The Sin of Ingratitude

The next general election in Barbados is constitutionally due in 2008 however, it clear that the DLP has launched their campaign. It is a campaign that has been promised by Thompson to be the “mother of all battles”. For those persons who do not quite understand this political term of reference then they should carefully examine the words and political actions of Thompson since his return from the political wilderness.

The first point of reference has to be the manner in which Thompson paid gratitude to the man who led the party during the time he Thompson opted not to serve in an effort to save, at that time, his own political demise. Say what you like about Glyde Mascoll, it can only be boldness of character and commitment to serve Barbados that would have led him to take the burdens of the DLP upon his back and restored it to some political respectability. What Mr. Mascoll did for the DLP is what every child in this country should be taught in school – character building and commitment to serve country. In the opinion of Barbadians, he served well while a few class snobs thought otherwise.

What ever your opinion of Mr. Mascoll’s style of leadership of the DLP, his treatment by Thompson is most reprehensible and uncouth. Thompson, aided and abetted by Sleepy Smith, Phillip Greaves, Peter Wickham and others, has demonstrated that he has no respect for the worth of others whom he considers to be lesser mortals than himself. It is here therefore that we would like to make the critical link between what Thompson now professes he wants to do for working class Barbadians who do not share his class origin and his actions. The old Barbadian saying that “actions speak louder than words” is more than instructive here.

Can Thompson change how he feels about working class Barbadians? Can a leopard really change his spots? Barbadians will be asked in the upcoming election to vote for some one to lead this country who not only can manage our economy well but also has capacity to be sensitive to the needs of the vulnerable groups in our society and who genuinely respects and values their contribution. Was Mascoll’s contribution to the DLP genuinely respected and valued? Is Thompson’s treatment of Mascoll the new culture we would want our children to adopt?

There is a frightening feature that is creeping into our society where our elderly is being abandoned by their children and other relatives whom they had raised. The sin of ingratitude must be arrested now and anyone or organization that seeks to perpetrate this social scourge must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. We cannot build a first world nation or indeed a just society in an atmosphere where ingratitude abounds.

For over forty years, we have built a society for which can be proud. Our successes are due to the fact that all our leaders have invested in social capital that has allowed all our people, great and small, white and black and of all classes to fully expressed themselves and to share in the many accomplishments of our country. They were allowed to make their contributions to society and country and be rewarded for it. Do not let us turn back the clock. We must never allow the financially powerful or politically hungry to define who we are or what we can achieve as ordinary people. We must stay proud.