HOW TO VOTE IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION
By Yves Ephraim
I am a proud member of a local credit union since the 1980’s.
Credit unions are what we call financial cooperatives, where grass root people, like you and me, come together to pool our resources in order to provide loans to one another at lending rates that are lower than banks.
A key objective of credit unions is to make you achieve financial independence through financial literacy.
As a young man who came from a single-mother household, living just above the poverty line, the credit union was my chance of bettering my financial fortunes. And this is probably true for many of you, I am sure.
From the time I was introduced to the concept of a credit union, I fell immediately in love and joined immediately.
Over 40 years ago, my credit union could not afford to provide mortgages: all you could get then were just small personal loans.
Nonetheless, at that time, this was sufficient to help ordinary Antiguans and Barbudans, like you and me, to get our feet on the first rung of the ladder of financial independence.
I am sure that by now you are asking yourself, what does credit union membership have to do with voting in the upcoming political elections?
Hold on! Just bear with me!
Credit unions were created by ordinary people to help one another rise from the depths of financial exclusion to the heights of self-sufficiency.
In a similar way the Antiguan and Barbudan government, is expected to facilitate the elevation of the Antiguan and Barbudan civil society to the point of self-sufficiency for ALL.
That is the crux of our national motto: “Each Endeavouring All Achieving”.
As a voter, the purpose of your vote is not to just merely put someone in office that you like, but rather to vote in a manner that keeps your government accountable and productive.
Your vote should maintain the dynamic where this government remains of the people, by the people and for the people, more specifically, Antiguans and Barbudans.
When you have a leadership that thinks that you are “Losers” and “Deracinated Imbeciles”, it signals that the dynamic between the people and the leadership is unfavourably off-balance: ie, the servant feels that he is the master.
As a people who have been handicapped by our colonial past, and who continue to be kept under control by blacklists, threats of sanctions, and uneven economic barriers, you should be electing leaders whose efforts ultimately move us all in a direction that strengthens our sovereignty and independence while preserving our national identity and way of life in a manner that makes us proud to be an Antiguan and Barbudan.
We want leaders who understand our struggle and aspirations and not merely concerned about “creative enrichment”.
In 44 years, the asset base for my credit union has grown significantly to the point where it routinely provides mortgages to build homes and provide capital to enable local entrepreneurs.
Ordinary people were able to achieve this.
Partly contributing to the success of the credit union movement, is its forced term limits on those in leadership, allowing for inclusion and exposure to a constant flow of fresh ideas and talent.
In comparison, how far has Antigua and Barbuda progressed in roughly the same time?
I daresay that despite our national budget growing to just over two billion dollars, the highest in the country’s history, we are still struggling with the basics.
Since independence, this country has been primarily under the administration of one party for 34 years of the 44 years, or 78% of the time.
For all intent and purposes, this country has in effect been ruled by one party.
I believe the time has come for a rotation.
We need fresh talent and ideas. The morass that this current government has put this country into, disqualifies it from being able to fix the issues it caused.
In fact Albert Einstein said:
“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it [in the first place]”
I do not say this with malice but purely from a pragmatic position.
Fact is, this country was not willed by God to any party, be it UPP, ABLP, DNA or whatever.
It is my observation that countries that have progressed significantly are those that have a healthy rotation of leadership and parties.
The USA grew because of the constant turnover in leadership and party since its independence; There was no chance to develop tyrants.
My examination of Barbados’ rise shows how it had benefited from regular rotation of leadership and party.
From 1966 to 2018 (52 years) when Mia Mottley was first elected prime minister, that country had a total of nine prime ministers and the BLP and DLP exchanged positions about six times. Each leader spending a average of just over 5 years.
Compare Antigua and Barbuda, we have had only 4 prime ministers in 44 years with only one change of party.
If we examine further, the UK, you would notice that in episodes where they had one party for too long, invariably corruption follows and then bad economic conditions usually leading to voter rebellion.
I recall Margaret Thatcher’s reign that led to economic prosperity for a while. By the third term there was scandal after scandal with allegations of corruption. Some of you might remember the “Minister of Fun”.
Now, turning our attention back to Antigua and Barbuda.
Do you want a country that improves or do you merely want to see your friend in office, even if that friend has achieved nothing worthwhile?
If your friend is not achieving anything of worth, you might as well give someone else a chance.
We are still waiting for number portability; water flowing through our pipes and the economic powerhouse.
There is no question that Antigua and Barbuda has been ruled disproportionately by one party for a total of 34 years since independence and it is therefore not debatable that that party’s policies has had the greatest impact on the performance of Antigua and Barbuda, today.
Having experienced independence for the last 44 years, I want you to list ten significant things that you have seen successfully implemented that has empowered you and MOST Antiguans and Barbudans to have a better life?
As an Antiguan and Barbudan, do you feel like your environment is truly safer, crime-wise and more inclusive since 1981?
The success of any government is measured by how well it masters the basic functions that are uniquely in its domain.
At minimum, a government should master the following functions:
1. Maintain a properly running justice system;
2. Maintain effective policing to protect citizens from violence and infringement of individual rights.
3. Maintain an effective means of defending its boarders.
4. Maintenance of Infrastructure: roads, ports, institutions.
These are the foundational blocks of any safe and free democracy that promotes well-being and a thriving economy.
It is upon these four basic pillars that everything else depends.
If you examine Antigua and Barbuda’s scorecard on these four functions after 44 years, the following would be true:
1. The judiciary woefully lacks resources to adjudicate cases in a efficient and timely manner.
2. The police force is technically not independent and is only equipped to shutdown peaceful protests while lacking the capability to effectively respond to and solve crimes against ordinary citizens.
3. Antiguans and Barbudans are not the predominant nationality and are unfortunately treated as such. Added to that, government officials have been inclined to be duped such that aircraft full of Cameroon nationals can land and be dropped off without the knowledge of authorities. These same Cameroon nationals just as easily seeped through our borders to leave just as easy as they arrived.
4. There is ad hoc attention to infrastructure, where the government is simply responding to crisis after crisis: no water; collapsing roadways, widespread disrupted government services due to mold-infested office spaces; scandals; and the wanton sell-off of public lands to investors to the point where government has no land left to allow citizens to build their own homes. Consequently, the government is now forcibly grabbing private lands, ostensibly to provide low cost housing.
Can you imagine, that out of a possible 108,800 acres between the two major islands of Antigua and Barbuda, our governmemt has no public lands left.
Government’s failure in these four basic pillars inevitably contributes to the degradation of civil society and made the more visible by the number of derelict structures that litter the landscape. Visit any failing state or community and the first visible signs are derelict properties.
These are foundational pillars.
The economy means nothing if crime cannot be policed and solved. Tourists will simply not visit.
The cost of vehicular maintenance will increase, causing more and more environmental hazards and more tires entering our landfill. Not to mention your daily frustration with having to pick your path through potholes and craters.
Who would want to invest in a country where seeking legal redress takes a lifetime for the smallest of matters?
Who would want to setup a legitimate business in a country where the time to complete the process of incorporating a new business is unpredictable?
When you go to the polls, you need to be dispassionate. You should ask whether you are satisfied that your government has taken care of the basics.
Your vote should not be used to show support for a friend nor even someone that has been good to you, but rather, you need to focus on the long term and ask whether you are voting to strenthened the basic pillars of your society?
When I vote, I vote strategically.
Truth be told, there is hardly any difference between parties. The ABLP, UPP and DNA are replete with individuals that bounce between the various party corridors.
I tend to use my vote as a vote against the incumbent party rather than an endorsement of the viable alternative.
For example, if the UPP is in power and I feel that they must go, then I will vote for the alternative that has the greatest chance of ousting UPP, likewise if the ABLP is in power and needs the boot, then I will vote for the alternative that has the best chance of ousting the ABLP.
It is as clinical as that!
It is my considered opinion that it is healthy for NO political party to occupy the seat of government for more than two terms at a time, as I alluded to earlier.
For that reason, I have no love affair with any of the political parties.
I take the position of “being friends of all and satellites of none”, to use Errol Barrow’s words.
I really think that it is time for a rotation.
Vote for improvement.
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“I tend to use my vote as a vote against the incumbent party rather than an endorsement of the viable alternative.”
“It is my considered opinion that it is healthy for NO political party to occupy the seat of government for more than two terms at a time, as I alluded to earlier.”
These two statement invalidate everything else that is written in this diatribe that is masquerading as thought. They reveal that the writer’s rationale is as puerile as it is putrid. The stance is basically that it does not matter whether a government is performing well or not; it does not matter whether the opposing party is in a position to do a better job. Once a political party has been elected two terms then it’s time for them to go. How silly! No wonder the US got Trump now.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if employers and wives started doing the same thing too? No matter if you are a good employee or husband, once they give you a certain amount of time simply get rid of you the next day. Puerility at its very finest!
RALLYING CALL #13
I couldn’t agree more with everything that you have said in your commentary piece Mr Ephraim.
Over the last few weeks I’ve been highlighting that voting in the St Phillip’s North by-election is more than a vote between the two protagonists Alex Browne of the UPP and Randy Baltimore representing the ABLP, contesting this crucial seat. Its now about taking back the SOUL OF OUR COUNTRY.
Like you, I’ve mentioned on many occasions how our politicians, the judiciary and immigration authorities have badly neglected the country.
Our politicians are no longer trusted; the judiciary needs a complete overhaul to cut the delays in bringing cases to the courts; and the Immigration Department doesn’t inform the public about what they are doing to protect our borders.
Personally it breaks my heart.
I’ve also highlighted the media bias that propagate for the government in the run-up to the SPN by-election and not allowing the opposition equal air time. Absolutely scandalous!
Two things concerns me and my family about the upcoming by-election:
1) If the ABLP retain SPN, it sends a direct signal that the government can continue as before with no real changes
2) If the UPP takes the SPN seat, it’ll signal that not only the constituents want change, but will encourage the country to do the same when – as expected – Gaston Browne calls a snap General Election.
Again sir, I bow to your superior knowledge.
OUTSTANDING COMMENTARY ONCE MORE 👏🏾
I agree with this writer that Antiguans is in the minority in this country, and been an Antiguan patriot I will not dissolve that patriotism to be validated by no political party who wants to use amnesty or other means to arm the foreigners with passport and citizenship for votes, using pernicious terms about Caribbean brother and sisters, that along with the empowerment of the white class to critical real estate beachfront lands in Barbuda strengthening the Renaissance of servitude by my black African natives of this land as house maids and gardeners, because when a so call black government gives to the white race large tracks of lands resources and little to none to their black race they are surely engineering neocolonialism of economic power imbalance that will forever keep the former enslaved poor and at the mercy of the beneficiary of slavery, and Gaston brown even went as far as creating buffer zone for white enclave Jim crow style..
But it is dangerous that the ALP as an old institution has been used a conduit to foist Gaston brown a non entity on the people as prime minister, who have never been of any public service to antigua and Barbuda, never contributed in any way that is patriotic, and so we have someone willing to sell the country and passport to the point that we are banned from having USA vida and going to Canada.
This opinion should not be about how to vote but rather who to vote for.
New voters today are much more intelligent than those of the past.
So they know the process.
The education they need today is on the choice they make.
We have had fifty years of nothing.
We cannot continue the same.
We need true representation.
We need a change.
We cannot continue the old time mockery.
One man has already pledged to continue doing NOTHING.
We need lots of work in the constituency.
Alex Browne is the man for the moment.
He is the change that is needed.
This is the who to vote.
If you prefer to use how, Alex Browne is how to vote…..
A word to the wise should be sufficient, but we do not have many wise people here when it comes to politics. Antiguans and Barbudans are in the minority here and the ABLP wants it that way because that’s how they stay in power and we are too stupid to see through their strategy. I just hope on the 16 March St. Philip’s North sends a clear message and says no more
Who would want to invest in a country where seeking legal redress takes a lifetime for the smallest of matters?
Who would want to setup a legitimate business in a country where the time to complete the process of incorporating a new business is unpredictable?
Among the reasons why I remain a Country Man Abroad
RANDY BALTIMORE 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
MENTAL SLAVERY…
#Kaiso_Thyme
…@the good gentleman, the Countryman Abroad!
Oh gad? My lord?
…you’re asking why the system makes things, so hard?
…could it be a #brain_fog or #mental_retard?
Krazee! Dem crazy?
…everyday, I’m reading the Dread Eldread
…about, the colonized minds of the Walking Deads!
Jumbees! Come see me!
…and, they’re saying; it’s simply Mental Slavery
…so, I turned to the Spirit of my Grannie;
Hillie! Mama Hillie!
…could you please tell me, what is wrong with [we]?
…since, she’s a part of the first generation
…of, our beloved land and Nation
…to be born FREE, from PHYSICAL SLAVERY!
…she spoke straight to, my #third_eye;
…as, she said this to me!
…such behaviors are learned, through indoctrinations
…and, many have no idea about such notions
…but when you delve into Our history
Oh gad! My lord?
…it’s very plain to see
…it’s the intentions of, the Molders of Society!
Really! Truly!
…then as, a Jumbee_Picknee
…I came to, to the conclusion!
…this thing, has to be MENTAL SLAVERY!
…therefore, I made this simple recitation!
…MENTAL SLAVERY is simply; #A_State_Of_Mind
…and, over a period of time!
Sublimely! Insipidly?
…it can morph into, #A_State_Of_Being!
…now, once this come to past
The die! Them die!
…the Die, of the #Walking_Dead!
…the Oshuns said to me, has already being cast!
Nuff said! They’re Mentally Dead! Nuff said! Dem mentally dead!
Orange! Green! Blue! Yellow! Red!
Dem mentality dead!
Some say Labour is Bread!
While others can’t get fed!
Those beings are MENTALLY DEAD!
Dem mentality dead!
Tiff tone dead!
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrate_Bastard
Vere Edwards
…
@ obsessed, as an untutored ABLP acolyte (BTW, who Gaston Browne relies on to stay in power) can you actually refute – in any constructed dialogue – what I’ve said is incorrect?
I didn’t think so … none of you can 🤣
Imho, to have a good chance at winning, alternative parties would need to show clearly that they are “better” than the incumbent, have democratic and fair meritocratic systems for selecting persons for leadership positions and have a clear and workable developmental plan that matches the will of the populace. Unfortunately, the culture in this country has often been that persons from both sides view the government as a cash cow so opposition parties that take over simply channel funds to their own friends and cronies, in the same manner as the people they used to criticize prior. So, its really just a competition between two groups of friends as to who can control the country’s resources for largely their own benefit. However, each side does possess some persons who are genuinely trying to make life better for the common man and woman. So, the question is which party is more likely to be useful to the average person even as they compete to control everything for their own benefit. Perhaps someday all politicians or statesmen and women will realize that it is much more fulfilling to leave a legacy of genuine service and we will just get to choose between two wonderful sides with slightly different views, but who will both put the people first.
@non-political Excellent points.
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