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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. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Not going to hear one word from the Private Sector about lifting the unemployment load
    The truth of the matter as it now stands dictates that the fatted calf which the private sector enjoyed nipples has dried up and the calf has died

  2. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @Mariposa

    And you do not have an MA in something called Political Sociology to make that observation.

  3. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Waru,

    I was going to post that one. I asked my young son why he thought they so quickly complied with the ruling. He said because they knew it was right. I asked him how long they knew that it was right. He said from the time they put that clause in the contract. When you pay for something in total It now becomes YOURS. The purchase is complete. When it is delivered it is just the seller fulfilling his end of the contract. The purchaser has already fulfilled his end. This is why I don’t automatically admire rich businessmen. This is often how they make their money. BY STEALING!

  4. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Do you guys really think that these people don’t know what to do? All these ideas are discussed all over the place and are OBVIOUSLY solutions that would make a difference. What stops them from implementing solutions that would so OBVIOUSLY make a difference, administration after administration, ad nauseam?

  5. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    “The purchaser has already fulfilled his end. This is why I don’t automatically admire rich businessmen. This is often how they make their money. BY STEALING!”

    Exactly…and they have been doing it for nearly 50 goddamn years..and as long as the people AWAKE to these thefts and do not buy from thieves…do not spend their money with thieves…half the battle is WON.

    The biggest problems the population have on the island are those in government who HELP the thieves in the business community rob the people…for their own CUT.

    “Do you guys really think that these people don’t know what to do?”

    Oh they know alright, but bribe taking is their BIGGEST source of income and if the government ministers do right by the people…there are NO BRIBES in that, so they WON”T…plain and simple..

  6. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ PLT
    If you think that modern electric vehicle are ‘less complex and easier to maintain’ than conventional ICE – then it means that you have a lot to learn.
    They are indeed much more efficient, and in the hands of competent management and maintenance, will easily outperform the older technology.
    However this is also true for sewerage plants, water works, NIS schemes and insurance operations… what is OUR story?

    If 150 Transport Board buses are discarded for lack of basic parts and basic fixes, ..what rate will you expect for software driven charging systems in buses connected to state-of-the-art lithium chemistry batteries?

    Contemplate the scenario of pouring new wine into old vessels…..

  7. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Donna
    What stops them from implementing solutions that would so OBVIOUSLY make a difference, administration after administration, ad nauseam?
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++
    As if you did not know….

    It is…
    The IMMENSE challenge of reconfiguring ANY ‘solution’ so that it best allows the politicians (and their facilitation Public Servants) to extract maximum personal benefits for themselves, their families, friends, political hangers-on and the yardfowls…

    By the time this reconfiguration is completed, the original plan is unrecognisable and the cost has grown fourfold.
    But Bajans have come to accept this brass bowlery. We say it is just the way that it is….. and NOT a boy is made to pay…

    Grass will be the way that it is too…. with plimplers.

  8. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @ Bush Tea
    I know whereof I speak about the relative simplicity of electric vehicles: No transmission, the typical ICE drive train has more than 2,000 moving parts, EV drive trains have about 20. The batteries are to a very large degree basically the same as in your laptop, built out of a standardized type of li-ion cell called the 18650 (18mm in diameter, 650mm long). The difference is simply that the vehicle has many many more of these cells. When a battery fails, it is almost always that a very small percentage of the cells have died, so a technician simply tests to figure out which cells are dead and replaces just tone ones. This is the same procedure that Tropical Computers does many times per day, just on a larger scale. When one of the logic boards fails the technician tests to see which one it is, unplugs the old board and plugs in a new one. Voila! It actually deskills vehicle maintenance to the point that over the decades there is the considerable danger of mechanic wages falling precipitously.

    As a side note one of the leading firms globally in the field of maintaining and recycling EV batteries is led by a Bajan.
    https://www.aceleronenergy.com/

  9. Redguard Avatar
    Redguard

    Lively discussion, good points all around. The consensus is a need to create, innovate and increase productivity

    But creativity, innovation and productivity are all stifled by our education system. The education system teaches our children that conformity is good for you, conformity will be rewarded. If your aren’t being rewarded then you aren’t conforming enough.

    But look at how ministries are run, conform and you will advance. Ministries are simply a hierarchy of conformity. A PS is in that position because he/she has spent his entire career conforming and pleasing superiors

    For innovation to happen, creativity embraced and productivity to increase, permanent secretaries need to be sent home. The position needs to be abolished and a new position created outside the confines of government. Compensation needs to competitive. Essentially we want a CEO, with full autonomy from the idiot ministers. The CEO should not report to a Minister but a group of QUALIFIED persons. This group could be a special group of independent senators (not the current conformists we have) chosen based on their track records (I borrowed this from Frustrated businessman, where is he these days, I miss his timely interventions)

    But who will do such a thing, the current group leading us is full of people who have gamed the system. They have all in some way or another figured out how to conform or give the appearance of conformity. and they have been successful doing it. To depart from this way of thinking is to change who they are.

    Bush Tea is right

  10. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Just like the 30-0, this government’s BERT programme will catspraddle the naysayers.#iremainsilent

  11. David Avatar
    David

    @enuff

    Hope you are not suggesting that the government is not receptive to feedback?

  12. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    What got you out Enuff?
    Was it the part about politicians needing to twerk projects so as to maximise personal benefits for friends and family?

    LOL
    Perhaps you were thinking that with that 30-0 win – life would have been a breeze of ‘tweaking……’

    Unfortunately for wunna…, Blogs, Facebook, twitter and other new age media will put so much pressure in wunna political donkeys that it may actually make sense to do the RIGHT things …for a change.

    Why not give it a try Boss….
    Mia ALWAYS listens to you…… (wonder why??)
    LOL
    ha ha ha

  13. David Avatar
    David

    @Redguard

    We circle back to a performance based system read meritocracy? Bush Tea’s pet issue.

    All the ideas, concepts, fit for purpose schemes will not materialize without best in class leadership and management.

  14. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ PLT
    You are missing the point.
    ICE technology is everyday.
    We have thousands of trained technicians.
    We stock the tools, spare parts, manuals, knowhow…
    Shiite … we have people who can assemble a gearbox blindfolded….

    AND YET THE TRANSPORT BOARD HAS 80% DOWN FLEET

    How do you project we will do with this completely new technology …when the problems are about software, faulty boards and malfunctioning components?

    Pull out and plug in new boards?
    LOL
    surely you jest….
    First they will need a purchase order to get the board. (not budgeted – so next year)
    Then the question of whose job to test …and who to plug it in…

    Skippa…. the new DOWN time ratio will be 90%

    ….and if you are willing to simply FIX the root problem that will allow these NEW electric buses to work, then the EXISTING down time will fall to BELOW 10%….. (so we won’t have to dump $50M worth of ICE buses ….)

  15. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Mariposa

    What is you point about privatizing bwa , transportboard? are they not drain on the public purse?
    You supported the sale of Hilton than had made a profit on the fact that it was a drain on the public purse?
    So What exactly is your point now?

  16. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Nothing to see here. No such thing as conflict of interest.

    IBIS Management and BITT Sign MOU to Bridge the Digital Currency Gap

    2018-10-03 00:00:00

    Bitt Inc., Barbados, and IBIS Management Associates Inc., Curaçao, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate in bridging the Gap between Financial Institutions and Bitt’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) blockchain protocol. This was announced recently at Bitt’s “Central Bank Meets Blockchain” conference in Barbados, which was attended by most Caribbean Central Banks. The conference set the tone for the Caribbean movement where the Prime Minister of Barbados, Ms. Mia Amor Mottley, stated that she will personally lead the digital currency project for the island, not allowing Barbados to be paralyzed by fear of the unknown. She declared that Barbados is not only open for business, but also open for transformation.

    With this transformation coming within the Caribbean, this MOU is the first step in the right direction to allow banks to execute transfers to and from the blockchain network in an efficient, cost effective, secure and compliant manner. IBIS Management has an extensive Caribbean, Central and South American client (Financial Institutions) footprint, which gives its existing clients a significant advantage through an interface between its robust and scalable Alchemy Payment Processing Suite (PPS) and the Bitt Suite. Bitt Suite includes features and functionalities such as Mobile Wallet, Merchant Teller Application, Exchanges as well as the Back-office solutions.

    This MOU marks the start of a very special collaboration between the two companies with a mutual mission to assist banks in connecting seamlessly to a Blockchain backed digital currency, without disrupting the banking infrastructure. Banks will be able to do business with the evolutionary edge and the benefits of blockchain. It will become possible to link bank accounts to a digital currency wallet, while maintaining existing payment methods, business rules and compliance standards.

    It is IBIS Management’s belief that Central Banks and Financial Institutions in general will continue to play a central role in the payment ecosystem and cannot be excluded from the equation. However, their roles and the type of products and services they deliver will change drastically.

    Adapted from IBIS Management

    https://www.investbarbados.org/newsmain.php?view=IBIS%20Management%20and%20BITT%20sign%20MOU%20to%20bridge%20the%20Digital%20Currency%20Gap

  17. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @ Bush Tea
    “so we won’t have to dump $50M worth of ICE buses …”
    ++++++++
    Surely you jest… the salvage value of the current Transport Board fleet does not exceed $1 million: they are a pile of garbage. The real tragedy would be if they were stupid enough to replace that fleet with ICE vehicles.

  18. David Avatar
    David

    Request for Expressions of Interest

    Posted in Inside Transport Board . Permalink.
    Transport Board invites Expressions of Interest for the following:

    Supply of Clean Energy CNG, Electric and Hybrid Buses
    Supply of a Fleet Management Solutions System
    The Conversion of Diesel Buses to Electric Buses and Hybrid Buses

    Click the links above for full details.

  19. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Bush Tea

    You are more than correct. We may destroy the electric buses quicker.
    I know of a vehicle that cost over one million US dollars. A Jamaican guy drives it. That vehicle is now twelve years old. If you see it , you would think it just left the showroom.
    Without proper training and severe repercussions for maintenance delinquency, we will get nowhere.
    At least 60 percent of the losses at the Transport Board, could have been saved by a sophisticated maintenance program.
    At least 95 percent of the sick building syndrome could have been avoided by proper training in the maintenance of the buildings.
    As Hal says we went about following an international diplomat who convinced us that we were punching above our weight. We bragged about the great economist Owen Arthur, while the infrastructure was rapidly deteriorating. Then entered Sinckler and company and the stupidity continued. And as they say the rest is now history and it has already started to repeat itself.
    Not a failed state yet but………….

  20. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    An ICE bus costs about $1 million, while a EV bus costs about $1.5 million. The overall costs of the EV bus are significantly lower over a ten year service cycle because of the lower maintenance and fuel costs. Furthermore the financing of the capital costs is much cheaper for the EV bus because of all the international grant and subsidy programs to reduce carbon footprint.

  21. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @ Bush Tea
    “You are missing the point.
    ICE technology is everyday.
    We have thousands of trained technicians.
    We stock the tools, spare parts, manuals, knowhow…
    Shiite … we have people who can assemble a gearbox blindfolded…”
    +++++++++
    You are contradicting yourself. Think this through… we have thousands of trained technicians… the tools, spare parts, manuals and people who can assemble a gearbox blindfolded… “AND YET THE TRANSPORT BOARD HAS 80% DOWN FLEET.” Since the problems with the busses are almost 100% with their drive trains, you have simply and eloquently proven that the problem is the ICE drive train with 2,000 moving components. The problem IS the ICE technology.

    Compare a vehicle with a 20 component drive train… if components fail at the same rate as ICE components then the 80% down fleet right away becomes an 0.8% down fleet. It’s basic arithmetic.

  22. David Avatar
    David

    Why are the Cubans able to efficiently maintain vehicle fleets many decades older that at the TB? It is always about relevant management systems.

  23. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    Is this case one of the expected fallouts of austerity Bert.

    .I remember in the 90s austerity caused suicides.

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/206017/police-investigating-reports-suicide

  24. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    “we went about following an international diplomat who convinced us that we were punching above our weight.”

    The greatest cockup Kofi Annan ever made, that is why diplomats should keep their mouths shut when they are NOT familiar with an island’s or country’s culture..

    They are still unable to adequately define the word..great.

  25. David Avatar
    David

    We have some on this who are very comfortable discussing what has gone wrong. The blogmaster is thankful for those who are comfortable discussing ways we can explore to move forward as a little nation.

    #godblessbim

  26. Redguard Avatar
    Redguard

    @David

    The current systems, the political party system the education system and the civil service will never allow the type of leadership needed to be appreciated, honed and rise to the top.

    The basic law of nature Evolve or Die also applies to man made systems. Our systems where never built to evolve. Case in point the DLP, they never evolved beyond Barrow and are now on extinct (Mariposa does not count, she is a parasite, parasites don’t need to evolve, they just find a new host)

    We have two choices either kill the systems off or we let them kill us off. But trying to tinker with a flawed system will only delay the inevitable and make the chaos that will ensue even worse.

    Right now Mia is tinkering and she’s not even tinkering with the right tools

  27. David Avatar
    David

            @Reguard

    Yours is one of the most forboding comments ever posted on BU pages for what it portents at this juncture in our history.

    BU blogmaster

  28. BARBADOS FIRST / PATRIOTIC PARTY (BF / PP) Avatar
    BARBADOS FIRST / PATRIOTIC PARTY (BF / PP)

    PTL

    Do you have interest in taking part in politics for the good of Barbados?
    Chair or sit on Board/s for example

    Just asking.

  29. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @BF/PP
    Political party: no
    Sitting on more boards: perhaps

  30. pieceuhderockyeahright Avatar
    pieceuhderockyeahright

    @ Brother in Arms Bush Tea,

    I had decided to let this topic die its natural death because, after the most stupid interventions made my Rawdone followed by the idiocy of Peter lawrence Thompson until you made mention of the true ingredients required fo growth Innovation and Creativity, Peter was completely lost.

    And then he recanted, sorry retracted, what was pure and patented idiocy, masquerading as knowledge, to say something about “baby steps”

    Imagine that, we are here beyond the edge of economic perdition inside the crater as the cone to the volcano seeks to implode, remember that volcano thing, and he is here talking bout baby steps.

    But let the ole man not say too much bout PLT lest it attract the usual sheeple and their accustomed “baaaaa”

    Bush Tea

    I wonder if any of the lookers-on saw what you said when you said at 9 am?

    “…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…”

    I am sure that all of the sheeple are lost with your insights to the real solutions as opposed to the Waste Foop expirementers that abound in Barbados of which BU is but a microcosm.

    75 comments later and not one feller ent pick up on your gem of a submission, one which Frustrated Business man also remarked on before his ascension to greater heights…

    You have spoken OF THE ONLY MODEL THAT WILL WORK BUSH TEA, all else is pure dogshyte

    Rawdone is singing for his supper but Mia will soon see who will bring home the beef and the ones who have moved from her adipose lips to her pudendum which, as the ole man absorbs the crude imagery, and, as you can appreciate in hygenically unhealthy.

    But you do know that talking bout it, even if you were to explain the concept fully to the sheeple, and doing it, IS A BRIDGE TOO FAR?

  31. BARBADOS FIRST/PATRIOTIC PARTY (BF/PP) Avatar
    BARBADOS FIRST/PATRIOTIC PARTY (BF/PP)

    Are you already sitting on board/s? May I ask which one/s?
    Thanks for you response.

  32. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    We have some on this who are very comfortable discussing what has gone wrong. The blogmaster is thankful for those who are comfortable discussing ways we can explore to move forward as a little nation.(Quote)

    What does this mean? To me it speaks to a vile new form of nationalism – my country right or wrong – which we see in the US with Trumpism, the UK with Ukip, Hungary with Orban Italy with Salvini, and numerous others.
    The accident of place of birth cannot dictate one’s values; nor can it compel an individual to swear allegiance to a nation in which they have very little say, apart from a four or five yearly vote.
    Individuals have a deeper commitment to their social and religious values, to the customs, rituals, beliefs which they believe form the core of their identities. Speaking personally, I love the Ivy because that little community made me.
    But the repetitive abuse of individuals who refuse to commit themselves to so-called paying back to society, says more about the people being abusive than it does about the person who refuses to join the nationalistic mobs.
    These are the sentiments that motivated Hitler and Mussolini in the 1930s and which drives the neo-Fascism in the former Soviet republics.
    It is also a manifestation of idiocy. How does an individual contribute to making Barbados a better society, apart from joining the national debate, or one of the political parties, or join the much discredited public sector?
    The perversity of encouraging talented young men and women who have found career anchors outside the island to return solely for the sentimental reason of ‘contributing’ is madness, lunacy. Individuals are also asked to contribute to the communities in which they live – New York, Toronto, London, Kingston. Which should have priority?
    Those who attack people in the diaspora who refuse to even consider returning to live permanently in the Barbados reveal their venal, nasty, envious characters – something that most civilised people try to hide.
    The failure of Barbados as a society is the responsibility of those who voluntarily – the politicians and administrative elites – put themselves forward as community leaders. They have failed. They ought to admit this and remove themselves from the public stage.
    They messed up the nation, they must sort it out.

  33. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    John..

    I wouldnt buy any of them things even if govt was asking one dollar for each one
    First where are the buses that would be part of the sale
    Then having to train employees in coutesy !efficiency and competence
    Then having pay govt to fix the roads cause no owner/operator would risk their finances on putting their bus stock to run up and down those ritty ticky roads
    I meaning by the time the paper work is done for ownership the paper would not have worth the time and work (put into) buying the Transport Board

  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)

    ICE vs EV is not the real issue. They will probably purchase both of them and then properly efff-them -up. Cause that is what we do. We have being doing it for over 30 years and we know we are pretty good at it 2. Take a bow you know who u are.

    its not the education system system only to blame; or the line mangers to blame, we have a sinful society that sees and feels no punishment for any wrong doing or incompetence!

    The TB maintenance manger ef-fig up the TB so as a result we allow him to keep his job. Why? We like it so. The maintenance manager at BWA BSS cant clean a tank, what do we do we allow him to keep his job. What or where does the punishment come from. Only God knows and also apparently will be the one responsible for punishing him but in God’s good time. lol

    We don’t know how to enforce one shyite. We like to talk about the law and processes on the books but what good are they if not/never enforced. We are punching above our weight when it come to lack of enforcement. Unfortunately its does us no good but it is or was something to brag about.

    We live in vain no hope.

  35. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    I don’t know why any investor would want to buy the transport board debts, maybe if the buses were road worthy, but they all look like they will fall apart right in front of you because it has been about 12 years since no new buses were bought, hundreds and hundreds of millions wee wasted, stolen what have you, but not one bus o garage tuck wee bought in 12 whole yeas.

    …another shame and disgrace…people are risking their lives and limbs traveling on those buses..

  36. WARU Avatar
    WARU

    it has been about 12 years since no new buses WERE bought, hundreds and hundreds of millions of Taxpayers and Pensioners were wasted, stolen what have you, but not one bus or garage truck wee bought in 12 whole years.

  37. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Laughed when govt say thst these three entities woild be prvatize also expecting average citizens to become shareholders
    Wuh dam one thing barbadians must have learned from the pensioners plight is not to put yuh eggs in baskets having holes
    That about sum up what a weakened financial structure all three of those entitites are.

  38. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Barbados govts missed the boat about fifty years ago when barbados had its own cottage industry of trademen and skilled workers who all made a living under their own rules and direction in how to be efficient in building their own start up businesses without govt support
    There was the baker on the corner
    The candy maker with home made candy of all varities
    The shopmaker who would buy the ground provision from the everyday farmer
    The butcher who raised and occasionally bought meat from home grown sources
    The milkman.! The baker! The shoemaker ! The shoemaker ! The needlework
    Even the midwife and local doctor on hand when emetgency arise
    All these form a semblance of one form of another for good community service
    But what happen! no govt had the vision to draw upon this reservoir of knoweldge to build a barbados for a better Barbados and its people but…..
    However were ready and able to draw upon sophisticated sweet talking international Loan shark agencies in helping to get barbados economy where it is today
    Imagine if the vision back then was one of a prosperous and self empowered barbados
    Fifty years and counting to present time Barbados would have been truly the gem of the Carribbean

  39. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Mariposa,

    Correct. This is what too many university types can do to a country.

  40. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    (Quote)
    Individuals have a deeper commitment to their social and religious values, to the customs, rituals, beliefs which they believe form the core of their identities. Speaking personally, I love the Ivy because that little community made me.
    [Unquote]
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Isn’t the village called the “Ivy” a microcosm of ‘your failed state’ called Barbados?
    So what does that say about the “Native Son”?

    Isn’t Willesden saddled with similar problems as those facing the Ivy? And what are your contributions to mitigate those social and economic issues?

    Do you make constructive criticism and positive suggestions to Dawn Butler?

    “Criticism is the disapproval of people, not for having faults, but having faults different from your own.”– Unknown.

    “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

    The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly.

    So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”– Theodore Roosevelt

  41. john2 Avatar
    john2

    mariposa

    Nice shift! You got to be a politician.

    May I remind you that the private sector successfully ran the public transportation system before the government took over.

    As usual you are wrong again
    The old bus does not have to be part of the sale
    The mini bus owner are already ready and eager to take over certain routes and will provide there own buses and workers.

    The present has already started on fixing the roads without any monetary contributions private sector.

    Which government is responsible for the ritty ticky state of the roads?

  42. john2 Avatar
    john2

    BWA is a cash cow waiting to happen if taken over by the private sector. I would not sell it

    SSA is already being taken off of central government with part of the tax that is added to the water bill.

  43. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Marriposa

    Barbados was the gem of the Caribbean before and up to 2013.

  44. 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)

    @ john2 October 19, 2018 6:23 PM

    Remember BNB. how the BNB looked witht e sugar loan portfolio, and how the BNB loked without the sugar loan portfolio.

    Will this govt engineer another BNB dress-up/down then sell to private sector?

    As you said a cash cow waiting to be milked. Plus an out right monopoly to boot.

    We live in Hope(Arkansas)

  45. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Mariposa October 19, 2018 6:03 PM
    “But what happen! no govt had the vision to draw upon this reservoir of knoweldge to build a barbados for a better Barbados and its people but…..
    However were ready and able to draw upon sophisticated sweet talking international Loan shark agencies in helping to get barbados economy where it is today
    Imagine if the vision back then was one of a prosperous and self empowered barbados
    Fifty years and counting to present time Barbados would have been truly the gem of the Carribbean..”
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    And to think that your dear loving party of the people called the DLP was at the helm of the ship of state most of those 50 years!

    What a waste of time and talent!

    But where there is hard life (times) there is always the opportunity for change and success.
    Never let a crisis go to waste. The same small business people like your ‘old-time butcher baker and shoemaker’ have a golden opportunity provided by the hovering IMF- induced hard times called BERT the baby grinch.

    There are only two real stores of wealth in Barbados; the cultivable fields and the people. It’s time to put meaning to that stanza so presciently encoded in your National Anthem:

    “We loyal sons and daughters all
    Do hereby make it known
    These fields and hills beyond recall
    Are now our very own….”

    BTW, ac, are you now the chief protagonist on BU for the promotion of ‘Privatization’?
    Have you managed to appreciate now the difference between ‘privatization and divestment which could lead to genuine black economic enfranchisement or do you want the original David, the BU blogmaster, to stir your now calcified memory?

  46. Dishonest Bajans Avatar
    Dishonest Bajans

    @ Hal

    Your 4:58pm post was spot on.

  47. David Avatar
    David

    What do successful companies and countries have in common?

    They slavishly follow a culture of pursuing excellence.

  48. 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)

    The idea behind privatization is to bring market discipline and efficiency to bear on a crucial and frequently corrupt sector. Supporters argue that only private capital-which means, in practice, multinational corporations-can afford to expand water and sanitation networks sufficiently to reach the underserved poor. Since corporations are in business to make money, they often increase water rates. But, in theory, higher water rates can also help to promote conservation. Indeed, privatization advocates say, any valuable commodity-and this includes health care and education-that is provided free eventually gets taken for granted and wasted. According to this argument, turning water into a tradable commodity may even be the only practical way to avoid worldwide shortages and environmental disasters. Public subsidies for essential services such as water may sound like humane policy, but in the real world subsidies benefit the powerful, because they have the resources to manipulate them.

    CONTEXT

    In this “Letter from Bolivia” New Yorker correspondent William Finnegan describes the intersection of global freshwater shortages and efforts to privatize utilities in third world countries.

  49. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    How does one do algebra if lacking in knowledge to perform simple mathematics? Here we are trying to come up with solutions on how to salvage the good ship Barbados and this is the thinking and action taking place right here and right now! Let me explain: For a driver to renew a drivers license, one must go to the BRA office in Warrens, stand in line for an inordinate amount of time in order to renew one’s license. So far, not a big problem, just a total waste of time and an immense inconvenience! Are you ready for what comes next? You then have to journey to the Pine depot where the Barbados Licensing Authority will review your receipt and then issue a drivers license for the next year.

    Now tell me why on God Almighty’s earth can this not be done online? Now if you are a senior citizen, all of this time and effort nets the government a total of twenty-five dollars. Did you get that right? $25!

    We are unable to simplify something as trivial as this, yet we want to attempt an algebraic equation. Be also reminded that we are still trying to solve the herculean rocket science challenge of bringing order to the informal public transportation system.

    Good luck, Barbados.

  50. David Avatar
    David

    @FearPlay

    A better example that ties in with raising the awareness in civics by the citizenry is the fact to acquire a copy of the Barbados Constitution (with amendments) one has to journey to the Barbados Printery and pay $30.00. An improved society- fit for purpose- must be engaged read civic minded.

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