Love them but hold them accountable too

Most people can relate to occasions when they are faced with a big problem. But it can be the little things that rattle and distract you from the bigger challenge for which a solution must be found.

The political campaign being run by United States presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Tim Walz has demonstrated that you can deliver a consistent message that resonates with people even when your opponents are mudslinging and seeking to undermine your efforts with cultural issues that do not lower the price of bread.

Harris is facing attacks for not having biological children, accused wrongly of promoting the “killing of babies after the ninth month”, and of “suddenly turning black”.

As incredulous as the claims are, they are being used by the Republican party presidential team as issues on which the American electorate should vote.

Politics should not be compared with Sunday School. Its rules of engagement can be murky and subject to the influence of those with money and power.

These days, another power dynamic is control not only of the traditional mass media but social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, as well as YouTube.

Low-information people are often not savvy enough to distinguish between a genuine news item and what has been designed to spread propaganda.

A 20-minute browse of the international news channels demonstrates why at least one candidate expresses his preference for “the poorly educated”. They are simply easier to manipulate.

Here at home, the political landscape is quite active, not for the vibrancy of political battles but for the internal wrangling in the Democratic Labour Party (DLP).

The reasons for the turmoil are many; however, from the outside, it appeared to be a struggle for power.

At this stage, it appears that Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne KC has won the day and emerged as the man whose tactical plan was more effective.

Thorne essentially has what all the other contenders do not – a seat in the House of Assembly, and along with that the power to appoint two Opposition Senators to the Upper House.

As much as ex-president Dr Ronnie Yearwood and ex-general secretary Steve Blackett, both of whom have been thrown out of the party, fought to have him cut down to size, it is they who are on the outside. Their supporters have been resigning from the party also, thus making a comeback from within a most difficult endeavour.

Though the salacious leaks and rumours of who was planning what if Prime Minister Mia Mottley calls an election are great distractions, the point remains that there are many areas of concern in the country for which a strong and vibrant opposition party is required.

The citizens of this country are very much concerned about the high cost of living that is strangling many poor households and undermining the quality of life of many in the middle class.

Barbados requires a strong opposition that will make a case for those who fear the amended Cybercrime Bill is an overreach that will stunt legitimate freedom of expression and reinforce the palatable fear that too many Barbadians have about expressing their opinions on a range of issues.

They want a strong opposition that will challenge the government on its spending and borrowing, about the treatment of public officers and the widespread use of short-term contracts for civil servants.

Yes, Barbadians elected the BLP under Prime Minister Mottley’s leadership with overwhelming victories at the polls in 2018 and 2021. It is also true that one can admire a politician and, at the same time, want to hold them accountable.

The Democracy Works Foundation, in a policy brief on the Role of Opposition Parties in Developing Democracies, puts it this way: “Opposition parties provide alternative visions, policies, and leaders to the governing party. They scrutinise government decisions, policies, and actions – and play oversight over the Executive and the public administration. They defend the voters’ interests – not only their constituencies but all the country’s voters.

“Opposition parties’ ability to show the electorate they are credible alternative governments is crucial to the credibility of the democratic system. A democratic system is significantly undermined if the opposition does not offer any credible alternatives to the governing party, is invisible in the public debate or does not have a public profile beyond during elections.”