Submitted by Gary Cole (with daughter)
Congratulations to David Thompson and the DLP, to usher in this wind of change. I didn’t think it was going to happen, when I left Barbados 7 years ago the BLP firmly had the country in its grip. The vote swung, and I think it is the Internet. Certainly when I see the power of the reporting on the web, I think you are seeing the beginning of a future on-line Barbadian community that is larger mass based.
The issue of corruption, I will talk to you about, and please don’t take any issue fellow campaigners against corruption. It not meant to be an issue, but a strategy. I am all for clarity of thought and action…woolly headed actions don’t impress me at all, and words without the ability to back up and prove yourself are wasted. So I wont waste my words and I don’t want you to waste your actions. There is no way that David is going to be able to come up with legislation to fight corruption in 100 days that is going to work, or do the job of getting to the roots of corruption. Do you want short term gain or do you want long term strategy. I don’t think corruption can ever be handled with a short term strategy, so any idea that this is a short term goal and achievement can easily be countered. Give David more time but secure a vary public pledge to root out corruption. We don’t want more world Bank legislation on our books. If when campaigner’s asked and were interested to find out that the DLP draft proposal on integrity legislation was cut and paste from a World Bank source, it was sign of the political will therein lacking.
Its great on the election platform…corruption – CARSICOT, Glendairy, Deep Water Harbour, Pele, Diplomatic Dope etc but when the elections are over each successive administration has dealt organically with corruption. By that I mean it was just dealt with with how it had to be done, and it just had to be done. So we stand in a situation today that the whole thing is like a pack of cards stacked into houses – the whole thing could just fall with a false move. I think most of you campaigners, if any there be, but I see Mr Loveridge and the effort behind the various blogs, would agree with me so far, but here is where I signal a departure. Intelligence is needed first and foremost in rooting out corruption. By intelligence I mean just that knowledge, sources, reliability, deception, and counter-intelligence. But that’s just one part of intelligence, in fact it is not even the main part of intelligence – the collection of information etc. It is the analysis of intelligence that lies the key. So it is the analysis of corruption, rather than corruption itself that we should be dealing with.
So one person may say when they see the corruption, OH MY GOD!, an analyst, like me may see opportunity. What do I mean by the opportunity for change afforded by the perception of corruption? I mean we must come to analytical terms as to the root and system of corruption in Barbados. If there is no shared analytical framework there is no shared intelligence. Corruption is like chance. But is it? Its not it has design and it has plan. Before these blogs started in the mid 2000s, in the mid 90s, even in the 70s and 80s there were very few people writing and doing investigative journalism…it was confined to journalists (and certainly not every journalists), a lawyer here and there with a conscience, maybe even a calypsonian who did his research. Writing was very controlled…and the Libel laws well – draconian.
But my mother and I, Angela Cole and Gary Cole, together dreamed up this idea of writing a series of books exposing what we called the rottenness of Barbadian society. We used the term for the title Catharsis. Now I am not blowing my own trumpet, but I have to sometimes, like the Attorney General designate, Freundel Stuart, I remember very clearly when I went around selling galley copies of the first book in the series to lawyers ( see limited preview of the book in Googlebooks, just go the Googlebooks and type in Boys in the Band by Angela Cole) how interested he was to know more about the lives of my mother and the issue of Mark Stokes.
And in that book, and the second in the series The Khaki Boys or Who Killed Pele? , written together with my mother, and with the insights of a brilliant John Cheltenham QC, and bouyed on by Harold Hoyte at the Nation, and the son of The last White Attorney General in this island, Rocky Wallcott, and helped by researchers in the archives, in the libraries, in the major newspapers, and with input from historians like Ronnie Hughs, and the Work of Woodville Marshall on early Barbadian free villages, and list goes on to people in the street, who would in every way lend their support if even just in the asking, we clearly concluded a premise summarised by a time-line, but encapsulated in the argument of the first book in the series, on the disappearance of Mark Stokes.
I spent a long time with Cheltenham, during my mothers 8 years case against the government (which she won), debating this point. And I only mention Johnny as he is affectionally called because , he did some of the most high profile murder cases in the Caribbean, with wealthy people, but with motive and desire, and johnny always looked for the human factor, it kept his love of the law. If in 1973, special security started following my mother, that is 38 years ago, and they have collected information from watcher reports, case officers, and for more than 25 years observed her, can we not have access to the reports made, as part of her case, can we not force the disclosure – and johnny knew no – that is something that we as writers would have to do but could you please give him a copy of the book, because this is the place where politics and the law, meet in a dialectic.
So the point is this, we need some dialectical law. First of all if you don’t understand the corruption of the last 38 years, you wont understand the corruption you see today. You will be cutting at the leaves, doing a nice prune job, for spring, but by winter the roots far below would have shot forth new shoots, three and four to each cutting. We have very clear ideas on the table relating to the 1973 silent coup d’etat which lead to the passing of the police order act, and similar legislation giving the prime minister greater control of the civil service, and the Director of Public Prosecution. We have set out that you cant talk about corruption in Barbados without mentioning freemasonry, that you cannot have justice in colridge street, to quote clement payne, the political agitator beaten and killed by police after the 1937 riots, that you cant have justice in a society with police brutality, prison anarchy, and corrupt judges and magistrates. I think we went through every single case that we could find and research. Every single one from 1973 to 2001 and it runs 250 pages on A4.
And its conclusion is that the police, the jails and the judiciary are the guarantors of society, every police beating we allow, every death in custody left unexplained, every prison murder we turn a blind eye to, and the bribery and corruption of the judiciary we ignore we imprison ourselves in a jail not of our making. So the issue I have in this strategy is that Mr Loveridge doesn’t really know that corruption in Barbados is home grown, proud and bred – he might know of Mark Stokes, he might now of Pele, or of the murder of Tom, he may know about Bertram Niles disappeared now 30 years, or Michael Agard murdered in Glendairy, he may know Ryan Jordan brutally beaten by police, or the legion of young men who came up poor and brutalized, but he wont see it like how we see it, as part of ourselves, and might miss the importance of the grass-root at the people level desire for truth. The Government should not start with integrity legislation for the rich and wealthy with lawyers and money, but with a hand out to ordinary people who have been victimized all these years, myself included, but also a lot of poor and sometimes not so poor, and sometimes rich people that have been persecuted over the years as unwilling parties in a corrupt system.
I would start in the begriming with Oliver Jordan, that where Tom started as soon as he came to power in 1976, I kid you not – a former head of Intelligence in the Barbados police force has already said it publicly and to my mother privately. The night before the 1976 elections he received a call from the young and new prime minister to be that he meet him that night and show him all the evidence in the possession of the Barbados police force on the disappearance of Mark Stokes and the murder of Sgt Oliver Jordan. That’s corruption and that’s how it works, and that and much more is explained in our books, but I only give this as an example, that what we need is actions taken to roll back not one BLP government even if it was 12 years, but over a generation.Errol of course didnt do this when he got back the government in 1980s, because he was there, he knew what happened to Mark Stokes, and Oliver Jordan, and he passed the legislation to protect the country, from an armed coup d’etat. If that is too political I would start with Andrew Farmer, or Michael Agard, and revise the judgement in those cases, and begin to bring a sense of resolve to the families involved, not with convictions and sentences but with a TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE, that if you speak, no conviction, and speak your mind, as any member in the process, and I would certainly speak as a journalist who spent the best part of 4 years researching every known available fact I could find on these cases, that all you had to do was talk, and answer questions, not directed at guilt, but at exorcising the demons of the past, a process of catharsis.
So rather than going after these, you know, big time stories of corruption, you know the kick backs etc, you do people a disservice and dishonour who have been waiting in line for almost a generation, for just the truth.You know look at what happened to Ryan Jordan. Is there no truth for his family. Is it because they didnt have money? Deal with first grass root corruption – police brutality. That is an easy one to handle first, and it will win you a lot of votes. Just get a pledge from the Commissioner like Durant did to stop police brutality, but the public saw that was lying. A lot of people have been wrongly harassed by the police over the years, and you could gain a lot by even just a pledge. Things are changing.
So before you go off in a trail of corruption that leads to the offshore market, please understand that that is an international affair. It suits a foreigner, who doesn’t know Barbados, and for people who like expose, but it forgets that there are a lot of people waiting in line before you even get to wanting to know how to solve an unregulated financial market. People will ask, not because they are racist, a white man, why doesn’t he go back to Britain and American, there aint got enough corruption there for him to deal with, and of course they have a point, at least Barbados is not going around starting wars, selling arms, bribing leaders, and fomenting the fall of governments, which is a days work for an American President or British Prime Minister. They will say he want to mek his money abroad in all that corruption and then come here and live soaking up our sun and sea, and making money off of it, and talk about us being corrupt, but what about his money.
How do you neutralize this. Deal with working class issues, like the shell refinery issue, that was beautiful, but its got to be more, there are hundreds of those cases out there, the more working class the better, the poorer, the more disposed, the more downtrodden the better in this issue of corruption. Get a pledge from David to help those who are most vulnerable first. Give them a decent hand and that will win you a lot of votes. The so called Big issues, integrity legislation etc, without the dialectical framework and study of Barbadian history, they will just end up being footnotes. You see offshore corruption in Barbados, I see intractable international situation and Barbados in a cess pool of corruption not off its own making, but from the stuff that oozes out of the criminally corrupt international elites.
Nuff Said (but more to come on corruption – in fact these 100 days of anti-corruption.)
Other Articles by Gary Cole
Gary Cole,
heard you were in Canada.
Happy to know you well and continue to be informed.
Contact us
Democratic Labour Party Manifesto
d) Persons who are in Barbados on work
permits will be deemed non-resident and
free of all exchange controls, and if
working for a company registered under
any of the international business
legislation, may be paid externally in a
foreign currency and only their
remittances to Barbados declared for
income tax purposes.
e) Exchange controls will be removed on
property transactions between nonresidents
including those who are on work
permits who should be designated as nonresident
for exchange control purposes.
Does this mean that the government will give a legal green light to Guyanese and other immigrants to send money out of the country? Of course, they are already doing it either legally or illegally.
B F P E
Good to here from you max and maureen. Oh its so good, I just have a bit more grey hairs, greetings to you in Canada. You can email me at tatanka.eu@googlemail.com
I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Jo… King on your…party’s win. I want to let you…them know I am available to work in Government as I am already registered:)
A long journey begins with a single step. Mr. Thompson has to start working on integrity legislation right away or it will never be done.
Gary
Seeing you with your little daughter made me realise how times have flown.
Seems like just yesterday you were a little boy with those glasses and that serious look.
Keep well my dear – by the way do you get a chance to visit your maternal granny?
Hi Gary, The above gave me goose bumps, especially when it came to Tom.
We have received many emails which asked why are we publishing Gary’s articles. Barbadians must understand that there is a wind of change about to blow across Barbados. It has touched the political landscape and we have a feeling the media will be next. We agree with Bush Tea (regular commenter) about the need to expose the double-standards and inadequacies of our media houses. We have approached several retired journalists to offer perspectives/insights on topical/various issues, but they have elected to go to the great beyond guarding their knowledge as the guard at the gates of the Citadel.
Gary has brought a freewheeling style to the business of telling a story which we want to be contagious. This year, our focus will be on the Fourth Estate of the Realm. Hopefully members of the BU family will join us in our quest to promote freedom of expression.
Please Join Us!
My advice to the media houses is to make a mad rush to Roebuck Street and collect your money due for all the airtime that the BLP used as their record of NOT PAYING THEIR BILLS AFTER AN ELECTION DEFEAT IS NOT A GOOD ONE, NOW THAT THEY HAVE LOSS THE ELECTION THEY MAY VERY WELL TURN THEIR BACKS ON THEIR DEBTS AS MANY OTHERS KNOW THAT HAVE DONE BUSINESS WITH THEM OVER THE ELECTION PERIOD SOME COMPANIES WERE LEFT WITH $ 550,000.00 UNPAID DEBTS.
Hi all, this is my first time writing in I and I think I now feel that I can properly without fear of being targeted or victimised. Under the previous administration one felt that due care had to be taken about voicing your opinion. I just wanted to put in my two cents pertaining to the need for proper journalism and the need for things to come to the fore in this country. I find that Bajans have a tendency to keep things hidden only a few seem to know about a lot of things and the rest of the population has no clue. There are many people out there who don’t have access to the blogs and are at a disadvantage as they are not informed or knowledgeable about occurences. THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED, and this can only be done by all with the information including the blogs and concerned citizens stepping up their work and getting this critical information out there to the masses.
I for one will be doing my part from now on to educate those around me as best as I can.
Baps
It may be true that a lot of people now feel that that the weight of fear no longer exists. That may be so, but let us not go overboard and begin to spew all sort of rubbish and call it free speech. High standards have to be set AND maintained for the growth and development of these websites.
Watch the regular media houses and see how they respond to the new open government.
Roger.
Yes and we can carry on telephone conversations, internet communication without the fear of having your communications intercepted and listened to.
Gary, I found out about Courteen’s Curse and Sir William Courteen and the Guyanese connection.
I Understand that the saudia arabians were offering to finance a a muslim school in Barbados. After watching a tv documentary about thier beliefs and how they feel about non muslims, women and those they consider to be sub human, I can only hope and pray that no Bajan government would ever consider accepting this offer or they would be selling theirs as well as the people of barbados’ soul to the devil
Mr. Rommel Marshall – outgoing MP for St. Michael West Central should have gotten his re-count.
http://www.nationnews.com/story/339240420649922.php
If Mr. Marshall’s statements are accurate, the returning officer must be some kind of idiot and Mr. Gollop must lack a backbone. Why should Rommell have to go to the courts to seek a recount? A difference of only 25 votes should be of concern to all and a recount should have been done at his request…..and no, I am not a BLP supporter.
Bajans send Owen Arthur Gov’t packing
RICKEY SINGH, Observer Caribbean correspondent
Thursday, January 17, 2008
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The newest government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) was in the process of formation in Barbados yesterday following a landslide 20-10 victory by the Opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) for the 30-member House of Assembly.
The size of the victory, as correctly forecast four days ahead of Tuesday’s vote by the Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES) poll of political scientist Peter Wickham, confirmed that the ‘time-for-change’ mood of the Barbadian electorate eventually triumphed over the twin pillars of the incumbent Barbados Labour Party’s campaign platform of ‘best leadership’ and ‘outstanding performance record’.
Prime Minister-designate and DLP leader, David Thompson, a 46-year-old lawyer, was yesterday locked in a lengthy consultation with victorious candidates and other key party strategists prior to his historic journey to Government House to be sworn in as the new head of government of this Caricom state.
Until yesterday, Prime Minister of this Eastern Caribbean island for the past 14 years was Owen Arthur, a 58-year-old economist and leader of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) which was unsuccessful in its bid for an unprecedented fourth consecutive term.
Nine cabinet ministers were among the political casualties of Tuesday’s poll, among them the ministers of health; education, tourism; social transformation; consumer affairs and two ministers of state in the Prime Minister’s Office, one whom was Clyde Mascoll, the former DLP leader who was involved in an unprecedented defection to the BLP two years ago.
“But wait, Thompson is that you?”
Could it be that the DLP apologists have already begun the campaign of diminishing expectations? Has the specter of bold effective leadership already turned into a full blown retreat? Is “two seat” Thompson destined to become “flip-flop” Thompson? After the incessant choruses on the great intellect of the learned QC, sight unseen, are we now to believe that this legal luminary, the second coming of Sir Conrad Reeves if you please, needs more than 100 days to draft and implement a comprehensive “integrity” legislation package when that was the very foundation of his glorious victory? Utter poppycock, the black people in this country have been duped yet again and will pay a dear price for their folly.
degap
We the citizens were duped into believing that Owing was an honest person and to have trusted him with our affairs.
Sadly we have since learnt otherwise and we have taken the necessary actions to correct the mistakes we made.
I guess David is too busy to weigh in on the situation… I want a job hear!
Hi David:
Gary is correct on the amount of intelligence resources required in order to both prosecute and deter corruption. However, there is another way to obtain the required intelligence with significantly less effort and resources.
Anti-corruption legislation is effective ONLY if it can be effectively enforced. One can either spend millions of dollars annually to pay persons in a department to search for the intelligence (which they are unlikely to find), or one can provide sufficient incentives for persons to volunteer it.
Therefore, anti-corruption legislation in Barbados can only be effective if Disclosure Protection legislation, also known as Whistleblower legislation, is also proclaimed. The Disclosure Protection legislation should have the following as a minimum:
1. A reward of 10% of any bribery money confiscated as a result of reporting a claim of corruption.
2. A penalty equivalent to the amount of the expected reward for any fraudulent report.
3. A compensation of 10 years salary to be paid by the employer for unfair dismissal resulting from reporting a legitimate claim.
I explained this on my blog if you are interested.
Regards,
Grenville
Rudy Grant’s campaign workers were told by him to turn up at his office for payment on Wed. 16 Jan. 2008 at 3.00 p. m.
They turned up at the appointed time but no Rudy Grant in sight and as a result no one was paid.
Congratulations to the BLP on a great win.
The people have spoken.
PiedPiper // January 17, 2008 at 9:34 am
If Mr. Marshall’s statements are accurate, the returning officer must be some kind of idiot and Mr. Gollop must lack a backbone. Why should Rommell have to go to the courts to seek a recount? A difference of only 25 votes should be of concern to all and a recount should have been done at his request…..and no, I am not a BLP supporter.
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……If things occurred as is reported, I concur.
superlative1 // January 17, 2008 at 11:17 am
I guess David is too busy to weigh in on the situation… I want a job hear!
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Wait Superlative George street aint got nuh liberary, and therefore don’ need a liberary assistant. Parliament aint got none either, uh don’t think, so keep your lil pick up on the hill. 😀 but then again when duh send all these BLP consultants packing and de chairmen of the Child care board, Samuel Jackman polythetnic, de place that Henderson Bovil does lime at saying he doing work, and all these government department that have been staff by recipients of the “politics of inclusion” you might get something. If yuh did a policman you might be in for something since we may see Darwin Dotting “retire” 😀
……boy so many questions so many place to go over the books to see what has been going on,….are things going to stay the same at the enterprise growth fund?
Anonymous // January 17, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Rudy Grant’s campaign workers were told by him to turn up at his office for payment on Wed. 16 Jan. 2008 at 3.00 p. m.
They turned up at the appointed time but no Rudy Grant in sight and as a result no one was paid.
==============================
One day hopefully it will stick in people’s mind that working for, working with, or getting a job from a politician whether temporary or promise long term, is a high risk undertaking akin to most forms of gambling. look at Henderson Bovell who was ready to leave Barbados after the DLP lost in 1994 as he couldn’t make ends meet. He sold his sold to de next nudder political master and now that master is out to pasture he is back where he was in 1994 so much for personal growth. Don’t fool yourself these BLP people have to go, cause people like Leroy McClean looking fuh a pick. 😀 One set of yardfowls out and another set in. 😀
Researching // January 17, 2008 at 11:51 am
Hi David:
Gary is correct on the amount of intelligence resources required in order to both prosecute and deter corruption. However, there is another way to obtain the required intelligence with significantly less effort and resources.
==============================
soooooo we shouldn’t attempt too contain it????? The above is a grand statement that is more likely to be the case in Canada, USA, and other first world countries, and i don’t think that such methodologies need to brought wholesale, to bare on what we are trying to investigate and uncover in Barbados. This is a small island, an advantage that can go along way in effecting the results that we are looking for. I would like to hear more on why it would be so difficult to conceptualize a forensic investigative process that can lead to at least ajudication in our courts. We have laws, and if we had a DPP that isn’t corrupt himself, the outdated 1920’s Prevention of corruption act of Barbados would have been enough of a bases in law to convene an investigation into that 75,000 check, Owen Arthur recieved in his name from a Banking institution while being the Minister of Finance.
……This is yet another area of Barbados governance and management that person need to avail themselves of the current laws, practices, and traditions before concluding on what can and cannot happen.
Our system of governance is not difficult to understand, it is a crude implimentation of West Minister as is practice in Australia and Canada, two societies that have extentive publish information of their specific implimenation of West Minister in addition to what applys in it’s original intent and what is practice in the UK.
Barbados laws, well most of them can be found at http://www.caricomlaw.com and they are not that difficult to read and form a basic understanding of.
…..I commend person who looks to best practices in first world countries and what effect they can have if applied to Barbados, but at the end of the day these best practices were informed by situations unique to the society which gave birth to them, and therefore one must at all times be cognizant of this and seek to understand the situation though similar but that is nevertheless uniquely Barbadian.
Integrity Legislation and Freedom of Information acts exists throughout the world.
Trinidad just locked up (and released) a former PM.
I accept they will need to be changed over time to keep them working and any imprisoned PMs or MPs in prison.
President Bush just modified the Freedom of information act in America.
I really can’t understand why it would take an inordinate amount of time to get a draft to Parliament.
I like the idea about whistle blower legislation too.
A draft bill (Integrity in Public Life) has been submitted to Parliament as long ago as November 1979 by Tom Adams, and debated. It seems to have died in the committee stage whatever that means.
It was submitted by the BLP so they are already on record on what they will accept.
None of this is rocket science and I cannot see any justification for any delay.
T-99 and counting!!
You know Grenville. i understand your reasoning, but i dont see it as an indigenous
barbadian solution, in fact i think it is inspired by the IMF one world administration, and
promotes a culture of efficiency and expediency and ultimately ruthlessness. And as such for me would be an externally imposed solution, not a caribbean solution.. One time i would have agreed with you but i have a deeper understanding.
There are many premises to the argument. For instance if the courts, themselves have been guilty of this thing we call corruption (i.e cover-up, bribery, freemasonery) why reward them with more power in their hands. No no.
This thing we call corruption is civilization itself.
Apply your logic to George Bush, a tyrant, and you see the world will have to lock him up and our friend Tony in Barbados.
The answer to corruption in Barbados, is the transformation of society, and the workers are the engine of the society, so look to their needs and forget about the issue of corruption.
This is how i see the problem in a nut shell – the public need an airing and a hearing, like Kenyan. If we achieve just that, giving the public a voice on this issue, on how the perception of corruption is affecting them. Parliment can convene sessions, and a lot energy and dynamism generated by a completely non-criminal approach, if it was conducted as a truth and reconcilliation committee of 50 or so people but no less. And this would be at no cost for lawyers etc. No the lawyers have messed things up so far, lets hear some workers voice. He is not going to be asking for whistle blowing legislation, he is going to be talking about police brutality and drug war corruption, the biasness of judges, and cover-up. And as it relates he will know that is why i have no hospital, they dont care about us. So i dont worry about the intelligensia, and locking them up for white collar crime and money laundering and bribery,(the grease that keeps everything running) they are fine they will get through, and they will come around later, but i am raising the consciousness of the worker, like Errol when he took the government the first time from Grantley and established free education, free health care, school meals, civil reconstrution etc as the difference.
This is the making of a new open society, I read a lot of CLR James and i feel that nations should be free to choose their own path of development. This is self-determination. This issue is both foreign and local, but i will not join in on the intelligensia lead attack on the foriegn element and have it ignore the local. There are a lot of peoples homes they should be visiting in the housing areas and estates alone, to hear the horror stories.
Debate some more core working class issues, I’m not even in barbados. The web can only do so much. Work with the politicians and parliment.
And Sister Baby i didn’t mean anything my great great grandmother lived in the Orinooco, and sailed between St. Vincent to the Orinooco . We missed the horrors of the essiquibbo, but dont let these Barbadians fool you a lot of them went to the essiquibbo looking for gold and fortune after Slavery.
In my Indian way of seeing things the curse is on both societies, for collaborating in the theft of Barbados from the Indians. Barbados was a gem then too and they lost it.
All of the politicians corrupt wait and see. I agree Adrian and them talking bout creating jobs. When the people of barbados vote them should have study the dlp trend of layoffs and job loss. Blp yard fowls and Dlp ones is the same thing.
Richard Douglin // January 17, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Congratulations to the BLP on a great win.
The people have spoken.
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Richard:
You have your parties mixed up sir.
Thanks Ray; too excited I guess.
Congrats to the DLP
John // January 17, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Integrity Legislation and Freedom of Information acts exists throughout the world.
Trinidad just locked up (and released) a former PM.
I accept they will need to be changed over time to keep them working and any imprisoned PMs or MPs in prison.
President Bush just modified the Freedom of information act in America.
I really can’t understand why it would take an inordinate amount of time to get a draft to Parliament.
I like the idea about whistle blower legislation too.
A draft bill (Integrity in Public Life) has been submitted to Parliament as long ago as November 1979 by Tom Adams, and debated. It seems to have died in the committee stage whatever that means.
It was submitted by the BLP so they are already on record on what they will accept.
None of this is rocket science and I cannot see any justification for any delay.
T-99 and counting!!
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hear hear John, Some people just like to needlessly complicate what is needed and necessary . This is all unnecessary intellectualizing what must be implemented in Barbados and for which they are as you have stated many best practices to draw insight and or a framework from.
Sorry ALL for the HUGE mistake.
IT’S THE DLP
TO Bajan Abroad ……Saudi Arabia does not finance any Muslim School in Barbados…….Bajan Muslims will also not allow it t0 happen
Hi Gary:
There are very few indigenous solutions anywhere in the world. Nations have always adopted workable ideas from other nations. Let us not squander this opportunity to effectively remedy this (potential) problem of Government corruption by diverting attention to more long term solutions to other problems. Actually, I believe that Owen Arthur stated that he was introducing the anti-corruption legislation to address, inter alia, corrupt behaviour in the private sector.
In solving complicated problems, it is prudent to first address the ones that can be solved relatively quickly with the least amount of resources, and then tackle those that require much more resources and time. Copying existing integrity and whistleblower legislation and making the necessary amendments to make them easily enforceable in Barbados requires the least amount of effort and time.
Regards,
Grenville
Hi Gary:
There are very few indigenous solutions anywhere in the world. Nations have always adopted workable ideas from other nations. Let us not squander this opportunity to effectively remedy this (potential) problem of Government corruption by diverting attention to more long term solutions to other problems. Actually, I believe that Owen Arthur stated that he was introducing the anti-corruption legislation to address, inter alia, corrupt behaviour in the private sector.
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Researching, the idea of Owen introducing anti-corruption legislation to address corruption in the private sector should’ve been #2 on his to do list as far as corruption goes. #1 should’ve been for his cabinet. I sincerely hope the political pundits will call this election for what it is – a stance against corruption. It is important to implement policies to govern conduct in societies like ours. Talk is cheap — people want to see action, not lip service. DLP be aware!
If you get the MPs to tie off themselves by relentlessly pressuring them to pass the legislation, the scales will suddenly be lifted from their eyes and all the corruption in the judiciary, police, civil service, private sector etc. etc. will suddenly become clear to them.
They have the power to deal with it.
They aren’t going to like being the only ones who are answerable and will fall over themselves to prevent others from benefiting without them. In so doing they will become our allies!!
Solve the pollution problem at the head of the stream. Then work on the tributaries one by one till the output of the stream is as clear and sparkling as possible ….. and fit for human consumption.
You guys seem to be aiming for a Utopia, and seem to to forget the concept of the second law of thermodynamics which teaches clearly that things tend to disorder.
We are not dealing here with salmon who have a great determination to “swim upstram.”
Superlative1 you are right that it has been a busy period for the BU household. We live by the philosophy of fighting for what we believe in so we have been very busy in recent weeks. My advice to you is that if you aspire to be a political appointee then Cave Hill has failed you ;-).
David
Are you suggesting that a UWI graduate should not have a strong desire to work in the Public Service? Clarify
I don’t agree that Rommell should get a recount, if the shoe was on the other foot, the BLP would not have been so willing to allow a recount.
I am very happy that the DLP won. I once supported the BLP but I got very fed up with all their greed and corruption.
I am particularly happy for Chris Sinckler. He is a produce of the Garrison Secondary. It shows that students (or former students) from the new secondary schools have a lot of potential and are just as intelligent and capable. OFten we think that only graduates of Harrison or Queens and such older secondary are intelligent and capable.
As a product of a newer secondary I have been able to accomplish alot academically (Phd) and professional (a VP for a global corporation). Something that in Barbados I would have been allowed or given the opportunity. In fact I came up against such social prejudice when I worked in the civil service.
Congrats Chris, you made us newer secondary (comprehensive) school graduates proud.
Georgie Porgie // January 17, 2008 at 6:27 pm
You guys seem to be aiming for a Utopia, and seem to to forget the concept of the second law of thermodynamics which teaches clearly that things tend to disorder.
We are not dealing here with salmon who have a great determination to “swim upstram.”
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I was thinking about the law of gravity and trying to improve what appeared at the bottom of the hill by fixing from the top down!!
Just a thought, …. maybe the law of gravity contradict the second law of thermodynamics, and in the case of a hill supercedes it!!
Here’s hoping.
Dont forget that in the first 100 days of a dlp administration to introduce the Agriculture Protection Act that will require a 2/3 majority of both houses of parliament for a change of use of land from agriculture.
Will the proposed Freedom of information act allow us to know how many approvals get issued within the first 100days
Just checking.
Is our new Prime Minister keeping to close to Hartley Henry. My observation is based on three clear issues.
No:1 – Mr Thompson gave credit specially to Hartley at his St. John election centre.
No:2 – He again gave massive credit to Hartley at the DLP headquarters’ Press Conference, whilst forgetting the role of Brandfort Taitt.
No:3 – The first person to greet him inside Government Headquarters was Hartley.
Please Mr. Prime Minister, the election has been won, the people are happy. You should be embracing election candidates especially your parliamentary team. Everyone will be looking at our new Prime Minister, not a Prime Minister with a different shawdow.
Everyone will be looking at our new Prime Minister, not a Prime Minister with a different shadow.
My point is that some folk who work in the Public Service (civil servants?) are appointed for life, others work under contract, (e.g the polyclinic doctors and hospital doctors) and can be fired simply by not renewing their contract for what ever reason. And then there are those who are political appointees as you call then. Of course we must not leave out those who are elected by the populace from time to time. Perhaps everyone who is paid by the Public purse are not all civil servants, or are they?
JOhn
I was thinking about the law of gravity and trying to improve what appeared at the bottom of the hill by fixing from the top down!!
Just a thought, …. maybe the law of gravity contradict the second law of thermodynamics, and in the case of a hill supercedes it!! Here’s hoping.
============================
I am sure that you mean well. But nothing seems to ever contradict or supoercede the second law of thermodynamics. Furthermore, it is written that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it? I am sure that you have witnessed over and over that this is most often true, rather than not. But we can hope since it is said that hope springs eternal in the human breast.
Georgie Porgie
We understand your point. We were referring to the trusted practice of yardfowlism which has been practiced by both parties over the years when they attain government by rewarding party hacks with those contract jobs which the BLP took to another level.
Where is the entropy in water flowing down a hill?
It certainly isn’t going to flow up the hill!
Adrian and David
Thank you for your wonderfully uninspiring comments. Firstly, Adrian- tsk tsk tsk, never underestimate someone you may think you know, my experience and skills are wide reaching and varied, want a copy of my résumé? I’m available for the BIDC, close to the van route to UWI;).
David- Cave Hill has failed many, but alas, doesn’t change the fact that I want a more reliable pick, political appointee or political appointee not. So let’s talk about Admin. vacanices;)
Good RIDDANCE to the rubbish that was the last blp admistration, their strong arm tactics are a thing of the past, when gov’t ministers could tell upright business persons ” to tow the line or expect a TAX AND VAT AUDIT ” this in itself generated a loss of about 600 votes in this one action, then we add the publics belief that we have had a gross mismanagement of the public funds, with projects tripling in final cost over budgeted cost, and persons being given shady contracts to collect commissions on gov’t vehicles etc, the feeling that corruption had stepped in, then we had those 2 fatal speeches the first being the the dreaded I am specially motivated never to see the return of the DLP to office then the other appointing Mascoll his COLEADER.
In his effort to destroy the status of Mottley he set about destroying the whole party.
Oh yes we are still awaiting word on if there was or if there was not a fist fight at ROEBUCK ST in the lead up to these elections.
Listen, Grenville, Adrian, Ray, and Researching, i understand you guys, i even agree with you, i believe all the evidence of the corruption BUT you are not understanding my point and i will in my next piece explain, but i ask you this – if the very heart of government, the judiciary and the police is riddled with corruption, how can you think that anti-corruption laws will painlessly, without damage to the economy, without people going to jail, without any disruption, solve anything. And you are being absolutely dishonest in saying anti-corruption laws work in the UK and the US.
You have to talk dialectical law, you have to use Hegel, Marx and CLR James, to look at a situation where politics and the law meet, where concepts of morality and the very question of what is justice for a society is posed. If you do want to think about that – then you’ll never make a QC. That is how the law ultimate works, its made by man, fallible and always incomplete.
Your idea to impose IMF laws in Barbados, is absolutely dangerous. Are you prepared to talk about the IMF, did they just lose a head in Wolfiwitz, for corruption, and you know what the countries of the world had to do to get rid of an absolute corrupt IMF head. I am going to respond in detail in an article, dont get me wrong i am with you guys on the evidence, but not on the interpretation and analysis.
Dear Gary
Equating integrity legislation with the IMF is illogical. Equating the use of foreign imported texts that are proven to be beneficial is illogical.
Please do not purvey a conspiracy theory to something that has to be carefully put in place. That would be weird.
One would logically expect that integrity laws will be brought and made better over time by successive generations of politicians with consultation with the electorate.
Laugh at Alleyne’s column today, holding the DLP to the fire over integrity. What an insincere and politically motivated man. BLP didn’t make a peep about bringing it themselves.
I for one agree with Grenville Williams and hope the government will closely follow his advice.
Too many things I see around my community that are illegal- too many thngs wrong. If we continue on we will destroy ourselves. Let’s take a look at ourselves Barbados and then grow up responsibly.
Sorry
I meant Phillips.
Thinking about future years and the others of good mind and good heart,
i agree with you, but have you really researched into the difficulty of passing laws to deal with corruption, thats all i’m saying.
And you all havent..Do you think all Kenya has to do is pass corruption laws, and that will solve corruption.
Where have these text been proven to have worked. I am an analyst. You make these statements and you offer no proof. I am living in England and absolutely they dont work e.g BAE cleared of bribing Saudi officials much to the consternation of american officials who claim it is the most corrupt company in the world.
Shell in Nigerian, in Alaska, in texas, the americans almost booted them out over the pollution their pipelines caused and nigerian people get killed from pipeline explosions all the time, and you dont talk about their corrupt sponsorship of the Biafria genoicide and the corrupt Nigerian dictatorship today.
In the Uk the police had to decide if to arrest Blair over the selling of honors, and what, the man at the center Lord Levy is given a promotion by the Labour government so that he is now middle East envoy, so that his position becomes a matter of national security. Then we go to the office of auditor general responsible for auditing british government institutions for malfesance, he has been taking thousands of pounds from some of the very same people and companies he has had to investigate, and his position is unfirable, it would take and act of Parliment to fire him. But yet what did he do when all this came out a couple months ago, he realized the game was up and resigned, and he is replaced by a similarly suitable bribable person. They dont call it bribery in England, the call it the way we do things. I could go on about corruption in England, about theft of monies, about cronyism, freemasonary, and even this charade of an inquest into what is clearly the murder of Diana, princess of Wales. And if you look over to the united States begin with the Kennedy assasination, begin with the Bush family fortune, with Haliburton, World Com, Savings and Loans, the scandal over health care…dont you watch Michael Moore. And you know that he is not calling for more laws, lawyers, more judges. Its people power, that is the only answer.
So dont do this thing that all you need is some legislation on the books and everything will be fine, have the legislation, but before you pass the legislation study the effect – will it be retroactive, will people be given jail terms, will we have the power to investigate beyond our shores, and will our courts have jurisdiction.
Any piece of legislation needs to be studied in its effects.
The very fact that you dont see these things means you see Barbados, as some little dime and penny place, as more corrupt than the US or the UK – no Barbados is actually less corrupt. Just look at its healthy state of its democracy – you cant say that for america after the bush election, and for the UK if you get 30% of the voters out to vote that is a success, people dont believe in democracy here, its all just the same.
I give you an assignment read CLR James’s book on Nkrumah – Kwame Nkrumah tried to deal with corruption in the judiciary in Ghana, and it lead to his downfall, and this was the grandfather of African independence loved throughout the lenght and breadth of African. And he was no corrupt man. You are going to repeat the same mistakes he did. Technocrats and beaucracrats are not the answer to deal with the corrupt legacy of colonialism. (The Imf would have you think corruption has nothing to do with legacy of imperialism and the very foundations of colonial institutions that were inherited by these countries after independence) You have to do like Chavez, bring the people out, use people power. He could not break the oil unions in their pay of the Americans, so he used the people, and if you talking about there are no national as opposed to IMF formulated plans to deal with this issue of corruption you make me laugh – what kind of analysts are you. Up and down the breath of Latin America national solutions, national convened tribunals, completely independent of the IMF plan for so called integrity have been implimented in Bolivia over water (breaking up the IMF plan to privative water), in Chile over Pinochet, in Argentina over the disappearences, with Nicaragua over the civil war, with Guatamala and the times of troubles.
So you tell me why because you dont want to spend the time looking but want your answer to come from the IMF, why you cant get a committee of decent barbadians to come up with recomendations, to hear evidence in Parliment where no libel applies, and without the threat of locking people up, provide an airing for the education of the man in the street and a mechanism for the society to cleanse itself of this sceptre.
Finally in South Africa it worked why cant it work here. And in fact Barbados helped them through the process.
Remember i’m on your side – in the conservative center, but in my thinking far out on the left.
I enjoy having this debate with you all, and people will read it and understand we are serious and not out for scandal and expose revenge and retribution, but they see a serious debate and they will ask for better responses from their leaders. So lets continue our debate, but you got to research some of these issues. David may pass the legislation and that would be good, but if he doesnt what do we do? Do we condemn him? I think not. And even if he passes the laws and people find ways to circumvent then what? He is going to use the perogative of Prime Minister, and it is best he uses it to unify and not divide. And like i say if he passes the laws thats good, but i am two or three steps beyond there passing or not, i have analysied the scenarioes two and three, four and five, and i see you havent.
And there are a few more scenarios i havent even mentioned, particular what class of people, will these laws be aimed at, and what will be their intention be as regards social stratification – will he be willing at the point that all his party members want to rewarded dismantle political party patronage? Isn’t yardfowlism, and cronyism, and the system of great god patronage, Reudon Everesley refered to legislatable without out throwing the whole party apparatus out through the door. You have to trust the man who wears the crown, and i dont think David will take it to the ridiculous extreme that Owen did, but Owen didnt start out like that people were happy to get rid of Sandiford.
I think the difference in the two that Owen’s drinking made him more callous, and David is no heavy drinker, and i think Owen’s divorce affected him more than he thought…but you know me…i always come with some ridiculousness and long post..just remember get Mia over to the DLP.
Posted by Terry Ally
Caribbean 360 blog
http://www.caribbean360.com/asp/blogview.asp?BlogID=1&MessageID=743
Does David Thompson really have the guts to free up information?
Having been swept into office, the Democratic Labour Party faces great expectations from every sector of society.
Everyone always wants something of any new administration.
Among those things facing the DLP is the fostering of an atmosphere of openness and transparency to combat perceptions of corruption in government.
The party has promised a Freedom of Information Act by Thursday April 24, 2008 (100 days in office) as well as Integrity Legislation.
Media practitioners who are well aware of the covert censorship that obtained during the reign of the previous administration would also put a revised Defamation Act on their wish list.
Laws are easy to pass.
Making them work is another matter.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAWS
Making an FOI Act work will not be easy. It requires an information infrastructure which does not now exist in Barbados and will require a hefty capital outlay to put equipment in place and train those departments or institutions which will be subject to it.
It also has to work in conjunction with a Data Protection Act and a Privacy Act because not all information can be revealed. Privacy is a real issue that has to be dealt with. The public has to understand that the next time they fill out a form in a government office, polyclinic, hospital, school, nursery, polytechnic, university, tax office, licensing department or apply for Milti-Choice at CBC, how their information will be used.
A system of filing information for easy retrieval to satisfy the legal deadlines for responding and providing information to ANY MEMBER of the public under the FOI Act has to be put in place.
In addition to all of that, new information which is received after an FOI Act is passed will be required to be published expeditiously in a place that the public can easily retrieve it. Only then, if it is not available would they then file for disclosure under the FOI Act.
This means that the emergency services will have to publish immediately all emergency calls they receive. Within a matter of hours, the media should expect to have information related to complaints made to police, calls to the ambulance services and BEMA (formerly CERO), and responses by the fire service.
The media will expect telephone voice banks to be opened by the emergency services and updated around the clock. Do they have the infrastructure and can they deliver?
It also means that after every sitting of Parliament, Hansard will have to be made available within two to three hours and not, as is presently the case, two to three months or years after the debate ended.
No longer will civil servants have to direct a reporter to seek permission from a permanent secretary to release information. That information will now have to be automatically released. Which means every civil servant has to be aware of what can and cannot be released and that it HAS to be released in days and not years.
A simple passing of a law is not the end of it all, it is just the beginning.
DEFAMATION ACT
In a landmark ruling by the House of Lords in 2006 that has reshaped the defamation laws in Britain, Baroness Hale of Richmond said: “We need more such serious journalism in this country and our defamation law should encourage rather than discourage it.”
Is Barbados prepared for this? Does it really want this?
When I entered journalism in 1989 at Barbados Rediffusion (now Starcom Network) I came and found an old, outdated and antiquated law on libel and slander that hindered the media from doing its job. Since then, the former Barbados Association of Journalists participated in a revision to that law that gave birth to the Defamation Act 1996.
The thing is that in other jurisdictions, such as Britain, the law is constantly being updated – sometimes several times per year – while in Barbados it might have been updated once in the last century.
Among the features that I would like to see for Barbados in a revised Defamation Act is for the “qualified privilege” defence to be expanded to cover news releases from companies, organisations, government, police and political parties as well as news conferences.
If David Thompson seriously means business and is prepared to usher in this new and real information age in Barbados, then he will be doing the unimaginable, for a Barbadian politician, and breaking new and historic ground by throwing open the prison doors and freeing Barbadians from their lifelong information imprisonment.
Time will tell.
Brutus why do we keep focusing on implementing the perfect system? This is not rocket system. If we can spend millions on a highway for the economic good why can’t we spend some money to protect our freedom of expression upon which every thing will depend. It is unfortunate that Terry Ally would seek to research this matter with such diligence. We wish he would do a similar article to entice his colleagues to come together to make this work — volunteer to be part of some group to do a paper and submit to government and NGOs to stimulate discussion in the country. Mr. Ally the time for talk is done. It’s time for action. Let’s put our education to work.
Mr.Ally, you of all the journalists should be in the vanguard of the fight; after all you were attacked by the late PM in the worst way. Combermarians are known to be fighters, come on!
Hear Hear David: All these hither too silent voices are issuing their first cough after a very long time and found that they do indeed have the ability to make a noise. It’s like the end of the Tom Adams era all over again, and so i ask again what is about us in Barbados that we like to make things needlessly complex? why?
Mabey & Johnson to demand his former manager Jonathan Danos
El fabricante de los puentes Mabey lleva al banquillo a un ex ejecutivo; hay sociedades panameñas involucradas. The manufacturer of the bridges leading to the bench Mabey, a former executive; Panamanian companies are involved.
La empresa pagó en Panamá comisiones de 15%, cuando en otros países lo usual es pagar 10%. The company paid commissions in Panama 15%, whereas in other countries it is customary to pay 10%.
Mónica Palm Monica Palm
mpalm@prensa.com Mpalm@prensa.com
Mabey & Johnson Limited promueve una demanda en Inglaterra contra su ex gerente de ventas en el extranjero, Jonathan Danos, a quien acusa de mantener acuerdos privados con los agentes de la compañía en Panamá, Jamaica y República Dominicana, para repartirse el dinero de las comisiones. Mabey & Johnson Limited promotes a lawsuit in England against his former sales manager abroad, Jonathan Danos, who is accused of maintaining private arrangements with the agents of the company in Panama, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, to share out the money from the commissions .
En Panamá, el eslabón entre Danos y el agente de Mabey, Rogelio Dumanoir, es la compañía Trust Services SA, especializada en proveer servicios offshore bancarios y fiduciarios. In Panama, the link between Damage and agent Mabey, Rogelio Dumanoir, is the company’s Trust Services SA, which specializes in providing offshore banking and trust services.
Trust Services está detrás de José Hidalgo, SA y United Management Services Corporation, la titular de la cuenta bancaria en Bahamas, donde –según Mabey– se depositó el dinero de las comisiones pagadas en Panamá. Trust Services is behind Jose Hidalgo, SA and United Management Services Corporation, the owner of the bank account in the Bahamas, where-as-Mabey was deposited money from commissions paid in Panama.
Como directores y dignatarios de ambas sociedades aparece personal vinculado a Trust Services. As directors and dignitaries from both companies appears linked to Trust Services staff.
Mabey dice contar con correos electrónicos y anotaciones que demuestran que el británico Derek Sambrook, uno de los directores de Trust Services, recibió instrucciones de Danos sobre el manejo de José Hidalgo, SA Danos, por su parte, ha dicho que la comunicación se dio, ya que mantiene una amistad con su compatriota Sambrook y éste maneja sus “asuntos personales”. Mabey said to have emails and annotations showing that the British Derek Sambrook, a director of Trust Services, was instructed to Danos on the handling of Jose Hidalgo, SA Post, for its part, has said that the communication was, and maintaining a friendship with his compatriot Sambrook and he handles his “personal affairs”.
Pedro Coronado, de Trust Services, no quiso hacer comentarios sobre las acusaciones de Mabey, pero admitió que José Hidalgo, SA –en la que él figura como presidente– fue “administrada por nosotros, pero fue cerrada porque no tiene operaciones”. Pedro Coronado, Trust Services, refused to comment on the allegations of Mabey, but admitted that Jose Hidalgo, SA-in which he appears as chairman was “administered by us, but it was closed because it has no operations.” No dijo nada sobre United Management Services, en la que él aparece como secretario. He did not say anything about United Management Services, in which he appears as secretary.
¿Quién es Danos? Who’s Danos?
Jonathan Laszlo Danos ingresó a Mabey & Johnson (con sede en Gloucestershire, al oeste de Inglaterra) en noviembre de 1981. Laszlo Jonathan Danos entered Mabey & Johnson (based in Gloucestershire in the west of England) in November 1981. Su mentor era Bevil Mabey, principal accionista y presidente de la junta directiva de la compañía, quien comisionó a Danos la tarea de entrar a los mercados de Centro y Sur América. His mentor was Bevil Mabey, the principal shareholder and chairman of the board of directors of the company, who commissioned Give us the task of entering the markets of Central and South America.
Danos, según consta en documentos de la Corte, describió a su jefe como una persona interesada en establecer relaciones “cercanas” con los presidentes y vicepresidentes de los países de la región, particularmente en Jamaica, República Dominicana y Panamá. Give us, as recorded in documents of the Court, described his boss as a person interested in establishing relations “close” with the presidents and vice presidents of the countries of the region, particularly in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Panama.
En noviembre de 2003, Danos renunció a Mabey, compañía que ahora le acusa de tener “arreglos” con sus agentes en el extranjero, para compartir el dinero de las comisiones, lo que viola su contrato con la compañía. In November 2003, Danos resigned Mabey, a company that now accuses him of having “arrangements” with their agents abroad, to share the money from the commissions, which violates its contract with the company. El caso se debate en los tribunales ingleses. The case is being discussed in the English courts.
En Panamá, de acuerdo con Mabey, esos arreglos se establecieron con Rogelio Dumanoir y José Hidalgo, SA Danos reconoció que Dumanoir era su agente y que se hicieron pagos a la sociedad, pero no precisó la cantidad. In Panama, according to Mabey, these arrangements were established with Rogelio Dumanoir and Jose Hidalgo SA Danos acknowledged that Dumanoir was his agent and that payments were made to society, but not specified the amount. También ha dicho que Bevil Mabey fijó el monto de las comisiones pagadas en Panamá. He also said that Bevil Mabey fixed amount of the commissions paid in Panama.
Dumanoir, que dice haberse enterado de lo que ocurre en Gran Bretaña por los periódicos, anunció acciones legales, ya que se ha afectado su “honra, honestidad y prestigio”. Dumanoir which states have learned what happens in Britain for newspapers, announced legal action, as it has affected his “honour, honesty and credibility.”
Dumanoir fue ministro de Obras Públicas en la década de 1980. Dumanoir was minister of Public Works in the 1980’s. Anteriormente, actuó como titular de esa cartera Tomás Gabriel Altamirano Duque, quien en 1997, como vicepresidente de la República, “coordinó” el proyecto de instalación de 17 puentes Mabey en Panamá, a un costo de 30 millones de dólares. Previously, he served as the holder of this portfolio Thomas Gabriel Altamirano Duque, who in 1997, as vice president of the Republic, “coordinated” plans to install 17 Mabey bridges in Panama, at a cost of $ 30 million.
Fito Duque ejerció esta función por instrucción directa del entonces presidente Ernesto Pérez Balladares a su ministro de Obras Públicas, Luis Blanco. Fito Duke exercised this function by direct instruction of then President Ernesto Perez Balladares its minister of Public Works, Luis Blanco.
El Gobierno adquirió los puentes gracias a un préstamo que Pérez Balladares pactó durante su gira a Londres, en 1996. The Government acquired the bridges thanks to a loan that pactó Perez Balladares during his trip to London in 1996.
Otros negocios Other business
Además de vender los 17 puentes al gobierno de Pérez Balladares, Mabey realizó negocios con Constructora Urbana SA (CUSA), con quien tenía un contrato por 800 mil dólares “cerca” del año 1990. In addition to selling the 17 bridges the government of Perez Balladares, Mabey conducted business with Constructora Urbana SA (CUSA), with whom he had a contract for 800 thousand dollars “near” for the year 1990.
Mabey también ha pactado negocios con la actual administración. Mabey has also agreed business with the current administration. El año pasado, el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y la compañía británica firmaron un contrato por 1.2 millón de dólares para la colocación de un tramo del puente sobre el río Sixaola, en la frontera con Costa Rica. Last year, the Ministry of Public Works and the British company signed a contract for 1.2 million dollars for the placement of a section of the bridge over the Sixaola River on the border with Costa Rica.
IT CERTAINLY APPEARS THAT DANOS 3 S WAS A VEHICLE CREATED TO STEAL THE MONIES OF TRUSTING CITIZENS OF THIS ISLAND.
LET ME ADD MY VOICE NOW, THAT THE ONE BIZZY WILLIAMS WHO WAS SO CLOSELY INVOLVED IN THIS CORRUPT DEAL ALONG WITH HALLAM NICHOLLS, OWING ARTHUR and STEVEN HOBSON, SHOULD BE ALL BROUGHT BEFORE THE LAW COURTS OF THIS ISLAND AND BE CHARGED WITH FRAUD.
THIS WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A SCAM TO DEFRAUD US THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS ISLAND OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
TO WHICH ALL OF THE ABOVE ARE GUILTY AND PART OF THE SCAM.
THIS DANOS PERSON HAS THE SAME TRACK RECORD IN EACH AND EVERY COUNTRY HE HAS OPERATED IN, WHY WOULD WE BELIEVE THAT WE BARBADOS WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT AND BE HONEST ????
Monica Palm
Rafael Pérez Rafael Perez
panorama@prensa.com Panorama@prensa.com
The manufacturer of the bridges Mabey, the company Mabey & Johnson Limited, currently involved in a corruption scandal in Britain, paid more than 5.2 billion dollars in “commissions” to a Panamanian company allegedly controlled by Rogelio Dumanoir, former Minister of Works Public during the military dictatorship.
The payments were made between September 30, 1997 and August 19, 1999 in favor of Jose Hidalgo SA, which-according Mabey is controlled by Dumanoir.
In turn, the money was sent to an account in the name of United Management Services at the Royal Bank of Canada, in the Bahamas.
He accepted having received commissions Mabey, but these were for 750 thousand dollars and not 5.2 million as claimed by the company.
The money, according to Mabey-corresponded to a commission of 15% Jose Hidalgo, SA received for the purchase of 17 bridges Mabey made by the Government of Panama in 1997 as a result of the tour to the then President Ernesto Perez Balladares performed London the previous year.
The “coordinator” of this transaction was the vice president Thomas Gabriel Altamirano Duque.
Subsequently, in October 1998, Mabey another commission paid to the same company, this time by the order of 13 thousand 570 US dollars, for a sale of 150 thousand dollars. El 15% de comisión pagado a José Hidalgo, SA era superior al 10% que la compañía paga a sus agentes. The 15% commission paid to Jose Hidalgo, SA was more than 10% that the company pays its agents.
These remarks are contained in a suit filed against his former Mabey sales manager, Jonathan Danos, in London.
One source said that the Public Ministry is still the case to determine whether there is merit to open a criminal investigation.
Jonathan Danos See Mabey & Johnson to demand his former manager Jonathan Danos
I don’t think that Terry Ally was being negative in his article – he seemed to me to be saying that the legislation is just a first step in what will be a long process. In order to effectively combat corruption, a radical change needs to occur in our way of thinking and in our private and public institutions, and significant resources will have to be devoted to the effort.
There is a real danger in pushing legislation through parliament that is not well thought or or well drafted and later turns out to be ineffective.
If we are REALLY serious about addressing corruption, we will probably need a Minister with specific responsibility for Integrity and Freedom of Information.
I do however believe that the draft legislation available from the UN and other international organizations represents best practice at the moment, and that we can implement these right now without a great deal of second guessing, as we are unlikely to come up with significant improvements in the short term. We can revise the legislation in a few years based on our actual experience with it.
We should remember that Barbados has signed (since December 2003) the UN convention against corruption, under which we have agreed to specific measures that we will take against corruption, including specific measures which should be brought into law.
See highlights at http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CAC/background/index.html
For those who are interested the UN has produced an anti-corruption toolkit.
http://www.unodc.org/pdf/corruption/publications_toolkit_sep04.pdf
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After wheeling and dealing there way into power,sitting on the fence and greasing their way with the party in government and doing everything to keep the Barbados Labour Party in power as soon as the writing was on the wall a few weeks before election the Haloutes from Chefette turn coats.
Have the Haloutes now supported financially the Democratic Labour Party?
Anonymous // January 17, 2008 at 4:41 am
Gary
Seeing you with your little daughter made me realise how times have flown.
Seems like just yesterday you were a little boy with those glasses and that serious look.
Keep well my dear – by the way do you get a chance to visit your maternal granny?
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We have not heard anything from Gary Cole, I found his articles to be very informative, giving clear understanding of why people in the political arena behave the way they do.
Was the above post from Annonymous a veiled threat or warning, especially the part about the daughter and grandmother.
I might be paranoid to even consider a seemingly innocent post could be sinister, chalk it up to post traumatic BLP stress Syndrome.
Gary I would like to hear from you on this blog with more of your information.
Good lord warrior
I don’t know if it is the past government that made you so paranoid but my sentiments to Gary were quite sincere.
He was always a very serious old soul even at a very young age.
Wow what a conspiracy minded people we have turned into.
very sad.
Here are three simple ways to address the issue of corruption.
First, the way to tackle corruption is to focus on the cause of the problem, not its symptoms. The cause is that political parties need funding. We need to find a way to curtail the need for parties to give favours in return for cash. I would propose State funding of political parties. I think for less than $3m per year we can do more to safe guard our democracy than any amount of integrity legislation (though no harm having that too). Once state funding is in place, all private contributions should be banned.
A second source of corruption is government contracts. Make all contracts above a certain size subject to public auction (not just tender). Use an independent agency to carry out the auctions.
Thirdly, the perception of corruption is as dangerous as corruption itself. Society will break down if people lose faith in our institutions. One way of dealing with this is through an Independent Integrity Commission that has the powers of investigation. It is hard to find a set of truly independent commissioners on a small island, so I would be happy to have a few non-nationals on the Commission, perhaps from other Commonwealth countries that share our traditions.
The new government has a mandate to deal with this and should deal with it fast, though Brutus is right that we should not be so hasty as to get it wrong.
Gary did communicate with us that he would be offline for a little while. He gave us his assurance that he will be back.
Thanks BU
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