est. 2007

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Dr. Ronnie Yearwood: Points to Ponder on Going Republic

Let us consider that the Government will continue with its intended plan, it appears of swapping one ceremonial head for another, the Governor General for a President. Then I think that any new President of a Republic, ceremonial or executive should be directly elected and all Barbadians afforded the opportunity to run for and vote…

,

Let us consider that the Government will continue with its intended plan, it appears of swapping one ceremonial head for another, the Governor General for a President.

Then I think that any new President of a Republic, ceremonial or executive should be directly elected and all Barbadians afforded the opportunity to run for and vote for this office.

The Prime Minister likes to talk about every Barbadian boy or girl aspiring to the high office and knowing it is not representative of the Queen.

Let us make that aspiration real and not just talk.

Dr. Ronnie Yearwood: Lunch time Lecture at Barbados Yacht Club

Read Full Speech (PDF) – Dr. Ronnie Yearwood’s lunch time lecture at Barbados Yacht Club

137 responses to “Dr. Ronnie Yearwood: Points to Ponder on Going Republic”

  1. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    This is the most important part of Ronnie’s presentation:
    “The fact is that Barbados was not formed out of any love of liberty or gifting of
    freedoms, it was formed from generations of violence and inequality perpetuated
    by its legal, political and socio-economic system.
    The undeniable fact is that in our Constitution, there is silence about the terror
    and violence that lay at the heart of the formation of our society.
    We must remind ourselves that our current disparities, social and economic, have
    origins in this terror, that was overlaid by an independent Barbados. The fact is
    that issues of race, class and colourism continue to pervade our country.”

  2. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ PLT

    Like you I did not read pass your quoted section of the lecture. David’s upload, the section you quoted and the system of selecting the Head of State of Barbados are three separate issues. These days I try to avoid exercises in futility.

  3. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Vincent Codrington
    I read the whole presentation and you should as well. All these separate issues are deeply interconnected as you well know. The only exercise in futility is to bury your head in the sand and refuse to analyse any of the important issues that confront us simply because you cannot disentangle them.

  4. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ PLT
    “The only exercise in futility is to bury your head in the sand and refuse to analyse any of the important issues that confront us simply because you cannot disentangle them.”
    This is a problem with how we think. Every time anybody speaks of racism, slavery or any of the historical social maladies , they are told to be “ looking back” and engaging in “ exercises in futility”.
    You are correct !
    But that’s who and how we are. Always dismissing serious issues because we probably woke up one morning and found ourselves with “ an education” ; house and car.

  5. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ PLT
    What make you think that I have not analysed all these issues already? My point is : Can we deal with all these issues in this blog? David has selected one issue. You have selected another issue? Are you suggesting that I deal with all the others in Dr. Yearwood’s lecture? Have we not dealt with many ,if not all of these issues, on BU over a period of years?
    What are we trying to achieve in this posting? What are BU’s objectives?

  6. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ David BU
    What are your expectations

  7. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    Why should the blogmaster be expected (always) to influence the discussion? Ronnie stated his views- detailed in his speech- in succinct fashion, it is for others to use his points to inform themselves and others about the relevance of shifting to a republic AND the integrity of the process the government has opted to transition. By sensibly and dispassionately engaging in this important issue, a government of/by/for the people should be guided.

  8. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ William Skinner

    Most of us have to live in the present and plan for the future. And no, we did not wake up one morning and found ourselves with an education, a house and a car. We and our parents worked for them using the resources at our disposal. These, however, were never our ultimate purpose as citizens of this blessed land of our birth. They were/ are means to other noble social objectives.

  9. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Vincent
    Did the Jews’ parents not work for their children as well. Do they dismiss the
    Holocaust ?
    Do the Indians and other minorities dismiss their struggle as exercises in futility?
    Do they not live in the “ present “ as well?
    Why do we Blacks always want to dismiss our horrific history as living in the past and exercises in futility ?
    Perhaps it is an exercise in futility trying to discuss such matters with people who apparently believe we came here by tourist liners.

  10. David Avatar
    David

    @William

    All right thinking Black Bajan should not want to forget our history. What some of us want more is to emulate the behaviour of the Jews to spur constructive/positive activities to build a framework to sustain quality living. This is a little context we should be using to fuel the republic debate.

  11. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    The nature of some issues mean that we will be engaged in open ended discussions.

  12. David Avatar
    David

    Why was an economist appointed to lead the transition committee?

    What skill set is the perquisite needed?

    What does our unofficial opposition political party have to share?

  13. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ David BU

    Thanks for clarifying your expectations. I am one of those persons who hold to the view that Barbados is already a de facto republic. Dr. Yearwood has alluded to this notion in his lecture. The chairman in her briefing to the press diplomatically acknowledged that the decision to go formally to republic status has been made. This issue of going republic has been discussed ad nauseam for at least two decades. Moreover the public does not expect any significant change other than replacing a monarch by a president as Head of State. One should expect the checks and balances that are already in place to remain in place or strengthened/ emphasized.
    The issue of who selects or elects a President could be informed by best practice in the British Commonwealth/ Commonwealth Caribbean. There are no infallible/ perfect systems of Parliamentary Democracy. We,the citizens choose what we feel comfortable with.

  14. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ David BU at 3:41 PM
    The Chairman of the Transition Committee is a trained Political Scientist. In her first degree ,she majored in Government. In my humble opinion, she is quite competent in the matters to be addressed by the committee.

  15. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    For years many have debated in this space changes we should make to our governance structure to improve how we manage our affairs. The discussion needs to go further as Ronnie suggested in his speech – should we have baked in changes at this opportunity to the Constitution to support the transition to a republic.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    The qualifications of a person to do a job is not based solely on an academic accreditation.

  17. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ David BU at 4:14 PM.
    I think the precursive algorithm has muddled your last sentence. Could you please rephrase? I do not understand the point. “baked -in changes”.

  18. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    This writer has never been overly impressed with the offerings of Ronnie Yearwood.
    However, on this occasion please permit us an exception.
    Courage is that indispensable ingredient missing from the Bajan character.
    That Yearwood would have gone to the Barbados Yacht Club , given all its history, and made such forthright comments may indeed represent a watershed.
    Moreover, he has insightfully connected the political to the economic seamlessly as of to turn back the hands of time to an era when the nation was galvanized behind such an agenda as mouthed by a spokesman. A man now happens to be the maximum leader at his place of work.
    Are we to expect any different endpoint this time around. Or will Yearwood now betray his son and devolve into the pantheon of eminent sellouts, his forebears at the University of the West Indies? Can his constitutional ideas remove these level of political dishonesty passing for smarts?

  19. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ David Bu at 4:21 PM

    Would you employ a Medical doctor or Lawyer without his /her academic accreditation? What do you think one does to be awarded these professional qualifications?

  20. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Should a new Barbados constitution not provide in these exceptional circumstances for the deployment of a guillotine for political and economic crimes?

  21. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    You mean the power of recall we know.

  22. bajanfreeparty Avatar
    bajanfreeparty

    No Dirty or pimp title holder Lawyer need be President of any Republic, No one wants no Crime Minister MiaVirass19 Despot in charge of crime, We are looking to get away from all nasty doing in Barbados and in the World, you all love to think is NORMAL, We not getting back to that after the 400 years of crime against People of African blood, We also not going from no Slave Republic to any to no New GAY Bulling Republic, We can move nasty things against God and man to the head of a Nation, We all have Human Rights and your right to be nasty in your private! Normal, killing, shooting, robbing , frauds, PONZI, bank accounts , laundering , land and money laundering , drugs and guns, robbing of private assets by fraud CROWN land crooks, Minister and Lawyer fraud with a crooks ass BAR , and supports who love to hide the truth! 11+ fraud education and slave code still working great for negros! KEEP YOU NORMAL send it back up North to Europe or England and stay out ! They Want us to get JABS to get back to Normal crimes, this is what you get from UWI educated grads?PHD , Dr. in crimes against your own people! Many of you all on this blog know better than I. Bajan Free Party Trust The Truth! 30-0 again

  23. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David
    Your editorial judgement will guide you well.

    However, people like Waru may hold a quite different interpretation.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    The blogmaster will side with the pragmatic approach above rhetoric.

  25. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Pacha…don’t mind the republic trick, it’s a slight of hand aimed at blinding people to the true schemes and scams that the robbers in Barbados’ parliament and their criminal minority sidekicks are putting in place, but there are those of us with plans MUCH, MUCH BIGGER than anything they can conjure up… another level of the parliament traitors and their spiritual evil directed at Black people has emerged.

    check how the first republic in the hemisphere is going, we don’t need to be rocket scientists to know that nothing good can come from Slave Society Barbados, it has been around for too long spreading blight in Black lives, and is now relabeled a Prostituting Slave Society, with most everyone now looking to SELL ASS to survive…according to Charlie Spice.

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

    That is what the two-faced, forked-tongue DBLP ministers/politicians/lawyers, every liar from those two poisonous groups, have reduced the people to…

    sleight of hand.

  27. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Independence Vs Babylon the Great, commonly known as the Whore of Babylon
    is a tough decision to the X-Slaves beholden to their Masters
    Bajans are still undecided and fikkle and like to talk rubbish

    Revelation 17:1-18 – Babylon the Great Whore
    An angel shows John the judgment of a whore named Babylon, who represents the violence and destruction that nations inflict. In the end, the beast with whom she is associated destroys her.

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

    See for yaselves, keep pretending. More and more diseased tourists will be taking the opportunites to release their perverted energies, once the Slave Society Prostitution created by the equally perverted thieving DBLP governments gets more international recognition….in their underground tourism advertising.

    “July 15, 2021
    The economic fallout from COVID-19 is prompting a “dramatic increase” in the number of people, particularly women seeking careers in sex work, raising questions about the scientific basis for the ongoing night-time curfew.

    President of the Adult Industry Association (AIA) Charles Charlie Spice Lewis revealed that with hundreds feeling the pinch of unemployment, they are approaching him to discuss alternative options to make ends meet and are finding more creative ways to do so.”

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

    Ah really want to see if Black people are going to be stupid enuff..to sit and wait on treacherous black face governments to rob and sell them, or get off their asses and use their initiative and what is available to them as Africans, that they need NO GOVERNMENT to access….this i gotta see.

  30. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    … BU BREAKING NEWS… … BLACK BLACK BLACK BASTARDISED BARBADOSED BAJANS BAMBOOZLED ABOUT WHERE THEY HAVE COME FROM AND WHERE THEY ARE GOING AND HOW WILL THEY GET THERE AND HOW WILL THEY KNOW THEY HAVE GOT THERE …

    … Guided Ancestor Meditation … Build A Stronger Connection to Receive Their Guidance …

    … STAY TUNED… MORE NEWS AT 11 …

  31. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Ancestor Daily Prayer / Give Reverence

  32. David Avatar
    David

    Any of you read the speech and care to address issues raised or it will be the same old same old. The idea is to try to discuss different points raised by different social commentators even if it means suppressing the usual self talk.

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

    Slave Society Barbados…is GOING NOWHERE…

  34. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Waru
    David will never accord that instrument for political and economic transformation the same in-built credence he assigns to other institutions of Westminster.

    His misguided pragmatism departs from critical moments in the development of the model held dear by him when London was the global centre for sending heads to look for shoulders.

    Our own determination is that no amounts of constitutional tinkering, or structural changes even, would make any differences unless we are equally committed to letting the elites, socalled, know that we mean business and that there is a price to be paid for crimes against the people – summary execution by popular court.

  35. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “unless we are equally committed to letting the elites, socalled, know that we mean business and that there is a price to be paid for crimes against the people – summary execution by popular court.”

    and then some.

    Blogmaster is quite happy in La La Land/fake Paradise Island, that’s where he feels most comfortable, who are we to take that away from him….

    .many of us are gazing backward at the remnants in wonder from a dimension far removed from what any of them grounded in the slave society mentality can handle.

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

    As succinctly put recently by one of our African geniuses, the continent is the LAST FRONTIER….everything else is a fallacy.

    https://youtu.be/iXBuMmYJARE

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

    Pacha…nearly forgot, for those sitting on their lazy backsides drooling for reparations in the form of paper instead of making the VISION A REALITY….as our ancestors intended……watch AND WEEP…

    https://youtu.be/wWQLPWAQcsE

  38. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    You play your role to be provocative with people who are easy bait.

  39. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Since 1948-2015 the Windrush generation were working and PAYING OFF UK government debt to financiers for slave masters enslaving our ancestors and pretending to free them…..

    ..6 years later, it’s 2021… the nigas in the parliament, your jailers, are still holding the African descended population captive so that they and minority criminals can continue robbing them and keep them in bondage, suppressed, oppressed and in generational POVERTY to enrich themselves……..seeing no freedom and disenfranchised….and the stink sellouts got the nerve to elevate this criminal trash to do business in Africa…and don’t believe there will be MASSIVE FALLOUT for that treachery..

    but some people with their heads planted firmly up their asses, love it so….wearing it as a badge of honor and pride…

  40. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    All countries around the world have MILITARY INTELLIGENCE to protect themselves from other dangerous, criminal governments..

  41. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David
    How is our giillotine any different to your friendly “Bush wacker”. And may his righteous mame live forever.

  42. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    The treatment is measured according to the symptom.

  43. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David
    Can the camcerous symptoms be any more indicative of serious measures.

  44. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    At WURA, @ Pacha
    “The blogmaster will side with the pragmatic approach above rhetoric.”
    This will remain , some say forever, the mentality of the majority of our citizens. We see every attempt to discuss the realities of our existence as provocative rhetoric and then use terms such as “pragmatism” to drown the voices of those who are demanding radical reform in every sector of our social and economic existence.
    Tutorials to @David will be clobbered by an ear that is pro establishment and status quo. His voice reminds me of all the obstructionists of the late 60s and early eighties, who told those fighting for real change to go back to Africa or go to Cuba. Many of the radicals left the country or simply faded into the background of national discourse. I assure you both that @David is the product of his socialisation and his almost pathetic defense of the system will not change. Occasionally, we may see a little light in the tunnel but its a train that will crash radicalism and true reform with little if any mercy.

  45. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Or would you prefer the inevitable societal collapse which now seem unavoidable.
    David

  46. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    Civilized people should not have to retreat to scorched earth measures.

  47. David Avatar
    David

    @William

    And you are the product of yours, so we have something in common.

  48. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    minorities ALWAYS love to rush to the front of African people with their scams, even when it pertains to our birthright…keep rushing THIEVES, FRAUDS, drug traffickers and gun runners….

  49. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David
    That is White man’s speak to cover barbarity.

    Where are these socalled civilized people anywhere in any environment?

    Tell us, we find the elites no less brutish than their forebears

  50. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    The quality of a person is not assume the barbaric behaviour of the oppressor.

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