Building Nationhood

 

 

No man is an island

Is not mere cliché

For it takes a dedicated people

Pulling the same way.

 

A country divided

Is sure to fall

But He who pulls it together

Is Almighty God.

 

No party is a Nation

But the people are,

They are the engine that propels

As in a motorcar.

 

True democracy is:

Dueling, cut and thrust

Though not by any means to death

But common in purpose.

 

 

 

Building Nationhood

Is the singular purpose,

It’s practising the kind of democracy

We can trust.

 

Eradication of opposition

Is at most tyranny,

For it neither builds nor develops

Any country.

 

But rather, it destroys

And it pulls down

And causes its citizens to carry

A quizzical frown.

 

Replete with nepotism

It takes care only of its own

Among whom the fatted calf is divided

Minus the bones.

 

If minus the bones

Portrays an undertone

To which you may take offence,

Then you're not alone.

 

 

 

Building Nationhood is

Having each other’s back

And depicts a degree of selflessness

That keeps all on track.

 

It is looking out for all

Especially the vulnerable

And creating for challenged persons

A life that is livable.

 

The academic and artisan,

Architect and engineer,

Sanitation workers and domestics:

To them all be fair.

 

Make an honest dollar.

Spend but also save

And help someone in dire need

Whom God also made.

 

A word to the shootists

And to all gun importers:

Please get involved in Nation building

As responsible voters.

 

A word to those officials

That turn a blind eye:

You may very well be contributing

To why so many die.

 

Especially our youth

More often by the gun

And a life full of promise and hope

Sadly done.

 

 

 

And to the Government

Of our fair land, Bim,

It is time to increase productivity

And cut borrowing.

 

Give greater incentive

To those that produce

So that we increase our exports

And imports reduce.

 

It is harder to repay

Than to borrow

And we know not of the vagaries

Inside tomorrow.

 

Build with God

With heart and with hands

And let your promised manifesto

Be the working plan.

 

Happy 59th, Barbados!

As we look towards 60,

May each Barbadian take his place

As a Nation building trusty.

 

 

 

Building Nationhood

For generations to come

So they too may acknowledge us

For a race well run.   

 

Stewart Russell © November 29, 2025

 

The Silence Is Deafening

 

 

That the silence is deafening

Is perhaps why we cannot hear,

A numbness now so accustomed to,

It’s just a momentary fear.

 

A nine-day wonderment

And this too will be forgotten

Amidst words of impressive rhetoric

From the PM and Opposition.

 

John King’s “How many more”

Chokes me one more time

As I attempt to turn this matter over

In my overworked mind.

 

All of this after we were told

By a top legal and top constabulary

We may go about our business as usual,

There's no need to worry.

 

The deflection and side stepping

Are at work again

And the real culprits are enabled

And continue to reign.

 

The whole weight comes down

On the shooter of the gun

And the police must chase the assassin

That is now on the run.

 

 

But no note of the importer

That brought in the gun,

Not one is being brought to justice:

No, not one!

 

Do you mean to tell me

Gun importers are so elusive

To evade the police intelligentsia?

Why that’s impressive!

 

Flying below police radar

Or better still, high up above,

These operators can’t be apprehended

For money or for love.

 

Another one bites the dust!

This time, a thirteen-year-old

And mere sentiment is poured out

O’er his body cold.

 

Why wasn’t he at home

Preparing for school?

Did they not know this is an area

Where illegal guns rule?

 

Why of everybody out there

He was the only one shot?

It’s as though this aspiring schoolboy

Was central to some plot.

 

Come on right thinking bajans

Do not cloud up the issue,

Those that are ultimately responsible

Are not the shooting youth.

 

 

But people in high places

Like in politics or commerce

Where the dollar sign is the bottom line

And after which some thirst.

 

One top cop iterated

It is through legitimate ports

Yet none of these illusive importers

Come before our courts.

 

Target the gun importers

And make it difficult for them,

Deal with the symptoms for sure

But also, the problem.

 

 

 

And when they are discovered

Do not cover up the info,

Regardless of profile or prominence

John public needs to know.

 

So that this youth’s demise

And the several gone before

Would be remembered as the catalyst

That shut the gun import door.

 

For the silence is deafening

And our youth are dying

And the importers of the damnable guns

Are the only ones thriving.

 

Stewart Russell © March 27, 2025

 

But Are They Ready?

 

 

Here it is on a platter,

Take it if you can,

The errors of our Government

Seem to be a plan.

 

Error after error

Has become the norm,

These batters are now batting

Like batters uninformed.

 

A tad of recklessness

Showing here and there

As though someone is trying

To get out of here.

 

No one to oppose

In Parliament, I mean,

And Ministers doing what they like

And so too their team.

 

 

A deputy who is PM

Since the PM is often out,

Her international positioning

Must never be in doubt.

 

An Education Ministry

Clearly out of step

And contrary to their opinion,

Headed for a wreck.

 

What is really troubling

Is the blatant fallout

That gravely affects our children

Like a poisoned water-spout.

 

Trauma after trauma

But “lessons are being learnt,”

The words of those in authority

As our children are burnt.

 

Seems a little calloused

The little I can see

But I am a little shortsighted

And can’t see clearly.

 

 

We are digging a hole

 And pulling in the dirt,

A financial grave more or less

That will cause much hurt.

 

Hurt to our children

And our children’s children,

Payback time for them too

Will also be a problem.

 

You’re probably wondering

When I’ll get to the theme,

This is the saddest part for me

Given the current scene.

 

No one to oppose

In Parliament, I mean,

And Ministers doing what they like

And so too their team.

 

 

A few voices oppose

On the Call-in Programme

And the People’s Opposition

Seems to have a plan.

 

But is the DLP ready?

This is the question I ask,

Given all that will be required

It is a herculean task.

 

Like a good fielding side

They must take their catches,

The BLP is batting recklessly

And giving many chances.

 

These are catches, note,

That go up pretty high

And the fielder has time to settle

To claim the offered prize.

 

 

These are not slip catches

Coming at a clip

But the easiest of easy catches

That should always stick.

 

 

 

Looking at the issues,

Settling down under them

And in the interest of the nation

Projecting the problem.

 

Not only on radio

But in the constituencies,

From community to community

As a matter of urgency.

 

Making action happen,

Not just sitting and waiting

But being vigilant and diligent,

Not just moping.

 

Joining the protesters,

Giving body to their charge,

It is not nearly about BLP and DLP

But our nation by and large.

 

I have seen marches

With 100 persons or less,

Given the gravity of the issues

This is not a protest.

 

Still getting ready?

How long in first gear?

I wish currently they were ready

But they are not I fear.

 

We must go beyond

The seasonal campaign

When we rain down on communities

Promising to ease the strain.

 

This is clickety-clack

With cacophonous sound

But really and truly means nothing,

Other than nowhere bound.

 

I wish they were

But are they truly ready?

With the BLP seemingly losing ground,

They should be rock-steady.

 

But are they ready?

I must ask again,

The DLP must build out capacity

If they are to bear the strain.

 

 

Or else, come 2027,

Or even the year before,

We may have a one-sided Parliament

Unfortunately, once more.

 

It is my earnest hope

That this does not happen,

But given all that is occurring

I am feeling threatened.

 

Gather your loins DLP,

Save us from this plight!

Be a part of the next Parliament

In this worthwhile fight.

 

Partisanship is all right

Once there is more than one,

My prayer is in the next election

This madness will be gone.

 

Stewart Russell © October 15, 2023

 

The People Have Spoken

 

 

 

The people have spoken

It is thirty-love again!

It is not the outcome I wanted

And it causes me pain.

 

It gives me a numb feeling

That I cannot explain

But I know that in 2018

I felt the same.

 

It’s not good for democracy

Though you might not agree

But I do believe in Parliament

An opposition is necessary.

 

 

It is like playing draughts

Without an opponent,

You will win the imaginary contest

In any event.

 

Who will put the other side

When the Parliament meets?

Where will be the cut and thrust

As the MPs speak?

 

“The people’s Parliament!”

I hear your loud report

But that carries a hollow sound

Like you are making sport.

 

And in the Senate

How will that be formed?

Will there be nineteen members

Instead of the twenty-one?

 

 

One man came to the rescue

The first time this happened

And we ended up

With a one-man opposition.

 

There was one in the Lower House

And two in the Upper,

It is likely this time around

To be a different matter.

 

I did not like it the first time

And I do not like it now

But the people have spoken

And to their say I bow.

 

 

The people have spoken,

The results speak loud and clear,

It is thirty-love again

In elections free and fair.

 

Whatever our choice

We must abide by the rules

And in the interest of Barbados

Be building tools.

 

Build up not pull down!

Work not shirk!

In the interest of our fair nation

To the work, to the work!

 

There is much to be done

And hard decisions to make,

Let’s put our hands to the plough

And work for Barbados’ sake.

 

Let us build a Barbados

For our children’s children

With Almighty God as our guide,

The help of our Nation.

 

Stewart Russell © January 20, 2022

 

How Do You Know?

 

 

How do you know for sure?

But you took a side

And you argued vehemently

That the other person lied.

 

You stuck your neck out

And put your head to the block

That one was telling the truth

And the other was not.

 

And your contention was

You heard it on the news

And there was lots of evidence

Given all the reviews.

 

 

Your news source was reliable

But the other source was not,

Yours came via CNN

And theirs came from Fox.

 

Not to mention YouTube channel

Where there were lots of hits,

So, there is no possible way

Your news could have been fixed.

 

People don’t like your choice

And want to pull him down

But the real truth is

The other candidate is a clown.

 

But how do you know for sure

Which one is telling the truth?

As far as I can see

Neither of you has any proof.

 

 

You live here in Barbados,

You don’t live overseas

But you are going at each other

Like two uninformed lackeys.

 

What about the local situation?

This should be within your scope

But even in this case

This is like “Murder She Wrote”.

 

None of us is really sure

 Concerning what to believe,

What we think is the truth

Might be an attempt to deceive.

 

Let us not become enemies

Because of one’s political choice

But in the interests of our country

Let us speak with one voice.

 

One voice concerning justice

One voice concerning equal rights,

One voice concerning God’s Word

And doing so with all our might.

 

 

One truth of which we can be sure

Is the infallible Word of God,

Around it we can rally

With no chance of being defraud.

 

So, be it Trump or Biden

Be it our Government or Opposition,

At the end of the day let’s remember

We are all in this position.

 

Trapped by our leaders’ decisions

Let’s earnestly pray for them

And trust that they look to God

To help resolve our problems.

 

That they remember their oath

When they stood before the G.G.

And promised to do their best

And to act responsibly.

 

That they understand servanthood

That the people are their boss

And they will have to give an account

For whatever is gained or lost.

 

And that five years is not forever

Even if they tend to forget,

And that the next scheduled elections

Could be the cause of much regret.

 

Stewart Russell © August 2020