ULP election machinery well oiled
EDITOR: Hon. R.M Cato and the opposition the N.D.P spearheaded by Hon. J.F. Mitchell who commanded a team of inexperienced men who could not even differentiate between the low and high tides of Vincentian politics when he took over power from Labour. Luckily, Mr. Mitchell was a forceful, charismatic leader who entered the political arena in 1966 and was successful in unseating the Iron man Clive Tannis in the Grenadines constituency. Mitchell received for the St. Vincent Labour Party 1169 votes against Clive Tannisâ 743 for the P.P.P on preliminary count.{{more}}
Eighteen years later, as a member of the local constabulary attached to the C.I.D, and constantly canvassing the political ground in Kingstown, I found it strange that everywhere I patrolled the cry of the people echoed in one single voice, “Horne fo them” and ”enough is enough.” These slogans rang out louder and louder, penetrating Kingstown and its suburbs, breaking up the ground of the remaining resistant packets of the Labour supporters.
Based on my survey, I related my election findings to my close colleagues, stating that I did not like what the sounding of the political ground had been giving and the fact that Mr. Cato would receive five seats and Mitchell eight seats.
Notwithstanding that, the Labour Party was still a strong force to be reckoned with. When the election was over the N.D.P won the 1984 Election by receiving nine seats, while the other four seats went to the S.V.L.P.
In that election N.D.P tallied 21,700 votes or 45.34 percent and the S.V.L.P scored 17,493 votes or 36.55 percent. This shows that my political analysis came very close due to the perfect sounding of the political ground in Kingstown.
A similar situation erupted in S.V.G’s political landscape between 1984 â 1994 when the N.D.P Government reached its peak. During this time, the incumbent N.D.P made good use of its two main slogans that echoed, “Again and again” and “N.D.P oh yo, yo, you set the pace.”
This same pace is now set by the Unity Labour Party. The slogans, “Labour Now!” and “Better by Far” have now created a situation likely to be similar to 1989.
I must say that I studied general elections from a youth. I have examined E.T. Joshua’s political campaigns, those of R.M. Cato and J.F. Mitchell; but I have never witnessed such a high level of political campaign carried out by the Unity Labour Party.
As an election Analyst, I am greatly impressed by Mr. Julian Francis, the U.L.P campaign engineer. In all my life, I have never seen a campaign launched by any party like the U.L.P.âs Every political meeting is planned and organized in the most profound way.
In closing, if the election is today the result will be 14-1 in favour of the U.L.P because when I sounded the political ground, the atmosphere is very much similar to 1989 and therefore I can’t say otherwise.
Sam The Analyst
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