@MUBB

Your post was made after VOB broadcast, which you acknowledge, started at 4.15. Yet you posted the following:

“mash up & buy back // June 27, 2009 at 4:21 pm

BU Family

For those who missed it the prime minister just gave a sterling presentation on CBC Radio.

It was not carried on VOB.”

That’s a statement you could easily have corrected, even to say, it began with a delay. But you did not. I am not imputing a motive. I am merely saying that you knew it was broadcast, but said it was not.

We can argue about whether the time stamp of the comments are right. But I merely cite what I see/read.

But enough of that. Let CBC and VOB figure out between themselves the issue of broadcasting, and a delay of 15 minutes is not so material, especially if it carried in full.

@David
I’m saying that unless you know (intimately) what is driving the decisions you cannot determine what is a core issue. Your commentators have spent much time on news management issues, so if government-controlled entities play into news management practices on sensitive issues, then that can be core, because it affects perceptions of the how the debate is being conducted–as shown by MUBB’s intimation.

Again, we speculate about why it was delayed on VOB, but if it were due to restrictions placed by CBC, then that is not trivial.

I dont need to flog this horse.

BU

I just can’t believe what I was reading over at BFP.

I decided to check to see how they were dealing with the immigration debate,and could not believe my eyes!

Barbados Free Press is actually saying that there is a deliberate policy by the immigration officers to deport guyanese and leave their appliances so it could be stolen.

They are also carrying as fact a deported guyanese woman say so that the barbadian immigration department is offering $100. bds for every guyanese turned in.

You know I can understand norman faria,and even Jagdeo,but you know people like mia mottley and annalee davis,george brathwaite and other bajans and those #@***
creeps at BFP really shocking me to the core.

I now know who Thompson was referring to when he spoke about the anti-bajan filth on the blogs and newspaper columns.

Now that I see what is on BFP,it is clear the prime minister too is also aware.

You know we have some true patriotic white bajans like richard hoad,bizzy williams,foster,the late mr taylor,karl watson and many others.

But boy did we scrape the barrel with the likes of annalee davis and that crowd at BFP.

Phew!

More generally, because there is a tendency to see those who do not agree as enemies, there is a tendency to miss some clear big points. The amnesty started a process that said to illegals who arrived after 1998 to get themselves regularised. If I understand what is going on, it means little movement of people in that category out of Barbados. I hinted at that probability some time ago, and asked where would that leave Barbadians who know found that illegals were now legal and able to continue as before, but now with government sanction. No one answered that question. Now you have the reality to deal with.

It’s not about being pro- or anti-government but trying to understand what is really happening. As I have also said, there are many Barbadian vested interests that need to immigrant presence for their survival. Now, do you think those vested interests are going to just disappear?

Lord help us,

Living in Barbados and his convuluted logic.

David, have you considered that the PM might remain resolute because he cannot back down now? Did you and mu&bb notice too his stark disagreement with some on this thread who assert that the Guyanese do not have any constitutional rights?

Anon; Everybody got a job to do even LIB. You can always ignore him. His impact depends on your response, therefore you have the upperhand.

@MUBB nuh body much reads what is presented over at BFP.

We are winning the arguments, because we chose not to be shaken.

I was not at home to hear the P.M speak. In fact, I didn’t even know he was going to speak but from the blogs, I’ve gotten the gist of his statement. First let me say, it seems Mia &Co intend to cause serious problems in this country. I stated this before but I am now more determined to see that this failure of everything moral, never becomes P.M of Barbados. When persons to get to that level is below gutter politics. Did Mia go to the doctor and she has cancer and is going to die within 12 mths? Wow, that’s why she wants to be P.M before she dies. Secondly, I’ve been saying this all along; their is no LIAT (ZR) at the airport with a sign GUYANESE DEPORTEES, therefore all this talk about bus loads being deported is dangerous lies. Thirdly and MOST IMPORTANTLY, there is a hint about trying to poison the P.M in Guyana, WELL WELL WELL, all I would say at this time is DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. In closing, Mr PRIME MINISTER, I’m VERY proud of you and as a patriotic bajan I support you 1000%, you know we have not seen eye to eye on all occasions but you know I speak with a clear conscience. Your task is not easy but with the support you have I KNOW you will succeed. When this matter is cleared up, please look at those who caused the disturbance and where-ever possible declare them “personna non grata” for meddling in our sovereign affairs.

Eye 95

I call it like I see it. And when the David Thompson administration do something of the contrary, like the eyebrows that are raised with respect to the CLICO affair, I too will pelt venomous blame in his direction. I am not loyal to any party because none of the parties are not loyal to me (I am not in the circle of friends or infelicities). The last administration created this mess and the Thompson administration inherited it. So let they be a cleansing of those things that have subjected Barbados to sorrowful woes. And the crap about employment high is a given under the current economic crisis. What would the last administration have done to stem the flow of unemployment? I really do not want to know.

I did not worry to read any more of you bi- partisan crap. Have a nice day, and call it for what it really is.

some of the ungrateful guyanese cursing barbados and bajans in the worst way are praying for the destruction of barbados by a hurricane, tidal wave or some other natural disaster. Bajans must go to stabroek news and see their venom just because our government is doing what is right for barbados.

sometimes the bad things you wish for others, happens to you. guyana floods very quickly. this happened a lot in recent years. guyana is below sea level. the sea wall is to protect the coast. the obeah which many guyanese believe in has not saved them when it flooded and it cannot save them them the next time.

PM Thompson will have to intensify his efforts to get the truth out to the world. It is not only the local media who is focusing on the immigration issue.

From the editorial of the Jamaica Observer on 23 June, 2009 (online):

“It seems to us that instead of insulting his Caricom colleagues because they expressed concern about the inhospitable treatment their countrymen received in Barbados, Prime Minister Thompson should have instructed his police and immigration officers to treat the people they have apprehended with a level of decency and respect for the fact that they are human beings and not beasts.

The Gestapo-like rounding up and deportation of Caricom nationals is, we believe, more damaging to the objectives of Caricom rather than, according to Prime Minister Thompson, “a scenario where everybody is seeking to say something”.

Prime Minister Thompson therefore needs to tell us whether Barbados is committed to Caricom and the agreements forged between member states.”

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/html/20090622T180000-0500_153980_OBS_INSTEAD_OF_INSULTING_CARICOM__PRIME_MINISTER_THOMPSON_.asp

Dear Prime Minister Thompson

As I have told you before in other postings on this blog, you have the capacity and ability to be the best Prime Minister ever. Unfortunately, what you do now will determine the type of labelling you receive at the end of your days.

Like the former Prime Minister, who in his early days as a politician brought much intellect and promise to develop our island (and indeed his contribution was remarkable though often questionable) let not your reputation and credibility be tarnished with allegations of corruption, or depictions of arrogant-boastful displays (that followed the former PM).

What people tend to remember is not all the good that a person does but the few wrongs their commit. Let your wrongs be righted by acknowledgement and not blatant show of cover up.

There is a call by the people for you to stand firm to your promises and indeed you have an obligation to do so. Do not let it be said, as it is now, that you are not a man of integrity, transparency or accountability. Embark on doing what you said you would do and do it with the type of finest befitting a man (first) of your stature and (secondly) as elected leader.

These are still early days in your administration and the consequences of the global financial crisis weighs heavily on your ability to pull Barbados through. This, without doubt, will test the mantle of your manhood and ability as a leader to see Barbados through.

Inspite all the criticism you face, your decisions must be fundamental and carefully thought out before execution, less you be redicule further. Put the people first and recognized that some decisions already made needs review on their effect on Barbadians. One such decision is the increase in water rates. You need to determine if this increase will either help bolster the current woes faced by the BWA, which obviously is a problem of proper governance and management at that facility, or subject Barbadians to another burdensome price hike amidst the high cost of living they are struggling to deal with.

Further to this, I want you to know that the the situation at the BWA can also be proclamated at many other government run institutions on this island. There need to be another but thorough reevaluation exercise on government run ministries and departments in this country. The existence of mediocrity, procrastination and inadequate function (not failing to mention unsuitability for some jobs) needs address. To many ministries and their departments are found wanting and lacking.

I implore you Mr. Prime Minister to pay special attention to what is fundamental and foundational to Barbados’s rapid developmental status and to affix protective measures to arrest any possible demise. I know you are trying but you need to try alot harder. I hope that you are surrounded by intelligent, highly motivated people with capability and aptness who put purpose above politics. I hope that what ever endeavours or decisions you may embark for the betterment of the people and this islandd, ensure that you do so with the people’s approval and with the people in your heart. It makes no sense doing something without the peoples approval when your office is influenced by the people. I wish you God speed and blessings in these difficult and dubious times.

Best Wishes

Jukecheckedeyskirt

What rot Veritas. The man (LIB) disagrees with your and others’ views and the best you can do is attempt to accuse him of sharing your condition?

Anonymous you said “Prime Minister Thompson therefore needs to tell us whether Barbados is committed to Caricom and the agreements forged between member states.”
You are not being honest again. Last week the Prime Minister said that Barbados was rated number one in terms of upholding its Caricom commitments. None of the other countries denied that.
We have signed the CCJ as our final appellate court. This is a court agreed upon by the leaders of Caricom. Where is Jamaica? Where were the other countries when there were the ship rider’s problems?
Barbados went on its own on many occasions and was proven right. We are doing it again. Antigua is following in trying to manage so many illegal immigrants

In lines 6-7, paragraph 6, it should have read greater possibilities of warranted disconnections, and NOT greater possibilities of disconnections.

PDC

@David
“Let us get the managed immigration process in place then as a country we will be able to regulate our borders. The AG to be sure will be happy. We will deal with the other issues if and when they occur.”

Is that your way of saying that this thread is ended :-)? Looking forward to a quiet Sunday, in that case.

PS: I read in today’s Nation (p22A)
that the CBC/VOB spat spilled over last week on the airwaves, with regard to Crop Over/Sweet Soca and the alliance with NCF.

@David
“Let us get the managed immigration process in place then as a country we will be able to regulate our borders. The AG to be sure will be happy. We will deal with the other issues if and when they occur.”

Is that your way of saying that this thread is ended :-)? Looking forward to a quiet Sunday, in that case.

PS: I read in today’s Nation (p22A)
that the CBC/VOB spat spilled over last week on the airwaves, with regard to Crop Over/Sweet Soca and the alliance with NCF.

Not at all. BU is all for free speech and the first amendment you know that…?

We have to wait to see how some of this plays out.

Anonymous
What the Observer didn’t mention is the comments by their P.M about CARICOM/CSME. Remember who ducked out of the Federation first? Which party was in power then ? Golding don’t care too hoots about CARICOM or CSME. It is only when it benefits them.

@MUBB
“You know we have some true patriotic white bajans like richard hoad,bizzy williams,foster,the late mr taylor,karl watson and many others.?

Isn’t Bizzy the one who recently made a proposal that would have excluded people like David Thompson from being active in Barbadian politics (because he was born in England)? Ok, Bizzy retracted it after a hail of criticism.

I suggest that you read the latest ‘The Lowdown’ carefully and really say if the Hoad view of the Barbados that he wants to keep in place is the same as yours.

@Proud Bajan, when you say that criminals have no rights, does that refer to Bajan criminals too or only Guyanese illegal immigrants?

Any criminal

This is my opinion and don’t try to turn this into something bigger than what is really is.

I erad all the comments so far and wish to bring a few things to your attention so that you will understand teh stigam and discremination towards guyanese not only who are living in barbados but many who enters the country to conduct business for a few day.

on April 27, 2009, I a Guyanese Journalist entered barbados for a confernce with all my relevant documentataion, including the letter from teh hotel where i will be staying which contained by room number ect, a letter from the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) among other documents to support my visit to barbados.

thsi si wahst happened :

a. i went up to the immigration officer and said “good morning sir,
he replied ” good morning, may i see your passport.
i handed him my passport and all th other documents to support my visit.
IO. ” is this your first time here?
me : yes sir”
IO” whay are your here”
me: as you can see sir i am here for a confernce”
IO who is here to receive you?
me : sir , i will be taking a taxi to teh hotel (Blue Horizon) where the CBU people will receiv me”

IO ” yeah but should hav had someone to recive you”

Me ok sir i was not aware of that, but i will be geratful if you can call teh hotl and confirm my room.
IO ” that is not my job you should have put systems in place.

IO ” i am tired of this thing you guyaese come here for short stay and is trouble to find you all ”

me “Mute”

IO ” ist on teh bench in there i will deal with you later (Harsh tone)

i procede on teh bench and spnt about an hour and half and then he came in make a few calls and after a barage of threats an talk around tell me in not th bst of tones ” you could go, but don’t let we have to come and search for you”

i want thsoe commentators who claimed that teh issue is bing blown out of proportion justify for me teh judgement that immigartion officer had passed on me .

i gives a claer picture that the actionsof barbadian immigration against guyanese are premeditated.

i will not heistate to say if a guyanse ommit a crime there he or she should not be dealth with accordingly but at teh same time with respect of human rights, but premediated actions are not acceptable.

maybe guyana might have to put in a barbados bench at its international airport so that when barbadians come here we placed them there, but weare bigger than that and there is no need to fight firewith fire .

there are many barbadians in thsi country and never has this or any other government went on a witch hunt for them .
the david thompson administrtaion needs to get its act together and do teh right thing

bear in mind barbados is teh lead for teh caricom single market and conomy of which free movement of skills in intregal , so prime minsietr thompson’s actions are highly hipocritical .

i leave with you comments by a barbadian scholar who understands integartion and diplomacy

Professor Norman Girvan Wrote on his website.

COALITION FOR A HUMANE AMNESTY

PRESS RELEASE

THE “REAL” IMMIGRATION PROBLEM IN BARBADOS!

There are thousands of Barbadians, who, having travelled to the U.S.A, overstayed their time, and are now in the process of working on getting their “green cards”. With 6 or 7 years of residence in the U.S.A under their belts, these Bajans have evolved into ‘Bajan-Yankees’, and we would be appalled if the U.S government suddenly started deporting them.

Yet, that is precisely what our Government is doing to ‘Guyanese-Bajans’ and ‘Vincey-Bajans’ in our midst! Our Immigration officers are raiding the homes and work-places of Guyanese and Vincentians who have been living in Barbados for 7 and 8 years, arresting them and putting them on the first flight out of Barbados. And several of these persons are the parents of children born in Barbados, and the owners of bank accounts and other forms of property in Barbados!

Most ordinary Barbadians are not aware that this is happening. Indeed, the Barbadian people have been so misled, that they believe that our Government has given all undocumented or ‘illegal’ Caribbean residents a six month period of time within which to go into the Immigration Department and regularize their immigration status. This is simply not true!

Admittedly, the Barbados government has advised undocumented’ Caribbean migrants that they are required to go into the Immigration Department between 1st June and 1st December 2009, but, they have warned that the only people who have a chance of being accepted are those who came to Barbados before the 1st of January 1998 – almost 12 years ago. All of the others will therefore be subjected to the very real likelihood of deportation! And the Immigration Department has not waited until the 1st of December 2009 to start deporting people! Indeed, they have already commenced a heartless campaign of arrest and deportation.

THE OLD FIVE YEAR AMNESTY

This inhumane approach to our Caribbean brothers and sisters may be contrasted with the progressive and constructive policy that was pursued by the previous Administration.

The previous government had a policy under which undocumented or ‘illegal’ CARICOM migrants who had resided in Barbados for 5 or more years, were permitted to come forward and apply for Immigrant Status. And once they were able to demonstrate to the Immigration authorities that they were gainfully employed, had no criminal record, and were likely to make a constructive contribution to our society, they were accepted.

Furthermore, if they failed to convince the Immigration Department and were rejected, they were given a right of appeal to an “Immigration Review Committee” chaired by a Minister of Government. If they failed to convince this Committee, they would then be ordered to leave Barbados.

This was a good policy, because it came to the rescue of persons who had become ‘Barbadianised’, and had become part of Barbadian society. Deporting such persons simply did not help anybody, and a wise Barbados government acknowledged this.

Barbados has never had a problem with this “five year amnesty” policy! Indeed, it was a good and humane policy and should be reinstated!

THE NEW SITUATION

The ‘real’ problem with the immigration situation in Barbados is that the traditional and long-standing exchange of migrants between Barbados and Guyana evolved into a ‘migrant labour phenomenon’ over the past decade, but the government of Barbados failed to acknowledge this new development, and therefore also failed to establish a formal ‘migrant labour programme’ with appropriate controls and administrative structures.

The reality is that the Barbadian economy and society has evolved in such a manner that the present generation of native Barbadians is no longer attracted to the physically taxing and repetitive labour of the agricultural, manual and low level service jobs that their parents and grand-parents were prepared to do!

Over the past decade or so therefore, the Barbadian economy has come to rely on imported Guyanese workers to perform essential but unwanted jobs in agriculture, construction, care of the elderly, and a range of low level services. This has helped Barbados to maintain strength and efficiency in these vital areas of its economy, and this, in turn, contributed to the maintenance of an overall strong economy in which the unemployment rate dropped to the historically low level of 6 per cent. In other words, the presence of Guyanese migrant workers in Barbados has not caused the unemployment of native Barbadians!

The belief that the quantity of employment available in Barbados is of a fixed nature and that migrant workers from Guyana simply take the jobs of existing Barbadian workers, is absolutely wrong! The fact is that the Barbadian economy has expanded along with the growth in the labour force! Indeed, our economy would be smaller, with lower per capita income, without our imported Guyanese, Vincentian and St Lucian labour!

However, rather than allowing needed migrant workers from Guyana to come to Barbados in an ad hoc manner, we need to put a formal ‘migrant labour programme’ in place, and run it properly! This is what our new government should be doing – not running down and deporting 5, 6, 7 and 8 year residents of Barbados!

THE SOLUTION

Our government is inflicting unnecessary damage on both the image and the economy of Barbados, with their inhumane and myopic immigration policy. Our organisation – the “Coalition For A Humane Amnesty“- therefore asks all Barbadians to join with us in insisting upon a reinstatement of the ‘five year amnesty’ policy, and the establishment of a formal, structured ‘migrant labour programme’ for guest workers from the CARICOM sub-region.

visit this site http://www.normangirvan.info/the-real-immigration-problem-in-barbados-cfha/

I completely agree with richard hoad’s last column.

So that you know richard hoad’s daughter is married to a black barbadian young man,and richard could not be more emamoured with his black grandchild.

Richard Hoad is a true patriotic barbadian.

Living in Barbados you are like most of the other jamaicans and other caribbean non nationals.You think barbadians ‘too big bout here’ and tink dey too nuff, so you always trying to take them down a peg or too.

Thank God we are a confident,hard working people.

We through the hard work of our foreparents and every generation since has built this country to what it is such that it is admired in every international city in the developed countries and the envy of many who would like to be like us.

This is why Sam,pooch and de Duppy want to come here and live,and then when we react to their objectionable behaviour by some of them – we are the worst thing ever.

I encourage the immigration officers to go out there and enforce the laws in a straight but strict manner and get rid of ALL the illegals.

Interesting to read this notice sandwiched in the back part of the Sunday Sun newspaper today. In the prevailing environment which is hyped with emotionalism and inaccuracies we would have thought the print media in Barbados would have given preeminence to this government notice. Especially so given the accusations swirling that the Barbados government has sanctioned Gestapo tactics when rounding up suspect illegal immigrants.

It is time that the media of Barbados understand that it is Barbados and Barbadians responsible for their revenues.

@MUBB
“Living in Barbados you are like most of the other jamaicans and other caribbean non nationals.You think barbadians ‘too big bout here’ and tink dey too nuff, so you always trying to take them down a peg or too.”

As David would say, don’t jump to conclusions, especially about people you do not know.

You build a straw man. I see no sense in thinking that that an island of some 280,000 can ever be “too big bout here”. I think Barbados and Barbadians can be proud of what they have done and what they are. That does not mean that they need be loved or will be loved. That’s up to others to decide for themselves. What I do detect from your remarks and from others’ is that some Barbadians do not feel that anyone else has lifted a lick to get them and the country to where it is. I think and know that is utter hogwash. No island is an island and you can blind yourself with the notion of total self reliance as long as you like, but it’s still a huge falsehood. Barbados has benefited from UK financial support and special relations, and from EU subsidies and grants, and from Canadian development assistance, and from UN financial and technical support, etc.. It has also benefited from loans and inflows from other countries, and still does so. It is not Bajans who do all the financing of development in this island. It is foreign visitors from outside the Caribbean mainly who bring in FX to this island, not just inflows from native born Barbadians or those of Barbadian heritage who were born abroad. The philanthropes that are being sought to help finance medical development are mainly non-Barbadians. Keep thumbing your nose at foreigners.

You are entitled to like or dislike any foreigner you like, but stop fooling yourself that only Bajans have built this country.

What Richard Hoad’s daughter does is her business, and it’s his business how he treats her for marrying a black Barbadian. But if his response were not extraordinary then why bother mentioning it?

You have not addressed Bizzy’s plan to disenfranchise the likes of David Thomspon. Feel free to expound on that.

The Lowdown Hoad view that the status quo (post independence) of white Barbadians owning most businesses, mainly Indian merchants making lots of money, black Barbadians providing the work force and now holding political reins is not one that I like. Foreigners have some play in this national equation, with certain Caricom nations (mainly Trinidad) now taking more control of economic entities, and some pressure on the work force coming from other Caricom nations (Guyana, St. Vincent, Jamaica, etc.) But the basic structure does not look much changed and the Lowdown view is that “we like it so”.