The Tribune

By Alicia Wallace

We are past the halfway mark. The Free National Movement administration has been in place since May 2017, and there were many who did not think it would last. It is unclear how they thought the government would change, but people were convinced there would be an unprecedented shift. We have yet to see it.

The FNM and the decisions it has made are, without a doubt, unpopular. The other political parties, however, are unpopular as well. This is due, at least in part, to their inability to offer meaningful, substantial critique and failure to present their own ideas.

Opposing for the sake of opposing is one of the biggest wastes of time and space. We have come to expect it. The FNM makes an announcement. Maybe the PLP responds. The FNM follows through. The people complain. The PLP makes a statement about the shortcomings of the plan. There is far too little critical engagement. In years gone by, Oppositions have failed to fully participate in governance. They have not created opportunities for themselves to make interventions or to engage the public in dialogue when the governing party fails to do so. What is the point of an Opposition if it is only going to complain and lambaste after the fact?

Perhaps Oppositions have a different idea of their duties. It seems they are more committed to doing the least amount of work possible, contributing to the failures of the administration, with the expectation that the failure will only reflect poorly on the governing party and allow them to, by default, win the next election with minimal effort. It is a very short game being played. Depending on another party to fail so that you can win is lazy and, in the case of running a country, irresponsible and unforgivable.

We criticise the government every day. We comment on the lacklustre job the FNM has been doing. We want better representation and we expect better decisions to be made. For some of us, it is important the voice of the people is heard.

In 2020, with access to technological tools, there is no excuse for making decisions without the input of citizens. There are constituency offices that see very little action when there ought to be meetings, information boards and regular events to benefit communities.

Members of Parliament should have held meetings about, for example, the plastic ban. They could have explained the six-month grace period, the reason for charging for plastic bags and the connection between the consumption of plastic and climate change. They could have been providing free reusable bags, supporting entrepreneurs in their constituencies in providing alternatives and holding workshops on making your own bags.

The FNM is not the only party that is failing. Its members are not the only ones not doing enough with what they have to build a stronger nation. The others are just as bad, if not worse. They have the perfect opportunity to review and assess the work of the FNM, but they also have the chance to intervene in ways that do not completely dismiss the plans in motion. They can make recommendations that improve processes and outcomes. It is not acceptable for them to sit back and wait for anything to reach the point of obvious failure.

We are still learning to demand more of the “party in power,” but we also need to hold the Opposition to a higher standard. We have to recognise our own power. These parties want our votes in 2022 and they expect our memories to be short. They expect us to remember the unsatisfactory performance of the other parties, so they do not put enough effort into performing well. It is on us to call them out on their lazy, nation-sacrificing behaviour that benefits no one. We do not want to hear criticism of the plastic ban from the PLP after it has been implements. It would have been better to see an alternative plan from the party and to have had the opportunity to compare. Then we would have at least had the chance to organise and act together to push for the best course of action.

Governments and Oppositions get away with doing the absolute least because we regard them as the only options, and we punish one by voting for the other. We need to do more than that and demand they do far more than wait for each other to fail.

When they complain about something, we need to ask them for the better alternative. When they are late in sharing their positions, we need to ask them where they were before and why it took them so long to care.

The Opposition does not exist to oppose everything, and it certainly does not exist to complain two minutes too late. It should be a voice for the people. It should actively engage citizens in conversations about the options being weighed and the decisions being made on our behalf.

What we have now is not good enough, and there is no excuse for it. We need more from them, and we have to be prepared to monitor behaviour, demand better representation and more meaningful engagement and participate in every way possible. We are more than our votes - governments and oppositions need to be constantly reminded of this fact.

Don't imagine help isn't still needed

Months have passed and many have moved on and expect that others have as well, but the effects of Hurricane Dorian remain. Thousands of homes are still in need of repair. It is difficult to imagine of burden on the people who have temporarily relocated to Nassau, both to rebuild physical structures in their home islands and to take care of their mental health while attending to daily needs not only for themselves, but for the people dependent on them.

Last week, Equality Bahamas held its monthly Women’s Wednesdays session with a focus on community care. It welcomed those in attendance – including NGO representatives, funders, community workers and affected individuals – to consider the ways we need to support one another through traumatic experiences and the recovery periods. Some told personal stories, some shared resources while some offered ideas that could help in the development of better, more responsive programmes.

One of the major points raised was the challenge that comes with the passing of time. People either forget about the hurricane and the people who survived and need ongoing support, or they expect those impacted to be strong and figure out how to help themselves.

Another important point raised was that there has been an incredible amount of judgment passed on those seeking assistance. Many of the people on the frontlines of government agencies and NGOs meant to assist people make hasty assessments on sight, deciding who does and does not need help. Everyone, however, does not look like what they have been through. In fact, even the people who are in marginally better positions than others can need a boost at the beginning, a few months in, or toward the end.

I have operated a donation and distribution centre for the past few months and have seen the shifts in need and access. I notice some people came for assistance for a few weeks and eventually did not need it any more because they were able to return to their jobs, found new employment or received assistance from family members and friends. I have seen new people come for assistance a few weeks in because their resources had been depleted. I have seen people come because, through word of mouth, they learned they would not be judged or shamed at our location. I have seen people come for the first few weeks, not come for a several weeks, then return. In some cases, they tried to return to their home islands, but realised it was not feasible. In other cases, they experienced the fluctuation in their own resources and circumstances.

The needs of the people impacted by Hurricane Dorian continue to change. Having a job does not mean they do not need help. Remember that their expenses are not just the basic and daily needs like food and shelter, but building material and labour to make repairs to their homes among other needs.

People still need food packages. They still need baby items including food, diapers, wipes and clothes. They need hygiene kits, complete with soap, deodorant and toothpaste. They need access to mental health services. They need support in assessing their homes, purchasing and transporting building supplies and paying for the labour to make the necessary repairs.

If you are interested in supporting hurricane relief efforts in any way, get in touch with me at alicia@lendahandbahamas.org. There are many ways to get involved including volunteering on distribution days, making deliveries, assembling kits, offering programming such as yoga classes, literacy sessions and group therapy, and making monetary donations to help keep this work going.

People want to get on their feet, to be independent and to rebuild their lives. It is a long road, and it is much easier when it is not travelled alone.