Submitted by Ironside
The rhetoric of the Barbados Today 29th October editorial entitled: No time for Party. Not now is as silky and as sanitized as an educated Barbadian can get. I suppose that as an “above-ground” newspaper, the Barbados Today editor has no choice. And to be fair, the editor did as good a job as he /she could…in the circumstances.
But in this country, I doubt that the sanitized rhetoric of the article, replete with biblical parallels, will get the attention of the intoxicated, money hungry faction of this country that calls itself the BLP and the government into whose hands stressed and reactionary Barbadians committed the next five years of its life back in May 2018.
So, dear BT editor, let me help you…let me take a crack at these SOBs here on BU, no holds barred!
Corruption Endemic
One of the critical issues in the last election was the matter of corruption in government. The BLP promised integrity legislation. (See:
https://www.barbadosadvocate.com/news/blp-promises-new-integrity-legislation).
As I expected, the BLP government went through the motions of passing integrity legislation knowing full well that that would not hinder corruption where it mattered most.
Corruption is endemic to Barbadian society. Translated, this means that all of us practice and tacitly support corruption…every day! You beg to differ? OK!
- In general, how many of us ask for favours knowing well we were not qualified to receive them?
- How many of us have asked for exceptions to be made to the entry of our children to schools where they are not qualified to enter?
- How many of us feel no compunction in jumping the queue of people waiting in line for a service?
- How many of us rely on friends “in high places” to bale us out of trouble rather than throw ourselves on the mercy of those in authority?
- How many of our “business people” bribe customs officers to get reduced charges or illegal items out of the port?
- How many of sold our vote to the first bidder during the last election…and the one before?
What do you call those practices? Still beg to differ? Go phart on yourself…in the mirror!
Corruption is so endemic in Barbados that we have a motto that expresses it all; “Boy yuh got to have a grandfarder to get by in Barbados!
We, the so called masses, are as guilty of corruption as the relatively few demagogues that we elect to rule this land from time to time. Therefore, the logical and ethical solution to the problem of corruption in Barbados lies in dealing with our own corruption FIRST.
Time to Repent
My submission is that we ordinary people need to repent of the corruption in ourselves. And I mean REPENT and in the biblical sense. Until we do so, we are in no position to wield any moral power to demand the end of corruption in government.
And make no mistake about it; the politicians know this; they know that we ourselves are as corrupt as they are. That is why the Sutherland Dynasty is laughing all its way to the bank. The Sutherlands know that sooner or later some self-despising, mentally enslaved, “corrupt” Barbadian will knock at their constituency office door and beg for the crumbs that fall from their table while they and their family, close friends and bodyguards continue to dine sumptuously and travel lavishly. On OUR blinking taxes!
BERToldian Betrayal (With Impunity)
Imagine that: we are asked to pay a 2.5% health levy on top of all the other taxes and the first thing that the BERToldian Labour Party – they can’t be Barbadians, right? – spend it on is a $200,000 plus salary a year (over $16,000 per month) for a minister’s wife – IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH.
Do you know that this salary is just circa $1,000 shy of a Minister’s salary? An eighteenth minister without a ministry? What a betrayal of trust! What gross disrespect for Barbadians! Did we vote you in with this understanding in mind? Or are you “overstanding” the matter as Rastafari would say?
But I wonder: how many votes is the Sutherland Dynasty worth in the next election? You know, there is a kind of arrogant “pharticidal” idiocy about nepotism and cronyism that really boggles the mind!
But look at it…there are no protestors in the street, far less rioters! Today is indeed a very funny night! And that is because too many of us are full of existential shiite!
So, where are all the new garbage trucks promised? Don’t be surprised if Jose and Jose gets a contract to “do the garbage” in Barbados! If you don’t know who really owns Jose and Jose (We are No1 in the No.2 Business) get off this frigging island!
Proportional Representation Now
Excuse the hell out of me; but this political system that we have needs to be drastically reformed or dismantled! I don’t know that there is a fundamental flaw in the concept of democracy itself but the political system – meaning the number of parties, system of representation, elections rules etc – is a bare joke.
It should never have been possible for one party to win all 30 seats! Under proportional representation this would have been virtually impossible! So there goes your first reform….if we are going that way!
It is time that Barbadians called for a referendum on the matter of the implementation of proportional representation and let’s see what this government will do with it. I think I know how the Bertoldians will react but screw them!
2023 Ah Coming!
In the meantime, let us prepare, come next election, not to forget how the Bertoldians are pharting on us now with the acrid smell of heartless corruption. Let us prepare to help MAM make more history …the first woman PM in Barbados with a one-term government!
P.S. Perhaps, I will speculate on how we can ensure this in the next edition of the Phartford Files.
The article started out on very good grounds, especially where it listed the endemic corruption practiced by ordinary folks. The list of facts can’t be argued with. The part on proportional representation is full of ambiguity. One can conclude on one hand that there is a genuine concern for the lack of representation in parliament for those persons who voted for the DLP.. Then again one can construe that it is the ramblings of a partisan political hack, who is full of resent. This however, doesn’t gainsay that valid points were made which deserve the attention of concerned citizenry.
Correction: where it reads “resent should be resentment.
The notion of proportional representation is legitimate, since it deals in par t with majoritarianism, but it also leads to chaos. Look around the world where there is PR and see the mess: Israel, Italy, Germany, etc.
First past the post has its problems – just look at the UK where 17m voted to leave the EU and 16m voted to remain, yet the leavers behave as if they won all the votes. The result is a divided nation.
@ Hal
You are correct about the chaos. In the UK, it would be better if the populace stopped voting in Etonians and vote for people who have actual experience of the real world.
@ Robert
I cannot tell the populace who to vote for. What I do know is that the general election will become a de facto referendum on Brexit and that is where it becomes very complex.
My view is that we should abandon Brexit and remain in the EU, but what do I know.
Hal
Brexit will happen. The EU is undemocratic and wants to be like USA, China or Russia. Too many countries involved. Refusal to fix borders with migrants. Some very silly laws eg: people or are refugees or migrants can commit acts of terrorism ,but can’t be sent back to their country of origin for fear that persecution might take place.
@ Robert
I am afraid you do not understand the EU, so let us not continue this discussion. The threat from Jihadism is not the same as the threat from immigrants. Which Caribbean immigrant is a threat to the UK or EU?
I like your confidence about the outcome of the general election; we have had a referendum, a general election and a European election over the last three years and the matter is still undecided. I admire your foresight.
People voted for David Thompson because the preached a message of change. Thompson with Hartley validated the change message by borrowing from the Obama campaign. BU commenters may recall they visited the campaign.
People voted for Mia because the DLP was an incompetent lot led by a socially insecure introvert. She also promised change.
With the appointment of Bynoe-Sutherland, forgiveness of back taxes, appointment of Party faithfuls, a top heavy front bench etc etc etc.
Is it too early to say nothing has changed?
@ Hal
I understand that it is stupid to say you can’t deport either migrants or terrorists to their country of origin, if it is suspected that they will be persecuted The whole concept reeks of being utopian. Not going to work, just like the Tower of Babel..
@ Robert
Is this a deliberate misrepresentation. Yes, people can and have been deported, even if they claim they will be persecuted. The government, like all of us individuals, has to prove it case in court. That is what we used to call democracy and the rule of law.
I do not know what you mean by the whole concept reeks of being utopian; but your original claim was the following:
Brexit will happen. The EU is undemocratic and wants to be like USA, China or Russia. Too many countries involved. Refusal to fix borders with migrants. Some very silly laws eg: people or are refugees or migrants can commit acts of terrorism ,but can’t be sent back to their country of origin for fear that persecution might take place.(Quote)
I pointed out you are not familiar with the issues, as is obvious from the above statement. Again, you are talking about a subject with which you are not familiar. How do you know Brexit will happen, can you see in to the future?
You talk about the EU being undemocratic, but failed to say in what way. So the recent elections we had were not worth the paper we wrote on? Every job vacancy, every contracted has to be advertised throughout the 28 member states. When last did you vote in a CARICOM election?
And, further, the EU wants to be like the USA, China or Russia. Really? In what way? Too many countries involved? But the EU has 27(8) member states, while the US has 50 states. Refusal to fix borders with migrants? Some very silly laws?
Let us be rational and not sink in to diatribe.
Before others chime in the blogmaster has allowed some leeway to discuss a non related matter. Please come back to the issues raised by the author or look for a topic better suited.
A few observations Ironsides
This is about 5 separate topics AND EACH ONE IS A BLOG IN ITSELF!
There is a danger with multi tentacled topics here on BU.
NOT ONE of your many SUBSTANTIVE POINT GETS THE ATTENTION THAT IT DESERVES and, even though you delivered 5 good cuffs, you will fail to knock out the opponent.
Watch as your topic is going to elicit several different threads of discourse and more than likely CLIMAX IN NONE!
The temptation is to get it all out there but Sutherland is a topic by itself and how you developed the nepotism and cronyism especially the pivotal point about this lady’s salary being short of a minister while bajans are paying for a Health Levy at a decrepit QEH
De ole man would have done a Stoopid Cartoon but it was threatened that all memes are to be stopped on Barbados Underground
The Stoopid Cartoons are going to be hosted somewhere else and that info will be shared in due course
@HA
and here I was expecting an exposé on the DEregulation of the building and fire safety codes in London. In this sense, the UK had already exited the EU, because most of the EU had far more stringent requirements on the use of combustible claddings, and their composition, on a multi story building.
@Ironside “stressed and reactionary Barbadians.”
I know for sure that I am no reactionary.
But you bet that I was stressed when I was in the polling booth in May 2018.
That stress was caused ENTIRELY by the DLP.
And the thing is at heart I am an old fashioned Barrow “D”
But those folks in office during 2008 to 2018 were certainly no Barrow “D’s”
I look forward to being able to vote for the DLP again.
@DavidOctober 31, 2019 9:47 AM “forgiveness of back taxes”
There has been NO FORGIVENESS ob back taxes. Only forgiveness of interest and penalties.
However the Barbados government (all parties) were charging 12% interest on taxes due, in circumstances where banks were paying one quarter of one percent in interest.
What gives any government anywhere the right to behave like Mafia loan sharks?
@Ironside “In general, how many of us ask for favours knowing well we were not qualified to receive them?”
A Simple Response: I have NEVER done so.
@Ironside How many of us have asked for exceptions to be made to the entry of our children to schools where they are not qualified to enter?
A Simple Response: I have NEVER done this. I would have been ASHAMED to do so. In any event my kids, and my nieces and nephews too bright as shite, all legitimately got into “big” schools AND did well once they got there.
@Ironside How many of us feel no compunction in jumping the queue of people waiting in line for a service?
A Simple Response: I have NEVER done this. In fact if I am not in any particular hurry, I DEFER to others, and invite them to get in line ahead of me
@Ironside How many of us rely on friends “in high places” to bale us out of trouble rather than throw ourselves on the mercy of those in authority?
A Simple Response: I don’t have any friends in high places. People in high places don’t like people like me, because I ask no favours, and give no favours. MERIT, MERIT, MERIT all the way.
How many of our “business people” bribe customs officers to get reduced charges or illegal items out of the port?
A Simple Response: I am not in business so i don’t know, but I have heard the rumors, and I have seen customs officers with lifestyles that cannot be supported on their salaries of about $5,000 per month. And “no” I don’t do the illegal items thingy. I have NEVER used illegal drugs. And I will NEVER do so. I have NEVER owned a gun, legal or illegal, and I don’t EVER want to own one.
@Ironside How many of sold our vote to the first bidder during the last election…and the one before?
A Simple Response: You mean the “highest” bidder right? I have NEVER sold my vote. I will NEVER sell my vote. I would rather die first. When my kids were small I would hear about MP’s holding Christmas parties for the little kids in the constituency. My kids were NEVER invited. Never invited by the BLP, never invited by the DLP.
One of my kids applied for a job, was promised it on MERIT. Then the government changed. The kid heard nothing from the State Owned Enterprise (SOE). But then became aware that the job went to the child of a former DLP Cabinet Minister. I am cool. My kid is cool. On MERIT kid found WORK, WORK (not a job, but WORK) which pays about twice as well as the job at the SOE.
MERIT WORKS.
But maybe Barrow was right, maybe we are a nation of thieves.
The Christmas election in the not so United Kingdom will be indecisive (again)
Boris will NOT get a great enough majority to get a decent Brexit.
The critical issue is, how do you know whether any of the 12 political parties in Barbados will keep their campaign promises to Barbadians.
We have has over 50 years of disappointments. What can a Party actually do (not say) to convince Barbadians that they will do what they promised?
There will likely be no Brexit at all.
@Ironside “intoxicated, money hungry”
ALL political classes, everywhere are intoxicated and money hungry. Why I even heard a jJapanese friend complain about their politicians, same damn thing. Some of them know nothing but politics. Can’t earn their living outside of politics or political connections. Pick them up and send them 1,000 miles away where they know nobody and they couldn’t even run a successful sno cone cart.
So why you want us to pretend otherwise?
Stupseee!!!
re What can a Party actually do (not say) to convince Barbadians that they will do what they promised?
how will you granville fillips convince Barbadians that you and your likkle autocratic one man party will do what you promised?
can your apologists help?
@Ironside “Therefore, the logical and ethical solution to the problem of corruption in Barbados lies in dealing with our own corruption FIRST.”
No Ironside. You are WRONG. None of this business of you repent and correct yourself first and then i will come behind you.
We need to deal with all corruption SIMULTANEOUSLY.
@Ironside “But look at it…there are no protestors in the street, far less rioters!”
I know that you would love to see us rioting in the streets while the political class hide behind their high gates. But nope. We ain’t teking nah bullets fah none of the political class, B nor D.
You like you forget already that 70% ah we vote B this time. But don’t let the B’s get too complacent. You B’s; yah still on probation. Lolll!!!
@Ironside “but this political system that we have needs to be drastically reformed or dismantled!
It should never have been possible for one party to win all 30 seats! ”
One party won all 30 seats because the PEOPLE so decided.
You D’s want a quick proportional representation quick fix? You want a quick-fix to permit you to suck at the bubbies of the taxpayers again? It ain’t happening.
There will be no proportional representation quick-fix.
if you want to be elected again, you will have to WORK for it. Go out into the highways and hedges, go to the people and WORK for it.
In my constituency I saw a couple of elderly DLP campaigners ONCE in ten years. Once. Once.
If the DLP wants to get back in office you will have to WORK for it.
No proportional representation coming in the short term.
We ain’t teking na bullets fa wunna neider. Don’t expect a Hong Kong. You like you forget already that one o’ wunna while the head was hot with power get in the house and talk about shooting we?
Shooting the people you does pay you salaries and pension?
Madness.
Shooting won’t do it, but HARD WORK might.
I might have been persuaded if the DLP had proposed proportional representation while they were in office. But they NEVER did. So their current proportional representation proposal seems entirely too self-serving coming now.
@SS
murdah…ya pun fire today.
I am confident that anybody who has frequented the BU halls, for even a month, is well aware you are a model citizen, who hails from a model family (at least in your opinion). You even approach miracle status upon occasion, as for someone who works hard in the market garden, you hire another to do a little lawn work, and pay them an above market wage, despite only having $5.56 in your account. Hence, the frequent need to remind the blog that you have never engaged in any untoward activities or behaviour is expected and unchallenged.
Possibly you might become more aware of the actual behaviour of those around you, more than your own? If you did you might realise, there are very few model citizens, they are not the norm.
Yes we all do things that are contrary. Me too. I don’t like using weed whackers and lawn movers. I don’t like loud noises. And besides young people need to work as well. No point we old folks hogging all the work. So yes. I pay the young man what may be considered above market rate. So what? Very likely some people are paying him below market rate, and “what he loses in the Lord’s prayer, he will gain in the Belief” as the old people used to say.
There is a time to earn, a time to save and a time to spend. So what if i only have $5.56 in my bank account? Have my utilities been paid? Yes. Do I have food in the house, and in the land? Yes. Am I planning to steal from my neighbor? No. Am I planning to prostitute myself? No. Am I planning to sell drugs or guns? No.
I brought NOTHING into the world, and it is a certainty that I will take nothing out.
So if I die today with $0.01 in my bank account, so what? If somebody dies today with $100 billion in their bank account, aren’t they just as dead as I am?
My kids are smart, hard working, well educated people. They can take care of themselves. They HAVE to take care of themselves.
@ Hal October 31, 2019 7:47 AM
I understand quite well what is going on. The European Commission is a point in question. There is the fact that the whole thing started as an economic union and it worked okay as such. The political union which you would like to see work will not in the final analysis work, unless room is made for individual countries national agendas. With twenty-odd countries involve one has to be very optimistic in outlook. Previously, else where on this blog site I have stated that for your sake I hope I am wrong in my assessment.
Raining very heavily here today, for which I am grateful. I cannot do much outdoor work, so maybe I have a little too much time on my hands.
(Quote):
So, where are all the new garbage trucks promised? Don’t be surprised if Jose and Jose gets a contract to “do the garbage” in Barbados! If you don’t know who really owns Jose and Jose (We are No1 in the No.2 Business) get off this frigging island! (Unquote).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Looks like your Betrayal Lying Party has made a rather smooth transition to the seat of corruption where your other Deceitful Lying Party was forced to vacate recently.
Have you conveniently forgotten the role played by the Hal the Galloping god-horse in the financial raping of the Bajan taxpayers?
What you ought to be calling for is the confirmation that the $223,400 in VAT extracted from the financially-wounded BWA was indeed paid over as a contribution towards the acquisition cost of the new garbage trucks which have been on order since the introduction of the NSRL.
Don’t you think such a confirmation of collection would go a long way in allaying the fears of those who believe that the appointment of the minister’s spouse would not make an iota of difference to the effective management of the QEH?
If the recommendations contained in the Doctor Haynes (a former medical practitioner, politician and minister of finance) have been as effective as drinking a snow cone in hell to quench one’s thirst, do you really think the appointment of another political hack would make any difference in the wind speed of managerial destruction of the QEH equivalent to the flap of a mosquito wing in a category 5 hurricane?
The day-to-day management of the QEH must be removed entirely from the ambit of the partisan political class.
Until this inoculation against the virus of political tribalism is administered then the main function would not be one of healing the sick but would turn into an all-inclusive place where there is an imaginary façade between the A&E and the morgue.
I was reading this piece thinking this is really getting at the meat of the matter,
then you allowed your political being to take over.
You spoilt a good start, very sad.
@ Robert
As I said, you clearly do not understand the EU. It seems as if your knowledge comes from Googling. The idea of the EU is the grandfathering of regulations, standards and qualifications and the sharing of best practice. Try all these on CARICOM.
Individual states have powers to shape, tweak or redesign directives coming out of Brussels; they all have internal self-government. You mention the European Commission, but fail to say what is wrong with it.
All 27(8) nations must agree a new policy before it becomes a directive and all are democratically elected governments. All signed the Maastrich Treaty, or joined knowing the aims of the union.
Then you go on to talk about political union, which makes me laugh at the idea of a Barbadian telling the 500m people in the EU what is best for them, in fact the overall concerns about Brexit. You are yet to state a logical argument about the functioning of the EU and why you believe it would not work.
How does the EU block individual members’ agendas? Plse say. You said for my sake, you hope you are wrong. That is very kind of you since I do not have any such concern.
To re-state what I have already said, you quite clearly do not have any knowledge about the EU, apart from what you read on newspaper and BBC websites.
I say again, we should get rid of Brexit, play a central role in the EU and press for greater union, a United States of Europe. This is the future as the US continue to decline and China asserts itself.
We are a myopic bunch pretending to be intellectually woke. We’re the same folks who daily get hookups through, and for, friends and family. Now complaining because the government has amended the Act and made a political appointment of a DESERVING individual. There is some level of folly in saying she is higly qualified but because her husband is a Minister she should be ruled out. But hey, we love to transplant ideas (when it suits our agenda of course) wholesale even when it makes absolutely no sense. We have children of former DLP Ministers who sat on Boards during the last DLP administration, who now sit as Independent senators in the current Senate and to be fair I find that they discharge their duties very independently. We can hire a non-Bajan pay dem a wash pan ah money, then dem and two of their fellow senior managers can resign abruptly under questionable circumstances. But JBS, as qualified as she is, ain’t deserving because she’s a Minister’s wife? JBS appointed and I am just hoping she proves all wunna wrong.
@enuff
People want to see the appearance of transparency. Bear in mind context context context to use your words coming after 10 years of a DLP government where they did as they liked.
Just saw a story on lawyers in the news.
The first blog on “lawyers in the news” was in 2007.
Now look at the below 20018-2019 story. Eleven to twelve years, same old story
The 74-year-old attorney from Bagatelle Gardens, St Thomas, was not required to plead to stealing £347 660.96, equivalent to BDS $855 000, from British national Errol Hewitt between November 12, 2018 and May 4, 2019″
There must be a way to separate lawyer’s fees from a client’s money.
“We ain’t teking na bullets fa wunna neider. Don’t expect a Hong Kong. You like you forget already that one o’ wunna while the head was hot with power get in the house and talk about shooting we?
Shooting the people you does pay you salaries and pension?”
don’t let them forget Jackass Jones wanted to shoot black bajans and crack their skulls.
…don’t let them forget that as soon as new negros get a little small island power, access to the treasury and pension fund along with diplomatic passparts and too many perks.. given to them by THE PEOPLE..whose votes they BEG….they turn into the sell out animals, criminals and control freaks that they have proven themselves to be …that is their true nature..
Never let them forget.
The last DLP clowns cared nothing about the people and their human rights…
these current BLO clowns are openly ignoring recommendations by their caricom heads and viciously forging ahead to violate the human rights of black bajans…but let those wretched of the earth in that parliament keep it up….they will see.
@TheOGazerts who wrote ” There must be a way to separate lawyer’s fees from a client’s money.”
There is a way but I not telling you. lol
Theo…more smoke and mirrors, it will get worse, the lawyers are being handpicked for disbarment when at least 99% of them all particularly the ones in the parlament and bar association…SHOULD BE DISBARRED ALSO..
https://www.facebook.com/jackie.stewart.965/videos/1153790004830537/?t=4
When it RAINS…IT POURS.
“31st day of October 2019
Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson MP
IT IS TIME FOR THE UNITED NATIONS AND LONDON FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST BARBADOS OUTRAGEOUS DISREGARDS FOR LAW DEPRIVING TOO MANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES AND ESTATES.
Prime Minister, times have rapidly changed. England Black Caribbean Nationals will no longer stand idle whilst the Commonwealth Secretary along with the Commonwealth Caribbean Team continue ignoring their requests for the Commonwealth Intervention into the woeful unquestionable Caribbean Corruption.
Barbados Government following the Island November 1966 Independence has engaged themselves in outrageous fraudulent activities requiring urgent intervention such as Barbados removal from the Commonwealth.
Mr Prime Minister, failing this request to you for intervention by the Commonwealth Office Investigations be assured that we, the Black Nationals will organize marches against Caribbean Corruption, and personally against “Your Government Failure” and shall VOTE overwhelmingly for Labour.
Former Prime Minister Treasera May was more interested in the destruction of England Black Nationals when she was the Commonwealth Secretary and legal action should have been taken against her. Recently, you were also the Commonwealth Secretary and did absolutely nothing regarding this appalling situation.
Following Barbados 1966 Independence, vastly corrupt officials have amassed over a billion dollars in stolen properties through corrupt Government Officials that had included the Island Governor-General, Solicitor General, Attorney General, Director of Public Prosecutions, Crown Solicitor, Supreme Court Registrars and numerous crooked lawyers.
Barbados corrupters also need to appear before the International Court of Human Rights following 54 years of outrageous Human Rights Violations. Basically, for this reason, Barbados broke from London Privy Council that brought about the Caribbean Caribbean Court protecting their corrupt government officials from true justice.
Barbados has arrogantly continue violating United Nations Treaty and continues its arrogance fooling its nationals by keeping (Murderers) in prison for up to five years and long before their cases appear before the Supreme Court. In so doing it far exceeds the five (5) year period that Barbados signed before the United Nations that a person will not be held on Death Row / in Prison for five years and long before that prisoner receives the Death Penalty.
The Prisoner must be Executed before the expiry of the five years period. In Barbados, the scam is keeping those charged with murder in prison for years before their cases are completed before the Law Courts thereby exceeding the five years time period and the prisoner will not be executed. Attorneys at Law then makes a puppy show Appealing the prisoner sentence at costly expenses.
Understandably, wiping out Caribbean Corruption, numerous Caribbean families will permanently depart England of their own free will.
Yours truly
JERRY MERVRIEL NURSE
Caribbean Voice”
@Simpleton Simon
+++ One party won all 30 seats because the PEOPLE so decided.+++
If this is your best response to Proportional Representation we can safely say you are ignorant as shiite! You don’t understand one shiite about PR. You say that 70% voted for the Bees. Presumably 20+ voted for the Ds?
Then under PR, both main parties would have gotten seats; so also SB! (see https://barbadosunderground.net/2018/06/03/parliamentary-democracy-under-the-microscope-agenda-for-change/)
Stop talking B&D shiite and go and learn something new for a change! You sound like a person with mental rigor mortis!!
@Simpleton Simon
And PR would have saved Barbadians from committing the inadvertent folly they perpetrated on themselves…they would have removed the DLP from power without saddling themselves with a one party government!
You know, for whatever other reasons he may have done it, Bishop Joseph Atherley has done us a favour and washed some of the mud spatter off our simple-minded, two-party faces.
Time to show some frigging appreciation!
@Nextparty246
+++What can a Party actually do (not say) to convince Barbadians that they will do what they promised?+++
For starters, Grenville: let not that party do what you did!
You came to fight the 2018 election with two entrenched parties and rather than fire laser canons and howitzers, you fired .22 barettas! Why? so that you would not offend anyone and get a job after the election…after all, a man got to eat, you figure. So it was no surprise that you were seen in the party at Graeme Hall trying to help fix the sewerage problem.
If you are going to change things in this ossified society, you WILL have to be forceful and suffer temporarily. You say you are a Christian? Have you not learnt anything from the sufferings of Christ, or Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela? Get frigging real!
You lack passion. It comes out in your writing. It is always apologetic. Nobody is asking you to cuss but yuh got to get some passion. Leaders MUST have passion! I can write fluent, high brow English but you can’t always be so coldly cognitive!
You betrayed the electorate. At a time in 2018 when people were seriously open to a third party for the first time, you let your gigantic ego step in the way and got mired with ¼ million dollar penalties and all the irrelevant shiite about crossing the floor; which floor you had never even walked on!. You dropped the frigging ball! Still SB got 14% of the vote; the highest of any of the third parties. Ceteris paribus, under Proportional Representation, SB would have gotten one seat!
I know for a fact that someone with both qualifications and skills in Marketing offered you free help with the 2018 election. That person specifically mentioned the mental space for a third party and how to position yourself to capture it. Anyone with a knowledge of Marketing knows the importance of mind share and positioning for new products. So apart from being an expert on ISO 9000, you are also presumably an expert on Marketing! Ergo, between you and Paul Gibson, you squandered that Marketing help!
In summary, Grenville, you and SB under your “leadership” are spent forces. Behold, you have missed your visitation!
@Ironside
There is a reason why Tom Adams, Mia Mottley et al are described as political animals. There is a reason why politics is described as a blood sport.
David
November 1, 2019 5:54 AM
@Ironside
There is a reason why Tom Adams, Mia Mottley et al are described as political animals. There is a reason why politics is described as a blood sport.(Quote)
What does this gobbledegook mean and how does it contribute to an intelligent conversation?
You have so immersed yourself with a critical mindset that anything posted by this blogmaster will be filtered through your jaundice lense.
#shoofly
@ Hal October 31, 2019 6:38 PM
“I say again, we should get rid of Brexit, play a central role in the EU and press for greater union,”
What you are hoping for isn’t going to happen.
@ Robert
I do not know the future. But thanks for the tip.
@David
It is, for what that is worth!
@Simple Simon “+++ One party won all 30 seats because the PEOPLE so decided.+++”
@IronsideNovember 1, 2019 4:37 AM “If this is your best response to Proportional Representation we can safely say you are ignorant as shiite! You don’t understand one shiite about PR. You say that 70% voted for the Bees. Presumably 20+ voted for the Ds? Then under PR, both main parties would have gotten seats; so also SB! ”
I understand proportional representation PERFECTLY. You and the DLP would have more credibility if you had advocated for proportional representation during the many, many years since the 1960’s when the DLP was in office. But the party NEVER did so. Advocating for PR now just makes you seem entirely self interested. Nobody is persuaded that you are being genuine. The PEOPLE do not owe the DLP any seats in Parliament. The people do not owe Solutions Barbados any seats in Parliament. If the DLP and SB want seats they will have to WORK for them. I have been a long time DLP voter, and I look forward to voting for a renewed DLP.
In the 2008 election the DLP won 77,681 votes; that is 55.55% of the votes, and 20 seats; that is just barely over half of the votes, but 2/3 of the seats. I did not hear any call from the DLP for proportional representation then. Why not?
I am any ordinary Bajan, but NOT a simpleton. You can ask any of the boys of BU. The PEOPLE have spoken. If the DLP and SB are wise, they will listen.
Simple Simon
Neither B nor D
But looking forward to voting for the DLP again
Nobody owes the DLP, nor SB nor any other party a seat in our tax payer funded Parliament.
If parties want seats they will have to WORK for them.
Now go…
And WORK.
P.S. I don’t want a seat. I am happy to live on my pension.
I’ve read that the issue of PR was raised by Dr. Pedro Welch. In my interactions with him I have found him to be a scholar AND a gentlemen, but he is also the son of Maizie who has served as a DLP Parliamentarian. Has his DLP mother had zero influence on his political views, a little influence, a big influence?
Was he speaking as a scholar and a gentleman? Or was he speaking as a member of a DLP family? Neither? Both?
@ David BU at 5 :54 AM
There is no good reason for politics to be a blood sport. It never was and never will be. Politics is about managing society in the interests of the POLITAI. That is the citizens (of Barbados). You may try to redefine it; but that notion is ignorance at the highest level.. That attitude to governance is the root cause of why we are where we are today. A foolish short sighted game of one- up- man-ship.
@Vincent
Volumes can be found addressing politics and the blood sport reference. In local parlance many on the blog will be able to contextualize the comment.
Hope you enjoyed yourself yesterday evening?
David
Where is the lack of transparency? The government amended the Act (debated in Parliament for ALL to see, hear and read) to say the Minister shall appoint an Executive Chairman with the consent of the Cabinet. That is what the Minister has done, in the process setting out why JBS is suitable for the appointment. Have you ever seen an ad for the post of Governor of the Central Bank?
@ Vincent
My apologise on behalf of the sensible people on BU.
apologies…
@ Vincent Codrington November 1, 2019 12:11 PM
Please don’t make it look as if that observation of politics being a blood sport is uniquely applicable to the Bajan situation and its origin attributable to some two-bit local politician now dead as a ‘King David’ door nail.
Such a statement on political realities can be associated much earlier with Aneurin Bevan; that late great Welsh socialist politician and UK Cabinet minister -who is still held in high esteem for the introduction of the enviable National Health Service.
Maybe we should ask ourselves why politics today is in such a terribly messy state. Is it because people like you prefer to sit (like us) on the political fence and watch the world go by?
“One of the key problems today is that politics is such a disgrace, good people don’t go into government.” ~ Donald Trump.
“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” ~ Plato.
@ Miller at 1 :02 PM
Some of us like the visible roles ;others perform roles behind the screens making sure things move seamlessly.
.
@ Ironside.
My man I like you.
BAD!!!
You is a next person heah pun BU who, does speak truth to power, AND YOU DOAN CUSS!!!
I jes can’t understand how wunna people does do it
Because I is a cuss word man I went to the internet to see if it could inform me about my speech deficiency.
It said “…Why do people curse so much? Some people believe that cursing is a way for people to express how they feel but have no words to adequately or creatively express it.
For some individuals, cursing is a way of life. It is probably something they learned from their parents as they were growing up so that it has become second nature for them…”
So as I was trying to categorize myself I was looking at your language as you addressed Grenville Phillips the Bedroom Policeman which was
“…For starters, Grenville: let not that party do what you did!
You came to fight the 2018 election with two entrenched parties and rather than fire laser canons and howitzers, you fired .22 barettas! Why? so that you would not offend anyone and get a job after the election…after all, a man got to eat, you figure.
So it was no surprise that you were seen in the party at Graeme Hall trying to help fix the sewerage problem…”
Class, my man class!!
My retarded uneducated self would have called him a political poochlicker seeking to ingratiate himself with the party in power
A *H pimp and a few udder words that show I ent got no broughtupcy!
Then looks how you slap Simple Simon round she head with “mental rigor mortis”
My man, you is a bossssss denny!
Mental Rigor Mortis!
You dun know I going to Dr GP my fellow myope and apostate to determine the medical veracity of that phrase!
Simple Simon gor MRM! And Bedroom Policeman is infected with MAM Mugabe Amor Mottley and it mek he “apologetic”
Superb!!
I gine keep watching you my man Ironside
@ the Honourable Blogmaster your assistance please with an item here for Ironside thank you
@ Piece the Legend November 1, 2019 4:01 PM
“Mental Rigor Mortis!”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Piece, the man “Ironside” is what you would call a ‘literary hard-seed’.
By referring to the brain-dead Simple Simone as being in a mental state of “Rigor Mortis’ he has effectively used the scalpel of a wordsmith to perform ‘FGM’ on her pea-shaped brain.
She has simply received a verbal dose of her own medicine of chemical castration.
Now she should be able to ‘feel’ what it’s like to be in the same sack as a 4 year old eunuch.
PIECE
left out Simple Simon she is only 21
but the man wid the face like if he come from sesame street that could not win one seat when he had de chance he is 42 ………..THAT MEANS HE IS A WHOLE IDIOT!
BUT THE CONDITION OF MRM IS MORE EVIDENT ON BU FOR A WHILE NOW
I HAVE POLITELY PREVIOUSLY CALLED IT BRIMBLING BUT SOME ARE EVEN BETZPAENIC i.e they lack functioning brain cells……..murduh
Not brain dead. Not waiting fa nah Parliamentary pick, nor na board pick. Not waiting like a pig to bubble in the trough of the tax payer’s money. Old enough to be Grenville’s parent.
I still say that if the DLP truly believed that proportional representation they could have changed the Constitution in 2008 when they had a 2/3 majority in Parliament.
They are just a bunch of short sighted, self serving b’s (and here I don’t mean B as in BLP) who misgoverned, misspent, insulted the people, insulted the female electorate, even though female voters are in the majority and now crying in their cold soup and begging for seats in our tax funded Parliament.
They will get seats in Parliament again, when they are willing to WORK for them.
And when Ironside and the other dinosaurs disappear from the party.
Was painting the kitchen today, so didn’t really have much time to worry with the boys of BU.
Ironside:
I asked what parties would need to do. You did not give an answer, but instead wrote uninformed rubbish.
Solutions Barbados was the only party specifically calling out both the BLP and DLP for their evident gross mismanagement of the national economy and reported gross corruption, and providing an effective solution to address both. So you are writing uninformed rubbish.
We have had several persons offering their services, but they also wanted significant fees. We did not have hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend. So again, you are writing uninformed rubbish.
I knew going into politics that I would likely never work in Barbados again. That was the price I was willing to pay to offer Barbadians, including ignorant haters like yourself, a competent alternative. So your accusation is false and you are writing uninformed rubbish.
If you wanted to know what I was doing at Graeme Hall, then why not ask me rather than writing uninformed rubbish.
There was no ego. I formed Solutions Barbados and gave it away to the members. We wrote no special place in our constitution for me. I have the same power as the newest member of Solutions Barbados, namely one single vote. I can be removed at any AGM. So you are consistently writing uninformed rubbish.
Our constitution, which was unanimously agreed, specified penalties for receiving bribes to vote other than how we promised Barbadian voters. Going bankrupt for betraying the people of Barbados seemed a useful restraining penalty. Your accusation is false, yet you still consistently write uninformed rubbish.
If you want to know something, why not act like an adult and ask for the information. Why write such uninformed rubbish? Does a pat on the head from the haters on BU mean that much to you?
You see the attitude and response and disdain this man has for anyone who has anything to say about his megalomania?
A single comment by Ironside about his one man party becomes a virulent narrative directed at the man and his immediate graduation to the rank of being among “the haters on BU”
Now mind you, Mugabe Mottley cuss Bedroom Policeman Grenville Phillips real bad at her annual Conference BUT HE DARES NOT SAY ONE WORD AGAINST HER, the true opponent and Enemy of Barbados
But, see how he comes running from his novel, like some rodent, to pounce on Ironside
Wunna see why de ole man telling wunna HE MUST NEVER ENTER THE HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, not even to carry water?
piece
dont hit Bedroom Policeman Grenville Phillips so hard man
de man is the result of an inborn error of metabolism
i got some beautiful pictures in my Embryology and Genetics data base that look just like he man
have mercy pun de semi betzpaenic man
HE DARE NOT SAY ONE WORD AGAINST Mia Mao Mugabe Mottley Primewicker and Biter extraordinaire,, cause he wont get no wuk in Barbados
aprender a hablar espanol. Colombia esta aqui.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/11/02/bank-buyout/
Does that mean that our banking regulators have to be careful of moneylaundering?
The regulator will probably extend the same due diligence if the acquisition was made by a UK based bank. Your stereotyping knows no bounds.
https://trilateral-it.com/every-top-10-bank-fined-as-150-billion-laundered-annually/
Los barbadienses no entienden nada.
Cuando van a aprender?
En su proprio pais no poseen nada.
Yeah…well it’s on them, i posted a Duolingo link here nearly a year ago, so they can all go to hell.
should spend less time posting shite and more time trying to educate themselves and each other.
The same can apply to any small island state infested with corrupt governments.. and lawyers..
“JAMAICANS MISSING THE POINT WITH THOSE VISA REVOCATIONS
Yesterday, Jamaicans were greeted with the news that the United States visas of JLP Minister of Government Daryl Vaz and Opposition PNP senior politician Phillip Paulwell as well as a number of senior policemen and members of the Jamaican business community had been revoked by the United States State Department. This was not the first time that the USA had taken such action as some years ago they similarly revoked the visa of then Minister of Energy, James Robertson who had been reportedly tied to a number of questionable activities and under investigation by Scotland Yard. Back in 2010 as a precursor to the Dudus Saga, the US also unfolded a similar policy that lasted well into 2012. They removed visas from a raft of notable Jamaican businessmen, political activists, entertainers as well as minimized the number of new visas issued in order to drive home their point as far as pressuring Jamaica to accede to their extradition requests. My point though is that Jamaicans of either political stripes criticize each other on the issue of corruption but take no action. The visa revocation by the US is their way of sending a strong signal that the targeted individuals are complicit (one way or the other) based on material that they have gathered on them. It should be seen as a signal to Jamaicans and cause us to clamour for more decisive action on the part of our own government to act.
No one can claim that Vaz has not been in the headlines for a while, worse, after certain decisions that he has authored in his current substantive position. That apart, there has been numerous questions and innuendos floating around on the island with respect to certain high value property developments in Kingston and St. Andrew to which a number of names has been associated, certain large commercial developments involving a number of fingered individuals among other issues, and to which there has been tacit acceptance by our population.
Attempting to conflate the move by the US State Department with the current developments within the US Administration is suggesting that we should just “let it be” is plain and simply
“bullshit.”
Corruption is the spawn of every other social ill that impales Jamaica including political and economic graft, murder, gun running, drug smuggling, gang expansion, lottery scamming…just to name a few. This has been with us for decades and is responsible for the loss of more that six percent of the island’s GDP on an annual basis, all of which is revenue intended for public purposes which is siphoned off into the bank accounts of hand-picked individuals- a gilded “one percent” while the majority of Jamaicans are condemned to live in crime racked squalor.
Our economy is too small to allow this to continue. At the very least, the US economy is one of the biggest in the world and while they have their problems (some of which they are attempting to address) with trying to get rid of this President. The fact is that the corruption does impact the mass of the US population as quickly or as severely as it does to Jamaicans who operate in a much smaller space.
My point is, we need to take heed-do something!”
@For Ironside
In the May 2018 election 111,968 PEOPLE voted for the BLP ; 74.6% of the votes cast.
In the May 2018 election, 33, 985 PEOPLE voted for the DLP ; 22.6% of votes cast.
Bajans are funny people, not aggressive as Hal supposes, or as Ironside would like; but profoundly passive-aggressive, so I am sure that the result blindsided the DLP.
A voter told me a story about one of the candidates, who on election morning was in the school yard to cast a vote along with all the other voters. The good Christian elderly gentlemen and ladies in hats, the young mothers with babies, the first time voter schoolboys with barely 3 hairs on their chins were all polite and friendly with the candidate, exchanged friendly good mornings and hellos etc. No sign at all of resentment. Then the PEOPLE walked into the polling booth and SLAUGHTERED the candidate with their X’s, and came out and smiled at the candidate, and said friendly goodbyes as though nothing had happened.
That is who we is.
The arrogant frauds and thieves Barbados’ low class governments love to foist on the vulnerable people, with their fake investments…that is the weakness of Caribbean governments, too dumb, fraudulent thieving themsleves and backward to do any better.
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/construction/irish-developer-told-to-pay-1-57m-as-caribbean-resort-left-in-a-complete-mess-1.4069565?fbclid=IwAR2ZaXICZHqiZiif9NJubo5gxKh8FoiWFh1xy0Mhr7g13K8R11mS1eA6v5E
“An Irish developer has lost his Supreme Court appeal over an order that he pay some €1.57 million damages over a luxury hotel and resort in the Caribbean left unfinished and in “a complete mess”.
Padraig (Paudie) O’Halloran had appealed over a range of High Court findings, including that he diverted some $1.48 million paid to two companies in his ICE Group for the Buccament Bay resort to his personal bank accounts in Ireland.
Harlequin alleged, between 2008 and June 2010, Mr O’Halloran misappropriated for his own personal benefit more than $13.5 million of some $50 million paid to the Ice Group companies – ICE Group (SVG) Ltd and Cellate Caribbean (SVG) Ltd – for the resort and lived a “very lavish” lifestyle at their expense. It was claimed some $2.25 million was diverted to Ireland.”
@Nextparty246
“I asked what parties would need to do. You did not give an answer, but instead wrote uninformed rubbish.” …So again, you are writing uninformed rubbish” ad nauseam
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grenville, try your ignition switch one more time…or get onto a 45 degree incline…maybe your engine will pick up there…
A pity you are not solar-powered!
Pingback: The Phartford Files: Agenda for a Third Party Part I | Barbados Underground
YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW ONE PARTY STOLE ALL THE SEATS, WATCH THE BIG HATK ON NETFLIX OR THE GREAT HATK
Has there been an investigation in to Harlequin business in Barbados or are the regulators pretending they do not know of what is going on in St Vincent and the UK?
@ Mr Hal Austin
Hal, heheheheh
Why you doan behave doah?
Why you keep asking all these incriminating questions about the inept Financial Services Commission and the Regulators, and by extension the Office of the Attorney General, and the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Roal Baygon Police Force?
How many times the agents of the Mugabe Regime have to be summoned to Barbados Underground to tell you to keep focused on Brexit?
We going have to revoke your citizenship? or ban you from Barbados Underground for showing up our ineptitude this way WITH THESE SHORT SENTENCES TOO!
@ Piece
Google David Ames, Harlequin Properties
@ Mr Hal Austin
Hal,
“…The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) today charged David Ames, chairman of the Harlequin Group of companies, with three counts of fraud by abuse of position, contrary to section one of the Fraud Act 2006…”
What is clearly evident from the many, thousands of entries on the internet, is that this man has been proven to be a crook.
“…The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has paid 2,700 investors around £125m compensation after they lost money in Harlequin Hotels and Resorts-related schemes, with further claims still coming through, the lifeboat fund has revealed…”
But Hal, here is the thing about these matters.
The Serious Fraud Office IS NOT A BANANA REPUBLIC ORGANISATION LIKE OUR LOCAL FINANCIAL SERVICES ENTITY.
And which comment like mine are seen by many as SELF DEPRECATING the fact is that none of my many admirers heheheheh can say that what I post is untrue.
And certainly your posts, Which mine only echo, mean that my admirers ARE YOURS TOO!
Heheheheh
“GPOctober 31, 2019 12:35 PM
re What can a Party actually do (not say) to convince Barbadians that they will do what they promised?”
The only elected leader i can remember with whom i am familiar in my lifetime who fulfilled or tried to fulfill the promises on which he was elected is Donald Trump an he is not a politician.
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Economic growth is an unnecessary evil, Jacinda Ardern is right to deprioritise it
Ardern has put out a national budget where spending is dictated by what best encourages the “well-being” of citizens, rather than focussing on traditional bottom-line measures like productivity and economic growth.
In 2012, writing as a lone economics blogger, I put forward a case for why countries should ditch economic growth as a political priority.
Long revered as a stalwart of a capitalist society the need to grow has come to overshadow everything else. We prioritise it over our personal health, we prioritise it over the health of the planet and we prioritise it over our happiness.
But given that the function of any economy is to provide an environment of subsistence, that could be little short-sighted.
Economist Kenneth Boulding once said that we eat in order to achieve the state of being well-fed, and moving our jaws is simply the ‘cost’ of getting there. We would therefore be mistaken to focus our attention on the act of chewing as the desired end-state when it is simply the price we pay to become fed.
But as long as growth is the target of our economic systems people will continue to focus on chewing, which is neither a sustainable nor desirable trait of an economy.
Which is why I welcomed news that New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has put out a national budget where spending is dictated by what best encourages the “well-being” of citizens, rather than focussing on traditional bottom-line measures like productivity and economic growth.
The government will put an emphasis on goals like community and cultural connection and equity in well-being across generations in what has been described as a “game-changing event” by LSE professor Richard Layard.
As part of the framework Ardern has set aside more than $200 million to bolster services for victims of domestic and sexual violence and included a promise to provide housing for the homeless population.
New guidance on policy suggests all new spending must advance one of five government priorities: improving mental health, reducing child poverty, addressing the inequalities faced by indigenous Maori and Pacific islands people, thriving in a digital age, and transitioning to a low-emission, sustainable economy.
Take a look at the biggest problems faced world-wide and you would be hard pushed to find examples that are more grave than the ones set out in Ardern’s provisional proposals.
Rising inequality, a mental health crisis and climate change are all significant threats, but as long as other major economies prioritise economic growth over wellbeing New Zealand may become a lone wolf trapped in an increasingly hungry bear pit.(Quote)