IT IS AMAZING that in 21st century Barbados that people can be so patently misguided as to be blinded by partisan loyalties. Nevertheless, it is a common mistake that we as African people make all too often when dealing with each other. We tend to assume that every African is good, disregarding the “house Negro” syndrome that Malcolm X spoke about.
Too many African leaders have come through hard-fought liberation struggles against racist white elites only to end up doing far worse when in power than the colonials.
This is an experience that we too often can recall. I would be hard pressed to find an African leader, Barbados included, that is without blemish as far as integrity, accountability, economic empowerment and responsible governance for their people are concerned.
Virtually all post-colonial governments have shown from the inception of their tenure that they are characteristic of too many of the traits that keep our people back – greed, indifference, corruption, messianic politics, clientelism, arrogance, disdain, neo-liberalism, and the list goes on.
It is pathetic to inject race into this struggle for dignity and self-empowerment of the masses. It has never worked by the white elite and it certainly will not work now by a black elite!
Strategic demographic and ethnic alliances have from time immemorial been used by populations worldwide to achieve ends denied through the ballot box. This local situation is no different.
– IAN A. MARSHALL
