By *Jomo Sanga Thomas
(“Plain Talk” Oct. 25, 2024)
A historical moment is an essential marker in the life of a person, a nation, a region, or the world. Historical moments compel us to stop, think, or wonder. They may propel us to action because of the far-reaching changes they bring to our lives. The anniversary of independence is such a moment. This year, we celebrate our 45th year of independence.
For our nation, the 1935 uprising against colonial rule, the attainment of Universal Adult Suffrage in 1951, the declaration of national independence in 1979, and the “Kill the Bills” struggles of 1981 represent historic moments for reflection, rejoicing, redemption and achievement.
Regionally, the collapse of the West Indies Federation in 1961, the domination of international cricket by the West Indies team between 1975 and 1991, and the triumph and implosion of the Grenada Revolution in 1979 and 1983 are memorable and historic.
Internationally, we cite the discovery and diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in 1981, the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the release of Nelson Mandela and his elevation to the presidency of South Africa in 1994, the Arab Spring of 2011 and the prolonged crisis in capitalism as historical moments of far-reaching importance and implication.
Locally, the wizardry of James Mitchell following the 6-6-1 elections of 1972, which landed him into the premier chair, and his subsequent dominance of Vincentian politics, the “destiny” days of Ralph Gonsalves and his eventual victory in 2001, and the “they blew it, I know it, and they know it” defeat of the Arnhim Eustace’s NDP in the 2010 elections stand out.
If you miss out on a historical moment, it may be virtually impossible to secure the benefits, accolades, star power, and achievement that passed you by. If you are gifted and mean well, your homeland may be denied the good fortunes that might have flowed from your steady hand and mind.
Politically, SVG lost in 1979 when the United Peoples Movement (UPM), which fielded potentially the most talented cadre of candidates in our history, splintered and disintegrated primarily because of inflated egos, unbridled ambition, political inexperience, and dogma. Among its candidates were Ralph Gonsalves, Renwick Rose, Parnel Campbell, Mike Browne, Carlyle Dougan, Dr. Kenneth John, Caspar London, Simeon Greene, and Robbie Fitzpatrick.
What would our country be like if the UPM stayed together, won the elections and formed government? The social forces coalescing around it were some of our country’s best and most committed patriots. But this was not to be; the moment was missed and forever lost.
I have heard it said that Vincent Beache might have been the best prime minister our country never had. At least one patriot, Renwick Rose, by dint of hard work, discipline, commitment and understanding of issues, would have been equal to or surpass all those our history threw up. But we will stay with Vincent Beache for a particular point. In 1989, the NDP won all 15 seats; in 1994, Mitchell won 12 to Labour’s 3. Vincent Beach was undaunted. He stayed with labour. In 1998, Mitchell’s NDP was rotten to the core and could have been toppled, but Beache did not deliver. Mitchell won 8 seats to 7. The historical moment passed Beache by. More importantly, he had the good sense to recognise it and passed the mantle of leadership.
By June of 2000, Mitchell and Eustace exposed their soft underbelly. Gonsalves, now the leader of a merged Unity Labour Party (ULP), ably assisted by the broad-based Organisation in Defence of Democracy (ODD), pounced on the power vacuum created by the NDP misdeeds. Sensing the end was near, Mitchell sued for peace and agreed to cut short his party’s fourth term. In the 2001 elections, Gonsalves seized the moment and accomplished what Beache failed to do in 1998. What Gonsalves called the “destiny” days of 2000 to his victory of 2001 are what historians adequately describe as historical moments.
Where am I going with this analysis? In the same way that Vincent Beache failed to capture the historical moment of 1998, Arnhim Eustace, the current leader of the opposition, also passed the historical moment. His failure to defeat Gonsalves and the ULP in December 2010 still has NDP supporters in a daze.
Merited conjecture: Had Ralph Gonsalves led the Labour/MNU coalition in 1998, he may have been victorious. Similarly, Dr. Friday, Leacock, Dr. Lewis or Cummings would have led the NDP past the ULP in the December 2010 polls. They would have overcome Eustace’s jinx factor. Eustace failed to do so because the historical moment did not align with him.
Some may say this is anti-Eustace rhetoric, but it is not. Instead, it flows from a deep understanding of history and politics. Plain Talk had predicted that Gonsalves and the ULP were in deep trouble until Eustace bungled his way through the last month of the campaign to defeat. We recognised Eustace’s inability to close in time and revised the prediction from an NDP landslide to one too close to the call.
Today, as we celebrate 45 years of independence, the question is, where do we go from here? We are in deep trouble. Our national debt is spiralling out of control. Unemployment and poverty are about 40%. Crime is tearing away at the heart of the nation. Hopelessness and helplessness strip the national vigour out of the people.
The ULP has won five elections in a row and is vying to win a sixth. Another historical moment is rapidly approaching. We will soon see if we continue under Ralph Gonsalves’s and the ULP’s leadership or if voters will finally move away from Gonsalves after a quarter century.
With some changes, this column first appeared on Oct. 25, 2013. With a 6th consecutive defeat facing his majesty’s opposition, these and other issues remain and deserve urgent attention.
*Jomo Sanga Thomas is a lawyer, journalist, social commentator and a former senator and Speaker of the House of Assembly in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
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