The Third Force
By Raffique Shah
July 12, 2015
We must really be a nation of "cunumunus", one-point-one million fools (if we believe the EBC number of registered voters, which is another story) for an array of politicians, would-be and have-been, to treat us with the contempt they do.
As if it's not bad enough to have the two main parties, in several incarnations over six decades, use us, abuse us, then woo us and win our votes time and again, we have arrived at a point where every Tim, Gary and Gerry feels emboldened to form a Jouvert band that is a mix of Ole Mas, Devils, Pierrot Grenade and bikini-clad beauties, and invade our minds with the intention of robbing us of whatever little dignity we have left.
How else does one define or explain the so-called Third Farce Movement, an overnight mutation of dropouts from the People's Partnership (PP) that presents itself as Jah's answer to our cries for deliverance from evil, when theirs is not the kingdom, when they have neither the power nor the glory, not now, not ever (with apologies to Matthew the Apostle)?
It was one thing to have witnessed, back in 2013, the grim resurrection of Jack of FIFA, who rode not a jackass, but on the backs of foolish people of Felicity, Charlieville and environs, in a wild orgy that saw him destroy the UNC-hands that had created him, to the acclaim of those who worshipped him.
Today, when the FIFA-messiah speaks, a dozen or so listen, and he will be lucky if half that number vote for him.
Maybe it was that epiphany-apparent that inspired Timothy Hamel-Smith, the Griffiths—Gary and Nicole, Gerald Yetming, Carson Charles and Phillip Alexander, all good Christians I imagine, to miraculously manufacture The Third Farce and present themselves as redeemers of the nation.
What they could not see was the hand of the Devil lurking right behind them as they mischievously pretended to be doing God's work.
For behold, when the five not-so-wise men conjured their symbol, it took the form of not one finger, not two, but three fingers boldly sticking out, proclaiming what they will do to us as a nation, should they ever come close to power.
What really is the Third Farce? Keith Rowley says they are UNC wolves in sheep's clothing. Rowley is wrong by a mile. They are sheep in wolves' clothing, or more appropriately, collectively, an ass in a lion's skin. In other words, they are making themselves appear to be more powerful, "badder" if you will, than they really are.
Leader Tim boasts that the Farce will win the marginal seats in the upcoming election. Really? Whatever sheep they manage to mislead to the election-slaughter will be lucky to retrieve their deposits.
Tim is eyeing the "30 per cent undecided" that several sample polls speak of—people who, I am convinced, have long decided what party they are voting for, but who are not saying so: they will use one finger to have their say on election day.
As for the 30-plus per cent who never vote, they will remain detached from a system they believe has nothing to offer them. It will take a miracle, maybe the Second Coming, for any party to persuade such persons to actually vote.
To add to their woes, the Farce has serious credibility problems. Its frontline members have been part of the UNC and/or COP from as far back as 2006, in instances from the first taste of UNC-power in 1995. They claim to have discussed "the idea" of the Farce with PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar before launching the new party.
Were they seeking permission, blessings, endorsement, funding—what? Why would you speak with the leader of any party before launching your own? Does that not reek of collusion clothed in delusion?
In fact, when confronted by the media, Carson Charles, whose stultified mind remains frozen in an NAR-era long gone, stammered as he deified the PM.
So if their hearts are buried in the UNC and what is left of the PP, why not stay there and work hard to return the coalition to power?
Do not feed us crap about procurement and party financing legislation: you were there for five years and did nothing about these issues. Regarding constitutional reform, you botched it to the point where the PP had to abandon whatever little tinkering they conjured.
The greed that seems to be in the DNA of most politicians will ensure that campaign financing remains a multi-million-dollar jungle in which the wealthiest and the greediest feast while a few honest people starve.
It's sad to see seemingly good talent go to waste.
But as it was in the beginning of poli-trickery, so shall it be in the end. Amen.
Share your views here...
