BU has received word that Andrea King did not travel with the Minister to London. The taxpayers of Barbados did not pay for her to go. She attended a trade forum there along with other Caribbean Cultural Industries workers/participants. Of interest also, she did not attend any of the Olympic events, at the time she was in closed incubator sessions throughout the duration of her trip.
Barbados Underground
Stephen Lashley, Minister of Sports
Every four years when the Olympics comes around the conversation becomes as predictable as the views of a political yard fowl. Of course how we manage merger resources to develop our human capital deserves to be a priority item on the national agenda. Successive governments have paid lip service to development initiatives which fall outside the traditional. Sports and the Cultural Industries are seen as ‘projects’ which are used to feed the fat cats and manipulate the masses with the lure of what is possible.
In the private sector successful companies in response to the challenging economic times have ramped-up tactics to ensure greater cost efficiency. Should the citizenry not expect our government to acknowledge the benefit of adopting a similar approach? World economies which Barbados depend on for our success have been on the skids for four years and counting. Despite this reality we have a government which has failed to convince the population of the parlous times. The Opposition has shown solidarity with government by promising the people that lifestyles built on consumption is sustainable. For some it does not take a crystal ball to see the fortunes of a little country careening downhill like a truck with no brakes.
The news that Minister Stephen Lashley has traveled to London this week to attend the Olympic Games raised concern in the BU household. What is the objective of the trip? To be a spectator? Is it to network with prominent attendees to the benefit of Barbados? The big question which we want answered, who paid for this trip? Is the trip funded by tax dollars? Is the trip funded by the Barbados Olympic Association? Would the money not have been better spent adding the talented female athlete to the team who qualified for the games? The fat cats are in attendance at the Olympics fully aware that Barbados has been recorded in Olympic history not to have named a female on the team.
BU understands Minister Lashley has traveled to London with Andrea King, a consultant in Cultural Industries Development. One has to give the minister the opportunity to explain to Barbadians why is he traveling to London with Andrea King. We the taxpayers have a right to know. BU will not stress on the fact the Andrea King is the Minister’s sister in law. BU will also not dwell on the fact that there is a ssuspician Miss King has travelled to London to peddle her designs at an exhibition. Did she attend the Olympics as well? All we want to know, what is the damn circumstances which dictated that Minister Lashley should, at great expense no doubt, attend the London Olympic Games. In the process he (Lashley) has theoritically denied the opportunity to an athlete (a female?) to attend the Games.
The transparency promised by the late Prime Minister died with him. Some of us have had it with the two dinosaur political parties whose priority is to pander to self and party at the expense of the national interest.
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Smooth Chocolate
this sickens me but i am too distraught to comment as i did not like the lane that Ryan Brathwaite was placed him and also the fact that he had to be tired after running the semi finals to have to compete in the finals 2 hrs later. the other. the olymipic officials too are jack….s. why did they not question the fact that ryan was not next to merrick where he should have been placed? steven lashley obviously does not give a damn what we tax payers think, u know how i know? if he did, his sister in law and he would not be in london on taxpayers funds. but his time is short
Steven Lashley is the most insensitive and self centered example of obvious incompetence that this administration has placed before the public. There is absolutely NO doubt in my mind that this trip is timed to coincide with Ryan Bratwaites moment and this talk about some action plan by his Ministry that involves high impact some shite is just shite talk. But again the Governor of the Central Bank will say that such costs are trivial, well then room could have been made to blood other Barbadians WHO ACTUALLY WORK HARD, like athletes. “Oh in fact Mr Johnson we just came out of discussions about the action plan going forward to the next Olympics …” my ass. Where the f#ck was this guy over the previous four years leading up to this Olympics … He surely must have a crystal ball that has instructed him that he will be Minister of Sports in four years time … I mean who the f#ck is he trying to fool … Dennis Johnson? This man calls from England with a drummed excuse and he makes news on Starcom … two peas in a pod!
But seriously, I still cannot get past the SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS thrown up in a matter of weeks to fire a f#cking man. How will this spending be broken down, $500,000 in legal fees?
I don’t understand why Cabinet would approve this trip unless there is more that we haven’t been told. I will await the justification for this expenditure but I will not hold my breath. Then again, the Minister could have paid his own way and I really hope so.
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Edutech
It isnt Stephen Lashley taking Shakera Reece the sprinter’s place its the dozen officials headed by Stoute and Esther Maynard.
Dont pillory Lil Hitler unfairly. How about Barney Lynch as Minister and official traveling all the way to Australia to cause Oba much discomfort.
Check Oba’s latest comments on that bitter sweet Olympics and the spoiler role played by Minister Barney and his team of the unprepared unqualified cronies.
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Sargeant
@David
I admire the effort that you put into the blog, it provides people like me the opportunity to dispense an opinion from time to time. However for gawds sake stop nit picking, if a Minister for Sport can’t attend the last few days of the Olympics why is he the Minister of Sport? Do you know if there will be discussions with Sports officials from other countries? As long as the Minister doesn’t get in the Athletes way he is welcome to attend the Games.
What next? The Minister of Finance can’t attend a conference where there are Financial officials or the Minister of Education can’t attend an Educational conference?
Is that how you interpreted the blog. There is a bigger point being made Sargeant.
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old onion bags
Why this is no surprise…..at least we are being told about Lashley’s gallivant….others did theirs in secret…so if we think he will be the only one of DEM to sponge off the public’s purse heading to see Great Ben…think again….the word is “Ill be out of the Island”..then they taking up and gone for two days……BUT we back here being told….”CUT and contrive ya hear…hold strain lil longer….is Global Economies”…lol
He gave his reasons and there were all contrived., obviously contrived. How could so many areas of responsibility go under attended and a guy who holds responsibility for one of them be so obvious in his expending the public’s purse for personal aggrandizement
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Crusoe
I undertand where you are coming from re expenss vs return. For the purposes of this blog, I actually think that the biggest concern, aside from expenditures, is that a top athlete was left at home , while apparntly so many offficials, including the Minister travelled.
A young athlete like Shakeera Reece, should have gone for multiple reasons. Not only the experience that would stand her in good stead for the next Olympics, not only the morale boost it would give, to rub shoulders with the best of the best, but that she topped the list here.
Isnt the Olympics about partiicipation and fellowship, not just winning?
I think we still need a sound explanation of why she did not go. An explanation, not a flimsy excuse.
This has got to be THE biggest embarrassment to Barbados, of these games.
The issue here is that we have not come to the realization that we are living in extraordinary times. To operate with old mindsets is too lazy and ignorant an approach.
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old onion bags
No David
The real issue here just like Waterman…is a Govt who don’t give a F— about how they waste the public purse money…and to hell wid who don’t like it or they again can LUMP IT…Sounds familiar ?
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Peltdownman
@Smooth Chocolate
Give us a break! ALL the finalists ran a semi-final 2 hours before the final, and aren’t lane placings based on semi-final times of the qualifiers? Ryan did well and was just shaded out of 4th by the lunge of the Brit. It’s 3 years since he was world champ and he deserves credit for keeping-up the training to this level.
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Peltdownman
$10,000 here, $600,000 there – hey pretty soon we’ll be talking about real money!
We have several issues raised on this blog, one of the issues BU is struggling to put in perspective is the role of Andre King, the sister in Law of the Minister. Why is she in London? Is she there in a private capacity but paid from the public purse? WE the public have a right to know how our business is being run.
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Simple Simon
If there was money to travel to London I would rather that Ryan Brathwaite’s mummy (or daddy) would have been the one to go to London, but instead yesterday as Ryan was about to compete in his hurdles his mummy was at work as usual. When Carol Roberts interviewed her on VOB listeners could hear the little nursery aged children in the background. She said “I would have liked to have gone to London but…” and she left it hanging in the air, but…we can assume that finding the $5,000 on a day care worker’s salary to go to London was impossible.
By the way why do we pay day care workers such shitty salaries? is it because they are required to clean our beloved children’s shit? and what is it that Cabinet Ministers do that is so important that we pay them $17,000 per month? while we pay those who raise our children $1,700 per month?
Is it that our children are not important?
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Simple Simon
neither the master plan for the culture nor the master plan for sport will come to pass, ’cause in 6 months time the master planner will be scrambling to find a wuk or a few clients to keep the wolf from the door.
a classic example of narrow-minded people living on narrow-minded streets.bajans will always be last because of our Inabilty to understand the connection of globalization and in order to move ahead we have to join forces with those who know how and it can be costly however on the other hand we can as we usualy do procrastinate and hope for others to do it for us.
This is the first time issues are being placed under the microscope with the advent of social meda. You can allow your support for the DLP to blind your ability to see reason like Onions et al but if you like a child you should be prepared to admonish when necessary.
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Observing (and brekking fa heself)
@David
Let’s put the trip in a broader political light.
1. The Minister is the spokesperson and face for the NCF throughout all Crop Over at every event
2. The Minister leaves Tuesday and makes a major announcement from the airport (Stadium by January)
3. The Minister arrives and calls the radio show to make a major announcement (new sports development initiative)
4? The Minister will return from London, and make another major announcement within 24-48 hours about something else
It’s all about survival. Money (or the spending of it) means nothing despite a recession and the “belt tightening” message.
I hope the flight was paid for out of pocket.
just observing
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Sunshine Sunny Shine
Makes no sense crying over spill milk. He gone and no one will know how much money was given to him, rather out of his pocket or out of the treasury, to play big boy in the biggest sporting event on the planet. So let us talk about something else like: the hacking attempts to shut down Ian Bourne’s blog and that of Barbados Free Press. David have they tried to silence you too?
All remember when Ryan won worlds the late PM and this government assured that resources would have been allocated to sustain his success. Can we get a report on this promise? No more damn promises.
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old onion bags
What BLIND what?….Even a blind man can hear and a deaf man can see…this is not rockets science…$598,000 on Ax for 3 weeks work…..some selling of Govt lands concoct, last week ( we don’t know figs.) and now this? Yes David, but of course Onions et al have gone soooooooo far off track on this one….. as FEEDING TIME draweth to day…but of course BU will have its say… though not always what ‘you’ want them to say
Of course everyone will have a say including BU, don’t forget it.
Barbadians know we have a problem with resources but Lashley and his colleagues if they were serious could have implemented several initiatives which do not ask for millions. We operate in a culture where spending money makes you feel like a man. There is the widely held view it provides the opportunity for both parties to share in the spoils.
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Observing (and brekking fa heself)
@DAvid
“No more damn promises.”
to do that you’d have to eliminate electoral politics. lol.
I am very uncomfortable with being on the same side as you … You must know this. For the record, I absolutely despise Owen Arthur along with his deputies. They too have nothing, absolutely NOTHING to offer. Just so we are clear …!
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Reading (and listening) Carefullly
Wow……………..
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Crusoe
For government expenditures, here is the standard approach by ‘Humphries’..
My small notes on the above seem to have disappeared. With the extraordinary things work…if by chance it is up but it is only me not seeing it, then ignore my next post. But as I wish to make a lot of things clear to ye of little faith, I have taken the time to re-write. First I checking if I see this.
I am horrified at how little faith you all have in our Minister. After all I am of the firm belief that the honourable gentleman is in London for a special meeting of Caricom Ministers of Sport. And this could only be their mandate:
1. To build a state of the art stadium + university specifically for athletes throughout Caricom and the wider Caribbean so that young promising sports persons can now remain at home and not have to leave their individual countries to live/be schooled/ train in the U.S. or U.K. and then wear the flags of those countries. Girls & Boys could be trained in one spot, go home to pick up dem island flags and run for their own countries. Coaches will come – we can use EU money coming into the country for other things to pay for them. We real good at this from what I hear. Remember I only hear dis’ I ent got no proof at all at all. But I do know this for sure: the light of the creative financial worth has been seen…so if the above is achieved by our Minister just to begin the ball rolling…or should I say the torch burning…we in the Caribbean gine take hold of all Olympics…there would be few gold/silver/bronze medals left for other countries. And money will pour into the island. Bless you Mr. Minister if this is indeed your reason for a London visit at this time.
Now our Minister is no fool. Barbados is the place for such a stadium/university. For various reasons:
1. He has already publicly announced a new state-of-the-art stadium so the ground breaking ceremony is well under way. 2. Barbados got all the infrastructure required for such an undertaking. We even have a huge university already…throw out those who want to be lawyers and economists ‘cause we got ‘nuff and replace with sportsmen and women. Check Barbados Light & Power. Barbados Water Authority. LIME. Amazing 4G internet island-wide. An international airport. A Brazilian airline with direct flights to Brazil – the next Olympic site? Friendly immigration officers. A concrete plant. A love for concrete. Much agricultural land waiting for more concrete. Large contractors/builders under the auspices of government ready to do the work in conjunction with/partnering with government. Bajans ready to work hard and long hours to get such a stadium up and running in no time at all.
Then of course…once all of this is discussed, agreed upon, signed upon and media-ed upon….our Minister I am sure will then have the time to bid for an Olympics to be staged right here in the Caribbean. Barbados to be sure. 2020 is us!! As I said above we have the infrastructure particularly when various meets can be organized throughout the region as we still have those stadiums built for World Cricket and we have LIAT to carry passengers and athletes from island to island on time, and for just a few small dollars.
Minister Lashley I can assure one and all is in London to do good for the country. And remember you read it all first on BU.
Now with reference to Minister Lashley’s sister-in-law. Come on! It is very obvious that her intention is to do everything to promote everything Barbados. Entrepreneurship is the new word being bandied about. Ways and means to help government to make more money off of creatives on the island is soon to be policy I heard. So what better time to go to London but now. Forget the Olympics….she must be there for far better reasons. A likkle bird dropped this on my desk this morning and it opened my eyes to the important role our people play in promoting our country. Now this is going to be a long read but it is worth it, believe you me. Now me nevah hear about all o’dis until now. But I gine put my name on the list of recipients for newsletters from this entity ‘cause hello! I ent gine miss nutting gine on in de world no’mo. You gotta be a member of tings if you want to get anywhere, so is me on dem e-mail list from now on.
And people, peoples…remember what I said and will go on record…the Minister’s Sister-In-Law is for us creatives. ALL creatives. This has also been said publicly by her so it is nothing new. So all creatives on this island get ready. Designers catch you scissors and patterns. Musicians tune up dem instruments. Arts & Crafts…hello…after this get your clay, your paint-brushes ready…’cause we exports gine through the roof. No wonder our Minister of Finance is saying Barbados ent got no problem. Money cyan’ done after this visit that I gine post for all of your disbelievers. Bajan creatives to the world! Mark my words!!!
Now I ent know how true this is either…’cause all ya know how rumours does hit. But look what someone sent me by message…wicked wicked people …”the lady in question is at that conference in a private capacity. She apparently runs her own business with links to Carib Export who are involved. Have no doubt paid for by Government but she would have heard about it though her private links.”
What blatant lies we people does concoct eh? We real bad you ent know? I happens to have it from good source that this is not true. The Minister’s Sister-In-Law (capitals for respect) loves her creative people so much, she is doing everything in her power to help we country. Remember you read it first here.
This is the real reason the lady is in London. Forget dat de Olympics gine on at the same time. Forget that Caribbean Export has been set up in Barbados since 2005 and many of us would like to have a grand list of all their successes to date and I know there are many. Forget that not too many creatives knew about this until about a week ago. Forget that this same person not too long ago returned from London where another bird whispered in my ever-opened ear that she was up there with fashion and more fashion on her mind…hers of course but what better means to pave the way for the rest of us eh? All ya just too wutless to see the truff. We ent got nutting to worry about….we real represented up in London now and forever let me tell ya!
So this is what another bird (I ent know why dem like me so) directed me to and I quote. Oh! and for those who might like to be informed, what I found most interesting about Caribbean Export was their mandate, it makes for a great read. I have included the link below. I am telling all of you we creatives are in great hands:
“• Under the theme, “Making the CARIFORUM-¬‐EU Economic Partnership Agreement Work”, the main objectives of the Business Forum are to create awareness about the EPA and to promote business opportunities within sectors that are readily positioned to do business in the EU. The Forum is also designed to enhance the level of trade and investment between CARIFORUM States and the EU.
The initiative will take the form of three (3) Study Tours to the United Kingdom, Germany and France and culminate with the Business Forum within the UK where business persons and other will be given the opportunity to engage potential clients, investors, distributors and partners from Europe as well as with business representatives from Africa and the Pacific.
August 4th Our Essence: Fashion Showcase…
Caribbean Export’s staging of the Fashion Showcase within its London Engage initiative is to help expose the amazing possibilities this emerging sector holds to a captive audience of buyers, journalists, enthusiasts, and potential investors.
Location: Grosvenor House http://www.carib-export.com/event/our-essence-fashion-showcase/
August 6th, 7th & 10th Specialty Foods Showcase….
Caribbean Export will host a special hospitality bar and lounge showcase for special invitees and key business executives to experience the taste of the Caribbean, enjoy the the London 2012 Olympics and chat about business opportunities.
Location: Grosvenor House http://www.carib-export.com/event/specialty-foods-showcase/
August 8th & 9th CARIFORUM – EU Business Forum….
On August 9th at Grosvenor House, London at the African Caribbean Business Expo, twelve CARIFORUM private sector firms and enterprises will be given the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to prospective investors, distributors and retailers.
Location: Grosvenor House http://www.carib-export.com/event/break-point-pitches/
August 9th Break Point Pitches…
On August 9th at Grosvenor House, London at the African Caribbean Business Expo, twelve CARIFORUM private sector firms and enterprises will be given the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to prospective investors, distributors and retailers.
Location: Grosvenor House
August 9th (evening) Caribbean Soul Fusion Concert…
Caribbean Soul Fusion is expected to showcase Caribbean culture and widen the market appeal for regional music. As such, the artists that will be preforming will represent the diverse nature of musical genres across the Caribbean. Not only will the entertainment industry benefit from the increased demand for the products on offer, but also performers will have the opportunity to display the export potential of their craft, which may result in gaining entry to the international market.
Location: Grosvenor House http://www.carib-export.com/event/caribbean-soul-fusion-concert/
•
CARIFORUM – EU Business Forum http://www.carib-export.com
London Engage is all about repositioning the region and highlighting the amazing opportunities for growth and investment. In seeking to successfully do …
MINISTER LASHLEY AND SISTER-IN-LAW….DOAN LET THE DISBELIEVERS GET IN YOUR WAY SAH. WE KNOW YOU ARE FOR THE PEOPLE OF BARBADOS.
I AM STILL A CONCERNED CREATIVE CITIZEN HOWEVER.
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Paul Barnes
Steven Lashley is currently Barbados’ biggest and most accomplished media whore. Maximum exposure, zero accountability.
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Adrian Loveridge
Wouldn’t be a wonderful opportunity for EVERY Government Minister to point out what they have personally cut down on and reduced expenditure. That they travelled Premium Economy instead of First or Business Class. That they stayed in a 3 star hotel instead of the normal 4 star one and had two course dinners with modest priced wines.
With rampant inflation reducing Government debt, week by week, while the rest of us grapple with escalating costs just to exist and pay the bills.
Please show us you are doing your little bit.
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old onion bags
DLP like dey decide to TOTALLY LEFT THE TREASURY EMPTY…….Man we getting put out to graze……whaloss
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Bush Tea
LOL @ BAFBFP
“Onions
I am very uncomfortable with being on the same side as you … You must know this….”
***************
S W E E T T T T !!!
BAFBFP, you are the best! How much David paying you to make this blog so interesting and SO SWEET? ….you may not be Bushie’s friend, but yuh too sweet….
…Right now, you got Caswell by the ‘short and curly’ – in the race for the chairmanship of the National Supervisory Committee…. 🙂
You read Bush Tea, my new found foe …? Where’s the bacon man …! HA HA HA
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old onion bags
Man Bushie
Left Onions just by he self…..I fighten fa you n buddy Broomes STEALTH ATTACKS which waana BBE boys infamous for….Onions ent want nah friends bosey, sweet or nah sweet…lol
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Observing
“First a new hospital now a new stadium. Is anyone really buying this shit?”
You forgot the multi purpose cultural center up by NCF!
Sounding like the makings of another empty manifesto.
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Amused
@David. My inside information is that Andrea King is in London for a personal agenda, but that efforts are being made to turn it into a public agenda. I don’t know whether Miss King has paid her own way or not (my guess would be NOT). However, as she is there for personal reasons, it certainly behoves Lashley and Miss King to make a statement as to whether or not Miss King has paid her own way. If she has NOT, why not!! Or maybe Lashley intends to charge Miss King’s trip as an expense to the taxpayer for securing the millions he hopes to get from the EU for cultural purposes in Barbados, out of which his risable (in terms both legal and common sense) Cultural Industries Bill (haha) has shown its head, masquerading as Cap. 308, which is the Companies Act.
If ever there was a mockstick in government, it is this Lashley, that now goes under the appropriate name of LASH-WE.
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Prodigal Son
No sooner than David Thompson appointed this man as Minister of Sports that he was off to the Commonwealth Games in India. This man loves to travel. He went to London to rain on Ryan’s parade if he had won. I am sad that Ryan did not medal, though. The blight of the DLP has fallen on this man.
I put this trip down to the fact that these ministers know that this is their last mass and they intend to live it up on the taxpayers’ dime. What he and Monique Taitt have done to the NCF is beyond belief. What will come out of this trip is left to be seen…..and I would guess…….NOTHING!
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Prodigal Son
The Dems are so incompetent that when they go away, they are laughed at. A friend of mine who was lured into coming for this Diaspora thing going on told me that it is so poorly organised, that he went and left.
Dennis Kellman was in the UK recently and he said that as a Barbadian, he was so ashamed of Kellman, he was unprepared for the questions from the Barbadian community, he rambled all over the questions (we well know that), the Barbadians wanted to know how he could be a minister (for that you have to agree with DT) . Things got so embarrassing that the PS had to take the questions and shield Kellman. At one point, a contributor to this blog told the PS….I am asking the minister…..
And Kellman always about here getting on like he is a magufffy and cannot even field questions from Barbadians in Birmingham! Pathetic!
At last my comments have been published way above. I invite all those who have posted before and since to read what I have to say. We all point so many fingers…so give our people a chance do…everyone up there sitting in government have one thing…sorry two things… in common….love of country and love of voters. I think how I feel will open your hearts to those who are being so unfairly criticized.
Do not guess, be absolutely sure that NOTHING will come of this trip or any of them. These people have no tract record of drumming up business other than for canvassing door to door for a party.
Rosemary
I will give you the benefit of the doubt … but again nothing will come of these visits … Nothing!
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