Barbados PM Mia Mottley Rallies UN With Bob Marley, Peter Tosh’s ‘Get Up, Stand Up’

In her address to the United Nations on Friday, the straight-shooting Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley drew for the lyrics of Get Up, Stand Up a song co-written by Reggae legends Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, as she rebuked the 76-year-old organization for being in a constant state of inertia.

Mottley’s address, propelled by the Marley/Tosh quote, has captured news headlines across the world.  It took place at the annual gathering of world leaders in New York, and was done in a bid to “spur meaningful action from the 193-member United Nations General Assembly on crises from climate and COVID-19 vaccines to poverty and education”.

Get Up, Stand Up originally appeared on The Wailers’ 1973 album Burnin’  where it was the lead single.   Solo versions have also been recorded by Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer.   It was later included on Marley’s iconic Legend compilation album.

In the video of the address, which has been posted on the UN’s YouTube channel, Mottley, after giving her salutations to the Assembly, dispensed with her prepared speech, and like a stern headmistress, made her no-nonsense stance clear.

“If I use this speech prepared for me to deliver today, it would be a repetition.  A repetition of what you have heard from others and also from me,” Mottley said.

She then addressed issues ranging from the UN’s nonchalant attitude towards Haiti and Cuba; the hoarding of vaccines by rich countries; the digital divide and the disillusionment of country’s leaders with the UN, as she called for, among other things, global, moral and strategic leadership from the organisation.

“In the words of Robert Nesta Marley. Who will get up and stand up for the rights of our people?” an impassioned Mottley demanded to know, as she drew for the Wailer’s 1973 hit.

“Who will stand up in the name of all those who have died during this awful pandemic? The millions. Who will stand up in the name of all those who have died because of the climate crisis, or who will stand up for the Small Island Developing States who need 1.5 degrees to survive?” she demanded to know.

Mottley was satirical, and also lyrical in her address, as she compared and contrasted the manner in which the world’s leaders have prioritized the addressing of absurdities and sometimes unessential activities, over basic needs required for human survival.

“If we can find the will to send people to the moon and solve male baldness as I have said over and over, we can solve simple problems like letting our people eat at affordable prices,” she said as she scolded the world leaders.

Mottley, who has led Barbados since 2018, was imperious as she rebuked the United Nations for being unengaging and only giving token initiatives that will not close the gap.

“This is not 1945 with 50 countries.  This is 2021 with many countries that did not exist in 1945 who must face their people and answer the needs of their people.  Who want to know what is the relevance of an international community that only comes and does not listen to each other that only talks and will not talk with each other,” she declared.

She also called upon the Assembly indicate to indicate what direction it wants the world to go in.

“How many more leaders must come to this podium and not be heard before they stop coming? How many times must we address an empty hall of officials and an institution that was intended to be made for leaders to discuss with leaders?” Mottley, a lawyer by profession said.

“This age, dangerously resembles that of a century ago, a time when we were on the eve of the Great Depression, a time when we fought a similar pandemic and a time when facism, and populism and nationalism led to the decimation of populations through actions that are too horrendous for us to even contemplate.  Our world knows not what it is gambling with and if we don’t control this fire, it will burn us all down,” she added.

In addressing the matter of the digital divide, the Barbadian  Prime Minister also aid this was as a result of the selfishness of some wealthy nations.

“We have the means to give every child on this planet a tablet. And we have the means to give every adult a vaccine. And we have the means to invest in protecting the most vulnerable on our planet from a change in climate. But we choose not to,” Mottley said.

“It is not because we do not have enough, it is because we do not have the will to distribute that which we have,” added said.

Mottley’s song of choice Get Up Stand Up, has been described as “a signature song with a more confrontational and militant tone than previous records” by the Wailers.

Get Up, Stand Up has become famous for being the world’s biggest protest song, and played a key role in the struggle of black people in Apartheid South Africa, who were being oppressed by a white minority.

In 1988, the song was performed live by Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman and Youssou N’Dour at an Amnesty International Concert for Human Rights.

Get Up, Stand Up has been sampled in 45 songs including Crown The King by American rap group Migos, Book of Life by Common in 1994 and Git Up, Git Out by OutKast featuring Goodie Mob in 1994.   It was also and covered in 27 songs and remixed in one, according to whossampledwho.com.