The following is not the type of update seen often on Barbados Underground – 2020 has been unprecedented in every ways. Our thought processes that fuel our narratives must also change.
Support Local is OUR Cry
Barbados Underground
Bringing News and Opinions to the People
David
How could you believe arguments made just yesterday about the irrational corporate globalization of everything and today pretend that there are still anythings called local.
Case in point food, Donna”s garden. Are the seed stocks locally produced? Are the fertilizers, synthetic or organic, produced locally? Are the all other parts of the supply chains local? And on and on.
Is local not an outdated myth which died with the great Carmeta?
Pacha
Were they local when carmeta was alive ?
The same questions you ask about Donnas garden can be applied to back then
John2
Agreed. But at least this localism canard was more believable then. But then again, even this could have been the irrational expectations of youth.
Carmeta Fraser was the first person who gave this writer a sense that there were vicious politics around food. That one should know where food comes from.
@Pacha
You make a good point, inputs to almost every product in BArbados originates outside of Barbados. Local is relative in the sense we must awaken an entrepreneur spirit that uses such a mindset as a jump off point to move from where we are lodged.
based on past personal experiences, I tread carefully.
So as instructed, I use the search engine and enter “ice cream” and the result ‘no search results please try again’.
Yet immediately below the search results are ads for items which include a Bico product. When I click on it, its shows the category as ‘ice cream’, yet search results show NIL in this category.
I have to enter “BICO” to get their products. The search functionality is of a 1990’s level.
The final products were produced locally
A lot if made in USA and made in China usual contain imported ingredients.
Smart phones for example
@ Pachamama December 16, 2020 8:57 AM
“Is local not an outdated myth which died with the great Carmeta?”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
That’s why the dearly departed Lady Carmeta should be made a true national hero(ine).
If Clement Payne could be so anointed so should Carmeta.
Haven’t the ‘ideals ‘of those national heroes been thrown under the bus at the behest of blatant imported conspicuous consumption where even the consumption of the ‘coral island’ country’s naturally filtered drinking water is replaced by imported piped stale water in environmentally destructive plastic bottles?
An entrepreneurial spirit is not enough if you are hobbled by wto regulations.
Such rules make it nearly impossible for government to support local enterprises in a wide number of sectors.
David
@Pacha
You are the one always touting to not let ourselves be hobbled by WTO and other rules manufactured by globalization.
The Miller
Agreed, with all
Totally agreed with the objective, but while Government is spending taxpayers monies on imported items that could be sourced locally, what chance do we stand? As pointed out recently when Government is buying imported FLORIDA bottled water while locally produced alternatives are available. Can you imagine shipping water from Florida when its available here?
David
Yes, because we see globalization (2) as a natural continuation of globalization (1). Globalization (1) had Barbados as one of its centres and came at a time when the character of colonialism, imperialism, changed its modes of organization.
@Pacha
We have our heads so deep in the lion’s mouth. We are sinking in debt which makes it a challenge to implement homegrown policies that will significantly move the needle. However we must try, what else?
David
Agree. On all counts.
WHAT IS THE BARBADOS GOVERNMENT AND ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE LOCAL POLICE GOING TO DEAL WITH ALL THESE EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS IN BARBADOS OR IS IT BECAUSE THE VICTIMS ARE BLACK AND NOT WHITE?
THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY HITMEN ON THE 2 x 3 ISLAND WHO ARE PAID KILLERS IN THE LOCAL UNDERWORLD.
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Residents in northern community say ‘Big Yosh’ was ambushed by men in ski masks
The brutal shooting incident has nevertheless left a grieving mother childless after losing her second son to gunshot wounds and at least one relative lamenting the passing of a “good person” who was attempting to change his life for the better.
Canute Ward, 36, was the lone victim of a vicious gun attack that rocked the usually quiet northern community at around 9 p.m. on Monday.
Farm Road residents told Barbados TODAY that Ward, alias Big Yosh, was sitting on a sidewalk using his cellular phone when he was ambushed by two masked gunmen and riddled with bullets. The two men reportedly pursued the wounded victim through a nearby track leading to the young man’s temporary home, before he collapsed. There, they proceeded to “finish the job” with a fresh round of shots, leaving him to die.
On Tuesday morning, the sight of blood and the scent of disinfectant were still in front of the house where he was staying.
“We were in bed and we heard ‘bum! bum! bum! bum!’ About six shots and about ten minutes after that, ten police were outside. When the police checked, they said he was down by the banana tree dead. I don’t even know his name,” one resident recalled.
Another, who witnessed the incident unfolding added: “He was just sitting on the wall and the two guys passed in ski masks with the guns already drawn. They just started shooting like crazy… There were about seven or eight shots fired altogether, and then he ran down in there and collapsed.
“I wasn’t scared… I knew exactly where they were coming from and who they were targeting. I was looking for it to happen weeks ago, because it was rumoured that he was hiding from somebody,” she added.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/12/16/residents-in-northern-community-say-big-yosh-was-ambushed-by-men-in-ski-masks/
“(1) had Barbados as one of its centres and came at a time when the character of colonialism, imperialism, changed its modes of organization.”
ah, if everyone was thus enlightened and understood better, what a difference it would make.
Pacha,
My initial seeds may not have been produced locally but I can use the seeds from the fruits produced for the next crop and allow seeds to be produced through bolting from fruiting plants. Some crops also grow from cuttings, heads and suckers. My Rasta helper does not buy seeds or fertilizer. My main fertilizer is now sheep shit provided by him and for beets a little washed off sea weed. I also make my own compost. My helper also provides neem leaves for pest control. Next week he will plant me a neem tree. My ladybirds are local.
So eventually my garden produce will be almost totally local. Besides, value added counts as well. We can save foreign exchange by importing the cheaper raw inputs and adding value or finishing a product for sale.
If I lived in such a negative space I’d never get up in the morning.
How on earth do you do it?????
Good comment Donna!
Donna
You know not of this writer’s life and are therefore in no position to attached the stereotypical brand.
Maybe we could share a few stories of life beyond BU but we feel no need.
However, we seek to reserve “positivity” for larger orders of magnitude, thank you!
Admittedly, from what is written your gardening seems almost totally local, maybe even organic, we must confess. Maybe yours is unrepresentative of commercial or large scale farming or are practices not engaged in by a large enough mass.
Pacha..i noticed for the last couple weeks you’ve been subtly nudging, but am sure it went over 99.999% of heads, there will come a time when i will only be on BU to show up yardfowls’ idiocy for the entertainment value…lol..as things unfold, there will be no need to give anymore warnings, reality will take center stage, giving me lots of time for other endeavors.
Pacha,
Just saying, you do throw cold water on everything. You run the risk of making others feel hopeless even though I suspect you do fight at another level.
You must be careful not to knock the fight out of those of us who operate at ground level or else we will be not be mentally ready, willing or able when change comes.
P.S. Correction to last post – non fruiting plants.
Well, la-di-da, Ms. 0.1%!
Donna
Sorry. We don’t try to be positive or negative. We always attempt to be loyal to the truth, as we see it.
On the contrary! We have maximum respect for your gardening project. For us it is an example as to how communities throughout the country can cooperatively seek to feed self. That would be the most radical thing everybody could do, using your example.
This does not mean that we should ignore the forces which have us importing almost everything we eat. How are we to confront these systems of oppression unless we understand them?
For years we have been advocating for land reforms so that people can produce their food on land owned by them.
Just trying to be the good shepherd.
Pacha,
I am well aware of those diabolical forces. Weren’t these the same forces who would have cut us off during the anticipated pandemic shortages? Aren’t these the same forces that outlawed the supply of PPE during the shortage. Aren’t these the same forces that determined that the vaccine will be made available to others only after the country that made it is satisfied?
Seems to me we now have good arguments to advance!
“Well, la-di-da, Ms. 0.1%!”
i like being in the minority, it works out so well for minorities in Barbados…they got all your land and money, and got yall paying back 1 billion dollars to IMF that THEY STOLE, so being in the 1% works out quite well actually.
@Pachamama December 16, 2020 8:57 AM “Case in point food, Donna”s garden. Are the seed stocks locally produced? Are the fertilizers, synthetic or organic, produced locally? Are the all other parts of the supply chains local? And on and on. Is local not an outdated myth which died with the great Carmeta?”
Carmeta might be dead but her spirit lives in some of us.
Some inputs are imported of course, but my potato slips, and cassava sticks are not. My pumpkin seeds are not imported. My spinach seeds are not imported, my cherry tomato seeds are not imported. I got half a pint of cherry tomatoes from a neighbor a few years ago, ate most, saved a few for planting, and they are self replicating. I’ve since shared some with a sister. I get manure from a retired neighbor who keeps sheep, pigs and cows. I also got from him and have in the fridge for Christmas lunch/dinner a nice leg of black belly lamb, and 6 lovely pork chops. The sheep and cows graze locally on “abandoned” land. I grated some pumpkin today, I will dig and grate some of my own sweet potatoes tomorrow afternoon. I’ve got some local coconut in the freezer, some local sugar in my cupboard, a few banana leaves in the back yard, so I’ll be making about dozen Christmas conkies as well. Will use California raisins though. lol! After all American grape/raisin farmers have to live too.
Cuhdear Bajan
You sure you should be advertising these delights. Somebody gine breck in yuh house. Lol
Good thing veganism rules here.
It is now 9 days away from what appears to be a looming BLACK CHRISTMAS for many displaced former Employees here in Barbados.
Unless they are paid the monies legally owed to them by their former employers.
In the meantime their former employers are busy buying up things so the they and their families might spend a WHITE CHRISTMAS. Ham, Turkey, Banks beers, etc.. What a turn of events..
“”“It seems that both the party and the people have retired me, so I have to accept the decision that was made. I don’t fight over issues like that. I now need to move on and focus on other things,” Kellman added.””
He didn’t expect that this would happen one day??? He believed that he would be there forever???
The displaced workers of Barbados certainly cant buy “”local” , because they have no money. Unlike their former employers.
Man yall didn’t tell me that ya are MOVING in the world……..😂😂🤣🤣 Fowl Enuff keeping secrets…ya know when it reaches this stage, ah done with alyuh, denying YOUR OWN reality on the ground in Barbados is one thing, that’s alyuh problem, don’t affect me one way or the other, but this, whole nother animal.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/12/17/beijing-using-flow-to-spy-on-us/
“The island’s leading telecommunications provider has been accused of helping China spy on Americans through the use of its mobile phone networks.
Mobile network security expert Gary Miller has told The Guardian that Cable and Wireless Communications (Flow) in Barbados and the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), allowed China to use its networks to “target, track and intercept phone communications of US phone subscribers”.
In response to requests from Barbados TODAY for confirmation or denial of the report, Liberty Latin America, the parent company of C&W, did not give a definitive response.
The company would only say that “robust security policies” were in place to protect its customers.
“Across all the markets where Flow operates, including Barbados, we continuously monitor our networks and have robust security policies and protocols in place to protect the data of our customers. We take our commitment to data protection seriously and are carefully reviewing the information in the Guardian article,” a brief press statement said.
Miller, a former vice president of network security at California-based analytics company Mobileum, who has spent years analyzing mobile threat intelligence reports and observations of signalling traffic between foreign and US mobile operators, said in some cases China appeared to have used networks in Barbados and the Bahamas to conduct its surveillance.
At the heart of Miller’s research are claims that China, using a state-controlled mobile phone operator – China Unicom – is directing signalling messages to US subscribers, usually while they are travelling abroad.
Signalling messages are commands that are sent by a telecoms operator across the global network, unbeknownst to a mobile phone user. They allow operators to locate mobile phones, connect mobile phone users to one another, and assess roaming charges. But some signalling messages can be used for illegitimate purposes, such as tracking, monitoring, or intercepting communications.”
Carson…sellout traitors in the parliament love that, mistreat the people, help rob them billions of dollars so they can’t help themselves or eat properly, progress or generate wealth, and ya wicked sellouts are more than happy, but now they’re about to be pushed onto marijuana slave plantations…deliberately, so let’s see if the people will sit quietly and take that or drag Mia before a human rights tribunal for human rights violations…it’s all on yall, it’s one thing to whine on a blog incessantly, it’s quite another to actually get up and do something to end that nightmare that those ya elected are subjecting your people to….already told close relatives, do not contribute a dime to Barbados to help pay back any IMF loans let those who stole those billions over the last 30 years repay them for the next 25 or 30 years, my relatives will not be supporting thieves, it’s disrespectful and insulting, as i said, up to yall.
CXC still have not given the kids their grades, everything is going down hill at a rapid pace, so sit back and take it. or get up and do something.
Even if you buy “”local”” , you cant plant today and reap tomorrow. It takes a considerable time. Don’t forget the praedial larcenists who the Royal Barbados Police seems to be making little against.
Plus the 3% people of the population of Barbados, THE WHITE BAJANS AND INDIANS, will not allow buying “”local”” to exist because they are too busy buying and selling items from all over the World.
That is how they make their money.
Some of you have the ability to reduce every topic/blog to nothingness.
There was a time when barbadians had no choice in buying local there was a momand pop shop at almost every corner and people were allowed to raise their own livelistock and do their own farming buying and selling amongst themselves
Back then the local markets in the city thrive and side walk hawkers could make a reasonable week to week living
Then one day out of the clear blue govts allow overseas investors to open big supermarkets and other forms of invest which can sell at lower prices
Competition got tough for the local investor as bajans went from buying local to buying to save a dime
Blame govts for this turn in the attitude of barbadians against its own well being
Govt expecting bajans attitude to change when the bottom line is to invest in one self interest is foolhardy
First govt interest must become aware that the best interest of the people to become starts with self empowerment by sharing the financial pie with its people which give the people a chance to become investors and in turn move the economic needle in a direction where the economy would be self sufficient for the people to buy locally
David December 17, 2020 5:24 AM #: “Some of you have the ability to reduce every topic/blog to nothingness.”
@ David
I agree with you 1,000%.
We have hundreds of vendors selling local produce in the various public markets, alleys and on sidewalks all over Bridgetown; farmers selling meats and vegetables to retail outlets and customers; they are several local companies selling chicken, such as Chickmont, Montrose, Southern Hatcheries, Poultry & Egg Suppliers, Gale’s Hatcheries and as well as the small poultry suppliers; then, we have the ‘neighbourhood farmers’ such as Donna, Cuhdear Bajan and several other like minded Bajans who grow their own crops, pigs, chickens, cows, sheep and goats for their personal use, sell or give away. How about ‘Aunt May’ or ‘Star Products’ and other producers of hot sauce, seasonings, mauby, fruit jams, etc?
Or, rather than going at Abeds to purchase school uniforms that are imported from China, why not buy materials and have the neighbourhood seamstress make uniforms?
So many opportunities exist for us to ‘buy local’ that we shouldn’t even be having this conversation in 2020.
And, Carson C. Cadogan want us to believe, “……….the 3% people of the population of Barbados, THE WHITE BAJANS AND INDIANS, will not allow buying ”local” to exist because they are too busy buying and selling items from all over the World.”
Pure nonsense. How are they going to dictate how I spend my money? This clearly indicates the defeatist attitude he has.
But, then again, he’s the same guy who, rather than enjoy ‘fine dining’ at Collis’ restaurant in Trents, St. James, preferred to play ‘big boy’ and patronize ‘The Cliff,’ only to complain about the exorbitant prices of the food after.
Yes seen these local vendors but they making nothing
Their competitors are the big overseas investors who can buy in bulk prices and sell at cheaper prices to locals
You not teaching me nothing i speak from an era when buying local was absent of big outside competitors and govt never had to beg the citizen to buy locally
Monies gained were productive to buying and selling amongst our own
The local farmer and vendor now have to compete in an economic competition which drives the buyer away from supporting local interest at a profitable rate
@Artax
We are our worse enemies. It will never be a perfect situation. One solution will never be the panacea to solve all of our challenges. Life is a journey, we have to try to do the best that we can as we travel along the way. This is the pragmatic approach of a buffoon and illiterate blogmaster.
“You not teaching me nothing i speak from an era when buying local was absent of big outside competitors and govt never had to beg the citizen to buy locally.”
Please note, if your above comments were meant for me, my 6:21 AM contribution was NOT a response or referring to anything you posted on the topic.
@Artax
The blogmaster remains hopeful Covid 19 has served to disrupt the attitude at the household level that conspicuous consumption is not ideal. Effective change is best when it originates from the ground up.
David
Pragmatism in the live”s journey you describe cannot be the only guide rail.
Pragmatism in and of itself has limited utility.
“Mystery ailment affecting Chickens”
See what they think of us????
Instead of stopping chicken production and finding out what is the problem, they are still continuing with the sale of chickens. Don’t want to miss that ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. Farmers who care about their consumers would halt the production as in AMERICA AND CANADA.
Obviously something is wrong. By the time they find out what it is they the chicken would have sold thousands of pounds to unsuspecting consumers.
The effects of it they would be suffering. But it does matter. The farmers of chicken would make money at the risk of Human lives. Who cares????
I am not buying any CHICKENS for the time being.
@ Carson
The Bajan dollar is the cheapest it has been for two years, making imports more expensive. What is the government going to do about this? What is the economic argument for keeping fixed to the Greenback?
I say decouple from the Greenback, fix against a basket of currencies and commodities.
I said that a long, long , long time ago.
At that time We were flying high on BORROWED MONEY. So no one paid any attention.
THINGS WERE ARTIFICAILLY GOOD.
Those calculations are never so simple, simplistic.
There are more variables to consider, plus any number of trends.
The US dollar might be weakening too or might in the short to medium term.
Barbados dollar is now 47. cents to the US, at one time in the 90s it was 37 cents…when ya told the BU clowns years ago, they cussed and carried because their expectations were much much higher, way too high…lol
I wont even rehash that now. Because when things look brighter, all will be forgotten at the behest of the 3% population of Barbados THE WHITE BAJANS AND THE INDIANS.
The PM already going around cap in hand begging for money.
Once we get enough BORROWED MONEY everything will be fine. Don’t worry about it . That is how we do things bout here. It does not matter we will have to pay it back, be in debt for eons. Bring de money our children, grandchildren, great grand children, great, great grand children will pay.
Man the other races laughing at us.
How come there is no race talk when the dlp are in powah?
To them and their minions race is a mere canard. An unserious party about race they have always been. Even when visions of White Shadows were raised by Don Blackman.
Now the same political shiite raises its head after 10 years in guvment having done one shiite about it.
Here is the link to the Barbados Manufacturers website to buy local tomorrow at the blowout sale. They will deliverer. Stop the long talk and support local.
https://bma.bb/barbados-manufacturers-association-online-marketplace/
What barbados is witnessing is the backlash from selling the country to foreign investors and the local investor that controls how policies should work and to whom they should benefit
The local economy has been stripped of any economic benefit that would benefit the true owners of the country
The older generation had an economic model one which if pursued would have changed the economic dynamics of barbados with purpose and intent of cultivating and creating a template built around our people and culture
Now our economy finds itself caught up in a vicious cycle of borrowing where the lower end if the population are slave hands
I always check for the locally produced or finished goods first. I don’t have to check any website.
There is much we can do to improve our own lot that cannot be stopped by the WTO.
We are not powerless.
Artax,
There is an excellent tailor just off Baxter Road who once made my son’s school pants. Did not cost me any more than the ready made and they remained intact for the two years of fourth and fifth form. Fit better too.
Wait bosie! I now realise that it is Ms.
.001%!
Well excu-u-u-use me! The decimals went over my head.
RE Some of you have the ability to reduce every topic/blog to nothingness.
LOL THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO ON SSS AINT IT? LOL
Barbados Underground should be rebranded Electronic Underground to cater for (a) the global visitors from around the world via the world wide web internet technology posting from various time zones 24/7/365 and (b) alien visitors from outer space who may tune in to learn about humanoid culture and nuances of peoples’ thinkings’ and reasonings’ of lack of thereof. The following song could be the theme tune for the launch of the New Underground.
Electronic Underground, AUX88, Akiko Murakata aka Ice Truck, (Andrez Bergen Remix), Andrez Bergen
Did 2-degree say extrajudicial killings?🤭 Anyhow, support local whether the seedlings or wheat imported.
The Bajan dollar is the cheapest it has been for two years, making imports more expensive
Please explain, with mathematical examples.
I say decouple from the Greenback, fix against a basket of currencies and commodities.
Please explain with mathematical examples.
@ Artax
Outside of tourism, you should realise by now that our major industry could well be reinventing the wheel. Anything outside of the norm is reduced to : “Rome was not built in a day “ psychology.
Here we have a general acceptance , that COVID has basically destroyed the economy. And we have found our way back to Carmeta Fraser. We have always had thousands ofCarmeta Frasiers. Bajans have never really deserted growing their own little crops. It’s just when the politicians ran out of taking nonsense, they started to talk about back yard gardening and tried to fool the people that it’s a new thing.
Bajans have never stopped back yard farming and keeping cows , goats , sheep and pigs. We call it , I think “ stocks”.
While they pay lip service, they gave the retail giants the green light to import junk food and we can forget all this fancy talk about eating healthy. Believe it or not , the Adventist Church was promoting healthy eating habits within the community,for six decades , long before it became fashionable. Of course , we again bought into North American concepts about what eating healthy is. Good thing they didn’t reach all the centenarians.
Sometimes , I wonder if Barbados was discovered last week. The main reason people were turned off from small farming etc was the unavailability of a regular water supply and the politicians don’t know what marketing and product development really means. In other words we failed to connect Agriculture to Tourism. We trying now and we are already promoting so- called Bajan dishes with Spanish names. Imitation a major industry as well.
All we seem to do every morning is get up and put the cart before the horse. In the meantime , we glamorize and romantise what is really very ordinary.
How can we create 3000 jobs ? We need to stimulate small businesses and get about 1000 up and running employing at least 3 persons each. Oh no, we take 300 million and give into the blackmailing tourist sector.
Do we really want to get more people in farming and producing food. Pump millions into all the CLICO agricultural land and get a progressive cooperative small farmers program off the ground: proper water supply, concessions on new equipment. Create a new Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Think big.
Oh by the way , I bought some Shirley Buscuits and Plus today. Found them in the Hispanic Isle.
Peace
William we have a large middle class who for the majority have migrated to built up neighborhoods where even if they wanted to farm the covenants do not permit. The scenario you paint does not align with current realities.
David,
There are pot gardens and hanging basket gardens and small green and shade houses. They do not require much space. Although some people take up almost the whole plot with a big able house.
My diabetic friend who first made me long for a garden has EVERYTHING she needs in pots.
@Donna
What you stated cannot be refuted, however, the mindset of many in middle class rsiding in the terraces is to say forget that, buy from the supermarket. Covid 19 may yet change such an outlook. We hope.
“Barbados dollar is now 47. cents to the US”
where you see a decimal, i see a typo…..🤣🤣🤣🤣..i make them all the time and don’t feel the need to correct everything, ah ain’t got nothing to prove…not my style.
Oh, and she lives in a built up area.
@ David
“ December 17, 2020 6:03 PM
William we have a large middle class who for the majority have migrated to built up neighborhoods where even if they wanted to farm the covenants do not permit. The scenario you paint does not align with current realities“ (Quote)
I know of what I speak. Gallant attempts have been made by the Rasta community and there is still very active farming and backyard gardening in what we call rural areas. There is no covenant that ever stopped anybody from growing anything in their back yards. This middle class that you can’t really identify ,because it’s judged by address rather than income, is a farce.
Over forty or so years ago the government stopped people in a certain radius from
Bridgetown, from keeping pigs and outlawed backyard slaughtering. I have never heard anything outside of that. Many people in the heights and terraces have backyard gardens.
You twisted my words . I said Bajans never stopped- at no time did I say Bajans in town or country. You need to read a bit more carefully what I write.
Like I said all of these little inputs detract from my major point. Why are we back to Carmeta Fraser when the damn economy in the dump? Why didn’t you comment about the CLICO land that the taxpayers now own . I guess you did not know about the plans your government have for dat! Why didn’t you comment about creating 3000 jobs. I know why- you have not heard that from Mottley.
Peace.
@ William
Where I stay in Christ Church, the next door neighbour was a lovely old lady, very decent and intelligent, sadly no loner with us.
There are also some ‘wild’ chickens, roaming about and laying their eggs, Where I stay we usually feed them, and predictably they will come around at feeding time; they will also lay their eggs on the neighbour’s property and she would come out every morning with a kettle of boiling water and pour on the eggs.
Then she would go down to Massy in Oistin’s and buy her eggs. There were so many contradiction in that. With chickens that we ordinarily call organic, she would ignore and buy eggs that she did not know the source of. Yet she was a remarkable woman.
It was from this experience that I realise that there were no mongooses in that part of Christ Church. If they were, all those chickens would have been eaten. In the same district people often cut down fruit trees. There was once a lovely avocado tree, when I returned the net year it was gone. The owner just got fed-up with it.
It was also there that I realised the absence of birdsong and of early morning cockerels. It is just a working class area.
realised.
Ms .001%,
I was referring to the post where you said Pacha was dropping hints that went over 99.999% of BU contributor’s heads.
Therefore you are in the .001% of enlightened souls who picked up on the hints. I was the one who categorized you wrongfully in the 0.1%. But I discovered that you float above us in even more rarified air.
And I just felt compelled to give you your due!
😊
contributors’
Lol…ah got dues galore this week, this is just one more…trying to sleep off the others right now.
@ David
You are too caught up in phrases and cliches . Please explain the middle class. What is the income ? Where do they live? What are their major professions? Can they be found in the city areas? Do they all live in wall houses?’
I am putting it you , that we are yet to define the middle class. Imagine, I was a civil servant working for $535 per month and I had friends who were waiters at hotels , receiving the equivalent of $300 Bds in tips per day/night. Driving Cortinas and minis, while I was riding to work. I know fishermen and mechanics who built their homes without mortgages. Are they your middle class? Can you honestly say so?
I know beach vendors who earned in excess of $2000 BDS. Per day. Many living in housing areas and tenantries. Are they considered a part of your middle class?
Please tell me about this damn middle class you and others always talking about.
When we are finished with that , let us talk about real income in traditional rural Barbados. Let us talk about who are the real Black Barbadians who have real wealth. You would not find a great percentage of them in the heights and terraces .
It’s about time that you and other propaganda agents are called to account. Spouting a lot of irrelevances that are mere figments of a very dormant imagination.
Let us have some serious discussion and let us bury these obstructionists myths once and for all.
Back during the time when Regency Park was developed all the covenants contained restrictions barring domestic animals except dogs and cats. I believe the same obtained for all the subdivisions erected since then. I have several friends living in developments growing vegetables etc. for their family and friends’ consumption and a couple that live in the old family homes with lots of land that do so on a commercial basis.
@Wiliam
The middle class was defined in the comment, those living in built up areas which mostly enforce covenants.
@ Sargeant
Thank you ! There is a trend on BU, where I suspect, there are many who only discovered the country quite recently. They come here behaving as though they know everything but when put under serious scrutiny, they get personal or introduce red herrings. For example , I recently learned that WTO , will literally make simple backyard gardening a waste of time. In other words a lot of apparently sophisticated positions that really have no serious attachment to basic common sense.
Quite frankly, it may be the folks in the “ heights and terraces” , who indulge in more backyard gardening than other socio economic groups. I remember working with people who lived in the heights and terraces, who kept incredible kitchen gardens and so on.
Like I said , some come here with a lot of bogus information and they just get away with it.
A lot of pudding and souse , sweet bread , fish cakes are found on sale in the “ big up “ neighborhoods every Saturday.
It pays the bills.
@ David
You can’t be serious!
@Wiliiam
Yes
All yuh too funny. Love terrace, heights, park and garden in wunna address and gladly signed onto the covenants, planted nuff lawn, paved the driveway and the yard (not even a lime tree or some lemon grass to mek tea),now talking RH. BU too sweet.
Here is the link to the Barbados Manufacturers website to buy local tomorrow at the blowout sale. They will deliverer. Stop the long talk and support local.
https://bma.bb/barbados-manufacturers-association-online-marketplace/
(~_~)
Try this; click in the search box and then hit enter.
Wait a few seconds and then scroll through the BHL products.
Select any. Juice, milk, beer, malts etc.
Every BHL product has a price tag of $1.18 vat inclusive.
https://bma.bb/product/guinness-stout
Now if that price is correct, blowout sale would be an understatement.
Another thing there is no obvious “Continue Shopping” so clicking on the BMA is the only way to get back to the search page.
That site ain’t really ready for prime time yet.
…clicking on the BMA…
Should be
…clicking on the BMA marketplace Buy Bajan logo…
Too many Black people on the island believe they’re too important to grow food, i remember the dummy Kellman talking about it’s cheaper to import, yes, the same processed poison food, that got the island infested with NCDs and thousands of sick people.
Both DBLP governments have been nothing but destructive to the population, and ya got an even bigger problem, don’t care how prejudice to other black people bajans are, the worldwide population is more than or damn close to 1.7 billion BLACK PEOPLE….yall can NEVER CHANGE THAT DYNAMIC, by 2030 and going forward it’s projected there will be more than 3 BILLION BLACK PEOPLE, nearly half of the world’s population…..that’s a lot of tourists who will bypass Barbados because of black on black hatred, there’s not nearly that number in whites or anyone else that yall like to suck up to and NEVER WILL BE, too many websites and other media are carrying this shameful parade of black people on a dependent island believing they’re better than other blacks and showing their ignorance, promoted by even dumber, ignorant black face leaders….so yall can keep pretending that ya are other than black and mistreating those who you need the most. Don’t know why Mia jumped on ITV to complain of mental enslavement in the population and then still sits her ass down and don’t even make an effort to do anything to reverse the mental disease that they’re all responsible for creating. BTW, this is not only a huge turnoff for Black travellers, but for those whites who witness these episodes of slave like backwardness as well. Keep trying to cover it up as one jackass lawyer, had to be a lawyer right, is trying to do and see where that lands ya, only diehard racists will be coming to the island, until they find a way to get rid of all of you.
“Nyobi D. Naziah
tSpogfnsor6edhh ·
Barbados is this who we are? Published under the heading ‘Beautiful Country but Rude People’ on the biggest and most internationally renowned internet travel information news site, was the tale of an African American couple from Tampa, Florida, who visited Barbados some years ago. Another set of black visitors to sunny Barbados same old complaint. This ‘black’ couple decided to visit ‘paradise’ for five days, literally just months after the late Owen Arthur and the BLP lost the general election in 2008. After spending just 5 days on our shores the Tampa couple, failing the meeting of some specific conditions by some of our local black Bajans, have vowed never to return. The man in the published story said… “I have been to many countries all over the world but never in my life have I been to a place where the people are so rude…” Let me guess my fellow faultless Bajans, they are all lying.. All of these individual people of colour visiting our country at different times all have similar complaints of alleged racial prejudice at Customs(point of entry), similar complaints of racial prejudice and mistreatment by local black bajan restaurant staff, hotel staff, beach side vendors, and retail shop assistants(interior). There is a longstanding fundamental problem surrounding self racism and self hate in Barbados and many of the black majority are too arrogant to admit it. Then there is the common agreed analysis by these complaining ‘black’ visitors that is too familiar to be false. The man of the African American family disgruntled by their treatment said… “I MUST SAY I NOTICED THE TREATMENT TOWARDS THE WHITE TOURIST SEEM TO BE ALOT BETTER BY THE LOCALS, AS THEY WERE CATERED TO ALOT BETTER…” he goes on to say “…I dont know if it was resentment towards Black Americans or what BUT IT REALLY BOTHERED ME TO BE TREATED THE WAY WE WERE BY OUR FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS”. Again, this is highly enbarassing and apperars to be exasperated whenever the extremely pro elite international BLP is in and around the relms of power.
The country has to be losing millions in revenue from incidences of self hate such as this and it’s public reporting is a bad indictment of Bajan governance and Bajan society. These cases of self hatred and black on black prejudice are not reported about any other english speaking Caribbean island. To continue to deny the evident link between the charecteristics of the majority Bajan born slave and the characteristics of the modern day Bajan is counterproductive. We can never progress as a people untill we address the demons engrained in alot of our characters via the various methods of psychological & physical torture used during so called slavery. The man on behalf of the couple wrote… “I really debated on writting this note, but I’m hoping a native Bajans will read this and tell me what is the gripe with us, until then I can say we will never visit Barbados again. I WOULD RATHER SPEND MY MONEY SOMEWHERE I WONT BE TREATED LIKE I’M AN INTRUDER TO THEIR COUNTRY”.
For an African American from the South to write and publish this piece to the world, speaks volumes about our terrible race relations in Barbados. So what is the gripe Barbados? We are potentially losing millions annually in vistor revenue due to reported black on black racism, this is embarassing and wholly unacceptable. To think we had a Bajan based lawyer vehemently tell us we were doing the slave masters job by highlighting this clearly obvious, and ongoing problem. No Ms. Eastmond the slave master wrote daily journals which became scholastic studies of how he got the Bajan to still act this way. We must now develop ways to permanently break the cycle and sustain bajan black lineage and maintain progression. Insofar as the United Nations is concerned those are our Sustainable Develoment Goals 2030. The system, from education, to the historical system of governance in Barbados needs to be immediately reviewed. A child physically abused by parents at home will often go to school and physically lash out at other children. Are Bajans allegedly being prejudiced to black visitors because they are so oppressed and subjugated by the political elite and the upper class at home?”
Hal Austin December 17, 2020 8:41 AM
@ Carson
The Bajan dollar is the cheapest it has been for two years, making imports more expensive. What is the government going to do about this? What is the economic argument for keeping fixed to the Greenback?
I say decouple from the Greenback, fix against a basket of currencies and commodities.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Frank Layton December 17, 2020 3:00 PM
The Bajan dollar is the cheapest it has been for two years, making imports more expensive
Please explain, with mathematical examples.
I say decouple from the Greenback, fix against a basket of currencies and commodities.
Please explain with mathematical examples.
ANSWER THE MAN QUESTIONS!!!!
“The system, from education, to the historical system of governance in Barbados needs to be immediately reviewed. A child physically abused by parents at home will often go to school and physically lash out at other children. Are Bajans allegedly being prejudiced to black visitors because they are so oppressed and subjugated by the political elite and the upper class at home?”
read it twice, Mia complained on the world stage about the mental enslavement in the Black population, it did not happen yesterday, it’s been ongoing post slavery and within the last 60 years, it’s a mental enslavement that she and both governments contributed to, willfully, maliciously and still is, but to get her to lift one of her pointing fingers to do anything about it is a whole nother story, too busy propping up wicked thieving racists in the minority community at Black people’s expense and therein lies ALL the problems..
I agree with wura support local dont let foreign hookers into the country
Source: Nation
Good to see so many Barbadians flocking to the various plantations across the island to dig their rod of potatoes, yams and cassava. Something to build on.
We have to wonder what are the options not being exercise to manage such a situation from occurring in the national interest.
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