Commentary
Put up your vote or shut up!
M. Theresa Lewis Pitcairn
There appears to be a certain cynicism aboutpolitical leadership in our community as evidenced by the numberof candidates that are running in this election and by commentsinvariably aired by the public without fear on 'Talk Today'.
It is not uncommon to hear people say that they are disenchantedwith leadership; that leadership is arrogant and does not listento the electorate, has no integrity; that politicians care moreabout getting elected than the electorate, buy votes, make emptypromises, care far more about winning than developing strategiesthat make for a better nation, manipulate, are dishonest and havebankrupt policies.
In a letter that I submitted earlier this year, I sought to suggestreasons why Caymanians and residents alike exhibit a gagged mentality:overworked, stressed, worried, numerous day to day dilemmas, ahistory of psychological dependence which has spawned an inferioritycomplex. Possibly also, some of us live lives which are not affectedby who is in government therefore we are apathetic.
Lately, I had the opportunity of speaking to a few mothers inour society. They suggested that this apathy is probably lessto do with the lack of concern but more to do with their senseof powerlessness.
They were concerned about who would take care of their childrenand parents if they were victimised in the workplace for speakingout. They also felt that they were powerless because they didnot have an education to give them the assurance, confidence andself-esteem which would give them the freedom to find jobs locallyand internationally if necessary.
But what is the alternative? To simply stay quiet? As the philosopherEdmund Burke said: "All that is needed for the forces ofevil to triumph, is for enough good people to do nothing."Somewhere along the way, we forgot that the government is oursunless we give it away; that persons elected to office are ouremployees and will do what we demand of them if we demand it loudlyand long enough. It is truly up to us to speak up.
At the polls this Wednesday, we have an opportunity to remindpotential representatives that our government exists for the peopleof this community . As the distinguished political philosopher,Kant, said: "People are ends and not means." This meansthat leadership must honour its duty to listen to the public andas far as possible carry out the informed will of the communityin its nation-building efforts.
What we cannot do, however, is to equate this duty to build thenation with a duty to farm out patronage or political favours.Thus, we cannot let our votes be bought for CI$25, marl in ourback yard, roads for our private homes, windows, stoves , refrigerators,furniture and contracts. This should not trivialise the fact thatthere is genuine need in Cayman.
One alternative would be to communicate to our leaders that thereare poor people in this country without the economic means tomaintain their homes, send their children to school or buy foodfor their families given the cost of living.
We Caymanians are hardworking, honest people who would preferto earn a living by the sweat of our brows rather than by handouts,and to gain pride in working for ourselves. But, there must bechanges in social and economic policies to give us the opportunityto work for the things that we need and to address the hardshipsthat we face.
When we subscribe to patronage, to politicians that buy us, weend up with leaders that are morally corrupt who disrespect us(some say leadership we deserve). Instead of listening to thevoices of the ordinary Caymanians, the politician will find himor herself acceding to the whims and fancies of the private sector.
The private sector funds campaigns and provides the money to payfor the marl, the stoves, the windows and the likes. In essence,we need to reduce the influence of money spent on campaigns (whichwill inevitably lead to the collapse of a system based on handouts)through sensible and constitutionally permissible means.
There is no one that would disagree that this election marks awatershed in our recent history as it will determine the paththat we take in the 21st Century.
Thus, at the polls on Wednesday, I would invite all of us thatare eligible to vote; to think long and hard about the kind ofCayman that we want our children, grandchildren and great grandchildrento inherit. Do we want a community where crime is no longer aboutdetection, detention and punishment or where crime is about prevention?
Experience teaches us that the prevention of crime is not onlya good idea but cheaper in the longrun. Do we want an economythat is sensitive to its citizens supported by a caring government?This combination will usually go a long way in preventing certainsocial pathologies and human tragedies such as inadequate housing,explosive violence among the youth and within the homes, the developmentof a drug culture in neighbourhoods and teenage pregnancies.
This is possible but must involve serious and reflective thoughton our part when we choose our leaders. What we cannot have isthe continuation of mean-spirited and polarised politics thatwe see today; leadership which victimises us for choices we make.
Leaders today must be capable, creative, reflective and have integrity.Our leaders must have an agenda which speaks to building a futurefor our children and their children; they must have strategieswhich address education, poverty, crime, our drug culture, immigration,OECD/FATF and similar initiatives; initiatives that are sensitiveto the needs of the elderly and the family; initiatives that speakto corporate responsibility so, for example, that no mother mustbe concerned about leaving her children unattended while she isat work.
It is no longer enough for anyone running for office to simplymake cheap, disparaging comments about past governments' performancewithout providing innovative alternatives.
Finally, leadership cannot simply be about personalities. It isokay to say I like so and so as a person, and I know his or herfamily but I do not agree with his or her policy and I do notbelieve that he or she is a suitable candidate for these Islands.
This election invites us, the citizens of these Islands, to begina national conversation about nation-building by sending a clearmessage that what we are seeking is responsible, capable and honestleadership. Leadership that has an extraordinary heart and soulbut is not afraid of making tough choices. Leadership that inspirespublic confidence and tells us that we can trust our governmentonce more; indeed leadership that we are not ashamed of.
But it is up to us the electorate to put our votes where our mouthsare.