The Time is NOW to Defend and Protect our Democracy _____________________________________________________________
by P. Cyndie Demming
19th September 1983, we became the world’s newest nation. A proud people with lots of hope and bright prospects; the ship of state was on course to be the leading democracy in this hemisphere. Today, we are experiencing many storms; the most detrimental of all is a political storm that has taken us off course. We find ourselves on a sinking ship with a reckless and illegitimate captain – Capt D!
Capt D has brought us VAT, high unemployment, a colossal national debt, the lost of our lands, a covert Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF), 85% increase in electricity; he has put us for the first time in our history in the hands of the IMF.
Citizens, we have had many attacks on our democracy since 1995. Our young democracy of only 30 years is again under threat. The current regime continues to frustrate the will of the people and their representatives in parliament. Six of the eleven representatives in parliament have said to the prime minister and to the world, they have no confidence in him and his administration. In spite of the repeated calls locally, regionally, and internationally Capt D continues to ignore and frustrate the will of the people. His latest attempt to perpetuate his illegitimacy comes in the form of “gerrymandering”. After 18 years of mismanagement and corruption, this administration bent on holding on to power against the wishes of the people, is now turning to illegal boundary changes.
Fellow citizens this must not succeed, and of course it will not! We must be willing as a people to defend our constitution and democracy, if not for us, for our children and grandchildren. It was Albert Einstein who warned that “The strength of the Constitution lies entirely in the determination of each citizen to defend it. Only if every single citizen feels duty bound to do his/her share in this defense are the constitutional rights secure.”
Do you feel your constitutional rights are secured? If not, are you willing to defend those rights? Are you willing to defend and protect your democracy? World history has taught us that we should never leave democracy to chance, we must be always alert, and we must pay attention to the signs of an impending dictatorship before it is too late. Whenever those who are responsible for the leadership of our country begin to act as reprobates and dictators; when they begin to destroy the fabric of our society that holds our nation together; when they violate the Constitution of our nation and begin to do things that contravene our dreams, our aspirations and our hopes—we have the right as citizens, indeed the responsibility, to raise our voices in vigorous dissent and to challenge the direction in which our country is heading. Those who fail to do that are truly the non-patriots; in fact they may be even treasonous!
We are faced with the choice between two different paths for our Federation, a choice between two fundamentally different visions for the future. Ours is a fight to restore the values that built this young democracy. You have an opportunity to be an informed public, armed, willing and ready to protect and defend the constitution of our beloved Federation. The rest is left up to you but I must ask these pertinent questions:-
1. Will you choose the right path?
2. Will you save your country?
3. Will you fight to restore our democracy?
Citizens – Are you ready, ready, ready to save our country? I say we are ready. Then, join me and take the first step!!!!! In words of King Arrow, “This country is yours, all yours, still yours! Let us fight for our right and save our nation.
P Cyndie Demming