Several Caribbean islands have gone the route of CBI to shore up government revenues. However, as the video alludes, there is a downside to selling ones birthright for pieces of silver. Whether the report is true or NOT there is the negative publicity which does untold harm. The Barbados passport occupies a rung high on the global passport power ranking. A word to the wise should be enough.
Source: Al Jazeera investigation (YouTube)
Read the following report left to right.
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Follow pattern kills Cadogan. Why is it that we never learn to think for our selves ? Catching at straws in desperation.
@Vincent Codrington December 1, 2019 12:40 PM
Very well said.
Because they never want to do right by their people, the millions they get illicitly from selling out their people is to build them and their crook friends mansions, buy big rides and million dollar condos in the big apple and other metropolis…they will never learn, always trying to be something they are not, always robbing and disenfranchising their own people..
Repeating myself:
I am wondering if our 1M future citizens is really a sophisticated CBI where we end up with 1,000 monied citizens.
My greatest fear is that we end up with mafia (Russian). religious extremists, and/or some ‘narco’ people from the Americas.
I could have said “bad guys” but I wanted to put some fear in you.
These local politicians believe they control the police and have power, but they need to reallse that these bad guys may have no fear or respect for the local police. it is not the timid citizens they are going against. They should also consider that their families are on the island and most likely the bad guys families are back in their homeland.
I am fearful that may “sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. ”
Done with this CBI madness.
Full blown madness!
Why would a RICH person need to become a Citizen by Investment ?
The likely answer is that they are evading or running away from something.
Barbados has had its share of expatriate rich property purchasers. How many became citizens ?
@Hants
Not all searching out a ‘good’ passport are evading or running away from something. Some legit business people living in watchlist countries use their money to avoid the hassle of doing business and travel.
My greatest fear is that we end up with mafia (Russian). religious extremists, and/or some ‘narco’ people from the Americas.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Suppose I tell you that I was told by a former politician who was invited to a hotel room in Cyprus in the early 1990’s ( or was it late 1980’s, can’t remember) when other fellow former politicians were meeting with “white men from Russia” regarding a certain deal requiring change of use permissions!!
He told me his assistance was being solicited but he told them to go screw themselves!!
Well, not quite like that but he told me he just asked them a question about the permissions which would have let them know he wasn’t interested!!
Hants
December 1, 2019 2:44 PM
Why would a RICH person need to become a Citizen by Investment ?
The likely answer is that they are evading or running away from something.
Barbados has had its share of expatriate rich property purchasers. How many became citizens ?
++++++++++++++++++++++
Did Donville’s dentist buddy become one?
I know he petitioned the court here to be allowed to vote in the elections.
So if a person becomes a citizen of a CARICOM State, can that person vote in Barbados elections?
I am a firm proponent of CBI programs for penniless English-speaking Caribbean islands — like Barbados.
Most Western countries — the US, Canada, the UK among them — have similar programs of their own.
The legislation — and the administrative controls — that should be in place to safeguard against corruption are well known. The fact that these controls are not in place in Dominica, St. Lucia or Grenada is not an indictment of CBI programs. It is an indictment of the political elites and voters in Dominica, St. Lucia and Grenada.
News stories about the corrupt financing of election campaigns in Dominica and Grenada have circulated for many years. Yet the voters in those islands continue to elect the politicians involved to their highest offices. Why doesn’t the blog master condemn “the people” and the political culture they have created — instead of putting the blame on the CBI programs.
I know he petitioned the court here to be allowed to vote in the elections.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Might be wrong on that just recall his name associated with the CCJ decision and seeing a photo of him at the “Halls of Justice” in a news article.
@John
Commonwealth citizens can vote IF they have resided in Barbados for 3 years.
https://www.caribbeanlifenews.com/stories/2018/4/2018-04-20-ga-barbados-caricom-nationals-vote-cl.html
@ John
How about that invasion of Irishmen who came to Barbados in the 2000’s? Do you think they were all upright Catholic men? Not a single one was a Russian.
Only recently we had some Irish builders working on our neighbour’s home and the subject came up. With the mention of every surname we all collapsed in laughter. Have a look around Barbados at the abandoned hotel projects then cross-reference the names with the UK’s Serious Fraud Office..
The funny side is that somehow our central bankers think we have something to learn from the Irish management of their economy.
@ Quake John
You are too sensible for this blog. If someone obtains a passport through his/her cheque book, does that person enjoy full CARICOM rights?
For a culture dominated by lawyers it is a mess. Farcical.
@ Hants December 1, 2019 2:44 PM
“Why would a RICH person need to become a Citizen by Investment ?
The likely answer is that they are evading or running away from something.
Barbados has had its share of expatriate rich property purchasers. How many became citizens ?”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bingo!
You have hit the scam of a jackpot in one.
Since the so-called first world countries have their own CBI programmes, why can’t these shoppers for passports of convenience go straight to the well-managed main store and arrange their purchases?
Which rich honest taxpaying law abiding globetrotting above-board business person wouldn’t want to be in possession of an American, Canadian, UK passport any day before that of an Antiguan, Grenadian, Kittitian or Dominican or even a Bajan Caricom passport?
Don’t Caricom citizens still have to apply for visas to visit many countries of the globe including the Grand ole USA the place of the birth of the American dream?
@Miller
Would an Iraqi or Iranian feel comfortable applying for that Visa classification given the prevailing foreign policy position of the West?
@Hal 4:01
Many initiatives are announce without providing full information. It is doubtful if all of the implications are considered.
@Miller
Many of these citizens by investment want to get to the USA. Appearing with a Caribbean passport increases the chance of being admitted to the US
Two links\
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2071903/passports-sale-why-rich-chinese-are-new-super-immigrants
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-islands-caribbean-investment-citizens/are-the-caribbeans-wealthy-new-citizens-a-lifeline-or-a-liability-i
@ Theo
It is a culture of an inability of thinking things through. Policy is not our strong point. The first thing is to take politicians out of policy-making. They are egotistical incompetents.
Games people play…
Entrepreneur Zhi Hua Chen went to costly lengths to deceive immigration authorities that he continuously lived in Canada, paying C$300,000 for passports for his family from St Kitts and Nevis, a month before their Canadian PR cards expired in 2009.
Chen, whose later application for PR card renewal was facilitated by Sunny Wang, entered Canada four times as visitor “David Chen” using his Caribbean passport without admitting he was permanent resident Zhi Hua Chen – a “deliberate strategy by which he would avoid detection of his absences in Canada”, ruled IRB panellist Craig Costantino.
Chen claimed he wanted a St Kitts passport for visa-free travel in Europe, but instead used it to travel to China.
The main purpose, Constantino ruled, “was to allow [the Chens] to travel back to Canada for a month every summer as the appellant’s daughter testified was their usual custom … creating the illusion that they had resided in Canada continuously”.
Costantino acknowledged Chen had substantial investment ties to Canada, part-owning an abalone restaurant in Richmond, BC, and buying real estate which he “flipped” – but added “I do not have confidence that the appellant has fully disclosed his assets.”
Costantino upheld the five-year exclusion of Chen last September 13. His wife and two children relinquished PR status.
@ David December 1, 2019 4:12 PM
And wouldn’t the same “Iraqi or Iranian born person holding a Caricom passport have to go through the same channels of scrutiny when applying for a visa (temporary or permanent) to visit the USA as any black-skin full-blooded West Indian Rasta, drug pusher or petrol station worker?
Wouldn’t terrorist alarm bells go off when the place of birth is highlighted to be one of potential danger to American citizens?
Why do you think people from certain well-known parts of Barbados are denied visa to the USA if not on the basis of the applying the principle by ‘collective’ guilt by association.
Even UK citizens (especially black) have to go through a ‘background’ checking process when visiting the USA. Why not “West Indians with olive skin originating in the ME?
@Miller
True.
Do not trivialize the fact Caribbean passports permit visa free entry to many countries.
http://stkitts-citizenship.com/visa-free-travel/
David December 1, 2019 4:57 PM
But not to those top destinations like the grand ole USA without serious scrutiny.
There are other behind-the-scenes factors driving the CBI sale. Not just easy-travel’ to big Western cities which can be bought in their own country of birth or residence at the ‘right’ price; if only through the legitimate ownership of expensive properties in the same country of desired destination.
I had to search hard for this story as I read it years ago, It shows how some of these new citizens really feel about our countries
https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonmontlake/2013/07/03/beauty-offshore-a-caribbean-passport-for-a-chinese-restaurateur/#18f1acfb6a2a
Two quotes from It:
Last November she resigned from a political sinecure after it was revealed that she held a St. Kitts passport. Now the 55-year-old restaurateur has a right of abode on an island that holds no attraction for her. “It’s too far and too hot,” she complains.
Now she’s a citizen of an island nation that she has visited only once and didn’t find to her taste. “I never want to go back,” she says.
David
December 1, 2019 3:46 PM
@John
Commonwealth citizens can vote IF they have resided in Barbados for 3 years.
https://www.caribbeanlifenews.com/stories/2018/4/2018-04-20-ga-barbados-caricom-nationals-vote-cl.html
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Donville’s dentist buddy complete with Barbados ID card.
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.barbadostoday.bb/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/pages-67-harold-morley.jpg&imgrefurl=https://barbadostoday.bb/2015/01/01/bim-too-slow-on-tech/&tbnid=hEBY9RPHBEnKOM&vet=1&docid=rx8iiNfS0SqKbM&w=270&h=391&q=harold+morley+barbados&hl=en-GB&source=sh/x/im#h=391&imgdii=00jr52yAu83u4M:&vet=1&w=270
Slavery Chapter 2 !
@Hal,
“The funny side is that somehow our central bankers think we have something to learn from the Irish management of their economy.”
Am I correct that you infer that Barbados can never hope to be as successful as Ireland, seeing that Ireland’s economy is based on a highly educated and skilled population which has allowed top tech companies to establish there and thrive for more than 40 yeas?
Small 2×4 states, with no potential to attract FDI, have no choice but to resort to all sort of financial gimmicks to shore up revenue. When it’s not flag of convenience for aircrafts and ships, it’s tax avoidance schemes, expat investment programme for residency, citizenship for sale etc, etc. On the other hand, we are quick to criticised those few who are lucky to atrract a few chinese investments or loans from china. China then becomes the bogey man . It’s a catch 22.
Donville and his dentist buddy with the Barbados ID in Malta.
https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/55029948
… and it looks as an independence gift to us, (check date of article below!!) a suspect in the death of the journalist in Malta will be examined.
The journalist was involved in the linking Maltese businesses to the Panama Papers.
The business man is the head of a gambling and property empire.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/30/maltese-businessman-charged-with-complicity-to-journalist
John…….that corrupt businessman got charged with her murder on Saturday, it will take down the dirty government. Apparently quite a few of Barbados’ corrupt got a Malta connection through the same ICIJ exposure, it’s worth watching them closely,, small rats playing in big leagues.
And Donville cannot even remove his Secretary designation on Morleys Malta company, that marriage is there to stay…..lol….it’s all drawing closer and closer and closer…watch the rats scamper, but they hardly have anywhere to run on a 14 x 21 island surrounded by water.
@ SidBoyce
Where do I begin. The Irish messed up their economy in the 2000s, resulting in the collapse of their banking system. Nothing there to teach Barbados. Careless lending allowed their property market to implode, which led to a large number of negative equity properties, and to many Irish adventurers and so-called magnates borrowing to buy commercial and residential properties in the Caribbean, including Barbados. We are now paying the rice for this.
About the well-educated economy? Ireland is benefiting from a number of global corporations wanted to have a foothold in the EU, pay very little or no corporation tax and have the advantage of cultural synergy.
Top techs firms are not in Ireland because of skills and education (the educational system is first class, but not exceptional), they are there because they pay little or o taxes. Look at Amazon if you want to see how these companies game the Irish system.
Put simply, of course Barbados can and should learn from the other 195 nations, but the final choice as to policy7 making must be what is best for us. However, Ireland has nothing special to teach Barbados.
All these side issues to distract from the social and economic realities at home
The Hyatt issue has now become scandalous
Bloody Saturday would remained sealed in the minds of barbadians as a day of remembrance
Govt is getting ready to sell the LESC centre to a foreign entity
The social and economic environment is on skid row
And not a word of concern
Distractions!distractions is the word they play
Discussions on this blog about public administration in Barbados and other CARICOM states should not ignore the underlying causes of dysfunction in the public sector.
During the colonial period, the region was governed by British civil servants, who established and maintained high standards of honesty, integrity and decency in their professional activities.
But after World War II, as the Brits were forced to abandon most of their Empire, and political power passed to locally elected politicians, everything began to change.
Consider the case of Eric Gairy in Grenada. Gairy grew up in abject poverty, but formed a trade union to represent agricultural labourers, and used the votes of his union members to win the first general election in Grenada that was conducted under a universal adult suffrage.
But within one year of being elected Chief Minister of Grenada, Gairy was suspended from office for misappropriating state funds to purchase expensive furnishings for his official residence.
Gairy was subsequently re-elected for several terms in office by Grenadian voters, who never saw a crooked politician they didn’t like. He (allegedly) learned to to be smarter about hiding his corrupt behaviour in office, but the point to be made is that his political party replaced the British tradition of public integrity with something entirely less admirable.
What happened in Grenada has happened in every single CARICOM state. With few exceptions, Caribbean leaders are individuals who were raised in humble circumstances, and have used state power first to enrich themselves, and secondly to obtain the resources needed to finance their political parties and election campaigns. Voters are fully complicit in this corruption, because they ask politicians to buy them clothes, home furnishings and other “gifts”.
In other words, like their leaders, most ordinary West Indians are greedy, corrupt and dishonest people of lower class backgrounds, and we have no one but ourselves to blame for the corruption and dishonesty some people on this blog like to complain about.
@Miller December 1, 2019 4:07 PM “Which rich honest taxpaying law abiding globetrotting above-board business person wouldn’t want to be in possession of an American…”
Well it might be the little matter of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) those fellas expect you to declare ALL of your WORLDWIDE earnings, and if you don’ t pay the taxes due they will send an armed accountant (who actually has been trained to shoot) ’round to your home or business to collect…ooo, any Caribbean island is an easier, safer option.
@David December 1, 2019 4:12 PM “Would an Iraqi or Iranian feel comfortable applying for that Visa classification.”
Aren’t U.S. visas not granted on the basis of PLACE IF BIRTH, rather than on the basis of current passport? And none of us can legally change our place of birth can we? So holding a diplomatic passport from island X will not increase the “diplomat’s” chances of getting an “A” diplomatic visa will it?
So won’t the fake diplomat not have wasted his money?
And U.S. Embassies conduct in person interviews don’t they? So rich person from country “Y” can fake a perfect Bajan accent can he?
Really???
I mean we have al heard of the Middle Eastern born “Caribbean diplomat” who turned up in a first world country, who when question by Immigration officials said he was there t”to see the Prime Minister” He did not see the Prime Minister. He did not see anywhere beyond the airport. His expensive “diplomatic” passport did not get him anywhere.
Because his place of birth is still unchangably one of those naughty Middle Eastern countries.
I am beginning t wonder now, since I can change my gender, how come I can’t change my place of birth? Can any of the bright BU boys answer me this?
After all my mummy dead, my daddy dead, the midwife dead, the registrar at District “X” long dead, I don’t remember my own birth. So since ALL of the witnesses to my birth are either dead or have amnesia about the event, how come I can’t just recreate my place of birth? After all there is not a single person on earth who can truthfully say “it int so.”
I think that I should be able to say that I was born in Afghanistan, Zimbabwe or any other place in between, and that any of those countries should be compelled to issue me a document facilitating this.
In the 21st century, down with this business of tying a person to a single place of birth.
That has to be some kind of obscene discrimination.
@TheOGazerts December 1, 2019 5:30 PM “Now she’s a citizen of an island nation that she has visited only once and didn’t find to her taste. “I never want to go back,” she says.”
It is too far, too hot she complained. But “far” and “hot” are all relative. I think that Bejing is too far, and I think that Trinidad is too hot, but hundreds of millions of people disagree with my assessments.
And for St. Kitts this woman’s distaste is immaterial, there are billions more Chinese where she same from..and there are billions more dollars to me milked via citizens by investment programs. People are ALWAYS willing to pay for what they do not have. It is who we are as human beings.
Leh she galong do.
@Miller December 1, 2019 4:50 PM “Why do you think people from certain well-known parts of Barbados are denied visa to the USA if not on the basis of the applying the principle by ‘collective’ guilt by association.”
I doubt that this is true.
I feel that Miller made up this fake news.
@Miller December 1, 2019 4:50 PM “Even UK citizens (especially black) have to go through a ‘background’ checking process when visiting the USA. Why not “West Indians with olive skin originating in the ME?”
I am looking here at what the British government tells its subjects:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa/entry-requirements
“You’ll need to get a visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) visa waiver to enter or transit the USA as a visitor. The ESTA allows approved applicants to travel to the USA for up to 90 days for the purpose of tourism, certain types of business visits, and transit to another country. You will generally qualify if you hold a valid ‘British Citizen’ passport with this internationally recognised symbol on the front cover, and you:
@Hal Austin December 1, 2019 4:34 PM “It is a culture of an inability of thinking things through. Policy is not our strong point. ”
Who is this “our?”
Does this “our” include Hal Austin too?
@Ewart
Our ideas overlap in several places. However, I would have ended with just “We have no one but ourselves to blame for the corruption and dishonesty some people on this blog like to complain about.”
These politicians once elected only have themselves to obey. All of these islands traveling on the same trajectory (downwards), unless they manage to find men and women with high ideals and who are willing to put the interests of their country ahead of their other interests.
We see the same ideas/schemes occurring in different islands.
We have competition between islands for business and businesses relocating to where they can get a better deal.
And always, some investors indicating their willingness to move to a next island unless their demands are met.
Politicians who seem intent on getting as much money as possible whilst in office
It is difficult to see how with these forces at work, how any of these islands can stop the downward spiral.
@Ewart Archer December 2, 2019 6:51 AM “During the colonial period, the region was governed by British civil servants, who established and maintained high standards of honesty, integrity and decency in their professional activities.”
So Barbados’ “colonial period” began in 1627 and all that.
From 1627 to 1834, that is for 207 years Barbados was a British colony, and the British “civil?” servants ensured that as much labour as possible was extracted from the black people who were forced to come to Barbados. Explain if you can exactly which part of that was of high standard,honest, and of integrity and decency?
1834 to 1838 was a period of “apprentiship” How can an experienced labourer be forced into a fake “apprentiship” after decades of on the job experience? Was this not a means of forcing labour our of a people who had already had labour forced our of them and their ancestors for the previous 207 years? Explain if you can exactly which part of that was of high standard, honest, and of integrity and decency?
1838 to 1937. In 1937 the people of Barbados had to rise up in revolt against bad treatment, hunger, poverty, hardship and low wages, wages which had remained stagnant for 100 years. Do people typically rise up against good government??? During this period people, mainly infants and toddlers died. 220 out of every 1,000 children born, died before their fifth birthday. My own brother (still living, so this is not ancient “dem say” history) almost died. Our uncle had his infant coffin all ready. Explain if you can exactly which part of that was of high standard, honest, and of integrity and decency?
Barbados was NEVER a place where high standards, honesty, integrity and decency was applied to the majority of people. The people of Barbados survived (some just barely) in spite of British colonialism, and not because of it.
Colonial “civil” servants NEVER governed in the interest of the colonised. They ALWAYS governed in the best interest of their beloved home country. After all they all took an oath swearing to uphold the best interest of the British crown.
The koolaid in another form has been extended to BU and i cant help to watch how the gullible easily indulge
Very amusing
Mia i must hand it to u send out policy measures and just watch the reaction here
A new set of monkeys drinking koolaid and participating willingly in a monkey survey
Very entertaining
Meanwhile the issues at home that daily affect the people are sweep under the rug
@ Simple Simon
Are you the genuine Simple Simon or are you another surrogate? What does the colonial civil servants have to do with the current ,economic , political and social issues in Barbados 2019. Have you too joined the Pity Party. Please get a hold of your self You are out of orbit..
@ Vincent
You have a stomach for trivia. This revisionist nonsense, people writing about events they neither experienced or studied, can get very boring.
I find it rather strange that over 50 years after constitutional independence we are still talking about the evil the Brits did to us. At some point we must wake up and accept that we are where we are because we cannot help ourselves.
@ SirSimple SimonPresidentForLife December 2, 2019 8:31 AM
“Colonial “civil” servants NEVER governed in the interest of the colonised. They ALWAYS governed in the best interest of their beloved home country. After all they all took an oath swearing to uphold the best interest of the British crown.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And in whose interest(s) are the modern-day UWI educated civil servants governing?
If the Auditor General’s reports are anything to go by, clearly not in the interest of the taxpayers cum average citizen named Johnny Blogs!
The Barbados Civil Service was much better manned and managed 50 years ago than it is today.
How come public workers with 7th standard education modeled off the British-system could have solved problems facing the then society but which continue to elude and bedevil modern civil servants many of them with ‘Master(s)’ behind their names instead of inside of their heads?
Just look at the state of your streets and buildings and tell us if the public sector managers of today are better than those who were in charge of workers with only a donkey cart, hoe and shovel or a broom and paintbrush?
Sir Simple Simon
Under the British, Barbados was part of a global empire created by military conquest.
The empire was governed in the interests of the United Kingdom, not in the interests of Barbados.
The British civil servants who administered the empire, including those who ran Barbados, were following orders and instructions from the British government in London. These public servants did not invent slavery, did not make most public policy decisions, and did not create the poverty and squalor that most black Barbadians lived with.
When I speak about their integrity and decency, I am describing the ethical standards they adhered to. They did not steal public funds for personal use or private projects.
@ Miller at 9 :50 AM
Thanks for that breath of fresh air. I was about to suffocate.
@ Hal
Thanks for keeping a straight course , when we are tempted to be distracted.
@Vincent
The issues shaking out from our colonial past are not unique to Barbados. Hope we are not trivializing the psychosocial issues that are a legacy of the arrangement.
@ David BU
If after almost 70 years of internal self government and 53 years of Independence we are wallowing in the “legacy of of the arrangement”,do you not think it reasonable for me to “trivialize” your perceived”psycho-social issues”?
How many millennia do you need to grow up/man-up?
@ Vincent
We live in a blame culture. We blame our parents because we are not all 6ft 8ins tall; or that we did not all go to Harvard; or that we not get the bright girl in the village.
We blame the Brits for enslaving us; for colonising us; for granting us independence; for not giving us reparations; for not coming as tourists; for not spending as much as they should. We blame the psycho damage impose by the Brits for the number of murders on our streets.
We blame the Antiguans because they would not buy LIAT at the price we are asking for; we blame foreign creditors because they ask for too much interest on their loans; we blame nature for giving us such a small island.
@ Hal at 12:01 PM
Unfortunately we fail to see that this attitude will get us nowhere fast. That waste of nervous energy could be used in creatively conceiving ways forward and selling these ideas to persons who can implement. But we prefer to play games of one- up- man-ship.
Now if ya had an intelligent government they would see that the marijuana is actually a savior. and in the fullness of time the benefits will be seen…..but it has to STAY IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE…the Rastas and the majority population…or they can kiss their big plans to tief it goodbye…
until then let them smell shite trying to please and appease IMF and all those owed billions of dollars, that is what they deserve…traitors…..they STOLE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS…over decades, all of them….all their offshore accounts are packed with money, they love to boast of their millionaire status… and they refuse to bring back a dime to help the economy, and for that they will pay…
@ Vincent
You are right. We talk about the insignificant things and allow the big ones to pass us by. Do you realise this government has just introduced legislation giving the minister final say in the appointment of staff at CBC, our only national TV station?
Put another way, the minister will have direct influence on the news, current affairs and programming, or at the very least, influence. In other words, the new CEO (what a bogus title?) will forever be looking over his/her shoulder when making decisions. So, does that mean we will now be getting propaganda instead of news? Our democracy is at risk.
Yet , silence from the commentariat.
The intent is to keep the docile population even more backward and use them for voting purposes only, feed them more lies from that trashy CBC, keep their heads spinning with nonsense….there are no plans to have a well educated, well informed citizen, but they will be shocked to learn that everyone of them will still be kicked out of the parliament despite all their nasty moves…….there has been a shift.
Human beings are by default blame-seeking animals. Rich or poor, black or white, we are all guilty. People in rich countries whine and complain for just about anything as those in poor countries. The only difference is the issue at hand. The man or woman at the bottom complain about oppression from those at the top, and those at the top complain about the most trivial of issues and unmet expectations.
@ Hal
No surprise there. I noticed it from Day One.
@Vincent
Psychosocial issues are not derived from blame per se. it is how we are educated and socialized to think/behave. Moving from current state to a position born of a vision of where we want to be will always be a work in progress. Blacks in the UK and other places continue to slither down the social ladder and you ask why? This is not a Barbados problem.
@Ewart. Winning the lottery after being poor for your life, how do you think most people would behave in those circumstances ? What’s the psychology impact on the individual or group who have attained power and wealth suddenly? In most cases the end is not a pretty one. The political sphere is littered with those stories. Gairy, in Grenada is just one of many.
African leaders felt they and their tribes had won the state lottery after independence from their colonial masters. The concept of the common good and nationhood was foreign. State enrichment of themselves and the tribe was paramount.That’s how they were socialised in the traditional ruler culture.That’s why you can’t blame them totally back then.
@ David Bu
I believe that we both passed through the same education and socialization process. I do not feel traumatized. What is it you want me to say or to do?
@ Vincent
I had a very Barbadian education and have felt, and still do, very confident in myself. Nothing I have experienced in the UK has traumatised me. I competed with the best and came out smiling – thanks to St Giles and those wonderful teachers. Still have the book I got from the head, JO Morris, when I left.
@ Hal at 5 :15 PM
Like you, the Barbadian socialisation and education processes prepared me adequately for life and the World. I wiould not change it if I could.
@Vincent
Beware painting with a broad brush.
A court action has been brought to block the election in Dominica. Never a dull moment this area of the pond.
@ Mr Hal Austin
Tread carefully with these comments or you may find yourself moderated INTO SILENCE!
THAT REFERS TO A SITUATION WHERE YOU ITEM IS POSTED AFTER 15 BLOGS!
a de facto silencing!!
You said and I quote
“…Put another way, the minister will have direct influence on the news, current affairs and programming, or at the very least, influence. In other words, the new CEO (what a bogus title?) will forever be looking over his/her shoulder when making decisions.
So, does that mean we will now be getting propaganda instead of news?
Our democracy is at risk…”
You blog that sweet sounding post with our Democracy is at Risk AND DE OLE MAN POSTS
“…MUGABE IS A DICTATOR…”
But de ole man is a seditionist and is guilty of treason AND TO BE LOCKED UP, 2 YEARS WITHOUT BAIL, AND I I UNLUCKY LIKE THAT FELLOW BOYCE, 10 YEARS WITHOUT GETTING THE CASE HEARD!!!
So are you finally getting the drift of why people, other than Ironside, post here, under pseudonyms?
Well, if you have not Hal, it is because people here FEAR WHAT THE REWARD FOR DISSENT IS, UNDER MUGABE!
You living in England now but the day you get powful foolish and go back to Barbados, you going learn you lesson HARD!!!
@Vincent, why frame this as a “Follow pattern kills Cadogan.” Do you really NOT see this that the politicians are indeed thinking for themselves as they appropriate as much money they can from wealthy individuals … just as has been done over time by many others!
You and others lambaste @Simple for her push back at the remarks from @Archer but in turn travel a path that also boggles rational thought.
Of course we the citizens have to take ownership for the political leadership shenanigans over these many years and of course our civil service of these, so called above, ubiquitous 7th standard talented masters and mistresses did Herculean work but this trope that there was not mismanagement, nepotism, self-serving and blunt promotion of incompetence back then is RIDICULOUS.
Does one have to repeat the indisputable truism of the massive shadow EWB had over Bajan operations of the day…we all recall the reference in the Duffus commission report surely!
It is farcical nonsense to suggest that a nation which gave us a king slayer and a king who woukd abdicate to run off with his mistress; who gave us political scandals like Philby and Profumo to name but two; whose pre war PM befriended and patronized Nazis; whose civil service (some) and government gave us lies on WMD etc ad infinitum, ad nauseum and add folly of Brexit… just so happened to send ALL their most excellent civil servants to the Caribbean to tech us natives what governance integrity and efficiency was all about…steeeupse.
Again I say we MUST surely accept our own folly re our current predicaments as we have facilitated our problems worst than any others before, but those here who frame our demise that ‘those jolly, ole wondrous Brits left us oh so well there, ole chap’ are propagating ridicule and good old fashioned BS!
We all look back fondly but often the 20-20 hind sight is anything but; its fogged by old cathartic eyes and strange nostalgic musings…there were surely great men and women who did awesome things in the bygone era but there were grave failings too…maybe that script has flipped and there are more failings now than successes but still let’s not sanitize the old script so ridiculously !
@ dpD at 7 :41 PM
What point are you making? You have not addressed the issues raised in this particular discussion. Please deal with the issues. Your veiled ad hominem are ignored.
AD HOMINES IS THE PLURAL OF AD HOMINEM
PLURAL VERB PLURAL NOUN
PLEASE DONT DESTROY THE LATIN
@Ewart Archer December 2, 2019 10:08 AM “The British civil servants who administered the empire, including those who ran Barbados, were following orders and instructions from the British government in London.”
Ahh yes. The old “I was just following orders from my government in London said the British civil servants from 1627 to 1838.”
Ahh yes. The old “I was just following orders from my government in Berlin said the German civil servants from 30 January 1933 – 30 April 1945.”
@Vincent Codrington December 2, 2019 9:19 AM “@ Simple Simon. Are you the genuine Simple Simon or are you another surrogate? What does the colonial civil servants have to do with the current ,economic , political and social issues in Barbados 2019.”
It is I brother Vincent, the one and only Simple Simon. Just seeking to shed a little light for those who want to believe fairy stories of Barbados’ most glorious past.
Please note that I am NOT in favour of bad government, bad decisions, stealing, incompetence, bad mindedness, wickedness nor nothing so.
But I also feel no need to look back at the past, the recent past nor the distant past through rose coloured glasses.
Ah Vincent why are my remarks an ad hominem?
I used your screed as the jump off point but I did NOT attack you or any others personally…ad hominem: (of an argument or reaction) directed against a person rather than the position they are maintaining. accd. to the dictionary!
I attacked the ridiculousness of the comparative reference to some halcyon era of the much above ballyhooed civil service of the 60s, 79s, 80s vrs the current incumbents.
MY screed was more focused on @Archerx’s remarks but you and others seemed to agree with his central premise that the Brits were so wondrous and we then took over and fundamentally screwed things up.
My point simply stated: that thesis is simplistic BS.
@Hal Austin December 2, 2019 9:44 AM “Vincent. You have a stomach for trivia. This revisionist nonsense, people writing about events they neither experienced or studied.”
Can you point out exactly what is revisionist? I stated facts, not opinions.
And by the way how do you know what i have studied or what I have experienced?
Simple Simon
Neither “B” nor “D”, citizen, taxpayer, blood donor, volunteer, worker, earned my own living by the sweat of my own brow (and by my brains too!! LOL!!) not a blowhard though.
I don’t see how some people see a statement of facts as casting blame.
I am not sure what they were teaching at St. Giles back in the day.
Or what some pupils learned, or did not learn.
GP
Quite logical eh?. Except that Vincent is singular; hence hominem. Ad hominem when transferred to English usage becomes a collective noun ; therefore the phrase can have a plural verb. Language nuance? Lol. Scroll.
@Hal A
Put another way, the minister will have direct influence on the news, current affairs and programming, or at the very least, influence. In other words, the new CEO (what a bogus title?) will forever be looking over his/her shoulder when making decisions.
++++++++++++++
So, what else is new? The Gov’t is just formalizing the process where every elected Bajan Gov’t has exercised control of the CBC, have you ever watched the CBC Evening news? Early in the tenure of the last Gov’t One Caribbean (parent company of the Nation) applied for a license to operate a TV Station and of course it was rejected. The Nation has been friendly to Mia and the BLP what are the chances of One Caribbean obtaining a license? I would think they are less than zero the Gov’t is not going to give anyone the means to “cut its ass”, politics is politics.
We Gathering
Errata
I would think there are less….
@ Simple Simon.
Thanks for confirming that you are not a surrogate.
However, with regard to the level of corruption in the Public Service of Barbados I lived through and worked during those years when Barbados was given high ratings for probity by international rating agencies. My views are based on facts;not anecdotes.. My training does not allow me that lassitude.
The first sentence is correct
Brain fart or someone has been messing with my coffee……
@ Sargeant
Please trust your use of English. The original “they” is correct. It refers to chances.
See article entitled “Malta’s ‘golden passports’: Why do the super-rich want them? at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50633820
@Tony Trotman
Just like some of us opined. It was never sustainable. Our politicians lack the ability to be creative in policy making and hunting worthwhile initiatives that are wholesome.
We have unleashed a monster within our Caribbean region with regard to our various Citizenship by Investment schemes. St Kitts and Nevis is again embroiled in adverse publicity – reference link below.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62907926
The BU heavyweight and UK journalist in an exchange with Quaker John on December 1, 2019 @ 3:45 PM quoted:
“How about that invasion of Irishmen who came to Barbados in the 2000’s? Do you think they were all upright Catholic men? Not a single one was a Russian.
Only recently we had some Irish builders working on our neighbour’s home and the subject came up. With the mention of every surname we all collapsed in laughter. Have a look around Barbados at the abandoned hotel projects then cross-reference the names with the UK’s Serious Fraud Office..
The funny side is that somehow our central bankers think we have something to learn from the Irish management of their economy.
By condoning the practice of CBI, we have to accept that our Caribbean region has tacitly accepted the growth of criminalisation within our region.
TSLN,
As much as I agree a moral high road, lets stop with the naivete.
In ever country politicians prostrate themselves to those with dirty money from the “marginal dirty” of the tax evasion, to the “real dirty of illegal drugs, human trafficking etc”.
Corporation executives too, only to blush and crocodile tear when caught. Petty fines solve that problem.
Many a headbob has enabled incompetent square pegs to slot into round holes, in both public and private sectors worldwide.
So the Caribbean is neither angel nor outlier rascal in this.
A look around the globe today sees the reek of corruption.
N’est pas?
Mia Mottley was outstanding in her presentation to the United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services. She highlighted the inequity of western policies that have led to the De-Risking of financial services in the Caribbean.
Her comments below cannot be refuted,
“Look at the list of countries who are listed and you will see they are all former colonies and people of colour,” the prime minister said.
“And look at the countries, in spite of being able to open a bank account in hours in Delaware or Wyoming, within hours in Luxembourg or Zurich, and they remain off of this list that speaks about the risk to money laundering and look and see where the divide comes.”
I hear your comments Crusoe but we should never accept that because other countries casually accept corruption as a genuine extension to their economy then we should follow suite. Larger and more stable countries have the capacity to “limit” these distortions of their economies should they desire. We do not.
On another thread entitled “MILLENNIALS POORER – WHAT IT MEANS FOR BARBADOS”. The main reason why Barbados is expensive and has become unaffordable for the majority of Bajans is that we have gone down the route of building our economy on dirty money at the expense of building a sustainable and corruption free economy. Our governments over the years have neglected their duties to serve their people.
America is a mafia state. It offends them that small countries such as Barbados have the audacity to aspire to want a slice of the dirty money cake. The government of Barbados has to be clean. They should never allow those dirty countries such as America to impose their dirty and despicable economic culture in our region. Without all the dirty monies washing around in our economy we would have affordable houses, unlimited access to our beaches, a more robust economy which would not have to rely on tourism and the rest!
Crusoe going down this route will spell the end for black Africans living within the Caribbean. Why would a people disenfranchise themselves and their descendants – permanently – for Judas money.
@ David,
If Donna had her way, I would not be allowed to post this link as it is sourced from The Guardian.
The Barbados media house is minuscule and is controlled by the incumbent government.
GP and Waru appear to have gone AWOL.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/11/golden-passports-dominica-citizenship-by-investment-cbi-scheme
@TLSN
Make your points respectfully and stop the flame throwing. It is what decent people do.
@ David,
Here’s a follow up from yesterday’s link.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/oct/12/dominica-golden-passports-citizenship-by-investment-cbi-scheme
Thankfully Barbados although desperate for forex avoided taking the CBI route.
@ David,
https://barbadostoday.bb/2023/10/12/govt-considering-citizenship-through-investment/
@Hants
That is an error.
The government of Dominica has provided the template for CBI within the Caribbean region. Their Prime Minister and others have benefitted, handsomely, from this “scheme”.
https://www.cbiu.gov.dm/dominica-citizenship/
There is this if true.
https://www.imidaily.com/barbados-special-entry-and-residence-permit/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyUS40OACvQ/