"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."
Reproduced above is an extract from the opening narrative from the popular literary piece written by Charles Dickens in his novel "A Tale of Two Cities". The novel makes a comparison between two cities, London and Paris, just before the start and during the French Revolution. Dickens compares social injustice in both cities drawing parallels between the two worlds and their evolving societies.
A familiar scene
The introductory paragraph sums up in large part the current of state of affairs in The Bahamas. It seems fair to state that our notion on where The Bahamas is headed is dictated by the manner in which we view the current landscape; in essence, is the glass half full or half empty? Nevertheless, our conclusions will neither be totally right or absolutely wrong in reality. The proverbial Bahamian glass is indeed half full and half empty all at once.
The often referenced quote attributed to Dickens is reminiscent of a time of contrast. In capturing an era in the history of the world, he seemed to recognize the potential benefits of the French Revolution and the feeling of hope it inspired in the midst of despair for oppressed citizens living in 18 century France. At the same time, it marked the end of an era of a political system and style of governance for the individuals who were benefitting from the current system as it was at that time.
Passing the political buck
There is a generally accepted mentality that promotes the convenient passing of the buck as long as it works to the advantage of the party, administration, group or individual in question. The inclination to politicize everything in our nation makes it difficult for us to work together for a common loftier goal. Hence, we have taken the view that it is either black or white and things are either generally good or totally bad.
To this end, it is the view of some that the current administration has had a less than stellar performance during this term in office. Other commentators are convinced that the present official opposition has been virtually absent and has had a dismal and disappointing performance in holding the government's feet to the fire or having the fortitude to present any viable or alternative solutions to the vexing problems that face our nation. Whether this perception is a fair analysis of actual reality is worth considering. There are valid points being made in the midst of these pronouncements but where does this leave us as a nation?
Trust in political leadership
It is common knowledge that even when we state that certain matters should transcend politics, we always find a way to insert our political bias into the conversation. This practice has become even more polarizing with the general loss of trust and confidence in the political directorate. This is in turn breeding a sense of hopelessness among the populace and a logical conclusion that we are between a rock and a hard place. The writing on the wall is clear in showing that the way we do politics in our nation must change.
The Bahamian people in general and the youth have had it with the business as usual thinking, unveiling a sentiment that is frustrated with the same old same old mentality. Unfortunately, people are hard-pressed to see the difference in ideologies, philosophies or mode of governance between the main political parties. It is not uncommon now to hear Bahamians say that they are just fed up with politicians, politics and political parties in this country. This predicament is compounded by the impression that there are really no viable alternatives to inspire hope in our people again; yet the Quiet Revolution continues.
The withdrawal syndrome
The emerging trend in our commonwealth is disturbing, to say the least, as we are witnessing sectors and constituents of our nation feeling disenfranchised and second-guessing their intentions to remain and contribute to the development of our country. It appears that for the first time in several decades we have achieved the remarkable but unimpressive feat of offending, excluding or belittling almost every constituency within Bahamian society including young people, the poor, the rich, professionals, investors (domestic and foreign), business owners, party supporters, church congregants and commoners as a whole.
It is not unusual to hear Bahamians talk about their plans to emigrate in search of greener pastures, comfort and peace of mind. U.S. President Barack Obama was quoted as saying that a "terrible political climate drives citizens away from participating in the political process". When one considers this statement with the growing number of Bahamians expressing disinterest in participating in future electoral processes, there is much to ponder. This trend is particularly alarming for a nation that takes pride in the engagement of its citizens in matters of politics, governance and current affairs. Put simply, the current political climate just does not seem conducive to many and is causing our people to withdraw into their proverbial shells.
Politics and the hope of our nation
As we look upon the current state of our political parties, it is fair to state that the people of our great nation are losing hope. Hope keeps a people alive and as the Bible says, hope does not disappoint us. If we lose our hope, what is there to look forward to? It is an understatement to declare that our nation is at a crossroad. Arguably, we've not been on this road since the mid-20th century. Bahamians have lost faith in their elected leaders, religious leaders and many other sectors of Bahamian society.
Nevertheless, there is a generation that must and is mandated to rise up and recognize the fierce urgency of now. As we move on in this quiet revolution, it is not unforeseeable that there will be some who will become casualties of the revolution, but they would have played their part in shaping the positive outcome of the revolution.
The worst of times?
It is indeed the worst of times in that we are facing adverse financial and economic conditions at the micro and macro levels of our society, high crime levels, poor social conditions and a divided political climate that lends little time to advancing policies that will positively impact the Bahamian majority.
Politics has so divided our nation that the simple issues of life have become complex and common sense seems to have exited the political scene of our country. Our political leaders and undercover political operatives have helped to create an environment that promotes hatred, division, intolerance and disrespect. They are working overtime to shape our culture into one in which right is wrong and wrong is right provided it is perpetrated by a select few in their version of "Animal Farm".
An opportunity beckons
In the final analysis, to those of us who see the glass half full, it is also the best of times; a time to usher in a new order of focus and discipline, the likes that has never been seen in The Bahamas. Amidst all the chaos that is going on in our land, the eyes of the Bahamian people have been opened to the injustice and the possibilities all at once. Our vision extends beyond the challenges of our current predicament into the opportunities of a Bahamas with much potential.
As we closed the Easter season with the celebration of Pentecost, the significance of the occasion could not be more relevant. The Bible records that the Holy Spirit was ushered in by disciples gathered in the upper room and notably on one accord. A defining moment in the Christian faith demanded unity in mind and purpose as the divisive labels of race, tongue, gender and nationality among other things became irrelevant. Our country must return to a spirit of oneness and unity if we are to live the spirit of our motto, forward, upward onward together.
o Arinthia S. Komolafe is an attorney-at-law. Comments on this article can be directed to a.s.komolafe510@gmail.com.
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