Open Letter to The District Representative of Soufriere, St Lucia, Emma Hippolyte
The English logician and philosopher Bertrand Russell postulated thus: “Neither a man nor a crowd nor a nation can be trusted to act humanely or to think sanely under the influence of a great fear.”
To hell with the partisan rhetoric and towing the party lines which fracture our country! I fearless how you view this openness. As I intimated to you at a recent SCSS graduation reception, I don’t care about ‘party’, my interest is the positive, engaging and people-centred development of Soufriere/Fond St. Jacques.
As the first woman Parliamentary Representative for Soufriere/Fond St.Jacques I thought and hope that you would have effected transformative ideas and action plans as vividly expressed in your slogan: “TOGETHER LET US TRANSFORM SOUFRIERE ” but your Modus Operandi disturbingly suggest that the “US” in your slogan is exclusive/limited. This exclusivity of the “US” is the essential malady plaguing and weakening transformation where all the people feel comfortable, engaged and belonging.
You continue the subjugation of the people by dishing out individualistic favours, and keep the captives satisfied while the others suffer. You have proceeded to make the party die-hards the “Us” and that M.O. is not transformative but abhorrent. Your projected slogan, does it reflect an ideal of a happy Soufriere or a fantastic and impossible pursuit? Are you truly committed to transformation?
My skepticism as an overall stance makes perfect sense. I will never remain uncritically entranced by stagnated slogans and hypocritical rhetoric that seek to conceal the reality on the ground. I feel rightfully cynical about the possibility of transformation because at the core of your M.O. is still the recurring behavior of many before you, both SLP and UWP, you act as if the mouths of the SLP supporters are split differently to the mouths of UWP supporters. That’s the point where the transforming must begin, as Bro. George tried to bring to PJP’s awareness some years ago. “TOGETHER ” implies all the people of the constituency regardless who they voted for, after all that is their democratic right to choose.
When I was called upon to sit on a committee to devise a Cultural Policy for the Constituency, I didn’t hesitate, I saw it as my duty, an occasion to contribute to something relevant for the progress and transformation of Soufriere. I did not consider your party affiliation, I responded to a call from the District Representative – simple! No strings attached!
If you are genuine about your advertised slogan then you have no choice but to change your trajectory and through calculated, conscience actions affect the togetherness necessary for that transformation.
In conclusion, consider William Blake the English poet, painter and printmaker:
“When I tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do.”
