Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

Caribbean Intellect

Caribbean Intellect

Everyone is entitled to an opinion. As incorrect as those opinions may be.

Earlier this week, Mr Khalid Wasi wrote an opinionated piece on Caribbean history in Bermudian news site The Royal Gazette https://www.royalgazette.com/opinion-writer/opinion/article/20230104/if-only-a-question-of-intellect/

Considering his constant bashing of the region, I found it an interesting topic for him to write about where he had this to say.

“Certainly, up against the backdrop of that failed [West Indies] federation, it may have been extremely difficult to inspire the thought of greater regional unity.

Mr Wasi is either lacking knowledge on Caribbean political history or willfully ignoring it. He ignores the fact that the West Indies Federation was essentially a British concept for centralising control and administration of their West Indian Colonies, prior to any of them gaining independence.

One other particular paragraph really raised my interest.

"Over the years since and with the absence of any mega-government leadership figure emerging, Sir Eric E. Williams of Trinidad remains the last of the intellectual great ones. Not to suggest there were no great intellectuals, but that none became government leaders."

In his opinion, there were no great intellectuals who became government leaders. Please allow me a few minutes to point out the obvious flaws in his theories.

Let us start with the 4th of July 1973 when the Treaty of Chaguaramas was signed, thus creating the foundation of CARICOM (Caribbean Community). The Founding Fathers were Prime Ministers Errol W. Barrow of Barbados, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham of Guyana, Michael N. Manley of Jamaica and Eric E. Williams of Trinidad and Tobago.

Does Mr Wasi think that one Prime Minister alone could have come up with this vision and others just blindly followed? Or, was it more likely that these were men of equal intellect and vision for a united Caribbean of independent nations.

One has to only take a few minutes and listen to the recorded speeches of any one of these gentlemen to see that their mental prowess exceeded many who resided at 10 Downing Street and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Founding Fathers were Prime Ministers Errol W. Barrow of Barbados, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham of Guyana, Michael N. Manley of Jamaica and Eric E. Williams of Trinidad and Tobago.

Regional Leadership

Apart from them, there are tons of examples of Caribbean Intellectuals who went on to become leaders of not only their respective islands but regionalists who have shaped the post-colonial Caribbean.

Here are just a few examples of Caribbean intellectual leadership

  • Lynden O. Pindling of the Bahamas
  • Robert L. Bradshaw of St. Kitts
  • Vance W. Amory of Nevis
  • M. Eugenia Charles of Dominica
  • Maurice R. Bishop of Grenada
  • Ralph T. O’Neal of the Virgin Islands
  • Lois M. Browne-Evans of Bermuda
  • P.J. Patterson of Jamaica
  • Patrick A.M. Manning of Trinidad and Tobago
  • Owen S. Arthur of Barbados
  • James A.G.S. McCarney of the Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Hubert B. Hughes of Anguilla

Again, Mr Wasi is entitled to his opinion. However, the reality is that the Caribbean is a potpourri of islands, languages, economies, histories, colonial powers, ethnic groups and political ideologies. There is no singular leader now or ever, that can be identified as uniting the region that consists of both politically independent and still colonised islands.

Just as the European Union (EU) is a collection of countries with vastly different languages, histories and political ideologies. There is no singular EU leader who can ever lay claim to uniting that region. The reality is that there is no need for anyone to do so, as the frameworks of both CARICOM and the EU is that member states have equal say in bringing ideas, vigorously debating ideas and implementing regional programmes.

Essentially, the Caribbean really did not need the British centralising their administration and control of the region. They now have regional unity on their own terms and accords.

In closing, every single leader in the region understands that our small island economies are reliant on inter-regional trade, travel and migration of skilled workers.

After all, that is what the founders of CARICOM and OECS put in place.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×