Barbados is described in tourism markets as an “aspirational destination”; a place where many middle-class Europeans put aside a significant part of their savings to spend two weeks in this tropical paradise.
It is the place that late United Nations Secretary-General and Kenyan doyen Kofi Annan, famously described as “punching above its weight”.
A long-time regional fan of Barbados has been St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who penned one of the most endearing letters of homage to the leadership role of Barbados in the post-colonial experience of the Caribbean Community. As far as he was concerned, Barbados stood out as one of the most well-run “black countries” in the world.
In 2021, it was to Barbados that Dr Gonsalves flew for immediate attention at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) after suffering a concussion when he was hit in the head.
For many decades, this island was identified as a leader in the Americas when it came to the human development index, formulated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Barbadians are justly proud of the sacrifices that were made by the poor and working class who, through the forethought of political and thought leaders like Errol Walton Barrow, Grantley Adams, and Hugh Springer, adopted many progressive social policies. Before them were others who laid the groundwork such as Charles Duncan O’Neal, Clennell Wickham and Samuel Jackman Prescod.
These men and women wanted to create a Barbados where all its citizens were allowed to develop to their fullest potential and that the country was a place that every citizen would be proud to call home.
There is no suggestion that Barbados has gone to hell in a handbasket; however, there must be an admission that accepted standards and the high level of orderliness for which this country has been known are on the decline, and rapidly so.
Some people are quick to denigrate the radio call-in programmes and write them off as a place where people only gripe and complain.
Radio call-in programmes, however, are closely monitored by government ministries, departments, and the private sector. The reason? These programmes provide the decision-makers with a barometer of sentiment on the ground.
The cloak of anonymity allows callers to express themselves freely about their concerns. Those worries have been coming fast and furious.
The concerns of average Barbadians centre around the cost of living, the falling quality of healthcare at the QEH, and in particular the QEH’s Accident & Emergency Department. Out of this state of affairs is the development of a two-tier healthcare system in which those with money can access quality services at private clinics, while the others must wait two or three days in Accident & Emergency.
Barbadians are not pleased about the unavailability of some drugs on the National Drug Formulary which they can access freely or at subsidised prices. They are worried about the poor quality of water that St Lucy residents are receiving while also being forced to pay high water bills.
Issues related to crime and the recent spate of murders, as well as the increased reports of violence in our secondary schools are a source of worry.
At the same time, there are systemic issues related to governance and general societal adherence to established rules.
Government’s efforts, such as the push to establish Business Barbados to improve business facilitation or the development of a 24-hour hotline to address shortcomings in customer service quality in state departments and ministries, provide clear evidence that the country is not meeting the expectations of those who want to do business.
Some repeat visitors, who form a significant segment, have commented on the changing Barbadian landscape and the “Miami-nisation” of the island.
It is impossible to go back to the simple days, but it is important that Barbadians do not lose those qualities that made them attractive as a people. There must be a whole-of-country determination that Barbados must not lose its soul, that the care and consideration for fellow citizens are deemed as valuable as the car we drive or the home in which we reside.
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