Alternate Views – Governance by Committee and Councils

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Kemar J.D Stuart, Economist and Director Business Development , Finance and Investment Stuart & Perkins Caribbean

On the front page of the Nation Newspaper today December 4th 2022, Barbados has approached the IDB for another 200 Million in loans.

Minister of Finance Ryan Straughn said in his letter to the IDB that the fourth component of the letter was aimed at economic and fiscal strengthening for after the pandemic. One of the most interesting measures listed for justifying this loan is the use of a progress report of the measures prioritized by the jobs and investment council.

If viewers can recall the Jobs and Investment Council was put in place by Prime Minister Mia Mottley in April 2020. The Jobs and Investment Council started with eight committees – 8 chairmen of working groups undertaking a mandate of preparing a guide for the survival and transformation of Barbados and a wide cross section of persons was said to have been called upon to serve on the committees, including Barbadians in the diaspora.

  • The eight chairmen of the working groups were Former Prime Minister, Professor Owen Arthur who chaired the Industrial Transformation group, which is looking at – How to create 20,000 jobs in 18 to 24 months;
  • Professor The Most Honorable Eudine Barriteau chaired the working group of the Services and the Creative Economy  examining – How can we train everyone to world class standards in the delivery of goods and services?
  • Dereck Foster is chairing the Retail and Commerce committee, which will undertake – How can we guarantee food on everyone’s table?
  • Senator John Rogers chairs that tasked with – Securing Food for Every Table.
  • Dodridge Miller chairs the Finance and Insurance group, which will address – How can we fuel investment for the next 18 to 24 months?
  • Tony Hoyos is chairing the Housing and Infrastructure group, which is looking at – What facility can be used to leverage the capital in the Housing Credit Fund to provide low-income houses?
  • The Digital Transformation committee, which is chaired by Dr. Annalee Babb, will examine – How can we use technology and innovation to solve common everyday problems for Caribbean people?
  • Lastly Former Minister of Finance, Christopher Sinckler, will chair the – Trade and Logistics group.

The Job and Investment Council met in April 2020 and according to Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, the members were expected to report back to Government within two to four weeks, depending on their areas of concentration. Some developments changed the operations of these committees or working groups as coined by government. Since being established 2 years ago, former PM Owen Arthur has died and Former Finance Minister Chris Sinckler has been given a job in Washington. In a bid for transparency the Prime Minister who is Minister of Finance should publish this progress report that Ryan Straughn mentioned in his letter as the reason for committing Barbados to an additional 200 Million in debt, this publication should also include who are the other members who sit on these working groups and the pay and compensation before the country proceeds to take that loan from IDB. At no point in time did this jobs and investment council report their findings and recommendations to the public via consultation / town hall or press conference, written media or else.

The public should request an update from the Prime Minister and Ryan Straughn on this Jobs and Investment council before this loan is signed off. What’s also a concern is the fact that the Prime Minister announced a plan to establish another council name the Fiscal Council when there is already the BERT monitoring committee. She said The Fiscal Council is expected to have one representative from the international community and the rest sourced regionally and/or locally. Mottley also promised the implementation of a public-private sector growth council soon to monitor the investment and growth targets under the BERT plan .

President of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Anthony Branker said last month November 2022 that as a member of the Barbados Private Sector Association, “we have not heard anything on the establishment of these working groups to date,” said Branker. “The Chamber fully embraces the concept of what gets measured gets done, and so we look forward to the establishment of these working groups. The PM was present when he made these comments. Barbadians should ask what is the role of the social partnership if these establishment of four additional economic committees , along with economic consultants.

34 thoughts on “Alternate Views – Governance by Committee and Councils”


  3. Natty Dread Have Him Credential
    aka Top Notch Analyst in the Business

    Analysis Methodology

    Step 1
    Understand the problem

    Step 2
    Sleep on it

    Step 3
    Wake Up
    and determine the solution

    Reply ↓

  4. I see a next blogger is commenting on the number of committees. He mentions eight, but in my honest opinion we are up to 15 or more.

    Some sees creation of committees as government going all out to solve the many problems confronting the nation. I see this as an admission by the current administration that the problems are too large for them and as a desperate appeal for help.

    Admitting that a problem is more than you can manage is a positive thing. However, the way they go about seeking help is what vexes me. Instead of just saying “Please, help us. We really need some help”, they act as if they are in total control and utter some soothing meaningless phases (see BT June 18,2022) as a plea

    “We tried to shield you by not taking as much taxes and capping that. Regrettably, we are going to have to look at it again. As recent as Monday, we SET UP A COMMITTEE within our Social Partnership to look at the underlying increases in food and fuel costs with an understanding that within two weeks there would also be labour, private sector, and government meeting, such that on July 8 when we meet back, we put ourselves in a position to take decisions that will help families in this country, particularly since the summer vacation is coming and we all know that children love to eat a lot of food when they are running about,”
    the Prime Minister said.

    Yeah, that sounds good. Whoop-de-doo!

    One comment , “we have not heard anything on the establishment of these working groups to date”.

    I just wish I could get back home and find myself on one of these committees…
    Punctuality (100%),
    attendance (225%) – I amgoing in even when there is no meeting,
    old talk (200%) – i think I can BS with the best of them
    Productivity (0%) – that is a team metrics. Anything greater is a success

    Reply ↓

    • The problem is not about the committee itself which are useful to bring mixed resources; skillsets to problem solve. The issue is the output, where are the reports and are we executing on them.


  5. “The issue is the output, where are the reports and are we executing on them.”

    We all know Bajans are anal
    The technical term /excuse is
    They are sitting on the reports
    you’ll need to look up the committee’s bums for the dope

    Reply ↓

  6. A country can suck two teats at the same time ….
    Do you remember the OAS summit in 2022?
    Do you remember the call to exclude Venezuela and Cuba?
    Do you remember that Mexico and a few other countries to sent lower-level delegations?
    Do you know that St. Vincent and the Grenadines boycotted the meeting?
    Do you recall that only 23 of the hemisphere’s 35 heads of government participated in the summit, along with representatives of eight other countries?

    What did Barbados do? Ten marks if you guess correctly.

    Reply ↓

  7. “The issue is the output, where are the reports and are we executing on them.”

    Please see

    Productivity (0%) – that is one of the team metrics. Anything greater (than 0) will be considered a success

    There is a punch in the punchline.

    Reply ↓

  8. This “alternative view” has merit.
    But doan pelt Big Sinck under the bus, he “accepted a posting” vs “given a job”?😆😆
    Yet, I wouldn’t wait for any “progress report” to be made public.
    The concept of formal public reporting, is not something the GoB has embraced in the last 15 years.
    It is “not a priority”, even when required by law. (I promised Artax I wouldn’t reference a certain entity).
    We now have Min Straughn, who a few years back prioritized reports from a wide range of SOEs, and apart from the Caves, what has been made public?
    It is “for us to know, and for you to guess at”. The IMF can insist on certain information, but they cannot force the GoB to make it public?

    Reply ↓

    • Making those ‘progress reports’ public exposes the jobs for the boys culture that exist in Barbados. It would be a threat to sharing of the fatted calf.


  9. https://barbadostoday.bb/2022/12/04/fight-against-hiv-aids-isnt-over-humphrey-says/
    From BT
    “Speaking to the congregation made up of members from the National HIV/AIDS Commission, he noted that beyond prayer there has to be a conversation around prevention and it must be age and culturally appropriate if it is going to make sense and reach the ears of the targeted.”

    I recall someone saying a prayer for WI cricket. Humphrey is correct; we have reached the point where our systems are just beyond repair and prayer.
    Corrective action is sorely needed.

    Reply ↓

  10. @ NO
    “but they cannot force the GoB to make it public”

    In case you are not aware we have become a republic, please use (GoRoB).
    It could be worse, we could have been GoRoTT

    Reply ↓

    • Artax
      Petty?
      What is an ‘actual economist’? (Ask Bushie 😃)
      Let’s take the content of his writings and not the letters behind his name.


  14. “Let’s take the content of his writings and not the letters behind his name.

    @ NO

    Are you ‘telling me’ HOW to READ and INTERPRET Stuart’s articles, while, mentioning, “petty” in the ‘same breath?’

    I asked the Blogmaster a simple question, based on previous articles I’ve read written by guy and posted to BU.
    In my opinion, his writings are composed of more rhetorical political diatribe than sound economic analysis.

    If that makes me “petty,” then so be it.

    Reply ↓

    • @Artax
      No question his articles are full of political rhetoric and diatribe.
      Yet, he is a politician?
      I wouldn’t dream of telling you how to read or interpret.
      My question was, are the letters behind his name (whether an academically qualified economist) more important than his written content?
      You are quite capable of analyzing content.


  15. “My question was, are the letters behind his name (whether an academically qualified economist) more important than his written content?”

    @ NO

    I believe the comment: “In my opinion, his writings are composed of more rhetorical political diatribe than sound economic analysis,” answered your question.

    Perhaps you should ‘read between the lines.’

    I’ll now invoke my right to ‘remain silent.’

    Reply ↓

  16. @ David
    The problem is not about the committee itself which are useful to bring mixed resources; skillsets to problem solve. The issue is the output, where are the reports and are we executing on them.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Surely you jest!
    The BASIC problem in Brassbados is the endemic culture of electing shiite committees, via nepotism, political idiocy (where those who have failed at normal jobs offer to lead the cuntree) and then everyone sitting around talking shiite and begging for loans, ….while foreigners eat our lunch …and dinner.

    The REAL Issue is that no attempt is made to identify those locals who can ACTUALLY produce RESULTS, ….and even if these outliers offer, they are envied and chased off by the lotta brass bowl lackies – who are too dense to see their own brassbowlery – even when about to be returned to serfdom….

    Unfortunately, we get EXACTLY what we deserve, NOT what we give fancy speeches about…

    Reply ↓

    • @Bush Tea

      You are saying the same thing which is captured in the use of the word ‘output’ meaning adding value to problem solving.


  17. You are saying the same thing…
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    True!! …but HOW!!!

    You and your ‘goodie two shoes’ language (like if you are CBC’s Wendy Burke or VOB’s Maurice Norville) gives the impression that this is just some slight miscalculation or misalignment of resources…

    When It is in fact, the sheeple being screwed by a bunch of jokers who could nor organize a pissing contest at Banks…

    It is brassbowlery!!!

    Steupss…
    Amazing that wunna cannot see the shiite ahead….
    Carry on with business as usual…

    Reply ↓

    • IMF green light
      Fund approves Govt for another $604m

      GOVERNMENT CAN NOW borrow another $604 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the Fund’s executive board approved a new threeyear arrangement for Barbados yesterday.
      Having given the nod more than two months after its staff reached agreement with the Mia Amor Mottley administration, IMF deputy managing director, and acting board chair, Kenji Okamura, indicated that the institution now expected Government to complete “ambitious structural reforms”, including restructuring state-owned enterprises.
      The IMF’s top brass also anticipates that Barbados will implement financial reforms related to climate change during the life of the programme.
      Under the arrangement, Barbados will borrow $226 million under the Extended
      Fund Facility (EFF) and $378 million from the new Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
      The IMF board said the funding was for Barbados to “maintain and strengthen macroeconomic stability, support the structural reform agenda, and increase resilience to climate change.
      “Building on the successful completion of a 2018-2022 EFF, the new EFF arrangement aims to maintain and strengthen hard-won macroeconomic stability and promote the unfinished structural reform agenda,” Okamura said in a statement issued following the executive board’s discussion.
      “Key elements of the programme would be the gradual and sustained increase in primary surpluses and ambitious structural reforms, such as strengthening of tax and customs administration as well as public financial management, adoption and implementation of pension reform, the rationalisation and consolidation of stateowned enterprises, and growth-enhancing
      measures, including additional steps to improve the business climate,” he stated.
      “The programme targets a primary surplus of two per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) in financial year 2022/23, up from minus one per cent of GDP recorded in both financial year 2020/21 and financial year 2021/22,” he added.
      The acting board chair also said the arrangement under the RSF would “provide financing to support the country’s climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, and support Barbados’ ambitious goal of transitioning to a fully renewablebased economy by 2030.
      “Reforms under the RSF include the mainstreaming of climate change in the budget, the introduction of ‘green public financial management’, including in procurement, and measures that would incentivise private sector investments in climateresilient infrastructure and into renewable energy projects,” he said, noting that these measures “were identified in close coordination with the World Bank and other international partners”.
      Okamura said Barbados “continues to make good progress in implementing its homegrown Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan, despite a very challenging global economic environment.
      “Macroeconomic stability was restored in 2018 and 2019 with a combination of fiscal consolidation, comprehensive debt restructuring, and structural reforms to support growth. This created space for a counter-cyclical policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Public debt was put back on a clear
      downward trajectory starting financial year 2021/22,” he stated.
      The IMF official added: “While Barbados continues to confront challenges owing to the global pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the economic recovery is now well under way. Inflation has been rising since the second half of 2021 owing to supply chain disruptions and increasing global food and oil prices.
      “The economic recovery is expected to continue over the medium-term, but downside risks to the outlook remain high.”
      He said Barbados’ new IMF-supported economic reform programme would “build on the achievements of Barbados’ 2018-22 EFF and draw on the authorities’
      updated economic reform programme (BERT 2022)”.
      (SC)

      Source: Nation


    • NIS reform appears to be looming on the radar very soon.

      Reform guide going to Cabinet soon
      GOVERNMENT WILL SOON be presented with recommendations to reform the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
      NIS deputy chairman Rawdon Adams, who is chairing a group of experts advising Government on the needed changes, said the report was being drafted but he could not divulge its contents.
      He said, however, that whatever was recommended was likely to include “automatic adjustment mechanisms” to prevent another “cathartic exercise” 15 to 20 years from now.
      Adams gave the update yesterday during a special edition of Voice Of Barbados’ Down To Brasstacks radio call-in programme under the theme: The Sustainability Of The Caribbean Social Security Systems. It was held as part of the ongoing 32nd Annual Caribbean Actuarial Association Conference at Hilton Barbados.
      He said that having conducted extensive consultations, and received suggestions from expert groups and individual Barbadians, “the report is now being drafted and I can’t prejudice the result of that.
      “The next steps are to submit that to the board of the National Insurance, who will approve it and give it to the minister, and the minister would then forward it on to Cabinet.
      “I think what form it comes out of from Cabinet would be subject to how they view the report and the recommendations,” he said.
      “I think it’s in our
      interest to be quite comprehensive in the recommendations, given that we’re behind the curve; we’re really behind the curve.”
      Maintenance
      Adams said a focus of “ongoing maintenance” of the NIS will also be a focus of the recommendations.
      “We have had here, I think, a ‘fix and forget it’ attitude that we’ve suffered from. At least one of the innovations we are looking at in this report [is] what’s called in the pension world automatic adjustment mechanisms.”
      The deputy chairman said this was “just a fancy way of saying if something starts to go off plan, you make an adjustment, a timely adjustment. You don’t wait until you are a decade from your fund being depleted to do something”.
      He added: “The important point is that you continue to monitor and you make these timely adjustments so you don’t have this recurring cathartic exercise every 15 [to] 20 years.”
      Adams reminded listeners that NIS reform was urgently needed because contributions were being outstripped by benefit expenses.
      “In 2014, it became clear that we were dipping into our fund to fill this gap and nothing was done. Today, that gap has widened to $200 million . . . and it’s getting wider. So we’re looking at [by] 2040 a $1 billion deficit if nothing is done, [and] ten years down the road from then it’s about $1.6 billion,” he said.
      “So a lot of the driver
      behind this is our demographic profile. In this region we all face very similar circumstances, just at different stages. So we have an ageing population more than . . . a Grenada or The Bahamas and so on, so we are at the stage where we have now – having not taken action in the past – to do things that are a little more drastic than they otherwise might have been.” (SC)

      Source: Nation


    • Actuary urges NIS to be flexible
      ACTUARY LISA WADE is urging Government not to withhold National Insurance Scheme (NIS) retirement benefits from Barbadians whose contributions, and age, do not qualify them for a full pension.
      The principal of Barbados-based actuarial firm Eckler Ltd. also wants the NIS to make life easier for self-employed people, rather than penalising them for paying their contributions “late”.
      She made the recommendations yesterday during a special edition of Voice Of Barbados’ Down To Brasstacks radio call-in programme.
      Wade said there was “difficulty with respect to age 67, where people who would not have paid enough qualifying contributions into National Insurance, will not [receive] that benefit early, even if it is reduced.
      “So this is one particular thing that we would like within the reforms to be considered. If you
      have not paid in the full qualifying contributions to get your full pension, and you have to wait until age 67, if there’s a possibility that you can get some kind of reduced benefit from an earlier age, just based on the level of contributions you’ve paid in,” she said.
      “Because it is quite a problem for people who have shorter periods of service. We’re not saying that everybody automatically goes on to the minimum level of benefit provided by National Insurance . . . . We’re just saying that there needs to be more flexibility in terms of how we look at retirement and allow people to draw benefits, and if they paid contributions into the system, they should be able to receive the benefits as they wish.”
      The actuary also wanted more flexible arrangements for selfemployed people who wanted to contribute to the NIS.
      “I think if a selfemployed person comes and pays in a contribution, it should be recognised as something slightly different than in a formal employment contract kind of situation,” she said. “I think we also need
      to perhaps design a system that takes into account the amount of contributions they have paid throughout their period of contributions within the system, rather than set up this regimented formula, which works more for persons who are in formal employment.”
      Wade added: “Let’s face it, we all can do almost anything off of our phone, so we need to design a system whereby people can make payments that they don’t have to physically go into National Insurance, or sit down and fill out a whole [set] of forms.
      (SC)


      Source: Nation


    • It seems the prediction made by some in this space is correct. Let us take advantage of the ‘tunnel’ in the global financial system to capitalize. Mia buying time or delaying the inevitable IF we do not change.

      PM: Natural disaster clause the way to go
      REGIONAL LEADERS are being urged to follow Barbados’ example in making natural disaster and pandemic clauses a staple of their loan negotiations.
      This caution comes from Prime Minister Mia Amor Motley, who disclosed that since her administration started to insist upon force majeure clauses four years ago, Barbados is guaranteed close to $1.5 billion in fiscal space should disaster strike.
      Delivering the feature remarks at the Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management at Savannah Hotel yesterday, Mottley explained that as countries on the frontline of climate change, the region could no longer afford to hinge their recovery from a natural disaster, on aid or insurance pay outs. The natural disaster clause which was first introduced in the country’s debt restructuring back in 2018, allows Barbados to suspend its debt payments for up to two years in the event of a major destructive event.
      Pandemic clause
      “There is no amount of insurance money, there is no amount of aid that is going to be able to supplement the needs of a country in the fighting of natural disaster. This is why Barbados followed the example of Grenada, even though ours is of far greater scale, with the introduction of our natural disaster clauses and recently with our blue bonds. We also became the first to introduce a pandemic clause,” said Mottley.
      The Prime Minister said
      that even though Barbados has already safeguarded its position with regards to carving out fiscal space in the event of a natural disaster, a failure to urge regional neighbours to do the same, was tantamount to a homeowner thinking he or she is safe even though neighbouring houses are on fire.
      “If this is triggered it will create the absolute fiscal space because that works out to about 18 per cent of GDP. There is no country, no company that will give us the equivalent of 18 per cent of GDP should a disaster impact us. This is important because the cost of insurance has outpaced the capacity of companies to pay. Regrettably, this has resulted in a high percentage of underinsurance in this region and that is going to impact our economic growth.
      “If you cannot afford insurance, it affects a company’s capacity to access financing. It is in our interest to ensure that this Caribbean community appreciates that much of what has been missing in assistance or adaptation fund, will be compounded by the absence of natural disaster clauses,” she warned.
      Mottley pointed out that even with the promised establishment of a Loss and Damage Fund for countries on the frontline of climate change, such initiatives cannot be accepted as guarantees.
      “The reality equally is that the world has made promises to the most vulnerable of states and regrettably those promises have become a little too long in our wait for them
      to deliver. We eventually saw the agreement to establish the Loss and Damage Fund, but that like the promise of a $100 billion in adaptation is nothing more than a promissory note. It is up to us now that we create structures for that fund,” the Prime Minister stressed.
      (CLM)

      Source: Nation


    • IMF Executive Board Approves US$113 Million under the Extended Fund Facility and US$189 Million under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility for Barbados

      December 7, 2022

      The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a 36-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) in the amount of US$113 million, in addition to a Resilient and Sustainability Fund (RSF) in an amount of US$189 million.
      The new IMF-supported program will build on the achievements of Barbados’ 2018-22 EFF and draw on the authorities’ updated economic reform program (BERT 2022), including on efforts focusing on building resilience to natural disasters and climate change as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transition risks.
      Despite a series of global and regional economic shocks, Barbados continues its strong implementation of its ambitious economic reform program aimed at restoring fiscal sustainability, increasing reserves, and unlocking growth potential. Economic activity in Barbados is starting to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic but risks to the outlook remain elevated, with higher global commodity prices pushing up inflation.

      Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a 36-month arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) in an amount equivalent to SDR 85.05 million (about US$113 million) and an arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in an amount equivalent to SDR 141.75 million (about US$189 million) for Barbados to maintain and strengthen macroeconomic stability, support the structural reform agenda, and increase resilience to climate change.

      Despite a series of economic shocks, Barbados continues its strong implementation of its comprehensive Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) plan aimed at restoring fiscal sustainability, increasing reserves, and unlocking growth potential. The new IMF-supported program will build on the achievements of Barbados’ 2018-22 EFF and draw on the authorities’ updated economic reform program (BERT 2022). The global coronavirus pandemic and higher global commodity prices, along with Barbados’ exposure to climate change and natural disasters, are posing major challenges for the tourism-dependent economy. Reform efforts focus on building resilience to natural disasters and climate change as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transition risks.

      Following the Executive Board’s discussion, Mr. Kenji Okamura, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair of the Board, issued the following statement:

      “Barbados continues to make good progress in implementing its homegrown Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan, despite a very challenging global economic environment. Macroeconomic stability was restored in 2018 and 2019 with a combination of fiscal consolidation, comprehensive debt restructuring, and structural reforms to support growth. This created space for a countercyclical policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Public debt was put back on a clear downward trajectory starting FY2021/22.

      “While Barbados continues to confront challenges owing to the global pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the economic recovery is now well underway. Inflation has been rising since the second half of 2021 owing to supply chain disruptions and increasing global food and oil prices. The economic recovery is expected to continue over the medium term, but downside risks to the outlook remain high.

      “Building on the successful completion of a 2018-22 Extended Fund Facility (EFF), the new EFF arrangement aims to maintain and strengthen hard-won macroeconomic stability and promote the unfinished structural reform agenda. Key elements of the program would be the gradual and sustained increase in primary surpluses and ambitious structural reforms, such as strengthening of tax and customs administration as well as Public Financial Management (PFM), adoption and implementation of pension reform, the rationalization and consolidation of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), and growth-enhancing measures, including additional steps to improve the business climate. The program targets a primary surplus of 2 percent of GDP in FY2022/23, up from minus 1 percent of GDP recorded in both FY 2020/21 and FY 2021/22.

      “The arrangement under the RSF will provide financing to support the country’s climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, and support Barbados’ ambitious goal of transitioning to a fully renewable-based economy by 2030. Reforms under the RSF include the mainstreaming of climate change in the budget, the introduction of ‘green Public Financial Management’, including in procurement, and measures that would incentivize private sector investments in climate resilient infrastructure and into renewable energy projects. These measures were identified in close coordination with the World Bank and other international partners.”
      IMF Communications Department
      MEDIA RELATIONS

      PRESS OFFICER: Randa Elnagar

      Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

      @IMFSpokesperson


  20. The eight Chairmen of the apocalypse and their areas of societal destabilisation:
    Arthur – Squandermania
    Barriteau – Feminism
    Foster – Consumerism
    Rogers – False Gods
    Miller – Greed
    Hoyos – Nepotism
    Babb – Elitism
    Sinckler – Buffonery

    We are in good hands

    Reply ↓

  21. One small thing before I go…
    “Preliminary results released by the Electoral Office showed that the DLP, which had entered the election already having won six seats uncontested, had won 19 of the 21 seats. The preliminary results showed that the independent candidate Jesma Paul polled 617 votes to 463 cast for the DLP’s Lynsia Frank in the Salisbury constituency, while in Marigot, Anthony Charles had defeated the DLP’s Gregory Riviere by a margin of 491 to 329 votes. The independent candidate Carlos Charles received six votes.”

    In a few weeks, some news wit will write that Biden wanted to be seen with one of these 500 votes winners and a few Dominicans will believe the story. Funny, isn’t it.

    Have a great day all. Have a great day, Barbados.

    Reply ↓

  22. “GOVERNMENT WILL SOON be presented with recommendations to reform the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
    NIS deputy chairman Rawdon Adams, who is chairing a group of experts advising Government on the needed changes, said the report was being drafted but he could not divulge its contents.”

    So imagine, the GoB selects the Vice Chair of the NIS Board to lead (chair) a group who is seeking/has sought private input from an unspecified “group of experts”. While the outcome (a Report) is still being drafted, in a Sinckleresque moment, Sen Adams assures us the NIS Board “WILL APPROVE” the Report.
    What he meant to say was “the Report will be laid before the Board for their consideration and recommendations. Once approved, it will be sent….”

    Rubber stamps as Xmas gifts to the NIS Board?

    Reply ↓

    • BIDC head: Private sector should take lead
      The private sector should be at the helm of more initiatives to promote Barbadian entrepreneurs.
      That’s according to Chief Executive Officer of Export Barbados – BIDC (Barbados Investment and Development Corporation), Mark Hill, who was at yesterday’s Kloth Lifestyle Holiday Pop-Up Shop and Expo.
      The event was held in collaboration with Export Barbados and Barbados Trust Fund at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre in Two Mile Hill, St Michael. There were approximately 120 booths displaying various products including jewellery, pastries and clothing, both inside and outside of the building.
      Hill told the Sunday Sun more initiatives like this were necessary to show how the private sector could grow the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
      “. . . What Kloth is providing is that expo service and sometimes we think that Government has to do everything like put on the BMEX and the different things, but private sector initiatives like this have to be encouraged. So we are on board with her [organiser Khadijah Millar] so that she can continue to grow this initiative and in that way, then Government can back out of certain things and let the private sector drive it forward,” he said.
      He described the event as a “phenomenal session” and hoped to collaborate with Millar to host more expos.
      “We want to see a lot more of the core products that meet basic needs being offered and so hopefully in discussions with her we can have furniture exhibitions, design exhibitions, and more. Also, begin to tailormake towards specific folks like fashion and those traditional industries to help them develop and move forward,” Hill said.
      Khadija Millar, who has hosted the event for the last four years, said since 2018 there has been no shortage of vendors.
      “When I first started the event, we started with just 17 vendors and a small space in Warrens, since then, the event has grown exponentially. . . I am really hoping that we can provide more
      offerings. Aside from just providing a space for showcasing, we want to be able to provide more developmental resources for young entrepreneurs and that’s what we hope to do with the pop-up shop in the future,” she said.
      Co-owner of Healthy Kinks Botanical Inc, Leandra Wilfred-Boyce, who was one of the vendors at the expo, said it was her first time participating in the event and was appreciative of Millar’s efforts to promote small businesses.
      “I think she does a great job in terms of marketing, driving awareness and trying to push local small businesses so she really pushes us more in to the public eye,” Boyce said.
      Likewise, head baker at Symmone’s Sweet Treats, Ashleigh Gilkes, said the expo was essential to her growing her bakery.
      “I think that the expo was a good opportunity for me to at least get my name out there so that when I do decide to continue and expand, I have a bigger customer base that I can test this on to make sure that I have the right products and I’m targeting the market effectively,” Gilkes said.
      Owner of This Goes Perfect, Shanice King, was happy for the opportunity to be part of the expo and encouraged more people to buy from local entrepreneurs.
      “I appreciate it and she [Millar] has been doing a good job along with Export Barbados and Barbados Trust Fund to establish entrepreneurs. Also, I hope events such as this would make Barbadians buy more items locally,” she said. (RT)

      Source: Nation

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