Est.2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

Banner promoting anonymous crime reporting with a phone and contact number 1 800 TIPS (8477), featuring the Crime Stoppers logo and a QR code for submitting tips.

Caricom Engaged in Racial Distancing

← Back

Your message to the BLOGMASTER was sent

CONTACT THE BLOGMASTER ONLY

The average Black West Indian should be aware of the The Middle Passage. As a youngster the blogmaster recalls his effort to visualize Africans shackled and crammed into boat to be transported from Africa to the West Indies and sold into bondage.  It case we forget there was a dark period in the history of the world Blacks were legally regarded as ‘chattel’, no better than a mule or donkey.

The lineage of Black people living in the Caribbean means there will always be an inextricable connection between the West Indies and Africa. It is unfortunate our people have allowed North American and Eurocentric influences to permeate our psyche to wreak havoc to our identity.

It was reported last week that 54 African countries signed a letter asking the United Nations Human Rights Council to schedule a debate on police brutality against Black people around the world. It is a matter of record the killing of George Floyd in the USA has triggered a Black Lives Movement reminiscent of the 50s and 60s when MLK, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey and others were at the forefront of the fight for civil and political rights of our people.

…In a letter written on behalf of 54 African countries, Burkina Faso’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva asked the UN’s top rights body for an “urgent debate” on “racially inspired human rights violations, police brutality against people of African descent and the violence against the peaceful protests that call for these injustices to stop…

As a proud Black man the blogmaster must share his disappointment at the lack of a strident response to the killing of George Floyd by CARICOM. All reasonable people agree it is a manifestation of institutionalized  racism in the USA and global citizens have been galvanized to protest the need for urgent reform.

A scan of the official website of  Caricom.org reveals no adequate communications posted to capture the prevailing sentiment of the people living in the region. Our Caricom leaders under the current chairmanship of Mia Mottley have failed us at a pivotal moment in the history of the world. Our nexus to Africa created the opportunity to add our voice to those of the 54 African countries who represent the Mother Country. How are we expected to forge and improve relations with African countries but are miles apart on how to correctly react to the matter of the Black Lives Movement? This has nothing to do with jumping on any bandwagon. Again the idea of cognitive dissonance keeps recurring. What message are our leaders sending to the masses?

It is no wonder we have to tolerate individuals who lack the understanding of the moment by insisting we should let the USA fight this matter alone. Why are White people protesting around the globe? Some of us have family residing in the USA. Some of us have relatives studying in the USA. Some of us may have reason to travel to the USA. Most of us are Black. Most important, a strike against humanity is simply that and should evoke the same response in humans everywhere.

Even the Germans are protesting for crissakes!

The poor response by Caricom to describe it mildly is a disappointment and although the perfect scenario is to strike when hot, it is not too late to offer redress. Now is not the time to be apolitical. Now is not the time to engage in racial distancing.

 

 

 

 

 

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

210 responses to “Caricom Engaged in Racial Distancing”

  1. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John A

    The pain of the president’s economic illiteracy is that ordinary Barbadians will pay the price. The well to do and well-connected will always have food on their tables. The masses will be hypnotised by the rhetoric and oratorical flamboyance.
    This is not really who we are. Part of the problem is her reliance on family friends (Persaud), political mates (Mascoll) and the false impression that working for a Bretton Woods organisation means you are top of the tree (Dr Greenidge).
    She has little confidence in her Cabinet colleagues, but as Caddle and Straughn have formal qualifications in economics she pays them the respect of involving them. Otherwise, policy is made up like a lottery.
    How can we write off VAT, outstanding national insurance and give other tax waivers to wealthy hotel owners, sack public sector workers as part of an IMF-driven austerity programme (BERT), then got panicked in to a stimulus (BEST), then hijacked public sector workers’ wages under some bogus claim of ‘investing’ in bonds (BOSS). We are in a mess.
    The other thing, of course, is where are the opposition parties? Franklyn is doing a fine job in challenging the poor law-making, but Weatherhead is quite clearly closing his eyes and punching. Equally, where is the DLP economic spokesperson? Where are our academic economists? This is a time when they should be sparkling, bursting with ideas. Where are they?
    Finally, and it is not their fault, just when the media should be proving their value to the society, they are out of the game. Who is the economic correspondent on Barbados Today, or the Nation? In the absence of specialists, all they do is regurgitate the nonsense told to them.

  2. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Hal

    I am still waiting for them to answer the question I posed here weeks ago so I will now repeat it.

    How does government plan to function on 25% less revenue this year than was budgeted for in the estimates?

    All I hearing is about this committee and the next, but not a person is coming out to answer this question in a detailed manner while the clock continues to tick loudly. By rough figures every month we waste on longtalk we are clocking up around $50 million a month in deficit and that may be on the conservative side.

  3. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    Justin is courting Mia because Canada is angling for a seat on the UN Security Council, it is competing against Ireland and Norway. If Canada can lock up the votes of the Caricom group it would go a long way in trying to attain its objective.
    Voting by member nations start today.

  4. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    According to CBC Canada , Barbados is the one vote Canada has already. More free PR for Barbados thanks to the superwoman sales lady.lol

  5. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @JohnA
    I am ‘told’ the current air lift loads are poor, on a reduced schedule. I have family who use air travel extensively in the summer annually, and this year the count of air travelers is 0. If that helps. And a few have lots of points. The golf courses which are open, guesstimating 70%, are booming. Apart from those who own timeshares, nobody seems to be chomping to head south. I wouldn’t anticipate demand for sun destinations will pick up until December. My other personal connection is Florida, and I can tell you they are begging for Winter 2021 bookings. They are not discounting heavily yet, but some are offering par on the loonie, which is a 30% discount.
    While there has been ‘talk’ about luring folks to ‘spend money at home’, I have seen only a handful of programs. They have cancelled almost all the summer festivals. And out of province 14 day quarantine remains in effect in most places. Some, like NB. NS & PEI will only let you in IF you own property. It makes little sense to travel if you are in quarantine for your first 14 days?

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    There has been rumblings about printing money and kicking around allocations in the budget. Remind us what is your suggestion to fill the 500 million dollar deficit? We

  7. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Northern

    Thanks for that info and it is similar to what I am hearing from others. Although the discounting in Florida of 30% to match the Canadian dollar one for one is new to me. I think our recovery is going to be a bit slower than first anticipated based on what’s happening globally.

  8. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    @John A

    “How does government plan to function on 25% less revenue”

    Some latest, this morning Barbados press, would suggest the 25% you quote is the MOST optimistic figure and the WORST is $1.5B annually, which translates to more like 50%.
    Your never going to get this question answered VERBALLY as the comprehension is beyond the political mathematicians.. Time Economic & Social status will ultimately answer you query.

  9. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    @ Hants June 17, 2020 12:29 PM

    Barbados was always a pet rabbit in Canada’s campaigning hutch.

    It’s called payback time for the ‘perceived’ excellent work done by a previous CHC in backing the then previous LoO who is now the BOSS in Bim.

    “Canadian High Commissioner to Barbados Marie Legault raised the ire of Barbadian education minister Ronald Jones, who said in fiery terms Tuesday she should be recalled to Canada for suggesting the country is ready for a female prime minister — and, in his view, implying that citizens should vote for a change in government.”

  10. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David

    The $500M deficit was based on action being taken weeks ago. Where we are now with little introduced it may well hit $600M. It looks like they losing around $50M a month and they haven’t really seen the Vat receipts for April and May yet, which will not be filed until 21st June.

    I am very disappointed in the silence on our plans to deal with this issue. Have all these growth committee’s come up with nothing new other than start printing again?

    To be honest I know they will start printing if they have not already, after all what is the BOSS issue other than printing money. The question is what will they do along with BOSS, as that can not work on its own. So again I ask how do wunna plan to operate on 25% less than in the estimates?

    No doubt this too will be answered by a deafening silence.

  11. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @ Wily Coyote June 17, 2020 12:47 PM

    You’re not up to date. We compensate for this, so to speak, with the advance assignment or mortgaging of the expected reparation payments from Great Britain for slavery. We sell these future claims to international investors at a certain discount, say 30 percent plus service fees. The investors will then be allowed to sue Britain for crimes against humanity.

  12. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ wily

    I am beginning to think like you that my estimate of 25% weeks ago may be lean today. We may well be looking now more like a 30 to 35% fall in state income. The fact too that we have wasted the last few weeks by introducing nothing sustainable to address expenses, will only make our reality worst.

    I feel like if Sinkyuh and his fellow advisors are all just waiting for divine intervention or some form of economic miracle to guide them.

    Here again I use an old saying in business and it’s ” book smart ain’t street smart.”

  13. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ John A at 11:56 AM

    When I was learning Management it was often repeated,” if you want nothing done, give it to a committee”. I am very surprised that you expected much.
    However,it is difficult to make serious projections when a large portion of the National Income is generated externally. The outcomes are not ours to make.

  14. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John A

    The answer is staring the president in the face, but she lacks confidence. A massive stimulus, building infrastructure (I won’t give details again), then we get a virtuous circle – jobs, consuming, taxation, investments by the private sector, jobs, etc).
    This will give fiscal space (in its conventional sense) to reallocate e government spending, raising the spend on education and training gradually from the present 4 per cent to about 12 per cent over five years.
    I would also change the remit for Invest Barbados from an obsession with the service sector to manufacturing and service. We have the US as an example of economic failure.
    In 1945, the US was the dominant nation militarily, economically and politically, a position it held until 1980. During the 1960s and 70s, however, the US economy shifted from being a manufacturing based one to a service based economy. Nearly all its manufacturing (textiles, shoes, automobiles, etc) shifted to Asia and Latin America. We all know how China became the manufacturing centre of the world.
    In the meantime, the challenge from the USSR (Sputnik) and Kennedy’s promise to put a man on the moon, gave rise to a number of new industries: Silicon Valley, etc. By 1980, Europe was recovering from the destruction of the war.
    I do not want to go in to a lesson in economic history, but you get the picture. Economic recovery calls for imagination, new ways of thinking, radical approaches.
    This government is operating in a world of fear; it wants the revenue but it prefers tourists to come to Barbados and spend as if there is no tomorrow.
    I have said here before, they seem not to understand the sociology of tourism. The vast majority of people who come to Barbados are not multi-millionaires, but people who have saved up during the years to spend two weeks living the lifestyle they see on television.
    Our tourism (visitor) market should be rooted in heritage tourism, children whose parents and grand parents, even great grand parents, came from Barbados and they want to see the island.
    Some may want to do family research, because whoever we are we want to know where we came from. Back to Africa may be a good slogan, but back to Barbados for many of us comes first.
    But it is important to remember, these are young people who do not want to live in Barbados and their social and entertainment needs may vary from the typical European or North American.
    However, our tourism marketing people do not like the idea of attracting black people to Barbados; tourism means white people. They have a psychological problem.

  15. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Northern.

    Thanks so much for your info. It goes with what I am hearing from one or 2 others. I think our recovery is going to be slower than we first hoped based on the rumblings.

  16. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @JohnA
    the dollar par is an old trick, but usually employed when the differential is 10-15%.
    @VC
    committee? a group of persons who individually can do nothing, and get together to decide that nothing can be done!!!
    @Sarge
    yes, flying (limited destinations) to USA is allowed. One of those anomalies, you cannot cross over land or sea but air is fine. I am guessing JT is skeptical about the security seat, hence why he made a second deal with Singh, and closed parliament for the summer. Covid has allowed him to skirt clashes, but giving in to the NDP will soon wear thin.

  17. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Vincent

    From a foreign revenue side yes I agree we are somewhat not in control. We are however in control of working on our FX substitutions areas like food and alternative energy. We also are responsible for our state expenses and productivity so the powers that be can still do alot if they ever stop procrastinating.

  18. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Hal.

    My fear is that I am not convinced that our leaders understand what is expected of them in the post covid economy. Many of their solutions are what one would of seen put forward pre covid when tourism was a bit more dependable income wise. Also why create a post covid economy that is at risk for global economic shock when we should be trying to insulate ourselves from it going forward?

    Sorry I am not seeing what I need to so as to convince me that we are ready for the new tomorrow.

  19. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Northern

    The dollar par pony can’t run in this race. We talking a total economic revitalization and a change of focus for us to survive. This one is going to call for way more than that old trick. Problem is all the BOSS and others to follow are not sustainable long term. What we need is a total refocusing and that will take big kahoonahs and many don’t have them in politics.

  20. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Hal
    You are firing on all cylinders today… “Economic recovery calls for imagination, new ways of thinking, radical approaches.” Sadly, these will not be coming out of committee.

    The focus for Invest Barbados should be trying to replicate the success of Lenstec (high tech manufacturing) and Gildan (high tech back office functions for global manufacturing elsewhere). The common key is high technology… old fashioned manufacturing jobs for import substitution are a proven dead end failure.

    Massive infrastructure building is a necessity, but in order to do this the government will have to outgrow their paranoia about debt. The infrastructure spending needs to be financed that we leverage out of multilateral and Bretton Woods institutions at concessionary rates.

    We should also be exploiting and leveraging the demand for reparations in order to help finance infrastructure investments. Little Glasgow University committed to pay £20m in slave trade reparations. The Codrington Library of All Souls College at Oxford University was built with £16,000 in blood money from the unpaid labour of enslaved people on Codrington’s plantations here. The present value of that 1710 bequest (labour value of that bequest in 2019 currency is £36,600,000, while the income value of that sum in 2019 currency is £47,860,000) is what Oxford University owes us in reparations which should be invested in building a solar energy and lithium battery power plant on the 600 acres of Codrington Estate lands in Barbados to move us significantly closer to energy self sufficiency.

  21. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Hal
    @ John A

    Were you guys asleep when some BU genius suggested about six or so weeks ago that the “ villas” on the West Coast will be the new corner stone of the economy?
    Were you asleep when another BU economic genius said that Americans , Canadians and some British will be tired of being in the house because of COVID and will be knocking down us to reopen GAIA?
    Were you asleep when these geniuses were saying that we are better poised than any other place in the world to attract tourists because of our superior climate which apparently is the secret cure for COVID -19?

    You two need to just shut up!

  22. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    “Back to Africa may be a good slogan, but back to Barbados for many of us comes first.”

    Have you ever been to Africa? It is beautiful. You would be inspired to help the poor for your spiritual wealth.

  23. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John A

    The president should cut back on trying to be world class and call you in as a consultant. Remember, you are dealing with the brightest and best we have to offer. Are we getting value for money?
    It is really frustrating, but what really gets me is my trade. The media seem lost; they do not even seem to have the confidence to email or telephone people outside the small circle of rent-a-quotes.
    Then there is what I call the Rihanna Dividend. Apart from calling the singer and businesswoman a cultural ambassador they are caught like a fly in a spider’s web.
    The other one that makes me smile is that we have been playing road tennis for over 60 years. Just look at its progress. It is a failure of imagination.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    In the short term water cannot be turned to wine. All projects will require inputs from overseas to realise. This is where we find ourselves after years of following the economic path of less resistance. It means unless there is unprecedented economic growth the state of the economy will operate in steady state.

  25. David Avatar
    David

    @Tee White

    Forgot to acknowledge you for motivating this blog from the link you forwarded.

  26. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    John A
    In the short term water cannot be turned to wine. All projects will require inputs from overseas to realise. This is where we find ourselves after years of following the economic path of less resistance. It means unless there is unprecedented economic growth the state of the economy will operate is steady state mode.(Quote)

    What does this mean in simple English?

  27. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    David June 17, 2020 11:12 AM

    Noted.

  28. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Hal
    @ WS
    @ David BU

    There are certain facts of life which Small Island Economies and large developed countries have to live with and Economic Instability is one of them. There is no plan,no policy and no strategy that immunizes us from short periods of disequilibrium. Pointing fingers and allocating blame change nothing.
    We have all done our fundamental analyses and are repeating the process ad nauseam.Time to move on.

  29. Tee White Avatar
    Tee White

    Oxford college wants to remove Rhodes statue

    By Sean Coughlan BBC News family and education correspondent

    Oriel College in Oxford has announced that it wants the controversial statue of Cecil Rhodes to be taken down.

    The governors of the Oxford University college voted on Wednesday to remove the statue of the colonialist.

    Campaigners have called for the statue to be taken down – saying it was a symbol of imperialism and racism.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/education-53082545

  30. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Move on?🤣🤣🤣 Hal and others have a point to prove. Imagine this is article 3/4 of some busy trying to convince Bdos that the PM does not care about black lives.

  31. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Tee White
    Let’s hope Sir Hillary has Lord Patten (Chancellor of the University of Oxford) on speed dial. Oxford University will be looking for something to do to get themselves on the correct side of history.

  32. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @Hal

    some very interesting contributions. i enjoyed reading them.

  33. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Greene

    Thanks.

  34. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @PLT
    Is there a paranoia of debt? Possibly how to make lasting and beneficial beneficial use of borrowed funds. Borrowing money, and/or consistently spending more than you collect, is an art-form held by many.

  35. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Hal

    I would only last about 3 days before i am fired anyhow. I can’t handle procrastination and beurocracy combined. Lol

  36. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    @Tron

    “We sell these future claims to international investors at a certain discount, say 30 percent plus service fees.”

    STOP, my guts are hurting form the laughter. Oh yes 30% of NOTHING is what ?, $0.00 in the real world, magic in Barbados $’s.

    Reading the Nation News used to have a section of comics, now the WHOLE paper is comics masquerading as NEWS. No wonder Hal thinks journalism in BARBADOS is DEAD.

  37. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @Wily Coyote June 17, 2020 8:05 AM ” Well SLAVERY still exists today and is practiced in several world jurisdictions on millions of non black populations and is obviously condoned by numerous organizations worldwide.”

    Evidence please.

  38. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Northern

    It is caused by confusion over the difference in determining an asset from a liability. Like some would argue a car is an asset others would say its a liability.

  39. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    There is nothing wrong with debt in itself. In the 1950s, the US economy grew by 73 cents for every dollar it borrowed. In the 1960s, it grew by 65 cents; by the 1980s, it was 34 cents; and in the first decade of the 21st century it was 20 cents. The US now has a lifestyle funded by third world central banks, including China’s.
    Yet, today, the US leads the world in only five sectors: computer hardware, software, biotechnology, aerospace and entertainment. The US maybe a declining power, but it still has a long way to go. How many of those will it still lead the world in 20 years?
    Remember, the UK economy peaked in 1912, and it still enjoys a reasonable standard of living, and Holland peaked in 1617, and it is still a major EU nation.

  40. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @Hants June 17, 2020 6:51 AM “I suggest to my fellow CanBajans to ” stay home ” in Canada and send money to your family and friends.”

    I hope so too. Even though Wily Coyote and Tron will label me as a mendicant. a beggar, an idiot or worse

    How about if I tell them that I sent about $50,000 into the Canadian economy I the last few years. Must have kept a Canadian landlord or two happy, must have added a few dollars to some Canadian’s pay check.

    So if I get back a li’l $500 or so…

    Would that be considered that a good return on my investment?

    The North is almost seen as a bebefactor of the south.

    But the truth is that the North benefits from some of the South’s best young brains. And benefits from the hundreds of millions of cash flowing from the South to the North. REMITTANCES sent North from the South to buy food, medicine, equipment, to buy education, and to repay debts,

    It is long long past time that we acknowledge these realities.

  41. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    NorthernObserver June 17, 2020 5:57 PM
    The metric with which the politicians are judged, by their IMF masters, is the debt/GDP ratio. When they borrow, even if it is for a very sensible investment at a very low interest rate, the debt/GDP ratio increases because the growth in GDP lags years after the investment in many cases. So their IMF masters pull long faces and shake their heads… this is the root of their paranoia.

  42. Bajeabroad Avatar
    Bajeabroad

    @Hal
    Consistently good contributions on this post, keep up the informative submissions….changed your diet?

    A very good point on the sociology of tourism that our tourism planners miss even to this day. And it’s obvious from the types and thrust of the ads we are pushing out. Even tourism experts on the blog still predominantly suggest tactics from a bygone era oblivious to the fundamental difference in a typical Caribbean tourist today versus 30 years ago

    @PLT
    Lenstec, yes. Gildan, no
    Very very familiar with the Lenstec model and your are correct in that it can be replicated with success. Won’t get into an essay unless asked but Barbados should focus on “cluster” development of the ONE key factor that makes Lenstec successful in Barbados. It’s not tax holidays etc it’s LOGISTICS. Lenstec produces small, lightweight, high value medical devices ($20-300usd) which is KEY. It therefore allows Barbados to be a hub because via FedEx and DHL it can ship to all and any worldwide customer within 5 days and negligible logistics costs per unit as a single box of those lenses is thousands of dollars versus only a few hundred to ship reliably. The lower wage costs compared to USA production (head office) then becomes a benefit. That is the cluster focus. Attracting midrange companies where global logistics efficiency is still possible from Barbados given the high value to shipping costs reality. We only need 15 to 20 to change the trajectory in Barbados. Essential oil processing (not just basic processing) fits the criteria with input material from Guyana, Brazil and West Africa. End products to USA, Canada and Europe. UWI Nat Sci can play a key research role here as well. Cluster development philosophy. Can expand further but these suggestions are far from new

    Gildan no. It’s just an admin office with tax benefits. Not a sustainable play

    Finally, I will just mention gig economy and leave it there. Time for the average YOUNG Bajan to recognize they can earn USD right from Barbados with a good laptop and internet connection. Right now. Don’t need Mia and company to enable it.

    Will leave it there

  43. Cuhdear Bajanc Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajanc

    I try to eat as local as possible, but not always.

    This morning I had for breakfast Canadian sardines, and bred made from Canadian wheat, and a banana, maybe local or maybe from St. Lucia, and a cup of coffee, Jamaican Blue, I must admit that i am a coffee snob. When friends and relatives travel t Jamaica almost ask them to bring back one of Jamaica’s finest products, and the coffee ALWAYS shows up.

    Tomorrow morning some cassava bakes. I grew the cassava and made the cassava flour myself, but the cooking oil? Canadian canola. Paid for with my own earnings.

    So “yes” money/trade/flows both ways.

  44. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Bajeabroad June 17, 2020 6:53 PM
    You are correct about the relative value of Lenstec vs Gildan. Lenstec is practically co-located with DHL, probably the best logistics company in the world. Invest Barbados is chasing after Gildan type business because it is adjacent to the international financial services industry that used to mean a great deal to the country.

  45. Lorenzo Avatar
    Lorenzo

    Hear the jackass Austin bajans will pay for the president,s economic illiteracy.Anyone ever heard of a more ridiculous ststement? You really should be in comedyfest.This from a man of no known economic background who thinks that Mariposa,s contributions have been missed and Mr Thompson would have been a great Prime Minister oh ma shirt according to Bush Tea.Ausyin what Ms Mottley forget about politics and economics you ain,t lesrn yet joker stay in your lane and weight class.You are way out of your league.Had covid 19 not stepped in Barbados was well on the way back but we will rise again.

  46. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @Hal Austin at 1:19 p.m. “Our tourism (visitor) market should be rooted in heritage tourism, children whose parents and grand parents, even great grand parents, came from Barbados and they want to see the island.Some may want to do family research, because whoever we are we want to know where we came from. Back to Africa may be a good slogan, but back to Barbados for many of us comes first.”

    I am already missing the people i call my ‘wuk-up crew” that group of young relatives and their friends from the U.S. and Canada who show up every August [and sometimes at Easter and Christmas too] to lively up my home, to party, to eat out at restaurants, to rent cars, to hit the night clubs and beaches, and Oistins too. The crew that shows up with them is a real-real rainbow coalition. Including once a white Canadian hockey player. Ooops!! Apparently he was or is a big-big name in Canadian hockey, but alas as I am likely the least sports minded person in the world I did not recognize his name, his face nor his extraordinary sporting exploits. Anyway he too seemed to have a good time.

    i really, really miss my wuk-up crew already.

    But they are looking forward to Christmas, maybe? And are hopeful for Crop Over 2021.

  47. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @Baje Abroad at 6:53 p.m. “Finally, I will just mention gig economy and leave it there. Time for the average YOUNG Bajan to recognize they can earn USD right from Barbados with a good laptop and internet connection. Right now. Don’t need Mia and company to enable it.”

    True.

    One of my nieces has ben teaching Chinese kids English from right at home for years. This is her side gig. Every middle class Chinese parent want their pre-school and elementary aged kids to learn English. We know that there are hundreds of millions of middle class Chinese with children.

    We would be doing them a favor to teach their kids English…for a fee of course.

    And with a laptop it can be done right from our kitchen tables…or our home libraries if we want to be post.

    And thanks to Rihanna, Bajan accents are posh.

    We need to get the whole world talking just like Rihanna.

    And we don’t need our Prime Minister’s permission to move ahead with this.

  48. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Even the question of the blog is totally wrong. Our leader of CARICOM Mia Mottley, Prime Minister for a long time, now has much more important tasks to do in Guyana than to deal with US domestic policy.

    If Guyana fails, we can forget the hoped-for billion-euro investments in the region.

  49. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Wuhlaus! The guys are really trying to boost Austin today! He is behaving much better but not that much better. And by the way, guys – YOU’RE WELCOME!

  50. BAJE Avatar
    BAJE

    THE BLACK POLITICIANS (CARICOM) ALL BRAINWASHED HOUSE NEGROS BY THE WHITE BRITISH MAN SIT IN THEIR COMFORT ZONES WHILST HAVING SAME DISDAIN FOR THE BLACKS WHO VOTED FOR THEM.

    BARBADOS GOVERNMENT DIDN’T CREATE RIHANNA IT WAS DONE BY BLACK AMERICANS WHO PAVED THE WAY AND GAVE HER A CONTRACT, WROTE LYRICS FOR HER, JOINT COLLABORATIONS AND USED THEIR NETWORK TO MAKE HER WHO SHE IS TODAY.

    MOST BLACKS IN THE CARIBBEAN ARE CRABS IN THE BARREL LIKE THEIR POLITICAL LEADERS WHO ENJOY KEEPING THEM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL.

    JAYZ A BLACK AMERICAN MUSIC BILLIONAIRE MADE RIHANNA.

The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

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

Continue reading