~~Adz:Left~~The month long preparation for the March for Democracy is now in the final leg. At a massive public meeting in the stronghold community of Sandy Point which hosts the lone Parliamentary Representative of the People’s Action Movement, the Party Leadership again delivered a rousing rallying cry to the stalwarts who came out in a strong show of support not only for the Party but also because there is a strong feeling of anger especially against the idea of overseas registration. It is clear from the very heated public discussion that can be heard over the airways that the public is following this issue closely and that there is a clear understanding of what is at stake. It is clear that the People’s Action Movement is riding a wave of public discontent with the Government about electoral Reform.
The mood in the final rally in Newtown on Wednesday 12th was very upbeat. The crowd was the largest that has gathered for a political meeting outside the campaign season in recent history and the organizers of the march has every reason to expect that the crowd on the march will be larger still. The crowd was vocally supportive as the speakers heaped much deserved opprobrium on the Denzil Douglas Administration for its blatant contempt for the democratic process. There is little doubt that this march will be a pivotal moment in the history of the Federation. It is difficult to remember the last time there was a public outpouring of political feeling like this one.
The period between the two General Elections in 1993 and 1995 was marked by a high level of fear and tension in the country as people suffered from both threatened and actual violence against their person and property. The violent onslaught visited upon St. Kitts by the “freedom fighters” of Labour was a reign of terror that has left a scar on this country. The atmosphere now could not be more different. The only fear in the air is fear of victimization from the Government if people take the bold step to stand up for their rights. Despite this many people have still indicated their support for the march and this is a strong indication that the organizers have done a good job of educating the public.
The last public meeting was held at the Industrial Site during the lunch time and there was a good crowd of women who stopped to listen. Traditionally, this group has not been a natural constituency for the PAM but in this new era all those rules have changed. The very high cost of living among other pressing issues has caused political upheaval so the traditional party lines have blurred. There was vocal support for the march and numerous pledges to attend. This is a good sign as it shows that people are thinking about the issues at hand rather than simply about party politics.
Today the People’s Action Movement will again make history in this Federation and every concerned citizen should be there to stand up and be counted in defense of a fair and credible electoral system.
