BU wishes to ask the Cabinet of Barbados headed by Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart the following questions:

Was Jada Construction – Bjorn Bjerkman – awarded the GROTTO contract WITHOUT going to tender? If so is this a violation of government’s financial rules?

In December last year with much fanfare former Minister of Transport John Boyce launched the Super Saver Smart Card. This is a prepaid card designed to allow customers to ‘top up’ and use to pay for travel on Transport Board buses.

Is it true that the Super Smart Card system has had to be abandoned after less than 5 months? What was the cost of implementing this technology at Transport Board? What has the usage been to date?

A reminder to members of parliament that you have been elected to serve the people.


  1. @enuff

    One got the impression the initiative was to improve cash management at the TB.

  2. St George's Dragon Avatar
    St George’s Dragon

    Neither did I see public adverts for the new temperature controlled fish packaging plant which was in the Nation on Tuesday.

  3. Fractured BLP Avatar

    Hi Miller ,

    Why are you gripping about a contract for the GROTTO for ?

    Go and take a look at section 137 A of the Financial Management and Audit Act.

    It was the Owen Arthur Administration that brought in that amended section .


  4. Miller all speculation on your part. however makes for interesting debate


  5. Remember when BU started Tales of the Courts and even before we were berated that our positions were untrue? We have lived to see the day when lawyers are coming public by saying the same thing. Hell even the CJ agrees.

  6. Gabriel Tackle Avatar
    Gabriel Tackle

    @Well,Well
    By what yardstick do you measure incompetence?There are so many variables in running a transportation system on a scheduled basis.It’s why the local ZR culture will prevail.The TB is about observing the law and negotiated contracts plus the important variable of running a schedules services irrespective of a full or empty load.It’s the same with LIAT and CAL,the difference here is that LIAT is struggling to compete with its own daily survival serving some 20 something destinations which are never more that between 15 and 60 mins flying time from each other and it is a given that an airline makes money when in the air as opposed to being on the ground,so that LIAT would have an inordinately high maintenance and parts replacement regime and higher fuel consumption than a carrier that flies from our region to mainland USA,Canada or UK.Add to this the competing economic interests of underdeveloped states and one can see the myriad problems faced by LIAT and which you perhaps euphemistically refer to as incompetence.LIAT is funded/supported by 3 Caribbean governments while to quote the PM of Barbados the others’ suckle at the airlines’ nipples without coughing up a cent to help the bottom line.I think you might want to measure LIAT by its safety record,its on time performnce given its challenges of an aging fleet and its instinct for survival against several foes in the past who have all come and gone and fortunately left LIAT to continue to serve these Eastern Caribbean states with distinction using Caribbean nationals from top to bottom.Their pilots must be among the most skilled in the aviation industry.


  7. The name Kyffin Simpson keeps surfacing in connection to the TB. There is the rumour since last year that Simpson is to take over the management of the fleet.


  8. Gabriel……………….LIAT is not the only airline worldwide that does island hopping, if the countries who own shares in the airline can’t get their acts together and act as it is in their best interest to do so, the airline will not last much longer…………after so many years they should be able to get past their pettiness as well as selfishness and deal effectively with the myriad of problems that i am sure other airlines also encounter in that business. If they can’t handle a little competition, maybe it is time to sell the airline to Trinidad. Air Jamaica did and it worked out. Personally, i hope they can resolve it to everyone’s benefit.


  9. @ david

    That’s why you incentivise the use of the smart card thereby encouraging more smart cards and less cash. In addition, they were not valid on private transportation therefore meaning inflexible. Who are the thinkers in this Cabinet?

  10. The Dummy @ Dumo Avatar
    The Dummy @ Dumo

    Sinckler got $3.0 plus $1.50 from white boys up north before the elections. Not a penny made into the DLP, it was hijacked by the two Garrison ruffians. The $0.25 given by Mr William ‘Busy’ Ralph was also tapped by the Garrison ruffians even tho a oil bit did end up in the DLP. Mr. ‘Busy’ Ralph also arranged for Digi Digi the Irish Leprechaun to give Uncle O three million 2 weeks before the election


  11. Hi Public Officer;

    You said: “For example, at the Office of Public Sector Reform, the Director, Michael Archer, just gave his friends at S and M printing a $ 10,000.00 cheque for printing 3000 Administrative manuals to serve 200 Administrative Officers in the entire public service. I invite you to visit the Office of Public Sector Reform on Monday and see over 2,500 of those manuals lying on the floor of Archer’s office”.

    I think some clarification is needed:
    The cost per manual seems to work out at about $3.33. So it doesn’t seem to be the cost that you are disturbed about. Indeed, that cost have been cheaper, as well as possibly more cost efficient and timely than having the manuals printed by the Government’s Printing Office, Are the figures you give re. the costs accurate? Are they merely a down payment? Have you omitted a zero somewhere?

    Your main concern however seems to be wastage. How long do you think the manuals will be relevant to the duties of a typical Public service admin officer? If they are 200 in such posts now, how many more officers are aspiring to become admin officers or need to know how admin officers should function? Should the manuals be made available to all public officers in the admin stream and otherwise? If so, how many are they in that stream? Shouldn’t other public officers also have these books made available to them? Mightn’t there be a reasonable case made for the printing of the 3000 manuals?

    I suspect there are many other ways that the manual could have been produced to be more cost effective but I don’t think that your facts, at face value, make a good case for apparently attacking the Director of the Office of Public reform or the relevant person at S and M printing, wherever and whatever that is. But to be fair, give us some more facts. There are probably a number of other areas to attack them on. But at present this doesn’t appear to be one of them.

  12. St George's Dragon Avatar
    St George’s Dragon

    I heard KS wants to take over the Transport board but will only do it if the ZRs licenses are withdrawn so he runs the whole show.


  13. When you don’t have proper regulations and high standards, that is what happens, someone will roll in and try to take over the whole show…..when will these politicians every learn……..

  14. Gabriel Tackle Avatar
    Gabriel Tackle

    Latest information on that CAL/Air J’ca merger is that CAL is reducing J’ca routes and staff much to the distress of the J’ca folk.CAL is deep in debt according to the Express to the tune of 1/2 billion dollars(I assume TT$)


  15. Gabriel………………..that is now making a strong case that the airline will need a financial bailout from the state, i am sure that will include subsides……….Did AA not just had to merge with another carrier cause they found themselves staring at bankruptcy??? the struggle out there is real…………..


  16. Strange that Carson has not tuned in as yet.


  17. I want the Dems shut down Barbados. The country should then realise how important a vote is and the need for more people to become involved in political parties, pressure groups etc.

  18. Gabriel Tackle Avatar
    Gabriel Tackle

    I referred to the Express and found that CAL/r J’ca debt is more than I wrote.CAL/AJ losses to financial 2012 is US$83,780,546.00 which is a whopping TT 7 billion.The Express also said that CAL/JA is seeking to borrow US$234,000,000.00 or about TT$15billion on the local market.CAL/AJ provides revenue earning of billions of dollars in foreign exchange for Trinidad and I do not think adding LIAT to the mix is cause for hope.These losses are not sustainable however Guyana,Trinidad and Tobago,Barbados,Grenada and Jamaica all depend on CAL to provide international services and there should be some financial assistance forthcoming from these territories by way of concessions to the carrier to ensure its continued operations .


  19. CLICO must have convinced doubters how regional economies are intertwined and the pressing need to work together to resolve problems. Surely Kamla appreciates that our little markets collectively reprent a significant trading bloc.


  20. How come everyone except the leaders sees the benefits of joining forces to remain sustainable??


  21. @David | May 11, 2013 at 1:09 PM

    ——————————————————————
    David, the smart card NEVER got of the ground and in its current form it NEVER will. I was being tested on staff for years, since around 2008 or so.

    The ETM machines that are in use currently are expected to be phased out some where around July this year the plan is to go back to the manual waybill system (writing info on paper, and giving the previous manual ticket) from what I understand Simpson Motors had to be paid 90,000 each month for the use of the technology and the fixing of the machines. Over a million a year is and was way too much for that out dated crap. Seems it was problematic to get the smart card to work with the technology used the the machines effectively also.

    David everyone wants to get rich off the TB, don’t let anyone fool you it can be more effective and efficient but it is in the interest of persons to have the TB waste millions each month, a lot of money is filtered (laundered) back to politicians, board members and senior staff too.

    Lastly,

    Simpson motors supplies the mercedes buses
    Simpson motors supplies the parts for them
    Simpson motors is back ownership of SOL which I see delivering the diesel

    Simpson motors is easily the forerunner for the Sinkliar plan goes into effect.

    David, the TB is the only statutory board that DOES NOT have gratuity. We get no gratuity or pension. When you go home you get NOTHING. Now tell me how for a place running since August 1955 this could be right. The BWU took our money each week for all these years but never could get a gratuity in place in times of plenty. Pray for us David.


  22. Well Well | May 11, 2013 at 10:24 AM |

    “I am struggling with words this morning, it’s freezing where i am, thought the winter was over…”

    Well Well….you struggling for words bout here??? If you call the person with the MOST posts bout here struggling for words then I am the Virgin Mary! The cold ent done nutting to yuh mouth so stop trying to play all coy. You like yuh does talk when yuh sleeping. Yuh mouth doan get tired at all? Even yuh friend the commoner had to say sumting bout yuh mout. I have to say It running like sick nigga bam bam.


  23. islandgal246 leave Well “Well “enough” alone. She may not be as “lucky” as you.


  24. The administrative manuals have been distributed to other public officers other than just admin officers.

    Re the Grotto, I expect that we will be told that it is a joint venture that will cost the government “nothing”, just like coverly. The government putting in the land and jada using his money to build the apartments. I would also expect that just like coverly, the public will never be told how much was spent to acquire the land, or the value of the land, and what exactly will be the benefit of this type of arrangement.


  25. Driver that is a very serious statement you have just made and I am horrified about the policy at the TB. Something ain’t right! You mean to say that the BWU didn’t do anything for the workers at the TB???? Oh shoite man dem treating wunna worst than animals. My heart hurts for you. Why don’t you all find another union to fight for you. Ask Caswell, his mouth real big. I can’t believe in this day and age the governments of the day still treating people like this. No Pensions????? Gratuity is given by discretion no?


  26. It seems like the shoite starting to hit the fan. Where Jada getting all this money from bozzy???? He got someone with nuff money financing him??? I wunder who might that be?????


  27. @Driver

    Are you saying that when Minister Boyce posed in that pic in November he knew the Smart Card system was a no go?

  28. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    How long does it take for people to see PONZI?


  29. Jada is getting its money from Barbadian taxpayers on what appears to me to be over-priced contracts.
    We are dumb.

  30. The Dummy @ Dumo Avatar
    The Dummy @ Dumo

    Jada = Simpson


  31. Islandgal……………..if only slick niggas like you had a brain that works like my mouth.

    Gabriel………….in reading todays Express it seems that much of CALs financial problems stems from gross negligence and incompetence, separate and distinct from other operational issues the airline now face, they have already fired one of the execs, this is just a quote from the article.

    The losses are separate from the credit crunch which CAL is seeking to crawl out off.

    Some years ago i read an article where government was warned to stop importing the Mercedes buses from Brazil, i believe, over and over and over because of all the issues related to maintenance etc, apparently, if Simpson has always had a say in this, nothing will change, a case of black men again refusing to show initiative and thinking independently for themselves.


  32. I was not going to comment on this, but since slick niggas Island Gal, along with the counter of other people’s posts and stalker NO COMMON SENSE needs their inadequacies to be shown up, i will oblige…………it is becoming increasingly clear that you two lack what it takes in speed reading and writing skills, therefore you have a mistaken believe that you can project your lack of a higher level of intelligence and skills unto me, big mistake……………you would do a whole lot better to improve you skills with more reading and programs that are available for quick responses, if you are unable to respond to posts quickly enough or read mine as fast as any person with a high level of intelligence should, you have no one but yourself to blame, you are lacking something, somewhere, i will not apologize for the research i have done and skills i have developed over the many years that these tools were available for everyone, both of you are the typical bajan, instead of utilizing what is in front of you, you let petty jealousies, envy and malicious comments rule your lives. We should not then be surprised about the state of the island if nuisance dwellers like you populating and polluting the island with your ignorance and basic lack of common sense.. The time you are taking to see if you can better me in intelligence by making yourself look dumb would be better spent searching out those skills i have been speaking about, maybe if you are not also selfish, you can pass on that knowledge to others for the good of the island……….now there, you asked for it, always be careful for what you ask and unless you have the ammunition, be careful who you try to take on………..


  33. If what Driver is saying is true, someone please tell when Simpson Motors became a technology firm?


  34. Island darling…………and if by any chance these useless politicians who are in just as sorry a state as you two are intellectually are the ones putting you up to it, they will certainly regret it when they right time comes and that my dear, is a promise.

  35. The Dummy @ Dumo Avatar
    The Dummy @ Dumo

    Kyffin “The Ninja” Simpson goes to extensive lengths to hide from public scrutiny his investments and the source of his wealth. Jada’s Managing Director Philip Tempro is Kyffin’s godson.

  36. BARBADIANONOVERSEASVISIT Avatar
    BARBADIANONOVERSEASVISIT

    @Island

    why do you think that govt is allowing contribution towards a pension fund as a deductible? And do you realize that the trend is towards a NIS pension for workers in statutory boards,


  37. The high costs of being politically corrupt when practicing petty politics..

    Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/pols-scramble-audio-shirley-huntley-undercover-sting-article-1.1341748#ixzz2T5W2SEzE


  38. And in today’s news Mark Maloney aka Preconco aka JADA aka Bjerkhamn has his say. The trees must go!

    http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/okay-to-remove-trees-near-grotto/

  39. The Dummy @ Dumo Avatar
    The Dummy @ Dumo

    Maloney aka Preconco aka Jada aka Bjerkhamn aka Kyffin’s Simpson


  40. As usual the politicians are giving permission to and allowing others to do whatever they feel like……….when will the taxpayers hear JADA is owed many millions by the government?? although now that they are a married couple, the taxpayers are not privy to all their wheeling and dealing, systems should be put in place that as long as government refuses to institute transparency and integrity, individual ministers are liable for any financial debts owed to their friends such as COW, JADA, Simpson et al…..

    That is what should really concern bloggers, particularly the ones inhabiting the island and who will be directly affected by these turn of events.

  41. The Dummy @ Dumo Avatar
    The Dummy @ Dumo

    Well Well

    You know that JADA aka Bjerkhamn aka Simpson has just bought Rayside aka the ‘black’ road building and earth moving contractor?


  42. Is it reasonable to assume proceeds of the sale of Rayside has gone into the CLICO kitty to help pay BIPA members OR to pay the lawyers and auditors? What are the fees to date paid to Deloitte’s?


  43. Dumo……….i very recently heard JADA bought Rayside, just follow the money.

  44. The Dummy @ Dumo Avatar
    The Dummy @ Dumo

    Well Well

    Then you’ll know to expect two things from the Rayside (soon to be renamed INFRA Constructure) namely the GOB will have to make a cash injection to preserve those ‘black’ jobs and INFRA will have to get major state sponsored projects without bidding


  45. Maybe this is why Sir Cow has sent out 100 letters with a promise to send home long standing employees.

  46. The Dummy @ Dumo Avatar
    The Dummy @ Dumo

    David
    You know the investors in CLICO are not going to get a cent back. The big boys have already signed off on the ‘Final Solution’ and they are planning on leaving any money or assets on the table for the investors. They have to suck salt.

  47. The Dummy @ Dumo Avatar
    The Dummy @ Dumo

    They are NOT planning on leaving any money or assets on the table.


  48. Dumo……………they will just continue to use the same template of wasting tax dollars paying the owners to keep black people employed in a black majority country……………i do believe the politicians in Bim are inherently retarded.


  49. You can guarantee that all that money will be banked in Europe……….as i said earlier i will be happy for them when all the money is frozen so that European governments can restart the economic recovery/


  50. CLICO’s assets will definitely have to be sold, but what are the lawyer(s) for the investors doing?? Are they making any progress at all??

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