Editorial
The Barlow Affair
The Cayman Islands is an amazing place.
Despite the serenity and properity which attract so many, to thepoint where the indigenous population is now in the minority,one can live here and still experience the daily stresses andconcerns commonly found in places with a population 10 or 20 timesits size.
Over three decades ago, a 30-something-year-old professional fromJamaica, shared the following anecdote with a newly arrived Caribbeanimmigrant, who had been living in Miami.
He said: "The Cayman Islands is an oxymoron. You are eithermaking so much money, that you do not want to leave, or you areso broke you cannot leave."
We're reminded of this with the recent public debate regardingMr. Gordon Barlow, an Australian who has been residing here for23 years, and a prolific letter writer to this publication. Hewas granted permanent residency almost eight years ago, with theright to work. Some permanent residents do not have the rightto work.
Mr. Barlow's letters to the press and other utterances promptedthe Immmigration Board to advise him, via letter, that it hadreviewed the terms and conditions of his permanent residency,and that in its view, his commentary had the potential to polarisethe commmunity.
Mr. Barlow has addressed his beef with the Immigaration Board,the same authority which granted him permission to reside herepermanently, claiming that his right of free speech is being violated.
While doing so, he is ignoring the fact that the content and toneof his letters to the press, including Cayman Net News -- whichafforded him a platform even whilst he was denied elsewhere --do more than just provoke the rights of the indigenous populationto defend its dignity.
It is one thing to defend the right of free speech. However, itis clearly a different thing to use this right to stir up hateamong the very people with whom you live and to use and abusethe warmth and care of your hosts, thereby robbing them of thetraditions which encourged others to these shores in the firstplace.
What Mr. Barlow has done over the years is to try to engage thepublic in his quest for the spotlight. He makes much of a rightto be heard through the freedom of the press that allows the publicationof his letters. Yet, when other letter writers and this publicationretorted with responses he was not happy with, he began to cry'foul'.
Perhaps what ought to be borne in mind by Mr. Barlow and othercritics who believe that they have the right to besmirch and disrespectthe people who made these island a safe, respected and ecomomicallysound place to live, is that no self-respecting person will continuallyaccept such abuse.