Thomas’ sorry legacy sealed with parliament debate

SOMETIMES in sport, they tell you forget the final score, and remember how the game was played.

That will hold true during Tuesday’s No Confidence motion in the Grenada parliament.

The motion will be duly defeated; but Tillman Thomas will not have won.

In voting against the motion rightly put forward by the opposition New National Party, government MPs have decided to somehow find a way to save their party  -- if in a strange way it gives the Prime Minister more time to seal his increasing sordid legacy.

The 11 government MPs, all caught between the proverbial devil and the deep blue sea, will choose the former – because they are sure of what they are getting.

Delving into the deep blue sea will give most cold feet because of not being sure what lies underneath.

In some ways, the debate will end in an unsatisfactory position – where all sides will declare victory – but where everybody really loses.

For those who pay little attention to how the food is made, and rather concentrate on the final product – the bitter taste it all leaves will leave them equally confused.

But politics is a science of both survival and incentive – where people have to individually live to fight another day, while invoking a collective good they themselves cannot properly describe.

And that, in a strange way put all 15 members of the House of Representatives in the same boat.

There are lurking dangers for all sides coming in.

The NNP motion has a point – which ordinary Grenada gets. But in making that point, its four MPs have to be careful against over reach.

People get it – this government is dead. But Grenadians have a sense of proportion and would detest a ravenous feeding on the carcass.

The funeral rites must be measured and respectful.

The eight of the 11 MPs, who like Foreign Minister Karl Hood, have been privately and not-so privately fretting of the wasted years, must not in their fight for collective survival, act as if “all is well with our souls.”

Even in this unenviable dance, being apologists for four years of underachievement and clueless leadership will be unacceptable.

Apologize if you will – for being part of a team that has let people down; throw the leader under the bus where he belongs – because he has already thrown his team the bus with his ineptness; and then speak to a vision to which we can relate.

It won’t guarantee any success at elections – whenever it is called – but will give you some credit in the bank for some future time.

Like couples facing a separation – you may hang on a little longer for the children – but eventually you need to go your separate way.

The other three MPs will no doubt try to use the occasion as if to put the NNP on trial – to accuse it of everything imaginary while it was there.

They may even also try to impute treasonous motives by their own colleagues who have dared to ask questions about their own government which came in promising so much, and delivered so little – except in hate and spite.

The first one had a currency at a certain time and place.

But four years have passed since Mr Thomas and Mr Burke began running things.

We already voted on the NNP years. That’s why there was an 11-4 result on July 8^th, 2008.

The people are now ready for a referendum on the time of this current government.

If its strategists should stopped listening to the George Grant-MTV inspired echo chamber and drive out to the real Grenada from whence the PM came, they will find strong opinions on what has turned out to be a sorry legacy.

Or – maybe they should take up their own poll – and start believing what it says.

But even as those figures show that most people are already turned off – the three disciples need to seek to find an opening to defend this government's record and make their case.

Anything different will be disingenuous and vexatious.