BRIDGETOWN, Barbados– Barbadians will be consulted on how best to celebrate the country’s republic status, Minister of Home Affairs and Information Wildred Abrahams announced on Thursday as he confirmed that Cabinet had agreed to reverse the decision to replace Independence Day with Barbados National Day.
And the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), which was preparing to agitate for the rollback, has described the development as “a victory for the people.”
Abrahams’ assurance of a national consultation on the issue followed a public backlash against the move to combine celebrations for Independence from Britain on November 30, 1966, and the country’s transition to a republic on November 30, 2021, under the Barbados National Day title.
Minister of Home Affairs and Information Wildred Abrahams
Abrahams, also chairperson of the Cabinet sub-committee for the November 30 celebrations, said the Cabinet had heard the people’s voice and was answering their call.
“Your response was swift and clear; a significant number of Barbadians voiced their disagreement with the recommended title, citing lack of public consultation,” he said two days after the initial announcement on Thursday.
“Today, the Cabinet of Barbados met, reviewed, and has decided that November 30 will continue to be referred to as Independence Day. There will also be a national consultation to come up with the most fitting way to celebrate our transition to a parliamentary republic.
“Rest assured that just as you overwhelmingly reposed your trust and confidence in us, we are equally responsive to your concerns. This Cabinet commits to wider public engagement on matters of national importance such as this,” he added.
Abrahams said that during the 48 hours after the name change announcement, Cabinet had listened to Barbados and agreed that more public engagement was necessary to come up with the best way to celebrate the country’s transition to a parliamentary republic.
“This Cabinet will not shy away from reversing a prior decision when such a change is merited. This is such an occasion. The celebrations on November 30 must be such that all Barbadians, wherever they are, feel proud to be Bajan.
“November is our month to celebrate the best of Barbados and the Barbadian personality. Let us all join in this celebration of Barbadian pride and industry. Let us do so for the entire month, culminating on Independence Day. Let us do so in the words of our National Anthem – inspired, exulting, free,” Abrahams said.
The U-turn averted a protest march that the DLP was planning for Saturday to pressure the government to reverse its decision.
Reacting to the latest development, DLP president Dr. Ronnie Yearwood said: “This is a victory for the people of Barbados, victory for democracy.”
“I first want to thank the people of Barbados for coming together on this issue because it was not a Democratic Labour Party or Barbados Labour Party issue. This is an issue about Barbados and protecting something sacred to us – Independence Day. Independence Day should stand; it should remain,” he added.
Yearwood had also started a petition to pressure the government, and he reported on Thursday evening that it had already garnered just under 7,000 signatures.
He suggested that was a reflection of the number of people willing to march on Saturday.
“The march that was going to happen was not going to be any small thing, and I am glad the Government recognized the Barbadian people were flexing their muscles to say ‘no,’ and they rightly pulled back from this decision,” the DLP leader said.
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