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Government Waives Land Tax For Cruising Club

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…

, , , , ,
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.

131 responses to “Government Waives Land Tax For Cruising Club”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    Is it true to say that members of the Barbados Cruising Club are predominantly ‘rich White boys’?

  2. John Avatar
    John

    Wasn’t Erroll Barrow a member?

    I always heard he loved to sail.

  3. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    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 …

  4. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    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.

  5. Lil Boy Avatar
    Lil Boy

    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.

  6. balance Avatar
    balance

    ‘ 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.

  7. Lil Boy Avatar
    Lil Boy

    Will someone kindly tell me where Mr. Barrow’s grave is located?

  8. Lil Boy Avatar
    Lil Boy

    Moderator, why are you moderating my moderate views?
    This moderate moderation is making me moody. 🙂

  9. David Avatar
    David

    @lil boy

    It maybe your the version of your browser. Try downloading Firefox

  10. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    David I am running firefox and has sent one of my comments to moderation as well.

  11. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    LilBoy doan cry nuh, Mr Barrow’s grave is in the Caribbean Sea.

  12. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    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 …!

  13. Charles S.Cadogan Sr Avatar
    Charles S.Cadogan Sr

    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;

  14. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    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

  15. David Avatar
    David

    Has this matter been reported in the mainstream media?

    Can a government surrogate speak to why the government was persuaded to make the decision?

  16. Lil Boy Avatar
    Lil Boy

    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?

  17. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    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 ..

  18. amusing Avatar
    amusing

    @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

  19. Lil Boy Avatar
    Lil Boy

    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.

  20. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    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. .

  21. Harold Avatar
    Harold

    Blacks are scoffed at there. You cannot buy a drink unless you are a member of the club.

  22. Lil Boy Avatar
    Lil Boy

    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. 😉

  23. JUST ASKING Avatar
    JUST ASKING

    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?

  24. charlie Avatar
    charlie

    well well C.C.C I want ta hear ya

  25. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    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!

  26. alf Avatar
    alf

    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.

  27. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    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.

  28. balance Avatar
    balance

    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.

  29. David Avatar
    David

    Are we fine with the government waiving the land tax?

    Do we even care?

  30. Capone Avatar
    Capone

    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.

  31. checkit-out Avatar
    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.

  32. BarbadosFirst Avatar
    BarbadosFirst

    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

  33. John Avatar
    John

    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.

  34. David Avatar
    David

    @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.

  35. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    “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.

  36. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    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 !

  37. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @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

  38. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @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.

  39. David Avatar
    David

    @Amused

    St. John is buried at Christ Church Parish Church.

  40. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    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 …

  41. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @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.

  42. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    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

  43. Lil Boy Avatar
    Lil Boy

    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?

  44. Lil Boy Avatar
    Lil Boy

    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?

  45. charlie Avatar
    charlie

    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

  46. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    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.

  47. checkit-out Avatar
    checkit-out

    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.

  48. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    amused

    Are familiar with any family of Sir John Stow and how they can be contacted? Where do I find this Times Obituary ?

  49. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    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

  50. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    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.

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