#BTColumn – The time is now

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

Much philosophizing has been done about the role of the populace outside elections in ensuring democratic practices inform the governance of any society.

The notions of Barbados maintaining democracy come into question as more and more there seems to be a quiet acceptance that whatever this government of Barbados does should be accepted.

The citizens, because MAM and her disciples won all 30 seats, are to sit and observe in silence. Mottley did warn them with the seeming threat – “gimmah and watch mah!”

Caribbean Elections from Knowledge Walk Institute’s website explains: “Democracy depends upon a literate, knowledgeable citizenry whose access to information enables it to participate as fully as possible in the public life of their society and to criticize unwise or tyrannical government officials or policies.”

They contend that citizens and their elected representatives recognize that democracy depends upon the widest possible access to uncensored ideas, data, and opinions. Yet, like silent conspirators, Barbadians shake their heads in disbelief, grunt, groan and remain golden in their silence.

There is general agreement that the recent defections from political parties to the incumbent BLP, notwithstanding the telltales offered by the movers, reflect a growing belief that the best-paying jobs in Barbados come through association with MAM.

While this belief should not be a surprise in a society where a Prime Minister can boast that anything of importance must come through her, it speaks volumes about the kind of society we are building.

What bothers me above the continuous decline in moral and ethical standards is the message it is sending about the role of the treasury.

Barbadians are voicing increasingly loud groans about the volume of consultants and special advisers paid from the Consolidated Fund. To have the PM tell the taxpayers that she will use a former candidate [Rodney Grant] to work with communities and to assist the candidate that beat him in St. Michael South should be a worry for all right-thinking persons in Barbados.

When this promise of employment is followed by another ex-candidate’s explanation that he has special skills that the PM can use, the worry should change to beyond discomfort.

This recent show of disdain may have been done to make political points on the opposition parties, but it also gave evidence of the apparent unbridled use of power by MAM. Quickly following this public display of power was the announcement that $12 million was to be transferred to the Urban and Rural Commissions to replace 4, 000 nonexistent pit toilets.

Further, we were informed that the two commissions will be dwarfed into a national commission under her watch. Simply put, tax payers’ money will be used to launch the next general election.

Barbadians knew nothing about “white oats” until the money was needed from Parliament to pay them.

I believe that not even Cabinet knew about the “big consultants” in finance, the special propaganda adviser and the score of mini-consultants that adorn offices in Youth Affairs, Culture, Housing, Sports, Agriculture, Education, Health and soon to be Community Development and the Printing Office. What are costs and where did the money come from?

With an open hand on the expenditure of public money at the National Development Commission, Barbados cannot expect a leader with unchecked power to seek approval for expenditure on matters deemed to be critical to the survival of the maximum leader.

Those of us whose memories are not short can remember the misuse of money at Crab Hill Police station, the St. Leonard’s Boys School and within the Ministries of Home Affairs and Education. Those with short memories can check the Auditor General Reports.

Barbados finds itself confronting the ravages of a pandemic, having started to shake off some of the fiscal challenges posed by the 2008 meltdown. Much propaganda was preached about the lost decade and malfeasance by the last administration and Barbadians may be getting tired of political parties, to the point that it is not uncommon to hear, “they are all the same!”

To engage in that rhetoric is dangerous and will only allow despotism to take firm root. Let us not, as the same 18th century Irish statesman Edmund Burke, have to lament that “the age of chivalry is gone. That of sophists, economists, and calculators has succeeded; and the glory of Europe is extinguished forever.”

The time to speak out and speak up against the wrongs being perpetrated in Barbados without question is now not at election. For it will be too late.

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