Growing up in Barbados, studying in England, and living for decades in the United States, Barbados’ new Chief Justice Marston Gibson has seen more than his fair share of military parades.
So, when he attended the recent Independence Day Parade in his birthplace, his first since assuming his duties, Gibson was well placed to judge the precision of the troops and the other formalities associated with the anniversary celebrations.
Just as important, as a well known guitarist, he knows excellent music when he hears it.
That was why when he issued his report card on the parade, his assessments couldn’t be dismissed. They would warm the hearts of the soldiers, police officers, cadets and others on parade, especially the Police Band.
“I can say this as a dual citizen of Barbados and the United States, the United States Marine Band can’t hold a feather to the Barbados Police Band,” he said in a short address at the gala to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Independence.
“It was stupendous. At some point on Independence you need to be sitting there, listening to the band, watching our boys, it’s beyond description.”
With more than 300 Bajans and others gathered at Russo On The Bay, an upscale catering centre in the Howard Beach section of Brooklyn, the Chief Justice spoke about the need to reduce the backlog of criminal and civil cases now clogging the courts; the idea of alternative dispute resolution with mediators being used to settle disputes; the improvements in the relationship between the judiciary and the attorneys; and about his openness to suggestions from all sectors of people at home and in the Diaspora.
“We spend too much time criticizing. We have got this terrible character flaw in which we believe when we are criticizing we are bettering ourselves,”
he lamented. “All we are doing is getting the momentary thrill of knowing that we can
criticize somebody.
“It is far better to suggest a solution and that’s what I am hoping for. So, I am very open to suggestions and I tell people the best ideas are the ones I will move forward and it doesn’t have to be my idea. I don’t think I have all of the ideas and I certainly don’t think I have
the best ones. You can have my email address, [email protected] or [email protected].”
But before Gibson spoke, Barbados’ Consul General in New York, Lennox Price, said that despite the economic storms hovering over Barbados, he was confident the country “can hold its own” and would eventually emerge stronger than before. He urged Bajans abroad to invest in their birthplace, not simply through their remittances but by buying Government bonds, which help to spur development.
He also appealed to Bajans abroad to get involved in tourism promotion, through the Barbados Tourism Authority’s (BTA) Friends And Family Programme, “which provides a unique opportunity for you to assist the BTA” in its drive to attract more visitors to the country.
The gala was organized by the Council of Barbadian Organizations in New York (CBONY), a 16-member grouping which was once headed by Gibson but is now led by Junior Perry. He also urged people to back a new initiative which calls for the opening of Barbados’ first hospice, an effort being spearheaded by the Barbados Diaspora Collaborative, a group led by the Barbados Cancer Association of America, and includes CBONY.
CBONY honoured two Bajans – Rev. Eddie Alleyne, a rural dean of the Episcopal Church’s Archdiocese in Brooklyn, and Price – for their deep involvement in the Barbadian community in the city.
Political strategist Hartley Henry also spoke, insisting that Independence celebrations were a time to reflect on achievements and to look forward to even greater successes.
“We are in for great things in the future,” he said.
Among those in the audience was Natasha Silvers, who was crowned a week earlier as Miss Barbados USA 2011.
