#BTEditorial – The silent Bajan army

There is a quality about Barbadians that is so refreshing that we wish it never fades or disappears from our DNA. It is a quiet dignity, a reserved nature that belies our grit and determination to achieve a particular end goal.

For those who are unfamiliar, our attitude may be perceived as prideful or bordering on ambivalence, when in fact, it is just the way we like to do things – without fanfare and fuss.

Of course, there are exceptions to any rule, but for the most part, it is fair to suggest that many Barbadians are quiet achievers. They plan a course of action either individually or as a collective, and they calmly act.

We may be accused of being stereotypical or of using anecdotes to make our argument. However, we leave it entirely to our readers to determine the validity of our contention.

There is documented evidence of some of our Caribbean neighbours choosing to act differently when confronting issues. They may burn tyres, block roads, or protest on the streets for days.

Barbadians are prone to become just as angry as anyone else, but it is how we respond to that anger that makes the difference.

Our political leaders, over time, have learned, sometimes the hard way, that they must read the temperature of Barbadians on issues. They may not show up at a Member of Parliament’s constituency office and block the entrance, or destroy property, but they will kick offending MPs to curb at the appointed time.

Take for example the last Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration. One could reasonably argue that this entrenched political organisation that was accustomed to garnering a sizable portion of the popular vote, even if it did not win the commensurate number of seats, would have been stunned by the massive 2018 loss that obliterated their entire presence from the House of Assembly.

It was a quiet revolution that the Dems never saw coming even though they expected to lose their control of Government, after a turbulent two terms.

We have presented this narrative to demonstrate for example, that while those who reject the COVID-19 vaccinations and those who are hesitant have been quite loud in their rejection of the national vaccination programme, it did not mean most Barbadians were of the same mind.

But there has also been a quiet counter narrative, a very sizable section of the adult population who are responding with their feet. They are heading to vaccination sites across the country and opting to do what is in their interest and that of the country.

We are close to reaching 130 000 people choosing to utilise one of the safest and proven ways to help protect against the viral illness that has killed and negatively impacted so many lives and livelihoods.

By their actions over 128 000 citizens and residents have said collectively, “Sit down Winston!” without verbalising it.

The fact that Barbados is leading CARICOM countries in the effort to reach some form of herd immunity, speaks volumes about that no-fuss Bajan grit.

But before we start celebrating and becoming carried away with ourselves, another reality confronts us. The fact is that despite the relatively successful national push to get people vaccinated against COVID-19, it is not happening fast enough to beat back the onslaught of the fast-spreading Delta variant, which is reportedly widespread on the island.

The Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) has been stressing since July that the Delta variant posed a clear and present danger to our population and our economy and there was need to clamp down on the movement of people.

BAMP president Dr Lynda Williams has been strident in her calls for increased restrictions, while others say only a lockdown for at least one month will put us where we need to be and halt the advance of the Delta variant.

It is only a matter of days, and we hate to predict, that at the current rate, well over 1 000 people will be in insolation due to their COVID-19 status. Doctors are desperately warning us that we are nearing a crisis. The need for medical staff to attend to hundreds of COVID-19 infected persons is stripping away resources from the treatment of all the other conditions and emergencies requiring attention.

All that has been achieved by the quiet army of Bajans, who have come forward to be vaccinated to return the country to some form of normalcy, is being undermined by the shrinking number of unvaccinated persons.

We can only hope that more people will come to realise that this pandemic will remain a shackle around our collective necks unless we take decisive action.