EDITORIAL
“God bless Bim on Independence Day”. The popular lyrics are known to most, if not all Barbadians, and as our country pauses tomorrow to give thanks as we celebrate another year as an independent nation, we indeed wish God’s blessings on our country and its people.
As we mark our 52nd year of nationhood, we must recognise that there is indeed much to be grateful for and give thanks, despite the economic challenges that we continue to face. This milestone comes at a time when the country is pursuing an economic recovery and transformation plan, that while sanctioned by International Monetary Fund, is home-grown. That plan is to be commended and it must therefore be all hands on deck in both the public and private sectors, to ensure that it is successful and that we eventually start to see light at the end of the tunnel. This all-of-society approach is definitely needed, as several of our citizens are put on the breadline through Government’s efforts to not only revitalise the economy and cut expenditure, but to improve efficiencies in Government as a whole.
While several public servants will become unemployed, we would hope that the private sector does not follow suit, as this would put an even greater burden on the National Insurance Scheme and the country’s other social services. Government has spoken of retooling and retraining, enfranchising and empowering and it is our hope that the private sector will fully embrace this concept and help to develop a better, educated and efficient workforce in this country. The fact is that our greatest asset has been and will probably always be our people. It is for that reason that successive governments have invested in Barbadians, putting a great deal of money, time and energy into ensuring that all Barbadians have access to quality education and health care. These are areas that no Barbados government should ever seek to undermine, as it could result in harmful consequences for our nation, and put in jeopardy many of the gains made over the years.
None of those achievements have come without hard work and sacrifice, and at this time of economic challenge, we must all roll up our sleeves and work to ensure the continued success of our nation. Barbadians have never allowed negativity or obstacles to stand in the way of success, and there is no need to allow it to happen now. It is safe to say that this country we are all proud to call home, has faced every adversity with courage and has come out on top on occasions now too numerous to mention, and we have every confidence that this latest hurdle will be no different. A former United Nations Secretary General said that we are a country that consistently punches above its weight; it is that approach we need now more than ever as we embark on the year ahead.
We are a blessed and wonderful nation. We are not fraught with social and political unrest like other countries, and the levels of violence that are considered unprecedented here, are quite normal in other parts of the world. Indeed, in recent times we have had some criminal incidents that have been a cause for concern, but compared to most of our Caribbean neighbours, we remain one of the safest places to live, work and recreate. So, tomorrow as we celebrate yet another year of independence and give thanks for the freedoms which we hold so dear, we need also to remember and give thanks for those who worked to get us to this stage in our development.
Last but not least, we should also be thanking God for sparing this country from the ravages of natural disaster, as yet another hurricane season has left us unscathed.
May God continue to bless Barbados.