For eight years the country has been gripped in an economic recession – negligible growth notwithstanding in a quarter here and there – although it feels like a lifetime, an unaccustomed position for thousands of Barbadian if we count from the last major economic crisis of the early 90s. Clearly Barbadians- judging by how we have responded (not responded) to the economic challenge- must legitimately question our leadership and management abilities as a nation. We have reached the point instead of leading the region, an accustomed position since Independence, we have retreated to comparing our current state with the base of the base in the region. The boast that Barbados is a model Black country boxing above it weight class has become an idle one.
With less than a year to go until the next general election bell is rung AND weeks after the minister of finance Chris Sinckler delivered a ‘budget’ he promised will create a surplus on current account by reducing the deficit by 567 million dollars in the current financial year –the country’s major trade unions have decided that now is the time to pressure the government to modify the rate it has applied with the implementation of the contentious National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL) from 10% to 5%. BU SUSPECTS the NSRL issue is a ruse by the BWU, NUPW, BSTU and BUT to give impetus to a bigger objective, that is, to force a change in government. Such naked affiliation by the major trade unions to the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) Opposition does a disservice to the movement. This will be a blog for another day.
If a student does not study well in the school year, cramming one week before promotionals will not make a difference. Using the same analogy -how will it be possible to reduce the deficit by 567 million dollars in less than a year before the next general elections IF the government has been unable to implement policies to achieve same in the last eight years? What is magical about this year?
To the apolitical Barbadian it is evident the economic model that has served Barbados for the last 40 years has run its course. The tourism goose is laying eggs, however, not in the same quantity or quality. An ageing population, unsustainable cost of social services, a burgeoning middlecalss manufactured on rising household debt, means that it is all beginning to collapse because we have not been able to match production with spend. As important is that as a people we have to adopt the right behaviours to collectively guide the country in the direction that will reasonably sustain ALL. What should these behaviours be?
It is laughable that trade unions are calling for a wage hike for employees in the public service and the wage bill by the same sector by any measure has been identified as the reason for the worrying state of government finances and has resulted in the printing of money. The end result is that domestic debt to GDP is ranked at one of the highest in the world. BU cannot ignore the fact that there continues to be haemorrhaging in government’s finances outlined in every Auditor General’s report since 2007 to the present. BU’s comment should not be taken as an attack on public sector workers. If we are honest we should be able to agree that the public service has become a place that the political class has padded to satisfy narrow interest.
What is playing out in Barbados gives currency to the Orwellian view that all the tenets we should adopt to protect our fragile democracy we seem happy to jettison in favour of alternative facts, incompetence and corruption from the entrenched political class and the partisan political minions. The foregoing made all the more ironic if we continue to boast of being a highly educated nation. The national budget allocation to education supports it.
The trade unions will again impose a go slow on a nation and what will be achieved? There will be enough workers who feel intimidated to ensure the public service remains somewhat productive and the country will limp along. This is where we are a country limping along.
245 responses to “A Country In Limp Mode”
Barbados under Tropical Storm Watch
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/98763/barbados-tropical-storm-watch
The boast about our position as a model (however flawed ) of majority black-ruled is not without justification.The comparative economic and social indices with those countries speak for themselves.
Our mission now is to graduate from a developing/ high-income economy ( some countries have fallen in this trap)…and transition to a more balance and developed economy like iceland or even Malta.
@ David
….but it does reveal a lack of emotional intelligence.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Boss, the man is a vertically challenged, arrogant, braggart. He probably just saw it as an opportunity to polish his ‘height’ image – which is all he really wants out of life….
What intelligence what??!!
..emotional or otherwise.
There is no way that a government minister should be seen accepting such treats, or even endorsing such luxury products – especially in hard times.
@ Bush Tea,
Short men are suited for racing cars and riding horses.
De minister miss he callin. lol
Another perspect if the ole man may.
Unions in Barbados HAVE LONG OUTLIVED THEIR SELL BY DATE.
And de ole man shall explain why
THe old model of marching all bout the place to use strikes to brek a government has its place FOR SOME CIRCUMSTANCES NOT ALL!!!!
Here is a suggestion dat de ole man knows dat all de unions going teif but like I will say “the source of these ideas is endless and HE DOAN EVER DRY UP” unlike the 5 year sojourners.
What is the single element of any union “people who work’ and ply goods and services for the most part to an employer and it is into that potpourri of provisioning that the Union proffers its representation, FOR DUES.
And what do they offer their union members for those dues – absolutely nothing
So her is how de ole man will suggest a new governamce thrust, AS I SEEM TO BE DOING FOR MOST THINGS THAT I COMMENT ON HERE.
THe unions have to start shifting from “i want 10% increase for you employees/members” to “we want Empowerment Programming for your mployees”
So what is Empowerment Programming?” is the question that wunna going ask de ole man?
It is the new ask that these impotent old fogey will present at the bargaining tables for union members where, AS OPPOSED TO 10 & 20 % increases, THE EMPLOYERS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO DESIGN AND OR SUBSCRIBE TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (PDP) FOR ALL STAFF.
WHAT IS THE RATIONALE OF THIS IDEA? wunna rightfully will ask.
If I wukking for COW williams and COW has to design a PDP for all of he staff, what it means is that all of dem is being trained to be better at their jobs BUT, and this is the more importatnt thing, THE PDP means greater mobility for each one of his staff.
Whu going into dem head COW cant tek out but what the impotent union is doing is seeing to the advancement and enhancement of each one of their employees in a way that is pertinent to the 21st century where those who are skilled and adequately (re)-trained are more mobile.
AND ARE MORE CPABLE AT BECOMING SELF EMPLOYED.
CCOW can do whu he like pun de books but the thing is that what we need to do is to come to an effective balance between pay increases and acquisition of skills that augment my internal mobility or increase my marketability externally.
But tell de ole man where wunna see any uh dese unin peeples talking bout tings dat will improve our society and its citizens.
All dem talking bout is strikes and marching and jes now when Fumbles mek he policemenses contrive and incident and dem kill a few union members during a march, and he den implement martial Law and give de policemenses all de equipmnet dat Adriel Nitwit Brafwit buy, dem we going unnerstand why he hire he own Chief Justice to change de law and going appoint he puppet Governor General to Rubber stamp the Law
@Bush Tea
Based on your comment Stetson Babb let slip the opportunity to follow up in the interview with Minister Lashley today then?
Vincent Haynes July 17, 2017 at 4:03 PM #
Frustrated Businessman: enact Facilitation Martial Law! July 17, 2017 at 2:18 PM
Are you suggesting that no IMF assist is required to facilitate the reconciliation of our debt burden?
No, the measures I mentioned are prerequisites to negotiating refinancing of foreign and local gov’t debt but that is a MOF function ‘after the fact’.
Limp Mode?
Seems to us that FJS has his little man well fastened up the inners of the Bajan people.
And there’s nothing limp about that
Same old soup warmed over…..nothing remotely interesting here. Sad.
@ William Skinner July 17, 2017 at 9:43 PM
Willie, how come you are not backing you idol Delisle in cussing the government for not going to the IMF as the only way out of the current economic predicament?
The MoF has been fiddling with his homegrown fiscal adjustment programmes since 2014 with no positive results or progress in the much promised restructuring of the economy; just more hardship inflicted on the poor and economically vulnerable.
What you are witnessing is like a man with a venereal disease trying to cure himself at home with lime juice instead of antibiotics from his GP.
At least an IMF programme (even with the harsh measures that are being imposed) would provide some low-cost financing to do the necessary restructuring and help shore up the balance of payments.
Stop worshipping a false useless god called the Bajan dollar.
It will soon find itself in the pantheon of currencies whose countries refuse to adhere to the axiom:
‘By the sweat of thy brow (hard work and export of goods and services required by foreigners) thou shall eat bread (live a big life of conspicuous consumption of imported luxuries)’.
Less than a year to go to an election and what do we have, a government and stakeholders warring. A country is perpetual and perennial industrial unrest.
Who heard Hal Gollop’s call to the talk show today only to be made to look silly. Four cases posted to a page created on labour.bb.gov and he would want to bring the argument that the ERT has a fully functioning website in the league of the CCJ.
“@ millertheanunnaki July 17, 2017 at 10:32 PM #
@ William Skinner July 17, 2017 at 9:43 PM
Willie, how come you are not backing you idol Delisle in cussing the government for not going to the IMF as the only way out of the current economic predicament?”
I wrote on this blog about three weeks ago that I do not agree with my “idol” Worrell on going to the IMF. Neither do I agree with you. The IMF cannot and will not solve our problems. We are now suffering from: failing to get on the Information Highway in a timely fashion; an almost irrelevant educational system; a glaring lack of proper governance and accountability and foremost, two political parties that are mortally bankrupt of ideas. We can now unfortunately add to these maladies, a trade union movement that is on the verge of self destruction.
Even BU that once showed promise to be an agent of progressive discourse and no doubt has the ability, following and talent, has become a hiding place for fictitious characters, who can vent their peculiar brand of abject nonsense and outrageous character abuse without identifying themselves. These are the same ones that spout accountability and transparency. As with all cowards and inferior opportunists, they are masters and I imagine mistresses, in the art of spilling other people’s blood while they stupidly believe that such pitiful cowardice keeps them washed in the blood of the lamb. They seek an unfair advantage while pretending that they are the true guardians of democracy. This is a virus that has to be removed from BU if it is take a real place in solving our country’s problems.
While I hold no brief for the current Minister of Finance, I salute his bravery , in bringing largely unpopular measures and at least trying to solve the economic and monetary problems we now face. While I like most citizens believe that this current administration is perhaps the least intelligent since Independence, I have no doubt that the current Opposition is in a dead heat with the current governing party. In other words: we are faced with two equally discredited and miscreant choices.
I will now wait on those nameless individuals to come after me with their venom. It is a delight for me , because comic relief is one of my favorite pasatiempos.
A picture tells a thousand words. If there were any doubts about who is really behind the UPP, look no further. Are the Damascenites really about country, or revenge/self?http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/98770/upp-vote-buying
I have just heard an outstanding Barbadian, one of the architects of a new taxation scheme for the UK Labour party, being interviewed on the agenda-setting Today programme on BBC Radio Four.
My immediate thought was why has he not been invited by this government to discuss his ideas, even if they were rejected|? Why have our media not been interviewing him?
I will tell you why: the person was Professor Avinash Persaud, who is close to the Opposition party, which makes me wonder: if he has been talking to the Opposition why have they not said anything about the kind of new taxation system a future BLP government would introduce?
I hope it is not the juvenile notion of keeping their powder dry and not allowing the DLP to steal their ideas.
@enuff
Do Barbadians care enough about vote buying that it will modify behaviour?
How many of you noticed/realized the DLP appointed one of their operatives as the Barbados Water Authority’s Manager of the Waste-water Division?
Former DLP candidate for St. Michael North East, PATRICIA INNISS, is the BWA’s Manager of the Waste-water Division.
Former DLP candidate for the City ABDUL PANDOR is a CONSULTANT at the Ministry of Transport and the CHAIRMAN of the Barbados Transport Authority.
Former DLP candidate for the City, PATRICK TODD, is a Senator and Minster of State in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Former DLP candidate for St. James North, HARCOURT HUSBANDS, is a Senator and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education.
Former DLP candidate for St. Peter, HAYNESLEY BENN, is the Consul General to Toronto, Canada.
Former DLP candidate for St. George North, JEPTAR “JESTER” INCE, is a Senator and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.
In January 2017, in response to nonsense spewed by Jester, Owen Arthur said: “It really means that any salary being paid to Mr. Jepter Ince is a cost overrun…..” I bet DLP yard-fowl Kevin, who was quick to agree with Arthur’s assessment of the unions, will NOT agree with his assessment of “Jester” Ince.
Former DLP candidate for St, George South, ESTHER BYER-SUCKOO, is a Senator and Minister of Labour and Social Security.
Former DLP candidate for St. Andrew, IRENE SANDIFORD-GARNER, is a Senator and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism & International Transport.
Former DLP candidate for St. Joseph, GUYSON MAYERS is CBC’s resident legal analyst and in May 2016 the DLP Cabinet agreed to pay him $300,000 for 15 months, to oversee the National Risk Assessment and Mutual Evaluation Exercise of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism Regime of Barbados.
Former DLP candidate for Christ Church West, VERLA DEPEIZA, is a Senator and CBC’s resident legal analyst.
I was surprised the DLP did not find “picks” for their other losing candidates: George Hutson, Francis DePeiza and Rolerick Hinds.
But they unceremoniously showed the exit door to Kenny Best, Dennis Holder and Patrick Tannis.
@Enuff July 18, 2017 at 2:43 AM #
A picture tells a thousand words. If there were any doubts about who is really behind the UPP, look no further. Are the Damascenites really about country, or revenge/self?
…………………………………………….
No worries, Enuff, we know these two ladies are OSA sidekicks.
Whoever told Lynette that she could lead a party? With OSA’s star power behind her she could not win a seat, how will she win one now? Seeing that OSA’s star has now faded, she has an even bigger challenge on her hands.
I for one am very glad that the lady on the right is no longer around the BLP. Can anyone picture a big able adult woman walking up and down up front at a townhall meeting with a doll under her arm like a little girl?………..
No lost to the BLP!
Artax
The DLP sure looks after their own……….remember those that stayed the course will share the fatted calf.
They are also installing dems in all the vacant principal positions. A friend of mine went to a primary school on official government duty and the principal let the person know up front that he is a dlp supporter………….
I lok forward to hearing from the likes of Ronald Jones when he is no longer in office when whoever is the government complains about dems putting stumblimg blocks in the way of the government’s agenda.
Let us have that meeting afterall only the private sector though.
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/98796/pm-answers-private-sector-dialogue
@FB
“That is not the case.
Barbados needs only three things to recover quickly:
Reduced taxation to free up consumer spending and resultant tax income.
Increased civil service facilitation to increase economic activity and new projects to generate economic activity and resultant tax income.
Shedding of statutory corporations to decrease gov’t expenses through privatisation in which current employees would be able to participate.”
#1 is worth a try.
#2 what is “facilitation”….not being a roadblock?
#3 that is a start, but you know most of these are heavily over staffed, so don’t expect a private owner to keep that wage burden? This runs counter to #1,
And we are still in a public deficit situation. I think the gap is too wide today, between public spending and revenues, to think we can “mask the expenditures” and pull a Sink, and hope decreased taxation generates enough revenue to cover. Appreciate, servicing the existing debt is eating up what….40cents of every dollar? So renegotiating debt has to be on the table, for that is the easiest 10% you will find.
” Residents of the rural community said they were scared that a tree that has begun to tilt over high voltage electricity lines that have already killed a monkey, could fall at any time, endangering their lives. ”
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/07/19/lives-at-risk-2/
Hundreds of commuters were left stranded this morning as bus drivers employed by the state-owned Transport Board called in sick.
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/07/20/bus-strike/
Interesting to listen to Dr. Don Marshall on today’s talk show. It seems to the BU household that his argument was about putting flesh on BU’s perspective offered on this blog.
On another note, why did Babb and VoB not confirm the note read by Murray today? Read the note then confirm it looks like.
@David
What note that?
@enuff
Charles Herbert called the show to rebutt a note read by Murray circulating on social media that the private sector agency has joined forces with the unions to bring down the government.
NO, without debt restructure we are doomed. My suggestions were simply to roll the wicket for same. There is no question that we need IMF now, internal tax and debt restructuring in coming months and major external debt restructuring in 2 years, hopefully with a better credit rating than now.
This gov’t has spent 9 years proving they are incapable of any of that.
Stubbornness by the gov’t and escalation by the unions is our best hope. If the unions get what they want we all will sink together.
@FB
You must have been at Sherbourne today and agree with the private sector consensus?
FB
Well stated……best way out will be elections.
Elections not going to solve this country debt . The cold and hard truth concerning freeness and barbadians believing of themselves to be deserving to be entitled would remain a juggernaut and stumbling block in the way of barbados burdening debt,
Here we have a country for so many years have help and held the hands of a society by giving free education and health care which countries having more resources refuses to do for their citizens and today when a country needs the help of the citizenry the rallying cry is HELL NO coming from certain political quarters
Aha…..an operative has surfaced after going AWOL with the message no elections……interesting.
I never said no elections the bell would be rung in the constituionally elected time. Unless those who arebno running around like lost souls have another up de thing in mind.
But mind u govt not going to sit back and allow these well known one armed bandits to take the country over . They might have infiltrated the Unions but still of yet they have a lot of ground to cover before they can boldly defy and deceive those who are watching carefully with eagle eye
The Unions might be fooled into a false sense of feeling right and secure but when all is said and done the Unions would be the ones holding an empty bag all for naught
All this high drama would not be a repeat of the Sandiford Era. Thats all i have to say
Chuckle…..Primus has spoken…we shall await the crippling of the country by the unions……ah well.
These private sector vultures sicken me.
They know that the country is in serious trouble.
The PM and the Minister of Finance have told them that the action that is needed they will not do for political reasons yet they are condemning the unions for taking action to force the PM to at least get real and call an election.
It is very clear that Barbadians are fed up with this government and instead of the selfish private sector joining the union, they are now talking out of both sides of their mouths. Read Eddie Abed’s rant in today’s paper. Alvin Jemmott was ranting on VOB this morning but we know where his loyalties lie.
They are only thinking of their bottom lines not of the suffering people. No wonder crime is so high.
Industrial action could hit QEH next
Reports reaching NATION ONLINE indicate a representative from the National Union of Public Workers visited staff at the Martindale’s Road, St Michael facility this evening and told them to take industrial action tomorrow.
How many hospitals in Barbados ?
@David,
On another note, why did Babb and VoB not confirm the note read by Murray today? Read the note then confirm it looks like.
Glyne Murray is solely responsible for the irresponsible act. I though he was reading from a paper carrying the official letterhead of the an institution/association. I could not believe someone who have no use for social media would take something off WhatsApp, go on the air and read it without establishing it authenticity.
…who has*……
Is Barbados imploding? Is the RSS going to takeover?
@Bajan in NY
Agree with you, Murray is always pillorying social media, it was very surprising like you stated he opened up himself to be chided by Charles Herbert. Maybe it was a ratings move when the examined the latest Systematic Survey. BU recalls an exchange with his son on social media who agreed that his father should be willing to broach the NIS issue on the show, instead he has been very unwilling and hostile when the subject it raised about depleting resources at the NIS Scheme.
These jokers still don’t get it.
The DLP not only destroyed the last 9 years of Barbados, they have destroyed at least the next 5 years as well.
Williams Group yesterday announced their version of the Caribbean Development Bank. “The time is right for Caribbean development”. That is code for “Barbados is dead and will be for years, we’re putting our money where it is better served elsewhere”.
When people throw around terms like ‘capital flight’ and ‘brain drain’, rarely do they understand the consequences. Jamaica and Guyana are still suffering today from those symptoms of 30 years ago.
There are no more patriotic Bajans than Williams and Goddard families, they are both ‘new money’. They would be among the last to leave and the ones to switch out the lights.
As I have said for the past 8 years, there was never any chance of any economic recovery under Fumble’s Fools.
If the unions called a march for elections tomorrow they would be shocked at who turned up. This is their chance to have a real stake in the next version of Barbados to evolve from this mess, especially if private sector leaders continue to delay action.
If this current momentum is lost it will not be regained.
https://www.facebook.com/ZIMBABWEKID/photos/a.10150524068132752.390306.65933042751/10155383014352752/?type=3
The emergency gathering of the #Barbados Private Sector Association (#BPSA) was truly worthy of the famous line from #Shakespeare; “Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing…”
Instead of using this as a catalyst for a rare opportunity where the Barbadian private sector joins forces with the #Unions of Barbados and create a situation where the #nationalsocialresponsibilitylevy is either repealed or dialled down to 5% instead they adopt a mealy mouthed tract while the Social Partnership is due to meet August 18th they hope the PM will agree to meet sooner… Has anyone made an omelette by poking a needle through the shell? In the same manner industrial unrest is called just that for a reason, white and black Bajans need to wake to RH up and burn tyres and create strife to make the Government understand they cannot tax Barbadians into making the country prosperous again!
If the #Freundelstuart regime was truly concerned for #Barbados, they would NEVER have insisted on restoring their 10% pay cut – WDR is this? Animal Farm?
For the BPSA to accept waiting makes me wonder what really happened that the public is unaware of…
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1393149944073580&set=gm.10159069593825301&type=3
What the unions are doing can only be described as cowardly shiite.
If ever there was a time for someone to STAND UP and take a principled position for workers by OPENLY defying the shiite government and shutting the country down until elections are called for within two months…
IT IS NOW….
That these jackasses are sneaking around like thieves in the night …with gorilla tactics …only goes to show the SELF IMAGE of the shiite leaders in the unions.
Shiite in the DLP
Shiite in the BLP
Shiite in the churches
Shiite in the Business community
Shiite in the public
….no wonder we have our streets flowing with the stuff…. IT IS A SIGN.
Bushie likes Charles Herbert…. a lot.
Good man!
But he is not tough enough, or black enough, to do the job that needs to be done.
Too many damn panties in the union leadership….. including the BUT…
Steupsss…
Bushie
Chuckle……A good rant…….I agree wid yuh though.
Exactly Vincent.
The white, brown and red people in this country, who still mostly lead the private sector, have been cowed after 50 years of black rule. Money runs every aspect of life on this planet, they would prefer to move theirs out of Bim rather than bear the consequences of speaking up.
Yesterday was more of the same shite talk from the cowards at the table head who could have taken the initiative from the unions and made a NO CONFIDENCE statement.
Exactly Bush Tea.
The BWU and NUPW cannot trust the DLP supporters in their membership and were a bit surprised by their low march turnout. If they get what they want (salary increase to offset the effects of the (once again) increased cost of living, they will go home happy and the rest of us will pay for it. More civil service costs for piss-poor return.
We have only one option now. Elections. We need to do whatever it takes to bring this infection to a head.
I don’t like the taxes that the Government has imposed. Who does? However other than Owen Arthur, nobody has put forward a credible alternative. The private sector’s proposal is simple – mass lay off of public sector employees. The unions have NO proposal other than “gimme mo money”. Things are so bad in this country that I have to admit that the most mature, balanced and informed response (at this time) to the financial crisis of Government is that of Mr Sinckler.
Only God can help us now.
FB
We have only one option now. Elections. We need to do whatever it takes to bring this infection to a head.
………………………………
Agreed……and how is the million dollar question.
With the absence of BS&T and the sensible action of Massy&Ansa to keep quite in another territory the BCCI has no real clout….Goddards no longer has that great a control in Bim,as they have rightfully gone regional&global……..Williams’ for a number of reasons have to keep quite……so who will bell the cat?????
Ping Pong,
Other than Owen Arthur?
Ping Pong
Arthur and the majority of economists on both sides of the fence have agreed that the IMF is the best way out presently.
We too like to get tie up with loss of 7000 jobs wherever that figure came from as opposed to realising.
…….that we are talking about retrenchment&redundancies
…….IMF approval allows loans&grants to be accessed for projects
…..Confidence by the IMF will allow investment to take place.
Hence job creation.
Going to the IMF is an opportunity to restructure our governance system….hopefully whichever govt is in power will avail themselves of the opportunity.
@Bush Tea
Like FB alluded, the unions don’t trust the influence it has to cause a shutdown, hence the guerrilla tactics.
Where are the BLACK business folk ? Dah picture mussee from 1967.
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/98857/business-folk-views