Why do we have to compare apples with oranges? It is either the government placing these workers under welfare or restoring their full pension. Yes, it was a mistake by the government dept but the poor pensioners should not be made to suffer because of it. I know a gentleman who recieved about bds$ 1400.00 total from both pensions. He brought out a car with some funds he had and was repaying about Bds $ 450.00 per month, now his pension has been reduced to just over bds $ 575.00 per month. This man had to turn back in the car and even with that is finding it hard to get ends meet; ironically he is a staunch member/supporter/canvasser/campaign manager of the DLP and his DLP candidate. Tell me in God’s earth, how this could be likened to the C.J appointment. It is O.K to make political mileage out of this but it is quite different if you are walking in one of these pensioners’ shoes. Their working life is complete and the carpet is pulled from under their feet, through no fault of theirs.There must be a humane touch to this

The intellectual dishonesty of the BLP is clear for all to see but Bajans are not stupid. If the BLP proposals were to be implemented , civil servants will have to go home plain and simple , not by the hundreds but by the thousands. People should think on this reality. Sending home public servants will raise unemployment and also depress the economy.

There is no silver bullet magic solution.

The BLP is telling people want they want to hear but there is more in de mortar than de pestle.
Any civil servant should be very nervous about the BLP response because the only place left to pay for these giveaways is to send home thousands of workers- It is all about choices – either the BLP believes that Civil servants need to be sent home by the thousands and will not admit it until after the election or the BLP has no plans of implementing any of these wild promises.
You decide which one it is.

David

This is not as simple as it appears. As a matter of fact, the DLP administration passed legislation in 1975 which in effect resulted in a reduction of the statutory pensions being reduced by the amount that would be paid by the National Insurance if the pensioner was employed in the Government service after September 1, 1975. Unfortunately, the reduction did not apply to Members of Parliament: they continue to receive both pensions.

This problem arose because some statutory board opted not to implement the law for whatever reason. As a result, some retirees, who should have suffered the reduction, received both pensions and continued to receive the money for several years. When the error was discovered, government decided to effect the reduction immediately, not withstanding that some of them were receiving the pensions for as much as 10 years. Some of these people would have adjusted their lifestyles to suit their income. They were receiving those pension through no fault of their own. A caring Government should have said that they would have implement the law for new pensioners but they implemented it retrospectively which is causing hardship.

It is shameful that MP did not apply the law to themselves but made messengers and maids subject to the reduction.

only a poppit who has no understanding would dare to compare the CJs appointment to pensioners lifestyle that has been miserably reduced thru some callousness on some person’s part. but in looking at this issue, if no mistake had been made and the pensioners were receiving what was the correct amount, how would they have been surviving that time to now? it is too confusing and sad to think about

It is BLATANT CORRUPTION I SAY!!! And Bajans are just allowing it to happen by not rallying in the streets demanding transparency and government accountability…

If there are Bajans out there gullible enough to believe the Alice in Wonderland response to the budget from the BLP , you can bet that the foreign reserves will take a big hit and with a lingering global downturn in our source markets, all roads point to The BLP having to layoff thousands of public sector workers to meet these giveaways.
There is no free lunch folks- The BLP will fool those who allow themselves to be fooled.

A brilliant presentation from Dr. The Hon. David Estwick,- a sound analysis compared to the cheap political nothings coming from the opposition. The choice is clear – Transform the economy now for long term growth or turn to the same cheap politics as usual BLP way.

@David, the difference in the options here is that the DLP government has taken the bold decision to maintain the vat as an efficient mechanism of tax collection and to keep expenditure controls in place and has identified a mechanism to finance the major investments in the Barbados economy and to generate revenues through a divestmennt programme which will also reduce recuuring expenditure.

Contrast that with the wreckless cheap politics giveaways response to the budget, the choice is clear-
Transform the economy now or perish with the BLP – The BLP policy points to massive layoffs of public sector workers. Any public servant looking to vote for the BLP is clearly puuting his job in jeopardy.

I can understand BU view that it considers it a similar case, however one was case of trying to fix what they planned to do while the other is case of return to norm ( even if illegal) that was done for year for most it is nowhere near the same issue. To the people that it happen to it was a drastic changes it their lives and like caswell suggested their where other mean to correct the measure. Some would say it was too harsh measure implemented other would say it follows the current government modus operandi.

The Hottest Magazine is out:

THE COST OF INERTIA: 92 unfulfilled promises by the DLP.

Miller….. I was about to post a similar statement! LOLLLL

@miller

Minister Jones cursing Onions.

It was Onions who blew the whistle …lol

Onions you are now a wanted man! LOLL

Jones told his colleagues to defeat the BLP with thinking and not being stupid. Well he is the EDucation Minister. they should listen. Hidden in that comment is that they were not thinking.

Dr. The Hon. David Estwick has just sounded the death knell for the onshore oil drilling operations of the BNOC. If the undersea pipeline is to bring natural gas from T&T to be used in the generation of electricity then there will be no need to drill crude and ship it to Petrotrin for conversion to fuel for re-shipment to Barbados. The Barbados’ crude is too heavy with high sulphur and produced in too small a quantity to make attractive for refining into “higher value” finished petroleum products.

Along with the much vaunted electricity generation by the Andrews sugar factor and the currently announced push towards a mix of renewable energy sources it seems Barbados’ electricity needs

As it is stands we still use lot of bunker c fuel , which our crude oil can be used to make. Our crude will never be light of sweet but it still has it uses and can offset our fuel import bill by some manner.

In term of andrews and renewable energy such project have worth is just we been talking about the former for many year and will probably not be start till next year at best while they look for funding. photoelectric project will reduce most business electric bill it the upfront cost that they are afraid off. as it stand for most medium to large business the cost of conversion vs tax relief was minuscule only if the boss pushed for it was it done and we can count how many have been done on our hands never mind we have a couple idb loans to help push that through, the disbursement of the funds are slow in coming.

Freundel is a nasty piece of work. He really thinks that talking nonsense will save his sorry tail in the elections. Will he show us the FBI/CIA report on Michael Lashley too? Is Freundel trying to pretend that he is a leader? Poor soul! Look what these sorry asses have brought out Parliament too!

! | June 28, 2012 at 8:59 PM |

Dr Estwick refuse’ ta mention that the major cause of inflation today … THE MAJOR CAUSE, in case you din’ hear me the first time, is the constant printing of NEW money by the US Government (you know they call it raising their debt sealing … or something like that, by trillions of dollars). You see sir the international financial architecture, post Bretton Woods, is a sham and we lack the type of individuals ’bout hey to stan’ up in public and Say So… !

So much for your highly vaunted Dr Estwick … (I like he by the way …)

Freundel Stuart has just told Mia dont forget what Owen said about her. Well, he said the following about David Thompson and Mara should never forget him.

1. From 1994-2001, DT led the DLP with a free hand to do as he saw fit. Did we not end up with the unusual act of the people of Barbados voting against the opposition in 1999?

2. Where is the IMF letter supposedly signed by Owen Arthur which was to be produced in Queen’s Park?

3. Where is the St John Development Plan?

4. Why was there a mass exodus of several candidates who ran in both the 1994 and 1999 general elections under the leadership of DT?

5. Why would a number of former candidates who are still members never want to take part in an election again under the leadership of DT?

6. Why was a BLP member Delisle Bradshaw presented to the DLP as a candidate instead of Undine Whittaker in St Michael South East in 1999?

7.Why was Patrick Todd not permitted to run in the City as the preferred candidate in 1999?

8. With all the supposed financial attraction in 1994 and 1999, why is the party so highly indebted after two elections?

9. By whom and why were the seats already lost by the DLP in the 1999 election declared vacant?

10. Why was our manifesto of 1999 distributed 48 hours before polling day of Jan 20th?

11. Can anyone explain why the supposed most popular national figure as DLP leader save only two seats in the 1999 election?

12. What has transpired since the resignation of DT 6 weeks after the 2001 Annual Conference to encourage you or me to want the member of St John to lead us anywhere at this time?

13. What level of commitment has the member of St John given to the administration of the party or support to the parliamentary group to justify support to become chairman of this party at this time?

14. Do we want to return to the days of internal hate, infighting, blood letting, cussing and ruling by division?

15. Can we expect a sudden resignation again from the post of president if the member for St John is not made the leader of the opposition by six sitting members in Parliament?

16. Can we expect to ask for the support of the voters of Barbados if we present them a leader which they so clearly rejected in 1999?

Think!! Would you want the 17 candidates already selected to be replaced?

Freundel, should Mara forgive you for all of this? It just goes to show that all politicians say things about each other in the heat of things. Grow up.

BAFBFP
How many does the DLP have? This whole thing is part of the problem in Barbados, we don’t have enough, if any, grassroot m.p’s. This is why irrespective of which party is in government, laws are passed with a little loophole that attorneys from either side can use when needed.

MIA MOTTLEY get up again to repeat the same ole nonsense about BNOC and cheap oil . with misleading facts, again Chris SINCKLER brought FACTS and not SPECULATION to the public exposing the the misleading information which mia was using as proof to FOOL the gullible public.the BLP Pirates of BNOC instead of accusing BNOC of ripping off the public should be apologising to BNOC for bringing it to its knees and now having the taxpayers burden with the monumental task of having to repay the astronomical loans

Mia Mottley in her response to the Budget promised to return the two pensions. Implied in the promise by Motley: should the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) assume the next government the Statutory Boards Pensions Act, Cap. 384 will be amended”

yes, there will have to be an amendment because the law is what it is but laws are derived from policy and policies change and so can the laws concomitantly.as mr sinckler implied in his admirable closing speech, the national insurance legislation can be changed to accomodate govt policy ss if necessary; and then again we changed our constitution to deflate an error which was disadvantageous to Mr Gibson assuming the office of Governor General.

A caring Government should have said that they would have implement the law for new pensioners’

Therein lies the answer to how the pension issue coild be addresed to avoid creating hardship for those whose financial position and lifestle would have changed by receiving two pensions through a mistake of fact.

David

As hard as I try, I am convinced that there would be no justice for the average small man in this country.

A retired judge is entitled to his full salary as a pension if he completed 20 judicial service. It is an open secret that a retired judge who served less than 10 years was paid a pension and gratuity at the highest rate, that is his full salary. When that was discovered a few years ago, no one took any steps to reduce his pension.

I don’t know why they did not reduce the pension like that of others who were mistakenly paid. I know his was not a mistake, but that probably has something to do with the fact that he was one of those struggling DLP lawyers who could not make ends meet and was given a mercy appointment by the BLP. No one wants to offend him: he effectively has one foot in either political camp.

Scout

TOO MANY ..!