BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WHO will be the next Leader of the People’s Action Movement (PAM)? This question and a number of others have been contemplated by many across the Federation since Lindsay F. Grant announced his resignation as Political Leader of the party to take effect at the end of September 2012.
The view of educator and historian Washington ‘Washie’ Archibald on the matter however is that the position would be best filled and should be filled by a member of the PAM who has seen success in securing a seat during the 2010 General Elections.
According to Archibald, either Eugene Hamilton – Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Number Eight – or Shawn Richards – Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Number Five – would best serve as Political Leader for PAM.
In his usual style, Archibald provided explanation for his view.
“I believe the leadership of the party should be carried by one of the members within the Parliament. It is incongruous for someone who cannot win a seat to be the leader and spokesman of the party. One of these people in the party who has won their seat, I believe that they have shown their leadership by simply having won their seat in Parliament, should give them a right to the leadership of the party.
“I believe that Shawn Richards and Eugene Hamilton - who have both won their seats to Parliament - should be the two nominees for leadership of the party at this particular time. Who better to take their party to the next election than somebody who has already won a seat? How could you take a party to an election and you haven’t won a seat? You have no experience in Parliament, how could you be leader of the party? Unless those people in Parliament are going to stand aside and let you do it because it looks like you could get a safe seat.”
If either Hamilton or Richards be elected to the position, Archibald explained that this should not retard any plans which the party has to groom future leaders.
Weighing in on other related issues, Archibald was adamant that “Grant’s resignation is long overdue but still timely”.
He said Grant has proven himself an unfit leader by virtue of the fact that during the last General Elections he allowed himself to be swindled out of his seat.
“Grant has not succeeded either way in demonstrating any success at the leadership of his party. He has tried repeatedly to win a seat and he has failed to win a seat.
“It is true that his failure to win a seat had some variables, the chief of which was that he was cheated out of his seat but being cheated out of the seat is no excuse for not winning the seat, because he saw that he was being cheated even before the cheating happened and if he wanted to deserve the respect of a political leader he should not have been outmaneuvered in his own seat.
“The reason why he lost his seat was – in my mind – a lack of vigilance of his opponent. Mr. Grant knew that they were padding the list… If he didn’t know then that was his own ignorance, and ignorance is no excuse for losing an election, especially if you claim to be the party’s Political Leader.”
In supporting his view that Grant ought to have tendered his resignation shortly after the 2012 General Elections, Archibald expressed that the “Marriott issue” did not paint Grant in a favourable light.
“…He got himself ensnared over at the Marriott and it left a bitter taste in the mouth of decent people. And while it is true that a lot of Kittitians don’t really care about ethics, there is a cadre of very concerned and decent citizens who shook their heads in disbelief when they realised that Lindsay Grant was actually at the Marriott negotiating to sell land to somebody that he did not even know.
“So in my view, he outted himself on two counts and as soon as the election was over, I believe he would have been doing really well and he would have earned deep respect from the people if at that stage he showed his willingness to hand over leadership”.
The outgoing PAM Political Leader has been further criticised by Archibald who has indicated that rather than announcing his resignation to take effect sometime in the future, it should have done with immediate effect.
“…Grant’s resignation should have been with immediate effect…with another being put quickly into the acting position of the leadership pending some kind of caucus which would confirm the leadership. And this long hiatus between now and September 30, I think that that is not right at all because that opens up the People’s Action Movement to abuse because if Dr. Douglas was smart he would call the election on September 30 or 29. It would have made more sense and it would have had a bigger impact if it had been done with immediate effect.”
