#BTSpeakingOut – A highly disgusting display in Parliament

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

by Trevor D. Inniss

During last week’s Parliamentary debate on the Electric Light & Power Amendment Bill, the Energy Minister took the opportunity to launch vile and personal attacks on at least three individuals who have had the intestinal fortitude to publicly critique the said Bill and to expose what they consider to be serious flaws.

Kerrie’s diatribe was met with thunderous applause from all of his 29 fellow MPs. Not one of them sought to distance himself or herself from Parliament being used to attack the character of ordinary Bajans who challenge a Bill.

Not once did any of the three persons in their critque get nasty or personal with Kerrie nor any politician. To their credit they stuck to the issue which is simply that the Bill in its original form, prohibited objections from interested parties on rate hearings, et al. Obviously their voices were heard because the AG and the Cabinet approved further Amendments to clarify said original concerns.

However, the amendments to the amendments seem to have only made a bad situation worse. So instead of dealing with the substantive matter we now have the Minister Symmonds calling critics “prostitutes”, “persons pregnant with wickedness”, “domestic resistors” and every conceivable character assasination title possible in Westminster democracy.

This is scary.

His conduct aided and abetted by all of his colleagues must be condemned by all right thinking Barbadians including those within the BLP who have any sense of decency, honesty and patriotism. The fact that Tricia, Trevor and Ronnie shared their enlightened views on this important matter with the public should not subject them to ridicule, vile and nasty attacks from the hallowed halls of Parliament or anywhere. One can disagree with their views without being personal. To proffer an excuse that Kerrie is just being the usual political attack dog for the BLP is not only offensive to canines but is just unacceptable.

It is one thing to call your then political opponents, now bosom buddies, a thousand pounds of blubber. It is another thing to attack non-partisan persons who simply share a view that is different from yours.

Kerrie has now dragged these persons (except the DLP President) fully into partisan politics and places their reputation and possibly livelihood at risk.

Is this who we are as a nation?

The danger in all of this is that a second 30-0 victory seems to have drunken this BLP with political stupidity and a conduct bordering on tyranny. It is as though such victories are being interpreted as an end to freedom of expression. Is this the reincarnation of the “if your name is Douglas Leopold Phillips you shall starve and be silenced mentality”. I hope not. We are too small for that. Will everyone who raises reasonable doubts about matters before Parliament be subjected to such public abuse void of substance? What about the fact that since 2018 at least seven major pieces of legislation brought before Parliament have had to be either withdrawn or seriously amended? Does such a horrible track record place confidence in our AG, Cabinet or Parliamentary team? Personally, I say NO. That is why we must support the likes of Tricia, Trevor and Ronnie as they raise their voices without fear or favour.

Barbados is sliding down a slope of no return that threatens our basic democracy. We should not wait until an election is called to lend our voices in warnings and in concrete actions. This is not about the ELPA and the BL&P or the BLP. This is about preserving what our forefathers fought so hard for and the best we have to offer to our grandchildren – our Democracy and Freedom of Expression and Association.