In the social media world it is referred to as click bait, not sure of the equivalent in the dead tree world.
A few weeks ago the BU blogmaster was critical of the Sunday Sun editor for offending the sensibilities of many Bajans by inserting a picture of Peter Wickam and partner on the front page. The objective of report was to share the news a prominent local person had taken a husband? There was reference to a marriage to further irritate.
Today the Sunday Editor repeated poor judgment by introducing as front page news a disagreement between late Prime Minister David Thompson’s wife Mara and her mother in law Margaret Knight. It seems like a story traditional media should have left for the blogs to rumble with. Truth be told circulation is flagging and money makes the world go around.
A more worthy angle would have been to inquire from Mara Thompson when her husband’s will was probated and to confirm if she is the beneficiary of tens of millions largely derived from her late husband’s servicing of the CLICO account. This is a matter of national import given the hundreds of CLICO policyholders poorer for purchasing CLICO product. Instead the Sunday Sun preferred to share the news that Mara Thompson turned her back on the 88 year old mother in law by refusing to pay her rent.
What would the late David Thompson say if he were alive to see his mother spurned by Mara?
P.1
P2
Margaret Knight is the grand mother of the late David Thompson’s children.
David has once again identified the really important story. Thank you for your neutral investigative journalism. Mara Thompson is a typical representative of the racist DLP-apartheid state, which oppresses the black masses. The DLP grandees and DLP functionaries in the bureaucracy are like white wolves dressed in black sheepskin. Barrow and all the other DLP supporters wanted independence from Britain only to mercilessly exploit blacks without international control. They really succeeded from 2008 to 2018. Today, the social gap between whites and blacks in Barbados is greater than ever before – thanks to the destructive policies of the last DLP government under Chris Sinckler and his hated ministerial colleagues.
It is time for the people to join Mia Mottley in a torchlight march to DLP headquarters to bring down the ringleaders of this conspiracy.
Mara Thompson still has a very good chance of getting a seat in parliament in the future. Just look at the naive and impoverished blue masses. The supporters of the DLP love to be exploited and smell excrement from the south coast. Must be some kind of sadomasochism.
One Caribbean Media seems to enjoy taking digs at Barbados. If advertisers in the paper won’t help us show that we do not appreciate their Sunday editor’s cheap shots, they themselves should be judged guilty by association.
No surprise, as MP and rep she was always accused of being nasty to the people of St. John, insulting and uppity while sleeping in front of cameras in the parliament acting like she was so entitled and never lifted a finger to do anything for the people she represented.
“Mara Thompson is a typical representative of the racist DLP-apartheid state, which oppresses the black masses.”
and no different to the racist BLP apartheid state, is the current PM not godmother to her children and David’s best friend…all you dirty frauds and ENEMIES OF BLACK PEOPLE want dismantling and taking down in grand style.
This just highlights the lowclass shitehounds for leaders in both toxic racist governents, all they have ever done and STILL do is suck free money from the taxpayer’s and pensioners and that is only when they are not stealing money by the hundreds of millions of dollars, robbing the elderly and their beneficiaries….the original no good negro and common class thieves posing as governments who have nothing to offer the people who pay their salaries, not even an original idea ….and …who need mutlimillion dollar consultants to tell them what to do…the island and people will be happy to be rid of these damn bedbugs.
How dare you compare the wild men of the DLP to our government.
By equating the criminal DLP syndicate with our beloved government, you are crossing all boundaries of political decency. When OSA was Prime Minister, Barbados was on the threshold of the First World. After Thompson, that little manduro, had snatched power with lies, Barbados sank deeper and deeper every year from an almost fully developed country to the abysses of Central Africa and Venezuela.
It is also a fact that the Americans have convicted an arrogant, white-loving DLP grandee and not a respectable BLP minister of money laundering.
@Tron
Your shtick is getting old, not sure if you think it’s funny but it is boring me to tears, time to try a new routine
You want me to switch sides and play court jester for the DLP? That’s a big challenge.
If the nation continues with this type of ” news” it should change its name to The Star.
So many issues out there of importance like the economic fallout from the Corona Virus and this is the best wunna can do?
@David blogmaster “given the hundreds of CLICO policyholders poorer for purchasing CLICO product”
Are the CLICO policy holders poorer? Or is it we the taxpayers who are poorer?
Asking for a friend.
@Simple Simon
Both.
Pure crap. Nation brings a gay marriage. BU highlights it. Nation brings a family dispute . BU highlights it.
So who guarding the guards. Nation and BU on the same page.
BU highlighted the Nation bringing the story not gay marriage.
BU highlighted he Nation bringing a family dispute to the front page ahead of pressing issues.
Per usual the blogmaster will not expect you to glean the not to subtle difference.
Finally, have you called out Spot on for the derogatory references he makes daily about other commenters?
#hypocrisy
Oh dear. I read the online Natin early this morning and did not notice the front page story. Then I bought the paper edition and was surprised to see the story.
Can’t really say that I blame the Nation though. It seems to me that both women [notice I did not say ladies] it seems to me that both women freely spoke to the media.
The thingy about returning the unwrapped and resealed present in the mop bucket struck me.
Now I have received my [un]fair share of unwanted gifts in my fairly long life. But I have NEVER returned any to the donors, and I would certainly not return any in a mop bucket. I have a kitchen cupboard and a bedroom drawer full of the things. When I die my children like the sensible they are will transport the unwanted items directly to Mangrove landfill. That way nobody’s feelings are hurt. I don’t believe in unneccesarily hurting the feelings of others.
Once I gave a gift to Little Susie. Years later after Little Susie had moved out of the place, I found the gift carefully stored in the dirt cellar. I am not a poor great poppet. I liked the gift then. I like it now. I took it up, gave it a nice soap and water bath and it now occupies a proud place in my home. Tastes varies. i expect that my little treasure will go directly to Mangrove landfill once I close my eyes for the last time. Little Susie I still love ya, and I still love my little giftie.
I see the story a different way. It is insight into the way people operate. The letter of May 2019 from Mrs Thompson was seemingly intended to deceive, rather to just ‘get Ms Knight out’. [Was the Mapps property sold?] The lawyer representing Ms Knight was well aware of this, but it was accepted anyway? The courts can now determine if it is a valid contract or not. Did Mrs Thompson similarly put in writing to her late husband’s siblings, an explanation of their future role?
These are useful lessons in life situations many of us encounter. At least as newsworthy, as writing about a $28M structure which has never been occupied, and little research as to WHY this is the case.
Relationships can be difficult. I could write a whole book about difficult family, friends, neighbors, colleagues etc.
Old people can be difficult. I can write ten whole books about difficult old people…including myself.
I tend to refer to inlaws as outlaws [but not to their face of course] because what is the point of aggravating people.
So smile, be polite, smile some more.
Lolll!!!
@NorthernObserver March 8, 2020 11:20 PM. “Did Mrs Thompson similarly put in writing to her late husband’s siblings, an explanation of their future role?”
Why would a former daughter in law have to explain to her former sisters and brothers in law “their future role” of the old woman’s children?
The rich certainly are different. Both of my parents died in the 21st century. At the time of their deaths, dad’s pension was less than $400 BDS per month; and my mum’s was less than $500 BDS. He was a skilled tradesman most of whose work life had been before the days of NIS; she had been a stay at home mother for many years.
Somehow we managed, without having to involve lawyers, maybe because we all hate lawyers. Lolll!!!
I read the article. I will not go into whether or not it should have been published. I got the impression that Thompson is a cold and calculating person. There was protest against those who claimed she should never have been allowed to enter parliament. Events have shown how stupid Barbadians are. Presumably, she is getting a pension from parliament, one from her husband and one from Combermere School. Then there is the money that her husband laundered that Barbadians are afraid to talk about. Barbadians should have remembered what happened to the supermarket trying to set-up in St. Lucia. I operate on the basis of an eye for an eye.
@ Silly Woman
“I tend to refer to inlaws as outlaws [but not to their face of course] because what is the point of aggravating people.”
What a wolf in sheep’s clothing you are.
@David the Blogmaster you surprise me ( shock really) with your take on these two issues highlighted.
I am totally confused why you consider two MAJOR local issues: a) Same Sex Marriage – which is not yet legal in Bim, as far as I know – and b) ‘Elder Abuse’/Mistreatment of our Elderly as non worthy of front page attention particularly when it involves equally MAJOR Bajan celebrities/prominent elites!
How can terms like “offending the sensibilities of many Bajans by inserting a picture of Peter Wickam and partner on the front page” or that Bajans were “further irritate[ed]” to be told that a very *”prominent local person had taken a husband” .. even be used practically in a nation which has a ‘closetted’ lesbian head of State.
You DONT think that was front page news worthy announcement or too that a former PM’s wife is kicking that PM’s mother to the kerb??
Then what is bro?
News is whatever is considered of interest to those seeking said news… and generally we are ‘interested’ in the affairs (pun or not) of our top locals!
Bro are u a newsman or not!😎
We can also debate your “sensational” headline of Yellow Journalism.
Since day one of Hoyte and his investors the Nation was considered a sensational ‘rag’ … the amount of scandalous stories they ran to drive readership/reach were seen as too many compared surely to our local grey old- lady ‘ The Advocate.’
So bro, you didn’t just come town so please don’t suggest that modern day click bait has no equivalency with your so called “dead tree world”. 😂
I don’t see how either of these stories fall into the category of scandalous or yellow.
They both highlight very, very topical local issues … that they involve well known Bajans can’t alone make it a scandalous intrusion !
@Dee Word
The operative here is “front page news”.
Truthfullly the Wickham story and this story is worthy of National Enquire headlines
However the bajan appetite for sensatationalism would in the Editor sense of reasoning gives merit to having those type of sensational stories as front page cover
Not to mention the bottom line of sales
Ok so that was getting too long… So now to the meat of this story!
@Northern, I will relitigate your solid take on the story..
I surely see it in the broader context of Elder Abuse which has trended here on BU recently but that apart u hit the key points well.
1.Ms Thompson (by her own quotes) seems to admit her fraudalent deception. As you suggest she “intended to deceive [and] ‘get Ms Knight out’. “
Nothing seemingly about it, just straight up callous dismissal of what her husband allegedly intended for his mum.
Not sure I get your “The lawyer representing Ms Knight was well aware of this, but it was accepted anyway?”
Aware of what? Mara’s deceptive practice?
2.Valid and pertinent query: “Was the Mapps property sold?”
The quote that Thompson told her mum-in-law to come live with her certainly suggests something changed.
One also supposes there is the overriding contract re the mum’s long term living at the cottage so why was that ‘cancelled’ in theory (no further rent payment) if the practical aspect was no longer possible.
3.Seems to me that letter was thus purporting to change previously well established arrangements and void an alleged earlier contract … I can’t conceive a sensible lawyer accepting such a change willy-nilly … so exactly what went down here!
Anyhow also as you say ‘The courts can now determine [what is] a valid contract or not.”
All that said, I am very dismayed that a daughter and as importantly a former representative of average Bajans finds her actions as noted in the article as proper, appropriate or acceptable.
If it was her husband’s wish that his mother live in that cottage, then unless the family’s financial picture changed so drastically to alter that arrangement then that wish or best equivalency should be continued.
BTW, not that I am getting into the people’s business but heh it’s in the news…
Whatever became of the property, in St. James I believe, at which Thompson lived as a boy with his mum!
Was that a rental as well or long sold.
Just wondering if anyone knew!
“How dare you compare the wild men of the DLP to our government.”
they are BOTH CRIMINAL SYNDICATES…handed down from the 1940s…don’t let me talk about what they have done to children on the island from back then, your PM will be mightily EMBARRASSED….she can’t run away from that evil past, no matter how many fake titles she tries to accumulate..
it is very easy to track a CRIMINAL SYNDICATE CREATED IN THE 1940S, now presenting itself as the crooked, corrupt, incestous bar association….with all it’s criminal members still polluting the parliament….since they have always all been in bed together…literally included.
My single comment on this item:
” I achieved my objective. I got her out”
Let me go in a different direction. When one looks at one of the sums of money ($1000 BDS/month) mentioned and at the big checks that went in DT’s / his wife direction, one must wonder at the underlying relationship between the two women.
Some will criticize me when I say that the widow appears to be a “piece of work”. Just my opinion.
Meanwhile, for those of you with spouses, make certain that your parents receive what you have for them. Put it in writing and do not leave them exposed to the whims/generosity of others.
If she would treat her former mother in law and grandmother of her children like that, imagine how she treated the people of St. John, the stories are horrendous, while sucking on taxpayers, doing absolutely nothing with her lazy self and now still sucking on taxpayers/pensioners unashamedly….two toxic tiefing governments, one and the same, this is the result..vampires and parasites.
she should be telling the people how she is the beneficiary to a multimillion dollar estate while Clico victims are still suffering and hundreds of them have already died thanks to two corrupt governments.
So many issues out there of importance like the economic fallout from the Corona Virus and this is the best wunna can do? {Quote}
@ John A
Some a wunnuh here does freak me out.
What is wrong with BU posting a little trivia sometimes?
Must BU post things you like all the time? What about people who like to talk about these types of things? Shouldn’t BU cater to them too?
What is preventing YOU from submitting a post about the economic fall out from the corona virus, so others can comment on it?
why is this even news in the print media or on this blog? bad bad taste
that post by Tron should be deleted forthwith and he should be warned, if not banned. it is despicable. the guy thinks he is funny but he is an arsehole especially in this particular post
@Tron
let me say this directly to you-
“between impluse and action there is a realm of good taste begging for your acquaintance” the doctor, star trek -voyager.
you are an arsehole
Waru,
i am sorry that i even asked what was this about now that i know . this is a family squabble. most of us have had issues of this nature at some point in our lives and they are never what they seem.
in addition they can be v nasty and are not often for public consumption. neither of the present parties are in public life and their particular issue should be left for them to sort out and not commented on.
had either been public figures at the moment i would have no issues. have we no decency?
“had either been public figures at the moment i would have no issues.”
had they been public figures it would have been nicely covered up and we would not have known how lowdown vile and dirty the public figures who sucked on taxpayer’s money as MP and still sucking on pensioners after spending nearly a decade doing nothing in the parliament…..are and still continue to be…so this is not about any damn decency, no need to attempt a cover up.
And let’s not forget the 30 MILLION DOLLAR plus unexplained Thompson Estate…with the Clico victims suffering great loss.
If she had any decency she would give up one of the pensions, since there are people who worked all their lives and are being sidelined by this government to keep up appearances, they cannot even buy a bread and and pay bills too, so let’s not start on the people with disabilities who get nothing because the pension fund was robbed by both despicable sleazy tiefing govenments and their friends and these people are left to suffer..
..but we already know she has no decency when she collected a salary and did nothing in the parliament, all she did was left St. John in the deplorable degraded state with increased poverty that both governments have left it in from the 1940s.
@ David
Hal Austin has been taking plenty licks on BU over the years. His age; where he lives; his physique; where he comes from have been referenced. He chose to continue writing and it is his choice how he handles his critics. Over the years Hal and I have been on opposing sides of arguments. He has never been disrespectful toward me- never called be RH and a Jackass. I certainly have never called him those names. Furthermore, Hal and I share some very similar views on questions and issues regarding progress for Black people. These groundings were from decades ago long before BU and perhaps before you ever wrote a word any where.
What is “yellow journalism”?
Journalism that is based upon sensationalism and crude exaggeration.
“equating murder and dismemberment with smoking pot is the worst yellow journalism”
So the article in the Sunday Sun is NOT yellow journalism.
Mara Thompson and her late husband David Thompson were public figures who both earned considerable sums of money from the tax payers purse [that is from people like me] therefore Ms. Thompson does not have nor does she deserve the same degree of privacy as Carson the carpenter or Mabel the maid who have NEVER received any money from the taxpayers.
We may not like it when family disputes appear on the front pages, but these folk are not private individuals, and it also seems that BOTH parties CHOSE to speak PUBLICLY about what are generally regarded as private family matters.
I don’t see any exaggeration in the story in the Sunday Sun.
@robert lucas March 9, 2020 12:40 AM. “Presumably, she is getting a pension from parliament, one from her husband and one from Combermere School.”
Neither Parliament, nor Combermere School earn any income, nor do they manufacture money. Most of Ms. Thompson’s pension income is coming for the earnings of the taxpayers of Barbados, people just like me who mostly worked very hard in the private sector who haven’t held a government job since Ms. Thompson and her late husband were children.
@Robert March 9, 2020 7:06 AM
You is bare,bare trouble den!
Lol
Silly woman what are your facts as in reference to all u said about Mara
BU has an intolerance against not having facts
Maybe u are the exception to that rule
there are lines that we should be v reluctant to cross but carry on. remember it can be you
@Greene March 9, 2020 7:31 AM “…neither of the present parties are in public life…”
Even while true. At least one of the present parties is collecting, and CAN COLLECT FOR LIFE a big fat pension courtesy of Mabel the maid, Carson the carpenter and other tax paying Bajans just like me. If ya suck on the tax payers tits yah havta expect that the tax payers will get up into ya business. I mean Prime Ministerial widows can always refuse to take the Prime Ministerial widow’s pension, but have any of them ever refused the money yet?
Don’t make me laugh!
I never tire of reminding wunna “foreign” Bajans that we can’t wipe our botsies unless we pay 17.5% VAT first and that is even though we may not even have running water at home.
Love wunna “foreign” Bajans though, becausin’ a lot of wunna is me family and if you want a kidney you can have it anytime.
this is a private matter between two private people and with that i am done with the matter. hope it works out well for both parties
@SS
If the late PM told his mother she had an apartment ‘for life’ and this was common knowledge among his siblings, then by “selling” the property which included the accomodation ‘for life’ becomes a material change. The challenge is the late PM should have left the Mapps property to his wife and mother in equal portions. Or at least 60-40, so if sold, his mother has the funds to acquire or rent similar accommodations. Things we tend not to think about when alive and well. To assume our spouse will care for our ageing parents should we pass is a ‘no go’.
Asking all of the BU people.
Did anybody at the Sunday Sun put a gun to the head of Margaret Knight or to the head of Mara Thompson and forced them to speak?
Both women had the option of NOT SPEAKING to the Sunday Sun. One woman is the mother of a former prominent lawyer the other is the widow of a former prominent lawyer. it seems likely to me that they may well know other prominent lawyers [or even bread and fish lawyers] and could have [or perhaps should have] consulted with a prominent lawyer [or even a bread and fish lawyer] BEFORE they spoke with the Sunday Sun.
“but have any of them ever refused the money yet?”
and they never will, they are all too selfish, greedy, arrogant and believe that robbing the people and country is a blood sport.
@Senor Greene, yours is a strange and quite incomprehensible post in the context of modern day continuous deep interest in prominent people in society…
@Simple Simon’s riposte puts your strange remarks into proper perspective when she rightly states:
“Mara Thompson and her late husband David Thompson were public figures […] therefore Ms. Thompson does not have nor does she deserve the same degree of privacy as Carson the carpenter […] We may not like it when family disputes appear on the front pages, but these folk are not private individuals, [well they are, but gave up the right for privacy when they became and remained very active politically] and it also seems that BOTH parties CHOSE to speak PUBLICLY about what are generally regarded as private family matters.”
Are you really and honestly suggesting to this blog that if John Major’s wife or moreso Margaret Thatcher’s son were embroiled in a similar family style dispute where legal suits were being lodged that the Brit tabloids or citizens would not eat it up with relish!
If yes your world is quite different from the one I inhabit.
I dislike and avoid most of the personal tidbits of the famous (the royals and Clinton’s particularly) but that’s not to say that when their lives hit or crash from the same speed bumps that we encounter that it isn’t a pure news worthy pleasure to look upon!
@NorthernObserver March 9, 2020 9:39 AM
Agreed.
A relative of mine who had a similar situation, a property which could not be legally subdivided left to two people. They reached an informal agreement [no lawyer] to repair and maintain the property, pay the taxes etc. and to share in any income generated. Perhaps not the sort of thing a lawyer would recommend, but for nearly twenty years now it has worked well for the parties concerned.
This relative said to me that regardless of what David did or intended, if the property at Mapps was sold, the property at Mapps should have had valuations BEFORE any sale, one for the main house and one for the cottage, and that the money from any sale should then have been divided proportionately, and Ms. Knight given the value of the cottage less proportionate deductions for taxes, fees etc. She could then use that money to rent a new pace or as a down payment or entire payment on a new place depending on the amount realized from any sale.
@DIW
“aware” refers to the letter which does not specify a time period, only a monthly amount, for a specific expense, rent.
A lesson here, because many of us do not expect to predecease our parents, is if our intent is to provide for them, we must do so specifically and not assume the living will do as ‘we hope’.
@Northern, but the ageing mum should be treated as my spouse’s mum too and hers mine, in every acceptable context of life, not so!
There are lots of very funny mother-in-law jokes re husbands but all serves to bring light mirth to the real matter of family cohesiveness.
If as you suggest it was common knowledge among siblings, wife and maybe too grands that brother, husband daddy left mum/granny in an apartment for remainder of her life did it also mean or ‘remainder of his life, whichever ends first’!
Yes these things should really be perfectly well defined in legal docs but wouldn’t you consider it perplexingly odd that a lawyer, former PM and devoted son who dealt with matters like that REGULARLY would bypass such a ‘technicality’ !
Maybe he couldn’t conceive his wife and mum ever being at this juncture… Then again I could NEVER have conceived some of the incredible conflict of interest, money laundering and other scandalous llegal allegations lodged against the Combermere Headboy either.
Life can be amazing, can’t it!
Life is full of “teachable moments” and this is another one. May we all learn from this family matter.
@ de Pedantic dribbler
I find this issue very funny.
Honestly, I was surprised to see the story in yesterday’s “Sunday Sun,” requiring FOUR pages………and wondered why two grown women would bring their personal problems into the public domain.
But, as I read on, I realized Thompson’s mother, Ms Knight “TOLD the “Sunday Sun” she is suing her daughter-in-law for breach of contract for failing to continue paying an agreed $1,000 a month in rent for a St. James apartment she is now occupying.” And, she went on to explain further.
Then, on page 5A, I read: “Thompson, who was overseas, was SPEAKING to the “Sunday Sun” yesterday about the contentious relationship between her and Knight, which resulted in Knight threatening to take her to court for breach of contract.” Mara went on to give her side of the story.
We have two women, who apparently spoke to the “Sunday Sun” of ‘their own free will,’ and we’re here debating whether or not it should be a news item.
Ohhhh, don’t worry about Mr. Greene, perhaps he sees this issue as an attack on the DLP and became a bit too over emotional.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“in addition they can be v nasty and are not often for public consumption. neither of the present parties are in public life and their particular issue should be left for them to sort out and not commented on. had either been public figures at the moment i would have no issues. have we no decency?”
@ Mr. Greene
Was your above comment meant for BU……. or for Mara and Margaret?
Both women MADE a DECISION to SPEAK with the “Sunday Sun,” and in doing so, THEY BROUGHT the matter into the PUBLIC DOMAIN. ……. “for public consumption.”
So, why shouldn’t people comment accordingly?
You should ASK Margaret and Mara if they don’t have any decency…… and remind them this is a “private matter between two private people” and should be sorted out privately, not in the newspaper.
On a matter like this views in Barbados will be coloured by party colours, if the commenter is friends or family to Carol Martindale etc. To reiterate- this blogmaster has no issue with the Nation story, like the one about Wickham it should not have commanded front page. We cannot moan about the standard of journalism in Barbados and in the next breath give it a pass when this family matter is featured at a time when COVID-19, pulling back by the minister of education Santia Bradshaw (predicted by the blogmaster), crime etc. We have to reorder our priorities.
My mother was a comedian and a pragmatist. When she had to sharply disagreement with her first son outlaw, she remarked that in Barbados there is a potato slip know as ‘mother-in-law slip”. This slip she told me appears to be lush and healthy but when dug up produces zero potatoes. She said that it was evident that her son outlaw held that opinion of her, beautiful but useless. That opinion may not have been entirely undeserved because when he unfaired her daughter she tried to throw him off the balcony of a 12 story building. He never tried the unfairing thingy again. After that they wisely kept their distance from each other. At the time of her death I believe that she was still on the wanted persons list of a metropolitan police force. May she and her son outlaw both rest in eternal peace. Fortunately they are resting in cemeteries thousands of miles apart. Lol! The police can now close their file on the attempted “throw”
It was international womens day last Sunday?
Mr Blogmaster, there are about 360 front pages a year. Depending on the mock-up of said page there are likely at least 3 front page stories in Nation or Sunday Sunday on any of those days.
COVID 19 is topical, so too crime and Min of Ed fits and stops…so all three of them can be front page news for a week or two bro… still leaves 50 other weeks or 346 front pages to fill!
Thus I still don’t follow your reasoning or logic on suitability, news worthiness or public interest on either story being on front page…
Front page is also the FIRST thing you see on the E-Paper or the print edition to grab attention and interest to drive you to buy the edition !
Is the Nation publisher and editors in business to only follow some spurrious moral standard or to SELL papers?
Let’s get serious about THAT reality and the TYPE of news which really drives us as consumers.
A media house is also in the business of educating, enlightening, informing public discourse. You seem to be locked on the click and bait show me the money perspective.
To repeat, it was international womens day?
@ Silly Woman March 9, 2020 9:13 AM
Point noted
@ Silly Woman March 9, 2020 9:24 AM
Just deduction from your statement.
David BU i agree with you on clamping down on the disrespectful
(To you) Austin. It is long overdue do not mind his sidekick Skinner that,s his friend.However , i disagree with you on this story as Ms Thompson is a former MP and hence would be newsworthy.As Artax said nobody forced any of them to go to the press . Whenever the spotlight falls negatively on the Dems you would expect to see Skinner , John A , Greene and others trying to downplay it as trivial this is their usual behaviour.If thos story was about Ms Mottley they would be parading on here but such is life que sera sera.
Mia Mottley Hal Austin Verla Depeiza
Peter Wickham David Ellis. All the present and former Members of Parliament William Skinner……….
All of us have one thing in common. People know who we are . We don’t hide behind false names. We are proud to let our views be known .
We hope to get to know all of you as time goes by.
It must be a beautiful thing when you can hide and insult people; curse them ; attempt to deny them the right to say anything about the land of their birth; criticise their choice of spouse etc and remain under a rock. To take up a pen and call for people to be band. Nobody knows you. Are you fish or fowl. Black or white. Bajan or not. Live in Barbados or not……..
It must be a beautiful thing when nobody knows where you live; your race ; who your spouse is; what you look like and you have the same privilege of those whose names I have mentioned.
Stay under your rock……….,
Former AG Adriel Brathwaite was provoked on BU David Facebook to rebuked Tron. In fact he challenged him to expose himself.
2nd comment (not on the story, but on the comments)
It must be hard to be a journalist in Barbados….One moment you are part of some ongoing cover-up and the next moment, there are stories that should not be published.
It surprises me that some will come here and claim that this should not be in the newspaper. I cannot fathom the reasoning behind such a statement. It appears that both women went to the papers on their own volition; and the fact that one of the women was an MP for years makes her less than a private citizen.
I must ask, should we just pull the cloak over her years of service as well? Is her time public office now off-limits or is it still open for public inspection.
We have little care for agriculture, but yet we have an increasing number of sacred cows. Let me add, it always gave me a great deal of pleasure to call the name RA and watch a “spirited” defense mounted behalf of that sacred cow..
We can only hope that more of these sacred cows decide to wander off the reservation and graze in the USA.
@ William Skinner
So what if people use false names? The most of you who use your real names here are old retired men anyway, who ain’t got nothing to lose or have a fear getting victimised or nothing so.
It looks like you trying to tell we that using your REAL NAME GIVES YOU the PRIVILEGE to be downright nasty to people, insult them, curse them, tell them they are semi-literate, fools, silly, ignorant, buffoon, bone-head and tell them whatever else they feel like them, when nobody provoked them in anyway to do so and the people they insult should keep quiet, hide under a rock and don’t retaliate.
Never once I every hear you tell your bosom buddies that use their real names that they WRONG to insult people, or to respect their views even if they don’t agree with them, but when the people retaliate, hypocrites like you gine come out now to talk shyte.
The thing is, the people names who you call are in the PUBLIC and obviously people are going to know who they are. If somebody comes here with a name like Tyrone Agard or Paula Weekes, what difference is it going to make? How are you going to know if it is their real name or not? Or, who they are, their race, if they are actually male or female, where they live, thing about their spouses, what they look like and whatever else you say? How are you going to know all that?
If you really believe in fairness, you would be calling for ORDER and GOOD BEHAVIOUR FROM BOTH SIDES and not from just one side. Order and good behaviour from the false name people and from the real name people. Instead, you want to condemn one side.
But David you shouldn’t even open mouth to speak about anyone making challenges to expose a person on social media
For you have many times made said comments towards ac even going as far to speak of ac location
I mean your attitude is as equally nasty as those whom u condemn
@David March 10, 2020 6:04 AM “In fact he challenged him to expose himself.”
As long as we all remember that it is a criminal offense for a man to expose himself/his person in a public place. And BU is a public place.
@Robert March 10, 2020 7:38 AM
You is bare-bare trouble den.
Lol!
Any by the way I am both Tyrone Agard and Paula Weekes. I am black and white and indian, and some days chinese too. I am both male and female, I live in Barbados and abroad, I am both married and single, and some days I am divorced too (no surprise there, lol)
And all ‘o wunna know long time that I am both BLP and DLP, and some days PDP and NDP and Solutions etc. too. But most days I am none of those parties. I love Barbados, I work hard, I pay my taxes, I give my blood, I volunteer in my community, I NEVER litter, I recycle, I work the land, I raised my children well. I looked after my parents and other elders in their old age, I love my grandchildren and help to look after them too. But I am COMPLETELY, ABSOLUTELY DISLOYAL to ALL political parties.
I am me.
@Simple Simon
Behave!
i will break my silence in this thread only to say the first post Tron made on this topic is quite distasteful and had little if anything to do with the subject matter. Tron behaves like the court jester and has been given licence recently by bloggers praising his jestering or whatever it is.
i dont read his stuff generally but as i was skimmimg down the page i saw a reference to a name and wondered what the arsehole had written this time. i read and it rankled me. it was not only irrelevant it was nasty. i believe Sergeant called him out on it.
i think he is an arsehole but i generally ignore him. v few things get my goat but sometimes enuff is enuff. in this instance he ought to be censored but that is not up to me.
i do think this matter is a private one that the parties ought to be left to settle amongst themselves. i think Mara is now a private person and not a public figure notwithstanding her previous position and to whom she was married. many have commented differently and so life goes on
It is politics take the story for what it is
The political knives will be sharpened
But what is amazing is the way and manner David pounced on the article contents and in his self righteous manner calling out the writers whilst glaringly hiding behind a veil of political deceit knowing full and well the response the article would received on BU
@ Robert
You are not a hypocrite because you have a different point of view. I am a hypocrite because I have a different point of view.
You win !
I am certain that what I say here will be misinterpreted by those determined to do so but I shall say it anyway.
It is wonderful when those Barbadians who have left our shores remain interested in Barbados and the well being of those who live here. It is also wonderful when they bring a different perspective (as their distance from and cultural experiences would obviously provide) to the discussions on the affairs of Barbados and Barbadians. What is NOT wonderful is when some of them talk down to us, somehow managing to deride us as losers who probably could not escape the “Hellhole” that is Barbados, doomed to die in despair in the “failed state” of all failed states whilst they frolic in the fantasy life that their “superiority” and “foresight” allows them to enjoy in the wonderful countries to which they have escaped.
And when they diagnose us as somehow suffering from some nebulous disease dubbed “The Bajan Condition”. This condition is inescapable, apparently, for Barbadians who have “lived on a rock all their lives”. If i wanted to be as gratuitously insulting as they I would diagnose the disease that ails these people as “The Overseas Bajan Delusional Condition.” This condition causes them to ignore the problems that we KNOW exist in the countries to which they have fled, many of the VERY SAME PROBLEMS that occur in Barbados.
When we point that out it does not mean that we do not acknowledge that there are serious problems that need to be addressed in Barbados, neither do we wish them to be silent about these problems. But there is a saying, “Sometimes it is not what you say but how you say it”. The way some say it does nothing to motivate but just seems to be an attempt to beat us into the hard ground from which we can look up and “envy” those who have escaped to “greener pastures”.
And all the while there are some of us who were born overseas, entitled to the “prized” citizenship and visas, living normal happy lives here in Barbados, acknowledging and working on its problems, recognising that politicians EVERYWHERE seem to be corrupt, rich are getting richer EVERYWHERE while the poor are getting poorer, cronyism and nepotism and kissing ass (among other things) for jobs occurs EVERYWHERE, INCOMPETENCE AND STUPIDITY in government and the private sector occur EVERYWHERE, the racial and class disparity in the criminal justice systems occurs ALMOST EVERYWHERE, elder abuse is proving problematic for the authorities EVERYWHERE and certainly in the countries to which these fantasy land dwellers have “escaped”. These people may have been lucky enough or skillful enough to have “made it” as were some of our close relatives, i am sure, but the reality is that many other Barbadians have NOT. And sometimes WE HERE are forced to render assistance to THEM and some of us are actually in a position to do so.
So…. we have learnt here, hopefully, that insults include much more than calling someone “jackass” and that we rock dwellers are quite aware of when we are being gratuitously insulted.
PS. What does it matter if we use fake names as long as we do not slander? Using one’s own name sometimes detracts from the very valid point one is making. People often tend to judge the person rather than the point. But surely if one is always commenting on the inferiority complex of the Bajan black when one marries a white person that is indeed relevant to the discussion! How often have I heard black Barbadian men boasting in awe of bedding and marrying white women as a sign of their superiority? They didn’t need to bother with me, I was told on more than one occasion on the street. How often have I seen their shoulders thrown back in pride for having “achieved” such a feat? Bajan condition????? I wouldn’t be the judge of that. But it is relevant.
You are not a hypocrite because you have a different point of view. I am a hypocrite because I have a different point of view. {Quote}
@ William Skinner
You are not only a hypocrite, you are very dishonest joker, too.
All I’m saying is, in one breath somebody is saying it is best if we debate ideas instead of drifting off into personal attacks and insults, and that if you don’t agree with other bloggers, you should read past without saying anything.
Then, in a next breath, this same person comes here everyday, without any provocation and ignoring their own advice, to insult other bloggers and call them all types of NASTY NAMES, that they are ANIMALS and should be in the JUNGLE, talking about the Bajan Condition and how they are silly, bone-headed, appallingly ignorant, semi-literate buffoons that learn by rote.
IS ALL OF THAT NECESSARY?
Why don’t you read pass or ignore the other bloggers, too?
Where is William Skinner when this going on? He CHOOSES TO REMAIN SILENT, HE DOES NOT SAY A WORD.
When people retaliate, the holier than thou William Skinner comes out telling PEOPLE THAT USE FALSE NAMES THEY ARE HIDING TO INSULT PEOPLE.
You trying to tell us, it’s ALRIGHT TO USE YOUR REAL NAME TO INSULT PEOPLE, but when you use a false name it becomes an ABOMINABLE OFFENSE.
You twisting it now to talk about some difference of opinion.
You said you can’t tell people how react to their critics and that in debating sometimes people are sarcastic, but now you got nuff advice for the false name people.
THIS IS DOUBLE STANDARDS AND HYPOCRISY.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FAIR IF YOU TELL THE REAL NAME PEOPLE AND THE FALSE NAME PEOPLE TO DEBATE IDEAS OR IGNORE IF THEY DON’T AGREE, INSTEAD OF DRIFTING INTO PERSONAL ATTACKS AND INSULTS.
William Skinner,
Robert does have a point. What’s good or bad for the real name users (and overseas cohort) and even friends from long ago must be good for the rest of contributors.
As for me, if you continue to defy ALL LOGIC AND COMMONSENSE while posing as an all-knowing academic, I reserve the right to call you what you are.
@ Donna
@ Robert
You are both correct. I am wrong. All I can promise you both is that I personally will continue to resist going into the gutter. Quite frankly I am in agreement with those who say Barbadians living outside should stay aqay from commenting about their country. I also agree with the blogmaster that I am a RH and an Jackass.
Whoever said that Barbadians living abroad should stop commenting on their country? I have never heard such a thing! Also, you and I do disagree sometimes but we have always been respectful of each other and I do not agree that you are an RH or a jackass. You do not come across across as one who thinks we are all underprivileged or stupid for living here and I generally have no problem with you. You are not boastful or gratuitously insulting or any such thing. But you do tend to give Hal Austin a pass and you were a little off in your criticisms of people who use monikers.
PS. I am not one who descends to the gutter except to clean it of the muck that blocks the flow. Sometimes one has to do that, even on BU.
@Robert March 10, 2020 11:36 AM,”… that they are ANIMALS…”
And not only animals, we are also often called savages, as recently when an announcement was made that the BWA would soon remove public standpipes, even though 96% of Bajan families already have running water at home and at the same time an announcement was made that tenants who currently do not have running water at home could receive piped water to their homes even if the landlord withholds permission, and that the landlord would not be held liable for the tenants’ water debt. Permission will continue not be granted in zone 1 in order to protect the cleanliness of water for everybody. And yet we are called savage. Perhaps somebody can point out to me exactly which part of that policy is savage?
Savage: fierce, violent, and uncontrolled.
@Donna March 10, 2020 10:47 AM
You is real-real trouble den. Wha you got to be so reasonable for?
Long ago, in another century, and far away, in another land I had a boyfriend who “insulted” me by telling be
“you know what is wrong with you? You are too reasonable”
Lolll!!!
Since then I have been sure to keep at least two or three thousand miles between us.
I don’t know if he is happier.
But I certainly am.
@ Donna
I honestly thank you for your gracious comments. I feel the exact way about your contributions.
However there are those on this blog who are always telling Barbadians living abroad to stay out of the country’s business.
As for @ Hal ,he like others on BU , including myself, has his own style. I don’t own the blog. The blogmaster sets the standards.
The majority of BU contributors defend the use of false names. My views on this matter are in the minority.
I’m cool with that.
so wow. a thread about nonsense has descended into insults and more nonsense and trended toward pitting overseas bajans against stay home bajans. just wow.
in the words of King Rodney – “cant we all get along”
@ Donna
You see how HYPOCRITICAL and IMMATURE these guys are?
You see how things went from me saying he is criticizing the false name people for insulting people and giving his real name bosom buddies a free pass for doing the same thing, move from having a difference of opinion, to who is right and who is wrong?
I never said nothing overseas Bajans should not comment on nothing about Barbados and I did not say I agree with anybody who says William Skinner is a RH or jackass. Look at people like de Pedantic dribbler. he lives overseas, he comes here, he politely makes his points and move on. I’ve never hear him behave like some others here who feel they have arrived.
My problem with Skinner is that he is prepared to defend his bosom buddy who calls HUMAN BEINGS names like SAVAGES, ANIMALS, BUFFOON, SILLY and other DISGUSTING NASTY NAMES everyday. He IS PRETENDING he does not see what that man is doing is going into the gutter. When the false name people retaliate and do the same thing, that is when he sees it as going into the gutter.
If he disagrees with something somebody says he also refers to them as….. I see some brain dead idiot said this, or an idiot said that, or some semi-literate buffoon said the third.
ALL I’M ASKING IS IF THIS RIDICULOUS BEHAVIOUR FROM THAT MAN IS NECESSARY?
NOTHING FROM SKINNER TO SAY ABOUT THAT MAN’S DISRESPECTFUL CONDESCENDING POMPOUS INSULTING, DEGRADING BEHAVIOUR. BUT HE CAME HERE TO MAKE A SONG AND DANCE ABOUT CONTRIBUTORS USING FALSE NAMES.
NONSENSE!!!!!!
SKINNER REFUSES TO TELL THE MAN HE IS WRONG, BUT KEEPS INTRODUCING IRRELEVANT FOLLY INSTEAD, JUST BECAUSE HE DON’T WANT TO MASH HIS BOSOM BUDDY’S CORNS OR OFFEND HIM.
THAT IS THE REAL ISSUE HERE.
THE DOUBLE STANDARDS AND HYPOCRISY.
@ Silly Woman
Look at the HYPOCRISY.
This morning Skinner said…….It must be a beautiful thing when you can hide and insult people; curse them ; attempt to deny them the right to say anything about the land of their birth; criticise their choice of spouse etc and remain under a rock. {Quote}
Not too long ago Donna said………But you do tend to give Hal Austin a pass and you were a little off in your criticisms of people who use monikers. {Quote}
After telling off the false name people this morning, she mentioned him giving a free pass to his bosom buddy, and look what he says:-
As for @ Hal ,he like others on BU , including myself, HAS HIS OWN STYLE. I don’t own the blog. {Quote}
So, he trying to tell us a man calling people savages and animals is his own style, but when people retaliate, they are going into the gutter and should hide under a rock.
HYPOCRISY.
@ Robert
I am not giving you Hal or anybody a pass. I am merely saying that those who publish their real names are essentially exposing themselves while monikers are not.
For example: If I am any part of the world anybody who knows me can point me out to somebody I have offended and that person can proceed to plan my execution. I am known. On more than one occasion , people who don’t know me, walk up to me and ask if I am the William Skinner who writes on BU. I have received phone calls castigating me for my views on BU and elsewhere.
Now I am saying to you that those who use monikers are more protected
and many times they hide behind such anonymity to slur and insult others.
Now I will not be held responsible for what Hal writes but at least we know him and he has also exposed himself. Amazingly this is a simple point that has never gained any acceptance on BU.
If speaking the truth about such people is hypocritical then I am a hypocrite. If saying that Hal and I don’t hide behind monikers is the truth and that makes me a hypocrite so be it.
Please do not let me be a problem to you simply because I have a point of view. It is a wonderful thing when we can attack people and then disappear into the shadows. As we say: No name no lock up.
I will never suggest that those who use monikers do not contribute great ideas and so on to BU. Without them contributions to BU will decrease by almost ninety percent and I personally will not welcome such a development.
Just saying it will be nice to have an equal playing field. However I know about victimization so at least on one of your points we are in agreement.
Now you have me wondering if you are one of the many Roberts I know but as was pointed out you may not be even named Robert. Anytime you see me let’s have a drink of your choice and you will quickly realise that we have a lot in common. Perhaps I am slowing accepting that ideas and not names matter. Just asking you to respect my position as I respect yours. I have no problem with you or anybody else on this blog. I just have different opinions sometimes.I learnt a long time ago atBay Primary that manners maketh man. I also learned that sometimes all a person has is his or her name.
GreeneMarch 10, 2020 1:46 PM
so wow. a thread about nonsense has descended into insults and more nonsense and trended toward pitting overseas bajans against stay home bajans. just wow.
in the words of King Rodney – “cant we all get along”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Short answer – NO!
Long answer –
It’s the human condition.
Sometimes it is good to clear the air. I do not consider an attempt to clear the air to be nonsense.
“Tongue and teet does got words.” The problem is when they lose sight of their goals to speak and eat and refuse to reconcile.
The good, the bad, the ugly an nuff igrunt wrasse whole idiots at home and abroad.
Robert u ought to give tge back and forth a rest
Yuh sure nuff sounding like an ole faggot
Bitc.hing and belly ach.ing about Hal
Notice hal not even responded to yuh b/s
Does that offer a drink extend to me or do I have to go to attack mode for the offer to be extended.
Just kidding.
Stay on course.
Skinner like Robert said very clearly to you you are a hyprocrite. This is David BU , blog on which he gives all of us a voice.Tell me why should he tolerate your buddy Hal Austin to call him names like buffoon , illiterate etc.This like going in a man, house and disrespecting him and his wife.How can that be acceptable in your eyes? Yet you never call on him or Piece to respect the blogmaster tell us why is this or maybe your head is in the sand.You have never seen me disrespect the blogmaster yet on here.I will disrespect certain bloggers on here who disrespect others and if they can dish it out they can or should be able to take it if not too bad.As you know i pull no punches on so called neutrals like yourself but based on your contributions we know which side of the duopoly you support.By the wsy in the US and UK are there not two major parties so what is the big deal you make about duopoly?Finally to David BU anytime Austin or any pf them mash the crease deal with them to suit.
@ Lorenzo
You calling me a hypocrite is a compliment. Thanks.
I dont care how you and others feel about @ Piece . A few years ago you and your friends were hugging and kissing him when he was rigtly kicking the backsides of the decadent DLP. That is wunnuh fight not mine.
All you have done for the last few years is try to prove I am a DLP. You continue to fail miserably.
A blog master who has frequently called me a RH and Jackass can fight his own battles with Hal and whomever else offends him
I don’t care about any political party or politician in the USA or UK.
You know as all the blog knows that I ran for the NDP in Barbados and lost my deposit (1991)
I don’t know who appointed me as Hal’s cousellor. How you, the blogmaster and others choose to respond to Hal and how Hal chooses to respond to you all is really none of my business
I maintain my position: Mia Mottley Verla Depeiza, Hal Austin, Peter Wickham, All the present and former members of Parliament and William Skinner have one thing in common -we are known. If that staement has stuck in anybody’s craw-it’s the truth;
The Barbados Labour Party and the Democratic Labour Party is a Duopoly as far as I am concerned. If you feel differently that is your democratic right.
Lorenzo , it must be a beautiful thing that you can call people all kinds of names and remain unknown. It is a wonderful thing. Enjoy it.
As for David , he has the most successful blog in Barbados. Like you I am grateful to contribute. David knows I have never “overstepped the crease” with him. I simply was not raised that way.
I don’t disrespect my PM and I certainly don’t disrespect my friends in the Duopoly. And I am proud the say that I don’t disrespect others on BU.
You have called on David to ban me. If he does , I will thank him for the opportunity and move on. Everybody in Barbados who knows William Skinner know he gives as well as he takes. Everybody in Barbados who know Hal Austin , knows that he is capable of defending himself.
Now you can call me an idiot; continue to fail at trying to convince yourself I am a Dee but one thing for sure I am not going to ask David to ban you and regardless of what you think about @ Piece these days, I am not going to call you a hypocrite.
You are an upright , neutral , objective person. Like I said you bring a lot to BU and I continue to learn from you.
Thanks for taking the time to rerspond to me and I look forward to meeting you one of these days. If you see me anywhere let’s have a drink of your choice. Chances are that we already know each other.
.
@WS
For you it is Hal, for me it was piece “my leader”
Like you I ignore the ca;;s to denounce someone.
I would bet money that David is not going to ban you.
He has done well without the advice of these guys.
Ignore and move on.
I will do the same.
@ TheOGazerts
That’s the problem with these Duopoly jokers.They were not asking David to ban anybody a few years ago.
They can’t handle independent thinkers. They really are not concerned with content; they are more interested in the criticism that the Duopoly is coming under.
Then they talk about respect and hypocrisy.
Let me make it clear I understand where @ Robert and @ Donna are coming from and I sincerely respect their positions .
However I will not allow the well known apologists and cool aid drinkers of the Duopoly to lecture me on what is appropriate or whom I shall attack or defend.
I have never lived on Roebuck or George Street.
They can burn in the political hell.
@ Robert
@ Donna
I respect your positions and enjoyed our back and forth.
@ Piece
Keep up your creative and independent thinking.
William Skinner,
Have a very good night and don’t let the politically partisan bugs bite!
@ Donna
Thanks. You do the same.
@ William Skinner
Cheers mate. No offence was intended to be given and no offence taken.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Robert u ought to give tge back and forth a rest
Yuh sure nuff sounding like an ole faggot
Bitc.hing and belly ach.ing about Hal
Notice hal not even responded to yuh b/s {Quote}
@ Mariposa
I remember you telling me…….Mariposa March 9, 2020 9:49 AM Robert The funny of this all I DON’T EVER READ YOUR POST. {Qoute}
IT IS A GOOD THING YOU DON’T EVER READ MY POST.
IF YOU DON’T EVER READ MY POSTS, HOW COME YOU KNOW I SOUNDING LIKE A OLE FAGGOT AND BITCHING AND BELLY ACHING?
SOMEBODY TELL YOU SO?
IF YOU KNOW AUSTIN NOT EVEN RESPONDED TO ME, WHY ARE YOU READING MY POST AND RESPONDING TO ME ON HIS BEHALF? YOU IS HE LAWYER?
YUH SEE HOW RH FOOLISH AND A JACKASS YOU IS?
YUH SEE HOW THE WORD BONE-HEAD SUIT YOU?
@ Robert
The feeling is mutual my brother.
An editor has got the right to publish what s/he thinks, within the law. Readers have a right to buy that publication if they think it is irrelevant. Publishers have a right to hire and fire. Advertisers have a right to withdraw their support. It is called a free press.
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