Transcript of an Address to the Nation by the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, QC, MP, Prime Minister of Barbados
July 22, 2020
Ilaro Court
[00:00:00] Fellow Barbadians; residing at home and abroad, residents, visitors, friends, ladies and gentlemen.
[00:00:08] It does feel somewhat strange to be addressing you in the third week of July. This is normally when we would be running into each other at a Crop Over fete or some other summer-related festivity.
[00:00:21] This is the time of year when we would be taking a break from a few months of toil and getting ready to make merry with thousands of returning nationals and visitors from across the globe.
[00:00:31] The fact that none of this is evident in the country today, and rather, that we are being forced to review and rescind renewed freedoms and privileges, tell us, that we are living in strange times. The fact that our Meteorological Services Department is warning of an approaching storm, not in August, not in September, not in October, but in this third weekend of July, is also telling us that we are living in very unpredictable times.
[00:01:04] We are being constantly tested to adapt to new ways of doing things and to think and act outside the box in our approach to challenges. And you’ve heard me say that to you over and over. As was in the case of the coronavirus, there is no textbook which one can consult for guidance. There are also few, if any, experts upon whom one can call for guidance based on experience and knowledge.
[00:01:31] My friends, the term uncharted waters has now become a permanent feature of our lexicon. History is not as insightful in several instances as was formerly thought to be. We have each day as a government and as a people to sit and assess situations and to take decisions based on our perspective and our conviction of what is right versus what is wrong; what is wise and desirable or what is irresponsible or self-serving. We have as a nation to cloak and cover our every action in the flag, in the national interest in what is best for Barbados. And when we launched the Covenant of Hope, I told you that because you would know how we would stand and how we would act based on the principles that we have committed to.
[00:02:26] It is for this reason, my friends, that I have sought this audience with you today, to assess the challenges that confront us as a nation and to structure government to best respond to the many permutations and combinations that confront us on a daily basis.
[00:02:43] Let me take this opportunity once again, to thank you, the vast majority of voters in Barbados for reposing your confidence in the Barbados Labour Party, under my leadership, at this time.
[00:02:57] I promised you on the morning, early morning of May 25th (2018), that I would not flinch. That I would not veer from the toughest or less traveled road. I promised that I would consult wherever possible, but that in the final analysis, I would act firmly and decisively in the interests first and foremost of Barbados and Barbadians.
[00:03:22] I also said that I would do what I had to do to ensure that the Barbados Labour Party remained responsive to the needs of Barbadians and is preferred by the voters over all other entities.
[00:03:35] These today remain my solemn pledges and commitments to you, the Barbadian people. I shall do right by my country and by this great political party that has rested, for now, on my shoulders, the mantle of leadership, at this most difficult and unprecedented of times.
[00:03:56] In recent months and spoken to you of the challenges in the world. Challenges in the region; especially in my capacity as the immediate past Chairman of the Caribbean Community and still as a member of the Bureau.
[00:04:10] Very regularly, I speak to you on policies and programs confronting and impacting our country and this government, and the need for adjustments to those policies and programs.
[00:04:21] Today, I have come to talk to you about the need for the government to ready itself for the challenges of a post-COVID-19 Barbados. Amazingly, we can’t even use that term easily, “post-COVID-19” loosely, at all, because yesterday alone, the world recorded its single largest number of new coronavirus cases in a single day. COVID-19, regrettably, is as present and as menacing as ever to the global community.
[00:04:54] And oh, we are so familiar with what has taken place on our borders to the north and to the south, and now parts of Asia are recording unprecedented surges in the spread of this deadly pandemic.
[00:05:08] I remind all within the hearing of my voice that Barbados is not immune to the coronavirus. We are as susceptible as any other country to a second wave of this virus. We are forced through circumstances and commonsense to reopen our doors to commercial flights and we do so on the basis of risk. Our protocols are risk-based. We have been as discerning as is practical, but call it like the pandemics before, SARS, AIDS even Mad Cow disease. They don’t carry footprints on one’s forehead. It doesn’t manifest itself in an individual, nor does it set off an alarm that everyone can hear from far. And we have seen that it doesn’t discriminate in any way from world leaders to ordinary people, suffering from the virus. Therefore, we have had to remain guarded and we adhere to the rules and regulations.
[00:06:09] It is for this reason that I join with the COVID Czar, Mr. Richard Carter, in imploring Barbadians and visitors alike, and begging Barbadians and visitors alike to adhere to the tenets of social distancing and the practice of taking personal protection against the spread of the virus – the washing of hands and all of the other things that we know we should do. On occasion, I know it is difficult to wear this mask too, believe you me and I ensure that within distance once we are going into close crowds, that we try to do it. Do I always remember? I don’t. Do you always remember? I hope so. Do we all have to recommit? Yes, we do. And I know that especially at this time of year, the urge is out there to get out and socialize and party a little. I told you. But we simply can’t do it in a way that is going to be risky. It is too dangerous and where we have asked persons and given persons the opportunity to congregate, we want them to do so in a way that is safe and certainly not with the pictures of them up underneath each other because you can have a good time, but put your hands out and dance to make sure that nobody comes close to you, behind you or in front of you.
[00:07:27] It’s against this background, I’ve told the Czar and the other authorities to play it safe and to clamp down on those institutions that do not understand what we have said with respect to the protocols and are not enforcing the requirements that the protocols require on which we have shared with the population. And it’s not out of a desire to be wicked or to be malicious to people. But you have to take responsibility for your facilities if you want to be able to have persons, patronize them. And we ask you, therefore, work with us because we know that the bounty is at the end of the road if we work together as a people.
[00:08:08] But as I was saying, the government itself is readying and re-positioning itself for the challenges that confront us and for those that we anticipate will present themselves in the coming months and years.
[00:08:22] COVID will be with us for a little while and we have to plan our defense. We have to plan our defense not only with respect to the health aspects of it, but also with respect to the consequences to the economy and the quality of life for all Barbadians. My first point of introspection therefore is my Cabinet. Being Prime Minister, believe you me, has its challenges and among them is the need to ever so often step aside and to watch, to observe; to step aside, to analyze, to consider how best we may operate in the circumstances that present themselves to us. Circumstances, as we are seeing both with COVID and with the storm that are beyond our natural control. This is the point at which I have now reached, my friends, as your Prime Minister.
[00:09:13] I have had the benefit of two years of watching and observing and I have also had the responsibility of preparing and planning for the uncharted path that lies ahead. I want to announce that as a result, the government has determined that it is necessary that we take fresh guard and the Parliament of Barbados will be prorogued on the 8th of August 2020, with us resuming in a new Session on the 15th of September with a new Throne Speech and with a new direction as to where we must go in order to meet these extraordinarily different circumstances from the original throne speech of two years ago.
[00:10:01] Accordingly, I have today met, Wednesday, July 22nd, with Her Excellency, the Governor-General, Dame Sandra Mason, and I’ve advised Her Excellency to effect some changes as would allow for the following new-look Cabinet of Ministers of Barbados. We must position this country in order to be able to transform itself and to become world-class. And it is against this background that we are making the changes to the structure of government so as to better prepare us to meet the challenges ahead.
[00:10:34] With respect to the positions, clearly, I will remain as Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment.
[00:10:43] The Honourable Dale Marshall QC remains as the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs with responsibility for Police still.
[00:10:51] The Honourable Santia Bradshaw remains as Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training as she was.
[00:10:59] Senator the Honourable Dr. Jerome Walcott remains Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
[00:11:05] Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic, Minister of Health and Wellness – he remains.
[00:11:10] The Honourable William Duguid shall now become Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance.
[00:11:15] The Honourable Ronald Toppin remains Minister of Industry and International Business.
[00:11:20] The Honourable Kerrie Symmonds will now become Minister of Energy, Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
[00:11:27] The Honourable Cynthia Forde remains as Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs.
[00:11:32] I have invited Senator Lisa Cummins to become Minister of Tourism and International Transport.
[00:11:38] And I’ve also invited the Honourable Ian Gooding-Edghill to become Minister of Transport, Works and Water Resources.
[00:11:46] The Honourable Adrian Forde becomes Minister of the Environment and National Beautification.
[00:11:52] The Honourable Wilfred Abrahams becomes the Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs.
[00:11:59] The Honourable Ryan Straughn remains as Minister in the Ministry of Finance and the Honourable Marsha Caddle remains Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment.
[00:12:09] The Honourable Sandra Husband’s – Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade – as she was.
[00:12:15] The Honourable Colin Jordan remains as Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations and the Third Sector.
[00:12:21] The Honourable Charles Griffith will now move as Minister to be the Minister in the Ministry of Water Resources.
[00:12:29] The Honourable Dwight Sutherland will become the Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment.
[00:12:36] The Honourable Kirk Humphrey remains as Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy.
[00:12:41] The Honourable Indar Weir remains Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.
[00:12:46] The Honourable Peter Phillips goes as Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
[00:12:52] And the Honourable John King becomes Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with Culture coming to the Prime Minister’s Office and Rural Development Commission with an intention that, as we know, the Rural Development Commission and the Urban Development Commission moving to become a National Development Commission and bringing both of those entities together as one as we had discussed previously.
[00:13:16] The Honourable Senator Rommel Springer is Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training.
[00:13:27] And of course, Senator Kay McConney remains Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology.
[00:13:34] Fellow Barbadians, Ladies and Gentlemen, I take this opportunity to thank the Honourable George Payne, the Honourable Edmund Hinkson, the Honourable Trevor Prescod, the Honourable Neil Rowe and the Honourable Senator Lucille Moe for their contributions over the course of the past two years and to the cause which we have been fighting for.
[00:13:54] This is not a case of dismissing anyone. I want to make it clear that I am committed to ensuring that each former member of the Cabinet is utilized in this country in a manner or in the furtherance of the work of this government and of this nation. They are all capable individuals who have much to offer, much to offer Barbados, and I will be leaning on them with their permission, in some form or fashion to assist with the execution of our mandate to be effective as a government and to ensure that our resolve to remain the political party of choice in Barbados is carried through.
[00:14:32] By the same token, I wish to also be the first to congratulate and welcome the Honourable Ian Gooding-Edghill and Senator Lisa Cummins to the Cabinet of Ministers of Barbados. Both individuals have distinguished themselves as competent, hard workers with a capacity and resolve to get the job done. And I’ve been impressed with them, with their stewardships as Chairmen of the respective entities over the course of the last two years. They have done well.
[00:15:01] My friends, I look forward to the same ingenuity, tenacity and penchant for hard work and success with respect to all who are being reappointed.
[00:15:11] Fellow Barbadians, Friends and Well-wishers, these are the first in a series of measures to reposition ourselves and to reposition as a result of the adjustments that I will be making to ready Barbados for the challenges of the new reality that confronts us as a nation. It is not business as usual.
[00:15:33] We may not always get it right, but we will certainly never flinch in our quests for excellence and our resolve to ease the strain on Barbadians from all walks of life. I want you to know and to understand that I feel the pain of Barbadians at all levels. It’s not just the lower paid individuals. It’s not just those who have lost their jobs or who unfortunately have not to date secured a job. But I’m in touch with Barbadians on a daily basis and I know the challenges. I know the needs in water, I know the needs in housing, I know the needs and small business development. I know the stresses very often still in doing and transacting business in this country. But it doesn’t change overnight. And I know your frustrations in interacting with the public service sometimes to be able to access services but I want to assure you that change is coming and that we will continue to work 24/7 to dispense a better level of service – as you’ve already seen with the office dispensing the Police Certificates of Character where you can now get your Certificate of Character in minutes instead of waiting six to eight weeks.
[00:16:45] My friends, ladies and gentlemen, I got this. And change will come and it is coming.
[00:16:51] But you and I know that when you plant a seed you don’t reap the crop overnight and that there is a period of time during which you have to make changes and await the changes and manage the change in the system.
[00:17:07] I started today with change again at the level of Cabinet. Needed changes shall be made as situations and circumstances warrant because Barbados must get it right. Barbados must thrive. Barbados must succeed in this new reality called life.
[00:17:26] I want to thank you the people of this country very much for listening to me today. And I re-commit my every ounce of energy to the management and the execution of this cause in the months and years ahead.
[00:17:39] I ask Barbadians to prepare themselves and to be near your radios because as early as tomorrow morning we will be having a session instead of the Cabinet to look immediately at the issue of the oncoming Tropical Storm. And I’m happy that the Ministry of Public Works and other Ministries spent the day today literally doing the assessments and making adjustments such that when we meet with them tomorrow morning, we will be in a position to take any further decisions that have to be done.
[00:18:09] But in every house, in every house, we know what: be prepared rather than be sorry. And I ask you, therefore, without panic, to be able to ensure that you are ready for this storm because no storm is a good storm.
[00:18:26] With those words, my friends, I ask you to help us continue to pray for our country. May Almighty God continue to bless Barbados, to bless Barbadians, all, and to ensure that we can continue to work together to keep our country up and to ensure that with the best will in the world, we shall make it because we walk together as a people.
[00:18:52] Thank you and God bless this nation of ours. Thank you.