Barbadians are being asked to hit the streets in their numbers this weekend for a peaceful protest march against Government’s decision to change Independence Day to Barbados National Day.
The call was made today by president of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Dr Ronnie Yearwood during a press conference at party headquarters on George Street to address the name change.
Dr Yearwood told reporters that details of the march would be announced shortly, but wants residents of all political, social and religious persuasions to take part. He said that the DLP has already started an online petition which, within 24 hours, had garnered over 3,000 signatures of people expressing their objection to the change.
On Tuesday, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams told a press conference at the prime minister’s official residence, Ilaro Court that the Cabinet recently decided that from this year onward, November 30th would no longer be celebrated as Independence Day, but Barbados National Day.
“Last Thursday the Cabinet of Barbados took the decision to henceforth observe November 30th as Barbados National Day, commemorating our independence from Britain in 1966 and our transition to a parliamentary republic in 2021,” the Home Affairs minister revealed.
“I just want to make it clear that the Democratic Labour Party wishes to, in the strongest of terms, distance itself from any name change that has been envisaged by the prime minister,” Dr Yearwood said on Wednesday.
“Independence Day should remain as Independence Day and we are being very, very, very clear that this will not stand. It will not stand for this party and it will not stand for the people of Barbados,” he stated.
“The reality is that Barbadians are accustomed…we are used to, and we want to celebrate and retain our traditions and our strong history and what independence means to us. As a young person growing up we understand the importance of Independence. We can all remember the stories from Independence from our parents and grandparents and the legacy of that should not be erased by anyone, especially the prime minister,” the DLP leader declared.
He said that like Barbadians he is angry, upset and disappointed at the move by the government.
“I am disappointed in the prime minister because you would expect her to know better. But there seems to be no end to her exercise to change or rewrite history to create a new Barbados in totally her image, discounting what the founding fathers and mothers of this nation would have done,” Dr Yearwood asserted.
He charged that Prime Minister Mottley had broken her trust with the people.
“If the prime minister cannot be trusted on this matter, the question remains, what else can she be trusted on? The reality last year, the prime minister told the Barbadian people in no uncertain terms that the name Independence Day would not be changed. It is on record,” Dr Yearwood said. He pointed out that this is not a party issue and is of the view that most Barbadians are backing the efforts to
have the government decision reversed. He also dismissed the government’s explanation for changing the name as puerile and weak. (EJ)
