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Christmas in Barbados
Christmas in Barbados

The Christian festival of Christmas is the time of the year Barbadians join many across the globe to become immersed in the spirit of the season.  Psychiatrist suggests human beings need ways to relieve stress. Whether Christian or Infidel the season is used to promote frivolity, show kindness; reach out to the less fortunate, spread good cheer. The decision by the minister of finance to issue a ministerial statement on Tuesday – if media reports are to be believed – begs the question to what extent politicians are willing to ignore tradition and long standing value positions for the sake of political expediency. Apologists may retort this is not a budget debate and therefore the public will be spared the palavering by members of parliament that has made Barbados into the laughing stock for those who force themselves to follow proceedings in recent years.

The Governor of the Central Bank Delisle Worrell hinted a couple weeks ago the Minister of Finance will have something to tell Barbadians, the time will be on Tuesday 16 December 2014. All the economic indicators point to the fact the message by the Minister of Finance will not be tidings of great joy.

After six years of poor economic performance many Barbadians appear to be losing confidence and hope in the government to lead the country on a growth path. What has not help to discourage public concern is the latest tantrum by Minister of Agriculture David Estwick.  It is not unusual for a minister of the government to disagree with  policy. What is unusual is for a minister of government to break the collective of cabinet by voicing public dissent and NOT resign. Even more unusual has been the unwillingness of Prime Minister Freundel Stuart to censure Estwick. The Days of Our Lives imbroglio has made a mockery of government and has served as a long running distraction to the many problems affecting the affairs of state.

The current state of affairs encourages partisan positions to be drawn but sensible Barbadians must be concerned at the inability of the government to energise a once proud nation to change, to fight! A photograph of Caricom leaders who attended a heads of Caricom meeting in Trinidad a few weeks ago reinforced the truth that a picture is worth a thousand words.  Nowhere was Prime Minister Stuart of Barbados featured. There were the HOGs of Trinidad, St. Kitts, Antigua…

Whether BLP or DLP here is the reality. It is mid December and the majority of Barbadians have not received tax refunds. Many of the roads in Barbados are in a bad state of repair. Many districts have to be happy with once a month garbage pickup. The CLICO matter remains unresolved. The Paradise (Four Seasons) issue remains outstanding. Barrack we are not sure. Several houses built by former minister Michael Lashley are in a bad state and will have to be rebuilt. The Private Public Partnership at Coverly has become an embarrassment and eyesore. Six years later we wait for the operationalizing of transparency legislation. The Attorney General promised  new domestic legislation in the first quarter of 2014, we are quickly approaching first quarter 2015. BU can easily list 15 more outstanding issues and many do not require financial resources to implement.

Barbadians will take time out of their Christmas routine to listen to Minister of Finance Christopher Sinckler. Some wonder if the message will prove to be the straw which breaks the camel’s back.


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194 responses to “Will Minister Chris Sinckler Bring Tidings of Great Joy?”


  1. Sorry BU, dont know how all the large bold font appeared in my post!

  2. Caswell Franklyn Avatar

    Piece

    I understand that the clitoris was not spat out, so you can add cannibalism to your list of malfeasance.

    >


  3. @ pudryr…. your post at 2:05 pm gave me chills {even though my FRIEND claim that I drink vodka all day} it is that much on point. In relation to your question to me all I want is for us to start somewhere to demand accountability. We getting ride more than the Bush Hill posse. In our hand ta mout society once I get mine the hell with everybody else. The present crop of politicians know this so they give a small cut of the ill-begotten gain to the lackey and the beat goes on. We got to find a way to stop this shit.


  4. Prodigal

    I back you 1000%……WASTAGE was the norm when they took over, can we expect anything else now…..no matter how much taxes they raise…she will not raise….

    snip> from “SOS”…..The ship SSS Babadoes gine down

    Seems like a once well run ship laden with $2.8 billion in reserves, has somewhat mysteriously drifted into these conspicuous waters again.. Oxford English dictionary defines drifted as ” to be carried gently along by or as if by a current of water or air”. Was such the SSS Barbados’ fate ? Inertia more suit’s the bill.

    If one would recall, way back in 2007, the incumbent Admiral was confronted with signs of a pending economic crisis on the horizon and blew the horns to fore warn…” buckle down and prepare for stormy weather “. Were these warnings heeded ? NO. When the new crew boarded ship, it was as if for a joy ride…even one cheeky, well now embellished fellow had the audaciousness of shouting to the ousted crew “We don’t want any advise from you.” With that they sailed off into the sunset, ship laden with treasury unaware of their pending fate.

    Today, five years after that sad presumption.. Life on the SSS Barbados has taken a turn for the worst. Ambivalence has taken root as there is no longer a feeling of “joie de vivre. ” Instead the crew portrays long and hardened faces as they recall days of a mutiny from within…quelled but not forgotten. Many with thoughts of an amelioration, as they gloat among themselves of the propitious Glory Days. Alas all hands on deck…Land ahoy ! Soon time to re-man this ill charted ship


  5. ac likes to be annoying get use to it,,, just the way u have to get used to new and not so improved quality of the format, get use to ac.,.
    having said that ,,
    you prodigal and all other blp anarchist, leave no stone unturned castigating and finger pointing,, Yet not one of You are willing to make a financial sacrifice that would go towards the financial repair of your Country,,PM and chris does not OWN barbados individually barbados is a society , you BLP misfits got to understand that some of the failures of this economy lays solely at the feet of an inept govt ,who gave and gave and brought self serving policies for 14 years which in the long term has only benefited a few, and excluded the majority.
    Now prodigal get to F off u rocking horse and use some god giving compassion to help and restore .. ac a yardfowl,,, an annoying one glad to know cause annoyance can do wonders bringing some back to a world of reality remove them from a fanatical world of what used to be with myths and made behind scene.

    seasons greetings …Grinch..

    well u are at it ….read this for good measure

    An examination of unemployment figures across the Caribbean would reveal that Barbados had fared better than others during this recession. With the exception of Trinidad whose unemployment rate stood at 5.9% at the end of 2013 all the other territories had unemployment rates above 13%: Jamaica – 16.3%, The Bahamas – 16.2%, St. Lucia – 20%, Grenada – 33.5%. At the end of 2013 the unemployment rate for Barbados stood at 11.4%. As a result of the decision by the Government of Barbados to reduce the size of the Public Sector in an effort to reduce the expenditure of the Government, the unemployment rate has increased to 13.2% in 2014. Government’s efforts to maintain the social safety nets have helped to keep Barbadians gainfully employed through most of the economic crisis.


  6. Well said, old onions!


  7. ac,
    Everybody in Barbados knows that the 13% unemployment rate is a fallacy! Things are worse here than under Sandi and the unemployment rate was over 20% and you really think we believe the governor.

    The truth will come out one day!


  8. Minister Sinckler

    It cannot be fair to be shrinking the public service and not do same to the hierarchy read ministers and parliamentary secretaries. And the economy is not growing to boot. Even a symbolic gesture to throw at the workers at the bottom of the pyramid to show empathy. What manner of man are you.


  9. What will Sinckler tell Barbadians next week that will engender the kind of confidence we need to move the nation forward? Thousands of workers on the bread line. Thousands waiting for tax refunds. This is not a popular government at this time.


  10. David wrote,”Even a symbolic gesture to throw at the workers

    How about a real gesture like the one I just get at the gas station ?

    91 octane V power price drop again to $2 bds per litre.


  11. @ David
    What manner of man are you.”


    Aye Aye…..even David getting into the fray…..

    “Oh what manner of man is this that the sun and the seas obeys him?”….

    What manner of man you ask? ….A man who gine fire off another 1,000 or so come Tuesday, and pelt some more taxes in we arses…


  12. Corr : wind and the sea..sorry


  13. @ The reincarnated Old Onion Bags… While I really enjoyed your piece about the crew recalling days of a mutiny from within, I seek your clarification. Dis bout de Dems or dis bout de Bees? I suspect the latter cause you would know more bout dat Mottley Crew. Anyway, help me please.


  14. @Caswell Franklyn
    Knock it off, you can do better, don’t write like AC


  15. This is a reminder contrary to Ronnie Clarke this is not the Sinckler plan, it has to be approved by Cabinet. The Estwick imbroglio makes this all the more interesting.


  16. @Prodigal Son
    No need to take on The AC (She/ He) but ask it if it know the EWB DLP 1973 to 76 and LES 1987 to 94 , the DLP always rundown Barbados,EWB leave Barbados to recharge,LES had himself for touch one touch all,but this PM and his Ministers, God help us


  17. Hopefully after the Ministerial Statement on Tuesday,Estwick and Paul will have the courage to cross.


  18. Estwick is NOT going anywhere, This “letter” to the PM is all a diversion to take attention from the real issue that this Govt is broke financially & bankrupt of ideas to solve the problems facing this Country.
    I know someone who was at a dinner party at the home of the father of a certain Contractor some months ago and the talk around the dinner table was the fact that to do business with the Govt you have to pay.
    Consider the new BWA building,the Concrete Molasses tanks, Houses at C overly & the list goes on…


  19. Those who pay bribes are as criminal as those who receive them.

  20. John Hanson 1781-1782- I SERVE 1788- 1792 BARBADOES. Avatar
    John Hanson 1781-1782- I SERVE 1788- 1792 BARBADOES.

    Prodigal Son | December 14, 2014 at 4:35 PM |
    The truth is already here , Most just dont or dont want to believe the truth until a white man come on the NEWS and say so,

    Right now we can tell them apart Sinckler and Estwick , oh one is a Doctor


  21. Sinkler is goin’ go announce a reduction in the price of fuel and make it seem like a Christmas present to the deserving people of Barbados .. But of course he has to extract as much VAT out of the old pricing arrangement before the announcement can be made. He may probably add on a petrol levy tho … We’ll see


  22. Wait….looka here…….annuda Duppy…Baffy?..Wait D devil release you? You get time off?..Looka muh crosses…


  23. Oxford English dictionary defines drifted as ” to be carried gently along by or as if by a current of water or air”. Was such the SSS Barbados’ fate ? Inertia more suit’s the bill.


    There was a period of a year or so….affa the king was dedd….that Bdos just drifted and drifted..the captain like he din know what to do….That period caused the island irreparable damage and was neva regained..foundation neva gave classes in treason….sound byte.


  24. at some point and time the freeness had to come to an end ,govt expenditure had over exceeded its limits, what is so hard about that to understand,
    a govt responsibility goes way beyond servicing the wants of selfish people but setting goals that can be accomplished by way of fiscal responsibility

    The introduction of the 20% payment of tuition fees by the students of the University of the West Indies was another of the fiscal consolidation measures introduced to reduce the expenditure of the Government. This was done in an effort to put government’s funding to UWI on a more sustainable level.


  25. Barbados will weather the economic storm. As PM Stuart said a few months ago, ‘ Chris Sinkler is eminent for me’

    So come this Tuesday, Chris will demonstrate to all and sundry that PM Stuart’s confidence in him is not misplaced.

    And as to Dr. Estwick, he CANNOT resign from the Cabinet, the DLP or abandon his St. Philip West constituents.

    That is just the way it is.

    So David and all other BLP losers……do not waste your time on that one.

    or abandon his St. Philip West constituents


  26. Who the hell cares about Estwick? He can come or go, no one takes Estwick seriously.

    Brek up dem, as the insider, you are actually telling BU that Estwick cannot leave the DLP. Why? That only leaves people to believe what they already feel…..you have dirt on him that he does not want spilled. There again if you have dirt on him, Estwick is nobody’s fool, he has dirt on all of you that is why he can pretty much huff and puff whenever he wants!

    Oh what a tangle web!


  27. The issue here if we can logically discuss is how can any government garner confidence from the electorate if a Cabinet minister is publicly railing against government policies. Further, the economy has been in decline mode for more than five years etc. It is not about being partisan, it is about a reality.


  28. @BAFBFP lowering gasoline prices is an easy option for the MOF.

    If Bajans are lucky crude prices will stay low for the next couple years as some have predicted.


  29. @Hants

    Lowering gasoline price will create more disposal income and as a result pressure forex reserves. The issue for BU is more about truth untold.


  30. David maybe more people will be able to make their loan and credit card payments.

    Maybe they will buy more locally produced fruit and vegetables.

    Maybe they will be able to help pay the UWI tuition for their children.


  31. @Hants

    The credit card is used to buy mostly what?

    The loans taken are sued to support mostly what kind of spending?


  32. Confidence is not being reposed in the Government because the Government is not deserving of confidence. Money seeks save peaceful havens not chaotic and disturbed climates.


  33. David
    Estwick was at Cabinet when it agreed to the MOF making a Ministerial Statement?

  34. Caswell Franklyn Avatar

    The way to take pressure off the with respect to the demand for foreign exchange is to put a temporary ban on non-essential imports. We had a golden opportunity recently, a ban could have been placed on the importation of those pine trees that were brought in to be used as Christmas trees. What a waste of forex.

    >


  35. ”David | December 14, 2014 at 10:54 PM |
    The issue here if we can logically discuss is how can any government garner confidence from the electorate if a Cabinet minister is publicly railing against government policies”

    David, that ‘railing’ is obvious now as a charade to detract attention and reduce tempers that ‘we got a man in dey too who working fuh us’ thing’.

    That Member has no intention of going against Govt and it is clear now that his Chihuahua outburst are merely distractions.

    That was further emphasized today, by another Member of Cabinet, reported in the new today as putting the decision on the ‘Ministerial Statement as being a Cabinet decision. Any significant decision that is made IS Cabinet decision, because anyone who disagrees can walk the walk.

    Don’t get tie up with the little side games.

    That said, I FULLY AGREE with the Opposition, that this is an unsuitable method and works against the proper governance of a country, by trying to reduce debate on fiscal matters.

    It is entirely inappropriate and Barrow, Adams, St.John, Haynes nor Sandiford would have done this as a main budget measure.

    They would have acted in a budgetary debate and taken their licks.

    Further, funny how Sandi put things on the table, directly reduced peoples net income, yet when it is done now, people don’t say BOO.

    Strange that!!


  36. @Green Green Grass of Home | December 15, 2014 at 3:37

    Spot One!!! Full Marks for both of your posts just above!!!!!!

    They are playing a game of charades with the country.


  37. Fractured BLP | December 14, 2014 at 10:26 PM |
    1 – Barbados will weather the economic storm. As PM Stuart said a few months ago, ‘ Chris Sinkler is eminent for me’

    2- So come this Tuesday, Chris will demonstrate to all and sundry that PM Stuart’s confidence in him is not misplaced.

    3 – And as to Dr. Estwick, he CANNOT resign from the Cabinet, the DLP or abandon his St. Philip West constituents.

    4- So David and all other BLP losers……do not waste your time on that one.

    Answers

    1- That twas indeed hilarious, even if sad.

    2- Yes, another joke of a budget, more madness and annoy the populace, WAY TO GO

    3- Well, say something NEW , that is fairly obvious, the Chhuahua has spoken, NO ONE CARES!

    4- Yes, we GET that. Anyone not agreeing with you is labeled a ‘BLP Loser’. You don’t give a toss about any Barbadian citizen who disagrees with you. We get that, we got that a LONG time ago.

    Way to go, MORON!!


  38. That said, I FULLY AGREE with the Opposition, that this is an unsuitable method and works against the proper governance of a country, by trying to reduce debate on fiscal matters.


    Let DEM continue……it is the newest trappings of a dictatorship …..Fidel and Rauol, now we understand the visit…but this ent Cuba, nor we people ent Cubans…let DEM continue……


  39. Does a Cabinet decision have to be unanimous?


  40. Based on recent events I would appear that opposing views in Cabinet count, if only publicly.LOL


  41. fiscal responsibility is necessary to keep the country in good financial standing one of the greatest failures of the BLP govt and which as resulted in heavy debt and present govt having to implement policies which is burdening the tax payers in order to pay down outstanding debt with ballooning interest rates hav a nice day
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………The Consolidation Tax and the Solid Waste Tax were introduced as part of the Government’s revenue earning measures to help to reduce the fiscal deficit. We all know the level of debate and the marches which took place especially with regard to the Municipal Solid Waste Tax. However, these measures were deem necessary to put the economy of Barbados on a better footing.


  42. Oh shut you ass AC….
    The solid waste tax was introduced at the insistence of those who wanted to put things in place to dispossess Bajans of the only shiite that they own – land and property.
    It is the MOST STUPID and backward thing that ANY black person has done in Barbados since Percy Blackman of Bagatelle Plantation told his children back in 1787 that “white people were not all bad”….

    Sinckler could only be a …………! …like you….
    …and we all know that you are an igrunt brass bowl female rabbit.

    Imagine taxing the ownership of home and land in a country where you are trying to encourage the people you are there to represent, to invest locally….
    ….and taking the proceeds and giving it to a man who seems to want to own 90% of the country. …a man who admits to bribing politicians and who is now being PAID to take raw materials for his recycling plant so that he can SELL the output back to the same Bajan brass bowls…
    Not to mention the Desal Plant ripoff that is ongoing…

    What the brass bowl!!!!

    ….and you got the gall to come here talking shiite bout measures to put the economy on a better footing?

    …better for whom?

    Man David …ban she donkey ….at least till new year nuh…!!!

  43. are-we-there-yet Avatar

    Crusoe;

    FWLIW, I agree with your post this morning except with where you say;

    It is entirely inappropriate and Barrow, Adams, St.John, Haynes nor Sandiford would have done this as a main budget measure.

    Barrow started this ball rolling. Remember his “fireside chat” budget.


  44. According to Donville Inniss, “the entire cabinet was in on the decision to have a ministerial statement from the minister of finance rather than a budget, particularly at this time.”

    He further stated “I think Barbadians need to enjoy Christmas and traditionally all that Christmas has meant to us without having their ears abused by politicians ranting and raving about public finance. That whole charade is not useful at Christmas time….”

    So, Barbadians will have to wait until after Christmas or until the new year to hear from Sinckler.


  45. “fiscal responsibility is necessary to keep the country in good financial standing one of the greatest failures of the BLP govt and which as resulted in heavy debt and present govt having to implement policies which is burdening the tax payers in order to pay down outstanding debt with ballooning interest rates…”

    To suggest government had “to implement policies which are burdening the tax payers in order to pay down outstanding debt with ballooning interest rates” is absolute rubbish to the highest level. Sometimes it’s not a good thing to regurgitate things people say if you are not educated or informed enough to elaborate on them.

    Let us be serious in our analysis about these matters relative to the finances of this island. During an interview on CBC TV, Darcy Boyce dismissed Ruedon Eversley’s suggestion that the reason for the high fiscal deficit was the supposed high debt left by the former BLP administration, and also said all governments borrow with the intension of repaying.
    Dr. Frank Allyene also admitted Barbados’ debt position was sustainable and dismissed the talk of the island being in a “debt trap” as nonsense as well.

    The increase in interest rates has to be the result of two things, (1) the present administration borrowed more money, or (2) the recent downgrades by the international rating agencies made it more expensive for the country to borrow money.
    If this administration was dealing specifically with the outstanding debt left by the BLP, do you care to explain how the interest rates increased on that debt?

    You may argue the government borrowed money to pay off debt left by the BLP, as was suggested by Irene Sandiford-Garner sometime ago on BU. If anyone borrows money to repay existing loans, they would usually consolidate these loans and negotiate payment terms and interest rates to one financial institution that would be far more reasonable than if payments were made to the different financial institutions.

  46. are-we-there-yet Avatar

    Artaxerxes;

    ….. and remember that the main benefit of having such announcements at this time is curbing spending of FX. Making the announcements in the new financial year will only marginally reduce the FX being spent now as prudent souls will be thinking of their jobs and survival and will therefore not spend.

    But Donville is wrong on this one. There will be a lot of worried people in Barbados until and after that Ministerial statement comes out. Postponing it will not help significantly.


  47. The rumor/speculations that the MOF will be bringing tidings of great joy on December 16 must be incorrect

    Here is the Ministers Diary from http://gisbarbados.gov.bb/index.php?categoryid=10&p13_sectionid=1&p13_fileid=1889

    2014-12-12
    NO: 1214/14

    MINISTERS’ DIARY
    Saturday, December 13
    10:00 a.m. Minister of Health, John Boyce, will deliver remarks at the press launch of the Barbados Diabetes Reversal study at the Barbados Diabetes Association’s headquarters, Jessamine Avenue, Beckles Road, St. Michael.
    Wednesday, December 17
    11:45 a.m. Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley will give an address at a presentation of Emera Caribbean Celebrity Charity basketball shootout at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael.
    Thursday, December 18
    8:30 a.m. Minister of Health, John Boyce, will deliver the feature address at a Workshop on National Health Accounts at Savannah Hotel, Hastings, Christ Church.
    Friday, December 19
    9:30 a.m. Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley, will give remarks at the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) End of Year Networking Forum, which is being held in association with the British High Commission, at the British High Commission, Lower Collymore Rock, St. Michael.

    Nothing in the diary for MOF

    Surely GIS would not fail to mention a MOF announcement if there is one scheduled.


  48. @ David [BU]

    I did look at your post at 5.55 am dis morning but I din go to it as I does normally go to dem articles dat you does have on your site at WordPress.

    I know dat you gine ask me why I ent click dem to find out de cuntents of de cabinet paper

    I gine reply wid de words uh beware of Greeks bearing gifts.

    De granson show me dis one over the weekend and tell me dat since I does be here pun BU talking bout de DLP and de BLP dat I need to be careful wid clicking pun links to dem vagabonds sites including de nation, de advocate, and de guvment uh Bulbados

    http://www.pardot.com/faqs/content/files/

    Man de ole man was real amazed when I see dis David cause you is a high science fellow and I is one uh dem old fogeys dat won’t know bout dese tings

    De concept says dat “Uploaded files are given tracker URLs (using your CNAME). You can track when a prospect accesses a non-image file (white papers, data sheets, … indexing of certain files if you would like search engines to index images, PDFs, etc. …. Warm Up Your IP Address · Integrating Pardot Forms or Landing Pages with Facebook …”

    In layman terms it mean dat it possible dat dem is Cud be using a PDF to trace a fellow name/IP address,

    man I did frighten man and I say dat unlessing de links dat pun de site pinting to someplace international like cnn or bbc or you site or something like that I ent going click it man.

    You got any advice tuh gi ole fellows like me bout how to surf pun we ipad en ting causing if you is an ole man like me who does like tuh leggo he mout bout Buffalo Sinckler en Fumble, I gine need some uh tings dem causing de ole man ent gine hush he mouf when it come to the national rape that these vagabonds inflicting pun Bulbados

  49. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    @Tudor

    Are you living in Egypt. The majority of contractors in bed with the government do not pay none of the ministers or high ranking government officials a cent of their money. That is because when the contractor charges government 3 million for a job, the same contractor is told to raise it to 10 million. The contractor gets his 3 whilst the crooked politicians and government officials split the remainder. Mind you, if only 2 or 3 are in the draw back deal than you can imagine why there are so many big houses and apartments going up and around the island. Yet crooks and vagabonds will threaten you to keep you quite or worst yet put a hit of some means in ya crutch. Do not know that these crooked high rats believe that takings of such do not constitute no wrong at all?

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