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There is a culture of secrecy in Barbados when it comes to explaining how taxpayers dollars are spent. The blogmaster listened to retired Director of Finance William Layne in a radio interview recently when he shared a view that much of government’s business can be made public except in a few cases where security considerations apply.

The Trinidad government took a decision in 2015 to inform parliament the amount of fees paid to lawyers and other entities for professional services rendered to government. By recording the names in the people’s parliament they were published in the media for the public’s information.   Although reports confirm some attorneys and others objected for fear of concerns  of personal and family safety, the practice continues.

One of many concerns for Barbadians were the outrageous legal fees charged by a select few lawyers for services rendered to government during the last administration.  Top of mind is the 1.5 million paid to Hal Gollop to review the BWA headquarters agreement. There the payment to Richard Byer of $766,855 to review a standard agreement by order of Caves Barbados. Guyson Mayers was paid $300,000 for fifteen months work to prepare a nondescript report supported by technical tools costing $224,000. Other lawyers like Michael Yearwood and Adrian King come to mind who have risen to millionaire status as a result of sweetheart deals at the behest of the last government.

The blogmaster does not advocate practicing long-knive politics, however, if Prime Minister Mia Mottley wants to send a loud message to the bevy of ministers et al she leads- many are lawyers- here is an opportunity to share with the public all legal fees and professional fees paid to individuals and firms that rendered services to the former government. It is our money, we have the right to know how it was spent.

In the not so eloquent words of the former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, Prime Minister Mottley must show the country that her mice are not without balls!

 


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178 responses to “Make Legal (Professional) Fees Paid by Former DLP Government Public!”


  1. FREEDOM OF IMFORMATION IS COMING, declared this afternoon at the swearing in of Ministers before the Governor General, Caribbean Leaders, Dignitaries and the Nation.


  2. The public rejected the silly argument anyway.


  3. Thieves lawyers colluding with fellow thieves lawyers to enrich one another? Colour me unsurprised – it happens wherever these shoals of predators gather., it is simply that in poor old Bim, these scum have brought the practice to a fine-tuned and shameless art.

    “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers” – Shakespeare Henry Vi

    Seems more than ever a plan to me.


  4. Do lawyers in Barbados have to get professional indemnity insurance before they can practice?

  5. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    @ Hal Austin. More than likely no.

    The reason is that lawyers do not teif here in Barbados and never misrepresent clients nor teif client funds in their charge.

    @ others

    De ole man seems to be a voice crying in the wilderness as it relates to creating a better business bureau mechanism which records their performance and their infelicities

    It is a simple concept

    Name of Lawyer. Name of Chambers Matter(s) Adjudicated where lawyer proven guilty. Antecedents where lawyer proven guilty. Confirmed Client infractions. Rating

    That is not too hard to grasp is It?


  6. We had an opportunity to vote lawyers out of parliament and we did not.

  7. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    @ Hal Austin

    What opportunity What?

    You examined the alternatives closely?

    More critical to this opportunity you speak of is the endemic perception that a vote for a third party representative IS A WASTED BALLOT!

    The fact is that the Third Parties that ran were poorly promoted

    And started their campaigns too late (shall be their cry)

    The also had no viable alternatives to address the dying economy

    Taken in concert it makes your statement only appear to be a hopeful but ill informed wishlist

    By the way I do hope you were not talking about electing any of the non lawyers from the DLP like say ammmmmmm Jester Inches?

    Steupseee

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

    Hope everyone has finally seen the back of parasites and supreme court abusers like Gollop, Haynes et al, before they cause even more damage to the island’s image regionally and internationally…..their continued presence will only serve to continue to highlight any inadequacies in the Mia government.

    If the new administration cares about changing from the decrepit, destructive cadre of status quo lawyers….in order to preserve a positive self image……they will utilize the services of the younger attorneys who still have their newly aquired legal training dancing around in their heads and have not yet been exposed to decades of corrupt scams and the numerous ways to violate human rights and steal from the treasury, clients and policyholders simultaneously.


  9. I 100% support the Blogmaster in calling for disclosure of how all taxpayers monies are spent except for ‘security’ reasons. If, as promised, the BLP enact Freedom of Information, I trust it will be back-dated to allow us access to the past 10-years!!!

  10. Sunshine sunny shine Avatar
    Sunshine sunny shine

    David

    Have you heard the woman who is accusing George Payne of some serious dirty dog doings? I would hope that Mia Mottley would look into this and understand the scum she has retained in the form of George Payne. I am going to give Mottley some time to prove herself. So far she sounds like the real deal, but time will tell. Let me know if you have seen the video.

    SSS in BIM

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

    SSS….the whole island has seen the video….everyone already knows of the antics of Payne and Marshall…Mia is now responsible for their actions.going forward.

    By their years of evil deeds and crimes against the elderly, they also made themselves world renowned through the years, they are both well known, don’t be in the least bit surprised when more victims come out with videos to expose.


  12. @SSS

    Yes the video was posted to one of the other BU blogs. Mia’s people follow social media and MUST have heard of the incident. The alleged victim needs to take her case to the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar and send all correspondence to social media under copy to Minister of Home Affairs Dale Marshall and the Prime Minister’s Director of Public Affairs.

    Here is the video?

    The obvious question is why has she waited so long to broadcast her story.

    [wpvideo KXZ0q0Iu]


  13. @ David who wrote ” The obvious question is why has she waited so long to broadcast her story.”

    Don’t blame the alleged victim.

    Black Bajans are intimidated by lawyers.

    Note that I used the word ” alleged ” so George Payne can’t sue me or BU. lol

    I believe the woman is telling the truth.


  14. Well now you blp yardfowls what do you have to say about George de payne reputation.
    This woman has put herself on video to exposed one of wunna one
    Mia has offered the people of barbados full transparency
    Waiting to see how she deals with these damming allegations against George Payne
    Hope these allegations would not be placed in a sealed envelope until integrity legislation is passed
    Wuhloss when yuh think yuh heard it all


  15. This will be interesting to watch because expected would be the blp yardfowls to tagged the lady as “mad” and the blp lawyers working as attacked dogs to maul the woman’s reputation.


  16. I also found it strange that victims were hesitant to approach bar association or newspapers..pre social media… to expose these lawyers…until I personally saw the dynamics in play against them…and how those accused get the privilege of all ranks in the system being closed to their victims, making it impossible to get justice.

    The traditional media did not help because they too are muzzled by unfair defamation and slander laws, unlike real media elsewhere who are free to expose accused lawyers and accused politicians or accused anyone, those wicked unfair practices aided in the frightening of victims to come forward and if they dared to come forward only to see themselves aged, sick, many times in wheelchairs and without limbs having to make their way to the Supreme Court to fight for their own properties.

    witnessing that was a. defining moment for me.

    it took me 4 years to hear about BU…some still don’t know.

    The only reason the forging of a deceased female’s Will got exposed is because there was a savvy person in from NYC who knew about the attempted theft and used their legal skills to go to the Supreme Court and stop the scam….there is very little recourse to victims on the island, even when the culprits are exposed.

    That is why it is so important to test those human rights violations in the court against all the treaties and charters that Barbados is signatory, but first the population has to be educated about the existence of this possibility because the two governments never thought it necessary to tell the people of their existence…for self serving purposes to preserve their political cabal..


  17. Mariposa

    Uh see yuh still licking yuh wounds……..

    If the allegations are true, I hope Mottley won’t follow Stuart’s idiotic suggestion and tell Payne to “get a lawyer.”

    Ohhhhh….when yuh see Fcuktured BLP, tell he I say “DEMS now…….DEMS NEVER AGAIN!!!!!”


  18. Congratulations to Mia Mottley and the BLP on their victory.


  19. The record should reflect that all we have here is a woman posting a video to Facebook. We must tread cautiously. Minister George Payne should know he needs to have the matter addressed, it will not go away.


  20. Artexeres .the issue is about George de Payne and scurrilous allegations
    Please leave me out of it
    Mia mounted a campagain about transparency and corruption
    But still goes ahead and give George Payne an administrative role in govt
    One would expect that she would have used these allegations as a way forward to signal to the populace her seriouness about stamping out corruption while putting or placing George Payne in a role of govt to be lampooned by the public because of these allegstions
    Interesting times ahead


  21. For you all to pretend that this is a one time situation is the height of hypocrisy. It is well know to Bajan overseas that many on the island, especially lawyers, plan to separate them from their hard earned money.

    “The alleged victim needs to take her case to the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar and send all correspondence to social media under copy to Minister of Home Affairs Dale Marshall and the Prime Minister’s Director of Public Affairs.”

    Sheer balderdash and poppyccock.

    My mother sold a home in Barbados. The monies were paid to her lawyer. The damn lawyer was paying her money piece by piece as if he was purchasing something by lay-a-way and she did not get all her money. She went to a US lawyer who suggested she report him to the Bar Association.

    My mother is 80 and didn’t go to fancy school, but even she realized that she was dealing with a pack of jokers when she got a reply lacking any kind of formality. A teenager with no brains and a cheap printer could have given a more professional reply. The lawyer in the US told her to forget it as she had gotten the bulk of the money and would probably spend more than she would be getting if she went after the lawyer.

    I will talk with my mother and see if I can get the name of the Barbadian lawyer and the amount owing. I will not post name.


  22. I believe the woman.

    Let’s not pretend that 30-0 cleaned out all of the nastiness on the island.


  23. Theo,
    Do you expect a parliament of lawyers to introduce legislation to control unethical lawyers? Do turkeys vote for Xmas?
    I was told by a senior member of the new government that the young lawyers in his chambers detested people returning from the UK, having worked as bus conductors and drivers, who were in Bajan terms millionaires.
    I asked him if he had ever explained to his young charges that those bus workers spent years getting up at 4am, with the streets piled high with snow, to go to work, often to be humiliated by their colleagues. Did he ever explain to his young charges that those people were denied opportunities based on the colour of their skin?
    History has a way of camouflaging reality. There are about five or six Barbadian families that think they have a right to rule. If you lose sight of that you lose sight of where powers lies in that tiny island.


  24. please don’t reply by stating that a US lawyer cannot practice in Barbados. If she could pay a US lawyer, she can pay one in Barbados (if a honest one could be found).


  25. The issue is not about believing anyone. It is how can the matter be moved forwarded to create pressure for redress not just for the woman but to force change in the system. Emotional claptrap will not do it.

  26. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    David Mr Blogmaster, this is a politically explosive matter as was the Carrington case.

    Then the High Court ruled against the Speaker and yet he was defended by the PM thus creating the political problem.

    Here Payne is a senior member of this government and top party executive thus Ms Mottley is duty bound to defuse the political explosion and should publicly implore her colleague to show his innocence on this matter or force his resignation if he can’t.

    Conversely the opposition parties should investigate and prosecute this relentlessly if it has merit of wrongdoing.

    It’s a wonderful case for them to put Mia’ s feet to the fire and see how resolute she intends to be on matters of any alleged wrongdoing by her party people.

    It may be no more than inter family anger at losing out on an inheritance or it can be legal missteps more egregious than Carrington….the pols need to find out which and act accordingly.


  27. Do you know if Mottley is aware of the allegations?

    On the first working day after the general elections………you DLP yard-fowls are “preaching doom and gloom”..…….wishing failure for the new BLP administration……….

    ……….rather than give them time to implement their policies, meet with permanent secretaries and heads of departments.

    And since you realize “Mia mounted a campaign about transparency and corruption,” I sincerely hope she investigates the allegations of corruption leveled against former DLP ministers, such as Denis Lowe, Michael Lashley, Chris Sinckler………. and David Estwick bragging, while in a drunken stupor, about the millions of dollars he has stashed in an off-shore account…….

    ………..thereby sending a “signal to the populace her seriousness about stamping out corruption.”

    “Interesting times ahead” indeed!!!!


  28. @Dee Word

    Agree the matter merits a cold response from Payne or his lawyer, failing which the prime minister must intervene. BU will stay true to our motto and keep mt front burner until we are satisfied.

  29. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @Theo & @Hal, yes Barbados is small and there are crooked lawyers but the US and UK are much larger and there are many more crooked lawyers…as there are honest lawyers.

    Of course having crooked lawyers all over does not absolve BIM of its lawyer thiefing problems but as the Blogmaster states emotional claptrap will not either!


  30. @Artax

    I wish Mia well. I doubt if there is anyone in Barbados who wants her to succeed as much as I do.

    Mia’s success as a leader is Barbados success as a country.

    I hope she is able to root out all of the crooks in the island (B, D and other).

    I hope she blazes a trail where we can call her the mother of the nation.

    May the Good Lord bless her and give her wisdom and courage.


  31. Mia was the one who laid out the time line for dealing with all issues
    Her commitment to do things with haste are her words stated on the first day
    The word Transparency is not
    new to her as she mounted and founded a campagain on Transparency
    So far for me not to expect what she promised even moreso she should be hastened to remove the sore reflected by allegations towards George Payne before it becomes a cancer of corruption on the govt
    Yes Mia has laid the ground and all will be watching how she interacts with haste


  32. @DpD
    Why do we do that?
    You mention a problem in Barbados, someone points out there are crooks elsewhere
    You mention shit flowing in the street someone mentions something in Florida
    Water problems they point at Flint US
    A prostitute running for office then they point at somewhere else in the world
    Why do we do that


  33. Emotional claptrap?
    You bust your butt in the cold.
    You get up early catching train and bus.
    You put on layers of clothes and try to be comfortable.
    You scarifice
    Go witthout
    Hoard
    Pinch pennies
    You reach your magic number and decide to go ‘home’
    And some clown in a three-piece suit steals the rewards of your labor.
    I promise I would not curse on BU, but the F-bomb followed by ‘you’ is all I can think of.

  34. Sunshine sunny shine Avatar
    Sunshine sunny shine

    Artax

    Here is a chance for Mottley to prove herself. If she is serious about having the highest levels of integrity permeating her entire party, she would do well to not let George Payne tarnish her few days of leadership with a development, that if true, proves that Hinckson was right about his crookery. I am going to continue to say that Mottley made a big mistake in keeping him in the party. He is arrogant, a big show off, and one who has used his power to hurt and take advantage of poor people. If he can operate in such shady fashion with this woman and other persons, he will do the same thing as a minister. No integrity in private life means no integrity in public life. GEORGE PAYNE NEEDS TO BE FINALLY DEALT WITH!


  35. More emotional rant as it relates to moving the matter at hand forward. To repeat, the affected party needs to document to the relevant players, continue to highlight in social media supported by the DOCUMENTS underlying the claim.

  36. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    @ Everyone

    It is honestly too early in the morning to be getting up to repeat this same foolishness all over again.

    The fact is that Barbados has had problem with the legal fraternity for time immemorial

    TheoGazerts repeated what another blogger said and I quote

    “…he alleged victim needs to take her case to the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar and send all correspondence to social media under copy to Minister of Home Affairs Dale Marshall and the Prime Minister’s Director of Public Affairs.”

    That Disciplinary Committee is what the ole man would call a collosal waste foop

    (By the way the minister of Home Affairs is Edmund Hinkson not Dale Marshall)

    Again de ole man would strenuously suggest to the Honourable Blogmaster that insofar as accountability is concerned, that the ambit of Barbados Underground be expanded to include these areas of critical concern where it is known that these entities ARE DOING DIDLY SQUAT TO ADDRESS THIS BAND OF CRIMINALS OF THE SILK.

    Either one forces them to be honest by broadcasting all matters thst are registered with the Disciplinary Board and for which such registration is confirmed by said bogus Disciplinary entity OR secure the services of a terminally ill cancer patient and then let the resolution begin…


  37. @SSS

    Agree with your comment, if this matter has truth to it Payne should resign with immediate effect or be fired. The longer she waits the more it will gather steam. The blogmaster is willing to bet all Bajans with a smartphone viewed the video on Whatsapp or elsewhere.


  38. @David
    For some it is a debate. It is politics. It’s B and D.

    For others, it is watching people that you love being cheated and taken advantage of. It is emotional. It hurts. It is pain (not Payne). It’s real.

  39. Sunshine sunny shine Avatar
    Sunshine sunny shine

    :::I sincerely hope she investigates the allegations of corruption levelled against former DLP ministers, such as Denis Lowe, Michael Lashley, Chris Sinckler………. and David Estwick bragging, while in a drunken stupor, about the millions of dollars he has stashed in an off-shore account…….

    When you are right you are right. She must make the PAC report sing Investigation, and not let fade into forgetfulness. What the crooked imbeciles in the DLP did to the island is worthy of serious investigation, and it is time that politicians in Barbados be brought to Christian feelings in knowing that they are not above the law and will not be allowed to get away with skulduggery. OPEN UP THE INVESTIGATIONS MIA MOTTLEY.


  40. @PUDRYR

    Will repeat to you also, let the victim share documents to support the claim, it will lend credence to her story. At this point all the blogmaster has is a video of a rant.

    You good suggestions are noted.


  41. It’s been all of 4 days and to her credit, Mia has shown the public that she is actually acting on their concerns…..today is her first day and only hours into a full work day..

    Yall had 10 years and never engaged the public to that extent let alone kept any of ya promises to the public who elected DLP..

    I believe Mia deserves months to look at the priorities yall left dangling..before she can address certain other issues, there is a reason why a DPP exists, to investigate certain allegations like land theft and property theft from the elderly, she has the police at her disposal…never mind it is a civil case, theft is theft..

    Marshall is in a position as AG to settle such claims forthwith, if he don’t want them haunting him and his sidekick..

    After those avenues including bar association and disciplinary committee are exhausted, then Mia can intervene…the system must start to work in the best interest of the citizens…first…and this matters expedited as a matter of urgency given the ages of those making these accusations.

    AGAIN…after age 60 citizens should not be dragged through any civil proceedings, or any court system thereby violating their rights as senior citizens and the elderly..

    .Barbados is a signatory to that charter and should start respecting and enforcing what they signed on to…expediting all cases involving the elderly.

    A precedent must be set, the system never worked for the people before.

    Even I who could be a hardliner knows this.


  42. @PUDRY

    Thanks for the correction re Marshall Hinkson. If documents are received BU will prosecute and forward to Hinkson et al. Let us act and leave the emotional BS at the door.

  43. Sunshine sunny shine Avatar
    Sunshine sunny shine

    David

    That woman in the video is hurting. There was anguish in her voice. You can put her under a lie detector test and she would pass it all. She was moved to make the video, and I believe that after trying to get George Payne do the right thing, she decided that enough was enough. He has hurt that family and the production of this video at this time is to put his dirty deeds under the microscope were he would be subjected to the greatest pressure. The thing is, he has done this not once, but twice according to what she stated. And, if this is how he has been making his money, the bar association better prove their worth, because something tells me that this woman is going to seek justice elsewhere where the Barbados judicial system has proven itself to be no different than Payne himself.


  44. @SSS

    Note there is no comment from BU about the veracity of the video. It is about how to move the matter forward.


  45. “Mia was the one who laid out the time line for dealing with all issues. Her commitment to do things with haste are her words stated on the first day.”

    Mariposa

    I agree Payne should be disciplined accordingly if the allegations against him are true.

    However, your above comment clearly indicates your hypocrisy.

    I’m sure you are aware that the DLP also “laid out the time line for dealing with all issues.” On page 48 of their 2008 election manifesto, the DLP promised to “IMMEDIATELY introduce integrity legislation requiring a declaration of assets by public officials, a Code of Conduct for Ministers, a new Freedom of Information law, amendments to the Defamation laws and new constitutional provisions to rationalize the powers of the Prime Minister.”

    After 10 years and 3 months in office, the DLP did not introduce integrity legislation and freedom of information law………..nor did they address the issue of corruption they raised during the 2008 election campaign.

    Additionally, during the 2008 election campaign, David Thompson and the DLP went the length and breadth of Barbados telling the electorate members of the then BLP administration engaged in corruption, but failed to investigate those allegations when they (DLP) assumed office in January 2008.

    I hope this new BLP administration operates differently from the former inept DLP administration and immediately address issues relative to corruption, as well as implementing integrity and freedom of information legislation……….

    ………… and investigate the allegations of corruption as revealed by the last PAC report.

  46. Sunshine sunny shine Avatar
    Sunshine sunny shine

    David

    Agree. However, she has made the first step, and the second is as you and my sweet piece indicated. However, rant or no rant, take note that she has not hidden her face, or fail to call the name of George Payne. Note also that she alluded to having to make a video; a first time for her. She also articulated the matter amidst great emotion, and still, she was clear in all that she knew to be true about this matter. You do not do that unless the facts are clear and known. I hope she reads BU, and decide to make all relevant correspondences available. Expect a poster on this matter. Already talking to my boys.


  47. Maybe she should seek the legal help of the CCJ . The allegation that Payne is not qualified should be fully investigated by outside legal fraternity
    Her statements of conclusion to suggest his qualifications are questionable should not go unanswered by George Payne
    We shall wait and see how this all plays out in the face of Transparency

  48. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Thank you Mr Blogmaster…again well stated both times above…let’s the facts stand high and let’s proceed from there.

    @Theo, of course it hurts and is personal. That sir is often the foundation of many great revolutions in history: personal slights magnified to excite thousands.

    But it’s emotional claptrap to sing the same ‘song of sixpence, pocket full of woe’ carolled since lawyers first practised as if it’s something new.

    Your mum may not have fancy schooling as you lamented but by George (actually , by Grantley) she raised children successfully and used her smarts to achieve…surely she knows a crook or a con whether in 3piece garb in court or a frock on the main street…no doubt she has beaten quite a few too!

    And do you or Hal perceive that snobbery of so called blue collar workers started with Bajan self important JAs with their legal degrees. Please…a law degree may make them better educated snobs and crooks…but snobs and cooks many are and they can be summarily dismissed.

    Many of them (us) are the product of field labourers who sired teachers, engineers, scientists etc etc…are we really still feeling aggrieved by the jealousy of self loathing idiots! Seriously!

    @Pieces, who said: “(By the way the minister of Home Affairs is Edmund Hinkson not Dale Marshall)”.

    I see you trying to set up the first Bigfoot fight in this young administration with underhand remarks.🤣 Is the Home ministry the one to officiate this type matter or the AG office; an antagonist vrs an acolyte.

    You looking fah trouble!


  49. Justice Cornelius gave a fair decision in the John Griffiths case , remember the elderly man in the wheelchair versus lawyer, exminister and exspeaker of the house Michael Carrington in the theft of the man’s money and property, withheld from him for over a decade, same modus, …there was no need to go to the CCJ unless Carrington had followed the village idiot exprime minister’s advice to “get a lawyer” to torment that senior citizen all over again

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