The number is 12!
A good news story after a rough period in the early part of this year when the number of COVID 19 infections spiked to an alarmingly level. Barbadians have responded positively to the call from the leadership of the country. Despite a few missteps the country has shown a level of toughness and poise throughout the ordeal that should inspire us to confront the many challenges still ahead with the right mindset.
Although the COVID Dashboard is encouraging to view given where we were earlier this year, Barbadians must continue to observe health directives, especially with the country increasing economic activity. After a year of lockdowns and curfews there is a sense of urgency to chart a plan of recovery to address rising unemployment and related challenges of a small island developing state.
The pandemic coming on the back of an aggressive domestic debt restructure has created a many whammies for Barbados. The current state of affairs supports the gloomy outlook for Small Island Developing States (SIDs) summarized by Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s during an IMF discussion yesterday. SIDs are also affected by climate change related issues, floods, droughts, volcanic eruptions and the like. We will have to perform at our best to maximize on economic and human resources.
Prime Minister Mottley’s call to the developed world to be sensitive to the plight of SIDs that adds a layer of complexity to managing our affairs is valid. It is a pity CARICOM has not grasp the opportunity to speak with one voice the urgent need to have international financial institutions modify loan agreements to include COVID 19 pandemic as a ‘disaster’ clause. The recent decision by G7 countries to pledge 1 billion doses of COVID 19 vaccine to the developed world by the end of 2022 exposes a lack of sensitivity of its moral responsibility to the global community. These are countries whose economies feed from the economic globalization. The interdependent nature of the global economy requiring movement of people demands the simultaneously rollout of the vaccine.
The time has come and gone the need to engage in a more mature, dispassionate national debates. We will always have bread and fish issues which concern the man in the street. The macro economic and social issues facing SIDs call for a more meaty public debate as it relates to crafting meaningful reforms to cope in the global space. Having this debate is necessary to build a shared understanding for Barbadians, important to deflating toxic narratives fuelled by rabid political interests and ignorance.
All must agree the pandemic layered on a poorly performing economy, operating in a hostile capital market, in an environment continually affected by climate change will be a challenge for the foreseeable future. At the same time we have to ensure we revamp inputs to our governance framework to root out corruption, timely delivery of justice, improve discipline in public finances and the like. Whither the role of the fourth AND FIFTH estates, trade unions, social partnerships and other key stakeholders in civil society?
Here is the IMF interview in which Prime Minister Mottley was a discussant along with IMF Managing Director Kristina Georgieva and Minister of Finance of Madagascar Richard Randriamandrato.
Nation News Editorial
The blogmaster notes with great interest a tender notice to DESIGN BUILD SERVICES FOR SEWAGE DISPOSAL SOLUTIONS TO SPECIFIC DISTRICTS.
See Tender Document – https://barbadosunderground.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/rfp-for-sewering-districts-projects-june-2021.pdf
The GOB has accessed $830 million from the IMF since October 2018. How and where was the money spent? Are we in agreement that the loans to date have represented good value for money and will benefit our nation in the long term?
Are we likely to be borrowing more in the future and if so has our government secretly sold off our some of our jewels in the crown in order to cover up their mismanagement of our economy.
https://www.nationnews.com/2021/06/17/imf-board-gives-blessing/
DavidJune 17, 2021 4:40 AM
The blogmaster notes with great interest a tender notice to DESIGN BUILD SERVICES FOR SEWAGE DISPOSAL SOLUTIONS TO SPECIFIC DISTRICTS.
See Tender Document – https://barbadosunderground.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/rfp-for-sewering-districts-projects-june-2021.pdf
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Forced by COVID no doubt.
Would be good to gain control of waste water with a view to treating it for recirculation.
Learn from Singapore.
DBLP tief so many billions of dollars over the years, the island will be in IMF hands forever, don’t mind the cover up, they were with IMF BEFORE Covid, and the outcome would still be the same….the virus ony sealed the deal and made it permanent and VISIBLE or they won’t say a word……..liars.. ..only Slaves and yardfowls would believe otherwise..
David
Is “good news” not relative? Appears that the whole world is having good news about Covid-19
This is not unique to Barbados, is it?
Such good news is comfort to those who should have foreseen these SARS-like corona viruses and did nothing for decades.
World leaders, including Mugabe can take no credit at all. Because other corona-like viruses will continue to emerge this century and wreak comparable damage we fear.
Instead, they should be subjected to war crimes trials for killing millions of people.
@Pacha
It is good news relative to some other countries. Let us give credit and move on.
@John
SIDs have always been challenged in a world of globalization. It is a challenge to go your âown wayâ. Interesting to listen to Dr. Clyde Mascoll recently when asked about implement 180 reform to the tax structure. We do not have the will to shake the tree read depart from the old models.
Was not Covid beaten back WITHOUT dealing with sewage????
Poor you!
The majority of SIDS will continue to suffer because those that depend on tourism have made no meaningful effort to diversify their economy after nearly 2 years into the covid crisis.
Based on this we will never recover to pre 2020 levels as the mutations of covid 19 may be with us for a while to come and there is clearly no plan B.
@ TLSN June 17, 2021 6:07 AM
(Quote):
Are we likely to be borrowing more in the future and if so has our government secretly sold off our some of our jewels in the crown in order to cover up their mismanagement of our economy. (Unquote).
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It seems you have started to gaze into your crystal ball and have seen the light that leads to the coming privatization feast.
The IMF is not going to continue to bankroll Barbados so that it can carry on with the blatant mismanagement and corruption that perennially exist in its slew of SOE’s.
With a significantly reduced list of SOE’s there would less opportunities for politicians and their colluding public sector managers to engage in corruption for the AG to highlight to make that financial watchdog position look like a paper tiger on the verge of redundancy.
Any bidders for the BWA?
Don’t think it is going to be easy to find buyers for the likes of the Transport Board, CBC, Hilton and, indeed, the BNTCL with a 2030 target date for its demise.
@Miller
If you took the time to watch the interview you would have gleaned there is a view being championed ny the MD of the IMF to offer concessionary drawdowns given the vulnerability of SIDs.
Are we as a country feel contented to wait for the crumbs falling off the masters table to feed ourselves
And a debt laden service wagon to pull around
Is that the mirror image we expect of ourselves
@ David June 17, 2021 9:22 AM
But, but this position on concessionary funding for SIDS is nothing new or ‘special’ to Barbados.
Barbados cannot claim entitlement to special funding and expect to continue to operate as if it is business as usual as far as its public sector financial management style is concerned.
The days of foreign borrowing to finance imported conspicuous consumption (aka living off other people’s money) are over for Bajans.
Come blogmaster, this SOE restructuring plan has been on the cards since 2013.
Can Barbados really continue to suffer such fiscal bleeding?
The IMF is simply demanding Bajan politicians live up to their side of the bargain in order to access concessionary funding.
@Miller
If you listen /watch the discussion you glean there is a recognition the current state of things makes this period the most challenging for SIDs. Your thoughts?
On Thu, Jun 17, 2021 at 1:39 PM Barbados Underground wrote:
>
David
What about people like Trump, Bolsonaro and Modi?
Should your good news also save them from our friend the guillotine?
Our memories are tooooo short. That’s why criminal leaders will always be criminal, as most are. We, like supplicants, and we really mean *unts, remain to fickle, feckless, and as a result will always be fecked by the political-managerial classes.
@Pacha
In regard to the last part of your comment we are in good company with Global Citizen.
How do we break the juggernaut of the political and money class in a free enterprise system?
The Miller
What you are describing is the anatomy of disaster capitalism.
In which the overarching thinking is that no disaster should go to waste. Meaning deploying it to consolidate respurces in the hands of corporate elites. Not help poor countries.
So if anybody in Barbados still thinks that international finance is going to go much beyond good sounding bleatings, pleadings, they will soon know how wrong they are and have been.
David
Happy to see you posting Tender Notices. The Canadians were about to fund the Belle since late 2007, the Dems on coming to office dropped the ball, again.
@enuff
It is satisfying to see government’s financial rules being followed. The AG will have less to check off next audit. Do we know if members of the tender committee are known to the public?
David
Markets are never free. They are never fair.
We have to be fastidious in determing these terms so that we truly understand what our problems are.
@Pacha
Free enterprise the text book definition.
David
The text book definition?. We have to go beyond that and separate economic ideology from what is real.
@Pacha
The reference to ‘free’ is to counter your other comment saying nothin is free. This is a universal understanding.
Talking points and regurgitations have going around and said for lol years Govt step towards republic is to put a band aid on a long ozzing sore
We need to have a govt that stops feeding the wealthy leaving the poor to fend for itself
Broom closet stall and the small business man can’t afford one is as glaring as an empty promises
The winners therefore are the contactors
David
Apologies then. We would have misundetstood you.
Look like gloomy weather lash Barbados last night.
https://www.nationnews.com/2021/06/17/mottley-gives-preliminary-report-damage/
https://www.nationnews.com/2021/06/17/electricity-off-flooding-areas/
@David
Re Wastewater. That is an RFP, not a tender.
I avoid such things like the plague. Once I got involved with Greeks re RFPs when they fell behind schedule for the Olympics. They had consortiums, but what they really did was steal the various ideas and then place them in the hands of the “most favoured (connected?) contractor”. That consortium then incorporated various design features from various RFPs. I learned via certain specialised manufacturers, who contacted me saying XYZ had reached out to them, saying ” they had the contract”, but the quantities, materials and ship to point bore a huge similarity to what “we” had discussed.
Keep your ideas until they tender. This is how others seek free ideas.
Thanks NO.
“Broom closet stall and the small business man can’t afford one is as glaring as an empty promises.”
More propaganda.
The rental fee for the stalls at Golden Square was $50 per month, inclusive of electricity and water.
Please inform BU what would be the rental fee for the stalls in the new market that has now deemed them to be unaffordable to “small business men?”
As usual, you will ‘skirt around’ the issue, boring us with irrelevant comments filled with metaphors and generalized statements, at the end of which, the question remains unanswered.
We are in a difficult situation not specifically because of Corona, but in general because the island has lived beyond its means since 1966.
It is good to know that our Most Honourable Prime Minister and Supreme Leader is correcting that mistake. Barbados is a paradise, we do not need expensive luxuries from the North, austerity is the true luxury.
Make them famous, they are not only hypocritical, ask the marijuana dealers in their families, but they are also liars, thieves and frauds. It’s only Black people whom they beg for votes that they discriminate against, disenfranchise and criminalize. Still waiting for the press conference about all the BILLIONS OF DOLLARS they and the criminal minorities TIEF from the Black population.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CPmAHyRAO-Q/?utm_medium=copy_link
David
Rome is burning. And Pachamama has lit it!
@NO
Thanks for the insight you provided.
But couldn’t the same things be done with a tender?
If you were planning to farm the job out to several small companies, wouldn’t this (RFP) be a good approach.
@Theo
To answer #3 first, as that is your real question, and RFP itself doesn’t target “several small companies”. That if desired, is usually achieved by pre-qualifying, and then splitting the tender packages, such that each package is a separate contract.
An RFP can lead to a contract, where the owner is so impressed, and the price is within budget, they do not go to a public tender. Impressed, beyond the private sector, usually means somebody is being paid “to be impressed”.
Appreciate, the old time format, is the owner would hire a design professional, to design and specify what is to be done. These drawings and specifications would then be made available, and all interested parties would bid on them. At this time, bidders could also suggest alternate/equal methods and/or products for consideration.
@Nothern , spoken well sir from your depth of experience… I must call u tho re the RFP and the Greeks.
Surely your team were alert to the very insidious (but normalized in many business/governance circles) that the specs and project details from a very detailed RFP could be possible “thiefed’!
As you note RFPs can be awesome docs leading to wonderous contracts but in this modern era (last 25+ years) its also likely to have that info turned over to an ‘insider’ who them uses your framework to get the. contract …… the most egregious of circumstances is when you get a later call to be sub-contracted for the project when realization sets in that your offer was indeed very specialized based on your company’s expertise/materials or professional skills.
Long story short, it’s just as insidious as the days when entrepreneur A would be turned down for a loan from the bank for an unworkable proposal and said proposal would find full, vigorous life under the direction of the bank officer’s buddy or brother-in-law !
C’est la vie, unfortunately.
As you suggested keep it as tight as possible and dont pour everything in your proposals …. unless a whirlwind marriage is guaranteed!😎
I gone.
@Dee Word@NO
What is a better process to ensure the most qualified is contracted?
@DIW
of course we knew. The challenge…every person and their brother had ‘solid contacts’, so who do you play with? You knew >half were useless, and another large number were ‘traitors’. Block them all, and you keep the information ‘safer’, but have no chance, because you know nothing is on the ‘up and up’. It was a very rushed situation, sometimes you fly by the seat of your pants and hope. My point was really how to use the RFP to get free ideas.
@David
Construction is the most corrupt industry in the world. Every time you think you have seen something and know the tricks, they invent a new one. From memory only, the Canadian Commission into Corruption in the construction industry found nearly 40 different methods, and caused countless city pols to resign. For %^&*sake, the contractors even had the design engineers in their back pocket. And then were the technocrats, Mr 3%, Ms4% and Mr5%. The mob provided “security” for a 5% fee, refuse and suffer the consequences. The only winners were the pols, you can bet every level of player made campaign donations, that’s the premiums for the insurance policy. Remember SNC of DPA fame, and how Canada’s first native AG was ‘got rid of’?
Your answer is an honest process. VERY hard to find. Too many holes to plug.
@David, again @Northern said it expertly …. the man clearly knows how this business ting does wuk-fah-wuk.
As he alludes to I dont know that there is ANY best practice/lowest cost methodology in these projects… the RFP and ‘transparent’ tendering process is SUPPOSED to provide what you seek (as u know) … and as Northern suggested … for every rule implemented the players create 2 new ways to get around that rule!
Money talks bro … folks stop taking integrity (trust, we used to call it) at the food store long, long time now!
And that’s NOT being cynical … it’s just reality.
I gone.
@NO @Dee Word
An important piece of the RFP is the list of customers the supplier executed projects? Is this not a critical mitigant in the process to address some of your concerns?
@David, you sound like the VP of Sales of lets say AA Underground Business Systems touting the value to the assembled prospective clients of tremendous. value of their long list of successful project implementations!
The big players in any market speak in your terms …😂
Back in earlier days purchasing managers would close their eyes and buy from the IBMs or Microsofts etc with nary a concern because as you suggest there was little chance off being ‘screwed over’ from poor product performance (the suppliers’ client portfolio was long and satisfied).
Dem days long gone !
Lots of very sharp and talented former IBMers and others such who have startups that can compete .(in context) .. yes they still have to build that client list of successful projects but the willingness by govt entities to execute contracts to facilitate the ‘small business’s entrepreneur is very ‘progressive’!
In the case of the RFP issued by the government one expects a small supplier will not be considered given the scale of the project?
@David
It would appear you think this RFP is an improvement; to opening the morning paper and seeing a Minister turning soil, and learning about the latest NO BID contract, undertaken with Public Funds.
I accept that.
Yet, this is a design/build proposal? Do you have any idea how costly this is for a ‘proposer’? The proposers don’t get paid for their proposals. And while @TheO was likely excited when he saw each area was separate, which small contractor can afford the costs associated with a proposal.
Appreciate the BWA could have a design competition, and the winner’s design could then be tendered.
With the amount of Transparency shown with respect to public funds, I suggest the actual difference between this RFP, and a No Bid contract, is minimal. But you cannot say, you did not know about it?
Your perspective is noted and accepted.
In the racist United States, minority businesses and this includes businesses owned by women must be given a certain proportion of any government financed project.
In our country , the small businesses exceedingly black owned and whose people constitute over 90% of the population have no such guarantee.
It’s folly to tell a small black business to tender for any contract that it doesn’t have the equipment or corporate profile to fulfill.
That was the last argument used to send everything Mark Maloney’s way. The administration openly and publicly stated that Mark Maloney had the resources to do what it wanted and that small contractors will “ still” get a few crumbs from the Massa table.
That is our thinking in 2021 and we have people coming on BU and writing pure BS in defense of open discrimination against their own people who make up the majority of our country.
Of course we have better things to do , such as asking the owners of BU to ban people.
I will say it again: We Black Barbadians are a majority fighting for minority rights in our own country!
That is the what the Democratic Labour Party and the Barbados Labour Party continue to allow.
If this is not a shame , tell me what is.
BTW , I am aware that there is discrimination in America.
Let’s just focus on our country for a moment.
Thank you. Highly appreciated.
Not a failed state but………
Barbados has failed its own in ways hard to describe
Despicable is what comes to.mind
Barbados last straw is that of handing over its financial controls to the IMF an International Body of high ranking manipulators who cares nothing about the black race but only looks after their.own interest
The govt of Barbados continues to go cup in hand like beggars for the IMF so called gift of benevolence
Meanwhile in every black Barbados household the suffering continues
Govt boast about the millions in reserves none of which serves purpose to help the people during this Covid environment
Who will be asked to pay off the millions govt keeps piling on as debt
You guess it right
We the people
Barbados has made good progress in implementing its Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) plan to restore fiscal and debt sustainability, rebuild reserves, and increase growth. International reserves have increased to US$1.3 billion at end-March 2021, supported by IFI
Xxxxxxxxx
Appearance is not everything standing and built into those words are heavy panels of debt which would affect all barbadian households in the future
We continue to borrow at greyhound speed but have no plans or policies in place to repay the debt
Go figure
@ angela Cox
You cannot seriously put this on the government of the day. Both parties have taken us to the IMF. Your Duopoly has failed the people . Ever since the mid-seventies, the DLPBLP embarked on an all out assault on: teachers , the police, nurses , civil servants and a designed economic destruction of poor Black people. The Independence project tottered and died by the beginning of the 80s.
During that entire period nothing was done even to begin the empowerment of Black people. Tom Adams brought in the Freehold Tenantry Act, that has been hailed as progressive legislation and previously to that , even before Independence ,Barrow eliminated fees to the government owned Grammar Schools.
Outside of these two, we should mention the “ free” school meals that Barrow and company instituted.
So in all fairness the two of them have done equally well and equally badly.
For example one cannot ignore the 50s when Sir Grantley engineered adult suffrage.
However apart from a few other positives , it is safe to say that these two parties have now outlived their collective usefulness.
What a wonderful development it would be if you could put your abundance of energy in a third party.. I personally would have welcomed you into the NDP.
Quite frankly, I would have welcomed your family @ Enuff and Lorenzo as well.
Such energy wasted on the now bankrupt of ideas Duopoly.
But you guys can carry on smartly. It’s a democracy, I think.
Peace.
@William
The part of your comment about NOT enfranchishing Black Barbadians demands more serious comment. Regrettably this is a debate neglected in the Barbados space. Enfranchisement is not abut the froth and divisive rhetoric some use to pit blacks against whites. It is about dismantling establishment structures ti create equity and opportunity.
William i agree with a lot if what u write
But the change all is looking for is held in the hands of the populace
Not one party
But a change which will require rebuilding and restructuring the political directives
Until a collective voice of barbadians are ready and willing to do the job at hand for building a new Barbados
The status quo will remain the same
Until then those speaking on the sidelines have a job of keeping those managing the affairs of Barbados feet on the fire
Yes both govts have failed the majority black population
With the status quo turning the economic wheels of power
The Barbados most want hope and wished would remain the same no matter which govt is in power
Sad but true
@ David
One cannot seriously address the issue of black economic enfranchisement without discussing race. The entire economy was built on race otherwise known as slavery.
In order to correct that foundational problem race automatically becomes an integral focus of any discussion.
Amazingly, the black and brown minorities in the USA engaged the entire world on the race issue.(BLM) Let me repeat: They are the minority.
In our country where we are the majority , we are afraid to confront racism of any form.
And that is why Dr. Don Blackman packed up and left. He was literally stunned by not only the pervasive racism but the pure embarrassment of spineless stooges who continuously suck up to the Williams, Maloneys and others of their ilk who continue to lord over us as if we were still peasants on their plantations.
The greatest insult was when one of them, Errol Barrow, put in place the nefarious Public Order Act of 1974 to literally derailed an authentic black nationalist program.
Peace and love Brother, the truth is known to hurt.
@William
You missed the point: the debate cannot be consumed by it.
@ David
No point missed . It is the debate. You seem to always dodge when it comes to this question of race. We avoid it at our own peril.
The younger generation will not display such unnecessary and self defeating patience. Fifty five years ago, if anybody had told me that we would’ve still be at this point today, I would have thought they were ignorant or stupid.
However, some did say no change of any significance would occur. And every day , I have to admit that time has proven them more than right.
Like I said Brother David, the truth hurts.
@William
You may have the last word on this matter. You and others have forgotten this medium has promoted race topics more than others. It was the reason Barbados Free Press stopped linking to BU topics.
Here govt official on the damaged sites touting words to the effect that the cleaning of the ash off the streets and now the cleaning of debris in areas damaged by the storm was given to our black people
Needless to say these people are out of work and need the financial benefit
But to listen and digest his words left moments of an insulting thoughts
@Skinner, you offer great points but I do agree with @David that you are indeed ‘missing’ a key thrust of what I believe he asserts!
To his point the debate of ***”enfranchishing [or not] Black Barbadians demands more serious comment.”****.
From these many years of life’s reading and general study of my surroundings like you I look at our history carefully but I see some different hues on that Barbadiana painted canvas than you see!
1.You know better than me the inner travails of Dr Blackman’s migratory matters so indeed he may have been “stunned by […] the pervasive racism [and] the pure embarrassment of spineless stooges who continuously suck up [to monied elite]”.
But view that in context and other hues and powerful nuances are evident.
a.His attempts to ‘redress’ white control and those white set asides (if I may deem it such) was legally challenged in one very well known road construction project and DEFEATED.
But that itself sets the table to say this: at that juncture in our history that white owned firm employed hundreds of black bajans and even had black attorneys for its case.
Furthermore, as @Northern said on a different but related governance contract matter several prominent black politicians would have been receiving ‘monetary largesse’ or the more benign: campaign contributions from that construction magnate.
My point is that Black ‘enfranchisement’ (in our small nation) is badly blurred and MUST be considered in all its hues in our local debate.
2.It is IMPOSSIBLE to dismiss the SIGNIFICANT number of small Black business that have craved out excellent earnings over the years … we focus of the very big boys always but there are names like Ellock and Bynoe to pick just two which make up a large compliment of successful players at the next level down.
You yourself highlighted the building contractors who years ago got in on ‘set asides’ with the explosion of the international funded school building.
I am not suggesting that all of them thrived over the years but some did and built decent operations which continued to progress.
Thus a question WE have to ask ourselves (continuously, as it has been posed here often) … with the foundation those Black players had, why couldn’t there be more Rayside’s or a consortium of Black businesses that developed to compete more steadfastly with Bizzy or COW or Maloney!!!
Like when we asked why no similar consortium to buy BS&T!!!
3.You always cite that ‘Barrow’ Public Order Act to suggest that he derailed Black enfranchisement or ‘Black Power’ or both …
No prolix on that from me as the academics and smart folks have done their darndest already … suffice to say that the man you also credit with ‘enfranchishing’ generations of Bajans with educational pathways would have to be sociopathic or schizophrenic to then so deliberately rip from them the same desires he so cherished for himself: freedom to build wealth and throw off completely the whiteman’s ability ‘to lord over us as if we were still peasants on their plantations.”
Thus to me there is a significantly more nuanced debate than you offer.
4.I would agree that “this is a debate neglected in the Barbados space” … and THE debate of which I speak is that comprehensive “I got mine” mentality of thousands of Black folks of OUR generation who have enfranchised themselves superbly in various and sundry ways … legally and illegally!
It is IMPOSSIBLE to talk of enfranchisement and not seriously explore the tremendous wealth gained by the political class (mostly Black, right) and several of their associates!
Also impossible to not see how those in the labour movement (top echelons anyhow) have also thrived so enfranchisingly!
We get caught up with the outer trappings or the big moves of COW, Simpson or now Maloney and thus talk progressively (and appropriately) of dismantling establishment structures to create equity and opportunity but I suggest to you @Skinner that many of those structures are either long gone and replaced with new ones that keep the money flowing to NEW (black) players…
Maybe that’s why “we
[are] still be at this point today, [because some, Orwell too] did say no change of any significance would occur.”
So again I agree with you that “enfranchisement is not abut the froth and divisive rhetoric some use to pit blacks against whites” … it must be about transparency and allowing those with the best concepts, products and services to get a serious look-in …. we are in the majority racial demographic so by simple stats we should get the majority at the contracts table!
The debate must be truly nuanced …and if we can be honest then when we peep in past the blinds we cant be sure if we see pigs walking on two legs or four … or is that Black guy at the head table directing those Whites or are they just paying homage and could care less!
What do you see beyond the blinds @Skinner!
I gone.
“Couldn’t care less” is the term. If they COULD care less it means that they must at least care SOME.
Sorry, but the term as Americans use it is irrational.
Annoyingly so.
LOL 😂😎 … but that’s just it @Donna,.. they do care ‘some’ and that’s why they are at the table and willing to pay ‘homage’.
They care too because this is THEIR homeland as well despite homesteads in Argentina or wherever so they want things to progress ‘as smoothly as possible’!
But true dat they also ‘couldn’t care less’ if the group of pols changed from twiddle dee to twiddle bum… .so you are on point there 🥳
But is this one of those British vrs American idiomatic variances or actually broader than that. We suggest that the negative form is grammatically correct but is that truly the case (based on ur accurate ‘some’ care point).
Anyhow and BTW just as my Bajan accent refuses to go away (thank the Lord) so too I am not a very good American usage adopter … I am merely borrowing their space although I do find some of their lingo absolutely awe inspiring.
Who but Americans would coin the visually apt phrase of ‘rubber necking’ … just as who but Bajans to describe a total jackass as a ‘piece-a idiot’ …
But most here could care less right or is that couldn’t! 🙃
I gone.
❓❓❓❓❓❓
In our country where we are the majority , we are afraid to confront racism of any form.
that’s why i don’t forget to remind them EVERY DAY WHO is the majority = over 265,000 Black descendants of captives
and who is the minority =
less than 8,000 local and foreign whites
less than 3,000 indians
less than 2,000 syrians etc
make sure they remember every damn day because 9 years ago Black people on the island didn’t even know that although the information has ALWAYS been there….
Keep it going Barbados. When COVID struck we had the throwashadecrew who predicted supermarkets would run out off food and all kinds of scurrilous claims.
As a member of the throw a shade conclusions previously were based on scientific
findings and the noticeable ongoing outbreaks in the international countries
However thanks to the quick thinkkng of science in finding a vaccine
The fast interaction by India benevolence of donating thousands of vaccine
Barbados a.rse was saved
Mia could not have been the savior which all wants the nation to belive if their was no vaccine or India donating thousands of vaccines to the carribbean basin
Thanks to India and the scientific community for saving these small islands from the clutches of Covid and my island home Barbados
Did Modi give vaccines to EVERYBODY?
Bet Freundel would not have managed or indeed, even tried to get ONE vaccine!
He would probably have said that everything was under control because only 47 people have died and 280,ooo are still alive.
You are riding rocking horses now, like a toddler in a nursery. At least get a hobby horse that can go somewhere!
This whole site is currently in the clutches of a crazed yardfowl.
Bring back the Salemite! She has an amusing turn of phrase and cusses without favour.
The mess we are in is as a result of the failures of BOTH PARTIES.
This nonsense of B and D is F’ed up!
I gone like DPD!
My hobby horse kicking ars..
Nuff frustration
Say Mia and it is like opening up a hot lid and watch all the steam come floating across the room
I give dues to the quick action of the scientific co.munity and India benevolence to the Carribbean
Deal with that truth
Furthermore not one leader in the Small island nations had a clue on how to deal with the virus
Far from being clueless these knuckleheads let the virus leave its foot prints on its soil
Without the scientific community and other international organizations leading the way these small island nations would have suffered a severe Covid defeat
I beehives to think that after the long hard work done by the scientific community to fond a vaccine the high level Neanderthals whose business is to stand cover for Mia takes umbrage when others gives credit for the low rate of Covid in Barbados to the scientist who toiled day and night finding a vaccine to slow down the infection and death rate
Mia was only a small very small.player being directed by the CDc and WHO on plans and strategy
Also plenty financial backing was provided to the country in the covid fight none of which came out of the struggling Barbadian pocket so far
@de pedantic dribbler
I honestly don’t think that beyond a very limited number of blacks any serious black generational wealth is being created.
There is a reason only a negligible number become Raysides.
There will always be exceptions unfortunately that does not create an automatic rule. I have three friends who came “ from nothing” and are bona fide millionaires with no help at all from
any government and scarcely any from the banks. They are exceptions and exceptional.
So, I don’t particularly go for exceptions. One black Elcock, Leacock , N.E.Wilson does not a summer make.
Quite frankly economic racism in our country is systemic and institutionalized.
When I see whites, Indians and other minorities sucking salt like I see our brothers and sisters do every day, I would change my “ old” script.
This in no way means I profoundly disagree with your submission.
Peace
“When COVID struck we had the throwashadecrew who predicted supermarkets would run out off food and all kinds of scurrilous claims.”
Correction:
When COVID struck we had SOME MEMBERS of the throwashadecrew who predicted supermarkets would run out off food and all kinds of scurrilous claims.
Accuracy in reporting.
angela coxJune 19, 2021 6:10 PM
Furthermore not one leader in the Small island nations had a clue on how to deal with the virus
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dominica is a small island and it is one of the few countries in the entire world that has had not a single COVID death.
Nada, not a one.
Dominica is lucky to have a water supply that is separated from sewage.
… so I guess it hasn’t got anything to do with leadership.
India is getting back in control until the next water festival.
Australia is stuck on 910 deaths for ages and New Zealand likewise, stuck on 26..
Two countries in control of their water.
Singapore has had a couple of deaths over the past few months but still, extremely low in total at 34.
Singapore is another small island but one that has extremely good leadership and planning skills where water is concerned.
Their success has little to do with luck, it is all about having a good plan and sticking to it day in day out.
Still, Dominica trumps them all.
Not a single of the countries I mentioned comes even close to Dominica.