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Friends of Sports Inc Refused Permission by Government to Develop Vaucluse Raceway Facility

The following documents detail the plight of Friends of Motor Sports Inc to acquire planning permission to develop Vaucluse Raceway Facility to contribute to motor sports development in Barbados. The Barbados Festival of Speed was recently held at the Bushy Park facility and provided an opportunity for Barbadians to experience what motor sports can offer…

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The following documents detail the plight of Friends of Motor Sports Inc to acquire planning permission to develop Vaucluse Raceway Facility to contribute to motor sports development in Barbados. The Barbados Festival of Speed was recently held at the Bushy Park facility and provided an opportunity for Barbadians to experience what motor sports can offer to the Barbados sporting calender. At the root of the issue to establish Vaucluse Raceway Facility and government (Town Planning Department) -it appears to BU- is whether there is a sinister reason behind rejecting the application of Friends of Motor Sports Inc .

Tower Application
Tower Appeal to the Permanent Secretary
Tower Appeal to the Chief Town planner

Related documents (PDF)

Control tower refusal

tower withdrawal

Tower appeal withdrawn.

Tower application withdrawal acknowledgement (1)

Duty-free request

Duty free refusal

Duty free refusal response

Duty free refusal response 2

duty free response

Duty-free response

Duty-free request _2_

EPD

Appeal for justice

Appeal for justice 2

Extract from Taskforce Report

40 responses to “Friends of Sports Inc Refused Permission by Government to Develop Vaucluse Raceway Facility”

  1. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Someone should have been jailed for destroying prime agricultural land at Vaucluse for this facility. If it were an uninfluential black that committed atrocious act, the authorities would have called upon him to restore the land to its former state.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    @Caswell

    What was the land producing before the raceway activity?

  3. Peltdownman Avatar
    Peltdownman

    Caswell is absolutely on the money. Vaucluse is some of the most productive agricultural land in Barbados. But that apart, motorsports at the venue can be heard over a very large area, and is particularly disturbing to residents of the surrounding area. Bush Park is a fine venue and even given the popularity of motor sports, one venue of that quality is all that is needed. People need to enjoy a quiet life. The owners of Vaucluse bought a prime piece of agricultural land and let it run to bush, thinking that they would automatically get planning permission for the “raceway”. They even developed the track without permission. Not just a coincidence that they are serious land developers themselves.

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

    I believe Vaucluse is one of the cases of thousands of acres of (now abandoned) agriculture land offered to BAMC to grow sugar and refused by them on the grounds it was unfeasable.

    If BAMC, which is mandated by gov’t to grow sugaar at extreme losses, can’t make it work, how could anyone else?

    Conversely, why does BAMC continue to attempt to grow sugar in St. Lucy on Gov’t land and reap crops that look like wild reed?

    Why is sugar grown by private individuals not subsidised to the break-even point so land can produce the rotation crops we need to feed Barbados?

    Why has super-productive CLICO land in the breadbasket of Barbados (St. John) been allowed to run into bush when BAMC could have leased it years ago?

    Why are taxpayers building a teefin sugar factory at Andrews for cane that does not exist without the consultation and support of cane-growers?

    It is all about the legacy of slavery, agriculture will be a political whipping post for as long as Bajans are differentiated by colour.

  5. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    I dug yams and sweet potatoes in that same field many times. In order to prepare it to be a racing venue, more than a hundred loads of fertile topsoil were removed.

    Sent from my iPad

    >

  6. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Frustrated Businessman

    Agriculture is not sugar alone. As a matter of fact, food crops were more lucrative for the plantation owners but their lazy asses only wanted to survive on Government subsidies so they planted canes to sell sugar at a loss.

    Sent from my iPad

    >

  7. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Lol…sow the wind, reap the whirlwind, what race track what, who is benefiting from car racing, certainly not the people who have to pay to visit the track and watch racing, what do they need with 2 race tracks on so small a pile of coral.

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

    Caswell Franklyn May 10, 2016 at 8:34 AM #
    Frustrated Businessman

    Agriculture is not sugar alone. As a matter of fact, food crops were more lucrative for the plantation owners but their lazy asses only wanted to survive on Government subsidies so they planted canes to sell sugar at a loss.

    Interesting comment Caswell, it seems odd that an educated man like yourself could make such a statement. The few of us who paid attention in second form would argue that sugar is the only rotation crop that has ever worked here and without it we have no others in the absence of irrigation resources.

    For the sake of clarity, should we force all unprofitable economic activities in Barbados to continue, despite horrific economic losses that in the 90s saw 40% of all privately-owned agricultural land indebted to the BNB beyond its value, for the sake of your socialist state?

    This is very important to me as I have a near-starving great-uncle in St. Peter who is a saddler and I think a case should be made for retaining his skills at any cost. Never know when a jackass politician might need a new suit of clothes.

    Alternatively, BAMC set agricultural land rental rates at less than BDS$200 per acre per year, which seems like a hell of a deal to the uneducated like me. Maybe you and your communist friends could beg someone for enough money to rent the abandoned sugar land in Bim and show us how the collective really can prove everyone else wrong and make money growing something besides marijuana?

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

    Well Well & Consequences May 10, 2016 at 9:09 AM #
    Lol…sow the wind, reap the whirlwind, what race track what, who is benefiting from car racing, certainly not the people who have to pay to visit the track and watch racing, what do they need with 2 race tracks on so small a pile of coral.

    WW, you know there are 102 cricket grounds in Barbados not counting the schools right?

  10. Musings Avatar
    Musings

    Frustrated businessman is a typical greedy selfish money grabber from a minority group the national interest is of no concern his pockets alone matter .

  11. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    This looks like pure spitefulness. The argument here is not about agriculture land, which is also weak, but fairness and commonsense. Firstly, the existing use as a racing facility is lawful given the High Court decision and therefore the tower is a legitimate ancillary building. Secondly, the tower is in the interest of public safety hence a priority, and TP should facilitate its construction rather than talk foolishness about agriculture land–the tower clearly will not have a significant impact on the use of the land for agriculture.
    What is the reason for allowing the construction of an entranceway on the highway reserve at Coverley? Vindictiveness i say.

  12. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Frustated…I get it about the cricket grounds, but what about all that land just left to grow grass, they represent a bigger neglect by government of the agricultural sector.

    Why are the governments unable to walk and chew gum too….diversify and engage several productive sectors to generate cash flow for all the people on the island….all they tend to tell everyone is how this cannot be done as opposed to how soon they will get it done….besides, the cricket grounds keep the young gainfully focused on future careers among other more positive activities. ..cant say the same for dead sugar industry…it’s dead, move on to food or whatever else is workable.

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

    Well Well & Consequences May 10, 2016 at 10:18 AM #
    Frustated…I get it about the cricket grounds, but what about all that land just left to grow grass, they represent a bigger neglect by government of the agricultural sector.

    Why are the governments unable to walk and chew gum too….diversify and engage several productive sectors to generate cash flow for all the people on the island….all they tend to tell everyone is how this cannot be done as opposed to how soon they will get it done….besides, the cricket grounds keep the young gainfully focused on future careers among other more positive activities. ..cant say the same for dead sugar industry…it’s dead, move on to food or whatever else is workable.

    Common sense thinking will get you nowhere in Bim WW.

    Every other developed country in the world subsidises agriculture. We don’t because we need to maintain our ‘developing economy’ status for preferential funding from the developing countries. Look how well that worked out.

  14. David Avatar
    David

    It appears we like to cherrypick which agricultural land should not be affected by development or not. BU is on the side of fairness and consistent decision making. Justice is about being fair to all and it being perceived to be so.

  15. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Lol…Frustrated. I know, that’s why I watch it all evolve and unfold from cyberspace.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    The BU household is learning about the world of racing in Barbados. See the document added which explains the rationale for gravel track racing compared to a Bushy Park for example.

    https://barbadosunderground.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/task-force-report-2006-executive-summary-signed.pdf

  17. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Rab land can be used for food production. Just build Greenhouses on it.

    This is 2016 not 1916.

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

    Hants May 10, 2016 at 12:34 PM #
    Rab land can be used for food production. Just build Greenhouses on it.

    This is 2016 not 1916.

    Indeed, as in the Judean desert, irrigated by the River Jordan.

    Therein lies our problem. Only the lowlands of St. Lucy, St. George and St. Philip have adequate irrigation for that type of agriculture. The rest of the agriculture in Bim depends on nature; rain to emulsify the limited soil nutrients replenished by crop rotation.

    I am really quite astounded how ago-ignorant our population is, especially the educated.

    So much for educating our people out of the poverty of a third-world agricultural society.

  19. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @Frustrated Businessman aka Republic my ass.

    Bajans will rediscover the value of Agriculture when they run out of money to import food.

  20. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Hants May 10, 2016 at 12:54 PM #
    “Bajans will rediscover the value of Agriculture when they run out of money to import food.”

    And that date with self-inflicted destiny is fast becoming.
    I put it at 2017-2018.
    Sugar is dead and financial whoredom (aka offshore financial services) is about to lose her shine and appeal to the tax haven punters.
    That leaves poor old shaky tourism which Cuba is about to kick to the kerb. Red lipstick and exotic tricks will not change Bush Tea’s mind of her being just another prostitute just like those on ‘Bushy’s’ economic hill.

    But there must be a silver lining behind every dark Bajan cloud. According to the MoA, the neutered bull of the DLP dairy farm Bulbados is about to become the $ 5 billion food basket to the UAE and their ME friends.

  21. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Miller
    I would add that suddenly the silent man is promoting the off shore drilling for oil,hopefully.Another sign of desperation,given that the DLP have since ’08 sat on the this project and did nothing,and now oil prices are down and supply exceeding demand with Iran coming back from the effects of isolation,the top man himself is having a photo op,hoping that the signing of this drilling agreement would fill the void left by the three you mentioned and produce huge quantities of crude now that Trinidad is on the decline.

  22. Peltdownman Avatar
    Peltdownman

    Frustrated Businessman aka Cattlewash Economist, if for no other reason, the level of noise emanating from Vaucluse during a race day is way too high, and forces a large number of people not interested in car car ridees to suffer as a result. It must be murder in Endeavour when a meet is on. I live over 4km as the crow flies from Vaucluse and I can hear the moment a car starts up. The noise disturbs the peace in the Barbados countryside. We have a race track, for goodness sake. I suspect that you are close to the Vaucluse venture yourself.

  23. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    Have MM sign the application and it would be approved overnight. If it is not approved he can go ahead and develop it anyway and nothing will happen (refer to Coverley gas station/island at entrance, Rockford building). See what I mean?

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

    Peltdownman May 10, 2016 at 3:10 PM #
    Frustrated Businessman aka Cattlewash Economist, if for no other reason, the level of noise emanating from Vaucluse during a race day is way too high, and forces a large number of people not interested in car car ridees to suffer as a result. It must be murder in Endeavour when a meet is on. I live over 4km as the crow flies from Vaucluse and I can hear the moment a car starts up. The noise disturbs the peace in the Barbados countryside. We have a race track, for goodness sake. I suspect that you are close to the Vaucluse venture yourself.

    PDM, I think you might be referring to island-wide rally events.

    Here are the facts: Motorsport is Barbados’ largest spectator sport, consequently attracts more advertising money than any other sport thereby making it our largest sport industry and brings in more tourism money annually than any other sport.

    These realities are not in question.

    What should be in question to anyone reading these letters (and not spouting off without reading them like some have clearly done) is why are a very few people in Barbados facilitated while most are not, even after exhaustive efforts that most people would not suffer?

    As I have stated here before, if you want to see who the worst service companies are, check the law courts; they will be often-noted. If you want to see who the corrupt business people are, check the law courts; they will not.

    To get anywhere in this DLP Barbados you either have to pay bribes or pay lawyers, either way you have to pay.

    There will be no economic recovery under Fumble’s Teefin’ Fools.

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

    FearPlay May 10, 2016 at 7:23 PM #
    Have MM sign the application and it would be approved overnight. If it is not approved he can go ahead and develop it anyway and nothing will happen (refer to Coverley gas station/island at entrance, Rockford building). See what I mean?

    From what I heard in parliament yesterday the current facilitation for that individual may have some negative consequences when gov’t changes.

  26. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Steupsss
    Since when is the business of unhealthy-looking, rich people splurging on expensive cars, disturbing the peace, polluting the air, and wasting FOREX….a ‘sport’?
    Any sickly idiot can jump in an expensive car and press the gas hard …. especially if ‘living’ for them is fairly meaningless anyway…
    It attracts the ‘most sponsorship’ because the influential people in society are big-guts, lazy, sick-looking, rich people …just like those in the sport…

    Sport is about developing body, mind, spirit and community. It is about building harmony and togetherness through friendly competition…..about being in the best shape possible.

    Motor racing is about showing off who can buy the most expensive equipment, keep the most noise, drink the most beers, …and don’t give a rass about poor people who cannot afford to waste money at that level…

    Bushie would impose a level of taxation on their asses that would be able to fund all other ‘real-real’ sport in the island……

  27. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    Oh dear Bush Tea, oh dear! While some of those who are avid motor sport enthusiast may fit your description, I am informed that top drivers in this sport are some of the most disciplined and athletic in the sports world. Take Mr Hamilton for instance, for him to be at the top of his game requires dedication, discipline and athletic prowess way beyond that of most other sportsmen. F1 drivers have to be able to withstand G forces far in excess of those undergone by fighter pilots.

    While I can appreciate how you may be inclined toward negative feelings about the sport and its practitioners, let’s not throw shade at this very demanding sport. As an aside, your description may be appropriate for some of the spectators but this would also apply to many other sports fans.

  28. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/79876/tony-cozier-passes-away-aged-75

  29. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    OUR VERY BEST CRICKET COMMENTATOR AND WRITER FOR OVER 50 YEARS
    UP THERE WITH THE BEST LIKE ARLOTT AND MCGILVERY AND BENAUD

  30. David Avatar
    David

    A legend we were fortunate to observe at work.

  31. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    Question —— who owns Bushy Park raceway land, if I’m not wrong Barbados Government expropriated this plantation property a few years ago when the proposed developement failed. Another QUESTION — WAS PLANNING APPROVAL GIVEN FOR THE PRESENT BUSHY PARK FACILITY.

    I’ d like to hear some input.

  32. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ FearPlay
    LOL
    Bushie was just trying to frustrate a fed-up businessman…AKA – RmA
    Unsuccessfully it appears…

    But technically, Bushie is correct. Lewis Hamilton (despite David and Hants’ loyalty) is nothing more than a PR creation of Mercedes Benz in their Formula One marketing business. He is no better than the technical support team and the engineering technology provided. Any one of thousands of ordinary video game addicts could slot into his place overnight…. if it served the auto industry’s interest of promoting itself….

    Who could replace a Bolt, Akela Jones or Sir Gary?

    What sport what??!!
    Motor sport is a hobby….up there with gardening and keeping exotic fish….. 🙂

  33. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Bush Tea,

    You claim to know everything so no need for me to comment. You already know what I would say.

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

    Bush Tea May 11, 2016 at 10:34 PM #
    @ FearPlay
    LOL
    Bushie was just trying to frustrate a fed-up businessman…AKA – RmA
    Unsuccessfully it appears…

    What sport what??!!
    Motor sport is a hobby….up there with gardening and keeping exotic fish…..:)

    Thanks for the belly laugh!

    “Sport: forms of competitive activity or games which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants, and in some cases, entertainment for spectators.”

    The exotic fish reference was very creative though!

  35. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @Frustrated…
    I have kept away from commenting on this topic for a long time. I am a motor sports enthusiast; was a member of the Rally Club in the sixties. I also haPPen to be a loyal Bajan. I cannot in good conscience sanction, or even agree with the siting of a racetrack at Vaucluse. The land at vaucluse; not only the area that the motor sports enthusiasts want to use, but the entire stretch of land at the top of the hill by the road, but stretching over the brow of the hill that has been used to build expensive houses, that has been allowed to run into bush. This is a deliberate policy by the owners of the land; who have not only done this at Vaucluse, but most of the other areas they own,in different parts of the country; St. Philip, St George, St. Thomas, and other parts, that could be used to grow other crops. Sugar cane is not the only crop that can be grown on these lands. Our import bill for products that can be grown, profitably, is too exorbitant. As caswell said, the owners are just lazy. The energy and money that would be put into converting the land to a raceway, can be put into using the land for agricultural pursuits. If the land was used to construct pens, many hundreds of Black Belly sheep could be raised, to supplement the imported meat that comes all the way from New Zealand. Tropical vegetables can be grown on these same lands. We have too ,much unused agricultural land that is allowed to go to waste.
    People like you are only hoping that there is a change in government; and working for it, because you believe that that will result in a favourable response to these kinds of requests. Permission has been withheld over the past ten years or longer, why do you people persist so. That same persistence should be put toward improving the country, in another direction.
    My hope is that the Town Planning department will hold fast and keep refusing to give permission. It matters not what name you call yourself, a wolf in sheep’s clothing is still a wolf. All this frothing at the mouth by you and your ilk will only strengthen the resolve of those who have the interest of the country ; not your selfish desires, at heart.

  36. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @David,
    Going back as far as 2005; under the Arthur administration, this issue was ventilated.
    “…We the residents said ‘No’. Town Planning said, ‘No’. Minister Forde said, ‘No’. The only person left who can say ‘No’ is the Prime Minister. Will they listen to him and stop?
    I have lived in Barbados for 40 years, requesting and being granted citizenship in this special island. I have always believed that Barbados, above all countries in the world, was a place where one was safe from victimisation, where one was protected by the upstanding legacy of our heritage. I thought that all were equal in Barbados under the law. Today I ask a simple question: Are we the special place I thought we were, or not?

    This has surfaced again. What don’t these people understand?

    I am watching; with a “narrow eye” what is happening at the stretch of beach, recently created by the good saviour (?) between the Esplanade and the Pierhead. Long stretches have been appropriated to themselves by the same entities (as above,) portions have been fenced off, facilities have been constructed (town plANNING PERMISSION?) AND I AM SURE THAT SOON, WITH THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF A COUPLE OF HOTELS ON THIS MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACH, ATTEMPTS WILL BE MADE TO RESTRICT THE BLACK POPULATION FROM HAVING FREE, AND UNFETTERED ACCESS TO THIS STRETCH OF BEACH.
    Let us not reach the stage where people rebel. And Bajans WILL rebel if their beaches are taken away. When Jack was written this beach did not exist. It does now, and the society has become even more militant.
    A word to the wise is sufficient.

  37. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @David;
    You ask: What was the land producing before the raceway activity?

    Yams, Potatoes, vegetables, Cassava, (as part of crop rotation) and sugar cane. The land is still there and the same crops, and others can be grown. Onions can be planted, guavas, cherry, limes, lemons golden apples. The land is rich enough to grow almost anything. When we remove the topsoil down to bedrock just so that a few people can race cars, that should be regarded as a crime.

  38. David Avatar
    David

    @Alvin

    What was the land at St.Davids producing before change in land use.

  39. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @David,
    What land at St. David’s? Are you speaking about part of the Kingsland estates, or the land connected with the Church in Bishop’s court Hill?

  40. David Avatar
    David

    @Alvin

    There is only one St. Davids where cement is being planted on prime agricultural land.

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