Adrian Loveridge – Hotelier
Just over a week ago, my wife and I experienced a staycation at Sandals Casuarina. An enormous amount of discussion has taken place concerning the extraordinary concessions granted to the Sandals companies and as I was not personally familiar with the product thought it was important that I tasted what is often referred to as the Sandals ‘WOW’ factor first hand.
Despite the website [Sandals] at the time showing that the hotel was fully booked until the middle of March 2014, I managed to reserve a room online for the dates of my choice and pay in full at published rates by credit card. Bookings are processed by yet another company, Unique Vacations Inc., based in Florida and an email confirmation was sent. Noticeably absent were any taxes or corporate information, including office address or contact details.
Having a few queries prior to our stay I emailed Adam Stewart, the CEO of Sandals Resorts International (SRI) and within minutes he responded personally apologising that because he was currently travelling, he had passed my concerns over to the General Manager (GM) of the hotel. Still within one hour, Josef Zellner, the new GM not only answered my initial questions but went on to monitor our reservation and ensure a seamless check-in.
Over our four day stay it soon became apparent that Joe was a hands-on manager, frequently seen in every area of the property from as early as 6am until late at night. Frankly, when so many senior personnel appear to find the comfort of air conditioned offices more attractive it was a refreshing change.
At this stage I think it is very important to point out that I have only stayed in two all-inclusive hotels in my entire life, the Montego Bay Sunspree Holiday Inn and the Jolly Beach Resort in Antigua, observations made has to reflect this.
Clearly, even after four weeks re-branding from Couples, there is still a lot of work necessary to fully ‘Sandalise’ the hotel but you get the feeling that it is progressing as planned. The vast majority of the staff are friendly and helpful. When I brought up the subject of a three months probationary work period a Barbadian waitress we talked to could not have explained it any better. She said that during the current challenging trading times that this was not at all unusual and by no means limited to the hospitality industry.
There were a number of surprises, especially the current very limited use of locally available products. These included Banks Beer (draft and cans), Pine Hill milk, BICO ice cream, BBC bottled water and some soft drinks. As the birthplace of Rum not a single Barbadian produced brand was available at any outlet. I really hope that considering the tremendous commercial advantages Sandals has been given that Government can exert some gentle pressure to ensure a higher percentage of consumables are sourced here. It was however, commendable that local craft vendors have been allowed to establish a presence on the property to sell their wares.
On check-out, we asked for a receipted bill, but as all bookings are processed offshore one was not available. Apparently only incidental items including extra charges are payable locally and that again raises the question of VAT and ensuring a level playing field with the remaining tourism sector on Barbados. Would it therefore be unreasonable for the taxpayer to be told the net foreign exchange contribution to Barbados the company (SRI) will be making, after each trading year?
Adrian
Staycation or spycation?
This posting goes right to the heart of this government’s blind spot on monetary policy.
About two years ago I recommended ten friends of mine to stay at Almond Resorts, which also claimed to be all-inclusive. Their payments also went through the southern United States.
I am sure that neither Sandals nor Almond Resorts is deliberately breaking the law in Barbados, but a general policy of having offshore payments for bookings in Barbados goes far beyond just administrative convenience.
It involves VAT payments, as has been pointed out, but equally accounting practices, including the profitability of the local branch/subsidiary. It also involves internal pricing, a massive loophole for cross-border firms.
This can easily become an accounting black hole in which cash flows out of Barbados without the authorities even realising it.
We are paying a heavy price for inviting Sandals to Barbados, for reasons not quite clear.
Is sit to give Sandals a wider geographical reach? To create local jobs, as another distributional outlet for local producers, or, to expand the Barbadian brand?
I rented a van in Barbados one year through a company in the states, the money was paid up front to the us provider when I got to the island picked it up at the airport. It cost me a lot less for the van than booking it direct with the rental agency, and you wonder how much of that money ever even makes it to the island or will it end up in a foreign account
Caswell,
I thought it important that I got a personal impression of the product and the likely impact it would have on our tourism industry generally.
I am sure the Minister of Tourism and Minister of Finance had already stayed there with the same objective before granting such extraordinary concessions.
It is not only in the tourism industry forex leakage has been taking place for years. In the distributive sector as well. And the authorities may well know about it.
Adrian
I hope you were speaking in jest, and if you weren’t, I hope that they would have paid out of their on resources. Otherwise it would be corruption.
>
The blog owner says that he makes no money from this blog
I believe him
@ David
“In the distributive sector as well. And the authorities may well know about it.”
Please explain.
its always the opposition that cry corruption, those in power call it teamwork
As i have been saying, Barbados sees very little of the millions to billions of dollars generated by the hotels on the island, the island and it’s people should be paid directly for all this largesse enjoyed by hotels, no concessions are owed to or should be given to hotel owners in Barbados by government, of course, the government(s) are too DUMB to realize this and act accordingly.
The following is a quote from the latest MOF on “Statement on Governments Fiscal Consolidation Programme ……
Cabinet has also agreed to support following additional measures:
1. A 10 % cut in the salaries of all Ministers, Government MPs, Parliamentary Secretaries, Personal Assistants, and other persons designated as “political appointees” in the employ of the government.
2. A 50% cut in the external travel budgets of all ministries, and statutory boards.
3. A freeze on all non-statutory discretionary waivers unrelated to the earning and/or direct saving of foreign exchange for the next three years. It is projected that this measure could save the government at least 100 million dollars over the period.
O f particular interest is #3., does this means all Sandals concessions are on HOLD for the next three years ?
Why doesn’t the MOT wait until the numbers come in for the winter season before mouthing off.
@Adrian and Hal.
Hal, two years ago the Almond was owned by Neal and Massey in Trinidad. When they acquired BS&T, they also obtained Almond since it was part of the BS&T portfolio. I thought you knew this. If
you had read my contributions carefully you would have seen that the sale of Almonds; (on the spurious claim that it was not making money, and Neal and Massey had to close it and sell it) meant the immediate loss of jobs by over 6oo persons. Pressure was put on government immediately to do everything to save those jobs, and counter the negative effect on the tourism industry. Note that NO PRIVATE SECTOR (BAJAN) companies stepped in to fill the Breach. (Paul Doyle is not Bajan) The tourism sector could not come up with viable alternatives. I immediately saw this as the selling of the least productive asset in the obvious leverage buyout. It could not therefore be expected that funds would pass through Barbados in any case. It belonged to Trinidad. Based on the above, the decision of the Barbados government to BUY it back and rebuild it, and the decision to let Sandals manage it under the Beaches brand, was an alternative solution. Now, you tell me what you expect in the circumstances.
@Adrian, How is it that you, a hotelier; a Barbadian hotelier, have NEVER VISITED OR SPENT TIME AT A BAJAN ALL iNCLUSIVE; AND WE HAVE HAD MANY; tHE ESCAPE HOTELS(PROSPECT, ST JAMES,ESCAPE IN THE GAP), THE BARBADOS BEACH CLUB, THE SAVANNAH, and even Almond before it was closed. How is it you never checked out the opposition (competition) and now all of a sudden you are checking out Sandals. By the way was Casuarina an all inclusive before? You also seem to forget that the products you named; Banks, BICO, BBC, and Pine Hill, are no longer Barbadian products. they may be produced in Barbados, but they are now Trinidadian owned. (Part of the BS&T portfolio) As a consequence it is not unreasonable to expect that Butch Stewart would not want to give more money to Trinidad.People like you have to get accustomed to thinking of these companies as “foreign”; Trinidad owned, and not Bajan. Not even the Rum is locally owned. Mount Gay is owned by Remy Martin (I told you so already) You should be encouraging David Seale or Alleyne Arthur to be pushing their products more. Their marketing managers should be sitting on the steps of the Sandals office and not moving until they can get their products at the forefront. MARKETING, is the key. Guerrilla marketing if necessary.
And David, Barbados has been the distribution capital for Trinidad products for many many years. Where else do you think our foreign exchange has been going for so many years? From inter company transfers from CLICO, to CL financial and mr Dupre; obviously to finance investment opportunities in Florida, through manufacturers fo whom SBI etc are the distributors; and if I am not mistaken, SBI was in BS&T portfolio, A.S Bryden, Stokes & Bynoe etc, are all Trinidad Owned and managed.
Do you think Trinidadian managers are going to think BAJAN if they want to keep their jobs? Do you understand why I will keep fighting with Miller when he keeps insisting that we have to pay for Trinidad goods in U.S. dollars? It is the same as with CLICO. It amounts to the same inter company transfers of funds, but with foreign exchange that we need and can ill afford to let our country be drained of.
Buy the blasted Trinidad dollars with Bajan dollars and pay them the trinidad manufacturers and wholesalers) in Trinidad dollars. CMMB (Caribbean Money Market Brokers) is also Trinidad owned; part of Neal and Massey, so buy the trinidad dollars from or through them, they have a major office here.
It is time the government got serious and put pressure on these entities. Stop the payment in U.S. dollars. Restrict what they can get, restrict the importation of Trinidad goods. We really owe them nothing.
@ Alvin Cummins | December 16, 2013 at 8:03 PM |
“…Buy the blasted Trinidad dollars with Bajan dollars and pay them the trinidad manufacturers and wholesalers) in Trinidad dollars.”
With people of your intellect residing right in the bosom of the DLP and advising its leaders it is no wonder the country is up economic ‘shit’ street.
Now pray tell us from your font of ‘arro-ignorance’ where would Bajan importers get hold of so much T&T dollars? From Republic Bank?
Before you can buy T&T dollars the country has to earn T&T dollars by way of exports to T&T.
Alvin Simpleton, do you or can you understand that? What does Barbados export to T&T to earn such large amounts of T&T dollars other than declining tourism services?
It is highly recommended you return to defending the DLP administration is it revised mantra of “Layoffs, Yes, Privatization Not yet!” and leave this high finance and economics stuff to the other idiot ac.
Miller.t.a.i
Your response (last para) to Alvin Cummins at 8:29pm just made me have a good Laugh Out Loud. Good one!
@Miller:
Are you telling me that T&T dollars are more difficult to get hold of than U.S dollars?Don’t make me laugh.If that were so, according to the laws of supply and demand the T&T money should be more expensive. Are you telling me that if SBI imported (IMPORTED) one hundred thousand dollars worth of Soft drinks from the company in Trinidad (of which it is a subsidiary) that they could not get one hundred thousand T&T dollars at an exchange of about 15 TT dollars for each Barbados dollar, that we could not obtain that amount of Barbados dollars? Bull!! The same SBI would have this money from the sales of the products. The same bank that would have to pay them the U.S> dollars would have the T&T dollars. SBI would only have to write a cheque to X soft drink company…Please pay to X soft drink company one hundred thousand dollars T&T. When the cheque draft or whatever is presented to the Bank in Barbados you pay them the equivalent of one hundred thousande t&T dollars in Barbados dollars.
I wish I could advise them. It would really make a difference. I won’t stand for a lot of the; to use Bushie favourites , Brass Bowl, that they try to pull on bajans.
“Before you can buy T&T dollars the country has to earn T&T dollars by way of exports to T&T.” I don’t buy that Brass bowlery. in Simple words we have a scenario; I am an individual going to Trinidad , say for carnival. I have one thousand dollars Barbados that i have gotten from my pension. ( have not exported anything). Before I get to Trinidad I go to the bank at the airport and BUY Trinidad and PAY for them in Barbados dollars. No U.S. dollars used. I land in Trinidad and go to the bank to obtain Trinidad dollars to spend for Carnival. Are you telling me the bank will demand U.S. dollars, to be changed into t&T dollars? Brass Bowlery. I guarantee they will change my Barbados dollars and give me Trinidad dollars. If you want I can give you some of the T&T dollars I have in my home that I brought back from Trinidad when I visited there last year.. The same principal holds for wholesale and retail. A.S. Brydens (head office in Trinidad now) imports for resale in Barbados 2o cases of a particular drug
. Cost for 10 cases in trinidad dollars 1000. dollars. U.S. dollars say 30 dollars, B’dos equivalent say 60.00 ($60,00Bds) A.S. Bryden transfers $60.00 B’dos to Trinidad office. Where the hell does the need to “Export” to have that $60.00 Bdos. come in. When A.S. Bryden sells the product it is paid for in B’dos dollars, that same 60.00 is paid to trinidad. What is so difficult about that, for you to understand? All that happen is that Trinidad see Barbados as an easy way to get foreign (u.S.) dollars into Trinidad without raising questions about money laundering.
Now that you put forward the idea, Republic may be the best place to start, they own CMMB, they are a bank, and they have branches in Barbados. Should be no problem getting (No its not even necessary to get the funds in cash, a simple money transfer (in B’dos dollars) should suffice. Thus instead of writing the draft or transfering the funds in U.S. dollar equivalent, you substitute B’dos equivalent. I
dare them to refuse this legal tender, and open themselves to a law suit. maybe before the CCJ. They are members of Caricom are they not?
You are talking about “such a large amount of T&T dollars. Is this where the 1.4 billion dollars that Henderson Bovell is talking about that left the island? Is this how the transfer of funds was disguised? Maybe the Central Bank should have a number of audits of Trinidad owned subsidiaries in Brbados.You have been strangely quiet on the 1.4 billion dollars; definitely not denying what Henderson Bovell said. In addition “Barbados importers” are just Trinidad distributors “Importing” from their warehouses in Trinidad.
This is not like buying a Mercedes from germany and paying them in U.S. dollars. Nothing for Mercedes is manufactured in Barbados and dealers in Barbados are not subsidiaries of german companies.
I may be a simpleton, but I have common sense, and the little maths that i remember tells me that:things that are equal to one another are equal.
@Alvin
Barbados imports more than we export to T&T, it means therefore that T&T would have a net surplus of Barbados dollars to repatriate to Barbados for settlement at any one time. Because Barbados will never have the T&T dollars to settle we have to redeem in greenbacks. Hope the explanation is simple enough for you.
@Jamila, Are you saying I should leave it to “the Professional Economist”? Wasn’t he “advising” the BLP before the 2008 election; when we accumulated so many debts?Was it he who advised the BLP government not to Pay Al Barrack? Maybe it was Miller who gave that advice.
Alvin morning………when you go to Trinidad, do you travel with Barbados dollars, i mean you can cause you still get $2,50 for a bajan dollar, down from $3.00, but if you are doing business, would it not be more practical to use US which is still $6.00 to one Trinidad dollar, you know i do business there and much prefer bang for my buck…i really don’t get your point. I would be surprised if you buy Bajan dollars in Canada to travel to Barbados, after all, one CAD is now $1.85 Barbados in Barbados.;
@Well Well,
It is not a matter of the amount you or I might use on a vacation or business trip. We are talking of hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even millions transferred every year from one country to the other.It is a matter where these millions of dollars are converted from local currency into foreign exchange (U.S. dollars), and the survival of our country and its people depend on this foreign exchange. It thus becomes a matter of survival, and should not be taken lightly or dealth with flippantly.
Barbados has become the distribution and retail outled for Trinidad manufactured goods. As a consequence the trinidad exports currency used in this trading is of utmost importance. Goods manufactured in Trinidad are “sold” (exported) to their subsidiaries in Barbados. the payment for these “exports” and the currency of the transaction becomes of importance. In the course of the transactions what currency should be used? Trinidad is not Germany, it is not the U.S. it is not China. It is a caribbean country, part of the Caricom “society”, a country that is part of a collection of countries that have been considered as part of a group that is considering and have discussed a means etc of having a common market and economy. Each of us depends on the use of foreign currency to run our economies, the use of foreign reserves is at the core of our economic well being.
In my opinion, what happened with CLICO should have rung alarm bells many years ago. Here you had a conglomerate: CL Financial that was able to use its subsidiaries; CLICO in the rest of the Caribbean, as cash cows. Having read the Judicial Manager’s report I see the interconnecction and the use of the subsidiaries that funnel funds to the head ofice for their own use.I see the use of the manufacturers’ “sale” (export”) of goods in Barbados as another way to obtain foreign currency, to the detriment of Barbados. There is no reason for the payment of goods from Trinidad in U.S dollars suppplied from barbados. David tries to justify it by claiming that Barbados “imports” more from Trinidad than it exports to trinidad, and therefore the costs must be paid in U.S. dollars, because Barbados would not be able to buy the amount of Trinidad dollars required. I beg to differ. If Trinidad pays for our exports there in U.S. dollars, the only U.S. dollar that should be paid would be the differential. The Barbados dollar (Yesterday) was valued at 3.2 to 1.0. and the U.S dollar 6.0 If that is used to purchaase Trinidad dollars the cost to Barbados would be even less, to get the equivalent Trinidad dollars.
At the moment the government does not intervene in the import /export private sector business. However, if that process is going to lead to more loss of foreign currency,, then the government is going to have to intervene to ensure that the amount (value) of imports are rationalized against the cost (value) of exports. Thus we export one million dollars (TT) to Trinidad, then we import one million dollars (TT) from Trinidad. And we pay for these in TT dollars; the coin of the realm. If Trinidad wants to be paid in U.S. dollars, then they will have to pay for our exports in U.S. dollars.
.As a consequence there is no net loss of U.S. dollars to Barbados. How the subsidiaries work this out is up to them, but I would advise the Central bank to monitor, or even audit these companies to determine the amount of foreign exchange that is transferred betwen them and their head offices.
On another note, is there a reason why Bajans refuse to tryout tor these shows and in the process give Barbados some publicity? It is always Jamaica.
DECEMBER 17, 2013 11:03 PM ‘The Voice’ Season 5 Finale: Team Adam wins big as Tessanne Chin takes home the victory with the U.S. and Jamaica celebrating BY ZAYDA RIVERA Tessanne Chin’s dream of becoming an international musical artist came true Tuesday night when she took home the title of season five’s “The Voice.”
“The winner of ‘The Voice’ is Tessanne Chin,” host Carson Daly said. “Jamaica is celebrating with the United States tonight.”
The Jamaica-native brought a diverse catalog of songs to the competition stage throughout the season, proving she could do it all. With poise and grace she immediately started her journey by singing an original song OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder wrote for the winner.
Under the tutelage People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive,” Adam Levine, Chin raced to the finish leaving the other two finalists — Will Champlin and Jacquie Lee — in her musical dust.
“A better coach for me I could not find,” she told Levine during the finale moments before Daly announced her big win. “I thank you every day for choosing me.”
While Chin entered the competition with vocal experience under her belt, she encountered a performance level she’d never known before.
The 28-year-old singer hails from Kingston, Jamaica where she sang backup for the legendary reggae singer Jimmy Cliff. But she desired a worldly career in music.
During blind auditions, Chin sang the Pink song “Try.” While she later demonstrated her ability to return to her homeland’s sound, the coaches knew she could sing in various categories of music, which included songs by Katy Perry and Whitney Houston.
Levine pushed her to the limit because he believed in her just that much. And although she stood on the brink of those challenges at times, once she touched the stage it was as if magic happened.
During the finale, Chin had the opportunity to sing with one of her musical idols, Celine Dion. Unsurprisingly, she held her own alongside the multi-platinum recording artist.
Chin is an example of what it means to dream big. Now, she must face the music as she got exactly what she wished for.
David | December 18, 2013 at 5:49 AM |
On another note, is there a reason why Bajans refuse to tryout tor these shows and in the process give Barbados some publicity? It is always Jamaica.
——-
David, cuh dear….wunna know the answer! Jamaicans SUPPORT their own. Jamaicans are ‘allowed to’ dream big.
Bajans does bring down dey own. ‘Stupse, who she does feel she is?’
Rihanna made it on here own.
The only time one gets government support is after the fact, when a Minister appears at the airport wid skin teet.
True.
Pure talent without digital interference will always win.
@Crusoe
You are spot on with your comments about the difference between Jamaicans and Bajans. Despite its many difficulties, Jamaica is passionately supported by Jamaicans, many of whom are not afraid to dream and go after those dreams. On the other hand, Bajans spend too much time talking and criticising, instead of dreaming and making those dreams become reality.
the unfortunate thing for this girl is she has won the voice which hasn’t had a good track record for stardom, she should have gone to idol or x factor or better yet sang outside sandy lane so simon cowell could hear her.
Alvin…….I don’t believe Barbados can just up and pay Trinidad for imports in Trini dollars or vice versa, when doing business the person or business rep always outlines what currency they prefer to be paid in, sometimes they even identify payment method, et by credit card only so that the international world currency used is easier to access………..you can’t just pay people in whatever currency you feel like or what is more convenient for you, you have entered another argument where Caricom members are yet to even begin to discuss one currency for the Caribbean, you have a long mile to walk…it’s good to hear you though..
@Well Well;
There is a thing in business called negotiation. It is the basis of nearly all business transactions. the form of payment is negotiable, for instance letter of Credit. See below:
Import L/C Negotiation
Import L/C negotiation is a kind of short-term facility the letter of credit issuing bank offers the exporter (the applicant). After our bank has opened letter of credit upon your application and with certain deduction of your margin, your company might face short term liquidity problem and is unable to carry out your payment obligation for compliant documents. After approval by our bank, we could make payment to the foreign correspondent bank or exporter on your behalf and your company could return the negotiated fund and its interest to our bank within stipulated tenor.
Advantages
1. As a kind of finance under letter of credit opened with certain deduction of margin, import negotiation has simple operation procedure. In comparison to foreign currency loan, it simplifies the approval procedure at the foreign exchange administration departments.
2. With a combination of sight letter of credit, this kind of finance offers the importer a substitution for finance under usance letter of credit.
Subject of the Loan
Import negotiation is suitable for import export trading companies with frequent trade business, tight capital turnover, regulated management, good credit record, normal financial and business operation status and reliable product quality.
Types of the Loan
According to the way of guarantee, the import negotiation business offered by our bank includes:
(1) Negotiation on credit, namely negotiation without guarantee.
(2) Import negotiation with pledged manifest
The negotiation is provided upon the trust receipt issued by the importer and the pledge of the goods as well as the pledged dock warrant. The importer should make the corresponding payment for the goods before it could ask our bank to release the dock warrant and pick up the goods.
(3) Import negotiation with guarantee
A guarantee other than pledge of dock warrant is provided for the finance, such as mortgage, pledge and guarantee. Currently our bank only accepts import negotiation application under sight letter of credit.
Amount, Tenor, Currency and Interest Rate
(1) Amount
The amount should be the liable payment for submitted document amount under the letter of credit less the margin which has already been deposited by the applicant to the bank.
(2) Tenor
The tenor is decided according to the application of the applicant and the actual need of trade revolving. It starts from the payment date under letter of credit and shall not exceed 90 days principally and maximum 180 days. The tenor could not be extended.
(3) Currency
In the same currency as the letter of credit currency (RMB, US Dollar, Japanese Yen, Euro, Hong Kong Dollar, British Pounds or other foreign currency listed on the foreign exchange rate board of our bank)
(4) Interest Rate
If the negotiation currency is RMB, the interest rate should comply with the loan interest rate for the same tenor published by the People’s Bank of China. If the negotiation currency is foreign currency, the interest rate should be the interest rate of the basic loan interest rate for the same currency and same tenor published by our bank plus a spread. Interest rate calculation starts from the date of payment under letter of credit and ends by the date of repayment of the loan. The interest should be settled together with the principle.
The type of letter of credit can be negotiated. The exporter (Trinidad:head office) wants (needs) to export. Simple as that. The importer (subsidiary) wants to satisify his client so he imports. but he has choices. He has the advantage whether he usesit or not is up to him. However the decision to negotiate depends on the relationship between subsidiary and head office. Does the importer (subsidiary) have the freedom to import from other sources; perhaps cheaper, less currency restrictions, more amenable to negotiation etc? Does the head office presurize the subsidiary to take their products, and the amount. Because it is complex does not mean that we (our importers) must capitulate to the detriment of the country.
The other question is the role of government in determining the foreign currency restrictions to impose.
I know it is easier to just say, we want payment in x dollars. However where there is limited foreign exchange, the govenment cannot adopt a laissez-faire attitude and let them do as they like.
Again the important thing is negotiation.
@Alvin
Your head appears to be hard like rock.
Why is it you can’t compute that Barbados is a net importer which means that if Barbados importers were were to trade in Barbados dollars only T&T exporters would end up with a surplus in Barbados dollars which the T&T central bank would then have to repatriate to Barbados Central Bank and be paid in US dollars. Or is it you think the T&T exporters will keep the surplus Barbados dollars?
@ Alvin Cummins | December 18, 2013 at 6:03 PM |
Weren’t you told not to dabble in things you know little or nothing about?
David BU has likened your head (brains) to rock but even rock can be shaped and chiseled into a form to represent something of beauty or unusual interest.
We doubt very much if “rock” can be used to replace the two thick planks between your filled-in ears and pretending to be your brains.
A LoC is just a form of guarantee (type of payment insurance) to minimize settlement risks used by businesses (buyers and sellers) to facilitate trade.
At the end of the day, or in the final analysis, or when the bankers’ books are reconciled the situation with Barbados is still the same.
Barbados is a net importer of goods from Trinidad and in the absence of a surplus of T&T dollars it must find hard currency (namely the US dollar being the trading currency for international oil transactions) to settle the bill due to T&T.
@Miller and David,
My head ent no harder than yours, or more stubborn.
Both of you just want to defend the Trinidadians. Cut the blasted imports to equal the amount in exports, from Barbados, let them pay in U. S. dollars and we pay them in foreign currency.u.S. dollars dollar for dollar. We export a million dollars, and import a million dollars. Things that are equal to the same thing are equal to one another. Import and export, dollar for dollar. Barbados is NOT to have an imbalance in foreign currency. You, and so many other bajans are on this damn import bandwagon that you can’t get off. Why do we need to import soft drinks from Trinidad. Why do we need to import so much evaporated or condensed milk. I could go on and on. Stop the importation of large gas guzzling SUVs and four wheel drive trucks that are used for home use. Because of the import of Oil from Trinidad, is that why you want to Privatize BNOCL, so that the Trinidadians can buy it and control the market even more? I think I will refer to you as Cromwell.
STOP THE IMPORTATION!!!! Why the hell do we have to import Sweet Potatoes from overseas? Governmentg will HAVE to intervene. Based on you ropinions it has nothing to lose by taking such drastic action.
@Alvin
Given the size of our import bill and the trade imbalance with T&T Barbadians would starve to death if we attempted to match imports with exports, we currently don’t produce enough to feed ourselves.
The following comments were posted on BFP and sent by a commenter for sharing:
Tax Advisor
December 18, 2013 at 7:23 pm
So long as a taxable supply is being enjoyed in Barbados, it is VAtable in Barbados. The rooms are probably being sold wholesale to the intermediary company that processed the credit cards, and they are likely being billed retrospectively at the end of a period (month?) after occupancy has been determined.
This will likely be the invoice that carries the VAT. As the intermediary company is not a Barbados incorporated entity, and is not doing business in Barbados (they are only selling a product in Barbados, but not managing the delivery thereof), they should not required to register for or charge VAT on their sales.
Adrian Loveridge
December 18, 2013 at 7:31 pm
Tax Advisor, it must just be me. So is the guest (consumer) of the service paying any element of VAT or not?
Tax Advisor
December 18, 2013 at 9:19 pm
Adrian,
Likely not. If I were structuring this, the rooms would be sold at a discounted wholesale rate to the intermediary. On that perhaps heavily discounted amount is what the VAT will be levied on, and therefore significantly reduced than if it were levied on published rates.
When the consumer pays the (higher) published rates to the non-Barbadian entity, no VAT will be due. So, indirectly, the consumer will only suffer the burden of a fraction of the VAT that would have been paid by “Unique Vacations” (who cannot claim back the VAT) with respect to their booking.
Some numbers may actually be clarifying:
VAT if sold direct:Published Rate of $100 sold directly to consumer = ($100/107.5*7.5) = $6.98 per $100 or accomodations delivered.
VAT via Unique Vacations, assuming 40% discount rate:Published Rate $100, sold wholesale at $60 = ($60/107.5*7.5) = $4.19 per $100 of guest accomodations delivered.
What this means in effect, is that the consumer will pay only 4.5% VAT instead of 7.5%. ((4.19/6.98)*7.5%).
These numbers are of course dependent on the discount rate negotiated with Unique Vacations… But that’s how I’d do it. take a big fat cut off the top number for management fees, and card processing fees, and marketing fees, and put it in a room guarantee that shows the foreign company baring most of the risk… That discount rate can be manipulated to as high or low as needed to show a break even in Barbados, or minimal losses even.
The only tax they have to pay is the VAT, and its not even their burden, and they don’t even sell we rum, and they not even pulling they own pocket for the expense of the hotel we building them. That’s how the rich get richer.
Adrian Loveridge
December 19, 2013 at 8:29 am
Tax Advisor,
Thank you. WOW! Do you think that our Government would have taken this all into account before granting the extraordinary concessions and how does the rest of the tourism industry on Barbados compete with this?
@ Alvin Cummins | December 18, 2013 at 10:22 PM |
“STOP THE IMPORTATION!!!! Why the hell do we have to import Sweet Potatoes from overseas? Governmentg will HAVE to intervene. Based on you ropinions it has nothing to lose by taking such drastic action.”
Mr. Mad Max Alvin C, why don’t you stop talking to yourself and shouting at David and the miller?
For heaven’s sake, why don’t you direct you criticisms and imaginative alternative proposals to the powers that be, namely, the ruling DLP administration.
Let them know how pissed off you are with them to allow so much slow poisoning “tin” food to be imported from T&T.
Let them know it’s time to switch sources for the country’s oil imports. Why not recommend the PetroCaribe deal to them or source their oil from Nigeria where you can trick them as some naïve Bajan businessmen were tricked in the solar water heater scam?
Let them know how upset you are with them for allowing those ‘despicable exploitative’ Trinidad owned business from remitting huge profits and management fees to T&T and other offshore jurisdictions instead of reinvesting some of it in their run down enterprises, especially the hotels and food processing plants?
Finally, Mr.Alvin the consummate hypocrite of a patriot, why not let your DLP moribund administration which is leading Barbados to bankruptcy that you will be resigning from the party and backing the Opposition should any part of the GAIA and Port Inc be sold to any T&T business interests just to get some more fixes of foreign exchange to feed the country’s addiction to food and other imports from the same T&T land. We are sure Bushie would back you on this one.
Someone should tell Alvin that T&T does not have a fixed exchange rate. So a contract for supply signed in January might find the price different in TT dollars when the goods are delivered in March. Hence the use of US dollars in matters of trade, and why the US dollar is currently the world’s trading currency, though that is beginning to change.
Alvin……..things are moving faster than you can keep up with, i know the DLPites are definitely out of their depth on this one, don’t know if you realize it, but Trinidad bought the leading supermarket chain on the island, SuperCentre, when they purchased BS&T, it’s not as though the government can tell the Trinis not to stock their own supermarkets with goods from Trinidad, after all, it now belongs to them…..when things were getting out of control on the island, no one noticed, now they are irretrievable but people have noticed albeit way too late..letter of credit yeah, but you better be paying me in US dollars, for now, negotiations or not.
@Peltdownman.
Exactly what I am talking about. The payment in U/S. will be to the benefit of T&T whenever the value of the T&T dollar declines, because of the fluctuations. Why should it be to their advantage and our disadvantage. that is one of the reasons Miller would love a devaluation of the Barbados dollar.
David says Barbaidans would starve to death if we stopped the importation of goods from T&T. Do you agree with that? Why do we need to import onions? we can grow all we need and more.
@Miller,
I am not pisssed off at the government. I am pissed off at Bajans who would imclude the damned importers. The Government does not do any importation; except the fuel and oil through the BNOCL. The size of that amount of import would be less than the 28% of imports to Barbados in 2012 of around 15 billion. For a small (tiny) country an import bill of 13 billion dollars is unstainable and as I said we have to STOP THE DAMNED IMPORTATION and contraty to what David maintains, we would not starve to death. I am pissed off at our importers (T&T subsidiaries) for the amount of remmitances going there. But I will not be resigning from the ?DLP and joining any opposition party especially the one that broke off the rudder, damaged the engine and started the boat drifting to the rocks.
And Miller, you “harp back” to the episode with the “Nigerian water heaater fiasco, which occurred under your administration. I will also go back to 2007 when your administration agreed with a certain Mr. Johnson, and a company called CAGEInc LLc, to allow an additional 2500 slot machines to enter the country and be set up. At the same time Trinidad outlawed slot machines and their usage.Who were these slot machines targeted to; the poor people in the country districts…a very cosy deal between Mr. Johnson and Mr. Arthur and the BLP. More foreign exchange leaving the island. Talk about destroying the country?
Based on the trade deficit; in the area of oil imports we can’t match dollar for dollar, but in the dry goods sector we could, or at least we could try. Our exports (not necessarily only to Trinidad,) have been growing since 2009, and are now 35% higher than they were in 2009, and the trade deficit has been reducing but more has to be done.
My call is to the people of Barbados. It can be done. A visit to Carmetas; a little store on the harbour road in the BADMC building, will show the variety and quality of local goods that are produced here. I am encouraging other businesses to follow that example. I am encouraging our exporters to market these products to their distributors. Why can’t we get Bajan sugar in the supremarkest here in Toronto? Why can’t we get Cassava and the by -products here in Toronto? Why can’t we get Condensed milk produced in Barbados in the Supermarkets here in Toronto, and other cities in Canada?
@Well Well,
I know that Super Centre was part of BS&T. That is why I am so pissed offf at this so called PRIVATE SECTOR in Barbados. They either were not able to buy it; (in which case they should have said so) or they did not care enough about the country to see the implications and make every effort to buy it. This sale occurred before the BLP lost the election in 2008. Their economic gurus, including the “Professional economist”, should have seen the implications of this sale and the implications for the transfer of foreign exchange.
One very interesting thing is that the trinidad owners having secured enough shares, have delisted BS&T from trading on the stock market.Nobody has commented (as far as I can determine) on the significance of that move.
Your thoughts
.
At Christmas I would order groceries on line, special things to make my relatives happy pretty seamless for a long time now they have been having a problem with the online service, what a stupid way to do business if that was in Canada that would have been fixed asap .
that is the supercenter online service
@ Lawson;
Private sector inefficiencies. But Supercentre is a Trinidad company now. This is how the private sector does business. I havae been pointing this out to Miller and David, and Adrian.
@Lawson
this is not Canada. Stop comparing the two countries.Deal with BARBADOS AS IT IS.
Alvin……..you may not be aware but very recently the Barbados government did not renew the trade agreement with Canada that allows bajan exporters duty free concessions, no duty onmost imported items from Barbados, luckily for me i have a registered company in Canada………..now, if the government is not doing it’s job, how can Bajans export anything anywhere, it’s no fun paying 20% duty in these trying times and try to also make a profit, particularly exporting from such a distance, i understand the government will now have to seek a waiver, hope they actually do it or bajans will not be able to afford exporting to Canada, at all. Now you see the problem, Barbados governments remain laid back and uncaring as it relates to their own people doing business to maintain the island’s forex, they are forever stuck in tourism mode, nothing else.
On Trinidad’s move to delist BS&T…..Trinidadians are business people, whatever they do will also benefit Barbados, they will never shoot themselves in the foot.
@Well Well,
So we are to be satisfied with their scraps?
I am attaching a copy of some of the essence of the Barbados agreement between Invest Barbados and Canada. As usual I like to check out what I am told. I expect a call any minute from the investment arm of the consulate who I will question on this matter. I will get back to you further. By the way have you looked into the feasability of registering your company and taking opportunity of anny concession for which you might be eligible?
Barbados’ International Business and Financial Services Sector Important to Economy
2013-12-10 00:00:00
Barbados’ international business and financial services sector has been “quietly and steadfastly making a major contribution” to the economy and the Barbadian public needs to be further reminded about the importance of the sector.
These sentiments were expressed by the Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development Donville Inniss, as he recently addressed the opening ceremony of the Meeting of Ministers Responsible for International Business and Financial Services in CARIFORUM at the Radisson Aquatica Resort Barbados.
Minister Inniss reported that as recently as 2011, the international business and financial services sector represented 17 per cent of the region’s GDP. As it related specifically to Barbados, he noted that the sector had contributed $180.2 million to corporation taxes in 2012; an increase from $161.2 million in 2011. Additionally, the sector’s overall estimated contribution to the Barbados economy for 2012 was $874 million or 10.3 per cent GDP as compared with $806 million or 9.3 per cent of GDP for 2011.
Admitting that more work still needed to be done within the sector to further boost its development, the Minister announced that the Ministry would soon be unveiling its five-year Strategic Plan for the International Business sector for 2014 – 2019; some details of which had already been discussed with stakeholders in the private and public sector.
Subsequent to Cabinet’s approval, the Plan would be laid in Parliament and a debate would be led by the Minister on the sector.
A component of the strategy going forward would also include Barbados’ outreach to jurisdictions such as Latin America, the Middle East and Africa to pursue additional tax treaties. To date, Barbados has 24 Double Taxation Agreements in force with 33 countries and over 4,000 registered international business entities.
NEWS
——————————————————————————–
+ Barbados’ International Business and Financial Services Sect…
2013-12-10
+ Columbus Further Enhances Barbados’ Telecommunications Infra…
2013-11-06
EVENTS
——————————————————————————–
+ World Captive Forum 2014
2014-01-29 (3 day(s))
Aventura, Florida
Alvin..okay…I am trying to spend money in Barbados from Canada by buying Christmas goodies on line, and helping your economy. Whether it is the indifference of the Trinidadian owners or the incompetence of the Barbadian employees I cannot get it done .Since is too late to send a barrel ,and because of the distance give the people involved two barrels, I will keep my hard earned money to gamble in Vegas in Jan. Deal with Barbados as it is????, that is the problem their the status quo is seen as excellence. So who do we compare you to, just like in cricket you are being outclassed by teams or islands that you consider inferior to your product …wake up … .
@Lawson,
You wrote:”…I will keep my hard earned money to gamble in Vegas in Jan.”.
Shakespeare wrote ..”first to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst, be false to others…)Apologies to Mr. Shakespeare if there is a slight misquote.)
The question you have to ask yourself, and answer yourself, truthfully, is this: How much do I like my country and the people in it? How much do I like my family? Do I, or should I, like the white people in Las Vegas more than I like the people looking like me (I am being presumptious in believing you are black), because if you go to Las Vegas chances are that you will come back poorer than when you got
there. If you really want to contribute, even though it is too late for a barrel to arrive before Christmas, still send it, they will still get the benefit whenever it gets there.The important thing is to want to give. If you want to give them something for Christmas, send the dollars you would pay for the trip to Las Vegas, to them by Western Union and they would get it in two to three days, in good time for Christmas. I am sure that the money would do them, and the country, a world of good, for every little bit of foreign currency they get there helps. As I said before, if every bajan in the diaspora sent 100 dollars home we would have enough to go a long way in correcting the shortfall in foreign exchange.
The inefficiencies will get sorted out; even if it is eventually.
I woke up a long time ago, unfortunately a lot of my countrymen have not. Their thinking is clouded by a lack of self confidence and a very mendicant attitude, and a lack of appreciation of what they have, when compared with other countries; even some of the developed countries.
Alvin I am going to do as your govt is doing, gamble with the assets and hope to win.
Although I may not have a chance at poker since my math is not too good, you see I am trying to figure out how a 3% pay decrease will save the 3000 jobs.In my mind if each govt employee earned a dollar the 14000 working would have to come up with the 3000 dollars for the ones being laid off. 3 % of 14000 is 420 dollars it seems a little short. That is why I said earlier it would have to be a 10% cut plus attrition to make up the money and the other expenses ,health care, pension.etc remember I said my math is not the greatest
@Lawson,
Take note of what Sir roy said; at the moment “it has to be a proposals, because the Social Paartnership is being consulted and many kinds of options are being suggested. I do not know if you listen to VOB; I do every day;even at the moment. You can get it bu googling VOB929 and clicking on the musical note. Very enjoyable especially Ken Husbands and Mona, tonight after 8.c0 haer (9.30 there). Back to more serious stuff. What assets are govt gambling with? If you are talking about the layoffs (pending) in the civil service, wasn’t everybody calling for that? Tell me. It has not yet happened though, so anything is possible. We people tend to be premature in out judgments.
By the way, doesn’t anybody; Miller, Old onions, or anybody willing to enoighten me about the 1.4 biooion referred to by Henderson Bovell since early in decembet? Interesting isn’t it, this silence I am talking about.
!.4 billion dollars.
Alvin the gamble I was referring to was sandals, trust me I have no govt dog in this fight, but this seems bizarre to me.
Did my math make sense?
Here is some more of my bad math if the Canadian dollar drops 10% against the US greenback I believe that would translate into a 10% drop in visitors from Canada. They would go where it is cheaper.
Why don’t the two of wunna go on some Canadian blog an engage in wunna mambo jumbo nuh! Steupssss
…damn dog dying and wunna talking ’bout ticks…
Your damn dog is dying because it didn’t take the medicine that its owners were told that it needed to get better. I have seen your old dog run around the same tree for a year now and nobody has been willing to or capable of getting it to reverse direction. The mange all over its body has started to show so now it is time to start cutting off parts to see if it can be saved. When it is over your once great dane will be like a Chihuahua looked down on by the bigger dogs in the area and sniffing assholes hoping to get lucky
Alvin………..Barbados would not need to settle for anyone’s scrap if their governments would use the education they got freely from the taxpayer’s purse wisely..
My business is fine, i can get concessions in Canada, in Barbados, if they are available, i did not try, but the double taxation treaty will work in my favor, don’t know if that it still available, it does swing both ways. or the US….by the way, people are saying they do not hear Inniss when they call him about business..so there you go.
@ Lawson
Bow wow!! …snarLLL! 🙂
We dog dying because it’s time is UP…..All dogs die…
ours may be getting a bit mangy because the brass bowls whose job it was to bathe the dog are too full of shiite and of themselves… so we getting some ticks and mange etc…
….THEN WE DOG GOING TO DIE…..
…here is the bad news for you, Alvin, Sarge and wunna big dog – the Canadian Mastiff – wunna may not got no ticks or mange, but wunna dog ass going die of the SAME old age as ours…
LOL
wunna big dog may make a prettier dog corpse – but um going rot the same way as our little mangy poodle down here.
..you playing you don’t hear what Zoe and GP telling wunna….
..FAT LADY SINGING JUST NOW…..
Not so fast BT when our hound is in need it just digs a hole, our dog finds bones everywhere, uranium bones, gold bones nickel bones ,oil bones potash bones etc and when its tired of digging it just pisses on miles and miles of trees, and when its hungry food is everywhere. I agree with you all dogs must die , but yours was humping the leg of Britain before it got shook off, now its trying to latch on to the IMF’s leg but its wearing pants made of thorns. The art of diplomacy is saying nice doggy till you find a rock. You guys need to find that rock.
Of course you are right Lawson
Shiite man….you dog better off that the new one that Joined Obama’s family recently…PLUS- yours got a golden collar….and a silver bowl – congrats… 🙂
You are also right that our Sardine -Can-Retriever down here full of fleas, ticks and smell like hell…and everyone throwing rocks at his tail…
But guess what….
At the APPOINTED HOUR, both your big rich dog, and our mangy “pot-starver” will BOTH DIE…and be subject to the same grubby worms….by the mighty LEVELER.
Depending on what happens after that, it could well turn out that the poor mangy dog was better prepared…..you better stop counting wunna chickens yuh- they may not hatch….
It sounds like you mean when we go to meet our maker, but how do you know he wont be more upset with you islanders for squandering your talents instead of like us putting them to good use as in the bible.
But your thinking is just the way I like it you getting your reward in the next life, I don’t want you coveting my wife, coveting my goods or stealing my stuff with your open door open window policy. lol
LOL @ Lawson
Open door policy?
You mixing up Bushie with Enuff…
Bushie doors shut yuh!
You sure about the talent thing though….?
Since when Digging under your feet and finding minerals is “talents”?
Since when is finding yourself In the world’s largest country with a small population density a “talent” bozie?
If you REALLY analyse it, even our certified brass bowls down here may have outperformed your lot – given what the two groups have had to work with…and where we are now….
Over and above such analysis however, tell Bushie what is REALLY different between a 98 year-old billionaire with Alzheimer’s and a 98 year-old pauper with Alzheimer’s….
Nice going Bushie, the analogy fits in with my limited maths llesson; Things that are equal to the same things are equal to one another. Brooker (small cakes) circa 1946. Africa is the largest country; even though it is composed of many many small countries, the land mass of that continent is bigger than the U.S. Canada, China,Russia and other smaller ones combined. check it out.
Unlike you , Lawson, and a lot of others I know, there is still lots of life in the “old dog. He may be mangy, but a few lysol baths, a good worming, lots of tick powder and good treatment and loving care, and he will come back. It has happened in the past.
Well well, I wrote and answer on the other blog that apeared today. check it out.
I am starting to wonder about the thinking down there. Depends Bushman money makes a great deodorant so they will live a different lifestyle although they may not know it. Alvin it sounds like Bush Tea is talking about you, if you think Barbados will rise from the ashes like a phoenix you are delusional. But I hope you are right.
@ Alvin Cummins | December 20, 2013 at 10:24 PM |
” He may be mangy, but a few lysol baths, a good worming, lots of tick powder and good treatment and loving care, and he will come back. It has happened in the past.”
When in the past did whatever happened?
Please identify these occasions and who say who was /were responsible for the Bajan phoenix magically rising from the ashes.
Countries come and countries go. Empires rise and empires fall.
Tell us what is so special about Bim? Do you, too, feel that your God is a Bajan? Barbados has had her day in the Sun and like her former Mother country Great Britain the Sun is slowly setting on her halcyon days when Bim was the brightest jewel in Britain’s economic crown and her raison d’être King Sugar is now dead.
Long live Queen of Prostitution Tourism (according to Bush Tea’s playbook of serious debate)!
Lawson
Money makes a good deodorant for healthy young persons who have hopes and visions of enjoying its benefits…
At 98, when illness takes hold and the INEVITABLE stares you in the face, money suddenly is not so critical to your life….
In the scheme of things, our world has reached old age….it is suffering from all kinds of illnesses…..from Alzheimer’s to diabetes to heart failure and arthritis ….
Wunna fellows up in shoulder (Canada) may well be in fairly good condition – while we down here by the brass bowl smelling shiite; and the poor folks in Syria (arthritic joints) seeing hell;
But when the body dies (AS IT WILL SOON) the shoulder can’t live on its own….
LOL
If wunna know what good for wunna shoulder wunna better look after the brass bowls and the arthritic joints…
@ Miller
Leave Alvin nuh!!
You always bashing AC’s… 🙂
@Miller,
IMF invited in by a young fellow named Tom. Three down grades “following Owen” at a time when he had already borrowed for a rainy day. At the time when the Sandiford government had to impose an 8% pay; when he offered to reimburse these cuts through the offer to issue Bonds that was
refused, and even before that when people lived in squalour in Nelson street, jordans Lane, jessamy lane, and when people had to get their pit toilets cleaned periodically.
Miller you are too young, and have had too privileged a life, to know those days. Do you know anythinng about cooking on “hard coals” that had to be bought?
You have had a good life so you don’t know anything about suffering, that’s why you have such a nonchalant attitude, and are so unfeeling for people in financial difficulties. You know where Duke’s alley is?
The Phoenix in this instance did not “magically” rise from the ashes. The fire was already out, and the groundwork had been laid.
To use a cricket analogy; the pacers were already taken off, even though some of the opening batsmen had been taken off injured, and others were battered and bruised, the pitch was now playing easy. The batsmen were seeing the ball like a breadfruit, But then they lost sight of the goal, kept flashing at the ball and within a short time had squandered the build up. the incoming batsmen now have to face the refreshed pace bowlers and the wicket cracking up. Lots of bouncers, but like Wes Hall, and Malcolm marshall;batting with a broken hand, they are still holding on. to the bitter end.
Do people like you think the land is going to sink into the sea? It has to continue. Whether or not you contribute to it’ssuccess, or try to hasten it’s demise, is up to you. Teamwork is essential, if you don’t want to be part of the team, get off the bus.
We Will Survive. I am confident.
Bush Tea Barbados is in trouble so you want the whole world to die. That is the thinking that got you in the trouble your in now, thinking the sun rotates around the earth, or everything rotates around Barbados. I cant blame you for thinking like that because at one time you had it all, but times change. Now at home when we have a dog full of the mange, crippled with arthritis, suffering from dementia we give it one last chance to rally, failing in that we look for a nice way to put it to sleep.
Some ideas to help you rally.
Your overpopulated, somebody got to go
.
Bush Tea going to your doctor and telling him you think you have a prostate problem is one way of practicing safe sex I guess, but for the main stream people give away condoms and educate
Hard choices have to be made to fix your economy it is like ripping off a bandaid the sooner you do it the quicker the pain will be over
You pay to feed a workforce in the prison, use them, clean up the mangy island. .and let the litterers know they can clean up with or without an orange jump suit on by putting some of them in jail.
Have another gun amnesty but couple it with after this date anyone caught with an illegal gun automatic 10 years. These people are killing your island and livelihood have no sympathy for them.
Lawson
Now you see why Bushie advised you and Alvin to find a Canadian blog and write bout things wunna know bout….?
Look back at the archives and you will see that Bushie (and GP and Zoe and others) were talking about the imminence of our world dying (the end of this Phase) back when Barbados was punching above its weight….)
You recommend strict gun laws…. do you have ANY idea of our current gun laws? Skippa you can get ten years for having a USED cartridge far less a gun…
Shiite then, they even lock up Arthur’s brother who was an OFFICIAL in a gun club….
…of course that has little impact on the bad boys, cause some jackass named KING who was attorney General decided that police cannot do stop and search ….. So now they mostly search the houses of people that they GIVE gun licenses to…. BBs…
Why don’t you find a Canadian blog and help them to sort out your Toronto mayor ? 🙂
Let’s get back to Sandals Bushie and ignore the asides.
Earlier this year Sandals paid a settlement of $12 million dollars to settle a corruption case for bribing Government officials in Turks and Caicos. It would seem that when that news became known to our officials, Government switched and started dealing with Sandals.
>
@ Caswell
…accept Bushie’s apologies Mr. Chairman…. Sorry… 🙁
So are you saying that the DLP is to Sandals what the BLP was to VECO and 3S?
Bushie
I am not saying that but it would appear so.
>
Or is it that Couples were as inept as the local group that wanted to build the prison for ONLY $400M? ….and using a reputable international partner with decades of successful experience too boot…?
Wuh they could be serious?
@ Caswell
Well at least that would make some kinda sense….cause EVERYTHING else about that sandals affairs smells to high heaven… If THAT ain’t shiite then um is perfume we making down at the sewerage plant skippa…
In Antigua Sandals got similar resistance and then it fell away, like Barbados.
David, Sadly I think you are right. We may never know the true cost to the tourism industry on Barbados.
@Bushie,
Don’t link me with Lawson.It is obvious that even though we are both in Canada we think differently. I am the eternal optimist. I know what barbados was before. I know what it is now and I can see whereit will be years from now. One thing about me, I never give up, and I will never give up on Barbados. Ant there is no way the Sandals situation can be compared with the machinations behind the VECO inbroglio. Check out the history of VECO not only in Barbados, but in Alaska and other places.
Anyhow. I still want answers about the 1.4 billion that Henderson talked about. I still want an answer from Adrian about why he never visited or spent time at other Bajan all-inclusives; even though he was a competing hotelier. Earlier I asked him fpr specific suggestions for inproving the tourism industry he has never answered.
Morning Well Well. Hope you are well. Weather still cold…freezing rain yesterday and more expected tomrrow. I am alive though.
Bush Tea I think I may know you now, You are that guy that used to stand near the brown sugar with the world will end tomorrow sign, eventually you will be right. Just the other day Harold Camping was right the world ended….for him. Forget Sandals they don’t even sell your rum, you guys will talk shit, but you will just get in line and follow along. That is why your transition to Canada is easy because we are the same. That pin head is still the head of Toronto, go figure I just put up all the decorations on our HAPPY HOLIDAYS tree, Went to see the children at the HAPPY HOLIDAY pageant, and on the 25 of dec we will open our HAPPY HOLIDAY presents we don’t want to offend anybody . Wait till they figure out happy holiday ham comes from a pig. we will be eating mangy dog.
LOL @ Lawson
Man happy holidays to you too..
Enjoy- and try and drink Barbados rum if you have to drink…. 🙂
Alvin it is easy to be an optimist living in comfort off the island. The opportunities are not there for people on the island to work and make the big income to be wealthy and prosperous as there are in Canada. I can tell from your writings that you have the ability to generate wealth quite easily. So tell me ….how much did you get for the rob ford tape.
@David,
Just a matter of interest:
S&P strips EU of triple A rating December 20, 2013
Rating agency cites weakening cohesion and deteriorating financial profile to justify reduction of the AAA rating to AA+
Wait Sandals bring their own flights from Wales? This news very hush hush on BLP BU. Loveridge you know about it? Are you going to sneak on the flights like you did for a staycation at Sandals to see if they sold local rum?
Never heard of a hotel in Barbados getting planeloads of tourists into the air to come to Barbados. We’ve heard a lot of hot air from Loveridge, and the Hotel association economic terrorists.
BU investigate we want more information on the reported flights Sandals bringing if factual its a fantastic new opportunity for all the players in the local industry.
@BT
…here is the bad news for you, Alvin, Sarge and wunna big dog – the Canadian Mastiff – wunna may not got no ticks or mange, but wunna dog ass going die of the SAME old age as ours…
Why don’t you find a Canadian blog and help them to sort out your Toronto mayor ?
************
Since you called my name I feel a bit inclined to jump in but didn’t “Lawson” write that he lived in Ottawa? These are two different cities Ottawa is where politicians go to get rich and Toronto is where they move after they have achieved that goal.
BTW the Toronto mayor has been defanged for now but he may get re-elected but Toronto is not the only city that has a bozo for mayor …. Ask H Austin about Boris Johnson.
BTW I don’t live in TO, just close enough to comment
Ruffin, Sadly it graphically demonstrates just how little you know about the tourism industry. In fact I was the first person to post on my and the BHTA FaceBook page details of the Sandals Cardiff charter. And hotels have in fact been chartering aircraft since at least the 1970’s. The first I can remember is Pegasus with travel pioneer Giuseppe Ollivierra.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/first-ever-cardiff-airport-barbados-6424494
Alvin….glad you got the information on Africa and the fact that it’s true size has always been misrepresented and lied about, Only when a real map of the continent was shown to me that the information sank in, you need to distribute that information around Barbados.
I did answer you on today’s thread.
No one is saying Barbados will not rise again, it’s just annoying that it is very difficult to see the results of all that taxpayer funded education.
What kind of Barbados do we want to reemerge anyway? One where conspicuous consumption is rampant?
David..therein lies the rub, as long as they can get over the materialism (just see where it has gotten them, living in debt, being born to debt) the island stands a fighting chance of recovery going forward. First we have to rid ourselves of materialistic leaders.
David, why do you think I havae been calling for Bajans to cut the daamn imports? We have to change our lifestyles. Next thing, Loverage you are a shamefaced something. Now that Sandals is doing something positive..on its own…instead of waiting for the government, you are trying to say that this was started long ago by some body with an italian name. Sure does not sound Bajan to me. Tell the truth why das the BHTA do(the private sectoR)neVER explored THESE AREAS. yOU STILL HAVE NOT ANSWERED ME. By the way when did the charters you speak of stop? do you remember Ward Air?
@ lAWSON, FOR Your information I live in Barbados. I come to Canada for part of the year. IF i was not an optimist I would NEVER have had the courage to leave Barbados and seek my education abroad. I am not wealthy and I know many people who still live in barbados (never left) who are rich. Getting their wealth honestly, who work hard, were judicious in their spending and live in a way that people would never even suspect that they have money.Barbados itself has a measure of wealth. Its people have worth in its housing stock. I have lived long enouth, and worked hard enough in the snow and ice to break away sometimes. But Barbados is more than my country. “My navel string bury there, and that is where my soul is. So I KNOW we will survive.
That is why I get pissed of at the (dis)loyal sons who seek every opportunity to dis…the country and the people. If you want to see the difference between Bajans and Jamaicans, get hold of this weekend’s Pride or Share, and see pictures of the Jamaicans crowding the streets to watch Tessanne Perform in the Voice competition. When Rihanna won her first Grammy, how many people in the island supported her? Remember the criticism the Government got for making her an ambassador for youth? How many maintained “She can’t even sing”. Your comments are still there David. Jamaicans themselves have been calling for Tessanne to be an ambassador. We don’t rejoice in the achievements of other barbadians. When Ryan Brathwaite won the WORLD Championship in the 110 meters Hurdles. Many Bajans got on as if it was no big thing. Any time a Bajan excels. even to world standard, at anything it is an achievement. When compared with the billions of people in the world, and a person from a country of 270 thousand is first, and best, among them it is a big thing.
Oh, sargeant,
I make such an effort to help my country that when I have to travel home I get my travel agent in Barbados to book my flight and take home the Canadian dollars the pay for it in Barbados.so I ent got no poodle or bull mastiff of Canadian vintage.
@Alvin Cummins | December 21, 2013 at 7:01 PM |
Next thing, Loverage you are a shamefaced something. Now that Sandals is doing something positive..on its own…instead of waiting for the government, you are trying to say that this was started long ago by some body with an italian name. Sure does not sound Bajan to me
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ROFLMAO.
The question of the day:
Did Sandals got this plane duty free?
http://www.odysseyfsp.com/locations/images/myef/sandals-jet-myef.jpg
Alvin you can fool your patriots but not me . At your age health care is your only concern and you are on the gravy train in Canada so sell your I am a barbadian to someone else. I am not barbadian but bleed for the island make trips ever year send goods every year. want only the best for Barbados hate the dlp hate the blp frankly all these boobs should be ashamed of what they have accomplished since they have been in charge . You are right we are not linked because I owe Barbados nothing but want to help you owe Barbados everything but think it is sufficient to pay it lip service
lawson wrote “health care is your only concern and you are on the gravy train in Canada”
All Canadian citizens living in Ontario for more than 183 days a year are entitled to health care ( OHIP ).
A lot of semi retired and retired Bajans pay taxes in both Canada and Barbados and become snowbirds just like the white canadians who flock to florida to escape winter.
Entitlement the scourge the world over, and here we go again ” white Canadians” I hate to break it to you but colored Canadians like florida too
David wrote “the question of the day:Did Sandals got this plane duty free?”
Duty free in which country?
As a hotelier I would also like to beg for a Challenger Jet. I understand they currently only cost US$24 million each and have an operating cost of around US$5,000 per hour. I also would like duty free concessions to operate this jet for 25 years and put my initials on the tail. Instead of N991GS (Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart), I would like N991AL.