“Owen Arthur and his party that left a mountain of debt can’t do any better than us”

For true! Then the DLP must be full of magicians to be able to climb on top of that mountain of debt left by OSA and double it in height in just 5 years.

Can you imagine a mountain of debt the height of Mt. Everest doubling in size?
What are you and the DLP trying to prove? That they can build a fiscal Tower of Babel to reach the god of squandermania in order to hide from the credit rating agencies and the IMF due around May 2013?

Why not list the assets that have been acquired since 2008 (other than increasing the army of occupation) to justify the increase in debt in excess of $2 billion and heading fast to $3 billion by the end of this fiscal year?

@Smooth Chocolate

The St. Lucia economy is in the toilet:

http://www.winnfm.com/business/2670-st-lucia-pm-warns-of-economic-problems

Guyana’s economy strives on commodities which have been doing well on the global market. Conversely Barbados and many of the Caribbean islands are service-based hence the reason why they continue to struggle.

A group of us soon to retire were sitting around talking the other day and everyone was yakking about where they were off to this winter.Some Portugal, some carribean, most Florida because they can drive there and have their car for the duration of there stay, but the one thing they all had in common was the large cost of insurance because of age or health they would have to pay.Barbados potential visitors are an aging population and maybe cant afford the cost of long stay insurance as well as the cost of the vacation. What if Barbados could offer a more reasonable travel insurance coupled with state of the art hospitalization at the same cost it would be in your own country.My friends say if I am injured or sick in the states just get me home because by the time they are billed they are bankrupt.Because they either have no insurance or their insurance company will only pay what it costs here.If you are not commodity based your are in a fight for your life somehow Barbados has to re invent itself,

@enuff
A read of the following article suggest a big problem for the UK in 2012 has been a fall in output in the mining sector.

UK GDP: Economy shrank at end of 2012The UK economy shrank by 0.3% in the last three months of 2012, further fuelling fears that the economy could re-enter recession.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the fall in output was largely due to a drop in mining and quarrying, after maintenance delays at the UK’s largest North Sea oil field.
The economy had grown by 0.9% in the previous quarter, boosted by the London 2012 Olympic Games.
For the whole year, growth was flat.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21193525

MOVING PEOPLE FROM LAND RENT TO LAND TAX BY WAY OF FRAUD TO SUPPORT THE economy? What will they do when they run out of land to sell?. Or the law shows up and pull back all FRAUD. Then you will see where BARBADOS stand by way of Audit.
This Pm did not finish PM David Thompson work they stopped it , With the help of the Police.
IF YOUR MINISTER LIE TO YOU NOW , WHAT ELSE ARE THEY TELLING LIES ABOUT ?
VOTE FOR TRUTH NOT PARTY

Barbados always behind the curve…. a hot air to electricity recapture system should have been put in effect prior to the election.You can borrow one from us

@Smooth Chocolate | January 26, 2013 at 10:24 AM |
Excellent post! It is right on and so factual, I copied and pasted again. The Dems live in la la land. Those like the one who posted this crap, are the ones feasting on the fatted calf and have to boost up Freundel Stuart so that they would win again for their feast to continue. They have no idea how people are suffering. I am, like you am helping out two families both of whom the breadwinners lost their jobs and with children at school, it is hell for them. And these buffoons only care about themselves and the DLP!

…………………………………………………………………………

Barbados is NOT keeping it’s head above the waters at all not when many people are worst off than before. check the welfare department. the job losses, the businesses that close every single day….the fact that civil servants cannot get a salary increase BUT permanent secretaries, heads of departments, Ministers and the Prime Minister could and did get a salary increase in January of 2012 RETROACTIVE TO 2007( around 17% increase) and another one in 2013….something is wrong with the management of the economy. when the PM could decide that a maid, janitor, clerical officer, typist, messenger etc. (those at the bottom) must understand and bear the load but he and those at the top WILL NOT then what “keeping our heads above water and trying to hold our own” are u talking about?

disgraceful pack of ‘white’ trash they all are…look at Guyana, st. Lucia etc whose economy is picking up, they live on the same planet as Barbados…what are they doing that we are not? Arthur might not have the answer but Freundel Struat certainly does not either. the DLP had 5 years to bring change and new ideas but for those 5 years all the DLP did was reflect about the fact that the BLP was in power for 14 years,. they give free pass to school children traveling on the buses and the children are totally abusing the system, they give hand out to their friends with the introduction of free summer camps. they give free houses to those who would not get off their bums and look for jobs at the expense of the middle income group. the created Constituency councils but check who sit on the committees, another form of free money to their members. they also increase VAT to 17.5% knowing that it was their duty to ensure that business such as Courts B’ds, owed $25 million. Barbados is now a free for all when it comes to grocery shopping. the welfare dept is bursting with people everyday but those persons now get a $100 dollar food voucher and cannot return for another one until 3 months have past (technically avg $11 per week) they have reduced the housing loan at NHC from $50,000 to $30,000 yet the cost of properly increases every year. they have even put illegal immigrants and unemployed persons in the housing developments at Country Road, st. Michael and other places yet honest hard working barbadians cannot get any…they took Coverly, Ch Ch which had 3-bedroom wall houses for $47,000 and sold the property to that thief, paro and child murderer, now a little 2-bedroom match box crap is being sold for over $230,000…the DLP did all that to its citizens and u come here with ur stupid dribble about Barbados keeping it’s head above water? whenever elections are called, the DLP will go out to sea and remained there far longer than previously…We as a society are traumatised but the raping of our intelligence and way of life, they have successfully returned Barbados to the days poverty, i have a choice, I am not suffering but i still have to assist many EVERY SINGLE day because i as a human cannot see grown adults with children to raise reduced to poverty. i love to help but at the same time, my finances is being reduced, i am not complaining but it is frightening to see people who have jobs still not having money to buy basic food after bills are paid, what about the ones who work faithfully in government, get to work at 7:30 a.m. leave at 5:00 p.m. come to work without lunch and beg discreetly, when they are absent from work not because they want to be but simply because they do not even have bus fare to get to work or groceries in the house. i know of these situations and i cry at night knowing that i cannot do as much as i would like but i do to help…people such as urself make me sick. i know of these situations because people trust me to keep their business private…why don’t u grow up and get lost
@

Make no mistake this government is doing ‘well’ as some are saying has to do with the healthy forex reserves which it found ie. 2.8 billion now 1.6billion and a health NIS fund which successive governments have to take credit.

On the subject of flawed vision and not placing Barbados’ economy on a more solid foundation, the debate can begin.

I yearn for the day when a DLP supporter can competently issue a statement such as this

Hi there. over the last 5 years as a government we did x,y,z. This helped you individually and collectively by providing a,b and c. We would have loved to do 1,2,3 but because of l,m,n,o and p it wasn’t possible. Nonetheless, over the next few years, regardless of circumstance, we intend to plan properly and at a minimum, carry this country to q,r,s by realistically f,g, h-ing and keeping people and progress at the forefront of our policies and programmes..”

Now, what the hell so hard about that?? Every 2 words from the DLP is owen owen owen. Mia mia mia. Blp blp blp. Recession recession recession. Spain greece spain. You are the government for goodness sake. Act like it!

Bajans want mature politicians who take full responsibility for the job in front of them and act/make decisions! It may be too late now but at least you can go down with a decent fight that preserves dignity.

Just observing

Has the economic landscape stopped the DLP/government from operationalizing transparency legislation? i.e. integrity and FOI?

What about the cultural industries bill?

What about making the public service more efficient by cascading e-commerce functionality?

So many non-economic initiatives which we can point to not done.

This government only increased its work rate post E11 and it says a lot.

The BLP had time to fight with each other and for the most part did nothing by way of being a vibrant opposition. Hell the Opposition leader called the parliament poorakey and has refused to attend for any period of note.

Yet we get here and rumble daily about these people?

@Prodigal Son

Think Arthur, Simmons and Forde…

@Clone

To be honest BU remains very sceptical about Mascoll’s proposal to free up money to spend in an economy which is import oriented. What if the economic depressed state continues for another 4 or 5 years? It means the policies of both political parties will be exposed.

@Hants

Thanks, as usual you get to the point.

Just imagine if both political parties had the capacity to dispense with the adversarial politics for 2-3 years and come together in an interim partnership to enlighten the people as to the great challenge which confronts Barbados. Instead we feed the flock with political crumbs from the table for parochial gains.

Smooth Chocolate; Your post at 10.24 is arguably the best post I have seen on BU during the 4 or so years I have been a frequent visitor here. It should be required reading for every candidate in these coming elections B and D. It tells the story of the semi invisible masses that is not being told and that, while largely being ignored or swept aside, might be the most influential factor in those elections, despite the PM’s onslaught in the overtime period.

David; I agree with you that what is really needed is some sort of a truce from traditional party politics for Barbados to achieve meaningful progress over the next several years. But, not withstanding Bush tea’s pie in the sky BBE proposals, the only way that there will be such progress is for a cataclysmic emergency to hit us or for everything to grind to a halt through the implementation of worn out policies that do little to; involve most people in the restructuring (social and economic) action; call for sacrifices by only the poor and powerless in the society and; wreck the NIS safety cushion for many.

I have little hope that minimal incremental thrusts in the right direction will do anything significant to turn us around in this demonstrably sinking economy. I also think that if the DLP is returned to power this time around that their now proven incompetence will hasten the eventual turnaround but not in the way that would enhance our society and economy. Can you imagine Freundel at the helm for 5 more years after totally exhausting himself with the unaccustomed effort over the last 4 or so months? His ministers will do dixie, the NIS will crash, the favoured contractors will need to expand their luxury SUV fleets to take the cash to the bank for shipping overseas, etc. the poor will get poorer and more restless; Not a pretty picture.

I am told that Barbadians are flooding Burger King, which is interesting, in light of McDonalds’ failure here. And, I did not see the level of objection there was to McDonalds. Are these new fast food patrons or taken from Chefette, Kentucky, …?

@ Checkit-out

TO be honest, I’m shocked to see that “Smooth Chocolate” has the capacity to actually make contributions beyond his/her regular bashing of homosexuals. Exhibiting competence over hatred is always a plus in my book. That aside, I wouldn’t posit that what s/he has said is anything revolutionary, but merely common sense. People such as Rosemary Parkinson, Hal Austin, David (B.U.), and others as well as myself have long touted the problems of the Bajan economy and administration and have actually PROVIDED solutions that could effectively steer Bim on a course of LONG TERM SELF SUFFICIENCY. It just simply fall on deaf ears and people here are just all talk and no substance at all. That is the Brand of the Bajan people I still have a petition that still needs to be signed by Bajans, but to no effect. They’d rather trouble themselves with their blackberry gadgets and Rihanna. A pitiful lot indeed the Bajan peoople have become. But even pity is too much of a luxury for the Bajan people. ‘Pathetic’ would be more accurate.

@ smooth chocolate,
…look at Guyana, st. Lucia etc whose economy is picking up, they live on the same planet as Barbados…

What a sick joke. Guyanese continue to see Barbados as the land of milk and honey where the streets are paved with gold. Dont take my word ask any of the 20,000 who voted with their feet to stay in Bim. They not returning to Guyana under any circumstances. Check the Guyana embassy here Barbados full of Guyanese living happier with more disposable income than could ever dream of in Georgetown. Barbados GDP is twice that of Guyana’s while their population is almost three times Barbados’. Unemployment in St. Lucia is 25% and climbing were in not for pariah state Taiwan the St. Lucia goverment wont be able their bills. St. Lucia is in big economic trouble only less worse than Greneda with half its workforce idle. Smooth chocolate stop telling lies we can read the news and the internet to expose your deliberate untruths. You trying to make Barbados look bad its not going to work. The fact is Barbados is one of if not the leading developing country in the world.

Check it out
You have really let down the persons who contribute to this blog by saying that Smooth Chocolate post was the best you read in four years.
Yet again anything to discredit Barbados is good for you and all the BLP contributors on this blog who rejoiced when we were Downgraded by the frauds who contributed to the world’s economic problems by giving all the Ponzi money firms an A grade.

None of the countries in the Caribbean including Trinidad give their citizens as much freeness as Barbados and therefore the comparisons are null and void.

Since 1961 all Barbadians went to school from Nursery to Tertiary free. No other Caribbean Government has done that.
We Bajans were always pulled down by the other islands because we flaunted that educated attitude. The posts on this blog now makes me feel that we have fallen way behind the other islands when it comes to being educated.
David pointed out to her about the St.Lucia and Guyana economies so no reason to repeat.

@ David | January 26, 2013 at 7:17 PM |

I am a bit taken aback at your response. You know full well that many of the miller’s radical suggestions for reform have been falsely attributed to the authorship of BLP and which will never lie harmoniously in the bosoms of that conservatively focused agent of buying and selling as apishly displayed by the DLP. Except for the push for privatization and outsourcing of State functions of a fully commercial or of semi social good nature the miller and BLP would not make good bedfellows.

Many of my recommendations for economic adjustment to realign with the realities in the international economy with its clear paradigm shift in trading relationships do not reflect current BLP thinking.

My brazen call for bold and imaginative changes in the RE area are well documented.
Do you think that either the BLP or the DLP would ever consider a ban on the importation of vehicles for private use with engine capacities in excess of 1600 cc except in rare justifiable circumstances?

Do you think that the miller’s suggestion that those vehicles with the ML and MP registration plates should be the first to transition to RE a policy initiative would curry favour with either the B or D decision-makers?

Do you think that either the DLP or the BLP would impose a surcharge on gasoline or diesel for private vehicles or penalize those PSV’s that emit dangerous black fumes by way of heavy fines and withdrawal of licence and permit?

Do you think the BLP or the DLP would ever consider the incorporation of RE in the construction of the Boabab Towers in Warrens (soon to be renamed in honour of a well-known politician) or even the Valerie High Rise Penthouses known as the ‘SS’ ovens?

@ Harry Bynoe
“You trying to make Barbados look bad its not going to work. The fact is Barbados is one of if not the leading developing country in the world.”

I beg to differ. Harry, you are clearly exhibiting a classic case of hurt pride. So damaged is your pride that you are not (or refuse rather) to see that on a larger structural scale, Barbados is only a two-bit shell of an economy pretending to be a “global player”. Barbados has no reputable domestic companies/corporations that are regionally let alone globally competitive; so your argument is entirely baseless at best. Take a look at how international crediting agencies have ranked Barbados’ bonds below junk status. Know what you’re talking about before spewing such nonsensical trite.

It comes off as mere trivialization of a much graver issue at hand; the very not-so-distant future of Barbados as a ‘nation’. Get real, Barbados is simply an over-touted tourist destination that is in the process of losing brand value and overall reputation as other developing countries are gearing up their tourism sectors. We have no significant natural landscapes nor resources that can be readily exploited. We produce not one damned thing of high value that can be exported and yet you continue to spout out foolishness that Bim is the “greatest”. Follow how the money and administration is being run and it is clear that Bim isn’t even a Significant party in the international community.

So please Harry, sit down and do some more home work for your own benefit before entering any discourse. It reflects poorly on your character if you fail to do so.

Brudah bim you jackass the international community through mechanisms like Human Development Index (HDI) rate Barbados not me. Look up HDI on the internet if you dare. Barbados has been ranked NO1 developing state for most of its independent existence by HDI idiot, what hurt pride what. Kofi Annan lauded Barbados for punching above its weight. The world’s economic meltdown affects all countries Barbados has weathered it well compared to most developing states fool. Thats not idle talk try a little research and learn to read. Ever heard of Iceland, Ireland, Spain , Greece, Portugal, Italy, United Kingdom, Jamaica, Bahamas etc talk to them before you approach me with nonsense.

We aint REAL thats our problem.
We ask questions that have no answers.
We discuss the DLP and the BLP as tho EITHER have ANY merits.
Discussing which is the better is starting at the wrong end of the scale.
Rather which is LESS bad.
Great choice isnt it!
In the land of the Blind the One eyed man is King.
We sinking and we have LEAD or a ROCk to cling onto.
I mean it aint as tho I am the only one on this rock to notice that our PM is scarcer than money,and I agree if’n I had a face like that I wouldnt want to be seen so much either.
But he is by name ;the PM, of this place ,so I reckon,that under the Trade Description Act we should be looking for a REFUND.
On the basis the goods were “Not suitable for the purpose” and 100%” Not of merchantable quality”
We have Civil servants that as yet I AINT ever found to be in the LEAST Civil.
We have public entities that Just run them selves.
CUSTOMS that have some REAL STRANGE CUSTOMS.
We DO NOT HAVE a Tourist Industry,we have a beautifull rock ,Sand sea and sunshine ,ALL GOD GIVEN, and a group of Yardfowl hangers on that squander every damn cent it earns and THEN SOME..
Because they have NOT a clue about Business or Tourism but they IN THE JOB, then talk SHITE about NICHE markets and fancy it up with STATISTICS. Put on the shades and “Skin de teet” .
Well sorry I cannot see one Shite to “skin anything” about,cos I do not see that this is a laughing matter.
Mind you if’n I was PM and could fly me “LEAD ARSE” to a PM conference in some fance place at a cost of 500,000$ , jump a few white bones ,and sashay around in a very exspensive designer suit and some OTHER IDIOTS (US) pick up the tab,I guess I would “skin me teet” a little.
Sorry to Piss on your Parade boys,but as they say when” USA sneezes we get a cold”
Now USA had very BAD Stomach Trouble and we now UP TO OUR NECK IN SHITE.
I looking round here and I ent see one body can do a damn about it.
B or D! Yah agree!!??
I think our little Rock in for some DREAD times and the Politicians still be doing what they always do. NUFFIN.
Pass me another ESAF OSA.
I already Eat and SLEEP
as for the last letter I guess I gonna get that pretty soon as well.

@ David
More money also means ability to pay a maid, a gardener, go to a nail or hair salon, pay bills etc

@ Clone
After fooling the people in 2007 that the cost of living was high due solely to local players, individuals like yourself should be ashamed to use GLOBAL conditions as a defense!
Increased debt, significantly higher cost of living, annual current account deficits over $400m for 5 years, increased fiscal deficit, unemployment stuck at 12%; tourism, other traded sectors and manufacturing down, FDI down 16%, Vat revenue down, personal tax revenue down; and growth for 2008 – 2012 0.7%, -5.3%, -0.4%, 0.5% and 0.0% respectively with projected growth for 2013 0.7% based on an expected $600m in FDI. This is the Barbados economy according to the Central Bank. Pray tell why should your party be re-elected?
As for your contracts statement………….pure hogwash!!!

@ Harry Bynoe | January 26, 2013 at 8:38 PM |
“Look up HDI on the internet if you dare. Barbados has been ranked NO1 developing state for most of its independent existence by HDI idiot, what hurt pride what. ”

As Brudah-Bim has stated: Man Harry you really living in the past when men ah ride ass.
Since has Bim been the No. 1 developing country? In the 1992 on the same Index Bim was at No. 20 in the World or the as you said ‘the number one developing country’.
The most recent ratings (2011) put us at no 47 or thereabouts.
Now HB the consummate jackass how do you explain that? Blame it on the BLP alone?