The Democratic Labour Party went ahead Friday with unveiling a plaque to rename its 42-year-old auditorium after party founder and National Hero the Rt. Excellent Errol Walton Barrow, despite reported opposition by the son of the island’s first premier on the eve of Errol Barrow Day.
Some party faithful protested the event at the DLP’s George Street Headquarters.
The move was “disrespectful on every level”, dissenter Tobias Worrell told Barbados TODAY.
“We’re not mad with the idea of anything that bears Barrow’s name,” he explained. “We’re not mad about the idea of any consciousness of him serving Barbados and what have you. We are mad at the disrespect that has been levied even in light of his son [David] speaking on the matter.”
Media reports quoted David Barrow as stating in a WhatsApp message that it would be against his father’s wishes for the auditorium to be named after him.
Worrell said some other protesters considered legal action to halt the proceedings but found it too late to pursue an injunction.
In contrast, Anthony Barrow, Barrow’s nephew who attended the Friday evening ceremony, said he approved of the DLP honouring his uncle.
A sign put up by the small group of protesters.
He said: “When [Barrow] became a national hero, he [became] the people’s property. You cannot have your personal feelings on what you want. It’s up to the people to decide what they want to do with that person.”
He highlighted the importance of honouring national heroes, especially for the younger generation to have role models who have significantly contributed to the country.
“I’m proud,” he said. “I remember the history of this [party] and how it was formed [by] Cammy [Sir James Cameron] Tudor and him . . . This is a proud moment. I think we have to honour our national heroes because the young people, in particular, need especially black people, father figures, heroes that they can look up to who have contributed to this country so that they can follow in his footsteps.”
Tudor, Frederick (later Sir Frederick) Smith and Barrow, then members and parliamentarians in the Barbados Labour Party under the leadership of Premier Sir Grantley Adams, broke away from the BLP and formed the DLP on April 27, 1955. Within six years, the fledgeling party came to power in the 1961 elections and Premier Barrow led the nation to Independence five years later.
DLP General Secretary Steve Blackett on Thursday defended the renaming of the auditorium, stressing that it followed “a resolution that was tabled, discussed, debated and passed at our [68th] annual conference here at the auditorium”.
The top DLP official admitted that the party did not inform the Barrow family about the renaming and issued a public apology for the oversight.
Party officials touted the renaming of the auditorium as a means of enhancing the hall’s attractiveness for cultural and social activities, potentially generating revenue for the party. (RG)
