re-Discover the Caribbean
re-Discover
One of the most difficult and painful decisions I have ever made was to cancel our last re-DISCOVER the Caribbean Show some years ago, which had become a highly successful annual event spanning over seven years. As well as highlighting and driving new interest in Intra regional travel it was also used as a catalyst to build trade between the islands. It also brought almost around $1 million of foreign exchange into Barbados, filled scores of hotel rooms, generated significant car rental business and helped keep our multitude of restaurants busy, during a traditionally quieter off-season period.
If you were among the thousands of people who visited the show over the two days it took place annually, you would have met representatives from up to 22 participating territories, from Surinam in the south to Jamaica in the north and everywhere in between.
What finally prompted the final decision to stop coordinating the show was the reduced funding by the then Barbados Tourism Authority which even at its peak, represented less than 10 per cent of the actual cost. Plus the sad realisation that they could not find two or more of their staff to ‘man’ a stand for the duration out of what were then over one hundred employees.
I remember being asked by one of a nearly thirty person delegation from St. Vincent and The Grenadines while praising the event and expressing appreciating the opportunity of participating, saying but you have put this altogether and your own Government does not even support it.
What also was, perhaps so surprising at the time, certain public sector tourism officials questioned the objective of the project, stating that they saw it as encouraging Barbadians to travel overseas, rather than attract additional visitors to our shores. I always found this argument difficult to understand, as clearly any successful and sustainable airline needs to fill the seats in both directions.
Hopefully with the possible re-positioning of LIAT’s headquarters to the far more logical Barbados and a new direction in the restructured BTA, now the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., there will be a fresh new look at resurrecting the initiative, to become the premier and only event in the region dedicated to growing intra Caribbean travel.
re-DISCOVER the Caribbean also offered tremendous potential of exposing our destination and others in the region to travel partners in our other markets, both traditional and emerging. To exhibit at major shows like ITB in Berlin and World Travel Market (WTM) in London is enormously expensive and sometimes you cannot help wondering if it isn’t more logical to bring the chief sources of those who drive business, the travel agents and tour operators here to the Caribbean instead, to sample the product first hand.
If the show is scheduled at the same time as the annual CONNECT event, then ultimately it’s a win-win for everybody. We surely cannot be so insular to think that our current travel professionals do not sell other islands within the region in their various homelands.
Barbados Underground 
If regional traffic is our third or fourth important market logic says we have to invest some resources to sustain market share.
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@Adrian
What you complained about, the lack of interest in promoting an activity (reDiscover the Caribbean) to focus on raising awareness to the regional market is what it was, a lack of vision. The guys at the time – Barney Lynch et al – just like the West Indies Cricket Board did not see the benefit of planning for the future.
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David, I acted as a consultant (largely unpaid) for failed airline Carib Express for about six months and launched the Carib ESCAPE flight/hotel programme for them. Within three months it was contributing 22 per cent of their entire revenue. A well run LIAT could do the same. Intra Caribbean business is absolutely critical to tourism recovery and helping to substantially increase SUMMER (8 months) arrivals.
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A certain future coalitional regime of Barbados and of which the PDC will be part shall make sure that the evil wicked demonic scourge of TAXATION is absolutely removed from the social political governmental and financial landscapes of this country, and is properly and rightfully replaced with the appropriate political commercial and financial strategies and programs for the government of Barbados better and fairer than ever before coming by far more of its own remunerations than currently the case, and for the government better and fairer than ever before being able to access money from out of the core financial system of this country, in order to better than currently the case, give to those persons who are going to be providing it with commercial social and other services.
PDC
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@ Loveridge
My experience in these matters of interacting with government and permanent secretaries has left me with more practical reasons why your ReDiscover program has failed
reason 1.
The issue is not that what you are proposing is not a good idea: the fact is that you, in bringing said ideas to an organization supposedly staffed with 100’s of people whom said ministry and minister has touted as possessing the collective talents and creativity to realize the maximum benefits, as per the party in power’s manifesto, have committed the cardinal sin of showing up the minister and his ministry.
what is you problem Loveridge?
Ithe minister of Tourism (in fact it could be any ministry) got parliamentary monies allotted to hire a team of Cuntsultants, from whom I am getting a healthy cut back, and you, a one man show, have brought me an idea to drive the third largest sector of our tourism market just so?
Here is what is going to happen Loveridge.
We don’t want ReDiscover anything from you.
Me and my boys going fiddle with your idea and launch it repackaged as DiscoverRE branding it as ours, so get back funky cat with your creativity and innovation
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So what you are saying Piece, is that we have created a society where competent, talented, creative people DO NOT seek political office because everyone knows that it is a den of thieves and a class of mafia-like robbers. Besides, the PROCESS of running involves having everyone smear, curse, and insult you and your family while having dirty linen -often not even yours- washed in public…..
AT THE SAME TIME, these low-life bottom-dwelling politicians insists on doing things THEIR way, despite continuous failure; and refuse to listen to advise.
True Bajans have long learned to leave them be, ..since karma has been doing quite a good job on the French Connectors (UK) so far….however, people like Adrian and Dr Charles still live in hope….
This may be the best explanation yet as to why Bajans are such Brass Bowls…..
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Bush Tea:
How hypocritical can you be? You have just described the very technique which you endorsed to be utilized against my school mate Danny Gill and his campaign for president of the NUPW. To use Walter’s words, you are a big, nasty, stinking COCK RAT!!!
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It seems to me you have two problems Adrian …..nobody in politics likes any new ways of doing things because they will have to spend a lot of time figuring out how they are going to get something out of it Secondly why on earth would they take advice from a white man on the island…..when they can pay one from abroad that they don’t have to see again,.. or hear him saying I told you so.
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@ Bush Tea
The reason I post albeit pessimistic comments is ironically not because of “what is, but with a perennial hope of what may be”
Anything else is to lay down and die, simply to give up or employ aided suicide.
Internet has made this world smaller and Internet supported tourism marketing campaigns are within the reach of the Loveridge’s of this world.
Once again I hear Loveridge’s chant about government giving him this and that as is the cry of many hoteliers, but as I read through this and others of his submissions he hints of success and securing buy in from people in his Programme.
I understand that Loveridge would want to achieve some level of success during his three score years and ten here, but if the government confirms that it is visionless at least Prism? Which has backed his ReDiscover loyalty card has shown what they as private sector players think of the financial viability of the project.
He has the success of the SurePay model to rely on, he only needs a partner with deep pockets to expand the product
Again the answer to his stymied marketing thrust is staring him in his face but as per usual, we can’t see the solution to our problem if it is as big as a breadfruit
Unfortunately de ole man doan wuk fuh free
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@ Lemuel
If you want to come and endorse Danny and to be a witness for his suitability for the post why not just do so….?
You really want to start a cussing war with Bushie…? You are a wiser man than that…
Asking a candidate TO HIS FACE to clarify a rumor or to explain an accusation is nothing but an opportunity for a good candidate to explain himself, clear up misunderstandings and demonstrate maturity and patience.
…..unless of course the accusations are indeed fact, in which case the candidate does have a big problem on his hands….
BTW, you need to know your place…. Bushie may be many things, but ‘nasty’ is not one of them….
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Lawson
I must have missed something. Who is the man from abroad they are taking advice from?
DEM don’t want no advice from Adrian or anybody else.
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Bush Tea:
I take back nasty but the others do stand. lol
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@ Lemuel
With all due respect I am the cock rat not Bush Tea
@ Bush Tea
There are three sides to a story, his side my side and the truth. I acknowledge that I, like any party to a besmirching campaign did, without malice, repeat what was conveyed to me by “an infallible source” and having seen the truth, i recanted.
@ All
The ole man throws himself at the feet of the BU blog space again
I come here hopeful that maybe, just maybe, this space may elicit a “Toussaint Louverture Errol Walton Barrow” visionary for our times and, in the style that characterizes my submissions, I show my passion, particularly when I know or think I know, a truth regarding stolidity of character, integrity, competency and any other element speaking to characteristics critical to running Barbados.
I don’t come here to do Dompeys nor trawl the Internet for big words to look learned, this is my country and be you nigger, hunkie, coolie or A-Rab, as long as you are preaching unity and a piece of the rock for all of us, and you have an intelligent way how to do that, as opposed to “a certain future coalition rants”, you have my support
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“Hopefully with the possible re-positioning of LIAT’s headquarters to the far more logical Barbados and a new direction in the restructured BTA, now the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., there will be a fresh new look at resurrecting the initiative, to become the premier and only event in the region dedicated to growing intra Caribbean travel.”
I’m one who, having visited 90% of the Caribbean Islands, supports inter-regional travel. However, something must be done with the service LIAT has to offer and fares a bit more affordable to the average traveller.
Firstly, the reservation clerks in Antigua with whom you must book your flights are very, very rude. They need courses in customer relations and must be reminded that some level of courtesy must be extended, since it is the customer that pays their salaries.
The clerks ALWAYS quote the “high end” fares, and if you remind them about the lower fares, they respond by informing you that those fares must be paid within 30 minutes. If you reply by telling them you can’t get to the airport within that time, they tell go to the airport and book the flight. Is this proper customer service?
Secondly, LIAT offers 5 different fares, namely, web saver, basic, regular, semi-flexible and fully flexible. The web saver fare is the cheapest of the 5, but customers have to pay for these tickets within half an hour of making their bookings. Bear in mind LIAT closed their office in Bridgetown, so it means that customers have to travel to the airport to pay for their flights.
LIAT’s decision makers should be cognizant of the fact that customers will want to take advantage of the cheapest fares and not everyone has a credit card. Supposed someone from St. Lucy made a web-saver booking, by the time they get to GAIA, 30 minutes would have already elapsed. Even if you were to get there within 30 minutes, you have to join the queue, because there is no separate desk to deal specifically with fare payments.
Thirdly, in the absence of cheap fares, check the following fares, travelling from March 2 to 9 to the following destinations:
St. Vincent = $879.58; St. Lucia = $881.96; Antigua = $1,351.00; Grenada = $1,146.20; Dominica = $889.40
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@ Piece
Demanding ‘intelligence’ and honesty from potential leaders should be the VERY LEAST we should do.
There is ABSOLUTELY no reason why potential leaders should not be make to feel some serious heat so that we can know what to expect…and who to avoid if at all possible.
Leadership is NOT about drinking milk and having a bunch of dim-witted ACs singing your praises….. it is about TOUGH competition, a serious battle against evil, and against strong attempts by some WICKED folks to influence your decisions in their favour….
Those who can’t stand such heat need to be kept out of the damn kitchen….and we won’t do that by pussy-footing with them….
Stop apologizing Piece…. Yours is exactly the kind of direct heat that need to be applied to potential and existing leaders so that we can see where we stand….
All Walter needed to do was take the opportunity provided to BUILD ON, and enhance his excellent reputation and suitability for high office….
Hopefully, unlike Caswell, he will accept his calling….
@ Lemuel
You done know that Bushie has been called MUCH worse things….
LOL… but Bushie has admittedly probably given more that he has taken in this regard, so…. 🙂
@ Lawson
They like the ones from abroad because;
…. when these ones give any resistance they can be sent packing….
…. the overseas ones pay REALISTIC bribes…. (and don’t talk out like Bizzy)
…. the underhand deals are harder to trace
…. those fellows don’t usually know shit bout Barbados, so the minister tells them what to advise, ..and then “accepts” that advice.
…. more excuses to travel to ‘observe’ projects, attend meetings etc
…. local consultants KNOW that the ministers are “nobodies from nowhere” who will likely end up just where they started…. a potentially embarassing situation for the hon. minister….
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@ Artaxerxes
Why some people say that RedJet (Bizzy Williams) was not given sound business advice on costing its services may lie in the following statistics which few people know, nor for that matter care for.
the distance from Barbados to Grenada Is 261 kms and costs $1147
The distance from Barbados to New York is 3,366kms which consumes more aviation fuel, has higher paid pilots, superior Customer Reservation Services and said jurisdiction has higher operational costs
Why would the whiz kid Bizzy armed with information that a web search could supply, charge $99 for a ticket?
A Liat pilot once told the old man that with half the staff, a commission based customer service/sales team Liat could cut its fares in half and still make a profit.
It is a political football for Antigua which is operating a gravy train for its nationals, one which Bizzy and his investors could have destroyed and so the astute business man was purposely mislead notwithstanding that the blindest man on a trotting horse would have red the Internet and made an informed decision
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@ And the ticket to New York is Bds $688 with a 24 hours window for payment
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pieceuhderockyeahright March 2, 2015 at 10:03 AM #
“It is a political football for Antigua which is operating a gravy train for its nationals, one which Bizzy and his investors could have destroyed and so the astute business man was purposely mislead notwithstanding that the blindest man on a trotting horse would have red the Internet and made an informed decision.”
I agree with you Piece, and Antigua’s new PM, Gaston Browne is going all out, and even in collaboration with former PM Baldwin Spencer, to ensure that LIAT operations remain in Antigua.
A few days after Browne was sworn in as PM, he lamented about the expense Antiguans incurred travelling to Barbados to apply for an American visa, and promised them he was looking at the possibility of encouraging the US government to relocate the US embassy from Barbados to Antigua.
So, it is evident that these prime ministers are not interested in a viable, cost effective and profitable LIAT operation, it’s all about saying the right things to appease the citizenry in an effort to become popular and remain in power.
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BTA (BTM,Inc), LIAT, Hoteliers, etc. feeding at the Pubic Trough. Then government requiring no accountability for these programs, and the public requiring no accountability from government.
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@Pieces ..Why would the whiz kid Bizzy armed with information that a web search could supply, charge $99 for a ticket?…and so the astute business man was purposely mislead notwithstanding that the blindest man on a trotting horse would have red the Internet and made an informed decision”
Pieces, you know better than to MISLEAD your public with…”so the astute business man was purposely mislead”.
A man who has been operating successful businesses fro many years, win an award against all comers across region for best entrepreneur, has been traveling up anr down the region for donkey years and knows the travel industry as good as anyone; just the other day had his fast-food joint awarded best in region or something like could get MISLEAD!!!
Pieces….now, now.
What about the, “charge $99 for a ticket…Bizzy and his investors [knew] could have destroyed ” the market and give them the ability to raise the prices as they gained and maintained market share with better, more efficient service.”
Any white guy who gets married to a lovely black women, can’t be getting MISLED in anything. Cause he know where it’s at. LOL!!
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leave it to a big anus like big shite to tell people that insitgated smear campaign against an innocent person that they should not apologise. this guy is a wicked off spring of Lucifer.
Any body feets that should be torched should be his through out his time on B U he has never failed to show how revengful and vindicative he could be.
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The $99.00 was loss leader to pull traffic, SOME seats were sold at the low date. Redjet failed because it had to unravel a lot of red tape from government’s not anticipated.
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Like the re-DISCOVER restaurant promotion it is all about revenue control. Its almost impossible now to stay in a hotel or fly or take a cruise without having layers of different prices. The cheap REDJet seats were excactly as David states ‘loss leaders’. Very few of our partner restaurants could afford to charge $99 per person for all patrons, but the first ten per night, especially eating earlier provide a critical mass of revenue which oftens covers fixed costs like land taxes, insurance, minimum staff levels etc. Its a concept that some businesses fail to understand, but its the way of doing business in the current times we are.
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David, Adrian the term ‘loss leader’ is really misused if it’s the only product you are offering, but the concept is clear.
Realistically, it was the first volley in what would have been a bruising price war and clearly the RedJet investors came to play with the plan to accept some ‘losses’ as they fought to became the ‘leader’ in intra-regional travel.
But why did they perceive or who indeed ‘misled’ them to believe they would have been given the political freedom to achieve a critical mass and thereby decimate LIAT?
Maybe, that foray will be played out with a private buyout of LIAT by these RedJet entrepreneurs.
With the pending LIAT retrenchment, restructuring etc it makes good sense for the gov’t to fuly offload this LIAT entity into private hands and get their revenue from taxation rather that continuing to meddle inefficiently in the airline business
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Another perspective: http://www.caribbeanintelligence.com/content/rise-and-fall-redjet-untold-story
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Unless and until there is a revolutionary transformation in financial affairs of Barbados – both at the core and periphery of persons, businesses and other entities conducting the financial affairs of this country – to make sure that money is viewed by many more persons in Barbados as a serious indicator/driver (and the only one at that) of domestic commercial business remunerations – all of the material production and distribution sectors of this country will continue in the long run on paths of very severe and adverse declines stagnations in their performances.
PDC
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DeeWord March 2, 2015 at 1:28 PM #
“With the pending LIAT retrenchment, restructuring etc it makes good sense for the gov’t to fuly offload this LIAT entity into private hands and get their revenue from taxation rather that continuing to meddle inefficiently in the airline business.”
DeeWord, LIAT’s customer relations service is terrible; management does not bother to address the complaints or concerns of passengers; flights seem unable to stick with the advertised schedules and are often delayed, causing passengers to be waiting for as long as 9 hours at the airport.
For example, on Sunday, September 14, 2014, a friend of mine was booked on LI 523 which was scheduled to depart Barbados at 5:10pm en route to Antigua.
Bear in mind, passengers are asked to check-in at least 2 hours before departure. When she checked in at 3:15pm, she was told the flight was delayed until 5:55pm. However, the flight departed Barbados at about 11:30pm, which meant she was at GAIA for approximately 8 hours and 15 mins. The only words of concern that LIAT’s personnel could offer were, “We apologize for the delay”.
Perhaps DeeWord, you may be correct in suggesting the “privatization” of LIAT, which, under the current circumstances makes sense. However, before factoring in the privatization concept, we must look at what financial contributions could be made to the airline’s operations, by those islands that benefit from its service.
On any given day, LIAT offers 7 flights from Barbados to Grenada [i.e. LI 361, LI 771, LI 772, LI 727, LI 737, LI 738, and LI 523]. The airline also offers 3 flights to St. Lucia [LI 370, LI 371 and LI 768]; 4 flights to St. Kitts [LI 362, LI 550, LI 364 and LI 512].
It is interesting to note that these 3 islands, especially St. Lucia and Grenada, have refused to invest in LIAT. Unfortunately, Grenada’s prime minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell, made it clear that he was not prepared to let Grenada invest in the airline until it became profitable. Mitchell expects LIAT to become profitable off the backs of (shareholders) Antiguan, Barbadian, Dominican and Vincentian tax payers, while Grenada tourism product benefits as a result.
Surely, Browne, Stuart, Skerritt and Gonsalves could inform their Caribbean counterparts that they’re being “ridiculously unreasonable.”
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discover the Caribbean and leave you money home , just bring an i Phone with i Cloud ,, dont be robed by lawyers and other royal title holders,
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Why would Sir David Seale have accused Sandals of not stocking local rum if it is not the case?
On Monday, 2 March 2015, Barbados Underground wrote:
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The following was taken from Trip Advisor and posted by one damasust, Aberdeen, United Kingdom:
Re: Sandals – seeing some things I don’t like
yesterday, 4:57 [March 1, 2015]
1) I have at no time shown any ‘animus’ at any poster on this thread or for that matter any other Sandals thread.
2) I am not anti Sandals and am delighted that it will bring employment to the island and will perhaps encourage people who have never visited Barbados to do so and hopefully venture out and enjoy the many things which Barbados has to offer..
3) I have at no time questioned the concessions given to the resort by the Barbados Government
4) Whilst it is unlikely that I would ever visit Sandals anywhere I would be foolish to say never – I have not said that.
5) I did not compare Sandals to the Hilton. My POINT WAS THAT EVEN AN INTERNATIONAL HOTEL UNDERSTANDS THAT THE 1ST CHOICE RUM IN BARBADOS SHOULD BE A LOCAL RUM.
6) I am not interested in any deal which Sandals made with Appleton to provide rum at their resorts. This was no doubt made before the Barbados franchise was even thought of. Perhaps it is the Government of Barbados which is at fault for not making a Bajan rum being first choice a condition?
7) I am entitled to my views as is everyone but remain open to debate without the need for deletions and derision. As I have said before – that means from both sides of the debate.
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There was an article written by Gay Nagle Myers in the September 26, 2012 edition of the “Travel Weekly” entitled “Sandals resorts bring back Appleton rum”.
Sandals Resorts renewed its partnership with Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum, which will once again be poured at all 17 Sandals and Beaches resorts in the Caribbean.
Appleton had been the rum of choice at Sandals and Beaches prior to a two-year agreement with Demerara Distillers’ El Dorado rum brand. That deal just concluded.
“While Sandals is a global brand, we remain a family business committed to our country of Jamaica and the region as a whole. It’s great to see two local brands joining together to offer a Caribbean experience for our guests,” said Adam Stewart, Sandals CEO.
Appleton Estate is the oldest sugar estate and distillery in continuous production in Jamaica. The estate is located in the Nassau Valley in the parish of St. Elizabeth on Jamaica’s southwest coast.
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Trip Advisor…… posted by Ian M, Reading, United Kingdom:
Sandals – seeing some things I don’t like
23 February 2015, 5:11
Having trawled through many forum postings and reviews, I get the impression that, despite everyone spending thousands of pounds (and even more thousands of dollars), Sandals are operating a bit of a class system. This impression was neatly summed up by a reviewer:
“Unless you are in Club or Butler level, be prepared to be treated like a second class citizen”.
Picking up on specifics, is it right that unless you have a certain grade room, your mini bar does not contain alcoholic items (despite the resort being AI?)? Seems a bit petty if that is the case.
And is right that all the Butlers go running down to the pool decks at 5am to reserve sunbeds for their premium paying guests, plenty of which don’t get used until the afternoon or possibly not at all?
One thing that really winds me up is people reserving sunbeds that aren’t used. Surely I am mis-informed and Sandals aren’t allowing this to go on? I’m over in May, so if your towels aren’t being used, and I can’t find a sunbed, then it may be your towels that are folded up in a neat pile over the back somewhere. Reserving sunbeds is desperate, greedy and selfish; whatever we are paying, everyone is paying a lot of money not to have to deal with this sort of aggravation.
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The following was taken from Sandals’ website:
Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum, an iconic Jamaica product and internationally acclaimed rum brand, is poured at all Sandals Resorts throughout the Caribbean further enhancing the Luxury Included® resort company’s five-star product offering as well as providing huge exposure to the rum brand via Sandals Resorts’ extensive guest and travel agent network.
“…I’m delighted that we are able to join forces to offer the best of the Caribbean at our resorts. While Sandals is a global brand, we remain a family business that is passionately committed to our country of Jamaica and the region as a whole, and therefore it’s great to see two local brands joining together to offer a true Caribbean experience and continue to exceed our guests’ expectations”…….
Adam Stewart CEO of Sandals Resorts International
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David March 2, 2015 at 4:36 PM #
Why would Sir David Seale have accused Sandals of not stocking local rum if it is not the case?
”””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””David seale the ball is in your court . Looking forward to your next rebuttal via media outlet,
if you do not answer i will assume that Sandals Did Get it right,,,,on bu perceptions carry the SWEAR
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Artaxerxes March 2, 2015 at 9:20 AM #
“Hopefully with the possible re-positioning of LIAT’s headquarters to the far more logical Barbados and a new direction in the restructured BTA, now the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., there will be a fresh new look at resurrecting the initiative, to become the premier and only event in the region dedicated to growing intra Caribbean travel.”
………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Do not get your hopes up about the return of LIAT HQ to Barbados. This relocation is a master stroke by Prime Minister Gonzales, he has sided, if not pushed ,Barbados to demand the return of LIAT HQ to Barbados. As soon as the St Vincent and the Grenadines International Airport at Argyle is completed , Gonzales will be seeking to have LIAT HQ reinstall there. Like everybody else , it is much easier to take candy out of the hands of timid , backboneless Barbados, than have to wrestle for it with the big birds of Antigua.
I thought that there was a catch to PM Gonsalves Errol Barrow Memorial Lecture. He sold us an invisible suit.
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the more i read the article i get the feeling that David seale was misled by a blp-yardfowl whom he trusted and most likely one who would be privy to sandals day to day operations except in this instance the source knew little of nothing as a person who is recognizable for being business savvy i belive mr. seales trust of the source supersede his better business judgement before he put pen to paper, it would be interesting to see how mr, seales wriggle himself out of this publicity stunt,
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A monstrous perversion of common sense. Ignorance definitely knows no boundaries.
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yea mr. seales had to be misled by a bl yardfowl whom he trust, now having to being caught up in a monstrous perversion of political lick mout.
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Update on Harlequin, through the eddoes:
http://www.professionaladviser.com/professional-adviser/news/2397567/spectre-of-gbp400m-compensation-bill-looms-as-fscs-values-harlequin-at-nil
On Monday, 2 March 2015, Barbados Underground wrote:
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Colonel Buggy March 2, 2015 at 10:21 PM #
“Hopefully with the possible re-positioning of LIAT’s headquarters to the far more logical Barbados and a new direction in the restructured BTA, now the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., there will be a fresh new look at resurrecting the initiative, to become the premier and only event in the region dedicated to growing intra Caribbean travel.”
The above quote is not mine, but that of Adrian Loveridge.
However, I see some merit in your comments relative to Gonsalves plans. He seems to want to leave a legacy as PM in St. Vincent and comes across as the Caribbean sheriff. Gonsalves was responsible for building the new port in Ottley Hall and the new international airport in Argyle.
He is the self appointed mediator in West Indies cricket and has the most say in LIAT’s operations. Being able to achieve the feat of LIAT moving its HQ to St. Vincent would his pièce de résistance.
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Buggy and Artax the charlatan PM Gonzalves is not to be trusted ask Owen Arthur and Tom Adams it can be surmised Froon knows that too. You all continue to underestimate Froon to your own detriment. CIA informant Wick-ham to this day hasn’t gotten over how Froon almost singlehandedly not only beat the BLP but made his much vaunted image as the top political pollster vanish overnight. Wick-ham’s withering attacks on Stuart is more about the pain inflicted on him by Froon winning the elections against all odds and against Wick-ham’s fraudulent predictions. Gonzalves better take note of Froon’s sending Wick-ham the other way with a head fake. Your premise that Gonzee thinks he is using Barbados to surreptitiously sneak the LIAT HQ to St. Vincent is flush on the money. If we know that the underestimated Froon does too and has a checkmate ready for that Dr. Duguid look- a- like Ralphie. Stay tuned.
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Sandals in the news elsewhere.
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Togetherness, My Two Cents, Waiting and a couple others
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bringing coals to Newcastle, barbados rum is great and should be used, I was robbed yesterday at a house I am renovating…AC save me and the police some time and forward the names of any DLP visiting Ottawa.
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Lawson what a prick .
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thank you but it is..genetic. The police figure it was an inside job or one of your bajan spider ninjas, the guy had to make a seven foot vertical leap from 3 feet away in two feet of snow hold on to a 4 inch ledge and use two hands to pull a locked window side ways amazing
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.Wick-ham’s withering attacks on Stuart is more about the pain inflicted on him by Froon winning the elections against all odds and against Wick-ham’s fraudulent predictions
Get REAL Togetherless,
The whole of Bubbadoes and resta D Caribbean dun know by now how Froon win tis elections…..U want me spell it out again for YA?
D dolla dolla dolla!!!!!!
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What matters MORE…is what has been done since taking ‘officionada’…Tell me Togetherness…WHAT really is worthy of your zest?…D people since been given a dose of poisin dat what..Shameful iconography indeed from a party with many promises and critiquing mouths. They laughed and condemed the $700 million Dodds Prison, a crown jewel now by all undertakings, no rust like the Four Seasons colossal. Over $400 million sunk now, propping up vines and bush. They gave us WALK-OVERS instead of FLYOVERS…..whalosss. ONE by the way.
When compared to the enviable Supreme Courts on White Park, opened of
recent. When compared to the Mecca, Kensington Oval, the cream of the Caribbean. Then there are the too many to mention polyclinics, schools, post offices and functional highway infrastructures built during the magnificent fourteen John Wayne Years
So U see Togetherness…it takes real men and not Horace mice…scampering with much hulladalua at the first sign of a good tourist arrival….to support your idle boast.
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@ Togetherness March 3, 2015 at 12:23 AM
“Your premise that Gonzee thinks he is using Barbados to surreptitiously sneak the LIAT HQ to St. Vincent is flush on the money. If we know that the underestimated Froon does too and has a checkmate ready for that Dr. Duguid look- a- like Ralphie. Stay tuned.”
There you go again putting the Jackass Froon before his Bajan donkey cart.
That man is not smart enough to engineer and implement such a move to bring LIAT from Antigua to Barbados. He is just playing for time.
LIAT would become WIAT before BIAT can even have an HQ at GAIA.
Name just one project this man has promised and succeeded in pulling off other than winning an election through voter fraud and causing the political death of Arthur?
You really feel Froon can pull off such a project? Don’t you see that the illegitimate Clown Prince Froon is the laughing stock among West Indian politicians?
I promise you that if LIAT becomes BIAT this year I would stop telling Emperor Froon he is naked and instead praise his sartorial splendour as he wraps himself in intellectual brilliance.
We will also arrange for Peter “Wick-Ham” to be deported to Bush Tea Land.
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I just spent a little time “Rediscovering Barbados” and what I have “discovered” is not pretty. Despite its vaunted claim of high education achievement, it is a nation with a deep seated inferiority complex witness the reaction to the suggestion that a Bajan should be on the CCJ. How about the Nation article of the missing woman which noted that she was a former student of QC? This is a 49 year old wife and mother but the Nation has to print the name of the school she attended at least 30 years ago. I won’t even go into the APB that the Police put out and the massive search in which even the Cub Scouts and the Brownies seemed to have been drafted. How about the Police spokesman who said with a straight face that the effort would have been the same if Jane Bajan from Licorish Village had been reported missing? I‘m sure a well-earned promotion is in his future; perhaps he has political ambition as he can look people in the eye and lie with impunity.
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@ Sargeant,
You are rediscovering that Barbadians have not changed much in the last 50 years.
The next time any person is reported missing we should reasonably expect the Police, Defence Force and Roving emergency response team to deploy.
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miller u still snorting from the last election .u need to stop predicting.so far yuh perdiction for barbados to sell air and sea port andDLP tv six years ago has not happened
David wuh butch did you.?u keep posting them ignorant articles about sandals a good journalistic investigator shows proof.as for one who always preaching integrity your journalistic reports on sandals demonstrate a full fledge tactic to throw mud
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A monstrous perversion of common sense. ignorance definitely has no boundaries.
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Tis place in so much mess that even stray dogs no longer sojourn in Btown….haven’t you all noticed??? Reasons being there are no crumbs or discarded scraps for them to eat. Eddie Abed recently went on TV and literally begged landlords to lower their rents so that small businesses could stay and stimulate econonic activity …cuz Bridgetown is quickly becoming a ghost town. Taxes and mo Taxes, no Vat or Income tax refunds All thats keeping Btown lively are the commercial banks and KFC n Cheffete..
Yet we can find ah born louse and a recluse fanning flames here on BU and beating their chest like Germinio at the battle of Little Horn…
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@ ac March 3, 2015 at 9:31 AM
“miller u still snorting from the last election .u need to stop predicting.so far yuh perdiction for barbados to sell air and sea port andDLP tv six years ago has not happened”
It’s just a matter of time, my friend(s), just a matter of time. The BNTCL is just the thin edge in the wedge.
The IMF is still calling the shots even though the Guv of the CB is fiddling and fudging the forex books. The loan sharks are fast disappearing and the Pacioli day of reckoning will soon be a hand.
You do have a convenient memory don’t you?
Didn’t the miller also predict the introduction of the UWI tuition fees?
Didn’t the miller predict that thousands of public sector workers were to be fired (you claimed 10,000).
Didn’t the miller predict the introduction of user fees at the QEH?
Didn’t the miller predict the demise of CLICO with the gathering of vultures in the form of accountants and lawyers to feed on the financial remains of the fallen cash cow?
Didn’t the miller predict that despite all the God-like abilities of Reverend Durant to protect his bulling pal David from the scythe of the grim reaper the god of Retribution would bring a measure of comfort to the CLICO policyholders?
Didn’t the miller also predict the decriminalization of marijuana sooner than you and the Americans expected?
BTW, who would want to buy CBC now anyway? With all of that debt around its neck it’s worth what Paddy shot at with the future prospects in an Internet age.
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millertheanunnaki March 3, 2015 at 10:11 AM #
The contributions to the articles presented to BU for comment, although varying in views, are usually focused on the issue, with some contributors submitting facts to substantiate their opinions.
Miller, surely by now you should have noticed the modus operandi of these DLP “misfits”, “yard-fowls” and “dogs”. These DEMS would contribute some set of nonsense that seeks to distract attention away from the topic and focus the discussion on them and their pro DLP propaganda.
And what is ultimately achieved? The DLP misfits contaminating EVERY article to the point where it becomes ensnared in a lot of rhetorical party political diatribe, thereby making the issue less interesting.
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old onion bags March 3, 2015 at 9:53 AM #
“All thats keeping Btown lively are the commercial banks and KFC n Cheffete.”
Don’t forget Bizzy’s world-class Burger King.
BTW – How does the opening of a burger joint merit an article on GIS, the official communications arm of the Barbados Government.
http://gisbarbados.gov.bb/index.php?categoryid=8&p2_articleid=11404
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millertheanunnaki March 3, 2015 at 8:32 AM
“Name just one project this man has promised and succeeded in pulling off other than winning an election through voter fraud and causing the political death of Arthur?”
Don’t you think you are being a bit harsh on the PM
Just last week PRIME MINISTER Freundel Stuart sat down with the High Commissioner of Cyprus to Barbados, Georgios Chacalli, at Ilaro Court to discuss tourism and the international financial services as areas in which Barbados and the Republic of Cyprus can learn from each other.
See more at.
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/64124/barbados-cyprus-bilateral-relations-energised
They discussed how Barbados and Cyprus could sign a Double Taxation Agreement before the end of this year –
Just imagine the benefits that will accrue to both parties when the country with 0.02% of global GDP (Cyprus) signs such an agreement with the country with 0.01% of global GDP. (Barbados) (Source Global Finance Magazine http://www.gfmag.com
I am sure their discussion of international financial services would have included the Forbes magazine story “Cyprus And The Death Of An Offshore Haven” at http://www.forbes.com/sites/jayadkisson/2013/03/25/cyprus-and-the-death-of-an-offshore-haven/.
And on exchanging ideas on tourism, I am sure the PM asked the High Commissioner to tell him how Cyprus got a Four Seasons Hotel to actually be built in Cyprus.
So, the PM is trying to succeed in pulling off one project he promised.
Give the guy a bit of slack – he is working on lots of stuff that matter to all Barbadians.
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@Miller
Didn’t Froon engineer an election victory against your star studded cast? Lol
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If Big Able Massy, the largest business consortium in Barbados nowadays could SHUT DOWN its retailing outlet in Cave Shepherds( I did not say Swan St) for lack of trade…..wha U tink D resta small business men smelling?
What will it take this Govt to recognise that its fiscal and monetary measures are KILLING Off commercial activity in this cuntry….what will it take?
But No…Bajans got money…2 cars and a bungalow….lewe fleece them wid taxes…Owen mekk dem too rich and we want money at any cost…
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Imagine….a food at Mustor’s on Mc.Greggors St. (behind Scotia Bank) costing $24.00….and that is a SPECIAL…yes people D meatball n fishcakes place that used to be filled wid Customs men…Dat is what it come to bout hay wid all tis heavy taxation…which workin man cud afford a $24.00 food workin in Btown??
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Maybe when business comes to a complete halt…Froon will call KungFu Panda on his cellphone and say….try and restart Bridgetown…enuff is enuff.. BUT then it will be too late as people will have taken matters to themselves
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Hants March 3, 2015 at 9:22 AM #
The next time any person is reported missing we should reasonably expect the Police, Defence Force and Roving emergency response team to deploy.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
I was expecting to see the Clay Pigeon Club in that All Arms Line up.
The last weekend action could have been a scene from a 1940 redneck based movie, entitled “Guess Who did not come home for dinner”. Perhaps we are now beginning to comprehend the significance of the twinning of Barbados with a Deep Southern town in South Carolina , of which we are proud of.
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old onion bags March 3, 2015 at 1:52 PM #
…which workin man cud afford a $24.00 food workin in Btown??
………………………………………………………………………………………
Wonder what was the price of the food at that meat shop in Fontabelle , which has just been closed down , putting at least 24 waitresses out of wuk.
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Stop telling lies Onions…
…no food ain’t cost no $24.00…. bet um is the sea cat woman that tell you so…
…gallows bait….
You ain’t get banned from Mustor’s years ago…?
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Bushie
I ent lie……go see for ya self…..I cud’nt believe my eyes…..I had a cou cou,steak of dolphin, slaw ,lettuce and tomato…..and it did ON SPECIAL…ah won’t lie, food did taste good doa… and worth it ..as is accustomed at Mustors..
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No BIG lotta food doa…like I was accustomed from them. Before a food like dat at D PortHole would set ya back $12.00 EZ..and you would have been entitled LOT MORE….(I stop Mustors since 1990’s…Port Hole tekk ova.)
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Next up some English man BUY PortHole…and just shut it down….so back I went to Mustor…only to get a rude awakening
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old onion bags March 3, 2015 at 9:53 AM #
Tis place in so much mess that even stray dogs no longer sojourn in Btown….haven’t you all noticed??? Reasons being there are no crumbs or discarded scraps for them to eat. Eddie
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Perhaps the stray dogs are being recycled as Rotis and Chop Sueys.
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Onions, don’t you think it will be better for you, financially, and in the long run if you learned to cook? Wid a name like “onions” you should be able to cook.
Yuh mean yuh gine waste you pension money at Mustor, KFC, Chefette, and the Port Hole……… and to top it off yuh giving the sea cat woman money and yuh en getting nutten to eat, nuh land cat or sea cat. And she spending you money pun Bushie.
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@ Artax
LOL ha ha ha
Waloss….
How ya know that nuh…..?
Onions buying food for he, Sea cat woman and Bushie …and ain’t got a clue…..
haaaaa ha
…walking bout with a big able horn and calling um a bill fish beak……
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…….I will have you guys know that Onions is a certified Le Courdea Bleu chef and no spoonin guy as some proport…..when it comes to cooking, you step in to the Olive Garden fiends…LOL
David when Amtrax and Bushie cud find time to bicker like stray doves….me thinks you need mo interesting material on BU……doa worry I puttin pen to papel for ya sonny… I ear Mac get snob and no invite-ment but dat is for annuda occasion….nabody aint poisonin me bozie…
Colonel…play you ent know trini rotis got in stray dogs too (wild meat)……LOL
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BTW David
don’t U tink is about time we negotiate a contract????? I also been approached by odder blogs ya know…
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Next time I cooking UP I will invite U2 Colonel and Artax…..It gine be Cow Heel and Ox-tail Buggy….yummy yummy.
Bushie I got a special pot for you….muscle-cat. (MURDA)
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Good to read about the BTM inc and Holders Season collaborating to focus on an American theme given the effort to win marketshare in the US.
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At long last Barbados has been given an upgrade. But not what we were expecting or even wanted. We have been upgraded to a major transhipment point for drugs. Lord help us.
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BERLIN, Germany – Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Richard Sealy, is heading a delegation of local industry leaders at ITB Berlin, the world’s leading travel trade show.
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/64396/richard-sealy-leads-barbadian-delegation-worlds-largest-travel-fair#sthash.KoEOxEfW.dpuf
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