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Barbados Labour Party Supporter Highlights 23 Mistakes Inflicted By Government

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Submitted by Apollo 13 (comment)

 

These are good things that the DLP has done:

  1. Free bus fares for children resulting in adding to the Transport Board’s $48 million deficit
  2. Free summer camps to the tune of millions to the taxpayers but fatted calf shared to its supporters, including Kenny Best who had a camp, some of their supporters had three camps each
  3. High petrol costs and allowing the Transport Board to run  a gas station illegally so that SOL can make back its millions spent on the DLP campaign and cover the costs of David Thompson flying up and down the world on SOL’s private jet
  4. Increase VAT to 17.5%
  5. Increase water rates by 60%
  6. Building a lot of poorly built chicken coops for houses and not being able to get neither renters or buyers resulting in the NHC not being able to access loans.
  7. Turning NHC into a hell hole in which to work with nepotism running rampant
  8. Firing Marilyn Rice Bowen and installing a brother as chairman while pretending in the by election to be champions of women
  9. Giving away the taxpayers land to JADA at Coverley in exchange for  free plane rides and gifts
  10. Ronald Jones cursing the principals and creating such a hostile atmosphere in the MOE that many senior staffers have left
  11. Stephen Lashley cursing out public servants and telling them to shape up or ship out as if he don’t know the rules governing the public service and now putting a gag order on NCF workers
  12. Raising unemployment from 6.5% to 11% in three years
  13. Spending over 2.5 billion dollars left as foreign reserves and cleaning out the sinking fund  in two years with nothing to show for it
  14. Running up the highest fiscal deficit ever over $500 million
  15. Three cabinet reshuffles in three years

  1. Chaos at the hospital with a minister giving directives to move a patient to a private clinic and then suing the doctor who brought it to light and then the Chairman suspending the said doctor and then had to bring him back after the telemedicine failed
  2. Raising petrol products as they fancy up and down making no sense
  3. Appointing Kellman as minister and then changing the substantive minister to minister without portfolio resulting in the biggest cabinet ever in Barbados
  4. Creating chaos and low staff morale at the Tourism Authority promising to break it up into two companies and now realising that they don’t have money to do so
  5. Minister Lowe making sure when he was in charge of Urban that Patrick Todd’s father house got fixed
  6. Donville Inniss getting a road to his apartments paved
  7. Mass chaos in MPT resulting in more chaos on the road
  8. Supporting CLICO fooling Bajans that it was a sound and well managed company and now refusing to help policyholders in recovering their money

And these are not even all of the good things the DLP has done.

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241 responses to “Barbados Labour Party Supporter Highlights 23 Mistakes Inflicted By Government”

  1. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    yup 🙂 since you weren’t going to do might as well have do it myself.

  2. checkit-out Avatar
    checkit-out

    Hants; re. your 7:17 pm post

    You might be right, but it seems to me that you’re also implicitly saying that Owen Arthur is damned if he does and also damned if he doesn’t. Meanwhile you appear (By ignoring the DT aspect) to be giving a free pass to David Thompson to restart and Freundel Stuart to continue, allowing the COWS and Bjerkhamns to exploit the system until expediency suggests that a temporary halt be called.

    Is’nt it time that we start to recognize that there is no significant difference between the overall policies, practices and allegiances of the DLP and BLP? The real difference between them is the potency of their respective propaganda machines. DLP propaganda has always been more effective than the BLP’s. That’s why the DLP owns Barbados, including this Blog.

  3. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ checkit-out,

    I repeat.
    I must be honest with the BU bloggers and tell you that my problems with the actions of the likes of cow an owing is PERSONAL.
    I will not elaborate.

  4. David Avatar
    David

    @checkit-out

    Is’nt it time that we start to recognize that there is no significant difference between the overall policies, practices and allegiances of the DLP and BLP? The real difference between them is the potency of their respective propaganda machines. DLP propaganda has always been more effective than the BLP’s. That’s why the DLP owns Barbados, including this Blog.

    If BU is an open blog and the ‘DLP owns BU’ then what does it say about the BLP people? How many times has BU appealed to the BLP side to use the Internet more effectively? Instead they continue with the tired traditional approach which will not resonate with the youth.

  5. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    On that note david. the BLP does have have a facebook group the dlp doesn’t. Both youths side do have facebook groups. So maybe it that they decide to concentrate effort on facebook where they can possibly reach more people easier.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @anthony

    Having an FB page and using the Internet effectively is not the same thing.

  7. HAMILTON HILL Avatar
    HAMILTON HILL

    Seems to me that a drowning man has started his clutch of desperation .As a common courtesy I say be kind to the blind , politically that is , and offer this reminder. Ballots not blogs win elections so take it easy.

  8. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    @ David

    “A Judicial Manager has been appointed, he is a partner with one of the Accounting firms, his name escapes at the moment.”

    According to Minister Sinckler:

    The task of cleaning up the “mess” at CLICO must await the appointment of a judicial manager by the court.

  9. Truthman Burton Avatar
    Truthman Burton

    Hamilton, this is one time I will agree with you.BALLOTS, NOT BLOGS WIN ELECTIONS.

    The reason I spend a little time here and engage others on the other side so vigorously, is to ensure that this (implied by you)small neck of the woods, is not contaminated and used as a tool for “D”eception, “L”ies,”P”utridity by certain DLP FUNCTIONARIES. I don’t mean you Hamilton, but I think it was malicious and wrong behaviour on your part to say e.g. that Owen Arthur is a despot.

  10. Truthman Burton Avatar
    Truthman Burton

    RE: Barbados Labour Party Supporter Highlights 23 Mistakes Inflicted By Government
    Posted on February 2, 2011 by David| 158 Comments
    Submitted by Apollo 13 (comment)

    ****************
    158 COMMENTS later after APOLLO 13 started this thread with 23 INDICTMENTS against the DLP Government, NONE of the DLP Functionaries have addressed NOT A SINGLE ONE of the issues raised!

  11. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    David I sure Obama campaign will say they got way more interest thru facebook than their campaign site. You must leverage yourself socially to fully exploit the internet now. As such it is one of points lacking for the dlp

    Gap new logo was killed by the public outcry on facebook. Its the power of social media. It one of easiest and best mediums to utilize now with audience. It is effectively using the internet. We have what maybe 20-40 active members at most. and most of us are not going to interested to email articles if we think they need public opinion on. If I take the link and push it on facebook you have way more people at least view the highlight of the post and may be interest in it. Maybe more interested people if they like they are concerned by the idea. With the political websites your only capturing the crowd that already there. That not effective usage of the internet now is it ?
    The youth dlp side doesn’t even exist on their website it give you a straight redirect to their facebook page.

  12. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    @enuff

    It seem that a judicial manager was appointed for BAICO ( DAVID Holukoff, Director of Advisory Services of KPMG ) in October but one hasn’t been appointed for clico as yet.

  13. Truthman Burton Avatar
    Truthman Burton

    Incidentally DAVID@BU, what is the rationale and why has the privilege been accorded to the BLP, by having the multiple BLP photographs published in Your Masthead? In response to my strictures, are you TRYING HARD to demonstrate that you are balanced?

  14. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    12/15/2010 Barbados Advocate

    THE Cabinet of Barbados has agreed that the CLICO Life’s executive flexible premium annuities be placed under judicial management, and that the judicial manager should be accounting firm Deloitte and Touche.

    So I guess for almost 2 months they couldn’t decide on it. It must have bee was election fever that stopped the appointment earlier maybe ?

  15. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Getting back to the VOB DLP moderators, David Commissong wrote a telling letter in the Nation recently and VOB never commented on it. Not even the market vendor who really should shut his mouth up on mornings. When the Bees were in office, everything he could find to lampoon and laugh at but not now, it is bare internet jokes. What are these people afraid of, VOB will not get a TV license from the Dems.

    The Dems promised the Advocate a licence and the man Bryan bent over backward for the Dems, printing only positive stories so much so during the last by election, the Dems pulled their advertising from the Nation. Up to now the Advocate, even after all the ass kissing haven’t been given a licence yet.

    David Ellis realised that they were duped by the DLP operatives. He told a man who used to call in from Christ Church East lambasting Reggie Farley (which they allowed daily, mostly Phony Marshall) that the Dems used the programme for their purposes to win the elections and he aint allowing it any longer. I dont hear the fellow any longer as they wont let him talk as the man fell out with Dennis Lowe and he wanted to spill the beans, David Ellis wont entertain the man.

    I always felt that Maxine McClean was a Dem, deceitful she was telling people I dont belong to any party and then when the Dems won, she said she was working behind the scenes and even co wrote the manifesto.

    Phony Marshall was an advisor to Colin Spencer. He worked hard for this High Commissioner pick I even heard that annoying caller Massiah boosting Phony’s ego by telling him you would be a great high commissioner. Massiah dont know Phony, I worked with him and I know that he is one of the most pompous asses you could ever meet. That is why I dont understand how people could say he he a good moderator, he is very partisan and BIASED.

    VOB had boring Vere Brathwaithe, Harry Husbands who fooled VOB, next day he had a government pick, Stephen Lashley was a DJ there as well as Steve Blackett, Atoolalove Corbin became a chairman and VOB still aint learn yet that the Dems are using
    them and they still cant get a licence. Now I heard David Ellis trying today to lure that Trinidadian to host the show, she is very biased to the Dems. Remember she said that people should not wait to elections to get rid of Owen Arthur! You dont hear her criticising the government now her party in power.

    Could you imagine if they had made Phony Marshall HC to Britain? The Barbados HC’s car diplomatic plate reads “BDS1”, can you imagine this pompous ass being driven around London in a BMW marked BDS1!

    Heaven forbid!

    The BLP will have to find other means to get their message out as I even heard one of their callers complaining to David Ellis last year that whenever Owen Arthur speaks on Sundays, he is top of the morning news. David in all fairness, took him to task. The man was relentless and came back to Dennis Johnson who did not give him much traction and then he went to Stetson Babb and I have noticed that except for this morning, Owen does not make headline news anymore. If the media wont be fair and balanced like my beloved Fox, who can help them? But they are using emails to reach people.

  16. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Wait, peoples, whatever became of the DLP’s weekly/quarterly press conferences to report to the people after cabinet meetings?

    What happened to the expensive DLP MPs report to their constituencies brought live on radio and DLPTV?

    Appollo, add this to your list of the good things that the DLP has done!

    Does anyone know how much these weekly media events cost the taxpayers? Or David Thompson’s press conference from Guyana?

    I noticed in last week’s paper that the Auditor General said that he does not have enough staff to conduct audits. Strange aint it?

    When the Bees were in office every month a report came out on one department or the other which caused great embarrassment to the then government. Dont you find it strange that they now have a staffing problem?

    Just asking!!!

  17. checkit-out Avatar
    checkit-out

    @ HAMILTON HILL – February 5, 2011 at 5:22 PM;

    I thought I should make a more detailed response to your referenced post as in my opinion it seeks to propagate conclusions that are not based on fact and you seem to be continually going back to this straw man trying to impugn my statements.

    Firstly. You are suggesting that I was piggy backing on an “honest from the heart post” by George Brathwaite by indicating that I agreed with him about his current views on Owen Arthur’s “Gang of 4 actions” and OSA’s more recent “finance impropriety” leak attacks on Mia Mottley. If you do the research you will recognize that David challenged me at the time of the gang of 4 actions on my views on the matter and I immediately responded by unequivocally condemning Arthur for the attack on Mia. You might also recall that George Brathwaite then took me to task for my expressed views on that matter. The correct conclusion is that, if anything, Brathwaite changed his honest opinion on that matter. Not me.

    You are also questioning my integrity by charging that my modus operandi is extolling my “idol”, Owen Arthur, in the things that matter while damning him with faint praises in unimportant matters.

    Let’s see what the things that matter are in which I big-up Owen Arthur. I’ve said that he is possessed of a remarkable intellect ARGUABLY better than Errol Barrow’s. I’ve consistently said that he was seriously misquoted in the recent St John’s bye election re. his direct comments on Mara. I’ve said that Owen Arthur made an invaluable contribution to Barbados’ development in his first 2 terms. To HH’s mind these are very important matters.

    Now lets look at the “unimportant” matters that HH suggests that I pay token attention to. I have suggested several times that removing Mia was not in the best interests of Barbados nor the BLP. I’ve clearly stated from very early in the discussion (I think I might have been the first one to say it) that the Mia Financial Impropriety leak and associated statements made in the Nation interview clearly suggested that Owen Arthur was responsible for the leak and that his actions in this regard were at the least crass.

    Think about it. The facts recorded on this blog do not support your biased conclusions that I’ve clearly demonstrated that Owen Arthur is my idol and that my views, as expressed on BU, are clearly biased by this hero worship.

    David can help in this by letting us know, at least, how to quickly find all the posts on this blog dealing with specific subjects, names, etc. The search engine here is inadequate for this but there might be a way, using google, to do this.

    You raised the issue of impartiality. There is little doubt that your idea of impartiality on bajan political matters is the expressed views of someone who slavishly follows everything implicit in a party line while declaring that he is a member of a particular party.

    You can understand the positions of persons who declare themselves as current or former members of a party. They can be impartial. But anyone who says that he was never a member of any party and who tells it as he sees it MUST be suspect. You can’t understand him/her especially when the thrust of his/her posts suggests that he/she does not seem to favour your party.

    You fail to understand that at certain times the impartial person with no axe to grind will find that much of what a particular party does is wrong or potentially wrong. Thus at this time, there are several things that the current Government is doing that is wrong. The lack of substantive response by DLP bloggers to the 23 points raised by appollo 13 clearly demonstrates that. But you are blinded to the truth in this. On the other hand, I’m certain that you would have seen nothing wrong in the plurality of bloggers pointing out the several things wrong in the government of the time in 2008.

    You said something to the effect that My love for Owen Arthur matches yours for David Thompson. There might be some sort of freudian slip there. I never “loved” Owen Arthur. I respected him, his intellect, his hard working nature, and his significant contribution to the modernization of Barbados.

    I also recognize his weaknesses.

    Re. David Thompson. I’ve said before. I didn’t like David Thompson. Somewhat like Hants said about Owen Arthur and Cow, that’s personal. I think David Thompson was the most overrated and underperforming Prime Minister that Barbados ever had. I suspect that much of the ire you seem to have relates to my expressed views on David Thompson.

  18. David Avatar
    David

    @anthony

    You point about fb is taken and never refuted by BU. It is why BU has integrated with fb and Twitter. Whenever we update the blog the message is updated to FB and Twitter and good knows where it ends up. We also have a healthy list of email subscribers. You should not more people read than comment.

    @Truth

    We had old BLP mastheads which had Mia before she was usurped. Finally got around to updating one, look forward to a few more. We have long since reconciled the fact we will never be able to please everyone.

  19. Truthman Burton Avatar
    Truthman Burton

    Regarding the MODERATOR issue, and VOB in general, I love that remark by David Ellis this morning on VOB’s Down To Brass Tacks.
    He said, “It is not MY opinion that counts. I am here merely to facilitate DIVERGENT views, so that people generally may come to their own reasonable conclusions”

    The quote may not be exact, and I apologise if it is not, but that is essentially what he said, and I applaud him for it. NOW …. What I would like Mr. Ellis to do is to accordingly instruct that evidently biased DLP MOUTHPIECE, Tony “Phony” Marshall to adopt what it seems should be VOB’s official stance on moderating!

    Don’t really want to dwell on this here other matter neither, but I am mentioning the following to indicate that although VOB provides a valuable opportunity for useful discussion of public issues, they remain these little enigmas that pop up from time to time.

    So, take this mornings “MARKET VENDOR” Programme and what looks like disagreement between ELLIS and FERNANDES. As we know, Market Vendor is really VIC FERNANDES, and this morning VIC joked extensively about the NEW LAW IN MALAWI, where it is a criminal offense to “pass gas” in public. On the other hand, when a Brass Tacks caller attempted to raise the issue, David Ellis expressed disgust at dealing with that matter on radio. I personally agree with David about not making it a feature on the call-in-programme, but how come his boss, THE TOP MAN, VIC FERNANDES could be so expansive, so uninhibited, about a subject, while David Ellis was so squeamish about it, that he very assertively put it down like a hot potato! So there is your proof again PRODIGAL, FERNANDES prefers to deal with Tabloid- type foolishness when the DEMS in power …… NOT SO WHEN THE BLP in office….. it’s those times he likes to poke fun at Owen Arthur et al. But then again, HIS pet “DJ” UNFORTUNATELY HAD TOO MUCH OF THE CLEAR WHITE STUFF, ONE JOINT TOO MANY, and the pancreas could not take it.

    VIC, CAN YOU DEVISE A LITTLE VIGNET AROUND THE LITTLE PLOT I JUST GAVE YOU? It should make these DLP MISCREANTS on this blog REAL HAPPY!

  20. Truthman Burton Avatar
    Truthman Burton

    Hi David,
    USURPED? GET YOUR VERBS RIGHT, YOU SPIN BOWLER FOR THE DEMS! Mia was replaced democratically.

  21. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Did I hear right that now Chris Sinckler is in New York he is now singing a different tune from “the merchants are price gouging” tune sang loudly during the by election.

    He held up a bottle of mauby on the platform and said that merchants were price gouging, now up in NY, he is now saying that bajans are going to have to get used to high prices. Is this for real? These people are unbelievable!

    I remember the DLP electotoons which were the highlight of their campaign in which one depicted Mia going into a supermarket and boom high prices were like a cannon knocking her back through the door. These were brilliant, they supporters said. Back then, the BLP and the merchants who were in bed with the BLP were to be blamed. David Thompson’s first job was going to be job#1 cot of living, job#2 cost of living, & job #3 cost of living.

    What do we have now, blame the world, not the DLP’s policies.

    Owen Arthur points out to this amateur know nothing about economics minister of finance that he needs to bring legislation to legitimize the bus fares, he calls it petty.

    The BLP points out that the appointment of Arni Walters is illegal, we could bring legislation to make it legal, nothing so far.

    The over rated, under achieved late PM offered a job to a judge who does not meet the Supreme Courts legislation, no worries, we will change the law to suit us.

    Is this the change Bajans really wanted?

  22. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    @david
    I was just highlighting the point where Facebook supercedes a normal website and is there by showing fb page is using the internet properly. Not to mention they do have working website that seems to get update more regularly than the opposing one. For active member I was highlight the one who actually post (which is what I deem to be active member, passive being ones that just read). I sure we may have between 20-40 times that amount who just read the blog alone and in know way was I suggest that the 20-40 are the only ones who read the blog.

  23. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    Prodigal Son
    I too heard that news item and thought I was hearing wrong. When these things happen and I have to speak out againstit then Negro Man and Charlie and all the other DLP diehards would call me supporter of the BLP among all the other nasty things they would call me. However, I can’t keep my mouth shut and wave a DLP banner when they consistently bring all that the old DLP party that I knew stood for. I was always oppose to our former P.M Owen Arthur making statements in N.Y but now the DLP has gone one step further, they are saying one thing in Barbados and then saying the exact opposite in N.Y, no wonder they want to change the law to allow overseas barbadians to vote. What is true is the crap they can tell us here they have to come better overseas, so they tell the dishards here what they want to hear then tell those overseas the truth. There really is no room in Heaven for a politician.LIARS LIARS

  24. David Avatar
    David

    @Truthman

    Knew that word would get you.

    BU warned Mia to check her bed for a centipede.

    Here is some advice for Owen Arthur, he will not a general election in Barbados with an alienated Mia Mottley in the group.

  25. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    Agreed david. I think at the very least they must have the economy up and running by 2012 even if they continue on this path. Ideally if the pm wants to make the best use of the bad blood now would be the time to call elections. Though fallout of their handling their economy could come to play a key role i don’t think the blp would win enough seat to form government. Owen needs to give it a rest and mend the party

  26. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    Anthony
    There will be more problems if Owen back off now, there was a deadlock between Marshall and Mia after elections and it took the same Owen to break it. Marshall with support from George Payne is not going to sit idly by and allow Mia to take back over without a fight . What will happen there though is that Mia could give way to Marshall, then pay to get Marshall beaten, just like Sinckler can do to Stuart. The next general elections are going to be very interesting.and nasty, a lot of party to party fighting and much inhouse fighting too. At the end either Mia or Sinckler could end up being P.M

  27. checkit-out Avatar
    checkit-out

    Don’t write off Mara yet!

  28. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    @scout
    But a divide party doesn’t bring much confidence to voting public who swings but as always is it the party in power election to lose. Do you choose someone who you think done an awful job or party that split in middle. mending seem to be necessary part to for the blp with elections. Of course if the economy continue as it has even to 2012 i don’t think there any excuse the dlp can bring that they done a good job.

    @ Checkit-out

    She has to get a ministry first before anyone thinks to give her the pm position. While for people of st.john she might inspire leadership the rest of country she still the pm wife and wonder what leadership role can she truly offer to us. As such her leading the charge can bring doubt by swing voters as to what she capable of and thereby moving them to the blp.

  29. checkit-out Avatar
    checkit-out

    @Anthony
    Re. Mara, your analysis is sound imo. However, who can predict what Freundel Stuart will do? She might yet get a Ministry. Perhaps the best way to stop that is to keep on bringing it up. By the way, do you have any thoughts on the rumour that Dennis Kellman had been confirmed in his ministerial post and how that rumour has now apparently died or on the ramifications of Lowe’s Constituency Council hosting a celebration of life function for him?

  30. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    @checkit-out
    Humm remember reading that rumour on Barbados today the appointment was suppose to be confirmed. BGIS still refers to him as acting minister. Does bring alot of questions why he hasn’t been given the post given lowe request for 3 month leave of parliament. So is the pm just deciding not to do any work? I taught pm had made his first decision that was inline with his own policies I guess we have to wait still for that. Now with government suppose to be trying to save money why would they have two minister getting paid for the same portfolio seems counter productive to their will to be as cost saving in all ministries as possible.

  31. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    I saw the ad in yesterday’s Sun and wondered why would a constituency branch hold a celebration of life for Lowe. It came over to me as a funeral service. Funny!

    Almost of funny as the gynasium concoction by the phony pastor senator for David Thompson when he and his cohorts commanded God to heal their king and promised the assembled faithful that David would be back at his desk and that two PMs died in office and a third one will die under his watch. I wonder what these phony pastors tell their flock now. Just like my phony anglican priest with balls.

  32. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    Five weeks before the end of the financial year, the government going to Parliament to get a supplementary to fulfill a by-election promise. We have gone mad in Barbados.

  33. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    Anthony
    Denis Kellman , like Adriel Brathwaite WAS appointed Minister but will be replaced if or when Denis Lowe is fit to resume his office. The point is Brathwaite was given that post, temporary but appointed because there were doubts of the late P.M returning, is this the same way with Lowe?

  34. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    @ The Scout
    I have heard rumours of the such but will wait for GP to give a diagnosis.

  35. HAMILTON HILL Avatar
    HAMILTON HILL

    MY FINAL POST ON THIS SUBJECT. I accept and appreciate the fact that you owe no one the satisfaction of alignment. Everyone understands that yours is the right to be partial or biased in any way you see fit,for yours is a blog and not a paid contribution to some daily publication. However the implicit notion that objectivity resides in your writings is as ridiculous as the offering that Mara Thompson was hand picked to replace her late husband.Surprise can surely not be the emotion one has at the fact that it took just two years for you to assign ratings ,for understood is the fact objectivity and your chosen pseudonym are as synonymous as oil and water. I am satisfied that I was able to rip away that cloak of deception for in my eyes it represented an affront to simple intelligence. Simple I might need to specify ,for there is that other kind that has catapulted Owen Arthur into the pages of history as the greatest Barbadian of our time. Like it or not like Truthman Burton ,Carson C. Cadogan ,Apollo 13 and Hamilton Hill ,you sir are a Made Man . Difference is all of the aforementioned are willing to stand on the courage of conviction and defend whatever positions they may take. Question is WHEN WILL YOU?

  36. HAMILTON HILL Avatar
    HAMILTON HILL

    That bit was supposed to say Replace her late husband as Prime MINISTER.

  37. BAJAN TRUTH Avatar
    BAJAN TRUTH

    @Hamilton Hill and AC

    I think some mention could be made of some of the positive changes at hospital, some attempts at housing though tainted by corruption accusations leveled at some aspects under taken by the Minister. These are positive things.

    But I really do not think that your arguments addressed the issues of very poor decisions that impact us Barbadians. The misguided reasoning about int’l crisis seems to suggest better could not be done. The crux of the argument is how well did you handle the crisis, no one disputes the impact. The question is, what did you do and did it make it better or worse? The list indicates a litany of poor decisions based on ignorance and incompetence.

    AC it is obvious you do not understand how gov’t works which someone attempted to educate you, but you seem not to get the point. The gov’t spends yearly what it gathers in taxes, for the gov’t to be without money to do things the economy and business would have had to shut down. In fact the highest gov’t budget in history of Barbados was the DLP one in 2008 around 3.b, 400m more than 2007. So when you swallow the li(n)es perpetrated by the ‘firm’ Thompson, Boyce & Ince it is fodder for fools to ‘ignorantise’ some Barbadians, who may not be aware. They had more money but what was it spent on?

    With regards to debt, gov’t did not have to find money to pay it, it is calibarated on the projected income, nobody lends you money beyond your capacity to pay, int’l lending market is not ignorant. That is why you have Moody’s and Standard and Poors to guide investors as to the wisdom and capacity to pay. Ratings under the BLp were always positive. We reached the threat of junk status under DLP 2010 because of the reckless borrowing and spending 1.5b additional debt in two years 2008 -2010. The downgrades under Thompson is a message to investors that B’dos is less safe to lend, and they no longer enjoy the confidence of the rating agencies as enjoyed under BLP during their 14 years. That is with good reason. No other gov’t DLP or BLP in the history of B’dos accumulated debt (1.5b extra in 2 years) at this speed and rate. Check Avinash Persaud who explained it on Brass Tacks. Stop drinking that political koolaid it will addle your brain.

  38. checkit-out Avatar
    checkit-out

    Hamilton Hill

    I presume your post above is in response to mine @ checkit-out; February 7, 2011 at 2:21 PM;

    It really seems that my statement that Owen Arthur’s intellect, i.m.h.o, was ARGUABLY superior to Errol Barrow’s has stuck firmly in your craw. Get over it. It is just my opinion based on observations. Most people will disagree but nobody else has to agree with it, and note that I said ARGUABLY. and also note that I made no attempt to relate intellect to greatness nor achievements.

    I’ll just respond to one point that you made. I think I responded to the others before without rebuttal: You wrote:-
    However the implicit notion that objectivity resides in your writings is as ridiculous as the offering that Mara Thompson was hand picked to replace her late husband as Prime Minister.

    Your quote is another strawman based on the following facts in the public arena, Viz.
    1) It has been totally established through statements made by the people closest to him that David Thompson’s major goal in life was to be Prime Minister.
    2) David Thompson achieved that goal and then he must have recognized that he had to relinquish that post after just 2 years in office. Recognizing his lifelong fight for that post, Is it inconceivable that a man of such singleminded objectivity and love of a PM position might try to ensure that one of his progeny succeeded him as a PM of the future?
    3) Even while extremely sick David Thompson held on to the post of Prime Minister.
    4) Hartley Henry has disclosed, and Mara has apparently confirmed, that on his sick bed, David Thompson suggested that Mara should succeed him.
    5) Hartley Henry was dispatched to St John to determine the feasibility of Mara succeeding David (My reading however is that part of that mission was to set up the situation whereby Mara could not reasonably refuse to accede to David’s wishes).
    6) There was credible reporting that David Thompson, on his deathbed made the wish that Mara should succeed him in St John and keep the seat warm for their daughter, Oya.

    Subsequent events suggest and the above factoids and deductions indicate that there was a clear strategic plan, set up by David Thompson and Hartley Henry to ensure a future seat for Oya Thompson.

    But it could not be just for a St John seat, that would be small potatoes for a man who always aimed at the prime ministerial position, a future Prime Ministerial position had to be the ultimate goal.

    Of course there can be many slips between the cup and the lip but Freundel Stuart started the ball rolling by following the first steps in the blueprint provided by David Thompson through Hartley Henry.

    Of course, much of the above is debatable and there are several counter arguments but the proof of the deductions above being credible or not will reside in future developments.

    You said that your post above was your last word on this matter. I wonder!

  39. Christopher Halsall Avatar
    Christopher Halsall

    @BAJAN TRUTH (February 8, 2011 at 1:59 PM): “The gov’t spends yearly what it gathers in taxes, for the gov’t to be without money to do things the economy and business would have had to shut down.

    You’re joking, right?

    You’re not actually trying to convince people that a Government cannot spend more money that it collects.

    Right?

    Ever heard of term “Budget Deficit”?

  40. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    It was announced last week that Dennis Kellman was confirmed as the substantive Minister of Drainage and whatever and that Lowe is now a Minister without portfolio.

    I would like to query how a government that is so cash strapped could have 19 ministers and three parliamentary secretaries. On the back bench, there is only James Paul, the political prostitute Hammie La, Kenny booza Best and Mara Thompson. This is unheard of in modern Barbadian politics.

    This is another accomplishment of the DLP government.

  41. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    @Christopher.

    Nothing is wrong with the statement it might be a bit vauge but it truthful. All budget deficient are finance thru nis and other institutions. The point Bajan truth was making is if the government has no money ( either no money from revenue or can’t borrow any money to pay for the deficit ) then government stops working.

    @ Bajan truth
    I bit lost at where you get this 3billion figure in 2008. I know from central bank biggest budget was 2009 which was almost 2.9 billion

  42. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    @Prodical son
    While this was announce in the Barbados today. It has yet to take effect or it may never take effect. Though as far as budgeting goes they being paying for 19 minister until lowe get back on the job.

  43. Christopher Halsall Avatar
    Christopher Halsall

    @anthony: “Nothing is wrong with the statement it might be a bit vauge but it truthful.

    I question your morals. There is a lot wrong with the statement.

    It is misleading. The statement is only technically truthful.

    It fails to point out that Government may expose future citizens to repayment of loans, and/or sell out public assets for short-term agendas.

    Lying by leaving out important truths is still lying. (IMHO).

  44. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Checkit-out,

    I do not understand why a certain blogger is denying that it was David Thompson’s wish that his wife should should represent the people of St John in the event that he could no longer do so.

    Quoting Hartley Henry in the JANUARY 7, 2011 edition of the Nation, Hartley Henry revealed that at a meeting at Gall Hill. The Nation’s Chris Gollop claims he had an advanced copy of the speech.

    Hartley declared that soon after Thompson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he bluntly put this question to him” But, chief if something were to happen where you were forced to demit office as MP for St John, looking around, who would you fancy to carry on your work?” Thompson told Henry that since he became leader of the DLP, he yielded the issue of representation to Mara. (CAN YOU IMAGINE THIS?) Thompson said that Mara has been doing the donkey work in St John for years.

    AND THIS FROM A MAN WHO WAS SAID TO BE SUCH A GREAT REPRESENTATIVE. THIS CONFIRMS THE STATED BELIEF THAT THOMPSON WAS LAZY MAN AND DID NOT LIKE HARD WORK BUT LIKED PEOPLE TO DO HIS DIRTY WORK FOR HIM.

    Henry said seeing an opening, I bluntly asked the question, chief, who would you like to succeed you, Thompson looked across the room and smiled at Mara and said look her there”

    If anyone is lying, it has to be Hartley Henry. The Henry speech goes on to tell of the plan to engage Oya to convince Mara and for Henry to use his influence to get Mara run for the seat.

    Read the article on January 7, 2011 and there is the proof. Do you think anybody in the BLP could ever do something like this, the Dems would get on like “pop kites”.

  45. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    @ Christopher

    You admit it was technically truthful so how could it be lie ?

    Every loan the goverment takes expose us and our decendant to risk from it . That is common sense I don’t think that it must be stated. If it does then we as people may have fallen father than either of us would like to know.

  46. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    If it does then we as people may have fallen farther than either of us would like to know.

  47. Christopher Halsall Avatar
    Christopher Halsall

    @anthony: “You admit it was technically truthful so how could it be lie ?

    I might be being pedantic here, but IMHO truthfulness and honesty are somewhat orthogonal.

    As in, it is possible to be entirely truthful without being entirely honest.

    The statement by BAJAN TRUTH seems to be of this category.

    Lying by omission is still lying.

  48. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    But your judging that his statement was untruth on common sense piece of evidence that he didn’t include. Like i said before if people don’t know that we have truly fallen far as a nation.

  49. BAJAN TRUTH Avatar
    BAJAN TRUTH

    @ christopher
    A gov’t cannot spend more than it has. It cannot go and credit something and then try to work out how to pay for it. Budget deficit does not mean you credited the rest, it means you either have to actually secure the loan to meet the expenditure or drop some of your projects. Gov’ts cannot spend more than they have. Gov’t revenue is based on taxation. You make a projection on how much that is likely to be. You make up your shortfall with loans, but you actually have to secure the loan, i.e. have the money in order to spend it. Gov’t cannot credit things without the cash secured to pay for it. This is important. When lenders make a loan they must be very sure gov’t can pay back. Why? Lenders to gov’t cannot take back the item like a flyover, school or a road; or hold something for collateral like a fridge or tools or a building. What it is spent on is pretty much out of your control to convert to get your money back.

  50. Robert Deschappe Avatar
    Robert Deschappe

    The electorate had enough of the last administration, so we got on board with the DLP. All across Barbados we heard “Time for change, time for a change”. We accepted their offer, and in our opinion, we did the right thing.. we changed the government.
    I was reading a speech given by Michael Lashley at a political mass meeting, held at Wotton, Christ Church, on Sunday October 1, 2006. The following are excerpt from that speech:

    “Our democracy is under threat when the views of the opposition cannot be heard and felt on CBC TV which is owned by the tax-payers of this country. My charge tonight is that the government of Barbados is using CBC to subvert and control the flow of public information.”
    Change: With henchman Leroy Parris as Chairman, and ex DLP press secretary Reudon Eversley as Director of News and Current Affairs at CBC, be honest, has anything really changed at CBC?

    “By now I hope you know that when it comes to accountability and transparency, the Barbados Labour Party government is all about a glossy manifesto, promises and no action whatsoever. If this government had followed its own words and have full accountability in its operations, our national debt would be manageable and the full treasury that Owen Arthur inherited from the DLP would be intact.”
    Change: Change the BLP to DLP, and Owen Arthur to David Thompson. We are still waiting on the legislation that was promised to us in 100 days. Tell me truthfully, has anything really changed?

    The more things change the more they remain the same.

    Ya see why I don’t like the politicians.

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