SVG’s Elections and the Creative Road Ahead

By AKLEY OLTON

AS SOMEONE deeply involved in local media production, with a genuine affection for this island and its resilient inhabitants, every five years feels like Christmas for us creatives: it’s when we finally get some substantial work.

This time, it was a creative feast that left us satisfied yet eager for more-a fullscale, Vincy-produced, Netflix-quality blockbuster. Imagine: Politics Paradise (Season Finale)—shot on location in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, produced by The People, directed by God and company.

Media folks ate good, graphic designers levelled up from funeral programmes to full-blown campaigns, and even the village philosopher got mic’d up for a hot take.

Boy, 2025 will go down as the year SVG accidentally produced one of the biggest reality blockbusters in Caribbean history-and didn’t even need a budget.

Because this election had EVERYTHING: action, suspense, drama, comedy, faith, betrayal, redemption, helicopters, speedboats, mascots, memes, mass choirs, banana-branch prophets, WhatsApp philosophers, TikTok editors, drone pilots. Even political Avengers. And the best part? Every single scene was made by Vincentians.

Let’s keep it 100: this election didn’t just employ hundreds-it unleashed a Vincy creative storm.

Everyday folks unearthed hidden superpowers: the barber flipping his clippers for a camera, the aunty turning her porch into a livestream studio, the taxi man dropping strategy gems sharper than his cutlass. They campaigned, advised, designed, meme d, animated, built props, party fashion showcases, beat pan like carnival never ended, strategised, broadcast, and defended their side with fire. It wasn’t politics; it was a crash course in home grown production, proving what happens when cash flows, deadlines bite, and the Vincy engine revs full throttle-a national workshop, a cultural awakening, an industry test run.

We saw what a real Orange Economy can do WITHOUT even being funded. Imagine if we fund it?

And 2025? Levels upon levels. For the first time, AI crashed the party, animating political mascots like “Laybah Hag” and “NDP Donkey” into social media stars. These weren’t bland bots-they had Vincy swagger: cheeky humour, folklore backstories, and fanbases roasting politicians harder than a Sunday barbecue. Popping up in videos, memes, and comment wars, they had more charisma than some rally speeches. It wasn’t just fun; it was a glimpse of how tech can remix our cultural roots into global exports. It screamed one truth: Vincentians don’t just scroll digital culture-we own it, remix it, and sling it forward like a fresh roti.

EPISODE 1: “46 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE- AND EVERYBODY READY FOR THE SEQUEL”

Before the season even started, SVG looked in the mirror and asked: “Who are we now? Who are we protecting? What kinda Vincy are we building for the next generation?” And from Fancy to Union Island, the answer echoed: “We sovereignty nah for sale. We culture nah for sale. We will sell it in the future.” Not to colonizers, neo-colonizers, regional meddlers, money- sprayers, “investors,” silent partners, or shadow directors. Hairouna locks the gate. Password required.

And the password is PRIDE.

EPISODE 2: OPPOSITION IN A SPEEDBOAT Picture it: Early morning. Sun bouncing off the Grenadines sea. Camera swoops low. And you see Dr. Friday and the NDP in a yellow speed boat slicing through the coast like they are shooting the opening shot of a blockbuster franchise. People lining the jetty, waving flags. Fishermen clapping from their bow. Children running behind the drone. It looked like *Fast & Furious: Vincy Drift*. But behind the vibes was purpose: the people wanted change. And the sea already knew it.

EPISODE 3:THE COMRADETAKESTO THE SKIES Cut to another scene: The Comrade himself, Dr.

Ralph Gonsalves, flying by helicopter over La Soufrière, gliding down the leeward coast like a statesman in his final chapter. Below him, villages painted in bright red, a whole coastline glowing like a sunrise. Love or challenge him, agree or disagree—one thing stood tall: The man is a political titan. A statesman. A Caribbean figure who shaped an era. And for a moment, the camera holds him alone in the sky the last man standing in a generation of giants. That was cinema.

EPISODE 4:THE MEMEWARS — A DIGITAL GOLDEN AGE Every evening, when the rallies are done? ON SOCIAL MEDIA =THE REAL SHOW START.

Vincy creatives went mad: AI mascots dancing and warning, NDP Jack giving daily sermons, Labour Hag turning into a full folklore star, reggae remixes, skits from van back seats, comedy voice notes that spread faster than rain gossip, TikTok transitions so clean even Beyoncé would double-tap. It was the first election where Vincy folklore met AI technology… and honestly? We changed Caribbean digital culture that day.

EPISODE 5:WHEN THE PEOPLE BECAME THE CAST This is the essence of the story. Hundreds of Vincentians discovered their creative potential during this campaign: the barber turned into a cameraman, the taxi driver became a strategist, the auntie hosted livestreams, the youth quickly learned to edit, the schoolgirl composed campaign jingles, the domino player became a political analyst, the pan player scored documentaries, the drone operator flew until the battery was exhausted, and the village comedians uplifted the entire nation.

SVG unearthed its own creative superpowers—together.

Artists in the Campaign: A Blend of Local and International Talent Regarding that creative celebration, let’s explore how music and performance energized the rallies. Both parties enlisted major artists—primarily from Jamaica and the broader Caribbean—to excite the crowds, which underscores the ongoing tension: foreign stars taking the spotlight while local talent strives for recognition. Here’s a glimpse of artists associated with or performing for each side (based on circulating lists and rally buzz—some confirmed as performers, others as supporters): | NDP Artists | ULP Artists | 1. Shenseea | 1. Popcaan | 2. Aidonia | 2. Chronic Law.