Where is the Leadership?

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Submitted by Paula Sealy

General elections were held on 19 January. Today is 19 May. It has been over 100 days since the elections. Up to now the secondary schools have no boards of management. This is affecting the schools.  

So when will the boards be put in place? Will the Minister of Education explain what is going to the public? Does she or the government understand the problems this is contributing to? Is the delay because of education reform? 

Answers are needed not more empty talk. 

Is the 11+ the only thing the ministry is looking at? How much longer will the 11+ be used?

167 thoughts on “Where is the Leadership?”


  1. The Indo-Barbadians support Cherish on Swan Street.

    Prices cheap!

    They will support if they get good prices.

    But with such a small population, they all may be related. So….they support their family.

    So do I. Whatever my family sells, I buy, as long as it is good.

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  2. Our educational system is obviously due for a revamp. It is quite true that we were “raised” to look for a job. Still though we did produce our entrepteneurs, some of them quite successful for the times in which they operated.

    What we really need is a change in mindset. And that is already occurring among the young and even the middle aged. Owning one’s own business is “sexy” these days.

    And there are, in fact, courses being offered geared towards producing entrepreneurs and there are activities and competitions as well in our schools.

    The problem is that many are not prepared to fail, rise and go again. Bout heh, people still laugh at them when they fail.

    Where our educational system is failing is that this “two subject” Common Entrance thing is encouraging teachers to push the fast ones and leave the “slow ones” behind. These two subjects, though very important, do not take the various abilities of the “slow ones” into account. There is no child who isn’t good at SOMETHING.

    We therefore brand them as failures from early. Many of the children believe it.

    AGAIN, we need a change in mindset and system to identify, recognise and develop all the various intelligences, aptitudes or talents of our children so that the academically inclined child is not seen as first tier and everyone else beneath him/her.

    This does not mean we should hinder those of academic persuasion but that we should offer more opportunities for the non-academic to shine just as brightly, to the best of their ability on a daily basis.

    It is hard and frustrating for children, especially boys, to be made to feel like an idiot EVERY DAY.

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  3. I have seen the intention of our government to make the necessary changes. But that is just talk. I’ll believe it when I see it.

    The excuses have already begun.

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  4. Question on the minds of people on other social media platform
    Why doesn’t Barbados have a New Constitution
    Now as it stands barbados is a Mock Republic and have a mock Parliament
    One commentator comment assessment to such mockery as flying the plane and trying to build the plane all at the same time
    What is transpiring gives new meaning to hit the ground

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  5. ” The pandemic has set back Barbados’ economy 20 years. But the country is on a strong path to recovery.

    That came from senior economic adviser to Government, Dr Kevin Greenidge yesterday.

    ‘We have lost 14 per cent of the economy. That is no small feat for any country. This puts us back to [a] 2008 size economy in normal terms and 1994 . . . 1995 in real terms.’’

    https://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/2022/05/21/bouncing-back/

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  8. @ Hants
    Jobs for the boys and girls
    I knew something was afoot after the announcement that he was leaving his tourism gig
    BTW apart from the announcement by his predecessor that he was leaving his post at the end of April there has been nothing in the media about the circumstances that led to his departure
    makes one go hmmmmmnnnn

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  9. This puts us back to [a] 2008 size economy in normal terms……
    Now I unnerstandin what de meaning of the lost decade is. In fact, he telling we it was 13 lost years. The lost Bakers dozen?

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  10. There . . . but for the Grace
    By Ezra Alleyne
    Politics is a strange business. The world economy is in turmoil with COVID-19 and its after taste is the talk of the global town. In the midst of this situation British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has floated the notion of letting go some 90 000 civil servants.
    Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak, the British Minister of Finance, a man who understands the world of high finance like the back of his hand, is being challenged within the governing party because he is threatening to impose a one-time windfall profits tax on huge profits earned by energy firms during COVID.
    But note this . . . a British Broadcasting Corporation report says the government has not yet given its support to the move. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been quoted as saying previously it would deter investment and keep oil prices higher over the long term.
    Last week, I quoted former Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler speaking of the impossibly difficult job of a finance minister who is not Prime Minister. I got criticised, but I know my political onions even before they are planted. Quality political analysis and comment is not a task for the politically innocent.
    Did Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley not impose a “one-off pandemic levy”, on companies reaping larger profits during Covid . . . in her March Budget . . . long before Sunak broached the idea this past week? Foresight?
    I have said before there is nothing Westminster can teach our Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and Democratic Labour Party (DLP) politicians. Barbados has had and has top class political leaders.
    Some of us do not recognise the deep thinking leaders we have had as finance ministers in Errol Barrow, Tom Adams, Owen Arthur and yes Sir Lloyd Sandiford and now Miss Mottley.
    Repeat of 1994
    If the DLP is to survive and prosper again, it will have to do some serious and deep analysis of itself before it can resolve issues which have landed it in opposition with a reputation for being unable to manage the economy.
    It will also have to ask itself why it continues to condemn former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart without analysing and appreciating his herculean effort as party leader between 2010 and 2018 in contributing massively to keeping the party together.
    Without his forbearing quality leadership the DLP might easily have suffered a repeat of the 1994 implosion, from which there would have been no comeback. Today, it survives as a unit which can reorganise itself and survive.
    It is interesting how the British finance minister speaks about the windfall profits tax. He said he is not naturally attracted to a windfall tax but declared that he would be pragmatic. In so many words, it would be done if it had to be done.
    He seems to be saying that established party philosophies may sometimes have to be sacrificed for the public good. I understood PM Mottley to be saying essentially the same thing way back in March.
    Anyway the news last week out of Sri Lanka was dismal. Their prime minister has resigned. The country had enough petrol for a single day, and there was a shortage of 14 essential medicines. US$75 million payment was urgently needed to pay for essential imports. Foreign exchange was empty. The people were up in arms.
    Many times during the down-grades Bajans were told that the buses are running, the supermarkets have food on their shelves, and or children were going to school, and so on.
    By the Grace of God, we were never unfortunate enough to experience that “one day coming soon’ about which the BLP was warning us. In the nick of time, the election saved our skins. The Sri Lankans are not so lucky, new prime minister or not.
    As I write, there are early calls for increased wages and lower taxes. We have to be realistic and careful with taxation.
    In April 1989, Dr Frank Alleyne, a university lecturer in economics, told a Rotary luncheon meeting that “the DLP Government with its controversial 1986 tax cuts was courting serious risks and had to backtrack in following years.”
    He also said “anytime that we find ourselves in a situation where taxation levels are so low that we have to either cut our services substantially or allow the quality of those services to fail, we are looking for problems.”
    Thirty years later those views are still valid given the high quality of our social services free at point of delivery.
    Ezra Alleyne is an attorney and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly.

    <

    blockquote>

    Source: Nation

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  11. “I got criticised, but I know my political onions even before they are planted. Quality political analysis and comment is not a task for the politically innocent.”

    Was unable to read as the onions had my eyes burning. Someone needs to tell EA that there are several varieties of onions. The watery and mushy variety should be avoided

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  12. Yet we have a govt with a first every unconstituted Parliament assembled in the House of Parliament passing legislation rewriting or implementing new laws under an old Constitution
    Yet Barbados is an official Republic without a Republic Constitution
    What a farce

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  14. Reading commentary here tells a sobering story that Barbados has reached a point of no return

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  15. Talk about “piggy backing.”

    “Piggy backing” on John’s comments because they serve a particular political purpose.

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  16. Even the levels of crime where deaths are being recorded almost daily have reached a level.of normalcy never before seen in Barbados
    What is happening to Barbados only time would tell
    Sad to say that with poverty levels steadily climbing hope for a better future is fading

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  18. What a great idea founded on an economic policy
    In the face of COVID numbers beginning to rise world wide
    In the face of Fraudulent actions and practices which had premenate the COVID environment with such illegalities as vaccine scams
    In the face of Barbados having one hospital and a make believe COVID placement centre
    In the face of ongoing deaths amongst the elderly
    In the face of evidence showing vaccinated people can carry the virus
    In the face of all of the above
    Govt and medical practitioners makes a hit or miss decision to disallow no further testing of immigrants entering the island who have been vaccinated
    What a great idea

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  19. David keep digging them rabbit holes with postings that tend to hide the incompetence of govt and have a few keep running down them
    Other social media platforms are not compromising their integrity to hide what they are seeing happening to a society rule by false pretense and empty promises

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  20. Our BU community demonstrates all its madness in this discussion. On the one hand they call loudly for leadership, on the other hand they condemn our prime minister as a quasi-fascist dictator.

    This is an obvious contradiction. We should resolve it. The people have voted twice for leadership. The people want a strong leader. Democracy and leadership are one in Barbados. Mia Mottley is Barbados.

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  22. Where is the leadership all the pretty talk from the mouth of govt foot soldiers telling tall tales of how great things are in Barbados
    Meanwhile criminal activity does leaps and jumps across the country
    Latest being a church attack because the name of Jesus was mention
    Wasn’t it not so long ago that our glorious PM ushered in her sense of divine intervention now schools can exempt the name of God in meditation with words of their choosing
    The atheistic views are loud and well clear and alive and now taking matters into their own hand
    As is said as of recent Barbados has reached a point of no return crime is rampant and voices are silent

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  23. 🕉️ Om ☎️ Calling all Spiritual masters past present and future
    Atheists Christians and all other faiths can practice spiritual energy gong
    they can believe in it or not
    they can experience and develop this positive energy
    they can take energy out of their mind and store it in their body for longevity
    or they can dissipate energy out in their thoughts words actions and die prematurely

    Sivananda Meditation Series – Class 2| Om Chanting

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  24. Anti religious views are being accepted in a country which once was grounded by moral values not surprising that a nonbeliever would take it upon himself to terrify a church because of its religious beliefs
    Just a matter of time as times change and modemday moderators use their influence to spew their anti religious beliefs across the airwaves

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  27. Barbados unlike international countries were terrorist views are espoused
    Barbados can ill afford a luxury of terrorism running foot loose across the country
    Religious views and practices are individual guaranteed right
    However of recent there seems to be a mindset of views which are running on a deadly track to destroyed the religious views of belivers by non beliviers
    Yesterday attack brings closer to home that unless truth is not dispense properly likr medicine it can kill

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  30. Other social media platforms are buzzing with congratulations LOLbecause one of the lowest rated magazine called TIME posted a Front Page story stating Mia is one of the most influential people in the world
    Needless to say the writer did not bring evidence

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  32. angela cox at 3;00 pm

    Is TIME magazine really ” one of the lowest rated magazine”? When I was a lad it was highly rated and still is. Please give Jill her jacket.Congratulations would be acceptable. Lol!!!

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  34. What has Mia done to.be amongst the 100 influential people
    Woman has home turf problems of importance and keeps mouth shut until she is shamed into opening her mouth
    Again Vincent Codrington what any thing or things have Mia done to make change the only person so far Mia has influenced is Rhianna no one else seems to care about here international speeches after the words hit the ground
    Meanwhile here is your answer to the question about Time

    Xxxxx

    Trump has been on the magazine’s cover 35 times, fewer than Richard Nixon, who was pictured 40 times, as well as Ronald Reagan, who appeared 37 times. Trump was featured on the cover for the first time in 1989 and last in August 2020.Feb 4, 2021
    Overview. Time Magazine has a consumer rating of 2.06 stars from 18 reviews indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Time Magazine ranks 180th among News Other sites.

    My my vantage point there are plenty puppeteers pulling political strings in Carribbean waters to get a desired result
    Let that sink in
    .

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  36. Mia is the current darling of the international media – no surprise. The late Mandela was also a darling of the international media. What do both have in common? They offered no threat to the status quo and they did little to empower their majority black populations – apart from a small number. Both were puppets to the west.

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  37. Cunning linguist
    (1) A person who is a clever speaker and/or writer and/or singer. (2) Slang for pussy eater as it sounds like “cunnilingus”.
    If you can become a master of BOTH …
    Cunnilingus 101_ How To Eat Pussy and Give Her Multiple Mind-Blowing Orgasms Using Unusual Oral Sex Techniques
    Gorillas in the Mist
    Da Lench Mob – Guerillas in tha Mist

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  38. It looks as if 555 bought a live chicken. Somebody needs to tell him playing chicken scratching is not playing music….

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  39. Breaking news.
    Insider report
    It is alleged that Lorenzo, Enuff and J2 were the Barbadians who completed the survey for Mia’s selection.

    It appears that Freundel Stuart was also nominated.. AC, why you do dat?

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  42. If it was sinckler, Stuart, de pizza , ronnie or one of DEM. This magazine would have been one of the best in the world

    Ac

    Back in the days with the editor from England didn’t you used to say mia talks to much and don’t let the. Minister talk ?

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  43. “With me, ‘No homo’ is just installed in my vocabulary. It’s like even if I’m in a meeting, I’ll be with my lawyer and say something like ‘No homo’ and my lawyer be like looking at me and I’m like, ‘I know you have know idea what I’m talking about but I need to say that because I said something real homo, no homo.’ [Am I gay?] Not at all, far from it. It isn’t about being gay. It’s about saying something gay. For instance, my man Jim Jones said ‘I’ma beat you with that ’til all the white stuff come out of it.’ That’s wild homo. Telling somebody else that. No homo, he didn’t tell me that. You understand what I mean? This isn’t even about being gay, it’s about saying something – this is about saying gay things by accident. No homo. This isn’t about being gay.”

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  44. Those who have eyes to see there is a global agenda at work
    What is the global agenda a system set up to be controlled by one world goverance even Mia language sends messages which seem uncommon and far removed from the messages she sent to the people during her campagain
    Her campagain emphasis was bout being people centered and focus
    After winning and Laying up.in bed with the international world her attention changed and as image building began one could see the change a new approach and a different dimension
    Here in the Carribbean people love status
    The puppeteers of the world’s economies knows how the small island mind works and can be manipulated
    Today image was geared towards other small island leaders whose input would be necessary to get the changes necessary done a carrot was shown to them delivered in the image of Mottley

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