#BTSpeakingOut – To strike or not to strike

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.

The Barbados Labour Party administration has reportedly asked other political parties to condemn the current strike action by some of our nurses.

Solutions Barbados position has not changed on this type of matter – Solutions Barbados does not condemn anyone based solely on the accusations of that person’s accusers. That is fundamentally unfair – and unjust.

The following was reported. “The Prime Minister’s condemnation was shared by the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA), the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), the Barbados Nurses Association (BNA) and the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB).” (Nation 16 December 2021).

DANGEROUS BOUNDARY.

If these national groups have condemned our nurses’ strike action without hearing Senator Franklyn’s side, then they have taken Barbados across a dangerous boundary, that we should have been trying our best to avoid as a country.

Since the Barbados Labour Party administration is requesting public condemnation of Senator Franklyn, then-Senator Franklyn should be offered the same space in the media to publicly defend his position. Only then can the public, including public groups, be capable of rendering a fair judgment.

FAIR JUDGEMENT.

Those groups that have prematurely judged Senator Franklyn should remember Jesus’ warning about such types of judgements: “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:2).

I am a Chartered Arbitrator who has resolved many disputes over my 30-year career. Rather than pre-judge Senator Franklyn and the striking nurses, I am willing to fairly resolve this dispute – for the benefit of Barbados.

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer. He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com