So the silly season has come to a close. For the past week or so, my beloved country was caught up in pre-election madness – rallyes, radio debates, tv interviews, etc etc etc… In the end, the People’s National Movement won, taking 26 seats, the UNC Alliance took 15, and the Congress of the People didn’t get any.
To be honest, I am very dissapointed that the COP didn’t fare better at the polls. I believe that they’ve got great vision. Besides, we could all use some fresh air in the political arena. I’m fed up of the PNM vs UNC crap; had the COP won seats, the country would have gained fresh perspective, and the other two parties would have had to re-evaluate and revamp.
Basdeo Panday was up to his usual tricks again, blaming the COP for the UNC’s loss. He claims that the COP took votes that rightfully belong to the UNC, and says that the whole country can now blame Winston Dukeran for whatever ills befall us from this point onwards. What Bas fails to realize – and some of my compatriots may disagree – is that he caused his own party to lose. With his antics; his lack of decorum; his complete inability to avoid inflamatory speech; his boldfaced thievery; his controlling nature; and most of all, his tacky red beret. (ha!)
But whatever. As I told my mother before results were announced – no matter what the results turned out to be - the following day we would still have to get up, go to work, find and express our respective life missions, make babies, live. As citizens of this nation, we have the obligation to do whatever we’re each good at, for the collective good of all. Despite political differences, each person who voted did so with a firm belief that theirs was the best choice for country. The ‘political differences’ come in our lack of agreement on how to best provide for our society. Small thing. In other words, everyone’s heart is generally in the right place.
The challenge now, no matter which way you or I voted, is to become the grass-roots movement weilding the power. The people who take up the responsibility of holding the government accountable for keeping their word to us all.
Many of us seem to forget that politicians on all sides are our employees. we tend to revere political ‘leaders’, and overlook their lack of performance, turn a blind eye to corruption and ineptitude. See, I voted PNM, but that does not mean that I follow the party blindly, or agree with everything that they do.
The suggestion that we treat them as our employees, changes the power balance immensely – it puts it back into the hands of the People, where it really belongs anyway. Because politics is the only field I know of where folks can sit around on their ass and do jack shit for years, and still collect a monthly paycheck. Newsflash, folks – their salaries are financed by you and I. If I were to pull the same stunt on my job – I’d be out on my ear.
So, the PNM is back. The question becomes, are you and I going to make them answer to us, the way that all employees must answer to their employers? Remember folks - We The People, run this muhfucker – not any political party. Let’s ensure that they do as we say.
Incog’, Out… (like a gay man to his mama, LOL)
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