We talk talk about business facilitation, we talk about making government more efficient by rationalizing government agencies charged with revenue collection. We changed aged old laws to employ a US based Barbadian to head the local judiciary – are we satisfied by the progress since his appointment? We talk about building a society and not an economy yet can we say without a shadow of a doubt we are making progress? Interestingly, Barbados does not have a relevant or comprehensive National Youth Plan to fashion a future society anyway. We talk talk talk, and while we talk, the need to be competitive in the global market widens.
The revelation that Dodds prison has been waiting on approval from Town Planning (TP) to expand farming operations for a couple years must be an embarrassment to government and Barbadians. The biggest irony is that Dodds prison lands formed Dodds Plantation.
The time taken by Town Planning department to issue approvals must be accepted as symptomatic of a flawed system. If Dodds, an entity owned by central government, is unable to collaborate with the TP to efficiently acquire timely approval, what is the read by non government players who are observing? Sandals management appears to have encountered no similar difficulty acquiring approval to construct at its Dover site. Of concern to Barbadians who expect our leadership to resolve problems in the national interest the Dodds scenario does nothing to infuse confidence. Then there was the statement issued by the BCCI today it does not have confidence in government’s economic plan.
The 4th anniversary of the Campus Trendz tragedy was recognized recently. Social activist David Commissiong and Doriel Skinner must be commended for using the memory of those who perished for a good. What BU finds amazing is the revelation that the Barbados Fire Service is still to act to penalize many businesses in Bridgetown which operate in contravention of occupational and safety laws.
BU has posted several blogs which mentioned the case of stalled 150 promotions in the police force. It is laughable that former Commissioner Darwin Dottin and Assistant Commissioner Bertie Hinds have moved on from the police force yet the case remains stuck in the system. The state of affairs has provoked Acting Commissioner Tyrone Griffith to publicly acknowledge the matter is affecting the efficient management of human resources in the force. If we want to create a well functioning society is this an important issue which should have been resolved many months ago? If the answer is yes why have we not been able to do so? Don’t mention the Attorney General because his hands in the air response to the issue is part of the problem.
The government promised actors in the hospitality sector concessions would be made available timed for when the sector undertakes refurbishment in the offseason. Some will argue the industry does not merit the concession but this is not the point. The concessions were promised and were not delivered to the sector that pays the bills. Why not! What does is say about confidence in the government to deliver?
Finally we have the messy situation of garbage piling up across Barbados and it is addressed with a business as usual approach by the minister. Bear in mind Barbados is a service economy heavily reliant on tourism and international business. If the government had to commandeer Defence Force trucks to help with the pick up of landscape trimmings Minister Lowe suggested is part of the problem then do it!
The musing is self explaining.
Barbados PM Freundel Stuart 
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