Over the past ten days or so the printed media was – almost daily bringing to the public, tales and incidents of supposed or imaginary acts of victimisation by the Government or its agencies, by way of Letters to the Editor or stories giving blow by blow account of incidents that occurred from Andros to Crooked Island. The Tribune had large by-lines complete with pictures and age description to dramatise and draw sympathetic support for those poor down-trodden victims of a victimising Government.
In the case of the two supposed victims in Crooked Island – Arnold Farquharson and Enoch Ferguson – they were honest about how they first obtained their contract after the FNM victory in 1992 and admitted that the contract was taken from one Ezekiel Thompson – a PLP general – at that time. I do not recall any complaints from Rev Thompson and I am of the opinion, that had he complained at the time, that it would have been ignored by The Tribune or they would have come with a story as to why it should have been taken from him. The chap in Andros did not have the decency to admit that his was taken from a PLP supporter by the FNM and given to him. There are two old sayings that should give comfort to these complainants (1) what goes around comes around and (2) what is good for the goose is good for the gander.
NOW to add insult to injury, I have been reading a lot of rubbish being attributed to one Tommy Turnquest, purporting to be the leader of the FNM about FNMs being victimised and almost had an eye-stroke when I saw some of the names in print. It is an open secret that hierarchy members and candidates of the FNM had a number of generals and gofers planted in various government corporations and departments including B.A.I.C., where the only work that they performed was going for their paychecks at the end of the month; and as if that was not enough, they bragged openly – without shame – to all and sundry in their favourite refreshment haunts. I can supply names, amount of salaries collected – not earned – name of corporations or departments etc. and back it up with witnesses – not PLP either.
I have mentioned in this column on more than one occasion that it would do well for the Government if they would immediately do a review of all payroll sheets of corporations and government departments. I am sure that the results would not be only interesting but startling.
For no less a personage than Tommy Turnquest to come before the electorate of this nation – in the printed media – and use the word victimisation in such a fashion only shows the undeveloped and infantile state of his mental capacity. If after some of his supporters complained to him of the above mentioned incidents, he should have – taking into consideration the accusations made against him by his own party members – refer the complaints to Alvin Smith – the person recognised by the Government and the nation as leader of the Opposition to investigate and if needs be to consult with the Government on the matter. The world can now see why the FNM was demolished at the polls. The saying "a boy can't do a man's job" has never been truer. The victimisation visited on real hard core FNMs by Ingraham and Co. – of which Tommy was an integral part – from 1999 until May 2002 aided and abetted by an over-paid, spineless Cabinet, paid gofers and political parasites in the Party's Officers Corps and the N.G.C. is enough to make future political historians spout grey hairs just reading about it.
The following are just a few of the many survivors – Tennyson Wells, Pierre Dupuch, Floyd Watkins, Lester Turnquest, Tony Miller, George Capron, The Long Island and Ragged Island Constituency Association, Gus Cartwright, Mike Cartwright (Early Bird), yours truly and others too numerous to mention. But I did remind you all at the 2002 Convention when I nominated Capron for leader against Hubert, that I belong to the association of Bs as I will be here when you all come and still be here when you all gone – and by God you are all GONE. I think that Minister Miller dealt adequately with the situation and I think that MP Stubbs made an error in judgement when he fired the six or seven men. He should have identified all that were needed to be fired and then fire all at once. I see nothing wrong with his description of the manager except I thought it to be a bit too mild as the situation has reached a state where it is no longer festering but has turned into a scab.
I heard where PM Christie has said that he will look into the situation. Baby political games like this is really not worthy of his attention, as his time and attention should be focused on pulling this nation from the abyss of debt and crime created by the previous administration of which little whining Tommy was part and parcel. Mr. PM do not be deterred from your course by the beating of empty drums and the sounds of false echoes by those who are trying to build a smoke screen around their own shortcomings.
