Submitted by Ras Jahaziel Not only is it a necessity for those that were enslaved and BROKEN and DOMESTICATED, but it is also a necessity if moral equilibrium is to be restored to a world that has become totally vampire oriented. Read more: http://www.rastafarivisions.com/readingroom-654/reparations-is-a-necessity
Not only is it a necessity for those that were enslaved and BROKEN and DOMESTICATED, but it is also a necessity if moral equilibrium is to be restored to a world that has become totally vampire oriented.
Read more: http://www.rastafarivisions.com/readingroom-654/reparations-is-a-necessity
@John
” The first slave owner in America was a blackman”
Of course John, in the historically constructed America, the first black man was actully a slave owner. Shall I insult you intelligence by informing you that you have to be gullible to believed that Urban Legend. John, let’s assume for a moment that what you’re advancing is true. Now don’t you think that the white man would have wanted to emphasized this particular part of American history to justify his treatment of black people during the institution of slavery? John the historical recorded clearly indicates that the first slave owner arrived in Jamestown in 1640 and their were European. I took American Government as well as read African American History extensvely, and I have never heard such bullshit.
@John
The fact of the matter is slaves arrived in Jamestown with their European masters in 1640 and this obviously discredts the historically constructed bull you have written above.
Missing from the debate on reparations is any reflection that attitudes and situations in the past were different from now. From a book on hand at the moment about the social reformers in the 19th century (in England):
“”Lunatics” were treated primarily as dangerous….strait-jackets, whips and chains were..believed to be the prime cures for madness.”
“..little children were working impossible hours, often under blows from overseers. …many of them died young or were crippled for life.”
Chimney sweeps bought children from orphanages or their own families and put them to work as chimney sweep’s climbing boys. “The children were made to climb naked up chimneys to dislodge soot. To prepare them for their work, they were rubbed all over with salt water to harden the skin. When they stuck in a chimney, the master often lit a fire of straw to induce them to struggle violently enough to free themselves. In the process boys suffocated.”
In the mines “Girls, almost naked and chained to heavy carts, drawing coals up low, narrow passages far underground; girls working alongside naked men, who sometimes sexually abused them. Children of five or six or even younger were incarcerated without light…in rat infested mines….standing all day in ankle-deep water. Hours were 12 to 14 a day, six days a week. Brutal overseers continually used a strap or even pick-handles to punish or oppress.”
In London “….in an area where policemen would only go in numbers, often carrying cutlasses. …..in squalid and half-naked groups [in] fetid courts and alleys…the passages are thronged with children…of ages 3 to 13…Their appearance is wild; matted hair, disgusting filth…. in winter you are shocked by the spectacle of hundreds shivering…all but naked.”
In the brickworks “I saw little children, three parts naked, tottering under the weight of wet clay…they had to carry the loads to the kilns where the heat was so fierce that I was not able to remain more than two or three minutes.”
This is not, of course, to deny the atrocities of slavery but if reparations are considered appropriate for the descendants of slaves, should they be appropriate at some level for the descendants of these brutalised children and members of the 19th century working classes?
@Dragon et al
Few want to appreciate the context of the DISMAL History in Europe. These people were animals so what would they care about people who are black coming from the “dark” continent with completely different language, hair etc. These European dummies of that time considered black people as NOT even human. VERY SAD but true. Cruel bastards that cold justify anything like sending little kids down a coal mine!
MoneyBrain, you’re quite right because in order for Slave Traders to justify the enslavement of the black man, their had to proved to Christian -Europe that he was less than human, sub- human.
@ Moneybrain
Part of my point is that you cannot treat everyone in UK/Europe in the same way.
How many people were in menial jobs, including those down the mines, working 14 hour days semi-naked? How many were running profitable slavery operations?
99% versus 1%?
Who, then should pay the reparations? Everyone in the UK? Even if they had no connection with slavery because their ancestors were chained in the mines?
Life is complicated.
Mark Fenty | February 14, 2014 at 7:42 PM |
@John
The fact of the matter is slaves arrived in Jamestown with their European masters in 1640 and this obviously discredts the historically constructed bull you have written above.
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I merely pointed you to what is written on the internet by others …… not by me.
I added the disclaimer that the Internet can be used to propagate myths.
However, the argument seems plausible to me unless you can bring a fact to prove it wrong.
Of course European masters brought their servants to the America.
There are also lists of servants who signed a contract and who came on their own to be bound to a master for a fixed period of time.
The point is that the time was fixed by a contract.
Very often it was the servant who was ill treated and worked to death because the owner only had an interest in maximizing the output for a short period of time and not in the long term in the case of a slave.
http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Virginia_Emigration_and_Immigration#cite_note-2
http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/the-royal-african-company-supplying-slaves-to-jamestown.htm
“Africans in Virginia’s Early Years
The first documented arrival of Africans to Virginia was in 1619, when a Dutch trading vessel docked near present-day Hampton. Aboard were about 20 Africans who were traded to the English as much-needed workers to cultivate tobacco, the new cash crop of Virginia. The institution of slavery slowly crept into Virginia legislation. By 1660, slavery as we think of it today was established in Virginia. Tobacco was extremely labor-intensive, and more and more workers were needed. The sale of Africans to Virginia planters promised to be a profitable endeavor.”
“Although the first blacks arrived in 1619, large numbers of blacks were imported beginning about 1680. It has been estimated that 75% of white colonists arrived in bondage as indentured servants or transported convicts.”
My words now ……. Until the purchase of slaves from Africa made economic sense the bulk of the work was done by indentured servants who were often worked to death.
Once these had established that it was economically feasible to purchase slaves then slaves were purchased from Africa.
Slaves were not worked like servants ….. and servants were not worked like slaves to whom there was an economic value attached.
The master would more likely work his servants to death before he would maltreat his slaves who he had to pay for.
@Dragon
Exactly, I have stated on many occasions on this site that life is very complicated and there is Complex EVIL, globally.
by OSIRIS AKKEBALA 6 hours ago
Delete
I Address This About Reparation, Not Out Of Disappointment Of Some Black Afrikans, But Out Of Divine Knowledge And Respect For The Black Race and an Obligation We The Children Of Our Enslaved Ancestors Have To Our Enslaved Ancestors, And Their Right To Be Respected And Free.
To all of those Niggers who find it amusing to degrade our Enslaved Ancestors by making white folks style comments about Reparation, I fully understood what the Honorable Marcus Garvey saw, which is what I see of certain caliber of so call Nigger Black Afrikans who no longer is in Afrika, and wherever you are in Diaspora America with welfare in hand, you are in Diaspora America, because of the Enslavement of our Afrikan Ancestors.
So, when the Honorable Garvey stated that all Black Folks in the Diaspora because of Chattel Slavery, would not be a Divine addition to Afrika, in other word, all Black Folks in Diaspora America do not deserve to go to Afrika.
Have you Black people no sense of mind vision with the ability to remember and comprehend that which I have shared with you concerning Afrika, Afrikans, and Reparation?
Do you not know, I do not share information and Divine visions with you without a knowledge as to why I do?
For instance, when I share with you Black people that in order for Afrika to be again for the Afrikan, and for the Black Afrikans to be a United Black Race of a Nation again, I have without hesitation informed you in order for order to come back to your Black mind and your Afrika land, there has to be a Afrika Afrikan Revolution to take place, with the first blow to be against the calibers of Niggers who speak ignorantly and stupidly against the Unity of Black Afrikans in Afrika, against Afrike being for the Black Afrikans, And against Reparation For Our Enslaved Ancestors.
Well, the same approach change not toward those Niggers in the Caribbean Diaspora America, they who speak so ignorantly and stupid against Reparation to be paid to our Enslaved Ancestors, a cleansing has to take place from within the Black Family Nation, be we in Afrika, in the Diaspora America, or elsewhere in this evil world.
Now, allow me to share this with you, the oppressors and their offspring, when the issue is Reparation, their opinion do not and must not be allowed to carry weight in the Mind of Divinely aware Black Folks, and it is your obligation to shield the Rank and file of Black people, whose mind is shaped by others opinion, therefore, you who know the Divine Truth about the Devil himself and his Black Afrikan surrogates, you should know not to be influenced by that which they have been taught to believe about Chattel Slavery and Reparation, just be aware who the enemy is that stand in your way, our way, in pursuit of our Enslaved Ancestors Reparation.
Also, be appraised of the fact that most Black folks who make claim to be so educated and is against Reparation, they have no Divine Spiritual knowledge and Understanding about anything Divine, and it is a Divine Spiritual qualification you must meet, that is, if you are to experience the reforming of the Black mind.
Reparation is not about the History of Slavery in this evil world, it is about the Chattel Slavery that Damage the Black World by the raiding and capturing and Enslaving our Afrikan Ancestors, our mean, those of us who are direct descendants from that evil barbarous institution call Chattel Slavery.
So, do not allow Niggers, in or out of the Caribbean, in the European plantations, and in the America United States plantation, or Arab Culture adoption to deceive you by trying to distract you from the issue that is qualified to deliver Afrika back to the Afrikans and to Unite A Divided Black Race, that issue is Reparation, as it relate to Chattel Slavery, and Beloved, you must be willing to organize, and Fight fpr what is Divinely Rightful belong to our Enslaved Ancestors, Ancestors many Niggers Black Afrikans are not qualified mentally to make reference too, today.
I had and Have my reason for informing you Black folks who are sincere about your Blackness, when I informed you of our Need to congregate at a Divine Spiritual Retreat, I did and do so, because I know of the low down caliber of so call Black Afrikans who reside among us, serving to be the stooge for the Devil himself, he who is referred to as the Human Being of this world.
Beloved, I mean to disparage those among us who aid and abet the enemy of Reparation, because they that it is, are enemies of the Black Race, and is a devil toward our Enslaved Ancestors, they who is alive inside of a Divine Black Thinking Mind today, as was Yesterday, and will be all of the days to come, until their children free them from the Chattel chains of that Enslavement institution.
A Divine Mind Compromise Not the Divine Truth and Reality, while Living Life.
The Divine Truth, Niggers Hate The Divine Truth, And Will Do And Say Anything Profanely in An Attempt To Confuse The Mind Of The Innocent Among Us Black People, That Is Why We Have An Obligation To Shield And Protect Their Fragile Mind, Until We Can Infuse That Mind With a Divine Mind that will inform us Black people About the Black Devils, Satan, And Lucifer Angels, They who are Among Us Black People, not to mention Lucifer the Crown Jewel Of Devilish, Satanic And Luciferian Spiritual Display toward the Black World As Well, today.
The Time Is Now For Black People With A Mind That We Control, To Demand Our Enslaved Ancestors Reparation, But such a Time and Mind demand that Black people begin to organize in preparation for the fight for our Freedom, Justice, and Independence, such are principles and attributes of Reparation..
http://wacptv.ning.com/forum/topics/reparation?xg_source=activity
Osiris Akkebala missive can be found at the below link.
http://wacptv.ning.com/forum/topics/reparation?xg_source=activity
Pardon the format of his missive.
Pardon me again, but the link to Osiris Akkebala missive is not working, and I do not know why. You do have his full missives on this site. Copy and paste Osiris Akkebala missive in a word Document which should format better for you to read.
@John
I don’t know if I would take at face-value these historical records without first do some personal research to substantiate as well as to corroborate what I am being fed.
@John
In America there have what is called American History and African American History and the both of them really do not agree. It has been a practice of mine to do my personal research before I accept what the internet has to say about anything relating to the history of America. Not trying to sound racist or anything but common sense surely dictates that if you want an honest account of history, as it relates to people of colour any way in the world today. It would be your best bet to ascertain it from a black author. ( I know that sounds bias) But, who knows and would given an honest assessment of our history than we ourselves? But that is not to say that other authors wont do likewise! I just choose to trust those person who have our best interest at heart.
noticed that as Blacks become millionaires their voices become silent on the social injustices and civil rights that affects their brothers and sisters ,,gone are the days when people like harry belefonte spoke openly about truth and justice for blacks, in this new era of modernization and corporate greed most millionaire blacks have towed the line and their voices have become muted or muzzled on the very rights they are now enjoying a price which they must pay on the rise to the top,
There are unwritten rules in America, and these black (sellouts) millionaires are quite cognizant of them.
Harry Belafonte is right to lament the death of black celebrity activism
Most of today’s black artists, plugged into the corporate money machine, are reluctant to speak truth to power
‘It would be exhilarating to see the likes of Beyoncé and Oprah Winfrey marching against the high levels of black youth in prisons.
In a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter, the legendary entertainer and long-time political activist Harry Belafonte spoke frankly and courageously about the current state of injustice and inequality in the world. His comments included a lament that has sparked some debate:
“I think that one of the great abuses of this modern time is that we should have had such high-profile artists, powerful celebrities. But they have turned their back on social responsibility. That goes for Jay-Z and Beyoncé for example. Give me Bruce Springsteen and now you’re talking. I really think he is black.”
Is this a fair assessment of the current state of black celebrity? It is undeniable that today’s top black artists and celebrities have the greatest leverage, power, visibility and global influence of any period. It is also true that few speak openly, regularly and publicly on behalf of social justice. Most remain remarkably quiet about the conditions that the majority of black people face.
This is not to discount their philanthropic efforts. Often, celebrities take on non-controversial issues and or simply use their celebrity indirectly as a fundraising tool. But the kind of actions for which Belafonte, James Baldwin and others were known – marching with civil rights protesters under threat of death by citizen or police violence – is rare among modern superstars. Doing fundraisers is important, but unless it’s a very controversial issue, that kind of giving is not terribly sacrificial; it’s a feel-good decision for some and for others it’s a cost of doing business. The current state of affairs calls for more visible courage than this
Black unemployment has recently been at what some call depression-era levels of around 18%. The drop-out rates for young black people are staggering and have lifelong effects. Although black people make up around 12% of the population, they make up over 40% of those incarcerated in prisons. Poverty levels have risen across the board, but in the black community it is catastrophic: 40% of black children are born into poverty today, a number that rivals the poverty rate of the pre-civil rights victories of the 1960s.
How can so many high-profile artists have so little to say about all this?
Belafonte’s lament illuminates a fundamental shift in black popular culture. As black artists have gone mainstream, their traditional role has shifted. No longer the presumed cultural voice of the black collective social justice, it is now heavily embedded in mass cultural products controlled by the biggest conglomerates in the world.
Even relatively tepid statements have to be managed and walked back. In the aftermath of Katrina, Kanye West said on national television during a fundraising telathon that George W Bush didn’t care about black people. Any close examination of the government’s post-Katrina response to black New Orleans or the impact of Bush policies and alliances on black America generally would give credence to this view
. But West was challenged to and then compelled to apologise. Why, and to what end?
Some blame the artists for being sell-outs, while others blame the corporations for leaving artists little choice but to ply their trade in this terrain and keep quiet. It’s the price of the ticket to be successful at the highest levels. So, perhaps in exchange for not talking openly about the danger of what Belafonte called “unbridled capitalism”, highly rewarded artists are given prime access to corporate-controlled culture markets. Either way, the balance of power has shifted toward artistic success being determined by market success. And, many artists and fans have internalised the frightening collapse of the two.. It would be exhilarating to see the likes of Will Smith, Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey and others at that level of celebrity power marching against police stop and frisk policies and the high levels of incarceration of black youth in the prison industrial complex.
In the history of black culture, popular music and art has played an extraordinary role in keeping the spirit alive under duress, challenging discrimination and writing the soundtrack to freedom movements. Visionary artists such as Harry Belafonte, Paul Robeson, Lorraine Hansberry and Nina Simone were shaped by, and contributed to this tradition, not least because much of their celebrity derived from community support not challenged through corporate marketing strategy.
The current expansion of the cultural arm of predatory capitalism threatens the power and vitality of this tradition by limiting visible spaces, audience appetite and celebrity influence of those who speak truth to power and sing the songs of justice.
Ac, you have made some validate points which speaks to the existing state of affairs in the black community. And I truly understand where you’re coming from because I’ve seen it unfold before my very eyes.
It is said the past is not simply the past but a prism through which the subject filters his own self image. But it is hard to have sympathy for those that are demanding reparations from prism cells looking through prism bars.
Mark Fenty | February 15, 2014 at 7:02 AM |
@John
It has been a practice of mine to do my personal research before I accept what the internet has to say about anything relating to the history of America.
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You should apply this principle to anything you are told or read.
I have found it is particularly helpful to me in many different spheres of life.
I learnt a long time ago to always cross reference and check anything I read or am told, whether the source be the internet, a learned scholar or a member of my own family.
That way I know who to trust and what to believe.
The bullsh#tters quickly become apparent.
Sometimes I will call them out, other times not. Sometimes it is worth it to see just how far they will go.
For me, the most reliable source of information has been my immediate family, siblings and parents. I got to understand reliability through my years with them.
Clearly, they don’t know everything so I need to get information from elsewhere.
Once I feel I can trust it enough so I could repeat it to my immediate family and feel it meets the level of reliability I associate with them I will accept it as truth … and repeat it.
Sometimes though, it is fun to bullsh#t a bullsh#tter!!
You can learn a lot about the truth of what he/she says.
My grandfather used to describe the process as “throwing a sprat to catch a whale”!!
but what is unfolding is a” false positive” upon which the younger blacks are looking as an example or a way forward of empowerment and self determination, one can se the that the elite blacks on the way to the top have not or cannot rekindled or fuel the spirit of the likes of Martin Luther KIng Stokely carmichael or even the harry belefontes .in making the relevant sacrifices,,, outward signs of tokenism while reaping the benefits of their economic masters and a sign of disconnect which cannot help but retard any further alliance to the struggle of black .that disconnect would get wider as the rich blacks mentally is fine tuned to a different thinking one that is accepted by the elite whites cutting off what cultural ties and bonds that they once shared with the black community. apparently that process has begun,,,,,
It seems as though a lot of black celebrities in America today, appease their conscience by contributing to their individual charties. But, how sadly their have forgotten about the weakest link in the chain; the inner – city disadvantage black youth, who is by all intents and purposes looking for some sort of guidance, direction and a loving hand. We’re well aware of the fact that these inner- city black youth look up to these black celebrities, so in essence, haft the job is already done in getting these black disadvantage youth back in the inner – cities of America back on the straight and narrow path once again. A collective effort just has to be made on the part of the black celebrities to see how best to address the contemporary chellenges that the inner- city advantage black youths in America are face with today.
But one must not only point the finger at blackmillionaires in america a process has taken place one of economic control world wide a suttle inflitration or indoctrination releasing blacks of any duty to their brothers and sister setting them at odds to what is moraly right and giving little or relevancy to their history and freeing the white etablishment of any guilt they might be carrying connected to slavery
Oh,how we love to spin top in mud….reparations for what,by whom and to who……will only the melanin poor be singled out?
It was interesting to read in the Nation about the Barclays,grandchildren of London Bourne who played a great part in Liberia,with a number of Barbadian families.
Why are we not interested in this African man who was a very succesfull Bajan entrepreneur,owning Plantations and Ships despite being a slave in Barbados.
By the way he also owned slaves….
Why “we do like to spin” yours is atypical reposnse one of denial singlining out one black person who would have participated in a horendous injustice on its own …while ignoring the hundreds of whites who had participated in the enslavement of blacks…and still is using reform and laws which gives them econmic enforcement and control. indeed black history must and should be a constant reminder in stopping the revionist from telling their side creating a realism of flasehoods and untruths for illiformed
Hahahaha…..go AC go…..
@ac
Kanye said that Bush did not care about black people because of the slow response to Katrina in NO.
This is poor thinking for several reasons
1 there is a very large White population in NO. So Bush decided the whites were black, those Whites could die in order to spite blacks??????
2 Bush spent more $$$$$ in AID to Africa than any other President! Did he think Africans were overwhelmingly White?
Bush’s mistake was in appointing the wrong guy to the chief role at FEMA. That guy was previously the head of The Arabian Horse Association! What in his background qualified him? FEMA MUST be headed by a person with loads of expertise in LOGISTICS ie how to move food/ supplies in large quantities, quickly, to distant locations. Who qualifies 1 top military people
2 top Retail people like Executive Managers from Walmart etc. Indeed, Walmart got water etc to NO before the Govt! The truth about NO was that the wrong person was in charge due to Political induced appointment.
U can laugh all ub want. but u can.t change history…..u can manipulate pretending to be of concern and retreating when necessary in a blatant attempt to diffuse and confused hoping that all would agree with the perceptions and assumptions given that a whole race of people should assimilated and forget their past.
The problems with poor youth in general and black youth in particular are manifold. Education/ Training is totally inadequate. DISCIPLINE is not demanded by parents or Society in general, leading to youth believing “I can literally get away with murder”.
Drugs should all be decriminalised, thereby crashing prices 85%+ Down and the “market”. Take away the profit and these youngsters would have to get an education. All troublesome youth should be placed in the Military to learn Discipline NOT the Crime University called PRISON.
There are solutions but where are the true LEADERS to implement those Solutions?
Money brain sometimes these events happen to tell the real story…new Oreleans is predominately blacks and most blacks lived in the area affected by onslaught of katrina mostly brought on by the breakage of the levies. i submit to you that if that was a predominately white area those levies would have been properly monitor and secured prior Kanye knew what he was speakiing of it was not only about blacks in new orleans but an indifference and lack of respect shown to blacks overall by govts.
@ac
Black people should NEVER forget the past history of slavery BUT they should stop using it as justification for burying themselves in self pity and blaming ALL White people exclusively.
I know my cousin’s maid had 11 children for at least 3 men and because she was determined to learn the principles of Success and influence her children thus, they ALL reached at least middle management positions. She barely had 5 yrs of schooling. Absolute DETERIMINATION to lead her family NO EXCUSES accepted. She should be the subject of a Biography taught in every school in Bim and should have a Statue in a prominent location! She is one of my Bajan Heroines!
@ac
Good last two positions.
@Moneybrain
Perhaps it is your imagination that Black people are using reparation as a crux.
Money……..ya can’t trust not a one…lol
Mark…Dangote is but one of the many black billionaires in Africa and right up there with Mike Adenuga, they are not sure just how many but there may be too many to count, some stay real low, but it’s guaranteed that quite a few are black women….the black millionaires in Africa are like sea sand also……and, blacks in the West, while not having the same resources available, do have the same potential.
Personally, I believe in reparations for the descendants of slaves in the West, but never in the form of paper (money)…re-education is vital, particularly at this point and in this century.
David, please note that Denis O Brian of Digicel is worth $US 5.2 billion and is 233 on Forbes list. His wealth is due to his ownership of Digicel which operates almost mainly in the Caribbean. So can it be said that the people of the Caribbean in order to satisfy their compulsion to endlessly talk and now text have transferred enormous wealth to an Irishman? At least when our slave ancestors made enormous wealth for the English it was done under a whip and firearms. What’s our excuse?
@David
It matters NOT to me or my imagination how some Black people are viewing Reparations. But it matters that significant Reparations can NOT and will not be paid for the simple reason that the US and Europe are already BANKRUPT! Therefore, any Black person basing their development on a positive outcome is PURELY DELUDING themselves.
My advice is to research the reasons why some Black and other people are Successful and then Personally Develop and Implement the Strategies learnt for yourself and family.
Those who wait for a large cheque to land at their Bank will go hungry!
I know Whites who live on SomedayIsle and are waiting for a Roasted Chicken to land in their mouth BUT they neglect reality—-roasted chickens can NOT fly, farless land in your mouth or platter.
NO David, BU did NOT make the same point! While I support your point that we must live within our means, my observation is, that as we did in the past, the people of the Caribbean can create great wealth but we seem to have a passion for transferring that wealth to “others”. Think sugar, bauxite, coffee, oil, rum, tourism, music ….
@Moneybrain
Even IF money is not forthcoming because of the financial strait developed countries find themselves we must reach that point where societies built on the back of slave labour agree that there must be atonement. It must begin as a moral imperative.
@Ping Pong
We can agree to disagree but both positions are wrapped up as one and the same.
Ping Pong is right David, ….different (but related)points.
@ Ping Pong
The answer to your question (as Bushie was trying to impress on Frustrated Businessman yesterday) is that our so-called “business class” are nothing but a bunch of souped-up snow cone sellers.
You don’t think that a fellow like COW could have taken a product like cassava for example, and developed and branded cassava flour world wide as a premium health product?
You don’t think that something like BADMC could have developed the (ALREADY PLANTED AND MATURE) cherry and other fruit trees in the Scotland district and be producing a vitamin C extract – sold in tablets and made from the pure organic world class Barbados Cherry?
How about cotton?
How about us building CONCRETE roads (WITH LOCAL MATERIALS) instead of importing asphalt and building shiite roads that have to be redone every two years…?
Do you get the picture of brass bowls?…..we are mostly good at collecting other people’s piss…..?
By the way, COW tried an agro-processing plant back in the early nineties – and gave up after the very first hic-cup…….actually Bushie is convinced that (like many of the good ideas for successful businesses in Barbados) too many ordinary Bajans stood to benefit from such projects – and so they were not pursued…. Nuff o we lost piece o change when that died….. 🙁
@Bush Tea
You don’t think finding a way to arrest conspicuous consumption goes hand in hand with developing minds/approaches which look to more sustainable initiatives? Let us leave the histrionics aside. Even if our private sector were to find the wherewithal to do as you dream what then? How does it curb the appetite for things foreign. How does it change procurement behaviour? How does it change the fact that graft and corruption guide the current state?
Bush Tea, we must also change the legal, financial and regulatory environment which militates against the majority people from developing and expanding successful enterprises. We must create a confidence in the Caribbean that affirms that here is where our money is safest rather than say Hancock Bank in Florida. It might seem crazy but when we stop wearing suit and tie we might begin to get things right.
@Ping Pong
And how can we achieve such with a large chunk of the financial sector owned by foreigns? The financial regulations is driven by external interest. Check out FATCA, BASEL 3 etc.
We are not arguing. Our positions are complementary. We have to live within our means. Our tastes have to be adjusted to what we have and produce. At the same time let us admit that we are not poor in talent, in resources, in creativity or in the capacity to work. The travesty of our history is that we have created enormous wealth for others while we remain poor. The challenge is to break what an old lady friend calls “this generational curse”. We have to sift through our sad and brutal history and recognize the resilience, the resistance and the ingenuity of our people to not only survive but to thrive.
So what are all these credit unions good for?!! Anyway I predict that as things get worse, many of these banks are going to exit from the everyday banking operations leaving Barbadians no choice but to use the credit unions for their saving deposits, home, consumer and personal use loans.
@Ping Pong
The Digicel (technology) example you used earlier forces the question how external companies are able to create huge profits. What about economies of scale? What about access to cutting edge initiatives and information? Bottomline there is always benefit to leveraging the benefits global entities bring. Yes our people are talented but let us start with Caricom, CSME, CCJ, LIAT and understand that we are struggling with harnessing our talent and resources as a region. We likely will not see it in our life time what you are seeking but we must try.
@Ping Pong
It is a fallacy that the local credit union has money. They have member deposits most of which is lent back to members. What reserves they have if you look at their balance sheets is a regulatory requirement read no excesses.
Money is not wealth it is a medium by which “wealth” is transmuted from one form to another. The Americans by reason of the agreement at Bretton Woods in 1944 can print money without restriction but not without peril. The key is the control and operation of the system that does this transmutation.
Am I right in thinking that the £20m paid by the British government to the slaveowners would be worth £42bn in today’s money?
Of course, the near £1trn that people are asking for may be based on damages.
I think the request for “reparations” will lead nowhere thus I pay scant attention to these arguments however I was amused to see that “John” sources his information on the history of Blacsk/Slaves in the New World or at least the US from the Council of Conservative Citizens which is the modern day equivalent of the KKK.
Congratulations ”John” you made my day.
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