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Open Letter to Prime Minster Mottley and Minister King

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Open letter to The Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Q.C., M.P. (Prime Minister) and
 The Hon. John A. King, M.P.(Minister of Creative Economy, Culture and Sports)

 

Dear Prime Minister and Minister of Culture,

John_King
Minister of Culture, John King
mia_mottley
Prime Minister Mia Mottley

I am sure by now you are aware that people in Bristol removed the statue of slave trader, Edward Colston, and deposited it in a nearby river. With this act, people in that city sent a clear message to the world that they would no longer tolerate the glorification of accomplices in the commission of crimes against humanity and those who grew rich from their sordid involvement in human trafficking.

In the present climate when there is a heightened global awareness of the need for zero tolerance towards racism and its symbols, it is unconscionable that in Barbados, a country where over 95% of its citizens are descendants of enslaved Africans, that a monument like Colston’s in Bristol, sits in the heart of our capital city. It is an affront to the people of Barbados and to those all over the world who are standing up to speak out against racism that Nelson’s monument continues to sit in the heart of Bridgetown. It is long overdue that this odious tribute to racism be removed.

There are no longer any excuses that can be made for your government’s failure to remove it. I am therefore writing to you as a concerned Bajan to call on you to do the right thing and remove this affront to the people of Barbados and to all those who today are courageously raising their voice against racism.

It would be very fitting, if it was replaced with a tribute to Nanny Grigg and to the many thousands of unsung Bajan women whose self-sacrifice, ingenuity and struggle have played a decisive role in our people’s progress from the pit of degradation that the English slave masters threw us into.

Yours

Tee White

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595 responses to “Open Letter to Prime Minster Mottley and Minister King”

  1. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @BAJE
    Almost every speaker at today’s Black Lives Matter protest spoke out very forcefully against police brutality in Barbados.

  2. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    Young Khaleel did a very decent job speaking at today’s Black Lives Matter protest.

  3. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Expected!

  4. John Avatar
    John

    The Democrats could use the new nation of Chaz as a campaign ad.

    Elect Joe Biden president of Chaz!!

  5. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    The consensus at today’s Black Lives Matter protest was that the government has until Emancipation Day August 1st to remove the statue of Nelson from Heroes’ Square. If that does not happen, people will topple the monument before Independence Day this year.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    Some people talk, some do.

  7. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Bravo! I honestly thought it would be a dud! Been disappointed before.

    Dare i hope?

  8. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    Please Read The Inscription ….

    “THE STATUE IN HONOUR OF THE HERO THE INHABITANTS OF THIS ISLAND ERECTED A.D MDCCCXII”

    https://c8.alamy.com/comp/G567XB/statue-of-admiral-lord-horatio-nelson-in-bridgetown-barbados-caribbean-G567XB.jpg

  9. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    At least the Canadian Natives know that they too are being hunted. Two have been killed so far. Natives of the US now have to be on guard.

    Lawson, hope you don’t get any ideas.And the people of Barbados know that Mia either complies or they will have to remove that symbol of racism and hatred of Black people themselves.

    “The victim has also been identified by friends as Rodney Levi.

    “My bro Rodney Levi, my childhood friend … Got tears in my eyes thinking how this happened,” wrote Dwayne Everett Ward.

    “Shot twice by the police … I pray for all your family, I know they’re hurting right now … I’m overwhelmed with sadness about all this.”

  10. John Avatar
    John

    peterlawrencethompson
    June 13, 2020 3:33 PM

    The consensus at today’s Black Lives Matter protest was that the government has until Emancipation Day August 1st to remove the statue of Nelson from Heroes’ Square. If that does not happen, people will topple the monument before Independence Day this year.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Why don’t you celebrate Nelson’s victory at the Battle of the Nile on August 1st as well as Emancipation Day and kill two birds with one stone?

    Grow up!!

    Next year you can switch to the anniversary of Trafalgar and celebrate Nelson and Emancipation Day at the same time.

  11. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Black John…no one asked you anything. THE PEOPLE SPOKE…your tinny voice don’t count..

    so you told yourself you had some kinda say..ah..

  12. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    Barbadians will celebrate Emancipation Day on August 1st. John Knox will celebrate will celebrate Nelson’s victory at the battle of the Nile because apparently that holds a much deeper meaning to him.

  13. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    NO IT IS ALWAYS ABOUT A FEW PEOPLE SAYING THEY ARE SPEAKING FOR THE MASSES…THAT IS COMMUNIST TERMINOLOGY!

    Your Big Protest where you Build this Consensus on giving the Government an Ultimatum is a Statistical Zero…One Hundred people do not Speak for 300.000…You are Not Elected…You only pretend to be self appointed…You Must think you is King Ja ja…Take Care that Beck Don Slap Ya Hand!

  14. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    The police attempted to shut down the Black Lives Matter protest at 1pm sharp because that was the time stipulation on the permit. The crowd defied them.

    It was actually Mr Andrew Pilgrim who asserted leadership while Denny was embroiled in pointless bickering with the police. Andrew made a statement condemning local police brutality, then led everyone to take a knee which made it very clear to the officers that they did not have a chance of clearing independence square with only the few dozen officers on hand.

    There was only one speaker left on the list when the police decided to be assholes. So we stayed for an extra half hour just to say f@ck you to the police for not allowing an extra few minutes.

  15. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    @ John June 13, 2020 5:04 PM
    “Why don’t you celebrate Nelson’s victory at the Battle of the Nile on August 1st as well as Emancipation Day and kill two birds with one stone?
    Grow up!!
    Next year you can switch to the anniversary of Trafalgar and celebrate Nelson and Emancipation Day at the same time.”
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Is that the final position on the Nelson matter from the paranoid schizoid?

    Sir John Knox, you need to grow up morally and make up your mind if you are either for Yahweh or the philosophy of the long-dead Admiral.

    As your religious guide book says:
    “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”

    Are you going to adhere to Yahweh’s instructions about making graven images and adoring idols?

    Or are you going to sing in Satan’s choir of racism and slavery?

  16. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    This actually sounds like it is going somewhere. I am truly sorry that i counted Bajans out.

    Was any activity planned for between now and the toppling of Nelson?

  17. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW HISTORY ARE DAMNED TO REPEAT IT THIS IS QUITE OBVIOUS HERE…

    1st of August 1798 the British Fleet under the command of Admiral Nelson defeat the French at Aboukir Bay, Egypt.

    This association of the 1st of August as Emancipation Day and the Defeat of the French on that day the 1st August is very telling and not coincidence. They French continued in slavery long after the British. It was the result of the Victories of H Nelson and after that time that the debate of the abolishment could continue in England as it was suspended because of the war.

    Isn’t it Ironic that they Now want to Bring down the Statue of the Man that Saved Barbados on the Very same Day that was Chosen as Emancipation Day Because of Admiral Nelsons Victory on the First of August called the Battle of the Nile…

    https://www.goalcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Bob-Marley-Quote1.jpg

  18. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    This is an enormous opportunity for a comprehensive dismantling of the invidious structures, those intangibles, that exist in Bim. It should not be wasted. We can’t confine BLM activism to simply being an act of solidarity with our black brothers and sisters in the USA, UK etc and against police brutality; but must also seek to define its meaning in the context of Barbadian society and identify and rally against those structures that are not purely race-based but rooted in colorism, classism, elitism, connections, school tie, homophobia, sexism etc. I suspect, however, that many of the current frontliners will retreat when the movement’s objective shifts and appears to threaten their privilege and status. I hope I am wrong.

  19. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @PLT

    Plse give a proper report on the march and meeting.

  20. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/06/13/solidarity-march-for-the-black-lives-matter/

  21. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Enuff
    You are correct that this does present an opportunity to move Barbados in the direction of justice. The percentage of White people in attendance today amounted to about 2% of the crowd; this is not far below the percentage of White people in the Barbados population. There were also people of Indian ancestry present.

    The presence of the crowd has already prompted the government to promise to bring up a Black Lives Matter resolution for debate in the House next week according to Minister Trevor Prescod. It is also likely that the coalition will succeed in prompting the removal of, or removing the Nelson monument.

    But these are merely symbolic measures that will not seriously disturb the power structures in Barbados. It will cause a few racists to foam at the mouth, which does have some entertainment value, but we must set our sights higher and pursue substantive change, particularly in the following areas: reduce police brutality and have a police complaints commission with independent investigators not controlled by the police, eliminate ganja possession prosecutions because these are used to oppress poor people, initiate a public process for constitutional change to cut out apron stings to the empire and the monarchy.

  22. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    So who are you and what did you do with Fowl Enuff..

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @Peter

    What is your opinion of the police presence? Were the numbers warranted?

  24. David Avatar
    David

    @enuff

    Good comment.

  25. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    BLM Barbados march.

  26. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Hal
    I did not join the march until it reached Heroes Square, so my comments can only relate to the final few hundred yards of the march and then the demonstration in Independence Square.

    The report in Barbados Today as posted by Hants is incorrect in the following respects. The march numbered hundreds, not scores. It is easy to overestimate crowd size and I am not expert in this, but I think about 400 people were participating. This number does not include the uniformed police presence which numbered over two dozen (in at least 5 SUVs, about 10 motorcycles and a Bus). The police were unsuccessful in bringing an end to the meeting at the stipulated 1pm time. The meeting dispersed peacefully at about 1:30pm

  27. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    PLT…they will also have to get rid of the cursed 2 party political system, it is also a well designed system used to oppress the African descended and those clowns added their own wicked.. twist…

    and i dont think they understand that none of it is sustainable…they will when the PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN…they can continue to parade as much as they like but they are no longer in countrol of anything, they are a train wreck.

  28. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    @ Enuff June 13, 2020 5:45 PM

    How about you guys with the big mouths start by putting Malmoney where he belongs?

    In the dock to show the money required to construct a concrete white elephant which has no future in a totally reconfigured tourism industry?

    What a monumental load of economic madness when the Silver Sands hotel is there ready for someone to come along and put life into a goldmine of an investment in an ideal location for the brand of tourism Barbados is more suited for?

    Why not hold his feet to the fire still burning from rip-off Blue Horizon deal?

  29. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ PLT

    Plse give a report on the march and meeting, without the editorialising.

  30. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @PLT

    Thanks. I realise you are not a reporter.

  31. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “Was any activity planned for between now and the toppling of Nelson?”

    Find the organizers and give them tips..

  32. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    (Quote):

    “…. initiate a public process for constitutional change to cut out apron stings to the empire and the monarchy.” (Unquote).
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    You can bet that inevitable challenge is right on the horizon for the financially and economically beleaguered Bim.

    Nelson statue coming down or remaining ‘put’ Barbados must face its Constitutional Waterloo whether to remain a mini domain of a king or become a republic in which every man is a ‘Sir’ and woman a ‘Lady’.

    Wouldn’t be surprised if that long-promised event (overdue since 2016) does take place later this very year of significant overturning political events.

  33. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    WURA,

    I prefer not to elbow my way in but I will support whatever happens next. From what I am seeing, they only need my presence.

    At last something is happening.

    Shout out to the police at Oistins Police Station. I no longer fight alone. Don’t say I did not warn you!

    BEHOLD! The mad woman returneth and now she has friends.

  34. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    And you KNOW that if Nelson trips and falls the police will be requiring me to prove my whereabouts, so I am going to point out to them that:
    + Nelson had a troubled history and he was the subject of past government investigations,
    + Nelson had a longstanding history of violence and had already been maimed in various suspicious altercations,
    + Nelson had proven links to extensive looting, with the contraband stored at the British Museum,
    + Onlookers report that Nelson moved suddenly and aggressively before tripping and falling,
    + Nelson was known to have been loitering there in defiance of the curfew,
    + Nelson refused to comply with requests that he step down to have a civil conversation.

    Well it works for the police…

  35. BAJE Avatar
    BAJE

    Almost every speaker at today’s Black Lives Matter protest spoke out very forcefully against police brutality in Barbados.

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    @ PLT

    VERY GLAD TO HEAR THAT AS I KNOW FROM THE VERY UNWARRANTED ATTACKS THIS IS A VERY VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM IN BARBADOS AND IT IS AT PANDEMIC LEVEL.

    @ Waru

    THANKS FOR POSTING THE VIDEO WHERE PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING OUT ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING ON THE ISLAND LOCALLY FOR ALL TO HEAR AND SEE FROM SOME OF THE VERY PEOPLE WHO SUFFER AND ARE MARGINALIZED.

  36. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    What did we learn from the march?
    The people are no longer prepared to be intimidated. Well done to all.

  37. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    I just recruited another for any other activity against police brutality – the young woman who was publicly strip searched by male officers, whose home and business was ransacked, the latter chasing her customers away for good and was thumped on her head with a telephone book during interrogation. Nothing ever found! One thriving black business destroyed.

    She did not know about this march but next time…

  38. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Today’s protest of the impoverished masses against Admiral Nelson was very revealing. A self-proclaimed activist named David Denny calls for a presidential democracy. Our leader, Mia Mottley, should respond to the call of the masses and install a democracy on the Russian or Turkish model with a strong president. The president should be elected for life, of course.

  39. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Tron
    So you were there today??

  40. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @ Miller June 13, 2020 6:40 PM

    Barbados will never become a formal banana republic. Unlike Prodigal Son has ventilated, no titles like “Sir” are awarded in a republic. The previous titles expire automatically. It’s no longer “Sir Richard” but simply “Mr Cheltenham” or “Citizen Cheltenham . Many other honours connected with the monarchy will then also disappear without substitution, for example salutations like “Honourable”. Of course, some idiots might get the idea to keep this colonial glory. That just goes to show the contradiction of the whole idea.

  41. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @ peterlawrencethompson June 13, 2020 8:52 PM

    Dear PLT,

    My people have told me about it. I’d like to have gone because I’ve never liked the British and Trump. As a globalist, my heart is not attached to this old colonialist, imperialist and racist stuff anyway. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it there because of very much work. I can’t be everywhere in the Caribbean at once. LOL.

    However, you can count on my full solidarity regarding the Nelson statute – as long as it is not destroyed, but goes to the museum. I also demand a really beautiful replacement statue, not an optical cruelty like Bussa. We need a really nice replacement. I propose, of course, Mia Mottley. She will soon be a national heroine anyway.

  42. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Is it possible that we underestimated the Barbadian desire for change? I thought disgust with political shenanigans was the sole factor for change, but now we are seeing a Barbados that is clamoring for changes. It looks as if our docility can no longer be counted on.

  43. BAJE Avatar
    BAJE

    I just recruited another for any other activity against police brutality – the young woman who was publicly strip searched by male officers, whose home and business was ransacked, the latter chasing her customers away for good and was thumped on her head with a telephone book during interrogation. Nothing ever found! One thriving black business destroyed.

    She did not know about this march but next time…

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    YOU SHOULD GET HER TO TALK TO ANDREW PILGRIM TO SEE IF HE COULD DO A CIVIL SUIT ON HER BEHALF FOR THE POLICE ABUSE OF POWER AND COMPENSATION FOR HER BUSINESS BEING DESTROYED.

    LOCAL BARBADOS POLICE BOTH UNINFORMED AND DETECTIVES ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY ON BLACKS LOCALLY WHO MANY SUFFER IN SILENCE UNLESS THEY ARE RECEIVING KICKBACKS.

  44. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    This was several years ago although she was so traumatized that she could only tell me about last year. I think she is seeking redress in some form but it is stalled.

  45. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @Donna June 12, 2020 6:43 PM “Never heard about the Kenyans.”

    The Kenyan uprising happened in my lifetime. I grew up hearing about it. And as children, in our childish games we identified with the rebels…we were the Mau-Mau.

    Start here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mau_Mau_Uprising

    “But in 2011, the High Court in London ruled that four claimants did have “arguable cases in law”.
    Their lawyers allege Paulo Muoka Nzili was castrated, Wambuga Wa Nyingi was severely beaten and Jane Muthoni Mara was subjected to appalling sexual abuse in detention camps during the rebellion…The Mau Mau, a guerrilla group, began a violent campaign against white settlers in 1952, but the uprising was eventually put down by the British colonial government.The Kenya Human Rights Commission says 90,000 Kenyans were executed, tortured or maimed, and 160,000 people were detained in appalling conditions, although a number of historians believe the figure is lower.
    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-22790037

    The BBC is being mealy mouthed when they talk about “appalling sexual abuse” of Jane Muthoni Mara. The appalling abuse was inserting bottles filled with hot water in the young woman’s vagina. Since I am still very much alive, no doubt some of the British torturers are still alive, since many of them were likely only 20 or 30 years older than I am, and I am not yet 70.

  46. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Another black man killed by police.

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/atlanta-police-chief-resigns-1.5611386

  47. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-22797624

    Paulo Nzili, 86, says …He has never been able to have children after he was beaten and castrated during a year of detention without charge.

    Jane, 74, was about 15 [a child] when she was taken from her home in the Embu district…Suddenly Edward produced a glass soda bottle. Waikanja told him to push the bottle into my vagina, which he did. I felt excruciating pain and then realised that the glass bottle contained very hot water…This lasted for about 30 minutes and was very painful. When I was in the tent, I saw this being done to the other three women.

    This is not ancient history, Jane is younger than my 2 eldest siblings.

  48. Hants Avatar
    Hants

  49. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Hants, I have been watching it all afternoon and evening. I am feeling quite disoriented. These policemen think less about taking the life of a black man than I do about killing a fly. This man goes from being asleep in his car to dead just so. I put myself in that policeman’s shoes and I saw nothing that would have made me see this man as anything worse than an annoyance. They could have simply kept out of the range of the tazer while they chased until he ran out of steam or until the tazer could no longer be fired. Apparently a tazer cannot be fired repeatedly for long.

    But they chose to shoot him as he ran away.

    These police are more violent than the people they are supposed to be protecting the citizens from.

    Savages!

  50. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Donna,

    This was another execution. The price for running away from police should not be death.

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