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Time To Ask The Hard Questions About CSME

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Submitted as a comment by Ecoanalyst

csmeLet us stop making this a political football that aims at revising history and making the BLP blameless for the present situation…. It is not a question of political blame BLP vs. DLP, but rather the political parties reflecting the majority will of the people. We still have to decide whether CSME is good for Barbados, notwithstanding the statements of the politicians over the years .

The key issue is how rapid immigration will affect the voting patterns of the country if immigrants are allowed to vote. The party encouraging immigration stands to benefit if there is not a backlash by the majority. That fact may have lost the BLP many votes last year.

Last year 12% of the Barbados registered voters were immigrants. In Antigua’s last elections 24% of the voters were immigrants. For this reason the issue of immigrant voting rights and their effect on national elections is of paramount importance in both of these islands.

CSME as theorized means one country, one economic space, one currency; one Central Bank one economic policy; many countries with reduced control over economic and social policies. The eight OECS countries have the most developed structure in this regard… Maybe that is why Trinidad wants to join them.

To my thinking the CSME as now drafted and implemented, will never become a reality as countries will cherry pick the things they like and ignore the rest. Therefore opening the borders to unrestricted immigration will ensure drastic changes in the country’s politics and social stability, that most Barbadians will not like.

The solution is to get out of the CSME “pipe dream” goals of full integration, especially as they relate to free movement. Make decisions that are in the best interest of the country and its long term stability and establish the bi-lateral trade/economic arrangements that make sense.

Stop the talking and the posturing . The vested interests promoting the CSME mirage are protecting their own jobs. We have been rehashing the same ides for over 50 years. Let us get real and support the things that work for Barbados, and the future stability of the country economically, culturally, and politically.

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103 responses to “Time To Ask The Hard Questions About CSME”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    @ Checkmate-123

    That is some esoteric stuff.

  2. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    What esoteric stuff what?!!
    …does esoteric mean ‘flushable’..???

  3. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    DJ you have given us reason not to accept as gospel, the pro caricom opinions of the person you mentioned. Their personal interest isn’t share by me. Whats in it for the rest of us is still a valid question and in need of an answer. They have theirs.

    @check mate;
    [CARICOM is blessed with rich diversities and differences; how we meet the challenges of fusing these into wholesome products for the development of the region is the task which remains. ]

    Well we cannot look to Britain for best practices in this regard. They are still amaze that British citizens wanted to and did kill other British citizens in a mass murder attempt, and in the name of someone other than the queen at that. I was hoping that we could look to communist China who are known for forcing people to do what central government want, but they seem unable to demish ethinic tension, violence and murder, after they force integration.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203547904574279952210843672.html

  4. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    We know that economics is at core cause for the high number of immigrants in Barbados

    http://www.barbadosforum.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=1330&view=findpost&p=71605

    http://www.barbadosforum.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=1330&view=findpost&p=71723

    Dennis Johnson clearly points out the personal nature of the pro-caricom/csme opinions of the regionalists, academics, and elites. The ethnic polarization continues unabated in Guyana and Trinidad, Caricom has not sought to deal with this since the Herdmanston accord of 1998, all around us societies are seeking to manage immigration flows primarily from an economic standpoint, 11 caribbean nations are considered fail states, http://www.barbadosforum.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=7603&view=findpost&p=71721 ……and the citizens from some of these countries who are known to practise something called “apanjaat” ones own kind are moving out in vast numbers to economies that are deemed to better than their own, and not one word from of concern about this. Not one word.

  5. Dennis Johnson Avatar
    Dennis Johnson

    @ Adrian:
    I was just pointing out that law-abiding Bajans were observing the letter and the spirit of CSME and Caricom: Enter a country legally; observe their Immigration laws; conduct your legitimate business; and return to your home when said business was over!
    Now, if only everyone else did the same, we would not have a problem; and those law-abiding Bajans would be able to serve a market of 7 million as opposed to a market of only 280,000 [that’s including the “undocumented”!]

  6. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Dennis Johnson,

    Most Guyanese workmen (carpenters, masons, agricultural workers etc) are here on the invitation of Barbadian businesses and they “Enter a country legally; observe their Immigration laws; conduct their legitimate business;” and will return when the work is over. The problem for some is that many of these people are of Indian descent.

    When will you return to Grenada? What makes you different from the much maligned Guyanese?

  7. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Of much greater significance are the reports of discriminatory trade practices by Jamaica (in relation to Hipak products) and St.Lucia (in relation to Chickmont). So much for CSME.

  8. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    DJ point taken, but I will support them only if they support me. If they cannot see the danger in open borders, I will not support their bread and butter comittment to caricom.

  9. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Anonymous // July 10, 2009 at 11:03 pm

    Of much greater significance are the reports of discriminatory trade practices by Jamaica (in relation to Hipak products) and St.Lucia (in relation to Chickmont). So much for CSME.
    ————————————————-
    Both are equally as important.

    http://www.barbadosforum.com/index.php?act=Search&CODE=show&searchid=32ae9aa8ea440b26c894cdec2a2ba50b&search_in=posts&result_type=posts&highlite=%2Bjuxtapose

    I can also make a compelling case for why Imported regional labour should concern us more than imported regional good.

  10. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Adrian
    “If they cannot see the danger in open borders, I will not support their bread and butter comittment to caricom.”
    *************************************
    AH, there is no danger in open borders if you have nothing of interest to outsiders. (This is why churches can leave their doors open all day, while banks have security guards.)

    The concept of free movement is total nonsense – except to those who, having failed to make a success of their own house, now wish to argue that it is their god-given right to free access to your desirable home which you worked and made sacrifices to establish.

    It is much like arguing that in order for the whole society to prosper, we should throw open the doors to the bank.

    Bush Tea can’t fault the Jagdeos and Ricky Singhs of this world for arguing that they have this right, (it is this kind of thinking that leads them to be failures and refugees in the first place) but the really laughable idiots in the whole scenario are those of us who fail to see that the final result will be that we will all end up just like them.

    The solution to this problem is for those who have failed to MODEL those who are succeeding – not to overwhelm them….

  11. Zoe Avatar
    Zoe

    @Jack Bowman, the context of Matthew 25: 35, feeding the hungry, etc, cannot be applied to the situation of ‘illegal’ residents in Barbados, who have knowingly and willfully flouted the laws of the land.

    Scripture must always be interpreted in light of Scripture, when dealing with the same subject matter. Let us also hear Jesus on governmental authority.

    “Tell us, therefore, what do You (Jesus) think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, ‘Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money,’ So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, ‘Whose image and inscription in this?’ They said to Him, “Caesar’s” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” ( Matt. 22: 17-21).

    An earthly state provides for the welfare of its ‘citizens’ who are thus obligated to support the government. But, citizens of God’s kingdom also owe allegiance to Him. Ideally, there should be no conflict between the two kingdoms (see Rom. 13: 1-7), but where there is disharmony allegiance to God takes precedence (see Acts 4: 18-20).

    Submit to Government.
    Romans 13: 1-7.

    “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there IS NO authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” (v.1).

    “Therefore whoever resist the authority resist the ordinance of God, and those who ‘resist’ will be judged on themselves.” (v.2).

    “For the rulers are not a terror to good works, (what is lawful) but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good (lawful) and you will have praise from the same.”
    (v.3).

    “For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister; an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” (v. 4).

    “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” ( v. 7).

    It is very clear from God’s Word, that the authorities that exist are appointed by God. See also Daniel 4: 32; Psa 75; 6, 7.

    However, this does not mean that God approves a corrupt government, ungodly officials or unjust legislation. Sometimes, however, in punishment for the sins of a people, or for other reasons known to Him, God allows evil rulers to have authority for a time, as the OT prophets frequently testify. Ideally, God grants authority to serve good ends (vv. 3, 4). How that authority is exercised will be the accounting of each to whom it has been given.

    Although obedience to earthly authority is the general rule, a clear biblical principle is that we may need to disobey government if commanded to sin, for loyalty to God always takes priority over human authority (see Esth. 4:16; Dan. 3: 12-18; 6:10; Matt. 2:12; Acts 5: 29; Heb. 11:23).

    When government officials use force to restrain and punish evil, they are not doing wrong. Rather, they are God’s minister (servant) and are doing good. Therefore, Christians may serve as police officers and soldiers in good conscience.

    ‘Bear the sword’ is to carry and use weapons. This implies the right to carry out capital punishment on wrongdoers, for swords were used to take people’s lives. The fact that God authorizes governments as His servants to use force even to the point of taking human life does NOT contradict the command “You shall not murder” in Exo. 20: 13). The word used in that commandment refers to criminal murder and does not include judicial taking of life or killing in war, for which the OT uses other words. The same is true of the Greek word translated “kill” or “murder” in such NT passages as Matt. 21>

    “To execute wrath” Sometimes God’s wrath is carried out through civil government, when it punishes wrongdoers. This means that civil punishments should not only be imposed for the purpose of restraining evil, but also for the purpose of retribution.

  12. Themis Avatar
    Themis

    So when did we become a theocracy, GP?

  13. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Bush Tea, if there is one person from this blog that I will accept the opportunity to meet, um is you? Crystal clear do you communicate your points.

  14. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    Anonymous
    You’re so wrong, most guyanese now in Barbados are here illegally, running from the Jagdeo government and you know that too.

  15. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Trinidadians are in charge of our “National” Bank, our airport and a Swede/Trini is charge of CBC. Now a Trini is to be put in charge of the QEH.

    CSME wukking!! The Trinidadians ain’t minding Dennis Johnson and staying in Trinidad.

  16. Johnnie Too Bad Avatar
    Johnnie Too Bad

    I once again must return to this very vexed question, Is the CSME working? Can it ever work? Should the people not decide whether we want it or not? Can someone please explain to me what are the real benefits of the damn thing? If it is of no benefit to us, should we not be doing something about improving the lot of Caribbean people everywhere?
    Our major problem here is that we have leaders who do not care about whether or not we , the people, are taken along with them or not. Nowhere in the past fifteen years have I seen or heard publicly or privately anyone talking about asking the people what they want.
    If as I believe from Adrian Hinds that CSME is suppose to work like the European Union, then we have already failed miserably. For one thing we do not have the structures in place and for another, we cannot protect our own borders. Did not any of the politicians forsee that if you say that freedom of movement is a benefit, then people will rush from a low wage economy to a higher waged country. After all don’t blame the people for trying to improve their lot for them and their families.
    The blame lies fairly and squarely at the foot of our leaders, none of the parties as far as I know had any real and meaningful discussions about the CSME.
    What is clearly at fault here is the roles played by all the half baked politicians throughout the Caribbean . They have been strutting their stuff about a political union, without taking on board, the social, economic, cultural and above all the will of the respective people. If I could get all my cousins and near relatives from Guyana I would bring a whole boat load to Barbados. Which of you Bajans would begrudge a human being for running from a failed state to help their family? Can the honest folk not get past the xenophobia of some Bajans like Adrian?
    We come together to play cricket and were successful at it for many years, now we must separate at feeding time . Where is the Bajans brotherly love?
    Johnnietoobad.

  17. David Avatar
    David

    The fact that Barbados is lead on CSME matters and Prime Minister Arthur would have won 3 terms being very active in that role is instructive.

  18. Dennis Johnson Avatar
    Dennis Johnson

    I do not usually respond to personal attacks; I prefer to deal with issues! However, “Anonymous” [whoever he or she may be] insists on trying to be insulting [“mealy mouth”] or misrepresenting things I wrote [“The Trinidadians ain’t minding Dennis Johnson and staying in Trinidad.”]

    I have repeatedly said that CSME [if it is allowed to work in the manner in which Bajans have utilized it in the examples I gave] can work!
    If you are a national of any Caribbean island, and you wish to apply for a job advertised in another island for which you are qualified, you should be able to APPLY for the job. If successful, you should be able to work, PROVIDING you are able to satisfy the requirements of Immigration. At the end of your tenure, you return to your home [wherever that is!]

    My problem has always been, and will always be, ILLEGAL residents.
    I do not support social disorder, in any form.

  19. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    It seems like the illegal immigrants & their cohorts are now even attacking the Immigration Department just because the officers that enforce immigration law are doing their job !

    First it was threats,now a response,what next ?Hopefully,the RBPF is successful with their investigation & further terrorist type attacks on Government buildings will not be tolerated !

    ———————————————-
    http://www.nationnews.com/news/local/Glass-broken-at-Immigration-copy-for-web

    ”

    NO ONE KNOWS who did it.

    But tongues were wagging yesterday morning, after the discovery of a broken glass door at the Immigration Department on the Wharf Road, The City.

    According to Public Relations Officer Station Sargeant Anthony Depieza: “It was reported by a messenger who saw a small hole around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday morning” and “the incident is currently being investigated”.

    However, whether the small hole finally collapsed or whether a bigger stone was thrown through it, is yet to be known.

    This Gregory Waldron picture shows the gaping hole, which was evident to all who passed the Wharf Road yesterday.”

  20. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Johnson

    who you trying to fool (you hope to run for a seat in the next election)??? … illegal = indian for many if not the majority of persons in this debate. For years (long before CSME), Vincentians, Lucians and (even) Grenadians have been coming to Barbados and taking up residence with no problem at all. In fact Guyanese (read Black Guyanese) have been coming here with no problem. [ isn’t it ironic that some of the most accomplished and creative “Bajans” are Guyanese to wit Rihanna, Obadele Thompson, Philip and Rita Forrester, Karl Broodhagen, Derry Atkins, Stanley Greaves, Olga Lopes- Seale, Cecil deCaires and others]. There has been no social disorder! What happen now? All of a sudden “illegal” immigration is a problem, social disorder is looming, the end of the world is nigh! What pup!At least Negroman is honest in his expression of his views.

  21. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    It looks like no matter where in the world you are there are immigration problems.I find it interesting that the current Canada & Czech situation is quite similar to that of Barbados & Guyana.

    The Czechs are trying to appeal to the rest of the EU’s schengen area to retaliate against the recent Canadian visa restrictions by imposing EU wide visa restrictions on Canada.Guyana is using the same methods by appealing to the rest of Caricom to force Barbados to capitulate by approving of Domestic workers in CSME instead of visa restrictions with the Czech-Canada fiasco.The Canucks have not capitulated & could care less even with an economic deal with the EU,but our Prime Minister HAS capitulated.So ends this lesson to the DLP Prime Minister on what SOVEREIGNTY really means about enforcing the interests of Barbados’ Citizens .

    ——————————————-
    http://www.canada.com/news/Czech+Republic+recalls+ambassador+over+visa+battle/1789231/story.html

    “OTTAWA — Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said Tuesday he is not worried about retaliation after Canada’s decision to slap visas on Mexican and Czech Republic tourists.

    Kenney particularly dismissed the Czech government for petitioning the 27-member European Union to invoke its “solidarity” clause that could lead to a retaliatory visa being slapped on Canada.

    “There’s a certain degree to playing to domestic audience there,” Kenney told Canwest News Service.

    After speaking with the European Union’s acting ambassador to Canada prior to Monday’s announcement, Kenney said, “They have never given us any indication they intend to impose a visa restriction on Canada.” He said the EU respects the visa requirement Canada has already imposed on its members, Romania and Bulgaria.

    Kenney also said the vast majority of Mexico’s refugee claimants are economic migrants from the middle class, and that they must not be allowed to jump Canada’s immigration queue.

    Mexicans are the No. 1 asylum seeker to Canada, tripling to 9,400 from four years ago. But 90 per cent of those claims are rejected.

    The Czech Republic is second with 3,000 claims, up from five that were made in 2006 prior to the lifting of a Canadian visa requirement in late 2007.

    “In some of the flights coming from Prague, the majority of passengers are making asylum claims,” said Kenney, noting that Prime Minister Stephen Harper first raised the issue of the Czech Republic’s soaring asylum claims with his counterpart in February 2008.

    Since then, the Canadian government has been working with Czech officials to find a solution.

    “If there’s criticism, then it should be: Why have you waited so long?” said Kenney.

    “This decision is in no way a negative reflection on either the Czech Republic and Mexico. This is about the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.”

    The Czech ambassador to Canada, Karel Zebrakovsky, told Canwest News Service Tuesday that his government’s goal is to persuade Canada cancel the visa restriction, which was announced Monday.

    Though the EU’s review of the complaint could take weeks, Zebrakovsky did not rule out pushing the EU to retaliate.

    “There is such a possibility. It is a matter for negotiation in Brussels among all the member countries of the European Union,” he said, before boarding a flight back to Prague after being recalled by his government in protest.

    The Czech government just finished a six-month term holding the EU presidency during which it greased the wheels for the Conservative government to formally begin free trade talks with the powerful European bloc. In fact, Harper announced the trade deal, which could be worth $12 billion to Canada, on a visit to Prague in May.

    “We spent the first half of this year doing as much as we can to start it. Actually it was very successful,” said Zebrakovsky. “I am not very happy. I feel it was not necessary.””

  22. Right On Avatar
    Right On

    I have always appreciated Dennis Johnson’s contribution to any debate, because he is analytical, objective, rational and reasonable; unfortunately, there are those who simply cannot ‘think’ critically, so that call him all sorts of things.

    BTW, the Karl Broodhagen, Olga Lopes-Seal, Cecil DeCaries et al, is an entirely different era, to the problem(s) we are now facing with the Guyanese influx to B’dos, one cannot rationally compare the two.

    As DJ said, his concern is with ‘illegal’ residents, for this is the crux of the matter, regardless, the ‘Law’ must be adhered to, no one is exempt from this!

  23. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Right on implicitly claims to think critically: I am yet to hear or read anyone promote the breaking of the laws with regard to immigration. When did Barbadian authorities stop enforcing the law with regard to immigration? I worked in the construction field over 8 years ago and I can well remember those times when immigration officers would visit the work sites and remove those who were working without proper authorisation. To cut a long story short, this issue about “illegal” immigrants has arisen with the increased numbers of Guyanese migrants of Indian ethnicity. Furthermore it is my contention that most of these migrants are documented i.e there are not “illegal”. It does not matter what attributes you ascribe to Johnson, on this matter he just blowing hot air.

    If we (Bajans) fear Indian domination then just say so and come out of CARICOM and the CSME. Otherwise it is a nonsense to try to believe that Barbados can participate in the CSME without Guyana or without their citizens of Indian ethnicity. We probably need to follow the Bahamas who refused to join the CSME or to engage CARICOM beyond specific areas of functional cooperation mainly to avoid having to let in more Haitians who were already a problem to them.

  24. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    @BU/David

    I am writing this comment to let BU know that the show Locked Up Abroad will have a show next week highlighting the story of a UK citizen that was caught at Grantley Adams International Airport trying to export cocaine from Barbados to the UK.The show will air next week on July 22nd & usually showcases many stories from Aussie,UK & American citizens from around the world concerning their incarceration in other countries.It will be a worldwide release on National geographic,just a heads up !

    http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/locked-up-abroad/4389/Overview

    “Zara Whittaker, from an impoverished family in Southeast London, left behind her months-old baby to go to Barbados and smuggle cocaine back. She never thought anything could go wrong — her partner in crime had done it 12 times before. Once in Barbados, she found out she was pregnant with her second baby, but felt that shed spent too much of the drug dealers money to pull out. Stopped by the police at the airport, Zara was given a five year prison sentence. She gave birth in Barbados, and after three heartbreaking months, had to give the baby up.”

  25. David Avatar
    David

    Thanks Jay!

  26. Zoe Avatar
    Zoe

    @Anonymous, “Futhermore it is my contention that most of these migrants (Indian ethnicity) are documented i.e., there are not ‘illegal.”

    Where is the EVIDENCE? Prove your unsubstantiated contention! Not hot air!

  27. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    The former Prime Minister, Sir LLoyd Sandiford, made some very interesting comments yesterday at the DLP luncheon in George Street. Among the comments made is that of the CSME which he thinks is a lesson in futility and one which Barbados can stay far from. Free movement of people within the region is another, he thinks it wouyld be to the detriment of the better offf countries and would devalue the living conditions of these more developed countries. Until the wicket is more level free migration would be a catastrophe, he said. Even though these statements are not new, it is freshing to hear it coming from a well respected senior stateman and one from the ruling party. It means the DLP seems to be thinking about easing out maybe adopt a Bahamas approach to Caricom

  28. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    We are concerned about the influx of regional migrants from especially Guyana but what about a trickle at first of Haitians and then an increase as those that are here financial position gets better and they start bringing over their family and relatives like the guyanese are doing? Free movement? NO WAY

  29. David Avatar
    David

    The Dominicans Opposition leadership has decided to wade in on the immigration debate. Bear in mind Prime Minister Skerrit has responsibility for movement of people in CSME. Sound familiar? One could be facetious and ask Pestaina, why now?

     

    DFP leader raises migration concerns

    BY CMC

    ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – The leader of the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), Judith Pestaina, has added her voice to the raging debate on regional migration, while accusing the Roosevelt Skerrit administration of having no clear policy on the movement of Caribbean nationals.

    “It is an adhoc policy, if it is any policy at all,” she told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

    “We don’t know at this point how many immigrants we have in the country, whether it is Haitians, Santo Domingans, Chinese, name it, we don’t know. People come, people go,” she said.

    The DFP leader said she was also concerned that there were no concrete figures available on migrants and what she termed the ease at which non nationals were being accorded Dominican citizenship.

    “How can you give people a Dominican passport after two years in the country?” she asked. – Full Article

  30. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Zoe of all people asking for evidence!!

    One could (and should) ask Zoe for the evidence that MOST Guyanese migrants of Indian ethnicity ARE “illegal”.

    There are claims that hundreds of such persons have entered Barbados. I have not heard the Immigration dept. report that a majority of them are still in the country beyond their allotted time.

    It appears that Zoe is a follower of the ‘ole time religion’ that was racist as well as ignorant.

  31. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    Again , I’ll say this, The security of this country is so fragile right now. We have thousands of chinese walking around the streets of Barbados and pretending that they don’t speak english, yet they can communicate with local workers on their sites. When they speak their language, do we know what they are planning? This is my country and if you are here learn to speak MY language and respect My flag, My anthem, My pledge, My culture and My religion, or leave.

  32. Themis Avatar
    Themis

    Which is your religion, Scout?

  33. Avatar
    Anonymous

    But Scout don’t you want the St. John polyclinic and the Empire theatre rebuilt? Mr Thompson certainly seems enamored with the Chinese.

  34. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    Themis
    I am a CHRISTIAN
    Anonymous
    Who built the Central Bank, and all the other buildings before the chinese or guyanese came here?

  35. Right On Avatar
    Right On

    One ‘Anonymous’ is certainly full of a lot of ‘Hot-Air’ offering no substance to this debate, just a lot of ‘Red-Herrings’ and strawmen, ignited with the flame of ‘ignorance.’

  36. mash up & buy back Avatar
    mash up & buy back

    I have just read Lindsay Holder’s article on the cost-benefit analysis of immigrants in the Advocate’s Business Monday paper.

    I agree with the conclusion ,but wondered if lindsay considered the high outflow of foreign exchange through workers’ remittances as one of the cost or downside of immigrant labour.

    Remmitances have been increasing in large measures since 2003.

  37. David Avatar
    David

    Had a quick read as well. Lindsay Holder promised to submit to BU the articles for posting, when he does maybe we can have a good discussion to clarify issues. It is a long article and requires a second reading on our part before comment. Again we congratulate Lindsay Holder on his effort to provide a different perspective to the debate. Peter Wickham should take a note given his role as a public commentator.

  38. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Right on

    thanks for providing nothing to which I need respond.

    PM Thompson has definitively stated his administration’s intention to pursue all the objectives of the CSME including freedom of movement of citizens of participating countries. Sir Lloyd Sandiford does not seem to agree with that policy.

  39. najo Avatar
    najo

    Sylvan I agree with you, they are alot them down at starcom belonging to the M.I.A foundation, and Ellis who was a little puppy before Owen now wants to disrespect our wonderful PM.

  40. lholder Avatar
    lholder

    MUBB,
    I tried to avoid getting into all of the technical details of how you treat different types of expenditure or uses of money. If the analysis is done in detail then the foreign exchange costs of the remittances out of the earnings of migrants would be taken into account. There are two valid reasons, however, why I have not focussed on that aspect. The first is that from an overall perspective the remittances are not that significant. Secondly, if the jobs now performed by immigrants were performed by locals, the overall exchange outflows would be about the same.

  41. mash up & buy back Avatar
    mash up & buy back

    LINDSAY

    Didn’t you read today that remittances for workers amounted to close to 100 million barbados dollars for 2007.

    Remember that is foreign exchange leaving our shores.

    Not an amount to sneeze at,I am sure.

  42. lholder Avatar
    lholder

    MUBB,
    The key point is that the spending patterns of bona fide Barbadians and migrants are different. If Barbadians were doing the jobs that migrants were doing, then rather than remittances by migrants we would witness an almost equivalent foreign expenditure component on other goods and services purchased by Barbadians. The major exception would occur if Barbadians, doing the jobs that migrants are currently performing, saved the amount that migrants are currently remitting. However, most low income workers do not save a significant portion of their income.

  43. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    lholder
    I always agree will most of the comments in your articales, however, this time I totally disagree. The remittances being sent out of barbados weekly, IS hurting our foreign exchange. The matter become more acute as the crisis deepens and the influx continues. Let’s face it guyanese, especially, are STILL flocking into Barbados, it will be well near impossible for the Barbados government to deport all of them. The understanding is, the more of them the less chances of deportation
    Who will pay, the Barbados government CANNOT foot that bill and Jagdeo is not interested. Yet every week more and more foreign exchange will be leavingf barbados. Guyanese are willing to pay up to 4 to 1 (bds) for U.S currency.

  44. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    It is time the regional leaders realise that Caricom/CSME, while technically is a good thing, will NEVER happen. With all these leaders wanting to be at the podium at the same time, because none of them trust each other. Look at what is happening in cricket, T&T is now considering going alone. Eric Williams might be dead but Trinis still know new maths.

  45. mash up & buy back Avatar
    mash up & buy back

    Hear a caller to CBC 100.7 f.m. talking about an accident on the spring garden highway on sunday involving a whole family of illegal guyanese.

    He said the police and fire officers came and they were all taken to the hospital for free health care paid for by the tax payers of barbados and no one asked about their status.

    Yet these guyanese writing in starbroek every day about how wicked and inhumane bajans are.

    Biting the hands that feeds it is what comes to my mind.

  46. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    MUBB
    That same illegal group of guyanese are going to not only bite off the hands but the entire body just now. That is what you get when you play decent with people that can’t even spell the word.

  47. lholder Avatar
    lholder

    The Scout,
    My arguments are based on sound Economics. Assume that the remittances are made out of earnings for legitimate work, work that had to be done and that otherwise would have been done by Barbadians or some other group of persons. Then, the foreign exchange cost of those remittances is no different to the foreign exchange cost of expenditure on goods and services that would have been purchased by an alternative group of individuals doing the same work done by the Guyanese.

  48. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    I think I understand what you are saying but i prefer if bajans were the ones taking advantage or control of what foreign exchange we utilise. For example, there are many migrants, legal and illegal, working in jobs that bajans are being rejected. E.G in stores in Swans St. Etc. These unemplyed bajans still have to buy items and spend foreign exchange whether directly or indirectly. What is happening is the little savings bajans were accumillating to spend at Christmas or other such occasions have dried up. In some cases this can lead to an increase in crime as some folks intend to continue their spending habits. While this is happening Barbados foreign exchange is haemorrhaging. At the end of the day, like a cancer, when their is nothing left, the patient dies. Unlike the cancer in the patient, this cancer is contageous and simple moves on to do the same damage to someone else. Get rid of the cancer NOW.

  49. lholder Avatar
    lholder

    The Scout,
    Your comments are valid. That is precisely why we must get rid of the bulk of the undocumented immigrants.

  50. Avatar
    Anonymous

    How does an undocumented migrant get foreign exchange to send to their homeland? I am a Bajan and getting US$ from a bank requires certain documentation. Is the outflow in BDS$? The black market in US$ must therefor be considerable. Can I also assume that this black market is ran by Bajans?

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