Stuart: Guard your minds

BARBADOS is in the midst of a battle of the mind.Acting Prime Minister Freundel Stuart said the public had to safeguard itself against detractors whose purpose was to poison their minds.“Since the battle is for your minds, people will come with all sorts of stories to try to destabilise your abilities in the hope they can destabilise your Government; prove the people of Barbados were wrong in January 2008 and try to get power back so they can continue the maladministration to which this country was subjected between 1994 and 2008,” he said.Stuart was addressing the inaugural luncheon and awards ceremony of the Christ Church West branch of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) yesterday at Almond Bay, Hastings, Christ Church.Stuart said the major thrust of this attempted destabilisation was concerning the economic crisis.“If it is raining, it is not breaking news to say the road surfaces are wet. If a cane field is burning, it is not breaking news to say ash is flying around. If the world is going through the worst recession in 100 years, it is not breaking news to say there is economic stagnation because what recession means is precisely that.“So all the talk about the country about to collapse and all the dismal prophecies of gloom and doom and all of the dingy attempts to spread alarm and despondency across Barbados, are foredoomed to failure because the character and the moral strength and the insight and foresight of Barbadians will see that we get through this recession successfully,” he said.Stuart said there were certain “political poseurs” who were saying Government was to somehow find a way to turn around the dwindling number of visitors flying in from Britain.“The economy of Britain is going through its worst recession since the 1930’s . . . The people who are coming as tourists have to be [willing and] able to spend and travel but even if we say our tourism product targets the higher end of the British market, it does not mean they would be willing to travel and that is where our marketing has to come in but that does not mean you can force anybody to come here,” he said, adding it all depended on the restoration of the British economy.Stuart then urged the audience and the public not to be “hoodwinked” by those who practised double-speak or to be side-tracked by empty talk. (CA)