By *Jomo Sanga Thomas
(“Plain Talk” Aug. 28, 2020)
The New Democratic Party (NDP) rejected the big tent theory of electoral politics when it disavowed the decision of its Marriaqua Constituency Council. In rejecting Kirk Da Silva and selecting Bernard Wyllie, the NDP leadership showed that it lacked the political experience and acumen necessary for winning, after spending the last 20 years in opposition.
The NDP did not only reach back into its past in selecting Wyllie as its standard-bearer in the next elections, it went way back in the century 20 years in the rear view of history when it selected Wyllie. Wyllie last contested and was badly trounced by ULP Girlyn Miguel in 1998. After his defeat, he drifted out of the country and has had the most tangential relationship with constituents in the last 22 years.
By rejecting Kirk Da Silva, the NDP snubbed the most critically important mantra an opposition party can take to the voters: All are welcomed in our party. It could have played on the biblical refrain “In my father’s house there are many mansions.” The NDP has lost the popular vote in the last five elections beginning in 1998.
In 2015, the ULP improved the percentage of votes received in every constituency except Central Kingstown.
But the party is going for an unprecedented fifth term. Significant sections of the population either loathe the party or suffer from a strong dose of buyers’ remorse. With the selection of Da Silva, the party could have justly said that it was willing to embrace all and sundry to make a change and turn the country around. It can still make that argument, but it may ring hollow considering the fiasco in Marriaqua.
In explaining his decision to lead the effort to reverse the constituency council decision, Godwin Friday, the opposition leader, said that he had gone to the constituency and came to the realisation that supporters disapproved of Da Silva. Is the leader serious? How could you wait until after a unit of your party decides to go into test the favourability of candidates? Why would a party leadership wait until the election fever is rising to decide who it thinks is best to be the standard-bearer in a constituency?
This could never have/would have never happened to Ralph Gonsalves and Julian Francis. It is for good reason they are referred to as the Peter and Paul of Vincentian politics.
With less than 100 days to election day, it is a safe bet to say neither Curtis Bowman nor Phillip Jackson, Kirk Da Silva or Bernard Wyllie seriously challenges Jimmy Prince and ULP hold on Marriaqua constituency.
Why then would a political leader, with the first transparent and public test of his skills, spend vital political capital to upset a decision made by an important unit of his party? If he truly wanted to be adventurous in removing Da Silva, he should have gambled on Phillip Jackson. Jackson is the youngest of the contenders in Marriaqua and could have been a “refreshing new kid” on the block. But Wyllie for Da Silva makes absolutely no sense, the rhetoric of winning the elections notwithstanding. Politically, Wyllie’s selection does not reflect 2020 vision, insight or foresight.
The decision by Friday is even more surprising because it came in the face of tacit endorsements of Da Silva by James Mitchell, the founding father of the party, and St. Clair Leacock, one of the party’s vice presidents. Both pointed to the fact that Da Silva had hit the ground hard and remained in the constituency among constituents after his lost to Jimmy Prince to be the ULP candidate.
Reports are that some questioned Da Silva’s loyalty. They wondered if he was a ULP plant. Most importantly, the silly doubting Thomases wanted to know what would happen if the NDP were to win the elections 8 seats to 7, and Da Silva was to be among the winners. Such analysis reflects a level of infantilism of which the party should be ashamed. Clearly, it cannot be plotting an 8 to 7 seat victory with Marriaqua in that victory calculus.
For what it’s worth, there was something breaking for NDP in June and July. The sailor man Travis Harry came home and took his camera and gumption to expose and oppose to the ULP. Hayne, Velox and “Dre” King openly declared their intention to challenge Camillo Gonsalves in East St George, while Phillip and Kirk joined Wyllie and Bowman in Marriaqua.
In neither of these seats would the NDP gain a breakthrough, but the optics showed that young persons were breaking for them. All of this “momentum” was thrown away with the selection of Wyllie. Further, the decision has placed the party on the defensive. However, Sir James did say that everything is just a seven-day talk and then it blows over.
The campaign waged by NDP hopefuls in both Marriaqua and East St George has brought to the fore another truism about local politics. Aerial assaults – shock and awe on social media, while necessary in this electronic age is evidently insufficient to determine who will emerge as a candidate. The ground war of close combat, meeting and greeting remain massively important. This fact continues to be true even in this age of social distancing forcibly brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 28, 2020, we penned a piece entitled “Too Close to Call”. We called six seats for the ULP and four seats, Northern and Southern Grenadines, Central and West Kingstown for the NDP. We see no reason to change that call. The five constituencies that remain in contention are North, Central and South Leeward as well as East Kingstown and North Windward.
With the absence of mass gatherings, the election campaign has changed and may change even more as we get closer to election day. The virus may present even more challenges.
The party that breaks through in any of the three seats on the Leeward side of the country should start putting its celebratory plans in gear. However, we would not rule out a possibility that the parties may switch seats where the ULP wins at least one that the NDP currently holds and the NDP doing likewise.
We will soon know. But because a week is a long time in politics, “decades” will pass before we go to the polls.
*Jomo Sanga Thomas is a lawyer, journalist, social commentator and a former Speaker of the House of Assembly in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The opinions presented in this content belong to the author and may not necessarily reflect the perspectives or editorial stance of iWitness News. Opinion pieces can be submitted to [email protected].
Jomo Thomas’ best opinion pieces have always been about local issues, especially political ones, about which he knows a great deal.
This is one of them.
It should be clear to one and all that the ULP is on the way winning an unprecedented fifth victory unless most of its mainland mass tourism initiatives prove to be failures, an unlikely prospect if the next election is actually held by the end of this year.
Unfortunately I have to agree with you C. Ben. I have mentioned in previous articles that my preference is DaSilva. I think Friday did not really do his homework well this time. I also agree that Jomo is better at these kind of articles. He is too heavily biased and indoctrinated in issues concerning society, culture, history and economics.
The ULP will now again probably retain this seat. If they do, Friday will earn much disfavor from members of his own party.
But lets be realistic here: Members in the constituency are not really voting for a representative, because that representative has little to do with whatever happens within that constituency. The vote they cast is ultimately for whatever party they favor.
CHANGING HORSE IN MID STREAM – TACTICAL POLITICAL ERROR
It has never been about ‘…popularity,’ but the ‘…electability’ of a potential candidate.
Always a dangerous thing to;
‘…Change Horse In Mid Stream.’
Darn horse and rider could get washed down stream.
This could eventually be seen as a rather ‘…Tactical Political Error.’
Which One Are you in the House Political
Your Topic is very appealing ,and i may just used it by your permission(In my father’s House)
Remember many was gamblers, theifs, many was lions in sheep clothing, many was hypocrites, many was spies, betrayals and
Many planning seeds that are dead .
Many are dishonest, fair justice, Many was robbing the poor and their possession.
Many was changing the words of the Father and twists them to suits their own beliefs and -isms.
To those who is barking the loudest sorry that the bait was not eaten so now they have find a plan B.
Such he was out of the Country, Camillo borned out the Country, Louise Deputy, was living outside the SVG.
I was one who taught that Kirk was the people choice but it was not . Just as in the days of UPM. Dr Ralph was never the the people nor executive choice, Renrick was more favorable. But countrymen was united to cast their vote for him so he get by narrow margin. You may have the number but not full support.
Base on the field trips and listen to voters and not the talking heads.
You can eliminate your ardent supporters who will show up at the pole to vote for a gamble.
Marriqua is Labour party stronghold for longest time and only may be if the people want a change . Norhing to lose.
Every political parties do what is best for them to win .
Even the Great Leader. Ralph takes or thief Opposition Ideas and Policy and put them into their manifesto.
NDP have an Election to Win!
My to cents
Jomo I believe Friday was correct in selecting someone he can trust. This guy was a member of the ULP and switched to the NDP. He can switch again, just like you did when you joined he ULP.
Excellent article Jomo but I respectfully disagree that Kirk Da Silva is the candidate for Mespo. I have an opposing view. Phillip Jackson is the ideal choice for Marriaqua. He is articulate, intelligent, young, very qualified and has clear vision. He possesses two of the most innate qualities for success i.e. passion and grit. He also enjoys popularity among the youth in Marriaqua.
We have a very ackward electoral process, whereby the delegates select the candidate. Though it is an intricate process within democratic institutions akin to the West Minster System of Government, it is very archaic. It should be disbanded and replace by one that enables the constituents to select their candidates through local elections. This process is more likely to give you the most favourable candidate to deliver a win and the one that is most popular among the constituents.
Before a candidate is selected one has to first analyze the voting demographic. Secondly, you have to look at the candidates favourability among the electorate. There are lots of other factors that has to come into play. Philip has a competitive advantage. His family is very popular in the Adventist Church. He grew up in the Adventist Church in Mespo. His girlfriend comes from Richland Park. She too grew up in the Adventist Church. He therefore enjoys popularity among the Adventist electorate. Philip is also connected to one of the largest families in Marriaqua if not St. Vincent and Grenadines. They live in Glenside, Sears and Hopewell. He receives overwhelming support from the Youth as well.
Wyllie’s absence from St. Vincent and the Grenadines and loss to Girlyn Miguel distinguishes him as someone who is not fit for the time. Wyllie should therefore be relegated to the history books. Phillip on the other hand identified with the ideals and desires of the people in Marriaqua. All he needs to do is to develop a strategy to work through Jimmy’s strong hold. These are Freeland, Mt. Pleasant, Career and Cane End. The few “Goti Tracks” built by Jimmy Prince and the Labour Party can in no way deliver a win for them in Marriaqua. Marriaqua is need of repair after years of neglect. Based on this no forward thinking “Valley Man” or woman would vote Labour aside from the “Junki” on the corner and the hard core Labour supporters. The Ralph Gonsalves Administration failed to deliver for Marriaqua.
He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing he was planning to cross the floor
Jomo if Wylie were to flip Maria quality , what would you say?
What say you.
Jomo, you once give the impression that rhe Leader and executive members did not supported you when ran for ULP in 2015 and you was in that father’s house since in days of yulimo/UPM ao being around does make a you special candidate in master house.
They did not change you because of splitting party and losing votes.( Political Expidency )
NAME alone is not enough. Do not think that there is a reason why Ralph did not go wirh Kirk and went Jimmy? The word is ELECTABILITY.
Jomo , Judas was in the Father’s house eating and sleeping but sold the Master for thirty pieces of silver, to government
Peter deniedd him in his solemn hours, and at same time there was Moles (spies) planted in the Father’s house by the Government and leaders of the day .
What say are you.
My to cents.
My take is that Dasilva could have been used by the Ulp to ensure Marriaqua remains in Ulp hands. At least with Wylie you know that you have a genuine Ndpite I am not saying a man cannot change his political affiliation. We do not politics are not like a Leopard that cannot change its stripes. Keep it safe makes intuitive sense.
Remember the promise of that “Freedom of Information Bill” here in SVG all those years ago? Ever wondered what on earth then happened to it? Then we got David Ames and the Buccoma fiasco.
Well then here is a thing “Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was swept to power in 2018 after promising to wipe out corruption”. But here is the Mexican experience for us to ponder also
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/mexico-corruption-leak-video-raises-questions-president-200822123134111.html
And here is St Vincent and the Grenadines budding friend, Venezuela, Election experience too!
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/venezuela-opposition-leaders-promise-boycott-elections-200821113944819.html
In the light of those sad election facts, what shall we in SVG make of our own forthcoming General Election and the promises that will again be made?
We want to hear your response on __– you have me in your craw, you are nothing, if you had affairs with more women you would have won. These are the responses that we will like to hear in my fathers house, as it was heard all over on social media. You choose to have a dignified silence. Shame, you cannot even burst pepper.. Are you a coward?
In my fathers house I want to hear about uggee, the Canadian layer, the police woma ‘n and the rally. Pls, pls,, these are other issues, we want to hear about in my fathers house.
If jomo admitted that he was setup to lose his seat, then they had to have had other means of winning.