Significant progress but much work to be done

On the topic of ‘Promoting Social Equity and Justice’, Chief Executive Officer of Cave Shepherd John Williams indicated that the underlying principles of these areas were fair access to opportunity, and to resources, and providing for the disadvantaged in our society and highlighted that leaders in government, labour and the business community have focused on promoting these tenets.

 

However, he expressed his worry that over time, there was a changing face to former advances.

 

“We are talking about fair access opportunity and resources and looking after the disadvantaged. So when parts of Barbados frequently have no access to running water, when prisoners are on remand for months or even years, when according to recent reports several hundred persons are awaiting eye surgery – we must be concerned. Let me hasten to add that these things have not happened overnight. So I am not pointing fingers at any particular administration. But whether you are in a trade union, a business or a government – even if you didn’t create the problem, if you are now in charge, then you are responsible for fixing it or at the very least, starting the process,” he asserted. 

 

In his thought provoking speech to the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados’ 11th Biennial Delegates Conference opening ceremony, Williams was quick to admit that fixing the problems would not be easy as they were being caused by a multitude of factors, including global, technological or societal, but nevertheless he insisted that there were common factors which must be addressed.

 

“In our fight for rights, we seem to have forgotten responsibilities. This has been compromised by a dominance of rights of the individual over the rights of the society. It seems impossible for a teacher/pupil matter in a school, a sports tournament, an employment dispute or even, may I say it, a planning application not to end up in the courts or at very least on the front page of the newspaper. Indeed, this prevalence of rights over responsibilities, is clearly evident not just among individuals, but also across all spheres of business, labour and government,”  he emphasised. (JMB)