lessons from his party’s treatment of Vaughn Lewis at the time of the
1997 general elections, when the then UWP leader was turned into a handicapped John Compton’s alter ego!
The opposition party’s latest invention, that the government cares only for friends, family and foreigners, has become as commonplace among members as was “toujou sou” several years ago, a disparaging reference to the then UWP leader Vaughn Lewis. Here is opposition leader Philip J. Pierre on April 4 referring to a “to whom it may concern” letter retrieved from the internet: “The concerted efforts by this government to feed its friends, family and foreigners at the expense of the taxpayers of this country must be confronted by an equally determined citizenry to bring it to a halt.” Presumably the government’s FFFs do not pay taxes!
The mantra was also referenced by the Castries Southeast MP Guy Joseph at a recent UWP rally in Soufriere. First he noted that the SLP had lately modified the line to “friends, family and undeserving foreigners”, all of which, Joseph said, underscored SLP hypocrisy. His countenance lit up by the light of his characteristic Guy smile, he said: “I really want to know by what criteria we decide which foreigners are deserving or undeserving. Who are those foreigners?”
Two weeks later Pierre denied, in the presence of reporters, that there had been any new addition to FFF. “There was no change,” he insisted. “We still believe the country is run for the benefit of FFF. We’re not speaking about genuine investors. We’re speaking about the foreigners that are sucking this country’s treasury for no reason. We make no apologies for that.”
Sucking the treasury for no reason? Genuine investors? Pierre chose not to elaborate.
Then there is this, delivered by the day’s prime minister: “Mr. Speaker, on several occasions I have had reason to say in parliament, in the course of Budget debates or at public meetings, that the government of Saint Lucia, the people of Saint Lucia, may have to take decisions about the future of this country that were once repudiated or never considered acceptable. Several months ago, parliament enacted a special Tourism Incentives Bill that gives generous provisions to the tourism sector, including waiver of property tax for the duration of 25 years of concession granted to any developer.”
The prime minister went on: “I would say that ten, fifteen years ago the thought of giving an investor 25 years for the duration of concessions to develop a property, a hotel, would have been far removed from the minds of legislators. I suspect many of us would have repudiated such an approach because for many it would have been seen as excessively generous and not necessarily fundamental to the development of the country.”
It may come as a surprise to some readers that the words quoted above did not fall out of the mouth of Allen Chastanet. They were actually spoken in 2015 by Prime Minister Kenny Anthony, when the CIP Bill was first debated. He added: “There are members of the government that I am honoured to lead who have deep anxieties and reservations, and who probably believe that perhaps this course may not necessarily be the best course for our country at this time.”
Today, the opposition predictably shouts FFF not only with reference to the CIP, but also to every proposed government project. Evidently forgotten are the words of Kenny Anthony back in 2015, indicating that for government it could no longer be business as usual; that what was once considered unacceptable was now the medicine for what ails the nation, however bitter: “The government and people of Saint Lucia may have to take decisions about the future of this country that were once repudiated or never considered acceptable!”
Chances are the opposition, by making an FFF ruckus about every proposed government project, will be distracted from such scandals as Grynberg, Frenwell, Helen Air, Helenites, IMPACS and yes, Kenny Anthony’s private communications with Teo Ah Khing, the CEO of Desert Star Holdings.
