est. 2007

Barbados Underground

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Don’t Mess with Our Children

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (friendly version) states at number 19 heading among other others of equal importance that: Protection from Violence – Governments must protect children from violence, abuse and being neglected by anyone who looks after them. UN Convention on the rights of the child In recent days Barbadians have…

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The Convention on the Rights of the Child (friendly version) states at number 19 heading among other others of equal importance that:

Protection from Violence – Governments must protect children from violence, abuse and being neglected by anyone who looks after them.

UN Convention on the rights of the child

In recent days Barbadians have been expressing outrage in response to the report of a teenager at the Government Industrial School (GIS) recorded naked in solitary confinement. The blogmaster is acutely aware the danger of blogging about matters involving children given the inclination by some in Internet fora to be irresponsible.

Troubling to the blogmaster is the breach of the rights of the teenager occurred while under the care of government. It is not lost on the blogmaster that in other jurisdictions persons charged with the responsibility of managing the GIS would have tendered resignations forthwith.

There is no need for the blogmaster to be prolix sharing thoughts on the heinous act that has occurred at the GIS. It should never have happened. Successive governments by mediocre decision-making are responsible. Adults whether employed at the GIS or parents are responsible. The country is responsible for protecting our children. Faith Marshall-Harris is correct when she reminds us that adults have a moral and LEGAL duty to report incidents of child abuse to the authorities- even if the abuse occurred at a government institution responsible for enforcing the very rights of children.

The blogmaster congratulates children advocates who champion the rights of children every day, every week and all the time. Blogs have been posted over the years (not enough) to expose challenges children face in the country. The number of comments these types of blogs garner is always an indication of the level of public interest in these types of matters. Then there is a predictable reaction when the matter currently provoking rage occurs. We are reactive to the inevitable.

The following related links were posted on Barbados Underground in 2017 to support a similar matter.

We do not place enough importance on little problems until there is a crisis situation.

The blogmaster refuses to consider the problems were not being highlighted to the management of the GIS and at other similar institutions over time.

The blogmaster refuses to consider the problems were not being highlighted to the Board of the GIS and at other similar institutions over time.

The blogmaster refuses to consider that the problems were not being highlighted to the minister responsibly for the GIS and at other similar institutions over time.

The blogmaster refuses to consider that the problems were not being highlighted to the general population by current and former employees of the GIS and other over time.

When we make the logical conclusion what does it translate to?

241 responses to “Don’t Mess with Our Children”

  1. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    UN also has reports of the brutal nature of the police in Barbados and they way they gotoo many of them after Black people only and violate their rights….Black children don’t stand a chance with them, they need to keep their hands off people’s children and be more professional..

  2. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    The gremlin 555 at it again…

    UN also has reports of the brutal nature of the police in Barbados and they way they too many of them go after Black people only and violate their rights….Black children don’t stand a chance with them, they need to keep their hands off people’s children and be more professional….WITH BLACK PEOPLE…the same way i have seen them on multiple occasions sweating their asses off to be courteous to minorities and their children WHOM THEY DARE NOT TOUCH….no matter how many crimes they commit…

    so, in saying that, has the police arrested the 17 year old white boy who killed the former cricketer with his car just last month, did they test him for drugs or alcohol and did they find out if he was on his cellphone and did not see the man…..no, but they allowed him to walk away with his parents without so much as a ticket…

    but they will pick up their big wicked hands and slap or punch a 14 year old Black child in her face…

  3. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    You all could listen to Down to Brasstacks . David Ellis is moderating.

    Some Bajans seem to care about the children who end up at GIS.

  4. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ David,

    Brasstacks bring back sweet memories for me this morning. One of these days I will explain. #exgfs. lol

  5. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    Do not wait too long. Hope you were not reminded of your residency at Dodds?

  6. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    yes…Theo…i know exactly how you feel, would imagine that PLT now feels the very same way…i have become sensitized to the bajan (means LOW in Spanish) BULLSHIT OF DESTROYING BLACK LIVES BECAUSE THEY CANNOT FCUK WITH ANYONE ELSE..

  7. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ David, good one. lol

  8. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    I emailed Minister Abrahams the following (I am hoping that he receives many hundreds s:

    Minister Wilfred Abrahams,
    You have failed to protect the vulnerable girls at GIS by removing all the staff who are implicated in the systematic torture of children by routinely incarcerating them naked in a bare concrete cell for days and weeks on end.

    This treatment was contrary to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. It was also in breach of Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    I understand that you have ordered that such torture not be repeated, but you have left the torturers in charge of the institution and you have left vulnerable girls in their charge. Furthermore, you have publicly stated that you have confidence in the staff who inflicted these inhuman and degrading assaults on vulnerable children.

    Your catastrophic error of judgement has made me deeply ashamed of my Government.

    You have left me no choice but to insist on your immediate resignation from your position as Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs.

    Yours sincerely,
    Peter Thompson

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

    PLT…i posted information on the African Diaspora Sixth Region that the government was hiding from Black people in Barbados….because they got some SCUMMY SCAM for the continent that will NEVER BENEFIT BLACK PEOPLE ………hope you take a look at it, people with your skills are sorely needed to help Black people in Barbados and the region UNDERSTAND BETTER what it all entails and…transition if they so desire…..

    bear in mind any ideas you have given the retarded government so far WILL NEVER BENEFIT THE BLACK POPULATION on the island…it’s never their intent…sellouts never change their stance.

  10. Everton Rowe Avatar
    Everton Rowe

    Dear Peter,
    I make an effort to avoid politics of any kind. However, it pains me to see you standing alone. If it becomes a petition, you can be assured that I will sign it.

    You have my support.

    Kind regards,
    Everton

  11. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Hi Everton,
    How are you. It is good to see you.
    We were in the same class for several years.
    You have come a long way, baby.
    The Everton that I know would be afraid to sign a check in his own name.
    Theo

  12. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Sorry waru no offence but..

    I still find you a mind numbing bore mindless monotonous repetitive one dimensional dimwit who don’t move me
    Barbados is not the only country in the African diaspora but it could be the most docile of all

    Journey’s Prelude / Jungle Fever / Africa / Brazil

  13. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @PLT,
    You are a credit to your parents and to your people. Have you considered contacting Aljazeera’s investigation unit? Not only on this story but on a whole range of stories coming out of Barbados that are detrimental to the welfare of our people.

  14. David Avatar
    David

    @Kiki et al

    Can we move on please? This constant harangue is boring between some commenters. The point has been made on this and other blogs let us move on please.

  15. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    I still listening to Down to Brasstacks. Jonny Tudor did a lot of travelling to european countries researching.

    Tings coming out. Unpuckinbelievable!

  16. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Things are bound to come out….it has finally stuck in Bajans heads that their EXISTENCE IS AT RISK…they are in danger and the government is their biggest enemy..

  17. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ peterlawrencethompson,

    Nuff respect.

  18. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    OK Dave Roger Roger 10 4 but when push comes to shove everyone put the blame on me

  19. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “Barbados is not the only country in the African diaspora but it could be the most docile of all”

    But what are u doing to END THE DOCILITY…am sure you see me BEGGING PLT for help…because my PLATE IS FULL…moving in mulitple directions to help the BLACK POPULATION on the island before they are COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY BLACK SELLOUT GOVERNMENTS. I spent all weekend calling multiple countries asking for help. Use your connections just as i am.

  20. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    David Ellis is doing a great job moderating this GIS issue on Brasstacks.

  21. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    ” I spent all weekend calling multiple countries asking for help. Use your connections just as i am.”

    Writing strong and stiff letters of complaint is the British / Colonial way and does not cut the mustard.

    When you file a case in court it has to be heard.. and when people are up in arms and fight back it puts abusers on the back foot.

    Violence beats Violins and sob stories.

    Barbados is out of my jurisdiction. I am too remote from the issue for any legal standing under tort law.

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

    “Writing strong and stiff letters of complaint is the British / Colonial way and does not cut the mustard.”

    wrong…i don’t do colonial, ask cousin Boris, everyone has their own way of doing things, i prefer rely on instinct…it never fails…

    keep depending on colonial laws and you will get absolutely nowhere…there are other laws in force outside of the perimeters or manmade nonsense…like tort that cannot stand up to certain scrutiny..

  23. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @Hants March 22, 2021 11:54 AM “I still listening to Down to Brasstacks. Jonny Tudor did a lot of travelling to european countries researching.”

    I was kinda hoping that all that European travel was virtual, that is searching the websites of European countries, and maybe some phone calls.

    Please Lord tell me that my tax money has not been paying for that “research” especially as by his own admission the board is only advisory and has no power, since the power resides in a stupid 1890 law, and with the permanent secretary.

    Tell me please who signs off on all of that travel? And why?

    The same Permanent Secretaries who it seems NEVER visit the GIS?

    Spending tax payers money as though it falls like manna from the sky?

    It seems to me than that more than the Minister should go.

    Are Permanent Secretaries ever fired for anything?

  24. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Was listening to the radio and there was a gentleman speaking of a 130 year old law
    2020-130=1890

    Do you believe that a law for children of the 1890’s (just a few years after the abolition of slavery) should still be in use for children in 2020.

    The guy on the radio like he stealing wura notes. Is the ‘mad woman’ correct? Are we running our country using slave laws?

    I have been interacting with the local Bajans at various sites and many of them sing the same song as the overseas Bajans.
    Perhaps
    1. overseas Bajans
    2. local Bajans, and
    3. local BU Bajans

  25. David Avatar
    David

    It is known that many laws/statutes are out dated. If memory is correct there is a project started to update our laws. This is not an excuse, it is more a criticism of successive governments not giving priority to this matter.

  26. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Theo…i will tell you how i found out, fresh out of NYC doing a project..really long time ago, went over to the supreme court’s law library long before they moved over to Whitepark Road…checking out this and that statute…and am like, why am i not seeing any amendments or upgrades in the laws, all am seeing are Slave laws and as luck would have it, who should walk in and see me perusing those old books….but DPP Leacock, deceased…so i knew somehting was very, very wrong on the island…..

    would you know it, he used one of those same slave master laws to FREE Bjerkham in the death of his little son….so they use the slave laws to penalize and criminalize Black people to the FULLEST EXTENT …but keep slavemaster laws to free minorities…same laws that FREED white CRIMINALS for slavemasters so many centuries ago…

    remember the sexaul predator tourist James from UK…well they went into their little cubbyhole of slave master laws and freed him from assaulting the Black lady..

  27. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    What the hell are they studying at Cave Hill?

    Forget the big dollar projects and introduce a course where students review section of laws and suggest changes. These can then be used for further discussion.

    The low hanging fruits.

  28. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    If you understand the NASTY MINDSETS of SELLOUTS…you will understand they won’t have it any other way..

    they get to keep full control of the Black population under an obsolete slave system, even controlling information …until social media ended that evil practice… and control minorities by allowing them to get away with murder, thefts from the BLACK POPULATION, drug and gun trafficking, money laundering etc……….in exchange for all the bribery and corruption we have been hearing about for decades…

  29. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “What the hell are they studying at Cave Hill?”

    someone said …”HOW TO ROB THE POPULATION…”

  30. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    Feeding children biscuits and butter and tea as punishment is wicked. Even if the 1890 law said that the staff was permitted to do so, how idiotic are the authorities that they would obey foolish laws?

    The government is paying $30,000 BDS per year to keep a child in care, and good nutritious food cannot be provided with that money? I know that I can feed any child good, tasty, nutritious meals for less than 10% of that money. I would bet anything that the staff also eat on site, and I would bet anything that they get good food, and very likely TOO MUCH of it. Barbados has or had a vibrant tourist industry and good cooks in Barbados are a dime a dozen. GIS has no good cooks on staff? Please note that when the Covid positive tourists and others in “care” complained about the food in the isolation facilities, a CHEF was hired. No foolish talk about “we can’t do neffen ’bout it” because some foolish 1890 law prescribes biscuits and water or tea? I would bet anything that when our Parliament meets they are provided with good, tasty, nutritious food [even though ALL of them earn enough money to bring their own food from home] and very likely too much of it. No talk about 1890 laws then.

    My lovely parents, even though they did not go to school past 11 and 13 years NEVER EVER withheld food from a child even though every one of us behaved badly at some point in our childhood. They taught us never to withhold food from our children. So “yes” even if one of my children should commit murder I would NEVER withhold nutritious food. So if my parents who did not go too far in school understood that you do not withhold food as punishment, is something wrong with our well educated officials that they do not understand this?

    P.S. if we provide tax funded meals to our Parliamentarians we need to stop. Let them bring a sandwich a banana and a flask of tea to work just like the parents of these poor children have to do. Or better yet let us deduct from their Parliamentary salaries the commercial cost of every meal provided.

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

    All i can say is, US is trying, although it’s a tall order because of population size and the living demons….who believe that’s the only way they can survive by projecting a delusion of supremacy….it’s much easier to rid tiny Barbados of the racism, etc….but will the black faces want to…seeing as they preserved SLAVE LAWS FROM THE 1890S TO PRACTICE ON BLACK CHILDREN in the centuries leading up to 2021 and they claim to be FIRST WORLD…yeah,….a first world slave society using turd world methods….

    https://www.nationnews.com/2021/03/22/biden-harris-denounce-racism/

    “Washington – President Joe Biden took aim on Sunday at the “ugly poisons” of “systemic racism and white supremacy” that he said had long plagued the United States, and vowed to change the laws that enabled continued discrimination.

    In blunt language, the Democratic president said the country faced problems with racism, xenophobia….”

  32. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Perhaps,we are still applying laws that were in existence even prior to 1890.

    Instead of making our own laws, our laws are making us into a people that we should not be. Taking our sons and daughter and treating them as if they are children of escape slaves. It was not a good law back then and it is an even worse one now.

    How can we consider ourselves as free, when we use the same laws that were meant to dehumanize and oppress those brought from Africa as slaves. The say that ignorance of the law excuses no one, but here we are an entire nation that is completely ignorant of our own laws. The mental shackles are still present.

    1100 people spouting law and none of them know what the hell they are talking about.

  33. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Many of the Slave Laws and Slave Master laws are from the 1700s…

    told yall, most of the lawyers are jokers….most will give you 5 or 10 interpretations for the same law…..you see a layman like Caswell can interpret the laws better than those in the parliament with their LLB practicing certificates…..but none can remove them from the statute books, told yall the parliament negros ARE THE REAL PROBLEM and DANGER for the Black population on the island…that comment is not to be taken lightly…

    keeping Slave laws to use against Black people makes the frauds feel ALL POWERFUL like they got pedigree….that they are always talking about when FOOLING THE ELECTORATE.

    https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-0/p206x206/154765722_856184051624114_3010331708413799968_n.png?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=58c789&_nc_ohc=9y8UKjheofEAX-ss_wl&_nc_ad=z-m&_nc_cid=0&_nc_ht=scontent.xx&_nc_tp=30&oh=700a986e14d6bde993c998c0a09e0175&oe=607E7E43

  34. cosmo.x Avatar
    cosmo.x

    Good afternoon , people of this island, a plantation disguised and fabricated as a utopia perpetuated by the chosen (dehumanizing) story of who we are and the normalization of injustice to the point where anything that challenges that narrative is shunned or shot down.
    Such as this incident seen before us. I have seen so much misery in the research of the country I reside in and the more I looked into, the more disgusted , horrified and shocked I became to the point where after an incident that revealed the truth about this island, I I have become numb to everything that occurs here. It shattered the myriad of the lies perpetuated about how this country is a paradise…. A paradise for certain people however it is not for the people that look like me.
    This incident shocked me to the core because it showed me that Afro Barbadians NEED to do something to secure their rights and protect the youth because they are the future of this society. There is an attack of the youth from these colonial masters with the intention of traumatizing and trauma bonding them to an archaic system (that should not even exist) to the point where they can fall back into the
    relem of being asleep as well as not being able to fight against the parasitic system due to being so traumatized to the point where some of them turn to self destructive behavior to cope. This is due to the fact that this system is not meant to help them for anything related to their issues. (especially in the field of mental health because the consensus is reactive and never dealing with the root issue which is trauma that this plantation systen feeds off of however that is a discussion for another day).
    The only way is to fight in the spiritual and later the physical because enough is enough. This should not slide at ALL because some fancy people in suits and dresses decide to cover this up. This should remain in our hearts and ACTION should be taken by the people immediately, no matter if those that are in power decide to have another distraction to deflect from the seriousness of the situation. These people are playing with us. How long is this abuse of power occour before they cross a line which should not be crossed? Actions always speak louder than words and always reveal a persons true character.

  35. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    @ WURA-War-on-UMarch 22, 2021 4:41 PM

    And the thing is those same negroes had the golden opportunity to get on the right side of the bandwagon of Justice to remove those old slave-like laws by way of the total decriminalization of the innocent marijuana plant.

    How can a plant which their so-called god grew in the garden of Eden be considered Satan but not when he is dressed up in a doctor’s overalls with a prescription pad in hand?

    Maybe it was not a fruit after all but a big ‘spliff’ which Satan gave to Eve to make her ‘high’ in order to sin so that her third eye will open to receive enlightenment Rasta style.

  36. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Miller…they are hellbent on keeping the African population in bondage to benefit themselves and others ONLY……the self-hate is real…..the lack of care for the Black population is real, they only see themselves as far removed from Blackness…..special and above taking care of the population WHO PAY THEM..

    “How long is this abuse of power occour before they cross a line which should not be crossed? ”

    they ALREADY CROSSED THAT LINE….the latest one is HIDING INFORMATION from the Black population about their AFRICAN RIGHTS…..ya don’t get more EVIL OR ABUSIVE THAN THAT…except for using 1890s Slave laws to torture Black children.

  37. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “And the thing is those same negroes had the golden opportunity to get on the right side of the bandwagon of Justice to remove those old slave-like laws by way of the total decriminalization of the innocent marijuana plant.”

    Mia cannot say she wasn’t warned over and over but she saw it as an attack because she had her agenda and was not to be diverted away from that….she will see just how wrong that approach was….ya cannot put toothpaste back in its tube..

  38. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Rambling thoughts
    Without social media where would we be?
    Would we know that we are living in a sealed time capsule?
    Would we know that we follows to laws that were meant to dehumanize and oppress us?
    Would we know that we are led by ‘honorary’ minorities? Black skinned like we are, but
    with minds that devoted to keeping us down?
    When does our smartest and brightest start to think of oppressing us? Secondary school? University?
    When does this corruption begins?
    Who teaches it?
    When does this hate and self loathing begins?
    What corrupts our leaders? Money? Women?
    This wickedness is deliberate and calculated, Where do the monsters live.
    Are our leaders giants or gi-runts?

  39. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @TheOGazerts March 22, 2021 7:17 PM “When does our smartest and brightest start to think of oppressing us? Secondary school? University? When does this corruption begins? Who teaches it? When does this hate and self loathing begins? What corrupts our leaders? Money? Women?” A story my father told me. At the start of the 1937 rebellion, a man who looked like us but who had manged to acquire a little plantation, less than 100 acres, ran to the nearest plantation house and “warned” the massa there that “the n!gg@rs are coming to get us” His son a contemporary of my father rose to occupy the highest office in the land.

    We learn contempt for others from our parents.

    Or our parents can teach us compassion.

    And we must teach our children compassion, and we must teach them that divine commandment “love one another.”

  40. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    I see that in Hal’s absence alongside that of his colleague sometimes known as Mr Wiltshire, BU have discovered a new blogger: Cosmo.X. Welcome to the dysfunctional rum shop.

    Here’s a story from today’s Guardian newspaper:

    https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/mar/24/exclusion-rates-black-caribbean-pupils-england

  41. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Time for Black/African people to establish their own schools and teach African history and culture, anything else and Black children will be criminalized, tortured and murdered, while miseducated and indoctrinated…

    see what Barbados does to its children, even those savages, your children must be kept away from….African children are at risk..

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