We aare told that Governor General Sir Clifford Husbands’ resignation last month – “sudden” as it was – has the Government in a kind of pickle.
The Government, says Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, “for the first time” has been forced to consider “security arrangements” for a retired Governor General. We are not sure if Mr Stuart means the Democratic Labour Party Government or the Government generally, for we recall Sir Hugh Springer himself retiring through ill health in 1990 and passing away only in 1994.
What then obtained in Sir Hugh’s case for the roughly four years after he demitted office? Granted, Sir Hugh was gravely ill and activity by him would have been limited, but it would hardly have diminished his status as a former Head of State.
A “senior statesman” told the SUNDAY?SUN that “permanent security arrangements” were “custom” and it would be strange if Sir Clifford didn’t get the “protection that comes with his office”.
We couldn’t agree more that Sir Clifford is deserving of appropriate security for his personal safety and the integrity of his status, and comfort in his transportation and whereabouts.
Our former Head of State, having left office for the betterment of his health, is worthy of having a meaningful, restful and dignified retirement.
A full month will have come on Independence Day since Sir Clifford’s retirement on October 31 last, and so we are pleased to hear from the Prime Minister that this matter is “under active consideration” by his administration; in fact, that “there are preparations in place”.
We are still puzzled though that there has been all this “confusion” since Sir Clifford left and that at this last minute officials of the Ministry of Defence and Security have to be running hither and thither.
But Prime Minister Stuart has promised to speak to these matters when he returns to Barbados, which explanations we believe he will offer with the utmost clarity.
At the end of it all though, it comes down to respect and acknowledgement of the contribution of our former leaders.
That there is apparently no protocol for post-leadership life underscores the need for legitimizing the accepted code of procedure that comes out of the Sir Clifford situation. We simply must treat our former Heads of State and Heads of Government with the same respect we afforded them when they were in office.
As of former Prime Ministers, Opposition Leader Owen Arthur is right. Given our tradition and “relatively peaceful and free society”, it may not be incumbent upon the Government to provide any special day-to-day security for them.
The comfort zone of Former Prime Ministers – and their love to boot – may be among the people; yet they ought to be accorded special preference at national events and ceremonies. Such a status is nothing less than deserving.