est. 2007

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Plant food instead of houses

It is the start of the hurricane and there has been the usual awareness talk to remind Barbadians to install roof straps, ensure adequate insurance coverage, know where hurricane shelters are located etc. It was last year a freak storm with the name Elsa wreak havoc on the housing stock in Barbados. The destructions caused…

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Dwight Sutherland, Minister of Housing
Indar Weir, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security

It is the start of the hurricane and there has been the usual awareness talk to remind Barbadians to install roof straps, ensure adequate insurance coverage, know where hurricane shelters are located etc.

It was last year a freak storm with the name Elsa wreak havoc on the housing stock in Barbados. The destructions caused the then Minister of Housing William Duguid to order hundreds of steel framed houses from China at a declared cost of 28 million dollars. It is not surprising that one year later only a handful of the houses have been assembled. A national disgrace with nobody held to account by Prime Minister Mottley. We remain ignorant about the role of EWBSB in the procurement of the steel houses. No wonder successive governments have made it a priority to hoodwink the electorate on the enactment of transparency legislation in the form of integrity and freedom of information laws.

For political expediency we continue to move full pelt ‘planting’ houses here there and everywhere on a tiny island with little overall development planning. The current minister of housing has promised to build 10, 000 houses in ten years. One does not have to imagine what our pristine fields and hills will be transformed to when these opportunistic current day politicians foist a vacuous brand of policymaking on the country.

Instead of planting houses, why not plant a food forest?

Thanks for the link Bentley – Blogmaster

131 responses to “Plant food instead of houses”

  1. Don't Play That Song (The Chokin' Kind) Avatar
    Don’t Play That Song (The Chokin’ Kind)

    “We live in a world where people make healthy profits from selling bottled water, potatoes, music…”

    People and cultures adopt and adapt to improve concepts ideas and practices in various modalities and dance moves

  2. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Frank
    Thank you.
    You have clearly explained Bushie’s point, …that these former asset managers NEVER considered themselves to be part of the BARBADIAN experience, and to be holding these assets IN TRUST FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS of Bajans….

    These assets were seen as THEIR PERSONAL ASSETS…. to be bequeathed – NOT to the most competent to ensure continued societal success and development, but to whom they choose, and who share their selfish attitude.

    In fact, in an UPRIGHT society, the rich and powerful are merely those who, having been blessed with much, OWE ‘much much’ to that general society in the way of looking after the ongoing DEVELOPMENT of that society…particularly the poor and powerless.

    As you obviously see, selfishness and greed are attributes that are diametrically opposite to the characteristics of a righteous society….

  3. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Kiki
    Fortunately for you, music is not your day job…. else you would be scrunting..
    LOL
    ha ha

  4. Yolande Grant - African Online Publishing Copyright (c) 2023. All Rights Reserved. Avatar
    Yolande Grant – African Online Publishing Copyright (c) 2023. All Rights Reserved.

    Repeating for emphasis..if you know personally any of these locals, they tell you the truth….much of the antiblack policies are set by black faces you voted into the parliament…they NEVER wanted to see African descents with anything and will sellout till their last breath…so buckle up once you continue voting in the takataka…

    Both the local shadow criminal element and them..believe themselves slave masters with an island full of slaves they own…it’s a hundred year old delusion and philosophy by Slaves… they convinced and deluded themselves into believing is REAL…..again…they are mere EMPLOYEES of the people they slick talk lie to and trick …vote beggars, the only way they can make it into parliament, to access Empire…..and the billions they all divert.

    Certain people must be weary of hearing me say…that is what you get when you hand over the slave system to Slaves to manage who are overly obsessed with delusions of grandeur, generationally, based entirely, not on ancestral intelligence or skillsets, but only on an 11 plus slave test, all ya will ever get is dishonesty, disloyalty and betrayals…hence the reason they are now in a LONG DROP SPIRAL…

    Am sure they will avoid such a dangerous error in the future. ..such mistakes should never be repeated in any century.

  5. 555Boss Avatar
    555Boss

    Im going to sock it to you
    Heavy heavy
    Great Gu Ga Mu Ga
    Im going to bust your mind
    The Boss – (Great Gu Ga Mu Ga)

  6. Black Man’s Train Avatar
    Black Man’s Train

    Instrumental chestnuts for Im & David
    Final song for 6/6/2023 is a tune from obscure singer Lloyd Williams, whose soul-inflected vocal graces the Wailing Souls’ “Back Out With It” riddim, played by the Sound Dimension with the great Ernest Ranglin on guitar.

  7. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Anybody who deifies the ancestors of others and sees god as White is the best of slaves.

  8. Frank Avatar
    Frank

    You now confriming and admitting that those assets are their PERSONAL ASSETS and they could do whatever they like with them. People go into business to make money. Societal development is the government job.

  9. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    An eponymy is the need to believe in something which can’t by proven, is not real. A clear sign of madness.

  10. Credulous Avatar
    Credulous

    What is the word for believing in something without evidence?
    Credulous comes from the 16th-century Latin credulus, or “easily believes.” A synonym for credulous is gullible, and both terms describe a person who accepts something willingly without a lot of supporting facts.

  11. John Avatar
    John

    Q: Why do you think the GOB is begging for money to help householders with water storage?

    A: Because there is not enough water to go around and supply householders 24/7.

    Everybody will suffer, some more than others as water is shunted from one reservoir to another.

    It is the GOB’s faulty strategic decisions to blow the last available reserves on golf courses and high end tourism that demands irrigation to keep grounds lush and green.

    Gov’t approaches IDB to boost access to water tanks
    Government is seeking assistance from the private sector arm of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group to increase the water storage capacity of Barbadian households.
    Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced to the national stakeholder consultation on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals on Monday evening that she had approached the multilateral investment institution for funding assistance for water storage tanks.
    “This morning, we met with IDB Invest and we discussed with them a commitment and said to them ‘either you can or you can’t because this train is moving’, and that is, that the [Barbados] Water Authority needs to have a revolving fund to allow Barbadians to purchase water tanks,” she told those in attendance at the consultation at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.
    Mottley also encouraged Barbadians to purchase their own water storage and water saving devices.
    “Those who can afford to do so on your own, you will be negligent and you will be doing yourself a disservice by not having the appropriate water-saving devices in your bathrooms and in your kitchens, and not ensuring that you buy the water tanks that are necessary to get you through, and changing the behaviour of the families in order to do so. These things are part and parcel of what the maintenance and pursuit of the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] should look like,” she said.
    The Prime Minister made the comments moments after highlighting the significant reduction in the rainfall average over the last five months compared to the same period in previous years.
    (JB)

  12. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @frank
    You now confriming and admitting that those assets are their PERSONAL ASSETS and they could do whatever they like with them
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Of course Bushie admits it…It is what is WRONG with our world.

    Just as you must admit that this ATTITUDE that we have adopted as a people, is the root of our obvious demise.

    Can you visualize a Barbados where such assets were seen as COMMUNITY ASSETS, under the management of our best talents, but working to the benefit of every last one of us -in proportion to our contributions?

    Bushie can….

    On the other hand, what did it profit these ‘asset owners’ to have gained the whole country? only to see us ALL now headed for duck’s guts?
    …with foreign owners imposing their alien philosophies on our children in preparation for their future fate…

  13. GP Avatar
    GP

    that these former asset managers NEVER considered themselves to be part of the BARBADIAN experience, and to be holding these assets IN TRUST FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS of Bajans….

    WHO SHOULD DECIDE WHAT TOM DICK OR HARRY — WHETHER WHITE OR BLACK – SHOULD DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THE ASSETS THAT THEY HAVE EARNED BY DINT OF HARDWORK?

    WHERE DOES IT SAY IN EITHER THE LAW OF THE LAND OR THE LAW OF GOD THAT ASSETS SHOULD BE HELD IN TRUST FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS of Bajans?….

    These assets were seen as THEIR PERSONAL ASSETS…. to be bequeathed – NOT to the most competent to ensure continued societal success and development, but to whom they choose, and who share their selfish attitude.

    WHO DECIDES TO WHOM WHO ANYONE’S PERSONAL ASSETS…SHOULD BE bequeathed ?

    TO WHOM HAVE YOU BEQUEATHED YOUR PERSONALL ASSETS?
    A BESSEMER CONVERTER OR A BIODIGSTER.

    WERE NOT ASSETS SOLD BY OUR MELANOTIC LEADERSHIP THAT WAS NOT THIERS TO SELL ? SO WHY SHOULD THOSE WHO HAD ASSETS FOR WHICH THEY HAD WORKED BEQUEATHED IT TO THE STATE, JUST BECAUSE SOME BULL SHIITER ON BU DECIDES TO EFFLUX VIA THEIR BETZ CELLS THAT HAVE UNDERGONE METAPLASIA TO COLUMNAR EPITHELIUM ?

    In fact, in an UPRIGHT society, the rich and powerful are merely those who, having been blessed with much

    WHERE ON EARTH IS THERE SUCH A SOCIETY?
    WHEN HAS THERE BE SUCH A SOCIETY EXCEPT IN THE IMMINENT MELENNIAL ADMINISTRATION OFTHE LORD JESUS?

    As you obviously see, selfishness and greed are attributes that are diametrically opposite to the characteristics of a righteous society….REALLY?

    HOW DO A PEOPLE BECOME RIGHTEOUS?
    HOW MANY IN THE SOCIETY ARE SEEKINGTO BE RIGHTEOUS

    WHO CONFERS PERSONS TO BE RIGHTEOUS?

    THE SONGWRITER PENNED THUS=>

    Round the altar priests confess,
    if their robes are white as snow,
    ’twas the Saviour’s righteousness,
    and his blood, that made them so.

    BU IS A PLACE FOR HILARITY

  14. Redguard Avatar
    Redguard

    Politicians will always get more bang for their buck from building houses. Money for the lawyers and contractors (kickbacks and a chance to get invited to a plantation house and schmooze) and houses and jobs for citizens (votes and single mothers in your debt).
    As with most things, the market will correct itself.
    The Gen Zs and eventually Alpha have little to no interest in owning houses, they are content with turning their bedrooms into their sanctuary. And as John mentioned due to the low birth rate they have at most one sibling to share with. Why expense yourself when all you need to do is wait for parents to die

  15. Crabby Yars Avatar
    Crabby Yars

    @ Doctor PG
    Mother Earth has used a big word
    Perhaps you should google it

  16. Crab Yars Avatar
    Crab Yars

    “An eponymy is the need to believe in something which can’t by proven, is not real. A clear sign of madness.”

    That sounds like an epiphany
    Eponym – – Poem Analysis
    iGoogle

  17. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Food for thought

  18. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    000
    It appears as if youtube is refusing to show your videos.
    There is a God.

  19. John Avatar
    John

    “Those who can afford to do so on your own, you will be negligent and you will be doing yourself a disservice by not having the appropriate water-saving devices in your bathrooms and in your kitchens, and not ensuring that you buy the water tanks that are necessary to get you through, and changing the behaviour of the families in order to do so. These things are part and parcel of what the maintenance and pursuit of the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] should look like,” she said.

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

    Can you imagine that after the GOB has caused the problems with water through its lack of strategic foresight, it now berates Bajans for not solving those problems for themselves?

    What a hell of a thing!!

    .. and we know we will be told they are a caring Government.

  20. John Avatar
    John

    El Nino and its projected droughts should really highlight just how negligent the GOB has been in its stewardship of our limited water resources.

  21. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    It should not require El Nino to highlight GOB negligence with water management.
    The fact that we have effectively taken Bajans back to the days of our grand parents of stand pipes (now community tanks) and water trucks filling buckets and bottles should have been Enuff…. and all this AFTER wasting hundreds of millions of borrowed dollars on ill-conceived projects – most of which were designed to put money into special pockets – where scraps may have fallen to serve various political ends.

    We have also continued to mindlessly build massive water consuming projects as if water is a limitless commodity.

    The sewerage management situation is particularly idiotic, where for years now, we are pumping – not only raw sewage, but millions of gallons of water into the sea – with obvious impact on the remaining water table.
    To date, no coherent solution to this dilemma appears to be up for discussion.

    Where there is no vision, brass bowls will see Hell, and perhaps El Nino may be the door that opens to that vista….

  22. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    Annually we have this debate about water resource management. These are some of the structural problems we need to prioritize.

  23. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Annually we have this debate about water resource management.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    …and NEVER do we hear of any sensible solutions.
    What doesTHAT tell us…?

  24. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Read if you wish.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/06/06/bangladesh-introduces-fiscal-breaks-for-solar-powered-water-desalination/

  25. John Avatar
    John

    Bush Tea on June 7, 2023 at 10:01 AM said:
    Rate This

    Annually we have this debate about water resource management.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    …and NEVER do we hear of any sensible solutions.
    What doesTHAT tell us…?

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

    Sensible solutions come from sensible people!!

    Meanwhile the boyz and girlz got to eat!!

    https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/crime-pays/article_db1edaa6-0409-11ee-b439-23f4f0959aff.html

  26. David Avatar
    David

    @Enuff

    In today’s BT.

    Country view

    SYMMONDS CALLS FOR MORE FOCUS ON DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS
    By Jenique Belgrave
    Senior Minister Kerrie Symmonds believes Barbados is “shooting itself in the foot” in the tourism industry by not focusing more on developing the rural corridor.
    Speaking in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, he expressed concern over the state of the roads in rural areas, saying the situation was resulting in tourists missing out on many aspects of the country.
    “It is a fact that one of the hardest places to reach in Barbados coming from any angle is Harrison’s Cave; yet, curiously, Harrison’s Cave is that which we want all visitors to this country to experience. It is a fact that they are tour bus companies that have refused to take tours through parts of rural Barbados. That has impacted not only St Thomas, but also the constituency of St John, and particularly in the area of Bath,” Simmons pointed out.
    He said the situation was a direct result of the island focusing heavily on maintaining the urban corridor to the detriment of the rural areas, and he called for a serious national discourse on the need to restrategise developmental planning.
    Symmonds was speaking during the debate of a resolution to compulsorily acquire land at Harrison Plantation, St Lucy for the construction of a dental school.
    He noted that the commercial development base must be widened to include rural Barbados in order to provide a more balanced opportunity to allow the island’s poorer persons to progress.
    In addition, the MP for St James Central said services must take place in rural Barbados in an equitable manner.
    “It is not a good enough thing in 2023 that if you take sick a night, that you have to find your way all down to Bridgetown in order to find adequate levels of health care. It is essential that the people of St Lucy do not have to take two to three buses in order to get their little children to go to school when the day comes. These are the developmental issues that we must talk about when we are talking about the provision of services in the north,” he added.
    Symmonds also expressed concern about locals being crowded out in some areas, especially beaches.
    Referring to an occasion in which he intervened in a tense encounter involving a local wanting to rent a beach chair, the provider and a visitor, he said the Barbadian’s concern that the rental of the chairs should not be prioritised for visitors was a “legitimate” one.
    “We have not yet gotten to the point where this has become a major humbug in Barbados, but I caution it has become a major humbug in Barcelona, it has become a major humbug all through Italy, it has become a major humbug in many parts of the Mediterranean.
    “Barbados has to start thinking in terms of spatial balance. How do we move the large amounts of tourists we attract to this island across this island for equitable opportunities commercially so that our people, wherever they are, wherever their businesses are, can access the tourist dollar; and, equally, how we remove the pressure, ecologically in terms of our marine space, ecologically in terms of our beaches and the space to accommodate them,” he stressed. jeniquebelgrave@barbadostoday.bb

  27. John Avatar
    John

    You see what I mean by sensible people?

    Barbados is a 2×4 island that has been overdeveloped with nary a thought as to its heritage and the tourist $$ it can attract.

  28. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    David

    What’s your point?

  29. David Avatar
    David

    @Enuff

    Even Kerri Symmonds has concerns about planning of our physical space.

  30. David Avatar
    David

    Three years later…

    Chinese houses back on stream
    By Colville Mounsey
    colvillemounsey@nationnews.com
    The kinks which stood in the way of construction of housing solutions out of China, have now been ironed out, says Minister of Housing Dwight Sutherland.
    He said yesterday the agreement with East-West Solutions (Barbados) Inc. for steel-framed houses is on course to be fulfilled by the end of this financial year. This completion date overshoots the initial expected construction timeframe by close to three years.
    Sutherland told the Sunday Sun that some of the completed houses had already been allocated to those who were victims of Hurricane Elsa, two years ago. In April, he informed the country the project had encountered some challenges in that while the 150 houses had arrived, the labour to accompany them did not, as some people did not receive work permits. Yesterday, Sutherland revealed that 50 per cent of the units had now been completed, with work moving ahead on the others. He added that those at Haggatt Hall, St Michael, were ready but only awaiting completion of access roads. “What I can say is that we are indeed making progress. If you look at Haggatt Hall you will see the 12 units or three quads that have been completed and we are now putting in the roadworks. In fact, we have a number of them finished – we catered for 150 houses and we have completed 75 of them. The process has been slow with the technical challenges with regards to the know-how, but we intend to have the 150 houses completed this financial year,” he said.
    The minister said construction at Whitepark Road, St Michael, which had been stalled, had resumed.
    “We are also building 38 of these homes at Bullens in St James, and we have some going up at Whitepark Road also but those were stalled because of the one or two technical challenges that we were ironing out, but we should see those finishing by Christmas.”
    Sutherland said some would also be sold to low and middle-income Barbadians.
    “Some of the houses have already been allocated. I don’t have the numbers at present, but the single units have already been allocated. Once we complete
    the roadwork at Haggatt Hall you will see 12 persons going into those.
    “Some of the houses have already gone to Hurricane Elsa victims and others will be sold. What I can say to you is that we have categorised these houses for persons earning less than $2 500 and those families with net incomes between $3 000 and $5 000 per month,” he said.
    On August 10, 2021, the ministry signed an agreement with East-West Solutions (Barbados) Inc. for that company to import 74 single-unit houses, nine quads (36 housing units) and 20 duplexes (40 units) on an emergency basis, as a result of the destruction caused by Elsa.
    The houses, which include solar photovoltaic panels, were initially to be shipped from September 2021, and delivered and installed by December 31 of that same year. This was to be done at a cost of $22.6 million. This was seen as a competitive and affordable housing solution which could respond to the need for urgent housing in a quick turnaround period.

    Source: Nation

  31. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    “If you look at Haggatt Hall you will see the 12 units or three quads that have been completed and we are now putting in the roadworks”

    I thought one of the first thing you did was to put in the roadwork and make certain each house has access to waste disposal, a water supply and electricity.

    How were they able to access the site without roadworks? Geniasses, please don’t tell me the meanings of roadworks..

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