For some of us forced to observe AND participate in the politics of Barbados AND the region – the Machiavellian flavour our politics has elevated/descended does not fit with the personable disposition that has defined us as a people up until the 70s and 80s. The blogmaster subscribes to the view we must be who we want to be and avoid following the multitude. We must thrive to inculcate those values which are forged from the unique struggles of our forefathers. How can we boast of emancipating ourselves from mental slavery yet by our decisions remain hipped locked to the attitudes and aspirations of others?
In recent years members of the BU household have been overwhelmed by the precipitous degree our standards have fallen in every sphere of life’s endeavour. Our moral and ethical behaviour, the rot of our physical infrastructure, waning of a Bajan brand, even our position on the top of the rung occupied by King cricket.
What tugs at the heartstrings of the blogmaster is the obvious contempt and lack of respect displayed by politicians of the region for their Bajan counterparts. The BU household was weaned on the politics of a period influenced greatly by Errol Barrow, Tom Adams, Bernard St. John, Henry Forde, Owen Arthur, Brandford Taitt, Billie Miller and others who stood tall and commanded the respect of their peers. This was reflected in the positions they were elected to represent the region and on international bodies. Bajan pride and and the confidence it instilled was a commodity easily sliced with a knife. It is no surprise we were a people that felt confident and good about itself and was able to reasonably negotiate the prevailing economic and social challenges of the time.
In recent times we have witnessed a dismantling of gains achieved since 1966. Our politicians and technocrats- by extension Barbadians- appear to be clueless as to what is required to retool Barbados to enable it to sustain the level of development others have worked selflessly to attain. The deer in headlights approach by the current lot has had the effect of ‘emasculating’ a once proud people. We have reached a point where it does not matter the type or number of polices implemented by this government there is the resignation they will all fail. It is what is referred to in the world of economics as the law of diminishing returns. The obvious result is ‘political utility’ declines and leads to a ‘steady state equilibrium’, what a wonderful turn of phrase prime minister Fruendel Stuart, so cited.
It therefore harrows the minds of the political sane among us why this government continues to move full steam ahead by making important appointments and implementing policy changes with a general election a few weeks away. It is a politically ethical corrupt behaviour and one that exposes this political class for what it is, classless. And before the yardfowls chime it to state the obvious, we agree that the government has the legal standing to continue to make appointments and policy until parliament is dissolved. Very much in the same way the sitting minister of transport has traditionally sold PSV and Taxi permits in the last days of tenure.
What a betrayal of our own by our own for the proverbial 30 pieces of silver. This comes after dumping billions into education by successive governments.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.