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Was Tony Marshall ‘Hoist With His Own Petard’?

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Tony Marshall sacked as Chairman of the NIS Board

Up to a few weeks ago retired banker Tony Marshall was the ‘man’ in Barbados. According to the Systematic Survey he was Starcom’s number one talk show host. Until his 2 year term expired as Chairman of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) last week, he occupied one of the most important positions in Barbados. BU agrees with George Payne MP who suggested in his contribution to the Estimates Debate that the NIS ranks in importance with the Central Bank of Barbados and the Barbados Electoral Boundaries Commission and therefore should operate with independence.  One wonders however if the statement was made based on ‘lodge’ loyalty.

So what happened?

A couple weeks ago Starcom’s David Ellis in response to a public query about Tony Marshall’s absence from hosting the talk show Brasstacks, explained that Tony Marshall will not be returning to the show. It is obvious any decision by Starcom to block its most popular talk show host from the airwaves must have been based on a ‘show-stopper’ issue. CEO of Starcom Vic Fernandes is a man who sees dollars first and Marshall’s absence from Brasstacks and its potential impact on advertising dollars would have weighed heavily in the decision to part ways.

So what happened?

To add to Marshall’s March Madness, Minister Byer-Suckoo announced last week that his term as Chairman of the NIS had expired and the government was not interested in renewing, no explanation was given for his ‘removal’. Any insight into how Marshall felt about the decision was gauged by his blunt reaction to Starcom’s Stetson Babb request for comment. It is known that Marshall is a DLP sympathizer who was rumoured to have been shortlisted to take up an overseas diplomatic posting which never materialized.

So what happened?

BU’s position regarding Marshall’s role as Chairman of the NIS is that he should have resigned given his involvement on the boards of CLICO companies. The role of the NIS is very important and any lack of confidence in NIS Board members was not healthy. The government would also be mindful of the political fallout which could arise from Marshall’s past association with CLICO.

There is also the NIS decision to invest in the Four Seasons after the Marshall led Board was summoned to Bay Street. Did Marshall try to exert a position which was contrary to that of government? If his term was not rolled over for reason of exercising the independence of the NIS Board this would contradict Ministers Sinckler and Byer-Suckoo protestations that the government has not sought to interfere with the decision making of the Board.

So what happened?

If the economic conditions were not challenging enough for the government, it now has a disgruntled Tony Marshall in the wings pondering his next move. Whether one agrees with Marshall or not there is no doubt he has a fan base and any utterances by him which place the government in a bad light is something it does not need at this time.

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  1. Quick Draw Avatar
    Quick Draw

    So what are they going to do, make Tony Marshall the G-G?

  2. Observing (not to be confused with Observer) Avatar
    Observing (not to be confused with Observer)

    Time will tell. Much more in the mortar.

  3. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Quick Draw | March 15, 2012 at 7:39 AM |
    “So what are they going to do, make Tony Marshall the G-G?”

    Well! well! Well! According to ole onions: ‘that one Quick draw is really from the to draw’! Faster than Quick draw McGraw from 60’s TV fame to shoot down the phoney marshal(l). What a fantastic move to make him GG reflecting like a capstone the quality of leaders we have running the show. More appropriately though, do you thing he is being earmarked for the vacant seat in the Senate? He likes a lot of talking. Maybe he will replace Avinash Persaud as the Four Seasons chairman and project manager as a way of gagging him and giving him the chance to do what he likes best; play with other people’s money while pocketing a “medici” cut for himself.

  4. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    I dont know what prompted this government to get rid of Phony Marshall when his contract expired. They are using this as the excuse that he has gone. There is certainly more in the mortar than the pestle there.

    But I do know that he allowed the people who tell him that he was so popular on Brasstacks to make him feel he was so special and requested from VOB a bigger pay than the other moderators. So they parted company with him.

  5. Ken R.Smith Avatar
    Ken R.Smith

    Good riddance to that pompous SOB, who treated people like crap.

  6. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Ken,

    You are so right. I would never forget how he treated the “senator” on Brasstacks. Once you did not carry his party colours, he treated people with disdain. I could never understand how people keep saying he was so good. I worked with him in Barclays and he treated the employees the same way. He was a black ass who got what he did not expect as far as we were concerned, the staff hated him.

  7. David Avatar
    David

      BREAKING NEWS: 35 Injured
    Thursday, 15 March 2012 19:48

    There are reports of 35 people injured following an accident in which a minibus has overturned.
    The Police is on the scene and have asked motorists to seek alternate routes.

  8. David Avatar
    David

    No deaths reported.

  9. Richard King Avatar
    Richard King

    Correction:The sentence should read:-
    Hoist WITH his own petard…..

  10. David Avatar
    David

    To the grammarians, thanks for the feedback.

  11. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Elizabeth Pilgrim and Richard King.

  12. Elizabeth Pilgrim Avatar
    Elizabeth Pilgrim

    Quoting David:
    “To the grammarians, thanks for the feedback.”
    Quoting David:
    “The Police is on the scene and have asked motorists …”
    No.
    Either “the [random capitalization] Police ARE on the scene and HAVE asked motorists”
    Or “the [random capitalization] Police IS on the scene and HAS asked motorists …”

    Also, “alternate” is not the same as “alternative”. You might want to look up the difference before you ever use either word again while expecting to be taken seriously.

    Best wishes.

  13. David Avatar
    David

    @Elizabeth

    You should pass on your feedback to the CBC.

  14. John Browne Avatar
    John Browne

    And what of Maxine McClean former CLICO Board member and Marshall’s collegue at StarCom ?

  15. David Avatar
    David

    On the subject of talk show hosts, what has happened to Sydney Symmonds at CBC?

  16. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Elizabeth Pilgrim | March 15, 2012 at 4:05 PM | wrote

    “It’s “hoist”. It’s not “hoisted”.”

    You should have written “it is” not it’s.

    glass houses?

  17. Quick Draw Avatar
    Quick Draw

    @ David

    Why do you not tell this Elizabeth that this is called a blog. If she wants to demonstrate her proofreading skills, the Nation or Advocate may be in much need of her expertise.
    If on the blog a person makes a mistake and wants to correct it, they do just that. However, the blog does not have such demands placed on it and she should go read other blogs of international repute such as the BBC’s.

  18. Quick Draw Avatar
    Quick Draw

    @ David and Hants

    Just to be ridiculous, please tell Elizabeth that good practice in English means that one does not end a sentence with an adverb.

  19. David Avatar
    David

    @Quick Draw

    Let us stay on message.

    Let us agree that BU bastardized the oft used term by injecting the past participle 🙂

    Elizabeth point is taken that sometimes an error distracts from the message.

  20. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    David this is a blog not a traditional Newspaper.

    An we bloggers ent stupid. If you had written “hoisted on his own barataba” we would understand what you meant within the context of the article.

    On a serious issue from Nationnews.

    “An attempt by a local gun dealer to import ten sniper rifles into Barbados has prompted a stern response from Commisioner of Police (COP) Darwin Dottin while the United States State Department has raised the red flag.”

    I can’t wait for the explanation as to why anyone would try to import 10 sniper rifles into Barbados.

  21. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    @ eLiZaBetH piLGrime
    dEar Mis PilgriM
    Me thinks you had better not come in this hay blog too often then…. cuz Onions dont give 2 hoots bout gramma,whne he punna rant.You had BEST keep D poisy in the class room and educate de lil pickneys on proppa pronunciation N gramma….we would luv dat !
    I hope I din mek nuh erras…if I dids ..Do correct me.
    truly,
    D ole onions bag.

  22. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Correction : poseur ; posie

  23. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Correction : Posie : Poisy……what eva

  24. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ old onion bags | March 16, 2012 at 7:33 AM
    Brialliant!
    You is a real bajan fuh trute, ney!

    Ms E P must appreciate this is a blog site not an English language class room for 3rd or 4th formers. Generous writing latitude and licence are allowed but within reasonable limits, of course. What is of more importance is content and message not so much rigid and schoolmarm form and pedantic style.

  25. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Ms.Pilgrim …no malice intended. Welcome to fun loving Barbados!

  26. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    @John Browne,

    Was Maxine McClean a board member of CLICO? Wow! No wonder all of them are so “touchous” as soon as one mentions CLICO!

  27. David Avatar
    David

    BU’s research does not show that McClean was a CLICO Board member.

  28. Zack Avatar
    Zack

    Well I’m glad that Marshall’s chickens have gone home to roost…the snobber has been snobbed. Mashall was in no way a great moderator on Brasstacks, he was just good at pissin’ people off. People tend to be entertained by conflict and controversy. Many women seemed to be amused by his silly laugh.

    Look how wunna lettin Liz Pilgrim hijack de thread and steal de spotlight. ha-ha-ha-ha-hah(Marshall laugh).

  29. Zack Avatar
    Zack

    By the way David, I like how you presented this topic.

    “So what happened?” Ha-ha-ha-ha-hah(Marshall laugh again)

  30. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Zack,
    I agree with you, he is a real snob.

    VOB showed him the door, hope it did not hit him on his way out. A few DLP diehards and Verney Hinds (though he treated Verney bad most times) swelled his head saying that he was the best moderator. I stopped listening to Brasstacks on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I know a lot of people who did too.

    As I said on this blog already, I worked with that man in Barclays and he was a real SOB. He treated black customers shabbily most times and sucked up to the white hierarchy just to be promoted. No one in the branch like this SOB.

    On Brasstacks he was always going on when the Bees were in office….tell the people….the people want to know. I never forgot how one day he tried to carry on the PRO from Transport scruffy but she stuck to her guns and he had to back down. But when he was president of the BCA you could not ask him a question or when he was on the WICB or on the NIS board. Damn idiot.

  31. David Avatar
    David

    @Zack

    Thanks, you are obviously not a fan of Marshall…lol.

  32. Royalrumble Avatar
    Royalrumble

    All I can say to Marshall is that “when your own dog bite ya you are properly biten”.

  33. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    Prodigal Son | March 16, 2012 at 1:17 PM |
    “As I said on this blog already, I worked with that man in Barclays and he was a real SOB. He treated black customers shabbily most times and sucked up to the white hierarchy just to be promoted. No one in the branch like this SOB.”

    You mean he was (and still is) a real ‘skin teet’ rolling eyes house nigger whose favourite greeting was “yes sir, sure mam, how far to jump boss, two bags full mam”.
    You got the man spot on alright. An arrogant pompous creature who would not give one mango from his orchard to his neighbours but find no difficulty in calling the police for the monkeys who pinch one or two of nature’s gifts.

    Don’t be surprised if this snake does not blackmail the DLP into making him the local “yes man’ for the 4 Seasons project to keep his mouth shut. He has a lot of dirt on them especially with the CLICO & DT scandal.

  34. Zack Avatar
    Zack

    @David who wrote:
    Thanks, you are obviously not a fan of Marshall…lol.
    ————————
    Not at all…can’t stand the idiot.

  35. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    I hear talk that to be a GG you should have a living wife…how true I don’t know…what sayeth you..

  36. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    miller,

    What become of the Professor? I see that he is a Fellow at LSE. The whole Four Seasons thing has gone very quiet. Is the project dead now?

  37. nicksti Avatar
    nicksti

    @ Zack

    But would you look at what you are doing. Maligning a man’s character on a blog while hiding behind your anonimity. Did you ever approach him and express your concerns about his behaviour? But I have always found that to be a Bajan’s M.O. and what made the Brasstacks programme so popular.

    “Mr. Ellis, I ain had nuh water now fuh 2 days.”
    “Did you call the BWA?”
    “No.”

    Bajans – good head and heart but no backbone. We need some Jamaican backbone. Maybe that is the point of caribbean integration.

  38. David Avatar
    David

    @nicksti

    Have you given thought to the fact Bajans turn to the talk show first because of the lousy customer service from the BWA and others?

  39. Blogger2012 Avatar
    Blogger2012

    @David

    even though we are blogging, the headline shoud be carefully structured.

  40. Blogger2012 Avatar
    Blogger2012

    @Prodical

    why are u so harsh on marshall, is it because he does not share the same political perspective as you, or is it a matter of envy.

    I found him to be an excellent moderator, forcing callers to subtantiate any claims they are making. Thats the hallmark of a proper moderator, I have had to disagree with him, but i do not consider him arrogant. Then again we can always find reasons to hate someone, especially if that person does not share our perspective.

  41. An Observer.. Avatar
    An Observer..

    @ Elizabeth Pilgrim .
    you need not be so caustic when making a genuine suggestion . In fact you too seem to be mashing the grammatical crease . The OXFORD CONCISE suggests that your ” HOIST BY HIS OWN PETARD ” is incorrect ; the correct version should be ” HOIST WITH HIS OWN PETARD ” . Now , if you are a modest person who is willing to accept that the acquisition of knowledge is a two-way thing , you should apologise to David . I have said enough. Peace my friend .

  42. David Avatar
    David

    @all

    Note that ‘on’ has been changed to ‘with’ and ‘hoisted’ to hoist.

    Thanks for the feedback, it is what BU is about.

  43. Hoisted seemed okay to me Avatar
    Hoisted seemed okay to me

    “on” to “with” = okay
    “hoisted” to “hoist” = not so sure
    http://www.answers.com/topic/hoist
    hoist: Definition, Synonyms from Answers.com
    v. , hoist·ed , hoist·ing , hoists . v.tr. To raise or haul up with or as if with the help of a mechanical apparatus. See synonyms at lift . To raise to one’s mouth …

  44. Hoisted seemed okay to me Avatar
    Hoisted seemed okay to me

    The job was complete (adjective).
    The job was completed (verb) by Tony BAF BFP Marshall.

  45. nicksti Avatar
    nicksti

    @ David,

    Are you suggesting that one should then not try to call because the CS is known to be lousy? Sounds like more typical bajan behaviour. The day aliens come to enslave us all:

    Jamaicans would shoot at them and then try to steal their electricity.
    Trinis would broker a deal to buy all their spaceships.
    Bajans would write letters to the editor and call Brasstacks.

  46. David Avatar
    David

    @nicksti

    That is not the suggestion. Bajans complaining to the talk show is a fallout of years of poor customer service delivered hence they turn to the talk shows for help.

  47. An Observer.. Avatar
    An Observer..

    @ David
    Your amendment demonstrates your own willingness to benefit from good advice ; I am still however awaiting the apology from Elizabeth Pilgrim .

  48. Inkwell Avatar
    Inkwell

    In the gleeful rush to gloat at Tony Marshall’s removal from the chair, has it occurred to anyone that his contract may not have been renewed as punishment because he took a principled stand against the investment of NIS funds in the Four Seasons project, thereby going against the government? And that he should praised rather than vilified?

    Do we really believe the MOF’s protestation that he did nothing to influence the Board’s decision?

  49. An Observer.. Avatar
    An Observer..

    @ Hoisted seemed alright to me .
    You are becoming lazy because of the availability of modern technology ; answers .com is littered with Americanisms. Take back up your Oxford Concise..LOL ; LOL ;
    Peace my friend.

  50. Hoisted seemed okay to me Avatar
    Hoisted seemed okay to me

    Did – “hoist” was used as a pp for “hoise” (now obsolete).

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