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| Prime Minister Freundel Stuart laying a wreath at the base of the bust of National Hero, the Right Excellent Clement Payne, during the ceremony. (A. Miller/BGIS)?? |
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has lamented the "wall of silence" on burning issues by some Barbadians, who believe that some battles had already been fought and won and now was the time to rest.
He made this observation today while addressing a flower-laying ceremony in recognition of the Day of Significance in Golden Square, the City. The event was organised by the Clement Payne Movement.
Mr. Stuart said: "The tendency to feel that all the important battles have already been fought and won and that the society that was bequeathed to us by our forebearers was bequeathed to us to enjoy but not to make better for those who are to come after us.?? Those mindsets continue to bedevil not only Barbados, but other Caribbean countries as well.
"It is a struggle which we have to continue to wage to eradicate those mindsets, and to help people to understand that it is their obligation to continue what people like Clement Payne, Menzies Chase, Eunice Belgrave, Israel Lovell and all the others, who have fought to make Barbados what it is today, their examples must be followed and pursued…," he emphasised.??
Noting that the role of democratic societies across the world and in Barbados was to create just societies, Mr. Stuart also urged Barbadians to speak out when confronted with wrong doings. "There is a continuing obligation wherever we see injustices to fight for the elimination of those injustices and to ensure that every man, woman, child of whatever station in life, can find his or her place to fully explore their potential and to contribute meaningfully to the treasury of human civilisation.
"If men were not prepared to give their lives, risk being called criminals, risk being accused of having chips on their shoulders … if they were not prepared to put their families’ fortunes at risk, we would not have the kind of society that we have today," he stressed.
Mr. Stuart commended President of the Clement Payne Movement, David Commissiong for his steadfastness in the continuing struggle to keep the flame of democracy alive.