What’s Trending: Racial Fear

Fri, May 04, 2012 - 9:37 AM

The Nation’s Associate Editor, Sherie Holder-Olutayo takes a look at what’s trending today in Barbados.

Businssman Jacob Hassid has spoken out about Sir Roy’s labelling of him as an “Egyptian Jew”. Hassid said it was an unfair and unjust attack and could stir up racial hatred in the country and could affect foreign investment. Several of our online readers were quick to weigh in on this front page story.

Ryan Kellman: From the comments above we realize the lack of commonsense in the country. Racism goes both ways and we black people are some of the most racist people on the planet but are always the first to throw out the race card. This little episode may not affect future foreign investment but it does not make it correct. There was no need to mention the man's religion or nationality as these have nothing to do with the workers situation. Right is right and wrong is wrong.

Wayne T. Griffith: Wow. The comments here are a sad reflection of the xenophobic nature of many Bajans. And to think that we all have a relative who lives in the US or UK or further and would be appalled if their family was subjected to similar circumstances.

Raquel Gilkes: Roy's (I don't think I can bear to use sir anymore for this contemptible racist) comments were sickening and unworthy of his stature. Simply because everyone in the world hates Jews does not mean we should castigate them in the worse way. Simply because other people in the world have said bad things about us does not mean we should behave exactly the same way to other people.
I understand that years of oppression may have coarsened our manners and sensibilities, but one would think that such an experience would teach us not to do this disgusting thing to other people!

Ayo-Ololara Ifeoma Nomande: Racism is never right and should never be excused but excuse me if I cannot find the sympathy in this case. I have witnessed white on black racism subtle and not so subtle by white employers who know that they control the capital and since we blacks inherited nothing of financial worth from our forefathers were deigned to let it slide or find another job. Sir Roy was wrong in his remarks. I just find it difficult parting with my tears especially after I resigned from a job where blacks are subjected to some emotional stuff by the white owners.

‎Simon Gooding: What Sir Roy said cannot stop foreign investors from investing in Barbados. It takes high taxes...violence ...corrupt dictatorship governments....and Barbados doesn’t fit in this bracket. You all people gotta stop this fear mongering about investors wouldn’t invest.

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Posted by gazanfer karaman 1 year ago: Arrogance comes in great variety of forms; it can be from wealth, power, beauty, power or ignorance. I read today Nation paper that Sir Trotman does not think he said anything that can offend anybody so he denies he did any racist remarks .From his words you can feel the arrogance of a person even if he did wrong he would not admit it .So where does he get his dangerous arrogance that can make him so self confident that he can get away with the racist comments he made.
I do not think one second he is an ignorant man so the only other option is that he is getting his arrogance from the power he has, this in not his personnel power but it is the power of thousands of people he represents. The same people who has had suffered from racism for centuries. It is very ironic that the person who represents people who have suffered for centuries from racism finds a right in himself to make racist and insulting comments to other minority groups in the society.
So I like to know, do thousands of people he represents share his thoughts about his speech and his racist remarks in his speech in May Day? His position comes with responsibility he cannot say anything he wants because he feels the support of people he represents. He is not untouchable and he is not above the law.
He is clearly a hypocrite that will complain about the racism Bajan Society suffered for centuries in every chance he has but he will make racist comments about minority groups those live in the same society without a small hesitation and does not think he did anything wrong.
Note: The racial comments he made has nothing to do with the dismissal of seven people from Diamonds International .Diamonds International may or may not be right for dismissal of the people.
This issue should have been discussed without involving any kind of discrimination and racial comments that can trigger the separation and hatred in the society.

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Posted by Cleopatra Jones 1 year ago: Any investors would definitely be worried, it seems that the new trend in Barbados is that employers regardless if their origin or size have no rights, and now this?

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Posted by Althea Verty 1 year ago: It is obvious that many of us do not appreciate the difference between the concepts "racist" and "racial" and thus distort what has actually been said by Sir Roy. If anyone would research and understand these two concepts he/she would immediately desist from spouting ignorance about Sir Roy's statement being "racist"! That the statement was racial is true and should be no more offensive than if he called, let's say James Husbands, Ralph Taylor, Andrew Bynoe, "Black Bajan Businessmen". Certainly no RACISM here. This term has been used by White Bajan Businessmen and, quite rightly, no one took of offence...certainly not the Black Bajan Businessmen involved! Mr Hassid et al seem to be the ones who wish to inject a non-existent issue involving racism in this particular case. The pungent odour of fish - red-herring? - is very strong here! His "fears", I do not consider to have any basis in reality in Barbados UNLESS Mr Hassid is the one introducing the same to his family, friends and others. We do so love to jump on bandwagons, don't we?

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Posted by wayne husbands 1 year ago: WE WOULD RATHER DIE ON OUR FEET ,THAN KEEP LIVING ON OUR KNEES, WHEN YOU WERE FEEDING ME SHAKESPERE AND CHAUCER, I WAS INGESTING FANON AND MALCOLM,

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Posted by yogi Ni 1 year ago: @ KARAMAN, what racial hatred and disunity will it cause in Barbados. When the workers from Sandy Lane and the Store on Broad Street were fired, did it cause racial hatred and disunity in he society? it is people like you who want to create problems in Barbados, but that will not happen. We as Barbadians are way more intelligent than that.We talk about issues and move on.
Check how we conduct our election, and how smooth the transition is, never no violence. We eat out the same pot, drink out the same bottle, argue and discuss our Politics, and not a stone is ever thrown. That is who we are as Bajans and no one from outside of Barbados will ever change that.