Politics, Representative Democracy and Virgin Islands
The next VI General Election is constitutionally due no later than February 2023 unless the incumbent government decides to call the election sooner.
The Constitutional Review Commission, led by Lisa Penn-Lettsome, should explore establishing a date specific for the general election, as in the UK. Moreover, with the findings and recommendations release of a commission of inquiry pending and dangling over the VI like the Sword of Damocles, the constitutionally due election may be held in abeyance if the UK suspends the VI constitution and institute direct rule.
Many eligible VI voters, as well as voters in numerous other democratic countries across the globe, voluntary choose to sit out national/general elections for a myriad of reasons, including lack of interest and misunderstanding (perhaps)of the value, benefits, and high cost of not voting, lack of priority, personal inconvenience, indifference, and disgust, distrust, frustration, etc., with the governing process and with the performance, attitude, and behavior of politicians.
VI voters, especially of African descent, have not always had the right, freedom, and opportunity to vote. Many brave warriors and unselfish Virgin Islanders have sacrificed much to attain universal adult suffrage for all Virgin Islanders, not just the elite planter class and the propertied.
Consequently, due to The Great March of 24 November 1949 led by Anegadian Theodolph Faulkner, universal suffrage was granted in 1954. Previously, voters had to be propertied and pass a literacy test to vote. Voting is a priceless, cherished, precious, fundamental, and foundational right that all eligible voters must freely and voluntarily exercise. All eligible voters must register to vote, vote, and engage in the governing process.
It is the voters' choice to vote or not vote; however, voting is part of democracy, matters, and has consequences. If you don't vote, you let those who vote, sometimes the minority, decide for you and vote for their preferences and interests that may not be yours. Some advocate that you may give up the right to complain if you don't vote. Nevertheless, elections have consequences.
Politics and Political Animalism
Politics, the art of compromise, and the world's second-oldest profession is not much different from the first, which remains unnamed. An ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, asserts that being political is human and that people are political animals. Thus, in my view, if people are inseparable from politics, then people cannot act apolitical and refuse to engage in politics, for the actions of government affects all residents.
Aristotle also asserts that the Greek city-state or Polis is the natural habitat of political animals and the place where people act cooperatively and collaboratively to create legislation and construct institutions that serve as the base for social order and justice.
Politics is the art of compromise, but politics' animating force is conflict and disagreement. In the modern political game, the combatants, i.e., Government and Opposition, often don't agree on much but agree to tolerate differences. No disagreement, no politics. Nevertheless, too often in the Westminster system, the Anglo Caribbean region included, the Opposition Party takes the term opposition perhaps too literally, tending to disagree with most things the government does.
Parliamentary Representative Democracy
The VI operates in a British Westminster-style parliamentary system. It is a parliamentary democracy, not a direct democracy. In the VI, the 15-member unicameral House of Assembly (HOA) is the natural habitat for elected members. On average, voters go to the polls every four years to elect nine (9) district members and four(4) at large members to serve in the HOA, serving four-year terms. Unlike in a presidential system, voters don't vote directly for government leaders, e.g., prime minister, premier, chief minister, etc. A majority of elected members determine who gets sworn in as government leader; the government leader as the chief executive, in turn, forms a cabinet (executive branch) from among elected members. The system is flawed, for constituting a cabinet from elected members may limit finding the technical expertise and experience needed to lead specific functions.
Additionally, there is little to no daylight between the Executive and Legislative branches. Moreover, direct democracy is impractical, unworkable, and not the most effective way to govern. Instead, voters employ representative democracy to elect representatives to represent their interests. Representative democracy does not mean that voters give up their rights, responsibilities, and power to politicians. It is a fallacy that voters give up their power to politicians. Voters retain their power and have TRUE power. If not, why do politicians beg voters for their votes at election time? Voters must exercise their TRUE power to attain the outcomes they desire. In leadership and management, what gets recognized and rewarded gets repeated. In facilities management, you should not expect what you don't inspect. And in politics, what gets exercised and focused upon gets attention.
Political Campaign
As noted in the introductory paragraph, the VI's next constitutionally-due election is due no later than February 2023 and can occur sooner with a snap election. The campaign has already started to unseat the incumbent government and fill the 13 seats in the HOA. Several candidates have already declared their candidacies. Campaigning is part science and part art and is mostly art. The art of campaigning is not new and harkens back to ancient times, i.e., the campaign for Consul of Rome in 64 BC. There are no cookie-cutter approaches to campaigning; they are personalized, situational, engineered, and drive circumstances on the ground.
As is the refrain every election cycle, the VI is in crisis and at a crossroads, with this election perhaps being one of the most critical and consequential in its history.
The VI is facing a myriad of critical issues, i.e., health and safety, education, economic deepening, strengthening and diversifying, agricultural production and food insecurity, fishing, climate change, skyrocketing cost of living, strengthening institutions, constitutional review and political status, increasing crime rate (particularly gun and other violent crimes), public safety, physical infrastructure (water, wastewater, stormwater(drainage), electricity, gas, road network, parking, inter/intra-island ferry service, ports, telecommunications, solid waste management), construction projects and services acquisition, energy, sports, entertainment, culture and heritage; environmental protection and preservation, disaster preparedness and readiness, land and natural resources management( 200 mile exclusive economic zone and 12-mile territorial sea), immigration and labor, airlift, border protection, civil service reform and civil service unfunded liability, judicial improvements, public safety, public works programme, operations and maintenance and capital budget development and execution, governing structure, social safety nets, housing, etc.
It is a long list, so consequently, any party or candidate standing for election must present a) coherent strategy and tactics for attacking the issues, b)identify funding streams, and c)present a plan of action and milestones. Undoubtedly, candidates will make many promises, and voters must question and get practical, satisfactory, and reasonable answers about the promises, holding candidates' feet to the fire. The VI has had the means and opportunity to be farther down the growth and development path than it is. The delta between its potential and actual progress is disappointingly wider than it should be. The window is closing rapidly; the VI cannot afford to miss any more opportunities (s) to jump aboard the high-speed growth train. The burden is on the next government, the next generations of leaders, to set a new course and sustain it.
Edgar Leonard is a native Virgin Islander, amateur, freelance, and aspiring writer, and a graduate of the Florida A&M University.
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22 Responses to “Politics, Representative Democracy and Virgin Islands”
But the immediate hurdle is taxpayers. BVI residents increasingly demand more services but have a disdain for paying more or higher taxes. Disdain for taxes aside, many VI residents seem to lack trust and confidence in government (all governments) capacity and capability to effectively and efficiently manage financial assets.
This campaign must be about substance, not form from the spin doctors and PR experts. Candidates must bring plans of action for addressing the myriad of issues. Candidates cannot come half-stepping. They must bring sensible, practical and workable plans. Too much is at stake ,so there is no time for amateurs. Candidates must have proven experience and demonstrate knowledge, skill and ability, knowing pullet from fowl. Furthermore, we need candidates who are willing to sacrifice for the public good/public interest, not self-interest. Servant leaders are needed. Mr. Leonard, good read. It is timely.
Furthermore, government must do a better job managing the money it is already collecting. Who believes that government is exercising exemplary fiduciary responsibility? This election season there will lots of noise, tun of empty promises, plenty humility, politicians highly visible everywhere pretending that they care, etc, but in the end nothing will change. The BVI will still be trying to find itself. Lavity, Williard, Cyril, and Ralph will be restless wondering WTF. Dolph Faulkner, Noel Lloyd and departed PAM members too will be going WTF happened. I not voting for a soul, not a man Jack, this guava crop, that want to raise taxes wily nilly; they have to show me a plan and make the case.
It built an Empire across the globe by invading lands in the East and West by raping them of their resources, enslaving people and exploiting and expropriating their labour to work the land to build huge wealth. The sun supposedly never set over the British Empire or so the Brits bragged. Britain grew into a wealthy world power. at expense of others. However, its ship has sailed, its star has fallen, and the Empire has faded away into oblivion.
Nevertheless, the UK has a yearning for the prestige, status, influence, etc, of old. It is trying to maintain that prestige through the Commonwealth of Nations. But increasingly the Queen is losing her ceremonial head of state status. It is trying to hold on to and control its OTs, including the BVI. Moreover, it is trying and hoping to regain some of its prestige through Global Britain.
Clearly, the BVI does not have the resources to fund all needs listed l, so it must prioritize. My order of priority is health, education, economy……etc. Nonetheless, regardless of the priorities, BVI taxpayers must get value for me. The BVI must be more than a place to dress and come to work to rest. Ministers, department heads, managers, supervisors, etc, must be more than holding a big job or title, they must earn their keeps. They should provide direction, coach and council as needed, and can those who have performance issues but failed to positively respond coaching and counseling. The Premier as the government needs a tool that he/she can stay up to date and aware of things so that adjustments can be made. He/she needs a dashboard where the statuses can be rolled up instantly. Metrics should be set for activity/functions. For example what is the minimum response time Water and Sewage should respond to a water leak complaint during normal working hours and after hours, etc. The sample applies to potholes and street repair complaints.
Fellow Virgin Islanders, you are going to hear all kind of promises during the campaign. However, you need to get satisfactory answers way before heading to polls. Don’t take no 6 for a 9. Get engaged and demand answers .
A party may have a strong manifesto but if it is not manned by the right capable and sensible people what difference does it make. None. It is as useless as a tit on a boar hog. We must look beyond party politics and look for people who can produce positive outcomes. The BVI needs YOU. And needs YOU urgently, for the clock is ticking, ticking. No more old talk. We need concrete action.
[Let’s lead like eagles, not careen off the cliff like buffaloes]
However, a new generation of leaders who are visionaries, steep in leadership and management, practical, bold and forward looking, and willing to sacrifice and put public interest ahead of self-interest to take the helm, avoiding the territory from running straight and hard aground. It needs leaders with the vision of HL Stoutt, the boldness and courage of Noel Lloyd and Dolph Faulkner among other.
This will be the difficulty and challenge for voters the next election cycle. The preference may be in a party or a coalition of the serious and willing. The survival and way forward for the VI hangs in the balance,so politics be damn; it is country first.
Looking at the long, dizzying ist of things E. Leonard noted, we need a proven A-team. We need work horses, not show horses. Every eligible VI voter must engage, study and armed themselves with data and information, and exercise their constitutional voices by voting their conscience. Let’s go fellow Virgin Islanders, for there is a fierce urgency of now.
Colonialism’s sole and primary purpose was to benefit Britain and its people, not people in the colonies. Colonialism, the slave trade, and slavery created the British Empire, built the UK’s economy, and created wealth among the elites of the Victorian Era. They confiscated the land from the natives, committed genocide, and enslaved Africans to work the land for the benefit, profit and of the colonialists.
In regards to democracy and rule of law, how could colonialists enslave, oppress, torture, brutalize, kill, rape, deny education, provide poor healthcare, fed a poor diet, deny the ability to vote, work for government or stand for election, due process and then leave and bragged that you introduce the colonies to democracy and the rule of law? Hog wash!!! Resources depleted causing the colonialists to flee, coupled with revolts, the legacies of slavery and colonialism are still evident to this day, ie, psychological damage, racial strife, disunity, poor economies, poor infrastructure, healthcare and educate, etc. Nevertheless, the Brits cannot let go of its signature social ordering of race, especially Blacks who are viewed as inferior and try to stunt their progress to sustain their social ordering lie.
@Old Gen v New Gen, dem New Gen can’t touch the old Gs at least not yet with all their education and alphabet soup credentials. The New Gs needs to get out of the wagon and starting pulling the wagon with pompous, status seeking, do nothing and title crazy @##$.
Though expats may not be able to vote, I will make a big assumption( we know what assumes means—-ass-u-me) that they (expats) want to see the territory progress and thrive and strongly encourage the minority to get actively engaged, getting off their duffs and their high horses. They have a moral obligation and the patriotic duty to get engaged actively in governing. It is painful watching from the sidelines seeing a disaster looming and cannot do anything. Some may say keep out da people business but we should all be concern. This is where we live and work. I don’t know Mr. Leonard ( thought he was Bobby from Bobby’s Uptown Market son but advised other wise) but appreciate his contribution in shiny some light on voting and territorial issues.