BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, April 9, 2010 (Labour Secretariat) --Social Commentator and Political Activist, Washington “Washie” Archibald is not always right about what he says, and there are those who even wonder whether he sells his soul for money when he speaks.
In the General Elections held in January of this year, Washie was one of the chief whips advocating for a change of government on the platform of the People’s Action Movement (PAM).
However, when he said on his WinnFM program “Ask Washie”, that the Leader of the PAM, Lindsay Grant, should step aside if his party is to make any significant progress, he hit the nail on its head.
Washie said that if Grant doesn’t step aside soon, the PAM’s story will continue to be one of insecurity, despondency and uncertainty. Washie said that upon serious reflection after the General Elections, he realizes that Grant was chiefly responsible for the dismal performance of the PAM.
He had to get it off his chest, he said.
If one can recall, it was the same Washie who said all manner of evil about our beloved Prime Minister Douglas, referring to him as a dictator and calling for his removal without having any fear of reprisal from the Government.
Grant’s credibility, competence and leadership abilities and qualities have been the subject of much debate for some time, and especially after his party lost the last General Elections for the fourth consecutive time.
Grant himself has never been able to win his seat despite his megalomaniac aspirations of being Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis.
It is still fresh in people’s minds how as a leader, Grant exercised poor judgment by giving audience to an unknown British Investor at the Marriott in the negotiation of a “cash for land” bribery deal. Since then Grant’s sound judgment, sagacity and integrity have been called into question and his fitness as a leader has been placed under the microscope in light of the magnitude of the scandal.
Washie said that Grant made a serious blunder by accepting to go to the Marriott to meet with the investor and to negotiate a bribe and that his actions were foolish.
Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas called for Grant to resign as leader of his party saying that he had shown serious “corruption tendencies” that render him unfit to hold public office.
Others within his own party, castigated him for such a blunder that exposed his naiveté and weaknesses as a leader.
A video posted on YouTube shows Grant meeting with an international property investor (who turned out to be an undercover journalist) on Sunday January 10, 2010, in which he negotiated the sale of 200 acres of land in Brotherson’s Estate on the outskirts of Newton Ground Village at a price of US$20,000, a terribly underestimated price for land in that area.
Grant, in agreeing to the prostituted land price of US $20,000, asked the investor for “some other benefits to offset that” in return for US $1.7 million to fund his party’s election campaign.
Grant was also heard telling the so-called British investor how the monies could be leaked to off-shore accounts so that no one will know.
But it is Grant’s hubris that has made this “cash for land” bribery scandal even more damaging to the reputation of a man who has presented himself to others as a paragon of virtue and a champion of landless nationals. He falsely accused the Government of selling off prime crown lands at a next-to-nothing price to white foreign investors but was caught with his pants down for doing the very same thing that he vehemently opposed.
That story alone speaks for itself and is already in the annals of local politics.
That aside, Grant has failed repeatedly to lead his party to victory at the polls because of his lack of vision and his inability to properly prepare and convince the electorate that his party has any serious plans and programmes to offer the country.
“We’re saddened that we haven’t been given the opportunity to roll out our plans and programmes. But in time, people will understand them. I believe, at some point to come, we will get that opportunity,” Grant is quoted as saying in an article on SKNVibes, dated Friday January 29, 2010.
The problem of course is that as a leader Grant saw it fit to spend most of his time in the court rather than putting his energies into formulating concrete plans and programmes for the people of this country.
Grant has failed as a leader and a politician. The supporters of his own party think that he should step down and pave the way for someone else much more capable.
Washie was only the mouthpiece that was brave enough to speak the truth where others have kept silent for fear of victimization and intimidation, which are hallmarks of the PAM.
