Barbados and Maximum Leaders

-
Barbados and Maximum Leaders
I would not go so far as to pronounce the Barbados Labour Party and the Democratic Labour Party as abject failures. Barbados with all its self inflicted scars is perhaps one of the best managed small countries/islands in any part of the world.
The major problem confronting us is a dangerous habit of resting on our laurels and waiting until a crisis develops or envelops us to take action. Ideologically and philosophically, we really have a one party state. Hence, policies started by either party in power can be easily continued without the slightest managerial shift or approach when government changes.We are also suffering from the maximum leader syndrome. The period 1961 -1976 was characterized by the belief that Barbados had become Barrowbados. Barrow verbally assaulted: trade unionists, teachers, thePublic servants and the judiciary with equal zeal but the watchdogs became very silent and he ruled our island state like a colossus. When confronted with strenuous opposition to his policies, by radical black nationalists ,Barrow went to Parliament and legislated the Public Order Act and the radical element was forced into political exile.
No different with Arthur . He followed Barrow’s leadership style to the limit. He also became a very aggressive leader and went after all opponents with a laser like focus: journalists, successful blacks and those who chose not to sing in “Owens’s Choir” were starting to feel the heat. He squandered a lot of goodwill by becoming arrogant and irritable  when  his policies were questioned. He ended up by calling people“indentured servants” and “Negrocrats”. For all the self serving mumbo jumbo now emanating from the Arthurites, it was he who told us we were complaining too much and we all wanted to go to heaven without facing the grim reaper. Objective commentators ,will note that such statements were made ,when the winds of the present economic hurricane, were starting to blow in our direction and the populace was starting to complain about his government.
We are now facing  a recession ,that is causing widespread havoc throughoutl the world . The most we can do is increase VAT (DLP) and call for the resignation of the distinguished Governor of the Central Bank (BLP). Once again we are acting as if we do not have the intellectual or political will to tap into our collective capabilities to solve problems. This is  not  surprising to those who monitor the political cannibalizing of our society by these two political institutions. In the mean time Sir Othneil Williams is considering dyeing his sheep in order to halt praedial larceny on his estates. At least he is attempting to be creative -something for the BLP/DLP to think about. Slight chance because they are prepared  only to die  in power or remain in power.
William Skinner is a Caribbean social commentator.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Barbados Elections 2013 and Cash

-
Image
The Mahogany Coconut Group submits that the real vote buying is in the upper echelons of our society. What we witnessed on Election Day was some voters getting   cash, cell phones, IPods and a bill paid here and there. The real votes were bought by those shadows- black and white, - who Dr. Don Blackman referred to a few decades ago! Of course Dr. Blackman talked only about white shadows but the corporate landscape has dramatically changed over the years – we now have shadows of all colors and ethnicities. While we shout from the roof tops about what took place on elections day, we bury our heads in the proverbial sand, by refusing to ask one simple question: How did the two political parties, both claiming to be rather financially impoverished, raise a conservative estimate of over twenty million dollars to pour into a three week campaign? We ask Dale Marshall (BLP) to tell us about the successful “cake sales and car washes” that raised their money. We ask Ronald Jones (DLP) to t
Read more

Me and V: a personal introduction to gay tolerance

-
Image
One Caribbean Nation. By William Skinner Me and V: a personal introduction to gay tolerance I must have been around nine or ten years old. V was a well-known gay citizen, who lived in my beloved hometown of Britton’s Hill, in the parish of St. Michael, Barbados. My earliest recollection of V was his apparent penchant for dressing in white. I seldom saw him in a long pants, and he walked with an amazing rhythm. Even at that early age, I realized that he was very effeminate. He always seemed busy   out and about in the Brittons Hill area and it was obvious that everybody knew him, and his notoriety was island wide. I also noticed that he was always exceptionally clean. Later, I would learn that he was also known as a popular pudding and souse vendor, who carried on his trade in the vicinity of Nelson Street, in the city. He was well loved and respected in Britton’s Hill; along with that respect came good-natured heckling. One day, around midafternoon, about three of my childhoo
Read more

International Women's Day : Our Caribbean Women, Our Hope

-
Image
One Caribbean Nation As we celebrate International Womens’ Day, we are cognizant of the role our Caribbean women have played in the cultural social and economic growth of our region and evolving Caribbean civilization. They , like our men , have risen from the depths and decadence of slavery , to the highest political and corporate ladders in the region. They have given birth, to millions and have made and continue to make significant contributions to those in the Diaspora. In many cases, where they were not the biological mothers, they nurtured, cared and developed those , who were deprived of parenthood , and socio-economic hope. They are in our classrooms, directing young and fragile minds , how to navigate a world that we in the region , must forever avoid being dragged into conflicts of the so-called super powers. They are pursuing all the opportunities of our tertiary educational institutions, including the University of the West Undies, often in higher numbers than our men. I
Read more