The Hurricane season is here again and there is concern in many quarters that not enough attention is being placed on construction standards. Contractors appear to have license to do as they like. Here is a view from Grenville Phillips III who has the credentials to speak to the issue. Check out his blog for other nuggets of truth – Weighed in the Balance.
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Let move those numbers to 90%, All that was build on and with fraud, Then we can rebuilt the right way,With the better standards ,
Brittons Hill is just the warning and again dealing with fraud of title deeds of the land , MIA will not be the only ones to be jailed.
After reading your article Mr.Grenville Phillips 111, it’s so sad to see that the folks who are in power seem to only worry about what they can get out it for themselves. Forgetting the SAFETY & NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAS PLACED THEM IN THE POSITIONS THAT THEY ARE HOLDING. That’s so screwed up that it makes me very angry. This old way of doing business in Barbados of not what you know, but who you know NEEDS to CHANGE like YESTERDAY. All this development and building is all happening so fast and plenty full, that I’m sure that not enough thought is being placed into what can happen in the event a serious hurricane, or earthquake should hit Barbados. I pray every day for the folks in Barbados who are now living in what they are calling high-rise apartments. I remember a hurricane hitting Barbados when I was a boy by the name of JANET. They had boats in the streets, along with plenty of deaths and damage.
It’s time to cut out all the Bull Shit games and kickbacks that are taken by those in power, and focus on THE PEOPLE for a change.
May THE MOST HIGH KEEP HIS ARMS UPON ALL THE FOLKS IN BARBADOS TO PROTECT THEM. But believe me, PRAYER alone isn’t going to make this possible. Prayers without actions, and using the natural gift of COMMON SENSE that seem to be lacking by the folks who are in power with all the education minus the common sense is going to be THE DOWN FALL OF BARBADOS.
While I totally agree with this post in principle, it really identifies a significantly greater threat to Barbadians on many fronts than the bleeding obvious.
What we can clearly see are the direct ties to the social and economic impacts that it has. What we may not see are some of the other impacts to national development that are going to be experienced as a result of these actions, or better yet, inaction’s.
Here are the four pillars on which Barbados’s economic and social fabric needs to be grounded.
Standards
Compliance
Regulatory
Integrity
Starting to apply these, in small doses, in daily life and actions may just prove valuable beyond belief. People will start to see where their monies are being used, for what purposes it is being used for, and how it is positively impacting their lives, not just the lives of the elite or the “want-to-be” elites. No more fussing on Brass Tacks about the granting of contracts to the few, who then try to vehemently deny that their benefiting from the lack of Regulatory mechanisms exists and is a “healthy ” practice.
Barbadians have enjoyed a certain quality of life for years, and in all honesty, it has been somewhat falsely enjoyed as they may not have truly “earned” it all but may have inherited some of this quality of life as a result of the British influences here which effectively trickled down some of the benefits and privileges of the aristocracy on “simple” folk.
This much said, it has been engrained into them now and there is no way that they(Barbadians) are going to give up something that they believe that they are now entitled to. So this movement of Greed and Stupidity which threatens their accepted way of existence will come up against some very strong, and I dare say, violent challenges if the tide of ignorance isn’t stemmed.
But I’m just a Watcher. Not yet a “do-er” and I will know when the time is right, how to transition to the place where many Barbadians dare not tread for fear or ridicule.
Put these four pillars in place and start to show all Barbadians that this land is theirs, and that those who wish to work to not only gain their own enrichment, but the enrichment of the land, have the right to benefit from the fruits of their labour and will be justly rewarded!
Many hoped when we had the Britton’s Hill fiasco the draft building code would be enforced asap. It seems we have relaxed to the original position. Has the Chief Town Planner made a statement? Here is an example, in the USA we love to copy, a builder must complete construction in a declared period or be open to fines. Needless to say the US does not monkey around with enforcement.
The Watcher | July 6, 2014 at 8:07 AM | @
Standards
Compliance
Regulatory
Integrity@
Non of the above exist in or on Barbados at this time , If only it did , They would not be in this PONZI now.
@ DAVID
You are so correct, here in the USA any construction that’s going to be done, all the blue prints has to be able to match the space that’s being required. If you submit a plan for 10 feet, you can’t go 10 feet 1 inch. If you do, you have to change it or the place will remain closed. Barbados seem to have no building codes, and if they do, they aren’t enforced. The whole system SUCKS. It’s all about who can give the most gains the positions, and contract to do as they please.
Hi David:
Please note..
The 2013 edition of the BNBC is not a simple document. As far as I am aware, there is no artisan or contractor who can use the BNBC (2013) to construct any type of house, not even a timber framed chattel house. Further, the BNBC (1993) cost $100. The BNBC (2013) cost over $600.
I have asked BNSI to sell both editions (1993 and 2013) until they can rectify the glaring absence of information for the builders. They have declined. Therefore, it can be said that Barbados does not have a useful building code.
Regards,
Grenville
Ps: I am Grenville Phillips II not 3rd.
@Grenville
Thats for the clarification, the point to be made is that despite final document, it is not enforceable.
@ David
Nothing in Barbados is “enforceable” .
NOT..when certain people can go and sit down with a minister (who from all appearances all seem to become beholdened to these special people) and get ANY regulation bypassed, ignored or exempted.
A word from these big-ups and a fella’s whole career can come to a screetching halt….and it ain’t as if we had a court system …or lawyers with the balls ….. to defend the RIGHTS of any such brave and upright public servants.
….what would you do…?
…well most of the ‘enforcers’ may tend to “go with the flow….”
…as you say, a BMW X3 goes a long way in easing uncomfortable / profit challenging building regulations….
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