I do and will forever fervently love you my Barbados! (Article)

By Stanley Collymore

Fifty-one years ago, precisely on the 30^th November 1966 Barbados acquired its independence and in accordance with that decisive declaration became a sovereign and independent country amongst the several other nations not merely in the Caribbean region but also the broader global community. A notable and auspicious occasion as well as a political process that having duly attainted maximum fruition over a period of two hundred and thirty-nine years of formerly English and subsequently after the latter’s political amalgamation with the Scottish to inaugurate the United Kingdom, full British observation.

And I’ve specifically used the term observation, and preferably consciously so, since from its august inception, both in terms of colonization and its earliest settlement by the English in 1627 Barbados was in management terms an entirely self-governing entity with its very own island-based and domestically controlled parliament whose effective achievement was realized in 1639, and which ever since that time has continuously and abidingly been the commendably democratic beacon that has luminously, unyieldingly and stalwartly gleamed over this Eastern Caribbean island during the preceding years, making it, following the House of Commons in Westminster, London the second oldest worldwide, political and founded nation-driven self-ruled legislature.

So to our plethora of laudable Barbadian legislators who over the years –past, present and naturally as well aspiring ones – I sincerely, together with our closely-knit nation of Bajans at home and correspondingly across our much broader global Diaspora say thanks to all of you for everything that you’ve amazingly undertaken and also practicably done, and in the complete and encouraging knowledge that in the case, I know, of our gifted, committed and forthcoming Barbadian citizens and in tandem with those who are as yet unborn, that all of you will generously, confidently and with accomplished pride in yourselves, and similarly our nation, carry on doing, as your dauntless forbearers have commendably done, everything that you possibly can for our charming, tropically idyllic and Beautiful Barbados; as well as our intensely blessed, enormously religious, diligent, harmonious and utterly exciting Bajan and, of course, our Caribbean homeland.

There are some things that instinctively, significantly and wholeheartedly impact on one’s entire consciousness and general wellbeing in such a thoroughly welcoming and superbly inspirational fashion that words, however gifted that one is with them, are insufficient by themselves to fully express the amazing sensations, both physically and emotionally, that these pleasurable realizations cause in the first place and accordingly enduringly carry on doing so in the most delightful manner.

And the effect that my ancestral homeland, Barbados throughout all of my life has had, does and will forever, and in the most positive manner, continue to do so is for me an indisputable fact of life and furthermore one which I’m most grateful is irrefutably unchangeable in every conceivable way.

For this tropical paradise: the most easterly of all the Caribbean Islands vigorously washed on its northern and eastern coastlines by the expansive and impressive Atlantic Ocean and on its southern and western shores by the tranquil waters of the Caribbean Sea definitely means the world to me, as do the people, my maternal and paternal families and many friends included, who inhabit it; our national global Diaspora of Bajans, as well as our highly prized collection of blessed elders and ancestors who sacrificed so much for us and accordingly have enabled subsequent generations of Barbadians to be who we uniquely are.

And so on this the 51^st Anniversary of Barbados’ official Independence Day – 30 November 2017 – I unreservedly thank this exceedingly special island, its people, successive democratic governments that administered them, my church, the schools there and especially the ones I fortunately attended - Belleplaine Boys’ School and the historic Alleyne Grammar School – Bajan society general, my several adult mentors and my Barbadian relatives particularly for setting in train the important groundwork as well as assisting me in every altruistic way that you could in becoming the person and immensely proud Bajan that I am.

And to all those who have over the years passed on into the after-life, from me I want you to know as I’m sure you still keep an eye on our blessed homeland that you’ll never be forgotten in any shape or form; precious to me in life and continuingly so in death!

So multiple and deep-seated thanks from me, one of your grateful native sons, and Happy 51^st Birthday Barbados. And to all my fellow at home or wherever you are in the world enjoy the occasion and God Bless you all as I extend to each and every one of you my profoundest and enduring love.