Have we emancipated ourselves from mental slavery?
I’ve been isolated in the village of Laborie and on the eve of Emancipation day – I decided to pen this article.
I’m here drinking a Guiness and trying to strike a conversation with the bar owner but she is uninterested in my queries. In essence, nothing is running in di village and tings slow on di island, as she said. She is probably one of ten bars on the strip and the last one I walked by with a slew of young men – shouted epiphytes of sodomite and fire fi burn – so I chose the lesser of two evils to drink my poison in peace.
I’ve been here on island for the last three weeks, as I’ve been here attending my uncle’s funeral – Dr. Martin Didier. These past days, I’ve been listening to the air waves to hear that the current administration was celebrating three years in office. From the onset – I’d like to say that I’m disgusted that they would link, tie and politicize Emancipation Day with their three year charade. A three year celebration during a monumental period like emancipation speaks to how low these political henchmen men of the labourless party will go.
I am not one for celebrations, I barely celebrate my own birthday – so you could imagine my dismay that I am expected to drag myself to clink glasses coral other like minded Saint Lucians to drink and be merry? Unlike my late father, Wilkie Larcher – I’ve never voted for SLP and judging from the last three years – they won’t get my vote in the next election.
I have more questions than answers. What has the SLP done while in office for the last three years except seed strife and discord? We have allowed it again, yes we have allowed the government and its party hench men (and women I might add) to be our judge, jury and executioner. Wasn’t it just yesterday that SLP while in opposition was signing songs of accountability, integrity, and justice? These words are dead and buried – I think I saw Cricks cremating the sorry carcasses of this SLP Administration in Vieux Fort last week.
So this Emancipation Day- have we really freed ourselves from mental slavery? No, because we still think our responsibility to hold politicians accountable, ends on the day we place the ti qua on election day. We haven’t freed ourselves because we still believe that opening bars and road side eateries are the only ways to elevate a people from poverty. In essence, we are a people still cling to the Bible, to the morals , and the laws of the colonial past. So no we haven’t emancipated ourselves from mental slavery, but walked right into modernity less educated, less aware, and more open to embrace anything people in authority shove down our throats. Why else could a Minister responsible for the sale of our patrimony and passports tell us – he can’t disclose how many passports are being sold in the name of its citizens and we are the very ones who voted this red nigga into office? Dat making sense?
So this Emancipation Day – I choose war! War against corruption, war against politicizing historical matters , and war against those who cling to ideals of di colonizer (the Church , the laws and government) Sorry I not in it!
And yes, moments after I finished my Guinness, I had to walk to the Laborie Police station to file a report because the young man continued to verbally assault me and threaten me. Sometimes the only thing people who have power, position, and privilege understand is the force of law and order.
