est. 2007

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What About the Economy Stupid

Prime Minister Mia Mottley continued the recent trend of making controversial and contentious announcements. She revealed government’s recommendation to rename the University of the West Indies in recognition of the late prime minister Owen Arthur. To honour convention of parliament parliamentarians in the Lower House set aside yesterday to pay tributes to the late prime…

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Prime Minister Mia Mottley continued the recent trend of making controversial and contentious announcements. She revealed government’s recommendation to rename the University of the West Indies in recognition of the late prime minister Owen Arthur. To honour convention of parliament parliamentarians in the Lower House set aside yesterday to pay tributes to the late prime minister.

The blogmaster has no problem with recognizing Owen Arthur to recognize his contribution to Barbados and the region. The Vice Chancellor and her management team will decide if to accept the recommendation from the government of Barbados, who by the way is its biggest contributor to UWI’s finances.

There is a creeping feeling by the blogmaster Barbadians – as is our inclination – are being distracted by ‘political noise’ and the current dire state of the economy is being relegated. There are several national conversations on the go – recognition of same sex unions, push to be a republic next year, by-election in St. George North and the latest – proposed renaming of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill. It does not help that the political opposition and media will be consumed by these events and there the masses.

Wait a minute – what about the economy stupid!

186 responses to “What About the Economy Stupid”

  1. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Donna
    Wunna? You mean the BLP?

  2. john2 Avatar
    john2

    “Govt boasting once again
    Welcome stamp brings in 1million dollars
    Hands long out in tourism industry
    Meanwhile small business in bridgetown collapse daily”

    Why are the small business in bridgetown collapsing daily?

  3. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    It is clear that some people have a problem with what BU calls comprehension. As I remember it, that argument was specifically about the compulsory purchase of Ms Ram’s property to be sold to a private developer under the guise of urban renewal. That is theft.
    A private development such as Hyatt is not in the public good. It may be good for the developer’s bank account. The first principle of debate is not to misconstrue or deliberately misinterpret what others say.
    It is not only discursive dishonesty, but shows a lack of basic understanding. That is what happens when you are the only black person in a New York marketing office with only a fellow Caribbean graphic artist. You become detached from reality.

  4. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @Donna, 1140am

    Top shot, gone through extra cover for four!

    Either the intelligence services are trustworthy or not.

    Cant be nit so one minute and then so the next.

    Chinese what. Look, the population want to tell the monarch goodbye because that structure is from colonial days.

    The same for Nelson statue. That represents the slave trade era. And no, that statue was not put up by Barbadians in all walks of life, ss some schills are stating boldly. Total nonsense.

    How could a statue, erected in 1813, thirty years before the end of slavery in 1834, have represented all Barbadians?

    Totally moronic statement, pushed by schills with an agenda.

    Carry long it, nuh.

  5. john2 Avatar
    john2

    let me change that a bit

    “Hands long out in tourism industry
    Meanwhile small business in bridgetown collapse daily”

    isnt the lack of tourist helping send some of these small business into calaspe?

  6. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Robert

    Welcome back. Has this Chinese deal been discussed in the House of Commons, or referred to by our media? Who agreed to sign this deal, if true? What happened to our democracy?
    We can ignore Tom Tugendhat.

  7. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Enuff,

    Those whom you defend regardless of what the topic.

    I am was not expecting any magic formula. I already acknowledged that a patch is better than a pothole. But we have to start looking at building a sustainable new road fit for a purpose. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

  8. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    John,

    Broad Street was deading long before the pandemic.

    Bridgetown is now a local retail shopping area really, apart from Cave Shepherd and a few government services.

    Locals no money to spend so no business.

    Maybe it is fit that Nelson sits at the head of a street that is past its sell by date. An icon of the past British maritime era, standing guard to the graveyard of the colonial era commercial hub. As far in the past as the British and plantation era merchant class stores of Fogarty, DaCosta & Musson, Harrison’s, the old Cave Shepherd.

    Maybe Fogarty’s burning signalled the changing of the tide.

    Interesting that the Fogarty’s store is still going in Guyana, owned by Laparkan.

  9. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    That’s true, David BU……. and this was evident long before COVID-19.

    There is also the problem where there are several small businesses offering similar good and services, competing with each other for the same target market.

  10. Heather Avatar
    Heather

    @ John A, agreed the focus on the Throne Speech should have been on sustainable agriculture and renewable energy. There will be no recovery for tourism until a working vaccine is found. The bailout funds should have been used on those two plus providing food and shelter for those in need. Covid-19 thrived in the US in the colder weather and the North West is already seeing a spike in cases. The second wave may have already started.
    Neither cosmetic changes to the system of government nor same sex unions will affect the economy.

  11. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Crusoe

    Thanks, i am well aware of Bridgetown dying. we also had that topic here on BU a few months ago.

    What percentage of the economy was the tourist industry?
    Didnt the economy contract by 27% last quarter when there was no tourist?

    I am pointing towards the stupid statement that we ar begging for the tourist and cannot see how its was keeping business opened.

    lot more business close because of no tourist, not only in Bridgetown.

  12. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    “Businesses are failing in Bridgetown because both transient and worker traffic has been diverted for years.”

    The naked truth of bridgetown demise lays also at the movers and shakers in the tourism industry
    Who for the best part rather see Bridgetown fall down in the state that it has fallen
    Reason being that for them the bottom line is the dollar
    A dollar that they cling to with self interest
    Bridgetown still have great potential one that can source great revenue
    A place that can create growth
    A place that if and when govt have the balls they can create an environment that is culturally and historically beneficial to tourism and country
    However i believe that such a concept might drive fear into the movers and shakers of the tourist industry who have already created an atmosphere of wholesomeness within what can been seen as one stop place for shopping and entertainment leaving nothing for outside interest such as bridgetown to hold on to

  13. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    When did Avi complete his doctorate? What was the thesis about?…(Quote)

    Here is a direct and simple question for our media to put to Prof Dr Sir Avi Persaud.

  14. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Mariposa September 23, 2020 11:11 AM
    “Welcome stamp brings in 1million dollars”
    ++++++++++++++++
    Sometimes I despair about the Barbados Government. I mean really…
    The point of the Welcome Stamp is not to bring in pocket change in visa fees. The point of the Welcome Stamp is to boost FX domestic spending at businesses right across Barbados. That $1 million in fees is not the point; the point is that those people are going to spend about $24 million over the next year in rent and car rentals and restaurants and groceries and SIM cards and broadband and everything else that they will buy while they are in Barbados. If they marketed it better it would easily generate half a billion dollars in extra domestic spending by the end of next year,

    We brainstormed the concept of inviting people to work remotely from Barbados right here on BU. Not just me but a whole bunch of us contributed by critiquing and refining the idea: Tron, Critical Analyzer, Dullard, Hants, Greene, Northern Observer, Hal Austin, William Skinner and others. We gift wrapped it and gave it to the Barbados Government free of charge. We gave them a goose that lays golden eggs and what do they do with it? they sit around boasting about its feathers. Don’t waste time telling me about the feathers, weigh the godamn eggs.

  15. David Avatar
    David

    The Bridgetown model has to change.
    How consumers spend in the retail sector has changed.
    The pervasive practice these days is to buy online. There is a lot of transformational work to be done. If not now, when?

  16. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Donna
    Keep reading, it is all out there; but the BU posse prefer same-sex unions, the GG needed water and them kinda topics. I gine live to say I told wunna so….watch muh!🤣

  17. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @PLT

    Have they said thank you? I have told you about my experience with Invest Barbados. Strange culture.

  18. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Let make it clear that the texts cited below are not part and do not support any personal attacks.

    I was coming to the conclusion that many of us present our arguments in a dishonest manner. We conveniently add/omit/forget/argue both sides of an argument when it suits us. It seems as if the core is often missing.

    “It is not only discursive dishonesty”

    “Either the intelligence services are trustworthy or not.

    Cant be nit so one minute and then so the next.”

  19. David Avatar
    David

    @Peter

    Can you blame the government and Lisa Cummins if the media house preferred to focus on the narrow element of the initiative?

  20. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    One moment we speak of billions.
    Then hundreds of millions
    Then tens of millions
    Then we act excited about one million.

    Something is wrong if this project is measured in one digit millions or brings in only 24M. If so, then we desperately need additional ideas.

  21. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Theo

    The average London home is valued at more than Bds$1m.

  22. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    When we just shift the decimal point and then feel good, we are playing games with ourselves.

  23. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ TheOGazerts,

    Any single person going to live and work in Barbados for 1 year will spend at least BDS $80.000.

    A family of 4 will spend at least BDS 120.000 a year.

    There could also be a significant number who will spend $500.000 or more.

  24. Dullard Avatar
    Dullard

    Can you blame the government and Lisa Cummins if the media house preferred to focus on the narrow element of the initiative?

    It is clear that the govt has no clue how to extract maximum benefit from the initiative. The BWS is a simple, beautiful idea — if properly implemented. Our competitors are jumping on the bandwagon and Bdos will soon lose its first mover advantage.

    Whose fault is that?

  25. Robert Avatar
    Robert

    @ Enuff

    That joker Hal Austin does really make me laugh, yuh hear. Give he enough rope and he gine be sure to hang himself. A few days ago Austin and another fellow, Michael Campbell, had a argument bout Austin associating whatever people in the government say with the prorogation of parliament. Austin said Campbell does fabricate things just like the people on BU and ask him to……..Plse cut and paste anything said by members of the administration that I have associated with the prorogation. (Quote)

    Campbell do just that by copy and pasting …. Hal Austin September 5, 2020 at 3:32 AM Member states of the Commonwealth do not have embassies, but high commissions. Embassies are the diplomatic offices for none commonwealth nations. YET ANOTHER IMPORTANT DECISION MADE DURING THE PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT. (Quote)

    Guess wuh Hal Austin do? He said…… The statement about high commissions and embassies is a statement of fact, a correction. (Quote). You imagine that?

    He then went on to say…….About an important statement made during the prorogation. Mr Bostic is minister of health; does a minister of health normally make a government statement on a new diplomatic mission? Why was it left to him and not the minister of foreign affairs, or the prime minister? (Quote)

    I hope you notice how he sidestep the original argument and twist he mouth and went on to talk bout DIFFERENT things? You notice how he NEVER ADMIT that he associate what a member of the BLP said with the prorogation, but talk bout who should be the body that should talk bout the embassy……something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT?

    Enuff, that ain’t the SAME THING as MISCONSTRUEING AND DELIBERATELY MISINTERPRETING what Campbell said?

    And you could imagine he got the gall to tell you…….The first principle of debate is not to misconstrue or deliberately misinterpret what others say. It is not only discursive dishonesty, but shows a lack of basic understanding. (Quote)

    Hal Austin fuh real? The man is a real hypocrite.

  26. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    a good fire wants setting to Bridgetown and its environs.

  27. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Greene

    That is arson.

  28. BAJE Avatar
    BAJE

    “ We must never reach that level to talk about $2.7 billion in reserves and so many poor people ……… worrying about no housing , no food, can’t feed their children, young men on the streets doing anything…..that is the environment we are in……
    Trevor Prescod , MP, BLP
    ( Barbados Today 9/23/2020)
    For those who don’t know Mr. Prescod , is a Barbadian who lives overseas and really knows nothing about what is going on in the country. He is also considered to be a political lightweight.

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    ONE READS THE SAME SHITE EVERY DAY ON BU THAT THE BLP CAN DO NO WRONG AND THE 2×3 ISLAND EVERYONE IS LIVING IN PARADISE IN BLISS.

    THE REALITY IS MOST ARE SUFFERING AND MANY LIVING IN DIRE POVERTY.

    YET SOME SEEM TO LIKE COVER-UP TO DETER FROM THE REALITY ON THE GROUND.

    INDEED LOCAL BAJANS MUST BE THE MOST STUPID AND GULLIBLE PEOPLE ON THE EARTH TO CONTINUE MUSICAL CHAIRS OF BLP VS DLP.

  29. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Mr Prescod’s observations are correct. The problem is we need more and louder voices pointing out these things.

  30. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Greene,

    Like other cities around the world have done, Bridgetown needs rebuilding. The housing in surrounding areas need to be replaced .

    Barbados has people qualified to do city / town planning.

    The problem could be the interference of politicians.

  31. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    Given the contribution of the hotel sector to the economy, number of employees at home, the effect such a large unemployed force will have on the economy. You still support not subsidizing the hotel sector? Allow it to fail?

  32. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    @Hants
    I noticed that you tend to avoid the noise and dispense hard facts.

    However, your numbers above have the TheO network computer system working overtime. I would be glad if they are true, but I will have to ask you to provide the elements on which you based your calculations.

    It seems as if you expect workers who are in a ‘high’ wage category. I suspect that this may be similar to projecting tourist spend without including beach bums.

    I can be persuaded that I am wrong, but more details are needed.

  33. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John A

    I said here after the throne speech half of that $300M should of been put in agriculture and alternatice energy projects. Wunna understand now why I said this?..(Quote)

    It is not the role of government to be selective with the sectors of the economy it will support. Government should introduce policies with conditions, and if sectors meet those condition, then they get the support.
    The hotel sector employs about 15000 staff at the peak, but it is not clear how many have been made redundant and how many are on furlough. The sector also accounts for about 45 per cent of the economy, up from 40 per cent.

  34. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “Look, the population want to tell the monarch goodbye because that structure is from colonial days.

    The same for Nelson statue.That represents the slave trade era. ”

    but so too is the colonial system, Elizabeth must be losing her touch, because were it me, you want to get rid of me, i give you 6 months to dismantle my colonial system, it came as a package, give it the hell back…the rest is your problem, since ya so brilliant..

    …ya sure as hell not going to piggyback on a system i created….because it’s very clear, ya are a wannabe dictator/slavemaster.

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

    this is the part that got me going…

    the rest is your problem, since ya so brilliant….construct ya own SYSTEM of governance etc…

    ya complaining about the people still mentally inslaved, ya are not even intelligent by a yard to dismantle that, but want to hijack MY COLONIAL SYSTEM…ha!!!

  36. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “Barbados, meanwhile, is has received at least $490million, mostly as investment in the tourist sector, but is also thought to be benefiting from private deals.”

    oh well, hell to pay that back now, so goodbye sea and airport..

    gotta pay BIG TIME for screwing the BLACK POPULATION over with the medical marijuana and the trade….TEK DAH..

  37. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Bridgetown and Greater Bridgetown is a dump. Belmont Rd, Bay St, Jemmotts Lane, Baxter’s Road and its offshoots etc etc etc.

    I feel dirty whenever I go there.

    A disgrace.

    The old shacks need to be knocked down. Yesterday. Proper housing needs to be built for the people.

  38. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    @Hal

    a good fire is not arson. it is an opportunity for rebirth and renovation

  39. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Robert
    Hal Austin is a liar!

  40. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Hal
    @ David

    The point is the hotel sector did well for us Post Covid as sugar did for us in the 60s and 70s. The mistake you are making is looking at the tourism sector post covid and expecting the same salvation. It will not be tourism this time around that saves us and you can either accept it or deny it.

    The World Ecomomic Forum as of September is forecasting that Covid will cost the global ecomomy between $8.5 trillion USD and $15 trillion USD by the time its finished. The reason for the massive variance is due to the inability to predict how many waves we may experience.

    Now after you digest the above rememeber total global activity in 2019 was around $142 trillion. The problem is while a global loss of GDP could run at 10%, some sectors like tourism and luxury goods will suffer a much worst fate, as is already happening. Look at global toursim figures for the last quarter and compare them with the same period of last year, if you want to get a true feel for where we stand. Here for example we are off over 85%.

    So if you think pelting $300M in tourism will make a difference wunna fooling yourself, THE MARKET IS NOT THERE NOW NOR WILL IT BE IN THE SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM.

    Imagine you own a 40 ft fishing boat fishing in a barren ocean with few fish, you think buying a 60 ft fishing boat to fish in the same barren ocean going increase your catch?

    All businesses survive on one rule from the dawn of time and its without demand increasing supply is economic madness. This applies whether you were selling sundials in the old days or watches today.

  41. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John A

    Sadly, the government’s economic policy, or what passes as a policy, is so wrong. Yet , intelligent Barbadians are remaining silent on this. What is going on?
    Now we have reports of the Chinese New Silk Road. Again, no discussion in parliament; our muzzled media remains silent, or just out of it; and our academics and public economists are missing in action.
    And here we are on a blog discussion inanities.

  42. John A Avatar
    John A

    Fellows its like saying if we ploughed up the entire island and planted sugar today we could return to the sugar boom of the 60s and 70s. Making this assumption today but forgetting to factor in either the market, cost of production and market forces of today.

    I told wunna already stop thinking post covid by using the same mental perameters as you used pre covid. “DEM DAYS DONE.’

  43. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @John A

    You have done your bit. There is nothing more you can do.

  44. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Hal

    If you rememeber a few weeks ago right here on this blog we were chatting and I told you that I dont get the impression government understands the radical economic change that is needed post covid. You told me tongue in cheek it would come in the throne speech. So I rush home and hear about same sex unions and a republic, like if 40,000 unemployed bajans could eat either of them.

    Then this week I read in the paper that government concerned about not reaching their targets. Really l wonder why!

  45. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    As soon as one topic has reached the fifteen minutes of chatter
    Along comes Mia with other distraction twist
    UWI named to be changed to OSA University
    This govt has found a formula to keep minds away from the economic realities

  46. Michael Campbell Avatar
    Michael Campbell

    UWI named to be changed to OSA University.

    Mariposa, when Mia Mottley say UWI is to be named OSA University?

    And you accused Gline Clarke of telling lies?

  47. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ TheOGazerts who wrote ” It seems as if you expect workers who are in a ‘high’ wage category ”

    Yes I do.

  48. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Michael did not Mia state that she is proposing that UWI named changed to OSA
    My original comment however did not say in the context you have written it
    However Mia words had intent with a proposed idea to a name change
    Yuh see how wunna blp yardies like to change or defend Mia and ministers words
    How come u did not place focus on the proposal instead of questioning the contents of my comments
    Comments which were written to shed light of Mia way of executing distractions in the public sphere
    Furthermore for you to say what i wrote is a lie is an untruth which u rather forward to provoke with mischievous intentions against me
    But i would not be disturb

  49. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John A

    The distraction tactics of the prowlers prevent any serious discussion of the acute crisis facing the nation. We still do not get clear answers about anything.
    But, in a very Barbadian way, people jump in and provide answers. In December we were told that White Oaks had reached a PROVISIONAL agreement with creditors; since then the IMF has said it was happy with government policy. But, as far as I can tell, there has been no statement saying that there has been a full and final settlement with creditors.
    We have had people offering all kinds of explanations, but not a simple incontrovertible answer. We are now told that Barbados has signed up to the Chinese New Silk Road project; but, to my knowledge, this was not discussed in parliament nor even mentioned in our press.
    In the Queen’s Speech, historically a list of proposals for the forthcoming parliament, there were a number of conclusive policies not discussed in parliament. This is government by decree, not what happens in a parliamentary democracy.
    @John A, would you believe that the UWI Cave Hill has a professor of tourism economics? Why is he hiding away? What is his view about the government’s $300m package for the sector? His only public comment so far is about the CoVid package of $40m.
    Ordinary Barbadians are being failed by the politicians, academics, public intellectuals, the media – and the blogs. They are on their own.

  50. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “For those who don’t know Mr. Prescod , is a Barbadian who lives overseas and really knows nothing about what is going on in the country. He is also considered to be a political lightweight.”

    right..so what is he doing sucking on taxpayers money, why is he being paid. Cause i could swear he was just recently a minister in the government and was managing the taxpayer’s printery and everything. So how has he suddenly have immigrated and is now resident somewhere else, his is an overseas assignment at taxpayer’s expense.

    Ancestral spirits are roaming and he is not connected.

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