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Mack the First

Dec 10, 2008 Features / Columnists

The Parrot grew up knowing that there is always a first for everything. There are some things you just wished you were the first to have done them; there are others that you wished not even to be last. Amongst what others would have loved to be first is to be African-American and become President of the US of A.
Obama achieved that feat which, to Jessie and the late Martin Luther King Jr., would have been a dream. It’s no longer such. History would forever show that Barack Obama was the first to achieve that.
In sports, Brian Lara is the first to break Sir Garfield Sobers’ record; Sachin Tendulkar is the first batsman to reach twelve thousand Test runs. The list in sports and in other areas of human endeavour is an extremely long one; a long list of very proud people.
On the other hand, there is an equally long list of people who would not be proud of their achievements being the first for something. The man whom Sobers hit for six sixes in one over, Malcolm Nash, would have been the first bowler to “achieve” that feat. The late Richard Nixon is the first US President to have resigned from office. I can go on and on.
Locally, as we have seen over the past few days, former Opposition Member of Parliament, James Mc Allister, is the first politician to be engraved in the annals of our history of having the “distinct privilege” of being referred to as Recall Victim No. 1.
Now, obviously this is not what James would have envisaged even in his wildest dream when taking the oath of office of the highest decision-making body in our land. I am sure it stared him in the face over the last few months. Whatever the time when it first “dawned” upon him, he has made history; not the kind he would give “high-fives” for.
James’s recall speaks volume for the “democracy” within the place he “grew” up; the Place of CONgress. Much has been said about the Palm Tree Jungle Party’s hypocritical accusations of undemocratic practices within the administration. Ever so often they have accused government of suppressing freedom of expression.
I recall (have to be cautious when using that word) when they jumped on the bandwagon of the red-herring-Stabroek News/government advertising issue; an issue that clearly had nothing to do with freedom of expression.
Our history will show many such “excuses” they have used to vilify government. What’s theirs with “Mack”? James that is.
His recall clearly shows that democracy is alien to the Place of CONgress. He and others who shared the view that the Palm Tree Party needs new leadership, resorted to democratic practices to engineer same. One of the agenda items of the Party’s bi-annual CONgress is to ELECT a leader. This can only be possible if there are mechanisms for an election which in turn is only possible if there are candidates freely vying for the post. That’s a pillar of democracy.
So why when the “challenge” is made, the “challengers” are despised? Why must the “challengers” be seen as not adherents to Party’s policies? Is it that Uncle Bob never expected someone or a group to challenge him? Is it that he expects to be endorsed over and over at the CONgress?
The world has evolved, but not the Palm Tree Party. They are still stuck in the past whilst when in office, were accustomed to unleashing undemocratic practices on the nation. Maybe it’s time for Uncle Bob to heed the many cries of his Party’s membership, both locally and internationally, and resign.
What? Yes Uncle Bob, your resigning would be democratic. That would a first in the Place of CONgress. Squawk! Squawk!

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