Submitted by Tee White
A new buzz phrase that seems to be in use by members of the current Barbados government is, “This is who we are” as Bajans or in the negative version, “This is not who we are”. Some version of this phrase was used 17 times in Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s address to the nation on the 54th anniversary of independence and has since been repeated by Minister of Tourism Lisa Cummins. But what are the aims behind the use of this phrase?
The first question that arises is who gave the 24 members of the current government the right to define for the nearly 300, 000 Bajans at home and the many thousands more who have made their lives elsewhere what it means to be a Bajan. Secondly, how did the government arrive at this essence of Bajan-ness? There are Bajans of all outlooks and personal views, some of which are directly contradictory. For example, there are those who cling fast to white supremacist ideas and the whole colonial inheritance from the English slavemasters, while there are others who reject this inheritance with contempt. How is it possible, in this complexity to decide that doing X is being Bajan but doing Y is not? And in any event, who gets to make that judgment?
In reality, however, the government’s new found love of defining Bajan-ness is not because they have suddenly discovered a desire to understand the cultural and psychological essence of what it is to be Bajan. Quite the contrary. The government’s intention is to use its definition as a weapon to stifle the struggle of the workers for their rights. Once the government establishes its monopoly to decide what is part of ‘who we are’ and what is not, it can easily use this power to declare anyone taking actions it disagrees with as being outside of the nation. The idea of using political and ideological differences as a means to exclude people from the nation is not a new one. One Senator Joseph McCarthy in the USA in the 1950’s drew on the work of the US legislature’s House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) to pursue his own vendetta against those US citizens who took a stand for rights and justice because he considered them to be un-American. Towering freedom fighters like Paul Robeson and Claudia Jones were to become the target of McCarthy’s activities. Is this the direction of travel of the government of Barbados?
That the government intends to use its definition to suppress the workers’ struggles is clear from the fact that they have been targeting the fighting hotel workers with it. These workers, abandoned by their unions, faced with employers trying to cheat them out of their redundancy pay and a government that colluded with the employers by amending the Severance Payment Act, took a courageous stand to fight for their rights. The statements from the Prime Minister and from the Minister of Tourism are that the actions of the workers are not part of ‘who we are’. In other words, the workers must give up the struggle for their rights because this type of struggle is not part of being Bajan. These statements come from leaders of a political party which supported the huge protest in Bridgetown in 2017 against the tax policies of the previous DLP government. Was that protest part of ‘who we are’? And what about Nanny Grigg, Bussa and the freedom fighters of 1816 or Clement Payne and the martyrs of 1937? Were their actions part of ‘who we are’? Or are we now to understand from the government that our national heroes are not ‘who we are’?
Far from not being ‘who we are’, the actions of the fighting hotel workers are exactly who we are. From the days of slavery, those who toil in this country have had to fight for every inch of progress we have made. It’s no different today. The just demands of the laid off workers must be met and Bajans must go all out to support them in their struggle. That’s who we are.
Source: Nation
Don’t worry, this too shall pass. Bajans have always and continue to, only keep noise when an issue affects them personally.
Acknowledge their greviance, promise to look into it and poof, protest done. Give a speech, shake a few hands and all is well.
That is who we really are. A people that too love a pappy show.
Ronnie says, it’s a paradise. Johnny says,
fool’s paradise. Ado says, they both are correct.
The Government, having laid out the welcome mat is only concerned with the optics of being a Bajan. They have sold an image and must now defend it.
@Raw Bake
Truth BUT here is an excellent opportunity for Bajans everywhere to enter the debate to flesh out who we really are if there is disagreement about what is being projected by government, this is the upside. Rather than bitching.
Does David Commissiong too define what it means to be a Barbadian?
All of Mia slogans are attempt to keep bajans dumb down and stupid
“Not up in hey” relish the thought that with a rise in crime local media eyes remain closed to that fact and not one of the local talking heads in local media dare call on govt to act in manners that would effect the decrease in the crime
“Not up.in hey” was the rallying cry by Mia and all seems satisfied to live with it
Neither Mia nor any of her hangerson, scroungers and moochers on Black lives can be trusted, and that is the bottomline, do so at your own expense and at the destruction of your Black families, she showed who she was from Day 1, talking about “fighting imperialism” then plotting secretly to send 50 Black people into UKs hostile, hatefilled, anti-black post Windrush environment for 8 pounds an hour, then rushing around begging Pope Fraud and any slave master remnant that exists for a new world order, what more proof do you need that the Black population is in EXTREME DANGER as long as she remains in that parliament…what else do you need to see as proof, she definitely should not be speaking on behalf of the Black population, period.
The workers have to take matters into their own hands because the Barbados Trade Union movement is of no use to them. They are for the most part in the Barbados Labour Party Govt. hip pocket so their major responsibility is now to the Govt. workers be damn. And the Govt. is doing what THE WHITE BAJANS AND INDIANS want
So workers can not expect any help form them. The best thing for workers to do now is to stop paying any contributions to some Barbados Trade Unions, let them feel it like the Workers are feelin it, suffering. It is now the duty the workers to drop out of the Barbados Trade Union movement.
Every week I start to read and guess who the writer is. I am never wrong.
I agree. I am not one for slogans. I am especially not one for this particular slogan and I am definitely against its use by the PM in this way.
Now I understand why it so annoyed me like a fingernail on a chalkboard.
WE THE PEOPLE, define who we are!
And as I said before, this COVID cloud may very well have a silver lining.
May very well be that Barbadians also will finally decide to define WHAT THE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL LEADERS SHOULD BE.
Be prepared to shift your weight and move!
Adonijah also had a sweet song that said, “You got tuh moo-oo-oo-oo-oove!”
I propose that the whole cabinet be assembled for a private concert to be hosted by John King where young calypsonians will each sing a John King song.
Fool’s Paradise, How Many More, I Want a Plantation.
This is who we are
Maybe Mia answer to Barrow question of Our mirror image
Unfortunately Mia smoke and mirror attempt to answer Barrow logical question is loaded with political rhetoric and a feeble minded attempt to take bajans for idiots
Barrow question was to awaken the hearts and minds of a bajan people towards a goal to be self empowered be free and not to be guided by outside influences while we stand at the doorsteps of foreign invaders like beggars
Mia approach to This is who we are have undermine the tenants of barbados laws which includes some of the freedoms in our Constitution
Barrow would be aghast to see that in our present condition we have allowed the IMF to define who we are and for sure seeing Barbadians economically bound hand and feet to foreign invaders would have cast a frown of disgust across his mind and similar words of action
Yes the question of defining our mirror image by self empowerment is the real answer which cannot and should not be shrouded in an image of smoke and mirror defined in political rhetoric by Mottley tabled in with a slogan as “This is who we are
To this is say to Mottley “Not up in hey”
@Tee White
Great job.
This false dichotomy is present in several places.
We have the overseas crew and the locals, the shade crew and those who support at all cost and then we have those who seem to suggest that others are not patriotic.
Words used like branding irons to separates us into groups. But as some have clearly stated,the determination of who we are cannot be left to a select few.
I’m amazed at the manner in which the words ‘patriotic,’ ‘patriotism’ and ‘unpatriotic’ are thrown about on BU and their definitions become interchangeable, according to which political party is ‘in power.’
A happy and blessed morning to all Barbadians. Hoping that we remain positive regardless of how the future looks.
HAGD
Who she is gives her the stage to say who she thinks we are.
She is Prime Minister and a clever politician.
Long but worth reading
BY:
R. E. GUYSON MAYERS
“I and I was left out.” But you were never included brother.
It is amazing how gullible our people remain after living in this society for so long. It could only be gullibility that would allow the Rastafarian brethren to believe that they would be included in any great economic initiative in this country under a government that has always had the remit of looking after another group that does not include them or their progenitors.
The protests of being excluded from the coming bounty that the marijuana project is expected to bring will be confined to that group only, for no one else in this country expected anything different. Maybe the promises that were made to them blinded them to their reality and the realities of this country, but I wish I could say that they will learn. It does not seem to be the case that our people are learning anything.
“Not ‘bout here” applies to many things that many find convenient to ignore. The Rastafarian community did not recognise that it applied to their becoming legitimate economic players in this country.
If you do not know your history, and knowing is different from hearing a story, you are doomed to repeat it and will stumble into the future, not knowing where you are going and merely hoping for the best. That is a recipe for disaster. One must be able to plan for the future, and this requires certain fixed identifiers from which one may reason a way forward.
Black people in Barbados should locate themselves in this country’s history and use it as a platform from which to look ahead. That history must include our social, economic and political record. If the Rastafarian community had done that, they would not be surprised or disappointed that there is no room for them in this country’s plantation economy, except as workers.
Barbados was established as a plantation and all of its land and most of its people were owned by others. The owned people were never intended to be other than a labour force. While the features of labour may change according to the demands of the market, it was intended that the labourers would always labour in the service of others.
The education revolution introduced by the Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow, promised to change that scenario, but gradually over time. But Barrow had one lifetime and could not live long enough to see it through. The forces that have always been arrayed against his planned changes never gave up their fight and have successfully brought down every leader who stood in the way of their reversal of Barrow’s initiatives. Their instruments of destruction were always the black faces of those who the people were convinced were on their side.
In like manner, many are not recognising that the Prime Minister is also leader of the labour movement in this country. So how can there be a strike? It is not only big works that must go through her. Protest action must be approved by her too.
How can the Barbados Workers’ Union, whose boss is the employee of the Prime Minister, go ahead and call a national strike in this country? Not ‘bout here. It is clear to me that she does not want to, had no intention of ever doing so, and could not, even if she had that desire. Not ‘bout here.
It seems like something out of the story books for a member of the business community to open his mouth and talk about not striking because the economy is fragile. Well, well, well. So the economy was not fragile in 2018 when that same group joined with the workers’ representatives and the now ruling party and shut down the country?
There was no need for the business sector to speak on these issues. Their position is well known and while others have to sing for their supper, they are above that need. Others sing to and for them. Requiring the business class and Sir Roy Trotman to raise their voices was overkill, but that seems to be a strategy that has been identified and is being stuck to.
Just like lining up big men and women like dumb little children behind the general who speaks on issues for which those standing behind are supposed to be responsible. One wonders if these muzzled pawns know how they look.
Barbadians need to pay attention to what is happening around them. We live in a world where individualism is king. We should bear this in mind when Greeks come bearing gifts and promises.
My Parthian shot: what benefit did the BWU and the Prime Minister gain for the G4S workers?
Amen to Guyson Mayers article
A side snipe..
It is incredible that we are routinely fed the diluted ramblings of EA, but Mariposa had to drag in the cleverly and well written article by Guyson Mayers.
Cheers to Mariposa. Sometimes she punches well above her weight.
Struggling with one phrase. Did I misunderstand?
“If the Rastafarian community had done that, they would not be surprised or disappointed that there is no room for them in this country’s plantation economy, except as workers.”
I think they should be disappointed. They should refuse to accept a subservient or lesser status than any Barbadian or foreign investor.
The article was one that should have took top billing on any social.media platform
It dug deep into the heart of a dysfunctional society living and believing on superficial hope planted into their minds by selfish politicians
The G4S workers gone back to work on Hope
The Rastafarian relied on a Hope planted in their minds for a new and better beginning
Now low end wage labourers are depending on Hope planted in their mind for better wages
The long and short being all are being sucker punch by the long arms of political rhetoric while politicians keep both knees in the peoples neck
@David
How you mean?
Wuh ef we don’t bitch, wuh else we gine do?
Wuh else can we do?
Vote Dem out?
And den vote in who?
This administration is all about acronyms, jingles, slogans and catch phrases.
“This is who we are” is just another empty feel good slogan created by the communications experts employed by the BLP.
Remember this?
https://barbadosunderground.net/2009/12/03/remembering-what-is-bajan-barbadian/comment-page-6/
How about this one?
h ttps://barbadosunderground.net/2009/05/12/how-do-we-see-ourselves/
General Lee May 13, 2009 10:01 AM
The new Bajan has no concept of what it means to be a Bajan.
The culture of Barbados has been lost.
Government Welfare TV finds it easier to show American junk masquerading as entertainment instead of assisting in the development of the performing arts to portray Barbadian culture.
Welfare TV needs to produce more than talking heads to entertain Bajans. The amount of talent displayed yearly at NIFCA needs to be exploited. Surely a sitcom or two, at least, can be developed from the material showcased at the finals.
The new Bajan living in the developments are not neighbors so there is no neighborhood. Every man’s house, while still being his castle, has now become his prison equipped with home theatre and cable tv. He only sees the people next door when he washes the car or cut the grass.
He sits in the car park of the discount supermarket with the engine running for 45 minutes enjoying the air conditioning and dvd movie in his “big ride” while wifey tries to stretch the couple dollars inside.
He prefers Chinese, Italian, Indian and other international cuisine.
He flocks to the Jamaican, Trinidadian and American shows and ignore the local unless it is free.
What does it say when 90% of the music played on radio is foreign to Barbados?
Why is it possible for vintage acts from everywhere in the world to do better in Barbados than vintage Barbadian acts?
Our young and upcoming artiste, with their counterfeit accents wonder when will they make it.
It does not help when the most successful to date, produces music that is as far from this island in the sun as one could possibly get.
The new Bajan is anti – Bajan, he cares little for the Bajan way of life.
Employers prefer non national workers, they are granted work permits by those in authority. The union leadership offers them support. Barbadian Journalist insists that Bajans are all over the world, some illegally . They seldom state that while there, these Bajans are constantly looking over their shoulders, something that is not evident with illegal immigrants here, as they appear to go about their activities without fear.
The new Bajan politician has no real interest in representing the masses. He is concerned with securing a pension and using the influence of political office for personal development.
Barbadian companies supported by Governments, fleece ignorant consumers who complain bitterly, but see themselves as dependant on these companies for their existence instead of the reverse being true.
We are now imitators, copiers and even counterfeiters.
We have somehow acquired the belief that we should no longer produce anything that is uniquely Bajan.
(~_~)
Soon they will be no more “Bajans” in Barbados. That is the price of progress. No?
@Raw Bake
Of course but who do we blame? The current crop of politicians and aspirants walk among us.
By the way, why do we allow politicians to lead the narratives?
What is it that John Citizens do no feel compelled to act?
@ Raw Bake
You got it in one. Brilliant analysis.
@ Raw Bake
KEEP KICKING ASS AND TELLING THE TRUTH.
THIS WHOLE MARIJUANA SAGA TELLS ONE ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BARBADOS.
THE RICH WILL GET RICHER INCLUDING DRUG DEALER CHARLES HERBERT WHILST MOST BLACKS WILL LOOK TO BE CONSUMERS AND LABORERS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TOTEM POLE EARNING PITIFUL WAGES.
I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A SET OF PEOPLE IN 2020 COULD ALLOW THEMSELVES TO NOT ONLY BE SEEN AS FOOLS BUT TO BE TREATED LIKE ONE AS WELL.
THIS IS THE TRUE LOCAL BLACK BAJAN IN THIS DAY AND AGE.
December 13, 2020 7:52 AM
@Raw Bake
@ David wrote
“Truth BUT here is an excellent opportunity for Bajans everywhere to enter the debate to flesh out who we really are if there is disagreement about what is being projected by government, this is the upside. Rather than bitching.“
@ Hal
My Comrade
You may want to drink a gin and tonic and relax. Sometimes what you say sounds better and is more acceptable if it comes from others. At least after all the licks you got,the discussion has finally come full circle thanks to the author Tee White.
There has never been and will never be the acceptance of intellectual prostitution. It may hang around for a while, but it will be exposed.
I am reading all these comments by the same people who up to yesterday were haranguing people like you , who have been saying the identical thing on BU for donkey years.
Nobody can chase butterflies forever.
Forward ever, backward never. Stay true to your positions and victory is certain.
@William and the gloomers
‘uneasy is the head that wears a crown’
@ William
Don’t worry.. I got it. I also got those who once claimed how patriotic they were and now see patriotism for what it is, a bogus love of country. As I have said before, it is the language of deceit.
When the language of politics is about patriotism, it avoids saying anything about class and inequality. So, some red neck can claim to be on billionaire Trump’s side; or in Barbados if we all claim we are Bajan patriots we can be on the same side as COW or the New Bajans.
Or the president can come with some nonsense about who we are, and more hands, it is the language of the con artist, the snake oil salesman.
@David December 13, 2020 12:33 PM
The Gatekeepers prevent John Citizen from seriously challenging the status quo.
It is these same editors, moderators, blogmasters and social media influencers that prevent the promulgating of alternative narratives.
Who do we blame?
None but ourselves.
Who are they without us?
@Raw Bake
We hear you.
Not up in hey
Yes up in hey
The higher the monkey climb the more yuh see the tail
Mia tail is hanging to the ground
What i cannot understand how people can be so influenced by slogans with intent to keep them stupid
You are aware successful companies used slogans, mantras, mission statements what you chose to refer to them. It is meant to assist/support with growing a relevant culture by changing behaviours of the actors etc. What we need to discuss is to what extent Mottley and her team captures who we are.
“I think they should be disappointed. They should refuse to accept a subservient or lesser status than any Barbadian or foreign investor.”
doubtful you will find rastas working on stinking slave plantations in Barbados, unlike the majority population they are more businessminded than slave like or consumer oriented as the majority were mindwashed into becoming by DBLP dirty politicians who spent decades arranging and cultivating the destruction of Black people in Barbados..
“If the Rastafarian community had done that, they would not be surprised or disappointed that there is no room for them in this country’s plantation economy, except as workers.”
the author is missing the point that while Rasta is being disenfranchised, it’s the Black majority who will be the marijuana plantation slaves, he should address it in his articulate article, rasta will REFUSE to work on slave plantations because they have self-respect, self-esteem and self-confidence, know their history, respect their ancestors, blackness and Africanness and absolutely hate the poisonous colonial system, the same CANNOT be said for the majority citizens.
it’s the Black majority who will be the marijuana plantation slaves, he should address it in his articulate article, rasta will REFUSE to work on slave plantations because they have self-respect, self-esteem and self-confidence, know their history, respect their ancestors, blackness and Africanness and absolutely hate the poisonous colonial system, the same CANNOT be said for the majority citizens.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
JUST AS TRUE AS SOME WHO BELIEVES IN JOHN 3:16
CAN’T SEE NO LOCAL BAJAN BLACK RASTA WORKING ON A WHITE MAN PLANTATION GROWING WEED/MARIJUANA/CANNABIS AND EARNING A PITTANCE WHILST THE WHITE PLANTATION OWNER AND CLOSE ASSOCIATES GETS RICHER AND RICHER.
THE BLACK BAJAN MASSES NEEDS TO EMPOWER THEMSELVES AND EMANCIPATE THEMSELVES FROM MENTAL SLAVERY AND FROM ALWAYS BEING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TOTEM POLE SETTLING FOR PEANUTS AND BULLSHIT.
We are discussing the production of medical cannabis which is grown in a controlled area using the best science.
We are discussing the production of medical cannabis which is grown in a controlled area using the best science.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A LOT OF THIS CANNABIS WILL FIND ITSELF ON THE BLACK MARKET WHERE THERE IS WIDESPREAD DEMAND AND HIGHLY PROFITABLE.
HAPPENED IN THE USA AND ELSEWHERE.
THE ONLY THING CONTROLLED IN BARBADOS IS BLACK BAJAN MASSES MINDS.
@ David December 13, 2020 3:50 PM
What the hell is “medical cannabis”?
How can a demonic plant, ‘all of a sudden’ become the saviour of the Bajan economy and the Cinderella to the health of the nation in less than 5 years?
How come Big Pharma is not working for the people?
Where are those who can afford “medical cannabis” to relieve their aches and pains given the exorbitant licensing fees and the infrastructure required to meet the licensing conditions?
Is it the same people in the “Orlenes” who only 5 years ago were stigmatized and imprisoned for dealing in contraband?
@Miller
You are posting nonsense.
What is the best science and how do u know that the people who supposedly to involved in the growing and cultivating of marijuana in barbados would be using the best science
Have govt been transparent as to who these gatekeppers medicinal scientist would be and where they will be coming from
Why should the people not know who the owners or card carrying legalised drug owners are before they plant their feet on barbados soil
Recently some guy show up out of now where positioning himself to become a new plantation slave owner to the growing and cultivating of marijuana on barbados soil
The look in his eyes as he smelled the soil was one as if he had found gold
I notice that he was an outsider heading to the top of the line while the rightful owners to our soil namely blacks was outside looking in begging to take a look at the soil
Is that who we are robbing the poor and giving to the rich
Hyatt gets free land
Big business gets tax waivers
Land for planting marijuana is handed to any one but black bajans
Wuh happen to home drum beat first
A drum is beating but far away from barbados shores to benefit others
Yes up in hey
@ David December 13, 2020 4:15 PM
Have you changed your “throwing shade” nomenclature?
You say the same thing about William Skinner et al.
Deal with the substance and not with the shadow of the man,
The Truth can sometimes be rather inconvenient to hear.
BTW, neither Hal, William nor the miller was ever invited to the opening of Parliament like the underground lords of Bim.
Where are those who can afford “medical cannabis” to relieve their aches and pains given the exorbitant licensing fees and the infrastructure required to meet the licensing conditions?
Is it the same people in the “Orlenes” who only 5 years ago were stigmatized and imprisoned for dealing in contraband?
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
YOU ARE CORRECT MUCH OF THIS SO CALLED “medical cannibas” TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE MONIED WHITES SPEARHEADED BY THE BLP GOVERNMENT WILL BE SOLD ON THE LOCAL BLACK MARKET IN COLLUSION WITH THE 5 MAJOR DRUG LORDS INVITED TO BLP PARLIAMENT IN 2018 AND FOOT SOLDIERS ACROSS THE 2 x 3 ISLAND.
@Tee White “Leaders of a political party which supported the huge protest in Bridgetown in 2017 against the tax policies of the previous DLP government. Was that protest part of ‘who we are’?
My response, YES..
And what about Nanny Grigg.
Yes.. Nanny Grigg is part of who we are.
Bussa
Yes, Bussa is a part of who we are
and the freedom fighters of 1816
Yes, these people were a part if who we are.
or Clement Payne
Yes, Clement Payne is a part of who we are.
and the martyrs of 1937?
Yes, these people are a part of who we are.
But I sense that Tee White’s contribution is a partisan political screed, since even though the PM is fond of using the phrase “this is who we are” I don’t recall that she has defined who we are, or that she has prohibited any Bajan, home based or living overseas from defining who we are. My sense is that she is calling us to hold on to those traditional good Bajan values that we all learned from our parents. So that for example when Donna, Dame Bajan and I freely share gardening tips, that is who we are. When at the beginning of the pandemic i planted enough for my immediate family and harvested a surplus to freely share with extended family, friends, neighbors and strangers, that is who we are. When one of my close kin volunteered to work closely with pandemic patients that too is who we are. When in 1992 i decided to become a volunteer blood donor, and when from 1992 to 2019 I have donated dozens of times, [completely disregarding which party is in political office, or the social status, color, religion, age, gender, or sexual orientation, of the recipient ] for friends, family and complete strangers, that too is who we are. When David opens his blog to everyone, even when he is regularly and routinely cussed, David’s generosity is a part of who we are.
So “no” the PM has not copyrighted the phrase. Indeed she cannot copyright it. It is left to each of us Bajans to define the best of what it means to be Bajan and to put into practice those actions which make us truly Bajan.
Cuhdear Bajan
Neither “B” nor “D” nor “P” nor anything else, truly Bajan and truly completely politically non-partisan
“How can a demonic plant, ‘all of a sudden’ become the saviour of the Bajan economy and the Cinderella to the health of the nation in less than 5 years?”
they are going to crash and burn, the knowledgeable people already shifted operations offshore which are now completely successful, there is life and progress outside of Barbados…while the slave society sellouts now have to depend on foreign slave masters who don’t even give a shit about them, just wait for the crash, keep ya cameras nearby, it will be a doozy. …people are over smallminded nuisance for leaders and their go nowhere bullshit.
@Miller December 13, 2020 4:33 PM “BTW, neither Hal, William nor the miller was ever invited to the opening of Parliament”
Me neither. And even if I am invited I int going.
I see no fun in dressing up in “formal” clothes in the tropical heat.
@Raw Bake December 13, 2020 12:17 PM “The new Bajan living in the developments are not neighbors so there is no neighborhood. Every man’s house, while still being his castle, has now become his prison equipped with home theatre and cable tv. He only sees the people next door when he washes the car or cut the grass.
He sits in the car park of the discount supermarket with the engine running for 45 minutes enjoying the air conditioning and dvd movie in his “big ride” while wifey tries to stretch the couple dollars inside.
He prefers Chinese, Italian, Indian and other international cuisine.?
No home theatre. I do have a tv which I have not turned n in 4 1/2 years as it is much more fun to play with the “boys” of BU. They are highly entertaining.
No car. I love my ZR crew. And now that i have the ID card with the red old people’s background I’ve found love for the Transport Board’s crews too. i plan to go joy riding with the grands in the newish electric buses sometime this week.
Don’t cut my own grass. Why should I? when I can pay a handsome your fellow $100 BDS for 2 hours work. My eyes get a treat, and he earns $50 per hour. Not bad wuk if you can get it.
Don’t go to the supermarket much. I work the ground and eat what i grow. Today a free breadfruit made a nice cou-cou with pork chops from a man in my natal village, some okras which I grew myself made a nice-nice side.
I would not associate with an environmental idiot [male of course] who runs his car engine for 45 minutes. And a good thing he is not my man, because today his “bad luck” today would be breadfruit cou-cou with pork chops and okras on the side. No Chinese, italian nor Indian cuisine in this house. Ground food,day in and day out. With fish from our Atlantic whenever possible.
This is who this Bajan is.
Soooo who are we?
We are good, decent, hard working, loving people.
We are neighborly.
We pay our bills.
We love our grandparents, but especially we love our grannies. Boy! do we love our grandmothers. Every single one of us has or has had a grandmother who is the best cook in the whole wide world.
We also love our parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins. We love our spouses too, and our children, and grandchildren. That is a whole lot of love for a 2 x 3 island. I heard a foreigner say once that the “problem” with Bajan elementary aged children is that they spend too much time playing with their cousins, instead of playing with their schoolmates. Huh!??? I think that he wanted the Bajan children to play with his kids instead of with their cousins. A bit of jealousy on his part i think.
@ Cuhdear Bajan December 13, 2020 4:39 PM
Ok. I get you but does that mean you disagree with the government and accept that the actions of the laid off hotel workers to prevent the hotel owners from cheating them out of their redundancy money is also part of who we are?
@Tee White
Please clarify, so far we have seen reports that both Savannah, Beach Club have promised and are paying the severance.
@ Cuhdear Bajan December 13, 2020 10:36 PM
“We are good, decent, hard working, loving people.
We are neighborly.
We pay our bills.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Now steady on there, with your excess of jingoism!
Any further and you might have to explain why there are so many security firms and bailiffs in little Bimshire.
Even churches have been known to be burglarized and bathroom tissue and soap taken (aka stolen) from public conveniences.
@ David
Please clarify, so far we have seen reports that both Savannah, Beach Club have promised and are paying the severance.
#################
In my opinion, these decisions by the hotel owners are a direct result of the actions taken by the workers. For example, within one short week of the workers taking action The Club Barbados Resort and Spa had gone from giving the workers 25% of their redundancy money and telling them to go the NIS for the other 75% to being able to pay everything in full without involving the NIS. Without taking the action they did, I think the workers would have been left high and dry for Christmas without their money.
@Tee White
Is this the system not working as designed? Industrial action is always the main weapon in the toolbox of the employee. However you should factor that the hotels are effectively closed because of COVID and consideration must be given to the role of government.
“Without taking the action they did, I think the workers would have been left high and dry for Christmas without their money.”
those thieves for hoteliers wouldn’t have lost a second of sleep over employees and their children starving and dying from lack of food over xmas nor at any other time, neither would the sellout ministers…they would’ve blamed their victims for not protesting and saying something…to them it’s all about getting away with exploitation and thievry from workers…extra money in their pockets to pretend they’re superior (employers) and have pedigree(sellouts).
it’s really up to the people to accept or reject any of this, no one else.
Slogans are good for advertisements and political campaigns not so much for governing perhaps the PM (who loves slogans) means to attach this slogan to some national campaign but it is such a trite offering that anyone can use it to mean whatever they want it to mean- positive or negative.
@ Tee White,
One of the dynamic social programmes organised by the president’s grand father, one of many, was the free Queen’s Park food kitchen, when hungry and desperate people in the City (many came from outside the City) could get free food.
Even this common act of humanity seems outside the president’s imagination. This is who we are.
@ Sargeant
What is your interpretation? Put some flesh on the bones.
This is who we are.
We got this.
Not bout hay.
Punching above our weight.
World class
Here is William Skinner arguing with himself again!
Why can’t you understand that we ALL know that Barbados has its problems and we ALL know what they are?
It is not always what you say, it is how you say it.
But you are wrong again about my neck of the woods! We may not be as up in each other’s business as we were in my grandmother’s day but we do more than see our neighbours only when we cut the lawns and wash our cars.
Right now I am looking at the beautiful partially enclosed club house where the fellas lime every day and the women lime and party on special days. Independence Day, Xmas Day, Old Year’s Night, New Year’s Day you can hear the music and the fun. Plenty local music played. Some cooking is even done on the spot. We still have our village shops. One old female shopkeeper recently died and my poor son does not want to hear about it. It makes him too sad. The other shopkeeper he calls “Auntie”.
So… still chasing the beautiful butterflies in my garden. Woke up this morning to the sweet sounds of the fowl cock.
P.S. CBC does show plenty of local content. And we do have quite a few budding writers, movie makers etc who are much appreciated. We had a soap opera and several films that I thoroughly enjoyed.
My son was actually an extra for “Chrissie” by Marcia Weekes. It ran for weeks and weeks at cinemas.
Ricky Redman also had a few good ones that did well at the cinema.
Bajan content is more appreciated now than it ever was.
@HA
Do I have to? The positive speaks for itself, you have used some iteration of the negative by citing “the Bajan condition” many times on the blog, as to governance if the PM would retrace her steps the phrase “many hands make light work” would be excised from her speeches.
@ Sargeant
Unless you define what you mean, how am I to know we are singing from the same song sheet. That is part of the clarification process.
I will give a simple example: the word cussing. What does it mean. You have never seen me use the word because it not a word I understand. I can imagine people saying if you are a Bajan you must know what cussing means. I do not.
I talk about obscenities, swearing, cursing, can those word be interchanged with cussing? I have also asked on numerous occasions what does having the last word men.
I go on because it is culturally important. On the 50th anniversary of independence I asked a prominent Barbadian to get ten people, including himself, to write 10000 words each on what Barbados meant to them. I am sure if they had we would have had ten different interpretations.
That is what debate is about, not speculating about what people think. ( I can go on about the predictability of the Barbados Condition, but that will call for another discussion).
I am sure you do not have the same impression of Barbados as myself. I do not fly the flag, and sing the National anthem and put my hand on my heart or talk nonsense about patriotism and obsess over cricket or support the Bees or the Dees – but I am a Barbadian
The trouble with moving into new development areas is that the neighbours are usually all new people. It’s not like the old villages where one usually only moved in by being attached to somebody from the village.
@ Hal
I’ve never seen so many people want to prove they are more Bajan than anybody else. A bundle of pure crap.Reducing serious discussion to a lot of mundane self serving mumbo jumbo.
@ William
Have you noticed when you ask people to define what being a Barbadian means to them they play the Bajan trick and go silent? It is predictable behaviour.
Barbados recorded the 38th murder for 2020 at Farm Road, St Peter, on Monday night.
@ Donna,
When will Mia stop borrowing so much money in a low productive net exporter company?
Will Mia action eventually lead to devaluation should covid kill the tourism industry after all the careless borrowing for non productive purposes?
We all need to be concerned as the whole country is silent.
@ Economic Graduate
One cannot criticise government economic policy on this blog, if not one is seen as anti-government. Even more, as befits BU, everyone is an expert, even if what they say does not make sense.
How will a loan from the World Bank of US(?)$200m, thereby increasing the debt to GDP ratio, help in reducing that debt? How much additional debt has the Mottley government added to the government’s balance sheet since May 2018?
It is not of the Barbadian character to say I do not know about this, plse explain. For example, you talk about government debt, and someone chimes in with talk about the economy. Or someone makes the mistake of thinking the stock exchange and the economy are one and the same and when corrected then goes off in a strump.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
@ Hal
“ It means doing things differently, finding
new niche markets, making new business
connections in unfamiliar locations, tapping the DIASPORA ( my emphasis) like
never before………………”
Ronald Toppin, Minister of International
Business and Industry. Barbados Today,
12/15/2020
Drip..drip…drip……
Reality slowly replacing pie-in-the-sky mumbo jumbo. The Barbados economy outside of Barbados needs to be fully exploited. But……….
Peace
@ William
We can make suggestions, but if the political elite do not understand what is being suggested they either ignore it, or just mess it up.
Cyprus, Greece and Israel make very good use of their Diaspora. Barbados does not because they do not know what to do. I have spoken before about the Diaspora biennial meetings organised by David Thompson, which Senator McClean turned in to a preaching meeting after his death, and which the president has now dropped, while still begging for ideas.
@William, the biggest employer of black people in the UK are local authorities, and some of those people manage budgets bigger than the entire budget of the Barbados government. They can teach our politicians and civil servants a thing or two.
I will give one simple example, the mess at the NIS. It does not need bits of plaster, it needs getting rid of and starting from scratch again. I have put forward one idea, others can out forward theirs.
But this does not fit anyone’s agenda, so it is ignored, while we talk crap about severance pay, and contributions by employers, etc.
We have to do things differently, and stop believing we are world class, a fantasy all in the head of the president.
@ Hal
“ We have to do things differently, and stop believing we are world class, a fantasy all in the head of the president.”
(Quote)
There are some who come here on BU with bedtime stories. The Bajan Diaspora, is a bigger economy than the local one.
These people are not serious. Where are the representatives “ on the ground” in our overseas offices? All they do is fly about fooling people who know nothing. But I enjoy the fairy tales.
Drip….drip…… drip…..
@ William
The other fantasy is because someone has read a book on a subject, attended a lecture and got a qualification they are experts.
Even more before the BU court, you get all kinds of people jumping up and expressing a view, that they have Googled, saw on CNN or an idea that came to them during a dream.
Have you noticed how the other Caribbean islands are not only competing seriously with us, but surpassing us. Have you been to St Lucia recently?
But that is who we are. Have a nice rum and coke.
The usual.
Gabby – Wind Force
The BPF band is really good imho. This is what I am listening to while blogging.
Hants,
World class?
🙄
🎵It’s a beautiful day in my neighbourhood. The neighbours passed by and called me sweet names. The birds are singing, the fowl cock is crowing and my son saw a mongoose.
🙄
Uh-oh!
🎶We can build a factory and make misery
We’ll create the cure
We made the disease🎵
🎵Frustrated Incorporated…..
Put me outta my misery!🎶
😭😭
Song by Soul Asylum
Hants, do you know this one? THIS is what plays in my head when I blog at BU.
https://youtu.be/GLQ2TIul8pI
Politicians say the darndest things!!!
” “Bajans by choice tend to have the most passion, and we need a lot of passion now ”
https://www.nationnews.com/2020/12/18/mottley-new-immigration-bill-coming/
” People living under the Welcome Stamp Programme were told that they are Bajans by choice, and Barbados is one of the best places to live. “
Bajans would be more passionate if they made US$50,000 a year.
At the very least pay Bajan workers their severance and raise the minimum wage to a Living wage. They would definitely
have more passion.
“I certify that I expect to earn an income of US$50,000.00 or more over the next 12 months and/or have the means to support myself, my spouse/partner and dependants accompanying me, during my stay in Barbados”
PASSION
https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/12/18/welcome-stamp-visitors-feted-by-pm/
@Hants
Yours @9.27 am
Just goes to show that there is more than one way to skin a cat, remember the goal of increasing the population?
Why are the two women in the photo with the PM not wearing masks?
@ Sargeant,
Maybe they had a tour of Ilaro court and passion made them forget the masks.
“……..and Barbados is one of the best places to live. “”
For Which race????
and displaced BLACK WORKERS CANT EVEN GET THEIR MONIES LEGLLY DUE TO THEM?
A very strange story in today’s Nation.
hpttps://www.nationnews.com/2020/12/18/govtp-launch-new-accounting-service/
The days of having an Auditor General’s report that highlights a myriad of accounting inconsistencies and financial irregularities in Government departments, may soon be at an end.
This is because come April 1, 2021, Government will be rolling out its accounting service, which will provide uniformity in training and protocols, said Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Ryan Straughn.
Problem solved? De money still gone? Creative accounting?
Everything being put in place before the call of an early electiion
Where on earth are black or poor people or poor black people treated any differently?
This is a global fight.
Real real Bajans putting a Beach to its best use.
CHRISTMAS CAME early .Bajans love nuff pork.
https://www.nationnews.com/2020/12/21/pork-pan-parang-party/
@Hants
The blogmaster was out and about yesterday and today and everywhere Bajans COVID or not are going about the business of enjoying the season.
Germany and Switzerland have banned travel from South Africa after Africa’s most industrial nation warned of the emergence of a new coronavirus variant.
This new variant — which shares some characteristics to the new strain that has appeared in the UK but is different — has been present in about nine in 10 new recorded cases in South Africa in recent weeks.
This “strongly suggests that the current second wave we are experiencing is being driven by this new variant,” said Zweli Mkhize, South Africa’s health minister. The German and Swiss governments barred incoming flights from South Africa from the start of Monday…..(Quote)
@Hants
Parang? The takeover of Bim by Trinidad is progressing by bits and pieces we too love to absorb others culture.
@ Sargeant,
A wtf moment.lol
https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/12/22/barbados-now-has-an-official-tartan/
https://www.nationnews.com/2020/12/26/districts-left-high-dry/
That was exactly my reaction to the tartan.
@Hants
I know you love music, so start practicing on the Bagpipes and you can showcase your talent on Republic Day 2021 dressed in your kilt complete with sporran and all the ladies will ask what is he wearing under that kilt .
I will bring the Haggis and Johnny Walker
I agree with Hants the Barbados coat of arms …two vendors rampant fighting over a tourist …represents the true spirit of the island rather than a poxy tartan bought not earned..
From BT
Robert Guibal, owner of Glasgow firm James Robertson Kiltmaker, commented: “In 29 years as a kiltmaker I’ve worked on some fantastic projects but never expected to be designing an official tartan for a Caribbean island.
“When BTMI approached me two years ago, they were so passionate about the linked heritage of Scotland and Barbados and the need to create something special to recognise this. This tartan is the product of six months intense refining, to create the perfect design to represent the island of Barbados in a contemporary way.”
🙂 Breaking News
BTMI has scored yet another first. A boat load of white sheets wit two holes has been sourced fro Alabama USA. Mr K. Lan was amazed at the tenacity of the islands in securing these sheet. “I couldn’t believe it. My video of the sheets being used was well received. One BTMI member explained to me that as white reflect lights, the may make staying out in the sun more comfortable. I have been invited down for cropover”. Already have a song
I’m jumping in white
I’m jumping all night
I accept de invite
Jumping in dark and jumping in light
Will give some a fright
Not a darkie in sight
🙂
Is it just me… There seem to be more overlap of stories between BT and the Nation.
Sometimes same photos are used.
Merger, acquisition, laziness, cheapness? What?
Who would have thunk it, Mia bigging up African roots, while behind the scenes a Gov’t entity is exploring connections to Scotland and appropriating its culture.
@Sargeant
Explain yourself. Are the two mutually exclusive?