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Barbados Post COVID -19

  [We’re] not having a Budget or anything soon because it is just too fluid [blogmaster’s emphasis] . . . The budget was not intended to have any new taxes and therefore there is no reason for an immediate budget and we therefore will wait and see,” Mottley told media managers during a meeting yesterday…

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[We’re] not having a Budget or anything soon because it is just too fluid [blogmaster’s emphasis] . . . The budget was not intended to have any new taxes and therefore there is no reason for an immediate budget and we therefore will wait and see,” Mottley told media managers during a meeting yesterday at Government Headquarters.

Source: Mottley: No budget, we’ll wait and see

Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced this week the cancellation of the Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals  (budget). Some will agree with Mottley that government’s economic policy is heavily influenced by BERT and relieving the country from the annual talk shop starring MPs and Senators is welcomed.

The use of the word ‘fluid’ by the prime minister is interesting against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are fixated on the public health requirement. Policymakers must also think about positioning the country to recover quickly from the crisis.

The blogmaster hopes the reason offered by the prime minster for cancelling the ‘budget’ is the usual political flummery. Barbados finds itself in a tenuous position after many years of economic decline. Two years into BERT the COVID-19 pandemic could not have reared its head at a worse time. It exposes what we have always known – Barbados like other countries in the region are most vulnerable to shocks (exogenous). It defines an open economy.

It is the observation of this blogmaster that commenters in this forum and elsewhere experience difficulty walking and chewing gum when discussing the issues.  Of course public health safety is the priority but it cannot be the only priority.

Discuss for 25 marks how we must use another global crisis to reorder the way Barbadians do business at the household and national level.

What we have to worry about is that the virus DOES NOT force us to reorder how we manage our affairs at a national and household level. If we reorder how we manage our affairs then we would have nothing to worry about. If we continue to be lacking in vision, planning, willpower, effective leadership, active citizenship and energy we will soon regret it.

There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures – William Shakespeare

This is an OPPORTUNE time to pause and reflect. This pain need not be in vain!

Donna – BU Commenter

 

 

 

 

532 responses to “Barbados Post COVID -19”

  1. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Exporting a virus is not exactly inviting dependency tourism, but ya want it so.

    “Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health reported at about 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, that three people in the area have tested positive for COVID-19.

    Two females, 44 and 62 years of age, and one male 48 years of age, all with recent travel history to Spain, Barbados, and the United Kingdom have tested positive for COVID-19. Two of the individuals were seen and assessed at the COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Hotel Dieu Hospital, while the third affected individual was assessed at a local hospital.”

  2. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    Try the Ray and nephew with cranberry juice. Great mix!!!

  3. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Even bad boy ISIS is stone cold frightened of corona with all their long talk of 7 virgins or some such nonsense, they have no plans to go out that way…they dont even want to blow anything up anymore.

    “But ISIS’s stunning recent order to its followers to stay away from Europe means not only that it is afraid of future infection if its agents go there, but that its network of followers there is likely already being hit.

    This would make lots of sense since ISIS members tend to be disconnected from the Western world and could have gone longer ignoring the dangers of infection than average people.”

  4. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    I thought that the ISIS fellas would be happy to go to heaven and get it on with their 72 [not 7] virgins.

  5. Economic Stimulus Avatar
    Economic Stimulus

    Perhaps the GoB could consider relaxing the tax on withdrawals from registered savings plans as part of the economic stimulus, as many people likely saved more at the time than necessary for retirement bacause of the tax incentives. New savings under these plans stopped being tax deductible over five years ago.

  6. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Miller March 18, 2020 8:30 PM

    You know your stuff. Drinking it with milk solves the problem. It is very difficult to handle mixing with water, coke or fruit juice. I have never tried the rums from Agricole’ from Martinique and Guadeloupe.. And I have really sampled a lot of them, the worst being something called Three Barrels from Belize ( there was One, Two and Three barrel)Three barrels being the best. Came across it at a Caribbean Food Crop Society meeting in Trinidad. Myself and some other Barbadians were drinking Sugar Brandy(SB) in the company of this fellow from Belize. He commented on how good SB was and so we wanted to know about Belize’s rum. We ended up exchanging our SB(40 oz for pint and half) for a bottle of Three Barrels ( that guy was a real good salesman)he promptly disappeared into his room. We started to sample the stuff, it was the worst rum we had ever sampled. We decided we wanted back our SB. The fellow from Belize had locked his Hotel door and refused to answer our entreaties to give back the SB. We ended up pouring it down the drain. When I visited Belize in 1993 I inquired about it. Belize had stopped producing it. I made a google search last week and discovered that Belize is again making One Barrel only. According to the write up it is pretty good nothing like its predecessors.

  7. John Avatar
    John

    I have never seen it written anywhere but I suspect that rum, whiskey, gin and vodka were used to kill bacteria in water in early days.

    People drank ale as a substitute for water because water can kill … like the corona virus.

    No one at the time knew about bacteria but alcoholic beverages were probably safer to drink than water!!

    Could be wrong.

  8. Redman Avatar
    Redman

    Barbados is a bankrupt country having defaulted on loans, and is now in a IMF recovery program.
    Now the Corona virus has arrived.
    Isn’t it now time to jettison the deadweight that hangs like an albatross around the taxpayers neck and serves no useful purpose to the citizens of this country!
    Declare a State of Emergency and do the following:
    1. Cancel the White Hoax contract immediately.
    2.Send home the useless consultants.
    3. Reduce the Govt Cabinet to 12 ministers including the PM.
    Others may have more suggestions.
    When the going gets tough the tough get going.

  9. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Silly…i lost track of their madness, it has been going on for so long, am sure they lost track too or they would be in a bigger hurry to go meet 72 virgins…lol

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/03/19/schools-wont-open-again-after-all-after-unions-outcry/

    well, it has become quite clear that the pretend leaders can do nothing unless UK does it first or approves it, been saying for years that some cretin in UK drew up documents hundreds of years ago with themselves as owner of the island, ya lowlife sell outs for negros are just plantation overseers, that is why this government has to go, they take their overseer jobs too seriously while committing numerous crimes and have no care for people or country…..the PEOPLE …ELECTORATE…has the LAST SAY ON WHETHER THEY STAY OR GO..the only power given to Bajans…use that power in 2023

    “Isn’t it now time to jettison the deadweight that hangs like an albatross around the taxpayers neck and serves no useful purpose to the citizens of this country!”

    Not them, they prefer be beholden to criminals and that is the only way they can skim hundreds of millions for their own pockets…they all helped the likes of Maloney steal billions from the people, that way he gets to pretend to spend 50,000 of the people’s stolen money on hand sanitizers and project himself as some savior and the dumb and gullible believe it.

  10. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ John March 18, 2020 10:55 PM

    Most folk in those days used beer or mead instead of drinking water; the latter being contaminated with all sorts of microbes. It was common to dump fecal matter instreams from which potable water was obtained. The fermentation process in the manufacture of beer and others spirits killed off the microbes.

  11. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Hal March 18, 2020 7:08 PM

    Stop. Technically you are seventy and therefore should fit into Boris’ plan. I know you think poorly of him. You are no spring chicken.

  12. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Robert

    Sorry. It was a joke. I am well past that three score and ten. People tell me I look young for my age.

  13. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ Hal March 19, 2020 5:22 AM

    Stay good. Boris might well go up in your estimation if he handles thing correctly with this virus.. It looks like the individual EU countries are leading the way by closing their borders. That fellow from Turkey realizes how hair-brain the leaders of the EU are and tried blackmail.
    News Flash. Yesterday was last day of school for children.

  14. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    NOTE: Barbados is still open to business. I guess it has no choice.

    Australia closes the border: Non-residents are banned from entering the country from 9pm tomorrow – as PM says 80 per cent of virus cases were brought in from overseas
    The Prime Minister has taken the drastic action of shutting the country’s border
    From 9pm on Friday, only residents and citizens will be allowed to enter country
    Australians will be allowed to enter but will have to be in quarantine for 14 days
    80 per cent of Australia’s 636 coronavirus cases have come in from abroad
    Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
    By CHARLIE MOORE, POLITICAL REPORTER FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

    PUBLISHED: 04:58 GMT, 19 March 2020 | UPDATED: 08:40 GMT, 19 March 2020

  15. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Barbados cannot close unless cousin Boris closes UK borders…..that is the bottomline.

  16. John Avatar
    John

    So far, 100% of our cases have come from abroad.

    Sounds like locals returning home but could be wrong.

    If smoking is linked to bad outcomes, the local population may just have a bad flu which passes.

    It may be a small portion of our population who are most at risk.

    Thank Dr. Gale and the folks at the Cancer Society for the anti smoking programs of the past.

    If age is the determining factor then we are in big trouble.

    As far as our visitors go, half spend a day or so and the other half perhaps a week.

    They will in all probability develop it after they return to their countries of origin and our medical services may neve see them.

    Closing borders to citizens and residents may not make a difference for us in terms of the resources we need to expend.

    Time will tell.

  17. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    As long as the scam artists for leaders and their sidekicks don’t look at this as some opportunity to fill their pockets and graveyards. Italy is at its peak and it’s nowhere near a game. nearly 500 dead in one day and military trucks are needed to transport bodies.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8129959/Military-trucks-transport-Italian-coronavirus-victims-coffins-cremated.html

    “The column of army trucks brought the dead out of Bergamo last night in what Italians have called ‘one of the saddest photos in the history of our country’ (left). The cemetery in Bergamo can no longer cope with the mounting death toll in the city, where more than 4,300 people have been infected and at least 93 have died..”

  18. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Quaker John

    Where do you get your reasoning from? Nobody knows what causes the disease or how it is transmitted. People, not Bajans, are now working on the modelling and on a vaccine. Your reasoning is illogical.

  19. David Avatar
    David

    @John

    One was a returning Bajan the other a tourist. Many will agree and disagree about the approach of the government, so far we have had two cases. The way this virus is configured it is practically impossible to keep it out. There is no blueprint to follow approach for this one.

  20. robert lucas Avatar
    robert lucas

    @ William Skinner March 18, 2020 8:57 PM

    Are you sure that combination works? The last time we used orange juice and it was not so good. Campari and Soda is pretty Irie.

  21. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    This Minister of Education is a real joker smoker. in light of this covid 19 pandemic it took protest from the unions and her own cabinet colleagues to convince her to close schools a week and a bit ahead of schedule? and this is the same Minister who announced the abolition of the common entrance exam only to walk it back when asked what is her alternative plan. we are going down deep into a rabbit hole.

  22. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Greene

    Don’t blame the minister. These matters are/should be discussed in Cabinet. The president is a former education minister, so, by definition, would have more experience than the current minister. Did the minister’s proposals get Cabinet approval?
    I say again, the president does not like details.

  23. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @David

    is there any rumour to the truth that immigration and custom officers at the ports of entry are not allowed to wear masks because it hurts our image?

  24. GP Avatar
    GP

    @ john
    read 1 Timothy 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.

  25. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    🐵 🐵 handling gun
    Be careful

  26. John Avatar
    John

    David
    March 19, 2020 7:03 AM

    @John
    One was a returning Bajan the other a tourist. Many will agree and disagree about the approach of the government, so far we have had two cases. The way this virus is configured it is practically impossible to keep it out. There is no blueprint to follow approach for this one.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    The same can be said of flu.

    What’s the difference between corona virus and flu?

  27. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    After saying all the above, we can clearly see why the pretend leader of Barbados Ms. Fighting Imperialism preferred to voluntarily negotiated the entrapment of 50 vulnerable and unaware Black Bajans for low paid slave labor and racism.

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/mar/19/lambs-to-the-slaughter-50-lives-ruined-by-the-windrush-scandal

    “One of the most vocal Windrush campaigners, O’Connor died in September 2018. Officials mistakenly classified her as being in the country illegally, even though she had lived here for 51 years, since she was six. Unable to work, and not eligible for benefits, she had to sell her car and clothes. The scandal reminded her of the racism she faced in the 1970s. “It feels like it has become a hostile country again.”

  28. John Avatar
    John

    TB was prevalent at the time of Spanish flu.

    On its own, Spanish Flu was a killer but the population was weakened by TB.

    For whatever reason, TB was more prevalent in males than females at the time and death from Spanish Flu in males was higher in males.

    Smoking had also become prevalent during WWI.

    Were there other conditions that led to the high mortality rates in Spanish Flu?

    We know the young and very young are not affected as badly as the old and very old with corona virus.

    Similarly men and women.

    Are there any other factors at play?

    Why did Barbados apparently escape the ravages of Spanish Flu in 1918?

  29. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    The Chinese economy is taking off again. At last! First vaccines tested. In three, four months, the problem will be solved in Europe, in the UK and USA a little later in autumn.

    The honourable government in Barbados is taking exactly the right course and is gaining international trust. Those who now spread panic in social media are deliberately harming the island. The DPP is called upon to take harsh action against all those who incite panic and criticise government policy to combat the coronavirus.

  30. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John

    In 1918, it would have taken over six weeks to transport a disease/goods from China to Barbados. In 2020, all it takes is a ten hour flight. It is called globalisation.

  31. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    “This is the time for us to invest in the sector that has carried Barbados for all these years and if we fail at this time, then we fail the whole country. I don’t think that failure is an option,” Symmonds said.

    Tron sounds very much like the comedian Symmonds.

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/03/18/spend-in-bim-help-tourism-symmonds/

  32. David Avatar
    David

    Those who attended the consultation yesterday almost 100% support was given to government. The private sector et al.

  33. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    TLSN…clowns and comedians and wannabe leaders, dependency tourism has been on the island for more than one century and only the few still benefit and only the same cross section of the island remain in generational low paying jobs and fighting poverty and other social blights all this time…so let them continue fooling themselves, the people have to take control of their own futures and stop believing that these useless pretend leaders care…

    “Virgin Atlantic is seeing negative net bookings
    This doesn’t come as a surprise, but Virgin Atlantic is seeing negative net bookings, meaning that more people are canceling flights than booking flights.

    The airline says that the reduction in demand was expected, but the speed and extent to which things have happened requires the airline to take immediate and decisive action. Virgin Atlantic is now putting drastic measures in place to ensure cash is preserved, costs are controlled, and the future of the airline is safeguarded.

    Virgin Atlantic reduces schedule by 80%, grounds 85% of fleet
    Virgin Atlantic has announced that they will be significantly reducing their schedule:

    80% of flights will be cut by March 26
    75% of Virgin Atlantic’s fleet will be grounded by March 26, and 85% will be grounded by April
    Virgin Atlantic will be focusing on core routes, depending on customer demand. The airline will continuously adjust this as the situation evolves, though I’d expect service to be limited to some of the routes that currently have multiple frequencies, like New York, Los Angeles, and maybe Boston.”

  34. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @ TLSN March 19, 2020 8:50 AM

    Once the crisis is over, international investors will know where to buy their villa in the Caribbean, namely in Barbados. A country governed by a fantastic Prime Minister, a country that chooses a rational path in crises, a country where reason, not panic, rules.

    We did everything right. Even if we need a fifth IMF programme, Barbados will emerge stronger from the crisis than the pepper islands and the rest of CARICOM – because we have the best government.

    Barbados remains the Switzerland of the Caribbean.

  35. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ TLSN

    Symmonds is not the brightest button in the jar. Invest more in an industry that is now on life support because of the coronavirus crisis? Is he nuts?

  36. David Avatar
    David

    Obviously Symmonds is executing a government approach to dealing with the matter m, one that is not unique to Barbados by the way. So far two reported cases.

  37. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    People would have more confidence if the jokers in the parliament would stop pretending that somehow the island is immune to a devastating outbreak. The history of the virus is there for everyone to see, it starts out slowly as just a couple cases and within days not weeks the infection spreads then jumps and keeps multiplying at the speed of light over a 3 week period, even before it peaks.

    Jamaica started with one case, now they are on lock down.

    Barbados will continue exporting cases until they are stopped.

  38. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Another event that preparations must be put in place for in Barbados and the Caribbean, cannot have the usual helter skelter as it relates to virus infected pregnant women and unborn children.

    “Israel-News%2FIsraeli-woman-with-coronavirus-gives-birth-at-Hadassah-

    The 35-year-old was taken directly to a specially prepared, isolated room where she gave birth with the help of two protected midwives.”

  39. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Robert Lucas
    It was introduced to me by a Jamaican about eight years ago. I have had more than my fair share of it. It’s a very good mix.

  40. David Avatar
    David

    This is nonsense.

  41. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    What public nuisance Tron should be telling us is if it’s true Ms. Fighting Imperialism really took a virus test a couple days ago and what are the results..if she indeed did, the results have been back long time and yet we heard nothing.

    St. Lucia’s PM took one and published his results for the taxpayers who pay his salary and whom he knows deserves to know.

  42. John Avatar
    John

    Hal Austin
    March 19, 2020 8:40 AM

    @ John
    In 1918, it would have taken over six weeks to transport a disease/goods from China to Barbados. In 2020, all it takes is a ten hour flight. It is called globalisation.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++

    The Spanish flu did not come from China to the Caribbean.

    100,000 people died.

    But some parts of the Caribbean got off lightly, I believe Barbados included.

    Why?

    God is a Bajan?

    Barbados has no hospital ships like the US.

    There isn’t much the GOB can do that is comparable to what the US or GB can do with their resources.

    The only thing we have is our brains!!

    I say use them!!

    I sure as hell am using mine!!

    Does it matter if we close our borders?

    If the source of visitors dries up because various countries close theirs or restrict flights doesn’t logic dictate ours get closed too, whether we like it or not!!

    Now that is globalization!!

    https://jamaica-history.weebly.com/spanish-flu.html

  43. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Sound advice.

    “Doctors have urged the government to ratchet up testing of suspected coronavirus victims so health chiefs are aware of the size of the outbreak confronting them.

    Although roughly 1,500 cases have been confirmed in the UK, it is feared as many as 50,000 are suffering the disease.

    Many of these undiagnosed infected will have symptoms so mild they are unaware they have the virus.

    Yet others will have come down with the tell-tale signs but have gone untested as Public Health England is only advising them to self-isolate at home and is mainly just screening the most vulnerable patients.

    The strategy to only test a fraction of all suspected cases was blasted by the World Health Organisation today, which bluntly warned: ‘You cannot fight a fire blindfolded.’

    And British medics have also lined up to criticise Whitehall’s coronavirus task force and said more testing was urgently needed.”

  44. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John

    I did not say the Spanish flu came from China. I mentioned the time it takes to transport goods or anything else, including diseases, from modern China, where coronavirus originated, to Barbados.

  45. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    are bajans minds blurry from all that fogging you do…..anton best medical officer talking about the only two bajan covid cases …a couple of days ago I mentioned its all over our papers that we have a case coming from a trip to Barbados. and I bet there are more ..or does he think our case brought it to the island for a holiday then brought it back home.

  46. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Whatever happened to Piece..

  47. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “or does he think our case brought it to the island for a holiday then brought it back home.”

    lol…they still don’t get it, they are such tourism pimps to keep their people dependant, oppressed, suppressed and in extreme poverty that they will never, ever see the big picture in all of this.

    people are walking around the island with the virus, they are just not displaying any symptoms and have not been tested.

  48. John Avatar
    John

    It makes no sense trying to test every one in a population.

    The situation is fluid and people testing negative one day may become positive the following day.

    If the mortality rate in the old (smokers?) is high people who need to routinely come into contact with them need to be tested and to restrict their contacts with other people.

    The old (smokers?, me, Hal, …. most on BU) also need to restrict/manage their contacts with other people for their own safety.

    Always assume you have the virus and everyone around you has it too and be as careful as possible.

    Namaste.

    https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/03/nj-family-loses-3rd-member-to-coronavirus-as-devastation-continues.html

  49. John Avatar
    John

    WURA-War-on-U
    March 19, 2020 12:17 PM

    Whatever happened to Piece..

    +++++++++++++++++++++

    May be worried viruses can jump from humans to computers and back to humans so managing contacts with the outside.

  50. John Avatar
    John

    When it isn’t one thing it is another.

    https://www.voanews.com/africa/mystery-illness-kills-ethiopian-nomads

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