Are we not a little ticked off at the lack of respect elected politicians and others have for us, the electorate? Why do many of us allow political partisanship to influence good reason and in the process give politicians especially a free pass.
BU recalls when the Eager 11 story broke a few government members of parliament claim the article damaged their reputation and promised to sue the Nation newspaper. To quote Minister David Estwick, “this is innuendo and is defamatory in law. Pleased be advised that I have given my lawyers the instruction to see that my integrity in public and private advocation remains untarnished and unsullied”. Dr. Estwick went on to indicate there are one or two other members who have been implied to be part of that 11 who will take similar action.
What happened Dr. David Estwick?
In the build up to the last general election there was the hot issue of the Democratic Labour Party accusing the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) of retrenching “10,000’’ public servants if they were voted to office. In response Opposition Leader at the time threatened to sue Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler.
What happened Owen Arthur?
Again in the lead up to the last general election two BLP candidates and lawyers Kerri Symmonds and Gregory Nicholls filed an injunction in the High Court on behalf of six residents requesting a judicial review of Cabinet’s decision to allow B’s Recycling to operate a recycling plant at the St. Thomas location. It is ironic two years after the injunction was filed the Bynoes are embroiled in a disagreement with government and the Town Planning Office over the length of time it is taking to to erect a recycling plant Bennetts in St. Thomas.
What happened Messrs Symmonds and Nicholls?
Engaging in frivolous law suits is not the preserve of politicians, a suit filed by local undertaker James Wilson versus Rihanna comes to mind.
115 responses to “Remembering What Politicians Do”
@ Prodigal Son | October 5, 2014 at 3:45 PM |
“I am appalled at the way this country is being governed. Nothing is working and we so called honourable men lying with no shame at that to the people of this country.”
But Prodigal, I am totally ‘surprised’ that you are “appalled”.
We have been seeing and commenting laboriously on what was coming just as much a drug addict can see his eventual downfall on the rocks or an unemployed alcoholic can see his dirty patch for a seat on skid row.
Poor Bim now saddled with not only an incompetent administration which has ruined the economy leaving the Treasury living on printed bogus money but also with a bunch of lying bastards.
@ Prodigal
Does it surprise you that Ronald Joney is a liar. Do you think that he was telling the truth about the FIFA big bucks envelopes? Ask his Boss who dragged him down off his lofty pedestal.
I had a look at all the DLP members in the Lower and Upper House to determine who might be considered truthful in their public utterances.
I have come to the sad conclusion that they are without exception, all liars.
The biggest liar is of course Freundel Stuart with Chris Sinckler a close second.Not one member of cabinet can be relied upon to speak without the forked tongue.So that Barbados will get no new investment to carry forward the economy unless at sherlock- like concessions as in Butch the butcher Sandals deal.Projects on the West Coast and South Coast will remain stalled until the electorate wake up and kick this DLP to the curb.
In respect of the Governor of the Central Bank,he deserves firing for lying, particularly about the Unemployment Statistics over the past few years.
Confidence?Vision?Leadership?Sound Management?Truth?Wisdom?
Good old bajan commonsense? these factors of good governance are completely outside the capability of Stuart and his minions.
We in ducks’ guts!Where is Philip Greaves?Maurice King?Sleepy?Wunna gine let Barrow legacy get sell down de drain by the likes ‘o Stuart,Denis Lowe,lying,deceitful,conniving Darcy Boyce and dem so?Wunna en got no pride neider?
Again another doctor (international business)from CAVE Hill suggesting a missing ingredient from the Barbados landscape maybe confidence. Confidence is a factor which all the economists in the world cannot rationalize. Of course BU has posited this position many months ago.
I see the vicissitudinous nature of what has taken place in Barbados ecomomically speaking, from a different angle of vision. I believe that we must come to terms with the present state of affairs in Barbados, as our permanent reality. And no amount of inventive ingenuity can alter what I consider an important lesson in Humility for the people of Barbados. For many years now, the people of Barbados have sailing nonchalantly on the Front-Burner of material excess( that is in comparison to our Caribbean neighbors) and beyond our allotted time. And now that our position on the Back-Burner has brought us back to a daunting reality, some are having great difficulty coming to terms with what has been predestined and fated.
Gabriel,
I agree with your post.
Miller,
I agree with you, we should not really be appalled at anything this government does but they continue to make us do double takes at their ignorance like Hammie La declaring that the David Thompson football should not have been cancelled. Poor fellow, whatever he was looking to make has gone through the eddoes!
Tomorrow morning, I would like a team of reporters to wait in the Ministry of Education’s yard to greet Ronald Jones as he arrives to get a comment from him on the status of the bursaries.
Prodigal Son
What we are experiencing in Barbados today, were in the making for many decades now. The Almighty God is inimical to the spirit of arrogance, which has enveloped the Barbadian way of life for many years.
Here’s hoping that when Mark young is replaced by Simeon Brathwaite the ac of Simeon’s party would just as willingly quote this “ardent supporter” as he continues relentlessly on a quest to expose the wrong doings of the political class…and the cronies attached thereto.
Hamilton Hill
What you’re alluding to is beyond concept or the common understanding of the political class, that’s the superficial way looking at the issue. It is the spirit of self-interest or what the modern day philosophers calls a pyschological-egoism, over the collective-interest.
For the record permit this ” ardent supporter of the government ” to remind certain someones here on BU that neither Stinkliar nor Fumble had anything to do with the sweetheart deals given VECO and CC…one and the same I think. They were given by the same one. I am sure. Lets not get it twisted, six is half dozen , so yes we are doomed.
Hamilton Hill
A lot of educated people do not understand the origin purpose of government beyond Locke’s and Rousseau’s Social-Contract. It is interesting to noted nonetheless: that the government was instituted because the passions and desires of men would conform to the dictates of Reason and Justice without some form of constraints. So, therefore, the appropriate Checks and Balances ought to be implemented in the system of governance in Barbados, which would steer the political-class to conduct which is conducive to the better-good of the society.
@ Enuff
Where is Bush Tea’s BBE?
+++++++++++++
Boss…why you don’t leave Bushie outta wunna bassa bassa?
First thing – it is not “Bushie’s BBE,” more like BBE’s Bushie….
Second thing….you think BBE don’t have anything better to do than to baby sit Brass bowls?
The only thing worse (and more embarrassing) than this set of 30 politicians, is the jackass Peter Wickham still griping because Trinidad refuses to decriminalize his favorite nastiness..
LOL….wonder what is his connection with Trinidad and this illegality?
@ David
Talk what you like…THERE IS NO WAY…..N O. W A Y….that Ronald Jones will do anything but RESIGN first thing on Monday.
…not even someone with his complete lack of guile and obvious low class could even THINK to continue in office after such an embarrassment….
…mean he would show his face in public again?
…mean he would stand in front of people talking shiite again?
…mean he would actually attend Cabinet?
…mean the PM would continue to entertain him…?
Bushie knows that we are bad
Bushie knows brass bowls when he sees them..
…but PLEASE David….
PLEASE….don’t tell the Bushman that we have fallen so lowe….
…uh mean low…..
Shiite man!!!
There are Checks and Balances within the Republican system of governance in America, but beyond that, there is an Ethics Committee which addresses the wrongdoings of the members of the Congress. But, more importantly, there is another committee which oversight the Ethics Committee which tracks the Il-conduct of members of Congress.
HAMILTON, the media here in America plays a very important role in the political process with respect to the wrongdoings of the members of Congress because it arouses public opinion. And most politicians are made or break in the court of public opinion here in America.
I will end on the note of the African American Congress woman from Texas, the late Barbara Jordan: ” If society today allows wrongs to go unchallenged, the impression is created that those wrongs have the approval of the majority.”
@ Dompey…Stop telling me about America. Like you I live here and participate in the process here. Quite frankly what I want is a stiff jail term for some of the politicians in Barbados. Some who are no longer in parliament as well. Don’t tell me anything about America.
@ Bush Tea | October 5, 2014 at 8:14 PM |
“…not even someone with his complete lack of guile and obvious low class could even THINK to continue in office after such an embarrassment….”
What are you calling for here, BT? The resignation of the entire cabal of monkeys posing in an oversized cabinet?
They are all a bunch of low class lying pimps. Just look at the state of the country’s roads and public hygiene. International recession or no international recession you do not allow your roads or public health systems to deteriorate so much as to cause continuing embarrassment. The same way there is no excuse for keeping a filthy house and inviting people to come for a meal there is absolutely no excuse for the state of ‘national housekeeping’ currently witnessed in the country.
I would not even allow one of them to clean dog poo from the yard.
All of the students who applied for the fictitious bursaries should be waiting in the Ministry of Education for Ronald Jones as he steps out of his car on Monday morning. They should demand answers from him, ask him straight to his face how he could lie to them when they were in their most anxious state.
The more I think about this whole mess, the madder I get. How could a man with any integrity lie so brazenly to vulnerable students? What kind of heart does this man have? Stone? My father always used to talk about people with seared consciences……….he is one of them….in fact, this group of wild boys fit that description.
I remember when this lying minister was greeting the scholarship winners this year………….in his usual funny way of throwing off his hands, he said that students should just go across the yard and apply for a Student Revolving Loan……. he made no mention of the so called bursaries and that confirmed to me at that time that no bursaries would have been forth coming! These dems cannot even lie good.
The students should not go down too early, he does not go in too early! Damn liar!
BU recalls the minister of finance and government promising a CLICO and Barrack debate in parliament. Did we miss the bests?
RE @ Dompey…Stop telling me about America. Like you I live here and participate in the process here……………. Don’t tell me anything about America.
I AGREE 100% america is not heaven!
HAMILTON A HILL | October 5, 2014 at 8:58 PM |
@ Dompey…Stop telling me about America. Like you I live here and participate in the process here. Quite frankly what I want is a stiff jail term for some of the politicians in Barbados. Some who are no longer in parliament as well. Don’t tell me anything about America.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Christ, all of our politicians are fat enough as it is . To send them up to Dodds would be no punishment for them. For betraying the public’s trust I would be more inclined,to a shorter sentence, making use of some those Jersey barriers, on the ABC highway, positioned edgewise, or standing up.
Hamilton, I am lecturing on a system of gevernance in America, but if implemented properly in Barbados could force the transparency, accountablity and aswerability, ya’ll are looking for in Barbados. The problem in Barbados has more to do with a system of governance rather than the conduct of its political leaders, who seems to disregard what little checks and balances the system has.
Would it not be great if Minister Lowe and Lashley somehow felt compelled t publicly deny the ‘rumours’ circulating about a bloated bank account and ability to travel to the US
The former governor of the state Connectucut it schedule to be sentence to federal prison for corruption in January. The judge allowed him these few months to spend with his family for Christmas, before it’s of to the Big House. When have you heard a man of such a high political office going to jail in Barbados. The mayor of Hartford Connecticut is already in jail for political corruption. Political corruption is a very serious affair in America.
@ David | October 5, 2014 at 9:24 PM |
How come Lashley (the taller of the Mutt & Jeff clown duo) cannot be put in charge of a ministry which requires overseas travel via the USA?
Don’t you think he should be made minister responsible for foreign affairs or even that responsible for earning forex (MoF).
Maybe Dompey, like Alistair Cooke, could shed some light from America.
@ David…the code of silence will not be broken. Please observe that seemingly it extends across those hallowed halls all the way to the opposition benches. Either that or the cat got Mia’s tongue. Well not the cat…just an inebriated spiteful serpent.
David, ya’ll guys in Barbados crying about how much taxes ya’ll have pay to the government. When I pay
1) Federal
2) State
3) Municipal
Taxes….. that is three governments I pay taxes to.
@Hamilton
You have been around BU long enough to deduce we focus a lot on the government although from time time to time we will examine the opposition. Yes Mia may well want t respond to rising public concerns about her health, in the same way PM’s Stuart’s diabetic condition appeared on the radar when he fainted a couple tines.
Now we understand why many in this country “seasonally” hop about the place shouting Republic !Republic ! We are not a Republic. We have a Governor -General , an Ombudsman, and HM the Queen as a Third Umpire, yet still we are seeing our Government doing as it likes and answering to no one, COW, Bizzy, Butch and Bjerkoff ,et al excluded
Are the walls at Government House and the home of the Ombudsman so high ,that they are unable to see what Barbados has morphed into? And what is the role of the Senate? Is it to keep the Lower House in CHEQUE?
At one time I was afraid that the name of our capital would have been changed to Port of Spain #2., but with all the garbage, corruption and a broken treasury abound, Port -au -Prince #2, seems more appropriate .
Dompey | October 5, 2014 at 9:43 PM |
David, ya’ll guys in Barbados crying about how much taxes ya’ll have pay to the government. When I pay
1) Federal
2) State
3) Municipal
Taxes….. that is three governments I pay taxes to.
……………………………………………………………………….
But Bro , why is that a problem for you ?, all you have you have to do is go down to Sears get yourself a pick and shovel and start digging up part of the main street. Because from the glowing way that you speak of the USA, the street there have to be paved with Gold.
The Minister Boyce is SICK too, in the Head,on mornings
don’t know where he is, head gone ,but he don’t go QE , ask him why
According to local press the government is moving full steam ahead to privatise the BNTCL, another about turn of government based on their election platform last general election.
http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/for-sale/
Remembering What Politicians Do? Just to look at Barbados is more proof than any one man or Nation needs, Proof is all around us with Minister believe that the country is their own to do as they wish,
History will write great books on each and the path they took to their own ending,
Alpha and Omega , we are a lot closer to Omega and their end is near ,
We know more than we are typing , We Smile at them , for there is only so much can be taken before what was built on fraud and lies fall to the Earth,
Behold the Pale Horse,
How can they have any money for cleaning house, have you not seen all of the ministries have gone into new buildings even the Dr. who have sent home so many low income workers & have not even paid them their severance, come on bajans it is all to do with status. One have always heard in Barbados The DLP was for the poor black man, have you not heard the AT asking who is the poor black man? Wake up peoples we are in this for another 3 years, so bile the bullet!!!!!!! you put them there!!!
@ BushTea
You are right on cue–ALL HOT AIR! lmao
David | October 6, 2014 at 5:44 AM |
“According to local press the government is moving full steam ahead to privatise the BNTCL, another about turn of government based on their election platform last general election.”
to ac and Bush Tea:
Anything to say about the above article?
Every year we listen to the guys from International Business doing the media rounds and what has changed? Is CAIPO going online something to talk about in 2014? No wonder Holmes hesitatingly answered the question.
@ David,
“According to local press the government is moving full steam ahead to privatise the BNTCL, another about turn of government based on their election platform last general election”……………..
After all the talk during the election of “NO PRIVATIZATION” under any DLP government that I lead. This present crop of DLP wild boys are the worst liars ever to call themselves a government.
They are so dumb……BNTCL is the only entity that is a cash cow some what like the NIS, why would they even consider selling this one entity that they can raid? Does not make sense………in fact nothing they do make any sense to anyone other than themselves!
Prodigal Son
I hate to have to contradict you but Freundel would not be breaking his campaign pledge of no privatisation under a DLP Government that he leads if they dispose of BNTCL. You must check his words carefully, he was at pains to say that “that I lead”. He is not leading. So lookout for the killing of the goose that lays the golden eggs in the form of privatisation of BNTCL any time soon.
>
BNTCL , that’s what SOL requested and the proceeds will be paid in US$
@ Miller
privatization shiite!
That is not privatization.
“Privatization” is when you deliberately decide to sell off a state asset to private interests. A stupid but often done process – especially promoted by those schooled in the shiite area of “economics” …whatever the hell THAT is….
What we have is called “going into receivership” ….when your possessions are taken over and auctioned to pay your creditors……
Brass bowls….!!!
The IMF team advised the MoF to accelerate the sale of a number of Govt assets ; address the dissolution of state corporations and draft the 2014 Budget.
Wow, Chaucer, that is serious. Are we in an IMF program or not?
Caswell, you have me laughing!
Prodigal Son
I am sorry that you find it funny: I am quite serious.
>
Names to follow in coming months Joe Goddard, Dr Worrell, Darcy Boyce, Dr Leroy McClean and Hal Gollop
What FS will do?
Most of us are in some way responsible for the morass that we’re in right now. Most of us were fueled only by narrow self-interest. This situation is not an overnight occurrence. Politicians were often guilty of giving the people what they wanted in the short run instead of what they needed for the long run. They did this so that they could secure votes knowing full well it was not sustainable. So both the electorate and the elected are to blame in this unhealthy relationship. The greed and corruption is not only at the top but pervade the whole system and society. Most of us who were not of this ilk remained silently complicit. hoping that we would not be affected. Maybe a little disaster will bring us back to a point where we examine ourselves and recognize that Barbados needs all of us working together in order for us to progress.. Otherwise all the big dogs will eat all the small dogs until only a few equally matched dogs will remain. Politicians – do you really want to preside over the death of Barbados? Business people have you ever tried treating customers and employees fairly? How do you know you won’t make a bigger profit? I for one would bend over backwards and do cartwheels for such a company. How do we want to be remembered when we die? Or don’ t we care? Goodwill can go a long way in helping our children and children’s children through life. It’s not only money that talks. I know some people who could eat lavishly for days without touching a saucepan because of the goodwill left by their parents. Let us create a new model of development for Barbados because the old Barbados is gone for good. May it rest in peace!
@ Bush Tea | October 6, 2014 at 12:03 PM |
“What we have is called “going into receivership” ….when your possessions are taken over and auctioned to pay your creditors……”
What an apt description of what is about to take place!
If only they had taken Miller’s (sorry, OSA’s) advice 2 years ago your first definition of privatization would be most mellifluous to ac’s ears.
So your party has broken the three pillars of its electioneering contract with the populace. There will be No Layoffs, No privatization and the unkindest cut of all there will be no payment of tuition fees by UWI students.
What would be the next promise to be broken? A slaughter of the sacred cow called the Bajan dollar?
You still have to congratulate the MoF this time around.
It was either an immediate removal of the State from all commercial activity or face an immediate devaluation of the dollar after which not even Al Barrack would want to use as toilet paper if it were left to find its true market value.
Now who is having the last laugh? Guyanese or Jamaicans? At least it would be cheaper for ‘Trickidadians’ to do business in Barbados.
@ CHAUCER | October 6, 2014 at 11:55 AM |
“BNTCL , that’s what SOL requested and the proceeds will be paid in US$”
As it stands SOL is the biggest distributor of finished petroleum products in Barbados through its purchase of the old Shell and Exxon networks.
If SOL is now given the sole right to import the same products through the purchase of the BNTCL what kind of monopolistic situation would be created?
Does the FTC have the resources to ‘regulate’ such a volatile market in terms of supply and pricing?
CHAUCER
Why them and what are we looking out for exactly?