By *Apostle Dr. Dillon Burgin
I have had many moments of contemplating this question: What kind of country are we living in? Are we under communism, or some kind of dictatorship, monarchy, fascism, or a police state? I have addressed this question in a separate article. So, I will not answer it here.
However, I will state emphatically that St. Vincent and the Grenadines has lost its moral bearing and has reneged on its social contract as a nation. That is to say, one can easily observe the vulgarisation of the Vincentian culture and the weaponisation of the music that is popularly heard on the minivans and even in private vehicles as they blast vulgarity.
There is an obvious disregard for children and a blatant disrespect for seniors in our society presently. I remember when a place like Cane Garden was treated as pristine and as a treasured haven. Now you can observe vehicles speeding through that community as they blast their music and honk their horns.
Besides the vulgarisation of the culture and the weaponisation of the music, there has been a subtle and strategic take-over of civic society and institutions that once guarded the decency of our beloved country. I had to ask someone the other day: “Is there a formidable farmers group in SVG today?
When I was a younger man, 25 years ago, I remember hearing on the news reports frequently about what was essentially a national farmers’ union. There was a vibrant National Youth Council, which was effective in helping community youth organisations across the country.
Little Tokyo was a place where people waited for minivans to take them to their homes, not an open liquor park where vans only go to wait on commuters during non-peak hours. Students made it into high school because they demonstrated proficiency in core subject areas and in reading.
Now, students can’t read or can barely read, yet they are granted placement in regular high school with no provision for remedial reading or programs to bring them up to proficiency level.
The above observations are but a few examples of how the Vincentian society has devolved into an almost “do as you like” culture with dire consequences for our future well-being. This is where my call comes for a restoration of a society that is decent, considerate, respectful and noble.
Restoration originally meant bringing something back to a former or original state or condition, including healing, repairing, or re-establishing something that was lost or damaged.
Hence, the call to vote for restoration is a call to liberate St. Vincent and the Grenadines from a one-man dictatorship to a society that is guided by strong institutions, active civic organisations and a sense of collective accountability. This is necessary in order for us to hold individuals accountable for indecent and damaging behaviours towards the public good.
Let me be clear, I am absolutely committed to the idea and ideal of a party-less society, for which I have a detailed outline. Hence, I am not a member of any political party. However, I am clear in my mind and I am convinced that after 24 years of ULP leadership, St. Vincent and the Grenadines needs to exhale and hit the reset button. Vincentians need to vote in the NDP (since we do not have a viable third party or a better alternative) and then quickly move to guide them and to scrutinise their every move from the first day in office.
The ULP started out very well a quarter of a century ago, but it became a runaway train that gave rise to a dictator. This must not be allowed to happen again. In fact, the NDP should be voted in, but should not be allowed to serve for more than ten years under the same leader. Vincentians must vote in the NDP with a mandate for Restoration and advancement; then we must hold them accountable with extreme prejudice over their term of governance.
*Apostle Dr. Dillon Burgin is an author, a playwright and an advocate.
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