theeducation ofNamibians inourinstitutions here.Namibia's example holdsgreat significance forSouthAfrica andwelookforward tothedaysoonwhenallSouth Africans, black,whiteorcoloured, canexercise theirinalienable rightsinafree anddemocratic SouthAfrica. TheUnitedNations istheidealforuminwhichtoaddress decolonization matters. Inoutlining theprinciples andpurposes oftheOrganization, Article 1, paragraph 2,oftheCharter readsasfollows: "Todevelop friendly relations among nations basedonrespect fortheprinciple ofequalrights andself-determination ofpeoples...".Membership intheUnited Nations isdetermined notbycriteria of size,strength, wealth ormaturity, butbytheonerequirement ofindependence. /...A/AC.109/1043 English Page21 TheUnited Nations fosters andnurtures, asnootherinternational organization does,smallandpoorcountries astheycometotermswiththeirnewlyacquired sovereignty. Thishasindeed beentheexperience ofthedeveloping micro-States of theCaribbean archipelago. AsIstated during myfirstaddress totheUnited Nations General Assembly as PrimeMinister ofBarbados inOctober 1987,theinternational community, aswe perceive ittoday, owesitsverysurvival tothesmallStatesofthisworld. Sometimes largeandpowerful States aretempted todelude themselves thattheycan foregomultilateral diplomacy anddispense withinternational co-operation. In theseinstances, smallStates haveafundamental roletoplayinshaping reality by steadfastly practising international co-operation, vigorously promoting multilateral diplomacy andfirmly supporting international organizations, suchas theUnited Nations. Thisisouronlyhopeofsurvival assovereign States. AtthetimeofBarbados' independence, thereweremanywhoarguedthatit wouldhavebeentothecountry's andthepeople's advantage toremain acolonyin theBritish Empire. However, theGovernment ofthatday,whichwasledbythesame Democratic Labour Partythatnowgoverns Barbados, wisely realized thatsovereignty isthemostnatural formofapeople's existence, thatthefreedom ofdetermining one's owndestiny istheverybirth-right ofallpeoples. Indeed, in1966Barbados wasmorethanreadytomanageitsownaffairs, not onlyinternally aswehadbeensuccessfully doingforsometime,butalso externally asanindependent nation. ThelateErrolWalton Barrow, thefatherof Barbados' independence andthenPremier ofBarbados, declared during theBarbados Constitutional Conference heldinLondon inJuly1966,thatBarbados wouldnotbe guilty of"loitering oncolonial premises". Mr.BarrowalsosaidoftheBarbadian people, andIquote, "Neither thesmallness oftheirterritory northeslenderness oftheirresource deters theminthepathofnationhood. Theyhaveamodestpart toplayintheaffairs oftheirregion, theCommonwealth andtheworld, andall theyrequire fromyouisthatyoushould speedthemtotheirrendezvous with destiny ...".Thatnoonenowdenies thewisdom ofthatdecision toaccedeto independence in1966istestimony ofthesuccess oftheendeavour. Barbadians have beenabletocreate apolitical system andsocial democracy inwhichthetalents andenterprise ofindividuals areallowed freeplay. Allareassured health care, education, housing andgoodworking conditions asbasicrights. Moreover, this systemisinstitutionalized within alegalframework thatguarantees therights and freedoms ofallcitizens. Thiscritical challenge thatBarbados hasfacedofbuilding anindependent country isbynomeansdissimilar totheexperiences ofmostofoursister countries intheCaribbean. Thischallenge nowconfronts thoseTerritories which remain undercolonialism. Thecolonial experience oftheindependent States inthe Caribbean isrecent, anditslessons arestillapplicable andmaybelearnt byOur non-independent neighbours. Insharing withthedependent Territories thelessons ofourpastandin participating intheseTerritories' struggles forfuture independence, the independent Caribbean countries mustre-examine theideals andaspirations which I...A/AC.I09/l043 English Page22 motivated ustoseektocontrol ourowndestinies. Wemustmonitor ourselves to ensurethatwehavenottraded onebrandofclientstatus foranother. Wemustif
**Analysis**
This text appears to be a speech or address by a prime minister or government official, discussing the importance of independence, self-determination, and sovereignty. The text touches on the experiences of small states, including Barbados, and highlights the challenges and opportunities that come with independence. The focus is on the political and social aspects of independence, rather than economic or environmental issues.

**Category**
Education, International trade, Humanitarian aid and relief