“Thousands are hacking at the branches of the problem; few are working at the roots.”
After 44 years of independence and seventeen election campaigns we must face the ordeal of partisan politics. It is clear to me and several others that the “mischiefs of faction” is retarding our nation’s development; it’s “a cancer eating at our vitals.”.
There are dangers in partisan animosity that retards our nation and it is time to ponder again this transparent reality with the view of instituting constitution reform. We who pay attention to the heartbeat of our country would be acutely aware that our present crop of politicians are not in favour of our recommendations, as professionally rendered by the Suzie Duvergne lead commission (2011). None of the parties have taken the constitution reform report with a modicum of seriousness. A protagonist of this disdain for the constitution reform commission report is our present Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre. The evidence is present to confirm this. He scorned the report in the House of Assembly premised on a feeble argument that politicians work too hard and make great personal sacrifices to win elections, why should they have to face the burden of recall. His balderdash exposed an anti – democracy vein. In his frisson he lead down his diktat. He was the true image of partisan ‘dic – hardness’. Clearly a benefactor of government’s munificence and oblivious towards our realities.
Political parties are important for a healthy democracy but when the practitioners are against the will of the people to effectively participate then we have dictatorial aspirants. There is a dark undercurrent to unquestionable allegiance to ‘de party’ and it rests on false premises.
“Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.” (Confucius: Timeless Elder).
The St. Jude Hospital charade presents us with a clear picture of the ‘boobooman’ of partisan politics. After 14 years the parties have failed to perform their vital functions. It registers the fact that governing is considerably more challenging than campaigning. The competition between the parties is essential in electioneering but we need a different approach in governing. We need cloudless policy; we need national perspectives untroubled by partisan polarization and partisan vulturism or clanism. “When partisans view each other as morally wrongheaded, parties cease to perform their vital functions. “
Our political parties have not understood that excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. The wanton stoppages of projects aim at belittling each other or to create avenues for employment for ‘clan members ‘ costs the nation exceedingly and have decelerated national growth and development.
We must change! There is no if or but about that. That became apparent to Bro. George in the latter years of his political journey, hence his perspicuous argument for a government of national unity. However, enslaved in our partisan polarization, we could not emancipate ourselves to consider another way of governance. Today we suffer incredibly and will continue to endure because when entangle in the web of partisan rhetoric seeing beyond ‘de party’ is colossally damaging.
I contend therefore, if we as a people don’t seek or create another way to govern ourselves we are doomed. Our retardation will continue and we will become more angry and disillusion.
The St. Jude Hospital debacle, is for me the most convincing testimony, that the crucible of St. Lucia is partisan polarization. This most significant national health matter, affecting the national wellbeing has not been able to generate a national – collective response to the absurdity of “politricking”, maladministration, cyclopean wastage and bamboozlement. Each political side continues their narrative as if the agony is still bearable and the astronomical wastage should be allowed to proceed.
Sons and daughters of St. Lucia love the land that gave you birth more than ‘de party’ and we will see quality things happen. When we begin to put country first the insignificance of the party will unleash our collective energies, and as a people we can redirect, reconstruct, rejuvenate, rearrange and rekindled a nation worthy of emulation.
