Time for Introspection

There is absolutely no comparison between elections in our country, or the rest of the Caribbean for that matter, and those in the USA. The context, rules, voting systems etc., are very different, so it is important to understand this before jumping to any conclusions as some political opportunists are wont to do, trying to mislead those not so well-informed. At the same time, it would be foolhardy to ignore what is happening in the rest of the world and the possible implications or lessons to be learnt.

In our case, general elections could be as long as 15/16 months away and in politics, sometimes a day may seem like a lifetime. A lot can happen till then, so those who from one side or the other would like to arrive at hasty conclusions must be watched closely. It is unlikely that the Trump revival and victory in the US Presidential elections will have any significant effect on the Caribbean though we can expect some to attempt to attract favourable attention by opportunist curry-favouring to rightist positions.

In our situation one must consider the influence of social media, the propaganda of opportunist elements and the fact that many are growing so tired of the same leader, for almost a generation now, that they lack the patience of older persons and do not always weigh up the facts. It is of course quite understandable to desire change but that change must be for improvement, enrichment and forward progress. If we start from the proposition that there has been no progress in our country for almost three decades now, then we are immediately going down a blind alley.

It is pointless to ignore the many positive developments in the country over the past twenty plus years, but by themselves they do not constitute any argument against political change. There are governments, all over the world, which started out very positively but seemed to lose their way for one reason or not. This makes it incumbent on parties in power to be soul-searching, not to be blinded by apparent success, and to strive to be constantly seeking to correct errors, to insist on high standards and not to be complacent.

In our case there have been many advances, of which we are constantly reminded, especially in education, health and social protection. In recent times we have been seeing more and more emphasis on mega projects and there is always the danger that we forget the old adage of “take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves”. It does not mean that the mega projects are not just beneficial but essential in modernising our society. Infrastructural development is key to prepare for overall modernisation and economic development.

Those who travel frequently or follow international developments will testify that all forward-looking societies have to keep pace with modernization. Almost every significant airport or seaport is constantly undergoing modernization if that entity is to be relevant to world trade and economic development. Bigger and more modern, technologically equipped planes and boats are being built if one is not to be left behind. It is a fact of life that must be taken into consideration, and one must either adapt or, sadly, miss the development train. We cannot ignore these facts or follow cheap propaganda. But this does not give any government a blank card or refute criticism. One can well undertake a necessary task but fall down in one’s management of it, including failure to communicate properly with those who may not see the monetary benefit for themselves. We must not forget the immortal words of the late calypso icon, Black Stalin, that :“sufferers don’t care about politics, sufferers don’t care about race; sufferers only want to know where the next meal coming from…”.

In other words, even as we build and modernize we must remember the day-to-day needs of the have-nots and, importantly, try to develop an understanding of what each mega project means for the future of not just the sufferer but also the children and the future. It is not an easy task but it is necessary. The development vision must be shared with the entire society. It is the only way that people could understand the need for sacrifice today to provide a better future for their children; and that sacrifice must be shared. To quote an old people saying, we can’t have “full belly telling hungry belly, ‘Keep heart’.

Communication with people, being honest about the challenges, and trying to get a shared vision is vitally important for success. The government needs to reflect on this, not surround itself with echo chambers.There are too many riding the proverbial gravy train and it is time for them to be put off.

The government more and more seems to be relying on PM Gonsalves as its main communication agency. Our PM is by all accounts a remarkable man, but a”man” he is. You can’t have him morning, noon and night- even the most tolerant may become fed up and often lose focus at the right time. One must especially think of the youth in this. Are those “advising” the PM in sync with the mood of the country and needs of the not-so-fortunate?

(To be continued)

• Renwick Rose is a Social and Political commentator.