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by Andrew Cave
Most of us know the proverb which says: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you will feed him for life”. The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) believes there should be an emerging Barbadian proverb: “Give a man a care package and feed him for a day. Teach a man how to earn the contents of the care package and feed him for life”. The Mottley administration appears to be a champion of giving a fish or care packages and feeding a man for a day. They continue to promote dependency on politicians rather than self-sufficiency.
The DLP and its current leadership reject this type of modern-day enslavement. We reject mendicancy, dependency and the creation of a culture of entitlement. What we believe in is empowerment and sustainable support for those who cannot help themselves. While we recognise that some government support systems must be temporary, we firmly believe it should also be meaningful.
This administration continues to miss opportunity after opportunity to empower Barbadians; especially during this ‘COVID pandemic’. We won’t dispute that these packages helped a number of households to make ends meet.
However, as a temporary measure we would have liked to see vulnerable Bajans provided with a monthly or bi-weekly stipend to help with the necessities of life – be it food, water bills etc.
The current leaders should have been taking the initiative in the Social Partnership to negotiate moratoriums for mortgages and rents, in addition to material discounts for utilities like electricity, water and the internet. These would have been more sustainable and meaningful measures.
Some of the $300 million channelled to the hotel industry could have been shared to provide financial and technical assistance for small and medium-sized businesses and budding entrepreneurs in new and emerging growth industries.
Why couldn’t an eighth of that $300m be allocated to providing housing and financial assistance to our seniors who have been ravaged by the pandemic; who’s health has been most vulnerable to COVID; who have lost their homes by Hurricane Elsa and who continue to see the purchasing power of their fixed incomes ravaged by a staggering increase in the costs of living? Their bonds were also the first victims of Mia Mottley’s first cruel financial blow.
Our seniors and the most vulnerable need help while the Government drags its feet in addressing the cost of living despite the advice of economists, businessmen and its own Chief Economic Advisor. Our nation-builders need urgent assistance as the cries of the Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs fall on the deaf ears of her colleagues.
Where is the Minister of Finance? Where is the Housing Minister? Why have they consistently failed to commit the necessary resources to the Minister of Elder Affairs? Are they not talking to each other in Cabinet? It is becoming increasingly clear that the philosophy and values of the Mottley administration are flawed. They believe that if they give to the rich, it will have a trickle-down effect.
There is Robinhood and then there is ‘Mottley-hood’. She takes from the poor and gives to the rich. I say to the presumed ‘Political Pharaoh’ of our dear pre-Republic Barbados, “Let my people go”.
Andrew Cave is spokesperson for Social Care and Elder Affairs Democratic Labour Party.
