearded vertical ones.Oh happy day.
furious, furious, furious……………..what are you furious about.you sound a lot like Maryanna.you offer baseless criticisms, you try to discredit and demerit, but i come by here to tell you that the mud this so called Maryanna has been throwing has only solidified Kenny power.I am not saying the Kenny doesnot have faults,but point me out one politician in St Lucia without.Among the guys currently in government, there are some who were there when strikes plagued the country,when SLBGA debt was increasing.Lucians voted them back into power and have ever since been short changed………..but still Lucians continue like nothing is wrong because they get fooled with some chicken and rum.
civic duty ???? LOL
Can anyone list some sustainable revenue generating initiatives proposed by the King administration which have successfully come to fruition? (With the exception of the tissue culture facility, road renovation projects and tax increases.)
ummmmmmmmmmmmm well all i can say without kenny there would be no king just like without bush there would be no obama…….think about it….o yes i get it now …more news papers selling there,s your revenue…….
How can you compare King to Obama? The people of the United States voted for President Obama.The people of St Lucia never voted King for Prime Minister.
yeah but if kenny was doing what he was suppose to do[modernize our prehistoric laws] instead he got pregnant with arrogance…….he would still be primeminister today ….
Be more specific, tell us which laws are you talking about. So the people of St Lucia told you that they voted for Kenny only to modernize laws. Does that make any sense to you? I am not saying laws should not be modernized, but also i strongly believe the laws we already have on the books should be enforced.
Is prime minister King doing better than Kenny? What is he doing about modernizing our prehistoric laws? As you put it.We should stop being bias.
Obama and King are no different.
Please Jean Baptiste…………..
Who is wise?
Who is a good leader ?
How can you compare King to Obama? (1) Obama took time to educate himself. ( 2) King time in office is double that of Obama (3) Our system is much different to that of the USA, because King could just wake up one day and say he will do, let us say eg, any project and that will happen even though people criticize it or not, but in the USA it must be debated and voted upon for by both the congress and the house of representative. (4) Obama is respected all over the world. (5) obama was elected not selected like King. (6) Obama could formulate and administrate policies. i could go on and on with the differences.
i remember when kenny had a big afro and we used to play table tennis with ls….if kenny can remember these day and the humble positive person he was then ….i selling my soul to vote for him until then …..vote both uwp and slp out…..send them to choc …time for new blood………..he had his chance…the days of political dynasty died with jessica, sorry john compton……time for change……..foward ever……..toof
This sounds like a personal vendetta.
The problem is neither Kenny nor King has a clue as how to change the economy so as to put it on the road to continuous growth to effectively reduce crime, poverty and unemployment. Just criticizing one another is nice fun and short-lived entertainment for die-hard party supporters. It does not help in any way the plight and conditions of the poor, the unemployed and level of crime alienated from those doing well in the country. Take sides if you must. Wear the party colours if you must. But then you, like they, are just part of the problem and not part of the solution. As someone said the other day, St. Lucia is right now between a rock and a hard place.
It is not about fixing the economy, it’s about having in place an environment which allows business to grow. The economy goes through cycles of life birth, life and death. All those stages are necessary for growth and change, but politicians would have you you fooled into thinking that the economy should remain in a static high position. You are being fed a fantasy.
Name me one politician that has never taken an opportunity to generalize an issue to benefit themself? It is quite clear that you are anti-Kenny. I have no problem with helping clarify what a politician have said but you do it as a paid consultant of UWP operating under the disguise of a journalist. Be Real!
the problem is that we have too many baffoons and malaways in this country. its like when ever this country is to move forward people claim its against malayway. shit to hell with malayway and lets progress this place.
And I agree Al. Let us get this country going when we focus on working and not on complaining. I have an issue to raise here…Is leadership promised only to those who have “Dr” in front of their names? Seems we have no respect for Prime Minister King because he is not a Dr and is not surrounded by too many Drs.
Both PM King and Dr. Anthony can do a good job.
i am very glad for you, you are not a malayway. Most of of you who is living in the pest, and roach infested apartments in the USA and doing all the nasty jobs which the whites and citizens will never do. You all want to call us malayway, but you will be very surprise to see how much progress we the people have made in St Lucia.
You really need to grow up,or please grow a new brain.I think something got lost in translation.Go home now child mommy waiting.
FURIOUS, I am very, very happy and very proud i have a mommy to go to, because some of you do not, that is why we are in that mess in St Lucia, when it comes to indiscipline and crime. My mummy is a very good example to me, she raised me very well. It is up to you that you are not proud of your mummy, do not blame me for that.
All Governments must fail when it comes to managing public debt and interest, they have no choice, it has to be that way. Think about it, if the Government were a business it would have died long ago, but you the taxpayer are always there to cover the cost, in fact the bigger the debt the more it is in your national interest to save your country. So it’s a win win for politicians and a big fat loss for you the public citizen, hence national pride is their smoke screen which in turn becomes your false glory, your blind pride, your sick ego, your beautiful and suffering poverty.