est. 2007

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Proposed Public Pension Formula Makes Bad Situation Worse

The following important comment was posted by Actuary and Talk Show host Walter Blackman to respond to a comment raised on the blog 60 Love Can Lose – Blogmaster Pensions have surfaced as an extremely important issue at this stage of our national development, so I want to commend you for bringing this pension-related matter to…

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The following important comment was posted by Actuary and Talk Show host Walter Blackman to respond to a comment raised on the blog 60 Love Can Lose – Blogmaster
Walter Blackman – Actuary and Brasstacks host

Pensions have surfaced as an extremely important issue at this stage of our national development, so I want to commend you for bringing this pension-related matter to the attention of BU readers.

The challenge for me is to distil esoteric, actuarial and mathematical concepts into information that you and all BU readers can understand. Please forgive me if I fail to overcome that challenge

We grew up hearing that one of the major benefits derived from working for the government was the receipt of a pension and gratuity.

I will use a 5-year average pay of $5,000 (assumed to be under the NIS ceiling, for illustrative purposes only). I simply want to show how the changes in pension legislation have affected government workers hired before September 1, 1975, those hired on or after September 1, 1975, and those to be hired on or after January 1, 2023.

A person born on January 1, 1945, who was hired before September 1, 1975 and who retired after 33 1/3 years of service will receive the following:

  • Government pension = $3,333.33
  • NIS Pension = $3,000
  • Total Pensions received = $6,333.33

Note that this pensioner is receiving a total monthly pension which is greater than the pay he was getting as an active worker.

This was a problem that the government decided to solve.A person born on January 1, 1945, who was hired on or after September 1, 1975 and who retired after 33 1/3 years of service will receive the following:

  • Government pension = $333.33
  • NIS Pension = $3,000
  • Total Pensions received = $3,333.33

Note the drastic reduction in government pension. This was not the best approach to be taken by the Government of Barbados to solve the pension problem.

A person born on January 1, 2003, who will be hired on or after January 1, 2023 and who will retire after the following years or less of service will receive the following:

  • Government pension (1-36 years of service) = $0
  • Government pension (37 years of service) = $$83.33
  • Government pension (38 years of service) = $166.67
  • Government pension (39 years of service) = $250.00
  • Government pension (40 years of service) = $333.33

This proposed pension formula makes a bad situation worse. The unions ought to make their voices heard.

Walter Blackman – Audio Version

Note:
Gratuity = 25% x monthly pension x 150
Pension to be paid = 0.75% of calculated pension

For example:
Government Pension = $3,333.33 per month
Gratuity = $125,000.00
Monthly Pension to be paid = $2,500.00

182 responses to “Proposed Public Pension Formula Makes Bad Situation Worse”

  1. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Walter,

    I knew it to be so but you helped me to remember it and put it in the context of the pension reform talk. When one looks at it, her words simply do not compute.

    Our prime minister ‘s specialty is words not figures and financial matters. I wonder if she is properly connected here.

    Continue to enlighten according to your expertise! Something will stick with someone, somewhere, sometime.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    Former Minister Sinckler who was recently recommended for a cushy job by MOTTLEY at an international organization made the statement once that NIS management reports paint a healthy picture of the fund so what it the fuss?

  3. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Who needs financials???? We dun know that the raid on the NIS got it catspraddled long time!

    Unless we gun lock up somebody, what’s the use of financials and reports?

    But seriously, we should have them so that Walter, Artax etc can analyse even if some cannot contribute.

    I do miss Jeff Cumberbatch and his Sunday sessions. I also miss Caswell Franklyn’s knowlegeable interventions. I hope he does not let the failure of the nurses’ strike out send him into hiding.

    Now, if he had been running up here instead of the poppets they sent, he would have received my vote.

    P.S. I see the Justice League has arrived one by one as scheduled. But we had our warnings long before the stale news was posted.

    Long time Bajans knew of the shenanigans!

    Last word on that. No SCHOOLBOY styled fights today!

  4. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    “Who needs financials???? We dun know that the raid on the NIS got it catspraddled long time!
    Unless we gun lock up somebody, what’s the use of financials and reports?”
    I couldn’t have said it better. This IS the prevailing attitude and those in charge know it.
    Xxxxxxx
    And @Donna let’s also appreciate in your prior intervention that public salaries and public Govt pensions come out of the same pot. Hence, reducing pensions, reducing public employees or reducing salaries all have the same effect on the Consolidated Fund, the difference is WHO takes the hit.
    Xxxxxxx
    @BT…your brassbowl conclusion is likely not far off. When the Caves financials were published, barely a peep.
    Now if only Messers Jordan and/or Haynes could lay out the specifics of that “diversified portfolio of investments”. We know that 5% is Series J Bonds.
    The irony. The NIS begging self employed persons and other local employers to “contribute”, while the GoB itself withheld somewhere in the region of $500M.
    If I was under 45, I wouldn’t contribute a cent, for the chances of getting a return is slim. They choose to withhold financials, then do likewise and withhold contributions.

  5. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ NO
    The other point of view from government is that if you have a jackass, you may as well ride it…. especially with current gas prices.

    Or… in Bushies lexicon, if you have a brass bowl, where else will you piss…? 🙂

  6. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    “even if some cannot contribute.”

    Hey, you called my name. Now I have to make an effort to say something

    A next ass backward move, we get the eulogy before pronouncing it dead.

  7. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    @Walter Blackman et al

    No NIS/Government pension formula can work that will not be disadvantageous to future pensioners and new entrants to the scheme unless the pension fund is recapitalized periodically by government or from other underutilized NIS funds that have a surplus.

    The NIS Pension fundamental structural flaw
    NIS pensions has a structural flaw which effectively makes it a ponzi scheme sooner or later because it is expected to cover every single worker and pay them a pension benefit at retirement age. As it stands now, unless they can keep increasing the number of workers contributing to the scheme or their contribution amounts to offset the increasing number of people drawing pensions, the fund has no other option than to dwindle overtime whenever the population is on the decline as it currently is.

    The Government Pension Fundamental Flaw
    It appears the money for government workers that was supposed to be segregated from the Consolidated Fund into a special pension fund and invested was never done. Government Pensions being paid out of the consolidated fund used for everything else could have continued in perpetuity unless government ran into dwindling revenues resulting in cash flow problems compromising the consolidated fund which in turn compromises all payments including pensions tied to that fund.

    The Viable Options
    1) This is a two part soluton:
    a) Replace the non-contributory pension with a retiree living allowance funded by one or more taxes and paid to all bajans/residents residing in Barbados as an adult for a minimum number of years e.g. 40 years when they reach retirement age and are no longer paid salary in excess of a minimum amount each year.
    b) Replace current NIS Pension fund with optional Defined Benefit(DB), Defined Contribution(DC) or Cash Balance(CB) plans managed by NIS which workers can choose to invest in. Alternatively, they can select private pension plans as well.

    2) Significantly increase the number of contributions required to qualify for full pension to the equivalent of at least 40 years and either require all companies to pay a percentage of profits towards the NIS pension fund or divert a percentage of company taxes already paid to the NIS pension fund.

  8. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Donna
    “Our prime minister ‘s specialty is words not figures and financial matters. I wonder if she is properly connected here.”
    Interesting , we once said Sinckler former Minister of Finance had a problem with decimal points etc. He probably was not “ properly connected” either.
    I am now left to find out what his “ speciality “ was.
    However, we now know what Our Prime Ministers speciality is words.
    Very interesting…………
    Now, if we can find out what Dr. Yearwood’s speciality is, that would be very interesting.
    Oh well.
    Peace

  9. David Avatar
    David

    This has nothing to do with financial competence, it is the fog of politics. We tend to easily get distracted with the politicking.

  10. African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved Avatar
    African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved

    “The irony. The NIS begging self employed persons and other local employers to “contribute”, while the GoB itself withheld somewhere in the region of $500M.
    If I was under 45, I wouldn’t contribute a cent, for the chances of getting a return is slim. They choose to withhold financials, then do likewise and withhold contributions.”

    not a dime, they will TIEF IT ANYWAY and share amongst their minority friends…

    create your own destiny and ways of saving for the future…let the thieves go to hell where they belong..

    remember the Apes Hill Club House pool…..built with alleged stolen NIS FUNDS that were never repaid, since then the new owners TORE IT UP and never replaced the pool….pensioners money gone down the drain..

    what about that BIG MANSION in St. James built with NIS funds…can the pensioners go there, do they even know it exists…

  11. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    TheO,

    He (or she) who knows not and knows that he (or she) knows not has hope of one day knowing.

    But yuh still cyan know evuhting! No shame in dat!

    And plenty of fun to be had laughing at your own ignorance!

    Comic relief is not called RELIEF for nothing.

  12. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    We have all the ingredients to do a fundamental diagnosis of the Pension Schemes problems. What strategies are we going to use to correct ,temporarily, the existing symptoms? Are we going to revisit this issue every two weeks.? Yes, the solutions are temporary since we live in a very dynamic environs, Audited Financials tell little about the sustainability of pension schemes. Financials are photographs at a particular point in time ,often no earlier than 4 months ago. . The actuarial reports are more crucial. So we can continue to go around and around the mulberry bush.

  13. David Avatar
    David

    @Vincent

    Unbelievable.

  14. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    Additional
    “ad infinitum” and ”ad nauseam.” Lol !!

  15. John A Avatar
    John A

    “The fund has 4 billion in assets as of March 2022” LOL

    listen what wunna pay for an asset is not the value of an asset. That is rule 1 any first year accountant would tell you.

    Secondly the valuation of an asset is based on market value, so what is the market value of these assets as of March 2022 based on an independent valuation?

    If wunna ain’t got the answer stop talking dodo

  16. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    Further more,we cannot whimsically add on financial burdens onto a scheme and expect it not to collapse. It was not designed for that purpose. Every action has a reaction. This is as true in the physical sciences as in the social sciences. A word to the wise.

  17. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    NO,

    How about consultants taking the hit?! How many workers could that pay?

    David,
    Perhaps I am a little slow this morning but I do not understand your comment.

    If she made the statement that Walter thinks he heard, then she either does not understand or she is deliberately confusing the issue.

    Either way, it is concerning and does not bode well for the pension reform process.

    William,

    Not sure what you are getting at. I was having a little fun.

  18. African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved Avatar
    African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved

    Worth repeating for those who reside in La La Land…..and believe everyone else should as well…and that is DESPITE ALL THOSE INVESTIGATIONS…..over which they have NO CONTROL…

    ‘We are about or are witnessing the ruthless economic dismemberment of the middle class. This in effect means there is little or no hope for the lower economic class .
    Wastage, widespread corruption ,poor economic planning and governance have brought us to this dangerous point.”

  19. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    John A

    The Fund you are harping about for years is a Reserve Fund. Pensions are not usually paid out of it. It serves the function of a savings account at the Household level. It is the inflows of contributions that finances the pensions of beneficiaries.

  20. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    TheO and I are waiting for the input of those who know. Nothing like a little knowledge transfer on a Sunday morning.

    Nothing wrong with those who know stepping to the fore.

  21. African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved Avatar
    African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved

    William…they won’t want to hear this but ..there has only ever been ONE MAN who came on this earth who would have freed the Afrikan population in Barbados from the crimes of the parliament and minority crimunity….that was Charles Duncan O’Neal, and there is NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO CHANGE THAT TRUTH…

    everyone else, since the 1930s – 2022 who crawled into the house of assembly/cabinet AS PRETENDERS and GROOMED anti-Afrikan self-hating IMPERIALISTS….has been a FRAUD, THIEF, SELLOUT, TRAITOR…

    and there is massive evidence to prove it….

  22. African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved Avatar
    African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved

    The EXCEPTIONS however:

    Dr. Don Blackman….and a very few others…whom they demonized…

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @Donna

    What is hard to understand Mia is a politician first and foremost? She admitted publicly the NIS is a hard problem to solve.

  24. African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved Avatar
    African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved

    So is that the latest justification:….

    “well ya know, dem is politicians ya know, and dah is wah dem does do and sey” …….

    not dissimiliar to….”well ya know, dem gotta geh a likkle sumting fuh demselves too”….when they TIEF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS….

    hello….they should all be IN PRISON……..for a laundry list of CRIMES….including HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES…stretching backward to the 1930s…how bout dat…

  25. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Vincent

    While the pension fund part may be paid by the inflow of levies etc the total strength of the fund must be dealt with. Plus what happens when there is a short fall of levy income?

    I see it as let’s say a department store has a credit card dept that functions based on charges and payments, the overall company must be viable to sustain a future. You can’t look at any part of the fund in isolation and speak of its viability.

  26. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ John A
    The Reserve fund increases when pension contributions exceed pension payments and are invested for use in periods when pension contributions fall short of pension payouts. It is not the main source for payments of NIS pensions. It is an exercise in cash flows.. It is this reserve that is invested in assets of various levels of risks including GoB papers and real estate.

  27. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ David Bu

    It is indeed unbelievable. I hope those tasked with the job of reform understand what they are reforming.

  28. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    David,

    Didn’t she say also say, “We got this”?

    She knew it would be hard. Granted it got even harder but did she not run for office AGAIN since it got harder?

    If you have no answers why offer yourself for office?

    So you say whatever, even if it makes no sense to justify painful plans, forgetting that there are Walters around with a microphone?

    I get you now.

    William,

    Nice article in Sunday Sun about a Bajan – Canadian entrepreneur, doing very, very well and with a goal of food security for Barbados and the Caribbean. Ryan Massiah is his name.

  29. Walter Blackman Avatar
    Walter Blackman

    Here on BU, we have read all of the nice-sounding sentences made by the “top voices” responsible for NIS.

    I am going to raise what I think are critical issues affecting our NIS, in the form of questions. Judge for yourself if these issues are critical, and if they are, whether or not the top voices have paid any attention to them.

    Our last NIS actuarial valuation was carried out as at December 31, 2017. That’s almost 5 years ago.

    At December 31, 2017, the NIS Fund amounted to $5.3 billion. Out of this $5.3 billion, $3.92 billion in cash (74%) had been spent by successive Ministers of Finance. The fund has been now left crippled by, and saddled with risky government paper.

    The funds collected from workers’ contributions since 1967 were to be invested prudently to help pay the pensions of the Barbadian Baby Boomers who started to retire a few years ago, and who are expected to live long in retirement.

    Please note that the PM recently and unilaterally wrote off $1.35 billion in debt that the government owed to the NIS system.

    How does government intend to pay back this $3.92 billion which the successive Ministers of Finance, in some instances, squandered?

    Hint: Please do not say by taxation. Barbadians are already overtaxed. There is little or no room left for increased taxation. Yet the money must be repaid. The quicker, the better.

  30. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Vincent

    We know that for the last 2 years at least the pension fund has been operating in a negative cash flow situation. This has been confirmed by government and our PM has publically stated the matter needs to be addressed with urgency.

    As for how long the pension fund has operated in a negative cashflow situation none of us know. We therefore according to Freundel don’t know how long the pension fund has been sucking on the nipples of the NIS General fund for. We also don’t know the total amount the pension fund is in deficit to the general fund for either.

    I can’t therefore be part of the “don’t worry all is well” band wagon.

  31. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Walter

    There is little I can add to your numbers in terms of stating clearly the dire state the fund is in. I cant believe when we all try to stress the seriousness of the matter, how many try to make excuses and deflect from our reality.

  32. David Avatar
    David

    @Donna

    When you say she and others run for office what is the point you are trying to make?

  33. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    @ Donna
    I read the article earlier. Very interesting.
    Thanks for the look out . Highly appreciated.

  34. Walter Blackman Avatar
    Walter Blackman

    At December 31, 2017, the NIS was owed $807 million:

    $572 million in contributions receivable. How can a well-managed department sit back and allow employers to build up such a large liability? If the Barbados Government owes the NIS any arrears of NIS contributions, it should hold down its head in shame,

    $235 million in accounts receivable: Some of these accounts receivable must have been built up by severance payments which the NIS was forced (in some cases by government) to pay workers, and which employers should have paid in the first place.

    Do you believe that those employers who owe the NIS severance payments and contributions are lining up in great numbers to make these payments to the scheme?

  35. David Avatar
    David

    Walter you are doing a good job to confirm what some of us are fearful. The challenge is where is the path out of it.

  36. Walter Blackman Avatar
    Walter Blackman

    On its current trajectory, the NIS of Barbados is projected to survive another 30 years by using up contributions from active workers and liquidating investments.

    If the NIS of Barbados ever collapses, the system will be dead. The Government of Barbados will not have the cash, nor the trust of Barbadians, to resuscitate the scheme.

    What confidence or encouragement does this possibility offer to our young Barbadian workers who are fearful that they might be contributing to a scheme from which they may derive no benefits?

    Hint: Some persons have already started to denounce our NIS as a Ponzi scheme in the making. How do we go about convincing these persons that that is not the case?

  37. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    @Walter

    Go read my contribution comment at June 26, 2022 9:27 AM. That is two solutions there.

  38. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    @Walter Blackman June 26, 2022 1:56 PM
    A ponzi scheme is where you don’t have enough payments from the new investors coming in to cover future liabilities. There are only three ways to save the fund outside of declaring the pension fund bankrupt and starting fresh.
    1) Find a way to disqualify new investors from receiving future payments
    2) Find enough new investors to cover the baby boomers
    3) Kill off the baby boomers faster to reduce the payments

  39. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    I was thinking the same thing. This Ponzi scheme talk will surely guarantee its collapse.

    But, our governments have always allowed employers to get away with murder. It certainly will collapse if this continues. It is obvious to those who went to school at the standpipe that we must collect on these receivables. We must get serious with employers who deduct contributions and do not pay them in. That calls for somebody’s head on a platter. We must collect on employers’ contributions. These can also be considered almost like a part of an employee’s “emoluments”. They are not optional and should not be late.

    The way forward to ensure its survival beyond 30 years is beyond my capacity to solve.

    But one thing we must do to stop it from collapsing before the 30 years is to prevent these raids on the fund that enter into the dubious schemes of the last decade and more.

    We all know this. But we don’t know how we can manage it. I see the suggestion that the NIS should be allowed to accept or reject the investment requests of government.

    Takes somebody who is not hand-in-glove with them to do that. Takes somebody independent to do that.

    Oh dear me!

    Ding dong bell!

    Pussy’s in a well!

  40. David Avatar
    David

    @Donna
    This government set a high precedent with the VAT forgiveness? What does it do with appeasing citizen satisfaction regarding aggressive collection of receivables?

  41. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    @Donna
    I willing to bet the government probably owe the most to NIS.

    I also willing to bet much of it is not collectible either since most of it is probably owed by bankrupt or closed down businesses.

  42. Walter Blackman Avatar
    Walter Blackman

    Critical Analyzer
    June 26, 2022 2:18 PM

    @Walter Blackman
    A ponzi scheme is where you don’t have enough payments from the new investors coming in to cover future liabilities. There are only three ways to save the fund outside of declaring the pension fund bankrupt and starting fresh.
    1) Find a way to disqualify new investors from receiving future payments (You cannot disqualify contributors from receiving benefits. You can take their contributions and make them eligible for benefits, but if no funds are available to pay their benefits when due, they will get nothing. So we are back to square one.)
    2) Find enough new investors to cover the baby boomers (You can get contributors to contribute and pay the benefits of Baby Boomers. Who then will pay the promised benefits of these contributors when they reach retirement? Back to square one.)
    3) Kill off the baby boomers faster to reduce the payments (COVID -19 helped a little with this exercise. It did not create a serious enough dent in benefit payments, though)

    Critical Analyzer,
    Please see my short answers above to your suggestions.

  43. John A Avatar
    John A

    @Critical

    I agree with you and that was my point to Vincent. If you think the pension fund will be able to meet its commitments without sucking on the nippples of the reserve fund till it dry you living in la la land. You think the pension fund could find $1 billion to balance it books without hitting up the reserve fund for it? The same reserve fund that the boss right off billions in payments to.

    Wunna open you eyes and see do dat!

  44. Walter Blackman Avatar
    Walter Blackman

    Donna
    June 26, 2022 2:49 PM

    ” I see the suggestion that the NIS should be allowed to accept or reject the investment requests of government.”

    Donna,
    I don’t believe the Minister of Finance is willing to give up that power. Too much money at his/her disposal to manage or mismanage as he/she sees fit.

  45. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    “If the Barbados Government owes the NIS any arrears of NIS contributions, it should hold down its head in shame”
    When the ‘Debt Settlement Arrears Bill’ a.k.a Series J Bonds was debated in the Senate, Senator Walcott said that $250M was for unremitted contributions to the NIS, and I also believe he said this was 50% of the original amount owing.
    $350M was for lands acquired by GoB but not paid. Leaving $1.3B in JBonds to the holders of other A/R from the GoB. So there was no question NIS deductions were collected, but not remitted.
    That $1.3B is a stunning amount in aged payables.

  46. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    @Walter Blackman June 26, 2022 3:05 PM

    They can disqualify many current contributors and not pay them full future benefits by fiddling with the number or contributions required to receive full pension. I think it is currently 500 contributions which amounts to approx 10 years worth of contributions but if they increase that to 1500 or even 2000 which is 30 and 40 years worth respectively, May will contribute but not fully benefit unless they were contributing most of their working life or doing dump-ins if they were working abroad.

    Using that would be able to take many from many workers temporarily working on contract in Barbados without them being able to draw down more than a few coppers from the fund unless they worked for that length of time or dumped their 401Ks into the NIS pension fund to reach the minimum required total contributions to received an NIS pension.

  47. Critical Analyzer Avatar
    Critical Analyzer

    @Walter
    My true permanent solution as detailed in my comment at (https://barbadosunderground.net/2022/06/24/proposed-public-pension-formula-makes-bad-situation-worse/comment-page-1/#comment-2001870)
    is to either

    1) Eliminate the NIS contributory pension, pay everyone a non-contributory pension covered by a specific tax(es) and let them invest in their own pension plan whether NIS or private pension plan or other investment vehicles to receive extra pension.

    OR

    2) Re-balance the pension fund with a new corporate tax or divert a portion of current corporate tax revenue.

  48. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Steupsss
    The usual story… We all sat down quietly while that idiot from St Lucy called Kellman was up and down shouting about the wisdom of government ‘investing NIS funds’ for ‘the people’s benefit’.
    Anytime you allow a moron to make decisions about your assets you should ALSO prepare your donkey for the consequences.

    These Duopoly jokers went from one SOLID ASSET to another turning it into junk…
    Sold Bartel
    sold BNB
    Sold BS&T
    Sold Banks
    Sold BL&P
    They sold EVERY SHIITE… and have nothing of substance to show…

    Who can now be surprised that they have sold our retirement security? ….NOT STINKING BUSHIE….

    NOR is Bushie in ANY doubt that Mia and Co Ltd is currently negotiating the sale of our collective burros to either Chinese, EU or some other money lenders, to be whacked for generations to come….like our grandparents were.

    The GOOD NEWS however, is that (apart from a very few on BU,) most of the brass bowls are blissfully ignorant of their coming fate -much like sheep on the final ‘field trip’…. to the abattoir.

    Crapover should placate them adequately…..

    @ Walter
    Bushie took your cussing in good spirit …and it was well worth it so far.
    You ARE a true national asset…..
    BUT watch YOUR donkey… cause if yuh slip back…yuh slide with the bushman.

  49. African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved Avatar
    African Online Publishing Copyright ⓒ 2022. All Rights Reserved

    “NOR is Bushie in ANY doubt that Mia and Co Ltd is currently negotiating the sale of our collective burros to either Chinese, EU or some other money lenders, to be whacked for generations to come….like our grandparents were.”

    yep…and the political pimps and fowls are ALL IMPRESSED…

  50. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    Donna will have to work until she drops. No retirement for her. At least she has got her beloved garden and her son to help her out in her dotage. That’s provided he can find work on the island.

    Let’s be honest – the news that both governments have helped themselves to the people’s NIS funds is hardly news worthy in Barbados. It’s what some would call “best practice”.

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