Jomo Thomas and the Intellectual Crawfishes

by: Dr. Richard A. Byron-Cox 19.MAR.10

My twin Jomo wrote a very interesting piece last week entitled “Do What is required”. I wrote him extending congratulations, for apart from a display of beautiful use of language, my brother demanded that the ULP consider the unthinkable; replacing their all-in-one Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, i.e., the Great Leader and Dear Leader Ralph, with a credible alternative, his cousin, business tycoon Ken Boyea. The cardinal reason for Jomo’s demand is the constant torrential pounding of Ralph’s character by his opponents.{{more}} Jomo goes on to make a prima facie assumption that “If the party embraces Ken Boyea as leader… it can reenergize the party.”

Now, from what I know of Ken, it is clear that he is a very smart entrepreneur; cares about his workers; has a genuine wish to see black people progress; and can be very fraternal if he likes you. I have no doubts that he would make a stalwart contribution as an elected member. Indeed after the unannounced death and unceremonial burial of the PPM, I asked Ken whether he would return to national politics. He insisted that he would not. I humbly and sincerely asked that he reconsider. He was adamant; this was the final curtain call. However, if he changes his mind, the warmest of embrace awaits him as my chosen representative for Central Kingstown

But having said all of that about Ken myself, isn’t Jomo pretending Angel Gabriel in suggesting that ULP’s renaissance is conditional on making Ken its primer inter pares? Ken is a bona fides business leader turned politician. Ralph is an eternal political animal punto!! A serious bump in the road changes not that! Or is it that Jomo is convinced that Ralph’s political shelf life is completely expired, and he is now a spent force, relevant only as historical record? If this is the case, then Jomo, I submit, is leaning towards “intellectual midgetism.” I know it’s the “in thing”, but it’s totally unbecoming of a serious opinion maker in SVG.

The fact is there is no practicing politician in SVG today, and I dare say in the Caribbean, who has displayed the vision; support for the uplifting of the poor; a work ethic that is always in overdrive; the courage and persistent determination for and commitment to progress like Ralph. Oh no, I am no Ralph cheerleader or choirmaster, and yes, he is Midas only in his mind. But I am pilgrim for and of truth. A patriot determined to put country above self. And, looking at the programmes and policies of Ralph and seeing where our nation needs to go, there can be no disputing that comparatively speaking, Ralph is head and shoulders above his contemporaries! This is simply objective reality! No, I’aint begging a job! I have one!

So then why is Jomo so vehement that Ralph should be removed? I abhor the thought that my twin’s mental faculties have taken flight, having been replaced by the unhealthy emotions and hallucinations induced by a heavy dose of the Ralph hate drug. This would be tragic in the extreme. Dependency on such drug would reduce him to an intellectual crawfish spewing filth left, right and centre, as this is what’s in the head of a crawfish. It is my solemn duty as his brother, comrade and friend to try and ensure this does not happen, if only because SVG needs right thinking people now more than ever.

I honestly don’t believe that Jomo consciously promotes this miasma, yet he seems close to falling victim to it. His stance is, don’t counter, just surrender. I am not sure which is more dangerous, i.e. happily signing up or submission. Jomo writes: “As in the referendum, NDP attack is on Gonsalves. If the ULP leadership fails to counter this assault or remove this leader/target, it will be guilty of willful negligence, and deserves to lose.” It is clear that Jomo thinks it can be countered but yet boldly calls for surrender, removal of Ralph. This is no simple matter. Did Jomo seriously consider what he is implying, or is he an unconscious whipsaw, manipulated by intellectual midgets? I have never known him to be a simpleton!

There is no disputing that Ralph has his serious flaws, but who am I -woman at the well- to say he has no redemption? Jomo is saying that because some intellectual crawfishes attack Ralph with constant pejorative burble, then the ULP should comply, sanctioning his speedy dispatch. So what happens if these crawfishes with their hyena-like behaviour turn on Ces McKie, an untarnished and noble patriot; does the ULP recall him to? Indeed it is known that Luke Browne’s character is on a table in Frankenstein’s lab in a desperate attempt to create a monster out of a yet politically unblemished soul. Should the ULP withdraw baby Luke as well? And what happens when these intellectual crawfishes start spewing their filth on his crowned prince? Lest he forgot, there is already a plan to burst a kick in Ken’s face Willie Lynch style. And Jomo himself was accused by these intellectual crawfishes of hiding from the IRS.

I suppose the fundamental question is: does Jomo agree that we surrender this country to ignorance, hate, and filth of crawfish intellectualism and daily assassination of innocent characters? Our country already suffers its fair share of material poverty. This must not now be compounded by willing acceptance and encouragement of intellectual deprivation. No, Jomo, our task never mind how unpleasant and arduous is to clean up this filth, not to stoop to it! If Ralph is to go it must be because that is what is best for SVG, not as a white flag to nefarious gutter politics! To support such is to embrace “sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” Think again, my comrade; we love this country too much to permit such!!