#BTColumn – It’s all about Mia; no one else

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today.

by Dr. Derek Alleyne

I was introduced to Mazlo’s theory of the hierarchy of needs as a student at the Barbados Community College back in 1974 and often found reference to the theory a convenient way to justify decisions made while responding to requests from members of the communities I served as a youth and community development officer

The theory seemed so solid and since it was considered the foundation on which all work relating to motivation, getting accustomed to the strengths and weaknesses of the theory became a passion.

One concept that stays glued to my thinking is the cognitive since it appeals to the need to know and discover and curiosity. So that when MAM informed that Toni Moore is a strong woman in her own right I wanted to discover what she meant.

Was the statement about Toni’s physical strength? Was it about her intellect? Was it about her commitment? Was it about her sex or should I say gender?

In fact was the statement about Toni at all? Clearly when introducing any other candidates destined to compete in the St. George North by-election there was no comment made about strength and in “own right”. It was never uttered. Something had to be hidden in Mottley’s agenda.

Once the campaign started the meaning became clearer because clearly the election is not about Toni but really about Mottley. Almost every photo shot has been about Mottley.

Every night the coverage is about Mottley. Every highlight is about Mottley and the BLP social media feature Mottley and now the call is to “gi me, I need her”. What is the need for Toni?

Francis Buttle in an article entitled The construction of social needs, argues that the requirements of a particular social life lead to the conclusion that needs vary both historically and geographically.

This opposes the views of Abraham Maslow who conceived of needs as universal and instinctoid.

He concluded that needs are learned from the privileged discourse of a community. As such how needs are determined and satisfied flow from the sources of power.

In St. George North where Gline Clarke has served for over a quarter of a century, the Prime Minister of Barbados, every morning, noon, day and night, has been traversing the constituency of St. George North imploring voters that a vote for Toni is a vote for her. It is amazing that this “strong woman in her own right” has to rely on a leader to win a seat that the party has controlled
for over 25 years.

Something is not right? What is not right maybe hidden in the makeup of the social needs especially those traits that influence habits and the need for acceptance?

If this seat is so important then why did Gline Clarke resign? Was it due to sickness? Is he tired and if he is then a posting to Canada as an ambassador cannot be the right medicine.

One can only speculate about the rightness of Toni if a clear statement about the wrongness of Clarke is established.

We should not expect a statement about the departure of Clarke. But at the core of this Mottley intrusion is the dependency model of leadership that has become the trademark of this administration.

People adapt patterns of behaviour that become second nature that are conditioned by the need to survive in an environment of life-threatening scarcity.

Things in Barbados are tight and no one is better placed than Mottley at utilizing institutions of the state for short term political gain.

The COVID-19 experience has forced many Barbadians to examine the way they have been living and to reorder their priorities. In the tradition of Mottley politics this by-election will be a windfall for the people of the constituency.

Already the BLP has commenced its program of gifts and handouts. Every road will be patched, bus service improved, pit latrine replaced, house repairs undertaken, school lunches provided.

Pavilions will be repaired or replaced and the list of goodies will be widened as desperation hits MAM.

Psychological adaptations associated with leadership continue to direct human behaviour and often result in maladaptive outcomes.

Needs deprivation, causes psychological adaptations such as identity and leader-follower relations to function in different ways on different levels of needs fulfilment. Needs are often perceived to be flexible mechanisms furthering collective survival but often the need of the giver is stronger than that
of the receiver.

The people of St. George North will receive the undiluted attention of the government for the next thirty days or so.

There will be a little focus on Toni Moore because she is but a pawn in a bigger game of Miaism.

It is the new culture that threatens to reduce Barbados to the interests of one person, Mia Amor Mottley.

The people of St. George North must say no in clear terms that send the message that although Gline has gone softly the pain of his departure has not been lost on his constituents.

It has not been lost on his friends and it has not been lost on Barbadians.

MAM will parade all across St. George North making accusations, abusing the DLP, trying to reduce Floyd and making promise after promise.

It is the Mottley style and Toni Moore will be but another victim of a leader with one cause, her own. MAM will never engage the cognitive, her interest is the social need of control. She really believes she alone is important and the rest of us her pawns!

Dr. Derek Alleyne is a trade unionist, social commentator and member of the Democratic Labour Party.