by Bennette Roach
Unidentified sourcesmer are said to be attempting to put pressure on former Chief Minister David Brandt to re-enter the political scene, for reasons the former CM say, is evidence that the people are dissatisfied with the current government. He says, “People appear to be dissatisfied with the status quo and somehow they have identified me as a person who they believe that could make a difference as in regard to my past performance as Chief Minister and leader of the opposition.
On Friday morning, it didn’t take long for the word to spread when what he has said was a jingle from some time ago, “when he announced: “I will be contesting the election as an independent”. ZJB news reported that Mr. Brandt had announced his candidacy, but according to the radio station in later news, during an interview with ZJB news, “a report said, “the former chief minister stopped short of announcing that he would contest the upcoming elections.”
Mr. Brandt told The Montserrat Reporter (TMR) at mid-day today, that it all started because of a pressure group responding to a call by several persons that he should return to the arena. The group he says “Friends of Montserrat,” “put out an advertisement that was a jingle in the last election in which I contested. It is not something that is made now; it’s a repeat that I used when I ran (in 2006). You will notice it said, ‘I will be contesting the election as an independent’, they thought that by putting on the jingle, that would persuade me to run.”
In 2009, after the hon. Dr. Lewis caused the Legislative Council to be prorogued, the long-standing attorney and legislator, he kept a promise he made in 2006, when he made it clear that he did not intend to contest any further elections.
These two former Chief Ministers, David Brandt and Premier Reuben Meade, did the Campaign together in 1991.
After he had announced his retirement, a retiree ceremony honouring himself, the longest serving legislator John Osborne and Speaker Joseph Meade, both now deceased, it was said in a speech. “On the occasion of the retirement from the political arena of David Samuel Brandt,” the following is a small part of that speech: “...And when he begins to speak on a political platform, people just stop talking and draw closer. When he is making a broadcast on Radio Montserrat, people of all political parties call each other to say put on your radio; Mr. Brandt is on the air.”
His supporters may argue he never did retire, since when the announcement was made back in 2009, he said he was not retiring, and, “would be a keen observer of political and government affairs.” He did as from time to time he has made and published statements.
It is true that there is a newness in the absence of a functioning other party, although the Movement for Change and Prosperity (MCAP), is the party winning six seats the sudden 2009 elections, except for the Ministers themselves, little or nothing has been heard of the party.
It is ten months away from the date of September 12, 2014, Premier Meade has named for the next elections. Just about anything can happen between now and then and there has been much speculation, that the date could change and be brought forward, the fact that the September 12 date brings it down to the five-year deadline of the tenure of the government.
Brandt in responding to what was initially believed to be his return announcement noted, “people are obviously not happy with their experience with this government,” commenting on the fact that people are asking for those who intend to provide that difference to come out now, sooner rather than later.
Now once again, many eyes and ears are rested on him. He was elected to the Legislature in 1983 repeatedly until 2001, when he didn’t contest a seat; elected again in on June 6, 2006 until parliament was dissolved on June 15, 2009.
