After 50 years, there is no political maturity

Jun 16, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,

Fifty years, depending on what is being measured can be a very long or short time. I think the word applied here for such an examination is relative. Whatever credit we as a people, a nation might want to bestow on ourselves as grand achievements for this 50 years journey we are free to do so, but please let us not include political maturity, for certainly that is not one, in fact the lack of it has been probably the main reason for many of our ills.
I have on a few occasions heard stories of persons who during national elections making a snap-shot of their ballot when in the polling booth showing the way they voted. This as I understand is done for later reference as proof of where their loyalty lies. And this is mostly done by those who are viewed as suspicion, wearing a mask, pretending, playing games and desiring the “best of both worlds”. So depending on which ever way it turns they can either remain playing along or flip/switch, a kind of Jekyl and Hyde scenario.
Now this is somewhat weird to me: why lessen the chances of that which you are profiting from if that’s your objective – beats me. But why do people behave this way? What impels one to take this line of slippery action? Of not wanting to reveal their true selves? Of not wanting the public to know where they truly stand? Plain and simple – hypocrisy and dishonesty. And why these individuals who snapped their ballot paper appears to be the most dangerous, calculating and deceitful, they are so many more amongst us who are no different including some who are hooked and drowning on religion.
While this is a sad and damning state of affairs upon closer examination we may discover that apart from rogues, rank opportunists and turncoats, our quality of politics have messed us up, a perception that was planted, a fear in the minds of our people overtime. There are so many terrible experiences, testimonies which this 50 year old nation can attest to. The journey was dotted with trying time.
To be critical of the government of the day, speaking out meant putting one’s life at risking that one could be threatened, victimised, put out of a job, the welfare of one’s family at stake, denied a contract, a scholarship, overlooked for a meritorious promotion, denied a house lot etc., the examples are numerous. These are not fairy tales, they have occurred, things people have seen and felt and which have had indelible and overpowering influence on the psyche of this nation. Thus the hypocrisy and deceit that we see today were learned behaviour that we inculcated overtime and used as if they were our survival kit.
Little wonder why many are still afraid to show their true colour, why they are edgy, uneasy in saying frankly what they feel-what their minds are trying to tell them except for those who are “connected”, those in open support. Understand that there is still fear flowing like an undercurrent that lingers on, hence the reason why people look around before they speak, why they talk with fork-tongue – say one thing here and something else there; why they say flattering things or hold their tongue as the case maybe so as not to ruin their chances for whatever.
Bottom line is, they do this as a way of guarding themselves, they understand the game – they know where it’s at! And make no mistake about it: this cunning Brer Anancy dealings – “dance ah battom look ah top” is equally and better acted out by many highly educated/qualified folks who love to boast about being markable and are haughty and stuck-up, they are the ones, the king-pins who shamelessly play this double role, the real Jekles and Hydes.
So entrenched it was, we are still feeding off of it inspite of all the years, it’s embedded. For a tiny nation I think we came somewhat close to living through a period of “Big Brother is watching.” The above account still crawls under our skin, it’s a thread that runs through the political fabric of our society as is expressed in the daily false behaviour/actions and pretence that has been implanted a long time ago and still ticking. One valid reason why we have to forever remain vigilant.
Frank Fyffe

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After 50 years, there is no political maturity

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