DISCAIMER: All views and claims expressed in this article belong solely to the author.
Kenny, Kenny, Kenny.
You have morphed from Philosopher-At-Large to Rambler-At-Large. Rather than responding to my questions, you skirt around them, your only guidepost and motive being garnering political favour. I cautioned you that a brief surfacing splash would be insufficient. I gave you a nice chunk of meat to analyze and devour but instead you went scurrying after every drifting morsel. A true bottom-feeder.
Let’s go through your rambling, one by one. It is irrelevant whether Gregor or I agitated for the three-month extension. Nevertheless, I did not agitate, I happily lobbied for it and would do so again. Agitating is what agitated people do. The real questions, which you have avoided, are whether the request for a 3-month extension of the confirmation period was a fair and reasonable one and whether it should concern the DAIC. My answer to both is yes. It is important that the long-awaited electoral reform proceeds smoothly and equitably. A foundational pillar of our society is parliamentary democracy, and we all have a responsibility to protect and enhance it, whenever possible. From your rambling response, it seems that you believe it is not a fair and reasonable request despite the various challenges and what the numbers say, and that it should not be of concern to the DAIC’s. Is that correct?
Regarding your fixation that I engineered Miss Strachan‘s departure. I listed several incidents where I raised matters of concern, and the board seemingly allowed Ms. Strachan to sideline them. Frankly, Ms. Strachan’s resignation surprised me as I expected she would once again work her charm, and the board would once again fall in line with her agenda. If I were smart enough to have anticipated her resignation, I may have not resigned.
You are viewing this through the lens of the plantation. I do not run a plantation. The current President offered herself for election to the board on her own volition and was elected on her own merit. I did not ask her to stand for election. She’s an independent and smart lady.
The Saudi Arabia contract. Yes, like you, I do not have the details; that is why I suggested we merely enquire whether there was a tender? No accusations were made. In the absence of details, it does not seem right that contracts are handed out to companies connected to a Minister. However, you are evading the core issue. Are you saying the DAIC does not have the right to ask such questions? Are you saying that’s none of our business and we should be happy if contracts are awarded left, right and center without any due process? What are you saying, Kenny?
First Domestic. Once again, you are evading the issue. You have provided high-profile comparable examples: Enron, CLICO, BCCI. I am not saying DAIC should have intervened in resolving the First Domestic saga. That is indeed the job of the regulator as you point out and nothing I have said should lead you to conclude otherwise. Allow me to turn your examples back on you. What if the Chairman or President of Enron, Clico etc. held a cabinet position in their respective county. The companies they owned and/or managed scandalously failed their customers and shareholders. Don’t you think they would have been forced to resign? Don’t you think that the public at large and the Chamber of Commerce and other civic organizations would have called for their resignation?
Your self-serving and disingenuous argument that no member of the DAIC asked you to make a statement or representation on the First Domestic matter is laughable. Why are you hiding behind that? You were the President, and with the board elected and entrusted to lead and represent the interests of the Private Sector. What about all the members who still have not had Hurricane Maria claims settled? As President you are to show leadership on such crucial matters, especially when they impoverish the Private Sector. You were silent.
Regarding your call for the DAIC board to resign. As a past President, I assume you are still a member. Why don’t you gather some like-minded members and call an emergency meeting to elect a new board. I might join you.
You have advised that you will not respond to this. You cast aspersions, posture on high moral ground, philosophize and ramble, but when your arguments are systematically discredited you run for cover on the plantation. I would call that a generational reflex.
