SHAWN EDWARD ON HIS ASSESSMENT OF NEMAC: ‘I STAND BY WHAT I SAID!’

At Tuesday’s House sitting the fallout from Philip J Pierre’s “I’ve never practised rumour and lies” was palpable. It seemed every reporter at the scene wanted to hear from Shawn Edward on the subject of his and his party leader’s contrasting assessments of NEMAC (National Emergency Management Advisory Committee). Ernest Hilaire was first to comment to reporters.

“There’s no contradiction,” he said. “Shawn listened to a presentation and made comments based on the presentation that was made. What the leader of the opposition was saying, was our prime minister was supposed to have been at a meeting in Barbados and was not there. And you know there’s a lot of noise. Shawn Edward would have to explain what he saw and what he heard that he thought was justifiable as described by him. But what the political leader was saying was the prime minister should have been at a meeting and he was not there. As to whether he was there for the opening part is a different issue. But I think they’re two totally different issues.” 

Hilaire’s reaction seemed to align with that of the opposition leader’s now famous “worst prepared” assertion: “I don’t think one can say with any level of comfort that Saint Lucia is adequately prepared, and I think those questions will come up and certainly today we’ll get a chance, hopefully from the government, as to just how prepared Saint Lucia is.”

More Labour Party division, even over the country’s level of preparedness? Or is there more to the evident contradiction than meets other than starry eyes? Hilaire made certain to add: I’m not disagreeing with him [Shawn Edward]. I was not at the presentation. I did not see what he saw. And I cannot make an assessment for myself. He made an assessment based on what he saw. I have not seen that so I cannot make an assessment. I may hear the same thing he did, and agree or disagree with him based on what he saw. I know I can make a judgment based on what I know and what I expect to hear.” 

Hilaire revealed that he had put to Edward “about fifteen questions and he was not in a position to answer because those were further questions that probably did not come up at the [NEMAC] meeting. But of course, you have to be fair to him. He listened to a presentation and he thought it was an excellent presentation in his view. I’m not saying he’s wrong or he’s right; I was not there when the presentation was made.” Talk about walking in a minefield!

As for Pierre’s explanation for what turned out to be “rumours and lies”, as well as that “world class” review, this is what he told reporters on Tuesday: “I was out of the country. And I have an airline ticket to prove that.” He quickly referenced the political chameleon in his soul. He sought to change the line of questioning. “Let me tell you what’s important!” he thundered. “What’s important is Saint Lucia has, up to today, we have absolutely no testing facilities for the coronavirus. Up to today, we are still debating whether we have to use Rat Island as a quarantine scene. What is important is that cruise ships are cancelling their visits to Saint Lucia. That’s what’s important. What the honourable Shawn Edward said at the meeting . . . he said so. What’s important is let’s deal with the real issues. Can we test people here for the virus?”

Pressed further, he added: “I can’t speak for Shawn Edward. Shawn Edward will be here and you can ask him whatever you want. What I know is, up to today, Saint Lucia cannot test for the virus. That’s what I know.” 

Now he changed to the colour of an advisor to the prime minister. “Let me advise the government that they ought to stop playing petty politics and agree this is a serious situation and we have to deal with it with the seriousness it dictates.” Asked if his statements regarding NEMAC and the prime minister’s presence in Barbados could be called petty politics, and whether he had left himself open to suggestions he was politicizing the coronavirus issue, Pierre had just three words: “That’s your opinion.”

This reporter pressed on: Following the meeting of NEMAC that Edward had glowingly reviewed, did the SLP’s first deputy report to his leader? “That is a matter of internal,” said Pierre. “My briefings with Shawn Edward is what he and I speak of. That’s internal.” 

For his own part, Shawn Edward has remained consistent. In answer to my question, he replied, “I stand by what I said.”