{"id":1937,"date":"2019-11-21T12:45:29","date_gmt":"2019-11-21T17:45:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/?p=1937"},"modified":"2020-06-09T16:56:56","modified_gmt":"2020-06-09T20:56:56","slug":"opinion-montserrat-election-results-should-force-some-candidates-to-do-serious-soul-searching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/?p=1937","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: Montserrat election results should force some candidates to do serious soul-searching"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cStatistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive. What they conceal is vital<\/em>.” \u2015Aaron Levenstein<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many variables that determine the outcome of an\nelection. Competence, experience and likability are common ones. And in a small\nsociety such as Montserrat, attributes become magnified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a voter enters the solitude of the booth, it becomes\ntheir safe space, their grotto in which they can privately wield their limited\npower. Their choices are often laced with emotion, including revenge, because most\npeople vote with their hearts and not their minds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Monday, November 18, 2019, Montserrat held its general election. Thirty-five candidates waged battle for nine seats. The final results yielded some predictable winners, but they also gleaned some truths that should cause some of the failing candidates to do serious self-reflection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firstly, all politicians are flawed. The political arena is\none in which there is never a universally liked candidate. Politicians can only\nhope to earn majority support, and there are critical factors involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Case in point: A candidate who never held political office clobbered\nhis opponents Monday. Crenston Buffonge utilized his likability factor, boosted\nby a strong party apparatus, to earn a plurality of the votes. It sends a\nresounding message when not even the venerable Easton Taylor-Farrell, the new\nPremier of Montserrat, could garner as many votes as Buffonge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People are ultimately judged by what they do consistently. Montserratians saw Buffonge as a hard-working, decent man who treated people with respect. So in many cases they took a chance on him rather than some more experienced candidates, some of whom had character issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo credit: MCAP
Veronica Dorsette-Hector earned the fifth-most votes in her first time running for political office.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Three candidates who rode success just five years ago struggled\nthis time. Although party affiliation, or lack thereof, can determine one\u2019s\nfate, personal choices cannot be discounted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delmaude Ryan, the erstwhile Deputy Premier who oversaw the\ngiant Ministry of Education and Health during the PDM administration, garnered only\nthe 16th<\/sup>-most votes Monday after getting the sixth-most votes in\n2014. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The public is capable of forgiving a candidate\u2019s failures. But\nnot when those failures are compounded by head-scratching comments and\nperceived arrogance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On November 4, fourteen days before the election and a time\nwhen she should be endearing herself to the public through humility, Ryan committed\nan unforced error. During a debate she forcefully defended Britain\u2019s right to hire\nconsultancy Mott MacDonald to conduct an assessment of the island. The report,\nin part, questioned the education standards of Montserratians. \u201cMontserrat is\nowned by the British government!\u201d Ryan said. Her remark was met with groans from\nthe audience and criticized by fellow candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the debate, Mrs. Ryan attended a PDM rally during which\nshe gave a fiery speech lashing out at her detractors from earlier in the\nevening. Her rhetoric fired up her base but alienated some non-party-affiliated\nvoters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another candidate who appears to have misread the\nelectorate is former Parliamentary Secretary Gregory \u201cSaga\u201d Willock. After\nearning the ninth and final seat in the 2014 elections under the PDM banner, he\nprobably felt his name recognition, folksy appeal and new Montserrat National\nCongress party would be enough to re-elect him. He finished 20th<\/sup>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI could have campaigned harder. The people voted party. I\u2019m hopeful that MCAP will do a good job.” <\/p>Dr. Ingrid Buffonge<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

And then there’s the good doctor, Ingrid Buffonge, who has ridden a political roller-coaster the past five years. She coasted to a seat in 2014 as PDM dominated with seven of the nine seats. But she left the party a year later and joined the opposition after being disappointed with her role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She decided to run as an independent this time, hoping a\ncoalition government would be elected, giving her a chance to run the health\nministry. But like most of the other independent candidates, she got swept away\nby a party wave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI could have campaigned harder,\u201d admitted Buffonge, who fell 12 votes short of a seat. \u201cThe people voted party. I\u2019m hopeful that MCAP will do a good job. I\u2019m disappointed that I won\u2019t affect the bigger health-care picture but I hope MCAP will be receptive to [my ideas].\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there\u2019s one painful lesson from this election it\u2019s this:\nPoliticians should never assume. Each election cycle is different, there is\nalways a natural yearning for change, and personality flaws can come back to\nhaunt, especially when they are not mitigated by tangible accomplishments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, here is my analysis of all 35 candidates (in\norder of finish):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo credit: MCAP
Veteran politician Charles T. Kirnon takes over the crucial Ministry of Education, Health, Community Services, Sports, Youth and Ecclesiastic Affairs. <\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. Crenston Buffonge<\/strong>\n(MCAP, 1,378 votes): Most insiders predicted he would earn a seat, but his\ndominance stunned many, including Buffonge himself. A strong likability factor,\nbuoyed by the MCAP juggernaut, carried him to the top spot. Here\u2019s hoping\nBuffonge can change politics, and not vice-versa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Paul Lewis<\/strong>\n(PDM, 1,251): Lewis\u2019 popularity remained intact despite questionable tactics\nduring the campaign and the party\u2019s unceremonious deposing of former Premier\nDonaldson Romeo. Once groomed to be Premier, Lewis is now a member of the\nopposition . . . with Romeo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Easton\nTaylor-Farrell<\/strong> (MCAP, 1,210): Family man, religious man, experienced man. The\nMCAP leader ticked all the boxes and was virtually guaranteed a seat. After\ndecades in politics he has reached the helm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Donaldson Romeo<\/strong>\n(IND, 1,060): He\u2019s coming off a rocky tenure as Premier. Two party members\ncrossed the floor, he fired another, and he was later removed as PDM leader. Yet\nhe still enjoys a loyal base. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Veronica Dorsette-Hector<\/strong>\n(MCAP, 1,007): The first-time candidate surprised many with her top-five finish.\nAn attorney and former magistrate, her acumen is certain. But her canvassing behind\nthe scenes also paid dividends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Dr. Samuel Joseph<\/strong> (MCAP, 998): After dominating in the 2017 By-Election, Joseph proved his political gravitas with another strong showing. He has been appointed Deputy Premier and assigned the Ministry of Communications, Works, Energy and Labour \u2015 quite a meteoric rise for the Harris Village native and physics phenom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Charles Kirnon<\/strong> (MCAP, 970): Kirnon, who is revered in the community, is back in Parliament after barely missing out in 2014. He assumes the crucial Ministry of Education, Health, Community Services, Sports, Youth and Ecclesiastic Affairs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. David Osborne<\/strong> (PDM, 947): \u201cMundo\u201d showed that the Osborne name still garners respect. And his benevolence in the community earned him extra favorability. However, many constituents have expressed concern about his tenuous health amid the stress of governing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Claude Hogan<\/strong> (PDM, 873): \u201cBambi\u201d was fired from the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Lands, Housing and Environment in 2017 but his popularity held firmly enough for him to claim the ninth and final seat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Dwayne Hixon<\/strong> (PDM, 862): So close, yet so far. Hixon, who joined PDM earlier this year, had a strong first-time showing and missed out by only 11 votes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Dr. Ingrid Buffonge<\/strong> (IND, 861): She has been on a personal crusade to reform the health-care system, but after earning the second-most votes in 2014 with PDM she fell to a disappointing 11th as an independent candidate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Jenzil Skerritt<\/strong>\n(MCAP, 854): Another first-time candidate, the young Skerritt fell short but\nhas a bright political future. He expressed himself well during debates and\nwill continue to hone his political skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. Charlesworth Phillip<\/strong> (MCAP, 822): \u201cSonny\u201d continued to show a passion for community service. As a veteran on the political scene he can still play a vital role for his party despite not having a seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Roselyn Cassell-Sealy<\/strong> (MCAP, 722): Sealy, as a former government minister, will be a vital sounding board for the MCAP government. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. Emile Duberry<\/strong> (PDM, 698): In a strange way Emile and fellow PDM member David \u201cTrixie\u201d Duberry seem like the same candidate because of the surname and similar demeanor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

16. Delmaude Ryan<\/strong>\n(PDM, 687): Very disappointing ending for the former Deputy Premier. Yes, voter\nturnout was low, but she earned just about half the votes she got in 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17. David Duberry<\/strong>\n(PDM, 651): See comments for Emile Duberry above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18. Norman Cassell<\/strong> (MCAP, 550): The bright side for Cassell: He’s a member of the winning party. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

19. Peter Queeley<\/strong>\n(MULP, 482): The financial specialist and numbers cruncher failed to pull in\nthe figures that really counted: Votes! By the way, they should seriously\nconsider changing the name or acronym of the party. \u201cMULP\u201d does not conjure\ngreat images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20. Gregory Willock<\/strong> (MNC, 405): \u201cSaga\u201d re-branded himself with a new party; re-branding one’s reputation is a much tougher task. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

21. Dr. Lowell Lewis<\/strong>\n(MNC, 327): The former Chief Minister seemed to run a passive, lackluster\ncampaign and simply hope for the best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

22. Victor James Sr.<\/strong>\n(IND, 308): Another veteran politician who failed to make serious inroads with\nthe populace amid a party-dominated field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

23. Shirley Osborne<\/strong> (IND, 253): She\u2019s smart, she\u2019s patriotic, she\u2019s experienced, she articulated great ideas and she has the Osborne name and pedigree. Her lackluster support at the polls can only point to one element: Personal unfavorability with the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

24: Jermaine Wade<\/strong> (MULP, 244): The former MCAP Parliamentarian hitched himself to the MULP wagon and the wheels fell off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

25. Veta Wade<\/strong> (IND, 233): She canvassed tirelessly. But as an independent and first-time candidate she faced an uphill battle. Her focus on the environment possibly pigeon-holed her as a one-issue candidate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

26. Franklyn Greaves<\/strong>\n(MULP, 204): \u201cAlgie\u201d was a forceful speaker and advocate for Montserrat\u2019s\nfuture but failed to gain serious traction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

27. Bertram Lee<\/strong> (MULP, 204): Another candidate who expressed interesting ideas. His delivery could use some polish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

28. Alvin \u201cJim\u201d\nGerald<\/strong> (IND, 196): He articulated interesting alternative ideas that were\nlogical. Would make a great advisor if MCAP is willing to listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

29. Eulyn Silcott-Greaves<\/strong> (IND, 142): Not only did she enter late, but many questioned her motives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

30. Karen Allen<\/strong> (IND, 120): \u201cLioness\u201d represented herself well during the first debate and is a forceful and articulate advocate. Her lobbying for legalizing marijuana likely scared off many on still-deeply-conservative Montserrat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

31. Dunstan Lindesay<\/strong>\n(IND, 98): \u201cThe Conscience\u201d has a huge following on social media but his ideas,\nalthough well intended, have a radical tinge that can alienate some voters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

32: Chedmond Browne<\/strong>\n(MNC, 96): The veteran still has the fire but MNC didn\u2019t have the political\nfuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

33. Keithroy Morson<\/strong>\n(MULP, 93): \u201cDe Bear\u201d is clearly passionate about promoting Montserrat culture\nand he has a big following as a calypso icon, but his aggressive,\nquasi-bullying style turns many voters off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

34: Glenn Francis<\/strong> (IND, 92): The veteran educator showed zeal but perhaps entered the competition too late to make serious inroads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

35. Wilford Meade<\/strong> (IND, 51): \u201cMoose\u201d also entered late and was never considered a serious contender.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cStatistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive. What they conceal is vital.” \u2015Aaron Levenstein There are many variables that determine the outcome of an election. Competence, experience and likability are common ones. And in a small society such as Montserrat, attributes become magnified. When a voter enters the solitude of the booth, it becomes their safe space, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,84,8,329,85],"tags":[195,190,225,192,213,26],"class_list":["post-1937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-inthespotlight","category-news","category-opinion","category-top5","tag-delmaude-ryan","tag-elections","tag-gregory-willock","tag-ingrid-buffonge","tag-mcap","tag-montserrat"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1937"}],"version-history":[{"count":43,"href":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1987,"href":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1937\/revisions\/1987"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montserratspotlight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}