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Prime Minister Mia Mottley Appoints Cabinet

Prime Minister Mia Mottley has hit the ground running and less than 48 hours after receiving an overwhelming mandate to govern, she appointed her Cabinet. It is a large Cabinet but one can argue two points 1. the enormity of the task requires the resources to efficiently manage, AND, there is the politics, she has 30 members to manage! As she solidifies her powerbase one expects she will consolidate as required or face the political fallout. The blogmaster will be fair and allow a few weeks for the BLP action plan to emerge before critique.

 

Full list of Ministers:

  • Prime Minister Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment – Mia Mottley
  • Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs – Dale Marshall
  • Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training and Leader of Government Business – Santia Bradshaw
  • Minister of Housing, Lands and Rural Development – George Payne
  • Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business in the Senate – Senator Dr Jerome Walcott
  • Minister of International Business and Industry – Ronald Toppin
  • Minister of Environment and National Beautification – Trevor Prescod
  • Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs – Cynthia Forde
  • Minister of Tourism and International Transport – Kerrie Symmonds
  • Minister of Transport Works and Maintenance  – Dr William Duguid
  • Minister of Health and Wellness – Jeffrey Bostic
  • Minister of Home Affairs – Edmund Hinkson
  • Minister of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce – Dwight Sutherland
  • Minister of Energy and Water Resources – Wilfred Abrahams
  • Minister in the Ministry of Finance – Ryan Straughn
  • Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment – Marsha Caddle
  • Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade – Sandra Husbands
  • Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations – Colin Jordan
  • Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Rural Development – Charles Griffith
  • Minister of Youth and Community Empowerment – Adrian Forde
  • Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy – Kirk Humphrey
  • Minister of Agriculture and Food Security – Indar Weir
  • Minister in the Ministry of Transport Works and Maintenance – Peter Phillips
  • Minister of the Creative Economy, Culture and Sports – John King
  • Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology – Senator Kay McConney
  • Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Public Affairs- Senator Lucille Moe

 

Full list of Senators:

  • Senator Sir Richard Cheltenham
  • Senator Rudolph ‘Cappy’ Greenidge
  • Senator Dr Jerome Walcott
  • Senator Kay McConney
  • Senator Lucille Moe
  • Senator Rawdon Adams
  • Senator Lisa Cummins
  • Senator Rudy Grant
  • Senator Dr Rommel Springer
  • Senator Lynette Holder
  • Senator Damien Sands
  • Senator Dr Chrystal Haynes

Related information:

  • Arthur Holder – Speaker of the House
  • Glyne Clarke – Deputy Speaker
  • Sonia Browne – Chairman of Committees
  • Ambassador at Large and Plenipotentiary – Dame Billie Miller
  • Ambassador/Chief Economic Counsellor in the ministry of finance – Clyde Mascoll
  • Jessica Odle-Baril – Prime Minister’s Personal Aide
  • Pat Parris – Director of Public Affairs (to replace traditional press secretary)
  • TBD – Director of Communications
  • TBD – Czars in critical areas

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=953294554835357&id=271334199698066

216 responses to “Prime Minister Mia Mottley Appoints Cabinet”

  1. T.Inniss Avatar
    T.Inniss

    Because there is no opposition I thought this blogsite would have man up and do the right thing,that is be a fair an impartial umpire.However I am carefully watching the comments and the slurs against against anybody criticizing the new blp administration even pachamama who is usually balanced and fair.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    In a few weeks when the government is given a chance to settle and share policy positions that you will Sir. At this point all we have is a Prime Minster who has selected a large Cabinet and team because she says there is a lot of work to do- confirmed in the IMF Article IV Report the DLP refused to share with the Rh public.

  3. Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right

    De Ole man thinks that this is TOO MANY COOKS and that they will spoil the broth.

    One does not doubt that there is a need to re-energize the economy and commensurately there is a need to expand the economy.

    The problem that this twenty something nuff administration presents in what has been repeatedly espoused as one that is needful of Austerity Measures, is the sizeable cabinet.

    A few things come to mind which are

    (a) this is obviously a way to compensate the most supportive of the Election Effort

    (b) it is a way to appease George Payne

    (c) those who have been left out are part of the divisive fissures or they are being groomed for something else

    De ole man ent running de government but I is a likkle bit of a psychologist as it relates to the 15 second attention spans of the Bajan electorate

    Every one of these ministers should be put on a deferred income pay scale for 6 months where they get paid a bare essentials salary.

    Cut all the fluff as it relates to travel expenses and entertainment allowances across the entire system

    AND AS IT RELATES to the new ministries that are supposedly created to generate new incomes/FX the incoming Prime Minister should do something revolutionary and have these ministers salaries and tenure tied to performance CERTAINLY FOR THE FIRST 6 MONTHS of their service.

    Else this is just a gravvy wagon for people who have yet to deliver anything.

    The thing is that “Madamoiselle Prime Minister” (it cannot be Madam Prime Minister for the illiterati among us SHE IS NOT MARRIED and de ole man will leave wunna to append whatever title wunna want to her correct title)

    Such a strategy will endear Madamoiselle Prime Minister to the public WHILE IT WILL PUT HER YET TO BE PROVED MINISTERS on notice that WITH A 30 person cabinet, all the divisive fissures that exists CAN BE EASILY DE-NEUTERED in a moment.

    But then again de ole man is only a keyboard warrior and ent know nuffin bout controlling THE ENEMY WITHIN…

  4. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    And Freundel Stuart’s legacy is a wrecked economy and a record 30 love drubbing at the polls.Its the talk of the Caricom Region.Nothing like this result was expected in Barbados.It says a lot of the bajan psyche and the low opinion they hold for Staurt and all his cabinet colleagues.His legacy 30-0 at the hands of a woman.They say when a woman beat a man, the man does be so shame he don’t want his friends nor family to know.He fears their scolding..’wait,you is a man too’!

  5. Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right

    And one other thing about the size of this cabinet

    It is noted that many of these cabinet ministers CANNOT MULTITASK.

    Wunna would be afraid to call a spade a spade but examine the bifurcation of some ministries and you can see that is clearly evident in this seperation of duties.

    It would be total stupidity of Madamoiselle Prime Minister to saddle these ammmmmmm **** with multiple ministries

  6. Well, Well Avatar
    Well, Well

    The region alone…that brutal stripping of a government by the people is a conversation piece in North America like you won’t believe , some people in Minnesota were like, what the hell..in Canada, like, damn…

    .it will be talked about for years.

  7. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    All hope is lost.

  8. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    What sore losers dems are…………one would have thought that with the humiliating defeat they would be still drunk drunk drunk………..no they are on BU making our lives hell with RH foolishness.

    The dems have left this country in such a state of decay and lost in a morass of lies and deceit that
    Mia needs all the help she can get……..do you all want her to burn herself out in one year?

    Dems……wunnah lost, bees won……..get to RH over it! Redwash……all 30 seats…….this is such a bitter pill you dems have to swallow! Need some pure water…….Boo Hoo.

    Poor souls………….

  9. T.Inniss Avatar
    T.Inniss

    Prodigal you have no shame making that comment.I suggest you go back and read some of your past comments about the last administration.This victory was really not about Mia but more about the last govt.

    Anyway you will soon be busy probably with your new reward so you will not have time to throw out all this nonsense.

  10. T.Inniss Avatar
    T.Inniss

    Trust me this 30 seats whitewash will come back to haunt mia and will be a bitter pill for many who are now rejoicing.Enjoy while you can though.

  11. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Do you know that there are some dems who believe that the Bees did something to win all 30 seats?……….hello!!! they did……..they ran a tight, clean, good campaign.

    The dems ran a nasty, spiteful disorganised campaign.

    I told my dem friend today…..this why you dems lost:

    Fruendel believed that he had all the power and refused to call the election……so the people waited on his RH and let him see who had the greater power.

    Sewage flowing on the South Coast for close to two years and Freundel never once visited the area neither did any of the ministers Estwick, Boyce or Sealy seem to care

    The state of the QEH and no one cared that people have to spend days waiting for care

    The state of the roads and no one cared

    The lack of buses and people having to wait three and four hours at a bus stop

    #The lack of garbage trucks and garbage piled up all over our fair land

    #The high cost of living as a result of the increased VAT and NSRL…………

    These are the reasons the people got angry and angrier and when they got to angriest……they kicked wunnah RH’s out…………..good riddance. They voted with spite for all the indifference of the DLP.

    Of course my friend was not too pleased with me ……….said I hear you!

  12. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Oh dear……….T Inniss……….I was not going to gloat but Boo Hoo Boo Hoo!
    Wunnah lost bigly!
    Get over it!

  13. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    T Innis

    Why dont you dems go into retreat and hiberate!

    While there you can read study and learn how to govern….learn about public policy, public finance and how to run a good honest government.

    It makes no sense attacking me……..my only goal was to see the back of wunnah……I need nothing from MAM’s government other than to address the woes I listed above…….I have no need to drink and feed at any trough…….boo hoo boo hoo!

  14. Fractured BLP Avatar
    Fractured BLP

    With 26 Cabinet Ministers now in place at the approximate monthly cost of $ 680,000. 00
    or put another way ….approximately $ 8.5 million annually !!

    Would David allow the following questions to be asked on his blog ?

    Would the new government still :

    • Abolish the NSRL ?

    • Abolish Road Tax ?

    • Pay the $ 120 million dollar Credit Suisse loan due in June 2018 ?

    • Have ready $ 50 million dollars for ” free education ” for UWI students by September 2018 ?

    • Tell Bajans the treasury BROKE and the economy on the BRINK ?

    Thanks, David for providing the space to ask those questions !!!

  15. Fractured BLP Avatar
    Fractured BLP

    Added to the list of questions is :

    • Would the VAT be reduced to 15 % ?

  16. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Dems on BU were not interested during the lost decade of how the MOF destroyed this economy…
    not even the 23 downgrades of the economy…………

    Why the hell are they interested now they left MAM a pop down economy?

    Boo hoo…….#wunnahlostbigly #sorelosers #getoverit

  17. T.Inniss Avatar
    T.Inniss

    You sure you not interested in anything prodigal ? ha.You mean you refusing the lil pick?

    If the economy so pop down why mia being so irresponsible by creating 30 ministers and 12 more positions in the senate.Remember a minister’s salary is way,way,way above that of a simple member of parliament.You all were ranting and raving how the dems should cut their salary and after they did it for 2 and a half years you curse them when they restored the 10 %.

    Have you no shame Mia and the blp team?

    You cuss Freundel for replacing the old car MP 2.Yet Mia was quick to jump in it and rock back.Why didn’t she say as a matter of principle after all I said I will not use the car.

    The mottley family members will be having a grand time and will be well taken of.Good luck with that.

    What sweet in goat mout does burn he in he boxie.

    The hypocrisy of the bees is sickening.Criticise the last govt and a big cabinet then triple it as soon as she gets in.Wow!

  18. Lorenzo Avatar
    Lorenzo

    Fractured J/A you should be ashamed to show your face on this blog.You were pompasetting about bombshells ,Pegasus tapes ,canouan tapes and all such childish rubbish,thinking you were talking to ten year olds.Well the people told you and Mr Stuart,Mr Sinckler and the useless Mr Blackett what they thought of you all,not one damn seat.Take that J/A and along with AC/Mariposa ,Chaucer and Pacha keep keep wanna opinions to wannu selves,nobody ain,t want to hear from you losers,time to lick your wounds,and reel and come again with proper ideas and behavior.Hope the Dem yardfowl at CBC,have her bags packed and ready to leave Talk ya talk,for good,good riddance,to bad rubbish.

  19. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Tron
    All hope is lost.
    ++++++++++++
    Hope was really lost long ago – when we struck the iceberg.
    But many of us on the top deck seem to be fascinated with the shifting around of deck chairs …and with the recent mutiny against the jackass captain.

    This is understandable,
    BUT…
    The problem of the huge gash below deck – and of the cold water rushing in …cannot be solved with new deck chair arrangements.
    Even throwing 15,000 public servants overboard – as suggested by Iron and by the former Central Bank ‘Guvnor’ cannot reverse the damage.

    It is BBE’s lifeboats …or duck’s guts….
    This will become clearer as the water reaches the upper decks….

  20. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Fractured BLP May 26, 2018 9:31 PM “Tell Bajans the treasury BROKE and the economy on the BRINK ?”

    So if the treasury broke and the economy on the brink, who is it that caused the treasury to be broke, and who is it that pushed the economy to the brink?

    And if the DLP had been reelected how did you plan to fix things?

    Please note that if an arsonist sets your house on fire, there is no point calling him to put out the fire.

    The people have spoken.

    Go away.

  21. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Nobody made MIA run for office.

    It was her choice to be a politician who worked tirelessly for more than 20 years to become Prime Minister.

    She made the promises. She set the targeted deadlines. She chose to ” hit the ground running “.

    Barbados is a democratic country and every citizen is free to express their opinions.

    Barbados Underground allows any and every one to express themselves.

    My scroll wheel works so I don’t read the writings of bloggers who cause me pain.

  22. T.Inniss Avatar
    T.Inniss

    For those who may be saying they giving the new administration a honeymoon;remember Mia was not so gracious.She was on the campaign trail the day after the results of the 2013 elections.

    What does the song say again:

    “Memories don’t leave like people do……….. they always stay with you…………..

  23. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Bushie,

    There is hope.

    It is possible that the BLP has a billionaire shadow that will invest in Barbados and buy some of the debt.

    But I ent as brite as I newsed to be an all dese years in Canada addled part ah muh brain.

    Maybe bramovich will build an island down pun long shoal an nijeriun will buy some debt.

    uh never know Bushie. all tings are possible. lol

  24. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @T.Inniss May 26, 2018 10:36 PM “For those who may be saying they giving the new administration a honeymoon;remember Mia was not so gracious.She was on the campaign trail the day after the results of the 2013 elections.

    So what stopped the DLP from hitting the 2023 campaign trial on May 25th?

    Stupseee!!!

    Was just talking to a friend, and I told her that if the DLP hopes to return to office in the next 10 to 15 years, they must reform and renew now. Cut out a lot of the dead wood. Retain maybe the half a dozen candidates that have hopes of being reelected in the future, and start recruiting bright young people NOW.

    They are already 52 hours and 51 minutes late

  25. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Prodigal Son May 26, 2018 9:16 PM “Do you know that there are some dems who believe that the Bees did something to win all 30 seats?”

    You mean something like witchcraft?

    Like they bewitched 150,000 individuals voting in secret at hundreds of different polling stations?

    You mean they bewitched rich people and poor people, old people and young people, Rastafarians and Christians, Muslims and Jews, black people and white people, men and women?

  26. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    There is probably nothing wrong with having such large numbers of ministers. Many larger corporations have Board members and officers who direct policy.
    The problem we have is this idea that these political animals are competent MANAGERS who can act as CEO’s of complex business operations such as MTW, QEH and MOF.
    They are not, and they CANNOT…

    As Bushie ALWAYS said, let the politicians get together and drink some liquors and talk some shiite – while arguing about the constitution etc. BUT identify some COMPETENT Managers to manage our critical national assets such as the QEH and Water Works… and demand PERFORMANCE results.

    Unless we change this stupid policy of selecting NATIONAL MANAGERS by popularity contests called elections …and by party politics, we will continue with WRONG pegs in square holes as our country becomes poorer and poorer.

    ALL intelligent organisations advertise, head-hunt, interview, and then train the persons to whom they entrust the management of their operations. Even then, ‘success’ demands that a TIGHT rein be placed on their performance….Many will still fail – due to the harsh business environment that is represented by this 21st century world of ours..

    Meanwhile, ALL those brass bowls who do otherwise have already failed … or are well on the way…

  27. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Bush Tea,

    At least you have “Minister of Transport Works and Maintenance – Dr William Duguid”

    He know about teeth and can use his expertise on the gearbox of the buses.lol

  28. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    For the last time Simple and Prodigal….
    The BLP did not ‘win’ the elections. Apart from a few embarrassingly condescending and simple minded promises of freebies , …what were these ‘winning’ strategies?

    The DLP was savagely REJECTED by the people for multiple convictions of doing shiite.
    The BLP was the only option that made ANY sense

    Had the other bogus parties COME TOGETHER and present a single third party candidate in each constituency …perhaps they would have seen completely different results.
    Too damn SELFISH.
    If they could not resolve difference in 5 little shiite parties, how could they resolve the tribal political tendencies of all Barbados?
    So it was BLP….

    @ Hants
    You mind David about this ‘hope’ thing?
    That is what we all said when David Thompson’s diagnosis first came back….
    Although GP warned us that there was no hope -and that it was just a matter of some time…
    Same identical shiite here boss….

    But feel free to change doctor, change medicine, fly to NY, pray…

    As for Bushie….
    Keeping that lifeboat in sight….

  29. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Bushie who wrote ” The problem we have is this idea that these political animals are competent MANAGERS who can act as CEO’s of complex business operations such as MTW, QEH and MOF.
    They are not, and they CANNOT…”

    That is why ,in the old days, some of the Permanent secretaries and senior civil servants did the work without a lot of input from Ministers.

  30. nineofnine Avatar
    nineofnine

    Bushie, May 26, 2018 10:59 PM

    All the rhetoric lacks the key word…. COUNSEL . the highrollers’ gateway to achieving goals. Mia referenced Tsars/czars

  31. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    LOL @ Hants
    In six weeks he will be an expert on all things related to transport and maintenance….

    Like Dr ‘Shiitehound’ Estwick was on agriculture and water.
    like Michael Lashley was always ‘looking into’ transport issues…
    Steupsss

    PM Mottley is at least intelligent enough to recognise when something is NOT working.
    ……and to change around the deck chairs.
    Unlike the ridiculous clown that infested the place for the last eight years…

  32. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Bush Tea May 26, 2018 11:17 PM “For the last time Simple and Prodigal…The BLP did not ‘win’ the elections.

    And where did I say so?

    @Bush Tea May 26, 2018 11:17 PM “That is what we all said when David Thompson’s diagnosis first came back…”

    Please nt that when it was revealed that David Thompson had pancreatic cancer, I said on this blog that he was going to die. I did my research, looked at the numbers, a 5 year survival rate of 4% and had no reason to believe that David would make it, not with those numbers, and not if Steve Jobs with all that Apple money couldn’t make

  33. nineofnine Avatar
    nineofnine

    Madam Prime Minister MIA AMOR MOTTLEY (MPMMAM) when in pre-election mode was hinting and calling to agreement all along that ” MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK”.. hence the size cabinet. Things are well thought out way in advance.. Q references “trust the plan… where we go one we go all”.

  34. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ nineofnine
    Look Boss, Bushie not about playing games with semantics.
    Czar shiite!!

    In our system, even the MINISTER of some shiite department is just a joker who gets in the way of progress.
    Will the Czar have ACCESS to the funds and the CLOUT to make FINAL decisions?
    Right now, ONLY the Minister of Finance has that clout.

    This is why Stinkliar was able to defang the Pitbull – and turn him into a shiite hound… while destroying sugar, water and sewerage.
    It is why the Sewerage plant failed – because Stinkliar did not provide money to do REQUIRED maintenance
    It is why the water system is a mess – because the MOF did not fund needed projects until a crisis arose.

    BUT – if individual ministers could fund these projects independently, we ALL know that they would steal all the damn money outright.

    So what is the solution?
    This is not a quiz for an inexperienced joker who never ran a serious business… but for someone who has been there and done that…successfully. Such persons do not contest shiite elections.

    Steupsss
    Even if Bushie gave the answer, wunna could not get it to work….

  35. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    I have not seen any mention of the Barbados election in mainstream Canadian news.

    This is very unusual.

  36. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Simple Simon
    “…when it was revealed that David Thompson had pancreatic cancer, I said on this blog that he was going to die. I did my research,”
    ++++++++++
    Great.
    Now do some research and let us know which countries with

    150% debt,
    no assets left,
    piss poor productivity,
    financial reports in a total mess – with some audited accounts YEARS behind –
    while the auditor general screams about huge discrepancies EVERY year
    Sewerage on the tourists streets and beaches
    dozens of abandoned buildings
    a court system that has failed
    sugar cane industry dead
    etc, etc etc

    ….have returned to growth and prosperity equal to that it enjoyed during the years of borrowing and grants
    ….and tell us which have essentially ‘died’.
    Better yet – tell David (cause Bushie done know)

    The boss bushman would probably admonish you as he did in Luke 12:54-

    ” And He was also saying to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it turns out.
    And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be a hot day,’ and it turns out that way.
    You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky,
    but why do you not analyze this present time?”

  37. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    ” In layman’s terms, this means that instead of holding at least USD$1 in reserves for every BBD$2 in circulation (which was the case until July 2013), the Central Bank only has USD$1 for every BBD$11.12 in circulation – which means the value of the Barbados dollar has been severely eroded and debased.”

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/161344/economy-dire-straits

  38. nineofnine Avatar
    nineofnine

    Bushie,
    Don’t let me take that whacker from you, in fact, no…you keep it.. I got a D9.

    Who said that any Czar will have access to funds or produce the clout for decisions?
    These Czars roll is merely a resource, A DEPENDENCE called upon to resolve issues related to the MISSION CRITICAL AREAS.

    @ 4:49

    ..”This is not a quiz for an inexperienced joker who never ran a serious business… but for someone who has been there and done that…successfully. Such persons do not contest shiite elections”..

    Are you saying that the elected (non business men) should not hold political office and only those experienced business savvy (elected or non elected) should?

    Clarify non elected

    You realize that is a call for a totally different governance construct, one that must engage the Constitution to elections and by extension a regulating of constituency office elections.

    My determination, subject to correction is that Bushie the whacker master was hopeful of Solutions Barbados.. tell me it aint so.

  39. nineofnine Avatar
    nineofnine

    Minister of Finance / Financial Controller…. Ministries are allocated large sums of money.

  40. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    Kay McConnie was just in Canada and she is made it to Cabinet toute suite, “Hants” there is hope for you. According to the BLP the mess left by the DLP is so massive it will take more than one man or woman to do the job that’s why the Cabinet is so big.

    Is it a Bajan thing that when one becomes PM their marital status changes, first Freundel now Mia…….

  41. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Hants May 27, 2018 12:31 AM

    In layman’s terms, this means that instead of holding at least USD$1 in reserves for every BBD$2 in circulation (which was the case until July 2013), the Central Bank only has USD$1 for every BBD$11.12 in circulation – which means the value of the Barbados dollar has been severely eroded and debased.” (Quote)

    It is true that the Bajan has been grossly devalued, but the ratio of Bajans to Greenbacks is not a metric of this. That is a metric of bad foreign currency reserves management. An inherent problem with macroeconomics in Barbados – the stockpiling of foreign reserves that should and could be used more prudently..

  42. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    There is a lot of chat about Barbados getting its first woman prime minister. But those of us who lived through Margaret Thatcher, and are living with Theresa May, may caution those fanatics.

  43. akenatenI Avatar
    akenatenI

    Not me!
    Article by
    Colville Mounsey Published on
    May 14, 2018
    Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur is making it clear that he had absolutely nothing to do with any major tax write-offs for either the father of Barbados Labour Party (BLP) leader Mia Mottley, or for Barclays Bank.

    The just-retired St Peter representative issued the clear-the-air statement today while joining with Prime Minister Freundel Stuart in calling on Mottley to give full account of both dubious financial transactions, which reportedly occurred as soon as he turned his back and left the country when the BLP last held office.

    Addressing a Democratic Labour Party (DLP) meeting last night, Stuart dropped the bombshell news as questions continue to swirl around an alleged meeting between Mottley and Nigerian billionaire Benedict Peters.

    He called on the BLP leader to give account of millions of dollars in tax waivers, which reportedly occurred under the last BLP administration, including a near half million-dollar write-off to her dad.

    “Elliott Deighton Mottley had two judgments lodged against him for monies due and owing to the Income Tax Department upwards of $1 million. In 1998, I walked in the Registry one morning and everyone had frowns on their faces. They were saying that here it is that we have to pay our taxes but yet over $400,000 of that tax obligation was being written off by the Owen Arthur administration,” Stuart told the DLP meeting at Carlisle House car park, The City.

    The Prime Minister however sought to distance his BLP predecessor from the dubious transaction, explaining that while Arthur had denied the request for the write-off, it was granted as soon as he left the country.

    “My most diligent enquiries revealed that the matter had been raised with Arthur and he said under no condition could that write-off be given, but as soon as he turned his back and travelled overseas, it happened,” Stuart claimed, adding that “there was a certain stage in Arthur’s incumbency that he was afraid to go as far as St Vincent because he did not know what he would find when he returned”.

    While calling on Mottley, who acted as prime minister in Arthur’s absence from the island, to reveal who was behind the decision, the DLP leader also charged that in 2002, during the merger of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) and Barclays, a circumvention by a member of the then Arthur Cabinet had cost the country $87 million in property transfer tax and stamp duty.

    This morning Arthur said he was both disappointed and surprised to learn of the write-off for Sir Elliott, which he said should be criminally investigated since approval for such waivers needed to be given by both Cabinet and Parliament.

    “I am in a position to say that Mottley’s father would have applied to me for a waiver of the tax and it was truly outrageous for Elliott Mottley, with a daughter in Cabinet, to apply to me to waive that kind of tax for him,” the former Prime Minister explained, while stressing that no approval was given by him.

    Though stating that he did not know on whose authority the waiver was granted, Arthur suggested that there would have had to have been “a conspiracy to defraud the Treasury because a Minister of Finance said no to the tax waiver”.

    The former prime minister, who served between 1994 and 2008, also said had he been aware of the write-off, the perpetrator would have been fired.

    He also said he was equally unaware of the circumstances under which the Barclays waiver was granted, explaining that he had recused himself from that transaction due to the fact that he was shareholder in CIBC.

    However, in support of another disclosure made by Stuart last night, Arthur confirmed that he was being enticed by current BLP leader Mia Mottley, as well as political strategist Hartley Henry and a prime minister from another Caribbean Community country to sign the Petrocaribe oil deal with Venezuela in exchange for campaign financing from then Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

    “The purpose of the meeting was to get me to agree to go to Venezuela to meet Hugo Chavez to arrange to get campaign financing for the Barbados Labour Party on condition that I would change the position that I held as Prime Minister of Barbados on Petrocaribe,” Arthur said.

    All CARICOM member states with the exception of Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados signed on to the Petrocaribe framework agreement back in June 2005, which allows countries to purchase oil on a delayed payment system.

    Arthur, who held a press conference this morning at Barbados TODAY’s Manor Lodge, St Michael office, said there was a record of the meeting in question.

    “The meeting was held at a house with Hartley Henry and the Prime Minister of the Caribbean country. Mr Stuart is in a position to speak to it because I called in the Venezuelan ambassador, so there is a record.

    “I also briefed my deputy Dale Marshall. I refused to go because there was no circumstance under which I was going to agree to surrender Barbados’ foreign policy for a campaign contribution. So the Barbados Labour Party had to do without that funding that year,” said Arthur, who revealed that the offer was in the millions of dollars.
    colvillemounsey@barbadostoday.bb

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

    Prepare for hurricane season yall…alerts already came out from one country..

    Although the people’s hurricane already hit parliament on May 25th…on the island..lol

  45. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/161341/jones-calls-day

    Ronald Jones
    Freundel Stuart
    Mara Thompson

  46. David Avatar
    David

    Is it reasonable to state the DLP has had a post election meeting to determine next steps to match the pace MAM appears to have set in the first 72 hours of her administration?

  47. David Avatar
    David

    @Bushie

    Jeremiah 29:11 ESV / 1,840 helpful votes
    For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

  48. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Bush Tea,

    See it from the bright side.

    Devaluation means huge profits for those swapping currencies.

    And there are many members of the so-called Barbadian elite having forex income and local loans.

    Everything is executed as planned. The rest of the Barbadians should check if the iron collar fits for the transport to Guyana or Saudi Arabia.

  49. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    The bloated government translates into 5,000 new jobs in gov, 10 new gov buildings ( contractors as usual: COW and Baloney) and so on.

    We have also to wait how many new state corporations emerge. I guess we get at least 20 new public companies, 10 new counsels and 30 new commissions. Not to forget 20 new judges at new courts.

    Of course, somebody needs to finance all these goodies. Namely the Barbadian house servants aka taxpayers through devaluation and IMF.

    Everything is executed as planned. Soon the expats and the Guyanese oil barons are fully in charge.

  50. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Amm yuh mean to tell me that it is gonna cost the taxpayer an additional 8million dollars yearly to feed the new calves in the blp party
    Wait a minute now i thought the reason Mia was elected was to put money back in the taxpayers pocket

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