Submitted by Observing
Every five years we are treated to pretty magazines called manifestos.
Even the most naïve among us must by now realise that these are the oldest marketing gimmicks on the block.. Reviews of previous years show that a manifesto is simply a comfort to a fool, aimed at giving “general” ideas but never being binding and always able to be ignored at whim and fancy.
https://dlpbds.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DLP-Manifesto2022Online.pdf
The DLP has yet to launch its manifesto but, if 2018 is anything to go by it should be a hodge podge of popular promises with little to no specifics on how to get them done.
The BLP launched its manifesto yesterday and as expected it’s lots of pages of pretty charts and pictures, repeated and unfulfilled promises from 2018 and a list of items that any GOOD GOVERNMENT should have already implemented or started to implement without the need for an election.
As for their “core values of transformation” do we really believe after the experiences of the last 3 1/2 years that this government will
- believe in people centered leadership rather than “top down supreme leader leadership”?
- deliver for all instead of a select few?
- encourage active citizenship rather than stifling voices and condemning opposing ones?
- encourage Bajan ownership rather than a continuation of the capital class?
- truly drive innovation rather than constantly tossing out buzz words and consultancies for party faithful with minimal results?
Give me a break. We’ve been here before.
So where does that leave us? Between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Platforms will be set up, spot meetings will be held, the usual diatribe will be tossed at us but then what? It is already almost certain that turnout will be low due to Covid patients and concerns. Voter apathy and frustration was already at an all time high. Now we have to endure pages on pages of promises that make no immediate difference to us, probably won’t be implemented and definitely given at too short a notice (1 1/2 weeks) for us to properly distill them and their impact. Furthermore, looking back at a 2018 manifesto shows me that MANY promises were NOT kept.
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me……..
So, the choice of us “independent voters” on polling day will have to be made otherwise, based on other conditions, focused on our own circumstances and constituency realities.
To put faith in scorecards, promises kept and catch phrases is a waste of time. Just like how these manifestos are a waste of paper and computer storage space.
January 19, 2022 should be interesting .
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.