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Only in Barbados: The Minister of Finance’s Happiness and the DLP’s Political Deception is a Sadness for Bajans

By personal choice, I have not written recently on the social, political, or economic factors heavily impacting on Bajans, but I have observed the callous and perhaps reckless approach to governance by the DLP. The DLP regime has targeted the poor, the middle class, and there has been concerted effort by Cabinet to dismantle the…

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George C. Brathwaite
George C. Brathwaite

By personal choice, I have not written recently on the social, political, or economic factors heavily impacting on Bajans, but I have observed the callous and perhaps reckless approach to governance by the DLP. The DLP regime has targeted the poor, the middle class, and there has been concerted effort by Cabinet to dismantle the gains achieved under the BLP. I am concerned, and particularly over the assault on Barbadian workers and their livelihoods. Nonetheless, the latest pronouncements and ensuing policies that have emerged from the DLP’s political machinery and from within central cogs of the Barbados Cabinet demand unfettered commentary. This I owe it to my fellow men and women regardless of their political persuasion.

I begin by stating my ‘critical’ bemusement at the ridiculous phrasing employed by the Minister of Finance, Christopher Sinckler. In his Ministerial Statement delivered to the Parliament of Barbados on Friday, December 13th, 2003, Sinckler said to the Lower House that he was “mindful” that the beleaguered DLP Cabinet had “completed the first three months of implementation” of the ‘restructuring programme’ which he had announced previously in the contentious budget delivered on August 13th, 2013. Sinckler, strikingly claimed that he was “happy to lay, along with this [Ministerial] statement, a report in matrix form, outlining the progress we [the DLP Cabinet and administration] have made to date on the implementation of the measures” announced in the August budget.

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158 responses to “Only in Barbados: The Minister of Finance’s Happiness and the DLP’s Political Deception is a Sadness for Bajans”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    Why don’t you leave Walter to posit his view, he doesn’t appear to be an idiot. It is obvious some of you are trying to frustrate his efforts. Perhaps we know why. Attack the content and forget the histrionics.

  2. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Walter Blackman | December 17, 2013 at 11:38 PM |

    Although you have rightly moved to distance yourself professionally from Jepter Ince the charge still stands that the man is a total jerk of a bull shitter pretending to be some highflying financial analyst with the brashness to boast he was a major contributor to the election of the first black mayor of NY and was instrumental in bringing Nelson Mandela in contact with the same Mayor in City Hall.

    The same way you, Walter, smelled a dirty rat from early in the CLICO boardroom how come Jepter’s nose was blocked up? Maybe he did what you failed to do and ‘bent’ down.

    You know from day one that Duprey was the crooked brains behind the then budding Ponzi scheme and not Parris. A scheme hatched with full awareness that Bajans were a bunch of financially naïve but excessively greedy “brass bowls” (to use a Bushie phrase). Parris -a man who can’t even spell the word “Greenverbs”- was just the yard-boy, yes man, gopher and whatever else to which you could have been knowledgeable (and fled from) in all of this CLICO scam.

    What you therefore should be massively concerned about is that not only the idiot of a bluffer Jepter is a serious advisor to the Cabinet of Barbados but also the Chairman of the same Board of Management of the national monkey business believes that Parris is the greatest black businessman Barbados ever produced, a fine specimen of supreme intellect and an estimable gentleman well respected in morally upright circles and certainly entitled to cast iron protection from the tentacles of justice.

    We must admire you for being a man of such high moral principles as to walk away early from the CLICO cauldron of fraud and con artistry when you could have sold your soul to the rearguard devil Duprey and subordinate your academic pride to the verbal assaults from Greenverbs Sonny Pookie for a few million dollars in rewards like Thornhill.

    Why, then, are you so keen to compromise your political integrity by backing Fumble who, a million times over, would chose Parris to be a close pal and valuable financial advisor over you any day?
    Why does Jepter Ince carry so much sway in the ‘wooden’ Cabinet and able to ensconce himself next to the PM’s office whereas a man that knows every aspect of public administration and finance (especially in Bay Street) is dismissed in “Caswellian” fashion resulting a massive waste of Bajan born ‘Cawmere’ talent?

  3. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @Back in Time Jack,

    You are joking right? IS THAT an excuse? No. If they do not have the commonsense to decipher sense from nonsense, NOT A ONE of them should be in Cabinet, far less PM. Haynes was a doctor, Adams, Barrow and St.John lawyers, only Arthur a finance background.

    Yet, they understood finance. That is intellectual capacity, which this government lacks sorely. SORELY!

    A bunch of jokers.

  4. Judy Avatar
    Judy

    @Crusoe, you are missing one pertinent point Adams, Barrow and Haynes were all widely read and shrewd but not dismissive.

  5. Pompasettin Pearlie Avatar
    Pompasettin Pearlie

    Prodigal daughter (Pat Parrs) and miller wunna think I frighten fa wunna two BLP know it alls? Wunna does sit down a whole day on wunna fat backsides writing nonsense pon hay instead of getting up and doing something constructive. Feel wunna could intimadate people, neh? But lemme tell wanna straight if de govermant want dem could cut my personal pension becausing:

    1. I don’t live above my means
    2. I en looking ta flash cash an impress naboddy like wunna so
    3. I don’t mind making de lil sacrifice fa my country
    4. De Lord will provide

    If de Bees did really care about Barbados dem would volunteer ta tek a pay cut. Nobody shouldn’t had ta beg dem to do de decent ting. But to talk bout dem en tekking nuh pay cut unless de government do xyz tell me dem en really wanta do it. So dem en got na moral authority at all to tell de government nutten about cutting nutten. See, de higher de monkey climb de more he backside does be at de door, wunna lickrush BLP hypocrites! Wunna could cuss ma now. I gine hay and pick dese green peas.

  6. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    Bushie can ask you a favour….? man ban Walter Blackman do!
    He getting to be just like Lowdown Hoad and Caswell…..he is beginning to piss the bushman off….

    David the man making SENSE!
    The man’s contributions are logical and well thought out….
    Yuh could follow what he is saying logically
    …and most critically, he seems to be more driven by COMMON SENSE than political yardfowlery…..

    David!!!
    This sort of thing could spoil BU yuh! 🙂
    The damn man messing up Bushie’s brass bowl theory….

    ….Tell the truth, what Bushie likes MOST, is his frank and open response to the malicious and vindictive insults that have been tossed his way….THAT IS THE TRUE HALLMARK OF A MODERN LEADER IN A TRANSPARENT ERA.
    ….also a trait of Caswell and Lowdown BTW….

    If yuh can’t ban Walter – perhaps we could recruit him into BUP – cause unlike Caswell, he seem to be aware of his talents and capabilities….

  7. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Pompasettin Pearlie | December 18, 2013 at 8:02 AM |
    “.. If de Bees did really care about Barbados dem would volunteer ta tek a pay cut.”

    What about this one, pissy, pompous pimping pearlie?
    ‘If de Dems did really care about Barbados dem would reduce the size of de cabinet to show how they can empathize with the thousands who will soon be going home.
    After all the cabinet is full of men and women of professional status and independent means capable of finding work quite easily in the private sector.

    You represent the typical mindset of this ‘lost’ administration.
    How can a moronic fart like you agree to a significant reduction in the size of the public sector but can still argue for the retention of a top-heavy Cabinet?

    What would the jackasses be doing other than breathing in one another’s foul air and braying all day long? What kind of monkey business are you and your fellow idiots conducting? Is this your recipe for a successful business model to follow? Stop the acquisition of materials, fire the workers but keep the supernumerary managers!

  8. George C. Brathwaite Avatar
    George C. Brathwaite

    Poor Chris, talk about deception!

  9. Peltdownman Avatar
    Peltdownman

    @ Pacha
    “pseudo-intellectual packaging of your missives ”

    Pot and kettle?

  10. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Miller………i was trying to follow GPs advice and not take a turn in Mara Thomspon, sorry GP it cannot be helped….she has no conscience, she already draws a widows and survivors benefit FOR LIFE for her and her children off taxpayer’s back since Thompson croaked, a woman of conscience would NOT be also drawing an additional salary off the taxpayer’s back for free, since we are still to be told exactly what she does, what she has created to help the island generate any foreign exchange……..a real woman would work for free, giving back something to the taxpayers, but i guess just as there will never be a Caribbean Mandela there will never be a Caribbean Harriett Tubman either.

    I have to agree with Owen Arthur, let go some of the dead weight ministers and senators and save the country additional aftershocks.

    Moneybrain is absent and i would love to hear feedback from him, particularly as he and i both know that 2 years going down the road when the bitter medicine starts to take hold….channel the PIIGS, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain, see what they experienced during austerity measures,………….i can just see PM Stuart and the DLPites blaming the IMF (whitey)….Moneybrain i am missing you!!!

    In addition…does PM Stuart and the other politician not have an original quote or creative idea of their own, have their never heard of plagarizing the quotes and thoughts of others, i can see that as being part of the problem on the island, with all the best education available something is still lacking….that also needs to be fixed…i would love to see them prove me wrong, cause i know it would be to the benefit of the island.

  11. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Further……..can anyone tell me why politicians in the opposition get any salary AT ALL off the taxpayer’s back, when all they have been doing for how many decades is postering. bullshitting, wasting time, playing mindgames with their political yardfowls and taxpayers at large, enough is enough…..again, we know none of them will ever be a Nelson Mandela, but have a goddamn conscience.

  12. The People's Democratic Congress Avatar
    The People’s Democratic Congress

    One of the DLP government’s fiscal, monetary and so-called exchange rate policy failures is in relationship to the use of these kinds of policies to help suppress the amounts in annual imports into the country and in the associated joke numbers (especially as it relates to the false conversion to US dollar numbers to Barbados dollars numbers) that the Central Bank from time to time presents.

    Yet, whilst this government has been using fiscal, monetary and exchange rate policies to help suppress the amount in annual imports into the country, there still continues, in its view, to be excessive imports and so-called foreign exchange leakages, et al.

    So, this government has resorted to a proposal to layoff many public workers primarily to – more indirectly than directly – help further suppress imports, so-called foreign exchange leakages, etc .

    In the latter regards, this backward policy (proposed) of laying off shall surely fail as well as those fiscal, monetary and so-called exchange rate policies would have been failing in such a regard.

    And, this is primarily so because it is the private sector that does the bulk of importations into the country, and because it is not the amount of actual imports that presents serious problems to the country but it is the tremendous excessive amount of local income and payment costs to the remunerations of the resident importers that are being given to external export sources over the same importation of goods and services.

    PDC

  13. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ The People’s Democratic Congress | December 18, 2013 at 10:37 AM |
    “Yet, whilst this government has been using fiscal, monetary and exchange rate policies to help suppress the amount in annual imports into the country”

    Could you please explain what you mean by using “Exchange Rate Policies”.
    We were of the view exchange rates were set by external market forces or deemed as “Fixed” in the case of the U S dollar. Isn’t Barbados a taker of exchange rates and not a setter?

  14. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Walter
    If you had all this first hand knowledge of CLICO how come we only now hearing you after Prodigal gave you some sound advice albeit according to you ,with some over simplification for good measure.Point is Walter you were in a position to give some advice to BAIPO and I hope you did.
    I hope you don’t mind me observing again that you have a propensity to resort to low blows when you disagree with someone.Should you not be graceful in your exchange with others that is,Walter,take the high road and share your valuable academic insight with charm and wit and thus let humour assist you in descriptive analyses if you do have to go there.With apologies to Hobbes,there is no need to be short or brutish.After all appropriate words should not escape your thinking.

  15. Pompasettin Pearlie Avatar
    Pompasettin Pearlie

    Miller dear heart, somebody now tell me you shouldn’t worry yaself bout de “deadwood” in de Cabinet nor de public service, ya should worry yaself bout de deadwood between ya legs! I tell dem, cuddear, don’t say dat bout miller, ya know he very touchus.

  16. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926 TO 2013 , MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS OF BARBADOS, BLPand DLP=Massive Fruad Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926 TO 2013 , MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS OF BARBADOS, BLPand DLP=Massive Fruad

    The “A”‘ Bomb was made by the US of A < So they feel they rule the rights
    The USofA first man on the Moon and plant a Flag to say they own it?
    The Swiss Banking made up banking the way we know it ,so they hold rights?
    We put Gold to back our FUNDS to the US Dollar debt NOTE
    When Emmanuel was born they gave him Gold , when they betray his they used Silver. That is what worth and Value is ,not 65%linen and 35% cotton aka paper Federal Reserve Notes.
    From a Child it has been 1.98 to the BDS to one USD , America notes are worth less ,,so maybe the USofA and their BANKERS are to be adjusted BDS funds in the way to the U.S. DOLLAR. US debt out grew Barbados debt much faster . In trillions of Dollars , and who will let Barbados or any other CC Nation have a strong Dollar, no more clues for now.

    If Not for the massive land fraud,we would be standing on our own ,but not for the DBLP government with their greed and PONZI fraud against Violet Beckles, and her Aunt Beatrice Henry Two Queens of Barbados.

  17. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    Is it possible for political supporters to be logical and dispassionate in positions put? The conversation being generated in Barbados is reminiscent of what occured in Greece and similar places.

    Listening to the debate in the House yesterday the PM defended the powers given to ministers/politicians under the Electricity Act just passed. What he neglected to address is the need to have transparency legislation to assure there is the opportunity for citizens to ask the right question within a policy framework.

  18. Sith Avatar
    Sith

    @plantation deeds

    are you saying let the Barbados dollar trade freely the majority of currencies in the world. We would and will soon find out if the Barbados dollar is worth more than the US$. All we have to do is get off of our butts and stop importing.food, cars, iphones, flat screen TV’s and fuel. Does not matter what value you put on the Barbados dollar. It only matters what you can trade it for and right now we cant pay the import bills without borrowing US$.

  19. ac Avatar
    ac

    this morning i wokeup to hear the architect of “doom and gloom” mumbling some tripe abou the opposition not giving suggestions wuh dah the last one he gave was shot dow by the public and we all know what that is. Then not to be out done is MIa call for BNOC to send their debt spiralling out of control

  20. ac Avatar
    ac

    Can u imagine in 2013 we now talking about controlling high energy cost in a serious way? is this the same opposition who could have implemented strong energy policies years ago but choose not to instead choose to run BNOC into high debt costing the taxpayers billions of dollars to repay.

  21. Pompasettin Pearlie Avatar
    Pompasettin Pearlie

    AC dear heart, how you? You en notice dat whenever it look like de Dems in big trouble wid de public dat one Affa does run an jook in he mouth quick quick quick. He does leh Mia do all de day to day hard work, but as it look like de Bees could gain some kinda political advantage up jumps he like a jack in de box, begging ta be prime minister again. He suh desperate though. I mekkin my prediction early… um gine be more backannal between Affa and Mia just now, watch and see, cause a lil birdy whisper and tell me … can’t give wunna da one yet. Wait til de new year. Murda!

  22. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    A view from faraway maybe clearer;

    “The policies now being pursued by Mr Stuart’s government are aimed at returning the country to fiscal equilibrium. As was the case two decades ago, the government hopes to achieve this without disturbing a critical psychological pillar and article of economic faith to the average Barbadian: its pegged exchange rate.
    There must be doubts, however, that – even with labour market pricing adjustments that should be triggered with the public-sector job cuts – the proposed measures can, of themselves, restore Barbados’ external competitiveness.”

    http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20131218/cleisure/cleisure1.html

  23. Mark Fenty Avatar
    Mark Fenty

    I guess we all can agree on the fact that sometime has to be done regarding the current economic mess in Barbados? And critics will obviously express their opposition, no matter what is implemented but who really cares what have to say any way? At least we’re cognizant of the fact that something has to be done and will be done to address the current economic situation in Barbados. You know, I have enough faith in the DLP to believe that we’re going to be alright, because the DLP have been the DRINKING – WATER of the common people in Barbados for far too long. Unlike another PARTY which continues to caters to the needs and concerns of the elite in our little island, and what Dr. Don Blackman called the ARISTOCRATS OF SKIN COLOUR.

  24. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Pompasettin Pearlie | December 18, 2013 at 11:46 AM |
    “Miller dear heart, somebody now tell me you shouldn’t worry yaself bout de “deadwood” in de Cabinet nor de public service, ya should worry yaself bout de deadwood between ya legs!”

    Instead of dealing with my ‘dead wood’ why don’t you deal with the matter in hand?
    Shouldn’t the Cabinet be downsized to reflect the reduced public sector and a contracting economy?

    BTW, Pearlie dear heart, should your bald pooch cat come close to miller’s deadwood you would certainly witness a miracle of a large dead dog coming alive and running like Bolt away from a stink hole deep enough to put the cesspool in George street to shame.

  25. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    My, my Miller. Yuh acid wid dat reply. However, ignore Pearlie since these followers just placing obstacles in the way to confuse bajans. How in earth can we come together when ear muffs in “dem” ears and nobody listening. Probably all dem expect the financial woes to disappear. Ah wonder when the energy bill pass if another hurriedly bill – white, green , pink or blue – will find its way to the house to distract us from all those civil servants being sent home.

  26. Pompasettin Pearlie Avatar
    Pompasettin Pearlie

    Murda, miller ya tek very long to cuss me back wid ya flacidd dribbly self. I know I touch a nerve, cuddear. De cesspool and sink hole is de one ya sittin down pon. Come trying to cuss me like you is some dibby dibby young girl in de gap. Stupse!

    And I see ya partner in crime Prodigal get very quiet all of a sudden after I let everybody know who she is. Wunna is ta see Pearlie and don’t see she.

    Anywhow, de meat a de matter is dis, when de lickrush BLP MPs tek a pay cut den I might tek dem seriously. Until then, I don’t want to hear neither dem nor you!

  27. David Avatar
    David

    This view about the BLP making or not making suggestions or giving alternatives. Viable and credible suggestions plans can only be generated if both sides collaborate. Making ‘cold’ suggestions without being party to all info is nonsense.

  28. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Pompasettin Pearlie | December 18, 2013 at 4:17 PM |
    “Anywhow, de meat a de matter is dis, when de lickrush BLP MPs tek a pay cut den I might tek dem seriously. Until then, I don’t want to hear neither dem nor you!”

    Now you know you are not dealing with a sweetbread but a sophisticated dibby dibby dribbly Mother F. The only nerve you can touch in me is the glans around my flange.

    It’s a pity you could not have said the same to the IMF. What a lovely Xmas present you guys gave to the public workers!
    You mean you are so uncaring and insensitive you could not even tell the IMF to wait until after the Xmas period to announce the cuts? It was either you announce before our arrival back in Washington or your ass is grass.
    You will soon be hearing- not from the BLP or from the miller- but every instruction on spending matters or revenue collection from a team from Washington sitting in rooms somewhere in the Warrens Government Offices holding the cheque book and with the threat of DEVALUATION hanging over your heads like the sword of Damocles.

    That is what has been predicted by the same deadwood miller.
    So far, correct about Layoffs in the thousands. Next a comprehensive programme of divestment and outsourcing of a number of State assets and functions. Ask the unions then, if you doubt the deadwood dick miller!

  29. David Avatar
    David

    @Miller

    The positive in the announcement at this time is that the public servants will be or should be conservative in their spending

  30. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926 TO 2013 , MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS OF BARBADOS, BLPand DLP=Massive Fruad Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926 TO 2013 , MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS OF BARBADOS, BLPand DLP=Massive Fruad

    Sith | December 18, 2013 at 1:25 PM |@@@ Example, Silver rate is some thing like 45X Silver to = Gold prices. US debt is like 17 + trillions, and adds like 2.7 Billion a day , The rate of the US debt goes up on a much faster rate than BDS dept . They want ,or like the rate to fall so they can maintain the gap , As you see Canada rate is like 1to 1 to the USofA , Means now it not worth it to move US companies to the north to make more money for cheaper working rate.
    Grease is to be the slaves for Europe and look to devalue their money, They want us to be like JAM and other islands ,
    If not for the Massive Land Fraud of the DBLP government of Barbados we would be fine , As you can see they Rather give Barbados more pain than to admit to Barbados that PLANTATION DEEDS NOTE ARE TRUE AND TRUTH.
    Now with all the talk of slavery FUNDS , BARBADOS will not have a new Slave master called the Swiss and not England, England knows they are crooks , liars and scumbags running the country of Barbados as they watch on ,Why none of them Bitches as the Queen for more money for they are not ready as yet ready for Free Smart only free-dumb .
    All they have now is Indenpen- dunce

    The Fraud Coalition Government of the DBLP with MIA looking to fool people when she cut a deal her self of they would have gone for new elections,

    December 12th 2013 mail reads CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER send out the REPORT FOR THE 2013 GENERAL ELECTIONS THAT TOOK 5 DAYS IN BARBADOS TO GO 5 MILES OR LESS.IN THE DECEMBER 17TH MAIL BOX
    .
    THE numbers for the Election for the non DBLP government was more than posted by the NEWS and the papers ,As the fraud goes on,
    Pain to come , but no pain for the Ministers they have all our money

  31. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ David | December 18, 2013 at 5:55 PM |

    From the unions resigned subservience it can be concluded that the MoF has been brutally frank and revealed the dire truth about the seriously unhealthy state of the economy.

    One suspects the foreign reserves are at the tipping point of triggering a currency adjustment event aka devaluation if approx US $500 million is not found sooner rather than later.
    It’s a crying shame Barbados had to end up down this path of economic Armageddon. This bitter end could have been avoided If only the early advice given by concerned observers were taken on board instead of being dismissed as prophets of doom and gloom and BLP operatives. Ryan Straughn springs readily to mind.
    Nevertheless, behind most dark foreboding clouds are silver linings of sunlight. This might be the reality check Barbados needed for a long time now; a sustained programme of fiscal discipline and a comprehensive reduction in the role of government in the commercial marketplace.

    However, we cannot see any recovery with the current lot in charge unless under the direct day-to-day supervision of the IMF officials who would have to take all spending decisions under their control.
    We can look forward to the Estimates for 2014-2015 being prepared under the direct guidance of the IMF with transfers and subventions to statutory bodies and NGO’s being a balancing figure to meet the revenue and expenditure targets established by the same IMF officials.
    Barbados’s fiscal sovereignty has now been taken away to Washington.

  32. Warrior Avatar
    Warrior

    BU why no story about those people who paid for NHC house lots only to now find out they owned by Al Barrack?

  33. ac Avatar
    ac

    how about private business and govt entities suspending over limit fees and late fees for these thousands of workers another way of helping these people survive some of the negative fallout, any how ac not holding her breath.

  34. David Avatar
    David

    @Miller

    Things are bad, there is no money.

    @Warrior

    Sorry but have not been following that story closely. A member of the BU family will likely submit.

  35. Mark Fenty Avatar
    Mark Fenty

    So! The national debt of the United States of America is 17.5 trillion and counting…. So the microscopic island of Barbados isn’t alone….. If Barbados had stood alone with respect to her debt, then perhaps there would have been legitimate cause for concern….

  36. are-we-there-yet? Avatar
    are-we-there-yet?

    Millertheannunaki
    The brutal severity and hopelessness of the situation was clearly evident from the time Freundel allowed Chris to make the announcement just before Christmas when it would seriously directly affect probably in excess of 9000 people and render multiples of that number totally miserable at Christmas time. Remember that previously Freundel stated that he would never have an election campaign during the christmas period (as the BLP had done previously) as he felt it would affect the people’s enjoyment of the yuletide season. To allow Chris to do the unthinkable could only have meant that the situation was dire as there is no one who could have imagined that the DLP could have moved so far away from its roots as to do something as uncaring as this.

    That act alone should have indicated that we were at rock bottom.

  37. Observing Avatar
    Observing

    @miller
    take a bow. Subservience is an understatement.

    @warrior
    the tip of the iceberg my friend. Have you heard the ministr lately?

    @ac
    where do you purchase your blinkers? They work perfectly!

    @david
    There hasnt been money for at least 18 months. The window dressingg could only last so long. The GoCB should be the first to go. “The MTFS is the only path to recovery” he said…stupse.

  38. Equal Rights & Justice Avatar
    Equal Rights & Justice

    @well well ,the opposition members does get their money just like de members of the present Govt.because they were elected by the people for the ppl ,de ones who should not get ah cent is the ones in lazy ass fondle wood-ants cabinet who got their ass rejected at de polls, as ah show of good faith they should be part of the cut

  39. ac Avatar
    ac

    What blinkers! so what this talk about all hands on deck or is it only for the poor …….just observing

  40. ac Avatar
    ac

    how about OSA he never showed up for work in the past four years yet uh got big mout miller with a list of names to cut but nuh word bout OSA absentee record from parliament. not only should his salary be cut but also his a,sss for his lack of visionary leadership now talking trash

  41. are-we-there-yet? Avatar
    are-we-there-yet?

    Observing;

    You said above “The GoCB should be the first to go. “The MTFS is the only path to recovery” he said…stupse.”

    I totally agree with you but it should be in a dead heat with Freundal himself. When the main objectives of the big all inclusive consultation and the august budget were not even approached, primarily because of contrary implementation changes inspired by the Freundel model, it was the time for the GoCB to have thanked the Government and find a plausible excuse to go. Instead, he stayed firmly in place with the targets receding further and further giving the impression that everything was all right and seeing the implementation of the policies that should have emanated from his position that a reduction in the fiscal gap of 400 million was absolutely essential get thrown to the wind.

    We can’t go forward with those two.

    Check it out.

  42. Equal Rights & Justice Avatar
    Equal Rights & Justice

    @ac u really want to go there talking bout leadership ? girl u aint easy yah

  43. Bag Juice Avatar
    Bag Juice

    And you too Barbados? Goodness gracious!
    Wednesday, December 18, 2013
    AT the start of the week, Barbados was shaken by two earthquakes within a 24-hour period. But there is also the economic earthquake which has rattled the Caribbean’s best managed economy.
    Barbados’ economic difficulties are due partly to adverse external factors emanating from the prolonged global economic crisis. However, the reluctance to take politically painful remedial action has also compounded the extent of the adjustment which can no longer be postponed. The unwillingness to execute any changes to the exchange rate, which is fixed at US$1= B$2, has put all the adjustment on fiscal contraction and wage and price restraints.
    While exchange rate depreciation or outright devaluation is of limited efficacy, it could help the all-important tourism industry to be more competitive. In the absence of some adjustment of the exchange rate, the fiscal contraction is more severe. This started with the announcement of the layoff of 3,000 state workers, which is not surprising, given the very large public sector wage bill.
    On Monday also, one of the world’s most influential newspapers described our region as sinking in a sea of debt, pointing to defaults by St Kitts, Belize and Grenada. Jamaica, it said, was teetering on the edge of a financial precipice, and cited speculation that the country would have to restructure its debt.
    The paper pointed to Trinidad, which is blessed with oil, noting local reports that the entire fleet of Caribbean Airlines came close to being grounded and was only saved by a last-minute emergency loan.
    The Caribbean is mired in this crisis because the governments in the region have not responded adequately and quickly enough to the recession. Economic adjustment, like most things in life, become more difficult when postponed, and the longer the postponement the more difficult it becomes. The region dawdled by borrowing and borrowing until member countries fell among the most indebted developing countries.
    It’s now time for action, but the options are few. We think, however, that the approach being taken by Jamaica and Barbados, though forced upon them by desperate circumstances, is worthy of consideration.
    They are showing “true grit” political determination by implementing the tough economic measures which will put them in a position to say ‘we are helping ourselves and we are deserving of financial support, as this will make success more likely’.
    Jamaica was prodded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) while Barbados is taking action before it is forced to do so by the fund.
    We have some doubt about the “revolutionary” strategy formulated by Grenada of limiting borrowing, raising revenue and rescheduling the debt, because it does not mean a cessation of borrowing, just reduced borrowing while imploring the international community to reduce or, better still, cancel the debt.
    Neither do we have much faith in the medium-term strategy of seeking reparations, with the possibility of garnering some short-term sympathy for the debt-reduction strategy. This will arouse global moral indignation but we suspect little if any cash.
    We must implement the pragmatic strategy as proof that we are helping ourselves, then seek international support, not the other way around.

  44. The People's Democratic Congress Avatar
    The People’s Democratic Congress

    Millertheanunnaki

    The so-called Exchange Rate Policies of the Government of Barbados are set by the Central Bank, Minister of Finance, etc of the Government.

    The so-called Exchange Rate conditions exist inside and outside of Barbados and refer to particular ways of governments manipulating/ordering of numbers – which are represented by different currencies – to achieve particular numerical outcomes, within certain financial commercial contexts here or outside of Barbados.

    A so-called exchange rate policy refer to a particular way of a particular government manipulating/ordering of those numbers – which as said just now are represented by different currencies – to achieve particular numerical outcomes a la nominal remunerations or their debts , within certain financial commercial contexts here or outside of Barbados.

    Particular so-called Exchange Rate conditions ( hereinafter stated to mean external/internal conditions) can be looked at by the particular government officials who can – before or after or at the same time – adjust so-called Exchange Rate policies to suit some prevailing or anticipated so-called exchange rate conditions. Particular so-called Exchange Rate Policies can bring about certain so-called Exchange Rate conditions.

    Anyhow, the fact of the matter is that currencies of different countries are not exchangeable. They cannot be exchanged by any persons.

    There are no relationships between these individual currencies.

    Thus, even the denominations of these local and international currencies do not even relate to one another. For instance, one BDS $5 is not related to another BDS $ 5, a BDS $ 10, etc. Also, one BDS $ 5 is not related to a US $ 5, a US $ 10.

    Hence, it is entirely of horrendous psychological and mythical proportions to see a person giving another person US $ 2 and the former receiving from the latter BDS $ 4, when there is no logical basis for it taking place – it is not representative of nominal remuneration gained or lost on the two sides ( notwithstanding the political legal inventiveness of governments to say what the so-called parities of their governments and other currencies are ) and when the primary purpose of money is to pay for the use of money, and the secondary purpose is to measure nominal remuneration and their debts.

    Furthermore, Exchange Rate Parities are absolutely illogical since numbers cannot be multiplied or divided by any numbers themselves and still lead to changes in the original numbers.

    Thus, one of the very fundamental purposes of so-called Exchange Rate Parities ( exchange rate parities have nothing to do with anything that does not happen – the actual impossibilities of the rates at which currencies exchange ) by evil wicked governments is to adversely affect the nominal remunerations or nominal debts thereof of the relevant people and other entities at the receiving end or the disposing end of foreign currency numbers in the countries concerned, or for such governments to secure as many remuneration advantages as possible that are to be allocated for the whole citizens of the societies in which these governments are located, as against as many remuneration disadvantages as possible that are to be allocated for the whole other citizens of the other societies in which the other governments are found.

    Indeed, there only exist actual relationships between money denominations and nominal remunerations, or there only exist nominal relationships between money denominations and the entire numerical quantities of money. Under a Barter system or Varter system, where one gets exchanges of goods, there is no nominal remuneration costs/debts at the same times of the completed exchanges. Hence, the understanding that there is no need for the use by any persons of money in such circumstances. Under a money, goods and services system, as obtains in Barbados, there is no exchange between money and goods and services. Instead, there is the use of money by the relevant persons and groups of persons wheresoever to ultimately get the use of goods or services, or vice-a-versa, at the same time or in different time spaces of the monies being received at different times to when the goods are received or services used. The use of money by the relevant people in such commercial contexts does automatically give rise to nominal remuneration lost/gained which themselves have nothing to do with the goods or services used or rendered.

    The projection by some people in Barbados and elsewhere into the minds of millions of human beings world o’er of those very false fictitious fraudulent ideologies, philosophies and psychologies, that the relevant people are exchanging money with money, goods and services, within countries, or between the relevant people of those countries, when in truth and in fact there are no such things taking place, is absolutely scandalous and treacherous.

    In truth and in fact what is happening locally and across borders is that money is being operated by the relevant users of it in anticipation of, or as a logical consequence, of the manipulating/ordering of numbers in remunerative senses, or their debt senses, in various commercial business contexts.

    PDC

  45. Mark Fenty Avatar
    Mark Fenty

    There is a lot of psychologizing here, but I haven’t seen any constructive alternatives other than the measures that the government have put forward thus far. Many states in the United States of America are now asking for GIVEBACKS to avoid laying off public sector workers and some States have went as far as to cut retirement benefits in haft, in an effort to avoid the eventuality of laying off people.

  46. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @Mark Fenty,

    You have not been on here long, alternatives were proposed ad nauseum long ago. In addition, there is the ridiculous scenario that the Government , including the PM, were insisting for quite a while, that it was business as normal, instead of implementing early action that will have prevented the current scenario,

    7 years is darned enough time to do so, especially on the back of discussions on this very site, THEN that stated the situation clearly, where it was going.
    You doubt, ask David, Bush Tea, Green Minkey, Moneybrain, et al.

    The Government should and COULD have acted in plenty of time, instead they played a political popularity contest.

    THAT is the reality of this p… poor administration.

  47. Back in Time Jack Avatar
    Back in Time Jack

    Crusoe

    Your arithmetic ain’t very good boy. The DLP ain’t been in Goverment for 7 years yah jack rabbit fool. Next month will be 6 years only.

  48. ac Avatar
    ac

    all ac is hearing that the poor do all the heavy lifting while the call for the rich and those who have received much of the fat from the lamb yo give back is deafening, today another wealthy business man COW Williams gets on his bully pulpit and calls for more of public workers to do their part in giving back but not a word for private business to give back . ac call is for them to show compassion by suspending burdensome fees which will impact these unemployed workers,

  49. Mark Fenty Avatar
    Mark Fenty

    I often wonder why it had taken the PM so long to proposed such measures? You know, it is wishful thinking of the worse for one to wait around with the hopes that things were going to address themselves.

  50. ac Avatar
    ac

    nobody paying the cackling blp yardfowls any mind cause with every thing that is happening people not going to forget that the BLP were the loudest and strongest voice asking govt to send home workers for six years. THE PEOPLE WOULD NOT FORGET<,,,,,,,think about it,,,,,,FOOLS

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