DEALS, ARRANGEMENTS, ALLEGATIONS?

It has always fascinated me as to the origin/s of a rumour or an allegation. For the past three weeks the St. Lucian public have been bombarded with two seeming political deals. The media coins them as allegations.

Just recently the Parliamentary Rep for Anse La Raye/Canaries was criticized for allegedly  cutting a deal with the PM in exchange for a year round “STEP” program for his constituents. The deal it is alleged was  that he would not be given a Ministry in exchange for STEP throughout the year in his constituency. True or false?

Pep, the rep in question, quickly took to the media to refute these allegations. His explanation is that the people of his constituency have been promised this package because it was in his Party’s manifesto of 2006. This he said was just fulfilling the promise this time around. Believe it? Cabinet has sworn to secrecy that whatever is said or done in chambers stay there. So I guess we will never know the whole scenario.

Prior to Pep’s alleged deal, Rufus was also in the news.  It was reported that he  is alleged of cutting a deal or arrangement with the PM over getting favours for a diplomatic passport, and in return he Rufus would not challenge  the results of the Choiseul/Saltibus seat. The seat was won by Lorne with a margin of 95 votes. Two more seats are also being challenged by the UWP: Gros Islet and Babonneau where the margins of victory by the SLP candidates are 2 and 7 votes respectively.

Rufus’ alleged deal has pissed off UWP supporters islandwide. According to the statistics, if Rufus had accepted to challenge the results and the court ruled in UWP’s favour,r the UWP would form the government. But with Rufus withdrawing his challenge all hopes of this victory is lost.

But the question remains. Did Rufus really go for this deal? DBS reported that Rufus neither confirmed nor denied these allegations. Speaking with Rufus he told this blog, that a lead of 95 is too large to challenge and he thinks that it would be an exercise in futility to take this route. He also confirmed with this blog that he is “done with elective politics.”  A sense of betrayal by the people of the constituency was being sensed throughout the discussion with him.

   But Rufus’ critics won’t let him off so easily. One supporter who vehemently disagrees with his excuse  told this blog, “I will never put anything pass this man. Remember how he was willing to throw down his government just to get back into cabinet? For what? Just to get a pension. Dat man for himself and himself alone. Trust me Dedan and you will see it.”

Whether I believe that he is for himself and he alone, is still swirling in my head. I do have my own reservations about the man, not even taking into considerations the numerous allegations that are flying around left right and centre.

A strong supporter of Rufus also commented on the deal allegation. “What the hell! My daughter was sick with cancer and she asked the Ministry of Education for help and they never gave her any assistance. She eventually died. If de man is sick and he needs help, why not give him the help?”

When the story first broke the PM refused to make an on- camera comment and discarded these comments as rubbish. But earlier this week he gave an on- camera response and denied these allegations. According to him, “I do not know Rufus’ business.”

What is interesting here is no one seems to be chastising the PM for the alleged deal with Rufus but Rufus is being looked at as the Judas of the UWP camp. Actually he was never liked anyway.

These two deals or arrangements or allegations will soon dissipate into thin air and forgotten   as a fleeting illusion, while the people continue to go about their daily lives.

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