Minister Weir dismisses gov’t critics
MINISTER of Agriculture and Food Security, Indar Weir, is calling on Barbadians to stay focused as he lambasted critics of the current administration, many of whom he said have ulterior motives.
He was speaking in the Lower Chamber yesterday on the Fair Trading Commission (Amendment) Bill and the Utilities Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2020, where he rubbished claims that there is corruption by any Member of Parliament.
“There are those people who will have their set agendas and based on that set agenda, they take advantage of the most naive. They simply do. You would imagine that we came to government and every single minister in this administration had to declare their assets. So that if you had to declare your assets, a process has begun, and that for anybody to assume, any modicum of corruption in this team is a person that has set an agenda over and beyond human imagination.”
He said it could only be attributed to envy. “It can only be because we have declared all of our assets, Mr. Deputy Speaker. All. So that, it is easy now to check to see if any Ministers are involved in corruption. Easy.”
Minister Weir said it is his wish that Barbadians begin to understand and embrace what is currently taking place in the country. “Because many times the narrative is changed, especially to distract the most vulnerable among us. And oftentimes it is difficult to get them to understand that what is being done is in their best interest. So you would find people come and try to change the narrative simply because there is another agenda. Oftentimes a political agenda and one that is designed ... to destroy the genuine and most sincere projects that are being brought here to this Honourable Chamber for the sole benefit of all Barbadians. Sometimes these acts are sinister.
“And I have seen a number of sinister acts within recent times, but I am not ready yet to address those because I do believe that when people resort to sinister behaviour, they must resort in a manner that they also must know that in the same way you seek to destroy somebody’s character, you note that you also need to look at yourself and make sure that there are not skeletons in your closet,” he cautioned.
The Agriculture Minister challenged that the criticism comes, even though the Government took Barbados through an economic transformation.
“From the time we became a government in 2018, we were ready to transform this economy. Our currency was on the brink of devaluation. Our economics team moved with alacrity to make sure that we protect the Barbados dollar and at the same time rebuild our foreign reserves. Sir, that is transformation. That is work that was done immediately after assuming office in this country. But would you believe the narrative today is such that you will think that nothing was ever done...
“And all the fingering that is going on in this country, with a very petty and silly narrative, making jokes Mr. Deputy Speaker at a time when we have just managed a COVID period where everybody was able to live so comfortably that they hardly recognised that we took them through three months of a country shut down. Because had they recognised this, they wouldn’t have time for idle gossip and simplicity in behaviour.
“I’m concerned about what has become of my beautiful Barbados. When we reach a stage in our development where all is being done to transform this country... you cannot tell me that at the end of this, all Barbadians don’t stand to benefit. They do,” he said. (JH)