The most dangerous place to be in Barbados is between a camera and Dr. Esther Byer-Suckoo…

These unemployment figures are even higher than what has been reported.And was it not the Minister of Finance in the recent Estimates debate that talked about unemployment dropping and being now around 10%.??

Based on BU’s research here are the unemployment numbers for Barbados in a time series. To provide context we have listed the rates for our key source markets as well as the biggest and richest economy in the Caribbean.

%
2007
2008
2009
2010

Barbados
7.4
8.1
10.2
10.6

USA
4.6
5.0
7.3
9.9

UK
5.3
5.6
7.6
7.9

Can
6.0
6.2
8.3
8.0

T&T
4.5
5.5
5.8
6.4

I wonder if she drew the short straw when she was moved from family to labour.

@ David the current unemployment figures for the USA is 8.3% What is it for Barbados.

@John Browne

You are familiar with the fact there is a lag indicator to factor if you want to compare the US number with that of Barbados?

@Caswell

What is the position with the Occupational Safety & Health Bill?

David

The Safety and Health at Work Act was passed in 2005, but it has not been brought into force for a number of reasons, but mainly because the Act gave workers certain minimum standards for work places but if the Act is brought into force the main offender would be the Government of Barbados because some of its workplaces are little more than pig pens; and because workers would now have a statutory right to refuse to work under dangerous conditions; they are now trying to water down that provision by making regulations to clarify the Act.

Between 2007 and 2010 the BARBADOS unemployment rate rose by 3.6%

Between 2007 and 2010 the T&T unemployment rate rose by 1.9%

What worries me as that we are slowing falling behind other Caribbean nations.

She is supposed to be my Parliamentary representative and I must say that following on from Sir Louis Tull and even a lesser mortal in Richard Byer, she is less/worse than a bad joke.

I am convinced that if the late Prime Minister David Thompson was still alive, she would have been Minister without Portfolio or no Minister at all,she is a pure joke as a representative for the people of St.George South. She is of no substance and less form.

Submitted by Romeld D.Phillips

“we are small enuff as a economy to make proactive economic shifts with fiscal efficiency”- wait Austin, you now fall of a spaceship- why did your beloved BLP that you worship not restructure the sugar industry after all these years – year 1,2,3,4,…..14, Where was the creative industries policy, where was the restructured, efficient public service for the 21st century,the housing,the environmental and recycling policy, alternative energy and the list goes on. Where were these things or you now conveniently decide to raise this issue?
Certainly during 1994 – 2008, we were small enuff then to make these shifts.How can you with a straight face talk about fiscal efficiency and then ask people to support all of our money being dumped in a hole in St. Andrew.It is the same people who will present themselves for the BLP at next election. No new thinking or blood.
Barbados is moving ahead despite the strong global economic winds-Barbados certainly is not falling behind the Caribbean. Jamaica , Antigua, St.Lucia, Dominica and other CARICOM countries are all in IMF programmes. Barbados is NOT and through the good management of this government in these tough times we have maintained significant import cover well above the accepted international norm while not butchering our social sector
I realise that you chose to highlight Trinidad which always benefits when there is an increase in the price of oil but has still found this international climate very challenging.
I beleive that BLP lackeys like you might be in for a big surprise when elections are called. Bajans can reason and the party that you support(BLP) has presented a very poor choice of candidates and proposed no solutions.
No matter what you say- St. George south going with de doc all the way.

Fast food is unhealthy and expensive.

Price of one Chicken Combo = $20.00 X 3 = $60 (one serving for family of 3)

Price of: small fillet of salmon trout – $25.00; small bag of rice – $5.00; bag of vegetables – $10.00; bottle of seasoning – $5.00; and some onions – $5.00 = $50 (two servings for a family of three)

We are not as smart as we think.

No one loves the camera like Dr.Esther Byer-Suckoo, Minister of Labour
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I think it is the other way around ….. the camera loves the Dr ……particularly if the camera is being operated by a man!!

Who wants to leave home to photograph some of the various faces politics throws up.

The Dr. is the most photogenic politician we have had for a long time ….. perhaps ever!!

@ Austin—– I was checking to see where in the past you saw the same in one Noel Lynch? For the spotlight this man has an insatiable crave.The look of the Dr. gives her a face for the camera.Tell us exacly what is it with “Barny’s Big Boy” and his infactuation with the microphone?Perhaps its shape.

@Prodigal Son
Yeah right- the first place you go to get an unbiased ,objective view of an employer is to an employee who was fired.Get real!
If treatment of persons with whom you work is an issue, ask many senior civil servants what they think of Owen Arthur who was known to even curse the poor maids and gardeners who worked at Bay street.

Well Prodigal, I know you might not have heard but on planet earth many Western economies(Barbados included) have had to undergo economic adjustment over the past few years.
But all is not lost- there have been no layoffs in the Public sector, education has not been cut, health care has not been ccompromised, housing developments are ungoing,alternative energy solutions are implememted (Smart fund), new tourism markets are being sought.The list goes on.
We have a good government on the job Prodigal and I am sure that you know that thankfully, Barbados is till the best place in the Caribbean to live.

I almost fell out the chair when the BLP candidate in St. George South was complaing about the state of the roads.
From 1994 – 2007, St. George South was abandoned by the BLP with very little roadwaorks as Owen Arthur sought to punish Louis Tull.
The BLP candidate might not be familiar with how the roads came to be so bad but surely he would not now be trying to blame the good doctor Esther.
The poor state of roads in St. George South leads straight back to Owen Arthur who now comes to the same people for votes. The people of St. Geoge south will not be fooled by the BLP lies.
The BLP history of neglect in St. George South is there for all to see.

Poor Austin- The facts show that the BLP ignored the roads in St. George South.
Over the last 35 years in St. George south, the BLP held the government for 23 years – 68%
St. George South had a BLP representative for 26 years out of the last 35 years – 74.28 %
It is clear the state of the roads in St. George south has to be blamed on the BLP. The inept BLP candidate should come clean with the people. Owen Arthur put petty personal politics above the development of St. George south. The voters will not be fooled by the spin. The facts of the BLP neglect of the people of St. George south is plain for all to see.
In case you did not know Dr. Esther is born and raised in St. George South. While many went overseas following the big bucks and consultancies, she came back to her roots.That is genuine commitment and she is genuine.

The other day I when on my computer and listened to a campaign speak given by dr.suckoo in 2007.,,, many things she spoke about against her opposition she has become guilty of in the last 4 years, go to youtube and listen for yourself.