Tomorrow marks yet another day of celebration for late National Hero Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow. The day allows for all Barbadians to reflect upon the life and times of the former Premier and Prime Minister.
In our small country, we sometimes take for granted the efforts of brothers and sisters in their quest to make a difference in the lives of their fellow countrymen. In this vein, we sometimes don’t acknowledge the importance of sacrifice on the part of these persons. The ultimate sacrifice of this chapter in the lives of persons like the late national hero would be family.
The requirements and task of the routine often dictate that you are away from home either because of travel commitments or demands from the requests of fellow Barbadians.
This element of the job often goes unnoticed by the accolades that are showered upon the person. The role of family cannot be understated as we seek to celebrate Errol Barrow’s Day. Tomorrow, January 21, Families First will be hosting yet another Errol Barrow Day celebration under the theme A Family Affair. It’s an occasion for us to join in fellowship and camaraderie as we renew ties and strengthen bonds.
The fabric that binds our society and that once defined it has been challenged in recent times. The advent of easy access to all the communication gadgets and cable television has led to reduced socialization and interaction. We have become a society of busy people not taking the time to know who sits next to us at church or who our children sit next to at school.
It is regrettable that the very village that once influenced a child has now been replaced by televisions, computer games and the Internet.
As a people, we need to take stock and determine what are the social elements that bind us together as a people and seek to guard against the erosion of these elements.
Too often national mobilization is done in the face of natural disasters and yet these persons who need a hand remain after the dust has settled. The same thing happens at Christmas and the seasonal calendar of giving. Our destiny as a people must be captured in our duty to family.
We want to urge Barbadians to “wrap ourselves in the Flag” as we seek to rekindle our community fellowship. The concept of Families First is not seasonal in manner or posture, but seeks to reflect the elements of sharing and fellowship that binds our society. We must never surrender or allow the glue that keeps our society together to dissolve.
The glue that binds our society together must be allowed to distinguish us as a people. We want to urge persons to join Families First in their Family Affair as they head to Browne’s Beach tomorrow for yet another massive celebration of family and life.
In store will be a huge playpen for the children as the adults soak in the rhythms of the steel pan and tuk on stage. Later in the evening we will be entertained by Soca Kartel, Mikey and Blood and addressed by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart.
Barbados you are invited.
• Douglas Leopold Phillips is a pseudonym for the Democratic Labour Party.
