The Nation news report that Mia is going to speak on BLP Platform this week. Is this the beginning of the healing process?
Interesting times are ahead. I hope PM Stuart don’t have to eat his words about not calling the snap elections.

Bad looking suits & too tight clothes? I came here looking for a high level of discussion and clever repartee. oops. wrong place.

CCC. Your behaviour regarding clothing remind us of yesteryear’s behaviour at weddings where females line up by the church wall just to criticise what everybody wearing. Shame on you CCC. Let’s deal with issues at hand. How are we going to address the increase in crime especially the recent robbery at a businessman home. Did the reduction in PSV fees improved the reckless behaviour of drivers. The outrageous increase in passport fees ranging from $175 to $300. The buffer to assist those workers who’s take-home package will be substantially reduced, notwithstanding the increases in bus fares, gasoline, groceries and the killer of them all – the fees related to medication from pharmacies. Will the Polyclinics or the Hospital pharmacies able to deal with the influx of prescriptions from patients? I respect Mara and the sincere substance within her maiden speech, but will the other speakers get back to the drawing board and deal with the many issues because after Mara’s win……WHAT’S NEXT!!!!!

The two candidates in this by-election (in my honest opinion) have offered very little to nothing to the people of St.John and to Barbados. All this talk about St.John being under-developed and poor is baffling to me.

St.John is a rural parish. It is one of the bread basket parishes of Barbados supplying not only sugar and other foods but a significant portion of our water from Bowmanston. St.John possesses one of the most attractive landscapes in Barbados with Hackelton’s Cliff being one of the most stunning vistas on this island. Bath beach is a traditional picnic area for Barbadians. The people of St.John are as educated, entrepreneurial and creative as all other Barbadians. In the light of the above, I would have thought that any candidate for election to the House of Assembly would state their position on:

(i) environmental management,

(ii) agricultural transformation and diversification including agro-processing,

(iii) protection and management of areas of exceptional beauty and recreational potential for the benefit of all Barbadians,

(iv) maintenance and installation of social amenities such as post offices, police stations, yes clinics, playing fields, schools, fire stations etc.

I will stop here but leave readers with what I fear may be a rather large ‘fly in the ointment’. It is CLICO. This troubled company is probably the single largest land holder in St.John.

Thus will St.John be properly managed in a sustainable, integrated and democratic fashion or will it be paved over and sold out to whom-so-ever in the name of some nebulus “development” plan?

@ Ping Pong
Those issues you raised are developmental, and there you have confirmed that the parish is under-developed or you prefer ‘under-utilised’?

@ Hants
I have no issue with Mara being St. Lucian and an MP, it is the double standards regarding the issue of ‘foreigners’ that I abhor.

@CCC
Plaid shirts are actually popular right now, just walk down Swan Street. Again you showing your ignorance.

Most of the time Bajans complain , and complain. Here is an opportunity for all in volved to personnally get into the faces of those who are seeking high office in this election and demand of them real answer. The people of St. John should not be hoodwinked into thinking that because a certain party or individual has been able to dictate to them fo x number of years that it should be easy pickings for the candidate to win. This election should be about the parish of ST. John and the serious neglect given to them over the years by both parties. Stop listening to both candidates and start asking the hard questions. Also look around and ask yourself Does anybody really care. Let the part and the candidates fight among themselves while the people diligently seekthe truth. St , John you have been taken for granted . Now it is time to say ENOUGH is ENOUGH! we will take matters into our own hands
.

@David,
Showing your deeply partisan stripes again I see.
why not show us the BLP Queen ad as well as the DLP reply?
I for one agree with the sentiment of the ad. Hereditry priviledge has no place in a modern democracy. Mara is a candidate not a queen, and an inexperienced one at that… she is touchable just as much as the ten thousand dollar man, Lashley attacking Hudson is fair game.
How much has she and her first family profited from Clico while depositors lose their life savings?

@No Queen

Whether BU is partisan or not you and others are always afforded the right of reply. If you have the BLP image email it to us, our scanner is on the blink. It is why BU stated the image on FB had verbiage added to it.

Fair And Balance
Don’t hold your breath too long about healing in the BLP.
The Nation newspaper quoted Mia Mottley in saying that Owen Arthur asked Dale Marshall to call her to get her to speak on the platform. Now what kind of healing is that if after three months and a new year and your leader cannot call one of his members one on one.
Mia will have to speak because she still wants to lead the BLP and will have to be deceitful like Arthur and go and talk about all kinds of esoteric things that do not promote Owen Arthur as leading a good campaign.
The BLP is missing the boat with that advertisement and has now loss even bigger.
Suppose the DLP gets the police mug shot of Hudson Griffith and put it in the Nation with a screaming headline charge with assault and endangering life.
You BLP supporters have a problem with honesty and decency.
Every time someone tries to bring some level of honesty to politics you all say what it has to do with being a politician and that is why you should not be put back in government until some of the frauds are locked up.

from Nationnews,”Construction mogul Bjorn Bjerkhamn has fenced off a parcel of land he owns at Road View in St Peter, leaving six householders hemmed in.”

When is this kind a (insert multiple expletives) going to stop?

@ Ping Pong

You have me lost!!

My development plan for St. John…this is just my two cents worth.

I would fix the roads pronto and the Health Clinic (the old name “Poly” has too many bad memories)

I would establish an eco friendly resort, consisting of Camping Grounds for persons who love the natural environment. These camp grounds will located on the pasture in Bath. Small cottages with sleeping and bathroom accommodations. Eating and dining areas will be communal. There will be hikes, horseback riding, donkey riding (if they are still available) fishing trips available for campers. There will also be a small market for fresh produce including fresh Milk straight from the cow. There will also be workshops on local cookery, pottery and dancercise. I would set up a fitness and wellness centre for the people and visitors. I would encourage a small Bed and Breakfast community offering accommodation to visitors and locals.

I would sell Villa Nova and start compensating the CLICO shareholders. I would encourage the new owners of Villa Nova to reopen and establish a medical Tourism Facility there. This will be available for International Medical professionals only. Why we don’t want our badly needed Doctors to be otherwise occupied.

I would encourage small family run restaurants to be established. Local fisher folk can benefit with an immediate market for their fish.

I would restore Codrington College and the grounds. We must not let our history and heritage crumble before our eyes. We must become the protectors for places like these.

I would encourage householders to beautify their surroundings and stress how important it is for their well being as well.

Give the people an opportunity where they can help develop and help themselves and their community.

No no Islandgirl, as an Atheist myself, I would not restore nah Codrington College, I would commandeer it and convert it to a technology based tertiary level educational institution that targets production oriented individuals from the entire region … ja ja!

BU family who wish to follow the DLP’s mass meeting tonight can join the live stream online at http://www.dlpbarbados.org/cms

I hope you will be enlightened and inspired.

(I may also provide immediate text updates if there are major developments)
God Bless.

@loyal subject

Feel free and we invite the BLP people to do same.

islandgal246

I am moved by your sincerity and desire to do the right thing by way of conservation and so on, but I must refuse your offer to join you in this process as I have absolutely no respect for anything Anglican… Sorry ma’am, and I did forget to mention the part about a plan to impale all of the remaining priests on said site. Please be reminded that though Codrington was one for free education, his plan was targeted at freed “people of colour” as indeed he had NO sympathy for my Great Great Grand parents who were in fact mere Slaves …

The moke I think about it, I like how Mia has made herself a main attraction in this campaign. Her actions, for better or for worse, will probably mark the defining moment in the BLP campaign. Methinks Owen Arthur has been outfoxed by Mia. She has put herself in a win-win situation.

The moke I think about it, what I see from the streaming link is a number of loud mont’ people doing only what is necessary to appeal to the lowest common denominator… nothing more. These political parties have out lived their usefulness … long time …!

One of them just said that “Democracy is at at the helm of everything we stand for” … My God man, Democracy killin’ we …!

Lashley comments on the BLP’s full page ad about Mara, after Owen promised the BLP would have a clean campaign. Tells the people to punish the BLP and Owen for insulting Mara, David Thompson and the rest of the DLP.

Oh gosh man, Irene just do an imitation of Hudson Griffith that nearly give me a stroke. “I gine build roads” (swinging he body leff) “I gine build houses” (swinging he body right). Murdah! Cuddear don’t do him so.

Irene, my Queen, you looking nice and rosy and smiling so lovely. Mwah!

My dear sir. You have not mention one point at all at which they would use to improve st john with the win so i say again same old same old.

PS. Dont be so humourless.

Ahh finally something worth listening too.

Irene quotes the Chairman of the hospital board: “I will fire you today and give you communion tomorrow!” Hmmm. Interesting.

David | January 8, 2011 at 12:43 PM | @Kissmya…You are about to cross a line, leave the children out of the conversation.”

But David the oldest child is not a child.

She is as we say in Barbados a hard backed woman.