Mothers In Elect-shuns

What was supposed to have been de “Mother of Elections” is over and my girl Lie-Za insist dat ah write say she and I from de

Love Vine Column, sincerely congratulate PM Gonsalves on his fifth consecutive victory at de polls. She also insists dat ah pay special respects to de Mothers who were in de 2020 pull-it-to-call race, but firstly ah should correct dat false slogan: “Mother of Elect-shuns” and rename it de “Mothers in Elect-shuns.”

Six months ago when everybody was speculating about “elect-shun date,” de names of two female senators, mothers of course, Kay Bacchus-Baptiste and De-borer Charles were making de rounds as prospective candidates. It would ah bin Charles second bite at de cherry coming up against Dan Cummings who in 2015 had beaten her by 444 votes, 2,459 to 2015 votes. Bacchus-Baptiste, now affectionately renamed “Mother Kay”, is ah leading lawyer, but it will be her first time as ah pull-it-to-kill candidate in West St George constituency where she was going to be virtually a stranger facing former St Vincent Grammar School Headmaster, Curtis King, ah popular member of de constituency. In that constituency in 2015, de incumbent Cess Mc Kie had beaten Dr Jules Ferdinand by 578 votes, 2,682 to 2,104
When de 2015 elect-shun date was officially announced two months ago, as if inspired by Charles and Baptiste, the names of two more females, mothers again, namely La Verne Gibson-Velox, ah retired Banker and virtually a newcomer to Polly-ticks, but no just come to the constituency. Mek matters worse, Gibson-Velox’s bold step was like ah Samson and Delilah fight, where she was coming up against the Prime Minister’s son, de incumbent and PM heir apparent, Camillo Gonsalves, who in 2015, had moved into the constituency and put ah 607 votes licking on Linton Lewis, ah native of de constituency 3,135 to 2, 528 votes. The fourth name was Dr Mineva Glasgow, another retiree and deputy director of the NIS. Unlike Velox, Glasgow had de advantage of being ah resident of South Leeward constituency, but she was coming up against Nature Stevenson who in 2015 had narrowly beaten former speaker Jomo Thomas by 118 votes, 2,738 to 2, 620 votes. And last but not least dey was ah fifth mother. It was like de hottest piece ah “Breaking News” from above de Dry River. She was Shevern John, a former teacher from Owia, and she was making heavy grounds in North Windward. But she would be squaring off wid de “Iron Man” the incumbent, Gomrey Daniel ah five time winner of dat seat, who in 2015 had beaten Shearer Baptiste 2,713 to 2, 390 votes. Upon hearing dat piece ah news, Lie-Za asked me, “Is dat de same Gomrey Daniel, de Native Carib/Garifuna wid near 20 years representing his people, where according to de Poverty Assessment Report, Sandy Bay ranked as having de highest number of indigent poor people in SVG?” Den she added, “Watch out foh more Love Box wid tablet and sealed envelopes, de day before elect-shun.”

Needless to say dat de voting didn’t go all my way, but ah found great comfort matching de scores of de 2020 Mothers in Elect-shuns. Mini Glasgow held her own wid 2,452 to Nature’s 2,957; De-Borer Charles 1,780 to Cummings 2, 488; Bacchus-Baptiste 2,606 to King 2, 249; Velox did extremely well 2,659 vs Camillo 2,849. Clearly Camillo has not delivered in his constituency and Lie-Za is in his back-side she is saying, “How de hell he wants to be Prime Minister of 15 constituencies and he can’t tek care of East St George?” And de final count was remarkable. Chatoyer’s daughter was 69 votes short of defeating de Iron Man of de poorest community. It was 2,556 to Daniel 2,625 votes.

This “Mothers In Politics” see-narrow speaks volumes of SVG politics and multi-volumes for our Mothers who must now take their rightful place as candidates, and go on to win seats and lead in Par-liar-mint. MAKE SVG …SVG AGAIN. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.