Silly Season Reflections
OVER THE PAST Weeks my columns were taken up with a response to those who are once again resurrecting the name Milton Cato as one fit to be considered as our or one of our next national heroes. I hope that I have succeeded in raising a number of serious questions to those who hold that position. In any event the political directorate has been fairly quiet on the matter of another national hero.
In the meantime, more persons are moving to a position I have long held, that we should concentrate on awarding national honours to persons who have performed useful services to our country and its peoples. In any event the focus now is on the impending elections and obviously Milton Cato’s name will not be a factor since the old Labour Party is nothing more than of historic interest.
We have for long been saying that our role as a people in our so-called democracies with a system handed down to us without the norms and values that should have accompanied it, is manifest only in the run-up to elections. That is the time when some argue that we the people are king and are in a position to remind those who hold office that we are their bosses; that they were holding their positions on our behalf.
The system handed down to us is tainted and results in a situation where as Selwyn Ryan states “The Winner Takes it All.” They really should have been coming to us at this time when we are in the ‘Silly Season’, begging for our support once again. It doesn’t work that way, for we are the ones begging them, hoping that they will miraculously give us what was promised for the past four years. In fact, in our unique case, as a so-called democracy, it will be 24 plus years. Along with that we expect election goodies wrapped around promises of better next time.
At this time a lot is happening. It is do or die!
There is a lot of activity on the ground, and we know why, but some of us are still falling for it. This should be a time for serious reflection, serious questioning- why weren’t some of these things done before now? We the voters seem embarrassed and perhaps more so, afraid to ask such questions. Within this maddening activity, we will be left with more promises for which some of us will also fall.
The big question that faces us is, are we prepared to elect to office again a party that has been occupying a position of governance, of power since 2001? Isn’t there a realisation that once one occupies such a position for so long a feeling of entitlement comes naturally. What have we achieved over those years? How are we placed alongside our neighbours?
But even to move away from that is one mistaken for holding the view that there is an overemphasis on leader as against team. Who do we vote for?
Individual candidates or the person who heads the slate. Under that system, Did Calypsonian Professor not see Piggy as Governor General or occupying some high office? There is in all of this a view held by large numbers of people that to get something done one has to go to the head of the fountain, even if it results in action that undermines others. Is this something we are willing to see continue?
If the government continues to hold the reins of power, are we in a position to change this? If there is a change of government, are we willing to continue that state of affairs?
As we move closer to the elections, which of course could be called at anytime the leader sees fit, we have to seriously reconsider our role as a people, or in many cases maybe to consider it for the first time. The question is, are we nothing but ‘Voting Cattle’? But moving beyond this, recently the issue of debates among candidates has arisen. I strongly oppose it. What will be the purpose of a debate? We see and hear these people all the time. In fact, sometimes even more than we want to. They expose themselves to us, although often we do not see or hear or pretend not to. Any debate will be a camouflage.
What should be our role as a people? We have to assert ourselves and make demands. Unfortunately, many, if not most of us, see things through party glasses. We echo what we hear coming from the mouths of our politicians even before carefully scrutinizing their words and actions. We are not independent thinkers even though we claim today to be better educated through what we constantly call an education revolution. The education system provides us not with an education but with a means of getting a certificate that qualifies us for jobs, which often do not exist. There is little critical thinking.
We accept what we hear coming from our politicians without carefully examining what is said. It is as if once elected to office, seeds of wisdom begin to germinate. We remain part of the darkened theatre audience, looking at the actors on stage. Would it reach the stage where we can see ourselves as individuals willing to speak out on matters that affect our nation and the people of our nation?
Let us recognize the Silly Season for what it is and act accordingly.
- Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian
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