The Summary of The Samaritan Acts and Scenes
Act II Scene III Summary
On the same day the Mayor visits Narine's school to follow up on the issue of The Samaritan launch, Hon. Ramdaye, Hon. Seymour and Hon. Ted hold a meeting in the Sky Room at the Madingo Golf Club in the evening to review the events of that morning - the scuttling of their planned meeting at the Municipal Headquarters by members of the Red Eagle, the Ghettoboyz and some undercover police.
This occurrence, as Hon. Seymour observes, gives him a clear message that the three are at war with the Mayor and vow to carry on with their plan, to the last detail. Hon. Seymour asks Hon. Ted if he had talked to Councillors and Aldermen to assess whether they would support the no-confidence motion., and Hon. Ted informs him that he had spent almost the whole night making calls to them, but the racial and class prejudice among them (Councillors and Aldermen) had proven his expectations of getting a breakthrough otherwise,
Hon. Ted informs Hon. Seymour and Hon. Ramdaye that in his assessment of the Councillors and Aldermen when he talked to them over the phone, he had realised that their chamber members are of different categories that must be kept in mind as they seek to woo them to support their cause. He sums them up as the indecisive type who do not take sides, the headless type who follow the leader of their ethnic group who thinks for them; the entrepreneurial type who votes for the side that gives more money: the independent-minded category that listens to and serves the people. He tells the two that it is very difficult to know how the vote would go and says that the only way forward is to enlist the support of Hon. Basdeo, the opposition chief. He observes that if Hon. Basdeo sided with them, Councillors and Aldermen allied to him would follow suit and so they would only need to persuade or buy a few more members in order to meet the two-thirds majority required to remove the Mayor from office.
Hon. Seymour asks Hon. Ramdaye if he had talked to Hon. Basdeo, and he replies he had, and that the opposition chief was eager to work with them. The Deputy Mayor indicates it was, in fact, Hon. Basdeo who had approached him with the idea of impeaching Mayor Mossi. He tells them that Hon. Basdeo has promised to mobilise Councillors and Aldermen allied to him to vote for Hon. Seymour as Mayor because he was the compromise candidate and that he should appoint him (Hon. Basdeo) as Deputy Mayor immediately.
Just before the trio breaks for the bar for a bottle of beer to celebrate this arrangement, Hon. Basdeo comes in. Hon. Ramdaye informs him that he had already briefed Hon. Seymour and Hon. Ted about their earlier on discussions, and his appointment as Deputy Mayor is guaranteed. The opposition chief informs them that for their scheme to be effective, they needed to alienate Mayor Mossi from the people by inciting them against him. He tells them that the move could be achieved by telling the people that the Mayor has marginalized other communities by earmarking all the money allocated to the Municipality to the development of the wards occupied by members of his ethnic group. He informs them that the alienation could be reinforced further through historical revisionism., and alienating Mossi's community from the rest of the community by claiming it smells and tends to believe in 'obeah'.
With the suggestion of holding a big political rally to execute these lies on the coming Friday when the Carnival festivities are held, Ramdaye informs the three that he had gotten information that Mayor Mossi was consulting his lawyers on the possibility of their arrest and prosecution. They, thus, suggest holding the rally earlier, and all agree the coming Wednesday was fine.
Study Questions on The Samaritan Act 2 Scene 3
← Act1 Scene 1 ← Act1 Scene 2 ← Act1 Scene 3 ← Act2 Scene 1 ← Act2 Scene 2 ← Act2 Scene 3 ← Act3 Scene 1 ← Act3 Scene 2 ← Act3 Scene 3 ← Act4 Scene 1 ← Act4 Scene 2 ← Act4 Scene 3a. Identify all the similes used on pg 74-75.
b. Why does Hon. Seymour compare Mayor Mossi's hooligan operation to a military one? Why does he say their organisation and speed suggested there was more than meets the eye?
c. "There is racial/ethnic prejudice in the writer's society." How true is this assertion, with close reference to the scene?
d. In his analysis of Councillors and Aldermen in the Council! Chambers, Hon. Ted concludes that these two are of four types. Mention the types and briefly comment about each type.
e. Discuss three character traits of Hon. Basdeo brought out in this scene.
f. What two thematic concerns have been raised in the scene?