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?
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
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anthony
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.
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anthony
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.
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The Scout
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
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The Scout
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.
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The Scout
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
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anthony
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.
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The Scout
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
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Appollo 13
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.
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.
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rumbling915
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.
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Raw Bake
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.
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Appollo 13
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.
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anthony
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 ?
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George C. Brathwaite
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.
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Prodigal Son
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.
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Prodigal Son
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).)
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anthony
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
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.
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Sentinel
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”.
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anthony
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”
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The Scout
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.
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The Scout
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
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Prodigal Son
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!
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