Submitted by Dr Kumar Mahabir
Open letter to Express editor
Dear Editor-in-Chief Ms. Omatie Lutchman Lyder,
Greetings.
As a newspaper which claims to be “national,” the Express should be truthful and objective in its coverage of national events in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T).
Readers have been observing that you have practically never published any news on the University of Trinidad and Tobago’s (UTT) restructuring exercise (downsizing) and its treatment (retrenchment) of employees (lecturers).
The Express chose not report on the recent news that a UTT Professor was prevented from entering the graduation ceremony on Thursday. See https://newsday.co.tt/2018/11/16/utt-professor-barred-from-graduation/
The newspaper also refused to carry the news that UTT confessed that it did not complete a restructuring report before it retrenched 59 lecturers on May 11, 2018. See https://newsday.co.tt/2018/11/19/utt-restructuring-still-on-hold/
FOIA investigations by social activist Devant Maharaj, through attorney Chelsea Stewart, revealed that the Express has been receiving the most advertising revenue from UTT over and above that of the two other dailies, the Guardian and the Newsday.
Between September 2017 and August 2018, the Express cashed TT$1,253,763 in advertising revenue from UTT. The Guardian received $701,283 and Newsday got $846,601.
The Express cashed the most money (45%) from UTT compared to the Newsday (30%) and the Guardian (25%). The Express collected almost half of UTT’s budget spent on the three daily newspapers.
Last Sunday (November 18, 2018), the Express was rewarded with a whopping EIGHT (8) pages of advertisements highlighting UTT’s graduation – eight full pages in full colour!!! The total advertising revenue for one day for one edition only was about $72,000. This excessive abuse of taxpayers’ money is being spent by UTT’s President Sarim Al Zubaidy mainly to promote himself in many of the photos!! The Guardian and Newsday received not a single page of advertisement from UTT last Sunday.
Based on the foregoing data, the Express is clearly favourable to one of its big corporate clients by not reporting the turbulence that is taking place within the walls of the only national university in T&T.
The Newsday and Guardian should be highly commended and patronised for reporting news on UTT from May 11, 2018 when 59 lecturers were retrenched. See, for example http://www4.guardian.co.tt/news/2018-05-17/utt-boss-gets-ultimatum-dismissed-workers-ready-cou
A series of placard protests followed in front of UTT’s O’Meara and Valsayn campuses, the Ministry of Education, the Office of the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister’s Residence & Diplomatic Centre – none of which was covered by the Express.
Florens Focke, Alexandra Niessen-Ruenzi and Stefan Ruenzi of the University of Mannheim in Germany published a relevant research paper in 2015 entitled “A Friendly Turn: Advertising Bias in the News Media.”
They wrote: “Independence of the news press is one of the pillars of a functioning democracy. Ideally, newspapers and other media outlets should report truthfully and objectively about news items of interest to their readers, thus allowing them to make rational and unbiased decisions based on the information reported.”
The Express editor seems to be clearly sacrificing important news items of interest in order to please a big corporate client. Readers must now ask, “For whom else is the Express sacrificing objectivity for a million dollars?”
Sincerely,
Dr Kumar Mahabir, Retrenched Assistant Professor
University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT)
How is the alleged behaviour of the Express different to how media houses in Barbados operate?
The difference David, is that the TT issue is of little or no interest to Bajans.
Because you maybe of that opinion it does not mean others who know better should not work to make them aware. Do you know that the media segment in Barbados is controlled out of Port of Spain?
No I didn’t, when was the Nation sold?
Thanks for the gratuitous insult.
You may have the last word.
No I didn’t, when was the Nation sold?
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Hahaaa. Murdah!
Before you attack at least have a bit of knowledge and a few facts. What a muppet…
As David said. “Kindly retain the concluding utterance”
David do you consider BU to be a media outlet
If so much of what is said in that article can be attributed to BU about face on the political landscape of this country
In that during the retrenchment period BU has “lay low” in its avoidance of articles on how these workers were treated
Also an observing or keen eye cannot help but wonder if BU is part of the elite few who dine at supper at govt table
@45, not sure how the Blogmaster’s remark was gratuitous or insulting…
It was slightly exaggerated surely because only a portion of our media segment is ‘controlled’ or partnered out of TnT but it was certainly of good reason and very warranted.
You insult common sense to pronounce as u do that vitally important issues such as this or the recent matters out of Guyana do not directly impact us in Bdos!
But back to the media remark: it is common knowledge the original relationship between the Nation and Ken Gordon’s then operated Express…a union which morphed into the corporate union that became One Carribean…a conglomerate which owns leading newspapers in GUYANA too…
That the TnT Express could so GRATUITOUSLY emasculate (allegedly) it’s news gathering by NOT reporting on topical national events because of deference (alleged) to a major advertiser is jarring…
…as the Blogmaster suggests we should then definitely not be surprised at the same behaviour by the Nation.
You would shout long and hard had your BBC been accused of a similar stunt… What hypocrisy!
Ooops now that’s a tad insulting and gratuitous…😂😂
The difference David, is that the TT issue is of little or no interest to Bajans.
How dare you to speak for all Bajans? We are not all navel-gazers, you know!
Mr Blogmaster and all, as we cast our eyes to TnT and beyond there is another international matter which intrigues and tickles the machinations of country vrs country interference!
Has anyone explained where the Turks got those tapes of the Khashoggi homicide?… did the Turkish Intel services have bugs in the consular offices of another sovereign nation? … or are these tapes purloined copies of the Saudi security system at their consulate?
If the former, that is a SERIOUS affair … although we know Intel agencies spy relentlessly I am sure the Dean could explain that such blatant acts when discovered are major diplomatic migraines….
… and if the latter why in heavens name would the Saudis even maintain or produce such a recording?
Where did those tapes come from…that Saudi escapade showed some glaring instances of abject mediocrity as far as those things go….and the cover up has been worst yet.
Reminds me somewhat of the Mariposa characters offering their ridiculous platitudes to all at once attack the nonsense of the current govt while trying to defend their previous absurdities and mediocrity!
@Dee Word
One media has the the greatest marketshare of traditional media and sponsorship in Barbados.
This guy Mahabir has got a real problem and by BU hosting him we re only encouraging him. Let him take his racist nonsense somewhere else.
45 GOVT AND HAL AUSTIN I AGREE WITH YOU 100% EITHER
I DONT GIVE TWO HOOTS ABOUT MAHABIR OR UTT
A WHILE AGO IN THE ABJECT IGNORANCE OF DAVID KING WE READ HIS RUBBISH ABOUT CURRY AND FOOD SUPPLEMENTS
THE BU MAGUFFY WHO KNOWS EVA TING HERE EXTOLLED THE PIECE OF BULL SHIT HE WROTE AS PEER REVIEWED AND MAGNIFICENT
AS THE BU ILLITERATI GOBBLED UP HIS PIFFLE THEY FAILED TO SEE THAT THE SUPPLEMENTS HE WAS DECRYING WERE THE SAME NATURAL CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OBTAINED FROM THE NATURAL DEEP SEA FISH OILS THAT BAJANS HAVE IMBIBED FOR GENERATIONS
BARE MOCK SPORT IN THE RUM SHOP
David Mr Blogmaster, if dominating the local media landscape equals “controlling …the media segment” then no problem!
But with the Advocate and CBC still able to squeeze their voice into the traditional media mix we have to balance the perspective of total “control” out of TnT.
All that said your commentary is very, very important…media consolidation must be seen fir the ‘danger’ it can be…it makes it so much easier to control and influence the flock when the levers of news are mastered by the same people.
One Caribbean is dominant in Bdos surely…what is their market share in then other regional markets; what are the editorial positions of their papers/radio stations in Jamaica, Guyana, TnT, Grenada etc?….That UTT matter should shine a spotlight on media across the region!
I gone.
@Dee Word
You state the obvious by stating there are the CBC and Advocate,however, they occupy the media space in numbers only not listenership and readership.
@DPD
Has anyone explained where the Turks got those tapes of the Khashoggi homicide?…
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The Turkish Gov’t claimed that Khashoggi turned on his cell phone before he went into the Consulate and the whole affair was broadcast presumably to his fiancée who was waiting outside or to other parties. It remains to be seen whether that is true or not but Gov’ts have been known to bug embassies remember the Americans tore down a whole building under construction in Moscow because they discovered that the Russians were planting listening devices along the way. More recently we have the unexplained injuries that US and Canadian diplomats have suffered in Havana due to exposure to some sort of electronic? interference aimed at their offices.
Its spy vs spy out there.
Has anyone explained where the Turks got those tapes of the Khashoggi homicide?…
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WHO CARES?
SOLOMON WOULD SAY SUCH INFO IS VANITY OF VANITY IT IS LIKE THE WIND IT HAS NO VALUE JUST LIKE MOST OF THE BULL SHIT ARGUED OVER IN THE DAILY DRIVEL OF THE BU RUM SHOP
ALL IT DOES IS MAKE SOME FOLK TINK THAT THEYARE INTELLIGENT AND GNOSTICS …………..BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY , LIFE GOOES ON AND THE DRIVELERS AND BRIMBLERS ARE NO BETTER OFF, HAVE SOLVED NO PROBLEMS
THEIR LONG TALK IS LIKE BURNING OF NETTLE BUSH!
“SOLOMON WOULD SAY SUCH INFO IS VANITY OF VANITY IT IS LIKE THE WIND IT HAS NO VALUE JUST LIKE MOST OF THE BULL SHIT ARGUED OVER IN THE DAILY DRIVEL OF THE BU RUM SHOP”
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But, but, but..If the BU is such a cesspool of drivel why do you insist in spending so much time here?
What do you gain by adding to the brimbling?
RE One media has the the greatest marketshare of traditional media and sponsorship in Barbados.
WHY DONT YOU TRY TO GET SOME OF THAT traditional media and sponsorship in Barbados.
PUT THE SHITE THAT IS WRITTEN HERE DAILY FOR SALE……….YOU CALL IT THE BODY OF WORK THAT IS THERE TO BE CONSIDERED
I HURT MA BELLY LARFING OUT LOUD
But, but, but..If the BU is such a cesspool of drivel why do you insist in spending so much time here?
What do you gain by adding to the brimbling?
I DONT INSIST ON ANYTHING
I COME FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT AND TO MOCK…………..SORRY THE CORRECT WORD ON BU IS…………TO CHALLENGE
YOU DONT LIKE MY CHALLENGING?
YOU DONT LIKE MY CHALLENGING?
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In truth, it does not really matter to me. Now that I have your attention I’d like to ask you a question.
A few weeks ago you gave a short exposition on I think this verse, with a focus on the chance aspect of life
“I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.”
I can’t find it now but if you could point me to it or repost it that would be great. Thanks.
Amusingly amazing…. How ironic (ridiculous really) that a former journalist and a former regional island-hopper (so to speak) are the two knocking this !
I am sure Dr Mahabir has his agenda for highlighting this UTT matter but to label it as racist coming from a guy who repeatedly and UNNECESSARILY reminded us of the ethnicity and birth origins of our now deceased DPP is rich!
For a man who travelled the region from studies to later professional success thus delving into the lives and social fabric of those he encountered to now poo-poo regional issues in an ethnocentric trope is …. well hypocrisy is the nicer word coming to mind!
SMH…you guys have done your thing and now find pleasure in these nonsensical retorts…more power to both of you as irrelevant curmudgeons…enjoy your retirements and past successes. Your own racism and biased agendas have long been exposed here for those who want to see…
But we’ll still follow your expertise…when you choose to deploy it here!
Yep @Sargeant…spy v spy…but there are still some rules of the tradecraft! The US were negligent to ALLOW their consulate to be compromised in the first place…
… as a distant corollory when the Chinese bought the Ritz (or whichever super lux property they bought) I recall the WH or Secret Service of the time made noise about no longer using that presidential suite for ANY Presidential visits … seemed over blown to many I’m sure…but made perfect sense to me…and that property was smack bang in NYC…. spy v spy all day, every day 🤣!
And to the doc, I do hope the Intel services got u pon tape somewhere like they had Wickham on record… steeeupse…you really need to get a Panama Papered exposee in ur backside, fah real 🤣!
Dear Hal Austin, If you are a real man, please send me your real name and address so that I can initiate legal action in the High Court – wherever you are – to prove your allegation to a Judge that I am a racist. I am not joking. Dr Kumar Mahabir dmahabir@gmail.com. Mobile: (868) 756-4961
@De pedantic,
I am used to contributors on BU elaborating and interpreting contributions from others. I call it a cultural peculiarity. But I assume you are referring to me regarding the late DPP.
Have I ever, either on BU or elsewhere, referred to his ethnicity? If so, plse post it for readers to see. I have always referred to him as the Guyana-born DPP. That is not ethnicity, it is national origin. They are different.
@Dr Mahabir,
Get back in your box, you silly man.
MR DULLARD SIR! RE YOUR REQUEST OF November 27, 2018 9:10 AM
HAD TO GO DOWN TO BREAKFAST
I grew up hearing my grandmother repeating that “The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong,”
Here is part of my exegesis of this verse ECCLESIASTES 9 vs. 11
“I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all” (ECCLESIASTES 9 vs. 11).
In this verse, like we often do, Solomon struggles against a sense of fatalism as he tells us that probably the most difficult lesson of all to learn is that natural gifts in themselves are not enough to handle life; natural abilities and diligent effort will not lead us into truly successful living.
In a world that made more sense under the sun, one might think that success and joy in life would depend on our abilities, and that the swift should always win the race and the strong should always win the battle.
It would seem that the swift, the strong, the wise, and the learned, should all have it made.
But, as Solomon points out, alas, it doesn’t always work that way. Having great talent or ability is no guarantee of success for life is unpredictable.
From man’s point of view, there is always an element of unpredictability: “Time and chance happen to them all.” “Time and chance”, bad timing and the whims of chance, can mess up the best of plans.
Many of us have had experiences that confirm this. All our carefully laid plans have fallen apart; all our dreams, that we had what it took to succeed in some particular area of life, crumbled, and we could not understand why.
We had to learn, as this text says, that “the battle is not always to the strong, nor the race to the swift.”
We had to learn that it is not always the strong, the mighty, the able and the gifted who win, because as Solomon clearly points out, natural gifts are never enough. “The battle is not always to the strong. life is unpredictable.
We can cite examples of people who had a plan that did not work out as it was planned and so identify with what Solomon says in this verse. We can easily tell story after story of the dashed dreams of those who were the swiftest, strongest, wisest, and/or the smartest.
We can cite examples of people who were the best in their field who because of some unexpected circumstance were not successful?– such as an early death as some even die at the very height of their fame
We have often heard it said that, “You have to be the right man, at the right place, at the right time.” In other words, there are elements of rightness that have to fall together before the abilities that someone may have can accomplish his desire.
The illusion which the secular world presses upon us all the time is that we can handle our life by our choices. “It’s your life! You can live it the way you please.”
But Solomon by the Spirit says it cannot be done that way, because life is not in our control since “Time and chance happen to them all.”
The reason for these quite common contradictory occurrences is what Solomon states here: “time and chance happen to them all.”
Given this, we would do well to learn not to trust in our own abilities, in our own wisdom, for we cannot, even at our best, conquer “time and chance”.
We would do well to put our trust in Him who is the Master of Providence, the Master of “time and chance”.
If we trust in God, we are no longer at the mercy of “time and chance”, but at the mercy of God. We should say to God, with David: “My times are in Your hands” (Ps. 31:15).
Paul tells us that, for His children, God manipulates the whims of “time and chance” for our favor: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).
james teaches us not to forget the unpredictability of life: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” (James 4:13–15).
HOPE THIS HELPS A BIT
RE Dr Kumar Mahabir November 27, 2018 9:23 AM
Dear Hal Austin, If you are a real man, please send me your real name and address so that I can initiate legal action in the High Court – wherever you are – to prove your allegation to a Judge that I am a racist. I am not joking. Dr Kumar Mahabir dmahabir@gmail.com. Mobile: (868) 756-4961
POOR LIKKLE KUMAR
WHY DONT YOU GO AND TAKE YOUR DEEP SEA FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS AND STOP WHINING, YA DUMMY
SEEMS YOU NEED TO LEARN THE PAINFUL LESSON THAT The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all”
@Georgie Porgie November 27, 2018 9:38 AM
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Dear GP. Thanks. I thought that this was brilliant.
@GP: Do you have any exegeses on ECCLESIASTES 10: 5-7?
“There is an evil I have seen under the sun—
an error that proceeds from the ruler:
Folly is appointed to great heights,
but the rich sit in lowly positions.
I have seen slaves on horseback,
while princes go on foot like slaves”
First you must understand that in the so called Wisdom Literature the writers float from prose to poetry, thereby making interpretaion more difficult.
“There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler: Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones. I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.”
Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes, has much to say about the wisdom and folly of rulers. He understood the importance of wise rulers on this earth. Our well-being on earth, our prosperity and comfort have much to do with how wise our rulers are.
Here, in 10:5-7 Solomon speaks of foolish favoritism shown by some rulers in choosing who to put in positions of leadership. In these verses, he uses slaves to symbolize fools, and the rich (in wisdom) and princes (those trained to rule) to symbolize the wise.
His powerful point is that sometimes it is the fools who end up in leadership and the wise who end up in the servile, non-leadership positions. Not always are the best choices made, and some rulers show their folly by putting “fools…in many high positions.”
He refers to the mistake of rulers exalting unworthy people to high position while holding worthy ones in low places. His thoughts are directed against favoritism and partiality which is often manifested in many governments.When unqualified or unworthy individuals are appointed to positions of authority, the social order is in trouble.
There are many reasons why people are placed in high positions in government and business. These reasons are not always good ones.
For example, they may be relatives or friends of those in positions of power. Also, the people who are in positions of highest authority may be corrupt and even incompetent themselves; therefore, it is unlikely that they will appoint wise leadership under them.
•
Solomon is in these verses advising us to Keep your composure, because there will be some foolish people in leadership positions who exalt the unworthy and hold down the worthy. (10:5-7) Solomon calls these Evils Under the Sun
THIS IS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL HAVING INFERIOR SUPERIORS
Not many of us are put in the position of being the ruler of a country, but many of us are put in positions of leadership at our church or workplace. At our workplace, we must resist the temptation to advance others for reasons of foolish favoritism, rather than true ability. And then, “the evil is greatly increased, when the high stations of the Church are bestowed upon unworthy men, passing by men of God, sound in doctrine, and upright in heart.”
when this type of injustice occurs to us or to someone close to us, we wonder why does God allow us to be passed over and someone less qualified to be put in leadership over us?
The answer, I believe, is found in Romans 8:20-21: “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
We are not in heaven yet, but the God-planned trials and injustices of this world are being used to lead us toward there.
I and I alone speak for me.
“I am used to contributors on BU elaborating and interpreting contributions from others. I call it a cultural peculiarity.”
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STUPSE!!!!!
A big grown up man and you bitching like a little girl about the same thing over and over again each time you post a contribution? Grow to ass up!!!! Cultural peculiarities what???
You know what is also a cultural peculiarity? A Bajan living abroad, copying the host country’s accent, believe Bajans are backward and everything about the island is wrong…..because he lives in the big countries. And you display that attitude daily.
You come here to pick fights and insult people but when they deal with you to suit, you bitch all day like a little. You tell people that write using a pseudonym that they are cowards and challenge them to use their real names and a man using his real name challenges you and all you could say is “go back to your box, silly man.”
If you are man enough, take up the challenge.
No wonder GP says you are a jackass and Bush Tea says you are an idiot.
GROW TO ASS UP!!!!!
TODAY ON BU WE ARE PRESENTED WITH THE MORONIC MOUTHINGS OF AN INDIAN WHO WAS FIRED FROM UTT
HE IS NOT THE FIRST TO BE FIRED- WHETHER JUDICIOUSLY OR NOT- AND HE WONT BE LAST
MEANWHILE BARBADOS TODAY CARRIES A STORY THAT HAS MORE AND MAJOR RELEVANCE TO BARBADIANS
I PRESENT IT BELOW, ALONG WITH A VERY GOOD RESPONSE FROM A PERSON CALLED GREENGIANT
DOES THE BU INTELLIGENTIA AND GNOSTICS HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ON THIS MATTER? AND WILL IT EVEN MATTER IN THE ROOMS OF THE POWERS THAT BE, WHO WE ARE TOLD READS THESE PAGES
Government authorities here will soon have before them comprehensive proposals for the upgrading and expansion of the nursing profession in Barbados.
This was disclosed today by president of the Barbados Nurses Association (BNA) Joanna Waterman, who said her organization is proposing upgrades and expansion to the roles of the specialist nurse, the nurse practitioner and the clinical nurse specialist.
Waterman said the recommendations were being prepared for submission to the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Ministry of Education.
“And so we are working to outline the various domains in which the nurse specialist can function, the competencies and scope of practice that would enhance and improve the delivery of care in Barbados, especially in areas such as the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E), acute care setting and public health,” she announced.
The BNA head said the proposals also call for an established school of nursing which could address the “horrendous” failure rate, particularly with respect to the most critical component of the nursing training programme, which is the clinical aspect.
She explained that this relates to the clinical site rotation and the need for an established programme that allows students working in the field to be mentored, instructed and supervised by a practising physician.
“Also in respect to the administrative structural areas that would improve this area for a school of nursing and hence, we hope, correct the deficits of failures,” Waterman said.
She said there were also plans to upgrade the nursing assistants’ programme to a two-year, associate degree programme which would increase their scope of practice and therefore enhance the delivery of care.
“We therefore expect to work closely with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and all the stakeholders in getting these recommendations through,” the nurses’ spokeswoman suggested.
GREENGIANT wrote in response
Yes these recommendations are timely, and needed for the profession. However what about the timely payment of the employees, the increased pay or perks that will make the profession more attractive so our better nurses will remain at home during their youthful years.
What about the nurses association making contacts with global institutions for the placement of nurses on contractual terms so as to guarantee the return of our trained professionals over a period of gained work experience. There’s nothing wrong with our trained professionals migrating for professional development, but there’s something wrong when we lose them permanently after the volume of taxes invested in their education between preschool and tertiary training. It simply cannot be business as usual, we can no longer behave like a developing country, when we are operating in a developed economical and financial market.
@The truth shall set you free
“Bajans living aboard and copying the host country accent”
And what is wrong with speaking with the host country accent?
When you are in Rome do as the Romans do …
Cheers
@Georgie Porgie November 27, 2018 10:30 AM
” Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) announced today, that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Scotiabank’s banking operations in Guyana, St Maarten and the Eastern Caribbean territories, including Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.”
How long before Scotiabank ” leaves ” Barbados ? Seems the writing is on the wall.
@Hants
Looks that way.
The Canadians have sold half of Scotiabank Caribbean to the Trinidadians (Republic Bank) and the other half to the Bermudans (Sagicor). Meanwhile the Bermudans (Sagicor) have sold themselves to the Canadians (Alignvest).
The million dollar question is how come Barbados missed being taken to the party.
The underlying lesson is that retail banking is likely to be increasingly marginalized by technological change in the coming years while the insurance business will likely continue to be very lucrative.
@Hants
For all intents and purposes Scotiabank has already left Barbados. The big Broad Street branch might be rebranded Republic if the like the look of it better that their current home in the old CIBC building across the street. Most other branches will close as the operations are ‘rationalised’… with the attendant job losses.
@David
Should church mice seek an invitation to tomcats’ party?
According to a published report re Scotiabank
It also plans to sell its insurance operations in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago to Sagicor Financial.
The bank has been selling non-core businesses and focusing its international operations on the Pacific Alliance trading bloc of Peru, Mexico, Chile and Columbia, which now accounts for around a quarter of its revenue.
Georgie Porgie
“The unqualified is put in position over the qualified”
The Bible tells us that wisdom is the principle thing …so therefore seek wisdom …and when thou seeketh wisdom … thou seeketh understanding…
Moreover, Solomon asked God for wisdom to govern the people of Israel … and so shall every person God put in control of the welfare of the masses … who God bless no man curse … it reminds me of the time in the Old Testament when King Saul wanted to kill his son-in-law David … and one night David and his men caught Saul and his men sleeping … and David men were about to take Saul’s life … and David said to his men” … touched not God’s anointed … listen! When God put you in position of authority no man can remove you but Him … and finally, my Bible tells me that promotion does not come from the north, east, west or south … but from God … He puts up one and takes down the next …
@Hal Austin November 27, 2018 9:29 AM “But I assume you are referring to me regarding the late DPP.
Have I ever, either on BU or elsewhere, referred to his ethnicity? If so, plse post it for readers to see. I have always referred to him as the Guyana-born DPP. That is not ethnicity, it is national origin. They are different.”
True.
But since everybody on BU knows that Barbados’ late DPP appeared to be on South Asian/Indian ethnicity did it really matter whether you referred to his ethnicity or not? We heard the dog whistle.
And as our foreparents told us…A puss is a cat.
Dog whistle, brilliant!
@Dr Kumar Mahabir, Retrenched Assistant Professor “The Express editor seems to be clearly sacrificing important news items of interest in order to please a big corporate client. Readers must now ask, “For whom else is the Express sacrificing objectivity for a million dollars?”
You know how the saying goes “follow the money.”
@Sargeant November 27, 2018 8:44 AM. “More recently we have the unexplained injuries that US and Canadian diplomats have suffered in Havana due to exposure to some sort of electronic? interference aimed at their offices.”
What injuries???
You know that the loud noises heard by the diplomats are crickets.
I’ve had visitors from the north complain about the loud noises at my home as well and the very loud noises are simply millions of crickets, whcich seem even louder if the windows are open
Don’t you think it strange that the Cuban staff in those embassies have not been “suffering injuries”?
A major,major expansion in Education,Health,and Tourism along with specialised manufacturing and farming can provide thousands of employment opportunities for locals.Bizzy,Cow,Kyffin and some other enterprising Bajans can buy out Emera,solarize our supply of electricity and control-farm exotic fruits and vegetables for the local and regional markets.In House casino operations to cater to that niche market is an option.
The Truth Shall Set You Free November 27, 2018 11:04 AM “you bitching like a little girl.”
Little girls don’t bitch…certainly not on BU. The BU old men are always the bitchers.
When will the misogyny end?
@peterlawrencethompson November 27, 2018 3:42 PM “Should church mice seek an invitation to tomcats’ party?”
And cockroach has no business at fowlcock party.
Cockroach has no business at fowlcock dance
People who have spent their lives in double glazed artificially heated and cooled buildings in the large cities of the north have no real understanding how noisy the “quiet” of the night really is.
I have had a northern visitor complain about the early morning chirping of birds.
I’ve had another however who was intrigued and took tape recordings of bird song back north with her.
@Hants
Oops, sorry. My mistake. Scotiabank has not sold the Barbados operation yet… but it appears to be on the market.
Simple Simon
The problem with some of us is the fact that we do not know how to deal with those persons who are different or do not think as we do …
You go for you annual physical and the doctor ask you if your mother have cancer on the side of her family … and shock the doctor by saying: … and what does that have to do with me… don’t put that curse on … because I worship a God who has the power to change water into wine … so I rebuke that spirit in Jesus name … and the doctor is left speechless because he has never had a patient with sort audacity say such …
“Little girls don’t bitch…certainly not on BU. The BU old men are always the bitchers.”
lol, lol, murdahhhh!!!
Lordie, do they bitch!!! On and on and on and on and on AD NAUSEUM!!!!!!
RE and the doctor is left speechless because he has never had a patient with sort audacity say such …
OR DO YOU MEAN HE HAS NEVER HAD A PATIENT WHO WAS SUCH AN IDIOT, WHICH?
Barbados remains “no touch” in the financial world. The discount requested in the Scotia deal was too large.
@Northern Observer
Can you put some more meat on your comment? Why do you suggest the discount is too large?
@Simple Simon
FYI Dr. Simon
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cuba-diplomats-embassy-1.4621992
Bec Bim remains very risky, buyers want big discounts, seems Scotia decided to hold the Bajan asset, and see what happens.
Is it possible for Barbadians to own Banks instead of continued dependence on Canadians and Trinidadians ?
@Sargeant November 27, 2018 5:54 PM “https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cuba-diplomats-embassy-1.4621992”
Thanks, but I had earlier seen the CBC report.
I still say crickets and mass hysteria driven by fear of the unknown.
Nobody has claimed that Cuban or third country national staff are affected by these events.
Biologically we know that American brains and Canadian brains and Cuban brains and Bajan brains are identical.
So how come nobody is claiming that other people’s brains are being affected? Only American brains and Canadian brains.
We know that busy diplomats do not mop their own floors, scrub their own toilets, nor change the diapers of their infants and incontinent elders, nor do they import relatively high wage Americans or Canadians to do these things. Local staff at modest wages are contracted to do these menial tasks both within embassies and at diplomatic homes. And yet NOBODY is claiming that the local staff are getting sick?
Why not?
Because the local staff are NOT getting sick. Because there is nothing that can make ANYBODY sick.
This is another WMD weapons of mass destruction. There were NO weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Yet otherwise sensible, well educated people, normally rational and reasonable people believed.
Human beings are extremely vulnerable to being manipulated by others.
And when people are isolated from their own culture, their own norms they are even more vulnerable.
I have a friend who genuinely believes that MI5 has parked a satellite over his house in rural Barbados to watch his activities.
I haven’t been able to persuade him that MI5 has better things to do with its time and money than to keep watch over an elderly retired bus conductor.
@ Hants
Is it possible for Barbadians to own Banks instead of continued dependence on Canadians and Trinidadians ?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Brass Bowl bewitched Barbadians becoming Bankers …is about as likely as GP regaining a reputation on BU as a mature intelligent scholar….
In any case, some jackass economist (whatever the Hell THOSE are) would sell it to foreigners as soon as it became established – so that he could build some welfare shiite …or invest in CSME and Kensington.
No Hants, idiots do better when they get someone ELSE to keep their monies for them.
Arthur still brags that the bank was more profitable when HE no longer ran it…. (JA!!!)
Georgie Porgie
People have this unquestionable faith in doctors and medicine … but wisdom ought to have taught us by now that a doctor cannot make money unless he diagnosed you with some kind of disease condition … in order to pinned some kind of a treatment or medication on you… and that’s where he makes his money …
Georgie Porgie
And most conventional doctors repudiates any attempt to suggest the possibility of alternative medicine as possible avenue of treatment or cure …
There is a doctor in Barbados whose MO is the unnecessary Cesarean section. Also the unnecessary hysterectomy followed by hormone replacement therapy. In one case that I know of breast cancer followed soon after. Purely a money making affair .
Bushie,
Could it just be that the wrong Barbadians rise to the top? Not all Bajans are brass bowls in every field. Those who have good ideas get chased away like G.P and it seems never get over it. (After all they are not perfect, only smart in their area.)
In Barbados, not even a primary school cricket team get picked on merit.
@ Bushie,
On the subject of banking.
“Royal Bank profit rises to record $12.4B for the year. Royal Bank of Canada reported a 15 per cent increase in fourth-quarter net income to $3.25 billion, surpassing analyst expectations to mark a new record annual profit of $12.4 billion.5 hours ago”
“CIBC’s net income surged 25 per cent year-over-year to $1.37 billion in its fiscal third quarter ending July 31.”
“For its full 2018 financial year, Scotiabank says it earned $8.72 billion ”
I know very little about banking so I will leave it to the maguffees to explain why Barbados does not have Barbadian owned and operated commercial banks.
re is about as likely as GP regaining a reputation on BU as a mature intelligent scholar….
AND THIS WILL CAUSE MY NAME TO BE REMOVED FROM THE BOOK OF LIFE?
WHAT BENEFIT IS IT TO/FOR GP TO HAVE A ” reputation on BU as a mature intelligent scholar?
DOES BU GIVE OUT AWARDS THAT ARE OF MONETARY OR ANY OTHER VALUE?
DOES GU CARE ABOUT GAINING OR regaining a reputation on BU as a mature intelligent scholar….?
CAN YOU GO TO ANY BANK IN BARBADOS WITH a reputation on BU as a mature intelligent scholar….?
RE There is a doctor in Barbados whose MO is the unnecessary Cesarean section. Also the unnecessary hysterectomy followed by hormone replacement therapy. In one case that I know of breast cancer followed soon after. Purely a money making affair .
HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF HIS PATIENTS?
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT HIS MO is the unnecessary Cesarean section OR THAT HE DOES unnecessary hysterectomIES followed by hormone replacement therapy..
WHEN ARE Cesarean sectionS necessary?
WHAT ARE THE INDICATIONS FOR .Cesarean sectionS ?
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT breast cancer followed soon after ONE OF HIS CASES OF unnecessary hysterectomy followed by hormone replacement therapy
WHAT ARE THE INDICATIONS FOR A HYSTERECTOMY?
WHAT ARE THE INDICATIONS FOR THE USE OF hormone replacement therapy..
ARE YOU NOT A MEDICAL ILLITERATE?
WHICH MEDICAL SCHOOL DID YOU ATTEND…AND WHERE DID YOU OBTAIN YOUR SPECIALIST TRAINING IN OBS & GYNAE?
DO YOU HAVE A reputation on BU as a mature intelligent scholar?
JUST ASKING
@Lexicon November 28, 2018 8:37 AM “a doctor cannot make money unless he diagnosed you with some kind of disease condition … in order to pinned some kind of a treatment or medication on you… and that’s where he makes his money.
Not true.
Suppose for example that starting at age 40 you present yourself to your doctor every year. He checks your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, checks your immunizations (for example if you are an outdoor worker, gardener, sanitation worker etc. he checks that you have been immunized against tetanus, he checks your prostate. He advises you to exercise regularly, and to eat well including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables (no romaine lettuce at present)
He finds nothing wrong with you. You pay your doctor. Your doctor is practicing preventative medicine. I may be wrong but I don’t think that doctors enjoy seeing their patients being sick.
@Donna November 28, 2018 11:21 AM “There is a doctor in Barbados whose MO is the unnecessary Cesarean section. ”
Are you sure that those ladies are not too posh to push?
There is not every woman who is a gorilliphant who can through a labour lasting more than 24 hours.
Are you sure that some of the ladies having hysterectomies don’t believe that a hysterectomy is an “easy” solution for the “messiness” of menstrual periods?
@ Dr. GP
What Donna said about that doctor is true.
He and another fellow in Belleville have a fabrication plan where, even if you go in for a fingernail problem they want to give you a hysterectomy or a shunt for perfectly functioning hearts
And the fellow with the hysterectomy, so much want money, he does forget and even offers that to men!!
My cure for these cases is to record them on your cell phones and publish it to sound cloud
Let people know that they are no longer secure in telling lies
It works miracles…
AGAIN I ASK
HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF HIS PATIENTS?
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT HIS MO is the unnecessary Cesarean section OR THAT HE DOES unnecessary hysterectomIES followed by hormone replacement therapy..
WHEN ARE Cesarean sectionS necessary?
WHAT ARE THE INDICATIONS FOR .Cesarean sectionS ?
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT breast cancer followed soon after ONE OF HIS CASES OF unnecessary hysterectomy followed by hormone replacement therapy
WHAT ARE THE INDICATIONS FOR A HYSTERECTOMY?
WHAT ARE THE INDICATIONS FOR THE USE OF hormone replacement therapy..
WHICH MEDICAL SCHOOL DID YOU ATTEND…AND WHERE DID YOU OBTAIN YOUR SPECIALIST TRAINING IN OBS & GYNAE?
This idiot got sacked and thinks that is the most important news event in the world. I am amazed he does not curl up in his box and wither away. I will bet anything he has as PhD in something silly like cultural studies or economics or sociology.
Anyone you do not agree with is an idiot. The man has a right to protest if he and colleagues are of the view there was an injustice meted out. From his writings he is not railing against being retrenched as the issue. You should take five minutes and read to inform your comments on the issue. In fact Barbadians can do well to take a page from his book.
You may have the last word.
@ David
To a carpenter, everything boils down to either a hammer or a saw.
To an idiot…..