Submitted by Looking Glass

Do not “believe every inspired expression but test the inspired waters. (John 1. 4.1).

The devotion of some faithfuls to their party borders on idolatry and poisons the waters of enlightenment. In an effort to resurrect the phoenix from the dust fact and fiction are mixed to provide “false explanations and misrepresentations to mislead,” to blind unsuspecting souls, and to shift blame and liability. It opens the door to controversy, corrupts understanding and is ultimately self-defeating. It also speaks volumes about the wisdom, competence, integrity and morality of the phoenix and associates. Only fools would expect those responsible for great tragedies to emphasise with the tragic mood.

It may well be true that the DLP commissioned the Wickham poll. But is it fact or fiction? Forget the questionnaire. What was the political persuasion of those polled? How large was the sample and the area(s) covered? How many of the responders were BLP, DLP, Liberals and or Independents? Are we to accept that the majority of those polled were known DLPites from across the country? It is unlikely that the author had been privy to this information.

The author, real or surrogate (suspected), offers nothing to indicate that the poll was indeed commissioned. By his own admission the poll is inherently flawed. Since the poll is inherently flawed the findings must also be flawed. Ditto for an offering that relied on the questionable findings of the poll.

As to the remaining allegations, it is hard to believe that anyone familiar with our socio-economic situation and who, having read the Looking Glass, would even venture such insinuations. The tone and substance of the piece raises suspicion. It is hard, given the complexity of the subject and the metrics, to accept the veracity of one who fell off the advanced level cliff. I suspect the piece was ‘dictated’ (by an economist which seems to be the trend). Either way it can hardly be said to be objective or substantive. This is not to say that all who did not succeed at a certain level are savvy short. The candle beneath the bed exposed the real writer and or ‘dictator’ will avoid this method of communicating and desist from plagiarism.

We were in crisis and people were suffering before the DLP took office. Yes the DLP is not without limitations, but it is an insult to a bar-fly to blame them for our condition. Thanks to the last regime the PM inherited an empty trough and about $20 billion in national debt, which without guns or butter will inevitably increase. (Indebtedness: No End In Sight; On The Road To Perdition; The Problem of Debt) The souls of yore all but killed the goose and with it the golden egg. No leadership, however brilliant, can resurrect the dead.

It is my understanding that, among other things, the PM was advised to consider a full forensic accounting investigation and how to go about it. Had he done so the ball-park would have been substantially cleansed by now. For some of the very high and mighty suicide would be a natural cause of death. Others would seek refuge in the Essequibo, don the pin-stripes or follow the Daimler(s) Either way Debtor’s Prison will soon be home for some. The writs are sure to arrive.

The IMF was in Barbados long before the present PM took office. The (2006) report endorsed the government “intention to further privatize the tourism sector,” and the “identification of potential assets that could be divested in the near term,” (sale of Gems) as well as “improvements in the buying and selling of real estate.” It also projected debt at “75% of GDP by 2011,” and recommended a more “ambitious plan for adjustment and structural reform.” Why would we still be committed to selling off (privatising if you prefer) the rest of our valuable assets if debt was not more than just a problem?  Does it make sense to “give away your arse and shit through your ribs,” as the old people would say? According to the 2008 report the “total debt rose to 95% of GDP….and predicted an average debt ratio of 106% by 2013.” It took much more than a couple years to reach this state.

The 2009 report focused on the “impact of the global recession on Barbados and the options and priorities to weather the crisis,” not the cause of our pre-crisis state. The decline in international reserves in recent months reflected “lower tourism receipts and private capital inflows but were recently boosted by a successful international bond placement,” and noted that “widening fiscal deficits in recent years led to an increase in public debt to 106% of GDP at end-2008.”

The recommendations (some cited in the Nation 19/09/09) are in many ways due to the brilliant management and the “failing of intellect” of the last regime. The current global crisis is merely a reminder that our perilously flawed economy with its “macro-imbalances,” is a breeding ground for servitude social unrest and disorder.

Tourism was falling off the cliff before the DLP took office due partly to an increasing oversupply of bed-nights; poor marketing, play-by-air management and specious revenue creation including Carnival Cruise Line reported payment and ‘assurances.’ Imagine the cruise line paying us to come there. The reverse is more likely the case. (Tourism in Peril) As Danjuama 18/09 duly noted not every tourist destination “faces the same conditions.” The hotel industry is an amalgam of many sectors with different resources, capabilities and deficiencies. For example those on the West Coast are generally—and will likely be—better positioned to attract new and repeat visitors. A detailed study is required to identify strength, weakness etc, to facilitate target marketing and to address the problem of geographical location. The development of the East coast is not without negative implications for the South coast

We are told that under the DLP rule Four Seasons laid off 800 workers. Are they about to develop the entire West Coast? It takes less than 400 people to build skyscrapers in North America. The Government doesn’t own Four Seasons, a private entity, and cannot dictate to them when or how many to lay off. Does the writer know the difference between Public a Private entity? Four Seasons alone change the tide. Have you ever see a one-legged horse win a race? The claim of “poor judgment, bad decisions and political incompetence,” is tantamount to the super black pot calling the kettle black, a case of reverse osmosis