Part 3: Is Friday Worth the Chance?

The series offers a balanced and thought-provoking reflection on key issues shaping the upcoming general elections- from the achievements and shortcomings of the Unity Labour Party to the public response to the vaccine mandate, and the growing debate over whether Dr. Godwin Friday represents the change our democracy needs.

As the November 27th elections draw near, one question seems to capture the collective uncertainty of this moment: Is Dr. Godwin Friday worth the chance?

Recently, I spoke with someone who has never visited St. Vincent and knows very little about our politics, but after studying our landscape from the outside, he concluded that Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is smart- perhaps even the best choice in this election. His reasoning was straightforward: Ralph is articulate, experienced, and commands respect on the regional and international stage. From that distant perspective, continuity seems like common sense.

And indeed, there is a case to be made for keeping him. For over two decades, Dr. Gonsalves has guided the country through challenges, built infrastructure, expanded access to education, and maintained a strong Caribbean voice on global issues. To the casual observer, he is the definition of a steady hand. Yet within our borders, the conversation is far more layered. A Vincentian who has decided to vote for the NDP told me that although she sees the logic in re-electing Ralph, she cannot do so in good conscience. Her reason? There have been too many injustices.

She believes, as many do, that the issue is no longer about competence but about principle- about whether one man should continue to hold power for nearly a quarter of a century in a democracy.

There’s a growing sense that power has become too concentrated, that opportunities depend more on allegiance than merit, and that dissent is quietly punished.

When my regional colleagues learned that Dr. Gonsalves- at 79 years old- was contesting the general elections yet again, their reactions were telling. My Barbadian and Dominican friends were in disbelief when they realized he was seeking a sixth term as prime minister.

“Why doesn’t he step aside and let a younger person in his party lead?” one asked.

“In a democratic society, how can a man remain in power for 24 years? That’s dangerous- it leaves too much room for corruption,” said another.

But when I discussed the situation with colleagues from parts of Africa, they simply laughed. For them, longevity in office is an old story. One reminded me that Cameroon’s president, Paul Biya, was just sworn in again at 93 years old.

“You see,” he said, “in some places, twenty-four years is just a start.”

Of course, Cameroon calls itself a democracy, but in truth, it is democracy in name only. Elections are tightly controlled, opposition is stifled, and accountability barely exists. That contrast says something profound about how democracy evolves- or fails to- when one person holds power for too long.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the choice before us is less about party and more about principle. If we reject Ralph, the only other option is Dr. Godwin Friday. His critics say he lacks charisma and boldness, some have even called him lazy. But perhaps his strength lies not in performance, but in what he represents: a break in the cycle, a gentler form of leadership.

The beauty of democracy is that it gives us the power to test new leadership. If Dr. Friday does not deliver, we can hold him accountable. We can vote him out. Change does not have to mean permanence; it can simply mean renewal, the willingness to give someone else the opportunity to lead, to prove, or even to fail.

The real question, then, is not whether Friday will be perfect, but whether we are willing to take the democratic risk that keeps power in check.

So, is Friday worth the chance?

Maybe the better question is — can we afford not to take it?