Submitted by Beresford
The warnings of the institutional breakdown, social dislocation and impact at a very personal level of the DLP disastrous economic failures are becoming more vivid and citizens more frustrated and desperate.
Further, the laziness of thought and lack of action that is the standard […]of the DLP is permeating too many Government agencies, to the extent of almost total breakdown in the functioning of these arms in the delivery of necessary services to the people.
Mia Mottley recently spoke of a lawless Government breeding a lawless society. In wide Bajan terms, there is lawlessness all around that no amount of taxes will solve.
In fact, Barbadians are paying through their teeth and getting precious little in return.
In a simple matter of water supply, Barbados is now a backwater country. Daily for thousands across St. John, St. Andrew, St. Joseph, St. James, St. Peter and St. Lucy constant long breaks in water supply is daily life, one of constant pain.
The aggravation is made worst by a Water Authority, which like the DLP engages in a lot of fancy PR, but which seems to treat people who live in the country as if they are less than other citizens.
Just like the DLP has outrageous favourites in the allocation of contracts, in its fantastic gifts to Sandals while others must grovel, the BWA follows suit and does not even deem to put out a notice that there will be no water in the several districts. And fail to send around water trucks to boot.
There is great absurdity in having a brand new multi-million dollar BWA headquarters when thousands everyday cannot get something as basic as water.
This is having an impact on school attendance, work productivity as well as the several small business that depend on regular supplies of water in a significant agricultural belt.
Once more following the foolishness of Freundel and the DLP the BWA waxes in illogic about which the only response can be, what exactly is going on in Barbados?
The DLP can’t tell you what it is doing now to fight crime, what is the current situation with Cahill – you name it they can’t say – and the BWA comes and tells you look out, there will be a drought…but nothing on what they are putting in place to deal with a situation that has been indicated for some time.
In a country in which rain falls almost daily. Flooding regularly. This is the kind of thinking that is infecting Barbados at every level and killing the spirit and hope of Barbadians. So we will have new pipes, which are needed, and much PR is centered around this programme. But we will have no water to pipe.
Transport for the thousands across Barbados – another daily grind. Michael Lashley indulges in more spinning and, wow, smart cards for paying bus fares are coming!
What about getting a bus – not on time, but a bus? Where is the Ministry in the plan to rationalise transport for improvements so that people who live in the country do not have to wait four hours for a bus to get to work or school and the same amount of time to return home? Why has it taken seven years to discover it is cheaper to have buses built here when the evidence was there all along?
Meanwhile, a literal daily grind is the lot of those with vehicles. If you live in certain areas, and cannot help but use certain roads, there is just no point trying to avoid the gaping holes that are now our roadways.
The patching programme is a victim of the DLP’s broken economy and the much publicised road repair projects spoken of in the Budget are like so much of the effusions of Chris Sinckler – putrid imaginings that cannot see the light of day.
The poor people of White Hill, St. Andrew have neither road nor water.
Wish not to have to visit the Accident and Emergency at the QEH or a polyclinic. The horror stories keep coming and coming.
The stance of DLP spokespersons and the management of the QEH is that people should make use of the polyclinics. Well, the A & E remains as dysfunctional as ever and only a morally detached and non-functioning Minister would not be sickened at the pictures and stories of people seeking services at the Maurice Byer and other polyclinics.
The growing harsh reality for Barbadians is a visit to health centres for long waits, in too many cases poor treatment, not being seen at all and the non-availability of needed medicines.
By comparison, the incomprehensible experiences at the A&E and policlinics are a breeze compared with the conditions at the Psychiatric Hospital. The barbaric conditions there are a terrible reflection and indicative of a Minister of Health completely out of his depth.
Like those at the Psychi, thousands of Barbadians, including the most vulnerable, are becoming the ignored, the forgotten, left to live in unhealthy and difficult circumstances …and many, from students to homeowners, are simply giving up.
How can any reasonable Barbadian not regard the crisis in child abuse and the dilly-dallying at the Child Care Board and by the Minister as anything other than responses by people on another planet?
A stunning 3 500 cases reported and despite bungling, not a man fired, the chairman and board remains. And from the head of Government a lot of froth, followed by a Minister speaking of a change of law when under the existing law the Board previously executed its mandate and saved lives.
Even in such matters of life and death the Government elevates mediocrity and failure as success and finds it impossible to remove any of its cronies that are the proverbial square pegs in round holes.
Nothing less is needed now than sensible thinking and action to literally save lives. Barbadians are at breaking point by a Government which stands idly by in every single instance, whether acting to put a pause to people’s houses being sold simply because as a result of DLP policies their earnings are so curtailed they cannot meet their obligations; whether claiming small business is vital to economic fortunes but not putting the necessary measures in place to facilitate business; whether bringing down the price of gas such that Barbadians are not paying more now oil prices are less than $50 a barrel than when they were over $100 a barrel; whether intervening and assuring the delivery of services that are required for basic daily living.
Thinking and inaction have not changed in seven years. We now exist in a country where the very basics are missing. A change of the guard is the only option to ease Barbadians from the daily grind.
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