Submitted by The People’s Democratic Congress (PDC)
Dean Faculty of Social Sciences The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus
“Owen Arthur IS a three term prime minister. I think that unless the Barbados electorate were very silly, there must be some very strong reason why a man was elected three times. His term of office also had coincided with prosperity and we are going through hard times. What the present regime can say is that it was not responsible for them, and to that extent that is where Mr. Stuart can be cautious and say, ‘let me take my time and make my statement, it is two years to elections…”
While it is NOT very often that the PDC uses its BU column space to, for whatever reasons, undertake personal criticisms of any persons living here in Barbados or elsewhere, we must state that this is one time when we have got to use this forum to do so, and for two very important fundamental reasons – that the above cited extract is so scandalous that it warrants the full weight of a calculated response to it – and because the author of it needs to be hauled over the coals for his continued attempts at misleading and misinforming many Barbadians with many of his recent utterly odious propagandistic comments.
For, not only are we getting quite sick and tired with many of Dr. Belle’s very unbalanced, very biased, pro-Arthur, pro-BLP utterances, but we are also becoming increasingly uncomfortable and very dissatisfied with certain local media houses which, though their right, still continue to pursue him for his very sub-par intellectually bankrupt political analyses on many political goings on in this country. Need we say more!!!
Moreover, that a man whose masterful PHD thesis had a political historical focus on the 1937 Riots/disturbances in Barbados and beyond, and who himself had the vision to have once had his own party – the Workers Party Of Barbados, and who used to extol the virtues of social justice and equality in the 70s and 80s, could at this juncture be seen by many people in Barbados to be slipping so terribly in properly understanding and articulating views on many far less challenging political issues in Barbados, is completely staggering – very prodigiously staggering – even beyond our little comprehension.
Really and truly, we thought that some of his earlier comments on the reasons why Arthur was recently installed as Opposition Leader (a faction within the BLP looking for the best leader given the possibility of a so-called snap election being called in the air then, and that Arthur would be a unifying leader), were astoundingly shallow, but the above cited excerpt of comments – which serve as a basis for this particular PDC article – are far far more heinous.
Now pray tell us, what could have entered the fathead of the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill, last Sunday on Getting Down To Brass Tacks, at the time when he went on to state, inter alia, that “Arthur IS a three term prime minister … I think that unless the Barbados electorate were very silly, there must be some strong reason why a man was elected three times”? What like hell??
As well, aside from his very conditional pejorative insult towards the Barbadian electorate – which we found very distasteful and depressing to have heard on the 7.30 am VOB news on such a bright Monday morn – his method of fallacious reasoning and the false impressions he sought to give in saying why Arthur was a three term prime minister, were at one and the same time muchly atrocious and backwardist.
First of all, for the PDC to have heard Dr. Belle say that Arthur IS a three term prime minister was jolting to say the least, since we thought that for him to say that – grammatically correctness aside – and for VOB to broadcast it, was a situation whereby they ( Belle and VOB) more than likely sought to convey the impression to listeners that Arthur is still a political heavyweight. What trash propaganda!!!! The fact though is that Arthur WAS (sic), and – IS NOT – a three term prime minister.
Furthermore, we must also categorically state for Belle’s information that the Parliamentary Representative for St. Peter is NO longer the political force that he was in the 1990s and in the early 2000s. No. Now, he is a mere shadow of his one strong political self. So, what caution any political party, any political body has to exercise in dealing with Arthur, since he has returned to the helm of the BLP!!! NONSENSE!!!
Well, still, Dr. Belle must be made aware – if he does not know already – that there are at least five major factors which were present during the said 1990s and the early late 2000s – and which obviously therefore are no longer present now – that helped to make Arthur, the assumed larger than life political force that he was then.
In the aftermath of the DLP /IMF/ World Bank led structural and stabilization period in the early 1990s, many political forces in the country had sought to get behind Mr. Arthur and the BLP in helping to, et al, bring greater political confidence in the recovery in a so-called Barbados economy in which thousands of people had lost their jobs, hundreds of businesses were closed down and many homes, cars were possessed by commercial banks.
In the minds of many people and groups, Arthur, as a charismatic economist, was therefore eminently positioned to take on the mantle of leadership of the country at the time. Actually, Arthur and the BLP went on to win the 1994 elections, but not before the then DLP Government had imploded in the said 1994. So, what Dr. Belle perhaps failed to appreciate was that more than anything else these particular historical times helped substantially to define Arthur – as had slogans like Jobs No 1 was Jobs, the Brightest and the Best, etc. had helped to define him too. So, given that, now, these times would seem to have been like eons gone by, that the so-called recovery (temporary) of the Barbados economy would have also been achieved like long time ago, and that these slogans are totally irrelevant now, it certainly has meant now that Arthur’s essential political purposes have also ended, given that those times helped to define and elevate him so substantially.
He had in his political camp, or at his side, such prominent BLP figures like David Simmons (now Sir David), Henry Forde (now Sir Henry), the late Sir Harold Bernard St. John, Billie Miller (now Dame Billie), Louis Tull (now Sir Louis) Dr. Johnny Cheltenham, and others. Such political professional talents yearned for governmental power and the exercise of it, and by doing what they had to do esp. in the lead up to the recapture of the government in 1994, thus made Owen Arthur look stronger.
The so-called politics of inclusion. This title came over a motley state of affairs in which Arthur was the prime beneficiary of the political capital that was derived from the political relationships that were fostered mediated between himself and the likes of people like Mr. David Comissiong, Mr. Trevor Prescod, Mr. David Denny, Mr. Hamilton Lashley, the said Dr. Belle himself, and many other so-called leftists. Such relationships ( which saw things like Emancipation Day being declared a National Holiday, July 26 being declared a Day of National Significance, the establishment of a Commission for Pan-African Affairs – of which the said Dr. George Belle was a one time Chair person of, the creation of a pantheon of National Heroes, political monies being allocated by the then government to the Pinelands Creative Workshop, Israel Lovell Foundation) made Arthur more free of trenchant political criticisms and opposition on so many occasions, and left the DLP more open to their
brand of political attacks.
At the time of Arthur’s being a political force, the NDP was also around then, and from 1989 up to about 1999 – the latter, the time when its former leader pledged political electoral support to the re-election of a BLP Government, it was a source of political governmental strength for Arthur, as he fed off the many of the positive results/benefits of criticisms that the NDP members were making of the then DLP Government in the early 1990s.
Arthur derived much political governmental benefit from the open and hidden support that was given to him by many of those who had served within the business and academic classes and trade union community in this country. Persons like the late Sir John Stanley Goddard, Philip Goddard, Sir Allen Fields, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Sir Roy Trotman had supported Arthur very much and, yes, he – as prime minister – had politically governmentally supported them and their interests very much too.
As said above these factors are no longer present at this juncture. Moreso, we are at stage when there is an absolute need for a totally different path model of national development and for having the requisite strategies and policies to underpin such at this time when China is increasingly flexing its political financial muscle, and is at “war” with the US, to a greater extent, and Europe, to a lesser extent, and when Barbados will be made to feel some of the fall out of this “war”; when many of those above mentioned BLP political personalities have retired from active politics; when the so-called politics of inclusion was proved to be nothing more than a money for status game between political brokers, and wherefore many of those leftists – except for Mr. David Comissiong – have become politically discredited useless; when the BLP is rightly riven by strife and is in shambles; when the NDP has long become defunct; and at a time when the leading the main business, academic and trade union associations have become more insular and parochial, are organizing under different political emphases, and are more taken up with their own divergent focuses not national focuses.
Also, Dr. Belle, in saying what he had to say (above excerpt), had made the very embarrassing, some would say obtuse, error of that of blurting out that Arthur was elected three times. The facts remain that he was NEVER EVER elected three times. For, from the time of being first elected to the House of Assembly of the Parliament of Barbados in 1984, he has been re-elected more than even three times; he has been reelected 6 times – in the general elections of 1986, 1991, 1994, 1999, 2003, and in 2008. Thus, for him to have said that he was elected 3 times is nonsense in every sense of the word.
However, having regard to the context in which Dr. Belle would have said what he had to say ( above excerpt), he seemed to have been trying to mislead reinforce into some might be gullible listeners into thinking, that Barbados does run a kind of presidential election system. But how could that be??? when in truth and in fact the elections that are conducted in Barbados – outside of by-elections- are national constituency elections under the first past the post election method?? How???
It is amazing how he would want again to be so loose in giving so many false impressions about Arthur seeming so presidential, even in how he has helped to get the rid of Mia Mottley as Leaders of the Opposition, and how he unceremoniously fired those two BLP Senators. Perhaps another series of CHAPO polls could do the trick in getting some people to again look up to that old beaten up political fox!!! Think NOT!!!!
Finally, we want to make it clear to as many people as possible that it was absolutely wrong and untenable for the senior UWI lecturer to falsely impress on the minds of many people that Arthur’s terms of office coincided with prosperity, whereas at this time what we are going through right now are hard times. Whilst the latter situation is true for almost every person business in Barbados, the fact is that there was little real prosperity then under Arthur, if one looks at the fact that the cost of living and doing business in the country had been at their highest under Arthur, that the amount of THEIVING TAXATION had been at its highest under Arthur 40-45 % of National Income, that the Gross Government Debt had skyrocketed under the said person, that political exploitation by financial means was at its most devastating under this former Minister of Finance – as many local and foreign elites got far more – money wise – out of the average masses and middle classes than ever before in the modern history of this country.
So, what prosperity what, what, as if by Belle’s saying prosperity in the midst of hard times, Arthur could simply re-emerge as a Prime Minister of this country!!
Down with Dr. George Belle and his propaganda – no longer deserving of the title of master dialectician!!!!
Long winded and rambling was this piece. Was he Prime Minister in 1986 ? How about 1991 ? The mixture of fact with folly taints the former, and gives rise to the suspicion of the grinding of a personal axe . The full weight of a calculated response ?
George, you miss all the consultant fees that Owen use to pay you, Owen’s political life as a Prime Minister is all over, the Arthurs is not to go back ever in Illaro Court, they cannot lived up to the standard that was set by David and Mara.
Very good analysis. The NDP played a critical role in getting the BLP/Arthur re-elected. This is a fact that has been conveniently overlooked by so-called political writers. In the fullness of time, the NDP’s association with Arthur/BLP especilay in the 1999 election will be exposed.
By the way don’t forget that the BLP/Arthur once gave the Israel Lovell Fondation thousands of dollars belonging to the taxpayers and how this money was used was never publicly disclosed.
Arthur practiced the politics of “seduction” not inclusion
Note how he destroyed Mia Mottley and now is trying to seduce her, he : “thinks the world” of her after saying that both the public of Barbados and the wider BLP family will find her to be “unaccepatable” as Prime Minister. Note he never said why and that is a question that he has to answer sooner or later.
Please Mr. Arthur, tell us why Mia is unacceptable as Prime Minister but you made her your Deputy. Tell us why?
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Under-Disguise
I dismissed this PDC ARTICLE TOTALLY
I am calling on members of the PDC wherever they are and whoever they might me and wherever they could be residing if here in Barbados or living under false pretences (under-disguise) else where in this world or in some other inter galactic space to report to Glendairy -yes Glendairy to serve TEN YEARS HARD HARD HARD LABOUR-(3 TIMES HARDER THAN HARD) at the pleasure of the state.
Part of that hard hard hard labour would be the restoring and building back of Glendairy to its pristine condition. PDC AND ITS MEMBERS would be given baskets to carry water and sives to carry cement and sand–carry them not sieve them. -NO PAROLE
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mash up&buy back
Well done PDC!
Brilliant analysis as you can see by the BLP yardfowls rushing at the top to try and downplay this big dose of truth.
You guys really punching this week. Some good points made. Dr. Belle should explain why the UWI, Cave Hill has not followed through with developing ‘polling’ which was started last election with the use of Chappo. Belle’s credibility got dented a little with that association.
@mash up
Good to see you contributing, got an email last night which brought you to mind :-).
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Charlie
Listening to the program on Sunday the same thoughts came to me as to why is George Belle sought after on political issues concerning Owen Arthur. George was badly discredited in 2008 with his poll predicting a massive win for the BLP.
George Belle was pathetic in preaching the virtues of Arthur.PDC you have given a very objective analysis of Owen Arthur rise to be Prime Minister.
Owen Arthur has not done anything to show that he is this economic guru. He is a very good political trickster.
Did you see him on Barbados Today with his arms around Trevor Prescod, who in the week in front exposed him in Queens Park? He must have been trying to make another deal with him.
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The Scout
Rose
Let’s hope that Mr Arthur does not go back into Ilaro Court but just in case he does are you going to leave the country or never return to Barbados until he is out again?
Caribman
I think you are expecting a lot from the BLP to tell the public why Mia was ousted, if they do that will be very “un-BLP-like”You see the BLP is not like the DLP who like washing their dirty linen in public. I hope the DLP can take a page out of the BLP’s book on this one. Enough has been disclosed by the BLP already, and even though we would like to know what went down, I BELIEVE ALL WE ARE GOING TO GET IS HUMOURS>
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JC
Scout I truly wonder about you are you pessimistic or just downright DANGEROUS!???
I just don’t get you!!!!
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My Name Is Not Sylvan
PDC, personal attacks are usually evidence of someone who has little faith in their own argument’s merits to sway the other side, hence they seek to personally diminish their opponents rather than to concentrate on diminishing their arguments.
It is perhaps ironic that your arguments about Arthur highlight a few things that many of the DLP supporters on this site choose to ignore.
1. Arthur came to power following a DLP administration that had been devastating to the Barbadian way of life.
2. Arthur received widespread support from almost all sectors of the Barbados economy.
3. The “temporary” recovery of the Barbados economy as you put it, was actually one of the most prosperous periods of post independence Barbados. With the lowest rates of unemployment ever in our history.
You should also note that in your long rambling discourse, you say that it is wrong to say that we went through “prosperity” under his leadership, what do you say about now? Times are much harder, cost of living is higher, national debt is higher, unemployment is higher, businesses are depressed. What say you about now?
What you can say about Owen Arthur is the following:
1. He never advocated “wait and see” as a viable economic strategy.
2. He never threw his hands up and said “don’t u know there is a recession on?” to excuse himself from any responsibility for anything.
3. When he said “Job #1 is jobs” unemployment went down. He never said that the three top issues were “Cost of living, cost of living, cost of living” then to turn around and make the cost of living go up.
4. He never advocated “a balanced budget” while at the same time also advocating “a small sustainable deficit” (which are mutually exclusive) while at the same time running up record deficits on the current account!
Owen Arthur was one of the Great Barbadian Prime Ministers, and will be again!
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Remco & Rambo
I think Owen and his teams of BLP leaders should brand themselves for the next election, everyone knows that branding is a certain way to distinguish yourself from the competitors. Branding is politics is just a effective as in private enterprise.
Here a few suggestions:
1. The Geriatric Brigade
2. The Old Boyz Club
3. The Grey Brigade
4. The Bandit Boyz
5. Stick’ Um, Uncle Owen & Friends Crew
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Adrian Hinds
Ireland, with head bowed in shame, sheepishly gives into to a handout to save their economy. According to Wikipedia; “The economy of Ireland was transformed from an agricultural focus to a modern knowledge economy, focusing on services and high-tech industries and dependent on trade, industry and investment. In terms of GDP per capita, It was ranked as one of the wealthiest countries in the OECD and the EU-27 at 5th in the OECD-28 rankings as of 2008[7].
As with our current recession, our prosperity then was Global in nature. It is the nature of a deceitful lying person, in a small economy such as Barbados, to give lie to the notion that they by their own doing, caused that success. As such, this talk about 14 years of economic growth under Arthur as if to suggest that 14 more such years awaits us on his assuming leadership of the country is as preposterous a notion as the others marketed before it. One good term had little to do with him, but it sounded good. We never needed him more then, than ever before; he has little to offer now that can match what was felt in the pass, as such was not of his doing.
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mash up&buy back
David
Thank you!
Have been carefully following ALL the discussions.
The articles have been getting better and better.
Yuh got me thinking about that email.
A big shout out to Queen Bonny Peppa,if yuh got any sweeta yuh wud give dese fellas diabetes.Lol.
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Jenny M
Must we use these blogs to be so nasty? Owen Arthur did a good job between 1994 and 2008. Please! Are we so low that we have to treat all of our icons with disrespect? None of these politicians are saints so stop this comparison.
And by the way only the future will tell if Barbadians will vote Owen again. All of this nasty talk about the man won’t stop it. The next few months will determine, but he has a track record. Nobody else around has that to count on.
We the people will have to decide how we want future governments to govern. The old time consumption model which was milk in time of plenty will not work.
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The Scout
JC
Don’t get worried about me, I just call a spade a spade. Some of those who are shouting “glory hellelujah”, don’t either have a clue or just don’t care but just jump on a bandwagon. Me I don’t ask or beg any politician for anything, no favors because I have my conscience to deal with when I go into that voting booth. Therefore i say it as I see it, I once was an active member of the DLP and there still is some bias towards the party but when they are doing foolishness I can’t turn a blind eye because because. I feel good now being able to speak fairly and without fear. Personally, I have friends on both sides of the fence and I’ll also tell you that many of the sitting MP’s from both sides are also genuine friend (privately) then why should I make enemies. Life is too short. Call me pessimistic if you want to be I know who I am and that’s what important
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The Scout
JC
Barbados has been BLESSED with good stable government and Prime Ministers from The Rt Excel Errol Walton Barrow down to The late David Thompson. That is why we are the envy of the caribbean, unless a public holiday is called the day after elections, life goes on as usual even when a different party takes over and I hope it remains that way. Therefore when I hear party yardfowls from either side degrading their opponent leaders, it sickens me because that is degrading the electorate who put them their. Why was Errol Barrow and Owen Arthur there for fourteen years, because the electorate voted for them. It is time we mature and stop behaving let spoilt brats
The old gray horse, he aint what he used to be, aint what he used to be, aint what he used to be, the old gray horse he aint what he used to be ……….. many long years ago.
Some of us do get sick and tired of the Owen Arthurs of the world who think that they are the only ones in the world that can get things done. We do resent people as such ilk and see them as malicious and dictatorial and selfserving . People like Owen Arthur don’t know when the time has come for them to move on and other must let him know.
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checkit-out
@The Scout | November 19, 2010 at 6:23 PM |
Amen to that. Well said!
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Bonny Peppa
MASH UP & BUY BACK
Welcome back my dawlinks. stupseeeeeeeeee. welcome bach wah. wah you in went na way. you did jest observin widout tawkin. ya tricksta. i did miss you rale bad doe. doan stan sa long ta cum again , hair? ya swoiteeeee thang ya.
JC
Like you, I watching de Scout wid ‘cross-eyes’ too. wah I cannn undastan if he hay or day. Mo like he day doe. He preachin mo doom n gloom now mo dhan evva. He reminin me a de nuisance pun de call in programs dat name de Economis. Tummuch gloom n doom nowadays bosey. Anyway, howz dat son a yourz doin? Just fine I gues.
Jenny M
Shutcha face do tawkin bout a icon. A icon fa who? speak fa yaself. We all kno dat he got a track record but wah kine? stupseeeeeeee. Look go n sleep do n doan worry bout how we does conduck we self pun BU.You jus wake up? well ga n wash ya face caws ya like ya still sleepy.
Remco n Rambo
You crazee. I luv um. ya hilarious. but wate, you new bout hay causen i nevva see dah name bout hay befo n Bonny doan miss nutton. Anywayz, welcum. ya bad.
islandgal n ac
Um is pass wunna-all bedtime. ac, I like dah sexy fella gorge bell fa you. you want me ta put in a word fa you or wah?LOLLL
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Jenny M
Even animals behave better! If you have no respect or regard for yourself you would think that nobody bout here has done anything good. Get real and rise from the gutter. Whether you are a B or D you got to admit that Owen Arthur played his part. AND WE NEED HIM AGAIN!
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Bonny Peppa
Jenny M
‘AND WE NEED HIM AGAIN’.
Sorry, I doan drink.
stupseeeeeeeeee
He played his part or he played WITH his parts? which?
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Carson C. Cadogan
PDC
Thanks for reminding everyone of the role the NDP played in undermining the Democratic Labour Party.
With this in mind I recall asking Steve Blackett why the DLP had reappointed Jacobs as point person in the AIDS fight knowing how her husband never had the best interests of the DLP at heart and tried to distroy it.
Excellent piece.
I am sometimes critised for constantly reminding people how nasty and crooked the Barbados Labour Party is, but it must be done least we forget.
Barbados remember, ALI BABA is back at the helm of the Barbados Labour Party. He is now busy rounding up HIS FORTY THIEVES TO RESTART THEIR PLUNDER. Dark clouds are on the horizon.
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Carson C. Cadogan
BONNY
“He played his part or he played WITH his parts”
We all know the answer to that.
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Carson C. Cadogan
I guess we can look forward to another Belle/ Chappo poll soon trying to mislead the public again.
@ Jenny M | November 20, 2010 at 12:13 AM |
‘AND WE NEED HIM AGAIN’
You need him again, what for I really don’t know. He can’t even speak clearly, the alcohol has taken its toll and the damage is irreparable. Wake up and stop dreaming about the past. You are sooo in denial ask AAA
@island gal
Thank you. She know I got Heaven in my eyes for BAFBFP. I wunda where he is ? Bonny say BAFBFPis ring nec vagabon, But i tink she is wrong!
Yuh know i visit yuh website . I luv gardening too . I got some beautiful red and yellow roses. THis time of the year the “lady of the night is in full bloom and has a pleasant aroma .
The following comment was posted by ‘No Brief’ sometime ago. We find it a very interesting comment. BU would stretch it to cover Mia Mottley and current leader Fruendel Stuart. What qualities are we looking for in our leaders as a people? As it stands a small group of people decide.
No surprises from the BLP coming announcement. The party never accepted the verdict of the electorate and hence could not settle. Now 2.5 years later, the party turns on itself for the second time, targeting the new leader. Does Owen have the energy for two years in Opposition? What about his lack of developmental vision exhibited in law of economic value arguments, and the Abu Dubai road that he envisioned(s) for Bim. I have not said anything about the EPA advantages he uncritically imagines for local service providers. Shrewd politician yes, but he has been speaking and missing post-Lehman, the urban industrial paradigm shifts, EPA fatigue and creeping protectionism among EU capitals. Seriously, the former PM has not engaged any critical or intellectual community on any level of post-2008 thought – and this when economics as a discipline is under intense scrutiny. His support rests with a generation that considers itself privileged to lead Barbados. We ought to be aware of the conceit, the hegemonic, authorial masculinity that decries `wild boys’ and `cantankerous’ women in need of rescue.
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The Scout
Bonny Peppa
Why should I be either BLP or DLP? I AM A BORN BARBADIAN, one who thinks for himself and act according to the way I see best. Those people who know me love me for it those people who don’t know me try to tell me who or what I should say or do. I’m friendly with anyone but cautious of them too, especially bajans who in true bajan term skin dey teet up in ya face and cuss ya behind ya back. I tell you the way I feel, you could cuss me or thak me but in the end I hold no grudge against you, my mind is clear. I’m not always right but you would know that is the way I feel. So my dear, whether or not you take offence to what I say, you’re still one of my favorite bloggers even though recently your writing has become a bit abusive. Love ya.
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The Scout
I don’t think bajans realise the economic situation that threatens this country. We live as though there is no tomorrow and expect politician to down everything they want into their laps. True they have been spoilt by the same politician from both parties over the years, so it’s going to be difficult for any P.M to level with the citizens. However, some P.M, and for God’s sake, i hope it is Mr Stuart, who will call a spade a spade and then rely on the bajan voters to understand.
@AC
Thank you. She know I got Heaven in my eyes for BAFBFP. I wunda where he is ? Bonny say BAFBFPis ring nec vagabon, But i tink she is wrong!
BAFBFP got some real bad gas from drinking PHD bad tasting milk, so be very careful.
The Scout | November 20, 2010 at 10:19 AM |
I agree that it would take a real strong PM to do what is necessary. Government has to start cutting back in house as well as out side. We all have to become more productive, gone are the days for taking money and barely working for it.
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The Scout
islandgal
There are many corporate entities in barbados that owe government millions of dollars for many years. They are also many bigshot individuals who owe money to BWA and NPC and driving around in big executive vehicles. If government could collect most of this money owed to them, it would go a lonr way to offset the deficit the country is in right. Again politicians from both sides of the fence, have encouraged their supporters not to pay NHC for the houses/apts they occupy for years. As Harold Crichlow said recently they are many persons living in government houses and some not paying their rent( my words),
yet they have one, two three houses rented out but they support a particular party and so are labelled “untouchables.” Neither party is willing to touch persons from the other party since at some point in time their supporters too will be in the similar situation. It is said that there are a couple of persons in the London Bourne Towers, who have only paid the deposit to rent the apts and this was from the very opening.
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Enuff
@ Carson Cadogan
I always wondered if the late PM got anything from the sale of those then government-owned plantations to CLICO, a company he, after the elections in 1994, became and remained its CHIEF legal advisor until January 2008.
It seems that these debtors and the Press are in bed too. If no one would expose these parasites then what can we expect from any government in power. This has been going on for too long. Time for some brave men and women to step forward. Now the CLICO net is being cast further ashore. I wonder how many big fish will be among the fry.
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Under-Disguise
The merchants in Barbados need to reduce their prices.
I am hearing that Government needs to do this and do that but what about the Privat sector ?
Those merchants and indeed the sellers of items amd commodities of every sort can and should reduce their prices.
EVERYTHING IN BARBADOS IS TOO EXPENSIVE-EVERYTHING including cars.
The Government needs to go back to the time when people could import cars and so on from cheaper sources. No age limit on cars . Reduce the cost of these items and reduce the cost of items in Barbados.–AND the BANKS ?
The BANKS aint doing anything for small businesses and Bizzy Williams knows that because he said so. SHAME ON YOU bank PEOPLE
SHAME ! SHAME ! SHAME !
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Bonny Peppa
Bro Scout
you is still my tweethart too, my boo-boo. all de politians is friends so why we shudn’t be too? ya crazy or wah? Luv ya still.
islandgal
He mo look like a wild animal wid a stuffed look pun he face. LOLL
ac
you ‘lady in de nite’ in full bloom now but dis lady in de nite alwayz in bloom chile, year roun. murdahhhhhhh. I kno dat you got eyez fa BAF only but wah bout a side glance fa my man Gorge Bell? He kinda kute. 🙂
@Bonny
George look like he eat too many pork chops Further more he hang out wid de wrong friends like de Owen. No sirreee not fuh me . I stick wid de BAFBFP. I wonder if he like Pork.
It will be interesting to see who Arthur uses to poll for the BLP. There is no love lost between Wickham and Arthur that we know. Chapo/Boxill poll was a disaster last election.
Further to the above Dr. Bell suggested the reason why UWI, Cave Hill ‘dissed’ Wickham last election had to do with the university needing to grow the expertise of polling inhouse and not having to rely on others. There has been no polling activity we are aware off since the last general election. Bell’s credibility is on the line.
Instead we hear the man on VOB off late and nobody dares question him on this matter.
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A Toxic Asset For Sale and Purchased by George Payne
Owen Arthur is a man for sale. He has since been purchased by George Payne for two signatures and now serves at Payne’s pleasure as Political Leader and Leader of the Opposition. Never has the Constitution of Barbados been so vulgarized or the Office Leader of the Opposition reduced to such and all-time-low. This is Owen Arthur’s legacy. Perhaps consistent with the terms of that deal, he is now showing ‘zero interest’ in stamping-out corruption among his faction of the BLP.
Barbadians no longer have to wonder what prompted Owen Arthur to get-up from next to his wife in ‘the dead of the night’ and go to meet George Payne in a house where three other men were waiting. What is also obvious is that despite being a tired and feeble old man, Owen Arthur has an unquenchable thirst for power and will do anything to satisfy that hunger.
But by going to George Payne’s house ‘in the dead of the night’ Owen Arthur has communicated two extremely serious messages to Barbadians. The people of this country are now aware and are very worried that were they to believe the scare tactics about the economy and make the error and put Owen Arthur in a position to become Prime Minister again, while they sleep – he would be doing similar ‘dirty secret deals’ with the very people who do not feel that Mia Mottley or Freundel Stuart are the type of leaders they want running this country.
The second and most frightening message Owen Arthur has communicated is that he is a man for sale–that once the price is right he is willing to deal.
In this case, he was purchased with four signatures. Never in the history of Barbados has anyone become leader of any political party through such an offensive and dirty secret deal in the dead of the night.
I kid you not my friends. Owen Arthur has therefore taken politics in Barbados to a new low and effortlessly – he and the gang-of-five have shown the immorality and the dark side of Barbadian politics. There might be some truth in him saying that he is the same yesterday today and tomorrow because he was proven to be corrupt when in Government and also now in Opposition. Even gear box has a moral minimum. And so, this is the sad end of a man and his four accomplices who have fallen from grace. These men have made it clear that they are willing to wheel and deal.
It must therefore have been a sad day for members and supporters of the Barbados Labour Party to find themselves locked-out of their own headquarters (first time in 72-years) and kept at bay in the boiling hot sun, as armed Police stood guard, while Owen Arthur, Gline Clarke, Ronald Toppin, George Payne and Dale Marshall locked themselves behind close doors (in air-conditioned comfort) to finalize the transaction surrounding their dirty deal.
With Owen Arthur having been purchased and George Payne having acquired an asset (albeit toxic) Owen Arthur now seems compelled to remain silent, despite the ugly activities going on all around him within the BLP.
The people of Barbados see this ‘puppet alliance’ and what is happening within the BLP as electoral fraud, election rigging, corruption and organised crime. When the people of Barbados thought it could not get any worse, BLP insiders are saying that in share arrogance, on the final day of the BLP’s Conference, the untouchable gang-of-five (which now sees themselves as above-the-law) added “human rights violation to the list of atrocities against the people of this country.
No one expected that a political party that was born out of the poverty and the distress of the 1930’s (a period of grave social, economic and political oppression and inequality in Barbados) would be doing to its members 72-years later – exactly what it was form to stamp-out and protect Barbadians from. But this deliberate departure from the vision of our National Hero Grantley Adams and the core principle of the party he formed – has occurred because a dirty deal has been struck ‘in the dead of the night’ between the person whose silence and cooperation has been purchased and those who have hijacked the BLP and are resisting all attempts to stamp-out corruption; promote respect for the rule of law including for human rights or ensure greater levels of accountability, transparency and democracy.
This sad turn of events in the high stakes game being played by Owen Arthur and George Payne, characterises the ‘Prior Park Accord,’ therefore any talk about the economy is nothing more than a desperate attempt by them to camouflage internal corruption and the glaring evidence of serious human rights violating within the BLP. There is an increasingly obvious lack of respect for decency by the gang-of-five but corruption and the rigging of elections is nothing to wink at.
Therefore, each time the word: “ECONOMY” is mentioned, it must be a reminder to Barbadians that Owen Arthur is corrupt and that unknown to members of his party, he secretly put thousands of dollars intended for campaign contributions, into his personal bank account. Barbadians must therefore guard their minds and must not believe the nonsense that Owen Arthur is the only one in this country who can manage the economy.
Owen Arthur has demonstrated that while he has a large ego on the economy, he actually has a very tiny brain. He has now made Mascoll the BLP’s lead spokesman on finance and the economy exactly for that reason. And so, as a 3-term Prime Minister, while Arthur is a puppet for George Payne, he has now become an “errand boy” for Mascoll.
Owen Arthur wants Barbadians to focus on the economy because he wants to downplay the corruption among his faction of the BLP, which he seems to have taken an oath to cover-up, as part of his purchase agreement or the Prior Park Accord. Owen Arthur wants you to focus on the economy because he wants the electorate to forget that he has been purchased by George Payne, Dale Marshall, Ronald Toppin and Gline Clarke and that he now has to keep his mouth shut despite the public alarm about the corrupt practices now occurring within the BLP and right under his nose. How would Barbados move forward with such corruption?
George Payne purchased a toxic asset and the BLP and Barbados are now saddled with a power-hungry-old-man who the late Prime Minister David Thompson exposed for secretly putting thousands intended as campaign contributions into his personal bank account.
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Facts
PDC,
This is your best thus far!
Still need to work, however, on the length of paper.
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Jenny M
Sorry, cussing Owen Arthur won’t help. WE NEED OWEN NOW.
And by the way when you call a man 61 an old man and would wish to put him in a corner you show up a sick mentality. This is the kind of mentality that encourages disrespect for mature men and women who have contributed to this country. Are you one of those who would be quick to get rid of your parents,,because they turn 60. This is sick, sick ,sick!!! I wish I could see your face!
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BAJAN TRUTH
@ Jennie – an obvious question is how old some of these bloggers are. A man at 60 cannot contribute, what nonsense. If they had someone better and stronger it would be alright. Come Monday they will feel the problem of incompetent governance.
@ Who Buy George Payne or whatever the name is
While I deplore, and was really annoyed by what transpired in your BLP ranks, at a time when Barbados needs leadership. At the end of the day, a leader can only lead if they command the majority. Lose with grace. Your message needs to be directed to Arthur, because of the reports coming from media recently about allegations of electoral misconduct etc., etc. As a party the BLP needs to handle those issues before you lose the electorate. Such folly, and at a time like this.
@ DLP propagandists
In times of plenty and and in times of need a country needs good economic management. It makes all the difference to maximising growth or minimising loss. 1991 was not an external condition it was gross mismanagement by Sandiford, crippling the economy. Cutting gov’t expenditure, stops the gov’t bleeding but it wrecks the overall economy, creating high unemployment and business closures, major losses by citizens of jobs, houses, cars, dreams. You need a programme to grow the economy, DLP never did that then, and will not do it now, becuase they don’t know how to do it. They know how to speak compassionately but are incompetent to provide care. They know how to do giveaways, which of course is irresponsible because in times of need, you give one side and have to impoverish on the other ( note upcoming budget). It is not coincidental then, that when the DLP is in power our economy suffers. The DLP are poor economic managers and therefore cannot produce good sustainable social goods.
Which Caribbean countries so managed the growth period 1991 – 2006, that their country is now third highest in standard of living in the Western hemisphere; is now ranked as a developed country; enjoys high rankings well above all its other neighbours in the Human Development index? When did this occur, now or at anyother time in the history of Barbados. An indisputable fact is that it occurred under Owen Arthur’s management of an economy that he rescued in time of need and maximised advantages of in times of plenty. Now how about in times of need?
Can more be done, could better be done, sure. But who else has done better, and has this DLP lot done better so far. So far ‘nobody does it better’. You all can write what crap you like, it takes people of intellectual honesty and knowledge to know this. It takes people of integrity to acknowledge it. Let’s see who is who.
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The Real Bajan Truth
@Bajan “Truth”
You submission is not balanced.
When Arthur took over, the economy was already growing.
This was due to the measures taken by the Sandiford Administration.
What is true, is that they got us into the mess; but, they started to get us out.
They were, however, not forgiven by the Bajan public , and paid the price at the polls.
Arthur was fortunately positioned and rode piggy-back; ably assisted by the VAT income and “the selling of prime real estate”(which has now come back to haunt us).
There is no magic to the selling of land. It was a very short-sighted initiative.
He managed fairly well in his first 2 terms, but his policies have not chartered long -term growth. And that is the test of a real positive legacy.
He has also left an infamous legacy on reckless spending.
Let us be truly balanced in our contributions.
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POLITICS
@PDC
I think you’ve forgotten that Dr. Belle was a passenger in the “gravy train”, which has now been grounded.
Dr. Belle remarks are tainted with bias and not worthy to read or listen to.
It is a let down to academia.
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Under-Disguise
“”Dr. Belle remarks are tainted with bias and not worthy to read or listen to.
It is a let down to academia.
ALL THE COMMENTS ON THIS BLOG are tainted with BIAS.
Is it not a matter of public record Bell was one of the many consultants contracted out of the Prime Minister’s Office during the last government?
If the above is true we the people got a right to probe’s Bell’s public positions about Arthur and the BLP.
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Hants
A “prosperous economy” in Barbados is dependant on a growth economy in the western world and by good governance.
Barbados prospered until 2008 with piles of cash from the Rich foreigners buying land and building luxury houses and condos.
The BLP government built a Mega prison,built highways and added fuel to the fired up construction boom.
Tourism thrived because people in North America and Europe had money to spend on travel.
Then in 2008 the American and European economies went into recession.
The Rich foreigners stop spending.
The new Government stop building mega projects and trying to cope with the inevitable decline in the Barbados economy.
Yet I keep reading that there is a special formula to rebuild the Barbados economy and all Bajans have to do is re elect the BLP with its new leader Owen S A.
Barbados should lend Owen to Ireland and Greece. They need a magic man to save their economies.
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