A Rahtid Lick

Generally the Observer and Nationwide have been the two media entities which are sympathetic to the Bruce Golding-led JLP in Opposition and in Government.

Over the last two and a half years, they have been prepared to publicize the JLP government's position; and generally given the administration the benefit of the doubt - ie. an extended honeymoon. Well the honeymoon is over as far as the Observer is oncerned. The husband has fallen short, failed to live up to expectations and promises; the bride is disenchanted and frustrated.  There is need for counselling (read consultation).

In case you have missed it, on Sunday, January 10, 2010, the Editorial, (not a so-so letter to the Editor) is entitled "A Case of Kin Teet Kibba Heart Bun". Here is the introduction:

"ACCORDING to the West Indian Dictionary, a poppy show is a person or thing that looks ridiculous. That's certainly not a noun which we would want to apply to those that lead us. But when we read the remarks that our prime minister, Mr Bruce Golding, made to the eighth annual Caribbean MBA conference last Wednesday, our options seem frighteningly narrow. Coupled with the rest of his speech, which seems to have consisted of nothing new, or newsworthy, the unflattering conclusion seems inevitable.

According to Friday's edition of the Daily Observer, Mr Golding told the conference that his way of dealing with the stresses of the job he fought for so spiritedly three years ago, was to head to the kitchen and cook them away.

Nothing's wrong with that. In fact, in some other context -- say an informal session with his compadres -- it might even pass for cute.

But we expect sensible leaders to have a sense of occasion.

And with every due respect to our prime minister, we think that his cooking revelation, coming as it did against the background of what cannot be classified by any standard as a successful reign so far, was rather queer, to put it mildly.

This was, after all, an important conference sponsored by important business interests whom we are sure would like to be taken seriously.

Unless their invitation to him was part and parcel of a big joke, or the birth of some sort of Bilderberg-like chatfest, we think he might have taken the trouble to come up with a more significant speech."

That is one rahtid lick. We shudder to think what part of the political anatomy was the target.  Bangarang indeed! Ouch, Chief Samfie Servant.