The Nation’s Online Editor Carol Martindale looks at What’s Trending in Barbados today.
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart’s visit to Cuban Raul Garcia last week at Her Majesty’s Prisons Dodds has caused quite a stir among our online readers.
Stuart visited Garcia, the prisoner without a country, last Tuesday, the day before he left the island to attend the CARICOM Heads Of Government Meeting in Suriname.
Garcia, 58, served close to 20 years in prison on cocaine-related offences. He was initially released from prison but held at the holding section of the airport as Immigration officials investigated his background.
Many online readers shared their views on this.
Antony R Hector: “Excellent human gesture.”
Marc Gamble: “The Prime Minister must exercise his executive power and release Mr. Garcia immediately. I’ve written quite extensively I believe regarding Mr.Garcia confinement…. I’ve done so because I believe that this case transcends the jurisprudences which governs civil government, and penetrates profoundly with our human conscience. Many if not most have argued the pros and cons of this very unusual case, and sadly enough some have used Mr. Garcia’s shortcomings as a convenient punching bag to marginalize the effort made by others to win his autonomy.”
Hester Simpson: “Nice.”
Fiona Griffith: “Our Prime Minister, Mr Stuart keeps making wise decisions. I keep hearing what a brilliant man our PM is.”
Andrew Atherley: “While the PM met with Mr Garcia and spoke of his situation, what about the situation of this country? Drugs, guns, arm robberies, murder, gangs, etc.”
carolmartindale@nationnews.com
