It is almost one year since the last general election in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, yet the relentless campaign of score-settling and loyalty-testing remains in full swing.
The administration is facing intense pressure from its own die-hard supporters, who seem to demand the immediate dismissal of every single perceived opposition sympathiser. Never mind that the Constitution (the very document politicians and vocal supporters alike loved to quote when convenient) clearly outlines the legal framework for termination and protects the independence of public service appointments. But I suppose, why let established institutional processes get in the way of a good party purge?
Perhaps it is high time we initiate a constitutional review to grant politicians full, unbridled power to hire and fire public servants at their whim and fancy. Think of the breathtaking efficiency:
1. You wear the wrong shade of red to the office? Here is your termination letter.
2. You dared to offer a professional critique of a government proposal? Letter.
3. You sneezed too loudly during a Minister’s speech? Pack your desk, you are finished.
4. You call the PM by the wrong name, having practiced another for 25 years. Home!
With a crushing 14–1 parliamentary majority, why bother respecting the safeguards our forefathers put in place to ensure a professional, impartial civil service? Who cares whether anyone has actually conducted a performance evaluation to determine if these long-standing officers are failing to execute current policies? It is simple arithmetic: when a government holds office for 25 years, the majority of public servants will naturally reflect that era. Give this administration quarter century, if they are so fortunate, and the very same dynamic will apply.
Then there are the political gymnasts. Individuals who spent a quarter of a century singing the praises of the former regime have suddenly transformed overnight, now desperately trying to appear more yellow than the sun itself just to protect their livelihoods.
The tragedy here is not who voted for whom. It is that our society has degenerated into a space where competence, qualifications, work ethic, and integrity count for nothing, whilst political allegiance dictates everything. The previous administration was rightly criticised for operating a regime of “family and friends”. Fast-forward almost twelve months: look around at the statutory boards, in the Prime Minister’s Office, and at senior appointments across the public sector. The “family and friends” model remains alive and thriving, with fresh recruits scrambling to secure their turn at the trough, complete with overseas relatives flown in to enjoy government-backed credit lines on the taxpayer’s dime.
Every way you turn, it is cocobay. The situation would be pure comedy if it were not so profoundly disturbing.
Ultimately, we must ask ourselves what kind of nation we are building when blind allegiance replaces genuine merit. If we dismantle the independence of our public institutions today to satisfy short-term political vengeance, what will remain to protect us when the political tides inevitably turn tomorrow? True governance is measured not by how ruthlessly a government rewards its cronies, but by whether it leaves behind a civil service capable of serving all Vincentians, regardless of the colour shirt they wear to work.
But, I am only a simple man.
