est. 2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

Dr. Jerome Walcott Is The Ship Sinking?

  Does anyone know what Minister Jerome Walcott and Deputy Prime Minister have In Common?   Now you naughty people; we did not say that…we meant that the two are responsible for hosting two of the biggest parties during the Crop Over festival. All monies collected are advertised as being donated to various charities. We…

 

Does anyone know what Minister Jerome Walcott and Deputy Prime Minister have In Common?

 

Now you naughty people; we did not say that…we meant that the two are responsible for hosting two of the biggest parties during the Crop Over festival. All monies collected are advertised as being donated to various charities. We applaud these two important Ministers in our Cabinet and encourage others to do the same.

jerome_walcott_p.jpg

It is while discussing this issue last week with a source that they made a startling revelation. The Psychiatric Hospital which is known in the Bajan vernacular as “Jenkins” has not been able to to supply their patients with a balance diet because they have not been able to get vegetables. When BU get information, our practice is to cross check; we were flabbergasted to learn the reason why our mentally ill patients have to do without vegetables. It seems that the practice of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) to use their vehicles to transport the raw vegetables to the Psychiatric Hospital has been severely compromised. Many of the vans owned by the QEH have had to be removed from the road because the road taxes have not been paid. Our sources also whispered that they do take some chances driving at night.

BU tables the big question to our Minister of Health. Is he prepared to investigate this information which has come to light at the earliest opportunity? We hope that our mental patients would not have to suffer one more day; God knows that they are already suffering the stigma associated by entering the Psychiatric Hospital. Never have we thought that when Minister Elizabeth Thompson left that ministry, so many things would go from bad to worse. From our investigation, although our QEH is not at the bottom when compared to regional hospitials, by our high standards it is not where we want to be.

25 responses to “Dr. Jerome Walcott Is The Ship Sinking?”

  1. Wishing in Vain Avatar
    Wishing in Vain

    This entire cabinet can as a group safely feel that they have worked the least of any cabinet ever in the history of Barbados when you look at Mottley, Lynch, Clarke Marshall, Toppin, Liz Thompson, Walcott, Arthur what have they really done to leave their stamp on the landscape of this nation other than by the extent of their stealing they have done so ?
    Walcott has been and continues to be a slacker and idler of major proportions meanwhile the ministry is sick and about to die but he is doing nothing at all but collect a healthy salary.

  2. dlpbarbados Avatar
    dlpbarbados

    The lack of resources at our public institutions such as the hospital and Psychiatric Hospital seems to be part of the policy agend a of Jerome Walcott and the Barbados Labour Party. How esle can you explain these fiascos after fiascos. Walcott seems not to care.

  3. BK Avatar
    BK

    We have been told by George Griffith who is the Deputy Chairman of the newly installed Board of the QEH that many changes are in the chute and the Barbados public will experience an improved hospital sometime next year. I don’t think that it is unreasonable to expect that the transformation will take time. My issue would be why has it taken so long to get the process started. Why do we have so many nurses who have refused to change their conditions of employment sitting around doing nothing while we import Africans and Asians.

    BTW what ever happened to the Haynes Report?

  4. Wishing in Vain Avatar
    Wishing in Vain

    Maybe the resources are in short supply because of the extent of the corruption and stealing that Owing has done the treasury is a little tight on cash.
    Or then again it could be purely poor people management and resource management or just a useless minister of health like many of the other ones but Lynch and Mottley come to mind for special mention as two of the laziest in cabinet the others are just simply out of their depth and idiots at job at hand.Then we have others just so busy making their beds nice that they forget that there is ministry to run like Wuk for Wuk Clarke who is so busy collecting commissions to issue taxi permits it is crazy.

  5. David Avatar
    David

    DLP~some might ask if it is fair to blame the minister. He has a Board and an army of bureaucrats to manage the daily operations. The last time we checked health gets a significant slice of the pie as far as resources is concerned.

  6. of interest Avatar
    of interest

    On a slightly different note but totally related wasnt it quite recent we heard the minister of health boasting of the 90 nurses who are suppose to be graduating and therefore ease the nursing shortage, now these folks have graduated they are being told that they are not hiring graduate nurses the $300 a month stipen has been stopped yet these folks are expected to wokr 5 days a week the regular shifts that other nurses worked and are paid for. What makes this situation even worst is the fact that the Registered Nurses Exam isnt until October with the results due in December, the criteria for doing this exam is passing the 3 year General Nursing course at the BCC and 100% attendance at Practical sessions hence the need to work the same as nurses. Are these folks expected to go this long without compensation something would have to be seriously wrong when this situation can arise and no one there to provide any answers. No wonder these folks migrate as soon as they get the opportunity

  7. David Avatar
    David

    of interest~we are confused! If the graduate exam is not until October what is it that you are saying? Please give us some more details or email us with more specifics if you don’t want to post.We find it impossible to believe that the stipend would have been stopped if the trainee nurses have to do the practical.

  8. of interest Avatar
    of interest

    the bcc exams have been completed hence the term graduate nurse, the regional exams are in october where one would then attain the title of registered nurse, they are two comppletely different exams and i can assure you that the stipend has not been paid

  9. Barbados Psychiatric Patients Not Being Fed Because Road Taxes Not Paid On Hospital Vehicles « Barbados Free Press

    […] Barbados Underground has the story here […]

  10. T.D. Allamby Avatar
    T.D. Allamby

    When I read articles like this and assuming it is accurate here is what I immediately wonder.

    How can decent and Christian Barbadians, the clergy of churches and a man like Reverend Atherley who is an integral and important component of King Arthurs “inner sanctum” not come out and say something about this sad situation and better yet do something about it?

    It is bad enough to be told how bad poverty is in Barbados and how so many are poorly under nourished because of not being able to afford to buy basic food.

    However when the world reads this article how can anyone with a heart, concience and belief in God allow the mentally challenged of all people to go without and for such an outrageous reason.

    If the article is wrong then the Government should and needs to respond and deny it and tell the people what is in fact true. I really do not know how things in Barbados can be handled so much differently than they are in other Nations of the world.

    Were a story like this to break in North America there would be a horrific outpouring of rage and an explanation would be damanded as to the facts. But not in Bim! Is this perhaps another display of and that mainstream Barbadians are not taking Blogs seriously or not believing what they print is accurate?

  11. irene sandiford-garner Avatar
    irene sandiford-garner

    Reverend Atherley told Barbados last weekend that he would be approving work permits for Chinese labourers who had broken our laws and were here working illegally for some weeks prior. No apologies, no excuses. They do as they please. So the Guyanese who come here, some with their last pennies get packed back home, but some rich investors are allowed to have their way because we need the money. Lord help us!

  12. David Avatar
    David

    irene sandiford-garner~if you read BU you will gather that we are sympathetic to your view; however we have often asked the question:What alternatives does the DLP have to ensure that Barbados can sustain foreign investment. From where we sit any hostile climate will drive away foreign investment and given how our economy is designed, WE NEED THE FOREIGN DOLLARS.

  13. reality check Avatar
    reality check

    BK

    “My issue would be why has it taken so long to get the process started.”

    Nothing is coming other than an election in the next six months

    The rest is more empty promises so they have a chance of being reelected

    Believing this mob of incompetents is akin to buying ” The Brooklyn Bridge ” which regularly gets sold by scam artists to the gullible and naive.

  14. Idealist Avatar
    Idealist

    I suppose a new foreign investor’s first priority would be the security of his investment along with the stability of the host country.

    Pemberton has proved beyond doubt that the right amount of money, with the connivance of this BLP administration, easily circumvents the law of the land.

    To make his Paradise viable he needs to use cut price labour and our government agrees with him, Barbados is too expensive.
    The exact same argument may be used when he applies for 200 Filipino housemaids, how can the Reverend Atherley not agree to the same logic?

    Forget Roy Trotman he’s already agreeing for the sake of softening his position in the seat of the newly acquired BMW.

    In effect there are two systems of regulation in operation.
    The one prosecuting the non-resident for illegally employing a Guyanese, and the other condoning the import of 600 Chinese without complying in any way with The Immigration Act.

    Eventually these dual standards are bound to cause unrest, as they permeate every aspect of Bajan life.

    Anomalies are bound to be thrown up every single day:
    No permits at Porters v No permits at Oldbury.
    No admission at Millenium Heights v Brek de door down in Orleans.

    In the short term, moneyed individuals with influence upon the government may use their apparent power to their short term benefit, but it will eventually bring about the instability of the country as the electorate find this corruption intolerable.
    The backlash against this ingrained corruption will drive real investment away and without immediate action Barbados could become either a banana republic or a bankrupt client of The People’s Republic.

    So much for our forty years of Pride and Industry.

  15. T.D. Allamby Avatar
    T.D. Allamby

    Let me be devils advocate. How many economic engines does Barbados have to generate Foreign Exchange. Tourism, real estate and off-shore banking. I might have missed a couple of less significant ones but let us stick with the major ones.

    We are being told that real estate sales is required to generate foreign exchange to pay down the debt. (Bizzy Williams) With an island that is only 21X14 how much land is left and when it is all sold we are down to two sources, tourism and off-shore banking. If we believe the USA Government (Ways and means Committee) they are bent on closing down tax havens being used by Americans for not paying their fair share of taxes. The Canadian Government is threatening the same course of action. Both FACTS not FICTION!

    In the event that the Barbados off-shore banking gravy train takes these hits and real estate expires that leaves only Tourism or does Barbados have a trump card? Maybe they will discover huge oil finds!

    Tourism is still the safest and most sustainable foreign exchange earner for most of the Caribbean Nations, Barbados included. But here in my humble opinion is the kicker that needs the most attention not foreign exchange. And I dare anyone to say I am a liar.

    Barbados for years is living way beyond its means and the BLP Government is solely responsible for the most disgraceful management of the Nations Economics. Barbados is deep in debt, corruption is rampant and has caused millions in overruns on contracts awarded, And this is but the tip of the iceberg of what ails the Barbados economy. But here is the greatest threat to the economic well being of Barbados.

    7 out of 10 people especially in the wealthy community are not paying a fraction of the taxes they should be paying given the kind of infrastructure, services etc an island like Barbados needs. The Foreigner is even worse. And this has to stop immediately! Barbados cannot function on foreign exchange alone they need to pay their fair share of taxes and they are not. The average wealthy person in Barbados and the Foreigner by way of tax evasion is as much tiefing as is the Government.

    Were I advising David Thompson these would be my priorities albeit God help Thompson if he wins the election because when he sees the debt load Barbados is carrying and the rest of financial horror stories that is permeating Government Agencies he will need the former USA Treasury Guru Greenspan to figure out what to do.

    My priorities would be to cut back severely on spending, get the debt down, increase taxes where they should have been increased years ago on the wealthy and the foreigner. Raise property taxes on luxury resorts, residences and other such sources. In other words cut out the free lunches that the wealthy and foreigner has enjoyed for decades. Put a task force on the ground and start auditing and seriously big industry, development, foreigners etc to see if they were evading taxes etc.

    In other words start tightening up and putting a stop to the
    domestic tax abuse. Hundreds of millions of dollars are not being collected that are legitimately owed the Government!

    The economic realities of Barbados when it comes to fair taxes for all, seeing that they are paid among other loopholes that are costing the Barbados treasury hundreds of millions of dollars that no one has taken seriously for years would make the Governments of other Nations wonder how come the tax evaders and Government allowing them to do it with impunity are not all being locked up.

    Remember a few years ago when it was printed that Barbados had as many millionaires as they had grains of sand. How to hell do you think they became millionaires? And in a country now pleading poverty and needing foreign exchange! Maybe they and the Government should have been thinking about Foreign Exchange back in the Glory days of Tourism instead everybody was too busy tiefing and lining their pockets.

  16. T.D. Allamby Avatar
    T.D. Allamby

    Let me tell you something else, decent responsible investors stay away from Barbados not wanting their good name to be tainted by its corrupt reputation. And who gave it that reputation? the upper crust of UK crookery!

    Pemberton did not only show disdain for the laws of Barbados he is a rapist of some of the most precious natural resources Batts Rock had. And he has also proven himself to be a a man that cannot be trusted when telling the people he was protecting the trees of Barbadoswhen evidently the contrary was true.

    But here is my grievance how can a man of the cloth like Reverend Atherley say he is setting an example for the youth of Barbados to follow? He should change his religious regalia to more match his conduct that being a traitor of God and his native Barbados.

  17. tejay Avatar
    tejay

    What about the ambulances, do they have road taxes too? Or are they in the same situation. I really think that this is disgusting to allow something like this to happen when they are other ‘MP’ and ‘ML’ vehicles on the road that are not half as important as these. I think somebody needs to lock the minister in one of the rooms at the same mental hospital

    tejay~our source confirms that the problem is connected to the vans used to transport produce but not ambulances.

    David

  18. T.D. Allamby Avatar
    T.D. Allamby

    You know what makes me laugh and cry at the sanme time about the illegal Chinese workers fiasco and Pemberton? Let me tell you.

    In other Nations of the world that take seriously their Immigration, Labor, Security and Health laws seriously as most Nations do Pemberton would have been charged as he should have been. But not in Barbados.

    They reserve the penalty of law for people stealing a loaf a bread to survive, vendors trying to make a living, or squatters who have no where to live.

  19. Wishing in Vain Avatar
    Wishing in Vain

    The joker Walcott can do nothing right in the Ministry of Health now we are hearing reports the they are not getting suppies of vegetables at the Psychiatric Hospital.
    What next will he preside over and make a complete mess of it ?

  20. Bajantease Avatar
    Bajantease

    The QEH has a board, the board submits a budget and obtains essentially a grant from government. The QEH needs to better manage its finances, no one can say government has not thrown ever increasing amounts of money every year at the QEH. That’s the boards job, but I think it may be a case where the board has been doing a lot of fire fighting rather than really fixing anything, so that’s why were not seeing any observable changes???

    I’m not calling for more gov’t involvement, rather less, I want gov’t to set policy direction on health case and give the board the direction, and funds to do the job, then carry a whip to ensure they do it.

    I’ve always wondered what type of maintenance programme/systems does the QEH engineering department have in place? New Equipment appears to break down way too quickly, or comes without the required components.. don’t they buy maintenance contracts or will this put people out of work. Who did the budget for this year, are they suffering from inflation like everyone else, was it not taken into consideration?

    Humm is this CWC fall out, as much money would have been spent to upgrade the facilities, equipment, training.. that has now drained their budget. Poor estimating, and budgeting by the powers that be.

    Historically the Bdos Government has not been known for its ability to settle its debts on time, so it appears like the pharmacies they may be less willing to supply and wait for eons for them to settle.

    If true then this is a sad state of affairs, I hope this is just another small fire and the entire house isn’t burning down as it seemed they were getting infrastructure in place and equipment, at least that was what was coming to the news. Again thanks to the free-press for showing up how empty the garden is.

  21. David Avatar
    David

    It must be bad if BAMP is prepared to close ranks and leave their colleague Jerome Walcott who is no less than the Minister of Health exposed. What has become of the CEO Mr. Collymore? He seems to have gone strangely silent. Also what about those nurses who refused to transfer to terms of employment to the Board, where are they now?

  22. Wishing in Vain Avatar
    Wishing in Vain

    His ship is no longer sinking it sunk a long time ago, it is resting peacefully at the bottom of the ocean floor growing barnacles and moss.
    Sadly he has no possible chance of recovering from its depths of despair and it is sitting awaiting new management with a workable plan to surface this disabled vessel and return it to its prestine condition that it was in before Jerome Walcott and the BLP got their hands on it.

  23. redherring Avatar
    redherring

    Could this sabotage story at the QEH be a red herring? How convenient!

  24. Fred Avatar
    Fred

    My advice to anyone here is try not to get sick and have to be admitted to the QEH.
    I relate a story as I saw unfold in front of me today, I received a call today that a friend was on their way to the hospital with a suspected heart attack, so I went to the hospital to find this friend and their family in the waiting room awaiting attention when I asked them if they had spoken to the person at the desk and told that person the person was suffering from a suspected heart attack they told me that they did do so and was told that he had to wait, I pushed them to approach the desk again after the second attempt, the person was then taken aside and their blood pressure, temperature and ID, produced and checked, all the while this person is suffering the effects of the heart attack.
    Now clearly stated on the wall there, that the priority list in number 1 position was heart attack victims !!!!
    But in this instance instead of getting express treatment in the treatment room this person was forced to sit outside and go thru hell while waiting at the waiting room in A and E at the QEH then to be questioned for a long time before having to walk himself to the treatment room no wheel chair no stretcher a sick person suffering a heart attack walking to his treatment room.
    This hospital needs urgent and important care add to that both the board and the minister responsible needs firing now.

  25. olivia Avatar
    olivia

    I have to do a project on barbados, so I need to know about the economy in simple terms, please.

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