Kenny is under the public microscope and the whole country is watching him with a critical eye. While most may be doing so in a positive light, I’m sure there are also many detractors who are looking for a blemish to take him down!
In the 2006 campaign, those detractors thought they had battered him irretrievably with the fabrications about Rochamel and cost-overruns. The reality is Kenny “showed slate” for both of those “contrived” controversial projects. Rochamel is today one of the most successful tourism projects in the history of St. Lucia, employing over 600 hundred persons.
An economic analysis of the West Coast Road by the Caribbean Development Bank revealed that the cost-overruns on that road projects were very small when compared with the benefits and impact of that project on the lives of the people of St. Lucia and specifically the people on the West Coast.Why?
Firstly, it opened up a "gateway" between the airport and Soufriere, the Tourist capital of St. Lucia. Secondly, it significantly reduced vehicle operating costs – no more broken springs and shocks etc – much to the pleasure of motor vehicle operators. Thirdly, the West Coast Road project can be construed as a model road project for St. Lucia; indeed, it’s the first of its kind, sporting world-class road surface and state-of-the-art, modern road furniture.
During the campaign, the Rochamel “recurring decimal” strategy came to the fore again and again. Kenny’s detractors tried re-runs of the prevarications about Rochamel, “cost-overruns” and even added Grynberg to the menu; but this time around the people of St. Lucia easily unmasked the wolves in sheep clothing and delivered a fatal blow to the “recurring decimals” of untruths and half-truths peddled by media ventriloquists masquerading as moguls.
St. Lucians learned some hard lessons in the last five years and it is evident that we preferred a government of “cost overruns” and “Rochamel” hotels a million times more than a government with “nothing-ah-run” until elections! What was most horrendous was the audacity of these under-performing ministers to vaingloriously beat the chest, touting that they had achieved! Those bluff and the fabrications were roundly rejected.
Kenny – like Sir John - began his new term in Government in a stately, prime ministerial and honorable fashion. His generosity of spirit and statesmanship reminded me of Nelson Mandela and even Barack Obama. Like them, he is out to re-unite the country. SAINT LUCIA! LET US UNITE AND PUSH OUR COUNTRY FORWARD!
No comments:
Post a Comment