Santa Rufus! Time to pay up.

By Jimmy James Haynes

Christmas is fast approaching and by all accounts it appears that this will be one of the shabbiest Christmas's that I have lived through. The draining impact of VAT, the ever increasing cost of living, coupled with climbing unemployment makes simple surviving a mounting challenge.
But this is the season of giving isn't it? Well, isn't it also a great time for those who can afford to, to settle their outstanding debts? This brings me to a matter that has tormented me as a consequence of my silence. Elections was almost thirteen months ago. I recall that approximately one hundred (100) loyal and trusting people from Choiseul/Saltibus served as agents or rendered catering services etc. to the past Paliamentary Representative, Mr. Rufus Bousquet. Today a large majority of these people have not been paid.
I can safely say that none of the agents from the Delcer and the Mongouge Polling Stations have been paid; nor have the caterers received compensation. The caterers actually spent their own monies to provide the service, they even employed help. This is a crying shame. Mr. Bousquet you promised everyone that you would pay them irrespective of the result of the General Election. So Mr. Bousquet, this is the ideal time to pay up. The desperation among the people you owe is palpable. These are hard times and the small amount you owe them could make a huge difference. You can make their Christmas. Yes you can. I know that you can afford it so please, please......please put on your Santa outfit and deliver the money.
Merry Christmas and hope you settle before 2013.
Editor's note: (This blog has been reliably informed that a caterer by the name of Shiela John from La Fargue has not been paid for services she rendered on election day to the UWP team working at the Secondary school. Likewise a shopkeeper at Roblot has been left in the dark.
What is shameless about this scenario is that newcomers like Wacha have settled all his election debts and a veteran like Rufus cannot do the same.)?
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By Jimmy James Haynes

Christmas is fast approaching and by all accounts it appears that this will be one of the shabbiest Christmas's that I have lived through. The draining impact of VAT, the ever increasing cost of living, coupled with climbing unemployment makes simple surviving a mounting challenge.
But this is the season of giving isn't it? Well, isn't it also a great time for those who can afford to, to settle their outstanding debts? This brings me to a matter that has tormented me as a consequence of my silence. Elections was almost thirteen months ago. I recall that approximately one hundred (100) loyal and trusting people from Choiseul/Saltibus served as agents or rendered catering services etc. to the past Paliamentary Representative, Mr. Rufus Bousquet. Today a large majority of these people have not been paid.
I can safely say that none of the agents from the Delcer and the Mongouge Polling Stations have been paid; nor have the caterers received compensation. The caterers actually spent their own monies to provide the service, they even employed help. This is a crying shame. Mr. Bousquet you promised everyone that you would pay them irrespective of the result of the General Election. So Mr. Bousquet, this is the ideal time to pay up. The desperation among the people you owe is palpable. These are hard times and the small amount you owe them could make a huge difference. You can make their Christmas. Yes you can. I know that you can afford it so please, please......please put on your Santa outfit and deliver the money.
Merry Christmas and hope you settle before 2013.?
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Santa Rufus! Time to pay up. By Jimmy James Haynes

(Rufus on his way to pay up?) Look out tomorrow for this eye opener post. A real shocker. Log in tomorrow at 6:00am
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Have RDC failed the Residents

At a July 17, 2012 meeting aimed at reviving the dormant or rather half dead Roblot Development Committee, it was decided to get the Committee back on its feet again. As if like Michael Bolton's " When I am back on my feet again" the revamped executive actually through Dellan Emannuel promised to invigorate and bring the RDC to a new high.
Was Mr Emmanuel's speech on July 17, 2012 all bluff or an attempt to impress the residents with nuff rhetoric? As I sat in dis belief at that meeting I actually had to restrain myself from taking this gentle man on. He went on to say that he on June 24, 2012 had a meeting with the youth, that certain games and sports will be organized, that a clean up campaign for the community will soon take place, tours to visit the elderly, twining with other local groups in nearby communities, enhancing the skills of the youth by contacting local seamstresses and a litany of ideas which to my mind was just a senseless prayer. Not one has been achieved to date.
What was most puzzling to me was that the young man was only invited to the meeting to be accepted as the PRO and there he was acting like the president.
Talking about the President? Looking for someone with no foresight and ideas for the community, you just got one. I personally recommended that the executive be reshuffled with the secretary and the president exchanging roles (sisters) but awhah, they like it like that.
The executive comprises of newcomers Clement and Dellan, as tresurar and pro respectively, Enda as Secretary, Sadia, not sure about her role, Patrick a no no, and the president, Trudy.
From July 17 to this present day not one meeting has been held except a half-assed walk which made no sense at all.
Seeing the youth sitting idly by, and with the library service taken away from them I, during the middle of October quickly wrote a proposal and sent it to the President and treasuar whose email was in my contact list.
The proposal was a sports program to involve 7 - 19 year olds to take place on December 13, National Day this year. This program involved cricket, futsal, netball, fun games and a quiz. The proposal was well detailed with instructions on how to implement it, even with instructions to source funds from the Village Council. Ministry of sports and Corporate Choiseul.
Up to this day that executive has not seen it fit to consider this proposal to help bring the youths together to celebrate National Day in a big Way.
What therefore is the function of this executive? This blog suggests that if this executive cannot deliver they should resign en block and let persons who are interested in youth affairs take over.
What a waste? These persons on the executive have as far as this blog is concerned failed the community of Roblot miserably.
Again, Roblot continues to suffer.
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Apology

"Choiseul On The Move" wants to apologize to its readers for a lapse in articles recently. The author has been ties up in other demanding activities which has curtailed his writng ime considerably.
Albeit an article entitled " From Better Days To Everything Will Be Alright" will be published early next week.
The author takes a critical view of Lorne's first year representation to the Choiseul people vis-a-vis his contribution to the debate on the Estimates of Expenditure.
While you await this article, are you not sensing that things are getting worse in this country: crime is on the increase, the poor and indigent are crying foul, the union officials seem bent on taking its membership for a ride and meaningful employment by this administration ceases to exist.
We still see political favourtism being displayed at the highest level in the district, while a job recycling process keeps revolving constantly with no clear end in sight.
The political labour hacks have their foot in the throat of the Uwp supporters while a puppet Uwp constituency branch sit on their royals expecting a miracle to happen. Maybe one should not blame them - novices.
Let me not delve any further least I disclose too much too soon.
One thing is for real though, Choiseul/Saltibus en seeing any Better Days just yet. We all in for the long haul.
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Morne Sion Tragedy Memorial Service

As if to payback for a favour granted, the Labour Party's press secretary is creating so much hype as if to create an impression of caring to the victims' family of that catastrophe which occured at Morne Sion one year ago just prior to general elections.
She went on to mention the monument to be placed on the site and that it is being shown to the victims' family for approval. The party ( (his blog presumes) went as far as to have the memorial service advertisement sent to every mobile phone,ipad,and tablet on the island.
The service will be held at the Choiseul Catholic Church today from 2pm. One can anticipate an SLP entourage will be present. Many other top dignitaries.are also expected to be present. One of the organizors called on everyone to bring along a candle.
This tragedy has been marred in lots of controversy and speculation. Supporters of the UWP as well as other persons seem to think that this incident has some voodoo connection. Nineteen lives were lost. Only seventeen bodies were recovered - two todlers unaccounted for. The speculators connected the 17 recovered bodies each with a electoral constituency on the island. They went on to assume that it was the opposition's magic to capture all the 17 seats.. Fact or myth? Can't tell. Richard Frederick also gave his interpretation of this tragedy on a political platform earlier this year.
The. SLP supporters flatly deny any involvement by their party in the tragedy.
More level headed persons think that the driver may have been under the influence of alcohol, may have fallen asleep or a matter of him being dis-oriented. Whatever it was, the minibus with 19 persons aboard flew over a cliff and plunged onto the rocks on the beach.
Today's memorial service. Will hear wailing and weeping of the victims' families and quite a solemn atmosphere. Hyocritical speeches will be made by the authorities, and gullible as we are, we believe them.
Dedan C. G.Jn. Baptiste

is it Bolo's time now

Readers of this blog will recall that earlier this year a plea was made to the Rep to push for Dr. Augustin Charles to be appointed as an ambassador. The plea was made against the back drop of persons like that Laborie guy whose name can't come to mind right now, Menissa Rambally, another guy from Micoud, Leo's wife, and the list goes on and on, all of them without the class, ability and guile of Bolo.
Remember this blog called on the Rep to pull his weight, since it appeared that Reps were bargaining for their top campaign executive member. The blog was titled " Does the Rep have any weight?"
Some time ago Raymond Eubaldus resigned from his post as permanent secretary to take up a job overseas. To fill in the gap in the Senate Ricky was made a senator. Not too long after this he was then appointed as the replacement permanent secretart with responsibility for the creative arts etc. Bravo, my en rouge friends. However thi blog would have prefered to see Ricky in the ministry of Education heping with a curriculum for the Creative arts and the like.
But here is where this post is going. A senate position for a government senator is now vacant. This blog is of the opinion that Dr Augustin Charles is the ideal person for this position. Again, this blog calls on our Rep to show some muscle and put in a word for Bolo. Choiseul is watching.
But on second thought, this may never happen. Bolo has had his differences with the PM and Lorne does not care a damn about Choiseul since his newly found enthusiam about running for a seat up North seems to be all he is interested in.
Like an old chump told me in Soufriere earlier today, " Bolo should not be following Lorne, it really should be the other way around." When pressed to explain, he casually replied, "You know what I am talking about."
Whether Bolo or Lorne should be categorized as follower or leader or the other way around, the fact is Lorne is the Rep.
Lorne popularity has taken a plunge in almost every polling division in the constituency but playing his part in getting Bolo into the senate may help boost up his ratings.
Two more weeks will mark the Rep's one year in office. It will be very intriguing to hear his surrogates boast of a year's achievements. May be it will be Bolo's time to shine?
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