Est.2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

Garbage Trucks Saga

← Back

Your message to the BLOGMASTER was sent

CONTACT THE BLOGMASTER ONLY

Barbadians were promised in recent days that 10 new garbage trucks – urgently needed – would have been mobilized in time for the Holidays. Although there has been no official announcement by the Mia Mottley government as to why a faulty configuration of the 10 trucks have prevented deployment, information in the public space indicates that the cab of the truck accommodates only two persons and the standing bar on the outside,  one instead of two. It should be noted this government in its infinite wisdom has recruited a PR/Communications team that is second to none if compared to previous governments. There is no reason information should not be readily available regarding matters affecting state apparatus.

The blogmaster is sympathetic to the fact there will be breakdowns in procedure from time to time, although it should never happen in a well functioning system. Garbage collection continues to be a hot button issue and the government leading into the last general election was not bashful about reminding the electorate the former government had not purchased a single garbage truck during its 10 year tenure.

The embarrassing fiasco currently playing out that the $400,000 dollar garbage truck x 10 will have to be retrofitted – no doubt at taxpayers expense – is cause for concern. Given the size of the procurement order, coupled with the importance of the transaction to maintaining a clean environment, a simple thought at the time of signing off on the purchase order should have suggested that those responsible ensure the garbage trucks  ‘fit for purpose’.

All that is left for the blogmaster to opine is that any self respecting administration should immediately request the resignation of the minister responsible (Trevor Prescod) and chairman of the Sanitation Service Authority (Rudy Grant) with immediate effect. We have to start to hold our officials accountable. Given historical behaviour the firing and or resignation of ministers appear to be removed from the remit of the Prime Minister.

The blogmaster is keenly aware the political polarization that exist means that every mistake will be amplified for political gain. This blogmaster is more concerned to ask – how was this sizeable mistake allowed to happen given the modus operandi of this government in period of enhanced financial surveillance ans austerity.

Thg more things change the more they remain the same.

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

668 responses to “Garbage Trucks Saga”

  1. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    And for those who keep knocking all those who work for government – my hardworking and cheerful collectors came and took my garbage away so quickly I had to run behind them with my food scraps. They then blew the horn all along the route so others would hear and not have to run behind them as I did.

    All government workers are not alike. Both guys on the back of the truck get off and help with the piles of garbage they face. If garbage collection was more regular then there would not be piles and then perhaps we would be able to get by with one man. But of course there would be the added fuel expense and there would have to be more drivers and vehicles purchased and maintained etc. Pick your poison!

    One should always view the situation in its entirety and in its context.

  2. Baje Avatar
    Baje

    It has been established that the previous administration purchased at least 1 truck in 2013, still this Minister of Misinformation continues to mislead this once honourable house.
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    TO ALL YOU DLP DEFENDERS AND APOLOGISTS 1 GARBAGE TRUCK IN 10 YEARS IS THE SAME AS BUYING NONE.

    PLEASE GO BACK AND CRAWL INTO YOUR HOLES.

    BOTH DLP AND BLP HAVE BEEN USING ELECTED MPs, ASSIGNED SENATORS, ASSIGNED CHAIRMEN/WOMEN AT STATUTORY CORPORATIONS AND SPRINKLED IN DRUG LORDS (FINANCIERS) INTO A MORPHED CRIMINAL GANG FLEECING THE BAJAN TAXPAYERS VIA THE TREASURY.

    ANYONE WHO CAN ESCAPE THAT RATS NEST OF AN ISLAND AND GO ABROAD AT A CHANCE OF A BETTER LIFE THEY SHOULD DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER BE CANADA, UK, USA or elsewhere.

  3. David Avatar
    David

    @Dr. Lucas

    You are missing the point.

    Let us accept your position, then the union and relevant players should have been apprised BEFORE the trucks landed.

  4. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Soooo….. no corruption in Canada, UK or USA????????

    My rat’s nest got internet so i know that the US of A is nothing but a bigger rat’s nest. The MPs of the UK were up until recently charging the taxpayers for their porn. And I wasn’t paying much attention but even Canada’s Prime Minister was recently found to be pulling some corrupt strings, I understand.

    I was born in the UK but I will battle it out here, thank you very much!

    You have your problems where you are.

    My cousin who lives in Canada answers almost every complaint I make with -“We have that here too!”

    There is no perfect place on earth because there are no perfect people. And in almost every country there are laws for the Medes and laws for the Persians. There is no justice system on earth that deals with the rich and powerful in the same way as it does the poor and vulnerable.

    NONE!

    All we can do is to fight to make things better. IN EVERY COUNTRY!

  5. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    What needs to be asked is… if Barbadians are not going to be participating in the building or maintenance of these robots how will these jobs be replaced?

    Will automation solve any problems or create more problems? Will the money saved by employing robots be lost by the cost of the social upheaval that may result due to increased unemployment?

    Who says that we must follow the world and employ robots?

    What good has it done in the countries that are employing them?

  6. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    “Come out, come out, wherever you are! Loren-zooooooooo!

    But seriously folks, how many times has this administration bungled simple situations in the last year and a half?”

    yeah…and got million dollar consultants too and halfwit yardfowls too..

  7. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    Wily’s going to make NEW YEARS PROCLAMATION, by year end 2020 he bets that no more than 5 of the just delivered garbage trucks will still be serviceable and on the road in use, this is assuming that they ever get put into operation.

  8. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    “There is no justice system on earth that deals with the rich and powerful in the same way as it does the poor and vulnerable.”

    well i take great offense when the rich, who were once a bunch of poor ass lice infested wretches….got rich BY TIEFING FROM THE POOR….and then ya rancid leaders try to cover that up too…by blaming the poverty they created in the population on the POOR.

  9. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    This saga is not one that should lay blame at Union feet
    The saga would not have occured if govt was openly transparent about complete details before purchase
    As for the SSA workers it seems as if those in and out of Barbados couldnt careless about the tiring conditions and the effect which these dump trucks would have in production of the worker all brought about by the differing changes of the truck specifications

  10. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    WURA,

    And so do I take great offence. That is not my point. The point is that some people want to suggest that everyone who can should run away to heaven, sorry the UK, USA or Canada and leave the “poor souls” who have no options behind.

    I’m just pointing out that these countries are not heaven. We have news feeds in our rat’s nest. There are similar problems everywhere. The white people ain’t perfectly preparing a place for poor people or black people!

  11. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Robert Lucas
    @ Wiley
    Employment of Labour is a vehicle for spreading the GDP down to the lower income groups. A decision that seeks to reduce the workers in the SSA is not in keeping with our social objectives. Already, in Barbados, there are university graduates who have no jobs. We have to be careful how we achieve modernity at the expense of poverty.

  12. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    A lot of roads in Barbados have no sidewalk.

    That is one reason why the SSA workers should have a platform at the back corner of the trucks.

    Workers make mistakes especially those who know they will not be fired.

  13. Baje Avatar
    Baje

    @ Donna

    I don’t really care where you were born and certainly my comment wasn’t directed at you.

    If you can read and comprehend instead of being on your high horse you would have observed I never said that there was not corruption in US, UK, Canada or elsewhere.

    However I do know that there are far more greater opportunities outside the 2×3 island of Barbados where most people aren’t limited by who they know or whose asses they have to kiss to make a better life for themselves.

  14. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    “sorry the UK, USA or Canada and leave the “poor souls” who have no options behind.”

    bigger the country… much, much bigger the problems..

    at least now that all of this has been exposed on TINY Barbados, it can be contained and dealt with, not covered up anymore….that was the idea…TOTAL EXPOSURE..

  15. Baje Avatar
    Baje

    The white people ain’t perfectly preparing a place for poor people or black people!
    xxxxxxxxxxxxx

    Another asinine comment.

    As a black man living overseas in some of those same countries I am yet to meet a white person or white driven media holding me down or others I know.

  16. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    Dr. Lucas
    “ Soon all of those trucks will be driverless…….”
    Question: How soon ?

  17. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ David December 28, 2019 2:37 PM

    Tell about the trucks and see how long the discussion are going to take. That is one of the problems around here ,endless meeting and discussion and nothing gets done.I am reminded of the gantry Crane at the port (do you call to mind what happened then?) Total automation is a couple of decades away- Get on aboard the ship or be left behind.

  18. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    Correction: should be talk about the trucks

  19. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Baje December 28, 2019 2:09 PM “ANYONE WHO CAN ESCAPE THAT RATS NEST OF AN ISLAND AND GO ABROAD AT A CHANCE OF A BETTER LIFE THEY SHOULD DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER BE CANADA, UK, USA or elsewhere.”

    Like Donna I CAN go elsewhere. In my case the USA or Canada, but I choose to be here where the temperature is 27C on a fine December day, the grans are delightful, I grow my own veggies and I know and love my neighbors,

    No rats in at me. I got a male kitten and as soon as he turned 6 months and started to mark my place (he mistook t for his place) I took him to a FEMALE vet who removed his balls (“snip, snip and they are all gone she told me”, and so said so done.

    He is excellent at keeping rats at bay, and I don’t have to put up with cat piss all over the place.

    A male without balls is just wonderful and useful to have around.

    Lolll!!!

  20. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ William Skinner December 28, 2019 4:27 PM

    I would say about two decades but Barbados being Barbados add on another decade for safety,

  21. David Avatar
    David

    Dr. Lucas

    Not challenging your view except to suggest the issue at hand was not caused by planning for automation. There was no discussion with the union about the new configuration of the trucks. If the decision to retrofit is correct it suggest there was a catastrophic foul up in the procurement process.

  22. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    https://www.facebook.com/CBCNews.bb/videos/1031437507057386/

  23. John2 Avatar
    John2

    Dr Lucus & David

    Another option that is coming
    Government purchase and give out the trash cans that can be loaded automatically
    Then the one loader would have to lift a toffee paper
    The trucks are equipped
    Yes it the dealing with the union/s that’s to be sorted out

  24. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Is CBC, under the direction of Commander Moe of central command, reporting any of this? Was Commander Moe trained under Mao Tse Tung?

  25. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    Chairman Mao died 9 September 1976, (Yes i googled it. Lolll) the lady whom you appear to reference was but a young child then.

    I was a beautiful youth in 1976.

  26. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    It is amazing how those who worked in international countries and are protected by govt laws and standards on their places of employment would not hesitate with high expectancy for small island workers to be subjected to slave labour conditions

  27. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Simple Silly

    Know what the Jesuits say?

  28. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    Vincent Codrington December 28, 2019 3:41 PM

    You should know that there is this idea of paying people money not to work. Some countries are actively researching the pros and cons of the idea. If the idea is executed spreading GDP to lower income groups is obtained.

  29. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ David December 28, 2019 4:41 PM

    I maybe wrong, but I view it as a way to modernize quickly and to improve productivity. I give them the benefit of the doubt.

  30. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Hal Austin December 28, 2019 5:21 PM “@ Simple Silly. Know what the Jesuits say?”

    Not Roman Catholic. Therefore have not spent a lot of time studying Jesuit philosophy. But I don’t doubt that since the Jesuits have been around for a long time that they have said/written a whole lot of things.

    Since you are Roman Catholic perhaps you can enlighten me?

    And isn’t it past your bedtime anyhow?

  31. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @Simple Silly

    Yes mother. Waiting for the late night news. Is that OK?

  32. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    Very odd. Initially they brought in trucks of size and configuration for Bim. Now they get some big a** North American trucks oddly configured. 400 grand landed is not out of the ball park. They could have got smaller, but those are dual drive with a single operator which is not good for employment. Or those with lifting capabilities, which means newer garbage containers and less employment. Still very big trucks. Better to have something than nothing, and these babies can hold alot of cargo, so less trips to the dumping yard.
    That is now what? 15 more in <2 years than the D’s managed in a decade? I guess garbage trucks are not considered an investment in the social economy.

  33. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    @ David December 28, 2019 4:41 PM
    “If the decision to retrofit is correct it suggest there was a catastrophic foul up in the procurement process.”
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Where would this ‘retrofitting’ take place? Are any of the local garages equipped to perform such so-called retrofitting?

    After all the environmental song and political dancing and prancing around, is it a simple case of changing the position of the battery from the left side to the right, is it?

    This ‘missed’ configuration to suit the cart roads of dirty Barbados seems to be too much of a deliberate evasion of simple commonsense to be rationally considered as a ‘genuine’ technical and administrative mistake in the procurement process.

    I suspect Senator Caswell is right on the money in smelling something rather ‘fishy’ about this purchase ‘deal’ involving a few trucks of loaded left-handed kickbacks to those who have learnt from the master ‘Denis’ the Downlow(e) the art of the deal signposted: “Where is My Cut?”

    “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?”

  34. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    Imagine two parties known as the Duopoly cannot even order the correct garbage trucks after fifty three years of independence and six decades years of collective governance.
    We laugh so that we may not cry.

    The Duopoly Rules

  35. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Baje,

    Has it occurred to you that some of us don’t kiss ass and are living quite happily right here just as you are out there?

    You are nothing but a jackass if you think we all have the same experience or that nobody where you are has to kiss ass to get a job.

    Some don’t only have to kiss the backside. They have to suck the frontside too! That is why there is a me too movement started in the USA.

    I told you we have internet in our rat’s nest.

    PS. There are plenty rats in all US cities. There are even cases of the Bubonic Plague.

  36. Baje Avatar
    Baje

    @ Donna

    Some don’t only have to kiss the backside. They have to suck the frontside too! That is why there is a me too movement started in the USA.

    I told you we have internet in our rat’s nest.

    PS. There are plenty rats in all US cities. There are even cases of the Bubonic Plague.
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    Pea Brian and don’t they have Rats in Bridgetown including the ones at the ‘Purity’ Bakery that would have been shut down in any developed country except for the Banana Republic 2×3 island kickback Barbados.

    Escaping is not for old fogeys like you or Simple Simon it is for others who have many more productive years in their lives and who want better for themselves.

    Since you were the one to drop about people having to suck the frontside I wonder how many times you dropped on your knees.

    No need to have your mind in the gutter to agree or disagree.

    You may have the last word.

  37. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @Baje December 28, 2019 9:27 PM “Escaping is not for old fogeys like you or Simple Simon it is for others who have many more productive years in their lives and who want better for themselves.”

    This is something that I am watching.

    Don’t assume that those who have migrated have more productive years.

    In my own immediate family those who have migrated, 3 so far and counting have had shorter lives than either their parents or grandparents who stayed in Barbados

    I know that one should not draw conclusions from such a small sample.

    But if the small sample were your immediate relatives would you not be concerned?

    What if migration is so hard that it REDUCES life expectancy?

  38. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    Don’t assume that more is better.

    What if more is not better?

  39. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    What a maroon! Because I am aware that people in America suck the frontside to get ahead I must have done so??????

    Fool, I saw it on the news! Matt Lauer, Bill O’Reilly, Harvey Weinstein etc etc etc???????

    Is stating the truth that refutes your shit gutter talk????

    Better my ass!

    From what i have seen you have one refrain, the purpose of which seems to be to make those of us who live here seem like losers who should envy your escape into heaven.

    But here I am not at all envious because I have the internet and I know that many many Americans are one paycheck from poverty. They cannot afford college. They cannot afford healthcare. They do not have four hundred US set aside for an emergency.

    For the first time in decades the life expectancy of an American is on the decline and also this is the first generation that is destined to be poorer than their parents.

    PS. I am not an old fogey. And I have a good life right here. Furthermore, if I moved to England I would not be migrating but returning to the place of my birth.

  40. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Just for the record, off BU I am just the same as on BU. If you can imagine my BU persona kissing ass or sucking front to get ahead then so be it.

  41. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Donna

    Anybody who lives overseas and believes that the quality of life is so much better has never really enjoyed the beauty of our country or the Caribbean. They tend to measure quality in a very personal and narrow way. I have enjoyed Lammings in St.Joseph going down on evenings; enjoyed breakfast in the Fairchild Street Bus stand very early on mornings; fishing with friends all over the place; enjoyed watching others fish down by the wharf on evenings; have visited every beautiful site we have. To appreciate our country one has to go beyond jobs and material comforts.
    I know that I could live a million places, I cannot ever see them as superior to the rock.?More advanced in some areas but never superior. Believe me I have nothing but admiration for those who never left. They are in many ways the smarter ones.

  42. Chris Halsall Avatar
    Chris Halsall

    @Donna: “Just for the record, off BU I am just the same as on BU.

    Just for the record, I would not want to meet you in a dark alley. Unless, of course, you were on my same side.

    Then I would really welcome you being there. 😎

  43. Baje Avatar
    Baje

    Believe me I have nothing but admiration for those who never left. They are in many ways the smarter ones.

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    Smarter in what way?

    Well, well, well.

    Some of us have our heads buried in the sand in 2019.

    I am one of the ones who lived a life on the island that most would dream of so I have no axe to grind.

    However, unlike some I choose to speak what I know to be factual not talking shite about what I have observed on TV or on the Internet.

    I speak of only what I know and the blacks that I come in contact with in my network of colleagues.

    I don’t live in Brooklyn or any other overseas ghetto that others who choose to leave find themselves like crabs in the bucket.

  44. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-rants-against-rat-infestation-while-his-properties-are-health-code-horror-shows

    Even the President’s property has rats! Wuhlaus!

  45. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    So….. news, it seems, isn’t factual, We should not believe what we hear on the news we should believe the relatively small circle of people with whom you interact.

    For the record, I have relatives and friends who have migrated and are living the good life. I chose to stay and i am yet to regret it.

    My head is not buried in the sand. I am just quite happy here and know many others who are too.

    We have much work to do to improve Barbados but right now I wouldn’t even visit the mess that is the US of A. Americans done lost their cotton picking minds.

  46. Chris Halsall Avatar
    Chris Halsall

    @Donna: “Americans done lost their cotton picking minds.

    Yes. Most of the world has already figured this out. The stock markets and the currency markets have already “baked this in”.

    I don’t understand the confusion.

  47. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    https://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article235674352.html

    And plenty mice in his other presidential abode!

  48. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Chris,

    If American is heaven then how do we explain Trump’s being in charge??

  49. Baje Avatar
    Baje

    You know what have me laughing is I was attacked because I said that there are many more opportunities for a better life outside of Barbados and named several countries.

    I never highlighted the USA out of any named but ignorant and bigoted individuals choose to highlight the USA because of ‘news’.

    We live in a global village in which the USA is but one country.

    I have been lucky to travel to at least 30 so I am not living in some box with tunnel vision.

    I am no BAJAN ELECTED Politician, hand-picked Chairman or Senator, and definitely no Drug lord working in collusion to fleece the local complaining and suffering population of taxpayers including everyone paying VAT on purchases.

    That is where the energy and focus should be on.

    So in your ignorance continue to attack the USA it does not bother me one bit as the world is made up of more than 190 countries.

    I am looking on from a distance right now in Mexico, not with jaundiced or bias vision,

  50. Chris Halsall Avatar
    Chris Halsall

    @Donna: “If American is heaven

    Where was that ever claimed?

    There is no heaven.

    There might be, on the other hand, aspiration.

The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading