When the Honourable Premier Vance Amory led by his Deputy, allowed his Concerned Citizen Movement (CCM) party to be aligned with the PAM and PLP in this “construct, concept, idea, experiment, try a thing” called UNITY it was puzzling for most citizens of St. Kitts & Nevis, but more so for his CCM supporters.
The Honourable Vance Amory has always been a neutralist, and has clearly shown that he is not at all interested in “St. Kitts” politics, indeed, he has declined being a part of a coalition Government in the past. What would make the “neutralist” join with a failing party and two disgruntled former members of the Labour Party? Surely it was not new found ambition, and by his actions, it clearly shows, he’s not in this UNITY.
Therefore, Vance Amory’s inclusion in this “concept” was perhaps a Leadership lesson for those with great ambition to be Leaders. To lead one must be willing to follow and Vance Amory has set the example by following his leader, the Leader of the Opposition in the Federal House. However, he may follow in St. Kitts but as recent decisions indicate, when in Nevis Vance Amory calls the shots.
Fast forward……. months.
One of the burning issues that the “UNITY ”(?) was built upon was the Government’s Land for Debt Swap initiative. The UNITY members rallied around this issue like children with a Christmas toy; and tried to sell the public that Douglas had given the lands away, the lands were now out of reach for the common man, and any other conceptualized distraction they could design. It was the new rallying call in yet another attempt to rid St. Kitts & Nevis of Douglas.
However, it is now known that the very initiative vilified and demonized by UNITY and opposed by the CCM party when in opposition in Nevis, is now embraced by their most astute member – Premier Vance Amory, as a means of reducing the NIA debt and bringing fiscal relief to Nevis. If this idea conceived of by Douglas was so bad, why has it been embraced by the most talented and skilled UNITY “partner” Vance Amory in Nevis? His action is a clear signal in the breaking of ranks with the “UNITY – construct, concept, idea, experiment, try a thing” and further adds to the other subtle indications, already displayed, that Vance Amory is not for UNITY.
Whatever his reasons, Vance Amory’s decision with the Land for Debt Swap and his other actions with regards to UNITY, demonstrates, that it’s not what you say that counts, it’s what you do.
Time will tell.
Watch the cookie crumble.