The blogmaster is prepared to be dismissed as simplistic but he has been accused of worse through the years. There is man and there is woman. Not too long ago it was not difficult to make the distinction. Today a biological misfire is accepted as normal. A lifestyle undergirded by an abnormality is accepted as normal. The Blogmaster’s perspective is not meant to be homophobic, only a sincere perspective based on commonsense.
Continue readingThe blogmaster takes a note that Sir Richard Cheltenham continues to perform in the role of Chairman of the Parliamentary Reform Commission (PRC). The blogmaster has no issue with the quote attributed to him in yesterday’s media – “We have inherited a bicameral system; a House of Assembly and the Senate, but now we have to ask ourselves whether we should continue that system or whether we should have one chamber; a unicameral [system]…We’ve always used the first-past-the-post system that gets most votes at the polls to determine membership but there are questions about whether a mixture of first past the post and proportional representation. . . all of those questions will be on the agenda and have to be carefully considered”. It is important work and hopefully the PRC will deliver on its mandate.
What the blogmaster has a problem with is the fact Sir Richard Cheltemham has a matter pending with the Disciplinary Committee of the BAR association. Several blogs have been published on Barbados Underground (BU) through the years directing the public to matters requiring answers from Cheltemham and local authorities without success. BU also questions those who agree to sit on a committee with Cheltenham with serious accusations outstanding waiting to be ruled on by the Disciplinary Committee of the BAR. Further, BU questions why a Mottley government advocating a political agenda of good governance and integrity continue to appoint persons who are being investigated for possible wrongdoings.#peterodle
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A legitimate question being asked is whether local authorities see the benefit to producing analytics to establish if COVID 19 is linked to excess deaths. Elsewhere a solid case is being promoted when deaths in the current period is compared to historical certificated data.
Should a similar trend exists for Barbados wouldn’t it support an intervention by authorities to identify those who maybe vulnerable? The blogmaster is NOT a conspiracy theorist, what he is though is someone who believes in transparency and accountability. Especially as it relates to safeguarding the rubric of public health.
#jeromewalcott #covid19 #deaths #miamottley
We are a society that has become reliant on government for everything under the sun. While the government cannot be excused from its governance responsibilities, a civil society by definition is “considered as a community of citizens linked by common interests and collective activity“.
What is wrong with as many households as possible prioritizing kitchen gardens in pots, pans, replace lawns etc. Instead, we have allowed ourselves to become intoxicated with the easy lifestyle of sourcing too many food items from the shelves of a retail outlet whether local or international, Chefette, KFC and several others spring to mind.
The traffic situation on our roads can be described as being in a state of organized chaos. Successive governments have adopted a laissez-faire approach to traffic management and regrettably the Barbados Police Force (BPS) must be included as part of the problem. The lawlessness being witnessed daily on the roads in Barbados many argue is a symptom of something bigger.
The Barbados Transport Authority was established in 2007 to (a) undertake the planning of the transport system, (b) monitor and regulate the operations of the public transport system, among many other functions listed under the Transport Authority Act which was recently amended. A conclusion can be made based on what transpires daily on our roads the Transport Authority is a another failed government agency leaking taxpayer money.
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The deafening silence of a large segment of the public where national socio-political matters are concerned is concerning.
Politics aside, all uh we have some part to play in the growth of the country and the development of the generation that will pay our pensions. If we don’t well crappo smoke we pipe.
The recent signing of a “mission Barbados” agreement was the latest attempt at using smoke and mirrors to rub cliches and prescribed narratives in our faces at a time when robust national discourse and debate should be revealing true true ideas and real real solutions to our ever pressing and ever looming challenges.
How in heavens name can it be claimed that labour is fully on board with Government, when CTUSAB the umbrella body was not present (Caswell either).
What do these six points mean from a policy perspective, or are we still satisfied rhetoric is a good replacement for reality and good governance?
The blogmaster has been in town too long to accept the Nation’s headline ‘Outdoor facilities awaiting green light emblazoned on today’s page 3A. There is no doubt in the mind of the blogmaster traditional media is easily manipulated by the political directorate and shadows with deep pockets not necessarily in that order.
Barbados Underground has posted blogs highlighting the ongoing struggle and frustration of Allan Kinch to develop his property located on Bay Street. The blogmaster does not have a bone in the fight, however, there is prima facie case as presented in the court of public opinion to more than hint there is more in the mortar than the pestle.
See related link:
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There is a story brewing which involves the ‘abduction’ of an alleged Trinidadian arms dealer from Barbados. The blogmaster has not been following closely to do justice to the matter largely because the BU household decided to retreat to Cattlewash for the long weekend. However, the matter has raised a few times by members of the BU family reflected in messages to BU inbox.
Here are three links to the story for your consumption and discussion.
Continue readingCBB Review of Barbados’ Economy
A recent news report about what was caused sea urchins to die hammers home the importance of protecting our coastal real estate by any means necessary. Important because Barbados is a small island state dependent on a pristine coastline as an economic resource as well as being a great place to live for residents.
When the Mottley government came to office in 2018 many inquired what was this blue economy being touted. The importance of focusing on a blue economy for a small island state cannot be refuted. One wonders if focus on developing a blue economy five years later was a gimmick to fuel political hype.
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On the 18 April 2023 Barbados Underground shared a disturbing story that a medical student enrolled at an offshore medical school in Barbados registered under the name of Barbados International University (BIU) committed suicide. The reasons shared can be seen on the previous blog – INDIAN MEDICAL STUDENT DIES BY SUICIDE AT BRIDGETOWN.
Arising from the story it was reported in the traditional media on the 20 April 2023 local police confirmed the matter was being investigated. The also confirmed what is generally known- an autopsy will have to be performed to determine the cause of death. The blogmaster takes this opportunity to issue a gentle reminder about a related matter stuck in the ‘system’ – Media Barred from Emma McManus’ Inquest.
The question must be asked, why is the process in Barbados and other civilized counties used to determine cause of death being disrespected? Here is how the matter was reported in The Times of India on 20 April 2023.
Continue readingKhammam student dies in Barbados
Hyderabad: A 20-year-old student from Khammam suffered a heart attack on 17 April and died in Barbados in the Caribbean islands where he was pursuing his medicine course….
The Times of India
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An interesting news item this week centred around Prime Minister Mia Mottley who continues to loom large on the local, regional and dare twe suggest the international stage? Mottley has attracted the ire of some in the legal community for suggestions made at the recent Regional Symposium: Violence As a Public Health Issue organized by CARICOM.
We need to start rotating judges and magistrates in the region to ensure that there is not the familiarity with counsel and other circumstances and things that people take for granted.
Mia Mottley
Who better than Mottley to understand some of the challenges our legal system continues to pose. She has been immersed in the moribund system for all of her life and if caught in an informal conversation after a stiff drink and a ‘smoke’ may admit she has been a contributor to the flawed system over the years.
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In my opinion, we should give attention to what people, who have reached the end of their lives, explain what they think that life was all about. One such person is Simon Peter, and the following is a paraphrase of his final letter written shortly before he was executed.
My dear fellow trainees:
Our Employer has graciously given us everything that we need to complete our training, and He has promised us that all the training exercises are achievable once we start with the right attitude.
If you are committed to becoming productive employees, then please read the employee manual so that you may understand the Employer’s standards of work and behaviour. With this knowledge you may begin practising the exercises.
HELP OTHERS.
You may find them challenging at first, but please do not become discouraged. They will eventually become easier if you persist with them. Once you have become proficient in the exercises, then please encourage your work colleagues and teach them everything that you have learnt. Your own training will be complete when you have unselfishly helped to train enough of your colleagues.
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The Tax Administration Management Information System (TAMIS) was implemented in 2018 for business and individuals filed one year later. From all reports it was implemented at great expense to taxpayers. It should be an easy process to identify the cost of government projects but as we have found out with the Trident ID project as one example, it is not.
TAMIS has caught the interest because of utterances from Commissioner of the Barbados Revenue Authority Louisa Lewis-Ward in May of 2021. She was quoted that discussions had NOT reached an advance stage on if TAMIS had to be replaced.
Continue reading“…The directors are taking a look at it in earnest to see how far we can go to rectify some of the issues which caused taxpayers discomfort in the system…The system did cost quite a pretty penny and therefore, it’s not an easy decision to make to throw the baby out with the bath water. We’ve just moved from one system to another…and the TAMIS system was supposed to be the technological replacement, so we will take a look at the system in earnest…
Barbados Today
