And ‘the cheese stands alone!’

The consorts of the queen on the chess board have won this round.  There was a time when she would have walked on water for ‘Bob the Builder’ but it seems those days are firmly in the history books.

For the second time with two ‘M’(s) involved; Bob’ has been deposed.  When it happened the first time, the queen, by her own account, was distraught and displayed emotions that are best expressed in private.

What a difference ‘a day’ in politics makes.

In all this, one of the M (s) is consistently involved. With his deep desire to be the Premier of this land we are concerned about how far he would go to hold the reins of power.

Financial Services is the most important pillar of the economy to the government and the second most important to the Territory.  We do not use it as a political football.  

A former FS noted that when the IBC Act (1984) was introduced in the Legislative Council (now House of Assembly) it was the Leader of the Opposition who jumped to his feet to second the Motion.  

And a deep BVI tradition was started although it was almost derailed in the House had not ‘Bob,’ as the Opposition Leader, come to the rescue.

With ‘Bob’ sidelined, and with the consistent, scathing criticisms from the Opposition, one is being programmed to think that the Government is entirely useless.

That may be nothing more than theatrics, smoke and mirrors.  We were here before.

The modus operandi seems to be: Create chaos and uncertainty, then take control.

There may not even be any regret by the perpetrators if BVI is reduced to a smoldering down-heap provided that those who crave power get it.  

We saw that desperation in our former leader; The playbook appears similar; The mentorship may have been the same.  Is it possible that that separation, like now, could have been over who would lead?

Perhaps Bob should have been more ambitious.  Mark Anthony said of Caesar;

“When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:”

Certainly, the stuff of Claudius, brother to King Hamlet, (Shakespeare) who erased him and married his wife so that he (Claudius) could be king.

There is no question that the newly minted Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition is intelligent and articulate and perhaps, camera ready, for the job he seeks.  But it is possible to be able to do a job and not be suitable for it.

Moses and his brother Aaron may be a case in point.  Aaron had the attributes of a leader but Moses had the character.

While we most certainly lament ‘Bob’s’ calamity, he is not entirely blameless.  He remained too silent for too long.  He did not marshal his troops as he could have.  

And he found out the hard way that 'it is impossible to stand in someone's shadow when the sun moves on.'  For, the sun simply casts other shadows wherever it goes.

Still, his rough, urgent and, possibly, reckless, removal by the ‘Alliance’ will have consequences.  Since the Alliance leader joined the red team, splinters have been flying; Three at the height of the disturbance.

How many parties need to be created to ensure the ascension of one individual?  How many relationships broken?  How much pain inflicted?  How many persons disappointed?  How many promises abandoned?  How many supporters pushed aside or ignored?

Can the Alliance leader work with anyone if he is not in charge?  

Comrade Napoleon (Animal Farm) knew what he was about when he took away the newly born puppies from their mothers to train them in security work.  

Once they were ready, he used them to oust Snowball (his rival) from the community.  Snowball was, at the time, the presumptive, well-loved, leader of Animal Farm.

And, if anyone opposed Napoleon, the dogs systematically silenced s(he) with a growl or worse.  And none dared to express an opinion that was not, prior, held by Napoleon.

Everything went downhill from that point and the next curtain the animals bumped into was made of iron.

Meanwhile, the BVI political landscape continues to be redrawn.  With the ‘Alliance’ leader on a frolic of his own, Teams blue and red have gone back to their roots.  

Wasn’t this what the Alliance claimed to have wanted?  Then, what really was the rationale to further splinter the splinters?

And why commandeer the allegiance of a queen away from those who love, respect and adore her and who have stood with her these decades?  

But it is the Green General who holds the best hand.

That seven remains the magic number is a fact.  Even Naaman knew that by experience.  And like him, we saw at the last election when the greens won six seats and the constitution demanded seven; 

Six was not seven.  

Still, six is closer to seven than either three or two.

So, the horses are busily on the move, some tripping themselves up crisscrossing the line…

…Even on Fridays.

Happy Friday!