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Deputy Prime Minister, Attorney General and Minster of Home Affairs, Freundel Stuart??
A Government Minister has expressed concern about the "culture of materialism" and its devastating impact on some family structures across Barbados.
Deputy Prime Minister, Attorney General and Minster of Home Affairs, Freundel Stuart, made this observation last Saturday, while addressing the Graduation Ceremony of the Barbados Family Planning Association’s Family Life Education and Peer Counselling Programme. The event was held at the Barbados Yacht Club, Upper Bay Street, St. Michael.
He lamented the prevailing situation in which an individual’s success was no longer measured by one’s character, dignity, integrity and common sense. "We now live in an age when the successful man or woman is more likely to … boast of, and parade materially based accomplishments, by whatever means secured," Mr. Stuart observed.
He further stated: "This culture has not come to us free of cost and daily we pay a very hefty price for this pronounced value shift.?? Thus, this race to acquire puts constantly on display a few winners, while hiding from public view?? the very large number of hapless and unfortunate losers."??
The Attorney General pointed out that this behavior had led to some families being plunged into "crisis after crisis of varying degrees of intensity."
Given this scenario, Mr. Stuart reminded the 50 graduates of their role to assist persons in this regard. "In this world of cold uncertainity and loneliness, they usually want someone who will listen to them; someone who will make their world a little easier to understand; someone who will tell them where and how they can fit into a world from which they feel hopelessly excluded."
He added: "At this point the role of the peer counsellor or family life educator can become important and sometimes pivital.?? It is at this point that skills such as those which you have pursued during this course can be pressed into useful and productive service."??jwilson@barbados.gov.bb