Return to old social values

A call is being made for the return of the old social values that make this country great.

It is coming from the Minister of Creative Economy, Culture and Sports, John King, who delivered the feature address at the 10th Anniversary Dinner and Awards Ceremony of the Togetherness Social Group on Saturday night at the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) Officer’s Mess, St. Ann’s Fort, Garrison, St. Michael.

In complimenting the group on their efforts in aiding their fellow man, he encouraged them to continue along this path and to remain faithful to the principles such as kindness, respect and love, especially in light of the fact that some households in this island no longer abide by these very values.

“I want to remind you of the importance of what you do and to encourage you to continue when in today’s world, kindness, respect, generosity, love and care have been relegated … as being worthless pursuits for the acquisition of money. The average Barbadian household has been in some ways – and I guess the term that the older people would use is, ‘throwing out the baby with the bath water’ – they have thrown away these very values that helped many of us to confront and also to combat the ravages of poverty.”

The Minister of Culture reminded those in the audience of a time when Barbadians looked out for one another – when the shopkeeper loaned out food items to those who could not afford to pay for them and when neighbours gave of what little they had so that those who were in a worse condition than them could also get something to eat and feed their families.

“For those of us who care to remember, it was the shopkeeper who would trust goods, making sure that bellies were filled every day; there were neighbours who would share whatever they had to ease the burden of having to do without for the less fortunate. This – at least when I was growing up in an earlier Barbados – was the norm and communities were really their brother’s keepers. In fact, we followed an African proverb that suggests that a village was responsible for the rearing of the children, and by extension, its own survival.”

King therefore called for other persons to follow the example set by this group and return to these standards practiced by their parents and grandparents.

“Tonight is a night of celebration, not only for the season or the members who are going to be awarded, but I see it as a celebration of what is truly the very best of the Barbadian civic and values, which are to be encouraged and mirrored across this island with the intention of making this little gem we call home, the spark that lights up a very dark world, which we find ourselves at this particular time.”