A Government of Nonsense
Submitted by Old Onions Bag
“they came for the Jews but I was not a Jew.”
Pinch me hard I dare say, (anywhere but the posterior), for surely I must be dreaming. Like Alice in the Wonderland, I running with Ernest but falling like Forrest Grump…trying to keep up with the rationalizations of this now lame duck government.
We now on the verge of a nationwide shutdown in the height of Crop Over. And over what I dare say? This BIDC fore-play; prepare thy selves NHC, CIBC, Port Inc. and the likes. A government with (out) a social conscience, the crowned Prince used to say. Caring and putting people first our #1 motto. Nowadays when you reach that terminal age of 60 you past expiry date and should be put out to pasture. Nonsense.
Treatment dished out to the statutory nobodies like the 13. Whoever said what’s good for the goose is good for the gander? Not about here. Give of your best til 60 then go home. All because square pegs in round holes and ‘fumbling’ when it comes to econometrics. The result: foolishness abounds. What’s the sense? Nonsense.
Why if this administration could see it fit to extend his contract for another five years of a recycled 70 year old robot whose sole purpose was regurgitating every quarter, the words “STABLE ….why not let the messenger and two maids up at BIDC continue to work until 67? What else can one expect from a governor that saw sense in getting rid of all the good cents? Nonsense.
Give them hell NUPW…. They got away with murder before. A non –existing tribunal recall? Let history record : The rule of the Non-sensed!
Barbados Underground 
@Fractured
Must be doing something right because you are always logged on, 24/7!
On 12 July 2015 at 21:57, Barbados Underground wrote:
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OSA comments in today’s Sun on Sunday makes interesting reading.
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David
You are right…….I gine soon shut you down!
Retire you just like the 10 at BIDC!
Enjoy your 60 minutes of fame now!
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@Fractured
A predictable response…JA.
On 12 July 2015 at 22:47, Barbados Underground wrote:
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what is so interesting about OSA comment. it would be interesting if he would have admitted to the cockeyed law that he and his cabinet implemented that have the nation on a virtual shut down. the blp always looking for a life lined ha! ha! ha! never able to stand on their two feet ,that is why you would find the leader MIA Mottley all over the country rubbing shoulders and shoveling gossip.
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@St. George’s Dragon,
If things changed under the new act it does not mean that the old contract is dumped willy nilly. It has to be renegotiated. The new act is designed to protect the employee from unfair conditions. They would be getting their pensions early, among other things. You can’t justify industrial action. Never mind what Caswell is spouting. He is wrong and misleading
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…”
We are not talking about verbal agreements, These are signed contractsThe conditions were agreed to during the era of the OSA administration”
Do you have proof of that Mr Cummins?
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“it would be interesting if he would have admitted to the cockeyed law that he and his cabinet implemented that have the nation on a virtual shut down.”
The nation is on a virtual shutdown because the BIDC failed to play by the rules of fairness and justice among other things; but in short everybody fed up and that is the bottom line.
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@ LOL @ St George’s Dragon
Cuh dear man … this is AC#2 yuh talking to….
You SERIOUSLY expecting to make progress…?
LOL ha ha ha
…it would be easier to “razor-mark” a lion….
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“David referred me to an article posted by Caswell who referred to a contribution in Hansard where she pointed out that the terms and conditions did not prevent an employee from retiring early. Where is the difference”
The difference is that if you retire a person forcibly at 60 years; then they would have to wait until 65 and /or 67 to get their requisite government pension if they came in the Public Service before 1st September 1975 and full National Insurance Pension respectively because the retirement age at which PENSION has become payable in Barbados has been harmonised with the retirement age at which PENSION is payable under the National Insurance and Social Security schemes of Barbados.
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@Balance,
Tell me the difference between a Ststutory Corporation and the regular Government Service. Educate me. I know the differences but since i am usually worn, according to Bushie, tell me. There must be differences… and address the issue of pensions.
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@ A(lvin) C(ummins)
“If things changed under the new act it does not mean that the old contract is dumped willy nilly. It has to be renegotiated. The new act is designed to protect the employee from unfair conditions.”
You really don’t get it, do you? Read the Act!
Please tell me where it talks about renegotiation of contracts. It doesn’t. It legislates terms which are “injected” into existing contracts.
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@ Balance,
Re the last comment it should be “usually wrong not “worn”
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@St. Georges Dragon,
So if the new legislation required the worker to work 80 hours a week, wouldn’t it be in the workers’ interest to seek to renovate the contract, since the terms and conditions would have changed?
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Mr Cummins I cannot say nor do I know if you are usually wrong or right but funding for a Statutory Corporation is by a way of a lump sum grant /subsidy of which by law the appropriate Minister is large and in charge by virtue of the fact that he appoints the Board which manages the Corporation whereas funding for the Ministries in the regular service as you refer to it is managed by the Accountant General
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@ Alvin
Stick with me, Alvin, we will get this thing sorted out between us.
You said:
“So if the new legislation required the worker to work 80 hours a week, wouldn’t it be in the workers’ interest to seek to renovate the contract, since the terms and conditions would have changed?”
Let’s break this down into its component parts:
“So if the new legislation required the worker to work 80 hours a week…”
Then the worker would be required to work those hours. That would be a bad thing, but Government can make laws like that. Fortunately the Government legislated conditions which are either “normal” or better than normal. If I was an employee, I would not complain if the Act gave me to a longer notice period than I was originally entitled to. If they brought in an 80 hour week, my recourse would be to march now and vote them out later.
“…wouldn’t it be in the workers’ interest to seek to renovate [renegotiate?] the contract, since the terms and conditions would have changed?”
If the law changes something like your notice period, there is no renegotiation required. It’s just changed by law – that’s it.
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@ Alvin (AC) Cummins
Re the last comment it should be “usually wrong not “worn”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
LOL Ha Ha Ha yuh mean even in talking about Bushie saying yuh always wrong …yuh still wrong????!!
…take a break Alvin…til Olympics…. 🙂
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Great! That fractured head seems to be gone. Reverse psychology worked well, David. Now the adults can discuss without childish interruptions.
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@ alvin cummins July 12, 2015 at 8:07 PM
Alvin, are you still waiting for the Sugar Point Cruise Ship terminal to start since January 2014? Remember you gave BU the assurance that the project would have been off the ground within weeks because the Minister of Finance gave you the God-approved assurance the money was negotiated and in place.
What are you saying now, boss, about your government of empty promises and total nonsense?
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alvin cummins July 12, 2015 at 1:59 PM #
“I was not talking about parental control. I was referring to government or other controls; movie houses that restrict entry to persons under a certain age etc.”
Suppose the Globe Drive-in was showing two movies with explicit sexual content or two horror movies, which were restricted to an audience aged 18 years and above.
Are you suggesting that persons aged 1 to 17.5 years old have been treated less favourably because of their age?
Again your arguments are flawed.
Your arguments in this situation relative to a “renegotiation of a contract” based on the terms you have outlined, are also wrong and is indicative of the fact you do not have any knowledge of or training in human resource management.
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Do we really have enough money to force people into retirement at age 60. What it most of the age 60 retirees live to be 70 or 80 or even 90 or more.
Wouldn’t inflation have eaten up the value of their pensions 10 or 20 0r 30 or more years down the road?
What if some of them live to be 108?
What if some of them are disabled Alzheimer’s etc for 10 years are more? Would their pensions suffice to enable them to access necessary care? or would their money be all gone and leave then as public charges…destitute old people whom the state must look after?
Are any of us thinking 10, 20, 20 or 40 years down the road?
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@Fractured BLP July 12, 2015 at 3:23 PM “Kerrie Symonds hate MAM! George Payne hate MAM! Edmund Hinkson hate Payne!
And best of all the Eager 11 hate Freundel.
LOLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Somehow or other both DLP/BLP administrations ALWAYS succeed in legislating, implementing and mandating laws that DISCRIMINATE against their own people. Something is wrong somewhere in the psyche of those who present themselves as leaders of the same people who suffer this discrimination. Why can’t they create laws that are uplifting instead of destroying the society?
These leaders only seen to aspire to be just like massa, own a plantation regardless what crimes they have to commit to do so, victimize and discriminate against their own, this dirty old slave/massa mentality, when will it end……when will they see the idiocy of their ways.
Those dudes like Donville and Sinckler who are telling themselves they are young, no they are not, they are middle age dudes with outdated mentalities and ideas who will do more harm than good to the island, their intellect is corroded, so therefore, we know Fruendel is ancient and should be put out to pasture.
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A shame and disgrace are the black leaders in Barbados, shame and disgrace.
Anything Mark and Stuart Maloney touches belongs the cow/bizzy brothers.
http://nakeddeparture.com/seriously-you-are-still-slaves-and-dont-have-a-clue/
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Oh dear, here we go again.
@Miller,
Diest of all I am happy you are still joining the discussions. I was away all of last year because ai was receiving treatment; here in Toronto at Sunnybrook hospital for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma; diagnosed by physicians at the QEH that so many people try to vilify, but which I can testify is an excellent facility, with problems that so many better off institutions experience, Thankfully it has gone into remission and I can say that, for now, I am a Cancer survivor.
Now to other things; more mundane perhaps; As far as I remember Sugar Point has not been abandoned. Based on what I read in the Environmental Assessment report; did you read it? I don’t remember seeing your signature in the book that persons had to sign when they were given access to it, but then again persons in high places do not have to go through the same process, as we ordinary plebs,, that is not a development that can be done within a short time; even if the funding is in place. Did you know that in preparation for the dredging that will take place corals had to be removed from the area and transplanted in other areas to grow so that they would not be destroyed? The other things needed for the development; architect drawings etc, model testing etc take time. so be patient, the government is still in power so no promises have been broken. All in good time.
You people always want things done in a hurry. You see what is happening due to the piece of legislation that you voted for with regard to Statutory Corporations? Your leader should shut up because she spoke on the matter and voted for it. It had, and has nothing to do with the present government, although they have the responsibility to solve the problem.
@Well Well;
Your bias is showing again. Maloney, COW, Bizzy, etc, were still Bajans and therefore have a right to be successful businessmen. Black businessmen are also successful in Barbados, so don’t get on as if they don’t have a right to succeed . ALL BAJANS have that right, and because they succeed does not mean that we are beholden to them.
“they are middle age dudes with outdated mentalities and ideas who will do more harm than good to the island, their intellect is corroded, so therefore, we know Fruendel is ancient and should be put out to pasture.” Whether you like them or not these are your people. They may have other ideas than you but they are worthy of respect. The would have come up under the same conditions as you and since they have reached the level they have is deserving of some respect. Denigrating them does nothing to uplift you.Your epithets etc are not worthy of you and your intelligence,
@Simple Simon,
It seems that your associates are trying to go against the legislation that ensures that the workers get one pension–that from tha national Insurance. Isn’t this so?Every person should manage their funds judiciously and not expect the government to spoon feed them If they cant do it on their own they should get someone to do it for them.
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Well it is off to the Courts through a Certificate of Urgency
Section 48 of the Barbados Constitution will be invoked.
So speaketh King Freundel Jerome Stuart
As I said earlier……..the unions are at stage 3…….Freundel is long gone to phase 5……
!
Those who want to learn more go to CBC at 8pm tonight.
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Fractured
your king David Thompson blow up, with a big guts ,then dry up and dead , now I am seeing your king Stuart has blow up with a big guts,
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watch dog i believe you had something to do with DT demise i seems like your outburst at DT is a catharsis which gives the way for you to clear your conscience,every time u open your mouth it is DT this or DT dah dah dah dah….if you keep up on this long drawn out road to escape your demons… sooner rather than later the truth would come from your poisonous lips and your tongue would become as dried up as DT bones,
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By the nonsense he spouted tonight, Freundel Stuart has proven beyond reasonable doubt that this is definitely “A Government of Nonsense.”
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This is a government that will tolerate no criticism of any of their decisions…..bad though they are!
This man called the PM has gone off the rails……no leader other than a dictator speaks like this about his citizens……….referring to a trade union leader as an element…..new wine in old skins……….
What a pitiful display of arrogance, contempt and ridicule.
This moron forgot that had the government he leads kept its promise that……….if you vote for the DLP, none one of you will lose your job but if you vote for the BLP 10,000 of wunnah are going to lose your jobs”………..
Well, the BLP lost and guess who are carrying out the mass terminations? The same DLP………………………..nasty liars! Anything to win an election.
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Prodigirl
Why you don’t abandon yuh ‘Choke and Rob’ tactics!
Yuh wicked element!
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WEll Said PM Again You have the BEES in a tail spin spinning around in circles oblivious of the Law that grants you privilege to seek recourse. Well SAid PM your actions today would go down in history as a productive instrument that took the law to guide the country out of troubled waters.
Green truck to the rescue
http://www.nationnews.com/IMG/797/59797/ssa-green-garbage-truck4112-450×303.jpg?1436755548
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That would be the green truck bought by the Government specifically to collect recycleable waste which is now going to be burned in the Cahill WTE plant?
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@ ac
DT blow out ,then lost the air , and gone
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If a leader of a country cannot be eloquent with language within a fueled situation on the horizon led by the two most powerful trade unions, then that leader who was asleep cannot be deemed a statesman. Barbados had many strikes that crippled this island and not one Prime Minister responded with such arrogant, communistic behaviour calling our labour leaders some of the most derogatory names because of the union’s position. Society will deal with such outbursts in due time.
This whole issue pertaining to an interpretation regarding Section 8 of the Statutory Boards Pension Act could have possibly be an oversight where at the time employees were receiving pension at age 60. That act should have been repealed to coincide when pensions were increase to 65 and then to 67. How on earth you can force retirement on an individual at 60 knowing that entitlement of such pension will start at 67.
Should our present Union leaders sing in the same choir to appeased a Government? These two young leaders were nurtured into leadership roles by both retired leaders and were accepted by the General Council to lead and should not to be intimidated or hoodwinked by anyone. I salute both of these youthful. intelligent wide awake leaders who are representing workers and not selling out like what happened to NCC, Sandy Lane, BL&P, Royal Shop and a host of other failed representations. Bushie, I bet the our PM is dealing with the wrong forum regarding “fanatics that are armed with guns” who are the ones beefing up our murder statistics that have our AG wondering how these weapons getting into the island so easily.
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Tell me Why
In your zeal your forgot section 48 of the Constitution of Barbados.
But then again you were groomed by fanatical elements!
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“Fractured BLP July 14, 2015 at 1:33 AM #
Tell me Why
In your zeal your forgot section 48 of the Constitution of Barbados”
Fractured in your zeal you forgot the above
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@Tell ME WHY, & Balance.
You seem to forget that we do not each live separate from all others. This section from the excerpt shows…”subject to such limitations of that protection as are contained in those provisions, being limitations designed to ensure that the enjoyment of the said rights and freedoms by any individual does not prejudice the rights and freedoms of others or the public interest.”
The important part of this section points out that the protection offered the individual DOES NOT PREJUDICE THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF OTHERS OR THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
If the relevant section under which the workers contract gave certain powers to the employer, the workers have to adhere to those terms and condition s until the oversight has been remedied. The seme way the government has to adhere to the restriction on the reduction in salaries to civil servants the employees have to accept the restriction on the extension of employment beyond what has been agreed to in their terms of employment.
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I became quite worried when the PM started referring to himself in the third person proclaiming that he would soon be transforming Barbados into a republic. I have found that referring to one’s self in the third person is indicative of a supersized ego. The belligerent language which he uses towards people who oppose him indicates arrogance and disdain. There is such a thing as being firm and another thing called being offensive, disparaging and dismissive. I think this PM needs to take a long hard look at himself because it took twice as long “in power” for Arthur to become half as arrogant as he (Stuart) has become. Sir, your government’s actions have pushed the unnaturally tolerant unions to this point. Therefore it is not the unions which are bringing this country to its knees but your government. You challenged the unions when you dismissed them as noisemakers. What else did you expect them to do but become actors?
As my grandmother used to say, “Wuh yuh en say sound better!”
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Anonijah calypsoIan sound— LEFT RIGHT NOW! is what Fruendel needs to do.
Fruendel you have overstepped your BOUNDS on this one….. Please LEFT Do, as your latest sounding off pointing to chaos and activity we Bajans do not need.
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Actually the PM’s utterings and that of his displaced deputy, Ronald Jones,amounts to one and the the same, “Crack some skulls!” Physically and/ or via legislatlion,
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If the unions strike tomorrow I will put the blame squarely at feet of David of BU.
Why you may ask ?
David have spent the best part of the past 2 years promoting ‘blackmail’ and ‘choke and rob’ tactics against this great DLP government!
All the while he forget the government has residual powers under section 48 of the Constitution.
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Essentially, we have a situation where the political strategy being employed the DLP and their foot soldiers have been adhering to a crafted script.
Take BU as an example. It is interesting to note that when an issue pertaining to the government first comes to BU for comment, the usual DLP protagonist do not come to BU immediately. They take a few hours to strategiize before coming to the blog, to PERSISTENTLY post contributions with a CONSISTENT LINE OF ARGUMENT. Evidently, each of them have a specific role to play.
However, it’s the “same old, same old,” since we have seen it played out against organizations such as BAMP, BES, BIPA, BUT, BSTU, UWI Students’ Alumni and now the NUPW and BWU, who at some point in time may have staged some sort of industrial action or protest against a government policy relative to the specific group.
First, the foot soldiers assigned to the various social media are the ones who set the agenda. The first item on the agenda is to constantly attack the character and credibility of the leaders of those organizations, while aligning them as members of, or being motivated by the BLP.
They attack the organizations by using phrases such as “their anti-government agenda because they are obviously being controlled by external forces that do not have the country’s best interest at heart, only their thirst for power,” “short sighted jackasses who just want power but offer no real solutions to improving the country.”
This was done to Dr. Carlos Chase of BAMP; Ryan Straughn and Jeremy Stephen, BES; June Fowler, BIPA; Mary Redman, BSTU, Damani Parris, UWI Students’ Alumni; and now Akanni McDowall and Toni Moore of the NUPW and BWU, respectively.
Comments such as: “No clear or justifiable reason has been brought forward by the union as to what it is they wish to achieve in the long run,” “Akanni MacDowell has not clearly stated what his position is and what his motivations are. I am afraid that he in over his head,” and “do not agree with the ones pulling the strings,” have been conveniently leveled at McDowall, but not at the leaders of the other unions involved.
The second part of the strategy is to imply that Mia Mottley is the main factor or driving force behind any industrial action taken. They use phrases such as “she is power hungry,” “not putting the country first,” “self interest,” “politically motivated,” “being political” and “her actions are not in the best interest of the country.”
This is followed by barrage of comments about Mottley’s character, her integrity and unsuitability to become PM of Barbados.
Thirdly, specific DLP yard-fowls are assigned to make pejorative remarks about any individual who dare to oppose the government and to promote any minister under scrutiny or the PM and by extension, the DLP, by attempting to make us believe everything this administration does is CORRECT.
If you were to observe closely, Alvin Cummins, the ACs, Fractured BLP, NationBLPnewspaper, Bajanfuhlife, Liam Massy and Chaucer each have their own unique style. However, Togetherness, My Two Cents and Just Observing seem to be one individual.
But at the end of the day, BU is not the wiser with their contributions; they don’t present any information to substantiate their points. It’s just a lot of empty, rhetorical party political diatribe and generalized statements.
IT’S ALL A POLITICAL GAME.
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@ Donna
“I have found that referring to one’s self in the third person is indicative of a supersized ego.”
Surely that can’t be right. If it was then you would be saying Bush Tea has a huge ego.
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@Ataxerxes,
very succinct analysis analysis, but misplaced. I am not guided by anybody but my experience, education and training and common sense. In this latest fiasco the immaturity and inexperience of the union leadership clearly shows. When there is a problem involving union members you don’t start of by taking an intransigent position and close the door to negotiation. You do not put your people on the street if you have not considered all the positions of the parties involved, and you do not box yourself into a corner from the beginning. Militancy should not be your opening position. Threat of a National Strike should not be threatened unless all the ramifications are taken into consideration (a national strike is a serious thing to consider, there are too many people and things to be taken into consideration most of all the attitude of the public at large) Is the public at large sympathetic to this issue and the position taken by the Trades Unions? I think not for having seen photos taken by journalists the number of people taking part in the march did not stretch the length of the wharf. Compare with the marchers when the 8% cut took place? Remember when people were convinced that the government was wrong to cut peoples’ salaries and the government was taken to court;Gladwin King vs Govt of Barbados, even as far as the Privy Council, and it was ruled that the Government was within its rights. I suspect that if this case went to court that the BIDC will be shown to be within its legal rights. The Union should not box itself into a corner by making the types of demands it is. Do they expect the if the BIDC is within its legal rights, and in the face of the dire economic circumstances the government finds itself, and in the face of the short period between now and crop over, and in the face of the thousands of the public who have invested time and money in preparation for Crop-over, and in the light of the hundreds of business persons who have invested time and money for years in preparation for this time, and the hundreds of persons from overseas who would have planned, spent money aND LOOK FORWARD TO RETURNING HOME BRINGING FRIENDS AND FAMILY, and in view of the millions of dollars in foreign xchange that will be lost to the economy,experienced labour leaders would have been willing to seek a negotiable position and showed that they were willing, using less belligerence and a more conciliatory attitude to at least put a pause in the matter. given the reasons I have posited.
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St. George’s Dragon,
I rest my case.
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Artaxerxes,
So, you’re telling me that these people strategise for hours and this is what they come up with?!!!! I’m sorry but in this instance I HAVE to believe that you err. I have to believe that these people (except Chaucer and Observing) are just low level yard fowls with no mandate from the powers that be. Or else they are BLP operatives creating the profile of the DLP supporter as being a raving lunatic.
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Alvin Cummins July 14, 2015 at 8:40 PM #
@Ataxerxes,
very succinct analysis analysis, but misplaced. I am not guided by anybody but my experience, education and training and common sense. In this latest fiasco the immaturity and inexperience of the union leadership clearly shows. When there is a problem involving union members you don’t start of by taking an intransigent position and close the door to negotiation.”
Surely Mr Cummins this post in itself does not give support to your view of yourself as analytical, and one with experience, education, training and common sense all of which I have ascribed to you before. However you do not seem to have applied those virtues in seeking the truth to the resolution of this particular issue but merely appear to have adopted a political partisan approach. If you took time out to research the matter you would observe from the sequence of events that the BIDC board started the confusion by not acceding to the UNION’S request to withdraw the termination letters and meet urgently to discuss the issues since the Corporation’s attempt to reduce the numbers of the BIDC staff was in breach of of the Employments Rights Act and the Statutory Boards(Pensions) Act.
Granted the BIDC board feels that they were not breaching the Statutory Boards (Pension) Act or the Employment Rights Act but on the other hand the UNION felt that they did. and wanted a meeting to thrash out the issue before the workers were retired forcibly.
Now Mr Cummins, you say you have training, education and common sense and think analytically; tell me honestly if you were a worker representative how would you with your training respond to this intransigence by the employer.
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Artaxerxes;
Excellent analysis. However I think you’re wrong about Observing. I think he is, although self admittedly a DLP, not a brainless one like the two you group him with and he has often brought good independant analysis to the BU table.
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Donna July 15, 2015 at 4:41 AM #
“So, you’re telling me that these people strategise for hours and this is what they come up with?!!!! I’m sorry but in this instance I HAVE to believe that you err. I have to believe that these people (except Chaucer and Observing) are just low level yard fowls with no mandate from the powers that be. Or else they are BLP operatives creating the profile of the DLP supporter as being a raving lunatic.”
I like you a lot, Donna. Unfortunately, that’s the script. I logged on to VOB’s chat yesterday and I saw the “exact same thing” being played out in that forum.
These people are “DIE HARD” DLP supporters, agreeing with EVERYTHING the government does, and amazingly, they don’t see their actions as being political. The individuals who do not agree are being political. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE BEHIND THAT TYPE OF REASONING.
Don’t you realise that
1) If there’s any post relating to this government, the DLP protagonist don’t come onto BU as quickly as they do to respond to other posts.
2) On every occasion their responses follow a particular pattern.
3) Their first objective is to besmear the character and credibility of the leaders of any organisation that protest any action undertaken by the government, mentioning repeatedly that protest is political and motivated by the BLP.
4) They have a duty to respond to EVERY contribution that may not be supportive of the government.
5) They associate Mia Mottley with any and everything or any contributor who may not be supportive of government policy.
6) To them, anyone who does not support a government strategy or policy is being political, a BLP yard-fowl, unpatriotic, preachers of doom and gloom, don’t love the country……… after comes insult time.
If you compare the contributions of the ACs to those of contributors such as Bush Tea, Piece, De Word, Are-we-there-yet, balance or you, Donna, you will discover that, while the latter display a level of intelligence by posting well articulated informative contributions, the former post contributions with incoherent, rhetorical party political diatribe, laced with irrelevant metaphors.
Case in point, do you understand anything Dompey writes? This guy writes pure jobby……. seems as though he takes large doses of castor oil and epsom salts at the same time.
As I mentioned before, “But at the end of the day, BU is not the wiser with their contributions; they don’t present any information to substantiate their points. It’s just a lot of empty, rhetorical party political diatribe and generalized statements.”
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I do see the pattern but my question would be – how would such incoherent babbling be effective in discrediting a reasoned argument. Who of the powers that be could be so stupid as to consider these tactics and these particular agents of the tactics to be helpful to their cause? Are you telling me that this is the best that they can do?
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Donna July 15, 2015 at 6:21 AM #
“I do see the pattern but my question would be – how would such incoherent babbling be effective in discrediting a reasoned argument. Who of the powers that be could be so stupid as to consider these tactics and these particular agents of the tactics to be helpful to their cause? Are you telling me that this is the best that they can do?”
Donna, I often ask if Douglas, AC, Fractured BLP, Waiting, Bajanfuhlife, Dompey et al, are the best the DLP could come up with to represent them on BU.
These guys are “poor rakey.” I used to enjoy revealing the flaws in their arguments, but many of us don’t take them seriously. Would you take a guy with the moniker “Dompey” seriously?
Hahahahahahaha!!!!
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balance July 15, 2015 at 5:25 AM #
“Surely Mr Cummins this post in itself does not give support to your view of yourself as analytical, and one with experience, education, training and common sense all of which I have ascribed to you before.”
Balance, your response to Cummins saved me from responding to him.
His contributions pertaining to this industrial action issue is indicative of the fact that he does not have the requisite training in human resource management, nor is he familiar with the industrial relations process.
The DLP buzz word for McDowall is “immature.” However, surely Cummins and those of his ilk must realize that the McDowall is NOT the NUPW.
That union has an executive/general council and advisors to which all industrial matters must be referred before any action can be undertaken, as well as lawyers who would provide legal guidance.
Additionally, the NUPW is affiliated to a number of international trade unions and related organisations such as the International Centre for Trade Union Rights (which is accredited by the UN and ILO).
Also, individuals such as Roslyn Smith, Wayne Waldron and Delcena Burke are (MATURE) qualified trade unionist with many years of experience.
As such, McDowall has available to him a wealth of experience and resources on which he could rely and take advice accordingly.
Therefore, he cannot get up one morning, without following the necessary consultation process, and demand members of the union to strike, without the action being endorsed by the general council and the membership.
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@ St George’s Dragon & Donna
Surely that can’t be right. If it was then you would be saying Bush Tea has a huge ego.
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Um right! 🙂
Wuh Boss….how do you avoid having an inflated ego when you have been adopted by the Big Boss Engineers….? The Bushman tries…..but um read hard yuh… especially when the whacker rev up…. ha ha ha
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Bushie,
See. I’ve got your number, haven’t I? LOL
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@ Donna
…so why don’t you call um….
You could more closely investigate the exact size of Bushie’s ego then…. 🙂
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@Artraxerxes,
You wrote “… if you were a worker representative how would you with your training respond to this intransigence by the employer.”
I do have training, experience and education in this area. I have a Certificate in aapublic Administration from the UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, and a Certificate in Hospital and Health Care Administration from the University of Saskatchewan here in Canada. I was also on the Executive (Secretary) of the local branch of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSIEU) for three years. I took part in negotiations and also picketed the Ontario Legislature when we were negotiating increases in salaries; which we had not received for over two years, in the middle of winter(they picketing in temperatures of minus 10-15 for an experience.
Now in answer to your question, The unions did get meetings with the BIDC, and with the Minister. They also had meetings with the Chief Labour Officer and the Minister of Labour, so you can’t really taLK ABOUT INTRANSIGENCE OF THE EMPLOYER.Where they made their first error was to BEGIN their approach in a take it or leave it manner, and a stated intention of not moving from that position, but escalating it. There was no room for negotiating or “meeting in the middle.” In all negotiations each side will start off from extreme positions but these are usually positions that allow for movement. As I said “when yuh hand in the lion mouth you got to eeease it out.
Respect is due on either side.The same way the Unions want the employer to respect them they also have to give the employer due respect.Negotiations can and should be HARMONIOUS.
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@Artraxerxes,
I have no doubt that internal discussion and consultations must have taken place, and ai acknowledge the experience of the trades unionists, but maybe they were so intent on confrontation that the advice, whatever it was could not have been taken. The poison from the get go was; inter alia, withdraw the letters first; in other words return to the status quo, or we will call out the troops (employees).
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Bushie,
Don’t need to. My investigation is complete. Language often reveals to me the essence of a person. Those pesky words tell all once one can read between the lines. lol
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So ole wise one what are u going to do about it ..ban our a.sses The Fact being this is a democracry and free speech encourages dissent and disagreements.Another Fact being that in the twist and turns of this controverversy the leader of the BLP did not present herself as a parliamentary representative but as a power hungry political operative.Who needs additional stoking of fire coming from a parlimentarian when her role would have been better placed within the confines revisting legislation as a powerbroker finding easement and compromise.
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Artaxerxes,
If you are correct then we are doomed! They couldn’t send more worthy opponents? Those kind of arguments do their image more harm than good.
By the way, did you see my reply to your Ezra comment? I was just being sarcastic and having a little fun.
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Alvin Cummins July 15, 2015 at 7:40 AM #
@Artraxerxes, You wrote “… if you were a worker representative how would you with your training respond to this intransigence by the employer.”
Perhaps you should pay much more attention to the authors of contributions.
You have attributed a comment to me which I did not make.
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@ Donna
“ac July 15, 2015 at 7:59 AM #: So ole wise one what are u going to do about it ..ban our a.sses The Fact being this is a democracry and free speech encourages dissent and disagreements. Another Fact being that in the twist and turns of this controverversy the leader of the BLP did not present herself as a parliamentary representative but as a power hungry political operative.”
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See what I tell yuh, Donna, there is a particular script these idiots follow.
The NUPW, BWU and Unity can claim victory on behalf of ALL workers in Barbados. Rather than discuss the results or admit, in this particular instance, that the government was wrong, what does this political pimp do?
Blame Mia Mottley.
Now, this impasse was between the BIDC and the unions, and had absolutely nothing to do with Mottley.
But this is all a part of the strategy. Read and you will discover their main objective will be to try to shift the focus and the discussion from the failings of the DLP, to Mottley.
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ac July 14, 2015 at 8:12 AM #
The PM is absolutely correct misguided adventurism leads to mob rule. There are processes put in place to govern which the Union has deliberately discarded in their. zeal and political rush to judgement. This issue one which borders on intrepretatation of law as the PM so rightfully stated is now placed with Court of Law and at present point and time the rules which govern union should be respected stating that strike action should be suspended until the law courts make a decision. Yes this new breed of Unionism should and must be harnessed according to law for the safey and protection of the countryThe PM is absolutely correct in his assement and made a judgement call wherby all should take heed
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The above comments are nuff, nuff shiite.
The decision taken by the government to rescind the letters is a victory FOR ALL WORKERS.
If the “MATURE OLD GUARD” of the union had this much zeal when the NCC and Denis Lowe “deliberately discarded processes put in place to govern” the retrenchment of those former NCC employees, i.e. “last in, first out,” they would not have to be waiting on the ERT to address their grievances.
Under the present circumstances, the PM, by the shiite he talked on Monday, exhibited “misguided adventurism,” in his “zeal and political rush to judgment.” The PM’s mouth “should and must be harnessed according to law for the safety and protection of the country.” Gaston Browne basically said the same thing in his correspondence to Stuart.
“Yes, this new breed of Unionism” has indicated to this administration that it is prepared to fight any injustice to be perpetrated by this administration on the workers of Barbados. The union was “absolutely correct in their assessment and made a judgment call whereby all should take heed.”
The “OLD GUARD” that allowed this administration to treat the public sector employees as they felt like, has GONE. It’s time to stand up for your rights and not be manipulated by the threatening words of an idiot we have as the PM of Barbados.
A few weeks ago when asked about the unions, Stuart said he heard them keeping noise, to which he was not paying any attention.
On Monday, he came out waging war, threatening to change laws, calling people mobsters, rapist, coke and robbers and immature. It seems as though the union thought he was “keeping a lot of noise as well” because they did not back down. Now, after all the shiite Stuart spewed, he was the one to back-down.
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@ Aratxerxes
Excellent posts on this thread………..great analysis of the morons.
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@ ac
Are you enjoying your humble pie?
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@ Artax
Skippa …you is something else then….
Don’t you realise that the ONLY value in AC’s nonsense here on BU is that you take the effort to respond? EVERYBODY knows that AC is about as smart as Froon …and just as useless…
…when will you do us all a favour and stop enhancing her shiite with responses?
Shiite man, it is like picking through fowl shit to see what they are eating…
AC and Dompey should be entertained on BU because they demonstrate the level of intelligence of our current leaders, but there HAS to be something wrong with seriously engaging them in an intelligent conversation… It is called “feeding pearls to swine”.
BTW
…in 2007, the BLP had their morons on BU too…. with the same shiite, talking bout burning Loverage house etc….
Anyway, he gone back to sport. 🙂
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There is agreement the process was not followed by the BIDC by the MoL, why are still debating the issue again?
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Bushiie,
Maybe that explains why they lost the elections. What do you think – are the DLP morons doing any better than the BLP morons?
Don’t know what AC is saying in her more dominant personality. I have given up trying to read her comments. You are right, maybe Artaxerxes should give up answering that particular AC personality and probably Fractured BLP and BLP Nation Newspaper unless they can somehow borrow a few brain cells and come up with something worthwhile to contribute. I don’t think their arguments can fool anyone who can read anyhow. He should focus on the few who actually present an argument that could fool someone old enough to vote.
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Bush Tea July 15, 2015 at 8:38 AM #
“@ Artax Skippa …you is something else then…..Don’t you realise that the ONLY value in AC’s nonsense here on BU is that you take the effort to respond? EVERYBODY knows that AC is about as smart as Froon …and just as useless……”
Bushie, have you noticed recently I stopped exposing their ignorance?
But ah couldn’t let this wun pass, ah had to respond to remind DEM that Froon and he guvment did wrong pun this issue.
But leh me tell yuh, if the BEES “get in,” I don’t think they will get an easy time from me. I got EVERYTHING they say on file.
I can tolerate solid arguments that are substantiated with facts. But I have a very low tolerance level for yard-fowls, whether they are in the BLP coop or the DLP coop.
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Donna July 15, 2015 at 9:03 AM #
“You are right, maybe Artaxerxes should give up answering that particular AC personality and probably Fractured BLP and BLP Nation Newspaper unless they can somehow borrow a few brain cells and come up with something worthwhile to contribute.”
Yes, Donna, you are correct, perhaps I should not respond to their gibberish.
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noise that cause parties to seek resolve rather than escalation a move which served the best interest of country and not no one group entity or political organisation.That as it may Mia did little or nothing to serve country,s best interest or to seek resolve at a higher level rather than one source of disruptiveness
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Mia’s role to sit, be patient and learn from the ample examples of the DLP as to HOW NOT TO RUN A COUNTRY AND LEAD A PEOPLE.
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I just can’t get over the ignorant statement of the Prime Minister that he sat and watch the situation escalate so that Bajans could see first hand the behaviour of the Unions. This is the most idiotic statement I have ever heard from a PM at any time, anywhere in the world.
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The PM always has a reason (besides sheering indecision and laziness) for refusing to act one way or another.
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noise that cause parties to seek resolve rather than escalation a move which served the best interest of country and not no one group entity or political organisation.That as it may Mia did little or nothing to serve country,s best interest or to seek resolve at a higher level rather than source of disruptiveness
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@ Guy Fox
Don’t you think it’s time to give it a rest you proponents like Fractured and Ac of this Government of NONSENSE? Have you all not yet learnt from Fumbles that it is sometimes better to keep one’s stupid and rank rantings to yourselves?……
Congrats to the people of Barbados and the NUPW young turks McDowall.
Fumbles and Donville look like true Cornwallis-es tis morning…..MURDA
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Sorry Guy Fox……misread your FEARTHERS…..LOL (bare wid me). A roman-candle blinded me.
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deputy dawg alias bush sh.t u always sticking u duhty mout in people bizness .why dont u go and managed uh website dat got no traffic
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@ ac
This is not Bushie my dear ac, LOL stop your stupid ranting. I new like New York, FOOL!
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@Bushie, Artaxeerxes et al.
So the social partners met. So calmer heads and some kind of common sense prevailed. Let the process continue and let the universe unfold as it should. Neither side beat the other.
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@Alvin
It seems you are always lagging the news cycle. This matter is still not settled based on recent utterances by the MoL.
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@David,’
I never said the matter is settled. I said ” let the process continue, and let the universe unfold as it should”.
I am indeed lagging the news cycle because I am back in Toronto.
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Alvin Cummins July 15, 2015 at 7:40 AM #
@Artraxerxes,
You wrote “… if you were a worker representative how would you with your training respond to this intransigence by the employer.”
Mr Cummins, it was my comment not Artaerxes- Can you not understand that the issue arose out of the workers having been forcibly terminated without consultations/negotiations with the NUPW and not what transpired afterwards and I know you are not that stupid. Don’t let purblind allegiance to a once formidable institution that has long lost its way take precedence over your principles and common sense.
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“..Where they made their first error was to BEGIN their approach in a take it or leave it manner, and a stated intention of not moving from that position, but escalating it. There was no room for negotiating or “meeting in the middle.”
Mr Cummins you are quite disingenuous and you ought to speak to Minister Inniss who offered to meet with the Union but declared up front he was not changing his position.
You Dems make me laugh. Mr Barrow would be ashamed of you all for not using your ability to think rationally.
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Israeli professor disclosed in a recent lecture series at Columbia University that Israeli authorities have permitted large pharmaceutical firms to experiment on Palestinian prisoners, and have been testing weapons on Palestinian children.
Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, the Lawrence D. Biele Chair in Law at Israel’s Hebrew University, also presented in Amsterdam in January on the same topic.
Promotional material for the events describe her lecture as illustrating through “the voices and writings of Jerusalemite children who live under Occupation” that Israel’s practices of “surveying, imprisoning, torturing, and killing can be used as a laboratory for states, arms companies, and security agencies to market their technologies as ‘combat proven.’”
Shalhoub-Kevorkian’s presentation was based on data she gathered for a research project for the university. The work, titled Arrested Childhood in Spaces of Indifference: The Criminalized Children of Occupied East Jerusalem, was published in the Canadian Journal of Women and the Law in 2018 and co-authored by Shahrazad Odeh, who is also on the Faculty of Law and Institute of Criminology at Hebrew University.
In the article, the authors demonstrate how Israel’s policy of targeting Palestinian children and childhood through the criminal justice system is fundamental to the state’s mechanism of colonial dispossession. They shed light on the critical role that the Israeli legal system plays in the state’s “racist project.”
Drug experiments on Palestinian prisoners
Shalhoub-Kevorkian revealed in her lecture at Columbia University that Israeli occupation authorities issue permits to large pharmaceutical firms, which then carry out tests on Palestinian prisoners.
Telesur recalls that as far back as July 1997,
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported remarks for Dalia Itzik, chairman of a parliamentary committee, acknowledged that the Israeli Ministry of Health had given pharmaceutical firms permits to test their new drugs of inmates, noting that 5,000 tests had already been carried out.
The recent, well-publicized incident of the death of an Israeli prison inmate, Palestinian Fares Baroud, raised suspicions that he may have been a test subject. Israeli authorities refused to relinquish the body. Baroud suffered from a number of illnesses.
Weapons testing for profit
Shalhoub-Kevorkian also pointed out that Israeli military firms test weapons on Palestinian children in the Palestinian neighborhoods of occupied East Jerusalem.
“Palestinian spaces are laboratories,” she explained. “The invention of products and services of state-sponsored security corporations are fueled by long-term curfews and Palestinian oppression by the Israeli army,” and “Israeli security industry [is] using them as showcases” to boost security technologies and weapon sales in the global market.
Hebrew University response
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem distanced itself from Shalhoub-Kevorkian’s claims, releasing a statement,
The views expressed by Prof. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian don’t represent or express in any way the views of the Hebrew University or the university administration, but are her personal opinion that reflect only her views.
Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian is the Lawrence D. Biele Chair in Law at the Faculty of Law-Institute of Criminology and the School of Social Work and Public Welfare at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a Global Chair in Law at Queen Mary University of London. Her research focuses on law, society, and crimes of abuse of power. She studies the crime of femicide and other forms of gendered violence, crimes of abuse of power in settler colonial contexts, surveillance, securitization and social control, and children, trauma, and recovery in militarized and colonized zones. Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian is a criminologist and specialist in human rights and women’s rights.
Shalhoub-Kevorkian’s most recent book is entitled: Security Theology, Surveillance and the Politics of Fear,” published by Cambridge University Press. She also authored “Militarization and Violence Against Women in Conflict Zones in the Middle East: The Palestinian Case Study” published by Cambridge University Press, 2010. She has published articles in multi-disciplinary fields including British Journal of Criminology, International Review of Victimology, Feminism and Psychology, Middle East Law and Governance, International Journal of Lifelong Education, American Behavioral Scientist Journal, Social Service Review, Violence Against Women, Journal of Feminist Family Therapy: An International Forum, Social Identities, Social Science and Medicine, Signs, Law & Society Review, and more. As a resident of the old city of Jerusalem, Shalhoub-Kevorkian is a prominent local activist. She engages in direct actions and critical dialogue to end the inscription of power over Palestinian children’s lives, spaces of death, and women’s birthing bodies and lives.
Kathryn Shihadah is staff writer for If Americans Knew. She blogs at Palestine Home
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