The yoga of not voting in 2015 and making #CHANGE

My ballot paper..

The young man told me he resigned from the PPP recently. We both agreed that if we had the chance, we would leave Guyana. 

I am not sure which place I would want to go, but someplace where garbage is not an indicator of development and progress. We both agreed that while we were here we had to find a way to live in the place.

We both agreed we not voting in 2015 (well he said he still not sure, but like many coolie people I suspect they will choose not to vote again rather than vote for anybody else, black or coolie ). Another woman who want to leave Guyana send a text to ask her friend who she hope will help her leave.. to support the PPP in May 2015.

A lot of people believe that elections bring change. In Guyana, though.. in 1992 and so on.. the changes were not made and we have a Government which is not accountable and no Constitutional mechanism to hold any 'elected' leader accountable especially to those who did not vote for that leader.



Elections however bring the fear of violence, the rabid rise of division and racism and the irony of 'We are all Guyanese' contradicting with the 'Those who don't vote for my party must be jackasses/oppressors and racial against my race".

The politician's 'peace and love' is matched with 'threats of violence'.. it is as though people go to the ballot under some invisible gun and the impending Elections on the 11 May, 2015 are not beacon of hope but fears of what will happen to the children who have to write exams .

But as long as they allowing beating children in school and some people want to litter, no change in my mind is really possible.



Sherlina Nageer asked what  people will do about change before and after E-Day.

Here is what I hope to do :-

1. I hope to continue  being an uncivil citizen, and doing nothing. It might mean that I have to be careful about chowtaal singing this phagwah season as I am not able to walk out of any session where PPP is campaigning or their Ministers are given prominence.

The Guyana I would like to live in is one in which :-

• People do not think it is okay to beat children to discipline them  and there is no ambivalence from any leader or anybody else about beating children.
• People do not litter and the place is clean
• Drainage works 
• Every citizen could feel that they are part of building something which is not about destroying the environment or keeping other people down.

I know other people want different things. 

2. I will be accountable and try to hold others accountable . I will shut up about those who I think are hypocrites calling for good governance and accountability, even as they themselves are models for the current PPP style whether in their families, organisations or elsewhere.

3. I hope to keep talking to people about not beating their children and about keeping the place clean. This I know would be more risky that sharing political views since people get violent when you ask them to turn down the music or change their behaviour. So magically putting the X is for others to change while you continue to play your music loud and so.

4. I plan to keep reminding people about their rights and responsibilities as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (not the Constitution or the laws of Guyana which are selective in which rights are withheld or which are drawn). 

5. I plan to ignore all the 'We are all Guyanese' and instead talk to whoever cares about 'We are all diverse Humans" and that our differences exist and could be celebrated rather than suppressed.