@millertheanunnaki “This is not the early1940′s when agriculture was still the mainstay of the economy.”

There is a theory that countries like Barbados will be driven to grow more food because the cost of oil will make shipping cost too high.
Some are predicting that the “Global” economy will become more “local”.

@millertheanunnaki ,

My late father was a farmer most of his life. He worked hard and maintained his independence until he died.

The one thing I learned is that Barbados is not a difficult place to grow food even if you have to guard your crops with dogs and guns.

I hope Bajans don’t have to suffer too much these next few years but at least you have summer all year.

@David

would u be kind enough to start a thread on the article $10 m Gonne whihc can be found at the back page of today’s nation

Mia replying to the budget is the best move Owen has made. It will be a measured and cogent reply with, as Mia is wont to do, credit given to the Government where she thinks it ought to be given. After all, she is a statesman, not a conniving treacherous old has-been. So Owen has finally seen that no way he can win the election without Mia’s enthusiastic endorsement of him. But I have a message for Mia.

Mia, if you fool me once, shame on you………if you fool me twice, shame on me! Owen has fooled you once and I wonder exactly where you will stand after he has cuddled up close to you so he can get back to all the pomp and ceremony and $6 million dollar divorce settlements of his perception of prime minister. Make sure it isn’t shame on you, girl. You doing so well…..don’t let yourself be dragged back and down to bolster up Owen. And Owen don’t give a sh*** about BLP as long as he is PM.

As for CLICO, it was fostered and prospered to the detriment of Bajan investors under Owen. Let there be no doubt about that. It was during the tenure of Owen in 2004 that I was advised by my investment adviser to place my life savings with CLICO and then if I wished to retire overseas (somewhere like Florida) after the money had been with CLICO for 2 years, they could pay it to me outside of Barbados and in US dollars. Well, my alarm bells started to go off. For a start, I had no intention of retiring outside of Barbados, but I did wonder how it was that CLICO had the authority to export money just like that. But most importantly, it has always seemed to me that if something looks too good, it generally is. So, I advised members of my family who were also asked to invest that I thought something did not smell right – this was not an opinion based on law or on superior financier knowledge, it was just a gut instinct, based on what I perceived as the financial culture being engendered and promoted by, among others, Owen Arthur as Minister of Finance. It was my instinct that CLICO and the Barbados economy were going to come back and bite us on the butt.

I regret to say that certain of my family members did not take my advice as regards CLICO and invested substantial portions of their life savings. To them I say, “Greed and stupidity are two of the least attractive traits of human beings. So, as to greed, don’t come to me for money. And as to stupidity, don’t compound your stupidity by voting for Owen Arthur or the BLP, because he and it are the reason we are in this mess in the first place. And if any of you have an in with whoever knows the whereabouts of the court file and the $6 million……… that I will you pay for.”

Is Arthur holding a gun to Mia’s head?

Mia has been out maneuvered for the moment and such is the nature of politics. In our system of government Arthur because he commands the support of the parliamentary majority is King. In fact the political vitriol should be targeted at those members of the parliamentary group and not Arthur for ‘unfairing’ Mia.

Mia has the Clyde Mascoll option if she is so decided. Who was it that said politics is a blood sport?

So who is holding the gun. ?

@ David in response to Hants..
” brilliant because it addresses a perception that there was a rift in the party…”
A ” PERCEPTION ” David ? There has been on- going , open confrontation for the past several years following Mr Arthur’s PUBLIC attack on Miss Mottley at his Cave Hill press conference . That was followed by the public demonstrations and the recent , PUBLIC exchanges of hostility between the two . Certainly , David , this goes beyond mere ” PERCEPTION ” . If the two of them have indeed buried the hatchet it might be for the good of the party and possibly of the country but that is all left to be seen and is really within the realm of speculation.

Well Well Well CCC, ac, BLPpaperman who ever else, see the master tactician for what he is… READY to RESUCE, ready to REBUILD, and soon ready to RESTORE…..for those who had any doubt…MIA is back and shot in the thick of things with true DISPATCH…….This is no fumblinio FINGERING party….(Chris about to shoot more draconian tax suppositories up our arses..BUDGET)..nor no loose tongued latin lingoed friend of a leper politician who can only make a barrage of promises only to be left unfilled..but a future PRIME MINISTER.. who will someday RESTORE this country to what we proud Bajans are accustomed to.
Do I hear any …here heres ?

Re. Amused March 5, 2012, 4:34 AM;
I wonder what prompted you to make the very personal and important revelations that you made in your excellent post above?
I suspect you are however confusing Arthur’s putative connection with CLICO in the instance you recite with that of the total CLICO insider, David Thompson. Why would you expect Arthur to know what the CLICO agents were using as bait to hook prospective policyholders?

@the phony nation newspaper blogger,

“How can Patrick Hoyos still be employed at VOB as a “moderator” after his vicious one sided articles- the man has made his political preference clear and his family connections to the BLP are well known. But then again who owns VOB again – oh sorry- the Nation newspaper.
Who was the head of the Senate under the BLP- Oh sorry, the past chairman of the Nation- you see the dots connecting folks”!……………………………………………………

One thing about you Dems, you have no shame. Remember some VOB moderators……

1. Phony Marshall who spearheaded the DLP attack on the BLP every Tuesday and Thursday.

2. Maxine McClean who spearheaded the “Tell It Like it is” attacks while telling VOB that she was not political

3. Harry Husbands who came in after the elections to continue the attacks on the BLP

4. Attulolove Corbin whilst telling people he was not political encouraged the attacks from the yardfowls.

5. Matthew Farley a closet Dem

6. Vere Brathwaite a closet Dem

You Dems have no shame. Barbados does not revolve around the DLP. I suppose now that your dead king has been exposed for what he is and was and that all of Leroy Parris nasty deeds have now encompassed the whole DLP, we will now see a lot of you on this blog ignoring your faults, fraud and all whilst trying to paint the BLP as the corrupt ones when all along the entombed one was proclaiming that “I will not lie, cheat or steal”. I want the queen to defend “my beloved husband’s” name. Tell the people who help launder the policyholders’ monies through Thompson Associates.

@Observer
All of Barbados knows that everything is NOT well with Mia and Owen, BUT, they are willing to put differences aside (publicly) for a common goal. Even the willingness to foist this perception in the midst of what everyone knows is reality shows a willingness to do what’s necessary when it’s necessary. Something the country is looking for. The ethics and morality of it is another story.

@David
“Would you have imagined the BLP would have wrested the integrity legislation agenda from the DLP? ”

No. I wouldn’t. And they will suffer the consequences of sitting on it for so long. Mind you, the BLP had four years to “hide” any troubled assets that won’t see the light of day. A good few of the DLP used the four years to amass assets. HIndsight is 20/20.

@Hants
this perception is meant to portray something that does not really exist – UNITY. Arthur needs Mottley. The BLP cannot win without Mia Mottley.

Portrayals of unity are critical to gaining confidence in your TEAM. Whether it is true unity or not really doesn’t matter unless your team is doing a piss poor job. You said that the BLP cannot win without Mottley…Hellooo, she spoke last night and will reply to the Estimates…Sounds a little predictive then.

The DLP is being outplayed, outmaneuvered, outfoxed, ambushed and placed on the backfoot with repeated bouncers and no hope of play being called on account of light. Honestly, it is their collective fault. They shouldn’t be in this position.

Interest to learn that the DLP held a retreat yesterday.

It is also interesting that the PM did not meet with the so-called Eager 11 at the time. Can we assume that the concerns which flamed the matter then was raised yesterday?

This will be an interesting phase of politics to be played out in the next year.

Did Trevor Prescod go too far last night when he referred to pulling out the toenails of a dead person?

Mia made reference to the “old way” of estimates debating, to a country educating its population and leaving them out of the process, and the realization needed by both parties that they do not know it all; a way must be found to include others. She end her speech by invoking her pet statement that she adopted at the height of the BLP leadership struggle. I view her comments as directed at both parties.

Arthur then comes and in a very akward way as if it was very new thought, state that Mia will respond to the estimates; he followed it up immediately by saying “I must heal and unite this party” as if to placate some who are willing to write off Mia’s importance to the BLP.

I think it yet to be seen if Mia will accept this public invitation; she does not operate this way, and in light of a LOTO who isn’t too keen on meeting with her in private it is truly left to be seen as to how sincere Arthur is and how willing Mia will be. However this is a pet subject for which she did not get a lot of support from her own party for; she may capitulate and deal with both the CLICO affair and the decisions to remove her. She is still very relevant.

@Hants about R. Morton, he passes away. R.I.P.

Interesting to note Mia’s caution to the Judicial Managers to consider changing the way Deloitte’s levy its fees.

David; Didn’t Arthur suggest a similar thing re. Deloitte’s fees? I got the impression that he was saying that the fees should not be front-loaded.

There were very few new CLICO revelations for anyone who follows BU. The ones that I recall were:-
Chris Sinckler had bought LP’s old Jaguar. If that is true it suggests that Chris’ political acumen is much lower than most of us think;
LP collected around 4.5 million in just 6 months in 2009 from CLICO in bonuses etc.;
CIL has put in a counter claim to LP’s claim for 10M$ in arrears brought in 2010 or perhaps 2011 and want back the 3.42 Million dollars which it claims that no CLICO agency directly paid to LP. This seems to be in contrast with the previously reported news that CLICO had not contested the LP $10M claim;
An antigua agency was used to facilitate the removal of some of the CLICO funds for executives. This agency is one of those listed in the Deloitte report;
Most speakers could be interpreted as suggesting that Mara will be called to account over the next several months although none of the main speakers said so urgently;
Lynch gave a spirited, and fairly believable, rebuttal of the rumours that he had become a millionaire under the BLP.

Mia was excellent last night, as was Marshall, Symmonds, Lynch and Owen, although I did not hear all of his speech. The male Joint-Chairman was superb. The female one needs a lot more practice. The crowd was massive and, in general, seemed to be emphathizing with practically everything the speakers said.

This was the first political meeting I have attended for the last 2 political seasons and I was not disappointed in the content, jokes, etc.

Based on this meeting and the suggestion of a public healing of the Arthur-Mia rift, I think the DLP will have its work cut out for it to retain the Government when the election is called.

@ islandgal246

Her reference to the swifness that justice is applied to small people in Barbados for wrong doing and the lack thereof when the well-to-do should face the music is vintage Mia. When 14 illegal indians were found to be working at the then Kesington construction site she back then as she did last night insist that those who have a case to answer before the courts must be made to do so; from the PM on down to the lowest worker. Government cannot continue to ignore Bajans that want to be part of the process, neither can they continue to ignore the young people who continue to see disparities in the application of justice, distribution of wealth and access.

dont shed no tears for the DLP fuh we got our own list of OWENisms and his failures in dealing with CLICO. .last night his dissmal performance and hat trick should be punished with laughter

@ac
Owen is the past. Can we please deal with the present?

@ DMC
Oh how you wish ole chap…..more in the mortar …think we sleeping !
This is just D smoke

Interesting how Layne seeks to absolve the regulators of blame, directors, seek to absolve themselves of blame, owen absolves himself and the blp of any blame and investors absolve themselves of any blame.

@Businessman

Isn’t William Layne a former SOI?

@DMC | March 5, 2012 at 2:46 PM |
“Sorry guys this CLICO matter will die long before the elections”

Tell that to PM Ralph Gonsalves and the policy holders in the OECS.

CLICO Barbados is NOT just a Barbados problem. Or do you have “convenient memory”?

@ DMC

I hope you are being paid to write that pup. That man and his friends mismanaged and pilfered investors’ money and as far as you are concerned it is the BLP to be blamed? May I remind you that Madoff and Stanford enjoyed lavish lifestyles for a long time too and they are paying the price!!

@DMC | March 5, 2012 at 4:30 PM |
“By the way OECS blame the BLP for your loss.

“YOUR” loss? You mean “OUR” loss: The policyholders’ loss, the Barbados taxpayers liability for the failures of the officers of the Crown to perform their duties effectively going back as far as the last administration; and more politically damaging a legacy of scandal and distrust left by D T that would remain like a millstone around the neck of that once great party to ever sully the memory of EWB and the reputation of the heirs to his political estate.