Do You Know Qualities of a "Good" Person?

 A Genuinely good person is recognized by the following, in my experience.

They keep an open Mind about others Opinions.

They accept when they’re Wrong and try to learn from their Mistake.

They have a Positive energy to them that draws others In.

They’re trustworthy and Dependable not only when it Counts.

They have a Warmth to them, you feel like you can tell them Anything.

They always have a Positive Outlook on life.

They let people have their Moment to Shine.

They don’t try to One up others, sharing about their own personal Experiences.

They give others a chance to Finish their Thoughts and stories.

They have Patience, Compassion, and Empathy.

They also have Amazing emotional Intelligence.

They’re truly Happy about others Success and offer their support.

They’re slow to Speak and quick to Listen.

Just a few things I’ve noticed!

National Symbols of St Lucia ahead of 42nd Independence Anniversary

As we get set to celebrate St Lucia’s 42nd Independence Anniversary under the theme ‘A Resilient Nation. We can, we will’, it is only fitting that we highlight things that are native to the island. This year's theme signifies a nation battling the significant toll of the COVID-19 pandemic and looks to a nationwide effort to persevere. The national symbols are the national identity elements of St Lucia and are intrinsic to the St Lucian identity and heritage. St Lucians across the world are proud of these National Symbols as they infuse a sense of pride and patriotism in all of their hearts. The National Flag For most of its colonial history under the French and British, Saint Lucia did not have a distinctive flag of its own. However, on March 1, 1967, when St Lucia advanced to the status of Associated Statehood, the National Flag was adopted. The original version of the flag in use today was designed by local artist Dunstan St Omer. Coat of Arms Did you know that St Lucia had more than one Coat of Arms? In 1837 ST Lucia had its’ first Coat of Arms which depicted Port Castries flanked by the Pitons and the Citadel at Morne Fortune. At that time the motto was ‘Statio Haud Malefida’ meaning ‘A safe harbor for ships.’ Upon attaining Statehood on March 01, 1967, the Coat of Arms was designed by Sydney Bagshaw with the motto ‘The Land, the People, the Light.’ However, in 1979, when St Lucia became an independent nation Bagshaw gave the Coat of Arms a different look but kept the motto “The Land, the People, the Light. The Coat of Arms represents the official seal of the Government of Saint Lucia. The emblem on the Coat of Arms were chosen to represent the various peoples who are part of the nation’s heritage. It is made of a blue shield with a stool, two roses, and two fleurs de lis. The shield is supported by two Saint Lucian parrots. Beneath the shield is the national motto, whereas above the shield there is a torch and an ornament. The symbolism of the elements are: Tudor Rose: England       Fleur de lis: France          Stool: Africa Torch: Beacon to light the path   Saint Lucia Parrot: Amazona versicolor, the National Bird The Motto: " The Land, The People, The Light"  National Bird The Saint Lucia Parrot (Amazona versicolor) is endemic to Saint Lucia and is the country’s national bird. It was first described by Miller in 1776, this beautiful parrot is, and always has been found only in Saint Lucia. It is predominantly green in colour, and a typical specimen has a cobalt blue forehead merging through turquoise to green on the cheeks and a scarlet breast. Threatened by extinction, in 1978 the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Agriculture launched a campaign to save this species. In 1979 the Saint Lucia Parrot was declared the island’s National Bird and in 1980 wildlife legislation was revised. The National Anthem The national anthem of Saint Lucia is ‘Sons and Daughters of Saint Lucia.’ The anthem was first adopted in 1967 when the island became an Associated Statehood, and it was confirmed as the official anthem when St Lucia became independent in 1979. The lyrics were written by Rev Charles Jesse, and the music by Leton Thomas. The National Dress The Madras, also called the Jip or Jupe, is the national dress of the country of Saint Lucia. A traditional five-piece costume, it was originally derived from the Wob Dwyiet (or Wobe Dwiette), a grand robe worn by the earlier French settlers, and this garment is also recognized as a national dress of the country. The Madras is the traditional dress of the women and girls of St Lucia, and its name is derived from the Madras cloth, a fabric used in the costume. The origins of the Madras lie in the pre-emancipation days of St Lucia when African slaves on the island would don the colorful dress during feast days. The costume is traditionally worn on Independence Day, National Day, and Creole Day (Jounen Kwéyòl). It is also worn when dancing the Quadrille, which has been adopted by the country as the national dance. National Flower, Plant and Tree The Rose and the Marguerite are the symbols of the two flower societies of Saint Lucia. They emerged as winners of the National Flower Competition in September 1985. They are associated with the Flower Festivals; La Rose Festival celebrated on August 30 and La Marguerite on October 17. The national tree of Saint Lucia is the calabash and the national plant is the bamboo.

Editor's Note: Source -  http://www.loopslu.com/content/national-symbols-st-lucia

General Elections During COVID-19

 With national election scheduled for later this year, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is putting into question whether this election will happen on time or at all.

The rapidly evolving situation has generated severe disruptions on multiple layers of society, with important impact on the political life, placing world leaders in the position of making rapid critical decisions based on information that emerges by the hour. 

In such a situation, the constitutional and legal parameters should be carefully navigated. The day-by-day ever-developing advice of epidemiologists and public health officials must be considered. Public concern of actual or perceived politically motivated abuse of the postponement must be taken seriously. Any attempt by an incumbent government to “undemocratically” extend its own mandate must be mitigated. 

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) identified a series of key considerations and recommendations to make informed decisions, based on an analysis of  the current evolutions worldwide  and on Institute’s previous comparative studies on elections in crisis situations  and its Electoral Risk Management Tool.  

ASSESS RISKS AND IMPLICATIONS 

The main objective of electoral processes is to deliver credible electoral results. Credibility is achieved through technically well executed electoral process, broad participation and trusted results that infuse legitimacy in elected officials. 

Depending on the degree of disruptions generated by the COVID-19, organizing elections can be very difficult or even impossible. For example, the production and distribution of ballot papers, voting booths, seals and other supplies needed during the process can be seriously affected by the measures imposed for limiting the spread of the virus. Furthermore, there is a high likelihood that poll workers may fear infection or get infected and therefore not assume their critical roles. Shortage of (qualified) poll workers may lead to technical shortfalls.  

At their best, democratic elections are characterised by high turnout and equal levels of participation across different segments in a society to avoid that the outcome of an election is unevenly shaped by some groups over others. There is a risk that the decision of continuing to hold an election as originally scheduled, despite pandemic outbreak, could undermine their overall legitimacy by reducing voter turnout.  Yet with the need for limited exposure to large groups and social distancing, ccitizens might be less likely to leave their homes to vote because of their health concerns and that of their family members.  

CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS 

Health and safety routines can be incorporated into election related procedures, to protect election staff and voters. If public health instructions are meant to avoid gatherings and proximity to other persons – as in the case of COVID-19, participation becomes more difficult in a polling station-based election, where the act of voting requires the physical presence of those expressing it.   

Implementing or further developing alternative voting methods should therefore be considered, while also assessing their logistical implications and feasibility in the current circumstances.  

If alternative methods for remote voting are adopted, voters will need to be informed and educated about how and when to use them. In a complete lockdown situation, such as that being imposed by numerous nations in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, an information campaign should be tailored to reach voters through both traditional (TV and radio) and online media.  

CREATE AN INCLUSIVE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS 

While the COVID-19 pandemic brings unique dimensions to decisions about holding or postponing elections, many aspects of the decision-making process are typical to any national emergency. In many  countries [St Lucia], the constitutional provisions during the state of emergency include the postponement of elections, but there are also states where the first does not necessarily imply the latter. Decision-making is more straightforward where constitutions or laws clearly spell out the conditions under which elections can be suspended or postponed. Even in these cases, however, there is normally a broad degree of interpretation in the application of the guidelines.  

Similar to other crisis events,interagency consultation  and communication mechanisms that include electoral and public health authorities should be put in place to carefully weigh public safety and security risks, constitutional constraints and procedures, and democratic implications.   

In extreme circumstances such as the ones triggered by the current COVID-19 in many countries, holding elections might divert human and material resources from more urgent, potentially lifesaving activities.

 

SAFEGUARD DEMOCRACY  

Elections are the opportunity for citizens to either reconfirm, or remove and replace, an elected representative or government.  A decision to postpone an election suspends political rights, and as such undermines the social contract between a government and its citizens.  

Essentially, both proceeding with elections while the COVID-19 pandemic is not contained or postponing them entail risks for decision makers. While the latter may be the most feasible and responsible option from the public health perspective, the decision may open for other risks to materialize. Governments need to allow for clear pathways that guide how existing institutions and actors can proceed during the extension period, and when the normal electoral routines will be reinstated.  

Editor's Note: Adapted from  https://www.idea.int/news-media/multimedia-reports/global-overview-covid-19-impact-elections

Should The Forgotten Communities Vote in Upcoming General Elections?

When I was younger, campaigning was one of my fortes. Brian Charles and later Rufus Bousquet were local elected officials, so for my friends and family, campaigning not only meant convincing persons, it meant the excitement of holding signs while shouting out, “Vote Brian/Rufus!” It meant handing out campaign materials in many communities. It meant getting to stay up late at election night parties, watching with baited breath as folks scurried in with boxes of polling stations results, which were then written-up on long, papered walls. (Now that results are released online, election night parties are considerably less exciting.)

These days, I greet Elections with far less enthusiasm. (And this particular year I greet it with no enthusiasm at all. Nothing but dread.)

I’ve grown up. I’ve awakened to the fact that we live in an imperfect world full of flawed people. And I’ve now (mostly through my work as a blogger) had a close-enough view of politics to know that its poor reputation is pretty well deserved. I’ve become frustrated with our political system and I’ve given up the idea that any candidate can be a knight in shining armor.

But I will vote. I vote in every single election and you should too. Here are some reasons why:

You do believe in having the right to vote, but are unsure as to whether it really will make a difference. So, should you vote or not? Yes - if you want better healthcare, education and childcare, fairer taxation, basic income for all, better roads and transport, better local amenities because the government  runs all these services and your vote in a General, Election will send a message about what sort of St Lucia you want and expect.

Any complaints you may have about anything related to politics (and everything is related to politics) will ring rather hollow after June 6, 2021, if you do not do the absolute minimum to make a difference by voting. 

Voting is the most fundamental way of expressing an opinion on what the parties are planning on doing if elected. Failing to do so makes any subsequent complaints about what the government is doing fairly hypocritical. I am among those who believe that you forfeit your right to bitch and complain about government if you fail to vote. And I find that complaining about government is a healthy and often a productive activity. 

I vote so that I can register my own independent thinking. And then I follow up that voting by interacting with my elected officials. You should too. Don’t vote? Can’t moan! Want to moan? Got to vote!

Do you let other people make all of your decisions for you, or do you value independent thought? If personal independence is important to you, then voting should be too.

When it comes to getting involved in the political process, Abraham Lincoln puts it best: “Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”

Ultimately, you should research your candidates and the issues, and make an informed vote that works for you. After all, if you don’t vote in your own interests, who will? Plus, smart people vote. You’re smart, right?

 

 

The Forgotten Communities – Still Not on the Rep's Radar

Rufus, Lorne and Bradley

Locally, it appears that our parliamentarian is struggling to meet the ever growing expectations of the residents of the Forgotten Communities. Recent discussions suggest that residents hold the parliamentarian to account principally for the services that he is able to deliver outside parliament, not for his law-making role or his cabinet duties.

Parliamentary Rep after parliamentary Rep, administration after administration, it’s the same old khaki pants when it comes to proper representation for the residents of the Forgotten Communities – La Maze, Roblot, Debrieul, Sauzay and Riviere Doree. This blog has consistently informed its readers about the poor level of representation and unkept promises (see links below) meted out by our Parliamentary Representatives (past and present) to the Forgotten Communities. This will continue to be so until honest dialogue becomes part of a strategy to improve people’s lives.

Sunset Bay - Choiseul's Elusive Dream

Poor Representation and broken promises:

My disgust at poor representation

Another of Lorne’s stories

Lorne’s mamaguy

Bradley can’t seem to deliver

Choiseul’s wrecking team

Scores of people drive through the Forgotten Communites daily to get an idea of how the people live. They want to feel the vibes of the people in the Craft Mecca of the constituency, the farmers, the single mothers, the unemployed and of course the youth. Hoping to see a semblance of improved lives, they gradually become disenchanted by what they see as they drive through and engage the residents.

It appears that many of these politicians believe that by just getting a few unplanned drainage projects, or cutlassing done in the Forgotten communities can improve people's lives and is all  that matters for their re-election….far from it!

The Parliamentary Reps must realize that constituency service is important both to citizens and themselves – indeed; it is an accepted and expected part of the job. Numerous opinion polls in different constituencies suggest that the public believes that some form or the other of constituency service is the most important part of a Rep’s role, while Reps themselves no doubt see the benefit of meeting voters' needs for various reasons, not least to improve their chances of re-election.

If one were to ask any of these Reps what they think residents see as their most important role, you no doubt would hear them say that, in the eyes of the resident, solving residents' problems is the parliamentarian's most important role – does one see that happening in the forgotten communities.

Roblot Multipurpose Centre

It's about face time. Residents of The Forgotten Communities are not difficult people. If you promise it, do it! (Multipurpose Center for example) Residents like when a Parliamentary Rep comes to their constituency to see their faces. A Parliamentary Rep should always be with constituents, live in the constituency and be part and parcel of them. Whatever a Rep does matters in elections. They can bring development but if the residents don't see them, then electors will not remember.

In closing, ponder over this thought. A good parliamentary representative is not likely to be approved by, or even appreciated by, every one of his constituents. Thus my claim is not that a parliamentary representative will be valued by every constituent (or even a majority of constituents); rather, my claim is that a good parliamentary representative will be the unbridled advocate of his own constituents.

St Rose Heading For a Defeat Without the Backing of the Party's Machinery?

Top: Dr. P. Prosper(SLP) Bottom: Dr. A. St Rose(IND) Right: Hon. B. Felix(UWP)

Going it alone is rarely as easy as we think.  Winning without a party machinery behind you isn’t easy!!!

It’s  something that needs to be borne in mind by Alphonsus St Rose who was rejected over Pauline Prosper  during the candidate selection process of the St Lucia Labour Party a couple of months ago.

That’s especially true if he intends to stand as independent at the next general election.

Independent candidates face many obstacles in the St Lucia. In all constituencies, the United Workers Party and St Lucia Labour Party candidates automatically are the most frequently acceptable symbols on the ballot, whereas the independent candidates usually have to convince themselves that they stand a chance just to be confident that he will want to be on the ballot. The electorate, over the years has been composed of mostly UWP’s and SLP’s, who have a strong incentive to protect the existing duopoly. Also, Independent candidates often face financial difficulties because they have to rely on their personal saving and/or very few hefty donors.

The two political parties are a lot like the two giants of the cola world, Coke and Pepsi. Although each wants to win, they both recognize that it is in their mutual interest to keep a third cola from gaining significant market share. Coke and Pepsi, many people have argued, conspire to keep any competitor from gaining ground. The Flambeaus and the Etoiles function in much the same way.

Many voters don’t want to waste their ballot, and thus gravitate toward a parliamentary candidate they think has a chance to win. Independent candidates have a hard time building enough of a following to actually win a constituency seat. And without a grass-roots base of officials, independent candidates who aren’t already well-known have a very difficult time building momentum.

Are there implications here for St Rose in the next General Elections? Well, In spite of his confidence, it’s possible that as the 2021 election approaches, his vote share of the stock in Choiseul/Saltibus will dwindle. Some of his backers will decide that a protest vote isn’t as important as actually influencing the outcome. Many are undecided or may not even vote per se, but SLP’s and UWP’s will rather be committed to Prosper or Felix.

 Challenges for St Rose.

St Rose faces challenges that party candidates like Prosper and Felix do not. Simply put, political parties matter in St Lucia. The importance of local campaigns and candidates pales in comparison with that of the national campaign and party leaders when it comes to voter decisions.  Parties and their leaders provide important information shortcuts or cues to voters about ideology and policy positions. Moreover, they command media and public attention.

The biggest challenge for St Rose can be trying to convince voters that he would be able to represent them effectively. Parties dominate the legislative process. The ability to participate effectively in the HOUSE is related to being a member of a parliamentary party. An independent campaign needs to communicate consistently that voters would be well served, even without party backing.

The infrastructure of independent candidate greatly differs from those of the two major parties. The St Lucia Labour Party and United Workers Party have their national, constituency organizations, as well as a lot of other SLP and UWP groups.

Independent candidates, on the other hand, do not have such a sprawling, cohesive network. 

St Rose, I am sure is fully cognizant of the ramifications of his action. It would serve him best to go along with Pauline Prosper just to bring this seat home. Splitting  Labour votes will be a disaster for the SLP.

Just like Neville Cenac St Rose will never be forgiven if SLP loses the Choiseul/Saltibus seat in 2021.

Does Choiseul/Saltibus Need Another Independent Candidate ?

“We cannot support dishonesty, manipulation, a lack of transparency, no accountability and corruption in decision making and governance of the people's affairs.

So we are campaigning and voting for an Independent Dr. A St. Rose.

Get your troops ready my soldier. Thank you for standing with me for what is right for you, your future and country. Thank you for your support, trust and confidence in me to represent and fight for you...much appreciated!”  Whatsapp communique dated July 23, 2020 from Dr Alphonsus St Rose’s Camp.

Some claim that we need more independent candidates in elections; those who are disillusioned with party politics think that we could find judicious wise independents that could do the job just as we want.

I have no problem with “independent” people offering their services to the electors. Freedom to stand and to put a different point of view is vital to life in a democracy. So is choice between serious candidates who can win. There is nothing stopping an independent candidate becoming a serious rival for power, if their message is popular and the other competing parties are unimpressive. Occasionally this happens.  Often in General elections people want to choose between the major parties, because they want to influence which party will end up running the body concerned.

However, I do think we need to examine what we mean by “independent”.  An independent can be genuinely independent of all political parties. That means that they will not take a party whip once elected to a given body. They can make up their own minds, unguided by colleagues in the same party. Some will think this an advantage.

However, in a Parliament it also has some disadvantages. It means the independent cannot form a government. The independent cannot guarantee to introduce anything they offered in their manifesto, as they may not even have a seconder for their proposals, let alone a majority. They may become inadvertent or unintentional liars or promise breakers. In office they discover they have to change their minds or broker deals with others to try to get anything done.

The question of independence from a party should not be confused with true independence of thought. An independent might be more ideological than a party candidate. They might have clear and strong prejudices, but not declare them before the election. You do not know how an independent will decide matters or what is likely to be their view of a common problem, unless they tell you in their manifesto. Often their manifesto is very thin on detail.  With a UWP or SLP candidate you have more idea of what you are likely to get.

My Take:  Do Party candidates have an advantage over independent candidates? It seems to be the case – independent candidates have garnered fewer votes on average as compared to party candidates.

Advantages which party candidates may have over independent candidates include:

• The benefit of an established party brand name
• Organizational and logistical assistance
• Backing of popular political leaders in the party

An individual might want to run on a platform supporting the interests of certain groups identified by gender or community. This would be all right, provided he or she did not stir up hatred or promote unreasonable discrimination.

People wishing to stand as independents have found it hard. The electors do not seem to understand the idea. The electorate does not think of parties in terms of ideas. Their suspicion of independents seems to be linked to a desire to know to which group of persons a candidate has attached him or her-self —for that is what joining a party mostly means.

Therefore, independent candidates who are intent on overcoming the odds in the upcoming General Elections must be well-known, established and prominent individuals with proven leadership achievements in their field of expertise.