The Draft Estimates 2013-14 and related documents are available for public comment.
Hon. Chris Sinckler will move the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill, 2013 on Monday 25th of March 2013.
-
Approved Estimates 2012-2013 (for reference)
The Estimates Debate 2013-2014
Discover more from Barbados Underground
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
240 responses to “The Estimates Debate 2013-2014”
-
To !:
I caught the contribution from Edmund Hinckson and to me he gave a good measured response to the budget. I know he would have been constrained by the talking points provided by the party but I think he did well. I did not hear any of the other new ones, but as usual Cynthia Forde did not get beyond Rock Hall in her presentation. -
Let’s not go overboard on the CBC and Advocate bit of giving fair and balanced reporting.If an election becomes imminent, you will see the fair and balanced reporting by both those biased as hell purveyors of DLP propaganda.
-
I noticed that most of the commentators here are panting for “something to happen” politically. As long as Freundel Stuart is alive and kicking the BLP shall stay in opposition for five years. He made his MO very clear on that point last time around. If and when something happens to Freundel then something could happen. I know that my friend Miller can not wait to see Mam pick her first Cabinet but she has to wait her turn and successfully negotiate the drawn political daggers of the “young turks”.
-
@ NationBLPnewspaper | March 19, 2013 at 9:46 PM |
“The election is over but the Nation newspaper is still campaigning for the BLP.”And to think if you did not save their sorry financial ass by buying over $6 million in advertising space they would have had to do some columnist shedding by now. Probably seeing the disappearance of all those BLP propagandists from the rag sheet Sunday columns.
It’s your fault NBLPN. You kept them alive with millions of dollars given to the Nation and VOB. Or it doesn’t really matter since it came from taxpayers via jada and preconco Valerie and other housing contracts.Poor Kelly with many empty houses some overrun by bush dropped in his lap to sort out.
-
Have to comment that BU was disappointed to listen to AG Adriel Brathwaite in parliament yesterday trying to play down the reaction by Barbadians to the level of crime which the country is currently experiencing. His rather simplistic response [paraphrasing] was that Barbados is not the only place crime occurs. He used an example of Antigua which Barbados had to assist with resources recently as a country experiencing a high level as crime as well.
Well Mr AG, there was a time Barbados measured its performance against its own high standard. Secondly to seek to tell Bajans that the shooting of tourists at high noon and the robberies associated with the cash for gold business which the Police has already come public and threw their hands in the air is not enough to be concerned about…no further comment Mr. AG.
Sometimes if you don’t have anything to say you should shut the hell up!
-
We are in the throes of the greatest economic challenge facing the world and MP after MP (from both sides) see the urgent need the toss barbs at each other. Sickening!
-
@ David | March 20, 2013 at 12:00 AM |
The silly sod also tried to compare crime in Bridgetown with that occurring in London, New York or Detroit; implying that it is expected crime to visitors happen in those cities so we should expect such occurrences in metropolitan Bridgetown that goes to bed at 7.00 PM. In other words we should not make a big sound and dance about it.
If only those large metropolises relied primarily on visitors for the foreign exchange like we do to survive he might just have a point.
If he only knew the negative impact that last incident is having on the image of Bim in the UK market as a safe destination he would advise his PM, the MoT and himself to take an urgent trip to that source market to help contain the damage.
Don’t be surprised if the UK Foreign Office puts Barbados on the Alert list for UK citizens travelling abroad. Another incident like this and UK citizens would be advised not to travel to Barbados (unless it is absolutely necessary) until further notice. -
David/Miller
I monitor the Gov’t of Canada website with info for Canadians travelling abroad, at present the travel advisories for Guyana, Trinidad & Jamaica has the following:.
Exercise a high degree of caution
There is no nationwide advisory in effect for ………. However, you should exercise a high degree of caution due to high crime rates.This is the warning for Barbados:
BARBADOS – Exercise normal security precautions
There is no nationwide advisory in effect for Barbados. Exercise normal security precautionsI will continue to monitor but if the trend continues we will follow in the footsteps of the larger territories (but then again we always wanted to play with the big boys)
-
@David [BU]
My grandson downloaded a movie for me on Itunes, Robot and Frank.
I marvelled at it for 3 reasons, (i) the movie cost roughly $28 the equivalent of 28 visits to the Roxy pit at Eagle Hall where Dave Hinds has his supermarket (ii) the subtlety of what he seems to be telling me at 81 (LOL) with the possibility of dotishness lurking around the corner (knock wood I am not there yet) and (iii) the download process and one getting what you want, with a click of the finger.
The Attorneys General that Barbados has suffered through the last two terms, Dale Marshall and Adriel Brathwaite, are unfortunately not of Mia Mottley or George Moe calibre.
Would that we could flick a switch and download some intellect, or a modicum of commonsense, into the vacant chamber that either calls a head. but, unfortunately, until uploads of this flailing commodity of common sense becomes as easily accessible as the weapons arsenal of Nemo in Matrix, we will be doomed to endure these idjits, until the natural effluxion of their respected terms or their sojourn here, whichever comes first.
The simpleton AG Brathwaite would not understand that while the statistic may be true, in the context of a country that is dependent on tourism, the AG quoting this statistic is insensitive and a faux pas of immense proportions.
If the clown had said (as with others of his fabrications), “even as i speak to you, the services of the US and UK governments are being sought to secure a matrix of Closed Circuit TV cameras which will blanket the entire city corridor and the Boardwalks and give us immediate access to crime against anyone” at least it would have served as a deterrent to the image that we have an impotent Commissioner of Police, bogged down in inconsistent promotion actvities and a Simpleton Attorney General still amazed that he has become AG, and fascinated by his new Glock.
I am planning to change my blog name to Wishful Thinking or logging on under that pseudonym as well as this one, like an alter-ego who would write sensible articles instead of this ignorance that i pen late pun a night when I, like others in my age group, cant sleep cause we are waiting to fight death when He comes. Will BU allow an old man like me this dual identity?
-
@Gabriel
I think that we should give credit where it is due. CBC and the Advocate have been quite fair in the coverage allocated to both parties during the estimates.
I find the Nation newspaper is still trying to use only BLP columnists which obvious suggest that someone in the Nation hierachy is more political than journalistic.
You think that you will ever see any of the present Nation newspaper columnists write anything critical about the BLP.The Mottley family would flex their political muscle and have that person removed. Ask Hartley Henry why he had to confront Carol Martindale about the level of favouritism shown to Mottley before Arthur and the other guys in the BLP removed her.
Unfortunately, the Nation is still the paper read by most Barbadians and usually the lead topics in the Nation spill over to be the topics on the call in programmes.
Bottom Line – the Nation is still very influential and is using that influence through SEVEN BLP supporters employed as columnists to campaign continuously. -
If the Nation newspaper is interested in fair and balanced coverage of the estimates, Why is it that the only writers which they employ to write on economic matters are 3 BLP Ssupporters each of whom called for a change of government in their columns before the last election:
Clyde Mascoll, Harry Russell and Pat Hoyos?
I do not think that is fair,do you? -
Nation Blp:
The election is over; you side won. Why are confusing yourself on all fronts. In spite of your perception about media coverage your side won. Now try and get Maureeen Holder to talk some sense on CBC and stop pushing around her weight. -
june boy | March 19, 2013 at 9:14 PM |
I’m not hearing any more talk about paying Mr Barrack; are we going to wait until the debt reach $ 100 million ?…………
What about our funds at CLICO?…….Are you familiar with the sayin “Same ole same Ole?……get accustomed do!
-
@ NationBLPnewspaper | March 20, 2013 at 7:08 AM |
The Nation rag sheet is to you the same way OSA is to ac. Both like a fish bone (which has grown into a jackass jaw bone) stuck in your craws and cannot be dislodged to allow you guys to breathe and think straight.
Don’t you guys realise you have formed the current government as it has been for the last 5 going 6 years? Not the BLP, not the Nation newspaper. Yes you the DLP for the time being. You are the ones who allowed the Nation newspaper to continue to spread propaganda by giving it a financial lifeline in the last election campaign.
You guys can nationalize (compulsory acquire) that rag sheet you know in the public’s interest and on grounds of national security. That would certainly silence them and show them who is boss in Barbados. By putting your yard birds in charge the DLP would have another propaganda outlet with free advertising space at your disposal like the CBC.
Is it true that CBC is having difficulties collecting money from the DLP HQ in George St?
-
@ David:
It is noticeable that the privatization agenda is back on the table and is even being pushed by senior civil servants with some trade union backing.
One wonders if these are the early DLP scouts preparing the way for a larger invasion by the political heavy weights. Don’t be surprised if you friend ac starts to be a confessed converted disciple to the DLP privatization cause.
We shall see. -
@Miller
Cedric Murrell was quoted in the news recently that privatisation is not a big thing.
-
@ David:
Our No. 2 Minister of Finance is making his speech on the macro economic challenges facing Barbados. But this time in a more subdued and “arrested” manner. Why is he trying to upstage and outshine Chris the magician of Bajan brand of economics and finance?
We should hope he would soon focus on his portfolio that is the transformation of the agriculture sector and the much needed improvement in our water resources and conservation programmes. Seems as if sugar is really inhaling its last breath this year.
-
Devastating performance by MP Ronald Toppin exposing this fraud for a government.
Seems the boy ruffled a few feathers well. Horrible, Horrific intentional lies that must be punished with denial of words heard by all Bajans in a facial expressions caricatured by a screw face sclerotized with scold and torture.Now all Bajans know where the Four Season project stands. Soon to be like a land-based version of the sunken ship the SS Stavronikita! The Bajan version of a unique tourist attraction- a marine tour on land like our own cultural version of the Land Ship.
-
Interesting to note bond holders called. Let us see if the government clarifies the matter.
-
Hi onions u feel better now afta dat ass whipping. u tink u new leader can handle the job with all them knives strategically aimed at her backside . i think dey might be about six knives.boy does/she have her work “cut”out fuh she. BTW the way still waiting to hear wuh going to cut from the budget. maybe she can start by outsourcing OSA.cause he good fuh nutting never even bother to show up fuh work in five years so how can he lecture public servants and talk bout lay off.he the one need to be outsourced.
-
miller,
We on BU kept asking the know it all insider DLP yardfowls about the Four Seasons project. We kept asking whether the government had gone ahead and invested our NIS dollars in the project.
Low and behold we got the shock of our lives this morning with revelations from Ronald Toppin. Unbeknownst to the unsuspecting taxpayers, Chris Sinkliar has gone ahead and given our NIS monies to Four Seasons’ bond holders and NOT a word to Barbadians. To top it all, not a further brick has been laid at Four Seasons!
Added to that it seems that to satisfy the bond holders, this was one of the reasons Sinkliar went cap in hand to Republic Bank and sold our shares at below value at a great loss. This all makes sense now why Sinkliar had to sell the shares at a loss! Oh my God! We are really up shit street.
And miller, did you notice that not a man contradicted Toppin, not even Kellman who likes to jump up for the slightest thing on a point of order. Did you also hear that one of them tried to deny Toppin’s point that the PM never said that if people want money, they did not need the government to do this, they could go to a drug dealer. The lame Speaker said that he could not rule on the matter. Lame, lame, lame!
-
Santia Bradshaw MP will do well to well to not refer to Buccament Bay Resort in St.Vincent when trying to compare tourism properties in the region to those in Barbados.
-
David,
Does this mean that we the taxpayers now own Four Seasons? In light of the new revelations, would it not make sense for the government for to go with this project rather than try to revive Almond as the GG announced in his Throne Speech? To me that is commonsense!
-
@Prodigal Son
We need to hear Minister Sinckler before making a judgement.
-
I dont trust the man to tell the truth! Speaking the truth is a foreign language to him!
-
Good to see Deputy Speaker Mara Thompson controlling things.
-
Can’t hold Arthur.
-
The BLP sppeches have been blatantly political as should be expected. An entire estimates debate and after calling for cuts in expenditure ,as usual the BLP insults the intelligence of Barbadians by not only refusing to suggest credible,specific spending cuts but the BLP is complaining about the cuts in allocations to different ministries.
They want it both ways- it is clear that the BLP is still in campaign mode and still shell shocked over their defeat.Once again, Arthur had an opportunity to pretend to publicly support Mottely but could not bring himself to do it.
A poor BLP performance especially by the BLP newcomers. -
Dale Marshall says that the BLP prepared the 2008 estimates and that the DLP only tabled them when the government changed.
Interesting to note that the same Marshall spent most of March 2008 attacking the estimates that he said the BLP prepared.
The BLP needs to stop campaigning. The election is over but the BLP has not accepted that fact. -
@Enuff | March 20, 2013 at 3:01 PM |
Can’t hold Arthur…………….
It was like chalk and cheese! It was a class act! ac and ! can curse him all they want, the DLP cant hold a light to him!
Imagine the PM can say with a straight face that it is easy to talk when in opposition. What irony!! I guess he was asleep so he does not know what his party did to the BLP during 1994-2008 when they were in opposition! -
Prodigal / Enuff
Was anything said in the estimates about the rumoured sale of a big National Corporation to a big industrialist or is that something being made up by the BLP counter spin machine? -
Friends, sisters and brethren for the 2 or 3 minutes it will take yu’all to read this , please try and take off your party blinkers. The Cyprus Scenario is in our face! But it is actually far worse for we dont have a EU to bail us out.
Wi Caribbean: Jamaica, Antigua, St Lucia. St Vincent, Grenada and NOW for the first time our own Barbados are in desperate fiscal positions. We are in fact bankrupt with our debts far in excess of our revenue or our ability to pay back our massive debts
The IMF MIGHT come in but under terms that will send us back to the 1930s. (See Cyprus)
The Cyprus scenario is so ours because it’s an economy built on tourism and off-shore banking.
The current DLP budget will not save us from debt default. An appeal to the IMF and a further devaluation of our credit rating is on the cards. This will put us into a position where we will be faced with incredible (impossible) rates of borrowed money.
We are drifting into economic collapse along with many of our fellow Caribbean colleagues.
Neo-liberal adjustments will not do it. DLP weak economic management will not do it.
I am not sure MAM has the vision or understanding to fix our decline.
We either go to the IMF on our terms ( and prevent devaluation) or wait until the DLP gov are forced to go trying to trus’ basics like monthly gov wage bills or even some pudddin n souse pon a Saturrday!
Please look at Cyprus. They wanted to take money locked in your bank accounts!!!!
We need much more desperate measures to save us from catastrophe.
But who will do the do? -
@enuff
What was so classy about what Arthur said? Stupse!
An ordinary speech by “yesterday’s man”,nothing new or innovative. The speech of the day was Dr. Estwick. -
@!
So why keep Dr.Estwick caged? just asking -
Dr. Estwick is not caged. He is a proud supportive member of the competent DLP cabinet working assiduously on the pathways to progress and you will like this one “a better tommorrow” under the DLP.
-
@ dercris
Of course you are on the ball.
This was obvious to the bushman for many years now…but as you will see, most (even now) have no idea what you are talking about.Comparing our position with the other Caribbean islands is however misleading, since most of those countries are populated with tough, hardy, sensible people who have experienced hardship and evolved mechanisms to survive – and even to do well in difficult circumstances.
Bajans are spoilt brats – who spend their time and energies on American type issues – such as how a mother should discipline her child, and who is driving a BMW X5.
LOL
Our solution to increasing expenses was to sell assets…
Our “solution” to high food prices is to bring in Cost U Less.
In normal sensible countries, they plant their own food…..cut back on EXPENSES, and CUT and contrive…..Our ass is grass…..
-
bush tea maybe somebody ought to “CUT YOUR ARSS” wid a 2×4″
-
@ David | March 20, 2013 at 2:17 PM |
“We need to hear Minister Sinckler before making a judgement.”
Now that the government is backing away including the NIS and leaving it to private enterprise to swim, float or sink, what is going to happen with the $120 million of taxpayers’ money?
It’s a pity something of such import was not mentioned in his first submission. If not for Toppin’s exposé we would still be in the dark about the Four Seasons fiasco.But this promise of over 13 private sector investors lining up to get a piece of the Four Seasons action is just another one of the many empty promises made by this DLP administration and its lying MoF. That project is no longer to be called the Four Seasons project but the One Winter Season it is in right now. The Write-Off Season of Discontent.
Since he the MoF confirmed that the $120 million was mostly used to pay local creditors but with another $20 million still outstanding we would certainly hope that he can tell us how much was paid in consultancy fees. After all, the PM boastfully claimed that his government was reelected on a platform of transparency and integrity.
-
@ ac | March 20, 2013 at 5:35 PM |
Be careful how you wield that 2×4 at the Bushman. It might just be wasted since the man is made of hard cold stone.
It’s better if you keep it to wield atthe MoF.
he said today that there absolutely nothing wrong with privatization and used the Gems business as an example since it is now making a profit for the investors. -
@ ac | March 20, 2013 at 5:35 PM |
Be careful how you wield that 2×4 at the Bushman. It might just be wasted since the man is made of hard cold stone. LOL!!
It’s better if you keep it to wield at the MoF.
He said today that there is absolutely nothing wrong with privatization and used the GEMS business as an example since it is now making a profit for the investors.Look out for more bits of truth coming from the mouth of the liar as the financial realities begin to bite his backside. Are you planning to support him in his true confessions or will you be soaking the 2×4 in linseed oil to roast his political ass?
-
“hardcold stone” ever heard of earthquake if yuh said “hardcold cash” i might take a second look they nuttin on this god almighty earth that can’t be demolished ask OSA like bush ntea he too thought he was made of teflon and the peope needed him except in the case of the dwarf minded bush tea nubody needs him. even islgal scoffed at his advances .’Chuckle ! chuckle!. BTW the way there are times when sincklar speaks with scaracsmhowever i know he isn’t speaking of selling of the public sector to the overseas one armed bandits.
-
lookka miller the BLP need to stop preaching so much doom and gloom and go back to their narrative of a “BETTER TOMMORROW” i meaning they have allowed the DEMS to steal their message and Sincklair is using it to full advantage while the BLP resorts to scare tactics instead of talking about building a better barbados and restoring confidence in the people and potential investors all the DEMS are saying in the Estimate ” is yes we can ” Nobody want to hear all that sad story they just stuspse and move on. NO MIA Just tell us how the BLP going to work to Build a Better Barbados for the people.
-
It is the DLP which fooled the electorate by buying votes and bringing in expats to vote.As well said by Peter Wickham this is not a POPULAR government.It is not representative of the will of the people,so you can have an imbeclic Prime Minister and a duncy buffoon for a Minister of Finance justify borrowing NIS funds to pay part time employees to weed the trenches.It has implications for hard working taxpayers who expect NIS to be there for them when the time comes and not to hear the claptrap that passes for a debate on the estimates by incompetent liars.We the people say there will come the time when we will say no more Stuart,No more Sinckler!God help us and protect us from this mob called the DLP.
-
@ ac | March 20, 2013 at 6:00 PM |
“i know he isn’t speaking of selling of the public sector to the overseas one armed bandits.”And if he is speaking about the local variety of the two-arm bandits? What then? Would it be OK and acceptable to privatize as long as the exploiting bandits are of local domicile even if of a different racial profile to you and the Bajan masses?
I’ll tell you what, ac, when the volte-faced liar changes his tune from public Calypso to privatized Jazz instead of you using your 2×4 to knock sense into his swollen head you could strike a deal with the miller to use his dead foot to insert in Pinocchio’s mouth to spoil his gorilla features.
In that way you would be killing two very long dicks with one piece of dead wood. On dick shape like a foot and the other a bleeding nose on a lying buffoon’s physiognomy.Come home ac, come to papa miller to pamper your privatized parts.
-
@ ac
“bush tea maybe somebody ought to “CUT YOUR ARSS” wid a 2×4″
************
LOL …it has been attempted more than once…. With predictable results.
Let’s just say it is wise to “….touch not BBE’s anointed”Nowadays when Bushie see fools coming with 2 X 4’s, the bushman is forced to raise up desperate prayers on their behalf s- ince they often “know not what they doeth”…. LOL
-
@ ac | March 20, 2013 at 6:17 PM |
“NO MIA Just tell us how the BLP going to work to Build a Better Barbados for the people.”Read our lips.
Mia is not PM neither is the BLP the government. You want to swap already now you see the shit gathering like storm clouds on the horizon fan? -
@Miller
“used the Gems business as an example since it is now making a profit for the investors”
Hotels are in business to make a profit and sell a service. You are stretching your argument to its illogical conclusion.
Come on Miller – The transport board serves a public function and you well know that is why revenue is not that reflective of cost.
KUDOS to the DLP for letting the private sector run the hotels. The BLP GEMS experiment was the worst case of wastage of taxpayers money in the history of Barbados. That is the Arthur / Mottley legacy – a disaster.
Thanks to the competent DLP government for cleaning up the mess. -
Miller:
Ma Money Maloney handlers set up him and Dennis Clarke to do a discussion on privatization on Monday. The topic was way too big for Ma Money and Suckoo as always agreed with every body like she did to stop the Lime Bwu dispute. The DLP is trying to find a way to send home the overcrowding they caused in the civil service through privatization. Theirs is not privatization for social and economic development. -
@ ! | March 20, 2013 at 7:16 PM |
OK then let us haul back in some of the kite flying string around the baller.
Let us keep the TB as a fully subsidized “public” good albeit with its woefully inefficient warts and all.
But you must understand that if the taxpayers are to be asked to continue with this huge subsidy then there must be root and branch reform in the minibus and ZR sector.Now what about the NPC, BNOC, GAIA INC, Port INC?
Can’t we outsource on a lease basis School Meals, BSS, Student Revolving Loan fund, School Book Scheme (or even its abolition over a very short time), BTA, Drug Service?
What about the commercial services arm of the SSA and cemeteries?
Just a few flyers for you to snake your opposing kite against with blunt razors intertwined in your swizzle tail.
-
miller,
The problem for the Transport Board is worse than we were told. The allocation in the Estimates may not even cover two months. I sense that the real amounts needed for the most departments including the TB and the QEH were not shown in the Estimates so that the deficit would not look any worse. So just now we are going to see this incompetent MOF coming back with supplemental bills! Guaranteed!
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.