After reading Barbados Today dated March 22nd,2011. I found the article on agriculturalist And Independent Senator Dr. Frances Chandler a very interesting read.

I no longer live in Barbados but my roots are Barbadian. What goes on in Barbados will always mean something to me.  I have no idea if I will return to live in Barbados,  but I visit from time to time.  The changes being made scare me quite a bit, and I have no idea at my age what I can do to be able to contribute.

As a boy I remember the sugar industry being the main source of revenue for Barbados. As time passed it appears sugar is no longer of much importance to the figureheads who are calling the shots in Barbados. To replace the sugar industry, all effort  and tax payers money is being funnelled into tourism. In my opinion that’s like putting all your eggs in one basket.  What do you have for a backup in case the tourist well runs dry?  The sugar industry created jobs for the little man. Even now with modern technology, the little man still would be able to earn a decent dollar.  Why give up on what brought you the money before you got all caught up in the tourist industry?

After a while the beauty of Barbados that people travel to see and enjoy is going to be changed. When are the people who suppose to be the shot callers going to pay attention before it’s too late to make the changes to regain what Barbados once had?  You have made so many things out of the sugar cane. Now you are buying sugar from other countries because you don’t seem to have enough to supply to Barbados.  Educated people are making these decisions. I remember the old saying in Barbados as a boy, “Never Put All Your Eggs In One Basket”.

Please listen to what’s being said by Dr. Frances Chandler. I understand what she’s saying, it makes a lot of sense.  She is saying, you are putting more money into research than into developing the sugar industry  to be a cash flow for Barbados.  If Barbadians do not go back to the most important things that created healthy citizens, which was growing what we needed instead of imports, and not knowing what we are really getting for the high cost that’s being charged, we are going to keep having  problems with leaking foreign exchange.  Why buy what you can grow in Barbados? Think ahead of what the government seems to be so important for them, and not really for all.

One thing is for sure, you have to STOP selling off the land that’s needed for planting food. The time is NOW to start doing what has to be done to help provide for all Barbadians. Stop depending so heavily on imports.