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Nation Newspaper Closes Comments Under Donville Inniss “Others Bribed” Article

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Dear Owner of Barbados Underground

I would appreciate it very much if you would allow a submission I wrote on the nationnews blog to be featured here. It has to do with the nationnews paper decision to close the comments section of their June 23rd article entitled, ”Others Bribed.”

Although the nationnews paper has a right to close comments to any of their submissions for whatever reasons, I found the closing of comments on this particular article to be in poor taste.

My reason for saying this is that there is corruption in public life and, as a newspaper whose fourth estate committent should be to expose and highlight the damning matters with truth and without fear, the nationsnews choose to represent the fourth estate with dithering and tactics. One can only conclude that the caution shown by this paper relates to some type of servitude for which masters are pulling strings and puppets at the receiving end are fearful that they will get pop up.

This is why I can no longer submit my comments there. If the Donville Inniss matter is not enough for the nationnews to challenge the new regime to dig deeper into the political pit that has enabled many in political life to prosper far beyond their dreams, what purpose is a fourth estate if it comfortable with halfway functioning.

All the evidence points to less than stellar practices in the political spectrum of things. Yet, the parties that dominate the political landscape of our illustrious little rock continue to hoodwink the nation with loud- No Corruption- cries.

Even in the face of confessions as recent as business persons opening up to paying scratch-me- back campaign donations for favours in returned; even when a prominent journalist in the form of Roy Morris stated that he refused to sell his soul for a $20,000.00 bribe; even in the recent dilemma surrounding the discoveries of Donville Inniss indictment on possible money laundering charges, and even in the recent disclosures surrounding the latest Auditor General Report, the nationnewspaper remains subjective to subdued, tentative instead of tenacious.

Donville Inniss is now the face, and the proof, that corruption is no stranger to politicians. He is now the first politician in the history of Barbados to be indicted for money laundering charges. If found guilty, he should be the reason for all news outlets to step up their game and demand that investigative journalism be supported by legislation that would allow all media houses the freedom to expose corruption on to stamping it out.

The fact that an article highlighted that others similar to Donville Inniss could have also been bribed is additional proof, if found to be true, for a development such as this to be investigated thoroughly.

One, therefore, have ask: What is the nationnews trying to protect or stop by closing the comments to this article, when others exist, besides Donville Inniss, who might have take the bribe?

All the nationnews paper have have done is open up the doors of speculation and assumption for them to be regarded as a news outlet who practice double standards and a news outlet who have provided reason for more assumptions to advance a notion that they appear to have a protective agenda in place concerning political interests, and other interests in which they reap significant benefits.

I hope you will feature my comment on your blog so the nationnews would understand that their representation as a fourth estate is seriously lacking, and the people of Barbados have a right to comment to this issue, since it was featured by them.

Below is my comment to the nationnews closing of the ” Others Bribed” article. Thank you

Yours sincerely

Lloyd P Gulston

Insurance Corporation of Barbados, which allegedly bribed former Cabinet minister Donville Inniss to secure contracts, possibly made illegal payments to other “Government officials”, say prosecutors in the United States.
Prosecutors are contending they have evidence to support the allegation but don’t plan to present it when Inniss faces a Brooklyn, New York judge and jury in October.
However, it’s not known who are the “other Government officials”.
The assertions are contained in a document filed earlier this month in a federal district court and made available to the Sunday Sun. (TB)

Nationnews, why are the comments for the above on Donville Inniss closed? Why present the article if you do not want commentary on the matter? This is a serious development that needs the people say! We have corruption in political life and the people of Barbados want it stop. Why publish it if you do not want persons to comment about it? You know by doing this you have set up yourselves as a newspaper for serious criticism.

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211 responses to “Nation Newspaper Closes Comments Under Donville Inniss “Others Bribed” Article”

  1. Lloyd P Gulston Avatar
    Lloyd P Gulston

    Dear Piece the Legend

    Very valid points. Do you see the formation of an existing protectionist mechanism that appears to be one where you are allowed to go that far and no further?

    This is my take on it.

    The nationnews closed the comments to ”Others Bribed.”

    Donville Inniss up on money laundering charges but very little is said about that.

    ICBL at the centre of a money laundering claim but still allow to operate without investigation, interrogation or consequence in Barbados.

    The Attorney General talk about confessions of paying out bribes but no arrest has followed those confessions probably because of statue of limitations enforcement.

    Members of the public calling for government to do more about corruption

    Government ”responds” by making it sound like the last 10 years was all about corruption but have no intention of investigating the events of the last 10 years.

    Do you see the Protectionist net in place?

    Do you see a developing pattern?

    Best regards

    Lloyd P Gulston

  2. Man From Auntie Avatar
    Man From Auntie

    If anyone thinks that chasing a $36,000 payment was the aim of the charges to date, they need to consider further.

    That they have evidence implicating more officials, means that they have spent the time to compile it. Why?

    They have now started and have bigger fish to fry. More, do you really think that they will stop with the officials and not move on to the bribers?

    Possibly the bribery charges are merely the method, to get those they need to get for other crimes for which they cannot get the evidence, remember they got Al Capone on tax evasion, not racketeering, which was his main crime.

    Buckle your seatbelts for a ride, the overseas authorities are patient, the next two years will be interesting.

  3. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ pieces.

    As I said with the Washington Post today their circulation is only about 360,000 daily hard copies with 1,500,000 online daily subscribers on the other side of the coin. But what is interesting is at their peak their hard paper daily circulation was only a bit over 800,000. So pushing the digital format has moved The Post from a domestic publication to a Global Publication.

    I also think what we will see springing up is alot more specialty sites where people will go for specific data, such as statistical
    .Com. So a general overview would then come from online newspapers, but anyone wanting specific data will then turn to specialty sites.

    Remember too the online system opens the door for smaller players to get into the business too, hence bringing competition. They only need to produce the product and then people like Amazon will take it from there and offer global distribution for them.

    The game has changed and those who don’t accept it will perish the way the 8 track player did.

  4. John A Avatar
    John A

    What should also be taken note of is when you provide information in a none bias factual form your clients stand by you. Once you can prove to the readers that you are willing to publish facts and data, even if it is unfavourable to a government, only then are you seen as a publication for the people. When you take silly government statements and shred them based on reality, no reader would then be able to brand you a political publication. That respect though must be earned.

    Getting back to the Post, one article decades ago gave them the respect and prominence they hold today. It was when they risked being charged by the U.S government and were warned not to break the news on The Nixon fiasco but they did anyway. That the public put them on a pedestal for. The respect they got from not caving to government pressure and continuing to hold to that standard today, has placed them as the second largest publication in the USA behind only the New York Times.

    Let me ask you all one question if a similar situation occurred here you think our local fellows would print or sucume to the government muzzle?

    It is really only a rhetorical question as we all know the answer already.

  5. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John A

    You appear to have the bull by the horn. The debate is not about how journalism is delivered, but the survivability of journalism. What is t and how can it be best delivered to consumers. The Egyptians did not have a printing press, nor the Greeks. Both print and digital are tools, vehicles.
    That is a different argument, which has been played out in developed economies for over a decade. We do not want to re-invent the wheel.

  6. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Hal

    Yes that is my point as I think what many newspapers fail to realise is you can’t straddle the fence and claim to have the public interest at heart, while also trying to favour the political masters.

    I have seen over the last few years so many important issues just slip through the cracks of our local press while they waste time pandering to the duopoly. I think they need to bring themselves back to focus on the core reason for newspapers. It is to enlighten and educate in a non bias manner with the interest of the public as paramount.

  7. David Avatar
    David

    @John a

    How are you defining journalism and a good journalist in the Barbados context? In the main we have people working for a salary unsupported by that journalistic/ethics excellence you want to see. Perhaps this is where the discussion must be centred.

  8. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Hal

    I would say to prosper in today s world a newspaper must do 2 things at the same time.

    It must as the old Bajan saying goes “Remember which God wunna serving.”

    Secondly it must stay abreast of technology and use it to its advantage.

    To do one well and the other poorly will doom it to a life of mediocrity.

  9. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @Lloyd P Gulston July 1, 2019 1:41 AM

    “Barbados as a whole is a strange place where the truth is concern.”

    The above statement is a profound one. It is something that I find very odd about this country. It is as though by denying facts (by ignoring them, that’s what it amounts to) it is hoped that the status quo would remain static. Take for example, the recent disclosure that there is a Barbadian jihadist in Syria. Apart from one obscure insert in the “Nation” there has been no dialogue on the matter. It is as though the jihadist doesn’t exist. There has been no discussions about the import of the revelation on the interactions of the different religious fractions in this country: Such a discussion is taboo. In Trinidad, such a revelation would be headline news and days of discussions would follow

    As for my being banned by the news media, the banning also extend to the political elite. You educate the population and the said population is then expected to toe the line by acquiescing to the dictates of the political elite.. I am a scientist, I deal in facts ( no matter how adverse) not sentiment. It is therefore not possible for me to toe the line when the political elites and their sycophants peddle a lot of crap and expect one to be docile and accepting. You can call me a contrarian: I believe in freedom of expression and the right of the individual to have views that may not coincide with the status quo : I am cognizance of the penalties to be endure (especially in a small society) as a result and am not particularly bothered by them.

  10. John A Avatar
    John A

    @David

    Yes no doubt many may be about the “I ain t killing myself for that”

    So maybe the pay structures need to be revised and based on circulation numbers. Or the public need monthly to be asked on line to list the top 5 articles they like this month, with the winners getting a little “extra berry”. That is a management decision and it can easily be addressed. Of course assuming they see it as a priority.

  11. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    When ya have an aversion to the truth…as a government, as taxpayer PAID leaders….and think ya untouchable and invincible and commit any crime ya want against anyone… because you have your own people bullied and intimidated…ya need to be introduced to the real freaking deal..

    https://www.facebook.com/jackie.stewart.965/videos/1062071637335708/?t=2

  12. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John A

    I say it again, the people get the newspapers they pay for. In 1955 Barbados had seven newspapers, including an evening paper. Even the BLP had its own newspaper, the Beacon.
    Now we have the Nation, Advocate and Barbados Today. Only the Nation may get under the bar as a local newspaper in the wider world, but in need of serious improvements. I do not read the Advocate and Barbados Today, what can I say?
    The Nation must spend money on training journalists, and they must move away from getting older Bajan journalists to do the training, in that way we are simply circulating the same old, same old. It is not only money, but the quality of training.
    Some time ago a number of Bajans rushed to City University in London to do the MA in something called International Journalism. I would ask how many Brits did they get on the course. But in Barbados if you have an MA you are a Master.
    I HAVE MENTIONED THIS IN TERMS OF LOCAL ECONOMISTS; I HOPE PEOPLE CAN NOW SEE THE LOGIC IN WHAT I AM SAYING.
    Content of training is important. At the Financial Times, you cannot join the staff and claim to have an MA or PhD and do not need any further training. Training is an ongoing thing, throughout your career.
    On my paper, for example, every Wednesday morning we had training sessions on new legislation, taxation, law, regulation, products, etc. so that reporters could keep abreast of changes.
    We also attended external courses, ie business school, were invited by fund managers and insurance companies to attend their own staff training courses, which meant we were getting the same training as the professionals and the FT ran commercial training courses which we were entitled to join. The downside on that was that staff were often head-hunted.
    In our annual appraisals training was one of the key benchmarks of assessment.

  13. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    I thought there was only one conviction in US against Sparman, we know people make mistakes and should not be condemned when they have paid their dues, but this dude has a long ass rap sheet in the US that was well covered up..

  14. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    Is is a case of more pay or the need to see a profession anchored in excellence.

  15. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    @ Mr Lloyd P Gulston

    Welcome to the Club of those who sleep with eyes wide open.

    De ole man and me Grandson have been quietly agitating against various manifestations of this rampant corruption for many years now.

    If you keep fighting them with nice words you going get, in bajan parlance, ” your *** undo WITOUT GREASE” and de ole man like soup.

    So de old man start using Stoopid Cartoons.

    At name has been changed now.

    According to BBC and the Modi political campaign it is now “POLITICAL BIOPICS”

    Now take this picture below

    http://imgur.com/TgTxped

    Dere is Pornville grinning behind bars.

    In big bold letters is says

    “Show Amurca how bad you is”

    Now what dis mean? AND WHAT DOES DE IMAGE DO?

    It emotes a response to de sheeple which for their small minds says Pornville, a bad John on bubados, LOCK TO SHY$E UP IN AMERICA or soon to be.

    For the people like you who are viewing it gives us a hope and a joy that there’s A GOD AND He is Alive!!!

    And this corruption cant last forever.

    For the politicians and corrupt government servants and big wig private sector twigs and bribers IT GOT DEM SHITTING BRICKS cause dem understands that they might be above the law in Bulbados but in Amurica DEM GOING LOCK UP DEM ASS WHEN DEY GET TO AMURICA

    So Mr Gulston WHEN THIS FEAR OF CONSEQUENCES CAN BE REPLICATED across all our country where information of these ill gotten gains are secretly stowed away and transmitted to (a) social media or (b) international police, then we would have achieved an environment where BAJANS WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF OUR FATES, and theirs

  16. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Piece the Legend,

    What about the other two who were charged ?

    Donville did not bribe himself.

  17. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    Based on the information available there was an exercise where ICB made a deal read disgorgement with the US authorities. The question to be answered is why does the local authority do not seem to have the appetite to pursue the matter.

  18. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Hal

    @ David BU

    Excellence in any field requires continuous learning and sensitivity to the needs of one’s customers. Most businesses in Barbados had training high on their lists of priorities but with no clear indication that these employees will be working in order to add value to their products ,they have quite rationally cut back on their investments in continuous improvement.

    Journalism is one of those that have suffered. The turn over of staff is very high.For example,CBC, Nation ,VOB, The Advocate- the better newspaper but problems with circulation . The selling point of the Nation ,sensationalism, is being eclipsed by social media. Turning the product into electronic newspapers compounds the problem.

    Those who read prefer the printed hard copy . It has a level of permanence that electronic devices do not have. They can easily be revised unknown to the reader. They are not tamper proof.

  19. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    LEST WE FORGET!!!!!

    BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Ingrid Innes, the former chief executive officer, and Alex Tasker, a former senior vice president of Insurance Corporation of Barbados Limited (ICBL), a Barbados-based insurance company, were charged in a superseding indictment unsealed on January 18, 2019, with laundering bribes to the former Minister of Industry of Barbados in exchange for his assistance in securing government contracts for ICBL. Innes and Tasker are not in U.S. custody.

  20. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Hal

    The Greeks, Persians. Hebrews, Ethiopians wrote.
    That is digital- derivation fingers- writing by hand.
    Printing press is technology which does not speed up writing only dissemination…. volume of copies .
    What about the archeological finds of Sumerian tablets? They are over 8000 years old. One cannot get more permanent than that.
    Twenty years from now will we find the publications of BU?

  21. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Is this part of a plan to The Republic of Barbados ?

    “The Prime Minister said the title reaffirmed the Barbadian identity, as future generations of Barbados can embrace their “Bajaness” or “Barbadianess”.”

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/06/30/the-most-excellent-now-the-highest-honour-for-citizens/

  22. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    Mia is spouting the usual BULLSHIT…to brainwash the masses while they tief from the people and practice corruption and racism against the black majority….

    …. what Barbadianess what…WE ARE AFRICANS, DESCENDED FROM AFRICANS…we were in the Caribbean….CENTURIES BEFORE EUROPEANS….

    how the hell did her foreparents arrive on the island…she is acting as though it was voluntary…no it was not…and we can VOLUNTARILY DECIDE WE WANT NO PART OF THAT PRETEND BULLSHIT of acting like we are solely bajans because our ancestors were FORCED ON THE ISLANDS FOR THE SLAVE LABOR VALUE……it is FRAUDULENT AND ALWAYS WILL BE…

    WE ARE AFRICANS AND ALWAYS WILL BE..Mia has NO CONNECTION TO AFRICA…her soul is empty and missing…she has NO SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TO AFRICA……AS SHE HAS PROVEN FOR THE WORLD TO SEE.

    and because of her recent wicked actions…SHE NEVER WILL.

  23. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    A brief comment (s)… @Gul, the key quote which I would regurgitate is :“a man like Eric Sealy would have been a real problem in today’s world, not so!…Seems to me we have no real reason to complain of being ‘shut down’ from a Nation comments section as we can publicize our angst at a street corner meeting real, real fast!”

    These times are no more strange as it relates to corruption, suppression of the citizen’s voice or myriad other concerns than previous times … and my POINT to you is that YOU and I and ALL us here have tremendously more latitude to be heard than ever…that’s what I meant by forget the attack about the Nations comment section and broadcast your concerns far and wide.

    As far as I know the most vocal activists are ones who were denied something or discriminated against and said “Enough of this BS”…and used that anger to solicit the support of the many others similarly disadvantaged.

    Eric Sealy did it and whereas you were previously content to comment on the Nation this slapdown has propelled you to this street corner pressue group meeting of like minded folks.. so why make the NationNews’ error a highlight!!

    …interrogate aggressively your main concern: the Inniss issue . You have the social media resources reach that a Sealy never did!… Surely he was denied access to the media of the day… a bariffle of times, no doubt!

    We have so much more of a voice than our predecessors …USE it…maybe not as impressively as @Pieces but use it we can!

    @John A, no doubt Bezos is a bright man with a particular vision of the future…that he has cornered the market on aggregation (media, products whatever) as I read your suggestion is a grand accolade however… …There are SEVERAL other folk doing things similiar to him on all fronts …just saying!

    His Post adventure is what it is but is no more significant in itself than any of the other major take-overs, mergers and indeed closures in that industry. As noted that landscape has been changing TREMENDOUSLY in last 10-15 years…. reminding us all that CHANGE is inevitable, and MAJOR CHANGE very disruptive!

    Pls consider that the saw of Moore’s Law (that PC processor will double every two years – n less now) is applicable in frightening ways, to almost ALL industries as the PC (apps whatever) is driving change across the board…case boldly in point: the same Post or NYT maxed out in all their history print subscription of maybe just over 1.5 mil and within (6 months certainly 2 years) of them offering a powerful digital product they would have nearly doubled that!

    The beautiful thing about death is that something else – sometimes better- takes its place…particularly if it’s not of woman born but of a computer!

    I gone.

  24. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Vincent
    Journalism is about content, content, content. Consumers pay for the content they need. At most tube and train stations we have free newspapers and books, most people just ignore them.

  25. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    “Some moments, on some clear days it is said you can stand on the east coast and see Africa”

    And you get greater clarity of vision when you are high on drugs.

    If de old man and me grandson were to start a campaign with this shy$e I would wager that by 2020 about 1,000 of our bajan youth would be stating this as fact.

    Mugabe, in pronouncing, this statement, has been reading Barbados Underground UNDER GHE INFLUENCE!!!

    she has seen the Nickname and Pseudonyms here on Barbados Underground and has been impressed

    It started with Simple Simon and I blame her for it

    She migrated to SirSimpleSimonPresidentforLife

    Mugabe say her name and came up with this

    Couple that with Commander Theophillus Gazerts’ new name and now I said how Mugabe said and I quote

    “…“We must claim our destiny…”

    What de badword does that “claim your destiny mean?

    Is this like a lotto ticket that we going to collect at Federal Booking?

    Then Mugabe continues

    “…and we must now establish an equivalent award under the freedom of Barbados…”

    UNDER THE FREEDOM OF BARBADOS!!!

    What de ef de ole man hearing?

    Under the Freedom of Barbados?

    I wonder I’d she meant to say

    “It is time to reward Freedom Crier whose is a free range madwoman WITH A SENTENCE OF INCARCERATION equivalent to her crime of supporting Iso TALIBAN!!

    Then Mugabe continues

    “..so that Barbadians who do not want to be known as Sir or Dame of St Andrew can still have the highest level award in this country,”

    The Most Excellent Sir Simple Simon!!

    De ole man like it!!!

    We going have have a standing drug test for these ministers right before any of dem feature addresses at ceremonies and functions in Barbados and elsewhere doah!!!

    STEUPSEEE!!!

  26. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ de pedantic Dribbler July 1, 2019 10:51 AM

    “born but of a computer!”
    A truly profound statement, I have often wondered where we have come from. I have imagined a space craft hurtling through space under computer control like Hal ( not Hal Austin) the computer in 2001:the payload frozen human embryos as our forefathers realized that they needed to seek a new home.. I assumed somethings did not work out as planned ( maybe a crash landing) resulting in all the computer data being destroyed. This would explain why we don’t where we come from and it ties in neatly with your “born of a computer.”

  27. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    Now Mr Lloyd P Gulston,

    I will continue on the thread my friend De Pedantic Dribbler formerly known as DE Ingrunt Word as he is repeating the theme of The Nation’s loss is “the nation’s gain”

    Getting banned on social media is not a bad thing at all.

    If you are resourceful, you can reincarnate in a more powerful form, ONE WHICH IS FEARFUL.

    Observe the Honourable Blogmaster.

    He understands the power of this platform intimately and how, if peaceful and polite protests, via one mode, DO NOT WORK, then it is time to UP THE VOLUME elsewhere!!

    Here is another Stoopid Biopic for you to ponder.

    http://imgur.com/u1k8rPn

    Who is “the target”? in this cartoon/biopic?

    Is it Pornville?

    Is it the other characters of whom it is said “bad things”?

    I put it to you tha Mugabe is the real target here

    Cause Mugabe ent had nuffing to do wid locking up she friend Pornville.

    But in the presence of the other criminals that are free, AND MINDFUL OF THE FACT SHE INVITED NUFF DRUG LORDS TO THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT, you understand what de grandson Political Biopic Means?

    Listen to DpD’s advice and use this new platform AND YOUR REAL NAME to bring focus to this and other issues here in Barbados

    Just to let you know DEM NEVER PUBLISH ONE SINGLE ARTICLE FROM DE OLD MAN over all dese years NOT ONE!!

    And it cause me nuff sleep and I cyan eat and ting

    Heheheheheheheheheheheheh

  28. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Hal Austin July 1, 2019 11:05 AM

    It was just aired that Trinidad has been warned about the returning ISIS jihadists. It has been suggested that where ever possible, they be tried under international law and that they should be observed closely : being monitored constantly. The ideal thing would be for them to be tried in Syria or Iraq. Meanwhile. Barbados is silent about the one jihadist in Syria. The populace is kept in the dark, We need to do like the people of Hong Kong. This place is really odd.

  29. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Robert Lucas,

    Common sense tells us that there are a number of people sympathetic to, even if not active, jihadists. Common sense also tells us that the police and security services in Barbados will be spending more on policing boys on the block and suspected drug dealers (remember the defence force public trial of a junior officer for dealing with the ‘enemy’?). Trinidad and Guyana are sister CARICOM nations and we have free travel.
    In the meantime, the New Barbadians are organising. Anyone caught travelling to certain countries should have not only their citizenship withdrawn, but should be removed immediately. Ban all foreign-born Imans.

  30. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    I am very concerned about a mosque being so close to a public school in Husbands…QC…yes, the local jokers calling themselves muslims…are organizing…and SHOULD BE WATCHED..

    no matter what the CORRUPT government says..

  31. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Hal Austin
    Have you noticed how silent the bloggers are on this topic? This country seems to be comprised of a lot of vain narcissists who are only interested in the short term satisfaction of their comfort zones. They don’t look a hundred years into the future and see the big picture. As I have said previously, I would closed the faith Muslim school, and the Mosque and ban all covering of the face for starters. Trinidad will have to spend lots of money and time trying to get rid of the Muslim political ideology. Same holds good for Barbados. What a smug complacent set of peoples Barbadians are.

  32. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Robert Lucas

    Press on. You will soon get them attacking you and deliberately misinterpreting what you say. It is part of the Barbadian Condition.

  33. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Hal
    @ Robert Lucas

    We are dealing with a populace who has been fed a diet of inferior public discourse, on pertinent issues for decades. We cannot expect it to be suddenly over concerned with serious issues.
    You should note that here on BU , the cool aid drinkers , have gone a bit silent. This means that the discourse has entered, a different level, at least for now.
    The struggle continues.

  34. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    re They don’t look a hundred years into the future and see the big picture.

    WITH ALL DUE RESPECT DR LUCAS………YOU SOUND LIKE WHAT IS WRITTEN IN 2 PETER 3:3-4
    3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
    4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

    THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE AROUND A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW?

    BUT PEOPLE IN THE WORLD ARE NOT LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE

  35. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    @ Dr. Robert Lucas
    @ Mr Hal Austin

    Dr Lucas and Hal,

    The experience of most bajans with the local Muslim, Arab and Hindu communities is very limited.

    All of them are for the most part labelled as curly hair Indians and sometimes Arabs/Syrians

    The difference between their nationalities IS LOST ON 95% of black Bajans

    At most we see “them” in stores in Bridgetown, in vans loaded with clothes on a Saturday (and a few may have had dugula experiences of a different type that allowed us to see them differently, but that is a sexist remark)

    Passing through Fontabelle might permit you to see more of them at one point in time.

    De ole man’s point is that they rarely register on the scope of being problems other than the drug dealers who the former DPP let go or de coolie man who owns the ZRs

    They keep to themselves and while they may be involved in as serious a crime as Pornville or more serious (e.g. importing a whole shipment oc cocaine in a truck chassis) they keep a low profile.

    That being the case HOW CAN ONE AGITATE AGAINST IN A VACUUM?

    And just what are GHE verifiable issues we are calling them out about???

  36. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @ Robert Lucas,
    Bajans are neither smug nor complacent. The majority of them have never been exposed to living in a foreign country. They have a limited knowledge of geopolitics. They are simply naive to the ways of the outside world. Read the comments of Simple Simon and you will understand.

    Hal, is an experience man. He has a sound knowledge of life in the UK. Your typical Bajan’s knowledge of foreigners and foreign countries is gained through their limited exposure to tourists who may holiday in Barbados. The happy tourist whom they encounter on a beach is a figment of their imagination. Most of these tourists have a dim view of blacks in general.

    We have a “press” who fail to carry out their job competently. Two years ago, I noticed that Argentina appeared to be developing closer diplomatic ties with Barbados. I was incensed and warned Barbadians that Argentina was the refuge for European Nazis who fled Europe to avoid prosecution after the second world war. There was a period not so long ago when the African diaspora was the majority population within Argentina. Guess what happened? They wiped them out. Are we so desperate that we would like to align ourselves with a country that has become infamous for fascism? Ditto UAE, China, Saudi Arabia, USA, Canada,Morocco and a host of other countries that we have become attracted to.

    With respect to Muslims. Take a look at the BBC I player to watch this fascinating documentary about the Muslim community in a UK, northern town. Don’t say that you have not been warned by Hal and myself.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/595fH2sGQh/How_did_my_hometown_become_a_violent_crime_hotspot

  37. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Georgie Porgie July 1, 2019 2:00 PM

    As usual a very deep comment. Knowing human nature sooner or later there is going to be a nuclear war. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is started by Muslim extremists. They haven’t come to grips with the fact that their religion is not superior to other religions and cultures and they will try to destroy others out of malice and envy.as a result. You have a point albeit it is a nihilistic one

    @ Hal Austin
    I will keep the flag flying. I do not worry about what people may say.

  38. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ WURA-WAR-on-U July 1, 2019 1:00 PM

    How many of these jokers we have in the security forces can speak Urdu, Farsi or Arabic? That is the first problem. A couple of years ago on “Brass Tacks” a caller complained about the threat posed by Islamists. Matthew Farley was the moderator : according to Farley our local Muslims are a different breed from the ones causing terrorists attacks and he concluded that the local ones wouldn’t cause any problems. I couldn’t believe that one could be so stupid. It was similar in attitude to the British in Singapore: The British only defended the maritime approaches to Singapore since it was felt by them, that an assault from on land would be impossible ,due to the thick jungle and swamps. The Japanese made a landward assault and the British guns couldn’t be turned to fire inland because of how they were positioned. I wonder what would Farley say, if he were alive now, after all Barbados has a jihadist in Syria and Trinidad has a lot.

  39. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Aha @ Sir Pieces, focused and on point re “The experience of most bajans with the local Muslim, Arab and Hindu communities is very limited….
    The difference between their nationalities IS LOST ON 95% of black Bajans”    .

    And it would have continued to be lost on us if not for this ISIS fueled Jihad.

    I as you, I am sure, went to school with a lad or two of East Indian descent…after that Indian World Cup victory of ’83 (?) I thought the entire community were Indian as many were keen to congregate off the Harbour Rd. showing off their cricket skills.

    So quite right u are, we never had to educate ourselves of who was the guy wearing turban as compared to one who didn’t; we never delved into the harshness of the caste system and so on and on!

    But tell me though have we ever explored the differences of our West African cousin to one of East Africa; or even the disposition of our South African brethren north-south etc; or what makes Somalis and Ethiopians look so distinctly different from many of their other darker toned African brethren!

    Lots to explore my friend when it comes to ethnicity and peoples dem!

    But this ISIS issue has not a jot to do with any of that in my view…. This is a national security issue and must be handled aggressively by the national authorities… I agree completely that those returning from mercenary duties in a war of grave human atrocities should be held accountable as best as legally possible and if there are no laws to support that accountability then parliament should create some!

    Allowing the folks back home as if nothing happened is a strange construct.

  40. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Talking Loud,
    You can see already the formation of what we have seen in Europe. Location is important, Kensington New Road, Belleville, Fontabelle, etc. Religious madrasses are also important: teaching kids from the age of five how special and DIFFERENT they are from the natives.
    If you want to see how this works, go to Fiji, Durban in South Africa, and many British towns and cities. It creeps up on you. If you go to Tooting Broadway in South London or Ealing Road in North West London you will get an example of how it feels to be a stranger in your own land.
    Or, remind yourself of the build up to the 2007 Cricket World Cup when our top police and defence officers had to travel to Kensington New Road to meet local Muslims to discuss policing and were warned (no, threatened) that they did not want male police officers searching their women.
    Or just recall the traditional Muslim lecturer at the community college who married a black man who converted and was thrown it of her family. Read what she told the Nation newspaper.
    Or at our airport: I have seen black women coming through immigration being asked to take off their glasses and women in Niqabs walking through unquestioned. Remember the Muslim we sent up to the United Nations who wanted Barbados to champion the Palestinian cause? It is not only Muslims.
    This is Barbados. By the way, have a look at the number of Male Muslims who frequent Oistins on Friday nights.;

  41. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    “How many of these jokers we have in the security forces can speak Urdu, Farsi or Arabic?.”

    ..most can barely speak standard english, speak a lot of dialect though, so tend to misinterpret the most important things they need to gain the knowledge to understand..

    .. ….and ALSO tend to be docile and slave like when dealing with these dangerous minorities,….they see themselves as inferior to these negroes with curly and straight hair, pretending they are better than Black, and defer to them each and every time, then there is the BRIBERY COMPONENT….

    THAT RIGHT THERE IS THE DANGEROUS PROBLEM CONFRONTING BARBADOS…and her unaware people.

  42. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ TLSN July 1, 2019 2:12 PM

    Thanks for your warning. I am aware of the activities. I have been writing about them for more than twenty years.

    @WURA-WAR-on-U
    “..most can barely speak standard English”

    I hadn’t thought about this aspect. I nearly died with laughter.

  43. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Robert Lucas 2:36 PM

    You always seem to talk (write) about ‘Islamists’ as though we don’t have similar currents in ALL religions.

    That is a given.

    What is vastly more important is the instrumental use of these ‘Islamists” for political, military and empire building purposes by the Saudis, the UAE, the Americans, Pax-Judaica and their allies in fighting wars they themselves could not fight, could not win. And they did not win either. Neither in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Libya nor Mali, etc

    The people behind this Daesh construct are infinitely more important than the ignorant foot-soldiers labelled ‘Islamists’.

    For these people are highly dispensable but the problems the powers-that-be within the UK, the USA, the EU, the UN, Israel and NATO have created will last far longer than this Priorian Guard.

    Would you presume that hundreds of British, and other European citizens, and some from elsewhere too, could be organized to fight wars against the standing armies of Russia, Iran, Syria, while disrupting a large part of the world, without the massive military and strategic support of the criminal nations and international institutions listed in the above sentence..

    Consider the role of Israel. These same Islamists which you often cite seem to have no interests in the usurper state which their dogma has historically demonized. Instead, that Zionist state not only acted as the air force for Deash but provided all other kinds of support, including hospitalization.

    Why is it that only one set of bad guys seem to attract your biting critiques? Is the genocidal Zionist state any different than the ‘Islamists’ or the Islamic State (IS or ISIS)?

    We trust that a fundamental reconsideration will ensue.

  44. Lloyd P Gulston Avatar
    Lloyd P Gulston

    Dear de pedantic Dribbler, Piece the Legend, Robert Lucas

    Acknowledged and point taken.

    Piece the Legend

    Truth does not need to be proven. If you are going to target me for telling the truth are you going to let me go scotch free for telling lies? Which of the two are important to the occupancy?

    Robert Lucas

    There are in these days so many sides to a story. But the world presents facts that are base on the story that they want others to know. We were told that Hitler was very evil, but what is the other side to his story? We were told that Osama Bin Laden was evil. but what is the other side to his story. We are led to believe that America is the champion of the free world, but they are differing views regarding there story.

    If these stories were to present the other side, can we truly say that these people by whom the media and various other groups propagate as stock craze madmen are really the villains they are portrayed to be? What are their real stories-JUST SAYING.

  45. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David

    My apologies for the delay in getting back to you it’s been one of those days.

    I don’t know if more money being paid to journalist will improve our local journalism to be honest. I think our problem runs much deeper than that. There is no real thirst for the truth in many cases. I think people are so accustom of being lied to and mislead, they just take it as part of the course now and don’t question it any more. So a minister makes a commitment today to deal with an issue and in 3 weeks nothing happens, yet no one holds him accountable or ask ” boss what about so and so when it happening?” There is a term for this type of behaviour but I can’t remember it right now.

  46. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Lloyd P Gulston

    I understand your point of view. There is however a proviso when it comes to Muslims which most western people do not seem to comprehend. Islam is a way of life which entails total submission by followers to the tenets of the “religion”. Note how I have presented the word religion. There is no separation of politics from religion in Islam, it is therefore difficult to consider Islam in the same sense of a religion as one would in the west. Despite this ,there would be no problem if reciprocity of treatment meted out to followers of other religions was the order of the day. Unfortunately, this is not so.. One only has to observed the treatment meted out to the Coptic Christians of Egypt or the Christians of Pakistan to see what I am alluding to. This adverse treatment is predicated on the fact that Muslims are taught that their religion is superior to all other religions, this attitude permeates how their treat infidels You have to remember that according to Islam, there is only one God and Allah is his name: ergo ,implicit is the suggestion of superiority. Living in the west , Muslims soon realize that they aren’t superior, indeed, they find themselves not fitting in. and this is galling for them. They try to impose their customs on the country where they settle. In the west, they are what I call a fifth column with all the connotations of the word. There is also the Muslim concept of ummah. Basically a Muslim always support other Muslims, even if they are in the wrong against non-Muslims..

    I refer you to two articles by me appearing earlier this year on “Barbados Underground’. The salient one is entitled ” Islamophobia” ( note the caption is the blog master’s) ,Should find it by scrolling down. It came out in March. A perusal should open your eyes to the problem the uninitiated faces when wrestling with this matter You should also follow the links provided.

  47. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Pachamama July 1, 2019 4:16 PM

    I am aware of all that you have noted . In general I agree with ever thing you have stated. Where we differ is that I have divorced extraneous things ( the Jews trying to steal the Golan Heights. There is supposed to be oil there and the machinations of the western powers in the area) to deal exclusively with Islam. By its very nature ( Muslims are taught that their religion is superior to all others) Islam is not tolerant to the non-believer. Note, when ever I write on this topic, I give examples of the treatment meted out to non-Muslims. My examples are always places like Egypt. Pakistan ,Indonesia and Saudi Arabia : Countries with majority Muslim populations, dealing with populations with little or no connections to the west. I am trying to show how infidels are treated. I am not dealing with it from imperialistic point of view.

  48. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Hal Austin

    The news flash about Trinidad’s jihadist warning came over VOB mid-day news. It has not been repeated over the 5.30 pm news which is on air now.

  49. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    July 1, 2019 5:09 PM
    Where it reads ” has to observed” should read “has to observe “

  50. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Robert Lucas

    Well, we are afraid that you are quite wrong on many points. not all.

    What is extraneous about the Zionist trying to take Golan? Israel is and has always been a settler-colonialist imposition. It is a ‘country’ which has no internationally recognized borders. And it has no borders because it wants to constantly expand. Golan is internationally recognized at Syrian territory. Only in the minds of Trump and the Zionists is there a question about this.

    Muslims can never be divorced from Islam as a set of organizing principles, regarless of where they are, notwithstanding the religion is not monolithic. There are about half dozen ‘denominations’.

    All religions hold in common the superiority of their dogmas, systems of worship, etc. Maybe, you should read the Talmud to see how Jews believe that they have a right to have Jesus boiled in excrement. Or that their god gives them more mitzvahs than anybody else. And we could go on all day long.

    Tolerance! This writer has lived in the same buildings and areas of both Muslims and Jews. A neighbor who was a ‘Kohen’, a priest; could not even be touched by somebody like this writer.

    For the Muslims. This writer could not go to their mosque because the Imam knew that this writer will never serve any god who did not looked similarly.

    Christians preach that non-Christians should not be allowed to marry Christians, for example, because they will not be equally yoked. What do you call these contradictions, or similarities which all religions have in common.

    Your whole orientation on this matter is too shallow and as a result your argumentations leave room for a truck to be driven through.

    You may have the last word.

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