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Hartley Henry - DLP Political Strategist
Hartley Henry – DLP Political Strategist

Barbadians are truly ‘something else’. The hundreds of calls, texts and mails I have received over the past four days suggest that I need not say very much in response to certain allegations, because people already know about ‘the connection’.

I thought I had stumbled upon a dark, grey secret with respect to why a certain person enjoys seemingly unfettered access to a particular publication, week in and week out. But every mode and means of communication has been used in recent days to convey to me graphic details of ‘the connection’. What I thought was a piece of ‘hot, juicy news’ turned out to be ‘a particle of rich history’; for Sam Cuch, the Duppy and their in-laws know all about ‘the connection’.

‘The connection’ apparently did not start yesterday, last month or even last year. ‘The connection’ has been ongoing for years now and apparently has been a rocky road for one, characterized, as has now become the norm with cohorts of the aggressor, by an enormous amount of abuse. I am hearing now of blows to the face, blows to the head, blows about the body and even attempts at slitting the wrist. I am also told of the entry of a company head honcho into the “ling”, and the moving out and moving in with the said heavy roller. This heavy roller must be packing a mean punch, kick and especially lick to have two bosses in so pitiful a state, lying prostrate at every beck and call.

That an institution, so once revered and respected, would permit itself to be used and manipulated in so vulgar a fashion is amazing. The foreign owners really need to come to Bim and investigate the moral cesspool that has developed within those walls. It is no longer what it once was. It no longer serves the purpose for which it was created.

Not everyone on the inside is willing to look the other way. The fact that I know of the telephone conversation that preceded the now well publicized call, indicates that not everyone is in agreement with that which is going on. There is gratitude to this writer for bringing certain truths to light.

There is nothing personal about this intervention. But I detest hypocrisy and self righteousness. I am absolutely amazed by the sordid details of incidents and occurrences taking place under that roof, involving the higher of higher ups who are supposed to be setting examples. “Run the desk for me. Tonight is my night, tomorrow is yours”…and up to the nest they go. The whole thing makes Sodom and Gomorrah look like students of theology. In return, the heavy roller gets prominence on demand.

There was no threat to anyone! There was an appeal for fairness and professionalism. There was the assurance that if such was absent on this particular occasion, the world would be sensitized to a chronology of events that point to the aforementioned connection being the source and the cause of unprofessionalism. The exact words were “the whole of Barbados will come to understand how it is that”, a particular individual “can have unfettered access to” a known publication. Little did one know that the entire world, it would appear, was already appraised of the sordid details of the three way connection that has brought a most noble profession to shame.

Those shedding crocodile tears must rewind and reflect on conversations conducted prior to the much publicized call being received. Whom did you speak to after receiving highlights of the survey? What advice was given relative the appropriate response? What assurances were made as to what will not appear where? There is a difference between being threatened and feeling threatened!

If you wish to know about threats and about being threatened cast your mind back, to not so long ago, when other persons were perched on Bay Street. Who could forget the fate of Jerry Richards, Don Norville, Winston Worrel, Carl Ince, Cecil Foster, Adrian Sisnett, Don Singh, Mohammad Saied, Julian Rogers, Muriel Sealy, Ricky Singh, Hugh Foster, Peter Greene, Terry Ally, Reudon Eversley, Rosemary Alleyne and Keith Goddard, to mention but a few. What was the cause of Oliver Jackman resigning from the Elder Statesmen Advisory Group? Which politician was overheard saying that a former big up in the pine ‘would never get a job in the local media again’?

This writer is not a madman. It takes a lot to get him upset.  But several months of examples of systemic unprofessionalism would have had to come to a head at some stage. One does not know whether the publication has wittingly or innocently permitted itself to be used, but the records are there and can be examined by anyone in search of truth.

You cannot be biased and at the same time plead innocence and objectivity. What is good for the goose must be equally good for the gander. You are independent and middle of the road or you are leaning to one side at the expense of the other. If you are biased and have an agenda, it is your right so to be, but do not expect to be treated in the same manner as when you were straight up and professional.

This writer is not intimidated by or afraid of threats and portrayal of being arrogant, vindictive or even anti the freedom of the media. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am a media man to the core. This has nothing to do with press freedom. This is all about ‘the connection’.

Let the world press bodies come in search of truth. I want them to investigate ‘the connection’. Would this and could this have happened anywhere else in the world? Let us go global with ‘the connection’. The National Enquirer would love the details. Call the police! Lay the charges! Let’s all go on the witness stand and be cross examined about character, integrity, professionalism and ‘the connection’. I dare you!!

Hartley Henry is a Regional Political Strategist. He can be reached at hartleyhenry@gmail.com

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717 responses to “No Threat To Press Freedom It’s All About ‘The Connection’”


  1. Ok Pat, thanks for that! Canada, ‘the big country’!! Did u visit Yellowstone Park or, is that in the US!!


  2. YB, I’m trying to further my education here man, via u! Dave would be entirely in favour of dah!! so, go ahead! He’ll understand!!


  3. Bush Tea,

    I knew that dig about admitting defeat would rouse you. I think on sober reflection you would have to admit that, while Negroman may well be a typical harmless, boisterous Bajan whose bark may be worse than his bite, his contributions come across as those of a very angry person…why he has even gone so far as to threaten physical violence and incite other posters to violence. To quote him “Brother Scout I feel like you.I do not give a damn if David ban me either or edit this posting.I am totally piss to f–k off and it is all out war. Sir shridath Ramphal talk about ethnic cleansing I am about to start ethnic cleansing.Physical confrontation must be order of day now in Barbados.

    Scout,JC.& the rest let start revolution.”

    Man, talk like that is scary to me, a Bajan, much less to a non national, and as has been noted elsewhere, the comments have been allowed to stand. Iappreciate that this is in pursuance of the blog’s “freedom of speech policy”.

    In my opinion, David, as a responsible blog host who ought to have the wider interest of Barbados at heart along with his commitment to free speech, ought to have distanced himself from that comment in order to dispel the damaging perception otherwise put abroad, that the blog administration is itself racist. That’s my greatest concern.

    I have no wish to harm Negroman on account of his views. I just find them unfortunate and unenlightened in this day and age.


  4. You will never understand Inkwell. ….my point is -Judge not!!

    I find your position to be unfortunate and unenlightened too, but no thought of harm ever even crossed my mind…. nor would I forgive David should he even think to ban you….
    I don’t have one rule for you and another for NM.

    Think carefully about it. Most of the problems of this world come from persons judging others and taking strong positions and actions BASED ON THEIR OWN PERSONAL STANDARDS. As I have been trying to say, this is the essence of racism.

    Essentially, you are condemning NM because he may not be able to express his justifiable anger in a manner that is pleasing to you…… same reason Bush bombed Iraq, and why Israelis kill Palestinians and vice versa…

    Love is about learning to see the other perspective, to appreciating difference, assisting NM to improve where he is weak and guiding him where he has a point.

    …but I do admit that it would be much simpler (and more self-righteous) to lynch him….


  5. @Inkwell

    It should be obvious to all the opinions of commenters are not necessarily always held by BU. To make sure this is understood we have included it in our Comments Policy.


  6. When did you include that in your comments policy David? Very recently?


  7. i and barbados still waiting on big fat mamma mia to answer the questions. as bumba say one time, we want to know.


  8. You.I [space required ]

    Posting.I [space required]

    shridath [Names should be capitalized]

    Rafeal – [the man’s last name is Ramphal]

    Iappreciate [requires a space]

    I do not know if you were trying to save on ink, but spaces don’t require any and the amount saved by forming a lower case s instead of an upper case one is negligible. Lol!

    —————————
    Is it possible that you are just an intolerant person, intent on hiding this defect under false concerns cooked up by the anti-Black Barbados BFP and apparently believed by you that this blog’s Administrator is racist on their say so? Very few of the regulars here if any, believes such and if BFP’s traffic statistics are indeed accurate neither does the visitors to their site as is evident by their declining numbers.


  9. Bush Tea // September 4, 2009 at 6:56 PM

    You will never understand Inkwell. ….my point is -Judge not!!
    ————————————————
    Inkwell not judge others? Can the man exist without so doing? “Judge not” are like daggers plunged into his elitist, condescending heart.


  10. Adrian,
    All those in favour say ‘aye’. I think the ‘ayes’ have it.

    Inkwell,
    Ya unadulterated KLOWN.
    I survived your assassin.
    YA KLOWN.


  11. i.e ‘assassination’ .


  12. Why don’t you all leave Inkwell? The truth is BU does not detect any malice in Inkwell’s comments. He is voicing his opinion to which he is entitled.


  13. David // September 4, 2009 at 8:11 PM

    Why don’t you all leave Inkwell? The truth is BU does not detect any malice in Inkwell’s comments. He is voicing his opinion to which he is entitled.
    ————————————————-

    Sorry David only when I become bored can I think of leaving him alone. Moreover, he does not understand what I write anyway. This negrocrat is too high up on Olympus looking down at me a mere mortal, to have the time to decipher my incoherency, and so I will continue, whenever he comes down from on high and give of his wisdom.


  14. With one fell swoop, Inkwell may have been knocked off his intolerant perch, by being cast as “unenlightened” by someone he may have considered to be of liked intelligence and worthy of his time to converse with. However, he is likely to resume his perch and carry on as if nothing has occurred. How cruel of you Bush Tea. Inkwell needed you to help demonstrate to us of lesser intellect that he is an intellectual heavy weight. He may now have to wonder how many more on this blog believe as I do that he is not. ha ha ha lol!


  15. Inkwell work fah de IMF an’ still livin’ in Barbados…

    AAAAAAAAAghhhhhhhhhhhhhh

    AAAAAAAAAghhhhhhhhhhhhhh


  16. Yardbroom, man, u is a real spoil-sport man!! I’m disappointed!!


  17. David,

    At the risk of belaboring the point, I felt that it would be undesirable for BU to be labeled a “racist blog”, (as it has been, and not only on BFP, but in general conversation in the society), as opposed to a blog on which racist comments are permitted, but if that does not bother you, so be it.


  18. @Inkwell

    BU cannot be classified as a racists blog. None of the threads deal with racism but with slavery which was perpetrated under the belief that the white man is superior. We are complaining about racism here not perpetrating it.

    All of you people out there who want to try to label this a racists blog should visit the true racists blogs and get on their backs. Shut them up. Don’t come here trying to sell lies and deceitfulness.

    look at the variety of thread that make up this blog; education; roadworks, freedom of speech; freedom of the press; poverty; the economy; politics; corruption; etc. but you take the particular topic of slavery and because on those threads there are complaints of racism, you want to label the entire blog as racist.

    Now to me, that is not only a sign of guilt but an attempt to muzzle free speech… but more dangerous is that it is an attempt to prevent the victims from coming to grips with the crime.

    A people without a history is doomed to repeat the past. It therefore seems to be our right to discuss what happened to us in the past. We did not perpetrate it on ourselves so those who perpetrated it should stand aside.

    Certainly 40 or 50 years of talking about it and you hearing it, cannot compare with 400 years of feeling it. If this is painful for you with even a touch, imagine what it was for us that endured the pain inflicted?

    Hold a corner. We have our rights. They had no right but did it nevertheless.


  19. ROK, ‘BU cannot be classified as a racists blog. None of the threads deal with racism but with slavery which was perpetrated under the belief that the white man is superior. We are complaining about racism here not perpetrating it.’ Of course, it can. Racism is a series of core beliefs, and does not relate only to the topic of discussion. There is ample evidence that racist beliefs are at the core of many commentators’ views, as are sexism, and other forms of -isms, as are envy.

    Your argument is indeed like that of many racists who may do deeds that are clearly discriminatory on racial grounds but then cry in defence by saying ‘We never said that they were not welcome’. The ends can show the intent as clearly as the words.
    You may want to argue that other adjectives should be there, but ‘racist’ can stand.


  20. ROK,

    On the subject of reparations, which I know is dear to you, I submit that it is futile to approach from a monetary perspective. The question of how much is to be paid, by whom and to whom will be drawn out interminably. The possibility of any individual getting his hands on any actual cash is remote, (sorry to disappoint you).

    The only just and proper solution is for the white race to give back to the black race a period of “slavery”, say 200 years.

    Just think how we could advance in Africa and the diaspora with 200 years of free labour. Think about it.


  21. @Inkwell

    You are pathetic. You really feel you could dangle them kind of carrots in front of me?

    First, to give a realistic answer to your question, those who are able to trace their ancestor back to slaves should collect some money… we will find a way to compensate those who can’t.

    However, this is not about money, it is about the system. If every person had the opportunity across the board that racism affords to white, we could pull ourselves up as Pat asserts…

    but so long as the banks keep bouncing cheques and breaking and entering their customers accounts to take out penalties for bounced cheques rather than give an overdraft; and so long as we are treated as risks when it comes to borrowing money for business or otherwise; there will never be justice and racism will continue to underpin the philosophy of our economic, social and political system.


  22. Inkwell the intellectual that I am not, has been described as “unenlightened”.
    So far, for the morning, he has been linked to lies, deceit, and labeled as pathetic. All resulting from contributions that are grammatically correct, contain no spelling mistakes and that can be said to demonstrate his intellectual strengths.

    @Rok:
    I once heard part of a speech delivered by Hillary Beckles on the topic of reperations. He seem to be pro reperations and was laying an argument to support his position. I would love to hear that speech, but have no idea how to get ahold of Hillary’s writings. Any thoughts on how?


  23. @Rickey George

    I am not a racist. None of my core beliefs are based on black as superior. I have not advocated that whites are treated as less than human.

    So what you saying? I can’t talk about what has been perpetrated against me and still continues to be perpetrated?

    All this pointing of fingers and shouting charges of racism is a mere ploy to sweep under the carpet what is essentially the core values of the racist themselves. They feel so superior that they feel that they are the only race with a license to perpetrate racism; anybody who criticises it is inferior and should not be allowed to criticise.

    Is that what you telling me? Are you saying that slavery was not based on the superiority of the white race as its core value?

    Are you saying that racism does not exist in Barbados and is not perpetrated by the “so-called” whites of Barbados?

    Are you saying that this racism and the idea that the white man is superior should be allowed to continue unchallenged?

    Exactly what are you saying because the racism that exist today is a remnant of slavery too. Why don’t you tell your white friends to forget the past too?


  24. @Rickey George

    Have a read! Nation News October 04, 2006:

    Almost 200 years after that historic milestone in world history, Caribbean states are demanding that the United Nations celebrate the anniversary of the momentous event with a purpose.

    From Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and the Bahamas to Dominica and St Lucia, the call is the same: the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery must resonate around the world.

    “This will not only deepen our knowledge and understanding of slavery and the slave trade,” said Dame Billie Miller, Barbados’ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, “but also contribute to the removal of the vestiges of slavery.”

    Dr Ralph Gonsalves, St. Vincent’s Prime Minister, didn’t stop there. He wants the UN to put the issue of reparations squarely on the table for discussion.

    “There has been no apology for this crime against humanity and genocide, conducted over a prolonged period,” he said in a recent address to the UN General Assembly. “There has been no practical recompense in the form of reparations to the affected nations and peoples in Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas. Surely, this issue must be put squarely on the agenda of the United Nations for speedy resolution.”

    Gonsalves, recognised in Caribbean academic circles as a scholar, waxed eloquently as he asserted “European nations and their North American cousins” must answer for their crimes.

    “Europe has much to answer for on these matters and should be made to answer properly, appropriately,” he said. “Historic wrongs not righted remain scars on the soul of the oppressor and the oppressed alike which continue to haunt over the ages. It is a hateful burden, which must be lifted. This dark night must give way to a brightened day.”

    For its part, Jamaica served notice that the Caribbean plans to table a resolution at the current session of the General Assembly, “with the expectation”, said Anthony Hylton, its foreign minister, “that the General Assembly will appropriately recognise the event”.

    The Bahamas has taken a different approach. While signalling the world body that it supports the “CARICOM initiative to encourage the United Nations to mark and commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition” of the slave trade, it is taking steps on its own to educate its people’s about the abhorrent nature of slavery and the positive features of Afro-Caribbean culture.

    It outlined some of its plans for domestic celebrations, including a Festival of Arts, which is to run from March next year to January 2008.

    “A different country or region will be showcased each month during the festival as a means of exposing Bahamians to the rich culture of Africa through theatre, art, music and dance,” explained Fred Mitchell, the Bahamian foreign minister.

    When Petrus Compton, St Lucia’s Minister of External Affairs, raised the issue at the UN, he said his country was backing the plan for a UN commemoration next year because the passage of the bill in the British parliament in 1807 “began the process of the abolition of slavery in the British Empire”.

    Like Gonsalves, he described slavery “as a crime against humanity”.

    While Trinidad and Tobago’s UN ambassador Philip Sealy stopped way short of Gonsalves’ and Compton’s characterisation of slavery, he did link Haiti’s struggle for independence in the Caribbean with the abolition of the slave trade, calling them “significant developments” of an international nature.

    “The slave trade has had adverse long-term effects on the social and economic development of parts of Africa that is still being felt today,” he said.


  25. Let me guess, ROK, you are one who can trace his roots back to slaves, right? But who are you going to collect this bonanza from…… COW?

    Some news for you, banks won’t bounce your cheque if you have sufficient funds on your account. If you write a cheque and don’t have funds to cover, that’s called fraud. Its just next to pushing your hand in someone’s pocket and taking money without their permission.

    If you are unable to arrange credit with a financial institution, you want pathetic? it is pathetic to blame your failure on racism. Many many black individuals and businesses in Barbados have credit facilities with commercial banks.


  26. @AH
    The hardest thing to find is a speech by Sir Hilary. I just like you. It would be best to check with UWI. I sure the media have copies and he used to write a column in the Nation weekly. Maybe you could get some of those if you subscribe to Nation Library.


  27. @Inkwell

    You keep harping on me like if my mouth long out for your corrupt money. Let me let your heart rest at peace. I have no desire for yours or COWs money. But you would like to impute that I am hungry after somebody’s money.

    Next thing you don’t understand business. If everybody paid by cash a business would not have cash flow problems. The cash flow problems are created when a bank effectively hold you cheques for 5 days but then when other cheques come in, they get to your account the same day. It is a cash flow problem. So it is the system that allows a bank to do that.

    Next thing is that I am not talking about the house niggers that they tokenly give some credit to. I am speaking of young entrepreneurs who are trying to create a job for themselves because the system don’t have the jobs.

    The banks have become a whip to our little people; just carrying away all their money making it harder and putting them under more sacrifice and burden while the bankers just creaming it off.

    You need to go and ask some questions before spouting what you don’t know and coming across as an idiot. I am sure you are not an idiot so go and do some research and try to gain some understanding; unless of course you are a racists propagandist; well then I understand.


  28. I am no longer amaze by the indentities that follow this blog. wow is all I am permitted to say.

    ——————————————-

    “Slavery was a long, long time ago”:
    Remembrance, Reconciliation and the
    Reparations Discourse in the Caribbean
    Hilary McD. Beckles

    Memory of slavery in the Caribbean is no sporting matter. Nearly one
    hundred seventy years since general emancipation in the English-speaking
    sub-region, the immediacy of the recollection of slavery still angers
    many in the regional community. It also hinders movement toward
    ethnic reconciliation, and serves to sustain the identity consciousness
    that energizes the rapidly emerging reparations movement. In addition,
    the polarizing politics of post-modern economic globalization that insists
    history step aside to make room in the popular imagination for a
    mythical level playing field, daily drives daggers into the heart of the idea
    that ethnic reconciliation and reparations constitute a unitary idea.


  29. ROK,

    At the risk of compromising my anonymity, I am a black banker of 32 years experience, much of which has been spent dealing in the area of credit and financial analysis, I might add, successfully so. I therefore find your tirade highly amusing.

    It clearly is you who needs to, as you say “go and ask some questions before spouting what you don’t know and coming across as an idiot.”

    I am tired of hearing poorly prepared wannabe businessmen blame everything but their own inadequacy, for their failure to satisfy basic banking requirements for credit.


  30. @ROK:
    http://ariel.synergiesprairies.ca/ariel/index.php/ariel/article/viewFile/21/19

    ONLY 18 pages saying pretty much what you have said to the dry Inkwell and the doppelganger Ricky George.

    We are going to have dicussions no matter who or what.


  31. ….Were you an officer or owner of a bank? I think the title of “banker” should be assigned to owners only. But nevertheless if you were an officer did you set bank policy?

    Banks in Barbados should be accorded a good reputation.


  32. @Inkwell

    I know that we had a welfare Department with social workers who had degrees in their work but it took a degreeless Hammie La to bring that department to its senses and offer welfare recipients and those in poverty a better service.

    We talking about people who would judge whether or not to give a poor person welfare if they had a TV set. Neither did they understand the concept of working poor, where a person at points in time need a little boost to stop their electricity or water from being turned off.

    As a banker you can’t be interested in the welfare of your customers. Your eyes have not gotten past the bottom line and the rules that work against poor people. For example, where would a young potential entrepreneur wit a good idea on leaving school get the money from to start his/her idea?

    Take for example, a man who was trained to be a machinist can’t get a loan from the bank to buy equipment. What is the real problem? That kind of equipment don’t lose value easily and those skills are in high demand, that is why COW making so much money…

    but the real ploy is to keep these youngsters out of business so that COW can make all the money. So the bank’s policy is like a stuck record; you either have it or suck salt.

    You being a banker does not tell me anything about your business acumen or your appreciation for the work of organisation like the Barbados Youth Business Trust that understands the problems and provide loans to young entrepreneurs. Why don’t you check to see how these youth are now doing?

    Further, you being a banker cannot tell me anything about the struggles of small and micro business. You just see the results of the system. Go and research it fella… and one more thing, You are a banker? Well I now understand why you talking so. The day you lose your job for wahtever reason, you will be speaking in different tongues.


  33. A couple observations, ROK, and then I’m done.

    “As a banker you can’t be interested in the welfare of your customers. Your eyes have not gotten past the bottom line and the rules that work against poor people.”

    A non sequiter. Successful customers contribute to the bottom line of the bank. Failed customers often mean a write off against profits.

    “…where would a young potential entrepreneur wit a good idea on leaving school get the money from to start his/her idea?”

    Have you ever heard the word partnership? Research the difference between a commercial bank and a merchant bank. Most aspiring black entrepreneurs don’t see the benefit of taking 50% of something; they usually end up with 100% of nothing.

    Commercial banks have a responsibility to their depositors to exercise sound judgment in the granting of loans and the Central Bank keeps a very close eye. You will recall where the poor exercise of judgment landed the Barbados Development Bank.

    “but the real ploy is to keep these youngsters out of business so that COW can make all the money.”

    That is so silly, not even you can believe it. All the commercial banks and other financial institutions are complicit in a conspiracy against young black entrepreneurs. Right


  34. “We talking about people who would judge whether or not to give a poor person welfare if they had a TV set. Neither did they understand the concept of working poor, where a person at points in time need a little boost to stop their electricity or water from being turned off.”

    As usual ROK, a post with no substance.

    You have tried to imply that banks won’t lend money to the “working poor” who are black. ROK, there is no bank anywhere in the world that will loan money to whose who have no collateral to secure the loan, whether they be black or white. If you can’t pay your utilities how in the hell can you repay a loan? Banks are not in the business of taking loan losses, they are in the business of making loans that can be repaid.


  35. @Inkwell
    “A non sequiter. Successful customers contribute to the bottom line of the bank. Failed customers often mean a write off against profits.”

    Failed customers? When does a customer fail? I suppose after the first year, right? If there is a non-sequitor that is one. Sometimes a business may take 5 or more years to be a success. The bank withdraws it support of the business after the first year and then deem the entrepreneur a failure.

    Partnership? Bank don’t care about you and no partnership. I know so many businessmen that were deemed failures that turned out to be a success and many who turned out successful in the long run, they get chopped like Neville Rowe and who takes over all the assets? Well Neville got lucky or at least played his hand differently… but your banks move in for the kill.

    Like how the FBI did Garvey; for a conviction of fraud for $25. they confiscated millions of dollars from UNIA; Note – from USA to Jamaica. That is what you do. That is the kind of people you work for.

    You said: “Commercial banks have a responsibility to their depositors to exercise sound judgment in the granting of loans and the Central Bank keeps a very close eye. You will recall where the poor exercise of judgment landed the Barbados Development Bank.”

    Yes I remember. Did you honestly believe that the BDB was set up to be a bank? It was set up to take high risks which the banks were not undertaking. That ended up being a place for political handouts. You honestly felt it was established to compete with banks? Hahahahahahahahahahaha.

    You said: “All the commercial banks and other financial institutions are complicit in a conspiracy against young black entrepreneurs. Right..”

    Well! That is the source of your problem; it’s so unbelievable that you can’t believe it, right? You don’t believe it, right? That’s what they are banking on; pun intended.


  36. @Scrouge

    You guys think that I born yesterday. You set up a financial institution with rules set up to keep out a particular race from inception. You do it by saying that those who have money can get loans and those who don’t can’t get. So who had the money and who didn’t have the money?

    So this becomes the culture of the bank; to keep out poor people. Slavery ends but because the ex-slave had no money after working his/her ass off to make white people rich, this rule effectively shuts them out.

    You come along today and you accept these racists rules as banking principles and that is what drives the core value of banking for you; a racist policy.

    Look how ridiculous it is. I can get a loan if I have the amount of the loan in a bank fixed deposit. Or I can get the loan if I have property of value; although sometimes your bank would make the decision that even though I have the property, they would deny me the loan by saying that they would not want to repossess people’s property and since I don’t have cash I don’t get the loan; even though my property may be several times the loan I require.

    I saw somebody wrote where COW was refused a loan to buy a tractor because he was considered a high risk. He was however able to get credit one way and work the other, proving the banks wrong… but you know I did hear how the white community tried to destroy COW; I have no proof, but the point I making is that COW has become such a large businessman that he calling the shots with the bank. When wunna see he, red carpets mussee does fall to the ground?

    This story in itself is proof that the banks’ policies are of no help to a developing country because it is stacked in the favour of the haves. If you think the only way you can get back your money is if I can pay my electric bill today, it means that you not only know nothing about your customers, you don’t care either.

    Don’t worry about the Central Bank, they only monitoring for foreign exchange purposes. They making sure that you don’t lend money to consumers for unnecessary things and lick up the foreign exchange balance…

    yet for a person without wealth who was trying to open up a business on the tourist belt you would still refuse to lend although that business bringing in foreign exchange. You don’t really care about any opportunity. Sometimes I wonder if you even interested in the Barbadian customers. I think not; you scorn our business.

    I travelled to Trinidad and saw people in lines at the banks for loans on demand; banks were making money available in an investment climate, rather than rely solely on foreign investments like we doing. One of those same banks came here and bought BNB. Where is your point?

    Let me leave you with this. I am tired of those who come on here charging that the contributions of others are empty while they themselves proceed with empty contributions.

    I am somewhat like Chris;
    1. People that say “trust me” are the ones you should least trust.
    2. People that say “believe me” are the ones you should not rush to believe.
    3. People that say others are empty are more than likely, themselves, empty.


  37. @ROK

    bBMA President says: Make loans to manufacturing easier to access
    (Adapted from a BMA press release of 12 Jan. 2006) Published: January 15, 2007
    The perception that there is no future in manufacturing is hurting the sector, says President of the Barbados Manufacturers’ Association (BMA) James Husbands.

    He says the manufacturing sector has been starved of financial resources although over $50 million dollars remained available through the Industrial Credit Fund of the Central Bank.

    The BMA president says the money was intended for loans to the productive sectors, including manufacturing, but were almost inaccessible by small- and medium-sized enterprises. He said these funds, which offer lower interest rates, seemed to be ignored by most commercial banks.

    The BMA head said that enterprises which have gone out of business, or have had to be scaled back significantly for one reason or another, need to be refinanced and given another chance to succeed.


  38. am somewhat like Chris;
    1. People that say “trust me” are the ones you should least trust.
    2. People that say “believe me” are the ones you should not rush to believe.
    3. People that say others are empty are more than likely, themselves, empty.

    Typical non sequitur by ROK.
    Typical Rokian bullshit!


  39. I’m sorry, ROK, but your “victim” mindset appears to render you impervious to enlightenment, at least on this subject. And I really am not trying to be insulting.


  40. Here is James Husbands again in a Tony Best Article titled Who is in Control? 12/31/06

    ……………………….
    But where does Husbands stand on all of this?

    The articulate head and founder of Solar Dynamics stopped far short of Robinson’s assertion about white impotence over the economy, but insists Whites have a disproportionate share of the influence in the country.

    “I don’t have the statistics to be able to say categorically ‘yes’ or ‘no’; but what I do know is that they have a profound influence on the economy, and that when they go into something our people have to help them make it successful . . . . There is an extra-ordinary influence” exerted by Whites, he said.

    In staking out that position, Husbands also put some distance between himself and Sir Courtney Blackman, a former Governor of the Central Bank, who insists Blacks, not Whites, dominate the economy and run the country. Sir Courtney’s view, like Robinson’s is also shared by Dick Stoute, president of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce.

    ‘Greater access to money’

    “This is a hot subject which Dr Courtney Blackman has been putting a spin on,” said Husbands.

    But the issue doesn’t rest simply on who owns the money or the property, said Husbands. Whites may not have the money but they have greater access to it than Blacks, especially those in business, in general, and manufacturing in particular. And that’s where the power of Whites can be found.

    “Sometimes having access to money is more important than having the money. In the same way, being able to influence things is more important than anything else.

    “We have to deal with some social challenges which we impose on ourselves. I say that because we should be challenging ourselves to be greater than we have been led to believe that we can be. I have tried very hard to encourage people to bring themselves to a level of performance that they themselves would be shocked at. We do it all over the world.

    “Barbadians all over the world, wherever they go, do it every day. We have to be able to do it at home and in our own enterprises. We are capable. It is just that we have to go to work wanting to work and feeling that we are empowered,” noted Husbands, (the “we” referring to Blacks).

    But the manufacturer doesn’t put all of the blame for the current situation on Whites.

    He complained that many black employees were eager to go the extra mile, take additional steps for white-owned firms, but would fail to perform at the same level for black-owned businesses.

    He based his conclusion on his own experience and on what he called “the residue of the plantation mentality that pervades the workforce”.

    “Sometimes we short-change ourselves and the companies we work with, and that is part of stymieing the growth of some of the enterprises that should be in a position to be increasing the export earnings of Barbados,” he insisted.

    Husbands readily acknowledged that many of his assessments were a painful admission for a black person who runs a company and he cited cases to substantiate his contention. First was a professional who was hired away from a white company to boost customer relations. Though the person was well trained and would have performed the task he was hired at the white company, he didn’t do it at the black one.

    “Sometimes we short-change ourselves and the companies that we work with,” he opined.

    Second was the case of black employees who worked more aggressively and efficiently for a white supervisor than for black managers. When challenged about it, they said, perhaps it was because the supervisor was white.

    Interestingly, Husbands agreed that black-on-black discrimination was partly at fault in many of the situations manufacturing firms and black employers had encountered. That’s why he wants the University of the West Indies and people in the private sector to help finance studies that would pinpoint the reasons, and come up with suggestions on how to reverse the negative trend.

    “It is worth the while for the university to spend some time and for businesses to spend some money on investigating some of the challenges we have, so that [the]people who come after us don’t have to go through the same challenges,” he said.

    Husbands thinks a part of the problem can be traced to a belief among some Blacks “that we can only reach a certain level. We do have a serious problem in validating one another,” he concluded.

    full article : http://www.barbadosforum.com/index.php?showtopic=6134&view=findpost&p=61144


  41. Adrian Hinds, do you have anything original and preferably your own to say or you just the copy and paste King?


  42. @ROK

    This was said to you. “ROK, there is no bank anywhere in the world that will loan money to those who have no collateral to secure the loan, whether they be black or white”

    Till this very day Neighbourhood banks Throughout New England will Loan up to 1000 usd to new Emmigrants or other persons who do not as yet have a credit history. All that is required is proof of residency, signature of a notory public (justice of the peace), and proof a Job. There is the concept of non-securatize loans with higher interest.


  43. I am not a progressive liberal. I see no need to reinvent the wheel so that I can feel there is meaning to my life.

    James Husbands comments fits nicely with those of ROK re. bank lending. Given James prominence and experience I think his words go a long way in substantiating ROKs points.


  44. Interesting debate regarding banking. A study of how markets behave may show that successful companies remain in a comfort zone and will sell products and services without change if profit margins remain wide. As competition or consumer behaviour matures/changes this places pressure on the profit margins of the companies and guess what happens? The companies are forced to penetrate new markets and or create new products.

    Inkwell, ROK et al if we apply this scenario to banking how does shake out?


  45. @AH

    I have to say thanks for that input. A nice piece of research. You must be complimented…

    but you notice that rather than being complimented for your input, you are being labelled as cut and paste king; obviously an attempt to degrade you and nullify the substance of your posts.

    Talk about racism? As Husbands said, it got we cat-spraddled. Too much head blows.


  46. @Inkwell
    “I’m sorry, ROK, but your “victim” mindset appears to render you impervious to enlightenment..”

    Well, I can equally say to you, “I’m sorry, Inkwell, but your “perpetrator of racism” mindset appears to render you impervious to enlightenment.”


  47. @David
    “The companies are forced to penetrate new markets and or create new products.”

    You may think I was being funny when I asked if the banks want the business of everyday Bajans? I firmly believe that the banks are now profiting so much from offshore banking and foreign investment deposits that deposits and banking activity of Bajans is more a chore for the banks than money making activity.

    Hence, they have no need to find new products to sell to Bajans. Their new product has already arrived and is in place. I bet they all upgraded and spruced up to meet that market when it became opened.

    So their profit margins have sky-rocketed and they don’t need us now. Check those banks with long lines in town and no real effort to provide the amount of cashiers.

    Note also that many banks now find it better to re-locate outside the city and maintain empty banks with one or two tellers who switch to other duties when the banks empty.

    I also want you to note that we talking about Barbados. As AH said, these kinds of services are available elsewhere but in Barbados, in our own country, we are still discriminated against wholesale; and considered the scum of the earth.


  48. David,

    Essentially, banks have one product, money, and most of it is not even theirs. They pay as attractive interest rates to entice depositors and lend that money to eligible borrowers at a higher rate to generate what is known as a spread, the difference between interest paid on deposits and interest earned from loans.

    There is little leeway in what banks can do as far as interest rates are concerned as the Central Bank sets a minimum rate which they must pay on deposits. Lending rates flow from that and each bank decides how low it can go and still achieve a reasonable spread to allow it to meet its operating expenses and make a profit. Fees for ancillary services play a major part in a Bank’s profitability and it is mainly in this area that we may see some competition, though in reality there is little difference in fee structures from one bank to another and there is little difference in the range of services offered.

    It is therefore essential that banks manage their loan portfolios well to avoid losses of capital and a reduction of interest income. Banks cannot afford to undertake loans that are overly risky as these can easily impact on the bottom line.

    It may be an unpalatable truth to some, but banks do not exist to “help” any individual or business. They exist, like any other business to make a profit, the only difference being that the product they buy and sell is “money”.


  49. Inkwell you probably made a mistake declaring your are a banker now you will become our BU banking expert!

    Read your explanation and understand where you are coming from but the point which seems to be stuck in ROK’s craw is the extent banks are making huge profits by remaining in a comfort position, isn’t there room to adjust how banks apply risk given their huge profit margins?


  50. @Inkwell: “Essentially, banks have one product, money, and most of it is not even theirs.

    You are seriously over-simplifying the situation…

    Banks have *many* products. And somehow those least able to pay pay the most…

    For example, I sometimes use my Bank Card to pay for a product. I pay (it turns out, looking at my Bank statement) BDS $0.75 for the privilege to spend *my* *own* money using an “at-the-till” machine. (“Don’t carry money”, the promotions say, “an at-the-till payment is safer”. Perhaps safer, but certainly not less expensive.)

    For the privilege of withdrawing *my* money from an “Automatic Teller Machine” (ATM) from any Bank other than my own, I pay BDS $1.00. Does it really cost $1.00 for my bank and another bank to settle a transaction?

    So, if someone is making small payments, or small withdrawals using their Bank Card, they could be paying upwards of (or even, over, for very small transactions) 5% to the Banks to access their *OWN* *MONEY*.

    (Before you (or anyone) present the counter to my above that ATMs et al infrastructure costs money, let me please pre-counter that was the whole point of ATMs et al not to lessen the need of the Banks to employ so many Humans as tellers, and thus to save the Banks money?)

    Hmmm….

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