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04th March 2010
Should National Security Minister Guy Mayers Resign?

Do you agree with the Saint Lucia Labour Party that Home Affairs and National Security Minister Guy Mayers should resign?
This was one of Helen Television’s poll questions of last week. The station, during its local evening newscast, usually throws out a question and asks Saint Lucians to go to its website to vote. The results of the web poll are read the following evening during the 7 o’clock news cast.
Most surprisingly the results of this poll, after five days, which happened to be the last time I checked, have yet to be read out to the public. The results were supposed to be read February 26, 2010 on air, as is usually done with the other questions asked by the station.
Why has the station not seen it fitting to release the results of this particular poll question is really not relevant to me, after all there could be a myriad of reasons why the response to the question has yet to be read on television. At the same time there could just be only one reason staying the hand of the station. Whatever the reason or reasons holding back the response to the poll question let it be known that, like with the other questions, the public’s reaction to the question should be aired. In the same breath, should the station decide not to release the results of its web poll it must be reminded that listeners to its newscast should be given an explanation.
That having been said, and this is in no way knocking the station, I am sure the station, which has a very reliable and well worth watching news package in the evening, would have taken several factors into consideration especially seeing that this rather political question could be manipulated to suit either of the two political parties should supporters decide to manipulate the results.
Assuming this is one factor high up in the consideration of the station, hence the reluctance to release the results, let me quickly point out that that same logic of manipulation could be made for other questions that have been asked of the station, the results of which were released the following evening.
So all in all it does not profit the station in any way to have delayed the response to this all important question. Already there is talk that the Government has intervened and blocked the station from releasing the results. While I am not too quick to believe this, in fact let me be brutally frank to say I do not believe this; such an allegation should not be a surprise to anyone.

 
 

Censorship of the electronic media is something the United Workers Party Government has undertaken in times past. This is public knowledge so supporters should not attempt to defend this.
I believe that the question asked by the station is of relevance in the Saint Lucia of today. No amount of spin bowling by the political doctors of the Government can remove the fear of crime permeating the society. While it is true that Government cannot solve crime, meaning that the Ministers should go out there and solve the crime, that Government is not the one murdering people, and committing other criminal acts, it must be pointed out that Government has a responsibility to the citizenry.
It is the job of the National Security Minister to ensure the protection of the nationals of a country. If the citizens feel that they are not safe then the Minister simply has not done his job, therefore the calls for the resignation of the Minister are justified, warranted. This is simple and straightforward.
Minister Mayers, I believe has botched the national security port-folio by not getting results. Giving support in whatever kind to all branches of law enforcement in the country is one thing but this pales in significance when his slate shows no results.
Case in point: As a parent you provide your child with the best after school tutors, make sure he/she has all the books required, makes sure he/she is never in want of anything pertaining to school. Despite all of that your child comes home with a report card that shows no improvement whatsoever. Is the problem the tutors, you or the child? Clearly the problem is the child. The question as parent to consider is: What will you do with that child?
With no results or improvement showing on Minister Mayers National Security Report Card despite his being provided with all the tools needed to do a good job, the Government being the parent in providing him with the tools needed, it is only fair for the citizens to ask what should be done with Minister Mayers. At this point in time the citizens want results and while some will say the Minister on his own cannot produce results but rather it’s the combination of efforts from the law enforcement agencies that produce results, remember the buck stops with the Minister.
Even Minister Mayers would agree that the buck stops at his desk. Nuff said.

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