After the resignation of a senior MP from his political party, and in the aftermath of the bye-election that saw 2% support for an independent candidate, I came up with an interesting "what if" scenario:
Wayne Furbert, feeling that staying as an independent will be a futile effort, decides to launch a new political party.
Phil Perenchief, with serious bones to pick with his own party, is immediately recruited.
Now you have two very well-known public figures with lots of experience, trying to be a catalyst of change, uniting in a way that neither the PLP nor the UBP has been able to achieve. Khalid Wasi is no Wayne Furbert or Phil Perenchief, that's for sure.
Could such a union get votes at the next election? Probably not, because the party machinery will be adamant in trying to squash the upstart movement. However if it survives, and does not fall into disarray because of early lack of success, it gets interest from a disillusioned youth that is frustrated with the good vs evil to-and-fro from the established units, has valid and worthy policy initiatives, and recruits intelligent and enthusiastic people to be the future leaders, things could very well legitimately be altered in local politics.
Anything's possible. Perhaps sitting MPs also frustrated would consider their own ambitions. Former MPs such as Maxwell Burgess or Renee Webb or Stuart Hayward could see an opportunity to become reinvolved in things.
Remember though, it's just a thought. But wouldn't it be something?
2 comments:
Such a union would need a strong and charismatic leader to give it any credibility as both of these individuals have done much to decrease their own.
The time for Mr. Furbert to have resigned with a strong position for creating a new party was as soon as Mr. Brunson resigned. It would have opened the door for a real challenge to split the vote and would have pulled PLP who want to topple the UBP in on it for support. It was the opportunity to challenge the UBP and potentially pull in enough MPs to take the position of official opposition. The problem is he let this golden opportunity slide rather than stepping forward to lead and has now found himself upon the rocks having taken too long to decide whether he'd fish or cut bait.
Thanks for the feedback. Good arguments against Mr. Furbert possibly developing a new political movement. While he appears sincere and charismatic at times, his stint as UBP leader not long ago was a nightmare. Perhaps like you said, he'd have gained more respect if he had left the UBP earlier (or indeed, months ago after his 'threat to leave').
Could it be that many of the politicians who are disgruntled and upset at the current state of things are simply unwilling to take the risk at being in political exile for the potential at doing greater good down the road?
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