Dear Editor,
I am an uncommitted, non-tribal, non-partisan electorate, but certainly not apathetic or detached from the political process. However, this was never always the case because I grew in a highly partisan and tribalistic political family, where their leaders were almost divine and their utterances were sacrosanct, while the leaders and members of the opposing party were akin to Lucifer and his demons.
My exodus from those parts to Kingston, and my interaction with my more liberal neighbours, professional colleagues and fellow students at college gave me the freedom to think, evaluate, and discuss political issues without being socially ostracised or sidelined. This gave me the freedom to think objectively and weigh all the issues before exercising my franchise to cast my ballot.
There were times when the policies promulgated by both were so blurred and impractical that I refused to vote, but the three times I did my decision was based on national issues and what I thought was in the best interest of the country. Due to this new-found political openness, I had voted for three different political parties at different times for different reasons. My grandfather must have turned in his grave at the sight of me putting an X beside the symbol he vehemently despised. My friends joked that I am politically confused, but my light response was, “No, I am simply politically free!” I enjoy intellectual freedom too much to be such a rock stone ‘P’ that I can’t think, speak, or vote my conscience.
My fellow uncommitted, proud non-partisan, and non-tribalist, the power lies in our hands because we have the bulk of the votes; it’s time we render powerless the vociferous party loyalists, the many who refuse to be objective, moral or fair. I strongly suggest we take action this time around, study the manifestos of both parties, examine the national issues, pay close attention to the leadership cadre of both parties, and vote with your conscience, always acting in the best interest of our beloved nation and the futures of our children and grandchildren.
Too much is at stake to be apathetic and passive!
Delroy Scarlett
St Andrew
I am an uncommitted, non-tribal, non-partisan electorate, but certainly not apathetic or detached from the political process. However, this was never always the case because I grew in a highly partisan and tribalistic political family, where their leaders were almost divine and their utterances were sacrosanct, while the leaders and members of the opposing party were akin to Lucifer and his demons.
My exodus from those parts to Kingston, and my interaction with my more liberal neighbours, professional colleagues and fellow students at college gave me the freedom to think, evaluate, and discuss political issues without being socially ostracised or sidelined. This gave me the freedom to think objectively and weigh all the issues before exercising my franchise to cast my ballot.
There were times when the policies promulgated by both were so blurred and impractical that I refused to vote, but the three times I did my decision was based on national issues and what I thought was in the best interest of the country. Due to this new-found political openness, I had voted for three different political parties at different times for different reasons. My grandfather must have turned in his grave at the sight of me putting an X beside the symbol he vehemently despised. My friends joked that I am politically confused, but my light response was, “No, I am simply politically free!” I enjoy intellectual freedom too much to be such a rock stone ‘P’ that I can’t think, speak, or vote my conscience.
My fellow uncommitted, proud non-partisan, and non-tribalist, the power lies in our hands because we have the bulk of the votes; it’s time we render powerless the vociferous party loyalists, the many who refuse to be objective, moral or fair. I strongly suggest we take action this time around, study the manifestos of both parties, examine the national issues, pay close attention to the leadership cadre of both parties, and vote with your conscience, always acting in the best interest of our beloved nation and the futures of our children and grandchildren.
Too much is at stake to be apathetic and passive!
Delroy Scarlett
St Andrew