Submitted by Douglas Phillips
Mr. Owen Arthur, the Prime Minister of Barbados from 1994 until 2008, in his recent speeches has made comment on the present use by government of large contracting firms rather than the small man. At first thought it appears that Mr. Arthur is attempting to get easy political mileage at the expense of the present administration, but he went on to mention the name Mr. Mohammed Nassar and you realise that even Mr. Arthur would know that there is a limit to the number of times one man should be bailed out by the same economy.
Clearly the name he should have called was Mr. Barrack which experience we are sure Mr. Arthur would like to forget. It was Mr. Arthur’s administration which contracted with Mr. Barrack that has left the present administration with the fiasco which has been publicized so well. In retrospect Mr. Arthur’s regime in an effort to avoid more experiences like the Barrack one, started contracting with large contractors to build Sapphire Beach condominiums, that construction was completed last month at a a cost which was 1½% over the cost estimated when the contract was signed. The new Supreme Court complex and many others. Appointing large contractors was clearly a step in the right direction when you compare some of the other projects which the present administration inherited like the ABC Highway among many others.
No where in Mr. Arthur’s criticism of the present Administration does he mention the question of cost and whether the larger contractor can produce better value for the limited money which the Government has to spend; the question raised by Mr. Arthur is purely with whom the Government is contracting.
Following Mr. Arthur’s logic, it appears that the award of Government contracts is the distribution of Government largesse. Those days are done, Mr. Arthur. It is the stated intention of Government to keep the largest number of jobs available for the Barbadian work force so that is necessary to contract with persons who can perform the job at the cost agreed and so make the Government’s limited resources go further.
Mr. Arthur pointed out in his speech at the University the need for the Government to control wastage. Now in speeches of a more political nature, not two weeks later, he criticizes Government for following the trend which he, in his wisdom started, and which has proved successful.
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