Caswell Franklyn, Head of Unity Workers Union
By a notice published as S.I. 2011 No. 88 in the Official Gazette of July 28, 2011, the Minister of Finance waived the payment of LAND TAX by the Barbados Cruising Club for a nineteen-year period April 1, 1992 to March 31, 2011. The Minister forgave the payment of $125, 871.06.
I do not pretend to understand these weighty matters of state, and I am not questioning the Minister’s right to grant exemptions from the payment of land tax or any other tax. He has that right under the provisions of the Duties, Taxes and Other Payments (Exemption) Act, Chapter 67B of the Laws of Barbados. My concern is that while Government is squeezing every last cent out of the average Barbadian, why would it forgive the payment of land tax to people who can afford to own yachts and cruise as a hobby?
As I understand it, Government leased land to the Barbados Cruising Club to use for their members’ recreation. For the period of the lease the club should have been paying land tax on the property. They failed to do so. Rather than ensure compliance with the provisions of the Land Tax Act, and make sure that the country gets the much needed revenue, the Minister of Finance forgave the tax.
The Round Barbados Race took place on Errol Barrow Day, 21 January 2011
Who are these people who are so well placed that they can persuade Government to waive the payment of land tax on property that they use for recreation, while at the same time, the Commissioner of Land Tax is advertising the property, of small individuals, for sale for non payment of land tax.
This might be a very innocent transaction, but as a tax paying Barbadian, I would like to be assured that Government is not taking care of the boys at the expense of the average tax paying Barbadian.
Is it true to say that members of the Barbados Cruising Club are predominantly ‘rich White boys’?
Wasn’t Erroll Barrow a member?
I always heard he loved to sail.
The Cruising Club, an off shoot of the Errol Barrow campaign against the “Royal” Barbados Yacht Club of the day was predominantly Black. The building was privately built but is on Government’s land. Now as a result of waning interest, a new group has taken over its management, a group that includes a high percentage of Whites. Now White tends to attract White so it was only a matter of time before the complexion of the club changed. EWB should be rolling in his grave.
I wonder how Franklyn felt when the same administration forgave the Turf Club a $20 Million debt …
Has this matter been reported in the mainstream media?
Can a government surrogate speak to why the government was persuaded to make the decision?
De Black peoples get de club pull from under dem foots. Now we gine have the poor feel dem whites club next tah de rich whitees club.
Oh I see!
I can now understand why the Commissioner sent me a letter threatening to sell my little spot because I owe him $2 500.00.
I now realise why the dogs the pass all the other cars in the gap and pick my front wheel to wash.
‘ an offshoot of the Errol Barrow campaign against the Royal Barbads yacht club. Before i go further , may i remind you that the royal barbados yacht club shed “royal” many years ago whereas the police force gleefully adopted it as an accoladade from the queen. the only thing mr barrow might be rolling in his grave for is on hearing once again people attributing things to him w3hich he did not do. mr barrow facilitated the formation of the barbados cruisijng club to accomodate those snobbish negrocrat black boys and other redleg bajans who were refused entry into the royalba5rbADOS YACHT CLUB. MR BARROW DID NOT WAGE ANY WAR AGAINST the royal barbados yacht club.
Will someone kindly tell me where Mr. Barrow’s grave is located?
Moderator, why are you moderating my moderate views?
This moderate moderation is making me moody. 🙂
@lil boy
It maybe your the version of your browser. Try downloading Firefox
David I am running firefox and has sent one of my comments to moderation as well.
LilBoy doan cry nuh, Mr Barrow’s grave is in the Caribbean Sea.
Balance
“mr barrow facilitated the formation of the barbados cruisijng club to accomodate those snobbish negrocrat black boys and other redleg bajans who were refused entry into the royalba5rbADOS YACHT CLUB”
You are right of course, but Mr Barrow had no great liking for the Yacht Club. He actually forced them to drop the “Royal” accolade from the name. One reason why the interest in the club waned is because the children of those “snobbish negrocrat black boys and other redleg bajans” did not share the snobbishness of their fathers. I know, I am one of them …!
Well in my humble opinion things are going to get even worse instead of better; Judging from this situation that has now presented itself;
It seems to be a world wide thing when it come to politicians; They all promise you that it’s about the Little Man’s Interest when seeking office. But after they have gained office,it’s all about the other man and self; The Little Man is struggling to feed his family. While the man who’s able to cruse and have a ball does it all for free at the expense of the poor folks in Barbados. Now this is a load of PURE SHIT being thrown in the face of the people; I am quite sure that they have given this situation some thought. And they are more than sure that everyone is only going to talk about it for a while, and that will be the end of it; So they aren’t even worried at all about their actions, and choices that they make from day to day; Which is so sad to be used and abused by what you would say is your own; They aren’t working for you, they are working for themselves and others who makes it worth they while; Rest and assure that this is what’s happening; Call me crazy if you want to. But I see it no other way;
The fact the the police services in Barbados are proud of the Royal stamp is a thing of shame … one reason why I cannot easily join with David on those occasions when he calls for the bloggers to queue up behind the flag
Mr. Moderator Sir, Is this a FF conspiracy or what? What is wrong with Chrome?
@IG246
I was under the impression, apparently mistaken, that Mr. Barrow’s ashes were scattered over the Caribbean Sea. I didn’t know that you had to dig a grave out there too. I was really hoping to cut out the middlemen.
Well I guess it is back to Plan B for me. You just can,t get away from these gravediggers and funeral directors.
But how a Government that is allegedly desperate for money could write off so much money in one term and then got the gall to increase late fees for people that file tax returns late?
How can you justify penalizing people that file late while you are simultaneously rewarding people who owe you by writing off their debts?
What kind of pappy show wunna really running?
People were made to believe that Mr Barrow’s ashes were scattered over the sea, but the truth is that there is a grave, and only a very small number of people know where it is located … shhhhh ..
@lil boy… are you really surprised ? whilst we were all occupied with the St John by election, Light & Power had a change of ownership.. the single most destructive sell out happened.. BNB sell out was just national pride, this was national strategic importance, and now we pay the price..every single month.. and why i shake my head everytime some jack rant about we are number so and so out of some index that says nothing. And then guess what, we shower praises on people and call them “my Lord”.. don’t wonder we deserve to get our backsides kicked
Careful, that might soon become public knowledge given the amount of “leaking” going on these days.
Anyone else heard the Minister of Finance on CBC tonight, telling people they should continue paying their premiums to Clico?
He said, “No premiums, no company. It is as simple as that”, or words to that effect.
Policyholders better pick sense from that.
What de shoite ah hearing ? Paying premiums to a company dat ent got nuh money to pay yuh back? Why doan de minister find out if de late PM had a policy wid Clico and eff his wife get paid money from dat company. An whey is all dem assets? Villa Nova, some Plantations round hey, Sam Lords ah tink, people help muh nah?
Eff Clico cahn pay out why should people pay in? Lawdy loh dem reely tink Bajans chupid. I bet Carson Cadogan is de only one paying he premiums because de party tell he tah pay. .
Blacks are scoffed at there. You cannot buy a drink unless you are a member of the club.
Well Chris said that he is still paying his. He must be very confident that he will get it back. There’s nothing like leading by example. 😉
I did not hear him say anything about missing assets though. I bet that the assets are still in Barbados but the managers are looking under the wrong names. 😉
DONT YOU KNOW that certain people that got money dont like to pay for nothing and always lobby against paying especially if the money will go into the Consolidated Fund because they feel that poor people would benefit ?
DOES anybody want to dispute this fact ?
DO you know that anytime you hear people
saying that they doing some thing for the small man that they mean themselves-and when they get Big they aint nothing to do with no small man ?
DO you think that Chris was drunk , temporarily insane or stark crazy when he made the statements about continued payment of premiums ?
CAN someone please analyze the expression on his face when he made the statement ?
HAS anyone notice that he had this strange expression ?
DOES anyone know the name of the picture on television where the investigator interprets facial expressions to see if people are telling the truth or not?
WHY was I reminded of this picture when I saw Chris’ expression?
Is this another plan?
well well C.C.C I want ta hear ya
Chris Sinkler should always be remembered as the head of an NGO that stood rigidly against the signing of the EPA until he get a pick as a parliamentarian … I have never in all my life witnessed a man spin pun a coin so fast… The way I see it, if he could spin once there is no telling how many times he is capable of spinning ..regardless of his obvious size!
There is a letter in the Advocate today from the Chinese Ambassador regarding the rebuilding of the Empire theatre in Bridgetown.
As one who spent many hours in this auspicious building during school time, I was a little amazed by the Chinese letter when he states that “they sent a team of architects who spent months studying this project”.
I believe that they mixed up the Empire theatre and the Empire State Building as the former needs only an hour at most to cut through the bush to enter the building and another hour to view the site.
The good thing is that the Chinese decided not to invest as we would them have had another 200 Chinese workers here on a one way ticket.
I want to correct a few things.
First, the Barbados Yacht Club is not Royal. Its application to be Royal was successfully campaigned against by our first Governor General, Sir John Stowe (a white Englishman) who advised Her Majesty not to grant it because he objected strongly to its whites only policy.
Second, it amazes me that after all the references to the Rt. Excellent Errol Barrow that no one seems to know that he is buried at the Military Cemetery next to the Hilton Hotel. With the way in which Mr Barrow’s name is invoked by everyone and the enormous respect in which he is held, I would have thought that this site would be a place of pilgrimage. Yet, on the occasions that I have visited it to pay my respects and to take visitors to the island to see it, there has been no one else there. Amazing. Particularly as the Cruising Club is just a short walk away.
thank you amused for clarifying the ill-informed view that mr barrow ‘FORCED’ the yacht club to drop Royal from its name. another misconception attributed to mr barrow. who reminded parliament that only he and mrSt John in the house had breeding because both wer both on plantations.so mr barrow as his sister pointed out at his funeral was a “patrician” and not a grass roots man(my comment).Mr barrow was a clever man who like all laski trained politicians knew how to play the wicket. he cursed whites and threatened for public consumtion to put them on the Lord combermere and send them out to sea but that was to establish himself in the minds of the grassroots yearning for recognition that here was a man of importance who was putting himself on the line to fight their cause; the same mr barrow who had cause to remind mr connell if he think thjat a carpenter son could become prime minister of barbados. i thank you again for letting me know that mr barrows’s ashes were buried in the military cemetery. that means that even in death another myth was perpetrated against the barbadian public most of whom i am sure that the caribbean man that he purportedly was even after breaking up the little eight talks was that his ashes were scattered over the caribbean sea.
Are we fine with the government waiving the land tax?
Do we even care?
I am not fine with it because what stops others now from paying however, although it may not be the Cruising Club, isn’t the BIDC owed over $7.5 million in back rent? Doubt that will ever get paid. Problem in Barbados all classes at different levels are getting handouts or not paying loans NIS etc. Look at the TIRF, the Cruising Club was defunct from what I understand, a group has tried brining it back with a clean slate (not sayin it is right) but look all around us, everyone taking money no problem. Central Bank $1.5 others in NIS and the Treasury and what is happening? If you have the rich paying the taxes to help keep the middle class and poor your don’t think the Government is going to keep them happy? The other side of the coin I guess also that it is only the poor to middle class that really pay/file their taxes. When the top get a taste of the honey they don’t want to leave the sweetness behind.
Please Senator Gilke’s response to this matter:
Can anyone corroborate that Barrow’s ashes are buried at the Military cemetery? If so, in death he was just as duplicitous as in life.
I think everyone is missing the important point here. It seems as if if the Government has “quietly” waived land taxes for the Cruising Club for outstanding taxes past due over an almost 20 year period!! Yet Minister Sinckler announced in the Budget on August 16th, 2011 that he was increasing late filing fees from $100 to $500 for income taxes for the ordinary man. To compound it, ordinary working class Barbadians are now receiving income tax refunds from 2008!! When we compound this with the MASSIVE $19.2 Million writeoff of taxes for the Barbados Turf Club, we see that the Government is treating us ordinary hard working Barbadians with contempt. Waivers and writing off taxes for the rich who FAILED to meet their obligations to the state yet what do we get – higher excise tax on gasoline, VAT increased from 15% to 17.5%, increased bus fare from $1.50 to $2.00, water rates increased by 60%, charges for medication which was once “free”. Why must we have to be burden by these increases when others are not meeting their obligations to the state AND are being aided and abetted by the Government through waivers and writeoffs? Let me hear anymore talk about tightening belts from de Government – I am fed up of dem
Harold | September 6, 2011 at 11:10 PM | Blacks are scoffed at there. You cannot buy a drink unless you are a member of the club.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In a club Erroll Barrow helped create ….. scandalous!!!!
,,, and Barbados First … I agree we need to focus on the point ,
….. that is why I tried to show how ridiculous it was to have thrown in the red (no pun intended) herring of colour and I did it by invoking Erroll Barrow’s name.
Perhaps we can get back on point.
@BarbadosFirst
There is a clarification required to your position.
Minister Sinckler gave reason for the increase from $100 to $500 as being a compliance issue. Which is different to a waiver where one has to assume there were filings to inland Revenue by the Club.
“With the way in which Mr Barrow’s name is invoked by everyone and the enormous respect in which he is held, I would have thought that this site would be a place of pilgrimage.”
@Amused….Dem holding seances in St. John’s church yard, around the grave of the late David Thompson who did very little for Barbados.
Wunna done know dat eff nuff black people go and register to be members we could change the hue of that club. So GO and JOIN !
@Checkit-out
Can anyone corroborate that Barrow’s ashes are buried at the Military cemetery? If so, in death he was just as duplicitous as in life
*************
What kind of asinine comment is that? What did Barrow do in life or after death that was duplicitous?
A few people are pointing out actions (uncorroborated) or statements (no context) attributed to Mr. Barrow and now he is duplicitous? Barrow was a man and all men have flaws, but Barrow stood head and shoulders when measured against those that followed him not only in Barbados but in the wider Caribbean
@checkit-out | September 7, 2011 at 6:43 AM. I take the strongest possible exception to your comment. Mr Barrow was in the RAF fighting against Hitler in WWII. Had Hitler been allowed to expand his influence, we in Barbados whose blood is not white or pure white would have had our lives at risk and our freedom erradicated. In fighting Hitler, Mr Barrow was fighting for freedom on a global scale, a fight that he then concentrated on in seeking freedom for Barbados and its people. A fight he never ceased to pursue. He was a military hero and as such deserves to be interred with his brothers in arms who have protected these shores. By the way, Tom Adams and his father, Sir Grantley, are interred at St Michael’s Cathedral and I guess we know where David Thompson is interred. I have to confess that I have no idea where our only other departed PM, Bree St John, is buried.
We have Errol Barrow day, so it surprises and dismays me that Mr Barrow’s grave is not a National Shrine where the inheritors of his legacy go to pay their respects.
@Amused
St. John is buried at Christ Church Parish Church.
Balance
Enough of this anti-Barrow trivia. If John Stowe moved against the Yacht Club is it not possible that this was as a result of advice and instruction delivered by EWB the Premier who be better positioned to understand the Barbadian sentiment of the day? Look your views on North Africa and the Middle East are shite views and your views on this man are coming from the same place. You gun let Amused bamboozle you …
@Amused
My memory is somewhat sketchy but I think that the Yacht Club was called the Royal Barbados Yacht Club before Sir John Stowe landed on Barbados’ shores. I also distinctly remember that Barrow made statements about its history of “whites only” in public utterances during the early 60’s.
If Sir John Stowe advised the Queen to remove the title “Royal” wasn’t it on the advice of Barrow who was PM?
I also remember when the title was removed there was a virulent letter from a member which was published anonymously in one of the local newspapers ( can’t remember if it was the Advocate or Daily news but I remember E L Cozier being in the limelight about the decision to publish the letter)
As I said my memory is sketchy but others may have a better recollection of those events as I was an adolescent who soaked up anything pertaining to local politics or society in Barbados.
One thing that is known about Barrow is that he wanted no monuments erected in his honor .. NO MONUMENTS, not even a head stone. Something went wrong somewhere somehow
Second, it amazes me that after all the references to the Rt. Excellent Errol Barrow that no one seems to know that he is buried at the Military Cemetery next to the Hilton Hotel.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Buh looka muh crosses doh!
I would have sworn that I heard that Mr. Barrow was cremated and I know that I saw on CBC Channel 9 with my own two eyes, ashes being scattered across the sea. I cannot recall there being an indication that this was only symbolic and that his ashes would be/were? interred at the Military Cemetery.
Yuh mean we can’t even get this part of our History right?
Minister Sinckler gave reason for the increase from $100 to $500 as being a compliance issue.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
So which is more important to the Minister of Finance?
Ensuring that people file returns or that people pay taxes owed?
wunnna trying to get way from de point ! i watch Chris on my TV in he wrap up doing bad ,aint got na problem with that ,from de time Tompy land he first budget it was all taxes and and while ya don’t mind paying taxes cause taxes pay ppl and run ah country; but Tompy first set was HEAVY, and yes he start by writing off some fa de rich people in de turf club ,so Chris gone and do de same thing i would really like he to come and explain why he did that of if ah DLP yard fowl could help to explain why he would do some thing like that after asking de ordinary to step up to de plate ,de DLP said ah fair share fa all
All anyone has to do is to drive down by the Hilton and follow the signs to the Military Cemetery. You will find a large grey marble headstone at the end of the Cemetery right in front of you that you can see from the entrance. It is the headstone of Errol Walton Barrow and this particular headstone purports that he was Prime Minister of Barbados. There are a lot of flowers around, both wild and cultivated. I am sure that no one would object if you took one and placed if on the monument in memory of the father of our independence. I am sure that both political parties and the good people of St John would also very much appreciate those with an adverse political agenda keeping their keyboards quiet about Mr Barrow.
BTW, I am indebted to the Times Obituary for Sir John Montague Stow for the information about the Barbados Yacht Club and yes, of course Mr Barrow was involved in it. How not? He was PM.
My recollection is, like Lil Boy’s, that Right Hon Errol Barrow’s ashes was authoritatively reported to have been scattered over the Caribbean Sea as were his reported documented wishes. There was also a discussion a few months ago that Leroy McClean was dispached with his remains to ensure that they were indeed scattered over the sea and that Leroy McClean was absent when the nomination was made for the St John Candidate. No one pointed out then that this was a lie . This is the first time that I’ve heard that his remains were interred in the Military Cemetery. If they are, they are fairly well hidden as I have visted the cemetery and have not seen any obvious prominent place there that proclaimed that Barrow’s remains were interred there as would be expected for the last resting place of a Prime Minister and especially one so reverred as Barrow.
But perhaps part of his remains were interred there and part at sea.
There must be historians on this blog that can give us the true story. It should be very easy to check.
And Amused, Sargeant and others, don’t get tie up when I say that Barrow was duplicitous. He, like many modern politicians in Barbados, was duplicitous. He was able to thoroughly fool both the haves and the have-nots that he was totally on their side. That trend was carried on in spades by Tom Adams and David Thompson.
Barrow was a human being with all the foibles of human beings. The pardoning of the tax debt of the Cruising Club could well be more related to Barrow’s love for the club and his facilitating its formation than anything else. The Cruising Club had deteriorated into being an eyesore and being a beacon of shame for the black people who were members and who allowed it to run to ruin right alongside the Yacht Club even though, as far as I understand, many of them were professionals who could have contributed to its upkeep. Barrow must have been turning in his grave at its condition. Perhaps Chris Sinckler might have done what he did for the club primarily because of Barrow’s association with it.
amused
Are familiar with any family of Sir John Stow and how they can be contacted? Where do I find this Times Obituary ?
Amused
Stop misleading the bloggers, Errol Barrow’s ashes were schattered over the Caribbean seaand it was witnessed by a number of persons including Mr Leroy McClean who was his personal Aide at the time.If there is a monument there is just a headstone but no burial.
Incedentally Tom Adams was buried at St Michael’s Cathedral
Quoting Lil Boy | September 6, 2011 at 10:23 PM ” Anyone else heard the Minister of Finance on CBC tonight, telling people they should continue paying their premiums to Clico? He said, “No premiums, no company. It is as simple as that”, or words to that effect. Policyholders better pick sense from that.”
Three questions to Finance Minister Sinkler
1. Is Leroy Parris your friend too?
2. Is your advice offered in the best interest of Leroy Parris and his friends or in the best interest of the policy holders?
3. And if there is a conflict of interest between what is good for Leroy Parris and what is good for the policy holders, what should a sensible policy holder do?
By the way CLICO has owed my sister money for nearly two years now and she cannot get it.
And yes I have cancelled my CLICO policy because I have no intention of throwing good money after bad.
David | September 7, 2011 at 5:20 AM “Are we fine with the government waiving the land tax? Do we even care?”
David I am NOT fine with the government waiving the land tax for the cruising club, (unless the government will waive my land tax too?)
Heh!!!heh!!!heh!!!! or
LOL!!!!!!!
@Random Thoughts | September 7, 2011 at 12:01 PM |
“No premiums, no company. It is as simple as that”,”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
He actually said, “No premiums, no company, No Company, Bare Stress!”
Random Thoughts, remember also that “PornVille” is threatening to sell people’s land for debushing bills of $400.00. I am not condoning the delinquincy on the part of Landowners in keeping their lots clean, but this Government always seem able to come up with solutions favorable to certain persons, who maybe can fund their Election Campaign coffers …….. especially now that the Cash Cow CLICO has been knocked out!
Guess Senator Gilkes can influence a lot of things…
Land Tax dropped. Manslaughter Charge dropped. Whats new?
I think I can understand the reason for the forgiveness of Land Tax.
I figure the land belongs to Government if it leased it to the Club.
It makes no sense to sell its own land at Public Auction to recoup the Land Tax owed although given the madness I have seen, it is not beyond my imagination.
At a such a Public Auction, my understaning is there will be an upset price which probably would see Government getting the $120K back but losing big time on the land!!! ……. happens all the time.
Somebody with the right connections would probably walk away from such an auction smiling.
You will probably find that when Government leased the land to the Cruising Club there was some unspecified agreement about the Land Tax, or maybe at the time the Land Tax was low and the Club paid it so it could say it was paying its way and not in receipt of some largesse from Government ……. but the Land Taxes have arisen ……. reality is reality.
If it was done at a time Erroll Barrow was PM it may well have not been an truly arm’s length transaction as it looks as though the Club also catered to his enjoyment of “sailing with the boys”.
The Land Tax Commissioner has probably got his department into a super efficient mode where every last square foot of Barbados is accounted for and to get his books to balance the forgiveness has to be ordered by Government.
Remember, the Auditor General is making noise nowadays and is probably asking questions of the Land Tax Commissioner over unpaid Land Tax!!
@ John
Sarcasm?
John;
So not only is the Law an ass, so too is the Land Tax department. There must be exceptions. The Commissioner must have other legal remedies for collecting the taxes. There must be more than one legal way to skin a cat. there must have been some other solution to the problem without giving away prime property or letting a group of priveleged persons off the tax hook. Anyone has access to the Land Tax act? Caswell Franklin we’re looking at you.
…. I know, its the lowest form of wit.
… but I am actually trying to be realistic and find an explanation which would fit observable facts given what has been said so far.
to david- compliance issue my ass, an increase is an increase and such a significant one too which again can only hurt the working poor who have endless difficulties in filing their taxes manually and moreso now onl-ine without the benefit of the computer as the businesses do at their fingertips. you always maqking excuses which exposes your surreptious slip.
@balance
The clarification was for the record what the Minister stated.
You can toss labels which ever way you want, it is not the first time or the last BU will be labeled.
What should matter to you is not whether BU’s slip is showing but that you have the opportunity to refute any comment you disagree.
@BU.David: “By a notice published as S.I. 2011 No. 88 in the Official Gazette of July 28, 2011…
Just wondering… Did you find this notice available on-line?
(It’s a rhetorical, but serious, question.)
to bafbf- you can speculate as much asw you like but i commend mr wynter crawford’s autobiography to you for a start; then the KHAKI BOYS BY TATANKA YOTANKA. it is time these myuths are put to rest.
I have been a member of a voluntary Organisation with worthwhile aims directed at charity which had its abode in a building owned by Government.
Its only revenue was from membership dues and various functions it organised.
I don’t think any rent was paid and almost certainly, no Land Tax.
The premises were not in a good enough state to command a rent.
An arrangement was arrived at between the Organisation and the Government because some of its members were connected to the hierarchy of the party in power at the time, at least that was my observation.
The Organisation had membership which straddled both parties ….. it was not a Lodge!!
The fact that members from both parties were present was easy to determine because I often witnessed shouting matches that were based on party lines.
At first I thought for sure someone was going to beat someone else but I learnt to accept the occasional flareups and enjoyed them.
When I was invited to join I found the arrangement working and when demands on my time made it necessary to resign years later I left it working.
I thoroughly enjoyed and benefited from the experience and fellowship.
Strictly speaking rent should have been paid but I do not believe it was.
If suddenly the Auditor General questioned the transaction relating to Government property and wanted the back rent accounted for, it would be a difficult thing to happen because my impression was the arrangement was very much an ad hoc one.
Arm’s length could not be used as a description.
I am a member of the Barbados Cruising Club.
The Barbados Cruising Club up until 2009 was a non-entity. For more than a decade the club suffered from poor management, both financially and otherwise. Anyone who was at the club around 2007 can attest that the site was a dump – boats everywhere and the building rundown and terrible. In 2007/2008 the members of the club brought on a committee to bring the club back to life. The purpose has always been the same “The core aim of our club is to make marine activities available to everyone on the island.” You can read it right on the website http://www.barbadoscruisingclub.org
These people (who remember are unpaid volunteers) worked tirelessly to clean up the grounds, and pulling money from the private sector to renovate and rebuild the facilities all with this same goal in mind. This was possible in part thanks to the forgiveness of the land tax bill by the government at the time that allowed the club to move forward.
What did the Barbados Cruising Club do before the land tax was forgiven? Absolutely nothing of value. The only service the club was providing was a broken shower on the beach. Which was broken…
What does the Barbados Cruising Club do after it had it’s land tax was forgiven?
– Rebuilt the clubhouse and beach facilities.
-Has a small fleet of sailing dinghies that are free for use by members who know how to sail.
-Provides an affordable beach club to Barbadian families who choose to become members (many have)
-Holds “toe in the water” days where anyone and everyone is welcome to come to the club and try out sailing or any of the water activities that are happening.
-Provides a friendly spot for visiting sailors to stop and make their way onto land to spend money at local businesses.
-Keeps the beach clean (are you participating in the beach cleanup sept 17?)
-These international races attract overseas yachts with large crews who make their way to land and spend money in local business.
-Preserves the sailing history of Barbados (see the website’s photo galleries)
-Organizes and sponsors international, local and youth-centered sailing regattas
-Sponsors children from the Pinelands Creative Workshop to attend summer sailing camps.
-Hosts Barbados Sea Scouts troops
-Is currently working to bring a ‘Sailing in Schools’ program for this school year to get our children back out on the water.
All of this within 3 years of being granted the ability to continue operating by the Barbados government. In short order I believe the people of Barbados, if they so choose, will find this a wise investment in themselves.
If the people of this beautiful island want a say in what happens at the BCC I would invite them all to join the club. Get in on the discussion, the club is run by its members and as a public – you are free to join or not join. The club has never refused anyone membership and the annual fees are very reasonable.
A comment on the membership, from the membership – I can assure Mr Franklyn that boat owners at the BCC are few and far between. I joined the club because the club allows members to sail for free! I can’t afford a yacht. I believe there are a total of four “yachts” (most of which are 30′ in length, hardly yachts) moored off of the club. Which is to say that approximately 2% of the club membership can afford to own a sailboat. Does this sound like a fat-cat club to anyone?
The video of the Round Barbados Race is a fantastic advertisement for Barbados as a sailing and tourist destination. It was produced as a favour to the BCC and hundreds of hours of (volunteer) sweat and tears went into creating it. This race originated in 1936 and ran for a very long time. The BCC has picked up this lost race and if you got to see it live, on CBC or in the newspapers – this was no small event and attracted a great number of visitors to the island in its first year. As a result of this success there is a trans-atlantic race that will end in Barbados in 2012. Much as a single cruise ship unloads thousands of people with cash-in-hand into Bridgetown, the BCC’s events will do the same.
The BCC has a very high regard for the Errol Barrow. His photo hangs on the wall, the bar is named “Dipper’s”, and every year (since 2009) on his birthday the BCC has a charity fundraising event and open house.
The BCC’s management committee has worked very hard to bring the club to a point where it is able to again give back to the community. It is a disservice to the community as a whole to boil this down to a race issue and point fingers. There are absolutely no obstacles to joining or visiting the club that include race. All are welcome. The club is populated with a fantastic group of people, primarily Barbadians of all colours.
At the end of the day, the club is owned and managed by those who choose to join. Way back in the 50s the BYC had restrictions on who could join. Let’s all remember there are no such obstacles there anymore. The BYC is also a very inclusive club, it’s membership fees are higher and if you look at the size of the place and its facilities you can’t argue they should be any less. The BCC is an alternative to those seeking one.
The subject of race as brought up by Mr Franklyn comes up time and time again at the club. If anyone has any positive suggestions on how to get people to overcome their own issues regarding race and participate I’m sure the club management would be happy to hear them.
Kris wrote “For more than a decade the club suffered from poor management, both financially and otherwise. Anyone who was at the club around 2007 can attest that the site was a dump”
If as Kris states the club was a poorly managed dump, what assurance do we the tax payers have that it will be well managed now and on into the future?
As a product of the generation of people who started the BCC I have to admit that I had and still have absolutely no interest in sailing or being on the water. I don’ know, maybe it is a White thing. Hey people go for it …
By the way as a child I hated being forced to go there on Sundays for the silly buffets and sit arounds. If given the chance I would turn it into a strip joint …
kris
Keep up the good work and I wish you and your club well in your efforts.
Free or not, you will never see me get in a boat and play I am sailing because like most Bajans I am scared of the sea!!
It has been my observation that many Bajans find ways to sneer at anyone who loves the sea and is comfortable deriving enjoyment from the pleasure it gives them.
Sometimes I think it is a jealousy thing …. like me they are scared but don’t like to see others who are not, enjoy themselves.
Maybe they feel left out.
… but that’s just me trying to psycho analyse!!
I spent three months in St. Vincent where the complete opposite prevails and everybody seems to have a boat.
Vincentians love the sea.
Whereas owning a boat (however big or small) in Barbados is seen as a luxury for an elite few, it seemed to me when I was there years ago that everybody owned one and no status attached to ownership.
I never experienced anything like it in Barbados.
Some friends there actually got me in a small motorboat and took me around the island …… I put on a good show of having no fear …… but I did …. and I have to admit it was extremely enjoyable … but I don’t intend repeating it anywhere, anytime in the forseeable future.
Thanks for your input Kris.
I now have a clearer picture of the situation. I visited the Cruising Club about 5 years ago and was appalled at its condition. Perhaps I’ll go soon again to see what it has been transformed into. While your explanation and the senator’s don’t entirely make the decision of the Government re. the land tax transparent, they go a long way to justify that decision. Perhaps a preemptive photo-op when the tax break was given would have gone a long way to preempt this discussion rather than trying to keep it a secret.
Now who is going to clear up our knowledge re. Barrow’s burial place? Amused, I’m looking at you.
BAFBFP “As a product of the generation of people who started the BCC”.
So you are a Bajan middle class radical.
Amused | September 7, 2011 at 10:28 AM | All anyone has to do is to drive down by the Hilton and follow the signs to the Military Cemetery. You will find a large grey marble headstone at the end of the Cemetery right in front of you that you can see from the entrance. It is the headstone of Errol Walton Barrow and this particular headstone purports that he was Prime Minister of Barbados.
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Amused, there is a whole big able statue of Nelson in Bridgetown but that does not mean he is buried under the statue!!
You don’t believe that …. do you?
i am looking forward to a similar explanation regarding the arrears of rent owed by the bdos light aeroplane club to government over the years which i am sure has been put to good use for the benefit of the naive citizens of barbados. i am sure as well that they are many small businesses out there both black and white making a worthwhile contribution to the employment situation in barbados who have had to close their doors because they could not meet their financial obligations. incidentally, the dipper did have some connection with that club too.
@Caswell
Thanks for bring this matter to the fore.
Some may justify the decision to forgive the land tax by the club, what some of us will not forgive is the sneaky way it was done.
Remember this is a government swept into to power on the agenda of promising transparency.
David | September 8, 2011 at 4:39 AM | @Caswell
Thanks for bring this matter to the fore.
Some may justify the decision to forgive the land tax by the club, what some of us will not forgive is the sneaky way it was done.
Remember this is a government swept into to power on the agenda of promising transparency.
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The issue of race will continue to bedevil and prevent rational thought.
It will prevent us from seeing simple truths.
No wonder the politicians have for decades used the issue to achieve all sorts of nefarious agendas.
The result is that today they are viewed by many as low life scum, even although they are set over us!!
Time will tell if we can overcome the blinkered vision of these afflicted persons.
It took almost 70 comments over 2 days before we even begun to actually see some light.
That doesn’t speak too highly of our ability for rational thought.
@ Random Thoughts
There is never any way to guarantee that in the future an organization will be managed well. This holds true for families, businesses and government. The BCC is a non-profit organization run by its members. Anyone who has volunteered for an organization like this knows it is a great responsibility and also exhausting but rewarding work. Last year at the Annual General Meeting the club members voted in a constitution which provides rules and guidelines for the club’s operation. The hope was that this governing document would prevent the club from failing again. There are no guarantees but you’ll find the BCC is trying and so far succeeding.
I would invite anyone to come down to the club for a visit. If you happen to come across any of our senior members – strike up a conversation. (or with anyone for that matter) They watched the club grow in the 60’s and 70’s and then fall, and rise back up again. Ask them what they think.
If we look at what the club has accomplished in such a short time (read that list again) it’s safe to say that so far at least – it’s working.
@BAFBFP
Making sailing a black/white issue is the easy way out. If you consider history and the realities of the world it’s simply not a racial issue. Thirty years ago you would find Carlisle Bay had just as many black sailors as white. Schools had sailing teams that competed against each other for inter-school glory. All over the world you’ll find African, White, Asian, Indian all take to the sea for work and for play. As John said in St Vincent and most of the Grenadines the sea is a source of work, food and fun for all people.
Two things the club is focused on right now are overcoming Barbadians fear of the water and promoting sailing as a sport on the island. I would prefer to see people enjoying the sea without fear than turn a beautiful spot that’s purpose is to give back to the community turned into a strip joint. Typically not a business that does much for the community.
@ Everyone
Come visit the club anytime, you will not be thrown out or sneered at no matter your race or political affiliations. All are welcome.
Wednesday nights are quiz nights
Thursday night is Karaoke
Sunday there’s going to be a live band
On the 17th there’s a beach cleanup
About once a month there is a “toe in the water” day, you just missed it from last week…
@Hants
BAFBFP “As a product of the generation of people who started the BCC”.
So you are a Bajan middle class radical.
********************
Hah!! Don’t make muh laugh. The notion that BAFBFP is a Bajan middle class radical is as fake as the picture he posts of himself or the Chinese persona that he sometimes adopts.
I’m willing to bet that every day he sports a collar ‘n tie and drives to his office where he is the epitome of the Bajan executive on the rise, where the ideas that he promotes on these pages would be anathema to the rest of his colleagues. At night he plays with the same kind of middle class people at the various nightspots throughout the Island.
Lemme hear what he got to say about that.
BTW, BAFBFP I’m not your foe I just gleaned the above from what you have posted on the blog, and I haven’t even delivered my stealth bomb.
Wunna cud tauk all wunna like but in Barbados its the MONEY DAT TAUKS AND THE BILL SHIT FROM PEOPLE WHO AINT GOT NA MONEY DAT TAKES THE LONG WALK. As long as politicians continue to get their lil tings, those with money will get their big things
Let’s assume for the sake of argument that I accept the explanations for waiving the land tax for the Barbados Cruising Club: how can you rationalise the waiver of land tax of $411 451. 14 in favour of Mobil Oil Barbados Limited. That waiver was published as S.I. 2011 No. 89 in the Official Gazette dated July 28, 2011.
Again there might be a reasonable explanation, but I would like to know.
@Caswell
The older i get, the more cynical i become about politics in general and local politics in particular.
Every five years in most instance we are urged to support the party you have been faithful over the years, but when you stop and the modus operdndus of both parties are the same; extract from the system as much as possible in the shortes time. Thats why i am now thinking of becoming a floating votere
.
RACE AND CLASS ARE TWO FEATURES of Barbadain society that that has permeated this landscape and the politicians have snugly fitted into the norm where they are intererested in those whose who backed them em with the huge donations, for this reason we need political refor and campaign financial reform. By the way has there been any movement on the inteegrity legislation bill.
Caswell Franklyn | September 8, 2011 at 9:19 AM | Let’s assume for the sake of argument that I accept the explanations for waiving the land tax for the Barbados Cruising Club: how can you rationalise the waiver of land tax of $411 451. 14 in favour of Mobil Oil Barbados Limited. That waiver was published as S.I. 2011 No. 89 in the Official Gazette dated July 28, 2011.
Again there might be a reasonable explanation, but I would like to know.
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Can’t help you with an explanation here, reasonable or unreasonable.
I would like to know too if there is a reasonable one.
What other waivers do you know of?
Perhaps all could be dealt with at the same time instead of piecemeal.
@ John
“but that’s just me trying to psycho analyse!!”
Don’t, you are terrible at doing it.
@ Hants and Sarge
Radical Middle class, yes, so I am cursed. But so too are many other REAL people through out history, incidentally including EWB, Maurice Bishop, Che Guevara and Martin Luther King
@ John checkit-out Chris
Don’t sweat on the strip club comment, but I have no problem with talking race in Barbados. You guys have done yourselves proud with that club. There probably is something about this “birds of a feather flock together” thing that seems to work in you favour, or at least in this case, the club’s favour… give a shit, I still despise the concept.
@ Caswell
I have no knowledge of a waiver for $411,451. 14 in favour of Mobil Oil Barbados Limited. If I dare guess I would suppose that “employment” was on their minds – but that’s just a guess. Perhaps fodder for another article? This one has attracted some excellent commentary.
@ BAFBFP
I suppose until each side realizes that we are all on the same side – “birds of a feather” will continue to be part of the landscape. The club is a truly democratic institution where I’ve seen people with the passion to make a change succeed. Possibly the BCC could be a place where Barbadians, black, white, asian… indian… can come together, practice democracy in a way they can’t in government and steer the club their own way.
Chris
Come work for me .. you make Steven Worme sound like an amateur.
To BAFBFP:
I asked you a question about elliot mottley on the doctors piece, but it seems like he is you friend and so no reply has been coming.
BAFBPF; Why do you include me in your collection of presumably white apologists in your 10.26 a.m. post? I made no comment re. your strip club. I am not a member of any Club or Society. I visited the Cruising Club only once when it was a dump. I am not a bird of a feather to anyone on this blog.
You know anything about where Barrow is buried? Does he really have a monument in the Military Ceremony?
checkit-out
My apologies. I hope to check on this monument soon. Can’t say when, the weather is a bit dicy these days. Before weekend promise
This is the link that supports Amused position although it seems a memorial spot rather than a burial.
http://m.wcities.com/barbados/tourist-attractions-sightseeing/poi-military-cemetery-the-685814.html
checkit-out
It seems that Amused | September 7, 2011 at 4:50 AM | is correct that there is a “head stone” at the top of the road with an inscription in EWB honour. But as we were all told, his ashes were spread across the Caribbean sea.
David
If you go to the Cenotaph you will find the names of the dead of the two World Wars.
It is a memorial.
Six of the twelve men in the group Erroll Barrow left these shores with to serve their King and Country in 1940 are listed there.
Unlike Erroll Barrow they did not make it back.
They are buried in various places in the world where they fell.
You can go the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website on the internet and find out where they are buried if you wish.
The Cenotaph is a memorial for these brave men who gave there lives. It says it all about them.
It does not mean they are buried under it.
Likewise, the Statue of Nelson is a memorial to a brave man who fell in war.
It does not mean he is buried there.
Many people don’t realise it but the Fountain is also a form of memorial.
It is a memorial to the 20,000 Bajans who died over a three month period during cholera in 1854.
They are buried in divers places all around Barbados, some probably at sea.
When the churchyards overflowed with the dead, they were buried in the various cholera grounds which we no longer remember, ………. and in canefields which we now view as commodities to be exploited for a dollar.
If the headstone is not a memorial to Erroll Barrow at the Military Cemetery like these other memorials, it would mean we have been sold a pack of lies and our politicians are an even worse set of people than we could ever imagine.
John
Re: your comment at 10:24 AM
You asked, “What other waivers do you know of?
I know of several, but I have no problem with most of them. The one that should cause concern is the waiver of customs duties and taxes on an Audi motor car for the exclusive use of the General Secretary of NUPW. It should cause concern because the NUPW is rolling over and playing dead instead of adequately representing public workers. Additionally, I have not seen any evidence that the waiver was published in the Official Gazette as required by law.
Ok Caswell, ………….. now you cooking!!
Could someone let us know what is inscribed on the “headstone” at the Military cemetery. It would help to clarify if it is a memorial, which the Late Right Honourable E. W. Barrow himself has been publicised as mandating should not have been erected for him, or a mere record of him having served in the Second World war which could be interpreted as fulfilling his explicit wishes in that regard.
I don’t understand John’s last sentence in his post above. If the Headstone is a typical memorial it would have presumably been put up in defiance of Barrow’s wishes. If it is merely a record of his having served in the War it would be a tribute to that service without doing an injustice to his explicit wishes. However, would it have been appropriate for him to have a Memorial there if none of his remains were interred in the cemetery?
I think John’s last paragraph should logically be something like:
If the headstone is a memorial to Erroll Barrow at the Military Cemetery like these other memorials, it might mean his wishes were not followed or we have been sold a pack of lies about those wishes.
I think Barrow was an outstanding Bajan and deserved any honour given him. However, for now, it would appear that his colleagues, for whatever reason, after his death decided to give him those honours whether he wanted them or not. The assistance to the Cruising Club is probably a strategic decision that assists in creating a fitting living memorial to Barrow which, imho, is justified per.se. and is likely to have had the blessings of the Great Man himself.
I saw the head stone this afternoon. It refers to his participation in the war as an RAF pilot. It is most definitely a memorial, in defiance of his wishes. But let’s be practical here. Barrow as an outstanding personality on the national landscape could not possibly expect that his wish not to have a memorial to be honored. The monument/headstone btw was sloppily finished. Maybe it was done by a club or something
Here is a picture of the headstone:
http://bajan.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/barrow.jpg
Thanks for clearing up that.
I really hope that Amused is my wife’s Lawyer 🙂
I have no idea what Erroll Barrow’s wishes were!
David; Thanks for the picture. I think it clears up perfectly the little “conspiracy” I have been trying to tease out of the facts as we know them. The Headstone is a memorial but not one that would have offended Barrow’s wishes.
@BAFBFP. The memorial refers to Errol Barrow as a Navigator and not as an RAF Pilot.His rank was that of a Pilot Officer, a designation,held by many who have not been trained to fly or even navigate planes.
@Colonel Buggy: “The memorial refers to Errol Barrow as a Navigator and not as an RAF Pilot.His rank was that of a Pilot Officer, a designation,held by many who have not been trained to fly or even navigate planes.
But… The man honestly stood up during the war. And served.
Did you? Or your father? Or your grandfather?
Lil Boy | September 9, 2011 at 5:43 AM |
It appears that you are very easily amused …!
Hi All
You are being deliberately sidetracked. It really does not matter whether or not the Rt. Excellent Errol Barrow had a head stone placed in the military cemetery. What should really matter here is quite simple: Is the Government using tax waivers to earn friends?
We know that is the case with NUPW, coupled with the fact that the President of NUPW has been promoted to a job way outside his educational qualifications and skill level, we know that NUPW has been truly bought and paid for. We must be concerned about Government doing business this way.
By the way, someone asked me who are the members of the Cabinet that are also members of the Cruising Club. I don’t know the answer, maybe you do.
Hi Caswell;
Of course the Government is using tax waivers to gain friends and also, most importantly, to help out a category of friends which the general public has been brain washed to believe they are not friends with.
It would be very interesting to know which past and present cabinet members are members of the Cruising Club as well as the Yahtch Club and the Turf Club. Anyone knows?
@Checkit-Out
Of course the Government is using tax waivers to gain friends and also, most importantly, to help out a category of friends which the general public has been brain washed to believe they are not friends with
**************************
Where are you trying to go with this story? When a dog chases its own tail what is the result?
In Caswell’s original post he raised a relevant question about the Gov’t waiver of land taxes for the Cruising Club. From what I gather the property is owned by the Gov’t and leased to the Club, the Club building had fallen into disrepair and the premises were unkempt; Membership had declined and the club was virtually dormant. Some members approached the Gov’t to request the waiver so they could rebuild the organization into a vibrant one and they have largely succeeded. The Club is now a functioning entity open to all Bajans and provides ancillary benefits which are not visible at first glance.
What should the Gov’t have done? Reject the request? If the Gov’t did that who stood to benefit? Wouldn’t disposing of the property be akin to taking money from one pocket and transferring it to the other?
The Gov’t by its actions has ensured that an organization beneficial to Barbados and Bajans continued to exists, the alternative of seizing and selling the property would be to use an old axiom “cutting off your nose to spite your face”.
How come no one has pursued the question of why Gov’t waived taxes for Mobil
( revealed in the course of the discussion) a multi billion conglomerate that earns mega profits? Perhaps the Mobil story isn’t as “sexy” as the Cruise Club story.
I think maybe Caswell is confusing two separate issues. The Cruising Club irrespective of the Colour thing is genuine. BTW if there are no White members in Cabinet, then it follows that there are NO Cabinet members in the Cruising Club. The Turf Club also got a pass two years ago and it would be interesting to know if there are Cabinet members there; who knows maybe honorary membership is traditionally reserved for the PM, Min of Sports and Min of Tourism … who knows …
BAFBEP
I am not confusing any issues. I do not have a problem with race. I deal with issues.
Sargeant
I do not have a problem with the Government waiving taxes for good and sufficient reasons. My concern is that these waivers are done legally and with some measure of transparency.