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Incredulous DLP Policy Options: Selling Citizenship, Paying for Visas, and Confusing Barbadians

Submitted by George C. Brathwaite Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and his hand-picked DLP Cabinet never cease to amaze me. Their twists and turns often prompt me to dig deeper in relation to the flimsy policy options taken by an administration clearly evasive of reality. More often than not, decisions classically appear to be ironic signs…

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Submitted by George C. Brathwaite
George C. Brathwaite, founder and interim president of BAJE
George C. Brathwaite, founder and interim president of BAJE

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and his hand-picked DLP Cabinet never cease to amaze me. Their twists and turns often prompt me to dig deeper in relation to the flimsy policy options taken by an administration clearly evasive of reality. More often than not, decisions classically appear to be ironic signs of either the idiomatic factors of a heavy blanket or camouflage.

In governance, politicians will sometimes use the heavy blanket to douse fires that are usually started from within. This tactic has been repeatedly used by the DLP Cabinet to cover the fire already blazing from the cowardly caprice which pays more attention to self-image and making excuses than to measures for pragmatic and national development.

In an unending quest to silence most criticism, the DLP Cabinet has found itself on the short side of effective alternatives and solutions. Hence, resorting to camouflage becomes convenient as the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, clueless for the most part, become daring in their giveaways and maintenance of social entitlements when the country can least afford to give away anything as clearly demonstrated in the 35 million dollars cutbacks proposed for the health sector.

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91 responses to “Incredulous DLP Policy Options: Selling Citizenship, Paying for Visas, and Confusing Barbadians”

  1. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ alvin cummins | September 6, 2013 at 4:52 PM |
    “There is a scientifidc and health reason for Zoning. When people callously disregard these things it shows that they don’t care about themselves or their fellow man.”

    So what is preventing the present administration from doing the legal, scientific and moral right thing of removing them or providing safe sewage and waste disposal facilities?
    Blaming any previous administration, whether B or D, would nor eliminate the risks to national public health.
    The maintenance of public health is the second most important responsibility of a government after the protection, safety and security of its citizens.

    If this state of affairs is allowed to continue it could result in a major outbreak of cholera or some other bacteria-based public health risk epidemic. This is not a political football to be kicked down the street like a used can for the “next’ administration to handle like Barrack matter. The country’s very economic survival could be at risk.
    Tourists don’t visit or investors don’t live in countries where public health is under major threat unless the country in question is endowed with large amounts of natural resources like oil, gold and diamonds.

  2. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    I don’t recall you being very vocal or indeed being vocal at all when your Barbados Labour Party Government started selling Barbados flags of convenience to whosoever will.

  3. David Avatar
    David

    @Miller

    Heard the report. Will have to read the rider document issued by the FTC to be reminded of th reason given for 7 megawatts as compared to 20 requested.

  4. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    Alvin thank you for again answering. What does Vancouver and Toronto have that Barbados lacks? Why Bdos instead of Toronto or Vancouver or Lonfon?

    Squatting in Bdos is not due to Guyanese. Secondly there are special toilet facilities that people use (septic tanks) in zone 1. Sewer zone 1 and let people live after all we building a waste to energy plant to piezun people.

  5. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ David | September 6, 2013 at 6:30 PM |

    Will await your more informed position. But on the face of it the decision seems to be more concerned about the “economic” viability of the BL&P generating plant than the gradual but large scale switchover to RE for electricity supply in keeping with the Government’s stated objectives.

    High RE generation of electricity would have serious implications for BL&P generating capacity which relies heavily on fuel oil and diesel. What would these turbines be doing where there is an excess supply of electricity to the transmission grid from RE sources?

    What implications does this decision have for the much promised revised Electricity Act now due for debate in October?

  6. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @Miller
    The same member of parliament who represented the people squatting in zone 1 has been returned to power. Bet he does not say one thing about the illegal squatters during his term of office. Wasn’t he a minister at one time. thus having the ear of cabinet? the qwuatters have been allowed to build permanent concrete block and cement board structures; wonder how they got Town planning permission if at all. You are sure to hear loud howls if attempts are made to move them now. They are to firmly entrenched. There is even a car dealership and car repair facility in the area. wonder where the waste oil and lubricants and cleaners go when they are flushed and drained out of the vehicles. This in a Zone 1. areaAnd because the administration (whether B or D ) is mentioned is not “blaming” it is stating facts, whether of aomission or commission

  7. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @Enuff, ” What does Vancouver …..” I won’t even attempt to answer that. you know. This answer you gave is exactly why we have this type of disregard for the law…”let the people live…” is exactly the sentiments that contribute to this type of behaviour. Nobody ever said that Squatting wasthe purview of Guyanese, Bajans are the biggest perpetrators. Septic tanks are for sewqage but other chemicals are not removed by septic tanks not are all bacteria, parasites or viruses removed by a septic tank.It is this same attitude that caused certain regulations to be changed to allow a Zone 1 area to be changed (conveniently from zone 1 to zone 2.

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @Miller

    The BL&P instead of buying fossil fuel buys energy fed into the grid what is the problem?

  9. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Alvin Cummins | September 6, 2013 at 6:58 PM |
    “.. wonder how they got Town planning permission if at all. You are sure to hear loud howls if attempts are made to move them now. ”

    And you point is what, Alvin? Do nothing? Public health is not a political partisan game of fottie to be kicked around.
    We are dealing with the health of the nation and its economic survival. Not some two-bit hand-to-mouth politician whether it is Trevor P or Kenny Worst the representative for the area.
    When people were removed from Emmerton Lane the people kicked up a fuss fueled by politicians of the time. It was so dramatic that even the Mighty Gabby immortalized it in song. Where are those people today?

    The worst thing a people can do is to shit in and foul up its water supply. Clean potable ‘Water’, after fresh air, is the bedrock to a healthy life and good public health.

  10. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ David | September 6, 2013 at 7:15 PM |

    The problem is that the generation capacity would be seriously underutilized. Electricity supplied via RE sources would not pass through the BL&P generating plant but direct to the transmission grid.

    Much of the ‘bulk’ cost incurred by BL&P is related to its generating capacity and is a major determinant in setting the price charged to customers and setting of the ROI. The more electricity ‘generated’ with the existing plant the lower the unit cost for onward transmission to the grid and consumers.

    What you have just argued would only make the FTC looks like a pack of fools inadvertently scuttling the government’s RE objectives and programmes.

  11. JUST ASKING Avatar
    JUST ASKING

    Offers by Owen Arthur and Mia Mottley to work with the Government were rejected in a cocoon of comic relief that constantly indicates buffoonery in an aslylum and not highly paid people tasked with managing people’s lives.
    ———————————–
    Carson C. Cadogan | September 6, 2013 at 5:31 PM |

    I don’t recall you being very vocal or indeed being vocal at all when your Barbados Labour Party Government started selling Barbados flags of convenience to whosoever will.

    I hate this kind of comment, the back and forth nonsense. You people are taking the affairs of this country and turning them into some foolish political partisan game. It is time that people get serious about Barbados

  12. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    JUST ASKING

    Stop making sport. All Bajans don’t have short memories like you.

    In the early days when David Thompson reached out to SEETHRU. He was rejected out of hand by SEETHRU who then promptly hopped on a Jet plane and headed to the Island of Antigua to help the government with the same problems which were starting to befall Barbados.

    But it is a dangerous thing accepting help or ideas from SEETHRU, look what happen to Jamaica whose Government implemented many of his “ideas”. It led them into the hands of the IMF to this day.

  13. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    just asking

    Have you ever seen any photos of SEETHRU when he was young and sporting dreadlocks?

  14. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @balance September 6, 2013 at 9:48 AM “it is felt that the new government played to the gallery of myopic xenophobic anti-immigration sentiments”

    That foreigner David Thompson was the leader of myopic xenophobic anti-immigration sentiments, remember his “ever so welcome wait for a call” The myopic xenophobic anti-immigration sentiments came from the then LEADERSHIP of the DLP. Thesenegative sentiments did NOT come from the the people.

  15. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Wait how come this thread has morphed into one dealing with xenophobia? The leading article must not have been well received. George you seem to be failing in catching a wind fuh dah kite yuh did flying. LOL!

  16. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Carson C. Cadogan |September 6, 2013 at 9:33 PM” …just asking…
    Have you ever seen any photos of SEETHRU when he was young and sporting dreadlocks?”

    No. But if you have such a picture, please post it here. I think that SEETHRU is very cute and he must be even cuter as a locksman.

    I dying ta see de picture

  17. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    @ Alvin

    As usual you are clueless. Go read the Water Protection Policy at the town planning website. I am still waiting to hear about Toronto, Vancouver and London vs Barbados, but I can give you a hints agglomeration.

  18. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    @ David
    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/06/iain-duncan-smith-quiet-dangerous

  19. David Avatar
    David

    @enuff

    An uncanny parallel you say?

    Lol

  20. 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

    lawyers for sale , QC for sale , Police COP for sale , Judges for sale, title deeds for sale,wire tap for sale , land for sale not from the owners , stolen car parts for sale, time share for sale , drugs for sale, under age drinking for sale, POT for sale, slave for sale , VOTES FOR SALE. DLP/BLP for sale, town and country approvals for sale ,, sex for sale
    Sir titles for sale, CHURCH for sale, shorter jail time for sale,
    visa and passports for sale ,, seem like the business is Good.
    All your Right for sale and slavery in full Effect . so why We still looking for 300 to 400 million dollars?

  21. 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

    http://epaper.barbadostoday.bb/
    page 10 & 11 look at COW and Beckels what do they have in common ? Look at them all read Well . Time for truth is here .

  22. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    George this fella like he actually earned his letters……

    By Carlos Atwell | Mon, September 09, 2013 – 12:10 AM
    Partisan politics is clouding the debate over the payment of tuition fees at the University of the West Indies, laments a school principal.

    And he is calling for a rational debate on the matter so the real issues at stake can be properly analyzed.

    Dr David Browne, principal of Queen’s College, said he saw the end of free tertiary education coming and had proposed a solution as many as four years ago.

    “It is folly how we are approaching this debate. In my opinion, it has gotten clouded in the sense that people are using it for political purposes. I saw this coming and said four years ago – I’m not saying this now because it’s happening – that somehow we would have to find some ways and means to fund and subsidize tertiary education,” he said, adding that the debate over free education in Barbados had been ongoing since 1986.

    Browne, speaking to the DAILY NATION yesterday after St Leonard’s Anglican Church held its students’ recognition service, said he had suggested the set-up of a university fund using money from a special tax since the way Barbados had been funding tertiary education was doomed to fail.

  23. George C. Brathwaite Avatar
    George C. Brathwaite

    @ Adrian

    Super! Did I buy or steal mine?

  24. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    ha ha ha LOL oh you have them too? I was actually showing contempt for the designation. LOL! Is there any merit to his position on the current debate? Or is he simply calling the kettle black as a DLP supporter/member? LOL!

  25. George C. Brathwaite Avatar
    George C. Brathwaite

    His words are worthy, public discussion (informed) is necessary. I do not think it is too late.

  26. Adrian Hinds Avatar
    Adrian Hinds

    Is it to late for you to be part of a such a discussion? We know the BLP’s position; but, what exactly is your position on the issue of education fees becoming the burden of the student? David Brown and Peter Wickham as well as others seem to think that free tuition cannot be sustain — peter W gave his suggestion on how to go about making the change. What say you? can it be sustain? should it be sustain what changes would you suggest? To whom does the burden fall for the same at Newcastle college?

  27. George C. Brathwaite Avatar
    George C. Brathwaite

    I wrote and gave mine. It is a policy that should not have come to the public in the way that it has. Moreover, I do not see how do you get to this point without exploring other alternatives. I fail to understand how arguments of student wasting time should have fell from the lips of government ministers when through policy that could be corrected either by offering incentives or having punitive measures for those overstaying their time without a definitive and sanctioned cause. I can go on and on, I can speak about the distortions being made and repeated just to score political points. The truth is if as many of us are willing to subscribe to the view that Barbados’ ultimate resource is its human capital, and if we understand the connection between human capital and national development inclusive of attracting foreign investments, it is definitely in our interest to ensure that the broadest sets of people have ready, affordable (free or discounted) access to tertiary education. Finally, Barbados has remained one of the highest taxed countries in the hemisphere, and it is for that reason I will contend that the people pay and have paid for the right that their children should have ‘free education’ and that the policy makers be more imaginative and innovative for finding means to alleviate the problems without punishing generations now and those to come. Let the public have information and let the debate flourish.

  28. David Avatar
    David

    Heard Colin Jordan chiming on the UWI debate. Then again he is said to be the replacement candidate in St. Peter. We really need to stop being political with this matter. When free education was offered in Barrow’s time it surely cannot be compared to now.

  29. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    David September 9, 2013 at 1:33 PM “When free education was offered in Barrow’s time it surely cannot be compared to now.”
    But education was NEVER FREE. When “free secondary education for all or free secondary education for none at all?” as I heard Barrow, Walcott etc. say on the political platforms around 1962 our grandparents and parents were paid very little, but they were producing 200,000 tonnes of sugar a year, a commodity which fetched good prices on the U.K market, so our education was not free, it was paid for by the labour and sweat of our grandparents and parents. Nowadays it is not free either, since we “sweat” in air conditioned offices and hotels so that we can pay $30,000 per year in income, property and VAT taxes to pay for the “free” education for our children and grandchildren.
    So I don’t know where this freeness talk ever came from.

  30. balance Avatar
    balance

    “Is it to late for you to be part of a such a discussion? We know the BLP’s position; but, what exactly is your position on the issue of education fees becoming the burden of the student? David Brown and Peter Wickham as well as others seem to think that free tuition cannot be sustain — peter W gave his suggestion on how to go about making the change. What say you? can it be sustain? should it be sustain what changes would you suggest? To whom does the burden fall for the same at Newcastle college?”

    other than talk neither the opposition, Mr Brathwaithe, Mr Wickham nor Dr Browne are in a position to change anything. the government just did not think the issue through and when challenged responded with wishy-washy reasons like ‘timewasting by the students’ to justify the government’s mishandling of a policy which could in one swoop impact negatively on the lives of the very vulnerable households the government swore to protect in the last election campaign. i invite to read Mr Nigel Harris’ in yesterday’s sunday sun and stop trying to defend the indefensible. Failing to point your colleagues to the error of their ways might do them more harm than good.

  31. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @GC Brathwaite
    It is a policy that should not have come to the public in the way that it has……
    Let the public have information and let the debate flourish.
    **************

    Oh really? What do you propose? Discussion ad nauseam until the cows come home where academics and would be academics could jaw and jaw and produce what? A White paper? A Green paper? More likely a Red paper which matches the colour of debt that the country is hemorrhaging.
    The last Gov’t couldn’t even summon the courage to change Barbados to Republican status despite all the consultations at home and abroad talk… talk… talk. They couldn’t even reassign a disruptive local headmaster talk… talk… talk…. Now you want the Gov’t to engage in more talk to satisfy your whims?

    An elected Gov’t is tasked with making decisions which they in their wisdom deem to be good for the country, if the people disagree they can show them the door and their replacements can reverse those decisions if they believe they are bad for the country.

    You have stated your opinion so you should continue to work with the Opposition to ensure that they have the chance to change course come next election.

  32. A Lodge boy like you . Avatar
    A Lodge boy like you .

    @ George Brathwaite .
    You should take greater care in your use of language given your professed status as an academic . In this case you should benefit from consulting a book on English Usage which would help you to distinguish between the use of the words INCREDIBLE and INCREDULOUS . If you still find difficulty one of your former Lodge school teachers might be of assistance ; you should give Patrick Frost a call .

  33. checkit-out Avatar
    checkit-out

    Heard this morning on the radio that an IMF and IADB team is now here assisting in the development of an economic stability status report for Barbados and that preliminary partial findings are that; Barbados finances are stable; the Banking system is awash with liquidity and stability; and that the unemployment statistics are moving rapidly in the right direction – downwards.

    Is this the same Barbados that the Government itself was portraying as having lost 300 million dollars foreign exchange earlier this year over just 2 months; that needed to have 400 million dollars shaved off our huge fiscal deficit; that had to have a draconian budget that trimmed an excess 35 million dollars from the Hospital in circumstances which left that institution with a pittance for working capital; that signaled it was jettisoning its policy of total support for at least one tertiary institution; that called for a 10% reduction in personal emoluments; etc. etc.?

    This is very good news but something does not seem right. Why should the Government be sending out these mixed messages now? Why should they be trumpeting and reacting harshly to a message of dire economic circumstances and then the international funding agemcies coming and finding everything is OK?

    Does this mean that they will now put on hold the measures like the Validation tax and the solid waste tax which would appear to be not needed now and stop terrifying the acting and temporary employees ?

    What is the correct position?

    I am truly confused.

  34. George C. Brathwaite Avatar
    George C. Brathwaite

    @ A Lodge boy like you

    Just perhaps if you read what was written and was equally as discerning you would come to the realisation that the correct word was used. Nevertheless, I thank you, and I am ‘believing’ you to be a Lodge Boy schooled in the Queen’s English.

  35. Yagga Rowe Avatar
    Yagga Rowe

    many Lodge boys
    questionable sexual orientation
    Bellhouse/effect
    Its Porgy
    Its FourG
    Its the Ram eating the Ham
    Question
    Who got the biggest balls

  36. David Avatar
    David

    Who is this Caddle lady on the talk show today?

    Tell her go to the top of the class regarding her response to Minister Kellman. Is his head hard?

  37. Yagga Rowe Avatar
    Yagga Rowe

    oH YES !
    love it
    she cornered kellman
    reminded me of having
    a fish on a hook
    tried to get away to no avail
    Nefetari to the world
    This is what BAJAN radio needs
    and that infectious laugh
    oh oh oh -Nefetari !! uhmmmnnnn -good !

  38. checkit-out Avatar
    checkit-out

    Wow!

    Confusion is joke!

    I turned on Brass tacks an hour or so ago and heard a lady explaining the situation of the temporary workers, etc. I honestly thought it was a PS putting the Government side and was shocked to learn it was actually an NUPW rep and a lady I think very highly of.

    It seems to me that we are in deep potta where the NUPW and a Government that has shown that it is actually anti-worker in crunch times despite its pronouncements and protestations to the contrary, appear to be indistinguishable in policy.

    It seems that we have to pray for God’s help for the public workers in the coming months, the NUPW won’t.

  39. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Brasstacks cutting all the time and we cannot hear a lot of the contributions by callers.That is a definite sign that things getting out of hand.When VOB start cutting callers for fear of a lawsuit,read between the lines.The Government in trouble.Recall Market Vendor said 71 businesses shut down recently.
    Nefertari is one of the best things that happened to VOB of late.Nice voice,nice control,an appearance of innocence until you cross the Red Line like Kellman is wont to do.
    I say again we respect the institution of Government.We reserve respect for any individual until he/she cross the Red Line of Bias and then we will rip you to shreds if you talk nonsense,a facility with which this administration is cursed.

  40. David Avatar
    David

    It appears David Ellis is bending over backwards to put government’s side, this s good know?

  41. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ David | September 11, 2013 at 2:43 PM |

    You can’t fault David Ellis for that. He is trying to protect his bread and butter.
    It is well known that the current DLP administration is putting massive pressure on VOB to tone down its anti-government rhetoric on its call-in programmes. VOB better toe the line like CBC and its pro DLP acolytes or face serious “victimization” during the coming months like threats of reduced advertising by businesses dependent on government for contracts and difficulties in negotiating broadcasting licence renewal.

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