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What A Difference A Change In Government Can Make

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Adrian Loveridge
Adrian Loveridge

Are we permitted to make a quick observation about our friends in the media, especially the print version?

We remember not too long ago one Adrian Loveridge who had to resort to the blogs and other Internet Websites to deliver on his message. We even remember that one time when he was invited to participated on a radio talk show program hosted by David Ellis and he had to participate from another studio at Voice of Barbados down by the Riverside.  It was our understanding from the moderator at that time that it was the condition exacted by former Minister of  Tourism Barney Lynch to ensure his participation. We still believe that it was one of our darkest days in broadcast media.

Let us agree that Adrian Loveridge was shunned by the local media before January 15, 2008.

We are not even going to elaborate about our favourite political scientist and social commentator, who for a short time  leading into the January 2008 general election experienced problems getting his articles pressed by the Nation newspaper. We had the unprecedented situation of Peter Wickham giving the blogs  his unpublished articles.

Why are we exhuming old memories some of you are wondering?

A quick monitor of the media in recent months has seen both Loveridge and Wickham being used as credible sources on tourism and all manner of issues respectively. We were forced to muse what a difference a change of government can have on the decision making at our media houses. We hope BU family member  Adrian L does not being being used as the basis for our observation.

Does the BU family believe that we are being too harsh in this instance?

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61 responses to “What A Difference A Change In Government Can Make”

  1. NameLess Avatar
    NameLess

    can you guys please grow up, these type of articles are getting annoying, why not deliver real and informative news…. sitting everyday and bashing the current or previous government does nothing for the country. What about offering solutions to current problems??? Nothing is wrong with pointing out problems in society, but please, do not allow it to get so petty.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    You think showing how decision making in the media is tied to intimidation by respective governments is petty? Do you understand the critical role of the media representing the Fourth Estate?

  3. BWWR Avatar
    BWWR

    As you know, David, I am on your side, even if I have the very gravest reservations about the involvement of Mr Loveridge. I believe that the choice between Lynch and Loveridge (the two Ls) is as that between the frying pan and the fire – but that is just a personal observation.

    However, your message, David, is correct.

  4. 199 Avatar
    199

    Well done, David!! “Lest we forget”!! That’s the only explanation u need to offer and an assurance we going to try our level best to ensure IT NEVER HAPPENS, AGAIN!!

  5. Red Lake Lassie Avatar
    Red Lake Lassie

    Your post is true David, but only goes so far.

    You “forgot” to mention the ongoing death threats and the arsons against Mr. Loveridge and the outrageous refusal of the Royal Barbados Police Force to investigate them when it was confirmed in writing by Dr. Duguid that some of the threats came from his computer at government.

    Loveridge confirmed this week that the police still refuse to investigate the arson and threats under the “new” DLP government.

    Thompson waved cheques and other evidence around at election time. Hardwood Housing, Owen Arthur putting “campaign donations” into his personal bank account illegally and Thompson said the BLP put “millions” in offshore accounts. After that Thompson has done nothing and that includes he has done nothing about the Loveridge threats.

    Thompson does not intend to do anything about the theifing of the previous government because he does not want to start a war.

    Thompson does not want to do anything over the Loveridge threats and arson for the same reason.

    Mia landed the first blow over Denis Lowe and then we knew why Thompson can’t afford to mention BLP corruption again.

    Very sad to say that Barbados Underground give the Thompson government a free ride over their refusal to deal with corruption in the previous government.

  6. BWWR Avatar
    BWWR

    Red Lassie, from your perceptions of the eructations of Peter Allard (which as I pointed out, you perceive as being perfumed with Channel No. 5, but which left everybody nearly dead from poisoned gas) to the paranoia of Mental Madge, Insane Jane and their supporter, Adrian Loveridge, which you try, albeit unsuccessfully, to turn into fact, your agenda is clear.

    If the RBPF has not investigated Mr Loveridge’s “arson attempt”, it might easily be that they consider it along the same lines as the threats to Mental Madge, that is self-manufactured. Or like Insane Jane and the Mercedes van – a man tek a wrong turn and then had to telephone Insane Jane to find out why she spread he van registration number all over the blogs just cause he tek a wrong turn. She lucky she aint called the Police, otherwise the man might have sued she. And the shere racism of Insane Jane’s comment on keltruth about how the man had a “dark complection” – I suppose she might not have reported him on the blogs if he did red like she. I getting hot, but I cannot believe that in the Barbados of today that some red woman considers it approriate to report the colour of the skin of a body as if this is an indication of criminal intent. BAD!!!! STUPID!!!!

    My point, however, Red Woman aka Red Lake Lassie, is that David did not ““forgot” to mention the ongoing death threats and the arsons against Mr. Loveridge”. These self-manufactured events have NOTHING to do with this article. I also do not believe that the RBPF has arbitrarily or (as you imply) for improper purposes refused to invesitgate. On the contrary. I believe that RBPF HAS investigated and, like the judge in Canada ruling on the “threats” supposedly made by Peter Simmons, determined that no credible threat exists. They would not have done it for any improper motive and it is high time you and the rest of your ilk stopped bashing our police just because they will not accept the manufactured evidence that you place before them and try to make them accept.

    As I said, Red Woman, get the hell into your lake and stay there.

  7. Adrian Loveridge Avatar
    Adrian Loveridge

    BWWR,

    ‘self-manufactured’

    ‘It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter lies in the depth, where few are willing to search for it’

    Goethe

  8. BWWR Avatar
    BWWR

    Mr Loveridge, frankly there is nothing original about you at. Nothing at all. You regurgitate what people in Barbados have been saying for years and you try to make it sound as if it is original. And try to sell yourself as the new Peter Morgan and make sure that everyone knows that you stand ready to step into Peter shoes.

    But I have news for you, and this comment is accredited to me, and, as far as I know, original. Your entire body could not fill even the little toe in Peter Morgan’s shoes.

    So you carry on with your regurgitation process and you may even manage to persuade some idiots like Keltruth and BFP that you are original. By the way, on the tourism matters I agree with you – and the hundreds of others who said the same thing before you, including myself.

    The two Ls. Lynch and Loveridge – two peas from essentially the same pod and with the same agendas – instant millions – except Lynch managed to sell it and to position himself better and Loveridge is trying to sell it and a little guest house up, not on but close to, the beach and Long Beach. Not a big money maker by hotel standards – rather a surfers hotel attracting young, primarily male, surfers and their admirers, so alternative means must be found – like Little Willy McKenzie and Almighty Allard to boost the Loveridge assets and, if these don’t work out, the Barbados electorate so that he gets into the same position as the other L.

    As I say, I have the gravest misgivings about this man whose name is so heavily featured in pleadings before the Ontario courts on behalf of the Plaintiff and to which Barbados is a defendant. AND on the blogs that decry and denigrate our country and for which Loveridge is the sort of poster boy. I have big problems with that.

    However, on this issue, Loveridge – like the hundreds and thousands before him who have advocated the same measures, is correct. Big deal. So what. We will have to wait now and see how our elected government deals with the crisis to which crisis Loveridge’s friends have so willingly and lavishly contributed.

    Meanwhile, let us support our RBPF and give it the benefit of the doubt. It is improving all the time and if this improvement is not fast enough for Loveridge and his ilk, they can cross the pond never to return and the red woman can stay firmly in her lake.

  9. Adrian Loveridge Avatar
    Adrian Loveridge

    There are ‘lies, damned lies and BWWR’

    With apologies to Benjamin Disraeli

  10. David Avatar
    David

    @Red Lake Lassie
    Let us restate BU’s position.
    We appreciate that a new government enters office with a degree of goodwill but more importantly they need time to formulate and rollout new policies after evaluating existing. We agree 100% that the new government came into office partly built on a promise to the electorate to root out corruption. Certain allegations were made on the campaign trail which the Thompson government has promised to expose. Some of us would want this to happen now but commonsense dictates that case/evidence building will have to take place. Our commonsense also tells us that a heavy reliance on the civil service filing cabinets for information is not smart. We wish the government all the best in their prosecution but the BU household is not overly enthusiastic that anything will come out of it. If no prosecutions are made then the Thompson government will have to deal/respond to the political ramifications of it all.
    Additionally the BU household appreciates that with the perfect economic storm which has confronted the government immediately as it assumed office commonsense says that most if not all the resources of cabinet and elsewhere would have to be diverted. It’s called fixing priorities.
    We will join causes which we believe in but ultimately the BU clan will chart its own agenda.

  11. Micro Mock Engineer Avatar
    Micro Mock Engineer

    @Nameless: David’s article wasn’t targeting the previous Government, it was targeting the Media. He could equally have given examples of BLP commentators which the media have ‘silenced’ since elections. He simply chose example which reflect his political leaning… nothing wrong with that… nothing wrong with that at all 🙂

    @BWWR: “My point, however, Red Woman aka Red Lake Lassie”.
    LOL… come on BWWR. You criticise the “shere racism” of “Insane Jane’s” comments and in the next breath make racial slurs yourself. Like I’ve said before, there is something sordidly appealing about watching sharks fight, but do you really have to sink to Negroman’s level to make your point?

  12. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    BWWR

    Take it easy.

  13. ch75 Avatar
    ch75

    If the police did not investigation the arsons and threats, how would they know they are false?

    David and others have proven how biased the media is. We saw it for ourselves the minute the BLP was unelected. BWWR doesn’t seem to like anyone who 1/ is white (note the RED reference) and 2/ is an entrepreneur and foreign investor in Barbados.

    You know, someone who believes in Barbados and its people enough to back it up with money. BWWR thinks any investor is “taking advantage” of the black man. BWWR has a racist agenda and the majority of her comments show this appeal to the basest philosophies that, in truth, have been as responsible for holding us back as much as any other factor.

    David, IMHO you cheapen your website and do Barbados a disfavour by allowing people like BWWR to show the dark side of our culture and racially-based politics.

    Here she has said that Loveridge made up the whole thing and you provide the forum. Perhaps Loveridge arranged for the radio station to put him in another room too? Perhaps he arranged for the media to refuse to publish his writing?

    It is your blog David and you can do as you wish, but increasingly the big picture message at your blog is one racial conflict in Barbados. That is not the way things are on this island, but one would never know that by reading the works of your most prolific author and co-editor: BWWR.

  14. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    What I find amusing is the way that BWWR drags the Kingsland affair into every conversation.The post is about the change in media since the election and at the first opportunity without any prompting BWWR writes about “Allard, Mental Madge” etc. Watch this space we will soon be inundated with that subject to the detriment of the original post.

    David, I think the time has come for you to flag bloggers who continuously go off topic

  15. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    ch75

    I would really like to know where you are coming from. Are you saying that racism/imperialism/capitalism do not make the decisions in this country?

    That is why the media can be seen shifting polarities. They are not balanced in their reporting. They try to throw the blame on free speech, but when you get down to it, it is the media.

    Let us take a hard look at the media. Maybe, except for CBC, the media is powerful. How many of them are here? How easy is it to start a newspaper and get circulation. If big businesses stop advertising, then they will feel it. All the nation and advocate would have to do is target small businesses; they will survive.

    Next thing, any media house should ensure that they make binding contracts with the advertisers as a condition to advertising. That way, any time the advertiser wants to pull the contract he has to pay for the rest of the contract.

    Not only that, if they want to continue the contract, then proceedings for a new contract should start and conclude before the current contract ends.

    There are some creative ways that the media can move to show their power. If you want advertising by contract it will take you a month or 2 to complete the required details of the contract. Meanwhile the hard nosed client has to pay daily rates until the contract is complete.

    Any contract will usually include a discount from the daily rate and the discount for each client could be approved by the Board of Management which meets once a month. The media has might, but behave like lakeys and let the white corporate world rule them.

    If I owned Starcom Network, Nation and had shares in the Advocate too, I would ban companies like C&W from advertising, even if for a week. You want to see strength? Pull all their advertising.

    I know, not business sense? You would be surprised. Give them that treatment and they would never pull advertising or threaten to pull advertising again, cause that is business sense. Wait till they got a series and don’t approve their discount. Don’t bring any commentry from their games and let the public know why too; gain some sympathisers.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    @MME

    Trust you to stir-up an ants nest…LOL. The truth is we all have a political leaning or preference. For some of us it blows in the wind based on the situation for others it is diehardism. We would like to think that we are in the camp of the former. By the way can name any person post general election who has suffered the abuse and disrespect as Loveridge by the media?

    The sad thing about operating this blog is the invective and froth which muddy debates. So far we try to stay focus on the positives. When the negative start to defeat what we are attempting to do we will walk away.

  17. John Stevenson Avatar
    John Stevenson

    ROK,

    ” If you want advertising by contract it will take you a month or 2 to complete the required details of the contract.”

    In a fast-moving, globalised, fiercely competitive, inter-connected world, where information travels at incredibly
    high speeds, which advertiser with any newspaper worth its salt has the time to spend a full month to complete a contract? Certainly not here in the UK!

  18. BWWR Avatar
    BWWR

    Benjamin Disraeli regurgitated. BUT I agree with Mr Loveridge and the thousands of others who said what he has before him.

    Micro Mock Engineer // December 17, 2008 at 8:15 am. Touche, or at least a partial hit. Not complete, but not completely off either. Well done.

  19. JC Avatar
    JC

    BWWR I usually agree with your conclusions; however, I only partly agree this time. I really believe that someone did set fire to Mr. Loveridge’s place!

    @ ch75 // December 17, 2008 at 8:57 am

    RACISM EXISTS IN BARBADOS, EVERYBODY KNOWS IT THEY CHOOSE TO IGNORE IT!

    Remember the little boy who was beaten? What has become of that issue!

    As usual NOTHING!

  20. Barnabas Collins Avatar
    Barnabas Collins

    I have come to the conclusion that sometimes we just spew out any thing because it is done under anonymity. I must say, I was not included neither was I excluded, I am a craftsman of my own fate.

    I would agree that the previous government did some things that were not the most prudent. They interfered with people and situations that bordered on violating civil liberties. These were obvious dark days during their tenure but I can remember that the lunch time lectures of the opposition were televised every week without censorship. Yet earlier this year, CBC under the chairmanship of the now government, refused to allow the BLP to have their convention covered by CBC even when they offered to pay top dollar.

    Now, if one voted for change, one do not want what the previous government did repeated by the now government. Would that be change or change of name? I have never supported any one political party more than the other and I do not get caught up in semantics or emotion but I have noticed that if you critcised this government, you are said to be a yardfowl of the previous government. So what is now being purported that everything this government say or do is absolutely correct. This is not only being spewed by regular citizens but some prominent political commentators. I am very wary of criticising a government that is 11 months old because they need time to put forth their policies.

    However, my question – did the last government make any decisions that were helpful to the country? Am I to understand that nothing the previous government did was right….I think that anyone who thinks such, should stop drinking the coolaid.

    I heard some of the debate from parliament yesterday, I really think that our politicians on both sides need to think before they speak. I found the reported statement from Mr. Todd to be ridiculous. Do you think that anyone in Barbados will truthfully state their sexual orientation especially if it is away from the norm. That was not a statement for parliament, that was a statement for the blogs or rum shop.

    We are in the midst of what seems to be the worse recession in recent memory and instead of our government (and this includes the opposition) try to show some leadership by engaging each other in bipartisan way on how to get out this mess without too much hardships on our citizens, we are engaging in verbal nonsense about sexual orientation and whose fault it is on trivial issues. Gay or Straight, BLP or DLP, young or old, rasta or catholic, this crisis will affect all of us and the extent will be determined on the way our leaders act and not react.

    This blog continues to pride itself on pushing the discourse of the citizens, therefore I want us to let our leaders know that we want them to start working together to find ways on how to ease us thru this major recession instead of playing silly political games. The time for the games will come.

    Finally, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year and remember Jesus is the reason for the season. Thanks

    BC

  21. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    John

    You left Barbados too long. However, to answer your query, How long does it take to get a loan from the bank? Why?

    We dealing with a situation here. There are options. They don’t have to wait until the contract is complete or the discount approved. They can do like anybody else and walk-in; pay the regular rate.

    Of course, you can have valued customers too, just like the bank, where you process the loan in the hour that valued customer comes and applies. Walk in the bank and walk back out in less than an hour with the loan. Even call-in and have the paperwork done by the time you get there to sign and pick it up.

    The bottom line is lack of backbone and it is causing the people to suffer. Where is the media’s sense of responsibility?

  22. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    Another thing John, if the discount is approved you can always date it to cover the period when the regular rate was applied. There are ways to demonstrate strength.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @ROK

    We support your position although it is idealistic in the Barbados situation. Corporate Barbados understands the power they have over the media. Media houses in the real world is driven by ideology and philosophies, you know where they stand. In Barbados is about how much advertising revenue they can generate per page.

    Another point to ponder is the advertising lobbyists who operate as parasites to the industry who are developing enormous influence.

  24. John Stevenson Avatar
    John Stevenson

    Agreed, ROK.

    The relationship b/w advertiser and media house is one thing, the other has to be the stranglehold of the legal profession on the media and on journalists. We need to send some of our media practioners to parts of Africa and the Far Easy where inspite of all kinds of human rights, legal and political sanctions, they still manage to report the news as they see it.

  25. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    For those fo you who think they could continue to hide behind the cloak of anonymity to say anything on the internet in the name of free speech, check this article. There is sure more of this to come:
    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081216.wwarman16/BNStory/National/home

  26. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    David

    You think it is a question of who can hold out longest? No, check how the unions do it. It is a question of opportune timing. Xmas for example, who will be most damaged when the specials, deals and competitions that they plan 4 – 12 months in advance are not promoted?

    The media needs to keep the people on their side and promote their responsibilities as in the interest of the people; good governance, transparency, etc. that they do ever so often. Do it more. Let readers understand the importance of information and after that, all the media has to do is hint at boycotts whenever pressure is applied; whether it is government or private sector. The media probably needs political advisors.

  27. Chris Halsall Avatar
    Chris Halsall

    @ROK: “after that, all the media has to do is hint at boycotts whenever pressure is applied; whether it is government or private sector.

    LOL… ROK, as usual I mostly agree with you, but not entirely…

    @ROK: “The media probably needs political advisors.

    With respect, the “media” need some good lawyers, and some backbone…

    If I May… The “Fourth Estate” is actually in the driver’s seat, if only they would realize it. (And their readers demand it!!!)

    [The] “government [and] private sector” *need* to advertise in the Fourth Estate. They don’t actually have a choice.

    As a learned friend of mine recently said to me: “We live in a democracy, and our media self-censors???

    “Meanwhile, there are people living in other countries who would *literally die* for what we have, and we can’t even stand up and claim what is our right?

  28. David Avatar
    David

    @Chris

    Really surprise that you did not complete your usual granular analysis…for example: –

    The Prime Minister of all people in his last press conference chided the media for obvious self-centureship. Can you believe it?

    We have been hoping that his comment might, just might provoked a new approach by our Fourth Estate but …waiting in vain.

  29. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    David

    So after all, you are agreeing that the media has strength and will not use it? I am suggesting that maybe they don’t know how and therefore cower to the pressure that apparently threatens their profitability; when in fact others are messing with their power and managing to manipulate them.

  30. John Stevenson Avatar
    John Stevenson

    Absolutely right on, Dave.

    Chris makes some poignant points too; our historic parliament, and our press are very strong selling points … if we could but realise it.

    It’s when we have an opportunity to visit and live in countries outside of ours (as in Africa and Asia in particular) that we realise what we really have and do not appreciate properly, thus the lack of engagement, apathy, intellectual laziness, etc.

    For the most part I am in ROK’s corner (except when he gives the impression that he supports monstrous dictators such as Robert Mugabe), we need to be more bold about our views. Nothing is won without a struggle and no one succeeds without ruffling a feather or two along the way.

  31. Chris Halsall Avatar
    Chris Halsall

    @David… I’m trying a new style…

    Leave threads hanging…

    Don’t connect all the dots, and see if anyone’s paying attention (as you obviously are)…

    [smile…]

  32. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    John

    Now, you see, it is not a question of supporting Mugabe or any of the dictators. The problem comes when so much criticism is heaped upon these people; and furthermore we cry ourselves down; shoot ourselves in the foot; brand ourselves as wicked, while the imperialists waddle rich in their sins; and when really and truly we don’t have any sins when you compare ours with theirs.

    A few years back I was in Jamaica and I overheard somebody say that Bajans claim there is no crime in Barbados. I jumped on them to ask what foolishness they were saying and there is crime in Barbados.

    She then told me, “you are the first Bajan I hear admit that” and proceeded to ask me how much murders per year. I responded at the time saying 3 maybe 4… and immediately her response was, “but that aint none!”

    So what is the complaint? Mugabe aint none compared to 300 years of rape and pillage and to boot, dictatorship that still going on in Europe. We can deal with the Mugabes internally as SA is demonstrating. It takes time but we will get there. We are no more imperfect than anybody else, so we should not be made to feel embarassed or guilty about the likes of Mugabe.

    He who is without sin cast the first stone. Check the beam in your eye before you tell me about the mote in mine. Come out of Afghanistan, Central Africa, South America, Haiti and Iraq. Not even going to mention IMF and the EPAs that rendered and rendering respectively so many states into poverty.

  33. Copier Avatar
    Copier

    The Stupidity of Government Intervention
    The only other time I’d ever seen this was in my school history books, learning about the Great Depression…

    In September 2007, Britain’s most overleveraged mortgage bank – Northern Rock – asked the government for an emergency loan. When its customers heard the news, they rushed to the nearest branch of Northern Rock to withdraw their savings. They formed queues around the block.

    The next day, the government announced it was guaranteeing Northern Rock’s deposits, and the panic went away. Then a funny thing happened…

    Usually, when the government screws up, it costs you money.

    But we recently found a loophole in one of the government agency that could make you richer than you ever thought possible…

    A computer glitch that telegraphs exactly which stocks are going up… and when.

    Last week, you could have seen a 42% gain – in one day – thanks to this government screw up. Today, it’s happening again…

    Suddenly, people started draining money from all the other banks in Britain and depositing it at Northern Rock!

    The government intended to make the financial system stronger by shoring up Northern Rock. But it made the financial system weaker by undermining the financial strength of all other banks. In the end, the government ended up nationalizing the whole system.

    The same thing happened in Ireland. It was the weakest financial system in the euro-zone. Then it guaranteed all its deposits. All the money in Europe started flowing into Ireland. This weakened the banking systems in the other European countries, and they had to guarantee their bank accounts, too.

    In the United States, the government is doing everything it can to help homeowners stay in their houses. These people couldn’t afford their houses in the first place, but the government wants to keep them happy. So it won’t let the banks foreclose their properties, and it’s making banks reduce the principal on the loans.

    Would you lend money to a home buyer knowing the government won’t let you take the house if he doesn’t pay you… or that the borrower doesn’t have to pay the whole loan back? No way. Not unless you could charge an astronomical interest rate. The government won’t let you do that either. Government regulations cap the interest rates you can charge on a mortgage.

    So the government thinks it’s helping unfreeze the credit markets. But it’s actually making them worse.

    Here’s the point: Government intervention makes the whole system weaker.

    Intervention kidnaps money that would otherwise be available to businesspeople and entrepreneurs… and it invests it in places that businesspeople and entrepreneurs would never put their money… like uncompetitive car companies or failed banks. Then it creates unintended consequences that make everyone poorer.
    Government stimulus does not stimulate, it stifles. So when you look at the current levels of government intervention all around the world… India, Australia, China, Taiwan, Britain, Europe, and the biggest of all in America… you have to conclude it will lead to the biggest loss of productivity ever. When the government controls an economy’s financial decision-making, no one makes any money. This is why the government interventions haven’t had any effect so far. It’s also why stock prices will fall to valuations far lower than at normal bear-market bottoms of the past few decades.

    this article was copied
    hope you find it interesting and relevant

  34. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    ROK:

    I’m in sympathy with your overall strategy of letting the African states decide their own response to the continent’s problems.

    But as you know there is a time when simple humanitarian feelings overtake drawn out diplomacy.

    Even now as Zimbabweans are starving, whilst Mugabe pompasets about record maize harvests and cholera under control, real leaders such as Archbishop Tutu and the President of neighbouring Kenya (no whitey loving liberal he) are calling for military intervention to relieve ordinary people caught up in this ridiculous powerplay.

    Anti-colonialist rhetoric is fine for us to spout here in relatively affluent Bim, but does all this hot air help the desperate in Harare.

    If you believe the colonialists are behind this breakdown, what in your opinion are we to do, besides throwing black and white rocks uselessly at a festering sore which will not heal?

  35. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    Copier:

    Just read your download, and somehow Barbados Tourism Industry,GEMS, Best of Barbados struck me.

    Why was that?

    If small economies mess with global markets there are only tears ( and massive public losses).

    Sorry to be so pessimistic but someone has to face reality, and challenge the drivel we are being force fed.

  36. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    Straight Talk

    I will never stop fighting for poor people and I think that I know what it is that they sacrifice while the elephants fighting; right here in Barbados.

    Having a position on Mugabe is not to be stifled by the fact that others are seeking a Western solution, or that people are suffering. The AU is not seeking a Western solution and that is important. How much more death and destruction with military intervention? You thinking about people or ‘isms’?

  37. John Stevenson Avatar
    John Stevenson

    ROK, I’ve known you for far too long to even begin to imagine that I can get you to change your opinions on anything.

    However, if you really care about the plight of poor people, and if you are sincerely interested in civic society in any part of our global village, I would implore you to join the chorus of the many people around the world who are in condemnation of the callous and iniquitous beast that Robert Mugabe has transmorgrified into.

    While I will never let the western powers off the hook for continuing to use corporate vaseline to screw us over (and yes, Iraq and Afghanistan are great examples), the greater evil is for us to see our brother bring untold suffering and death to his people, and look the other way. Frankly, the AU has failed Zimbabwe as it has failed Sudan and Somalia. AU leaders have the collective backbone of your average garden slug.

    Now is the time to tell the emperor that the only suit he has on is the one the good Lord gave him!

  38. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    Agreed! Only, don’t expect me to join the imperialist chorus about what to do about Mugabe. As I said, let us deal with our own problems without that imperialist bull-whip.

    No invasion and occupation of Zimbabwe! We will get it right.

  39. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    Not sure if AU has failed. This is not about the AU, but about repairing the damage. It takes time. So will CARICOM and the CSME.

  40. David Avatar
    David

    @ROK

    Barbados has a legacy of being used as a case study for many thing despite our size. Maybe our media can perpetuate this fine tradition by papering, to use Chris Halsall’s terminology the challenge of sustaining the phenomenon of globalization given current global events.

    There was a need for the Bretton Woods Agreement after World War II maybe our media can engage the world o the need for a new way the world should do business because the current system is falling apart.

  41. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    John

    Now you talking. Right now we dancing to the tune of “greed”. No morals, no values, except holding to the principles of making money; too bad who get mashed or even crushed.

    Glad you brought up the subject though because the UN did not start with a bang and it was a way of strengthening the effort which started with the League. These things evolve.

  42. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    Sorry, was responding to David in that last post and not John.

  43. John Stevenson Avatar
    John Stevenson

    ROK,

    While I agree with you that an invasion will not prove anything other than another example of imperialist bullying and more corporate greed, we as people of African descent have to learn that charity and most importantly, a sense of responsibility, begins at home.

    Mugabe cannot be permitted to play fast and loose with democracy, human rights and justice, starve out his own people, leave only raw sewage for his people to cook and drink from, and then announce to the world that the nation is coming down with cholera because of western “biological warfare”.

    Please!!!

    We HAVE to draw the line. We must condemn him and stop pussyfooting around his stupidity.

    Full stop.

    BANGO and other responsible civil society organisations cannot and should not be helping to prop up deluded octogenarian brigands.

  44. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    John

    It is unfair to say that BANGO is propping up Mugabe. Clearly my posts do not support that. I keep saying we need to deal with this as a people.

    Not so long ago we had similar problems. There were no dictators here but the same damage was being done to our own people by our own politicians.

    Even in recent years I have witnessed how corruption and bribery hurt poor people; leave them homeless and in poverty. In my estimation there can be no small sin and big sin; all is sin. We may not be as hostile but let me say that our system is no more than the Mugabe thing.

    We get on here and talk about the corruption and injustices in our society. There was a thread about the West Coast; implications that once big money passing the rich could get what they want. How much are we different?

    We see how insurance industry simply ripping off consumers; we see C&W making 90M and laying off staff, at Xmas time to boot; we complain about the media not informing the public and allowing certain injustices to prevail.

    We lost I’Akobi to ignorance as far as I am concerned. We had Prime Ministers that had this country under a tight grip doing as they like while the best kept secrets flying around; Men lost their balls and women lost their spines.

    I hear men drop down dead over loss of homes, loss of jobs, etc. because of political decisions in our own society. So we cannot be so hypocritical as to condemn anybody else. We have mote in our eyes too.

    The Mugabes and the Idi Amins will rise so long as we remain fragmented and so long as we tolerate interferences into the political affairs of nations.

    Yes, we can do better, if only we wake up. We are in a deep slumber. Maybe the effects of the imperialist bull-whip.

  45. JC Avatar
    JC

    ROK I love your realness better could not be said! Burn them FIRE!

  46. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    RQK:

    So that’s it.

    Bango is in deep imperial slumber.

    Well dream on in your pre-supposed impotence, something has got to change before a whole nation is sacrificed at the altar of aqntii-imperialism.

    You are wrong to believe the Europeans or Americans will intervene, lessons learned, it is time for the AU to step up to the plate and define the way forward for Africa.

    South African forces could dispel the corrupt Zimbabwean generals in a weekend, but still they quiver.

    Are they still looking over their shoulders for Massa’s orders, I hope not because good people are being killed whilst we lokk on and say someone should be doing something.

    Or perhaps ROK is right and the correct course is murdering the so called pro-imperialist democrats to allow pure African dictatorship to flourish.

    Only God knows the answer, and he has already judged.

  47. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    Apologies for the apparent mis-spellings, for which Doorly’s have to shoulder most of the blame.

    However the rage inside and sentiments expressed are genuinely aimed at the Mugabe apologists purporting as Pan-African idealists.

  48. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    Straight Talk

    This is one time you an a bandy line. African dictatorship? Pro-Imperialist Democrats? What is the difference?

    No sense calling me impotent without including yourself; you in deep slumber too. You may think you stand out but so does a sore thumb. Different to you I think we in this together; not me here and you there. You only seeing the trees.

  49. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    In that case, my last post was directed to doorly’s

  50. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    I am indeed impotent ( again blame the Doorly’s) but ..hic ..that does not hinder my deepest brain functioning.

    Bottom line for Zimbabwe is let the Election result stand and all else falls into place.

    Unless you, ROK, do not accept the will of the people, or can prove that the election result was contrived by the imperialists.

    I could weep over Zim, so much potential, yet such a disaster in 30 short years.

    Are we ever capable, even here in Barbados, of not accepting that the leader and his acolytes have droit de seigneur over all our moneys, taxes and legislation.

    Your rants about imperialism may very shortly seem outdated.
    Maybe your concerns over copycat imperialist inspired policies should be directed closer to home.

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