LOW EARTH ORBIT – Beyond the Boundaries II

Details

Colin Sampson

Monday, 18 March 2013 02:30

Colin Sampson

Since the now banished Jimmy Fuller made his open break with the “official” Antigua & Barbuda Labour Party things have really opened up on the “red” side of the political divide. Feathers are flying all over the place, and loud squawks of pain are heard in the land.

The loudest squawks are being emitted by adherents to the Bird family faction that flies under the false flag of “true” Labour. Their whining complaint is that new party leader Gaston Browne is too abrasive and combative: not enough of a peacemaker ... too unwilling to hold out the hand of “reconciliation” and bow to their puerile vexation – in short, no easy pushover for their mischievous sabotage.

It should be clear to any reasonable onlooker with even a basic grasp of “politics” ALP style that any display of flexibility toward, or willingness to be conciliatory with, an act of open betrayal of the party in furtherance of an open rebellion against a duly elected leader would be fatal to the leadership. The “Bird” faction has cynically presented Gaston Browne with a “head-on” challenge – and is unhappy that the new leader has chosen to meet fire with steel.

While the fluttering and squawking continues on the red side of the political aviary, the “blue” side is having problems of its own. The weekend convention was, in its own quiet way, the “humdinger” expected by insightful analysts like Yours Truly. Some onlookers might have expected a challenge to leader Baldwin Spencer – but that was never in the cards: the stumbling, demoralized United Progressive Party cannot afford a leadership struggle at this point and knows it.

Other persons might have expected fireworks on the convention floor, with champions representing different party factions delivering impassioned addresses calling for this or that dramatic solution to one or another critical issue. But no … the state of dark apathy that afflicts the (basically nonexistent) UPP party structure militates against any animated displays: above all the UPP must at this time eschew the appearance of division. The business of readying the party for its approaching date with destiny must by all means be conducted with circumspection, but it must be done.

The significance of the UPP convention lay in the quiet withdrawal of major political figures from the executive. Only the top political leader positions, held by Baldwin Spencer and Harold Lovell, were without challenge – all others were up for grabs, with more than one “slate” of candidates contending for control of the party “machinery”. The upshot was that party leaders went into the convention with no clear idea of what the outcome of the various ballots would be. For once, the floor membership would have the real say in what went on. Their political leaders had failed them – would the faithful strike back?

The situation was further compounded by the state of rebellion engulfing several constituencies, one of them the party leader’s own constituency of St Johns Rural West. In splitting with longtime right hand man Anthony Stuart, Baldwin Spencer created a two-headed monster in his own backyard. Fired-up former senator Stuart is now by all accounts pursuing a successful maverick challenge in the constituency of St Johns Rural South. Much of the “new” Rural South once formed part of Rural West.

The monster’s other head was formed by Spencer’s cautious treatment of former favorite and protégée Malaka Parker, as well as David Massiah. Spencer’s ready acceptance of their humble apologies is widely taken as a means of securing his own power base in the Antigua & Barbuda Workers Union. “Different strokes for different folks” is not exactly going down well with some voters in Rural West. Fortunately for Spencer the ALP “caretaker” in Rural West is taking care of some private business of her own at this time; so there is a good chance that the opposition party may not be able to fully capitalize on the opportunity presented.

Meanwhile, back in St Johns City West, another fired-up former senator is making plans to ensure that he, like Stuart, does not go quietly into that good night. Colin Derrick, Minister of National Security in the UPP’s first term, wound up on the sacrificial block when the returning government abruptly abandoned the “justice” platform on which it had scrambled back into power in 2009. Since then, Derrick has watched sadly as the hapless UPP has stumbled from one political debacle to another, on every occasion drawing further and further away from the principles that originally brought the party into government.

Now, with his senatorial appointment withdrawn but secure in the support of his City West constituency, Derrick can thumb his nose at the party leadership. While Spencer may attempt to unseat Derrick by backing a protégé of his own for the candidate’s position, he faces an embarrassing defeat at the hands of a vexed constituency that has swung solidly behind their man. Chances are that Spencer will attempt no such risky ploy – the political costs might prove prohibitive.

In the meantime, simmering discontent persists in the constituencies of St Johns Rural South, St Marys North, and All Saints East & St Lukes. The forced (it must have been, despite whatever “spin” UPP propagandists may attempt to put on it) departure of the rejected Chester Hughes from All Saints East & St Lukes was bad enough; the attempt to force a rejected candidate onto the people of St Marys North was worse.

The abrupt and well-advised exit of Winston Williams from Rural South has left the constituency floundering. The party leadership is so far unable to identify a popular replacement. Anthony Stuart is moving to fill the vacuum. It remains to be seen if Joanne Massiah’s campaign personality will wash away the unpleasant taste that the unlamented Chester Hughes has left in the mouth of the voters of All Saints East & St Lukes.

Antigua Participates in Caribbean Week in New York Antigua St. John's - Antigua and Barbuda is among 32 member countries participating in Caribbean Week in New York.... read more

The outcome of Sunday’s voting on the various positions up for grabs will have set the pace for the UPP’s own judgment day, due in March 2014. In “Behind the Boundaries III’ my double-bubble telescope will focus on what all this means – against the backdrop of the very creative changes concocted by the UPP-dominated boundaries commission, with the able assistance of the now ostracized James Fuller.

The outcome of today’s legal proceedings in the High Court will determine the way forward for the body politic of our unfair land, in the short term. The nation waits with bated breath for the ruling, wondering just how far the court will indeed go in facilitating the workings of good governance … in the people’s interest.

• < Prev
• Next >