Submitted by Looking Glass
First congratulations to the newly appointed Governor General and Madame Loretta: another tribute to location.
Yes there is and will always be racism even among Whites. For some Whites it is a reaction to their lower class status especially after being given a title by a Black government. Blacks too are in practical terms most guilty of racism. For us it is a convenient excuse that enables us to blame others for our shortcomings. Some Whites who did not marry Blacks passed on financial and other inheritance to their black mistresses and their offspring. It led to the Black Class System (Re Comments To Rescue and Rebuild) within which those with brown-skin were considered not to be “One uh We”, treated like Whites and discriminated against. But no one talks about black racism which in many ways was more vicious than white racism.
Some left high school with a birth certificate, worked for a mixed-race owned company and never reached management level. Now one low class White soul pontificates about white racism. Does marriage to a high-brown render one anti racist? His observations suggest he knows nothing about our history, less about socio-political and economic dynamics and is very untruthful.
In Barbados Sold we are told that Blacks tolerated a relationship with the dominant white minority group who enjoy a disproportionate economic influence “which extends to the political sphere,” that Whites decided not to “fully integrate their businesses” and the unwillingness of governments to “react to the aggressive acquisition of Barbados assets.” Exactly what does he mean?
The Whites, some of whom were slaves built, developed, governed the country (Little England 1–2) and provided the social services we today enjoy until we voted them out of politics. Their businesses, some owned by the racially mixed, were by far the largest employer of blacks. Their offspring developed and expanded the businesses they inherited. Black businesses on the other hand died with their founders. Most of their offspring opted for education and or the white-collar job. In the last 100 or so years the indigenous Whites, including those of mixed origin, were not more than 25% of the total population. Less than 5% have a university degree. They not Blacks or government are the economy.
The suggestion/implication that local firms rejected financial bids from Blacks is an insult to Niggers. Among other things it implies that it would reduce inequality and poverty. Are there 30 Blacks who together could afford to purchase any of the firms sold to Trinidad? The businesses were sold because they were not doing well and there wasn’t much by way offspring to carry on the business. Given the absence of skills and expertise needed to maintain and develop business integration by elevating Blacks to management level remains questionable.
Successive governments and others are blamed for failing to “react to the aggressive acquisition of Barbados Assets,” and for permitting such transactions. The assets are owned by people not the Government. Government cannot dictate to people how to dispose of their businesses or how to distribute their wealth. It cannot create or multiply wealth by dividing or redistributing it. Nor can it legislate the poor out of poverty by legislating wealth away from prosperity. To give it has to take from others. The White-man has no responsibility for the woes of Blacks who have done little to help themselves or the country.
And governments are accused of ‘collaborating’ with whites. This from one who I believe worked for a firm bought by Trinidad, who never reached management level, contributed nothing to society (no community involvement) but was awarded a title. Perhaps he has a point. Being so openly critical of a government that blessed him a title and the Whites says a lot about his socio-phycological dynamics. A major business was sold to the French who offered less than a locally owned company because the mixed-race owners of the local company were deemed to be racist. So could it be that he opposed Trinidadians buying our assets because they fired the Knight? Some of the ‘Trinidadians’ are related not foreigners.
Blogger asked how many whites “integrate blacks in their class by marriage.” A few married blacks. The Knighted soul married a light-brown. Some of those considered pure whites are racially mixed and owned the largest businesses on the Rock. I believe you worked for them. How did you know whites castigated Bizzy and boycotted the wedding? Were you there?
Yes they were white public school teachers at Combermere, Lodge School, Harrison College and policemen. The principal of Harrison College, Fred Haskell, took a black boy short of clothing to Broad Street, bought him some clothing and gave free him private lessons. The boy won a Barbados scholarship. This was at a time of the GCE, when Barbados was said to have one of the best education systems in the world. Today the evaluation of our education by 2 leading universities (UK and Canada) is to put it mildly embarrassing. Others wonder based on the written and spoken word if some of you got past 3rd standard.
Captain Farmer of the police force discovered Sir Gary at a time when he couldn’t get past Spartan club door. The all-white selection committee of Barbados Cricket and the captain John Goddard selected the three Ws, Griffith and Hall (who later represented the West Indies) to play for Barbados. As a schoolboy my team and I had the privilege of being coached on the field and in the pavilion by Norman Marshall and Dennis Atkinson during a first division match against Wanderers and also at Pickwick.
You assume Whites want to “block black middle class from success.” My great-grand parents and some of the clan all had their own businesses which they started from scratch. Many of their offspring opted for education rather than business and attended university. Six of them are “Icons” in the political arena there and in the USA. Did the Whites block them from success?
I grew up in an area surrounded by real poverty at a time when ham was a luxury, when families helped each other and the high school was expensive and costly in more ways than one. Today some of the kids from the area hold the biggest positions on the island and in government. Others are professionals there, Cave Hill,North America and the UK. An exception is Onion Bags, a disaster who I believe did not make it past standard seven. Did Whitee tried but failed to block their success?
You claim governments have “roles to ensure that businesses do not have significant leverage in economies by forcing companies to break up if they become dominant.” If that were the case there would be no monopolies in the world. Do yourself a big favour. Take not what you believe or were told for granted. Do some research or investigation before commenting.
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