est. 2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

Who Are the 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…

, , , , , , , , , , ,
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. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    The problem as i see it in Bim is that the BLP/DLP go hand in glove with their crimes against the taxpayers…………they only allow their yardfowls to let a few secrets slip out to here and their massage the taxpayers……….but would obviously never do anything to rock their corrupt boats…………….the taxpayers remain at a disadvantage as it relates to these two parties…………..but time is longer than twine.

  2. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    And yes David……………….all those billions of taxpayers dollars spent over the decades on educating the likes of Alvin, et al………………were totally wasted. Errol Barrow was correct, no wonder he did not even want to be buried on the island.

  3. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ David

    “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?”

    A very good point.

  4. yesterday Avatar
    yesterday

    We are in a sordid state

  5. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Maybe the DLPites can explain this for us………………..but i know that it is Sincklers’ b******t speak that means AUSTERITY MEASURES will be starting promptly…………..everyone better learn how to eat their own ***.
    http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2013/04/25/major-reform/

  6. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    So now this administration deigns the lowly taxpayer with their attention and to cast a FAINT SHADOW (adumbrate) over the fiscal mess they themselves have nurtured and allowed to grow into this fiscal and uncontrollable monster that they cannot wrestle to the ground without significant help for at least another decade, maybe……………Sinckler is now going cap in hand to international agencies for loans………….when will they be repaid and how?? maybe cost u less will make enough money to pay back such loans oh, forgot…………cost u less does not belong to the taxpayers…………….can someone enlighten me here about what is going on??

  7. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    And I dare anyone of them to come out with a long laundry list of corrupt deeds done by the BLP, knowlng fully that the DLP would also have been involved as long as millions of dollars were available to spread around…………one hand washed the other………….we need to know why austerity measures are going to be taken by the present administration when they said pre-february that the island was doing better than most…….and according to the central bank governor was not directly affected by external problems. Were they lying in an attempt to convince us or lying in an attempt to convince themselves???……………………

  8. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    AC, Carson, Alvin, Waiting……………….anyone??, austerity measure are here……..

  9. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Note to Sinckler………….stop using words in an attempt to confuse bajans there are those of us out here who have better university degrees, a larger capacity of intellectual understanding and container loads of commonsense………………….

  10. David Avatar
    David

    What do we think about MAM’s feedback to the MoF that raising the anxiety in the public service that reform/decisions will come in another four months may not be the best strategy.

    In the mean time the temperature in the country rises.

  11. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    I was in Barbados in 2006 ( i believe, it was definitely before 2008) when the rating agencies first started warning the then government BLP about putting systems in place for the eventual fall out that would take place in the future, there was a recession in the US from as far back as 2002……….these agencies who know more about financial destabilization than any government on earth, were told and so were bajans………….that all was good, no need to worry, Barbados cannot be affected…………well fine…….since that is the case, the opposition leader should be equally ashamed to show her face…………….

  12. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Bad news for the World’s number one economy:-

    US economy growth rate misses expectations

    US economic growth gained speed to an annual rate of 2.5 percent in the first quarter, but not enough to meet forecasts made by economists.

    The Commerce Department said on Friday that gross domestic product (GDP) expanded at a 2.5 percent annual rate, after growth nearly stalled at 0.4 percent in the fourth quarter.

    However, the increase missed economists’ expectations for a three percent growth pace.

    “It wasn’t the bang-up start to the year we had hoped for, and the signals from March suggested that we will only decelerate from here into the spring trimester,” said Avery Shenfeld, chief economist at CIBC World Markets Economics in Toronto.

    http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2013/04/201342614326535652.html

    And it will get worse from here on in. Looks as though the American Government needs all the help that it can get from the Barbados Labour Party, Owen “Seethru” Arthur and Clyde Mascol.

  13. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    I don’t know what kind of news yall getting in Bim, but the US economy is expected to crash………….the only people i know who have been in denial for the last 7 years about a world wide economic crash having any effect on Barbados are the DLP and the BLP who refused to listen to World Bank, IMF, credit rating agencies who told them 7 years ago that it will happen if they did not put systems in place back in 2006…………………..are politicians on that island retarded??

  14. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    And oh yeah, they refused to also listen to one of their brightest minds…..think his name is Skeete, he was at World Bank, i think and also UN, forgot his first name……….brilliant fellow…..i hope he is in some corner of the world having lots of fun and not even listening to news about Barbados and the pending austerity measures.

  15. Gabriel Tackle Avatar
    Gabriel Tackle

    The USA and Canada can provide Barbados with all the economic growth it needs for future expansion and growth in the economy through tourism and trade arrangements.In exchange for providing mutually beneficial trading arrangements in tourism,Barbados should purchase all its imports from North America and that includes vehicles.We can attract 5 star hotels by permitting
    only that level of service provider to be equipped with an in house casino.At a future date driving will be on the right side of the road.The UK has signalled its intention by the APD tax to reduce Brits coming to Barbados.America and Canada are on our doorstep.Get cracking and make hay while the sun shines.Make trade arrangements with these two giants.Leave out China,Brazil
    Europe from our focus.By all means don’t discourage them but they are becoming too expensive to us.We are paying them to come to Barbados.Madness,unsustainable and risky.Paul Doyle is expanding while Loveridge and Almond is closing.There is a reason.Sandy Lane is 5 star and in a class all by itself.LeVere could’nt walk in there with his silly placards,as a result employees at Sandy Lane don’t play the donkey.

  16. DLP(formerly CBC) TV Avatar
    DLP(formerly CBC) TV

    This Cost-U-Less (Cost Us More) joke is just one of the examples that the DLP think that all bajans now born. Anybody that got a clue about the retail sector in this country knows that Cost-Us- More was doomed. Firstly, why was the DLP promoting a private sector company in this way? Why is the DLP even involved in retail. The sector is saturated so there is very little to gain based on competing by price. The companies in the sector have similar overheads which include import duties. Any new company especially one linked to Gov’t that says it is offering lower prices could only be getting preferential treatment. The retail sector would’ve never accepted this unfair competition. Even if Cost- Us-More would’ve been allow preferential treatment it would mean that the DLP was contented in driving other companies out of business with the resulting job losses. What is happening to Cost Us More now is that it is subjected to the full effect of market forces. Prices will now fall in line with what prevails in the sector.

  17. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Well, knowing the Trinis they certainly won’t lay down and play dead……….they already came up with a food card that is linked to the card for all other purchases from Dacosta Manning, supercentre, you can credit your food,,,ha………….beat that……………….cost u less…………doomed.

  18. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @Well Well:
    For your elucidation his name is Charlie Skeete, and he was a Cawmerian-actually a violin student of James Millington, same time as my brother. Anyhow Well Well on another and more personal note. Why do you “pity” me because I am a Dem? I was a Dem, and I still am, and proud of it, and not afraid to say it. I was a Dem from the time I decided to follow and suppport Errol Barrow’s vision,(around 1965) in preference to that of the “Under Forties” (remember them?) with whom I was briefly associated. There is no need for pity.
    I never said that Duprey was “living” in Dubai. I was very precise. My actual words were “He IS in Dubai”. Where he was located at that time. Further afield. I was not too good at Maths, but there was one theorum we learned in Geometry that stuck: “Things that are equal to the same thing are equal to one another.” Thus, whensome people try to give the impression; in fact say it in a loud voice, that the DLP is the worst government (and Party) I have to throw that theorum in their faces, and say Qud erat demonstrandum (QED) And also your slur in which you “abhored” “…all those billions of taxpayers dollars spent over the decades on educating the likes of Alvin et. al. …were totally wasted.” You need to get a copy of my book “the Wind Also Listens” (Amazon.com) to really know about “alvin and his education.” I went to Cawmere when you had to PAY, when my poor ( and the emphasis here has to be on POOR) mother had to scrape together what ever few cents she could muster to pay those fees. I worked my way through college in the U.S. (washing dishes, pots and pans, and scrubbing floors) I worked hard as ass in Canada (three jobs) while studying at University of Toronto. You would know how difficult that is in Canadian winters, so “taxpayers dollars” were not “wasted” on me, I paid my dues.
    Re politicians getting paid while being business persons, Stronach could afford not to take any salary; Magna is one of the biggest corporations in Canada, but the others took their salaries. I would never refer to Barbados as a Tax Haven. I am aware of the treaties that have been signed between the Barbados and Canadian Governments, and all barbadians should defend the country against those kinds of allegations and should vigourously object to that term. OSA defended the country vigourously when “foreign” entities for whatever reason tried to do it, and every barbadian should make it their duty to fight against these appellations.
    And then, why do you “pity me” because I am a Dem? I was a Dem from the time I decided to follow Errol Barrow’s vision in preference to that of the “Under Forties” (remember them?) with whom I was briefly associated.No need for pity.
    @Gabriel Tackle: I will deal with you re: Rihanna at another time.
    @Prodigal Son, You should call me a Yard Duck, because everybody should know by now that all the invective from BLP supporters and operatives, run off my back like water off a duck’s back. At least I am honest and not one to just follow.. .

  19. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Thanks Alvin…………….i just could not recall his name…………I don’t recall using the word pity in any context regarding you and the DLP…………however, I am not one to blindly follow a party whether they do right or wrong…………..i see you are definitely old school…………..to each his own, i only protest when i see taxpayers being taken advantage of and lied to incessantly…………nothing personal Alvin……….

  20. Gabriel Tackle Avatar
    Gabriel Tackle

    In reading this Cost U Less affair did not the NUPW have something in their plans for their credit union to open a Buyers Club so as to reduce the cost of goods to their membership?Is the NUPW anything to do with Cost U Less?I also seem to recall that the dead king(I will not lie,cheat or steal king)in the 1999 election when Jennifer Lazlo was brought in to advise them on how to win that election and they got 2 seats,–the dead king and the chihuahua,– they were to open a K Mart store in Welches, St Thomas?

  21. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Somebody got to finally open a food store…………..we just don’t know who they are, but it will all come out in the wash………

  22. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Jennifer Lazlo did not know [anything about Bajans] and she did not know that she did not know.

    But she got paid fr helping dem win 2 seats.

    How much was she pay check again?

  23. David (not BU) Avatar
    David (not BU)

    Cost-U-Less has been opened for about 2 mths now. one of the questions that should be asked is how much people have they sent home already and how did the hiring of these people impact the just held election campaign? the answer is always in the question. someone asked why was the Government of Barbados promoting a private business like Cost-U-Less, given concessions this business received fro the same gov’t. Meaning its ok for a gov’t to promote a business which will help this market, However, when you add the unheard or unseen concessions and the PR the gov’t of the day offered, it adds a new shade of grey.

    notice the game being play with the PriceMart talk? when you are hot you are hot and the PriceMart is not but the Cost-U-Less talk? well “can’t touch this”.

    This 2 mth old DLP gov’t is falling apart and it should be noted with great interest now that the only person step up to the plate is Donville Inniss. listen to what you are hearing from the man. That is the ONLY leadership from the DLP.

    The PM got one right. Good for him. It also shows if he wakes up and start to work, he could have some kind of positive impact on the way this country is going.

  24. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Even Dr. Courtney Blackman is calling it what it really is………………

    http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/both-at-fault/

    If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck………………….then it is a duck.

  25. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    It has started, and looking like it is going to pour, what will the present administration do? I hope they have a plan……………………

    http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2013/04/26/time-to-sette

    http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2013/03/26/call-for-end-to-corruption-in-public-service/

  26. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    I just saw some comparisons in food prices at barbadostoday.bb between shopsmart, pricemart and cost u less……………i though cost u less was warehouse club shopping like it is in Canada and the US, it appears to be just a regular rip off supermarket……………correct me if i am wrong.

  27. David Avatar
    David

    Here is what Pricesmart country manager had to say about the issue of whether they got concessions:

    As far as concessions are concerned, Woods said they did not receive any, but were not averse to the concept.
    “No, we don’t get any concessions. None. We follow the letter of the law. If there are concessions to be given, we’d be happy to hear about them, but we pride ourselves, after operating here for over 13 years, on making sure we do the right thing,”
    http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2013/04/26/membership-on-the-rise/

  28. True Bajan Avatar
    True Bajan

    Dems Now Dems Again. Do what you want to do Poochie Sinckler

  29. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    I really don’t want to laugh because of the seriousness of the situation……………but what in gods name have this administration done to reach this point…………

  30. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Instead of investing in businesses that earn forex, Barbados continues to expand forex burners like Cost U more or less.

    I read that Supercentre is expanding. More FOREX BURNING and PROFIT EXPORTING to Trinidad.

    BU contributors can do the research if they do not know already.Use google to find out the costs of goods in North America and compare them to prices in Barbados.
    leh me help wunna.

    http://www.loblaws.ca/LCLOnline/flyers_landing_page.jsp?flyerView=flip&storeId=34

    http://www.milamsmarkets.com/WeeklyAd/Store/2472/

  31. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Hants
    What exactly is it that you are failing to get…?

    Any set of people who depend on OTHERS for their success are fundamentally FAILURES.

    When those dependent vagrants are highly arrogant, highly “educated”, welfare-pampered, reggae-loving, wuk-up fanatics who have deep aversions to hard, productive work, entrepreneurship and long term investment, …the results are as predictable as the dawn.

    -When a Government routinely looks for outsiders for investment to produce growth
    -When they are routinely spending more than they can earn
    -When our livelihood is built on foreigners opting to holiday here
    -When most of the contributions on BU can be from people living outside of Bim…

    What does it say about our prospects…?
    Bowls of brass
    who like nuff Mass
    And whose sorry ass
    Is headed for the grass…

  32. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/show-stoppers1/

    She was caught up in a shopping spree to look the part, spending an estimated $1 500.
    “I going Vintage, the [Reggae On The] Hill on Sunday, and to the Taurus Riley cruise,” she said.
    “The girls going out to all because Remy cost money. You can get a bundle for $500, $600, $700, $800 and $900, depending on the length, which is like from 14 to 32 inches,” she elaborated.

    Un freakin believable.

    An we having a debate about Cost u more or less when you have consumers who are buying ice and frying it.

  33. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    Because we have a segment of our population who revels in a bashment mentality it does not mean that we should forget our responsibilities to efficiently manage our country or forget about the other segment where many continue to scrunt.

  34. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Bushie Bajans are still wishing and hoping for an economic recovery that is not coming.

  35. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    David wrote “we have a segment of our population who revels in a bashment mentality.”

    They are no different from the those who buying bimmers an benzes instead of false hair.

    I sincerely hope that Barbados does not continue this downward spiral because unfortunately I still own property in Barbados.

    Take a look at this front page.dem got bashment mentality too but excellent taste in bikes.
    Bikes, false hair. the difference is the cost.

    http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=other&refresh=3x1CP05r8g1Q&PBID=87ad6005-1972-4d63-92b0-8927eda53c7a&skip=

  36. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Hants………..i know it’s stressful, cause you see no way to stop it, but the bashment, wukkup, carnival every weekend mentality, is fully encouraged by the government of the day, just choose which government and pick a day………….the only people who have any idea of what’s going on in Bim, are the people who are feeling it………those who still have a pipeline to cash flow through whatever, don’t know and could care less unless their cash flow runs dry……………..what forex.??…………you believe if these guys (government) cared about forex the island would have slid into the current mess, if they had cared deeply enough, it would never have happened.

  37. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    I already told them to partner up with Trinidad and rename the island Trinbar, either that or have the Trinis do it for them…………..

  38. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    David the bashment extends to those who fly to Miami,New York and Toronto and burn Forex. The only difference is the scale.

    Barbados is a Nation of manic consumers. If you import it they will buy it regardless of the cost.

    Nothing will change untill the shelves are empty or Bushie becomes maximum ruler and dictator

  39. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    The only thing the black females on the island think about seriously and consistently is fake hair or remy bundles or whatever they are calling them now, fake nails, the latest cell phones…………it’s the only thing on their minds………it’s an embarrassment, but there it is……………life means nothing more, holds no more value than that………..sometimes food comes secondary to the ones who are really far gone into mindlessness.

  40. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    http://youtu.be/8DgNTra35OI

  41. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    sweet soca. thanks Enuff.

  42. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    @ Hants
    “Barbados is a Nation of manic consumers. If you import it they will buy it regardless of the cost.”

    So why so many stores reporting heavy losses and or closing down?

  43. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Enuff asks “So why so many stores reporting heavy losses and or closing down?

    Because more and more of the manic consumers lost their jobs or their credit.

  44. David (not BU) Avatar
    David (not BU)

    you know, i hate to read comments from stupid asses like Hants. a segment of our population do shite (and it is only shite to us, who dont see the need for it but who are us to tell people what to do?) and you and your ass backward thinking would try to justify your stupidity by trying link all of people.

    so let me ask you this dumbass Hants, what about the people who don’t have Visas or can afford to go on the hill tomorrow? you got a reason for them now doing that to? fucking ass.

    i would have expected that from ac or CCC.

  45. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Hants is freaking in concern over his property on the island…………it is his investment and he cannot even sell it, real estate has gone through………………..people are really getting antsy about the situation in Barbados………..there is now more water than flour………

  46. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    By the way………..where is Carson??…………it appears he has some explaining to do after all that bragging……………

  47. David (not BU) Avatar
    David (not BU)

    Well Well, if that was Hants’ concern i could understand it but its clearly not. i would never go to any Reggae Festival show because I personal dont see the need. However, i have a friend who has been trying to make ends meet for the past 6 mths or so. life for her has been really hard.

    she started selling the Remy hair using what little she had saved and you know what? she is making a killing on her investment. she is the type to go to reggae on the hill and even now she is making maybe 200-300 a bag of hair, she tells me she can’t afford to go.

    so yes, she had to use Forex but she also had to live and support her child. she saw a demand which had to be met and she step in and fill the gap.

    i would LOVE to hear what Hants would say to her.

  48. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    David (not BU)……………..that is the level that the island has been allowed to reach…………years ago we would never hear of someone having to sell hair just to survive, i mean she has to do it, the demand is available………..but that is the level that the island was allowed to sink to without any new innovation or vision by it’s leaders who have very recently proved to us all that they are nothing more than a bunch of snake oil salesmen.

  49. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    David (not BU) wrote “i would LOVE to hear what Hants would say to her.”

    I would say to her Desperate situations call for desperate actions.

    I am glad she found a way to support her child.

    According to David (not BU) she is making a killing on her investment.

    So are all the foreigners who sell goods to and in Barbados.

    David (not BU) I will credit you with enough intelligence to understand that Barbados has to produce more than it consumes.
    The two biggest Forex earners are in trouble and you cannot borrow continuously to feed the manic consumers.

  50. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @Well Well,

    Barbados has to export more and import less. Plain and simple.

Older Comments
1 2 3 4 5 6 … 8
Newer Comments

Leave a Reply to Well WellCancel reply

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading