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Moody’s Downgrade Barbados AGAIN

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Press Statement re: Moody’s Downgrade by Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Mia Amor Mottley Q.C., M.P.

Mia Mottley, Leader of the Opposition
Mia Mottley, Leader of the Opposition

Barbadians need urgently to sit up and take stock.

We cannot expect to continue to do the same things over and over and get different results. Yesterday’s further downgrade by Moody’s by a staggering 3 notches must jolt us into our true reality.

We were warned that increasing our overall debt, especially our reliance on short-term debt, will lead to a further downgrade. Yet the Government continues recklessly to do so. Two weeks ago we increased the Local Loans Limit to $4 billion and now today we are increasing the limit under the Special Loans Act by $1 billion to $2.5 billion.

We were warned that continued Central Bank financing of our fiscal deficit will put pressure on our exchange rate. Yet the Central Bank continues to do so.

We were warned that increasing our fiscal deficit and missing our targets for fiscal consolidation will lead to a further downgrade. Yet the Government continues unashamedly to do so.

We were warned that declining foreign reserves will lead to a further downgrade. Yet the foreign reserves dangerously continue to decline in spite of the Government’s borrowing to prop them up.

Regrettably this downgrade by 3 notches also comes against increasing difficulties by the Government to raise medium term money with them having challenges with a recent 2019 Issue of Bonds. The market is reflecting their lack of confidence in this Government’s management of the economy and its fourth attempt at fiscal consolidation.

How many more people and institutions must speak, through their words and actions, before Barbadians tell this Government that the message is clear from everyone who assesses our economy? How many more Barbadian workers, families and businesses must be sacrificed before we recognize that all Barbadians must stand up and call a spade a spade.

The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Our economy is in crisis and NO ONE has confidence in this Government’s policies nor in its ability to lead us out of the crisis.

The deafening silence of Barbadians is the greatest ally to this Government’s incompetence. The voices of all Barbadian patriots in the private sector, union movement, academia, church, civil society and among our general population must now be heard for it cannot be business as usual.

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254 responses to “Moody’s Downgrade Barbados AGAIN”

  1. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    @Well Well

    Its not an easy thing going from flashing a few thousands of dollars in pocket change to only being able to flash a few hundred. Mind you Cline Clarke still got enough stash away to keep him and his dependents for a while. His problem is that the stash is going down fast and not able to sustain his living. He therefore needs badly his BLP hood to get back in the reigns so he can run a ministry and tell the contractor that he wants 75 grand in cash to put in his safe. Right now that safe stash is low and poor ole Cliney the two face crooked son of bitch is not so sure if he can last out another few years before elections are called. Maybe Mia will pull of the protest and get ignorant bajans to oust this government out of power.

  2. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Miller:
    As usual your charm runneth over. But read carefully what I wrote and you would see that OSA was not omitted in this scenario. I like you and most are concerned about where this country is going but I can not blindly follow the leader. When I have no confidence as where that leader is going!!

    Again, it is poor people like me who shall feel the full weight of a devaluation and not the political class to which you so blindly pledge allegiance. But again Miller, you cuss with such elegance that as an intellectual turn coat I find it difficult to respond!!!

  3. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    Miller;
    I would like to join with you in condemning the disingenuous pap that Lemuel has been spewing about sedition and, to some extent, the great Bush tea’s serving up of some of the same.

    Let’s start with Bushtea. He intimates that the only difference between the DLP and the BLP is the ineptness of Freundel Stuart. Is’nt that more than enough to recognize that Freundel has been largely the problem with our Governance since he took over and that without him we would almost certainly have been at a better place.

    Lemuel has some good points re. wanting Stuart’s erstwhile “political class” to get up and lead the fray but at the same time he is warning Mia about “sedition”. Seems to me that he is speaking with the forked tongue of well learned incipient DLP spin. Mia has never urged behaviours that could be reasonably construed as seditious. When she had her “rubbing shoulders” exploratory meetings the DLP jumped to mislabel them as seditious. All her other activities geared to getting the people aware of the situation were labeled as seditous by the DLP spin machine and as usual it found fertile ground with many on BU and throughout the country.

    It was not seditious. It would have been standard fare if David Thompson was in opposition. I am certain Lemuel and others recognize that if the things that Stuart and his merrie men and woman have been doing to Barbados had taken place in any other Caribbean country they would have been legally out of power all like now.

    My main concern with our current position is that it has slowly and transparently rolled on for the last 3 or so years and that efforts by Mia to take a patriotic stand to educate and involve the public have been foiled at every turn by Owen Arthur and of course by the DLP’s propaganda arm whose hemlock Lemuel and others have drunk deeply of despite his protestations. One of the main reasons for us being here is that the BLP was pushed off the track by a tired Owen Arthur and that this was predictably capitalized on by the totally economically inept DLP machine.

    I suspect that there is no going back from our current position. The unspoken declaration that the IMF is in charge of our economy will be evident sooner rather than later and the voices on BU that are trying to alert all Bajans to the inevitability of the situation are patriotic rather than seditious. Let people know what are the possibilities that they have to plan for rather than waking up sometime soon with nowhere to turn when the New Central Bank Governor announces a significant devaluation of the dollar in what seems like an inexorable future.

    You know what we need now. the DLP to forget about securing those pensions for their members who are not yet qualified and to call a snap election. Freundel to refrain from running in those elections. Owen Arthur to gracefully get out of politics and shut his mouth. I think Sinckler and Inniss still have a lot to give to Barbados and are quite capable of strong leadership but Freundel must go. Even his friend Bush tea is implying this if one takes his statements to their logical conclusion.

  4. Freundel Avatar
    Freundel

    No wonder DLP and I are getting so much licks on this blog. We are being represented by the MULE, donkey, a c (young rabbit), fractured idiot, and NationBLPnewspaper, who claims that the Nation always gets it wrong, when he also gets it wrong as well.

  5. bajanyankee Avatar
    bajanyankee

    the unions, the private sector and the govt must work hand in hand to find a solution to our problems.

    Devaluation will not benefit Barbados and miller and prodical should put that in their craw and smoke it. Courtney Blackman has argued that we should maintain the parity.

    For years the bwu allowed the unproductive work force at bwa to hold the govt to ransom thus impacting on the pipeline that would have generated immediate and long term development. Leroy Trotman should be shame of himself.

    Had the govt moved with haste and laid off the amount of workers the imf had recommended, the detractors would have had their say, The govt held back as long as it could, even thought the malignant private sector was calling on the govt to move with haste as its action would legitamize the said private sector action in laying off staff.

    I am sure that the govt has not laid off all the persons it has to, and this is to avoid social sufferings, but it must act without delay to cut the fiscal deficit. The govt must put measures in place to continue wasteful spending in departments, it should cut out things like travelling, officials if they have to travel SHOULD NOT TRAVEL first class and that will save considerable sums. They should leave their wives behind when they going on far out trips, The govt should get rid of those consultants, what do they do, It should have tight contracts to avoid cost overruns on projects,

    The MOA should get things going to feed the nation and reduce our food import bill, It should increase duties on imported water, vegetables, remi hair among other things.

    The PM recently said that public sector reform is his priority. In 1994 the blp said so and 20 years later we are at square on. Punctuality and performance must be foremost on the minds of leaders in the public service, Targets must be set and increments should only be given when targets are met. Leaders must be prepared to develop those under their charge and those not responding to the coaching should be punished after exhausting all efforts to assist, Promotion should be on merit and those who contribute to the value added of the service.

    The processes in the public and private sector must be reviewed to determine their efficiencies and corrected measures taken.

    Heads of depts. not adhering to the financial rules should be disciplined and surcharged, Ministers should desist from micro managing ministries and heads should resist such approaches, Branford Tait once said he cant make a head sign anything. Is the govt getting value for money and is it negotiating the best prices,

    Are the self-employed contributing to barbados’ development by paying taxes; doctors, lawyers etc. Who are the ones not paying their corporation tax, land tax, and how many businesses continue to file losses year after year, and, yet the said businesses continue in operation.

    The govt needs to tighten its revenue collection, b or d should not be spared when found paying their taxes, nis, vat etc.

  6. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ are-we-there-yet | June 5, 2014 at 8:47 AM |

    Excellently put! A well-balanced and intellectually sound assessment of the current predicament facing Barbados.

    MAM has been advised to take a back seat and let the chips fall as they should. She has done enough in making Bajans aware of what is heading their way and her role of a ‘Jeremiah’ has come to an end.
    It’s a pity things have to turn out this way although all the signs were pointing in that direction for the last two years.
    I only wish the leaders would come clean and be honest with the people. The first step would be to replace the Guv of the CBB who has been a total letdown as a professional technocrat and sold his intellectual soul to the political class. This I believe ought to be the first scalp to appease the IMF who would find it most inconvenient to work along with such an incompetent.

  7. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Miller:
    You need to tell Are We There Yet that I am not ruffled by yardfowlism or spewings therefrom!!

    But I have created some time this morning to deal with your stance on my position. If today Caswell calls for a march against this government, it would be WELL supported. There are people in the NUPW who would march tomorrow against this government and not because of party affiliation!!

    But you and Mam’s crowd are expecting us to join hands with you for what purpose. To put one of the political class in power; to just get rid of the DLP; just to show force with the opposition. These things shall do nothing for the poor will soon find that the NIS is about to collaspse. Or those people who depend on welfare whose provisions shall be in grave doubt!!

    I do not see old drunk OSA as any savior; neither do I see Fumble Stuart as any either, but Barbados is in trouble!! Mam’s calls for marches is not solution or for people to agitate verbally!!

    If I am to be intellectually honest with myself (and I am borrowing that phrase from Peter Wickham) I can not think like the herd and follow the leader. Those days of deifying politicians have gone. May be you need to explain that to Mam and her crowd.

    Finally, where will you be when the Magistrates and Judges are sending poor, powerless people to Dodds for inciting riot and sedition!! Mam and the political class shall not be going to Dodds; it shall be the poor people!! Remember, Fumble Stuart has vowed to protect and grow the political class!!

  8. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Freudel:
    You are like a mere Spanish station in this discussion!!

  9. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    @ Are we there yet and Miller remember that Le Mule recently asked that we give Fumble a chance to do what he says he will do. Le Mule has joined the competition for being the prized IDIOT here on BU.

  10. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    What make me sick is that most of the talk here is about paying lip service to what is best for Barbados. At the same time these political critters have their dessert spoons out wondering when the DLP administration will be served up on a platter by the poor people and what will be the size of their slice of the political cake!!

    When one has to make that inconvenient truth known (Caswell’s words) all hell breaks and the labels start flinging!! If Miller and Mam and her crowd want the DLP removed from office start something!! We the poor people shall follow from a “safe” distance!! Check 1937; poor people died but Grantley Adams and the political class benefited!!

  11. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Sedition is defined in the Oxford Dictionary of English as:

    Conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of the state or monarch.

    To my mind sedition can be criminal if you propose unlawful means to achieve the goal of removing a government. In our present scenario, removing this government is a laudable goal. The dictionary meaning of the word,”sedition” would suggest that making that statement would be seditious, and I daresay it is not criminal because I have no criminal intent when I say so. Rather, from the look of things, I would say that anyone advocating the removal of this band of misfits is a patriot.

    Marches are not on anyone’s agenda: they have been taken off out of fear of getting your head cracked or being shot. That statement by Ronald Jones was not just the idle ramblings of an idiot: it was carefully designed to engender fear in the minds of the populace. It worked even to the extent that the Opposition is fearful and that is why Mia is calling on others to take the blows and bullets for her so that she can become Prime Minister. (Somehow she believes everybody else is a fool. Her problem is that she has never had to work hard for anything).

    My goal is the removal of this albatross from around the necks of the people of this country: it is not to replace them with another band of misfits who can’t wait to get their hands on the Treasury. Gline Clarke can’t wait, he let his intentions known, he wants more money.

    >

  12. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ bajanyankee | June 5, 2014 at 9:07 AM |

    My friend, the decision over the pending devaluation is no longer in the hands of the Bajan government. This is strictly in the hands of the lender of last resort. Expecting the Bajan government to have a say in the terms and conditions of any IMF arrangement is like expecting you to set the interest rate on an advance from a loan shark.

    Your recommendations about improving the fiscal health of the country are well received. The problem is that the current administration has neither the competence, political will nor fiscal wherewithal to implement such groundbreaking proposals and improvements to public administration. These objectives can only be achieved under an IMF programme and managed by IMF officials with no local masters to serve or campaign financing debts to repay or electoral promises to fulfil.

    However, what you fail to include in your list of recommendations is a reduction in the size of the Cabinet given the fact that the public sector needs to be reduced and that many policy directives and decisions will now be made by the IMF officials.
    True leaders lead by example and are the first to make the necessary sacrifices for the good of the entire nation.

    Would you also recommend a programme of privatization or are you waiting on the IMF to force it down the throat of this administration?

  13. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Island:
    I am going to reveal the level of your stupidity. I challenge you to go and copy and paste that remark and put it here for all to see. Remember copy the entire post for most of you herd people can only understand two sentences at a time!! But shall you remain the big liar that you are!!

  14. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    Lemuel;
    If you are intimating that I am a yardfowl for calling you out to upgrade your analysis and trying to show that Mia has not been inciting sedition but only doing what would have been considered the absolute minimum to clearly inform the masses of an ongoing train wreck in any other country in the region, let me assure you that I am not. Neither the BLP nor DLP have given me scratch grain and I am not beholden to any of them. Any little advancement I have had in life has been the result of honest, hard working sweat. I owe no politician any fealty.

    When the Duke of York had us marching in the 80’s, I was a Senior public servant but I marched with him and the thousands others against Sandiford’s like it or lump it politics. There was no insurrection then, there was no sedition then either. Is it because the situation is so much more dire now that you see any hint of the public expressing dissatisfaction with the Government as being not just carrying the possibility of heads being cracked by the minions of an uncaring government but of being intrinsically seditious of itself? I am no lawyer, but I think that only in a Banana republic could Mia’s statements and actions be considered as seditious.

    If you think that I am a Mia yardfowl. I’m not. I think I see her as the best bet at the time being for bringing some semblance of responsible leadership back to the country. The talk about totally changing the political governance system has some attractions but that is actually the way to go through the stage of sedition to an absolutely failed country, IMHO. When one has ones hands in the lion’s mouth one normally eases it out.

    In any case, if Mia’s Party were to win an early election, it would in all likelihood be a one term government. There would be no fatted calf to share around. It would be necessary pain for all of us and they wouldn’t survive the first term. But I think it is necessary for her group to make the necessary real sacrifices in the interest of future stabilization and growth of this country. Freundel and his team have shown in spades that they lack the necessary skills and intestinal fortitude to do it. Owen is a spent force.

  15. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Lemuel | June 5, 2014 at 9:27 AM |

    Lemuel, I keep telling you that, unlike you, my financial navel string is not buried in this land. As a matter of fact a devaluation would certainly benefit me and for that selfish reason alone you would think I would be all for the DLP who is making that a reality as every day passes.
    So you see, my concerns are not out of selfish objectives but for “Christian” feelings for a country which deserves better and which has invested billions in educating its people only to see it end up like the Four Seasons project, in Maxwell pond.

    So don’t expect MAM or me to march in your fair land to save your sorry asses but take comfort in the Mighty gabby’s song: “One day coming soon the people will wake up”.

  16. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    @Caswell

    You too sweet. I do not know why you don’t get up off your ass and start a party. I will leave Europe and assist with the organization, financing and the acquisition of additional finance (by legitimate means of course) for an effort such as yours. You are wasting your potential with just mere mouthiness. Writing an article per week might give you some pocket change but a worth such as yours need a reward at a higher level where your talents can be best “exploited.”

  17. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Are You There Yet:
    If I have mislabeled you, it take it back! However, your faith in the political class is something I can not have faith with!!

  18. bajanyankee Avatar
    bajanyankee

    @mILLER

    THE ICBL AND national Bank were privatized, R u and ur ilk hoping to benefit from any privatization. I believe that those institutions like the transport board should be downsized, would you privatize the NHC, SA, Health Care, UWI etc,

    I have no problem with the reduction of cabinet and getting rid of Irene sandiford-garner, jeptor ince, harry husbands and the boyce man, cant remember his first name. No politician should be entitled to pension after serving two terms. Gline Clarke is really stupid if he said after five years politicians should get a pension.

    Miller u have been preaching gloom for Barbados, we babadians will continue to call the shots, and not the imf

  19. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Lemuel
    Good to see that there are still some with eyes to see…

    @’Islandgal
    HUSH do!….and go and put on the pot….

    @ are-we-there-yet
    You normally follow a quite logical line, however all this salivating over our imminent demise (and embarrassment for Freundel and his lot) is causing you to stray….
    While you will have your opportunists like Miller, Prodigal and Enuff who can’t wait for their turn at the wicket…..and even some yardfowls who are awaiting their crumbs to fall…..MOST BAJANS would be more interested in hearing exactly what the BLP will do differently to address our plight….
    …and the shiite about not wanting the DLP to copy wunna ideas is just that….IF THIS WAS TRULY ABOUT BARBADOS WHY WOULD YOU CARE WHO DO THE RIGHT THING….?

    David, Bushie, Caswell and Baffy have laid out all the plans for BUP….
    …BLP / DLP are free to take them up if wunna dare…..

    Truth is, wunna coming with the same collection of morons, bribe takers and jackasses who we GOT RID OF back in 2008 …people like Gline Clarke, Noel Lynch etc…? What is different with CAHILL and the damn Marina on the DLP side?

    LET US HEAR WUNNA PLAN…….
    How will we gat a meritocracy going?
    How soon?
    How will it get past jackasses like Clarke (who clearly has no role in any kind of meritocracy…) …or Lynch? ….or Payne, or Bradshaw….or any of the other jackasses…?

    Your BLP is the same shiite as DLP….except that the names would be changed to redirect the bribes to different accounts…

    It is obvious that wunna people only salivating about the opportunity to get to the trough….not to turn Barbados around…

    @ Caswell
    ….OK….you are right about BOTH parties.
    When the HELL will you launch BUP…?
    BUSHIE WOULD MARCH IN A CALL FOR NEW ELECTIONS IF YOU LAUNCHED BUP……not otherwise….

  20. Due Diligence Avatar
    Due Diligence

    Prodigal Son | June 4, 2014 at 9:52 PM |

    “I read that PM Mitchell of Grenada “laughing” at us in an article today saying that Barbados has been living beyond it means….he went on to say that Grenada has been out of the recession for a year now and is on a growth path for 2015.”

    In 2004 hurricane Ivan caused catastrophic damage to Grenada as a strong Category 3 storm.

    It would be a bit extreme to suggest that Barbados needs an Ivan to bring it to its knees to wake up the “political class”; but it appears that nothing short of that will wake them up.

    Maybe Sandals LaSource Grenada was the catalyst to pull Grenada out if its recession.

    Here’s hoping that Sandals Barbados and Beaches, (and Four Seasons, and Sam Lords, and Merricks and PURE Beach etc) will put Barbados on a growth path for 2015 – or 2020.

  21. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ bajanyankee | June 5, 2014 at 10:10 AM |
    “Miller u have been preaching gloom for Barbados, we babadians will continue to call the shots, and not the imf… ”

    Well isn’t a case of doom and gloom? Why attack the miller? Why not the credit rating agencies and the IMF? They are also confirming gloomy times ahead for Bim.

    BTW, neither Bajans nor the DLP administration are calling the shots; beggars just can’t be choosers. All your arrows have been discharged from your financial quiver.
    As for your obvious objection to privatization all that can be said is that the country’s hand is in the financial lion’s mouth. You have no choice in the matter. Ask Donville Inniss if you doubt the miller.

    You will see in the coming months what privatization at knockdown prices is all about. You had a chance to do it on your own terms. That is no longer the case in the current climate of paro economics. Retribution is a bitch, isn’t it? OSA must be smiling while hitting a white one on the rocks.

    Bajanyankee from the George Street standpipe, you should be quite familiar with the old Bajan saying: ‘Hard ears you will not hear, hard ears you will feel’.

  22. Due Diligence Avatar
    Due Diligence

    In a July 13, 2010 article in the Nation; Central Bank Governor Dr Delisle Worrell was reported saying:

    
In the circumstances he said Government would focus on safeguarding foreign exchange reserves and Barbados’ external credit rating through fiscal consolidation.

    “It is essential to maintain macroeconomic stability and a balance of foreign exchange outflows and inflows, so the economy remains poised to take early advantage of recovery in tourism demand and other foreign exchange earning activities,” Worrell concluded.

    So what happened to Government focus on safeguarding foreign exchange reserves and Barbados’ external credit rating through fiscal consolidation.

    In the words of PM Stuart – “like blind men looking for a black cat in a dark room” or something like that.

    DD is anxiously waiting to hear the spin that MOF Sinkliar and GOCB No Worry will put on this latest downgrade.

    Thankfully there is the China grant financing; or, heaven forbid, IMF.

  23. Due Diligence Avatar
    Due Diligence

    OOPS

    Spoke too soon.

    I just saw in Barbados Today that Minister of Commerce and International Business Donville Inniss has been appointed chief spin doctor.

    This from the story “All is Well”

    “In the face of a three-notch drop in the Barbados Government’s bond rating, a senior minister says he is not overly worried and is, in fact, upbeat about the country’s economic fortunes.”

    “I am sure that in full time the Minister of Finance [Chris Sinckler] or the Prime Minister [Freundel Stuart] will address these issues with greater technical detail, but I will say from my end in the Ministry of International Business, Commerce and Small Business that we are feeling
very upbeat.”
    “Inniss said he saw that first-hand over the last two weeks as he visited Canada on investment promotion and trade matters.”

    “I can safely say to you that on the international business side there is a lot of interest in Barbados as a domicile for international business and financial services. As a matter of fact, a lot of the law firms and accounting firms that I would have met with have experience in dealing with Barbados and they also have clients who are very keen to make Barbados a part of their global structure,” the minister said.:

    So BU family, just relax.

    ALL IS WELL

  24. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    And they said that the doe doe bird is extinct. They better check again, we have at least on in Barbados, and he is in our Cabinet to boot.

    >

  25. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    Ivan was Grenada’s wake up call. Since God is said to be bajan, and have redirected the path of hurricanes from our shores maybe he felt it necessary to strike us with a blow from within, where the greatest damage will not come in the form infrastructural but economic devastation. if the PM of Grenada is laughing at us he has a right too. The cunts from both sides of the political fence brought us to this juncture. All Caribbean nations got a right to laugh of Barbados. We are so darn bright that we never realize how dumb we are until now. Now we will be known as mere talkers but less doers. The Caribbean is going forward whilst Barbados is sinking downwards.

  26. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    Bush tea;

    Thanks for the compliments which I certainly treasure coming from you who I consider to be far and away the best poster on BU.

    I also believe and have often said that both parties are the same. But Freundel and his team have shown that anything is better than the current DLP, excepting the PDC and the Pacamama group, that would lead us into clear and almost immediate perdition if the Barbadian people took them on board. With Freundel and the GoCB out of the fray I think that we would go back to a position of near equality between the BLP and the DLP except that the BLP would have had an enviable track record of managing the economy and society of this Island when it was at the hellum and would therefore deserve a chance for showing their mettle as a possible interim measure. And before you interject with the customary boiler plate repartee, let me say what structural adjustments what in a time of apparent plenty? Show me one country that made such adjustments without being in a position of staring down the gun of things gone or imminently going seriously awry. Why would one seriously expect the past BLP government to do otherwise in its term?

    And let me also say that I am not salivating at what appears to be the imminent downfall of Barbados. How could I? I have absolutely nothing to gain and everything to lose if the actions of the DLP allow the IMF a foothold in this country. I have no real property besides my family home. My savings are now almost non existent and their diminution can be easily traced to one policy of the other of this current administration. I cant’ even change my Suzuki which is now over eight years old. IMF strictures will only consign me to the poorhouse in my old age and I really wouldn’t like that but I can see and have seen it coming for years now. Check my writings as checkit-out and now as AWTY and see that the thread has been clear and consistent after an initial phase of positive evaluation of how they would perform in the early days of the DT Government.

    This government has been bad news for Barbados, any balanced analysis before and after the fact would have seen that.

  27. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @Millertheanunnaki who wrote “unlike you, my financial navel string is not buried in this land. As a matter of fact a devaluation would certainly benefit me.”

    Lucky ( and intelligent ) you.

    Unfortunately for bout 85% of my financial navel string is buried in Barbados. The only good thing is that hopefully I will be planted before I am penniless and mendicant.

    Oops I forgot I will get a subsistence from the CPP since I live in Canada and will be forced to retire here.

    So instead of fishing in beautiful clean sea water for Barracudas and Bonitos I will have to be content to fish in nasty rivers and lakes for Salmon and Rainbow trout.

  28. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    GP……we know that but Haloute et al would try to get bajans to take their billions out of the bank and buy a house that will cost them the price of 3 houses 25 years going down the road, let’s see if bajans will fall for that shit.

    Lawson…….your idea rocks, not to mention if Bajans as a collective invest their billions in 3-4 large boats that can traverse the Caribbean with food and passengers AND build a dam in Barbados for the water that comes out of St. John, let the useless ass politicians and their minority side kicks suck lemons, they are as dumb as rocks.

    SSS……..Gline (pedo) Clarke feels he got it covered but too bad the shit is about to spin…lol

  29. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ AWTY ….LOL
    You trying to swell a poor Bushman’s head or Wuh…? You may need to pay more attention to Domkey’s and ac’s evaluations of Bushie…. 🙂

    You are making the traditional “panic” judgement….. Namely, that the present is SO BAD,…that any shiite MUST be better….
    BUT…
    The unfortunate reality is that our present is SO BAD, that UNLESS THE ROOT CAUSES ARE DIRECTLY ADDRESSED – AND URGENTLY…..then any other shiite will be just as bad…likely even worse…

    So rather than just jump ship, we NEED to identify…. and then to jump to a ship where there are no holes in the bottom ….and no brass bowls at the wheel…..

    Your BLP ship does NOT pass inspection…Stuart and his crew all seem seasick and puking up the place……and Caswell refuses to launch the damn BUP liner…..

  30. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Hants you are not forced to retire here ,you can collect what ever pension you earned anywhere in the world, what you mean to say is I like my free health care , my relatively cheap housing, my quality food and beverages and as compared to most parts of the world safety and freedom.
    I believe that most bajans would not turn up their nose at your cpp. especially after it is converted.

  31. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    This post is so good, I reposted it.

    Thanks, are-we-there-yet!
    ………………………………………..

    @are-we-there-yet | June 5, 2014 at 8:47 AM |

    Miller;
    I would like to join with you in condemning the disingenuous pap that Lemuel has been spewing about sedition and, to some extent, the great Bush tea’s serving up of some of the same.

    Let’s start with Bushtea. He intimates that the only difference between the DLP and the BLP is the ineptness of Freundel Stuart. Is’nt that more than enough to recognize that Freundel has been largely the problem with our Governance since he took over and that without him we would almost certainly have been at a better place.

    Lemuel has some good points re. wanting Stuart’s erstwhile “political class” to get up and lead the fray but at the same time he is warning Mia about “sedition”. Seems to me that he is speaking with the forked tongue of well learned incipient DLP spin. Mia has never urged behaviours that could be reasonably construed as seditious. When she had her “rubbing shoulders” exploratory meetings the DLP jumped to mislabel them as seditious. All her other activities geared to getting the people aware of the situation were labeled as seditous by the DLP spin machine and as usual it found fertile ground with many on BU and throughout the country.

    It was not seditious. It would have been standard fare if David Thompson was in opposition. I am certain Lemuel and others recognize that if the things that Stuart and his merrie men and woman have been doing to Barbados had taken place in any other Caribbean country they would have been legally out of power all like now.

    My main concern with our current position is that it has slowly and transparently rolled on for the last 3 or so years and that efforts by Mia to take a patriotic stand to educate and involve the public have been foiled at every turn by Owen Arthur and of course by the DLP’s propaganda arm whose hemlock Lemuel and others have drunk deeply of despite his protestations. One of the main reasons for us being here is that the BLP was pushed off the track by a tired Owen Arthur and that this was predictably capitalized on by the totally economically inept DLP machine.

    I suspect that there is no going back from our current position. The unspoken declaration that the IMF is in charge of our economy will be evident sooner rather than later and the voices on BU that are trying to alert all Bajans to the inevitability of the situation are patriotic rather than seditious. Let people know what are the possibilities that they have to plan for rather than waking up sometime soon with nowhere to turn when the New Central Bank Governor announces a significant devaluation of the dollar in what seems like an inexorable future.

    You know what we need now. the DLP to forget about securing those pensions for their members who are not yet qualified and to call a snap election. Freundel to refrain from running in those elections. Owen Arthur to gracefully get out of politics and shut his mouth. I think Sinckler and Inniss still have a lot to give to Barbados and are quite capable of strong leadership but Freundel must go. Even his friend Bush tea is implying this if one takes his statements to their logical conclusion. | June 5, 2014 at 8:47 AM |

    Miller;
    I would like to join with you in condemning the disingenuous pap that Lemuel has been spewing about sedition and, to some extent, the great Bush tea’s serving up of some of the same.

    Let’s start with Bushtea. He intimates that the only difference between the DLP and the BLP is the ineptness of Freundel Stuart. Is’nt that more than enough to recognize that Freundel has been largely the problem with our Governance since he took over and that without him we would almost certainly have been at a better place.

    Lemuel has some good points re. wanting Stuart’s erstwhile “political class” to get up and lead the fray but at the same time he is warning Mia about “sedition”. Seems to me that he is speaking with the forked tongue of well learned incipient DLP spin. Mia has never urged behaviours that could be reasonably construed as seditious. When she had her “rubbing shoulders” exploratory meetings the DLP jumped to mislabel them as seditious. All her other activities geared to getting the people aware of the situation were labeled as seditous by the DLP spin machine and as usual it found fertile ground with many on BU and throughout the country.

    It was not seditious. It would have been standard fare if David Thompson was in opposition. I am certain Lemuel and others recognize that if the things that Stuart and his merrie men and woman have been doing to Barbados had taken place in any other Caribbean country they would have been legally out of power all like now.

    My main concern with our current position is that it has slowly and transparently rolled on for the last 3 or so years and that efforts by Mia to take a patriotic stand to educate and involve the public have been foiled at every turn by Owen Arthur and of course by the DLP’s propaganda arm whose hemlock Lemuel and others have drunk deeply of despite his protestations. One of the main reasons for us being here is that the BLP was pushed off the track by a tired Owen Arthur and that this was predictably capitalized on by the totally economically inept DLP machine.

    I suspect that there is no going back from our current position. The unspoken declaration that the IMF is in charge of our economy will be evident sooner rather than later and the voices on BU that are trying to alert all Bajans to the inevitability of the situation are patriotic rather than seditious. Let people know what are the possibilities that they have to plan for rather than waking up sometime soon with nowhere to turn when the New Central Bank Governor announces a significant devaluation of the dollar in what seems like an inexorable future.

    You know what we need now. the DLP to forget about securing those pensions for their members who are not yet qualified and to call a snap election. Freundel to refrain from running in those elections. Owen Arthur to gracefully get out of politics and shut his mouth. I think Sinckler and Inniss still have a lot to give to Barbados and are quite capable of strong leadership but Freundel must go. Even his friend Bush tea is implying this if one takes his statements to their logical conclusion.

  32. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    @ Bush Tea.
    “While you will have your opportunists like Miller, Prodigal and Enuff who can’t wait for their turn at the wicket…..and even some yardfowls who are awaiting their crumbs to fall…..MOST BAJANS would be more interested in hearing exactly what the BLP will do differently to address our plight”……………………………………………………….

    Excuse you!

    I just want to you to know that I have never nor will I ever have to depend on any job or largesse from any political party. What I have, my spouse and I have worked hard for and educated our children who are all in good paying jobs. Dont count me in with any yardfowls who look for hand outs from politicians.

    All I want from any government is for them to run the affairs of the country well so that the economy would be in a position provide a good education for its citizens, good health care, good roads and a good police force for security for its people and then to provide for those less fortunate.

    I am not ashamed to say that I support the BLP because I believe it is the BETTER party. I am not even a member though your rantings are telling me to join up!

  33. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ lawson,

    I am not turning up my nose at CPP or Canada. I have lived here for 40 years so and I have enjoyed it.Toronto is a world class exciting city to live in.

    However it was my intention to move back to Barbados at age 55 but I could not make that happen.

    So I will do like my Canadian friends and ( if god spare life) become a snowbird but continue working as long as possible.

  34. bajanyankee Avatar
    bajanyankee

    @prodical

    I though u said sometime u were a supporter of the dlp.

  35. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Hants I am only playing with you….. I had the same intentions but I could not bring myself to pay a million dollars for an above ground basement that I would only use part of the year.I cannot get over the price of a concrete block house on the island. I guess people are looking at these places with rose colored glasses. I do not know about Toronto but around Ottawa for that kind of money I can get a hundred acre farm with barns and stables inground pool put a couple of lincolns in the driveway and have a cottage on the big Rideau Lol

  36. bajanyankee Avatar
    bajanyankee

    @Lawson

    u can get a decent house in Barbados for between 350 000- 450 000 Barbados dollars, unless u buying a block of apartments for that money. yes there are some overpriced houses, but u can shop around or buy the land and get it built

  37. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Did any one heard as I heard Mia call for the DLP government to go. Elections are not due; Fumble Stuart does not intend to collapse his administration. Apart from seditious movements how does the great Mia intend to have this government go.

    People power to be shot at and beaten in the streets; then to be charged with inciting riot and sedition!! Prodigal, Miller, Are We There Yet, that is the only plan B available.

    But I am all ears to hear from all of you later this evening!!

  38. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Prodigal
    Your position is very clear.
    However, if, as you say – you just want what is best for Barbados, why would you not offer your FULL support to whatever government the the PEOPLE of Barbados selected….rather than seek to go against that PEOPLE’S decision and seek for the LOSING BLP to take over now…?
    Bushie’s excuse is that they are BOTH Shiites and thus INCAPABLE of bringing the kind of change needed for our survival….

    YOU TOO know that they are six vs half dozen……but yet you want the half dozen…..EXPLAIN please……
    ….and no prompting from Miller at the back…..

  39. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    BajanYankee I usually stay at sunset crest and the houses are in the 900 k range. The last few times at south ocean condos and they are 500 us to buy I am sure there are are places around but location counts. Having said that I have seen the price go down on property in the last few years and I am sure if the house beside AC was up for sale it would be heavily discounted

  40. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Lawson
    ….never mind the house besides ac’s….
    Her husband has been trying (unsuccessfully) to GIVE AWAY the one she is in…..but yuh have to take ac wid um….. 🙂

  41. bajanyankee Avatar
    bajanyankee

    Mia betta keep she tail between she legs before she get embarrass about the dottin fiasco and taping owen etc. Greedy hot will cool Mia, Barbados know when they have to change a govt. Mia was hoping that estwick cause the collapse of the govt, she has been calling on the unions to call a strike, I bet ya owen outsmart she again,

  42. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    Lemuel;

    Let me outline a scenario that will have the DLP jumping over themselves to go.

    1) A similar downgrade by Standard and Poors
    2) No new borrowings coming in despite the best efforts of the Government
    3) The Forex reserves plummeting to around 8 weeks supply
    4) The GoCB resigning
    5) A recognition that they have to call in the IMF and accept the harsh conditionalities including devaluation

    None of these things seem impossible given the current realities and require absolutely no input from the people or MAM or any possibility of sedition.

    When they happen look for Freundal to give up the Government post haste as he and they will not want to preside over a devaluation.

    QED

  43. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Bush Tea I can understand why….its this new problem solving kick she is on . Not just about Barbados but everyday life. …..I heard she has been giving her husband Viagra to keep him from rolling out of bed.

  44. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Lawson ….Ha Ha Ha

    @ AWTY
    A sound scenario – and very likely too. However if you think that will make Freundy give up the government you have another think due…

    He will merely quote some shiite from Shakespeare – and say that it is not a devaluation, but a REvaluation, necessitated by the DLP’s brilliant plans to “stabilize” the economy…..and inevitable because the evil BLP passed a law that removed the much more palatable option of cutting public service salaries…..

    …think pensions does walk ’bout nuh…?

  45. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Lawson…..you can also pray the house and land you are buying in Barbados really belong to the person/lawyer selling it and not to Plantation or some other victim, never mind the title deed, you can guarantee someone at land registry already fixed that up.

  46. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    Bush tea;
    If freundal elects to preside over a devaluation he will either be like the boy standing on the burning deck whence all but he had fled or some hothead will do it on his own with no input from any extant politician.

    There will be no need for mam to lead an insurrection, his and the dlp’s fortunes will nosedive for decades to come.

  47. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Are We There Yet:
    All of that happened in Jamaica, but Portia and the fellas still there fighting to run the country. Jamaica has had about 20 IMF programs. A lot of money still in that place.

    But you dot understand the political class their ambition is to rule regardless of whether this Barbados goes under or not. Freundel shall remain in office until the next election is due by law, full stop!!

    Devaluation is not the end of the world look at Jamaica, or Africa!! That is where we find ourselves. My concern is what are we going to do to make sure that this does not happen again. And let me say here that the BLP would do the same thing. All have happened because decisions were taken in the name of POLITICS and not in the name of DEVELOPMENT!! We have a sorry bunch of jokers on both sides of the political fence.

    And Fumble people do not get their hands dirtied politically because the system set up by D and B ensure that the brightest are run off and sacrificed on the alter of political power!!

  48. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    Lemuel; you might well be right but there is one major flaw in your argument when you invoke the jamaica case.
    Barbados and jamaica are diametrically opposite cases wrt experience with and fear of devaluations. I am willing to bet that Jamaicans see now devaluations as relatively run of the mill experiences. Bajans have a deathly fear of them.
    I pity any bajan politician who can clearly be identified as the face of the coming devaluation. It won’t be pretty to see what the bajan electorate will do to the party that implements our first real devaluation. I could go on but I think you can get my drift.
    Of course freundel can eschew devaluation and go with homegrown structural remedies but that will be fraught with danger and will extend the period of pain and perhaps consign Barbados to being another basket case in the Caribbean. Not good for the politicians who can be fairly identified as being responsible.

    Freundal and company must be quaking in their boots as they know full well the true situation we are in. And it isn’t pretty.

  49. Lemuel Avatar
    Lemuel

    Are We There Yet:
    We can agree on your last post!!

  50. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    Bush Tea | June 5, 2014 at 4:24 PM |

    “A sound scenario – and very likely too. However if you think that will make Freundy give up the government you have another think due…
    He will merely quote some shiite from Shakespeare – and say that it is not a devaluation, but a REvaluation, necessitated by the DLP’s brilliant plans to “stabilize” the economy…..and inevitable because the evil BLP passed a law that removed the much more palatable option of cutting public service salaries…..”

    Wait, Bushie……… you is Freundel speech writer, you really know how he does articulate he self.

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