est. 2007

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Who Are the Local Partners in Cost-U-Less?

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. David Avatar
    David

    Agree with the thrust of Shantal’s column. If it is going to take two years for consumers to realize low prices something is wrong. This is a company which received massive concessions mind you. Have they not factored said concessions in the %margin? The present model means that CUL squeezes into an already crowded retailer’s space selling at the same price. The result is obvious.

    In this case BU is firmly of the view that political opportunism is really at play here, nothing to do with bring down prices.

  2. ac Avatar
    ac

    the bottom line !. the consumer will decide if CUL stays or Folds

  3. David Avatar
    David

    @ac

    See if you can follow the argument here. It is commonsense that if government gave CUL concessions the objective is to hit the ground running to achieve the objective of lower prices for consumers. This is the declared reason CUL was given concessions.

    Secondly given the alleged ownership structure and tax waivers given there is a question of ethics violation.

    Surely you can understand these issues?

    Your point that if CUL does not cut it it will have to close is obvious and not being questioned..

  4. Gabriel Tackle Avatar
    Gabriel Tackle

    There is a study in possession of the Government detailing the unfair and unacceptable union practices at both the Air and Sea Ports and within the Customs and Excise Department and for which Barbadians and visitors pay dearly to maintain.Meetings with key stakeholders to confirm the unfair business practices were outlined at that meeting to a UN sub committee and a report was sent to Government.It appears that our political masters do not have the cojones to take on either the NUPW nor the BWU.Who then!

  5. ac Avatar
    ac

    i do understand your point albeit given with a political jaundice eye. so my comment is obvious in response . however if one examines it from a business perspective one can at least acknowledge and appreciate the fact that most business first objective is to be sustainable and accommodating to its consumers, needless to say it does not always work out that way for many reasons. a large conglomerate and a successful one like Cost -u- less has been around long enough to understand and feel the pulse of the consumer and it becomes frustrating when the consumer needs are not made and the promises made cannot be delivered, , it maybe that what Cost-U- Less was expecting to be a larger than expected customer support might have been thwarted and rather than close its doors in a short period of time and sending home the newly employed it might have had to reverse to a slightly higher pricing of its product to make up for the shortage in consumer spending. maybe now is now the time for a Cost _u- less; However it maybe the best alternative for our market.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    Interesting that the principal at CUL mentions a two year period before Barbadians consumers see low prices. If one were to guess it seems that in their business model the objective is to aggressively amortize setup cost in the first two years by maintaining prices at market level. Barbadian consumers will go for it, no problem.

  7. David Avatar
    David

    @ac

    It is pointless debating any issue with you carry on.

  8. ac Avatar
    ac

    another point of interest is the talk about “concession” in as much as i hate to see taxpayers money funding private enterprise i do understand the necessity even though it has all it built in problems but in the world of capitalism and finance it is a win win for govt and the investor. similar to the horse and buggy. the govt gets a return on its investment by getting jobs and not having to pull the workload of managing and financing for an overextended period of time while on the other hand the investor has to do most of the pulling. it is not as easy a street as people would want to believe and govts worldwide does entertain and endorse the financing of investor with good reason as they see that many of the benefits go into building their economy through growth additional for ex and jobs. the concessions then is money well spent.. most of the time the money given is only a drop in the bucket compare to the day to day hustle and stress the investor endures just keeping the company afloat .
    i just read recently that the USA gave Toyota 0ver 400million dollars to build a plant in the midwest . just think of the jobs generated and the money which would be fueld into the economy from such a move . Is a risk Yes . but better than doing nothing. the same strategy applies wether it be small countries or large. Govt cannot do it all alone. and investors need the money and govt needs the jobs generated and much more.

  9. ac Avatar
    ac

    I guess David it would be a lot easier to agree with out from a point of view that Cost U less is only for itself and the customer be damned and the govt gave too many concessions . That i can’t say! maybe you know something that the rest of us are not privy to.
    BTW i do remember the big hotel congolmerate who all but owns Jamaica u seem to have no problem when it comes to Jamaica govt giving him exhoberant concessions oh yes it is about forex and jobs …need i say no more..You do have a jaundice eye , Time to have your lense checks

  10. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Obviously Ms. Knight has not realized yet that CUL is political gimmick with the politicians/owners being the main beneficiaries and the consumers/taxpayers the suckers………..hopefully their doors will close in another few months when taxpayers realize they have been had and they won’t do any worse if they continue to shop at popular discount or hi-lo or even pricesmart…………….how do these lying, deceitful leaders live with themselves?

    On another note just got some information that the Remy hair that dumb black women are chasing after really comes from long hair grown on the vagina of indian women in South East Asia, nicely packed and sold to idiots……….nice going, you stupid women, I am waiting for someone to send me the video.

  11. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    The prices CUL is currently using to gouge bajans is not used in Canada or the US, the goods still come from the same places even if you are being mindful of shipping costs, but there are still making out like bandits cause they have all those wonderful tax concessions from government through the ministers/part owners which offset all costs from day one of opening. Not every business person is stupid, some of us know a scam when we see one.

  12. ac Avatar
    ac

    What business is it of people how black woman choose to spend their money, BTW sex toys market is big business specilazing in the dildo and plenty men big them. do i care as long as it makes them happy. btw i hear the mouth of the south Caswell own a couple them.

  13. LOOK Avatar
    LOOK

    The North American Continent is big, much bigger than the Barbados island – THANK GOD!!!

  14. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Look………………..you will expect those kinds of comments from people who are not too bright…………….if they said any different most people on the blog would wonder what happened to them.

  15. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    The Cost U Less idea was sold as that…. by the deceased PM. He said that the BLP were in bed with the distributors and he was going to bring in Cost U Less to cut out the middle man thus bringing down prices.

    David Thompson may be gone but since Cost U Less still came, those associated with him and his policies bought into the idea and since the concessions offered were beyond the pale, they definitely are still carrying out his policies (based on what the PM said about he was just keeping house), then the prices should be much lower not telling Bajans that they will have to wait two years for low prices. This is unacceptable, they may want to recoup their initial outlay in the shortest time.

    Bajans, do like me and do not grace the doors of Cost U Less. Support Shop Smart, at least that is locally owned and support the farmers and vendors markets.

  16. Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!! Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!!

    @ Well Well

    The Day that hair, Remy hair or bald pooch cat hair, grown from a vagina, grows long enough to be used as a hair substitute on the head of (Bajan) women is the day I lay down, and ask the LORD to go home.

    Well Well, you could imagine the amount of Indian wummens walking bout with a mobaton of crutch hair waiting till it get the length of 10, 12, 14 inches (according to my “Pocahontas” grandaughter with the donkey hair) to then get cut, sanitize and packaged?

    You are certainly joking.

    In my many years i have seen many hairs around a BUNT but NEVER 10, 12 or 14!!

  17. Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!! Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!!

    CIVIL DISSENT

    1. Assemble a few similarly thinking citizens who have the balls to speak out publicly.
    2. Paint up a few plackards with words like “Raping-us-in-Public”, “Cost-U-Whore, sorry More”, “How to Get Rich Quick” and “MP’s generating Forex” on different plackards of course you dont want Cris Sinkliar and Minister Whisper Boyce to sue you for Defamation like Payne suing Eddie Hinkson
    3. Call the Advocate/CBC, David Ellis and the BLP Newspaper (the real one down Fontabelle) and go early round 10 oclock and set up in Marshalls Trading Yard and walk round when the cameras and TV fold arrive.

    You dont need a license.

    By the time the police arrive, as they will, the nation will have the pictures, facebook will have the video and Cost you More and the rest of the rapists will have the lesson that we bajans are not going to sit down as Miss Ram and all uh wunna come heah and unfair de natives causing we ingrunt.

    But then again it is 11 p.m. and I had my last insulin shot at 8 o’clock so this conscientious dissent that i am advocating is purely the fantasy of a poor ole man off his medication and borderline comatose

  18. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Well Well at 9:08 p.m. Remy hair that dumb black women are chasing after really comes from long hair grown on the vagina of indian women in South East Asia”

    Black women wear Remy hair in order to attract the attention of black men. If black men loved black women with natural hair then black women would know this.

    I doubt that the hair comes from vaginas. Vagina hair tends to grow much more slowly that head hair. Don’t ask me how I know? And the vagina hair of sexually active women is constantly being ground down during sexual activity. So unless there are millions of Indian virgins selling their vagina hair, which is unlikely, then I think that you story is an urban myth.

    And beside there are many men who would love the Remy on their woman even more if they believed it came from the vagina of a “brown skin women with good hair.”

    Black men have a strong thing for white, or light or brown skin woman with good hair.

    I lie?

  19. Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!! Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!!

    @ Well Well

    In keeping with your article about Remy hair, and since i cannot sleep after your provided that imagery to and ole man, here is the new version of the memorable song made popular by Price Ray “For the Good Times”.

    “Lay your head, upon my pillow, put your warm, imported BUNT hairs in my faceeeee”
    “I smell the lingering, wift of Indian po po, blowing softly in my nose holes”
    “And I make believeeeee…. that this hair is your hair , just this time,
    Oooooohh, for the good times”

    To be sung by MADD (Bajan comedian group). Authorship and copyright concept from Well Well.

    I hope that Islandgirl246 hair, the one her head, is her real hair or i gine hafta leff she out like i did AC!!

    Speaking of which, Bushie and Onions, I went to the Hill yesterday to see my girl in “yellow yellow kiss a fellow” and i get soak in de rain, I ent had nuh umbrella and de blue shirt i was wearing was a cheap one and all de dye run into my white pants and ting. Man i did look a sight (no i did not say shi**)

    Fellows, de ting is, i want some advice, De dye like it is indelible ink and all my torso and legs now blue!!!

    Yes fellow even de goadies, i got veritable “blue balls” but de real issue is dat de madam and de chrch s=choir coming back pun Thursday and i cyan explain how i blue like Papa Smurf!!

    Baffy you is an expert pun tings like dis, being dat you know bout wax en ting, is dere a black dye dat i kin put on dat gine mek me skin look like de normal colour by Thursdey???

  20. Smooth Chocolate Avatar
    Smooth Chocolate

    @Well Well | April 28, 2013 at 9:08 PM |
    “… the Remy hair that dumb black women are chasing after really comes from long hair grown on the vagina of indian women in South East Asia,”

    LOL… not nice at all!!! … people have approached me while here in Barbados to sell my hair. i do not know how they would use it but the thought just horrified me. i cut my hair 5 months ago and have kept it, i will not sell it but i do think that there are enough naturally long hair people in the Caribbean that someone could create that hair extension business, instead of having to import it at the foolishly exorbitant prices, since we all know that the Asian women sell it at extremely cheap prices.

    The other side of the coin is that since the hair would be manufactured in the Caribbean,f the women here might not be inclined to purchase it. i remember some years ago a manufacturer in New York took a pal of mine to his plant to show her that the brand name jeans pants and the no name ones were produced in the same factory, the cause of the difference in prices was the little tag saying Levi. Calvin Klein, Wrangler etc. the no name jeans were made out of the same material. but people just love to know they are wearing brand name, so I do not know if in the same context that Caribbean women will be willing to buy hair extension manufactured in the Caribbean

  21. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Well Well where do you get your info from? Pussy hairs now being used for weaves??? ROFLMAO. Pieceofderock…yuh got me brekking up. Well Well I hope that you were not serious bout dem pissy hairs…LOLLLL

  22. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Everyone………………..do you know how long the body hair of indian women grow and how thick it become when they are young and it’s still shiny??

  23. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    And black women are the perfect patsies to sell this garbage to…………there is a pic, I am trying to reaccess it.

  24. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Chocolate……………..as soon as you mention manufacturing, especially in Bim, that’s the end of the hair business, you just said the magic words to prevent black women from continually making idiots of themselves………the government will not want to be bothered with all the paper work entailed to allow such and where will you get the workers? Bajans are certainly not going to work for $37 a month………..

    Piece……………..there is an easier way to punish the scam artists who are CUL owners without having picketers arrested for public disorder………….Barbados is small, just pass the word around, STOP SHOPPING AT CUL…………..it would be interesting to know if the leader of the opposition knows about who really owns the supermarket and has chosen to say nothing to the taxpayers she hopes one day makes her the first female PM……….it would certainly be a travesty and everyone will need to ask her why she is also hiding information from the public/voters.

  25. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    This subject is very touchy to me, but i have come to recognize that black males are the weakest link in the race, they are only happy when they see fair skin, soft/curly/straight hair in a female and are first and foremost the ones to denigrate the eternally youthful and superior quality skin of the black female, not to mention the strong and better quality hair of the black female………i still see it as no excuse that the black female will try to look or have the hair texture of someone that they really and truly are more perfect than in every way……………….i certainly would not change my God-given perfection to look inferior just to try and attract a black man, it is not worth the step down, when most white men love and appreciate the fact that a natural looking black woman has a longer shelf life., and show black women more respect…………education is needed people

  26. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    In another hair related matter……….sorry i did not save that article, i think it can still be googled…………In South Africa, people with long dreadlocks are now held down and their locks are cut and stolen, taken to the beauty salons and sold for as much as $200, i believe, per lock………….then knitted into the hair of others who prefer the natural look to the fake hair and unhealthy chemicals………..people with locks are now constantly worried about being attacked and having their locks stolen. I know, i know, the people with low self-esteem in Barbados look down on natural hair and dreadlocks…………..

  27. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @Simple Simon
    And the vagina hair of sexually active women is constantly being ground down during sexual activity
    ***********
    Since I don’t want to be the subject of a defamation suit as launched by the former Toronto GM against the blogs as detailed by A Cummins, all I will say is that the foregoing statement is proof why there is a lack of moustaches by certain males on this blog.
    No names no foul, no lawsuit, but if wunnah see someone attempting to grow back a moustache yuh can figure out why it was “ground down” 🙂

  28. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Sarge is there a reason why Bajan males don’t grow moustaches?

  29. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Well Well
    We have some social nuisances here who should be taken and their locks sent to South Africa. We could start to export locks; may be after 12:00 am certain people would be wary.

  30. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Sarge
    If you want to confess about your specialty on BU we are all ears; do not involve all men. Remember when that back tool becomes no 1, it means that tool no 1 is not working.

  31. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Lemmie you will need all tools to work in order to get good and satisfactory results. If you prefer only using tool #1 then you need some lessons and your other half is lying to you or you are not interested in mutual satisfaction.

  32. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Island
    Why don’t you leave my pelting action alone. I was quite clear about tool no1 and tool no 2. But women continue to make sport at men with sex any how, so a little lying to me to make feel like super man can’t be bad. I want you to remember that my friends with benefits shall not include tool no 2. Call Bushie for that!

  33. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Lemmie ….whoa…yuh getting frantic LOLLL You will end up with friends without benefits. ROFLMAO ….LOLLLL

  34. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Island
    Seriously, I always wondered what makes men meet a women and the next minute decide the best tool to pelt is tool no 2. I could see Bushie doing that because it is in his nature with the bush thing, but how can tool no 1 be discarded so easily, if it is working that is. Like the women usually say I would have to know you very well to pelt tool no 2.

  35. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Lemuel…………..yuh killing me!!

  36. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    Bushie serious as sh**e now!

    This is a formal application for a BU lawsuit in Lemuel tail for malicious slander, damages, character assassination, mental stress and telling lies pun Bushie.
    Caswell representing the bushman….

    If Lemuel don’t apologize profusely and withdraw his slanderous remarks, Bushie will hand the whole BU shebang over to Alvin Cummings who will uncover David’s ID ….and (since David knows everything and everybody,) expose all names so that we can all be abused like how Fractured does abuse Caswell….

    …wait, how come nobody ain’t sue Caswell yet…?

  37. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Lemmie some people lickrish and doan care eff dem know you or not dem does put dem mout pon anything or anyone! LOLL Dat is why some people gine get poison.
    Bushie Lemmie did axing yuh someting.

  38. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Bushie…………………I been asking myself the said same thing…………looks like Caswell is well armored.

  39. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Bushie
    Let me apologize for any thing that I said that would have belittled your man hood. All I said was that you know more about the bush thing. Island already made it clear that any body coming round her must use tool no 2. What you need to concentrate on the the various techniques in the use of tool no 2, and not suing any body. Sarge even indicate a willingness to train you as he has been utilizing tool no 2 for years; he may even be seen as an expert. Bushie cuddair man I only looking out for you, since the mix up with the mercedes.

  40. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Bushie

    Nobody has sued me yet because I endeavour to tell the truth, and truth that I can prove.

  41. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    I came through the airport today. Right in front of my eyes at the arrival section is a big lighted “billboard” of Cost U Less. Why is that sign in such a prominent position? I could understand if it was advertising a hotel or some related tourism product or service but Cost u Less? In fact, I have never seen a sign there prior to this. Ummmm!!!

  42. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Sargeant | April 29, 2013 at 8:37 AM |
    @Simple Simon
    And the vagina hair of sexually active women is constantly being ground down during sexual activity
    ***********
    …. but if wunnah see someone attempting to grow back a moustache yuh can figure out why it was “ground down”
    ………………………………..
    Arn’t these the same guys who walk around with toothpicks?

  43. David Avatar
    David

    @Well Well

  44. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    David……………….i noticed she did not like the Indian Remi hair for whatever reason, she preferred the Chinese Remi………………i did not even know the Remis were from different countries…………airhead does not begin to describe this bunch……..

  45. David Avatar
    David

    @Well Well

    Note that Remy is not a brand but has to do with:

    “Remy Hair is considered to be the finest quality of human hair because the cuticles are kept intact and not stripped, like in most other non-Remy hair extensions. Preserving the hairs’ cuticles and aligning them in a unidirectional fashion creates extensions that are completely natural in appearance. This process ensures that the hair remains super soft, shiny, silky and completely tangle-free throughout its lifetime.” http://www.luxyhair.com/pages/what-is-remy-human-hair

  46. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @Lemuel
    Looks like you bit off more than you can chew in tackling this subject, as soon as IG246 put you in the crosshairs you run to the Bush(T) for shelter.

    The whole idea of pubic hairs for wigs is preposterous and Simple Simon lived up to her moniker by writing about hairs being “ground down during sexual activity”, did someone have an extreme case of friction burn?

    Anyway on the off chance that Simple Simon is right I will delve into my entrepreneurial basket, and open a store to sell Merkins exclusively.

    Look for Sarge’s Briar Patch, coming to a mall near you 🙂

  47. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Sarge
    Bushie threatening to sue me and you don’t want to run for cover. And he got to retain Caswell before I could. It is alright for you to talk from hind sight but I had to take evasive action. I still glad you din get vex as I let out your secret weapon for the females.

  48. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Sarge “Look for Sarge’s Briar Patch, coming to a mall near you”

    Which mall?

    What hours?

  49. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    But Well Well where you does get such stories from? First you allege that the finest Remi hair is from the pudendums of South Asian women, next that locksmen in South Africa are kidnapped and their locks shorn and put on sale for $200 each.

    For the enlightenment of the BU family I want you to post the U-tube videos of these 2 alleged activities.

  50. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Simple simon………do your own homework, the stories are there for you to google……..

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