Is Vynette Frederick the Sarah Palin of St Vincent and the Grenadines politics
She is beautiful, bright, outspoken and a lightening rod who throws a punch as hard as she gets one. Many Vincentians are asking she has a future in politics or if she electable? These are the same questions that have been asked of former US Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. While Palin has been described by many political pundits as an empty headed unqualified, Diva who is not ready to be president of the United States of America. Vynette Frederick the PRO of the NDP opposition party in St Vincent has been described by her critics as a hot headed, vulgar, loud mouthed windbag who will never win an election in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
But is this a fair characterisation of Vynette, is it even true? Like Sarah Palin, Vynette is seen as a polarising figure. She draws large crowds of her political base, if you love her you love her you hate her you hate her. Political pundits argue that Sarah Palin lack political cross party and independent appeal which is needed for her to occupy the White House. The same is said of Vynette Frederick. It is said if she cannot appeal to undecided voters and some ULP supporters who are not entrenched she may never be elected to parliament as a candidate for the constituency of West St George.
As if Palin and Frederick path are intertwined Frederick also had a Sarah Palin Russian moment. It was claimed that Palin said the fact that she can see Russia from Alaska gives her foreign policy experience. However this was disputed by the Palin camp and in truth may have been a media exaggeration. Vynette Frederick while appealing for support in a town hall meeting in West St George called on the people of Buddy Gutter which is in the constituency of West Kingstown to support her, many in the constituency were taken aback. It didn’t matter to them that she quickly recognised her error and corrected herself by indicating that she meant Georgie Gutter and not Buddy Gutter.
One political watcher told me that this was a sign that Vynette was out of touch with the Constituency. After her loss to Cecil Mackie some people accused her of not working hard enough in the constituency and claimed that she was more interesting in fighting the NDP leader Arnhim Eustace battles than tending to her own affairs. The editor of one blog puts it this way ”Vynette overestimated the use of the social network to get elected. I am not saying that she is ahead of her time but nothing can beat a good old fashion knocking on doors and sitting down face to face with constituents to tell them what you will do for them.” I personally agree with this analysis and even the NDP new tines talk show programme host EG Lynch agrees. Lynch said that in a seminar in Barbados former Prime Minister of Barbados Errol Barrow told the participants that success in an election depends on the number of shoe soles a candidate worn out. The inference is clear here, cnadidates must go house to house.
Then there is the Luke Brown factor, many voters believe that it was mishandled. They claim that she ambushed Luke Brown about election fraud on a programme they were supposed to discuss the youth policy of both parties. I do not know what effect this had on the outcome of the elections. However it is interesting as Sarah Palin is yet to decide if she will mount a presidential bid in 2012. There are calls for Vynette Frederick to be appointed an NDP Senator. I agree with those who are callinf for her appointment. I will even go further and say that she should have been appointed a senator during the NDP last ten year in opposition.
Like her or hate her I believe that she has a bright future in Vincentian politics. Her Star can only shine brighter and her stocks can only rise. Vynette Frederick is not only an asset to the NDP but to St Vincent and the Grenadines as a whole and so too is Sarah Palin to America. And now I must confess that I am an ardent supporter of both women. Michael Anthony.
