"I am charged with landing improperly (in Barbados) and for giving a false statement relative to my place of birth........ I don’t know where the hell I was born, but I was told Barbados......."
Rt. Excellent Clement Payne (1937)
"The celebrated national poet of Guyana, Martin Carter, reminds us..... that we represent the expectations of five million human beings, and that what we achieve or betray concerns not only the living but those who are not yet born........ There is a fundamental theme on which I should like to think there can be no difference. And that is the absolute necessity to promote the solidarity and the sovereignty of this regional Caribbean family, and also the absolute obligation to discover those strategies and mechanisms which will ultimately lead to unity of action in all major areas of our economic, social and political life"
Rt. Excellent Errol Barrow (1986)
As the current Government of Barbados prepares itself to amend the Constitution in order to deny citizenship to the children of certain categories of Caribbean migrants who are born in Barbados, we have to seriously ask ourselves whether, just as the late Errol Barrow forewarned, we are not on the verge of betraying not only the existing 5 million people of our Caribbean Community, but also the countless generations that are "not yet born".
Last year, the Barbados Government issued a so-called "Green Paper" on a "Comprehensive Review of Immigration Policy and Proposals for Legislative Reform". And the most significant proposal contained in the Green Paper was the suggestion that the existing constitutional scheme of according citizenship to all children born in Barbados should be discontinued, and replaced with a system in which children born to undocumented migrants, to persons who are on work permits, or to persons who merely have permission to "reside and work" in Barbados, should not acquire Barbadian citizenship.
What makes this proposal all the more reprehensible is the widespread knowledge that it was motivated by a desire to specifically target the children of our Guyanese, Vincentian, St Lucian, Dominican and Jamaican brothers and sisters! As virtually all Barbadians know, and as has been confirmed by authoritative spokespersons of the government, the current Administration is not concerned about European, American, Chinese or Indian migration to Barbados: rather, their fundamental objective is to clamp down upon the migration to Barbados of our fellow Caribbean people.
The system of according citizenship to all babies born on Barbadian soil has been in place since the birth of our nation, and has served us well over the years. Why do we wish to change it now?
Why do we want to follow the path of some of the most racist and xenophobic countries in denying citizenship to certain categories of babies born on our soil? Why do we wish to give comfort and support to racists in the U.K and U.S.A who have urged their governments to adopt this type of policy against Barbadian and other Caribbean migrants to those countries?
Intelligent Barbadians need to ask themselves where this new policy is taking us, for the current Government seems to want to take us in the direction of a small, narrow, insular Barbadian nation, rather than towards the future of an expansive, multi-territory Caribbean economy and nation. Can we really envisage our children being satisfied to be confined indefinitely to a little 166 square mile nation and an economy of tourism and off-shore services? Is this really all that we aspire to?
And by the way, our national hero Clement Payne was born in Trinidad.
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PUBLIC MUST RALLY ROUND POLICE, JOURNALISTS
ReplyDeleteListening to Emmanuel Joseph on the peoples business program as he was so bravely articulating some of the adverse conditions reporters have to encounter when pursuing a story was somewhat irritating.
Mr Joseph continued with out fear of contradiction, given an example of what can be seen as a blatant attempt by a privilege few to muzzle reporters in this country it is unbelievable to me, in this day and age that Barbados has come to this.
just imagine professionals that are well trained to be allowed to serve the public under the banner of "free speech", are subject to "hand off" situation to protect a special interest group in our society.
However, Mr Joseph also made mention of an incident when a police officer was hindered by being required to sign a book to enter one of the controversial gated communities, this humiliation must have had impact heavily on our officers and reporters, skillful citizens that are providing two separate services that are inevitable in any civilized society, are treated like boy scouts.
Having said that it is understood that the police and news media have some things in common, example: serving the public.
Therefore it is only logical for them to embrace each other like they recently have and are now busy working together to mend fences with a view to impact there relationship,which is a positive.
The public which is demanding investigative journalism and also expecting a reduction in crime,must now accept its responsibility and rally around our police officers and reporters in concrete solidarity.
The above accusation must be taken seriously and the public will always be entitled to an explanantion from the authorities.
Neville Roach
Peoples Empowerment Party
Crumpton St
City Of Bridgetown
Barbados
West Indies
235-4446