As part of the Nation Publishing Company’s 50th anniversary of Independence celebrations, the WEEKEND NATION team – through this series – This Is My Story – will be speaking to people who migrated to the island and visitors who have come and fallen in love with our shores. We invite you to share with us or point us in the direction of an interesting person we can feature each week.
IT IS SAID Barbados and Guyana share a deep connection, and Anthony Boyce is a living example.
Born in Guyana, the now 49-year-old came to Barbados at age 18 when his Barbadian mother returned home. Now a father of two children of his own, this is his story.
“My father was in the military and he left for the United States as part of that so my mother decided she was going back home. At that time, the president was Forbes Burnham, who had a ban on flour, oil, everything,” he said.
As such, he said it was a different experience coming to Barbados – different but good.
“I came here in 1985 with two sisters and two brothers and we all got our citizenship. The lifestyle was different – Barbadians at that time were more friendly to immigrants. You could knock at anybody house and ask for a phone call and you would get it although there are more crazy people now so you have to be careful,” he said.
Boyce said his first job was in construction and he remains in the field today. He said that when he began he was paid $182 a week, which was a lot of money then. From there he moved to another firm and proudly said he was part of the team painting schools such as Gordon Greenidge Primary School and the Hospitality Institute. He is now affiliated with Edghill Associates.
Boyce said there were many things about Barbados he loved, as well as a few things he wished would change. He mentioned a lack of corruption, the infrastructure and the people as pluses.
“I glad to see that Barbados keeping the corruption out and I would tell anyone that. The police don’t make sport. If you call them they come and they are not corrupt – which is the biggest problem in Guyana. I like that getting around Barbados is easy; no part of Barbados is hard to reach and one thing for sure I feel safe walking the roads anytime.
“I like the facilities here. You can get things done quickly compared to other places such as Guyana although the new president trying to clean up. I also like that if a Bajan see something wrong, they will talk because if you don’t, then corruption does get bigger until you can’t control it,” he said.
While Boyce makes Barbados look like paradise he said all was not well. He had some strong political views, saying the current administration was not as friendly to immigrants, which in turn was hurting the local economy.
“I vote for both parties, whoever I feel could do the right thing I vote for but I liked Owen Arthur – he knew how to get things done and it was never about who was Bajan or Guyanese. When David Thompson took over, a lot of my friends get send back. [The] Immigration [Department] stopped issuing [work] permits and that is why Barbados in trouble now – the Guyanese used to do the farming and a lot of hard work others didn’t want to do and they helped keep the economy going,” he said.
Boyce also identified issues regarding young people and excessive drinking and the difficulty for youth getting a job.
“Young people drinking too much; I sit here and watch these youth stumbling and vomiting and getting carry off and that never used to happen back in the day. They do not know how to drink and they mixing up everything. Me, I don’t drink or smoke.
“Also, when the young people leave school, why is it so hard to get a job? Employers talking about five years’ experience is nonsense; let them learn on the job. I hate that. It is what making a lot of young people idle on the street,” he said.
Boyce’s own children are 18 years old and a one year old. He said he taught his older to be a leader just as his parents taught him and he had no problems with her, adding too many parents just gave their children what they wanted and ignored them until the law made ignoring them impossible.
On a brighter note, Boyce said he liked to spend his time relaxing on the beach and listening to vintage reggae music as he was a fan of Reggae On The Hill. He said life in Barbados was good.
“You just have to know what to do and you got to know how to budget,” he said.
carlosatwell@nationnews.com