Vote Buying and Independent Monitors
Submitted by Hamiliton Hill
Yesterday October 21st 2015 the Brass Tacks program on VOB generated quite an interesting debate as to whether or not election monitoring was necessary here in Barbados. […]The question posed and answered with varying degrees of skepticism was this.
Would the imposition of independent monitors curb the scourge of openly buying and selling ballots?
While Marsha Hinds-Layne offered a rather sober contribution, methinks that the pulse of the people is best tested here on BU. Anxiously I await the thoughts of Piece, of Bushie, of Artax, Gabriel, Well Well, Simple Simon, Prodigal and the rest of the family.
DO we continue to honour dishonesty?
Barbados Underground 
We shouldn’t honour dishonesty, but who will bell the cat in this case, i.e. who will choose who is good enough to serve as monitor, given the number of yard fowls in this country? How do you know if the one who is picked isn’t from one camp or the other as a wolf in sheep’s clothing?
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Who would have thought Barbadians would be discussing vote buying, transparency in government read GOVERNANCE in 2015?
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The difficulty with effecting a successful conviction for vote buying is that the best evidence of the offence would have to come from the receiver of the money bribe or consideration who, if he or she admits it, would be confessing to a crime since both the giver and the taker are guilty.
Of course, if he or she does not take the money and reports the attempted bribe, there may be a prosecution for this, but at least two questions arise-
(i) How many Barbadians would be willing to report the attempt to bribe as opposed to taking the money? and
(ii) Is there the political will extant to prosecute for this offense?
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@Jeff
Good point, added to which the element likely to be involved in the nefarious behaviour are located in a segment not driven by adhering to a high ethical standard. The other side of the issue: the entities in corporate who funnel large sums to political parties hitched to expectations when the party is elected. What compounds the issue is campaign contributions by organizations is made to both sides therefore it becomes a win win.
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http://www.realfarmacy.com/hpv-vaccine-warning/
Politicians in Barbados with their lack of vision and tunnel vision attitudes could cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands of their own people, particularly the children.
John Boyce should be ashamed of himself that any white dude could walk into Barbados and hand him a line of bullshit and he goes off and running with it, like the HPV vaccine, and as to those lowlife doctors like Ferdinand et al, they should be imprisoned..
Alvin…..you live in Canada, what say you now and I don’t want any excuses.
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Sorry folks, this one was too important not to share immediately.
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Crooks ,Liars and Scumbags and here comes the Hog and Goat families that are part of all things wrong in Barbados,
Vote buying Fraud, Land Buying Fraud, Banking Fraud, Laundering Barbados needs to be gutted like a PIG, of all these type of People,
White Niggers in Office, White People control $$$$ in 2015 they still can buy NIggers, Slavery is Alive and Well in Barbados Government,
No LAW, No COURTS, find what the laws are and do some thing different ,
This DBLP GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO SEE THE INSIDE OF THE OVER PRICE , OVER COST JAIL IN BARBADOS,
Is it that possible that there are no creditable lawyers,police, Ministers in CHURCH, In the Peoples HOUSE that can speak Truth ?
Now here comes first class Crook Ralph Thorne and His Supporter Wife Judge Planet of the Apes name ,The Entire Family is now Pushing Each other with the MIA.
Who want to talk that he cares about the People? Just their MONEY he cares about.NOW looking to run for a seat to avoid up coming JAIL.
Beatrice Henry and Violet Agard Beckles will ride their backs for Life,
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How are you going to stop vote buying? This is all about what is right and wrong. A desperate party or politician to win seat and majority votes do not care about what is right or wrong but about outcomes. The receiver of the bribe money, in most cases, do not give a shit about right or wrong but the fact that they are about to get a few Grantleys that can cover a bill and buy food. You can bring out all the police in the world when these brutes walk into a house familiar to them and pass a large sum who the heck will know? You know how much money and clear ma bills, does buy silence in Barbados? In the case of a few voting Barbadians, just a washing machine and new stove along with 500 dollars or a lil bit more does do just fine.
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This is one time the vote buying will show the poiticians. Whoever buys the most votes using taxpayer money wiil learn that they would have bitten off more than they can chew, come next elections.
They cannot help themselves, addicted to corruption and disrespectful of the taxpayers. Soon come, soon come.
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A lot of emotional rant and rave. In a country of over two hundred and seventy five thousand citizens all must believe that in this age of technology where all have access to cell phones equipped with cameras that not one single individual or individuals would apply such technological skill as an advantage to catch the perpetrators of that criminal activity
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All over the world the system is battling to maintain transparency, in the last general election the prime minister and the attorney general admitted they witnessed voting irregularities YET you would get this yard fowl and jackass par excellence writing crap.
You may have the last word.
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@ AC
That one of the antichrist consortium, one of the very party that the finger is pointing to, can come out and boldly present this strategy, is frightening or is it?
Mr. Jeff Cumberbatch, BU Legal Luminary in Residence, seemed to suggest earlier that, irrespective of the pictures taken, even it you were to have a
and were able to take a picture of the alleged malfeasance, he states that “..without the receiver of the money bribe or consideration who, if he or she admits it,…” there is no case!!
And it is upon such that both the DLP and the BLP have comfortably relied ALL these years, not being able to bring or build a case on circumstantial evidence.
So unlike the United States where we might see a “sting” that may lead to an apprehension, indictment and conviction all we get is Adriel Nitwit and Fumble Van Winkle talking long and hard about “witnessing vote buying”.
And even in the United States they will say “Public corruption cases alleging that campaign contributions are bribes are innately difficult to prove. In a robbery or murder case, prosecutors are trying to prove who committed a crime. In vote buying /campaign contributions, you had to prove there was a crime.”
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Before u David go frothing at the mouth you need to re-read with clarity the PM comment on the issue.
For you it would make a first step contribution to proper and ethical journalistic reporting
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@ David the Blogmaster
With regard to the solutions that you are suggesting should be put forward there are three things to be dealt with first.
1] What does the law permit? According to Jeff’s posit, if I read it right, nothing truly corrective or punitive
2] Do we resort to the only option that seems available, one that AC of all people, incredibly has suggested? i.e. take pictures and publish them? So if on election day I am seen giving $$ to one of the “Feed my Sheep” crew who approached me for a likkle pick and I geve them $5 at precisely the same time a DLP or BLP supported is in range with their camera, de ole man get to be a vote buyer and get expelled from the Holier than Thou crew at ***?
3] Hope that an incoming government, somewhere in the future of this Barbados, will change the requisite laws so that, on the day of the general election (or prior to the General Election) persons seen soliciting votes, and for who there is a modicum of evidence to support that there is “voter persuasion for a monetary consideration”, can, in the face of incontrovertible electronic evidence to support such claims, be prosecuted for said crime, and, on conviction, be locked up?
While this is an emotive topic, it does not seem like if its outcome bodes well does it?
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Ranting and raving.
As principled and dissmisive all might wished. Courts have allowed technology to be used as evidience
Case and point video evidence of a suspect to a crime is widely used to capture the suspect
However I am dumfounded at the negative out cry generated by a call of using technology as an advantage to exposing the criminal activity of vote buying
Especially when most of thr BU groupies were of recent applauding BU technoligical skill in acessing and exposing govt confidential files be them authentic or not
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Jeff is right, Piece, the politicians will look for the most vulnerable voters, of whom in this economic there are thousands to choose from who have financial problems, as Sunny said, these people will not care that it’s their own money they are being bribed with an will certainly be reluctant to come forward pointing fingers.
And AC….you beast, you know full well the politicians will either hide in people’s bedrooms to pay bribes where they can’t be seen or send their lackeys and sycophants to do the dirty deeds, stop acting like you are speaking to people with your lack of understanding.
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ac October 22, 2015 at 8:27 AM #
“not one single individual or individuals would apply such technological skill as an advantage to catch the perpetrators of that criminal activity”
ac,
That’s a good point. I believe that it only takes one proven incidence of vote buying on the part of a candidate or his “agents” to disqualify that candidate. Barbadians have the technology to do this, so why don’t we? The answer is simple: both candidates from the major political parties would be disqualified!
There are two extreme situations related to a political election.
1- No money is involved, and the candidates have to earn a vote based on their ideas, vision, or track record of “relevant” achievements.
2- Money and its equivalent are used to “buy” voters, and little or no attention is paid to the candidate’s suitability, ideas, vision, or track record.
Which one of these extremes fits the Barbadian reality?
When we move away from the “candidate level”, and look at things from the “party level”, the situation becomes even more tragi-comic.
We can randomly select an 11-year old in Barbados and ask him/her to add up the costs of the TV, radio, and newspaper ads being put out by the major political parties in Barbados during election season. Add the amounts paid to support staff and agents, and you will get an idea of a fraction of the total election costs.
Now take those costs and compare them with the total amount of revenue reported by the political parties, and the election expenses reported by the candidates.
That 11-year old would be very surprised, and annoyed, to see that the money reportedly received by the political parties, and reportedly spent by candidates, comes nowhere near the major expenses that can be tracked. Where did the large, unexplained, unreported sums of money come from?
From what I have been told, the political parties have taken “illegal” campaign financing to a higher and regional level. Foreigners are using individuals, handpicked by political parties, as “middle men” and conduits to surreptitiously funnel massive contributions to various political parties throughout the Caribbean region. These “middle men” have clothed themselves in the title suit of a “political consultant” and have become millionaires via the process. After elections, these foreign “speculators” eventually end up on our doorsteps as investors receiving a “wash pan” of government contracts. Consequently, legitimate, deserving Barbadian businesses become victims, at the hands of their own government, in ever-increasing numbers.
We all sit back in our living rooms and only cowardly whisper about the evil things going on in our country to each other because “we have bills to pay”. In the meanwhile, our younger generation has already latched on to the fact there is no hope for them, no dreams or ambitions to pursue, no stake in their own country.
So the prolonged, destructive evil of a short-sighted political class is now breeding a vicious, violent reaction from an angry, frustrated, disinherited, impatient younger generation.
The social effects from this widespread political miasma, and their concomitant backlashes, are now becoming apparent to everyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear. One can sense some disquiet and concern emanating from the political class.
What do you think would happen if the majority of Barbadians justifiably focus their anger, resentment, scorn, and collective power on this treasonous so-called political class?
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Very well articulated Walter.
Actualĺy catching the politicians vote buying is a tax in itself, people in the North still talk about both political parties BLP/DLP outbidding each other bribing voters in the last elections, one party figured they were being outbid and called the police, by the time the police arrived on the scene, all the politicians/bribers and the bribees/voters were gone.
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@Pieces and Jeff your points are well made particularly the aspect “Is there the political will extant to prosecute for this offense?” Yet, I suggest that this debate goes more directly to the big fly, little fly problem.
Catching the perpetrators of the vote buying allegedly seen by the PM and AG is clearly catching the small fry flies.
We know of but are powerless against the high value campaign contributions and the equally high value political payments like those at the Caves Authority. Yet of course they are the same quid pro quo vote buying construct as spreading a few thousands on election day.
And on the point of ‘stings’. Good luck wid that in BIM.
Incidentally, the sting that took a real sting out of me was when the Chicago Gov, Blagojevich was indicted for vote buying/personal aggrandizement over the vacant Senate seat after Obama’s elevation to the WH.
On the face of it that case shows how difficult it would be to prosecute…yes he was convicted but without the extensive audio data and a definitive WILL by the prosecutors his actions generally seemed as normal as him having a political breakfast every morning.
Do we contemplate seeing anything remotely resembling that high level action here?
Would a simple but real analysis of the improbable legal fees charged by a DLP operative to a DLP government be examined as ‘vote buying’ or in this case ‘election repayment’? Of course not.
“Imposition of independent monitors” sounds so lovely. But any small flies caught in that web would soon be allowed to scurry away as suggested by Jeff; the local Blagojevich big fly operators wouldn’t be anywhere close to that web!
Monitoring at the bottom is fine but we would also require very vigorous monitoring at the top to make any impact whatever.
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During yesterday’s edition of “Brass Tacks,” moderator Corey Layne accurately described the process of vote buying.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, vote buying is a simple, but well organized marketing plan. The constituency is representative of the market, and the political parties analyze the market’s “demographic segmentation” (i.e. they segment or divide the constituency into groups.
Both political parties, with the help of their lackeys/yard-fowls who are intimately familiar with the constituency, identify their target markets, (e.g. unemployed women with children, senior citizens, “boys on the block,” vulnerable people, etc).
The politicians do not go to constituents or in the constituency to distribute money or largesse themselves, but use an “agent” (representing them) to do so on their behalf. In my constituency both candidates “recruited” individuals who engage in the selling or distribution of drugs for sale to TARGET the youngsters, since those persons are popular with, and respected by youth in the community.
For example, if “Shabba Ranks” is a popular drug man in the area, obviously he will “call the shots” because the herb smokers, thieves, gang members, etc, respect and look up to him. Hence, whatever order he gives is expedited without question. “Shabba” either offers/sells his services to the highest bidder or the political party he is affiliated to.
Bearing the above fact in mind, during the process of soliciting the youngsters to vote, “agents” representing the DLP and BLP candidates would venture on the “block” to solicit their “disciples” by offering them money to vote for the respective candidate. The “agents” would also collect ID cards to verify they are valid and as proof to the politicians that the money was distributed accordingly.
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Like the Wilkinson Executive Cars scam, de dog dun dead…and not a man/woman in Bulbados can do a Lazarus pun it…
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I find the debate on vote buying very interesting. Those engage in the debate rightly blame both the politicians for offering and the individual for accepting money for their vote.
I hope the day will come when Barbadians voters will become more serious about bringing such practices to an end by valuing the historic process that led to them having the right to vote. However, to do this we would first have to expose the unethical voting system, whereby individuals are led to believe that they are voting for a political party when in fact we vote for individuals. In my view it is unethical to have educated people believing in an untruth.
For this matter to be put right it will require a constitutional change that allows persons to be clear in their minds that they are voting for a party and not for an individual, unless that individual is an independent candidate.
What is proposed here is common practice in England and all other develop countries. Until this is done there will not be an affective recall policy and Barbados’ politicians will continue to fool the masses.
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Guyana is the only Caricom country to use the Proportional Representation system of electing members of Parliament.While that country is notorious for its extraordinarily high level of corruption,I am not aware that it is notorious for vote buying as in the case of the First Past The Post system extant in all the other Caricom countries.Perhaps we can ask the BU political analysts to consider the PR system to eliminate the effect of vote buying.
Further,if we use Barbados as an example,having a population of say 300,000 we can with PR reduce the number of MP’s by extending the number of constituents per representative as in Trinidad where it averages 30,000,in which case we will need 10 parliamentarians,and reintroduce Local Government,taking the constituency away from the MP and placing it in the hand of full time chairpersons of the district councils agreed upon,say Northern,Central and Southern or Northern and Southern,but a separate City Council and Mayor to enable the revival and growth of a vibrant City of Bridgetown with high rise residential units in the city,with lots of restaurants and night life activities,greater police patrols as in the past,stores opening at night etc.So PR and Local Government for consideration.
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@ Walter Blackman & WW & C
“I believe that it only takes one proven incidence of vote buying on the part of a candidate or his “agents” to disqualify that candidate. Barbadians have the technology to do this…….”
Walter, that is nuff shiite talk, you live all the way in the US and could talk as much shiite as you want. However, although your comments may be true, it is shiite within the context that people in Barbados are afraid to challenge the status quo far less politicians and the police.
Politics in the Caribbean is tantamount to organized crime. I know vote buying is real, because I witnessed it in my constituency on the morning of the 2013 general election. I know the men who represented both the BLP and DLP candidates “dat did givin way de money to de young peepull to vote.”
I grew up in the “ghetto” among the herb men, “paros,” thieves, gun men, human traffickers, “fare pickers,” corrupt policemen, etc. I know you know how the ghetto does operate, when yuh cross de line, yuh does get tek out.
You feel dat I would tek a picture of the “vote salesmen” and cah it to de police saying that I want de politician and he salesmen to get lock up? Especially when I live in the constituency, my son goes to school in the constituency and I have relatives and friends living in the constituency?
Shiite, nuhbody ain’t get lock up fuh killing Pele Parris and dah happen when I was at primary school. Why de police kill one of their own in a shoot out in Barbarees Hill? Who poison Sergeant Jemmott? Who killed “Woggy” on the QEH pasture? What really happened between A’kobi and the police?
Walter, you see who end up dead, so who the brass bowl is me?
Come on Walter and WW & C, wunnuh is bright boys and should know better. If I, or anyone for that matter, were to expose this criminal activity, it would be “Bad, Bad, with Consequences” for my intimate circle and me.
I think wunnuh better “read over” the BU article: “Why was Nation Journalist Tim Slinger Charged for Burglary.”
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Perhaps the fundamental problem with vote buying is that we have adopted a system in which politicians are so keen to be elected, that far from vote buying, they would even commit murder or worse in their mad rush to be elected.
This ‘system’ results in even well intentioned candidates becoming tainted….
The whole focus on solving ‘vote-buying’ is therefore flawed … much like trying to eliminate ‘pain’ when afflicted with cancer….. you will just be faced with other – perhaps worse – symptoms of the damn cancer. The solution is to kill the cancer.
Our present SYSTEM of selecting leaders is fundamentally flawed. It is modelled on a greed-based mentality, in which Blacks have NEVER done particularly well….
Leadership should really be a NATIONAL DUTY, reserved for, and REQUIRED OF, those who have DEMONSTRATED the attributes needed for successful leadership ….by excelling at various levels during their careers …
….via successful leadership in Cub/ Scout/ Cadet/ Sunday School/ community club/ sports and church group/ Credit Union/ employee union/ Lions / Rotary/ professional society/ School alumni …. etc
SUCH persons WHO HAVE HAD OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP CAREERS in one or multiple such areas in their communities, should then be targeted and recruited for National Leadership.
Many will be reluctant, intimidated etc….. BUT these are the KIND of individuals who will make OUTSTANDING leaders …and where shiite like vote buying and bribery by the greed-driven businessmen among us will FAIL……
We Blacks keep on copying White ‘systems’ that are alien to our natural culture …and then seek to solve the problem by picking at symptoms….
That is brass bowlery….
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@ David,
We talk about vote buying. What about vote selling ? Just asking.
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You don’t buy votes in Barbados. You buy the promise of a vote. The ballots are secret.
I wonder how many Bajans keep their “promise”.
You would have to be a brassbowl idiot to honor a promise to a politician if he/she is not the candidate you intend to vote for.
Barbados….a nation of brassbowls ?
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Art….you do make a convincing point, even the police would be careful of intervening in the bribe buying/selling fiasco the politicians in Barbados dreamed up over the years, in case they too ‘get tek out’. I knew Sargeant Jemmott well and there are also the careers that can be viciously ended or stagnated for decades. Taking a photo is definitely a no, no unless you intend to walk with an Uzi.
The long and short of it is that there is no one in Barbados capable of effectively policing the politicians and their corruption, there is too much political interference in the police force and naturally, wrong though it is, the politicians have never been above retaliation.
The Bushman is on point.
I still believe they need to cut term limits from 5 years to one or two years, then again, the same politicians would not want that, they are much happier taking root and practicing greed and corruption irrespective of how the taxpayers feel or what they want.
Instead of conducting the people’s business as they are paid to do, this is what these lawyers/politicians have done, reduced the island to a banana republic and have the nerve to repeat over and over the word….proud.
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What about the “corporate political contributions” aka commissions for future Government contracts?
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Hants……as a matter of fact..lol, to answer your question, if you speak to the average voter who was bribed, they would tell, yes, I took the money, no, I did not vote….lol
Most bajans are well aware that the money the politicians are bribing them with is taxpayers money to begin with, guess the politicians have another 2 years to come up with a way to make sure when the voter takes the bribe money he/she actually votes.
Did they not arrest a voter in 2013, whatever became of that case.
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Oh too many finkg excuses and none of these excuses can void out the simple use of technology except to say that if pictures of these allegations were captured on video and sent to various news outlets they might be shelved as all well knows that many of these media outlets do the bidding of one politicalparty or another
I therefore can say unequivocally that the sounds and cries to end this criminal activity are shallow by the media practitioners who all by themselves have available knowledge of those who partake but would rather sit on the sidelines and send smoke signals
If the system is corrupt the media too should be largely blamedfor their pretentious game of cat and mouse with the public
Yes the media has the skilled the technology to exposed and disposed of all this garbage
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I agree with Bushie that in addressing vote buying we are attempting to treat the symptoms rather than the disease but often it is necessary to do so whilst one investigates and attempts to cure the disease. However, I don’t think vote buying really makes a difference to the outcome of elections as many persons say aloud that they would take the money and not vote or even vote for the other party. The bigger issue would be, as usual, the actions of the businessmen who offer large contributions for future favours. This would have a bigger impact on what happens in the country after the elections. How to solve these problems is beyond me. Most people seem to be addicted to “power” and money. Like drug addicts it is not easy to break their habit even when they realize that they are ultimately destroying themselves.
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AG and PM concerned about vote-buying ? Steups, who guards the guard?
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@Hants
Does it matter we don’t know if a promise was not kept or that there was an attempt to influence.
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Destroying themselves and their people, Donna.
Addressing the business people buying political favors from the politicians is another hot potato, that has caused the country to be financially raped and the citizens to be victimized and abused for decades.
Don’t get me started on that one, you have David Simmons back in Barbados, you have Peter Harris, Simmons is Harris’ s errand boy, Harris has been spending money for political favors for nearly 2 decades, we can only guess at how much money he will throw at the BLP so that he can continue his criminal activites on the island.
And don’t let’s forget cow and bizzy williams and bjorn bjerkham who pay the dlp/blp money to have their own way and possession of every government contract that is owned by the taxpayer.
Just note that despite Harris destroying any equity in the transport board, neither political party got rid of him, so the hold remains even though it’s riddled with criminal activites. The corruption is condensed
Hants…..I believe that also answers your second question.
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AC…..all of this is above and beyond you, it’s above your pay grade..lol
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Well Well
dont even start to talk about david simmons
men like him mek satan look like a choirboy
but he mek it to the top
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GP….. it’s nauseating that they all know David Simmons is corrupt and has been since a sitting chief justice and even when he was attorney general, they know he is Harris’ s errand boy, but why is nothing being done you ask?
It’s because all the politicians are errand boys and girls for the minorities on the island like Harris et al. All of this at the expense of the taxpayers for generations to come.
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The word “witnessed: was used in an accusatory manner by David BU to indicate that the pM has seen vote buying in his presence
Of the many articles published in the media none of them used the word witness as a confirmation to what the is now being interpreted as “to have seen” by the PM
the following are comments made by PM in context to what the PM said about vote buying in barbados
He says throughout the day he has heard stories of people exchanging money for votes. The Prime Minister said this is an ugly practice which digs at the roots of democratic structures.
The Prime minister says the right to vote is a process many people have fought very hard for and the idea of people disrespecting it makes him very uncomfortable.
The prime minister told reporters however he was concerned about a bad practice that was reportedly creeping into general elections.
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Walter Blackman October 22, 2015 at 10:01 AM #
“I believe that it only takes one proven incidence of vote buying on the part of a candidate or his “agents” to disqualify that candidate. Barbadians have the technology to do this…….”
Artaxerxes October 22, 2015 at 11:05 AM
“Walter, that is nuff shiite talk, you live all the way in the US and could talk as much shiite as you want. However, although your comments may be true, it is shiite within the context that people in Barbados are afraid to challenge the status quo far less politicians and the police.”
Artaxerxes,
The astute and perceptive Donna recently noted here on BU that any idea or suggestion aimed at creating progressive change in Barbados is instinctively attacked and knocked down by some bloggers who unwittingly (some deliberately) defend the status quo by screaming “that can’t work in Barbados!”
I hope others were able to derive as much mirth as I did after hearing you argue that, “although (my) comments may be true”, they amount merely to “nuff shiite talk” because ” people in Barbados are afraid to challenge the status quo far less politicians and the police.”
Barbadians might be afraid to challenge the status quo, but that doesn’t mean that we, as “commenters”, should be afraid to challenge Barbadians to adopt new avenues of progressive thinking. I try to do so whenever I write.
Having mentally brushed your unjustified verbal abuse and onslaught aside, I will now attempt to expand my ideas on the subject matter a little more.
BU and its “commenters” are challenging the status quo in Barbados on a daily basis. You make a significant contribution to that challenge. Although less than 1% of the comments made on this blog would attract any legal notice or censure, 99% of the “commenters”, for obvious reasons, choose to mask their identities.
With this observation branded and seared into the innermost recesses of my mind, do you for one moment believe that I would recommend a course of action which calls for you, or any Barbadian, to “tek a picture of the “vote salesmen” and cah it to de police saying that I want de politician and he salesmen to get lock up?”
Anyone who does that, or thinks that, in the Barbadian and Bush Tea context, would have to be a “brass bowl” raving lunatic.
Now, let us get real.
Have you heard of social media?
Artaxerxes, a very intelligent fellow, sees the agent for Candidate A handing out cash in constituency 1. Remembering Ac’s comments, Artaxerxes uses his cell phone to discreetly videotape what is taking place. He knows the practice is widespread so he ends up videotaping many incidents of “vote buying” by the agents of candidates A and B. Artaxerxes finds the practice to be unfair, sickening, and repugnant.
On election night, Candidate A is declared the winner. Artaxerxes devises a way to anonymously send the “videos” on Candidate A to the blogs, which immediately post the “videos” for the whole world to see. Copies of the “videos” fall off the back of a truck and end up in the lap of Candidate B.
As expected, Candidate B mounts a legal challenge to the election results, and moves mountains to successfully get Candidate A disqualified. He is hoping that he now will be declared the winner instead, so that he can get his hands on the “foolish” taxpayers’ money and secure a hefty return on his financial investment.
After Candidate A has been disqualified, Artaxerxes uses the same methodology on Candidate B. Both candidates end up being disqualified.
The intelligent Artaxerxes accomplishes his mission through tact and creativity. Meanwhile, his stupid twin brother, Asstaxerxes, despite ranting and raving for change on the outside, remains paralyzed on the inside because his mind has conjured up fearsome images of the ghosts of Pele, Sergeant Jemmott, “Woggy”, and A’kobi.
One final comment.
You stated that when Pele died, you were at Primary School. Well, I was at the Cave Hill Campus. So put this in your pipe and smoke it: Regardless of whatever or wherever my current address happens to be, I was a born and bred Barbadian before you. You can “wuk up” all around this fact as much as you like, call it “shiite talk” even, but you can never change it.
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@David (BU)
Have you or anyone else read Albert Brandford’s column in last Sunday’s paper. It is entitled new ID Law but nothing on vote-buying.
A number of these changes are exceedingly disconcerting. Eg. and I quote paragraph five
‘In addition, The draft Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill will remove the power of the bipartite Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC), which conducts elections, to make regulations.’
Another is paragraph eight (8) And I quote, ‘New powers of entry into premises will be granted to the designated Chief Registering Officer as well as increased responsibilities imposed upon occupiers of a house’.
What the hell is going on here?
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@ Bernie Fields
What is going on is that we are slowly becoming a DLP state where one party wants to rule by any means necessary
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So after all is said and done Walter comments exposed that “where there is a will there is a Way” via technology,
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
here is what one of barbados well known columinist said he witnessed on election day 2013
A Guys view
In addressing the supporters of his party in the early morning of February 22, 2013, Prime Minister Stuart lamented the proliferation of vote-buying. His concern was that the persons who were engaged in this activity were deliberately corrupting the young people of this country by drawing them into this illegal and unethical activity.
As I drove through St. Joseph on election day, a group of young men flagged me down. When I stopped, one young man said, “Sorry, wrong black jeep. I thought you was de man doing de ting.”
I did not have to ask him “what ting.” I had been summoned to the area because two well-known women who support the BLP were said to be in the area paying money for votes. One method of delivery was the distribution of funds from a black vehicle, described as a jeep. When the police interviewed the man who was driving that vehicle, he decided to hand over that role to somebody else. I am still actively trying to persuade a few individuals to cooperate with the police in this matter. Interestingly, the words attributed to Dale Marshall on this subject disapprove of vote selling, but is silent on buying.
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@Bush Tea October 22, 2015 at 11:14 , I like your idea but I am wondering how you will actually identify those who are decent, proper people and those who are pretenders.
I know of one colleague who did some excellent work as a community leader, displayed excellent intellectual capacity and won awards as ‘Person of the Year’ and things like that. He was approached to step up politically but he was ” reluctant, intimidated etc…” and did not answer the call.
Now on the other hand there is Marshall and Hinkson who were both exalted, very successful presidents in social groups Rotary and Lions respectively. And too Lashley from Pinelands a very successful community leader. All of them clearly said, YES!
So your concept makes perfect sense but its the nature politics to changes people so really not sure how you can control that or separate the pretenders from the real macoys.
It might be just as well to keep some of those fervent activists away from the inner corruption and ideally they can be agents for change from the outside.
Or as noted above you implement draconian term limits or recall guidelines to keep the converted community leaders ‘honest’
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Walter,
Such strong language I’ve never seen from you. Artaxerxes has lived in the ghetto and has felt the danger more keenly than we have so his fear, a knee-jerk reaction, caused him to falter for a bit. He is not part of the “da cyan work” brigade. These people get a perverse pleasure in shooting down your idea even if it means shooting themselves in the foot.
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@Walter
What you have suggested will occur eventually however there is a real fear at play given the suspects involved in the vote buying/selling on the ground. Also we have to focus on the companies who pour enormous sums of money into campaigns expecting contracts/favours when the party is elected. It is a huge problem and we have to continue to debate the issue and modify the system as necessary.
Here is a blog BU posted on vote buying in Deacons three general elections ago. It is happening with abandon because the stakes are high.
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I can see the concern that people who have been ghettoized by politicians for decades, because it works out in the politicians own best interest, have for their welfare and that of their children and grand children, they know retaliation can extend for decades, they have lived it, that’s generations of people.
These people are frustrated but have to put safety of family first, most do not have the tools to fight corrupt politicians and their equally corrupt owners and masters.
One way I see of fighting back, instead of watching each others movements so closely, watch the movements of the politicians even closer, the lawyers closure still, the ones who have risen to the top as top errand boys and girls because they sold their people out to the highest bidder, they won’t stop, it’s part of their genetic makeup, genetic memory, one generation after another for centuries, they have sold out their own, these are the people who come forward as ‘leaders’.
Walter and by extension AC is correct, continue to expose them on the blogs, even through hidden cameras and hidden tape recorders. It’s risky trying to approach the newspapers to find someone to go up against the status quo to expose corruption, since both newspapers are known to be closely affiliated with the same corrupt lawyers, doctors, politicians.
Despite nation newspaper being owned by Trinidadian interest, they are more likely to print photograhs of children having sex than corrupt politicians.
Barbadostoday is very unlikely to print anything about corrupt business people or politicians becase Peter Harris owns it and will not print anything against himself and the lawyers, doctors, politicians whom he owns, he hides behind a blind of lawyers in Barbados to commit his criminal activites with his errand boy David Simmons as his adviser, he has lately taken to trying to censure what is said about him in Barbados, the average Bajan would find it difficult to go up against such a pit of rattle snakes.
The only reason I was successful in discovering how they have managed to sew up the country to benefit themselves only, is because some things they are not aware of, they can only take advantage of a people who have become numb to their dirty dealings and see no way how to get rid of them.
It never entered their minds that people exist who are more than capable of taking them on, they have existed for so long in their pit, they actually believe it will last forever and a day.
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@ Walter Blackman
Where in my contribution did I state “that any idea or suggestion aimed at creating progressive change can’t work in Barbados?”
YOU NEED TO LIGHTEN UP A BIT, perhaps your stay abroad has removed your Barbadian sense of humour, since you have taken my contribution totally out of context and as an attack on your character (re: “unjustified verbal abuse and onslaught”).
My comments were somewhat “tongue in cheek,” but, what the heck, if you have interpreted them otherwise, good for you. I opined that I “verbally abused” you and you responded likewise, so I guess we are even.
I remember in the early 1990s you operated an institute offering certain courses. I registered and paid my fees, it is now 2015 and I’m still awaiting the start date of the course or a refund of my money. So the name “Asstaxerxes” is definitely befitting.
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@ AC
Politicians from both the BLP and DLP engaged in the act of “vote buying” during the 2013 general elections.
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Oh No artexeres please do not confirm to the BU classroom that you are suffering from a classic case called “crab in the barrel mentality
That was somewhat of a low blow beneath the belt delivered to Walter
For what it is worth bajans necessity to practice trading insults have served no other purpose to alienate and divide giving those whom you fight more tenacity to perpetrate and capture the prize
My question to all what purpose does it serve to fight against those who are in disagreement but however are in the same battlefield fighting the oppressors
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@ ac
The man attacked and I responded. Does he have special privileges to attack whom so ever he wishes and we are to hover in fear?
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Artexeres it does no good to be repetitive .what is excepted of those who personally knows of these malfeasance is to report the allegations to the proper authority and request a printed documentation
The solution lies in the hands that see the illegal practice and does nothing
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Artexeres however your response to a “tift”was unnecessary bysheer virtue of using a derrogative iinflammatory accusation which can be called ” theft”
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Donna October 23, 2015 at 12:07 AM #
“Walter,
Such strong language I’ve never seen from you. Artaxerxes has lived in the ghetto and has felt the danger more keenly than we have so his fear, a knee-jerk reaction, caused him to falter for a bit. He is not part of the “da cyan work” brigade.”
Donna,
I am an ardent admirer of Artaxerxes’ analytical contributions to BU. My strong language is more a reflection of the disgust I feel at watching Barbados roll inexorably towards chaos and social destruction, rather than an expression of anger towards Artaxerxes. Public education is not an easy undertaking, and if we are going to succeed in arousing Barbadians from their politically induced stupor, then, occasionally, some strong language may have to be used.
Barbados is 166 sq miles in area, and every inch is practically accessible. In reality, Artaxerxes is not exposed to any more dangers than the bulk of the population. Trust me, we haven’t reached “ghetto” stage yet.
You, other commenters on BU, and I are earnestly pleading with those in authority to govern our country with a sense of meaningful purpose, fairness and transparency. That is all we are asking for. Instead of heeding our pleas, the political class has doubled down and has now moved corruption, unfairness, and political nepotism into turbo gear.
It is surprising how much insight into our society one can glean by paying a little attention to some of the court cases that the traditional media highlight in their newspapers. Here are three small, seemingly insignificant examples:
About a year ago, a retailer was prosecuted for selling jewelry to a minor in his store.
Recently, the police secured a search warrant against a young Barbadian male. They executed the warrant, searched the house, and the young male was hustled off to jail because they found a spliff under his pillow.
A few weeks ago, a male (he said he was going to visit a “lady of the night”) was tracked by the police in the Garrison area. The report said that the police watched him buy drugs, and then charged HIM for making the purchase. The report did not mention what happened to the person who sold this man the drugs.
Mind you, Mr. Arthur Holder recently alerted all Barbadians that drugs, worth millions of dollars, were being manufactured in Barbados, using hydroponics. Any arrests yet?
These three examples demonstrate how efficiently the police and judiciary operate when it comes to pouncing on the “small fish”. Yet, we all know that there are some “big fish” who bribe politicians, politicians who receive kickbacks, and people who steal policyholders’ premiums and then ironically use some of the money to purchase political “insurance” against prosecution.
These glaring examples speak volumes about the extent to which our country is heading down the wrong road, fast. The “ordinary” people of Barbados are being treated like rats by the political class.
Was it you Donna who quipped that “when a rat is cornered, it jumps on you”?
Change has to come. Barbados simply cannot continue like this. Some readers have not realized it yet, but the real fight is now between systematic legal change versus a chaotic social upheaval.
Recently, the press reported that some villagers banded together and beat a policeman whilst he was trying to do his job. Is this a common occurrence in Barbados?
A school teacher recently lost his life via the gun, and he did not carry or betray any secrets to the police. Yet he was “taken out”.
A young man, working on a rural farm, recently lost his life via the gun, and he did not carry or betray any secrets to the police. Yet he was “taken out”.
Death is now being visited upon Barbadians in a random, unpredictable, and haphazard way, via the gun. The US embassy has alerted its citizens to be careful and watchful whilst visiting Barbados.
The chaotic social backlash has started. Who has the power to effectively stop it? Certainly not the disrespected and tainted political class. The power lies in the hands of Barbadian citizens. All of the foolishness will only stop when we stand up in unison and shout “we have had enough. No more of this nonsense!”
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Artaxerxes October 23, 2015 at 7:24 AM #
@ Walter Blackman
” you have taken my contribution totally out of context ”
Artaxerxes,
If so, then I ask for your forgiveness.
There is no enmity between you and me.
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Artaxerxes October 23, 2015 at 7:24 AM #
“@ Walter Blackman
I remember in the early 1990s you operated an institute offering certain courses. I registered and paid my fees, it is now 2015 and I’m still awaiting the start date of the course or a refund of my money. So the name “Asstaxerxes” is definitely befitting.”
Artaxerxes,
I suspect that this “bombshell” might have been on your mind for the past 20 years or so. I am glad that you have finally decided to bring it to my attention.
We are all Barbadians, and we can learn a lot from each other’s experiences and mistakes.
In the early 1990’s, I conceptualized the idea of setting up a computer business offering a suite of computer-related services and courses. To make a long story short, I approached two Barbadians who were trained in computer science and proposed that we set up a company with the three of us being partners. We opened a bank account for the business, and at that point, I made a fatal mistake. The banking arrangement allowed any two of the partners to sign cheques.
I put in long, long hours towards building the company and its market share. As soon as I secured the first major contract, my two partners seized the bank book, put my “belongings” in a garbage bag, and showed me the door. At that point, the company had one major liability – a loan of around BDS$20,000 that I had encouraged a friend to lend the business so that it could purchase some computers. The business owed no vendors, no rent.
I asked my partners about the outstanding 20k loan that had to be repaid, and they bluntly told me that that was my problem. After a few years, I personally repaid the lender BDS$30,000.
In your case, they took your money (and probably the fees of other registrants too) and provided no services. Simply put, you and I became their victims. I received a double dose of victimization because, as shown by your revelation, I have been possibly blamed for what happened to you and the other victims.
I am extremely sorry to hear about your experience, and my heart bleeds for the other victims who have been suffering silently for over 20 years.
Again, I want to thank you for letting me know.
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Artax
Artax writes: ” Politicians from both the BLP and DLP engaged in the act of “vote buying” during the 2013 general elections”.
The solicitation of the suffrage through monetary compensation has been part and parcel of the Barbadian political ethos, so it ought not to be a surprise that this has happened in 2013. Which leave me to ask the question: where were you all this time?
The Blogmaster has said on one occasion that whenever I write on BU that I do so in a 1980’s context with respect to the political affairs in Barbados, and he may well be correct, but I write with the truth and conviction regarding what I had experienced as far as political corruption is concerned in Barbados.
The former BLP Minister of Tourism Aaron Truss, had had an uncanny ability as well as an inventive insight on how to buy vote back in the 1980’s. He solicited the vote through monetary compensation from the constituents of Bush Hall, Station Hill, Bank Hall, Waterford and Dean Village. So we are well aware of this corrupted element in Barbados politics, and it out not be a surprise to supporters on both sides of the political divided.
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@Donna, who really are part of the “da cyan work” brigade re your October 23, 12:07 post. It seems clear that based on the available metric here on BU that Artax’s remarks were fully embraced by several other bloggers.
Not sure whether they embraced the general dismissal of valid on-the-ground commentary from those of us ex- BIM, or whether if it was an embrace of the details of how the vote buying takes place.
But an embrace nonetheless, it was.
These verbal jousts are always invigorating cause it’s clear that the opinion gives here are for the most part very verbally aggressive boys and girls who have absolutely no problem getting into a bassa-bassa!
When one prods even though it’s mild and clearly without mal-intent then one should expect to be prodded back and it be taken in same vein as it was given .
A good morning’s ‘cardio exercise’ if you ask me. The better more vigorous the exercise the healthier we become.
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@ all
I never thought the day would come that the antichrist would be a mediator in an issue and, for the few seconds that that specific person was using the moniker, make sense
@ Both comrades in the trenches
Potato and Potato-e. Both compatriots in arms against one enemy
Some time back I made some disparaging remarks about A particular party and when the unadulterated truth was revealed to me, I retracted my comments and apologized publicly.
You would be surprised to know what transpired in that circumstance and since the misconception about the specific is not peculiar to me alone, it might be of use to go public with a statement of clarification. Just saying.
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Ahhhhhh. I was typing while you responded.
Well done
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Walter,
I share your anger and know that we must take a stand. However, though I know that everyone is in danger by virtue of the island’s small size I do not feel that fear as acutely in my old timeish village of longstanding respectable families, as my friend who lives between two infamous ‘hoods. It’s all about probability. I get a respite from the acute anxiety when I come home. It levels off simply to alertness.
I too am sensing the desperation of the cornered rat to which I did actually refer. If the oppressors don’t begin the process of accountability the rats will start to attack. Whose side will I be on? Surely not that of the oppressors who kill more people from stress than any small time foot soldier of our gangs.
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De ingrunt Word,
I wasn’t referring to anyone on Bu but to the wider society that I have encountered. What was happening here was just a robust debate. I think Walter took it wrong.
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@Walter Blackman you should at least give Artaxerxes a bottle of the Remy Mount Gay
$1000 bottle of rum when it becomes available.
The Lessons thing 20 years ago ent nuh big ting. De two ah wanna is good Bajans. lol
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And then it DID get out of hand and become personal.
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@ Donna,
It is to this reality that you and Artaxerxes and Walter are speaking from your own perspectives that these people in power, aided and abetted by the Harrises the Miss Rams and the Haloutes, find themselves out to sea, unable, and unwilling to take any meaningful action.
Since my recent encounters with Zoe, I have now taken to prophesying due to my proxy association with them.
When a group from the hoods that you spoke of goes and starts killing a few of the haves for what they have, in sufficient numbers, like one a week, then and only the will someone say enough and clean shop!!
Oops that one a week already is happening isn’t it?
Let me adjust the prophecy to one a day cause the antichrist said that everything is ok in Bulbados and Adrian Nitwit and Fumbles Van Winkle agree
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Question three gentle men in the fore front championing the cause against vote buying, please note i am also against vote buying, but can two of these gentlemen, the two who are business owners come clean and tell the public if they make large monetary donations to any particular party? And if they do are they sure that some part of these donations does not in essence defeat their cause? In other words can they be certain that the donations they make, if they actually make donations,do not return to the streets to aid in vote buying?Well i might be getting ahead of my thoughts but i hope it is not a case of the pot calling the kettle black,because if this is in fact the case then we have a lot of cleaning to do.
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Pieces,
You now make me read AC’s comments. Wuhlaus! I actually agreed!
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@ Walter Blackman
Okay, we have traded “blows” and here is where it ends.
There are two Barbadians I admire and respect. Anytime time I am in conversation with youngsters I always encourage them to emulate these individuals.
The two individuals I am referring to are Dr. Don Marshall and Walter Blackman.
I’m sure by mentioning this fact on BU, my true identity is on the line.
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@pieceuhderockyeahright wrote ” Oops that one a week already is happening isn’t it? ”
It seems like people going missing is now a daily occurence. Reading NationNews and BarbadosToday is like reading the crime section of a Canadian newspaper.
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Artaxerxes October 23, 2015 at 11:55 AM #
@ Walter Blackman
“There are two Barbadians I admire and respect. Anytime time I am in conversation with youngsters I always encourage them to emulate these individuals.
The two individuals I am referring to are Dr. Don Marshall and Walter Blackman.”
Artaxerxes,
The feeling of respect and admiration is mutual. As I reminded a fellow Combermerian recently on my Facebook page, “tongue and teet’ will have words”.
Like cubs and tigers playing, we can use these “verbal jousts” to sharpen our skills at learning how to bring down our “targets”.
No hard feelings. Keep up your good work on BU.
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Walter, well said it must be that these ” “verbal jousts” … sharpen … skills at learning how to bring down our “targets” “. As I said above that was my take-away from the exchange: it was a good exercise.
It is inconceivable to me that a blogger can be ‘serious’ if they cannot deal vigorously with the banter here. If they can’t handle this stuff then they would be chewed and spat out in ‘real politik’ in a nano-second!
You are ready for any political battle – as we saw with the ‘caged-fight’ Pieces referred to above.
You give the impression that you would eat alive some of the political vermin out there. Ideally you can indeed do such in the upcoming elections.
Like the Freedom Caucus, a small but strong minority can indeed became de facto kingmaker, thus a strong third party can be major spoiler in the next elections
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Rarely have I seen a verbal assassination assualt on another character been so easily dismissed
One’s character is sacroscant and should be guarded and protected against persons who seek ulterior motives to destroy
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As long as de antichrist is against it you gents KNOW FOR A FACT that you are on the right track.
The time for a third party is here and now
Mr. Blackman jes make sure that you surround yourself with men and women of similar ilk and with balls (or pudendas, to be anatomically correct)
Grenville too nicey nicey fuh me and up to now his education revamping still sounds like hogwash.
I want someone who gine tell dem like it is
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At the end of the day it is clear that the politicians REFUSE to practice transparency, so since they refuse, it’s up to the public to make sure everything the politician does becomes transparent.
All the long talk about making Barbados a Republic, how will they handle that, a Republic commands and demands transparency, you will not be able to hide in a corner taking bribes from your favorite criminal friend, or sell your people out to the highest bidder.
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Piece
In what way would a third-party address the moral decadence of the ever declining Barbadian society? I am all for a third-party, but what good is it if the membership of that party are driven by the grossest of self-interest over the collective-interest of the majority? Come on now Piece, you’re thinking about this issue superficially and not fundamentally, because if we have a society that is driven by greed and corruption, one would think that the citizenry of such a society would be conditioned by such attitude?
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Piece
When we are searching for the people to represent our interest in the epicenter of power, we must choose such persons on the basis of their proven and a tested public record. We must see to it that these people meet moral, intellectual and experiential criteria, before we even consider them to represent our interest in the epicenter of power.
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Searching for good people in barbados is akin to looking for a needle in a haystack well exemplified today when a well known and articulate blogger made not qualms about calling another blogger a thief just because a comment of disagreement was made
In my mind the insult triggered a nauseating revolting feeling of disgust and cast my minds eye as to far and wide the evilness that lurks in the heart of mankind can be magnified from a simple disagreement,
So then i supposed it leaves us like stuck wheels spinning effortlessly in the mud,
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AC…..stop trying to distract from the real issues, the two gentlemen, Art and Walter settled their differences as they should, and as you clearly saw, like grown men.
The issues remain the same, so deal withthem.
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Oh please WW& c get out of here who are you to talkor even opin on brawls only of recent you started lightning all kinds of fires across the landscape of barrbados with crazy allegations about people , go wipe yuh mout hypocrite
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AC….the fires need to be lit, unlike the useless shit you are trying to create, my fires are positive, productive and true with a sense of purpose.
If you think I have started lighting fires yet, just you wait. You betterbring a lot ofwater.
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Unfortunately for me, I am sure, I have to agree with AC here that some unnecessary ugliness raised its head in the middle of a hot debate between two men who have impressed me with their submissions to BU. This was a serious accusation not just some rum shop cussing. If Arta had raised his concerns before in the many exchanges here on BU it would not have come across as the accusation that it ended up being. However they seem to be satisfied that it has been settled. Walter has given a believable explanation. Arta seems to have accepted such and now we can all let it drop.
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The following recent article from no less a place like Canada might shed some light on the fact that this is not only a concern in this backwoods cvntry Barbados but that there are mechanisms available for our country’s use.
“An international observer mission has set down in Ottawa to monitor and report on the federal election — including whether controversial changes to Canada’s election law help or hurt the democratic process.
The six-person mission, deployed by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), is the first to monitor a Canadian election in nearly a decade. It was prompted by widespread concern inside Canada over recent changes introduced by the Conservative government’s controversial Fair Elections Act.”
Certainly if someone from ovah and away were to record and there afterwards make evidence of these practices available for appropriate review this might be of possible use but then again…
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And if Barbados apply such a mechanism to monitor elections have any one given thought that those mechanisms when employed are costly
At what price would thegovt /taxpayers seized the opportunity and be willing to foot the bill to monitor elections to stamp out vote buying
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How much did Thompson’s funeral cost the bajan voter/taxpayer AC, now tell me if the same voter/taxpayer does not have the right to have their funds spent on mechanisms to prevent vote buying/selling and at any cost, since to this day, they do not know what it cost them to bury Thompson.
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Have you yardfowls given thought that the 3.3 million might have been used to bury him
Now there you have it fool !,also if you doubt me check his dry bones lying in the St. John cementary for the evidence
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ac October 23, 2015 at 5:52 PM #
“In my mind the insult triggered a nauseating revolting feeling of disgust and cast my minds eye as to far and wide the evilness that lurks in the heart of mankind……..”
Oh please, AC, stop being “melodramatically hypocritical.”
One or two contributors agreed with your initial responses, so you decided to “ride your high” and continue “trying to rub salt in a wound,” forgetting that your “fruits are hanging extremely low.”
A similar “nauseating revolting feeling of disgust and cast my eyes as to far and wide the evilness that lurks in the heart of mankind” was how (and many BU’s contributors) felt when the DLP’s “alter ego, “Douglas,” was able to get information from former Transport Board employee Lisa Marshall’s PERSONAL FILE, and post it to BU in an attempt to besmear Lisa’s character, simply because, 7 months after being retrenched and not receiving her severance payment, she used VOB 92.9’s “Brass Tacks” program to ask government for this payment that was rightfully hers.
Rather than think Lisa’s “character is sacrosanct and should be guarded and protected against persons who seek ulterior motives to destroy,” you jumped on the “band wagon” and had no “qualms about calling Lisa a THIEF”, in the absence of any evidence to suggest she actually stole money, and only because it served the purpose of defending the DLP.
“ac September 1, 2014 at 2:03 PM #: a thief demanding her fair share,,,,enough to make dog stomach sick,,but the BLP yardfowls seem to be O,k, with that not a picking teet about this criminality,,,,”
Recently, BU posted a number of articles that exposed CAHILL for the scam it is. E-mails and various other documents were also presented as proof that certain members of this administration were involved in this fraud. Each member of the AC consortium questioned the authenticity of those documents and expressed disgust that this information was LEAKED into the public domain.
However, not one member of the legion of demons had any problem with information from Lisa’s PERSONAL FILE being LEAKED on BU.
“ac August 31, 2014 at 8:44 AM #: are u blp yardfowls really angry that the files where exposed, if so ,this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black, cause the blp operatives have never by pass an opportunity to release sensitive govt documents in the public domain when the opportunity arise,,,,”
Perhaps we can express similar sentiments as it relates to the CAHILL correspondence, because it is definitely “a case of the pot calling the kettle black.”
Chris Sinckler made no “qualms about calling” BIPA’s president, June Fowler, as “being as ignorant as a bald pooch cat,” “just because a comment of disagreement was made.” And you were on BU supporting Sinckler’s comments.
“Searching for good people in Barbados is akin to looking for a needle in a haystack,” is a true statement, especially when the consortium defended Richard Byer for charging the Caves of Barbados $766,855.24 as legal fees to give an opinion on a loan. These demons also defended the positions taken by Lowe and Kellman for not reprimanding Byer for his actions and the subsequent termination of the Cave’s CEO, Joann Grant.
You saw this incident as an opportunity to get back at me because I always expose your ignorance and weaknesses…… and have you failed. Leave Walter and I to deal with our problems, while you check yourself for all the “hypocritical double standards” you exhibit on BU.
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@ Walter
Thank you and I also encourage you to continue your good work on BU as well.
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Artexeres why take my comments personnel unless you know what I said is the truth
I believe after four days of banter you would have”let the despicable act of demeaning Walter character “go” since he forgiven you
But no in your typical demeaning and selfloathing character you brings the subject up again
But it is easy to understand since you had hoard the occurrence for twenty years and seized an opportune moment of digust to publicly huminalate Walt ! Hypocrite and a two faced one to boot
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@ AC
One cannot ‘demean’ the character of a good man….That is an oxymoron.
Good men can easily handle all kinds of vile accusations …and often do so with grace and charm.
Actually, it is how you can REALLY tell a ‘good’ man.
See how Walter was able to explain the situation in a way that actually ENHANCES his already good reputation…?
See how Artax was able to explain his motivation for raising the matter…?
See how they BOTH have gone UP in the estimation al all wise bloggers …. (don’t check yourself.. 🙂 …Bushie said ‘wise’ )
Remember when Caswell was accused of cheating the Government out of a car…?
Recall his calm and rational explanation…?
Those are GOOD men…. the kind of men who should be leaders…
Now compare and contrast with some other ‘larmers’ in the BU rumshop…. such as those know for making girls cry with a kiss…
…compare with your fumbler, accused of protecting a non-leper-thief of biblical proportions…
…compare with your froon who said he ‘knew nothing’ of CAHILL … now we have that letter…
While your DLP jokers DEMEAN themselves, and all Barbados, daily with their vile and crooked ways, try as you may, you CANNOT demean the few good men we have found who are swimming against the tide in Barbados.
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I saw your comments this morning and responded accordingly.
Unlike you, I have a LIFE other than being on BU, since you can find the time to be logged onto to this site 7 days a week, 24 hours per day, commenting EVERY issue, even on those subjects of which you DO NOT have the requisite knowledge or training.
But, AC, “why take my comments personnel unless you know what I said is the TRUTH?
You have proven beyond any reasonable doubt that you are not only ignorant, but the BIGGEST HYPOCRITE on BU.
But I guess you are an expert on defining a “typical demeaning and selfloathing character” since you have constantly exhibited this characteristic on BU, by doing such to EVERY contributor to BU (well… with the exception of your fellow DLP trolls).
Ask Lisa Marshall. I just hope you “have let the despicable act of demeaning her character “go”..” as well.
Imagine, you attempting admonish me. Now, does that not make you “Hypocrite and a two faced one to boot?”
I’ll bet anything you will waste no time in responding to this, but take a good look in the mirror before you do.
You can carry on in your usual childish banter.
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oh wise owl bush shit thanks for your intervention
One.s character is a representation of one self demonstrated through words and deeds (action
However if what you say is true that a person character when dragged through the mud cannot be stained or blemish
How is it that Those whose character has been assassinated publicly and who have provided sufficient proof to defend, that the humiliation brought( about) has caused emotional pain and at times scorn with the inability to erase or eliminate the souring of the peoples mind.
BTW the example of Caswell one can easily say is only tempered but not necessarily forgotten all because of his ability to cast shadows on other peoples failures but not because public perception has changed about the allegations towards him
Therfore one must be cautiuos in the attempt to ignore the damages brought about and not to fooled into a false sense of security that when nasty allegations are hurled towards a individual that the long term damage is erased by a simple explanation
You can look right across this landscape and find examples of those who were accused falsely and even though vindicated the blemish and stains remain permanently in their lives
Artexeres should have known better to use such vile attack on Walter especially being an advocate for Lisa Marshall whom he claims was wrongfully and woefully vilified in the public domain for speaiking her mind.
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Hmmmmm
Brilliant piece of writing. Perhaps you should deliver such a speech at the DLP’s Friday lunch time lectures or the DLP’s annual conferences.
And you could give copies to Ronald Jones, Donville Inniss, Denis Kellman, Denis Lowe and especially Fruendel Stuart, so they could refer to it before using their usual pejorative comments to describe Barbadians.
Akani McDowell, Toni Moore and Hilary Beckles are just among the few who felt the wrath of Stuart’s tongue.
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@ Artax
Boss…
Your main weakness resides in your wont to engage the idiot….
Remember…
“(s)he who knows not, and knows not that they know not….
AVOID them…”
…unless of course, like Bushie, you have a large whacker, and is fully equipped with the appropriate PPE to deal with flying shiite and body parts of snails, worms and other vermin…
Your ‘challenge’ of Walter was absolutely appropriate AND called for… If you were around BU for longer you would know that this technique has long been patented by Bushie as a methodology in assessing the true character of a blogger.
The response speaks VOLUMES about the kind of person with whom you are dealing.
Those of low quality are easily intimidated and respond with their true character – foolishly lashing back as they lay their soul bare…
Those of true worth appreciate that they are NOT perfect, and may indeed need to address some personal weaknesses…..and do! …and are therefore THANKFUL for such direct and honest (even if not tactful) interaction.
Those that are ‘special’ take the opportunity to provide THEIR perspective to your accusation, giving them a chance to explain away misconceptions that could otherwise have persisted in many of their ‘on-the-fence’ supporters.
…and those like Peter Wickham, ‘Dickshunary’ and Jack(ass) Boreman just run away …when it becomes clear that they are WAY out of their class….
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AC…….you LIE, it’s in the public record, public funds were used to bury Thompson, so if the $3.3 million thiefing money belonging to clico policyholders was used for his burial, who pocketed the taxpayers money that was said was spent.
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listen bro (art) when soldiers are on the battle field shots would be fired ,some unintentionally (friendly fire) and some intentionally,
Those names you mentioned are all fighting on the same battle field with the same purpose in mind what is best for barbados
Don’t get carried away by the noise of friendly fire overheard in the back ground,
All those soldiers are fully equipped ready able to take whatever shots come there way
People of your iik are drag into action from the sidelines best known as “the actors in the theater of entertainment” and that is as far as your activity would go.,, example bush shite and his Brass bowl Comedy SHOW HA! HA!
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