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We understand Weir is capitalizing on the weakness of Lashley, that said an explanation is required after seeing the housing stock on show in the video in St. Philip North.
A disgrace in 2011.
cuh dear!
I cannot believe in this day and age that people are living under these conditions in Barbados. I thought that some of housing being built was to relieve people from conditions like these. What a crying shame! There are still too many people being neglected and forgotten. It seems that money only talks and the poor remain poorer. What has happened to the poverty alleviation fund? Is there one?
The issue here seems to be whether Lashley with responsibility for Urban could not have done more.
BU believes the PM has taken Urban to bolster his position in his riding which has always been marginal at best.
Some of these pictures remind me and look like the slums of South Africa. Shame shame on the government. Some of these ministers should be made to live for a month in one these shacks to experience what these people go through. Only then they will truly understand the plight of the poor.
pray tell me how can blame be attributed to mr michael lashley.methinks this is an issue that can be thrown in the blp’s face if this tragedy has been in existence during the tenure of the last administration who placed much emphasis on poverty alleviation under grasshopper hamilton lashley.
I agree this didn’t happen overnight and BOTH political parties are responsible. When we lie in our beds at night and hear the rain falling on our rooftops, think about these people. Think about their sleepless nights trying to stay dry. Think about their children having to go to school next day with damp clothing. This is an abomination!
Here is an example of what some of us who try to be politically independent mean.
We need to take the politics out of some things -we can start at the 3 basics needs of life – food, shelter and clothing.
The BLP is just shame of its poor housing record after being in office for fourteen years and in time of plenty to boot.
If they don’t do something quick to discredit Michael Lashley it is going to make them look really stupid. Hence this feeble attempt at turning the tide.
Many of these houses were this way from under the BLP administration but the DLP is getting around to them
What will “under wear” come with then?
@Cadogan
Do you understand that your brazen partisan political mouthings only appeal to political hacks? i.e. no credibility
What do you have to say about the housing on show in the video.
The people who occupy those houses want to hear you on this matter.
Carson you are such a moron, have you no empathy? I should be replacing my roof in a month or so and I would like to donate all of the good roofing galvanize to some of these people. Indar I will be contacting you shortly.
David, I know that gas is not cheap right now, but you really need to get out of the heights and terraces and do some driving.
The bigger disgrace is that the images in the video are common all over Barbados. In fact there are many people living under worse conditions, that have not yet caught the eye, or camera, of aspiring, outgoing or incumbent politicians.
Pity that it always seems that it takes politics to expose the plight of poor Barbadians. Mr. Weir should have gone a bit further to inform as to whether there has been partisan allocation of state relief to constituents of St. Phillip North.
I will suggest to Mr.Weir that the reduction in Mr. Lashley’s portfolio has little to do with dissatisfaction, but more to do with giving others the opportunity and resources to replicate Mr. Lashley’s stewardship of the development commissions.
Good video nevertheless. There might still be hope for a new fourth estate.
As for the housing policy. How come that there is said to be thousands on the NHC’s waiting list, but he NHC is still holding house fairs to attract new buyers for these $75 000.00 starer houses?
Is the NHC saying that people on its list do not want these houses or cannot afford them?
@David
if lasley were to fix all the dilapidated houses in his constituency you would have heard howling. Minister of housing is not only responsible for his constiutency, but the whole of Barbados.
Yes we have people who must be helped, but we have some people who have their priorties wrong and over the years allow thier houses to reach a stage where they then cannot repair them. What happens to adage fix the rtotten board here and there. The hurtful thing in alot of these instances is that some of these people have family who appear when the house is repaired and when govt use back some of the wood from the old house claim that the house belong to them. I know of a case where the resident beat ooficer and i got a new house built for an elderly gentleman and he subsequently died and the hosue is still there, but a relative claim that she was told thatsome of the board from the old house was used and hence she is entilted to it. I knew it was rebuilt from scratch.
Are you aware that there is a grant of ten thousand dollars that home owners can get to repair their homes. Check the National Housing Corporation. Community Leaders need to knoow how to empower ressidents instead of relying on the Ministers to solve all the problems, And the Constuency Councils have been advising barbadians where they can get help, and in some instances assisting barbadians wiht small repairs.
Children have a responsibilty to their parents to assist while they are living and dont wait until they dead to waste money on an expensive funera and then fight for the land,
.
The housing crusade which is being undertaken by the DLP will ensure that such images are a thing of the past.
If the BLP had done their work properly such scenes in Barbados would have been rare.
Alas, in fourteen years I don’t think that the BLP constructed fourteen houses for the poor!
Twelve billion dollars in vat revenue under the BLP and Bajans still living in these conditions.
The BLP ought to be shame. Poor stewardship.
What say you “under wear”?
It is politics, this is how the game is played.
Weir is doing what he is suppose to be doing as Lashley’s rival.
We all know there is poor housing stock all over Barbados and which existed under B and D.
Again it is politics and Weir is using the ‘bite approach’ to woo support.
The people will decide.
Check out the CITY.
Represented by the BLP for donkey’s years yet they are people living in the City Constituency with dirt floors.
Tood is doing his best with small means to try to correct the situation. Something the BLP turned a blind eye to.
The bottomline is in 2011 some of the housing stock we see around Barbados as shown in the video should not be a reality.
We have to get back to being people focused and caring for people and put the faluting first world status ideals on the back burner.
PEOPLE FOCUSED!
The DLP in the time that they have been in office are working overtime to correct this very bad situation.
Hence the fear of the BLP is that the DLP will succeed.
Given that many of the house now being constructed remain empty long after completion, is it more beneficial to the country to build 1 000 new houses to house 5 000 and ignore 10 000 sub standard ones currently housing 50 000 or build 200 new ones and improve the 10 000 so that they could accommodate 54 000?
Carson Cadogan – while BLP has had 14 years to fix SPN, what have the DEM’s done from January 2008 to NOW? How long does it take to “get around” to fixing them? You remind of the joke abut using Round Tuit’s to solve problems… Folk have an ailment and the response (was it yours?)
‘I’LL GET A “round tu’it”…‘ {SAY IT ALOUD}
Mr. Weir, you have shown us what Mr. Lashley has not done. Please now show us what you have done. We certainly hope that you are not suggesting that we have to elect you for you to provide some leadership in rectifying this situation. We are sure that with your business and organizational experience you can help us to organize and help ourselves.
What can Weir do in Opposition?
He is doing his job as opposition candidate.
He does not have government resources at his command.
IAN
If you have to ask a question such as that, it is saying to me that from Jan. 2008 until now you have been vacationing on the Moon or Mars.
IAN
…..and let me add, with no contact with Earth!
DAVID
“He does not have government resources at his command.”
……and he never will!
Carson Cadogan – I am not the one who is orbiting some satellite, at least I can query both sides and not be seen doing cunnilingus or fellatio relentlessly on one Party or the other?
Mr. Weir, we do not, as poor people, trust each other, but we trust respectful, successful people such as you are. Here is how you can assist. I have an old house on 5,000 square feet of land and my next door neighbor has the same, but we do not have any money. If we were to combine our two pieces of land and build eight townhouse units, we can have one each and the sale of the other six units can pay for the entire project and possibly leave a little savings for us. But we need someone with your know-how to organize us. Will you help?
FROM FACEBOOK
Tony Wiggins:-
“The DLP Govt with Michael Lashley as the Minister of Housing & Lands offered the rental units to tenants who were renting the units for twenty or more years ; some of the tenants and their families were residing in the units since 1949 . Since 1954 , no minister of Housing has provided more practicable housing solutions than Michael Lashley .”
@David.
I too am a partisan DLP supporter but I am good at arithmetic.
I did prety good in L1B at Kolij.
14 years -3 years = 11 years
The BLP had 11 more years than the DLP to build houses for poor people.
Lest we forget that Owen say land should be used to its maximum value so while Owen was chillin at Portsintcow and maximising the ovaseas investment class, and talkin shiite to we bajans in toronta an Newyork bout how we should come back to Paradise…….
I doan have to read an spell fuh wunna but I gettin pissed off again an GP would advise me it is not good for my health so I gone.
An ask Owen why it is better to build 10 million dollar houses than 15 little houses on 4000 sq. ft lots.
I is a DLP supporter so this is a partisan political rant.
Where is Royalrumble to cuss muh like he used to on BFP?
@Hants
Royalrumble must be in the Mia camp.
A bearish market is obviously affecting the takeup of housing stock at this time.
Who wants to commit to a significant financial commitment in these times?
Unfortunately the same perspective would apply to people in the lower economic bracket.
@David
I disagree with the emotional charged word you used such as disgrace. We have to be careful how we used words like that when we are dealing with one of the most successful housing minister over the last 18 years. There is nothing disgraceful about his performance. it might be a disgrace fro people to live in such sub-standard housing conditions, but they are not of his making and hence one cannot contribute the word disgrace to him or implied that it has something to do with his performance that people are living in those conditions.
Can the govt rid the country of all those dilapidated houses in three years, have any body stop to ask if some of those houses are being rented and why the landlord dont fix them.
Indra Weir is like all politicains about to score cheap politcal points, but he must recognized that Michael Lashley and Donville Iinniss are two solution oriented politicians and the two hardest working of the buch tha are producing results. They will be hard to be dislodged.
Mr. Lashley owes no one an explanation, If you travel all over barbados you will see such houses. Continue the good work Mr lashley and dont be distracted.
@just only asking
However you spin it it is a disgrace to have people living in these conditions.
Whether Lashley is a successful or most successful minister of housing is irrelevant.
@ Hants
I regret learning of your partisan approach as I expect my fella Kolij bros to be very objective. I do agree, however, that the BLP and DLP have both FAILED miserably in developing proper land use policy and to application of concepts generated regardless of source. When the very expensive foreign projects were being considered, why was there not a stipulation that low cost housing in some ratio eg 10:1, had to be produced for locals?
I understand that certain builders can create sturdy houses for $ 40-80,000. Why cant Govt, regardless of B or D, form a partnership with a large Life Insurance Company to finance the building of thousands of properties, that the Govt collects rent from to payback the said Lifeco? The concept in this situation is to “rent to own” over say a 25yr period. Other strategies should be developed for other segments eg retired households, houses requiring repairs only etc. The details of the plans should, wherever possible, be based on ownership because that gives lower income Bajans the opportunity to own their own country and improve their position in life. Positive psychology will lead to further Nation building.
I dont believe in just giving housing to anyone who is capable of assisting development, working or providing some service to the community. Governments should help people to develop but not create long term dependence.
Everytime someone have to criticise the DLP, there is always their yardfowls who will jump on the paling and crow. Yes, the BLP was not doing what was expected of them especially within the last term of their administration, that’s why WE changed to the DLP. Many promises were made and those of us who know politics, knew that some of those promises were just political gimmicks, like what was to happen in 100 days, and others in 500 days. What is vexing is that Mr Lashley is Minister of Housing and formerly Rural and Urban Development, yet no priority was given to persons from his constituency unless they are DLP supporters, he MUST realise he is the representative of the entire constituency, hence all the persons in it, whether they are his supporters or not. This disclosure by Mr Weir will not be enough for Mr Lashley to lose his seat but certainly would wake him up or he could get the same fate as Cappy Greenidge.
David at BU get real !
Indar Weir need to learn how to use a video…..Why does he have to record the same scenes over & over ? Here is WHY ?
PAY ATTENTION TO THE FACTS BELOW.
In 1996 Owen Arthur told Barbadians he was not aware of such huge pockets of POVERTY in Barbados after visiting St. Michael North West.
David, you mean to tell INTELLIGENT Barbadians that AFTER the introduction of :
1. VAT on 1st 1997 and 12 billion $$ in VAT funds !
2. The setting up of Rural & Urban Development agencies in 1998 !
3. The setting up of Ministry of Social Transformation in 1998 !
4. No Economic Global recession ( like the one of 2007 – PRESENT)…..that the BLP Administration should be PROUD highlight POVERTY among BARBADIANS…..AFTER LEAVING OFFICE IN JANUARY 2008 ?
The 4 points highlighted above were to precisely address the issues INDAR WEIR noe gloating about !
While Owen during that time spent time satisfying the lives and demands of the RICH & FAMOUS .
Hence selling land to the highest bidder was…Owen Arthur’s legacy on….HOUSING.
What give rae MOUTH imbeciles like you, Indar Weir and other BLP JOKERS to condemn a DLP government helping to house BARBADIANS and improve their housing stock in the throes of the worst global economic recessions known to man ?
GET REAL !
@Not fooled
Thanks for you comment colourful though it was…lol
Can you tell us of the housing stock attributed to the government and Minister Lashley how many are occupied?
Can you tell us of the total stock what is the price distribution of the stock?
BU unlike others do not judge the success on numbers of houses built alone but on take up and affordability.
@Hant
Indeed 14 to 3 years to refurbish those houses under video review, and even the so called political independent voices are loudly calling for the Ministers action on account of his political opponent. Are they trying demonstrate their independence or they truly believe that this government has the were with all to renovate all delapidated houses in Barbados in three years, and that the last government did not and therefore could not accomplish the same goal in 14 years? This is amazing to me.
I remember one case during the last government’s reign Were Cinty was taken to task for a run down house somewhere in her consituency, she came to her defence by stating that the house was on land not owned by the occupier and could not move forward with the help the lady requested. To my mind 3 years is too little time for government to radicate all eye sore houses in Barbados -if indeed such is possible – Yet another consideration to take on is what efforts were made by anyone to address these situations? Do we know?
@Adrian
It is not only about building houses but refreshing existing stock especially those affected after TOMAS.
Minister Lashley has done well but he should not expect a free pass, expect to be probed regarding his stewardship.
@c.c.c why u always talking bout de blp aint do this and them aint do that, wunna think ppl put wunna in ta hear bout wha de blp aint do from wha them do ,de ppl dun know and voted to that effect ,now get on on wid de job cause some ah dem houses that wunna build that de poor ppl thought that they would have got that lashley calling low income, aint na dam low income; low income aint na damm $2300 ah lot ah low income ppl would be glad ta get that. i does work fa $260 ah week, we de young ppl dun know and hear bout de blp last election so dont come wid that ole shite nex election, we give wunna 5yrs, we want ta hear from wunna cause wunna is who in power now not de blp ,lashley doing good work but ah lot of theses houses out of de ppl ah de bottom reach,deal wid de ppl that pun de NHC list FIRST and not de ones that coming to de housing fairs now applying.
@David
I hear you. I would never agitate for a pass to given to any politician; but the arguments made in support of this joke video are laughable. Ian Bourne’s now reduced argument contends that it will wake up the Minister to do something about it, when we all know that such an altruistic intent was never its purpose. It was and has always been a political ploy to discredit the Minister for pure political gain.
I tell you BLP people that the DLP operates ahead of its time.
It is going to take you BLP people twenty or more years to come to grips with the great job that the DLP is doing.
I will be around to accept your apologies when you find out your mistakes.
Another thing, you BLP don’t learn. Stupid talk from Owen”seethru”Arthur and the Barbados Labour Party cost Barbadian Contractors the very lucrative Pickerings project. The largest project in Barbados going to Jamaicans. If Bajans don’t be careful, good housing will go to Guyanese, Jamaicans, Trinidadians, Vincentians etc. and Bajans will again loose out because of foolish talk from the Crooked Barbados Labour Party.
People from other West Indian Islands will prove that they have more sense than some Bajans.
Dear just only asking,
You said Minister Lashley owes no one an explanation. May I ask why is that? I visit this blog regularly and yours and CCC rants are unobjective and downright partisan. Can no one critise your party? From my perspective as a 25 year old voter, you certainly do not help your party’s cause. The first time I have ever voted in my life was in 2008 when I voted for this administration, so NO one can call me an BLP. In fact, I share a robust relationship with my current representative, having pointed out areas which affected both myself and others which seemed to not be being dealt with speedily or at all. My point is, castigating the BLP doesn’t help, and displaying arrogance that Mr.Lashley owes no one an explanation is downright disgusting. He was elected to SERVE the people, not the other way around my friend.His job is to continue about the people’s business, take critism and DO BETTER. May he see these people’s plights and assist them however possible.
Barbados Labour Party supporters and members seem to talk first and think later.
All Bajans should be encouraged to grab hold of this sterling opportunity ,with both hands, to own a piece of the rock before others from “over-in-away” realise what a good thing is going on and make full use of the opportunity to further own Barbados.
Only the dumb, stupid Barbados Labour Party supporters is trying to prevent Bajans from improving them selves.
I guess the crooked Barbados Labour Party only want Bajans to buy cars.
@ Not Fooled
I have seen you DLP supporters come to this blog and state that Owen Arthur sold land to the highest bidder. Let us be fair, can you please tell me where is this land and to whom it was sold?
Or you are just another political yard fowl repeating what your political masters are saying? You guys really cause me to question this 98% literacy rate thing you are always boasting about.
All of this back and forth about what party did,or didn’t do isn’t doing shit for the poor and needy at this point in time; Bajans used to care for each other when I was a boy growing up in Barbados. But now all that seem to matter is making money and more money. While the little man get nothing in return; To hell with this politics. It’s time for all Bajans to take a stand for betterment of all. Spending Millions of dollars on all these different project to beautify or change Barbados isn’t helping what’s being shown in the video; Islandgal246 I respect you to the fullest for making an effort towards helping, and if others join in to do the same this will be a start; Time to put this dumb shit about the different parties who did,or didn’t do aside, or make them all accountable for their actions. No one in this day and age should be living under these conditions in Barbados; Start doing, and STOP TALKING; Follow what Islandgal246 is about to do. We are responsible for each other if we are so Christina minded. **WE ARE OUR BROTHERS KEEPERS**
Now this place I would designate a World Heritage Site /Sight ,as these people have been living in these deplorable conditions for generations.
But why are we surprised? the people whom we elect to serve us in parliament are interest in two things mainly, (a) that No1 is No 1. (b) Like the despots in power across the world, erecting statues of themselves,but in Barbados these statues come in the form of the ABC Highway, Tom Adams Financial Centre, Sherbourne Conference Centre, The Villages etc etc., no matter what is the cost to the taxpayer. One wonders how many of these ‘low income’ residents that we have seen in this St Phillip video will or can qualify to own one of those homes in The Villages,or even able to rent one of those in Country Road or Tweedside Road.
The politicians really do laugh their balls off at the poor people of this country, who ,come next election will either retain the useless bastards who have done nothing for them in the last five years, or replace them with another set who will promise them the world, but will spent the next five years doing the same as their predecessors,and often blaming them when they cannot deliver.
We have our own Ghadaffis ,Castros and Chavez ,compliments the very same people of Barbados .
God Bless Bim.
Robert Deschappé
“I have seen you DLP supporters come to this blog and state that Owen Arthur sold land to the highest bidder. Let us be fair, can you please tell me where is this land and to whom it was sold?”
I thought you had comon sense, but that question puts you in the same boat as the other BLP nincompoops.
Thank God that we have a decent percentage of the population who do not support any political party, blindly or otherwise. These are the ones who change a government, as if it makes any difference, because come hell or high water the party political faithfuls , as we have seen ably demonstrated in these blogs, will represent their political parties to the hilt.
“Start doing, and STOP TALKING; Follow what Islandgal246 is about to do. ”
That is exactly what the DLP is about.
No one wants ISLANDGAL246 throwoffs. Rusty galvanised sheets, rotten old boards . I don’t think even the Salvation Army would accept them.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.