EDITORIAL

What if like Martin Luther King Jr, Bussa had a dream and formulated in his minds eye a free land, a free Barbados where there was no need to agitate for freedom from chains. Maybe, just maybe Bussa saw that this island could arrive at where it will be tomorrow – celebrating not just independence but freedom from the British Colonial Empire. Perhaps that is what Bussa conceptualised when he called to arms the plantation troops that day in 1816 on Bayley’s Plantation in the parish of St. Philip. He saw there was a need to agitate for what was right, for the freedom that was owed to us.

 

The slave trade officially ended in 1807, making the buying and selling of slaves from Africa illegal, however slavery itself had not ended. In fact, it was not until 1834 that slavery ended in the British Caribbean. Did that mean that for approximately 28 years after the slave trade ended that the slaves sat idly by? The answer is an emphatic no! There were quite a few notable slave rebellions, with the Bussa rebellion being counted amongst the first of three large-scale rebellions in the British West Indies. In fact, it was one of the first rebellions to be had on the island in over 100 years. General Bussa commanded approximately 400 men and women against the British soldiers and the imperial troops however, Bussa was eventually killed in battle and the troops were defeated. Fifty enslaved people died in battle and 70 were executed in the field. Three hundred were tried, of which 144 were executed and 132 sent to another island. Was it a victory for Bussa? Indeed it was for this rebellion is at the core of our story as a nation sending ripples of concentric circles throughout the annals of our history. So integral were rebellions like this to our historical development, that had they not taken place, it surely would have taken longer than the 28 years for slavery to end. 

 

Could it be true though, that what happened some centuries ago could have direct bearing on our celebrations tomorrow? I put it to you that it does, simply because Bussa set us on this very path. Bussa was a revolutionary and as revolutionaries do, they act not just for themselves but also for others. It was not inconceivable for Bussa to surmise that he would lose his life during the rebellion. He was not insular, singular or myopic in his outlook, what he was doing was not just for himself but also for his people. It was for his race. The fight for freedom, he no doubt realised was not a short road but a journey punctuated with moments of insecurities on a road fraught with obstacles; despite this, Bussa was not to be stopped. For each and every Barbadian, regardless of political affiliation, he was the change! 

 

The point here is that too often we seek instant gratification without realising that “perpetual steps in the right direction inevitably lead to results”. Ruminate on this – if it were not for Bussa and his army taking those “perpetual steps in the right direction” that Easter Sunday back in 1826, we may have not been led along this timeline to freedom. November 30, 1966 may not have become a day that this nation is now blessed to reflect upon. We must never lose sight of the links in the chain. And never lose respect for the chain of events and how far we have come. 

 

True, there is still much to be done for Barbados, and like any other place we do have our ills and our issues but let us not lose sight of the fight. We must continue to strive and push forward as a nation celebrating our ups and learning from our downs. We only turn 50 once, so lets make this one count! Let us lift up our eyes to the rising sun coming over the hills on the East Coast and continue to shape our future like Bussa did. For us independence is not a one off day, but an ongoing event. It is one that we should cherish and continue to fight for because from the time we drop our arms we will lose the fight. We will lose everything that not only Bussa fought for, but that which all of our National Heroes have fought for.

 

Let us continue to weave and connect the tapestry that makes us Barbadian regardless of colour or affiliation. Let us never forget our humble beginnings as we continue to grow as a mighty nation. So tomorrow be safe, God Bless and Happy Independence Barbados!