Allow me to wallow with the pigs for a while

UP UNTIL now, I have kept my blogs about commentaries on broad ideas and concepts; given views on matters that are of more collective than general interest.

Over the last few weeks – the likes of the Georges – have sought to shift the national debate on how democracy is being practiced within the government and its consequence on the nation.

At a time of 37 percent unemployment; when people are worried about the holiday and the New Year and when a government is grappling to get its 2011 budget right – both George Grant and George Worme – doing the biddings of the goons who yield influence at Botanic Gardens, have taken aim at me.

There are two fundamental reasons they do this (a) to change the subject in a most disastrous political period for the government and (b) to try to discredit me in any way possible because in their minds I am one of the few bold enough to damn the consequences of speaking up.

I predicted on my Facebook page a full week ago that a cabal of loose advisors and volunteer character hit men have come together, with the knowledge if not blessing of some in the Prime Minister’s office, to get at me.

What they are really are a bunch of cowards who hide behind believed anonymity, and who will use the two Georges to do their public bidding.

What these two sets have in common is full syndrome desperation, watching their pet project, which is this government, in free-fall and complete meltdown.

They are so worried that if it completely collapses they have nowhere to run – professionally and personally. But, rather than try to positively influence a stuttering confusion that passes as governance, while ordinary people hurt and worry; they hit out in desperation at their self created enemies – of whom I am number one.

These are men who pass off their own ingrained selfishness as patriotism; and who think the only way they can make us believe they have integrity is, by innuendo and omission, paint everyone else as crooks.

Indeed these are desperate times, and these are desperate graying men who have long slipped pass youth, with no spring in either their steps or ideas.

Desperate men can do desperate things – and there is more to come. Only that while they fiddle, the real people who are mad with them because of broken promises, continue to burn.

For the most part this is not about me really – or even in a real sense about them.

What this debate should be about is a nation that is on pause, if not regression; of a leadership which is in contempt of its party and out of touch with ordinary folks who had enthusiastically waved yellow bandanas.

This is about a country which has gone from yellow and green – and is now blue. Blue with hurt! Blue with despair! Blue with even rage!

And I will get back soon to what really bothers this nation – and what really gives this odd assortment of public servants, academic misfits, blundering senators, broken hangers on and low talented media men, sleepless nights.

But excuse this one time while I wallow with the pigs. These pigs!

For over the past 14 days, rather than deal with the message – a convenient section of a government, using state resources and time – has been bent on destroying me.

And naturally, any half decent self-respecting man will at least stand up and defend his family in the face of attack.

And I need to do that for my three sons, who I have always promised that daddy will be uncompromised; unbowed, unconquered and unapologetic. And for a wife whose faith I have never deserved; and a mother whose prayers have never stopped. Also crucially, for my father, who died seven years ago, and who realizing he was reaching his end, said to me – Hamlet don’t ever let them take you and make a fool.

If anything, I want him to smile from heaven, and claim: “Whitto (as he called me) you giving them hell on earth.”

Rather than deal with innuendo and half-truths (and in one case this weekend in the New Today newspaper) outright libel, I want to challenge the Georges to a debate face-to-face anywhere at anytime on the substance of the challenge that faces this nation.

Rather than deal in personal insults, I want them bring their ideas to the table, and I will bring mine, about how to get this government working for real people from La Fillette to La Tante; Belmont to Byelands.

I pity the Georges – one operates from a position of perpetual hatred, and another from crippling fear; collectively they sing choruses of jealousy.

It is that hatred and that fear; and that collective jealousy that have moved them to publish documents handed out from Botanic Gardens – as if to suggest that I have been campaigning for some major post with this government.

They conveniently ignored cover letters that show that these corporate proposals were specifically requested and reluctantly offered by a man who was running away from any suggestion that he needed to be pinned down in St George’s.

Those proposals gave an outline of cost to be paid for rent, equipment, utilities and to take a half a dozen people from the jobless line – no suggestion of money for me to individually pocket.

Obviously they would not have known about Vincent Robert’s email to me which said: “We need to get concrete proposals so that I can sell the concept.”

Nor of a soon-after follow up that said: “Thanks for all that you have done before. I sincerely depend on your advice, guidance and support. Let's do it "For Love of Country".”

In the New Today’s illiterate interpretation, it meant Hamlet Mark was asking for nearly quarter million dollars a year – a claim so ludicrous that it will have one of the Georges back to the judge’s chambers while he shamelessly hides assets to avoid another big payout.

They ignored that since 2000, my capitals have been Kingston and Kingstown; Basseterre and Bridgetown; Miami and New York.

They forgot to note that I have not waited to collect any crumbs to fall from any one’s table in St Georges – like is their lot; but I have created my own bread and that of many other people too, in diverse places.

Unlike them, St George’s for me is not a center of business; it’s simply a playground where my weary soul often takes a break.

That’s why the naked emperors in St George’s don’t bother me; instead I bother them.

Here is the scorecard of lies printed by the New Today this weekend.

LIE: That Hamlet Mark sought a contract for $280,000.

TRUTH: That on the specific request of the party (not the government), West Park Global Media (a registered company in Florida) had made a proposal to cover rent, equipment, utilities, hiring of six people that would have amounted approximately to that amount a year.

LIE: That the proposal was addressed to the Prime Minister (the Dear Prime Minister was inserted there by the New Today).

TRUTH: The document itself was addressed to no one. But the cover letter that was conveniently not published was addressed to Vincent Roberts, who is not an officer of the government, but a member of the ruling party.

LIE: That Hamlet Mark was to have been paid from the sum

TRUTH: The segment of the document published listed how the money was going to be used through the National Media Center.

Ongoing in all this reporting, there has also been the innuendo, that somehow I am upset at the government because my proposal was rejected.

Up until now the proposal has not been rejected, and as far as I am aware external funding is being sought. And so, if I was to so directly benefit I had reason to shut up, not speak out.

But that would not be said because it would not suit the narrative, they trying to build.

Inspite of the New Today’s and to a lesser extent grenadabroadcast.com to spin it otherwise, (eat your NDC hearts out the Georges), but verifiable evidence can show that I turned down every single personal offer made to be by this government – from press secretary down.

Ask the current holder who first begged him to take the job (and my motive he may not have known because I was “breaksing” from them asking me again).

Let’s be clear what’s happening here:

(a) I am this administration’s worst nightmare because I cannot be easily dismissed as a babbling NNP since I have more friends in the government than outside of it;

(b) No power in St George’s can frustrate any project I am working on in the Caribbean and North America, so they have no control over me. (And I’ll be soon be working on one in St George’s that they cant stop either).

(c) The Georges cannot bad mouth anything I am working on to cause it to stop. Operating from their little world, they are powerless in my bigger world.

So they will seek to discredit me – but in their over-zealous drive they have already discredited themselves.

Here’s a little lesson in journalism 101 – you two Georges – even when presented with what appears to be authentic documents, you need to cross- check sources and context before publishing. And it might be useful to seek the other side of the story too.

But when it comes to that point – I am not really mad. Never really thought you had the basics really.

PS: Now that I have wallowed with these pigs, forgive me for not fighting in my class. Please now permit me to leave discussing little people to talk about bigger ideas.