STOP RUNNING FRIENDS OF POLITICAL LEADERS
DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN – THE DEBATE
OCTOBER 26, 2005
There was a time in Barbados when deception and lies were not tolerated. Lately it seems that once you have the right medium, you are free to practice these exploits provided you tear down any person who is not interested in the New World Order. This order is being implemented by placing persons in key positions within the media to lead the charge for change, and the spinoff is to pass future legislation that would legalise a way of life that is not now accepted.
The Right Excellent Errol Barrow was famous for speaking about prostitutes and I always thought that he was a bit harsh, but I have lived long enough to understand exactly what he meant. It is regrettable that he did not expound more on the particular topic. He has always warned his comrades where their friends could be found. It is clear to me that they have not accepted the advice from the great prophet, but instead, they have gone to bed with persons who would do anything to supervise the death of the DLP.
This great political party has always been led by men of vision, who have always been able to provide a solution to the problems facing the country. The people of the country have always responded when they hear the right thing.
The DLP is fortunate to still have persons who are not ‘yes’ men, neither are they men who would put individuals before party. The members of the party have an unswerving loyalty to it and must continue to protect it from people who now pretend to care about the party, only to run away when it finds itself in crisis.
My attention has been drawn to the second last paragraph of an article written by one Peter Wickham in which he indicated that I only gave up my constitutional rights when the party sought to breach a contract it made with me by declaring me a candidate and then breaching that contract. Somebody must tell the writer that he cannot continue to print fiction when it relates to this writer. Eventually, the truth will be known. So much for that.
I have never served in government, so I cannot offer anybody anything. I am not a shareholder in any newspaper or have authority to place anybody on shows, so I do not expect anyone to go out of their way to propel me. What I expect is that certain persons will continue to fabricate positive data to hide my popularity.
People must understand that I have been working from the age of five years, and have always been a survivor. I am known for surviving against the odds and have never depended on persons to prop me up. They are those who think that I am strange, simply because I have always used what I have to survive. All my life I have been ignored, because some individuals cannot handle my independence and frankness.
If I were a member of the BLP, I would make sure that the best person does not represent the DLP in the next election. I would therefore use my plant within the party to continue to create false hope.
The BLP as a party will never be able to dominate the DLP and our members must do everything to keep the flag of the DLP flying. One solution would be to solve the number of organizations that were created. The party must once again see the importance of its branches and all other groups must be linked to the branches first. We cannot allow anyone to continue diluting the branches, neither can we continue to allow politicians to misuse the branches by enrolling friends who leave when their man or woman is not the candidate anymore.
Branches can no longer be dominated by personalities only to become candidates, but candidates must be persons accepted by the constituency. Political parties must stop running friends of political leaders and run persons who are committed to the cause. Too often persons become candidates for what they can do for leaders, and not what they can do for the party.
I look forward to the day when the councils are once again filled with persons committed to the party and not to individuals who leave as soon as their man is not at the head anymore. Concepts must be developed in the interest of the party and not for persons who believe that if they attach their wagons to the right horse they will be rewarded to the maximum according to their dictates.
In order to share the cake, you must first have the cake. Fabrication can only fool us now, only for us to face the truth on an appointed day, when the cake will eclipse our grasp once again.
Our chance is here again. Do not let us waste it by believing persons who have been set up to fabricate information for us to be in the wilderness again. Please do not let us drop the bone catching at the shadow. If our opponents did it, we can better it.
Peace, love, unity and truth. One love.
(Denis Kellman is the Parliamentary Representative for the parish of St. Lucy, Barbados)