Welcome

Dennis Jones is a Jamaican-born international economist, who has lived most of the time in the UK and USA, and latterly in Guinea, west Africa. He moved back to the Caribbean in 2007. This blog contains his observations on life on this small eastern Caribbean island, as well as views on life and issues on a broader landscape, especially the Caribbean and Africa.

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Monday, December 28, 2009

New Kid On The Blog: BarbadosAllegiance

In the space that exists for blogs originating in, or focusing on, Barbados. it's good to see what appears to be a new, bold venture: a blog that purports to be for non-partisan political dialogue. BarbadosAllegiance began last week and can be found at http://barbadosallegiance.wordpress.com. It's message is about allegiance and pushing Barbados political thought and action. I wish them well.

However, as I have experienced, the issue in Barbados is not whether or not you really are non-partisan, but is how people perceive you to be. I am non-partisan and have no vote; I have no particular axes to grind, but am very keen on pushing issues, yet I am branded partisan, even with the most absurd of logic. So, the new bloggers should try to dig their furrow and see how straight it can be. If their arguments are good and touch on a particular party and/or its adherents, then they should be ready for attacks from them. If they have facts to back up their arguments then they should stand the test of time and of criticism, but those elements are no real shield should anyone wish to viciously go after the authors.

I'm sure the usual array of party faithful, parading under a range of pseudonyms, are licking their lips after downing their turkey and ham and are chomping on the bit ready to get a taste of the new meat on offer.

I find it interesting that the first few posts touch on corruption, and the argument that this is more a part of 'normal' life in Barbados than would appear to be the case from the rosy image coming from Transparency International. There are some very obvious instances that one can see all around. There are the more covert aspects, about which people may not want to say more--and the regular media have been very leery of touching, being pushed away by 'libel chill'. But, these things cannot stay hidden for long, and they also have their way of coming to light when least expected.

I am personally not in favour of anonymity for bloggers because it casts suspicion on the provider, and it’s been shown to be less effective than visibility. So, I hope the new kids on the blog will have the courage to stand up and be seen. If they claim to be non-partisan they stand a better chance of that label being seen to be true if it is known who they are. Also, one cannot seek the defence of others if you are not prepared to stand us a who you are. It’s a Bajan Catch 22, but (to mix metaphors), you have to unravel the knots not tie more.

4 comments:

Carson C. Cadogan said...

You say that you are a smart man, surely you realised that this new blog is the Barbados Labour Party's answer to Barbados Underground.

Dennis Jones said...

@CCC, I think you would need to point out to even the smartest of people what in the limited offering (1 post to say hello and 2 substative posts about corruption) on this new blog makes you realise that it is a BLP answer to anything. But, I do know that for some Bajans things have to be fish or fowl. Pity we poor vegetarians.

Carson C. Cadogan said...

Denis you are here long enough to know that everything in Barbados is Political, the Barbados Labour Party have their backs against the wall and they are looking for any way out.

acox said...

It is more important forthe people to focus on what is going to move the country forward than to be caught up in the ever turning wheels of the two poltical parties. It is not about them.It is about the best interest of the nation and its people. Let the politicans fight their own battles while we in the arena watch and decide who to throw out.