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Several months ago, I involved myself in the politics of St. Vincent. As I am writing this, I am thinking “Why did I do that?” The answer is easy. I love my birth country despite its many flaws and hoped to make a positive contribution.
When I became involved, I immediately realized that there was a “political gang” war going on between the Unity Labour Party (ULP) and the New Democratic Party (NDP). The ULP has been governing the country since 2001 and the NDP is literally desperate for power. Therefore, they are engaging some extremely dangerous and disgraceful tactics to achieve their objectives.
Vincentians do not dialogue. They engage in assault on each other because of this politics. They don’t look at the problems to find solutions. They engage “commess” (gossip) to keep the war going. I have tried my very best to be objective and sincere in calling “a spade a spade” in the hopes that individuals could see their destructive behaviour. However, these warriors are not fighting for country. They are political mercenaries fighting for personal rewards via power gained by their political party.
The hatred expressed by individuals within the NDP towards individuals that are ULP members is simply frightening. I am having visions of Rwanda if NDP should gain power. The Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has not been effective in calming things. Rather, he has helped to incite these NDP folks by calling them disrespectful names. This gives the NDP folks an excuse to go way down into the gutter with their responses.
Yesterday, I had it with all of the madness. After reading a post that was geared to incite racial war, I just simply went off. The irony is I saw that I was becoming like these folks. Their close mindedness was frustrating to me and was causing me to respond in ways that I abhor. I realize that some of these folks are like me. They didn’t start out as political mercenaries. However, they are locked into a homogenous culture and they show zero tolerance towards individuals that are different. Therefore, the differences in political approaches have caused them to double down in a negative way in their own myopic position.
The hate virus is contagious and if one is not wise to the pathology, he or she can be afflicted with this hate disease. The sad fact is that many who are afflicted do not see it. It’s similar to being crazy I suppose, where the individual does not know that he is crazy. Therefore, he is unable to stop the behaviour.
I am convinced that this gang war that is going on in SVG is not about improving the country. Rather, it’s about an accumulation of perceived offenses that have EGOS at a boiling point. These folks are unable to listen to reason from any source, God included. Some of them engaged in a despicable protest inside of an Anglican Church a few weeks ago because the Prime Minister was in attendance. This demonstration clearly showed that their hated for the Prime Minister exceed their love for their Christian God.
So, yesterday, I made the decision to purge my Facebook page and distance myself from this contagious hate. Life is too short to live with contention everyday. I don’t know how people do it. But, I just will not engage hate. Infinite love!!!
Helena
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Helena, nice try!
Look, dont leave! Just use a pseudonym like all the other folks an dem and come back. Just pick a partner and boogie-woogie… dont dig anything, its all good; Im available. Lol !
Well said.
Helena you are a bitter lady. And I kindly ask you not to write anymore dribble you sound just as delusional as the Prime Minister. “NDP people”? Lady what the hell are you talking about? they are called Vincentians if you didn’t know that’s what we are, when did it become normal to call people by the political party they support Helena? well guess what, it’s not normal and it’s not right. It wasn’t until the ULP got into power that people have started to be labelled, we heard who are not “potogee” and who didn’t come in chains and all kinds of nonsense. The ULP has been campaigning nonstop for 14 years, nonstop, have you seen the state of SVG? unbelievable. If you don’t like the members of the NDP that’s fine, but to act like the ULP is a good government is ridiculous. Finally people can see who you really are Helena no more hiding for you now .Love for party and to hell with country eh? ahhh boy well I never.
You know this thing has bothered me for a while and no matter how I look at it, i just cannot figure it out. How does a government do so badly for all the terms in office and only have trinkets that they give away to show that they did something, still have people post nonsense like this?. They have an out break of the mosquito virus in the Grenadines and you have people wishing for them to die out to help win the Grenadines seat. Vincentians have been pleading for helps for so long now in the Grenadines and not ah help. Why aren’t you braying about that? I guess it’s not important enough to write about eh
The level of work and experience that Mr Eustace has in finance is incredible, but people at every turn dismiss the man like a nobody, is it racism? or what ?I can’t figure it out. If Mr Eustace started acting like he knew more than a lawyer about the law he would be laughed at, but in SVG, we have a PM who is a lawyer who acts like he knows more about economics than an economist and he is applauded, so I ask again, is it racism?. Victimizing Vincentians every turn, bring bigger biggs and many others to their knees and we still have rubbish like this being posted?
Lady you must be out of your mind. I can spend all day telling you how nonsensical that piece of yours is, but i’m just going to let it be. Keep your rubbish on Facebook, we will not tolerate it here. Thank you kindly, wheel and never come again.
You are dead wrong to blame the divisiveness in SVG on politics because it was deeply entrenched long before the advent of political parties in the late 1940s. The conflicts are long-standing and deeply rooted: racial antagonisms; colour prejudice; class divisions; the opposition between European and creole culture; family feuds; inter-personal envy; and more.
All have been endlessly examined by historians, political scientists, sociologists, and anthropologists.
The divisions between political parties only built on and took advantage of what was already there.
Love it or hate it, but see it for what it is: the fundamental nature of the Caribbean experience.
What are you trying to say? Go to hell Helena. You talking a lot of crap in trying to sound neutral but you can’t hide. Your vision of Rwanda will be reality if ULP remained in power because they have been unfair to Vincentain in many ways. In relation to jobs. Is only ULP elite supporters and their children are entitled to be given jobs in this country while the rest even though they are qualified must suffer. This is total unfair practice and what goes around will come back around to haunt you and the ULP and their supporters one day. The time is coming. RING THE BELL!
You said that ‘Vincentians does not dialogue’,but then you went on to mention the hatred within the NDP.Are you refering to persons in the leadership of the party or spokemen/women within the NDP? I living outside of SVG for the past 6yrs but I am aware of where the bulk of the hatred and political division is coming from.I really don’t think you are living in SVG.Have you followed the socio-political ill’s that have rampaged this nation since’all fool’s day’ of 2001? You are just following the utterance of the the PM,that the NDP are interested in ‘ political war ‘.When we speak of our concerns and vision for our country we must try to be as truthful as possible.Putting our personal emotions and favour for party and mankind aside.Mrs.Chance need to look at some of these articles and make sure they present some form of truthfulness and facts.This blog must not be an avenue for propagating on behalf of a party.I am not a supporter of NDP but from what I know of the leadership of the party,was not reflected in this article.This article is an injustice to our elected parlimentarians.
Helena, i agreed with some of the things you wrote, but you’re wrong about my comments starting a race war. my comments was a wake up call to vinventians, to let them know that they have the power to demand transparency from their elected officials and not let the govt do as they please. why didn’t the people demand an aploogy when he insulted anesia baptise, by calling her a nappy head gal and all the countlesss insults to mr eustace and the people of svg. I like what you wrote and i hope you gave up, cause svg need people like you. change will come to svg sooner tha later, and a start is to limit the govt to two terms.
Helena, I hope your husband is aware of all the crap you are posting again. According to reports I have read on line, he has recieved some dreadful emails over the years because of your online behavior.
May I suggest instead of walking you run, I can assure you, very few will miss you.
Helena, my comment was not to incite race war,rather it was meant as a wake up call to svg. You don’t have to travel Rwanda to hear of civil war, just look at the political situation that went on in jamiaca in the 70’s. the two parties were so desperate for power, that the cia brought so much guns to that country that jamiacans on both sides were killing each other over political divide. Forward to 2014, look at the political division in svg who knows what will happen, nothing i hopebut then look at what happen at lynch’s funeral. I think svg needs more people like you to inform the country, keeps the good work. Don’t quit.
Helena, you are very correct. Vincentians are not very good at respecting each other’s opinions and agreeing to disagree. This is evident from the levels of violent crimes in the country. Quite honestly, the manner in which some of these politicians conduct themselves is despicable. We need to enact anti discriminatory legislation to address these flagrant racial abuses.
I know of a country in the Caribbean where the politicians fight each other very fiercely but after the sitting of the house they all sometimes meet at the bar and have drink. They all attend the funerals of their citizens and sit together. Though they may have significant differences they are a very tolerant and forgiving people. The citizens hardly ever use violence to settle their disputes or Indifferences. They support each other during funerals, graduations etc. Some of them attend the same church. They meet and greet each other in the street like brothers and sisters. They are truly a people who are very good at dealing with their differences. They enact legislation to ensure that every foreign investor must have a local partner and that partner must have 51 % of the business. They have created a reserve category of businesses that only their citizens can invest in. They reserve their citizenship to only a few after a long period of wait. They sell their citizens crown land at a reduce cost. This country is Turks and Caicos Islands. They ensure that their citizens are given priorities for jobs and expatriates after. It’s amazing how the politicians take care of their own and deal with their differences. It’s not a perfect country but it is certainly an enviable one.
So my friends, instead of our politicians fighting for power and defaming each other they should be trying to bring our country together and provide opportunities for our citizens. We need a truth and reconciliation commission. Let’s focus on our strengths to build this beautiful country of ours and throw Indifferences behind. Let’s be respectful and courteous at all times. Let’s try to devise a strategy to address the violent crimes in our country and get the guns off the streets. Let’s agree to disagree and show the world what a wonderful, educated and innovative people we are. Remember politics is a service and not an absolute right to governance for life. It was not design to be a career but an act of unselfish service to God and country.
I think the article written by “A VOTER has a clear picture of Helen’s views. She actually named one person who calls others nasty names – The Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves. She didn’t come up with a NDP official who goes down that road. I just don’t follow her beef! However I agree with her position to get out. This struggle in SVG is not for the faint of heart.