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Time to hold former NIS Chairs Accountable

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Submitted as a comment by NorthernObserver

Under its economic reform programme and arrangement with the International Monetary Fund, Government has committed to submitting NIS financial statements for the period 2010 to 2021 for audit by the Auditor General by March next year – Nation

Nation Newspaper
Johnny Cheltenham
Sir Richard Cheltenham, Q.C.: 2005 to 2008
Jepter Innce - former Senator
Mr. Jepter Ince: 2008 to 2009
Sandra Forde - former General Manager Transport Board
Ms. Sandra Forde: 2009 to 2010
Tony Marshall - Former President of Barbados Cricket Association
Mr. Keith “Tony” Marshall: 2010 to 2011
Justin Robinson, UWI
Dr. Justin Robinson: 2011 to 2018
Minister of Tourism
Mr. Ian Gooding-Edghill, M.P.: 2018 to 2020
Leslie Hayne - lawyer
Mr. Leslie Haynes, Q.C.: 2020 to Present

This is the date by which a new entity must be up and operational, to avoid sending anything to the AudGen.

If the BTMI is any example, anything issued will be “unqualified”, meaning auditors have deemed the information incomplete, and hence cannot ‘qualify’ (have any minimum level of confidence in) their report.

BUT, the editor who penned for the Nation needs to also know, what the Act governing the NIS says.

33.(1) The Board shall
(a) in each year prepare a report on its activities in its last preceding year and shall furnish such report to the Minister no later than the thirtieth day of June

(b) submit to the Minister every account, certified by the Auditor-General pursuant to Section 30, together with the report of the Auditor-General thereon, within one month of certification; and

(c) submit annually to the Minister an account of the securities in which moneys forming part of the Fund are for the time being invested

(2) The Minister shall cause a copy of every report of account submitted to him pursuant to the Section to be laid on the table before both Houses.

Hence, there has never been any reason why audited (or otherwise) financials have delayed (a) and (c), albeit, without detailed specificity, the investments of the NIS funds have appeared on their website(s) from time to time (as reported by the NIS)

The Editor needs to contact those various Board Chairs from 2006 on, and seek explanation on 33(a). Did they submit such to the Minister? If they did not, why not? And if they did, we now have a legal issue (failure to comply with the Act) as to why such reports were not ‘laid on the table before both Houses’ by the Minister receiving them.

Sir Richard Cheltenham, Q.C.: 2005 to 2008
Mr. Jepter Ince: 2008 to 2009
Ms. Sandra Forde: 2009 to 2010
Mr. Keith “Tony” Marshall: 2010 to 2011
Dr. Justin Robinson: 2011 to 2018
Mr. Ian Gooding-Edghill, M.P.: 2018 to 2020
Mr. Leslie Haynes, Q.C.: 2020 to Present

NIS-Pension-Reform-2022-NISDownload

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190 responses to “Time to hold former NIS Chairs Accountable”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    The three Bills before the Senate tomorrow.

    Integrity in Public Life Bill, 2023
    National Insurance and Social

    Security (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (as amended)

    Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 2023

    https://www.barbadosparliament.com/

  2. David Avatar
    David

    Americans are pulling from their 401(k) accounts at an alarming rate.

    https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/08/economy/401k-hardship-withdrawals

  3. David Avatar
    David

    A question for the BU intelligentsia- if the 1 billion that washed away in 2018 was repaid would it have helped with reform measures being contemplated?

  4. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    See no evil; and speak no evil. Is it really possible that seven eminent black NSI chairs would not have been aware that a huge swathe of NIS funds was looted under their watch. Were they asleep at the sleep, intoxicated, medically unfit, mentally unstable or totally incompetent.

    They need to step out of the shadows and give a full account of the period that they spent in office. It’s time for this government to recover the people’s monies.

  5. Bajan Eagle Avatar
    Bajan Eagle

    Why hold them accountable. The Minister in Government overrides the board. They are no more than rubber stampers.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    If they are rubber stampers why accept a job that stands to tarnish ones reputation and forces compromise on integrity.

  7. Hopi Avatar
    Hopi

    Spit in the sky watch it fall in your eye. Not a damn thing will be done to hold past and present accountable. That’s the nature of a Prideful, Pretentious, Barbados Society. Crooks in the middle protect Criminals at the top. Wish I was in a legislative position. I’d bust caps and split wigs. Straighten that whole mess out. Not hard at all. Not hard at all. No winded- Parler. No wasting time on Commissions. If you want a better and more righteous society, start from the ground up. Start with the CHILDREN.

  8. John A Avatar
    John A

    David dont mind all the smoke and mirrors 2 things basically catspraddled the NIS.

    One was the billion dollar restructuring write off, resulting in an annual lost of revenue of roughly $60 million dollars to the NIS.

    Secondly was the reduction in interest on the balance of paper sinkyuh forced on the NIS from 6% to little over 1%, resulting in another loss in annual revenue of roughly $55 million dollars to the NIS.

    So in total the restructuring exercise cost the fund rougly $100 million dollars in annual revenue. So yes one way or the other that is the gap they are trying to close.

  9. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    You do acknowledge notwithstanding your last comment that most recent actuarial reviews pointed to diminishing reserves prior to 2018?

  10. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Agree with you that the former NIS chairmen/women need to give an account of tenures in office. The BoD of statutory organisations are usually subdivided into different committees, which are in turn chaired by other board members. For example, there may be a staff and finance committee, or, in the case of NIS, an investment committee that approves any proposed investments to be undertaken by the Fund. So, ‘government,’ through the MoF, deciding to take $5M from NIS to build houses, has to be approved by the chairman of the authorising committee. Simply protocol or ‘rubber stamping’ minister’s decision. The appointed chairman of the board will be aware of those developments. But, bear in mind, ministers usually choose their mates or a prominent member of ruling political party. Things ‘gine only come out, when the guys and the party get ‘way.’ (Patrick King vs DLP and BLP, for example). Otherwise, as long as the ‘going is good,’ loyalty to the political buys silence.

  11. David Avatar
    David

    @Artax

    How about an Audit Committee?

  12. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David

    The fall in reserves is a result of investments not obtaining decent returns like the grotto and others. If you have an independant valuation of their real estate assetts you will realise their rental return does not equate to a decent return on investment. The NIS also does not have any great record in persuing receivables or policing those that evade the fund.

    For instance why is the NIS not tied to your Tamis number? Start there.

  13. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David

    The fund may of needed a few small adjustments like doing away with non contributory pensions and transferring them to the consolidated fun, but had we not of written off 1 billion and slashed the interest on the rest, the draconian suggestions being made would be unnecessary.

  14. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    David, board members aren’t anything other than ‘rubber stampers.’ They are chosen from amongst the party faithful and the ministers’ constituents. I remember the days when Tony Marshall was a ‘Brass Tacks moderator, ’nuff, nuff information used to fall off trucks or he would over hear de school children talking. After the January 2008 general elections, enclosed trucks were purchased and de school children took a different route.’ Marshall, Sandra, ‘Physical Deficit,’ Johnny and Gooding will be very careful not to say anything that may discredit their respective political parties, while Justin now resides in Antigua.

  15. David Avatar
    David

    @Artax

    Agree BUT isn’t the NIS Board required to have representation from union, Labour department, Private sector etc?

  16. John2 Avatar
    John2

    If if if
    So IF we didn’t do the debt restructuring where would we be today? NIS richer but the bd$ worth …..?

  17. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    For the record the write off was $1.32B. I know what is $320M amongst friends.
    Was a GoB that was taking public employee contributions actually servicing the GoB Bonds and TBills? You don’t know.
    Were they paying rent in NIS owned properties? You don’t know
    What was the performance of other NIS Investments? You don’t know.
    So to make your conclusion is a r-e-a-c-h. We don’t have the relevant information. Plus I guarantee IF lost fixed income revenue was all, we would have seen Reports, nah big ting, we already know bout dat?

  18. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    That is true, David. Representing the unions, you may see Walter Maloney or Toni Moore or Mary Redman…. but, certainly not Caswell Franklyn. Remember, the Labour Department is government…. and civil servants usually ‘tow the line.’

  19. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    And, David, have you noticed those persons who represent the private sector relative to ‘government,’ usually speak in a manner that supports or not to offend the ‘party in power?’

  20. John Avatar
    John

    Have you seen this RICO case in Miami?

    I heard about it so went to the filing source to see if it really existed.

    Sam, cow and de duppy getting sue, from Ms. Mockley back down.

    Four pages of lawyers getting sued as part of a Racketeering .

    Reckon the lawyers being sued and see if get 93 or 97, the two numbers I heard.

    https://imgur.com/a/RSyWEHb

  21. John Avatar
    John

    Wiki says RICO is this.

    The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization.

    RICO was enacted by section 901(a) of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91–452, 84 Stat. 922, enacted October 15, 1970) and is codified at 18 U.S.C. ch. 96 as 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961–1968. G. Robert Blakey, an adviser to the United States Senate Government Operations Committee, drafted the law under the close supervision of the committee’s chairman, Senator John McClellan. It was enacted as Title IX of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, and signed into law by US President Richard Nixon. While its original use in the 1970s was to prosecute the Mafia as well as others who were actively engaged in organized crime, its later application has been more widespread.

    Beginning in 1972, thirty-three states have adopted state RICO laws to be able to prosecute similar conduct.

  22. John Avatar
    John

    Two of the NIS chairmen above getting sued.

    The last three Chief Justices.

    Judges.

    Nuff lawyers

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

    Estates can still get attached to the filing…or a new filing just fuh dem…nuff teefs alive and gone…they got Sam and the duppy all they need is cow….there are at least 2 deceased PMs on the list..

  24. David Avatar
    David

    https://barbadosunderground.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/NIS-Pension-Reform-2022-NIS.pdf

  25. David Avatar
    David

    NIS to invest US$40m overseas
    by SHAWN CUMBERBATCH shawncumberbatch@nationnews.com

    THE NATIONAL INSURANCE SCHEME (NIS) will be investing US$40 million overseas, having been given Central Bank of Barbados permission to acquire the foreign currency to do so.
    This effort to diversify the social security institution’s investment portfolio follows new National Insurance Board (NIB) recommendations that NIS assets “should not be overly invested in any one country, region or currency [and] investments should be adequately diversified and driven by professional investment managers”.
    The advice is included in the 23-page NIB Principal Recommendations For The Revitalisation Of The National Insurance Scheme.
    NIS announced yesterday that the Central Bank gave it the green light to acquire US$40 million to invest in international markets on a phased basis.
    Noting that the NIS currently had 80 per cent of its investments locally, officials said the organisation would now be able to “boost its portfolio diversification through access to international markets”.
    NIS deputy chair Rawdon Adams said: “We all know the adage ‘don’t put all your eggs in one basket’. This new capacity lets the NIS better follow that advice and creates the potential to achieve a 15 percentage point diversification in the currency, country and asset class allocation of the National Insurance Fund (NIF) over 12 to 15 years.
    “This will significantly enhance the Fund’s risk management and earnings capacity to the benefit of our entire social security system.”
    The NIS said the move to diversify its investment portfolio “implements an important recommendation of the Revitalisation Reforms for the NIS announced on July 28, 2023, and strengthens the Fund’s capacity to target portfolio management best practice.
    “The foreign exchange acquisition is subject to repatriation with six months’ notice in times of national economic need, a condition of long standing in the [Central Bank’s foreign exchange management tool kit for funds invested abroad. The NIS will seek annual renewal of the arrangement,” it added.
    The report on the NIS revitalisation outlined that during consultations with Barbadians indications were that “a transparent investment policy should be agreed and published to ensure that no party, including Government, is able to invest NIF funds in a way that threatens the Fund’s sustainability”.
    The NIB said in the document that “a fundamental challenge to the NIF portfolio is how to diversify in a jurisdiction with capital controls – Barbados”.
    “This constraint has led to very significant portfolio concentrations in a single currency, a single country and a single bond issuer. The debt restructuring of 2018 exposed the risk this created,” it explained.
    “Therefore, exploring all avenues of potential diversification is a priority. This must include discussion with the Central Bank of Barbados. The results
    of these efforts will require a review of the current Investment Policy Statement which is being breached in several respects because of this lack of diversification.”
    The NIB added that “public perceptions concerning the historic management of the portfolio create an opportunity for the NIS to allay these by sharing data and being more open with its investment process and performance”.
    In an effort to improve the NIS’ governance in the context of investment policy, the NIB recommended the following reforms.
    • Develop collaborative arrangements with regional national insurance and social security organisations, and others, to identify options for NIF diversification (for example asset swaps and pooled investments through master trust structures).
    • Establish an agreed programme of foreign exchange purchases with the Central Bank of Barbados to increase overseas investments.
    • The NIF remains subject to the Ministerial investmentrelated directions of section 101 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2019 but with the added safeguard that any instructions be written and gazetted.
    • Professional investment managers will drive the investment process independently with the board’s role covering (i) oversight of performance, (ii) verification that its investment mandate is followed, and (iii) that the Investment Policy Statement is adhered to and periodically reviewed.
    • Implementation of a comprehensive set of portfolio reporting dashboards that include total returns data and risk-adjusted metrics allowing like-for-like comparisons of performance across asset classes.
    • Publication of a timeline for the implementation and execution of these reforms.
    • Publication of the Investment Policy Statement and any significant ongoing changes to it.
    • Publication of the NIF current and historical performance by asset class since the last 2003/2004 pension reform exercise.
    • Publication of all loans to and purchases of bonds from local and regional private and public sector entities since the last 2003/2004 pension reform exercise.
    • A return to the practice of publication of annual reports.
    Minister of Labour, Social Security and the Third Sector Colin Jordan said in a recent ministerial statement on NIS revitalisation that the NIF “is strong with assets of approximately $4 billion with average yields on investments of 4.3 per cent”.

    Source: Nation

  26. John Avatar
    John

    These are the plaintiffs

    Party Description
    Party Name
    Plaintiff
    MITCHELL, ALEX
    Plaintiff
    NURSE, JERRY
    Plaintiff
    HENRY, COLLEEN
    Plaintiff
    FORDE, ANTHONY
    Plaintiff
    SUZETTE, VALERIE
    Plaintiff
    MARIE, JEAN
    Plaintiff
    MARCUS, MICHAEL

  27. John Avatar
    John

    These are the defendants on the first page

    Defendant
    MOTTLEY, MIA AMOR
    Defendant
    CHELTENHAM, RICHARD
    Defendant
    CHELTENHAM, PATTERSON
    Defendant
    CUMBERBATCH, WAYNE
    Defendant
    THORNE, RALPH
    Defendant
    HELLMAN, RENALD
    Defendant
    MILLER, BILLIE
    Defendant
    FORDE, HENRY
    Defendant
    BRYCE, CHESLEY
    Defendant
    ESWITH, TYRONE
    Defendant
    BOLDEN, LINDSAY
    Defendant
    SHEPHERD, AUSTIN

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

    The spelling of the names already got corrected in the County Court’s database, making room for more names.

  29. John Avatar
    John

    These are the defendants on the second page.

    They even suing the President, or GG or whatever.

    David Commissiong de Caricom Ambassador and de wife,.

    A fellow called David King,

    Marsden Gibson, David Simmons, Patterson Cheltenham,

    David Thompson but he dead,

    Steward Mottley, and his old man Elliott Mottley and Mia Mottley.

    Frederick Smith, I don’t know if that is Sleepy but he long dead.

    Dale Marshall.

    Philip Nicholls, Ernest Jackman are in the news already.

    Defendant
    BARACE, PETA LESS
    Defendant
    MOTTLEY, STEWARD
    Defendant
    MASON, SANDRA
    Defendant
    GIBSON, MARSDEN
    Defendant
    MOTTLEY, ELLIOTT
    Defendant
    MAYERS, KEITH
    Defendant
    CUMMINS, SAMANTHA
    Defendant
    CUMMINS, MARK
    Defendant
    AGARD, DONNA BADD
    Defendant
    BLACKMAN, LENDA
    Defendant
    NICHOLS, PHILLIP
    Defendant
    SMITH, FREDERICK
    Defendant
    DANIIEL, DEREK
    Defendant
    COMMISSIONG, DAVID
    Defendant
    COMMISSIONG, SALLY
    Defendant
    PARRIS, SHARON
    Defendant
    BLACK, LEN DA
    Defendant
    BEST, CARLAN
    Defendant
    BYER, RICHARD
    Defendant
    BOYCE, CHEALSEA
    Defendant
    SUE, CHESTER
    Defendant
    THOMPSON, DAVID
    Defendant
    JESSEMY, IVAN
    Defendant
    CLARKE, G DENN IS
    Defendant
    BREWSTER, ANDREW
    Defendant
    CRISLOW, CARL
    Defendant
    SIMMONS, DAVID
    Defendant
    MARCHALL, DALE
    Defendant
    WILLIAMS, FLOYD
    Defendant
    GOLLOP, GAIL
    Defendant
    HINKSON, EDMUND
    Defendant
    SMITH, LLOYD
    Defendant
    BAIR, MURY
    Defendant
    HELLMACK, RONALD
    Defendant
    CUMMINGS, ADRIAN
    Defendant
    KING, DAVID
    Defendant
    JACKMAN, EARNEST

  30. John Avatar
    John

    These are the attorneys on the third page.

    Froon,

    Michael Carrington, Adriel Braithwaite the speaker of the House looks like and the former AG

    Lynette Eastmond

    Liz Thompson, Kerrie Symonds, Verla De Pieza, Lindsay Bolden, Wilfred Abrahams,

    Vonda Pile been in the news

    Cecil McCarthy

    Judges Marie MacCormack, Maureen Crane Scott, Christopher Blackman, Cicely Chase, Jacqueline Cornelius (Wife of Ralph Thorne)

    Altair Shepherd, Henry Forde

    Pamela Beckles

    Ronald Toppin de brother of the former MP

    Vernon Smith and the daughter?, Laurie Ann Smith-Bovell a former Registrar

    Defendant
    BENNETT, NIGEL
    Defendant
    PATTERSON, MARVIN
    Defendant
    KING, JENNIFER
    Defendant
    STUART, FREU N DEL
    Defendant
    EASTMOND, LYNETTE
    Defendant
    CARRINGTON, MICHAEL
    Defendant
    BRAITHWAITE, ADRIEL
    Defendant
    THOMPSON, LIZ
    Defendant
    PARRIS, SHARON
    Defendant
    PILE, VONDA
    Defendant
    BOLDEN, C LINDSAY
    Defendant
    ABRAHAMS, WILFRED
    Defendant
    DE PELIZA, VERIA
    Defendant
    PAYNE, GEREE
    Defendant
    SYMONDS, KERRIE
    Defendant
    HINKSON, EDMUND
    Defendant
    CORMACK, MARIE MAC
    Defendant
    SHEPERD, ALTAIR
    Defendant
    FORDE, MARK
    Defendant
    SCOTT, MAUREEN CRANE
    Defendant
    FORDE, HENRY
    Defendant
    SMALL, SUZANNE BARKER
    Defendant
    BECKLES, PAMELA
    Defendant
    BLACKMAN, CHRISTOPHER
    Defendant
    TOPPIN, RONALD
    Defendant
    HUTCHINSON, SINCLAIR
    Defendant
    DOUGLIN, DIANE
    Defendant
    WILLIAMS, FLOYD
    Defendant
    YOLANDA HINSON FOV, AVENEL
    Defendant
    SMITH BOVELL, LAURIE ANN
    Defendant
    CHASE, CICELY PATRICIA
    Defendant
    MANIBHAI PATEL, AMIT KUMAR
    Defendant
    DENNIS HEADLEY, IVAN HUGH WALTERS
    Defendant
    CORNELIUS, JACQUELINE
    Defendant
    SMITH, VERNION
    Defendant
    MCCARTHY, CECIL
    Defendant
    LASHLEY, STEVEN

  31. John Avatar
    John

    Last Page only got a few.

    Leslie Francis Haynes de Chairman of de NIS and former CLICO director

    Defendant
    HINDS, FIONA JENNIFER
    Defendant
    HOPE, CALVIN
    Defendant
    HAYNES, LESLIE FRANCIS
    Defendant
    HINKSON FORDE, AVENEL YOLANDA

  32. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    We owe a great debt to citizens such as Northern and Artax (never mind he is miserable as shiite at his old age) and a few others, for the level of EDUCATION that they bring to the blog, (and to the rest of the society – who never seem to miss a BU beat)

    Without the kind of research and analyses that some of your bloggers offer, ours would be a VERY DARK place indeed.

    Bushie understands the many ‘neigh sayers’ who can always be relied on to offer excuses and justification for the lotta shiite that is exposed.
    There are MANY of us who desire NO CHANGES to the brassbowlery, and whose ONLY wish is for the light being cast on the shit to be extinguished.

    Simple action is needed now… (Hopefully led by Caswell)
    Select the CURRENT chairman…

    Bring a court action against him and his Board members INDIVIDUALLY for mis-management of our pension funds…

    Aim for the CCJ…

    The FEW directors who sought to do the right things (but were outvoted) will quickly be identified, and…
    You will see how many rats will start abandoning shit….

  33. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    Absolutely. A good example that less is more.

    The blog has been about bringing actors together from diverse backgrounds, unfortunately some people do not understand the importance of bringing different perspectives under one roof so to speak to see what shakes out. The blogmaster is consoled by the fact no man made construct or construction is perfect.

    See there is a planned march for the weekend with that man Caswell a part. Enjoy the debate today.

  34. John Avatar
    John

    I reckon 90 defendants and 7 Plaintiffs.

    Alex Mitchell would be Violet Beckles so that complaint will stretch back a ways, maybe that is why the list got in dead lawyers.

    Jerry Nurse I know.

    His complaint goes back to the 60’s.

    Court took him through hell over his father’s land. I recognise some of the lawyers on the list associated with his case, judges too Chris Blackman, Marie MacCormack, Marsden Gibson. at least

    I don’t know much of the rest of plaintiffs.

    Never heard of Michael Marcus.

    Colleen Henry … surname rings a bell.

    Valerie Suzette and Jean Marie both ring bells.

  35. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Northern

    Yes you are correct they are so many other reasons for the poor performance of the fund, like their imvestments in Four Seasons and the list goes on and on. Point is in the absence of audited finacials we can only pick at the pieces we know and guess at what we dont.

    I still maintain had it been properly run and had sinkyuh not used it as his xerox machine and this government not wrote of what was not theirs, there would be no need for what is now being suggested.

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

    This level of exposure is very unattractive to employers, including taxpayers…and for which there is NO recovery….any observer wiith 2 working braincells will arrive at the same conclusion.

    Lawsuits are in the air….let me see them pushing any reparations shite….there will be another lawsuit and a next and a next….by those who actually want positive change..

    Just bear in mind this particular suit was filed by Alex, he had very little support and encountered tons of unwarranted ridicule for years by the supporters of the corrupt….

  37. John A Avatar
    John A

    @David

    As for holding the chair responsible that is a no go. The minister can as sinkyuh did, simply bulldoze pass the board. Until the fund is ring fenced with the appropriate laws to block political interference this could all happen again.

  38. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    Mango can’t make fig.

  39. John Avatar
    John

    Caswell got a lot of knowledge but no sense.

    He allowed the illusion of a parliament to appear in 2018 though it was a constitutional impossibility, by consenting to be an “opposition” senator appointed by Reverend Joe who claimed to be both representing the non-existent group in the House which opposed the Government to be formed and to be addressing the “absence of a presence”, presumably of such a group.

    Only in Barbados could that logic fly, the land beyond your imagination.

    Second time around no one could be found to play the role of opposition leader od an imaginary group but still they got enough foolish people in Barbados to allow themselves to be appointed opposition senators with a non-existent leader of the opposition to authenticate their position.

    Can’t say Caswell is responsible solely for the debacle that is Barbados, it took all 30 Members of the House of Assembly to pull that trick off.

    Now that sounds like a Racket to me and I wonder if one day soon we may see all 30, including the ones who had sense to run away this time, plus the senators of course, get added to the list of defendants.

    In which case Caswell’s name will be on the list.

    That’s why in my opinion he has no sense.

    He was willing to lie down with dogs.

  40. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    Imagine anybody giving an account of their stewardship fifteen years later. Very interesting.
    We can’t even get people to give an account of what they did yesterday.

  41. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    As earlier stated then the Chairs should have resigned.

  42. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    JohnA nobody is holding the Chair responsible for decisions they did not make or were beyond their control.
    All that is being asked is did they as Board Chair, submit the report as required by the laws governing the NIS. If not, why not. It is a perfectly reasonable question to ask of those entrusted with caring for our social security system.

    Don’t forget, the NIS is the tip of the iceberg. Very few of the “updated financials” promised have been forthcoming. I haven’t seen the QEH for example.

  43. John Avatar
    John

    David
    on August 9, 2023 at 8:05 AM said:
    Rate This

    @John A

    As earlier stated then the Chairs should have resigned.

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

    Silence denotes consent.

  44. David Avatar
    David

    @NO

    The irony is that we shouldn’t have to be asking which means the ask of them now is holding them accountable.

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

    Wiggle and pretend days are over..they are all under a microscope….from which none can escape.

  46. BushTea Avatar
    BushTea

    @ John A
    You are missing a CRITICAL point.
    The current fraudulent system is ONLY sustainable because most Bajans are resigned to your kind of thinking.

    ANY person who accepts a Board position as a rubber stamp for a minister, for a few dollars per month, DESERVES to have their donkey exposed for public abuse.

    Those appointments carry GREAT WEIGHT if exercised honestly. A chairman CAN officially report where his board has been OVERRULED by ministers; where they were frustrated in producing reports; and where they were not permitted to exercise their rightful duties….

    ELSE THEY SHOULD RESIGN AND SAY WHY PUBLICLY
    …or understand that they are being complicit with the jobby.

    Many a brass bowl SHOULD NOT accept these appointments in the first place – because they KNOW that they are not up to the task, and do NOT have the balls to do the right thing.

    Stop making lame excuses John A….

  47. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    Accepting one of those high profile appointments adds to status. It is more than money.

  48. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    William
    People CAN be MADE to give account for what they did 50 years ago…

    What we can’t seem to get, are persons with high enough INTEGRITY to demand such accountability.

  49. David Avatar
    David

    https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cvs3-oBNggV/

  50. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    A long overdue move.
    But the NIS will need more than $40M.

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