Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, and known to be the right hand man of Prime Minister Arthur, wants the citizens of Barbados to believe that he has no knowledge about the Operations Free Flow Project outside of the reason for the increase in the cost of the project linked to a change in the scope of works. When asked a direct question by the battered David Ellis about why it has taken government so long to respond to a statement by 3S Barbados SRL regarding the increase cost of the flyover project, which is now estimated by them to move to BDS360 million dollars, Clyde Mascoll in a clear the air statement corrected the figure to BDS120 million dollars (increase). He went on to explain that a reason for the delay in responding to 3S had to do with the fact that the substantive Minister Gline Clarke is on leave, and consequently the government dropped the ball.
We say loudly to Mascoll please don’t insult our intelligence!
The inability of Clyde Mascoll to speak to government’s position on the current law suit brought against Jonathan Danos by his former employer Mabey & Johnson, even to deliver a canned response is disappointing. The unwillingness of the government of Barbados to respond formally to a known fact is disrespectful to the public which it is suppose to serve. The limped response by David Ellis to Clyde Mascoll’s dismissal to discussing the matter further was highly disappointing. An appropriate follow up question by Ellis would have been to drill down to establish what was involved in the rationale to expand the scope of work of the flyover project, and why the matter would not have been put to the people. Another relevant question would have been why 3S felt they were qualified to speak to the people of Barbados concerning the increase cost in the flyover project. We could go on, we can only come to the conclusion that David Ellis was laboring under instructions from a master.
Mascoll clearly demonstrated his superior debating skills with David Ellis which he is known to have honed at the Combermere School along side David Thompson, his now sworn political enemy. It leads us to the conclusion that a precondition to Mascoll’s participation on the afternoon Brasstacks program was that it be a one and one interview. Will Barbadians ever know the truth? Maybe an employee at Voice of Barbados can comment anonymously, the people deserve to hear the truth!
We await Minister Gline Clarke return to office and government’s official response to the ongoing 3S scandal.
See links to previous stories:
Operations Free Flow Should Be Stopped NOW Pending A Further Geo-technical Study Media Houses In Barbados In Collusion With Government To Suppress News, Press Freedom Under Threat ~ The Voices Of The People Must Be Heard
Gline Clarke And Rihanna Tell Their Supporters To “Shut Up And Drive”
OPERATION Free Flow, Barbados Road Network Infrastructure Improvement Project (Flyover Project) To Triple In Cost From USD60 Million To USD180 Million~Gline Clarke And The Government Of Barbados Owe Barbadians A Big Explanation
ABC Highway Cost Triples Or More
Operation Free Flow
You keep referring to the change in scope of the flyover project and the consequent increase in costs. Please check and see that the scope of the project has changed little since the launch (see an earlier entry by Anonymous). All of the major items were included and except for the flyovers, priced.
The current widening operations (everything except the flyovers)will cost no more than $50 million US. This leaves the remainder ($130 million US) for the flyovers. This fact needs to be stressed.
Can you make the headline for each of your stories black instead of blue?
Anonymous please explain. Only today we heard Mascoll confirm on national radio that the scope of work had changed leading to the doubling in cost of the flyover project. He offered the explanation in response to public concern that the project had attracted a high level of overruns. What are we missing?
Mascoll clearly stated “double the sixty million dollars” and when prompted by Ellis, he noted this was US dollars. Again the trash is out when ‘David’ could use a figure of 120 million Barbados. Isn’t that mischief.
What I find amazing is first it was barney who said he new not what the debt of GEMS was and now we hear the junior Finance Minister limiting his comments to the cost of the project and claiming ignorance about other aspects of the project. Boy he must feel bajans confused.
And Barbados should be grateful for this? Cost overruns of 120 million. Project increases by double? I surely feel a LOT better now with knowing its only 120M flying out the window- don’t you?
David,
Please tell us something about the FRAUD CHARGE which has come out against your blog and BFP for misleading your readers with FALSE VISITOR NUMBERS.
We will see how long it takes you to answer that.
The changing landscape of Barbados should force Ellis into retrospection. The way how news is expected to be reported, the responsibility of the media to agitate and advocate. The demands and expectation of Barbadians who are now exposed to world class products and services of every variety. The bottom line is that First World status must be associated with all facets of how civil society must develop. The back room way of managing news/propaganda from a house over a short drink is done. The media in Barbados must seek to reposition the profession to properly serve Barbados. They need to organize, they need to educate themselves, they need to demand respect from politicians especially. In the same way Hoyte and his band started the Nation Newspaper to fill a vacuum we think that there is yet another opportunity for a different type of journalist to emerge.
Today’s attempt at a show was a sad excuse for a show that had all the makings to be sensational and exciting, instead it was boring and dull they allowed Malik without teeth to ramble and drift,and burn up so much time telling you how clever he was and extolling the virtues of he and Owing not a mention of Mottley at all.
Then he was allowed to sidestep the real issue at hand and that was the fraud case with 3S and their relationship to this party and no mention of the $ 200 million cost overrun or theft at the prison project and there to another company that they have contracted to do work that are not being before the courts for corruption and bribery.
It was a sad excuse for a show yes it can be considered a total flop, lacking any serious in depth questioning, not to mention that they also restricted the call in section of the program maybe not to expose him to much to the general public for fear that they may have been to ask the questions that Mr Ellis was scared to ask him.
But may I say in my opion neither did Mascoll score any bonus points or even regular points as he seem preoccupied trying to tell people how smart he was and how clever he is, tell me if he really can consider himself clever to be in a party that he has cried out about from day one but now that he is being paid by us the taxpayers he sings their praise?
I have lost all respect for David Ellis. He is a conman like the rest of the BLP gang.
I’m very glad that no one from the leadership of the DLP called in to dignify the pappyshow today!
Clyde Mascoll showed that he is an excuse for a man and a human being. His objective in life is money. His passion is hatred and jealousy od david Thompson.
David Ellis is a gutless wimp and that whole charade yesterday on Brass Tacks Sunday was an exercise in futility, which I knew it would be. I, like Negrocrat, am glad no one from the leadership of the DLP lowered themselves to take part in it.
Do all Minister’s have the same girly giggle when finally asked a half challenging question by David Ellis?
It must be very embarassing for both Lynch and Mascoll to justify their statements, and they each react in the same childish manner.
Barbadians ask for facts. They receive facts. Now the witch hunters are at their wicked best. When will the BLP bashers cease their sick behaviour? When the DLP looses the next election, I only hope they go back into their hole and rather than hibernate, do the next best thing … pass on!
George if you are who we think you are, we have people in BU who can debate at a serious level. Your frivolous comment does not become you. You are always willing to support your arguments with sound analysis on the radio so why not on BU? Is it that you are worried and intimidated at the freewheeling nature of the Internet? Well we have news for you, get use to it!
David
You need to pressure 3S (or the Ministry of Public Works) to release the drawings dated April 2006 into the public domain.
Anonymous
For all the vaunted intellectual capacity and debating skills that Mascoll claims he possess, I get the impression that reality his hitting home to the real nature of politics, which is and has always been that perception is that reality, and the perception is that he cannot be trusted, and is a wasted vote. As good as he thinks he is for Barbados one has to get elected first to parliament, and he will always have a difficult time on any platform or in any settings where he will need to focus on and speak to those emotions and beliefs that can turn voter perception into a positive outcome for him. Good debaters, intelligent people, and pragmatic fact seekers and adherents like Kerrie Simmonds and himself will always be a turn off too today’s voters. The answers he gave to most questions and concerns while sufficient enough to lend a sense of honesty and or gives a plausible logical answer to his past positions as they relate to his current ones, will most likely not suffice at the polls. That his answers were for the most part logical, rational and reasonable will be lost on the average voter who will require strong lay person answers to over-ride their perception of him as an opportunist who says one thing as DLP member and another as BLP member. He has not done so and as voters will pay more attention to platform speeches than to structured radio debates he has done very little to build confidence amongst those who has a fundamental problem with crossing the floor.
I like Mascoll, I still think that he was unfair ed in the DLP, I however believe that for him to have continued in politics with any measure of success he should have resigned rather than join the BLP. Now that he has i had expected Barbados to benefit from his expertise and so far all i have seen is a willingness on his part to demonstrate to Arthur how appreciative he is. I believe he is washed up old news in elective politics in Barbados and given the nature of our system he will be no longer of value to the country. It is really sad to see a system continually destroy bright Barbadians to benefit a so called leader, it is even more distressing to see so many bright young people allow this to happen to themselves. I am yet to see someone who can successfully challenge my position that “You cannot be a man and a party member too.”
Amazingly when I listened to Malik with teeth yesterday, and his stress to say how so happy he was within the bowels of the blp made me almost vomit, is it that he is so happy to be seeing the way of corruption and stealing within the party and to know that it is open season and his turn is next?
Surely it is not because of the anger his presence has had on other members of the Owing cabinet?
He was fed a diet of non questions and allowed to ramble for long periods saying nothing of substance or value but then again he is a blp corrupt politician with no morals and no high ground.
I would submit to David Ellis and the VOB actually the media in general that the time is now to awake from your slumber and return news reporting to the respected status it once had and to deliver the news honestly and without fear of ruling parties they are but for a limited time and fairness last a lot longer that serving the political masters in the short term.
Why was there not a single question posed to him as to where the money has gone to in the prison project that it is overbudget by $ 200 million and counting?
Why was he not asked about the expensive bath that Liz Thompon’s husband erected, the road works, the dire conditions at the hospital, or even about his dismal failure as a representative of the people, how can anyone trust him?
Why was there not a single question posed to him as to where the money has gone to in the prison project that it is overbudget by $ 200 million and counting?
Why was he not asked about the expensive bath that Liz Thompon’s husband erected, the road works the thought processes that went into awarding a contract to someone who in themselves have never undertaken such a project unless it was in coordination with M&J and why are we dealing with a third party when we ought to be dealing directly with the builder M&J ?, the dire conditions at the hospital, or even about his dismal failure as a representative of the people, how can anyone trust him?
Give me a break David Ellis pandered to him in no small way, his attempt to attack was a freeble one almost laughable,why did he not press home the issues of 3S he allowed him to say he was not touching that and you move on?
Give me a break that is a feeble attempt to question, why not a single question about the prison why because that would have been to hard on him?
The gems issue here again more lip service, the properties will now be sold off to the rich well connected friends of the party for more fraud and more corruption.
Thankfully this 3 S Danos issue took place in the UK where it is very hard to conceal my bet had it taken place in Barbados one would never have seen or heard a word about the court documents very much like Owing’s dirvorce proceedings these were never made available to the courts and have never been seen, this too is illegal and not even the PM has that right to conceal these documents but a corrupt CJ a good buddy of Mr ESAF See Thru allows actions like this to take place.
VOB news this morning stated that Mascoll said the flyover project was going to cost US$120m and not US$180 as quoted by 3S! He is also quoted as saying that this cannot be regarded as a ‘cost over-run’, as the scope of the project has increased.
This is government spin at its best! (Maybe the government instructed 3S to overestimate the over-run (!?) so they could ride in and save the day with a lower figure)
The government look like heroes to have pegged back the builders by US$60!
Will the people swallow this crap?
Probably.
Let us face reality, we have the contractor stating that their cost was going to be US $ 180 million, and we have a gov’t minister stating a figure of US $ 120 million now let me ask you of the two choices on the table which one are you likely to take seriously the contractor or a lying politician?
My choice is simple the contractor knows what he is looking to collect, the politician is defending a party standpoint to negate the damage done by this revelation of a tripling of cost on this project being undertaken by ones before the courts for fraud for a KICKBACK ARRANGEMENT that is in place.
We suspect that 3S smoked the government out on this project. The scope had to be increased which 3S has estimated to cost USD180 but this position compromises the government’s declared position of not increasing the national debt (foreign). We are willing to bet that since the revelation by 3S the government had to revisit the scope of works.
David and BU and BFP please take a bow.
You have saved Barbados 60M US dollars.
We want open plans! Tenders, not back-room deals! Out with corruption. Let the examination of these deals be transparent.
Down with empty-worded, full-pocketed politicians.
It is my view that there is no difference in the scope of the works now or earlier this is a mere smoke screen to offset the truth of the matter that they are about to scam us the taxpayers once again.
How can you expect me to really believe that a project of this size can be so carelessly approached that these errors could be allowed,?
No this is exactly how 3S operated in Jamaica when the bridge went from $ 15 million to $ 27 million and the commissions kept growing, with their local partner in play there and so to here.
These projects the road works the prison I put to you are no errors in costing or scope of works as they attempt to distort the facts these are direct attempts to swindle the taxpayers.
I am now listening to VOB and the are quoting road works figures as $ 120 million but no where were they prepared to mention this was in US currency very smooth and disgustingly avoiding the truth in the news, these people are behaving like CBC a gov’t sponsored radio station.
Quite funny, just read the Nation article on the above (online – you think I’d buy it – NO WAY!)
Mascoll says that what 3S meant was that amount of work had trebled, but that doesn’t mean that the cost has trebled. Find me a company that will do thrice the work for twice the money! I’d like to do business with those compnies!!!
Joker!
Well maybe Mascoll is admitting that we were being ripped off before?
Unless Siddall is out of his mind…the only way 3S could do three times the work for twice the money is if the original amount billed was one and a half times what should have been charged…
Mascoll claims to be great mathematician so he must know the implications of his statement.
I am glad you noticed that wishing in vain.
I too listened to the 12:30 midday news and heard Vob quoting the U.S figures without mentioning the currency.
As I’ve said before it has to be part of the media conspiracy with the government when both the print and electronic media is in collusion with government not to use the true cost of the flyovers,the prison,the airport – to the taxpayers of barbados – in bajan dollars.
Yesterday was ham and jam and a nice cup of tea – I noticed.
Wait until the DLP comes into to office and you will see the media houses fangs coming out.
This is why I say giving starcom a T.V. license is not going to result into better programming,more quality broadcasters or even finally the emergence of ‘true investigative journalism’
It will just be more of the same.
Bush Tea
We are all getting our knickers in a twist.
Do the public really care?
As long as most Bajans have enough money to buy $20 Digicel credit and the latest Nike sneakers, they’re not really bothered about press freedom, population economics or any kinda politics!!!
Apathy rules
Why do we bother?
Whilst on the subject of political apathy, here are the two leading causes of political apathy in Bim:
1) WEALTH:
Whilst Barbados is continuing to enjoy a good economy and folks have money in their wallets, they are relatively contented and it takes quite a big issue to get them stirred up. Ironically the Bim economy is currently being bolstered by several huge government projects , as well as the after effects of huge public and private spending for CWC 2007. When this work starts to wind up in a year to 18 months we could see REAL trouble!!
2) RELIGION
Barbadians are very religious. So long as a proportion of people believe that their destinies are pre-determined by God they will tend to be apathetic. (PLEASE do not think I am bashing the church – I am not – this is just an observation).
An example:
Yesterday at the Abundant Life Assembly the Reverand Wes Hall told the congregation that recent tragedies were a call from God for Barbadians to listen up. The idea is thus presented that these events are pre-determined by a divine force and are therefore unavoidable. This may inhibit people in looking for accountability or trying to apportion blame. It looks as if both these tragedies were avoidable if the proper precautions had been taken.
Curiously enough the theme of the address was THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE. What was this knowledge: the knowledge of the instability in the ground under arch cot OR the knowledge that the brakes in the bus possibly needed checking?? I don’t know, I wasn’t there!
What I would like to see is more religious leaders stand up and demand transparency in government and an end to corruption. Religious leaders in this community command a high level of respect and are rarely questioned. They owe it to their loyal congregations to demand what is JUST and FAIR for those they represent.
End of rant.
Yum we understand your cynicism but remembet that the last general election was divided by 700 votes only. Sometimes it does not take a lot to change the world.
David
Cynicism comes in waves.
Today I’m having a bad cynicism day! Must have had too much coffee!
After weeks of farce and very little facts, yet another trumpet-up DLP scandal goes puff.
Is BFP press down they have not updated for nearly the entire day, very strange indeed.
true very true
Appalling! This describes a contribution by a resident of St.Michael north-west on the september 17th brasstacks programme. In an effort to defend Clyde “I think I am nearly as good-looking as malik” mascoll, the caller stated that ” the people of that constituency were waiting to vote Mascoll back into parliament in the up-coming election.”
He argued that Chris Sinckler held a football competiiton on Deacons pasture under lights put there by Mark Williams. The caller went on to say “we do not need anything down here from Chris Sinckler..we have everything down here”. Now correct me if you other bloggers heard something different from me. But is this man, in one of the poorest corners of Barbados with a very high crime rate, high instances of gang/ drug related crime and unemployment, really saying that they have it all in St. Michael north-west? And that he intends to put a person with no philosophical position back in office? To do what? Lie through his teeth ( I mean gums!) for another five years?
This is the sort of blind, ignorant voting that goes on in Barbados. AND THE BLP LOVES IT! They know that as long as the electorate iremains ignorant (Bajan parlance for intellectually challenged!) in this way they and their cohorts can remain put. I appeal to the working class, middle class, under-class, upper class intellectuals who are down to earth Barbados-loving Bajans to show the Barbados Labour Party that they have much to answer for.
Have you noticed that since Jamaica’s election ( the third straight C’bbean election to do so) turned in the favour of the then-opposition ( Bruce Golding) that the BLP spin-doctors have been all over the call-in programmes? Every day now it is Ivan Linton, George Brathwaite, Malcolm Taitt, Henderson Bovell, Sandra ‘ nobody wants me’ Husbands, tall-boy and the rest talking about 1991.
They would like the electorate to vote with 1991 in mind, But the issues of this election are based on the mismanagement of taxpayers money from 1994 until now. Even more recently, a look at the wastage since 2003 reflects an unprecedented level of spending on capitol projects that will never bring in a cent of foreign exchange. No prison, fly-over or garbage dump can bring in revenue, These three projects alone represent over half a billion dollars in tax-payers money thrown down the royal chute!
Remind me if I am wrong but on the Monday of the cropover event each and every case violence took place in the Black Rock area, if this is a feature that we are proud about we have willfully lost our direction and our way.
If this area has everything so be it but clearly it has no decency and regard for law and order but I can see where this trend comes from it comes from watching the actions of its leaders and witness how dishonest they in themselves are so Mascoll if that is the example you set you should be ashamed of yourself you are a sick excuse of a person not even a politician a person.
Let’s look at this 3S catastrophe called the ‘fly-over’highway expansion project’ with a microscope. First, this project defeats the supposed purpose. The ABC highway repesents the life-blood of Barbados as it relates to transportation of goods and services across the length and breadth of the country. I have never supported this project and I still object to it on the basis that it will not make the situation any better. Obviously 3S will recommend it- they stand to benefit!
We depend on this major artery to transport tourists from the west coast to the airport. What of traffic delays caused by this project? How many working hours are lost daily because of this indiscriminate digging up. A sensible option would have been expanding say, Life of B’dos to Upton section; Upton to the Pine section etc
It is madness that Gov’t and MPW allows the 3S company to dig up the entire highway one time instead of systematically widening section by section. You can see the kind of chaos taking place on the ABC H’way: No lights at major junctions, roundabouts, and dangerous stretches of road that require lighting.
As of January 2007 I stopped using the ABC highway and I will continue to desist. IT IS TOO HAZARDOUS. I know that many of you cannot afford to do so because your livelihoods depend on using it, but hey it is too dangerous. I guess lives have to be lost for these jokers to see the light.
Now, where is the minister who announced this project (with all of the pomp and pageantry that the BLP is known for)? On vacation you say? I thought you get vacation after having done work! I say that come next election the electorate should give his illiterate backside a permanent vacation along with wasteful Liz, Ms. Barney, homo Rommell, and the other Rommel too! Immoral Atherly, silent george, flashy/ deceitful Farley, opportunistic Marshall, stammering Owen, and not to mention Mascott! Arrogant Kerrie, dolittle, mama bite me, delusional Rawl and the rest.They have money coming through their ears what more do they need?
If they get another term we might as well pack our bags and go back to Congo, or Liberia because freedom/ independence in Barbados will be dead and buried!
Gerald Browne a correction to your comment. Our sources indicate that Clarke is recuperating from an operation in the USA. We wish him well and hope that he recovers 100% to hold the lashes which are sure to come his way on the flyover project.
Thanks for the correction David. However, why is there a need for Clarke to go to the U.S for an operation? He and his BLP party colleagues boasts that we have a state-of -the -art hospital, newly equipped with a ‘board’ in this ‘first world country’ we live in!
We have the ‘best hospital in the Caribbean’! He should not have to travel for medical attention!
Even their own lies they can’t believe! Why should we?
Intellectuals of the Barbados under ground, I am putting this to you: It is our duty to educate the masses of average Bajans for they are blind and blinded by the few dollars that this BLP party tosses at them every four or five years.
How much bread can it buy? How much milk can it buy? How much gasoline can it buy? Can it buy a spot of land or a house? No it can not! But some how it manages to buy a vote! That should never happen!
A VOTE! What our fore-parents died for ! A sacred right which we were denied for hundreds of years. And in 2007 the BLP is happy to see persons sell their vote, or just as bad, refuse to vote at all. We must encourage the less wise to get involved in the election process in a way that they can truly benefit!. Vote for your future Barbadians. Every ones vote is priceless. Remember that!
And… when you go to the polls remember this: The last chance at the polls the electorate of Barbados allowed the BLP to slip home by less than 800 overall votes. Barbadians, today and everyday since 2003, we are paying for that crucial error. And Owen and his gang are laughing at us!
This BLP gov’t since 2003 until now has spent over three times what it spent between 1994 and 2003! Believe it. Billions of tax dollars!
Look at the facts: Had we kicked their asses out in 2003 we would have prevented the wastage of money at Greenland; the Glendairy fiasco; this ‘fly-over project’; the prison project; the ‘;rennovation of Kensington oval; the rennovation of the G.A.I.A; the Rock hall ‘ghost monument; the two million dollar round-about at lears.
The list goes on: …The $500,000 golden shower at Silver Sands; the $11,000 ackee tree trimming job; the 20% salary regrade that Owen demanded and took (Now Rommel getting so much money he don’t want to pay N.I.S; The concord waste of time b.s experience.
The long list goes on…The failure to pay the prison wardens, but eagerness to handsomely pay their political friends who sit on a commission of a stupid, useless prison fire enquiry! ( how ironic!) The millions spent in useless computers in police vehicles (by the time those things are online the equipment will be obsolete!)
The 6% cess which was introduced to further kill us ((taken back because they would like another term!)
Let me say to all Barbadians…I want to see integrity legislation in Bim. This way Owen, Barney, Liz and the gang can get that next term they want so bad… and deserve!
A TERM OF IMPRISONMENT!! I gone for now!!
Easy solution my friend his attacks real or otherwise will cease as soon as repays the treasury for his share, Nicholls share and Bannisters share in the “cost overruns ” in the OIL STORAGE FACILITY,THE PRISON, THE ROAD WORKS AND FLYOVERS soon to be flyoffs, we are not asking to repay all because the authorites would astonished and it may even pay off a good part of our foreign debt but just the share that they have extracted from these three projects will be enough to give the squatters new homes, fix the remaining roads, build a new hospital, fix the health care system, pay the police a reasonable salary that will eliminate their need to work as security guards at private functions and reduce the likely hood of being candidates for corruption with drug deals etc. No Owing your corruption is in another league, you steal in the multi millions these guys are only looking at a couple hundred here and there.
As Posted on the BLP site earlier waiting to see if they allow it to go up,it is response to an article they have up praising Mottley for working at idle hall.
Even a blind man would see thru this sham and act as senseless and pointless.
Owen has hammered Mottley into quiet submission having promised her the leadership during this term but then his greed for power struck in and that program went thru the window instead he has chosen to launch broadside attacks constantly at her but in their ever desperate desire to win votes and win seats they conspire to write an article of semi praise towards Mottley.
How sick and sad is this really?
Made even moreso by Mottley being in such dire straights that she has no choice but to cower and take the lashes while she attempts to serve a master that she now would rather kill than take orders from.
Politics being politics they will appear chummy on the platform and for the cameras but the reality is they would rather not be within sight of each other.
My confusion is for someone that is supposely so brilliant and she opts to be the subject of Owen’s continued side swipes and humiliation, if she is this brilliant a person why has she not told Owen to piss off and get into doing what her parents paid for her to do that is Law, then again she will find that during her sabbatical in politics that many sharp young recruits have come to challenge her in her profession , maybe she is not as sharp even in this area hence her need to stay on as the door mat for Owen to wipe his feet and whatever else he chooses to wipe.
This is exactly what this party has always been good at and that is putting on a show full of the razzmatazz, the fireworks etc but when this is said and done we are left holding a massive bill and the rest of them have gone to places yonder basking in the sunshine drinking a rum and checking their bank accounts.
As it appears in todays Advocate Newspaper
Wednesday
Sep 19 2007
Owen Arthur lacking
Today is September 14, 2007, and Barbadian citizens are now more and more convinced of Arthur’s lacklustre leadership. This lacklustre leadership has plunged this country into a quagmire of political darkness.
Any leader who is unwilling to report to the country on critical cost overruns of projects must accept full responsibility for the outcomes. The voters of Barbados need to know why we are experiencing $900 million in cost overruns and rising.
This request is based on the sound principles of accountability and transparency. For some time now, taxpayers of this country have been asked to exercise patience with the BLP administration as the local Treasury is turned into a basket case. To date, Arthur has abandoned reporting to the country on the latest position with the proposed 130 million taxpayers payout to solve the cave problem in Warrens. This matter, we were told, was going to arbitration and seems to have gone no where. The harsh reality is that the outcome will be a high cost to taxpayers of this country. For the past 12 years, this administration has treated the Barbadian public with great contempt as they neglected their governance responsibility to the voters of this country.
The increased arrogance of this administration was later illustrated after the failed Cricket World Cup and this country was told that it was Barbados finest hour . This was certainly the most expensive hour that a country would have to underwrite. The non-use of the Oval since then has added insult to injury, as no one is sure what is the current salary bill of the consultants and management staff. The recent announcement of the addition of lights is a turnaround position by the Minister of Finance who after a tour to that facility, while under construction, opted to trim cost by cutting out the installation of lights.
Our country is currently experiencing severe policy drift. No Minister in the Arthur administration is sure of anything now. The entire party has now moved into election mode, totally oblivious and uncaring of the needs of the citizens. The BLP needs come first.
The recent announcements of the increased cost, and extended completion time for the highway project, by the company supervising the project, and not one word from the Minister speaks volume of how the taxpayers are treated. Dont mind that the cost has been skyrocketed from Bds$120 000 000 to Bds$360 000 000.
The public of Barbados is fed up with Arthur and his administration. They have gone into hiding since David Thompson and the Democratic Labour Party began to roll out its policy agenda. A united and focused Democratic Labour Party has placed the BLP on the back foot. They are unable to respond and have reduced the political discourse to when the Democratic Labour Party delivers their Conference magazine not knowing that the relevant Conference document was already in the hands of the Partys hierarchy days in advance.
Arthurs puerile attempts at sugar-coating issues of national significance have reached its end. The message to Arthur came in the peoples shut down of the failed and poorly thought out, Conversation with the Nation series that attracted more paid policemen than patrons.
We are aware of the BLPs promise to start them back. This Democratic Labour Party, however, will keep its commitment to restart its meetings series. The Democratic Labour Party has started its Town Hall series with Education on September 9, 2007 and plans to continue these discussions throughout the month of September.
Once we have completed our series, we will put before the public another set of competent and worthy candidates for your engagement. We are aware that as a public you want more of the Democratic Labour Party and we intend to deliver.
Interesting to note that many BLP supporters did not call the program to yesterday’s evening tell it like it is. We suspect the issue of the flyover will become more of a hot bed when the DLP decides to take it up AS THEY MUST!
No this evening was really a non show as it turned out, they maybe rethinking their plans because their last few attempts were so clear to see that they were programmed to do a task.
It will be great to see how David Ellis and Peter Wickham handle matters when they moderate later this week, they need to be firm with the blp because of the amount of obvious lying that they have engaged in, give me a break the road works project increases by threefold but according to the clown Mascoll the price will only increase twofold, come on guys stop the lying where else would the volume of work triple but the price doubles this is an insult to me and to many.
The only thing I can see unfolding out of this, is maybe the work never doubled or tripled maybe this just part two of the DANOS 3S scam as we saw in Jamaica where the bridge went up in price as the work progressed as so to their commission cheques all out of the JAMAICA KICKBACK ARRANGEMENT. this maybe the start of our BARBADOS KICKBACK ARRANGEMENT compliment to Nicholls, Hobson,Bannister and Owing.
We got a wholesale piece of fraud taking place here and the press seem afraid to ask the gov’t to explain why are they prepared to sign contracts with known scamps with both of them being before the courts for fraud and dishonesty and bribery, like DANOS and 3 S and VECO where both projects are grossly over budget and known to be the source of Owing’s, Nicholls and Bannister retirement funding.
Why do the press not ask the right question on these issues.
I understand from the call in show today that tthe Coast Gard station was built under a BOLT arrangement which company was contracted to build this one and has steal gone into that project to?
‘
WIV
It is my view that there is no difference in the scope of the works now or earlier this is a mere smoke screen to offset the truth of the matter that they are about to scam us the taxpayers once again.
Are you an engineer?
What are your credentials?
Are you not the person who on your own admittance gets his information from drunks.?
you are anass simple as that why not contribute something sensible if you are capable of that.
yes the drunks I get my information from is your dearly beloved PM and his side kick Nicholls that why I know what I know.
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I didnot know the little roundabout at lears cost that much so much for kisses & favours I must admit how ever seeing the cost overruns it does not supprise me. I hope the 15th jan. would hurry up and get here, we the voters will make sure that David and the team have a job to do. send them to jail!.