The St. George North by-election is done and dusted and there are conclusions this blogmaster is prepared to make from the predicted result.
Although the political climate is ripe for a so-called third party political movement, it is evident the country is not prepared to seriously consider the option as presented. A collection of individuals who are individuals with no discernibly alternative message or philosophy making the simplistic assumption that disaffected voters would have switched support from the two established political parties. Individuals whose political parties lacked the resources to construct an apparatus in the constituency to signal permanence and allow for the nurturing of relationships with the electorate built on trust.
It seems Barbadians prefer political leaders who possess the panache, among other qualities, of a Tom Adams, Owen Arthur and Errol Barrow. The Stuarts and Sandifords represent a a deviation from the norm which is explained by political historians and informed commentators.
Politics has always been a bloody and dangerous trade, and it has become significantly more so in an age of instant communication, relentless 24/7 news cycles, social media and dramatically reduced personal privacy. And more exposed than anyone else in politics are those who aspire to leadership positions – as Francis Bacon put it four centuries ago,
The Conversation
Leading a political party in today’s world requires a unique skillset. Leading a third party against entrenched political parties will require a VERY unique skillset. Gareth Evans: how to be a successful political leader suggest political leaders must possess key qualities. The declining skillset shown by the political class is a global trend. It is not a Bajan condition and we should ask why.
- Serious intellectual ability
- Empathy
- Sound judgement
- Basic organizational and time management skills
- Communication skills
- A clear sense of strategic direction
- Unimpeachable personal integrity
- A work ethic
- Resilience
The life of a politician in today’s world is not easy.
There is enough data if the start point is 1991 when the late Richard Haynes led the National Democratic Party (NDP) in the general election to support informed positions in 2020. In the classic movie Star Wars, Yoda the character we love to quote said ‘the greatest teacher failure is.” which translates to – we learn from our mistakes. This blogmaster has concluded that meaningful change to the political space must come if change agents commit to a strategy of forcing change from within the belly of the beast. The odds of success seems more probable than hoping for a movement that will always lack the financial and people resources to invest in what is required to realise success. Butting heads with the establishment is not a task the courageous is keen to undertake.
In 2018 Walter Blackman attempted to be that agent of change – we suspect based on his body of work (Walter Blackman is BACK!) – by throwing his hat in the ring to present as a candidate in the 2018 general election. The strong culture which enshrouds the duopoly violently rejected him. It will be worth the time to study Walter’s brief odyssey into local politics to extract learnings.
If we keep continue with the same approach nothing will change. It is not escaped political observers including the blogmaster how Mia Mottley has been recruiting political talent and taking other decisions to consolidate the BLP’s political grip.
Can we discuss the Trojan Horse approach for 100 marks.
Another rabbit hole to distract BU comments from govt economic and social mess
David have a heart
Hotel workers begging to have a decent livelihood and u digging rabbit holes
Yuh really take yuh readers for idiots
Go bag yuh head
It would be a bridge too far to expect a pea-sized brain, too wrapped-up in the sameness of a duopoly, to appreciate the intricacies of how that central contruct continues to feed itself and extends its dominance based entirely on what happens at the fringes.
That there are hard limitations on what that duopoly can do is not a new phenomenon. We’ve seen the other half of duopoly under Stuart crimpled by fear, ignorance, cowardice and the harsh limitations exogenously imposed. But those who saw limitations then are now blinded by a loyalty to the dead half of duopoly.
@ David
Where exactly are we supposed to go with this ? In this morning’s Nation, we have hoteliers practicing corporate black mail by making the NIS pay 75% of severance legally due to workers; over the last three days we have at least four different takes on the tourist industry; the governor of the central bank is saying that even if the economy grows it will be back to pre COVID status; hundreds of poor black primary school children are denied the right to education because they do not have tablets; the nutritional needs of poor black children with unemployed parents are a cause for concern; a teenager was shot in the face; another unnatural death in St. John; none of the needed facilities in the agricultural sector are working; farmers are losing animals to some illness believed to be in the feed.
Peace.
All a function of good governance eh William?
Hopefully you are able to connect the LARGE dots.
As I said at the beginning of the SGN campaign,
THE BETTER CANDIDATE WILL NOT WIN!!!!!
The man with the better proposals stood a good chance of losing to a Candidate who said that she is not political and that Charles Herbet affair was “unfortunate””. His level of proposals would have taken SGN to higher heights. He was the only Candidate worth listening to. His proposals was certainly at a higher level.
But the people of SGN when ONCE asked, said, “GIVE US BARRABAS”. They preferred to live in the squalor they live in.
It has nothing to with the man or his party, SOLUTIONS BARBADODS.
Over 200 or something people saw the BRILLIANCE of those proposals and saw how they could be of great help to them and their community and voted for them. THOSE PEOPLE ARE TO BE CONGRATULATED. they didn’t waste their votes.
However the vast majority preferred to remain poor and hand to mouth.
GRANDVILLE PHILLPS II
Take a bow, you have nothing to be ashamed of You tried to help the people of SGN but they didn’t want your help, it is no reflection on you , but on them. They have put in TONIE MOORE who like her predecessor will do nothing for them for the next 100 years..
David
We suggest Bree St. John, Cummings and David Thompson could be added to the list if undesirables, for leadership.
And arguably they all had been somebody’s deputy, we seem to recall. Deputies have rarely made good principals for Bim.
You sighted one person who tried to make an intervention. We see certain personality traits common and undesirable between him and another recently rejected unmercifully, and rightly so as well.
@Pacha
Thought about including Thompson and Bree but disqualified them on the basis of a brief tenure.
@ Pacha
You are probably the only person who would want to put Bree St John as an undesirable. But then again I honestly don’t think you have ever heard or read anything about his contributions to trade and particularly fisheries and tourism. Your obvious ignorance of the man’s contribution to your country is more than alarming.
Peace
@William
You are missing the point big time.
@ David
Are you of the opinion that St. John had a brief tenure . Are you so narrow that you would reduce his contribution to only being a PM or a Deputy.
Don’t you know that whenever a history of the new media in your country is written , Barbados Underground would have a well earned mention. Should your place in history and your contribution be denied because you never owned the Advocate or Nation?
You’re are perhaps now one of the most powerful people in your country.
Peace.
@William
We are discussing leadership in a context. See if you can wrap your brain around the point proposed for discussion.
Rabbit hole mentality
Maybe Bradshaw was right barbadians are idiots
Poor bajans continue to suffer relentlessly attack after attack on their livelihoods and David BU talks about Third parties which time and time again been written off by the electorate
Even the dlp was giving its walking papers which leaves a govt to trampled on workers rights and feed the big belly merchant class at taxpayers expense
Now BU resorts to running cover for govt with mundane and mindless articles which in no way speaks to the country social economic problems and we see the usual rabbits suspects like pachaman heading down the holes
David i await your steupse response
William Skinner
This writer knows well of Bree St. John. Knew him personally.
But we have tried to go beyond the mentality of those too imbued in the bits and pieces.
For us leadership has to be about things which go beyond merely effective management, operational effectiveness.
Cited
@ Pacha
Sophistry or personal relationships mean nothing here. I did not know Comrade Castro personally.
Like I said , if I were to follow your useless argument and put writers in “ contex “I would determine that you can’t write because you have not published a book far less a best seller yet. Your skills cannot be judged simply because of self imposed nonsense. But then again some argue that to be considered respected one has to have a doctorate and face some board of ones peers. Amazingly, we are very colonial when it suits us.
I don’t accept your foolishness about a man who made an outstanding contribution to your country being branded an undesirable on any measure.
I really done with this bogus discussion.
Peace
@ William Skinner November 20, 2020 9:16 AM
“Don’t you know that whenever a history of the new media in your country is written , Barbados Underground would have a well earned mention. Should your place in history and your contribution be denied because you never owned the Advocate or Nation?
You’re are perhaps now one of the most powerful people in your country.
Peace.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Maybe the Barbados Underground (BU) will be presented (soon) with the golden opportunity of fulfilling the dream you have for David of BU by making its media presence felt more widely in cyberspace.
Will He the BU King be that boldly imaginative to replace the ‘dying’ Advocate, that old lady of Fontabelle, but only as a digital takeover?
It would be just a straight forward case of one David replacing another David as the King of the Bajan media cyberspace.
@Miller
The answer is a resounding NO!
@ David BU
Populations much larger than ours find it difficult to fund and man more than two political parties. I always thought it was foolhardy to expect a population of just over a quarter of a million persons to need more than two parties. Extrapolating from the constantly repeated duopoly thesis, there is no divide of political philosophies. What we have is an unwritten agreement for a group of persons with homogeneous left of centre ideas to form the GOB alternately. It is a game of musical chairs and the Electorate plays that game quite effectively.
Is the Bajan approach to democracy efficient and effective ? I think so it delivers. It suffices. Those who want to make changes on the margin must join the Duopoly and wait their chance. Effective changes can be achieved through this method. I think the Electorate has bought into the system. They are more socially and politically aware. And that is what we should expect from an educated and intelligent citizenry.
David you should be in the vanguard of getting the newcomers to join the existing parties . They need fresh blood ,new ideas and persons who can assist the populace in formulating a vision fit for the 21st century. We are not there yet.The attitudes are mired in a 1950s perception of politics.
@Vincent
Agree with 80% of your postulation. Hopefully we can flesh the 20% as the discussion develops.
William Skinner
No. You just want to think that because a man made a set of good contributions in the management of the country those and those alone equate to leadership.
We do not expect to ever convince you that management and leadership are not the same thing.
We have had this argument before. You can never convince this writer about your limited view on this matter and vice versa.
Gallop on! Have the last word. Today we’re nursing a position.
@ William
…..hundreds of poor black primary school children are denied the right to education because they do not have tablets; the nutritional needs of poor black children with unemployed parents are a cause for concern;….(Quote)
You must realise racism has nothing to do with such poverty, it is the fault of the parents for not working and supporting their children.
Plse remind me of the number of white people (not the Redlegs) who queue up in food banks, or walk Broad Street begging, or whose children do not get the b est of education, including private tutorials by the very teachers in our best secondary schools who often fail black pupils.
Is this what we call the Stockholm Syndrome, having no objections to being kicked by the massa, but only to him doing it in front of the other staff?
@ David BU
The days of Politics being a blood sport came to an end decades ago with the “politics of inclusion”. The term was recently coined ,but a clinical analysis of our post 1930s politic al development would indicate that we have always practiced it. Research and reflect on the political formation and amalgamation of parties in that era.
@ Vincent
We have had this discussion before. A first-past-the-post electoral system encourages a two-party system, one wins, the other comes second. With proportional representation you get a number of minority parties since government is often formed by coalitions. It is rare for any one party to get 50.1 per cent of the votes/seats.
So, the absence of a so-called third party has nothing to do with policies, but the system. Israel, Germany, et al.
@ Hal Austin at 10:06 AM
No trips down rabbit holes for me today. The topic is about stillborn third parties. Do you have any insight as to why third parties do not thrive in Democratic societies? The system for electing of a government is fair and free elections. We have chosen the first pass the poll system. Your obsession with proportional representation has many more consequential issues that have been ventilated in learned political science journals and in the press. This topic is not about that.
(Quote):
What we have is an unwritten agreement for a group of persons with homogeneous left of centre ideas to form the GOB alternately. It is a game of musical chairs and the Electorate plays that game quite effectively.(Unquote).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Isn’t this the same argument William Skinner has been prosecuting all along?
A de facto One-party state run by the BDLP Duopoly engaging in a game of one-upmanship with the naïve voters (pawns) seen as piggy in the middle.
Why not save the taxpayers money by banning elections since the politics of inclusion seems to be the only dish on the menu as confirmed by recent turncoat events.
Let the prevailing configuration of Parliament remain, permanently, absent the pretend Opposition in the form of a make-believe LoO.
@Miller
You can do better. We are discussing the fact third parties have presented with the same philosophy as the duopoly therefore the problem cannot be solved by shouting third party especially after the data set we have been building since 1991.
GRENVILLE PHILLIPS II
All the commenters on BU were fairly bitter against you even though it was this same BU that encourage you to form SOLUTIONS BARBADOS.
Even the BLOGMASTER WAS PRO BARBADOS LABOUR PARTY and resentful against you.
They complain against some thing and when you try do something about it they turn on you and curse you. But GRENVILLE PHILLIPS II you have nothing to be ashamed of. As I said before the fault lies with the majority of people of SGN. Some saw the light and voted positively, they should be given their weight in GOLD.
THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR YOU, THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO DID NOT WASTE THEIR VOTES.
@ Vincent
You had better take your head out of the rabbit hole, or whatever it is in. Plse re-read what I said. That it is our liberal democratic process which is at fault.
It encourages a two-party system. If you do not understand, plse ask for an explanation. Some systems, ie proportional representation, encourage multi-party systems because governments are usually formed from coalitions (Germany and Israel are two good examples)..
In its most elementary way: third parties are still born in our first-past-the-post system, unless they replace one of the two dominant parties, as the British Labour party did to the Liberals and as the Scottish National Party did to the Conservatives and Labour in Scotland, or as Sinn Fein did in Northern Ireland to the Social Democrats.
What about that don’t you understand?
Barbadians have said No to third parties over and over again
They are not interested
How many times must those who keep pushing the idea of third parties be told
There are times when having to let society suffer is the best remedy
@ Miller at 10 :34 AM
You have missed the substantial point. We need a system to dislodge old,incompetent , tired, and corrupt leaders from time to time. The Duopoly gives the electorate the opportunity to change . Persons not parties embody these undesirable characteristics. The Electorate are not as gullible as you think. Nor are political leaders any wiser than the masses. They,leaders and representatives, are to put into effect what the citizens want and value. Politicians serve by implementing these social objectives. They are not looking for bosses. They are electing effective implementers of their vision.
@ Hal Austin at 10 :45 AM
I have read and I understand. I do not agree with you. Your proposal does not address the issue nor attendant problems . Furthermore the bit of British History that you have alluded to is widely known . It is your conclusion that defies logic. You need to understand that not everyone will agree with your position on issues. You have no monopoly on wisdom.
Propositional representation comes with its problems. No system is a panacea to fix the warts that afflict electoral systems. Is proposal representation a good fit for a small and also less diverse society compared to large countries?
https://www.uk-engage.org/2013/08/what-are-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-using-a-proportional-representation-pr-electoral-system/
@ Vincent Codrington November 20, 2020 11:01 AM
Your rebuttal would make ‘greater’ impact if you were to consider the fact that neither the Constitution nor Parliament, as it is currently ‘configured’, recognizes political parties or any role they play in the governance of the State.
Possibly a system of proportional representation would ‘more’ reflect your ‘ideal’ model of political representation and ‘shared’ governance of the affairs of the State; that is, the wishes and expectations of its citizens.
Under a system of proportional representation the current one-party governance situation which prevails in the Bajan HoA would not arise since the ‘established’ DLP would still have a presence in the Assembly.
@ Vincent
You do not under stand anything because I have not proposed anything so there was no need to look at any problems. What bit of British history that is widely known and what is my illogical conclusion? I gave examples of when a third party replace one of the main parties, ie Scotland and northern Ireland.
I have not concluded anything. Then you go on to make a personal attack about wisdom, all because of your ignorance. Where did that come from? Have I ever claimed that for myself? You do not understand what I have said. Read what I said again.
Read it again. Is this the best that Lodge and Mona can do. I expect better from you.
I ignored your nonsense about my ‘obsession with PR’. I simply pointed out a reality. I have never expressed a preference for PR on BU or anywhere else since I was born.
The fact is, under a first-past-the-post liberal democratic system, two party systems develop; with PR, you get minority parties. I gave Germany and Israel as too examples; we also have similar examples in Europe.
Not a personal opinion in sight.
Whistling in the dark
GRENVILLE PHILLIPS II
All the commenters on BU were fairly bitter against you even though it was this same BU that encourage you to form SOLUTIONS BARBADOS.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
DON’T PAINT EVERYONE WITH SAME BRUSH.
@ Miller at 11 :50 AM
What is the basic purpose of a General Election in a democracy such as Barbados? Is it not to elect a government? Its purpose is to determine who should be responsible for running the affairs of this country. The notion of having all views represented in the HoA is not the primary factor. It is to make sure that the program which the majority of electors voted for is implemented. The Constitution emphasizes that the Head of State chooses the person most likely to command the support of the majority of the members of the HoA. This is facilitated by a party with an agreed list of to do things. Parties assist the Head of State in arriving at the leader of majority .
@ Vincent Codrington November 20, 2020 3:41 PM
“The Constitution emphasizes that the Head of State chooses the person most likely to command the support of the majority of the members of the HoA. This is facilitated by a party with an agreed list of to do things. Parties assist the Head of State in arriving at the leader of majority .”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Doesn’t the same Head of State receive assistance from the same “parties” in selecting a Leader of Opposition?
Who is arguing against the existence or role of political parties?
All is being argued is that the Proportional representation (PR) system is more reflective of democracy more so than the two-party system- made up of Tweedle Bee and Tweedle Dem- which inevitably dominates in any first-past-the-post electoral outcome as Hal pointed out; and quite wisely so.
A wider cross section of the society (and interests groups) can therefore have a ‘representative’ voice in the Parliamentary affairs of the country.
In a PR democracy there would be no need for an unelected costly Upper Chamber to perform the role of a toothless tiger as is mainly the case in Barbados which is a mere impotent copycat to what prevails in the Palace of Westminster even without the need for a ‘Written’ Constitution.
@ Miller
It all depends on how one defines democracy. Secondly how best to put into reality the ideal of democracy. In my opinion the current system satisfies our ideology of democracy. We certainly do not want representation of the citizen to be a debating exercise/ talk shop. It is to manage the affairs of this country in the interest of its citizen.
The Upper Chamber is just another check-point in our system of governance.It provides for a second look at the legislation coming from the lower chamber. It has been very effective as recent experience would attest.
.
@ Vincent Codrington November 20, 2020 4:39 PM
In your Bajan ‘style’ of democracy it seems that the vanguards of representation (political parties) need to step up to the plate in order to improve the quality of the political enfranchisement of the masses in light of that recently acquired but still nebulous ‘right’ called adult suffrage.
How do you explain the low voter turn out as pertained in the recent bi-election in SGN?
Isn’t the vote a treasured possession of people and which should be treated as the only weapon (other than violent rebellion like the French Revolution) to manage the political class and to guard against the potential excesses of that same dictatorship-prone political class schooled in the Art of control of the masses according to Machiavelli?
What is your view on the proposal to make voting compulsory under the coming republic where all men and women are equal (except in certain justified cases) to make participation in the country democratic process more widespread and meaningful?
At least, there would be marked reduction of that 40% to 50% who find the current electoral process an exercise in futility by having to choose between the ‘Red devil and the deep ‘Blue’ sea.
I posit without any fear of contradiction that third parties are not the issue but illiteracy of what is to be considered conscientious representation and ignorance to good governance.
Many are flattered by election goodies be it money or a television at the expense of good governance and an orderly society,
Yawn…..leaders who are charismatic and Machiavellian will always win the hearts of the easily impressionable which is the majority of Bajans.
Our Prime Minister is a strong personality and the cowardice of her male colleagues shows in their weakness and lack of confidence.
Mia is de only man in cabinet for all de other males were castrated. Let’s be grateful for our PM who stands tall.
The dictum of the pen, the pen that appoints can also disappoint is their albatross.
David BU third parties in Barbados are a waste of time in my view.If you look at the US they have the republicans and the democrats.In the Uk it is labour and the torries.In Trinidad , Guyana and Jamaica it is the same.Why on earth would sensible people vote for a party of unknowns ? To have a repeat of the lost decade?The only 3rd party of any merit in recent years would have been the NDP .Even then most people believe it was a one man party as proven by results where only Dr Haynes won a seat.The most recent by election confirms that people vote B or D case closed.
@ miller
Compulsory voting and democracy cannot coalesce. Exercising the right not to vote is a very responsible action. If one is not clear on the issues one should abstain from voting and let others better informed vote on their behalf.
Homogeneity and size. Good luck with proportional represenatation and 3rd parties. The Dems had a good opportunity to broaden representation beyond the traditional parties through the constituency councils. Instead they messed it up by handpicking the likes of Carson Cadogan. Hopefully the People’s Assemblies will allow for persons outside of the “duopoly” to serve. Could even be a route to Parliament.
@ Vincent Codrington November 20, 2020 6:37 PM
Are you implying that Australia is a most ‘undemocratic’ country?
Isn’t it mandatory in Barbados to have a National Identification card to access certain services provided by the State?
So why not make voting mandatory if a high voter turnout cannot be achieved under the present optional system unlike New Zealand where the electorate is much more sophisticated and motivated by their various political parties to exercise their franchise in an optional framework.
Isn’t this a sad commentary on the so-called educated electorate of Barbados and a sad reflection of the role of the two main poor rakey political ‘mas(s)’ parties primarily interested in frivolous issues and petty grandstanding as observed in the most recent outing in SGN?
In our modern electronic age why can’t voting be done over the internet as required more and more by many Government agencies to access their services or even by Mail-ins aka postal ballots, all at the State’s (taxpayers’) expense?
How about adopting a Switzerland-style of direct participatory democracy quite suited to a 21st Century society called E-Barbados as your PM is pushing with all her ICT might?
@Miller
Is it a binary matter to solve? We have members of the population who are ignorant. They are concerned with eating sleeping and watching TV and that is about it. With a democracy you have to deal with the âbadâ that comes with it. No system will be perfect, as a people we have to determine what is best based on our vision for the country. Who determines that vision? As Vincent alluded the people listen to the plans presented by the parties and vote for indictable representing said parties. All around the world we see examples of propositional representation and they are managing a different set of problems. Do we trade ours for theirs? If we are debating the matter we have to consider the uniqueness of our space. No wholesale arguments allowed.
@ David November 20, 2020 8:43 PM
So why complain so bitterly when the consequences of the citizens’ ignorance, indifference, indiscipline and lethargy are reflected in the socio-economic underperformance of the country?
Where in the ROI from the billions of taxpayers’ monies invested in free education?
Doesn’t such a state of affairs give some measure of credence to Hal Austin’s refrain about his beloved native land?
Just let things be as they are, not so? Que sera, sera!
The people get the governance they deserve.
“We like it so”, according to the Sparrow.
@Miller
What is wrong with the more enlightened citizen willing to critique the system to tweak as required to seek improved results? Why do you expect that because some do not want to replace it does not mean the existing system should be given a pass.
@ Miller @ Hal
Why don’t you two get it ? Their country has the best system in the world. Look at the facts:
1. One man can become opposition leader by simply saying he sees the opportunity to “protect democracy.”
2. In the meantime , a party that gets over 20 % of the votes , in an election , doesn’t have a seat or voice in parliament.
Can you really have a better system than that?
What it means is that 20% of the electorate vote does not really matter or count
You two just don’t get it!
Peace
@ David November 20, 2020 9:05 PM
Then we must learn to stop comparing ourselves (or trying to emulate with envious admiration) to Singapore.
What’s wrong with using the republic as the fillip to getting the citizens of the re-christened country (with Nelson gone and the monarchical navel string to be cut-off totally) to increase their level of involvement in the country’s governance arrangements as promised by both political parties in their manifestoes for the past 25 years?
The education of the masses will serve no productive purpose unless it results in more enlightened citizens determined to manage their own national affairs and chart their own destiny which is certainly a measurable sign of Independence.
@Miller
Can agree with your last comment. We have to do a better job of enlightening the citizenry. Real change has to be driven from the ground up.
“It will be worth the time to study Walter’s brief odyssey into local politics to extract learnings.”
David,
If we are going to extract learnings, we need to look at the dots and connect them. I have reaped no success in politics to justify the writing of a book or my memoirs at this point in time, but there are a few revelations I can make exclusively on BU which would help Barbadians to understand the genesis of some incidents which extensively damaged Barbados, the lives of Barbadians, and the Barbados brand.
I do not know if this particular topic is the best place for me to start, but I am going to start. You, as blogmaster, have the right to package my writings and place them wherever you see fit.
I hope by taking this course of action that I will inspire other Barbadians who believe that they have a tale to tell to start doing so. William Skinner readily comes to mind.
The success of our oppressors stem primarily from the fact that they want to silence us and make us cower in fear. They want to make us feel that it is a sin for us to share our experiences. It is my deep-rooted belief that our shared experiences will help us to understand and appreciate each other more, and by so doing, will create a catalyst for change, however small.
These are my writings and I own them. I have attached my name to them so they are my intellectual property. I reserve the monopolistic right to use them as part of any book I decide to publish in the future.
Let me state, up front, that I have not been privy to any secrets created or held by any political party in Barbados, so it is impossible for me to divulge any. Almost all of the positions adopted by me arose out of deductive reasoning, or by analysis of events that stumbled into the public domain.
@Walter
Perfect.
Will use this comment to introduce your thoughts.
Thanks, David.
Vincent Codrington
November 20, 2020 9:52 AM
“David you should be in the vanguard of getting the newcomers to join the existing parties. They need fresh blood ,new ideas and persons who can assist the populace in formulating a vision fit for the 21st century.”
Vincent Codrington,.
Go to the head of the class. I have been waiting patiently to see how long it would take a commenter on BU to articulate this strategy. Barbadians are bright people so I knew it was only a matter of time before someone surfaced.
You, if no one else, can understand why I sought to be a DLP candidate in 2018.
In any area of discipline, extreme positions are generally points of discomfort. In our politics, a 15-15 and 30-0 election result are extreme positions.
30-0 creates a set of luxurious problems for Mia and 0-30 creates a persistent migraine headache for Verla. The desired sweet spot is a 20-10 result for the victor.
If one were to pay attention to the election results at the annual conference within political parties, one would realize that only a few hundred votes are in play.
Lynette Eastmond, Grenville Phillips II, Ambrose Grosvenor, David Walrond, Alex Mitchell and others should now be heading towards the DLP to become members and to register their supporters. It only requires about $25 per year for membership. A thousand supporters should be more than enough to capture leadership of the party..
The DLP electoral base that refused to support the 2018 DLP candidates (the worst in the political history of Barbados) deserves to see some new honest faces brandishing some new progressive ideas. The hard work of Errol Barrow should not be allowed to go in vain.
PM to co-chair group on antimicrobial resistance
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley was appointed to co-chair the One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), along with Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina.
The appointments took effect Friday, November 20, and will be for three years.
Mottley told the Barbados Government Information Service she was pleased to be invited to co-chair this critical Group, which has an extremely important role to play at this time. She pointed out that the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared AMR as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity.
She added that the WHO is on record as saying that the cost of antimicrobial resistance to national economies and their health systems is significant.
@ Walter
This idea of joining the decadent BLPDLP is very enticing but it has its drawbacks like everything else.
Within a week after I lost my deposit, I received a call, from a NDP candidate , he told me that Arthur was interested in a number of NDPs myself included. I told him that there would be no comfort for me at either George or Roebuck Streets.
He joined the BLP , and won a seat.
I took a look at the late John Connell and other progressives , who the BLPDLP always use and then discard ,
at will ,unless they make certain adjustments. This changing from within is mythical when it comes to those two parties.
Just look at how easy it was for Mottley to humiliate Comrade Prescod. Even in the NDP, I was often thought to be too radical and I will reveal, in the fullness of time, how skillful some were , in attempting to shut me up.
I would advise all of the third parties to have a meeting and form one party. They must then be prepared to work very hard , for at least ten years and expect to be beaten and laughed at for at least two elections. They must come down from their ivory towers and deal with every day issues.
One of the ironic failures of the NDP , was the fact that its members had everything from day one: huge launching, four sitting MPs, a quite intellectually brilliant and charismatic leader, who was according to all sources financially solid, a party headquarters in a prestigious neighborhood . Believe me, many of those supporting the NDP were bereft of any ideological or philosophical moorings.
As for me I would prefer to lose my deposit fifty times rather than join the BLPDLP. I clearly understand why others do. However, I am not certain that will bring any significant improvement to the country. It’s the same old story: you can’t be in the bed with the dog and remain without fleas. Or as I was taught: one should never court a robin for his feathers.
The BLP is no longer the party of Sir Grantley Adams and the DLP is no longer the party of Errol Barrow. They are adrift and are dealers in high level political prostitution. They have zero interest in poor Black people. They are both in the pockets of the white and black financiers. The future PMs of those parties are being chosen as I write this piece. They will use the Walter Blackmans and William Skinners and then discard us like used diapers.
Peace
Public schools are being NEGLECTED, they get financing to keep schools up to date, so what are these thieves doing with the money…..running all over the place promoting themselves lookig for extra titels while everyone knows that they’re FRAUDS. and …LIARS…
then they and their ignorant yardfowls want to blame the plague for everything, when the problems were around FOR YEARS…and none of them wanted to fix them..
https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/11/21/principals-plea-for-proper-staffing-and-supplies-at-primary-schools/
“Primary school principals have had enough of working under dire conditions and are pleading with the authorities for assistance.
President of the Association of Public Primary School Principals (APPSP) Dr Hyacinth Harris wants a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training (METVT) to find a speedy resolution to problems plaguing the membership.
Delivering the president’s remarks at the association’s Annual General Meeting Friday morning at Solidarity House, Dr Harris said principals were facing several challenges at their respective schools, including inadequate teaching staff and general workers, unsightly school compounds, as well as the issue of appointments of principals.
She said some of the issues had been present long before the COVID-19 pandemic reached the island’s shores.
“It is disheartening to know that at this juncture, principals are still struggling with matters which existed long before the onset of COVID-19 and others that have emerged since then.”
“They have zero interest in poor Black people. They are both in the pockets of the white and black financiers. The future PMs of those parties are being chosen as I write this piece. They will use the Walter Blackmans and William Skinners and then discard us like used diapers.”
As long as Black people allow themselves to be used like that and discarded like trash by these small island go nowhere nuisance governments, that’s how they’ll be used, as long as they allow the minority thieves and criminals to control the country to rob it, that’s what will happen.. when they develop the balls to put the white trash, syrian trash, indian trash in their place or FORCE THEM OFF THE ISLAND…then it will end…until then, the dysfunctional system they cultivated to rob the people and island and suppress everyone generationally will continue…until they’re all STOPPED…the only black people who owe minorities anything are the traitors in the parliament….no one else, and sellouts don’t count for much of anything…THEY TOO CAN BE PUSHED OUT..
only the people can do this or live with the consequences…it’s time to stop posting ONLY AND DO SOMETHING….this repulsive government is taking things way too far to maintain a racist, poverty stricken slave society….against African people…they are the TOP THREAT FACING BLACK HUMANITY.
Actually, i should upgrade this to reflect that as long as STUPID present and wannabe politicians’ ONLY INTENT IS TO continue to use and misuse Elizabeth’s CORROSIVE, archaic HUNDREDS YEARS OLD colonial system to lead people who were/are already socially reduced and financially demoralized and dehumanized by the same system that was NEVER CHANGED IN ANY WAY, as long as they are intellectually incapable of creating and putting forth a new more sophisticated, AFRICAN/Black FRIENDLY system..ya still on a highway to nowhere.
Most people still don’t get it, …am specificlaly speaking about those on BU…..there are those in other forums who fully understand this, as long as you leave the same colonial system in place, you will continue to go nowhere..the system is not yours, and NEVER WILL BE….ai have been saying this for years and will probably have to repeat it again and again until am tired, because hard heads never listen until something cataclysmic happens, which finally has, and now everyone is in a tailspin
unless all of that happens, and people commit to doing REAL WORK, to making real changes, and stop using someone else’s system, existing politicians and upstarts are only looking for titles and fame. i say that with no apology whatsoever.
As long as Black people allow themselves to be used like that and discarded like trash by these small island go nowhere nuisance governments whose only education consists of corrupt practices, that’s how they’ll be used, as long as they allow the minority thieves and criminals to control the country to rob it, that’s what will happen.. when they develop the balls to put the white trash, syrian trash, indian trash in their place or FORCE THEM OFF THE ISLAND…then it will end…until then, the dysfunctional system they cultivated to rob the people and island and suppress everyone generationally will continue…until they’re all STOPPED…
the good news is, those who think they can wish this all away with silly words and the denial syndrome, maybe seeing the light, since everything is rolling toward them like an unstoppable freight train. all it has to be confronted, addressed and action taken.
@ William
Can’t wait to read your book. You are right about the duopoly, but this forced marriage is not only because of the vacuity in our politics, it is also the result of a growing educated, professional black middle class being wedged in to a small corner of Barbados society in which can only look inward. Just look at how they captured our plantations and turned them in to middle class ghettos?
They are as removed from the commanding heights of the island’s economy as the poorest black person. That was the independence settlement: the economy will be controlled by the Roebuck Street boys, and the political system by the blacks. Both have failed.
The economy is now largely controlled by the Trinidadians and others, and our politics are corrupt, bought off by the white and Asian shadows and black middle class political incompetence.
But your fundamental point is well made. The NDP tried to impose a politics from top down; the people were given a group of people who they were told to accept. They rejected the offer.
Your proposal for a politics from the bottom up has best been demonstrated by Hammie and Grant in the Pine and their community activism.
Politics is not just about elections, it is about getting involved in the day-to-day issues in people’s lives: if they have meals on their tables, any problems at work, the quality of their housing, their health, their children’s education.
You do this twenty-four seven, you have a presence in the community, you learn about the real lives of the people you think you know.
I will end with this observation (not a proposal). There is a BU myth that we have a two-party system. I am confused about this claim since it does not relate to the reality.
We have just had a by-election in St George North in which candidates from six parties ran. Before that, we had a general election in May 2018, in which 130 candidates ran representing over six political parties.
Am I missing a trick or is there a need for a new narrative? Are we not talking about n electoral system in which two parties dominate the competition for government? Is that not a need for a different conversation?
Just an observation.
The mind can be a source of good or bad. If we feed it possibilities, we make the impossible happen. If we feed it all negativity, we are never disappointed. We need to be careful, what we fill our minds with, lest they are all fulfilled.
A tongue and mind always determines your future so use them wisely. Change your thought life and your life changes. Garbage In Garbage Out aka GIGO.
Every person is seen as smart until they open their mouth for its the only time a fool is seen as smart.
Such nonsense as I know I will catch a cold.
Third parties will never work in Barbados.
A second and third wave of COVID is coming.
I know it will not work.
It’s time we who claim to be so highly educated stop buy into the negativity of influencers.
Many third parties lack charisma, strategy, finances, social intelligence and quality candidates.
Charisma, is what Mia Mottley has along with a command presence, show me which third party leader or candidate possess such?
Our Prime Minister, understand strategy, plans, execute, surrounds herself with competence and not just followers, information junkie, operates like an entrepreneur, empowers her team members, hold her team members responsible but reminds them the butt stops at her. Which other third party possess such attributes in its leadership or team?
Finances, corporates throw money at the strongest parties thanks to social connection and vision enunciated by party. Something for something. Only when legislation is changed for disclosure of all contributors to political parties will third parties get a fair share of political contributions. Money, buys influence. Look at the major boards of institutions critical to country and look in the board rooms, it tell a story.
Social Intelligence, Mia Mottley is a avid socialite by her upbringing and familial connections. Thus, her connections to influencers and enablers of her cause are endless. The third parties have not the slightest modicum of how to win friends and influence others. Ms Mottley, did not wake up overnight and decided she needed a herd to carry out her roles effectively. It’s about getting into the psyche of the masses and working their emotions. Many just sleep too much and spend too little time thinking.
Unfortunately, elective politics have advanced beyond a stage where jokes, looks and party affiliation will automatically give you a secure seat. That was fun for the silent generation, generation x and baby boomers but generations X, Y and millennials expect substance from potential candidates. Unless a swing similar to 2018 takes place, a lack of pedigree will get you to the back bench until you are replaced by a by election in exchange for an external post.
Third parties need charismatic candidates & leaders, with clear strategy and candidates with clear articulated strategies. Too many entering politics to offer representation without a airtight game plan to win hearts and minds.
Voter apathy should have worked to the benefit of third parties but their messaging and call to action was poor. Low voter turn out should speak volumes to parties.
#Psyops “Psychological operations (PSYOP) are operations to convey selected information and indicators to audiences to influence their emotions, motives, and objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of governments, organizations, groups, and individuals. “
“A War of the Mind
Face-to-face verbal communication.
Audiovisual media, like television and movies.
Audio-only media including shortwave radio broadcasts like those of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty or Radio Havana.”
Purely visual media, like leaflets, newspapers, books, magazines, or posters.
Politics is war for the mind of the masses. Only then will third parties understand that they will be taken seriously in Barbados, but there is a clear reasoning to break up the duopoly.
Read Read Read Read Read for knowledge is extraordinary power to facilitate execution of your life’s task.
Kammie all of what u said could have been said in three words
Associates
Influence
Connections
Oh also add plenty hand outs or suttle vote buying around election time
@Kammie
More importantly the duopoly has an established machinery/apparatus. To force change agents will have to become members and be that change.
Finally, I may not always agree with Mia Mottley decisions but I prefer her strong will over Mr Stuart’s indifference and dismissive persona.
Barbados no longer have buses with board floors for acceptance of such mediocrity could have infected the whole country’s pride. We see a lack of pride for appearance in many Caribbean countries.
Pristine surroundings imbue confidence and wellbeing.
We just have to keep Mia Mottley on her toes and provide honest feed back and not be deceitful.
Have a good day.
People bellies hungry
Environmental Issues in SGN making the people sick
Some talking about buses and connecting buses to pride
Give me a break
Tell that to the people struggling to make ends meet
Maybe Bradshaw was right pedigrees tek poor bajans for idiots
Have a happy puddin and souse day along with having a heart Kammie Holder
@ David BU
Since we’re ‘discussing’ “stillborn third parties.” Joseph Atherley ‘crossed the floor’ to become Opposition Leader after he was excluded from PM Mottley’s Cabinet and subsequently formed the People’s Party for Democracy and Development (PdP). That political party’s candidate in the recent St. George North by-election, David Walrond, only managed to garner 80 votes. If we use this result as a benchmark to judge the PdP’s overall performance as a so called ‘third party,’ then, it’s clearly indicative of the fact Atherley and his political party’s message, so far, has not resonated with the electorate.
But, then again, except for Caswell Franklyn challenging ‘government’ policies and exposing the ‘flaws’ therein, whether publicly or in the Senate, Atherley criticizing in the House, or on occasion when Paul Gibson or Scott Weatherhead come out and keep some noise ……..WHAT exactly is the PdP’s MESSAGE?
For example, what are its alternative post COVID-19 social and economic policies? What is their response to the pandemic? How do they plan to address issues relating to education, health, elderly, disabled, agriculture, crime, squatting, illegal vending, illegal immigrants, water woes, sport, community and infrastructural development etc? What are their thoughts on the way forward for tourism industry? How about CARICOM?
The St. George North by-election results clearly indicates depending on Franklyn’s exploits is simply not enough.
Recall Atherley as the BLP’s candidate for St. Michael West in the 1999 general elections, was able to receive 2,155 votes, while the DLP’s incumbent stalwart Branford Taitt, (who, in 1994 received 2,050 votes), got 1,541.
In 2003, Atherley was successful at the polls again with 2,046 votes, against Michael Carrington’s 1,869. Carrington won the ‘seat’ in 2008 and 2013, but lost his re-election bid to Atherley by 2,376 votes in the 2018 general elections.
Unfortunately, despite his approximately nine (9) years experience in former PM Owen Arthur’s Cabinet, 2½ years as Opposition Leader and receiving 58.31%, 52.26% and 76.82% of the votes cast in 1999, 2003 and 2018 general elections, respectively, Atherley is seen as a traitor and an opportunist by the duopoly. If he contests the 2023 general elections as his party’s candidate for St. Michael West, he will lose.
@Artax
Your comment supports the conclusion re:third parties. To your point about Caswell making noise as practically the only dissenting voice which did not translate to votes. Let us frame the same argument as it relates to the DLP. It was a party embroiled in attending to internal affairs yet it was able to improve its performance in the by-election. Obvious conclusions can be made you think?
“To your point about Caswell making noise……..”
@ David BU
In the interest of clarity and before I’m attacked by members of Franklyn’s ‘fan club,” I wrote:
“But, then again, except for Caswell Franklyn CHALLENGING ‘government’ policies and EXPOSING the ‘flaws’ therein, whether publicly or in the Senate……………”
@Atax
We are saying the same thing. Making noise translates to a strident voice.
“Politics is war for the mind of the masses. Only then will third parties understand that they will be taken seriously in Barbados, but there is a clear reasoning to break up the duopoly.
Read Read Read Read Read for knowledge is extraordinary power to facilitate execution of your life’s task.”
The only way out of corrupt government driven poverty FORCED on the masses through legislation to protect thieves and racists……..
the vital task at hand is take down the last stench of duopoly, it has already been broken up, no more tag teaming for them, the people knocked the other parasites completely out of their game in 2018…….and destroy the whole ugly poisonous system belonging to the UK….FRESH START..
problem is, WHO will have the WILL, STRENGTH AND INTELLIGENCE to take that first step and proceed to finish….without resorting to their comfort zones of new age colonial agents.
@ David BU
In my opinion, the DLP was able to improve its performance in the by-election, not because the party was able to solicit new voters or made ‘inroads’ into the consttiuency, but probably because some party supporters who did not vote in 2018, (voter turnout was low, and voter apathy high), overcame their disenchantment with the DEMS and its former leadership, to vote this time around, while deciding to support DePeiza and ‘hometown boy’ Floyd Reifer.
I can only gently nudge in the Caribbean region, my more radical thoughts are best suited to the continent and for those who can operate at certain levels mainly due to certain powers, strength and population size…but a little nudge here and there is better than nothing at all.
Kammie,
The “buck” stops here.
P.S. You never told me where to find your farm for the melons.
“FRESH START”
Is a fresh start possible?
We developed some bad habits over the past 50 years and we now see the much proclaimed 30-0 victory which gave us an opportunity to reset and chart a new course is being wasted. The words are fancier and have changed but putting paint a lipstick on a member of the porcine family does not change its species.
Don’t you realized that we see the same resistance to change is happening to the tourism industry. COVID-19 also gave us an opportunity for a reset, but our government seem to have placed all of its money on the tourism industry.
———————xx—————————————————
What is the condition of the tourism industry?
Imagine an island that made tourism its bread and butter, an island with decades in the tourism and being a friendly port for cruise ship during the start of COVID-19 is now is now dependent on a management of ‘Caves” to pump up the number of cruise ships that will visit the island. You would think that give our recent history we would be able to approach cruise companies on our own merit. What’s next, a man importing oranges will hook us up with an airline?
@WURA
At some time , we have to realise that it’s the “enemy within”. They want change but they highlight that a prime minister must be a “socialte” with “connections”. They speak with fork tongues and should be dismissed with contempt. Don’t mind them ; they first observation about Freudel Stuart, was not about his policies but about how he look on TV. The big nose and blackness of his skin. A man who represents their country overseas, said on a political platform that ” He (Stuart) has a face that only a mother could love.” They are all frauds. They pretended Richie Haynes was the worst thing for their countrty. But the same Mia Mottley, Owen Arthur and their spousess, met at a restaurant on the west coast and decided the fate of the National Democratic Party. Haynes was to become the first president of Arhtur’s republic. Note when the NDP was euthanised , Haynes was given a knighthood and his wife ended up in the senate.
Your assessment and to some degree@ Pacha’s are absolutely correct and cannot be questioned. These harlots don’t want any change. We have them all over the place in the country and overseas in offices selling the country out , left, right and centre. They can cuss @Hal all day and night but he is spot on in most of his assessments of Barbados. They can’t handle the truth. It’s time to take off the gloves as you have done . Don’t give the @ Davids and Kammie Holders any more room to recover-they need to be licked up mercillessly whjen they come with their well planned and penned crap apologies for the widespeard corruption now festering all over their country. it will now surpass whatever the country achieved under the once relevant BLPDLP. The decayed carcass of both the Barbados Labour Party now in the grave of Sir Granley Adams and Democratic Labour Party in the ashes of Errol Barrow , somewhere on the Gulf of Paria.
The game is up. Put the poor black people first or leave the damn stage to those who want to do so. You are more than an asset to BU and indeed Barbados.
Peace.
“The words are fancier and have changed but putting paint a lipstick on a member of the porcine family does not change its species.
but our government seem to have placed all of its money on the tourism industry.”
and wickedly put legislation in place to severely hamper the citizens financially…and restrict their recovery and progress…driving poverty…..but what do you expect from the FRAUD who was begging Pope Fraud himself for a new world order, a CLOWN who has no spiritual connection to our ancestors, spiritually barren and empty A TOTAL FAILURE…,,as one STAUNCH BLP SUPPORTER put it this morning, “a stupid wannabe dictator.”..
i dread to think what these families who were SOLD OUT by ignorant untelligent management in the parliament … will now have to face to survive…
because no real leaders would ever have done what they did to the most vulnerable on the island, who remaion TOO DEPENDENT….on this backward tourism product.
“They want change but they highlight that a prime minister must be a “socialte” with “connections”
what socialite, what connections….when ya well connected ya don’t have to do that level of begging that we’ve seen in the last 2 plus years, nor that high level of sellig out….it’s all in their tainted minds, anyone with even a smidgen of intelligence would know that like everyone else in Barbados and the Caribbean, they’re the descendants of slaves, pretending to be the descendants of slave catchers…and trying to climb even higher, because slave catchers are on the same level as tiefing sellout politicians and lawyer, but they will never reach any level other than what they are, the sooner they come to that realization, the better it will be for the people whose VOTES THEY BEG..
“The big nose and blackness of his skin. A man who represents their country overseas, said on a political platform that ” He (Stuart) has a face that only a mother could love.” They are all frauds. ”
self hate, black people are their own biggest enemies, the people whose features they worship and adore, laugh at them on the regular…..because they know what Black people don’t and most dont want to recognize..
“These harlots don’t want any change. We have them all over the place in the country and overseas in offices selling the country out , left, right and centre.”
that’s very clear, the reason why the electorate has to swipe them all off the landscape come 2023…they absolutely REFUSE TO PUT THE BLACK POPULATION FIRST…..and are adamant that they never will….so THEY GOTTA GO…
.from the time Mia put Cummins to lie about the sandy lane affair and did not have the RESPECT OR THE DECENCY to include language such as……no discrimination and racism will be tolerated anywhere in Barbados based on skin color and African identity…it tells us how much they all hate blackness and don’t even want to recognize the Black population’s human rights publicly…have no intention to…and use Black people only as voters to ELEVATE SCUM LIKE THEMSELVES TO PUBLIC OFFICE….they sent a very clear message how hateful they are to black people..how self-hating they are in a bid to keep their thieving racists friends wealthy at black people’s expense.
even on platforms that they don’t even know exist, they were roundly cussed and called sellouts, because that’s who and what they are and are not well renowned..
people on the blog need to get more forceful, this is not a game, Black people’s very existence, right to quality of life and healthy living are being threatened by sellout nigas in a haunted parliament..
William ..i try to divide my time between this and other forums, but a time will come when because of commitments, i will only be an observer and sometime commenter on some forums…other people need to step up, either ya helping YA OWN BLACK PEOPLE or ya HELPING SCUM DESTROY YOU AND YOUR PEOPLE…it should be a nobrainer, but who knows.
that repulsive Fowl Enuff, will definitely get an eye opeing comeuppance…i dislike sellouts..
even on platforms that they don’t even know exist, they were roundly cussed and called sellouts, because that’s who and what they are and ARE NOW well renowned.
Check this out, what the sellouts in the parliament now hustling to hold press conference SHOULD HAVE DONE, as opposed to WHAT THEY ACTUALL DID, to accommodate theiving employers…..hateful racists the social partnership of thieves and criminals…..running to hold press conference AFTER ya SOLD OUT can’t help now…AFTER ya legislated AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE…
“Thousands of your citizen are out of work through no fault of their own and unable to find jobs
CAN you/ government imagine the fear and the uncertainty this is causing?
1, Because of the New Amendment to the Severance Payment Act, most of those thousands have had to terminate their contract from their workplaces.
2, Because of the New Amendment to the Severance Payment Act instead of the year they had before, they only HAD 4 weeks to claim severance pay or lose it.
CAN you/Government imagine the fear and the uncertainty this caused?
3, For weeks the social partners were in negotiations and those negotiations did not end until the four weeks were up,
4, Since unemployment payments are only for 26 weeks unlike the previous 9 months, all to most of those workers are now unemployed and not receiving unemployment benefits
5,, Negotiators were negotiating the extension of unemployment benefits when one of them insulted the black people of Barbados, saying, ” if unemployment benefits were extended they would not go back to work. ”
I said black people because as far we know there are no Caucasian, Jewish,/Indian/ Asian unemployment problem existing in Barbados
CAN you/ Government imagine the hurt, pain, and disgust this caused?
Never once did that privileged individual ask where would those thousands of laid-off black people go for this work/jobs when most of the hotels and other places were closed or not hiring?
Never once did that privileged person give a thank you to all those workers who left their home at 3,4 and 5 am etc. in the dark where they could have been robbed, raped, or killed to go to work.
So privileged people could sit down and negotiate a $300 million money giveaway to the individual and that person’s friends?
The money in the NIS is not Government money but what the workers in Barbados work for.
6 Weeks after the workers had terminated their contract, the social partners came to an agreement giving the hoteliers $300 million to train workers who were no longer part of their organization, but NO PROVISIONS WERE MADE FOR THE POOR AND UNEMPLOYED CITIZENS OF BARBADOS.
After rich people had gotten the money under the BOSS program the negotiations were then closed, with the unemployment benefits for the poor workers not being extended.
7, Our organization and other voters have recommendations, on what the Government should have done.
A, Give $100 million to the NIS and extend the unemployment benefits.
C, Send $100 million in cheques to all Bajans telling them to spend it, which would have boosted the economy
D, $50 million to the hotels that are open to help with training, etc., although they are already getting paid by Government to housed quarantine guest
E, $50 million could have gone to purchasing laptops and the general cleaning/steaming of the schools for the children of Barbados.
RESPECTFULLY YOURS
RONALD YARDE,
MARY PAUL”
And people want to take offense when i cuss out these STINKING BLACK RATS and TRAITORS in the haunted house, who sell out their people at EVERY OPPORTUNITY..well yall got a lot more offense to take…a*sholes..
William…you are going to be even more upset now, the lowlife DLP crooks, sold Blue Horizon Hotel belonging to TAXPAYERS….7,000 dollars BELOW MARKET VALUE to accommodate minority thieves..ya done know the DLP sellouts GOT THEIR CUT from that sale…
…..in comes Mia who was to lock up Maloney for corruption etc….and gives the SAME crooks millions that don’t belong to her, to have a quarantine hotel and then gave them MILLIONS MORE…for what, am sure the SELL OUT can’t tell ya herself…while Black people suffer…but she don’t care, she can pretend to have pedigree and be a shit stained socialite…they disgust intelligent people, so many people are angry and can’t believe the lengths these nigas would go to sellout their own people..
Am sure Mariposa is seeing how they’re going after these dirty no good sellouts on FB.
Caswell warned about this and a lot of yall got on BU and ran ya stinking mouth….you must be feeling proud and good about yaselves now, keep it up, the next one who can’t eat a bread nor pay bills, nor feed their children may turn out to be you….black sellouts are on the loose.
By now I hope you realize that I run my own little show …
BU National Honors 2020
Blogmaster
WURA
MARIPOSA
John A
VC
WS
HANTS
HA
SARGE
BAJE
DONNA
WS
DpD
JOHN – Horse riding skills (dead horses)
skinner what nonsense you talking.in my view ex Pm Stuart was a total disaster as PM nothing to do with looks and other nonsense you or however you are quoting is speaking about.He was indecisive,laid back and allowed his Ministers to do as they like.Mr Stuart even appeared to be unable to shuffle his troops..In my view he made several unfornate statements like the meaning of temporary and nonsense like they could downgrade the country but not barbadians etc.In my view Mr Stuart was the worst PM in the history of Barbados even worse than Mr Thompson or Mr Sandiford.
@ Lorenzo
You are correct about Stuart’s style , which ultimately led to his deserved thrashing. I was making a broader point about comments made about him outside of his prime ministership.
I imagine that like you, I also went in a polling station and voted against the DLP.
I can’t get in an argument about who was the worst or best prime minister but , in my book , Sir Harold St.John was the most visionary.However, I think that in terms of the mass appeal , outside of Sir. Grantley and Errol Barrow, the prize goes to Owen Arthur.
Peace.
Here WURA goes again. Why stop though, when TheoGas awarding you with a BU honour? I wonder if it is for conspiracies and lies?🤣🤣
I do not accept any such award on the grounds that I cannot be categorised with some names on the list. Yardfowls and Donna – never the twain shall meet!
you are going to be even more upset now, the lowlife DLP crooks, sold Blue Horizon Hotel belonging to TAXPAYERS….7,000,000 MILLION dollars BELOW MARKET VALUE to accommodate minority thieves..ya done know the DLP sellouts GOT THEIR CUT from that sale
Burnt Fowl Enuff….did you see me TRIPPING OVER MYSELF running to hold press conference to PUT OUT THE BURNING INFERNO that fell on MIA…..that was not me…yall LIARS and SELLOUTS…..and still NO ONE BELIEVES Mia except the dumbest fowls and those who have no goddamn sense……..because these workers should never have been PUSHED into that position OF POVERTY for the sole reason that YALL SOLD THEM OUT TO WHITE CROOKS and covered the same crooks tracks for them…FRAUDS….
laugh ya fake laugh….i don’t have to use anyone’s children as PROPS to PROJECT A FAKE IMAGE that NO ONE BELIEVES…..am good…..ah sure as hell don’t light my own fires and then have to run around with a small bucket half filled with water…
There is a photo of the white rats and thieves from US who owe the hotel workers their money….pensioners and taxpayers DO NOT OWE HOTEL WORKERS…Mia is THE one who made it possible for those racists to steal from the workers, she should be paying the PEOPLE SHE HELPED ROB, FROM HER OWN POCKET….helping thieves get way from being held accountable, from their obligations….SELLOUTS…..the FIRE IS STILL BLAZING UNDER YA TRAITOR ASSES.
“Nyobi D. Naziah
1tt0lnSphounsored ·
Employees of Barbados Club Resort & Spa Hotel tell Mia(PM, MOF), Toni Moore(GS,MP) the tax payer does not owe you your outstanding money, these people do. The Spa is is a subsidary of Elite Caribbean Resorts, which is a subsidary of the Deerfield, Florida based Fairweather Group Inc. The group is headed by Michael Evans and they are who should be addressing your outstanding monetary issues. It recently got discovered that via taxes the modern day black british caribbean descendant of slavery ended up paying back the loan taken by the British to compensate the slave owners upon the abolition of slavery. In other words the Caribbean and Caribbean descendant of slavery living in Britain, ended up financially paying for our foreparents freedom. Is the Barbados government asking the black bajan people to do the same thing here? The 75% owed by the resort is ultimately the reponsibilty of the people pictured. The black bajan tax payer has nothing to do with this mess and should not be asked to foot the bill. Is the PM putting Friendship before the bajan people & country? Fairweather group pay the Bajan hotel workers their money.”
Donna November 21, 2020 7:48 PM #: “I do not accept any such award on the grounds that I cannot be categorised with some names on the list. Yardfowls and Donna – never the twain shall meet!”
@ Donna
Look on the ‘bright side,’ you’ll notice contributors who are categorised as BLP yard-fowls and ‘limited range chickens’ were excluded from the list, which probably means you’re in good company.
So, accept the award.
Burnt Fown Enuff:
so how is the coverup going, ah see yall are still being ABLY DISSECTED on social media platforms, yall do realize that these platforms host tens of millions of people right?
😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
WURA
You have never been right on anything you post on BU. People are still awaiting the pictures of the houses, the info on government’s plan to cremate the lady without her family and all the other nonsense you pollute the blog with. The blog has grown accustom to your falsehoods. But hey, yuh got an award.🤣🤣
1/1
It is funny. I bent over backwards not to mention a few names, because I sense that there is some tension between myself and them. I will keep it that way.
I will not relive or return to the past . How people label themselves or others is no longer my business
@Donna
Your posts usually reflect a well thought out position.
———x—-
@all
Sound arguments are often made by both sides, but the discussions often becomes personal attacks.
There are some words which we should throw in the dustbin. I admit that I may be responsible for a few such words, but I have made an attempt to abandon them.
Sometime ago, I realized that we react differently to the same situation. For some it is water off a duck’s back; for others it stings, it hurts and it lasts.
Why should we be cruel and mean to each other? Some should realize that I do not mention their names. It is not out of fear, but rather I seek to avoid a useless exchange of nasty words. I took my own advice and I moved on.
Sometimes, I fail and when I recognize this failure I have apologized.
The B vs D conflict and the exchange of insults is not fruitful.
@ TheOGazerts
Thanks for the recognition . Take it easy.
Peace
Fowl Enuff….YET AM NOT THE ONE BEING ACCUSED OF NEGLECTING BLACK PEOPLE IN BARBADOS, SELLING THEM OUT TO WHITES AND OTHER MINORITY CROOKS AND TREATING THEM LIKE 2ND CLASS CITIZENS, while wickedly LEGISLATING…….. to push them into poverty, Caswell did not lie…..YALL FRAUDS…..haters of Black people…..2023..ticktock…..go tell that to the people of St.Andrew…public nuisance.
“AvatarArticle by
Barbados TodayPublished on
November 22, 2020
Promises made, but never kept. That was the unified cry from residents of the White Hill community in St Andrew, as they met Sunday on the anniversary of the main road into the area collapsing into a nearby gully.
After years of promises from Government about rectifying the dire situation, residents in the area say they are no longer looking for talk, but instead demand action.
One resident, Carlitha Andrews, says the situation for her area has grown from frustrating, to ridiculous, in terms of the silence from Government officials.
“We have been getting promises on promises of this road being fixed. All that we have learnt, is from what has been said in the media. No one is coming to us and telling us anything about what is going on, and we are here today to let the public know what is really going on up here,” she said.
Andrews said in addition to no realistic road connection being available to residents, the lack of any form of consistent bus service has been a never ending issue, leaving the community feeling even more cut off
Andrews shared copies of a letter a sent to several departments, including the Prime Minister’s Office.
“This letter was a letter that was hand delivered; there were three copies, one was made to the Prime Minister’s office, one to the Ministry of Transport and Works, and one to the MP (George Payne). The one person that acknowledged that they got the letter was the MP. No one from the Prime Minister’s Office responded and they were hand delivered. They have been very disrespectful to the people of White Hill, we are the forgotten lot,” Andrews said.”
Fowl Slave Enuff…see if you can find my name anywhere here….there are so many of them floating around on platforms everywhere that i can’t read all of, the only people attracted to Barbados right now are racists and thieves, because that’s what you criminals in th parliament are SELF HATING BLACK FACE RACISTS AND THEIVES….so that’s all you will attract and we’ll be sure TO EXPOSE EVERYONE OF THEM AND YOU FOR FORCING THEM ON THE PEOPLE…that’s going to be A LOT OF EXPOSING…so fasten ya seatbelt.
“The government give these people all types of concessions. But allow them to treat employees however they want…just like how cincin treat them..the employees are who work their asses off to make these places what they are and this is what they get…all of these unions are a waste of time you sit for hours at a meeting and the employers dont budge and all you come up with is you will fast track NIS..there is nothing fast about NIS and the government is a no show as usual…the government has once again abandon the poor people…the meeting with the dlp is a waste of time and the meeting with the blp is way too late and will probably bear the same outcome but for these people i hope they get a good resolution soon,”
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Good morning.
Hopefully, a blessed day for all
—–x——
“Promises made, but never kept. That was the unified cry from residents of the White Hill community in St Andrew”
In a place where there is a constant fear to raise one’s head above the parapet, people are speaking out. Fear of retribution has been trumped by fear of continuing neglect. These citizens have told themselves”things cannot get any worse. We are neglected by both B and D.”
Is there room for a 3rd party candidate here?
There are several sides to a picture reading one side and espousing full knowledge of all details from that side as accurate is tantamount to being guided by Tunnel vision
Present day history is proof of that
There are other stories about Paul that exposed his good side and his bad sides
Mankind is subject to failures and Paul was no exception