Submitted by Beresford
Un-godly. Ungracious. Unfair. Frightening.
Mia Mottley’s unapologetic and piercing summing up of the political anarchy, system disorder and personal degradation engulfing Barbadians, especially in the public sector, as Government continues its job cuts could not be more appropriate.
Not lost was the symbolism of her comments and the stance of the BLP, marking the Party’s 76th anniversary as its founding as Barbados first political organisation, which fell on Monday, the date set for the DLP to conclude its ravishing of the public sector.
History will record that as the DLP razed the economic base and social planks of the country, and betrayal after betrayal led the people to the abyss, and appeasers and DLP cliques forged alliances to excuse the violent abuse of country and citizens, the BLP spoke clearly to the whittling away of economic gains, conventions and laws; exposed Government’s sand-based prescriptions, contradictions and sheer nonsense, and stood unequivocally with those being stripped of their businesses, their jobs, the services and compensation which they are due on the back of massive tax impositions and their dignity.
The ideals and imperatives that led to the founding of the party in the first place as an institution to speak for the voiceless, stand against exploitation and what was simply wrong have been held firm and could not be needed than now.
There is no other way – except any number of condemnatory terms – to characterise the DLP Government’s wanton destruction of lives and storm of confusion resulting from the improper and, in fact, lawless terminations. The Government had time to execute its cuts in a much more palatable fashion and it was repeatedly warned of the consequences of its action and approach. The widespread anguished cries now reverberating through the land on the job cuts scream that the Government’s approach is inhumane, just wrong.
That the jobs cuts will hardly have an impact on the DLP’s own stated targets provides a backdrop of mockery that impales the Government on a spear of “don’t carishness” driven by numbers only, as Prime Minister Stuart declared, without a care to the suffering of citizens.
The cries for help increase amidst studied indifference and now strange, desperate statements from union leaders who steadfastly refuse to take any action against the Government, and now stand condemned by their inaction and praise from the same Government that, it is belatedly discovered, is “brutalising” workers.
In this topsy-turvy Barbados, where with a few salutary exceptions no one speaks out, it’s every man for himself, and deceitfulness now reigns, the question is, after years of warnings, who is fooling who?
The putrid disarray of just the last week alone this is but a small sample of the torture and torment unleashed by the DLP and the incomprehensible pompasetting in certain quarters.
The Government, the Prime Minister himself, repeatedly staked everything on no job cuts. Cuts now abound. No one knows how many people have been terminated – and how many to come.
Staff of the BTA learn of their terminations in the media – and these are not in the 3000; just as the 390 from Drainage are not.
Personal woes unfolded as workers got physically sick in the mayhem of the Barbados Revenue Authority. People locked out of offices! In Barbados! In 2014!
The same NUPW praised fulsomely by the Prime Minister for its support has said it still has not received any lists as promised or had any response to its proposals – all cited as reasons for its inaction on behalf of its workers. The NUPW now condemns the DLP’s action as “treating people like cattle”, “in the worst possible way”, ” wrong”, “downright cruel and unreasonable”, “inhumane”, “chaotic” and “sometimes a fiasco”.
Well thank you, NUPW!
But the NUPW still aint doing nothing!
People working for years in established posts have to revert, against the law, which states they should be appointed after acting in an established post for three years. The Government, which brought in the Employment Rights Act is now transgressing its own law.
The loss in income is wreaking havoc with people’s lives, suddenly faced with great reductions in salaries, rising taxes and the same money commitments.
Fifty-eight (58) workers at the Beautify Barbados programme sent home – 42 on holiday terminated by letters in the mail. No monies paid. All against a storyline that a new contract for the work has been given to a rich individual.
There’s the instance of the young lady who has been working for years and was given a job letter to start a new assignment on Monday, 31 March and while on the job, on the first day, given another letter abolishing the position.
The picking and choosing continues – the NUPW got offers for 7 (wow!) – to the new Barbados Revenue Authority. Like the few taken back at Transport Board and the political interference and juggling across the board. Talk about transparency!
Dennis Lowe, he of the Drainage Unit, grandstands that anyone sent home under him will be treated well. “Well” means the 390 in NEEP sent home on the last day of last year without a moment’s notice, taken and given hamcutters and soup, and up to a week ago not a cent from Government. This is the same Minister in charge of Beautify Barbados and talking about not supporting the tenet of last in first out. Of course not -the last in would be his people!
UWI announced the DLP instituted fees. From $7 000 to $18 000. There goes the dreams of children of parents sent home.
No facilities, as again promised, have been put in place for students to borrow money as promised. Meanwhile the DLP owes UWI $135 million, admissions down and students are already dropping out in a situation described as “catastrophic”.
Gasoline goes up by 24 cents a litre – almost $1 a gallon more – and Jones floats a new tax, another $80 million. A $270 million sugar factory for less than 20 000 tonnes of canes and the Minister does not meet with farmers despite a year of requests. The list of out of stock drugs moves from 40 to 76. White Hill and Mt. All communities continue their disappearing act down hillsides while a Government does nothing. And like so much else, the Sayes Court road, all 1000 metres of it, started in a huff to impress for elections remains a cavernous health hazard, lies abandoned for months.
There is no end to the madness and farce.
The correctness of Mia’s and the BLP’s actions, is the ongoing confirmation that the DLP is mind-boggling in its tenacity, exultant even, to be adrift and has absolutely no intention of changing course.
The ultimate burden of proof is the woeful cries of the people of Barbados for decent treatment and a change to their circumstances and the hourly reports of a country coming apart at the seams.
Dale Marshall’s offer of his law firm’s competence to represent workers is an example of the BLP’s unflinching position to support the people of Barbados.
The cries of the unfortunate and those being unfaired must be heeded.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The BLP’s annual Family Day & Picnic will be held on National Heroes Day, Monday April 28, 2014, at the East Coast Road, Ermie Bourne Highway, St. Andrew.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.