Government says ‘sorry’ for omitting some Senators from official function

The Cabinet Office in Barbados has apologised for neglecting to invite some members of the Upper Chamber to the swearing-in held as part of Barbados’ transition to a Republic.

But Opposition Senator Caswell Franklyn is not pleased that he and several other senators were not invited to take the Oath of Allegiance to Barbados during the awarding of the National Honours on November 30, at the Golden Square Freedom Park.

Senator Franklyn told Barbados TODAY that he was also not impressed with a letter dated December 2, from Cabinet Office, Government Headquarters, seeking to explain why he and other senators were not invited to the ceremony and only found out it was taking place through media coverage on November 30.

“This is just a way of trying to soothe this thing over. It just shows their incompetence and lack of planning and that is why this country is in such a mess. People that running it don’t know what they are doing, even for minor things, they can’t get it done right.

“You imagine that you are going to have a swearing-in and you don’t invite the people to be sworn in. This might seem like a little thing, but no, it is a big thing when it coming from the highest level of this country. They didn’t inform us. If there was going to be a swearing-in, the people that are going to be sworn in should have been informed,” Franklyn said.

In the copy of the letter seen by Barbados TODAY, it states that the information regarding the swearing-in was to be communicated to parliamentarians along with the information on arrangements for attendance at the ceremony.

“It has been brought to my attention that this specific information was inadvertently omitted from the circular and some parliamentarians, including yourself, were unaware that the Oath of Allegiance was to have been taken during the ceremony. I unreservedly apologize to you for the omission of this information and your inability to take the oath at that time.

“The Cabinet Office is in the process of making arrangements with State House for the Oath of Allegiance to be taken in the presence of Her Excellency the President of Barbados and the details of this will be communicated shortly. Again, please accept my apologies for the omission and I thank you for your gracious acceptance,” the letter read.

Senator Franklyn added that he was also not pleased that the letter was addressed to him at Parliament, Worthing Corporate Centre, Worthing, Christ Church, when his home address is known to the Cabinet Office. The Justice of the Peace said he has received several invitations from Cabinet Office at his residence.

“This was just a rushed job, as usual, to pretend that they are fixing something or trying to make amends. It says ‘please accept my apologies for the omission, and I thank you for your gracious acceptance’. Well, he just thanked me for nothing because there is no gracious acceptance here. They did not invite us,” Senator Franklyn said.

Efforts by Barbados TODAY to reach other senators who were not invited to the swearing-in ceremony were unsuccessful.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb