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Is Our System Designed to Deter Good Intentions?

Image of Carlton Ishmael
By Carlton Ishmael

AFTER listening to the leader of the opposition this last weekend and hearing all the proposed plans and legislation changes for the future, I thought to myself that we may be heading in the right direction.

But I remember clearly too, that I have also heard some of those same plans and ideas prior to the last general election.

Again, there will be projects and policies, as well as infrastructure projects whose future or continuance is neither here nor there.

It is clear to see that both parties have their own agenda and that there always exists a lot of corruption in government circles.

Again and again you hear big plans for the younger generation, employment for the masses, taking education to new heights, dealing with the health issues and several other pronouncements too numerous to mention. But I have heard all that before.

One thing is for sure, both parties claim to be in the interest of St Lucians, yet, time after time, party in power or out of power, the situation remains the same — and each party condemns the other for not being truthful or honest.

What a sad situation, because they both know what has to be done and how it should be done, yet, in the end there is always unfinished business — and works that they both need more time to accomplish.

Some of the most concerning issues are yet to be dealt with, not analyzed to come-up with a specific strategy that regardless of what party in power we the people will be satisfied.

One such area is crime. We keep getting the runaround with empty promises and no direct answers. One party believes in building castles in the skies, the other speaks about regaining ownership on the ground. They both mean well and look good on paper, but both tend to fall short at delivering.

We need a new kind of thinking, but I don’t know if either party, in its present form, can create that change.

There is a saying that despite what they say or want to do, the existing system is designed to deter good intentions. So, we are all caught-up in a web of deceit while hoping that, with time, we will get it right and honesty will prevail.

All I can say, for now, is Good Luck to the voting public, because sometimes I understand why so many people think that both parties are cut from the same cloth.

The next elections will be crucial because both parties will want us to believe that they should be the rightful choice.

If there have been mistakes done in the past, they will try to cover them up with a coat of paint and some of us won’t see because we don’t keep track of the past and we only listen to the ‘now’ plans.

And since nobody is made accountable for the destruction that is left behind, or to repay the debt burden that usually follows the exit of the losing party at each election, we may end-up going through the same revolving door, forever playing and dancing while singing ‘Ring-a-Ring of Roses’ and looking for ‘A bucket full of posies’ when Election Day comes.

Awah! We have to come better than that if we are to get out of that!

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