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Dear Editor,
In recent days, it has been troubling to witness the disparaging remarks, the casual cruelty, and the wave of cyberbullying aimed at Vakeesha John, the former President of the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) Young Democrats, simply because she announced her intention to vote for the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP).
From being branded a “nobody” to becoming the subject of vile personal attacks, Ms John’s character has been picked apart by those who seem to forget that the right to vote freely is not a favour from any political party—it is a constitutional guarantee of citizenship.
What makes this moment even more alarming is its stunning hypocrisy. A quick scroll through social media reveals that some of the very people condemning Vakeesha were recently celebrating when an online outlet reported that former government minister, Mike Browne, declared he would not cast his vote in the November 27 general election.
Why, then, is silence golden for one and condemnation cheap for the other? Why is Vakeesha’s decision branded betrayal, while Mike’s is treated as bravery? This double standard is a mirror reflecting not our politics, but our prejudice.
It is as though we are locked in a national arm wrestle: one citizen’s right crushed so another’s opinion can triumph. But democracy is not an arm wrestle; it is a shared table where every voice, whether whisper or shout, has equal claim to space.
This cancel culture, this shifting morality that blesses one choice and curses another, must end if we are to grow as a mature democracy. No nation can rise when its people are busy pulling each other down. Let us remember that freedom is not the property of the loudest voice, but the birthright of all Vincentians.
And so, to us, the citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadines: in this season of political heat and passion, let us return to the words of our national anthem—“St. Vincent land so beautiful, with joyful hearts we pledge to thee, our loyalty and love, and vow to keep you ever free.” Those words are not mere lyrics; they are a solemn promise. To honour them is to treat one another with respect, even in disagreement, to guard freedom as fiercely for others as we claim it for ourselves.
Let us not trade our national dignity for the fleeting thrill of political scorekeeping. Let us choose loyalty over spite, love over scorn, and freedom over fear. For if our hearts remain divided, our land cannot remain free.
Thank you for your consideration,
Concerned Youth
One News SVG 