Submitted by Anthony Davis
As far as senior Government minister Donville Inniss is concerned, Barbados is 49 years late in becoming a republic and anyone who thinks the country should wait any longer is ‘innately lazy intellectually’ and has ‘no pride in being Barbadian – Barbados Today
On page 4 of the said issue under the headline “Watch out INNISS ISSUES WARNING TO PEOPLE WHO USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SLANDER” the same minister states: “We must never become a society that seeks to stop individuals from expressing their views . . .”
My, my, my are we not a bit thin-skinned.
Me thinks that the minister means as long as one’s views are in sync with those of his and this Government’s then all’s hunky dory. Casting aspersions on those who think it is a distraction says very little for his “not seeking to stop individuals from expressing their views on matters“. The minister seems to think that we, having come so far, should take this Government’s word as Gospel – especially after all of the promises that were made at election time have been reneged on.
As former Prime Minister Owen Arthur said:”Massa day done” – no matter what colour massa is. We will make our own decisions about what is going on in our country. Are we not in control of our destiny now, Mr. Minister? If we are not in control of it, it’s because you and this Government took it away from us by demolishing everything past governments had put in place. You destroyed our health, education, and welfare systems which have placed the poor, the needy and the vulnerable – and also the so-called middle class – and their scions at a distinct disadvantage.
Now all of a sudden the Minister of Finance is talking about getting the intake at the UWI Cave Hill campus back up to 9000. Where was he when the students – mainly female – needed help?
Where will he get the money from if there is a “cash flow problem” which will probably last until the third quarter of 2016?
I guess the NIS Funds – his favourite piggy bank!
He dilly dallied so long with the bursaries that by the time they came most of those who really needed them had already dropped out. Sir Hilary Beckles offered a very feasible way of bringing much-needed foreign currency into Barbados, but yet again this was reneged on by the Minister of Finance. What was wrong with the plan of having a campus on which there were not only dorms, but hotel accommodation for the families of students who want to visit them, or for those students who could afford the hotel rates?
I see this call for a republic by the Prime Minister as nothing but a red herring and only a way of getting a trophy to hang over his mantelpiece after he demits office!
“He who is caught in a lie is not believed when he tells the truth.” – Spanish Proverb
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.