Monday, January 09, 2006
Those Colonial Awards
Over the past week all the talk in this island has centred around the New Year's awards and in particular the granting of a knighthood to the Deputy Prime minister,Mr Louis Straker.
Most of the talk that I have heard has to do with his tenure-11 years in parliament(most of which was in opposition) and the citation which said he was knighted for outstanding services as a parliamentarian.For the record am one who thinks he is undeserving but that aside my mini rant takes another angle.
I am forced to wonder why in today's world and the fact that we are supposedly independent countries that awards such as MBE,OBE etc are still fashionable.Nobody seems to care that there is no British Empire anymore which means that the awards are hollow.
Whilst am on the issue of awards you can bet your last dollar that each time you hear these awards being announced that for the most part the recipients can be easily identified as party supporters.This means that some deserving persons who did not show the colours of the party in power will be excluded.It therefore follows that a better system needs to be put in place rather than leave it up to the whim and fancy of one or two persons.
Isn't it time that countries like mine come up with their own national awards for citizens they deem worthy of recoginition? The argument I have heard against that suggestion is that nobody in the wider world would recognise national awards or they won't carry the same weight as the universally known British ones.Big deal!Who really cares if the outer world doesn't acknowledge them? After all it is about us and creating an identity for our people.C'mon SVG it is more than enough time to make a move towards getting our very own awards.
Most of the talk that I have heard has to do with his tenure-11 years in parliament(most of which was in opposition) and the citation which said he was knighted for outstanding services as a parliamentarian.For the record am one who thinks he is undeserving but that aside my mini rant takes another angle.
I am forced to wonder why in today's world and the fact that we are supposedly independent countries that awards such as MBE,OBE etc are still fashionable.Nobody seems to care that there is no British Empire anymore which means that the awards are hollow.
Whilst am on the issue of awards you can bet your last dollar that each time you hear these awards being announced that for the most part the recipients can be easily identified as party supporters.This means that some deserving persons who did not show the colours of the party in power will be excluded.It therefore follows that a better system needs to be put in place rather than leave it up to the whim and fancy of one or two persons.
Isn't it time that countries like mine come up with their own national awards for citizens they deem worthy of recoginition? The argument I have heard against that suggestion is that nobody in the wider world would recognise national awards or they won't carry the same weight as the universally known British ones.Big deal!Who really cares if the outer world doesn't acknowledge them? After all it is about us and creating an identity for our people.C'mon SVG it is more than enough time to make a move towards getting our very own awards.
# posted by Abeni @ 6:25 AM 
Comments:
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so suppose they decide to knight you an make you dame kami of bloggerville obe, mbe, csme, for your contributions to blogging you wouldnt take it :-)
I suppose that the colonial mindset that British is better still exists, regardless of the British empire's existence. P.S. Why haven't you linked to me yet?
I agree with you, why is it that an award from an outside country should mean more than one from your own country and it's citizens...whose votes by the way put you in office?!?!
The British didn't vote him/them into office...the people of SVG did!! How is that not a more deserving award!!!
Hmmm makes on wonder....
Good post!
~Smooches~
The British didn't vote him/them into office...the people of SVG did!! How is that not a more deserving award!!!
Hmmm makes on wonder....
Good post!
~Smooches~
Girl, Kami, feel no way. Barbados have the same thing also. Ours I think is given our during the time of Independence celebrations.
I've always wondered about the remaining British influence. On one hand it's your history, on the other, you no longer really need them. It seems that having your own identity completely would be a positive thing. Who cares if anyone outside SVG recognises it?
I keep asking why we still have a Governor General. It's just a rubber stamp post anyway and who cares really.
My sentiments exactly. Why are we still hanging on to these colonial practices? The biggest waste of money is the Governor General!
A, you educate me deeply about the going ons around the world! Every time I visit I learn something interesting and new. I swear you should have your own news show, LOL! Tell it like it is, girlfriend! I have no comment for the post because as usual everything you said was brilliant and untouchable.
Well, I think there still is a British Empire... after all, they still control Ireland (or part of it) and Scotland, the Cayman Islands, the Flakland Islands... there is still an empire, its just shrunk a bit.
We have our own awards in Jamaica. I also believe the Brits occasionally give awards to foreigners, though I am not sure, but hey, if they want to award me, I'll take it, especially if theres cash involved. I have been trying for some time now to get the Florida Lotto to award me several million bucks!
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We have our own awards in Jamaica. I also believe the Brits occasionally give awards to foreigners, though I am not sure, but hey, if they want to award me, I'll take it, especially if theres cash involved. I have been trying for some time now to get the Florida Lotto to award me several million bucks!
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