If You Asked Me, Letters & Opinion

How Much Greater A Division?

Image of Mary Isaac
Mary Isaac

MARY Isaac is well on her way to becoming the United Workers Party’s number one loose cannon. Long past her days as the head of the Civil Service Association (CSA), the woman many people have hailed a hero for sticking it to the government over civil servants’ wages is now a raging force to be reckoned with in the Flambeau camp.

Isaac proved that she had more fire than even the UWP’s torch last Sunday when instead of delivering the vote of thanks at the party’s national convention, she delivered a low blow to former Prime Minister and UWP Political Leader, Stephenson King.
Featured speaker, Sir James Mitchell, former Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, came dangerously close to hitting King with a yorker when he referenced political leaders from Canada, Britain and other locales tendering their resignations voluntarily whenever their parties were unsuccessful at the polls.

“What’s wrong with us in the Caribbean? We don’t know how to pack up?” Sir James asked the delegates.

Many of the delegates took Sir James’ remark jocularly and King, too, was seen holding onto a smile. After all, King had already had a few overs of fast balls from Chastanet who had issued a match advisory earlier to party members who think the UWP does not have what it takes to win the next general elections.

“They must do the honourable thing and step aside for this modernized United Workers Party will not be deterred.” Chastanet warned.

But for a long day of cricket that saw Chastanet and Sarah Flood-Beaubrun vying for the captaincy – albeit without the usual convention drama – something had to go wrong just so people could remember that the convention did indeed take place. Mary Isaac, a latecomer to the Flambeau team, turned out to be Darren Sammy on a good bowling day. She has a seamer up her sleeve for Steve.

Said Isaac: “I really like the part about ‘pack up’… And I, too, have a question for you: In what Parliament in the Caribbean or anywhere in the world do you have an ex-Prime Minister sitting as an ordinary parliamentarian?”

King had had enough of both the cryptic and flat-out rebuke and he and some of his Castries North delegates immediately exited the convention hall of the Gros Islet Secondary School. True to form, Isaac continued the vote of thanks without missing a beat. The match seemed over even though the official match results were announced afterwards.

Isaac would later defend her remark, explaining that King is indeed an “ordinary parliamentarian” by virtue of him not being either Prime Minister or Leader of the Opposition. When asked to comment on the matter, Party Chairman, Guy Mayers, told the media on Sunday that the matter would be dealt with internally.

The irony of the thing is that too much of Flambeau’s dirty laundry is being aired in the open despite the push for matters to be dealt with internally. In fact, Mayers did indicate during his “we are all in this together” address to the delegates. Judging from his narrative, Isaac went quite contrary to the new party mantra.

“From now on, we behave as a family,” Mayers said. “No more washing dirty linen in public. No member of the United Workers Party should be going to the media denigrating another member of the United Workers Party. This is forbidden.”

Earlier in the day, King told The VOICE that he did receive communication from Chastanet to finally have a sit-down this week with other members to sort out some concerns some party members have. King et al had sought an audience with Chastanet before the convention but the latter had indicated it was impossible due to his travel plans. Some sense of unity seemed in the offing until Isaac’s off-colour remark that left him red with disgust.

What’s troubling about Isaac’s remark, though, is that – based on her analogy — there are currently 15 “ordinary parliamentarians” occupying seats in Parliament. Apparently, Dr. Kenny Anthony and Dr. Gale Rigobert should count themselves lucky, especially the former. Why would constituents go to extraordinary lengths to elect a parliamentarian just so that their candidate stands the chance of just being, well, ordinary?

As the endorsed candidate for Castries South, Isaac should never consider herself to be an ordinary parliamentarian should she win that seat at the next general elections. Neither would I ever consider her to be anything but a strong trade unionist. Even while many CSA members saw a conflict of interest in her serving as both a UWP senator and CSA president simultaneously, she stuck to her game plan by playing both parts. It takes an extraordinary person to pull that off.

If you asked me, Isaac’s remark last Sunday was offensive and demeaning. While Sir James and Chastanet chose to be diplomatic in getting their messages across, Isaac was not. Especially when the party seems to be pulling out all stops to become the viable political force it once was, the electorate needs to see some level of maturity among the UWP camp despite that unit’s rifts. It makes one wonder how greater the measure of division the party is willing to endure before it really coalesces.

As an aspiring politician, Isaac might well want to consider that in a few years King might well be one of the party stalwarts who will be showered with many blessings. She also needs to consider why despite King’s dissatisfaction with the party – and his ceaseless rants – he remains the endorsed candidate for Castries North.

At the moment, King might not seem the best man for the job as Party Leader, but a day in politics can change so many times in a minute. Nevertheless, as a six-term parliamentarian who has won by landslides, we should at least admire the fact that he is humble enough to sit in Parliament to represent his constituents. That should at least make him extraordinary.

Stan Bishop began his career in journalism in March 2008 writing freelance for The VOICE newspaper for six weeks before being hired as a part-time journalist there when one of the company’s journalists was overseas on assignment.

Although he was initially told that the job would last only two weeks, he was able to demonstrate such high quality work that the company offered him a permanent job before that fortnight was over. Read full bio...

11 Comments

  1. /

    Loose Cannon ? more like a Rabid dog ! and nothing heroic about her treachery and double-dealing like a Two-face reptile.

    /

  2. uwp is nothing but a bunch of worthless dirty mouth talkers.
    all finish for those worthless useless people.

  3. SOM/
    This was a carefully orchestrated Wall Street style “hostile takeover”of the extreme right wing faction of a legal political machine whose sole “Pinochet” style purpose is to rivet this island firmly into the snare of the aristocracy.
    Mary performed her latrine disposal duties with much fanfare.
    Event the CONTRIVED feeble challenge by Sarah was merely washing of the party’s picket fence as nod to democratic protocol –
    a public facade.
    Like the failed boxing staging g tourney during his tourism minister stint, Chaz does have a penchant for “staging” make believe.
    I shall get back to a closer analysis of Mary’s role now and upcoming- in a few days.
    Even Josie’s article titled SQUABBLE hinted at a staged fight as in WWF.
    Once we can decode the role play book of each player in the “Hyena Junta”, we can then read the leash handler’s master plan as in the Emperor’s New Clothes.- long before Game Day.

  4. I think at this very early stage I can predict how this female reptile as you put it has charted her path to the top of the party. First to be bulldozed out of her way is Jool Caca. She is a bit more polished than the brazen little Indian and her tenure in the CSA will serve her well. The second to be pushed aside is anyone who is deputy leader when, by now, the seasoned reptile is ready to make her move. Then it will be time to go for the party leadership. The only thing that may scupper her trek is not winning a seat

  5. Well just quick note, ordinary is the norm when in opposition, so no surprise here.

    Now, to answer Ms. Isaac’s question: “Japan”! If my Math is correct, PM Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet currently has three (3) former PMs. Names like Mori, Koizumi, and Tarou should ring a bell.

    One observation is for certain though, Japan has seen numerous PMs resigning prematurely or after losing an election as part leader. They know when to call it quit.

  6. The high & mighty status conscious US has had PRESIDENTS ran for lower subsequent office (at least 3 won and served in that “lower status” position till their death.
    All who read beyond toilet paper understood intuitively that the bearded witch intended venomous payback at Mr. King. This “modern”hyena junta has no room for moderates or dissenting voices.
    She made public (at the coliseum of all places) emperor Chaz Caligula’s political quarantine of King.
    She rode & fired off shotgun on behalhyena junta has nof of Rigo:
    So the formulation of roles for Chaz’s 3 stooges (Mary-Rigo-Sarah) is being poured into action plans- beware!
    Imagine Neptune’s Trident- but not in the color of symbolismf the one centerd on the Bajan Flag.
    Imagine mary-rigo-sarah as the 3 points of Chaz’s Trident……………………………..

  7. Rigo will maximize her “clean” status to chase every ambulance- She is the point setter as in the canine breed used by hunters to track, locate and indicate the fallen prey. Stealth is her game cover- very high maintenance indeed. Think of the new crop of advanced US airforce war planes.
    Sarah on the left will play the extremely vulnerable female in distress and prostrate at the prayer stations of the Christian conservatives.
    Mary with her seance partners stiched as snitches within the CSA will align with the plight of the inner urban angst.
    Here is another analogy to shed light on the game plan of the witch pack:
    The probus of a mosquito is Rigo
    Mary is mosquito Saliva that neutralizes the sharp pain of penetration by the probus (Rigo) ; thus allowing a fleeting moment for sucking blood (part of a witches tool box)- before our human attempt to react –
    The sudden need to scratch in a frenzy of itchiness -is SARAH the vulnerable “damsel in distress”
    Lookout for these three as they play out Chaz’s B-Ball Triangle Offense scheme

  8. Boujon Guiyave/
    For the most part you are corect with her aims of political ascendancy.
    However, I see her role as bulldozing , grading and even credit her ith the ability to pave the “road” for others -appointed by the aristocracy to assume the plum midlevel to upper levels of neo colonial management.
    Recall that as it was in the early British colonies of the Carribbean- today technology makes it possible /frofitable to micro/macro manage remotely- say from Europe.
    This is the tight modernism that Chaz speaks of for his Flambeau Junta.
    With Chaz the olde Empire will strike back -and he does have his Phantom menaces (Guy-Josie Mary et al) to rake havoc with island humanism.
    Remember the aristocracy relishes the austerity programs of the IMF and World Bank. With the IMF etc -the glass ceiling for personal upward mobility turns to Titanium

  9. Taking a cue from the SOM’s descriptor of the “Witch Shoved in for Clandestine Ops”-
    (TETE-CHIEN)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szkmivRWegU
    This is a song that celebrates the musical INSTRUMENTAL prowess of premium Urban Funk, as it illustrates Mary’s conniving penchant for –
    DERAILMENT ,
    (of the need to spread the national burden in the wake of global economic meltdown),
    SABOTAGE,
    (all avenues of neutral collaborative contract renewal negotiations),
    AMBUSH,
    as in Mr King at recent convention,
    and VENOMOUS,
    as in all that she spews -& may concoct in your “soup du jour”-
    Beware!!!Achtung!!! Attencion
    We are talking grade A contaminant vector 🙁

  10. Too bad this is not Provence circa 1944:
    How would the French Resistance treat a Nazi Collaborator, high up in the ranks of the Waffen SS-
    such, as is Mary Isaac?
    Her preliminary interrogation would make Joan of Arc’s impending grisly ordeal, seem like toasting marshmallows at a girls’ scouts lake side camp out sing-a-long

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