Click on image to hear BBC report on Guyana massacre
Analysts Fear Racial Tension Could Spark Further Violence
Calm was reported on Tuesday, in areas of Guyana affected by tensions fueled by the murders of 11 people by a suspected criminal gang last weekend. On Monday, police fired teargas and pellets to disperse hundreds of protesters blocking roads along the country’s east coast. Some groups and analysts, including the human rights association, have expressed concern that tension between Guyana’s ethnic communities could boil over into further violence.
Source: BBC Report
It is prophetic that BU published the article entitled Can Barbados Avoid Escalating Crime & Violence In Neighbouring Trinidad & Guyana? on the 26 January 2008. Our article coincided with the massacre of 11 persons in rural Guyana which is reported to have escalated ethic tensions there. This was a tragic incident and we extend our sympathy to the affected families.
As Barbadians, the unfortunate incident serves to highlight the present danger of an open door immigration policy. We have written ad nauseam on the subject, specifically the impact of Indo-Guyanese on a dominantly Negro nation like Barbados – do a search of our archives using key word ‘Immigration’. It is instructive that Guyana is a country which is split almost down the middle by race, i.e. Indian and Black. It is a country where although the Blacks have enjoyed political power, the Indians have been the economic force in the country. There has been irrefutable evidence manifested through the years of the racial tensions in Guyana. It is a society which continues to struggle to find a basis for sustained harmony between the races. Anyone who challenges this assertion we liken to the proverbial ostrich.
We agree with one commenter who forwarded the view that self-preservation is a natural instinct of animals, the uncivilized kind and it is one which human can do well to learn. We have repeatedly stated that our immigration policy needs to become more efficient. Immigrant labour should be regulated to match demand and the process should be copiously documented. We are amused by the politicians, theoreticians and intellectuals who continue to spout positions based on text book positions. In the Caribbean, we have two living examples of multi-ethnic societies which continue to struggle to find the formula to support coexistence. Why should Barbados experiment with the idea of a growing multi-ethnic society and ignore the perennial racial tensions in Guyana and Trinidad?
We again wish to send out a word of caution to those responsible in our new government to closely examine the current open door policy supported by the past government. It has gotten so bad that illegal immigrants don’t even bother to move around Barbados clandestinely. Ordinary Barbadians can with ease direct the authorities to areas in Barbados where illegal Guyanese can be found in bushels. We have nothing against Guyanese, Indian or Black i.e. in theory. In practice, however, we think that there is sufficient evidence to be concerned. The vast number of Guyanese immigrants are of the unskilled variety and we strongly believe that with a world recession forecasted and the new DLP government’s commitment to slowing capital projects roll-out, excess labour in the construction sector is bound to occur.
Will anyone hear our cry?
indijoe ~we see you agree with us that we need to manage inflows of immigrants. We see you make mention of a similar problem which India has but then you qualified the statement by recognizing you are comparing a large India to a small Barbados. What are you saying?
Dear David, if you could go thru my earlier posts you would realise that India/ indians or Hindu bashing is not solutions for Barbados problems, as some of the bloggers did blatantly on this blog.
From my previous posts it is self explanatory of my intentions for a peaceful Barbados. I wish Barbados learn to manage the migrants inflow sans any discrimination and not as some of you suggested in this blog. Taking Indians as the root cause for todays crime neither represent the true state nor help the country. ‘All illegal migrants are indians’ though passively expressed in the article, doesnt augur well for the society which is embracing the new economical order of the world.
indijoe
You wrote “Yardbroom-In India there are at least 10 millions of refugees (illegal migrants) from Pakistan/Bangladesh/Srilanka/Bhutan and a host of other nations you might not have heard of”…
The above statement shows you have not grasped the central problem we are discussing.
None of those countries has the African/Indian mix which Barbadians are concerned about, eg nearer home in Trinidad and Guyana where tensions have arisen.
If as you wish me to, go further afield, in Kenya, Uganda Fiji to name a few countries where the indigenous population is of African heritage there have been problems when the Indian population has risen to a noticeable percentage. I will not hazard a guess why – as I am only interested in outcomes.
For those of us who have travelled or lived in Asian countries, we have opinions why, but that is just opinion.
What I have stated is based on history, facts and the experience of other countries. I would like to think Barbados will be different to all the others in that regard …but I fear not.
Yardbroom,
I was just replying to your earlier blog
“…Can anyone just turn up in the UK or any European Country if they just feel like doing so, why should Barbados be any different. Could I just go to India or Pakistan to live if I felt like doing so, no I could not….” to let you know how impractical and porous international illegal migrant rules are.
USA and UK also no exception to this.
Migrants be it legal or illegal brings in certain economic advantages and their willingness to work hard in extreme conditions made mark for them. But not always liked by the locals for the fear of not being as competetive as them and to mitigate such rise of non-locals, we raise on to religion, social strata, race …what not!
I hate being racial towards any person based on his color or descendence and I wont be timid in raising such exclusive, race based policies and thought process anywhere!
indiejoe
I do not see the Barbados situation as simply racial, if the “illegal” immigrants were black and from another West Indian island, concerns would still be expressed.
The main problem is that Barbadians have models close at hand, to which they can refer eg Trinidad and Guyana and the outcomes there in the main have not been good.
It is true that immigrants both legal and “illegal” can sometimes benefit a country in the short term. However in “some instances” the societal negative impact can outweigh those economic advantages, therefore the reasons for concern.
I would never denigrate a people on the basis of race alone, I have never done so. The issue here is societal cohesion, orderly function of society and efforts to ensure that the fabric of Barbadian society to which immigrants feel disposed to be part of, is kept intact.
Can anyone name a country with black indigenous residents or black residents that preceded the arrival of Indians, where these population groups live in harmony. Forget the cause of the tension just name one and let’s go from there.
People like to talk around issues rather than dealing with facts and realities. They choose political correctness over rational examination. Barbados is a small nation with social and economic stability inconsistent with her more resource rich neighbours of Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. That the primary causative operant in the situation of those two states is tension, suspicion and insecurity between the two major groups speaks for itself. Maybe Africans and Indians are just not culturally compatible to exist harmoniously on a common plain.
The immigrants mentioned migrating to India are different mainly in beliefs rather than in physical make-up. So that is a straw argument being juxtapositioned to evade the central issue. The central issue is whether Barbados as a small nation will be helped or harmed by an influx of new people from social environments inundated with prejudice? Will the residue of that nurturing be conducive to the health and well being of Barbados? Forget this shit about economic benefits. Of what good is that if the price is Barbados becoming a smaller version of Guyana or Trinidad and Tobago. Let’s make it bloody plain man.
Almost every southern and east African country has a large Indian minority (e.g. South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya etc). The Indians came with the trading routes across the Indian ocean. North Africa of course has a large Muslim majority.
In South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania there is a long history of peaceful co-existence and you often come across Indian Ministers and officials in these African countries. There is of course far more intra-African strife (Congo, Rwanda, Angola, Nigeria, Ethiopia, than the odd African-Indian strife in Africa.
The one place where there was major trouble, in Uganda, when many black Ugandans expressed similar views being expressed here about Indians, and the Indians were chucked out. In recent years the Black Ugandan government has been trying to get them to come back.
You are absolutely wrong. There are problems on the Cape in South Africa. A song was made about it and it got banned. There are problems in Kenya. Talk to black Kenyans and they will inundate you with anecdotes of prejudice.
The Indians that were sent away from Uganda all had British Passports. That was the central issue behind their deportation. I disagree with the procedure and considered it racist, but it was not simply a case of Indians being willy nilly [icked on and sent away.
In Fiji, the indigenuos peoples revolted because 0f discrimination and prejudice. The same trend surfaced when Panday was in power in T&T, and is in operation in Guyana today.
If Africa and Africans were predisposed to be judgemental about others I doubt if the tendency would have been for people to be pouring into the countries and communities where they are, than vice versa. There is a stunning myopia existing in an argumjent that does not examine mountainous evidence of receptivity.
India as a narion has never had a policy of racism against blacks and no one has made that argument. It is an extrapolation employed to avoid dealing with the facts as they are represented. If you guys get me pissed I will visit the numerous Indian Websites in cuber space and post excerpts of their comments. Nothing in here comes close to what is said about blacks on GNI and other predominant Indian Websites, and I will make it my duty to copy and paste examples for the fools to ruminate on. vvthAll of the comments spoke of th
indians save……starve themselves, take loans, build house, starve self more pay loan
blacks parties, buy nikes, enjoy life
These are the recent comments from a predominant Indian Guyanese website, and this is mild in comparison to what is said nthere. The same people who make these racist comments come on boards like this and accuse other of being prejudice. I scour cyber space and can provide evidence behind my perspectives. You cannot find one black website with comments on par with what you will find there.
Freddie Kissoon
A disturbing thing I heard at Deryck Bernard’s wake
On Sunday evening, at the wake of Deryck Bernard, Mr. David Dewar, in a casual chat, informed me that his contract with Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) was not renewed. I didn’t ask him to repeat the statement. I know if David Dewar said that, then it happened because Mr. Dewar is not someone given to exaggeration.
The Dewars have served this country patriotically not only in the public sector but culturally too. Mr. Dewar has forty years experience in the water sector and may be the only Guyanese to hold a Masters degree in water engineering. He is one of the finest pubic servants this country has produced.
The chairman of GWI, Dr. Bradley Solomon, is a colleague of mine at UG. Yesterday morning I asked him how a top class engineer could not find a place at GWI. What I heard from Dr. Solomon shows the pathological level of incompetence that has enveloped this country. Dr. Solomon seems to have agreed with me that someone like Mr. Dewar is needed at GWI but asserted that it was a decision of Dewar himself to leave.
The Chairman of GWI told me that he knows absolutely that Mr. Dewar chose not to renew his contract. I kept pressing the point to the chairman that in unambiguous terms, Mr. Dewar informed me that GWI chose not to renew his contract. It would appear that the decision to terminate Dewar’s relationship with GWI was made by CEO, Karan Singh
I contacted Karan Singh. He answered in the affirmative that GWI decided to let Dewar go. May I remind readers that Dr. Solomon was definitive that as chairman he knows from the documents that came in front of him that Dewar decided he wanted to leave.
Mr. Singh contradicted Dr. Solomon by explaining to me that GWI went through a restructuring and based on that process they didn’t have any room for Dewar at GWI. He made it quite clear to me that Dewar’s job had become redundant with the reorganization within GWI. I described to Mr. Singh that the international lending agencies have classified Guyana as being in a group of the eleven poorest countries in the entire world. I further stated that Guyana has a pathetic human resource base. Against these brutal facts, I put the question to Mr. Singh if Guyana can have a water engineer with forty years experience being unemployed. Yes,he is a blackman
Mr. Singh chose his reply carefully. He refused to answer that question. His choice of words was that in restructuring there was no place for Mr. Dewar and even if Mr. Dewar had a doctorate in water engineering, the decision to relieve him would have been the same. After repeating the question to Mr. Singh about a poor country like Guyana choosing to have qualified engineers walking the road, he again declined a comment. So I moved on to other topics at GWI. Again, it showed the lack of knowledge of what is taking place at GWI.
I should point out to readers that I became a little annoyed with Dr. Solomon when I asked him to react to the question of more than thirty persons in the management sector of GWI that have either left or were fired. Dr. Solomon told me that since I am the one doing the research then I should seek to find out what is going on at GWI. I was somewhat taken back by such a naïve response. I fired back by arguing that since he is the chairman of GWI then he is part of my research material and he should answer my questions. As it turned out, Mr. Solomon agreed to speak to me but was not helpful, confining his knowledge to only four cases of dismissals by Mr. Singh that he knows about. He suggested that those dismissed managers should write the boards. I told him, Mr. Dennis Yearwood, with 25 years service, and a top class public servant was fired even though Board member, Komal Chand of GAWU did not agree and the matter in fact came up in front of the Board.
My research showed that more than 30 middle and high level managers have either left GWI voluntarily, or were fired, since Mr. Singh resumed the CEO post. Mr. John Seeram, the UG Finance Director and former Board member under Minister Shaik Baksh has informed me that the figure is much higher than that. He was of the opinion that something has gone badly wrong at GWI since Mr. Singh took over and there should be an urgent investigation into the role of Mr. Singh.
I cited that figure to Dr. Solomon. He could not confirm it but opined that the exodus was not confined to GWI but other places in Guyana. I agreed with that perception but I did alert Dr. Solomon to the fact that the number of thirty had occurred with the return of Mr. Singh and there was no parallel elsewhere in Guyana where in one firm there is such a rush to leave or persons were dismissed over just a period of two months.
I asked Mr. Singh to comment on the four dismissals cited by Dr. Solomon. He was bold enough to say that Dr. Solomon got it wrong in that there were more than four managers he dismissed. I interjected and said; “That you dismissed?” He paused then calmly replied; “I withdraw my statement; they were dismissed by GWI.”
Mr. Singh went on to tell me that he stands by all the notices of termination; he believes he acted properly and there were just causes for the termination letters. I then showed Mr. Singh that of the 30 persons that I know over 98% came from a particular group. His response was that he fires employees who should be fired and no other factor comes into consideration and he does not take other factors in the equation. Mr. Singh then accused me of writing wrong things about him and that I have refused to criticize the foreign firm that was in charge of GWI. He then abruptly brought the interview to an end.
I sought a comment from Board member, Komal Chand, the only leader of a trade union that is an executive member of the ruling party of a government and a parliamentarian of the ruling party in the entire Caricom region. As I wrote above, Mr. Chand is a board member of GWI (remember my theory of incestuous politics of the PPP?). I solicited a response from him on Mr. Dennis Yearwood and the style of Mr. Karan Singh at GWI. Mr. Chand let me know that he will not give me a comment on anything concerning GWI and that was the end of the interview. I can’t say I came out good yesterday as a media operative. But you lose some; you win some.
Do you know that Laurie Bancroft was dismissed from Customs and Excise after Jagan came to power in 1992? No reason was given and Dr. Jagan refused to listen to him. Bancroft is the only Guyanese with a Masters degree in Customs operations. Where Guyana is going to end up is so easy to predict.
Freddie Kisson is the one indo guyanese journalist who I am willing to listen to.
To my mind he calls a spade a spade much to the chagrin of Basdeo Jagdeo and his racist party operatives.
He writes in the Kaeitur News.
What I gather from that article is that Mr Kissoon seem to be saying that the new indo CEO a Mr Singh seems to be firing all the top and middle managers who are of africn descent,even though they have valuable skills which Guyana needs.
Guess which group he is talkiing about. I selected the mildest of a group of comments because there is a limit too what my stomach will accomodate.
These sentiments litter the caribbean discourse, but when we react to them and give views founded on them, the shield of protection is unravelled by extrapolating the comments across the entire group so as to have two bites of the cherry. To be able to accuse blacks of racism, while wallowing in the inverse proportionate and ego fulfilling sanctum of anti black bigotry.
Guys do not be racist, but do not allow anyone to place you on guilt trip by defining your exposure of prejudice as racism. These are generally closet bigots who crave to have their cakes and eat it too.
Instead of a Mash band and super fete, it will be more to Guyana’s interest to go to work and stop whining and complaining.
It is interesting than one particular race the world over keeps hollering “racism” and “discrimination” and “marginalisation”, and at the same time have the most expensive clothes and vehicles even while they are not PROVIDED jobs – and therefore have no income.
Forget the mash band and the super fete. GO TO WORK.
The portion begining with “Instead of a Mash Band” is an excerpt from a comment on blacks in Guyana.
Here is a dozy
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Why all people of all races deemed “racist” when they object to the degradation of their communities by blacks? How is it that Blacks are the only non-racists on earth?
There are not many men who will have sex or marry a black female. Perhaps Green or Manning will like to explain to the world the intent of the mixed-race communities or “douglarisation”
It is clear to me that the intended victims are women of all races who are supposed to have offsprings by blacks. Isn’t this “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”?.
These are not white Aryans making these remarks. These are the sentiments of some Caribbean Indians. For people to come to this DB and open their stink mouth and talk about racism is an example of the silly shyte that passes for balance in this world. Many of them are frequent visitors to the sites where these expressions are numerous, and they never pen a line of protest or indignation.
I am gone now. I refuse to sully myself by being proximate to bigots who define anti Indian racism as exposure of the prejudice of some Indians. I thought an anti indian racist was someone who hated Indians. It seem to have morphed into a case of those who some Indians hate, or who expose examples of this hate. What a bunch unadulterated stiffed necked bigots.
Adrian Hinds on BFP some time ago also mentioned a guyanese website which is totally racist in their remarks against persons of African descent.
Can’t remmeber the name of the site right now.
Where ever blacks in majority Indians will be hardly safe Viz. Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria etc…
If it vice versa( Indians in majority) Blacks can be rest assured being safe and wealthy.
Viz.. Mauritius, India with multi religions.
The truth is plain and always harsh, sadly!!!
I welcome all Barbadians particularly racist brothers to visit India to enjoy the peace and tranquility with Ayurveda and Yoga which works for you guys, making you destressed and free from narrow mindedness.
Can Indians And Blacks Co-exist In Barbados?
This is an easy question. All it takes is another question.
Has Indian and Blacks ever co-existed (if the percentage of each group are relatively equal) in any country where both are the majority?
If you can name a country where this has occurred, then the answer is YES.
If you can’t name a country where both co-existed happily together under the same conditions then the answer is NO.
I cannot think of such a country so my answer is NO.
I am not saying it is impossible, but until it happens I will have to stay with this answer.
I live in the UK and there is tension between Asians and Blacks here. Not long ago there were Asian Vs Black riots/clashes in Birmingham
If their numbers are anywhere near equal there will be problems.
Not that this is the correct way foward, it just seems that this is the way it is.
The Barbados situation is worrying, if the Indian numbers grow enough there will be problems.
Dreamers can dream and hopers can hope this doesn’t happen. The reality is that history
proves it most likely.
One cannot speak of the Indo-Afro divide in Guyana and Trinidad in the same breath. While there are other ethnic groups in Trinidad( Portuguese; Chinese; Lebanese; “whites”) Guyana does not have this ethnic profile. there is also no racially motivated violence in Trinidad, while in Guyana it seems that this is sometimes or even often the basis for violence.
One only needs to visit Trinidad and to look at its rainbow people to know that the so-called tension between Indo and Afro trinis exists on the political level only. The day after elections, the tension exists in Parliament.
I am a Trinidadian and have fellow trini friends of all ethnicities and I am not unique in this respect.
I recommend that Barbadians try to accept the beauty of racial co-existence and integration and stop seeing it as a threat.
All countries should have reasonable immigration policies reflective of the economic reality of the country but acceptance or refusal should NEVER be on the basis of race.
Dear all/Fellow Bajans,
I am more than surpise to come across this topic, the lease I can advise is be humane and anti-racial.
First of all Guyana, if not for the racial/political scenario would have been and still have the potential to be the wealthiest Caricom memberstate, more so now that they have found a vast resever of oil on the Suriname /Guyana Border. Out Economical situation in Caricom as a whole is very volitile and heavily dependent of the developed countries (lets say ‘White” since this forum is race bias). I have heard UK whites claiming if it was not for them Barbados would have been a Garbage heap. So stop critising Guyana and Trinidad for their problems, we have just reached an agreement with TT for oil and trust me on this, we must help and assist Guyana because that most likely will be our Grand children’s bread haven.
Now About East indians and immigrants, first of all for anyone here to be critical/bias of any race in this forum is as a racisl crime as any illegal person. Secondly, since when in our human race is of being an East Indian a crime, as a black I am totally embarassed that we are sidelining our Indian brothers and sisters who were subject as slaves and punishment as our forefathers by the whites. Now we are thinking of doing what we fought the white to stop doingto us. ‘Dejavu’
I really don’t think East Indians are in Barbados because they wanted to cause problem, they came here to avaoid the voilence in their country because the want to living decent as we do in B’dos. Behonest with yourself, both in Trinidad and Guyana the progressive ehtnic group and less lawless are the East Indians. The majority of illegal crimals caught in Barbados are of black Afro-Guyanese decents. and if you are still being honest, the are as much illegal blacks coming to Barbados as Indians.
And as a professional in the political/journalism field, i must ask where did you guys get the information that it is East Indians who are creating the criminal acts in Guyana and Trinidad. Bury your conciouness and open your eyes, the majority are black youths. Look at India it is quickly becoming a world economic power house, look at Barack Obamma if no racial influence he will be the next american President, look at Nelson Mandela then think about Mahatma Ghandie, see the commonalities.
If David Thompson and yourself really wants to think for the better welfare of Barbados and your children’s future, think positive. East Indian are a different culture, different religions but are as beautiful as us and should be seen as us, coloured people.
Despite the few grimlins and racist, our through enemy is still our present master here in Barbados, that is the whites. So when the table will turn, Guyana & Trinidad may be our rescue.
Beleive this or you have an evil mind.
Terrence Prince Timber
MBA African Cultural Studies UCLA, Bsc. Caribbean History & Politics UWI
Hello,
Lets say we send back al the East Indians to Guyana and TT (I just feel stupid even talking racist for I am not). then let the our Black brothers and sistas from guyana/TT into Barbados. Can you gurantee it will be better. I do have indian friends from Guyana, I visit them often before this barage of crimes and to tell they are the most wonderful and hospitable people I have came across. So to hear my fellow Bajans speak of east Indians like this makes me since. not just because we are fortunate to be in a more stable country we have the right choose and discriminate innocent people as Indians.
Why don’t we look at the whites in Barbados and see who really controls here and who Barbados really belongs to?
Very disappointed
Who is good at mugging in in US/UK you got it… the so called ‘profession’ is taken up mostly by blacks (if i have to talk the way David n co) for reasons better known to all….Easy money… and mostly who are the victims? It is Indians. Why? There is a growing feeling that indians are there to rob their jobs!!! How foolish it is…we are there to do jobs with no takers. How many were there to sit in freezing cold at Airports in midnight as cabbies providing transportaion to travellers. This is just one case … later in the day these drivers get mugged for easy money…how cruel it is!.
But realise Indians are industrious, competent, careful in others lands not to get into indecent brawls like their fellow immigrants from Africa. Look at staticstics and then form your opinion, and not based on skin color for you are definitely racist. Caribbean indians are no different here. Lastly to think your country will be free of crime only if indians are out, is just a myth you know it… for there are no Jesus out there!!! lol
As i worked in US/UK i gave those details but dont be furious for iam living in Barbados for some time now. I wish we realise a fact that for you and me, there is still only one master – Mr.white who is ruling us even today, thru his economic strength.
Whos money it is after all? Its all ours dude. Be it black or brown color of skin nothing to do with color of money!!! All our forefathers wealth ceased by these guys to make us their slaves for money. So how do we bear this economic slavery in our own lands!
It is interesting how you ‘all start out talking about immigration but end up talking about money and who controls it. I don’t think this discussion is really about immigration at all but instead people are talking a whole bunch of rubbish to mask the fact that this discussion is mostly about distribution of resources and greed.
I am a younger bajan who lived over seas a lot of my life. I completed my post graduate studies over seas. I returned to live in Barbados for a while and now again am currently living abroad but spend holidays in the Caribbean. I love Barbados and would love to come back, but unfortunately it can offer me nothing but beautiful sunshine, rum and parties but no decent living to raise a family.
When considering immigration policies I don’t think race should ever come into the discussion.
I think when it comes to immigration it is important to think about what Barbados really has to offer people in terms of resources. No matter what colour someone is, they still have to live. If any people that are coming into the country are going to put other Barbadians, (that are already barley making a living themselves) out of jobs, then I don’t see how this can be a good idea, no matter what race they are.
Oh yes, and by the way I am I guess, what most of you would refer to as white. When living in Barbados I was very surprised at how racist people still were. Many of my white family are very very racist against blacks. But many blacks I found were also very racist against their own colour.
What I also found difficult, was the way in which many blacks were very racist toward me before they even knew me. Many blacks automatically assumed that I was looking down on them, or that I thought that I was above them in some way.
Blacks also assumed because I was white that I was wealthy, and that I had an easy life. This was very far from true. My family were quite often living without food and money for basic things, but we were too proud to let anyone know. I never was offered any special treatment for being white. If anything, I was looked down on for being white and not having the money to throw around.
Around the time that I left Barbados to study, I was very sad to leave, but very glad to be given the opportunity to actually live slightly above the bread line. Now I can say I can actually save a couple of dollars at the end of a week and feel confident to be able to some day raise a family.
When I lived in Barbados I experienced what many other young bajans- Black, white, and all other colours and denominations experience- There is a lack of resources and scarce opportunity. It saddens me to see that instead of uniting to solve this for the youth -the future of ALL of Barbados, you all are lowering yourself into racist stereotyping.
We need to look for solutions, not waste time on hatred. Please do not lump all whites into the same negative category. And I suggest you do not do that of any race. I know many (not all) bajan whites are very difficult to like, but remember there are always exceptions to the rule.
Youths that are White, black and all other colour and creed in Barbados face hardship if they stay on the island. If we are honest about it – it is true many whites (not all) will have better financial resources, but I know a lot of my white relatives are also struggling to survive.
So what will be done about securing a future for our youth? What will be done to make equal opportunities for all races? I don’t know what others think but, I am not a fan of implementing “affirmative action” and I think it is insulting to any race. But if we recognise that whites hold the power then what will be done about it?
I really would like to see more open talk in Barbados about the inequality and not just see it in blogs. I think this needs to happen if things are to change
And surely we need to look at how we will try to solve the above problems before opening up immigration gates and increasing the population of such a tiny island?????
Straight-2-Solutions~thanks for your comment. You obviously feel passionately about the issue. Believe it or not we feel the same way. They will be commenters who will go over the line but that is understandable when discussing an issue such as this one. Issues of race, immigration, ethnicity will always heat the blood.
The bottomline which we will reiterate here is the the importance for a small island like Barbados with limited resources to regulate its borders, have a planned approach to immigration and study and plan how the impact of ethnic groups indo-Guyanese and others will have on our society and put measures in position to insure tensions are proactively managed.
Listen to me all those people who are talkin about racism and blah gettin me sick. Stop it. And dont tell me no foolishness bout how we bajans went this place and de nex and fit in. We have to protect what is ours. Have u forgotten that most bajans who have gone away and struggled, come back when they have retired and dont forget send back their money and invest in their country. PLEASE STOP THIS NONSENSE TALK
Thanks JC for underlining the point I am making.
Legally entitled Guyanese come here, struggle and when they have made some hard-earned savings go back to Guyana, and invest in their ravaged country.
Illegal immigrants , whatever their nationality, should be sought out and sent home.
PLEASE STOP THIS NONSENSE TALK
This new government has to put its foot down, to use the well-known phrase. The appropriate person(s) from the gov’t, immigration and the police departments ought to have a confab ASAP. They should come to some coherent, practical policy regarding Guyanese immigrants living or desiring to migrate to our beloved Barbados.
Those that are living in B’dos illegally ought to be rounded up and sent packing. Caricom guidelines aside, we also need to have a quota system so that overcrowding doesn’t go north. B’dos, like others, is a sovereign nation. Nobody should be able to just hop on a plane, touch down at GAIA and live here.
I’ve found that Indians are very clannish and look down on people of African ancestry. They only mix when its convenient for themselves. It’s not genuine at all. They pretend that we’re one people, but the wise will know it’s just because they want or are receiving some benefit that this superficial mingling is taking place.
Bajans should not sit idly by and watch their country go the route of T & T or Guyana in terms of relations between the majority Blacks and Indians. That’s why a proactive stand ought to be taken pronto. It would be foolhardy and a great detriment to our beloved B’dos if we react after the Indian population problem gets out of control. When the horse is out of the stable, it’s difficult if not impossible to get it back in.
SPEAK UP, PROUD BAJANS!!
Indians destroys countries check Trinidad Guyana & their homeland India.Suicide bombers and such.Indians are intrinsically racist.Countries suffer because indians do not spend money they horde money.It is an extremely selfish race.They do not buy food,neither clothes nor seek entertainment in abundance.As a result government coffers suffer.This is one of the reason that Guyana and Trinidad two of naturally richest caribbean countries are two of more underdeveloped and backward states in the region.I am very concern with the high influx of Indo -Guyanese into Barbados and a stringent immigration policy must be intoduce as a matter of urgency.We are importing a racist problem that exists in those two Caribbean States into Barbados. I say get out all the racist wicked bad smelling slimy Indo-Guyanese now.
I can see with Barbadians with respect to their position on Guyanese, especially those of indo Guyanese decent; and here make the following observation: I sincerely feel that the problems
encountered with Indians has a lot to do with culture as we shall see.Many years ago I had a contract to conduct some training in Barbados, and was asked by an Indian national why my people that being indo Guyanese are so difficult to deal with.I was told that there was a certain indo Guyanese family who had recently moved to Barbados, and took to abusing Barbadians of all races,even those from India.I then asked the Indian national what she felt was responsible for that kind of behaviour and she replied , you tell me they are your peolpe! though you do not look like them they are yours and not mine.
Not so long ago I had some business with a young woman in India who was very kind and efficient, not very long after she became dishonest and some what rude.I told her that I would have non of it and she said that she was no little coolie girl.I went to the Indian High Commission and lodged a complaint and had our High Commissioner in India pay her a visit.
Once she learnt that we down her could get to her even there she got herself together.I feel culture is at work here.
Will some one comment on the Ido Guyanese who was deorted last week for pushing a black bajan school girl out of his store in bridgetown.
He was hear illegally but yet able to set up store etc.
Is this a sign of things to come in Barbados? Are there racial undertones that we are too proud to admit are in our society.
Had this situation happen any where in the world, some group or person would be looking into this matter.
Barbados has inherited the same problems that the black and indians in Guyana have and are too proud to admit that the blacks in Barbados are becoming as second class citizens in their oun country by illegal and legal indians from Guyana.
ALL THE COMMENTS I AM READING, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT BECAUSE GUYANESE HAVE LEFT GUYANA THAT THEY HAVE LEFT THEY CULTURE, RACISM AND ALL THESE OTHER ILLS IN GUYANA. WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE, THEY HAVE BROUGHT THEM HEAR TO BARBADOS WITH THEM AND THEY ARE GETTING HELP FROM OTHER INDIANS LIVING IN BARBADOS.
READ THE NATION NEWS, EITHER TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY PAPAER, COURT PAGE. AND SEE THE STORY.
WE NEED TO STOP HIDING AND STEP OUT FOR OUR CHILDREN OF TOMORROW.
BARBADOS IS UNDER A RACIST ATTACK.
Vision you need to relax. The person based on our recollection came to Barbados from Grenada. How you making the connection to Guyana has us puzzled.
Grenada – Guyana – same difference.
That’s how indians react to persons of african descent all over the world.
I hope some of you not just reading these posts but speaking to your government M.P.s about sending home these guyanese.
David, you need to check your facts and read the news. He is a Guyanese who migrated to Grenada. He told the court that he was in Barbados illegally because since hericane Ivan things were not working out in Grenada.
I suspect that you are a Guynese, because even if he was from Grenada or where ever, he is still an Indian.
I am surprise that you are not concerned about the incident, what if its was your daughter or it was a white man pushing a black girl out of his store.
David, when you speak of our recollection who are you representing. I thought that the issue hear is can INDIANS AND BLACKS CO-EXIXT IN BARBADOS.
The fact that you are mistaken about this man being and inidain guyanese and you missed that, and that because you thought he was from Grenada does not make him Indian, I am starting to wonder how much research or facts are in your comments. We need serious people dealing with these serious issues.
Terrance.
The problem that black people are having with embracing Indians as black or as our own is that Indaians do not see themselves are BLACK, they really believe that compared to blacks, they are white.
David & others
Did you notice that yet again indian guyanese nationals were caught and arrested bringing in 50 pounds of cocaine in this country?
50 pounds David,can you tell me how much the street value is of that?
Note,this cocaine is not destined for guyanese indian children,but our black boys and girls who are already facing enormous roadblocks – now having to contend with this evil.
DAVID THOMPSON WHAT THE **@##** ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THESE ***** GUYANESE SCUM IN OUR COUNTRY?
If you don’t deal with this you will get vote out,so you better start publicly addressing the problem – NOW!
A word to the wise is enough.
Just to add,remember 2 years ago the LARGEST DRUG HAUL in the HISTORY of Barbados was again brought in by 4 guyanese indians working with 2 bajan scumbags.
This situation is verrrrry worrying.
I totally agree that David Thompson & his administration must deal with this Indian -guyanese situation now.I voted for his party eventhough the party was unwilling & scare to deal with the issue.As a matter of fact one of they successful candidates told me his party is afraid to deal with the illlegal guyanese problem because the guyanese might have a large vote and can determine the outcome of the general elections.Can you believe that nonsense.
No wonder the guyanese believe that they could do anything in Barbados and get away with it including breaking our immigration laws and such like.I believe not one politician from any of the political parties has the courage and guts to tackle the illegal immigrationn issue.Not one of them.All are a bunch of jokers.There is little hope that this illigal immigration issue will be tackele in any meaningful way that will benefit us Barbadians.I beleieve we must continue to talk about it on these blogs,continue to bombard the call in programmes and stir up emotion in Barbados and let our leaders know that we are serious and this matter must be address as matter of urgency.
This country is being taken from us and there is little or nothing that our leaders will do to address the situation.Therefore,we must agitate and so be it violate to get our message across.
We black are under seige in Barbados and we are on the road to be like Guyana.In the not to distance future we might need some “Fineman” Rawlins in Barbados to protect and fight for the beseige black Barbadians who will be under attack from those racist wicked indo-guyanese.It has started already with the incidence with man pushing the school child out the store and firing of the workers at the Royal Shop.
I fear for Blacks in Barbados.
If white people, indians & chinese stop being soon selffish and share and allow some of the resources of the world to be enjoy by black people there will be no reason for black people to steal or murder.Killa you ever understand the true reason for crime.Do you think people want to live a lfe of crime.Killa be a deep thinker and stop being so simplistic in your argument.
Killa answer these questions.Who are the most criminals in China?Who are the most people in jails in Pakistan,India,Iran,Irag & Afganistan?Who are the people in jails in Germany,Finland,Spain,Ireland and other European countries?
I hope you are understanding the point I am trying to make.
Killa wise up.
stop racism now it would only lead to more killing in our world pray is the answer Mahatma Gandhi [1869-1948 ] is famous for his peaceful protests to gain India’s independence from british rule.less well-known is his earlier work in south Africa to remove racial discrimination against Indians in 1893 he gave up his legal practice in bombay ,India, to work one year for a lawyer in south Africa. Traveling on afirst-class ticket by train when he arrived, Gandhi was ordered to leave the car because colored people were not allowed in first class .He refused and was put out of the train on a freezing night. What i am trying to say is blacks against blacks not indians . The tutsi and Hutu are the two largest ethnic groups in central africa countries of Rwanda and Burrundi. they have fought one another for over 500 years ,since the tutsi came into the area from Ethiopia in the 15th century .The tutsis are tall people who have mostly tended cattle, while the Hutu are traditionally farmers . An unsuccessful Hutu rebellion in Burundi in 1972 left 160,000 people dead ,and three-years ethnic conflict beginging in 19193 kill another 150,000 people . one of the worst ethnic massacres in history occurred in 1994 in Rwanda ,when more than 500,ooo tusi people were killed by Hutu militias.This came after the Hutu president was killed that year in a suspicious plane crash. Themass killings forced two million Tutsis to become refugees in Zaire now Congo, where many died of starvation and disease. in 1996 a moderate hutu became Rwanda’s president,and most refugees returned to their farms,but found many of them occupied by Hutu. So you see why started a racism war now why in the name of God stop it we have to pray for the world God bless you all i am a mix guyanese
Why d ass yuh hav tuh go n make such article like deez? Guyana n Trinidad have their problems yeah, But barbados is not like the 2 its alot more peaceful there is no tension everyone is happy.Its articles like this that have no meaning ther is no problem so why write about about the possibility of one unless you want it to happen. the reason why guyana is in its state is because there is a small amount of people of both groups who dont want to look for decent work and look to rob and sell drugs for a living. Those people is who mek tha country look bad but if yuh ask around no one want violence they juss wan to liv in peace. Yuh may lik wah yuh see in guyana n trinidad wit all dem killing but next ting yuh kno yuh da one who guh be staring down de barrel n it nawh always black man who pull d trigga.
I think this is informative but crazy. It now makes sense why when I meet indians with a familiar accent and I ask them where they are from they say “South America” I have learned that that means they are from Guyana. Who the heck says “South America” for where you are from. When I ask a Brazilian where he is from, he quickly says “Brazil” -very interesting to learn here that it is because they feel that saying that they are from Guyana may lead people to think that they are black!! Incredible! Thank God for Jamaica. In Jamaica Indians, blacks and chinese live together in harmony. Indians marry indians or indians marry blacks or indians marry chinese!! We ALL cook with curry powder, we ALL love roti. An indian person from Jamaica sees himself as just Jamaican period. Indians and Blacks from Guyana, you should really take a leaf from the indians and blacks in Jamaica-naively and simply I encourage you to love each other-date each other and embrace your differences.
I found out that indian people can be quite racist in Barbados a long time ago.
It was a nice day up in Fairley Hill and we drove up there; my very blonde and white boyfriend, my black bajan aunt and me , the mixed.
That day I had a long,exotic dress on, and had put a heavy kajal around my eyes, and could maybe be taken for an asian(indian) by some people, (something I am not at all).
I walked a little bit on my own around while the other two bought some beverages, and a indian man with a little boy passed me up and was quite “interested”
He asked among other things quite intensely if i was there on my own or had a boyfriend.
I was about to answer with a smile, when my friend and aunt turned up just behind us.
A bit shuttered he said; “are YOU together with THOSE people?”, like they were leprans or something.
And I turned round to him again and assured; SURE I AM !ITS MY AUNT AND MY MAN!
Then he just walked off, without saying anything more.
He probably didn`t like the mixed party I was a part of….
Partly
I know the feeling oh too well. i was at an official indian function in guyana and was introduced to an executive indian woman, just for formality. she was shaking other indians hand but just said hello to me. I’ve always been taught not to extend my hand unless the other person extended theirs, she did extend her but in the direction of the person next to me while calling their name. I felt slighted and as soon as the official matter was completed, I left. The person who was host of the function, called me at my hotel room next morning and apologised. I could give you many many incedences with these indo-guyanese but it is not worth it. That’s why I’m so adament that we should not encourage them in barbados. Indians and the indo- guyanese in particular, are VERY predudice, they think they are a cut above the rest. The other think they are good at is smiling in your face and ready to kill you at the same time.
All of them, Scout? Your apparently and strangely numerous encounters with racist Indians may have coloured your opinion, but character is not a matter of erthnicity. What, if I may ask, is the bad characteristic that is common to all black people?
It is important that Barbadian Black/creoles to know that Indians are also black. The Dravidian black who became the native indigenous of India came from ancient Ethiopia(Africa) in prehistoric time.They moved to Oman and Iran to found the Elamit empire known in the bible,They moved to south India trough a long migration trough south of iran,pakistan and from the seas to Srilanka island and south india, they moved to north india.And still today the Tamil of srilanka are considereted modern Elamit and are fighting to rebuild their ancient nation.In iran their population were completely wipeout or assimilated by light skin Persian who replace them in India.Those same Persian(Aryana) white skin invaded north of India 3 thousand years later.They create a cast system that prolonged racism for thousand of years to come and still today dark skin Indian(called Dravidian) suffer from that oppression.Indians are trying t find them self in the Caribbean but nobody understand them.There is two category of Indian, the Dravidian and the Aryan.Dravidian want peace and are willing to live well with blacks but the Aryans(lighter skin) are the one who despite blacks the most.Aryans come mostly from Punjab(north region of india), Sikhs are also from that region.Those Indian ethnic are the one who cause trouble with the blacks, not the darker one.live them in peace.
Benevolentcharma it is more important for the Indians who came to the West Indies as Dravidians, and when they saw black people decided that they would become Brahmins to know than it is for blacks in ant part of world. We know we were the first humans to walk the face of the earth, and that all other human groups are offshoots of our migratory experiences. We do not need to be reminded about that. In addition, we do not need to waste our time persuading people to become conscious of their origin. Let them be what they want to be, and to hell with that.
Sister Baby,
You are one misinformed racist piece of shit. I hate that you and your kind made us leave our country to move into another land. Burnham did not include us, he disenfranchised us. Ever heard of Wismar? Mahaicony? the Georgetown riots? Any of that? At the end of the day, I take solice in knowing I’m human. What the hell are you?
blacks / whites / indians / chinese can and do mix
only people with less than average intelligence rely on racial stereotyping to feel superior to another
All the guyaneese gone and barbados economic crisis get worste.
Nobody to do maid work nobody to do farm work.
We importing more vegetables
Dumb people, blame tht d guyaneese carrying away bajan jobs.
and loook now?
bajans unemployment gone up
study it!!
and barbados is peacefulle and i realise this site is very anti-indian.
All the Blacks/Negroes should be going back to Africa to learn to something about their culture and heritage. The “Caribbean” is a culmination of many different cultures. Blacks are NOT indgineous to the Caribbean they were brought there and stayed there after slavery was abolished. Same with the east Indians. If they can’t live together then the negroes need to go back to Africa and the indians need to go back to India.