What can America tell the world about democracy and democratic elections, after we saw what happened on Wednesday January 6 at Capitol Hill as the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives met to confirm President-elect Joe Biden to the Presidency. The origins of Wednesday’s coup attempt have had its origins following the November 3 General Elections, and part one culminated on Wednesday. Can we expect similar activities on Inauguration Day, January 20, and beyond?”
How come America can tell the world about democracy and free and fair elections? What is Venezuelan President Maduro and Guyanese dictator, David Granger saying? Trump is now leading a new form of democratic traditions and practices, feature unworthy in today’s world of COVID 19, Climate Control, economic and social decay, all of which pose a catastrophic view of the world. Bear in mind that these issues would not whiter away anytime soon, if ever at all.
I am certain that the American people would not allow Trump to get away with his coup attempt so that he would remain in the presidency for a second term. We must always remember that leaders come and leaders go, but the cause of the nation goes on well beyond this generation, and future ones as well. Trump lost, and he did so badly.
Caribbean leaders must not take a cue or example from Trump’s dismal, inhumane, disastrous and despicable behaviour to further install himself in the Presidency of the United States of America, and in what conscience and respect would he sit in the councils of the world and speak on behalf of the America people. Trump’s behaviour reminds the world of the American fight for Independence towards the end of 18th century. Probably George Washington, America’s first President and other freedom fighters at that are now turning in their graves, and watching Trump in his naïve, worth loss way, tried to deprive the American people, and by extension, the world society of further nurturing democracy.
The world needs men of integrity, honesty, truthfulness embroiled with the spirit of true humanitarianism as leaders, but there are few around. What precedent is our leaders practicing or leaving to young leadership. Trump has now become the scorn of the world society as evidence by the commentaries from the Secretary General of the United Nations, President of France, Chancellor of Germany, the British Prime Minister, among several others.
China, North Korea and Iran can now judge America by its present leadership in the personality of Donald Trump. Caribbean leaders must now demonstrate to America and the world that free and fair elections remain the bastion of our democratic traditions, that come whatever may, despite Forbes Burnham of Guyana in the period 1964 to 1992, and more recently David Granger in 2020, and Dr Eric Williams with his voting machines in1961 and 1966, and not forgetting Eric Gairy we must do better at all times.
Let democratic traditions with free and fair elections must be emblazoned on our national flags that, whilst we may sometimes be called, Banana Republics, at least we have respected the will and the wishes and aspirations of the populace, regardless of our geographic boundaries. Trump has deceived and dismayed and brought America and the nations of Western Hemisphere in great shame, and it would take generations to erase that, despite it would be written in history books, novels, commentaries and academic studies. Hail Donald Trump of the United States of America for your despotic contribution to democracy in the world.
