Chasing Inclusiveness Amidst Discrimination
“Too often, customary
practices and discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnicity, race, religion,
social status, or class are the root sources of pervasive inequality in many
countries.”- Said Musa
Political campaigns are often brutish, fierce and personal. In some jurisdictions political campaigns can get downright nasty. Some will argue that there is no depth to which those who seek political power will descend. However, in a bygone era there was a spirit of decency and fair play where one’s family and one’s sexual orientation were off limits on the election campaign trail. On the eve of the elections in Barbados, the current political campaigning has reached fever pitch. Barbados, like all democracies elect their leaders through the holding of national elections. The population of this Caribbean island is just over 285,000. Barbados is located in the Lesser Antilles. Barbadians go to the polls on Thursday, May 24, 2018 to elect their next government. Last week the Barbadian Prime Minister Freundel Stuart told his supporters that if his party, the Democratic Labour Party is re-elected he would remove Barbados from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as the final appellate court. Stuart cited disrespect from the Trinidad based Caribbean Court of Justice as the main reason. The Caribbean Court of Justice CCJ was established on February 14, 2001 and serves as the regional tribunal of the Caribbean. However, since its inception a number of islands in the Caribbean have refused to sign off on the CCJ as their final appellate court. The spirit of regionalism and indeed the Caribbean Court of Justice is clearly on life support as this proposed Caribbean institution of justice has not taken off as it was intended.
Equally disturbing news also comes from Barbados over the comments of Michael Carrington a member of the ruling party. Mr Carrington, Queen’s Counsel and former Speaker of the House of Assembly reportedly called on Mia Mottley, leader of the Barbados Labour Party to declare publicly if she was gay or not. According to the Barbados Today newspaper Mr Carrington questioned the sexual orientation of Mia Mottley by stating that if she is gay she should come out and say so and let the people of Barbados know what they are getting if she were to be elected Prime Minister. As Barbadians decide who will lead their country for the next five years we need to look deeper at the issues raised on the campaign trail and ask ourselves whether or not is it fair and reasonable to demand from our political representatives that they declare their sexual orientation. The issue of sexual orientation is much larger than Barbados and the issue needs to be interrogated not solely for those who wish to enter representational politics but in terms of work relations. In fact the matter should be examined in other Caribbean islands as well as on the international scene. It bares thought should the sexual identity of an individual be a requirement for that person to serve at the highest level in one’s country? Undoubtedly, Barbados is on the verge of history, we could see the island elect its first female Prime Minister or Bajans could re-elect the government of Freundel Stuart. The electorate is more mature than we give them credit for. Do you think the electorate is more concerned about issues such as, the quality of their living standard, national security, access to affordable health care and growth in the economy? Barbados has entered a slippery slope regarding their political culture and socialization. It is rather dangerous and discriminatory for any State to single out and target any one group in society. We need to watch the outcome of the Barbados elections very carefully. What will be next? Will the State look less favorably on those who are disabled, left-handed, or those who are Albinos from political representation? We should resist the move towards an age of suppression which invariably denies people who are viewed as being different their human rights. The way forward must be inclusive. The progressive agenda calls for an era of gender inclusiveness, diversity, respect for human rights and openness. No one should be denied the right to political representation on the basis on gender, religion, sexual orientation, social class, and or ethnicity. In as much as we reject racism, ageism and sexism we should also eliminate discrimination of all forms which aims at stripping away one’s human dignity. In the words of Bernie Sanders, election days come and go. But the struggle of the people to create a government which represents all of us and not just the one per cent- a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice- that struggles continues.”
Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
#culture #politics #sexualorientation #gender #humanrights #discrimination #CARICOM #CaribbeanCourtOfJustice #sexism #Barbados #Albino #disabled #diversity #inclusion
Political campaigns are often brutish, fierce and personal. In some jurisdictions political campaigns can get downright nasty. Some will argue that there is no depth to which those who seek political power will descend. However, in a bygone era there was a spirit of decency and fair play where one’s family and one’s sexual orientation were off limits on the election campaign trail. On the eve of the elections in Barbados, the current political campaigning has reached fever pitch. Barbados, like all democracies elect their leaders through the holding of national elections. The population of this Caribbean island is just over 285,000. Barbados is located in the Lesser Antilles. Barbadians go to the polls on Thursday, May 24, 2018 to elect their next government. Last week the Barbadian Prime Minister Freundel Stuart told his supporters that if his party, the Democratic Labour Party is re-elected he would remove Barbados from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as the final appellate court. Stuart cited disrespect from the Trinidad based Caribbean Court of Justice as the main reason. The Caribbean Court of Justice CCJ was established on February 14, 2001 and serves as the regional tribunal of the Caribbean. However, since its inception a number of islands in the Caribbean have refused to sign off on the CCJ as their final appellate court. The spirit of regionalism and indeed the Caribbean Court of Justice is clearly on life support as this proposed Caribbean institution of justice has not taken off as it was intended.
Equally disturbing news also comes from Barbados over the comments of Michael Carrington a member of the ruling party. Mr Carrington, Queen’s Counsel and former Speaker of the House of Assembly reportedly called on Mia Mottley, leader of the Barbados Labour Party to declare publicly if she was gay or not. According to the Barbados Today newspaper Mr Carrington questioned the sexual orientation of Mia Mottley by stating that if she is gay she should come out and say so and let the people of Barbados know what they are getting if she were to be elected Prime Minister. As Barbadians decide who will lead their country for the next five years we need to look deeper at the issues raised on the campaign trail and ask ourselves whether or not is it fair and reasonable to demand from our political representatives that they declare their sexual orientation. The issue of sexual orientation is much larger than Barbados and the issue needs to be interrogated not solely for those who wish to enter representational politics but in terms of work relations. In fact the matter should be examined in other Caribbean islands as well as on the international scene. It bares thought should the sexual identity of an individual be a requirement for that person to serve at the highest level in one’s country? Undoubtedly, Barbados is on the verge of history, we could see the island elect its first female Prime Minister or Bajans could re-elect the government of Freundel Stuart. The electorate is more mature than we give them credit for. Do you think the electorate is more concerned about issues such as, the quality of their living standard, national security, access to affordable health care and growth in the economy? Barbados has entered a slippery slope regarding their political culture and socialization. It is rather dangerous and discriminatory for any State to single out and target any one group in society. We need to watch the outcome of the Barbados elections very carefully. What will be next? Will the State look less favorably on those who are disabled, left-handed, or those who are Albinos from political representation? We should resist the move towards an age of suppression which invariably denies people who are viewed as being different their human rights. The way forward must be inclusive. The progressive agenda calls for an era of gender inclusiveness, diversity, respect for human rights and openness. No one should be denied the right to political representation on the basis on gender, religion, sexual orientation, social class, and or ethnicity. In as much as we reject racism, ageism and sexism we should also eliminate discrimination of all forms which aims at stripping away one’s human dignity. In the words of Bernie Sanders, election days come and go. But the struggle of the people to create a government which represents all of us and not just the one per cent- a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice- that struggles continues.”
Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
#culture #politics #sexualorientation #gender #humanrights #discrimination #CARICOM #CaribbeanCourtOfJustice #sexism #Barbados #Albino #disabled #diversity #inclusion
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