Commonsense And A Firm But Measured Response By The Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson And His Minister Of Health Donvile Inniss…And Then The Knighted One

Submitted by Yardbroom

Sir Shridath Surendranath "Sonny" Ramphal, OE, OM, GCMG, ONZ, AC, QC, FRSA

An article in the Nation News by Wade Gibbons published 6-29-2009 attributed the following comments to Mr Inniss: “Minister of Health Donvile Inniss disclosed that public health facilities were under mounting pressure as a result of having to deal with the high number of undocumented immigrants. However, he told the Daily Nation that Government would not change its policy of not seeking to know people’s immigrant status before providing them with health care”. The Prime Minister David Thompson had previously made the Government’s position, direction and focus abundantly clear in an interview.

In the many articles now prevalent in the Guyanese Press and other areas, it is unlikely that this report will be given “top billing”. The reason being it does not demonise the Barbados Government enough, and has not got the illegal immigrant being preyed upon component, to wet the appetites of some who denigrate us from abroad. However, facts accurately presented will always reduce the lies and deceit now pedalled into convulsions.

I was pleased with the measured tone used by Minister Donvile Inniss; no “vitriolic exhibitionism” as recently used by a “supposed West Indian heavyweight”, but those words he – the supposed heavyweight – used…will come back to haunt him. A knight errant – in days past – often wandered and sought deeds of courage and chivalry to perform; now we have the “wandering” but alas nothing else with which to engage. The knighted one tried to obfuscate on the ground reality by introducing terminology synonymous with people been burned out of their homes; children being wrenched apart from their mothers and taken away in the night, leaving behind the smouldering embers of their dwellings, and fathers never seen again, having been taken to secluded places.

Minister of Health Donville Inniss

It is so sad that in a moment of “injudicious mouthings” he allowed an emotional outburst to blemish his undoubted achievements…keep your composure when others lose theirs, it sets you apart from the pack, and justifies your position of eminence. I will not repeat the words he used here, as that would give them a new burst of life; neither will I defile this submission for it later to be “cleansed”…we are a tolerant people.

When the morning mist has been cleared from this illegal immigration debate and the vitriol spewed at us Barbadians has melted like snow flakes in a desert sun; Barbados will be stronger, more united and a cohesive society. For the brothers and sisters who misguidedly sought temporary succour outside our encampment, you are still our own. To the “legal Guyanese” who remain, you will still be our friends and be most welcome, but we have drawn a line in the sand to distinguish between common sense and folly.

Barbados is not a bandit country where the Laws can be disregarded. In all successful countries when a crisis looms a leader of worth steps forward to lead; throughout the ages that is what has separated the successful from the rest…the Caribbean is no different. When the question is asked why has Barbados been so successful in comparison with some of our Caribbean brothers…that is the reason. In due course other Caribbean leaders will also make a principled stand on illegal immigrants and the Prime Minister of Guyana Barat Jagdeo will be forced to remove the heavy carapace from the backs of “all” his people; instead of expecting member states of CARICOM to be heavily burdened because of his incompetence.