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Barbados Labour Party Spin Machinery Moving Into High Gear~Is The Democratic Labour Party Around?

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Minister Gline “wuk fuh wuk” Clarke, the battled hardened Minister and Owen Arthur loyalist has boldly stated that:-

“We do not envisage an increase in bus fares either” he added, “because it is this Government’s belief that public transportation is important; it is this Government’s belief that there is no need to increase fares, and we believe that the Government should provide a subsidy since transport is one of the leading sectors in order to keep the country viable.”

Source:Nation Newspaper

Over the years the Barbados Labour Party has sent mixed signals on whether there is a plan to increase bus fares in the face of increasing petroleum prices. Barbadians remember when the then Minister of Transport Anthony “Too Silent” Wood indicated in a bold pronouncement that he would propose that bus fares be increased. Little did he know that he was being set-up by his boss, Prime Minister Arthur, to test “the waters”. The hue and cry which ensued put paid to that proposal and prompted this response from Democratic Labour Party strategist Hartley Henry in his recent Nation Newspaper piece: “Anthony Wood’s “moment in time” was the stillbirth he gave to an increase in bus fares”.

 

With a General Election on the horizon the announcement by Gline Clarke should be labeled nothing more than political rhetoric. The fact that political correspondent Albert Brandford would give it such high prominence is indicative of the lack of political savvy and the ease with which our politicians manipulate the press in Barbados. May God help us in the aftermath of the Roy Morris “suicide” at the Nation Publishing House.

We want to hear from our Minister Clarke, who seems intent on breaking the record for spending on capital works at MTW, when will the country get a comprehensive transportation policy. For so long the issues of integrating private and public transportation has been discussed as a way to improve public transport and eliminate negative cultures which now exist. Barbadians are tired of rehashing the same old issues time after time. Let Barbados as it was under Errol Barrow and Tom Adams lead the way by implementing ground breaking policies. Our leaders seem devoid of philosophies and consequently their actions seem predictable.

Minister Clarke your rhetoric does not fool us like it did the Nation newspaper and Albert Brandford. We also note that you who is similar to your boss, and that you worship, and to whom you have been rewarded with the Ministry of Transport (wink) have succeeded in contradicting and embarrassing Minister “Too Silent” Wood as well.

 

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2 responses to “Barbados Labour Party Spin Machinery Moving Into High Gear~Is The Democratic Labour Party Around?”

  1. T.D. Allamby Avatar
    T.D. Allamby

    To understand more clearly what is in play here when reading this article everyone should first read the Editorial in the Nation News of two days ago “Promises, pledges and accountability”.

    The Editorial drew on to make a point about politics in Barbados, how the Ontario Provincial Liberal Government pre-election give away of $30 million went to only ethnic organizations with no paper work or accountability. But this article in my opinion missed the meat of why the Liberal Government did what they did and which is very similar in nature to why Minister Gline Clarke is promising no increases in bus fare. Please listen up!

    The Ontario Liberal Government give away of $30 million dollars which went solely to ethinic organizations was meant to get the vote of a specific group of people.

    Ontario and especially The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) has a substantive ethnic community there are 2.5 million people living in it, 50% or more are ethnic who usually support the Liberals. In giving them this money how better can it get to guranteeing them voting for you?

    The Ontario Provincial election is taking place in October so the timing was perfect. Regrettably the Auditor General discovered this scandalous trick of the McGuinty Government and went public. The matter has now turned into a very serious problem for the Liberals chances in getting a second term in office.

    In the case of Gline Clarke let us see why he has made the promise of not putting up “bus” fares. Who uses the bus the most? the poor, those who have no cars etc and who number in the thousands. Most not all of these people are mainly ordinary folk who know little about the trickery of politics and politicians, so they see this as the BLP doing them a big favor, so who do you think they are going to vote for?

    But here is another point look carefully at the language Clarke uses to announce his promise. It is couched in words that does not say “we will not increase bus fares”! Remember George W Bush Senior who promised Americans he would not raise taxes. He said “read my lips” well it is impossible to read the lips of politicans because most are dishonest.

    Politics especially at election time can be likened to some extent to cricket. The opening bats being the electorate and the fast bowlers being the Government. The Government like a new ball does and play all kinds of tricks that the batsmen must be ever vigilant not to fall victim to. Unlike cricket until the election is over the Government is always using a “new” ball! The shine never goes off of it! Remember that.

  2. T.D. Allamby Avatar
    T.D. Allamby

    I always get a big kick out of reading Ezra Alleynes political diatribe. He engages in some of the most complex and meaningless political arguments to make impossible points. Ezra is the grand “poo pa” of trying to “baffle brains with BS”.

    I am not going to dignify Alleynes gobbly gook this week with an answer as it was mainly rubbish when applied to the economics of Barbados. Instead, I weill cut straight to the chase and today show you that food prices in Barbados contrary to Ezras economics are way out of line even when taking into consideration all of the economic and currency differences impacting them.

    A consumer wrote into one of the newspapers a few weeks ago suggesting a chicken is worth $20 in Barbados. This is preposterous in any economy especially one like Barbados where the BLP Government is telling the people how healthy it is and how prosperous and well off their Nation is!

    A few weeks ago Barbadians were told flour prices were going up substantially I think it was between 14% and 16 %, but I stand to be corrected and that too is presposterous.

    All of these unreasonable price increases are always blamed on rising raw materials, shipping costs, duties, etc. Lies, Lies, Lies all of it is!

    Why are these unreasonable cost increases not being seen in consumer products in other countries? Most of which have far higher operating overhead costs than the average business in Barbados? Wheat has to be shipped from the Prairies to the East Coast and Central Ontario yet the price of bread, flour and related products in North America are still stable. Chickens sell for $4 to $5 each, breasts around $2 a pound. Is Ezra telling the people other countries do not face increased costs for oil, shipping, taxes etc? What foolishness! And Ezra let me ask you this while on the subject. What is the current rate of inflation in Barbados? tell the people so they can see the results of the BLP economics of spending, borrowing, mismanagement of the peoples money and they are still waiting to hear what the disastrous debt will be created by CWC.

    The BLP economic policies would be better described as “Shock and Awe” to the little people of Barbados!

    Food costs have reached such unconcionable prices that the average Barbadian is unable to avail themselves of many nutitional food sources that is needed to keep them healthy. As a result they fill themselves up with junk food, and sweet drinks that is creating unheard of numbers of death and illness due to heart, stroke, disbetes and other serious healthcare problems.

    But what is even more disgusting is that even the poor man/woman food like corn beef is going out of sight so is it any wonder the people are turning to stealing crops from farmers to survive?

    The BLP Government has not and will not put in place what is needed to stop rising food costs and that is “price control”. Normally I would not advocate this policy but in the case of Barbados greed is fuelling the high cost of food and if wholesalers and retailers are not prepared to govern themselves accordingly then Government should until they get the message.

    There is enough competition in Barbados to control food prices but the companies involved are not competing, I suggest they are price fixing and gouging consumers and are working in unison for the sole purpose of making excessive profits.

    Another factor in Barbados impacting high food costs are the middle people selling the food “Commission” Agents. All of these factors influence the cost of food in Barbados more so than oil prices, shipping costs, duties etc. Therefore Ezra Alleyne should stop talking rubbish and tell the majority of Barbadians the truth.

    Ezra Alleyne after telling Barbadians that 145,000 of them do not draw a pay cheque, should now commission his BLP Government to do a survey to see how many Barbadians go to bed at night on an empty belly and how many are suffering from mal-nutrition and have to steal to eat.

    How please tell me if mddleclass people in Barbados say they cannot afford the high cost of food. And every single visitor to the island I have ever spoken to all say they could not believe the price of food and wondered how the poor lived. I suggest that Ezra please explain to the 145,000 without a pay cheque how to eat well. This is the BLP economics Ezra is lauding. Yikes!

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