In any political discourse there is the rhetoric and there is reality. There is also truth, truth misinterpreted, truth misapplied, twisted truth, and selective truth to suit the political rhetoric. That’s the reality!
Well the SLP’s last market steps meeting was no exception; it was a night of all of the above and then some. From what I read in the STAR, the Attorney General Petrus Compton took us back to our school days by evoking words of wisdom from the Students Companion: “empty vessels make the most noise.”
The AG’s thesis is the rhetoric (half truth), but the antithesis to his thesis, I would argue is the reality, “it is the wheel that squeaks that gets the oil.” That’s the whole truth!
Yes, the empty vessels make noise for attention and answers. It was only when the vessels made noise that government came out to face the noise.
In the first place, if there was transparency the vessels would not have made noisy speculations. History has taught oppressed and marginalized people that suffering in silence does not bring about much result. It’s only when they cry out that oppressors take action.
And what a political dance the market steps event was; one step forward, two steps backward and sidestepping the real issues plaguing the country.
Furthermore, the AG spoke of truth and freedom, which begs the question—whose truth and whose freedom? The truth is that many locals need help too, but only a selected few are liberated.

Hundreds of schoolchildren were given an opportunity last week, to learn something new about the humane treatment of animals.
Rachel Fensome, was one of the veterinary nurses from the UK who volunteered her vacation time and paid her own airfare to come to St Lucia to assist SLAPS in spreading the animal welfare message to schools around the island.
Whilst Rachel and SLAPS volunteers Maria Grech and Pam Devaux were visiting seven schools on the island, the other seven IVA volunteers were treating and spaying and neutering dogs and cats in Anse La Raye and Gros Islet.
SLAPS volunteers and sponsors once again pulled out all the stops to ensure the efficient running of the clinic, and in the short space of six working days, a record 123 animals were treated.
Two more clinics are scheduled for 2003. To become a SLAPS volunteer or for more information, call 457-7527.

Papa Vader: ‘Move de speaker from de house’

These last few weeks have been unlike any other in recent times. Caught between the Invader’s infectious tempo seeking to put the speaker outside the house and the media’s incessant calls for answers to what is now termed the Rochamel issue, what is a brother to do?
Let us take the Rochamel issue. First, the prime minister was called upon to have a press conference to be quizzed on behalf of the population by the people’s representatives-the media. And there we were thinking that was the politicians’ title! Only through a press conference, thundered a well-known Kenny Anthony basher, could the nation get the whole truth! In response, the prime minister appeared on Radio St Lucia’s IPI where the host allowed an hour long question and answer session.
If the prime minister thought that particular appearance would calm the oily waters he was soon set right. As far as the rest of the media was concerned IPI was hardly the place where a prime minister could be properly questioned; what with all of the usual party hacks in tow! More demands for a full-blown press conference followed.
The PM decided then to don his party leader’s garments and made his way to the market steps. There, he addressed the faithful. The attorney general too had his say, repeating several times that the matter under consideration was neither illegal nor immoral. The prime minister had broken no law, Senator Compton declared.
Earlier, another Compton, Sir John, had issued a press statement indicating the transaction was unconstitutional. Later that very day, he would admit to HTS’ Virnet St Omer that the deal was not illegal after all. At that point I for one was totally confused; for how could something be unconstitutional and yet not be illegal? Over to you Martinus!
Under more questioning from Virnet, Sir John would substitute illegitimate for illegal. Still more confusion; for when does a breach of the law become illegitimate? Is it when it is broken by an unmarried man? But I digress!
Following the market steps meeting the press pounced once more. Said one well-oiled mouthpiece variously described by his employer as an entertainer, Kenny Anthony is the prime minister of all of St Lucia and therefore to go on the market steps to provide explanations to his supporters alone was unacceptable. The only acceptable solution was for the prime minister to provide answers at a press conference.
The prime minister obliged and announced a Monday press conference. Finally, the press had gotten what they wanted. Or had they?
Well, the very day following the press conference one journalist stated on national radio that his colleagues who attended the press conference were pathetic. Even before the media could recover from that vicious uppercut, the by now steamed newsman plunged the proverbial knife into the heart; had he been the employers of those in attendance none would be paid for the day’s work. Phew!
Thank God for calypso and the distraction and entertainment of the tents. For while the media grumbled, regular citizens flocked the various tents. And boy did the calypsonians deliver!
First there was Robbie telling journalists that their attacks on Kenny Anthony were unfair for St Lucia’s prime minister was really Michael Chastanet, Gordon Butch Stewart or Neville Skeete! Now it’s anyone’s guess whether any of the three is available for a GIS hosted press conference, let alone answer questions on the Rochamel guarantee. See the seeds of confusion which calypsonians can sow?
Then there was Pep insisting that some of the nation’s leading brains were “fah-getting.” Was the little maestro on to something here? And are our journalists among those who may have been “fah-getting” something or the other? Surprisingly, even as Pep is asking about those who “fah-getting” Morgie on the other hand is seeking men to stand with him. Talk about mixed signals!
Which reminds me, how can anyone talk about calypso this year and not mention the inimitable Papa Vader whose insistence that because of the funny noises being made by the speaker in the party, what with the room’s vibrating walls and all, that the speaker be put outside the house?
With the media asking for a press conference, getting it and then breaking out in quarrelsome mode, and Robbie pointing out at least three prime ministers, Pep informing on the “fah-getters,” Morgie looking for men to stand with him what’s next for us? Is our interest going to reside in the tents or in the hotel?
Even as we ponder that question I leave readers with another posed by a Tent Pinez. He asked, with all that is going on is it better to piss in our eye, to quote one talk-show host, or to pee-pee in our poo-poo, to quote a calypsonian?
What a question!

(L-R) Director for Information Services Embert Charles, PM Kenny Anthony and Press Secretary Earl Bousquet

After the pointed threat by Rick Wayne on one of his Sunday evening programs where he gave the Prime Minister one week to clear the air concerning the Rochamel affair, journalists were not surprised to be called to attend a hurriedly arranged press conference the following Monday morning.
Wayne takes his professional responsibility seriously and often bemoans the poltroonery and pot valiance of those who claim to be what they are not. Like Sir Vidia Naipaul, Derek Walcott and George Odlum, Wayne uses words with respectful professional competence—a lesson those who profess to be journalists ought to follow. But, alas!
The prime minister arrived thirty minutes late and immediately apologized. Flanked by two of his staunchest spokesmen Embert Charles, director for information services (GIS) and Earl Bousquet who has often been maliciously compared to Hitler’s chief propaganda spokesman and defender of the government.
First, the PM read from a prepared statement to clarify, as he said, certain statements made on the market steps. But the gathered journalists, faces all rigid, were not the rabblement at the Thursday night meeting who had come to hoot and clap and—as one unkind person at the meeting had been heard to say, quoting Caesar from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar—to utter “such a deal of stinking breath” that he dared not “laugh for fear of opening his lips and receiving the bad air.”
In his statement, the PM apologized for his “characterization of the actions of some elements of the media as terrorism.” But Timothy Poleon who had been present at the meeting, having heard his name along with that of Sam “Jook Bois” Flood mentioned as one of the persons who had been guilty and who was present at the press conference clearly was most unhappy about being singled out. Even though the prime minister had asserted that there had never been any attempt to incite the crowd against Poleon, the damage nevertheless, in the mind of Poleon and other media personnel present, had been done.
“Mischief, thou art afoot. Take thou what course thou wilt.”
The fear of insurrection in the minds of journalists was too great to allow for apologies at this stage.
Having read from his statement, the prime minister then invited questions. There were not many. Mr Poleon, understandably, was concerned about his safety. Then from Frank Girard of DBS, Shelton Daniel of RSL, Virnette St Omer of HTS and David Vitalis of the Mirror, not a word.
Rick Wayne, also present, said nothing. No need to really, for he has been saying what he has to say on Talk and must have been satisfied that the hastily called press conference had been in response to his statement on the show.
The prime minister’s answers to the questions relating to the Rochamel affair were, to many of those present, still unanswered, and he clearly appeared ruffled that his explanations did not satisfy everyone.
When is a guarantee not a guarantee? Why was authorization not sought from Parliament before the agreement to offer the guarantee to Rochamel? Questions upon questions still unresolved as far as the media was concerned.
A question was asked about the Rosewood Hotel, a topic that had been brought up in the Crusader. The prime minister appeared unperturbed and reminded the media that George Odlum had presented the Rosewood affair as some huge exposure when he had been a member of the Cabinet and had been privy to the approval of the concession to Rosewood.
“When Odlum goes around and shouts illegality, was he not part of the illegality?” The government, said the prime minister, “did enter into an agreement with Rosewood. Government’s view was that the country needed investment in the tourism sector. Sometimes one has to take risks in the interest of the country.”
Clearly, the Rosewood venture was one risk that went sour. More questions: What interests have been served in that risk-taking with Rochamel and Rosewood?
Through it all, Mr Earl Bousquet kept rocking back and forth in his chair, appearing not to be as perturbed as the prime minister.