US Party leader Frans Richardson in today’s edition criticises the current UP-led coalition for bringing down the government and not being able to form a new one so far. The Member of Parliament (MP) obviously has a point and the delay is certainly some reason for concern.
The January 12 deadline for the final report of recently named “Formateur” Sarah Wescot-Williams is indeed one week after Nomination Day, although the next Council of Ministers could conceivably be installed before that. The fact is that postponing the widely undesired early elections as the interim cabinet was generally expected to do once in office is becoming increasingly less likely.
However, Richardson saying he was “in favour” of a national government at the time raises questions. On the very evening of Wednesday, November 1, when Governor Holiday had met with all four party leaders on that possibility and they agreed to continue talks the next day, US Party issued no fewer than three press releases basically attacking persons involved with the incoming majority dubbed “Super Eight” by opposition members.
The first criticised DP leader Wescot-Williams, the second DP Minister Emil Lee and the third MP Chanel Brownbill, who broke with US Party to force a change of government. It must be said, there were similar statements and releases in the opposite direction that same Wednesday evening, while motions of no confidence against NA and US Party Ministers were adopted Thursday, November 2, so it would be fair to conclude that neither of the two sides seemed actually “serious” about working together.
