Est.2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

It is a Paradise – A Decaying Physical Infrastructure

← Back

Your message to the BLOGMASTER was sent

CONTACT THE BLOGMASTER ONLY

Some say a picture is worth a thousand words. We take no pleasure posting the following pictures which reflect our decaying physical infrastructure. We go further to opine that it is a sad reflection of our inability to effectively and efficiently manage our tiny country. For partisan political reasons many will not want to admit it but it is the truth. If we love our country we need to pull it back!

It is not about the quantum of taxpayers resources allocated to build stalls near to Golden Square to accommodate the displaced vendors from Fairchild Street market, it is about the lack of management to ensure it was efficiently executed.

The three pictures of the dilapidated erection meant to shield the public’s view of one of the most beautiful vistas on our coastline must be described as a ‘sin’.  Do we need to remind the country that Bridgetown and its environs is categorized as a world heritage site?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

110 responses to “It is a Paradise – A Decaying Physical Infrastructure”

  1. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    David May 27, 2016 at 6:47 PM #

    Has anyone travelled on the roads in Barbados recently (rhetorical?). A whole other blog.
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………

    When I left 2 months ago they were bad I presume nothing has changed except getting worse.

    What I cannot understand is why during the recession a massive roadworks project was not undertaken,refurbishing ones infrastructure is always recommended during this period as you can get cheap international loans and provide work for the masses e.g. the 50 odd million for the city refurbishment that was returned……..presumably because they were afraid of being killed.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    Wade Gibbons

    10 mins ·

    Barbadians have got to be among the nastiest m..f.ers on the earth. Passed by a club this morning that had some occasion during the night and early morning and outside was littered with food containers and cups blowing into the road, the gutter, etc. Passed through Swan Street during the week and those plant pots that actually used to have plants now growing garbage. Walking along Warrens two weeks ago and somebody throw an empty Monster beverage container through the window of a minibus. Walking along Spring Garden highway 5 a.m. three weeks ago and an open back jeep with two white men, a white woman and a black man [all seemingly blind drunk] actually throwing out garbage on the highway as though it was the most natural thing to be doing. Passed through Whitehall a few months ago and somebody throw a bagged dead animal [most likely a puppy] in a grass patch beside the road, rather than bury or burn the damn thing. Our nastiest is now as cultural as cricket, pudding and souse and conkies. And we have health officials catching illegal dumpers and making them clean up their mess and remaining anonymous, rather than making them clean up their mess, naming them, shaming them, hauling them before the court and locking them to hell up. We Bajans just don’t get it. This is what people should be donning white and marching against; this is what unions should be agitating against and sensitising workers about – their frigging nastiest.

  3. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Vincent Haynes May 28, 2016 at 5:41 AM
    “What I cannot understand is why during the recession a massive roadworks project was not undertaken,refurbishing ones infrastructure is always recommended during this period as you can get cheap international loans and provide work for the masses….”

    Very insightful comment, there Vincent!
    One of the fine attributes of good economic and fiscal management is the maintenance or upkeep of a country’s physical infrastructure when going through recessionary times.
    The current administration in Bim has failed badly on this front.

    Not only does such a policy maintain a reasonable level of employment, economic activity and social stability among the lower income earners but also offers the opportunity to implement a programme of planned (preventative) maintenance resulting in lower future costs. These cost ‘savings’ would also result in more funds available for capital projects when the recession comes to an end.

    But then again that kind of high-level (helicopter) thinking does not find a home in the corrupt world and ossified minds of both politicians and their sheepishly hamstrung timid bureaucrats called technical advisors.

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

    Plastic and styrofoam are the scourge of the 3rd world.

    For inspiration, watch an old film called ‘the Gods must be crazy’. It’s about an African Pigmy tribe which finds a coke bottle in their bush and the effects that one bottle has on the entire community. Very clever film that should be required viewing in schools.

  5. David Avatar
    David

  6. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    “… Do we need to remind the country that Bridgetown and its environs is categorized as a world heritage site?”

    I have written on a few occasions about the rundown filthy, smelly, garbage-decorated state of Bridgetown.
    Nobody in authority seems to care or understands the environmental responsibilities imposed by using the designation “World Heritage Site”.
    How can the Tourism people market and promote a physical dump which increasingly poses serious threats to public health especially to visitors to the Island?

    But are we not asking too much of an administration whose leading members have little or no class? After all, Denis Downlowe is seen by both his boss and his peers as the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to the management of the environment both natural and built.

    When the primate inter ‘parris’ (with his closed eyes in the sky and his inured nose out to see like a barge pole) can travel on Bay Street regularly and is not taken aback by its ghetto-like state then Barbados really has a top-heavy stinking problem on its hands.

    It’s just a matter of time before the use of that much valued and sought-after designation is taken away by the UNESCO authorities who growing weary and indeed pissed off with the way Barbados is ‘managing’ the site.
    One rat bite to a child from a cruise liner might just do the trick.

    Here is one of the greatest farrago of hypocrisy and one of the biggest lies ever told in the Bible of Con-artistry:

    “Why environmentally sound? We all have to
    live, move and have our being in the protection
    of the environment. Daily, as we interact with
    one another we also interact with nature.

    The contest with nature which characterized man’s
    relationship in earlier times, has now become a
    contract with nature in our times.

    A degraded and unhealthy environment is a threat to man’s
    very existence on this planet; and this Manifesto
    recognizes that important fact.”

  7. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Interesting post there by Wade Gibbons, but not to belabor my point on the other blog but here we go again with de people.

    I would ask the blog this with this introduction. I instituted a simple rule: don’t litter. If you in my car you will not throw garbage through no window. Otherwise we stopping and you will retrieve said garbage. Very simple.

    Now, tell me this. Assuming a Minister had persuaded his colleagues to institute a strong policy of fines for persons who litter. Not only the JA who defile their own continued wondrous Bajan existence by polluting the gullies with ‘industrial’ waste that can leach toxins into our underground aquifers but every John and Donna Bajan who litters.

    Real action. Not just foolish talk. Fines like traffic tickets in your tail and if not paid you before the courts with a summons.

    Tell me how long you think dat Minister’s backside would last as a minister or if he/she would retain the seat at next election???

    So that ain’t going to work cause as Gibbons said, Bajan are a nasty bunch of ‘church-goes’….well he was more emphatic.

    The minority with our ‘no litter’ rules are considered to be the JAs.

  8. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Vincent…

    What I cannot understand is why during the recession a massive roadworks project was not undertaken
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    What is not to understand?
    Building roads is passé….. that is so 20th century…. That was the COW and Rayside era…

    It is far more efficient nowadays, to extract ‘under-hand funds’ by building structures -especially buildings.
    Compare spending $50M on fixing roads with building an unnecessary, wasteful and extravagant BWA building.
    With roads, there are far too many precedents for cost comparison. For example, how can you spend $2M fixing a road that was fixed for $800,000 five years ago? …What consultants would be required to fix a road? …what legal fees would be needed?
    Shiite man, you could basically go to the files and change the date on an old contract and arrange for the road to be fixed.
    Which minister will waste his time with such shiite? ..for what level of kickbacks?
    Wuh ..that is almost like doing maintenance on state properties.

    Compare with a building project like the Water Palace….
    First thing they do is design every one of their Government Buildings DIFFERENTLY, …which is as inefficient as you could wish. This way, each project needs to incur consultancies from the ground up…
    Then there is no basis for comparisons – so a cost of $750,000 for legal fees cannot be challenged. Materials and design cost have no precedents…. (sweetness itself… 🙂 )
    Over-runs and ‘unforeseen costs’ sky-rocket for each project..as there is no ‘learning’ going forward based on experience. Final costs are ALWAYS in the hundreds of millions…. US $….

    Remember, the higher the final cost, the higher is the 5% kickback….

    Understand now….?

  9. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Bushie
    That in a nutshell is Corruption 101 taught weekly at the George Street Auditorium.The chairman of the board there is a fellow named Ass-Tawr Whatts,who recently took to the podium to deliver a lecture,the essence of which was that Sir Grantley should not be a hero nor should he be on the most popular currency note and which is never referred to as a hundred dollar bill but as a Grantley.The foolish Dems made a mistake and figured that note would be so little used that nobody would remember Grantley.Now it backfire and so did Ass-Tawr.Soil in dey man!

  10. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Crusoe
    I await your response to my query May 27@9.53p

  11. Due Diligence Avatar
    Due Diligence

    A piece of Paradise in Toronto – Barbados On The Water

    http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/festivals/barbadosonthewater/index.cfm

    Hope to see all you TO bloggers there tonight

  12. Due Diligence Avatar
    Due Diligence

    https://nowtoronto.com/music/features/alison-hinds-queen-of-soca-returns-to-toronto/

  13. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Bush Tea May 28, 2016 at 10:02 AM #

    Cannot disagree…..sadly that is where we are at in our 50th year.

  14. David Avatar
    David

    Question for Dr Denis Lowe.

    Barbados needs to know if there is any truth to the rumor the SSA hired a D9 tractor from Brathwaite Construction for $96,000 monthly for nearly a year when the one broken down only cost $30,000 to fix?

    Kammie Holder
    Advocacy Director
    Future Centre Trust

  15. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Some years ago a Caterpillar went over the hills above the Soil Conservation Unit in Haggatts and was never seen again,at least not above ground level. Hope that this is not the same Caterpillar.

  16. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Our UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rot on the job lot
    http://i.imgur.com/4uSW7Js.jpg?1

  17. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    The Paradise site looks real bad in truth. But when you start wrong you will always end wrong. More that 10 years ago the “developers” of the site started wrong by denuding the site of its mature trees, underbrush and other vegetation.

    Wrong then. Wrong now.

  18. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Colonel Buggy
    What is the exact location of that property.I don’t recognize it.

  19. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Coming from Bridgetown along the Spring Garden Highway the property is on the left (the sea side) just before you get to the roundabout I forget the name) but the roundabout at the bottom of University Hill

  20. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    The goal that the little nuisance Pemberton and all his business partners, Cow, Bizzy et al had in mind was to rape the national insurance pension fund, with the help of their local black lawyers, to complete the 4 seasons project, but the money they got was not enough, the Cows and Bizzys took the money that was owed to them, as vendors, and pulled out, leaving the project with lawsuits. Mia’s school pal and working buddy for 4 seasons Persaud was searching high and low for billionaire investors and introducing them all to the NIS pension fund.

    Around that same time the same Bizzy brought in the Redjet Irish dude with his 40 million and a myriad of problems, again the goal was to introduce the redjet dude to the NIS pension, which did not work out well or as planned.and redjet crashed and burned.

    They all make you feel physically ill.

  21. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Buggy
    Where is that property you highlight as being part of the Garrison World Heritahge site.It would have to be off the beaten track,as I don’t recall seeing it on the main,that is Hwy 7.

  22. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    WW&C
    Red Jet was a better investment than is LIAT.143 million in LIAT and my garbage is now 2 weeks in the avenue and no indication when it will be removed.Last pick up was on Tuesday 17th May and the bin is full.Meanwhile an SSA truck and crew is seen once weekly in the neighborhood collecting from one site.The job takes about 15 mins.SSA is not short of trucks to do private work.Can somebody tell where the man Lowe lives.I want to take my bin of garbage and dump it on his property a la Roger Manning and his ex brother in law Miles Rothwell,the horrible Limey architect.

  23. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Gabriel…it was a good investment but badly planned, remember they made the dude wait nearly a year to get all the approvals in Barbados, then Trinidad spitefully made him wait another year or more to get their approvals, then he started the airfares much too low….then his investment capital started to dwindle, so Bizzy’s eyes locked on even more to the pension fund. …greed for what is not his caused the collapse of Redjet…him and his brother should have used their own stolen loot to prop up the airline…, why didn’t they…?

    Dennis Lowe is a bottom feeder. ..that’s why everything he touches turns to shit.

  24. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    @Gabriel
    Off beaten track my eye! It is located on the Garrison road between the Guard House and the monument where the ladies parade at nights,and in full view of tourist who venture to get a glimpse of our premier World Heritage Site. The taxi men formerly used this building as a “depot”.,
    http://i.imgur.com/Qx3uZrx.jpg?2

  25. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    But why do we expect the SSA to keep Barbados clean when they are unable to clean up their own back yard. Where are the Health and Safety People, Where are the Unions,Where is the Minister of Health and the Minister of the Environment ?

    http://i.imgur.com/RmxFPQR.jpg?1

  26. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Buggy
    Thanks.I would not see that house because it’s not an oft used road,just as I thought,but Lennox Honeychurch should do something about it now it has been highlighted

  27. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Gabriel
    As far as I now Lennox Honeychurch has gone back to Dominica,probably out of frustration.

  28. David Avatar
    David

    @Colonel Buggy

    Shouldn’t that building be designated a heritage site?

  29. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    http://i.imgur.com/OUTkitv.jpg?1

  30. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    All of the buildings within the boundary where the World Heritage signs are located should be part of the World Heritage Site.
    http://i.imgur.com/NOPag2T.jpg?1

  31. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    This building is not within the Garrison World Heritage Site, as it falls some 10 or 12 feet on the other side of the sign.Nevertherless it should still be kept presentable.
    http://i.imgur.com/dguouM7.jpg?1

  32. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Buggy
    Didn’t know Honeychurch returned to Dominica.What does the short man at Culture,little hitler have to say then.More mortar.That building shown is behind T&CP.Maybe we’ll soon see it designated ‘derelict’.

  33. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    I FIND THAT LAST PHOTO ON LOWER DAYRELLS RD MOST DISTRESSING
    REMEMBER WHEN THAT WAS A BIG SHOP IN THE LATE 60’S EARLY 70’S

  34. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    Perhaps it is BECAUSE of the ‘heritage site designation’ that these buildings all seem to be falling apart….
    What do you want to bet that the same B’dos government that does ZERO maintenance to its own buildings will be insisting that private owners spend fortunes to maintain these old buildings in pristine condition?
    What do you bet that the best economic option for the owners is to let them run to ruin and fall down?

    Same shiite with prime agricultural lands where owners are almost forced to take the best economic option of letting them fall into ruin …then to hopefully sell them off as housing spots.

    When the head is bad, the rest of the body must fall into ruin…

  35. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    there is merit in what you say, let us take the Cultural Fund for example which is to support the Cultural Industries Bill effort, no money to fund it!

    On Sun, May 29, 2016 at 6:39 PM, Barbados Underground wrote:

    >

  36. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Added to the call for an Airport in St Lucy, followed by another for a Cruise Terminal, and now a bus hub, by Dennis Kellman ,he is now promising to restore the birth place of RH Errol Barrow,at Nestfield St Lucy.

  37. Exclaimer Avatar
    Exclaimer

    @ Colonel Buggy,

    I presume that the officials from UNESCO would have have explained in great detail to our cultural ministry why a part of Bridgetown was given world heritage status. That they have failed to understand the significance of this title is revealing. It reconfirms to me that we are not a serious nation.

    As for solutions to our decaying built-environment i have none! The mess is so great that our problem is where do we start?

  38. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    @Exclaimer
    There is an old saying, ” You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear”
    Bridgetown and the Garrison are relatively small places which those from the Cultural Ministry and the Cabinet traverse daily, often multiple times. They see the rot, they see the rundown and ramshackled places., but like many Barbadians we have grown accustomed to it. Just like placing unsightly ,stinking mobile outhouses(not my first choice of a word ) outside the premier heritage building on the Garrison , just where visitors alight from their various tour coaches.And that does not bother us.
    http://i.imgur.com/Wwsa2gE.jpg?1

  39. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Exclaimer
    All it would take is a little vision, some creativity, lots of patriotism and LOTS of hard work…. But the situation can be reversed.
    The problem is that many parasites who are benefitting currently at the expense of the system will suffer losses from, and will resist the needed change.

    It would take a level of leadership that has eluded us now for some decades.

  40. Exclaimer Avatar
    Exclaimer

    @ Bush Tea,

    I am sorry but i believe that the rot is irreversible. The few die hards on BU are simply swimming against the tide. Colonel Buggy is correct we have become so conditioned to the rotting infrastructure of our built-environment that we simply do not notice how bad it has become. We have become desensitised to our environment.

    I have never visited a country with so many half-completed buildings. What about the simple chattel houses? Most require a simple lick of paint yet their owners seem quite happy living in houses where the paintwork is peeling off.

    A couple of years ago i went into the grounds of the Empire and talked to a half-dressed bare footed man who had made it his home!

    How can we have a future when our people have no pride in themselves.

  41. David Avatar
    David

    @Exclaimer

    Sad to say you maybe correct. You get a sense how difficult things are to pull back when you drive behind a school bus and have to observe the garbage being tossed out of the buses. They will be the adults of tomorrow.

  42. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    The Garrison ,at least is ,recoverable. As I’ve previously mentioned ,take the upkeep and maintenance of the Garrison out of the hands of the Ministry of Culture,as if they cared,and put it into the hands of an extended Pioneer Company of the Barbados Defence Force, consisting of Regulars and ‘volunteers’ from the Court System and other young people , engaged in a sort of semi- national service, similar to the Sports Programme. Much of the improvement to the Garrison could be achieved with low tech, cleaning ,scrubbing and a coat of paint.
    The budget to do major work, like the refitting of the roof and other repairs to the former Young Officer Quarters at the back of the Garrison School , could come from the millions of dollars saved by ousting the same ineffective Ministry of Culture from their plush Bizzy Williams rental offices at the back of Sky Mall in Haggatt Hall.

  43. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    I have very fond memories of the Garrison,Joined the Regiment at age 14 from no 3 company.RQSM Browne lived on the premises near the armory.Used to ride my bike past the mobiloil depot to shoot at shot hall early(5am)on Saturday mornings using the 303 that gave me a bruised shoulder every time.Lovely days.No fear setting out from home at 3am on my trusty Raleigh for the 8 mile ride.Later trained to use the Bren.What I liked about these experiences was that there were average bajans who taught us to use these guns.Guys were carpenters,masons,messengers etc but sharp and disciplined and they exacted the same from you.No mollycoddling.”when I tell yuh move,move it man”

  44. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @Gabriel, re “I have very fond memories of the Garrison,Joined the Regiment at age 14 from no 3 company.”

    The reference to #3 reminds me fondly of the days when there was also only #1 and 2 companies. But sadly up to maybe six+ years ago despite (or maybe because of) the expansion of that disciplined system of cadets to more schools the actual cadetting was practically non-existent as uniforms were unavailable for recruits.

    …and thus they lost interest.

    Have no idea if things have changed but that fundamental discipline, camaraderie and leadership training that you and many others enjoyed is not as it was.

    The simple question (to which they are simple answers too) is WHY? Why have successive administrations allowed these important institutions – as too the heritage sites – to go into abeyance!!!

  45. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Dribbler
    Did the other schools not join #1, #2 and #3 from as far back as the 1980’s….?
    …and they did not lose interest recently because of a lack of uniform. On the contrary, it was because of a spurt in interest and unprecedented growth, that there was a demand for additional uniform and other resources.
    Of course there was no positive response to the calls for the relatively small investment in the youth and things seem to have fallen apart.

  46. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Bush Tea, but of course the cadet expansion has been on-going over many years and as you clearly know the background you would know that Ellerslie was an ‘addition’ to #3 at the fore-front of the growth.

    You would also know of the sterling work of the Patrick Skeetes’ of the BDF cadet world who oversaw much of that expansion.

    But you obviously did not note the parenthesis above!!! LOLL

    The uniform matter was a highlight (or low-light really) to establish that such an important program had been allowed to go into abeyance over the years… from the days of Gabriel!

    Surely, you must appreciate that budgeting and that ‘small “investment” you noted had to have seeped into a once well oiled system.

    You do not develop a program that has produced excellent men of leadership ability over the years, expand it and then let it run away from you…that entire process is an exercise in failure when you were exercising great success and excellence.

    How does one do that!!!!

    Work with me here Bushie. You are a sharp cookie.

    That cadet program had to have been diminished/failed after many years of success for the same type of reasons that we discuss daily re the House…petty jealousies, ‘corruption’ and men/women who lost their integrity and passion for greatness.

    No disrespect to anyone at BDF but when I discovered that uniforms had become an issue I realized that things had really gotten bad…generally!!!

  47. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    correction/clarification: Surely, you must appreciate that LACK OF budgeting and that ‘small “investment” you noted had to have seeped into a once well oiled system

  48. David Avatar
    David

    The Cadet Corp is partly responsible for some good men today. It is a shame how it has been allowed to fade. Since it was taken over by the BDF it has gone to the dogs. Brownie and Patrick gave done some good work over the years.

  49. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @David, re “Since it was taken over by the BDF it has gone to the dogs.”

    That sir is the type statement for which your mother would send you to the bathroom with soap to wash your mouth, figuratively speaking of course, Really, you should know better than that.

    The BDF has been essentially in charge of the corps since way back when as Bushie alluded to. I can’t cite the exact date when actual administrative control was ceded but realistically and for all practical purposes the BDF was the integral force (no pun) behind the corp from late 70s.

    Patrick has long retired (from cadets) as far as I know and he was the BDF man in charge of cadets for years…so your statement is very strange.

  50. David Avatar
    David

    @Dee Word

    You need to catch up.

The blogmaster invites you to join and add value to the discussion.

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading