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The Letter: A Question Of Honour And Integrity

Submitted by Yardbroom
The Letter

It is “alleged” that all eleven members had not seen the draft copy and it is speculation to conclude that the members concerned would have signed the final copy.  Therefore, it is not the situation as was reported in the Nation in their report of Sunday December 11, 2011 which stated:

“ELEVEN GOVERNMENT MEMBERS of parliament (MPs)- including seven cabinet ministers – yesterday affixed their signatures to a formal letter and immediately dispatched it to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart requesting an “urgent” audience.”

One could “speculate” that they would have signed because there was a conversation but that is just “speculation” the FACT is they did not “AFFIX” a signature as reported.

118 responses to “The Letter: A Question Of Honour And Integrity”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    It appears – certainly for the moment – that Sinckler may have committed political suicide.

    It also appears the Nation will have to address this matter in The Courts.

  2. ac Avatar
    ac

    YEAP! he did always watch the one who signs like a bird.

  3. Micah Avatar
    Micah

    The political damage has been done. To go from a position of “there is no letter” to “there is a letter, but we didn’t sign it, and it doesn’t fully say what you said it said and therefore it doesn’t matter” may be an argument with legal merit, but the denials by the involved individuals suggest an intent to misrepresent the situation to the public. One question i did not see asked or answered in today’s Sunday Sun was what was the urgency in having a meeting of the so-called Eager Eleven before the PM travelled to New York for what was going to be a trip of only several days. This is one of the reasons why there was all the speculation about what the intent of the meeting in the first place. I wait to see if these legal challenges will continue against the Nation, which will likely just keep the matter in the news for a long time.

  4. David Avatar
    David

    @Micah

    Perhaps the answer can be found in the fact a special session of parliament was granted last Friday.

  5. Oilman Avatar
    Oilman

    I think The Nation wants the issue to be exposed via the courts. Imagine the political damage that would be done if the DLP actors are forced to defend themselves in a law court and have to explain all about the supposed intentions of those mentioned in the supposedly plot. It is very possible that the BLP friendly Nation newspaper threw out the bait(11 signatures) to catch the DLP fish. With an election within the next year, the DLP has all to lose from this affair.

    Also, who leaked the letter to the media. Did the PM have a mole amongst the 11, who was really there to inform the PM and help him counter the plot? Was it a plan all along to leak this to the media, thereby allowing the PM to bring down the hammer, so to speak?

    Someone, please help the Oilman understand!

  6. Antz Avatar
    Antz

    @ Oilman

    The incoming Minister of Finance might have played the roll of the mole.

    Sinckler is begging for his job, begging for his position on the front bench but it’s no use, the whole of Barbados can see this man wanted to topple the PM and was willing to go any lengths, including severely damaging the party in election season, just get his hands on Prime Ministership.

  7. David Avatar
    David

    BU along with many others look forward to the comments of one of the region’s leading politcal scientist.

  8. Oilman Avatar
    Oilman

    @Antz
    You may indeed be correct. The mole would most likely be someone with something to gain. It seems to me that Ronald Jones is feeling some guilt. After being made acting PM whenever FS was out of the island, how could he allow himself to be involved in this mess. He really looks like the chief Judas. Now again I am speculating but I am not convinced that Jones’ hands are clean. He is behaving like desperate man in my view(writing these long articles in the newspaper).LOL!

  9. Brief Avatar
    Brief

    The parties that said that they did not sign a letter is fact. An intent to meet with the PM is fact the purpose of the meeting to discuss matters of grave concern regarding leadership is fact.

    The intent to remove the PM as leader is not yet clear. If the PM is saying that he suspects this based on concerns of those describing it to be so, the sources would have to be reliable beyond a shadow of a doubt.

    Chris cannot say anything to me that will redeem him because an internal matter with his support (as leader) is in public. Then he has an exclusive interview in print before using the CBC or broadcast media to explain the contents of a draft.

    Yes, Chris wants to be PM regardless of what he says. He may not want Stuart’s job (Stuart is not PM/MOF) but Chris wants to be PM. He was very upset that he did not win the majority after the death of Thompson.

  10. George C. Brathwaite Avatar
    George C. Brathwaite

    @ David

    And I hope that political scientist is the one that I am thinking of although I am not sure about how integrity and credibility will be in the future come to be defined.

  11. Brief Avatar
    Brief

    On his platform or in Parliament – Chris once said ‘if greedy wait hot will cool’ Greedy with him certainly could not wait. Definitely for PM Stuart ‘hot will cool.’

  12. Angela Ifill Avatar
    Angela Ifill

    I am disappointed that there was actually a letter,I thought it was a hoax.These guys are really coming across as a second eleven.We need some bright people in our parliament and by extension the Government.Unfortunately government seems to be the place for misfits that can find a job otherwise.The Dems are doom at the next general election and probably were even before this present faux pas.They going be in opposition for ten years minimum.If it was me I would hold on as long as I could before calling an election.I really don’t see the need to do such at this time with time on my side.The wicket taking spin on day four,runs on the board,men in the pavilion yet to come out,the target though seeming in surmountable is within reach.What you have to watch for is the spinners.Make sure you keep your eye on the ball after it hit the pitch and watch how it spinning coming at you and try and stay in the middle..

  13. Antz Avatar
    Antz

    Its only a matter of days now to wait. The PM will deal with John Boyce, Chris Sinckler and Michael Lashley. The rest a just pawns if ever they were involved.

    Dear Former Minister of Finance,

    Law 1

    Never Outshine the Master

    Always make those above you feel comfortably superior. In your desire to please or impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite – inspire fear and insecurity. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power.

  14. lemuel Avatar
    lemuel

    What I find most nasty about this whole episode is the way the DLP bloggers sought to make this whole thing sound like the BLP and the Nation newspaper were a part of this political mess. The PM was quite right in the paper today when he said that this group did what the BLP could not do put the DLP on a front page in a negative light. I do not think that the PM shall do any thing. He can not afford to be too strong or high handed at this time. All will be forgiven. But the PM shall have the single honor of doing what this gang of eleven said about him in the first place: he is too weak to be a leader. If he takes that course he would have to live with that label. I think he should start a court case against Peter the spy man Wickham for spying on Barbados on behalf of the USA.

  15. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    The issue is not who sign or did not sign the letter: it is who knew of the plot and failed to inform the leader that there was a move afoot to oust him him. Freundel clearly cannot go into battle with those conspirators behind him. He would have to lead from the rear.

    If the DLP somehow manages to capture a majority in the next election, and assuming that Stuart wins his seat, he would be toppled at that point. He can’t trust them: he needs to be rid of them and find new candidates. He certainly can’t do worse than he is doing now.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    Caswell

    We are dealing with several issues here.

    The unprofessionalism of the NATION by stating 11 signatories were affixed to a letter and that it was delivered to the PM was false and it’s editor in chief must apologize to Barbadians. It is an unyielding position which BU will chamoion from now till evermore.

  17. George C. Brathwaite Avatar
    George C. Brathwaite

    @David

    I shall NOT shoot the messenger; the message is valuable in learning how not to govern.

  18. David Avatar
    David

    @George

    The end justify the means will not cut it in our house.

    All wrongs must be dealth with, dealing with one does not preclude action targeted at the other.

  19. CASSIUS. Avatar
    CASSIUS.

    @DAVID
    “it appears – certainly for the moment- that Sinckler has committed political suicide.”
    Please David you must use the imagery given to us by the Prime Minister. As a perceived player in the failed plot, HE HAS FALLEN ON HIS SWORD.

  20. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    This is all poppycock. Who made a Prime Minister god?

  21. Yardbroom Avatar
    Yardbroom

    Sometimes it pains one to be RIGHT.

    I wrote on December 16, 2011 @ 3:52:pm On the thread:
    Fontabelle 7 Day Eager 11 Sales Plan.

    “It could be….and this is only a supposition that in the term “eager eleven” therein is the sub-text message. Who is eager to lead? is the Nation challenging the person responsible to come clean and fall on his/her – I had to use her to be fair – sword, and walk into the wilderness. Is the Nation saying I am taking you with me my friend”.

    It is so unnecessary and sad but as I have said before, if you ride a tiger it is difficult to dismount.

  22. Progressive Avatar
    Progressive

    Angela Ifill I love your cricket analogy.

  23. Progressive Avatar
    Progressive

    Caswell to Davids point the Nation story of Sunday 11 December did say that the 11 had “AFFIXED their signatures to a formal letter and immediatley dispached to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart requesting an ‘urgent” audience”.So consideration must be given to the fact that the letter produced by the paper does not in fact reveal this but was a draft or copy yet to be signed.This does not diminish the other arguments about being complicit in all this.

  24. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Oilman | December 18, 2011 at 8:50 AM |
    I think The Nation wants the issue to be exposed via the courts. Imagine the political damage that would be done if the DLP actors are forced to defend themselves in a law court and have to explain all about the supposed intentions of those mentioned in the supposedly plot.

    @Oilman ,this is Barbados not the USA or UK. Do you think that our MP’s have any hang ups about lying like a cheap chinese watch before the courts? Do they not do it everyday in front of 260,000 people?.Remember the gun pulling issue in parliament?.

  25. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    Should Sinckler alone be begging for his pick, what about the Min of housing or the A.G or any of the others who are yet to say something?

  26. WordSong Avatar
    WordSong

    THE NATION OWES THE PUBLIC AN APOLOGY.

  27. Oilman Avatar
    Oilman

    @Colonel Buggy
    I guess you missed the point. Try to keep focused on the issue. Do you wish to tell the BU family that a court case of this nature would be of benefit to the DLP?

  28. David Avatar
    David

    @The Scout

    There is a more than obvious reason why Sinckler is the one featured in the NATION interview today.

    His face was strategically position at the centre of the Eager 11 picture in the Nation.

    The Cadres poll and commentry from pollster Peter Wickham has Sinckler as the chosen one.

    Read between the lines.

  29. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ lemuel | December 18, 2011 at 10:35 AM |
    “What I find most nasty about this whole episode is the way the DLP bloggers sought to make this whole thing sound like the BLP and the Nation newspaper were a part of this political mess.

    I tend to agree with you that some bloggers (ac the archetpye) tried to make it seemed as if the BLP were in the thick of the plot to oust FS. You yourself should also hang yourself in shame by trying to link MAM to the whole attempted coup. MIA has nothing to gain by seeing a change in government at this stage. The time is not yet right. With the effluxion of time her star will rise as ordained. Sugar might be a sweetener but can also be a bitter and deadly enemy.

    “I do not think that the PM shall do any thing. He can not afford to be too strong or high handed at this time. All will be forgiven. But the PM shall have the single honor of doing what this gang of eleven said about him in the first place: he is too weak to be a leader”

    Give him until the new year and we shall see his true mettle. May your god guide him in his deliberations!

  30. Zack Avatar
    Zack

    @David | December 18, 2011 at 12:16 PM |
    Caswell
    We are dealing with several issues here.
    The unprofessionalism of the NATION by stating 11 signatories were affixed to a letter and that it was delivered to the PM was false and it’s editor in chief must apologize to Barbadians. It is an unyielding position which BU will chamoion from now till evermore.
    ===================================
    You can hold whatever position you want, but why would Kaymar Jordan bow to you when she hasn’t back down from the Eager 11?

  31. David Avatar
    David

    A bigger story is yet to unfold and stranger things may yet occur.

  32. ac Avatar
    ac

    The NATION Credibility has been zapped . I haven’t even read the CHRIS SINCKLER interview because i know that editing can twist and turn people comments.However it is apparent that his readily giving into such an interview after all the misinformation that was given to the Public by the Nation and still has not been corrected by them that CHRIS SINCKLER knew that he had created a monster which was going to devour him if he did not come CLEAN.So anybody who thinks the Nation is scott free is fooling themselves they would feel the fall out and as long as KYMAR stays there she would be a liability in the same way Chris is to the party and the Nation Would have to give her the walking papers. No ifs and’s or but’s . Today she did her very best to recover but she like CHRIS reputation has been damaged and have lost the respect from the people .

  33. ac Avatar
    ac

    @ miller
    Politics is as you know is a dirty game . I wouldn;t be surprised if the bearer of the letter to the NATION was from the BLP. One hand washes the other, Remember self interest first. However that doesn’t get CHRIS a pass because somewhere he knew that this letter would be in the NATION.

  34. David Avatar
    David

    @ac

    How would a BLP member of gotten the letter?

  35. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    I don’t think that the Nation has anything to be ashamed of. They were given what could have been the story of the year, by someone that they felt was credible and they ran with. The story could not have come from anyone other than one of the persons listed at the bottom of the letter. You do not hatch plots in public. Personally, if I were involved I would not allow someone outside of the conspirators to type the letter. All of the persons involved were “Honourable” members of parliament: Why would the Nation have any reason to doubt the veracity of their story?

    Now that some of the plot has been officially acknowledged by Sinckler, can you really say that any of the plotters were defamed. And if they were still be foolish enough to go to court the judge should award them a dollar in damages.

    I was searching my lexicon for a word to describe Chris Sinckler, I came up with duplicitous but that seemed a bit mild so I decided to coin my own, “POLYPLICITOUS”

  36. ac Avatar
    ac

    DAVID! DAVID! DAVID! Now come on you smarter than that !

  37. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ ac | December 18, 2011 at 3:11 PM |
    “Politics is as you know is a dirty game”

    Yes, I agree! Dirtier so when thieves and liars come in one package.

    With Chris’s pending departure from MoF what now would be the state of the NIS investment in the 4 Seasons?
    Another set back before Dr. D finds his footing and rearranges things. But if Dr. D comes to his “dream” ministerial portfolio which he prepared for since 2006 he must get rid of the DB rubbish in the marina and sink it in ST. Peter where it belongs.
    OSA you have failed to eradicate the parasite from room 53 or ( is it 56?). So the glory be NOT yours!

  38. David Avatar
    David

    ac in the absence of all the fact what has happened so far is opened to all kinds of interpretations.

    If we are to believe some of the emails in our inbox God help us.

  39. David Avatar
    David

    @Caswell

    Despite what you have written give us a Fourth Estate that will report the news as it is and not seek to embellish it.

    The story released by the NATION would have had the same impact of reported without the embellishment.

    To say the source is credible is fine but if subsequent events proves the source wrong then there is a consequence to be paid for the decision.

    C’est la vie!

  40. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ David

    You seem more caught up with the Nation’s story than the actual revelation of the contents of the letter, and Sinckler’s confirmation that it exists. Now you are nit-picking about signatures. News media all over the world sensational news, what has the Nation done wrong? Your comments seem to suggest that you are a bit annoyed because the DLP is involved. Instead of confronting the situation and examine the implications of the actions of the so call “eager 11”, you attack the Nation.

    Is Kaymar Jordan responsible for the lack of confidence in the leadership style of the PM, and the letter that these concerned parliamentarians wrote? Maybe if the Nation had done what CBC and the Advocate continue to do, you and others who are sympathetic to this administration would be satisfied.

  41. Oilman Avatar
    Oilman

    @Artaxerxes

    Essentially what you are saying is that we should not demand better from our media houses. So we should not have a problem when news is maliciously twisted to support some cause or end? Man get real! I have not seen a Sunday Sun for the day cause I have decided to stop buying the Nation newspaper. I refuse to support such malicious reporting. Am I as a citizen supposed to encourage people who are in the media business to knowingly put erroneous information before me and just say give me more? You must be out your god damn mind! There are no 11 signatures attached and that was what was reported. It was simply a lie. There is no excuse. The Nation claimed to have a copy of the letter and knew whether there were 11 or 4 signatures.

  42. David Avatar
    David

    @Artaxerxes

    The fact you would trivialize BU’s concern at our leading media house embellishing news should concern us all.

    The excuse you gave that news houses all over the world do likewise boggles the mind.

    For the record if you read many comments posted by BU one can’t imagine how you would come to the collusion we are not concern.

    The episode has so frustrated BY we have referred to the bunch of them as Jackasses which is language we in the BU household have stayed away from over the year.

  43. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ Oilman

    And what is your point exactly?
    There seem to be some discontent within the DLP, and Sinckler confessed that there was a letter. My dear friend, these facts remain if you buy a Nation or not.

  44. Oilman Avatar
    Oilman

    @Artaxerxes
    Is the 11 signatures story true? A yes or no answer will suffice.

  45. David Avatar
    David

    Or was the letter sent to the PM has stated in the original report?

    By asking these questions of the Nation it does not preclude the issues for the DLP which we have all ventillated on.

    No free pass for yellow jornalism around here.

  46. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ Oilman

    You have the last word!

  47. WordSong Avatar
    WordSong

    @Oilman. I refuse to buy the Sunday Sun today as well. I depending on BU from now on. I feel safer and more secure with the information here.

  48. true to form Avatar
    true to form

    You can take a cow to the pond but you cannot make him drink.
    You can take a politician to parliament but you cannot make him think.

    There was a letter and there were eleven names affixed. that is not in dispute. I want anyone of the eleven to say Ii was not party to the letter. I was somewhere else and they are implicating me when I know nothing about the letter , the contenrs or the intent . I want any one to refute knowledge and then say the Nation impugn my integrity. These are not men of honour. They are invertebrates and slugs who slime and froth because they have political hacks who cannot see the woods from the trees. It is Sinckler today and someone else tomorrow. The truth will out. The truth is not always popular and pleasant but the truth is always right. Sinckler today did a Samson. He brought the whole house down with him and has given Stuart no options. He cannot fire one and keep the others. It would be an act of political inanity. Check mate Think on these things

  49. David Avatar
    David

    @true to form

    Have you considered that Sinckler admitted in the interview with the Nation that only 2 or 3 persons saw the draft of the letter?

  50. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    I think that you are missing the point: it is not who saw the final draft. From what is admitted in the press, it is reasonable to infer that the eleven named MPs had a common purpose and that was to get rid of Stuart. If that were not the case all of the elected DLP MPs’ names would have been on the draft, with the exception of Stuart of course. It appears that the eleven agreed on a course of action and then one of them was delegated to reduced their intentions to writing for each of them to sign. The fact that some of them did not see the draft letter is unimportant. It is also reasonable to infer that one or more of the eleven was a mole and reported the conspiracy to Stuart, and thereafter the others got cold feet.

    Those involved should now put their resignations at the disposal of the Prime Minister: they should not wait to be fired. They have caused enough embarassment to the DLP and this country.

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