The report coming out of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it ‘failed to realise the damage austerity would do to Greece’ makes for an interesting observation as Barbados is negotiating its own brand of economic austerity. The moral of the story for Barbadians is simple, we need to solve our problems by leveraging homegrown knowledge capital – see article IMF admits: we failed to realise the damage austerity would do to Greece. .
The admission by IMF Chief Christine Lagarde brings back the memory of pre-2007 and how global credit rating agencies contributed to the global recession by feeding demand for helter skelter consumption and ignoring a financial framework built on a questionable financial market which continues today to peddle questionable securities the like of credit default swaps, derivatives and electronic trading to mention a few.
During the recent presentation of the 2015 Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals minister of finance Chris Sinckler insisted it was a home grown effort. However a visit to the IMF website supports the position the economic prescription the government seems committed to is NOT home grown. The huge debt to GDP gives Barbados little or no wiggle room to ignore the advice of international financial agencies largely responsible for influencing credit rating agencies. Despite what the prime minister and finance manager would have us believe a good sovereign credit rating does matter. The junk credit rating of Barbados makes borrowing on the capital market an expensive undertaking. Ask the Cahill people!
The news making the rounds this week and publicized at the BLP Tyrol Cot meeting last Sunday night: the government has been ‘analysing’ an IMF report on the state of the Barbados economy for about three weeks since the delivery of the Budget, and is yet to give permission for its release to the public. It supports the widely held view the Stuart government is inclined to manipulate information and engage in a lack of transparency for political advantage. The minister of finance was forced to hurriedly confirm the IMF report story the Monday after the BLP Tyrol,Cot meeting. What should be 0f interest to Barbadians – minister Sinckler confirmed the IMF is still concerned about the level of quantitative easing being practiced by the central bank of Barbados and government.
On a related note: the industrial relations climate in Barbados is ‘hotting up’ and it makes one wonder how effective the social partnership has been in the last couple of years, and we add minister of labour Esther Byer to the mix. BU suspects both unions have not forgotten the ‘black eye’ given to them by government and private sector in recent years. NUPW must still be smarting from the NCC matter and under a new management seems to be bent on retrieving its flagging reputation. There is also the Caswell Franklyn factor whose union has been making more noise than the two which are more established. It is unfortunate both sides have reached a point where dialogue has broken down, the last thing Barbados needs at this time is a national strike and low productivity. In the case of the BIDC – the current matter which has triggered industrial protest – it seems to be one better left to the law court to determine, but any issue maybe a good issue for the union to claw back its influence and membership.
The perilous state of the economy requires Barbadians to leverage the benefit of the large investment in education by resolving our problems. The rising tension in industrial relations in Barbados is symptomatic of a dearth in leadership in all facets of society.
290 responses to “Is the Economy Improving and Why Strike Now”
https://www.facebook.com/BarbadosLabourParty/photos/pb.162423417234382.-2207520000.1436149906./652403451569707/?type=1&theater
The above picture of the BLP MPs going to the recent budget debate posted on Facebook on the BLP page.
What was interesting was the following comment posted by a person called Fabian Dandelion Jones who is currently the NUPW 2nd Vice President “two of my favourite MPs Santi and Dwight”.
It follows a list of other statements supporting Ms. Mottley and the BLP openly.
There is no doubt in my mind that the NUPW is being manipulated by the BLP hierarchy. Whatever your political stripes, let us call it what it is:
A politically motivated strike that does not have one damn thing to do about 13 well compensated workers at BIDC.
A group of apolitical friends ran a whoever you meet ask survey today around the car racing where loads of people were gathered. Wickham couldn’t be found to do it the guess was he was in the United States for obvious reasons. Not a single man ,woman or teenager knew what the strike was about. The people approached were puzzled in the main as to why there is a national shutdown. A large number were not aware of the BIDC impasse which the NUPW is using for an excuse. The island is set to lose millions for reasons unknown to the majority of the population even as Caswell, Redman ,the glum twins at NUPW and company rejoice.
Maloney and Clarke gone so deal with it.
I always read Jeff Cumberbatch and find him quite intelligent. However I think he has fallen short in his analysis of the BIDC matter. The fact is that the amendments to the Statutory Pensions Act still does allow Boards to retire persons who have attained the age of 60. The ERA weighs in here principally in relation to notice to Unions where more than 10% of staff are being made redundant.
These 10 individuals at BIDC are being retired and not being made redundant. Therefore there is no need to consult with the Unions. However from whatvI have read in the papers the BIDC did seek an audience with the Unions and the Unions cancelled the meeting.
Other point here is that the same law was used to retire 8 persons at the BTA when it was being restructured last year. The BWU was involved and supported the BTA move then. Why the sudden change in position by the BWU. A change in elected officers at Unions should not mean a complete reversal of their positions.
On this one I conclude that the BIDC is on solid legal groundsand should not waver. From the HR position they also did the right thing is staff cuts were nevcessary. These retires get their gratuities and a pension immediately. Would Jeff et al preferred for younger people to go home and wait 15 years for a pension?
We are being so partisan and prepared to strike on issues which the Unions are wrong on. Who wins?
I see no need for a strike on this issue and therefore as a disgruntled public officer I shall go to my desk and work. I am seriously thinkimg of resigning from the NUPW.
@Bajanfuhlife July 5, 2015 at 9:58 PM “The last thing this economy needs is a National strike”
Study ya head…you ca go back 100 years if you wish. Then tell me when would be an ideal time to hold a national strike.
@Fractured BLP July 5, 2015 at 12:45 PM “I do sincerely hope that all those persons who intend to protest tomorrow, have fulfilled all their statutory obligations to the Crown.”
But we did not borrow anything form the Crown, so how can we possibly owe the Crown anything? Stupseee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And remember no taxation without representation
@Donna July 5, 2015 at 1:16 PM “give your kind an opportunity to “crack some heads”
Wh says that shooting people and cracking heads cannot be a two way street?
@Eager Watchman July 5, 2015 at 11:51 PM “the same law was used to retire 8 persons at the BTA when it was being restructured last year. The BWU was involved and supported the BTA move then. Why the sudden change in position by the BWU?”
Because if you give some people an inch, they will take a mile.
Hopi, I see your wonderful ability for personal attacks is one of your most ‘endearing’ characteristics re discourse. Research to you means supporting a certain point of view re Greece and has nothing to do with clarity on exactly why the country are in the depths of this financial tsunami.
The financial meltdown of 2007-2008 was catastrophic worldwide and was caused by the big banks and specifically those HQed in the US. Very Clear.
It’s your contention that it is that meltdown that was essentially the beginning and end of Greece’s ability to manage its financial health because from your “well researched” position its all about the last eight years. Very Muddy.
As I said before ” you speak of the Greek/IMF situation as if the Greek people and successive governments have no part in the current crisis”. How it is possible to have a practical discussion on this issue with someone who constricts everything to the banking crisis and blames it entirely on the greed of big banks. Very, very muddy.
PM Tsipras is the clever fox who has now ended this ridiculous cycle. If Putin is the one who provides the ‘vex money’ and more then so be it. That is a good thing. Obviously, that brings strings of support which the Greek will be obliged to react to when the string is pulled. But that is what every borrower does so no big deal.
Knowledge comes from many sources. Yes I read the “drivel that is spewed from the craws of the same media that’s owned by the same bankster…” but I also read some drivel from their opponents. And also read very insightful analysis from both those sources. I believe I take the sense from both of them and discard the nonsense.
Apparently my friend you also read the drivel and the good analysis…not so sure which you discard though. Just saying!
Bringing this home to B’dos.
Phillips’ privatization views can be debated extensively but the fundamental economic position on privatization need not result in “…the country’s revenue decreased and the debt increased” as you suggest.
There are certain does and don’t with taking key industries private and any reasonable person accepts that. They also accept that a gov’t gets revenue from taxation from private enterprises or part of profits if they are a shareholder.
There is little basis to extrapolate privatization in Greece to any such actions in Barbados. The situations are so vastly different even though the concepts are the same.
a certain level of common sense prevailed in the eleventh hour that prompted the Unions to pull back on some of their destructive strategy and not allowed the major entities that affect the barbados economy land sea and air to strike, Again this strike is unwarranted and its is an effort instigated and driven by the long arm of the BLP and a fight for the Unions to save face. The strength in the Union is to be Fair and not to be perceived as Warmongers chopping at the bit for retribution.
While doing my usual early morning walk this morning, I met Akani Mc do – all, he was sitting on the side of the road just outside the Ministry of Agriculture.
He was holding a placard with whatever may visible on it pointed towards his body.
Recognising who he was and the
significance of a placard , today July 6, 2015…,..I greeted him and asked if he is ready for big march?
To my utter surprise, Akani burst out crying and turned the placard towards me me and persons using the road at the time with these words in bold print,
“I AM SORRY BARBADIANS, I NEVER WANTED TO STRIKE. I WAS MISLED BY A MOTLEY CREW. PLEASE FORGIVE ME”
Such was the scene on part of the highway moments ago……
Interesting to note the BWU will be calling out a few departments to to support the NUPW today’s protest action, and Caswell representing Unity trade union is on record supporting the action. It must be of concern to the government to observe three unions coming together to fight a cause in a phase I action. Will the government surrogates accuse the three unions of being manipulated by the BLP?
The other matter: why must the Prime Minister and minister of labour bellyache about protocol? Why not jump into the fray when it appeared talks had broken down at the BIDC post Inniss intervention? We need a new thinking in 2015.
“The fact is that the amendments to the Statutory Pensions Act still does allow Boards to retire persons who have attained the age of 60. ”
The fact is Eagerman that it is my understanding that there is a Circular from the Ministry of Civil Service to the Management of Statutory Boards
Re: REGULARISATION OF THE PENSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR STAFF OF STATUTORY BOARDS.
THE CIRCULAR INFORMS THAT AT A MEETING OF 18/08/88, THE GOVERNMENT REAFFIRMED THAT STATUTORY BOARDS DEVELOPING PENSION SCHEMES SHOULD ADHERE TOTHE FOLLOWING :
-BOARDS SHOULD TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR PENSIONS UNDER THE NATIONAL INSURANCE AND SECURITY SCHEME –
-THE NORMAL AGE OF COMPULSORY RETIREMENT SHOULD BE 65 YEARS-
THE B.A.D.C, B.I.D.C, B.D.B, B.N.B,B.P.A, T.B SHOULD AMEND EXISTING LEGISLATION WHERE NECESSARY FROM JANUARY 1989 TO CONFORM WITH GOVT’S POLICY.
YOU ARE ASKED TO DRAW THIS INFORMATION TO THE ATTENTION OF ALL BOARDS WHICH FALL UNDER YOUR MINISTRY.
ac July 6, 2015 at 6:23 AM #
“a certain level of common sense prevailed in the eleventh hour that prompted the Unions to pull back on some of their destructive strategy and not allowed the major entities that affect the barbados economy land sea and air to strike,’
What is more destructive and CARELESS demonstrating peacefully for a legitimate right of workers to maintain their employment or on the other hand using a red herring to deny workers their right to work and intimidating the unions from offering them support
7 hrs ·
David said “Maloney and Clarke gone so deal with it.”
David, are so blind or not willing to admit that the NUPW is not now free as you suggest, it is now enslaved by the BLP.
As for you pointing out that Caswell Franklyn supports the strike, nothing Caswell Franklyn has said within the last year can show that he is a political independent. He has not on one occasion over the last year publicly criticized the BLP.
And when you publicly demand that the government resign, are you not by implication saying that you are willing to live with the alternative?
Caswell is not as independent an analyst as you and he would want people to believe.
The current NUPW executive is an extension of BLP. This is a political march and does not have one thing to do with the well compensated BIDC workers.
Stop hiding behind the BIDC.
@Eager Watchman@11.51 pm,
Thank you s for reading my column, you are one of a rather small and select group.
However, you have missed the thrust of my argument which is that the BIDC’s action is forbidden by section 30(1)(c))(xi) (A) of the Employment Rights Act 2012.
This impliedly repealed the legislation on which the BIDC relies. You cannot now dismiss someone because of his or her AGE, race, colour, gender, etc.
@Bajanfuhlife
And what about the BWU supporting the strike?
We all know unions in Barbados have been affiliated with one political party or the other, so what is new?
“What was interesting was the following comment posted by a person called Fabian Dandelion Jones who is currently the NUPW 2nd Vice President “two of my favourite MPs Santi and Dwight”.”
Just because leadership in the NUPW has been dominated by DLP membership over the years does not mean that it is the exclusive right of DLP members to lead; there is nothing in the Rules of the NUPW which precludes members of the BLP to aspiring to leadership positions therein.
A good definition of an idiot is someone who takes a simple obvious ten-cent issue and makes it into a complex, mullion-dollar quagmire.
There is NO QUESTION that many of these Government agencies are overstaffed. This is so because, over the years, intelligent people sat back and allowed POLITICIANS to give out jobs as bribes to their yardfowls.
The situation needs to be corrected now because we hardly have money to pay needed employees – much less useless yard fowls.
The question then is… “ON WHAT BASIS should the decision be made as to who should go…and who should stay….”
The CORRECT (ten-cent) answer of course, is that the most effective, efficient and PRODUCTIVE workers should be retained….and the lazy jokers should go…
The IDIOT approach would be to select persons for ‘retirement’ based on age, political affiliation, race, gender, class or any other such shiite…
In the first instance, when an organisation establishes a MERITOCRATIC approach, here is what will happen….
1 – A few REALLY lazy &%#@*s are dismissed for lack of performance (such jokers are well known and EASY to find)
2 – Everyone else will immediately buckle down and IMPROVE individual performances in an effort to be considered an asset to the organisation and to be retained.
3 – OVERALL productivity will skyrocket, and lo and behold the organisation shortly cannot AFFORD to lose any more staff …indeed they find themselves looking to RECRUIT more….
In the IDIOT instance, employees find that there is no point in improving performance, instead, as one gets closer to the ‘retirement’ age a worker focusses on finding alternatives sources of income…and even less on the shiite organisation.
1 – Staff moral goes in the pit
2 – Productivity falls even more (if THAT is possible!!)
3 – Even MORE staff needs to be laid off as profits fall off…
4 – A quagmire results…
Now let us try to understand the kind of brass bowl people who are against meritocracies and who instead choose to ‘retire’ staff early….
Bajans of course…..
It seems like the law is an a.ss in this mater which has caused divided /and opposite opinion amongst the legal begals .how and where does such discrepancies happened in areas that are of utmost importance to good goverance .In any event the cause for drastic action is indeed unnecessary at this time and helpful to avoid reactionary and political tides blowing across the waters
Simple Simon,
Read on and you’ll see that I did remind the Fractured one that his head was also crackable.
Bush Tea @ 8:06 am
My sentiments exactly. If an organisation needs to downsize for whatever reason, a performance evaluation is done and the employees who don’t measure up to the standards are the ones to go. I listened to the BIDC CEO on the radio yesterday and what she was saying is clearly a case of age discrimination. This is crazy!
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/69562/hundreds-protest
Who determined that a person should retire at age 65? What is the rationale?
What Minister Inniss and BIDC don’t seem to understand that even if it is within the law to send home people at the age of 60, it still does not make sense. You send home people based on certain criteria. You want to make the organisation leaner, more effective. That means you keep the best workers and let go of people who don’t perform (or don’t perform well). Age alone is NOT a reason to send home anyone.
The CEO stated attrition will also come in to play as well, her statement implies others are working in the organization who are close to retirement.
The Barbados INVESTMENT & DEVELOPMENT corporation SHOULD be a highly productive entity.
Barbados needs NEW Investment and development to diversify the economy.
Unbelievable but true…..
NUPW membership…..35,000 members
BWU membership……50,000 members
BSTU……membership……10,000 members
CTUSAB……membership…..20,000 members
BLP….membership…..60,000 members
UNITY Trade Union……membership….2 members (including Caswell Franklyn)
Barbadians are to believe with such depth of membership and commitment to cause…..that these entities can only bring out ‘HUNDREDS’ on the streets….?
Dennis Clarke and Sir Roy….knew why they remained silent on this one!
Strike 2!
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/69563/nupw-moving-phase-industrial-action
It was a good demonstration of support and the longer the government continues to play the brass bowl the momentum will build.
@David,
can we expect a call for the government to resign?
@Hants
No…
At least the marchers getting some low impact exercise. lol
@ Fractured BLP July 6, 2015 at 1:36 PM
“NUPW membership…..35,000 members”
Unbelievable indeed! Even a simple lie you can’t tell competently to your own self. But that’s the weakness of a pathological liar.
So there are at least 35,000 public sector workers? Why not 34,780? Does that include the thousands sent home since June 2013?
We wonder what the IMF would have to say about that.
Never knew also that CTUSAB had so many trade unions and staff associations on its membership list.
You should be happy to know that all of this marching will not bring down your government. The looming shortage of forex will do just that. The drop in oil prices provided a temporary stay of execution.
Wait until the forex shit hits the merchants’ fans. There are no more forex Sugar Daddies out there offering something for junk bonds.
Fractured BLP July 6, 2015 at 1:36 PM #
“Unbelievable but true…..
Barbadians are to believe with such depth of membership and commitment to cause…..that these entities can only bring out ‘HUNDREDS’ on the streets….?”
Unbelieveable but true….
77,000 people supposedly voted for the DLP in the last election and only three or four come on BU to defend the indefensible…..?
The Governor of the Central Bank has been printing BDS$ up to now. Perhaps he is going to move on to other currencies.
Miller I could have betted and won that you would have taken the numbers bait I set for you!
I am only using the same tactics you BLP jokers used.
You claim in Feb 2013.
.
that the BLP had 25,000 at their Haggatt Hall political meeting. The police then had to come and confirm the number as 5,000.
@Mitchlans your count of 3 or 4 DLPites fool you
The DEMS supporters like the Greeks
The pollsters and pundits does be predicting defeat……but the actual count (real poll) does confirm the TRUTH……
LET FEB 2013 be your guide…
..
@D Igrunt Word…………Like the Honourable Sir Dompey said ‘he ain’t the brightest candle on the cake’ and I will extend those words to you. You my ‘bother’ are a nit-picker. You have tried your utmost to prove me wrong, yet all you bring to the table is FLUFF. My style of writing does contrast yours because I have very little patience with mental midgets, hence I take it to the level where you can understand. You have shown urself repeatedly to be a goody-2-shoes-ass-kisser. You wanna be loved mais pas moi. I am the product of a tough father who loved and nurtured me, so what you see is what u get.
Having said that, I’m still waiting for your evidence that laxity cause this problem in Greece. No FLUFF please. You want to come across as being intelligently informed by talking all around the issue and saying absolutely nuffin. Stop pretending and keep it real.
Who the hell entitled anyone with a RIGHT to work? Did that law come from ‘God’ or was that law concocted by a house slave? Since when does a government have to guarantee any citizen the RIGHT to work? If your 60-65 your ducks should have been lined up. Take the damn money and go home and tend your garden. Leave room for the younger folk who can learn while contributing. If ur 60-65 u should be happy to retire. Go home and enjoy life and get to know yourself. Or take this opportunuity and with the experience go create ur own work.
A RIGHT TO WORK..Neva hear so much shite! People trying to rid themselves of this legalised form of slavery and people in Bim protesting to stay shackled.
Sweet Jesus, when will ur children wake up and see the light? Ain’t we some assbackwards people?
You are wrong Jeff Cumberbatch. Entities in Barbados can discriminate base on age. If that was not the case then why have a mandatory retirement age? Why can’t my daughter get her drivers licence at 14. Why can’t my son go to the doctor on his own at 15?
Please stop the misinterpreting of the law. All countries have laws that discriminate based on age. Young or old
@ Fractured BLP July 6, 2015 at 3:58 PM
“Miller I could have betted and won that you would have taken the numbers bait I set for you!”
What numbers bait? You mean the 10,000 (or was it 6,000) your brothers in the art of lying- Stinkliar and Uncle Lookup Inniss from Pornville- claimed the BLP would have been sending home?
That’s one big lie that saw the Light and became the Truth since 2013. Ask the P M who knew about it since 2004 just like he knew of the intention to ‘revise’ free university education at the UWI.
Now who would be the lying loudmouth bandleader to trumpet the Privatization programme as designed by the IMF as a way of reducing the fiscal deficit and national debt to avoid a local Greek crisis? Would it be the Don of Porn or the slimming slimy Stinkliar? Only Apate can decide.
You can always claim that ‘the BLP made the Dems do it’; just like the laying off of thousands of public sector workers. You can argue the BLP had put in place a plan to privatize and just like the other things like the tipping fee you are just carrying on where the previous administration left off.
Hard ears you did not hear, now hard ears you will feel the results of your no layoffs, no privatization lies and propaganda.
BTW, what’s holding back the sale of the BNTCL to SOL? It is a concern over staff compensation liabilities and supply contracts? What would SOL do with its high costs/low margins fuel oil business to BL&P if the WTE plant and the ‘revitalized’ Sugar Cane factory would be generating so much electricity?
How about a squabble over commissions and kickbacks to the political parasites and greedy medici like Darcy Boyce, Stinkliar & Co?
Now on to phase two. now when the Unions have exhausted all their phases then what, PM stuart should now sit sit back and do nothing after seeing what bait the NUPW used to confront the barbados economy. Bro Ha ha that is all i say, weak knead Unions and there political goons trying to pooh back,
Now on to the Quote of the day
Moore said the protest about more than the dismissal of the 13 workers, but trade unions the world over were under threat.
Really ammmmm now that is deep LOL Btw i hope Toni is trying to do an imitation of Mia Mottley,
This was a great start……………I felt good with the turn out today, the dems wanted it to fail but they got their beak “brek”.
Who cares whether Dennis Clarke was supportive or not? Dennis Clarke’s place in history is secured…… as a man who sold out his workers to a wicked, incompetent bunch of liars pretending to govern Barbados. This was a man who along with Walter Maloney sat down with this bunch of wild boys and sold out the workers of this country and then the same government turn around and treated as they deserved……………like dogs.
He and Maloney knew before the 2013 election that the government was planning to lay off workers but allowed their party to lie to the people of Barbados all during the campaign that not one public worker would lose their job…………..Did they not have a responsibility to their members to say…….look these dems are LYING?
No they let the dems lie and lie and lie so that they could win and then after the election had the audacity to then reveal that they knew that temporary workers would lose their work. Domestic criminals!
A caller to Brasstacks today asked David Ellis to find out from Dennis Clarke if he ever got the list with the workers names who were to be dismissed. ………………all like now he still is awaiting the list long after he left the NUPW.
Talk about being a traitor…..that would be his legacy!
Fractured BLP July 5, 2015 at 6:01 PM # The retired workers received cheques with the monies lawfully due to them. And all the cheques have cleared the banking system!The workers quite rightly cashed their cheques! !
xxxxxxx
Obviously, things tight, no jobs in sight, they need that money badly. Does not mean that the situation is not wrong.
By the way, in Government cost cutting, which Ministry / Ministries are being cut / amalgamated??…………….
No, did not think so.
Minister Byer has escalated the matter to the prime minister. Will he ask the Chief Labour Officer to refer to the ERT? Lol
And there was Mia Mottley smack right in the middle of this Noise.it seems like this woman wants to go down in history as being a rabble rouser… in the face of the stirring controversy surrounding her placement to the bar one would have thought MIa would have used proper decorum absenting herself from matters to do with fairness and rights
Hundreds show up ! yeap hundreds what a way to go,, How many unions represent the govt work force,, In any case Caswell Union contributed 100%. of its members i think there are about ammm
This is a very funny article taken from today’s newspaper. It is entitled “Greece did a terrible thing – it voted for sanity” To understand it fully you would need have to have some knowledge of the UK society.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/greece-terrible-thing–voted-6012120