For political historians, 2011 has provided lots of fresh fodder.
Never before in the history of the region have there been general elections in two Caribbean countries on the same date; coupled with a state of emergency in another; allegations of assassinations against two prime ministers; the surprise resignation of a prime minister, not to mention the democratic change of government in Haiti, all within a 12-month period.
In addition, Barbados’ Prime Minister Freundel Stuart warned leading members in his administration that any attempt to derail his government would have “certain consequences”.
“If I understand history at all, if a coup is attempted and it succeeds, the person against whom the coup was aimed usually pays for it with his neck. If the coup fails, the plotters and those who were trying to execute it pay for it with their necks,” he said.
His Finance Minister Chris Sinckler acknowledged that he and 10 of his colleagues were seeking an “urgent audience” with Stuart because some members felt that the Democratic Labour Party’s level of public engagement on issues affecting the country was found wanting.
“I am hoping that by putting this on the record that those who feel that I am after some office and I spend all of my waking hours thinking about how to unseat this person or the other, or cause confusion that would lead to that, I really hope that they would stand down,” he added.
alleged plot
At the start of the year, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves stunned parliament with his disclosure of an alleged assassination plot against him.
“Cocaine traffickers and money launderers are conspiring actively with others to kill the prime minister, and on the public airwaves people are being exhorted by some to use any means necessary to remove a democratically elected government,” he added. This statement followed public pronouncements by Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace that the government would fall by the end of 2011.
Nine months later, Gonsalves’ counterpart in Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, caused an even bigger stir when she announced that the police had uncovered a plot to kill her and senior government ministers.
“I am advised by the law-enforcement authorities that they have, through their intelligence resources, uncovered an assassination plot against members of my government and myself,” she told the nation, adding that the assassinations were as a direct result of the “successful” 105-day state of emergency that had severely disrupted the activities of the criminals.
But in the end, despite the detention of 17 people, police were unable to lay any charge and the opposition termed the “assassination plot” as nothing more than “an exaggerated political stunt” by the government.
Whether he was forced out of office or not, Bruce Golding (of the Jamaica Labour Party) surprised Jamaicans with his announcement that he was stepping down as head of the government in October, less than five years after taking the oath of office as prime minister.
“The challenges of the last four years have taken their toll and it was appropriate now to make way for new leadership to continue the programmes of economic recovery and transformation while mobilising the party for victory in the next general election,” Golding said in a farewell statement.
His successor, Andrew Holness, 39, became the youngest-ever prime minister since political independence in 1962, but also now has unenvious record of being booted out of office just after two months.
Holness gambled and called a general election on December 29, but the voters decided that Portia Simpson Miller, the first-ever woman prime minister they sent packing in 2007, was a better choice to lead the country. They gave her People’s National Party an overwhelming 41-22 margin of victory.
Simpson Miller, affectionally referred to as ‘Sista P’ and ‘Comrade Leader’, faces deep problems as she takes over the Government, with debt running at approximately 130 per cent of the gross domestic product and unemployment at more than 12 per cent.
The new Government has already said it will be seeking to renegotiate the multibillion-dollar standby agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
