By Kenrick Quashie
Protests, by nature, are not supposed to be orderly. At all times though, protests are, preferably, to be peaceful.
Dr. Friday said it best on Tuesday: the presence of the police should be to protect both the state and the protesters.
When one looked at what transpired on Tuesday, it is fair to conclude that some of the officers missed that point.
Honestly, I have long concluded that ULP needs to leave office. It is also the view of most Vincentians who voted in the last general elections.
The ULP definitely doesn’t have the moral authority to continue to govern. They can present whatever constitutional argument they wish. It is their words against them as uttered and strongly argued after the 1998 General Elections.
Let it be known that Kenrick Quashie supports the protest. Kenrick Quashie believes that the people of SVG should protest until general elections are called. He says so because under this current administration:
- Cornelius John will not see justice in the courts of law. The entire process has already been corrupted because of blind allegiance and blatant corruption.
- The issue of Cornelius John speaks to a broader issue at hand. If justice is corrupt, the police are corrupt and so many other independent institutions that are there to protect the ordinary man and woman are corrupt. Then those are causes for fresh elections. The Constitution set up these independent entities to protect us. Now they are compromised by politics. As such, the political directorate needs to be changed in order to purge them.
- This administration will continue to victimise and attack those who do not sing its tune. As a matter of fact, if there are supporters who dare to oppose once, they, too, will be victimised. Full loyalty is the only currency that is understood within the ULP.
- In the process, we are losing our young potential leaders. I strongly believe in youth leadership regardless of political sides. Unfortunately, so many young leaders in ULP feel compelled to defend all of the actions of this administration even if their conscience says otherwise as silence is construed as opposition. At this point, it is a crisis and we need to save them. When ULP goes into opposition, refreshing will take place and then young people in that party will find a voice. Until then, those that have always held the power will continue to dictate our young potential leaders’ voices. You and I know who I am talking about!
- Poverty is out of hand. We are still waiting on the revised poverty report. You and I know that things are hard. Even with more university degrees, greater job titles, at the end of the month we are all struggling to pay off our basic utilities and still eat properly. Every so often we have to choose which bill we will pay off at the end of this month and which we will pay next month. Even then utilities companies understand this (well except one, it seems), which is why they try their best to delay disconnection after three months of none payment.
- Too many of our young people are being sexually exploited just to get a job or an opportunity to advance in this life. Sadly, I am unable to expand on this point because it opens me to a lawsuit. It does not and will not change the fact that all of us know of cases of sexual exploitation by people in authority (sex-ploitation). Stop denying it! Stop playing blind to it and stop being and accomplice to it! Stop sacrificing your and your children’s dignity! It has never and will never be worth it! It is unfortunate to see and know of so many who see and know of this abuse but continue to defend it. Shame on you!
- Unemployment is sky high. Again, I don’t care how much of a staunch supporter of ULP you are, or how much you blame the unemployed for being “lazy”, you and I know that enough is not being done to provide employment for our people. I don’t believe that the government is to be the main employer. However, it has a responsibility to provide opportunities. This ULP government has fallen short and leaves a whole lot to be desired. The same recycled ideas can’t change the current trajectory. Only a change of government can.
I can give many more reasons. I don’t even want to start on the political dynasty that is being created before our eyes as if SVG is the plantation/property of a certain set of people. Those are my top 7. Seven is a perfect number!
Go out and protest! Only a change of administration will change the trajectory SVG is on. Demand fresh elections! Demand that additional charges be brought against those charged.
Stand firm! Don’t let the police intimate you! Protest and don’t infringe upon other people’s rights!
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