Nip it in the bud!

By Kenrick Quashie

It is important that we nip certain practices in the bud. For far too long, the electorate in this country has endured repeated insults to its intelligence, delivered through half-baked explanations and careless political communication by politicians. A new government must resist the temptation to slip into old habits, no matter how small or convenient they may seem.

The recent explanation offered by the NDP’s PRO and Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Lavern King that the bonus write-up in the NDP’s 60-day campaign promise resulted from a “printing error” is unacceptable. Errors can occur, yes, but an error that was still widely circulated and repeated reflects poor judgment.

The truth is that Vincentians were so fed up with the previous administration that even without a promise of a bonus salary or salary bonus, the outcome of the election would not have changed. As Maddzart rightly observed some time ago, not even the NDP could have stopped the electorate from voting out the last government.

More troubling is the fact that there was absolutely no need to deviate from the clear and precise language used by Prime Minister Friday during his own press conference on the bonus. Consistency matters. Above all, respecting the public’s intelligence matters. These are early signals of governance culture, and where corrections are required, they must be made swiftly and transparently.

More serious still is the continued prosecution of Adriana King, Kenson King, and others. These individuals have been politically persecuted for more than five years. The NDP has now been in office for over two months, and the absence of any visible political resolution is deeply troubling. Government must be able to walk, chew, dance, and sing at the same time. The failure or unwillingness to bring relief sends the unfortunate signal that these individuals are no longer held in high regard or that their political prosecution does not matter.

Let us not rewrite history. There was a time when these individuals carried the opposition movement in St. Vincent and the Grenadines almost single-handedly. Whether one agreed with their methods or not, the fact remains that they were central to resisting abuse and overreach by the previous administration. The NDP benefited from that movement. To now appear indifferent to their prolonged suffering is both politically and morally wrong.

Calls for intervention do not amount to interference in the judiciary. Relief can still be granted within the law. For many Vincentians, it is incomprehensible that the Director of Public Prosecutions has not yet entered a nolle prosequi in this matter. Justice delayed, especially when it is politically charged, is justice denied.

For this reason, ACP Buju must never be considered for the position of Commissioner of Police. His involvement in matters concerning Adriana King and others is well known, and any attempt to elevate him would send a chilling message to the electorate and trigger serious political fallout. It would also suggest continuity of injustice rather than the reform that the people clearly voted for.

We understand that this is a new government. No one is demanding perfection. But the country is asking for something far more basic: a government that listens, cares, and acts with moral clarity.

Early mistakes can be corrected. Lingering injustices cannot be ignored. These are the moments to demonstrate that change was not only promised but understood.

Finally, these issues also place supporters and members of the NDP in an uncomfortable position. We must not return to the cult-like political culture practised under the ULP, where every action and inaction was blindly justified. Frankly, NDP supporters do not possess nor should they aspire to that kind of discipline. This makes it even more important that the party’s messaging and that of its government be truthful, balanced, and responsible.

If the new administration sets a higher standard now, it will govern better and protect its own credibility in the long run

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