Especially in a challenging environment – change is the essential doctrine of progress!
This philosophical concept must be explored in the quest for personal development and the establishment of organizations: government and non-government. Ideally, companies are embracing change in the face of the ever-changing workplace environment warranted by these phenomenal factors: management style, technology, desire for growth, government regulations, needs to improve process and culture.
In light of this, the political landscape in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) requires huge modifications — an overhaul of the country’s policies, processes and practices that govern politicians and the political realm.
For argument, let us revisit the political arena in SVG — brace yourselves!
The demagogues within the political systems often influence citizens into voting for them through conceit, manipulation and psychology and refuse to discuss the issues that affect Vincentians. Rather they developed an ad hominen culture within the system — thoughts, which appeals to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect, and spearheaded by a leader who rejects great ideas and who has become the architect of “nation suing” and insults and the pioneer of divisiveness.
Moreover, this environment is overturned by machine politics, dystopia and partisan politics by a government that has placed its opposition in a remote corner and excluding them from important decision-making, and an opposition that seemed to disagree with every decision made by the government, even when it pursues good governance and projects that is beneficial to the future of the entire nation. This is not only evident in each party’s daily media programmes, but also in the House of Parliament, where there are constant political stabbing and bickering.
Meanwhile, citizens are dividing up themselves into parties, rather than being Vincentians and often installing imaginary political borders, going to the polls with no focus, direction of purpose, hence, blindly voting for politicians and personal benefits rather than policies — all this and more in one package!
The big question emerges: Why are people (politicians and citizens alike) refusing to change? Evidence shows that these people are making changes every day — from technology to jobs to academics, including other social, environmental and economic modifications, yet show enormous unwillingness to pursue political changes, holding unto their conventional wisdom while the nation slides into a coma.
Now, I am convinced that our political parties do no serve any good. Hence, it is safe to conclude that the political system needs changing by eliminating all political parties in the process. Henceforth, I am recommending that the legislators in SVG mimic a business model for the country’s development.
The business model also suggests that a CEO or general manager is recruited based on his experience, knowledge of the workplace and managerial skills, supported by a number of people from various backgrounds and temperament, working together, not in their interests, but in a way that maximizes shareholders’ wealth. Putting this into a national perspective, the prime minister is voted based on those same criteria and qualities of a CEO, in addition to her national policies, through debates and an elimination process supported by a number of different statesmen who has no group association and no political party to report to. Hence, the government is forced to look into the interest of the people and not representing political parties — hence, maximizing the country’s wealth.
In retrospect, these activities have created and promoted personal and identity politics!
Summarily, these politicians are shaping people’s politics by aspects of their identity through class, ideology, religion, profession and race, coupled with other correlated, yet simple to intuit social organizations. Meanwhile, like politicians, citizens are focused on self-interests, rather than the whole, separating themselves in groups where they can benefit most, hence, the opposite is facing oppression.
In fact, when considering politics in void, identity politics does not recognize the potential for mass consciousness to change. The reason being, this theory is generally approved only at the highest level of abstraction.
While the social, political and economic realm is deteriorating — driving degradation of the state — we are still hoping for a change in our political system. Rid the political parties and mimic a business model for the country.
Help me initiate the change we so desire, today!
D. Markie Spring
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