Henderson Bovell
“A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear.”
– Cicero
It seems rather obvious that this failed DLP Government has betrayed Barbados and is now waging was against the citizens of this country through its flawed and oppressive policies. The DLP has so weakened the power of Barbados that this country is now unattractive to investors and tourist, as confirmed by Donville Inniss’s recent ‘begging-bowl-expedition’ to T&T.
This is a time for serious politics, serious policies and serious people, but in what can only be described as, a desperation for confidence, the Prime Minister tells the country that his Cabinet are all “eminent” persons. I suppose no one will object that they are indeed a bunch of people who have distinguished themselves in causing, Barbados to be downgraded to junk, unprecedented human suffering, the deficit to spiral out-of-control, an alarming increase in the rate of poverty and unemployment, enterprises to collapse and investors to flee Barbados. It is only when the DLP is in office that this country ever really hears about placing thousands on the bread-line. Perhaps that makes the DLP and its Ministers feel special.
But, the true facts are that many of the people in that huge unproductive DLP Cabinet (like Suckoo; Todd; Ince; Husbands and Sandiford-Garner) failed to meet the electorate’s standards and were recently rejected at the Polls. But they meet the Prime Minister’s and for that arrogance and failure to accept the will of the people – the taxpayers of Barbados are now saddled with an unjustified charge and cost overrun of some one million dollars in recurrent expenditure, annually. He said they are “all” duly elected but that is a horrible lie! Rating Agencies; Investors, Consumers, the unemployed and others do not have confidence in this failed DLP Cabinet (many of whom were recently rejected at the polls) and yet the Prime Minister alleges that they are “all” duly elected and qualify as “eminent” persons.
Just curious: how exactly is the DLP protecting democracy when it is making Barbados financially and socially weak? How is it protecting democracy when (up to recently) the BLP could not even buy time on CBC to air a press conference on the economy?
Causing a downgrade to junk; printing money; putting the country on a collision-course with a devaluation and refusing help such as would be obtained were a Committee of real “Eminent Persons” established; and refusing other sound advise from well-reasoned and experience persons – which could put the country on a more desirable path – is a betrayal of allegiance to Barbados.
How are such aggressive acts against the peace and stability of Barbados – “protecting our democracy?” And, how exactly is the DLP “protecting democracy” when Barbados is essentially being managed from Washington, by the IMF? This is really very serious because, in the recent General Election, the DLP spent thousands on radio; television and newspaper ads to ensure that the entire country gets its message that if the people it was sending the communication to and Barbadians in general – voted for the DLP, their employment in the Public Service of Barbados would be safe and there will be “no layoffs” and “no privatisation.” The country is now finding out that it was all an elaborate hoax; a horrible lie, cold betrayal and trademark DLP deception. And yet, the DLP is now telling Barbados, that they are “eminent persons” who are “protecting our democracy.”
Section 6 of the Election Offenses and Controversies Act essentially says “no” and makes offering a job in return for a vote a crime (offense) and yet – the DLP now alleges that they are “eminent persons” who are “protecting democracy.” “O judgment thou art fled to brutish beast and men have lost their reason!” It has to be democracy at work, that because of the DLP’ fatted calf doctrine, taxpayers are scrambling annually to find over a million dollar to pay the very Dems the Electorate rejected at the polls, to do nothing but sit in a DLP Cabinet, to waste time.
I am reminded of the following quote:
“Nothing is more unreliable than the populace, nothing more obscure than human intentions, nothing more deceptive than the whole electoral system.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
I end as Robert Browning would want:
“We shall march prospering,—not thro’ his presence;
Songs may inspirit us,—not from his lyre;
Deeds will be done,—while he boasts his quiescence,
Still bidding crouch whom the rest bade aspire:
Blot out his name, then, record one lost soul more,
One task more declined, one more footpath untrod,
One more devils’-triumph and sorrow for angels,
One wrong more to man, one more insult to God!
Life’s night begins: let him never come back to us!
There would be doubt, hesitation and pain,
Forced praise on our part—the glimmer of twilight,
Never glad confident morning again!….”
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p align=”justify”>- Robert Browning: The Lost Leader
A heart breaking let-down! Savage betrayals – the type the world would have thought – only Lady Macbeth is capable of! This is not a Science Fiction Movie I am describing but the DLP and what Barbadians and the world hate most about politics!
You are at liberty to call it “a symbol of shocking betrayal” but many believe it may in-fact be: ‘the devil in disguise.’ The critical point to remember: “trust the DLP and there will be severe and devastating consequences.”
What! Reminiscent of the ‘bajan three-card-man?’ You thought it had changed? Same DLP!
charles skeete | January 31, 2014 at 7:46 AM |
“despite the unprecedented rise in the high cost of living to accept without dissent the salary cut imposed upon them in the last four years as a result of the inability of the Government to pay salary increases”
i agree with you but it is strange that no one here has even dared to mention the fact that the ministers, permanent secretaries and heads of departments got a huge salary increase in 2012. in fact it was so low keyed that not many public servants would have known about it except for the accounts section etc. they got the salary increase first and the back pay about 5 months later.
i felt utterly horrified when that sleaze dog, Donville Inniss publicly stated that he does not support ministers having a salary reduction as they have families too. but he knew he could say that crap knowing that not many people are aware that they had a 17% increase and then back pay the year 2007. really, really sickening lot of people. one of my friends received back pay, less taxes of $25,000. the ordinary public servant has not receive a salary increase since 2008 but the evil people especially Donvile Inniss could get in the public and talk such rubbish to unsuspecting DLP retards, who delight to bury their heads in the sand. i am surprise that Caswell has not come across those 2 memos , the one informing who was entitled to the increase and how much and the other one informing when the back pay was to be distributed.
when ronald Jones told teachers to forget about salary increase since everyone had to make sacrifices, he was talking knowing that 6 months before he had a salary increase. i long for the day when these criminals of the public purse will be remove from office.
to all u worshipers and followers for the DLP administration, how could you read their manifesto and choose to vote them back in? u are noW getting what u deserve…. u had no right playing politics for $50 or $100, you got money in ur pocket for a while, a job for a while now where are u today? SMH….
David Estwick does not seem to realise that if you publicly purport to adopt a position of principle because of a fundamental lack of confidence in Government’s policy and path (even while being a Cabinet Minister) your only course is to first resign but how can anybody cause you to change your mind?
Constantly threatening to do something, makes you look unstable! Not doing anything, raises questions about your judgment, especially since you are inadvertently allowing yourself to be fingered as the scapegoat for dis-unity and the cause of instability.
But you also serve as an unnecessary distraction for the country, and then by not doing anything (especially with the IMF and Rating Agencies looking-on) your conduct constitutes an unpatriotic act and a disservice to Barbadians, especially having hinted that something is fundamentally wrong, causing you to speak, in the first place. Unless Estwick resigns, he would only have succeeded in telling the IMF; Rating Agencies and Investors that – in addition to social and economic instability in Barbados – there is Political instability and a political crisis in Barbados. That, however – is not breaking news for the country and nobody needed to hear from a David Estwick to know that this failed-DLP-Government, is drifting on the wrong path and is guilty of a serious “cover-up” conspiracy.
Estwick has mere confirmed that Barbados now finds itself with a Government is does not wants and Ministers, who are not in the country’s interest, to keep.
David Estwick does not seem to realise that if you publicly purport to adopt a position of principle because of a fundamental lack of confidence in Government’s policy and path (even while being a Cabinet Minister) your only course is to first resign but ‘how can anybody cause you to change your mind?’
sporadic public outburst and constantly threatening to do something, makes you look ‘unstable!’ Not doing anything, raises questions about your ‘judgment,’ especially since you are inadvertently allowing yourself to be fingered, as the scapegoat for dis-unity and the cause of instability.
But you also serve as ‘an unnecessary distraction for the country,’ and then by not doing anything (especially with the IMF and Rating Agencies looking-on) your conduct constitutes an ‘unpatriotic act’ and ‘a disservice to Barbadians,’ especially having hinted that something is ‘fundamentally wrong,’ causing you to speak, in the first place.
Unless Estwick resigns, he would only have succeeded in telling the IMF; Rating Agencies and Investors that – in addition to social and economic instability in Barbados – there is Political instability and a political crisis in Barbados.
That, however – is not breaking news for the country and nobody needed to hear from a David Estwick to know that this failed-DLP-Government, is drifting on the wrong path and is guilty of a serious “cover-up-conspiracy.”
Estwick has merely confirmed that Barbados now finds itself “trapped and saddled” with a Government is does not want and an unproductive Cabinet, which is not in the country’s interest, to keep.