I’m Black And Proud Happy Independence Barbadooooooos!
November 30, 2008 2 Comments
I pledge allegiance to the country of Barbados
And to the flag
To uphold and defend their honour
And by my living to do credit to my nation
Wherever I go
On November 30th 1966, the nation of Barbados was born. A little island in the Caribbean Sea. 166 square miles, celebrating 42 years of independence this Sunday. 42 years and continuing of sustained free education from primary to tertiary level, sugar 
replaced by tourism as our number one foreign exchange and Barbados singing talents recognize beyond these shores.
Whether your heart leans towards ‘Beautiful Barbados’, ‘Bim’, ‘Colours’, ‘Welcome The Morning Sun’, etc, the reality of our presence in this part of the world was only possible through slavery. Yes, you read correctly. Slavery in itself was wrong but it was the only mechanism at that time where our ancestors were afforded the ‘opportunity’ [for lack of better word], to leave in large droves from the continent of Africa and make way for future generations to better themselves outside tof the Continent. Let me put it a different way. In 2008, if Blacks were still confined to Africa alone, we will be most men miserable. No advancement in medicine, arts, literature, science. Be it open heart surgery or traffic signals, gas masks or by-products of peanuts. I wouldn’t be here writing this piece for my readers to read and Obama would never become the first black President of America!!!
Someone once said Blacks focus too much on slavery. That’s like saying the Jews focus too much on the Holocaust! That is their very existence . Without it they only have the Old Testament Writings! But that is not to say slavery is a good thing. A little history is good. Dwelling on the past is not.
As we embarked on another generation of 42 years, Barbados have seen contributions from both political parties in bringing the island to the place where it is at presently. A stable parliamentary democracy with a diversified tourism product, an off shore financial sector and expansion of companies throughout the Caribbean and South America.
Let us hold hands as we continue our nation building, defend what is dear to us, and continue to be a beacon to the rest of the islands as we carry young Barbados forward to maturity.
Talk Yuh Talk!