Some prominent members of the Barbados Labour Party have come out in support of civil protest against the Government, despite recommendations to the contrary from the trade union movement.
During one of the party’s The People’s Assembly meetings at St George Secondary School last night, various speakers said taking to the streets in protest might be the only way for Barbadians to get their message across to the Freundel Stuart administration.
One such speaker was former Cabinet minister Anthony Wood, who said the imposition of university fees and the planned layoff of thousands of public servants were reason enough.
“With them laying off 3 000 and going on to 5 000 and not knowing where it will end; with all sorts of fees being introduced onto workers in Barbados; with them trying to turn back the hands of socio-economic development by preventing poor people children from coming to university – if that isn’t a cause for the people to rise up and let their feelings be known . . . .
“With six or so thousand people getting sent home from the private sector during the last term and only God knows how many have gone within the last year; once you unleash that retrenchment in two months or so, you can understand what is the knock-on effect for private sector activity and the implications within the private sector of sending home so many people at once? And this isn’t a cause for marching in Barbados?” Wood asked.
