Debt Swap does not mean debt relief

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Debt swap does not mean debt relief.

Ryan Straughn
Ryan Straughn, a minister in the Ministry of Finance

First it was Ryan Straight singing the benefits of Barbados entering a debt swap arrangement with CIBC FirstCaribbean and Credit Suisse International. It was reported both institutions agreed to the government of Barbados buying back BDS$150 million each. The mechanics of the deal: savings generated from rebooking the debt at a lower rate will be used to finance government’s marine conservation plans.

See related article – Debt swap

Next it was Prime Minister Mia Mottley last week announcing another debt swap worth BBD$600 million to be utilised to finance the upgrade of the controversial South Coast Treatment plant (SCTP). The financial agencies mentioned with the deal were the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the Green Climate Fund.

See related article – PM says capital for upgrading South Coast Sewage Treatment Plant won’t increase Gov’t debt

In both cases there should be no criticism about the need for government to allocate resources to upgrade the SCTP and marine environment. Barbados is a small island developing state that is heavily dependent on a pristine environment to maintain its character. The country is beginning to take on a haphazard appearance with the high volume of vehicles on the road, photovoltaic panels littering our fields and hills, houses being planted everywhere, itinerant vending everywhere, et cetera.

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Haiti – Another United States Invasion Scheme

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The aim is to stabilise this government, which facilitates the US plunder of the country, by suppressing the opposition of the Haitian people to it.

Reposted from Caribbean Empowerment Blog.

By A.T. Freeman

United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin signs a defense pact with his Kenyan counterpart, Aden Duale, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Defence.

Speaking at the 78th session of the United Nations General assembly on 19 September, President Biden called on the UN Security Council to immediately authorise the planned US invasion of Haiti. This demand made by Biden from  the podium of the UN underlines how determined the US is to launch its invasion and demonstrates that the occupation of Haiti and the plundering of its resources, including its rare earth iridium deposits,  are of the utmost importance to the US corporations and the US government which represents them.

From December 1914, when US marines invaded Haiti and literally stole its gold reserves from the national bank, to 2004 when they kidnapped the elected president Jean Bertrand Aristide and 2010 when it once again sent its troops into Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake, the USA has given Haiti no peace, invading it time and again.

The current planned US/UN invasion is no different. Despite the lying propaganda that the US and its media outlets are spreading that, allegedly, the invasion is intended to benefit the Haitian people by addressing the problem of criminal gangs in that country, its real aims are clear. In reality, the US wants to invade Haiti to shore up the Ariel Henry government that it and its Core Group put in place both of which are completely rejected by the Haitian people.

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12 lawyers earn silks, whoopee!

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The Barbados Bar Association and Disciplinary Committee are enabling agencies to ring fence the profession.

This brief notice published to today’s press piqued the blogmaster’s interest. We have twelve more lawyers who will earn the right to wear silks as well as adding a few more dollars to the client invoice.

Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams
Arthur Holder, Speaker
Edmund Hinkson,M.P.
Rudolph Greenidge
Stephen Lashley, former Minister
Tammy Bryan, Chairman FTC

Special Supreme Court sitting 

THERE WILL BE a Special Sitting of the Supreme Court of Barbados on Friday at 10 a.m. to admit to the Inner Bar 12 attorneys who have been appointed as Senior Counsel.

They are Wilfred Abrahams, Tammy Bryan, Gillian Henderson Clarke, Rudolph Greenidge, Kathy-Ann Hamblin, Edmund Hinkson, Arthur Holder, Anika Jackson, Stephen Lashley, Angela Mitchell-Gittens, Alliston Seale and Liesel Weekes. (BGIS)

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What are we doing?

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We have to introduce innovation; technology to maximize agricultural production in small spaces.

Another island wide blackout continues to feed national debate concerning the quality of service being provided by OUR Canadian owned Barbados Light & Power Company. It seems ironic that as you drive around Barbados one cannot help noticing large swaths of land being used to create solar farms, as well as the many roof tops covered with photovoltaic panels. Despite what appears to be a country consumed with harnessing an alternative source of energy, a 7 hour+ outage last week was the result.

BL&P 10MW Solar Farm

The blogmaster has to assume there is science being used to determine the location of these solar farms quickly dotting the island landscape of Barbados. It should not be lost on the planners that integral to island appeal is the natural landscape. Reducing acreage of sugarcane threatens the aesthetically pleasing view with the current trend of planting photovoltaic panels. Again great irony for a country consumed with pandering to tourism, the main sector in the economy.

Important to developing alternative energy sources is balancing the need to contribute to our food security. The blogmaster accepts that because of a high cost base and lack of scale, it is impossible for us to be a significant player in food production. That said, there is nothing wrong if small islands adopt approaches to reduce reliance on food supply from overseas. Surely the recent COVID 19 pandemic that to this day continue to disrupt the global supply chain taught us a lesson?

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40 electricity outages in 2023 so far

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Barbados has experienced 40 outages between 1January 2023 and 22 September 2023.

Amit@caribbeansignal blogs with analytics top of his mind. His latest project, track electricity outages in Barbados. By his research Barbados has experienced 40 outages between 1January 2023 and 22 September 2023.

Read his evidence based report at the following link – Electricity Outages in Barbados January 1 to September 22 2023.

Barbados Light and Power (BL&P) – a company owned by EMERA out of Canada must do better for the people of Barbados. The Fair Trading Commission (FTC) where the buck stops must do better. Why should it take 2 years for a rate hearing to be closed and in the meantime BL&P continues to enjoy an interim rate increase. It does not make sense. Barbadian consumers may have a good case to question if the FTC has been acting fairly.

Cooperative Coalition’s Response to Barbados Power Outage 21 Sept 2023

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Posted as a comment to the Development by any means blog by Trevor Browne of the Cooperative Coalition, Intervenor – BLPC Rate Hearing 2021

t browne

Trevor Browne – Cooperative Coalition,
Intervenor

Having participated in the now two-year-old BLPC Rate review process, the representatives of the Coalition of Cooperatives are not surprised at the recent island-wide blackout experienced by the BLPC.

There is no question about the complexity of maintaining an isolated island electric utility, twenty four hours a day, and every day of every year.

However BLPC has been characterized by; 

• the clear lack of strategic planning towards the National Energy Policy
• the refusal to invest in new plant now for over a decade since this has been known to be
needed
• massive cuts in maintenance systems and expenditure,
• and an alarming emphasis on extracting dividends that has been way out of proportion to past history for BLPC.

It seems intuitive that the price to be paid for such a strategy by BLPC will eventually be seen in increasing unreliability, outages and poor customer service. Indeed, it is our considered opinion that, were it not for the high quality of staff at BLPC and their personal commitment to serving Barbados, such outages would by now have been a regular feature of BLPC operations. However even such dedication has its limits.

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2022 Auditor General released

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Perennial concerns raised in 2022 Auditor General Report

Ryan Straughn
Ryan Straughn, Minister in ministry of finance
Adrian Forde
Adrian Forde, Minister of the Environment

The annual spectacle of the 2022 Auditor General Report being laid in parliament has generated the usual palaver. This time around the big ticket issues raised feature the National Conservation Commission (NCC) and Wyndham Sam Lord’s Castle.

So far Minister Adrian Forde who is responsible for the NCC has quickly refuted concerns about fraud, however, he admitted the NCC breached government’s procurement policy (see page 67). Minister Ryan Straughn has refuted Auditor General Leigh Trotman’s finding of being unable to account for 165 million in spend incurred by the Sam Lord’s construction. Straughn explained that the Mia Mottley government took the decision on assuming office to take the project off budget to create fiscal space (see page 32). By the way, are we happy with Struaghn’s explanation to what happened with Four Seasons/Clearwater Bay transaction?

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Politicians too fat, cabinet too large, too many consultants

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One day coming soon some disgruntled persons will attempt a Sidney Burnett Alleyne.

On the 15 July 2023 Prime Minister Mia Mottley sat down with veteran journalist David Ellis (see 90 minutes interview below) to answer questions raised early in the administration after she became the first woman to win government on 25 May 2018.

Interview with Prime Minister Mia Mottley

The blogmaster from time to time has circled back to this interview to use it as a measure of performance of Prime Minister Mottley and the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) from 2018 to the present.

You will hear her stout defence for appointing the largest Cabinet per 1000 of population in the world. She will now argue the fact her government was reelected in the controversial snap election in January 2022 and won another clean sweep confirmed the electorate bought into government’s playbook. The blogmaster is of the view it was more a case that in the land of the blind a one eye woman is queen.

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Development by any means necessary

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Owen said that land must fetch its highest economic price.

Submitted by Observing

Prime Minister Mia Mottley

Back in 2003 Owen Arthur touted the Pierhead Marina Development Plan. For some this was a visionary idea, for others in the years after it was a chance to get out licking. 20 years later a flurry of activity has indicated that investment development on the island’s south-west corridor is back at an all systems go stage

Savvy on the Beach
Not much more that can be said here that hasn’t already been ventilated. It is absolutely clear though that Kinch must go.

Marina shops
These shops were slowly shuttered up over a few years. A recent article with the owner of Marina Restaurant who was locked out in 2020 confirms that it too is time for him to go. Miss Daisy has spoken.

Cavans Lane renters
Though two remaining renters have vowed to fight their “sudden” eviction, they know they are only renting and they will have to go. A public notice has also confirmed that the next four years will see the entire area transformed.

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Are we ready for wet bulb events and rising temperatures?

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#wetbulbevents #risingtempertures

The blogmaster received the two videos drawing attention to wet bulb events and the alarming increase in temperature readings in recent times. It is predicted to get worse in 2024. What is scary is that our best scientists seem clueless to explain why temperatures have been increasing on the planet.

Here is what the blogmaster will opine, no human being knows how nature will react over time. Buckle up and wish for the best.

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Libya disaster- white world does not care bout we

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So far almost 12,000 people dead after Storm Daniel struck Eastern Libya on the weekend which caused two dams to crash and unleash torrents of water into surrounding neighborhoods.

Muammar Gaddafi (late)

On the tiny idyllic island we are fortunate to live, too many Barbadians are happy to navel gaze as the sand fills the hourglass. We have become so entitled by a manufactured lifestyle as we continue to live in our tiny cocoon, unconcerned with the many natural AND man made challenges being visited on our fellowman elsewhere on the planet.

It challenges the accepted belief that although one race; a human race, we struggle to live up to the label as being the most intelligent and civilized specie of life occupying the earth.

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MPs pay hike maybe in the works

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No bigworks project gets done without the approval of the prime minister.

A few days ago Dr. Ronnie Yearwood fresh from being reelected President of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) posted a provocative tweet. To be expected his tweet generated the usual 7-day public discussion.

It is useful Yearwood decided to play his hand on what is regarded as a contentious matter. It is obvious he has been advised to develop a more aggressive perspective on the issues to improve resonance with a politically ‘tone deaf’ public. A different approach by the DLP to entice support from an apathetic and cynical public is required from a DLP struggling for relevance, Yearwood must employ superior leadership qualities to repurpose a political party clinging to the tattered coattail of Errol Barrow as well as surviving in a space where the political oxygen is being controlled by Prime Minister Mottley.

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A Savvy conflict of interest

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Submitted by The Book Surveyor

Savvy on the Bay matter- if the BTII failed to do due diligence by hiring Mr Kenneth Ward, both Mr Ward as the surveyor and Mr Kinch as the buyer had an obligation to legally declare a conflict of interest.  

Allan Kinch
Allan Kinch of Savvy on the Beach

Blogmaster, I sent you 2 paragraphs governing conflict of interest by surveyors and engineers as outlined by law. The wording in US and British law is slightly different, however, both speak to a professional and legal obligation to the client.

The reason I sent this is because a blogger of yours touched on it, but I do not think many understand the legal liability that this places on a transaction in terms of the efficacy of the survey. Also I read where a blogger tried to down play it by saying [paraphrasing] “so what if the same surveyor that worked for Mr Kinch worked for BTII, Barbados is a small place“. My point is – if the BTII failed to do due diligence by hiring Mr Kenneth Ward, both Mr Ward as the surveyor and Mr Kinch as the buyer had an obligation to legally declare a conflict of interest.  

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President Randy Harris, weak but strong

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President of Barbados Football Association (BFA) Randy Harris has occupied the office although the performance of Barbados football has slipped to an embarrassing level during his tenure.

BFA President Randy Harris and FIFA President Gianni Infantino 

It helps us to stay healthy, fit, and active. It teaches us the value of teamwork and encourages us to work hard and never give up. Sports also help us develop discipline, dedication, and commitment, which are essential values for success in life. It is also a great way for people to socialize and make new friends.

EDUCBA

It must be obvious sports is not only everything EDUCBA describes, it is also a trillion dollar global business. Where there are big business decisions being made expect to find political factors at play and corruption.

The world’s most popular sport is football (soccer). In recent weeks a controversy triggered by suspended president of the Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales planting a kiss on a female player in his exuberance at Spain winning the women’s World Cup, and the ensuing debate amplifies the importance placed on holding on to executive positions in sports, especially soccer. In the face of global condemnation he refuses to resign.

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COOPENERGY Responds to paid consultant

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Chairman of CoopEnergy Trevor Browne issued the following clarification statement in reply to the following comment made by Dr. Roland Clarke – Blogmaster

Dr. Roland Clarke

This issue is perhaps at the very heart of the current impasse in the ongoing Rate Hearing, and even more fundamentally in the dismal lack of progress of the proposed energy transformation for Barbados.

It is quite clear that EMERA thinks that BLPC belongs to them, and that they therefore have the option to do as they please in exercising that ‘ownership right’. We are also aware that Dr Clarke has been a paid consultant to the Government of Barbados and perhaps has been able to convince local officials that this is the case.

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Barbados New York Consul General in hot water

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Submitted by Richard Millington, Esq.Director of Communications Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy ( CGID)

Consul General Mackie Holder

The Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) on Monday harshly condemned the behavior of the Consul General of Barbados in New York, Mackie Holder, for his verbal abuse of a female New York elected official at Monday’s West Indian American Day Carnival (Labor Day Parade). The parade was held on the Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, and attended by millions of West Indians. 

The Barbados Consul General was not only verbally abusive, but he lifted his hand and pointed his finger in the face of the female Democratic elected official. The Consul General knows who the elected official is and fully recognized her at the time of the incident

The attack occurred on a double decker tourist bus sponsored by the Barbados Tourism Authority, which was part of the parade. What is bazaar is that the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), which organizes the parade, does not normally allow such buses in the parade. 

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CoopEnergy – Response to Coop Concerns

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CoopEnergy has no authority, and no interest in ‘making decisions’ about the investment of Credit Union funds in this project.

We welcome the intervention by our brother Ashton Turney, who have raised a number of concerns that we are sure have been echoed by others in the co-operative sector.

The Co-operative Movement represents a unique organizational concept that operates on seven principles of open membership, member control, member economic participation, autonomy and independence, member education, cooperation among cooperatives, and community concern.

When CoopEnergy was conceived and registered back in 2019, it was by a number of highly respected and experienced leaders of the sector who all fully appreciate the concerns raised by Brother Turney.

Then president of the League, Mr Hally Haynes was chairman of the Steering Committee and that committee included other former officers of the league as well as current leaders of other co-operative societies, who all fully understand the concerns raised, and who therefore took
deliberate actions to resolve those concerns.

Read full reply from Chairman Trevor Browne of the Cooperative Coalition –

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Players laughing at we 2

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…sources supports the view that a number one goal for the big money ‘players’ in Barbados is to craft ways to grow overseas bank accounts.

offshore

Very recently the blogmaster overheard veteran journalist David Ellis on the airwaves imploring Barbadians to ‘up de ting’ if we are serious about wanting to hold the political directorate accountable. He asked, [paraphrased] why are we satisfied with switching from BLP to DLP every other election cycle with the same problems brought forward unsolved and getting worse.

The truth, there is a humdrum and predictability to public debate in Barbados. The result is that the establishment will never be challenged to change the way it operates. What has become clear is that people power in Barbados is virtually non existent. We bicker and complain but lack the know-how to ‘package’ our discontent to that of people power.

In recent weeks the Savvy on the Bay affair has raised more questions than answers with other concerns adding to the mix. It is clear the public is being fed stories from different sides of the matter and to date Allan Kinch seems to be winning in the court of public opinion. There was a deal and now there is no deal – why has the Planning and Development Department (PDD) ignored Kinch’s application? Why has Kinch proceeded to alter the property without PDD approval? The blogmaster is not so naive to believe Kinch of Savvy on the Bay comes to the table with clean hands. He is a player.

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Co-op Coalition Report – Energy Mess

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…it has taken nearly two years, to fail to adjudicate a straightforward rate review request from the utility

Trevor Browne, Chairman, Cooperative Coalition

We are pleased to share with you the summary report provided to our members on the ongoing BLPC Rate Hearings as at August 30, 2023. After nearly two years, we feel obligated to provide a comprehensive overview of our findings so far for our Co-op members. One of our primary objectives in becoming involved in the process was to ensure that a clear and understandable assessment of the key issues is made available to any and all members of the Co-operative movement, and indeed of the public, who have the interest.

Trevor Browne, Chairman, Cooperative Coalition

The Barbados Light & Power Company Limited (BLPC) is arguably the most critical asset owned by the people of Barbados. It is a regulated public utility, created by the Laws of Barbados for the public good, and is structured in such a way that its day-to-day operations are leased, by the Ministry of Energy, to a selected franchise holder, who enjoys a long-term contract of service – currently 42 years. The present franchise expires in 2028 after having been granted in 1986. BLPC is regulated by the FTC and operates subject to a number of the Laws of Barbados – specifically the Electric Light & Power Act (ELPA), Utilities Regulations Act (URA), Utilities Procedural Regulation Rules (UPRR) and the Fair Trading Act (FTA).

Just under two years ago, the Coalition of Cooperatives, representing the Barbados Sustainable Energy Co-operative Society Ltd, The Barbados Cooperative & Credit Union League and the Barbados Cooperative Business Association Ltd., applied, and were accepted as one of the Intervenors in the 2021 BL&P rate hearing application.

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PM Mottley is frustrated

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If the omnipresent Prime Minister Mia Mottley is being frustrated by a moribund FTC to execute its job, what recourse is there for ‘lowly’ citizens.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley

Many Barbadians – we hope – have been following the protracted hearing to determine a rate application request by the Barbados Light & Power (BL&P) being adjudicated by the Fair Trading Commission (FTC). The blogmaster has a healthy respect for the intervenors representing the interest of citizens who despite being under-resourced have been putting in the work. However, it must be stated the review process smacks of being ultra-bureaucratic at a time timely decision making is required to move the country forward. The government it appears has created a monster.

The BL&P’s legal team has challenged the FTC’s decision issue earlier in February 2023. It is of interest based on the argument the FTC acted ultra vires. If the FTC Commissioners are forced to vary its earlier decision, there is a simple task for all members to perform – resign!

… to safeguard the interests of consumers, to regulate utility services supplied by service
providers, to monitor and investigate the conduct of service providers and business enterprises,
to promote and maintain effective competition in the economy and for related matters.

2020 FTC Annual Report
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‘Players’ laughing at we

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We have a few rich people who are able to facilitate large local transactions and receive offset offshore requires attention from local authorities.

In recent days the blogmaster has had the irresistible urge to ‘mumble’ in words a concern. It is a concern many Barbadians are unaware. It centres around how ‘players’ in Barbados operate to influence decision making by decision makers.

In BU’s early years the late Denis Lowe featured in many blogs when evidence surfaced he was an errand boy for Peter Allard of Graeme Hall Sanctuary fame. The plan was for Allard to fund his campaign, in return he would have no choice but to be compliant. Too many are ignorant to the fact it isn’t elected politicians who call the shots, it is the faceless others that contribute to finance campaigns and hold keys to important gateways.

It is a puzzlement why the previous government – then Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler – redirected funds from the Industrial Credit Fund to ensure Mark Maloney was paid for an obviously overpriced Grotto project. It was a project that attracted unfavourable comment in the Auditor General’s 2016 Special Audit report with predictably no repercussions. This was at a time government owed too many small black business persons. To be compliant the government had to ignore a protrusion at the entrance of Coverley Gardens, a prefab construction next to the flour mill on the renamed Mighty Gryner among two that come to mind.

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Prime Minster you are the one talking foolishness

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The following was posted as a comment to Time to hold NIS Chairs accountable by BU Commenter NorthernObserver

Minister of Finance
The Honourable Prime Minister Mia Mottley

Since I contributed several times on the NIS, I must admit when I make a mistake. For some time I have used the number of $320,000,000 to represent the sum of NIS contributions deducted from govt/SOE employees but not remitted to the NIS, by that employer(s), pre 2018. That was incorrect. The actual number given by the PM is $457,500,000.
I have also stated that was a criminal act. That nothing in the National Insurance Act gave any employer the right to withhold from the NIS monies it deducted from its employees. The PM referred to this as “monies it {GoB} took on trust”. Apparently whether employers have the legal right to withhold and open Accounts Payable (on trust) to the NIS, the PM is willing to give the GoB “a pass”. As she was willing to do with other employers, just admit it and talk to the NIS. In context, this seems to be because a decision was taken to pay it back, and she was clear to state the full amount of $457,500,000 had been repaid via Bonds. She said series Series B, I thought it was Series J, doesn’t much matter.

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Is Hugh Wooding Law school failing? – Once a noble profession

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It is a bad rap on Hugh Wooding law school and simply a disgrace to the profession.

Submitted by Chefleur

Hugh Wooding
Hugh Wooding law School

Once upon a time the legal profession was considered noble. I had to pause from my very busy schedule to chronicle to inform you and the public of some very disturbing events and atrocious behaviour of a member of the Guyana Bar.

Before my mother died I filed various DVA before the Magistrate’s courts in Georgetown. A particular attorney representing the defendants would enter the chambers spewing his diatribe, in order to sway the Magistrate from granting the protection order sought.

Because of his utterances all those requests for protection of my elderly and abused mother were given a mere “keep the peace” warning. My mother died because various magistrates in Guyana *refused* to act to protect an ailing elderly person.

Since my mother’s death in January 2022 this same attorney has filed various ridiculous motions on the estate. All were promptly dismissed for no grounds by understandably very irate judges.

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Rats Everywhere

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The following link was forwarded to the blogmaster’s inbox by our dearly departed ac. It is a serious matter and we thank her for making the blogmaster aware of this recent event.

Adrian Forde
Adrian Ford Minister of the Environment
Dr. Jerome Walcott, Minister of Health
Mr. Ian Gooding-Edghill, Minister of Tourism

There is still a sewerage problem on the South Coast although being ‘managed’ away from the glare of the public, add to the list now a rat problem. A consequence of the rat problem is that baby turtles are being targeted by the rats.

These rat attacks on turtles and invasion of popular eating spots on the South Coast are occurring in the highly trafficked tourist belt. Anyone passing on the South Coast today observed traffic congestion caused by major construction of a hotel. One must question the sense of it all.

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Government’s physical development plan – a zoom to Bay Street

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Civic minded Barbadians should be informed about the Draft Physical Development Plan (August 2023).

In the context of the ongoing Savvy on the Beach saga – see blog Savvy Saga – it would be a constructive exercise for the public to be conversant about what government has planned for Bridgetown and its environs. The authoritative landing place is the Barbados Draft Physical Development Plan (August 2023).

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Change to survive

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The biggest concern is that as a Caribbean people we are able to unshackle our minds to appreciate for change to occur, we must look in the mirror.

In recent weeks two African development banks took root in the Caribbean with a goal to nurture economic links and fuel growth opportunities. It will be interesting to observe the extent the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) are able to build a model for success that addresses ” the financial needs of stakeholders and improve the quality of life for Caribbean citizens“.

Already CAF has committed USD50 million to support the the Blue Green Bank initiative that focuses on the blue economy AND Afreximbank USD1.5 billion to finance trade and investment ties between Africa and the Caribbean by stimulating the “economic sectors, enhance trade infrastructure, and empower small to medium enterprises across the Caribbean“.

See Relevant Link: New banks open in the Caribbean

On the surface the blogmaster is happy to observe initiatives with the Motherland recognizing our cultural moorings and common challenges. Both the Caribbean and Africa currently have similar issues, we are countries struggling to unleash our potential on the world. We continue to allow our physical and mental spaces to be exploited by Western interests. The only way to break the shackles of dependency on the West – a legacy of our colonial past – is to transform how we think in order to discover new opportunities.

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Savvy on the Beach launches website

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Savvy on the Beach launches Barbados Fairness & Truth website.

Allan Kinch
Allan Kinch of Savvy on the Beach

The level of public distrust is at an all time low and with a Mia Mottley government that has mastered the art of sanitizing public disclosures – who to trust?

The Savvy on the Beach story has generated significant interest in recent months, it is a classic case of the rich and political elite mixing it up. In fact many observers conclude it is an example of how the business class and government interact oftentimes skirting the regulations to solidify economic power.

Against the foregoing Barbados Underground is happy to broadcast that parties concerned have launched a website to capture all the pertinent details about Savvy on the Beach.

See website Barbados Fairness & Truth

Sports needs an Oba

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The lack of commitment to sports in Barbados is exemplified in a dilapidated National Stadium.

Charles Griffith
Charles Griffith, Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment 

Two voting events caught the interest last week. First the election of a Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) and the announcement Olympian Obadele Thompson has thrown his hat in the ring to challenge for president of the Barbados Olympic Association.

It was reported Conde Riley was returned as president with 75 votes to narrowly fend off Calvin Hope 72 votes and Senator Gregory Nicholls 37 votes. A grand total of 184 votes were gathered between the three candidates. From all research the BCA registers a membership of close to three thousand members. At a time cricket is struggling to maintain its position as the preeminent sport in Barbados, less than 200 members showed the interest to vote for a president of the BCA.

Oba: A ruler of any of several African peoples of western Nigeria 
—used as a form of address

Mariam Webster

The other related news was 2000 Olympian Obadele Thompson’s announcement to challenge for a director’s seat at the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA). What makes his decision interesting is the fact he lives in the United States of America. How does it reflect on the local talent Thompson feels compelled to contribute to the development of sports in Barbados via Zoom? In defense, we live in a Digital Age.

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Our Silent Actuaries

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What are the ‘ACTUARIES’ in Barbados saying about increased mortality figures?

In a post Covid 19 pandemic period there are increasing calls for governments and responsible agencies in civil society to address concerns about the efficacy of Covid 19 vaccines and excess deaths. It is well documented global authorities issued emergency use authorization of Covid 19 vaccines to address what was considered a public health emergency.

Doctor Campbell has been a lone voice asking probing questions supported by credible data sources. His most resent intervention addresses data produced by the the Society of Actuaries in the USA. There is a trend in data to support increase excess deaths in the younger age ranges. Campbell issues a caution that source data belongs to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC). The stark conclusion is that there was no negative correlation between vaccine rollout and number of deaths recorded.

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DLP Rumble

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The election of a President of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) will be held this weekend at the annual general conference to run from August 18th to 20th. On the ballot are David Estwick, Ryan Walters, Richard Sealy and incumbent, Ronnie Yearwood.

David Estwick
Dr. David Estwick, vying for the DLP presidency
Ryan Walters running for the office of president of the DLP
Richard Sealy
Richard Sealy, running for the office of DLP president
Dr. Ronnie Yearwood, DLP President

The election of a President of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) will be held this weekend at the annual general conference to run from August 18th to 20th. The interest of the country is piqued because with no other credible alternatives available the DLP represents the government in waiting.

What has spiced interest for many is the fact the DLP has had to accept two significant defeats in the last two general elections. So significant it was the party did not win a single seat. Although many prefer in the wake of the shellacking a credible third party movement would have emerged, it has not. Although disappointed, we have to console ourselves that the duopoly will be with us for the foreseeable future.

The blogmaster does not have a dog in the fight BUT being a keen observer of local politics, a few observations of a light nature on the current state of political affairs in the DLP camp are merited.

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Savvy Saga

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The following is a clarification statement issued by Sarah Taylor, an associate of Allan Kinch, to respond to an article published in the Sunday Sun (13 August) titled Savvy Setback. See full Sunday Sun article posted below at the end of the submission.

Old Eye Ward

I want to give some clarity on how the statement in question came about.

I was messaging the journalist pertaining to the petition to keep Savvy On The Bay open and I told the journalist I signed for 2 documents weeks ago that turned out to be a stop and enforcement notice on the Old Eye Ward building. It ordered that work had to stop and spoke about returning it to the state it was in before we started working on it. It was not something we discussed at length, I had mentioned it because I remembered getting a nose bleed as soon as I read it.

I was lost as to why the planning department served the notice without determining the application that was submitted in 2020 and updated two weeks prior to the notice being served. I was was also lost as to why they asked for an application to be submitted in the notice when they had already been submitted.

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Mistakes Waiting to Happen

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Solutions Barbados
Submitted by Dr. Grenville Phillips II

The Government of Barbados protects us by setting minimum qualifications for those who want to offer professional services to the public. The qualifications normally consist of a university degree at the Bachelor level and a minimum number of years of supervised training.

A bachelor’s degree provides the holder with the basic tools to do the job in that field. Supervised training allows the holder to become competent using those tools by failing in an environment where mistakes can be corrected. Therefore, the first 5 years of professional practice after obtaining those tools are critical to building a strong foundation for a professional career.

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Too much jucks and wuk ups!

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Wuk up and jucks left right and center!

Submitted by Observing

Colin Jordan, Minister of Labour
BTMI CEO
Jens Thraenhart, former CEO of BTMI
Allan Kinch
Allan Kinch of Savvy on the Bay
Carol Roberts, CEO, National Cultural Foundation
Carol Roberts, CEO of the NCF
David Estwick
Dr. David Estwick, vying for the DLP presidency
Richard Sealy
Richard Sealy, running for the office of DLP president
Ryan Walters running for the office of president of the DLP
Minister of Health Dr. Jerome Walcott, Senator

Now that the crop over dust has settled it is clear that we were always in the wukking and jucking season. Videos and photos all over social media shows the old, young, black, white, slim, fat, rich and poor jucking down the place and wukking up like mad.

And, as if on cue, we the people continue to bend over and tek these jucks sometimes without even looking back to see who the owner of the banana is.

We get juck down with a change to NIS. Now the big boss begging for everyone to come on board after the fact.

The BTMI CEO get juck all the way cross the ocean over to Africa. Guess he couldn’t wuk up good enough!

The NCF juck down revelers with a whopping 13 hour jump and 8 hour wait that ended in darkness and jumpers in distress. Then they put their hands up, rolled their batties and told us that it was the best Kadooment ever.

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Why protest action is failing

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Key actors in Civil Society, including significant political opposition, must come together to engineer successful protest action in a Barbados space.

The late General Secretary of the BWU and support team

The attempts by Caswell Franklyn of Unity Workers Union and others to galvanize protest action by Barbadians is commendable. In a democracy the opportunity for citizens to exercise a right to protest must be protected. History is replete with many examples where protest action by civic minded citizens forced change from those targeted.

One of the biggest protest actions in Barbados was the march in 1981 led by a powerful Barbados Workers Union (BWU) to protest the sacking of David Gilkes by BARTEL. In 2017 there was the BLP led march that attracted thousands to signal to an incumbent Democratic Labour Party (DLP) its increasing unpopularity.

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Africa under attack

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Too many African countries under performing. Professor Lumumba exposes the Trojan horses operating in Africa.

PLO LUMUMBA: CONFLICTS IN AFRICA IS A MULTI-BILLIONAIRE BUSINESS Credit Bentley

The blogmaster found the presentation posted by Professor Lumumba enlightening. The similarities between the struggles of many African countries and the Caribbean are striking.

Do Mottley and Straughn Care?

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Based on recent statements uttered by Minister Ryan Straughn the government is insensitive to the plight of senior citizens in Barbados.

Ryan Straughn
Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Ryan Straughn
Minister of Finance
The Honourable Prime Minister Mia Mottley

The blogmaster accepts a widely held view that how a government treats its most vulnerable can be used as a good measure of our sense of humanity. Too many of our elderly died as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic and the event has quickly faded from national memory.

In May 2018 a Mia Mottley government was swept into government in unprecedented manner, the following month Prime Minister Mottley announced the decision to enter a selected default with domestic and foreign bondholders. As the saying goes -the rest is history.

Of concern to the blogmaster has been the negative effect the debt restructure has been having on bondholders who one suspects are mainly senior citizens; retirees or approaching that time. It is obvious senior citizens purchased bonds to help plan for retirement. In an act of desperation to right the debt to GDP ratio, senior citizens who had toiled for decades in the service of country and sensibly prepared for the golden years were made to feel tradeconfirmeresk by a Mia Mottley government.

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As if it Never Happened

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Solutions Barbados
Submitted by Dr. Grenville Phillips II

My life may be described as before and after 2015. That is the year I started Solutions Barbados in response to Prime Minister Stuart’s instruction. Everyone has a right to speak, but he explained that getting into the political trench was the way to be heard by the Government on economic matters.

I was later informed that I had committed Barbados’ unpardonable sin. I should have joined one of the two established parties instead of starting a new one. PM Stuart did not specify that critical point.

CANCELLED

I was informed that my penalty would be to be blacklisted by all organisations controlled by the two established parties in Barbados, including: business and professional organisations, schools, churches, clubs, and the media. I did not believe then that they had such control. Eight years later, despite being out of elective politics since 2020, I am no longer an unbeliever.

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Time to hold former NIS Chairs Accountable

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Submitted as a comment by NorthernObserver

Under its economic reform programme and arrangement with the International Monetary Fund, Government has committed to submitting NIS financial statements for the period 2010 to 2021 for audit by the Auditor General by March next year – Nation

Nation Newspaper
Johnny Cheltenham
Sir Richard Cheltenham, Q.C.: 2005 to 2008
Jepter Innce - former Senator
Mr. Jepter Ince: 2008 to 2009
Sandra Forde - former General Manager Transport Board
Ms. Sandra Forde: 2009 to 2010
Tony Marshall - Former President of Barbados Cricket Association
Mr. Keith “Tony” Marshall: 2010 to 2011
Justin Robinson, UWI
Dr. Justin Robinson: 2011 to 2018
Minister of Tourism
Mr. Ian Gooding-Edghill, M.P.: 2018 to 2020
Leslie Hayne - lawyer
Mr. Leslie Haynes, Q.C.: 2020 to Present

This is the date by which a new entity must be up and operational, to avoid sending anything to the AudGen.

If the BTMI is any example, anything issued will be “unqualified”, meaning auditors have deemed the information incomplete, and hence cannot ‘qualify’ (have any minimum level of confidence in) their report.

BUT, the editor who penned for the Nation needs to also know, what the Act governing the NIS says.

33.(1) The Board shall
(a) in each year prepare a report on its activities in its last preceding year and shall furnish such report to the Minister no later than the thirtieth day of June

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FLOW, BL&P, Digicel, BWA not being properly regulated by government and FTC

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Dr Marsha Atherley-Ikechi, CEO, Fair Trading Commission

In the early 2000s the Barbados government took the decision as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) mandate to liberalize our telecommunication sector. For many years Cable and Wireless was the single telecom player licensed to provide services in Barbados. Cable and Wireless was the classic monopoly and raked in millions if not billions in profits since its establishment in the 19th century.

With the liberalization of the sector there was high expectation from the public that with fair competition, supported by the creation of a regulator and relevant legislation there was a new dawn. The late Prime Minister Owen Arthur as lead HoG for CSME matters was quoted in 1998 as saying – “Mr. Speaker, one of the areas of gravest deficiencies in our economic affairs is the set of arrangements in place for regulating the affairs of public utilities, and monopolies and protecting the interest of consumers and producers who have to relate to such monopolies“. It is fair to opine that nearly twenty five years later, Barbados telecoms players have NOT been able to satisfactorily monitor service standards, respond to customer complaints or guarantee affordable rates among other promises.

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Sign up – Government Asked to Withdraw Changes to NIS Bill

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petition

The People of Barbados will be severely affected by the proposed changes to the National Insurance Scheme. They have noted that last March 2022, the Prime Minister stated that it was her intent to:

1. Make the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) a Statutory Corporation more independent from      Government by the end of 2022.

2. Recapitalize the NIS.

3. Add a requirement to diversify investments both locally and abroad.

4. Ensure that when private projects SEEK PUBLIC SUPPORT, they give the NIS the choice to invest.

However, the People of Barbados not having been privy to any report on the consultations regarding the National Insurance scheme, not being provided information on the Actuarial Review of the Pension Fund, not having knowledge of the assets of the Scheme or how the tax payers monies are being spent or invested or government’s action to recover funds that are being owed; are now being faced with a Bill that has already  passed in the House of Assembly without discussion when this Bill will have profound effects on the lives of the dwindling middle class and all of the persons from the lower echelons of society and Barbadians yet unborn. The Bill is now before the Senate the step before it becomes the law of the land.

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Barbados death rate on the rise…

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Rawdon Adams, NIS Deputy Chairman
Leslie Haynes, Chairman of NIS

Minister of Labour Colin Jordan admitted during a recent public talk show on VoB that the number of deaths increased in Barbados during the period 2020 to 2022.

YearNumber of deaths
20152538
20202713
20223347

He attributed the increase in deaths to Barbados’ ageing population. He was honest to admit that his honest to admit his conclusion was not based on empirical analysis.

The distrust by citizens in the public health authority during the post Covid 19 pandemic period will therefore continue – a global concern.

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Count Me In or Count Me Out

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Submitted by Dr. Grenville Phillips II

The Government is irresponsibly rushing through important legislation to fundamentally change Barbados. One includes a Bill to give the Minister absolute control over the National Insurance Scheme in the National Insurance and Social Security (Amendment) Act, 2023.

Currently, the Minister’s role is to establish the offices and let them run. The Minister cannot legally meddle but is consulted and gives approvals. Section 11 of the current Act follows.

Section 11: “The Minister shall, by order under section 2 of the Civil Establishment Act, establish the offices which shall constitute the offices on the Board’s establishment, which offices shall for all purposes be deemed to be offices in the public service Staff.”

RUBBER STAMPS.

To control and direct a useless rubber-stamp Board, a replacement provision follows.

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Corruption in Public Life

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Submitted by Dr. Grenville Phillips II

Political scientists, the Integrity Group and the Private Sector have urged the Senate to pass the Integrity in Public Life Bill (2023) without delay. They claim that it is in our national interest. If these groups are politically compromised, then passing the Bill may not be in the public’s interest.

We are told that Barbados’ reputation depends on it being passed since only two countries in this world do not have Integrity legislation, Barbados and Syria. We seem to have forgotten that Transparency International annually ranks the most corrupt countries. Every year, all but one of the top 10 most corrupt countries have integrity legislation – which is clearly ineffective.

INEFFECTIVE LEGISLATION.

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Minority Shareholders Snub Cable & Wireless’ offer

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Submitted by Atrue Freeman
Oliver Jordan, Chairman of the FSC

What does it mean that so many minority C&W shareholders have refused to claim the offered compensation for their shares (https://bse.com.bb/news/23569)? Perhaps the Barbados Financial Services Commission (FSC) could learn much from the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Many jobs offer just a few opportunities for the holders of those jobs to demonstrate their suitability for the job. The remainder of the time, almost anyone could do the job,

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SOS Ministerial Statement on the NIS

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Ministerial Statement On Revitalisation Of National Insurance Scheme
BY GOVERNMENT OF BARBADOS | JUL 28, 2023 |

Minister of Labour, Social Security and the Third Sector, Colin Jordan. (FP)

Ministerial Statement on the revitalisation of the National Insurance Scheme by Minister of Labour, Social Security and the Third Sector, Colin Jordan, in the House of Assembly on Friday, July 28, 2023.

Mr. Speaker, the 17th Actuarial Review of the National Insurance Fund, the Unemployment Fund and Severance Fund as of December 31, 2020 was laid in this Honourable House on August 9, 2022. I should remind Members that the National Insurance Scheme manages these three funds along with the Catastrophe Fund and the Sugar Workers’ Provident Fund.

During the three years under review, the number of contributors decreased each year while the number of pensioners and the total pension payouts increased each year.

The Review’s assessment suggests that current contribution and benefit provisions generally provide a very good level of benefit adequacy and income protection to most workers and pensioners.  The legislated annual adjustments of the earnings limit and pensions have been effective in replacing most of the price inflation felt by pensioners and maintaining adequate coverage for higher paid workers. In other words, pensioners have generally been able to use the cost of living allowance increases to adjust to temporary price rises.

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Prussians, arm yourself and come!

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Chief Education Officer – Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw

From all reports a Mia Mottley government is intent on transforming the education system in Barbados. Although we have observed tweaks on the fringes meant to make the educational experience relevant in a modern global space, we continue to lag in the preparation of Barbadians to be relevant for the global market. More importantly, on the domestic front, we struggle to maintain a quality standard of living for citizens now and the foreseeable future. Local entrepreneurship attracts nothing more than lip service with successfully run locally owned businesses nothing more than a memory, many sold or defunct.

Chief Education Officer, Dr. Ramona Archer Bradshaw. (FP) The time has come for the education system to abandon traditional teaching methods crafted on the premise that students are merely receptacles of information.

Chief Education Officer
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Praise for Fatman – what about the 16 year old boy?

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One member of the duo who participated in a widely publicized alleged robbery of ZR driver aka Fatman was remanded to prison for 28 days until his next scheduled court appearance. on August 22, 2023

After witnessing pictures of the 16 year old boy’s procession to be processed yesterday flanked by two policemen, first thought from the blogmaster was how did society fail the youngster? Many will be happy to reconcile the matter by thinking, he did the crime therefore he must be prepared to do the time, forgetting there is a bigger issue to be solved.

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Fresh Start

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Submitted by Dr. Grenville Phillips II

Every four years there is a Cricket World Cup. The West Indies team won the first two Cricket World Cups in 1975 and 1979, and were runners up in 1983. We were champions of this sport, but have been in the basement of the 8 top cricketing nations’ rankings for so long that it was only a matter of time before we would not qualify for a major tournament. That time has come.

This year, we did not qualify for the 2023 Cricket World Cup. The new head coach reportedly wants the players to believe in themselves and in the team. The captain wants a “fresh start” and our support. Beliefs and fresh starts require firm foundations. Our support requires an exceptionally difficult conversation.

TALENTED AND HARD WORKING.

Our players are talented, winning matches against much higher ranked opponents. Our players are also hard working, doing what coaches ask of them during practise. But in competitive sports, talent and hard work must stand on firm foundations – and our boys had them.

Our players qualified for a place on the West Indies team full of promise. They were trained by school coaches and had the support of their families, schools and churches. Then something seems to go terribly wrong soon after they join the team.

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Politicians Trying Again to Enact Integrity Legislation – Sitting Judges to Get a Bligh

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Of the 30 Barbados Labour Party (BLP) members of parliament it was reported 24 supported the Integrity in Public Life Bill in the Lower House last week. The country will wait to see if the Bill passes the Upper House where it was defeated three years ago.

Already there is criticism coming from some quarters regarding the exemption of sitting judges, Director of Public Prosecutions and the Auditor General. Attorney General Dale Marshall explained that existing terms and conditions of employment makes it difficult to include those groups of public officers but new appointments will be included. Some will say given how problematic enacting integrity legislation has been for the last thirty years, let us start the ball rolling.

Of course if (when) the Bill is passed by the Upper House there will be the big job of operationalising by appointing an Integrity Commissioners and allocating required budget to ensure its effective working. There is reason to be concerned, several years after the creation of the Employment Rights Tribunal it continues to be negatively affected by being under resourced by government.

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