COLUMN: A fitting tribute

THOSE who would have watched the Tribute to the Prime Ministers of Barbados last week would have heard the debut of ‘Legends to Legacy’, a song written for the island’s 50th anniversary of Independence.

 

Certainly, veteran musician John Roett will be remembered for all time for not only creating this masterpiece, but giving freely of his creativity and musical genius to write a song that unquestionably evokes a spirit of national pride.

 

While the live version was inspiring, it was undoubtedly the video which emerged shortly thereafter which really brought home to Barbadians the many reasons why they must be proud of their country.

 

Admittedly, it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced life. The video, the lyrics and the views of Barbados make us take pause at the beauty of this island. It should truly be a wake-up call for all Barbadians to appreciate the gem that we call home.

 

Additionally, it gave us an opportunity to see some of our young artistes and the artistes who are legends in their own right come together and be immortalised in this iconic song. This was truly a yeoman effort by all to bring this project to life.

 

Social media is currently abuzz as young and young at heart in Barbados and in the wider Diaspora, proudly declare that “that’s my home”, as they comment on and share the video.

 

Perhaps we all needed this reminder that in spite of the challenges which the country may face – be it financial, pockets of crime or violence in our schools – at the end of the day we can’t turn our backs on our home. True pride should stand the test of time, and not be fleeting when things start to go downhill. True pride should be the willingness to boldly say that even though things are not going as they should, this is my home and I know that she will rebound.

 

True pride will allow us to act in a way that will make this happen. It means respecting the country, not just in what we say, but in what we do. Asking ourselves how can we be better citizens, in our productivity and adding our fair share to the proverbial pie, instead of just taking from it.

 

Most importantly, it means being proud of our surroundings and remembering that our country, though resilient, is still very fragile. Our daily actions must not in any way threaten our marine life nor our ecosystem. Illegal dumping is one of the most callous things that we could do as citizens; one that is not only unsightly, but it also poses a direct threat to our own health. Not only does it provide a haven for rodents and other pests, it also threatens our groundwater supply. A water-scarce country should not have the added worry of poor water quality. As they say, “The health of the nation is the wealth of the nation.”

 

Our attempts as we go another 50 years should be to put in more than we take out of our lands. We must embrace the concept of sustainable development to ensure that our legacy will be strong for our future generations.

 

Communities should do all they can to contribute to our Jubilee celebrations. It is also an opportunity for our entrepreneurs to capitalise on this year-long celebration. Parents and guardians should do all they can to ensure that our children go to as many events as possible, to learn about our history, what happened in Barbados during the pre-Independence period. 

 

We must do all that we can to celebrate and most importantly preserve these memories, which many fear are slowly vanishing and are not being passed on from one generation to the next.