When the electorate began to cry out for change in the early 1990's, it was the initial telltale sign that some things had gone awry under the PAM administration. No fair minded or reasonable thinking person can shy away from this fact.
Meanwhile, there was steady mounting support for the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party. Its base had been recharged and there was growing momentum with that party, all the while PAM was seeking to remain relevant.
The "people" driven Labour Party led demonstrations in downtown Basseterre followed the1993 general election in which both political parties on St. Kitts captured four electoral seats a piece.
By 1995, PAM's fate was sealed. Many of the issues surrounding a seemingly new breed of crime hurt the administration and among other issues, the fall out with former government minister Michael O. Powell helped to split the PAM vote and handicapped the PAM government even further. Change was inevitable
The Simmonds administration was swept away at the polls to make way for so-called change; for men of integrity, and for a shift away from the 1980's style of leadership.
Along came the "New" Labour Party administration, which vowed to live up to the tenets of good governance it claimed PAM had fallen short on.
By the general elections of 2000, the Labour Party boasted a clear mandate; they rendered a stinging blow to the opposition and claimed ALL eight seats on St. Kitts.
Alas, after almost 20 years as a government, the Labour Administration, which vowed to serve the people as the "new and better" alternative to PAM, has been deemed the government that has served up more for itself and those closely aligned with it than the people the administration vowed to serve. While they initially won the hearts of the electorate, they seemingly lost the vision they articulated during the initial part of their administration.
It is no coincidence a cast of former die hard Labour supporters have effortlessly jumped off the Labour train convinced the engine has careened out of control given the style of leadership the acclaimed savvy conductor has practiced term after term. Others remain on board to the detriment of their country and their consciences.
While the development of a nation is paramount to the progress of its people, when development becomes marred by scandal and charges of corruption, it is only a matter of time before "wind blows and the rear of the proverbial fowl becomes woefully exposed." The life of this government is fast drawing to an end as determined by many political pundits who have a close eye on developments in Basseterre and Charlestown, Nevis. Desperation has also surfaced and the "powerful electorate" is taking note!
In democratic societies such as ours, governments that wait for the run up to a general election to place "band aids" on every sore in the country that they themselves are directly responsible for are eventually removed from office. Time and again, the ill-advised decisions of the current administration have been brought to the fore and the tolerance of the people has worn thin.
Some party die hards justify and even applaud wrong doing of the politicians they support yet dissect one after the other the occurrences of wrong they claimed happened under the PAM administration. Wrong is wrong no matter the decade; no matter the political party!
In St. Kitts and Nevis, a people driven initiative called Team Unity continues to bear fruit even amidst calculated efforts to wear out and dismiss the impact of this dynamic tripartite. The filing of three Motions of No Confidence has been sidelined by the very powers that have the ability to table at least one.
Despite the delay by the Speaker of the National Assembly, the tripartite opposition has been on the backs of the government calling for relief and economic opportunity for the ordinary man. This vibrant collaboration of patriots is steadily demanding action from the government which delights in flexing its campaign muscle in the run up to a general election.
Much to the dismay of the incumbents - who themselves enjoy a unified Cabinet compliments the current NRP representative - the tide has turned and the momentum of twenty years ago has shifted, resonating with the current opposition, albeit with a most interesting and dynamic blend.
Many of our citizens condemn those who challenge their respective political parties or switch allegiances in defiance of the practices and policies of the party they once supported. However, many of us have now come to accept Team Unity as a model that allows the "powerful electorate" to demand that ALL politicians prioritize the needs of the ordinary citizen and the nation or face the unrelenting wrath of the voter.
People say all the time that the issues we have with our politics today will only change with generations to come. But who will be the ones to teach our youths? It is us, "the powerful electorate;" the very ones who must demand yeoman service from our politicians and stand ready to hold them accountable as leaders of our beloved nation. At some point, WE have to make the difference, even with differing political views. After all, at the heart of government is the people.
Time and again, history has proven that in the realm of politics and our social existence, it really does begin and end with the people; "the powerful electorate."
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