The Tribune

IT IS said that “a politician is a person running for office who flip-flops on issues as the polls change.” While the politician makes promises he might not deliver on once elected, “the statesman is a person who stands by his ideals and does everything in his power to do what he believes is right for the people of his country.”

It is at times like these that we wish the politicians would disappear and leave it to statesmen to chart the future of this country.

Last week Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit flew to Nassau, where there is a small Dominican community, to seek help for his people whose island was recently destroyed by category 5 Hurricane Maria.

During the storm Mr Skerrit had reported: “So far the winds have swept away the roofs of almost every person I have spoken to or otherwise made contact with.

“The roof to my own official residence was among the first to go and this apparently triggered an avalanche of torn away roofs in the city and the countryside.”

The island’s hospital in Roseau, Dominica’s capital, was also hit. Radio stations stopped broadcasting during the night. By dawn the scene was one of total destruction.

Apparently, Dominica does not have hurricane shelters, and so the schools had to be converted to shelters. Now that the storm has passed, leaving devastation in its wake, there are no schools for the children to attend as those using them as shelters have no homes to which to return.

While Dominicans try to rebuild their island and their lives, their children’s education has to continue. And so Prime Minister Skerrit flew to his friends in the Bahamas a week ago Sunday to seek help on behalf of the children of Dominica.

While here Mr Skerrit met, not only with Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, but also with Opposition Leader “Brave” Davis, who cannot pretend not knowing anything about Mr Skerrit’s plea for help almost as soon as he landed. No secrets were being kept from the Opposition leader.

Prime Minister Minnis immediately agreed in principle to assist by temporarily relaxing immigration rules to accommodate those children of Dominica who want to continue their education in the Bahamas.

The details had to be worked out — already Dominican families here are offering to assist.

But politician Davis on learning that certain Bahamians were complaining that “charity begins at home”—and apparently must stay at home – pretended to have a senior moment while the politician in him tried to decide on what side of the fence to settle.

He then decided to take the middle road. It was his opinion that before the prime minister agreed to accept the Dominican students, he should have engaged in discussion on the move and offer Bahamians concrete details. As he shuffled and shifted to position himself on the right side of history he considered that once it did not require a strain on the public purse, it might be something Bahamians could rally around.

Of course, he did not think of the public purse when he expected government to find $14 million for three clinics for a handful of constituents in Cat Island thus depriving the Princess Margaret Hospital of the funds it desperately needed to bring it up to standard to serve all the people of the Bahamas — including his Cat Island constituents.

Of course, the election was just around the corner and he had to have something grandiose to show his constituents for his stewardship.

Again it was the politician seeing only a small segment of a large picture and making the right decision for himself, but the wrong decision for the country.

Having decided that the Bahamas would accept the students, the details now have to be worked out.

Other than the agreement to help, there were no further details to give the Bahamian people.

So no secrets were being kept from anyone.

Just let’s imagine Mr Davis drowning at sea.

One of those standing on shore agrees to throw a life line to him. But before he can be pulled ashore, his rescuers have to know how long it is going to take to pull him in and once he gets to shore what he will expect of those rescuing him.

Until his rescuers can sit, debate and decide on the terms of his rescue he is left, bobbing up and down, gasping for breath, not knowing which one will be his last.

He is left completely at the mercy of those on shore as they agree the terms of his rescue.

This is the ridiculous position Mr Davis finds himself in. Prime Minister Dr Minnis has agreed that the Bahamas will come to the rescue. Once agreed, the details can be worked out later to the satisfaction of Mr Davis and his supporters.

Stupid, our readers say. We agree, but what can one expect of a politician!