In The Swim: CARIFTA Swimming Championships 2010

My musings on the just completed Carifta Swimming Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, were published by Ian Bourne on his Bajan Reporter website today. He also published several photographs I took during the first three days of the events.

Barbados – The Way Forward: A Fresh Look By John Phillips

Yesterday, I posted an article written by John Phillips back in 1993, proposing a merging of Barbados and Guyana. How do things look a decade and a half later? John has taken another look at the subject, in part spurred by President Jagdeo making the offer earlier this year of a substantial parcel of land in Guyana for Barbadians to develop--1 million acres. Read below John Phillips' more recent views.

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Barbados – The way forward

In the 18th century Bridgetown was an industrialized city and Barbados was a rich colony – a veritable jewel in the British crown, but the people (except for a few) were not free. Today Barbados is one of the freest countries in this hemisphere but many countries have outstripped us in wealth and our future is in jeopardy. In the 18th century and before, size was not so important but today land size implies land resources, sustainability, room for population growth and economies of scale, leading to a competitive edge on the world stage. Many small island states are facing difficult challenges. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, we in the English speaking Caribbean, gaining independence from Britain were the envy of the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. Then they had an active independence movement; today those movements are noticeably dormant. The Turks and Caicos Islands, whilst still under colonial rule, is clamouring for some sort of union with Canada rather than sue for independence from Britain. Prime Minister Owen Arthur wants to take us into the premier league of nations. Can he do it? The way ahead is fraught with difficulties. We are really a minuscule nation and our economy being so dependant on tourism and offshore (international) business relies very much on the good will of others, which in these times is no security for the future. Our dense population is putting tremendous strain on the environment in terms of refuge disposal problems, water shortages and transport. Housing too, is becoming more problematic and finding jobs for the young, skilled and educated, remains a major challenge. The move away from agriculture means that we are no longer food secure like we were during the years of World War II. If only we had more land. Climatologists think that we are entering a period of global warming, which will cause sea level rise and increased frequency and severity of hurricanes in this part of the world. What will happen to Bridgetown and other heavily populated and developed coastal regions? This is bad news especially for tourism.

Ten years ago I highlighted some of these problems (we had fewer then) in the article “Barguyados: New hope for the future” (Weekend Nation, Friday, November 27th 1992) suggesting that Barbados should try to acquire some 200 or so square miles of land in Guyana for development as a Barbadian outpost or colony. This ‘other’ part of Barbados would be used to develop agricultural and other industries and to build cities for Barbadians to live in. The two hundred or so square miles of land was to be in lieu of the 157 million dollars owed to Barbados at that time. The Guyanese who read the article were favourably disposed towards it; after all we were only speaking of 0.28 percent of a country that is 83,000 square miles. The Bajan responses were less than encouraging. The problem was that they could not see how the Guyanese would willingly give up (so much, to them) land to Bajan ‘foreigners’ even as debt repayment. This for them was the major stumbling block.

This major stumbling block was effectively removed a few weeks ago by President Jagdeo of Guyana at the opening of the Guyana Trade Expo. This event took place at the Grand Barbados Hotel, 27 – 29 February this year. The President told a gathering of about two hundred persons, which included our own Prime Minister, that he was willing “to give Barbados one million acres of land.” Perhaps equally surprising was how the media appeared to have ignored this statement, there being no discussion or reference to it anywhere by the media reporting of the event.

Gains for Guyana

It is good that the President has taken the initiative to remove the most serious obstacle to the development of the plan – the acquisition of land. One million acres is more that we could ever dream of. This amounts to 1,562.5 square miles of territory or an area more than nine times the size of Barbados! In return, the least that Barbados could do would be to cancel Guyana’s outstanding debt. During the Burnham years, Guyana lost most of its educated elite and suffered negative population growth, due to social and political problems. This resulted in a colossal brain drain with serious effects on present and future developments. To a lesser extent this whole region has been affected in this way. We produce more scientists, engineers, technologists and other professionals than we can adequately employ. And our human capital is continually being depleted by more attractive offers in developed countries. However, development cannot take place without adequate human resources and they cannot be stocked up for future use like money in a bank. Thus we have acted as feeder nations to the developed nations of the northern hemisphere and are doomed to continue in this vein unless we can form larger sustainable groupings capable of deploying our developed human capital. We in this region are descendants of people who for the most part were brought here against their will. We have developed an identity and have made these lands our homes but now more than ever before we must be aware of the difficulties that stand between us and a secure future. By vigorously pursuing this offer of one million acres we can demonstrate that we as a people have reached the stage of maturity to make new moves and form new associations to our advantage to ensure the survival of our descendants and our culture.

A project of this mature will capture the imagination of our nation and become a unifying force. This will be for us what circumnavigating the world or the conquest of Everest was to the British or what the moon landing was for the Americans. Joined by other vulnerable small island states and fuelled by the region’s human resource, Guyana could emerge in this century as a leader among nations in the Caribbean.

Action Plan

1.First the two governments get together and the gift of one million acres is ratified and accepted. The relationship between this ‘new’ Barbados territory and the ‘parent’ country Guyana is discussed at great length, agreements and treaties reached. One hopes that the new land would include mineral deposits, water sources, land suitable for agriculture to enable the development of agro-industries, for housing and large industrial complexes.

2.The Government sets up a department, joins with the private sector to explore, survey and formulate a land use policy for the new territory. So we are not talking about cutting up the new land into bits and distributing it. We are talking about bringing the best brains together to plan a development process that will take place over a decade and beyond. I am confident that we have capable personnel in this island or in the region that can formulate and execute such plans.

3.Through a series of town hall meetings the Government (et al.) sell the idea to the public and try to attract investment in the project as a long term investment in the future of Barbados.

John Phillips
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Barguyados: Can The Sum Of Parts Produce A Better Whole?

Circumstances throw people together.

A week ago, I was at a cocktail party for the departing British High Commissioner, wondering where I could sit and rest my badly aching knees. Too many years of sport were taking their toll and I had legs that said "enough". I parked myself on a stone bench and looked at people trying to impress each other with stories. Then a man asked if he could sit next to me. No problem. We struck up a conversation and soon had covered almost all regional and international issues. He let out that he was a scientist and we lamented that Barbados had not done much to gear itself up well in that discipline and the region had also not seen a way to consolidate its scientific talents.

Then we got talking about immigration. The man mentioned that he had floated an idea about how to deal with the pressures that seem to drive people from the region's largest land mass, Guyana, towards one of its smallest and most densely populated, Barbados. He then mentioned that he had proposed a solution. He described it and then we got into a long debate about how politics and social issues would make it nigh impossible. We agreed to disagree, but his idea is intriguing. Its principle is not novel and is part of moves such as 'decentralization' that are done within an existing national space. But it is a major challenge to try it for two separate national spaces that are separated by a lot of water.

The man, John Phillips, is Barbadian. He is a biologist and trained in the UK as a teacher. He has a Master of Philosophy degree from UWI. He is a former science teacher at Harrison College, Barbados.

He wrote an intriguing paper some 15 years ago, looking at how the two divergent countries of Barbados and Guyana could produce a vibrant economic space. To me, there are lots of questions that such an idea begs, but it has some fascinating possibilities as one considers ways forward for a country that is densely populated, small, and scarce of resources, compared with another that is grossly under populated, but has a huge resource rich land mass. Of course, there is the not so little matter of vastly different cultural, political, and historical roots.

I understand that the original version of the article was published in the Nation before the Owen administration started its first term. I read the piece and was struck by how much of the assessment still seems relevant. Does that tell us that some problems are that intractable? Or is it that problems take so long to find their solutions? Or, is it that many other things are going on?

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A country going down the drain

Barguyados: New hope for the future

WHILE Barbadians are bracing themselves to face the harsh economic conditions ahead, they have overlooked the fact that a fundamental problem of this country is the problem of overpopulation. Ironically, this is a problem that no one is talking about. We simply have too many people in this island of ours. We in fact have one of the highest numbers of people per square mile in the world. We are tenth in the world population "league". In the Caribbean, we are second only to Bermuda, as the graph (at right) shows. Bermuda is just off scale with 2,834 per square mile. This problem that we face is not a new one but could have been far worse had we not been able to "lose" people through emigration and had not the Family Planning Association been successful in implementing their policies.

We live close to a very spacious country, Guyana, which could easily absorb our population without a "whimper." If Guyana had the same population density as Barbados, it would now be bristling with some 130 people, instead, Guyana has less than three quarters of a million people.

Caribbean unity

If our politicians get their act together; that is, if they are prepared to look beyond just the next set of election results, we can hope for some form of political as well as economic union for the Caribbean territories at some point in the not-too-distant future. However, we here in Barbados do not have much time; we have to act now or witness the deterioration and eventually disintegration of our society. We must do all we can to speed up the regional integration process. Herein lays the hope of our ending a dependence on quotas and subsidies.
The population trends for Barbados leading up to the year 2000 are a model for any country (many developing countries will double their population in 25 years). But this is not enough; the standard of living that people want to achieve is rapidly getting out of reach and their expectations of life are now more surreal than real. Our youths are beginning to despair. 'What have we to look forward to?' they ask, and 'what are the national goals?'

Limitations

Ours is a land of too few resources and too few opportunities. We do not have enough land space, we get too little rainfall, we have very few natural resources and we cannot or do not grow enough food for ourselves. Yes, it is true; this is nothing new. We have always had this problem, but until recently, we had other things going for us so we never had to face these problems 'head on.' We were a few steps ahead of our neighbours, we were better developed, we were better educated, we had better roads, better schools and better air and seaports. Our utilities such as water and electricity were excellent and communications were always good.

Thus, it was easy to attract foreign investors to set up industries here. Tourism has served us well. It had been a minor industry in the '50’s with a few hotels down the "gold coast" in St. James graduating to become the main foreign exchange earner in the '70s and '80s. Perhaps it is a mistake to expect tourism to last forever, especially when the psyches of our people still have difficulty distinguishing between service and servitude. People soon get tired of the sea and the sun (which is bad for the skin!) and we haven't got old castles, dungeons, 'lost' cities or forests for them to come and look at. It is anybody's guess how many and for how long tourists will be attracted to come and play golf.

What has happened over the past few years is that we are now in a much more competitive world. Our neighbours have: simply caught up with us and can successfully compete with us. Whatever we produce here can be produced cheaper elsewhere, with as good or better quality. This problem has a lot to do with the economies of scale. Our miniscule home market does not gear us to produce items with that competitive edge needed to penetrate extra-regional markets. What we needed to do was to keep our machinery running for longer, to work harder and longer than our competitors, to capture the markets like the Japanese have done. But, as another writer mentioned, our trade unions have been too good at extracting better and better conditions for the workers over the years, without the concomitant increases in productivity. Our complacency didn't help much; and we relied less on the land to produce our own food and more on purchasing it from elsewhere. We got away with it as long as there was an easy flow of tourist dollars into the country. Complacency mixed with too much pride and procrastination kept us ignorant of the problems we were facing and told us that these problems were not real or serious.

Among the problems we faced were: Considerable loss in shipping trade due to inefficiency and high port charges; loss in tourist trade due to the deterioration in "tourist product" and general decline in the tourist industry worldwide; loss in earnings of raw sugar on the world market due to high cost of production and the general movement away from cane sugar (a trend which started to show itself in the 1970s). All the while, we have been producing more and more people to overflow an ever-shrinking job market.

'Brain' drain in reverse

Traditionally we have looked to Europe and North America as a safety valve to ease unemployment problems. We have proudly "exported" our people when they were calls for labour overseas; in more practical terms, we were giving economic aid to these already developed countries. The peak for this emigration was in the '50s and early '60s. Today the exodus of people overseas has been reduced to a mere trickle. We have therefore to look to non-traditional means to alleviate today's problems.

This brings us back to where we started -Guyana. Guyana holds the key to our future; we can do much for Guyana too. We need space and Guyana needs people. Barbados, having a population of some 250 000 people and with 1 535 people per square mile, is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The first settlers found a wooded, unpopulated island. Within 50 years of settling, the trees were cut down and the island put under intense cultivation, sustained by a large slave population. The intense cultivation, which Barbados underwent, was no doubt facilitated by the accessibility of the terrain, the equitable climate and the relative freedom from disruptive disturbances.

We are now having problems sustaining economic growth, and since we have been "shuttled" towards the IMF for help, we can expect decline, as was the case with the countries in the Caribbean, which came under the same harsh economic management. It was under such conditions that people used whatever contacts they had to help them flee the economic oppression, which ensued. In the countries like Grenada and Guyana, the exodus was so drastic that it has led to negative population growth trends for this decade (extremely unusual for developing countries). Belize is off the scale with a growth rate of 3.6 per cent; this leads to population doubling time of 20 years.

If the harsh economic conditions experienced by Grenada and Guyana come to Barbados, they will cause a "brain drain" here. If the trend continues, Barbados will find itself in a much worse position than Guyana and it will be catastrophic for the region if our best brains are lost forever to the extra-regional workforce. However, it is unlikely that a 'brain drain' will solve our population problem but will impact negatively on our development. When our best people have left, surely it would be more difficult to run the country efficiently, it would be more difficult for businesses to find skilled personnel; and therefore more difficult to grow economically. The effect of mass unemployment will increase the tension in our citizens, and this easily translates into civil disturbance, strife, xenophobia and the singling out of specific groups to carry the blame for the current problems. Where this can lead to in terms of the destructive effect on a country, no one knows. But the sheer numbers of people that we have to deal with in such a small space is a serious cause for concern.

If the following plans were put into effect immediately, I believe it would give us hope for the future, particularly our young people, and encourage our educated, skilled and professional people to stay in the region and even make sacrifices for the noble cause.

Guyana is one of the least populous and at present one of the poorest countries in the region, although it is rich in natural resources. Guyana lacks the human resources and financial investment needed to develop the country and raise its citizens out of the "poverty trap" in which they are caught. Can it climb out of this situation without "selling out" to foreign (outside the region) investors? Wouldn't this lead to a situation where Guyana's wealth will be owned and controlled by foreigners? Wouldn't it be more desirable for the people of the region to share in the development of Guyana while we all move towards political and economic union?

Guyana now owes Barbados some $150 million through the Caribbean Multilateral Clearing Facility. It is very unlikely that this money will ever be paid back in cash in the near future, given the state of the Guyana economy. Barbados would do well to accept payment in kind. $150 million could buy 150,000 acres of forest at $1000 per acre, or an area equivalent to 234 square miles. This area though larger than Barbados represents only 0.28 percent of Guyana.

Guyana has an area of 83 000 square miles as compared with Barbados which has an area of only 166 square miles. A transaction of this kind would be a positive benefit to both countries. This new territory could become a part of Barbados and could be used to establish a colony for Bajans who would clear the forest under strict ecological management and build a city or cities to house 50 000 to 100 000 Bajans over the next 25 to 50 years. It would be important to choose the site very carefully to ensure that there are sufficient natural resources that could be exploited. A site well away from major settlements, somewhere in the interior, would have minimum disruption of already established communities. Agreements could be reached, as the relationships between the new settlers and the Guyanese citizens and a time framework established so that the cities eventually revert to Guyanese control, rather like Hong Kong reverting from British rule to Chinese rule after 99 years. In other words, they lose their colony status and become again part of Guyana. Thus in the long term Guyana would gain a fully developed county (shall we say) with viable industries and people with high academic and professional training -the brain drain in reverse.

Wiping out debt with one 'stroke'

GUYANA has benefited before, from a major influx of people during the 19th century when a labor shortage arose there, after the abolition of slavery. From 1834 to 1865, more than 127 000 Indians, Chinese, Portuguese and West Indians among others, fleeing famine, poverty and oppression in their own countries, went to Guyana in search of freedom and fortune. But the flow of liberated slaves and free men continued right up to the end of the century. Records were difficult to obtain about this period, but it is estimated that "no less than 40 656" persons went into Guyana from Barbados.

The proposal is given in outline; the details could be thrashed out and alternatives considered. For instance, how long should there be before the "colony" becomes controlled by Guyana? What would be the new relationship between the "colonists" and the "Mother Country" once control has been relinquished? Could an alternat1ve arrangement be made where the land 1s leased to the "colonists" rather than sold?

It may well be that 50 years down the line, we may have some semblance of a federation or at least some kind of economic and political union; then such questions may indeed be irrelevant. However, just going to Guyana and selecting a "good" piece of territory would not be enough. Considerable investments and careful planning over a long period of time would be necessary. The goal of settling a new territory to improve conditions in this country and add to the overall development of the Caribbean could unite us and focus our attention for a generation. A company could be formed financed by shares from the Government and people of Barbados, including private companies, perhaps like the East India company which operated in the Far East during the 18th and 19th centuries.

What would the "colonists" do and how would Barbados benefit? Well that depends on what kind of territory is selected. Guyana is exceedingly rich in minerals so an early part of the programmed would be to gain wealth from the exploitation of these minerals. Forestry would also come in for early consideration. With the abundance of rain and fresh water, typical of tropical rain forests, agriculture would also be a major consideration. Vegetable and fish farming could be conducted with relative ease, without the restrictions of water and land space that we now face in Barbados. Even ecotourism could hardly be bettered in the genuine primeval forests.

The benefits for Guyana would be immediate. An enormous national debt would have been cleared in one stroke.

John Phillips. 1993.
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It Is Not Hilarious: West Indies Cricket Board Gets New CEO

I have had a lot to say and write about the current debacle in West Indies cricket, but much of that has been in private, or if public not here. I am still not ready to put over a comprehensive view. But let me summarise that my basic position supports a dismantle and rebuild approach, and is not convinced by any strategy that moves on from the existing structures. I really believe that we cannot move very far from where we are without getting rid of a lot. The emotional attachment to cricket in the region makes it hard for many people to see that tinkering--no matter how much--is not the way.

What stops me being more fulsome is perhaps symptomatic of the debate. I am constantly amazed at the levels of senselessness that keep going lower when those involved in the matter of West Indies cricket are in the public eye.

For years, I have wondered where on Earth the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) came from and where did they live. I decided that they were truly aliens who saw things with special eyes or heard things with special ears that were bypassing we mere mortals. But, I got a shock when I found that they were all Earthlings. But why were these chosen ones so out of touch with what I heard and felt about cricket in the region?

Most disturbing, I could not understand how they did not seem to have any moral compass guiding their actions. No matter how crassly they acted, big grins and stiff backs were always in evidence. As shame and ignominy piled up on the region's sport of choice, the WICB never saw any need to deal with itself, for example, by having one or all of its members resign.

So, I gave up hope and I was happy not to think about how men with so few principles were in charge of anything. But, over recent days, as new depths were plumbed, I questioned whether giving up hope was right. No one in WICB seems capable of directing a thing. A Bajan friend of mine alludes to a total inability to organize a piss up in a brewery; i.e., you have all that is needed at hand and yet you fail. In sport, we can also see it as dragging defeat from the jaws of victory. West Indies have almost become masters at that on the cricket pitch.

It is hard not be cynical. My real regret is that we have not been able to get rid of the WICB without all of the egg also spilling over our own faces. The West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) is not free from blame but they are a different kettle of fish. But as the two sides face off, I see the hole in which they stand getting deeper.

But, can we live in hope now?

WICB will have a new chairman, Ernest Hilaire (see Gleaner report), from October 1. In setting the scene for his take over, the Jamaican newspaper says it so well:

• West Indies cricket, already struggling over the past decade with declining standards and moderate international results, has been crippled in recent months by the contractual dispute between the WICB and the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA).

• The bitter dispute has decimated the regional team, leading to second-string squads being picked for the home series against Bangladesh in July and the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa starting later this month after the region's top-flight players made themselves unavailable because of contract issues.

• The crisis worsened in early September when the WICB declared it would pursue disciplinary action against the defiant players and WIPA advised these players to seek legal action.
  

Mr. Hilaire will replace Donald Peters, who departed the post in July. I think that some names are not accidents. The word 'peter' can mean a rock; well that one does not fit. The word can also mean 'to diminish gradually and come to an end', or with 'out' can mean 'to become exhausted'. Those ones seem to work. It can also be a vulgar word, meaning penis: I am too well brought up to go there, as I do not know the man at all.

Citing the Gleaner, Mr. Hilaire is a former permanent secretary of Youth and Sports in St. Lucia, under the Kenny Anthony administration, during whose tenure the Beausejour Cricket Ground in Gros-Islet and the George Odlum Stadium in Vieux Fort were constructed. He is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and has a Master of Philosophy in international relations from the University of Cambridge, and a PhD from the London School of Economics. Great credentials.

His name also lends itself to some word play, most obviously, using 'hilarity' meaning 'extremely funny'. I do not know anyone in the region who thinks that the situation is funny at all, but it is getting close to ridiculous.

I wish Mr. Hilaire well, but hope that he manages to live past his name, not up to it.

Hot Air And Trial Balloons-REDUX: Now We Have A Green Paper On Immigration Policy

A few days ago, I speculated about the way the government was dealing with immigration policy (see 'Hot Air And Trial Balloons'). I see in the Nation, September 11, that all is now clearer. The government has prepared a 'green paper' (a document for public discussion and comment). The newspaper report indicates that the paper has also been sent to CARICOM leaders for their feedback.

This was made clear while the PM was in Florida last week--not sure which parish that is and who is the MP. Maybe a similar announcement has been made on these shores, but I have not seen it.

One highlighted aspect of the paper will be to deal with a law that gives illegal aliens automatic citizenship of Barbados if they are resident for 10 years continuously.

The article indicates that the government is 'vowing to implement its immigration plan by next January'.

What I wrote on September 7 was:

What does make sense is that the government wants to have a good sense that it can be tough on immigration, but the question is how tough, given the obvious sensibilities in the region. These are naturally based upon any sense that a particular nationality is being targeted; in that regard the noise has been loudest from Guyana, but also loud from St. Vincent. Sensibilities are also raw when it seems that moves toward regional integration are being sacrificed for narrow national interests.

So, where are we? The Barbadian public has sided with the PM. This has frozen the opposition because who wants to walk in front of that bus? But, still the real action is yet to be taken. It is a political game that is underway and as the year passes the likelihood that the policy will not see the light of day before the year's end and the end of the amnesty seems to grow.[My emphasis.]

If some aspects of how government is working are so clear to those who do not do much more than take a cursory interest, why not save the people's time and make things clear? Seat of the pants government is always fraught with unnecessary bruises and blisters.

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I cannot find the article online but it's entitled "Alien Law Check" and appears on page 3.

Hot Air And Trial Balloons

In the world of policy making many ways exist to get an issue in front of the public or legislators. One well known method is to 'float' an idea, a 'trial balloon, what Webster's calls 'a project or scheme tentatively announced in order to test public opinion'. We are seeing it to different degrees in the USA with the current heated debate on health reform, in particular on the so-called 'public option'. Various ideas can rise or fall in favour depending on public reaction to them, or depending on the noise made my legislators, or depending on the movement of poll numbers. From that set of reactions, decision makers may be able to put together a package that is more likely to succeed because the problematic elements have been exposed and found unacceptable or palatable by means that were short of them being enacted.

I have been wondering about some recent policy movements in Barbados and thinking that they might have been trial balloons. I cannot come to a conclusion in short space of time but am going to try to look back and change the direction of my head to see if things make more sense if seen as tentative moves rather than definitive moves.

One of the advantages of letting the balloons fly is that hot air--in the sense of heated discussion--can keep them afloat and then a cold draught of reality may be allowed to come along and sink the balloons. I am looking back on the past few months of discussion on undocumented CARICOM migrants in this light. I think that I am correct in still not having seen the government's comprehensive immigration policy, which previous statements by the PM suggested that this would be outlined from early August. What I do recall is Prime Minister David Thompson telling delegates attending the annual Democratic Labour Party (DLP) conference in late August: "We have embarked upon the development of a comprehensive immigration policy which will be introduced shortly (see Jamaica Observer report). There will be no turning back on this issue." No turning back was of course bolstered by the recent CADRES poll that showed some 70% of people supportive of the government's stance on immigration, and over half of the surveyed backing the recent revised amnesty.

What does make sense is that the government wants to have a good sense that it can be tough on immigration, but the question is how tough, given the obvious sensibilities in the region. These are naturally based upon any sense that a particular nationality is being targeted; in that regard the noise has been loudest from Guyana, but also loud from St. Vincent. Sensibilities are also raw when it seems that moves toward regional integration are being sacrificed for narrow national interests.

So, where are we? The Barbadian public has sided with the PM. This has frozen the opposition because who wants to walk in front of that bus? But, still the real action is yet to be taken. It is a political game that is underway and as the year passes the likelihood that the policy will not see the light of day before the year's end and the end of the amnesty seems to grow.

The other 'trial balloon' I detect is that floating over the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and its leadership. Again, the CADRES poll was a useful needle to jab in the side of those who have aspirations of leadership. The current BLP leader, Ms. Mottley, is clearly not as popular as the former PM, Mr. Arthur. Astute and abrasive as he is, he has been quick to step into the gap and make sure that if there were doubts that he could come back to 'save the day' he is all but ready (see today's Advocate report).

This weekend, he was like the final runner in a relay, who had been handed the baton and was now headed to the finish. He spoke to a “Serving the Nation” theme, and responded to a front-page editorial published last week in the Barbados Advocate. I do not know Mr. Arthur but sense keenly that he has a clear view of his political and economic stature--dare I say, legacy--in the country and will, therefore, rise quickly to protect that. So, he has bridled because it seems inappropriate that he should be shuffled off the political scene: it is like his declining the PM's 'breakfast summit' invitation. More important, I suspect, he feels that he can be seen as the economic cavalry and save Barbados from what he regards as a road to destruction being laid by the current government.

Mr. Arthur took over in the mid-1990s after what Bajans see as the nadir of modern economic fortunes, and brought Barbados up to levels that are widely envied. Who better then to do the 'double' and save Barbados again? His claim that the present government is 'playing politics with the society and the economy' is to me as clear a gauntlet thrown down as there needs to be. Who will dare pick it up? It is a devilishly prickly glove as it has spikes for both those of his own party and those of the government. Given that Mr. Arthur spent a good amount of time in Jamaica, and took a Jamaican wife for a good while, he has more of a Jamaican "no man better than me" attitude than is often seen in Barbadians: he could say "Me likkle but me tallawah." Who would disagree with him?

We do live in interesting times.

Moving Moments.

This is a family story told by everyone affected. The events I witnessed, but I am only the writer now. The two children and a housekeeper will tell what they saw. The head of household will finish the tale. Moving countries can be traumatic, especially for children. They often slide along but that is not to be presumed. If things start well, they usually end well. Now, the story.

The men came to Sandy Lane and they started to unload a big truck with a lot of cargo.

When the men started to unload they brought in pictures, chairs, and a television.

These were elderly men ,who worked slowly and inefficiently. We asked them why no young men were in their crew/team. They said "They are sitting on the block." They also said that the boys had taken on 'our' culture: we are Jamaicans. The man meant that the boys were becoming Rastafarian. We got angry and told him that Rastas are not all of Jamaica and that he should not talk about another culture if he does not really understand what he is talking about.

The men also brought in kitchen items and bookshelves.

They brought in paddle boards. One is red and yellow, the other is green and blue. They are made from plastic, and have a warning sign that tells me that they are not life saving devices. Do not leave child unattended while in use.

The crew worked for seven hours, and took breaks for water and lunch (30 minutes). As the day wore on, the men seemed tired and looked haggard.

One of the children became restless and asked her 'uncle' (the author) if they could go for a drive. We went to a hotel to say a quick hello to some of 'uncle's' friends and we also went to a restaurant to have lunch. I ate chicken nuggets with fries and BROCCOLI and CAULIFLOWER and CARROTS. But I did not eat them. My 'uncle' tried to force me to eat the vegetables but it did not work. But he made me take them home for later. My face was not happy.

After lunch, the two children went into the pool for a swim. They did cannonballs. They did underwater handstands. When the boy came out of the pool, he cut his foot on a piece of metal. His foot bled and he trailed blood all over the patio. His 'uncle' cleaned up the wound.

As the team worked, we noticed one member who never went upstairs. He would unload from the truck and just climb two stairs with his box and wait for one of the others to take boxes from him.

It was now late afternoon and they continued to move things at their own pace. There was a new face: he started to help; he did not look as old as the others. With him, worked speeded up a little, and they finally finished the job after seven hours.

"You coming back tomorrow?" Asked the renter. "God willing," said one of the men. They are due to come to assemble beds.

Down To Brass Tacks: Questions And Issues

On 'Down To Brass Tacks' (on VOB 92.9FM) on August 18, I heard Mr. Tony Marshall ask a set of really good questions and raise issues pertaining to the Caribbean as a whole and to Barbados individually. I asked Mr. Marshall this afternoon if I could repeat the questions here, and he agreed. I will offer no answers.

I did not hear the whole broadcast yesterday, but Mr. Marshall did offer some answers at the time, he told me. He would be very interested in any feedback, via this blog or of course when he is next on Brass Tacks.

1. Why don't we have one regional central bank?


2. Why don't we have a single currency?


3. How can we have regional unity and West Indies cricket and Trinidad wants to go it alone?


4. How can we have unity and the CCJ is the final court for 2 countries, with the others going to the Privy Council?


5. Why do we not have a regional airline?


6. Why are we duplicating the offerings of UWI across the region: Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados campuses, and we have 'Open University' across the region, and non-campus territories?


7. We continue to support a singular approach and talk about regional integration?


8. Why is the OECS monetary union working?


9. We continue to want to be a big fish in a little pond.


10. Harmonisation of fiscal incentives is a lot of pretty talk - but what have we done so far?


11. Why do we have 3-4 cement plants?


12. There is an increase in health costs across the region. Have we thought of importing in bulk and distributing across the region?


13. Do we test that pharmaceutical medication coming into Barbados does what it is purported to achieve (i.e., is fit for the purpose)?

Joking, Mr. Marshall and I agreed that "Coffin" falls with #13.

You Make The Best Of What You Have. But Never Throw Your Friend Under A Bus

Strap in. Get a good drink and some food. This one is not short. I had the ideas bubbling from very early on Sunday but I had to get through the day first for the pieces to fall into place. I also had to deal with a few instances of people who seem incapable of reading what others write or understanding what they themselves write, to the point of arguing in a circle that they don't express themselves for fear of reprisals and intimidation and when others write (OK, me a foreigner) that should be restricted because 'he dominating the discussion'. That's like what happens when volunteers are requested and the rest of the group take a step backward and one person is left 'stepping forward'.

Jamaicans in Barbados, and worldwide, celebrated another day of independence this week. Here, things were brought together at a Jamaican Association of Barbados lunch on August 9 at St. George Valley Resource Centre. This time last week, I was in Dominica and had no intention of attending the lunch. The reasons were simple: I do not like disorganized organizations, and I had felt that this was another example of such. Over two years in this country and still no contact? I had gone to fund raising events and passed on particulars but the dickey bird still has not reached my house. I called the Jamaican honorary consul when I first arrived in Barbados, and gave my details, as I had done with the British Embassy; that sort of thing could and should be a way of getting tabs on new arrivals. The British High Commissioner has changed at least once and I got notification of that. The Jamaican consul has left and his replacement arrived some months ago and I only got to know when I called to ask about a visa matter and Mr. Azan's office informed me that he was no longer THE MAN. I guess the attitude is that the consular people do not need me or others as much as we might need them. I know many Jamaicans who have been here much longer than I, yet who do not know of the association and the association appears to not know of them. So, I had decided that aloofness was alright. I liked the Jamaicans I have met at random and it seems that my needs for compatrioticity was being well met. But, Lady Luck stepped in and one of the association executives crossed my path during tennis midweek--with another Jamaican. She pleaded with me and I said I would think about it. Some other Jamaican friends I met at a party indicated that they were going and that we should show solidarity. I agreed and lunchward I would head.

But ahead of that, I had to deal with several pieces of Jamaican puzzlement that also came across my bow. First, I had been enjoying the week before a long, lazy day with friends at the beach at Carlisle Bay. My contribution to the staycation was to offer lunch from Kingston 10. I was full of steamed snapper and steamed vegetables; my hosts were stuffed with jerk chicken, stewed pork, rice and peas, festival, etc. Later in the afternoon, we were joined by Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford, former PM and Ambassador-designate for Barbados to China. It was our first meeting, and I also met his wife, who is Jamaican. Sir Lloyd was more interested in a televised cricket match than with other things at first, and left us all enjoying the sea air and a pile of mangoes from his yard--majestic, large, sweet Imperials, whose sweetness flooded my brain with delicious boyhood memories because I had not eaten many since I left Jamaica.

When he came up for air from the match, we got into a long discussion about cricket and its role in Caribbean life. I knew that I did not want to get into aspects of economic policies in the 1990s, nor discuss the immigration issues, and I had tried to start off with some observations about his heading to China, and the challenges that would pose for him. My wife's uncle had held a similar post, but non-residential, and I alluded to that. Our discussion was quite spirited for a first meeting and we did not agree on several things. But, we ended up sparring over Sir Lloyd's contention that one of cricket's great values for Caribbean people was that it was the most intellectual of sports. I questioned that, but moreover asked why our striving for excellence at it had not translated into striving for excellence in other intellectual pursuits, like chess. We left that question unresolved between us. We had also sparred over some of cricket's bizarre characteristics, such as the well-known ability to play for days and yet get no result; and for me the unique nature of a competitive sport where a player could remain 'active' while attempting to make no play, e.g., by letting series of balls pass and offering no stroke if it seemed that the wicket would not be hit. In boxing or judo, you would get penalised for that. In baseball, you could be out if the 'ball' you hoped for was indeed a 'strike' (and you don't argue that with umpires). In football, you would have conceded at least one goal; in rugby at least one try; in fencing, your breast would have been pierced; and so on. I had difficulty setting that aspect of cricket with the intellectualism argument except to ponder that by thinking of greatness somehow it would appear. His wife was less interested in cricket and she and I discussed some aspects of life for Jamaicans in Barbados. Her time here has been extensive and I think her views are well known.

My tripping over politicians with Jamaican connections continued this weekend, when I was having lunch with a friend, and enjoying her curry and roti, pumpkin and split peas. She and I had met at breakfast earlier in the morning, as is often the case. However, for lunch, we had for me an unexpected visit from the former Minister of Tourism, Noel Lynch. He and I had encountered each other once before on a radio call-in program. He was in the most festive of moods, as 'his man', Red Plastic Bag, had bagged the Crop Over crown and he wanted to crow about it. He had fun at our host's expense, waving his red bag rag, and then donning a red T-shirt in place of his blue Ralph Lauren. I had no part of this and ate and laughed at the two of them fighting over the radio and turning on and off "Something's happening", the winning song, with the Minister chanting "Young people wuking up. Old people jumping up. ...Something's happening." Watch the video and imagine RPB being replaced by NL.



But, as the afternoon wore on and we were joined by several others, including some female lawyers and a Catholic priest, we got into some deep philosophical discussions. Somehow, he made me his 'brother' by dubbing us "two old sinners". I really objected to the "old" part, and wondered how he seemed to know that I needed to be saved. He gave a good argument about how we had clearly shown the quality of our religious upbringings. He told a wonderful story about how he first encountered 'bad behaviour' at university in Puerto Rico. He left the 'scene of the crime' thinking that if his father heard he had been there then licks would be too good for him. We talked on and around a range of subjects, including the crux of why criminals are that way. I enjoyed my rum punches and he enjoyed punching his bag. The spirit of the afternoon flowed as freely as the spirits during the afternoon. My wife showed up with a well-known Bahamian dessert made with guavas and again we had something happening, this time with everyone joining in. Minister Lynch called up his successor and aired some grievances about tourism. I am so glad that I do not have a vote, because his successor as Minister happens to be the MP for the area where I live, and I like him too from our meetings. We shared one last joke about holding on to seats. By the time I was ready to go, Minister Lynch and I seemed to have become good buddies and he just reminded me to stay with him, and wait just 862 more days, and he is still counting down.

I was totally cracked by mid-afternoon, after my usual early start, and needed my siesta before heading to a farewell party for one of the heads of an international organization (oddly, a Canadian woman who represents the UK and is married to a Jamaican man). By chance, the first person I met at the party was a Jamaican friend who has just come back to Barbados for a second tour, and she was talking to Dame Billie Miller (another former Cabinet minister from the last administration). We had all met before at a diaspora conference in Washington some two years ago, but Dame Billie needed a reminder--no surprise to me as I had started to try to stay under the radar screen in Barbados. I quickly made Dame Billie aware of my blog (free PR is still good PR) and that I would probably write about her. "Why would you do such a thing?" she asked. I replied that I would find a reason.

Anyway, we three got into another spirited conversation, this time about some of the wonders of Barbados, and Dame Billie gave me a short history and geography lesson. We found a common love of the Scotland District and Bathsheba and shared our best moments of driving over Orange Hill (mine in a very small car with Bahamian in-laws who think that Barbados is like the Swiss Alps--"Dennis, you sure we going mek it?" my father-in-law had asked). She also gave me another short personal history lesson about her views of Jamaicans and Jamaica. She recalled how, when studying in the UK , she met Jamaicans en masse for the first time. By reputation, Barbadians thought them brash not least because they thought Jamaica was the 'centre of the universe'. Barbadians, however, felt that they were superior to any Jamaicans, and their universe was all centre. However, when she visited Jamaica in the early 1970s, she discovered that Jamaica did seem like the centre of the (Caribbean) universe. She noted that alas she did not have to deal with that shock for long, and Jamaica's economic slide began soon afterward. She smiled with smug self-satisfaction. We talked about the freedom of not having to work on the old routines and the joy of working in one's pyjamas. We laughed a lot and I drew into the conversations a senior staff member of a regional organization who was holding court alongside. He seems to have gotten himself into a bit of hottish water for some remarks he made recently about some things to do with Barbados' domestic policies, and I thought he could cool off with our ribaldry. I think we have all agreed on a tour of Barbados (not a rum shop tour) but one that looks at the sights and character that local people cherish but which foreigners do not get to admire as much. I hope that it goes through Surinam and Orange Hill, both of which remind me so much of rural Jamaica.

My foray into old-time Jamaica continued this morning, when a friend passed by, not really for breakfast, but he took a bit of the fried dumplings and salt fish I had prepared. While he had decided to do nothing for Independence this year, he told me about how he had been at the National Stadium on that August 6 day in 1962, as a 20 year old. At that time, I had been a mere boy of seven, just under year out of Jamaica, with no idea of what independence meant. I told him that my first time in Jamaica over Independence Day was last year, during the Olympics, with Usain Bolt giving it 'to the world'. What a joy! His memories were vivid: the shock of seeing foreign journalists smoking during the ceremonies, more noticeable when the lights dimmed and the glowing butt ends shone; new national flag that would not unfurl (was that a warning?); the following cavalcade of diplomats who were to be the first to recognize the new nation (Britain, Canada, the USA), in cars that showed off their countries (Jaguar, Pontiac). I could see him shed the years, and I could feel the coming of some tiny tears.

My friend who had done the Dame Billie reintroduction had been due to pass by for vittles before going to church, and we were due to go to the association lunch together. But, when I called her at 8.30 that voice was clearly one of a person just woken. She called back at 10, still sounding like she did at 8.30. "Later," I told her. She called again at 12.30 "No nah go mek it," she said, "Me body bruk up." I gave her a last chance to call me later and I would give directions if she was headed to the lunch, but I offered to get her lunch for her. "Nice, man. Me a go luk fawad to dat."

To the lunch. Jamaicanness was happening amidst Bajan hospitality--the association president said so, and he (a white Jamaican) should know what he's saying. The association president read PM Golding's Independence Day message. One passage struck me:

"We must resolve to build on the achievements we have made and to make up ground where we have fallen behind....for the dream and hope that inspired us at Independence, must never die.

When we embarked on Independence in 1962, we did so with confidence in ourselves that we could manage our own affairs and guide our own destiny. We launched out on our own but we never felt we were alone, for we looked to the world to help us grow and become strong.

That world has changed. Even though it increasingly recognises its inter-dependence, much of its goodwill has given way to fierce market competition. Economics, not politics, is what now defines international relations."

The call to Jamaica to raise up itself again is welcome. But the last passage bothered me, as it suggested that goodwill and market competition are opposed to each other, and that implicitly politics was involved with goodwill. Perhaps I read to carefully, but that last part seems totally bogus when one looks at the history of Jamaica's politics. I think it is also generally bogus, to the extent that the goodwill is often 'favourtism' or 'cronyism', not directed at the general population. Perhaps, I or someone else, needs to call Bruce out on that statement.

I found few faces I knew, but latched onto a family I had met before, at least the parents. We bantered and quickly got each other laughing. My adrenalin had been high for hours. I pointed out that I was trying to write about the Independence Day events from a range of viewpoints and was looking for notable comments. The father was quick to give his contributions, and as the food flowed, so did his quips. The goat head soup reached, but I did not get mine: "Mannish wata cum an some people no get nun. A wa dis?" His son was making faces into the soup and muttering about goat head: "De bway bawn a farrein. Im no kno nuttn bout no mannish wata. Is bwayish im drink." He looked around and raised his eyebrows at the number of people present: "Is a sereous turnout, even wi de rayne. Yu see wat B$70 tikit can do." As I laughed and got down into my late-arrival soup, and I jotted onto my BlackBerry, he said with true friendliness, "Gwan. Write yu bakside!"

A Bajan lady friend passed by and I expressed surprise to see her--she'd been scarce from our regular Thursday limes for a while--and as I rose to hug her, she said, "You know I does know plenty Jamaicans, now." Well, I did now. She introduced me to one of those Bajans married to a Jamaican--not Minister of Youth, Family and Sports, Dr. the Honourable Esther Byer-Suckoo, who was sitting at a nearby table with her family. Instead, a man. "You must listen to what he has to say about Bajans who marry Jamaican women," my friend advised. Before he could speak, she issued her 'health warning' about me: "But watch him. He's on 'Brass Tacks' and he will write about you on his blog." The man looked up and just said slowly but with full feeling, "Dem cuss aff me bakside. Wha me a do bringing de woman bak here?" I immediately put Bajan politicians and their marriages to Jamaican women together in my mind, remembering Sir Lloyd, thinking of Owen Arthur, and glanced over at Dr. Byer-Suckoo. I recalled a comment I had made during the week about how some Bajans seemed free to curse Jamaicans or vilify Bajans' associations with Jamaicans and my wondering if they could not feel the burning and hurtful insults thrown at many politicians and their families, to whom some at least must be related. Perhaps people believe that politicians deserve no kind words. But then what about ordinary people? I heard my head jangling. I wondered if Sir Lloyd would get a similar welcome when he reaches Beijing, or if the Chinese would just focus on vilifying him for his colour, or if they would just treat him with respect. I suspect that some or none will occur, not least because of the position he will hold. I had never suffered abuse in China, except from an overzealous policeman, who was abusing everybody. My experiences in China showed that their curiosity about black people is at least equal to their curiosity about white people with auburn hair and freckles. Both are rare in their society, and therefore warrant a lot of attention. I remember the attempts of Chinese villagers to rub off the freckles from my friend's face and asking her for some of her hair as a souvenir. She had been totally bemused. I regretted that I had not asked Sir Lloyd for his views on the lack of amity of Bajans towards Jamaicans, though I suspect that superb diplomat and gentle man that he seems to be, he would merely have smiled and looked out to the sea rather than give me an oral reply.

My mind went back to what had finally prompted me to go to the lunch. My Jamaican friend's vivid recollections of Independence Day 1962, and him sitting across from me with his black T-shirt and the motto "Established 1962", and his yellow beach shorts. How sad that Lady Gladys Bustamante, wife of Jamaica's PM at Independence, had recently died, and how fitting that she had been laid to rest on August 8. So many tributes have and will flow for her (see one Gleaner article). This friend and I had first met while he was posted to Guyana and I was working on the country as Guyana tried to negotiate an IMF program and get debt relief. Our reconnection in Barbados was by chance and I have used my bumping into a lot of interesting people here to widen his group of contacts and now friends. His earlier antipathy toward many things here--fostered in part by a fruitless search for an 'acceptable' Anglican church--has softened a lot as he realises that much comes down to the people whose paths you cross. He's now due to be here much longer than originally expected and seems very happy at the prospect: after all, Jamaica is so dangerous.

I left the memories behind and headed off to Enterprise/Miami Beach. I had forgotten that I had put a bag of guavas into the car and its aroma was almost toxic. I raced across the back roads and hit Newton roundabout in minutes. I dropped off the guavas at a Bajan friend's home. "Stop for a drink?" I declined but agreed that we would try for soup midweek. "Soup? Where?"he asked. I stopped long enough to tell him it was in Brittons Hill, and we agreed to go with his wife. He mentioned that Monday would be his birthday, so I guess we may have soup with candles.

I got to Enterprise and the place was like Cheapside Market, as a picnic or several seemed to be in full swing. My stomach was easing from my dine and dash, with curried goat, jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish, gungo peas and rice and fried fish melding happily. "I need a glass of water," I begged as I pulled into my friend's driveway. We sat and he worked me over with a plate of dessert--apple pie, his signature flourless chocolate cake, and the Bahamian guava duff and sauce from my fair maid's hands. We all settled into plastic chairs in the otherwise furnitureless room and watched Tiger. But, wait. Another group arrived: a Bajan man and his....Jamaican wife...and his mother. I capitulated. I got the theme of the weekend.

At last, I wanted to wind down my day. So, one last dash--for someone who tries not to do this, it was a lot of dashing in one day. Off to Sandy Lane and delivery of lunch. One grateful Jamaican lady smiled at me: "Man, me reddy fi dis." But she had the grace to offer me mangoes from her tree before the sun set. Shame. The monkeys had muched all the good ones. She chomped on the food and we talked about her last tour here. I told her about some of my recent interchanges and I showed her a few, as the messages were still in my email in box. "Unbelieveble," she said. "What is their problem?" I was too tired to offer an answer. "How am I going to re-enter into this kind of enviroment? The negativity. The willingness to accept the insults moulded by white people--'uppity'?--Rahtid!" I told her to focus her energy on getting her stuff out of the port before week's end.

I am just going to focus my energy.

Parlez-vous kweyol?

Our common perception in the English-speaking Caribbean is that we embody Englishness, and Barbados is often seen as the epitome of that, being often referred to as Bimshire or Little England. Occasionally, if you get to travel in the region, you realise that a part of our history is very un-English. We notice it with place names: clear examples are Rio Grande, Ocho Rios, in Jamaica; Basseterre, in St. Kitts; Trinidad. But, when you land in a place like Dominica something else strikes you. The cadence of speech is not English but French. The patois that is spoken is not English-based but French- [see http://www.cakafete.com/kweyol.htm]. Some place names are clearly of French origin, such as Trois Piton. People have names that can be a nice blend of both English and French, such as my friend, Thompson Fontaine. Dominica sits between Guadeloupe and Martinique, and was under French control until the mid-18th century. So, my standard French is going to have to get used to French sounds, that are not standard, and try to make sense of them. It should be fun judging by the examples below:

Bon jou, Misyè.    Good day, Sir.
Bonn apwè midi.    Good afternoon.
Bon swè, Paul    Good night, Paul.
Ou sè moun hòd ki pèyi?   What is your nationality?