Political Landscape in Spice Country Part III
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- Parent Category: Dec 2011
- Category: Week ending Dec 10th, 2011
- Published on Monday, 19 December 2011 16:23
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By The Political Insight
In the last episode I promised that I will be focusing on Prime Minister Tillman Thomas and Ministers Joseph Gilbert, Peter David, Alleyne Walker and Glynis Roberts while stating that the performances of Senators Bernardine, Peters, Gill, Noel, and Modest will be looked at, as well as some comments on the current NDC Chairman - Kenrick Fullerton.
It behooves me to spend time on the Senators first and time/space permitting I will get into my analysis of the remaining elected Cabinet members.
Arlie Gill: Too much cannot be said in a positive context of this individual who comes across as self-centered and not very interested in being a team player. When he appears on national television he gives the impression as if he knows it all and we must sit and listen to him because he is the expert.
For the most part he speaks a lot of nonsense like his new master within the Cabinet.
Arley’s focus on his master from the Town of St. George proves him not to be a committed TEAM player and therefore needs to take it down quite a few notches. With just over a year to go before the next general election, it is a bit late for him to change his Modus Operandi (MO) to gain any acceptance.
More recently it appears that “life” in the government is so good with all his overseas travel combined with his local ‘wining and dining’ that he has moved his bed into the kitchen. How else would he have put on so much weight in the last three years.
Before government he was so “margar” and never could have filled up our television screens! Then again, he must be storing up for the lean times to come when he will be no where near the precincts of power in Grenada as his current combined efforts with those of his new master, can only succeed in destablising the government.
Franka Bernardine: Our Minister of Education is the dean of focus within the entire administration. Notwithstanding her apparent frustrations with the entire culture of laziness within her Ministry, which she met upon accepting the appointment to that office, she has stood out as probably the most effective Minister in the Cabinet.
Many are saying that whether or not the NDC gets re-elected, her tenure should not be interrupted, and she should be asked to remain so that the educational development of our young population could proceed unabated.
Sen. Bernardine’s attitude for the most part is the type of positive action-oriented attitude required for any government to succeed.
Anne Peters: Her position as Minister of Health is not an enviable one at all, as she has very little support within that Ministry. Many criticise her for “running she mouth while she was in opposition and now she is in, no difference can be felt in the Health sector”.
Despite being a strong supporter of the Prime Minister in the Cabinet, Mrs. Peters should consider giving way in the Senate to a potential candidate in the upcoming general elections. Perhaps, the Prime Minister should consider binging her into the Office of the Prime Minister as an aide to help oversee some of the stalled projects.
If she can only bring the same kind of vigour as was demonstrated on the campaign trail then all the projects would have been up and running by now.
Glen Noel: More was expected of him, especially as his energy levels seemed so high when he was in opposition. This does not take away from his capacity and capabilities but it is my opinion as it has been the opinion of so many that his portfolio in Housing was not properly matched with the individual.
He ought to have been appointed a Minister Without Portfolio from the outset and given the task of organising the party to keep it connected with its supporters so that the NDC could have converted all those votes received at the polls into real and solid support.
He owes the party some explanation as to his perceived inability to perform in the position of Chairman of the Party for the period he was Chairman after which he was unceremoniously replaced at the recent convention.
Let’s hope he can turn things around for the party through his new Cabinet role as Mobilisation Minister. He should not see this Mobilsation thing as similar to the old PRG days and to be careful and stay away from those who were in the forefront of crashing the 1979-83 Revo.
Dennoth Modeste: Not much can be said about him just yet as he is a Johnny-Just-Come! And although it has been roughly five months since he’s been appointed nothing stands out to date by way of achievement. He is yet to prove himself in the eyes of the Grenadian people.
Ambassador Modeste should seek an interview with the Government Information Service (GIS) or a local television station to inform the people of his stewardship since joining the government.
It is a pity he was not able to use his Foreign Affairs expertise in that Ministry because of the status orientation of the so-called “pastor” - Karl Hood - whose interest in traveling the globe and posing as our chief diplomat superseded his ability to deliver.
With not much time left, let’s hope for the sake of the NDC, he can deliver in the Ministry of Works to their benefit.
Let the cross over begin as we take a look at Alleyne Walker - one of the remaining elected Cabinet Ministers.
Mr. Walker has proved himself to be a man of few words - whether in the Cabinet/Parliament or outside both territories. He is well liked in his constituency and we must remember that he is among the longest serving members of Parliament and has won a seat on the ticket of just about every major political party since 1984.
He is the stuff winners are made of and therefore ought to be selected as a candidate for next time around. If Mr. Walker is not interested in seeking another term that decision should be left totally in his hands. No one should attempt to undermine him.
Joseph Gilbert: A man whose performance in government attracted several rumours some of which are similar to his predecessor in that Ministry and not flattering at all.
If his loyalty to his party and government were as strong as his loyalty to his faction leader, he may have stood a better chance of being re-elected to his constituency in which he is currently reported to be in trouble. He too, should be seriously considered for replacement!
Glynis Roberts: Her simplicity as a person was invested in by so many, yet for all she turned out to have gone wrong. She is yet another one who is more loyal to her new master than she is to her appointed position within the Cabinet and by extension the people she is elected to serve.
She has become a serious disappointment to so many in the face of knowing where she comes from and being genuinely glad for her rise to the level of national leadership, it isn’t funny!
Unfortunately her public show of disdain for the current leadership of the government and party she’s supposed to be a part of shows her up as totally unqualified for membership of any administrative team over Grenada’s affairs.
Her support in the South Constituency is questionable which is not something that should happen at all when one considers the margin by which she won the last election. She has alienated so many NDC supporters in recent times and is not on speaking terms with several members of the party. Does she expect them to hit the street in her name?
M:P Glynis is another one who, if she used half the energy she expends on following her faction leader, on her focus on the terms of reference of her job as a Cabinet Minister and elected representative of the NDC, she would do much better. Therefore by virtue of her misdirected energies, she ought to be considered seriously for REPLACFEMENT as a candidate.
The current party Chairman, Political Leader and Peter David are still outstanding
Look out for the episodes on them.
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