• Latest
Sticking a Pin on…The Surrogate

Sticking a Pin on…The Surrogate

4 years ago
RFP: Corporate Communications Officer

Volcanic ash advisory

4 hours ago
Aspire To A Locavore Lifestyle

Price increase for meat products predicted

1 day ago
Grenada will not attend first OECS Parliament session

OECS and African Union partner to overcome vaccine challenges!

2 days ago
Grenada honey one step closer to being legally sold on Trinidad market

Government meets with unions representing public workers

2 days ago
Claims of coronavirus at SGU designed to create fear and panic

Covid-19 update: Grenada Dashboard 16 April

2 days ago
Mia Mottley’s profile in courage on anti-discrimination

Grenadian PhD candidate sets sights on environment and climate justice

2 days ago
Entertainers fully vaxxed and ready to perform at Sandals Grenada

Entertainers fully vaxxed and ready to perform at Sandals Grenada

3 days ago
Senator identifies finance as major shortcoming for sectors he represents

St Clair: MNIB resuming exporting of produce is good news 

3 days ago
Working together for growth & development

Working together for growth & development

3 days ago
Government says “no physical altercation” between journalist and junior minister

Collaborate with NaDMA for Covid-19 compliant relief effort

3 days ago
Securing Economic Integration: The importance of intraregional trade

Guidance for processing incoming persons from St Vincent

3 days ago
Ridge to Reef and MNIB launch Pest Management Project

MNIB resumes exporting; Increased inquiries from Barbados

3 days ago
NOW Grenada

Main Header Ad 468x60

booked.net
  • Front Page
  • Categories
    • General News
      • All
      • Agriculture & Fisheries
      • Arts & Culture
      • Business
      • Education
      • Environment
      • Health
      • History
      • Lifestyle
      • Law
      • Politics
      • Technology
      • Travel & Tourism
      • Weather
      • Youth
    • Sports
      • All
      • Athletics
      • Cricket
      • Football
      • Watersports
    • Community
      • All
      • Tribute
    • Crime
    • Features
      • All
      • Today in History
    • Opinion/Commentary
    • Press Releases
      • All
      • Advertisements
      • Notices
  • Video
  • Notices & Vacancies
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Front Page
  • Categories
    • General News
      • All
      • Agriculture & Fisheries
      • Arts & Culture
      • Business
      • Education
      • Environment
      • Health
      • History
      • Lifestyle
      • Law
      • Politics
      • Technology
      • Travel & Tourism
      • Weather
      • Youth
    • Sports
      • All
      • Athletics
      • Cricket
      • Football
      • Watersports
    • Community
      • All
      • Tribute
    • Crime
    • Features
      • All
      • Today in History
    • Opinion/Commentary
    • Press Releases
      • All
      • Advertisements
      • Notices
  • Video
  • Notices & Vacancies
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
NOW Grenada
No Result
View All Result

Article Header

Sticking a Pin on…The Surrogate

This story was posted 4 years ago
11 October 2017
in OPINION/COMMENTARY, Politics
3 min. read
Share

by William Joseph

Elections in Grenada today involve an increasing number of surrogates seeking to influence voters’ choice. However, success at the polls is highly dependent on the popularity of the leader and confidence in his/her leadership, the depth of party organisation, large bundles of dollars, a persuasive public relations campaign and effective ground-level mobilisation.

That mobilisation is visibly done by such persons as bus drivers, shopkeepers, church leaders, small contractors and surrogates.

Unlike their co-promoters, surrogates demonstrate many important differences. Firstly, they operate in the media, and so their reach is national. Secondly, they are generally in an approved relationship with the party they are selling. Thirdly, they have a duty to receive briefings from the party (the ‘line of march’), and a responsibility to advocate as directed in order to be effective enablers. They are not independent actors! Surrogates do not normally engage in the role as a means of livelihood!

A surrogate is entitled to think of himself and to beat his chest as he wishes, but he must subject his personal assets, popularity and fancies to the wishes and direction of the party whose interests he seeks to promote. Importantly, the surrogate is not expected to promote himself. To do that would be to cross the line and put the party at risk. Where there is a perception that a surrogate is elevating himself over the party, such conduct opens the door to multiple counter-attacks against the very party. The situation is worsened where the surrogate presents positions that are plainly contradictory of the party’s strategy. In the circumstances where he compromises his principals, harm multiplies.

Where a party finds itself in the belly of a surrogate such that it regularly appears to be a follower, disturbing alarm bells ring out loudly!

So much for the principles; now for the confusion!

Recently, a deeply embedded surrogate published a view that a vote for his party is a vote for him (either way). Well, well! Sadly, the motivation behind that declaration is a painful realisation that the particular party is not trending, its leadership is not getting things right and defeat is imminent! Simply put, he is sending a message to listeners that his preferred party is struggling and that things have become so desperate that he needs to transition from surrogate to saviour! Words are the life-blood of surrogate-ship, but those words must be smart and unselfish in order to produce a harvest on Election Day.

Weak leaders tend to elevate loyalty almost uncontrollably, but loyalty is an over-rated contributor to the big political causes of the day. To sign- up someone as a surrogate on the basis of personal loyalty to a leader is to set in place a ticking time bomb!

It is easy for the simple-minded to harass or humiliate others, but it is infinitely more difficult for such a person to be humble. Predictably, someone will take offence to these comments in the name of self-importance and ‘street-smarts’. Listen and read! Recall encountering Samson, of biblical fame, at a point where he was blind and weak? Yet he demonstrated a sense of humility when he reasoned that he should lean against the pillars of the temple for strength. He knew that he was not himself a source of strength and he knew where to find strength.

The surrogate will be better-off cultivating the Samson spirit of humility. He must know that in relation to himself, it is the party that must be made strong. He must know that he is not the owner of the vineyard.

NOW Grenada is not responsible for the opinions, statements or media content presented by contributors. In case of abuse, click here to report.

Tags: electionhumilitypartypoliticsamsonstrengthsurrogatewilliam joseph
Next Post
Financial Sense… Love Don’t Live Here Anymore!

Financial Sense… Are You Allergic to Money?

Comment on story Cancel reply

Please enter your valid email address.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Home Sidebar NP 300x250

© NOW Grenada. All Rights Reserved. Published by Aqua Design Inc. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

No Result
View All Result
  • Front Page
  • Categories
    • General News
      • All
      • Agriculture & Fisheries
      • Arts & Culture
      • Business
      • Education
      • Environment
      • Health
      • History
      • Lifestyle
      • Law
      • Politics
      • Technology
      • Travel & Tourism
      • Weather
      • Youth
    • Sports
      • All
      • Athletics
      • Cricket
      • Football
      • Watersports
    • Community
      • All
      • Tribute
    • Crime
    • Features
      • All
      • Today in History
    • Opinion/Commentary
    • Press Releases
      • All
      • Advertisements
      • Notices
  • Video
  • Notices & Vacancies
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

Copyright NOW Grenada

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. Visit our Privacy Policy | Terms of Use.

NOW Grenada
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Visit our Privacy Policy | Terms of Use.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.