Evolving principles
published: Friday | March 5, 2004
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I MAKE no comment on the desirability of present and recent events in Haiti but I am moved to observe that the current set of CARICOM prime ministers on reflection may find that that their own antecedence does not sit well with their espousal of the principle of 'not sitting at table with persons who come to power by means other than the democratic process'. Certainly, I do not recall any of the current leaders in the 1970s (some of whom were very much in leadership at the time and most notably Prime Minister Patterson) pontificating on the dangers of removing democratic leaders by coup d'etat. I speak of the deposing of Eric Gairy by Maurice Bishop.
Undoubtedly, Mr. Gairy was a nasty character and as I recall there were even questions surrounding his mental state. Be that as it may, the records show that notwithstanding questions about the process (as there have been about the process in Haiti), he was re-elected in 1976 by popular acclaim. Three years after he was deposed. It may have been a good thing then had CARICOM expressed some reservation about the precedence that was being put in train. Mind you, sitting at a table with Comrade Bishop must have been a far more inviting prospect than having discussions with Haitian rebels.
It may be charitable to conclude that our politicians have with time learnt greater wisdom and that what is happening here is a demonstration that their principles have evolved.
