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Donville Inniss Ignores Letter from General Manager of Arawak Cement Limited Pointing Out Incorrect Classification of Imported Rock Hard Cement

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Donville Inniss, DLP Executive Member
Prime Minister, Fruendel Stuart
Manuel Toro, General Manager, Arawak Cement

The management of Arawak Cement Limited in the attached document dated June 1, 2016 has accused Minister Donville Inniss of not responding to a letter sent to him on April 18, 2016. The thrust of the communication is to complain that the Barbados authorities have been incorrectly classifying imported cement by Rock Hard Limited as “other hydraulic cement”  and not “hydraulic cement”. The benefit to Rock Hard Cement Limited is that the imported cement attracts 5% CET and not 15%. Further, Arawak Cement Limited posits that the the chemical composition of the cement imported by Rock Hard Cement Limited is the same as that produced in the region and therefore deemed ineligible for exemption based on COTED mandate. It is highly unlikely theatPrime Minister Fruendel Stuart has responded to Arawak Cement Limited given the sloth at which he has built a reputation.

Is this the same Minister Donville Inniss who today [16 June 2016] invited disgruntled stakeholders to pursue established government channels to solve problems and avoid the traditional and social media?

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149 responses to “Donville Inniss Ignores Letter from General Manager of Arawak Cement Limited Pointing Out Incorrect Classification of Imported Rock Hard Cement”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    https://www.facebook.com/BarbadosToday/videos/10153840098418191/

  2. Charlie Avatar
    Charlie

    The Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) promotes trade and economic development of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and oversees the operations of the Single Market and Economy.

    Specifically, Article 15 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (Link to Treaty), states the Council which consists of Ministers designated by the Member States, will:

    Promote the development and oversee the operation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy;
    evaluate, promote and establish measures to enhance production, quality control and marketing of industrial and agricultural commodities so as to ensure their international competitiveness;
    establish and promote measures to accelerate structural diversification of industrial and agricultural production on a sustainable and regionally-integrated basis;
    determine and promote measures for the accelerated development and marketing of services;
    promote and develop policies and programmes to facilitate the transportation of people and goods;
    promote measures for the development of energy and natural resources on a sustainable basis;
    establish and promote measures for the accelerated development of science and technology;
    promote and develop policies for the protection of and preservation of the environment and for sustainable development;
    promote and develop, in collaboration with the Council for Foreign and Community Relations, co-ordinated policies for the enhancement of external economic and trade relations of the Community, and
    undertake any additional functions remitted to it by the Conference, arising under this Treaty.

    Each Member State shall be entitled to designate alternates to represent it on the COTED.

  3. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    David
    Having trouble scrolling up on iPad,the letter from Arawak.Can only read para 1

  4. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    I can see this heading to the CCJ.

  5. David Avatar
    David

    @Gabriel

    Tested on iPad without any issues.

    @enuff

    Agree with your point on the other blog, how can we even think of comparing a forex producing company to a user of foreign exchange, not to mention if our Customs and Commerce ministry contravening COTED.

    >

  6. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    several issues…..hydraulic cement by broad definition is a powder which cures by the addition of water, hence to have a classification of Hydraulic vs ‘other hydraulic’ [as opposed to non-hyraulic or other] is already confusing. In N.America Hydraulic refers specifically to a blend of cements which cures very quickly, as opposed to Portalnd or Masonry cements, which by definition also cure by the addition of water [hydraulic].

    Hence it would be valuable to know the COTED tariff description of the two product classifications. Specifically what classifies a product as Hyraulic vs other hydraulic.

    Inniss talks of frustration? All he had to do was reply stating the matter was being investigated. By apparently doing nothing, he forced Arawaks hand to escalate their concerns. HE FRUSTRATED them. So while talking a good line, his actions do not appear to match his words?

    This game…classification for duty or external tariffs is an age old game. Every importer seeks an angle to pay less. Minister Inniss need only refer the matter to the Head of Customs requesting clarification. Is the product being imported by HR a %5 or a 15% item? Very simple. The key is “do something”.

  7. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Inniss is up to his neck in filth with Maloney and whomever else and Fruendel is dodging the scandal.

  8. Charlie Avatar
    Charlie

    In 2013 the DLP wanted to win an election against all odds, now they pay the price. He who pays the piper calls the tune. Dance Donville the payer has called the tune and piper is playing .

  9. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    I don’t understand how the decent DLP elders can sit idly by and allow the party to be sold to the highest bidder.Where are the Knights of the DLP.In St Andrew?

  10. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    After listening to his speech, In my diasporean opinion, Donville Inniss should stand as a matter of principle and rejoin the private sector.

    He would be invaluable to the likes of baloney & jerk.

  11. Charlie Avatar
    Charlie

    Hants

    He would become some jerk baloney?

  12. Charlie Avatar
    Charlie

    Is it not widely known in Barbados that Donville hates the PM and the PM hates Donville?

  13. David Avatar
    David

    What the model little country known as Barbados come to though 👀

  14. Charlie Avatar
    Charlie

    The lunatics are running the assylum , you actually expected different?

  15. Banana Republic Avatar
    Banana Republic

    Well they the man of the moment got shares so….

  16. Donville Inniss Avatar
    Donville Inniss

    Please note that all letters written to me by lawyers on behalf of Arawak Cement Ltd have been responded to.

  17. David Avatar
    David

    Minister Inniss is therefore calling General Manager Toro a liar?

  18. Donville inniss Avatar
    Donville inniss

    This week I signed and dispatched a further response to the most recent attorney for Arawak Cement Ltd. I will not however place in this forum any letters which I write to any person or company.

  19. Pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    Pieceuhderockyeahright

    I isn’t know bout wunna but ent dis man say “fustrated” 5 times n this interview?

    We need to make it a requirement that at least our potential representatives must know english.

    Whuloss man, de ingrunt minister of Edukashun WeJonesing, Lucy Son, Quisling (sorry he got a lisp like Eddie) but is be shameful when de low islanders (dere go that term again) seeing we pun TV talking bout “fustrated”

    http://imgur.com/3xQazGG

  20. David Avatar
    David

    Minister Inniss no sensible person on BU or any forum expects you to post communication from your office to Arawak here especially since we do not have freedom of information laws on the books. What we expect is for you to refute Toro’s letter by quoting the date of your response.

  21. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    When I was a customs clerk back in the 1970s there was something called a classification committee at customs. If there was a dispute with respect to the classification of an item that committee would investigate and make a determination. If the importer was paying a lesser duty, he would have been called upon to pay the difference.

    The problems in Customs are many but political interference has made matters worse. The politicians have gotten their way in the selection of an acting comptroller. The person in the job was never a customs officer, who lacks the knowledge and training to be the lowest grade customs officer.

    Customs is being made a political football where the career paths of trained officers are being destroyed. It is now a mere shadow of its former self. What the hell do you expect?

  22. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Danville is feeling the heat. I see a cabinet reshuffle in his future with him being shuffled to the backbench. Well that is what any PM with balls would do since Inniss is fast becoming an embarrassment to the DLP and to cabinet government.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @Minister Inniss

    Can you enlighten the BU family the outcome of the challenge to St.Lucia levying a higher tax on our beer? You promised to engage COTED.

    http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2014/11/13/reprehensible/

    >

  24. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    In other words Customs has lost its independence in an independent Barbados whilst in the old colonial days Customs had power and authority.
    Whilst we are one the subject of the spoken word…….the word politics has 3 distinct syllables and not 2 as is evident in the video….one is hearing paultiks instead of pol’i’tics.

  25. David Avatar
    David

    @Caswell and Gabriel

    The tinkering with the Customs Department and the government unable to integrate that department with BRA is coming back to take a big chuck from society ‘s ass.

    >

  26. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    Mr Blogmaster you pushing too hard….
    “This week I signed and dispatched a further response to the most recent attorney for Arawak Cement Ltd.” This week June 13-16, ‘a further response’ suggesting in addition to at least one other response, ‘most recent attorney’ again suggesting Arawack has used the services of more than one attorney. The letter to the PM was from Arawack, not one of their lawyers.
    Whether those responses were timely, Arawack claims their first request was April 18th, will come out in the wash.
    The Arawack letter is only untrue if they received a response prior to June 1st.

  27. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    Integrating Customs into BRA would only further weaken Customs and make it a plaything like of the minister like all the other statutory boards. If the politicians have no authority to intervene in Customs as they currently do, what do you think would happen if or when they dismantle that department and subsume into something that they have the right to control.

    Sent from my iPad

    >

  28. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    This scathing attack on civil servants should be cause for concern.

    Let us see how the opposition and the unions respond.

  29. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    “they do everything to frustrate people from doing business in this country”

    Methinks de minista need to talk to de PM bout betta business facilitation .

  30. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Hants

    The Leader of the Opposition and the leaders of the two major trade unions don’t have any balls.

    Sent from my iPad

    >

  31. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/82306/probe-imported-racket

    According to what Chris Sinckler is saying…..it is clear that Donville is telling lies, up to neck in filth with the business people against the best interest of the taxpayers, the island and his fellow government ministers and will fly on his own with this one….let’s see which government minister is dumb enough to support him in his misrepresentations, we will then be able to tell the nimbers working against the people for the business community.

  32. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    And the customs department and at least one customs officer is being blamed for facilitating illegal imports, what else is coming in directly through the ports, guns, drugs….the acting commissioner been hinting at this for months….and these hypocrites been pretending it’s not true, they are all saints.

  33. Geoffrey Greene Avatar
    Geoffrey Greene

    I hope the DLP government and Donville can handle the retaliation that is certain to come from Trinidad where Arawaks parent company, TCL, is located.
    I just don’t understand why we as a people find comfortable supporting Turkish, Portuguese and Chinese jobs over the Barbadians employed at Arawak.
    Now we are hearing rumours that Sam Lords Castle redevelopment will be built with cement imported all the way from China.

  34. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Hants….Donville can rejoin the business sector, but not with the backing of the people’s treasury or influences to enrich both him and them….let him do it on his own but without the trappings the people who elected him enabled him to acquire. …let’s see how far that gets him….the first thing these ministers forget upon being elected by the people, is that the majority blacks, who are poor and struggling elected them..

  35. Geoffrey Greene Avatar
    Geoffrey Greene

    Well Well & Consequences

    I don’t think they forget who elected them so much as the don’t CARE about those who elected them.

  36. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @Geoffrey, why would that have to be a rumour? Wouldn’t it actually make sense because the Chinese people are underwriting a major part of the financing for the Sam Lords redevelopment.

    I believe that all matters related to a project of that type would be negotiated based on the input/request of the financier.

    And in the absence of the contract details we can speculate with national interest (Bajan cement, Bajan workers) as much as our voices can sing the national anthem but don’t you think that if China is providing the funds that they also want their national voice to be heard to match the amount of money they are investing!

  37. Geoffrey Greene Avatar
    Geoffrey Greene

    I agree. Maybe Mr. Maloney has already cut a deal for that project where he will import cement from China under the Rock Hard cement brand and then use it in his pre-made concrete panels to build the hotel.

  38. Frustrated Businessman aka 'Refer teefin' to the DPP' my ass. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman aka ‘Refer teefin’ to the DPP’ my ass.

    Even if DI champions our frustration forever and a day, there will be no relief until firm action is taken to set up a complaints department in the ministry of the civil service that has power to resolve issues in other ministries and sanction the guilty.

    CONSEQUENCES DO NOT EXIST IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.

    Years ago I championed DI as the only DLP cabinet member with the skills to manage our country like the small business it is but he is a voice alone in the dessert.

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

  39. David Avatar
    David

    If all we are hearing about Chinese labour, materials etc is true is explains why Barbados was able to secure such a low interest rate on the loan the MoF and Cabinet colleges have boasted. China will exact it’s return in other ways so that we as a country pay a high rate in real terms.

  40. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Frustrated…it looks like ya have already entered into a future contract with Donville….I wonder how many othe business people he has already contracted with….without the knowledge of and against the taxpayers….looks like Donville is confident he will be prime minister….he better dust of that resume and give it to Bizzy and Maloney.

  41. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Even better said Geoffrey.

  42. Frustrated Businessman aka 'Refer teefin' to the DPP' my ass. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman aka ‘Refer teefin’ to the DPP’ my ass.

    Once again: de-politicise the senate and empower it to handle public inquiries, civil service complaints, public tenders and everything else that should be politics-free in this country, including real oversight of law-making.

  43. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ WW&C
    it looks like ya have already entered into a future contract with Donville..
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    That relationship may be even closer than that…. 🙂

  44. Old Baje Avatar
    Old Baje

    @ Donville

    I am happy to see that you are following BU. Maybe there is hope for you after all.

  45. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ David, “China will exact it’s return ”

    Just like Canada did with the “New” GAIA in 70s.

    Borrow my money …. These are the conditions.

  46. Past Zone Avatar
    Past Zone

    I am recommending that the PM give him a new ministerial title { The Hon. Donville Inniss, M.P., Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce, Small Business Development & Local Business Destruction}

  47. Past Zone Avatar
    Past Zone

    I didn’t realise we still had Carib indians surviving in Barbados. Donville must one of the few remaining Carib warriors surviving here, and it is clear that that Carib intends to KILL Arawak.

  48. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Frustrated @ 636a
    Isn’t that role supposed to have been the Ombudsman,now neutered and consequently forgotten…

  49. Frustrated Businessman aka 'Refer teefin' to the DPP' my ass. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman aka ‘Refer teefin’ to the DPP’ my ass.

    Gabriel June 17, 2016 at 9:16 AM #
    Frustrated @ 636a
    Isn’t that role supposed to have been the Ombudsman,now neutered and consequently forgotten…

    Valton Ben had the reputation of being the ‘hanging judge’ but he also had the reputation of not getting much done during his tenure on the bench. I would be interested to know whether he ever receives any civil service complaints.

  50. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    Donville threw some Civil Servants under the bus and then backed it up over them, somewhere some people are smiling ruefully to themselves because they have been on the receiving end (in private) of the behavior and arrogance shown in public. He lets them know there is only one opinion in the room that matters and it is mine, so let’s rubber stamp everything and move on.

    I get his point about business being allowed to flourish in Barbados, the Gov’t is the biggest employer and it should be the other way around but business has to follow the law, there can’t be one law for the Medes and another for the Persians, people actually follow this kind of stuff and know the chips are against them when they see businessman “A” getting away with things and business man “B” having his 2×4 torn down.

    However, that arrogance is essential in the makeup of PM’s so maybe he is on to something but he shouldn’t peak too early.

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