The Barbados Problem: A Trade Union Solution?
Submitted by Heather Cole
History is repeating itself. Early in our history when controlling black slaves and white indentured servants became problematic, the legislature enacted a series of laws as a method of control. By 1650, the infamous set of laws that became known as the Barbados Slave Codes were enacted to maintain the control of the Slaves by the Planter Class.
In 2016, with similar dynamics, history appears to be repeating itself. Again in Barbados, a small group of persons are trying to exert control over the rest of the population. This time the pursuit of that control is over both black and white taxpayers and again Parliament is the mechanism that is being used. However, it is not through the enactment of laws but through the award of lucrative Government contracts and positions on statutory boards. In addition to this, the island’s garbage collection agency has been allowed to fail and the provision of water to the Northern Parishes is following a similar path to failure so that Government can privatize both services.
In essence the problems of Barbados are being cause by a minority of business men who have planned an economic takeover which is being facilitated by a politically weak Government. The problems are all intertwined; they are not separate problems and cannot be dealt with in isolation from each other.
Many have been critical of the Trade Unions of late including myself until I finally understood that you cannot fight the problems of a 2016 Barbados with an institution that was created to solve problems of the 1930’s. I was of the opinion, that the Trade Unions that were birthed during the struggles of the 1930’s were no longer equipped to handle the problems of Barbados which have long surpassed just labor.
I felt that the Unions should increase their mandate until a few days ago, when the Government unceremoniously demoted Akanni McDowall, of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW). Much has been written about it so I will not linger on it. What I will state is that it is a blessing in disguise.
For several months, something has been staring me full in the face and I could not see it. However, it was this Administration’s action that caused me to “finally see.” I want the Trade Unions to remain trade unions and to fight solely for workers’ rights.
However, I want History to repeat itself again because if trade union activity in Barbados was able to give birth to a political party in 1939, a trade union in 2016 can also give birth to a new political party in Barbados. Even back then the trade unions realized that defending workers’ rights was not enough to effect political action for change in Barbados so they created their own political party.
In essence, the Trade Union must realize that the problems that it is currently faces are much more than labor and that it must do as its predecessors have done and form their own political party. That is the only way they can be on a level playing field with this Government to fight fire with fire. In doing so the trade Union will again create what is no longer evident in Barbados “a labor party.” The dynamics of politics is Barbados can be changed if the trade unions form a political party. For one, it would spell doom for the Democratic Labor Party.
It took an entire generation to see the fruit of the 1930’s Riots which was political independence. That fruit was reaped during the 1960’s. Many of the players who held significant roles in the riots across the British West Indies died by the time their countries gained independence. They never lived to witness it.
Instead of gaining economic independence 2 generations after political independence, we are reverting not to colonialism but to a new form of economic slavery. We must never forget that our labor is for the next generation and not ourselves. The acid test of our success can only be measured by their success. If we do not do what is right for our country now, by default we would have set the next generation up for failure.
Barbados Underground 
I don’t know the back-story here, but Heather seems confused.
Privatization is a wise policy for Barbados because the government (a) is overburdened with debt, (b) has clearly mismanaged most of the services it has been trying to provide to its citizens, and (c) is steadily being corrupted by its involvement in key sectors of the economy. The more control government has over the biggest contracts in Barbados, the more our ambitious people will be attracted to politics as the easiest vehicle to personal wealth. That is not the type of political leadership we want.
Heather likes money, and is trying to use racial politics to take contracts away from the most successful businessmen in the private sector. A better strategy for her might be to (a) look for opportunities in new, emerging lines of business, or (b) bid for contracts in other islands of the Caribbean.
Just sayin’
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The current economic woes of this country are a direct result of the ever-increasing size of the public sector over the past 30 years.
Like a cancer, the disproportionately large (compared to every nation except Cuba where everyone works for the state) public sector and massive socialist infrastructure have ingrained themselves into every aspect of the Bajan economy to the point where they affect everything we do.
There would be no rats (public and private sector corrupt operators) if there was no cheese. There would be no BWA headquarters or DAF water tankers if there was no budget to buy them at any price.
The only way to make the economy function independently from the public sector is to diminish its influence by decreasing its size. The public sector must be marginalised if we are to become an independent economy once again.
This leaves the perennial problem to deal with: what do we do with the thousands of Bajans whose only employment possibilities are within the public sector? No forced emigration of the late 1800s possible, no WW1 and WW2 British casualties to replace, no Panama Canal to build; in general too many humans in similar situations all over the planet except maybe Canadian farms and forests. Obviously any civil servants we sent to Canada would probably soon be returned with a note saying: “defective, please replace under warranty”.
These facts leave unions on the back foot: they can swing their weight to keep people employed but, at the end of the day, the employment is mostly unproductive.
One thing is for sure, the bubble is about to be burst by that most painful stick: reality.
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David:
This piece shall fly pass most of those trade unionists who hold top positions in the trade union movement because most of them are only tooled with the 1930 ideas. Nothing of any great philosophical shift shall occur with this group that hangs like a boil upon the heel of progress in today’s trade union movement. Finally, many of the sheep members are so caught up in their BLP and DLP politics and narrative that change form that end shall almost be impossible.
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@ Chad99999…..we read the same article?Giving you the benefit of doubt I say maybe I had a lil too much to drink, a lil too late last night.
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Great article but if you think that change will come from the trade unions who are in the bed of promiscuity with government think again because the strategy you proposed regarding trade unions forming their own political party sounds good, but is it realistic?
Listen! I have been a member of an union for more than three-decades now, and I can say to you without much ambiguity that look back to the 1980s, I see a union focused and ready to fighting for the rights of the working man and woman.
But from the 1990s and to the present, I have seen the union compromised all that used to stand for and undermining its membership because it to has been caught up in this culture of greedy.
So don’t put your hopes in a union because true change and history is solid on this one must come from the people.
And finally , you speak as though the people has no real role in this democracy, and that the people must rely on union or different entities to produce the change needed,when real and lasting sits with the people.
Bush Tea, Piece Well Well and others, get on BU day after day and talk a load of bullshit about the wrongdoing of the present administration, but what these folks are saying about the present government move the masses? Of course not, because the load of crap these folks here on BU spew daily falls on dead ears, because it hasn’t been able to take root and move the action into action.
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Perhaps we can be pointed to the process through which these most successful business men in the private sector got these contracts…..private sector….private process….private contracts…..help ma Chad 99999.
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The same way that we cannot approach 2016
problems with 1930’s solutions; we cannot solve
our socioe-economic problems with an education
system that is somewhat irrelevant to our current
needs. Hence the system will produce the same
type of leaders that it did in the past.
While I greatly oppose the demotion of
the NUPW’s President, I think he was showing his
political colors and playing from the old political
play book where the political party jockeying was
concerned.
We have too many leaders who want to run with the
hare and hunt with the hound. The same education syste
system that produced the leaders before the present
crop is the same one producing our current crop.
We need to better educate our future leaders or they
will continue to make the same mistakes.
However the government should not be allowed
to get away with this blatant act of victimization
against the President of the NUPW.
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If only the trade unions did not suffer from the same terminal malady as do the political parties, then Heather may indeed have a point.
Her argument could equally apply to the Churches -if they were committed to RIGHTEOUSNESS instead of tax-free benefits
….to the Credit Unions – if they were committed to their member’s welfare instead of personal ambitions…
…to businessmen and business associations …if only THEY were concerned with anything more than their selfish albino-centric materialism…
Only Caswell qualifies … (as Bushie has said all along,) but he missed that boat two years ago… when he failed to BUP
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The present economic woes are a combination of past unfettered economic policies unleashed on an vulnerable yet greedy public which was lead /mislead by a false sense of pretentious adversarial untruths that we were punching above our weight assuredly without having to pay severe consequences in the end.
The Unions back then were all content with all that was happening one can assure that with their end of the bargain not ruffled that the status quo of doing business as usual would not be part of their end game
Well the chickens have come home to roost hard decisions must be made. Unions would continue to fight tooth and nail against the best interest of the country but the realities would continue to say different and defeated tgeir purpose of interest
The boat has already drifted far out to sea and bringing it back to shore is all that really matters
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William Skinner
Your pointed regarding the fact that we to need to revamp our educational system in an effort to alter the thinking of our current crop of leades, sounds good when spoken in words. So my question to you is this: how would you going about revamping our educational system to attract the ideal leaders you have in mind given the fact that a lot of our current leaders are educated abroad?
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Is Hyatt approved?
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We made the point above about a robust governance framework required. This will address enforcement and risk etc. What must overlay this framework is good leadership -quality people.
One cannot help but conclude after a cursory evaluation of the various actors that there is a paucity of intellect at play here.
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@ Dompey
First we must clearly identify a national component within the education syste
system . Starting at the primary level, civic leadership must be an integral
part of the national component. Within this national component there
should also be early exposure to our historical struggle and overcoming
obstacles etc. As we build on a progressive national component, we
would improve the quality of citizen who understands the importance
of genuine service and not one based solely on personal opportunism.
Hence we will see a new national consciousness and leadership emerge
We will then accept that independence is more than an anthem and a flag
and education is more than diplomas or certificates. We must use a new approach
approach to education to steer us from the maladies with which we are
now so obviously afflicted.
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We must continue to be advocates for a robust governance system to hold private and public sector players accountable.
Successive governments have padded the public sector to feed popularity and this runs counter to national interest. Therein lies the problem.
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Thanks Skinner, I hear yah it sounds like a plan!
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@ Vincent Haynes October 25, 2016 at 8:31 AM #
“Is Hyatt approved?”
Yes!
There was never a smidgen of doubt about that. Why do you think Donville had the temerity to confirm that weeks ago?
If Cahill could have been approved by the same set of players why not the Hyatt Priapus.
The next question is where will this money be coming from?
Let us see those bold investors step up to the plate and put their monies were their ‘erectile’ mouths are.
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Vincent
Bold investors? What investors?
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Due Diligence @ 10:31 A. M.
Do you mean to say this will be another project suffering with the Implementation Deficit Syndrome?
Are you sure that these announcements are not diversionary?
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Whichever party wins the election in 2018 has a lot of work to do. I hope the BU party despite all its nom de plume is a party of substance and will begin to name its 18 candidates.
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@ David at 9:39 A.M.
We already have a governance system. We need men and women with the testitudinal fortitude to make the system work. All the checks and balances are there. Instead of doing what we are paid to do ,we are looking for someone else to act. We are afraid to take a stand and do what we know to be right. We are all of us afraid of confrontation. And where has all this left us ? Right here where we do not want to be.
We can change the governance system till the cows come home,we are still left with the talkers and no workers.
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@ Bernard Codrington. October 25, 2016 at 10:57 AM #
“Whichever party wins the election in 2018 has a lot of work to do”
What are you implying here, BC?
That the ruling party is not currently working effectively?
So if it is not fit for purpose in 2016 how can it be fit to complete the large amount of work awaiting the country in 2018?
If you can point us to any thing the present administration has completed satisfactorily or achieved to merit praise we would duly support your contention that it ought to be considered in 2018 for the much more challenging tasks ahead.
Just name one achievement by the ruling party which fit any of the following criteria of Barbados being:
(a). Socially balanced;
(b). Economically viable;
(c). Environmentally sound.
(d). Characterized by good governance.
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Bernard Codrington. October 25, 2016 at 10:50 AM
Diversionary? Maybe Delusionary
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Due Diligence October 25, 2016 at 10:31 AM #
A good question……as Miller posited it,he may have the answer.
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@Bernard
An effective governance system is one that works. If the actors in the system have deviated from the script there should triggers to offer corrections even prison.
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@Miller
You may infer. I did not imply. I stated. The taxonomy in your final paragraph is not mine but yours so answer them yourself. Any group of men and women who forms the government of Barbados in 2018 has a lot of work to do. It must consist of workers and they must come with a viable and implementable plan that carries this country forward.. And that is self explanatory whether they are Ds, Bs or BUs.
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@ David12:23 Pm
You have the biggest trigger sometime before April 2018 . Use it effectively.
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Why do I get the feeling from reading some of these posts,that member(s) of the present govt are unhappy with the present path this govt is taking the country….
I wonder why they do not come public and distance themselves from this path?
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Perhaps Commissioner Walkes in Canada might act on this information.Once upon a time Barbados was the first port of call when opportunities arose for foreign employment of nationals.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20161024/news/canada-looking-for-drivers
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Wonder what Donville is thinking now that Lowe was forced to come clean on the SSA matter.
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Gabriel October 25, 2016 at 12:45 PM
Are there any “long haul” drivers on the 14 X 21 mile speck in the Caribbean?
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Democracy is a facade because if our leaders truly want to address the needs of the people, then both parties must come together and put their best ideas together for the betterment of the nation.
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DD
You must be kidding because they are already several such Bajans doing that work in Canada,the US and UK/Europe.
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Hyatt Tour
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/88423/hyatt-tour
OOPS Private Tour
We will not tolerate abuse of our journalists
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/88424/tolerate-abuse-journalists
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We are dealing people lives here, and the objective of government ought, must and should be how best to meet needs of the people, irrespective political philosophy or ideology. The two party system has failed to address the needs of the people with level of perpetuity, and yet we continue to put our trust and hopes in a system of governance which bring us back to the same result every four to eight years.
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Name how many unfinished tourism projects dot our coastline and ask yourself if this monstrosity in the heart of our city starts and remains unfinished for years to come, how will it impact our World Heritage Site status and the general image of Barbados on the whole.
I am trying to refrain from commenting on Little Caesar’s instruction to a NationNews photographer that his meeting was a private one and could not be covered by the media. That fool has become drunk with imaginary power. He that is paid by the taxpayer, drives a taxpayer funded car filled with taxpayer provided gasoline on a normal working day paid for out of taxpayer funds, dismisses a photographer because the anointed is on private business? Who the heck died and made you God, you little insignificant imbecile?
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Fearplay
I continue to hear the perennial dictum that those who work for government are paid by the taxpayers? But I haven’t heard any meant of that fact every governmental worker also pay taxes as well. So because someone works for the government that doesn’t mean that his or her right to privacy must be suspended until he/she finds employment elsewhere in the private sector. Fearplay, the same car the governmental worker is driving he/she has to pay taxes to maintain the very car he/she it driving, so what is your point?
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Fearplay
I work for the state government here and continue to hear the same bullshit argument from the general public, as though those who work in government do not have to pay taxes as well.
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Dompey
What does that have to do with the lack of transparency by Government in gagging the media trying to cover a project highly touted by senior Government Ministers as a major tourism breakthrough.
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Due Diligence
You’re right… what does the use of taxpayers money to do with the lack of governmental transparency? (Nothing at all!) My issue with Fairplay isn’t centered around the lack thereof of governmental transparency, but with the use of government cars etc by government workers.
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@Dompey, thank you for responding so positively to my post. I trust that your Canadian Prime Minister can pick up himself and traipse off to a development project that requires his approval and then order the media away because he declares it a “private” meeting. Doesn’t work so in a First World country, does it?
Dompey, I don’t know what your political persuasion is nor do I care. If you are one of the party faithfuls selected for a free trip home for the 50th Anniversary Celebrations, good for you. In your haste to defend, you have ignored the fact that cars driven by government workers are not the same as the car driven by the newly appointed Supreme Ruler of Barbados. No my friend, he who believes that he can lord it over us all is driven around in a Mercedes paid for by taxpayers and maintained by the taxpayer, a vehicle which he could never have afforded on his meagre pittance as a second class attorney before ascending to the throne. Soooo, what’s YOUR point?
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@ DD
Bushie is currently assessing the theory that Dompey compiles a series of blog comments – (which takes some time since he needs to research some ‘big words etc to sound impressive).
He then arbitrarily copies and paste one of these whenever his fancy is tickled – or perhaps when he actually has more than three completed – to the next available comment and BUP!!
…we are assaulted….
How else can the irrelevance of so many of the Domps’ posts be explained…?
What do you say Domps?
…is Bushie on the right track or wuh…?
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DOMPEY
TRY YOUR BEST JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION, YOU NEVER KNOW HOW EXPRESSING YOUR VIEW MAY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
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Fearplay
My political persuasion ought not be the focus of this discussion, but your short memory sir, because do you remember prior to Barrow regaining power back in 1984 or 85, he made a promise to the people of Barbados that he was going to get rid of the top of the line Mercedes St.John and the BLP drove at the expense of taxpayers of Barbados. And Mr. Barrow followed through with his campaign promised and did just that, and I have the utmost respect for Mr.Barrow though he not amongst us..
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@DD
In Ontario, long haul drivers have to complete a one month course and pass a driving test using the tractor trailer in rush hour traffic to be licensed. They just cant come up here and drive like that.
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@Bushie
Leave Domps alone, we welcome ALL, the dullards, zealots and the intelligent.
A human quality the BU household has learned to appreciate over the years is tolerance.
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Fearplay
And for your information I live in the states and not Canada her poorer neighbor.
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@Dompey – THE BARBADOS PROBLEM: A TRADE UNION SOLUTION? While I appreciate your personal attention to my posts, let you and me not hijack the topic under discussion.
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Bush Tea
You might be able to break the will of the youngster Artax, but not this seasoned veteran and tested soldier. You insults can’t move me bro because I take them all with a grain of salt because I know who I am as a man.
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LOL @ David
You KNOW that Bushie LOVES the Domps too…
…and even AC… (had to cross two toes there though…)
Shiite man…. Bushie is still crying sad tears for “Old Onions” ….. wid his bill fish beak.. 🙂
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@ Dompey
….but not this seasoned veteran and tested soldier.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Get over the ‘soldier’ thing Dompey.
You were a cook’s assistant.
What they called in the US army- a KUC Specialist class 1 (Kitchen Utensil Care Specialist)
…in other words – a pot washer
ha ha ha
LOL
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STAND UP DOMPEY
WHAT EVER YOU DID IN THE US ARMY…….YOU WERE IN THE US ARMY
DO NOT LET ANY ONE PULL YOU DOWN
IF YOU WASHED POTS SO WHAT?
POT HAD TO BE WASHED FOR ALL THE SOLDIERS TO EAT
THANK GOD HE GAVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO SERVE
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Georgie Porgie October 25, 2016 at 4:16 PM #
When push come to shove and the enemy is at the back door, the Cooks ,Bakers and Bottle washers, have to discard their tools of trade and grab machine guns and grenades to defend their locations.
How many of the Tankees or Footsloggers are able to vacate their tanks , APC’s, or well worn boots, and prepare healthy meals for troops.
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A fellow on the block told me that Barbados’ position is too complex for the General -Secretary, and that someone with half of that title would be more suitable.
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Bush Tea
Lol…lol..lol
10Th Mountain light Infantry Division baby, the only light infantry division in the entire US Military ready to mobilize and deploy with in 48 hrs. The Division saw action in Mogadishu, Panama, Grenada, Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan baby, so you’re dealing with a tough cookie baby. Ask Well Well, the Division is located upstate NY an hour away from the Canadian border. Listen! I received my basic training at Fort Benning in Columbus Georgia so if you never heard about Fort Benning ask Colonel baby.
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Bush Tea
What do you wish to in about BRM Basic Rifle Marksmanship? They’re three principles in shooting a rifle
1) Aim
2)Breathe
3))squeeze
I let me let in on a secret in Urban Warfare when you’re clearing a house room by room, you carry your rifle short stock, and in open terrain you carry your rifle long stock. They’re four positions in which can shoot your rifle; the Foxhole position, the prone position, the standing position, and the sitting position.
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Bush Tea
Let me let you in on the job of a cook in military for your information, so that you don’t look like a fool. A cook doesn’t participate much in our training because when we are do PT at 5 p.m. in the morning the cook is getting our breakfast ready. When we go to the field after PT the cook is getting lunch ready, and after lunch me might do some Land Navigation or weapons training the cook is preparing supper Bushie. Lol you idiot!
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OK Domps…
Looks like you were a crack infantryman…
Don’t bother with the lecture…. 🙂
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Bush Tea sorry made a mistake PT is at 5 a.m in the morning… could you believe when you’re deep in sleep we are training to save your black ass.
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Bush Tea
When the battalion goes on a mission ( a battalion is four companies Bushie) we set up a perimeter and every company within that battalion has a Foxhole to manned, around the foxholes you have fighting positions and at the top of the perimeter you have the 60 Cal. At Stand -up you pull a 100% guard, and Stand- Down you go down to 10% guard. At stand -up you have a roving guard and a quick reactionary force to go outside of perimeter to search and Destroy the enemy Bushie.
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Bush Tea
Came off of active duty and enlisted in the State National Guard for three years, at the 143th Military Police and pulled security at the airport during 9\11, when the governor called out the National Guard to work in conjunction with the State Police to secure the airport around state Bushie.
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All right already Dompey…
We get it…
Presumably this all happened after you had been fired from the hospital job for pulling out the heart monitor plug to charge your cellphone…? …right?
…and it was definitely BEFORE the fire…. where you next-door neighbour had to drag you out at the last minute…?
Ok Boss, it all fits now….
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@Caswell what are your thoughts? you said you are speaking up.
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Bush Tea
😄😄😄😄😄😄😄… You want tah prove whether not I am cook … Lets going the range Bushie and see your boy in action. I bet I could hit you between your eyes and nose from 100 yards.
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Bushie
I would take pleasure in putting one between you eyes and nose and then aa gain, I think the hand grenade or probably Claymore Mine would do a better job.
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Dompey
Recall doing a joint military exercise in BAOR, with an American mob, and all we heard from them was . ” Gee Mack! no ice cream no f***** war.”
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@ ac,
“The Unions back then were all content with all that was happening one can assure that with their end of the bargain not ruffled that the status quo of doing business as usual would not be part of their end game.”
To make a statement like that tells me that you know very little about the history of the Trade Unions in Barbados. A Trade union is a movement, it is dynamic not static. For your information, they were not content with the economic well being of black Barbadians workers who had no rights.
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@ Bernard Codrington. October 25, 2016 at 10:57 AM #
“Whichever party wins the election in 2018 has a lot of work to do”
Jesus C’rist .. you know the Parties have been continually screwing with the viability of our children’s future for decades, while they rake in all manner of short term personal gains for their insiders. Why would you want to suggest they would all of a sudden actually do something different and “do work”..? Why would Heather even suggest that having a new Party from the Trade Union move could actually solve anything .. The flipping business model is wrong. Political Parties are simply not designed to tackle systemic, long term issues ..
This idiot here intends to use the General Elections to make statements and invite any number of you to follow.
Statement no 1. Encourage the demise of the Party by requesting of as many people as you can to vote for an independent candidate or not at all
Statement no 2. Encourage the removal of the strangle hold that the legal fraternity now has in Parliament by requesting of as many people as possible to NOT vote for lawyers … 40% of Parliament for a fraternity that represents less than 0.4% of the population is way too much
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@ BAFBFP
Boss, if you were to run as an independent, ….yuh got Bushie’s vote ….
even if bushie gotta relocate…
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Ha ha Bushie,
Maybe Baf should reacquaint himself with some kind of religion, church and bible so as to improve his the chances at the polls then .. It probably is not too late .. ha ha
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Working in a corporation, I can tell you that trade unions are the offspring of Satan. Why? Because they poison every dispute with unnecessarily adversarial attitudes. By destroying goodwill, they become the enemy of long term progress.
Politics infected by trade unionism is the worst kind of politics.It is the politics of Jamaica, which somehow managed to re-create the destructive tribalism of Africa. It is the politics of Grenada and Antigua, soaked in violence and corru
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I unequivocally agree with your point that political parties were designed to deal with systemic long term problems. The same point I stressed yesterday when said: that democracy and the two party system is facade because if our political leaders were truly interested in solving the conditions of the masses they would have came together and put forth the best ideas to best solve the problems confronting the masses. But our leaders are caught up in this party ideology -which puts on parity against the next and in process dividing masses and while the masses are preoccupied with this ideology battle the politicians enlarged they pockets.
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And we have an idiot like Bush Tea putting forth Ten Point Plan with Peer -Review whatever, and calling himself a chairman not knowin that the word chairman has within it a sexist connotation, so Bushie for future reference the word you ought to employ in view of respect for the females here on Bu is chairperson. He was a chairperson alright, but Bushie was the chairperson of Onion Growers Association.😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃
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BAFBFP October 25, 2016 at 11:11 PM #
@ Bernard Codrington. October 25, 2016 at 10:57 AM #
“Whichever party wins the election in 2018 has a lot of work to do”
Jesus C’rist .. you know the Parties have been continually screwing with the viability of our children’s future for decades, while they rake in all manner of short term personal gains for their insiders. Why would you want to suggest they would all of a sudden actually do something different and “do work”..? Why would Heather even suggest that having a new Party from the Trade Union move could actually solve anything .. The flipping business model is wrong. Political Parties are simply not designed to tackle systemic, long term issues ..
Exactly.
Further, we transplanted and evolved a system which we do not have the population to run.
In round numbers:
In Westminster 600 seats are contested to make a gov’t from 301 and a cabinet from 30.
In Bridgetown 30 seats are contested to make a gov’t from 16 and a cabinet from 20.
So, even if 10% of the ‘talkers’ actually had a productive job experience and could contribute to the management of a country, UK gets their 30 and we get 1.6.
With our numbers the Westminster system cannot work.
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listen and read the DAILY DRIVEL
A NATION OF DUMMIES TALKING SHITE ALL DAY EVERYDAY AND ACCOMPLISHING NOTHING
A SET OF DUMMIES WITH DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR OR IT IS PAST GLORIES
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Georgie Porgie
Yah blind bat .. HA HA HA HA
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BAFBFP!
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MAN?
HAVE NOT SEEN YOU FOR A WHILE
ONE OF THE BETTER PEOPLE IN THE BU TALK SHOP
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And when the trade unions form this political party as the author of the article is proposing, there is an assumption that when this newly formed party gains power that the need for trade unionism in Barbados will be no more because we would have solved the problem of labour, and how to meet the needs of the masses? Is that what the author is asking us to believe. This sounds like something Bush Tea would say on an empty stomach and in a moment of one of dementia episodes.
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Still hey Georgie … Ha ha ha. You still cussing dese people … Ha ha ha
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@ The Honourable Blogmaster
Did you manage to get a copy of the picture that was in the newspaper in the nation this morning with Fumbles and the Chief Town Planner?
You will note that that item was changed within the space of 3 hours!!
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