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A Shitty South Coast

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Patricia Inniss, head of the Waste Unit at the BWA

For many years the South Coast of Barbados – Oistins to Worthing – has been known at home and abroad as the place to wine, dine and party by locals and tourists alike. Regrettably in the last year the South Coast has been making the news because of sewage overflowing onto public spaces; roadways, residential and business premises.

The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) engineers have tried to fix the problem with minimal success. The reality is that the sewage system in Barbados has been poorly maintained through the years and the hodgepodge approach of the BWA has been significantly affected by a lack of funds and pertinent expertise.  This conclusion was confirmed by manager of the Water Unit at the BWA yesterday on live radio. To her credit Patricia Inniss projected that she was knowledgeable in her job but has been constrained by a lack of resources and an inherited position of a poor maintenance record.

Many of us were bemused by the decision of ministers of government Richard Sealy and John Boyce to bath in the shitty waters of the South Coast in order to convince a suspicious public that all was well.

We await PR stunt number 2!

The following video  circulated on Whatsapp last weekend captures the overflowing filth onto the streets on the South Coast.

 

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100 responses to “A Shitty South Coast”

  1. Well Well & Cut N' Paste At Your Service Avatar
    Well Well & Cut N’ Paste At Your Service

    “Many of us were bemused by the decision of ministers of government Richard Sealy and John Boyce to bath in the shitty waters of the South Coast in order to convince a suspicious public that all was well.”

    ..lol….hopefully they both got skin fungus or worse, never seen such nonsense, all to deceive the public and tourists.

  2. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    David

    I believe you’re awaiting PR stunt #3.

    PR stunt #2 was appointing former DLP candidate for St. Michael North East, Patricia Inniss, as the BWA’s Water Quality Consultant and subsequently Manager of the Water-waste Division.

    We cannot refuse to acknowledge the fact Inniss may be qualified for the position. However, when political parties appoint operatives to certain positions, apart from “putting some money” in that operative’s pockets………it is done to spin issues in favour of the party, because people would more readily accept the conclusions of someone they believe can present a “qualified opinion.”

  3. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    These issues with the over-flowing sewage, blocked drains, areas in need of debushing and pot-holes have been plaguing Barbados for several years and this inept DLP administration has allowed the shiite to continue.

    Judging by their actions over the past 9 years, it is obvious the DLP sat on the Opposition benches for 14 years watching the BLP do shiite and came into office without any definitive plans to take the island forward, clearly demonstrating they were NOT prepared to take up the reins of government.

    Rather than formulate PROACTIVE plans/policies, their approach to every issue has been REACTIVE instead, and they continue to blame the former BLP administration and “global economic crisis” for their (DLP) inadequacies and lack of foresight.

    Recall the DLP’s “mantra” during the 2008 election campaign was “It’s time for change.”

    However, the more things change……… the more they remain the same.

    Or as WW&C may write: “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.”

  4. GreenMonkey Avatar
    GreenMonkey

    Oh dear, another “transitory inconvenience” has reared its head again I see. Never mind, if you should happen to drive through a sewage puddle in a modern car, say a high-end Mercedes for example, with the windows up and the AC set to recirculate inside air, your nose will not have to deal with any undue unpleasant odours. Poorer locals and the tourises walking by or driving by in their open sided “Moke” style rental cars probably would not be so lucky and could even get hit by a splash or two, but I am sure the visitors will just have a laugh and enjoy telling the folks back home about how easy it was to deal with the “transitory inconveniences” encountered on a typical holiday in quaint Barbados. No doubt for the Europeans visitors it will also bring back to mind the mediaeval days of long ago in their various homelands when people in European cities routinely emptied their topsies full of piss and sh1t out of upper floor windows onto the streets below.

  5. Angela Avatar
    Angela

    We were told two years ago that the sewage traps should be cleaned and maintained on a regular basis. Barbados’s status in EVERYTHING is now that of. GIFTH WORLD COUNTRY.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    The poor maintenance straddles both governments although worse under this one.

    Poor management from no leadership.

    Where is the accountability?

    Were there any firings?

    So far the appointment of a GM whose resume shows he managed a mobilephone store operation and had a non stellar banking career.

  7. Theophilius Gazerts 121 Avatar
    Theophilius Gazerts 121

    I was watching how the power company in Puerto Rico was unable to solve the problems there. I am watching how BWA is unable to solve the sewage issue.

    Is it that our engineers can only manage existing equipment. When it fails, we run around like chickens with their head cut-off. We fix, but when similar circumstances present themselves we realize that it was not a fix, but rather that the situation ameliorated and took care of itself.

    In the same way that technicians from NY descended on Puerto Rico with the intention of getting that island running, we may reach out and get a few technicians to visit Barbados.

    Forgive me for being so pessimistic, but reading the same story over and over again is a form of insanity,

  8. ks Avatar
    ks

    Don’t you people get it?? Nothing can be done without FUNDS/MONEY!!! Minister Sinckler therefore controls all of them and they go to him with cap in-hand.

    When a situation reaches ‘critical’ …. Min. Sinckler will thenl look at it and assign a small lump sum to ‘patch the sore’. There is no long term planning or solutions! This will continue until Barbados wins a lottery!

    I believe most sensible persons know this all but what upsets everyone is where, & what, our tax dollars are spent on. If wastage, corruption, party-ism, etc. were all eliminated (lol, ok…reduced) ….. maybe we would stand a chance but ‘life in power’ too sweet and to remain there requires keeping certain people happy, taxing the middle-class, and forgetting about transparency.

    Two, to three, years of an honest government will turn our country around and foreign investment will ramp back up….. but not with this brainless lot in power!

    Question: what ever happened to the Tax-free/Duty Free Zone that was to encourage Bajans to spend their Forex at home and not jump on a plane to San Juan/ Miami/ Fort Lauderdale???

  9. Theophilius Gazerts 121 Avatar
    Theophilius Gazerts 121

    Before you rush to point out that PR was hit by a devastating and crippling hurricane, plese remember that par of the solution to the power problem was the hiring of a three-man company with a 300M dollar contract. This tells me that (1) corruption is endemic and (2) routine maintenance may be what the Power company employees are doing.

  10. David Avatar
    David

    This is a serious matter.

    Note that Patricia Inniss confirmed problems simmering at the Bridgetown and West Coast plants.

  11. Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim.

    Sewage plant has no money to order parts.

    Pumps being rented from INFRA to keep the sewage plant barely running; millions of dollars in rental bills.

    Fumble says the ForEx shortage is due to Bajan over-consumption.

    It is not their fault, nothing ever was their fault nor will it ever be their fault.

    No credibility with anyone with half a brain since 2010, now no credibility even with the yard-fowls and lackies.

    There was never any chance of economic recovery under the worst gov’t in the history of this country and probably bottom 3 in the entire history of post-colonial Caribbean.

    RING THE RH BELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  12. Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim.

    I see a pattern developing regarding the administration and operation of our infrastructure services:

    Electricity privately run, working fine
    Phone system privately run, working fine
    Sewage system gov’t run, failed.
    Water supply gov’t run, failed.
    Public transportation privately run, working fine.
    Public transportation gov’t run, failed.

    The purpose of Gov’t is to LEGISLATE, REGULATE, FACILITATE; NOT OPERATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  13. Well Well @ Cut N Paste At Your Service Avatar
    Well Well @ Cut N Paste At Your Service

    Fruendel refuses to fire Sinckler…the electorate will have to fire Fruendel and all of them.

  14. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    My comments on this issue over the past two years were heavily ridiculed as causing unnecessarily negative comments which were affecting the tourist industry. Well its WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. MAINTENANCE is a foreign word in Barbados and the lack of same will eventually come and bite you in the ass, welcome to to the pain. Although the GM of the BWA is relatively inexperienced she has pin pointed the problem, however the fix has escaped her. It’s time for accountability, starting at the top(political) and moving down to the lowest lacky. The Social experiment, that has been used in the old colonial now independent countries, does NOT WORK, unfortunately the experiment is not longer reversible.

    Total FAILURE of the country appears to be the primary option.

  15. David Avatar
    David

    @FB

    Too much politics.

    Take the recent ‘issue’ between Ryan and the BLP leadership on his views about the Transport Board. Then listen to Beckles of the NUPW and a BLP member on his views about government’s role regarding SOEs. We are in a bad place.

  16. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    Poor maintenance is just an excuse, not that it is now true

    There is certainly no maintenance problems when it comes to the preferred criminal activities required in the offshore sector, sub-sector.

    We see government constantly making that sector more and more amenable to international tax doggers, like their competitors are doing.

    Successive governments have made criminals of us all. We are all culpable in this new slave economy model – the financialization of everything.

    When this much larger set of shiiite hits the fan not even a million sewage plants would be able to clean it up.

    Oh shiiiite now!

  17. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    People tend to react when they have skin in de game, notwithstanding the beneficial effect that the waters off St. Lawrence beach have on the constitution of the two Ministers the Leader of the Opposition has “skin in de game” in the form of an investment property in that area of town. To avoid the spectre of this continual annoyance elect the BLP and the problem will be resolved after all money talks and (bull)shit floats.

  18. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Artax
    Seems to be “shite” all around.

    @ David
    If a drunken driver kills you with a Nissan and then another drunken kills somebody else with a Volkswagen, does it make a difference ? You both dead because of drunking drivers.

    You are always trying to compare two bad apples. You have great difficulty in writing off the two established parties because you are all status quo.

  19. Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim.

    Unfortunately, we are so choked at the top (inept leadership, management and supervision) and constipated at the bottom (inept civil servants and zero facilitation) that complete death of the system would be our best hope so we can rebuild.

    Citizens who are not receiving the civil services they pay for will avoid paying taxes since they have to buy those services (health, transport, water storage etc.) elsewhere.

    No tax income means no pay for civil servants.

    Public sector layoffs are unavoidable.

    Cost of labour must drop.

    Less money in workers’ pockets means cost of goods and services must drop, resulting in less private sector jobs.

    This is all simple reality we have been putting off for five years too long.

    Caribbean islands do not have a good record of rebuilding after economic collapse, mainly because the brains and the money immediately leave.

  20. BARBADOS FIRST/PATRIOTIC PARTY (BF/PP) Avatar
    BARBADOS FIRST/PATRIOTIC PARTY (BF/PP)

    And where has the Health Minister, Tourism Ministers and the Minister of Water Resources disappeared to?

  21. Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim.

    BARBADOS FIRST/PATRIOTIC PARTY (BF/PP) November 14, 2017 at 10:04 AM #
    And where has the Health Minister, Tourism Ministers and the Minister of Water Resources disappeared to?

    ………………………………………………………….

    They’re hiding in the ‘not my fault’ tent with the moron Fumble.

  22. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    We see Australia is ridding itself of some shiiiiite politicians with dual loyalties.

    In Barbados, we’ve had a number of politicians with dual citizenship as well, on both sides.

    And there are one or two, now on the outside but seeking to get into to parliament.

    We wonder!

    Separately, are we right to ‘assume’ that general elections are due by January 2018. About two months away

    If so, why is the Greco-Roman, Fruendel Stuart, running the lock to the last minute? What miracle is he waiting for to save his DLP?

    Or does this dictator plans to have us forego such?

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    You understand the Barbados setup, ALL the politicians are cut from the same cloth, ALL members of the political class. Third Parties included!

  24. Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim.

    Pachamama November 14, 2017 at 10:30 AM #
    David

    Separately, are we right to ‘assume’ that general elections are due by January 2018. About two months away

    If so, why is the Greco-Roman, Fruendel Stuart, running the lock to the last minute? What miracle is he waiting for to save his DLP?

    ………………………………………………………….

    Only a real pack of fools would go to the masses for judgement after the Christmas we’re about to have.

  25. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ David,

    The only way to change the status quo is by having INTEGRITY LEGISLATION and a FOI act.

    Black Bajans are almost all “family” .

  26. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    So Freundel the simpleton just woke up and found the bajan lifestyle they grew accustomed to from Errol Barrow and Tomaadams days,that is..A Better life for the People,that lifestyle is why our reserves are at danger level and devaluation beckons unless they can get Jeff or Sonia to capitulate.The fact that Richard Sealy,Kerry Hall,Petra Roach and Billy Griffith increased tourism arrivals and long stay visitors who in turn demand their preferred choice of Omaha steak and cordon bleu,and that Freundel himself,his adviser,his Speaker,his ministers including his eminence lord stickler of deacons farm all drive Mercs,Beamers,Jags and Rangers they all don’t contribute to the champagne taste mauby pockets Barrow spoke of in the days of yore,its the fault of the man in the street who is struggling to buy a few sardines,imported and a bag ‘o rice,imported,a couple onions,imported,a couple pinches o salt,imported,a few carrots,some broccoli,some spinach,all imported,its these low feeders that have caused the reserves to dip to dangerous levels.Poor Stuart,it’s not his fault,he has been dealt a bad hand by the 31% which catapulted him where he is.They had really preferred the King who was called away and left them stuck with the Great Immobiliser.

  27. Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim.

    Hants November 14, 2017 at 10:46 AM #
    @ David,

    The only way to change the status quo is by having INTEGRITY LEGISLATION and a FOI act.

    …………………………………………………………

    I don’t understand why people keep harping on about this.

    If we had ANY intention of locking up teefin’ politicians in the last 50 years we could have used numerous laws already on the books.

    No political appointee (COP, AG, DPP) will EVER prosecute a politician in this country.

    The only way these investigations and prosecutions will ever happen is under a de-politicised senate given those powers, just like in the USA. If Americans are good at anything, it is at watching each other.

  28. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    PM Stuart is correct about some Bajans who MUST have imported goods and will not compromise.

  29. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Frustrated Businessman,

    You “don’t understand why people keep harping on about this” because you

    want an ” equal opportunity ” for your party and you will get it.

  30. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    I got word from very high up in one of my pipe dreams that Barbados gets a 10 billion dollar mortgage on the whole island for just 2% interest per month to save the lifestyle of the middle class, so that they can go on driving fat SUVs, using 80 inch TVs, travelling to Disney Land, shopping in Miami, working 6 hours per day, eating chicken roti in Chefette and committing all the other cruelties of “advanced” Western civilisation.

  31. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    A fella say the state of Barbados is not the fault of Stuart nor Sinckler,nor Darcy’the Quisling’ Boyce nor Jepter ‘unbiblical cord’ Ince.ORH!

  32. Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim. Avatar
    Frustrated Businessman: Animal Farm sequel playing out in Bim.

    Hants November 14, 2017 at 11:49 AM #
    @ Frustrated Businessman,

    You “don’t understand why people keep harping on about this” because you

    want an ” equal opportunity ” for your party and you will get it.

    ……………………………….

    I have no political party. Contrarily, my livelihood depends on a real, competitive, vibrant, internationally attractive, national economy.

    In the past 35 years only one Bajan political party’s governance has been able to provide that.

    Even if I don’t assume they can do so again, I can easily assume they can do no worse than Fumble and his Fools.

    My point stands: our issue with political corruption has nothing to do with legislation. It has everything to do with enforcement.

    We have none.

  33. Well Well & Cut N' Paste At Your Service Avatar
    Well Well & Cut N’ Paste At Your Service

    The good news….Fruendel cut the branch from under him when he blamed Bajans because he did not do his job of restricting foreign exchange leakage and imports of german made mercedes benz and japanese cars…..lol

    He got cussed soundly on barbadostoday…hahaha..

    There is not a chance in hell that Fruendel and his now wealthy ministers with their expensive foreign cars, some got 6 foreign cars….will ever be reelected….ha.

  34. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    We do not need integrity legislation, but people with integrity in our politics.

  35. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Amen Hal. Even where IL is law, people without integrity thrive.

  36. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    I found it very strange that Freundel knew how all the foreign reserves are being eaten up but convenienty forgot how much of the foreign reserves was used to purchase his two luxury rides.

    What a sorry excuse for a leader!

  37. David Avatar
    David

    @enuff

    IS there any harm in having transparency laws on the books?

  38. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    The two cars were bad optics at this time just like the return of the 10%…….The have not learnt as yet that its not what you do but how and when.

    MAM made this point in Parliament in relation to road traffic act amendment.

  39. enuff Avatar
    enuff

    David

    No!!

  40. Redman Avatar
    Redman

    Fumbles & the misfits posing as a Govt looking for someone to blame.
    Look in the mirror Sir Fumbles..Wunna is the Govt not the opposition..
    Wunna responsible for the meltdown of this economy. Own it..Time to man up.

  41. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Vincent Haynes November 14, 2017 at 5:33 PM
    “The two cars were bad optics at this time just like the return of the 10%…….The have not learnt as yet that its not what you do but how and when.”

    It would even be more impressive optics if we were to see not only the ministers of Tourism and Health taking a bath in the sewage again but this time around holding hands with the minister of the Lowedown environment and even the PM to show that all is well with the Tourism soul.

    This administration has been playing Russian roulette with the country’s public sanitation and health of the nation for a while now. The literal shit has now hit the figurative fan and the integrity of the entire sewage system is under severe stress and strain.

    What is going to bring this entire rose tree trimming saga to a shitty end is when the Oistins Bay Garden part of the compromised line collapses under the weight of the backup and patrons bedecked in ‘foreign’ garbs and flip-flops are forced to wade through floating faeces and to inhale whiffs of alfresco jobbies à la Barbadoes.

  42. John Avatar
    John

    I went and looked at the level in the channel yesterday evening.

    It was just below 0.7.

    The manholes were flowing.

    No rain to speak of.

    This evening it was at 0.7.

    The Manholes were not flowing.

    This time it is not the rain!!!

    …. at least someone is admitting to problems.

    That’s half the solution.

  43. John Avatar
    John

    November …. rainy season …. last year there was 6 inches and 64 parts on 29th November.

    South coast flooded out, 1156 acre catchment area raised the level in the swamp.

    It is the 14th today.

    What’s interesting is that in a day the level has risen slightly to 0.7.

    In the absence of rain, looks like they are filling the swamp.

    I’ll look again in a day or three, if there is no rain, and see if the level has risen above 0.7 before I categorically say the level is rising.

    Not a good sign with the possibility of heavy rain this month.

    Not good at all!!

  44. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Someone also was careful to point out that the Minister is aware,the Chairman is aware and the General Manager is aware and all are on board with the likely disaster waiting to happen.It is clear that neither Freundel nor Sinckler is in the loop.

  45. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Hal Austin November 14, 2017 at 1:36 PM #
    “We do not need integrity legislation, but people with integrity in our politics”

    Wanted!
    One man called Bajan-Limey Hal to return to his country of birth and join the BIM (Bajan Integrity Movement) to put his mouth where it can make the difference.

    Hal reminds us of that eponymous streetlight ‘off-the-board’ draughts player who, while standing up, can spot all the shots to be played; t(h)rees and all.

  46. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Gabriel November 14, 2017 at 7:34 PM

    Somebody has to be the fall guy for the pending disaster. The height of the tourist arrivals would soon be upon MoT and swirling sewage cannot be the main menu to satisfy an expected bumper season.

    Do you think that the fake doctor booby Low(e)down would ‘qualify’ as the sacrificial lamb or is the electoral dice too loaded to put the bull-frog looking Estwick out of his agricultural pit of misery of castrated incompetence?

    We must commiserate with our pal Jeff C the BU legal guru.

    Look and see how easily he is being set up as the ‘loyal’ whipping boy for the foreign reserves magical disappearance and would be excoriated as the boy who refused to put his finger in the BNTCL makeshift dyke.

    We are left to wonder who would be blamed for the imaginary Hyatt detumescence.
    Should we blame poor Maureen H for sleeping with a marked married enemy called MA(m)?

    They say that: ‘whom the gods wish to destroy the first make (religiously) mad’.
    For the Xtians fanatics:
    “Quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat.”

  47. Dr. Simple Simon Phd Avatar
    Dr. Simple Simon Phd

    https://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/Pages/typhoid_background.aspx
    Before the advent of public sewage systems, typhoid was common in the United States.

    And I suppose in Barbados as well. How soon we forget. But let me remind you. My own father had typhoid in the 1940’s and spent 10 weeks in the General Hospital.

    My questions to the bright fellas on the blog.

    Can anything bad happen when public sanitation systems suffer frequent breakdowns?

  48. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    It is puerile to expect there to be people of integrity in politics, in public life.

    That is a pipedream.

    There is no country this writer knows of which could meet that ‘low’ bar – integrity as a cultural norm, as central to the political culture.

    To foster political integrity we have to do at least two things.

    One, never surrender political power to any set or subset of elites under any circumstances – the destruction of the Westminster model.

    Two, the maintenance of a regime to exact the ultimate price for deviations.

  49. Dr. Simple Simon Phd Avatar
    Dr. Simple Simon Phd

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-connected-company-hired-to-fix-puerto-rico-has-only-worked-two-federal-jobs
    Trump-Connected Company Hired to Fix Puerto Rico Has Only Worked Two Federal Jobs

    I must feel real, real sweet, real sweet to move from an initial $138,000 government contract to one worth $300,000 million. Real, real sweet in truth.

    But at least the Puerto Ricans had the good sense to terminate the contract.

    Question: Have we EVER successfully terminated a contract in Barbados?

  50. Dr. Simple Simon Phd Avatar
    Dr. Simple Simon Phd

    Gabriel November 14, 2017 at 11:30 AM “its the fault of the man in the street who is struggling to buy a few sardines,imported and a bag ‘o rice,imported,a couple onions,imported,a couple pinches o salt,imported,a few carrots,some broccoli,some spinach,all imported.

    What broccolli are you talking about?

    Don’t you know that poor people can’t afford to buy broccoli.

    Poor people have to grow a little spinach over the galvanize paling otherwise they would never eat greens.

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