est. 2007

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Business as Usual Between the Political Class and Denizens

Submitted by HAMILTON HILL Rome is burning, and from all appearances one begins to get the sense that the Romans are fast asleep. Aren’t we just a tad bit tired of the optics? I think not, for they are passed off as business as usual. Exactly when do we intend to stand up and say…

,
Submitted by HAMILTON HILL

crimeRome is burning, and from all appearances one begins to get the sense that the Romans are fast asleep. Aren’t we just a tad bit tired of the optics? I think not, for they are passed off as business as usual. Exactly when do we intend to stand up and say to our Gods this simple one line phrase? ENOUGH. ….

The sound of gunfire is as commonplace as the back fire of an engine with blown Pistons. Last Sunday night an innocent fifty seven year old woman had the misfortune of crossing paths with one of the many errant bullets that seemingly come from all directions of the one hundred and sixty six square mile gun range. The scary thing is that it could happen at anytime to anyone.

Here is my problem. This woman might lose her life, and through sheer diligence the over worked and underappreciated detectives of the RBPF will bring the vermin to justice. After a fair trial that menace to society becomes a ward of society, breathing the same air as you, me and everyone else except the unfortunate fifty seven year old woman upon whom he would have passed judgement. From all the way in Washington DC this creep is given a new lease on life. Since Washington DC has this much influence on us, explain this to me.

Democratic majority leader Pedro Espada Jr, a big wig in New York politics got five years in prison for stealing from a non-profit clinic he had founded. That was back in 2013. Today he is in maximum security after straying outside the boundaries of the the low level lockup that initially housed him. Hours ago seventy two year old Sheldon Silver received a sentence of twelve years in prison for corruption. How could I have forgotten to mention the fact that Mr Silver occupied the position of SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE. Let me also tell you that in all of this mess Governor Andrew Cuomo didn’t suggest to corrupt Shelley Silver “Go get a lawyer, you didn’t do anything wrong“. He ain’t so drunk, and in any event such shit flies only in a banana republic where poor folk are content with the tactic of comply and then complain. Where austerity measures are trained in one direction only. A banana republic where the American influence is conveniently applied.

76 responses to “Business as Usual Between the Political Class and Denizens”

  1. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    You should add and where the dumbest political leaders on earth do not listen to their own who possess the most brilliant of minds and are proven international scholars.

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/80480/comfort-cibc-comment-downgrade

    I remember vividly Charlie Skeete in 2005 and there after warned those bunch of self-absorbed, corrupt semi-literate jackasses of both political parties, DBLP, that this would be the results of their inaction, they were so busy initiating scams against the taxpayrrs to relieve them of their money while thumbing their noses at sound advice, that it never occured to any of them that they would be held accountable in the court of public opinion, in cyberspace, a decade later.

    The politicians all thought, that too could be covered up as had happened throughtout the 5 decades of their political freedom..

    Welcome to public exposure.

  2. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    I am feeling what you wrote. Really really feeling it. Only in a banana republic could a misplaced and misguided pompersetting Prime Minister call a scam artist friend and a former PM involved in a financial crookery, esteem. Only in a banana republic could a man who is a primary suspect in the collapse of CLICO and who did everything in his power to get as much millions out of it through the masking of what might appear to be legitimate business transactions, can be favoured to put in his money in the Central Bank. which is a thing unheard of. Only in a banana republic that a government after taking their campaign bribe money from Bizzy Williams could set up a contractual arrangement that allows their benefactor to receive 35 million regardless if he receives the agreed tonnage of garbage or not and regardless of what problems Barbados is faced with. Anyone who can still believe that party politics under this disgusting DLP party are really jackasses.

  3. David Avatar
    David

    We need to ask the government to be transparent about all the agreements signed with the private sector. We have Ionics, Cahill, how about SBRC and the agreement between the Ministry of Culture an Bizzy.

  4. Hamilton Hill Avatar
    Hamilton Hill

    @ SSS…Didn’t a little boy lost his life after the car his mother was driving struck an illegally constructed encroachment? Town and Country planning does push down shanties don’t they? Perhaps the bulldozers ain’t strong enough. ….or the builders got more juice than the Chief Town Planner.

  5. Frustrated Businessman aka Republic my ass. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman aka Republic my ass.

    David May 4, 2016 at 6:48 AM #
    We need to ask the government to be transparent about all the agreements signed with the private sector. We have Ionics, Cahill, how about SBRC and the agreement between the Ministry of Culture an Bizzy.

    All gov’t sales and purchases must go to public tender, publicly opened and considered on parliament TV by sub-committees of a depoliticised senate with consultant professional advisors as needed. The three you mention are not even the tip of the iceberg.

    Teefin’ is our way of life.

  6. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    What are the prerequisites that qualify an individual to be appointed to government statutory/quasi corporations?

    For example, we have been hearing the names Mark Maloney and Bjorn Bjerkhamn being associated with almost every construction project undertaken by this DLP administration. Bjerkhamn was appointed to the Central Bank of Barbados’ board, while Maloney is a member of LIAT’s board of directors.

  7. David Avatar
    David

    Do any of you watch BBC Parliament TV?

  8. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Ss long as the minority thieves on the island are continually given these taxpayer funded contracts by both governments, the crooks and scam artists have the upperhand and can demand to be put in key positions to have access to taxpayer funded entities and the resultant cash flow.

    As I said, the local majority population, for their own good and the good of their children and grandchildren going forward……as well as the international community…… have to stop taking the politicians of both political parties seriously unless and until they rid themselves and the people of the parasitic thieves on the island in the form of Cow, Bizzy, Maloney, Bjerkham, Tempro, et al…Leroy Parris, Peter Harris, etc..

    This cannot continue for another 40 years, it is unsustainable and will continue to disenfranchise a population of over 260,000 black people, into the future,..enough is enough.

    It’s the political leaders giving these thieves and parasites the opportunities they need to disenfranchise the majority, because of their own greed and lack of morals or loyalty to the same majority population who pay their salaries, all of these scams against the taxpayers could not happen without corrpt politicians. …the politicians have been disloyal to country and people for 40 years….and counting

  9. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    To the author I can also feel your narrative but strangely enough despite all the BS that goes on in Barbados I nonetheless get an irrational (wrongly perhaps) sense of grave displeasure to be described as a Banana Republic as compared to places like the US….

    So you are so right that Gov Cuomo did not tell Silver to get a lawyer cause like you said “He ain’t so drunk’. Or may I say this way: he doesn’t drink Bajan white rum. He drinks likely the best single malt and gets drunk on the finest first world stuff and not any banana leaf stuff…

    Thus sir, he appointed a commission to look into corruption in his state capital and when that commission started to ask some hard questions and edge closer to areas that were trending close to his dirty laundry he very purposely DISBANDED that committee.

    And with some of the same evidence he shut down and his committee had collected the US Attorney in the NYC area jumped on to pursue Mr Silver and a slew of others .

    Were Mr Cuomo not so well connected and publicly savvy who knows if his backside would not now be under investigation as is now his adversary the Mayor.

    So no excuses. Bim is a mess. And the US will go after their crooked politicians, But please contrast us to clean politicians and their leaders, fah real.

  10. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ de Dribbler
    But please contrast us to clean politicians and their leaders, fah real.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Like who, for example?
    …or by ‘clean’, do you mean ones with enough self control not to get carried away…
    …or caught?

    Boss…
    The real issue is the CONTROL SYSTEM in use…
    It HAS to be one which can deal with the (inevitable) nasty thieving political class…
    It HAS to be robust enough discourage the scum, while facilitating genuine efforts..
    It HAS to be fundamental enough to be untouchable…
    …and for this, nothing comes even close to the Co-operative model.

    …The total openness and transparency is a bane to the nasty minded.. (look how many of our political class were chased from Credit Unions….and can continue happily in politics)

    …The robustness is 100% dependent on the members’ interests…. it takes only ONE interested Caswell to clean up any shiite… imagine what 100 Caswells could do…

    …Cooperative Principles are FUNDAMENTAL ..and not open to arbitrary change by idiots and Froons who can suspend the PAC for example, tell a thief in a chair to get a lawyer, or launder $5M in the Central Bank.

    Look how well Credit Unions have succeeded in Barbados…. wunna think that is a coincidence? …. in Brassbados?? …steupsss!!!

    But of course we feel the need to follow the ‘ACs’ of this world …rather than to blaze a new path of high class national governance ….true to our brass bowl mentality.

  11. Hamilton Hill Avatar
    Hamilton Hill

    @ De Pedantic Dribbler. …..I take no pleasure in throwing derision towards my country. My peeve is simply this. Some of us continue to dabble in semantics in an attempt to bring justification where it has no place. A treaty or a series of treaties out of America can tie our hands where the common criminal is concerned. That’s the American influence I speak of. You know as well as I do that Governor Cuomo is not above the reach of theffederal government. If it ain’t pass him, it ain’t reach him. Point me to the instance where one of these white collar criminals shared space with the likes of Barry Jack? Don’t you see that they are even more brazen today? The computer misuse act may keep bloggers inline. All I ask is that the American influence be applied evenly so that millions don’t just show up in certain mother’s bank accounts. David listed the three most blatant instances.Were it not for SOCIAL MEDIA, do you think that you would have been appraised? The definition BANANA REPUBLIC fits. I’m sorry.

  12. Old Baje Avatar
    Old Baje

    Well said, Bushie. Call a meeting and I will be there.

  13. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Yes Bushie, the word clean should have been properly placed in quotation marks.

    You are the psychologist so you really need to drill down behind your Coorperative mantra.

    Why has there been that success as you repeatedly tout (and rightly so) and yet some of the same people who you acclaim as stalwarts of the coop and credit union formation have run the country into the ravine.

    Why has “the total openness and transparency” not been translated across the country’s business?

    How is it that ” ,,, many of our political class were chased from Credit Unions….and can continue happily in politics”? Are the electorate so stupid…and are the CU members who chased them not a key part of that same electorate?

    You have on this site criticized the same Franklyn you acclaim. You upbraided him for being a naysayer in a project you thought would have brought great success to the members. So…???

    I have asked you why the CU did not take strong long term stock positions in many of our healthy companies….rules and conservative thinking as I recall were the base response.

    So as usual there are no simple answers in life Mr Bush Tea. I appreciate your coop remarks but let’s put them all in proper perspective.

    @Hamilton, as I said it’s quite an irrational ‘tic’ when the term ‘Banana Republic’ is mentioned.

    It cuts to the core and creates a sense of anger and displeasure …so of course I feel and appreciate the truth of the term…never will like it though!

  14. David Avatar
    David

    Why has the country not been able to attract our best citizens to join the political class?

  15. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    David May 4, 2016 at 7:26 AM #

    Do any of you watch BBC Parliament TV?
    ……………………………………………………………….

    Chuckle……..Did you see todays comedy at PMQs with Corbyn asking valid questions on governance and Cameron responding to each with labour quotes on Hamas&hezbollah.

    One good thing can be said is that at least they have PMQs every week once parliament is in session.

    David May 4, 2016 at 9:14 AM #

    Why has the country not been able to attract our best citizens to join the political class?
    ………………………………………………………………………………………………….

    Chuckle….because they are busy with worthwhile endeavours.

  16. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Old Baje May 4, 2016 at 8:28 AM #

    Well said, Bushie. Call a meeting and I will be there.
    …………………………………………………………………………

    Chuckle……say what???……..Bushie reveal himself…..never happen……too ‘fraid.

  17. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    The UK Select Committee system forced all sides to address the issues and the public can draw conclusions.

  18. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    David

    Granville Phillips is supposed to be one of those citizens with his solutions Barbados Party. However, he failed to heed the warnings concerning his particular criteria for SBP membership. Other than that, those who can make a difference probably do not want to come under the leadership of either of these two ridiculously crooked parties. Imagine these brutes can speed up the process of legislation for all other things, but the most important legislation that would protect the government purse, these double standard lot can find the world of excuses and reasons not to do so. Imagine they can instantly put a halt to drones but cannot do the same to ministers taking gifts, ministers recruiting party faithfuls or making contractual agreements open for public scrutiny. The entire Freundel Stuart administration are very very wicked. The opposition is just the 6 of that half dozen. Just another bunch wicked brutes waiting for their turn do nothing but shite.

  19. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    Also, too, David, the public must have a say in all multimillion dollar projects. These people cannot be trusted period with Barbados financial management. Significant pressure must be applied to have this made into law.

  20. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ de Dribbler
    Why has “the total openness and transparency” not been translated across the country’s business?
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Don’t be slow now…. don’t you get it?
    The difference is in the SYSTEM oF GOVERNANCE……
    Some of the same idiots who can continue to mash up Barbados from within our current shiite ‘South-Westminster’ stupid system, …were neutralised and expelled post-haste from the Credit Unions…. LOL …including at least one of the stupid ACs 🙂

    Froon would not last two months in the smallest Credit Union in Barbados. A Supervisory Committee would have brought a resolution to the members quickly after he suspended the PAC …and would have voted his ass out when he sided with Thieving Parris.

    Caswell is not perfect…. shiite he is not even a bushman.
    He is however committed to the proper process of Law and rules. Occasionally such a person can go overboard by misdiagnosing genuine righteous intent as underhandedness…..That is to be expected. Also Caswell seems to have no confidence that black people can successfully manage business on a National scale… a self-image issue.

    Genuine intent and capability however, should be able to prove itself….. even to Caswell.

  21. David Avatar
    David

    @SSS

    We have financial rules that if followed our call for transparency becomes moot.

  22. Past Zone Avatar
    Past Zone

    David
    This is what happens when dummies are elected to Govern. The voting public needs to be mature and elect those who have the most to offer and who have genuine intentions to do good by Barbados and stop electing jackasses (financed by businesses) because those jackasses can pay them light bill, water bill, get them a job and or buy school shoes and clothes for them children.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @Past Zone

    Examine what wrote. It is the system. Why do you assume the electorate is so versed to be ‘sensible’? A democracy is not perfect, it is one that can be manipulated, clearly.

  24. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    David May 4, 2016 at 9:14 AM # Why has the country not been able to attract our best citizens to join the political class?

    ,,,

    Because they will not get the vote. That is, if you mean those who talk policy and principles, without turning up at election time with caseloads of smartphones and microwaves.

    The irony is, that no one has any respect for politicians, not here nor in US. Which is why ‘the Donald’ is running roughshod over the primaries, the voters are saying to the establishment ”……. you”’.

    We are in for a rough world ride, when there is such a disconnect between the voters and the political class.

    At least, until such time as the powers that be can manufacture a straw man to draw the ire of the average joe, who will obediently jump up and down screaming fervently in favour of said politicians, be it a false flag or a more traditional target such as China or USSR.

    Woe betide the ways of the world…. me, I going look for a quiet corner away from the loonies.

  25. flyonthewall Avatar
    flyonthewall

    @David
    No one with any integrity is going to run for political office in Barbados. It is highly unlikely they would get elected, because despite their claims to the contrary, many Barbadians do not want honest and incorruptible elected officials. Too many now depend on political corruption to make a living. And even if he/she did get elected, he/she would not survive. Can you imagine you are an MP who refuses to “play”? You would be treated like a leper and most certainly never hold a cabinet position in which you are EXPECTED to dispense political largesse.

  26. David Avatar
    David

    @flyonthewall

    Is it your honest view rank and file members of the electorate are of the mindset you described?

  27. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    What do you dispute about flyonthewall’s 6.30 post?
    It is up there with John 3:16….

  28. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ David, sorry for the “off topic ”

    How can a man be given bail for and alleged rape / pedophilia of a 12 year old ?

    This is madness.

    “ordered to surrender his travel documents and warned to keep away from the complainant.”

    What about other children ?

  29. The Gazer Avatar
    The Gazer

    @Hants,
    Always find your comments interesting. Then I start researching (googling) to find out what you are talking about.

    Would be interesting to know how these matters were handled previously? This may be a small step, but in the right direction.

    Perhaps, the ‘take no prisoners’ attitude of these blogs are beginning to bear fruit.

  30. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Fan-amazing-tastic…

    @Crusoe said “We are in for a rough world ride, when there is such a disconnect between the voters and the political class.” Is there really a disconnect.

    Your fellow blogger @fly provided the fundamental answer: ” … despite their claims to the contrary, many Barbadians do not want honest and incorruptible elected officials. Too many now depend on political corruption to make a living.”

    And there is IRONY alright…analyse your own words…

    “… that no one has any respect for politicians….Which is why ‘the Donald’ is running roughshod over the primaries, the voters are saying to the establishment …”

    Trump created all the requisite straw-men, immigration; bad-trade agreements leading to loss of jobs and bad cross border exchanges; a poor economy etc.

    So indeed the ire of the average joe has been drawn.

    (Incidentally, recent economic reports have indicated that the US jobless claims which is an indicator of persons unemployed and overall jobs is at the lowest levels in 43 years… yet Trump;s economic straw-man still resonates)

    Let’s see which Bajan political leader will be able to do a Trump and set up their Bajan straw-men to generate a winning narrative,

    And, to echo Ian Bishop, ‘remember that name…’. The political lexicon across the globe will be updated with various versions of ‘to do a Trump’! LOLL

  31. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Hants May 4, 2016 at 7:18 PM
    “How can a man be given bail for and alleged rape / pedophilia of a 12 year old ?
    This is madness.”

    First the man is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a ‘reputable’ court of law.
    Unless the man can be guaranteed a timely trial under the Constitution it is recommended the man be given his liberty with certain conditions attached.

    Being on remand for over 5 years (without bail) would certainly create the legal condition for the man to go free because his Constitutional rights have been breached.

    Don’t blame the man. Blame the incompetently dysfunctional legal system afflicting justice in Bim. That is where the “madness” lies.

    As the saying goes: ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’. Too many lawyers in little Bim; including the standpipe ones like me.

  32. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ The Gazer,

    Forgot the link.

    http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2016/05/04/update-accused-cop-granted-bail/

  33. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ millertheanunnaki,

    I would expect your vision to be clouded out of concern for the children of Barbados but clearly you are more focused and “logical” than I am.

  34. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Hants May 4, 2016 at 8:25 PM

    The scales of justice are held by a blindfolded woman.
    The bedrock of our Western justice system is that one is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    Guarantee a timely trial before incarcerating a man on remand.

    Barbados has a broken justice system. Fix it.

  35. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    How many is too many? Is it enough to make a difference?

    Too many now depend on political corruption to make a living. And even if he/she did get elected, he/she would not survive. Can you imagine you are an MP who refuses to “play”?

  36. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    David
    A critical mass, …with the ability to swing an election if enough largess – in the form of cash, cell phones, electronic items etc – can be financed by the bribe-masters.

    Meanwhile the yardfowl ‘diehards’ continue to blindly toe the line, no matter the level of corruption or idiocy being manifested….. They depend on the job the ‘minister send dem fuh’,
    The position on the school board fuh de little stipend…. or access to the constituency council’s cash….

    We have the leaders we deserve…

  37. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Sunshine Sunny Shine May 4, 2016 at 11:25 AM #
    Also, too, David, the public must have a say in all multimillion dollar project

    At the last General Election Barbadians had their democratic say. They rejected two previous sitting Members of Parliament , and one budding one, at the Polls. And what was the result ? a few days later the Prime Minister sent a clear and loud message to the people of Barbados by reinstating these same three loosers into the Upper House of Parliament as Senators. This was an ” up Yours, N !” moment to the people of Barbados. What make you think that a similar treatment is not going to be meted out to Barbadians if given the say in multimillon dollar projects?

  38. Johnny Goodman Avatar
    Johnny Goodman

    Loran Gibbs is Chris Sinckler financier. So wunna think only Bizzy busy

  39. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    Colonel Buggy

    Even that should be scrapped without hesitation. The Politics of Inclusion is a big heap of cow manure. There are many reforms needed to get these dirty practicing people into line. It is evident that the management of large financial projects is the route by which these people get their riches. The Prime MInister’s power feathers need to have a few of them plucked out as well. There are just too many instances where poor decision-making and mismanagement of the economy warrants that these people must not have full responsibility without any accountability over the public’s purse.

  40. David Avatar
    David

    The politics of inclusion exposed the philosophical sameness of the two major political parties.

  41. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    de pedantic Dribbler May 4, 2016 at 8:08 PM #

    I do think there is a disconnect, although I agree, there are many, mainly the large backers, who like the status quo.

    Trump indeed is a good manipulator, a marketing man. However, he is riding on the huge dislike and mistrust of the establishment.

  42. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    http://ow.ly/4ns7VX

    This is the reality of the US elections.

  43. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    “Over a thousand years, a constant drop of water wears the mightiest stone” German Proverb

    http://imgur.com/U8h0lDN

    A Change Going Come

  44. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    My Sweet Piece

    I saw that book on a shelve some where, but just cannot remember. The first two chapters were about ya muddah skunt and the next was Muncipal taxing we with a Tipping fee.

  45. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Lol….love it Piece……it rocks.

  46. David Avatar
    David

    The violence continues, unabated.

    Shooting at Vauxhall

  47. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Barbados Toll Road
    http://i.imgur.com/EbcuWK2.jpg?2

  48. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/80904/blp-launches-covenant-hope

  49. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    Its the Perfect Setup oops I meant System under which to conduct business in Barbados

    http://imgur.com/lnPSYVg

  50. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    A new dawn is upon Barbados.

    For the first time since the BLP became the first political party in Barbados, Barbadians have been presented with a document detailing the philosophy of a political party.

    What is presented is an overarching vision, a set of principles governing conduct and some specific assurances to vulnerable groups, all indicating the BLP’s view of a future Barbados in which leadership is key.

    Launched last night and available to the public from today, the BLP’s Our Covenant of Hope sets a new exciting tone for politics in a Barbados begging for change.

    It comes at a time when, faith in politics and government is wavering, due overwhelmingly to the unsavoury conduct of the DLP since 2008 in ruining the economy, trashing accepted principles of governance and adopting as a guide to government, the politicising of every aspect of life.

    In this fetid DLP cauldron, fed by the one-two punches of not speaking to the public on critical issues and projects and maligning persons who take a stand against such undemocratic displays, the BLP has unfortunately become collateral damage, tainted, simply because it, too, is a political party.

    The BLP has been in forceful opposition to the conduct of the DLP over the last eight years. We have been in the lead of a resolution to CLICO, overtaxation and such nefarious taxes as the Municipal Solid Waste Tax and in bringing to light the several instances in which the DLP has failed to share information, including some with far-reaching and the most fearsome consequences for the nation.

    Coupled with standing firm against this modern DLP oppression, the BLP has given insight into how it is operating and will conduct itself in future through embracing and widening participation with initiatives including Rubbing Shoulders and People’s Assemblies.

    Still, against the onslaught of DLP degradation across the land, the BLP came to the position that it is necessary, for the sake of our country and future democracy, to not only underscore the history of defining differences, especially in critical times, between the two parties but to indicate in a radically changing world along which path, Barbados has to go so that Barbadians can be assured that they will not be marginalised in their own country, either the youth, businessmen or those who see Barbados as a place in which to live.

    Our Covenant of Hope therefore sets a new tone, reinforcing those principles which have served us well and treating to new approaches, that gives all Barbadians reasons to believe that not only will there be a better future, but along which lines that future will be ordered.

    Life in Barbados has come full circle and the BLP is once again resolved to set the course for the times.

    In the 1930s, men and women joined together to form the BLP and stand unbending against undemocratic rule and the committing of Barbadians to grinding poverty by a system that favoured a few.

    The results of the struggle that laid the foundation for a modern Barbados are well known. The formation of the first workers union. Securing the right to vote. Minimum wage and a slew of baseline social legislation that still forms the core of Barbados’ social policy today. Visionary projects including the QEH and the Port.

    Of significance was the principled approach that formed a pact with the people. Clear and unequivocal, for instance, was the declaration, “not to win social prestige for a few, but to secure social justice for all.”

    The grinding poverty and social inequities of the 1930s have long been removed. But in the modern day version of the 1930s that the DLP has brought forth, the reversal of social gains is stunning as well as the conduct of the DLP, like no other in the history of Barbados.

    Our Covenant of Hope speaks poignantly to both the need for social reconstruction, as well as conduct in political life and as a government.

    It is not by accident that Solidarity House, the headquarters of the Barbados Workers’ Union was chosen for last night’s launch. The BWU, was the creation of the BLP, forged to fight for the people of Barbados.

    There can be no denying that workers in Barbados are once again under threat. When they are not being fired at whim, they are being threatened and the surge in strike activity is indicative of great unease among workers with the DLP Government.

    Our Covenant of Hope once again places our greatest resource, our people, at the centre of Barbados’ future sustainable development, embracing everyone whether those with disabilities or young people with a totally different viewpoint and skills set to those to which we have become accustomed, recognising that new approaches are needed to unleash the creativity of all people.

    Our Covenant of Hope speaks to the kind of vision that is required to bring about another phase of transforming Barbados economically, socially and culturally.

    It has been approved by all organs of the BLP. It is intended for the public to have its say.

    We look forward to all Barbadians joining in the necessary journey to again forge a society that is democratic, in which all can achieve and one regarded as a country to be emulated.

    In essence, this is Our Covenant of Hope.

    Copies are available from BLP headquarters, at various constituency offices and it can be found online.

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