Barbados for Bajans first
By Bert Johnson | Wed, February 06, 2013 - 12:00 AM
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I emigrated years ago and, in recent years, I have returned home to Barbados every year.
I am concerned about some of the recent changes. The tourist industry is under pressure: hotels like Heywoods, Sam Lord’s Castle, Paradise Beach, Silver Sands and Sandy Beach are closed.
Agriculture needs much support. Jobs are hard to find. The biggest joke is that local cows have responded to the challenge to produce more, but our dairy has asked them to reduce production.
Yet we have a population of 270 000 or more and only one dairy. I see a lot of imported milk products on the supermarket shelves. Seems strange.
The institutions of which I was so proud are now foreign-owned: Barbados National Bank, Insurance Corporation of Barbados, Barbados Shipping & Trading and others. I now hear that big supermarkets like SuperCentre JB’s and Big B are also foreign-owned.
But the greatest upset to me was finding no immigration line at the airport for Barbadian citizens.
Will the authorities please put back an immigration line dedicated to Barbadian citizens at the airport so that all who come can see who we are.
Let us feel special when we arrive home.
Barbados has to be for Barbadians first. It’s all we have left. Free movement into Barbados will destroy this country.
Our National Anthem says that we have to be the guardians of our heritage.
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- Posted by Kay-rani Rosita 3 months, 2 weeks ago
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Well said, Mr Johnson well said.
Comment Link- Posted by Iain Edghill 3 months, 2 weeks ago
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Open your eyes Mr. Johnson, there is a dedicated line at GAIA for "Citizens, residents and Caricom nationals." I use it all the time. But if you want a dedicated line for citizens only...different matter.
Comment LinkAs to your other thoughts, Barbados has just become another victim of the trend towards globalization. But the boards of directors of those companies that you mention do not have to sell out to "foreign" interests. Bajan companies have become lazy over the years, depending on a captive local market, rather than aggressively pursuing overseas opportunities. Why aren't Bajan companies investing in Trinidad? Or Jamaica?
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