THOSE who relied on poll numbers, including Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, felt she would have been the 2016 president-elect. The voters via the Electoral College (votes allotted by states) elected Republican candidate Donald Trump, a result that caught Trump, the United States (U.S.) and world by surprise. In reaction to Trump’s victory, multiple anti-Trump protests are being held across the U.S.Whereas Clinton lost the presidency she won the popular vote. In our Proportional Representation electoral system, such returns would have given her the presidency. And where she lost the presidency in our parliamentary system, she could have had a role in government by going into the Legislature and be Leader of the Opposition. The election was bitterly fought between two historic candidates. Though Clinton has not entirely broken through the proverbial glass ceiling, her achievements will be recorded in the annals of history and serve as inspiration for young girls and women around the world.
In his acceptance speech in the wee hours of Wednesday, Trump was not the person people have come to know during the campaign. He was gracious to Clinton, whom he said had called and congratulated him. To the people, in tempered tone, he offered assurance he will be a president for all, make America great again (his campaign slogan) and the country proud of him. Later in the day Clinton in making her concession speech traced her improbable political journey and recalled the causes that drive her public service, calling on the society, more so the young and women who care about what they believe in, to “fight on.” Hers too was an inclusionary and “big-hearted approach” message in moving forward, resonating themes used in her campaign, and called on the people to respect the democratic process, the U.S. constitution, and its rule of law.
President Barack Obama, who held a press conference after Clinton’s speech, struck similar appeals and advised that he had called and congratulated Trump and invited him to the White House yesterday. The transmission of power has now moved to another phase. There is no denying the strained relations among the three during the campaign. Trump burst onto the political scene almost eight years ago questioning Obama’s legitimacy to be president, requesting that he produce his birth certificate. On the campaign Obama and Clinton questioned Trump’s temperament to be President, Commander-in-Chief, and have the nuclear codes; while Trump attacked both calling Obama the “worse president ever” and Clinton “crooked Hillary.”
On Wednesday it seems the trio was making efforts to put the campaign behind them and come together, and bring their supporters along in putting America, its development and security first. The world will be watching Trump’s articulation of what his administration’s foreign policy agenda would be. While there was concern to what a Trump presidency could be, many held hope that a Clinton presidency was a greater probability. Today’s world is very complex, operating at various levels of multi-polarity, with trouble spots in the volatile Middle East, prolonged wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Iran Nuclear Deal, U.S. relations with Russia, Russia with the world, and terrorism which are significant issues deserving of deliberative thought and actions.

In the Caribbean, the Obama administration (2009-2017) began dismantling U.S./Cuba half a century of sour relations, restored diplomatic ties and this year for the first time in 26 years since the United Nations (UN) General Assembly passed a resolution to lift the Cuba embargo, abstained along with Israel. The Republican-led House has refused to lift the embargo and where the House and Senate remain under this party’s control and with Trump in the White House, come January 2017 no telling as yet what the future holds for this relationship.
At the UN, the Obama administration delivered leadership on the Refugee/Migrant crisis, Climate Change, improving government/citizens relations and by having its UN Ambassador elevated to a Cabinet position, showed the importance of the international community to the U.S. Bilaterally, Guyana has benefitted from technical support for institutional strengthening and capacity-building in the nacro fight with a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) office established here. The U.S. along with other western diplomats have contributed to the restoration of Local Government Elections and supported citizens’ efforts to realise good governance.
It is not lost on the world Trump’s demonstration of little or no knowledge and interest in global affairs save for condemnation of the U.S. trade deals, promises to deal with China and bring back manufacturing jobs, and on the Middle East crisis, professing to have more knowledge that the military hierarchy to handle it. He also made known his support for Britain leaving the European Union. Time will tell. And whereas rhetoric may have been politically expedient, the campaign is over and the world is looking to see the leadership that will be delivered by the new leader of the free world and most powerful politician come next year. Being considered a shrewd businessman, the corporate world and government are guided by different rules and expectations.
Smart leaders recognise that while they don’t know everything, having persons around who know and are prepared to be honest with them, and they accepting such honesty bring dividends to their leadership.