PM Drew’s ‘Achy, Breaky’ heart

WHEN A WORLD LEADER DARES TO BARE HIS/HER SOUL TO THE NATION and by extension, the world, s/he has deliberately chosen to be vulnerable in that moment. Leaders generally prefer speaking in parables, being opaque via obfuscations, indulge in circumlocutions and evasiveness, spout outright lies, or remain in complete silence.

So, when newly-elected St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, Dr Terrance Drew, in his recent inaugural address to his people, ripped the veil, stepped in front of it, spoke plainly, and let it be known that he has voluntarily yoked himself to the 53,000 islanders they understandably breathed a collective sigh of relief.

“My heart aches for the parents who have lost their little ones, especially those who have recently passed away,” the 45-year-old Cuban and US-trained medical specialist told his enraptured audience.

In that pure moment, those were not the words of a gloating, victorious politician. Neither were they carefully crafted to elicit an emotive response as he spoke to the ‘choir’.

It was more elemental.

The syntax flowed effortlessly, truthfully, from the throat of a father.

In that moment, Dr Terrance Michael Drew embodied more than the PM. He was the Father of Basseterre citizens and residents.

“As a father…we cannot bear to see…children suffer in this manner,” he explained.

From the beginning, Drew begun outlining the blueprint of his use of the political capital entrusted to him by the twin-island Federation: strong leadership ensuring that the foundation of the nation is secure.

He is a ‘father’ who is aware of the needs of his children, and said so publicly: “On the campaign trail I spoke often of parents whose children are in dire need of advanced medical care that is not available here in St. Kitts and Nevis. Often these parents had to have multiple take away dinners, Bar-B-Qs, seek help through social media campaigns and take sponsor sheets around just to try and raise the much-needed funds to take their sick child or children overseas.

Here is his concrete example of fatherhood in action.

“Therefore, your government will ensure that it provides the financial assistance needed FOR ANY CHILD who must seek special medical care overseas.”

If that decision was for individuals, here is his corporate thinking for his ‘scions’ including those grafted in (all foreign residents).

“It is clear that health care in St Kitts and Nevis needs a major overhaul,”. He is after the broader policy positions redounding to the benefit all the children.

“As your Minister of Health, I will ensure that health care is vastly improved FOR ALL OF US from patient-care to nursing; from increasing supplies of prescription medicine to more advanced equipment.”

The betterment promised include “better wages for our health workers to improved health facilities.”

Here are the words of an exemplary father: “You deserve better. Your Labour-led government will provide better.”

“Therefore, I have instructed that a brand-new MRI (magnetic resonance imagining) machine be procured forthwith at our JNF Hospital and be installed…in the coming weeks. You will no longer have to go to a biomedical centre if that is your choice,” PM Drew announced to his ‘household’.

As he has demonstrated, Drew is a father on a mission to alleviate his children’s sufferings speedily.

“My first week was a hard week as there is no time to rest as yet. During this week I reflected on what I promised you during the election campaign of what I would deliver in the first week once we were elected to office. I promised you three things, but I delivered at least four,” so far, said PM Dr Drew, determined to bring a new Twin-island Federation into being during his first five-year term in office.

That would be the perfect social surgery to help heal his ‘achy, breaky’ heart.