Working Collectively to Make Advertising Affordable
As a small business person for most of my life, trying to make miniscule budgets become larger profitable realities goes with the territory. As a general rule we adopted a very simple psychology, any marketing dollars spent, had to produce a tenfold return, or ROI of 1:10. For example if you took a quarter page on a peak circulation day in the sister publication of Business Authority, the ‘ad’ space would cost around $900 per insertion. Very few smaller businesses could reasonably expect that a single ‘ad’ would generate an additional $9,000 in turnover, so the only plausible alternative could be to partner with 8 other entities each contributing $100 and then ask the question again.
Could an individual participant in a collective ‘ad’ expect to drive another $900 in new business?
An example might be a standalone restaurant ‘ad’ at $900 would probably need to drive another 60 customers a week to justify, but a shared cost of $100 would require just six or seven more patrons per establishment.
More historically traditional mediums like newspapers have been driven into looking for far more creative ways of retaining advertising revenue to compete with internet and other competition, but at the risk of the editor sacking me, they have to do a lot more to retain viability.
One of the simplest ways this could be achieved would be to run a dedicated weekly restaurant and/or staycation/attractions page. Break the cost down to a level where individual ‘partners’ could afford to participate and justify the expense. Perhaps even build-in a discount voucher which is exclusive to the publication.
The recent revamping of the Nation and its various supplements may provide a new opportunity with one or more sales staff dedicated to following through with this concept.
There is also the possibility of sponsorship by other businesses that ultimately stand an equal opportunity of adding turnover or brand awareness. A local branded credit card issuer would be a natural partner who would benefit by users selecting a preferred method of payment.
The remodeled Easy Sunday insert just might be one of the best mediums for such a regular feature, as it appears to be targeted towards a particular lifestyle and perhaps would be easier to manage in terms of size and content.
As we rapidly approach the more challenging long tourism softer summer months the launch timing also seems to be perfect.
I am absolutely convinced it is going to be primarily our small businesses that will be largely responsible for aiding economic recovery. Just imagine if by encouraging co-operative marketing initiatives each small business is able to employee just one more person. What a difference that could make to reducing unemployment levels and increasing disposable income into the system.
So I have thrown out the gauntlet to this publisher and those enterprises who think they can work together collectively to make a positive difference.
Barbados Underground 
Pingback: Working Collectively to Make Advertising Affordable
good article
good ideas
LikeLike
On the subject of good ideas what is the reaction to a new regional airline owned by Barbados?
http://caribbeannewsservice.com/now/proposal-for-barbados-to-quit-liat-and-form-its-own-air-carrier/
LikeLike
Fighting words from the prime minister of Antigua
“Prime minister labels ‘plans’ for new airline to compete against LIAT as âtreasonâ.”
LikeLike
Colonel Buggy March 30, 2015 at 12:51 PM #
“I must take my hat off to the DLP Spin Doctors. They are good! They are tossing distractions at us like bullets out of an AK47. On the heels of the master stroke “Republic soon” talk, we now have to contend with the newly proposed Barbados Airways. A Barbados Airline????????/ lest we forget Transport Board buses Sanitation Service Authority trucks QEH ambulances.”
I know that the above contribution was taken from another article, but since Loveridge deals specifically with tourism, I thought here would be more appropriate for me to express my sentiments. So, please bear with me.
Colonel, I was thinking and had a discussion about this airline issue as recent as yesterday afternoon. The new prime minster of Antigua, Gaston Browne, seems to be harbouring much contempt and jealousy in his heart for Barbados. On assuming office a few months ago, the majority of his comments about the region have been “negatively” focused specifically on Barbados.
The first thing he promised Antiguans was to commence discussions with the USA so as to have them relocate the US Embassy from Barbados to Antigua, since it is an expense for Antiguans to travel here to apply for a US visa.
The next hot issue for him was to express his dissatisfaction that Barbados is the majority shareholder in LIAT, something he blames the former Baldwin Spencer administration for allowing this to happen. He argued that Antigua “has invested most of its funds in LIAT in debt instruments and liquidity support instead of buying a corresponding amount of shares in the airline. So after spending hundreds of million dollars in shares in LIAT over the years, including years under the a BLP Administration, Barbados would have come in subsequently, invested less money and end up with a majority of the shares.”
As such, Browne has vowed to make the necessary arrangements for Antigua to achieve majority shareholder status in the regional airline.
On the issue of relocating some of LIAT’s operations to Barbados, Browne has also vowed, by any means necessary, to resist any attempt to “shift the base of the financially strapped airline to Barbados.” While admitting Antigua does not have “shareholder capacity”, he suggested that his government would not relent in its effort to have LIAT remain in Antigua, irrespective of the fact that such relocation to Barbados would save airline EC$13M per year. Interestingly, Browne and former prime minister Spencer have decided to unite to achieve this objective.
In today’s [Monday, March 30, 2015] edition of the Antiguan Observer, Browne is reported to as having effectively called on LIAT’s CEO, David Evans, to resign, “in response to plans, reportedly, by the management of the airline to dissolve the carrier.”
Browne further stated: “He (Evans) needs to tell me, as the prime minister of this country and the prime minister of a shareholding government where that plan emanated from, and if it is that he hatched that plan on his own, you can be assured that as prime minister of this country, that as a shareholder of Liat, that I will be asking for his resignation.”
Of course, some Antiguans are supporting their prime minister, with one Kwame Nkosi Romeo making the following comment (in part): “Therefore, everyone needs to support and trust PM Browne, local, regional and international efforts to save LIAT (1974) Ltd. Because, if LIAT (1974) Ltd relocates to Barbados, the Spirit of CARICOM is dead! Saving LIAT (1974) Ltd, will turn the doom and gloom of 2015 into the brightest year (of) all.”
This proposed establishment of a new regional airline has incensed Browne even more. He is reported to have said that he will not be supporting any plans to establish a rival airline.
The Antiguan PM also stated his “understanding is that Barbados is considering forming a new airline and to collapse LIAT and it is unfortunate that they are now seeking to take that position.”
“I have actually seen a proposal … in which Barbados is now seeking to literally collapse LIAT to take several of the planes and to form the new airline,” Browne said on state-owned ABS Television.”
“LIAT shareholder governments are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Browne said the move to establish the new airline is contrary to the spirit of Caribbean integration.”
“I do not think that this in the spirit of good relations and I just hope that the other shareholder governments will understand that look at the end of the day we all share common space in the OECS and CARICOM, we are our brothers keepers and for us to take those extremist positions in order to promote whatever national agendas we may have is totally unacceptable,” he added.”
While admitting that Antigua does not have the shareholding majority they don’t any legal basis to prevent the move by Barbados, he hoped “commonsense, reasonableness, equity will prevail.”
This LIAT issue clearly demonstrates that CARICOM will never be successful, since regional governments are basically self serving, a strategy practiced by the majority of Caribbean politicians. This ploy sees politicians inciting xenophobia, which only seeks to divide the region even more.
Barbados is also guilty of this as well. We can all recall the anti Guyanese sentiments that were being pushed by some Barbadians, and during the 2008 election campaign. David Thompson, in an effort to appease these individuals, thereby making himself out as a “caring Barbadian”, promised to deal with the matter. Shortly after being elected to government, Barbadians heard of the early morning raids at the residences of Guyanese, the bars they frequented in the city or just about any place they were, packing them in vans and deporting them in droves.
Just as it’s the norm with CCJ, “uneven exports”, the blocking of goods entering certain islands, unprofessional behavior of immigration and customs officers, insularity in WI cricket and basically anything where a number of citizens from different islands congregate, so it is with LIAT.
LikeLike
Name one ministry in Barbados which is being run effectively.
These morons we have for a government cannot run a snow cone cart and you really want to tell me that they can start up a new airline and run it how?
Like the manner in which they run:
The SSA?
The Transport Board?
The QEH?
The Barbados economy?
The demolition job done on the BTA?
Good luck with this. By the way, did Fumble and the Stinkliar not confirm as recently as last week that the government is BROKE?
Where will the they get money to start a new airline……..plus
Change Barbados into a republic
Pay Al Barrack
Pay income tax refunds
Pay VAT refunds
Pay Corporation tax refunds
Repay NIS the millions they have taken out
Pay the suppliers of goods and services to the QEH
And pay “Sam Couch and the duppies” that they owe.
Give me a break!
LikeLike
In the mean time, the poor BHTA after so many false and broken promises, had to go to the media on Sunday to tell all Barbados what a bunch of liars and deceivers we have for a government.
Poor BHTA, to think that they supported this bunch of lying whelps. There were no stumbling blocks to Butch Stewart’s 40 year concessions but…wow, wow, wow…………all of a sudden, for the local hoteliers to get the same deal, there are all kinds of boulders in the way. Does it take a rocket scientist for the Stinkliar and Sealy to tell whoever fast tracked Stewart’s 40 year concessions to follow the same steps they took so that the playing field would be level.
What morons! But I suspect that the Stinkliar and Sealy are only paying lip service to the BHTA and that they have no intention of giving them these concessions. They will try to run out the clock for another two years and kick the can down the road to another administration.
Sick of the dems!
LikeLike
@ Prodigal Son March 30, 2015 at 5:51 PM
“But I suspect that the Stinkliar and Sealy are only paying lip service to the BHTA and that they have no intention of giving them these concessions. They will try to run out the clock for another two years and kick the can down the road to another administration..”
I suspect the IMF tax reform advisory team put paid to that proposal to grant further concessions on food and beverages. Such concessions would be going contrary to what was agreed in the last IMF Article 1V consultation. As a matter of fact the IMF would like to see a major cut back of such tax breaks right across the board.
As far as the LIAT/ Bajan new airline fiasco is concerned this will not materialize under the Fumbler’s watch. He is too timid and insecure a leader to carry through with such a plan, especially one involving a tidy sum of money. He will play for time hoping it would go away (just like the current economic and fiscal woes )by finding other distractions. Check and see how he would pass on responsibility for the LIAT relocation project to Sealy with Irene there to cuss Antiguans like she did to poor defenceless Damini Parris.
If he is looking for a real distraction why doesn’t he take his pal Hal Gollop’s advice and seek to move away from the CCJ unless the same Antigua signs on? Why not tell Bajans he intends to form the Bajan Final Court of Justice suitable for his recently announced Banana Republic called Fumble Land?
LikeLike
millertheanunnaki March 30, 2015 at 6:52 PM #
“As far as the LIAT/ Bajan new airline fiasco is concerned this will not materialize under the Fumbler’s watch. He is too timid and insecure a leader to carry through with such a plan, especially one involving a tidy sum of money. He will play for time hoping it would go away (just like the current economic and fiscal woes )by finding other distractions. Check and see how he would pass on responsibility for the LIAT relocation project to Sealy with Irene there to cuss Antiguans like she did to poor defenceless Damini Parris”.
……………………………………………………………
Add to Irene, Verla Depeiza.
She should hear her in the recent debate in the Senate on LIAT. She lied too about the so called concessions to the BHTA, telling them that now they have what they wanted, it is time for them to get on with the job….which is a lie and this prompted the BHTA to issue a big ad denying that they have received any concessions!
What a bunch of idiots we have leading this country!
LikeLike
And we still wonder why the West Indies Federation died quickly after the British Midwife delivered it .
But like the Giant African snail, the Federation continued to lay its eggs after it died. Today those eggs have fully matured into what we now know as Caricom member nations.
LikeLike
I’ve got a feeling that PM Ralph Gonzales is behind this Barbados Airline push. Regardless of the outcome , Gonsalves stands to win. If Barbados were to launch its own Airline, LIAT would cut Barbados from its port of call. To access other Caribbean countries , especially Antigua and Barbuda from Barbados via LIAT,would mean going through Argyle International Airport in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Gonsalves is playing puppet with Stuart.
A Barbados Airline would quickly follow the path of its predecessor Caribbean Airways, which has now been relegated to selling duty free booze at Grantley Adams Airport.
LikeLike
Colonel Buggy March 30, 2015 at 11:28 PM #
“I’ve got a feeling that PM Ralph Gonzales is behind this Barbados Airline push. Regardless of the outcome, Gonsalves stands to win. If Barbados were to launch its own Airline, LIAT would cut Barbados from its port of call. To access other Caribbean countries, especially Antigua and Barbuda from Barbados via LIAT, would mean going through Argyle International Airport in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Gonsalves is playing puppet with Stuart. A Barbados Airline would quickly follow the path of its predecessor Caribbean Airways, which has now been relegated to selling duty free booze at Grantley Adams Airport.”
Colonel, you have formed a conclusion which, in certain aspects, is somewhat similar to mine. However, the issue is not about Barbados establishing its own airline, but how Barbados would use its shareholder status to take over LIAT’s assets to facilitate the formation of a new regional carrier to rival LIAT.
According to “Caribbean 360”, Antigua’s PM Browne said a document outlining “an approach, methodology and structure for the establishment of a new Barbados air carrier”, with “its own Air Operators Certificate (AOC) and Route Licensing Authorisation”, was discussed at a recent meeting of LIAT’s board of directors.
This new airline “would effectively replace the majority of existing LIAT services throughout the region and would seek to develop new markets.”
The document also stated “a traditional approach to fleet planning in a startup airline with a projected requirement of 10 aircraft would be to launch initially with two to three aircraft and a limited route network and build thereafter incrementally over a period of 18 months to the final fleet number.”
What is more interesting is the fact that through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank and guaranteed by the shareholder governments, LIAT was able to purchase its new fleet of ATR-42 aircrafts. “The plan calls for the title of those aircraft to be passed on to the Barbados Government either through shareholder agreement or through CDB taking charge of the aircraft and reassigning them.”
Recently [March 20], SVG PM Gonsalves visited Morocco, at, at the invitation of King Mohammed VI. Among those who accompanied him, was Rudolph Mathias, who is the Chairman and CEO of the International Airport Development Company. Discussions included airport development and education.
I do not readily subscribe to “conspiracy theories”, but based on certain events, it seems as though the Comrade is seeking a development whereby passengers would use St. Vincent as the in transit port for flights to international destinations, thereby replacing BGI GAIA with SVD Argyle.
LikeLike
@ Artaxerxes March 31, 2015 at 5:53 AM
“I do not readily subscribe to “conspiracy theories”, but based on certain events, it seems as though the Comrade is seeking a development whereby passengers would use St. Vincent as the in transit port for flights to international destinations, thereby replacing BGI GAIA with SVD Argyle.”
Such a ‘successful’ goal would hurt GAIA tremendously making it more difficult as an attractive proposition in the B’dos portfolio of State owned assets up for privatization. Owen Arthur knows what is going on in regard to the country’s IMF designed ‘compulsory’ plan to sell off assets (much to Bush Tea’s chagrin) to deal with its ballooning national debt and forex crisis. Hence his propagated second-hand guru advice to the DLP administration to make him look like a Saviour of a statesman to the Bajan economy.
Also, we ought to consider the matter of the GAIA no longer seen as a hub from which the potential of the growing regional tourism market could be exploited. Then there is the engrained perception that Barbados is no longer seen as an ideally attractive and welcoming destination by its other Caricom sister states because of the perceived xenophobia exhibited by the ruling DLP administration especially against Guyanese and the internationally influential Jamaicans.
Much of this anti-Bajan sentiment is indeed unjustified but bureaucratic bungling and political buffoonery by its current crop of leaders have made Barbados a type of regional pariah state. Except, of course, for those trading in drugs, prostitution and poor quality music commercialized to suit the classless taste of culturally unsophisticated Bajans. Or even for those business vultures and con artists of the Duprey variety only too keen to make a killing by using Barbados with its growingly gluttonous and materialistic but intellectual deficient population as a dumping ground for inferior unhealthy food and regionally assembled household junk and trinkets.
LikeLike
millertheanunnki wrote “Caricom sister states”
Caricom is not a “loving family” but individual islands looking out for themselves.
LikeLike
@ Miller
Barbados a type of regional pariah state. Except, of course, for those trading in drugs, prostitution and poor quality music commercialized to suit the classless taste of culturally unsophisticated Bajans
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No surprise here.
All kinds of people do have to go to the bathroom…and if there are brass bowls lying around here doing nothing …..can you really blame the dregs of society from making use of the Bajan bowls?
The problem is not how to make MORE and MORE MONEY. It is how to use what we have WISELY and effectively…..
Listen some time to the GOVERNMENT OWNED radio stations….
(never mind the Trickidadian owned trojan horses that are here seeking to destroy Barbados as we know it …and to create a Trickidadian colony)
Have you EVER heard so much NON-UPLIFTING SHIITE?
Low-class, semi-literate “DJs” pushing gutter music and gutter lyrics and gutter attitudes while promoting one ‘dub-fete’ or the other featuring some recently released ex-convict drug dealing felon….or some local drop-out.
shiite man …. and this is on STATE OWNED STATIONS YUH…..
Surprise surprise ….
what does our school children emulate?
What lyrics do they ALL know by rote?
how do they resolve differences?
Who are their role models?
meanwhile, we put more and more money into a shiite system that has MINIMAL influence on our children and their characters…
Never before in local history, have so many jackasses been been misled by so many other jackasses after so many of us jackasses have paid so many billions of dollars in so-called education of the masses.
It seems that out education system is one that graduates jackasses.
LikeLike
Hants March 31, 2015 at 9:17 AM
“Caricom is not a “loving family” but individual islands looking out for themselves.”
You are quite right there, Hants!
The Guyanese mass deportation (which helped to weaken the Bajan economy) and the Sister Myrie’s unceremonious repatriation are adequate proof to your contention.
Black Sister Myrie cannot come to Bim to ply her trade using her god-given ass(ets) in the working class meat market but European sophisticated prostitutes can come under the guise of tourists to service upscale playboys and girls.
LikeLike
millertheanunnaki March 31, 2015 at 8:29 AM #
millertheanunnaki March 31, 2015 at 9:36 AM #
Miller, I endorse the comments in both of your contributions. Excellent posts.
What does the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maxine McClean and, by extension, Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM, Robert Morris, have to say about these developments?
It seems as though Morris’ appointment was more “ceremonial” or a token of appreciation for being the DLP’s campaign manager. Rather than comment of serious issues affecting Barbados as a stakeholder in CARICOM, Morris apparently spends most of his time giving history lectures or fraternizing with Froon at Foundation School old scholars’ events.
Against the background of recent disparaging comments, about Barbados, coming from Antigua’s PM, Gaston Browne, relative to the proposed establishment of a new regional airline, does this not warrant an intervention by Morris?
LikeLike
@ Artaxerxes March 31, 2015 at 5:53 AM
Your theory is not far fetched. The same theory you presented was outlined to me by an insider in LIAT last year when the SVG airport was nearly finished.
Our PM is not that smart as dems make him out to be, he was never any heavy weight on the local political scene far less the regional scene. So an old fox like Ralph Gonsalves would hoodwinked a political light weight Fumble any day. Gonsalves has an agenda to make his airport prominent.
Tom Adams saw through Ralph years ago. He will outsmart Fumble and Sealy!
LikeLike
This Barbados Airline story is just like the Republic story.
Barbados does not have two cents to rub together and is at junk status……..pray tell me, where will Fumble and Stinkliar find money to finance an airline outright and re-brand Barbados to a republic?
Why do these politicians feel that we are foolish and they alone are wise?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Prodigal Son March 31, 2015 at 2:54 PM #
Man according to the Minister of Agriculture, Barbados stands to earn a lot of money from the 2016, yes 2-0-1-6 sugar harvest. Never mind we cannot even start the 2015 one. By gad ,are our leaders, MAD or just plain arseholes.
LikeLike
The following excerpt was taken from the March 17, 2015 edition of “Caribbean 360”, under the headline: “JetBlue Mint Service target first-class vacation travelers to Aruba, Barbados”:
NEW YORK, United States, Tuesday March 17, 2015 – New York-based JetBlue Airways has announced that its Mint Service will operate from John F Kennedy Airport next winter to two Caribbean destinations, Aruba and Barbados.
JetBlue Mint service offers travelers a premium experience – lie-flat beds, big at-seat monitors and lavish in-flight meals – similar to first-class services offered on other major airlines flying to the Caribbean.
According to BizJournal, the “Kennedy-Aruba and Kennedy-Barbados flights outfitted with Mint will operate on Saturdays between November 7, 2015 and April 30, 2016. There will also be daily flights with Mint service during the hectic, high-volume holiday period between December 19, 2015 and January 4, 2016″.
The BizJournal article also added “throwing a pricey, lavish transcontinental product at traditionally low-margin island flights is a surprise — admittedly a welcome one for in-the-money flyers looking for a luxe way to get to the winter sun. But JetBlue executive vice president Marty St. George insists there’s a market for a first-class experience to a vacation destination. (JetBlue currently charges between $600 and $1,200 one-way for a transcontinental Mint flight.)
And there is some precedent: For years, British Airways ran sporadic winter flights from London to Barbados using the now-retired supersonic Concorde, a plane usually reserved for high-yield business-travel markets such as New York, Paris, and, briefly, Washington, Bahrain and Mexico City”.
The decision by JetBlue to add Aruba and Barbados to its list of destinations featuring its premium Mint service is a shot in the arm for the tiny Caribbean islands which depend so heavily on tourism.
As a point of reference, a roundtrip airfare on JetBlue Mint for one person travelling from John F Kennedy Airport to Barbados departing Sunday December 20, 2015 and returning Friday December 25, 2015 would currently put you out of pocket US$2,413.20 inclusive of all taxes and fees.
Barbados has traditionally found more success with the British luxury traveler compared with the US market. It will be interesting to see whether additional flights are offered to other Caribbean destinations in the coming months.
LikeLike
@ Prodigal Son March 31, 2015 at 2:54 PM #
“This Barbados Airline story is just like the Republic story.
Barbados does not have two cents to rub together and is at junk status……..pray tell me, where will Fumble and Stinkliar find money to finance an airline outright and re-brand Barbados to a republic?”
Both you and I have been warning Bajans for a long time now about the damage being done by those two jokers to the economy and social fabric of the society. Unless they are urgently removed democratically from the helm of the sinking ship SS Barbados these two jackasses would continue to inflict immeasurable damage that not even a category 5 hurricane followed by an earthquake and tsunami could bring about.
Now pray tell us where would Barbados find the money to start an airline? Who would lend a junk status country lacking in tradable resources money to invest an inevitable lost-making venture requiring heavy subsidization and regional cooperation for its operational activities?
Is Barbados expecting the Antigua government to bear the cost of the redundancies from the obvious collapse of LIAT? Doesn’t Stinkliar understand that as the major shareholder in LIAT the Barbados government would be primarily responsible for all of LIAT’s liabilities, contingent and otherwise?
Should the CDB put itself out on a limb and try to finance the whole pending fiasco it would soon find itself not only being pilloried by its other regional stakeholders but also its credit rating marked down by the international credit rating agencies to reflect the risks of lending to Barbados.
Let us see how Stuart fumbles his way out of this one. He has taken lead responsibility for the LIAT restructuring. Let it bury him for the salvation of Bajans.
Look what Barbados has come to the laughingstock and junk capital of the Caribbean. All because of an ugly jackass is pushing a cart with a cabinet full of clowns.
LikeLike
@ Colonel Buggy March 31, 2015 at 3:11 PM #
“Man according to the Minister of Agriculture, Barbados stands to earn a lot of money from the 2016, yes 2-0-1-6 sugar harvest. Never mind we cannot even start the 2015 one. By gad ,are our leaders, MAD or just plain arseholes”
…………………………………………
Both, Colonel!
LikeLike
@ Colonel Buggy March 31, 2015 at 3:11 PM
” Man according to the Minister of Agriculture, Barbados stands to earn a lot of money from the 2016, yes 2-0-1-6 sugar harvest..”
Didn’t he also say that Barbados would not be importing sugar from 2016?
And to think he was speaking before an audience full of so-called educated people and trained technocrats, many of them with MSCs and PhDs behind their names.
The slave master really followed the instructions of Willie Lynch and has really done a complete demolition job on the psyche of black Bajans whose subservience to authority figures beggars belief. Not one man jack could muster the ‘intestinal’ balls to question the Minister and expose the load of bovine excrement (GP phrase) or balderdash mixed with cotswoddle that madman was expelling from his loudly silent mouth.
A country that finds itself ruled by too many people of too many empty words but managed by very few of foresight and action is headed for socio-economic extinction.
LikeLike
Excellent post, miller. We will see where this goes. In the meanwhile, LIAT in Antigua is continuing with its restructuring plans, giving some staff notice of what the new staff complement would be like.
Look, miller, you and I know that there is not one major thing that we can recall that these bunch of clowns have done right. Remember how we warned them not to sell the NIS shares to Emera……….look even our old sparring buddy, Carson Cadogan was against the sale and you see what is happening to BL&P….just as was predicted by some who blogged from Canada that Emera comes in and lays off staff.
The government sold the shares, Emera owns BL&P and staff are going home. The government with compliance from ET from all reports held on to the foreign exchange and the NIS is left holding government paper which has no value.
What a government we have! As the Colonel asked, are they mad or arseholes?
LikeLike
The Future Shop name became a thing of the past on Saturday morning, as U.S.-based owner Best Buy Co. consolidated the stores under the Best Buy banner, abruptly eliminating 500 full-time and 1,000 part-time positions.
In all, 131 stores in the Canadian electronics chain were closed — 66 of them permanently. Another 65 will be closed for a week, reopening under the Best Buy banner.
Employees got no advance notice and found out upon arriving for work.
LikeLike
Baldwin Spencer blasts Antigua prime minister on LIAT
Caribbean360March 31, 2015
Opposition Leader Baldwin Spencer has accused Prime Minister Gaston Browne of being “bombastic”
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Tuesday March 31, 2015, CMC – Opposition Leader Baldwin Spencer has accused Prime Minister Gaston Browne of being “bombastic” in his approach to dealing with the problems facing the Antigua-based regional airline, LIAT.
“I find that he is just arrogant and bombastic and is just creating all sorts of problems in saying whatever he likes, however he likes and just getting at individuals without sitting down and thoroughly examining what is required to be done and how we are going to get the cooperation and understanding of other persons.
Read more: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/baldwin-spencer-blasts-antigua-prime-minister-on-liat#ixzz3W0PCYnF9
St. Lucia minister wants Caribbean governments to subsidise LIAT
Caribbean360March 31, 2015
0
7
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Tuesday March 31, 2015, CMC – The St. Lucia government says there is sufficient justification for regional governments to subsidise the cash-strapped regional airline, LIAT, indicating that Caribbean countries would benefit significantly from a successful regional carrier.
Civil Aviation Minister Alva Baptiste said that the airline industry is inherently unstable citing powerful trade unions and unprofitable routes as being among the major challenges facing LIAT.
“LIAT has a number of challenges including powerful unions that can shut down the carrier, and that is a very big issue,” Baptiste said, noting that airlines do not make vast profits.
He told reporters if the Caribbean market was so attractive, there would have been a number of private sector interests investing in the sector.
“We saw (Allen) Stanford with Caribbean Airlines which never made any profit. People are not entering the market,” Baptiste noting that investors were not entering the regional airline market because of exit problems.
Read more: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/st-lucia-minister-wants-
Gonsalves warns “dissonance” could undermine confidence in LIAT
Caribbean360March 31, 2015
0
5
4
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves (File photo)
Kenton Chance
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, Tuesday March 31, 2015, CMC – St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves Monday warned against making unflattering statements about the regional airline, LIAT, saying it could undermine confidence in the business operations of cash-strapped carrier.
“Everyone who is involved with LIAT, the shareholders, the directors, the management, the workers, everybody, has to be careful what they say and what they do in relation to this matter. It is a business, and anything anybody says or does, at any of these levels, could affect the confidence of the business,” said Gonsalves, who is the chair of the regional shareholder governments.
Read more: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/gonsalves-warns-dissonance-could-undermine-confidence-in-liat#ixzz3W0PTI2pl
caribbean-governments-to-subsidise-liat#ixzz3W0PKo74c
LikeLike
Hants March 31, 2015 at 6:18 PM #
The Future Shop name became a thing of the past on Saturday ………………
And your point is?
LikeLike
@ DD,
The point is “Employees got no advance notice and found out upon arriving for work.”
That is what happens when you don’t have a union.
BL&P employees will have “representation”
LikeLike
Hants
“Any decisions that impact our people are never taken lightly,” said Ron Wilson, president of Best Buy Canada. “Our first priority is to support them through this change.”
The affected employees will receive severance and help with outplacement support.
Did they 3,000 employees retrenched by GOB receive the severance payments due to them, and how were they provided with outplacement support?
LikeLike
@ Hants March 31, 2015 at 7:52 PM
We want you, Hants, to respond to what DD said @ Due Diligence March 31, 2015 at 8:47 PM.
When Emera goes ahead and sacks the proposed 200 employees what would the BWU do? Call a strike to shut down the power plant or run to Papa Stuart begging him to refer the matter to the ERT for a hearing before the NCC workers can get theirs?
What one sows so shall one certainly reap. Bushie would agree with that.
LikeLike
with good management and proper business approach any business can reach those heights that is only reachable to a select few that is what Mango bay has done to be included as among one of top twenty eight all inclusive Carribbean resorts /hotels in contention with sandals
LikeLike
millertheanunnaki March 31, 2015 at 8:58 PM #
When Emera goes ahead and sacks the proposed 200 employees what would the BWU do? Call a strike to shut down the power plant or run to Papa Stuart begging him to refer the matter to the ERT for a hearing before the NCC workers can get theirs?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Emera’s Sarah McDonald is following in the footsteps of Minister Lowe and the Barbados Government who laid off a couple thousands of workers, and they are still awaiting compensation. At least EMERA will ensure that on the morning when the BL&P workers are handed their walking papers, a termination Cheque will be enclosed, or will follow soon afterwards.
If the BWU, calls a strike do you think that many of the workers who are now fearing a layoff will come to the fore, and be a definite on that list ? What other workers outside of BL&P can the union call upon to give them support? LIME /Flow ? Remember when Barbados was brought to a grinding halt, to support the BWU when its delegate David Gilkes was sacked? Are they any BWU members at LIME/FLow? Are the Jamaicans, Indians and Jocks who now make up a significant percentage of LIME/FLOW’s workforce unionised?
But how come that the Barbados Workers Union has pussyfooted with this matter ,when the writing was clearly and largely on the wall a long time ago.
Would the union had acted differently if the management of the power company was still in local hands, rather than in those of a pushy Canadian executive?
All that Papa Stuart will recommend, will be to “Get a Lawyer”, preferably his pal Gollop who has just sold out the Barefoot Preacher, by not turning up at his recent court hearing.
LikeLike
LOL
shiite man…Bushie is beginning to feel sorry for Stuart in truth…. how the hell can EVERYTHING go so wrong for one fella? …mean EVERY shiite going mash up???
This is no coincidence – it is more like a CURSE…
Last fella who had this kinda luck was a Pharaoh yuh…. Moses tell the man to release the people….. but no….he listen to he wife AC and play he talking big…
frogs, lice, hail, bloody water ….all kinds of shiite – and he play that he heart hard…
Till the night of the first borns….
Froon playing that he heart hard too…
Before he abandon his non-leper friendship and let the people CLICO money go, he talking shiite bout Republic….
Any bets we getting a serious hurricane this year?
LOL …perhaps EMERA will then bring in some Canadians to rebuild the system.
Wunna play wunna don’t know that we HAVE to reap what we sow, …AND lie in the bed that we have made….with..
Too much thieving…
Too much bribery…
Too much selfishness…
Too much hate…
Yes Miller, Bushie must agree that we WILL reap what we sow….
LikeLike
Bush Tea,
LOL………You have me cracking up…..I am laughing so hard, I woke my spouse up! Top marks, good post as only you can mix history with the doings of an inept incompetent bunch of morons!
LikeLike
no hurricane Bushie
FUMBLE & THE DLP DOING THE JOB
YOU CAN BUILD BACK AFTER A HURRICANE………….BUT
WE WONT BE ABLE TO BUIILD BACK AFTER FUMBLE
LikeLike
To get back to the original topic – Advertising
The is an Air Canada Vacations ad in the Globe and Mail this morning, promoting two Couples (all inclusive) resorts in Jamaica
Couples Tower Island = CDN $1,939.00 pp/pw
Couples Swept Away = CDN $2,239.00 pp/pw
Contast this to Sandals Barbados, which is about CDN$4,000.00 pp/pw for its least expensive room.
DD wonders if Couples (4 owned properties, in business since 1949) could have fiiled the 280 rooms at Casuarina without the benefit of 40 years oaf tax concessions.
Has anybody calculated or guestimated the cost of the 40 years?
LikeLike
@ David BU:
Have you heard PM Gonsalves recent comments on the state of LIAT?
It seems the broke airline is on its last legs (or should that be wings) unless a financial fairy godfather steps up to the boarding ramp and keep the airline afloat, or more appropriately airborne.
I hope he is not expecting the that fairy godfather to be broke Barbados.
That is not good news for the airline. Its continuing cash flow problems could scare off people from flying with the airline because of the fear the hard-pressed management might be scrimping the with the required level of maintenance and compromising safety.
LikeLike
@Miller
Let us hope Prime Minister Gaston replaces the political hot air he has been spouting recently about the issue with some cash.
LikeLike
Trip Advisor re: The Boat Yard
A perfect day….that the local “vendors” nearly ruined.”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed March 26, 2015 NEW
I would have given this place 5 stars except for 1 thing. The Boatyard is beautiful…with great food and drink…a pristine beach…and lots of things to do. But the beach vendors trying to book turtle tours, jet skis, banana boats, etc..are SOOO aggressive, and we had one that was downright rude. I understand that this is how they feed their families. And most of them will take a polite “no thank you” and go away. They were arguing over customers that were willing to pay for tours. Actually saw a vendor tell a customer to take off a life jacket one of the other vendors had given him to ride a jetski and told him to put on HIS lifejacket and book with him instead. Then the 2 vendors stood there and argued and cursed at each other while the poor customer just stood there. All he wanted to do was jetski. A couple sitting beside us had told a vendor “maybe” earlier in the day about jetskiing. At the end of the day, that vendor got right in their face and callied them f888ing liars, and demeaned them Almost came to blow. But beside that…..perfect day. We swam off the beach and swam with the turtles. Amazing!
LikeLike
Isn’t it amazing how prime minister Gaston Browne can make inflammatory statements which conflict with Chairman of the Caricom transport committee Gonzales and others yet several days later the public is in the dark about the truh.
LikeLike
Prodigal Son March 30, 2015 at 5:37 PM #
Name one ministry in Barbados which is being run effectively.
These morons we have for a government cannot run a snow cone cart and you really want to tell me that they can start up a new airline and run it how?@@@
.
looks like a page out of PLANTATIONS DEED,,, ITS GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL ARE GETTING YOUR OWN PICTURE OF THE BIGGER PICTURE, MORE FRADD TO COME , KEEP WATCHING,
LikeLike
CRIMINAL MINDS Tv show episode.
Family kidnapped in BARBADOS.
http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Criminal-Minds-Spinoff-Just-Got-Its-First-Trailer-It-Excellent-71151.html
Watching it now on CTV.
LikeLike
Just posted it on the latest AL blog.
On 9 April 2015 at 01:13, Barbados Underground wrote:
>
LikeLike
Need affordable advertising? “…we try to keep the rates at a level which remains competitive with print facilities, but we seek to adapt for Customers’ needs, trouncing the Barbados Advocate and Barbados Today remains an easy task – only Nation Publishing remains our most significant competitor…” http://www.bajanreporter.com/advertise-with-us/ Pay a visit, your pockets will thank you!
LikeLike