Vote lekker

Dear Voter

Voting day puts me in mind of these two quotations:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”  American Declaration of Independence, with a gender update by me!

 “We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to ­ lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law”  South African Constitution.

A vote is a precious thing to have; it is the only thing that stands between all of us and tyranny. Many have died to ensure that we will have the opportunity to vote on Wednesday; not millions, but hundreds of millions. And many hundreds of millions more have lived lives of incomprehensible pain, suffering and hardship for the freedom we enjoy today. Humanity’s long walk to freedom started thousands of years ago. There will be arguments about just when, but I date it to the Golden Age of Athens. That was the time, under Pericles, when it was realized that the right to be free and to choose our governors was inalienable, a right not conferred, but to be taken in terms of natural law.

We suffered many setbacks on our walk to freedom. But great milestones on our way were the issue of the Magna Carta in Britain in 1215, the Declaration of Independence by America in 1776, and the fall of the Bastille and the end of the absolute powers of monarchy in France in 1789, and then for us in South Africa, it was a long walk that ended with Madiba’s release from prison, and the opportunity for all to vote in our first democratic election in 1994.

Standing between us and civil war at the end of that long walk was that same Madiba, a man who had the wisdom and the compassion to find forgiveness in his heart for his persecutors. We owe him such a debt of gratitude. Now I don’t know what Madiba thinks, but I have a feeling that he doesn’t expect our thanks. All he expects from us is that we cherish the democracy that has been so hard won by people all over the Earth in general, and in South Africa in particular. So I appeal to you. Cherish the legacy we now have to be free by voting. When you wake up on Wednesday, and when you go to the polls to vote, do it with joy! Do it with appreciation! Do it with a smile on your face, and step lightly on the ground, for it will be a great day to be alive. Greet your neighbour, and extend a hand of friendship even to those who do not share your political persuasion.

With all our manifold problems and burdens, there are times when it is simply good to be alive. Wednesday will be such a day.Vote in peace and joy

Colin Bower.

Personal Manifesto

Persoonlike Manifes

(Please scroll down for the English version)

Daar is mede-Prince Alberters wat my ken, maar daar is verseker ook talle wat my nie ken nie. Ek roem nie daarop om myself te bemark nie, maar ek verstaan dat ek die volgende persoonlike inligting moet deurgee voordat  verkiesingsdag aanbreek:

·         My taamlik stowwerige formele kwalifikasie is ‘n BA (Hons). Ek het ook verskeie kort universiteitskursusse voltooi, insluitend een van twee weke aan   Stanford Universiteit in California.

·         Onredelike base was lewenslank my voorland. Eindelose ritse begrotings, verslae en planne het ek aan hulle voorgelê. Maar ek kla nie: Dit is die lot van elk werker wat ‘n salaris wil verdien.

·         Ek het gevorder tot senior uitvoerende poste in groot maatskappye.

·         Strategie en die opstel en ontleding van kontrakte is my kos.

·         Hoewel geskool in die Geesteswetenskappe, verstaan ek boekhouding, vreemd genoeg,  baie goed en geniet dit veral ook om met bestuursverslae om to gaan.

·         Ek glo in ‘n “kleurblinde”  gemeenskap, en is ‘n teenstander van regstellende aksie.

·         Dit is my oortuiging dat jy nie ‘n oplossing gaan vind voordat jy die probleem korrek geformuleer het nie.

·         Al is my lessenaar deurmekaar – my denke is logies.

·         Mense beskuldig my van eiesinnigheid, maar dit is nooit my bedoeling om eiesinnig te wees nie.

·         Prince Albert is ‘n unike dorpie, hopelik my tuite tot my sterfdag, die plek waar familie en vriende my graag kom besoek,en ek verruil dit vir geen ander adres in die wêreld nie.

·         In elke moontlike opsig sal ek graag daartoe wil bydra dat elke liewe inwoner en belastingbetaler van ons dorp deel in die vreugde en geluk wat ek en my vrou Sandy ervaar om hier te kan bly.

·         As jy steeds dink jy ken my nie goed genoeg nie, besoek gerus my webwerf – dit is absoluut gratis!(colinbower.com)

Colin Bower

DA Kandidaat in Wyk 2

Personal Manifesto

Some of my fellow Prince Albertians know me, many no doubt don’t.  I’m not a self-promoter, but I guess you need to get the following information before you vote:

·         My extremely dusty formal qualification is a BA (Hons). I have also attended various university short courses, including a two week residential course at Stanford University in California.

·         I have carried the burden of unreasonable bosses on my shoulders all my working life, providing them with endless budgets, reports and plans. It is the name of the game: everybody drawing a salary must do it.

·         I have held senior executive positions in large companies.

·         I enjoy strategy formulation and contract matters.

·         Strangely enough for a humanities man, I enjoy and think I understand accounting matters, in particular, management reports.

·         I believe in a “colour blind” society, and I am opposed to the principle of affirmative action.

·         I have learned that you cannot find a solution until you have correctly formulated the problem.

·         My desk can be untidy, but my mind is logical.

·         I stand accused of being a contrarian, although it is never my intention to be contrarian.

·         Prince Albert is a unique little dorp, my home I hope until I die, the place my family members and friends love to visit, and I wouldn’t swop it for any other address in the world.

·         I would like all of our residents and ratepayers to share in the pleasure and the happiness that Sandy and I derive from living here.

·         If you’re still not happy that you know me well enough, please visit my website at no charge to yourself whatsoever. (colinbower.com)

Colin Bower.

DA Candidate in Ward 2.