Donville Inniss Victim or Criminal?

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Former Minister Donville Inniss

The blogmaster couldn’t avoid the noise generated in the local newsfeed covering the return of former member of parliament Donville Inniss. Inniss was incarcerated in the United States for breaking money laundering laws and suffered the embarrassment of being deported last weekend.

Inniss served his time and is free to continue with his endeavours in idyllic Barbados, UNLESS, local authorities intend to prosecute a matter that originated in Barbados. There is a good chance local authorities will allow the Inniss matter to die in the spirit of a few protecting the many which is the mantra of the political directorate.

The blogmaster will not judge the Don except to say many are not as convinced of his innocence as he is.. It would be in the interest of local authorities to give Donville his day in a local court so that he can expose the lies of the ‘pale face people and house niggas’ he referred to in his home coming media orchestrating. 

Barbadians should keep in memory that another local, Alex Tasker has an extradition matter pending – if successful – has the potential to shed additional light on the matter as it relates to how local actors assisted in the crime Inniss was convicted in the USA. The fight against extradition by Alex Tasker a former local employee of ICBL and Ingrid Innes former CEO domiciled in Canada have the potential to keep Inniss in the unfavourable glare of the public for some time. 

Commonsense suggests the political ambition of Donville Inniss has been extinguished. However, the blogmaster joins with concerned Barbadians to fuss against the inability of the political establishment to materially commit to rooting white collar corruption. Do not bother to refer to Barbados’s standing on the Transparency Index, a measure based on a perception shaped by players who are mainly responsible for the current state of affair.

On a related note the blogmaster read about the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) meeting advertised, a joint zonal meeting today (26 March 2023) with former candidates Michael Lashley, David Estwick and Neil Marshall promoted to speak. Sometimes so much more can be conveyed by simply making and observation without commenting.

In God we trust!

321 thoughts on “Donville Inniss Victim or Criminal?”


  1. I looked at some of those companies and seem to remember reading in one or two that the purpose seemed iffy.

    I remember thinking what gold does Barbados have?

    It is the names in the ICIJ database that will give pause for reflection.

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  2. Bush Tea, I am aware of what you ‘said’…… and even Court cases of some ‘career criminals’ during which they either successfully or unsuccessfully defended themselves. They’ve also offered legal advice to other inmates. However, that is irrelevant. My comments were influenced by a particular discussion, the ‘historical context’ of which you purposely ignored, to pounce upon them, ‘Bushie style-lee, a-lee, a-lee.’

    Reply ↓

  3. But, Bush Tea, after all, you done know I ‘have a propensity to talk runny shiite.’ Perhaps if I decide to peruse ‘The Guardian’ or ‘Ajazeera’ to juxtapose corruption in other countries to any occurrences in Barbados, may change your perspective.

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    • DLP ‘in crisis’

      Political scientists warn of leadership issues
      by COLVILLE MOUNSEY
      colvillemounsey@nationnews.com

      THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY (DLP) is going through another crisis of leadership and it is manifested in the latest public spat between the old guard and the new.
      This is the view of political scientist Peter Wickham, who is also predicting that the party’s president, Dr Ronnie Yearwood is in for several leadership fights in the coming months.
      However, fellow academic in the field, Dr George Belle, told the Daily Nation that the development was yet another wake-up call for the party to be honest about its reasons for its failings in the last two General Elections as well as the need to properly rebuild.
      Wickham said that until the leadership issue is settled, the party is going to continue to struggle.
      “The DLP is still in a situation where they are looking for the messiah. No one has presented themselves as such and therefore anyone that emerges and does not appear to be the messiah will be cannibalised. This is what would have
      happened to [former president] Verla De Peiza, to [former Prime Minister] Freundel Stuart and that is what is going to happen to Dr Yearwood now. This is going to continue until the DLP identifies the messiah, the party will continue to spin wheels and the internal wrangling will continue until someone is identified that could lead them to the promise land,” Wickham said.
      He added: “Dr Yearwood needs to ready himself for several leadership challenges. Unless a leader is able to put you in Government, he is going to face challenges. He is going to face challenges until the party identifies the person they believe can return them to power.”
      Last Sunday, during a DLP zonal meeting of the St Lucy and St Peter constituencies at Big Don Bar, Benthams, St Lucy, general secretary Steve Blackett spoke about a small “cabal” within the DLP which he said was sowing indiscipline in the party. He added that senior members were presenting themselves as “mischiefs in chief”. The comment prompted a response from fomer DLP president Verla De Peiza, who expressed disappointment that the party is airing its dirty laundry in public.
      Level of preparedness
      However, Belle contended that the issue had less
      to do with leadership and more about the party being honest about their level of preparedness ahead of the 2022 General Election, during which they lost all 30 seats for a second successive general election.
      “The DLP has not spoken to the issue of not being prepared. They did not say in an honest way that they were not ready. If this was understood, there would have been no need to change the leadership after the defeat in 2022. Instead, the party came from a self-righteous position of questioning how the great DLP could have been beaten so badly again. The then leadership of Verla De Peiza accepted this narrative and surrendered. The issue of leadership should have come later based on how much the party has recovered,” Belle explained.
      “This is how an interloper was able to slip through. Dr Yearwood has no political authenticity and that is why there is problem now because his presence is a dishonest solution to the leadership. Therefore, this situation has now hit home to some factions in the party that have now realised that he has no credentials to just come to the party and go straight to the leadership,” he stressed.

      Source: Nation


    • Donville – political culture, democratic change

      THE NEWS OF THE RETURN to a hero’s welcome of fawning supporters for former Minister of Commerce in the last Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration, Donville Inniss, following his sentencing for a felony related to money laundering in a United States prison, provides a useful platform for examining the relationship between political culture and institutional and democratic development in our Caribbean.
      This is important, because often when our constitutional reformers propose recommendations for strengthening democratic accountability and anti-corruption safeguards, they often focus on the formal institutional mechanisms while ignoring the political culture around which these institutional frameworks are to be constructed.
      Typically, our reformers emphasise issues such as “integrity in public life” legislation, or the strengthening of the offices of the Ombudsman and the Accountant General, and related measures.
      However, if the institutional framework represents the skeleton on which hangs the body politic, then the political culture is the soul itself.
      It is clear that these institutional measures are pointless without the accompanying shifts in the “heart and soul” of the nation – the political culture. You cannot pour new wine into old wineskins.
      It is for these reasons that the hints to our political culture which have been revealed by Donville’s hero’s welcome must be fully processed as lessons for advancing good governance and democratic evolution in the Caribbean.
      A ray of hope
      Two features become immediately apparent in the Donville hero’s welcome moment. The first is the evidence of public desensitisation to issues associated with corruption as a national “problem”.
      The second is the persistence of party paramountcy as a defining feature of how we see the world, which trumps any larger commitment to good governance.
      When these two features are factored into the current moment of the “catspraddling” of the DLP in two consecutive elections, it can be understood why under its weakened state, the return of Donville would appear as a ray of hope for the DLP and would not allow for a shift to a higher level of governance.
      Such moments of qualitative shifts to a more sophisticated political culture require leadership from the front. They are not ushered in by political commentators who conveniently hide behind the legal fact that “he did not break any laws in Barbados” and is not debarred from re-entering political life.
      Ultimately, however, the responsibility for ushering a new political culture from the Inniss saga resides with Inniss himself. A Mandela
      moment was required. Instead of glorying in the adulation of his welcoming fans, Inniss could have made a more profound contribution to political development by declaring himself retired from public office, not because he broke any laws in Barbados, but on the basis that his recent incarceration in the US might be too high a leap to invite the Barbadian people to make. Remember, politics is a one-way street.
      Tennyson Joseph is a political scientist at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, specialising in regional affairs.

      Source: Nation


    • Morning Artax
      You are a person of immense influence.
      Bushie just wants to ensure that you are not inadvertently giving comfort to legal donkeys by any suggestions of intellectual exclusivity for this warped profession, that appears to be devoid of ANY professional ethics.

      ..and BTW, influential or not, you DO have an inclination to spew ‘soft shaving cream’ from time to time, usually in your efforts to reinforce minor points of fact…

      Bushie is a big picture BB, so all such minutiae is relative jobby


    • @David, we can all agree with the professor that Donville’s triumphant return “provides a useful platform for examining the relationship between political culture and institutional and democratic development in our Caribbean” but what amazes me are some of his reasonings.

      These are no “hints to our political culture which have been revealed by Donville’s hero’s welcome”. Absolutely not.

      HINTS … that mindset has been in FULL bloom for most of the last 20 years or more: the paramountcy of the party; the cult of personality and the blasé attitude towards corrupt acts!

      Politics is as much about ‘popularity’ as it is about displaying an ability to lead and represent the views of your constituents thus the notoriety of a prison sentence (in certain situations like this one) can propel a candidate just as much as it may topple him!

      I would also note that corruption has been repeatedly desensitized by often perplexing rulings from courts (particularly in US: see case Gov McDonnell of Virginia) and lax legislation… so Inniss may have a ‘moral’ duty to step back based on his conviction but if constituents still consider him as suitable despite his flaws then who are we to disparage him that honor.

      And If that’s all the DLP can do to salvage themselves then woe betides them, not so!


    • @Dee Word

      How do you respond to a view that an ambivalent reception by some of Donville’s homecoming has more to do with a weak DLP and current leadership?


    • In a simple sense yes that true re “a view that an ambivalent reception by some of Donville’s homecoming has more to do with a weak DLP and current leadership” but isn’t it also a truism of political life here in the Caribbean and in fact also other places!

      Looka, there can be no question that the DLP is rudderless (two 0-30 shellackings would send any political party adrift)! But what we saw with Inniss has been displayed throughout the years when scandal scarred politicians were resoundingly acclaimed by their constituents and also when a depleted party reverted to badly bruised popular personalities to be a savior!

      So I find no reason to get overly excited or overworked by Donville’s reception … after all, the man was considered to be of PM timbre by some.

      Moreover, every Bajan knows of the corrupt, scandal plagued nature of our politics … I mean hasn’t our PM herself been allegedly one-step removed from sexual assault charges on at least two occasions; wasn’t she dismissed from a ministerial appointment allegedly based on serious ‘conflict of corruption’ charges.

      So let’s be serious and see Inniss’s reception in the simple human terms in which it unfolded and stop reading too much about his re-embrace to the Dem leadership.

      Based on what that party has wrought thus far, if they elect a convicted ‘money launderer’ to be in a leadership role in their party then it says a lot about what they think of the man and that they believe they can WIN a government with him at the helm.

      The remarkably strange thing is it’s quite possible that could actually happen…. I personally wouldn’t bet on it tho!

      I gone.


    • @Dee Word

      Inniss was considered PM timbre by who?

      Can you name 5 other politicians in Barbados or the region who suffered incarceration to receive wide acclaim to support your argument?


    • Now, now @David I very carefully said “… scandal scarred politicians were resoundingly acclaimed by their constituents”.

      There are very few instances of convicted persons being acclaimed but take a trip out west to our friends in Belize for a most recent one.

      My point was summarily clearly made, however: 1) don’t over hype a simple populist reaction and 2) many pols have had great scandal and have found redemption. (A chapter and verse outta TnT or Jam or Guyana and notably Antigua can be done if u are truly that keen).

      And re his PM timbre … well ‘cuse me but I certainly was of that view that he had a fan base which touted him as a spoiler in DLP leadership sweepstakes.

      If you are saying to me that had he not be catspraddelled as he was that he would not have been in the DLP leadership mix then surely I am ill formed 🙏🏿😎.

      Peace.


    • @Dee Word

      Then the context of your comment should reference politicians who were incarcerated. Focus!


    • I do try brother @David, to focus … 😎🤦…. so you do realize that the current leader of the Belize opposition Mr Barrow served almost 10 years in jail, right!

      Is that enough “focus” for you. Off the top of my head I can’t recall many others although there is a nagging thought that Basdeo Panday also was incarcerated at one point but that was likely only for some public activism or union matter … so that doesn’t count as a conviction, fah sure!

      Anyhow the brother in Belize was in jail for ‘serious’ matters even if he was just being a ‘stand up’ guy for his star-boy … so for all intents and purposes Inniss could very well do a ‘Barrow’!🤣🤦‍♂️


  4. “However, if the institutional framework represents the skeleton on which hangs the body politic, then the political culture is the soul itself.”
    :: ::
    “They are not ushered in by political commentators who conveniently hide behind the legal fact that “he did not break any laws in Barbados” and is not debarred from re-entering political life.”

    The institutional framework was passed down by corrupt Slavemasters who committed the biggest crime to humanity and were morally bankrupt in all they did

    to say Donville didn’t break any laws is like saying Slavery wasn’t illegal

    With or without “laws” people’s asses can still be busted on tort for the damage done. There is no place in politics for the bum. Fuck him.

    Reply ↓

  5. @ David
    Boss, you really re-posted that shiite by Mounsey doh?

    When these lazy newspeople badly need something to print they pick up the phone and call Petra – who is the single person most-in-crisis in brassbados…

    Every damn body and their cousins know that the DLP is in crisis.
    AS is the BLP…
    and the church,
    and business,
    and the people…
    and the mediocre press,
    but most of all is the Frenchie wife Petra.

    BUT…
    What are the SOLUTIONS…? …is what we need to hear..

    Waste of space article….

    Reply ↓

    • @Bush Tea

      Unsure in a country with scores of political commentators traditional media is driven to seek out political comments from the same talking heads.


    • But even that would be OK …if the particular ‘talking head’ was known to be usually correct, ..or had a history of personal success, ..or was at least ‘normal’, .. and hence reflective of the general brass bowl society..
      BUT….
      none of the above…..????!!
      Shiite!!
      The criterion seems to be that this talking head is in urgent need of relevance….
      WTH!!


  8. If shady smug Donville truly believes that he was merely employing loopholes as there were ways around lobbying transparency rules required by MPs to disclose hospitality, he should refer himself to the parliamentary standards commissioner to investigate his conduct, so he can clear up his name … as he is being investigated already anyway he has fuck all to lose

    Reply ↓

  9. “Can you name 5 other politicians in Barbados or the region who suffered incarceration to receive wide acclaim to support your argument?”

    To paraphrase the MTG loon some of the best leaders like Nelson Mandela and Jesus have been arrested like the Don

    Reply ↓

  10. MTG loon on April 7, 2023 at 1:50 PM said:
    Rate This

    To paraphrase the MTG loon some of the best leaders like Nelson Mandela and Jesus have been arrested like the Don

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    What is the difference between Donville and Nelson Mandela and Jesus?

    Donville was a Member of Parliament and not a leader.

    Nelson Mandela became a leader after he was imprisoned.

    They also made him a martyr just like they are making Trump!!.

    Jesus was always a leader, before he was imprisoned and tried and after he was executed.

    Donville is yet to become a leader. or a martyr and doesn’t rate in that company.

    BTW, both Hitler and Stalin were at one time imprisoned, before they were leaders.

    Both became leaders, among the worst in human history.

    Trump was one of the best leaders in history before he was arrested.

    Martyrdom is all that is left for him to achieve and the half wit Democrats are hell bent on making him one.

    Reply ↓

  12. @David
    Your posting ‘news’ in the middle of a multipage thread, as a comment extension, only guarantees it gets lost?

    Of the 3, Tasker has the best chance of avoiding prosecution. He was not a decision maker.

    Reply ↓

    • Extradition case of Innes yet to begin
      by MARIA BRADSHAW mariabradshaw@nationnews.com

      WHILE THE EXTRADITION CASE against Alex Tasker seems to be nearing a conclusion, the one against co-accused Ingrid Innes is yet to get off the ground.
      For the past year the extradition proceedings against the former chief executive officer of the Insurance Corporation of Barbados Ltd (ICBL), which is being heard in Canada where she resides, has been repeatedly adjourned with no evidence being led as yet.
      Two weeks ago when the case came up in the Superior Court of Canada, it was once again adjourned until October.
      Court officials told the DAILY NATION that the matter was called on April 12 but an “adjournment application was granted due to Ms Innes’ health”.
      CT scan results
      The official added: “It came up again on April 21st in order to go over the results of her CT scan.”
      While the official could not disclose the status of that matter, he reported that the extradition hearing was now set for October 6, but the court will meet on August 16, in Practice Court, to further discuss the matter.
      Like Tasker, the Guyanese-born Innes who is also a Canadian citizen, is alleged by the American authorities to be part of an extravagant scheme to launder money through the United States, along with former Government minister Donville Inniss who recently returned to Barbados after serving just under two years in a US federal prison.
      Inniss, who was arrested on US soil back in 2018, was found guilty by a jury two years later of two counts of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
      The indictment against Innes, 66, and Tasker, 61, a former vice-president of ICBL, claims that as part of ICBL’s executive team, they agreed to pay bribes to Inniss who, in return, agreed to use his official position as Minister of Industry and Commerce to cause the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC) to renew insurance contracts with ICBL, as part of a fraudulent scheme.
      The indictment charged that the money was funnelled through an American bank account in the name of a New York dental company
      disguised as “consulting” fees.
      The 2015 contract required the BIDC to pay a premium of approximately BDS$661 469.30 to ICBL and in return Innes and Tasker agreed to pay a bribe of about $16 536.73, the documents said.
      Last Thursday, Tasker, who was ordered extradited last year, lost his bid to have the Court of Appeal overturn the extradition.
      Matters to CCJ
      However, his attorney, Senior Counsel Andrew Pilgrim, has served notice that he will be taking the matter to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
      Pilgrim has 14 days in which to do so and, in that time, the Court of Appeal has placed a stay on Tasker, who resides at Leadvale, Christ Church, being surrendered into custody pending his extradition.
      Pilgrim told the court: “We will want to seek leave to challenge this decision and we will want the order (for Tasker’s surrender) to be stayed.”
      The court then ruled that the order for committal by the presiding magistrate on September 8, 2021, is further stayed for 14 days pending the filing of an appeal to the CCJ by the appellant. The terms of the appellant’s bail continue until further ordered.
      Tasker remains on $200 000 bail, his passport remains in the custody of the court and he will continue to report to the Glebe Police Station.

      Source: Nation


    • CCJ paves way for Alex Tasker to be extradited to the US

      Article by Emmanuel Joseph
      Published on
      July 31, 2023

      The Caribbean Court of Justice has cleared the way for former executive of the Insurance Corporation of Barbados (ICBL) Alex Tasker to be extradited to the United States to face money laundering and conspiracy to launder money charges.
      This country’s highest court of appeal today rejected Tasker’s application for special leave to challenge the September 2021 order of Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes that he be surrendered to the US authorities.
      The CCJ panel of justices ruled that Tasker’s application for special leave to appeal the magistrate’s court decision did not meet the necessary requirements and so it was dismissed.
      ( more details to come)

      Source: Barbados Today


    • Hants
      Read May 4 post
      Unable to be heard on medical grounds.
      She will get the requisite doctors letters indefinitely. Called the fine art of delay.
      But remember, in Canada, extradition requires Ministerial approval. With the new justice Minister, she has the best chance yet, of it being denied should she be found eligible for extradition.

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