Who has confidence in the NDP Opposition?

by Dr. Jerrol Thompson Fri, Mar 16. 2012

A Vote of No-Confidence (VONC) is a fundamental principle of the British Westminster type constitutions, where the Government must retain the confidence of the legislature as it is not possible for a Government to operate effectively without support of the majority of members of the legislature.{{more}}

A VONC can succeed where there is a minority government or where there are internal party splits. However, in our Parliament, it will not prevail, even if there is a small majority, or if persons are absent during a vote, as it is not the majority of elected officials present, but rather the majority of elected persons. If all the 8 ULP representatives were absent or stayed away from Parliament and the seven NDP representatives were to vote, the Vote of No-Confidence would still be defeated as 7 NDP present is not greater than 8 ULP representatives, absent and not even in parliament for the vote.

In most every day organizations and community groups which function more on Robert’s Rules or standard type constitutions, the situation is quite different and does depend on who is present to vote.

Equally in importance, though, is the Vincentian citizen’s perception of parties, politics and politicians. Over the last year, certain events, pronouncements in parliament and the media have made people question the quality, integrity and their confidence in the NDP opposition, to the extent that there is a loud drum beat for a Vote Of No Confidence in the NDP. By No-confidence, we mean the loss of belief; faith; trust and support of NDP statements and actions and the way this has impacted on loyalty and creates significant doubt in its leadership.

(1) When an Opposition Leader (OL) and the NDP become so desperate and start pandering to International passports speculators and had to be flushed out and forced to admit that indeed they travelled to Antigua and plan to reinstate Honorary Economic Citizens in the future, this is a profound revelation and raises questions like is this all the NDP could come up with? No matter what NDP perceives as good due diligence, the crooks, international drug dealers, mass murderers and vagabonds, can buy new identities, change features through plastic surgery and pay off public officials to beat many due diligence systems. This will severely stain SVG’s name and image and attract visa restrictions

(2). When the OL misleads the people and stated “there is no growth in 2011, for a 4th consecutive year,” and spent almost 2 hours in his budget debate trying to convince us, then you find out that there was positive growth in 2011 with 0.8% published by ECCB on December 3rd 2011, then you should have absolutely no confidence in the NDP. Similarly, stating that the national debt is too high but later says the Debt / GDP is low enough to float a $180 Million bond for CLICO clients.

(3) When Eustace misleads the people that the NIS will run out of money in 2016, when in fact the need to use investment revenue for operations will only occur if there was no increase in the current 8% contribution rate. So how can one retain confidence in this opposition?

(4) Before 2011, few NDPites dared to question their confidence in Eustace out loud. However, in private they asked “what the hell is wrong with Eustace, I thought he was a sound economist”.

(5) By 2012, Frank, Junior, Matthew, Margaret, etc. had all lost confidence in Eustace’s NDP.

(6) When Mitchell condemned Eustace and claimed Eustace had accused him of treating him like a little black boy, taking Cocoa money and may now have severed ties with SCL because SCL was too close to Mitchell, public confidence in the NDP plunged with this split. (7) So when Maia and NDP resorted to literally begging us to install a Prime Minister simply based on the perception of their race and begins race bating, this is the height of desperation.

(8). Similarly, can anyone trust the Tusian elements in the NDP, with their own stance on race, the anti-Jewish (anti-Semitism), statements against the Hindu religion, Anti-Immunization or the weird positions they come up with.

(9) The NDP plot in Parliament and bogus claims of being thrown down stairs were all dashed by video showing them acting and actually lying down.

(10) When Vynnette Frederick asked the LTE question but didn’t know what LTE meant and

(11) Patel’s question “When will the regularization of persons living on crown lands in North Leeward begin”? But over 360 parcels had already been sold between 2002 and 2011 for 10 cents to 50 cents per s.f. from every Village including Fitz Hughes. Patel must have been informed that a team was walking around checking the names for another 255 parcels to be sold next month. Both Vynnette and Patel were attempting to gain cheap credit from the questions but did not inspire confidence.

(12) When Godwin Friday stated we should only educate persons to meet local demand and

(13) after Arnhim Eustace’s infamous Jerry George Interview where he stated the Argyle Airport development would cease and exclaimed “Find it Where, England and America don’t give money for that anymore”. We saw NDP back peddle for months until the General Elections when out of the blue, they stated they had an investor to finish the Argyle Airport and had been in negotiation for two years. NDP has now slipped right back to their starting position, the Airport is “Untimely and Unlikely”.

(14) NDP also stated Buccament Bay was a Phantom project and they would un-sign PetroCaribe. Clearly Friday’s and Eustace’s statements suggest a backward, restrictive educational policy, where opportunities in fields like nursing could cease and under an NDP Argyle will not be completed, and oil prices will skyrocket.

(15) Who has any confidence in Nature Stephenson who wanted to throw cement into pot holes when he knew a contract had been signed to start asphalting the road, potentially forcing the government and contractor to spend more money to dig the concrete back out of the pot holes before fixing it.

(16) When the OL broadcast a bogus claim on Radio that the Banana Boat will not be coming here due to Black Sigatoga, this claim was totally refuted.

(17) Many lost confidence in NDP after it wrongly attacked Ken Boyea on the Tug Boat and when we found out that Eustace in his 2000 budget speech as PM stated he would sell shares (divest) in both NCB and VINLEC.

(18) Last week a Constitutional Lawyer delivered a lecture which virtually endorsed what was in the proposed 2009 Constitution, suggesting that SVG missed a great opportunity for reform.

In these challenging times, the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is facing up to these challenges quite well. However, the real question is: Does anyone have any confidence in the Opposition, its misleading statements, deceits, lack of patriotism and an inept, distorted and misguided vision? If put to a VONC, I am sure even NDP supporters will this time correctly Vote NO! I call for a Vote of No Confidence in the Opposition!