As a teenager visiting the Plaza cinema to watch Kung Fu movies, there was always at least one unruly person who put his feet on the chair in front of him and behaved badly. During those times, I would wonder where the adults were.
I remember promising myself that when I reached 30 years of age, I would be the adult whom I expected to intervene. Since reaching that milestone, I have tried to keep that promise in defense of others. It is one of the reasons why I entered politics, and is the main reason why I write these weekly articles.
During my career, I have witnessed much wickedness in high places. The level of corruption is so shocking that anyone reading about it could not be faulted for concluding that it was fiction.
In 1995, Transparency International (TI) published their first Corruption Perceptions Index report, which exposed the extent of corruption globally. They published their second report in 1996. The Caribbean was not included in these early reports, but it was only a matter of time before TI would focus on the Caribbean.
In an act of pure coincidence, in 1997 our parliamentarians effectively discouraged any public discussion of corruption by passing the Defamation Act. Under this act, anyone who revealed genuine cases of corruption, with incontrovertible evidence, could be found guilty of defamation and punished accordingly. However, the Act protects politicians if they talked about it in parliament.
Not long ago, I attended a committee meeting of a statutory corporation, where some members were formally discussing giving a no-bid contract to a contractor. I stated that what they were proposing was corruption. There was a very heated exchange – the fellow actually rose to his feet to fight me. They seemed completely unaware of what corruption actually was, but were highly offended at being associated with it.
The corrupt operate in the secret political economy, which is normally exclusively reserved for political supporters in exchange for bribes. The way of corruption is for Ministers to instruct that no-bid contracts should be awarded to specific companies.
Inexperienced Ministers tend to deceive themselves by their good intentions. They tend to stumble onto the path of corruption by trying to justify allowing no-bid contracts. The current BLP administration has many inexperienced Ministers just waiting to stumble, and I am trying my best to prevent them from falling.
A root cause of our economic problems is the corrupting practise of Ministers directing no-bid contracts. The DLP made themselves highly offensive with that deplorable practise over the past decade. Shockingly, the BLP appear to be carrying on where the DLP left off, but in an even more brazen manner, as if that were even possible.
Last week, many BLP parliamentarians delighted their supporters by accusing the last DLP administration of gross corruption. Ironically, during the same week, the BLP appeared to play the hypocrite by announcing several major no-bid contracts, and they had the gall to boast about it. No! No! No! No! No! and ten thousand times No! We simply cannot go down that road again. All of this austerity cannot be in vain.
Has the BLP learnt nothing from the DLP’s unconscionable behaviour? Why is the government persisting, even more brazenly, with this corrupting political economy? Why is the government intentionally disqualifying competent companies from tendering for tax-payer funded projects? Why is the government shielding politically favoured companies from competing? Are the Ministers aware that when they give no-bid contracts, the public tends to pay many times over for the resulting bad work and bad advice?
Let me write directly to the BLP’s inexperienced parliamentarians. We have been here many times before. We are sick of the ‘good intentions’ excuses that have been used to justify keeping a political economy for the exclusive use of the Party’s politically protected companies. The end never justifies the corrupting means – ever.
I implore you to reject the political economy and the way of the corrupting no-bid contracts. Those who go down that road rarely find their way back, since they sell their souls to the master corrupter who will not easily let them go. Expect some political supporters to demand their pre-paid share of the political economy from you.
They will pressure you to award them no-bid contracts with the typical excuse of urgency. Once you have been tricked into starting down that dark road, the nation will suffer. Companies who bully their way to the trough of the political economy, knowingly disqualify the most competent companies from tendering on government contracts. They should be utterly ashamed of themselves.
You will also be pressured into believing that it is specialist work that only they can do. Unless they own the patent, or have an exclusive-use contract for the technology, then that is a well-worn lie from the very pit of hell. Why not challenge their ridiculous assertion by allowing a competitive tender? What is the possible benefit to yourselves or the country of disqualifying the country’s most competent companies from tendering? I expect an answer to this question from each of you.
There is no right way to do wrong things, and giving no-bid major contracts is definitely wrong. Further, giving no-bid contracts in a depressed economy is so far beyond wrong as to qualify as satanic.
I implore you, repent of this evil and do right things. In your manifesto, every one of you promised, on your sacred honour, that you would provide a Contractor General to review government contracts and those of State Owned Enterprises. You have had enough time to establish this critical post, yet you have failed to do so. What happened? Was this another initiative that must be a sacrificed casualty of the unnecessary BERT austerity plan? Have you even read that secret plan?
Your options are simple. Either repent and terminate those corrupting no-bid contracts and allow a fair tender process, or be deceived with your ‘good intentions’ and continue down the road to hell.
Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer and President of Solutions Barbados. He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com
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IT WAS A criminal act..THAT SHOULD BE SEVERELY PUNISHED….these types of GREEDY actions that HURT the vulnerable are looked down upon..and FROWNED ON…
“I think is very unfortunate. As a matter of fact, I am prepared to say it is unpatriotic of Innotech and also insensitive for them at this time, having been the recipient of many contracts from the BWA, to take this action,” the businessman added.”
https://barbadostoday.bb/2018/12/13/in-the-red/
Art..140 million dollars and 5 years later…BWA is in the RED..
GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE RENTING/LEASING WATER TANKS OR ANYTHING WATER OR FOOD RELATED FROM PRIVATE CONTRACTORS…EVER
“The state-owned Barbados Water Authority (BWA) said today it is facing a deficit of $10.3 million a month.
In making the announcement at a press conference at the BWA’s Pine, St Michael headquarters, general manager Keithroy Halliday attributed this position to a series of contracts which it had entered into over the past several years which did not profit the company.”
If government printing services will be out-sourced to a printing company of which Trevor Prescod is alleged to be a director……..
………. then, is it a possibility that government’s overseas travel arrangements will be organised by “Indar Weir Travel Centre?”
I remember there was a time when government’s overseas travel was arranged by “GEM Travel,” which is/was owned by Philip Greaves’ wife, who, I understand is also David Simmons’ sister.
Achieving by way of govt to catch thieves and crooks is like trying to find a needle in the hay stack. Did not present govt made promise to move heaven and earth to find the crooks and thiefs
Six months later and what
If as being said the whole country is made up of a system of crooked goverence
Then where in God’s green earth here on this tiny rock will any one find a person who soul is free of corruption
For what it is worth we have an opposition who pretends to act on the country interest interest but shys far away from issues that atrract a voice bellowing corruption
Then we have a govt that knows and have information about some of their ministers illegalties but stays mum
Right now as it see it Innotech would be used by govt not to uncover misdeeds of corruption but as a political battering ram for govt self interest.
This one actually made me smile..
“Already Donville Inniss is unable return to Barbados for the Holidays to throw his annual lavish New Year’s Eve (Old Year’s Night) party due to being weighted down by an ankle bracelet. Let’s make sure no party is held at that massive newly completed house up St. Philip, either.”
We don’t care what Innotech is used for, they were already used to RIPP OFF TAXPAYERS via BWA….and suffer the vulnerable by denying them water…
We will be happy to see Innotech used to LOCK UP former DLP ministers who HELPED INNOTECH ripoff taxpayers and BWA…
it is called poetic justice..
We see the return of Owen Arthur bagman Hallam Nichols as one of the businesses donating water tanks. The more things change the more they remain the same.
What the government needs to do is thank them all very much for their urgent response and REPLACE them all with TANKS…purchased with taxpayer dollars..
…. the saga with Innotech should have taught the government a very valuable lesson….if they were paying attention..
“Did not present govt made promise to move heaven and earth to find the crooks and thiefs (thieves).
Six months later and what……”
Mariposa
You are correct…….keep the pressure on.”
Perhaps your expectations of politicians who have been labelled or identified as being corrupt….. will be held accountable for their deeds… are high.
But I’m not that optimistic. Why????
I recall during the 2008 election campaign, the DLP went the length and breadth of Barbados accusing BLP parliamentarians of corruption. David Thompson PROMISED forensic audits and to prosecute corrupt politicians.
However, ten (10) years later…. not a boy en get locked up……. but the DEMS are still on about Greenland; Hardwood Housing; Silver Sands public bath; an ackee tree that was cut down for $11,000; Crab Hill Police Station and Dodds Prisons……..
……… all of which would have much more meaning if “some peepull did get locked up.”
But these issues were not raised with the interest of Barbadians in mind…… but for reasons of political expediency. In other words, pushing these issues appease the yard-fowls and is one way of soliciting votes.
The BLP is now engaging in a similar activity. That’s why I don’t expect the BLP to pursue politicians they accused of corruption..
@ David, cherry picking and nichol and diming. lol
” Here we see businessmen Anderson Cherry, (second from left) along with Hallam Nicholls and Paul Bridgeman at the end of a news conference at the BWA headquarters today.”
https://barbadostoday.bb/2018/12/13/corporate-barbados-to-bwas-rescue/
David
According to those who would be lawyers, even such a statement of fact could be deemed libelous/slanderous. Be careful!
It fails to amaze how ‘protectors of the status quo’ would always front arguments in defense of elite interests, even in an internet age. Can they be as ignorant as not to know that the legal system cannot reach a blog which could to located/relocated in any other jurisdiction, at short or little notice, unless you are Google.
Like the other would-be elite in the world. We call them technicians. But what they are really asking for is a police state for thought control, etc. On the other hand we see no efforts to roll back the increasing power and money of elites.
Jesus Christ! We shall be cussing their RH and their sycophantic paid agents for ever more.
@Pacha
There isn’t every comment the blogmaster will respond. It is better to allow some people to wallow in good ignorance.
@ Artax
Just to confirm that you have been known to be wrong on important topics…
Back in 2017 you promised Bushie that…
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don’t worry ‘bout ac……… she gine “fade out” and run into hiding after the 2018 general elections………… when the DLP get wash in licks.
Now………. um is dem is de licks dat “gwine kill she.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shiite … the woman wheel and come back like a Maripoka instead….
How do you explain this error on your part…?
Well you are ALSO wrong about the government’s penchant for the (mis)use of borrowed funds.
No doubt you will work it out by yourself however.
LOL
David
And we commend you for that. It is only a man of stature who is best placed to play your role. We say that and mean it, even when your judgements disfavor us.
@ David
Innotech has no other choice but to sit at the table.
They are being let off scott free by this government.
All they will do is ‘offer’ a write down of a few million dollars and suddenly they will be heroes.
You steal $200M …and hand back $10M in an act of magnanimity. Robin Hood style…
Brass Bowls will be impressed….
But NOT stinking Bushie.
Charges should be laid…. to the crooks AND to all facilitators.
As to the BLP…
Those who negotiate with criminals are accomplices after the fact .. not so?
@Bushie
Let us see, this Worrell lady appears to be no sweet bread.
Both the DLP ministers who arranged that theft, the Innotech crooks who actually CARRIED OUT GRAND THEFT…and the filthy lawyers who signed off on those bogus CONTRACTS over the last 4 years…making SURE that grand theft was a SUCCESS……SHOULD BE JAILED….no compromise, no parole nothing, just long prison stretches..for all of them..
David
Keep waiting, if you must. You’re the most hopeful person known.
In trute, until some heads start to roll, pun intended, nobody gine take you serious.
Flynn is miffed that he was not warned that lying to the FBI is a crime? He was the NSA to the president?
@David
From the time I was knee high to a cabbage I knew that “ignorance of the law is no excuse”, Flynn talking through his cloaca.
Flynn is talking to the idiots in the Trump base. The president’s men and women do not speak to anyone else. The jackasses in the Trump base will believe it. Strangely enough these are the same people who would tell black people that if they are innocent they should co-operate because there is nothing to fear.
David
The blog needs a hide button, so bloggers can hide the contributions of other bloggers who post igrunce repeatedly. I can’t believe people are still trying to prove the IDB loan was for the purpose of building the HQ. Put ah hand!
Yes I notice the bagman Hallam Nicchols suddenly appearing.He must be smelling the honey so he is drawing near.
Imagine it is alleged that Nicchols made 8 million dollars before the ABC Highway extension had even fully started.This was payback for bringing in certain machinery for the highway
TInniss
And where were you pre May 25? Stupse.
have you been drinking.. Enuff..
Who wound you up???
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/223158/fix-hr-issues
“An Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) “diagnostic” of Central Government found an “over-reliance” on academic qualifications when recruiting workers for the Civil Service.”
Will they listen, I keep telling them all these socialized slaves with this certificate and that degree is crap…all they end up with in the civil service are too many CAREER THIEVES..
There are people in the communities with not one degreee, many are trades people who never got an opportunity because of the Parade of Thieves from the minority business community ALWAYS lined up outside ministers offices to extort contracts and funnel taxpayer’s money into their own pockets and those of the ministers who facilitate them..
Maybe Mia will listen to IDB…..use those people in the black community ..AND PAY THEM WELL…who never got an opportunity, many of them have natural gifts and much higher Intelligence levels ..than ya garden variety shitehound with a degree looking for bribes.
So how many of Innotech CEO or managers would be locked up Well i heared govt say down and had a meeting to renegotiate the contract
I also heard that Innotech should not be paid
Given all being said why would govt want to met and greet with Innotech
Why did govt instead of having a meeting to renegotiate hand Innotech a letter from the justice dept stating charges had been filed against Innotech for theft of govt funds
Also in my humble opinion such a move would havesve unlocked the door to past govt involvement in any illegal mismanagement of funds having to do with past govt dealings / agreements with Innotech
Mariposa ma girl..we don’t mind, lock them up and let the chips fall where they may…you are not involved in thiefing taxpayers and pensioners money RIGHT..welll neither am I and neither are most of those on BU…so we welcome it all being exposed, WHO TIEF WHAT…… it would be refreshing.
If govt is sworn to protect the country best interest
Then the rule of ethics and transparency should over ruled all other issues..meaning any accusations brought by the people towards any govt past or present should be taken with all seriousness by the elected officials
Therefore if govt meets with individuals or any group.. entities where there is question of immoral conduct or illegalties towards country or people therefore in all fairness and in the rightful pursuit of justice govt should hold these people accountable
If govt fails to do such diligence in pursuit of justice for the people govt then shall be held accountable
Yesterday meeting beween govt and Innotech should have been a spring board to air any dirty laundry or be in pursuit of justice against Innotech to find the trurhfulness against past govt involvement /contractually/ factually/ or illegally
The question therefore should be asked of govt
Why renegotiate ?
Why not go to the heart of a troubling interest between past govt and Innnotech that can save the country money and serve the people interest
@ Enuff
David…..The blog needs a hide button, so bloggers can hide the contributions of other bloggers who post igrunce repeatedly
++++++++++++++++++++++
Bushie cannot support this proposal…
You would be sadly missed…
LOL
ha ha ha
Murduh…!!!
@ Maripoka
What the Hell are you trying to say at 9.22?
You should arrested, charged and sent to school for ten years.
“An Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) “diagnostic” of Central Government found an “over-reliance” on academic qualifications when recruiting workers for the Civil Service.”
Isn’t this a fancy way of stating a well know Bajan saying “Book sense is not common sense”. The man in the street knew this from long ago, but we have to wait until 2018 and a foreigner polish up the phrase for us to heed it.
<3 Mariposa <3…. She gets it right a few times a day. More useful than a broken clock.
HOTEL ZONE
pages 14 and 15 of BarbadosToday
“If govt is sworn to protect the country best interest
Then the rule of ethics and transparency should over ruled all other issues..meaning any accusations brought by the people towards any govt past or present should be taken with all seriousness by the elected officials
Therefore if govt meets with individuals or any group.. entities where there is question of immoral conduct or illegalties towards country or people therefore in all fairness and in the rightful pursuit of justice govt should hold these people accountable
If govt fails to do such diligence in pursuit of justice for the people govt then shall be held accountable.”
@ Mariposa
You were one of those people on BU in conjunction with the DLP that was accusing the former Owen Arthur BLP administration of 14 years of corruption.
I hope you know your above comments also apply to the last DLP administration that did nothing during their 10 years in office to address their accusations of corruption levelled at the BLP.
If not, you are a hypocrite.
So you want the BLP to do in 6 months what the DLP did not do in 10 years?
@ Bush Tea December 15, 2018 9:43 AM
“Bushie cannot support this proposal…
You would be sadly missed…”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jesus C, Bushie, don’t be so deadly with your literary sword!
What an epigram of euphemistic proportion!
Your ‘mate’ “Enuff” is cut from the same ‘Waterford’ crystal as yourself
What you should be goading your schoolmate “Enuff” into doing is to spill his guts about his administration’s promise to recover some of the millions in ‘fees’ paid to the lawyers for ‘looking over’ simple documents for the likes of the bankrupt BWA.
Is his administration going to conduct tax audits on both sides of the bribery equation in order to ‘follow the trail of the kickback money some of which ended up in ministerial pockets or in bank accounts or in houses renovated in St. Philip?
Why not start with the ‘tech company in the water woes news? That should put an abrupt end to the De Silva’s arrant bullying and vicious threats!
Really! Can i speak my peace without the interference of Bush Tea
I stated a truth.A truth which seems to rattled the nerves and mashed the corns of an elite hypocrtical group who have been calling for transparency in the last ten years
Moreover the dialogue and comments on the Issue surrounding Innotech and contracts with past govt should at least give present govt a leadway towards investigation
But No! What does present govt pursue a meeting of renegotiation
to renegotiate an agreement / contract which most here says is illegal and which present govt should not pay
At this point i throw my hands in the air as truth is now left to one person political interest and intrepretated by govt as political interest
Robert Goren
Once a minister demits office his official status is that to be known as “former minister” and with good reason bringing him/ her back to a level of being ordinary and removing a status or recognition of having parliamentary privilges where he / shecan no longer hide
The people right to know should be pursued by any means possible
Present govt run a campagain strategy to win an election by way of promises
Therefore it is incumbent upon present govt to fulfill or present evidence to those words / promises or to such effect where the truthfulness of all illegalities past or present relating to govts ministers which involved the business of the people and country are revealed to the public
Bushie – And like clockwork you responded exactly as I expected, as you have never shown the talent to separate igrunce from sense. Keep supporting Abigail and GP, though Abigail opposes everything GP says.
@ Mariposa
”
The people right to know should be pursued by any means possible
Present govt run a campagain strategy to win an election by way of promises
Therefore it is incumbent upon present govt to fulfill or present evidence to those words / promises or to such effect where the truthfulness of all illegalities past or present relating to govts ministers which involved the business of the people and country are revealed to the public.”
What gibberish is that you wrote?
Your politically biased one sided illigical and incoherent arguments are showing you more and more to be an idiot of enormous proportions.
BOTH political parties ran on campaign strategy to win elections by way of promises.
So you want us to focus on the BLP and forget the DLP did not do anything during their ten year tenure to address their accusations of corruption levelled at the BLP?
BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES ARE GUILTY OF NOT FULFILLING THEIR PROMISES TO THE ELECTORATE, AND FOR YOUR SELFISH BIASED POLITICAL PURPOSES YOU WANT TO REFER TO THE BLP AND IGNORE THE DLP.
@ Enuff
What do you want Bushie to do ….if you bounce outside the leg stump ..at a slow pace ..on a dead wicket…?
…out by the Headmaster house skippa…
LOL
@ Miller
He asked for that one….
🙂
“What you should be goading your schoolmate “Enuff” into doing is to spill his guts about his administration’s promise to recover some of the millions in ‘fees’ paid to the lawyers for ‘looking over’ simple documents for the likes of the bankrupt BWA.”
…ah tell Enuff to make himself useful..he been on BU for years, time to GIVE BACK.
…so that would be the Gollop gang or some variation of…who read that shite contract with Innotech….and STILL APPROVED THE SCAM FOR SIGNATURE…
..was it NOT the one Gollop who charged BWA 1.5 million was it, for reading, no doubt ANOTHER SCAM contract…
Yall see why these taxpayer funded agencies will ALWAYS be robbed….you have lawyers who themselves have no substance perusing and approving contracts to ROB taxpayers and pensioners.
Sometimes I wonder if the Enuffs and <3 Mariposas <3 types are good for Barbados.
One seem to have developed amnesia and has a memory that started after May 24, 2018. Political acts that she would have defended prior to May 24, 2018 will now draw her anger.
The other seem to have no true belief in what is right and what is wrong. His/her definition of what is right is if the DLP did it before. Point to a nasty piece of work and he points to a similar act by the DLP, thus making it right. Effectively he is lowering the limbo stick and then jumping over instead of going under.
Oh loss. Yuh dam if uh do and yuh dam if yuh don’t
So where should the starting point begin
Mariposa is following the track set now i am being told what to think and where and how my tracks should be set
Any one being hypocrtical are those who had spent the better part of ten years speaking of transparency which includes govt.
However after they have set the transparency tracks in motion their wheels become stuck before moving across railroad
BTW…did Simmons and his daughter KNOW that BWA was in the RED…after Mia was elected and BEFORE the ink dried on her swearing in documents when Leodean and Abrahams 2 LAWYERS at BWA…..HAULED OFF and PAID SIMMONS AND HIS DAUGHTER 15 thousand dollars AN HOUR…to read a document for BWA… 4 or 5 months ago…
The lawyers of Barbados should be working for the people FOR FREE…especially for reading documents…yall have destroyed the Supreme Court and RIPPED off the taxpayer’s AND pensioners…ENUFF……
…..ya ripped off the same vulnerable people that educated ya wicked asses…with the little money they earned over the last 5 DECADES….50 YEARS …yall robbed their children, their grandchildren and their great grandchildren…..3 generations could end up in poverty because of yall thieves..
Theo
I would appreciate you stop telling lies on me. Where have I said the DLP did it so it is right? That has never been my approach.
I could go digging, but I will wait until it happens….. again.
There is a very muted silence on what took place betwen Innotech and govt on the negotiation table
One would have thought that a govt who laid the transparency gauntlet face up on the table would have held or call a meeting as to what or if any resolution was met.
Needless to say this issue would be swept under the carpet until the next round of payments cannot be made to Innnotech and tge weeping and gnashing of gums would start all over again
The point being where an issue which can lead to negatively affect the public health bthe public should be given as soon as possible updates
@ Maripsa,
You are on the ball. Those who want to look back by referencing the DLP every time you raise a point about this six-month old government are just bad losers. Six months is more than enough time to set out a programme of change, which is what the people of Barbados voted for on May 24.
The DLP got removed from office because they lost the confidence of the people. It is now for the new government to show they can do better. Don’t join in their negative diatribe.
TheoGazzerts
Go dig!! Stupse.
@ Enuff
Boss, you taking some serious licks yuh….
TheOG just lick the stuffings outta the shiite you bowling recently….
LOL
Perhaps it is time to take the new ball…..
They really, really need to convert UWI into more of a TRADE SCHOOL…same goes for Community College…..trade skills for young men and women…with business skills also MANDATORY..they can never go Wong with those power house skills..
Most of the present degrees ARE WORTHLESS and EMBARRASSING..
Reduce law degrees to a bare minimum……that degree program has been a total CURSE ON THE LAND.
Degrees in economics should be made criminal..
ah could go on but it would take too long..
Corporate Barbados yes those corporate mugubees thst are now trying to take charge of barbados financial future
Yea those corporate mugubees that govt gave a big piece of barbados economic pie
Those corporate mugubees that have no intentions of increasing workers wages even though govt have given them huge tax breaks
Now after given a chance by govt to laugh all the way to the bank having the mitigated gall to be crying about falling revenue at Xmas time
Not surprise at revenue decline as the source of corporate revenue( employees) has been given the shove and Ho Ho by govt
Sometimes laughing all the way to the bank can be a long and hard road to travel