[dropcap]B[/dropcap]ased solely on what he pulled off on June 6, 2016 some have openly declared him a political Mandrake. That he had recently resurrected Grynberg (more than a decade ago declared dead by some of our more nefarious fantasy mongers), may well further feed the feeling among his amen corner that Allen Chastanet will indeed deliver during his first term all of his election promises.
The unvarnished truth is that there never was anything magical or supernatural about the result of the 2016 general elections. For several months prior the writing had been on every wall: after fifteen years Saint Lucians had had it up to their bloodshot eyeballs with Kenny Anthony’s leadership style; his penchant for making foes of traditional friends; the far-reaching consequences of his incessant flip-flopping on important issues, some involving the United States and the European Union, to say nothing of his implementation of the VAT that earlier he had described as “an oppressive law, anti-worker and anti-poor.”
As if to confirm the nation’s worst suspicions, that he was incapable of controlling his pharisaical traits, let alone showing remorse, during his contribution to the most recent budget debate Kenny Anthony dropped on the nation (and the world via the Internet) the following revelation: “It is clear that elections are motivated by revenge, malice, spite and ill-will.” So much for the Saint Lucia constitution that insists on elections every five years, with the best intentions. Was Anthony’s expressed mindset responsible for his ominous promise shortly before voters went to the polls that the 2016 general elections would not be between the island’s two long established political organizations? That it would be “between the St. Lucia Labour Party and the Chastanets”—son and supportive father?
Last Thursday Kenny Anthony cited by name the manager of a government project whom he said had prayed, presumably in the party leader’s presence, that the Labour Party should lose the elections. “Yes,” said Anthony, “she prayed over me. Prayer is a very powerful thing and should never be said for doing what is wrong . . . She is now being treated with contempt, lack of professionalism, like a common criminal.”
So, did God Almighty grant the woman her election-time wish only so she might suffer the consequences of her disloyalty to the SLP leader? Several months earlier, an irrationally exuberant Anthony had from his campaign platform declared himself “a blessed child of God,” therefore invulnerable to “Guy Joseph’s obeah!”
To return to matters of this world: On Monday the prime minister assured reporters at his regular pre-Cabinet press briefing that he was unperturbed by Kenny Anthony’s open threat that should he carry out his promised investigations into certain events in public administration—including the secret 2000 Grynberg contract and the multi-million-dollar St Jude Hospital fiasco—he will make certain Chastanet “inherits the whirlwind.” It was “very, very sad,” Chastanet observed, that local politics had sunk to the point where MPs openly threatened their House colleagues for doing the right thing. Nevertheless, he remained “committed to our goals and plans.”
The prime minister reminded the press that his government had always been open with the public. “The same cannot be said about Dr. Kenny Anthony. If it had not been for a divorce case in the UK, we might never have known about Saint Lucia’s relationship with a Saudi billionaire. Had it not been
for a change of government in 2006 we might never have known about a deal with Jack Grynberg which for 16 years has tied up thousands of acres of our seabed. It took a commission of inquiry to uncover the existence of Frenwell [a company reported formed at the behest of the former prime minister, at great expense to the country’s taxpayers].”
Finally the prime minister said: “Those who act contrary to our laws must be held accountable. That was our promise at election time and that is what we are determined to deliver.”
Shortly following the 2016 elections, the loser offered in effect this prayer from the steps of the Castries market: Those who make election promises they knew they could not deliver should be required to serve prison time. Chances are Mr. Chastanet would agree—but only following a thorough investigation of the circumstances.
Meanwhile, at his party’s press conference on Tuesday, Kenny Anthony, for the benefit of attendant reporters, endeavored to demystify his “reap the whirlwind” threat to the prime minister. He said: “Simply, it means that all the consequences will flow. Meaning that all the legal options available to me will
be exercised, and further, that any prime minister that believes he can pursue persons with impunity then so he must bear
the consequences of his own actions, because he too is open to legal challenges for his practices and behavior.”
Presumably, at his first opportunity, the Vieux Fort South MP will clarify Tuesday’s clarification of what he said last Thursday concerning the prime minister’s declared intention to investigate the secrets of Grynberg!
