Around this time of the year it is difficult not to spare a few thoughts for all those involved in tourism, directly or otherwise, who sacrifice their quality precious time with family to take care of our visitors over the Christmas period. Of course they are not alone with other sectors including the essential services assuming the same responsibility. As someone, through work commitments, who has only celebrated a personal Christmas four times during the past 40 years, my thanks and admiration to you all for your dedication.
There have been many predictions and projections made recently about an anticipated increase in long stay visitors in 2015 when compared with this year. A figure of a 6 per cent rise has been quoted, but I would caution all tourism partners against any complacency they may be lured into. With hopefully Sandals Casuarina re-opening on schedule at the end of January and maintaining an optimistic 90 per cent occupancy level before any rooms are added, this would attract around 24,000 visitors, based on two persons sharing and an average 7 night stay before year end.
According to CTO (Caribbean Tourism Organisation) statistics, Barbados recorded a total of 508,520 stay over visitors in 2013, which was a 5.2 per cent decline when compared with the 2012 figures. Therefore factoring in the potential Sandals and an overall 6 per cent rise would only produce a net gain of 6,500 visitors spread across every other accommodation provider.
Perhaps a more realistic objective would be a target of 10 per cent. There is no doubt that a brand new Sandals built with the concessions granted that many hoteliers are still dreaming about will drive new business. But is it a two edge sword? The question still remains as to exactly what proportion of their earnings in fact find its way to Barbados at all. And while the brand will inevitably attract some European business, will it be at the cost of reducing visitor average stay with an increase in North American business.
Hopefully the ultimate result will produce a tangible national benefit for more than a single hotel operator.
Sir Richard Branson’s decision to enter the cruise ship market is a fascinating one, especially at a time when this segment has been witnessing almost unprecedented levels of discounting and massive over capacity in the Caribbean. There is, no doubt Virgin’s principal strength is its brand and I am sure they will introduce many innovative new concepts and possibly capture a niche that currently isn’t being fully exploited.
Clearly in-house airlines Virgin Atlantic, Virgin America together with the Delta partnership will give any ship operator a distinctive advantage and I see a whole range of opportunities for exciting new cruise and stay programmes. As an example – fly from London to Miami, cruise the Caribbean for 7 days, a week’s hotel stay and fly back to the UK from Barbados. Or thinking one step further, what a coup if one of new Virgin ships was home-ported in Bridgetown!
The current dominant leader Carnival Group does not have that flexibility, at least for the time being.
May I wish all readers a very Happy Christmas or holiday season.
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To what extent can sport tourism be considered a flank in Barbados’ tourism policy? It has long been whispered -primarily in other regional territories – that maintaining high Barbadian visibility in say West Indies cricket (witness the most recent, surprising appointment of Roland Holder as ODI captain or perennial competition for venue selection) is the result of clandestine lobbying or collusion in certain quarters. Is this at all a valid claim ion any regard?
The Captain of the ODI team is Jason Holder and sports tourism is about diversifying the product.
Sports Tourism was given a boost by the Top Gear Festival (Lewis Hamilton driving a Mercedes F1 at Bushy park ) and the recent Race of champions which was won by former F! champion David Coulthard.
With aggressive marketing Racing and Rallying can become a major Tourist attraction.
@David
Love the color and theme. Please dont change the background. It is easy on the eyes.
@ Hants December 22, 2014 at 9:59 AM #
I’m as a big a motor racing fan as you are, but I don’t believe Bushy Park will add any measurable amount of tourists. Within the last 10 years we had World Cup 2007, A golf tournament carried on ESPN, The Williams sisters in for lawn tennis exhibitions, etc. and still our numbers declined.
When I played cricket in Barbados back in the 70s and 80s several English cricket teams and their fans used to visit every year, but as several posters continue to state, the cost of visiting the island is comparatively to high, and the authorities have to find the ways and means of making the tourism product competitive.
Any comment on the garbage dump highlighted on today’s Nation back page?
As in any business, status are just stat’s! But it’s how we deal with them that is more important. Many commenters here have exhibited forward thinking outside the box. But the Tourism industry here remains mired in the past. It’s time for a new direction. I see no ads on Facebook, or other social sites promoting Barbados.
The taxi’s at the port gouge visitors with trips just to town, and vice versa. The port should be for tour operators to make their connections with their customers. How about a shuttle like a San Francisco type trolley cars connecting the Pelican, Princess Alice, Fairchild with key stations thru town. You buy a day pass for $5 BBD, and travel the route getting on, and off as you like.
“HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR TOURISM”
Simple.Make it cheaper.
Barbados is not known as a low cost/mass destination.
David December 22, 2014 at 2:12 PM #
If that strategy has brought us to this juncture to failure, should we not change or adjust?
Awful, David, is’nt it?
No worries, this is expected……….remember this seasonal.
@Suckabubby
Let us begin from a position that the tourist industry is a fickle one.
We have voiced our concerns over when Cuba enters the tourism market, but in Berlin the Germans have set up a Tropical Theme Park in an old Soviet Aircraft Hangar, this when becomes widespread, is also something that we have to compete against.
http://imgur.com/E3Kpi2O
http://imgur.com/5B1XAjz
http://imgur.com/fo9M4hX
the word complacency fits snuggly with those in the tourism industry in barbados who have seen there product failed in this harsh economic climate and furthermore a product which have been heavily subsidize at taxpayers expense over the years .
it bodes well and suffice it to say that a brand like Sandals which has continue to performed well given the same harsh economic climate did not arrived at their high level of success by throwing in the towel but had high expectations and have use the marketing tool exploring and including various forms of advertising to make their product visible in and out of international markets,
one can easily conclude that some of the failures in the barbados hotel industry was a lackadaisical approach positioning themselves with a high EXPECTATION for” hands to be held by govt “,
the Sandals brand has been :smart ” and outperformed proving time and time again that success can not be achieved simply by depending on the resources and help of others , but it solely up to the individual to carry most of the burden and shoulder the bulk of the responsibility.
@ Colonel Buggy,
http://www.caribbean360.com/news/american-national-indicted-defrauding-caribbean-immigrants
David December 22, 2014 at 12:14 PM #
Any comment on the garbage dump highlighted on today’s Nation back page?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Truth be told David, trucks or no trucks, places like Eden Lodge and Wotton are always inundated with Garbage, and at time quickly after a collection has been made.
Some government departments, other than SSA , ie MTW and NCC, have some pretty looking garbage compactors, I wonder if these units cannot be utilised to assist the SSA in its collection.
Today is the 23rd of December where are those Sanitation Trucks which the Minister has promised would be here in December ? He is almost as bad as the politician who promised the people of St George a Sea.
@David
Why no posting for discussion on the PM’s reaction to the recent S&P downgrade….Barbados Today article 12/21/14!
I often agree with many of the tourism views and commentary that is submitted by Adrian Loveridge and I must express my concerns about his expectations for the tourism industry. Simply speaking it is great to be optimistic regarding growth within the industry, but until the hotel owners, business owners and the government come together and reduce the high prices and taxes associated with the industry, the steady decline in traffic will continue throughout 2015 and 2016. Here in Montreal and in many states in the US, prospective travelers are telling us (travel agents) bluntly that Barbados is an excellent place to visit but it is too expensive. They are also telling us that the practice of charging visitors more than locals to go on tours, Visit the Harrison cave, attend shows and participate in other tourism driven activities leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.. I believe that it is insensitive to wait for the Sandals establishment to kick things into gear. Shrewd management, leadership and a clear vision of the market trends is what is first required to kick start the turn around in the continuously declining interest of travelers to Barbados. The power is in the hands of the hotel owners. Time to make it work.
You never know if your views will be published by BU it depends on if you are anti government or not. Ninety nine % of the published comments come from government detractors and its basically the same handful of commentators. BU is therefore getting a bit tired and worn like the hotel plant and posters are looking elsewhere. Barbados Free Press once a magnet for posters is now a fiasco with no more than 5 posters on any topic. Be careful BU you’ve lost a lot of readers mainly because people are tired of the same handful of people making predictable jabs at government. You need variety in comments to keep interest alive.
What fantastic news to hear two British multi millionaires want to help Barbados out of its economic problems. These generous men should be thoroughly checked out for their bona fides and if nothing untoward is found they should be embraced. Their offer to government sounds like a God send. It is said such things are too good to be true but the men posit they are not making the offer to enrich themselves. So GOB run your due diligence and wide background checks and work with these men if all is above board.
One wonders if the offer by the two Britons is the source of Estwick’s latest childish tantrum. After all he has a plan on the the table from the Arabs who most right thinking people fear because of the Muslim Jihadists in their midst. Dealing with the Middle Easterners at this juncture with ISIS, Al Qaeda and that lot about is living dangerously. Barbados must be extra careful not to get involved with the Arabs willy nilly. We have seen the destruction wrought by and in the Middle East.
So GOB lets engage the Brits we know them better hell most everything we know come from them from our language to our jurisprudence to our cricket. Lets pray they are the real McCoy’s and government can work with them to ease Barbados out of its woes. One thing is certain no matter what steps Barbados take Ryan Straughan will cry down and cover in negativity. The man is a broken record. Where do we find these people.
@waiting
Noted.Why do yoy worry about BU’s ability to survive? Being an unrepentant DLP yardfowl this should prove no worries to you.
@racehrse
Feel free to discuss on any topic.
What is a bond and will it require a soverign guarantee? We have reached a bad place.
@ Happy Xmas Barbados! December 23, 2014 at 3:12 AM #
“Be careful BU you’ve lost a lot of readers mainly because people are tired of the same handful of people making predictable jabs at government. You need variety in comments to keep interest alive.”
Could you please submit the results of your survey which indicated BU “lost a lot of readers”?
Interestingly, “99% of the published comments” coming from supporters of any political party that is being criticized, are usually scripted the way your comments have been structured. The same old lame phrases to draw sympathy……. because some of us refuse to sing from your hymn book to praise an inept government.
If you want “the same handful of people making predictable jabs at the government” to remain silent on issues such as a DLP cohort charging a government entity $766,855.24 for legal services which were rendered by another attorney for $17,000; or how a minister could wait 18 months to know the Employee Rights Tribunal was not functioning; or this administration not being totally honest with Barbadians about the state of the economy…….. I feel your pain, but tough luck……. we won’t remain silent.
The onus is on individuals like you and DLP supporters to bring “variety in comments to keep interest alive” instead of criticizing “the same handful of commentators”. You have the democratic right to praise the government, and we have that same right to be critical. Be an adult and live with it.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
“One thing is certain no matter what steps Barbados take Ryan Straughan will cry down and cover in negativity. The man is a broken record.”
Your opinion on Ryan Straughn must be respected, however, if you are honest with yourself, you cannot mention any occasion where his comments on the economy have been incorrect.
Artaxerxes December 23, 2014 at 7:04 AM #
Ha, the problem is, ANY criticism is not looked on kindly anymore, or with any consideration.
THAT is the issue. And a very strange one, in a country purporting to be democratic.
Not least because this is yet another of the platform promises that this government laid their claim on, and yet another that has fallen beside the way, such as integrity legislation.
trying not to shrugged my shoulders about the “news breaking” investor story, but can,t help but to do so.creating growth is necessary to pay debt and in the the best interest of country and the protection of taxpayer borrowing to pay off high debt is creating another cycle for which taxpayers would have to pay eventually.
”Ninety nine % of the published comments come from government detractors and its basically the same handful of commentators”
Ha, that is HERE on BU.
Now, go on the street and it will be 99.5%, save the fringe yardfowls like ac.
@ Crusoe December 23, 2014 at 7:17 AM
“Now, go on the street and it will be 99.5%, save the fringe yardfowls like ac.”
Nice repartee, Crusoe.
Wonder what “Waiting” (and his other blogging aliases) has to say to that!
we look forward to seeing if this current DLP administration the now consummate practitioner and purveyor Bajan Paro Economics would go for:-the Estwick UAE plan? the IMF special measures plan but with financing? Or the British Loan Sharks plan?
Let those guys who want to buy Bajan bonds put their money where their sweet mouths are and take over the Four Seasons project for a start.
Where were these guys when the Four Seasons was going for a song?
If they love Barbados so much why can’t they put their money behind the Pierhead Marina and the Sugar Point Cruise Ship Sugar terminal (if not the much talked about to be resuscitated sugar cane industry from which their ancestors became wealthy from free labour)?
and to you Crusoe.The fact that ac contributes many comments compensate for the multiplicity of comments generated by the blp yardfowls and operatives who unlike ac have been given unlimted free reign to spill their vomit and bile using duplicate handles.
Case and point the handle of ole onion bags which has been hijacked by a Blp operative who shall remain nameless until time permits.
Millertheanunnaki
Besides your tremendous ability to project negativity, the reality is Barbados is in deep economic trouble brought about the policies of the last government and this present government.
Any Barbadian who is willing this government into an IMF program is doing so more from a political point of view and not really caring about the most vulnerable in the society. Countries like Jamaica and Guyana went through a lot of hardship because of IMF programs but the people survived because those countries produced a large amount of food that the people eat. Barbadians are a spoilt set of people and a lot would suffer under an IMF program where the dollar has to be devalued because most of what we eat now is imported.
I agree with the two investors that there is too much scaremongering in Barbados. You and your party sympathizers get on this blog and speak about the massive suffering in Barbados without bring any evidence to support it. I agree things are hard for some people but I am saying there is no massive suffering based on some observations. (1) 99 % of the Secondary school children go to school every day in Barbados and buy lunch from canteens without going to the school meals provided by the school meals department for those who cannot afford to buy lunch.(2) Once school is on every major road is bumper to bumper with cars driving with the expensive gasoline.(3) The stats provided on Barbados shows that there is 2.5 cell phones per person. If some of those persons are suffering then it is a matter of priority.
By the way your spokesman on economic affairs told David Ellis that one of his solutions would to borrow money for the productive sectors. Would that not increase the National Debt also? Ryan Straughn says cut more expenditure would that not mean more civil servants being sent home. They are all armchair critics with not a clue of how to get us out of this mess.
Right on Clone yours is a balanced view the BLP yard fowls including David BU don’t want to hear. Barbados still leads the Caribbean by a long way on the Human Development Index and what about its ranking as one of the Least Corrupt Countries in the word. Mind you we need to work on the ease of doing business so that investors can come with their FDI and get their arrangements done speedily. The law courts too with the expensive time wasting and lawyers who don’t inspire trust or confidence have to also get their act together.
The island is not a basket case and the two Britons say far from it Barbados is the Rolls Royce of the Caribbean. Barring some yet to be discovered infelicity the government should embrace these wealthy men who have so far demonstrated great love for the Gem of the Caribbean. The BU doomers and gloomers should take a leaf out of their book.
The BLP yard fowls including David BU who spend their nights and days praying for the collapse of Barbados ought to hang their heads in shame when they read the sentiments of Stewart and Fordham.
Guyanese are a beautiful people if given half a chance all 700,000 of them would migrate to Barbados tomorrow. That is how Barbados is viewed in the region. Struggling yes but still miles ahead of others in most key respects. The lack of patriotism and the promotion of scare mongering in Barbados is appalling and disturbing.
@ ac December 23, 2014 at 9:41 AM #
“The fact that ac contributes many comments compensate for the multiplicity of comments generated by the blp yardfowls and operatives who unlike ac have been given unlimted free reign to spill their vomit and bile using duplicate handles..”
Wuh shiite, AC, we all recognize that there is multiplicity of AC’s, or a consortium of them, [some of whom are semi-illiterate and some being more articulate than the others] who are all DLP yard-fowls, operatives and misfits, and you all have also “been given unlimited free reign to spill their vomit and bile”, but in your case, using the same handle.
ac
the knuckleheads in the DLP don’t listen to anyone? They have to refinance and restructure the debt. borrowing more will not cure the problem. the interest cost is killing this island.
@Clone
The fault in your comment is that it trivializes the macro issue which Barbados is confronting. A heavy debt burden, junk bond status which makes borrowing on the capital market expensive etc. Yes people are going to school etc but there is a big picture issue which we need to solve, the structural issue of our economy, it is not sustainable.
@ Clone December 23, 2014 at 9:46 AM #
“By the way your spokesman on economic affairs told David Ellis that one of his solutions would to borrow money for the productive sectors. Would that not increase the National Debt also?”
Utter nonsense…. Your above comment is indicative of the fact you are also an armchair critic as well. only you choose to be critical of those who are critical of this DLP administration.
Any CXC economics student knows a country’s debt is considered productive when borrowing is used to add to the productive capacity of the economy and provides a continuous inflow of income to the government.
For example, if government borrowed to finance long term projects, such as infrastructural development, more people would be reintroduced into the labour force, hence an increase in income tax and NIS revenues.
Large, medium and small businesses would experience an increase in providing goods and services, leading to an increase in profits, due to the fact more people are spending, more goods and services being bought, businesses buying to replenish stock, thereby resulting in an increase of VAT and corporation tax revenues.
GDP increases, hence, economic growth.
The principal and interest amounts would be paid from income earned by the government as a result of these projects. Since productive loans are self liquidating and does not cause any undue burden on the society.
What irritates me is the fact many of you DLP lackeys come to BU talking shiite ‘bout patriotism, because some people do not support the nonsense this administration is doing. If remaining silent or turning a blind eye on pertinent issues affecting Barbadians is your definition of being patriotic, then I’m guilty of being unpatriotic.
The same way you could express the view, without a survey, that 99% of secondary school children goes to school every day, then tell me how many DLP supporters owe taxes, VAT and how many deducted NIS from their employees and didn’t remit it to NIS. Is this patriotism?
Patriotism goes far beyond being committed to a political party. It involves being committed to family, relatives and friends.
Some of you who spew talk of patriotism are hypocrites, since you are married or have girl friends and have outside women; some of you don’t accept the responsibility of supporting your children; you have businesses and do not pay NIS for your employees, or submit VAT or tax returns; you betray your friends trust by revealing their secrets; you borrow or take things on hire purchase and don’t repay; you are not willing to put in a day’s fair share of work; and you are always unwilling to pay the fair price for anything.
As Bushie would say, you lot are bunch of shiite brass bowls.
Barbados HDI is still higher than other Caribbean islands…Guyanese would still come here….’ therefore we shouldn’t complain.
Prior to elections in 2008 all these things were true as well as unemployment, deficit and debt lower and a multitude of other positives, yet the DLP and its supporters including you and Clone convinced the electorate the BLP was ruining Barbados.
Now if no one should now complain about the current state of affairs in Barbados, you and DLP should have been silent in 2008 and forfeited the election.
You can tell when a person is drowning.
Broad strokes,
“The U.S. economy grew at a robust 5% annual rate in the July-September period, the fastest in more than a decade, on the strength of higher consumer spending and business investment.”
There is hope.
“Canadian economy grew beyond expectations in October”
BTMI should be very busy marketing in Canada and the USA.
Arterexes. well if what you say is true then there ought to be no problem with ” the ac,s being able to put there two cents worth as many times as you do and generously applied to other blp yardfowls wherby any attempts at muzzling ac,s should also be extended to others who contribute on a regular basis e.g professor brass bowl and recently the impostor ole onion bags.
David
I did not trivialize the national debt crisis for I acknowledged that we are in deep trouble. My focus was to people pushing the view that there is this great suffering in Barbados by the masses. I mentioned three examples that cannot be disputed.
Arterexes
Prior to 2008 this blog was on fire with attacks against the then government and maybe you were one of the defenders
You people believe that only you know about economics. There are economists in the Ministry of Finance, in the Central Bank and the wider civil service who are advising Government. Are you saying all of these people are foolish and dotish.
Everything you said about investment in your post above, the present government has spoken about but seems that scaremongering starts every time a project is to be started and the investors back out. Now you are calling the two men frauds.
Government provided Incentives to get Sandals which is a big brand to come here and people like you screamed your heads off but the results are starting to pay off.
In the end things will be alright and you may get back to feeding at the trough which you miss so badly.
I was expecting this blog to be the place where a viable third party would have started but we are going down the same road fighting to replacing one who put us in trouble with the other which took us further into trouble.
There is still time for the starting of a viable third party because as you can see the BLP is not gaining any traction from any crisis the government finds itself in. Bajans are a smart people and you may be crying again in 2018.
@Clone
Maybe you are living outside of Barbados but we are in a dire place at the moment and this has nothing to do with the inability of government to at income tax or vat refunds.
I am living right here. I know I was expecting my income tax to carry out a little project but still waiting.
@Clone
What results are starting to pay off? Where is the EVIDENCE that the presence of Sandals is causal? Wasn’t Couples operating at Casuarina with high occupancy?
What economists in government are “advising” Sinckler? Stupse!! If he is being advised by these economists they too must be as bright as Sincker.
And I repeat, the three examples that you give to refute the argument that there is suffering in Barbados are weak and shows your lack of reasoning.
Al Jazeera television’s Earthrise series has aired a program on local Bajans attempts to make the island more sustainable. The program looked at Aquaponics, Solar water heating and local marine biologists seeking to understand the effects of tourism and human feeding of turtles on the health of the local sea turtle population.
Watch it here:
@Green Monkey
Thanks for posting the excellent video. A big hail to Damien!
@ Green Monkey
Thanks for the video post.
I recently grew lettuce, watermelons, peppers and tomatoes using hydroponics which is much better and faster than soil growth with no problem from pests.
@David this Aquaponics concept should be “featured” on BU.
This is really great stuff by these young Bajan entrepreneurs.
Does it really takes two Government Ministers ,Stephen Lashley and John Boyce, to say thanks to Sandals for installing a new fence around Dover Playing Field? as reported in the press today . But isn’t it shameless that after Sandals have erected the fence, to be “harassed” my one of the Minsters to also erect covering over the road tennis court. Are we now into the begging high gear?
So Lashley is now Minister of de Fence and John Boyce Minister of de Poles. What a pissing lot of begging jokers.
@ Clone December 23, 2014 at 4:46 PM #
“Prior to 2008 this blog was on fire with attacks against the then government and maybe you were one of the defenders. You people believe that only you know about economics. There are economists in the Ministry of Finance, in the Central Bank and the wider civil service who are advising Government. Are you saying all of these people are foolish and dotish.”
Obviously, when it comes to economics and politics, you are “immaturely naïve”. Your arguments are very weak, but that’s expected of one who supports this present DLP administration. I was NEVER a defender of the then BLP administration prior to 2008, because, unlike you, I’m not aligned to any political party…….. I prefer to call “a spade a spade”.
Although I have a BSc double major in Accounting and Economics, I do not think I’m as knowledgeable in the subject as someone like Dr. Mascoll. Professionals employed in the civil service usually tow the line in accordance to which ever political party holds the reins of government, because they want to keep their jobs.
When the BLP is “in power” these economists preach the gospel according to the BLP and these same individuals are now speaking the gospel as mandated by the DLP. Political parties also place their hench men in key positions to articulate their policies, a perfect example being Dr. Delisle Worrell.
To indicate your naivety, you mentioned “Government provided Incentives to get Sandals which is a big brand to come here and people like you screamed your heads off but the results are starting to pay off.” The only way you can say “results are paying off” is if Sandals has been responsible for an increase in tourist arrivals. To date Sandals is in the process of building and refurbishing their hotels, so tell me how “the results are starting to pay off”, when Sandals has not added to room capacity as yet? Are you trying to say tourists are coming to Barbados because they hear a Sandals resort is here? Utter rubbish.
You also mentioned “feeding at the trough”….. what could be more blatant an example of “feeding at the trough” than DLP yard-fowl Richard Byer being allowed to charge $766,855.24 for a service that was previously done for $17,000 and Denis Lowe not saying anything? How about retrenching employees of Beautify Barbados and after 8 months they can’t receive severance payments, yet this administration has given Mark Maloney the contract to provide similar services?
Another shiite point you mentioned is “scaremongering”. Ok, a man has $20B to invest in Barbados, so what is he going to do, visit BU to read people criticize the government as his basis to invest or read assessment reports from the IMF, Standards & Poors, Moody’s or other international financial institutions?
@ Clone December 23, 2014 at 4:46 PM #
“There are economists in the Ministry of Finance, in the Central Bank and the wider civil service who are advising Government. Are you saying all of these people are foolish and dotish.”
My friend, the economists at the IMF, Standard & Poors, and Moody’s Investment Services have continually demonstrated by their reports, the “economists in Ministry of Finance, in the Central Bank and the wider civil service who are advising Government” are “foolish and dotish.”
@Clone “You and your party sympathizers get on this blog and speak about the massive suffering in Barbados without bring any evidence to support it.”
FYI,
There’s no suffering by the investors in Clico!
There’s no suffering from gasoline prices (Can you purchase gas here for .51 US/$1.02 BBD per liter)
There’s no suffering from food costs (Can you purchase a whole chicken for $4.75 US/$9.50 BBD) Even buying local.
There’s no suffering from the wear, and tear on vehicles due to road conditions, even though there’s a road tax for it, which some ministers I’m told owe.
There’s no suffering from the mounds of garbage rotting on the streets.(Air pollution, rodents, etc) and service going from twice a week to once a month in some cases.
There’s no suffering from an additional solid waste tax.
There’s no suffering from increased electricity costs.
There’s no suffering from increase water bills.
………A recent report of a parish without water for a month(correct me if I’m wrong).
……..A recent report of a Townhouse developement where there has been no assessment, or collection of water bills for over two years.
You must be living in another country or something!
@Clone
As a caveat to my previous post. I quote Shed Manager Vincent Jones of the Port “And statistics have shown this year that while people would probably bring in one package, we are seeing two and three now per person.
“I believe that is a reflection of the hard economic times and families overseas decide that instead of sending one package let us send more,” he said.
Racehrse
I really do not like the trivia back and forth. You simply do not know what is suffering in a bajan context. If you can afford a car and run it on pothole roads that mashing up your shots you are not suffering.
Read todays nation there were no carts at Cost you less or Pricemart which maybe middle class persons shopping but I am a Popular supermarket person and the lines does be long in Popular every weekend for the entire year. In today’s Nation a letter writer is concern that Bajans are deeply into materalism, Recession or no recession. You get the point.
The roads were bumper to bumper leading to every shopping center in Barbados over the past week so the people are intent on having a good Christmas WHILE YOU GRINCHES GET ON BU AND WHINE ALL DAY AND NIGHT.
Artaxerxes
I see myself as a functional literate citizen of Barbados so because you can call all the economist working in government and Central Bank foolish and dotish I will not respond to anything you post again because I have no time for pompous arrogant people like you.
@Clone
Your last comment is what can be described as a generalization. Do you know in Haiti the shops are well patronized as well?
David
There is no problem with local currency.It is said that savings are up in the Banking sector and Credit Unions. There is no comparison between Barbados and Haiti.
@Clone
Saving up can be tagged to many reasons, at the top of list, less consumer spending which has been confirmed by the retail sector and a lack of confidence at the state of affairs in the country.
Can agree with your points but if you have savings when you are ready to spend like an occasion like Christmas then you can which is what is happening now.
Wishing all a Merry Christmas and a Healthy 2015
Correct and this is what being higher than many countries in the region on the Human Development Index does for us, we have the capacity to absorb a hit. This is what the last 5 years have been about and should not be confused with the country doing well.
@ Clone December 24, 2014 at 12:47 PM #
“I see myself as a functional literate citizen of Barbados so because you can call all the economist working in government and Central Bank foolish and dotish I will not respond to anything you post again because I have no time for pompous arrogant people like you.”
I see you also lack comprehension skills as well. Nowhere in my contribution have I called “all the economist working in government and Central Bank foolish and dotish.”
So what if you don’t respond to anything I post..… who cares, I certainly won’t lose any sleep.
You have “no time for pompous arrogant people like” me because you came to the realization that your inadequacies have been exposed by someone who has demonstrated the ability to think above your level of intellect. So, please accept my apologies for intimidating you.
Consequently, the real reason “you will not respond to anything I post again” is because I’ve continued to exposed your contributions for the shiite they really are. You come to BU with a lot of generalized emotive statements based on what you believe to be true and not on facts. You also state percentages and figures, as FACT, without quoting from or referring to any official survey to substantiate your points.
If know the “grinches get on BU and whine all day and night”, perhaps it would be best if you stop visiting this blog and read the DLP web-site instead.
Merry Christmas.
@Clone
I do understand what’s happening in Barbados firsthand, and have stood in Popular Supermarket lines at Spooners Hill for hours, so your not telling me anything new. Whether you like my Trivia back, and forth (whatever that means) is not my concern. Barbadians are going to find a way to celebrate, whether its Crop Over, or Christmas whatever it takes to maintain their spirits in the islands gloomy economy.
@ Clone December 24, 2014 at 1:09 PM
“There is no problem with local currency.”
Of course, Clone, there is absolutely no problem with the local currency. How can there ever be a problem with monopoly money easily exchangeable in the international money markets?
Neither is there a problem with the foreign reserves according to the Guv of the CB (if we were that stupid as to believe a man who still can’t yet account for the missing $300 million).
So what’s Barbados’s problem?
Why all the fiscal adjustment measures? Why all the downgrades and loss of investor confidence?
What do you expect when a government is allowed to print money (local currency) without a corresponding output in earning capacity (aka foreign exchange earnings not borrowings). What do you expect when the DLP government increased the national debt by almost 100% since 2008 without its being able to manage effectively the fiscal deficit on current account?
Yes Clone, just like ac & Co, see the people as jackasses that can’t think for themselves by saying the national debt increased to $10 billion in less than 7 years because the present DLP administration had to borrow money to pay the debts incurred by the previous Arthur administration. Yes Clone, invent another form of arithmetic which says: $5 billion from $5 billion equals $10 billion in debt.
Of course you would argue that it is not a case of people (especially investors) not having confidence in the present lying DLP administration with its monkey handling gun chief, but it is a mere situation where the credit rating agencies and the IMF just do not like the DLP administration and poor Barbados; with those foreigners envious of the country’s high standard of living aka HDI (which has dropped in real terms compared to 1992). What’s more, if the citizens show discomfort or opposition to the present administration they are just whingeing pompous BLP yard-fowls, no more, no less, pure and simple; and worthy of their heads being cracked and shot if necessary.
Even Dr. Estwick, in your eyes, is a bloody jackass and madman for kicking against the DLP prick. It would be interesting if you guys would continue to grossly disrespect the goodly doctor with his UAE debt restructuring plan and opt for the ill-advised loan shark recolonisation by financial privaterring plan.
But I will end like Artaxerxes@ December 24, 2014 at 1:59 PM:
“If know the “grinches get on BU and whine all day and night”, perhaps it would be best if you stop visiting this blog and read the DLP web-site instead.
Merry Christmas”.
“You simply do not know what is suffering in a bajan context.”
I aint so sure the author of this sentence knows the meaning of the word CONTEXT because he/she is contradicting his/her opening argument– Barbados is better off than other Caribbean states therefore there was no suffering. To contextualise suffering, would be to examine conditions in Barbados pre-2008 and now.
Anyhoooo, Merry Christmas.
Chris Sincklair’s riposte to Owen Arthur and clown economists Jeremy Stephens and Ryan Straughan is bang on target. The welcome offers from the two Brit billionaires have to be considered carefully not summarily dismissed as the jokey economists are suggesting. Matter of fact my grandmother who went to Brumley makes more sense when she talks economics than Straughan or Stephens and she only talks economics when speaking of grocery shopping. At least Owen Arthur has proved himself as a PM and economist.
Sincklair points out that people should take note of the optimistic picture the Brits have of Barbados. They refer to Barbados as the Rolls Royce of the Caribbean. Compare that hopeful energizing outlook to the picture painted by yard fowl David and the BLP toads. Seriously people its time to come together for the island’s sake. Granted we have political differences but when people go lobbying Moody’s and Poor’s to downgrade Barbados and telling tourists to go to other islands instead of this island that is gong too far. That’s treason.
We thank Mr. Stewart and Mr. Fordham for their commitment and obvious love for Barbados. The MOF must work with them and use their knowledge and infrastructure in the world of finance to help Barbados.
@ Happy Xmas Barbados! December 24, 2014 at 11:06 PM
“Sincklair points out that people should take note of the optimistic picture the Brits have of Barbados. They refer to Barbados as the Rolls Royce of the Caribbean.”
It would be nice and, indeed, intellectually civil if you were to stick to just one moniker like most of us in the BU family; even if it means sticking to either “Waiting” or, for that matter, “Clone”. Be that as it may, your wont to mislead people should be challenged even in the season of goodwill.
If the British investors are so optimistic why were the previous so-called Road Shows put on by the MoF and the Guv of CB to sell the same Bajan bonds fail miserably?
If there is so much confidence in the current administration how come the following projects are failing to attract ‘genuine’ investors and buyers to the Rolls Royce of the Caribbean:
Four Seasons.
Pierhead marina.
Sugar Point Cruise Ship terminal.
Sugar Cane Industry Revitalization project.
WTE.
Merricks Development.
Foul Bay Development.
Along with the numerous project earmarked to kick-start the Bajan economy as announced by the same Sinckliar ad nauseam , ad infinitum.
We are sure the investors knocking at his door from sunrise to sunset will be keen to put their money where their mouths are as long as similar concessions to Sandals are granted and which, btw, are supported as long as FDI is involved in any forex earning enterprise..
Maybe, just maybe, when the present administration stop the lying and the blame game and come clean with the people, as OSA suggested, then and only then would a ray of economic sunshine break the cloud of negativity and darkness that is causing the lack of confidence and mistrust in the people who have been put in charge of the affairs of Barbados, the previous Rolls Royce of the Caribbean now limping along with its numerous engine breakdowns aka downgrades.
@ millertheanunnaki December 25, 2014 at 8:52
According to the DLP operatives assigned to BU, the reason why those projects you listed have not already started, why Barbados lacks investor confidence and why the road shows were not successful, was because these so called investors and the international financial institutions and rating agencies, became discouraged after logging onto BU to read about us grinches whining all day and night, while criticizing this DLP administration.
Okay, “Sincklair points out that people should take note of the optimistic picture the Brits have of Barbados.” Perhaps Sinckler was also sending a message to those individuals who have accumulated vast amounts of wealth by earning millions of dollars from Barbadians tax payers through government contracts, or Barbadians themselves who have supported their businesses over the years.
Why could these same individuals not formed a consortium to buy government bonds or do what these British investors are attempting to do?
Unpatriotic and treason are now the new convenient “buzz words” for the DLP yard-fowls. So I guess not committing treason means this administration paying almost $300,000 to prepare for the Earl and Countess of Essex visit for the queen’s silver jubilee in 2012, or patriotism means hosting a $300,000 football tournament in honour a former PM.
But those protesting former Beautify Barbados and NCC workers, who are still awaiting severance payments almost 9 months after being retrenched, can be defined as they being unpatriotic.
“Barbados is the Rolls Royce of the Caribbean.” Now if the Germans had said that…………………….
………………………………………………………………………………..
In 1998, Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors was purchased from Vickers (its owner since 1980) by Volkswagen for £430 million, after bidding against BMW. BMW had recently started supplying components for the new range of cars, notably V8 engines for the Bentley Arnage and V12 engines for the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph. The Rolls-Royce name was not included in VW’s purchase; it was instead licensed to BMW (for £40 million) by the Rolls-Royce aero engine company.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley#Vol…
What is the National Patroleum Corp saying? They warned the West Coast entities which support the hospitality sector and therefore what? Yes the entities should have heeded the addax to be forewarned is to be forearmed BUT the entities paid for a service and should be made be subsidized.
On Thursday, 25 December 2014, Barbados Underground wrote:
>
No gas for Hotels and restaurants to cook Christmas dinners on a TOURIST ISLAND.
Ridiculous.
What is happening to Barbados? No eggs. No gas . No chickens ,causing Chicken Barn to close down. And Mr Paul is forever assuring Barbadians that local suppliers have the capacity to supply Barbados with all such needs. I recall hearing either Mr Paul or that other DLP yardfowl on CBC morning show , Lovell, claiming that since the massive retrenchment of workers in the public sector, many many of these laid off workers ,have entered the egg and poultry business, and because of the expected glut on the market , we may see some of these nuevo chicken farmers selling their products at a reduced price. Well Christmas has come and gone and we have seen neither a glut in eggs nor a reduction in prices. In fact, the week before Christmas I bought a tray of eggs for $15.00 from a vendor on the highway, who usually charges this same price for some lovely big brown eggs, only this time I got what was like pigeon eggs, white, and clearly straight from the freezer.
Obviously the statement made that many retrenched public workers were finding a living in chicken farming ,and other areas ,was just a piece of government propaganda,to appease some , and what better place to spout that off, than on CBC.
Hants December 28, 2014 at 10:32 AM #
No gas for Hotels and restaurants to cook Christmas dinners on a TOURIST ISLAND.
Ridiculous.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
I understand that COW is to start production of concrete Coal Pots, as this item has long ago been taken off the production list at Chalky Mount. There is no shortage of wood in Barbados, we have just as much as what the Portuguese would have seen in 1536, plus the many Christmas trees ,now or soon to be abandoned, which were imported from Canada
But why are we surprised that a government entity like the NPC has broken down.
It is just following in the footsteps of Transport Board, QEH, Ambulance Service, Water Authority,Sanitation Service, and the Barbados Government itself.
Saw this recent article in the Travel section of the Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/life/travel/2014/12/17/bridgetown_barbados_its_easy_to_keep_active_while_still_relaxing.html#
the blp yardfowls up to the usual fear and despair theme. somethings never change
when last a country ceased to function because of an egg shortage,, bunch a belly aching jAS
“…when last a country ceased to function because of an egg shortage…”
++++++++++++++++++++++
Wait bozie ….. how has the mighty fallen…
So where we used to be punching above our weight and were the “Rolls Royce” of the region, we are now reduced to being grateful that the place not grinding to a stop…???
Shiite then AC, you seem to have pretty low expectations of your handlers…
BTW, a country may not cease to function because of an egg shortage, ….or even FOREX shortage,….but many have stalled because of an over-abundance of brass bowls in positions of authority…..people who would buy an abandoned hotel, pay to demolish it…. steupsss – YOU know the rest….. 🙂
@Bush Tea
Why do you always feel compelled to respond to idiotic arguments?
Do you recall when said person agreed with the BAS for flexing against the position taken by the BHTA as it related to an MOU to buy local?
Why don’t you scatter some scratch grain on the BU yard?
On Sunday, 28 December 2014, Barbados Underground wrote:
>
@Hants
And yours is the bigger point. The systemic issue.
Shortage of cooking gas on Christmas day.
Shortage of Chickens.
Shortage of eggs.
Hotels and restaurants lose money.
Chicken Barn lose money
Workers lose pay.
get it ac ?
I wont bother with AC. Reading the British papers this morning everybody who is anybody is in Barbados for Christmas. I guess some hotels may have to start serving meal pap if the tourists dem get tired of the lox, cream cheese and bagels. However, I thought dem Brits dem luv dem eggs, bangers and beans for brekkie.
@ David
Why do you always feel compelled to respond to idiotic arguments?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
lol
wuh Boss, if you ain’t got horse yuh don’t gotta ride cow…?
….besides, Bushie was just trying to show AC how she was inadvertently bad talking her precious DLP by trivializing the egg thing…
Cuh dear, we going let her lose the last vestiges of any dignity she may be holding on to….? She may be retarded, but she is still we BU sister …ent-it??…. 🙂
@Bush Tea
What did Kenny Rogers advise?
You got to know when to hold…
When credibility is shot it is lights out.
On Sunday, 28 December 2014, Barbados Underground wrote:
>
@ David
Did Kenny Rogers have a whacker?
What Kenny Rogers what….?!? 🙂
LOL Ha ha ha
barbados is not the first country to be affected by egg shortage, this hue and chicken little cry about the egg shortage makes for good afternoon yardfowl poop entertainment,
Coming egg shortage will tax family budgets
(New American) If eggs are a staple in your family’s diet and you’d like to keep it that way, now would be a good time to get a few laying hens.
http://www.wnd.com/2014/12/coming-egg-shortage-will-tax-family-budgets/