Garbage Disposal Dumps More Cost On Businesses
While at first this week’s column may seem to stray from the subject ‘matter’ the consequence of certain actions has a direct negative effect on our tourism performance.
As a business we get absolutely no ‘free’ state collection of garbage. We sort and separate everything we can with the wonderful assistance of B’s Recycling and almost everything else we pay private contractors to collect and dispose of at a considerable cost. Therefore when the Municipal Solid waste Tax was imposed, almost without warning, the additional (in our case) $8,000 a year in further unbudgeted taxation was especially irksome as we have been asked to pay for something we do not in any way benefit from directly.
Compounding this already unfair situation is the announced tipping fee which the waste disposal companies will be forced to pass on to their customers like us. This at a time when we are among many businesses who have been forced to wait more than two years for VAT refunds without any interest being paid. Clearly the commercial banks will not extend interest free overdrafts to companies like ours to allow for Government’s inability to meet their obligations, so the financial challenges are further compounded as time goes by.
From a tourism perspective, I also also wonder if our policymakers have thought this through. While you cannot condemn any Government for indiscriminate dumping, clearly there has been a marked increase in this unfortunate practice, especially in some of our outstanding natural beauty spots. Does anyone think for a single second that our visitors do not notice these blights on our amazing landscape? And especially important to consider is that the vast majority of people who visit our shores originate from countries that already have sophisticated waste disposal systems in place.
Surely there is more both the political administration and private sector can do to encourage more separation and recycling? If companies like ‘B’s’ can provide a service like they do, hopefully make a profit and at no cost to the taxpayer, surely that is the direction we should be heading. Rather than incur further massive national debts which could lead to private sector company insolvency and job losses.
Government has granted unilateral unprecedented concessions to a tiny section of the tourism sector, then it can only be reasonable fair and prudent, to give that same fiscal advantage to the people who are processing our waste without levying a further burden on the taxpayer.
I don’t think there is any rational person in Barbados who fails to understand the current economic situation the administration finds itself and all sorts of blame and criticism can be levelled in many directions. But there is much more that can be done to improve our tourism environment without costing a fortune. We just have to identify those willing, able and ready to make those big decisions before we lose our reputation as a mostly pristine and desirable destination.
Barbados Underground 
Pingback: Garbage Disposal Dumps More Cost On Businesses
Adrian
The problem with people like you and B’s is that you have to shut up and go and pay your BRIBES and KICKBACKS. A whole lot would improve for you if you do. Bizzy finds being in the P.I.G. works for him.
LikeLike
another fackin scam. biz should put himself in the dump.
LikeLike
The big remains unanswered by the silent minister of garbage who speaks only when there is a crisis event, why do Barbadians have to pay to have garbage collected for others to make money..
LikeLike
“I also also wonder if our policymakers have thought this through….”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ha ha ha
LOL
Ohhh Shirttt!!
Which policymakers?!!
Which policy?!!
Ya mean it is not abundantly clear that we are dealing with a set of political clowns, barely capable of focusing on BASIC issues – like how to repay their campaign financiers; how to get more than 10 persons at constituency meetings; and how to defer the IMF until their pensions are secure?
What damn policymakers what?!?
Only a low grade jackass can fail to see that indiscriminate dumping of garbage in gullies, fields, beaches etc will result from this childish and “parro-like” attempt to impose ‘tipping’ fees.
Only Bajans would accept and pay the foolish “shiite tax” imposed last year…. a straight copy from different jurisdictions where dumping would be unheard of…
If we had ‘policies’ made by INTELLIGENT LEADERS, then Bajans would very likely receive a stipend for the sorting and collection of their garbage. ….an incentive to recycle, to keep the damn place clean, AND to reduce the use of the lotta shiite waste in the first place.
…look how you can hardly find a plastic pep bottle anywhere…. What would it have cost the retarded government to pay some shiite body like the NCC to clean up such litter?
Steupsss
Bushie is tired of writers like Adrian and Jeff Cumberbatch who continue to write as though we are dealing with sane, logical leaders who can be expected to use common sense and make logical decisions….
How much more stupidity do we need to see before we all come to the realisation that these 30 idiots in Parliament are CURSED….and in need of serious prayer or a bush bath or some shiite…???
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bushie!! Bushie!! watch the heart attack thing!!!
LikeLike
@ David
Bushie has found something with which he can agree with the Froon….
WE SHOULD STOP REFERRING TO POLITICAL SUPPORTERS AS “YARD FOWLS”.
Bushie agrees with the PM 100%…
The reference is derogatory, misleading, and contemptuous…… To real yard fowls…
Shiite man…. Yard fowls can be useful.
They lay eggs…’
They control termites, roaches,
They produce useful fertiliser…and in the final resort…
They make a good soup…
A far better reference for the mindless jackasses of whom we speak would be political parasites.
…hangers-on who contribute NOTHING, but prostitute any little integrity they may have at the alter of political patronage….
“Political fleas and chinks” would be a far more appropriate description of the ACs of Barbados.
LOL ….AC would definitely be a CHINK…. 🙂
The man gotta point…..
LikeLike
Bushie
We gine start calling you ‘fowl soup’, ‘yardfowl soup’! LOL
We thought you were a vegan, at least a vegetarian. LOL
LikeLike
@ Lemie
Heart attack…???!!!
Bushie???
Hahahaha……unlikely…
You should worry about your ‘leaders’ who seem highly disposed to acute attacks of gross idiocy – which could lead to social disruption and chaos….
Why the hell don’t you try and start some kinda prayer offensive to try to offset the serious curse that has been cast on their donkeys?
What is the role of wunna church people bout here at all though?
…wunna just keeping a low profile and waiting for the rapture?
…does that not sound a lot like what AC is doing politically?
…should not you and your fellow ‘saints’ be hunting some cockroaches and chinks?
…should wunna not be laying some damn eggs?
…what is the ‘salt’ of the earth?
steupsss…
Political parasites..
Religious parasites…
Spiritual parasites…
….everyone just dealing with selfish interests…..
Dat is wunna business….!!
The bushman’s whacker will whack…..
LikeLiked by 1 person
@ Bush Tea April 27, 2015 at 8:28 AM
“Political fleas and chinks” would be a far more appropriate description of the ACs of Barbados. LOL ….AC would definitely be a CHINK”
You mean we should re-christened AC the “Ace Chink”?
I too agree with Froon. He is probably hitting out at potty Peter Wickham.
A yard-fowl, aka Bajan free-range chicken, is too productive and useful an animal to be so despised and denigrated.
Like ‘political leper’ the term “political parasites” is more in keeping with Froon’s linguistically monstrous perversion of the words ‘Verticality’ and ‘Horizontality’ to describe the political posturing of those parasites eating away at the fabric of integrity that once lined the moral furniture of the Parliament of Barbados.
LikeLike
Garbage Disposal Dumps More Money Into The Treasury
According to reports in another section of the press, the new measures introduced to regulate the collection and disposal of solid waste, have enhanced Government’s revenue position to such an extent, an increase in salaries for public servants is being contemplated for the first time in donkey years. This follows the increase granted to staff in the F.S.C and union officials are smiling all the way to the bank..
Unreliable sources claim that the new BRA is projecting an increase in fines being levied and collected by the courts as overburdened mothers, recently saddled with an increase in nursery fees, resort to illegally dumping truck loads of recyclable garbage in the numerous cart roads and gullies located in rural Barbados to avoid paying the extortionist at the SRC.
These unreliable sources also report that a bill to increase fines for littering will be passed in the dishonourable house of pain shortly.
Contracts for the requisite installation of IP Cameras and monitoring service have been awarded and the tenders for same will be announced in due course.
LikeLike
@ Bushie
Talk about ‘religious parasites’ ……….. you hear ’bout that pastor in Atlanta, we believe, who was caught bulling little boys in the church and went before the congregation, wid he wife, asking for forgiveness, and the congregation forgave him. Black people everywhere real foolish, in trute!
Or the other one who believes that his private aircraft is too old and that God wants him to have a new GL500/600 costing 65 million. And in these hard times for foolish Black people, the congregation saying yes to the will of God! LOL
Talk about parasitic! This is parasitic.
LikeLike
@ Pacha
Boss… don’t go overboard now…
Bushie was talking about NORMAL everyday parasites…
…You now gone and introduce the super “AC-class” parasites into the equation…..
Dem church people sound just like AC and Dompey…. wid their pastor Froon… and deacon Stinkliar….
Promising to lead them to the land of Four Seasons…. while only stuffing them with shiite taxes and lies….
LikeLike
At the mention of Paradise (Four Seasons! , has anybody passed there recently? What a mess, what an embarrassment, what an indictment on the political and private sector class in Barbados.
LikeLike
Bushie
A parasite is useless without a host.
It is alright to criticize the parasite/s, but what about the host/s.
LikeLike
A lot of work has gone into the partial restoration of the Bridgetown Screw dock at Cavans Lane, which is a vital site within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bridgetown, and therefore attracts many visitors from home and abroad.
But the following picture ,taken just feet away from this heritage site, is enough to destroy the attractiveness of this site.
We have to do better.
LikeLike
Have a walk on many of our roads and look into the trenches, the khus khus grass and what do you see? The minds of those who feel disposed to tossed all kinds of garbage into the trenches. Filthy minds, filthy country. How will the ministry of the environment enforce fees for littering? We wait for miracles to happen.
LikeLike
@ David April 27, 2015 at 12:26 PM
“At the mention of Paradise (Four Seasons! , has anybody passed there recently? What a mess, what an embarrassment, what an indictment on the political and private sector class in Barbados.”
It only goes to show how piss-poor the traditional media in Barbados is.
It also seems the Opposition is in cahoots with this massive cover-up of lies, deceit and incompetence perpetrated by Minister Stinkliar against the simple gullible people of Barbados.
How many times since 2009 were the people given bold assurance that the Four Seasons project would be restarted? Wasn’t this project promoted as the key driver to economic recovery and growth?
David, it would be most interesting if you could reproduce a list of the many occasions the MoF publicly gave the assurance about the restart of that vital project. How come it has suddenly dropped off the radar like flight MH 370?
LikeLike
Lest anyone forgets,the closure and subsequent failure of the Four Seasons is laid upon the concerted wicked efforts of the David Thompson led DLP and the Leeroy Trotman led BWU.Two of these must go down in history as two of Barbados’s biggest failures.That will be their legacy.There are those of us who will not forget the many,many calls to Brasstacks by both, and their misguided followers.
LikeLike
There was an unfortunate accident recently with a catamaran. Luckilly no one was injured. But have you ever had a good look at the Jolly Roger sailing out into Carlisle Bay? It is jampacked more than the Transport Board last bus on a Sarday night to Bayfield. It would be interesting to learn what is the permitted passenger and crew capacity of this vessel.
LikeLike
Cuba gears up for tourist influx as US relations improve
By Will Grant BBC News, Havana
It is not hard to see why Cuba is so popular with tourists.
The music, fine cigars, rum and pristine beaches have enticed visitors to the island since before the Cuban Revolution.
Add the 1950s cars gliding through the streets of one of the last communist strongholds in the world, Cuba boasts something unique in the international tourism market: that intangible stamp of “authenticity” which so many visitors demand.
Today, even though the diplomatic ice between the United States and Cuba is melting fast, Washington’s decades-old travel ban on US citizens visiting the communist island is still officially in place.
But in the minds of many US tourists, the ban is no longer worth the paper it is written on.
snip
Charter flights to Havana from New Orleans and New York have begun and companies like MasterCard and AirBnB have announced plans to operate on the island.
The result is an unprecedented rise in demand for flights and accommodation.
One New York tour operator told the Associated Press recently that its bookings to Cuba had jumped by almost 250% in March alone.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-32485823
NB as of last weekend there were the usual unsightly and smelly bags of garbage laying about on the open ground at the garbage collection point at the edge of the parking lot at Foul Bay. Pristine it was not.
LikeLike