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The Obamas Were Not as Lucky as Barbadians

Submitted by Douglas Please click on the link to see how President Obama and his wife fared in paying for their college education – in  the richest country in the world. Read what he said last year in April. We in Barbados still have a government committed to continue paying the full cost of our…

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Submitted by Douglas
We only finished paying off our student loans about eight years ago,” Obama told an audience of mostly students - President Obama
We only finished paying off our student loans about eight years ago,” Obama told an audience of mostly students – President Obama

Please click on the link to see how President Obama and his wife fared in paying for their college education – in  the richest country in the world. Read what he said last year in April.

We in Barbados still have a government committed to continue paying the full cost of our tertiary education over the next year in spite of the continuing recession.

However, even from August 2014, when students are asked to pay only a mere 15% (for example, about bds. $23,000 over a 4-year period – in the arts, humanities or social sciences), they will still be far better off than their US counterparts, who will pay an average of US$104,000  over the same 4 year period.  And, that cost increases exponentially once the more sought after colleges come into play; not to mention the tremendously high cost associated with the ivy league colleges.

Here, our interest rate on student revolving loans is a mere 4% on the reducing balance. Not so in the us. So, we in Barbados are far better off in terms of overall cost, interest rates and repayment schedules than those in the US.

N.B.    My suggestion is that we mount a well thought-out, planned and sustained public relations campaign to get most Barbadians to buy-in to this change. Cogent and plausible arguments that support the pragmatism of the new policy will win over more support.  The reasoning must be ‘either make a small contribution to your tertiary education or else the unpleasant alternative’.

Let’s discuss!

25 responses to “The Obamas Were Not as Lucky as Barbadians”

  1. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    You still believe this man at his word …?

  2. Brief Avatar
    Brief

    Had the Young Democrats gone before the Budget to share their views throughout the Campus and BArbados, explaining WHY they could support payment of tertiary education – the DLP would have had little selling to do now.

    The PR in the DLP appears to be (-10) like non-existent therefore the Elections results. Now, although Barbadians anticipated something purposeful had to be done to sustain UWI – the selling of the payment of fees is like melting ice in Alaska with sunshine.

    Students have to pay more. That is just the case at this time.

    First and foremost though – is the MoE collecting on loans from 95% of borrowers. No-one is talking about that.

    I heard sometime ago that an EThompson name came up on outstanding student loans list and we know that more than one dog name Bob. The one we knew was a politician. (Not dog I mean EThompson).

  3. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    One ‘o des days somebody in Inland Revenue gine do a Bradley Manning put some ‘o des politicians in Barbados and that hurricane will make Rover pee look like a passing shower.

  4. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Somebody should tell Douglas that on the whole the Americans, including the Obama’s pay less tax per dollar earned that the average Bajan.

    So the American therefore deserve less.

    If you doubt me ask your cousin in Brooklyn how much she earns and how much she pays in tax.

    I know that dollar for dollar my cousin in Brooklyn pays only half as much tax as I do.

    If the Americans tried to impose 40%+ income tax on Americans earning $50,000 USD per year they would have the 2nd American revolution on their hands.

  5. 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

    LET THE CHILDREN LEARN , OR YOU ALL WILL PAY MORE WHEN THEY GO FROM SCHOOL TO JAIL CRIME ,. JAIL COST MORE , CASH FOR GOLD WAS A START , WATER NEED TO BE FREE AND CLEAN AIR , HEALTH CARE ,

    WE NEED TO BE SMART AND HEALTHY TO PAY ALL THESE TAXES ,
    TELL THE FAT PIGS IN THE HOUSE TO CUT THEIR OWN PAY,THEY GET TAX FREE, DUTY FREE, MORE FOOD THEN US AND HEALTH CARE FREE, WHAT EVER THEY GET FREE WE ALSO NEED TO GET FREE, THEY WORK FOR US WE DONT WORK FOR THEM,
    THOSE WHO WANT THEM TO PAY , MAY NOT HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL NOW .
    WHEN THEY GET WORK OR CREATE WORK THEY WILL PAY TAXES THEN LIKE ALL OF US.

  6. Ready done Avatar
    Ready done

    we don’t give a mango what obama do or not do, we don’t care what america do or ent do, we only care what happen in barbados.

  7. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    In truth the Obamas are far “luckier” than Bajans, because the United States International Revenue Service is far more effective in collecting taxes that our Inland Revenue Department is. Therefore taxation and tax collection is far more equitable in the United States than it is in Barbados. That is the Obamas were far more likely to have to pay ONLY THEIR FAIR share of taxes, because the IRS is agressive in rooting out tax evaders, and aggressive in making them pay.

    If only the Inland Revenue would do the same, then those of us who do pay would end up paying less, because many more people would be paying.

    And that is the problem in Barbados.

    It has NOTHING to do with luck.

    The NASTY TRUTH is that too many self employed Bajans pay little or no taxes.

    ANOTHER TRUTH is that American Presidents, and American Presidential candidates (have to) or as a matter of custom publish their income tax returns.

    Before Barbados’ Parliament impose a cent mor on Bajans I’d like every present and former Parliamentarian (or thier estates) to give Inland Revenue to publish ALL of thier income tax returns, starting at age 18 and until death.

    Then we would know and understand the truth in this country.

    And we would not hear such nonsense talk about how we so lucky and the Obamas so unlucky.

  8. David Avatar
    David

    Good point Simple about collecting revenue. Who do we blame for this, the civil service or politicians or both?

    On 23 August 2013 11:00, Barbados Underground

  9. 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

    Simple Simon | August 23, 2013 at 7:00 AM |
    If only the Inland Revenue would do the same, then those of us who do pay would end up paying less, because many more people would be paying.
    And that is the problem in Barbados.@

    WHY ARE YOU SO RIGHT?
    THIS IS WHY. The inland revenue cant and never get all its money or even take no one to court, Most have tax bills and no deeds in there names . If an AUDIT were done for each account you will see who is paying land tax to the government is really paying land owners rent to the government . Hoping to some day claim the land as there own or to use the land and need a papers to show they on the land , to get water , and others turned on to live on it.
    All cases will take a lawyer? or read. to make more money and muddy the waters. The people have no right to the land , but allow to trespass because some one at land tax ‘Mr Forde”put their name on a land tax bill ,, Most never say they have a deed , they will say i pay taxes for here.
    If they do an AUDIT , You all will see that even the lawyers not paying taxes on rentals .if you own 10 houses then you pay land tax and the other 9 are rental of free money not even recorded as rentals ,,, some people dont even get a tax bill at all , Tax bill dont make you an owner and all the govt want is the money,, So trespassers will RUSH to pay the taxes even if there name not on the bill , Many names have dead people on them where they not even related living in their homes.Always saying they renting from some one over seas that is dead or dont exist , Cant even show you who they paying rent to, Ghost.

  10. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Only an idiot would seek to compare paying for education in the US with Barbados. A complete dunce!!

  11. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @David August 23, 2013 at 7:07 AM “Good point Simple about collecting revenue. Who do we blame for this, the civil service or politicians or both?”

    Dear David: I don’t deal in blame. I deal in responsibility. The responsibility belongs to Inland Revenue, to everyone who has ever sat in our Parliament (both houses, all parties), and to everyone Bajan or foreigner to earns income taxable in Barbados who have not paid their taxes or who have underpaid.

    So now we Bajans, the big people, the adult people, the all grown up people have shoved this debt onto teenage Bajans.

    I don’t know how we can sleep at night.

    I don’t know how we can show our faces in the churches on Sundays.

    Or the mosques on Fridays or the churches and synagogues on Saturdays.

    We should be ashamed of unfairing the younger generation.

    What we have done is NOT the Bajan way.It is un-Christian, un-Islamic, un-Jewish. It is irreligious, it is uncharitible. It is un-Godly.

    I don’t blame anybody.

    But our children will CURSE us in our old age.

  12. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    For what we have done, and for what we have left undone we DESERVE to be CURSED and ABANDONED in our old age.

  13. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    And for that idiot wh noted how lucky the Obamas were. Where was Obama when his mother was sick and dying, where was he when his father was sick and dying?

    The answer is thousands of miles away struggling to pay off a student loan, with neither the time nor money to help his parents.

    Is this what we want for ourselves?

  14. David Avatar
    David

    BU is not a fan of the US system which burdens undergrads with a huge debt even before they write an application for a job.

  15. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    And Mrs. Obama’s father died when he was only 55.

    Most of us won’t be lucky enough to be dead at 55.

    But many of us will live to wish that we had died at 55.

  16. unsurprised and unimpressed Avatar
    unsurprised and unimpressed

    @ Douglas
    If that article is what you plan on using in your “well thought out” (oh the irony) publicity campaign, I suggest you go back to the drawing board.
    You people keep on with this ‘you lot should be grateful’ nonsense. Does taxpayers money grow on trees in Dems backyards? do you all pick it and virtuously donate it to the treasury? Is that why you believe you are benefactors that we need to beg for favours from? You think we voted for kings or leaders?
    You guys have been give a mandate to manage the economy according to the wishes of the people you don’t get to hijack their money, blackmail them for even more taxes and then take away their services and expect them to be grateful.
    Has it occurred to any of you that the fact that so many people go to UWI in the first place, if not right after school then part-time while they are working, is because so many barbadians want to get a tertiary education? So instead of facilitating their wishes, you take it away, while continuing to fund your pet projects no one wants. You really think you can sell that?
    If you want me to think like an American, then pay me like one and tax me like one.
    Here are some pointers – explain how jacking up UWI students is going to stop us from losing >$300mil in foreign exchange over the next quarter. Explain how raising my taxes will trigger civil service productivity gains and remove the barriers to foreign investment which you constantly boast is abundant. Explain to me how my sacrifice which funds tourism investment to the same people who have run their properties into the ground and into gov buying hotels that twice had to be sold at a loss is going to be successful this time round. If you can answer just 1 of those questions you’ve won me over.

  17. 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

    Barbados is on its way to this ,,,,

  18. LOOK Avatar
    LOOK

    http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/24/20154281-thousands-expected-at-march-rally-honoring-mlks-legacy-organizers-say?lite

    Remembering Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a Dream Speach”

  19. LOOK Avatar
    LOOK

    So many in Barbados are lucky including COW and Sir Richald Cheltenham. That old woman Violet Beckles “in Barbados” was not lucky, not allowed any or all that rightfully belonged to her.

    The old woman was hook,
    and that name removed from the book,
    Beatrice Henry, just look,
    HAM, COW too are not happy crooks.

  20. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Obama just today forgave over a trillion dollars in student loans across America, what is the DLP saying now.

  21. nanci Avatar
    nanci

    some people in barbados think because you go to college in the uS and have to pay back those huge loans that its not worth it, but look at some kids in barbados who dont further their education after high school, you either end up working at dead end jobs all your life or giving away your hard work for nothing, so in the end a college education is worth it, also in the uS if you work at a school, as a police, an ambulance worker, social worker, or work with people who have disability problems, you can pay back your loans according to your salary or wages, and the rest will be forgiven after ten years, its called the loan forgiveness program, thats what Obama pushed recently to have more workers eligible for that program, after ten years the other loans will be forgiven, also at many work places, they will pay for tuition according to your grade, but you have to get an A< B or C grade, so when you hear something dig deeper into the details.

  22. nanci Avatar
    nanci

    also in Barbados people pay taxes on food, , and thats why they are in a crisis right now with the economy, because when the world was having an economic crisis, Barbados leaders said it wasn’t happening in barbados, but at the same time they raise the VAT tax, food prices escalated, goods and other items shoot right up, and not a little increase, it was a huge increase, in a few years food going to be so high, I don’t know what bajans are going to do.

  23. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    “in barbados who dont further their education after high school, you either end up working at dead end jobs all your life”

    Nanci…..Someone has to fill these dead end jobs. Check out what carpenters, plumbers, masons and tilers are charging.

    “or giving away your hard work for nothing, so in the end a college education is worth it”

    Nanci is that why there are people with BA, Bsc, MA, Msc, Phd degrees driving taxis in NY city, Toronto? They say that Toronto has the most educated taxi drivers in the world.

  24. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    I know many UWI graduates working in dead end jobs here in Barbados, some in retail, and many just pushing paper in government offices.

  25. LOOK Avatar
    LOOK

    Agree, I don’t know what Bajans are going to do

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