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Cost of BIMpay is not the public’s business

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The Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados Dr. Kevin Greenidge in response to a question from the press about the cost of the BIMpay project, shared that it is not taxpayers business.

Obviously the cost of a public project is a sensitive issue at this time given Barbados’ economic state. However, it does not change the fact that the Central Bank of Barbados is a public entity and the cost of BIMpay, a national payment system should not be a national secret. And to be blatantly dismissive of the routine inquiry about the project cost is symptomatic of how our governments- including heads of parastatal agencies, regard the public’s right to know. Is it any wonder governments up to now have refused to enact and operationalise a Freedom of Information Act?

Too besides, the suggestion that Barbadians should, “read our financial reports and you’ll see it embedded in there”, does not make sense because a balance sheet reflects a consolidated position of revenue and expense items. It is unlikely accurate costs related to BIMpay will be found on the Central Bank’s balance sheet when it is published.

Any administration that wants to nurture public trust should have no issue sharing the cost of a project partly funded by a parastatal agency. The Central Bank of Barbados earns its income from assets generated from government business, TAXPAYERS BUSINESS.

The Governor should watch his tone!

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30 responses to “Cost of BIMpay is not the public’s business”

  1. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    The Governor should watch his tone!
    ~~~~~~~~~
    Steupsss…
    Watch what tone what!!!

    Greenidge is right to treat us with the utter contempt that brass bowls DESERVE.
    Like his boss, he is insulted that mere BB sheeple would be brazen Enuff to question their spending of OUR money.

    The only difference is that, whereas his boss would have told us some lie about providing the report ‘at a later date’ – like after it was ‘approved by cabinet’ (ie never), he actually thinks that he has the right to be directly dismissive…

    The sad truth is that this is how wolves have ALWAYS treated sheep,
    …and it will never change until the shiite sheep become bushmen…
    …or until these jokers realize that they are really just shiite sheep
    – temporarily in wolves clothes…

    What a place!!

  2. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Have you considered that the public might have paid for it in the stead of private interests?

    All of these transactions will have costs. Small unit costs admittedly. However, with millions of these every month all of a sudden an extended millionaire class is created. Financialization!

    These apparently simple exclusions should never be read as merely bureaucratic mistakes, subject to freedom of information, but as constructs for thief resultant from the deployment of public resources.

    Is it still not time to have as the point of departure that this regime is a criminal enterprise?

  3. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Public trust? What is that? Does anybody cares about such, anywhere?

    And even if some were miraculously found, how then are we to think about the longer history of constant betrayals of trust in public life?

    The GoCB has already said that this project was initiated merely on a suggestion of the dictator. This is an equation of fear of and deferrence to a maximum leader.

    And like the proverbial supplicant, and weee stress ‘cant’, he saw it as an instruction, “knowing the PM’ as he said.

    This seems to have merely set up circumstances for deniability in a two-step dance. The slow of mind must wait for the next shoe to drop.

    This writer much prefers an indictment before the crime is committed.

  4. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    The cost doesn’t matter to me but he could have said ” it cost 166 million and I will provide details later”. buh doan mine me. I does just read BU because I have nothing better to do. lol

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2026/06/15/bimpay-moves-nearly-8m-in-first-weekend-despite-early-issues/

  5. John A Avatar
    John A

    Not the public Business!

    Boss man who you think paid for it but us? Any and everything cent that is spent in this island of public funds is MY dam business. Wunna like you forgetting its the taxpayers money that paid for it. Every state employee also is paid by the tax payer so don’t forget that either.

    So much for transparency and accountability. I guess after three 30 to 0 wins that went out the window too. Well well look at what I live to hear! Next the chairman of the NISSS will say don’t worry about audited financilas that ain’t wunna business. Tell me where does this new level of transparency extend to?

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    Do you agree BIMpay is a good thing for the country, having a ‘sovereign’ payments system?

  7. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    LOL @ David
    “a good thing for the country…”

    Skippa,
    Housing Every Last Person (HELP),
    HOPE,
    STEE(A)L housing
    Carifesta
    WE Gatherin ….
    Eddykashun reform… etc
    ALL these were ‘good things for the country…’

    Watch it Boss…
    There is a VERY thin line between optimism and gullibility.

    Fool Bushie once – shame on you
    Fool Bushie twice – shame on the bushman
    Shame Bushie thrice – Not for shiite skippa….!!

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    In defense of the Governor, he can only manage what he has responsibility for. Others responsible for Housing and the other muckups you mentioned should follow the Governor’s lead?

  9. David Avatar
    David

    It is unfortunate the matter of BIMpay implementation has now been overtaken by the misspeak from Governor Greenidge.

  10. John A Avatar
    John A

    @David

    Truth is I am not sure what Bimpay is doing for us that was not being done before. That then brings me to the next obvious question. What is the cost of Bimpay to set up? Secondly what will be the monthly running cost of Bimpay compared to the old cost of providing the same services before?

    We all know why Bimpay was set up and that is to track the movement of money from persons, so as to see who is making how much and for what. I have no problem with that either, as ALL should pay their share. Sadly the drug men deal in cash so dem aint in the Bimpay net. Who knows maybe eventually this will be linked to BRA in some form or fashion. My opinion on Bimpay I will hold for now though. I need to see how stable the platform is over the next six months before I will have an opinion one way or the other.

    I can’t say I am impressed though with the “mind wunna business” approach the Governor has shown. I can not say that it has spawned a feeling of warm inclusion in the bowels of my soul. Lol

  11. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    I pulled up my stumps a while back, have seen little to suggest it was a mistake. Then again I have options.

  12. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    LOL @ NO
    Boss, you didn’t pull up stumps, you just playing on a different wicket, with a different bounce.
    Admittedly, ours is a special kind of brass, but you better don’t get too comfortable up there yuh hear?!!

    We real BB ‘foolishly foolishy’…
    But up there where you are now batting … is overdue for some serious karmic corrective action…

    Looka, the pace up there may get so hot
    that your best option may be to come back…

    Bushie warned Hants and the Dribbler already…
    LOL ha ha ha
    Murduh!!

  13. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ David
    You gotta forgive Bushie.
    The bushman is a confirmed pessimist –
    especially when it comes to Greeks bearing gifts…

    Like albino-centrics offering vaccines to ‘safeguard’ the health of a black bushman…

    Or politicians going to great expense and lengths – to ensure that our payments are as smooth and seamless as possible…

    Imagine…
    …incompetents who – although granted as many hands as are possible, CANNOT MAKE ONE SHIITE WORK…
    – Not Health
    – Not Education
    – Not BWA
    – Not transport
    – Not Renewable energy
    – Not crime management or the court system
    – Not Education
    – Not constitution reform
    – Not solid or liquid waste management
    – Not even fixing pot holes

    BUT WHO CAN MIRACULOUSLY GET BIMPAY COORDINATED WITH ALL BANKS AND INDIVIDUALS FOR OUR “comfort and convenience”.

    Steupsss!
    Wunna ain’t pissing in stinking Bushie’s pocket fuh shiite!!!

    LOL
    Ha ha

  14. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    Barbados should be happy to be benefiting from Governor Greenidge world class experience acquired from his stint at the IMF.

  15. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    Bushie
    Hot? Days away from the summer solstice and it was 11°C this morning at 6. The East coast is wusser. Only good weather news is the tomato and lettuce growing like never before with the rain.
    The pitches aren’t that different. The asshole to our south is making a fortune. And soon they won’t get a report either, which hasn’t been doctored to please his Lordship. We aren’t far behind. In a typically BB move, our PM created a “wealth fund” with all borrowed money. No wonder he had such kind words for MAM.
    Maybe he could bring back Trudeau, kinda like the return of big Sinck.

  16. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Barbados should be happy to be benefiting from Governor Greenidge world class experience acquired from his stint at the IMF.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Yea!
    Both he and Stinkliar represent such ‘gifts’… don’t they?

    Clearly you are not as intimately familiar with the book “Helen of Troy” as is the Bushman.

    If you were, you would be aware of the consequences of ignoring the Trojan priest Laocoön, who (like the bushman) warned the brass bowl Trojans to burn the shiite gift handed them by the Greeks…

    But no… the BBs all signed up and got their tokens…

    The rest is history.
    Murduh!!
    LOL

  17. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    These are Barbadian patriots you are talking about, why would they wish Barbados harm?

  18. David Avatar
    David

    Should Donville Inniss be reminded that he was a member of the Freundel Stuart cabinet that was labelled the government of silence? Where can the people turn? They are ll card carrying members of the political directorate.

    Public has a right to know

    by MARIA BRADSHAW

    mariabradshaw@nationnews.com

    GOVERNOR OF THE Central Bank Dr The Most Honourable Kevin Greenidge is facing mounting public criticism over his refusal to disclose how much the BiMPay digital payment app cost to develop.

    Cybersecurity specialist Niel Harper and former Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Member of Parliament Donville Inniss led the pushback yesterday, accusing the Governor of arrogance and disputing his claim that the Central Bank does not use public funds.

    Writing on LinkedIn, Harper, who is based in Germany, said the suggestion that the public had no right to know the cost amounted to “arrogance at its highest”.

    “The Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados refused to answer questions about the costs associated with BiMPay. His claim was that the [Central Bank] is selffinanced and doesn’t use public monies.

    This is misleading by all accounts. He also basically stated the public didn’t need to know the costs if they are not paying for it. This is arrogance at its highest,” he stated.

    Owned by Barbadians

    Harper argued that under the Central Bank Act, the Bank’s capital is “entirely for the account of the Government of Barbados, meaning it is ultimately owned by the people of Barbados . . . . ‘Not using taxpayer money’ does not mean ‘not using public money’,” he wrote.

    He noted that after the reserve requirements are met, Central Bank profits are transferred to the Consolidated Fund – the Government’s main treasury account – meaning every dollar spent on BiMPay is a dollar that would otherwise eventually flow back to Government and, by extension, benefit taxpayers.

    “When the Bank’s assets fall below its liabilities and capital, the Government is legally required to inject securities to restore the balance sheet, hence taxpayer money is the [Central Bank’s] safety net,” Harper stated.

    He added that as a statutory body created by Parliament, the Central Bank’s spending is accountable to the public, and that the International Monetary Fund and international best practice for central banks strongly emphasise transparency and public accountability, not just financial independence.

    “The [Central Bank] does not have freedom from public accountability for its expenditure decisions.”

    In a separate blog post analysing the benefits of such apps from a Caribbean perspective, Harper said public trust in digital technologies would be central to BiMPay’s success, and that the Bank had not yet made a convincing case to citizens.

    “The Central Bank hasn’t built a strong enough case for people to trust this platform and use it as a daily fixture in their lives. They haven’t comprehensively addressed the concerns of citizens around privacy, security, fraud prevention and resilience with regard to BiMPay.

    Add to that the recent history of several Government departments being hacked, mistrust is expected.

    Most important, they have not answered the burning question from the average man or woman on the street: How does this solution make my life better?”

    Asked, from his expertise, what the cost of developing such an app might be, Harper declined to speculate.

    “There are lots of variables to consider, and I don’t want to commit to any figures with insufficient knowledge,” he said.

    Inniss, a former DLP Cabinet minister, also took the Governor to task, calling his conduct “arrogant” and unbecoming of the office. He charged that Greenidge had become too comfortable in the role and was being dismissive of legitimate questions.

    “This response to a question as to what it costs is a mass of arrogance.

    It’s not becoming the office of the Governor of the Central Bank.

    And maybe Kevin has become so comfortable in the office that he feels he can be dismissive to those who ask honest and simple questions.”

    Answerable

    Inniss reminded the Governor that he is answerable to the people of Barbados, not to the occupants of the Tom Adams Financial Centre, and that the question from the reporter had deserved a straight answer rather than a flippant dismissal.

    “You are answerable to the Minister of Finance, and the Cabinet of Barbados, and by extension to the public of Barbados. So the question asked by the reporter was a good question, and one that is deserving of an answer, to give a figure, not to be flippant and dismissive . . . .

    Come on Kevin, who do you think you are? You don’t work for yourself,” Inniss stressed.

    He warned that the Governor’s stance risked drawing unnecessary scrutiny to the Bank and its spending, citing what he described as a tremendous increase in expenditure at the Central Bank alongside a reduction in profit over time.

    “Don’t tell us about reading the fine print that is embedded in financial reports. The average Barbadian who is out there struggling to make ends meet has no time to delve into the financial details of a Central Bank report. They have simple, honest questions that are deserving of an answer. So my advice to you, young man, come down off your high horse a little bit. Face reality and remember that you don’t work for yourself.”

    Inniss also raised questions about the cost of the app’s launch event, which was described as a “pyjama party”.

    Despite the sharp criticism, he praised the app itself, calling it a step in the right direction and commending the Central Bank for rolling it out.

    “I am a supporter of BiMPay. I think it’s a step in the right direction.

    I commend the Central Bank for rolling it out. It’s not perfect, it will have its hiccups, but this does not detract from the fact that the Governor needs to show [a] better [response].”

    Several Barbadians also called in to Starcom Network’s radio programme Down To Brass Tacks yesterday to express disappointment in the Governor’s handling of the situation.

    Source: Nation

  19. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Patriotic? Maybe if one follows the meaningless dictionary definition.

    But where were these socalled patriots when the rights of MPs to sit on whichever side they will were being subsumed into a party paramountcy, headed by a dictator?

    Weee warn you. That this current chapter will end with blood on the floor of parliament. For genuine patriotism is ceded in blood.

    A society with a dominate culture of “going along to get along” knows no patriotism, beyond the tinsel.

  20. David Avatar
    David

    This matter is not dissimilar to the reluctance of the Governor to share information that belongs to the public. It is not dissimilar to government disrespecting the public regarding the cost of CARIFESTA. They play us for idiots every time.

  21. David Avatar
    David

    Do not be absorbed by a sarcastic comment.

  22. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    “These are Barbadian patriots…”
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Judas was an ‘inner-circle’ disciple…

    If our government was transparent, law-abiding, ethical, and even ‘fairly’ competent,
    then BimPay would be a justifiable innovation…

    Alas…

  23. David Avatar
    David

    If a simple project that can help to improve how small businesses do business can become embroiled in a level of controversy because of a lack of trust between citizens and government then we are on a slow boat to nowhere. This is a soft issue government has no idea to address because they promise many things and never rh deliver on most of them.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    We have a prime minister and governor who are media hogs, despite a rising public concern about how Governor Greenidge handled the media, SILENCE.

  25. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    “If a simple project that can help to improve how small businesses do business…”
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Putting aside the government’s obvious mafia attitudes, …you need to be more concerned about our lack of awareness of reality, …and about how easily we can be distracted with shiite talk…

    If ‘improving small business’ was the objective, do you think that CAIPO would be as inefficient as it continues to be…?

    How has the fishing business been reformed since the recent storm disaster?
    How does bringing in cheap foreign labor for construction help local small business?
    Have you tried getting a license for ANY SHIITE bout here?
    -to operate a hired car?
    -a basic health / liquor / event license?
    -a vehicle registered?
    Steupsss…

    Then as soon as you figure out the tax system they bring a new, less friendly version.
    FIX THAT LOTTA JOBBY FIRST…

    How much koolaid does one need to drink before being convinced that collecting detailed, INDIVIDUAL data on the public is a good way to ‘assist’ small business..

    What it does is provide even more LEVERAGE for mafia bosses to impose their private will on any intended dissidents or complainers…

    What a joke!!

  26. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    It is you who don’t get it.

    Big ticket items like BIMpay can be added to the conversation basket to give Barbados an international shine.

    New projects also facilitate the spending of money to share to friends, family and supporting actors.

  27. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David

    Listened to a bit of Brasstacks and the people not happy about being treated like outsiders by the Governor and the PM too for that matter, as could make the figures public is she wished.

    This is a serious precident being set here which can lead no where positive, especially in the light of the fact you want the same people you have offended to now come and support YOUR product.

  28. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    You don’t have to listen to Brasstacks to deduce if people are happy. The moderator does seem to be a bit of an apologist.

  29. David Avatar
    David

    Governor instructed to apologize and eat some humble pie. Hopefully he grows from the experience.

    https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19326JiKFD/

  30. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    So based on this PR gimmick, designed to save face after he was so BRAZENLY following the lead set by government,
    …can we now expect the long promised HOPE report?

    Will a PROFESSIONAL Auditor General be appointed?
    Will the CARIFESTA spending binge be explained?
    Will the BAMC spending splurge be made public?
    Will Duguid account for the STEEL houses costs?
    … or will Sutherland just apologize like Greenidge?

    This is a government of REACTIVE PR gimmicks, …but we are living in a SERIOUS time (as Trump is in the process of finding out) and Mother KARMA is working 24/7 to make ALL wrong things right…

    As a result, there is going to be a LOTTA SHIITE spilled in the coming days, weeks and months… so come out things…!!

    What a GLORIOUS time!
    The birth pains that signal a NEW righteousness are everywhere…
    Redemption is near…

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