ECONOMIST SIR FRANK ALLEYNE says one of the reasons why Barbados was in the current economic mess was the country’s failure to pay workers based on productivity. Sir Frank, one of the Freundel Stuart administration’s trusted advisers, said yesterday that had the various governments followed through on the productivity focus after the 1991 economic crisis, many of the problems the country faced might have been alleviated. […] Sir Frank said the centrepiece of the structural adjustment programme was productivity enhancement.
Prior to May 24, 2018 the constant national refrain was that the economic and social state of the country had deteriorated to an unacceptable level. This position was punished by the electorate in unprecedented manner with the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) being inflicted with a 30-0 defeat. The simple tranlation of the result, the people are not happy.
It should be of concern to sensible Barbadians everywhere the vitriolic and uninformed political debate which has emerged in recent years. It is a predictable debate and often sees a predictable response by incumbent governments. The politically aware have stated the primary job of a political party is to find a way to stoke popularity.
In a well meaning democracy the needs of the people should be the prime objective. There are listed as being able to promote unity and tranquillity in the domestic space, ensure justice for all, defense and safeguard the welfare and liberty of all the people – What is the purpose of government?. The opposite view is that no government is perfect in the vision or execution. How we govern is a man made construct and susceptible to the fallibility of man.
A couple weeks ago the blogmaster was motivated to write about the predictability to what has translated to a worrying crime situation. The same can be transposed to how we have and continue to govern ourselves. This blogmaster has been at the dashboard from 2007 and have been positioned to view the workings of political operatives having reason to interact with prime ministers, senators, ministers in government, surrogates, political talking heads et al. They operate with the same intent. They are driven by greed and an a destructive value system.
Barbados is a tiny island and if well managed with realistic objectives should satisfy the purpose of government. Instead we have allowed behaviours to be greatly influenced by popular culture. This has created the recurring dysfunction of government we have become mired. This week we learned about the many many PSV permits the outgoing government issued before demitting office -on the most profitable routes. A portfolio led by Michael Lashley. Prior, this blogmaster is aware of many PSV permits issued by Gline Clarke. We are aware there was financial benefit accrued to decision makers. This is one example of how greed and corruption as eventually led to an insolvent Transport Board taxpayers are left holdoing the bag.
Look in the mirror people!
Sensible Barbadians should have the capacity to view how systems of government are in decline across the globe. If we fail to show the courage to disrupt the current trajectory there is a predictable inevitability to how it will end for us.
In an situation where austerity measures have to be taken, one expects constituents being impacted to voice concern. One also expects the government charged with managaing the process to admoister it as humanely as practicable. As important is for civil society to be resonsible in voicing feedback.
It seems to this blogmaster we are in danger of being subsumed by a destructive rhetoric motivated by egocentric thinking.
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351 responses to “The Rhetoric of Austerity”
SirFuzzy (Former Sheep)
Riddle me this.
In a country that has for over four decades has had many fellow nationals that took advantage of the free university education. Barbados has or have more university graduates that it had in the 1960s or 1970s or 1980s. U get my drift we are producing more and more and as time proceeds. We should be getting more intelligent and better able to handle our own affairs as the knowledge pools grows?
But with soo many qualified persons in the form of university 1st 2nd and 3rd degrees why has Barbados failed or is in such a state that we are in. I honestly dont think education is the reason for our current predicament; and education alone may not be the answer to moves us upwards and away from the berth we now find ourselves..
Something is missing or was taken or something added to the secret sauce that carried Barbados to where were are now but apparently by-passing or detouring from where we need to be. Did we over steer or under the steer the ship?
This week we listened to our minister respond to some unexplained obligation to attend the opening of a Burger King. Is the blogmaster missing something? Are we serious about launching an agriculture program to support a national focus on that sector with the knockon benefit of healthy living?
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Donna
Ah… the wonders of free market capitalism! All over the world great wealth is being created. The ultra rich pocket it all whilst the people who labour to create the wealth wait for the pennies to fall through the holes in their pockets. The ultra rich lobby/bribe the politicians to govern on their behalf.
So….. it is not that wealth isn’t being created. It is not that the people do not work hard. It is the distribution of the wealth that is the main problem.
Now, in Barbados we do all need to work harder. But we shall labour in vain if corruption at the top is not addressed. Government workers can become as efficient as robots, whatever is saved by efficiency shall end up in the same corrupt pockets. It shall NEVER be enough because for the greedy NO AMOUNT OF MONEY IS ENOUGH.
This is not an ideological problem. This is a people problem. Starting at the top.
@ David, who asked ” Are we serious about launching an agriculture program to support a national focus on that sector with the knockon benefit of healthy living ? ”
As long as the merchant class can find USA dollars to import Chichita bananas and corn flakes there will be no real effort to increase food production.
However you will see an increase in backyard farming as the economy flat lines.
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Pachamama
David
What,s wrong with you today. Taking no prisoners and sharing some heavy blows, left, right and centre
Evidence? Where is the critique of BERT? Where did the flawed economic policies of the Stuart-led DLP get us?
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Vincent Codrington
@ Sirfuzzy at 4:37 PM
The truth is that we are in uncharted waters. So yes . There was a bit of under-steering and over-steering. You must be aware that we are a small fish in a big pond and we do get caught in undertows that are not of our own making. You may recall that the problem started in the USA with a virtual meltdown of their financial system. It spread to Europe and the ripple effects eventually reached us. The USA currency is a world reserve currency. The USA can and did create money to salvage its economy. Such luxury is not part of our recovery arsenal.
We are bullied into balancing our budgets and The current accounts of our Balance of Payments. The USA, UK, France seldom balance theirs. They borrow or are lent funds by Surplus countries.
It is a bit long ; but I hope that it answers some of your questions.
How does what you suggest explain a chaotic transport sector?
How does it explain a Court system suffering from judicial constipation?
To name only two examples.
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Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right
@ Pachamama the Sojourner.
Have you seen it too?
I am going to hazard these 2 explanations.
The BU blog has been featuring too many anti-Mugabe threads, or threads which have consistently shown that Mugabe IS NOT THE CHAMPION OF THE POOR BLACK MAN & THE MIDDLE CLASS THAT IS BECOMING POORER EVERY SINGLE TIME SHE OPENS HER MOUTH.
The strategy that was being promoted by the Mugabe regime was one of submitting a deluge of Nuffanarian topics.
But the Honourable Blogmaster for whatever reason answered and said no.
People started speaking threateningly to him and, reputedly, he decided that he was not going to muzzle himself on account of anyone
He pun duty today and he going stand up for what is right as it relates to this SPECIFIC TOPIC at least.
Frank Alleyne represents what is wrong with this country UNDER EITHER ADMINISTRATION
He is the cadre of negrocrats who is hired and paid big money, yet toes the line for inferior superiors like Big Sincks Chris Decimals Bond, and in that process our country dies.
So this is an apolitical topic which ent going offend many people, other than Frank, and Mariposa.
But he can speak relative freely.
As Barbados rolls fully under the regime of denial of freedom of speech, you are going to notice how the timbre of free speech is going to be dumbed down.
Watch and see if what de ole man says is true.
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Hal Austin
@ Vincent,
What do you mean by uncharted waters; we have been experiencing these problems since 2008/9. We are indeed a small fish in a big pond, but if we try to punch above our weight we cannot complain when we get squeezed. We are caught in an economic trap which neither our politicians nor academics can get us out of.
This government came to power and within a week had recklessly defaulted on its local and dollar-denominated debt without any proper explanation. Why? Nobody bullies us in to anything; if you want to borrow, then the lender attaches conditions. If you do not like the conditions, then don’t borrow.
France does not have any balance of payments problems because it is a member of the Euro and the UK is having its own political problems. The global economy s slowing down and BERT promises growth within four years. Where from? What is the theory underpinning BERT?
In case you have forgotten, the role of public intellectuals is to educate the public, discuss policy in public; failure to do that is to fail in their mission.
All over the world and across different languages people are taking part in debates. Where are the Caribbean participants? Tomorrow Sunday I am going to buy four newspapers, all of which will be discussing Brexit and the economy. The letters pages will be full of letters from academics and policy analysts; there will be serious programmes on radio and TV, not just rum shop phone-ins.
Promoting time servers is not the same as promoting on merit. By so doing the society is the poorer for it. We are reduced to people Googling and then cutting and pasting. Taxpayers deserve better. Stop making excuses.
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Vincent Codrington
@ David Bu at 5:20 PM
You ,like the other 280K of us, facilitated the decline in these sectors by not calling out “unacceptable” and insisting that the wrongs be righted.
Many did not pay their fair share of taxes or user fees. Every one wanted goods and services but wanted some one else to pay for them. Party in office afraid to lose elections ,did not levy nor collect taxes. I am sure you get the drift. Stop the pretense. Do.
Your questions David BU are rhetorical. We thrashed these issues several times on BU.
Check the BU archives from 2007. The same concerns being recycled. The apologist hat does not fit you.
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Vincent Codrington
@ Hal at 5 :33 PM
And none of your European countries have solved their problems. Is that not so? Why do you expect us to solve all of ours overnight. The world is a Global Village we see your economic and social problems as fast as they are created. In my early life the pot used to call the kettle black. You Hal are still doing it.
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Hal Austin
@ Vincent,
My European countries? Am I a European? I do not expect our problems to be solved by magic; what I do expect is a clear pathway, a vision. Is that too much to ask?
Pot calling kettle black is nonsense. What is your argument? What are the polices to rescue our economy, and in so doing our society? Cut out the waffle about global village and argue seriously. What is the economic theory underpinning BERT?
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Vincent Codrington
@ David BU
I as one who by training and experience follow economic developments know that some problems cannot and will not be solved overnight. I unlike some pretenders know that
technocrats are prevented from from taking early corrective action by persons not authorized to do so.
@ Hal
Talk is cheap. It is the implementation that separates the mout’ giants from the competent.
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WARU, Crazy & Unstable, Hogging the Blog
“So….. it is not that wealth isn’t being created. It is not that the people do not work hard. It is the distribution of the wealth that is the main problem.”
That is why there is no valid reason for the island to be in its current state of degradation…
That is why i take no prisoners…
that is why the Mia government needs to be exposed and stay exposed…in “watch muh nuh ” style…she said it herself…
They have all …. both governments… committed horrible crimes against 3 generations of their own people..
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Vincent Codrington
@ Hal Austin at 5 :55PM
Please direct your questions to the appropriate Public officers. Did you hear that I have been appointed a minister of Government? Am I a consultant? What use is the information to you? You are in no position to affect anything. So chill. Enjoy the journey like everybody else.
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Hal Austin
@ Vincent,
You are playing games again. Let us talk economic policy. Is BERT h answer to our problems? If so, explain? Cut out the nonsense about talk is cheap; let us make it more expensive.
So there is no misunderstanding, I suggest that BERT will fail because the theory underlining is confused? Do you agree or not? I suggest defaulting on domestic debt, especially retail debt, was not only irresponsible, but bad monetary policy. Do you agree? If so why? If not why not? I say the government has no overall vision. Do you agree? If not, why not?
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Hal Austin
@ Vincent,
We are discussing ideas, or do you want to opt out of that?
Part of fanning the non traditional opportunities read to veer from our lazy dependence on the traditional sectors of the economy was meant to nurture the Creative Industries. BU was there when the Creatives call for the restoration of the Empire Theatre to be their home. The last government instead approved the site as a small brewery for Mark Maloney. The Barbados Cultural Industries Unit has been a casualty of BERT and its responsibilities- opaque though they are- absorbed by the NCF.
Along with a relevant youth program this is another industry that fits the eye of the youth. How can a country prosper if the youth see no opportunity to actualise. To make/be that difference?
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Lorenzo
Hal Austin ,England where you reside cannot solve the brexit issue ,do they have a growth plan?or are they a failed state?.you overseas bajans on here bellyaching everyday and are know alls about everything under the sun.Who elected you, Piece ,Gazzerts,Waru or the disrespectful SSS who has been berating the blog master and had it been me would have ban her and Piece long time,let them form their own blog.David BU you have the patience of job.
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Donna
I thought we were agreed that there is no growth strategy in this phase of the Bert programme. Silly me!
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SirFuzzy (Former Sheep)
If i were to call a spade a spade. Am i a hater or a truth teller. If i rebel against the government of the day, am i a freedom fighter or a terrorist? One man terrorist is another man freedom fighter. I just depends on what side of the action(s) you choose to take up your vantage point.
Just musing
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Vincent Codrington
@ Hal Austin at 6 :22 PM
My views on BERT was posted on this Blog already. I do not repeat myself. Why rehash the same points over and over again. The GoB has made some adjustments. Why are you attempting to make me spokesman for something in which I had no input. I do not argue for argue sake. That is not my remit . Sorry to p*** on your parade.
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WARU, Crazy & Unstable, Hogging the Blog
“Who elected you.”
Good thing about that, we can’t be voted out in spectacular fashion either…..thrown out of parliament on our rear ends…come next election…guh down, guh down, guh down in history…
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Mariposa
Hal.you cutting some real backsides in the rum shop
Give them hell Hal.there only retort would be to cuss
These morons coming to fight you toe toe are nothing more than empty numbskulls meking nuff noise
This govt came in to power meking nuff noise also can now be branded empty numbskull meking no noise
No growth plan = more taxes and retrenched workers
God help our social enviroment.
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Sargeant
Whatever happened tot he biennial Diaspora conference government used to have?
+++++++++++++
That was the brainchild of the former Gov’t this Gov’t wants nothing to do with anything that has the fingerprints of the DLP, instead it is promoting some silly “we gathering”’ exercise.
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Mariposa
We Gathering is this govt idea of a growth plan.
Beg the diaspora to come spend money and open accounts afterwards Mottley can change law make unilateral decisions to spread her humongous paws at will
What govt fails to realise is that the people in the dispora read and listen to world news across all sectors
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Mariposa
Here is what the high rate of water in partvdue to tax hike is about to do the pig farmers
But the best part is Indra Weir response
Little bit more of the farmers complaing. Weir might have told them where to go with there complaints
This week, president of the Barbados Agriculture Society (BAS) Woodville Alleyne-Jones complained that pig farming was on the verge of collapsing under the hefty weight of water and tax bills.
So what now contractors lament that they might lose on on barbados biggest project in twenty years
Meanwhile their workers dit idle or on the breadline looking for work
This govt had shown time and time again in 11 months of goverence an inability to understand the reality of barbados harsh economic conditions and what is vital to the the barbadian household
Another reason why Hyatt project is stalled and the Bay street corridor is still in a state of degradation
So what now contractors lament that they might lose on on barbados biggest project in twenty years
Meanwhile their workers sit idle or on the breadline looking for work
This govt has shown time and time again in 11 months of goverence an inability to understand the reality of barbados harsh economic conditions and what is vital to the the barbadian household
Another reason why Hyatt project is stalled and the Bay street corridor is still in a state of degradation
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Hal Austin
@ Vincent,
I am sorry I missed your views on BERT. That you do not want to repeat them is your prerogative. But this is a discussion blog, a free market of ideas, not parliament, and I expect you to advance your ideas and defend them when challenged, not to be a spokesman for the government.
I must point out that I am familiar with Bajan discursive culture, the refusal to debate, the casual “you may have the last word” nonsense, the making bold statements and then running away from discussion. I know it well. It is a cultural problem.
I have also spent a working life with people prepared to defend their ideas and not hide behind qualifications (just look at the members of the UK parliament and see how many publish their academic qualifications).
You are not urinating on my parade; you, and many others, can run but you cannot hide. Whether you say it or not, you are part of a culture of mediocrity, of learning by rote, of defending the indefensible.
BERT has no economic foundations; you and the architects of the programme can put a case, if there is one, and I will challenge it. I am quite willing to participate in any discussion – in print or on radio – with any of the architects of BERT.
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robert lucas
@SirFuzzy (Former Sheep)
You have a point there. From my perspective I think there is a lack of belief in self. If you have no self confidence that you can achieve an objective, then failure is to be expected. When I was in charge of the Experimental Food Laboratory I put a proposal to the late Dr. Lionel Smith. I proposed that since the main input into rations for non-ruminant livestock was protein ,that we devise a way to get protein from the by products of agricultural waste. Proteins are a major input and are expensive. The idea was to use continuous fermentation techniques to grow single -cell protein(yeast),which have on a dry weight basis over forty percent protein. We search around for funding and got some from the Organization of American States to purchase a New Brunswick bio-digester. All the quotations were obtained and then the whole idea was side-lined and forgotten. No explanation was given.. Similarly with the Instant yam product. Professor Wilson wrote me from Trinidad indicating a willingness on the part of the Trinidadian government to fund a plant in Barbados and to purchase all of the instant yam Barbados could produce for use in their school meals program. I forwarded the letter to Dr. Smith who was very keen to facilitate the project. He took the information to the relevant authorities. That was the end of the whole thing. No explanation was given. The lack of belief in self when combined with the fact that there are too many lawyers running the affairs locally, result in a static-state situation
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poorpeacefulandpolite
The country’s weakness is not worker productivity – it’s WORKER-MANAGEMENT UNDER SUCCESSIVE LABOUR GOVERNMENTS. It’s time to dump this slavish obsession with political and economic labourism and become more pragmatic. The world no longer shelters the “small man” or his society . . . and we have had enough time and examples in the region to choose free market economies over a set of policies that will lead us inevitably to the disastrous socialism we are seeing in Venezuela. There is now a Third Way: It’s called Centrism/
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Donna
Centrism . The name sounds good. Now explain what it is.
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Walter Blackman
Lorenzo
April 13, 2019 7:01 PM
“you overseas bajans on here bellyaching everyday and are know alls about everything under the sun.Who elected you, ”
Lorenzo,
I have tried to take a dispassionate look at some of the forces and factors which have led to the destruction of the Barbadian economy.
Each time I engage in this unproductive intellectual exercise, I find myself focusing on the meteoric rise of corruption and the attendant steep, precipitous decline of service and positive management practices within the Barbadian civil service. I cannot help but notice the clear, recognizable signs of insatiable greed oozing out of the pores of individual politicians who stupidly feel that the Barbadian treasury houses an infinite level of bullion which has been stored only to provide a passport to riches for them, their family, and their parasitic friends.
I think about so-called private sector entrepreneurs whose business models are constructed solely on paying bribes for government contracts up front, and then grabbing taxpayers’ money after providing shoddy or no deliverables.
I think about the attitude of the professional class- the doctors, dentists, lawyers, accountants, engineers etc – and their perennial practice of tax evasion.
I think about resident Barbadians who are anxiously sitting and waiting for an invitation to sip and slurp at the trough of easy-flowing taxpayers’ money.
Against a background of rampant social, political, and economic decay, I give thanks to the Lord for motivating “overseas” Barbadians to always send money and barrels to assist their brothers and sisters residing on the island. They do this without bellyaching, and without being elected.
This leads me to finally think about the biggest problem that we face. The whole world has become clannish, and everybody is uniting and rallying around banners of nationalism, racism etc. Not so with Barbadians. We are going in a different direction which embraces disunity, self-loathing, and ignorance.
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Vincent Codrington
@ Walter Blackman at 11:33 AM
Excellent diagnosis. Rather, I concur with your observations.
There are a lot of Barbadians who share your frustration. Some decide to fight on. Many have given up.
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Mariposa
But in my mind i cannot understand how Mia would fight one entity on concessions
While on the other hand open the treasury to pay miilion dollar consultants to do nothing in manner of ways to help barbadian households
Can some one please explain
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Artax
Mr. Blackman
An excellent contribution……. as usual.
Mariposa
Judging from a noticeable change in the construct of your contributions and the manner in which you articulate your points, it seems a though members of Verla’s camp have joined the consortium and are giving you some guidance, which is a good thing.
Unfortunately, however, word on the streets is that, for the past few months, several DEMS have been engaging in some level of secretive planning to oust Verla soon.
Can you or someone please explain?
Just asking (for friend).
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Walter Blackman
Vincent Codrington
April 13, 2019 5:15 PM
“The truth is that we are in uncharted waters.”
Vincent,
In an effort not to be long-winded, bloggers must try to get over their ideas as succinctly as possible. Unfortunately, rather than understand and accept a role of expanding and ventilating important ideas that did not get enough discussion, too many bloggers naturally focus on pulling the writer down.
The weight of your statement which I quoted above runs the risk of being easily missed.
We, as taxpayers, pay billions of dollars every year for policy “makers” and policy “enforcers” to put their brains together and devise a workable development plan for Barbados. These development plans are supposed to be written blueprints just waiting for execution. They are supposed to point the country in the direction of growth.
It seems like only yesterday that PM Owen Arthur was telling Barbadians that Barbados was doing so well, that the development plan was being followed so closely, that we could rest assured our beloved nation will be achieving first world status by 2020.
This is 2019, and just when we are supposed to rejoice at the fact that we have a 1st world heath care delivery system in place, just when we are supposed to feel proud that enough linkages had been created to integrate our economy and provide opportunities for our young people, just when we are supposed to be proudly rejoicing over the fact that we have an efficient and effective justice delivery system befitting a 1st world country, a blogger going by the name of Vincent Codrington comes on BU and truthfully tells Barbadians that where we are today was never a planned destination. We have ended up in a place that is not on our map.The planning exercises, the development plans and the associated billions of dollar spent were all part of a sick, criminal public relations gimmick.
The politicians have brought us to a point where we can’t help but think of an airplane pilot taking us out on the tarmac and leaving us there. The plane has not moved, but yet we hear an announcement saying “We are making our final descent. Flight attendants prepare for landing”.
As a people, we can only sit and wonder what will happen when our stupidity, our tolerance, and our patience begin to crumble.
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Mariposa
Word is like unfiltered water it can travel where it want to and can be stagnated by many different sources
Artax since you are the bearer of the “Verla messsge” and you know of the source from which it came
My best advice would be for you to ask of them(source) the truth.
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Mariposa
It seems that Toni Moore after 11mths of slumber has finally awaken to bad news
Yes first she yawned then bit her tongue and said 3.50 is too much
Well there it( is) for Great Union participation on behalf of the workers
Toni Moore Can i have my membership dues back ASAP i need it for bus fare
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Tron
@ Hal Austin April 13, 2019 3:07 PM
I completely agree with you that the local press has never heard the word investigative journalism. How else can we explain that we have to look into the foreign press to learn about the ex-Barbadian and Florida tourist D. Inniss?
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Tron
@ Donna April 13, 2019 3:19 PM
Donna,
the minor social benefits are the bribe for the naïve masses to keep their mouths shut and look away. Marx once said that religion is the opium of the masses. Today I would argue that social benefits are the new opium for the masses. People in many countries are too stupid to notice that they finance these benefits with their taxes themselves.
These so-called charities, however, are out of all proportion to the self-enrichment of the elites, which exceeds the social transfers several times over.
Example: Personally, I can only explain the international FCIB/CS credit in such a way that there must have been a kickback in the millions. Who is so stupid as to take out a loan for 10% interest if you can get it for 1% or 2% of the IMF? Mariposa must have stuffed her pockets full because she talks so enthusiastically about this loan.
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Tron
I went north on the highway to St Nicholas Abbey today. The new government has partially repaired the road. I guess it’s the first time since the end of colonial times.
What did the old government do with all the money? No roads repaired, new buildings became moldy immediately, the sewage plant failed, stench was in the air and people began to spit on Barrow’s face on the $50 bill. – I suppose the many billions are now where Donville is. Blue is the colour of shame and disgrace.
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Mariposa
Tron my pockets used to be stuffed and brimming over until govt found a way to stuff their hands in my pockets and emptied them
Now it seems as if the fifty cent i have in the bank they are after that too
Under this govt there is no rest for the weary
Tron please do me a favour and ask this govt for some economic release
The pressure is too hard to bear
GP says pressure bust pipes yuh hear
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Artax
To this particular Mariposa (who seems to be the cool, clam, collective and articulate member of the consortium).
Unlike you, I was NEVER a bearer of the “Verla message” nor did I mentioned anything about “KNOWING the source from which it came.”
I simply used the phrase “word on the streets,” similarly to how you often use it when you present to this forum, some “juicy information” about Mottley or members of her administration.
Or are you suggesting the phrase has a different meaning, depending on who is using it and for what purposes?
If not, then I hope you don’t mind if I refer you to your comment re: “My best advice would be for you to ask of them(source) the truth,” the next time you mention “word on the streets.”
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