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The Public’s Right To Know

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Prime Minister David Thompson

There has been a clamour by some if not many that Prime Minister David Thompson should have been obligated by law to reveal the nature of his illness a long time ago. Unfortunately the Prime Minister had to return to New York this weekend to undergo an emergency procedure. Our prayers are with him and his family at this time.  It seems that the recent medical complication has driven the Prime Minister to go public with details about the state of his health. In a telephone radio linkup this week from New York Prime Minister Thompson advised he has authorized Dr. Ishmael (his personal physician) to provide Barbadians with details about his condition.

Commonsense suggests that any individual who assumes the office of Prime Minister must expect to share personal information with the public when the situation demands it. There is a point when the need for a public official like the Prime Minister to divulge personal information intersects with what is required in the national interest. The question therefore is – should the Prime Minister when he was first diagnosed with his sickness been legally obligated to disclose publicly the nature of his illness?

Although BU is sympathetic regarding the Prime Minister’s condition it seems obvious that the Prime Minister should have communicated with the nation a long time ago. He has agreed to do so next week.

Barbadians should rightly believe that the members of parliament they voted to form the government are always positioned to make the best decisions in the national interest. It has become painfully obvious in the absence of Thompson that Barbadians have become fearful in the prevailing economic conditions. Much of the fear is motivated by a public perception that the government minus Prime Minister David Thompson appears to be clueless.  Despite the foregoing BU remains ambivalent whether the requirement to disclose personal information should be left to the judgement of the person holding office or be legislated. If we want to do it properly we should legislate the requirement to disclose both medical and financial information. Both have the potential to compromise our governance pillars.

Barbadians always deserved to know what ails our Prime Minister. It is a matter of national interest.

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135 responses to “The Public’s Right To Know”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    @independent

    Good suggestion!

  2. J Avatar
    J

    Fair Play wrote “Here is J waiting to gloat about his illness.”

    J responds: I am not gloating. I am sorry for the man, I am sorry for his mother, I am sorry for his wife, I am truly, truly sorry for his young daughters”

    Fair Play wrote “She does not know the true illness but she sees the end”

    J responds, I do not know the true nature of his illness because he does not want me to know.

    Fair Play wrote “Some of the BLP supporters want him to die full stop.”

    J responds: I have no power of life or death or health over anyone. And I AM GLAD THAT I HAVE NO SUCH POWER. Read my post again. I have voted for both parties, many, many times. So nobody can call me a BLP suporter becasue I am not. And nobody can call me a DLP supporter because I am not.

    Fair Play wrote “J be careful what you wish for. The DLP may get so many sympathy votes that you will have to come on this blog and cry for another five years.”

    J responds: I wish the PM well. But neither his life nor his health are in my hands. All such matters are up to his doctors (and I know that he has some of the best) and to God ( if he believes in God) and to nature. Sickness happens. People die. It happens every day and it is not J’s fault. If Bajans are so silly as to vote for the DLP (or the BLP) because the PM is sick/dying/dead then Bajans are more foolish that I thought.

    I won’t cry if the DLP loses. I won’t cry if the BLP loses.

    J didn’t cry when mummy died nor when daddy died so why should I cry when any party loses office (or if the PM dies)

    J didn’t cry when Grantley Adams died. J didn’t cry when Errol Barrow died. J didn’t cry when Tom Adams died. J didn’t cry when Errol Barrrow died. J didn’t cry when Harold St. John died. J won’t cry when Erskine Sandiford dies. J won’t cry when Owen Arthur dies. J won’t cry when David Thompsn dies. Of course J might die well before thees last three since J ain’t no spring chicken. In that case J won’t cry when J dies either, and J won’t care if anybody else cries. ROFLOL!!!!!

  3. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @David ”The issue here is not whether the public should know the nature of his illness per se but to have a transparent system where the public can be comfortable that our governance system is not being compromised”

    Exactly. I really have no personal interest in knowing his illness, nor should I. I really wish him well and that his family can be strong and receive all support.

    The issue is one of governance/ leadership, full stop. If, I hope not, there is no out and this is his wish to remain as PM, then so be it.

    But, perception in politics (indeed life),remains important as DR.Richie Haynes said.

  4. independent Avatar
    independent

    @Crusoe
    The nature of an illness might very well compromise one’s ability to govern. As a citizen wanting to know how ill the PM is , does NOT mean that I don’t wish him well.

  5. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Independent ! you make sense lots of it

    tell Boony Preppa and those of her ilk what you just told us

  6. J Avatar
    J

    Ebony hair chocolate skin =goddedd wrote “i am sure it is not cancer, if it was we would all know. it must be something that could cause embarrassment to his family and him

    J asks: And how can you be so sure? And pray tell me what is this great embarrassing illness that cannot be disclosed? Hasn’t the Ministry f Health under David Thompson’s government (and Owen Arthur’s) been working to reduce the stigma attached to certain illnessess?” May I ask, do the think that the PM is supportive of the Health Ministry’s efforts?

    And one more question. In addition to the ebony hair and cholcolat skin do you also posess a brian?

  7. J Avatar
    J

    Dear Davis:

    Make this your next post nicely using David Thompson’s own words:

    “Is David Thompson past his “sell by” date as leader of the DLP and Prime Minister of Barbados”

  8. J Avatar
    J

    Though the mills of God grind slowly;
    Yet they grind exceeding small;
    Though with patience he stands waiting,
    With exactness grinds he all.

    Longfellow

  9. J Avatar
    J

    The Prime Minister said to us this week that he has “an idea what is wrong with him”

    Anyone who has ever had, or whose family members have ever had medical treatment in the U.S. knows that doctors in America are extremely forthright. Because U.S. doctors know that if they withhold information from a patient that will prevent such patient from making the best possible decision the doctors know that the patient or his family will hire a lawyer to sue the doctor. So yes this makes American doctors operate above board and with clean hands and no withhilding information from their patients.

    So yes our Prime Mnister has more than an idea. In all certainty his medical team, medical team (not his personal physician, although of course Dr. Ishmael is part of the team) has told him exactly what is wrong with him. The diagnosis, the prognosis, the treatment options, and most certainly they have implemented the best possible treatment plan.

    American doctors have American lawyers breathing down their necks all the time. Some of our doctors who like to withhold pertinent information would not last half a day there.

    Certainly if the Prime Minsiter wished his doctors with his permission could have got on he phone this week and us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

    I am waiting to hear how much, if anything Dr. Ishmael will tell us next week. But we must remember that Dr. Ishmael can only tell us what the PM has given him permission to tell.

    So next week will we hear the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

    Listen carefully and intelligently next week.

  10. independent Avatar
    independent

    And what is the meaning of this metaphor in the context of what is being discussed here? I am at a loss.

  11. J Avatar
    J

    The princial political adviser is not thenly one who has read Machievelli’s “The Prince”

    If you’ve never read it do so now.

    It willhelp you to recognize when you are being played.

  12. independent Avatar
    independent

    @ J
    Sorry. You must have me confused with someone else. I am not being played by anyone. I am not invoved in any political party nor do I know any political adviser. I am just a concerned citizen. I still don’t understand what your point is. Seems to me to be be so much simpler to just say what you mean. That is, if you wish to be undertsood

  13. Chaos & Love Avatar
    Chaos & Love

    I want to know if former PM Owen Artur is correct when he said that 48,000,000.00 has or it to be spent in redesigning a marina @ the Pierhead. How can a marina cost such a ball of money to design or redesign. NO BLASTED WAY IN HELL.

  14. independent Avatar
    independent

    @ J
    To clarify: what I don’t understand is your use of Longfellow’s quotation. The part about the doctors in NY vs local doctors is crystal clear.

  15. J Avatar
    J

    Sorry I wasn’t speaking directly to you Independent nor was my comment directed at anything which you said.

    I was just speaking generally, that’s all.

  16. J Avatar
    J

    Dear Independent:
    It means that we will all get what the future (or God as Longfellow says) has in store for us. And none of us should predict the political or natural demise of anyone. Because how do we know when our own political or natural “sell by” date will come?

    Or to the minds of [hu]man, God may seem slow. But God’s justice is sure.

  17. J Avatar
    J

    Dear Independent I am sure that you know this Bajan saying “day does run ’till night catch ‘e”

  18. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    Anonymous or J @ 12:18, 1:15
    In all fairness Ms.J if I am a DLP yardfowl and you a BLP paling-cock, isn’t 6 half of a dozen? Look, today is ma Sabbaf, doan mek ma ‘sin ma soul’. stupseeeeeeeeeee. Jus keep it real, ok?

    Mr. David
    Suppose I wasn’t black, I would be white, suppose I wasn’t short, I would be tall, suppose I wasn’t ugly, I would be beautiful, suppose I wasn’t married, I would date Bush-Tea, Amused, Crusoe n ’bout three mo BU fellas. Get de pic?
    Too many suppositions David.
    De PM is ill.Fullstop. Whatever the ailment, it is something that any one of us can contract. Be it cancer, Aids, Leper, TB etc. I don’t see what all the hullabaloo is about. Tom Adams died suddenly while in office and the world didn’t stop spinning. Should our PM pass suddenly or due to his illness, the world will still spin in orbit as before.
    Wunna-all (my super fav word LOL) too malicious. Not me. LOl

  19. Avatar
    Anonymous

    This all seems very important to you J.
    Why?

  20. independent Avatar
    independent

    @J
    Thanks. Your eplanation is understood I even agree: we don’t know when/how we’ll die. However, I didn’t understand the point in this discussion about whether the public has a right to know the nature of the PM’s illness. To me it is not a philosophical discussion.
    The PM is more than a cabinet minister, he is the leader. Now if he is not well, to the extend that he has to appoint another person as PM that is matter of grave concern to me. I ‘m of the opinion that the PM has the right to keep the nature of his illness private, but then he has to step down as Prime Minister. As PM he is NOT a private citizin, I’m sorry but he’s there to look after the interest of Barbados and the people of Barbadsos. The people have the right to know whether he is fit enough to carry ou his duties.

  21. EyeSpy Avatar
    EyeSpy

    Based on what I have read, the comments are all valid. Some are looking at the issue from one angle and others are looking at it from another. IMO, it doesn’t mean that one is right and one wrong; it has to do with the position from which it is being viewed.

    Having said that Barbadians were always private people. Especially when it came to illness you did not hear much or very seldom, if anything at all, about someone’s, illness until death. That was not only demonstrated with private citizens; the same applied to public figures – they were no different, same bajan, same culture based on same mentality.

    Inbred mentalities are not easily changed, if at all, regardless of their pedigree and movement in life.

    It would be noteworthy if a PM informed his/her country of any physical and/or mental challenges s/he is facing that might cause a shift in position, but s/he is not obligated to release such information until s/he believes it is the right time. Only s/he knows when that time is.

  22. Yardbroom Avatar
    Yardbroom

    @ Anonymous, September 11, 2010 at 10:44am
    Quote: . . .”Sure YardBroom, continue claiming to be unbiased, while simultaneously producing bare-faced rationalisations for all Mr. Thompson’s ill-advised public comments”. . .
    . . . “Look, Yardbroom, I am generally NOT a supporter o the DLP, but believe you me, it hurt me deep inside when I saw the PM in his present state. My heart went out to him and his young family. That does not mean that we have to gloss over his past insensitivities. He must be made aware of them, as it could assist him in repenting of such behaviour”.

    Hi, Anonymous
    I have given a short exposition of what I believe. You can be sure if the person concerned was the leader of the opposition my sentiments would be the same. In the years I have contributed to BU, I have never once used comments that could be considered vindictive or malicious against the leader of the opposition. I have often refrained from making any comment for fear of leading to a place I have no wish to go in that regard.

    I have no desire to seek that others should “repent”; I am too full of sin myself. I can only seek forgiveness for myself and try to do good to others.

    Quote: …. “And why is it that so many bloggers here have to preface their comments with a disclaimer that they DO NOT belong to this political party or the next? As though belonging to a political party precludes someone from making objective, informed unbiased remarks.”
    Because some still say . . . “sure YardBroom, continue claiming to be unbiased, while simultaneously producing bare-faced rationalisations fo all Mr. Thompson’s ill-advised public comment”.

    I hope you now see the rationale behind my thinking.
    *********************************
    Hi ,J
    Quote: “Yardbroom wrote ” When Thompson said Mr. Arthur “was past his sell by date” it was in a “political context” as leader of the BLP”
    And my question to you this afternoon Yardie “is David Thompson past his “sell by” date as leader of the DLP”
    Tek ya time answering Yardie”

    I do not need much time J, to be honest I do not know.

  23. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Re Anyone who has ever had, or whose family members have ever had medical treatment in the U.S. knows that doctors in America are extremely forthright.

    YEAH FORTHRIGHT WHILE TALKING A LOAD J. Watch some good documentaries and see for yourself J.

    Re Because U.S. doctors know that if they withhold information from a patient that will prevent such patient from making the best possible decision the doctors know that the patient or his family will hire a lawyer to sue the doctor

    HOW DO THEY KNOW THAT PRAY TELL

    Re So yes this makes American doctors operate above board and with clean hands and no withholding information from their patients.

    J I humbly suggest that you do NOT know anything about what you are saying. You is a girl I like, But this time you are emitting copious quantities of bovine excrement on the matter of American doctors and their care.

    Re So yes our Prime Minister has more than an idea. In all certainty his medical team, medical team has told him exactly what is wrong with him. The diagnosis, the prognosis, the treatment options, and most certainly they have implemented the best possible treatment plan.

    HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT J. I have watched several documentaries where the doctors in USA and several teams of them took respectively 5, 10 and even 50 years to eventually come to the correct diagnosis in cases where I HAD THE RIGHT DIAGNOSIS ON HEARING THE HISTORY. I CAN CITE YOU A FEW ARTICLES THAT DECLARE that US trained doctors cause the most errors in the USA compared to non USA TRAINED DOCTORS. And I am not surprised…..having got a good idea of how they are trained.

    It is NOT TRUE that “American doctors have American lawyers breathing down their necks all the time.” It is true that some Americans love to litigate and seek to get money by any means possible.

    It is NOT TRUE that our doctors would not last half a day in the USA. Many UWI trained doctors are very highly respected in the USA.

    Once a doctor practices proper medicine and makes proper notes, HE HAS NOTHING TO FEAR FROM ANY LAWYER in any court.

    In fact once the doctor has done the correct things, he can go to court and wait on the back foot for the lawyer to bounce, and put some good licks in his tail with flair and panache. Used to do it all the time, from my very first appearance in the high court. Trust me it was good fun………….except that it cost me my wuk….for so whipping a lawyer who later became a Minister of Health!

  24. independent Avatar
    independent

    @Eyespy
    Everything changes. Bajans are part of the global village, we need to change our attitudes as well.
    I agree that this is not a matter of one opinion being right or wrong. We are all entitled to our opninions.However, kindly reread your last paragraph. How would a PM with mental challenges know that it is the right time for him or her to step down? Even if the challenges are physical and not mental, how can we trust the PM(not talking about PM Thompson, but in general) to “do the right thing” for the country and step down? I’m not so generous to believe /trust that any PM would make the right decision at the right time and voluntarily give up his/her leadership position.

  25. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    @3:20
    and there’s also anotha popula Bajan saying which goes sumting like dis:
    ‘ya could hide n buy land but ya cann’ hide n work um’.
    and anotha comes to mind also:
    ‘wah happen in de dark does cum/come ta light”.

    But ya still in tell me if ya did kno ’bout de two daughtas befoe de las’ one dat was still-born? I waiting fa ya ansa J. Ya could use ‘Anonymous’ again. I hay waitin…………….

    Good afternoon Mr. Yardbroom, my best regards to you n yours Sir. I have much respect for you Sir.

    Eye Spy
    tru dat.

  26. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    Dr.Porgie
    talk ya talk, talk ya talk. J just love to yap even if she doan kno wah she yappin bout. (Just teasin) She is mek me laff real bad sumtimes but otha times she is talk bare shhhhhhhhhhh.

    Dr.Porgie, I have a good family friend who studied medicine in J’ca late 60’s early 70’s I think,now working in NY. Michael Cadogan? You know him? Past Commamerian. Worked at QEH for a short stint in late 70’s. He is also a great violinist. Awwwwww, so sweettttttttttttt.

  27. EyeSpy Avatar
    EyeSpy

    @ independent | September 11, 2010 at 4:06 PM |
    “How would a PM with mental challenges know that it is the right time for him or her to step down?”

    PMs & Presidents as afar as I know usually have advisers of all sorts, such as a private/personal physicians, and in some cases more than one physician if suffering from a specific illness.

    If a country’s leader has mental challenges – is unable to think straight, don’t you think that his/her physician would advise when it’s time to do what is best in the interest of the country?

  28. J Avatar
    J

    Ah GP you mis-understand me. Of coures I know that many UWI doctors practise very sucessfully at home, in the U.s. and in many other places.

    I was not talking about the doctor’s who practice good medine. I was talking about those (the minority I hope) who practise bad medicine.

  29. J Avatar
    J

    But Ms. Bonnie. I was not Anonymous at 12:18. I may disagree with you, but I’ve never been rude to you.

  30. independent Avatar
    independent

    @Eyespy
    I don’t doubt that PMs and Presidents have all kinds of advisers. I can guarantee you, with absolute certainty, that their advice is often simply voicing what the leader wants to hear. And advice is just that: advice. No need to take the advice! All the more reason to make sure that the public has the right to information re. the health and fitness of their PM/President.

  31. Raymond Avatar
    Raymond

    It is human nature to be inquisitive.In this case the Hon.Prime Minister David Thompson has every one guessing.Everybody wants to know from the horse’s mouth but this is because they are now tired with thier assumptions and salacious gossip.I believe that everything is revealed with time….so… give time, time.Like my mother used to say”I ain’t dead yet nor putting on my night gown til I ready to go sleep!” Some one has to be the bearer of news in situations which need to be done as dictated .Dr.Richard Ishmael seems to be ‘the man’. He has true grit and a hell of a responsibility at this time.(No time for clowns) So behave thy self Mr.Min.Of Housing for not too long!!!Anwways,Mr.Thompson will do the right thing cause surely he is an honorable man! Barbados is fortunate to have him lent to us the people and his family by the great Supreme Grand Master!

  32. Avatar
    Anonymous

    I getting the impression that certain people now beginning to recognise who other certain people are that have been hiding here in this blogosphere behind various kinds of non-de-plumes.

    This getting real intriguing, so I following closely. I going forensic, cause I believe that some people gun get ballistic.

    All of a sudden, I seeing some funny meant-to-look-like unrelated-to-the-subject comments appearing.

  33. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Raymond, be careful with that kind of talk re:
    “Barbados is fortunate to have him lent to us the people and his family by the great Supreme Grand Master!”

    I am completely, utterly, definitely, unconditionally, unquestionably, unequivocally certain……that The Almighty God has never been, is not, and will NEVER be , a member of any lodge, or freemasonry group, illuminati, or cult.

    So that grand master person you mentioned as having done the lending, disabuse your mind of any notion that it is THE One True God.

  34. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Sorry. That should have been nom-de-plumes NOT non-de-plumes

  35. ac Avatar
    ac

    So my summary of all the abovecomments
    Out of respect for the country the PM should disclosed the nature of illness.
    Out of respect for the country the PM should be forthright and upfront in letting the country knows if his illness would affect the countryin his governing .
    The future of the country is important and his continuance in keeping silent can lead to an unstable enviroment for all concerned as is shown by many comments here.

  36. ac Avatar
    ac

    @J
    Behave yuhself ,YUh sound like a woman scorned.
    This one fuh yuh .””Hell has no fury like a woman scorned”

  37. BAJAN TRUTH Avatar
    BAJAN TRUTH

    Simple deduction. He is probably ill with a terminal illness, anything short of would not require secrecy. Playing for time to get a second in place. Stuart has not worked out well. However who is next, Chris. some might resist. Estwick or Sealy might be considering it. The DLp leadership fears destablising the party and creating a situation of panick, uncertainty and insecurity in the country, if they do not have someone who can lead. Instead of sympathy votes, insecurity votes go to the other side. People in the country have no confidence in their ability to manage the economic crisis even with Thompson with his hand on the till. His removal will only convince people to turn to the other party.

    If it were a simple recoverable illness, the truth would be less destabilising than the secrecy, and hush-hush. if it turns out to be a simple recoverable illness, the the bigges thoax ahs been plaed on Barbadians and their sympathy. That will be puished. P.R. was very badly handled and HH should get a failing grade.
    That is the political end.

    The personal end, this must be devastating for him and his family, if it is a terminal illness. Trying to deal with that, handle the political issues, manage the economic issues, must be hard. My sympathy to him and family. He really should just focus on himself and his family at this time. Appoint a deputy to take over. If it is terminal as the approach used suggests, it must be really dificult dealing with it emotionally.

    I don’t need to make a paper saint out of Mr. Thompson. He has not been good for the country. He came to office with no plan to manage the recession which was already in swing. He has not deviated from the priority of ensuring he wins another election and done things at the expense of the well-being of this country to achieve his goal. I am disappointed in him, and the DLP.

    However the country must go on, and if it were not for the fact that it is a time of crisis, we would have the leisure to allow this situation to play out. But we don’t, we need a leader, we need a proper plan and we need strategies to halt the slide and promote growth. Jamaica will grow this year, Guyana grew last year and this year. We are still declining. This pack of jokers do not know what to do, just sitting tight and waiting for the int’l scene to recover. We need some fresh thinking, and we have gotten about all we are going to get from this DLP.

  38. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @independent | September 11, 2010 at 1:44 PM ,

    I do understand that. Certainly if a leader is capable of governing, he stays, if not he backs off. The point is, we do not need to know how he is ill, but we do ‘expect’ that in good faith, ‘if’ the PM remains where he is, then he is representing that he is fully capable of the role.

    That said, I believe the position is fairly obvious, to anyone who can analyse.

  39. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @Anonymous | September 11, 2010 at 5:48 PM | Sorry. That should have been nom-de-plumes NOT non-de-plumes

    Sure? Maybe non de plumes may indeed be accurate..lol.

    Maybe, just maybe people are caught up in the wrong question, to the wrong individual?

    Instead of asking the PM about his illness, should people be asking Freundel Stuart on his aims and the Government’s over the next couple of months, re Clico, emplyment etc?

    That would give assurance that the business of the country continues in the absence of the substantive PM?

    Has the media been sidetracked?

  40. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    @J
    I know that you were not knockinh UWI trained doctors. I was stating that USA doctors and health care in the USA is noy as great as you might think from watching ER and similar tv shows.

    It is more difficult to get seen by your GP to start with.
    If you have no insurance you might be shuffled around in ER’s.

    In a small island like ours *especially as the number of local doctors) rise you are very likely to personally know a local doctor or his parents or hir relatives who can persuade him to fit you in.
    For folk in Hants and my age group the Dr went to school with us, or to Sunday school or caught the same school bus

    @Bonny Peppa. Dont know the doctor of whom yuou speak.

  41. Avatar
    Anonymous

    @Bajan Truth
    That’s a pretty good analysis Bajan Truth.

    “People in the country have no confidence in their ability to manage the economic crisis even with Thompson with his hand on the till.”
    ===========================================
    For the first time in the history of the Central Bank, I have had reason to be concerned about the motive and quality of it’s reporting to the country.

    I also felt embarrased for my country when the Government sent as its representative to a high level panel discussion on the economy, a so-called financial expert from the Ministry of Finance who clearly was out of his depth. This “expert” introduced by way of MULTIPLE repetition, a new dimwitted term to the professional language of economics, namely : “PHYSICAL DEFICIT” as opposed to fiscal deficit.

    RE:
    “He came to office with no plan to manage the recession which was already in swing. He has not deviated from the priority of ensuring he wins another election and done things at the expense of the well-being of this country to achieve his goal.
    ============================================
    Their ubiquitous Election Bill Boards screamed to Barbadians, “READY TO SERVE”. Possessing nothing but deceptions and untruths, along with the popular and emotive catch phrase of “CHANGE” copied from Obama’s campaign, they proceeded to offer duty-free motor cars, interest -free house loans and the like. All of this, and seemingly, completely oblivious of an already threatening, and imminent arrival of a potentially devastating world economic downturn.

    With regard to the priority of ensuring an election win in 2013, was Mr.Thompson the originator of schemes like the Coverley deal? Why has not Mr. Mike Lashley up to now, explained to the country, the giving away of the people’s land, and the granting of excessive privileges, so that the Bjerkham Group will profit by over a BILLION DOLLARS? READ BETWEEN THE LINES. THE PREVIOUS MONEY DONKEY IS BANKRUPT! Trinidad and Tobago has moved decisively to deal with the CLICO situation. WHAT HAVE WE DONE AND WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHOSE INTERESTS ARE PARAMOUNT? THE PEOPLE OF BARBADOS, OR THE BUFFOON AT “THE HELLUM” OF CBC?

  42. Avatar
    Anonymous

    WAIT!! Didn’t notice it, but the BUFFOON heard his name and instinctively came to BU’s Board, where he now sits proudly at the “HELLUM” of this very page!!

  43. independent Avatar
    independent

    @Crusoe
    I am probably one of these persons who can’t analyse because what you say sounds rather simplistic to me.
    Who determines if the leader is capable? The leader himself/herself? Are you saying to trust a politician to act in good faith? This sounds as comical as using “moral suasion” to get commercial banks to act in a certain way. Not realistic.

  44. hottie Avatar
    hottie

    Well said well said Anonymous

  45. Johnny Postle Avatar
    Johnny Postle

    If he was not the Prime Minister then he could afford to remain silent on his condition. But he is the PM and that alone should tell him that he is obligated to make known his condition to all of Barbados.

  46. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @Independent ‘Are you saying to trust a politician to act in good faith? …comical’.

    But yet you trust him to be PM in the first place? Yet, if he cannot be trusted as you say, you would still see worth in him saying what illness that he has, how would you tell if he is saying the truth, as you do not trust him anyway?

    Makes no sense whatsoever. I guess you do not bother to vote, as you cannot trust a politician?

    If you cannot trust a man to be PM then the decision as to whether he is too ill to lead or not, is the least of your worries.

  47. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    As I said, people are too caught up in this, rather than asking the petinent questions of Stuart, who is currently leading. as to the deal to bailout Clico investors as approved by Cabinet last week (reported in BarbadosToday), as to new projects and employment etc.

    Understand priorities, not red herrings.

  48. independent Avatar
    independent

    @Crusoe at 9.40
    Hmmm, I’m not making sense you say. Ok, let me try to explain by answering your questions.
    Yes, it is true that I’m not so naive that I believe that politicians their primary concern is to”act in good faith”. I expect the PM to be the political leader, I also expect that he will try his very best to be there for another term in office. I hope that his decisions will be in the best interset of the country, but I’m sure that his own interests could sometimes be more important to him.
    As far as the true state of his health is concerned: ever heard of medical reports Crusoe? Accountability to the voters, to the people who put him in office is important. He’s there to act in their best interest, and if he can’t they should be informed.
    How is it going? Am I making sense now? Seems to me that I’m pretty consistent.
    Your assumption about me is wrong:I see voting as my civic duty. If I don’t vote,I should keep quiet.
    Honestly Crusoe try to desist from making sweeping statements (your last sentence)

  49. independent Avatar
    independent

    @Crusoe at 9.44
    Funny. Do you mean that one of the pertinent questions to ask Mr Stuart is :Who is leading? I could agree with you on that one, because I find him to be lacking in leadership. Barbados at the moment is without a clear, strong leader. I don’t feel that the PM being sick should mean that the country’s affairs/business should come to a standstill. However, very little seems to be happening.

  50. J Avatar
    J

    The correct term is noms de plume. Noms is plural of nom the French for name, so therefore the plural is noms/names

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