enuff,

Thanks, I agree but do you remember what exactly was the mandate for these councils as per the heated debate in the House to establish them? What is the length of the life of the councils? Though I saw on DLPTV a few nights ago the Minister was at gathering where some were renewing their “pledges”.

I was thinking that a fitting way to honour David Thompson was to have named Tamarind Hall after him. But in their haste and stupidity to win friends and influence people, they brought the incompetent US AG (I say so based on his performance and not colour) and named the building after him. Foolish idea based on the wikileaks cables, the US ambassador here was not that impressed. There again DT did not practice law too often only CLICO law, he was a professional politician who felt he was born to be PM.

If the DLP wants to honour DT by a football tournament and to woo sympathy votes, I see no problem with this but they should use their funds out of George Street, not taxpayers money at a time like this when I cannot get my tax refund. Not when I am being told by officials in Inland Revenue that they are waiting on funds.

I hear the Pierhead marina saga is to be pinned on its rightful architect, DB and that as momemt now he is to be tossed over board (no pun intended)

@ Energy Star:

If only what you are suggesting can really come true oh what a Sun shiny day it will be for political landscape in Barbados. Judeo-Christians should shout from the mountain top “hallelujah!, hallelujah!”. A cancerous tick has been removed from the back of taxpayers.
From the days of this con artist association with the BTII, he has been illegally sucking the taxpayers, including paying himself way above the contracted remuneration. Retribution has arrived at last. He has been the architect of those stupid, reactionary and economic contracting revenue proposals that were introduced in the 2008 & 2009 budgetary and from which the local economy has sunk deeper into recession than was expected as a result of the international recession. His revenue raising measures (some of which were so silly and impractical that up to this day cannot be implemented e.g. the $4.00 tax on cell phones per month taxing lottery winnings). But as the saying goes: “In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king”. DB might have a lot of paper qualifications; but like many out there, who are loaded down with paper and lacking in commonsense, finds it difficult to transfer theory into practical applications. As the so-called finance and economics guru to DT and his wet -behind -the- ears motley crew, he was able to falsely impress the lot and in so doing detonate an economic bomb from which the local economy is still reeling. I hope FS and to some extent CS have learned their lessons. Good riddance to bad rubbish!

@David

You might have a point but at the end of the day, will the opposition do enough to have the people entrust in them their confidence to run the country? One thing is cor certain, it will all make for a very interesting and intense election season.

The DLP could turn the marina issue into a positive if it admits its mistake, identifies the architect(s) and fires him or them and then goes on to do the right thing which is to deal with Lagan in a fair and even handed manner.

@Energy Star

Don’t worry, the DLP has Hartley, political strategist extraordinaire, in their hip pocket 🙂

September may be the month to remember but October will always be, ‘the month very few will ever forget,’ especially if you are talking about October 2010. From great leadership, Barbadians saw politics fall to its lowest. But last October would have started painfully for some and nicely for others. Take Mia Mottley for example!

I kid you not, when I say that as a new, energetic and visionary Leader of the Opposition, Mia Mottley had already given two remarkable speeches, one at the BLP’ Annual Conferences, held in 2008 and the other speech at its Conference in 2009. Those remarkable presentations captured the imagination of the people: they were new; fresh, inspiring and innovative. By 2009, the BLP was having public meetings and community meetings, which were very well attended, and it was obvious why DLP supporters were beginning to get worried.

By September 29th 2010, when she gave a well-reasoned presentation at the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and outlined a new path and a new development model for Barbados, some might have felt that she had to be removed then because their time was running out. And, with the health of our Comrade Leader, David – deteriorating rapidly, ‘the politics of opportunism’ kicked-in and Barbadians say the worst of Bajan politics, as the “Gang of 5” made their secret plot public and they made ‘a raw and opportunistic grab’ for power.

I have seen political parties and leaders operate and I can say that as Opposition Leader, Mia Mottley flew the flag and genuinely offered to help and to work with the new; relatively inexperienced Government, in the national interest. That was a new politics and something Barbadians had not seen before. What I can also say for her is that Mia Mottley did not wait until the people expressed concern about an issue to jump-on-it. It was often Mia Mottley who sounded the alarm on issues, like: the Government’s petroleum policy, its Immigration Policy; Clico, the economy, NHC and the government’s housing policy.

Up until October 18th, 2010 when she was ousted as Opposition Leader, it was almost left single-handedly to Mia Mottley to defend the BLP’s record and stewardship for the 14 years previous. It was David Thompson’s Parliament and those BLP Parliamentarians (who only gain mock-courage after his death) simply ran from the House like mock-men, whenever David was there, while others among them, turned-up but remained silent in “David’s House.”

October is therefore the month many will never forget because it was like licking honey from the edge of a new razor! Mia celebrated a birthday on October 1st. Our leader’s health deteriorated rapidly during October. Mia Mottley asked the country to pray for Prime Minister Thompson. But while many were praying, a few others were meeting and “preying” with an entirely different agenda: power.

By October 18th, 2010 and with it clear that PM Thompson was dying – Mia Mottley was hastily removed as Opposition Leader, by the very people who Mr. Thompson had kept under control since 2008. These were the very people who hardly went to Parliament or went but said absolutely nothing. Then there was Tropical Storm Tomas and the shocking news that our leader: Prime Minister Thompson had died.

October and in particular – October 2010 – will always be a month that Barbadians will never forget. Our Prime Minister died and even now – under the guise and mock-concern for the Economy, the BLP is still trying to benefit from his untimely death. October is the month when Barbadians usually see the very worst of the “politics of opportunism,” and the upcoming BLP annual conference and war games, is unlikely to be any exception.

$40 million for a few sheets of paper and some pretty computer generated images, seriously? I have some advice for Owen Arthur, if you are going to investigate then look closely at the Bid Evaluation Committee set up by the then CEO of BTI.

Why would the GOB decide to pay for $40 million to redesign a marina and $505 million for the construction, when everyone knows that Barbados CANNOT afford this project at this time?

PM Stuart, put alot of distance between your government and this project as soon as possible. This Irish company will not be bound by any conventions of local conduct, if and when the throw the matter in the courts, things may get ugly………real ugly.

@checkit-out

The proverbial sleuth, the surrogates from both sides do their sparring on BiU so that you gain insights if you are able to.

@checkit-out

Don’t think there is enough time to stake the credibility of a third party. What would be its differentiating philosophy anyway?

What do you think will be the critical issues for Barbadians? BU believes as you have intimated it will be an election like none other given the uniqueness of the times interacting with two political parties with weak leadership.

If its a double splitt off how can it be different david. can a third party be grown quickly . yes. quite easily due to social media. now facebook reportedly has 120,000 bajan account assuming between 1/2-3/4 are legally allowed to vote then they have a audience they can project to. The issue then become how do they court the voters in the real world at that . This party would may very little funds to have political meetings all across the island. courting the real life voter would be their issue. word of mouth from online will help here but tsome of the older voters would like to see and hear . If they have enough backing then they can indeed become a force for the next election.

1: Typical Third Parties have not historically done well in Barbados. Dr. Haynes’ NDP might be a marginal model for some success. If someone who is not tarnished with the corruption and incompetence brush in the present administration (and I expect that there are a few such souls), could bring along a few current DLP members with him and could form an alliance with a few people in the BLP, that alliance might be able to get a foothold in the next parliament through gaining a few seats. If lucky, they could hold the balance of power, in any case they might have a good launching pad for taking over government in the following elections.

There are a few people in the DLP who could make that move, if minded so to do, and if they read the current island wide disillusionment with their party and the BLP in a proactive way. There might even be a place for a commissiong type in this mix.

I don’t think there is an overarching need for a differentiating philosophy at this time when everything is dire in Barbados and promises to get even worse soon and that Barbados’ policies have historically worked well under both administrations. The new party would merely have to show disgust with the present situation and develop and publicise believable strategies to correct most of the current perceived wrongs and to move Barbados forward using advice from its experienced Public Servants and top private sector people rather than listening to and heeding the numerous charlatans that come out of the woodwork whenever a Government changes. This DLP administration lost its way through its bad luck in having DT as Prime Minister when CLICO fell, compounded by the choice of FS as the new PM and by having a number of people in positions of authority who were either incompetent or primarily concerned with feathering their own nests rather than putting Barbados’ interests first. The differentiation would therefore be related to individuals and strategies to get back on track rather than on new policies per se.

2: re. Critical issues:- The Economy; Jobs; Competence / Incompetence of current Government; Cleaning up the body politic; Long term solutions to energy management; Leadership; CLICO. Possibly in that order.

Then it is time for Mia to re-visit her idea about launching her own party which was to be called the Barbados Liberal Party. She is very savvy with the social media, so check-it, your idea may very well work.

Go for it Mia and leave the Barbados Labour Party.

checkit-out | October 8, 2011 at 11:18 AM |
I appreciate that this is academic. That as it may, be assured that Dr. David Estwick will never be led by Mia Mottley.

Wait David BU, David Estwick din have a brother that did also a Government Cabinet Minister …? … Dah don’ count?

If there is to be a chance of a third party its best chance at a seat will come from St Mic South Central or any of the Christ Church constituencies.

@BAFBFP

Tyrone Estwick was a light weight and therefore does not offer any advantage to David were he to contemplate leading another party..

David | October 8, 2011 at 11:42 AM | Dr. Estwick, no disrespect intended, does not have the ‘lineage’ to attract the party sponsorship required to mount a competitive campaign.

You are probably correct – we need someone, always, with at least a White inside, who will assist in maintaining the current order of things in Barbados. You may not wish to admit, but the Whites in Barbados are much smarter than the Blacks. This has nothing to do with racism, but equilibrium is only reached when there are equal and opposite forces – if Blacks fail to lookout for themselves as the Whites do, nothing will change. Ask yourself whether a White 90% of the population would so willingly support a Black 10% of the population, without reform. And give yourself an honest answer.

“Nothing inspires forgiveness quite like revenge.” I read that recently here on BU or what is BFP?

David Estwick is a good man. The race is never for the swift.

IS the call for younger and younger a mute call or what ?
WAS David younger and stronger and had shelf life while Owen was supposed to be past some sell by date ????
WHEN are we going to learn that all we think we know that we aint know nothing ????