WITH PEOPLE ACROSS THE GLOBE “smelling hell” in the prolonged economic downturn, Barbadians should develop an attitude of “gratitude and thankfulness” over their circumstances.
Government Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner made the suggestion yesterday during a speech in the Senate, where she complained some Barbadians gave the impression that in the tough economic times they should not be asked to make sacrifices.
Calling Barbadians “blessed” despite the economic difficulties, she told senators: “. . . I would wish in this season for us to understand that we are [blessed] and that we not only shop every day and pull down the house, that we sit down and do some introspection and see if we can develop an attitude of gratitude and comfort and well-being in an environment where some others are smelling hell today.”
She complained of finding an “attitude of gratitude and thankfulness . . . lacking in some of us who have so much”.
She was referring to the “hue and cry” raised in response to Government’s removal of tax allowances for credit union savings with effect from income year 2011. She said parents charged they could not pay for their children’s ballet, swimming, French and other lessons because of the tax change.
“. . . We have not yet felt the true impact of a recession and I am of the opinion that when the middle class cry out like this they are showing that they have no comprehension of what hardship really is . . .,” she said.
Sandiford-Garner underscored the need for sacrifices to pull Barbados out of its economic troubles. “You [Government] have to be able to target and to identify the class of persons whom you feel can most give a little, rather than the class you feel can’t give another cent more because there is pressure on the ground and even though, as we’ve said, the pressure has not reached crisis proportions, there are some people who are still feeling it,” she told senators.
“You can’t hit them any harder, so you have to look to see how you can get Barbadians to understand that a sacrifice has to be made if [Barbadians are] to come out of the recession that they are in.”
She added: “On that note, I would wish that our people during this season understand there are 78 million people today who can’t buy a turkey, who may probably have to line up to see if they can get some second-hand cheese.”
