Who do Voodoo?

Ready for Reds

The battle of Red vs. Yellow continues to intensify as election Monday draws near.  In the U.S. the much anticipated candidate debates and resulting polls educate the public and influence popular opinion.  In St. Lucia, campaign events include pageantry and voodoo.

Yellow on Parade

I wasn't able to get a picture of the coffin the red party created to illustrate the demise of the opposition.  When I asked where the yellow casket adorned with flowers and flag had gone, I was told it had been buried. So, instead I went to the red district to seek out an effigy in a red T-shirt of the current prime minister. The cloth and foam dummy had  hung by its neck from a telephone pole, but I was told it had been cut down in the night.

Hand painted signs announcing the corruption and low moral ground of a candidate sprout at traffic rotaries each morning, followed by fresh signage on plywood  disparaging the political antagonism. "Enough is Enough" reads one small, scrawled board.  I credit the peace-loving Rasta Nation for the quiet plea.  When I asked a Rastafarian his choice for the new prime minister, I was told he would be voting for God.

And then there is the publication of the election manifestos.  Released last week, both yellow and red parties released a 10-point list of campaign promises, the locals refer to as a "List of Lies".   School has already been canceled for Monday and officials are suggesting people stay off the street after dark.  Perhaps school will be canceled on Tuesday, too, if the opposition wins.   That's campaign promise number 11.