How do you protect victory with fearful silence?

Winner of the 1925 Noble Prize for Literature is the well documented George Bernard Shaw. He is well renowned for articulating the understanding that “the power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.” 

Relating to Saint Lucia, a dichotomous, possibly schizophrenic existence is deemed essential to navigating life chances and even social acceptance.  Accordingly, perception is dictated, and the expression of objective fact is curtailed by pernicious slogans like the recently concocted “protect the victory.” This slogan, although seemingly innocuous, is as simplistic and without merit as claiming anyone who does not agree with your position has been sent by the devil to derail. No competing with that, just drink the Kool Aid! 

Anyway, I won’t be sidetracked by my discontent with politics in Saint Lucia and the persistent failures of the two main political parties.  So back to George Bernard Shaw, whose quote is used as the basis to emphatically state that I owe no political party my allegiance, and that I voted for the Saint Lucia Labour Party. My vote was cast in the name of the President of the Republic of Laborie, Alva Romanus Baptiste.  You know what?  Laborie is not a Republic; what delusions are we supporting here?  He is the Parliamentary Representative of a village; not its President.  I might also take the opportunity to suggest he needs to work to prove himself worthy of being called honourable.

Rant over—for now.  I’m not sure whether this was readily visible to all, but when our Prime Minister said during his first speech after being sworn in by the former representative for Laborie, Governor General Sir Neville Cenac, that Saint Lucia would not interfere in the domestic affairs of other states, our prime minister forgot to say he was referring specifically and exclusively to Venezuela.  The Taiwanese Ambassador went into a tailspin and a flurry of diplomatic wrangling to ensure he’d not heard what sounded like solidarity with, and the appreciation of the One China Principle. 

A message from the Taiwanese government congratulating the Saint Lucia Labour Party via the media on its election victory was apparently deemed insufficient. In an apparent lapse of judgment, the new Prime Minister, the former foreign minister and the deputy political leader and member for Castries South (yet officially to hold a portfolio) attended the Taiwanese Embassy for a teleconference with the Chinese Foreign Minister.  I thought the “misunderstanding” an opportunity for profit, but the former and soon to be reincarnated Minister for External Affairs who considered it prudent (diplomatic?) to wear Chinese-styled clothing to the meeting, appeared not to advise upon the most efficacious way forward.

Frankly, the meeting should have been postponed until the appointment of the Cabinet of Ministers, and the Taiwanese Foreign Minister allowed to speak with his counterpart, therein allowing the External Affairs Minister the opportunity to negotiate substantially more rewarding assistance programmes, or improved terms of agreements from the previous administration. Well, we know how that played out. The optics of the photo demonstrated a disappointing and unforgiving subservience and weakness on the part of our newly elected leader. If the meeting had to be convened, then why not at the office of the Prime Minister or the official residence?  That was a pitiful start that foreshadowed more diplomatic snafus.

While we can all agree that the Lima Group supported regime change in Venezuela under questionable terms, we must take stock of the fact that many of the member States are our neighbours and allies-in-aid.  Why then would an experienced and seasoned External Affairs Minister, upon disassociating Saint Lucia with the Lima Group, refer to these friendly States as being in a “mongoose gang?”

The flashbacks of the vicious deposition of Grenada’s Eric Gairy was excessive, not to say offensive and egregiously undiplomatic.  The EU, Canada and the U.S. “a mongoose gang?” How will the subsequent begging for aid be worded?  It did not help that Grenada was also part of the Lima group. I would pay to be a fly on the wall at the next CARICOM Council on Foreign Policy Coordination meeting.

With a wealth of experience as a technocrat within the Ministry of External Affairs, and serving as the Minister, there seemed to be no evidence of the seasoned External Affairs Minister’s influence within the United Nations General Assembly address.  Or was there? I should be careful to give credit where due.  Nonetheless, PM Pierre’s address to the UN was less than a stellar declaration to the world of what Saint Lucia’s foreign policy is to be, given the recent change of administration. It was only marginally better presented than the former PM’s!  Saint Lucia is missing out on furthering the relationship with Africa, where Barbados is moving much faster ahead than most of CARICOM.  It really is not difficult to further the relationship, with so many available opportunities. The manifesto says we are supposed to expand our relationships with non-traditional partners. But who is going to pursue that agenda, and when? 

The UWP’s 2016 manifesto suggested the de-politicization of the Foreign Ministry, yet the then PM/FM did the precise opposite.  That disregard for promises is one of the many reasons the UWP was voted out. But here is the situation: the SLP manifesto did not even attempt to make the same statement of intent about the de-politicization of the Ministry of External Affairs.  At least we cannot accuse them of breaking a promise they did not make.  We can see from prior to the 2016 election, our foreign representatives were predominantly relatives of the SLP political hierarchy: Rambally, Clarke, Walcott etc.  Rumours are of no significance to me. I will concern myself only with facts, but I have little reason to believe the previous political “dead brains”—a phrase borrowed from Lorraine Williams—who dismally represented Saint Lucia under the SLP administration will be any different this time around. What is this they say about insanity . . . “doing the same and expecting different results?”  Yes, that may certainly be the case when the only minister returned to his old portfolio was my parliamentary representative. But let’s wait and see, as I don’t already know the answer—after four elections of his priding himself on channelling George Odlum’s voice; jealously coveting more power and throwing his toys out of the pram when the party executive didn’t grant him his wish. Sitting in the most comfortable political seat in the land, even more comfortable than Micoud North was, more is certainly expected of my parliamentary representative.  Or maybe less should be expected, given his steadfast retention of the SLP’s safest seat.

George Bernard Shaw said “progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” I submit it is time we change our minds about what we are willing to accept from our leaders. We should not accept being shut up to protect the victory. Our leaders should acknowledge their mistakes, and recognize that the management of the public purse requires a dedication to the task, not to the party and their family and friends after an election. (FFF?) Family and friends, a phrase by which the SLP underscored the UWP administration’s policy of nepotism, and is now also showing signs of a loving embrace. Will they apologise after rewarding square pegs with lucrative round-holed international postings? In the past they have not!

An unresponsive and surely not a proactive foreign policy, an External Affairs Minister who comforts himself with his staff, and makes questionable appointments such as Caterina Cicerone, a resident of Miami, Florida as Saint Lucia’s “Ambassador at large.”  But then he did say that he would not criticise the UWP on certain matters, maybe it was because the UWP knew what he did, and it was an informal détente. That certainly explains his shaking of the former PM’s hand when Kenny D. Anthony would not.  

“Mais plus les choses changent, plus la même chose.”  The proposition ought to engender renewed meaning in our society that is at the proverbial crossroads. More so, it certainly requires a herculean effort on our part as Saint Lucians to reject the empty platitudes of protecting the victory, when our leaders turn around and rob us blind by offering mediocrity as our just due.  Let’s wait for the bill to come due to realise we’re being ripped off—yet again.  Cheers to ignorance being bliss!