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A Letter To Peter Wickham

2/14/2014

14 Comments

 
Dear Mr Wickham,

                            I am writing you for two main reasons: I am hoping that you can help me resolve a small problem and I want to share a discovery with you that maybe you could pass on.

First my small problem; I am not a politician (this is not the problem) and I have come over the years to accept and be quite comfortable with the fact that I don’t understand politics, at all (that is not really the problem either). My already limited understanding of politics is further restricted by the fact that from my position (that would be underfoot) all politicians look like heels, and when they speak in their hyperbolic, oft times disingenuous, political jargonese about “failed policies” and “fiscal measures/deficits” and “no, we will not, not even as a symbolic gesture of solidarity cut our salaries”*, they all sound exactly the same to me. From where I stand it appears that Barbados has only one political party, possibly with two chapters (but I’m not even really convinced about that). Can you imagine the abject confusion I experience, particularly these days, when listening to the “everything is the other party’s fault!” political speeches that are so popular now? I never know who is talking about whom. The only clear message that I come away with is that EVERYBODY is to blame.  

Up till now, I had never considered this lack of mine to be a shortcoming, I am after all a mere civilian and apparently my responsibility (according to at least one politician I can think of) is to be civil or get my head cracked. That aside, I have never, again up till now, felt that I needed a particularly deep understanding of how politics and government really work to participate in the political process, after all how many microwave users truly understand how a microwave really works?

 I realise now that this is analogy falls apart when you consider that most microwave users at least understand what a microwave is supposed to do. I suspect that if we really knew what government was supposed to do we would have realised a long time ago (more than ten years) that artificially creating jobs for yard-fowls (among other things) is a sign that government is malfunctioning…though by the same token we should have realised that expecting and/or accepting such jobs is indicative of a malfunctioning electorate.

But I digress, my problem, Mr Wickham is that I know something is wrong (with the economy…perhaps?) I know something is wrong because our politicians are behaving like the unlikely offspring of skittish horses and headless chickens (headless horsckens?). I know something is wrong and I want to be proactive but I have absolutely no idea how to proceed!

 If I didn’t know better (which I barely do), when I listen to one side of DBLP I would be convinced that they were blameless and that our dilemma is indeed vaguely connected to some global crisis or other but exists primarily as a result of the B side of the party squandering times of plenty, failing to plan, mislaying resources and leaving the D side to inherit an unprepared mess while they (the B side) systematically hinder or directly block moves to recovery. However when I listen to the B side I would (again if I didn’t know better) come away with the belief that they are blameless and that our problems stem from the fact that the D side has fallen asleep at the wheel, and run out of ideas and that they have, in essence, betrayed the trust of an entire nation. More recently I get the impression listening to Minister Mottley that everything, including the recent heavy rains, is Chris Sinckler’s fault. I’m sure all of this talk has provided a rich substrate for plant growth but it leaves me not knowing who to (dis)believe.

Clearly it is time to figure out what the fuck a microwave is supposed to do! This is, in my opinion, where you come in Mr Wickham, you are after all, a political analyst, and as such I want to ask your assistance in making sense of this interminable mess.

Before I ask for your help, however, I think I should explain that I don’t really understand what a political analyst does. I know some smarty pants is probably laughing at me now and saying “a political analyst analyses politics moron!” But it stands to reason that if I don’t understand politics I may also not understand political analysis.

I raise the issue of my lack of understanding because it is entirely possible that what I am about to ask of you falls outside the duties of a political analyst and if so I beg your forgiveness in advance. I also mention my lack of understanding because the first thing I am going to do is complain (I do it so well!).

The complaint: I have noticed that you and other political analysts have been writing political commentaries that seem to focus on internal power struggles and how the two chapters of DBLP are positioning (or failing to position) themselves to handle the next election. The problem with this is… how can I put this delicately? NOBODY GIVES A FUCK!!

 Let me explain. A week or two ago by now, I saw an article in the Nation Newspaper captioned “Wickham raps PM’s Absence”. I started reading, but was unable to finish, distracted by what seemed to me at the time (and now) the far more important task of assiduously picking my nose. I was able to discern that you had expressed concern as to what message the Prime Minister was sending by failing to attend MP Estwick’s meeting, but I didn’t care. I didn’t care then and I don’t care now whether or not MP David Estwick is staying with the party or crossing the floor, or starting his own party, or retiring from politics or going to mars on an extended vacation.

Similarly regarding the “misunderstanding” between leader of the opposition Mia Mottley and former PM Owen Arthur, I don’t care! I don’t care if Mr Arthur regains leadership of the party or if Ms Mottley retains it or if they get married pack the unbreakables and join MP Estwick on the red planet resort. I simply don’t give a fuck!

It’s not that I don’t understand how these internal power struggles compromise a country’s stability, I do. Those of us on the ground (as opposed to in the air?) live daily with the dearth of practical ideas that are a consequence of this bickering we don’t need anyone to expound on the message being sent because we got the message loud and clear a long time ago. We (well I) don’t care how well or badly positioned they are for the next election because there is life between elections and it is we who have to survive it.

I would be much more interested in getting some insight as to whether Mr Estwick’s idea regarding the United Arab Emirates is a feasible one, or if Mr Arthur's suggestion that the private sector needs to pick up the slack from the public sector has merit or if Ms Mottley’s eminent persons group could really help to get us out of this mess. It doesn’t make sense to rely on our politicians for clarity on this as it seems they can only speak opositionally i.e. if A suggests it, B says it is bullshit or vice versa (that should have read “if D suggests it, B says it is bullshit”)

One more thing before I solicit your help. A confession; I acknowledge (without absolving our politicians) that we the public are not blameless, we have participated greatly in the creation of an inefficient, ineffectual, monolith called the public sector, we have done so through a disgraceful work ethic (the visible minority) and our consensual silence about it (the silent majority). It is we who trained our politicians into believing (or at the very least reinforced the belief) that pandering to our basest, short term, short sighted needs was a sustainable political strategy. Consider shenanigans like the free money that appears in peoples’ hands around election time*2 or the people who have jobs that they are barely qualified to do but (until recently) have no reason to fear being fired as X person of power had put them there.

Mr Wickham I would love to hear from a political analyst how we go about redressing that. I would love to see a discourse on how the public can show political maturity and recognise that going to the polls is not the only time that we have an influencing voice. I want an exploration as to why administration after administration in this country has suffered from ID (Implementation Dysfunction) and how we can inject some political Viagra into the bloodstream. I want someone to explain to me why it is that every time someone (like myself) who clearly doesn't understand politics suggests that this calls for a bipartisan approach they are told that the way it works is that the opposition opposes as if we are automatons and therefore cannot adjust.

Another quick confession before I get to my discovery: It is very easy to talk about the stupidity and corruption of our politicians, it’s easy, it’s fun and, in my case, it helps me professionally, but it is, for the most part fallacious. With one or two notable exceptions our politicians are highly intelligent and accomplished people who, I believe are fully aware (I venture more so than we) of the dangers we currently face, I fear that part of the problem is that we are all trapped in a paradigm. But we are not automatons so that is no excuse.

Which leads me to my discovery; I was walking along a paved road, I’m genuinely not sure if it was paved with good intentions or with empty promises that looked like good intentions but I am certain it was the road to hell, anyhow as I walked I came upon a paradigm in which oppositions opposed governments indiscriminately and the political elite were not truly held accountable for their actions/inactions. Mr Wickham the paradigm was broken; maybe you should let someone know!

Sincerely

Nala (The $2 Philosopher)


* I am fully aware of the 10% cut to be taken at some yet to be determined time.
*2 I know that depending on who you ask these things "never" happen.

14 Comments
C
2/15/2014 01:59:20 am

I can't tell you what politicians do but I can tell you what they are supposed to do.
They are supposed to be the people's representatives in govt.
The economic part of your blog (most of the blog) should be answered by an economist ... too often political scientists, heads of various organizations (including the head teacher's union) discuss economics pretending they have a clue.

Reply
The $2 Philosopher
2/15/2014 04:57:50 am

"They are supposed to be the people's representatives in govt." Which means what exactly?
However I take your other point.

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M
2/15/2014 07:54:16 pm

Great post, I hope someone can give you and answer and hopefully it can be shared with Caricom as well. I'm Trinidadian and it's the same shit. Our leaders are egomaniacs and should learn to be humble and perform their responsibilities. The truth is we lack strong leadership and perhaps this is a result of our history. As a region we are young and don't have a great history upon which to build an identity. Our youth look and see leaders who are in politics to make money for themselves and so they don't accept what "society" offers. Our problems have only begun and will grow significantly unless good policies are developed to grow the region. Problem where are our leaders? Unfortunately our intellectuals are not focused on this dilemma. Hopefully your letter will begin a process.

Reply
The $2 Philosopher
2/16/2014 12:39:52 am

Thanx for that! Like you I believe that history has helped to shape our leadership style (ouch)...if we don't get past our history we will become history!
Not holding my breath for answers though we gonna have to find those ourselves, I suspect.

Reply
Nigel
2/16/2014 12:08:02 am

I came across this on Facebook, it startled me for two reason, the first and foremost being that I had long stopped harboring illusions that social media was more than a glorified new fandangled form of inane gossip. Secondly, i cannot believe I've finally found someone that "gets it"
I don't blame the politicians, ultimate accountability has to come down to us, the electorate. We've come far as a nation since the days of the horse drawn cart and burning manure as a fuel source, but the shit has stuck on us, or maybe dulled our senses. Politicians are just doing a job, we the people pay them to do such, they're not doing it from some sense of civil responsibility or because they have a universal mandate given by some higher entity. They're people just like us, the general electorate and as such have much the same motivations and frailties. What is needed here is some damned accountability! The days of corned beef and a shot of rum politricks must end! By day during parliament these jokers put on a play worthy of Broadway and hoodwinked us the average citizen into thinking that either party gives a damn, they do not....
They are all highly paid and trained hucksters with their own best interest at heart first and foremost. What needs to be done is quite simply this. From the head of the chicken back down to the worthless (in the opinion of most) spur, must all be weighed and made accountable for what they have been empowered to do. We the people must stop seeing government as some nebulous body of creator entities and start seeing them as what they are, employees that have been left to run amok for far too long with no restraints. This country needs some agitation, show our voice not just at the polls but on the blogs, in the newspapers, casually on the street corners and even in the rums hope while eating corned beef and drinking the damnable rum. Put some righteous fear in these jokers and let them know we will no longer stand for this mediocrity!
I hope to correspond with you regarding this subject and others more and Thank you for helping to once again igniting a spark of hope within.

Sincerely,

Nigel

Reply
CARICOM YOUTH
2/16/2014 12:08:34 am

Dear $2 Philosopher,

Knowledge is only power once it is applied... I say this to provide a possible answer to your small problem.... Similar to your troubles in Barbados, so do we your CARICOM neighbours share your problem...

In my search for answers - I found out another discovery similar to yours - which is our democracies as dynamic as they are all lack a very fundamental element - empowerment laws or legislation for voters to be able to hold our elected representatives accountable for their respective actions or inactions when it comes to governing and making policies and decisions that make or break the little comforts in our lives....

Where is the check and balance for the people?? - How can we stop wayward or corrupt or childish officials making self serving or self interest decisions that we have to survive with during the 5 year cycles?? Why can't the people say no or find another way or your wrong to the representatives that are "suppose" to represent US??? How come our representatives all seem to know and tell us what we want, when they never meet with us and ask us what are our needs or desires?? Why isn't our socioeconomic and cultural or even political priorities theirs??

Many would like our Caribbean people to think that politics or economics or even running a government is complex - when its farthest from the truth... Political parties and politicians thrive best in confusion why? - less focus on the actual issues...

I've found that the moment we empower the people (whether by implementation of petitions or recalls laws etc) is only when we will see our politicians change and its not simply that we encourage and contributed to the current state of affairs na - its that we've been taught that this is what it is suppose to be...

Think about it similar to your microwave analogy - you can't expect people to call out wrong when they don't even know what right is suppose to be....

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The $2 Philosopher - My $2
2/17/2014 10:31:37 pm

Food for thought!

Reply
Colin Daniel
2/16/2014 12:58:53 am

Well said ;;.It is time both party's stop the bull shit and come together and solve the problems Barbados faces. Both party's created the mess.Now solve it.

Reply
Cammy
2/16/2014 02:32:34 am

Nala
There are are a lot of things we use (like the microwave) that we do not know how they work. However, we usually have very specific expectations as to the outcome when we use/activate these things. When our expectations are continually not met, such as cold soup or half popped bag of pop corn, then we throw out the malfunctioning device and acquire a new one.
..........................

Reply
The $2 Philosopher -
2/16/2014 10:45:08 pm

Agreed Cammy, but I real frightened that all the microwaves are defective.

Reply
Blaff
2/16/2014 06:43:36 am

Two Dollar: This was a thought provoking post. Both political parties pack government jobs with their lackeys.( This kind of nepotism is as Barbadian as cou cou. If you doubt me check the boards of our local companies.)

There is little investigative journalism going on because the media managers don't want it and the public do not demand it. Nobody is asking the tough questions and if they do will they be allowed to keep their column?

As much cutting of jobs and expenses as we are doing, we still need to bring money into the country. What has happened to agriculture? Manufacturing?

Instead of consulting with government (which has made agreements with the IMF on what they will do already), unions should be coming up with a plan to help their members and should be holding government's feet to the fire if it crosses legal and ethical bounds. All our unions (except for one) have been softened up and seduced by the social partnership and seem not to know how to fight.

Good luck to Peter W if he takes you up on your suggestion.

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Rooster
3/9/2014 12:56:52 pm

Yes, all the microwaves are broken. Not just in Barbados and the rest of Caricom, but also in the U.S. and I think the U.S. was the role model for the malfunctioning. Can you write a letter to the political anal-yst for the U.S.? I don't know who you would address it to because, like you, I know nothing about politics.

P.S. You rock!

Reply
CaribScribe link
8/20/2014 12:05:21 am

I don't know who you are, but I love love this post! Brilliantly said! Kudos. One love and bless up.:-)

Reply
The $2 Philosopher
8/20/2014 04:48:42 am

Thanx for that. I'm glad you enjoyed it (I'm sorry the circumstances made me write it).

I'm a frustrated, jaded Caribbean man who feels we should demand so much more from our so called "leaders".

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    The $2 Philosopher is a devout cynic and practicing curmudgeon! He believes whole-heartedly in change, not as a result of social will but rather as an inevitable consequence of the passage of time. 

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