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People Waking Up

Barbados has officially joined the ranks of politically polarized societies. Like the fly on the wall the blogmaster has been observing the quality of debate on a myriad of issues and as a commenter on BU would describe it, the signal noise is deafening and the divisiveness is real. Permit the blogmaster be clear, citizens…

Barbados has officially joined the ranks of politically polarized societies. Like the fly on the wall the blogmaster has been observing the quality of debate on a myriad of issues and as a commenter on BU would describe it, the signal noise is deafening and the divisiveness is real.

Permit the blogmaster be clear, citizens of a country giving vent to issues is expected in a working democracy. It is better than throwing rock stones at those you disagree with or worse, engaging in violent criminal acts by resorting to guns, knives and other weapons. Although Barbados has been experiencing an increase in gun play, it is mainly associated with the ‘underworld’ and has not yet permeated mainstream affairs. Again allow the blogmaster be clear, increase criminal activity in any country is linked to underlying societal issues. A subject for another day.

The challenge beginning to emerge for Barbadians is the inability of stakeholders to robustly debate issues to reach consensus or what is popularly referred to as a win win position. One may argue significant investment in education over the years should have steered us away from the current trajectory. A path that is leading to nowhere fast. Is it we are failing in the area of informal education?

All those years ago Gabby penned the popular ‘One Day Coming Soon’ banned by the Tom Adams government. Prophetically the people are waking up and we are witnessing a spiking in the lack of trust directed at the establishment – the political directorate, media, police, justice system; LAWYERS to name a few. What is creating the problem for the establishment: as it continues to sleep more citizens are waking up from various states of ignorance adding to the increase in signal noise.

Unfortunately until the political directorate makes the adjustment to align with the expectations of an ‘awoke’ people, fallout from the signal noise will continue to be a drag on any effort to move the country forward.

We have the current situation of the Mottley government forcing through the transition to a Republic. Although there is anecdotal acceptance the time has come and gone to replace the foreign ceremonial head of state with a local, there is concern enough was not done to engage Barbadians to gain buy in to the process AND if this was the plan from reading the 2018 BLP manifesto, there was enough time to have updated the Constitution in order to avoid criticism in some quarters that the piecemeal implementation does not fit an educated country well. What we see playing out as Walter Blackman accurately observed is a Barbados Labour Party government concluding it has the political capital to do as it wishes largely because of a weak political opposition.

The message in the clip never grows old and fits Barbados like a glove. Unfortunately the current predicament we find ourselves cannot be solved in weeks, months or even a few years. Good governance and concomitant success does not happen by accident, it has to be led and planned.

Watch the from 4m:50s of the video.

60 responses to “People Waking Up”

  1. GP Avatar
    GP

    Better yet u need to hush and take control of your blog

    what more can he do Angie dear?
    has he not sat quietly and let us see your hatred and invective for the BLP exposed?
    how come he aint dead YET from reADING YOUR WAFFLE ALL DESE YEARS I DONT KNOW
    SOME AH WE DOES COME HEY AND MEH JOKE BUT YOU SERIOUS BOUT YOUR BULLSHIT

    we saw you quote Bible about God looking down yet failing to see that God takes down Governments and sets them up as clearly taught in Daniel 2, and that he did so in May 2018 decisively
    the man ask you a simple question
    can you answer it?
    who cares what atherly says?
    he is of no consequence his days are numbered at Mias pleasure when she calls de next election
    at which time you will still be groaning
    why dont you come down and run for office and battle wid Mia tete a tete?
    or tek she on in a town hall meeting?

  2. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    DavidNovember 27, 2021 10:23 PM

    Your comment is instructive, take control of a blog with middle to old age commenters, what does it say?

    The blogmaster will allow what you and others have in you to show for everyone to see beforeâ

    Xxxx
    OK.
    It is your blog do whatever u like
    Not any concern of mine

    BTW I placed a comment taken from the American Institute Enterprise a right wing think tank whose keeps an eye on govt affairs world wide
    Seems as if everyone is keeping an eye on this govt and it’s close relationships with China
    Trouble seems to brewing in paradise from every corner

  3. GP Avatar
    GP

    YOU TALK NUFF BOUT GOD WELL THEN PRAY FOR DE COUNTRY NUH
    LOT OF BELIEVERS IN BIM PRAY FOR THE GOB DAILY
    THEY DONT TELL HIM WUH TO DO
    THEY JUST ASK HIM TO DIRECT AND CONTROL AND THEY LEAVE IT IN HIS HANDS

  4. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    With respect. You may own this blog an apology.

    Remember when this writer objected to the notion that the elected dictator, Mia Mpttley, broke the Westminster tradition when she embarked on the unprecedented action of a second throne speech thereby breaching a social contract with the people. And you persistently batted away the arguments made.

    If what the blogger above is reporting is true, that the republic agenda is now being defended as having already gotten the electoral approval by the people of Barbados based on said original manifesto, subsequently subjected to a second throne speech. The above blogger has also asserted that nothing about republicanism was in such a manifesto.

    Maybe, you could tell the blog in which political or legal universe could both a rejection of the original manifesto be legal and it’s acceptance when convenient..

  5. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    Maybe that is the point if it was not mentioned then there is no obligation by the party to deliver on earlier promise?

  6. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    I do more than pray i put money in the country as well as to areas of charity
    Read 1 Corinthians 13 4 -7

  7. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    DavidNovember 27, 2021 10:45 PM

    @Pacha

    Maybe that is the point if it was not mentioned then there is no obligation by the party to deliver on earlier promise?
    Xxxxx
    But it also condemns Weir to be a bold faced Liar
    A problem which is endemic within the party
    One ugly sore point that keeps repeating as with the sourcing of vaccine and Now with the Charter
    Needless to say that u David was quick to absolve the huge gap of lies by Weir by focusing on the manifesto not having such promise relieved govt of any necessity to oblige

  8. David Avatar
    David

    Had another listen to the Friday talk show, the point Weir made is that no mention was made of going referendum in the throne speech or manifesto.

    Close to the end:

    https://downtobrasstacks.castos.com/episodes/brasstacks-nov-26th-2021

  9. David Avatar
    David

    Note comments section on new blogs will automatically close after 24 hours of being posted.

  10. David Avatar
    David

    Only so much Govt can do
    “The Government can give you a framework. But the people must have the will. If you don’t have it, there is nothing a government can do.”
    – Lee Kuan Yew, former prime minister of Singapore For most of my life I’ve been hearing about Barbados’ aspirations to be a developed nation. If Singapore, a small island state and former British colony like us could do it, we can do it too.
    That talk seemed to subside in the last few years and national ambitions seemed to recede. Then the Mia Amor Mottley administration came to power like a whirlwind chanting, “Vote fuh muh and watch muh”. Even I, the ultimate political cynic, could not help but to be fascinated and impressed by the energy and pace of the new Government. This pace was considerably slowed by COVID-19. So has been the initial high positive regard and public goodwill.
    I was always disturbed by the “Aunty Mia” talk that was trending in the early days of the administration, though. It is dangerous for a population to infantilise itself and glorify politicians in that way. But it can be just as dangerous and infantile for a population to go the other direction and demonise politicians.
    A mature citizenry in a mature democracy understands that its leaders are public servants and imperfect human beings, and that it is they, the citizens, who really run tings. Some of those same people who were glorifying “Aunty Mia” are now demonising “dictator Mia” throwing around the word dictator. We can be fickle.
    But if “Aunty Mia” is a dictator, she is a poor one.
    What dictator worth their salt would offer the people of their country the opportunity to take part in full and open constitutional reform over the period of a year? That is not a smart dictatorial move unless . . . the belief is that the people are too immature and infantile to truly seize the opportunity . . . Unless the consultation will not be genuine and of any real depth and just for show. Even so, to open that gate, even a bit, would be a risk that no genuine dictator would take because citizens can grow up fast and force through.
    Some people think that the move to republic was forced through at the wrong time.
    I think that we are right on time in replacing the monarchy with a Barbadian head of state. Previous governments never found the right time to do it because it will be at all times politically risky. I do not think a referendum was necessary nor desirable either. If we have to put placing a Barbadian as head of state to a vote, then we are probably not mature enough for a Barbadian head of state.
    Politically under-educated However, the reality is that we do have a population which is politically under-educated.
    One which requires a lot of educating and deep engagement explaining during this transition. That this aspect of the transition has been so sorely lacking has cast a cloud over the entire process.
    It draws suspicion that the invitation to participate in constitutional reform may not be genuine. In all fairness, deep engagement is never easy and it is not something Barbadians traditionally do well with. The lack of engagement has not only been seen by this administration nor only on this issue. The irony is, this administration has been criticised in the past for its push to engage, with charges of being overly PR focused.
    So, the task is difficult.
    But every cloud has a silver lining.
    If I was a religious person I would say that God sent the atheist community to stir up the Christian community to bring to the wider community’s attention, the need to pay attention to the changes that will be made to the Constitution. The contention over the retention of references to religion and the use of the word “Creator” in the Charter may be a blessing in disguise, if it opens the eyes of more Barbadians to the need to participate in the shaping of the Constitution.
    Lee Kuan Yew has been glorified for his role in helping Singapore to develop. He has also been demonised and characterised by some as a dictator. Whatever the case, despite this, he recognised that it was the will of the people to develop that was the key factor.
    However, he did not face a people that had been disempowered, culturally oppressed and underdeveloped by hundreds of years of slavery and colonialism. In Barbados’ case, deep engagement is a necessary element of development. But as Lee Kuan Yew indicates, there is only so much a government can do. At some point the people have to step up. I am hoping the period of constitutional reform will be that point.
    Adrian Green is a communications specialist.
    Email: Adriangreen14@gmail.com

    Source: Nation

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