The average Black West Indian should be aware of the The Middle Passage. As a youngster the blogmaster recalls his effort to visualize Africans shackled and crammed into boat to be transported from Africa to the West Indies and sold into bondage. It case we forget there was a dark period in the history of the world Blacks were legally regarded as ‘chattel’, no better than a mule or donkey.
The lineage of Black people living in the Caribbean means there will always be an inextricable connection between the West Indies and Africa. It is unfortunate our people have allowed North American and Eurocentric influences to permeate our psyche to wreak havoc to our identity.
It was reported last week that 54 African countries signed a letter asking the United Nations Human Rights Council to schedule a debate on police brutality against Black people around the world. It is a matter of record the killing of George Floyd in the USA has triggered a Black Lives Movement reminiscent of the 50s and 60s when MLK, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey and others were at the forefront of the fight for civil and political rights of our people.
…In a letter written on behalf of 54 African countries, Burkina Faso’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva asked the UN’s top rights body for an “urgent debate” on “racially inspired human rights violations, police brutality against people of African descent and the violence against the peaceful protests that call for these injustices to stop…
As a proud Black man the blogmaster must share his disappointment at the lack of a strident response to the killing of George Floyd by CARICOM. All reasonable people agree it is a manifestation of institutionalized racism in the USA and global citizens have been galvanized to protest the need for urgent reform.
A scan of the official website of Caricom.org reveals no adequate communications posted to capture the prevailing sentiment of the people living in the region. Our Caricom leaders under the current chairmanship of Mia Mottley have failed us at a pivotal moment in the history of the world. Our nexus to Africa created the opportunity to add our voice to those of the 54 African countries who represent the Mother Country. How are we expected to forge and improve relations with African countries but are miles apart on how to correctly react to the matter of the Black Lives Movement? This has nothing to do with jumping on any bandwagon. Again the idea of cognitive dissonance keeps recurring. What message are our leaders sending to the masses?
It is no wonder we have to tolerate individuals who lack the understanding of the moment by insisting we should let the USA fight this matter alone. Why are White people protesting around the globe? Some of us have family residing in the USA. Some of us have relatives studying in the USA. Some of us may have reason to travel to the USA. Most of us are Black. Most important, a strike against humanity is simply that and should evoke the same response in humans everywhere.
Even the Germans are protesting for crissakes!
The poor response by Caricom to describe it mildly is a disappointment and although the perfect scenario is to strike when hot, it is not too late to offer redress. Now is not the time to be apolitical. Now is not the time to engage in racial distancing.
And this is why the people in Barbados and the Caribbean need self determination under international law…because
DBLP parasites robbed the pension fund,
they robbed the treasury
and helped their greedy criminal business partners rob the VAT 1 billion dollars,
they robbed the taxes and allowed family and friend to tax evade, robbing taxpayers even more..
they rob the loans taken in the name of the people…and now there is nothing left, the people are suffering poverty because of these evil actions…which, had they not occurred and given all that has happened since then….THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SOME KINDA CUSHION for the vulnerable because their money would not have been stolen BY CORRUPT THEIVES…but what do corrupt lawyers and ministers care..they still boast that they are millionaires. Then these creatures from the pits of their own hell will have the nerve to come around BEGGING FOR YOUR VOTES in 2023….you whom they all ROBBED…
everyone is watching and millions are now seeing what we have been saying for years and years…
“Re: POOR AND UNEMPLOYED BAJANS LIVELIHOOD MATTERS TOO MIA ….
Dear PM Mia.
We are cognizant of the fact that, Barbados is in an economic crisis due to covid-19 ….
We are also cognizant of the fact that, running a government is not a easy task, if the main focus is to have flowery speeches about how many Upgrades we have had from Standard & Poor’s (S&P)with a stable outlook for the Economy …. And not one peep about what government has done/doing to alleviate Poverty, Improve Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Housing, etc etc etc ….
So please tell us … How do you sleep being cognizant of the fact that, while the NIS countinues to fail thousands, who despite regular payments have been unable to receive any kind of benefit heading into 3 months now ???
How do you sleep being cognizant of the fact that your government made a move that is structured to protects the “haves” while continuing to blatantly ignore how the working class in this country are being forced into remaining the “have nots” ????
We know that you know that there’s a easier path out of this covid-19 Expirements, such as Subsidized Housing, Subsidized Farming, Subsidized Imports as stimulus improvement two year packages, at the same time defusing the Borrowed IMF money equally into the economy … The objective of a stimulus package is to reinvigorate the economy and prevent or reverse a recession by boosting employment and spending ….
But you have chosen to take the high road stashing the IMF Money for yourself, taking civil servants money and giving it to the ” Haves ” and Taxing the pants off the ” Have-nots ” to pay back your IMF loan … Are the poor to remain poor and stupid in your view ???
POOR AND UNEMPLOYED BAJANS LIVELIHOOD MATTERS TOO MIA .
Trinidad civil unrest.
http://www.looptt.com/content/us-embassy-issues-security-alert-americans-trinidad-and-tobago