Time for coalition government

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BIpartisan politics

May 18, 2012

Dear Sir,

Several weeks ago Sir John Swan, in a letter to the Editor (April 24) called for a political bipartisan and public coalition because “we are heading towards an economic and social calamity”.

I thought that it was most unfortunate that his call seems not to have gained any traction or any kind of response, not even from the other doomsayers. It is unfortunate because the greatest calamity that has befallen this country in modern times is the creation of political parties. They not only institutionalised and justified the racial divide deliberately imposed on this country in 1834 but they also justified not only the continuation of racism under the cloak of politics but the divisiveness within the black community. It is unfortunate that Sir John did not call for a coalition when he was Premier and did not see that the black community faced an economic and social calamity even then.

The unified progress which the black community began to make in the 1960s with the achievement of universal franchise and public desegregation was halted with the divisiveness of party politics. Sir John sees the calamity in the current recession and other problems but, for me, the real disaster is in the psychological and economic impact which centuries of racism has had on this society without its ever being directly addressed.

“Avid Reader” and others condemn me when I address this issue but they are not likely to condemn the reference to race when Pat Ferguson writes (April 10) “ There is something dreadfully wrong in the black community”. Of course there is, and has been ever since our African forefathers were captured and enslaved in the Western world. But even more tragically was the deliberate policies imposed after 1834 which were intended to ensure there would continue to be something wrong with the black community as both they and the white community were indoctrinated with the concept that they were inferior and every possible social and political action ensured that they were in an “inferior’ role in every possible way. There is also something dreadfully wrong with the white community and their forefathers who enslaved them and who lack the ability to understand the evil and corrupting influence of the racism which they have practised. Some of the letters to the Editor indicate the extent to which it is still in their DNA

It is our responsibility to ensure that the next PLP Government does, indeed, govern with transparency, integrity and above all with humility. But we cannot do that if we do not vote for them. It is as unfortunate as Tom Vesey has implied that our politics are race-based but as long as we accept the economic, psychological and social disparity which currently exists between the black and white communities which has been so deliberately imposed and maintained by the white community, it will be reflected in politics — unless, of course, the politicians do the unlikely and form a bipartisan or coalition Government.

But even then we, as a black community, must understand that the solution lies with us, we must address the disparities because we determine the nature of this society.

EVA N HODGSON

Hamilton Parish

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