It Boggles The Mind

Submitted by Charles Knighton

Waldo is 5th from the left in the f-row

This writer did not know it was possible to become so engrossed in the writing of a letter to the editor that one could fail to maintain a therapeutic level of their medication, thus forfeiting the salubrious effects of same. In both the Advocate  of April 27th and the Nation of April 29th, Dr Waldo-Waldron Ramsay demonstrates that yes, anything is possible, as one notes his progressively rambling letter.

While several points are open to interpretation, the first three quarters of Dr. Ramsay’s letter offers brief glimpses of relatively laconic leaders who accomplished much in defense  of Prime Minister Stuart’s taciturnity. The last quarter of Dr. Ramsay’s letter, beginning with his description of the Prime Minister as “Demosthenes, Marcus Tullius, Cicero, and Abba Eban rolled into one” is so overwrought and permeated with hyperbole as to be nonsensical.

Just as in train wrecks, observers are left to ponder why the train came off the track.

Read the letter being ‘critiqued’ below

The speech of a prime minister

4/27/2011

Empty vessels make most noise. They are usually full of sound and fury signifying nothing! Upon the assassination of Julius Caesar in the Roman Forum, the citizens of Rome pressed his friend and Consul Mark Antony to “read the will; the will, read the will!” When Mark Antony eventually read the will, their hearts were moved to savage revenge and rage.

There are those nay-sayers and nabobs of negativity in our society; and we know them. We know their politics and we know their anti-Freundel Stuart political persuasions. They clamour daily – and nightly too – that The Honourable Prime Minister, Freundel Stuart, should just speak in public – on anything – just for the sake of speaking. What perverse political thought!

A statesman, a political leader, a Head of Government, or Head of State, speaks on public issues when he considers the occasion and the timing are opposite and in concert. Napoleon marched and took most of Europe in the early 19th century. He spoke very
little. Prince Von Bismarck unified the 300 or so Germanic states into Germany after Napoleon’s march. He spoke little. Count Cavour and General Garibaldi unified Italy at the end of the 1850s, without much talk. At the Congress of Vienna, 1814-1815, Prince Metternich of Austria and Prince Talleyrand of France engaged in diplomatic intrigue – action – behind the scenes in Vienna. They talked but little in the Plenary Sessions. President Obama speaks only when necessary.

It was necessary for Sir Winston Churchill to speak, on significant occasions as War-Prime Minister, to the British people who needed to be rallied to the cause and suffering of war (1939-1945). He was thrown out of office at the end of the war and a Labour Prime Minister, Clement Attlee, a solicitor by profession and a relatively silent man, came to power.

Sir Anthony Eden, like Errol Barrow of Barbados, spoke only when it was necessary on significant public issues. Indeed, Errol Barrow would repeatedly assert at Kampala that his speeches and declarations of policy are for the House of Assembly, but his policy-actions are to be seen in the public domain. Intelligent, serious-minded statesmen do not run about prattling about everything aimlessly. Apart from his “Mirror Image” speech, what else do you remember of his speeches? Little!

A government is made up principally of a Cabinet and other elements. A Cabinet is made up of several ministers and junior ministers, in our system. The Prime Minister is at the centre of this authority. But, he is not the only authoritative voice in the government. From time to time, even Permanent Secretaries and heads of para-statal institutions make pronouncements on policy. Why should the Prime Minister be called upon to make pronouncements about every single thing in Government. We have a Government Information Service! Even under the Third Reich, in the German War-machine, Goebbels was the Propaganda Minister, not Heir Adolph Hitler, who was Head of Government

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is easily the most profound, philosophical and articulate public speaker in the governmental arrangement in Barbados; and has been so for several years now. He has made many memorable, learned and instructive speeches on public matters – over the years before he was Prime Minister and since. As an orator – and I have had the duty and pleasure to read and listen to most of the great ones – Prime Minister Stuart is Demosthenes, Marcus Tullius Cicero, and Abba Eban rolled into one. His Philippics are devastating. He will read “the will” when he is ready! Why would the supporters of the Opposition and others who do not like Prime Minister Stuart, for whatever reason, clamour for him to speak? His speeches will be devastating for their cause. Remember, once Mark Antony read the will of Julius Caesar, all hell broke out in the Roman Forum. Brutus and Cassius, Casca and other conspirators had to take flight to nether regions beyond the city.

Prime Minister Stuart will speak when he wishes; and he can speak! Beware, ye Sons of Levi, ye take too much upon yourselves! Mr. Stuart may well speak at your behest, and interpret the hand-writing on the wall for you.

Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin! Your days are numbered; you have stabbed an excellent and erudite leader in the back like Julius Caesar in the Forum of the People. You have eaten sour grapes; and your teeth are now on edge! Resurrexit Non Est Hic – He is not here, he has risen!!

DR. WALDO WALDRON-RAMSAY