Prime Minister Freundel Stuart
This week’s article will hopefully wake the sleeping giant whose relaxation is fast becoming our peril. The nation must challenge the Prime Minister to come to the rescue, do what is right, and to maximise his time left in office. The Freundel Stuart-led Cabinet should also be more mindful of their words and actions. From where I sit, things have reached an alarming low, with the political rhetoric from even Prime Minister Stuart scraping the bottom while forgetting that the national discourse from our leaders can shape important aspects of social and economic development. Perhaps against his own intent or sense of nationhood, Prime Minister Stuart prefers to be reactive to criticism instead of being proactive in governing.
For at least the past seven years, it appears that the current executive arm of government is hell-bent on spreading seeds of divisiveness throughout the society. There is the repeated tearing down of people who present themselves as being oppositional or willing to offer an alternative view on how governance ought to be approached in Barbados. That said, there are numerous things that are most bothering to Barbadians even as a general election approaches.
Certainly, the Barbados society can hardly be said to better off today than it was prior to the loose spinning out of a mantra that said Barbados is more than an economy, it is a society. As noble as the refrain may sound coming from the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), at a time when Barbadians felt it was better to change a government that had performed beyond any in the last 30 years, the DLP regrettably stumbled from one set of platitudes about self, to undermining the unity and progress which previously mapped Barbados’ socio-economic development.
A recent report emerging from the University of the West Indies (UWI), is showing that poverty has increased in Barbados with ‘an increase in overall poverty of 2.4 per cent’. This situation is characterised by the fact that ‘17.5 per cent of the population’ is currently living in poverty; this statistic is up from the 15.1 per cent recorded in 2010. Qualitatively, ‘poverty is rising because extreme poor are going into non-extreme poor and the vulnerable have fallen into poverty’. Consider for a moment the many complaints being expressed in Barbados on gun-related violence, the high murder rate, the deviance being seen by both our young men and women, and the fact that the educational system is placing greater pressures on our teachers and families. A summary statement would indicate that the DLP has failed miserably on its premier policy direction.
Has the country paused to really figure out why is it that there are so many willing candidates to contest the next general elections? Several of these men and women are not inclined to join the ranks of the two major political parties, but have stated their desire to capture the imagination of the wider Barbados. Quite frankly, their success is very much in doubt, but what it does suggest, that there is a definite decline and apathetic concern that have triggered them to participate more directly in the issues concerning Barbados. This emergent political passage, is of itself a fight for the preservation of democracy and one that would hopefully give voice to many of the voiceless persons in Barbados.
As stated up front, the DLP has been most bellicose whenever alternative viewpoints have been expressed by members of the public. Whenever critics indicate, for one reason or another, that the DLP’s ways are flawed or will not net the desired results, they are labelled fearmongers, enemies of the state, and preachers of gloom and doom. How ludicrous! This is our Barbados in the same way that it belongs to those who sit in Cabinet and Parliament. The notion of a divided Barbados takes increasing relevance when Prime Minister Stuart knowingly stirs up mischief by throwing claims of conservatism and elitism into the open, while being dismissive of the constitutive efforts of all shades and classes of building the parties, and more importantly, directing post-colonial and post-independence developments in Barbados.
Furthermore, a study of social and identity politics reveals that domains of insecurity that arise from institutional and political reactions to a perceived threat, will always derail the best of intentions and the very safe ground to which the nation aspires. In that statement, resides the nucleus of the problem beleaguering this current DLP. It presents a rationale for the desperate and obtrusive rhetoric that has been blind-siding almost every policy measure the Stuart-led Cabinet has introduced. Put differently, the very notion of pathways to progress and the implemented policies of the DLP to reshape the Barbados society and grow the economy, have suffered from the dismissive tones and contradictory actions by the likes of Stuart, Sinckler, Kellman, Lowe, Jones, Inniss, the Lashley opposites and most others. Trust and credibility cannot be attached to the working of the present government for both known and unknown reasons.
For example, Barbadians were told among many other things that the VAT would be increased from 15 to 17. 5 per cent for a fixed period; what has happened since that time has elapsed? We were told that a National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL) would be introduced and set at 2 per cent and the gains would go towards healthcare and supplying the Sanitation Services Authority (SSA) with trucks so that Barbadians can have their garbage collected in a timely and appropriate manner; what has happened with those revenues and where are the trucks? We have heard the Commerce Minister speak repeatedly on the ease of doing business for both locals and our international interests; what has been done to improve the situation?
The plain truth is that there is a long list of discordant and contradictory rhetoric by the DLP when compared to their actions. These typical discursive practices – social actions occurring in everyday practices but which largely arise, implicitly or explicitly, from political and institutionalised statements being enunciated – spell disaster for Barbados’ governance. It cannot be satisfying that Barbadians everywhere are buckling under the pressures of high taxation and austere conditions, and the best that the administration can do is to say that all is fine and dandy, just block out the voices and concerns of those that do not agree with the DLP Cabinet’s programs.
That very discursive process being followed by Stuart and the DLP is drawing on the weaknesses they have already created. It is through an intersubjective understanding of the socially constructed panic, poverty, and hopelessness that is being felt by many in the Barbados society, that one can fairly conclude that the DLP has failed the Barbados nation. If as Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has said that his Cabinet and parliamentarians: “Want to create a Barbados that is socially balanced, economically viable, environmentally sound, and characterised by good governance,” then surely, he must take responsibility for his Cabinet’s wobbles and fiascos. To date, these have amounted to numerous dislocations and much disconcerting behaviour being exhibited in many sectors across the nation. It is time to wake the sleeping giant!
(Dr George C. Brathwaite is a political consultant. Email: brathwaitegc@gmail.com)
George, forget any reform before election day. And do not forget that Sinckler controls the government.
I assume that Sinckler will do all to insure devaluation. Just after the next election to sabotage the new government. He knows that he has to leave the island since he is the most hated man in Barbadian history. Slavery, hurricanes and the pest – nothing matches him.
It is not true that “everybody hates Chris”
We are just tired of him that’s all.
When he is no longer an MP or a Cabinet Minister, we will simply ignore him
We Bajans are good at that.
No he does NOT have to run anywhere.
isnt Fruendel in Canada hobnobbing, so he is wide awake, but hobnobbing on your dime, having a sip.
he will probably send yal the wukup videos..like Jones..lol
@Well Well @ Consequences Observing Blogger September 26, 2017 at 8:47 AM “Fruendel…he will probably send yal the wukup videos”
Where de tickets selling…me and my crew want some.
Lol!
Canada….Simple, no need to buy tickets he will send free videos, show yall his shakespeare wukup.
Stupse. The man got betta tings to do, as WW says. Bother wid wunna? Who wunna feel yuh is?
You really think that if the lead manipulator and pretender has not done anything productive, now, that one can say, STUART DID THAT; you think in this last gine down, the pretensive-manipulator with a twist of immoral is going stand up now and be counted? You hit the nail on the head with a sledge when you stated:
————Perhaps against his own intent or sense of nationhood, Prime Minister Stuart prefers to be reactive to criticism instead of being proactive in governing.———–
The Prime Minister operates from a position of poor rakey and piss poor. Throughout his tenure, he has ignored the need to address pertinent issues with a Prime Ministerial statement, but can jump on petty matters hurling insults and a lot highfoluted nuffatarian language. The pretender could not find a sympathetic word to offer bajans who suffered calamities associated with bad roads, death through crime etc, but could find all the fancy talk for the US who suffered the fate of Harvey. You are asking too much of the belligerent pot, who like to call others black. The only thing he plans to do is drop it to another level of low as their try to win the next election by operating like gutter rats.
Sometimes we wonder if there is any consciousness amongst the scribes that there are people in this world who give not an *uck about obeying implicit social rules, dogmas.
People who have navigated all that is and have lowered their collective pants at the social order. Asking these types of ‘scribos’ to kiss their rear ends.
For example, there are people to whom you can’t talk to about money or wealth at all. People who have had or have so much brassbowl money that they find it, the criminal systems on Wall Street and elsewhere that generate it, the enslavement of today’s populations to create elite thinking, as repulsive.
On the other hand, for example, 60% of Americans cannot raise 400 dollars without access to credit. Credit the means of creating gross distortions, enslavement.
The ‘poor talk’ informing most of the conversations about these discourses on political-economy is worlds apart from the thinking of those who are saying *uck off!
There never seems to be a juncture providing an exit from this interminable ‘intellectual’ BS. There never seems to be any genuine end point which is absent from some unwinnable struggle to eke out a living resultant from some more and more unbelievable arithmetic formulation.
Is there all our lives are to be about? When will we tire of this bull shiite? Can a better world not, at all, be possible? A world absent a demeaning struggle for money, resources? And how fulfilling is that anyhow?
Should these members of the ‘intelligentsia’ not at some point to asked to link their arguments to other measures – justice, courage, honesty, the requirements of spirit, etc
Parliament sitting today and so far 4.6 million passed for island wide 6 month debushing programme.
Then we hear Mark calling brasstacks quoting the order paper saying that a passage of 13 M for an attorney’s fees and leasing or selling of land at the port to an entity.
Todays sitting should be interesting.
“Is there all our lives are to be about? When will we tire of this bull shiite? Can a better world not, at all, be possible? A world absent a demeaning struggle for money, resources? And how fulfilling is that anyhow?”
They are too lazy and/or corrupt to create a better system and the group..whites…who are proactive enough to, but are not as ambitious as their ancestors were…are benefitting just fine from what was created by their ancestors and therefore see no need to change anything……
…..so in order to get change…it all has to evolve, one way or the next.
Well Well @ Consequences Observing Blogger September 26, 2017 at 8:47 AM #
isnt Fruendel in Canada hobnobbing, so he is wide awake, but hobnobbing on your dime, having a sip.
He is supervising the construction of his CAN$2M retirement home.
Apparently our ‘successful black country’ isn’t successful enough for him any more, next April he’ll be off to spend the rest of his days enjoying Whitey’s company.
Not soon enough.
Frustrated I heard about this but thought the person was just pulling my legs.
It’s amazing the island stayed broke for the 9 years these cretin ministers were fleecing the treasury and pension fund to enrich themselves…the people are struggling to survive, but somehow most of the ministers and all of their criminal business partners are wealthy.
Pachamama is calling for people to live their lives according to noble values.
This from a man who wants to kill me for accurately pointing out that Marcus Garvey was a racist.
A wanna-be murderer with a fine moral sensibility.
We see no contradiction there
Not only you many, many more
How else can these ideals be attained
Certainly not with the presence of racists and their lackeys.
Former Peterborough Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro was released Thursday from the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay following his appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada on his conviction for overspending on his election campaign in 2008 and taking steps to cover it up.
Frustrated, WWC,
mansion in Canada? Makes sense. The black impoverished masses are not good for him anymore.
George Bratwaite if i were you i would let the sleeping giant sleep until after elections, just saying the last time the blp donkeys had the nerve to awake him wunna a.ss took a beating lol
Yesterday, at the centre of global arrogance, in the Senate, wheelchair bound protesters were enforceable removed.
Trump, his billionaire friends and paid-off politicians prefer to give 750 billion in tax cuts to the billionaires.
To make room in the national budget they have to take it from the health care of old people, the physically challenged and many others. This is disaster capitalism.
Puerto Rico
An American colony, hit by Irma 6 days ago, Trump continues to be disinterested. Unlike when Texas and Florida were faced similarly by equally devastative weather events.
You see, Puerto Rico, is mainly lived by Brown and Black peoples. So the disaster capitalist Trump finds it better to blame the victims about indebtedness, ancient infrastructure as tough he himself, a nine-times bankrupt, and America itself with a collapsing infrastructure and head to heel in debt, he sees it unnecessary, for not even non-US ships can enter Puerto Rico, for even to deliver aide from nearby Caribbean states.
Now we have colonialism of a modern typology.
why worry head about Trump he is not going anywhere he has a barrage of lawyers that would see to it that he finish his constitutionally elected four years plus plus his social media operatives who has collected enough dirt on the republicans if they dare try to impeach him,
Glory
Pacha…trump left Puerto Rico in debt…he borrowed heavily for one of his scams, filed bankruptcy and left them with the debt, he is of course filthy scum as we know…..
the people are suffering for water and food…the islabd is severely damaged, he plans to let them die…. while he is picking fights with black sports stars instead of helping Puerto Rico.
Obama and the other firmer oresident are trying to help PR.
Obama and the other former president are trying to help PR.
Well Well
but even Black people oppressed by the environment racism in Port Arthur, Texas and even West Indians in Florida who went there to cut canes many decades ago, in places like Lewinham, are still not seen by the Racist-in-Chief.
It’s pure evil we are dealing with now Pacha….concentrated evil….everyone is closing ranks to do something about the nasty racist in the WH…people have had enough.
angela skeete September 26, 2017 at 5:23 PM #
Angie, you still have not answered my question. Will the UN be asked to oversee the 2018 Barbados election?
Well Well
Check these out!
Yeah it’s really bad Pacha……people are cursing trump…Marc Anthony just told him shut the F up about NFL players and help Puerto Rico..people are dying, they need water and food.
Crusoe…Mia or one of the other newer parties will have to request monitors and intervention for the election…those corrupt ministers cannot be trusted not to try something criminal…in their desperation to keep the island as a den of iniquity and crimes for financial gain…they will not want it to end..
Why on earth would anyone want to wake that completely insignificant, incompetent and inconsequent failure that has been squatting in the Prime Minister’s office since his boss shook off his mortal coil?
The man does not even qualify as the worst Prime Minister Barbados has ever seen, since he has done nothing in the last 9 years which, even at a stretch of the imagination, could be considered a Prime Ministerial act.
He is quite happy to enjoy the trappings of the position, acting as nothing more than a host (or perhaps that should be hostess) to guests at Ilaro Court, and not only fraternising with, but using his position to protect thieves, robbers and non-lepers.
Let him fantasise for a little longer and then kick his sorry ass out of Ilaro Court and the House of Assembly and let him discover how quickly his sycophantic ‘friends’ will drop him like a hot potato once he has absolutely nothing to offer. Then he can go back to being a mediocre lawyer and continue to live out a solitary existence with only his memories of parties at Ilaro Court to comfort him.
I heard Trump speaking of Puerto Rico and of the Wall Street bankers.
A few simple questions: Has Trump ever declared bankruptcy?
Have any of his companies ever declared bankruptcy?
Is that an option for Puerto Rico or for some companies and individuals in Puerto Rico?
When the bankers screwed up a few years ago (I smell the hands of chadx5 on some of that screwing up) did not the taxpayers of the United States and Puerto Rico save their sorry asses?
Isn’t is payback time?
@Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. September 26, 2017 at 1:15 “He is supervising the construction of his CAN$2M retirement home.”
May the Canadian temperature hit 40 degrees below zero celsius, and may it remain there forever and ever.
Either Barbados has an inexhaustible supply of trees or newspapers do not have to buy news print.
WW, noted.
Angela Skeete,
In order top prove that a statement made by a minister is correct, to wit, that other parties are smearing them, surely it would be most transparent and suitable to invite the UN to monitor the coming elections?
This would surely give comfort to the ministers that any allegations will be refuted by evidence gathered by an independent body?
Surely?
Any comment about the vote in parliament today to pay Sir Richard Cheltenham 9 million and Sir Maurice King 4 million for work done on the Barrack deal? That vote contrasts starkly with the 4 million voted to debush a bushy Barbados.
Simple…47 below zero…an absolute nightmare…just for Fruendel.
A few simple questions: Has Trump ever declared bankruptcy?
trump robbed the people of puerto rico millions with his scam company, then filed for bankruptcy and left them with the debt, he contributed to that island`s current nightmare and is now blaming them.
What could two local lawyer do, on one case, to mek this kind of lifetime money.
Now if Bajans don’t know that these people got a big dickey up their crutch, hell help dem.
David
And it certainly does not helps when you continue to attached that three letter word as a prefix.
Are you in your personal capacity a monarchist?
These people need abusing daily and stripping of this faux ostentation.
The same way Mark Anthony abused Trump today should be part of the language in referring to all the elites.
@Pacha
The use of Sir was deliberate.
@ mitchlans and angela skeete
The only need to wake the sleeping giant is for him to call the elections. What he has not done since becoming PM he would never do in a few months. It is Barbados that I am interested in, bot about disturbing his beauty rest. Country before party.
@FB
“He is supervising the construction of his CAN$2M retirement home”
WHERE is the new pad?
The same Sir Richard who is working on behalf of Annell.
Northern…….some saw Ottawa.
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/09/26/sinckler-i-dont-own-shares-in-cost-u-less/
“I do not own any shares in Cost-U-Less. I don’t know about the place. I don’t know who the owners are. I have never met them, and I’ve never even been in there shopping,” he said.”
This fool is claiming not to know the owners of cost you less, never met them he said, so who met them…..and yet, and yet, he signs off on 15 years worth of concessions without meeting them not once….
…….that was not a little 25,000 dollar grant to someone trying to start a business, that was millions of dollars and years worth of concessions at taxpayer’s expense…
.,…..and yet, he never thought it important to meet these crooks, as minister of fine ants……
…..will sell ya one of the many bridges in Barbados….if ya believe that.
Has he ever met Stewart of Sandals…..40 years worth of concessions he signed off on….as minister of fine ants…..bet he will say he never met Sandals owners either.
An incompetent government filled with incompetent ministers……even more reason to kick them out of parliament.
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/09/26/barrack-debt-still-not-settled-kellman/
“Barrack debt still not settled – Kellman
Added by Neville Clarke on September 26, 2017.
Saved under Local News, Politics
1
After making nearly $150 million in payments to contractor Al Barrack, Government is still leasing the Warrens Office Complex at Warrens, St Michael from Barrack Construction Ltd, Minister of Housing Denis Kellman revealed today in the House of Assembly.
Speaking during debate on a $13.7 million supplementary vote to complete the payment of legal fees to Barrack’s attorneys – Sir Richard Cheltenham, QC; Sir Maurice King, QC; Sir Trevor Carmichael, QC; and Douglas Trotman – Kellman argued that these inherited expenses had proven burdensome to the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration.
“This is a matter that has been pending for a long time, and in these economic times this Government has had to find these sums to pay this large bill, which has nothing to do with the previous construction cost. “When one considers that the previous cost would have been in the range of $70 million and then the legal cost, which means that as it stands right now, the Government would have paid out nearly $150 million on this particular project,” he said.”
This is what is angering people worldwide, they know now more than ever before that they have rights and understand those rights, but when these shady governments get elected and start insulting the people’s intelligence….they have to speak out..
….here is Rowley getting put in his place…because 2 years later, he is stilling blaming Kamla..like if the people are too stupid to understand that after 2 years, he should have fixed all the mess Kamla created….as HE PROMISED the electorate he would, during elections.
“Mr Pm you need to SHUT UP and let citizens voice their opinion. Our Constitution gurantees our freedom of speech. If citizens are vocal about your plans and objecting to it thats there right. You cannot be so aggorant and stupid at the same time. Citizens have rights and you all as the elected government have a series of responsibilities to our citizens. WORD OF ADVISE. citizens are fed up of you and your gov. Its 2 years already stop blaming kamla and start doing the job you apply for on Sept 7th 2015. If you cannot do the job STEP DOWN AND CALL ELECTIONS NOW.”
Well Well & Consequences Observing Blogger. September 27, 2017 at 3:21 AM #
Hahhahahahaha. What else can you do but laugh.
The obvious response is…. ‘you does know you own mudda’?
Lol.
Call the Bushwacker…. some serious debushing is necessary.
Yep…..definitely, the people have to rise up Crusoe….only way to put these sleazy, corruption governments, who promise everything, yet only take, take, take…without offering up anything.
And always blame the previous government for their own incompetence….even 10 years later.
…who promise everything, yet only take, take, take…without offering up anything…..on NOTICE..
Pacha….finally some real movement, in the right direction.
“Washington (CNN)The IRS is now sharing information with special counsel Robert Mueller about key Trump campaign officials, after the two entities clashed this summer over both the scope of the investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election and a raid on former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s home, people briefed on the matter tell CNN.
Part of the concern centered on the far-reaching and broad requests from Mueller’s team. In the case of Manafort, Mueller’s investigators are reaching back 11 years as they investigate possible tax and financial crimes, according to search warrant documents. Mueller is bound by a written order issued by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in May which allows the special counsel to investigate “any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation.”
After several months of being at odds, one source said, the IRS Criminal Investigation division is now sharing information about campaign associates, including Manafort and former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn. The sharing happened after the two camps reached an agreement following consultation with officials at the Treasury Department.
Special counsel interviews with White House staff could start later this week
CNN has learned the IRS Criminal Investigation agents had been working with the FBI to investigate Manafort since before the election in a similar probe that centered on possible money laundering and tax fraud issues, according to the sources. It’s unclear if Flynn is now or was previously under investigation by the IRS. CNN has reported that Mueller’s team is examining Flynn’s payments from Turkey and Russia.
A former high-level Justice Department official says the information shared would include anything tax return-related such as real estate and banking records. The former official added the IRS is very restricted in what information it can share under Title 26 US Code and would normally need a specific grand jury subpoena in order to share tax returns with another agency.
The new information about the depth of IRS involvement renews questions surrounding the controversial issue of President Donald Trump’s tax returns, which he refused to release during the campaign despite decades of precedent by presidential candidates.
It is not clear whether the special counsel has asked for or obtained Trump’s tax returns. Sources say if Mueller’s office does have Trump’s returns, then Rosenstein, who oversees the probe, likely would have needed to sign off, given the sensitivity surrounding the matter.”
“I do not own any shares in Cost-U-Less. I don’t know about the place. I don’t know who the owners are. I have never met them, and I’ve never even been in there shopping,” said Mr Sinckler.
It is common knowledge that Leroy Parris is a close buddy of yours, so are we to believe that not only did you never know he was a principle shareholder in CUL, but also that you never discussed with him the 15 years worth of concession you granted them.
Cheese on man, you really do think Bajans is dumbfu*ks
VoB news at 12.30…..CBC staff on strike….today due to no agreement reached last night the majority staff walked off the job.
VoB 4.30 news…..S&P issues another downgrade on long term grade.
an even better reason not to reelect the useless government.
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/09/27/sp-warns-of-another-barbados-downgrade/
CBC could stay on strike forever and no-one would care. That propaganda factory should have been shut down decades ago. Let them go and earn a living in the free market with all the other free internet news sources.
Another downgrade in Stikliar’s list of achievements. NSRL cannot stave off disaster.
Call elections now Fools.
There was never any chance of economic recovery under Fumble’s Fools.
Not only was there never a financial plan, there was never a plan to create a plan.
‘Threat’ to water supply
FORMER GENERAL MANAGER of the Barbados Water Authority, Dr John Mwansa, said the island’s groundwater supply could be under severe threat from a quarry in operation at Lower Estate, St George.
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/100880/-threat-water-supply
@ Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. September 28, 2017 at 7:38 AM
It’s really heart-wrenching to see the horrible place of economic management in which
Barbados now finds itself.
Why can’t Stinkliar swallow his dissipated pride and just resign?
Why is the discredited lying prick allowing the wicked arrogant Lord Fumble to take joyous pride in his hubristic fall?
He arrogantly claimed he would resign before he ‘succumbs’ to the dictates of Devaluation.
So now that ‘D’ devil is at the MoF’s door why can’t he give up the ghost of his lifelong incompetence and bluster and commit political hara-kiri to save his sorry ass from joining the circus of failures?
THE severity of Government’s revenue loss requires further cuts in its expenditure, tightening of revenue collection and possibly exchange rate adjustment.
Read more: http://bit.ly/2y9PVKv
By Ria Taitt
Political Editor
The above is about T&T fx crisis.
Maybe somebody has foreign offshore accounts full of USD, EUR and GBP, which will be useful after devaluation to clear local debts in Mickey Mouse-$$ ? I do not know anybody in Barbados telling Central Bank that they have offshore accounts in Florida, London or Zurich.
Devaluation will be the biggest bonanza in Barbadian history to make money at the expense of the impoverished masses. A huge shift of wealth from the lower and middle classe to the local elite.
The longer they wait to fire 10,000 civil servants and to close 90% of statutory corporations, the harder devaluation will hit, the higher the elite´s profit is.
10,000 civil servants don’t need to be fired. There needs to be a freeze on hiring and proper ISO or other business standards adopted in the ministries so that taxpayers get the service and facilitation we are paying for, with tangible consequences if we don’t.
It is the statutory corporations that are killing us. They need to be given to the employees with a peppercorn rent for the fixed assets retained by the state. Let them appoint boards of directors and make them work in the free market rather than continue to compete unfairly against tax-paying businesses.
As I’ve said for 8 years, we need to turn tax spenders into tax payers.
Any change of gov’t is going to be laxative to our economy that has been constipated by lack of confidence, fear of corruption involvement and lack of business facilitation.
There was never any chance of economic recovery under Fumble’s Fools.
We are past the point of damage control. We need elections NOW.
We know Skeritt was deeply traumatized by Hurricane Maria, but to actually put his trust in Persaud re Dominica’s recivery is disturbing to say the least, let’s hope he listens to Owen..havkng a bjnch of degrees does not mean have applied skills. ..read..4 Seasons scam.
Let’s hope he is only volunteering, some of them onky have to hear loans and grants and they start flocking.
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/09/28/tread-carefully-3/
“Tread carefully
Arthur warns Skerrit about appointing Avinash Persaud
Added by Kaymar Jordan on September 28, 2017.
Saved under Dominica, Local News, Regional
1
Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur is urging Dominica prime minister Roosevelt Skerrit to tread carefully with the appointment of Barbados-born economist Avinash Persaud as his senior economic advisor amid the devastation already caused to the hurricane-battered island.
Persaud, who was seen accompanying Skerrit to the United Nations (UN) in New York over the weekend, where the Dominican leader delivered a speech pleading for assistance for his hurricane-ravaged country, has since confirmed to Barbados TODAY that he will be playing a major role in Dominica’s rebuilding.
“Yes, I was in New York with prime minister Skerrit assisting with his meetings at the UN and others. I am prime minister Skerrit’s senior economic advisor tasked with helping the economic recovery and rebuilding,” Persaud, who served as the economic expert on the UK government’s advisory panel on public sector information between 2005 and 2009 and also on a number of other distinguished and senior positions around the world, told Barbados TODAY earlier this week.
Dominica’s prime minister Roosevelt Skerrit (right) with his senior economic advisor Avinash Persaud (left).
However, given Persaud’s role in the failed Four Seasons project (otherwise referred to as the Paradise development) in Barbados between 2010 and 2012, Arthur has called on Skerrit to think twice about putting”
Any basic due diligence would tell you that . . . Paradise is mangled and the job of reconstruction of Dominica is massive. It is urgent and will be complex and priority should be given to people who have experience and skill sets to manage complex reconstructions,” Arthur told Barbados TODAY this morning, adding that “there is no evidence of the exhibition of such capacities on the Paradise project”.
Not mincing his words on the matter, the former prime minister further warned that while the wreckage caused to Dominica so far could largely be blamed on category five hurricane winds and rains, “you cannot explain it [wreckage] in the case of Paradise” where Persaud was part of a team trying, but failing, to raise money to pay creditors.”
Minister of Fine Ants has a lot more to worry about than a failed economy…lol
Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. September 28, 2017 at 1:46 PM
You are quite correct. Elections are needed now. The reality is that there will be no foreign investment by reputable organisations under the current administration.
Take that to the bank.
Still waiting for Fruendel’s and Fine Ants spin on this…
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/100911/barbados-ranks-128th-mottley
“Opposition Leader Mia Mottley says Barbadians are paying too high a price for the “stubbornness” of the Freundel Stuart Government. She was reacting to Standard and Poor’s second downgrade in six months, lowering the long-term local currency rating from CCC+ to CCC on Wednesday. In a media release, Mottley said it was Barbados’ 20th downgrade in nine years and they were so routine that Barbadians were becoming immune.”
“Let us put this in context for Bajans. Standard Poor’s rates 130 countries. After this last downgrade to CCC, Barbados lies in 128th position. We are on par with Venezuela. There are only two countries who are rated worse than us – Mozambique and Belize,” the release said.”
The truth is that this government’s main error is the failure to enforce the laws. Much of the problems facing Barbados were created by Barbadians shortchanging the country for personal benefit – including “respectable”professionals and politicians in some cases. They evade taxes. They hide foreign exchange in overseas accounts. They collect and refuse to pay over VAT NIS and whatever else they could. They shut down the country for unproductive workers. They steal government property. They refuse to teach the children. This list can go on and on and – after all of this – Barbadians complain about the decline of the country. Enforce the laws and the only criticism would be – no disrespect intended – Stuart is a badass. And we can live with that.
Perhaps Carson C. Cadogan, Angela Skeete, Fcuktured BLP (or Michael Lashley) should inform BU why Taan Abed and Patrick Tannis “parted ways” with Stuart and the DLP to join the BLP.
Tannis hinted at “disaffection with the DLP.”
There are billions in Barbadian accounts in USA, UK, Canada and Switzerland. Enough to save the country. It would also be a simple task to attract wealthy expats to reside in Barbados in order to beef up the F/X inflow by billions per year – and that without environmental harm and for the benefit of the locals – provided you are not hungry for bribes.
Alien is right. There are enough laws and statutes in Barbados to punish and regulate everything, but never enforced. Who knows the Dogs Act of Barbados? If this act was ever enforced, 100,000 Barbadians would end up with heavy fines and jail. However, non-enforcement of law is very typical for non-developed countries. An absence of the rule of law. People have no respect for binding obligations.
In order to turn the tide, Goddess Bim needs more than F/X and haircut. She needs citizens with an attitude made in and for the 21st century.
They just handed Mia and the other newer political parties, once the vote is evenly split…the whole government…lol
It would be very interesting if the BLP won the next general elections and one of the new “third parties” becomes the Opposition.
My preference……….. Lynette Eastmond and the United Progressive Party.
By 2023, Lynette should be fully prepared to become the next PM of Barbados and the other “third parties” would have matured enough to attract new support.
@ Well Well & Consequences Observing Blogger. September 29, 2017 at 5:08 AM
OSA clearly knows what he is talking about. Other than OSA knowing the quack professor to be a personal “amicus curiae” in MAM’s court he is right on the money regarding the professional scammer in the Medici game of “conmanship”.
Wherever there is money made available whether in the form of NIS soft loans never to be recovered, aid agency contributions or grant-funding to resuscitate or rebuild collapsed projects caused either by man-made financial hurricanes or natural disasters in the Caribbean expect to find that ‘Persuasively’ talkative son of the royal house of the Medici firm of bullshit hanging around for his share of underhand deals to feather his financial nest.
OSA is right on the money. Should the crying PM refuse to heed his well in-formed advice Dominica might just be left a permanent shadow of its former self like that once beautiful paradise turned into all Four Seasons of crumbling concrete and rusting steel to be covered by vegetation that only the spirits of the Amerindians interred there would recognize.
The same way OSA has foreseen the severe economic distress Barbados is currently suffering and forcing it to pay a visit to Dr. IMF albeit a bit too late to assure quick recovery, he could also be right in his diagnosis of the persuasively cunning professore of financial guile.
MAM should understand intelligent Bajans would much prefer to have a migrant ‘half-son’ of the soil in the brain of an overseas Adams advising her incoming government than any conman with a heritage of corruption from too far in the East and steeped in the art of ethnic deal-making and financial mugging.
Miller….Skerritt is definitely making the wrong move, he will get robbed unless Persaud is volunteering his serviced, Bajans barely escaped their NIS pensions being given away to some foreign crook Persaud had lined up claiming they would buy the 4 seasons scam, but they wanted access to NIS pension fund….
,….got some nerve the lot of them.
I mean the fund got raped anyway by Cow and the other tiefing criminals….but Persaud had his chops hanging out.
Someone said Cow bought a lot of new equipment and trucks recently…ah wonder if that is the money him and government ministers stole from NIS pensioners.
Property tax bills are out. Let us pay early, get the discount and provide the GOB with some money.
ALIEN
“The truth is that this government’s main error is the failure to enforce the laws. Much of the problems facing Barbados were created by Barbadians shortchanging the country for personal benefit – including “respectable” professionals and politicians in some cases. They evade taxes. They hide foreign exchange in overseas accounts. They collect and refuse to pay over VAT NIS and whatever else they could. They shut down the country for unproductive workers. They steal government property. They refuse to teach the children. This list can go on and on and – after all of this – Barbadians complain about the decline of the country. Enforce the laws and the only criticism would be – no disrespect intended – Stuart is a badass.”
Barbados is actually still the best governed island in the English-speaking Caribbean, much better behaved than the black people in the rest of the English-speaking Caribbean or the black people of Haiti.
Guyana elected the gangster Forbes Burnham. Trinidad had to put Basdeo Panday in jail (for hiding a foreign bank account) and almost every leader there is “allegedly” on the take. Antigua’s Bird family was notoriously corrupt. Grenada repeatedly elected murderers like Eric Gairy and Bernard Coard. The current prime minister has never explained an incident with a suitcase of cash and a European businessman. Jamaica’s two main political parties use taxpayer money to pay regular stipends to known gang leaders. One-third of Jamaicans steal their electricity from the local utility. Hundreds of Jamaicans are involved in lottery scams that victimize North American retirees.
So we should count our blessings. I would still vote DLP because a lesbian prime minister is out of the question for me.
Well Well & Miller,
Take a look at what the Guardian newspaper discovered. I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/sep/29/chicken-safety-scandal-2-sisters-faces-parliamentary-inquiry-after-revealations
TLSN….I can see the greedy minorities, not even buyiny, but getting therejected chickens sent down here in some sleazy underhand deal they have with such greedy companies, what do they care, they will think..starving third world country would eat anything….
minorities would think….they are getting rich off stupid people while killing them out..
the likes f Dumbville would think….he is filling his bank account, so one more mercedes…
i wont ear anything from any of them…
….The 2 Sisters Food Group, which owns the site, was facing a “short, sharp” parliamentary inquiry in the wake of evidence uncovered by a joint investigation by the Guardian and ITV News, which showed footage of workers altering the source and slaughter date of poultry being processed at the plant in West Bromwich. Experts said their actions could artificially stretch the commercial life of the meat and dupe consumers into buying chicken past its use-by date. ….
i wont eat anything from any of them…
Chadster…if ya think its any different in Barbados, ya even dumber than we thought.
….and in Canada.
Salmonella outbreak linked to frozen raw breaded poultry products reported in 4 provinces
Cases reported in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
CBC News Posted: Sep 28, 2017 8:43 PM ET Last Updated: Sep 28, 2017 8:43 PM ET
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-frozen-raw-breaded-poultry-products-reported-in-4-provinces-1.4312686
@ chad99999 September 29, 2017 at 2:42 PM
Barbados is actually still the best governed island in the English-speaking Caribbean, much better behaved than the black people in the rest of the English-speaking Caribbean or the black people of Haiti.
Chaddie, you just might be having a bit of a challenge with the conjugation of verbs.
Just use the past tense (was) and leave out the adverb “still” and you might just be presenting a more up-to-date description of modern Bajans living on the coral island called the “Rock”.
How can a people be described as “much better behaved” in light of the evidence that a massive slice of the country’s GDP is spent in ‘educating’ its population but the nasty dirty habits of littering and indiscriminate dumping is still endemic among its population and even reinforced in official quarters by the blatant refusal to enforce the legislation long placed on the statute books?
How can you describe ‘good behaviour’ the act of indiscriminate dumping and polluting the same water you depend on for your very existence on a coral island?
Book learning and an oversupply of paper qualifications might have come through the door to too many Bajan households but it seems commonsense, hard-work and competence have jumped through the windows.
Where is the ROI other than in the production of modern-day slaves who think that the sight of abandoned and derelict vehicles on the streets and overgrown lots is a mark of development?
What about the coconut shells left along the so-called highways for days on end to provide the perfect receptacle for mosquitoes to breed and compromise the health of the people?
John might have a point in arguing that blacks in Barbados were “much better behaved” when they instructed to do as told by the Bajan white plantocratic and mercantile classes with the support of the clergy and the Quaker society for the propagation of gospel that ‘cleanliness is next to godliness.
All you have to look at the rundown state of the many plantations and collapsing roads around Barbados compared to what the National Geographic Magazine described in the 1940’s as a tropical garden in an English countryside.
MNK
Everything is relative.
Jamaica, Trinidad, Grenada and Antigua are full of litter and filth. I haven’t been to Guyana or St. Lucia or St. Kitts, so I don’t have direct evidence to cite for those places, but I am pretty sure only Bermuda, the Caymans and parts of the Bahamas are cleaner and neater than Barbados.
@ chad99999 September 29, 2017 at 5:49 PM
We are comparing Barbados today with Barbados when commonsense was King and the country was properly managed by competent people most of them with only a 7th standard education to ‘brag’ about compared to the possessors of the worthless output from the paper qualification mill passing for “an” university on the Hill.
So if Barbados is to be compared, then do it against a country with a similar cultural and political history like Bermuda. However I would guard against that given the advice contained below:
“…If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter, for always
there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself ….”
Maybe Bajans can take some comfort and hope from their past:
“When this fair land was young
Our brave forefathers sowed the seed
From which our pride is sprung
A pride that makes no wanton boast
Of what it has withstood
That binds our hearts from coast to coast
The pride of nationhood.”
Chadster is vain and bitter, jumping from link to link trying to provoke a reaction for his ignorance…dont get worse than that.
Barbados is STILL better than Haiti. LOL.
WW&C
Are you describing yourself?
Have nothing to be vain about, bitter about or no reason to look down on others…
…….that is all you Chadster, don’t try to involve me in ya mess..
When you understand the concept of block chain…you get a sense that bitcoin would be attractive to some, particularly deep web and black market…
…..ask any programmer and they will explain it to you in detail.
Ask any programmer if they will invest in bitcoin….1 bitcoin = over US$4,000…and they will tell you NO..
No matter who they use to sell this, buyer beware.
Until they can come up with a system that cannot be exploited or exploit the majority population through greed, it’s no different, but it’s much better to have your currency in your hand rather than in some virtual, digital passport.
Had a crash course recently trying to understand the concept of bitcoin….until better is done, paper currency or gold is it for me.
Interesting…
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/100938/bwu-cbc-impasse-deepens
https://www.facebook.com/CBCNews.bb/videos/1991630847784282/