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Senator Caswell Franklyn Speaks – Government Bungling Response to Coronavirus Crisis

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At the outset of the Coronavirus crisis in this country, the Hon. Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, hosted a consultation with members of the Social Partnership and me at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, to plan strategy for fighting this threat. I was impressed and congratulated her on the approach. I then went on to say to her that this was not a time for political controversy and that all sides must come together to defeat this scourge.

Rather than busy itself with measures to protect the people of this country, some twelve days after the consultation, Government rushed to Parliament and passed legislation that was already on the books, to manage the ensuing crisis. In essence, that legislation amended the Emergency Management Act by re-enacting certain provisions that already existed at section 28 of the same act; also at sections 2 and 3 of the 1939 Emergency Powers Act; and at section 25 of the Constitution. The amendment also went on to give powers to the Chief Medical Officer that he already had since 1969.

Needless to say, those initial steps did not give me any confidence that Government was capable of handling the situation, however I remained quiet hoping that somehow that they would get it right. I’ve tried to hold my peace but the situation has now reached a stage that I am compelled to speak-up before these bunglers unintentionally kill us all.

The handling of this crisis has been plagued with the bungling that is now characteristic of anything that this administration touches. So far, were are told that there is no evidence of any community spread of the virus. But it would seem that the end result of the Government’s initiatives would lead to what we fear most. What did the Government think would happen when it gave one day’s notice of a 24-hour curfew? As was reasonably foreseeable, people rushed to supermarkets in their thousands, ignoring any suggestion of physical or social distancing. Take some sobering time to imagine what could have happened if there were any carriers of the Coronavirus in those lines?

As if Government fails to learn from its mistakes, post offices were opened for a limited period in order to allow pensioners to cash their National Insurance pension cheques. The foreseeable result happened: hundreds of vulnerable persons throng the post offices thereby creating an incubator for the spread of the Coronavirus.

This virus is deadly and Government must come up with a series of measures that would protect the people of this country. These hit or miss initiatives just will not do.

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1,745 responses to “Senator Caswell Franklyn Speaks – Government Bungling Response to Coronavirus Crisis”

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

    Hal…stop talking.shite and go.do something productive on ya facebook page. What is irrelevant about.knowing what is planned for the taxpayers…you did not know that you paid dead slavemasters and their descendants for enslaving ya enslaved ancestors for centuries in all the 40 years ya paid taxes. Maybe if ya had ever developed the balls to ask them they might have told you But it’s quite obvious you.would not have wanted to know. The perfect slave. Try standing for something for once in ya slave life. Only once.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    @Sargeant

    When would you suggest be a good window?

  3. David Avatar
    David

    ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY IN PARADISE. THAT IS BARBADOS FOR THOSE WITH DOUBTS.

    So far reports from across the island suggests crowds at auto marts, wavy side vendors, village/minimarts are showing manageable traffic. The big supermarkets are not as crushed as yesterday. 95% of people wearing some kind of mask.

    We are getting there.

  4. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “How much time and resources are used to bring charges and commit someone to trial for possession of a paltry amount of marijuana?”

    The intent is to KEEP THE EVIL SYSTEM of criminalizing the majority population for marijuana, many may have forgotten but there is still a standoff since last year about the marijuana that they do not want the Black population to have or to get rich from..

    ……keeping the people in BONDAGE was always the game plan, but Monsieur Plague took them and their dependent tourism out of the equation….

  5. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Hal AustinApril 18, 2020 5:07 AM

    This is a bad and dangerous policy, but being Barbados I do not expect the police to backdown. It is an idiotic policy and has not been properly thought out. Where is the commissioner of police?
    Here is a policy issue for the attorney general. He should step in and order them NOT TO use plain clothes police in unmarked cars to stop people in the middle of the night. It is a simple roster issue, not rocket science.
    If they want to stop people at night, and they should, you use uniformed officers in mar ked police vehicles. That is elementary. How is a motorist to know that the two badly dressed muscle-bound men trying to stop them in the middle of the night are not robbers?
    Where is Verla? Where is the law and order spokesman for Solutions Barbados? Where is the bar association? Where is the church?
    But this issue goes deeper than that. What started our as a medical/health crisis, coronavirus, and an intention to prevent its spread, in Barbados has now become a law and order issue. So to prevent viral spread we send people to an over-crowded prison where they are more likely to contract the disease. Logic a la Bajan.
    Only in Barbados can you get a curfew policy introduced for the positive reason of public health, when confronted with a homeless man, instead of providing him with a home, decides to jail him for breaking the curfew.
    But the man has not changed his lifestyle; it was the law that changed. Now our wise guys are telling us that when the man comes out of prison they will find him a home. That, I am afraid, is Bajan logic, the Bajan Condition.
    In the meantime, we have scores of empty hotel rooms that can be commandeered for the homeless – unless they are out of bounds to the homeless and those living in over-crowded conditions.

    Barbadians who are essential workers and make their way home during late-night hours will have to put up with plain-clothes police officers doing patrols.
    This is due partly to numbers and shifts, according to police public relations officer, Acting Inspector Rodney Inniss.
    His comments come in the wake of an outcry on social media following a story printed recently in the Midweek Nation.
    Some essential workers said they were fearful of being stopped by police officers in plainclothes at night during the 24-hour national shutdown and would not be stopping in the event such happened.
    “We want the public to know police officers are out there to enforce the law, whether in uniform or not. If you’re out there [on the roads], you can expect at some point in time you may be stopped by police officers,” Inniss said. (Quote)

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

    On this I must agree with everything except your usual Bajan Condition crap. People and governments all mess up in different ways.

    All I wonder is what would happen if somebody does not stop when these unidentifiable police officers bid them. Imagine a female frontline worker coming home from a stressful shift being subjected to the fear of being stopped by unidentifiable police officers. I, for one would not be stopping until it is safe to do so. And any roughing up that follows from that would be met by a lawsuit.

    Criminals have been known to stop drivers before and that makes this is a recipe for disaster. The police motto is “To serve and protect” not ” To put people in harms’s way”.

    For doctors it is “First, do no harm”.

    There must be balance. Actions need to be weighed against each-other.

  6. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @WW&C
    to continue your important work, why don’t you help the authorities in Guinea, charter 5 planes and send them to China to repatriate their citizens, like many other countries have done. The Chinese in China, don’t like foreigners of any type, and I am sure would be happy to let them leave. Just make sure the Guinean nationals want to leave and will show up. Canada chartered a plane to send a group of Nigerians back, and only those in custody (border crashers) showed up. Others, via a spokesperson, claimed they had no desire to return.

  7. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “Just make sure the Guinean nationals want to leave and will show up.”

    the choice is all theirs darling, they can stay and become enslaved or go back to the Continent and do something about their CORRUPT LEADERS……there are over 1.2 BILLION AFRICANS ON THE CONTINENT……and another maybe 400,000,000 in the Diaspora .by the time they realize they are slaves again, the continent will also be FULLY COLONIZED if they do not get all 10 million chinese out of there, even if they have to grab them..

    ..it is up to them, a few of the leaders are up to the task, it is now time for the others to get on board…let’s see, i can watch all that from the safety of my bed thank you very much for your concern.

  8. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    My apologies, I missed the issue….it was getting the Chinese citizens OUT of Guinea, little to do with repatriating Guinean nationals in China. Yet, I am sure you can locate contacts, and via the internet make contact with relevant persons, even from the safety of your bed. Easier for you, given you are fluent in their mother tongue. Same charter, transporting Chinese one way, and Guineans the other.

  9. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    We shall firmly believe in the old gods together, goddess Bim, Ewe and Oya. They will protect us from the plague. These old gods are by no means dead. They still hold their protective hand over the island as long as people believe in them. Such forces are part of our reality.

    The God of white men, Jesus Christ, has failed miserably. Look to New York, look to London, look at Rome. Cities like after a heavy bombing raid. The West is defeated. The Realm of the Middle has taken over the world.

    Our island, however, remains a paradise on earth. I am very proud to be part of this wonderful community.

    If we have fewer white, sunburned tourists in hotels in the future, that’s fine with me. I never could stand that penniless red lot from Britain. It will be enough in the future to welcome the few, distinguished expats to our island, who transfer many millions to us every year.

    The austerity also has its good sides. Where once SUVs with fat drivers clogged the roads, slim, happy people are walking or cycling. The fast food restaurants with their sickly food are disappearing. People are finally eating healthy things again.

    We’ll win back our beaches. We’ll tear down the superfluous hotels and finally have a clear view of the Caribbean beaches again. The population will finally be able to breathe freely again and use the beaches for themselves.

    What a promise! Goddess Bim and Goddess Corona free the island.

  10. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    ” Barbadians who are essential workers and make their way home during late-night hours will have to put up with plain-clothes police officers doing patrols.”

    The person who made this decision should have asked them self this. ” What would you do if your were driving home, did NOT have a gun in your car and saw two men in plain clothes trying to stop you ? “

  11. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @David

    I don’t think that this is a good time for a referendum but it is not like it was on any agenda or any proposed date was mentioned, it was a talk shop and it died down. We heard more about “we gatherin” than about the referendum. I think I read that change to the eleven plus should be put to a referendum too so we can safely say not in the next 10 years.

  12. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “Easier for you, given you are fluent in their mother tongue. Same charter, transporting Chinese one way, and Guineans the other.”

    lol..funny..

    there are over 1.2 BILLION AFRICANS ON THE CONTINENT. and another maybe 400,000,000 in the Diaspora …

    they no longer have any excuse, they can no longer SIT THEIR ASSES DOWN AND ALLOW countries with not even one quarter of the current African population decide that they are running another colonization scam on them and their future generations, who survives….to steal everything and kill all of them…they can no longer PRETEND THEY DON’T KNOW…

  13. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Hants

    When collective behaviour is fairly predictable, including the justificatory arguments, then that behaviour can be called cultural. When the focus remains an imagined discipline rather than reason, we have to dig in to our souls for answers. Being defensive would not help.
    As a small island people we are distinguished by our behaviours in a way that other English-speaking Caribbean people are not. We can give these behaviours names, I prefer the all-encompassing term Barbadian (Bajan) Condition. Which sums up the expected behaviour in a simple phrase.
    We can predict certain things: if a scared motorist fails to stop at night for plain clothes men in an unmarked car,, who turned out to be police officers, and are shot, then the judiciary will almost certainly describe such killing as accidental.
    If the person is stopped and arrested, it is almost certain a court, with a single magistrate, will find the person guilty and, probably send him them to prison(if he is an ordinary working people).
    It is also predictable that there will be no public outcry, such as there has not been when a detective shot and killed his neighbour and one of the last acts of the DLP attorney general was to back his fight for bail. That case is now running in to year and we have heard nothing about the of an innocent man.
    We cannot continue to whitewash such flaws in the fabric of our democratic system, or even wore, keep comparing our failures to those of other societies – comparative evils. Sadly, to many people on BU, this seems like a reasonable discursive reply.

  14. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David

    Just got back in from the supermarket picking up a few things for an older relative. This would of been my second shopping day for the week and can say the line at the same location i went to in the week, is considerably smaller today. If it continues this way by next week things should be settling well.

  15. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    The term “Bajan Condition” serves only to put Bajans on the defensive. There is a way to get your point across that will not have that effect. If you wish your points to be taken perhaps you should examine your communication skills since they seem to be counterproductive.

    The fault may actually lie with YOU!

  16. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Tron is growing in his court jester role. Brought much needed laughter and left a smile. Still, it would be nice, wouldn’t it?

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

    More FREE LESSONS to be learnt.

    “On Wednesday, Singapore reported 142 new cases of COVID-19 — the highest single-day record for the city-state. In the last week, Singapore had two record-breaking numbers of new infections — with 120 new confirmed cases on April 5 and 106 on April 7, according to data collected by Worldometer — after weeks of successfully controlling the outbreak within its borders.

    The new cases have been connected to foreign workers living in compact dormitories, the Straits Times reported. The recent resurgence of infections has prompted the government to implement a lockdown, closing down schools and most workplaces for a month.

    “We have decided that instead of tightening incrementally over the next few weeks, we should make a decisive move now, to pre-empt escalating infections,” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a speech, the New York Times reported.

    Singapore was one of several Asian countries whose coronavirus response efforts were hailed as a “gold standard” of how to bring an outbreak under control.”

  18. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    I was talking about this only this morning, no sense trying to keep, it’s all happening way too fast..

    “Covid-19 has moved closer to the heart of government in Nigeria, where the president’s chief of staff has died, and Afghanistan, where the president is in near-isolation after at least 20 officials who work with him reportedly contracted the virus from a contaminated document.

    Abba Kyari was the top official aide to Muhammadu Buhari and one of the most powerful men in Nigeria. Like Buhari, he was in his 70s, and he had underlying health conditions, including diabetes.

    Presidential spokespeople confirmed Kyari’s death on Twitter, as deaths across Africa passed 1,000 and experts said the continent was badly prepared for an outbreak. Ten countries have no ventilators at all, the New York Times reported.”

  19. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    They are asking for help because they are beginning to understand the new territory much better, hope they also bring all essentials to the front of the store to cut down on customer search time…the key to success is ORGANIZATION.. ….it may sound confusing to some but it’s really very simple.

    “Just three days into the new alphabetical shopping system, local supermarket owners are asking for extended opening hours to ensure hundreds of customers in need of food can be served on their allotted days.

    At least one veteran retailer also wants permission for staff to work nights to restock shelves and clear a backlog of online and telephone orders placed during the recent shutdown.

    While expressing satisfaction with the rationale behind the new framework, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Trisha Tannis lamented the fact that some shoppers were denied entry after braving the elements in long lines outside.

    “Certainly, one of the most fundamental things is that we will need a few more hours in the day to be able to service the crowds and I think that summarises the discussions yesterday. If we could get an hour earlier or a few hours later, that would be good,” Tannis suggested.

    “But we are also mindful that if we get a few hours later, that may interfere with the curfew period, so we would have to look at that and the impact of such changes on the transportation system. I think what is clear is that it is difficult to service everyone now and it is very difficult to avoid disappointing people. What remains to be seen is how the system will settle down over the next few days when you start getting a repeat of the type of bunching that we saw,” she added.”

  20. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    @ Tron ye olde Sexton

    “…Therefore the island could be germ-free by the end of the month.

    I therefore suggest that we already start the preparations with an island-internal festival – excluding all Chinese and with lots of Corona beer for Sunday, May 3rd.

    So Charles Jong has to stay at home …”

    Tron, de ole man does skim many of the rest to find you, de best AND GREATEST JESTER!

    Other men would have difficulty keeping this track of tragedy-comedy going but you is a boss man.

    I think that after all the time that has elapsed that I finally have identified who you are.

    You gave way yourself with the bracketed (by tacit agreement) thing and de ole man brek down laughing.

    It is good to have you here though and de ole man hopes that you can continue to contribute here without people finding out who you are and squeezing you.

    That is how dem does move but you dun know that.

    You speak your truths very plainly for those who love truth BUT FOR THE POOCHLICKERS they cannot understand what you are saying otherwise your name would be on the list of Salemites.

    Like de ole man sometimes is.

    You en see that lately dem has not been calling de ole man name at all?

    By de way how come you ent text me to tell me dat Bedroom Police aka Taliban and Sharia Cleric Grenville returned?

    You moving real shabby yuh!

  21. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    Your assistance please Honourable Blogmaster

  22. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    Again your assistance is requested Honourable Blogmaster

  23. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @Piece the Legend April 18, 2020 9:02 PM

    Piece, the Prophet,

    Get used to the fact that government censorship reaches very far. Now that Cool Calcutta, our official government spokesperson, is writing on BU, there is no room for you anymore.

    You have clearly gone too far with your unspeakable criticism of the appointment of the Honorable Baron Chris Sinckler, MA, PC, BMW, BDSM et al as Royal Councillor in the Council of Misery and Dispair.

  24. Dame Bajans Avatar
    Dame Bajans

    BMW, BDSM et al as Royal Councillor in the Council of Misery and Dispair.

    Well, well. I will be damned. BDSM hahaha. No, I should not laugh. He really put people through it.

  25. Silly Woman Avatar
    Silly Woman

    @NorthernObserver April 18, 2020 1:17 PM “the one most likely to keep referencing ‘off the radar’ CJ is his alter ego?”

    Yup!

    As I long suspected.

  26. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    @ Senator Caswell Franklyn

    Salutations.

    De ole man is pleased that you have come back to Barbados Underground after being away for so long!

    Being one of the 2 senators who guard this country from the machinations of the despot, we see why you have been busy.

    Couple that with the fact that the Minister of Disinformation has explicit instructions regarding giving you too much “airplay” here, we know that it would be harder for you to post than before.

    You said and I quote

    “…Rather than busy itself with measures to protect the people of this country, some twelve days after the consultation, Government rushed to Parliament and passed legislation that was already on the books, to manage the ensuing crisis.

    In essence, that legislation amended the Emergency Management Act by re-enacting certain provisions that already existed at section 28 of the same act; also at sections 2 and 3 of the 1939 Emergency Powers Act; and at section 25 of the Constitution.

    The amendment also went on to give powers to the Chief Medical Officer that he already had since 1969…”

    De ole man often has used the term “Waste Foopism” here on BU to refer to acts that are real waste time actions.

    But i am going to beg you and the Sage Annunaki and Tron if you would explain why Mugabe, sorry Mottley, would see it as necessary to pass legislation that is no different from existing legislation?

    Are their any things in the new legislation that don not exist in previous set?

    If so what are they?

    And if there are none, why did she spend time frigging spiders?

    Was it to make it seeto the world that she had the backing of the Governor General or some other objective?

  27. Baje Avatar
    Baje

    @ Bajan In NY

    @Baje aka Major League Asshole who professes to have 3 Degrees
    The more you post the more apparent it is you are a liar and a fraud. Which airline did you fly into California on within the last couple of weeks?
    Robert, you really believe this bullshitter lecture at UWI? This guy left Barbados and claimed he was admitted into the Armed Forces of the USA. I would not be surprised if he claims to be an ex fighter pilot or a commander of an aircraft carrier – lol.
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    TO SHOW YOUR STUPIDITY WHICH PROBABLY EXPLAIN WHY YOU LIVE IN NEW YORK WITH THE OTHER CRABS IN A BARREL.

    IS AN AIRLINE THE ONLY WAY TO GET INTO CALIFORNIA FROM OUT THE COUNTRY?

    LAST TIME I CHECK CALIFORNIA IS CONNECTED TO OTHER PARTS OF NORTH AMERICA BY LAND BORDERS WHERE ONE CAN ENTER BY CAR OR FOOT ONCE LEGAL.

    SECONDLY MY FIELD MAKES ME ESSENTIAL SO I HAVE ACCESS TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE I CHOOSE IN US.

    YOU NEED TO TAKE A GEOGRAPHY LESSON OR TRAVEL MORE INSTEAD OF SHOWING HOW BACKWARD YOU ARE.

    NO WONDER YOU ARE IN NY WHERE MANY IDIOTS LIKE YOU LIVE STILL STUCK IN THE BAJAN CONDITION.

    I DON’T CLAIM TO BE NOTHING THAT I AM NOT SO YOU LIKE THE OTHERS COULD TWIST AND TURN.

    I HAVE 2 DEGREES NOT 3 AS YOU HAVE CLAIMED EVEN AFTER I HAVE CORRECTED YOU BEFORE.

    WAS NEVER A PILOT OR A COMMANDER OF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER

    DON’T NEED TO TELL LIES TO COME ON THIS BLOG TO EXPOSE THE SHIT YOU ARE YOU BUDDIES PEDDLE HERE.

    @ Waru

    THESE SMALL MINDED IDIOTS WOULD NEVER DETER ME.

    THEY WANT TO CONTINUE MISLEAD THE MASSES OF BAJANS WHO UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO LIVE IN A CESSPOOL WITH MANY PEOPLE AROUND THEM TRYING TO KEEP THEM LIKE CRABS IN A BUCKET.

    I AM BLESSED IN MANY WAYS SO THE LITTLE TIME I SPEND CONTRIBUTING HOPEFULLY WILL WAKE 1 or 2 LOCALS UP.

  28. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Oh Piece, You Prophet!

    While I deliberately amuse the audience to lighten up the tragedy a little, others unintentionally play the clown:

    BARBADOS TODAY: ‘Look to porn’ on how to innovate, entertainers told: “Economist Jeremy Stephen has suggested that the pornography industry could teach a thing or two to local entertainers on how to adapt their sector during the COVID-19 pandemic if they wanted to remain relevant and earn a living.”

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/04/18/look-to-porn-on-how-to-innovate-entertainers-told/

    The headline is a bit clumsy. With “look to porn” it’s not quite clear whether people should copy the payment model for streaming services or use their not so Christian excitement in front of their home screen to come up with new business models.

    Caveman Stephen has apparently internalised my NOT ENTIRELY SERIOUS suggestion to set up a few brothels at the pier of the cruise ships for the amusement of tourists.

    If the naive masses in their semi-education, like caveman Stephen, already now want to revive the economy through porn, what will they suggest when the tourists are missing for two years?

    Guess what: Donville Inniss for Prime Minister!

    So our present Most Honourable Prime Ministers should hurry and press the federal prosecutors in New York to lock Donville up until at least 2030. That’s how long the economic massacre will last.

  29. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Piece the Legend

    You asked a very good question at 10:11 p.m. which most people missed.

    The amendment has one notable inclusion, which was not circulated but was made during debate.

    In the Constitution, the Emergency Powers Act and the Emergency Powers Act during a state of emergency like we are in now, ”it shall be lawful for the Cabinet to make any Orders whatsoever it considers desirable in the public interest.”

    The only thing that is different from the provisions in the three pieces of legislation that I cited is a new subsection (6) that was sneaked in during debate in the lower House, which states:

    “In an Order made pursuant to subsections (4) and (5) the Cabinet may delegate to the Prime Minister the power to make such directives as may be required in the public interest.”

    That subsection may seem innocuous but what it has done is to override the Constitution and put ABSOLUTE POWER in the the hands of the Prime Minister. She does not now have to refer to Cabinet. Those jokers in the House of Assembly voted to sideline themselves and establish a Mottley dictatorship.

    Mind you, this is unconstitutional.

  30. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    By the way: Stephen was also the one who wanted to force a billion-dollar loan from Arabia and/or China on us. The man is not only a threat to public morale, but also to the financial stability of the island.

  31. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    I responded to Piece the Legend’s comment at 10:11 p.m. but it is not showing up.

  32. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Baje

    What is so unusual in these times of having two or three degrees. In my trade, increasingly new recruits have a first degree, a masters and a journalism degree.
    A PhD is often the third of three degrees. And in a lifetime, one will usually go through two, three or sometimes four different types of jobs before reaching retirement.
    @Baje, I suggest you have a read of Plato’s Allegory.

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

    “Those jokers in the House of Assembly voted to sideline themselves and establish a Mottley dictatorship.

    Mind you, this is unconstitutional.”

    be careful what ya ask for…a dictatorship without an economy, DEPENENCY TOURSIM DEAD. or cash flow reserves that has to include IDB, IMF, CDB..and the whole alphabet soup of LENDERS is no dictatorship at all, still have to DEPEND on the G20 countries for debt relief and they are known to REMOVE DICTATORS…..another delusional wannabe plan…dictator in their minds only..

    dictators are supposed to be financially independent with huge natural resources and do not need BEGGING BOWLS…

    quasi-communists…but that went out of style decades ago.

  34. David Avatar
    David

    @Senator

    To clarify your comment, the government has two thirds majority and it is an unusual even for MPs to vote against the government. Doesn’t the PM have the access to the power anyway?

  35. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    So what is THE PLAN, outside of the self-absorbed wannabe dictator one, to put the majority population back to work WITHOUT DEPENDENCY TOURISM…wuh it dead, ya can’t raise the dead without a vaccine for the PLAGUE..

    “Douglas Trotman
    5 hrs ·
    https://www.imf.org/…/imf-and-…/Policy-Responses-to-COVID-19

    Barbados

    Barbados has confirmed 75 COVID-19 cases (5 deaths and 15 recoveries) as of April 15, 2020. The government has implemented its final phase of the National Coronavirus Response Plan to contain the spread of the virus. Measures to activate isolation and treatment centers, impose limits on public gatherings, and launch supplementary medical facilities have been supplemented by a series of Emergency Management Orders that limit the movement of the general population. A 24-hour curfew restricting non-essential personnel to their residences has been in place since April 3rd until May 3, 2020. All non-essential businesses are closed and only critical government offices are operating under reduced hours and staff. Enhanced screening measures are in place at all ports of entry and a 14-day quarantine at a government-run facility is mandatory for all travelers arriving in Barbados. Spillovers from the global pandemic to the critical tourism sector has been significant in terms of a reduction in commercial airlift capacity and forward bookings, which has culminated in labor furloughs and temporary hotel closures.

    Key Policy Responses as of April 15, 2020

    FISCAL
    The Government of Barbados (GoB) has identified upfront emergency health and capital expenditures needed to manage and mitigate the spread of infection. This includes resources to refurbish the hospital and clinics, build isolation centers, and provision critical medications and supplies. In addition, the GoB intends to boost priority capital spending and introduce social programs for displaced workers to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on the economy. This includes infrastructure investment to renovate schools, government buildings, and a key industrial complex and the introduction of a Household Survival Program. The latter involves a minimum income for households made unemployed by COVID-19 and supplemental unemployment benefits though the National Insurance Scheme.
    MONETARY AND MACRO-FINANCIAL
    The Central Bank of Barbados (CBB) announced a series of measures (effective April 1, 2020) to help support commercial banks and other deposit-taking institution manage the economic fallout from the coronavirus shock. Specifically: i) the Bank’s discount rate at which it provides overnight lending to banks and deposit-taking non-banks licensed under the Financial Institutions Act was reduced from 7 percent to 2 percent; ii) the securities ratio for banks was lowered from 17.5 percent to 5 percent; iii) the 1.5 percent securities ratio for non-bank deposit taking licensees was eliminated; and, iv) the Bank indicated it stands ready to make collateralized loans for up to six months as liquidity support for licensees. These measures follows an agreement brokered by the GoB for commercial banks to provide forbearance in the form a 6-month debt-payment moratorium for individuals and business directly impacted by COVID-19.
    EXCHANGE RATE AND BALANCE OF PAYMENTS
    No measures”

  36. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    RobertApril 18, 2020 10:55 AM

    Govt Putting measure in place that would subject humans to intolerable conditions is Wrong {Quote}

    Idiot, who is it that is supposed to provide shelter for customers, the government or the owners of the supermarkets?

    Look how stupid you are. You are comparing the weather in Barbados with a country that is in a different temperature zone, to say government is subjecting people to intolerable weather conditions.

    In Canada cold, so the government there isn’t subjecting people to intolerable weather conditions and that’s why they have to dress appropriately?

    You got a life one that does not make your life miserable? Shyte, you duz come here on BU everyday making yuhself miserable about trivial foolishness that ordinary people generally over look.

    You so igrunt that you would make a door knob look smart

    xxxxxxxxxxxxx
    Too busy yesterday to respond to yuh jobby
    However i would made this short and sweet
    A kuncklehead of your intelligence wouldnt understand the difference between standing in sweltering 100 degree weather for long periods of time in barbados and standing in 45 degree weather for short period of time
    I bet the furthest you have been to cold weather is when the rain fall in barbados and temp.drops 1 degree
    Also people of your ilk got wunna head stuck so far up govt rearend that govt laws designed to make wunna backside uncomfortable wunna hailed such laws as the best thing ever happened to the country
    A friggin law that have negative ramifications one that subject people to health risk you ignorance does not even allow you to see a wrong
    Dont worry one day coming soon the same laws which u tout as being correct will bit yu in the backside
    Go take a read of how govt is using the upperhand of this crisis by use of laws to do as it dam pleases
    As for me nuttin govt do can and will impact my life cause i am two steps ahead
    Not standing in line and purposely not going to become a dumb prick like you arsis by use of laws to do as it dam pleases
    As for me nuttin govt do can and will impact my life cause i am two steps ahead
    Not standing in line and purposely not going to become a dumb prick like you are

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

    The fowls think they can distract, WATCH THEM GET SLAUGHTERED…cause neither them nor the wannabe dictators can think THIS FAR……short memory syndrome always returns to SCALD THEM…

  38. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    For all the dumb pricks like Robert check out
    Americans are fighting against these laws that govt have put in place to fight the virus
    Cant blame them remember 911 all or most people civil rights were stomped on
    Up to present time laws put in place during that time remained as erosion of people civil rights continue
    Govt street cameras became a normal everday place in people’s lives as well as private ones in places of employment.
    Saying all of the above because this crisis will bring laws that would further erode people’s rights
    Check Trinidad not even Barbados govt had the decency to stand bold faced against an injustice for the 33
    It is dumbfounding that people would close eyes to what govt would do to infringe on their rights using a guise called fear and safety and security

  39. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    David

    She already has a two-thirds majority in the House but she doesn’t have it in the Senate. You should recall what happened when the Independent and Opposition Senators voted to prevent the Government from amending the Constitution.

    Sent from my iPad

  40. David Avatar
    David

    @Senator

    Point taken.

  41. Robert Avatar
    Robert

    Too busy yesterday to respond to yuh jobby
    However i would made this short and sweet
    A kuncklehead of your intelligence wouldnt understand the difference between standing in sweltering 100 degree weather for long periods of time in barbados and standing in 45 degree weather for short period of time
    I bet the furthest you have been to cold weather is when the rain fall in barbados and temp.drops 1 degree
    Also people of your ilk got wunna head stuck so far up govt rearend that govt laws designed to make wunna backside uncomfortable wunna hailed such laws as the best thing ever happened to the country
    A friggin law that have negative ramifications one that subject people to health risk you ignorance does not even allow you to see a wrong
    Dont worry one day coming soon the same laws which u tout as being correct will bit yu in the backside
    Go take a read of how govt is using the upperhand of this crisis by use of laws to do as it dam pleases
    As for me nuttin govt do can and will impact my life cause i am two steps ahead
    Not standing in line and purposely not going to become a dumb prick like you arsis by use of laws to do as it dam pleases
    As for me nuttin govt do can and will impact my life cause i am two steps ahead
    Not standing in line and purposely not going to become a dumb prick like you are {Quote}

    Did you take a does of epsom salts or had a severe bout of diarrhea? Because you responded to my jobby with nuff, nuff more jobby, pup, shyte, stool, even #2.

    You are calling somebody a knucklehead and a dumb prick? YOU ARE A DUMB PRICK ALREADY. Read your contributions, like the one above. You can’t structure a sentence properly, your use of the English language is poor and your grammar is extremely poor and you don’t think, you write the first thing that goes into your empty head.

    Tell me when the weather in Barbados is ever a sweltering 100 degrees.

    The lines at the Cosco were very long, and you are saying the people were standing in the weather for a short period of time.

    Because people show you are talking foolishness or don’t jump on your band wagon or support your agenda, they are supporting the government.

    THAT IS HOW A FOOL AND A YARD-FOWL THINKS.

    Name these LAWS you are talking about, when were they passed in Parliament, what are the fines or prison time for breaking them.

    Where should I read how the government is using the crisis to do as it pleases? From the 25 people on Facebook and the shyte you write?

    You so foolish, you make a door knob look smart.

  42. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Mariposa

    You have shown once again you are one of the most alert contributors on BU. It is during moments like this that undemocratic governments try to force through repressive policies. The key is vigilance.
    In a state such as Barbados, where there is not a strong opposition force and a compliant media, there is the waffle about protecting the public interest, which remains undefined (the assumption is that we all know what they mean), and the wider judicial interpretation of the new legislation.
    It is only when the crisis is over and we return to what is called normality that we realised the new legislation was a Trojan horse. That is why you have checks and balance, in our parliamentary system we have committees to scrutinise Executive proposals, then we have the second chamber, made up largely of experienced men and women, and a media with highly trained and intellectually sophisticated journalists, to go through the Bills word by word, line by line, paragraph by paragraph. Crucially, we also have select committees which take evidence from experts.
    In Barbados we have what the late Quin Hogg called an elective dictatorship; we got that because in a haste to get rid of the incompetent Stuart regime, we voted in a 100 per cent BLP lower house. That is the flaw in a first-past-the-post parliament.
    The president further abused this by amending the constitution to allow a former Treasury official, a childhood friend, with an MSc in something called Political Sociology, and who is/was a crypto-currency expert, to sit in the senate.
    The alarms bells should have sounded then.

  43. john2 Avatar
    john2

    @ Caswell

    Is there laws the allow for 24hrs business in Barbados?

  44. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Hal there is a stench of dictatorships blowing across barbados
    Notice that those who speak up are the ones most targeted
    Even on BU there was once a time when postings were removed because of vulgarity now the opposite is true as postings that are in opposition to govt measures or speaks in harsh tones about govt have been removed
    What is most startlingly is how easy it is to manipulate the masses and how easy it is for the masses to belive whatever govt does in times of crisis is right without them giving a thought that once these rights are taking away getting them return is a long road to travel
    Since govt founded these laws on the right of National Security
    My mind reflects on 911 on the laws put in place by govt and some of these same laws private companies have been used to spy on their employees

  45. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Well let’s see how this turns out….China with their colonization of Africans plans.

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1270676/China-UK-US-Wuhan-virus-lab-coronavirus-origin-mystery-COVID-19-latest?fbclid=IwAR0D5x0ZK5INSczXJ95yqEUK90iJT2BI7repsHtiEDveCP0cfMMAweEEn0c

  46. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Hal these days when i post on BU i copy my postings because i am now aware that the postings may not be posted
    The stench of dictatorship fills the air
    When it all falls into place i would not feel one inch of sympathy for them
    Right now i am watching how govt is manipulating the people last sunday and days folliwing govt rolled out numbers to give an up to date follow up of the COVID cases including deaths
    Suddenly the count stops up to present time govt has not stated where three infected cases of unknown origin occured hmmmm
    You see this is all of the manipulation process get people to see what govt wants to see and closed their eyes to other facts and factors
    Btw on another issue havent heard if Chris Sinckler accepted the job being on the COVID panel or was this just another trial balloon to check the political pulse of the people
    So many voices heard except that of Sinckler
    Buyer beware

  47. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Mari

    Name or quote the law (as best you can) the the government put in place that the private companies use to spy on their employees?

    (google if you have to) give 3 exmples where the private companies use this/these laws and spied on their employees?

    also answer Robert question as to when Barbados ever hit 100 degrees

  48. Robert Avatar
    Robert

    The usual Mariposa called for reinforcements. That is definitely another Mariposa.

    What bugs me about the village idiot and his sidekick Maridummy, is that, with the exception of shopping hours, the COVID-19 policies of the other Caribbean countries and those of Barbados are similar. Yet, the governments of those countries are not dictatorships, repressive, inhumane and backward.

    Allocated shopping days is a dictatorship because people have to stand in line. And all of a sudden the weather is a problem. When Courts have their Black Friday or night gown sales and people flock there from early morning or in their nighties waiting to get a TV at half price——— no problem.

    Go down Cheapside any Friday just before midnight and see hundreds of people lining up to buy cheap goods from trucks. Look when Chefette was giving away free food and the lines were just as long as we are seeing now——- it was not a problem then. Nobody thinking about weather.

    The village idiot talking about dictatorship from one side of his mouth and from the other side, he talking about controlling the distribution of food and commandeering hotels.

    Wearing to school patent leather shoes and getting free bread from his friend’s father’s bread shop makes him the smartest dude in the land.

  49. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Me thinks the wannabe dictator thing is going to their heads. Did 4 policemen and one female office put hands on and beat up and injured an unarmed and helpless woman just for standing outside a line of people trying to get medicine, because she did not want to obstruct people trying to obtain their medicine as she was only there to return reggae festival tickets and get back her money or some such. Did the wannabe dictator loose het thugs and hooligans to beat up the people?? Maybe Fowl Enuff can answer that, she seemed so violent yesterday. BTW..alyuh beat up a UK citizen so dont be surprised if the UK papers pick it up…alyuh done so worldwide famous already.

    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1303201976556005&id=100005986451739?sfnsn=scwspwa&extid=kdvo0oezFDCzJfBs&d=w&vh=i

  50. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Mariposa

    Good idea. Always have a record. Digital postings are not permanent records. They can be, and are, changed quite often. That is why my caution about Googling as accepting it as fact.
    On a simple basic level. If an online newspaper receives a lawyer’s letter regarding an alleged libel, the offending article is immediately removed, sometimes until the matter is resolved, or on occasion changes are made and the article re-posted.
    Also, and this was my bug-bear, everything said in a print newspaper is not posted online. Sometimes they differ. In UK law, an online and print newspaper are different.
    Unscrupulous people can make all kinds of changes to your copy.

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