By Kelvin Daly
Over the past few years, I have seen things that have made my skin crawl. Yes, and at times, such was the level of abuse, passion and anger became indistinguishable. Tone it down I’m frequently told, you sound angry. Never ever have I been told that the information presented was factually incorrect, never I am called a liar or a cheat.
For many, the tone of the message was vastly more important than its content and more importantly its implications. It is perhaps ironic that in this age of Reality Shows, a good portion of those folks dwell in the shallows, preferring style over substance.
I pride myself on being an excellent listener but somewhere deep in my consciousness is a trigger that compels me to not to listen in silence. For some it appears that listening is all that they willing to commit too, no action, no reaction, just a deafening silence.
On social media and other information platforms, there is a chorus that continues to belt out the old refrain that the Nevis Reformation Party is weak.
Their thesis centres around the observation that despite our credible and persuasive presentation of facts of poor governance, barefaced corruption, unacceptable cronyism and nepotism, the greatest fiscal mismanagement in modern history, unapologetic conflicts of interest etc, there is nothing but silence coming from the rest of civil society.
Not a word of concern from the Bar Association on matters of Conflicts of Interest that the Premier and his Ministers are engaged in.
Not a word from the Christian Council or Pastors from the scores of Churches scattered across this land who it appears are more willing to save souls than save lives.
Not a word from Law Enforcement regarding issues of crime unless their message is filtered and approved by National Security.
Not a word from the Chamber of Commerce or Captains of Industry regarding the lack of strategic development policies of this government.
Not a word from Medical Practitioners about the sorry state of health care, the missed opportunity for dialysis and where we should have been in health delivery by now.
Not a word from environmental organizations about the dismal record of this government and their total disregard for our environment including the abominable operations at Solid Waste.
Not a word from educators who must by now would have recognized that a system which fails more students than it helps to succeed is on the wrong path.
Not a word from agriculturalists, farmers, fishers and agro-processors who struggle every day to make way against a tide of neglect and incompetence.
And so, it is not that NRP is weak, no way, we have brought the issues to the people in a robust and credible fashion. We are the voice of the voiceless and the champions of the working class of our beloved Nevis.
Our strength is derived from the people and if the people are silent, that silence can indeed be misinterpreted to mean complicity and or disinterest. And though I wish for more people to speak truth to power I would signal caution for those who have prematurely pronounced the death of the Nevis Reformation Party. People are listening.
In everything and everybody there is a breaking point and one day good people will finally stand up and say enough is enough.