I HAVE gone to school and interacted with the children of many politicians, including those of our nation’s current Prime Minister and immediate former Prime Minister. In addition, one of my best friends is the daughter of the late Lionel Craig. The aforementioned are, and continue to be, all lovely girls.
I have often wondered why other children of politicians always seemed very “disenchanted” with politics or even discussing policies outside of their close circle of friends. Until now.
Perhaps what I saw as “disenchantment” by many of my peers was an awareness that when it comes to politics in this island, people only ever understand situations from their level of perception. I witnessed first-hand the teasing of children who were too young to defend their fathers at primary school and secondary school. I continue to witness horrible memes created by malicious thinking cyber bullies (this too, is a form of cyber bullying) on a medium which is used by their children.
Fortunately, we live in a community which prides itself on being an intellectual society, boasting high rates of literacy and a scholarly workforce, for the most part. Unfortunately, we also live in a society which is riddled with immature thinking, close mindedness and where rumour, propaganda and speculation are rampant.
When my father announced that he was entering the political race under the mantle of the Barbados Labour Party, I became very pensive. At 28, I am my own woman. I have my own views, perspectives and my back is very broad. My siblings, however, are young children. I worried about my brother going to school and children hurting his feelings and saying horrible nasty things about a man who simply is his hero. I remember visiting a Government official’s office years ago and being told: asked: “Why you doing all dese projects and want to collaborate wid a Government that your father is blast pun a platform?”
I took this to mean that at age 21, in an effort to do something as a young Barbadian to elevate our cultural development, there were some people that could not see beyond the fact that I was simply my father’s daughter. As much as I would never change this for the world, Barbadians find it hard to allow people to carve out their own niches. This is why I see many doctors’ children being pestered about when they will enter the medical field. More relevant to this topic, this is why so many people are disappointed when children of politicians seem disinterested with entering public life.
On the other hand, we are living in different times. The days of corned beef politics are eroding. Gone are the days where votes will be given simply because of a politician who was in office 50 years ago. I actually told my grandmother (who is a staunch DLP supporter) that although we still have many people who continue with petty and nasty politics in Barbados, I am thankfully seeing people attacking more policies and fewer people. More people believe that their vote is priceless and cannot be bought.
Next year we celebrate 50 years as an independent nation and I implore us Barbadians to elevate our level of thinking and adopt some modicum of independent thought.
I long for the day when Barbadians will prove me wrong and I won’t have to worry about my seven-year-old brother or my three-year-old sister. Perhaps, in this era, people will allow them to be themselves. If they want to be nurses or Customs officers, they won’t have to feel pressured to walk in my father’s exact footsteps.
Toni Thorne is a young entrepreneur and World Economic Forum Global Shaper who loves global youth culture, a great debate and living in paradise. Email Tonithorne@hotmail.com.