Andrew Sage

And it also, I think, leads to a contempt towards common people.

Whether it starts out that way or not, it eventually makes its way into that direction.

I still see personality politics rearing its ugly head in Trinidad, even though we've been independent for even longer, you know, 1962 as opposed to Trinidad's 1974.

But the result of that kind of politics is,

You know, ideological and policy splits are either non-existent or secondary to personality loyalties, familial ties, and in some cases, ethnic loyalty.

The United National Congress, the UNC, the party in power in Trinidad right now, party responsible for our current position.

is a personality cult led by current prime minister, Kamala Prasad Basasa.

And she's only one of many examples of this sort of party first, leader first approach to politics that we see in the region.

a baggage that we see in the region.

I know with radical politics, it's sad because you expect to do away with that kind of stuff.

But the revolution, in my view, had a lack of decolonization away from the authoritarian tendencies of colonial rule.

That I think is why there was such an appeal in Leninist thought and rules to begin with, because it's a lot easier to approach, you know, it doesn't unpack the psychology of colonialism or unpack how Gary's rule may have shaped their own approach to politics that another politics might that another anti-politics might.

And so they carried on this elitist authoritarian personality based politics.

Despite having a youthful beginning, Bishop was 29 when he started a neutral movement, which is the same age that Gary was when he got into politics.

I know one could make a movie of the mirrors and their histories, but despite his youthful beginning, the youth carried on the mistakes of their forebearers.

They betrayed the excitement of people power that people had for the revolution, just as they betrayed the excitement of people power that people had for independence.

And they continued a consciousness of deference to hierarchy.

Again, I don't want to draw one-to-one comparisons between Gary and Bishop.

I recognize their stark differences in their politics and in their engagement with the people of Grenada.

They were not the same.