est. 2007

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Gentle Response To Ms. Rebecca Theodore’s Commentary: Is Barbados An Apartheid State?

April 08, 2011 Dear Ms. Theodore: Usually I am very keen to engage fellow academics. On this occasion, I am reluctant, yet I feel that I must. It is most unfortunate that you chose to ‘undress’ in public leaving all to see the types of bigoted behaviour that can sometimes emerge from the Caribbean. What…

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Submitted by George C. Brathwaite

April 08, 2011

Dear Ms. Theodore:

Usually I am very keen to engage fellow academics. On this occasion, I am reluctant, yet I feel that I must. It is most unfortunate that you chose to ‘undress’ in public leaving all to see the types of bigoted behaviour that can sometimes emerge from the Caribbean. What is your agenda, and what gains do you hope to receive in relation to your commentary, ‘Is Barbados an apartheid state?’ Are you attempting to ‘blacklist’ Barbados through the use of grossly misleading statements and invectives? I am shocked and very disappointed that you are studying at the doctoral level and would resort to the lowest gutter in order to spew a load of intellectual diatribe.

All I ask of you Ms. Theodore is to support the assertions that you make because I will be sure to expose not only your weaknesses in writing, but the sordid contempt that you have for us in the Caribbean as whole. Perhaps you are shocked after having received more than you have bargained for from the outset. Maybe, just maybe, you are your own worst enemy because it is you who fit the build of having “the seed of distorted perception [wherein it] finds new meaning in a glowing age of literacy.

Ms. Theodore, are these your words and can you support the following claims with facts and evidence?

1. Although recent developments in the world at large mark the end of legislated apartheid, it seems that its entrenched social and economic effect operates covertly on Barbadian shores.

2. While opponents consider the analogy of apartheid defamatory and reflecting a double standard when applied to Barbados, it cannot be denied that in light of recent discriminatory practices towards their own Caribbean brothers and sisters, apartheid is practiced both internally and externally in Barbados. It is true that Barbadians have protected themselves with an aggressive nationalism.

3. In Barbados’s struggle to present to the rest of the Caribbean the picture of a perfect society or the Utopian dream, covert segregation among its own people prevails, denying the ordinary working class the historical legacies that they had overcome since the days of slavery to their present day liberation.

4. Supermarkets in Barbados only cater for tourists — another exchange that deliberately conceals the truth that Barbadians are treated unfairly on their own shores by the white bureaucracy — an exchange that prompted local calypsonian Gabby to reclaim Barbadian heritage for all in song and poetry.

I contend Ms. Theodore that the concluding words in your commentary are most apt; you wrote that “words have taken over my realism but the chaotic and baroque practice of apartheid in Barbados must be examined.” I am sure that any sane and practicing clinical psychologists or for that matter any reasonable psychiatrist is likely to conclude as I do that you are suffering from illusions of grandeur and really, your thinking has long left reality. In fairness, should you provide the facts to support your claims, I may have to apologise to you.

An additional point for you to consider Ms. Theodore; on what grounds will the CCJ be able to make an intervention and, how does one bypass all of the systems in the Caribbean to reach an International Court on Human Rights? I remind you finally, that the very country that you live in has a policy of strict adherence to its laws preventing discrimination on the grounds of racial hatred. Moreover, Canada, like Barbados, is a signatory to several UN conventions against the perpetuation of racist remarks. I consider the following remarks of yours to be racist, criminally intended, and invoking a subtle hatred not here in Barbados, but in Canada. Here are your inciting words that threatens the security of Barbadians and Barbados Ms Theodore: “As this matter transcends to an international human rights investigation, they will notice that with a tarnished reputation as a people strangled from within and one that discriminates against their own colour, they will in time be treated the same by immigration officials on the international scene and their tourist industry will suffer as well.”

May the Caribbean continue to produce intellectuals of the highest calibre; I hope Ms. Theodore that you may amend your ways of intellectual dishonesty for the sake of Dominicans, Barbadians, Jamaicans, and the wider Caribbean at home and in the Diaspora.

  1. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    island gal asked “Why don’t many local whites attend public primary and public secondary schools ”

    The reasonable answer is that these people believe that their children will get a better education at a private school. And the private schools encourage and sell this perception. But is this Perception true? Has anybody done any research to see whether 10 years after graduation those who went to private schools are doing better that those who went to pubic school?

    I expect that the answer would surprise us. I expect that the answer would be that going to private school does not help academically or professionally.

    But hey peple are permitted to do foolishness with their money. People buy bottled water and sweetened soft drinks even though plain tap water is better and cheaper.

    What can I say?

    My own Little Johnny who went to a public daycare, a public elementary school, a public secondary school, UWI, and a public post graduate university (abroad) is doing exceedinly well professionaly, earning as much as or considerably more that his private school counterparts, and is employable anywhere in the world that English (or French) is spoken. I’ve probably saved $100,000 or more by going public all the way, and was able to pay off the mortgage long before the age of 55.

    My 7 year old (public school educated) said to me many years ago “Most people are not very intelligent”

    I fear that she was right.

  2. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    And take note that even at the “best” (most expensive?) private schools the majority of the teachers are black women from working class backgrounds, the same women who teach or have long taught in the public schools.

    I know many, many teachers who take an early “retirement” and then move seamlessly into private school teaching.

  3. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Manasseh U king asked on April 9, 2011 at 8:08 PM…”How often has a local white ( European Barbadian) taken an afr0-barbadian as his wife.”

    But Manasseh what if afro-barbadian women are not standing around waiting to be “taken” by local (European Barbadian) men”

    What if afro-Barbadian women are happily getting on with their lives and don’t have a thoughy or a minute (or a hard earned dollar) to spare for local white men (or foreign ones either)

    What if that is the truth?

  4. FrankTalk Avatar
    FrankTalk

    “…dont go wid he the child wud come out ugly”
    I heard that in Barbados so many times…it’s like a song in my ears. We have to get rid of self-hatred. Please love and embrace all that you are and whatever you are: Jet black, black, brown, light, yellow…embrace it all because no matter what you do you have to live in your skin 24hrs a day. Unless you are a bleacher and that aint cool ’cause yo face go yello yo yash go black (YouTube yellow fever by Fela Anikulapo Kuti)

  5. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    How many of wunna “black” Bajans got Bajan “white” friends? How many of dem does come and visit you home? How many of you mix socially with dem? Do you go to dem homes? Do you mix socially wid dem? Yuh does go to school wid dem but after dat yuh does keep up de friendship? I grew up in a neighbourhood where there were both whites, blacks and fee dem whites.

    It was 1967, my father was transferred to Barbados, …….this Irish white woman came down to the bottom of our driveway when we first moved in to have peek at us. She saw some black pikkinies and turned and walked hurriedly back to her home . We lived that house for several years years and during that time , she never spoke to us. Her husband was a prominent judge that she claimed was not black. We lived in that neighbourhood for nearly 20 years and never exchanged pleasantries. Her children never came to our home even though we were next door neighbours.

  6. FrankTalk Avatar
    FrankTalk

    @Random Thoughts
    “The reasonable answer is that these people believe that their children will get a better education at a private school. And the private schools encourage and sell this perception. But is this Perception true?…”
    Or maybe they dont want their children hanging -out with ‘niggera’ havent you notice that they dont live in our community?

  7. ac Avatar
    ac

    last time i check there was no law preventing the two races from being social . These are individual and personnel choices . Unlike South Africa.

  8. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    In some countries Racism is overt, here it is covert. There are unspoken rules that are not broken. One Bajun white woman I once worked with, told me that she does not believe in mix marriages. She told me that you don’t see a dog mating with a cat. I asked her if she has ever seen a black dog mating with a white dog. It appears to some of them that we are not human.

  9. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Dear Frank Talk it is a funny kind of apartheid when ALL white children in Barbados go to school with black children and they are ALL taught by black teachers.

  10. ac Avatar
    ac

    What are talking about here Racism or apartheid. . When was the last time Blacks in Barbados were not allowed to vote?

  11. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Quoting island gal “1967, …….this Irish white woman came to have peek at us. She saw some black pikkinies and turned and walked hurriedly back to her home . We lived that house for several years years and during that time , she never spoke to us. Her husband was a prominent judge that she claimed was not black. We lived in that neighbourhood for nearly 20 years and never exchanged pleasantries. Her children never came to our home even though we were next door neighbours.”

    So back in 1967 your neighbour was a foolish Irish woman who was married to a black Barbadian judge. Both the foolish woman and the equally foolish judge/ husband choose to pretend that he was not black, and they refused to mix with black people.

    All this proves is that your neighbours were idiots and you were lucky that they choose not to mix with you otherwise some of their stupidity might have rubbed off on you.

  12. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Random Thoughts…… so were their maids and nannies. Another prominent “White” Bajun used to be talking to her friends about the “niggers” on her husband’s plantation when she worked at a company I worked . She is the daughter in law of a very prominent white Bajun. I heard her say that the women who work on their plantation when they are pregnant, they work until they drop the child and the next day they are back in the fields working. Someone threatened to call the Nation to investigate and she stopped. I have been told by some British expats that that same woman was asked not to use the “N” word around them. Racism is alive and well here.

  13. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    And island gal for that woman who does not believe in “mix marriages”, leave her alone, she will have to spend the rest of her life being fcuked by her 1st or 2nd cousin.

  14. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Some people are mean spirited and some people are full of themselves.

    I was told this story buy a white Canadian woman who married a white Bajan man. They had met at university in Canada. They came home and called his mother to say they were coming over so she could meet her new daughter in law. The foolish woman waited until the young couple got to her house to send the maid downstairs to say that she was “resting” The Canadian daughter in law never went back to that house and she never permitted her children to visit either (although her husband was free to visit the old *itch his mother.)

    And this was not a black white thing. It was just a mean spirited, bad minded, narrow minded middled aged woman who chose to irreparably damage her relationships with family members.

    Some people are just bad minded ignorant *itches.

  15. George C. Brathwaite Avatar
    George C. Brathwaite

    @Frank Talk

    I often enjoy reading others’ contributions without making a statement. I have no qualms about your opinions or contrary positions.
    However, what I find disturbing, is that in seeking to respond to what I penned as a response to a commentary that blatantly misrepresented, distorted, or otherwise made sordid the name of Barbados, you append to me the words “that it is you who (to use your very words) ‘…are suffering from illusions of grandeur and really, your thinking has long left reality’.” With all due respect, the words were Ms Thoedore’s.
    In terms of you wanting to use the psychosocial and psychological imprints of damage done by colonialism, I am likely to agree in part that there are remnants that do confront us as a people way too often. However, I have to be quite dismissive of your claims on the grounds that you seek to use the USA, Canada, and the UK in which the ‘black’ person is a distant minority despite many have made excellent contributions to global political economy. Referencing these in support or justification for the possibility or as you indicate that the “root of apartheid is buried deep in the psyche of Barbadian people like myself i.e. African descendant Bajan,” is hardly a show of either what apartheid is, and worse still, what is your identity.
    I too am of African descent, I am a ‘Bajan, and unlike you (i.e. perhaps not the real case, since your ignorance may be possibly borne out of self-inflicted confusion with your identity), I am a very proud black man.
    Now I will end by stating emphatically, that after traveling to, visiting, living at some pint of time in several different countries across the Caribbean, Europe, and North America, there is no doubt that with whatever faults it has, there is hardly a better place on earth to live than Barbados. It has all of the trappings of those things that are to a large extent denied to you in practice in the country you now live. There are strong democratic traditions which are upheld, there are public spaces wherein the voices even of subalterns are heard, and ‘blacks’ not only are the majority of the population, but they govern relatively and comparatively with similar or better standards than most countries throughout the international system.
    Barbados is not perfect by no stretch of the imagination, nor are all of the things that governing administrations over the years have done can be classified as being beyond reproach; but as a nation, we have done very well and shall continue to do very well.
    I know that Barbados represents fair game for critics, but it has done and achieved sufficient that it can boast of pride and industry without being complacent or resting on its laurels. One love, one Barbados, one Caribbean people!

  16. maggie Avatar
    maggie

    Poor Ms. Theodore – see what she do??? I feel sorry for her. This is a perfect example of the saying that “head aint brain”. Poor soul!!

    This was a single incident which needs to be investigated – that part is true. Racism exists – we see mention of it here on BU all the time – the vestiges of a colonial heritage can be seen in the lasting effects on many parts of Barbadian and CARIBBEAN life in general. Listen to Caribbean people throughout the diaspora and you will hear it unless you have an agenda. The charges of Apartheid – i have never seen and are obviously sesationalist and ludicrous. However, as obviously wrong as it is was and STILL is, Caribbean people move forward despite disadvantages of racism, classism, shade-ism and economic deprivation when that happens. If they didn’t have a horse, they rode a cow. Yes we have idiots who misuse power but we also have idiots who come to Barbados & OTHER CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES & try illegal stuff. Wer have people who try to get out of being caught doing illegal stuff by crying wolf. We are not sure WHICH of these was the real issue. An investigation needs to be done first and Ms. Theodore blowing hot air all over this issue is something we cannot take seriously (in fact no-one should ever take her seriously again until she cleans up her act!)

    It makes no sense that she would damn an entire country based on a single incident even if it is investigated and proven that Ms. Myrie was violated and that this is truly an issue at our customs and immigration. I bet you there is something Personal in Ms. Theodore’s attack. I bet you SOMEWHERE there is a Bajan who bested Ms. Theodore and she never got over it – so she believed she would “fix” the whole country. Ms. Theodore has clearly done little, if any, research. But as suggested, she could perhaps start with definitions of APARTHEID (also RACISM/ research on “APARTHEID/ RACISM IN CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES/ IN DOMINICA). She can perhaps start by reading the article CLASSISM AND RACISM STILL RAMPANT IN DOMINICA – by Adella – Ms. Theodore seems to indicate that this is a Barbados problem – and this problem would not be seen anywhere else in the Caribbean – not in Jamaica, Trinidad, Dominica, Guyana, St. Lucia -that the other Caribbean countries welcome ALLL with open arms. Without ANY research, sensible people know that that is nonsense. Adella’s article was written in 2003 and was a response to an article by Aicha N’diaye whose article included the statement that in Dominica of her childhood – “Classism existed, but not racism. I was never aware that I was half Arab and half Black”. Perhaps Aicha wasn’t aware, because if you were of lighter hue/ had curly hair/ a straighter/ish nose/a foreign background – you were on a different rung of the social and economic and favor ladder than people who look like Ms. Theodore. That issue did not go away in the past 8 years – it is still there in Dominica. ENTRENCHED. Is that WHY Ms. Theodore is in Canada – not in Dominica? Maybe with her (non) research skills – she can look at behaviors in her own native land – see what needs fixing there; see if there is an international court which can help to sort out some of the issues there. But Ms. Theodore is not concerned it seems with Dominica, the land of her birth – she is making this a Jamaican/ Barbadian issue – just trying to score points. However, using “storytelling” and blatant lies to incite bad feelings takes away any credibility this silly woman may have had (had she not first destroyed it by trying to drown us with big words, long sentences, difficult concepts which she is unable to articulate and poor English. I cant imagine Ms. Theodore presenting at a conference – laughable!

  17. Manasseh U king Avatar
    Manasseh U king

    To Ac
    Let me state that I have a niece who is married to a Euopean-American and we have all acepted him into our family, but I still recognize that covert or latent racism exists in Barbados.

    We must not pretend to be ostrich and burry our heads in the sand. No law can get rid of racsim or apartheid. To deal with an issue like racism there must be costant debate on the issue.

    In my area there is a couple who would consider themselvese as Eeuopean-Barbadians, they have two children who use to go to their neighbour house to mix with their children. When they reached about thirteen and fourteen respectively the mixing suddenly stopped. At that time one of the neighbours admitted to me that I was correct in predicting that it would have happened.. There is some mixing beacuse it has to be done, but in sociological terms we say there is no combining of the races.

    I gone for now.

  18. Manasseh U king Avatar
    Manasseh U king

    To George Brathwaite

    I enjoy your scholary writings, dont forget somtimes what we say are to heavy to understand especially if you are not schooled in the disciplines of sociology, history, politics and economics or have read widely in relation to them.

    In dealing with a subject of this nature, you must understand the socio-politic0-enonomic and historical perspective which give rise to apartheid and racism (past and present) TO RATIONALLY DISCUSS AN ISSUE OF THIS NATURE.

    George, if i may call you by your first name. Introduce an article on this blog race and class; two features of Barbadian society.

  19. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    As Rebecca Theodore is a ‘political and security’ columnist, it would be interesting to see her views on the crruent actions by Nato in Libya, particularly as the current leader in the action is a general from her adopted nation , Canada.

    As a Canadian citizen, does she support the Nato action. Does she see Nato as being justified in entering Libya and if so, does she also expect and support actions in Bahrain and Syria, based on identical drivers as those that were used to justify Nato’s entry to Libya?

    This is certainly an issue worth considering and has major implications for international jurisdictions and actions.

    Indeed, this issue makes the ‘Myrie affair’ negligible by comparison.

    As Ms.Theodore is very concerned about human rights, these recent Middle East matters are rich with such issues, hence it is incumbent on any capable security and politicial columnist, concerned on human rights, to comment.

  20. David Avatar
    David

    @Crusoe

    Here are articles where you can get a feel for her ideology.

    http://zephyr.tigblog.org/post/4354285?setlangcookie=true

    http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/headline-Commentary%3A-The-assault-of-anti-Americanism-in-Latin-America-5613.html

  21. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @David, Thx.

  22. if Avatar
    if

    @David

    An opinion on Theodore’s piece?.. If it is that you are asking, then i have none. The idea that we must come to a conclusive point on any topic is rubbish as it forces you either on the pro or con side. And that is my point, as issues are multi dimensional .There is no single answer, and that is why i decry the responses that on this topic . How effective is it for us to say “look.. don’t pile your crap on us because you and your country is a hell hole ” or arguments that are foolish close to that. How does that help us to be a better society ? It does not.
    We do live in a dynamic society and issues in all shapes and sizes will present themselves, but what specifically are we doing to overcome those obstacles ? Are we educating the younger ones, are we rooting out corruption that renders our people slaves to the almighty dollar hence throwing principles aside.?.And i asking this question again..why is the Barbadian man in the finger allegation, who according to the authorities is a human trafficker, is not in jail ? Why ?
    Barbados has done well and i am very proud of it. We need not to be so thin skinned…every time some hurls accusations, we go in the bunker mode . Everybody has a point to make. We need to do what we need to do, to make this a better country.. and that is being a true patriot.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @if
    You position about mudslinging is taken but a read of all the comments show that there has been some careful analysis by some.

    Comprehension teaches that one should be able to critique a writing or a statement and draw conclusions.

    Nothing wrong with that approach at all.

  24. The man wiv no name!! Avatar
    The man wiv no name!!

    Amidst all the accusation and denials of apartheid one thing I will say is that I once watched a programme about the renting-out of top-level properties in Bim. The principal was a WHITE man, most of the people in the office seemed to be ‘high-brown’ except for one solitary-looking black fellow who I felt quite sorry for. Obviously, I’ve no knowledge at all of whether or not this is representative of Bim, but it does lend a certain amount of credance to the claim!

    BTW, if there’s ‘apartheid’ in Bim, are we to assume it doesn’t exist in other countries of the caribbean? I think so! (it exists there too)!

  25. ac Avatar
    ac

    ms. Theodore article goes to show the length and breath and the extremism people would go to to distort the truth. Any one who have read and followed the politics of south africa would not agree with her article which is defamatory at best and full of lies and innuendos. To those who wish to help her along and give ms theodore article credence i say shame on you. Barbados is a tiny island and not without its serious problem but using lies and distortion to correct whatever problems the country might have would only lead to confrontation and further division.

  26. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    And while you were watching the high brown real estate clerks my neice the civil engineer was inspecting bridges in hingland so that you can walk (and drive) good.

    Barbadian youngsters nowadays don’t aspire to be clerks in a real estate offices.

  27. Miss Observer Avatar
    Miss Observer

    I went to a private school here in Barbados, where I interacted with children from around the Caribbean, US, UK, Central, Latin and South America. I must admit the school was an elite one whereby white children were the order of the day.

    My father was not rich but we were what most people would consider as a middle class black family. I must say that my preferred choice of schooling is private school, because there is a high emphasis placed on morals and values.

    I would not say that being one of the few black persons in that school made learning difficult since I excelled at most things and was looked upon as the brains of the class by both the whites and few blacks. I have since then furthered my studies to master’s level.
    However what I must say is that I had to be very cognizant of the fact that when the whites communicated with me it was only because they needed help with their studies. Imagine when you see them in town on weekends, they would never acknowledge you. I must say that this has taught me a lot and I vow never to be a foot stool for those white prejudice brats.

    Here in Barbados in the work place we see a lot of racism being played out. However what really hurts is when I see my own colour (black) displaying that racist attitude to me. All I can conclude is that we are our own down fall.

  28. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Miss Observer,
    “own colour (black) displaying that racist attitude to me.”

    As an educated woman with good upbringing you are probably considered a “snob”. It is probably more about envy that about race.

  29. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Colours:

    we representing Black, yellow blue,
    yellow blue, yellow Black,
    we representing Black, yellow blue,
    yellow blue, yellow Black,

    raise yuh han, raise yuh han, raise yuh han.

    Apologies to Nathalee for using words from her
    song to represent all the colours in the flag.

    Maybe she could change the words next time she perform the song.

  30. The man wiv no name!! Avatar
    The man wiv no name!!

    @Random Thoughts
    Thanks for the correction RT. Mind u, i did c the prog. a few yrs ago. Should I take it then that all young people in Bim have got excellent jobs!! What a fortunate country you must be!!

  31. The man wiv no name!! Avatar
    The man wiv no name!!

    I’ll tell u something else RT. We had well constucted, safe bridges in the UK, long before ur niece came along. I think you should b grateful for our offer to her of employment, don’t you?

  32. moneybrain Avatar
    moneybrain

    The very thought of using the word “apartheid” is utterly distasteful and its utility in reference to Bim is at best ridiculous.
    I lived in a students hostel in London in the 1970s with a broad swath of Commonwealth students of every class, colour and creed. While some of the South Africans were sociable the majority were aloof and most of us ignored them. I as a white Bajan had friends in every subset and naturally spent more time with CBean peeps of all colours and combinations. It is interesting that in spite of this, my worst incidence of someone being very racist towards me and without any reason whatsoever was a dark Jamaican. It is a pattern which has continued since and that is Jamaicans have proven conclusively that far too many hate anyone that is white regardless of who they befriend, how they behave, how accepting they are and since I am the same with dark peeps from Bdos, Guyana, Tdad, USA etc it obviously is not me. On one occasion a Jammie playing cricket on my team calls me on a Sat morning to ask for a lift to the game but half an hour later when I arrive at his residence he did not need the lift and is washing his car, why? he was testing because he did not believe a white guy could be genuine.
    The point is that racism cuts both ways but certainly in Bdos the stories generated on this MB about some white Bajans are very correct from my experience. It must be understood that their is much internal/ external prejudice within all races and groups.
    I worked in Bim and reported to a mid brown manager who did not approve of my encouraging ( giving her higher level challenging projects) a very dark girl (clever and keen) recently graduated from QC. I was shocked at this…shadeism?
    Regarding the private/ public school debate the reality is that some formerly excellent schools ie Lodge, have suffered serious degredation so why would anyone send their child there if they could afford private or overseas? A case in point is my nephew who left school after CXC to attend school in Canada and then during his Xmas break visited Lodge and saw his former Physics teacher who asked him what grade he got in Physics, in a knowing way that indicated he expected this youth to have failed or scrape by. The youngster said grade 1. Now what happened here is that the teacher should have known this kid got a 1 in the first place but being incompetant/ disinterested was quite oblivious. The fact is the family had long since realised that the teacher was useless and employed a tutor. I dont see this as a race issue because one would hope that families will do their best to educate their kids. But it could be a racial issue if a teacher purposely abuses kids based on race, in any direction.

  33. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    We also have this reverse racism being practiced by blacks towards whites. It will not solve the problem, an open dialogue between the groups will help clear the air. Too many are afraid to confront it when it rears its nasty head. And too many will see everything that may not go their way as racism. Many will call the race card when it is convenient to them.

    How come no one has confronted COW Williams about the all white faces on his board of directors? With a population of 95% black it should be reflected if all of us are equal. He may say that it shows in the number of people he employs. Who else can he employ?

    Many private schools with the majority of white students are taught by black teachers, who else can they employ?

    Some whites prefer to go to white doctors, but they are becoming scarce and many have no choice and will have to go to black doctors.

    There just many unspoken rules that are seldom broken. There are a few who have crossed the line and have married their black counterparts. Many white Europeans have married into black families and are confronted by extreme racism on a daily basis. Racism is a learnt attitude / trait.

  34. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Racism is rampant throughout the Caribbean and that is no lie. Having lived in Trinidad I know first hand about this. My dad wanted to send me to Ballet classes, he went to a known Ballet school to register me and was asked what was my complexion. He left disgusted. They have come a long way but it is still rampant within the East Indian community.

  35. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Quoting Ms.Observer “the school was an elite one whereby white children were the order of the day. ”

    Why do you feel thathaving white students made the school elite?

    By your own admission the white kids needed your help with their school work, since my understanding of elite is that which is superior and since these white kids were clearly NOT your superior, why then did you consider then elite?

    Tek ya time answering.

    Your parents would have been wise to send you to public school and use the school fees paid to the “elite school with white kids” to buy you a piece of labd or a house.

    I bet that you are still living home at your parents or renting.

  36. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Barbados has excellent elementary, secondary and college level public schools. There is no need to send bright kids to expensive private schools. The parents sould make full use of the excellent tax funded public schol system, should teach their children morals at home (with the assistance of the many, many instutions of worship) and should use the “school fee” money to buy land, stocks, bonds and shares for their children. Imagine the size of your portfolio now if your parents has bought you $5,000 worth of shares from the day of your birth and every year subsequently until you completed your master’s degree.

    But some of us to like too pursue the shadow (of apparent affluence, private schools etc.) rather than the bone of solid investments for the future.

    And how could that sschool have been teaching you “morals” anyhow when the school has obviously failed to teach its white students even the barest modicum of human decentcy. Like for example please say a cheerful good morning to your elders, neighbours, family, friend and even your enemy “a soft word turneth away anger”

    Your parents did not get it right, but I hope for your children’s sake that you get it right.

    It is really not that hard to teach children morals at home.

  37. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Quoting man wiv no name “We had well constucted, safe bridges in the UK, long before ur niece came along. I think you should b grateful for our offer to her of employment, don’t you?”

    No man wiv no name neice does not have to be grateful. Neice did not have to run bout the U.K begging for a pick. Neice is better at what she does that 98% of people in her field. Neice gets job offers all the time from all over the world. The U.K is lucky to have neice for a short fews years.

    So I repeat neice does not have to be grateful for getting a little pick in the U.K. The U.K should be grateful that neice has decided to honor them with her brain and her skills (even if only for a little while)

    Ya gotta get it right.

  38. The man wiv no name!! Avatar
    The man wiv no name!!

    Ok RT, but we still had the bridges before her and it’s probably the skill which we acquired over the years from constructing them and eventually passed onto her and many others that she’s finally repaying to us in this way, so, let us all ‘get it right’!!

  39. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Random Thoughts wrote “Niece gets job offers all the time from all over the world.
    Fuh tru? Fuh real?

    I hope you don’t have any children.Duh would be jealous cause yuh always talking bout dis stargirl niece .

    Bloggin anonymously too sweet.

  40. moneybrain Avatar
    moneybrain

    @ islandgirl246
    Why are you so concerned about COW’s organisation having/ not having black Directors? Now lets say he is racially prejudiced and wont place some genius black guy on his board as a result. Who is he hurting? COW!
    Meanwhile genius black guy is making big bucks in what he does best and is invited on to some other company’s board. If that organisation competes tete a tete with COW, then COW could loose nuff blendser.
    Personally my view is that money is neither black or white. If I had a choice between seeing a white family with $100k to invest or a black family with $200k and could only pick one, I going to the biggest potential profit.

  41. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Dear Hants: The children are stars too, but I ’bout hay trying to be real modest.

  42. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    @Mooneybrain

    Because we are his wealth, and I feel that in a 95% black country his company should reflect that across the board. To have an all white board is a slap in the face for a black country that has been been very good to him.

  43. Mansfield Park Avatar
    Mansfield Park

    I believe some time back Mr. Williams dealt with the issue of his board make up. It is company and it his right to appoint whoever he wishes. Was anybody telling Rayside or any of the other black business owners who to have on their board?

  44. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Random Thoughts “The children are stars too”

    Glad to hear.

    That will put them among the thousands of Bajan stars in the Diaspora.

  45. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    I agree it his right to choose whosoever he wants on his board, and they just happen to be all WHITE?

  46. ac Avatar
    ac

    so what if they were all BLACK! would he be deserving of a medal or high praise.

  47. Miss Observer Avatar
    Miss Observer

    @Random Thoughts
    In life persons make choices, which is their right. My parents preferred private school and that is where I went. Point taken, that the money used for schooling could have brought land. What you failed to realize is that a parent does not have to provide a child with such. The child becomes a man or woman at 18 years old.

    For your information I brought my land at age 22 with my hard earned cash. This was as a result of going to school and learning well. I must say, had I not gone to private school and see how the whites think with respect to business I probably would not have been successful in my many business ventures.

    For you information I am not living at home and I am not a snob. In my daily activities I interact with people from all spectrum of society. My motto is treat people the way you would like to be treated.

  48. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Miss Observer wrote, “However what really hurts is when I see my own colour (black) displaying that racist attitude to me.” and
    “I am not a snob. In my daily activities I interact with people from all spectrum of society.”

    A fascinating dichotomy on which I will ponder.

  49. The man wiv no name!! Avatar
    The man wiv no name!!

    islandgal246 | April 10, 2011 at 6:00 PM |
    @Mooneybrain

    Because we are his wealth, and I feel that in a 95% black country his company should reflect that across the board. To have an all white board is a slap in the face for a black country that has been been very good to him.

    ****************

    I agree with you Island. He strikes me as a right little piece of racist shite! If he isn’t, well his actions certainly give that impression!

    *********************

    ac | April 10, 2011 at 6:48 PM |
    so what if they were all BLACK! would he be deserving of a medal or high praise.

    *************

    ac, whether he would or not, it would certainly BE FAIRER! I’m standing up for BLACK Bajans!!

  50. The man wiv no name!! Avatar
    The man wiv no name!!

    I wonder if these super-successful Bajans like Random Thoughts niece and others pay anything back to Barbados when they get their super-jobs overseas, or do they just say ‘kiss me *ss’ Bim, and disappear after we’ve educated them to enable them to improve their lives to that extent! Left to me (a) they would pay university fees (even if only after they’d completed their degrees and were earning a reasonable sum) and (b) I WOULD CHARGE THEM TAXES ON THEIR OVERSEAS EARNINGS TOO to help with the development of Bim! Is this currently being done and, if not, why not?!!

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