As limited as the effects of the remnants of Tropical Storm Gaston passing mainly south of St. Maarten yesterday were, gusty winds did take down a few of the election billboards along the roads. Nothing serious happened, although one of them was sticking out onto a roundabout, but the political parties involved did take a risk.
After all, while Gaston went down to a low long before it reached the local area, there were indications it might redevelop into a tropical depression or even storm.
In the end that did not happen, but one has to wonder if especially those who were putting up (or back) signs as late as Monday evening could not have waited just one more day to play it safe.
That they chose not to do so indicates that the election battle has heated up to the point where the candidates apparently can't afford to lose even a minute when it comes to winning over voters before they go to the polls next week Friday. Perhaps the competition to secure the best locations where the billboards are perceived to be most effective played a role as well.
To somehow better regulate the latter, other than the current restrictions on the placement of campaign materials for mostly traffic considerations, would appear almost a mission impossible if the culture of political signage, flags, etc., is to be maintained. While they are considered eyesores by some, and can lead to inconvenience in terms of distracting motorists and slowing down traffic, it is also a colourful tradition that creates an election ambiance and probably helps persuade more people to vote.
If this form of political "freedom of expression" is to continue, however, the leaderships of the various parties also need to be conscious of the great responsibility it brings when it comes to preventing possible mishaps. It may be a hassle and even costly to keep taking down and putting back up the billboards every time a weather system approaches, which is probably one good reason to avoid elections during hurricane season, but public safety always comes first.
