In the pre and post 2018 general election analysis Barbadians were and continue to be subjected to a myriad of reasons why the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) was resoundingly rejected in consecutive general elections. All kinds of analyses completed with the jargon from the world of statistics have been dumped in the public space – swing analysis, standard deviation, outlier, historical comparatives etc.
As a keen follower of local affairs this blogmaster posits that 2018 was no outlier, it was a tipping point. The country witnessed the catastrophic impact caused by a leadership vacuum triggered by the death of David Thompson. On the other divide there was the rise of Mia Mottley as leader of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP). In the mind of the 45% of voters inclined to vote there was no comparison. In the prevailing environment this perceived difference by the electorate in the leadership of the two parties will determine outcomes in future elections. It is being observed how Mottley is forcing through changes to address the leadership vacuum should she vacate the position in five years.
What is voter apathy?
The simple explanation to summarize various definitions is a lack of interest shown by an electorate to participating in elections by certain segments. It does not require the blogmaster to be prolix to make the point that if a significant number of people disengage from a system designed to serve them, there is a high probability of negative outcomes. There is a secondary observation to support a conclusion voter apathy being a real concern seen in wider society. Do not forget what defines an ecosystem and what it takes to function optimally.
Instead of the false narratives being propagated by the usual talking heads to satisfy paymasters, a more constructive exercise in the interest of building a wholesome society would be to identify the drivers causing rising voter apathy and cynicism by the citizenry. The results of such an engagement would inform a plan to boost civic awareness in the country. An active democracy requires more than citizens marking an X when an election is called, it requires day to day engagement. According to Centre for Civic Education a few of the ways citizens can participate:
◦ Scanning for information in media, magazines etc to fact check
◦ Participating in political discussion
◦ Signing petitions
◦ Communicating ideas and concerns to elected representatives
◦ Attending meetings to acquire information, participate in discussions, lend support
◦ Lobbying for laws of special interest
◦ Demonstrating through marches, boycotts, sit-ins and other forms of protest
◦ RUNNING for OFFICE (BU’s emphasis)
◦ Civil disobedience to list a few
If there is no healthy participation in our democracy by citizens the country loses an important check and balance by not benefiting from its collective knowledge pool. At a secondary level have we been observing the lack of quorums and low voter turnouts to AGMS of credit unions, sports associations, trade unions and other NGOs? There is a malaise, ignorance and decadence being witnessed on scale in Barbados- some argue it goes beyond our shores- that details a dysfunction we need to correct. Is the blogmaster overly-optimistic to expect our leaders in ALL spheres of society to make a priority of determining solutions to energize respective memberships?
There is the saying attributed to philosopher Aristotle that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” – to grow a wholesome Barbados society ALL stakeholders will have to deliver by achieving agreed to aims and objectives. A key stakeholder is the citizenry, ceding our innate rights as citizens to politicians et al will ensure more of the same.
A word to the wise should be sufficient.
Source: Nation
Voters Apathy a rebellion of sorts
People sick and tired of being sick and tired of govt after govt doing nothing to.motivate enhanced or provide a financial security blanket
So what the hell.why bother no one listens to the people plight promises made nothing happens
Last election brought home such points of mistrust lacking
Instead of govt reading the tea leaves of a 39percent voters turnout
Govt head down the road of more division and mistrust
Then all asked the question of Apathy
Answer a key principle and fundamental that connects people and govt that of Trust is missing
When govts get that principle right the people would response in a plausible manner
Wow
I do not know if ‘Wow’ means the same thing for you as it does for me.
Wow! What hypocrisy for the article… When ‘we’ jump on a bus to attend an election meeting we get ridiculed. Apathy is a desirable quality then.
Wow! For Adrian Green. I will continue my search for the genius that some see. All I saw was overused cliches.
Wow! For AC. Seeing the ball as big as a breadfruit.
The blogmaster is pleased his perspective is not meshing with ac or you, it provides enormous motivation.
DavidFebruary 13, 2022 8:22 AM
The blogmaster is pleased his perspective is not meshing with ac or you, it provides enormous motivation.
Xccc
You rather blame the people than the source and symptom.of the problem
You need to read a book call
Cause and effect it would guide your thinking as to the how..why .and causes
😃I took some offence when you lumped me with AC.
That was a very low blow.😂
@AC
The love is real, but cheap jokes takes preference.
How about Wow turned out to be a bridge between two loads of crap ? 🥱
Go figure !
The problem here is that so many John and Jane Public are ignorant to how their minds are controlled/manipulated by the power elite. They spend big money to collect data to understand how to create and target messaging as one example. It is part of this blogmaster’s frustration over the years dealing with these kinds of matters in bite sizes.
Whoever said Adrian Green is a genius? Adrian has a way of putting things that makes them easier to relate to. He also has a way of understanding the world and its people.
Sometimes he is brilliant and sometimes he hits a dry spell.
But, after all, there is seldom any insight from ANY of us that nobody ever saw and expressed before.
There is nothing new under the sun, after all now, is there?
David,
Some of us understand what Adrian is saying. Yes, we have heard it before but it bears repeating.
Often cliches become cliches because they have substance and bear repeating. Some people get it the first time and others the second time.
Columns such as Adrian’s are meant to encourage us to pause and think. They are his musings. The man is a cultural practitioner. A creative.
He is not a political scientist. He is not an attorney. He is not an economist.
Keep posting my soul brotha from another motha! It has more value than the partisan poop that others so loudly appreciate on this site.
You go, “boy”!
@Donna
Love to read his columns as well as listen to his spoken poetry. He is very talented. It is a pity our people are not so culturally aware to position him top of mind where he deserves. Instead you may find David Chapelle or some other type person. It is what the blogmaster refers to above about the ignorance of our people masquerading as cosmopolitan.
Democracy is under threat everywhere and ordinary citizens are oblivious.
https://cor.europa.eu/en/engage/brochures/Documents/Report%20of%20the%20High%20Level%20Group%20on%20European%20Democracy/HLG%20Final%20report.pdf
David,
The algorithms can keep one in a bubble. Just this morning I told my best friend’s daughter that we must be careful to step out of our bubble from time to time. I make sure to watch ALL the news channels from time to time. Even Fox, though it makes me want to puke. I read different online newspapers from different countries from different perspectives.
When you do this you become aware of how much your thinking can be skewed by what you are are constantly being fed by news media.
Authoritarianism is indeed making a comeback. Socia media and other media are giving it the power to expand much more quickly than before. We have a fight on our hands!
Authoritarianism that shuts out non-whites specifically. Those of us who live overseas should wake up and smell the coffee. I don’t think they are taking it seriously. They are more bothered by Mia.
Mia Mottley offered DLP 2 senate seats in the absence of a LoO after a 30-0 routing
The President maintained a dignified silence
The DLP were still licking their wounds and said this could be a rat trap to catch rats and we will wait for further clarification
and they are still waiting…
Take it easy brothers and sisters God is working His purpose out it’s time for a good system of government . Our Heavenly Father is in charge,
Source: Nation
The perennial cry!
Source: Nation