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Overseas Travel by Politicians and Civil Servants High on the Agenda

Some Barbadians have wondered about the need for government officials to travel overseas first class and in many cases to travel at all during a protracted period of austerity. Do you know government officials […] – politicians and civil servants –  continue to trapeze the globe to attend meaningless conferences/meetings while increasing taxes on Barbadians? …

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Auditor General, Leigh Trotman's voice has been one in the wilderness.
Auditor General, Leigh Trotman’s voice has been one in the wilderness.

Some Barbadians have wondered about the need for government officials to travel overseas first class and in many cases to travel at all during a protracted period of austerity. Do you know government officials […]

– politicians and civil servants –  continue to trapeze the globe

to attend meaningless conferences/meetings while increasing taxes on Barbadians?  BU concedes some travel will be necessary to efficiently conduct the business of government, however, the government needs to built trust in its policies by engaging the public to explain its travel commitments. How are Barbadians to understand first class travel and accommodation and four and five star hotels while same government is defaulting on VAT and Income Tax rebates to citizens and companies?

Barbadian taxpayers who elected politicians deserve to be treated with respect. We need this government to be more transparency about how it spends OUR money. We know from reading the Auditor General reports through the years – BLP and DLP – we need to demand greater transparency and accountability from government. Successful private companies which undertake to make harsh demands on its employees, always place a high premium on managing the process by engaging in crystal communication strategies to allay the fears of an important stakeholder in the process as much as is practicable.

We (sensible Barbadians) want to know the budgets for the last three years for overseas travel by ministers of government and public servants to help inform our conclusion whether the acuity of government is intact.

An article titled – It’s not all first-class travel and fine dining when you’re PM: Cameron is spotted scoffing Pringles while squashed in to his seat in economy class – makes for good reading.

90 responses to “Overseas Travel by Politicians and Civil Servants High on the Agenda”

  1. balance Avatar
    balance

    “Alvin Cummins August 22, 2015 at 1:13 AM #

    @ Racehrse.
    The BLP government was in power when the EFPAs were being issued and invested in by money managers. The Supervisor of Insurance was aware also that the level of the reserves of CLICO, required by law, was not to that required by law. I NEVER said or indicated in ANY way that Arthur received CLICO funds from CLICO or Parris. As Prime Minister at the time he should have taken steps. The DLP had not been elected yet and Thompson was still working as a lawyer in his law firm; working for his client Parris.
    The BLP has to bear a great deal of responsibility for the fiasco. As I have said before, the DLP always has to clean up the mess when the BLP has to leave office. CLICO started when they were in office.”

    Mr Cummings in your effort again to give your beloved party a pass on mismanagement you rightly but conveniently choose to place the blame for me not having been able to claim the $22000. due me on my matured policies on a Government thrown out of office by the electorate for mismanagement because a DLP led administration by Mr David Thompson convinced us that they could and would do better. History has now proved otherwise. Perhaps my naivety led me to believe Mr Thompson when he said he would not lie cheat or steal and when he said CLICO was a well run company and injected ten million dollars of taxpayers money into the company to prove to Barbadians that he had confidence in the company but I believed.

  2. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    Not only is Cummings giving his ” beloved party a pass on mismanagement” but he is brazenly condoning the unethical behaviour of its leader Thompson.

    If “The Supervisor of Insurance was aware …that [CLICO] level of the reserves…was not to that required by law” when their attorney Mr Thompson was working for them then he knew this too and also their other operational issues.

    Yet Mr Cummings is content that despite Thompson’s clear knowledge of CLICO’s operational stability or lack thereof he had no issue whatever making assertions to the Bajan electorate to the contrary and then by his conspiratorial machinations effectively moving the sum of $3.3M from the Barbados Treasury to his own law firm while the sitting PM.

    In the US during the financial bailout crisis the actions of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson who was a former CEO of Goldman Sachs and thus a powerful Wall St banker came under careful scrutiny. A scrutiny borne of concerns that he manipulated bailout funds in order to also benefit himself or associates. There were no such links found as his divestment was comprehensive and apparently iron-clad.

    Thompson was supposedly divested from his previous business as an attorney for CLICO too, yet he was able to move that $3.3M check to an account at the firm unbeknownst, it is said, to anyone else there.

    That’s unethical. That’s fraudulent. That’s criminal.

    So based on the actions laid out in the Judicial Manager’s report, our PM’s estate would be embroiled in numerous lawsuits if this was a US jurisdiction and with Cummings’ long list of accomplishments re financial management he knows this.

    Yet again he chooses to display his standard disgusting dishonesty re all things DLP.

    One wonders why he notes his certification when he clearly has no ability to use any of the knowledge objectively. Waste of frigging time and energy!

  3. David Avatar
    David

    If a society cannot trust its elders to impart knowledge by dint of experience to add value to improving live why bother to get old.

  4. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    Oh dear me! David I hope to get ‘old’ or in my case ‘older’ and hopefully be able to maintain my objectivity and ideally to ‘add value to improving’ life, so that statement above re trusting elders is COLD! LOL.

  5. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @David,

    Nothing wrong with getting old and even old and foolish.

    You just have to know your limitations.

  6. Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right

    @ SSS

    Imagine This.

    You come all the way to Barbados and you ent even come and say nuffin to de ole man!!

    Den you gone back and come here to BU and ent say nuffin to me or the nex fellow who trying to likted you, I is not going mention he name, he know who he is, and you ent even say nuffin to me nor he but you hailing Alvin Cummins!!

    I dun wid you…you hurt do ole man feelings

  7. Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right

    On getting ole…

    It is said that wisdom comes with getting old, de ole man ent know causing wunna dun see dat I is not wise at all…

    But I gine try a ting here regarding the phenomena of thievery that is endemic in these acts of larceny and state supported embezzlement.

    Walk wid de ole man for a little bit …

    Imagine me a lacklustre man/woman with little common sense, nor any particular ability to perform any act of import and impact, in my substantive job. Whu somtimes some uh we ent even gots a job!!

    I am a lawyer who takes 20 years to resolve the estate of Antionette Thompson, long dead and turned to dust and while it is evident that I, as a singularly incompetent lawyer, would have been relegated to the shadows of existence, up comes death, and removes another similarly incompetent bungler from the PM position and jes so, I inherit that seat,

    Wunna grudgeful minded Bajans can bet your last dollar that I WILL NOT RELINQUISH THESE REIGNS WITHOUT A SERIOUS FIGHT

    Now go through the list of these “singularly sterile performers”, Garner, Payne, Nitwit Bratwit, Prescod, Toppin, Marshall, Boyce, Stinkliar, call any name from either camp and I you listen you will hear the resounding sound of the national psyche pointing the finger of Guilt straight at you and me.

    The voice says “Thou are the one who voted them skunt in”

    So we establish that these are “non-performers”, people who we, you and I brass bowls have given “the keys to our purse strings”.

    And no, we did not do this unwittingly, we did it knowingly, with “malice aforethought”, and have so done, every five years, since independence.

    Now back to dese stellar under-performers dat we elect.

    Dem know dat dem dint no braniacs at school and along come an opportunity that can mek dem some money, if dem play dem cards right. MP car, expense allowance, cell phones fuh we en we family, LIME and FlOW paying fuh dat (I ent say Toppin nor kickbacks) but de pint dat I tryng to mek is dat dese menses and wummens ent got a chance of a snow-cone in Hell to mek a living, furder-more be independently wealthy IF DEM DID REMAIN IN DEM SUBSTANTIVE PLACES OF EMPLOY!!

    Add to dat de fak dat dem is no Newtons!! I did say dat already right? I ole so i ent gine recall evah ting!!

    So along come dis election situation dat you and me does engage wid dem and for dem every five years, wid a clause date tell dem as long as wunna do 10 years we guaranteed wunna pension. So we put de management uh we collective skunts in de hands of dese stellar under-performers, wid dese ministerial travel perks and we cant unnerstand why it feel like a fellow squeezing we collective delicates (now mind you I did not say nuffing bout WeJonesing!! ef a fellow like squeezing a next fellow balses dat is he business!!)

    Finally, add dis to the mix.

    When you is an idjit and you getting old, whu is you prospects fuh a proper paying job?

    Wunna gots to be fair.

    If dese under-performers did remain in dem substantive jobs, dem wudda get ole like de ole man, AND DEADED, in obscurity widout a pension, and unable to mek ends meet like thousands uh we pensioners “far from the maddening crowd”.

    We put dem into the limelight skippa so when dem is squeezing we delicates by flying bout wid dem outside womens, and menses, and in-betweeners, all de ole man gine recommend is cricket balls guards (dem is some for ladies too) so dat when dem squeezing we can pretend to grimace, causing jes tinking bout de daily squeezing dem putting pun we done give de ole man a headche

  8. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    “David August 21, 2015 at 4:13 PM #: Didn’t Alvin serve as an Intervener on the PUB and FTC on several occasions? Shouldn’t he know the meaning of estimates,budgets and forecasts?”

    So was Malcolm Gibbs-Taitt…….. so what is your point?

  9. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ Cummins

    First things first, my sobriquet on BU is ARTAXERXES……. NOT “Artra” so PLEASE use the correct name.

    I was employed as an accountant in the civil service, therefore I’m fully aware of government’s accounting procedures. The duties you mentioned performing are performed by the Accountant and not a senior clerk in the accounts department.

    Also, Caswell can correct me if I’m wrong, but there is no post I’m aware of in the civil service such as “senior accounts clerk.” You were either a clerical officer or a senior clerk.

    Secondly, I NEVER mentioned that “NO ACCOUNTANT has to wait until the end of the month to be up to date with actual expenditure and revenue.” Hence, your comments pertaining to this matter are blatantly UNTRUE.

    You have a propensity to interpret other individuals’ contributions to suit your purpose so as to facilitate a reply that either boosts your ego or is in defence of the DLP.

    As such, it is pointless engaging you in a “discussion,” since you always attempt to change the issue into a topic about YOU (how many books YOU wrote, where YOU worked, what YOU did, what YOU achieved, etc.), or the DLP.

    Okay, three cheers for you for gaining a “Certificate …Public Administration, From the University of Toronto, (Canada).” And I’m an ACCA qualified chartered accountant.

  10. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ Cummins

    You also mentioned that “the DLP always has to clean up the mess when the BLP has to leave office.” However, you conveniently forgot to mention the “mess” the DLP CREATES while cleaning up the mess.

    For example, shortly after the 2008 general elections, the DLP unscrupulously terminated the services of many employees of statutory corporations to employ DLP supporters. Remember, Thompson said, “The fatted calf, under David Thompson’s watch, will be slaughtered and shared among those of you who have stood this course…”

    Fortunately, those terminated persons were able to successfully sue the government for wrongful dismissal and were awarded millions of dollars in compensation.

    One case that immediately comes to mind is that of former RDC director, Peter Scott. Scott was stopped on the ABC highway, on his way to work, and given a letter informing him he was being sent on leave until further notice. He subsequently sued for wrongful dismissal and awarded $1.7M with 6% interest, retroactive from April 2010, with an additional $100,000 in damages for public humiliation.

    “Justice Sonia Richards, in a case brought by dismissed director of the Rural Development Commission (RDC) Peter Scott, ordered the Government agency to pay him damages for loss of earnings that amount to the salary he would have received until November 2021 when he would have retired.” [Daily Nation – November 11, 2014]

    Another exapmple is former UDC director, George Edghill. He was awarded over $800,000 in damages for wrongful dismissal as well.

    “More than four years after having his five-year contract terminated by a then new Democratic Labour Party administration Edghill is to receive $809,744,43 plus six per cent interest per annum. At the time he had been in the post for just six months.” [Barbados Today – September 24, 2012]

    The Treasury was forced to part with millions of dollars to pay damages to persons who were wrongfully terminated and to employ DLP lackeys who were employed to replace them.

    These are just some of many thoughtless and emotional decisions made by Thompson for which the taxpayers of Barbados have to pay the cost.

  11. balance Avatar
    balance

    “These are just some of many thoughtless and emotional decisions made by Thompson for which the taxpayers of Barbados have to pay the cost.”


    Like the thoughtless and emotional ‘ever so welcome wait for the call decision’ to root out the Guyanese from Barbados.
    Bushie and David stay out of this.

  12. balance Avatar
    balance

    Remember it is not always what you do but how you do it

  13. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    My sweet piece

    I am so sorry hon. I came just days before foreday and crop over. After that, I had so much to do and so many invitations for lunches and dinners. My friends would not let me come up for air. Believe me, I have a lot of friends, both high and low and they had a lot to tell. What you been doing piece? Hope you are fine. At least you are one seeing eye old fella that support facts and not nonsense.

  14. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    @ sweet Piece

    As you know, I have placed Alvin on my list of those who do not really love their island. They just love themselves, their ability to support their prestiges and defend their nonsenses and the nonsense of others. Unlike him, I have said on here that you could not be more DLP than me. On the other hand, you cannot despise the doings of the BLP and be opposed to them more than me. But the SSS believes in doing what is right even if it means having to behave in a way that may appear to others as very bad and wrong. At the end of the day, I am that I am. And I am not the sweetest girl, nor one who will tell you up front, I am a lady. All on here know what I say and what I give. I do not have to pretend. I am me. We have people on here who are party loyalist. Loyal to the point that even if their party does shite, they say: it’s all in the toilet paper and the procedures involve in the WIPE. I cannot respect that or them.Because for me: If it is ugly how the heck can it be good looking; If it is shitey how the heck can it not smell buppy; if it chose to operate like it corrupt how can it avoid not being ridiculed as being corrupt; If it appears shady and behave shady how the heck can you say its appropriate conduct. Alvin Cummins paints that type of picture in the nonsense he throws out on this blog in defense of party and not country. It is the same nonsense that made me tarnish the ass of the other AC, who, come what may, will defend to the bitter end, the doings and dabblings of an administration that have done immense damage to themselves personally and to their image as a party in the whole. Who behaves like a dictator, remain silent as a leader, defends in disdain and expects to be praise for such negative conduct. These are things that cannot be ignored. These are injurious dispositional traits that have affected the society and are the catayst of poor country management now fueling a set of social ills we are now having to deal with on the island that made many of us what we are today. Yet you have people on here who refuse to call a spade a spade because they pledge their allegiance to defend and remain faithful to their puppet masters. Sorry, that ain’t me and will never be. You can only accuse me of being a filthy bitch and I prefer to be a bitch and remain true to myself rather than be a pretentender walking about under the cloak of uprightness making everyone believe that I am good. Sorry either you are hot or cold. Luke warm is too dangerous a position that lacks integrity.

  15. Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right

    @ SSS

    I have grown to respect the position and the reasoning behind it. May the wind always be at your back and while I regret not seeing you while you were at the foreday movementations, (de ole man cant go to them tings, Hants will, in addition to Donna, (she is a new lady here) will explain why, aided and abetted by Lawson, it is always a pleasure to see and hear you here.

    DO NOT FLINCH FROM THE CAUSE!!

  16. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    My sweet piece

    Even if I had allowed you to see me, how the heck would you have been able to hold me down LOL. ? Do you not know that my type of wine might be too strong to handle your type of skin LMAO. However, it would have made for an interesting encounter. Who is this Donna that you are referring too here. Is she a bad ass or a pretender like all the ACs on here? Do you know that Alvin Cummins is trying to get me lock up? I think it has something to do with defamation of character. He’s been trying to connect the dots.

  17. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    I saw a clip of the DLP’s conference on DLPTV tonight. Were these few people shown only the ones who attended? Where have all the dems gone? The attendees certainly did not look as though they were at a 60th celebratory event!

  18. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Prodigal
    Skippa, even the damn ministers shame as shiite to show dem faces in pub-a-lick… far less the yardfowls…

    Wuh even AC like she avoid um….. 🙂

  19. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    Prodigal Son August 23, 2015 at 9:55 PM #

    “I saw a clip of the DLP’s conference on DLPTV tonight. Were these few people shown only the ones who attended? Where have all the dems gone? The attendees certainly did not look as though they were at a 60th celebratory event!”

    Prodigal, you mean not even some of the 200 new members George Pilgrim said joined the party lately?

    Interestingly, the theme of the DEMS’ 60th anniversary celebrations is: “Celebrating 60, IT’S ALL ABOUT MEMBERS.” Imagine that? After sharing the “fatted calf” among members and supporters during the past 7 years, the DEMS are not ashamed to ADMIT “it’s all about MEMBERS.”

    They named schools, polyclinics, buildings, roads after former DLP politicians and supporters; giving “free money” to losers like Esther Byer, Patrick Todd, Harcourt Husbands and Hanyesley Benn, as well as two time losers, Irene Sandiford-Garner and Jeptar Ince; appointed Philip Greaves as acting governor general; created the unnecessary post of “Caricom Ambassador” to appease Dennis Kellman and reward Bobby Morris for being the 2013 election campaign manager; employed Maureen Holder and John Lovell for public relations purposes and re-employing Dale Forde at CBC; appointing prominent DEM Sandra Forde as general manager of the Transport Board; appointing a retired man in the twilight of his years, Tony Marshall, the ambassador to the UN…………. the list can go on and on and on.

    Unfortunately, after being retrenched over 1 year ago the former Beautify Barbados employees are yet to receive their severance pay and the former NCC employees’ case is yet to be heard at the ERT (even after Stuart referred the matter to a non-existent tribunal in the first place).

    Yes, Prodigal, it’s NOT about the PEOPLE of Barbados, “it’s all about MEMBERS.”

  20. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    Prodigal Son August 23, 2015 at 9:55 PM #

    Prodigal, the DEMS “ain’t got no shame atall, atall.” I had to “laugh out loud” at the below information pertaining to the celebrations, which was found on the DLP’s web-site:

    “A number of reports and resolutions will be discussed during the conference.” “These reports will provide valuable insight into the work that this DLP administration continues to do as we create a Barbados which is socially balanced, environmentally sound, economically viable and characterised by good governance.”

    Hahahaha! oh lawd! B.G.U.R!!!! ……… “the work this DLP administration CONTINUES to do as we CREATE a Barbados which is SOCIALLY BALANCED, ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND, ECONOMICALLY VIABLE and characterised by GOOD GOVERNANCE.”

    Hahahahahaha! wuh loss! Murder! muh belly!

    How can Barbados be SOCIALLY BALANCED when certain individuals are receiving the majority of government contracts; Trans-Tech continues to fix Transport Board buses and SSA trucks, while UCAL are given less buses to repair and employees continue not to be paid on time due to the debt owed to the company by the TB; poor people have been denied the opportunity to gain tertiary level education; over 4,000 civil servants retrenched; civil servants not given a salary increase during the past 6 years, while the cost of living and inflation continues to rise, and people awaiting tax refunds, in some cases, since 2012.

    We all know what the DLP’s idea of an “ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND” Barbados is about. Cahill is a perfect example.

    Against the background of the medium term fiscal and medium term development strategies failing to achieve their objectives (ask Delisle Worrell, um is he who say so); a lack of innovative and sustainable economic policies, which led to numerous credit rating downgrades (ask David Estwick); lack of investor confidence; an over taxed society, how (at this stage) can Barbados be described as being ECONOMICAL VIABLE?”

    The DEMS promised to introduce integrity and freedom of information legislation immediately after being elected IN 2008 and parliamentarians to declare their assets and sign a code of good conduct………. 7 years on, they have FAILED to do such; a DLP affiliated lawyer charging $766, 855.24 for a job for Barbados Caves that was previously done for $17,000 with no reprimand from Denis Lowe (the CEO was subsequently dismissed and replaced by Bobby Morris’ son, Rovell Morris). The others??? ……… too numerous to mention.

    Now they are demonstrating their arrogance by mentioning “GOOD GOVERNANCE.”

  21. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @David,

    “North American markets were reacting to deep sell-offs on Asian and European markets. China’s main index sank 8.5 per cent — its biggest drop since the early days of the 2008 global financial crisis — amid deepening fears over the health of the world’s second-largest economy.”

  22. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @ The Yard ducks,
    You mention the “people given choice portions of “the fatted calf,” are these not Bajans? Haven’t the BLP supporters also been given choice jobs during the 15 years of BLP governance? Where is Liz thompson?
    At the beginning of the CLICO debacle, wasn’t David Thompson’ working as Leroy Parris’s Lawyer and not a CLICO lawyer? There is a difference in law, a subtle difference, but a difference no less. Please explain why you claim that Thompaon removed 3.3 million from the “Barbados Treasury and transferred it. That money was paid by CLICO to Parris for services rendered.
    Balance,
    at least you admit that I “rightly…put the blame on a government that was thrown out of office for mismanagement,” but you should sue Lawrence Duprey for your pension, not the Government of Barbados. CLICO was his baby from its inception. CLICO was a private
    company.
    Integrity legislation was promised by the BLP: remember when Mia got up in the house and purported to list her assets. It was never introduced during your terms in office. Surely if you folks were serious it could not have taken 15 years to draft the necessary legislation. Or did this thought about this type of legislation only come to your consciousness when the DLP won the government. I agree it should have been passed by now, but you are not blameless. By the way where was this talk about “freedom of information legislation”
    during the election campaigns?
    Numerous downgrades? How many during your terms in office? Did ANY occur during those years? Oh, the Caves! You really want to talk about that? I don’t think so.
    UCAL? Tell me when it started and why.
    @SSS,

    Dots connected. All in good time!!I If greedy wait hot will cool, except I am not greedy. I am a VERY patient man.

  23. MoneyBrain Avatar
    MoneyBrain

    No one has to wait for Pols to be CORRUPT they are, and they are so regardless of Party, Political Philosophy or Nation, the only question is extent. The whole reason for being in Politics is to have power over people and enhance their Net Worth.

    Most Pols dont give a RAHTEEEEEED about anybody unless they serve as a means to their objectives ie Votes/ Re-election. How come Putin is one of the richest men on Earth like $100 + BN??????

  24. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Artaxerxes,

    Boy, if yuh doan laugh yuh would cry! Wuhlaus! When this stuff was read how could they keep a straight face?

  25. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Artaxerxes August 24, 2015 at 7:25 AM “this DLP administration continues to do as we create a Barbados which is socially balanced, environmentally sound, economically viable and characterised by good governance.”

    Lotta long talk.

    Stupseee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  26. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ Cummins, the DLP Himaar

    Why do you DLP himaars always try to change the context of any “discussion” on BU, into a DLP versus BLP scenario? I have mentioned in a previous post that you have the propensity to interpret other individuals’ contributions to suit your narrow political objectives and respond to defend the DLP as well as to boost your ego.

    Your attempt to defend the indefensible is not only pathetic but you go about the undertaking in an immature manner. If anyone criticizes the DLP on any issue, your general retort is “the BLP did so and so, too.” That is so juvenile for a man your age.

    BLP or DLP giving jobs to primarily to supporters is WRONG and should not be condoned by Barbadians. When elected, each party has an obligation to HELP ALL BARBADIANS and not ONLY party supporters.

    Firstly, the following excerpt was taken from the Friday, December 3, 2010 edition of the weekend Nation newspaper:

    “Former cabinet minister Elizabeth Thompson is joining the United Nations in New York as an executive coordinator for the next global conference on sustainable development. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE YESTERDAY AT UN HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK BY FARHAN HAQ, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, who also announced that Brice Lalond….”

    “UN sources said that Thompson’s “outstanding performance” DURING THE SELECTION PROCESS AND THE ROUND OF INTERVIEWS for the previous post put her on track for this newly created position which is based at UN headquarters in New York.

    Surely you must agree that the BLP was the Opposition in 2010 and her appointment was ANNOUNCED by the UN and NOT the BLP.

    Secondly, you are correct in stating that the BLP promised to introduce integrity legislation. In 1975, the then, Leader of the Opposition, J.M.G.M. Adams, tabled a resolution in Parliament calling upon the Government to introduce legislation to compel members of Parliament to disclose their assets. Adams subsequently introduced Integrity in Public Life Bill in Parliament in 1979 when he was PM. As such, the BLP is equally to blame for not introducing ITAL.

    However, when Mia Mottley “got up in the house and purported to list her assets,” it was on July 09, 2008 DURING HER RESPONSE to Thompson’s budget speech. Surely you must admit that Mottley is the first parliamentarian to publically declare assets.
    She challenged government MPs to do likewise, thereby exposing Thompson on the foolhardiness of attempting to implement ITAL within 100 days of assuming office.

    It is now August 24, 2010, five years and 1 month after, and no DLP MP has DECLARED his/her assets as yet.

    Shame on you!!

  27. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    The volatility caused by uncertainty out of China shows how interconnected the global market is today. Hopefully Trump will be elected and the US demand will pick up the slack.

    @Alvin

    Are for real? Why was the BLP voted out again?

  28. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @Artraxerxes,

    Your words:”…It is now August 24, 2010, five years and 1 month after…”
    “Shame on you.”

  29. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ Cummins, the DLP Himaar

    Thirdly, the talk about Integrity, Transparency and Accountability Legislation (ITAL), came from David Thompson during the 2008 election campaign.

    On Thursday, January 03, 2008, Thompson held a media conference during which he distributed documents outlining a legal proposal to promote accountability, transparency and accountability in public life and fight corruption.

    He also promised that the Ministerial Code would take effect immediately after a DLP government is elected and The Freedom of Information Act and Integrity Legislation would be implemented within the first 100 days in office.

    Furthermore, perhaps you should read pages 46 to 48 of the DLP’s 2008 election manifesto under the caption “22: Good Governance” to avail yourself of the information contained therein.

    Likewise, and if they were serious, the DLP could have used the 14 years in opposition to draft ITAL. And as such, if you were to add those 14 years to their 7 years in office, it gives the DLP 21 years to adequately prepare the legislation and have it ready for parliament.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Fourthly, let us discuss the downgrades. Although Barbados may have experienced downgrades during the BLP’s terms in office, I have not found any information to suggest the credit rating was downgraded to a magnitude of junk bond status. Now, that is the difference.

    New York, May 14, 2009 — Moody’s Investors Service has placed Barbados’ government bond ratings on review for possible downgrade in order to assess the credit impact of further deterioration in the country’s debt metrics in the coming years.

    New York, October 13, 2009: Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded Barbados’ government bond ratings following several years of deterioration in credit metrics. The Baa2 foreign currency government bond rating and the A3 local currency government bond rating were downgraded to Baa3 and Baa2, respectively.

    New York, June 13, 2011: Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded the Government of Barbados’ domestic currency rating to Baa3 from Baa2. The Baa3 foreign currency bond rating has been affirmed. The outlook on both ratings has been revised to negative.

    Tuesday, July 17, 2012: Standard & Poor’s downgraded the country’s national debt to junk bond status in 13 terrible words: “We have lowered our sovereign credit ratings on Barbados to ‘BB+/B’ from ‘BBB-/A-3’.”

    New York, December 20, 2012: Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded the Government of Barbados’ foreign and local currency bond ratings to Ba1 from Baa3. The outlook remains negative.

    New York, June 02, 2014: Moody’s Investors Service has today downgraded Barbados’ government bond rating to B3 from Ba3. The outlook remains negative.

    Friday, December 19, 2014: Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Ratings Services lowered its long-term sovereign credit ratings on Barbados to ‘B’ from ‘BB-‘. The outlook is negative. The country’s ‘B’ short-term sovereign credit rating was affirmed. However, the transfer and convertibility assessment was also lowered to ‘B’ from ‘BB-‘.

    Tuesday, December 16, 2014: Caribbean Information and Credit Rating Services Limited (CariCRIS), which is based in Trinidad and Tobago, said that it dropped by two notches the island’s rating on the Government debt issue of Bds$600 million to CariA- from CariA+ and a CariA on the local currency down from CariAA-.

  30. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ Cummins, the DLP Himaar

    According to information received from my mates who are employed by UCAL, that organization was created after the Transport Board closed its maintenance department. The then government allowed the former workers to form “United Commercial Autoworks Limited” and sub-contracted the bus repairs to that company. It must also be noted that Leroy Trotman is the chairman of UCAL.

    Now, if you have information to the contrary, so be it.

    Unfortunately, after much talk about ENTREPRENEURSHIP, this DLP administration had the perfect opportunity to assist those retrenched former NCC, Drainage and Beautify Barbados employees to endeavor in an undertaking similar to UCAL, while guaranteeing them sub-contracts to clean the highways and drains, thereby creating a set of entrepreneurs.

    Instead, this DLP administration sub-contracted all that work to one of their financiers, Mark Maloney. And the matter pertaining to the former NCC workers is yet to be heard by the ERT and the former Beautify Barbados employees are yet to receive their severance more than a year after they were retrenched.

    Cummins, it seems as though you live by the rule “if an individual criticizes of the DLP, he/she has to be a BLP.” There are those of us who think independently and without political bias.

    Finally, Cummins your attempts, like so many other DLP supporters that come to BU to defend shiite, are very weak.

  31. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @Artaxerxes,
    Re above blog, sorry I spelt it wrong. Won’t happen again.

    I read your contribution carefully. Won’t comment although you have some things slightly out of context. Example, Does the last paragraph refer to T&T or Barbados? People get on as if Barbados (under the DLP) is the only place that gets downgraded.

    DLP could have used the 14 years in opposition to draft legislation, etc. 14 years in opposition… first 5 years of opposition…2 members in Parliament. Members elected Dennis Kelman and David Thompson…Party in confusion and turmoil. Branford Taitt is booed at elections for leader of the party..Clyde Mascoll leader of Party. Next five years party wins seven seats…Party still in confusion..Mascoll leaves party and joins BLP. more confusion; Politics of inclusion. etc.
    As I have admitted, and said, they could have and should have passed that legislation when they won in 2008, but what happened soon after the election victory?
    but…

    By the way where was Dorcy Boyce before he was appointed a minister in the DLP administration?

    Anyhow, IDWD!

  32. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    Alvin Cummins August 24, 2015 at 9:05 PM #

    “@Artraxerxes: Your words:”…It is now August 24, 2010, five years and 1 month after…” “Shame on you.”…”

    You are such a jack-ass grabbing at straws. Obviously I meant 2015, but in any case, the DEMS was the government in 2010 and 5 years after you are still the government.

    Come on, for a man who professes to be an author, surely you can do much better than this.

  33. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    David, your remarks “The volatility caused by uncertainty out of China shows how interconnected the global market is today. Hopefully Trump will be elected and the US demand will pick up the slack” are perplexingly strange.

    How would a Trump presidency cause US demand to pickup?

    What strategies will he be able to implement as a President or policies will be initiate that will cause the Chinese to import more US goods and stop all the American firms from importing from their factories in China and returning stateside?

    Please enlighten me?

    And what exactly happened today that basically does not happen daily in the interconnected world of finance?

    Yes the market hit some unprecedented lows before climbing back somewhat but isn’t volatility a natural aspect of markets and particularly modern markets which are more devoid of human intervention and where many buy-sell orders are automated. An aspect in itself which drives many of these grievous swings.

    And btw I still do not expect him to get his party’s nomination. It’s great to make pretty speeches and say that you will build a wall, but when pressed by a journalist on HOW and details if your response is to the effect ‘I will employ managers to manage this process. These politicians only have hacks who know nothing about executing’. Words to that effect were his astute response on ABC’s ‘This Week’ Sunday political program.

    Help me understand what it is you see that the Donald will do so differently and well to improve the US trade v China.

  34. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    Alvin Cummins August 24, 2015 at 9:44 PM #

    “I read your contribution carefully. Won’t comment although you have some things slightly out of context. Example, Does the last paragraph refer to T&T or Barbados? People get on as if Barbados (under the DLP) is the only place that gets downgraded….”

    Cummins, I have to agree with Bushie’s assessment of you. One of the fundamental attributes of being an author is the ability to comprehend. I DO NOT BELIEVE you are an author. I suspect you have been bluffing your way through life.

    You chose not to reply because you CAN’T, and your cop-out is I “have some things slightly out of context,” while citing if “the last paragraph refer to T&T or Barbados?” as an example. How the hell does my last paragraph of the post you referred to has anything to do with T & T, when I clearly stated “Caribbean Information and Credit Rating Services Limited (CariCRIS), WHICH IS BASED IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO….”

    Let me explain it for you, CariCRIS is a CARIBBEAN RATING AGENCY, which is BASED in TRINIDAD & TOBAGO.

    Shiite, man!!!!!

  35. David Avatar
    David

    @Dee Word

    It was a tongue and cheek remark.

  36. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    …You are such a jack-ass grabbing at straws…

    Artaxerxes do not forget a pretender and make-believer. You just have to read what he throws out on this blog. All a compilation of the little bits and pieces he knows that he feels, no other can dicifer – why? He is Alvin Cummins qualifications extraordinaire, book publisher and noted authority on things DLP. He has the wherewithal to call people unintelligent – what a laugh. I wonder what the heck he does in a church that makes him believe he is God ordained and God entitled. Even purporting that his life is governed by the lord he makes a mockery of the faith he should hold dear to his heart as one so advanced towards the end of life. Pathetic little puppet. I just can’t stomach pretenders.

  37. balance Avatar
    balance

    “Numerous downgrades? How many during your terms in office? Did ANY occur during those years? Oh, the Caves! You really want to talk about that? I don’t think so.
    UCAL? Tell me when it started and why.
    @SSS,

    Dots connected. All in good time!!I If greedy wait hot will cool, except I am not greedy. I am a VERY patient man.”

    Your response is incoherent; but try not to get flustered Mr Alvin. I recognize your difficulty in trying to defend the indefensible.

  38. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    @Alvin Cummins

    You ain’t start to connect the dots yet, but I hope you do. Just stay tune. I patient too sweet P. But I tend to give in when I see shite.

  39. Due Diligence Avatar
    Due Diligence

    This from:

    http://www.cbc.bb/index.php/en/news/barbados-news/item/2253-ministers-permanent-secretaries-and-senior-public-servants-on-retreat-at-crane-resort

    Friday, 21 August 2015 17:18 Item title
    Ministers, permanent secretaries and senior public servants on retreat at Crane Resort

    No other institution in Barbados possesses as wide and varied skills as the public service, but these skills have to be channelled in ways that would contribute to national development. 

    This assertion from Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, during his brief remarks at the end of a recent two-day retreat for cabinet ministers, permanent secretaries and other senior public servants, at the Crane Resort in St. Philip.
     
    The retreat provided the opportunity for government’s policymakers and their top administrators and advisors to discuss major matters relating to the functions of government; explore relationships among key government agencies. 
    Mr. Stuart noted that the public service as a whole has more members of the public that any other institution, and that its decisions affected a wide cross section of persons. 

    He stressed that a well-functioning public service is a must, adding that the sector must be so configured as to facilitate and manage change. 

    He also called on his cabinet colleagues to ensure that the skills of public servants are utilised and mobilised 

    Meanwhile Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has highlighted film, the arts, information and communication technology and green growth policies as some of the areas in which Barbados would be keen to receive assistance from the Republic of Korea. 

    Mr. Stuart identified those areas recently during a courtesy call with the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Lee Doo-Young, at Illaro Court. Also present was first secretary and consul, Sanghoon Lee. 

    The prime minister says South Korea has a good reputation in the area of film and the arts, and Barbados is seeking to develop its film industry. 

    He also added that considerable interest was being expressed in the sport of taekwondo, and suggested that with assistance from the Koreans, it could become more popular. 

    Mr Stuart noted that South Korea has made significant advances in green growth policies, and Barbados is committed to a green economy. 
    He also praised South Korea for its work in information and communication technology. 
    Mr. Stuart says there were other issues both countries needed to discuss, such as tax agreements.” 

    I guess we will soon hear of a delegation of Ministers, permanent secretaries and senior public servants (including the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Tourism going of to South Korea to learn about film, the arts, information and communication technology; and the sport of taekwondo.

    And of course Minister Down Lowe to pick up a few pointers on Korea’s green growth policies

  40. johnjickum Avatar
    johnjickum

    I’ve heard it said that the British know how squeeze a penny so tightly that the Queen must scream ! It is part of their culture ! P.M Cameron will think nothing of “scoffing Pringles while squashed in his seat in economy class”. But don’t expect our “Johnny-come lately” government officials…politicians and civil servants… to indulge in such parsimony. They consider themselves to have “arrived” and to be entitled to “big mout drinks, big ride, and big shelter”, all at our expense ! They laugh at us !

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