Economic Apartied

A lyrical “kaiso poem” in memory of Dr. Walter Rodney – Caribbean Historian assassinated 13thJune 1980 in Guyana

They want we to focus on race,

But they don’t want we to focus on class.

They kill Dr. Walter Rodney because he tell we, “Class is the issue”.

I gon do as Rodney say,

And focus on class class class,

Until economic apartheid dun pass pass pass!

In he book "How Europe Underdeveloped Africa",

Rodney did tell we about them African Kings,

Who sold our Brothers and Sisters into slavery for finger rings!

I gon do as Rodney say,

And focus on class class class,

Until economic apartheid dun pass pass pass!

We must remember the proverb about the axe with the wooden handle. When the trees did see the axe coming into the forest, the trees did say “Brothers and Sisters, there is no need to worry- the handle is one of we”. But we know what happened to the trees – they dead dead dead!

I gon do as Rodney say,

And focus on class class class,

Until economic apartheid dun pass pass pass!

The vested interests try to divide and rule we with race,

But they don’t want we to focus on class.

I gon do as Rodney say,

And focus on class class class,

Until economic apartheid dun pass pass pass!

They living in Millennium Heights *,

But we living down here in dire plights!

We must demand our economic rights!

I gon do as Rodney say,

And focus on class class class,

Until economic apartheid dun pass pass pass!

* ie “Millennium Heights” is an exclusive gated community in Barbados.

By Lalu Hanuman,