I watched with mixed emotions as the outgoing president of the United States (POTUS), President Barack Obama, delivered his farewell speech in Chicago where it all began. The skinny kid with the funny name from the south side of Chicago (as Obama often described himself) was taking a bow after writing his name in gold on the pages of U.S. history. A man who is literally an African-American - half African and half American - had achieved what many thought was impossible and became the dream Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had several decades ago.
There was much joy and sorrow as Obama delivered yet another masterpiece that reminded many of what he has come to embody. In his final speech as POTUS and amid periodic tears on the faces of his audience, he inspired hope among his people as he outlined the threats to the freedom that their ancestors fought so hard to obtain. However, there were hardly any comments made by Obama that were more instructive to this writer than the following: "If something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you're disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures and run for office yourself. Show up. Dive in. Persevere." This is the premise of my decision to enter into public life to serve my people in spite of the perils and culture of mudslinging that our politicians have promoted for years.
Heeding the call
On January 11, 2017, one day after the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of majority rule, I stood on a stage and accepted the nomination of the Democratic National Alliance as the candidate for the Killarney constituency. The decision to enter public life in this regard was not taken lightly but followed much prayer, reflection and consultation. As a patriotic Bahamian, I simply love my country too much to allow the perpetuation of the status quo.
In 2017, we have come to look for a Bahamas that once held much hope and promise for its people. We have come to find a nation built on the blood, sweat, toil and tears of our forefathers and foremothers; a nation in which no man or woman should be slave to anyone or anything or second-class citizens in their land of birth; a country in which the majority and not a select few rule their own destiny. We seek a nation not polarized by political tribalism and blind loyalty to party colors. It is time to reignite the true Bahamian spirit which is inspired by allegiance to the aquamarine, gold and black, and not divisive politics of yellow, red or green.
The state of our Commonwealth
Regrettably, what is the state of our Commonwealth today? For the first time in our nation's history, our credit rating has been downgraded to junk bond status after multiple downgrades over the last five years. This is despite the fact that over $1 billion has been collected in VAT since the introduction of this new tax; a regime that has transferred money from the private sector into government coffers and reduced the disposable income of our people.
Our national debt has continued to grow, even with the increased government revenue as government expenditure has continued to rise. Unemployment is exceptionally high, particularly among the youth who have not been given a fair deal. The middle class that our founding fathers fought hard to help build is shrinking by the day. Economic growth has been dismal, as we have experienced two consecutive years of negative growth.
Instead of focusing on and implementing real public sector reform for the betterment of our nation, our leaders have perpetuated the status quo. The public sector has continued to grow, with reports that the civil service has grown by 4,500 since 2012, while the private sector is daily under siege by a system that promotes dependency on the government and handouts to our people. We have become a government country and a false private sector which depends on the sole patronage of the state for its survival. Our people are being pushed down and toward the poverty line daily and The Bahamas continues to be ranked low on the ease of doing business, while our financial services industry is quickly becoming a shadow of itself.
The menace of crime threatens our freedom, and we are plagued by corruption as well as a lack of respect for the rule of law. The spirit of entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises have not been adequately promoted. We have become obsessed with jobs rather than creating an environment that allows us to own our economy and fulfil our God-given potential.
The sad reality is that we didn't get here overnight and both major political parties have put us in this predicament. This is why we have heard both sides argue about the state of our nation and which party left our economy in a wheelchair or on life support. The discourse sometimes focused more on which one has done less or more damage to our nation rather than turn our economy around as Obama has done in his final term.
The new era
Amidst all our challenges, our leaders seem to have forgotten that we live in the "era of prudence". The populace is tired of business as usual and demands accountability and transparency. The people demand openness and honesty from political leaders. Gone are the days when it was acceptable for elected officials to elevate themselves to the positions of kings and queens while they belittle the people with whom the power lies. It is time to return to the old landmark and return integrity, dignity, humility, decency, self-respect, civility and responsibility to public life.
It is time to do away with the politics of hypocrisy, dishonesty and convenient conviction. As Obama put it: "How do we excuse ethical lapses in our own party, but pounce when the other party does the same thing?" Unfortunately, this has become the norm and the way politics is practiced in our nation. Our political leaders profess unity with their mouths but promote division, animosity and hatred with their actions. They outlaw Bahamians based on their complexion, creed, origin, gender and social class forgetting about our history. Their amnesia is convenient insofar as our history is concerned. They forget that the Arawak Lucayans, Tainos, Eleutheran Adventurers, African slaves and subsequent settlers on our islands make us who we are today. However, it is convenient for them to perpetuate discrimination as 21st century slave masters with political power trying to rewrite history and marginalize segments of our society for political expediency.
Time for change
The outgoing POTUS noted that"change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged and come together to demand it". Our nation is in crisis and it is time to change course. It is time to uproot the status quo. It is time for the changing of the guard. It is time for real change in our Bahamaland. It is for these reasons that I have decided to leave the sidelines and enter the political arena to serve the Bahamian people. I have heeded this clarion call for love of country. Together we must rebuild the proverbial walls of our nation. We owe it to this generation and generations yet unborn to restore hope once again in the Bahamian Dream.
The POTUS that changed the game made a profound statement in noting that: "We weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to become so corrosive that people of good character are turned off from public service; so coarse with rancor that Americans with whom we disagree are not just misguided, but somehow malevolent. We weaken those ties when we define some of us as more American than others; when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt, and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them."
This notion is a reality in The Bahamas and has discouraged patriotic young Bahamian professionals from entering into the political arena. However, this writer will not retreat into the shell of despair and will not be silenced by the roaring of toothless intimidating lions when the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is on my side. There is indeed too much at stake for our country to be deterred by shenanigans and distracted by empty rhetoric or propaganda.
We are all God's children and Bahamians that love this country too much not to get involved. Despite the narrative that is promoted by some, no Bahamian loves this country more than another. We all lift our heads to the rising sun, but more importantly to the hills from whence cometh our help. The struggles of freedom fighters that came before us and helped usher in majority rule must not be allowed to be in vain. A luta continua ("the struggle continues"), victoria acerta ("victory is certain").
As I embark on this journey, I would like to thank the management team of The Nassau Guardian, loyal readers and followers of this column. Over the years, your support and words of encouragement have been invaluable, providing me with the much-needed strength to speak truth to power while inspiring a generation. From the bottom of my heart to the depths of my soul, I say thank you. This is not the end but only the beginning; it is not goodbye but rather see you around. God bless you and God bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
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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