The country is about to become locked in what the BU household anticipates will be the mother of all general election campaigns. If platform issues were to centre on the economy, social justice, health, nurturing a winning culture anchored to improving national productivity- what a wonderful dream!
This blog space is to be used by the BU family et al to list deep concerns and suggestions directed to the political class. We all live on the little rock and are obviously vested in its success.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
There is no need to talk about the present status, since the facts are clear:
economy: dead, last in the Caribbean
national debt: dead, highest in the Caribbean
social justice: a few black and white plantocrats (cabinet ministers, judges, high bureaucrats, pastors, construction magnates and their families and courtesans) and the rest poorer then 10 years before
health: You only send somebody to QEH if you would like to see the person dead the next day.
winning culture: As it stands now, the Guyanese will take over Barbados from 2020 on. They have the oil, Barbados has sand at the beaches.
national productivity: The average Barbadian does not know this word.
Reform? I told you before what to do: fire 10,000 appointed civil servants etc pp …
It is a myth that the bloated Barbadian civil service will ever be productive. Promotions depend on your affiliation to the ruling party, on nepotism and pure incompetence. How else can we explain that the Barbados Supreme Court is last in the whole Caribbean when it comes to the national sport called backlogging?
The huge human overhead in the Barbadian public sector and productivity do not fit. I just mention the Peter principle, the Dunning-Kruger effect or Parkinson’s law. There is not a single country with such a bloated civil service on earth which is rich and successful. A bloated public service is the typical sign of dictatorship, socialism and decline.
Well said Tron, I think that about covers it. From Paradise to Hades in only a half century of majority ‘rule (read THEFT & CORRUPTION). Where else do we see depressing examples of this inevitability? Of course, all the countries of the ‘homeland’ so beloved of the parasitic classes that have brought our glorious Island to this pass.
Watch South Africa, where even now the filthy murdering criminal who so besmirched her husband’s name, and the image of her newly independent nation is being hailed as a goddess, along with the patsies of the BBC and other lying Lefty media.
God help Bim, for it seems her children won’t.
Let us begin from the top:
Once the power of recall is legislated and enforced there will be a noticeable progressive trend moving forward and upward for the island, the people will have the control needed to set restrictions and boundaries in the way they are governed instead of destructive ministers doing whatever the hell they like and then covering it up.
as things stand with these backward ministers filling voters heads with images of voting for prime ministers whose time and what they offered has long, long passed decades ago, there is no value sentimental or otherwise using antiquated trickery, they are only keeping the country stagnant, there is no moving on from that brand of trickery to get votes. that is not progress…all they are doing is continuing the 1950s style of collecting nonproductive yard fowls.
There is a lot to be done, but first and foremost, the present politicians have to understand that they are approaching governance the wrong way, what they copied from other societies that once owned them has never worked out to the benefit of the majority population and never will…it’s time to move on to real progress for every citizen.
Winnie Mandela will always be a goddess, that can never be taken away from her, just like IQ45 will always have an IQ of 45.
The resident mad racist Well Well Wot An Orifice I Is has been practicing its comedy routines…
Interesting to listen to Jordan of the BLP commit the party to introduce integrity legislation if elected to office.
David
Wasn’t the draft legislation made public months ago for comment?
What made me laugh was Solutions’ represenative announcing his party’s plan to introduce STEAM education. Have you ever seen STEAM mentioned in any of GP/Solutions articles or policies listed on their website? No! Yet he’s accusing people of stealing policy ideas.
What has been the experience of those countries which have integrity legislation?
What have been the experience of those countries that have elected persons of integrity?
Have we had persons who lacked integrity because the supply is larger or smaller than demand?
What are the factors that have given rise to the supply of politicians without integrity?
The market seems to have grown exponentially . Why?
Or more fundamentally , is the growth of lack of integrity a figment of our imagination?
In other words, what is the reality?
@Bernard
The reality is that we must influence our reality if that makes sense. Nothing that is implemented will be the panecea to solve all problems. It is never ending the process to be effective and efficient.
@enuff
You mean STEM? Let us encourage the third parties man :-).
Further to Bernard’s questions…
What is added value?
…added to what?
What defines ‘success’ for Barbados? …for individual Bajans?
What does a model citizen look like?
What do we want to avoid? …as a country? …individually?
What do we need to achieve?
How is it even possible to be into the heat of a competitive game of life and death – without having BASIC answers to such fundamental questions – and without some kind of national consensus on a way forward?
2013 elections were dubbed, ‘the mother of all elections’ already. Find another phrase.
@David
STEAM. 😂😂
David Mr Blogmaster, your new white background with black text is easy on old eyes!
The fine sans serif text is actually quite legible without the glasses 😐
One unsolicited suggestion: maybe fill-in the bullet point ellipses (with black); at least those under ‘recent comments’ & ‘recent posts’.
Good work all round!
Thanks Dee Word, the site is under construction. Bullet alignment is under the radar.
@ Kevin at 11 :42 AM
I concur. All elections can be deemed ” the mother of all elections”.
That is a good marketing ploy. But to the electorate it is just another opportunity to elect a GOB for the next five years. The electorate is advised to make a choice based on the perceived integrity of the candidates and the implementability of their party’s programs.
It actually is STEAM as in “Solutions Barbados are continuing to blow steam and bubbles up our collective ammmmmmm…”
I heard the DLP and the SBP representatives begging the BLP to offer their solutions for bringing Barbados back to a state of equilibrium.They don’t have a clue what the hell is going on in Barbados.Its very obvious the DLP don’t know but it’s shocking to learn that neither does the ISO party called Solutions Barbados.What a bunch of nincompoops.Stop begging the BLP to share their brilliant ideas to save Barbados from further downgrades.Lawd come fuh yuh wirl.
Yes we need to focus on worker productivity but there is system design that must be factored as well. Surprised we didn’t hear more discussion around this point today.
>
@ David who wrote ” list deep concerns and suggestions directed to the political class. ”
We have been doing that for years on BU.
What we all want is honest competent politicians and transparent governance.
The DLP is clearly hoping to win the election on one issue and one issue alone. And that is the sexual behaviour of the LOTO.
If Bajans are stupid enough to vote DLP based on that, against the background of the spectacular failure of the incumbent party for theclast decade, then one can only assume that the long claimed and purely fictional figure of 98% literacy and 2% illiteracy has finally been transposed.
@Bernard
There is always hype and rhetoric at election time. Have we ever had such a strong third party cohort in the race? Have we ever had a prime minister who dared to dip into the 90 day period that has catapulted parliament into a state of abeyance?
@Hants
There is a reason why teachers repeat course work at school, especially primary level.
@ David at 3:40 PM
Which race is this “third party cohort “in ?
@Bernard
When these third parties split the vote don’t come crying to BU ok?
@ David at 4 : 04 PM
I promise you I will not. Vox populi est vox Dei.
In the wrap up of the Brasstacks session today the missy representing the DLP said….the GOVT will do this and the GOVT will do that.This is the type of preparedness the DLP brings to a public discussion.What Government? Govt is in a state of paralysis…PARLIAMENT IS ‘EFFLUXED’…..The DLP had 10 years to do this and do that and they did NOTHING but wreck the economy and destroy the good reputation of the country.
STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics
@David
“1. we have an issue with governance…”
+++++++
I think that the problem is much deeper. We have a problem with our culture. How else do we explain the high percentage of the population who don’t find anything wrong with corruption and admit that they would do the same given the chance? How else do we explain the high percentage of the population that seems OK with incompetence? How else can we explain the propensity to believe the obvious lies that ALL the political parties write in their platforms?
Bush Tea might label all of this as Brassbowlery, but we need much more than a label; we need analysis and understanding if we are to correct course. If we continue to elect governments of the calibre of the current one we cannot claim to be victims, we are accomplices.
I think that the problem is much deeper. We have a problem with our culture. How else do we explain the high percentage of the population who don’t find anything wrong with corruption and admit that they would do the same given the chance? How else do we explain the high percentage of the population that seems OK with incompetence? How else can we explain the propensity to believe the obvious lies that ALL the political parties write in their platforms?
Bush Tea might label all of this as Brassbowlery, but we need much more than a label; we need analysis and understanding if we are to correct course. If we continue to elect governments of the calibre of the current one we cannot claim to be victims, we are accomplices.(Quote)
Amen to that. Personal abuse and foulmouthed nonsense may be making cheap jokes, but these are serious times.
@Peter
And part of influencing the culture is for our leadership who stand above the fray by definition to lead? I as a society we cannot product a wise leadership group (not to compare to the Aussie cricket scenario), what is the purpose of our existence then?
@Peter and enuff
Thanks, missed when STEM morphed to STEAM. Barbados is still playing catch up!
No David. The A for Arts is a Bajan addition.
@ David at 5 :32 PM
I think you are putting too heavy a burden on the members of Parliament for which they were not elected. Election to Parliament does not make a person of average intelligence a super man. All the members of society have to take up their own cross. We all must make our contribution to the welfare of this society.
The “fatted calf” paradigm has failed miserably. The paradigm going forward should be ” prosperity for all Barbadians”. No We and They.
Political parties are elected to office. They do not win a war to collect and distribute the spoils to the conquering army. National wealth must always be produced on a continuous basis. It is not a stock. It is a flow. And so is foreign reserves…. It is a flow. We must always be creative in earning it. Unless we want to throw this country into reverse gear.
In summary,culture is our business not the Political Class alone. Morality is our business not the Political Class alone. Independence means acceptance of responsibility. So stop the….
@David
I think that we look in the mirror and become leaders ourselves. What the heck do you think you are doing with BU? Running this forum is a form of leadership.
I owe Bush Tea an apology for implying that all he did wal to label our dysfunction Brassbowlery. I do not know the gentleman behind the alias so I have no clue what he contributes ‘in real life,’ but on this forum he has often advanced sound ideas about cooperative economic organisation and caring for one’s fellow citizens. Sorry Bush Tea.
I agree with a lot of what Bush Tea says (apart from the religious mumbo jumbo) and try to lead where I have the capacity. I’m leading a project to teach Charities, Cooperatives and Non-profit organizations how to get better at running profit making social enterprises so that they can make themselves more sustainable. The EU gave us a million dollars to do this in Barbados and two other Eastern Caribbean countries… it’s not enough but it’s a start.
STEM vs. STEAM: Do the Arts Belong? – Education Week Teacher
https://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2014/11/18/ctq-jolly-stem-vs-steam.html
Nov 18, 2014 – As proponents of STEM and STEAM face off, Anne Jolly asks what the role of the arts should be in a STEM curriculum and looks at some options for integrating the two disciplines.
@Peter and Bernard
Of course we all must demonstrate leadership in our space but dont you venerable gentlemen think it must congeal within a strategic framework which is anchored in a formal leadership?
PS. Yes Bush Tea is very active in discharging his civic responsibilities.
PLT at 6 : 00 PM
I concur with your submission above. I ,like you, have tried to convince David Bu that his Blog is doing a good job of educating commenters.
Like you I am amazed at the insightful contributions which Bushie makes with such economy of words.
I believe that we are all becoming battle fatigued. We need to guard against that.
@David
Congeal is an apt term. In other words good formal leadership within a strategic framework is an emergent effect of good community leadership of all sorts bubbling through the society. If all that is bubbling through the society is crap, then all that congeals is shit leadership.
@Peter, when you speak of Bajan political culture I presume you are being a bit facetious, to say the least. I know we have this “cultural” ting or as defined this collective manifestation of a Bajan way of life as it relates to speech patterns (like the confusing ‘bull cow’) or even the music genre called Soca…but do Bajans alone accept political lies, corruption, incompetence or try to do-a-thing if the opportunity presents! REALLY.
And that leads directly to David Blogmaster’s lovely facetious remark re “…wise leadership group (not to compare to the Aussie cricket scenario)”…yes David, that was hypocrisy, chutzpah and too the spontaneous combustion of leaders being consumed in the same fiery pit from which they were forged.
As perfect an example as any that we get exactly the leaders right from among us whom we want…. and rip them asunder when we CATCH them stepping out of line… we elected them BECAUSE we believed they were smart enough NOT to get caught.
Of course we actually moralize that we elected or selected them whether politics or that cricket allegory because they are honest. Don’t believe that for a minute.
Can ANY Bajan really convince themselves that a certain opposition leader will be elected PM because of her transparency and political integrity…what a belly laff!
She is as smart as a tack and we expect she will perform in that smart way…I can’t see not ONE of the moral tenets noted above being at play here, Not A One l!
@MrBlogmaster…a hearty deep laff to “Thanks, missed when STEM morphed to STEAM. Barbados is still playing catch up”.
ARE WE?
Catchy phrased acronyms (is that redundunt like STEM to STEAM) and paradigms of the day are what makes consultants and conference venues popular…as in travel away meetings at lovely places to discuss the latest, latest.
There is/was the debate that Arts and Music were being wrongly removed from school curricula….
There is/was the debate of the importance of science and maths because of the growth of tech…
There is and always will the debate of the importance of English and second languages…
So let’s go steam up our education!
This stuff would be absolutely hilarious if in fact so much freaking money wasn’t spent on these conferences, white papers and academic studies!
Of course, then there is the obzocky but bluntly accurate message of Orwell ‘Animal Farm’: What was, is and still will be, regardless of what we call it!
@DPD
“do Bajans alone accept political lies, corruption, incompetence or try to do-a-thing if the opportunity presents…?”
+++++++
Not Bajans alone, but this cultural trait destroys governance wherever it is found… my concern just happens to be focussed on Barbados. My own opinion of the current leader of the opposition gives me little hope and less optimism. It is as David’s apt metaphor reveals… the leadership that ‘congeals’ is of the same composition as the culture out of which it arises.
For all of Freundel’s many failings, he is a politician of some skill as well as significant luck… his offhand comment about taking the money does not arise out of his own imagination, he has precious little of that commodity, it arises out of a society where a significant portion of the population countenances such behaviour. Research by Dr. Wayne Devonish of UWI showed that 26% of Bajans admit that they would accept a gift or some form of payment for their vote. This does not even include the percentage, perhaps much larger, who would do as Freundel urged to take the money but lie about how they intended to vote.
It is from such a sick culture that such politicians as we have ‘congeal.’
@DPD
“do Bajans alone accept political lies, corruption, incompetence or try to do-a-thing if the opportunity presents…?”
+++++++
Not Bajans alone, but this cultural trait destroys governance wherever it is found… my concern just happens to be focussed on Barbados. My own opinion of the current leader of the opposition gives me little hope and less optimism. It is as David’s apt metaphor reveals… the leadership that ‘congeals’ is of the same composition as the culture out of which it arises.
For all of Freundel’s many failings, he is a politician of some skill as well as significant luck… his offhand comment about taking the money does not arise out of his own imagination, he has precious little of that commodity, it arises out of a society where a significant portion of the population countenances such behaviour. Research by Dr. Wayne Devonish of UWI showed that 26% of Bajans admit that they would accept a gift or some form of payment for their vote. This does not even include the percentage, perhaps much larger, who would do as Freundel urged to take the money but lie about how they intended to vote.
It is from such a sick culture that such politicians as we have ‘congeal.’
David
We are minded that if a clean/clear right to recall could be won all other things will be added unto thee, sayeth the Lord!
A right without all the usual codicils and shiiite talk normally appended. Or subject to the GG’s or the PM’s, or somebody else’s say so.
We see others (PLT) suggesting deeper issues are at work in Barbados, corruption etc. And he is right in a way, but …………
The best way to deal with that is the sunlight of active citizen participation on day to day basis in their government.
We must destroy the current political class and parties which can go no further, are now anti-developmental by their very nature.
As happens in cooperatives. We don’t hear bout any teefing from the cooperatives or by its leadership, do we? That is virtually impossible.
So a right to recall would naturally be accompanied by a participatory governance. How else would we avoid general elections every month. And there is no higher level of accountability than that – citizen participation daily!
The power must be in the hands of the people, as a practical matter. This Westminster bull has long failed.
@ PLT at 7 :16 PM
The Wayne Devonish research report seems a bit higher than I expected at 26 %. But it does confirm the level of ignorance about the purpose of democracy and the alienation of a significant number of persons from the political system. The ,most horrifying bit is that it is higher among the educated.
@ Pachamama
April 3, 2018 7:25 PM
Participation by way of consensus, using mobile tech. for input, decision making and vote.
The “RIGHT TO RECALL” IS A MUST.
These three items may all boil down to the same thing (transparency)
1. Freedom of information legislation
2. Integrity legislation
3. Sunshine laws (deals completed by the government should be presented to the public within 3 months of completion). We respect the need to negotiate some business behind close door, but once the ink dries o the paper, please inform the taxpayers,,, Cahill, sandals, etc
Don’t tell me about laws on the book….
The right to recall is the only way to go..the only way the island can progress or gain recognition and respect as a Caribbean leaders and not just known as a banana republic run by corrupt government ministers and criminal minorities.
A State funeral befitting the African Queen Winnie Mandela.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2018/04/03/remembering-winnie/
“Remembering Winnie
Article by
Barbados Today Published on
April 3, 2018
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the anti-apartheid campaigner, will be honoured with a state funeral later this month, South Africa’s president has said.
Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement on Monday evening after paying a condolence visit to Madikizela-Mandela’s home in Johannesburg’s Soweto township.
The funeral will be on 14 April, with an official memorial service three days earlier.
In a televised tribute, Ramaphosa called Madikizela-Mandela a “champion of justice and equality” whose “dedication to the plight of her people gained her the love and the respect of the nation”.
“For many years‚ she bore the brunt of the senseless brutality of the apartheid state with stoicism and fortitude,” he said. “Despite the hardship she faced‚ she never doubted that the struggle for freedom and democracy would triumph and succeed.
“She remained throughout her life a tireless advocate for the dispossessed and the marginalised. She was the voice for the voiceless.”
Known as Mama Winnie, and “mother of the nation”, the former wife of Nelson Mandela died on Monday aged 81 following a “long illness”, her family said.
During her nearly 38-year marriage to Mandela, she fought against white-majority rule even as she vowed to escape the shadow of the great man”
David
STEAM actually appears in the leaked BLP manifesto and I also heard Hennis from UPP; but certainly not Solutions.
Depdantic
🤐
nineofnine
We agree, whole-heartedly!
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.