For some weeks/months, I have felt the need to write something. I get this urge that I need to put something down on “paper”. The only stumbling block is the subject matter to write about.

The main issue is that I am a retired man, of 67 years age, living alone (with my dog, Sara), with a fairly quiet social life. My life, based on a small island that has lots of interesting stuff going on with its expansion of new residents flooding in, the dubious politics and decisions being made by our elected leaders, but as a recent resident (almost 8 years) I do not feel qualified to start spreading more dirt. In part, this is due to most news being published in Dutch or Papiamento; and anything that is published is likely to be only half the truth at most.

So I am not so well briefed on local affairs as I would wish. I am interested but get most of my more credible information from direct conversations with residents of longer duration than myself. The rest from social media, is as we know, untrustworthy and often bent to the author’s point of view. The comments I have to either translate from Dutch but the real long term or true residents speak Papaiamentu and there is no good translation tool.

So I am to an extent excluded from the politics and developments that surround me. Which is disappointing as I am now entitled to Vote in local elections, but sadly I currently have no clue who I should vote for. The current political landscape looks uninviting in the extreme. In theory, we had 3 main political parties in our local government, but I have lost count of who has swapped parties that I don’t actually think we have a majority party any more.

Since 1991, I have not had the opportunity to vote in a national election or referendum; for 18 years I was able to vote in the local council elections in Germany but didn’t feel part of the local society. For Brexit, despite being a Passport holder, I was excluded. The odd thing is that I think the expat British would have wished our country to belong to the world and not retreat into future insignificance.

Whilst my vote will only be for a local election, which I eschewed from in Germany, here I can see my whole voting constituency in a short drive. So my vote could count to help change things for the other 21,000 people who I share my district with. The elections are next spring so I have yet to hear any manifestos. At the moment, the current crop seem to be either trying to bury past mistakes or crow about their successes.

There is nothing really MAJOR to vote on; nothing like Vietnam, Coal Miners’ Strike, 1968 Prague invasion, Union membership or even the Ukraine invasion. This is a local election, the big issues are decided in The Hague. But some overlap, like minimum social benefits and wages, a subject in place in the Netherlands for many years but not realistically implemented here.

Like every other voter, I want a pipe dream. I want an honest politician who fights for his electorate not the contents of someone’s wallet. I want to be in line with climate change and make our island more sustainable. I want our island to retain some of its character and uniqueness; not become completely covered with hotels and rental properties. It is inevitable we will grow, become more crowded, but at least with a plan that most people agree to. As an old Socialist, more wealth sharing or opportunities for real jobs, not gig economy, so that we can all afford to live. That will help with crime and peace as well!

I have read the paragraph above several times I can’t find it offensive to anyone. I have even sent it a friend who is more right wing than me for comment. Obviously, it will be interpreted in many different ways, often different to how I feel.

I think we all complain about politicians. The conversation in the pub never starts with how good they are! Denied as I am access to local political news, I read the world news! OMG, in theory, we, the people voted these guys in or made the mess that they have to work within (lack of consensus).

It’s a mess! So I want to Vote and hope to get my tiny corner a little better.