A time for Reconciliation
THESE 2025 GENERAL elections have clearly been the most competitively fought in the electoral history of St Vincent and the Grenadines. This is so, primarily because we no longer have elections every five years. There is a continuous cycle of campaigning throughout the period from the last poll five years ago, right through to this November 27 outing.
The presence of radio stations doing political programming every week and almost every day, has contributed in no small measure to an entrenched tribalism formerly heard in other countries.
The Unity Labour Party-ULP- owns and operates its own radio station and carries daily programming on another; while the New Democratic Party -NDP- does its programming via yet another radio station, though it does not own or control its operations. The nation is therefore deluged on an ongoing basis with verbal warfare.
Added to this is the widespread use of social media which allows unadulterated expressions of opinion with few holds barred.
As a result, our society has become overly politicized with this tribalism that has extended into almost every sphere of life. Even churches have in cases not been able to stay above the fray.
Gone are the days when neighbours would “throw words” at each other because of their political preferences, but remain friends after the elections. Not so nowadays; people socialize by-and-large in groups of like-minded political ‘comrades’ or ‘brothers’.Yes, the major political parties now even have a particular nomenclature for their members.
Parties employ the use of available almost cutting edge technology on the campaign trail at their public meetings-now called rallies-which are full fledged concerts. There is hardly a forum where one can go to glean the deep elements of each other’s policies and programmes.
This campaign season saw the opposition New Democratic Party mirroring, almost to a T, the elements for which the Unity Labour Party formerly had a marked advantage. There were visually, very organized set designs for their public events. Their use of paraphernalia- the horns, polos, shirts, t-shirts- all stood out with the bright yellow.
And concerts featured some of the biggest artistes locally and regionally, as we have commented on here before. The creativity
of local artistes was also on full display. A compilation of political campaign songs that could compete favourably with the offerings enjoyed at carnival. In fact, this campaign period has been a veritable second carnival; and possibly with more widespread public participation too.
Now, as we come to the end of this crucial exercise in our democracy- the casting of votes- we must look past the attacks launched from party platforms and the sniping, often anonymously done on social media. So few of these often times scathing, even vicious attacks on one candidate or the other cannot be seen merely as ‘frustrated’ utterance as individuals hide behind assumed identities to engage in derisive conduct We look forward to an environment when one would be not afraid to openly critique a position, a civil response is made, and there is no fear of possible retribution.
With the results of these elections of now declared, we need to look past the rhetoric and vitriol towards rebuilding friendships, civility, and trust among fellow Vincentians.
However, this issue which has been thrown into the mix, is certain to rekindle some level of animosity. We refer to the electoral challenges on the eligibility of the candidacies President of the NDP, Dr. Godwin Friday, who contested in the Northern Grenadines, and Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, who contested the East Kingstown seat.
SEARCHLIGHT has published a position by Dr. Linton Lewis on this constitutional question of a candidate with dual citizenship contesting our general elections, and a response in disagreement by another legal scholar, Dr. Jason Haynes. These legal opinions have provoked much public debate but, beyond simple partisan talk, this issue looms large over the elections and seems destined for the law court.
Whatever the outcome, one thing on which we are absolutely clear- we must move forward in this democracy with level heads and in a spirit of reconciliation.
In this small multi-island nation, we are still one people who share the same space, and our progress demands that we do so in harmony.
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