POLITICIANS, PARTICULARLYTHOSE in office, always strive to setthe agenda for the debate in the country. By doing so they accomplish one important thing: they change theset of things that people think are important problems.
It’s the difference between telling people what to think, and telling them what to think about.
Political scientists call thisagenda setting.
This week Barbadians witnessed an attempt to set the agenda for discussion in the country as a way of avoiding a more serious issue being faced bythe populace.
We speak of Minister of Industry and Commerce Donville Inniss’ contention that the absence of a Barbadian on the bench of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is an issue.
Speaking in the House of Assembly during debate on an amendment to the Immigration Act, Inniss said in part: “I think this is a matter we have to be very frank about in this country. There are those who will always talk about, ‘Oh, you’re being nationalist and you ain’t committed to regional integration’ and all of that. When it suits them fine, they say that, once they [are] getting all the largesse and all the top picks.
“But I am satisfied that we have bright Barbadians, competent Barbadians, who have served onbenches across the region, whotoday could be serving on the Caribbean Court of Justice. But for whateverreason, we cannot find it fit to get one there.”
Since then, some discussion has been spawned on the matter – either in agreement or disagreement with the minister.
In our humble opinion, this matteris not even a slight breeze in a teacup.It is a non-issue.
The most significant matter concerning the CCJ is the court’s repeated statements that Barbadian courts are taking too long to give judgments.
Slowness in giving judgments means that matters that are important to individuals and companies are being dragged out, and this blight on Barbados’ judicial process strikes at the heart of the rule of law in this country, with implications for every citizen and potential investor.
That said, Inniss’ statements accomplished a shifting of the national conversation.
So less than 24 hours after the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) told Barbadians the situation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) was untenable with respect to the shortage of basic supplies there, and that the doctors will be taking action to safeguard patient health, very little else has been heard on this.
In addition, Government’s commitment last December to pay$25 million to suppliers owed by the hospital, followed by additional payments of $2 million a week, has reportedly not been fulfilled either.
Such is the poor state at the QEH that last month its chief executive officer reported that shortages of supplies were acute and this would lead to delaysin treatment.
Clearly, the inability of the QEH, our lone tertiary health facility, to provide basic supplies to treat every man, woman and child is more important than any discussion on getting a Barbadian on the CCJ panel of judges.
