Politics, of an Ancient Greek genesis, refers to activities, not limited to debates and power, that are associated with the governance and resource distribution of a country. In fact, politics with an unquestionable correlation to status, could be further expanded to include processes of policy making, even as it encompasses the struggle for power within and between groups. Having said that, politics at a most reductionist level, could also be descriptive, if not representative, of how societies organise themselves in decision making, whilst concurrently examining the collective impact of such decisions.
In fact, politics examined through an overarching definitional lens, could also be explanatory to the science of government, which is guided by political ideas or ideologies. And it is these underpinning ideologies, that provide political parties with the recognition, if not identification, on the political spectrum covering a left to right axis.
Further, with this guiding ideology, if not principle, informing political parties’ policies, members identifying with a said political party, would have concurrence on policy positions, evident in unconditional support for the leader on many issues. Moreover, the aforestated political ideology, illuminating
That said, despite a well recognised universal unfavourable characterisation, politics under the social sciences umbrella, offers applications in conflict resolution, through the process of political solution. In fact, political solution as a political science construct, references the resolution of conflicts, through negotiation, compromise, and agreement, rather than escalating to a societal destructive trajectory of violence or coercion.
Moreover, as a socially impactive formulae, political solution offering critical nonviolent routes to conflict resolution, encourages the exploration of common ground, through processes inclusive of diplomacy, bargaining, or policy changes. Therefore, at a most granular level, political solution is less about military or violent interventions, and more about maximising conciliatory political tools; vis-à-vis discussion, persuasion, deal-making et al, in confronting challenges, even as a mutually acceptable way forward is engineered.
Thus, it is in this context, our political system is interrogated, to provide critical answers, on contributing factors for the recent failed coalition negotiations, between Aubrey Norton’s PNC and Nigel Hughes’ AFC. However, even before such an excruciating examination is undertaken, germane it is to factually remind, that our political system reflects a binary construct, identifiable as PNC and PPP. In fact, if this binary construct were ever in doubt, GECOM through an extraordinary guidance, provided us with a most timely reminder, in informing only the aforementioned parties will receive hard copies of the Preliminary List of Electors.
Therefore, informed by this backdrop offering a binary political system, a critical examination of PPP 28yrs of catastrophic mismanagement, discrimination, victimisation, corruption and extrajudicial killings, is painfully undertaken. For it is alarmingly evident, the Sugar Industry is at the terminal stages of an irreversible economic downturn, Health and Education in a cataclysmic policy cul-de-sac, even as cost of living and spiralling crimes are exponentially taking lives in shocking measure. Then compounding these already distressing circumstances, is PPP abuse of the archaic winner take all political system, further exacerbated by their scant regard for political solution as a tool to resolve our challenges.
However, despite these national tragedies confronting us, AFC tunnel-vision on overthrowing PNC as a major political entity, conducted coalition negotiations underpinned, if not driven by naked power grab, at the exclusion of we the long-suffering masses. And with AFC leadership conspicuously insulated from PPP barbarous policies, mean their eyes were wide shut to our tribulations, even as cacophonous cries for a political coalition, went unheard.
In fact, rather than recognising the compatible political ideologies, upon which a formidable coalition could’ve been assembled, AFC the party of entitled elitist, remained inseparably resolute that their anointed consensus, should be coronated presidential candidate. Thus, the conclusion is irrefutable, the coalition negotiations inevitably collapsed, for the solitary reason that AFC prioritised, percentage, positions and presidency, in a desperately naked attempt at an elitist takeover of PNC.
