Could the Coronavirus be bringing out the worst in us?

At last week’s parliamentary session a seemingly taken aback Gale Rigobert found cause to exclaim: “Mr. Speaker, I’m beginning to sense there are some people who are wishing and willing this thing [the coronavirus] upon our shores, for political reasons. We are Saint Lucians in this House. We are all Saint Lucians!” 

The MP’s expressed concern had the effect of a stiletto heel to the groin of Castries South MP Ernest Hilaire. He jumped to his feet in breathless protest: “Mr. Speaker, this is offensive. The honourable member must be asked to take back those comments. This is serious business. The comments by the member for Micoud are offensive and the honourable member for Micoud needs to withdraw. To suggest—and it’s been repeated by the prime minister—that we on this side want the coronavirus to come to Saint Lucia and kill Saint Lucians is low, insensitive, callous. It is offensive and has no place in this honourable House! No place! We can come here, disagree on policy, argue on approaches, we can go at each other criticizing performance, but there’s a line that must be drawn . . . This is the rock my children must live on . . .”

In his turn the Vieux Fort South MP and former prime minister Kenny Anthony also expressed alarm, albeit with greater control: “This thing is calling for a different kind of dialogue. Not us attacking each other, accusing each other of deliberately wanting people to get sick to make a political point. Who would want to see the tourism industry collapse because of this? Nobody would want that!”

Since the remembered fiery House episode, local authorities have confirmed two cases of COVID-19. Then on Tuesday his office announced the prime minister had quarantined himself at home while awaiting the result of tests for the virus. For once, the leader of the House opposition Philip J. Pierre commended the prime minister: “for adhering to the protocols on COVID-19 when he felt unwell”.

Pierre added: “We are all relieved that his COVID-19 test result was negative. We wish him a speedy recovery.” The opposition leader also appealed to “all Saint Lucians to refrain from wishing ill-health on anyone or believing that anyone wants COVID-19 to destroy Saint Lucia”.

Former SLP chairman and Senate President Claudius Francis had earlier issued a message via his Facebook page: “Whatever it is which ails our Prime Minister, let us wish him a full and speedy recovery.”

Trust a frontline member of their party to prove Kenny Anthony, Ernest Hilaire and Philip J. Pierre wrong when they asserted that no one on their side would be so “callous”, would “stoop so low”, would “want people to get sick”. Evidently they forgot about a certain cretinous character about town. Referencing the prime minister via Facebook, he wrote: “Sorry Claudius J. Francis. When they took four years to pay me . . . up to now I haven’t gotten a cent because of the circumstance, choopz tan. My family was suffering, up to now I cannot get my money and you want me to come here and say wish him well. Awa. Up to now I cannot enjoy the fruits of my labour.”

Describing himself as “one of the best persons you can find”, he went on: “So many people have been asking for my death because I speak the truth and exposing this corrupt government. Dayband hypocrite. Rick Wayne on Kenny D. Anthony ass every day, saying all kind of things about it. Y’all eh saying nothing. Y’all enjoying it. Hypocrite.”

Less notorious hate merchants proffered their endorsements: “Why should he wish Chastanet well? To please others or to sound politically correct? He is being genuine and honest and true to himself. That is admirable to me. I dislike hypocrisy. I do not say what I don’t feel. So I too do not wish Chastanet well.”

Another scholarly contribution: “In St Lucia, If you don’t agree with people, you’re immediately attack. Plurality and diversity of thought is dead.”

But this gibberish contribution took the hate cake: “Can you remember our grandparents on the plantation in the 18th and 19th century, despite us not having a museum of history? They worked seven days a week and from sunrise to sunset. They barely made it to 40 years of age. They whole life was dedicated to the operation of the plantation and lived in fear of both the overseer and the plantation owner. When the overseer or owner died, they cried in a frenzy of tears at the funeral. And that’s the source of your self-righteousness in honoring a leader who consciously practices a plantation leadership style. That’s the source of our present day political correctness to destructive economic, social and political leadership in our country of St.Lucia. 

“Wishing him well is not public approval or support for his governance. You have confessed to criticizing him publicly on social media although you never expressed your sentiment for the end of his leadership. Now, he is in a predicament where his end is a possibility or probability and you have now made a 90-degree turn by venting your emotional discomfort at that possibility. You are pleading for social decorum and respect by canvassing for people to do likewise. You are wishing him well and that his leadership endure perhaps for your entire lifetime! That behavior predates you centuries ago, where the slave cried river of tears at the death of his master despite castigating as a greedy, selfish and unfair master all his life on the plantation. With your new emotional stance, you are dictating to others to follow suit and show sympathy . . . No carnival but you have your placard begging people on da street to show respect and honor in his predicament.”

Let us pray the poisoned minds evident here will not prove “a pre-existing condition” likely to render the afflicted particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus!