Group A working on the old, plan A
By Bennette Roach
plan A Group modified- Pre 2011 plan – exile from view immediately
The biggest blunder, though anyone might be able to see beyond it as a mistake, is the one manism act of Reuben T Meade in his years at the helm of government politically. This is his ignoring the benefits of consulting, not so much with the people of Montserrat even when that was most required, but his ministers as well, he is too grand to have advisors, so they do not exist. His blunder the SGP, while concentrating on Little Bay and Carrs Bay, set out on a part that would destroy the idea.
Aided by the Governor he, true to form failed to follow the rules of disposing of government’s property and that includes its finances, by giving away to strangers, via incentives and tax concessions, as well as its ‘precious’ materials in the exclusion zone, thus encouraging the demolishing of private property in and outside the exclusion zone. Both he and the Governor then blame the police for not being vigilant. Montserrat gets NOTHING (someone or more do). In fact Montserrat subsidises the Tobacco factory and others non-beneficial to Montserrat. Another blunder, he and his ministers reject the advice of the Incentives Committee at the Premier’s whim.
It has been a myth, this great negotiator, which has gone on and gone wrong because the motives have never been about the progress of Montserrat. Deliberately withholding the Group A modification of the Little Bay master plan and selecting the Group B plan at the Charette, was the worst move which when he would have wanted to be able to shine is now a dismal failure.
Group B creating plan B – premier’ in the shadow at right
Everything has gone wrong and rushed. But when one realizes how little has been achieved, all because of that which he has been accused, wanting to do everything himself and for himself. The public servants left without reason to provide support. Spending so much time being arrogant and insulting, belittling the one legislator who has accomplished over 100% in opposition what any before him has, including the premier himself. When you get accused to behaving as a “know all”, you need to have success to show for it.
It is up to the politicians now to show that all the promises from visits to Dubai and elsewhere, of Shieks unknown, his insults of the UK Government, ignoring their invitations; no word on his plan to convince Allan Duncan to use funds (as he does on his own so often; see Aide Memore/s) for the port development in Little Bay to finance the poorly economically viable port at Carrs Bay. Dubai Ports played with him and was kind not to say no outright, of course we do not know what they actually said, sending him back to provide information they already have.
In the real political world, the Premier would not wait for the election to resign him, he would do it himself. Anyone listening to him saying it doesn’t matter to him if he is not reelected should see that as the greatest insult! He has said that over and over. Analysts know that is really insulting, arrogant and suicidal. His colleagues who follow him blindly often without knowing the real truty, regardless of how he insults them and the people, are the ones who should know that best. They are just as suicidal,not representing the people. Of course they ask who are my constituents? A shameful question. But after they discovered he continually keeps or takes forever to discuss important issues with them, and in instances the people, they should have walked away when he refused to ‘change’ his ways. Now they are compounding their lack of belly, while listening to their recruits all openly campaigning against them and vying to replace them all.
Plan B – Premier’s immediate choice – proceed to implement
We remember, this all began in 2011. The blunder was exasperated when DFID called the premier’s fantasy plans for Little Bay and port, ambitious, as he went about leaving it to Dr. Kimbugwe, who worked hard, doing the government of Montserrat’s work, to remind constantly that the Sustainable Growth Plan (SGP) was just NOT ALL about Little Bay and the port. It was about the whole island and putting the island on a growth path, using DFID’s money for the benefit of all.
A comparison of Montserrat’s Aide Memoire and that of St. Helena would demonstrate the ignorance and all that is wrong with Montserrat and the one person who thinks he is Montserrat. Can we understand why HMG is annoyed to being fed-up with Montserrat? Do you remember how Allan Duncan, when he told us, “look what we are doing in St. Helena…and all you have to do is show justification and the value of your plans. The truth is that Duncan gave the premier as long a rope, probably to show Montserrat knows what it is about, their policy since 1999. They allow us to dig our own graves. DFID knows exactly how much they can afford, which at the end is Montserrat’s loss.
Time to end it.
When the people of Montserrat opted to elect R T Meade Chief Minister in 1991, it was giving him a chance to change the suspicions of most. Few of the persons voting today would know that Meade was eventually chosen to lead the NPP only after failure to recruit someone who to this day for nearly half a decade is still being wooed to become involved in seeking to be elected. In fact it was his closeness to Bertrand Osborne, Meade himself, attachment to the Southern Constituency and his mother and wife’s discouragement then that caused his hesitancy and ultimate refusal.
That Meade was elected at every election since that first time 1991, even after in many ways he can be described as the best of the rejects particularly after the nine X system, gives rise to the belief that he will finally and ought to be rejected at the impending elections.
That the suspicions of him in 1991 were overlooked primarily because of the circumstances at the time continued to be manifested need are now being highlighted, explored or explained. Note how he was described and rejected by the now deceased John Osborne in 1991. Note that the same John Osborne out of love for his son David, saved and catapulted Reuben in 2009, only for less than a year later to confide to me his deepest regret. Who will know, the same John Osborne asked Meade to delay the passage of the Constitution.
Very early after being elected in 1991 he abandoned his executive that helped propel him to ‘power’ and from then NPP deteriorated to him being the only one (for NPP) elected in 1996 after all along Charles Kirnon did very poorly at the polls. David Brandt had resigned from his party, Lazelle Howes left him and Charles. Mrs. Adelina Tuitt, having left him, was elected under the NDP banner. His win the Central constituency very narrowly, a minority winner.
So what’s new, it’s time for a final rejection of what he stands for.
