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Senator Rawdon Adams Sobering Intervention in the Debt Restructure Debate

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The blogmaster followed with interest the debate in the Upper House on the Debt Holder (Approval of Debt Restructuring Bill, 2018) on the 17 October 2018. The contributions of Senators Caswell Franklyn, Crystal Drakes and Crystal Haynes were instructive and generally accorded with the view of the blogmaster.

The blogmaster however was impressed with several of the points made by Senator Rawdon Adams. Of note is when he referred to what the Barbados brand use to be, how it has been dismantled in recent years and how we appear not to know what kind of Barbados we want to replace it.

Here is the video of the presentations of the four Senators mentioned with Senator Adam’s presentation found at 2hrs and 9 minutes into the video.

 

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238 responses to “Senator Rawdon Adams Sobering Intervention in the Debt Restructure Debate”

  1. Dentistry Whisperer (M. Pharm. D) LinkedIN Avatar
    Dentistry Whisperer (M. Pharm. D) LinkedIN

    Does Rawdon need a darker shade of melanin?

  2. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    As Rawdon points out there are only three routes to growth: capital accumulation, labour participation growth, and productivity improvements.

    For capital accumulation the government seems to be counting on foreign direct investment (FDI). To my mind FDI is simply shopping around to switch plantation managers but continuing to slave away on the plantation. Bajans need to learn how to invest in each other rather than entrusting their meagre savings to commercial banks or, heaven forbid, investing in government paper again. The government needs to update the regulatory environment to make equity investment in local businesses easy by facilitating

    Labour participation growth through civil service expansion is the trick that spurred the expansion of the middle class after independence, but that is what got us into so much trouble in the long run by saddling us with an unsustainable fiscal deficit. That strategy will never work again. New businesses are the places where there is the opportunity for labour participation growth. The government needs to get out of the way of new business formation by reducing the fee to incorporate a business from $750 to $75, and simplifying the process so that it does away with requiring the involvement of any lawyers at any stage.

    Productivity improvements are the most important avenue for the government to spur growth. This begins by digitising all government operations; no citizen should have to line up anywhere for any reason to do government business: not to licence a vehicle, not to acquire a passport, not to get an ID card, not to pay taxes… No line ups for any reason, for any government service EVER.

    The most important productivity improvement that we require is a revolution in our transportation system. Last year I calculated that the current nightmare is directly costing the economy over 20 million hours of lost productivity each year, and it has only gotten worse since then. This is catastrophic. It is a catastrophe not only for those forced to rely on the broken public transportation system, it is a prime reason that the traffic in Barbados is so horrendous because the roads and highways are clogged with thousands and thousands of cars each carrying only the driver.
    http://wunnuh.org/get-barbados-moving/

    You need to understand that the Barbados labour force of 150,000 working on average 2,000 hours per year gives us a total of 300 million labour hours if everyone is gainfully employed. For us to be needlessly wasting 6.7% of that because of our dysfunctional transportation system is costing us all many hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

    The government is the only entity that can fix this, and not with the shortsighted and unimaginative nonsense that has appeared in IMF recommendations either. Raising the fares to $5 will simply make poor people suffer and achieve nothing in the way of system wide revolution.

    There is a better way to improve bus service in Barbados and a local company called BeepBus knows how to do it. They can add GPS tracking to minibuses and route real time information to the BeepBus mobile app. Think about what this means… no more waiting at the bus stop. You check your phone and saunter out to your stop fresh and rested exactly 60 seconds before the bus arrives to pick you up. No more sweating in the sun; no more getting soaked by the rain wondering how long you have to stand there suffering. For an entirely trivial capital investment we can eliminate 20 million hours of wasted time each year in Barbados.

    The Minister of Transport and Works needs to mandate that all buses, minibuses, and ZRs are to be equipped with GPS tracking and that all that data is open, available for any clever programmer to use in building useful apps, the Minister would help Barbados achieve huge public benefits with a very tiny capital investment.

    Insurance companies will be able to use the data to better manage their risks and bring down the cost of insurance for good bus drivers and bus companies. The Ministry of Transport and works will be able to use the data to monitor the driving behaviour of the public service vehicles they license to reduce bad driver behaviours like speeding and dragging through incentives and penalties. The Ministry will also be able to fine tune the number of licences they issue to fit passenger demand much more accurately. Bus companies will be able to mine the data to operate more efficiently and profitably. Those who use public transportation will get better, safer service that is flexible enough to adjust quickly to changes in demand.

    Furthermore the Minister should immediately licence only electric vehicles to be PSVs. All new vehicles for the Transport Board should also be electric in order to be licenced whether the Transport Board is privatised or not. This will radically reduce operating expenditures even not counting the possibilities of using solar cells to help charge batteries: it will reduce or eliminate the need for fare increases. Think of it: comfortable quiet efficient vehicles that run on time and provide service to every corner of our tiny rock, even on a Sunday morning.

    And Bajans will no longer waste 20 million hours each year.

    And it would add at least one full percentage point to the annual rate of economic growth in Barbados.

  3. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @PLT

    What proportion of public expenditure goes on education?

  4. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ PLT
    You are making the same mistake that we have been making in Barbados for the last 30 years …that is – thinking that you can just prescribe answers to the multiple complex issues that we face and all will be well.

    The fact that increased productivity is the ONLY viable answer has been pretty much obvious since the early 1990’s when we were exposed to the then ‘new’ concepts of Quality management’, Kaizen etc.
    Neither capital accumulation or labour participation can sustain any long term growth – NOT in the almost criminally competitive world in which we now live.

    The problem with productivity is that there are no prescribed ‘solutions’ – such as electric vehicles, digitisation of processes, GPS tracking that will guarantee such productivity improvements in a world where new technologies evolve almost hourly.

    What is needed is ONGOING creativity, innovation, high class LEADERSHIP, and state-of-the-art technical expertise to lead the process of maintaining top notch productivity.

    This is the challenge that ALL serious entities now face in our competitive world eat or be eaten politics.

  5. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    Dentistry, please explain your contribution.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    Why not let Google be your friend?

    https://www.barbadosparliament.com/uploads/document/f658a6ea18cee550ee8425ccb770c81e.pdf

  7. David Avatar
    David

    @Fearplay

    Why do you ask? The comment by Whisperer was posted seconds after the blog was posted. It means his comment is 100% unrelated to the subject matter.

  8. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    How we spend out foreign dollars is an immense drain on this economy. Where I live, one family on my left owns five high priced vehicles while the family on the right owns seven (also high priced) Japanese vehicles. Multiply this across the island and you will get an idea of what has contributed to the run on the Central Bank. This among others, of course.

    Now, suppose government was able to manage public transportation in such a manner that the entire island had a dependable, safe, clean and predictable means of moving around, there would not be such a high demand for personal transportation. Think foreign currency savings. Balance that against the loss in revenue from road taxes and customs tariffs and we would have an idea of the direction we need to follow.

  9. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    “The government needs to get out of the way of new business formation by reducing the fee to incorporate a business from $750 to $75, and simplifying the process so that it does away with requiring the involvement of any lawyers at any stage.”

    They do that because they only want rich, fireign crooks on the island.

    “The government is the only entity that can fix this, and not with the shortsighted and unimaginative nonsense that has appeared in IMF recommendations either. Raising the fares to $5 will simply make poor people suffer and achieve nothing in the way of system wide revolution..”

    Just like the land.., Transport Board is another cash cow for government ministers to sell out to whomever will bribe them.

    It is not that simple PLT…there is the root cause of the island’s very serious and now very public problems. ….ALL SELF CREATED… that NONE OF THEM …will address.,

  10. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Bush Tea
    “What is needed is ONGOING creativity, innovation, high class LEADERSHIP, and state-of-the-art technical expertise to lead the process of maintaining top notch productivity.”
    ++++++++++++++++
    Damn right. But before the current administration can paint their own masterpiece I was humbly submitting a paint by numbers starter kit so they can get the feel for it.

    ONGOING creativity = stop being constrained by the IMF “experts” and dare to dream up a better future.
    LEADERSHIP = leap beyond figuring out what to do with the Transport Board, or how to placate the PSV owners, or how to put a band-aid over corrupt PSV culture
    State-of-the-art technical expertise = BeepBus. Local entrepreneur who could then export these solutions across the region and the globe.

  11. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    Thanks David, that makes sense.

  12. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Loop market
    BREAKING NEWS |

    SSA, BWA, Transport Board earmarked for Privatisation

    As the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) program advances to Phase Three, a shake-up of state-owned enterprises (SOE’s) will be undertaken which will see a number of them being privatized.

    Restructuring of SOE’s is expected to start in the next fiscal year and could potentially see a large number of public servants out of a job.

    Speaking at a Nation Talkback townhall meeting on Wednesday at the Grande Salle of the Central Bank, Dr. Kevin Greenidge said the restructuring of the operations of central government and SOE’s should result in a significant savings for government by year end and into next year.

    Dr. Greenidge explained, so far three SOE’s have being considered for privatization, the Barbados Water Authority (BWA), the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) and the Transport Board, adding these will not be outrightly privatised but rather will have some of its services owned and managed by private individuals and companies.

    “For example, if the workers at the Transport Board were allowed to, through some mechanism, to own the buses, that would significantly reduce the costs to government and create an entrepreneurial level of workers that will certainly drive economic growth.

    If the Sanitation and Water Authority, if the workers repair trucks and own the process, you can see improvement in efficiency.”

    He stressed the restructuring process of SOE’s is critical if government is to meet the targets set out in the BERT program which will allow them to continue to access funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other lending agencies.

    “If we don’t restructure our SOE’s and we don’t make that target then … financing that we wanted to reform and grow the economy will stop. It is not a matter of culture… if we set our minds to say this is something that we must do as a people, we will get it done.”

    Dr. Greenidge also suggested, to increase functioning and efficiency, user fees be implemented at some government departments such as the Land Registry, Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office and Financial Services Commission.

    “These are all institutions that can look to increase user fees because they service a clientele that can pay a bit more. In every part of the world these services are charged.”

    DR. KEVIN GREENIDGE
    BERT PROGRAMME
    PRIVITISATION

  13. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @WARU
    Of course it’s not that simple… but a journey of a thousand miles begins with those first few steps.

  14. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Progress

    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.anilvasani.myttc.old&hl=en_CA

  15. David Avatar
    David

    @ac

    can you explain how this is ‘Breaking News’?

    On the introductory pages of the Request for an Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility – PRESS RELEASE here is what is stated:-

    (ii) reform of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). At 71⁄2 percent of GDP, transfers from the central government to state-owned enterprises are very high, and a major contributor to fiscal risks. The program aims to reduce transfers by about 2 percentage points of GDP, by a combination of much stronger oversight of SOEs, supported by improved reporting; cost reduction, including reduction of the wage bill; revenue enhancement, including an increase in user fees; and mergers and divestment.

  16. T.Inniss Avatar
    T.Inniss

    PLT

    I am liking your comments @ 9:23 a.m. A good enough place to start.Others may wish to tweak it.

  17. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.transportsi.beepbus

  18. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @PLT

    U are 100% spot on. The transportation sector needs a kick in the ass hopefully landing it into the 21st century.

    @Bush-tea u are also correct.

    However, we need to start some where. Maybe in baby steps.

    If the commuter can regain or get confidence that a bus is on the way and has space for him/her to board more will likely use public transport. Buses are way more effective and efficient at moving people around than 15 average motor cars. yes it takes about 15 motor cars to move what one Transport bus moves in one trip.

    If we have fewer cars on the roads during rush-hours and in general, that will be less fossil fuel to be imported, less vehicular accidents, shorter travel times, less wear and tears on and less spare parts. Maybe less vehicles sales (not so good for certain entities)

    As PLT indicated it potentially will cost the GoB little money to allow person/citizens to be creative with old industries. And allow person to merge old tech with new tech to create better solutions for the bajan environment.

    The other serious question is whether the “invisible hands” want the public transport services to be that efficient or effective. In the midst of chaos they strive looking like beacons of superior business acumen etc. Whilst fostering the environment where chaos flourishes to their advantage.

    We live in Hope.

  19. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Barbadians brace yourself u ain’t see nothing yet

  20. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    “@WARU
    Of course it’s not that simple… but a journey of a thousand miles begins with those first few steps.”

    Well noted.

  21. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    David what is your problem
    Maybe if you would not show your blp bias
    You would do dilligence and publish those articles that give more insight to govt intentions
    Instead of pusuing a path that shows govt intentions are simply a path to reconstucting the economy will you insist on giving the audience a specific impression that govt goals are all for the better
    When all and sundry knows the consequences of govt goals would impact the social enviroment with further decay which eventually leads to higher crime and poverty

  22. David Avatar
    David

    Understood, you are unable to answer the question. Did not anticipate you would have been able to being the rabid political partisan animal that you are.

  23. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    I want to see how they go about privatize the BWA.

    In the electric industry. You can break the electricity company into distribution and generation.

    Will the same be done with BWA water production and water distribution and waste removal. I bet if they go that way the GoB will end up keeping the distribution portion lol. let see if we are that asinine and and short sighted to end up doing such.

    But tell me any public entity what will not want to be an owner of a “monopoly”. Guaranteed profit or maybe super profits. Barbados on my last check does not have any “alternativve” water sources like rivers to provide when rates become unreal.

    Sound the alarm. Bajans need to seriously look at Bermuda(a fellow Commonwealth nation) and see how they have for centuries mastered the collection of rain water for household uses. Thus reduce the money paid to BA for water supplied.

    but we live in hope.

  24. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ PLT & Sirfuzzy

    Gentlemen…. the luxury of ‘starting with baby steps’ went out the door 20 years ago.
    Most of the tourists who come here to unwind come from jurisdictions where public transport is like clockwork. where GIS systems keep everything on time to the second, and where it is ROUTINE to check online to see when a bus will next (to the second) be at your bus stop. These system are now OLD HAT.

    We wasted all those years with a bunch of shiite lawyers squandering the resources that SHOULD have gone to local enfranchisement, innovation-development and modern INFRASTRUCTURAL plant.
    Pray tell Bushie how we can now start with ‘baby steps…’

    ANY baby shiite now will easily get run over by the global competitive traffic (in OTHER words, like how Banks Holdings, BL&P, SOL and ANY other ‘baby shiite will be quickly gobbled up and fleeced – by the international wolves)

    Our ONLY hope would be to identify a few OUTLIERS in leadership, innovation and creativity who know how to GET THINGS DONE ….. even with noncompliant brass bowls as the beneficiaries… and with the complete freedom and authority to HAUL this little shiite place into the twenty-first century REALITY of survival.

    Caswell is CLEARLY such an outlier in ETHICAL leadership.
    Jeff is an outlier in protocol, decency and Law (or at least the shiite political ‘rules’ that we call Law…)
    We need to identify a few more in MANAGEMENT, technology, leadership and sound financial management.

    NO SUCH PERSONS exists among the current lot of jokers who have been pushed to the top …. like the stuff that floats to the top in a pool of waste…..

    Grass is therefore our natural end…..

  25. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    Call me a conspiracy theorist.

    This is all a bluff to concentrate the “berries” into the hands of the wealthy. There is no real serious attempt to spread the share ownership of former SOEs. However they will go thru the song and dance to appear to want such; all the time hoping few participate in the share ownership process.

    Very few laid-off workers ill invest in these new set-free SOEs. The little money they got needs to feed mouths at home and pay bills that are increasing etc. Remember Bim is an expensive place to live and survive. However, they will willing to work for the new entity if given the chance.

    As the take up of shares will be low the corporates will have a justified position and reason to be majority owners of monopolies like BWA. The SSA will be the majority waste handler in the country; so a major shakers in the industry etc.

    from there we are left to the whims and fancies of these entities. We will pay dearly for this new private lead service. The SSA payment platform has already bean established. So “invisible hands” owning the BWA and SSA will be in a position to make sure collections from end-users are secured etc.

    We live in hope.

  26. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @ Bush Tea October 19, 2018 10:11 AM

    We are 20 years late becuase we never started., Thus ready set GO. We need to start unless we will be 22 23 24 25 years behind.

  27. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    You are perceptive beyond your years Sirfuzzy.

  28. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    LOL
    ….that perceptiveness related to your 10.13 am

    Your 10.16 is FATALLY flawed.
    Late starters do not win.
    There get disqualified and eaten …. UNLESS they can hitch a SUPER ride to catch the frontrunners….

    The law of the jungle is unrelenting Sir…. Those hungry lions LOVE late starters….
    Grass is their final end….

  29. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @Bushtea. The transportation system is a main artery in the bajan economy. If the govt just got out of the way it will be made better,

    However. if i am a politician or a backer of a politician ifthe politician becomes more “useless” if his/her “sphere of influence” is reduced. Where bother myself with him or her. Thus the politician will have little interest in reducing his/her “sphere of influence”

    Therefore i gine juck my hands in everything whether required or not. I am now more “less useless”. 🙂

    So sad by true.

  30. David Avatar
    David

            @Bush Tea

    We need to switch to fast track mode, baby steps will not even achieve steady state given the current state of play and what is required to sustain a reasonable standard of living in the near future. Why did we invest so heavily in education? Isn’t is time for a ROI to be visibly demonstrated?

  31. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Bush Tea
    The best time to plant a mango tree is 20 years ago; the second best time is now. We need to plant now no matter what the fears of global predators.

    The fact is that we have good natural defenses against these predators in this specific case because public transportation on our little two-bit rock will never be a big enough morsel to tempt them. Furthermore we can regulate the bus fares so they will avoid us like the plague.

  32. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @ Bushtea. If the bajan economy is a centipede with forty damaged feet. Surely it will limp along at the fastest pace the 40 damaged feet will allow. But if we can get one foot(public transport) running smoother healed and better/improved the rate of speed for the entire centipede may just marginally increase.

    Any increase is welcomed. Just hope the centipede is not steering blind . Cause faster speed or slower speed into a fowl/chicken pen(dance) is not the desired destination. lol 🙁

  33. David Avatar
    David

    An economy seems more complex read it has many moving parts that need to be reasonably calibrated to generate an acceptable performance.

  34. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    Question. Is the GOB used as a guarantor of loans for utilities like BWA BL&P NPC etc? when doing major investments/upgrades?

  35. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @David,
    We are talking here about the national transportation infrastructure, not the whole economy; the government has leverage over each component of that system. The road network is entirely government controlled, the mix of vehicles using it are subject to licencing control and import duties, the public vehicle systems are either publicly owned or subject to licencing control. There are no moving parts that the government cannot move.

    This strategy could be put in play before the House rises for Christmas holidays.
    * Change regulations to state that all new PSVs, ZRs and Busses must be electric,
    * Set a date by which all PSVs, ZRs and Busses must be equipped with GPS tracking with a specified data reporting API in order to be insured and licenced,
    * Publish a call for proposals and establish a tender process for tech companies to operate the tracking process with the Ministry of Transport,
    * Enjoy your Christmas recess.

  36. David Avatar
    David

    @Peter

    Of course!

    Overarching all of what will be required to make transportation efficient is a change to the prevailing culture affecting how decisions are made in the public sector. This is a global challenge.

  37. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Bitt by bitt

    http://pages.cdn.pagesuite.com/f/0/f0e93f41-4ec1-4e9d-ac61-940a98e6ce3a/page.pdf

  38. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    As the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) program advances to Phase Three, a shake-up of state-owned enterprises (SOE’s) will be undertaken which will see a number of them being privatized.(Quote)

    Where is the new economic thinking in this? This is the old Washington Consensus masquerading in a Bajan cloak. We have been here before during the Regan/Thatcher years.
    Look at the privatisation that took place in the US and UK and see how that panned out, and those are two of the most advanced capitalist societies in the world.
    Look at British Gas, in particular, when it was privatised in 1986, with the campaign, Tell Sid. Under the arrangement every household in the UK were offered shares in BG; within months they were sold to the usual share owners. Look also at the way Thatcher sold off social housing and what has been the result. In short, privatisation simply transferred wealth from ordinary households to the already wealthy.
    BERT is a fraud, it is an emperor without any clothes. We need new thinking and new ideas. What we are getting is the same old, same old, this time the BLP is claiming it can do it better than the DLP. Both are obsessed with tourism and so-called international business as the savers of our economy. Both are wrong. The fundamental difference is that the DLP depended on Sinckler to pilot the ship, and the BLP is depending on an army of consultants armed with PhDs.
    The prime minister is talking about infrastructural development (which is right), but is expanding the road network (which is wrong). Then she is talking about climate change and begging for funds to support our environment policy.
    More roads for more cars, and with the banks lending recklessly and Simpson selling more high end cars, the roads will be clogged. The biggest threat to our environment is the internal combustion engine. Get car s off the road. One car per household.
    The Mottley-led, BLP government has been in power for over five months now and has not come up with a single new idea. It is bluffing. A Chinese manipulated picture opportunity is not a progressive social or economic policy.
    Further, it appears as if we have an autocratic government, led by an Empress, who would not listen. But the Cabinet has a collective responsibility to force her to listen our walk out – better, even, go to the Governor General and tell her they will no longer be led by the current prime minister. In short, whoever can command a majority in the House of Assembly has a constitutional right to be prime minister.
    We are in the last chance saloon and it is all going to end in tears.

  39. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @PLT

    Set a date by which all PSVs, ZRs and Busses must be equipped with GPS tracking with a specified data reporting API in order to be insured and licenced,

    Govt controls the licensing, so just a requirement for the license.

    While you are at it make the passing of a recent defensive driving course a requirement of of renewal or issue of the PSV drivers license.

  40. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    Oh well…they put themselves there…they gotta climb out of it one way or the next…

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/205805/downgrade

    “Barbados has suffered another credit rating downgrade, but the long climb back from “junk” territory has started. That bittersweet news came from international credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P).

    On Wednesday, S&P Global Ratings lowered its issue-level ratings on Barbados’ local currency issues outstanding to “D” (default) from “CC” on ten issues of Government debentures worth a combined $575 million.

    These instruments had maturity dates ranging from October 31, 2018 to October to June 30, 2026. S&P said the rating on them was reduced to default in anticipation of the completed debt exchange.”

  41. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    When ya hit rock bottom, the only place left to go is UP.

    Those debentures for 2026 already defaulted, what a thing.

  42. David Avatar
    David

    @Peter

    To expand on the earlier comment, the culture of doing business from an HR or Systems support need to be addressed BEFORE we even move to improving systems. We have to do many things at the same time.

    We are out of time!

  43. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ All
    We need to switch to fast track mode, baby steps will not even achieve steady state given the current state of play and what is required to sustain a reasonable standard of living the near future.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    The blogMaster says it all here.
    All other options will hit the grass.

    @ PLT
    Wishful thinking about the mango tree.
    Bushie has many such trees bearing as we speak.
    You plant one tomorrow and see how it will help your donkey come next year when the shit hits the fan.
    Unless of course, you hire an expert who can purchase and transplant one of Bushie’s mature, BEARING fruit tree next week to meet your imminent needs… 🙂

    @ Sirfuzzy
    Right AGAIN –
    BOTH about NOTHING changing about the bible after Jesus…
    AND about the predisposition of politicians to RETAIN control of areas COMPLETELY above their expertise – rather than to engage the EXPERTS who actually understand the complexities of our modern world.

    This again reinforces why the MOST LIKELY result for us will be grass… with PLIMPLERS.

  44. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    Not only attempting to RIPPOFF the oil terminal from the PEOPLE but also practicing price gouging and outright theft against their custiomers despite knowing they were selling SOL for 2 billion dollars…the greedy, bloated pigs are NEVER satisfied.

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/205718/ftc-sol-reimburse-customers

    “The Fair Trading Commission, on its own initiative, has completed an investigation which was launched in September 2017 after receiving two consumer queries relating to the purchase of SOL 100 lb Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders.
    ..
    In each circumstance, the consumers alleged that they made a prepayment for LPG cylinders prior to a legislated price increase. However, their cylinders were delivered after the price increases came into effect. The consumers subsequently discovered that they were charged the difference between the price they paid and the increased price, as per SOL’s Terms and Conditions of Service which stated: “Prices billed, will be prices prevailing on the date of delivery”.

    After completing its investigation into this matter, the Commission determined that this clause may be an unfair contract term and/or misleading and/or deceptive conduct, which is contrary to the Consumer Protection Act, CAP. 326D. As a result, SOL was directed to remove the said contract term and SOL has complied with the Commission’s request.”

  45. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Overarching all of what will be required to make transportation efficient is a change to the prevailing culture affecting how decisions are made in the public sector. This is a global challenge.(Quote)

    What does this mean in simple English?

  46. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    I repeat for clarity…this is something to take much PRIDE in Rihanna for. … AND it sets the tone for every bajan on the island to understand…both young and old….why they are RESPONSIBLE for standing up for their OWN and EACH OTHER’S HUMAN RIGHTS…in Barbados…

    WARU October 19, 2018 11:31 AM

    Fools who do not want to stand up for what is RIGHT and JUST may want to borrow a page out of Rihanna’s book..and BOYCOTT those who are once again hellbent on robbing and DISENFRANCHISING the majority population.

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/205953/rihanna-declines-superbowl-performance

    BBC SPORT- The NFL has refused to comment on reports that Barbadian singer Rihanna declined an invitation to headline the Super Bowl half-time show in support of Colin Kaepernick.

    Quarterback Kaepernick, 30, was the first player to kneel during the US national anthem.

    Other players followed suit, leading to criticism from President Donald Trump.

    A source close to the singer reportedly told US Weekly magazine that Rihanna “does not agree with the NFL’s stance”.

  47. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ PLT
    What makes you think that our conversion to electric vehicles is our salvation?
    Do you really understand the complexity of modern electric vehicles and the level of expertise involved in their upkeep?
    A country that is unable to maintain old school ICE technology in our BASIC buses CANNOT maintain modern electric /electronic /computer driven electric vehicles.

    How does this compare to having (for example) a backbone electric rail / tram system that is then supported by radial short haul bus routes?
    Is there a role for an express coastal transport hub from Speighstown to Oistings?

    An INTELLIGENT, INFORMED analysis needs to be done BEFORE major commitment to a specific plan, and then there must be focused, professional progress to actualise that plan.

    Ad hoc implementation of ill conceived brain waves is the very approach that got us in the shit street we are now trying to negotiate… as CLEARLY heard from Denis Kellman’s contribution on Brass Tacks a few minutes ago….

  48. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    It is appalling that the joker representing the private sector berates the public sector,while he ignores that the private sector he leads,continues to be a donkey,in what is really a thoroughbred race.
    I have not heard one single mega project from the private sector to create at least 600/700 jobs to absorb those who started going home today.
    Time for the lazy private sector to put up or shut up. Parasites!!

  49. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Bush Tea
    Electric vehicles are not salvation, just an obvious first step. We simply need to look around the world to compare the costs and benefits of individual electric vehicles vs electric trams and related infrastructure. Individual vehicles win hands down.

    Yes I do know understand the complexity of modern electric vehicles… they are significantly less complex and easier to maintain than modern internal combustion vehicles. Even at BL&P rates they are also much cheaper to fuel.

  50. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    This is ALWAYS the problem in banks, credit unions, insurance companies etc….these board members and board chairs heads get SWOLLEN, they always believe that the people’s or policyholder’s money belongs to them.. …and then the disaster strikes..wholesale thefts and robbery of the people’s money..

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2018/10/19/credit-union-member-calls-for-fsc-vigilance/

    “She declined to provide details, saying she feared a financial backlash from the 48-year-old credit union, but Hinds was adamant that the financial watchdog ought to be more vigilant on the credit union’s operations.

    “I don’t want to put the issues in the public domain because I don’t want to cause a run on the credit union. What I do want though, is for the FSC to pay attention to what is happening. I want the membership to continue to pay attention to what is happening,” she said, adding that it has gotten to the point where there needs to be a clear signal to the board that the credit union does not belong to them.”

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