Submitted by Douglas
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart delivered a wide ranging address at the Democratic Labour Party’s St. Philip North Branch meeting at the Hilda Skeene Primary School on Sunday, 13thOctober 2013. In a packed room of branch members and party supporters, the DLP President and Prime Minister took the opportunity to thank the constituents of St. Philip North for their overwhelming support for Member of Parliament and Minister of Transport and Works, Michael Lashley in the February 2013 General Elections.
He then went on to reassure those gathered that life in Barbados is normal despite what they had been hearing from an Opposition which he described as, “a hastily put together coalition of the restless, reckless and the rejected.” He dismantled all of the recent Opposition attempts to foment unrest in Barbados by explaining the country’s position as it relates to the management of the economic challenges by protecting the foreign exchange reserves through the deficit reduction programme introduced in the 2013 Budgetary Proposals.
His wide-ranging presentation dealt with the payment of UWI tuition fees by Barbadian students, the status of temporary employees in the public service, the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, the Transport Board and the CCJ’s Judgement in the Shanique Myrie Case.
Since the February 2013 election, Prime Minister Stuart said the Opposition had used every attempt to stir up unrest in Barbados. The Opposition, he said, was trying to make everyone in Barbados miserable because the people, whose money they took and promised that they could pay back because they were sure of the outcome of the election, were now breathing down their necks making their heads hot. However, he assured Barbadians that the DLP was not going to engage the opposition in fighting the 2013 election twice. We fought and won the election in February 2013 and now his Government was focused on governing.
The Prime Minister explained to the audience, which included members of the media, that after the elections the foreign reserves recorded an unusual dip. As a results measure had to be put in place to manage that situation. He stated that Government has had challenges not unlike what other governments in other parts of the world have been having. The August Budget called on the country at various levels to make sacrifices as the country faced head-on the worse economic recession which any administration in Barbados has had to deal with. As a result of the decision by his government to keep people employed, while protecting the foreign reserves cover and maintaining social stability in Barbados, he reassured those gathered at the meeting that when Barbados comes out of this recession this DLP administration will he hailed as the best Government this country has ever had.
He informed those gathered at the meeting that he had met with the Guild of the University of the West Indies in the presence of their appointed mediator Sir Roy Trotman. He was able to use that meeting to explain the decision taken by the Government to the guild members. Similarly, he had received the requested report from Permanent Secretaries regarding savings requested in the public service. He noted that these savings can be met without Government having to embark on a carnival of layoffs. This has dismantled the attempts of the opposition to use these issues to provoke unrest in the country.
Prime Minister Stuart provided and in-depth recap of Barbados’ commitment to the regional integration process starting with the first meeting arranged by Errol Barrow with Forbes Burnham on Sunday July 4th, 1965 to discuss a Caribbean Free Trade Area; graduating to CARICOM and later moving to the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice, the CCJ, in 2004.
Speaking specifically to the Judgment made by the court with regards to the Shanique Myrie case, Prime Minister Stuart urged Barbadians to respect the decision of the CCJ. He stated that Barbados is a country governed by the rule of law. Where a court makes a decision we have to abide by it. While stating that he generally does not understand what is meant by hassle-free travel, he noted that a country has a duty to protect its national security. He stated that he would be very disappointed with boarder control official at the airport if they failed to carry out their duties by not questioning persons attempting to enter the country. He stressed that the first, second, third, fourth and fifth priorities of the border control officials at our ports of entry are to protect the national security of Barbados. He stated that they have the support of the Prime Minister and Minister of Immigration in carrying out their duties. Noting that strengthening will be required of the inspectorate of the Immigration Department in order for them to comply with the order, he said that he had met with Immigration officials and steps will be taken to rectify the matter.
Prime Minister Stuart skilfully utilized his experience as a seasoned politician to explain the state of affairs of the country, as he dismantled all of the attempts which the Opposition have tried to utilize to stir up unrest.
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