Give your support to the individual not party

EDITOR: After witnessing the longest election campaign in the history of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we finally have an election date and as a Vincentian living abroad, I am rather despondent with the state of political affairs.

The same backward practices the ULP promised to bring to an end are still with us. With hindsight though, we were foolish to expect such radical changes from those that are so intoxicated with POWER!! {{more}}

Those who think they are God’s gift to the Vincentian people even when they boast that they lie about certain things (do we know the things about which we are NOT lied to?). Equally disturbing is to hear the NDP criticize the same things for which they were blamed when in office. For whatever reason, it was under the NDP administration that we suffered the near demise of the agricultural industry, for example. And so, the list of barefaced inconsistencies in both camps is endless.

Therefore, I urge all independent Vincentians, especially young adults and women, in particular, to vote wisely and not be hoodwinked by any party gimmick and superstition. For this election, look not for the KEY, the STAR or any other party symbol but for the individual that offers hope and a long-term vision for us as individuals, communities and as a country.

To survive, we must rid ourselves of this mish-mash political yoke that has brought us to this: a false prophet, a blasphemous, corrupt King, the creation of tribalism and that which was once hope turns out to be the biggest threat to our democracy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. For example, how many government lawsuits or threat of lawsuits against citizens have we had in four years?

With the exception of a few from each party (Advira Bennett included), it is no wonder we hear such empty talk at the candidate launches and party-sponsored talk shows over the internet. As a matter of fact, I listen within the confines of my home or at a time when there is no one around to hear some of the ignorance. In my opinion, this is a clear sign of the political bankruptcy of both parties and a good reason for voting for individuals rather than party. Such stance would bring about the people’s ‘revolution’ that is long overdue.

Talking about revolution, I wish to address a statement made by an NDP candidate on Nice Radio: New Times on the morning of November 10, 2005. To suggest that the old Labour Party was hijacked by Yulimo and UPM in my opinion, is misleading, inflammatory, and nothing short of cheap politics. Apart from a few names of persons who were part of these two organizations that were considered progressive, how can anyone assert from the current practices of the ULP that it resembles anything radical, even remotely? Does this candidate consider the introduction of superstition in our elections – the Clash of 7s – symbolic of Yulimo and UPM, hence radical?

Also, to cite the recent House of Commons defeat of Tony Blair as if to show the death of British socialism is equally cheap politics. Tony Blair and his cabinet suffered the consequence of a backbench rebellion when he attempted to further trample the civil rights of the British people. He refused to heed the voice of his party’s political base, especially the large Muslim community that would be affected most by their 90-day detention of suspected terrorists without charge. The Conservative Party had little to do with this.

I am extremely proud of my alliances with Yulimo and UPM and wish persons like Prime Minister Dr. Gonsalves were never a part. The policy of those organizations offered hope: they challenged imperialist policies designed to create societies of abject poverty for the majority and naked wealth for a few. If the truth be told the death of these organizations was brought about by the shameless opportunism of some of its leaders who now seem to rely on clairvoyants, stars and other spiritual media for solutions for our social ills.

To get back to this election campaign, some of the issues we need to hear about in this election campaign must include the Caribbean Single Market and Economy, the Free Trade Areas of the Americas, the financial deficit that we face without much explanation from our Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

By the way, where is the policy to include Vincentians in the Diaspora in the development of our country? Yes, under the ULP administration we have achieved much but how far removed are we from the same ole dirty POLITRICKS – pre-election bribery, nepotism, victimization, false promises, character assassination, down-right commess, and in our more recent history, public middle-finger salutes from our PM followed by the present day superstition-driven election date? How REVOLUTIONARY?!!

Luzette King