Cabinet to relook Barbados National Day

Barbados National Day announced by Government on Tuesday is not going ahead as planned from November 30, this year.

Late Wednesday night, Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams, who is also Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-committee on national events in November, released a statement saying it is “clear that now is not the time”.

He had announced at a media conference at Ilaro Court, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael that November 30, would no longer be known as Independence Day.

However, there was public outcry over that decision taken by Cabinet last week.

In his statement on Wednesday night, Minister Abrahams noted: “This Barbados Labour Party Government is one that is committed to promoting a sense of patriotism and national pride during the month of November.

“At some point we must come up with a suitable way to collectively craft a meaningful and celebratory way to honour these two most significant achievements in our nation’s history – the attainment of Independence in 1966 and our first Prime Minister, The Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow, National Hero, and the transition to Parliamentary Republic last year in 2021 and our first Barbadian Head of State, Her Excellency The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, President of Barbados.

“But it is also clear that now is not the time.

“I’m the member of a Government that listens, and as we have done in the past, we’ve listened to the voice of the people.”

Here is his entire statement that also outlines the intention of Minister Abrahams to take the matter to Cabinet again “with a recommendation that this particular initiative be paused pending inclusive, public discourse, and consultations with the widest possible cross-section of the Barbadian public and with the Social Partnership”.

About The Author