Since the 1970s both Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and Democratic Labour Party (DLP) have been promising Barbadians that integrity legislation. Fifty years later Barbadians fully appreciate the adage a promise is comfort for a fool. Can the BU intelligentsia explain to this blogmaster why the Integrity in Public Life Bill 2020 failed to pass the…
Since the 1970s both Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and Democratic Labour Party (DLP) have been promising Barbadians that integrity legislation. Fifty years later Barbadians fully appreciate the adage a promise is comfort for a fool.
Can the BU intelligentsia explain to this blogmaster why the Integrity in Public Life Bill 2020 failed to pass the Upper House today?
@ WURA-War-on-U August 6, 2020 2:53 PM
“all the crooked minorities …”
So the WHITE people walked out of the senate?
So the WHITE people managed the Ministry of Finance in such an idiotic way since 1966?
So the WHITE people incurred so many debts since 1966?
So a WHITE mother gave birth to Big Sinck?
Just asking. Stick to the facts. It is all about good or bad policies. Only racists talk about black and white policies and make up conspiracy theories like black or white “shadows”.
@Greene
Given that the Bill was discussed in joint committee for months and has a dedicated link on parliament’s website the blogmaster took it for granted you were aware. Hence the veil reference at 8:48am comment. You do have a keen interest in matters of state right?
I went into town to pay my taxes and as I was coming home on the ZR van it occurred to me that “we are the playthings of the [political and economic] gods, they use us for their sport.
@David,
lol. you got muh there. sometimes i rely on summaries to pique my interests cos i cant read everything and at times i have no interest in reading everything. i do have a keen interest in legislation and matter of law but i do enjoy the short version and then the long version for elucidation
After the failure of the integrity legislation, Barbados will naturally find it much more difficult to attract foreign investors.
Certainly the racists in the political class (like the fired, failed cabinet minister) are blaming the minorities for this as well.
@Tron August 6, 2020 11:01 AM “The measures shall include deportation of their relatives from the US back to Barbados ”
You spend a lot of time writing about deporting Barbadians whom you regard as useless good for nothings and whom you clearly hold in contempt, from Barbados. Now you are writing about importing the relatives of “bad behaved” Bajans into Barbados.
Ya got me confused man. Which is it really to be?
WAS INTEGRITY BILL DEAD ON ARRIVAL?
The Democratic Labour Party this morning joins all Barbadians in expressing dismay at the failure of this administration to pass the Integrity in Public Life Bill.
This was one of the campaign promises from the last election, and deemed one of the failings of the previous administration, which did pass a similar Act.
So serious and necessary did we think this legislation to be, that the DLP contributed during the consultation phase, both in writing and in person.
This Bill enjoyed the widest societal consultation then lay idle under this Government on the Order Paper for over a year.
It seemed only to have been resurrected as an after-thought at the tail end of the life of this Parliament, with the unscheduled, unforced and unnecessary prorogation looming.
There was no difficulty rushing it through the House of Assembly, where the numbers game is a foregone conclusion.
But it is the duty of the Leader of Government Business to know his vote count as he pilots legislation through the Senate Chamber.
If the required number of warm bodies were not present, standard practice dictates that the vote could have been postponed until the next day or even the day after, to ensure safe passage of the Bill.
It was known that the numbers present were low. There was a walkout after the irresponsible attendance by the Minister of Tourism on day 6 of her quarantine.
Why then was a vote taken?The DLP then calls into question the commitment and intent of this administration to the Integrity in Public Life Bill.
The initial flurry of activity, the inordinate delay, and finally the rushed nature of this final debate make it fair comment that the government may well never have been as determined to pass this Bill as they led the country to believe.
VERLA DE PEIZA
PRESIDENT
THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY
2020-08-06
The guidelines for the covid are evolving as the health experts get to understand it better.
Early last month i had a female workmate, who lives in New Jersey, here in Atlanta who was exposed to another workmate who tested positive. The positive one had to quarantine for 14 days (which has passed) and is still not back to work.
The exposed workmate had to quarantine for 7 days and after a positive test she was allowed to get on a plane and fly back to New Jersey..
I was wondering how that could have happened as i too thought that she was supposed to be in 14 days of quarantine.
it seem to me now that the protocols are as follow:
1. Positive test = 14 days quarantine
2. Exposed to an infected person and not tested = 14 day quarantine
3. Exposed BUT POSITIVE TEST AFTER 7 DAYS of quarantine = OK
4. exposed AND POSITIVE TEST AFTER 7DAYS of quarantine = ANOTHER 14 days of quarantine
So the difference seem to be the positive test after 7 days.
Are we in danger of giving a very narrow definition to integrity? Are we talking about values, or legal restrictions? Integrity applies from the time we are toddlers. We teach our children not to lie, steal, be rude, use foul language..
Tron…ya see the slaves in the parliament, their sellout days are drawing to a close…tell them that for me….as long as they are gone, exposed to the world and some in handcuffs, the only thing we will have to do is watch the crooked minorities…so they do not resurrect and recruit anymore house negros like yaself, in these times that will be much easier with their little loyal sellout black boys and girls gone.
Opening paragraph of the Bill.
This Bill would establish a regime, including an integrity commission, to promote the integrity of persons in public life and strengthen measures for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of acts of corruption.
We were never to be convinced that Barbados needed any integrity legislation. For that has always been a fool’s errand
What we really need is a constitutional ‘right to recall’ any elected or public official, including senior civil servants by referenda, uncontrolled by any governmental apparatus.
It is from such a right from whence all others will flow.
@John2
Methinks you are mixing up testing positive? You need a negative test after X days? So 3 should be negative, indicating you do not have C19.
I hope you don’t confuse put and call when trading.
NO
Thank for the correction. i wasnt mixed or confused just made a mistake and typed the wrong word.(human error).
#3 should have been NEGATIVE instead of positive.
I loaded with call on NIO in march. when you check you will find out of i was mixed up or not 🙂
@ David,
Any concern about this ?Seems tings gettin wussa. Blame it on Covid
“Preliminary data now suggests that economic output fell by 27 per cent in the second quarter, resulting in an overall decline of almost 15 per cent over the first six months of 2020,” he reported.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/08/06/pandemic-cripples-economy-but-govt-still-on-track-to-meet-imf-targets/
Get them to break it down. Where did the drop in productivity come from, which part of the economy?
Ohhh…la basura in the parliament are going to be so famous from this article, they have no clue whose attention has been piqued by this decades old unnecessary disenfranchisement of black people by black people aka fraud leaders and the wannabe slave masters…
“So excluded are Black people from the country’s “superficial” business culture of buying and selling that Dr Marshall believes a thriving business can only be achieved if capital is provided for investment in such new, innovate and production-based industries as solar energy, computer technology and advanced agriculture.
He has accused administrations of maintaining the status quo which maintains generational wealth in the hands of a few and restricts blacks for the most part to the working class.
“The state has effected a siege by allowing black entrepreneurial expression to flounder,” the.political economist argued.
“The state needs to incentivize innovative design-driven economy instead of leaving Black people in Barbados who are only now experiencing a third generation of being just a middle class.
“Do not leave them to pauperize their parents and grandparents by having to survive on the wits of the loan because their house was put up to start the business. It is vulgar and argued.”
Black Tuesday and Blackout Day have been used as a tool of black empowerment, particularly by activists in the United States aimed to support Black-owned businesses that are perceived to be operating at the disadvantage.
It has been rejected by the Barbados Private Sector Association and the Small Business Association as well as some social and political observers who claim that the Barbadian business climate provides equal opportunities.
But Marshall explained: “The law of capitalism is jungle-like. If you enter an area that is dominated by established players, they are going to use their advantage and power to price you out of the market, and to have your business face considerable cash flow pressures until it collapses.
“Whenever we are talking about race and business, it is important to understand the enterprise culture of that place and the enterprise culture in Barbados is that of commercial dealing business… and when Blacks try to get into those areas, they stumble upon a well-established wealthy class of persons who have experienced intergenerational wealth going back hundreds of years.”
@Hants
Of course we are concerned. The blogmaster watched the governor’s press conference last night and listened to reporters questions. It is no rocket science how Covid brought the economy to a halt. Will post the link in a new blog shortly.
Silversleeves,
Forgive me. Had a bit of a news shock this morning. Brain in a tizzy.
I was asking a question though, not being argumentative. How long does it take before the virus shows up after exposure? I thought in the beginning isolation after exposure was for fourteen days. I did not hear the rationale for the change.
Everyone is concerned, this is all a serious and stinging indictment on administrations from 1966 and their tiny group of business people who always keep the island under stagnant occupation in the best of times and still believe they will be allowed to continue now their whole criminal enterprise has finally and spectacularly collapsed..
murdahhhh, Miller….fyah in ya wyah…
Mia Mottley has become the butt of jokes all over social media after her taunts and raves went on to insult bajans because they were critical of the way govt handle the Ghana nurses problem
Mia silly utterances made for much humour after she all but called bajans ignorant while suggesting that if the Ghana nurses were European nothing would have been said
Such ignorant statement coming from a PM
“What we really need is a constitutional ‘right to recall’ any elected or public official, including senior civil servants by referenda, uncontrolled by any governmental apparatus.”
if i remember correctly, there is a referenda mechanism in place, but you only hear about it being trotted out when the government dont want the people to really have any say, eg removal of blighted nelson when Mia thought she was being slick, or the marijuana referendum which am sure was only rolled out to create confusion and no resolution and may never happen in any lifetime….these are not real leaders Pacha, they are slick talking con artists desperately trying to hang on to a corrupt philosophy, nothing more.
the right to recall will be anathema to these jokers, just like integrity legislation, FOIA, transparency, anti-corruption etc will only be used as a weapon so they can be returned to the parliament in 2023, dangling it as a promise never to be fulfilled but loaded with controversy….that is how these ministers with their underdeveloped minds have operated for decades, they know nothing else and don’t want to….strategic pressures will now have to be applied to make some of these stale old empty promises a reality.
others say 2-14 days
John 2,
Thanks! I knew there was a fourteen day talk somewhere.
Cackle Cackle another smoke and mirror plan fuh govt to say deh did something
Too late cause nuhbody believing wunna now
Cackle Cackle notice how she had to kick George Payne in the buttocks (ouch) but his name was spawned across social media as a crook and liar toooo long
Mia bit the bullet and had to do something
Bye bye George cackle cackle
So present govt want to screw the little man and save the mcguffie heads off the chopping block
Boy uh tell yuh ” one day coming soon”
Glad to see that the bill was placed on a pile of dung and left for the blp yard flies to swarm on
Only in Bubadus
@ David August 6, 2020 4:11 PM
This consistent clarion call for good and transparent governance is nothing more that a cliché of a promise made in both political parties’ manifestoes.
It’s nothing but a trite (and long overdue) piece of legislation which would be of relevance only when it is proclaimed and put into operation.
Like the previous piece of legislation passed under the ‘last’ DLP administration there is all likelihood it would end up being another stillborn election promise made to comfort the voting fools.
We shall soon see how much the current administration is serious about dealing with corruption when it acts upon the recommendations of the Auditor General contained in the recent report into the financial operations of the BWA.
With such boldfaced corruption taking place there is no wonder the BWA is in such a parlous financial and operational state.
All the rate increases granted during the David Thompson years to make the BWA fit for purpose have ended up in Maxwell pond containing deep pockets belonging to the politicians and their friends.
Why is the BWA being treated in such fashion?
Is it being purposely run into the ground to make it available for sale for a song to private sector players as mandated by the IMF Bert?
The accessibility to potable water is the prerequisite for any economic and social development; but more importantly for the good health of the people.
If you want to invite people to live in and work remotely from your much touted Covid-controlled oasis in the Caribbean then you must have clean and easily accessible water in the oasis as a reality to the virtual nomads and not just as a mirage of PLT’s imagination.
No society can prosper without access to clean water.
“Is it being purposely run into the ground to make it available for sale for a song to private sector players as mandated by the IMF Bert?”
covetous bizzy has long cast his envious eyes on the people’s water supply..remember “gimme the BWA and 60 million dollars” that bizzy,, the old dried up crook, was salivating to get from Fruendel the Fool… and of course the black faces in the parliament would be more than happy to accomodate for the right bribe if they had at hand, but there is currently not enuff money to tief from the treasury and pension fund to give to covetous bizzy so he can pay the bribees for the BWA utility as is standard operating procedure where ministers tief from the people, give to minority parasites as pretend loans, then get their cut, of course those multimillion dollar “loans” are never repaid, another reason for the economic collapse, which cannot only be blamed on the plague, that collapse was pending for at least 2 decades..
but it’s difficult to pull of those decades old hustling scams in these times, especially not with IMF watching their every movement to make sure they all don’t tief those IMF loans….60 million dollars is going to be hard to tief for a very long time….that is their favorite number, the bevy of parasitic private sector social partners…
The blogmaster is reasonably sure from the debates and other observations that the 2 Opposition members and 7 Independents had a problem with the Bill as proposed and the leader of government business would have been aware. Why foist the Bill on the Upper Chamber in the circumstances? Is Senator Moe so sick she could not have made the effort to attend the sitting?
Haynes clears air on ‘drama’ in Senate over bill
Drama from the walkout in the Senate on Wednesday went all the way to the radio call-in programme yesterday with Goverment Senator Dr Crystal Haynes calling in to respond to a statement made by a caller to the Voice of Barbados programme Brass Tacks.
The caller made reference to a “Government Senator” allegedly abstaining from the vote effectively killing Government’s efforts to pass the long-mooted Integrity In Public Life Bill 2020.
In response, Haynes rejected the claim and said contrary to reports suggesting all the Independent Senators walked out, “two were sick, two abstained, three walked out and the two Opposition Senators alsowalked out”.
She pointed out the Senate comprised seven Independent, 12 Government and two Opposition senators, adding there were ten Government senators present at the sitting and they voted in support of the bill. The President does not vote.
Bill failed
“If anyone had been following from the week prior, you would be aware that the Bill actually failed to get support from either Opposition Senators (Caswell Franklyn and Crystal Drakes)” and from most Independent senators,” Haynes said. She explained the Independent senators had indicated during the debate that “they did not have the will for whatever reason to support the bill”.
Haynes also reminded of Franklyn’s concern that judges were excluded and his stating that unless judges were included and public servants excluded, “he would not support the bill”. She went on to explain one other Independent senator “had indicated that she felt that it went too far, it was too intrusive”.
“You may be aware that some of the terms of the bill would require us to literally expose our families including our spouses and our children”. She referenced her own situation with “a three-year-old with a small account at the credit union” and the requirement for that information to be submitted to the proposed Integrity Commission.
“Some people felt it would leave them too exposed and they were uncomfortable. That is the reason that the bill was actually not taken to a vote last week because even then with all of the warm bodies present, the support was not there and we were really hoping that this week would have been the week to get that done.”
Haynes pointed out the legislation could not be brought back to the Senate since yesterday was the final sitting before Parliament is prorogued.
(GC)
“…….. as is standard operating procedure where ministers tief from the people, give to minority parasites as pretend loans, then get their cut, of course those multimillion dollar “loans” are never repaid……”
Hmmmmmm…
A very interesting comment. Unless I’m mistaken, I can’t remember reading an Auditor General’s report in which he mentioned anything “loans” being disbursed to private sector businesses and remaining unpaid.
For the purpose of clarity, perhaps the author of the comments quoted above may want to refer BU to any Auditor General’s report or supporting documentation to substantiate their claim.
‘Government,’ through the NHC, has commenced construction of 20 houses at Parish Land, St. Philip, to relocate 20 squatters who were illegally residing in Rock Hall.
Residents have expressed concerns about squatters and have obtained the services of QC and former minister of housing & lands, Michael Lashley, to represent them.
Parish Land residents acquired their properties through the legal process of obtaining mortgages, while the Mottley administration has rewarded squatters with houses and land for breaking the law.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/08/07/homeowners-want-answers/
“Haynes also reminded of Franklyn’s concern that judges were excluded and his stating that unless judges were included and public servants excluded.”
There are people waiting on judge’s decision long past the standard waiting period for when they are supposed to hand them down, some have been waiting and are still weeks or months shy of the end date waiting period, why can’t they be completed within the specified time, exactly what could take judges years and many months to give a decision in simple cases, especially since there is a GODDAMN PLAGUE and they had been home for months with nothing much to do but CATCH UP ON BACKLOGS..what would cause judges to take 4 years, 10 years, 20 years to hand down or refuse to hand down any at all, unless there is some element of interference or corruption, case in point, the wishy washy excuse given by Marston Gibson for him, Sandra Mason and the dude now at CCJ for taking 4 years to hand down a decision, then they had to be publicly SHAMED and FORCED TO DO IT…they all just left the decision pending and two of them walked away..
……judges need to be held accountable for their actions or lack thereof…
.re civil servants, not sure if they take instructions from ministers or chain of command above them, but if they do, they are at risk of being held accountable for the crimes of their supervisors etc….which is counterproductive.. a total waste of time if they can prove that they were only taking directions…
these shit bills are just like the people who draft them….merely instruments of corruption protection.
Imagine the IL bill got full support of all the members that were present in the Lower House, including that of the Opposition Leader. The bill goes to the Senate and opposition senators and an independent are opposing the bill because Judges are not included and public servants are captured in the bill. Independent senators worry about their finances being known and seek exemption. Yet some are questioning the government’s motives? If the government intention was not to pass the bill, Lisa Cummins would have stayed home. How the LOTO supports IL and his senators opposing? The first thing out of the goodly Senator Franklyn’s mouth was that the government was allowing Senator Cummins to enter just because it wanted to pass a bill. The Independent senators are to be given a pass? Are they suggesting the compromise was to remove public servants and opposition and independent senators? Should one part of the political class curry favour with the other? Wouldn’t that be corruption? This is the same BU that few weeks ago blue blister the BWA and before that for years Transport Board, UDC, RDC, NHC and every C? We are ALL RH talk until the the mirror is placed in front of use. All yuh pass me BS!
@enuff
This was known so why table the Bill?
Another act of musical chairs that backfired…as Caswell said the bill was supposed to be specifically designed TO CAPTURE GOVERNMENT MINISTERS…and high level officers eg who are Judges etc…in their insidious activities ….not civil servants….who are more or less worker ants….yall fowl slaves are too corrupt..
That’s what i can’t stand about having others insult people’s intelligence…many of us have been on the Blog for many years, some of us have had some sort of legal exposure, some of us have various levels of special skills and gifts, some of us have intimate knowledge of certain things that others have not yet been exposed to….then there are the garden variety as*holes that believe somehow they are after these many years….STILL TALKING TO GODDAMN FOOLS….steuppss.
David
So do what, let it die with the end of the parliamentary session? No one can accuse the government of not attempting to implement IL. Rev. Rogers stayed after Cummins joined and abstained. Go listen to his contribution.🤣
Here is an excerpt from a column written in 2017 titled – Government Turns a Blind Eye to Endemic Corruption in the Public Service
“Paragraphs 11 and 12 of the Code of Conduct and Ethics, the Second Schedule to the PSA, originally gave me hope that the the authorities were finally going to do something about the endemic corruption and other misbehaviour among many senior public officers.”
In the last Sunday Sun a Judge made this comment: “More recently, Parliament instituted a six-month time frame for judgements to be delivered. The failure to observe the six-month deadline exposes a judge to the possibility of disciplinary action.”
We need not continue to misinform and conflate.
i am on record as fully supporting this bill but opposition in senator Franklyn was well known. he opposed the exemption for Judges and the inclusion of civil servants.
i dont oppose the inclusion of civil servants. i know that lots of corruption emanate from civil / public servants. some high level some low but corruption nonetheless.
i also believed that Judges should have been included and by judges i also mean Magistrates because they are judges. i withdrew my opposition to that yesterday when David pointed out that there will be separate but comparable legislation for Judges.
it is incumbent upon the leader of govt business in the senate to ensure that he has a majority to get bills through and a bill as important as this, more so. it would appear he fell down on the job. it is interesting that he has not addressed the issue.
procedural foul-up is plaguing this govt. what a ting with 30 MPs and numerous lawyers!!!
“Government Turns a Blind Eye to Endemic Corruption in the Public Service.”
So why did governments…BOTH OF THEM..turn a blind eye to corruption in the public service for 4 DECADES…we know of the corruption….we also know…as embedded in the constitution that there EXISTS laws and procedures to PUNISH civil servants for any corruot activities…so why were they NEVER used….wuh they are still sitting there…
I remember Straughn out of the customs was accused of money laundering money into Switzerland etc….where is the FBI report that one government claimed to have misplaced and the other one claimed to have never seen….i would bet 1000 dollars that FBI can still issue Mia with a copy…so why dont she ask…..cause ya sure can’t ask Owen now.
Ultimately it is the Gov’ts responsibility to get its Bills passed and if it can’t get all of its Senators to attend and vote and if it can’t coerce a meagre 2 Independent senators to vote to pass the Bill it is representative of ignominious failure.
For those who were “sick” I wonder how long the “Integrity flu” lasts and what are its side effects, as always Barbados one step forward and two steps back as the elected representatives pass a Bill and unelected representatives stymie it.
WURA August 7, 2020 6:25am
“re civil servants, not sure if they take instructions from ministers or chain of command above them, but if they do, they are at risk of being held accountable for the crimes of their supervisors etc….which is counterproductive.. a total waste of time if they can prove that they were only taking directions…”
WURA August 7, 2020 8:04am
“I remember Straughn out of the customs was accused of money laundering money into Switzerland etc….where is the FBI report that one government claimed to have misplaced and the other one claimed to have never seen….i would bet 1000 dollars that FBI can still issue Mia with a copy…so why dont she ask…..cause ya sure can’t ask Owen now.”
INTEGRITY LEGISLATION is the political equivalent to personal SUICIDE, only someone mentally challenged or confused would contemplate. BAJAN politicians are not to brite/bright, however their not totally numb neither.
Neither government has ever used the legal framework that exists to punish civil servants nor each other for corruption in 4 decades nor since these laws existed before their time nor afterward when they got the greenlight to enter the parliament after slave masters left…..as Donville said, had he been in Barbados he would not even have to worry about being charged for money laundering under the 1929 Act of BARBADOS that US used to convict him….but somehow fowl slaves are busily trying to make us believe……blacklist notwithstanding, that this administration is gungho to lock up themselves and civil servants for corruption, while excluding judges..
Wily…they are well aware that neither the average Bajan nor fowl slaves would carry the thought as far as articulating that all cases of corruption will have to go before the minister’s handpicked judges who are their friends, family, keptness and business partners….
the blighted plight of brain damaged and brainwashed fowl slaves/yardfowls,
After the opposition decided against the anti-corruption law, we should change the state budget:
Citizens pay no more taxes, but have to bribe politicians, judges and public servants for government services. What do you think about that?
I think it is not racism to say that the wild and untamed senators of the opposition have legalised the corruption that is rampant in Barbados and is partly responsible for the decline of the island. These figures really confirm and even exceed all prejudices. Or is it prejudice at all? We are simply talking about the reality on this island, not about fiction.
@ Greene
To use an old cricketing analogy, in the old days when you were batting and you thought you were out you did not wait for the umpire to give you out. You walked.
The same if a batsman (they are now called batters) was given out caught and the fielder knew s/he had not caught the ball, they called back the unfortunate victim.
But in the new ethics, you wait for the umpire or technology to make a decision. We are now all professional crooks. You do not need legislation to be honest.
@john2
Congrats. Think I saw them, maybe it was 60 minutes(?) a while back. Didn’t follow them.
So the fowl slave is blaming Owen for the accusations against Straughn…yall think this is some kinda joke….don’t worry, most of yall will end up just like Donville…even if corruption and money laundering laws on the statute books are not geared to work in Barbados…they sure as hell work in US….ask Donville.
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