No Replacement Please

 

 

It is not good, I dare say,

To remove National landmarks

And what the authorities tried to do

Really hurt my heart.

 

Independence Day was to go

To be replaced by the Republic,

This landmark, until public uproar,

Was to be the edict.

 

I recall at some point

The promised of a referendum

But suddenly, a decision was taken

Without public consultation.

 

Well it did not go down well

Given the promise that was made

And the public with one voice

Shouted it was to fail.

 

The Government reneged

Via its public relations setup

And a certain minister apologized

For the unfortunate mix-up.

 

It shows, someone had said,

We are a Government that listen,

Then was certainly not the right time

But it could eventually happen.

 

 

To sneak it in the backdoor

Could be the considered plan,

After all, we have seen such before

When the door was unjammed.

 

If this is the present thought

I say, “No replacement please,”

Independence Day is not nomenclature

So, you'd better freeze.

 

It is far deeper in significance

Than any political party

That has grown too big for its britches

With its perceived superiority.

 

From Independence to Republic

Sounds like a complete erase,

Independence becoming a means to an end

Achieved in this BLP phase.

 

An eradication of an era

Indelible in our minds and hearts,

Independence Day to Republic Day

Sounds kind of BLP smart.

 

Will Independence Day finally go?

I sincerely hope not,

And so, I plead with this Government,

Please don’t change the locks.

 

 

Do not remove the shoulders

Upon which you now stand,

You will plummet from your lofty height

And fatally crash-land.

 

And no Tom-foolery either

Bringing Barbados National Day,

This is more than nomenclature-

Now way Jose!

No replacement or displacement

Of Independence Day,

Merge the two since the dates are alike,

If there is no other way.

 

Stewart Russell © November 17, 2023

 

Republic Day

 

 

“Jumping the gun”

And not “looking before we leap”

Apply to Barbados

Even as I speak.

 

“Cart before the horse”

And “hurrying and wasting time”

Are two more maxims

That come to mind.

 

On November 30, 2021

We became the newest Republic

And in regal splendour

Made our exit.

 

 

Exit from Britain

In the presence of Prince Charles

But at this signal event

No Charles in Charge.

 

Republic Day

Was to replace Independence Day

But Bajans rejected this

Saying, “No way!”

 

Independence Day

But as yet, no Republic Day

And I am beginning to wonder…

What really is the delay?

 

“Starting before we’re ready”

Maxim number five:

A case of an unplanned take-off

Followed by a nose dive.

 

In a festive mood:

Dress-up and cosmetics galore

But concerning substance,

We are very poor.

 

 

A sham some would call it,

A fake or a disguise

And Bajans, for the most part,

On a roller-coaster ride.

 

Up, down, up, down,

Mostly more down than up,

Will there ever be a Republic Day?

Tell me what is the outlook.

 

Stewart Russell © November 8, 2023

 

2023

 

 

One whole day has gone

In the year 2023

And before long we can expect

To be into February.

 

It’s the month of lovers

And of the February-born

So, expect in the first fourteen days

A red and white storm.

 

The colours of Valentine

Will be dominant at this time

And especially the ladies among us,

Love will be on their mind.

 

 

There will be many holidays

In fact, today is one,

The next is Errol Barrow Day

And soon that will be gone.

 

Twelve I count in all

Ending with Boxing day

And possibly a next will be added

If it goes the people’s way.

 

Republic Day it could be

To honour Barbados the Republic,

To be the same day as Independence

Many say it doesn’t fit.

 

Merchants like these festivities

And we don’t have to ask why

But for those that are yet puzzled,

Sales go through the sky.

 

Before, it was mostly Christmas

With Independence and Valentine,

But then Mothers’ Day took off

And the others fell in line.

With this amount of activity

The year goes by pretty fast

And before you can say cock-robin,

Another year is past.

 

Plus, people are so busy

That a day seems rather short

And much of what they have planned

They are likely to abort.

 

One whole day has gone

And soon, two, three, four and five

And before the dust can settle,

Errol Barrow Day will arrive.

 

Then Good Friday and Easter

Not to mention Mothers’ Day,

National Heroes Day and Labour Day

Whit Monday’s next in the way.

 

Emancipation and Kadooment:

Both in the month of August,

Then our Independence celebration

With all its related fuss.

 

Yes, we are in November,

Christmas is just a month away

And immediately after Independence,

Count-down to Christmas Day!

 

Suddenly it seems, 2023 is gone

And with it, some loved ones too,

No different from the year before

As in the year 2022.

 

As we gaze across 2023

Full of dreams and expectations,

Let’s be aware of the thief of time-

His name is procrastination.

 

Go with God and He’ll go with you

No matter how fast or slow

And whatever the outcomes of 2023,

His inner peace you’ll know.

 

Stewart Russell © December 2, 2023

 

We the People

 

 

We the people

But the people did not vote,

That there was no public consultation

Is a matter we should note.

 

A people that were disenfranchised

For centuries even,

To the extent that even today

Many are still feeling threatened.

 

A people, let me emphasized,

That faced an uncertain future,

That had little or no hope,

So grim was the picture.

 

But a people, however,

That have come a mighty long way

That are politically enfranchised

And can now have a say.

 

 

Free and fair elections,

A seamless change of Governments,

A lot of hot air blowing

But with no violent intent.

 

Feverish and fervent campaigning

With everyone having a say

But finally abiding by the majority,

This is the people’s way.

 

I said all of that to say this

Regarding the proposed Charter,

Let us not renege on best practices

And become the butt of laughter.

 

Who proposed this Charter?

And where are the people in this?

What was the extent of due process?

There must have been a list.

 

Are the check boxes being ticked?

And where at present the process?

Is the document signed and stamped

With no possibility for redress?

 

Republic Day just days off

Seems like a foregone conclusion,

President elected, date confirmed

But “we the people”? An illusion.

 

We the Government, it should be,

The people had no say,

This proposed Charter could be law,

Is this the new way?

 

We the people?

No, we must wheel and come again!

In God I hope we still trust,

Let's keep Him in the frame.

 

Stewart Russell © November 20, 2021