My Vote for SALE

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about me looking forward to the end of the upcoming election season but after having some serious thought about it, I changed my mind and instead would like to capitalise on it by putting my vote up for sale to the highest bidder.

Now before you break down my door, hold your brakes…I don’t want your money Mr. Constituency Rep. I’m a lady so you will have to do a lot more to woo me.

When it comes to my vote, I’m letting you know that I have expensive tastes and EXTREMELY high but fair demands.

Oh, did I forget to mention that I know quite a few people who are on the fence like me just quietly observing and trying to make up their minds about who is the lesser of the two evils to cast their votes for? Also, that these people are just looking for a good reason to vote at all? So yeah, I’d say that you better listen up and listen very attentively, here is my list:

Revamping of our Judicial System
People need to feel confident once again that our courts can hold timely and fair trials where victims get the rightful justice that they need to move on from whatever grievance they are going through and perpetrators get the punishment that they deserve for the crimes that they have committed.

Victims need to rest assured, knowing that the judge and or jury hasn’t been paid or threatened by the person who has wronged the victims and that the defence lawyer isn’t able to take blatant advantage of loopholes in the system.

With the mention of loopholes, the archaic laws that were written in our rule book by the British, the same laws that the British themselves no longer use, need to be wiped out because those are the same laws that vicious defence lawyers will use at the right price to get dangerous criminals back on the streets, free to continue with their crime sprees.

I think we can all shout out collectively that the remand situation is BEYOND RIDICULOUS as people are left to fester in prison, sometimes innocent people, for years without having a trial date set…come on now, need I even say more?

Sentencing needs to be revisited as you cannot tell me that a man will get charged $5000 for possession of an illegal firearm, he pays that straight away and goes on to shoot and kill within weeks of his trial, yet an 18 year old will be found with $10 worth of marijuana and he gets thrown into prison for three months with hardened criminals just waiting to take advantage of, or pass on their criminal knowledge to the young sponges. Right then and there, a young life has been ruined (and you can shut up about he should have known better because young people make mistakes and whilst they may not be the Pope or Mother Theresa like you Joe Public, that doesn’t mean that such harmless mistakes should spell the end of life as we know it).

Last but by no means least, actual and useful laws should be upheld and enforced by law men including laws against littering, pollution of any kind speeding, domestic affairs, reckless driving…the list goes on but I’m sure that my point has been received loud and clear.

Proper correctional housing facilities need to be built.
I mentioned in my last demand that young people are placed at Bordelais and exposed to all sorts…that just shouldn’t be at all.
Mr. Possible Prime Minister vying for my vote, we need to build at least two other correctional facilities as well as revamp one that we already have.

We desperately need a facility that will house only offenders of minor crimes. It doesn’t have to be MASSIVE but at least something that would ensure that offenders’ lives are not forever ruined.

We also need a halfway house where offenders on their way out, especially those who have been reformed can stay at and at the same time, they could be taught skills and methods of reintegration into the public sector.

As for the revamping of the facility that we already have, I’m referring to the Upton Gardens Girls Centre. This place is seriously lacking in terms of support, facilities and resources.

Firstly, how can we have victims and perpetrators in the same facility spending their days alongside each other?! There must be segregation immediately…perhaps that facility that I just mentioned would be more suitable for them.

The Centre is like a day care centre where the girls come in at their own free will and then have no choice but to go back home to their same rotten situations be it abuse or violence and drugs and even prostitution…what is the point?

We need to expand on the facility where girls in danger could have a safe house, sort of like a sanctuary to go to in order to not only escape their troubled home lives but to heal from their ordeals.

If you Mr. Minister cannot see the major importance of this then you most certainly do not deserve my precious vote.

We need better health care systems and facilities
I’m not going to say too much on this topic because I am yet to be able to cast opinions on the new hospital…I’ll give it some time. But with that said, Ummm what about hospitals around the island? Or should I say the other places where people simply go to die like the stadium or the Soufriere Hospital…where is the due care and attention that these facilities need?

Whilst I try my very best not to criticize nurses because the good ones, and yes there are MANY great ones in fact, deserve medals of honour, there is a small number that really need to be taken back to the preschool stages of nursing school. The way they speak to, treat and even look at patients makes me want to smack them with a bag of saline right across their faces so that they could wake up and realise that they are in a job where they are supposed to be more caring, understanding, empathetic and patient with the ailing individuals in front of them.

Sometimes, going to the hospital literally feels like you’re walking the Green Mile to the grave because the lack of beds, treatment and resources, one might as well stay home to die in peace.

Don’t even get me started on the prices of as well as the taxes on medication…just don’t get me started!

We really do need JOBS JOBSJOBS!
Whilst I despise any kind of criminal activity, what do you expect from idle hands when they turn to a life of crime to survive?

Now I’m not trying to make excuses for them because we have all seen (and The VOICE has always been extremely proud to highlight) the works of individuals, particularly the young ones who have created innovative forms of employment for themselves showing that there is work out there, but let’s be realistic and honest, not every crayon in the box is the brightest and not every tool in the shed is the sharpest…do you catch my drift? Whilst some might be innovative and imaginative enough to step out and do something for themselves, not every mind works that way and we all know that in life, there are leaders and there are followers…some are meant to create employment and others will be just fine as employees.

So with thousands of youngsters pouring out of school annually, adults who have been laid off, fired, have been out of work for some time for reasons like injury, pregnancy etc, as well as the disabled, they all need jobs. Something is just screaming at me telling me that with more jobs available, and no not just the short term seasonal ones, there would be less petty crime. Have you looked at the art and skill of a thief? These monsters are crafty, energetic, agile and extremely smart individuals. Surely if they had another avenue to focus those skills on, they wouldn’t resort to such crimes. And then comes the relevance of my first demand, a proper judicial system because then, if there are jobs in abundance and these individuals still decide to steal, then we would have a proper system in place to see that their thieving tails get what’s coming to them.

Better roads and SIDEWALKS
We are a nation of mothers with small children, elderly, disabled people and regular pedestrians. Could someone please imprison the person/persons behind the idea to build roads island wide with NO SIDEWALKS? This is one of my biggest pet peeves where I have to be walking in little strips of mud along the sides of roads where pedestrians have absolutely no choice but to traverse along whilst dodging speeding vehicles whose drivers have no care in the world about whether they crush your skull or not.

Imagine walking along these roadsides whilst carrying a two year old and trying to safeguard an eight year old whilst it’s pouring rain and you’re trying to balance one umbrella in the mix. Oh and don’t think that the drivers will take any mercy and either slow down or allow you to pass. Nope…. they speed past, even splashing you with pothole water in the process.

WE NEED SIDEWALKS and WE NEED THEM NOW!!! And yeah, whilst you’re at it, fix the roads please.
Now there you have it Mr. Red and Yellow, my list of demands. You want my vote, this is what will secure it. It’s not too much to ask is it?! Also, it’s not too late to get some of these underway before election day so Get To Cracking!

Yes, it’s all well and good when a little bridge is opened, one little road is built or a bunch of $75 hampers are handed out to the sick and shut in, elderly or less fortunate but these demands are the deeds that will really impress me and might even make me attend a rally or two and I will even strive to get my undecided friends to give you their vote and even get their undecided friends to vote as well.
Yes, my vote is up for sale, who’s willing to meet my short list of little demands? Come on you reds and yellows, the race is on (in my most sultry vixen voice) COME AND GET IT!