Former Prime Minister David Thompson (l) Former Chairman CLICO Holdings B'dos Ltd rumoured to be local partners in Cost-U-Less
Late Prime Minister David Thompson (l) disgraced former Chairman of CLICO Holdings B’dos Ltd rumoured to be local partners in Cost-U-Less

We do not charge membership fees and believe we can offer low prices to Barbados shoppers, just as we have in our most recent store opening in the Cayman Islands, which was also a partnership with local business people

NorthWest Company trading as Cost-U-Less July 2008

It has been almost five years from the time of the announcement Cost U Less Maybe Coming To Barbados that it launched in Barbados. However, based on consumer feedback the wait has been in vain.  It has been two months since launch and Barbadians continue to wait for the low prices promised. Before the coming of Cost-U-Less the Trinidadians, who now have a vice grip on our food retail and distribution channels, had promised Barbadian consumers the same, that is, we would benefit from economies of scale created by a larger T&T market.

Barbados now finds itself in a situation where we have a new entrant to an already competitive retail food sector.  And it has not demonstrated any appreciable price differentiation in its offering. Sad to say the inevitable must follow.  We created 200 jobs with the coming of Cost-U-Less but SuperCentre and DacostaMannings, owned by the Trinidadians, continue to send home employees.

It is unfortunate that Barbadians have not been made aware of who the local business people are in partnership with North West Company (Cost-U-Less). BU believes that if Barbadians were to be apprised of the names it would only serve as another opportunity to expose the hypocrisy, greed and naked opportunism which exist among people we hold in high regard.

The word making the rounds is that Leroy Parris, The Estate of the late David Thompson, Hartley Henry and Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit represent the local interest. These names will cause many to ask many questions.

For example:

  1. Why didn’t the BLP address this issue on the general election campaign just completed?
  2. Why is the estate of the late David Thompson taking forever to be probated?
  3. What were the considerations which motivated Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler to approve such generous concessions to a forex taker in a depressed consumer market?
  4. If Skerrit is so friendly with decision makers in Barbados why have we not been able to establish a bilateral trade agreement with Dominica which was promised when the 2008 Thompson government was ‘inaugurated’?
  5. What can we say about the Kingmaker?

What low prices what!

367 responses to “Who Are the Local Partners in Cost-U-Less?”


  1. Enuff…………….in just one line you hit it to outfield………….if that is not conflict of interest, i don’t know what is…………but then they will hide the laws that will enable people who are aggrieved to get the judicial review.


  2. @David | April 25, 2013 at 11:02 AM | Proper integrity legislation, FOI and protection of privacy legislation. AND, most importantly, the will and determination to actually fully investigate and enforce it, no matter what or where the finger points and a judicial system that operates in a timely manner to enforce the law. If we have that, then the Companies Act operates as it should with no detriment to bona fide investors, either local of foreign. Until we reach that point, we are merely an incestuous and corrupt little banana republic. BU has been pushing for this since I first read BU in about 2007. And, believe it or not, David, BU has made MAJOR inroads in public perception and the standards to which we hold our public offials. Long gone are the days when things can be swept under the proverbial carpet. But it takes time for a major shift in public perception to make itself felt. I have been honoured by one Lassie by being called Don Quixote. “To dream the impossible dream.” But you, my friend, are every bit as quixotic as I am and may actually play a major part in allowing Bajans to “reach the unreachable stars.”


  3. And that is why the people should not buy anything from cost u less until the politicians grow some honesty and come clean about who owns what………..what is there to hide??


  4. @Enuff:
    When was the legislation that enabled CUL to get concessions passed?
    When did they qualify? Before the place was built or when it was opened? How long was it in the planning stages? Was the DLP in power at that time? Was David Thompson Prime Minister at that time?
    Check and let me know. After all I am always talking foolishness.
    Meanwhile where is Lawrence Duprey living? why has no one sued CL Financial?


  5. @WellWell:
    Big countries “always” follow the law so they only lock them up AFTER they have been CHARGED, found GUILTY and then sentenced. Not before. As far as I know NOBODY has been charged far less found guilty. Why would you advocae the demise of a Barbadiab company (Whether you like the owners or not) and leave the competitors, foreign owned and controlled, to continue to take advantage of the citizens. Why are you advocating cutting off your nose to spite your features? Advocate supporting CUL it is BAJAN!!!


  6. Duprey is about to go to jail, he is scheduled to appear in court in Trinidad shortly to testify, you really think he will get away with the CLICO scam?………..I can’t even remember the amount of clico executives that have already been literally taken out and buried in TT……….meanwhile Duprey is hiding from hitmen in Miami, his wife is scared to go back to TT, not everyone admires and gives thieves and con artists a pass, especially with so many millions of poor people’s money involved, Duprey just had to sell 3 hotels in Miami to pay mortgage, he is down to one hotel now, soon it will be bankruptcy…………..Alvin you need to get with the program…………

  7. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Amused

    Re: your comment at 10:03 a.m.

    I am now completely satisfied that you area fool, who troll this blog just to demonstrate your ignorance. Shares change hands several times a day what. I was talking about private companies not those listed on the exchange. Normally, there is a restriction in the articles of association which restrict the trading of shares private companies.

    You should stop misleading people on this blog. You could not represent me if I ran over a fowl cock in the road.


  8. Alvin………..are there any laws in place in Barbados to even arrest or take them to trial if they can be charged with anything dishonest??……………people in Barbados, including the police are not even aware of what is going on………What i want to know, and i do believe Bajans have the right to ask………WHY ALL THE SECRECY?/………..now we are hearing it is a Bajan company…………they need to make up their minds about which story will fly. All people want to hear is the truth about what is going on. The politicians did the cutting off nose to spite their features routine when they decided to run their little side show of deception…………….i was not involved. If not for this blog, we would not know anything either.


  9. Now we know why the sheeple/yardfowls were preening themselves and so boastful with pride…………….what happens in the dark, must come to light.


  10. So Alvin……………..you are telling me, that with food prices the same, no change, that the people are still not be taken advantage of? why? because it’s their own ministers now taking advantage of them?…………while still being paid a salary by taxpayers…………Alvin………are you listening to yourself?……………just for argument sake, if it was the opposition doing this, would you still support them?


  11. Now you could stamped your feet and shout as hard as you can but that does not change the fact that DT wife could and should take legal action against those who willfuly use such information and present it to the public wether it be true or false.
    “”””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””

    ac,
    I dare her to take your advice!


  12. I am trying to understand the psychology involved here………..it is okay to steal from the public, steal from policyholders, hide pertinent information that directly affects taxpayers, lie consistently and without fail about the true nature of how taxpayers money is spent………………..but it is totally illegal for the taxpayers to find out any of this information because the government keeps a privacy act in place to prevent information from going into the public domain……………….from the PM back down needs to be locked up………….


  13. Can someone please tell Alvin that Cost U Less was the brain child of the dead king and the kingmaker, Leroy Parris and the man child Chris Sinkliar who was the dead king’s sidekick.

    Tell him that when the dead king won the election in 2008, he had no idea that his time was going to be so short. He thought he was now invincible, he had just achieved what he believed he was born to be, PM of Barbados.

    And so, with this immense power at his disposal, he was going to stamp out the middle man as he was at that time posing and pompasetting over the BS&T deal. With LP providing the CLICO policyholders’ monies as capital, there was no stopping DT and LP.

    Alas, the bottom of CLICO fell out in no time, LP is disgraced and grim reaper called DT home! And tell AC, that Lawrence Duprey’s days are numbered, he has to face the fire! What a day that will be when he starts to sing!


  14. Oh, and i forgot, it is also okay to protect your esteemed friends and family who commit the same crimes……………………….i tell ya!!


  15. Wuhloss, on VOB’s 4.30news, Chris Stinkliar says the MTFS is working, it has not failed. The Governor of the CBB who is an economist said it has failed and is not working and has to be looked at.

    Now tell me, who do we believe, an economist or a pretend Minister of Finance who does not know not one ass about economics? We are really screwed!


  16. @Alvin

    The press release attached to this blog is dated July 2008 where NorthWest indicated it would start due diligence ie. Under this DLP government. Some research will also reveal that Mia Mottley was highly critical of a CUL which has a questionable employment record and at the time had closed 10 stores in a six year period. Obviously the BLP was not responsible for bringing CUL to Barbados.

    Interesting you keep avoiding the point about people in Cabinet and their friends exploiting a situation at tax payers expense. Leave Pricesmart out of it because up to now BU is not aware they received the same level of concessions. What we know is that the BCCI was very critical of the concessions given to CUL at this time through its President Lalu Vaswani.


  17. Prodigal………you are being unreasonable………..how do you expect them to keep all of those lies straight?…………5 years of lying is one thing, but by the 6th year, trust me you will start to forget the lies of the previous 5 years……………the governor is probably growing tired of the deceit, after all he is not a young man……………..Sinckler still has a lot of energy to lie until such time……………remember Thompson………..lie until you have to lie down…………


  18. Missed the MoF’s press conference. Did he explain why transfers and subsidies rose 7% YoY?


  19. David on April 25, 2013 at 10:19 AM

    Can anyone recall if the same concessions which were approved by the MoF for CUL was done for Pricemart?
    ————————————-
    David,
    The OSA administration gave more concessions to Pricesmart than CUL was given. As far is known Pricesmart is US based , imports most of the products it sells has an anti union ethos ……and the BLP bellyachers and others had no objections then.

    I am shocked that they now have a voice now that CUL is deemed to have a similar orientation.

    Oh…..I forgot CUL did not come to Barbados under the OSA administration !


  20. Wunna hear Chris Stinkliar? The Barbados economy failing under the silent leadership of Freundel and unsure policies of Chris. We in fa serious trouble.
    Chris Stinkliar spend most of the press conference attacking the BLP. He seems to think there is still an election pending. They have won and they can find nothing assuring to tell Barbadians other than the BLP was in power for 14 years.

    What a colossal SHAME!!!!!!!!!!!!


  21. @Well Well:
    YOU need to get with the programme. He is in Dubai.


  22. Alvin conceptualisation is irrelevant. The date of the granting of concessions is the salient point and it could not have been during the BLP’s tenure therefore the Minister of Finance granted concessions to himself, his friend and parliamentary colleague aka executrix of the estate. Seems like you are admitting that the rumour is in fact truth.


  23. @David:
    At which time? Vaswani was not President of BCCI when CUL was first being discussed, and I did not hear any discussions against concessions.
    @ prodigal Son:
    SO?!!!.BS&T, owned by Ansa Mc al or is it Neal & Massey ( they had a battle over ownership) but whoever it is now owned by Trinidad, deerves to be stepped on. Here we have a shifting of ownership and control from the whites (Bajan) to the Indians (Trinidad). Duprey is not a Bajan so I really don’t care what happens to him. (I feel he belongs in jail) By the way, who advises the MOF< not the Governor of the Central Bank?
    On a different note. LOatest news from today's issue of the Toronto Sun:
    Rihanna tops pal Perry's No ! record.
    Rihanna has broken pal Katy Perry's record for the most number ones on America Pop Songs radio airplay chart.
    She becomes the first artist in the 20 year history of the countdown to land 10 chart-toppers, thanks to the success of her latest release. "Stay" which rose a spot to the top of Monday.
    Rihanna has managed the feat in less than seven years-her first number one on the chart was 2006's SOS.

    All I can say is Tek Dat!!By the way she is a Cawmerian,tek Dat again.


  24. Alvin,
    I pity you. You are a typical Dem!


  25. Isn’t it ironic that two biggest DLP yardfowls on BU have the same initials? Post the same illogical junk and when the error of their ways are pointed out, they react the same very way! Is this coincident or what???


  26. We bajans are so simple, we will allow politicians to use and abuse us for selfish gain, while we allow ourselves to be yardfowls for them. When will we stop and think for ourselves and say enough is enough? It grieves me.

  27. Gabriel Tackle Avatar

    @Alvin
    While I have always acknowledged that Rihanna is a superstar and one of many out of Barbados,I have to tell you that her going to Cawmere had nothing to do with that school which has produced outstanding musicians from the days of Jimmy’Shakespeare’Millington in the 40’s/50’s.For example your brother Willis was chosen to join Shakespeare’s violin class and went on to distinguish himself in that instrument and in teaching music, returning to his alma mater in later years.On the other hand Rihanna was not even in the music stream and although surrounded by greatand higly qualified teachers and gifted students of music,she did not show an interest.She was just lucky to be picked on by a visiting talent scout and being a natural and confident show off,made it big time,for which we admire her.


  28. @ Fractured BLP

    “The OSA administration gave more concessions to Pricesmart than CUL was given.”

    The individuals who have commented on the concessions given to CUL were forthright in their presentations, by itemising those concessions. However, you
    have chosen to make generalised statements without bring the facts to bear.

    You go under the name “Fractured BLP”, and so far you contributions are usually fractured, thereby living up to your name. However, in view of the evidence presented here, in respect of CUL, we must not forget this administration’s handling of the economy, its slow efforts to address important matters affecting the country; the lack of feed back to the public by ministers on matters that fall directly under their portfolios (e.g. we have not heard any thing from Dr. Lowe on the fire at B’s Recycling and its impact on the environment and the citizens in the area surrounding; we have not heard from the Attorney General as it relates to the breakdown in communication between the Commissioner of Police and the Police Service Commission); the lack of accountability; the apparent slumber of the Prime Minister and his other ministers; instead of addressing the issues of relating to housing repairs and assisting the vulnerable in this society in keeping with the mandate of the Urban Developemnt Commission, its Director, Derek Allyene (a paid public servant) found it more important to address DLP supporters at election campaign meetings; and now after criticising those persons who were critical of the Central Bank Governor, Finance Minister has made a broad sweeping attack on the same Dr. Worrell, in his defense of the MTFP at today’s press conference.

    With these few observations in mind, in conjuction of the myriad of problems confronting this country and the DLP’s fractured attemp to address these issues, surely you must agree, Mr. Fractured, that your pseudonym should in truth and in fact be changed to “Fractured DLP”. My friend, the evidence is there to substantiate this.


  29. Shop Smart is a BLP operation funded by George Payne and Dale Marshall and fronted by Mark Niles and a fellow name Wallace Griffith. BLP supporters and DLP supporters are customers at Shop smart. Once the price is right customers will go and shop it has nothing to do with politics.


  30. Politicians putting their monies behind retail operations … BARBADOS IS MORE THAN A SOCIETY, IT IS A MARKET …!


  31. LOL
    Dishonesty is now so endemic that it seems liket the concept of “conflict of interest” is not even understood.

    The defence against dishonesty appears to be a listing of opponents who did similar or worse things… WTF(rance)

    In ANY serious area of business, the rules are crystal clear. If you are in a position of influence, you are required to declare UP FRONT any personal interest in conflicting business.

    When Thompson announced his strategy for cost reduction via CUL, he was REQUIRED to declare his interest in CUL if any…
    …he was REQUIRED to remove himself from any decisions where his role of representative of the Government and shareholder of CUL may conflict.

    Same was required with CLICO.
    ..same is required of ALL MINISTERS with any private arrangements they may have.

    Someone should tell Alvin that no one is against locals owning businesses, ….but all intelligent people can see the issues with government officials secretly making national decisions based on hidden agendas.

    In serious business, just being discovered to have failed to declare such conflicts is deemed to be a serious breech worthy of separation…
    …but is is probably OK for Brass Bowls…


  32. BAFBFP is more than a Cunt
    He is a whole Cuntery

    Just had to get that one in Bro
    No OFFENCE meant
    None taken , I hope


  33. In response to
    I want all School Uniform fetes BANNED this crop Over

    Anybody –adults dressing in School Uniforms for a Fete purposes should be charged and fined and confined
    Some people left school years ago , some who were in a hurry to leave school and some who did not want to be even at school now saying that them dresssing in school Uniform.and wukking up. Something is wrong with that.


  34. Let hope that when JB’s Supermarket and Supercentre Oistin, eventually closes ,during the Trinis restructuring programme of Super Centre and DaCostas Manning, that we will see some real local business persons taking over the operations, in Oistins especially, and that many of the patrons who now use these two supermarkets, support any such new venture, as for a long time Super Centre bosses employed a two tier system, reminiscent of red neck USA.


  35. @ hard talk

    What exactly is your point? If you really had a point, you would have known that Wallace Griffith (then nephew of the late Chris Griffith, former SSA general manager) and Mark Niles are brothers. Mark is not a partner.


  36. june boy | April 25, 2013 at 8:22 PM |
    We bajans are so simple, we will allow politicians to use and abuse us for selfish gain, while we allow ourselves to be yardfowls for them. When will we stop and think for ourselves and say enough is enough? It grieves me.
    ———————————————————–
    I’ve always maintained that politicians in this island are very fortunate that this little rock called Barbados has dropped its anchor in the eastern Caribbean, and not a few hundred miles due west in Central America or the same distance due south in South America. Where in these places a low wall, a last cigarette and a blind fold are used to take care of business.


  37. Alvin Cummins……..Duprey does not live n Dubai, and if he thinks going there is going to stop the case against him from moving forward or stop any determined hitmen from finding him…………..he is just as delusional as you are…………..one thing i am quite sure of is that i can sleep well at night, i have not stolen any money form CLICO policyholders or bajan taxpayers.


  38. Alvin C………………….So where do you believe Leroy Parris belongs???………………


  39. Baf, you sure it’s all their money they putting behind the supermarket……………….and not the taxpayers money for their own selfish gain?? how can anyone be sure……………….if it’s so legal to do what they are doing…………WHY KEEP IT SECRET??


  40. Bush Tea…………..thanks for explaining to some of the combermerians who obviously did not learn ethics at combermere that conflict of interest has been known to remove whole governments…………….

    Colonel Buggy…………..a low wall, a last cigarette and blindfold is starting to sound just right for those corrupt, soulless brutes called government ministers in Bim.


  41. Buggy…………..the supercentre redneck wannabes employed their tactics with the complete and tacit support of previous and existing black governments.


  42. @Alvin You wrote that you have not seen the BCCI criticising the concessions given by government to CUL. Here is a Nation report:
     
    Make field level for private sector – Print Version

    President of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI), Lalu Vaswani.(FP)
    THE PRIVATE SECTOR has told Prime Minister Freundel Stuart that it wants a level playing field when it comes to granting tax and other concessions to investors.
    President of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI), Lalu Vaswani, speaking to members minutes before the  the Prime Minister addressed them on Wednesday, said: “Several established businesses have questioned the rationale for Government to grant a new business, within an existing sector, unique concessions that provide the beneficiary with reduced operating costs relative to other established businesses of the same sector.”
    Vaswani did not name any entity but it was recently revealed that certain concessions were granted to the soon-to-be-open American-owned Cost-U-Less bulk shopping store.
    Vaswani added: “The BCCI has formally communicated its members’ concerns to the Ministry of Finance so that other businesses with confirmed plans for expansion may have the opportunity to benefit from equal treatment.”
    The chamber president told the Prime Minister that the private sector needed “an appropriate level of economic activity to enable its constituents, not just to survive, but to grow and flourish”.
    “In this way, corporations can contribute to national development in terms of earning foreign exchange, sustaining existing and creating new jobs as well as promoting investments that stimulate growth in the economy,” he pointed out.
    The BCCI boss was also full of praise for the Prime Minister’s intervention to defuse the planned national shutdown by the Barbados Workers’ Union over LIME’s dismissal of 97 workers.  “The BCCI expresses our appreciation and gratitude to you, Prime Minister, for the timely and constructive role you, your ministerial colleague and officials in the Ministry of Labour played in averting a potential national strike earlier this month. Your intervention saved the national economy from inestimable possible damage,” Vaswani said.
    The BCCI president also expressed concern that a dispute with a single employer could have entangled other employers without following additional steps.
    “This situation needs to be addressed by the social partners in a consensual manner if industrial harmony, which we all desire, is to prevail,” he added. (GE)
    NationNews.com © Nation Publishing Co. Limited 2013


  43. @Alvin Cummins

    Paul Martin DID put his business in a blind trust. Not when he became PM but long before that when he was Minister of Finance. A damn good one too. He was investigated because it was found that he was not paying enough taxes. The investigation found that his company ‘Canada Steamship Lines’ was legally registered in tax haven Barbados as were many other Canadian companies. Dont knock him, hundreds of blacks from the Caribbean work on his ships and the pay is good. Thanks to Bim. Remember Biovail?

    I may be mistaken, but I don’t think he took a salary although he bought new Gucci shoes whenever he delivered a budget as MOF. Another MP, Belinda Stronach(?) heir to Magna International did not take a salary. One of the Lewises as well refused a raise/or salary, either Stephen or David. Hants probably knows.


  44. “Vaswani did not name any entity but it was recently revealed that certain concessions were granted to the soon-to-be-open American-owned Cost-U-Less bulk shopping store”.

    Alvin…………………..someone is lying about this company and it’s not me…………..is the company Bajan or American??……………….are the ministers involved purchasers of the cost u less franchise, like the KFC franchise?? And what are these extra special concessions granted to cost u less/bajan government ministers?? Why are yall telling the bajan taxpayers SO MANY LIES??


  45. Pat…………thanks for clarifying the paul martin issue……….i could not remember the details, but vaguely remembered the investigation…………..Alvin seems to be making up crap as he goes along to justify the corruption and blatant crimes being committed against the bajan taxpayers by this administration and their esteemed friends.


  46. Well Well
    Alvin seems to be making up crap as he goes along to justify the corruption and blatant crimes being committed against the bajan taxpayers by this administration
    —————-
    This list is fact not made up :Barrack owed $100 mil, Greenland $30 mil wasted, Silver Sands Golden Showers $1 mil disappear, Nigeria solar enterprise $2 mil gone in fraud, Prison cost tens of millions, Kensington Oval, Cost tens of millions, Gems untold millions down Maxell Pond, ABC Highway constructed by international criminals or was it the prison or both, Carnival Cruises millions $ gone sailing, Air India fiasco, Muscle mary and many BLP ministers become millionaires ,the list is endlesss. I’m putting it you there is more crime and criminality againt the taxpayers here than in the country’s entire history post slavery. Tek dat.


  47. The ignorance of it all. Barbadians justifying the questionable record of one political party by pointing out similar questionable record of the other. And we continue to pay millions to educate our people?


  48. Some hardcore reality……………..instead of pure bajan fantasy………..will we ever see any of this government accountability in Bim………..it’s starting to look like a no………………at least Trinidadians know when it’s time to say enough with the penny ante corruption by government.

    http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/PM-feels-I-can-win-back-my-seat-204790791.html

    http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/JTUM-calls-for-Govt-led-probe-into-Warner–204776961.html


  49. Hardtalk…………………so you are telling me it’s now the turn of the DLP to outdo the BLP in criminality and waste of millions more of bajan taxpayers dollars. Is this a competition to see who can waste more, steal more, deceive more and need more than five years to do all of the above…………..i am a little lost here, cause that is the intentions i am getting from Alvin………………one bunch of thieves were not enough in the political history of Barbados, the taxpayers need two??

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