I crave the indulgence of this Honourable Chamber to present this year’s Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals. I do so Sir mindful of the important responsibility which has been entrusted to your Government to develop policies and craft strategies, both economic and social, to assist with the orderly, holistic and expansive development of this beautiful island of ours.
It is not a responsibility which my colleagues and I take lightly as we are acutely aware that in very many instances the current and even future success of possibly every life in Barbados will be affected in some way by the decisions we take.
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261 responses to “2016 Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals”
Jeff Cumberbatch
Brilliant scoop, David. But how?
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Bernard Codrington.
@ Jeff are you a teacher of the law or a policeman. It fell off the back of a truck.
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Jeff Cumberbatch
You underestimate David, Bernard. He does not need to pick up paper from the street!
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Caswell Franklyn
I was led to believe that all the measures introduced in previous budgetary proposals were working and that green shoots were emerging in the economy. Well today Sinckler sprayed Gramoxone over all those green shoots.
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Prodigal Son
This man lies have come home to roost!
One year the economy is growing, the home grown remedies are bearing fruit and now the minister comes and imposes 142 million dollars in taxes on Barbadians and he continues to give investors a free pass……no taxes for 40 years?
Nothing new here to comment upon.Same old stupid talk but reading between the lines the cabinet is looking for more money to spend foolishly on current account.There is little fiscal space to manoeuvre,so window dressing won’t cut it for those looking for growth industry the Barbados economy.Current expenditure,transfers and debt servicing continue to gobble up current revenue,so there is no room for even maintaining existing plant.
I look forward to hearing MAM and her counter proposals along with some pert barbs.
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Caswell Franklyn
David
I do not know but I will believe it when I see it. Mind you, the 2007 Public Service Act provides at section 13. (11) that no establish post shall remain vacant for more than a year. Most of the temporary officers are already acting in established posts and are already entitled to be appointed, so the Government is not doing anything earth shattering. All they are doing is that they refuse to implement the 2007 law and are now trying to take credit for what the Arthur administration did.
This is not a budgetary measure as I understand what a budget is supposed to be. This is a vote catching measure.
The Minister proposes to cut transfers to statutory boards. We have already seen the fall out from that. The Child Care Board received less money and did not have the funds to feed the children that were already in care. As a consequence, they refused to take Jahan King into care after the grandmother made several complaints. They could not afford to feed him after the cuts. So he is now lying in an early grave. How many more will this Government kill?
Sent from my iPad
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Artax
Caswell Franklyn August 16, 2016 at 10:03 PM #
“Mind you, the 2007 Public Service Act provides at section 13. (11) that no establish post shall remain vacant for more than a year.”
@ Caswell
On page 61 of the Budget PDF document, Sinckler read the following:
“Even before the Act was passed several members of our community including members of the then Democratic Labour Party Opposition highlighted several potential challenges which would arise had it been enacted as it then was. The Act was nonetheless passed and the rest, as they say, is now history. Part of that history Sir, is that it is a now widely accepted fact that a COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW of that LEGISLATION is CURRENTLY being undertaken by the lead Ministry and other parties AS SEVERAL CONTENTIOUS ISSUES HAVE ARISEN FROM ITS IMPLEMENTATION.”
Sinckler is essentially saying the 2007 Public Service Act contained a number of discrepancies, which had to be addressed before appointments could be made.
However, if what you wrote above is true, then why would it have taken government 8 years to identify those discrepancies and seek, at this time, to comprehensively review the act?
However, if what you wrote above is true, then why would it have taken government 8 years to identify those discrepancies and seek, at this time, to comprehensively review the act?
They could not afford to feed him after the cuts. So he is now lying in an early grave. How many more will this Government kill?
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Prodigal Son
Artax,
Did these dems not say that the public sector was too big? You know for sure that they are going to appoint their supporters…………just to stick it to the BLP.
so sorry that all them austerity plans which the blp mouthpieces including their economist ryan straugan had predicted did not happen soooooo sorry .
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Caswell Franklyn
Artax
By now you should realise that Sinckler is a fabulist of renown. There is no problem implementing the 2007 act. There was simply not the will. It was revealed at a meeting with NUPW, representing Customs and Sinckler, that Sinckler gave instructions not to appoint customs officers. That move was to blackmail them to transition into BRA. CPO complied with those unlawful instructions and did not obey the law.
Caswell you have to give it to Sinckler, he has hog tied the NUPW.
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Simple Simon
@Caswell Franklyn August 16, 2016 at 10:10 PM “The Child Care Board…did not have the funds to feed the children…As a consequence, they refused to take Jahan King into care after the grandmother made several complaints. They could not afford to feed him after the cuts. So he is now lying in an early grave. How many more will this Government kill?
Not a fair comment.
Jahan did not die because the Child Care Board could not feed him…he died because his family was dysfunctional…and even so if the Child Care Board could not feed him there are plenty of overfed Bajans out there (probably including you) who could have opened their homes, and pockets to Jahan as a foster or adopted child.
expect to hear Mia trying to sneak in one of her dirty tricks to discredit govt on growth initiatives with a warmed overbowl of stale soup on any govt plans having to do with projects going forward
By now every body knows her modus operandi is to attack laying out a fiscal groundwork to challenge all of govt proposals . Unfortunately in this budget her pickings going to be very hard to find since there is no Clico or Cahill which she can revert to which would give her that burst of energy triggering a doom and gloom effect
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Caswell Franklyn
Simple Simon
It is absolutely true though. If the CCB had followed the law that child would be alive today. They did not follow the law because they had no funds to feed the children it already had in care. It might sound bad but ask the officers at the board.
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Caswell Franklyn
David
NUPW supplied the rope.
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Artax
It is disingenuous for you to suggest Barbadians wanted a budget of austerity measures. But you’re here to play the political game in hopes of scoring “cheap political points.”
Perhaps people were basing their opinion on the consistent decline in foreign reserves and the Governor of the Central Bank’s assessment that, under such conditions, in addition to a widening of the fiscal deficit between April and June by $28M to $204M, policies should be developed to address those issues.
Unfortunately, rather than “being on the same page,” Sinckler and Worrell seem to at odds as it relates to the foreign reserves.
In his June 2016 report, Dr. Worrell revealed the debt service requirement was one of the reasons why the stock of international reserves fell by “$43 million to $884 million, equivalent to 13.6 weeks of imports of goods and services,” while “Revenue of $563 million was down $25 million, with VAT and personal income taxes lower by $13 million and $17 million, respectively.”
On the other hand, Sinckler said in his budget presentation that: “The current reserves position in Barbados is more than adequate for our needs and it is a testament to the careful management of those reserves…..” [Page 10]
Perhaps as the discussion continues, explanations maybe forthcoming from Sinckler and Worrell.
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pieceuhderockyeahright
This is as best to a pre election budget as one could get.
Basically it says “we are making your public servant jobs secure” rather “we would want you to believe that we are in the process of making your jobs secure”
THen it says to the elderly/retired we will be giving…”, oh boy, whu happen wid me and this keyboard “we are going to be reviewing giving you elderly pensioners $40 a month more plus an increase in your normal pension.
If one does the maths as to what the increase means to the treasury and where the money is coming from, taken in consideration with Stinkliars’ 6 month review of the budget, it means that (a) the general Election will be in the next 6 months and (b) everything that is now promised to the people will be reneged on in 6 months.
A promise is a comfort to a fool.
THey are however counting on the feel good mentality to appease the ingrunt bajans who will say that they are experiencing increases.
One can expect some element of relief, as he stated UNTIL FEBRUARY, since the Genral Elections are going to be in January.
He Stinkliar will be able to say that he did not lie in the budget since he said that there will be a bi-annual review.
He is asking the banks to “finance” loans to the public by enforcing his .025 (I got the point correct?) to make pretence that more money is in circulation around Xmas.
He is also permitting people to access their annuities and IRAs which is another feel good strategy.
THE GENERAL ELECTION IS AROUND THE CORNER, this is a short term budget to make people thing that they are doing well BUT WE ARE NOT FOOLED.
“There will be no economic recovery under fumbles fools”
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Artax
ac August 16, 2016 at 11:02 PM #
“Unfortunately in this budget her pickings going to be very hard to find…….”
You are correct, Mottley is going to be hard pressed “to discredit govt on growth initiatives.”
The budget did not contain any “growth initiatives,” only “WARMED OVER BOWL of STALE SOUP on govt plans having to do with projects going forward.”
For example, The Chinese loan to rebuild Sandals was being bandied about since 2012.
On October 22, 2014, Richard Sealy told parliament that, during the first quarter of 2015, two 12-storey high rise Hyatt Towers will be constructed on the site of the old Harbour Police Station and Detco Motors on Lower Bay Street, The City.
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pieceuhderockyeahright
@ Artaxerxes
You must not doubt that the money to do the tourism investment is real.
If you know anyone who knows Abundant Lane, you should ask them to ask him and you would be informed that there is real money out there with real investors.
The problem is that these investors DO NOT HAVE ONE IOTA OF CONFIDENCE IN THESE CLOWNS!!!
This is why the DLP can only attract criminals like Me Clare who the ef are you? and Del Masturbate cause these are the only people, nearly said criminals, who will gravitate to the DLP waste foops
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Artax
pieceuhderockyeahright August 17, 2016 at 12:10 AM #
“THE GENERAL ELECTION IS AROUND THE CORNER, this is a short term budget to make people thing that they are doing well BUT WE ARE NOT FOOLED.”
@ PUDRYR
It seems as though the budget preamble was written by a collaborative effort of Astor B. Watts and George Pilgrim, since it contained a lot of political rhetoric. I was amused by Sinckler’s reference to recent regional general elections, which resulted in many of the incumbent governments being voted out of office in favour of opposition parties.
“In neighbouring countries the masses, feeling the stings of economic adjustment such as joblessness, reduced disposable income, and compromised social opportunities since the recession, HAVE TURNED to the ALLURING APPEALS and VEXATIOUS CONDEMNATIONS of OPPOSITION PARTIES and THEIR COHORTS only to REALIZE that the SOLUTIONS THEY PROMISED ARE NO BETTER, and POSSIBLY WORSE than, what they VOTED OUT and what was in FACT WORKING FOR THEM. Indeed, SOME NOW and SURELY MANY MORE, WILL HAVE to go BACK to the VERY GOVERNMENTS they had TOO EAGERLY RID THEMSELVES OF.” [Page 4, Budget PDF document]
Essentially, Sinckler’s comments are an indictment on his newly appointed regional government colleagues, such as Antigua’s Gaston Browne (June 2014); T&T’s Dr. Keith Rowley (September 2015); and more recent, Jamaica’s Andrew Holness (PM since March 3, 2016) and St. Lucia’s Allen Chastanet (PM since June 7, 2016).
But what the heck, come October 2016 when the Eighth Meeting of Finance Ministers of the Americas and the Caribbean takes place in Washington DC, Sinckler’s condemnation of his fellow ministers of finance will be long forgotten. If not, I’m sure he is capable of explaining to them it was electioneering and “par for the course.”
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balance
““In neighbouring countries the masses, feeling the stings of economic adjustment such as joblessness, reduced disposable income, and compromised social opportunities since the recession, HAVE TURNED to the ALLURING APPEALS and VEXATIOUS CONDEMNATIONS of OPPOSITION PARTIES and THEIR COHORTS only to REALIZE that the SOLUTIONS THEY PROMISED ARE NO BETTER, and POSSIBLY WORSE than, what they VOTED OUT and what was in FACT WORKING FOR THEM. Indeed, SOME NOW and SURELY MANY MORE, WILL HAVE to go BACK to the VERY GOVERNMENTS they had TOO EAGERLY RID THEMSELVES OF.””
Perhaps too Artax Mr Sinckler could be referring to the barbadian electorate in 2008
The nation will be watching to see if Mia has any alternative proposals in the area of increasing jobs for the youth an area which she has explored as that as having contributed to crime and drugs
Mia response would be critical to her performance as being a leader now well known for her criticism going into a new election cycle Mia should not rely on the old song and dance recitation of doom and gloom but showing that she has the political metal of turning barbados economic woes into political gains
Is Chris Sinckler retarded, if you sell a taxpayer funded entity, took a down payment, ya supposed to tell tke taxpayers how much money you took in deposit and who ya took it from, in case the balance is not paid and the buyer loses the deposit….the money still belongs to the taxpayers andvthey have a right to know…..it is not to be divvied up and pocketed by corrupt politicians.
Too much of taxpayer’s money was tied into the 4 seasons scam.
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Well Well & Consequences
ACS…yall pimps have you read what the youth are saying, they have no work and are not planning to become yardfowls and government pimps to get a menial job, be used as sex toys or spys for that job…
….the ministers had nearly 10 years to create jobs for the youth and other people on the island…and did not…..ya cannot do it in another 5 years….nor another 50 years…ya cant even get the judiciary fixed….be gone.
All you useless asses do is wait for the minority business people to come up with some scam under the guise of creating jobs or wait for some criminal element from outside to bring in some scam under the guise of creating jobs to rob the island….yall are frauds and are only capable of creating misery for people on the island.
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Frustrated Businessman aka ‘Nation of Laws’ my ass.
Stinkliar is a LIAR. There are indeed queues for ForEx at ALL BDS banks.
Chris Sinckler laid out in the nation budget a nationalistic and methodical approach giving a tax amnesty for those who for the better part has refused to pay or be in compliance with the nations tax laws
He also called on those nationalist who have a vested interest in the pride of the country to get involved in a Clean Barbados initiative coming to your area very soon
Would be interseting to see how much interest such a initiative would generate from the activist like Comissiong.
Hopefully the plan for barbadians to enjoy duty free shopping would come to fruition another way of giving back and a savings for barbadians
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Frustrated Businessman aka ‘Nation of Laws’ my ass.
ac August 17, 2016 at 6:15 AM #
The nation will be watching to see if Mia has any alternative proposals in the area of increasing jobs for the youth an area which she has explored as that as having contributed to crime and drugs
Mia response would be critical to her performance as being a leader now well known for her criticism going into a new election cycle Mia should not rely on the old song and dance recitation of doom and gloom but showing that she has the political metal of turning barbados economic woes into political gains
Unfortunately for you, MIA doesn’t have to do anything. The evidence of corrupt mismanagement is all around us. Regardless, her job is not to fix the economy, that is your job. Her job is to point out your failures.
You were offered help from all quarters years ago, you refused it. Sink or swim.
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Vincent Haynes
Can anyone say how many times 4 seasons has been sold and who the present buyee is?
It is interesting to note that despite the efforts to kill sugar by the late payment to Plantation operators,which would affect the management of the crop and the refusal to bring the 2000 acres of CLICO lands back into production,some sugar was still produced.
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Bush Tea
Talking about the budget…
Does anyone see the similarities between Stinkliar’s mouthing…and the current TV advertisements from the Vagrants and Homeless Association…?
Please give liberally and selflessly to the treasury through your taxes, VAT and fees …so that we, the members of the political class, can continue sit around doing eff-all while enjoying the luxuries of our status.
All in all the Bees were stung by an unexpected budget of a barbados of great hope and high expectations for the future very little in this budget says that barbados is drowning in a sea of doom and gloom
The job of the opposition would be to capitalise on the image govt put forward to the country and not rest on the same old laurels of a barbados being pushed out to sea
Most likely many would be happy with this budget as it measures the plight of barbadians while trying to accommodate the plight of the country and people
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Old Baje
@ FB
FX is readily available. Don’t be a scaremonger. It does us no good.
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Old Baje
All of the new taxes are accompanied by new spending. Sinckler is not adressing the fiscal deficit. We are still drifting into the arms of the IMF.
It is insightful according to media report the few who were motivated to enter the parliament yard yesterday to support the MP’S on Budget Day. There was a tim in the 70s and 80s when crowd control was the order of the day.
Bush shit you are one low life dawg in trute . the plight of the homeless should be of real concern to you. Instead of shovelling insensitive dog sh.it down the throats of people to score political cheap shots ..yuh ole boar
142 mil in taxes hummmmm, did they not prop up LIAT wid ah 142mil dollars? according to the auditor general report? how interesting figures comes together……well for me this govment is ah waste of time period, some body should be wise enough to give dum the packages,an tell dum to fly off in de sunset. YESTERDAYS BUDJET WID THAT SMALL HEAD MAN STINKLIAR…TALK ABOUT LIES,LIES AN MORE LIES
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Artax
“Chris Sinckler laid out in the nation budget a nationalistic and methodical approach giving a tax amnesty for those who for the better part has refused to pay or be in compliance with the nations tax laws.” [ac August 17, 2016 at 7:47 AM]
The following excerpts were taken the ministerial statement delivered in the house of assembly, by Chris Sinckler, on December 14, 2014, in which he basically said there were improvements in the fiscal deficit, tourism and foreign direct investment.
And that was 2014………… 2 YEARS AGO.
“Mr. Speaker Sir, precisely 16 ago we called on all Barbadians to sacrifice in order that we can reap the benefits of necessary stabilization and adjustment in the economy. Today I can say to the country that, based on actual performance and projections for the immediate future, we have not labored in vain: Barbados is on a growth path once again! Our FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES HAVE STABILIZED, our FISCAL DEFICIT IS ON A DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY and ECONOMIC GROWTH IS RETURNING. By any objective standard the programme is working!”
The tax amnesty is not a NEW INITIATIVE, as is evidenced by the following excerpt taken from page 4 of the ministerial statement PDF document:
“As a compliment to (2) above, and in order to assist the Barbados Revenue Authority in its tax administration and collection efforts WE HAVE ALSO DECIDED TO OFFER A SHORT TERM AMNESTY TO ALL TAX PAYERS ACROSS ALL TAX CATEGORIES ON THE INTEREST AND PENALTY ACCRUED ON TAXES OWED AT DECEMBER 31, 2014.”
I’m sure if one were to read that statement, you will discover a similar set of proposals and pronouncements that were contained in yesterday’s budget speech.
Yesterday’s exercise, to use the AC consortium of yard-fowls’ words, was “A WARMED OVER BOWL OF STALE SOUP.”
Or maybe it is proof that they are more people employed some of whom would have had time to showcase in parliament yard on those occasions.David you never ceases to amaze in your on going diatribe to show how everything is relevant to good goverance lol
Based on the Nation Newspaper 10 persons were counted in the parliament yard.
>
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Artax
ac August 17, 2016 at 8:11 AM #
“Most likely many would be happy with this budget as it measures the plight of Barbadians while trying to accommodate the plight of the country and people.”
Did you actually listened to the budget speech or did you read a synopsis of it as interpreted by Denis Kellman on his face-book page?
Or Kellman is one of the ACs.
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millertheannunaki
@ Frustrated Businessman aka ‘Nation of Laws’ my ass. August 17, 2016 at 7:45 AM
“Stinkliar is a LIAR. There are indeed queues for ForEx at ALL BDS banks.”
So why do you think he was given the name “Stinkliar”? The Pinocchio dude has been lying through his teeth since his 2011 budget presentation.
Most of the proposals announced in yesterday’s budget are just a repeat of empty promises or cold soup warmed over as proposed in his 2011 budget. Even the cricket analogy repeated below is good food for laughter and rue.
“But having been called upon by the people of Barbados to lead the team in its most challenged period we have applied ourselves to the task, developed a clear and workable plan, and have rallied the people of Barbados to play together to successfully execute that plan.
As with any plan in even the best of circumstances there will be setbacks. But is not how many times you stumble or even fall but how quickly you get up, compose yourself and push on towards the victory. This Budget is but yet another installment in the Plan of Team Barbados to bring us out of the recession even better than we went in. The plan is working. We lost an early wicket at the top of the order, but the middle order is holding ground and runs are becoming to come.
Now is the time for all to pull together for the good of the team. No cheeky singles or no big and irresponsible shots will get us where we want to be. The wicket will get better. The sun is coming out again and the early moisture is beginning to dry.
We need to stick to basics, play ourselves in, take the runs that we know we can safely get, and rack up a big score for our country.
This strategy which we have pursued is designed to get us just that but it must be a full and total team effort.”
“The Lord has been the peoples guide for pass three hundred years. With him still on the people’s side we have no doubts or fears. Upward and onward we shall go, inspired, exulted, free, and greater will our nation grow in strength and unity”
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Well Well & Consequences
One has to wonder indeed how many times the government sold 4 the seasons scam, collected the deposits…..the sales fell through…..the buyers lost their deposits and the government ministers said nothing to the taxpayers…..one has to wonder how much money in deposits they collected and where is that money,
……..while continuing to practice that old scam of collecting deposits from potential buyers without actually selling the property.
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