The US Presidential Elections and Vincentians

Citizens of the United States (US) will have their last day of voting in the presidential elections next Tuesday, November 8 and we believe that the date cannot come soon enough for most Americans.

The election season has been long and bitter, though educational and entertaining with each twist and turn. Cable television and social media have brought the campaign into the homes of Vincentians and although very few of us are eligible to vote in the US, many of us have been following the campaign closely, some more closely than we do our local general elections.{{more}}

It has been interesting to follow, on social media, the attitudes and responses of Vincentians to the allegations made by women of sexual assault by Donald Trump and Trump’s own claims that the election is rigged. These two issues in particular mirror our own situation here in St Vincent and the Grenadines and in many cases, the quality of discussion and perspective that we are able to have in relation to the US situation is absent when we are called to weigh in on what is happening here. Vincentians are a reflective and perceptive people and although many of us may not readily admit it, we have benefited from seeing these similar situations being played out without the emotional baggage and loyalties that weigh us down when called on to respond to the situation at home.

Vincentians are aware of the enormous influence the US has on the rest of the world. In the Caribbean, we are particularly interested in the US policies on trade, immigration, climate change, foreign direct investment, university scholarships, foreign aid and global security, but it is a pity that because of the personality and temperament of Donald Trump and the email controversy that Hillary Clinton has been unable to shake, that the campaign speeches, debates and media coverage have spent so little time on these issues, but have had to devote so much time to satisfying the public’s appetite for more details about each breaking scandal.

But the die is cast and the election season is virtually over. Most Americans have already voted or made up their minds on whom they will vote for. We trust that they will elect the president that their country and the world need at this time.