It is inevitable. Whether the president ratifies or rejects the relevant Acts its now only a matter of time before heart shaped atoll reverberates with the campaign songs and walls get tainted with paints of blue and yellow and colors yet unknown. The clock is ticking and soon we will walk in the shade of humongous banners on streets adorned with campaign pamphlets and paraphernalia.
We have seen elections before. We have seen how the faithful confidant becomes the treacherous betrayer. We have seen the vulnerability and fragileness of our commitment, character and even faith when faced with an ample financial temptation. We have seen the melodious tunes of extolment transforming to callous decries. We have seen the realities and possibilities concealed with utopian fairytales to manipulate innocent voters. We have seen the desperate candidates resorting to drastic and felonious measures only to fulfill their own thirst for power. We have seen all this and many more and we have seen it in elections.
Few months from now we are headed into the election of local councils. The excitement and alacrity has already started to set in. Campaigns though in various disguises have already started. We know our friends, and friends of our friends who are willing and gritty to compete for the island council and atoll council. Kudos to them, since they are about the exercise their constitutional rights!!
But I urge all the candidates who will be participating in the upcoming election to come up with pure intentions and good willed manifesto centered upon the fundamentals of achieving development and prosperity to Addu. My humble request to you all is not to become a puppet of the business man or the political party behind you. My appeal is DO EMPHATICALLY DENY the sinister philosophy that money is bait and votes are for sale.
We all know from the past elections we have had, the results have left us with guilt and regret. It’s time we change that to change everything else.
As you slowly walk into the voting booth, with a ballot paper in your hand and your index fingers stained in voting ink for a second forget everything. The smss in ur inbox, the songs resounding in your head, the whispers in you ears, the promises and hopes given, the recommendations of your parents, the demand of your boss, the suggestion of your friend forget all that. And just remember one thing. Your vote is yours and yours only. Do the right thing with it.!
This note was written on 19 May 2010 and was first published as a Facebook Note.
