Mia’s Message to the Bees

AS I PREPARED to pen this message for the Annual Conference of our great political party, I became acutely aware of how a number of seemingly unconnected coincidences have been perfectly aligned to position the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to once again demonstrate to the fullest our unswerving commitment to live true to our motto: A Better Life For Our People.

This year marks our 70th anniversary as a political institution, the oldest political party in the English-speaking Caribbean. Our record is exemplary: visionary leadership, the consistent crafting of socially developmental programmes allowing Barbadians to be lifted out of poverty, a deep and abiding political relationship with the Barbadian people and regional and international acclaim, whether in or out of office.

In January of this our anniversary year, the people of Barbados exercised the right granted them through the struggles of the Right Excellent Sir Grantley Herbert Adams and other BLP founding fathers. We accepted their judgement to continue to serve them from the benches of the Opposition. It is yet again a time to demonstrate that, whatever our political circumstances, we possess the incomparable ability to craft and articulate policies and programmes that can truly make Barbados the best it can be for all Barbadians.

History has recorded that our sojourn in Opposition has allowed some of the greatest political leaders of our country to develop and come to the fore, fortified by faith, determination and humility and nurtured and supported by our party faithful. Sir Grantley, his son Tom, and most recently Owen Seymour Arthur have prepared for leadership by leading this great party first in Opposition.

As political leader and Leader of the Opposition, I have inherited a political institution with a proud legacy, grounded in service to its people.

I humbly ask that you embark with me on this journey, united by that common cause: to better the lives of all of our people. I pray for the strength, wisdom and your support to continue in the tradition of Sir Grantley, Gordon Cummins, Tom Adams, Sir Harold St John, Sir Henry Forde and Owen Arthur, to never tire of doing what is right in the paramount interest of Barbados; to listen and learn and lead with fearlessness and yet with compassion.

The current global crises signal a clear indication that the world is shifting on its axis and will present more challenges of all kinds before it settles back into relative calm. Now is our time to do what we do best: be ever vigilant; be vigorous in our defence of what is right and just; be ever ready to fight the causes of our people.

Let us see ourselves as indomitable catalysts for real change, whether in the corridors of Parliament or out in the streets, shoulder to shoulder, with Barbadians of like mind in the struggle.

Let us never be partial in accepting the pledge of any Barbadian with the capacity to serve, and serve well.

Let us commit to doing good works that define and demonstrate our founding principles. Good deeds done by our united parliamentarians and party faithful that resonate and bear fruit in homes and communities the length and breadth of our blessed country.

Let our great party stand steadfast at the nucleus of the movement to eradicate poverty and bring prosperity to all Barbadians.

Let us rail against tribalism with tolerance, gratefully accepting the support and labour not only of the rank and file of our party, but of all Barbados.

Let us work together to build a Barbados with the potential to once again flourish and prosper; a Barbados where Barbadians can be the best that we can be; a Barbados led by the Barbados Labour Party.

I have a Dream

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal’. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged

by the colour of their skin, but by the content

of their character. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

MILLIONS OF VOTERS in the United States, in concert with millions of people the world over, approved Barack Obama’s message last Tuesday in what quite simply is an historic watershed in the social and political life of a country that ironically brands itself “the most powerful nation in the world”.

While change may have been at the core of his message, it would be simplistic to believe that change alone inspired one of the largest voter turnouts in United States election history and culminated in the election of a man who now, more than any other who has gone before him, personifies Dr Martin Luther King’s 45-year-old “dream”.

There is much more to President-elect Obama than a message coined to win voter buy-in. We saw it time and again since he announced his intention to contest the Democratic nomination.

No matter what missteps he made or the extent of attacks against him, he resisted the temptation to descend into the political gutter; he eschewed the role of hater, shying away from cheap politics. He never played his opponent instead of the ball. He focused on the issues and in so doing, stood in sharp contrast to his presidential opponent, who succumbed to the advice of his political advisers to play the fear card.

To those of us who were drawn to the junior senator from Illinois following his address to the Democratic National Convention back in 2004, it came as no surprise that his message then of finding unity

in diversity should become the driving force behind

his presidential campaign.

It is clear that his ability to be a unifier is what motivated millions of ordinary people to become involved in his campaign and to share his vision

of hope. Make no mistake, his success also lies in the organisational strength of his campaign and his ability to execute.

The circumstances of his birth and an impeccable sense of timing also worked to his advantage, but by and large his desire to protect his fellow Americans from the crumbling economic policies that decimated the world’s financial system; from a war that he did not believe in; from a failing health care system and energy insecurity came across as being sincere and in harmony with their own deep-seated hopes for a different and better future.

When asked to comment on Barack Obama’s election as the 44th president of the United States, our party leader Mia Amor Mottley made these observations: “History has not only been made today, but I trust that the world will benefit from fresh leadership that is tolerant and respectful of differences.”

Miss Mottley believes that Obama’s commitment to building a platform of unity rather than pursuing the politics of divisiveness was exactly what the world, and particularly the United States, needed at this stage.

“I know that his influence in engaging the interest

of young people into public service extends way beyond the USA. I trust and pray that he will be a force for good across the world,” she said, noting she was happy to be alive to witness the historic events.

The Barbados Labour Party joins millions of people all over the world in wishing President-elect Obama well as he embarks on this new leg of his journey. Interesting days lie ahead, and we are fortunate to be part of a world community engaged in what we, too, hope is change for the better.

Sue them for Sub-Standard Work

OPPOSITION LEADER Mia Mottley wants Government to sue those responsible for “defective work” linked to construction of the new Hilton Barbados andthe unfinished Newton Business Park in Christ Church.

“We have too many instances of defectivework being done by professionals,” she said in the House of Assembly yesterday, as she appealed for Government actionto recover state funds.

In the case of the Newton project, she suggested that once building construction was completed “actionalso be taken against the professionals involved . . . to recover the losses” Government has had to absorb.

Mottley was speaking on a resolution in which Government is guaranteeing repayment of a loan of $8.2 million plus interest from the National Insurance Board to Needham’s Point Holdings Limited to settle a dispute arising out of the construction of theHilton Barbados.

In 2002, Johnston International was awarded a contract to build the $212 million hotel.

The construction was hit by some labour disputes and differences with sub-contractors and twice missed scheduled hand-over dates – in July and December 2004.

A process of arbitration was started but the two sides agreed to resolve the highly contentious issue outside of arbitration.

However, she told the Speaker of the House “This $8.2 million has nothing to do with the Barbados Labour Party.

“This $8.2 million has nothing at all to do with the environmental cleanup (in the area of the Hilton).

“It has to do with faulty design of a foundation, undertaken, Sir, by a firm well known to the Member for St Michael South-Central and it has to do, Sir, with a judgement in arbitration that relatesto that (matter).”

St Michael South Central representative Richard Sealy was out of the island yesterday. Efforts to reach him for comment proved unsuccessful.

On the Hilton Barbados development, Mottley urged Government “to take action against both the engineering firm and/or the architect in respect to recovering the money that we are now being asked to guarantee today”.

In the case of the Newton Business Park, the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation fired contractors Hafeez Karamath Construction Ltd of Trinidad and Tobago last year.