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2019 Special Audit of the Transport Board

It hurts like hell to know the general public- read mainly people in the lower socio-economic bracket- is being asked to pay $3.50 bus fare. Then we have to read how successive governments have contributed to the current state of affairs. All sensible Barbadians must seriously question if the governance model has not outlived its…

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It hurts like hell to know the general public- read mainly people in the lower socio-economic bracket- is being asked to pay $3.50 bus fare. Then we have to read how successive governments have contributed to the current state of affairs.

All sensible Barbadians must seriously question if the governance model has not outlived its usefulness or is it a case of too much learning. Surely the time has long passed for Duterte measures to be adopted in Barbados. It cannot be business as usual Mia!

Read the Special Audit of the Transport Board to confirm the sorry tale.

140 responses to “2019 Special Audit of the Transport Board”

  1. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Vincent.

    Let me clarify what I am proposing. A PPS company with 2 shareholders. Government holds 49% and private investors 51%. This could be made up of one other private company or any combination of interest getting to gather to form said company. The board will have 7 directors with 3 from each shareholder and a chairman elected based on the acceptance of the 6 appointed directors. You will then place a contract in the company bylaws where the chairman will be reelected at the AGM by the body corporate.

    The directive will be for the company to be basically a non profit operation, with them passing on any savings to us the tax payers and users as oppose to posting a profit. Bus fares will then be set based on this company and the fair trading commission reaching an agreement on rate.

    If government decides ” fellows this thing been costing us $50 million a year so we will give you an annual subsidy of no more than 10 million” great we off to a start.

    So right away the state saves $50 million yearly, the transport board is run as a business and any profit made is passed on to the tax payers and users by a reduction in bus fares.

    You want a simpler and fairer approach than that to all involved?

    Lord I should really be charging for this! Lol

  2. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @ Robert Lucas

    wrt Elba-

    quote———-Elba told the magazine he doesn’t like to seriously entertain the idea due to racist backlash he’s experienced that stemmed from rumors he may be cast as the iconic spy.

    “You just get disheartened,” he told Vanity Fair. “When you get people from a generational point of view going, ‘It can’t be.’ And it really turns out to be the color of my skin. And then if I get it and it didn’t work, or it did work, would it be because of the color of my skin? That’s a difficult position to put myself into when I don’t need to.”

    Elba said he wouldn’t go out of his way to get the role, but admitted that he’s intrigued by the idea of a black James Bond and that if the role was seriously offered to him, he’d take it.——quote

    https://www.huffpost.com/entry/idris-elba-james-bond-racism_n_5d152daae4b07f6ca57aa2a9

    where did he claim racism for not getting the role when it has not been finalised yet

  3. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Pacha
    You are correct . We must now move toward an economic model that will benefit the New Caribbean Nation. The question is whether we can redirect our intellectual capacity toward our own model. We must swiftly abandon the idolatry we now practice and look inward. The work has started . Let us finish it.
    The same energy we have put into analyzing other systems needs to make a quantum leap into the building of a truly Caribbean Nation model.

  4. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    What’s nauseating is that many of the “saints” on and off BU are the same double invoicing employees and business owners facilitating the tiefin.🤐

  5. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    One of the factors the Special Audit Report attributed to TB’s inability to provide a consistent, scheduled service, was the unavailability of parts.

    In previous contributions to BU articles on the Transport Board, I mentioned a 2000 Mercedes Benz Marcopolo Torino bus, BM42……… which was refurbished and parked awaiting to be licensed and insured.

    The unavailability of parts caused a two-fold situation. (1) Parts were taken from BM42 to repair other buses to keep them on the road……… and (2) this bus has been completely stripped and its body placed on four barrels.

    Imagine, for example, 10 buses going into TB’s workshop awaiting repairs. In the meantime, parts are taken from them to keep other buses that go into the workshop for minor repairs on the road.

    This practice results in 10 buses being “cannibalized”………. and the process goes on and on. Obviously, if parts aren’t immediately available for minor repairs, there won’t be any for major repairs.

    Hence, these stripped buses will prove to be more expensive to repair and will eventually be parked in the “bus cemetery” at Mangrove.

    And TB’s fleet will be depleted by 10 buses as a result.

  6. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Vincent.

    I only used the figure of $60 million as I heard the last minister of finance say the board was costing the state $5 million a month so I rounded it up at $60 million a year.
    Whether it’s 60, 50 or 51.2356 million, it is nuff more than the $10 million I am proposing as the annual subsidy to the new PPS company.

    You feel we could get a fancy gold embossed letterhead and tender for the project? Then again that would get in the way of the album release for cropover😂

  7. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Never thought that i would envision a Barbados where corruption escapes no one
    This country seems to be made up of liars scalliwags and scumbags
    Btw have the authorities found the missing tourist

  8. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ John A at 12 :35 PM

    As my mother would say you will have to show me the “working”. I cannot work with any hypothetical figure of $10 Million. I do not believe in PP partnerships, especially those that do not have a profit target. Water and oil do not mix.

  9. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    “Never thought that i would envision a Barbados where corruption escapes no one….This country seems to be made up of liars scalliwags and scumbags..”

    Mariposa

    Spot on. You are correct.

    Over the years I have heard rumors of corrupt practices undertaken by politicians and other public officials.

    Unfortunately, rather than Barbados police, the USA justice system brought rumor to reality by arresting and charging your own “liar, scalliwag and scumbag”…… Donville Inniss…….. for corruption.

  10. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Vincent.

    Have faith we must find new approaches as the old ones have failed us miserably. Don’t take my figure of $10m as a carved in stone amount. The MOF at the time would have to decide what level of subsidy, if any she is comfortable with. Or she may go the other way and say take the assets at $1 and break for yourself from there. Either way there is a solution here trust me.

    As usual nice chatting but I got to go catch the ZR as work awaits. Catch you later..

  11. john2 Avatar
    john2

    JOHN A. 12:01pm

    Can I have about 50% of that profit to be shared between the workers?

  12. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Artax and you can add Charles Herbert to that list
    Reason being a suspect and and formally charged with transporting drugs to barbados his presence in the USA from now and onwards would be place under USA jurisprudence for scrutiny
    One can bet Herbert would never put foot on American soil

  13. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Greene June 28, 2019 11:54 AM

    On the face of it ,you would seem to have point. I am going to emend my comment by stating ” you can’t go into a man’s home and make demands unless you have superior technology (arms) and the home owner is given the ultimatum ,yield or suffer the consequences. That is what happened to the native Americans and the Amerindians. I get the distinct impression that your comment was made tongue in cheek.

  14. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ John 2

    Of course that is the idea of such a company it is to encourage efficiency in a manner where productivity is rewarded. So you would have incentive schemes for drivers with the best on time record and incentives for the say the best one time fix rate in the workshop. In others words when he fix it once it done fiix. No going back 3 times for the same noise! That is what free enterprise and business should all be about. Not reward the party faithfuls but who willing to work get treat like a dog.

    You know sometimes you pass and see fellows putting on certain roofes around the island. If you knew what some of those guys make a square foot you would faint! Incentives bring productivity.

  15. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Greene June 28, 2019 12:06 PM

    It was either yesterday or day before “Daily Mail : online.. I really didn’t pay much attention:since as far as I am concerned James Bond has passed its sell by date.

  16. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Greene

    “The Wire actor also expressed his disappointment over some Bond fans ruling him out as 007 due to the ‘colour of my skin.’ He had other things to say in the article in the “daily Mail” down-playing his disappointment. You can interpret the above statement any which way you please.

  17. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    The state-owned public transport company dates back to the time when the masses could not afford a car and there were no private buses.

    The state has repeatedly shown that it cannot manage transport at a reasonable cost. So let us liquidate this state enterprise and leave public transport to the free market.

    Moreover, we need a limit for individual transport: no SUV, no cars longer than 4.50 m and wider than 1.70 m, only 1 car per family. Tax exemption for imports of electric vehicles powered by solar energy only.

    This saves us a lot of foreign currency

  18. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David.

    I think what we as a people need to ask ourselves is do we want true change which may require a more radical approach, or do we want superficial change that would not rock the boat too much?

    The TB is a classic example. Governments have come and gone, boards come and gone and in the end what? The question is will any government be willing to step up to the plate and say enough is enough?

    I am not convinced we are at that point yet especially with Pacha’s duopoly in play.

  19. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    True change must be led.

    Will the true leaders please stand up!

  20. john2 Avatar
    john2

    @ John A.

    Part of my share of the profits would be directly to the employees as profit sharing( say 25%) and the other part (25%) would go to incentives (as you mentioned).
    I would also include attendance awards as this seem to be one of the main problems in Barbados = increase productivity and less drain on NIS.

    Then ISO XXXX can easily be implemented.

    ISO as per SB will get a lot of push back.

  21. BajanFeeParty Avatar
    BajanFeeParty

    More Proof of Crooks, Liars, and Scumbags, Will never change those 3 words but can surely add more names to the list of the kind of People crooking the Nation!,

  22. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    The more things change; the more they remain the same. Same old crooks,same old liars ,same old scumbags.

  23. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    Wow!! This calypso coming along fine.

  24. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Vincent

    You better be careful your tail don’t get pelt with bottles and you got to run off that stage for cover! Don’t worry I got a helmet you could borrow. 😁

  25. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ John A

    So you want to take away my poetic license too? Wuh! Loss!!

  26. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Bus brek down. Get de mechanic to find out why.

    If parts needed, buy them and install them.

    Tek de bus fuh a test drive to mek sure nutting else wrong wid it. If all okay put it back in service.

    buh doan mine me. I ent nuh mechanic nor nuh manager. I just does write shiite on BU.

  27. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Vincent.

    Wait you read the man in charge on the NIS investments in Barbados Today?

    He says the haircut on the $3.2billion dollars should not hurt them too badly in the long run. I want some of what he smoking real bad! You going lose roughly 6 percentage points on $ 3.2B interest wise and you going make it up, tell me how I beg you?

    Then he says they have another $4B in assets that good and will help them weather it. So roughly half your asset base get decimate in the debt restructuring and you going make it up by you other investments like the ” Grotto ” and other fine performing cost overrun assets? Then government owe you just over $400M too. Don’t worry dem will give you a piece of paper for that called a bond.

    He really think he talking to a bunch of 10 year old math students now learning to dam well add!

    I said a few weeks ago don’t be surprised if NIS contributions don’t hit 30 % of insured earnings in the medium term. I would now like to revise that to read “the short term.”

  28. John A Avatar
    John A

    You could imagine they had journalist there and they allowed such hairy fairy statements to go unchallenged.

  29. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ John A

    No. I did not hear the report. Why did the technocrat feel the need to talk to the press?

  30. John A Avatar
    John A

    Go to barbados today and take a read its on their page now. Check how he plans to make up the loss. I asked myself the same question but I think some been pressuring to hear how the haircut would affect the NIS finances So they felt compelled to make a statement. Dem could really of keep quiet and not embarrass themselves with what was said!

    Then again I blame the so call journalist for not picking up on this and holding his feet to the fire.

    Then again cropover here so them must be busy reviewing feted.

  31. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Vincent

    Sorry last word was fetes .

  32. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    Read the report and asked what about impairment value. Maybe Artax the Accountant can comment.

  33. Yatinkiteasy Avatar
    Yatinkiteasy

    So much has been said of the “poor management”, the “inefficiency”, the lack of Financial controls and lack of Financial reporting of Government run Departments and Corporations, that it is a joke. It boils down to tiefing and corruption, nothing more, nothing less. We are the same as all the African and Latin American Nations that have been robbed by their Governments.

  34. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David

    What we are looking at is on $3.2b in bonds say in total, receiving on average let’s be kind and say a 5% cut in interest return a year is $150M in shortfall there alone. Now remember this worthless paper is roughly just under half of the total portfolio of the NIS.

    We now turn to the other $4b in assets. My question is $4b based on what you paid or based on today s market value? So another book adjustment there in your tail.

    So when you hear statements like ” we will make it up” you know he mean wunna will make it up in higher monthly deductions and a deferred retirement age.

    Plus remember this $3.2b in worthless paper is only a booked value based on purchase price, not a cash redeemable value. So down the road when the NIS run into a cash flow problem it’s not like they can call in say $400m in bonds from central government and get cash value in 30 days from goverment. So any short fall from a cash flow WE the tax payers and contributors will have to make up.

    Don’t mind how they gloss it over trust me that day is quickly coming. What I have a problem with is the press not backing them into a corner and forcing them to put the numbers on the table.

  35. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ John A

    What numbers you want them to put on the table? The most relevant question should be how will they recoup the loss in the long term. Describing the process is important. Right now it is just baseless propaganda.
    .

  36. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ david

    You see the prediction Owen Arthur made a year or so ago where he said the NIS could take a hit of roughly $1b he ain t wrong.

    Think about it if a billion is 1000 million look at the below numbers.

    Overstated asset on books let’s say 10%. That is the difference between what the assets are booked at now which is 4b and what they are really worth. Don’t mind Grotto alone went over by more than 60%, the cost on the $4b = $ 400M

    Loss of interest on bonds at $150M a year let’s say for next 3 years. = $450M

    We ain t touch yet and how we going deal with the $400 million owed by Central Goverment, so let we shove that one side for now.

    Just in the 2 issues outlined above that is a loss on asset base of $850M, so you see all those that told Arthur he was an alarmist and mad to say such a thing, now want a good hard slap around their head today!

    Plus remember $850m on an asset base of $7.2b is just over 13%. Let me ask you a question if you lose over 13% of your worth you would consider It ” no big thing”?

  37. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Vincent.

    I to be honest didn’t expect no different that’s the truth. I just can’t believe the press and opposition let them get away with what was said.

    I honestly got to ask what purpose the opposition really serving? They certainly not enlightening the public on the reality of the situation so what are they doing for the $250k they getting ?

    Who speaking for the people and trying to share with them our true reality ?

    Lord I sounding like Hal now with his famous ” Barbados is a failed state” comment.

  38. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Responding to a question during a forum hosted by the NIS at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Wednesday night, Jones explained that while the programme would result in losses initially, the backend of the arrangement will put things back on an even keel.
    “The reduction in the bonds will result in a reduction in the principal and interest. However, the interest rate in the latter half has increased by 100 per cent and it is anticipated that the amount of money to be received at the end of the 25-year period will compensate,” he said, as several members of the audience asked for more specifics.

  39. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ John 2

    If an interest rate was 7 percent and in a debt reschedule it get cut to say 1% and after a number of years you even triple it to 3%, how that helps you get back to the 7 % you was getting from uncle Chris when the printer was at full flight? Understand he didn’t talking bout double the original offer rate he was talking bout double the post debt reschedule rate.

    As the young people would say “don’t get tie up.”

    The man did not lie he just chose his words carefully So do not call him a liar!

  40. John A Avatar
    John A

    Also do not blame Mr Jones he was only the messenger tasked with walking through a minefield of financial madness.

  41. David Avatar
    David

    The issue of impairment must factor the present value of money. Vincent refers to it as propaganda and it is.

  42. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David.

    Yes both of you are correct. The thing is the ability to throw propaganda out there and have it accepted as fact is more the fault of those receiving it and accepting it, than the person sending it.

    David how do you see the performance of the opposition parties is trying to help dissect and break this data down for the public?

    I am being unreasonable and expecting too much from them, or do you see them as all failing us too?

  43. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    I like this story
    https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/06/28/still-no-pay-2/
    Here are some exerpts

    “We are also happy that the issue would have been dealt with by Cabinet and in Parliament. But our latest information is that the matter now lies in the Treasury. ”

    “While we are grateful that we getting some information, it is impossible for us to come up with an estimated timeframe for this matter to be resolved because of all of the red tape. We understand that still to come is a process of going to the Auditor General and then back to the treasury. Then if that wasn’t bad enough, I understand that it might have to go the route of the Governor General, similar to processing pensionable benefits.”

    Cabinet and in Parliament ==>Treasury====>Auditor General =====> Treasury ====> Governor General

    I like the part he says “we are grateful that we are getting information”. When they learn the difference between getting information and misinformation and a run-a-round and start to scream for their money, they will get paid.

    Mr Waldron it took about two days to pay a two-man crew BDS $54M

    Wayne Waldron, you need to do one of two things “shut up or up the voluime”.

  44. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/06/28/whither-a-caribbean-identity/
    Par of the story … Ste Vincent gets a seat on The UN security council..

    When the Vincentian representative gets up and began to “lambaste” Venezuela you will fully understand that story.

    It’s almost as funny as signing a deal with Morocco.

  45. TheOgazerts Avatar
    TheOgazerts

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/06/28/conference-boost/
    I am beginning to believe that the education system has failed me miserable. Truth is I read the story but I don’t understand it. Did I misunderstand the story “We Barbados did not have the financial or physical infrastructure to host it, but the fete goes on”.

    Looks like 2020 will be a busy year.. the gathering, Emiratis and Moroccans.

    Will someone help?

  46. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/06/27/more-information-at-forces-fingertips/
    https://stluciatimes.com/undp-and-rslpf-launch-new-police-reporting-application/
    Might not be related
    https://www.prmis.com/

    My investigative reporters are following this story to find out
    (1) Does it have anything to do with policing or is it a good sales marketing job by an American company, or
    (2) Are we seeing the US collect information throughout the Caribbean….

    Personally, at this time, I wouldn’t trust the US government/ambassador

  47. TheoGazerts Avatar
    TheoGazerts

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/06/27/outstanding-fine-lands-st-michael-man-in-jail/

    Silly man broke a table and end up in jail…… Now if he had $0.5M in cannabis he would be walking around free

  48. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    David how do you see the performance of the opposition parties is trying to help dissect and break this data down for the public?

    The fact Verla is following finance and the other parties are incoherent on such an important ministry at this time given BERT and state of the economy speaks volumes.

  49. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    The story has double speech
    Mia states that barbados was recommended
    My question is a reccomendation a confirmation
    Mia continues to babble as to plans
    Not understanding the story

  50. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @ TheOGazerts June 28, 2019 11:07 PM

    It is time for the UN to finally allocate our leader, the noble Prime Minister, the long-deserved seat on the Security Council.If Mia Mottley didn’t deserve it, then who did?

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