INSIGHT: Royals on the way - but what does that mean for us?

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

IN this column in December, we asked the question of whether we were ready or not to become a republic.

The question was in the air as Barbados stopped pledging allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II and became a republic themselves. There was a huge celebration in Barbados. Our own Prime Minister, Philip “Brave” Davis, was in attendance. Rihanna was honoured as a national hero. Our Foreign Minister, Fred Mitchell, lamented how he had been unable to convince successive generations to his view that we should become a republic. A few days later, press secretary Clint Watson, flatly stated that the whole matter was not on the agenda of the Davis administration anyway. And that was that.

Our desire to break up with the sovereignty might not be tested any time soon – but our affection for the members of the monarchy will be in the spotlight in the coming days.

On Thursday, Prince William and his wife, Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will arrive in The Bahamas for a three-day visit. It is the first time there has been a royal visit since 2012, when Prince Harry was welcomed. Prince Harry particularly seemed to enjoy a youth event complete with sports and dance, held at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. Most notably, the crowd there seemed to enjoy his presence too. There seemed a genuine warmth from both sides during the visit.

We will await to see how William and Kate are welcomed – as part of their tour of the region that also sees them visit Belize and Jamaica.

In truth, there seems no reason to believe there will be any lack of warmth in the welcome. There seems little pressure for a change to our current system and little sign of anyone complaining whenever the Queen bestows a medal or a knighthood on a Bahamian. We have our own national honours now, but they still seem to play second fiddle to the British honours.

Indeed, it seems less like there is no desire for the debate so much as that we have not really even committed to making any kind of decision.

When Barbados became a republic, its first president, Sandra Mason, said: “We must seek to redefine our definition of self, of state, and the Barbados brand, in a more complex, fractured and turbulent world. Our country and people must dream big dreams and fight to realise them.”

Who are we, and what do we want our nation to mean in this world? Those are lofty questions that we are not even beginning to be engaged with.

Let us take a case in point from Friday’s Tribune.

In October of last year, a man took a sledge hammer to the statue of Columbus outside Government House.

In Friday’s Tribune, press secretary Clint Watson told us that the government has still not decided what to do with the shattered statue.

Five months and we can’t even make our mind up.

There are plenty of good reasons for getting rid of the statue permanently, given the slaughter of natives ordered by Columbus, who ordered dismembered bodies to be paraded through the streets. On the other hand, there are those who credit his explorations for opening up our understanding of the world and there are those who would keep his statue for historic reasons. But us? It’s not that we’re having the debate, we can’t even make our mind up to start the debate.

How hard would it be to ask the question, maybe even have a public poll and abide by the results. Not for us. Columbus sits under his shroud, a broken symbol that no one seems to have any interest in fixing. It’s hard not to see that as an analogy for our country. The things in our country that are broken, there seems to be little interest in fixing.

We have just had the mid-year budget and the discussion around it has been full of finger-pointing and blame rather than fixing and elevating our ambitions.

So the royal visit will come and go and there will be smiles and dancing and everything will go on the same.

This seems far from a moment of possible change, it seems indeed that this is a moment when we’re not even ready to talk about change – and even if we were, there is a lot more we should be changing right here at home before we set our sights on such things as the potential of a republic.

As Barbados’ President Mason said, we must seek to redefine our definition of self. That is as true for ourselves as it is for Barbados.

If there is a glimmer of light, it is that already this government has shown it can be pushed by public pressure into changing its agenda.

In November, Prime Minister Davis, when asked whether marital rape would be on his administration’s agenda, he shrugged it off saying he had too many other things to be thinking about.

Now, after significant pushback to that response, the government has apparently prepared a whole suite of legislation to deal with issues such as gender violence, marital rape and gender inequality.

If enough of us demand it, the government will act. So it’s up to us. The same as it always was.

Comments

truetruebahamian says...

It means recognition and acceptance of a larger world. There is no division, there is an avenue to be recognised through the G 20 and perhaps the G7 conferences, we have always held onto our preferential consideration through our historic affinity, those populations of countries who have demitted this connection like Barbados only wish to return nut as always sorry is too late. We must never lose this life string to our history and our future. The USA is not our liberator or protector, The U.K. has always been here for us and we must appreciate their being first in line to have our safety foremost at mind. We have to be mindful, there is NO colour discrimination which so many american and facebook watchers grab onto but an entire set of benefifial possibilities available for those of us who don't have closed minds.

Posted 21 March 2022, 7:08 p.m. Suggest removal

moncurcool says...

Sadly I cannot agree with you.

This is the same mentality of the slave, who rather than be free and have to fend for themselves, would prefer to stay and be a slave and be mistreated by massa, simply because they won't have to fend for themselves.

If we cannot let go of the apron strings of the UK, then what is the point of independence?

It is time we emancipate ourselves from mental slavery. It is time we become independent and stop being independently dependent.

Posted 21 March 2022, 7:28 p.m. Suggest removal

killemwitdakno says...

If Freeport can't thrive without the port, then you're not ready.

Posted 21 March 2022, 7:18 p.m. Suggest removal

Alan1 says...

We are fortunate to have inherited the British form of governmrnt. . We have a free Parliament, an impartial Governor-General and an excellent and fair court system. Why would we want to throw all of that away and become another failed third world republic. ? It makes no sense. The move to a republic in Barbados was rushed with little public consultation and no referendum. Hardly a good start. for a new start as they said there. Where will their investment come from now that many countries are pulling out their investments. China is very involved now in Barbados. Do we want that fate? I certainly hope not.

Posted 21 March 2022, 8:29 p.m. Suggest removal

themessenger says...

“There are plenty of good reasons for getting rid of the statue permanently, given the slaughter of natives ordered by Columbus, who ordered dismembered bodies to be paraded through the streets.”
What streets were these that Columbus was parading these Arawak bodies through? If I smoke enough of the stuff you’re using I can just about picture those highways all through the bush on San Salvador.

Posted 21 March 2022, 9:53 p.m. Suggest removal

DWW says...

I honestly fail to see how cutting that small symbolic string will improve the lives of anyone in the ahamas. If you believe that i have some magic beans to sell you too.

Posted 22 March 2022, 8:33 a.m. Suggest removal

My2centz says...

How does the symbolic string improve the lives of Bahamas? It doesn't either. But at least the younger generation will feel no obligation to dress up, prance around & entertain the offspring of colonizers simply for being born ehile footing their hefty accomodations bill. As Europe continues to show how indifferent they are to black & brown, at least these black people won't have to continue this irrelevant tradition of honoring colonization.

Posted 22 March 2022, 1:20 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

It means more roads got paved and more potholes got fixed than was done in FIVE YEARS. Maybe the British Royalty needs to visit more often. The ties have been cut from Britain for too long for younger folk to have any emotions about this visit. Some may say "why now after all this time." But back in the day, a Royal visit was big tings for Bahamians. Some got the day off or part of it to go sneak peek. Some just sneaked away for a few minutes. Then there was this lady on Wulff Road. She painted the trunks of the trees in front of her building and dressed up like Royalty. She called herself The Queen of Nassau. During one royal visit, she was seen been shoved roughly by police as she managed to get too close to the royal visitors. She meant no harm but protocols had to be established and maintained. And the school children were also let out early to wave British flags and poinciana branches, before independence.

Posted 22 March 2022, 12:12 p.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

I've said all I have to say on the matter of this ridiculous royal visit or any other one like it.

Posted 22 March 2022, 1:58 p.m. Suggest removal

bahamianson says...

Yeah, keep spending . Let us have a party. Did you not read the articles beforw this one talking about all the good news? We need income tax, coporate tax, 15% VAT....you have got to be losing your almonds. Whi the hell wants to see these ri h people when we cant.even feed our families. So what, they sit in limos, eat at atlantis and government house, fly first class, go on a fancy yacht to exuma, and the plebeians are contented.eating cornbeef and riding svooters? What nonsense.

Posted 22 March 2022, 2:21 p.m. Suggest removal

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