Which comes first?

WE HAVE NOW ENTERED OCTOBER, the month of the reclamation of our independence, forcibly taken from us two and a half centuries ago by the forces of British colonialism. Usually, our emphasis as a people would be on the independence celebrations, but this year, as has occurred before, our attention is distracted by preparations and campaigning of both political parties for the upcoming general elections.

With the stakes for the elections as high as they are this time, such a development is not unexpected. Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves, by once more leading his party into the elections and, if victory should be achieved, joining the likes of too many octogenarian leaders around the world, has put his formidable record on the line. Defeat can, and will, sully his enormous political achievements.

On the other hand, the Opposition NDP is desperately trying to wipe out its dismal record of five successive defeats in general elections. A sixth one must have negative consequences for both party and especially, its leadership. This reality must bring with it a sense of desperation, a determination to exert every effort to avoid an ignominious defeat.

Given this background, there must be temptation, on both sides, to throw everything into the fray, to literally, stop at nothing, legally we would hope. In such circumstances, even significant occasions like national independence celebrations are bound to suffer, to one degree or the other. During October, political parties can be forgiven for placing their partisan campaigns ahead of independence celebrations. After all, the thinking would go, when we win there will be many other independence celebrations.

Yet strangely, given our electoral history of serious post-election allegations which were not substantiated, there has not been much effort to reach clear agreement on the rules governing the conduct of free and fair elections.