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Are BOTH Major Political Parties Capable of Lifting the Political Debate?

BU is disappointed that despite the Barbados economy being gripped in a protracted depressed global economy, the national political debate continues to be about privatization, and of late, the poorakey behaviour unleashed in parliament last week. BU joins with ordinary Barbadians to suggest worthy topics deserving of national debate: How do we increase productivity in…

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BLP and DLP – our political leaders

BU is disappointed that despite the Barbados economy being gripped in a protracted depressed global economy, the national political debate continues to be about privatization, and of late, the poorakey behaviour unleashed in parliament last week.

BU joins with ordinary Barbadians to suggest worthy topics deserving of national debate:

  • How do we increase productivity in all sectors?
  • Making our governance framework more robust
  • How to more aggressively rollout the renewable solution (including waste to energy)
  • Amending the education system to align with national priorities
  • Source funding to build out a framework to drive the cultural and sports industries (national lotteries)
  • How do we incent consumers to buy hybrids – install renewable energy sources etc, etc, etc.

To debate any of the topics mentioned lends currency to the label that Barbadians are an educated people. And that we are attuned and aligned to what the key strategic priorities are at this juncture in our history. Forget the flowery nation building articles which have started to populate the local press. It is time to get real!

Many agree that there is no significant philosophical divide between twiddledee and twiddledum. BU concedes however that on the issue of building out a Renewable Energy (RE) program, kudos must be given to the government. It is a life changing strategy which has deep implication for how our little country will sustain an appealing standard of living moving forward. As we approach our 46th year of Independence BU views government’s strategy to diversify energy needs as critical.

Can they be more efficient in the implementation of RE? Yes!

The Opposition Party promises to continue its policy to subsidize fuel is myopic in our view. In the same way a parent sometimes has to make unpopular decisions affecting the household, the same can be attributed to government.

BU endorses government’s strategy of greening the economy.

131 responses to “Are BOTH Major Political Parties Capable of Lifting the Political Debate?”

  1. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Simple Simon | November 28, 2012 at 8:17 PM |

    Good point.

    We would start by sending home Seethru, wuk fuh wuk, pain, smiley, nasty mout Dentist, topsy, cinty(she is a disgrace to women), leave Mia.

  2. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Enuff | November 28, 2012 at 8:12 PM |
    “Isn’t it also funny that while preaching green is the future, we are busy encouraging international companies to drill for oil offshore?”

    People like you and me can see through the smoke and mirrors and the politics of hypocrisy. We will be deemed as dangerous and a threat to the DLP politicians plan to control the minds of naïve Bajans.

    The Valarie high rise is the very antithesis of what greening is all about in a tropical island. It will be just another housing project plagued by filthy pissy stairwells, poor maintenance and services, graffiti walls, dumped vehicles, drug taking and vandalism similar those found in depressed areas of inner cities
    .
    Maybe they know more than you and me and are planning for the day tourism totally collapses and we have to find an alternative use for our only natural viable resource, our sea.

  3. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Simple Simon | November 28, 2012 at 8:17 PM |
    “I’d like to see the Constitution changed to mandate that half of the seats in the House have to be occupied by women, who make up half the population.”

    You can’t build a society based on the principles of meritocracy and still have these “enforced” provisions embedded in law.
    Isn’t the strategy of free education open to all sufficient to liberate women and motivate them to take control of their own destiny? Do you know that between 70-80% of university graduates are female? What about amending the Constitution to correct that gender imbalance to reflect the gender ratio in the general population?
    Why is the educational system and teaching profession so lopsided in favour of females? Should we also get a Constitutional amendment to reflect greater gender balance or equality in this vital area of social development?
    Explain also why the majority of the laity who voted against women bishops in the C of E were women delegates.

  4. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    I am an Anglican and I explained already that the C of E lay people, including or especially the females who voted agains female bishops are stupid.

    How many explanations does it take to satisfy you?

    The 50% females in the House would have to compete for their seats at general elections just like anybody else. But men would understand that they can only have 50% because the are only 50%

    As for the university thing. Both young men and young women between the age of 18 and 25 can count for government support for thier education, and many of them some kind of family support too. I am sorry to hear that so many young men are not using the best opportunities open to them.

    And remember long ago the Barbados government made a decision that half of the places in government secondary schools woul go to males and half to females. I think that it was your party that did this.

    I ain’t hear na belly aching.

    And no the world has not come to an end because boys (and girls) can only get 50% of the secondary school places

  5. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Did I ever say that every woman is smart, intelligent, thoughtful, well educated, reasonable.

    There are just as many female fools as there are male fools.

    And you know that too.

  6. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Do you thibk that every person sitting in our curent Parliamen is smart, intelligent, thoughtful, well educated and reasonable?

    Put ya hand on something (and I don’t mean a golden penis) and swear before you answer

  7. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Simple Simon | November 28, 2012 at 9:07 PM |
    “The 50% females in the House would have to compete for their seats at general elections just like anybody else. But men would understand that they can only have 50% because the are only 50%”

    So why distort the Constitution to force political parties to nominate women based on gender? Why can’t women used their education and independence to join and determine the workings and direction of political parties without this unnecessary “affirmative action” as if you are dealing with some minority disadvantaged group. Simon, you are talking about 50% or more of the population not some 10 % minority that need a hand-up the socio-economic pole.
    Suppose the majority of the women forced to face the electorate are stupid like those among the Anglican Church laity what should the electorate do? Stay home?
    Woman, leave the Constitution alone and start preaching to the women to be more assertive in politics as they are in bed with one another these days.

  8. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @miller etc. “Suppose the majority of the women forced to face the electorate are stupid like those among the Anglican Church laity what should the electorate do?”

    The electorate would do what they do now. We do elect some marginal people even now? They do make some bad decisions even now etc.Sometimes we go to the polling booth and have to say eeney, meeney, miney mo befoe we cast our votes because 2 marginal candidates have been cast into our constituency. You know that is the truth.

  9. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Simple Simon
    “I am sorry to hear that so many young men are not using the best opportunities open to them.”
    *****************
    Are you not sorry to hear that although our girls are doing so much “better” in school and taking up 70% of the places (and costs) of university, we can’t find 10 women…even of the mediocre standard of the joke-men we have in Parliament?
    Are you thinking that it makes more sense for us to focus more on our boys’ education???

    You are right that most men are useless jokers, but we will always find one gem for every thousand of us “space wasters”
    Alas…apart from Pat (which COULD be a short name for Patrick..?.:) ) what do we find on your side of the fence…?

  10. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Why can’t women used their education and independence

    You know very well that women are not independent as long as they have to provide the majority of un-paid hands-on care to children and elderly parents.

    You know very well that some of our MP’s (both sides) have secret children that nobody sees them with until the child graduates from university or marries. When men start taking half the responsibility for their children, and their elderly parents then that wil free up women to assert their independence.

  11. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    I never said that men are space wasters. Most men are NOT space wasters. Most men are lovely.

  12. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    We gotta put the elderley parents into this equation too.

    The debate is not only about strong young men and women.

    It is also about old people who need help using the toilet, dressing, feeding themselves, understanding their medical regimens etc.

    That is what I would like to hear intelligent discussion about in the House and here on BU

    I’d like to hear sensible solutions.

  13. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    And guys don’t get so emotional.

  14. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Simple Simon | November 28, 2012 at 9:09 PM |
    “There are just as many female fools as there are male fools.”

    On the flip side: there are just as many “smart, intelligent, thoughtful, well educated, reasonable” females as they are males so what’s the problem? Where is the built-in inequality or false gender apartheid requiring Constitutional amendments?
    The law is blind where election to Parliamentary office is concerned. Please leave her blindfold on.
    But then again Simple Simon as a line in the Desiderata goes:
    “Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to the dull of the ignorant
    They too have their stories”.

  15. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Simple Simon | November 28, 2012 at 9:36 PM |
    “When men start taking half the responsibility for their children, and their elderly parents then that wil free up women to assert their independence.”

    Does that apply to educated women of independent means who see no need for a man in their lives but willingly visit the sperm bank looking for the “ideal” donor to provide that “designer” baby like some fashion accessory or to fill some natural craving determined by their fast ticking biological clock?

  16. Just wondering Avatar
    Just wondering

    @ David
    You worry about improving the debate .. It is noticeable that Kerrie Symmonds has reached stardom level as a front line speaker in the BLP inspite of his reputation as a curse bird . He should not think however that those four BLP women ..Miller , Mottley , Thompson and Forde have forgiven him for referring to them as one thousand pounds of blubber . Miller and Thompson are no longer around but Mottley demonstrated her feeling when she fired him from the Senate ; Cynthia Forde we know has never forgiven him and is just waiting to pounce . Women have a memory like an elephant . So Symmonds can rest comfortably and enjoy his new status for now .

  17. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Wait, you mean to tell me that Simon is a woman …. HA HA HA. I am glad, cause I likes what she says … Simon don’ mind my man Miller, he don’ speak fah menkind HA HA HA. Simon I know of one truism when it comes to women in public life … Their biggest enemies are of their own kind ie. women hate women (simple put ….)

  18. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Dear miller etc

    Educated women of independent means have elderly parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents just like anyone else. Educated men (and women) have disabled children just like anybody else.

    Alas neither education nor means can protect us from the vagaries of life, although they can ameliorite them

  19. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Just wondering

    Wah is the relationship between Symmonds and Duguid again …? HA HA HA

  20. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Dear BAFBFP

    What if I am a gay man?

  21. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Gay men and women of independent means have elderly parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents just like anyone else. Some gay men and women have disabled children just like anybody else.

    Alas neither education nor means can protect us from the vagaries of life, although they can ameliorite them

  22. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Simon

    I don’ have a problem with gay men or women … live and let live. But yah standing up fah the sisters and the res’ referring to you as a woman… so, as man, wah you is …?

  23. Just wondering Avatar
    Just wondering

    @ BAFBFP
    Symmonds and Duguid…two curse birds …

  24. Konkieman Avatar
    Konkieman

    We have a clear choice between the DLP and BLP. We can elect a lassiere faire leader again or a big tief. I don’t know which is worse for the country.

  25. Fractured BLP Avatar
    Fractured BLP

    I know that the BLP have articulated no policy that would seriously encourage the rational thinking Barbadian to vote for them.

    The BLP sell and spend strategy is what took us to this economic cliff in the first place.

    The BLP sell St. Joseph Hospital…..then spend millions of $$$$ on QEH to ease the pressure on it while the people of the North cried out for help.

    The BLP sell BNB……then spent more money trying to secure the GOB and its people banking interests.

    The BLP is a relic organisation of the past….being led by a parro economist who is driven by thiefing money and cussing Mia Mottley.

    And to think that after touting his economic skills……Owen Arthur can bring a 15 poiint economic plan…..that even his closest friends and advisers have called the plan a MESS and GIMMICKRY.

  26. Kerrie 1000 pouds of blubber Symmonds Avatar
    Kerrie 1000 pouds of blubber Symmonds

    Alleged wife beater Kerrie 1000 lbs of blubber Symmonds on a lying roll.
    We dont know if its his time of the month.

    The boy misled the country on the metal dump.

    1000 pounds of blubber Symmonds lied on the molasses tanks at the Port. Dr. Estwick and Preconco expose his fibs.

    He lied on GOB not speaking to the rum threat from USA subsidies. The country weeks ago heard from Dr. Eswtwick and Dr. Frank Ward on the grave concern within the rum industry of subsidies on USVI rum.

    Symmonds oblong shape head gone bad he afflicted with verbal diarrhea he is is a stranger to the truth.
    Like a two year old child he babbling mucho gibberish wasting taxpayers time and money in the Senate.

    Mia dont forget what he say about you and Liz see if you could ban he again.

  27. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Now who horn who,da is wah I askin’, between Symmonds and Duguid … Symmonds ain’ beat up nabody he just cut up a few car seats.

  28. ac Avatar
    ac

    now the blp has been reduced from being a throughbred to a galloping horse with a broken leg, sumbody shoot that horse please!

  29. ac Avatar
    ac

    one would have thought that by the public sentinment on the disapproval on the 15point plan, that the BLP would have got the message that the people would not be fooled into political theatrics and gimmicktry. but by the BLP show on sunday nite meeting it is obvious that there is no plan the BLP has for moving the country forward, but would rather use their platform to talk about PM Stuart; a man who had to correct the mess left behind by the BLP govt.

  30. I ain't no Boolani ! Avatar
    I ain’t no Boolani !

    Some one should ask the air head boy Symmonds why he ain’t pay back the man Boolani the $ 25,000.00 he thief from the man two days before the elections in 2008 to sort out an Immigration matter for him, and when he ain’t do nothing for the Doctor man he told Boolani he money burn.

    I guess when you go in a woman’s house after being evicted and find her spare car keys and then search out the whereabouts of her vehicle to slash up her car seats just about sums up how nasty and what a piece of low life Kerrie Symmonds really is but true to form that is what the BLP successfully attracts to its collection you either have to be A CUSS BIRD Like Duguid a CROOK and a FRAUD a WOMAN BEATER like Symmonds, or a DRUNK and Corrupt LIKE Arthur or a VICIOUS WOMAN BEATER and LESBAIN like MOTTLEY or be of UNCERTAIN GENDER like Gail Marshall and be willing to LIE and STEAL MONEY from the Enterprise Growth Fund Ltd to the tune of nearly $ 800,000.00 Like Santia Bradshaw has managed to do.

    All Birds of a Feather They Certainly Flock Together.

  31. ac Avatar
    ac

    can’t help but laugh .OSA said he told the DLP to take privatisation off the back burner in 1992.now put it back on raising the heat to intolerable levels. fiery furnace if you ask me!

  32. Think on these Things Avatar
    Think on these Things

    Just wondering, it is known fact the just as Duguid is inadequate in his height he is even more inadequate in his length hence the need for the deputy is essential to fill the void as it exist..

    There is some talk that Symmonds is indeed the father of Duguid’s wife’s children, as his inadequacy prevented perculations from reaping success.

  33. Observing(...) Avatar
    Observing(…)

    We’ve spent days spinning our wheels in mud so I feel moved to ask….Is the Barbados Underground family capable of lifting the political debate?

    Just Observing

  34. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Observing
    ….lifting it to what?

    What debate what?!?
    This is no less edifying than the regular fare….. and it is a lot more entertaining… 🙂

  35. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    Simple answer to your moot…..

    NO!

  36. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    If you listed to former PS William Layne yesterday, he agrees with you.

    BTW, what’s up with BU bleeping Caswell’s contribution yesterday? He has Ellis real nervous 🙂

  37. Jan Jan Avatar
    Jan Jan

    Observing(…) | November 29, 2012 at 7:19 AM |
    We’ve spent days spinning our wheels in mud so I feel moved to ask….Is the Barbados Underground family capable of lifting the political debate?

    Just Observing

    If the Clowns in the House cant lift the debate, what can these mortals on BU do ? the impossible ?
    The problem with the House of Assembly boys and girls is that they can stand up and read a speech . The result of this is that these people feel that the world owes them something. They would have attained some education and some of them believe that they are -entitiled.
    —BUT a lot of them are childlike in a lot of respects. Some of them have not matured and they nit -pick , and tease each other like lil children. One cant beliieve the kind of petty things in which they engaged.
    This is a dangerous situation
    The “sheeps” in Barbados look up to these people
    Sad !!

  38. NationBLPnewspaper Avatar
    NationBLPnewspaper

    How can Barbados political debate be lifted when the country’s largest newspaper and media comglomerate is intent on pushing one political party over another?
    I was amused when as expected Nation newspaper editor Sanka Price attempted to defend William Duguid’s inexcusable outburst in his article on Wednesday. Here are the words used by Sanka Price :
    “Though I empathize with Duguid given what was said to him”
    “from which Duguid was provoked”
    “Duguid would have pointed out that Minister Of Health Donville Inniss provoked him”

    This is what a senior journalist in this country writes after the Minister of Health flatly denies making these remarks, Mr. Price chooses to side with Duguid. I see a trend . The Nation editorial earlier in the week mentioned the word “provoke” THREE times.

    The Nation newspaper does not have the integrity to condemn Duguid in the strongest terms and also the silence from his leader Owen Arthur. I can tell you one thing- If it were a government MP who had made that outburst ,Sanka Price and the rest of the Nation BLP operatives would have been all over the place calling for resignations and talking about the Party Leader’s silence on the issue.
    But NO, it is the BLP man in the hotseat so the Nation editors start talking about provocation.
    The Nation Newspaper must stop being the BLP’S prostitute and they can start by getting some balance. We already know what we will get from Price, Brandford, Mascoll and Hoyos before they write.The Nation is truly the BLP newspaper.

  39. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Observing(…)

    Man look … bite yah tongue do. The onliest person pon this blog that feel a need to debate anything is Miller … Man come down hey wid the res’ ah we and talk some shite do …!

  40. Think on these Things Avatar
    Think on these Things

    Nation blp’s paper you do better than me as I refuse and have refused to buy a Nation in 10 years, they are nothing more than garbage paper.

    It is for this reason the stance they have taken that has contributed to their declining Readership and their Downward spiral of Advertising Revenue because of their bias and their Political One Sidedness And NO Fairness and NO Balance to their reporting.

    Also they continue to allow to be printed stories that cannot be held up in a court of law as recently as a week ago they paid a settlement to some one whom they reported wrongfully on and we’re forced to pay the young man a very big settlement to get the matter to go away.

  41. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ ac | November 29, 2012 at 5:59 AM |
    “now the blp has been reduced from being a throughbred to a galloping horse with a broken leg, sumbody shoot that horse please!”

    When you have shot the OSA horse with the privatized broken leg what are you going to ride as your hobbyhorse? Who or what will you be cussing and whipping? A dead horse?

    Do something worthwhile and start cussing the IMF who recently called Sinckler a blatant incompetent liar with veil threats of devaluing the Barbados dollar in 2013.

    DLP please win the coming elections, please. You deserve to win. Let the BLP wait for 2 more years after the fallout. Or will we see martial law imposed by a black DLP government on its own black people like some African banana republic after many with the means have emigrated?
    Imagine the fast becoming useless Bajan dollar worth only 75 cents to the US$ by June 2013 with further spiraling towards the TT $ parity.

    Let me hear you aim your verbal fire power at the IMF. I bet you dare not!

  42. NationBLPnewspaper Avatar
    NationBLPnewspaper

    The one time the Nation newspaper allowed a critical story of Arthur to appear prominently (when the local economic society said that what Arthur is proposing would make things worse), the editor of the Nation newspaper was fired.
    Connect the dots Barbados. You think you are getting fair and balanced reporting and columnists when you are getting a partsan orchestrated strategy to promote Owen Arthur and the BLP.

  43. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    millertheanunnaki | November 29, 2012 at 8:17 AM |

    Kerry Simmonds the prophet of gloom and doom.

  44. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ David | November 29, 2012 at 7:50 AM |

    Did you get ex-PS Layne take or proposal for the TB solution?
    I missed his full analysis on public transport. He mentioned that public transport is being used as a political football but I did not fully hear his solution to end the game. Was it a mix of private sector operation but with some government subsidy and proper regulation by the now dormant Transport Authority?

    What do you think of his other recommendations like selling CBC and getting rid of some of the other recently established statutory corporations like Invest Barbados which can be returned as a division to the BIDC?
    Sounds as if he is singing from the same hymn sheet as the miller being doing for a while now.

  45. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Carson C. Cadogan | November 29, 2012 at 8:44 AM |

    Read today’s issue of the BarbadosToday online newspaper and you will see who is the harbinger of radical economic surgery in the coming months after your Cinderella winter season fails to show up for the charity ball.

    The IMF harsh warning is the precursor to another downgrade that would not only make Barbados credit rating further junk but might even make its bond paper shitty and untouchable by international investors and lenders.
    The worst thing you can do, my friend Carrion Cadogan, is for the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank of a small country like Barbados to play tricks with the IMF while fudging the statistics, lying to and cussing the people who have the power to sever any international financial lifeline without severe economic and social adjustments.

    We shall see in the coming months who is really the prophet of doom and gloom and who is the bearer of light and truth. Everything will soon be revealed including the volte-face sinking liar.

  46. Just saying Avatar
    Just saying

    Miller word is Layne was the Permanent Sec in place when CLICO was running riot with the people money he is yet to come clean with the public on why he didnt stop Parris snake oil posse before 2008. Ditto pre 2008 Prime Minister Owen Arthur. Anything Layne posit now rings hollow.

  47. Observing (with a rested eye) Avatar
    Observing (with a rested eye)

    @Bushie
    Entertainment it is then! 🙂 I’ll grab my popcorn and soda. lol.

    @BAFBFP
    Man look. I like a piece a shoite talk as much as de other but some peoples hey does get dem shoite and substance mix up…. Got a old brain like mine confuse

    @Jqan Jan
    “The “sheeps” in Barbados look up to these people

    Let we fill out vacancies for shepherds then! 🙂

  48. ac Avatar
    ac

    Yeah miller for the past four years you and onions been spouting a lot of diatribe about the dlp hurting people,only now to find out that the BLP plans are to have austerity measures more drastic than vat which gonna cost people their livellihoods .now the BLP have gone on rampage cussing the PM and accusing him of”fearmongering” when in fact the plans the BLP have are enough to strike fear in the devil heart.

  49. ac Avatar
    ac

    Miller isn,t that the same IMF who having been giving financial advice to bigger countries who now have sunk into total chaos with people rioting in the streets and as sinckkler says that they have a one size fit approach for the world,s economic problems. i guess if they were right with there financial advice these countries would be reaping sweets instead ofuppheaveal and political unrest.the imf has outlived it,s usefulness the world economic says so ,and everyman must fend for themselves

  50. 100% Hardcore Bajan Avatar
    100% Hardcore Bajan

    @ David

    I am led to believe that Dr. Boolali has filed an affidavit in the High Court of Barbados swearing that he personally gave Mr. Symmonds $25,000.00, twenty-five thousand dollars, to expedite an immigation matter, is this or could this be true?

    What about rumours in Barbados about money purloined by the same lawyer and which was the matter of a debt collection involving Lex Caribbean? Is Mr. Symmonds in position to shed any light on the missing money or sum involved?

    Keep it up Kerrie and enjoy your time cause this weekend the DLP public meeting gonna bring you under the mircoscope. Even an idiot knows that if you have a bank account overseas (not registered with the Central Bank), into which you receive your ill-gotten gains, you don’t have the bank statement sent to Barbados thru the Barbados Postal Service. See chapter 2 of Politics for Dummies.

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