Opposition Senator Crystal Drakes – Economist
The blogmaster listened to the contributions of Opposition Senators Caswell Franklyn and Crystal Drakes yesterday and it caused the blogmaster to pause about the state of the country in 2018.
No surprise that Caswell’s response was pro labour and questioned why public sector workers are being sacrificed by BERT instead of pursuing other options. Caswell also made the point that the BLP made all kinds of unrealistic campaign promises despite the perilous state of the economy. Senator Caswell you negated your argument with your observation.
Senator Crystal Drakes clinically used numbers which her training as an economist influenced to question the decision to default on debt and the validity of revenue projections based on BERT extracting one billion in taxes from the economy by her calculation. Again Senator Drakes although earning points for being articulate failed in her presentation to connect some important dots. What are the underlying issues that caused Barbados to be the third highest indebted country in the world Senator? Has BERT addressed those underlying concerns?
Caswell Franklyn, Head of Unity Workers Union
A suggestion from the blogmaster to the Prime Minister and her Jong led Communications Team is to go back to basics with the message. What are the key performance indices we have to turn around and the behaviours at the household and business level that must be modified to trigger real change to sustain a quality of life.
The blogmaster is a fan of the Financial Stability Report 2017 and lifted a few of the graphs that capture the economic performance of Barbados in recent years.
This graph is interesting given the accusations levelled at banks and exorbitant fees being charged. 1)Interest income on loans dipped a ‘little’ since 2012. 2)The interest spread moved UP since 2015 which coincides with central bank’s decision to not set a minimum rate on savings deposits. 3) Interest expense on deposits dropped to 0%.
A central bank report confirmed that Barbadians racked up 347 million in debt up to 2017. This graph supports the spectacular rise in debt from 2008 which correlates with the value of credit card transactions in both the personal and business sectors.
A picture is worth a thousand words who said? See the spike in credit cards issued from 2015!
The upward trend of currency in circulation rose from 2005 to coincide with the cooling off of the global economic boom cycle and continued more aggressively in the post 2008 period to covers the start of the global recession in 2007/8.
It is worth mentioning the former government inherited 1.8 billion or 20 weeks of import cover in foreign reserves and when they were booted from office the reserves had dwindled to 6 weeks and about 400 million dollars.
This graph is interest for a number of reasons. Will allow the BU intelligentsia to share why this is the case.
Another interest graph when we plunk a trendline on it. What can we say about household behaviour in Barbados from 2007?
See what happens when the printing press doesn’t switch off?
The adage a picture is worth a thousand words holds true.
DB…we have been on here for years talking about all the crap they do from inside the parliament coming all the way down…, they deserve a criminal like themselves ripping them off..
“As @ Hal Austin aptly describes you are a stranger to the truth and previously pulled up a comment you made in the past condradicting (contradicting) yourself and proving you a liar on Barbados Underground.”
Dishonest Bajans
As far as I can remember, Hal Austin has NEVER pulled up any comment I or ANYONE made in the past CONTRADICTING either they or myself and proving us as lairs on Barbados Underground.
What you should DO is to PRESENT the EVIDENCE to BU. It’s that simple. Otherwise, you’re just “another typical small minder islander and petty bullshitter” living in an imaginary wonderland.
As it relates to your comment re: “Between you and your cohort Donna you want to call me bitter and the other adjectives because I encourage disenfranchised youths to travel to greener pastures because there are genuine opportunities of which I can personally attest,”……….
……..is far from the truth.
I can’t “speak” for Donna………but my OPINION, as I ALLUDED to in my contribution, was BASED on the language you used to express your “holier than thou” success, which was not that of happiness and content.
You have introduced yourself to this forum as someone who has achieved an overwhelming, over exaggerated level of personal success, which eludes anyone living in Barbados, simply because you believe you live in the “big city” and we are “small island bullshitters.”
Uh mean, if what you wrote is indeed the truth, then why would you find it NECESSARY to CONSISTENTLY and REPEATEDLY make such references in SUCCESSIVE contributions, irrespective of the topic? Unless you’re trying to convince yourself? And you refer to people as the “typical small minder islander and petty bullshitter?”
You don’t hear rich men telling people everyday “I’m rich.”
I also believe it’s the “height stupidity” for anyone to claim superiority and compare himself, in a forum, with people he DOES NOT KNOW. Do you know, for example, what are the personal or academic achievements of Donna, Bush Tea or any other anonymous contributor?
Why would anyone ask a “source” about an individual he DOES NOT KNOW, based on evidence he“fabricated” and in the absence of information that would directly or indirectly identify that individual?
My friend, you have a serious problem. In the “psychiatric world” it’s known as an “inferiority complex” or you’re “insecure”………consistent with the vulnerable narcissistic trait……underneath your bravado and grandiose self-proclamations, you actually feel weak and helpless. And this weakness manifests itself in your contributions.
@ Hal Austin
How can a true Barbadian abandon their country?(Quote)
Another example of appalling example of intolerance and ignorance. What are the qualities needed to b a ‘true’ Barbadian?
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Hal a true Barbadian is someone who just follows like sheep to be slaughtered. To blindly follow and not rock the boat.
There is a reason why Barbados is a failed island they don’t like the truth even when staring in their faces which is why the people they vote for will continue to take advantage of them.
Instead of facing and dealing with the truth most like to attack digging a deeper hole for themselves in their idiocy.
There will be no recovery for 🇧🇧 IMF will be there for a long long time.
Do not know if patriotism should be the passing test when a man belly empty
Can’t see by looking at the Caravan of Hondurans fleeing their country for greener pastures how anyone can call them unpatriotic
The problem with most bajans is there pompous judgemental way of thinking
It is as the realities and challenges of life never fits into the equation
Mia fired bajans -most if not all who voted for her.
Mia promised to give them their cheques when they were leaving the job
Mia promised it would be the last person who came in who would go first
Did she do any of that ?
Nope.
Can she be trusted in her promises ?
Nope
@T.Inniss
Did you hear Dr. Belleâs comment clearly directed at Senator Caswell? He was if the view Caswell was not being strategic in his comments given the transformative and developmental approaches that are required to shift gears.
@ T.Inniss October 21, 2018 12:47 PM
“People are so angry now with Mia ‘gimme de vote and watch muh’ – that I got a strong feeling that dis ting ain’t goint to end well.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Now here is another great opportunity for you and Verla DeP and her unrepentant band of incompetents to make history, (again).
Why not get your well-counted thousands of “angry” people to show Mia who is boss by getting them to march from Roebuck Street to Bay Street via Palmetto Square?
Instead of dressing them in ‘all-white’ why not put them in red to show the country how ‘blue-vex’ they are with the demon now regaled in crimson?
When are you going to come to the stark realization that politicians are cut from the same cloth and wear the same crimson colour tie of deceit and hypocrisy in the same political to learn from the same book of corruption?
Would you be surprised if both OSA and Fumble are awarded (in the next Muttley-type round of medal distribution) the highest honours of the Land for their meritorious service to national development?
“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.” ~ Niccolò Machiavelli.
@ Artax
You are way too silly in your ignorance and deception.
I have never referred to anyone’s academic or their achievements on BU including as you have named Bush Tea, Donna or yourself as they have nothing to do with me or do I care less.
Despite your nonsense spewing I have previously operated at the top in Barbados and all I have previously referenced are fact not fiction.
@ Hal Austin is reading the comments so if I had lied or misrepresented he is free to correct me as he has made a comment following my submission.
You are like the American woman described you are a fraud and a typical dishonest Bajan she was able to see through.
When I said living a life most locals would dream of I not only included myself but many blacks and foreigners who I know in the 🇺🇸 who are successful and thriving.
However because your are deceitful you want to make it appear I was speaking solely about myself.
You can take that bullshit chatter back to the Blocks in 🇧🇧 you frequent.
You can have the final word.
“Despite your nonsense spewing I have previously operated at the top in Barbados and all I have previously referenced are fact not fiction.”
There you go again!!!
It’s a pity comprehension was not one of your “achievements.” I never mentioned you referred to anyone’s academic achievement…..I gave an example.
But for someone who claims to made such achievements, you are one weak, bitter, resentful individual…..who is easily rattled.
Miller
I support some of your sentiment shared in your post @ 1:59 p.m.
David/BU
I never pay attention to the utterances of one George Belle.He could really mount a BLP political platform and put on he red shirt – because he done give way the game.Steupes.
Barbadians have cheated the National Sports Council (NSC) out of thousands of dollars by tampering with the token-operated lights at its various facilities islandwide.
NSC chairman Mac Fingall confirmed the situation was so widespread that the board had recalled all the tokens and was upgrading the system to ensure the council received more revenue to pay for the electricity used.
And he warned that from next Monday, the lights would be turned off at any of NSC’s 93 facilities where tokens which were not bought from the NSC, were found being used. Similarly, the lights would be turned off at those venues where there was evidence of fiddling with the cubicles that housed the token machines.
“There are several ‘token boxes’ which have no tokens in them, yet the lights at these facilities are regularly turned on,” said Fingall, adding the monthly electricity bills at the NSC’s facilities ranged from $32 000 to $54 000. However, the council had only collected a few hundred dollars for the use of those lights. (SP)
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/206723/power-cheats
We are a turd world country so it is to be expected that bajans going jimmy the token boxes cause dem want to try a ting
You remember when the keys to he church had to be collected from the house of the lady next to the church and returned there if you wanted to enter the church for youth fellowship?
THe fact is that WITH ALL THE TECHNOLOGY, few understand how the systems work to ensure accountability and that we collect the $$ due for the lights and other resources.
Tokens, or keys, or NFCs that only permit authorized parties who have credit on their phone/accounts to access the light circuits at the facility, MacFingal can put out a RFP for the cheapest and most economical solution for managing these facilities.
THis is what McCunny was imported from Overseas and made a senator for IS IT NOT yet here we are 120 later still in the honeymoon phase
nd the sheeple say “baaaaaaaaa…”