#BTEditorial – Come Bajans, let us gird up our loins!

The tenacity of spirit which has long exemplified Barbadians at home and abroad, is arguably needed now more than ever. In the face of a crisis the likes of which very few of our generation have previously experienced, Prime Minister Mia Mottley has correctly called the country proverbially to arms.

It is an unseen enemy which Barbados and the global family confront and how we in this island band together, will determine how well we extricate ourselves from the villain’s grasp. As races go, it seems that the Coronavirus is very much a marathon and not a sprint that will disappear with haste. In such an atmosphere, though we have been told to practise social distancing, over the next few months we must still be our brother’s keeper – with a mask.

Last night Prime Minister Mottley addressed the nation and if anyone doubted the impact which COVID-19 has had on her, or the heavy burden of leadership she currently faces in such a devastating crisis, the tone of her delivery would have put many doubts to rest. There will be those who will criticize the actions and responses of the Government in this crisis but that time has passed. The Prime Minister, by her inclusion of members of the Opposition People’s Party for Democracy and Development and the Democratic Labour Party in this saga, has underlined the national response needed at this time and the necessity to put country before all else.

The country’s political leader placed the situation and response necessary in eloquent and heartfelt perspective. “I am saying to you that maybe in the same way that we recognize that this pandemic has come to give the Earth a chance to breathe, that maybe this pandemic has come to also reinforce in us what truly matters in terms of our humanity and to make us recognize that which all of our leaders have said from the time of Independence, maybe not sufficiently strong but they have said it nonetheless, that we have to take responsibility first for ourselves, for our families, for our community and for our country.” She reiterated to all Barbadians that they needed to wage war on the “cunning enemy” that was COVID-19, and if the country acted together there was no battle Barbadians could not win, even if temporarily bruised and battered.

There are some things that are bigger than politics and this situation ticks every box. Only the foolhardy will adhere to divisiveness in the prevailing circumstances. We have so far registered 11 deaths from the pandemic and as Miss Mottley stated, even the smallest numbers are too great. There are some who have fallen victim to COVID-19 having not left their homes to confront the enemy. The lamentable death of our elderly demonstrates the additional responsibility we all have to protect the most vulnerable among us. It must go forth in every nook and cranny of Barbados that one failure to adhere to protocols could result in the infection or death of a mother, father, brother, sister, grandparent or infant, living in the same household as the individual who played loose with best practices.

Government has signalled its intentions to implement strategies to seek out the vulnerable in communities during this period, and to render assistance to them as they battle with restrictions, unemployment and deprivation, if not occasioned by COVID-19, certainly exacerbated by its presence. But Government should not be left to do it all. Corporate Barbados must play its part, even if stretched financially by the economic downturn.

It is circumstances such as these that we often wonder what can credit unions and workers’ unions do, to assist their membership. Both are possessed of substantial funds and there ought to be some emergency mechanism or disaster fund through which the membership can access assistance at specially negotiated terms. After all, this pandemic fits the bill of both an emergency and a disaster. The call to arms by Prime Minister Mottley must also be appreciated by the country’s utility companies and various landlords. We are not going to win this war against COVID-19 with households being deprived of sanitising water because usually scrupulous clients cannot now meet obligations because of unemployment. Nor will the battle be won by families being evicted into the streets, not because of a history of payment default, but because the ongoing situation has rendered them helpless.

We hope that Government employees do not use this period as an excuse to slacken in their responsibilities with respect to timely processing of pensions for the elderly and infirm, or wages and payments for those who fall outside the umbrella of public workers but are still on the payroll of Government. Restrictions being placed on the country can and will have a trickle-down effect, but the situation must not be abused by those unmoved by developments swirling around them. 

Barbadians must be prepared to trust the country’s leadership at this stage, and conversely Government must finally take the people into its confidence. This is something that has been sadly lacking. Prime Minister Mottley has repeatedly assured that Barbados will emerge from this pandemic. Perhaps, like Miss Mottley, we can all take inspiration from the words of our national anthem when it states: “The Lord has beenthepeople’s

guide for past three hundred years, with

him still on the people’s side, we have

no doubts or fears. Upward and onward

we shall go, inspired, exulting,free, and

greater will our nation grow, in strength

and unity.”