I do share your concerns about the quality of general management and strategic planning in both the Public and Private sectors. It calls for more thinking and insightful use of information. Too many employees find this hard to do. Independence implies taking responsibility. No one wants to do that, because of fear of failure. Why is that so?
It continues to be a puzzlement for the blogmaster why the former government constructed a headquarters for a reported 50 million dollars give a take a few million. A commonsense perspective would have been to appreciate that with 100 year old mains a part of the distribution network, better use of scarce resources would have been to aggressively implement the pipe replacement project. Instead the country had to endure the embarrassment of Barbados Water Authority (BWA) and Barbados Workers Union (BWU) locked in negotiations about this that and the other for months.
Those of us who have been around town long enough are aware that capital works projects create the opportunity for friends to share in the fatted calf. Many blogs have been posted about the mismanagement and lack of strategic thinking at the BWA AND other state owned entities. However, when all is said and done fingers point back to the governments of the day.
The issuance of a prohibition notice by the BWA caught our eye this week. It is no secret Barbados is categorized as a water scarce country. It is also no secret Barbados has been experiencing drought conditions in recent months. It was therefore a shocker to listen to members of the general public and others in civil society questioning why the BWA had not issue a prohibition order earlier to encourage efficient water usage. It appears to the uninformed that public cries to prohibit the use of water for non critical activities galvanized the BWA into action.
If water is a precious water resource should decision-making by key stakeholders not reflect it?
The public is being told one of the measures being pursued to ensure adequate supply of water is to boost production at Ionics desalination plant. The blogmaster recalls the Auditor General in a special audit of the BWA noted that in the Ionics agreement with the government of Barbados had committed to pay Ionics a guaranteed amount whether the BWA had the capacity to receive the amount or not? It was also noted that BWA did not have the capacity to receive water paid for at the time.
Here are relevant blogs to serve as a refresher:
Another bit of information which caught the ear of the blogmaster from the mouth of the prime minister last week is that she wants the BWA to penetrate the lucrative bottle water market in order to sustain its revenue base. We will park this for now.
Every year do we have to listen to rehashed excuses from the authorities? The rain is not falling to replenish the reservoirs, Old pipes are springing links and posing a challenge to be repaired, pipes in certain areas need flushing because of old pipes etc etc etc. We need to construct desalination plants.
Water warriors please fall in for another tour of duty!
… but, machines can be beaten … look at Crooked Hilary!!
@ Kammie Holder June 6, 2019 9:13 PM
Since you are making a valuable contribution to the topic of potable water -a vital resource which would soon be worth more than oil and over which future wars could be fought- can you shed any light on the ‘official’ position taken on the disposal of plastic bottles used in the retailing of imported bottled water?
Will these plastic ‘water’ containers be treated just the plastic bags or similar to the plastic bottles used to retail “sweet drinks”?
John June 7, 2019 4:21 AM
OK, so their tactics might not be totally acceptable to you,
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No. Their tactics are not in keeping with the rules. A player is not entitled to appeal twice. One may shout an appeal just once. If the finger does not go up one may request a review in the approved manner. That approved manner does not include turning to the umpire and screaming another appeal. It comes in the form of a hand signal. This is important because if one errs in one’s referral one loses it. That can be crucial to the game.
Quite true the West Indies threw the game away and did not deserve a win. BUT NEITHER DO CHEATS DESERVE A WIN! In a toss up I’d say those who played by the rules were less undeserving than the cheats.
Let’s take that into another arena! If I had studied harder but still found it necessary to cheat on an exam. If the others students had not studied hard enough but did not cheat. If the exam was graded on a curve and my cheating placed me higher on the curve, would it be acceptable for me to pass ahead of other students because I had studied harder, cheating notwithstanding?
SMH as usual.
Which of the following appeals are against the rules?
Here is a link to the Economic and Social Report for Barbados … back to 2007.
It seems to have dropped Appendix 26 and any mention of Water Consumption after the first few years!!
http://www.economicaffairs.gov.bb/archive-detail.php?id=198
If I were an investor in a project that required a large amount of water. I would take note of Appendix 26 in the 2007 report and realise that the BWA has not pumped anything more than the 1995 levels in the 10 years preceding 2005!!
Any housing development taking place after 1995 has been undertaken with no access to water!!
All that happens is the folks in the higher elevations get theirs shut off so the folks in lower elevations can get 24/7.
The folks in the higher elevations need tanks and pumps … sure … but if water has capped development maybe we could have sent the whole TCPO home and saved a packet!!
We could have saved Westmoreland, Apes Hill and a host of other “developments”.
John,
I have been watching cricket for too long not to know what I am talking about. Those extra appeals are against the rules. They should be disciplined and so should the umpires for being intimidated into raising the finger.
For the Aussies, cheating is a way of life. They do fight hard, but they also cheat. But they have serious problems when somebody responds in kind. Remember the Stuart Broad fiasco when they vilified Stuart Broad for not walking when the Aussie rule is NEVER TO WALK? The umpire they say is there to do a job and they let him do it. Unless it goes against them.
And what about sledging? Isn’t it a fact that they seem to believe that they should be the ones to determine when sledging has crossed the line? Remember McGrath and Sarwan?
These are not my opinions. They are the opinions of the world. Read the comments on ESPN sometimes or on BBC Sports. NOBODY LIKES THE AUSSIES because of their incessant cheating and their arrogance and bullying and their inability to take what they give. They are only hard when not challenged in kind.
As Buju Banton would say – I could go on and on. The full has never been told.
i know that you alone know everything and that you are always right…….but were you at the test match at Kensington in 1990 when Richards appealed repeatedly until Barker gave out the Englishman off Ambrose?.
Me bo, it is the Barbados scholars that know everything and that are always right. You are the ones who call people brimlers, morons, illiterates etc. etc .etc. ad nauseam. You think you alone can say what you like. Look piss off, do!
I am not saying that individual West Indians have not in heated moments misbehaved from time to time. Or even in a calculated manner as was the case with Sonny Ramdhin who admitted to wearing long sleeves to hide an occasional throwing action? What I am saying is that cheating has always been the PHILOSOPHY of the whole Australian cricket team. And only recently, after the Steve Smith, David Warner, Cameron Bancroft incident it was admitted that it was really the philosophy of the board that they should win at all costs. It is only recently that they have been called to account by the authorities. They were accustomed to getting away with it.
Does a learned Barbados scholar not know the difference????????????????
Some people always have an excuse ready for the racists.
No matter how flimsy the excuse.
I SIMPLY CONFESSED & ACKNOWLEDGED THAT i know that you alone know everything and that you are always right…….THEN I SIMPLY ASKED were you at the test match at Kensington in 1990 when Richards appealed repeatedly until Barker gave out the Englishman off Ambrose?
THIS IS CELEBRATED ANNUALLY ON CRICINFO
http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/723865.html
Complaining over the umpiring when no one else in the tournament is doing so weakens West Indies and strengthens everyone else.
THAT IS A NONSEQUITUR JOHN
I HAVE WATCHED ALL THE GAMES AND THERE WERE NO UMPIRING ISSUES OR ERRORS IN ANY OF THE OTHER GAMES AS OCCURED IN THE WINDIES VS AUSTRALIA GAME WHEN WE BATTED
WE SHOULD STILL HAVE WON.
RUSSELL GOT OUT LIKE A DEMENTED JACKASS — LOTS OF BRAWN AND NO BRAIN
Starc was just too good on the day.
Lethal.
Reckoned he would be a handful!!
Even if the umpires had not missed the no ball and a free hit had been given Gayle, Starc was all over him and would have got him.
Gayle cannot play the ball that swings in to him at pace and that is Starc’s trademark … he is good at it and fast.
Russel just needs locking up!!
Once Starc got into the lesser bats he ran riot.
Russell was playing for himself.
Starc is no Stokes and Braithwaite was out of his depth.
Another day maybe another outcome!!
I can’t watch cricket, prefer to look at the numbers and make predictions.
In the absence of radio commentary, I read the ball by ball commentary on the internet, watch the numbers, assess the outcome and get on with something else!!
I was hopeful when we were running riot in the top order but figured Smith would stop the rot.
Coulter -Nile and others just followed the lead, played for their team and made use of their chances!!
We let this one go!!
Forget the umpires, complaining just weakens us.
Come back with blood in the eye … SA is going to be playing for keeps!!
Got this summary off the net re Starc.
“But in the middle overs, despite the odd wicket, the West Indies kept themselves in the game, and even ahead of it by the time they needed 79 from 72 balls with Andre Russell looking in Dre Russ form. So Australia brought Starc back on. He bowled two overs; Russell was gone.
With five overs left Starc came back on again, this time with West Indies needing 38 from 30 with Carlos Brathwaite set and scoring at just over a run a ball. Starc bagged him as well. A few deliveries later Jason Holder was gone too. And then Sheldon Cottrell was his fifth. Starc taking wickets not only won the game, but it meant that Maxwell and Stoinis didn’t have to bowl their last two overs until the game was dead.”
Georgie Porgie June 7, 2019 1:54 PM
THAT IS A NONSEQUITUR JOHN
I HAVE WATCHED ALL THE GAMES AND THERE WERE NO UMPIRING ISSUES OR ERRORS IN ANY OF THE OTHER GAMES AS OCCURED IN THE WINDIES VS AUSTRALIA GAME WHEN WE BATTED
WE SHOULD STILL HAVE WON.
RUSSELL GOT OUT LIKE A DEMENTED JACKASS — LOTS OF BRAWN AND NO BRAIN
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
So we agree.
PS. Anyone who is fair would acknowledge that I know what I know and I know and admit what I don’t know. But if it bothers you that I read a lot and happen to know a lot I am so sorry. ……… NOT!
All those who comment on this site have an opinion because that is what the site is about. They would not express that opinion if they did not think it had merit. I reserve the right to have an opinion and to express it just as you do yours. I also reserve the right to believe that my opinion has merit and to defend that opinion as you do yours.
And if you have a problem with that you can piss the hell off!
I SIMPLY CONFESSED & ACKNOWLEDGED THAT i know that you alone know everything and that you are always right…….THEN I SIMPLY ASKED were you at the test match at Kensington in 1990 when Richards appealed repeatedly until Barker gave out the Englishman off Ambrose?
Anyone who is fair would acknowledge that I SAID THAT I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW EVERYTHING SO I DONT KNOW WHY YOU RANTING AND RAVING
I know THAT YOU KNOW EVERYTHING AND I SIMPLY CONFESSED & ACKNOWLEDGED THAT
Here is a $40 million USD investment Mia Mottley is touting … have no fear she says!!!
http://www.loopnewsbarbados.com/content/dont-fear-kooyman-barbados
I have no fear but for the life of me I can’t understand why a business would make that investment in a market that seems not only to be saturated by local businesses but also, possibly, capped by the inept decisions on water in the 90’s.
If you look at the Economcal and Social Report for Barbados in 2005 you will see the same Ms Mottley showing that the BWA’s output had flatlined since 1995!!
She presented the Report to the Legislature as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs and Development!!
She can’t claim ignorance!!
GP
I have found Donna likes the long hops, the bouncers shake her up!!
JOHN
I ONLY ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT AN EVENT THAT I WITNESSED
EVERY YEAR ON CRICINFO THAT EVENT IS MEMORALIZED, AS IS WHAT HAPPENED IN THE TEST MATCHES VS PAKISTAN IN 1988 AT THE OVAL AND THE OTHER WON IN ANTIGUA, SOME YEARS LATER.
JOHN
LISTEN OUT FOR THE CRITICISM OF TRUMP FINALLY GETTING THE MEXICANS TO PATROL THEIR OWN BORDERS AND PREVENT THE INVASION OF THE USA FROM THE SOUTH
The blogmaster has given a lot of latitude on these blogs for unrelated matters to be discussed. For crissakes used commonsense.
One bouncer per over!!
Mexicans never heard about Thommo the Terrible!!
Oh, I am not at all shaken up. I enjoy the battle. If you guys were half as smart as you think you are you would have discerned that by now. I find that you guys cannot take it when a person, especially a woman, does not prostrate herself before your supposedly superior intelligence. You are forever trying to intimidate but I never take evasive action. You team up on me and I face you alone. Nobody comes to back me up and still you cannot intimidate me.
By the way, I saw no bouncers only long hops . And they were dispatched out of the ground as usual.
And if you don’t like that you, GP and VC can all hold your “superior” manly parts and piss off!
And I say that not because I have no other words (I have already won the argument) but because it is fun!
PS. Please note that I did not argue with John on the real subject of this blog or with GP on the subject of obesity on another blog. This clearly indicates that I do not think I know everything. But I know what I know and what I do not know. And unlike you, I have no problem with somebody else having a brain.
David,
I will respect your polite warning and return to the subject. Unfortunately, I don’t have much to contribute because I am not an expert on water solutions.
THE DIAGNOSIS HERE IS CLEARLY DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR!
I SIMPLY ASKED were you at the test match at Kensington in 1990 when Richards appealed repeatedly until Barker gave out the Englishman off Ambrose?
Anyone who is fair would acknowledge that I SAID THAT I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW EVERYTHING SO I DONT KNOW WHY YOU RANTING AND RAVING
I know THAT YOU KNOW EVERYTHING AND I SIMPLY CONFESSED & ACKNOWLEDGED THAT
There has been terrific work done in the 60’s in the Scotland District with terracing.
This slows the flow of water in the higher elevations.
Perhaps we can improve the shape and form of the land and reduce the speed even more.
Existing terracing will need maintenance of which there has been none to date!!
There will always be major rainfall events for which there is no remedy so let it go.
Perhaps we could get even more water out of the Scotland District than the 6-9 mgd I estimated by just prorating from the limestone area.
One seventh of 106,000 acres is about 15,000 acres.
The low rainfall years produce ~ 40 inches, 3.33 feet.
That’s about 50,000 acre feet per year or .
Average daily output is 44 mgd.
Losses due to evapotranspiration estimated from Senn at 80%
Runoff and percolation in the Scotland District could be as high as 8.8 mgd in a drought year and 13.2 mgd in a good year.
Given the precarious position in which we find ourselves, this seems to be worth investigating.
In a drought year we could increase the underground water reserves by well over 20% and if we purify some on its way over the escarpment, we get potable water for distribution at those higher elevations at which we have perennial problems.
There will be an energy cost in moving that volume to the escarpment and that would have to be factored.
How many kilowatts required to raise a gallon through 800+ feet?
A lot of the figuring can be done on the back of an envelope.