By Tee White

A poem by Barbados cultural ambassador, Anthony ‘Gabby’ Carter, on the death of Elizabeth Windsor, queen of England has generated unwarranted criticism from certain quarters on the island. The poem, reprinted below, points out some truths about the British monarch and her relationship to the crimes of British colonialism.

For those with a strong allegiance to British colonialism these truths were a bitter pill to swallow and so, just like Malcolm X described, they jumped to the defence of their colonial ‘massa’.

Local media reported that some people labelled the poem as “disrespectful”, “distasteful” and “uncivilised” while others demanded that the Barbados government revoke Gabby’s National Honour status if he does not apologise for penning the poem.

Guy Hewitt, former Barbados High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and recent contender for leadership of the opposition Democratic Labour Party is reported as having strongly condemned the poem and…