Submitted by Anthony Davis
“PM Freundel Stuart has a brand new ride. Amid all the talk about austerity, Stuart is now driving around in a sleek S-Class Mercedes Benz, fresh out of Simpson Motors showroom at Warrens. “The S-Class is said to be valued at $350,000 duty free or over $700,000 inclusive of duties.” – Barbados Today June 2, 2017
Public servants in this country haven’t seen a pay rise in years, and other people are struggling with a tax burden which comes to 29.5% come July, but there’s enough money to spend on a luxury vehicle for his majesty.
Now the Minister of Sport and Culture, Stephen Lashley says “give us more time,” adding that the past eight years has been a relatively short space of time.
Pray tell me, Mr. Minister, where did you get the idea that 8 years is a short period of time?
Furthermore, from 2008 to 2017 makes it nine LONG, HARSH years for the one horse which you’ve been burdening with more and more taxes every year.
You probably thought about the pony express riders during the wild West Times, not knowing that the riders didn’t flog the same horse from town to town, but collected fresh mounts along the way from what were called Way Stations.
This horse has been ridden by the same 16 persons from 2008 to this day.
What do you need more time for?
For the tax collector to find some new tax to drop on the back of this horse, or increase its load by raising some tax which is already in place?
Either way, the horse has become scrawny from lack of proper care.
Purchasing a new Mercedes is typical of the condescending attitude taken by this Government.
People in this country are starving, some must cut back on what is considered healthy food.
I overheard one old lady tell the other just a week ago that she used to be able to buy fish four times a week, but could only afford it twice a week now. I wonder how often she’ll be able to purchase it after July 1.
But you want more time!
Some items were taken off the formulary, so one pensioner said he had to pay $100 for one type of his medication. After July 1 he’ll probably have to pay between $130 and $140.
Many people are either walking to or from work to save money.
How much can they save as of July 1?
The Transport Board’s service has gone down the drain, but you have no money for buses, but enough to buy a spanking new Mercedes Benz S-Class, yet you want us “to give you more time”.
Nurses at the QEH recently hadn’t been paid for months, and when they went to check why not they were sent from one person to the other, each claiming not to be responsible, but you are “entitled” to get back your 10% after 16 months, and you are taking it.
If the nurses were to demand what’s by rights theirs, you would want to fire them.
They can’t get transportation at correct times to get to/from work, but you can put all kinds of taxes on them knowing full well that they are among those who pay your bills, salaries and taxes, because they have to pay taxes.
How can you expect people to be productive when they can’t get to work?
Unlike you, they can’t stay at home whenever they like, because the few cents they are receiving will become fewer still.
The QEH used to be a bastion of health care in the Caribbean, but all one keeps hearing now are negative comments about it.
Every time one looks around there’s a new kid on the block when it comes to the number of vagrants in Bridgetown.
I wonder how come.
Yet we should give you more time.
As per usual you’re trying to lay the blame for the state of the economy at someone else’s feet.
All of a sudden you took over the debt of the BLP.
As far as I recollect, the BLP left millions of dollars in the Treasury.
What did you do with all that money, Mr. Minister of Sport?
You seem to be a sporty minister, because I had to rub my eyes a number of times in order to make sure that what I was reading as a headline wasn’t a dream.
I could do nothing but laugh when my senses confirmed that you were actually asking for “more time”.
Not one of YOU had the audacity to stand up to the tax collector and say: Enough is enough, but you have to come to us with nothing more than codswallop asking for more time.
“Time and tide wait for no man”!
You have always had a condescending attitude towards the populace of this country.
How many more Mercedes Benz S-Class do you want to purchase?
How many more sweetheart deals a la Sandals do you want to sign?
Does that hotel pay any taxes?
I note it has its own dive boat, and tour bus making sure that every cent which those who stay at the hotel spend doesn’t go to any locals.
And you want “more time”?
Methinks not!
As Shakespeare would say: The additional 8% on the SRL was the unkindest cut of all.
If, as you say,you “came to office in 2008 at the height of a very serious and challenging global recession”, why did you campaign to have a second term, seeing that things were so difficult?
You ran the horse to ground without giving it a chance to be properly fed and groomed, so the horse can’t carry your extravagant burden any longer.
You tore down every safety net which was put there for the poor, the needy and the vulnerable, yet you want more time!
You tore down everything! From tertiary education to health care, to welfare, to transport, and you have done nothing for the environment!
You’ve given the banks permission to defraud us by paying the least interest in the world, and they’re using it to their fullest advantage. No wonder the small businesses are not doing so well!
Can you imagine interest of one cent?
What shall we do with one cent? It can’t even buy a mint!
Yet you want more time?
“It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.” – George Washington
The Benz will ensure that MIA will have the kind of ride she deserves when she becomes
the PM next year…….or sooner.
Fruendel and his goons are very disrespectful to black bajans, it seems like a default setting they have in their empty heads to be disrespectful to their own people.
This government does not deserve one seat for ekection 2018l.
2017
$96,600*in the USA. That is $193,000 Barbados dollars.
How can the duty free price be $350,000 Barbados dollars.
https://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/vehicles/model/class-S/model-S550V
@Hants
We have to see the invoice. One has to assume that there is customization because freight and prep cost cannot reasonably account for the difference.
Enough of the long talk! This country want shutting down – but the pitiful fools will say “what good will that do, we will be loosing money for crop over”.
MAM, I ready to March (Protest) again.
Stand Fah something nah!!!
All this is says is “I dont give a damn about you, my Benz is 3 years old, it has to be changed as I am entitled”.
I have long realised that these dems are poor politicians. They feel that they can do anything and they have sycophants as followers who believe whatever the dems tell them……….so they do not have to care about the optics.
If not, how in God’s good name could a government after imposing over $500 million in taxes a week earlier could go and take ownership of a car costing $350,000.
Say they had delayed the take up of it until later in the year, you could even understand that. These people are heartless and have become a burden that we can no longer bear.
I know a family who had to bring their child back home from university as one parent who was the bigger earner was made redundant……….just think of what this would do to this child.
Heartless hypocrites!
This has me so mad, you hear.
How many garbage trucks or buses this money could have bought……….
This man has poor Barbadians waiting 4 to 5 hous to get a bus, garbage piling up as there are not enough trucks to collect garbage and this moron could authorise the purchase of a new benz.
I do not buy the rubbish explanation that it would be more effficent to buy a new one than to put up with the maintenance.
My goodness, the car does not work hard as the damn PM does not work hard……….
This dlp government has not bought a bus nor a garbage truck in all the years it has been in office.
Let us accept that there is a protocol that exist between government and Simpson Motors. Would it not have made sense for the PM to send a note to the PS to request the protocol be suspended until after the general election?
This Government is beyond insensitive!!!!
Look; so much has gone wrong under their tenure to write all is to write a book for histories page.
Can you also imagine the Minister of labour complaining of the amount of sick leave claims the NIS had to pay out? Where is your voice Madam when the unemployed in this country were complaining for years having to traverse to Collymore Rock then to Warrens for a stamp then back to Collymore Rock. When you are unemployed imagine having to find bus fare or gas money every two weeks. To date; this issue has not been addressed by the Minister or her PS. What is the role of all these PS’s anyway?
If Bajans don’t take back their country they will continued to be disrespected.
@Hants June 7, 2017 at 6:33 PM “The Benz will ensure that MIA will have the kind of ride she deserves when she becomes the PM next year…or sooner.”
Hants man, stop talking foolishness do. Neither Freundel nor Mia deserve a Benz, unless they want to buy one out of their own personal money, and you can bet that neither of them will spend their own money like that. Barbados ain’t Canada which is 4,000 miles wide. A nice little Toyota can work well for any Barbados Prime Minister, because that is what we the tax payers can afford to help them with.
It makes Bajans look stupid when our Prime Ministers behave some like Johnny Come Lately Poor Great Poppits.
@David
The Benz must be bulletproof
All now, the people of this country should be asking for the PM resignation after his justification of the purchase on the evening news. Wow!
I understand all the points of view however the PM said the Benz was ordered by the BLP as per the Estimates for fiscal ’07-’08.The car is 9 years old and should have been changed long ago.
@David June 7, 2017 at 7:04 PM “Let us accept that there is a protocol that exist between government and Simpson Motors.”
Why would the government enter into a protocol with Simpson’s Motors or any company anyhow?
So “no” this taxpayer does not accept any such protocol.
@Simple
As explained these are expensive and high maintenance vehicles. The protocol as explained is meant to mitigate maintenance cost projected to increase after an agreed period.
Only today i said the blp would use the boggey man as scarch grain to capture votes . Well let me tell u folks here comes the boggey man in living color Mercedes Benz .This boggey man would be ridden all the way to Timbuktu and back
Ok next the blp operatives going to bring out the Steel Donkey. Lol.
@ David & Hants
What EXACTLY is it that wunna do not understand?
These people ’bout here are all a bunch of crooks. It is all on big game of pretend…
Simpson Motors has always been a rip-off place where money is the ‘god that they serve’, and where they have different prices for different people…
It would not surprise Bushie if certain other Bajans could purchase that SAME car for the USA price plus CIF and an industry driven markup.
For anyone not within their “exclusive circle”, there is the ‘secret executive tax’ that is imposed for daring to get on like a big shot….
When its comes to dealing with government (foolish black people spending the money of other foolish black people), they go to town with over-charging….
If wunna think this shiite car is a scam, then perhaps Hants should do some research on the other vehicles that they import for the government….
let Google be your friendly due diligence..
Lotta shiite…
@watchman June 7, 2017 at 7:33 PM “The Benz must be bulletproof.”
Why?
Bajans ain’t Americans. We hate our politicians just as much as the Americans hate theirs, but we have never shot any of them, we let them die in their beds of old age, or in their middle years from rum drinking and lickerishness.
Gabriel
Are you sure? I seem to remember the late David Thompson getting a new car as it was reported at the time that he refused to drive in a car that OSA drove in.
But I will do some checking!
@ Simple Simon
Neither Freundel nor Mia deserve a Benz,
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Well said.
Benz shiite… pure status and show.
These jokers cannot achieve one shiite as leaders – except looking to enhance their benefits.
…just like the jackass from South Africa – with a $30 million mansion, while the people he swore to represent are still stuck in townships, and are third class brass bowls in their own country.
Only Pachamama’s Guillotine is capable of dealing effectively with such despots and traitors…
@ David
Are you SERIOUS?
RU4Real?
No way a proper car can be more expensive to maintain after 8 years than buying a new one for $1/2M …unless of course there is some SERIOUS scam being perpetrated in the ‘maintenance charges’.
They are just looking to impress their friends…. by serving big-mouth drinks when they earning mauby money….
When Froon’s ass is back in Marchfield looking for idiots to rob, (just like his “Mr Speaker friend”) …we will be forced to pay for these big-mouth drinks instead of funding a decent hospital or educating our grand children.
@ Bushie,
https://www.bmwusa.com/special-offers.html
@Bush Tea June 7, 2017 at 7:39 PM “Simpson Motors has always been a rip-off place where money is the ‘god that they serve’, and where they have different prices for different people”
Never bought anything from Simpson Motors, likely never will.
Never bought anything from Leroy Parris’ CLICO either.
Maybe I am not so simple.
There must be something special added to cars sold in Barbados.
https://www.toyota.com/all-vehicles/
@David June 7, 2017 at 7:43 PM “As explained these are expensive and high maintenance vehicles.”
I don’t buy the explanation David.
We the tax payers are poor people.
Therefore our Prime Ministers should drive a poor people’s car.
Don’t buy expensive high maintenance vehicles in the first place.
So why buy a horribly expensive car that is also high maintenance?
Why not buy a run of the mill low maintenance, parts are readily available Toyota?
Buddies of mine drive those things for 20 years, real real easy on the pocket.
@Gabriel June 7, 2017 at 7:36 PM “I understand all the points of view however the PM said the Benz was ordered by the BLP as per the Estimates for fiscal ’07-’08.The car is 9 years old and should have been changed long ago.”
Why buy an expensive car when it will need to be changed long before it is 9 years old.
Stupssseee!!!
May as well buy a cheap car since I am being told that the expensive ones are only good for 5 or 6 years, the same as the cheap ones.
There are no vehicles in Barbados as hard working as ZR vans, and few of them, or none are Mercedes Benzes.
I remember trying to take a taxi once and the driver wanted to charge me more than I was used to for the same journey because “you don’t see that this is a Benz”
I told him to haul his @ss, and took a taxi being driven by a sensible person.
For all they do for the citizens, assign an PSV for him and his ministers!
Politicians do not do us any favours. We pay them very well for the work they are hired to do. They are our servants, not our masters.
If they don’t like being in politics, or if they find the work too hard or too stressful they are free to quit. Nobody is forcing them to remain i politics.
Probably bullet proofed
Why?
Foolish talk like little boys.As the PM. state this is not his car it belongs to the government.There is nothing special about a Mercedes .All over the world head of states are chauffeured in far more l
Luxurious cars. In fact Barbados in the Caribbean that Ministers of Gov are not given a brand new car during their time in office. In Jamaica Ministers and Senior Civil Servants seen in brand new Land Cruisers. Grow up and stop being jealous a car is no big thing these days. Everybody have one. There is no status symbol attached to them. Let the PM in peace and let him enjoy the fruits of his labor..
Hants June 7, 2017 at 6:50 PM #
2017
$96,600*in the USA. That is $193,000 Barbados dollars.
How can the duty free price be $350,000 Barbados dollars.
https://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/vehicles/model/class-S/model-S550V
VAT is still charged on Duty Free Vehicles. so that along with the markup from Simpson Motors will push the price to that amount.
The PM should have known that this is not a good time to be sporting a new Benz at this time. Sure I think the Office of PM is deserving of such a classy vehicle but timing is everything. Perception is 90% truth.
We have our own Beast now
Gabriel…although the timeline does not add up because I could swear I saw Owen Arthur being driven in an MP2 Mercedes around 2004-2005 which was in damn good condition back then……so that claim the BLP bought the vehicle 9 years ago, sounds like a Fruendel lie.
.Fruendel does not need a Mercedes and could have bought a cheaper vehicle, lower maintance, more fuel efficient vehicle, given the state he has degraded the economy to….where does it state that a PM needs a Mercedes…..
….. a US president needs a beast, given the population size and the crazies that abound, the fact that the beast can be loaded on to airforce one and flown around the country for the many miles of terrain the president has to cover….or flown around the world to secure an entourage….dont care hiw you cut it, it’s a waste of taxpayer’s money.
Where the hell does Fruendel go in a fully loaded S-Class.
Lee…who do you mean, Fruendel or the Mercedes.
You do not need a mercedes to drive from here…to there.
@Anonymous June 7, 2017 at 9:26 PM “There is nothing special about a Mercedes.”
A Simple Response: A Mercedes is especially expensive.
@Anonymous June 7, 2017 at 9:26 PM “All over the world head of states are chauffeured in far more luxurious cars.”
A Simple Response: You know don’t you that the Prime Minister is NOT the head of state.
@Anonymous June 7, 2017 at 9:26 PM Grow up and stop being jealous”
A Simple Response: We are all grown up, so grown up that we have paid taxes for decades and decades, and decades.
@Anonymous June 7, 2017 at 9:26 PM “stop being jealous”
A Simple Response: We are not jealous. We simply think that in a time of austerity that the Prime Minister (any Prime Minister ought not to be taking possession of a new very, very expensive car.
@Anonymous June 7, 2017 at 9:26 PM “a car is no big thing these days. Everybody have one.
A Simple Response: A car which cost the tax payers over $300,000 dollars is a very, very big deal
@Anonymous June 7, 2017 at 9:26 PM “Everybody have one.”
A Simple Response: Not true. There are tens of thousands of Bajans who do not own a car. I do not own a car. The median salary is Barbados is less than $5,000 per month. Many, many people earn far less that the median and have no hope of owning a car, especially with the austerity measures just imposed by this Prime Minister’s government.
@Anonymous June 7, 2017 at 9:26 PM There is no status symbol attached to them.
A Simple Response: Since there is no status symbol attached to cars which cost in excess of $300,000 can you please explain why the need to buy such an expensive car with OUR money?
@Anonymous June 7, 2017 at 9:26 PM Let the PM in peace
A Simple Response: Nobody is disturbing the Prime Ministers peace.
@Anonymous June 7, 2017 at 9:26 PM “let him enjoy the fruits of his labor.”
A Simple Response: Except that he is enjoying the fruits of OUR labour.
@Lee June 7, 2017 at 10:10 PM “We have our own Beast now”
But why?
Unlike the United States where seven Presidents have been shot, including five of them who were shot while President, and of whom four of them died from their injuries including Andrew Jackson-shot in 1806; survived (died naturally in 1845). Abraham Lincoln-shot and killed in 1865. James Garfield-shot and killed in 1881. William McKinley-shot and killed in 1901.
We Bajans have NEVER EVER shot a Prime Minister, nor a Governor General nor a Judge, nor a Permanent Secretary, nor a Commissioner of Police, etc. etc.
Our high ranking officials mostly die in their beds of old age or of their own excesses during their middle years.
We do NOT kill them, although it may be said that some of them have killed themselves from their own bad habits.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1929451730668861&id=1447053148908724&refid=28&tn=C
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/06/08/jones-we-need-to-have-more-children/
Jackass Jones wants more children that people cant feed because government ministers waste taxpayer’s money.
Only a dumb ass would get this advice about mercedes vehicles and still insist on buying a new one.
More the reason he should be kicked out of parliament never to return.it’s taxpayer’s money, they have a real to be angry.
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/06/08/move-along/
“In fact we were advised for some considerable time, not to keep these cars too long because they become very expensive to maintain and wisdom should be on the side of getting rid of them after three years or so. So that you can sell them at a price that would be substantial enough that you wouldn’t have to make up too much in getting a new vehicle,” he added.”
What did I tell yall about these government ministers, empty headed with no critical thinking skills, mponly thinking about self and false status.
Simpson Motor’s mercedes are too overpriced for them to be bought and replaced every 3 years at taxpayer’s expense. ..
….by Fruendel’s own adnission he would not take his own money to buy an overpriced vehicle just to replace it every 3 years because of the high maintence factor…onky an idiot would…
….so why in hell does Fruendel the Fraud thinks it’s okay to waste taxpayer’s money in that insensitive and arrogant manner, just to be driven around in an S-Class, overpriced mercedes…what good is that to taxpayers.
He needs to be held accountable for reckless spending and who the hell is he to tell the people who pay his salary when to move on,…out with fraudulent Fruendel.
Fruendel is lazy and hardly does any work or the economy would be in much better shape…what fruits of water labor what you damn idiot….as Simple said, it’s the fruits of taxpayer’s labor he is enjoying for doing very little….him and his incompetent greedy ministers.
who got the old one and at what price
Politicians are the same the world over, but Barbados’ problem is that it now has some of the most incompetent, most selfish, and venal politicians in the world. You would have to go to Africa to find worse.
When I first arrived in May 1966 Bim was a veritable paradise, now it is a veritable cesspool of concrete, and greed.
“It is standard for Government vehicles to change every 3-4 years” – Are the people hearing this shite”? ” The car had to have special features”- BAJANS where are you? The arrogance of this man is spilling over.
We are being led by a Madman!
@Hants
We have heard it from the PM’s mouth, the car was ordered since March 2016 with custom built features.
@ Retribution
Not only a madman, a tin pot dictator as well.
The plank of the PM’s defense is that the old Mercedes was 9 years old and had become problematic. The point he did not address in his unrepentant rant is that an executive decision could have been made to delay the switch out for one year in the prevailing climate. He could have even used the decison to generate political capital.
Similarly the opposition could have raised the issue during the estimate debate just as they did about the ten percent but said nothing so all this ranting and raving adds up to meaningless political rheteoric spilling over from warmed over stale soup
All of that despite Donville saying he broke his personal mercedes wheels TWICE on Fruendel’s potholded roads that he refuses to maintain.
Why should taxpayers fund an overpriced Mercedes that will be damaged within 3 years by badly maintained roads.
Besides, as history has shown, Europe and North America are famous for sending their defective products to the Caribbean and Africa….why should assembly line mercedes with defects be any different. I know people who bought or imported mercedes and got old hell with them..commonsense dictates that they are not worth the price or the maintenance.
And the yardfowls are uneducated and nauseating.
David,
Cajans; for rather, some Bajans are so petty and small minded. Scenario; The head of State, or even Bill Gates, arrives at Grantley Adams on an official visit. He is met at the airport by the official automobile MP2. They are halfway down the ABC and the Mercedes develops a problem. Does the official driver; in uniform, get out of the car and hold out his thumb hitching a ride? Why people making such a fuss over a car, that the Prime Minister is being driven in. There are ordinary citizens driving even more expensive vehicles. Why not the Prime Minister of this “first world” country?
Bushy,
I am truly surprised and disappointed at a Waterford alumnus. You ent get bring up dis way.
45govt;
Since you are obviously one of those who just come, You should know where this greed come from, who bring it and perpetuate it.
Simple:
“…We the tax payers are poor people.
Therefore our Prime Ministers should drive a poor people’s car.”
Talk about stupid response!!!
Alvin – if you had one more brain you would qualify as a half-wit, and an illiterate one.
Alvin Yardfowl….why dont you purchase the next S-Class Mercedes for the PM in 2020..when the roads destroy it in 3 years and there is no money to purchase another one at Simpson Motors for 350,000. Jackass.
SUVs are more durable and cheaper.
@Anonymous June 7, 2017 at 9:26 PM “a car is no big thing these days. Everybody have [CORRECTION: has NOT have] one.
Not true.
The median Bajan wage/salary is about $5,000 BDS per month or $60,000 BDS per year. Since you may not understand what median means, let me explain. It means that half of Bajans work for less than $5,000 BDS per month (for some a lot, lot less) and half work for more that $5,000 BDS per month.
Of that $60,000 BDS per year, 8% or $4,800 BDS is withheld for national insurance, and of the $55,200 BDS left, the first $20,000 BDS is not taxable, and the remaining $35,200 BDS left is taxed at 16%. Which leaves this Bajan with $29,568 BDS per year in hand, or $2,464 BDS per month.
If this Bajan saved all of that $$29,568 BDS per year it would take him/her 11.8 years to save enough to buy a $350,000 BDS car, and this is assuming that the Bajan did not buy any other goods or services, did not pay 17% VAT on virtually everything, did not pay rent or mortgage, did not buy food, pay health or property insurance, did not help with the expenses of elderly parents, did not raise children (and the Education Minister is saying today that we should have more children) Somebody needs to tell him that if we have children we will never be able to buy our own personal Mercedes,
These are the Bajans you are talking to. The ones who have to decide between a Mercedes and food, between a Mercedes and paying someone to look after dad who has had a stroke and needs a hot meal in the middle of the day, between a Mercedes and paying property insurance so as to be covered during hurricane season, between a Mercedes and having children so that a new generation is available to to pay politicians pensions, and to buy second hand cars from Simpsons, so that Simpsons can remain in business.
These are the Bajans that politicians are asking to vote for them. These are the Bajans being asked to fund politicians fat, fat pensions.
These are the Bajans being squeezed to death.
These are the bajans to vote out Fruendel & Yardfowls
The PM is being disingenuous on this matter and that is why he basically needed to allege that the existing Mercedes-Benz was unreliable and therefore costly to maintain. If he didn’t make this outrageous allegation he would need to defend why he didn’t instruct the purchase to be cancelled and save the money given draconian austerity measures which his administration has imposed since 2009.
IS IT BE ALONE OR ARE OTHERS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH THE PM’S LOGIC THAT THESE EXPENSIVE MERCEDES BENZ ARE ONLY RELIABLE AND CONST EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN FOR ABOUT 3/5 YEARS………. BUT THEN RUSHES OUT AND BUYS A NEW ONE OF THE SAME EXPENSIVE AND COSTLY TO MAINTAIN MERCEDES BENZ WHILE BAJANS CATCHING THEIR ASSES?
Or to put it another way. If the typical Bajan had to pay $700,000 for a vehicle including the taxes, he/she would have to save ALL of their after tax income for 23.6 years, which is about exactly half of a person’s working life.
These same Bajans, this half of us working for $5,000 or less per month, are funding a car for our Prime Minister, a car which if we wanted one for ourselves we would have to save ALL OF OUR MONEY FOR MORE THAN 23 YEARS to be able to purchase one.
That is what a luxury car costs. Half of our working life.
Ya cant even find an autobahn or freeway in Bim, only Fruendel’s potholes…Mercedes were designed for smooth roads.
@ Alvin
Haul…!!! 🙂
You ever heard of champagne taste with mauby pockets?
Bushie has no problem with big rides – for those who can afford them…
Froon either needs to be productive and EARN his keep…
…or get himself a rich, adopted-father, …. like Bushie…
@ Simple Simon
Either you are bright as shiite … or you swallowed google.
…or perhaps you are just trying to piss Bushie off… 🙂
Yuh shotting.
This excersise is a classic example of alternative logic , relative truth or cognitive bias. Take your pick.
Wunnuh should be glad Freundel settled for a Mercedes. I hear he was really wanting to get one of these:
For clarity at 2017 anyone earning $60,000.00 per annum the following shows NIS and PAYE deductions.
John Doe 2017
Calculation of Employee Salary & Taxes @ January 2017
Breakdown of Gross Salary: Annual Monthly
Basic Salary 60000.00 5000.00
Entertainment (12.5% or max 7800) 0.00 0.00
Travel (12.5% or max 7200) 0.00 0.00
Gross Salary 60000.00 5000.00
Income Tax payable:
Gross Salary 60000.00 5000.00
Less: Personal allowance -25000.00 -2083.33
Child Allowance 0.00 0.00
Entertainment allowance 0.00 0.00
Travel allowance 0.00 0.00
Taxable Income 35000.00 2916.67
Tax Payable:
$35,000 @ 16% 5600.00 466.67
Balance @ 33.5% 0.00 0.00
Total tax payable 5600.00 466.67
Net Payments:
Gross 60000.00 5000.00
Taxes -5600.00 -466.67
EE NIS (10.10% of $4650.) -5635.80 -469.65
Net 48764.20 4063.68
Bushie;
Simple is “bright as shite”. Fullstop. There is no hint of googling re. the main thrust of any of her posts. Her posts are by far the most perceptive on BU these days.
Absolutely required reading.
And fir yardfowl….FYI.
SUVs are 4 wheel drive vehicles designed for rough potholed roads, since 2004 I noticed US Ambassadors use these vehicles on the island for their daily transport…why….because it makes perfect sense, cheaper, more durable, easy to maintain.
@Simon.
Thanks for the post. With regard to the definition of “median” salary, it does not follow that “half of Bajans work for less than $5,000 BDS per month”. I posit that less than 25% work for >5000. That itself highlights the significant difference in salaries between top earners in the public and private sector and the majority earning less than $60K per annum. Otherwise great points.
Cheers
In other circumstances if the morons had been doing a good job and if the economy was really on a growth path as they falsely were claiming when they restored their supposedly sacrifice of 10%, I do not think that anyone would have a problem with the head of government having a car fit for the office.
I certainly do not have a problem with a good car for the PM or the GG but we need to buy less expensive ML cars which messengers drive around so leisurely daily.
But after admitting in the budget debate that the economy is in such terrible shape so that the minister had to impose $500 million in new taxes………a PM could come and so arrogantly tell Bajans………….I dont understand what all of the fuss is about, the car is the property of the government and that when he is no longer PM who ever is the next one would have it…………and this is the most arrogant and condescending thing he said…….”and that will not be for a long time”……….
PM, time longer than twine………your arrogance is going to sink the DLP….rest assured of that.
It says something about the sophistication of Barbadian politics that we are obsessed with the price of an official car, while other more important issues pass us by. It tells you all you want to now about the collective intelligence of Bajans – which, no doubt, they will try to justify.
.
Alvin dont bother sweating your head. This form of boggey man politics is nothing new.
When MIA becomes PM next year, she can order the Benz be sold and replaced with a
Toyota Camry or Honda Accord.
Dear Hal:
Why do you think that the typical Bajan who earns LESS THAN $60,000 BDS per year (some of these people are my siblings, neighbours, cousins, etc. this is our reality) is unintelligent because they object to the Prime Minister’s office buying a very, very expensive car in a time of severe austerity?
We are not fools, we object because this purchase is SYMPTOMATIC of the government’s CONTEMPT FOR the taxpayers.
But it is not just this, we object to many other things as well.
@Simple Simon
A solid comment.
Hal must accept that we all have different views and this is where leadership comes into play -how do we engage in consensus building to harmonize priorities as a people.
@Alvin Cummins June 8, 2017 at 8:53 AM ” Why people making such a fuss over a car, that the Prime Minister is being driven in. There are ordinary citizens driving even more expensive vehicles.
Why don’t you stop telling lies for the DLP? At your age you are in the departure lounge and will soon have to meet your maker and will soon have to give account for the lies which you have told.
The truth is that no ordinary Bajan citizen, that is the ordinary/typical Bajan who is earning $60,000 BDS per year or LESS cannot afford to drive any Mercedes, and they certainly can’t afford to drive “even more expensive vehicles.”
You really should stop telling lies for the DLP…because
soon you will have to meet your maker, and if you continue on this lying path, straight to hell for you.
Simple Simon,
You seem to have some hang-ups about who is intelligent. Some of the brightest people I know are Barbadians. Whether in times of austerity or not, there are more important priorities about the management of the nation than some silly motor car. If you do not agree, fine.
It is important that the RSS is once again mapping Barbados and we at e talking about a model of car that most ordinary Germans have.
Let us talk about the military threat to our democracy.
Hyundai Equus is now being used as the Presidential State Car in Costa Rica.
@Alvin Cummins June 8, 2017 at 8:53 AM “The head of State, or even Bill Gates, arrives at Grantley Adams on an official visit. He is met at the airport by the official automobile MP2. They are halfway down the ABC and the Mercedes develops a problem. Does the official driver; in uniform, get out of the car and hold out his thumb hitching a ride? Why people making such a fuss over a car, that the Prime Minister is being driven in. There are ordinary citizens driving even more expensive vehicles. ”
Again why don’t you stop trying to deceive people on behalf of the DLP.
If Bill Gates comes to Barbados he can well afford to hire his own taxi, so let him do so, or if he is staying as a posh hotel, the posh hotels already own posh vehicles for their posh visitors. So “no” there is no need for us to worry about or pay for Bill Gates’ transportation.
If a foreign head of state visits, the protocol is that the foreign embassy picks up their own dignitary at the airport.
The U.S. Embassy owns such a posh vehicle, as does the Chinese embassy, and the Canadian embassy, and the European High Commission, and the Cubans etc. etc. so “no” we do not have to worry about the transportation needs of foreign heads of state. In fact I am certain that an American President or high level official IS NOT PERMITTED to drive in any foreign government’s vehicle. They must drive in their own vehicle which is kept in a highly secured area and whose driver has to go through regular security screenings. So “no” they DO NOT DRIVE IN BARBADOS GOVERNMENT VEHICLES.
Stop telling lies for the DLP, otherwise straight to hell for you, sooner rather than later.
@Hal Austin June 8, 2017 at 11:43 AM “It is important that the RSS is once again mapping Barbados and we at e talking about a model of car that most ordinary Germans have.
Let us talk about the military threat to our democracy.”
So what do you suggest?
That we drop one of our nuclear bombs on the RSS and their military companions?
Stupssseee!!!
We are not ordinary Germans.
When Germans drive Mercedes’ they are supporting German jobs. When Bajans drive Mercedes we are wasting scarce and valuable foreign exchange which would be better spent on other more important things.
@Hal Austin June 8, 2017 at 11:38 AM “You seem to have some hang-ups about who is intelligent.”
Please note that it is YOU, not me that raised the issue of the intelligence of Bajans.
Jose Mujica: The world’s ‘poorest’ president – BBC News
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-20243493
Nov 15, 2012 – Meet the president – who lives on a ramshackle farm and gives away most of his pay. … This is the residence of the president of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, whose lifestyle clearly differs sharply from that of most other world leaders. … This austere lifestyle – and the fact that Mujica …
…………………………………………………………
Barbados Economy 2017, CIA World Factbook – Theodora.com
http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/barbados/barbados_economy.html
GDP (purchasing power parity) compares the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation’s GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States.
176
Barbados $4,804,000,000 2016 est.
96
Uruguay $73,930,000,000 2016 est.
……………………………………………………………………
We really serious or we mekkin sport…….
we were #176 with 4.8B in ’16 when the order was made and they were #96 with 73B…..
the president driving an old VW……
We have to thread the decision to order the Mercedes Benz last year with the reluctance by goverment to trim ministers and parlimmentary secretaries to send a message to inspire change. It is important to note the decision to restore the 10% to minister’s salaries. It all adds up to a government out of step with feelings of the people on the ground.
I wonder if Simpson Motors will sue the PM for slurring the character of their maintenance department?
A mercedes which has been serviced by the agents in the same garage from new should not be having regular breakdowns irrespective of its age,unless the we are saying that the agency should be removed from the agency for incompetency.
I just heard the PM on VoB giving his excuse for the purchase again…….
The more I hear it ,I must ask myself where did this ignorant person come from…..ignorance in the truest sense of the word as he is totally ignorant of what he is speaking of as well as the fact that the justification he wishes to use is a non-pont.
How did we get here….as former PM Sandi has been asking…..Alvin….you might be able to answer this one.
He is not ignorant, it is his unreal reality.
David,
In your attempt to preach you seem to misrepresent people. Have I ever objected to a diversity of ideas. Look at my various postings and that is precisely what I have been calling for, a free market of ideas. That is how we learn. I have suggested before you should be the umpire, not a participant in debates – especially when you are on the wrong side. It sends the wrong message.
Buying an over-expensive car is important, but it is not a priority when an economy is in the state the Barbados one is. This is a mattr of judgement, not leadership.
@Simple Simon,
Have you look at your 11.20am posting to see who first used the word ‘unintelligent’.
Simple Simon
If visiting dignitaries run out of CD options , Sandy Labne has a number of Limos.
As you rightly said we real poor great……we begging for money/scrunting but we going to drive around mercs.
@ Hal AustinJune 8, 2017 at 10:45 AM
“It says something about the sophistication of Barbadian politics that we are obsessed with the price of an official car, while other more important issues pass us by. It tells you all you want to now about the collective intelligence of Bajans – which, no doubt, they will try to justify.”
Hal AustinJune 8, 2017 at 11:38 AM
“Simple Simon,
ou seem to have some hang-ups about who is intelligent. Some of the brightest people I know are Barbadians. Whether in times of austerity or not, there are more important priorities about the management of the nation than some silly motor car. If you do not agree, fine.”
We were hoping that having been ‘outed’ by Artax for your incessant Islamophobic outbursts against the local Muslim community and your constant rants of xenophobic dislike of the Guyana-born DPP you would have sheepishly returned to your darkened closet of stupidity while trying to unmask the ‘anonymice’ BU bloggers.
You are no different from those ‘stupid’ British whites who think a black person is either a thief with criminal intent to be violent or downright idiotic like themselves.
Can’t you spot the obvious contradiction in your two statements reproduced above?
Who are “some of the brightest people” you know that are Barbadians? What qualifies them for such an estimable accolade? Are there any of these brightest people in Parliament today or controlling the commanding heights of the economy?
How come these “brightest ”of Barbadians are not setting the pace in the current race for the social and economic development of their country which is nothing more than a lost paradise which was ‘founded’ primarily by people with nothing more than a ‘limited’ 7th standard education with your own St. Giles being a former crucible of such scions.
My man, you are confusing schooling and possessing paper qualifications with intelligence.
The only person whom you know ‘personally’ to be extremely bright is Leroy Greenverbs.
And we must agree with you that a man must be considered the Houdini of intelligence for having screwed so many stupid Bajans financially and is still not behind bars.
Intelligent or very ‘bright’ people do not possess the xenophobic trait neither do they display overt bigotry by presumptively judging other people based on their cultural or religious orientation.
Muslims did not enslave your Bajan black ancestors. Christians and Jews did.
Ha, Ha acts like he should not be advocating for the …..UK to rescind all muslim citizenship….to satisfy his disturbed soul, after all, the bombings are in UK, where he lives, not Barbados.
His logic is quite disturbing. …ah wonder if he got muslim friends, I do and they are pretty nice people, they are not extremists.
Ministers from poor ass origins, with rich tastes.
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/06/08/out-of-touch-3/
“Out of touch!
Symmonds calls on Stuart to climb down from high horse
Added by David Harris on June 8, 2017.
Saved under Local News, Politics
4
Opposition Member of Parliament for St James Central Kerrie Symmonds has added his voice to the raging public debate over Prime Minister Freundel Stuart’s new $700,000 ride, accusing Stuart of living the “high life” while the majority of Barbadians were forced to “pay through their teeth”.
“My concern, and the concern of the country overall, is the apparently insatiable appetite on the part of elected individuals for the luxuries of high life,” Symmonds told Barbados TODAY Thursday morning, adding that the purchase of a new S-Class Mercedes Benz must be taken within the context of the recent ten per cent pay restoration, which was afforded members of the Stuart administration and the reclaiming of back pay.
The Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) representative also pointed out that Stuart was not the only Government beneficiary of luxury vehicles at a time when the ruling Democratic Labour Party administration has been appealing to ordinary Barbadians to make personal sacrifices as the country grapples with severe economic challenges.”
“The Prime Minister has admitted that he changed not one, but two, luxury cars over the past year, namely MP2 and M50. The key point I want to make is that to my certain knowledge you can find suitable vehicles that are both robust and not necessarily high maintenance,” argued Symmonds.
A nine day wonder.
A nine day wonder.
+++++++++++++++
…ya mean like the murder of Mrs Smith apparently is?
The Roman Catholic Church has an associated group whose purpose is to provide assistance to people in need. This group not only distributes food and other items to destitute families but also seeks to facilitate skill development so as to help people become self sufficient. The RC Church receives assistance from an organization in the USA in the form of food and other items for distribution to the poor. The Government of Barbados applies the National Social Responsibility Levy of 10% to the charitable donations from the USA. The church cannot afford to pay the levy so it has asked the Americans to stop sending the food and other items.
Our caring Government at work.
@Ping Pong
Let us hope given the cause the RC would have applied for exemption before making the arbitrary decision. Yes they should not have to do so.
Prime ministers and government ministers went to school, call themselves educated and should know that 4 wheel drive vehicles are all terrain vehicles, built and engineered to withstand shock on the most uneven road surfaces.
Mercedes Benz were built and engineered for freeways and autobahns, they are not built or engineered for Fruendel’s rough terrain, potholded roads around the island.
Prime Ministers do not need to be driving mercedes at taxpayer’s expense. Although Owen Arthur was happy to waste taxpayer’s money buying mercedes to be driven around as PM…he does not drive a mercedes daily in his personal life, he drive a 4 wheel drive all terrain vehicle.
The idiots condoning this wastage, should be made to pay for all mercedes going forward.
All departments of government should have 4 wheel drive vehicles…including the judiciary
David
the church applied for an exemption and was refused by the Minister of Finance.
Unbelievable!
@ David
What exemption what??!!
Don’t you understand that the MoF is an idiot?
The same thinking applies to sport equipment …where loyal Bajans who sacrifice themselves to represent the country, often AT THEIR OWN COST, are even taxed on sports items that were GIFTED to them by overseas benefactors.
The man is incapable of thinking past the elementary concept that an increase in base tax equals increase in slush funds to spend on baloney.
He obviously does not grasp complex equations ….or decimals.
The Minister of Finance is consistently absurd. A foreign benefactor pledged funds to provide a large number of school desks to a public (Government) secondary school. The desks were to be made in Barbados from materials purchased in Barbados. The desks were then to be given to the school. The Minister insisted that VAT be paid on the value of the desks. The school asked for an exemption which was refused. The benefactor refused to pay VAT on a gift to a Government owned school. I do not know how this issue was resolved.
This Minister cares about Barbadians deeply.
The millions of dollars in computer equipment donated by the Chinese to the Barbados government recently attracted a waiver of duties then?
Memory Lane.
Carson….you corrupt human garbage, do you remember this…you confirmed the corruption that existed between Peter Harris and DLP.
“Carson C. Cadogan April 4, 2013 at 1:15 PM #
I tell people that everything in Barbados is politics. Some don’t believe me But it is true.
Over the years the blog owner has tried unsuccessfully to damage the good name of the Harrises. He perceives them of being big supporters of the DLP. Hence his continuing mission against them.
This foolishness which he has now come up with under the guise of ” de children” will not fool anyone but BLP supporters. I have known Thomas Harris for many years and he and his family are outstanding citizens of our country. I wish that they were more like them in Barbados.
I will side with the Harris family on this issue. They are not the villains that the blog owner would have us believe(plus we know that he is always wrong). He is simply trying his best to damage the reputation of these fine people and he must not be allowed to get away with it. He is hoping that he can do the BLP a big favour by killing two birds with one stone. That is destroy the Harrises and at the same time remove a large pillar of support for the DLP. But it is not going to work.
The blog owner has to wheel and come again, his plot will fail”
Voters want iPhone not Chinese tablet.
Ping Pong,
Is the VAT problem one of a weak minister or a gangster culture at Customs and Excise?
Carson Swamp thing. …do you see how words have away of returning to bite the corrupt souls of government ministers.
Wait until all of you get haul in by the international agencies for money laundering, human and drug trafficking…..Carson.
For those not aware, Peter Harris has been funding DLP and BLP election since 2008, both political parties, if ya doubt me, ask Carson C. Cadogan.
@Ping Pong June 9, 2017 at 9:51 AM #
The Minister of Finance is consistently absurd. A foreign benefactor pledged funds to provide a large number of school desks to a public (Government) secondary school. The desks were to be made in Barbados from materials purchased in Barbados. The desks were then to be given to the school. The Minister insisted that VAT be paid on the value of the desks. The school asked for an exemption which was refused. The benefactor refused to pay VAT on a gift to a Government owned school. I do not know how this issue was resolved.
………………………………………………………..
Friends of a charity club sent some school stuff which were to be distributed to children last summer. The ministry of finance refused to give the exemption. I believe the items are still in the Port.
With so many poor families that this government has made poorer, one would think that if a group of Barbadians living overseas could be so kind as to send us this stuff, you would think that the government would have a heart which would put less strain on the Welfare Department.
No, their childen are well taken care of so they do not care about the poor children of this nation.
SOB’s.