There was a time – and it still is for many – the popular management instruction was that the sole purpose of a business was to create shareholder value. For this reason financial institutions and others for decades have used this single performance indicator to determine the success of the business.

In recent years a more enlightened management theory promoted is that a company must balance the needs of ALL stakeholders which include customers, employees, suppliers and the community it serves. However from observation such a noble position is practised in the breech.

The bottomline is that business owners everywhere have expectations largely influenced by the size of the profit margin and all the flowery language in management text books will not change the thinking. Milton Friedman’s hypothesis that the only responsibility of a business is to utilize its resources to increase profits mindful of operating within the law is alive and well decades later.

In a COVID 19 world the operating and business models have been significantly compromised given the unprecedented prevailing environment. Very few companies have been unaffected. The sorry state of affairs can be confirmed in the local landscape by reviewing unaudited statements of accounts of public companies published to date. If local blue chip companies are failing to perform in the current environment what does it mean for small and medium sized businesses?

From all reports the most optimistic projection is that an effective COVID 19 treatment or vaccine will be available in early 2021. How the vaccine is distributed will then have to be prioritized. It may take several months for mass production to ramp up and distributed across the globe. The point therefore – when a vaccine is developed AND the time it takes to be distributed has implications for service and tourism dependent economies like Barbados.

At the last report Barbados is operating at 5% tourism traffic with 40 thousand unemployment claims reported to have been submitted to the NIS – the solvency of the scheme is content for another blog. The harsh reality is that in an environment of uncertainty business owners cannot effectively and effectively plan. Very few businesses after more than 10 years operating in a depressed market have access to the cash flow to ride out a protracted period of low sales activity. It means as a country we will have to find a way to stoke the circular economy. This will present a huge challenge given the fragile state of the local economy.

Surprising on an island that boast about the effectiveness of the tripartite arrangement. Head of the BCCI called out government this week. The Barbados Workers Union called out retail players. The Opposition parties and partisans to be expected are calling out government. The usual…

In this very challenging environment, Barbados continues to make good progress in implementing its ambitious and comprehensive economic reform program, while expanding critical investments in social protection. International reserves, which reached a low of US$220 million (5-6 weeks of import coverage) at end-May 2018, are now in excess of US$1 billion. All indicative targets for end-June under the EFF were met. The targets for international reserves, net domestic assets and the primary balance were met with some margin, which bodes well for meeting the end-September EFF targets.

IMF Staff Concludes Virtual Visit to Barbados

The parliament of Barbados is scheduled to resume on September 15, 2020 after prorogation. All of Barbados anticipate government’s strategy to lead the country in the short and long term will be made known when the Governor General delivers the Throne Speech. What this blogmaster knows is that once COVID 19 exist and global travel remains a trickle earning foreign exchange in the short to medium term will be impossible in significant amounts. A plan how we produce and consume must be high on the agenda. COVID 19 confirmed what many have been advocating for a long time. We need to fashion an economic model that is sustainable given the means of production located in our domain.

It is not all doom and gloom as the recent IMF Staff report concludes. We are meeting targets!

364 responses to “Barbados Economy… Next Steps”


  1. @ Mariposa

    It is reported the buses came from China, but it is not reported if the government got them on credit.


  2. Donna

    Vincent is wrong, the billion dollars of foreign exchange has to be repaid plus it could easily be depleted for imports especially when no additional foreign dollars are coming in. Plus government’s increased support for domestic households will be an added double whammy


  3. Hal media reports state the minister says barbados does not owe for the buses
    Which means they are all paid for

  4. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Donna
    No need to fear. It is not your fault. There are many things outside our control. COVID -19 is one of them, It destabilized temporarily our Tourism industry. But it has provided an opportunity for us to build more flexibility into our economic structure so that in the future we will have more diversity in our products for export and domestic consumption. The foreign reserves is like a savings account. We topped it up by borrowing especially for times like this. Our need for foreign currency also is reduced during this recession. Many of our exports use foreign inputs. No foreign exports no need to use foreign exchange to purchase inputs. So the need for foreign exchange should slow giving us space to use foreign exchange for production of goods and services for domestic consumption.
    I hope this helps.

  5. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    Pachamama
    You are misleading BU household. Of course foreign loans have to be repaid. Meanwhile the resources are for use by the economy to settle international debt as they become due.
    Pacha ,I think you need to do a Flow of Foreign Funds Analysis before you pontificate on matters you are not familiar with.


  6. Vincent
    Again you are misleading Donna. Although there would be a reduction in the demand for foreign dollars, in nominal terms, largely because of reduced economic activity there may be an increase as a percentage of a greatly reduced gdp.

    The foreign reserves only covered 10 to 14 week in recent times, we seem to remember. Let’s say because of reduced demand they could cover us for 40 weeks and that is optimistic, assuming no additions, and if this recession/drpression/covid last for 2 years, we still have problems


  7. Vincent
    On the chart analysis you may be right, but theoretically ………. well


  8. @ Wily Coyote August 29, 2020 1:32 PM

    It’s nice that other concerned friends of Barbados are also taking up my plan from last March (STARVE 2030).

    Of course, Tron and Wily know well that such brutal plans could lead to a popular uprising, as our Marxist government advisers (especially “Charles” Greendidge and “Frederick” Persaud) and the socialist unions are still telling the people fairy tales of a life without struggle.

    It is therefore highly likely that the categorical errors of the past, such as the ill-fated dollar peg, ass-kissing to the unions and excessive social spending, will continue. We should not hope for any serious reforms. Since 2018, we have had plenty of tax increases and a national bankruptcy, but no one has dared to make substantial cuts in the civil service. As from 2008 to 2018. Same story …. Just for the sake of documentation, I would like to remind you of the completely idiotic increase in flight departure taxes, which contributed significantly to LIAT’s bankruptcy.

    The civil service is as lazy and arrogant as ever – thanks to the support of the outspoken senator and other radical union leaders. Instead the socilist unions blackmailed our government to grant a monstrous salary increase for the 30000 lazybones against all economic reason. So Barbados will slide much deeper into the crisis.

    ….

    Unless our grand leader finally uses her quasi-dictatorial emergency rights to ban the unions, to ban hiring new civil servants for the next 10 years, to put her Marxist advisers into protective custody, to ban the Senate as a stronghold of outspoken socialist union leaders, to introduce early retirement for civil servants with 55, to reduce pensions to a maximum of $1500 BBD, to devalue the dollar, to lower import duties and to abolish 90 % of all regulations etc etc pp.

    Without such radical measures we will have zero economic growth for the ANOTHER 12 years compared to 2008.


  9. i once spoke to a finance minister and a PS in the ministry of finance about Govt Financing and they both told me in emphatic terms that Govt Financing is a black hole and 90% of those who profess to understand it are liars and the other 10% dont know what they are talking about, so it is with some amazement that blokes here are experts at it.

  10. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Pachamama at 6:44 PM
    Your first paragraph makes absolutely no sense. Foreign payments are met in nominal terms. i.e in monetary terms. How does a reduced GDP affect this? We are repaying in US dollars from a reserve of dollars. What does a reduced GDP has to do with this transaction. We are not repaying it out of GDP ….even if that were possible.

    Your second paragraph is generally true . And supports substantially the point i made. No one in his right mind expects Barbados to survive on draw-downs of savings for two years. Precisely why we are restructuring to reach a certain level of self sufficiency.. In any case who says the World economy will be on lock down for two years.?

  11. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    Correction
    I should have typed ” why we are suggesting a restructuring of the economy to reach ” etc

  12. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Greene at 7:31 PM

    If your last intervention is factual , to the discerning it becomes clear why we are where we are today.


  13. @ Greene August 29, 2020 7:31 PM

    Here at BU we speak anonymously. So you may openly admit that there is a huge void behind Big Sinck´s forehead. Of course, no one expects him to understand the state finances – except the naive masses who elected him.

    The last one to enthusiastically praise Big Sinck on BU is now sitting in the USA with an electronic anklet, waiting for the verdict on his prison sentence.


  14. Greene

    So which group were the Two in?
    90 or 10 %

  15. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    “A revised central bank law is expected to be ready to be sent to Parliament in September.” from IMF Aug 28, 2020 report.
    Any guesses what this revision may be?


  16. “So govt paid 45million for the 33 buses. High price at a time when unemployment is high and capacity volume is low. Isnt this a case of shoot first and asked Questions after (?)”

    Hmmmmmm………

    What is the correlation between purchasing new buses and the unemployment rate, especially if one takes into consideration the buses were ordered sometime in October 2019, months before COVID-19 affected the economy?

    In 2014, TB published notices inviting expressions of interest for the supply of 110 buses comprising 40 small and 70 large buses. Also, in 2017, TB’s management acknowledged the Board was 34 buses short of what (at that time) was determined should be the complement servicing commuters in Barbados, despite the fact 125 buses were off the road. End result? The former administration purchased 6 Mitsubishi mini-buses to transport tourists from the port.

    We all know their answer to the transport problem was to hire a Trini consultant, David Barthlomew, at a salary of $22,000 per month and 5 Trini mechanics, working at Mangrove Depot. Yet, there wasn’t any significant increase in the number of buses repaired and returned into active service. In fact, under Barthlomew’s watch, TB had 85 units in operation per day, which was eventually reduced to 35.

    Perhaps you may want to explain to BU if the former administration “made any profit margin on those 35 omnibuses or the 6 Mitsubishi mini-buses, sufficient and enough to fund labour and maintenance cost.”

    Additionally, recently we’ve seen the creativity of Endless Electric Limited, where Wayne Clarke and Dan Johnson restored and retrofitted an old Transport Board 2000 Mercedes-Benz OH-1621L Busscar Urbannus diesel engine bus with an electric engine. More discarded buses are to be retrofitted with electric engines.

    RE: “How in God’s name does govt expect to make any profit margin on these buses sufficient and enough to fund labour and maintenance cost.”

    Are you serious?????

    I’m sure you’re aware TB can’t make a profit under its current operational structure. A decision has to be made as to whether or not TB should be operated as business or to provide a social service.

    For TB “to make any profit sufficient and enough to fund labour and maintenance cost:”

    (1). Recall, prior to the 1976 general elections, then PM Barrow introduced a 25¢ standardized fare to replace the stage fare system. And, he also announced Elite Bus Company and Rocklyn Transport would be nationalize in June 1977, when their concessions were due to expire.

    You can’t have several short and long haul routes for which there is a low standard fare and expect TB to make a profit. Implement a stage fare policy, where bus fares charged reflect the distance travelled between different fare stages.

    (2). Unprofitable routes must be discarded. For example, the only reason why a bus would leave the Princess Alice Bus Terminal with 3 passengers, en route to Eden Lodge, is because ‘government’ is providing a social service.

    (3). Privatization.

    BU knows how you’ve expressed several reasons why you vehemently opposed the options of raising bus fare and privatization……. which makes your comments about “profit margin,” ludicrous.

  17. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    @ Greene August 29, 2020 7:31 PM
    Don’t tell me you believed that untruth they told you. The both knew the economic model all countries from America right back down to Zimbabwe is unsustainable.

    All government economies and budgets first need to be run like either a non-profit or profit business. Running any sort of deficit means you are a failing business delaying the inevitable collapse by constantly running cap in hand to any lender willing to prop you up.


  18. The new model of public finance is that once you can service your debt that is fine. The problem is that when you can no longer service your debt you default.
    Think of it as a credit card: if you can continue to pay the minimum every moth they love you. In fact, they will even increase the limit. If you cannot, then they take the card away from you.


  19. BONDS A ‘RISK’
    Investment firm says Barbados will find it difficult to pay

    By Shawn Cumberbatch
    shawncumberbatch@nationnews.com

    A Jamaican investment firm, which suffered losses in Government’s debt restructuring for foreign creditors, is warning that the COVID-19 pandemic will constrain Barbados’ future ability to pay bondholders.
    Victoria Mutual Wealth Management has, therefore, advised investors to sell/don’t buy (underweight) the Barbados 6.5 per cent 2021 and Barbados 6.5 per cent 2029 series of bonds, classifying them as high-risk.
    The recommendation, which stemmed from concern about Barbados’ ability to manage its debt between now and 2029, was counter to recent assessments of the Central Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
    ‘Manageable’ debt Both institutions said Barbados’ debt ratio would be higher this financial year because of the pandemic’s crippling of revenue and related higher borrowing from multilateral institutions. But they concluded that the debt would be manageable.
    However, Victoria Mutual had concerns, which it highlighted in a recent bond analysis.
    It said Barbados’ interest payments on the two bond series “are anticipated to amount to US$37 million for [fiscal year] 2020 and [fiscal year] 2021 respectively”.
    Furthermore, the firm noted that an annual interest payment of about US$2.1 million “will be paid in October 2020 for the 2021 bonds along with a semi-annual payment of around US$17.2 million also due in October 2020 for the 2029 bonds”.
    “Given the country’s level of gross international reserves, the country is anticipated to meet all its financial obligations due in 2021. However, there is still uncertainty surrounding its financial obligations due in 2029 as the country will have to repay around US$530 million in debt which is likely to be refinanced,” said Victoria Mutual.
    “Given that the country may have to reverse course on the trajectory of its debt in the short-run due to the impact of COVID-19, we foresee an increase in debt servicing costs for Barbados in the medium-term.”
    The company said overall that the COVID-19 pandemic would “have a significant impact on Barbados’ economy, fiscal balances, and external accounts in 2020”, and that “coupled with the stagnant tourism sector, we believe it will take a while for the country to recover”.
    Highly volatile
    “While Barbados has made economic progress, it is still in a highly volatile fiscal space. As such we recommend investors underweight both bonds due to the lingering impact of COVID-19 and the degree to which the country is dependent on tourism,” Victoria Mutual stated.
    The Central Bank said in its recent half-year report that by the end of June, Barbados had more than $2 billion in reserves. Government borrowed $181.3 million and $160 million from the IMF and Inter- American Development Bank, respectively.
    The bank expects its external debt payments for the rest of this year and the near term generally
    to be “stable and manageable”.
    Governor Cleviston Haynes said: “Current year borrowing, including the Barbados Optional Savings Scheme, and reduced economic activity, have raised the debt ratio, but we expect a reversal of this situation as fiscal policy tightens when global economic conditions improve.
    “The actual stock of debt itself has come down but because the economy is contracting, the debt ratio is going up.”
    The IMF said in its June staff report that the pandemic shock “has started having a large negative impact on the economy and fiscal revenues, and increased risks to debt sustainability”.
    “Over the projection period, stress tests suggest that risks to debt sustainability have notably increased because of the COVID-19 crisis and debt remains above the 70 per cent of GDP risk assessment threshold under the baseline,” it explained.
    “Risks include the need to maintain high primary surpluses and increase medium-term growth. These risks are mitigated by Barbados’ strong track record under the [Extended Fund Facility] supported programme.”
    The IMF’s conclusion was that Government’s debt management faced higher risks, but the overall profile “remains well under control”.
    It added, however, that Government would need to tighten its spending from next year onwards, including reducing funding to public institutions, and phasing out welfare payments associated with the pandemic. Growing the economy was another requirement.
    That was connected to the goal of returning to a higher primary surplus in 2021 with Government, as part of its IMF agreement, still aiming to reduce debt to 60 per cent of Barbados’ gross domestic product by the 2033/2034 financial year.

    Source: Nation Newspaper

  20. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    I can say for certain most if not all the BU commenters have seen the new electric buses on the road but none of you has taken a single ride on any of them or someone would have commented on the capacity.

    As luck would so have it, I got my first ride on an electric bus today and I was shocked. Very nice and quiet ride apart from the warning alarms (don’t see that and the rear door camera lasting too long) everytime the doors open and the slightly jerky braking (my guess is the driver has to get more accustomed to the regenerative braking and different weight distribution). I do miss the louder engine and gear changing noises but it is not totally quiet as the electric motor gives off a little bit more noise that I expected. The ride does leave me with two burning questions for the BU commenters, TB and government to answer.

    Guess how many seats are on the bus?

    Were these buses purchased outright or was this a Belt and Road Initiative?

  21. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    @Hal Austin August 30, 2020 4:49 AM
    “The new model of public finance is that once you can service your debt that is fine. The problem is that when you can no longer service your debt you default.
    Think of it as a credit card: if you can continue to pay the minimum every moth they love you. In fact, they will even increase the limit. If you cannot, then they take the card away from you.”

    You hit the economic problem we need to solve squarely on the head. We are like anyone who only pays the minimum payment, keeps using the card and can’t figure out why their balance goes up each month.


  22. The bus is designed to accommodate differently abled citizens.


  23. …and the underlying cause is conspicuous consumption by households. The whole country must recalibrate.


  24. TronAugust 29, 2020 7:26 PM

    Thanks for the laugh. That was fun and funny. Like watching Wayne Daniel bowl at Kensington from the Southern end, spraying and have the batsman ducking and never know what is coming next.


  25. DavidAugust 30, 2020 5:25 AM

    Of courses, dat is what we been telling dem pun dese so forums every since. Dem hard ears, wun listen. But looka, how tings get. De pandemics show up de tail quick quick. It did lick up every since, jus dat de corvid expose it quick.

    Peoples got to leff de cheesecake at the boogie restaurants and eat de puddin an souse, de carned beef and de biscuits.

    Grow de okras an breadfuits be roasting. Dat is where we needs to be. Never fuhget yuh rootz, neva, yuh hear?

    As fuh dem pompassetin bout in fancy car, owing nuff money, leff de big car an buy a used Toyota or Suzuki. Cars dat work and doan coast de earf.

    Remember de rootz.

    As fuh de banx, dem too like money. Leff de credit cardz too.


  26. as i recall they said that Govt Financing are mere projections based on best guess estimates. that is why they are never ever correct and more than often they are shortfalls becos of the way monies are allocated, the tracking of such monies, the many uncoordinated moving parts of Govt, and changing political policies- the black hole

    in addition there is a big problem with Govt revenues- there are always wrong. again this is an estimate as we all know and it is always projected higher than it is actually. altho this is recognised and built into the overall Govt Financing, the problem is exponential and that and other issues throw off the estimates

    of course when the overall economy is doing well these issues can be papered over but when it is not the issues become stark and v troubling.

    so gentlemen and gentlewomen, you can argue all you want sounding knowledgeable and all that but in the end you will be either in the 90 or 10%.


  27. All budgets are based on estimates or assumptions. Historical data should ensure the variances are reasonable to support efficient management. For us this is a work in progress. It is why it is called Draft Estimates when debates in parliament.


  28. you state the obvious with panache -lol


  29. So did you.


  30. hence the lol. altho they were some salient point in mine -lol

  31. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    The budget and economic approach needs to start with
    1) Identifying all the things required to satisfy the basic food, shelter and healthcare needs of all our citizens and classify those as Absolute Essentials.
    2) Workout estimated budget to satisfy those Absolute Essentials.
    3) Become efficient and put the regulations, laws and what ever else we have to put in place to ensured those Absolute Essentials are satisfied locally or using as little foreign reserves as possible.
    4) Look for opportunities to properly earn our way without compromising our Absolute Essentials Budget.

    We keep repeatedly falling into the Economic Debt Trap where higher and higher percentages of our GDP goes debt service instead of supporting our citizens and when the percentage gets too high, we refinance to reduce the debt service percentage back down to some esteemed economists agreed international standard but increase the overall debt burden before repeating the cycle again.

    When are we going to take the bold step, cut the credit card and figure out how we can support our citizens and earn money the right way?

  32. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ John A

    I think we can safely put Greene and his respondents in the 10% category.


  33. @ David BU

    Information bout the BYD buses was in the public domain and not a ‘guarded secret. They were designed to accommodate wheel chairs, 25 seated and 36 standing passengers. Hence, the reduced seating capacity.

    Obviously, people are going to ‘nit pick’ in an effort to find something to criticize about the buses. For example, a few days ago there was a photo of a bus with its rear axle broken off, circulating on social media, under the caption it was one of the new buses.

    The bus was actually a 1997 Medcedes-Benz Marcopolo Torino GV.

    A regular caller to the call-in-program known as ‘Ms Undecided,’ said she won’t be ‘catching’ the new buses in fear of the axles breaking and would be waiting on the older units instead. Her agenda is well known.


  34. Greed…

    “More than 100 workers at two of Barbados’ major supermarket chains are set to join the breadline in coming weeks.

    However, the move is not sitting well with Deputy General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) Dwaine Paul, who is questioning the motives behind management’s decision.

    According to Paul, Massy Stores has already sent home some of its workers and were about to reduce their numbers “significantly”.

    He also pointed out that AOne Supermarkets, which operates the Emerald City and Carlton Supermarket brands, was set to let go close to 100 of its workers.

    “We need to get explanations from these particular retailers as to how you could have such large increases and influx in business only to result in you turning on your staff who we were all praising for giving such yeoman service, and then reward them by having them sent home,” said Paul.

    Several attempts by this newspaper to reach officials of AOne Supermarkets and Massy Stores were unsuccessful.

    However, Paul told reporters on Thursday that he was at a loss as to why retailers would choose to send home workers at this point, mere months after “significant lines” of people flooded their establishments and made purchases. He pointed out that business had been so good for supermarkets that many of them had cancelled orders made by customers because they were overwhelmed prior to the lockdown period.

    “In less than one month after that period, we in the industrial relations department were inundated with letters and correspondence from the major players in this sector all seeking to reduce staff,” Paul reported.”


  35. @Artax

    All some of us can do is continue to inject cold reasoning to the discussions.


  36. VC,

    either category would do for me. sapiens nihil affirmat quod non probat


  37. WURA-WAR-on-UAugust 30, 2020 8:59 AM

    Bajans need to shop at their local shop. And the market stalls. Buy as little as possible from the greedy so and so’s.

    You will get it cheaper and support the farmers directly.

    The small shopkeeper will grow and build a bigger store.

    The credit unions should start a joint Co-Op store. Import directly from overseas and sell. If local suppliers are agents, buy alternate products from overseas. There are plenty of brands.

    That Co-Op store will provide revenue for the investment of the monies in the credit unions.

    There, idea for today.

    PS The profits from the Co-op will also stay in Barbados.


  38. Crusoe……well worth repeating, buy Black only, but not from greedy Blacks…who price gouge even when there is no need to, but they like to mimic the minority crooks and must maintain the beach houses and overpriced lifestyles…in this current economic environment many of them are going to fall flat on their asses so we can get a good life, this is the opportunity for the lesser-known Black businesses to rise up and new businesses to get that jumpstart.

    “Bajans need to shop at their local shop. And the market stalls. Buy as little as possible from the greedy so and so’s.

    You will get it cheaper and support the farmers directly.

    The small shopkeeper will grow and build a bigger store.”


  39. As for the layoffs at the supermarket i am amazed that the unions are surprised. They clearly are not in touch with their membership, so let me tell them why more layoffs will be coming at them in the private sector in september and october.

    The supermarkets may look busy to the eye but the average spend per shopper is way down. So although the supermarkets may be seeing the numbers in terms of shoppers, they are not seeing the average spend per client they were seeing before covid. So their tuna and macaroni sales may be ok but their icecream, biscuits and other such items are way down. One operator told me this week his average customer spend is off 20% even though his foot traffic is still good. So businesses are seeing the foot traffic in some cases but not the normal associated spend.

    If the maguffies at the union left their airconditioned offices and went into the economy and spoke with business, maybe they will be less surprised at what is happening! They better be ready as the layoffs are far from over based on current economic activity levels.


  40. @ John A

    Do trade unions individually, or the congress, employ labour economists? They seem not to understand the changing socio-demographical environment, as you have pointed out.


  41. Exploitation and crookery from the thieves in the social partnership private sector.

    https://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/247460/jada-workers

    “Pay us out or bring us back to work!”

    This was the cry yesterday of close to 30 tradesmen and women from construction company, JADA Group, who were on the breadline for the past several weeks.

    After meeting with the workers in Queen’s Park, The City, Barbados Workers’ Union shop steward Cleave Robinson told the Sunday Sun that most of the workers could not receive unemployment benefits from the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) as they were unemployed for an extended period of time.”

  42. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    @Artax August 30, 2020 8:49 AM
    Just because something is out in the public domain does not mean everybody has seen or heard about it. I have been following the alternative energy technology long before the government started talking about 100% renewables and electric buses so I paid no attention to this.

    After riding on one of the electric buses, I believe the inside layout is only suitable on low volume or frequent pick up and drop off routes like the City Circle. The 25 sitting matches my count but 36 standing looks like sardines in a tin as the aisles are not wide and there are two stairs reducing some of the standing room.

    My concern is will it be economical in that for such a large bus, valuable seating space is occupied by the two front wheel wells and the split level stairs to accommodate the lower floors in the front half than our normal buses.


  43. @Hal,

    notwithstanding what you have said and notwithstanding the economic situation post Covid, i have no sympathy for union leadership. they deserve whatever is coming their way.

    you cannot march against a siting Govt with your members’ employers, and the opposition, both of whom will be sitting across the table from you in negotiations at some point and expect it will end well. that is simply naive


  44. Leading from the front or all roads lead

    ” During a tour of the area where the work was taking place, Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s Press Secretary, Roy Morris, said the PM requested that the Unit reopen the road using their equipment, to allow residents to move back and forth.”

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/08/30/bush-trees-cleared-from-path-connecting-neighbouring-fruitful-hill-communities/


  45. @ Hal

    Based on their ” expressed surprise” i would have to say no. No one in touch with the post-covid economy could really be surprised at what is coming. You take tourism revenue to say December and add to that the removal of the $100M lost from no Cropover this year, what did they expect a bumper 3rd and 4th quarter?

    Stupes


  46. Another thing too wunna that criticising the million dollar price tag per bus like wunna forgetting one little thing. Wunna aint rememeber to subtract the diesel saving over the life of the bus from the purchase price so as to arrive at the net true cost.


  47. @ John A

    It is amazing. All CoVid has done is to speed up a process that would have taken the best party of a decade to take place. The global population is now about 8bn; many of the jobs that low skilled people did are now done by artificial intelligence; the manufacturing jobs that the US and others offshored to China, are now returning onshore.
    In all this, Barbados has no manufacturing base to talk of; our economy is based on tourism, offshore finance, and other service industries.
    In all this, the president is calling for a bigger population. I think what she meant was a growth in the working population. But even so this is to ignore what has taken place with the global economy since the 1970s stagflation and the incredible rates of unemployment, and in particular since the 1980s. Remember Reagan and the air controllers.
    All this led to changes in welfare legislation with the blatant intent of making it more difficult for unemployed people to claim benefits, while at the same time changing the definition of ‘unemployed’.
    Even our tourism economists seem to be blind to what is taking lace outside Barbados. Gatwick has closed one of its runways; BA is now talking of flying out to Barbados from Heathrow, something it has not done for over 40 years; Virgin Airways is having financial difficulties.
    Further, our core visitors, those of Bajan heritage, are facing job problems; the English working classes are staying at home, and the middle classes are going to Spain, Portugal, France and Greece. Long haul tourism is a luxury. I have seen somewhere where tourism is responsible for 40 per cent of Barbados’ GDP.
    We are still to see any positive action from this government, or even any indication tht they understand the extent of the crisis. All its apologists are telling us is to wait for the Queen’s Speech.
    Let us wait.


  48. @ Hal

    As i said earlier on this topic i am yet to hear anyone in government or the private sector come out and outline in detail how they plan to work with an economy that is 30% smaller

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