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#BTSpeakingOut – If you can’t beat ’em, hire ’em

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by Patrick Gittens

Whether one wants to call it good political strategy, insecurity, thin-skinned, being afraid of criticism or more to the point, having little regard for tax-payers money, there is a prevailing practice with our Government that Barbadian citizens need to condemn in the most vociferous terms.

First let me congratulate the only untouched trade union leader in the country Senator Caswell Franklyn for not only having the courage to publicly reveal that he was approached by the Mia Mottley Government to get on board its band wagon, but to have the fortitude to see through the offer and refuse it.

I, like him, suspect that the offer had nothing to do with what he could bring to the table but mostly was designed to still his tongue.

Indeed, this is the lame strategy being used – pick off opposing views one by one under the given notion that they are being called to higher national duty. It says very little for the persons already entrenched in the beehive. They seem to have little to offer.

It is obvious that this Government has remained in election mode since 2018. Its public relations, communications arm or more correctly, propaganda machinery is perhaps the third most expensive entity now behind Health and Education.

Never in the history of Barbados have taxpayers being paying so much money for media relations, communications, public relations, media consultants like the present time. All non-productive machinery bringing nothing to the coffers other than pushing the ruling Government’s agenda. And unemployed, underemployed Barbadians with unemployed children appear numb to what is going on around them.

A young lady from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, used to give some critical analysis of Government’s performance – she has been placed on a state committee. I look forward to her future public utterances.

A member of the clergy has been in the habit of giving unbiased and critical analysis of Government’s performance from the Senate – he too has been offered a place on a state-created committee. I look forward to his future public utterances. A young man who used to give some excellent public commentary on subjects such as oil prices in Barbados has been rather quiet, other than on his Facebook page. This, since a reported meeting with the boss. Make it make sense!

Now, it has been announced that a retired radio talk show host who had not completely “retired” and who has often been fearless in his criticisms of any political party, Dees or Bees, has been quietened by a political pick.
So much for young graduates of the UWI or persons under 67 seeking employment. This seems to be Government’s template – if you can’t beat them, acquire them. I intend to leave all my personal information with you Madam Editor, because I suspect I could soon get a political call too with a monetary offer I just can’t refuse.

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