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Submitted by Hamiliton Hill

vote_buyingYesterday 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?

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96 responses to “Vote Buying and Independent Monitors”

  1. Anthony Davis Avatar
    Anthony Davis

    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?

  2. David Avatar
    David

    Who would have thought Barbadians would be discussing vote buying, transparency in government read GOVERNANCE in 2015?

  3. Jeff Cumberbatch Avatar
    Jeff Cumberbatch

    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?

  4. David Avatar
    David

    @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.

  5. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    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.

  6. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Sorry folks, this one was too important not to share immediately.

  7. Violet C Beckles Avatar
    Violet C Beckles

    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,

  8. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    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.

  9. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    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.

  10. ac Avatar
    ac

    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

  11. David Avatar
    David

    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.

  12. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    @ 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

    http://www.imaging-resource.com/?ACT=44&fid=17&d=4542&f=iphone-6-plus-super-spy-telescope-80x-zoom-4-620×620.jpg

    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.”

  13. ac Avatar
    ac

    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

  14. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    @ 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?

  15. ac Avatar
    ac

    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

  16. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    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.

  17. Walter Blackman Avatar
    Walter Blackman

    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?

  18. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    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.

  19. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    @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.

  20. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    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.

  21. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    Like the Wilkinson Executive Cars scam, de dog dun dead…and not a man/woman in Bulbados can do a Lazarus pun it…

  22. Rev. Buddy Larrier Avatar
    Rev. Buddy Larrier

    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.

  23. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    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.

  24. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ 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.”

  25. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    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….

  26. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ David,

    We talk about vote buying. What about vote selling ? Just asking.

  27. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    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 ?

  28. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    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.

  29. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    What about the “corporate political contributions” aka commissions for future Government contracts?

  30. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    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.

  31. ac Avatar
    ac

    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

  32. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    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.

  33. SuckaBubby Avatar
    SuckaBubby

    AG and PM concerned about vote-buying ? Steups, who guards the guard?

  34. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    Does it matter we don’t know if a promise was not kept or that there was an attempt to influence.

  35. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    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.

  36. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    AC…..all of this is above and beyond you, it’s above your pay grade..lol

  37. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    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

  38. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    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.

  39. ac Avatar
    ac

    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.

  40. Walter Blackman Avatar
    Walter Blackman

    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.

  41. Bernie Fields Avatar
    Bernie Fields

    @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?

  42. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    @ 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

  43. ac Avatar
    ac

    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.

  44. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    @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’

  45. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    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.

  46. David Avatar
    David

    @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.

    Vote Buying and Campaign Financing

    by David on August 12, 2014 in Opinion, Politics Edit

    On the 26 January 2008 BU posted the following blog in response to questions about voting irregularities reported in Deacons on election day,  the constituency of St. Michael North West seat was contested between Chris Sinckler and Clyde Mascoll. Sinckler won by 340 votes.

    32 Comments • Continue Reading →

  47. David Avatar
    David

    Scott Hahn's photo.

  48. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    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.

  49. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ 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.

  50. Artaxerxes Avatar
    Artaxerxes

    @ AC

    Politicians from both the BLP and DLP engaged in the act of “vote buying” during the 2013 general elections.

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