In a related matter Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart has given government’s support for the 2009 Draft Model Law on the Registration and Regulation of Political Parties. This is an initiative which a BU commentator (Baffy) has been relentless in pushing for many years, often times made fun of on the talk shows.
Charting our losses: ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’
In a related matter Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart has given government’s support for the 2009 Draft Model Law on the Registration and Regulation of Political Parties. This is an initiative which a BU commentator (Baffy) has been relentless in pushing for many years, often times made fun of on the talk shows.
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Good Post David
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Thanks Baffy!
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Now it took three f#ckin’ years to admit that there is a model or “policy framework” … Hmmm. It has taken twelve years and counting to draft a Cultural Industries Bill. How long do you think it would take to get this new Act formulated and read? I see a task force being formed and it’s members getting free trips to visit the diaspora to seek out input. I see town hall meetings. I see a number of lawyers being contracted to come up with the phrasing, I see a number of speeches and photo ops taking place, but anyone who believes Mr Stuart at face value has to enjoys an unhealthy relationship with his/her blanket and pillow.
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What about FOI?
The Anti Corruption Bill was passed by the House months ago. What is the status? Has it gone the way of the Antiquities Bill?
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It’s still in draft form, that is always the excuse, being drafted, still waiting to be submitted in draft form, rah, rah, rah,
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Frankly I am glad that this is an OAS campaign, and not one of the subordinates like Caricom or Cariforum. But why waste time having the different domiciles do their individual drafting, let the OAS committee do all of the drafting to the point where figures are indicated by percentages of the population or GDP or constituency size, and that’s it. Other than for physical size there is very little difference between us and our patterns of behavior, and expectations when it comes to propriety. ONE committee to draft the f#cking document (one year maximum) and place it before the heads for discussion and implementation in the following year … matter fixed. No need for an Anti Corruption Bill since this Caricom Law will take care of everything. If Prime Ministers develop the argument that they are the ones chosen by the people and NOT the Commission, so they should NOT be answerable to this commission, then it would be clear to one and all who truly sincere are.
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Pigs have already flown Baffy………………you may be waiting a while.
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Corruption, a world wide problem.
Scandal: Just how corrupt is Britain?
Rotten banks, dodgy cops, MPs on the fiddle. A conference on public life has evidence to topple long-held assumptions
snip
With this weighty list and other cases to examine, it will be claimed today that corruption has in fact become an everyday part of British national life.
A conference of campaigners and academics, entitled “How Corrupt is Britain?”, will hear evidence that wrongdoing is not confined to a few corrupt officials but is systemic within leading institutions.
The conference organiser, Dr David Whyte, of the University of Liverpool’s School of Law and Social Justice which is hosting the event, said the aim was to challenge two “long-outdated” assumptions.
“First, that corruption is a problem that happens in far-away places, in governments that do not have our traditions. Secondly, that corruption is something that we can understand merely as a problem that stems from the actions of a minority of public officials who are ‘on the make’, rather than something that is routine in our most venerated institutions,” he said.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/scandal-just-how-corrupt-is-britain-8610095.html
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People who are in power believe they are entitled to more and that since they make the law they believe they are above it.
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All the back end aspects of this can be facilitated by IT and yes I have a patent to do that too
What I wanted Baffy to explain to me is what is called hidden in plain sight.
Let me use the examples of bunting and posters to explain.
Political party X spends 100k in bunting and posters.
Let us suppose the following
1. $ 100k comes from supporter who is seeking a reward of a kick back after elections
2. The posters are imported from a neighboring CARICOM member state where (a) paper and printing is way cheaper than in Barbados for example and (b) the contributor gets the printer and the bunting supplier to reinvoice the goods and to state they cost $10kWhich customs official is going to know/say that x thousand fliers did not really cost the prestigious printing firm or clothing supplier of Karmami Enterprises of T&T 10k instead of $100k? Or vice versa?
Let me go a little further to show the uselessness of this draft regulation
If one were to examine the nightmare of managing and monitoring Election Day costs, you start to see that no Election Commission would be able to manage far less intervene in ‘soft money’ use and abuse
Let me explain what soft money is. The costs of feeding transport constituents during E-Day is a major expense for a candidate. This is just a small component of soft money expenses.
The list goes on to include but not be limited to buying a cell phone for spotters at the polling station who report who voted to astute candidates seeking to ensure that their supporters turn up to vote
Suppose a Dudus like character in any CRicom jurisdiction said to any given candidate ‘I will finance those soft costs to the tune of 2 million dollars?
I put it to you Baffy that no front end system, mine included, nor regulation designed to monitor political party contributions, will allow you or any commission to monitor soft money contributions.
It is impossible.
Imagine going into Prime Minister Stuart’s constituency office and asking to count the pelau, a prominent soft money element on election day, cooked during his E-Day activities
Imagine said Regulatory body trying to insist that instead of the Rt Owen Arthur having paid a minibus man $200 it was in fact $500
So you are telling me that any Regulatory Body will now have the power to say that this hypothetical soft money excess was really used to buy a vote?
You get my point, ‘soft expenses’ are going to undermine any OAS sponsored huge-waste-of-time as that system can, and will, turn out to be
Wheel and wheel again
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First of all the entities NEED to be registered and their needs to be a set of rules by which they are governed. THAT IS INDISPUTABLE.
Policing will and has always been a problem for regulatory bodies, but what is important is that there is one, and as a result of there being one, the campaign to design effective initiatives to stay abreast of the political parties nefarious activities can begin.
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Baf………….including with that you will also need watch dog groups to monitor their activities……………
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In the Americas there are some pretty good watch dogs, Democracy Now, Young Turks and in Caricom we have the Fifth Estate, Social Media and of course Alpha Raymon. If the Commission falls short of its responsibilities there is a better chance of it becoming public knowledge today more so that ever before.
Of course one could always rely on the likes of Rosemary Alleyne, David Ellis and Stetson Babb … Uh hum..
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I honestly believe that Mathew Farley should be considered a watch dog … Uh hum
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My query still stands Baffy and Well Well
How will this Voter watch dog monitor and/or probe that Theophilus Zedekiah Herbert Bungling running for St Michael N.E giving the ZR driver $1000 for transporting Bungling’s potential supporters to the voting station was not in fact handling slush money, buying votes and transporting said bribed voters to the voting venue to thereafter pay them $100 for the ballot picture on their cell phone?
No agency can monitor that nor can it monitor the all day food barns that Mr. Bungling has running at his constituency HQ
Imagine Bungling gives his field Marshalls instructions to target all the undecideds who are unemployed and who want some food, Kentucky pelau or pudding and Souse
His message to them is ‘target the needy ones, the unemployed ones, those who hungry and tell them come by me today AMD promise them that if they vote for me,AFTER TODAY, WHEN I HET ELECTED I don’t forget my peeples
Bungling is buying votes and while the Prime Minister and the regulatory agency you are recommending can’t physically see money passing hands he too is subverting the process
The point that I am making is that under reporting and repurposing and ingenious use of soft money is going to be a problem that negates the very mechanism that you are setting up
CAIPO has all the names or directors of e Rey company in Barbados right?
So I am chairman of a statutory board x awarding a contract for $500,000 by tender. I set up a company Z with my step daughter P whose last name is nt the same as mine and I award the tender to her
Baffy you CANNOT find the money trail that soft money and ‘political contributions’ utilize regardless of any cross jurisdictional Campaign monitoring institution
I think that the legal limit of what you can claim for campaign spending per person is $1 isn’t it? I am not sure about this and given my persona non grata status I can’t call any politician and ask
I would not comment on if that $1 is realistic given what is required in a politician campaign nowadays but, when you look around are you inclined to believe that that cap is really what is spent?
Tell me how it is going to work in practice Baffy? Let us suppose that Each company is limited to a cap of $25k. So Holding company X with 10 subsidiaries can exceed that cap it the subsidiaries each put $25k and the last time I checked each entity is a different entity in law. Couple that with individual directors of the same company being able to gift in their individual capacities and the other nefarious relationships and the next this that some other party is going to recommend is not only that contributors must be registered but there must be a cap on the total monies that a party can accept.
Remember Baffy I have a patent that will facilitate the entire process so I do have a bias towards the platform but I am at a loss as to how you will manage under stated contributions and reassigned soft money applications as with the purported distribution of IPADS during the last general elections
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You have a solution. That is good. No need for me to spend energy to suggest something of my own. Not concerned, but your position as an advice giver makes it even more practical to have a commission set up so that it could utilize what it is that you have to offer. Without a Commission of sorts there is no entity that will be prepared to employ your skills. Why are we arguing this?
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Baffy, I am not arguing
I understand the need but I am querying the how.
The devil is in the details.
My schematic and patent can facilitate every one of the OAS regulations
What I am asking is how does it work in practice and not become inefficient and ineffective like say ***?
here is an example of effectiveness that highlights my comment
You know how, in order to get a refund, certain institutions demand that you bring in the receipt that records the purchase
Did you notice recently that when you look at a receipt a month after your purchase ALL OF THE INFO HAS DISAPPEARED!!!
Imagine you were paying a bill at courts and there was a problem with their computer accounting system ??
I called the FTC to ask them about this issue about six months ago, like I called the Complaints section of the Transport Board when one of their drivers nearly killed me 9 months ago, they promised to get back to me about what recourse I have, both of them
I AM STILL WAITING
I guess Baffy i have answered the question
For those people within political parties who really have no intention to be honest they will trick the stuffings out of any system
Which begs the question, why do this anyways?
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@Pieceuhderock
All businesses into thermal printing, it is suppose to be cheaper:-)
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@david weekes101
“Which begs the question, why do this anyways?”
Window dressing
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davidweekes001 | May 10, 2013 at 12:19 PM |
My query still stands Baffy and Well Well
How will this Voter watch dog monitor and/or probe that Theophilus Zedekiah Herbert Bungling running for St Michael N.E giving the ZR driver $1000 for transporting Bungling’s potential supporters to the voting station was not in fact handling slush money, buying votes and transporting said bribed voters to the voting venue to thereafter pay them $100 for the ballot picture on their cell phone?
This happened recently in the US…………..and should answer some of your query about finding a way to go after corruption. there was also one case of a female state senator who was sentenced day before to a year and day in jail for small time corruption, they used recordings to get some people………….
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/albany-sleaze-oozing-article-1.1336619
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No the state senator Huntley has to serve time in prison for corruption, she is the one got sentenced yesterday………….to achieve this in a small island such as Barbados, you will need the police, DPP and the judiciary to be unstained and untainted from corruption………..either that or they will continue to be so comfortable in their corrupt roles that one day they will slip and the FBI will roll in and extradite some of the them, i guess you will have to pray that some of them grow consciences and decide to stop or you one day get leadership who will not condone, encourage or enable corrupt practices. The special watch groups can play a vital role in constantly monitoring them, exposing their crap and keeping them on their corrupt toes……………Afra of Trinidad is one of a kind, and he is getting results, he is raising the consciousness of the people, Trinidadians are always open to new suggestions, so he has a success rate.
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These quasi/real criminals you wish to thwart ARE the system.
NOW the OTHER system that we “ordinary” people are forced to live by is a”Different kettle of Fish”.
I thought you were a realist Baffy.
Why are you discussing”catching Smoke”// -
Somedays I just get “sick” of reading Shite.
BU= Ball less Utterings.
Name ONE result of ANYTHING that has EVER been submitted here?
ONE “improvement” to the “total corruption” we in Barbados have to “suffer” on a daily basis.
AND tell me it AINT GETTING WORSE by the minute .
The people who run Barbados for their own benefit ,UNDERSTAND completely that you are just “paper tigers”, Dogs on a Chain.
They “KNOW” how long your chain is .
They are impervious to the “Chattering” of the Neutered Gurus.
BU is the “little box” they allow you to “get if OFF in” .
You have a “lot of Talk” and “NO BALLS”
DO SOMETHING.
Stop “just pulling your PRIVATES in PUBLIC” -
@Dr Love
Isn’t poor governance and corruption a problem the world over?
Relax.
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If we are really above “Partisan politics” and as we were purport,true Bajuns.
Then the good of all is far above the vested interest of these Leaches that control us .
Look at the sysytem as a clockwork mechanism,.
Remove one piece, any piece and the mechanism STOPS.
Are you telling me that “WE” as an entity,do not have the will and the intellectual power,the “CONTACTS”,the clout to REMOVE ONE small “COG” by lawfull means.
The MECHANISM WILL STOP.
Lets have” BAJILEAKS” . Anyone with KNOWLEDGE.”Spill the beans”
Select ONE cog and dedicate the strength that we have as a group ,to removing that person from OFFICE.
WHO is the Biggest Scumbag??
You decide.
Then after that “lets “pick another Scumbag” until we get rid of them all.
Who you want to vote we choose as “The first removealable cog”
Someone who the Rest of his cronies will NOT stand up for.Make a list.
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@David
AH! So as its endemic its acceptable??NEVER EVER expected that from YOU!!
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@Doc Love
Don’t you get it? It is a Club to which membership is highly valued. It is a process which some in social media is a part off. Those out there will have to become emboldened by what is being exposed and run with it. We remain optimistic.
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@David
But I still support your right to say it.
Not that I not disappointed. -
@David
Yes I”get it” I “got it ” so often my BUTT is sore and I need a rest from “Getting it”.
I don not think we will have change by Mutual consent. -
Dr. Love…………..just like Afra of TT had to start somewhere, i see BU as a starting point, even with the ACs and Carsons running interference but effectively proving our points at every turn. As long as everyone realizes this is for the long haul, the job will eventually get done………….we are dealing with people who don’t like positive changes and are never open to new ideas, still in the comfort zone of waiting for a politician to pay them their own money (taxpayers money) continuing to deceive themselves that government and the politician did something for them, give them a little job, that they are entitled to anyway on their own merits……..that is going to be a long road.
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@well Well
Yes very true.
But these guys get wrapped up in rhetoric.
Some cages need shaking a little ocassionally -
@well well
What about the “Cog” removal.?? -
@Doc Love
You need to understand that we all play roles. Our role is to expose information which have historically remain hidden/suppressed. It is up to other civic minded citizens to be outraged and run with it.
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Dr.Love
Here is the deal. You are fighting against an establishment which is entrenched. It will not tumble without a fight. Here is an idea what you are up against. This government was returned to office and they have essentially continued with the same people in Cabinet, in Senate. Hell they even appointed losing candidates to the Senate. The appointments were obviously done more with an eye on what is politically expedient than infusing government with new/different ideas. The conclusion: they have no clue what is required/what confronts us.
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Dr. Love……….it may not seem that way, but we have already started chipping away at the COG, keep at it long enough and it will be removed, we are talking about humans who have a very low tolerance for people who are determined, resilient and display endurance.
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@David
Yes but we must encourage active participation. Covert if not Overt.
I would like to see a Public awareness campaign.
The “pen” may be mightier than the “sword” but “talk is Cheap” and actions speak “Louder than Words”.
I would imagine that BU presence is not easily “advertised “.
What about “flyers”? I am am100% sure all of your contributors would be more than happy to” chip in on costs”.
I never have checked ,do you have a face book presence?Have you direct links with International press.?
Do your releases go directly to the British High Comissioner,American Ambassador and other like people?
Are there not American agencies concerned with “Corruption”,that can be involved.
Powerful civil Rights movements that can be contacted.
You have to get people involved.
I support the BU Ideal 100%.
I think that the Barbados population in General, has not the slightest understanding of what we are on the Brink of.
The World situation has now been with us for around 7 or 8 years(since it became obvious) and Bim is NOW feeling the cold wind of reality,IF the World were to reverse TODAY ,and be out of problems it follows that Barbados ,would not feel the benefit for a still very extended period.That presuming our “World Image” had not been totally trashed ,by the corruption and greed of those entrusted with our well being.
Obviously not much chance of that. The damage continues daily.Once we are in”freefall” a body gathers momentum.Not an encouraging prospect.
Its like having money, if you become familiar and treat it with Contempt it quickly disappears and the road back is not always attainable.
I look to Haiti and “Cross my fingers”
You commented very adroitly,“The conclusion: they have no clue what is required/what confronts us”
Public opinion needs to be mustered NOW, as I feel that this is to be a “shortlived” Goverment.
Otherwise we are condemned to an eternal kicking the “Govermental can down the street”
Partisan infighting,at the exspense of the Country.
The public must be made aware that what we have now, is useless for the situations that have evolved.
We are simply jumping from one end, to the other end, of a sinking ship that is broken in half, both ends DOOMED and to receive the same fate. -
@Dr Love
Yes David King is on FB. All BU blogs are immediately posted to FB and LinKedin. Note also BU provide 11 different channels at the bottom of every blog which accommodates ANY commenter to forward the blog to a recipient (s) of choice. Note also there is nothing to prevent any BU member from paying an email blaster to publicise BU. This is a cooperative, we have to do it together.
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@WellWell
I an encouraged by your words.
These people are Vicious, Greedy and corrupt,they are allowed by OUR complacency to be able to operate thus.
The basic character of any person, like they are; is that they lack all normal traits of ,brotherly love, social concience any loving human attribute.
I saw a quotation I think says it all.****Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny*****Unforetunatly THEIR DESTINY will also become OUR DESTINY.
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@david
What will it cost?? The blaster?? -
@Dr. Love
There is CLASSIMAX – http://www.classimax.com/
and
Tell Barbados – info@tellbarbados.com tel:825 2177 http://www.facebook.com/tellbarbados
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Dr. Love………….just the mere fact that politicians have been trying very hard to find out the identity of the blog owner tells us that their comfort zone is not so comfortable anymore. Their supporters attempts to destable instead of contributing for the common good of everyone on the island irrespective of useless party colors, is another good sign that people are getting uncomfortable, some people don’t even know what to say when some truths have been exposed, but try to wish it all away, it will work given time, this is a new era, what worked 50 years ago can no longer be condoned.
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