Prime Minister Thompson was spot on when over the weekend he alluded to the clout and might of Barbadians and other West Indians living in Great Britain and other parts of the Diaspora. Many of us tend to view our friends and relatives living in those adopting countries as minorities, but, if you stop for a moment and think, you would come around to appreciating how very influential we really are.
Bloc voting is the ploy of many special interest groups around the world. In parts of the United States of America, there is the labour vote, the tobacco growers vote, the gays and lesbians vote, the pro life vote and even the animal lovers vote. They group together and lobby for the promotion and protection of their particular interests and, in many swing States, they succeed in precipitating action; as their support is often times critical to the outcome of an electoral race.
Mr. Thompson was correct when he said that the new coalition government in Great Britain could not ignore the voice and influence of West Indian voters, because in an election as hard fought as that of two weeks ago, it is clear that such a large special interest group can make or break a governing party.
I have no doubt that millions of West Indians were among the swing voters who went to the polls and put Gordon Browne out to pasture. I have no doubt that those said West Indians are hopeful of real and meaningful change under Prime Minister Cameron. My thesis on this occasion, however, is that they simply cannot sit idle and wait to be noticed. They cannot hope that their individual Members of Parliament will remember and honor campaign pledges. My view is that they have got to keep up the lobby for early and positive action.
Voters here in Barbados have been practicing this precise strategy ever since the elections of January 15th, 2008. The Democratic Labour Party promised open and accessible government, and the electorate has not let up for a moment in demanding such.
The governing party here in Barbados promised a new concept and era of parliamentary representation and voters in this country have not permitted them to forget this solemn undertaking. Never in the history of Barbados politics has there been such adherence to the promise of accessible representation.
At an appointed hour in every month, fortnight and even week, there is a DLP Parliamentary Representative conducting a constituency clinic somewhere in this fair land. Constituency offices were formerly used for social functions, community sports or were just left shut up and battened down during the political off season. Not so in this new dispensation!
I live in a constituency where the notion of a parliamentary representative sitting weekly, monthly or even annually to discuss personal and community matters with constituents was unheard of. Indeed, a rare sighting at the odd funeral was about the most that voters could expect. Yet, they suffered in silence. Today, there is the daily opening and functioning of constituency offices and Clinics by MPs are held on a scheduled basis. Added to these, is the introduction of Constituency Councils, where ordinary citizens are today being given an opportunity to discuss and determine which community projects should receive priority attention and resolution. This is an era in parliamentary, political representation that should and ought not to be taken lightly by voters.
More recently, there is the weekly Constituency Conferences at which Members of Parliament have been mandated by their esteemed leader to report to their constituents on progress made on their behalf in the first 24 months of stewardship. The fact that no less than 1, 000 persons have been turning up each week to attend and participate in these forums, speaks volumes about the extent to which the gesture is appreciated by previously alienated voters.
I wrote last week about the oil rich sister nation of Trinidad and Tobago throwing out a performing government on the basis of attitude. The issue in Trinidad and Tobago was not economics. They are hundreds of thousands of Trinidadians and Tobagonians doing better now than they ever have, but yet, they found it necessary to change a government that they felt was no longer there for them.
This current administration in Barbados has been dealt a terrible economic hand. It is no secret that the hands of ministers of government have been tied, as a result of reduced earnings and a compulsory deficit financing situation that has left precious little in the kitty for anything but necessities.
This government will not be able to boast in two years time of major infrastructural improvements, because the money just has not been there. It will not make record gains in the area of reducing unemployment because the economic environment is simply not conducive for such. Several other areas of priority identified while in opposition and contained in its manifesto will probably not be achieved to a satisfactory degree, again because of the cash-strapped nature of the economy. But those things that money did not have to buy and the little that could have been done with what was available has certainly been maximized to the fullest.
Look at the housing boom that is in effect across Barbados. Reflect upon the lot of our school children. Be honest about tremendous improvements that have taken place at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Speak to the calm and civility of labour and the industrial relations climate. Reflect upon how our farmers and fisherfolks have been assisted in this period of adversity. Give credit where credit is due in relation to tangible support given tourism and the consequent minimization of job losses. Ponder upon the calming effect of the leadership of David Thompson and the fact that once again Barbados is respected and not feared or plotted against.
This has been a period of enlightened, calming leadership where in the roughest of seas the Captain has remained cool, collective and calm. This has been a period when parliamentary representatives have earned every cent they are paid, because for the first time in many years, voters are demanding tangible, visible and measurable outturns, and, judging from the weekly reports, are receiving such.
Barbados has to date weathered the global economic storm because as a people we have voted in bloc to make Barbados work. The Team Barbados concept is working, whether or not we recognize it or knowingly contributed to its upkeep.
By and large Barbadians have become a special interest group in the quest to keep the SSS-Barbados afloat and that is an accomplishment over which we should all be proud.
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