Cultural Ambassador Anthony ‘Gabby’ Carter is calling for Carlisle Bay to be renamed to Fergusson Bay in honour of Barbadian mariner Captain George Fergusson.
Saying that the Earl of Carlisle James Hay, after whom the bay is named has never done anything for Barbados, Gabby said Fergusson was much more deserving of the honour.
“Nobody has done more for marine life and to understand the sea,” he said, as he argued that Ferguson possessed an understanding of not only the waters, causes of pollution and the need for protection, but also the foremost native person “who understood to protect the fish, and who understood to protect the reefs, who understood to protect the beaches”.
Anthony ‘Gabby’ Carter says the Earl of Carlisle has done nothing to merit having anything in Barbados named after him.
Addressing the University of Independence Square rally last night, he added: “So I am advocating tonight that we rally, that we start programmes . . . do everything to change the name of this bay from Carlisle Bay to George Fergusson Bay.”
Last night’s gathering was the second of a monthly series to provide a forum for persons to voice their views on subjects of concern, while artistes display their talent.
Gabby did both. Between performances of his compositions ‘Riots in the Land’ and ‘Take down Nelson’, he also entered the political storm created over Barbados’ hosting members of the British Royal Family as part of the celebration of Parliament’s 375th anniversary.
“We are celebrating 375 years of so-called parliamentary democracy. And yet, think about it, we invited a man who can potentially become the Kind of England to be celebrating with us. We had to spend some kind of money to do that,” he said. “If we had enslaved anybody from Europe, you think they would invite us up to celebrate with them?
“So I object to that profusely. I think it is a waste of money and a way of insulting our people.”
Gabby, who in the 1980s electrified Barbados and the Caribbean with protest tunes like ‘Dah beach is mine’ and ‘Boots’, turned his attention to the statue of a person with a dubious record as it relates to Barbados – Lord Horatio Nelson.
Standing on Independence Square, Gabby pointed in the direction of the square in which Lord Nelson’s statue stands and said, “If you look over there, you going to see his statue, blocking the people from passing in Broad Street. And I say that is an injustice to the people of Barbados. And I say that has got to change.”