Owen Arthur, Leader of the Opposition (l) Mia Mottley (r)
Owen Arthur, Leader of the Opposition (l) Mia Mottley (r)
This anonymous contribution pre-empted BU’s blog on the subject of alleged financial infelicities which occurred under Mia Mottley’s stewardship as Leader of the Opposition, BU withholds our posting for the moment.
About ten days after running the most disastrous campaign ever ran by any leader of the BLP in St. John, a bitter Owen Arthur who was rejected even by BLP supporter, is seeking to do damage control but succeeds only in destroying Grantley Adams’s party even further. In short, Owen Arthur is a national embarrassment and disgrace, who is obsessed with his public approval rating! Time was when BLP members and supporters trusted Owen Arthur and his judgment but it is clear that a lot has changed since 2008 and he only has himself to blame.
No one expected that he was capable of putting so many thousands intended as campaign contribution, into his personal bank account unknown to anyone in the BLP. There are also BLP people who stop you on the road daily to tell you that the taxpayers’ money was not Owen Arthur’s’ to help-out a friend,’ even if that friend was in a tight spot.
There are two things that are not in dispute. One is that under Owen Arthur, the BLP is fast developing an image as a party, which is anti-women. If Owen Arthur is giving you, that seems alright but if as a woman you can make it on your own, then you immediately become a target for his unprovoked and caustic attack. Mia Mottley, Andrea Power and Mara Thompson are three of many examples.
The second thing which is not in dispute is that Owen Arthur is a tired, lonely and bitter old man who desperately wants power. Because of his serious love of himself, he is cranky and terrified by the notion that there can be a Barbados or even a Barbados Labour Party, without him. This is a man who made it clear to Barbadians that his sole aim in politics is to ensure that the DLP never becomes the government again. His intention is to orchestrate a rescue mission of himself as having been called to save Barbados.
The very man who is said to have gone to Parliament less than six times between 2008 and October 2010 is now being reported in the Sunday Sun of January 30th 2011 as having said: “I don’t want to appear as though I am fighting with Miss Mottley…I am trying desperately to hold the Barbados Labour Party together.” Mind you, Owen Arthur is talking about a party that has been in existence for over 72 years and had giants within its ranks like Grantley Adams, Tom Adams, Henry Forde, Cheltenham, Louis Tull, Bree St. John, Mia Mottley and Billie Miller. Wasn’t the BLP united before Arthur and his ‘gang of five’ ousted Mia Mottley in October 2010, which started the fast free fall to mistrust and confusion?
What does it mean when someone says: “those who are part of the party’s platform should step in sync with the party?” Should Mia Mottley have joined Owen Arthur and those on the platform in the St. John By-election who told the country that Mara Thompson was “unacceptable,” and that she was an “affront?” Should Mia Mottley now join with Arthur and others and criticise the DLP weekly for the sake of criticism? That is what this issue in the Sunday Sun is about: a seriously wounded Owen Arthur now seeking to do damage control! It shows the level of desperation on his part to be relevant and to grab headlines.
It is a desperate attempt by an embarrassed and seriously wounded Owen Arthur to create a distraction tactic to get the spotlight off him. After promising BLP members that in order to win, they only had to make him leader, Owen Arthur cannot deal with the humiliating rejection he got in St. John, even at the hands of BLP supporters. During the By-election, it was also quite noticeable that Mia Mottley distanced herself from the unproved attack made on Mara Thompson by Owen Arthur and other persons, who like his style of politics and as expected – spurred him on in his wrong doing.
In contrast, it was not surprising that Barbadians on both sides of the political divide as well as those in the middle – felt that Mia Mottley’s two speeches were dignified, mature and responsible, whereas two regional Prime Ministers expressed shock and total disgust at Owen Arthur’s un-called-for attack on Mara Thompson. Owen Arthur keeps finding himself on the wrong side of public opinion. But what could you say about a man who called a Media Conference on the very morning that Prime Minister Thompson died!
It is not often that the region sees in Owen Arthur, a man who has fallen so far from grace in a mere three years. Now realising that he continues to be an embarrassment to the BLP and a serious turn-off to the electorate, despite saying that there is a clamour for him, Owen Arthur has started on a renewed mission to seek to pull down and destroy Mia Mottley and ever other woman in Barbados he hates.
His is the behaviour one usually associates with a drunkard and a bully who engages in the most reckless acts and when spoken to, go home and take out his frustration on his family. This is yet another in a never-ending-series of unprovoked attacks on women, especially Mara Thompson and Mia Mottley.
First he told Barbadians to find her “unacceptable!” Then he tried to make her look childish by stating at the Party’s Conference: “Mia the BLP needs you.” After calling for healing, he sent a letter to the Clerk of Parliament asking for an investigation into his baseless allegation that files were missing from the Opposition’s Office. And now, yet another attempt to suggest wrong doings, as regards funds left in an account.
Is the information, which was leaked to the Nation Newspaper, suppose to downplay the fact that Owen Arthur is known to have put thousands intended as campaign contributions – into his personal bank account – unknown to any one in his party?
Why an investigation into the account being mentioned in the Sunday Sun, where (it would appear that) funds were used to advance the work of the party but not an investigation into the charge made by the Parliamentary Representative for St. James North, Rawle Eastman – as regards why someone paid the party $560 for 56 delegates he (Rawle) knew nothing about? Why not an investigation into why the Women’s League (headed by the very woman who is now Arthur’s Personal Assistant) was able to cherry-pick 210 delegates, when no meeting was held for that purpose? Why no investigation into why under-aged persons, as well as person who are said not be members of the BLP – and never made any application to join – were down as delegates to votes for George Payne?
Does this leaked report in the Sunday Sun, has to do with plans being cooked at the highest level within that party to discard two women: namely Mia Mottley and Cynthia Forde? Is it true that plans are being made to de-select Cynthia Forde and replace her with Clyde Mascoll; to deselect Arthur Holder and replace him with Rudy Grant; to de-select Rawle Eastman and replace him with George Payne’s cousin, Douglas Skeete and to de-select Mia Mottley and replace her with Ralph Thorne?
The issue is Owen Arthur’s insecurity and the speedy rate at which he is turning off even die-hard BLP members. Owen Arthur does not like what he sees when he looks in the mirror. He is a lonely and empty man who is searching for peace and desperately needs help. Because he is bitter, he feels that no one else should be happy. Despite presiding over a dysfunctional family he has manufactured in the last four years, he remains empty and bitter. The only thing that can cheer him up is he becoming Prime Minister again.
Mia Mottley is right! Ignore Owen Arthur, remain silent and do not get into a brawl or spitting contest with “yesterday’s man.” But: Exactly how did Owen Arthur reach this stage of thinking that there can be no Barbados without him?
The Scout”I’m not seeing enough being done by the DLP to get us out of this recession, all we are doing is drifting and hoping that the world rebound soon.”
I asked for ideas here on BU and none auh wunna had any.
All I reading is questions but no answers.
Thruth is that the world is heading for another recession so bore more holes to tighten wunna belts some more.
Hants
You’re spreading doom and gloom, things are great, it’s just that we can’t see it. I wish politicians would take their heads out of cloud nine and face the truth and tell the people the truth. I didn’t expect the DLP to do half the things that was promised in their manifesto but level with the people and stop blaming the former government for every flower that fades, it’s time they start accepting some of the chaos that we are in. That’s why Negro Man can’t answer me. However he will always be my friend, just that I call a spade, a spade whenever I see one.
Not once have I ever tried to deceive anyone . To whose credit is it that I was thought to be any King Maker ? Certainly not mine , for all I have done is stand on the courage of conviction , and with my silly deductions rattle the cages of the undercover Drones , who would want to appear as nomadic but shoot their stinging tentacles IN ONE DIRECTION ONLY . Again I stand by my every statement . Stealth has more value than Wealth , and in our Barbados today ANONYMITY is surely some men’s best friend .
HAMILTON HILL re. your post of Feb 2, 2011 at 10:18 PM;
I really have great difficulty in understanding your parable above.
The main reason I thought you were Hartley Henry was your Initials, HH. I did’nt and still don’t know if Hamilton Hill is a pseudonym or not and it really doesn’t matter.
I was congratulating you on the innate sense and wisdom of your posts and the fact that you don’t come across as a CCC or HH or the original Royal Rumble or Bajan Panday or Charlie or others of that Ilk.
I also stand by my every statement and I think I recognize the few kindred spirits on this blog that do the same.
I agree with your stance on anonymity and therefore disagree with Christopher Halsall, the main purveyor of the doctrine of universal non-anonymity on this blog. Private sector bloggers who do not depend on Government’s assistance in any way can blog under their real names to their heart’s delight and I suspect that they need fear no significant repercussions to themselves or family. Similarly, overseas bajans can do the same. However, I suspect the same considerations are not necessarily applicable to the few anonymous posters on this blog who, like me, were or are Public Servants and who can only give certain perspectives on sensitive subjects, sometimes related to former or current bosses or systems, as anonymous bloggers.
George, I was really trying to be kind to you at first but you would have none of it. You are not as wise as I thought.Clearly, education is not common sense.
I find it rather strange that with so many issues to discuss you are using all media available to you to cut Owen Arthur’s head off. Why? And by the way he is the constitutionally elected head of Her Majesty’s Opposition in Barbados. Your appeal to the moral high ground is very hollow and smacks of something bordering on the sinister. Come clean! You are not Jesus or even Peter and yet you playing God! Sorry! Yours is nothing more than a crass display of usurpation.
How many times have you heard the statement” I don’t want to appear as though I am fighting with Miss Mottley………. I am trying desperately to hold the Barbados Labour Party together.”
Since I am reminded that the human source of these words consciously and constantly repeats this mantra before spewing his acidic poison. I think and will urge that the sadistic behavior of such a human species ought to be clinically examined, and we must ask ourselves is he sincere, mad or is he a fraud?
With overt pathetic intentions and contemptuous motives, he continues to inflict pain on others including some of those who are partisan political fundamentalists, worshiping him blindly.
It is a nagging feeling that no normal person can believe that such a person would do the things that he did and still claim to be trying to keep the party together. One cannot believe such insanity! what this reflects is greed and selfishness.
I am convinced that we are witnessing a pressing political problem which demands psycho analysis.
The pronouncements and attributes of OA has similar features to those of the Fuhrer Adolf Hitler. The secret service saw it necessary to study Hitler who believed he was the greatest leader that Germany ever had. Hitler had no reservations in saying that “I AM ONE OF THE HARDEST MEN, GERMANY HAS HAD FOR DECADES, PERHAPS FOR CENTURIES EQUIPPED WITH THE GREATEST AUTHORITY OF ANY LEADER… BUT ABOVE ALL I BELIEVE IN MY SUCCESS. I BELIEVE IN IT UNCONDITIONALLY.”
The experience of the Jews who suffered at the hands of Hitler ought to inform us of the danger of taking lightly the behavior of this local progeny of Hitler.
Since my friend and other DLP diehards can’t answer the question I asked my friend, I feel disappointed that the party I used to exclusively support has regained government and find themselves incapable of showing to THIER SUPPORTERS that they have done some positive things for them even though the recession was hitting us hard. They can’t even show a programme for progress, in an attempt to get out of this crisis. The BLP ain’t ready, the DLP ain’t able, we need NEW BLOOD, NEW THINKING, NEW DIRECTION, A NEW PARTY
1. Can anyone tell me what OSA said at the UWI press conference
that was untrue?
2. What did he say about MAM that caused ordinary Barbadians
to look at her differently?
3. Other than spouting nice sounding rhetoric in public, what has
MAM done since her removal to demonstrate that she is
really head and shoulders above OSA and all the other
pretenders?
4. Why are DLP supporters suddenly MAM’s biggest fans?
5. Does anyone have the exact date of the reincarnation of MAM
as the Saint of St. Michael North East?
6. What does the DLP know about OSA that they would prefer
MAM to be leading the BLP in the next election?
7. Are we witnessing a new era in politics in Barbados, an era
where cyberspace is used to attack the enemy, whether in the
next camp or in your own bunker?
WTF!
You can come in as many names you like! All of this intensity against one man at this time seems too co-incidental. Especially when it comes from insiders. Are we seeing Bajan mercenaries at work! What have you been promised or/and what did you get? Who the cap fit let him wear it!
The Scout | February 2, 2011 at 9:23 PM | Hants
You’re spreading doom and gloom
@ The Scout
I can can walk chew gum and read at the same time although not as good as GP.
If you include what is happening in the rest of the world and not focus entirely on the DEMS you may reach the conclusion that I have.
The DLP believes in character assassination. Did you not hear what Hartley Henry said in his polictical speech at DT’s funeral. Just do a little to their opponents to clip their wings.
I maintain that there has to be some good reason relating to the DLP’s re-election chances that they need Mia to be at the head of the BLP. Why all of a sudden have DLP ministers, Physical Deficit Ince in his talking points on by election night VOB’s programme and all these DLP bloggers become the biggest champions of MM? They had a plan and it has been catspraddled by Owen Arthur being leader again. What else could account for these vitriolic attacks on the man.
One person on this blog keeps referring to Owen with glee as seethru. Most people drink, some more than others, so what is the point? Owen obviously knows how to drink as he is still ALIVE. Their god and king obviously did not know how to drink because first thing he was drunk when he fell off the back of the truck in St Philip and broke his leg. The ABSOLUT VODKA he loved destroyed his pancreas and his shelf life expired.
So Raw Bake, this is the reason for the attacks on Owen Arthur.
Brother Scout, unlike you I have seen many positives the Democratic Labour Party have done since assuming power in 2008.
This present government although not yet make into law a new immigration policy has curtailed the large influx of non-nationals into Barbados especially the Indo-Guyanese scums. The government has dealt effectively to some extent with the immigration problem we had with an apparent unregulated inflow of non-nationals into Barbados.
This government has introduced some social programmes that have benefited many Barbadians.One of those programmes is the introduction of free bus rides for our school children. That has resulted in the burden of finding daily bus fares for our school children to be lifted.
This government Brother Scout has revolutionized housing in Barbados.It has built more houses for average Barbadians to purchase in the three (3) short years it is in power than the fourteen(140 years the previous inept Barbados Labour administration was able to build in the time that despicable lot was in power.
Brother Scout this government has embark on a comprehensive road improvement programme in Barbados.As I travel through out Barbados,I have seen upgrades to the road network in Barbados.In Kingslands Christ Church this government has started a road widening programme in Kingslands & Gall Hill in Christ Church.Kingsland Main Road leading to the primary school was a treacherous & very dangerous road for pedestrians especially school children to use.The road was very small & narrow with no side walks.This government is now widening that road and providing side walks for Black Barbadians & our children to use in those Christ Church districts.That process is being done in many districts in Barbados.
Brother Scout the industrial countries of Europe,America & Canada were/are still in economic crisis.In Britain recently thousands of Britons were sent home not only from jobs in the private sector but also from jobs provided by the government.Britain one of the richest countries of this world is still in a serious economic crisis.Likewise United States of America is in a similar position.Brother Scout the Democratic Labour Party in these tough times is still able to contain unemployment at the acceptable level of about 10 or 11 % .That is the general rate of unemployment in Barbados for the last 30 years or so.Not one government employee was made redundant because of the economic situation.
Brother Scout initiatives put in place by the ministry of tourism has not only safe guard jobs in that industry but those initiatives have seen business growth in that sector.New airlines have come to Barbados bringing tourist from non-traditional areas of this world. This has resulted in the tourism industry not experiencing the doom & gloom that were predicted.
Brother Scout the government is doing a reasonably good job under the prevailing conditions and it has been reflected in the support the government received in the recent bye-election in St John.Unlike you I believe the result in St John is a reflection of the good work the government is doing for Barbados and the confidence the people of Barbados have in this present administration.The result of St John is a referendum on the government of Barbados and the government was very successful in that referendum.
Brother Scout those are some of the positives I have seen in this government.I await your response.
Brother scout we are still friends even though we have our differences.
If the Dems were doing such a great job, why did they have to spend so much money to win a safe seat on which they never had to spend a cent on before. Fool yourself that the St John by-election result is an endorsement of the DLP. Your blogger, CCC said that if the Dems send Donald Duck or Daffy Duck, St John will vote for them!
Yes the Dems chase all the Guyanese out under the guise of an immigration policy but at what cost? This only made other islanders hate Bajans more. And you Dems had the gall to question Owen Arthur’s committment to Caricom? How much did that DT press conference from Guyana cost? Waste of taxpayers money!
Do you know how much these flights from these non traditional countries are costing Barbados taxpayers? Government has guaranteed the airlines a fixed amount and failing the amount of seats, government has to pay the airlines. In the case of the AA Dallas route, government has guaranteed US$1.5 MILLION DOLLARS. Every seat under the guaranteed amount that is not sold under the GOL agreement has to be paid for by the taxpayers. What innovative idea is that? Not many Brazillians are coming though!
Give free bus fares for children and then months later, government raises the bus fares on their parents. Do you know that for each “free” bus fare, the less money remains in the education budget to spend on the same school children. The MOE has to pay the Transport Board every month for every journey even the children’s joy rides which means less money to spend on materials for the same children. The first year the allocation from the MOE to the Transport Board was $11 MILLION DOLLARS.
Yes, I see that they are laying new water lines on the Kingsland Road/Water Street Road, if the government finally fixes this road, WELL DONE, they have done one good thing!
How can you claim that having the unemployment rate at 11% is an accomplishment, when the Dems came in to office it was 6.5%.
So based on your blog, the Dems have done ONE good thing in three years.
Negro Man
It is questions like this that brings the best out of persons, at first I thought you were docking the question and I was saying that’s not like you. However, I’m glad to note that you have found some areas where the DLP has done positive things. I differ from you on the “free ” bus fares issue, while it may appear a good move, today school children deprive paying passengers from travelling on the bus , while they board and get out it there whims and fancies, plus the behaviour on the bus with school children at most times is atrocious. I was in a bus and some school children got in, one sat next to me and took out an MP3 and was playing some of the most vile music ZR style, then he started to eat a swwet bread and was passing some down to his friends, needless to say all the time he is stretching all over me, without even saying excuse, and crumbs falling both on me and the elderly lady sitting behind me. May I remind you that there was a printed sign in the bus which stated NO EATING, NO DRINKING, NO PLAYING OF MUSIC. There are some roads being repaired in barbados and this was going on continously , what is happening to the h,way from Emancipation Statue to Six Roads, especially the round about at Free Pilgrim? That whole project was going on for three years and at this pace, it will not be completed by the next general elections. The fishing agreement that could have been settled with the T&T government over a bowl of wanton soup by the late P.M has now been placed on the back burner without any settlement, just now bajan fishermen are going to be treated badly again. The other point is no matter who ran for St. John in the last by-elections would have won the seat handsomely, the fact that it was Mara, who was well LOVED by most in St.John and the circumstances under which the elections came about would have resulted in the margin of victory , the DLP has to pay attention to the 3000 or so persons who didn’t vote, I was predicting a bigger victory over 5000 votes. I also think that the NHC needs to curb the building until they can rid themselves of some of the project that are unfinished. I’m glad to see the widening of the tourism market, I would like to see a tourism route comimg out of some of the wealthy nations in Africa. Negro Man, I’ll state it again, having heard of the alleged dirtiness and illegal transactions that went on within the BLP, for example Hardwood project etc, I’ m disappointed that no-one has been charged or locked up as yet. I have not even touched on the Clico matter that would take up a much longer time. I hope that the DLP under Stuart can put some measure of respectability to that Clico matter, so that it would go the same way as trade Confirmers.
Negro Man
Oh Thanks for your response MY BROTHER
By the way, I,ve not heard a word from Bonny Peppa for a while; is she O.K or is she writing under a different name?
On the note of roads. road were always being repair under both administrations. The only difference is the mass increase in road tax in 2008 so shouldn’t there also been increase in roads fixed ?
Brother Scout I never run from any battle,however as you get older & wiser,you pick your battles and you do not fight unnecessary battles.
Brother Scout any Black Barbadian from among the poor working class of Barbados who criticize government,s free bus fare policy for Barbadian school children because of partisan political views shows a level of being ungrateful & deceit.Free bus rides for our school children is indeed noble and couldn’t come at a better time for Barbadian parents.Brother Scout I know personally the burden that parents face in finding bus fare daily for their children to attend school.Luckily for my mother all of her children with the exception of one went to school at primary & secondary schools in the district and therefore did not had the added responsibilty of finding busfare to send to school five (5) children.However,it was a burden finding lunch momey daily for the five (5) of us on a daily bases.As a consequence ,many a day my sisters, brothers & I spent many a school at school hungry & practically starving.This Negroman knows the harshest poor Black Barbadians go through on a daily basis.As a reslt,i will never criticize any social programme that seeks to alleviate the pain & suffering that ordinary,B;ack Barbadian endure on a daily basis.Therefore I support the free bus ride initiative of this government wholeheartedly. If that initiative had come from the Barbados Labour Party,this Negroman would have endorsed the same way I am endorsing the fre bus ride programme by the caring government.Indeed there are some programmes that previous Barbados Labour administrations implemented that benefitted Black Barbadians.Example,Freehold Purchasing Land Programme & Criminal Rehabilitation Programme that benifitted Black Barbadians. I know of some friends of mine while they were youn got themselves on the wrong side of the law and had convictions for crimes they committed.The Criminal Rehabitatuion Programme allowed some of them to have those convictions expunged and hence were able to live positive & rewarding lives.the Criminal Rehabilitation Programme is revoltionary and I know many Barbadian appreciate the programme and have benefitted from it.
Brother Scout we must give praise when it is due and criticize when it is necessary to do so.
Brother Scout please stop nit-picking at the school children of Barbados.Children are children all over the world and bad behavior and in some cases stupidity will always be part & parcel of being a child.Brother Scout al of were children & teenagers and i am sure you have done disgusting when you were a child.Stop picking on the children for no reasons whatsoever and please allow our children to enjoy their young lives
I fail to understand how anyone could criticise removing bus fares for children.A family with three children, who have to take the bus just two ways, not even four ways each, would spend 3 x 2 x 1.50 per day, nine dollars, with fares in place.
That is a family meal.
Housing, education, healthcare and even basic clothing are necessities.
Be aware that travel costs are about to rise again, with the current middle east problem, thus we will surely bear a greater cost.
But, it must be done.
Further, people complain about ‘matchbox houses’.
A house is a house, a place to eat, sleep, rest and prepare. What is the issue? Must mansions be provided?
@anthony
The point ac is making is that it does not matter your point that there is a history of borrowing by governments, at some point there has to be fiscal responsibility demonstrated. In the period of the BLP’s rein which was during an economic boom that would have been the time to do some of the things which we now find ourselves in hard times having to do. This should not be a BLP DLP issue, it is more about discussing policy frameworks and projects which would work to sustain Barbados’ social and economic success.
IMHO, the “free” bus fare scheme is nothing more than a political ploy.
If principals and class teachers can detect students that are in need, and provide meals and other assistance for them, why do people think that they would have been unable to determine those children that were not coming too school because their parents could not afford the bus fare to send them?
The Ministry of Education could have provided the schools with Transport Board tokens and then informed parents that bus fare assistance was available from the Ministry. Parents who required such assistance would have been invited to make an application to the Ministry.
After an investigation said assistance would be granted if warranted and the parents receives a letter of confirmation. The child then take that confirmation letter to the Principal and is issued with the tokens.
Simple, no free for all and assistance is given to those that really need it.
Yes a house is a house, but do you not think that 150K is a bit much for a matchbox ?
All wunna complaing about what ever the DLP do for the people.Just like BLP to think that they alone knows what is good for Barbados. Wunna should have balance the budget before wunna left office. What a mess.
thing is noone ever balance the budget not b’s or d’s .what we always had was the current account balanced.
except that the bees was in control for 14 years Wud kinda of guvment doesn’t have fiscal responsibilty. No wunda OSA and the Bees borrowed to the hilt. They tink that it wouldn’t have to be pay back and to think that recently OSA suggested more of the same . he is really a ring neckvagabond
Most developing countries always borrow more than earn heck most developed countries do the same.
Go look back for past 50+ year of central bank data. you see that none have even balance a budget there has always been a fiscal deficent. What evident is most years the made the current account balanced. that is fiscal stability.
What you accuse the b’s of doing is the same thing the d’s where doing under barrow and sandi. You seem to be politically blind here.
wellaren’t you being critical of the present government and the way it is handling the economy. My response is in conjunction to the past government and how the country got into this fiscal mess.The FACT that the DLP is making the necessary corrections is a step in the right direction.there is nothing blinding about that!
What the DLP is doing is delivering bitter medicine which in the end would be beneficial to the country. Rather than being Hypocritical and continue the endless trend of borrowing which the BLP did without end which lead the country into a cu-de-sac.
Your acting like the dlp isn’t borrowing thru the roof to keep the country intact. the same thing you accuse the b’s of doing is what the d’s are doing now.
Negro Man
In time of plenty, any government can do much more things, I see nothing wrong with the free bus fares, it is the implimentation that bothers me. A child that can’t pay his/her way to and from school but can sport a blackberry cellphone, a mp3 and brand name shoes. Come on, yes there will be some children who cannot live like that , that is why those children should be taken care of. I have seen some of these children with more money than me, and can take their friends into one of the fast food joints, then walk into the busstand and force hardworking paying people who want to get home from getting into the bus. Some of these children are out of school at 2.00 P.M and stopping paying passengers from boarding aa bus at 5 and 6 in the evening. I went to school with one pair of pants and one shirt for a while until my parents could have afforded another outfit but I was thrifty and I found a way to provide for myself from very early in life especially on weekends. Today there are few young children who wants to do anything to succeed in life, young children today believes that everything comes easily, it is reflected in their attitude to work when they leave school, they believe they are doing the employer a favor by working for him/her.All this has come about because successive governments are teaching them a serious mendicant lesson. You can have your opinion, I will stick to mine, let’s agree to disagree
Have anyone stop to think that some of these items like cellphones etc. might have been sent from families living overseas to these children
There are a number of thing both political parties are guilty of, now neither party is bold enough to say to the voting public enough is enough. It will take a NEW PARTY to level with the people and set a new path for this country. All this talk about CSME, I was trying to book an airfare to Grenada today, LIAT quoted the lowest fare at bds$ 578.00, Caribbean Airlines quoted bds $ 924.00 and I would have to overnight in T&T both going and coming. The reason I’ve stated that is that NONE of these regional governments are keen on CMSE/CARICOM and Barbados is the only country in the region who is allowing ourselves to be used by the other countries in the region. One of the positives I want to hear coming out of P.M Stuart is to announce that in barbados, bajan drum beats firstand stand by his word.We have seen what Owen did , somebody has to put a stop to it.
ac
Get real, the money to go into Chefette too, come from overseas
ScoutPossible. Families also send money . Who is you to tell people how to spen their money. BTW if the money doesn’t go into the transportation it will go into other areas of the ecocomy. money cant not be eaten. In order to eat we have to spend it. In the end wherever it is spend the taxes generated from it goes into the government coffers who in the ends benefits
The welfare program that was already in place would have taken care of the needs of children needing the transport board. it would probably cost less than 1/2 million a year to run it and bus service would have less deficient. The problem with the free bus service is that is that it already had a program in place to deal with it. There was no elimination of extra burden on parents who couldn’t afford it with introduction of free bus fare.
ac
That’s exactly what I’m saying, we are developing a mendicant society and depriving our young people of being thrifty. That is why too many young people now have the “fast food”, “easy come, easy go” mentality, that’s why when a little hard times hit them many of them are turning to make a quick dollar pushing drugs to keep up their lifestyle.
SCOUT: How do doyou theorise that a person buying a piece of chicken would eventually lead them to pushing or selling drugs. Are you o.k. Scout. Brother Scout a person gonna do whatever a person wants to do! You need to stop generalising.With good upbringing these children gonna be alright
Some bloggers on this thread live in la la land. They have their heads buried in the proverbial sand.
If you teach a man how to fish, he will learn how to fish, if you give him a fish everyday, he will never learn. A word to the DLP. Stop developing the mendicant mentality in bajans. They make bajans believe that Barbados owes them free living.
I went to Lime in Sheraton one evening to purchase a cell phone as the one I had for nearly four years went dead. A young girl had the number before me and as she was under 18 years, the customer service agent told her she needed to bring an adult. She came back whilst the lady was dealing with me with whom I gathered was her father. I purchased a phone for under $300, I could not believe my eyes when the father paid $1399.00 for a Blackberry for this child. Just so! I am in a position where I could have purchased a Blackberry if I wanted one but would never do so. Here was a family, (I admit though appearances can be deceptive) who looked as though they should not be paying $1399 for a phone. But why worry, the DLP government will pay the difficult $1.50 bus fare as it is so hard on poor black people.
Oh how we love the freeness from this government!
Raw Bake posed some questions on February 3, 2011that were not answered. I would like to offer the answers.
1. That OSA put the $75,000.00 cheque, of which he is accused and for which he is yet to answer, into the BLP’s campaign account as it was intended. Maybe Barker can do an internal audit so all Barbados can see out that money was spent.
2. That OSA made MAM the success she is today. In fact OSA is jealous about the growing popularity and success of MAM because of her natural brilliance and automatic ascendency to leadership without any help from him. What he struggled so hard to accomplish has come with such ease to her is frightening. Why is OSA constantly saying and doing things to injure her reputation, like the UWI press conference and most recently the Party funds story when he has already given the impression that MAM is not fit to lead and that the Barbadian public has not accepted her?
3. MAM has kept her cool and has remained focus on the task at hand – preserving her integrity and commitment to preserving the BLP’s dignity in resolving matters of such tender nature. She is allowing OSA to fully execute his self-destruct plan.
4. BLP members have come to the realization that the future of the BLP is in MAM and not in the politics of nostalgia. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is here. Read MAM’s address to the BCCI last year and you would see exactly what I mean.
5. I do not have an exact date on MAM’s reincarnation and in politics everyday is another day. What I can assure you is that OSA is more concerned about her second coming that he is about his second going.
6. OSA has a credibility problem for the Party will find insurmountable in any election that he leads. Barbadians are not about OSA anymore he has lost his sense of political direction as has shown in the St. John by-election. OSA could even bring the BLP support of a mere two years ago. MAM offers that new blood, the political freshness that our politics deserves.
7. No cyberspace is mere reflecting the new consciousness that prevails amongst our young and exuberant political shapers.
1. It might appear as though I am splitting hairs, but your answer indicates that there could be a possibility that the money did in fact eventually went into the BLP’s account.
2. Was OSA obligated to appoint MAM to his cabinet?
“Automatic ascendancy to leadership” in a democracy? Surely you jest. Events have shown otherwise even if you and MAM fail to recognize them. It is much harder for a leader to find and keep followers than it is for followers to find leaders. Perhaps a change in MO would have garnered better results.
3. Really, is that what she is doing. I get the impression that she is the one stoking the fires by not graciously accepting the decisions of her parliamentary colleagues, but I have never claimed to be perceptive.
4. I know what some BLP members think, but the question was about the DLP supporters.
5. I would not know what concerns and worries OSA as he does not confide in me, so I will be guided by you on this one.
6.Why would people go and waste their time voting in a bye election that everyone knows would not have change the status quo? New blood? MM has been around politics as long as OSA, if not longer.
7. I will take that as a yes and to really mean that the young aspirants are being guided by their respective mentors.
Anyhow you do not have to worry about me for I have stated on this blog already that I will be voting against the DLP next time around. Unfortunately I still will be unable to for a PM.
Did I not hear on the grapevine that Mia wa trying to form her own party and that is why “Tall Boy” told David Ellis that he would be seeking the St Michael North nomination to run against Ronald Toppin. I think Tall Boy has pulled back now saying that he fully supports the BLP.
Maybe since in Mia’s quest to form her own party, she has found that the chances look bleak, hence the pull back by “Tall Boy” and then the holier than thou modus operandi by Mia to suddenly accede to speak in the St John by-election.
Mia, I think if she forms her own party she will be a bit like David Commissong, is there ever another leader in the PEP? I am sorry for what happened to Mia and the way things unfolded but if the reports I have been hearing are true, then Mia needs to know that the party did not belong to her and that you cant rule autocratically in a party like the BLP.
David
I kinda of lost. Where was the lack of fiscal responsibility. We wish to grow the country ( capital expense) but we have balance between our revenue and our expense. That was done in a sound manner. I have seen no proof empirical or otherwise that this wasn’t done. Could you expound on your point that it wasn’t done in the right matter ?
TO ALL FOLLOWERS OF THIS THREAD
I note that some persons are hinting that I am using ‘aliases’ to hide my true identity. May I say once and for all, and I do hope that David can back me up, that for the past few months, everything that I have written or submitted directly has been under my name. I do not need to hide if I am speaking the truth. Contrary to what some may feel, I am not working for or against Owen, Mia, or anyone else. I support the institution that I still consider myself a member. I am not a DEM and it is highly unlikely that I will be a DEM. At the same time, and because I am first and foremost a Barbadian, I will give jack his jacket and call a spade a spade.
If the Owen supporters do not like what I said, and believe that I have disrespected or in any other way misrepresented him, please produce those facts. I am on record as lauding many things he has done; it is also my right to be critical if I deem it necessary. Maybe, if those of you who would rather strike down the messenger than digest the message choose to look further, you would recognise that I have not excused the DLP administration, nor have I ridiculed the BLP. I have stated that based upon my understanding of politics and my capacity to analyse a situation, OSA has done more harm in tarnishing his image in the eyes of Bajan publics than he would have anticipated or more than the BLP can cope with it is to return to the helm of government.
In essence, OSA has not enhanced the party’s chances for the next election, but in no uncertain terms he has diminished the choices that Barbadians will make and hence at this time, only a very bold voter will endorse his leadership style given the political climate that has been unfolding for the past 18 months or so, and especially since October 2010.
A word to the wise is sufficient. GCB.
The Dems believe that when they come into office, all they have to do is to share out the fatted calf and in some misguided theory of social policy. They dont seem to understand that you cannot have a social agenda if there is not a good economy. Each time they leave office, the Bees have had to rescue the the economy like the previous BLP administrations.
The BLP had a surplus in 2007 of $240 million and $115 million in 2007. The DLP came in 2008 spent the $115 million and in addition then borrowed $121 million. In 2009, they spent like a pop kite and the deficit figure rose to $449 million.
The problem is frightening because no one seems to know what to do. Sinckler does not have a clue and we have a clown like Jepter Ince sprouting out terms like we have a middle term fiscal strategy which he seems not to understand as he called the fiscal deficit… physical deficit. So I am worried as Darcy Boyce who might havebeen the only onw who had a clue was moved by the then dying David Thompson after he sold his soul to DT.
For now, we will wait and see as the CB governor is always saying, (he is a partisan waste of time) to see what PM Fumble has to say in the coming weeks.
David Thompson almost destroyed the DLP in his quest to regain the leadership of the party.
The party was in tatters. He gained back the leadership in a “worser” way than the way Owen came back, the BLP’s was done by due process. In the end, the voters of this country elected the DLP and David Thompson redeemded himself to the point where I could not believe my eyes and ears at how Bajans lied through their teeth when he died in the their outpouring of grief. They got on like DT was god. There is hope for Owen.
@Prodigal Son: “The BLP had a surplus in 2007 of $240 million and $115 million in 2007.
If you’re going to make claims, could you please ensure they are accurate?
Please define your claims explicitly.
(To be explicit, above are two separate claims. One for $240 million, the other for $115 million. Both for 2007. No currency is defined ($BDS is assumed in such claims).)
From the figures I have I assume this what prodigal son meant
The BLP had a surplus in 2006 of $240 million and $115 million in 2007. The DLP came in 2008 spent the $115 million and in addition then borrowed $121 million. In 2009, they spent like a pop kite and the deficit figure rose to $449 million.
These represent the current account balance for the years
@anthony
Hasn’t it been established the government maintained transfers and subsides to protect public sector jobs?
See BU blog where this matter was discussed!
@anthony
Do you think a government can ran a government on a 115muillion annually. even the BLPwith its 240million surplus spent 125million of it in one year.
Prodigal Son | February 4, 2011 at 4:41 PM
“….the BLP’s was done by due process.”
……………………………….
If the meeting at Mudda Cat’s Bar, then at Prior Park, followed by the the the 11-year old Primary School student from St. James North being used as a delegate at the Conference were “due process”, we need to redefine “back-stabbing” and “treachery”.
AC.
I disagree with prodical explaintation of the process.
115 is not what the run on in the year. that is the Revenue less Expense that government has in the year. You consider it this as an operating budget as the excess revenue. This can either be used for capital expenditure or banked.
at the end of 2006 there was an excess of 240 million from revenue
at the end of 2007 there was an excess of 115 million from revenue
at the end of 2008 there was a deficient of 128 million from
revenue
at the end of 2009 there was a deficient of 449 million from
revenue
at the end of 2010 there was a deficient of about 532 million from revenue
Correction on post.”Do you think a government can run a COUNTRY on 115million”
It is necessary for government to pull hard on the fiscal reins and reduce the unnecessary spending being doneright now in aneffort to reduce the deficit of this country. We are treading on dangerous and slippery ground, if we fall we’re going to hit very hard. The only thing that was saving Barbados over the years is stable governance, this now seems to be lacking and it only takes our first devaluation for the far to start. As much as regionalists are flocking to Barbados in search of employment, the majority of the countries in the caribbean would like to see Barbados fall and we’re on the brink of the cliff. I know Negro Man would say that I’m preaching doom and gloom, that’s easy for him to say, but I know politicians are not telling the public the whole truth and we’re in a state of false hope. I would prefer if our government would come up front and level with the people, but maybe there are too many skeletons in their closets.
What is so fuuny about this whole fiasco, is that during the reign of Mia as opposition leader, she was labelled as the biggest liability in the BLP camp because of her alleged, not so glamourous private life, little or nothing was said of Owen Arthur,and rightly so,he had virtually sailed of into the sunset. Some labelled him as a poor rumshop man’s son who rose to prominence, some as the vicious short man, some as the man who saved barbados then almost destroyed, but none as the wicket despot that I’m now hearing. All of a sudden, since he was asked to retake the rein of the BLP, the tables are turned, Mia becomes the sweeteest thing that has happenwithin the BLP for years and Owen is likened to Hitler. Could it be that the DLP is STILL afraid of this man; it seems the only one who could have stood up against is now dead and the others are all wondering how best to handle the situation, remember a little fellow name David dealt successfully with a big giant. Is it that the DLP is missing someone to deal with Owen at the economic level? the one man we had to deal with him and willing to lock horns with him, had those very horns broken off by his own people and he had to befriend his “enemy” for survival, now the party is in disarray. My suggestion is simple, don’t attack him, let him attack you, try to befriend the voting public, so that when the attacks come, the party would have strong support, UNITY IS STRENGTH. However, what the party is doing is fooling themselves with false beliefs, they are taking a forgone results in the St.John by-election and trying to trasfer to the general, but bajans are not stupid, we judge by performance , not by “a lotta long talk”. Time is running out P.M Stuart MUST address the nation and tell us what are his strategies for leading this nation, failing to do that we can only believe that he is still Deputy P.M to the late David Thompson, who would then be considered still running things from “somewhere out there”. Maybe that’s why no Deputy was named because that person would have been taking Stuart’s portfolio
PM Stuart told his fellow Foundationers that there was no course called treachery taught at Foundation. He was left to keep house and it seems that he still keeping the house for David Thompson as he does not seem to be in charge or knows what to do.
He needs to address the nation and reassure the public that the economy is not ready to collapse. He says he in charge of a lot more things other than national security but he is only the overseer. If he is in charge then to cut expenditure, cut the parliamentary secretaries who were all put there to work as Thompson did not like work. Peter Wickham said one true thing, David Thompson was the first CEO PM Barbados ever had.
The only realwork I see him doing is entertaining….. he seems to be carrying on from David Thompson, weekly parties at Illaro Court.
Way to go Stuart!