Barbadians have been told they should never forget “the numerous strides” and the “outstanding contribution” that their forefathers made to the development of the country.
Member of Parliament for St Thomas Cynthia Forde, in her contribution to the debate on a resolution on July 26 as a Day of National Significance, called on nationals to follow in the footsteps of thier predecessors who fought adversities by combining their efforts.
MP Cynthia Forde
“We would have known of the segregation and the numerous challenges in the past, and our parents would have experienced a lot of those challenges. But we have been able together as a people, to fight off many of them,” Forde assured.
“And, therefore, I believe that we should never lose sight of the important and the numerous strides that our forefathers have made over the decades, and the outstanding contributions which the pioneers have made in making this society one that would have been admired, and stands out like a beacon in this world.”
The Opposition MP echoed sentiments expressed earlier by Member of Parliament for St James South Donville Inniss regarding the racial composition of Parliament, adding that prior to the 1937 upheavals, it was difficult to envisage Barbados turning out to be the country it had become.
“If you look back a 100 years and envision what this Parliament would have look liked, there would have been no black people as far as I could recollect, who would have served this country.
“Today we are all black men and women from all walks of life who are here together to represent the interest of over 280,000 Barbadians, and I think it is a critical step we have been able to make through the hard work, and of course, the vision of our forefathers,” she said.