Press Release by Robert Clarke, Attorney-at-Law – Vice President People’s Empowerment People (PEP)

The statement on CBC TV on the 24 November, 2013 by Vincent Blackett of the Catholic Church which was reported in the Daily Nation of Monday 25 November, 2013 in relation to the down grading of the Barbados’ economy by Standards & Poor, by Moody’s, by the International Monetary Fund, by the World Bank that “no one can downgrade us” “We have been upgraded by Jesus Christ” shows the lack of understanding of the suffering of the people of the Caribbean and Barbados in particular.

I am not certain which Jesus Christ he is referring to. Is he cognizant of the Jesus Christ as reported in the New Testament of the Bible who looked at Lazarus the dead and gave him life; the Leper full of oozing sores who he touched with his hand and healed; the blind who was looking for his face but could not see and he touched him and the blind saw; the multitudes who he fed with the five fishes and five loaves of bread; or it the new concept of Jesus as shown in the massive buildings of the churches in especially Rome and all through Latin America, or is it the Vatican Banks which control most of economies of the World without caring for the poor?

Does Vincent Blackett understand anything about economic principles?

Does Vincent Blackett know anything about the Rothchild Bank along with the Catholic Church who financed the first World War by lending money to Germany to buy arms to fight against England and France; by lending money to England and France to fight against Germany?

Does he recognize that his existence and most of the Roman Catholic Church’s existence depend upon the contribution of the poor?

Does he recognize that it makes them live above the poor?

Does he understand the idea of rent and mortgages the poor has to deal with but how can he understand that when he lives in a rent free residence?

Does he understand that the Church must be above party politics and he should not use his connection with the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) to spew out anti-working class propaganda?

But most importantly, does he understand the Sandal wearing, sack cloth used by Jesus Christ on the streets of Jerusalem should be his standards in Barbados?

Does he see himself and the others in the Churches wearing fanciful and comical clothes and shouting down from their pedestals to their population non-sensical metaphors?

Vincent, it is time your learn the truth about Jesus Christ and try as you may to live his simple life.

In a broader concept, Barbadians along with billions of non-white peoples in Africa, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada and England are suffering because of people like you who refuse to look objectively at the cause of the suffering.

In relation to our small homeland of Barbados, you representing your little niche of the Roman Catholic Church; the Barbados Chamber of Commerce represent their little niche, the Tourism industry represent their little niche, the Barbados Labour Party represent their little niche, the Lodges, including the Masonic Lodges represent their little niche. None of them represent the working people of Barbados.

You have forgotten the People. You are not like Jesus Christ who gave his life for the people. When the people of the Caribbean realize that they have been lied to, tricked, guided wrongfully and unfaired, make their own decisions, then we shall all have to answer to your God, to my beliefs, to the people’s unhappiness, to children’s suffering, then we shall say to ourselves, did we do what was right.

You and a lot of others should listen to The Right Reverend Frank Marshall; listen to voices that have been asking why aren’t we seriously thinking about the development of the unused acres of land for the production of food for our people

Why aren’t we asking for a serious look at sun, wind and water for development of our energy base?

Why aren’t we looking at the serious reduction of imports of food into our country for our people?

Why aren’t we looking at the development of the fishing industry for the people of the Caribbean so that we can freeze fish, smoke, fish, can fish and export the excess to bring in revenue for our country?

Why aren’t we looking at the removal of the barriers which existed before the so-called ‘independence’ of the Caribbean for our people to move throughout the region without restraints?

Why aren’t we looking at the development and manufacturing of our 7 million people from Jamaica to Guyana as the 8 million people of Sweden have done to develop technical industries like cars, trucks, radios, computers etc. ?

The present Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has been a dismal failure without any policies or principles. It is now seen by the public as being the Government of Freundel Stuart, the Government of Donville Inniss, the Government of Ronald Jones, the Government of Chris Sinckler and Richard Sealy. It is laughable.

But then we have the Opposition of the Barbados Labour Party who refuses to take up the mantle on behalf of the Barbadian People and do what is necessary to create a new democratic system.

And then we have the people who are afraid to take up the mantle. Who will belt the car?

Why don’t we look forward and not backward?

Why don’t we say forward ever backward never?

Let us make Maurice Bishop dream live.