The Act will require every person who is a ‘person in public life’ when the Act comes into force to make an initial disclosure to the Commission within three (3) months of the date of commencement of the Act. In the case of a person who becomes a ‘person in public life’ after the commencement of the Act, it will provide for the initial disclosure to be made within three (3) months of the date of his becoming a ‘person in public life’ – Extracted from a Speech delivered by the late David Thompson in January 8, 2008.
Even if a small number of marchers than expected turn up on Monday the government finds itself in a lose lose situation. The big picture that must remain painted in the minds of all Barbadians is the economy stupid. With less than a year to go before the next general election, it is unlikely even to the proverbial optimist this government will be able to infuse sufficient confidence in the marketplace to fuel a greater level of productivity. In summary, if the private sector through its executive fails to demonstrate that it has the support of workers on Monday it will retreat to other means, flight of capital is one example. A trip down memory lane to the period 1991 to 1993 is a reminder that a government that fails to enjoy the confidence of its private sector is doomed to fail.
On the other side of the equation is the Union in a fight some say it cannot afford to lose. With the private sector showing the Union support and about to execute the phalanx maneuver -the Barbados climate, not industrial, is about to become more elevated. How does one determine if the Union ‘loses’? Is it based on the hundreds, no thousands of man-hours wasted because of absenteeism, go slows, employees on the job who have disengaged, how about those who see no wrong in misusing government owned assets?
The right to demonstrate once done peacefully and the rule of law respected is the inalienable right of a citizen or group under the democratic system practiced in Barbados. The government operatives have pulled the race card which exposes a level of desperation and panic in the camp. Bear in mind this is a government whose political campaign was bankrolled by a White Bjerkham and company in 2007/2008, and to boot, rewarded him with a seat on the board of the Central Bank of Barbados.
The Stuart led government finds itself in an unenviable position in the political history of Barbados. It explains why the usually studied public utterances of Comrade Bobby Morris have of recent descended into a pit of defamatory bile. In the 90s the DLP Sandiford administration fell as a result of a public AND internal withdrawal of confidence in his government. Are we about to witness lightning striking twice on the same party? Are the political historians waiting with pen in hand to ink events as they are about to unfold that will include DLP déjà vu in the table of contents?
Part of the problem Barbados is experiencing is that the message of change promised to Barbados first by Thompson and then Stuart who won because the BLP got it wrong has not materialized. We have had more of the same from this DLP government with continuing rumours of corruption supported by Auditor General reports, ineffective Public Accounts Committee sessions, dissenting positions from within the bowels of Cabinet, questionable NIS management read Four Seasons and EMERA, defacing of the Central Bank’s reputation, Cahill etc, etc, etc. All of the forgoing has been compounded by a prime minister who refuses to use the power of speech to communicate to those he leads. It is at election time the sleeping giant feels emboldened to shout from Mount Olympus to the sheeple.
To the topical issue of march or not to march AND the motive of those who support the march. First a disclosure: Charles Herbert is known to the BU household and the attempt to smear a man who has lived his life so far to build a solid reputation in Barbados as a professional and citizen is to be regretted. It is a clear example why quality Barbadians resist getting involved in ‘giving back’ to society. He should have remained in his lucrative practice, make his millions and forget about the plebs. Members of the BU household have observed him sitting at town hall meetings quietly taking notes, asking questions when many of the BLACK yardfowls attacking his character today stayed at home watching TV or at Chefette purchasing takeaway dinner. One of the reasons the citizenry has to resort to disruptive methods to demonstrate against a government unwilling to listen is because our governance system is flawed. There is no avenue to recall the government in a structured and less disruptive manner, for example, support in the Constitution to cede the POWER to RECALL to the people.
At the root of our problem is the lack of integrity and transparency in public office.
311 responses to “The March to Déjà vu”
Should we debate Hal’s question in the context of a movement fueled by the concerns of the mass segment of the population?
PM, how about making tomorrow a national holiday and joining the march, as we all do not like to pay taxes. Though some of us accept that we have to for the country to operate.
@ David,
Messrs Inniss, Estwick, Lashley S and a few others will still collect their $100,000 plus per
month and will still get their pensions when they lose the next elections and the Froon will still
visit Toronto later this year and be wined and dined
and the majority of the politicians and the business class will continue to drive their
bmmerclanlexuses visit their outside women in north america an drink single malt scotch an an an………
@Hants
Understood and your statement applies to many in the private sector.
David
A no win win situation for the poor/average person as he will be buggered by the govt benz or the private sector lexus.
Who will help the poor/average person…..what is the solution…..any answers?
It is a bit surprising that we have not heard a peek out of Donville Inniss as yet!!! Strange eh?
PM, as a follow-on, get your finance team to determine the average amount that workers will pay over the next year because of the higher levy and declare a few additional public holidays during the year to compensate the workers. NSR Levy Holidays.
PM, also, restore the severance pay act to a minimum of one month for every year of service.
PM, if you declare tomorrow a public holiday, we hope that the private sector association would provide some drinks, food and music.
David,
Our populism, if it is such, is peculiar in that it is (emerging as) bottom up, rather than top down. There is no political leader or public intellectual giving legitimacy to this current rebellion by people who believe they are under enough pressure.
The obvious pressure is economic: internal devaluation, rising taxation, imported inflation, a government that has awarded itself a 10 per cent pay rise and gives the appearance that all its members have their snouts in the trough.
They also face businesses, in particular the banks, behaving badly without any discipline from government.
Already there is deception, with claims that this is not ‘political’. If it is not surely it is not religious.
There is also potential for conflict. If police and stewards try to keep marchers in some kind of order and angry young men and women breakaway to protest, then the police will be forced to keep some kind of order. Utopians will say this will never happen. But they should read Jean Blondel on the mob.
This raises the question of the discipline of democratic politics. Can class politics be negotiated through the prism of discipline, of meetings and notes and minutes?
So far of the three dominant trade unions organising the march, only one has an articulated position, the NUPW – no job losses and pay increases. Of the other two, one is also a public sector union, and the other a general union.
So, we can assume, that the centre of the crisis is the public sector. What interest therefore does the private sector has in supporting this march, apart from taxation?
This raises interesting questions since most tax increases are instantly passed on by business to the consumers – the fiscal pass through.
As things stand, business generally, and small businesses in particular, benefit from a reluctance by government to collect VAT and national insurance, whether this is through incompetence or deliberate policy of allowing these businesses to use taxes as cash flow.
There is a debate to be had.
@Hal
Not sure there is a debate to be had based on anything that has manifested so far.. What we are seeing is a country fighting to defend a standard living it cannot afford. We should be careful not to over analyze at this juncture.
Here is a summary of what the PM Stuart revealed today borrowed from Facebook.
Here is a link to the Budget delivered in May by Sinckler, where was it mentioned the NSRL would fund public sector wages?
https://www.barbadosparliament.com/uploads/document/b10d82bdefaa5410a4e62c3da6ff2afb.pdf
Now how does revealation as accurately stated by the PM details and meeting concerning the discussions between him and the Union makes you feel
Admit ! Doesnt it make you feel like a proverbial jack ass.
Just asking u David
But the other revealations between him and the head of the Private Sector is astronomically mind blowing
The jac aa .s head of Private Sector now wanne be leader of barbados economic affairs had the mitigated gall to threaten barbados social enviroment .
In any other country he would have been handcuffed forthwith and hauled off to a dungeon
This man is a two faced bold faced walking stick of dynamite.
Did the PM wave the possibility of invoking the public order act in his speech today? Of course he would have done so with a general election less than one year away. Is this a comedy show?
The PM straight out lied tonight…………….all made up lies. There was never any mention of the NSRL being used to pay salary increases, it was set up to help the QEH we were told.
…………………………………………………
“NSRL was designed to finance the burgeoning cost of health care on the
island and to assist with the maintenance of a clean environment, which is critical not only for Barbadians, but for the survival of our tourism industry. Barbadians are well aware that we as a country continue to battle with deficiencies in these two are as as well as
in a number of other critical areas of social service provisioning”
……………………………………………………………
So how is it now to pay salary increases………you could look into this man’s face and see the arrogance, the derision, the disdain for mere mortals as her spoke.
Fruendel…….your days are limited.
The 21 million dollars they dumped in Apes Hill should have been dumped into helping black businesses expand to hire young men and keep them out of crime., dumoed into the black population…not into Cow. ….
..the ministers like to kiss the asses of minorities too much and have to give away the people’s money to do so…
Glad to see the business minorities stabbing them in the government in their backs….with dull spoons…hope it hurts like hell…..traitors..
When ya think Hal could not be more lost and detached from reality,..lol, hahaha…lol
“Simple Simon July 23, 2017 at 12:32 PM #
@Hal Austin July 23, 2017 at 11:31 AM “But where do we go from here? A few months out from a general election, government has lost its power to teach workers a lesson by sacking them…”
You fool as they have before the workers will sack the government.”
Yes he did David.
I went down town to the last march and I was surprised at the number of police all about the place.
A group of us were standing under a tree near the cenotaph. Apolice up to us and asked if we were with the march, we said no, we are only watching what is going on. He said well wunnuh got to move, no one is not to be in this area. We moved on as I did not want to deal with an uncouth policeman.
So we can watch out for the whole force to be present tomorrow.
Prodigal Son July 23, 2017 at 8:47 PM #
“The PM straight out lied tonight…………….all made up lies. There was never any mention of the NSRL being used to pay salary increases, it was set up to help the QEH we were told.”
@ Prodigal
We all know Freundel Stuart is a liar.
According to Angela Skeete: “This man is a two faced bold faced walking stick of dynamite.”
Perhaps Angela Skeete or Carson C. Cadogan may want to tell us where in the May 2017 budget it was mentioned that the NSRL would be used to pay public sector salaries/wages.
Doesn’t the situation in Barbados remind one of Venezuela? Freundel (as Maduro) who took over from Thompson (Chavez) fighting Mia (as Capriles) and the big businesses who are being accused of plotting to overthrow the Government.
Told yall Owen is a two faced hypocrite, adept at speaking out both sides of his mouth, simultaneously. ….just be glad his days are numbered..
“Simple Simon July 23, 2017 at 11:06 AM #
@millertheanunnaki July 23, 2017 at 10:37 AM “Is this the same stinking hypocritical OSA who came to power because of the same marching and back-stabbing that brought down the Sandiford administration?”
Owen has become old and [fat metaphorically] and comfortable, and I wonder if he has forgotten that the people made him.”
Where does Mr Arthur opinion fall in all of this?
We should hesitate about calling the PM a liar. Suppose he meant that the promise was made in Cabinet or in a private meeting with the Union?
Owen the hypocrite…
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/98935/removing-govt-unions-role
Is anyone listening to the PM rating and raving on DLPTV? That kinda thing at a luncheon?
Karma is real.
He looked rattled.
Was the union told by government to wait until the third quarter to see how much NSRL is collected to inform wage talks or not!
The PM said tonight that he spoke with Charles Herbert from Bussa Roundabout until he reached home in St Philip.
He said that at the end of the conversation, Mr Herbert told him that they no longer needed to meet since they had spoken on all the issues.
This is now the confusing part…………….if Mr Herbert told him as he got home that he no longer needed to meet with him eye ball to eye ball…………why would Mr Herbert send him a letter on Friday demanding a meeting according to Mr Stuart?
Somehow the PM’s story does not add up…………..but what he made clear tonight is that the Police and the defence force are going to be out in force tomorrow.
Will Steve Blackett’s words come true……..is blood going t be spill in the streets?
William Lynch’s legacy continues to bear fruit for his beneficiaries.
David Thompson let the cat out of the bag when he considered Barbados’s Gross National Product to be nothing more than a Fatted Calf to be cut up and shared among the passport holding blue blood members of the Democratic Labour Party.These blue bloods are renting their garments,baring and gnashing their teeth via social and traditional media.Whatapp messages flying in Bdos like never before.The DLP radio and the DLP TV station sending the Fatted Calf message of desperation.It looks like the writing is on the wall.Experience suggests all the PM had to do was call a meeting of the social partners.Matter fix.
So teach him a lesson because he did not call a meeting. Show him who is boss. Remind him of the order of things. Remind him to ask how high when you say jump.
@angela Skeete July 23, 2017 at 4:59 PM
Why the hell you don’t get your illiterate self off the people’s blog?
@David July 23, 2017 at 5:36 PM “Oh to be a fly on the walls of Messrs Inniss, Estwick, Lashley S.”
On Saturday night I was at the young people’s thing at Kensington. A great, enthusiastic crowd, mainly grannies, mommies and children.
When the emcee said please welcome the Minister [of Culture] the cheers were barely lukewarm.
That told me something. And as it happens i like the cute little Minister of Culture. I think that he is really trying. But I will be honest with you. Last night I felt sorry for him.
Simple Simon, neither “B” nor “D”
Up de THING !!!!
Wha THING you talking ’bout ????
If is true that PM Stuart met for over 6 hours on Friday June 23 2017 with the Trade Unions , including the NUPW – where an NUPW representative asked in the meeting to discuss salaries in September 2017 – 3 months after the NSRL was increased to see how it’s imposition is impacting on citizens……???????
Why is the NUPW is supporting a march on July 24 , 2017 – one month after they agreed to review the NSRL impact in September 2017 ???
Why does the NUPW continue to peddle a BIG LIE that PM Stuart did not meet with the Trade Unions beyond July 11, 2017 ??????
Why is the NUPW supporting a shutdown of businesses in Barbados at a time when they agreed with government to see how the NSRL is impacting – by September 2017 ????
Whose THING they UPPING ???
A few observations
-It happens all the time, two people have a telephone conversation, even sometimes face to face, and each leaves with a different interpretation of what occured/was agreed upon.
-It is totally inappropriate for the PSA representative to suggest discussions are required to “avert social unrest”.
– I have no issues with the PM connecting increased revenue to the GoB’s ability to spend more. The NSRL is just one of many revenue producing tools.
-The PM totally out-negotiated the Unions on June 23. Being “prepared to look at”, an increase “however small” is glaringly non-specific. The PM just bought 3 months of peace, or so he thought?
-We should all get the message when the PM refers to a “tax performing to our cherished expectations”, because very few of the revenue goals set by this MoF have been obtained.
David,
Are you joking? There is every reason to have an intense debate. Every responsible person hopes there will not be a break down in law and order during the march, but the state must take precautionary action ie put the police and defence force on standby.
More important, the debate must focus on how we have reached the state we are in. @David, either you do not understand the threat to the social order, or you are in denial. People are talking about the public order Act, the prime minister is reported as saying the defence force will be on standby; the government and the private sector organisations are at loggerheads. Is this not a crisis? And when you have a crisis do you not discuss (debate)the issues?
@David, you are in danger of being on the wrong side of history.
Are we not debating the issue now? Which subject is crowding the newsfeed at this time?
Question for the PM: the NSRL is meant to fund public sector salaries if it does the job of helping the government hit its revenue target? How sustainable an approach is it.
The inability of the PM to engage in continuous meaningful dialogue with stakeholders via the social partnership and other avenues must contribute to a level of frustration playing out in the public space. Whether we agree with one side or the other let us appreciate that Barbados is in a bad place. Who to blame?
David July 23, 2017 at 6:50 PM
@Hal
Not sure there is a debate to be had based on anything that has manifested so far.. What we are seeing is a country fighting to defend a standard living it cannot afford. We should be careful not to over analyze at this juncture.
@ David,
Are you suffering from amnesia, or is it me?
MARCH ON!
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart says he has no intention of blocking today’s planned march spearheaded by the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) and four of the major Trade Unions.
He made this clear while addressing the Christ Church West Annual Luncheon, yesterday.
“A few people got onto me, begging me to meet quickly to head it off. I do not want to head it off. I want it to happen,” he stated.
“The People of Barbados have to see what is possible around here and how far people will go in the pursuit of their perverse objectives,” he stated to DLP supporters gathered at Almond Bay Caterers.
He went on to stress that it is not true that there has been no dialogue as stated by the BPSA and the Trade Unions; also, that it is not true that the Government is indifferent to the demands of public officers for increase in salaries, as Government accepted the recommendation of the National Union of Public Workers’ to revisit this issue at the end of September after reviewing the increased National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL).
However, the Prime Minister said it is true that he was told to meet or schedule a meeting, or else there will be social unrest.
“The phrase ‘social unrest’ can only mean one thing – creating a situation where the society is thrown into chaos. I have said that as Minister of Defence and Security, I can’t deal with that directly; it’s a matter for the Royal Barbados Police Force and any assistance they may need if we get to that stage,” he further stated.
As far as a march to force the government to reduce the tax is concerned, he stressed, “that is not on… If, the government comes to the conclusion that the tax is not achieving the objectives which the government intended it to achieve, the government will have to revisit it”.
“But, the idea of any business entity in Bridgetown deciding that when the government is going to impose taxation of any kind – you have to get their permission before you impose it – that is not on. And I don’t believe quite honestly that the Trade Unions believe that is the way it should be done either,” he added.
Minister Lashley cannot be a happy camper this morning after his call of last week for calm heads to rule to avert strike action. What is clear from what the PM admired is that he has refused to meet with the groups. This does not augur well for a well functioning social partnership.
These 2 dirty slave governments been thiefing from taxpayers and pensioners to help feed these same greedy business “cats” in Barbados who can eat the marchers “mice” with the marchers mice tax dollars and pension dollars for 30 yesrs…..and now the “cats” are stabbing the slave governments in their backs with dull and rusty spoons……good, it should be forever fatal.
Fruendel got warning for the “mice” he been selling out….traitor.
…. Fruendel got the nerve to talk now he is shitting his pants…..after giving away the people’s money instead of giving it to the people.
“Vicious slave minister that he is…he should call Clare Cowan the Canadian crook of Cahill scam to help him.
At least the black people are well aware and always knew that their employers, with their greedy, selfish, slave master mentalities….CAN NEVER BE TRUSTED……..
…now they know the slave ministers of parliament CAN NEVER BE TRUSTED EITHER…because they been laying with the same “cats” for decades….
the unions are representative of the people …as ministers of governments are supposed to be…but never are…they live to represent the “cats” instead….now they are being stabbed and eaten by their masters the catd.
“PRIME MINISTER FREUNDEL Stuart is warning the trade union movement to remember its place in the food chain with Government and the private sector.
He said when the trade unions got into an alliance with the private sector there could only be one winner as cats did not lay with mice; they ate them.
“I hope that those elements in Barbados who feel that a cat and mouse can enjoy fellowship in the same space are not fooling themselves,” he said.
“This new-found fellowship that I am hearing about, not too long from now these same leaders are going to have to sit down across the table with these employers to negotiate wages and salaries and conditions of service.”
Simple…do not feel sorry for these beast ministers…they sell out the people every opportunity they get…and given any more opportunities, they will continue to sell the people out….
…they are sell outs…always have been, always will be, never to be trusted with the people’s money, welfare or wellbeing.
First opportunity they get again, the will give away the people’s money by the hundreds of millions to the same business parasites that are stabbing them in their back now….first opportunity….that is their nature…traitors.
Karma is real.
Why is Herbert just able to call up Fruendel on his car phone pr cell or whatever.
The minorities have too much easy access to government ministers, the business people should not have such easy access to the PM..
They should have to go through certain channels and protocols.
No wonder some of them like Cow, Bizzy, Maloney just call up ministers and make demands and shout at them when they cant have their way…
…..stop these business parasites from such easy access to the government, so you do not get miscommunication after phone conversations….there are layers of permanent secretaries and assistants for that, to relay information, requests and answers.
both Herbert and Fruendel were trying to be smartasses and ended up misunderstanding each other,..lol
Prodigal Son July 23, 2017 at 9:19 PM #
“Is anyone listening to the PM ranting and raving on DLPTV? That kinda thing at a luncheon?”
@ Prodigal
David BU’s 4:25 AM comment re: “The INABILITY of the PM to ENGAGE in CONTINUOUS MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE with stakeholders VIA the social partnership and OTHER avenues must CONTRIBUTE to a level of frustration playing out in the public space. Whether we agree with one side or the other let us appreciate that Barbados is in a bad place,” perfectly describes the events currently unfolding.
What else do you expect from Freundel Stuart (and members of his Cabinet) who, rather than address Barbadians in an open forum, prefer to discuss matters of importance within the confines of the DLP faithful, where he can talk shiite and use pejorative statements to insult other Barbadians without being challenged…….. while entertaining the DLP yard-fowls who can be heard laughing and applauding in the background.
Yard-fowls are a special breed, because I do not find anything Stuart says to be funny.
What took Alleyne so long to request a Contractor General to lock up corrupt ministers and government employees…..
……what about the thiefing corrupt insurance companies that he is supposed to be regulating…they need to all be taken down for criminal activities against citizens and policyholders…
A CALL HAS BEEN MADE to abandon the office of Auditor General and replace it with a much more powerful Contractor General empowered to bring criminal charges.
Sir Frank Alleyne, chairman of the supra-regulatory Financial Services Commission, is frustrated that for years the financial irregularities highlighted in the Auditor General’s reports as well as his recommendations for action continue to be ignored by successive administrations.
The economist, known for his no-nonsense approach to the administration of Government, described the situation as a “scandal”.
“Generations of public servants certainly of the 1980s those who have passed on would roll in their graves if they see that [what is happening],”
Art….Fruendel is wicked, he is trying to provoke unrest, but apparently the day is going to be rainy, nice and cool and the people just have to stay peaceful and march…no matter how many police he throws in the streets.
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/98970/stuart-warning
Then kick Fruendel’s ass out of parliament,….at the first opportunity, let him go into hiding,