NDC – Youths in Politics

Will Mr. Dickon Mitchell’s anti-worker stance as a lawyer in the past, affect his political career and campaign going forward?

It is okay to compliment Mr. Mitchell’s charismatic aura, youth, intelligence, and to say how well versed in speech he is. The facts speak for themselves. Yet, while all of these might be true, we cannot avoid the elephant in the room. That is, his strategies and stance taken on behalf of companies, affecting their workforce in the past.

As a lawyer Mr. Mitchell did his duty and continues to do it well even today. Anyone with a clear-thinking mind would be foolish to fault him for it. As a matter of fact, he is expected to give nothing but his best as a lawyer. Detrimental to his barrister career, it will for him to do less than he should be giving in that field and timeline.

Like everyone else who is remembered for his/her stint in their respective careers, Mr. Mitchell will surely be remembered for his. Likewise, everything political. Politics has a way of entwining the past with future political goals and aspirations, bringing to the forefront things one would rather remain as experience. I wish one can say one has nothing to do with the other, however, this will be wishful thinking as we all know the truth.

None-the-less, Mr. Mitchell’s astounding performance might have hurt some members of the working populace in varying companies. Some of the policies taken by these companies he has represented or is still representing, through his advice have impacted workers past and present day. Some may have gotten over it while others most presumably will be still grappling with the effects of those changes on their lives.

The question begged to be asked is this, as the political leader of the National Democratic Congress should his party be successful at the next general election, Will Mr. Mitchell be able to separate his lawyer self from himself as prime minister of this country? Will he create legislation that would unite our nation’s workforce or drive them further apart?

As a Grenadian, I believe in the power of the youths and giving them a fair chance. One must not stay in a position beyond the allotted time given for him/her to do so leaving our intelligent youthful population stranded. The powers of livelihood must be distributed evenly. All with an ability to build and uplift our nation should do so without having to fight for it.

Most of us as humans oftentimes wish our past can remain as just that, our past, nothing else. Politics as we know it does not work this way, or reporters would have nothing to report when election comes around, and political lives would be a paradise. Instead, it is a game where the rules change based on political popularity and gain. He who can be persuasive in speech will hold the masses at attention.

The masses being the people that have pledged their undying love and support for a particular politician or political party at the polls. It is a competition where every weapon a candidate has is used against his opponent, which includes bringing a person past sin to light.

It is a dangerous game of who did what when, and how dignified or disgraceful the act is, if interpreted correctly whenever presented.

We may wish to see only Mr. Mitchell’s charisma and charm as an up-and-coming young politician. We can even ignore the voice in our heads that says, look at the other side of the coin. What we cannot ignore is the fact, these questions and concerns keep nagging at us, and unless we get some answers from the source to alleviate our fears they will continue to nag, while we continue to pretend, we cannot hear them.

What makes us all unique is our flawlessness mixed with our faults. Favoring one over the other is never a good practice. Forsaking a donkey because the produce is already in the yard would not make farming any less tedious a task. We still have the morrow to look forward to and more farming to be done. We must look at the good and the bad to find a perfect balance. Learn from the past while perfecting the future.

Dickon Mitchell the lawyer is today’s Perry Mason and Matlock in his chosen career path. But can he be the next Nelson Mandela in his new political career? Only time will tell. Power, they tell lies at the tip of a pen and not in the barrel of a gun. Or, in this case from the words of a politician. Mr. Mitchell now has the chance to show Grenadians the uniqueness of himself in his now chosen field.

NB: A politician’ speech is designed to persuade the people of one thing or another to achieve a desired effect. The real power lies in his ability to create laws and legislation that have great impact on the people of a country. Laws that can be seen as bringing good to a nation or, its reverse. Hence the pen is mightier than the sword according to the saying.

Written by N Regis.