est. 2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

, , ,

Minister Duguid, Who Are the Owners of EWBSB?

The country continues to be embroiled and pitched forked from one issue to the next; transitioning to a republic, pandemic, tanking economy, DLP resurrection, National Insurance Fund (blogmaster’s pick)… The latest issue choking public conversation-feeds is veteran journalist David Ellis answering the call up to national duty to serve in the role as Covid 19…

,

The country continues to be embroiled and pitched forked from one issue to the next; transitioning to a republic, pandemic, tanking economy, DLP resurrection, National Insurance Fund (blogmaster’s pick)…

The latest issue choking public conversation-feeds is veteran journalist David Ellis answering the call up to national duty to serve in the role as Covid 19 Public Advisor. The blogmaster has no problem with decisions made by individuals as it affects career and livelihood. Although it is regrettable the single journalist who stands tall in the local arena was first put out to pasture because of company policy, followed by his right to make a decision to leave the profession- he hosted popular talk show 2-days weekly- to serve in his new role. Let us hope for the sake of Barbados he is successful in helping the country navigate the Covid 19 challenge.

Ellis known to ask searching questions of public officials will be missed as it pertains to government’s recent decision to import 150 prefab houses from China. Peter Wickham hosted Minister Duguid last week to discuss the matter and more questions were created than answered from the exercise. When Mr. Ellis called the show to ask more relevant questions, it seems preference was given to reading messages from WhatsAppers.

It has been reported a local company East West Buildings Solutions Barbados promised to complete the setup of the prefab houses within 42 days. This government promised to be transparent therefore Minister William Duguid should be able to answer a few reasonable questions.

  1. Who are the directors (beneficial owners) of East West Building Solutions Barbados?
  2. Usually Mark Maloney and Bjorn Bjerkhamn are on the same page, this time both have been reported to be singing from different hymn sheets. What is different this time around?
  3. Why was Maloney not asked by traditional media if he has been(will be) contracted to supply services and materials as part of the physical preparation for setup of the Chinese prefab houses?

The taxpayers deserve to know.

The BU community is free to add questions or share information to enlighten an unknowing public.

251 responses to “Minister Duguid, Who Are the Owners of EWBSB?”

  1. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Every time that fowl flies out like he is on fire to promote some scam in Barbados that everyone can see is a scam, there is a CLUSTER of minority CROOKS behind it..

  2. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    “What circle you’re in besides the one in the circus?”

    Clowning is preferable to just being a distraction or misleading. Not in the circle and poor mouthpiece.

  3. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    I have already stated that some of our underused and derelict buildings could be transformed into temporary/permanent accommodation. Good to see Goddard “peddling” this concept at a cost of 1.5 million Barbadian dollars.

  4. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    https://youtu.be/cQaiWkF08BM?list=PLf0Sp7jJwZzstE5lDjRolktq_VmGZsAvK

  5. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    What we are seeing here at BU once again is that a Honourable Minister who is doing a completely flawless job and serving only his Supreme Leader and his country is being dragged through the mud. Instead of conspiracy theories, we should look at the great work that the Hpnourable Minister is doing.

    I would like to personally thank the Honourable Minister for the fact that I no longer have to replace the air suspension of my vehicle every 50000 kilometres because of potholes.

  6. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @ David,
    LGS and prefabricated houses have been used in Kenya for a number of years. They have the manufacturing capacity and know how.

    https://www.constructionkenya.com/3473/prefab-steel-houses-kenya/
    https://www.steelstructureskenya.com/service/ecoframe-new/

  7. David Avatar
    David

    It is a challenge but the ask is to identify the company in CAIPO database. If we are able to find out the beneficial owners, bonus. The EWBSB is a campaign involved in a pioneering project with government as a strategic partner. We deserve to know. Let us leave the noise at the door, although this is difficult for many here.

  8. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @ David,
    Karmod is a well know Turkish international company. They do a lot of business on the Africa continent. It is worth repeating that those “houses” are grossly overpriced.

    https://karmod.com/en/page/about-us

  9. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @enuff
    Since I ‘believe’ TheO is not a Canadian resident, I will say it is usually very difficult/impossible to ascertain beneficial ownership of a Private entity in Canada
    That said, I can guarantee that if a government/public body awards any contract >$1M, the firm/person awarded that contract will be named along with a contact and method of contact (tel#, email etc). Further if the firm is incorporated, it will be found in either the provincial or federal registry within 48hrs of registration. And if the entity goes by another name, one gets for example, Ontario 2465789 Ltd, DBA Northern Building Systems. (Where dba= doing business as)
    Entities awarded large contracts may dodge certain questions, but are usually willing to discuss the contract unless it falls under a Security gag order (eg.buying fighter planes)

  10. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    The agitation against the Honourable Minister with totally false accusations reminds me of the raging mob against the Honourable Lord Marshal Dale in the matter of the lunatic female Barbadian migrant in England with her Youtube postings.

    If this Windrusher ever comes to visit Barbados, our Honourable Attorney General should take said person into protective custody.

  11. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @David,
    Check your spam please

  12. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    De guvment right to keep secrets from some uh wunna igrunt Bajans.

    Wunna ent got nuh sense.

    Just shut to france up an hide from covid .

    De Chinese laundry full.

  13. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @ David,
    Have you had the chance to contrast and compare the Karmod and the EWBSB website?
    What say you?

  14. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    @NO
    I did not bother to reply to the ‘Canada’ reference.

    Good or bad, rightfully or wrongfully, every time an issue surfaces in Barbados, we are sent to look in Canada, France, Italy….

    The only purpose is to distract and to convince us that a lack of transparency is the norm.

  15. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ TheOGazerts ,

    We have Investigative pitbulls uh mean reporters in Canada and a FOIA.

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/kevin-vuong-liberal-spadina-fort-york-1.6181154

  16. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    NO
    Thanks. Now send me the link.

  17. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Theo
    “Good or bad, rightfully or wrongfully, every time an issue surfaces in Barbados, we are sent to look in Canada, France, Italy….”

    If you weren’t so consumed with opposing me rather than what I say, you wouldn’t be so narrow-minded and shallow in your comments. Keep thinking that I want to mislead, distract and tell lies.

  18. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    😃
    Consumed?
    Obsessed?
    Fixated?
    Determined?
    Eager?
    Dying of desperation?

    Not really.
    Actually, I like you a lot (especially when you are not m̶i̶s̶l̶e̶a̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ contributing)

  19. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    Hope yall aren’t so caught up with small island corruption, secrecy and 2-bit thieves that ya are not paying attention to world affairs….which determines what happens next for tiny isles…

    All this love being shared among the bigger countries..we can certainly feel every drop..

    “The French President was reportedly incandescent with rage after Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison reneged on a £65billion deal with France to supply it with diesel-powered subs. Mr Morrison stood alongside Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden to unveil a new trilateral security partnership called AUKUS on Wednesday.

    It will see America provide Australia with nuclear-powered subs – giving it information that had only previously been shared with the UK.

    But rather than seeing this as an attempt not to enrage Mr Johnson’s Government – some commentators said this was a “slight” on the UK’s perceived minor role in the deal.

    Speaking last night BBC Newsnight’s Diplomatic Editor Mark Urban said it was “unprecedented” for France to recall the ambassadors.

    Presenter Kirsty Wark asked: “Why do you think the UK is seemingly exempt from this ambassadorial recall?”

    He replied: “A former French ambassador to the US tweeted just before we came on air (that) it could be seen as a sign of conciliation or one of contempt.

    “There’s no doubt that some people in Paris want to throw shade on the UK in this – very much regarding them as the go betweens the Australians and the US in enabling this deal.

    “So some people definitely take the view that it is a deliberate slight.

    “But there are others that would argue that no – there are so many bilateral important issues going on at the moment that perhaps it would not be wise (to recall the French ambassador to the UK).

    “And the key players in this anyway are Australia and the US.”

    When asked about whether Mr Macron’s actions were a slight, France’s former ambassador to the UK Sylvie Bermann was evasive..

    “The decision was taken by the US and Australia.”

    Elsewhere POLITICO journalist Rym Momtaz wrote: “Rarely have French officials been so acerbic in their statements, toward an ally or a foe.

    “For them, the US under President Joe Biden is still Trumpian, Australia is disloyal and untrustworthy, and the UK so scorned as to not even be worth mentioning.”

    Shortly after the news emerged, French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned Australia that it could not simply get “out of” the deal.”

  20. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    Do you agree with the PM that with 500 houses required to satisfy people displaced by Elsa, ordering 150 prefab houses will not negatively affect local artisans?

    We need to know the principals behind EWBSB though.

  21. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    David,
    No responsible government goes on an immediate building spree to rehouse its citizens in the aftermath of a hurricane. Are you saying that up to 500 new houses are to built to facilitate those who have lost their houses.
    When you have a house you take out an insurance policy. Your insurer will then find you appropriate accommodation whilst waiting for the house to be rebuilt. We have had thousands of cases in the UK where homeowners have been flooded out of their house and been put in temporary accommodation for over two years.
    If these unfortunate people have lacked insurance then they should be rehoused but not at a complete burden to the state. Hotels should house them or we should look at placing them in the numerous dilapidated stone structures that can be fully restored and refurbished. They themselves can assist in the building works.
    Stop talking nonsense David, “We need to know the principals behind EWBSB though.”
    This whole thing is one big con and you know this to be the truth.

  22. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    NEW PHRASE from the PM….

    ” Google and see “

  23. Lorenzo Avatar
    Lorenzo

    David bu i do not know who the Ewb owners are and i too would like to know.However Mr Dugiud in my view is not a political heavyweight and would have had to get cabinet, s approval especially Ms Mottley to persue this imported houses project.There is no way he could be involve in any scam unknown to the PM.Therefore this talk of corruption is just a lot of political nonsense perputrated by the dems mostly looking to score cheap political points.It is the same with the vaccines pure political folly.This is not the time for political games with people, s lives at stake but a time for all hands on deck.I gone.

  24. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    What?????????

  25. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Duguid, Mia – makes no difference!

    The question is the same and somebody needs to answer.

  26. Theogazert Avatar
    Theogazert

    “There is no way he could be involve in any scam unknown to the PM.”

    We agree. The belief is that this scam is known to the PM and has her approval.

  27. wura Avatar
    wura

    ” Google and see “

    no wonder Fool Enuff…Mia’s parrot… was telling me that shite recently…like if i could google and find Crooks Anonymous…

  28. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    WURA
    You googled yet bout the Tanks v tanks?🤣🤣🤣

  29. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    When I heard that the Minister state the photovoltaic panels would help pay for the homes, I said to myself this man must be a full fledged village idiot (apologies to all villagers). Clearly this minister is misinformed and knows little of the environmental measures that should be in place when it comes to building modern domestic homes. Photovoltaics should never be an option it should always be mandatory. If the Minister is still keen on going down the LSG building route he should carry out some serious research. LSG construction has been with us for many years. Is it an appropriate construction method for our region? Maybe. Certainly it’s lightweight nature would allow us to build vertically as its load base would be lighter than masonary construction. However it would lack the thermal mass qualities of our coral stone structures. This means it would not have the same properties as coral which stores the heat in its structure like a storage heater during the day and releases during the evening. This information is far above the Minister’s pay grade.
    GP2 where the hell are you?! This is your domain.

  30. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @enuff
    There are many
    Merx.com (it costs $$) is the most complete.
    Biddingo.com (big in provincial tenders)
    Buyandsell.gc.ca
    open.canada.ca gives all federal results
    Most require logins.

  31. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    WURa
    Yuh spot de difference?🤣🤣

    https://gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/bwa-community-tanks-to-be-reinstalled/

  32. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    Thanks NO.

  33. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    Will these LSG houses be built in the same manner as all other resident homes in Barbados where human waste is flushed into the ground or will we look at the more englightened methods to manage this waste. Will these houses incorporate self-timer taps? Or grey/rainwater harvesting features? Will this house include the obligatory air conditioning units or will it incorporate passive cooling design elements within the structure which will allow for the building to remain at a more comfortable indoor temperature for the inhabitant of the house. Will trees be used in the landscaping to reduce the powerful sunlight rays. as they bake the house as if it were in an oven?
    Trace back your history and you will see how Caribbean architects and builders were aware of these concepts. Will these imported houses compensate for our environment?
    Somebody in government needs to raise their game and fast. The British journalist would often scoff at how Barbados was becoming a failed state. Who in their right mind would counter his fears.

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

    “You googled yet bout the Tanks v tanks”

    no need to, that scam has passed this way before and cost taxpayers approx..200 MILLION DOLLARS… was THE LOAN from IDB or CDB…has it been repaid yet…that’s the question..

  35. David Avatar
    David

    @Lorenzo

    Asking for info about the principals at EWBSB is about transparency and holding our government accountable. It has nothing to go at first instance with corruption although this may be an iss.

  36. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    What would happen if the government of a country decided to try to find everyone who was homeless and living on the streets and offer them a place to live?

    “That is exactly what happened in England as the coronavirus pandemic hit. The government says 90% of rough sleepers were offered rooms in hotels that sat empty because of the lockdown.

    Simon Maybin spent the past year and a half following the lives of some of the people who”

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p09vv0m8

  37. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    21st century requires PIPE BORNE WATER…tanks are for emergency use…hope 20 years from now when we are too old to move we don’t here that those tanks are still there and EMPTY from the previous decade..

  38. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @ Waru,
    To have piped water and at the same time introduce modern LGS steel homes is a task to many for these fools. When you can’t do the basics right what is the point in continuing.

  39. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    You two got me deddin wid laff. The engineer in the video clearly says the 700,000 gallon TANK (not a community tank), which is to supplement the reservoir on the same site, is to be connected to the network system. Yuh know the system that delivers pipe WATER? When yuh can’t cut & paste, some of you duz struggle. Tek de wheel Jesus!🤣🤣🤣🤣

  40. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    would it not make better sense to BUILD ANOTHER RESERVIOR .. or DAM….heard they started on those, so when will they finish…

    TLSN…they always got some fly by night scheme to SUCK the money borrowed in the people’s name….then point fingers at each other about WHO TIEF THE MOST……

  41. John A Avatar
    John A

    @David

    I would say that to bring 150 houses from China with a shipping time of 2 months does not fall in my assessment of urgently needed. I feel in 60 days our guys could easily erect 150 houses. As I said I watched a few bajans put on the cement board sidings and permaclad roof on a house that was around 40ft x20 ft in 7 days!

  42. Heather Avatar
    Heather

    Did anyone else listen to the PM this evening. The Chinese company building the prefab houses are to set up shop in Barbados.

  43. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Heather

    Who then is the local shareholder? Also why would we entertain bringing in competition from China when our local guys hungry for work? Our local builders can not compete with Chinese workers when our guys daily wage is their weekly one.

    How ever you spin this it is nonesence.

  44. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    EXPORT! Duhhhh it is obvious what the real reason of wunna outrage is.🤣🤣

  45. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @ John A September 18, 2021 9:00 PM

    We should finally learn from the world power China. If we want to be as successful, we have to halve wages and double working hours. Compared to China, we are a communist country with overpowering trade unions, little work ethic and, above all, zero prospect of substantial economic growth for the next decades.

    Instead, since 1966, we have been following the example of the former Soviet Union with high taxes and import duties, little work ethic and far too much bureaucracy that chokes our business community. There is a lawyer or a union leader lurking on every corner terrorising our business people.

    We must finally learn from the winners and leave the losers of history, guys like Barrow and troubling union leaders, behind and sink them into the depths of the sea of oblivion.

    Our children learn all about socialism, solidarity, island nationalism and other 19th century junk at Harrison and Queen’s College instead of introducing them to investment banking, hedge funds, cloudwork and other saviours of humanity. Poisoned in this way, school leavers are already marked out as true losers before they even get to university.

  46. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    “would it not make better sense to BUILD ANOTHER RESERVIOR .. or DAM”

    It would be better if you Google the meaning of SUPPLEMENT. Also look for CONTINGENCY and RESILIENCE.🤣 🤡

  47. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    If we accept the PM’s line of reasoning local builders will be involved in building 350 houses, the 150 is to address time and resource issues?

  48. Heather Cole Avatar
    Heather Cole

    @John A, I wonder when we will hear the truth. So many twists and turns. It does not make any sense. This Chinese infiltration will end badly. Too many local contractors have no work, are not being consulted and will most likely be pushed out of the market as they will not be able to compete or they will have to get into business with another Chinese company to compete.

  49. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David

    There is no reason to give China the business for 15 houses far less 150. Mark my word if this happens the Chinese with their joint company, will be building every NHC house going forward. You talking about a country with labour cost that is a fraction of ours, with no unions to protect workers or limit them to a 40 hour week. Combine that with China supplying from the screws to the windows and what is there left for local craftsman and businesses to supply ? I mean our local guys make get the work to pump the chemical toilets but what really is left but the crumbs on the table?

    Even if our guys were 25% more expensive I would give them the business and I will tell you why. Those small and medium size contractors will spend locally and the vat from putting the $29M in their hands will come back to government. Based on this in the end the net cost per house may well end up the same. This is a short sited decision that Dogood can not explain away. Plus as I said how could these house be needed urgently when the shipping time alone is 60 days and that does not include the prep time for the order?

    I mean nothing about this makes any sense. It may mind you make cents to some though.

  50. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    Let us examine The Grotto, Constant, Greens, Parish Land etc. you following?

Older Comments
1 2 3 4 5 6
Newer Comments

Leave a Reply to TheOGazertsCancel reply

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading