What is it about yard fowls and party hacks that so fascinates Rick Wayne?

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]have often expressed my admiration for Rick Wayne’s tenacity and commitment to whatever grabs his fancy. Still I have difficulty understanding his perverse fascination with the yard fowls, hacks and sycophants that infest Facebook, their poverty of spirit altogether exposed. There is a particular school of yard fowls and hacks that cluck like lost hens as they mine the media for scraps of the fake news without which they would die of starvation. It takes a certain kind of idle mind to habituate in such a profile. Their purpose escapes me.

Rick’s love affair with the absurd came to mind when I read his long dissertation on the Jimmy Henry affair in the STAR of July 22. Some people are familiar with the financial pressures a Minister of Government daily faces. Yet many have acquired a dependency on politicians. Such dependency is not new. It has, however, intensified over the last two decades when certain spineless politicians began frittering away scarce treasury resources on party hacks. The largesse stems from a contempt for the poor. It aims to make that class of people more and more dependent on politicians. Such political conduct is crude and demeaning.

Perhaps in the interest of transparency and accountability, Jimmy Henry owed his constituents and supporters an explanation of the events at George F.L. Charles Airport on the day he was searched. For good measure, he also explained his resignation as Minister. For my part, that story ended with the Minister’s explanation, there having been no contradictory reports from the police or customs department on the issue.

Rick’s devious human specimens never had the courtesy of transparency or accountability from their Massa in the former government. What these people tweet or post on social media is of no consequence. Their postings are not aimed at improving the lives of Saint Lucians. They are mere fodder for Rick; entertainment.

The positive news that grabbed many Saint Lucians was the performance of Julien Alfred at the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas. The superlative performance of the island’s beach football team that also won a gold medal makes us proud. Do these achievements matter to yard fowls and
hacks? Had Ms. Alfred’s gold medal performance in the 100 meters been achieved on home soil, would it have been sweeter? It would certainly have left an indelible impression on the minds of budding local athletes, inspiring them to train harder.

Saint Lucia had been offered, and accepted, hosting the 2017 Youth Commonwealth Games. Why did the former government first accept to host these Games and what reason did it give for the decision not to carry through?

The government’s inability to host the Youth Commonwealth Games was the strongest statement on its readiness to re-opening the St. Jude Hospital in 2015. How many persons understood that these Games could not be held here unless St. Jude Hospital first re-opened? Was this explained to the people in a way that they understood? Who knew the pressures the economy was under in 2015? The 2017 Games have ended and there is still no definite word on when St. Jude Hospital will re-open. When the George Odlum stadium will be renovated and ready for sports is an even more distant dream.     

Don’t expect any meaningful discussion, dear reader, on the reason Saint Lucia did not host these prestigious youth Games. Why? Because we have forgotten how to discuss intelligently. Talks emanating from small minds bear no fruit; small minds discuss only people. Such small talkers owe their personhood more to politicians than to parents, teachers and religious leaders. It’s a life made for hiding behind Facebook and social media. Hiding fits those who remain closeted indoors; living little miserable sadistic lives, choosing technology to mask their perverted tendencies. This is not the
life that love of God and a sound education prepares one for.

Those that will not let the Jimmy Henry matter rest are of the same species that will pretend ignorance when their party boss deceives them. This species see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil against their little tin gods. Rick is an experienced man of the world. He knows the jokers about whom he writes. He knows that there are yard fowls, hacks and Facebook haters who will see him walking on water and criticize him for being unable to swim. He must also be aware that, even if he dances on water, these yard fowls and hacks will accuse him of raising dust; yes, dust! Oh reason, thou has been crucified by brutish hacks – and perverts roam freely.

Me, I refuse to wrestle with a pig. I will get dirty and the pig will enjoy it. I have been around long enough to know that. Once in a while I deliberately throw a little scrap of sweet and sour snake or a well roasted valley crapeau and then stand aside and observe the feeding frenzy. Frankly, I am too busy to make time for yard fowls, hacks and sundry haters. Writing takes time and there is much serious writing to be done if one desires to leave a body of work as one’s legacy. Those who toiled to point us to the written word with its indisputable uses in a country’s development need more respect for their efforts. Rick knows that, as do many others!