Ian Bourne slams Ronald Jones for Crop Over comments
After reading Ian’s column yesterday we wondered if he’d modify it. Nope… he’s left it up every word and he means every word of it too!
The issue is that Minister of Education Jones lately made some comments condemning the practice of Wadadah’s Back To School fete where adults put on their alma mater’s uniform and celebrate Crop Over.
Here’s a sampling from Ian’s article…
“I don’t know what’s happened to Minister Jones these days, I remembered him as the heroic President of the BUT in 1991 when he marched against Lloyd Erskine Sandiford over the 8% Pay Cut, but now he is this ridiculous caricature of himself.
Early last year he pledged to boost security at schools and yet Parkinson Memorial Secondary was robbed in daylight and worse, during school hours – what has he really done other than try to divert attention with decrying pupils having cellphones?”
and this…
“Has Jones really paid any attention to Back To School? It is one of the few events in Crop Over where adults are well-behaved, there’s no violence and if anything, the grown up’s treat the uniforms better than when they had school days – as they view it as a sign of high respect what they’re doing, having fun and respecting nostalgia in a modern-day setting!”
All that and much more including photos and Jones’ “old socks” breath at The Bajan Reporter article Education Minister of Barbados needs to go back to school – Ronald Jones decries Crop Over Fete almost 3 years after winning seat? Please!
Photo credit: Ian Bourne had a little trouble on board a visiting US Navy ship. You can read about it too in the Bajan Reporter article Bajan Reporter goes too far? Appears sport made on US Military vessel went overboard.
Barbados Free Press 
LOL, I was making sport in the HSV 2 Swift article which is a trailer, the full item will be up later today…
But Jones? As you say, I mean every word!
one of the few fetes where adults were well-behaved? i’ve seen dozens of photos of people at the fete and they were not well-behaved nor were they treating their former school’s uniform with any respect! my former principal would have had an instant heart attack were she still alive to see what people were doing to her beloved school’s uniform.
Nice deflection, deal with issues; Shots of professionals relaxed and enjoying themselves plus – what about teacher & pupil day? Also Jones’ pledges to improve schools’ security in 2008 and yet secondary school students terrorised earlier this year?
Most inappropriate. A school uniform is something to be worn with dignity. If persons from a particular school want to socialize there are avenues for that. I agree with Mr Jones
So ban Teachers as students and pupils as educators? What is to be done for lack of security at secondary institutions when canteens are robbed because of a rotting economy?
BTW ‘rasta man’, dreadlocks were once thought to be mocking school Authority – or didn’t you know that?
Real story for Swift – http://bajanreporter.com/?p=15781
Ian bourne i am not a rasta and i do not have locks
Wow such credibility, excellent, so why should anyone believe you at all – at least everyone knows who I am and where I come from
Ian, you said that it was one of the few events where adults were well-behaved and I differed with that based on what I have seen. I dealt with an issue you yourself raised. I am not interested in commenting about the other points you spoke about. I don’t care much for Jones or any other politician for that matter. I have friends who went to the fete and who shared dozens of photos with me- they provided enough evidence of drunkenness and extreme bad behaviour/ disrespect for school uniforms.
I agree with Minister Jones on this. For every one adult behaving properly in their school uniform at these fetes, there are five more behaving poorly and sometimes in an obscene fashion. Unfortunately, Mr. Bourne, you need to accept that this is setting a poor example for our youth to follow when in school.
For instance, while I thoroughly enjoyed myself on the road yesterday, I couldn’t believe how many people I saw turn up in their school uniforms and “do bad”. Both young and old people…men and women…..is this now a fad to wear school clothes to a fete? If so, then why would a child feel the need to respect their school clothes when they are encouraged to wukup and do as they please in them when they are in these fetes?
Mr. Bourne, you may be upset about the poor security at the schools but you should note that the newer built/refurbished schools all have guard huts and sometimes a security guard. However, getting a security guard at a school is different from getting a good security guard. Unless of course you are suggesting the government enter into a large security contract? Eitherway, you are comparing apples to oranges by likening the validity of the minister’s comments to his effectiveness in reforming the school environment.
Also, do remember that the minister was referring to the use of school uniforms during fetes and took no issue to school-sponsored events. You really need to make better points for your argument.
The school uniform is being degraded and someone should definitely do something about it!
I was going to reply, but it became so intricate it is another article of itself, please pay me a visit for my riposte http://bajanreporter.com/?p=15810
nteresting that you made a whole post because of my comment.
Once again, the security issue at schools is more than the minister’s fault. Blame should be placed on all involved from the teachers to the principal and even the parents of the criminals.
That said, are you really trying to convince people that these mature persons in their school uniforms (who clearly went for nostalgia) were the only ones there??? You didn’t see the thousands of young people then. You also did not see how they behaved. I can enjoy a good fete and am known to get on “bad” but in a school uniform is gross disrespect!! I suppose the next step is to go in your official work clothes! Who cares if we disrespect the organizations, right?
I’m almost sure I’ve seen you at the fetes this weekend and you would’ve been blind to not see how the school uniforms (even from HC, QC and Combermere) were defiled and disgraced as the “students” got on “bad” and “went down”.
There is a lack of discipline in this society. I understand your concern that the minister is not giving us as much as you would like him to give but is also trying to take away something from us. However, do you really believe that it is fitting and respectful to the school institution to be wukking up all on trucks, on the ground, on the walls in your school uniform?
Without reading your article, Ian; I want to say-he is a big old spoilsport!
The act of putting on your old school tie and representing for the old Kolij etc. is the exact opposite of what he claimed. If we are big enough why shouldn’t we be able to wuk up in we uniform? What next, will he take off his belt and give us lashes?
Shut up Mr. Jones, talking alot of crap we got ministers pulling GUNS pon people in the parliament and DON’T hear a word from he bout what that says he got two mouths talk bout how hard it is getting to buy basic things in Barbados now school clothes that is what u should talk and run up yah mouth bout…….. plus I half drunk from partying…………. He is a real wanna be prime minister
Valid points Ian, the thing puzzles me though is the uniforms – how do they still fit? are they made to measure or are kids today a lot bigger? Is todays diet so bad that kids need adult sizes? That is a real worry.
No if I recall Jones item correctly, adults buy material to do the uniforms and to the effect of “waste material which could be used for pupils” – so on one hand he says the fetes are bad, but on the other he is saying they’re so popular that Barbados is running out of cloth… Is this not then a call for local manufacturing to be boosted?
Minister Jones has said some stupid things in the past, but I fully agree with him on the issue of adults partying in school uniform. It sends all the wrong messages to school children. We’ve got way too many irresponsible adults in our society.
In this day and age a minister of Government wasting time on such an issue. He could have dealt with police brutality, Sex abuse within the schools or even scolded his fellow muninsters , yes munisters, for playing gutter politricks. I am tired of hearing him and his junk.
@Bajan Spy
Why do some people like to trivialize things that have relevance? I don’t see it as a waste of time. That is only one of many issues the minister is addressing. Anything that potentially has an impact on school children and their behaviour is his business. I don’t always agree with some of his statements and approaches, but I can’t fault him for speaking out against this particular issue.
I have never read so much rubbish from the egotistical trash heap called Bourne. He is part of the souse barrel culture of Barbados.