Submitted by DAVID COMISSIONG, Citizen of Barbados
Firstly, I would like to inform the Barbadian public that I followed up my initial letter (dated 22nd October 2016) to the SSA Board challenging them to justify paying private business-men a massive rental fee of $411 per hour per truck, with a SECOND letter (dated 26th October 2016) calling upon the Board to provide me with a detailed Written Statement of their reasons for making the decision to privatize the services in the first place.
I am therefore pleased to learn that Dr. Lowe and the SSA Board have decided to suspend what was touted to be a six month privatization programme at the end of this week.
It is important however that we– the Citizens of Barbados– use the opportunity to drive home some important messages to Dr Lowe, and by extension, to all the Government Ministers and Statutory Board chairmen of Barbados.
We must make them understand that the governance of our country MUST be conducted on the principles of transparency and consultation with the people. Thus, it was totally wrong for Dr Lowe and / or the SSA Board to seek to institute this controversial privatization scheme without first consulting the people of Barbados and the trade union representatives of the SSA workers!
Secondly, we must make all Government Ministers and Statutory Board chairmen understand that we — the citizens of Barbados — are no longer going to countenance any more of these outrageously privileged governmental contracts that inflict inexcusably heavy financial burdens on the taxpayers of our country!
This privatization programme was going to cost the taxpayers of Barbados FOR EACH TRUCK, the sum of $16,440 per week or $427,440 over the initially stipulated six month period, or $854,880 over a one year period !
This was financial madness, and we trust that we will hear no more of it after this week.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.