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501 responses to “Barbados Budget 2013”
I noticed the same Caswell. He cannot read numbers. The writer should have written out the numbers in words….then again, he would have stumbled over them too.
Miller,
Stinkliar will not touch their sacred cows. I was hoping he would at least suspend the constituency councils as nobody knows what they are supposed to be doing. I really wanted this so that our “friend” on BU would have lost his pick and would know what it is to feel the pinch like the poor people they claim to love are feeling. Alas wishful thinking.
I cannot believe what the hospital would be like with a 35 million dollar cut. I knew someone who was in a private ward and had to take in from toilet paper. Can you imagine how the public wards will fare now or what A&E will be like now? The poor will suffer.
So much for dear loving people……………….my backside!
@ Watching
It can be done, but it will require strong transformational leadership that can cascade and bring about this cultural change. This is what these organizations and Barbados as a whole need. Sadly ,we have none at this point !
Offering alternatives in this ignorant ass discriminatory society of cliques and fraternal links is a waste of time
——————————
Here is an alternative suggestion to start the ball rolling:
Why not get rid of the Constituency Councils and use the money to help out the SSA and the QEH or even the NCC?
—————=========—————=========———–
Why not get rid of FUMBLE FAKESPEARE and PISS STINKLIAR and the DOOMED LIARS PARTY (DLP)
checkit-out | August 13, 2013 at 7:02 PM |
Sinckler’s style has taken on the trappings of statesmanship.
———-
Are you on drugs?
@ Just asking
Ok, we can do that ,but will this automatically solve all the current problems to get us back where we were prior 2008 and sustain us in the long term?
According to Sinckler, in four months (post election) the country went from in a good position (he reiterated his statement that it was fine then) to hell in a handbasket.
Oh, give us a break, do!
Really! Stupse, trying to cover up the nonsense spouted at election to fool the gullible masses.
Five years and they still don’t know what to do.
It is an academic discussion where the government should cut or not. There is no cash flow, there is rapidly reducing forex and there is no business confidence which is key.We put so much emphasis on sterile policies and forget that leadership and confidence must exist to bring together.
On 14 August 2013 02:17, Barbados Underground
Election December!!!!
critcial thinkers solve problems | August 13, 2013 at 10:20 PM |
@ Just asking
Ok, we can do that ,but will this automatically solve all the current problems to get us back where we were prior 2008 and sustain us in the long term?
We will never know unless we try. Nothing or no one can be as bad or as clueless these are.
The measures announced today will have a ripple effect and do the complete opposite to what is expected ie grow the economy.
Lots of measures suggested
hoping to reverse the Tourism situation without addressing airlift problem. This will happen when you do not have the ability to look at the entire picture or when you cannot be advised.
That budget was xullxhit.
This is truly the worst government Barbados has ever had.A cadre of incompetents led by the most incompetent Prime Minister Barbados has ever had.
I fear we in real trouble……..how could this Budget be in lines of dealing with an immediate $400 mil deficit GOCB has averted to…? think shomebody missed the ball…AGAIN …UNLESS…. nuffty Job cuts coming soon. Why all the suspense and games playing then ?????.
@ checkit-out | August 13, 2013 at 7:39 PM |
“I repeat. Sinckler, imho, did the best he could have done on the horrible fiscal wicket that he played a large part in preparing. Lets see what the Opposition does in the next few days on that wicket. I’m betting on Mia to be even more impressive and perhaps also somewhat apparently accommodating.”
Sinklower is not preparing any wicket for the emasculated Opposition to bat on in order for the DLP to claim lack of loyalty to nation building by the Opposition after the MoF did a watered down version of Jimmy Swaggart.
The MoF and by extension the PM are pump priming Bajans for the IMF and further austerity measures. The DLP can claim after this budget that they did their best and with the lack of support from the Opposition and the private sector naysayers they had no alternative but to go to the banker of last resort.
Mia and the BLP are being set up. They would be fools to swallow the bait hook line and sinker.
If this administration were really serious about cutting expenditure why keep the Constituency Councils and other garrison resources away from the scalpel hiding in the oversized Cabinet?
The public sector restructuring measures will not be implemented under the free will of this administration. They just would not mind or care if the government is taken away from them in 12 months. It’s really too much of a heavy lying burden on them to carry further as it is too far above the pay grade of the wordsmith and wild boys.
Just look and see who are the hyenas running away with the remains of the once fatted calf since the sacred cow called “Free University Tuition” has been thrown to the lions.
WHAT A LOAD OF PIFFLE!
FIRST LAST WEEK YOU ALL DEVOTED MUCH TIME TO DEBATING A NON BUDGET OR A BUDGET THAT DIDNT COUNT PROPOSED BY PORCINE FACIES
NOW THERE IS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE REAL BUDGET WHICH YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT ANYWAY
AT WEEK END, PORCINE FACIES WILL RETURN WITH HIS CRITIQUE OF THE BUDGET, AND YOU GUYS WILL BE OFF AGAIN………..AND NOTHING WILL CHANGE! HOW EXCITING!
@ watching
While i can agree to certain extent that by removing this lot may restore some degree of business confidence we still need to address the overall problem within the government/ public sector 1.e accountabiloty, efficiency and frugality. If we don’t, then the same problems that we face now we will see again in acouple of years time.
All that is unraveling is following the script scribed by the BU family, the finale is about to begin. Even Sir Frank is on record speaking to structural problems with the economy. We continue to play the gluts with people’s lives for the sake of politics.
millertheanunnaki,
Your points are appreciated.
…………………………………………
It is clear from the 2013 Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals that there is an absolute need for the broad masses and middle classes to remove the DLP/BLP from the political governmental landscape of this country.
That we can see that in the BLP parliamentary opposition leader reply tomorrow there will nothing put forward to make many individuals think that Miss Mottley will be different from Mr Sinckler, in his failing to motion Barbados (which the PDC expects) towards a different national development path for the country, makes the case stronger for the total absolute removal of them both from the governmental political landscape of this island.
It is clear that many of those Budgetary Proposals are – if altogether implemented – going to put Barbados deeper in political economic depression – and closer to Barbados becoming like Jamaica was – in many regards – for most of its post independence history – in serious political economic decline and stagnation – with this evil wicked so-called personal consolidation tax on persons getting over BDS $ 50 000 per year – the cuts in transfers to a number of statutory corporations QEH, Transport Board, etc. – the proposed shortened work hours for temporary workers in the public service.
Clearly these proposed measures are really of the sort that were taken before in 1991!
And they will lead to greater contractions in purchases and sales of commercial resources and goods and contractions in the uses of commercial services in the country.
And there will be greater attendant downward spirals in commercial business activity in this country and greater attendant social psychological stresses, traumas, and diseases as well.
Many of the poor, the marginalized, and the underprivileged will suck more salt in this country, if they are resigned to doing so.
If they take to the streets using such as the last straws of this DLP/BLP oppression misrule and with a view of creating a new social political material financial order for Barbados, they will not have to at least in the long run.
Sounds again like mass protestations as in 1990/1991?
Does it make sense that the broad masses and middle classes are by these and some prior Budgetary Proposals 2012/2011/2010 (cum policies) taken back to memories of 1990/1991?
And that such memories of such circumstances are aggravated by the fact that electricity, water, telephone, etc bills have generally been on the increase and bus fares were also upped?
So what is clear to the PDC is that there is nothing about these types of proposals that are forward looking people-centered developmental in nature, and that there is almost nothing that the BLP will be doing to stop them too from impacting severely on the backs of the broad masses and middle classes.
So, rally for the total absolute removal of the Damned DLP and the Blasted BLP in this country.
PDC
Prodigal Son
Looks like you are back, with more of the same.
@PDC ..who remove who, yuh aint see we ent even got a Commissioner, he get remove ad hoc like by the PM.why yuh tink?
Yuh now onnerstanning what the ‘crack heads’ comment was about?
Yuh try tuh remove summah dem….guh long nuh… lol
Yuh thought it wudda nevah happen here? WHo fool yuh?
The man talk about foreign reserves dip bad after the election, why you think? People stupid?
Dem did know that we might nevah have annuder election bout hey…. lol
And THAT people, is what you REALLY need to be worried about!
In the not too distant future you BLP members and supporters will be praising this administration just like how you all eventually started praising Errol Barrow after vilifying him for years.
You did the same to Sir Lloyd.
It takes a while for things to settle into your brains.
Millertheannunaki
Yes! The tone of the presentation was totally unlike that which one would associate with Sinckler. It was not combative. It seemed to at last tell the truth about the economy. It even suggested that the people had no confidence in his management of the economy. What was the strategy there? Did Sinckler have a big hand in its preparation?
I agree with your post above that it was designed as a rope-a-dope type of presentation and as I said before I wonder if Mia and Owen will take the bait. I suspect not.
But I also suspect there is more to this budget than meets the eye. remember that the discussion a few weeks ago revolved on the apparent conflict between the disparate recommendations of the CB Governor and Dr Frank Alleyne on what should be done to correct the alarming fiscal deficit, etc..
The presented Budget itself seems to suggest a draw between the influence of the two on he who matters. The adjustments are about the same in toto as recommended by the CBG but the time frame over which they are ostensibly to be implemented has doubled. On closer examination, however, the revenue aspect which was not seen as being a big problem earlier has now been essentially frontloaded to this financial year while the expenditure aspect has been put off for implementation in the 2014-15 FY. Seems like Chris is jettisoning the society in favour of the economy. Did he do this willingly? Or was he pushed?
Will the adjustments be enough in quantity and timeliness to satisfy the rating and funding agencies? Will they be enough to keep the IMF wolf from the door if the outturns do not accord with the MoF estimates?
Bitter Tuesday it might be indeed.
Comrade Cadogan,
Are you the new Commisioner?
Trevor
“Are you the new Commisioner?”
Time will tell.
Tell the rest of the BLP jokers to go and get a good night’s rest. They have tired out themselves by now. Onions, Miller, Prodigal, David, the usual suspects.
MAM
We are waiting!
At a macro level, the budget seems to be just about the opposite of what was required.
1. There are lots of loans announced (some admittedly re-announced) the effect of which will be to increase the Government’s expenditure on loan interest and amortization payments; this at a time when borrowing was thought to be too high in the first place.
2. Taxes have been increased; not exactly addressing the criticism that they were too high previously and that this was hindering the opportunity for economic growth.
3. A major portion of the cuts are not real cuts. Announcing a $30 m cut from the SSA’s budget is playing with figures. The reality is that the SSA will make some minor savings but continue to operate as they have done before; they didn’t have sufficient money to operate properly in the first place. In a year’s time, they will have run up a huge debt and Government will have to bail them out – as they regularly do with bodies such as this.
I give Sinckler credit for some decisions. The tourism investment money has to be a good idea, as does the revamping of the sugar industry. Maybe it won’t work out but it’s about time the Government made a few brave decisions – any decisions, in fact. The bravest decision is undoubtedly the UWI tuition fees. Actually having the courage to call a halt on the UWI free tertiary education juggernaut was going to have to be done at some time as it was getting unaffordable. I am slightly surprised that it is this Government which has shown the strength to do it.
What I find depressing is that the gigantic elephant in the corner of the room remains – the huge, bloated occupying army of civil servants that we cannot afford. Unfortunately, the Government has decided that this will be funded by (amongst others) the poorest in our society, by cutting the reverse tax credit.
I don’t think the credit rating agencies will give Mr Sinckler much credit for this budget. I forecast yet more downgrades, higher borrowing rates and no end to the economic woes.
How will all this activity proposed in the Budget impact forex outflows?
Now UWI will be forced to admit minimally qualified students with money, instead of poor bright students.
This can’t be good for our future.
The Simple Simon is not so good with the numbers, so can somebody tell me if my current land tax bill is $577.62, how much more will I have to pay under this new budget?
If I had a child starting university next year I would be crying blood.
Law students should be made to pay FULL ECONOMIC COSTS as well …
They announced that there would be a system so that poorer students would still get support, so not be disadvantaged. No details though, nor of the loan arrangements which will cover fees payable.
Lets hope that Government is quicker off the mark with these than they have been with things like the renewable energy legislation which has been announced more times than I can remember.
I suspect that the reverse tax credit was being widely abused, NOT by genuine poor people, but by pretend to be poor opportunists.
Now poor Peter havta pay for dishonest Paul
@BAFBFP | August 14, 2013 at 12:05 AM |” Law students should be made to pay FULL ECONOMIC COSTS as well …”
I agree!!
I just know that you would agree: you don’t want any competition, you SNAKE.
This is a bite the bullet and swallow budget.I believe more should have been done with the unproductive civil service.
I don’t think they fully understand the role they are playing in dragging this country down with their laziness and inefficiency.
Beckles should show us line by line how he accounted for that huge jump in costs over the past 5 years.Oh for the days of Cave Hill principals like keith hunte and sydney martin and these men of professional integrity heading that instituition who were not as concerned about building their personal legacy as about building the human resources of the country.
Don’t agree with any new taxation at this delicate stage in the economy.
Agree with David Simpson of the Accounting Association that the implementation Unit should be properly structured and not filled with moribund civil servants.
We all have to hope for our country’s sake that these measures work and we see Barbados back on a growth trajectory again.
Sick of the BLP yardfowls who crawling out of the wordwork to post the same dog dung day – in day out and cannot present some balance.
This has got to be one of the most thoughtless punitive budgets ever delivered @the people of Barbados since Independence
It reminds me of the Bloody MRy contraption a torture device with a spike placed to point at every vital organ.
And as of Sept 1 2013 they will be shutting the door ON EVERY BAJAN CITIZEN
The DLP government will never get in power again. They have nailed that coffin shut during this IMF/Standard and Poors satisfaction giving exercise.
Piss poor petformamce by a piss poor government devoid of any ideas to galvanize its people to action during hard economic times GLOBALLY
Two things have sealed their fate. Chris Sinckliar s vendetta with UWI and enduringly with every single Bajan who would have sought a degree for themsrlves
Who could have told him to engage in this skirmish?
Only a person who hates Bajans and the fact that, the very single assets that remains after auger is dead and tourism is faltering due to the ineptitude of Ricjatd Sealy and Adrian Elcock, this female rabbit, XUNT, decides to kill the while impetus of a national programme that permitted a nation a VESA to a way out of economic hardship
The power of recall has it place.
See why Mia’s coup would have been received so begrudgingly well?
She will still have her day at the polls
Lord save us all from myopic men on the one side and megalomaniacs on the other
Fortunately the Armed Forces of the United States are still on call on the horizon.
Grow scientists David? What are the factors that allow scientists in a country to ‘grow’?
@enuff
And this is the point, where is the effort. At worst ensure that UWI pricing does not negatively affect enrollment in the sciences.
The relevant Budgetary Proposals ones related to so-called government borrowing, etc, if implemented, will (help) bring about further increases in the real actual cost of use of money (local and foreign), which the higher it goes will continue to warrant (theoretically) greater and greater nominal incomes, payments and transfers of individuals, businesses and other entities in this country to keep pace with previous years nominal incomes, payments, and transfers, at lower real actual cost of use of money.
But, as it stands, there are lower and lower levels of these incomes, payments, and transfers actually, thus pointing to greater and greater fictional money debt/loan loss provisions and a further slowing down of commercial business sectors in the country, generally.
Also, the relevant Budgetary Proposals ones related to greater evil wicked TAXATION, if implemented, will (help) bring about greater declines in the money (local) turn over rate ( from the MONEY TURN OVER RATE THEORY) among the national productive commercial and business sectors in this country.
In this vein, therefore, these relevant proposals will have serious implications for the immediate medium term comparative growth and stability of these said national productive commercial and business sectors in Barbados.
PDC
This budget is the usual lazy nonsense I’ve come to expect from this government. Tax the workers, subsidize white Barbados, no reform of the civil service, insult people’s intelligence.
It was interesting how the MoF felt it necessary to reel off figures to taxpayers (who are the bulk of people who use UWI for their or their children’s education) about how much of a ‘burden’ it has been to government with it’s increasing cost and doubling of students educated.
One of the commenters suggested this was a ‘brave’ move. Brave? how is it brave to stop paying and institution you don’t like and weren’t paying already (based on the debt to UWI), that you spent months trying to discredit through the press and social media while continuing to nothing about the way the civil service is run? One thing that differentiated Barbados as a nation was the governments commitment to free tertiary education for all. That is now gone.
Meanwhile the tourist industry and construction industry which are perennial receivers of government incentives could not have their contribution to the economy detailed? I am still confused why such a vital industry still needs to live on so much welfare. Government funds plant (buildings), promotions and advertising, funds research through the cost of the myriad of tourism bodies, fund logistics through the subsidies to airlines, and operation expenses through tax breaks but after all this time they can’t stand on one foot furthermore their own 2 feet? Yet owners get to maintain their lifestyles. And no explanation, no conditions, no requirement that they improve the way they operate, just handouts and excuses. Can you imagine what it would be like if manufacturing or Information technology or agriculture or cultural industries got that sort of investment?
The only thing creative in the budget was the talk of ethanol as fuel substitution but based on the lack of any concrete plan it’s obvious they have no idea if it will work.
Taxpayers are really just new slaves and this government the new overseers.
OH Well!No Doom And Gloom ! what a bunch of silly fools
My first reaction to the contents of the budget, PURELY from a tourism perspective.
First the positives.
1) A reduction in the rate of VAT from 1st October 2013 to 7.5 per cent for hotels and Direct Tourism Services (car rental, restaurants, attractions, activities etc.,). This should have a direct and positive effective on lowering prices for our visitors.
However, ONLY Hotels are mentioned, so do we assume that this does NOT apply to villas, condominiums, apartments, smaller (less than ten rooms) guest houses etc?
Is this yet another example of policies not being thought through.
And if the MOF had planned to bring down the rate of VAT, then WHY spend a quoted $11 million on free spending vouchers when a lower VAT rate would have been far more equitable.
2) An extra US$50 million (BDS$100 million) to the BTA over the next 18 months for ‘marketing and promotion’. his defies ANY logic. Why throw more money at an entity that clearly cannot carry-out its mandate. Without restructuring, it’s just more money down the drain.
3) US$13 million (BDS$26 million) ‘to immediately settle ALL liabilities of the authority’. Does ALL include the BDS$30 million loan to charter Carnival Destiny in 2007?
4) BDS$50 million Hotel Refurbishment Fund. This is the same fund that was announced last year, but no mention of interest rate.
5) Government ‘to bring at least 1,000 rooms back in production’. Together Almond Beach Village and Silver Sands Resort have 630 rooms. Where are the other 370 rooms? Will these be created by building additional room stock at these two properties or?
6) There is also no mention of any concessions (lower VAT rate) being directly linked to ONLY licensed properties and those who have NO outstanding debts to Government (NIS, VAT, Land Taxes etc).
7) No mention of the announced APD Voucher or amount of funds allocated to this additional initiative. The clock is ticking, it is almost September, traditionally our worse performing month of the year.
The VOB Budget panel was not complimentary last night, let us wait for the feedback from the breakfast meeting this morning, our industry captains.
@Unsurprised and unimpressed
The below appears on page 78 of the Budget presented yesterday. It is food for thought but agree with that there seem to be some needling going on between key players in the government and Sir Hilary. In the present circumstances the government cannot be expected to foot the bill in a business as usual manner.
@Caswell Franklyn | August 14, 2013 at 2:22 AM | Why should I care about competition? I don’t have any competition now. That isn’t likely to change no matter what. What’s the matter, Lassie? Were you planning to go study law finally as yet another profession to try out?
Say what you like Sir Frank has been calling for the structural weaknesses in the economy to be addressed and the paying of tuition fees by Barbadians it probably the beginning (education).
The deep cuts in transfers to some government agencies means there is another story is yet to be told but it has to be done because the government cannot afford it. The foreboding in the voice of Maloney who represents labour said it all last night.
If the increase in personal income tax for 19 months is meant to generate revenue in the period it takes for government to mobilize the projects it has put on the table then BU says good luck.
While the proposal to make persons who are attending the University of the West Indies Cave Hill contribute more money to the remuneration cost of the government and other running the campus in 2014, and to help bring about a greater sense of appreciation of the social national responsibility that is called for in relationship to the value and worth of some aspects of the ‘education’ project in the country among prospective/present university attendees are welcome, the PDC is strongly of the view that the timing is absolutely wrong given that there are going to be serious short long term declines in the attendance and enrollment numbers of the student population at Cave Hill.
With evil wicked TAXATION, Interest Rates, Motor Vehicle Insurance, ‘Exchange Rate Parities’ so-called Repayable Institutional Loans and more oppressive measures still in place, plus with the cost of living and the cost of business and the real actual cost of use of money in the country altogether being staggeringly high, there will be bound to be serious fall offs in student attendance and enrollment at the Cave Hill Campus.
PDC
Simple Simon
“If I had a child starting university next year I would be crying blood”
Lay that statement at the feet of Hilary!