Symmonds: Global turmoil demands steady leadership
Warning that global power shifts and tightening borders were reshaping life in the Caribbean, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kerrie Symmonds told Barbados Labour Party (BLP) supporters last night that this was not the moment to “gamble” with leadership as the region confronted rapidly changing geopolitical realities.
Addressing party members during the unopposed nomination of Michael Lashley as the BLP’s candidate for the City at Westbury Primary School, Symmonds said the world Barbadians once knew no longer existed, pointing to growing instability and stricter visa regimes.
“The world we grew up in is no longer the world today,” Symmonds said. “These are dread times . . . and we have to be very clear about the leadership we need to guide Barbados through what is coming.”
Symmonds told the gathering that several Caribbean islands were now facing new and significant barriers to entry into the United States with vendors, small business operators and selfemployed workers being required to post as much as US$15 000 in visa-related costs before travelling.
“If you are a vendor and you want to go and buy a little product, if you are doing hair braiding and need to go and get supplies, if you want to advance your small business, you now have to put down US$15 000 for a visa,” he said.
Symmonds also pointed to scenes of unrest and aggressive law enforcement tactics unfolding in major cities abroad as evidence of a changing international environment, urging Barbadians not to assume that instability elsewhere could not have consequences closer to home.
“Look at what is happening in that land of the free,” he said. “People being dragged off the streets into vans, disappearing. Ask yourselves what kind of society that represents and what kind of pressures we in the Caribbean could be confronted with later this year.”
He cautioned that Barbados and its neighbours, situated within close proximity to larger states experiencing upheaval had to prepare for potential population movement and humanitarian pressures.
“If 2 000 people arrive in one day or one week, what are we doing now to assimilate them into our society?” Symmonds asked.
He said strong, experienced leadership was critical, arguing that Barbados had already seen how quickly external shocks could disrupt daily life. He cited a recent incident in which flights were turned back, disrupting tourism and requiring swift Government intervention.
“We woke up one morning to something we never imagined we would face,” he said. Symmonds questioned whether alternative leadership would have been capable of responding effectively under similar pressure, telling supporters the stakes were too high for experimentation.
“This is not the time to gamble with your future. This is the time to gather, to be clear-headed and to keep faith with strong leadership,” he said.
Turning briefly to domestic politics, Symmonds criticised Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne, contrasting what he described as authoritarian tendencies with the BLP’s record of inclusive governance. He also welcomed Lashley and fellow nominee Tyra Trotman, describing them as representatives of two generations of capable leadership within the party.
“Tyra and Michael represent two generations and they represent two of the most able and capable in each generation,” Symmonds said.
Symmonds said Lashley’s experience, particularly in law and public service, positioned him well to represent The City at a time of both domestic and international uncertainty.
“What is coming down the pipe is real and how Barbados is governed in this moment will determine how we weather what lies ahead.” (CLM)
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