Mottley vs Maria
“The most powerful way I can register my strongest opposition to this undemocratic and unconstitutional cutting of members’ rights and tinkering with our Constitution is to withdraw from the contest for the post of Chairman.”
“We must quell all other attempts to secure the domination by a few to the detriment of the majority”
“I ask that you … to come out and demand respect for and a retention of the democratic values and time honoured traditions of integrity and fair play that have always guided this great Party”
[Extracts from a letter signed by Mia Mottley in 2011]
“I am at the end of my tether with this shouting across the party via the media…” [Mia Mottley 2015]
Mottley vs Maria is not political it’s about class. Mia [who describes herself as a third generation parliamentarian] will get her chance to tell Maria what she thinks of her as a woman and who is boss lady. This public dance by Mia must be noted as she once again pretends to come in and save the day. Her open opposition to Maria is no secret, however, her pedestal stance on these matters confuses the public as she behaved far worse than Maria when the shoe was on the other foot. Maria should NOT listen to any high and mighty, pious, holier than thou, loving and caring attitude from Mia.
The public of Barbados must be reminded of the shouting across the media led by Mia in 2011. She wanted to be leader so bad then that she went public to speak her mind hoping to gain some public sympathy. The strategy fell flat and Jerome was victorious in that election. Mia’s call back then “to quell all other attempts to secure the domination by a few to the detriment of the majority …” is instructive as she struggles to maintain legitimacy as leader.
The Mia conference held this weekend at Foundation school fell flat and poor Jerome could not even face the public at the end of the conference instead opting to issue a written press statement. The reality of struggles on the other side is clear for all to see.
Mottley leads an institution which has chalked up a world record for Branch voter list infelicities that is unmatched in the region. Yet they claim to have all the answers to unravel the troubling affairs of the globe. Jerome at the press conference to launch the activities made it quite clear that, there is no “magic wand” in resolving the issues that confront the small island states. Jerome was quoted as saying …I am not saying that we will wave a magic wand and everything will be resolved.
It is clear he distanced himself from the public utterances of his boss lady who claims she brings hope to the nation.
The underlying message in this latest political saga of the opposition revolves around rules. The rules that apply to Mottley don’t apply to Maria. Mottley refers to herself as a third generation parliamentarian which irritates her parliamentary colleagues. She speaks with a clear entitlement around the issue of leadership. Maria will never fill the eyes of the opposition leader for more than one reason. Maria must come clean to redeem herself in this regard or allow Mottley to bury her political career.
There can be no bigger fumbler of political utterances than the Mia conference 2015 chairman who continues to embarrass the top brass of the party. This top brass is not Mottley’s top brass by the way. The public saw through the press conference and how tense the chairman was as Jerome started to speak and spoke the truth. What is clear in this public fracas is the ultimate issue of class. Mottley lays claim to class while dismissing Maria as not worthy of acceptance. This kind of public snubbing was what the political involvement of blacks in public life was to correct but sadly today it is reinforce by the attitudes and behaviours on the other side. George Orwell must have heard about Mottley when he scripted his novel Animal Farm. “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” Maria you will NOT win!
