by AfraRaymond
This is the ‘On the Couch’ session at the T&T Transparency Institute’s 2016 Anti-Corruption Conference held on Tuesday 8th March 2016. The moderator was Reginald Armour SC, President of the Law Association; Michael Harris, Tapia Member and Express columnist; Mark Regis of Shell Trinidad; and Afra Raymond, managing director of Raymond & Pierre Ltd and […]
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And in Barbados, the backward governments have Code of Ethics and Conduct in place to prevent and discipline civil servants from speaking the truth about dangers and health risks to the citizens associated with the environment, which can cause deaths, or to tell the truth about corrupt government ministers’ vicious practices of stealing, selling out the country to whomever can fill their pockets with bribe money, all crimes and corrupt practices against the citizens.
No wonder the fake lords in England still think Caribbean leaders are not capable of managing anything in the Caribbean.
Donkeys.
In Barbados, a judge,recently delivering a lecture marking International Women’s Day, observed that “after 15 years of discussions, drafting and consultations, legislators are yet to enact the law” re sexual harassment in the workplace. Laws are also, supposedly, presently being drafted to ensure honesty and integrity in the legal profession. Need I say more ? In Barbados,’that is how we roll’…and bajans have the nerve to criticize trinis !
Pieter.., an injured lady has been waiting in pain for compensation for 35 years, neither the Auditor Generals Office or Attorney Generals office would do their jobs, they are all waiting for her to die…do not wait for any legislation from any politicians that can benefit the people or stop politician’s nasty practices of corruption…just keep watching them and exposing them for the world to see, that is what they deserve…they are lowlife…the lowest form.
I have been finding that on awakening daily I have a struggle with many thing but the one thing that I must admit to you is this.
I just watched Afra Raymond on that couch and listed to him talk and I wondered
What makes men such as he is?
Where was that seed sprung?
Was it embedded in the sperm, the DNA, part of mitosis, or is it meiosis (I did not listen carefully to the childrun during that Biology homework Lilith #2 was quarreling dat night)
So I listen then the estimates, the House of Assembly et al., and I can’t understand what act of nature caused these aberrations, why would a minister of fine ants lie so barefacedly and then lie to retract that lie.
What is the difference between ISIS jihadists and their bombs that kill hundreds and the Stinkliars and Downlows and the Muttleys?
Is it limbs strewn across the foyer of an airport or people’s lives less graphically but equally decimated across the Barbados landscape?
The terrorists are indeed in the house of parliament, in their slimmynest, they have found a way to use the actions of international terrorists to rein terror on their own people, ignoring the constitution….but being dumb terrorists, the ministers did not even have the intelligence to institute a patriot act…..I want to see them trying it now.
@PUDRYR
Agree with you. Wonder how many will listen to Afra’s video.
Thank God for men like Afra Raymond. I find it amazing how absolutely corrupt the Caribbean has become. The word corruption has never been a part of our political lexicon. In the eyes of our esteemed leaders it does not exist.
I have said it before and I will say it again: If you want real change in Barbados you have to revolt against the system which has allowed corruption to flourish unchecked. The current incumbent, Stuart, is a lackey who has no intention of tackling the endemic corruption from within his office. He is a traitor to his people.
This man is a coward who hides behind his office bestriding the stage like some mock Ceasar. A man ill-suited to be the boss of his house yet alone the head of our country. Whilst he continues to impersonate being our Prime Minister the under pinning of our economy becomes more fragile.
This imposter has done a remarkable job in weakening and impoverishing our nation. Congratulations Stuart.
He would do well to take a glance at President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria. A no-nonsense man who stated that once in office he would clean up his country.
“Nigeria indicts firms over arms fraud contracts”
@Exclaimer
Respectfully disagree. There has always been corruption. We are in a different time where the public craves transparency. Like the fall of the Berlin wall we will witness the puncture of that cloak of secrecy the establishment has become accustomed.
@ Exclaimer
Thank God for men like Afra Raymond. I find it amazing how absolutely corrupt the Caribbean has become. The word corruption has never been a part of our political lexicon.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Afra Raymond is a treasure, but you err in thinking that corruption is new to our region. Neither are men of Raymond’s ilk.
What HAS changed, is the social media’s ability to bypass the censorship that has existed for decades and its power to expose the lotta shiite that has FOR A LONG TIME, been endemic in this region.
‘Long time’ (as Trickidadians would put it) men of Raymond’s ilk would be dismissed as lunatics, as trouble-makers, and traitors. They would have been denied access to information (still are); frustrated in court (still are); harassed (still are) and degraded by the establishment – INCLUDING THE PRESS (still are)
But what is different now, is that such GEMS in the society are able to hold their candles up in the light of social media, to interact with citizens, to challenge the crooks, and to access FACTS in ways that have been IMPOSSIBLE in past years…
Life will NEVER AGAIN be the same for those institutionalised crooks …even after Afra and David(BU)….
As our leaders and their backers become more emboldened in their levels of nepotism and corruption one has to wonder if they have fully calculated the behind the scenes plotting of mice and men.
History has taught us that leaders are at there most vulnerable when they perceive themselves as demi-God’s – beyond reproach. Madam Thatcher and Julius Caesar being two examples. Both were brutally cut down in their prime.
Has our Prime Minister – Stuart, taken on the mantle of Julius Ceasar?
@ Exclaimer
Has our Prime Minister – Stuart, taken on the mantle of Julius Ceasar?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Short answer…..
Yes, …but our Brutus is a shiite hound….with a mock gun instead of the knife…
@ Bush Tea,
I have stated more than once that Stuart is a fraud. He mocks us all whilst holding on to the reins of power. We live in a country that has become so exposed to corruption that the welfare and the safety of the population can no longer be safe-guarded.
We the people should look at how the dead weight Stuart can be removed from his lofty position.
I am no historian but surely there must be a precedent in our history where an incumbent leader was obliged to step down from his post.
In the continent of Africa they would have had a coup; in the continent of South America they would have instigated revolution; in America they have a long history of assassinating their heads of state; whilst in Barbados we the public re-elect the same useless leaders and their wretched parties.
I remain puzzled.
AUDIO: The Breakfast Roundtable interview on Sky 99.5FM – 23 March 2016
AFRA RAYMOND, Immediate Past President of the Joint Consultative Council (JCC), comments briefly on the firing of Jearlean John by the new HDC board, after being on administrative leave for a couple of months. He says we should not be too quick to believe the Marlene McDonald dismissal is a sign of greater accountability to come on the part of governments. Mr. Raymond also lauds Government’s proposal to use the housing sector to create opportunities for construction industry, to help pull T&T out of recession.
- Programme Date: Wednesday, 23 March 2016
- Programme Length: 26:04
https://soundcloud.com/sky995fm/23mar2016-afra-raymond-jearlean-marlene-and-relatives-of-mps
Exclaimer. ..this excerpt I took from your post says in all about Prime Minster Stuart:
“This is the first time such a detailed report has been made public and the fact that both serving and retired military officers have been indicted appears to show the president’s commitment to rooting out endemic corruption that has stagnated the development of Africa’s largest economy and oil producer.”
Stuart and the attorney general see absolutely no need to root out the endemic corruption that has successfully stagnated the development of Barbados.
If you ask them, both will tell you it’s not the corruption, it’s the world recession. ..they will blame the island’s financial destruction on everthing else, but corruption.
And both PM Stuart and AG Brathwaite will tell you this with their very last dying breath.
@ Well Well & Consequences March 27, 2016 at 7:29 AM
We are witnessing in Barbados the hallmarks of a roman tragedy. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Who will be the brave one amongst us to wield the knife and rid us of this tyranny called corruption?
The only people can do it are the leaders, but only if they have the will….unless the people are willing to rise up and exert enough pressure to force them to such a degree that the politicians will have no choice but to give up their love of kickbacks for contracts from the minorities and bribes from business people both local and foreign to overlook criminal activities.
That’s their only way out of that vicious, self-inflicted cycle of “brassbowlery”
Follow the political discussion by Trinis:
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2016 8:50 AM
Subject: Fwd: ‘Respect’ stars in Rowley-Rule theatrics – It is to die for, in this T&T day and age: this thing called “respect”.
Politicians will soon realize, if they haven’t done so already, that people today demand performance and good governance, and then maybe they will give you "respect" and praise. The 30% sycophants on the PNM side and the 30% sycophants on the UNC side will stick to their massas who can never do any wrong, but the other 40% of the people will not. You will not get the "respect" that insecure, narcissistic, and egoistic politicians crave. Note the math" 40% middle (None of PNM nor UNC) plus 30 % sycophants (on either side) can trump the other side. The 40% are the swing, the centre, the core of the nation, if only they realize that and do more to achieve better governance. People in this country still complain that you say "Rowley" or "Kamla" or "Panday" or "Williams" or "Eric" ! These backward fools think you are not showing "respect" when all over the world it is the conventional way to address politicians. e.g. Putin, Obama, Cameron, Merkel, Modi, Trudeau etc. Be careful and fearful of those who demand "respect" !!! But, respect those who are decent & honest citizens, those kethcing arse to raise their families but do not get into crime, those who do not grab from the trough, those who do not engage in nepotism and cronyism, those who care for the people and not the financiers and conglomerates, and those who actually serve the people without demanding insane and obscene perks, salaries, and "respect"! Do good and you will earn respect.
Lenny Grant
Lennox Grant column 27 March 2016
‘Respect’ stars in Rowley-Rule theatrics
It is to die for, in this T&T day and age: this thing called “respect”.
From earliest days under Rowley Rule, it was declaimed by the Tobago West speech-band mistress, Shamfa Cudjoe: “We are in charge… Deal with it.”
“We are in charge!” expresses the temper of the times under Keith Rowley leadership. In word and deed, one key mission of this government is to put people in their place.
The rest of us are ever enjoined that “respect” is due, demanded, and expected. What is done and how it’s done coalesce into a single message: have respect.
The need for “respect” lies embedded in the DNA of PNM people, especially those raised high to power.
Who had ever heard of Newman George, until he emerged as the designated hitman/chairman of HDC, to bring low the powerhouse that was Jearlean John?
At once, he earns repute as someone around whom to tread carefully. The Jearlean John death warrant listed verdicts condemning her as “insubordinate and disrespectful”.
Be on notice, then, that a pecking order is in force. Were you to offend against it, you could be, well, fatally pecked.
With Ms John’s ejection from the post of HDC managing director, another executive has been flung from high office, for having been found “insubordinate”.
“Disrespectful” didn’t figure as literally among the charges posted in the death warrant for former Central Bank governor Jwala Rambarran. He had been denounced by Finance Minister Colm Imbert as “grossly insubordinate”.
In both determinations, the reigning attitude was that of a court martial. Higher authorities pronounced, affirming the PNM public virtue of “respect”, expected of lower ranks.
Last Christmas, the Cabinet, after “adjudicating” upon the Imbert case for the prosecution, found governor Rambarran “guilty” as charged.
Power, demanding deference and obedience: recognise the over-arching theme of the Rowley-Rule theatrics. It prizes keywords in “respect”, and “disrespect”,
“instruct”, and “insubordinate”. And, of course, “in charge”.
Dr Rowley even added “disrespectful” in his indictment against multinational ArcelorMittal, dearly departed for more profitable shores.
The attitude struck in this posture may already be turning people off. The government may have picked up such signals.
Justifying the Rambarran termination last week, Mr Imbert relied instead on the accusation that he had violated the Central Bank Act. Mr Rambarran claimed to have QC advice, so the courts will have final say.
According to the government, Mr Rambarran was little minded to play ball with the Rowley-Imbert administration.
Until December, it was hardly imaginable that any authority, other than the Central Bank, would invoke jealous prerogative to decide on design or texture of T&T dollar bills.
Coveting “respect”, those “in charge” reserve the right to micro-manage currency design. Mr Rambarran was seen to resist the government’s overruling of the Central Bank’s choice of polymer material for TT$100 bills.
Plus, he declined to show due obeisance to power just next door regnant in the Eric Williams Finance Building. He little troubled to speak when he was spoken to, and answer when he was called.
Instead, he exercised presumption to speak as he chose, without clearing content or language with the Finance Minister heavy-breathing across the Plaza.
Assuming 19 months yet remained in his term, governor Rambarran referred to inspiration by Mark Carney and Janet Yellen, distinguished counterparts in the UK and the US. He even mused aloud about his own legacy: “I know what you will remember me for…making you more aware of how we use the foreign reserves…”.
Little do he know!
In the case of Ms John, the decision on her final downfall was taken after she failed what proved to be a personal suitability test, during an appearance before the Newman George HDC board.
“Your reaction, demeanour and tone and manner of communication with the board could only be described as insubordinate and disrespectful,” her death warrant read.
Ms John, appointed to the position in 2009 by the Patrick Manning administration, had not been known to rate bad marks for rudeness of manner or insolence toward those seeing themselves as her superiors.
The HDC directors clearly feel entitled to regard their position as higher-ranking in the state pecking order than any mere statutory authority chief executive. They were empowered last December to send Ms John on “administrative leave”, while auditors examined the record of goings-on under her seven-year watch.
Before a board hearing to which she had been summoned last week, it was her projection of an unacceptable attitude that outweighed any allegation of wrongdoing.
She failed the PNM “respect” test.
In this, she joins company of lesser rank. Back in March 2014, Louis Lee Sing, still then PNM, issued this damning allegation: “Newspaper columnist Lennox Grant, I have long felt, has neither respect for anyone nor anything PNM.”
I had failed the PNM “respect” test. But I hold no exalted position from which I could be death-sentenced.
Issuing his most damning witness statement, Mr Lee Sing said: “I hold no brief for him!”
Anthony Deyal Respect is a two- or even multi-way street.
Niala Maharaj nicely seen. on the one hand this ‘respect’ attitude reminds me of my childhood when people with the slightest authority used it to bully people. But the shallowness that lies under the need for ‘respect’ is at a scary level.
Lenny Grant – Lennox Grant column 27 March 2016 ‘Respect’… | Facebook
Lenny Grant – Lennox Grant column 27 March 2016 ‘Respect’… | Facebook
Lennox Grant column 27 March 2016 ‘Respect’ stars in Rowley-Rule theatrics It is to die for, in this T&T d…
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“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
― John Milton
A similar discussion we are having in Barbados. So similar the narrative in the Caribbean.
Subject: Fwd: The elusive LOCAL GOVERNMENT reform – exhale, don’t hold your breath
To: PP <peoplespartnership@yahoogroups.com>, yahoogroups <caribbeantalk@yahoogroups.com>When asked about Local Government reform contained in their manifesto, one Local Govt Minister, an alleged serial womanizer/abuser, said the reform will come from the people, doh worry, it will come. When pressed for a time limit and failure of his government to fulfill the manifesto promise, he said they still "studying" it and it will take time. Now we know he was a corrupt dunce who had handed over his Ministry to the Public servants and went to the office simply to collect bags of money from contractors; when not at the office, he prowled Hyatt & malls and took his women on trips all over the world, with you, the people, picking up the tab. Unless the people demand genuine local government reform, the pattern of failure will continue.
Sunity Maharaj
MYSTIFYING DEAD-ENDS TO REFORM
By Sunity MaharajOf all the plans being promoted by the Rowley administration, local government reform offers the greatest potential for revolutionary political change through decentralization of power. But we would be a very naïve people indeed if we were to ignore the record and underestimate the great risk of it ending up on the dump heap of history where local government reform plans have invariably gone to die.
Unless we’re content to keep making as-if, we would try to understand why even our most impressive efforts at reform get stuck and stymied and strangled at birth.Talking decentralisation while walking centralization has been our political norm since 1959 when Dr Williams’ government passed the Exchequer and Audit Ordinance. That law effectively cut municipalities down to size by taking away their autonomy in the hiring of personnel, raising of revenue and their budget. Perhaps, given the political realities of the day, Dr Williams’ was attempting to bring the regional administrative system in line with, and under the control of central government policy. By its second term in office, the government set a course towards reform. A committee headed by barrister Mitra Sinanan was established “for the purpose of Re-appraising the Present System of Local Government in the Context of Independence.”
In one form or another, every committee assigned to tackle the issue of local government reform has returned with the same prescription proposed by the Sinanan Committee 50 years ago: greater decentralization, community empowerment and an enhanced role for local government in the democratic process.As if Newton’s Law were at work, the effort to decentralize power was met by an opposite force aimed at centralizing power through such pieces of legislation as the Water and Sewerage Act in 1965; Statutory Authorities Act in 1966 and the Civil Service Act, 1966.
The dysfunctionality of the political system, as evident then as it is today, led to the 1974 Constitution Reform Commission headed by Sir Hugh Wooding which put local government reform back on the front burner. Much of the ground that we’re still talking about today was covered by Sir Hugh and his team over 40 years ago. Among other things, the Commission recommended that local government bodies be given control over the maintenance of schools and other designated public buildings in their areas and greater autonomy over funds allocated to them in the national budget. In the end, the Wooding Commission’s report proved to be too much of a challenge to the power of central government. Today, it survives only as a cautionary tale about the danger of challenging maximum leaders.In 1983, George Chambers took up the challenge with “A Draft Policy Paper on Community Development and Local Government Reform” which proposed two mechanisms through which local bodies could influence the national development process. However, his government was out of office before the proposed Area Advisory Committee and National Advisory Committee could even get off the ground
In 1986, the NAR came into office with a loud commitment to local government reform which was a key platform of all the parties in that party of parties. Its policy position was outlined in a paper titled “The Decentralization Process, Regional Administration and Regional Development Proposals for Reform 1989-1990”. Following a series of public consultation, it went to parliament in 1990 and passed the Municipal Corporations Act which consolidated the various bits and pieces of local government laws, increased the number of municipal corporations, broadened their functions, and gave them all corporate municipal status. The legislative tidying-up was meant to catalyse the system and release the system’s decentralizing energies. Whether it would have worked, we would never know. Within a year, the NAR was out of office.
Patrick Manning grabbed the reform baton with gusto. In 2004, a Decentralisation Unit was established in the Ministry of Local Government with a mandate for implementation. Green and white policy papers were produced for public review, thousands of citizens and a large number of civic organisations volunteered their input inublic consultations. The UNDP financed a technical team from Jamaica which which produced a comprehensive report which did not seem to find favour with the government. More consultations were held as the Manning administration built momentum towards its Vision2020 master plan for T&T. In 2009, under the authority of Local Government Minister Hazel Manning, the government presented its Draft White Paper on Local Government Reform designed to achieve “sustainable local communities, robust participative democracy and Regional Planning and Development.”
In May 2010, the Manning administration left office, its work shelved and Vison2020 sputtering to a stop.
By October 2012, another paper was put out for public comment. Under the hand of Local Government minister, Dr Surujrattan Rambachan, the People’s Partnership released its “Policy on Local Government Transformation and Modernisation”. The key objective of its reform proposal, it said, was to “devolve authority to Local Government to facilitate more effective and responsive governance as well as positioning Local Government as an institution to bring it closer to the people.”And now, in 2016, we’re back into public consultations.
Given our mystifyingly dead-end path to reform, we have to wonder what factors have been really at play here over the past 50 years. Is it logical to expect governments that survive by wielding maximum power to relinquish power to the people through local government reform? If would be revolutionary indeed if Dr Rowley’s administration were prove to be willing to release the reins. True, we could wait to find out. But judging from the evidence of history, it might be smarter for us to take control of the process and set the agenda for reform.Sunity Maharaj – MYSTIFYING DEAD-ENDS TO REFORM By Sunity… | Facebook
Sunity Maharaj – MYSTIFYING DEAD-ENDS TO REFORM By Sunity… | Facebook
MYSTIFYING DEAD-ENDS TO REFORM By Sunity Maharaj Of all the plans being promoted by the Rowley administration, …
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“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
― John Milton
Check the comments:
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/ANTIGUA2016-03-26T12-35-08
Opposition legislator in Antigua charged with making false statement
Saturday, March 26, 2016 | 2:31 PM 4 Comments
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC) – Antigua and Barbuda police have charged an opposition legislator with two charges including making a false statement regarding missing funds from the Citizenship by Investment Unit.
The charges against Senator and public relations officer of the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), Damani Tabor, came a few days after Prime Minister Gaston Browne had in Parliament urged the legislator to spare the country the loss of scare financial resources by withdrawing an allegation he made regarding the disappearance of money from the CIP.
Prime Minister Browne told legislators that the claim by Tabor that EC$500,000 (One EC dollar =US$0.37 cents) had been missing from the CIP unit is mischievous and that the government could save the funds that are being used to pay Canadian-based financial forensic investigator Robert Lindquist.
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In February, the government enlisted the Christian Council to select someone to determine if the money was missing as had been claimed by the opposition legislator.
“If it is that the person was being malicious, he can probably spare the nation the trouble and just to say it is not true and that he was being mischievous,” Browne said.
He told Parliament that if the member of the opposition UPP “does not relent and we have to spend tens of thousands of dollars …to do an investigation then clearly that person will be guilty of public mischief if and when found guilty.
“Clearly there could be consequences,” Browne said, adding that he was extending “an olive branch to Mr. Tabor to come to the nation and let the people of Antigua and Barbuda know that you were being mischievous, that you have no evidence to that effect.
‘We will still continue with the investigation but at least it could maybe shortened the duration of the investigation and save tax payers tens of thousands of dollars,” he added.
Tobor has now been charged accused of making a false statement on February 12 by stating on Observer Radio the money was missing from the Citizenship by Investment Funds. He is also charged with effecting public mischief contrary to public law.
“The charge sheets came in a much greater timeframe than I had been promised initially and that indicates to me that the powers that be were clearly mulling, delaying the process so that I would be detained over the entire Easter weekend,” said Tabor, soon after his legal team secured his release on bail.
This is the Caribbean Spring, seeing that the misdeeds and corruption was succesfully covered up and hidden for so many decades….it will be a very long and drawn out process to unravel and unmask the politicians who engage in the deceit, but again it’s the people now responsible for taking a well informed stand and say…enough
There are consequences for politicians telling the truth about corruption, let’s hope Tabor got reams of evidence, that would cook Browne’s goose.
@ David
Interesting articles. Certainly puts much in perspective re the ‘misdeeds and corruption…successfully covered up and hidden for so many decades’ by successive governments,as noted by WWC.
We, in Barbados, have long taken pride in professing to the world, that we are a Christian nation, emphasizing in particular, our ties to the ‘Church of England’. I have, therefore,long been befuddled, bemused, and bewildered, as to why there has been such a disturbing and deafening silence by those card-carrying, certified, clerically-collared “Christians” with respect to the issue of all-pervasive bribery,’misdeeds and corruption’, in government. As good Christians,aren’t these issues in which our clergy should take greater interest, and DEFINITELY pride in exposing ? Are they all afraid ? Of what are they afraid ? Where better than the pulpit ? Again I say, thank God for social media! Halleluia ! Can we have an Amen !
@pieter pieper
For many years Barbados prided itself on being different than the others. It must be said we cannot make such a claim any longer by any measure whether economically or on the social front.
@ David,
For many years we were hypocrites hiding behind “christian values.
The Narrative in the T&T space seems all so familiar.
congressofthepeople@yahoogroups.com,
Excellent column by MARTIN DALY.
The poor and vulnerable cannot bear more punitive taxes and inflation, especially food and the basic necessities. The government cannot impose more taxes and must control inflation. You simply cannot have Ministers saying rates & taxes will go up and sometimes offering the most inappropriate reasons, like we have the lowest rate in the world etc. There must be criteria, rationale, explain to the people the benefits etc and implement in the most painless manner. Why not build four PARKnRIDE and 50 new buses before removing the subsidy? International organizations will be more willing to loan or grant funds for such projects. Why not provide incentives etc for solar energy usage in government, business and residential sectors, even LED lighting, before you raise electricity rates? You got to be more resourceful and not simply announce rate increases. Too much negativity, not any positive news, projects, initiatives etc. You are whacking the people every Monday morning but nothing new to earn more & grow the economy.
They must reduce expenditure on waste, fluff, and all items except necessities; they must impose severe taxes on luxury items and stop the forex hemorrhaging, and they must show mercy and compassion for those who are now unemployed and unable to cope. You cannot continue with the same PATTERN of spending when revenue is down by 40%! Paul Krugman’s DEFICIT SPENDING philosophy is far more beneficial to T&T today than the current $63 billion budget that does not adequately address job creation, stabilizing the economy, and earning more forex.
We have to cut these lawyer fees the State pays on our behalf and implement an open legal hiring & fees system. More waste on legal fees as the Whistle-blower planned legislation is in tatters. HOW much more of this crap can we tolerate? Not any more in these hard times. Stop this legal eat-ah-food system and let’s do it properly. How can gov depts give cheques in million$$ to crooks & criminals at the Ministry of Tourism? How can Ministries and State companies fail to provide annual reports for years! We must not tolerate this! Every damn cent matters now, we have to clamp down on waste, corruption, nepotism and cronyism. How can you ask poor and middle-class people to pay more taxes and higher prices while all this waste and corruption is tolerated? How can you tell us of the massive corruption in the previous govt but still no one has been charged ? We have been there, done that, and so we know every govt that comes in go on a witch-hunt but no one is penalized. But, hundreds of millions in legal fees will be wasted.
You cannot raise increase rates, loan rates, mortgage, and still keep rates on savings at such low levels so the banks make billions. You do not reduce the money supply in a recession. Yet, you do not spend as you did before but hone and fine-tune so that you spend on areas and projects that can stabilize the economy, earn more, create more jobs etc. Such plans are missing in this government’s plans (if you can find any plan).
You cannot give the conglomerates and banks full control of forex allocation ! Most importantly, you cannot continue with this high crime rate, a border open to drugs, guns, and criminals with the ports still not scanning all in & out containers and points of entry unprotected all over T&T. If the Ministers cannot do the job then they must go; get people who can lead and implement during this critical period.
There is fear, apprehension, and anxiety as T&T confronts the worst crisis in the history of T&T during the next few years. The govt has to lead effectively, cannot be blase & laid-back, cannot just mouth words while the ship is sinking. The two most critical issues to be addressed now are: must reduce crime and a plan to grow this economy. You talk of agri but give it the lowest budget. No one is fooled. Same Tourism policies with junket trips etc. No new policy or initiatives.
The government should bring the people together to discuss and consult and get buy-in for measures to achieve the above. In the interim, there cannot be spending vikey vike; focus spending on projects that can create jobs and earn more revenue. Stop the fluff, you ain’t foolin nobody with that. Check Maslow’s hierarchy: too many people are at the bottom rung, they need food, shelter and protection from criminals more than artsy & fluffy stuff. The govt has to mobilize this nation, unite the people, and lead a national effort. This means junking all those old pre-2010 legacy projects and ideas; maybe even junk those who now hold outdated ideas and policies; this is a new era that needs modern ideas and plans, urgently. Go forward bravely, don’t look back, and get all of T&T behind you for this war to save T&T.
Six months gone, time going, forex flowing out of here, job losses, etc but not even one new plan to earn more , grow jobs, etc. Get outside help if you cannot do it. This is a very difficult situation that is being experienced by many energy-producing nations so it is not unique. It requires inspired leadership, cutting-edge financial & economic skills, and expertise that we may not have in T&T. It is not a shame to seek the expertise we need from outside T&T. Consider the global pool of expertise available to you. It’s a new wired world, a global village, where you can tap skills and expertise to get the job done.
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“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
― John Milton
@Hants
Our issues are greater than politicians.
Wait up in hey very quiet bozie . Any how to all my friends and enemies i hope you had a Happy Easter
Good debate to monitor:
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From: TnT PATRIOTS <tt.patriot@yahoo.com>Date: 28 March 2016 at 12:10
Subject: Fwd: [T&T IN CRISIS] Clueless CENTRAL BANK__ Re: MARTIN DALY fears the angry inflammation that the recession may pile on to our hardened social, political and economic imbalances.
To: "JahajeeDesi2005@yahoogroups.com"
Central Bank living in la la land, totally clueless, astonishingly out of touch with the reality on the ground:“a backdrop of somewhat tepid domestic economic activity, low inflation and slow global growth.”
– tepid economic activity? are you freaking crazy ? nation is in a recession, getting worse, ask the people out there, not the cocktail circuit or the gated community crowd
– low inflation? you really must be bonkers? totally out of touch, living in ivory towers; again, ask the people out there. Ask the distributors and merchants, ask every bloody person except the Central Bank & IMF!
– you are raising rates in a recession? are you insane? you want a depression, ah wat? or you want your IMF pals to get some work here while we revert to colonial status under the IMF Governors?
— is your idea of "managing liquidity" reducing the money supply to a trickle, thus killing the economy, ded ded ded? When energy prices were high you allowed billions to be sloshing around but now with a recession you choke off the money supply? Are you for real?
– why aren’t you ensuring forex is fairly distributed and used for important items? That is YOUR job! You are being paid to do such! Be more open and informative, transparent and raise your energy level; being independent does not mean you stay quiet and you are not accountable or held responsible. Look at CBs all over the world who are very informative and even interactive, and they explain and try to justify what they are doing re: monetary policy. Yellen and Draghi had news conferences lasting more than an HOUR! They appear before their equivalent of Parliament; BOJ communicate and explain all the time, ditto for other CBs; CBs all over the world are no longer living in a dark basement — so you must now be more interactive, meet the media and answer questions, come out of the CB closet, especially in these hard times. Don’t be shy, we give you a lot of money and staff, a whole tower of people, and we demand performance, far better monetary policy and management that what currently passes for such. This is a new era, ok, you understand that, eh?
Repo Rate remains at 4.75 percent
Monday, March 28 2016
The “Repo” rate remains at 4.75 percent against what the Central Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) says is “a backdrop of somewhat tepid domestic economic activity, low inflation and slow global growth.” The term “Repo” refers to the rate at which the Central Bank is prepared to provide overnight financing to commercial banks that are temporarily unable to meet their liquidity requirements. The Repo rate is the principal instrument used by the Central Bank to influence the structure of commercial banks’ interest rates.
The decision to maintain the current Repo rate was made at the MPC’s March 2016 meeting and announced by the Central Bank yesterday afternoon (Thursday).
The next Monetary Policy Announcement is scheduled for May 27, 2016. Reviewing the economic conditions which lead to the MPC’s decision, the Central Bank said “initial estimates suggest that the energy sector contracted by around 5.0 percent (year-onyear) in the fourth quarter of 2015, while provisional information also alludes to anaemic activity in the non-energy sector.” It added, “early indications for 2016, including a slowdown in new car sales and cement, are that the lull in economic activity may have continued into the new year.” Regarding unemployment, the bank said the latest official data from the Central Statistical Office (CSO) indicated the unemployment rate increased to 3.4 percent in the third quarter of 2015, up from 3.2 percent recorded in the previous threemonth period.
“Subsequent evidence of job cuts in the energy-related and construction sectors could point to potential dips in overall employment in 2016, unless compensated by absorption of the displaced workers in other areas.” While headline inflation increased last month, it remained well contained by historical standards. The CSO’s Index of Retail Prices (RPI), showed that on a year-on-year basis, headline inflation measured 3.4 percent in February 2016 when compared to 2.4 percent recorded in the previous month, and 6.2 percent registered in February 2015.
“Despite the reduction in VAT to 12.5 percent from 15.0 percent, the widening of the range of items subject to the sales tax effective February 1st 2016, may have contributed in part to an increase in food prices.” Looking at food inflation, the Central Bank said on a year-on-year basis it measured 9.4 percent when compared to 4.5 per cent in January 2016.
“On the other hand, core inflation was relatively unchanged, measuring 2.1 percent in February 2016, when compared with 2.0 percent in the previous month. Relatedly, reflective of supply and demand conditions in the foreign exchange market, the TT dollar exchange rate against the US dollar depreciated by roughly 3.0 percent over the three-month period January to March 21, 2016. Based on historical patterns ‘pass through’ effects to domestic prices could take about two to three months,” the bank said.
Meanwhile liquidity in the domestic banking system remained at “relatively comfortable levels over the first three months of 2016.” Commercial banks’ excess reserves at the Central Bank averaged $3.8 billion daily during January and February 2016 rising to just over $4 billion in the first half of March. The Central Bank said it utilised its various instruments to manage banking sector liquidity.http://www.newsday.co.tt/business/0,225858.html
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― John Milton
From: "TnT PATRIOTS tt.patriot@yahoo.com [JahajeeDesi2005]" <JahajeeDesi2005@yahoogroups.com>To: JahajeeDesi2005@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2016 2:23 PM
Subject: [TnT PATRIOTS]_ Fwd: [T&T IN CRISIS] MARTIN DALY fears the angry inflammation that the recession may pile on to our hardened social, political and economic imbalances.
Excellent column by MARTIN DALY.
The poor and vulnerable cannot bear more punitive taxes and inflation, especially food and the basic necessities. The government cannot impose more taxes and must control inflation. You simply cannot have Ministers saying rates & taxes will go up and sometimes offering the most inappropriate reasons, like we have the lowest rate in the world etc. There must be criteria, rationale, explain to the people the benefits etc and implement in the most painless manner. Why not build four PARKnRIDE and 50 new buses before removing the subsidy? International organizations will be more willing to loan or grant funds for such projects. Why not provide incentives etc for solar energy usage in government, business and residential sectors, even LED lighting, before you raise electricity rates? You got to be more resourceful and not simply announce rate increases. Too much negativity, not any positive news, projects, initiatives etc. You are whacking the people every Monday morning but nothing new to earn more & grow the economy.
They must reduce expenditure on waste, fluff, and all items except necessities; they must impose severe taxes on luxury items and stop the forex hemorrhaging, and they must show mercy and compassion for those who are now unemployed and unable to cope. You cannot continue with the same PATTERN of spending when revenue is down by 40%! Paul Krugman’s DEFICIT SPENDING philosophy is far more beneficial to T&T today than the current $63 billion budget that does not adequately address job creation, stabilizing the economy, and earning more forex.
We have to cut these lawyer fees the State pays on our behalf and implement an open legal hiring & fees system. More waste on legal fees as the Whistle-blower planned legislation is in tatters. HOW much more of this crap can we tolerate? Not any more in these hard times. Stop this legal eat-ah-food system and let’s do it properly. How can gov depts give cheques in million$$ to crooks & criminals at the Ministry of Tourism? How can Ministries and State companies fail to provide annual reports for years! We must not tolerate this! Every damn cent matters now, we have to clamp down on waste, corruption, nepotism and cronyism. How can you ask poor and middle-class people to pay more taxes and higher prices while all this waste and corruption is tolerated? How can you tell us of the massive corruption in the previous govt but still no one has been charged ? We have been there, done that, and so we know every govt that comes in go on a witch-hunt but no one is penalized. But, hundreds of millions in legal fees will be wasted.
You cannot raise increase rates, loan rates, mortgage, and still keep rates on savings at such low levels so the banks make billions. You do not reduce the money supply in a recession. Yet, you do not spend as you did before but hone and fine-tune so that you spend on areas and projects that can stabilize the economy, earn more, create more jobs etc. Such plans are missing in this government’s plans (if you can find any plan).
You cannot give the conglomerates and banks full control of forex allocation ! Most importantly, you cannot continue with this high crime rate, a border open to drugs, guns, and criminals with the ports still not scanning all in & out containers and points of entry unprotected all over T&T. If the Ministers cannot do the job then they must go; get people who can lead and implement during this critical period.
There is fear, apprehension, and anxiety as T&T confronts the worst crisis in the history of T&T during the next few years. The govt has to lead effectively, cannot be blase & laid-back, cannot just mouth words while the ship is sinking. The two most critical issues to be addressed now are: must reduce crime and a plan to grow this economy. You talk of agri but give it the lowest budget. No one is fooled. Same Tourism policies with junket trips etc. No new policy or initiatives.
The government should bring the people together to discuss and consult and get buy-in for measures to achieve the above. In the interim, there cannot be spending vikey vike; focus spending on projects that can create jobs and earn more revenue. Stop the fluff, you ain’t foolin nobody with that. Check Maslow’s hierarchy: too many people are at the bottom rung, they need food, shelter and protection from criminals more than artsy & fluffy stuff. The govt has to mobilize this nation, unite the people, and lead a national effort. This means junking all those old pre-2010 legacy projects and ideas; maybe even junk those who now hold outdated ideas and policies; this is a new era that needs modern ideas and plans, urgently. Go forward bravely, don’t look back, and get all of T&T behind you for this war to save T&T.
Six months gone, time going, forex flowing out of here, job losses, etc but not even one new plan to earn more , grow jobs, etc. Get outside help if you cannot do it. This is a very difficult situation that is being experienced by many energy-producing nations so it is not unique. It requires inspired leadership, cutting-edge financial & economic skills, and expertise that we may not have in T&T. It is not a shame to seek the expertise we need from outside T&T. Consider the global pool of expertise available to you. It’s a new wired world, a global village, where you can tap skills and expertise to get the job done.
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POLICE RAPID RESPONSE – call 911 or 999
* Protect Our Children – REPORT CHILD ABUSE!
CHILDLINE 800-4321 Children’s Authority 800-2014
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“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
― John Milton
@ Well Well,
Have you seen this article?
” As concerns abound about money laundering and international financing of terrorism, Barbados is due to come in for greater international scrutiny later this year.”
http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2016/03/30/barbados-in-line-for-greater-financial-scrutiny/
Now here is a novel way to deal with corruption.
“Tanzania’s president targets corruption with surprise visits and sackings
John Magufuli’s dramatic anti-graft measures have been welcomed by citizens, but he will need a more systematic approach to root out corrupt practices”
Good to see academics coming out of the woodworking even if they are reluctant to do so.
http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2016/03/30/not-merely-stupid-noises/.
LOL @ David
What academic coming out of what woodwork what??!!
The last ‘academic’ we had bout here was probably Wendell McClean. The people commonly referred to as such are merely lazy recluses who are hiding from the ‘real’ world ..and living by the maxim “Those who can, do …and those who can’t…teach”
Here we have a highly trained ‘academic’ admitting her preference to avoid the spotlight and to keep as low a profile as allowed ….somewhat like the joker Froon…
To whom much is given …is much not to be expected…?
Then, when cajoled to make public comments about the state of management in the country, she makes veiled references to ‘corruption’ and its consequences….
Shiite man David … even BASIC simpletons like Bushie and Dompey have LONG ESTABLISHED the unprecedented level of thieving, bribe taking, downright robbery (as in CLICO, CAHILL etc) going on bout here for YEARS…
If brass bowls could see all this…
If BU could ferret out such details as you have done…
if even the damn Courts have been forced to hide up such issues with delays, inaction and downright incompetence….
….you mean that our centre of learning, ….our ‘intellectuals’, ‘academics’ and the experts who REALLY understand these things …are still sounding like wishy-wash, lukewarm, shiite hounds who dare not ‘offend’ anyone…?
You call that ‘coming out of woodwork’…?
steupsss…
Sounds more like someone who regrets having been drawn into a ‘fine ants’ nest…and who suffered a few stings ..and is now seeking to intellectualise the whole affair as a means of getting out of the nest….
Lotta shiite…
These are the people who REALLY understand the full extent of what is happening to Barbados as a result of corruption, but who are ‘pissing afraid’ of loosing the easy benefits associated with sweet life on the hill – and so not rocking any boats …corrupt or not…
It was tongue in cheek Bushie you know full well. Why would an academic not see worth in engaging with general public is perplexing.
🙂
Clearly…. but Bushie just in one uh dem nasty whacking moods….
Must be missing Islandgal…
And the narrative, not much different to Barbados, continues in the Trinidad space.
Could someone tell the govt that they need to stop this crap about their vanity projects, the trivial and the inane, the fluff and puffery, and get down to what the people demand and the nation needs urgently: tackle the deteriorating economic situation and the horrendous crime rate - stabilize the economy, create jobs, earn more revenue, stop the forex hemorrhaging, stop the price gouging, change the national conversation to the ECONOMY & CRIME, stupid! The PNM govt should learn from the stupid and corrupt UNC: no amount of freeco, locho, welfare giveaway, toys, hamper, trivialities, puffery will fool the people and can replace good governance. Honeymoon over, it is time to get down to work, to do what you promised to do, and to unite the nation in a super effort to save T&T! You cannot continue to engage in trivialities and inanities while the nation burns!! We need a nation mobilized and energized to confront this crisis and succeed in turning the economy around. Instead of a headline PNM SENATOR WANTS CATHEDRAL, how about " PNM SENATOR DEMANDS URP & CEPEP DEPLOYED IN AGRI SECTOR" or "GOVT HOLDS NATIONAL CONSULTATIONS on CRIME & ECONOMY" or "GOVT implements CAMBIO & CASINO legislation" or "GOVT restricts forex usage to stop outflow" or "CENTRAL BANK reduces interest rate" or GOVT MERGES STATE ENTERPRISES or GOVT SHUTS DOWN TDC, changes tourism strategy policy " "GOVT gets IDB loans to build PARKk N RIDES" etc etc etc etc etc …..
PNM Senator wants Baptist cathedral
Thursday, March 31 2016
A Government Senator, a member of the Spiritual Baptist faith, yesterday vowed to see a Spiritual Shouter Baptist Cathedral built, not on lands the faith owns in Maloney, but in the capital city of Port-of-Spain.
People’s National Movement (PNM) Senator Foster Cummings said at yesterday’s Liberation Day celebrations in Couva that Baptists will now be looking for a piece of land in Port-of-Spain to erect the cathedral.
“We are working towards that and that is the dream of the Baptist faith. We thank God for whatever land we got in Maloney and we going there shortly to have a good dance but we ‘eh’ building no cathedral in Maloney. Maloney is not the capital city, we want a cathedral in Port of Spain,” Cummings declared. During his United National Congress (UNC) administration (1996-2001) former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday donated 25 acres of land in Maloney to the Spiritual Baptist community to build a cathedral and primary and secondary schools.
Under the last the People’s Partnership government of Kamla Persad- Bissessar, Archbishop Barbara Gray-Burke succeeded in having the first Baptist primary school built on the land in 2012. Gray- Burke is a member of the Spiritual Shouter Baptist Council of the Elders which is aligned to the UNC.
Cummings on the other hand belongs to the National Congress of Incorporated Baptist Organisation and they are aligned to the PNM.
Cummings said: “What I want to say…is that the Baptists look forward to a cathedral in Port-of- Spain, in the capital city where we can feel proud to worship as everybody else. We going to get the land and we going to build the church and its going to be a grand church.
He played down talk that Baptists were divided. “Don’t tell us that we are divided,” Cummings said. “There are tribes of Africa all over, each tribe have its own chief and are not fighting with each other.
We are different tribes inside here but we come together. “Trinidad and Tobago’s Newsday : newsday.co.tt :
Trinidad and Tobago’s Newsday : newsday.co.tt :
By Agile Telecom Ltd. and Xidemia
Portal of Trinidad and Tobago with always fresh news on sport, business, culture and entertainment
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“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
― John Milton
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