"NO MORE"

By T.C. Phipps-Benjamin

On St. Kitts and only minutes away on Nevis, economic, social, educational, religious, political and other woes make the damning effects of the weather seem minimal, and our predicament is worsened by the scourge of divisiveness that is allowed to reign among us unchecked. 

When a child does wrong, a parent may scold that child by saying, "Son/Daughter, I am punishing you because I told you not to do something and you still went ahead and did it. You will not only be deprived of X for Y number of days, but until you prove to me that you intend to change your behaviour, the punishment holds." Many parents still use the power of the whip to do the talking, but in most cases, the child knows he's being punished for some wrong he has done. We essentially tell our children NO MORE, and appropriate the relevant punishment that would hopefully correct their behaviour. We teach our children that they ought to be guided by rules and that if these rules are broken, there are consequences.  C O N S E Q U E N C E S! 

How then do we ripen in age to be called adults and deem it best to do away with the very guiding principles that shaped us as children by embracing wrong? In fact, how is it we so skillfully manage to condemn wrong based solely on our political affiliation?

Few of us want to admit that even if a political opponent allegedly tricks a candidate into entering a hotel room with a phony investor to discuss the exchange of land for cash, the fact that a discussion even happened was an absolute error in judgment. Why is it that advisers and supporters don't feel the politician should be chided, a public apology demanded, and resignation considered?  

Instead, lips are sealed; opinions are muffled; admission of wrong is "political suicide" so the "modus operandi" is to dismiss "it" and with time, "it" will go away."  Meanwhile, the electorate, supporters and non-supporters alike, are still asking questions; stained by the memory of "it". 

Imagine running a political campaign condemning the actions of one's opponent, only to be engaged in acts just as questionable. 

Imagine leading a country, engaging in alleged shady business deals and feeling no need to be transparent or accountable to the people who elected you. 

Imagine a leader pleading with the electorate to tighten their financial belts and become more fiscally prudent when that very leader coined the phrase "national debt me 'bumper'", ignoring the financial hole we have been digging, and digging, and digging until alas, here we sit, everyone of us slaves to Massa IMF?

Is wrong in the 21st century wrong anymore or is there a "lesser and a greater wrong"?

Neither Labour, CCM, PAM nor NRP supporters will be exempt from VAT's 17% impact when - by all indication - it is implemented on November 1, 2010. It is a burden that will be borne by ALL citizens. 

The impact of poor social services or lack of the delivery of everyday resources such as electricity and water isn't just felt by one set of political supporters. 

The impact of violent crime experienced by a neighbor today can very well land on another citizen's doorstep tomorrow.

When our leaders tell the electorate all's well and then deliver doom and gloom adorned with bells and whistles to make it appear rosy, ALL citizens “swim or sink”, “do or die” together.

Isn't it time we remove our political blindfolds and stop going lightly on our politicians because of our political allegiances? Don't we actually hurt them when we pacify and stick out our necks for them while they continue to do wrong, hindering the development of our entire federation in the process?

Standing up and saying NO MORE is by no means a personal attack on any politician. It is instead a collective appeal by citizens - the electorate to whom politicians come every five years - for our leaders to assert themselves and actually lead, not aspire to attain the lethal spoils of power and greed.