Submitted by Alex Fergusson
Last week, a welcome home ceremony was held by the State for Ryan Brathwaite who won gold in the 110 metre hurdles. The win by Ryan Brathwaite was the biggest sporting achievement for Barbados since Sr. Garfield Sobers hit six sixes in the same over and was knighted by her majesty the Queen for a remarkable career in cricket.
That a Barbadian for the first time – would win gold at an international sports meet for juniors (seniors like Audrey Cox and Pearle Yearwood have been winning gold at international meets for seniors for some time now) yet the Minister of Sports, Dr. Ester Byer-Suckoo was mysteriously either out of the island or was trampled so that Senator Irene Sandiford Garner could act at Minister of Sports – is not only vulgar but inexcusably partisan.
In civilized countries, Dr. Byer-Suckoo would be expected to resign from the Cabinet for her unprecedented disrespect toward His Excellency Ryan Brathwaite – a national treasure. In contrast, on page 6 of the Barbados Advocate of September 24, 2009 – Byer-Suckoo was quoted as having said: “you have done something for Barbados than no one before you has managed to do.”
That statement alone, emphasises why her conduct in this entire affair, is vulgar and in extremely poor taste. Furthermore, how could the DLP diminish a national ceremony – paid for with tax payers money – into an exercise, ‘intended to inject life in a DLP,’ which thousands of Barbadian now see as stale; tired and irrelevant to their reality?
Isn’t this the same DLP, which announced in the 2008 Budget that it will impose a 25% (anti-sport promotion) Withholding Tax on winnings – which would essentially reduce the amount of money available to sponsor sporting events?
But, why was Irene Sandiford-Garner trying so hard, even competing with Ryan Brathwaite’ mother? Why was James Paul at that Primary School? Will Sports Minister Ester Byer-Suckoo resign from the Cabinet for snubbing Ryan Brathwaite?
What could be so important that a Minister of Sports would be out of the Island, at the time of the return of Ryan Brathwaite, especially when it was her who told Barbadians the date and time he was arriving?
Where did you go Minister of Sports Suckoo? What are the benefits of that trip to Barbados? And, was it paid for with taxpayers’ money?
Having snubbed Ambassador Ryan Brathwaite, Dr. Byer Suckoo – you must now do the honourable and decent thing and resign from the Cabinet. This would be consistent with the “change,” the “code of conduct,” the “good governance” and the “integrity” Prime Minister Thompson promised.
“A Home Coming for Ryan Brathwaite” (even though a good thing) does not assure him that none of his family members or friends – will not find themselves on the bread-line, similar to the 4, 200 who have already lost their jobs, as a result of the dangerous mismanagement of the DLP. “
Ryan Brathwaite is still subjected to the DLP’ high cost of living and will still get stress when travelling on the road, because the DLP cannot fix the grid lock. So you see, the biggest hurdles for Ryan Brathwaite are not those he will encounter on the track, but the dread economic policies of the DLP, which is making the very food he has to eat, more expensive.
Here is my final point. If this event was organized by Cabinet Office, the Opposition would have been invited and would have received an official invitation on time. Only the DLP knows why such an important State function, which involves public funds – was allowed to be organized by DLP Operatives. PM Thompson said invitations were sent by express mail but isn’t Express mail signed for. Poor Postmen! They deserve an apology and Sports Minister Byer-Suckoo must resign.
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