INDIAN MEDICAL STUDENT DIES BY SUICIDE AT BRIDGETOWN

The following shared as presented. The blogmaster invites the management of the medical universities mentioned to refute the allegations by messaging the following LINKBlogmaster
Minister of Health Dr. Jerome Walcott, Senator

My name is Durga Prasad and I am a medical student studying at BRIDGETOWN INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, located in Barbados  and VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE. The BRIDGETOWN INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY is operated by DR. POTU PHANI BHUSHANA, DR. S.K.WASIM, MR. ISM NAGESWARA RAO, MR. SAI KRISHNA, MR. MILO PINCKNEY, and MR. RENU AGNIHORTI.  These men are all the Indian board of directors of the universities listed above.  I have been able to ascertain that all of these men are using fake passports and multiple ID cards and are operating multiple  companies in Barbados, Guyana, United States, and India.   In India they are using RUS EDUCATION PVT LTD and ISM FOCAL POINT PVT LTD as registered companies to collect funds into Indian accounts.  VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF BARBADOS is managed and operated by DR. WASIM who operates a company in India using RUS EDUCATION.  Both Bridgetown International University and Victoria University of Medicine are operated by the same group of people

This notice is intended to make you aware that both of these universities are enrolling students through fraudulent claims and then charging close to $100,000 USD for tuition.

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2023 Top 11 Cyber Security Tips For The Caribbean

Submitted by James Bynoe,
International Cyber Security Leader 
Global Chief Information Security Officer
  1. (1) YOU CANT PROTECT WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW
  • Whether in the private/public sectors or a small village shop maintaining an accurate inventory of all your internet connected systems and services is critical to protecting your entire organization from international cyber criminals, hackers, hacktivist, script kiddies and many more attacker types. Today many publicly reported data breaches worldwide occur in part or whole due to poor asset and inventory control which often leads to poor management and updating of systems connected to the internet. These factors when combined create a perfect opportunity for compromise by malicious actors or cyber criminals. 

Key Question for Your IT Support Team or Yourself: 

  • Do we have an up to date asset inventory of all systems and devices,  and are they running routinely updated operating systems? Additionally are you have a ‘good’ anti-virus and malware protection application running (free is not always good) on all computers and laptops which is also routinely updated?  
  1. (2) BE AWARE THAT YOU MAY ALREADY BE A CYBER VICTIM AND JUST DON’T KNOW IT
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Not a Difficult Conversation – Doctor of Engineering

Submitted by Grenville Phillips II

On behalf of the BU household the blogmaster extends sincere congratulations to Dr. Grenville Phillips. In this space we have had our differences of opinion but through it all there is nobody who doubts that you are a well being Barbadian.


I am pleased to announce that I have been awarded a Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Hertfordshire, after 5 years of doctoral research in structural engineering.

From henceforth, I am still known as Grenville.

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Why was the information leaked is the question

The member of parliament for St. Michael West Neil Rowe was this week charged with rape, it has been widely carried in the social and traditional media. The fact that statement details given to the Barbados Police Service (BPS) by the victim was leaked is also of interest. It is the second time in recent weeks the BPS has been accused of a breach in confidentiality. The blogmaster agrees with those who opine the BPS will find it challenging to carry out its job in the circumstances and must hastily address the matter.

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The Final Frontier is Full of Danger

Submitted by Steven Kaszab

This past September 26th the Dart impacted a small asteroid known as Dimorphos, 285 hours later the Hubble Space Telescope caught the image, noticing material debris NASA announced they wanted result of this experiment, that the Spacecraft known as Dart was able to alter the asteroid’s orbit.

Why is this event important? It is the first time humanity purposely changed the motion of a celestial object. What is the fuss? Well do you remember Dinosaurs and how they became extinct? A massive asteroid struck the earth long ago, and the disturbance created a massive climatic/environmental disaster, filling the earth’s atmosphere with debris for years. Nothing could grow in such an atmosphere, so these dinosaurs died in time. Such an event can happen again. That is one of the reasons NASA and many other global agencies study the stars daily, studying how celestial objects motion works, and looking for objects of interest.

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From Private to Public – Cinnamon 88 to CLEARWATER BAY, a concern for taxpayers

It started as a private project in 2006 under the name Cinnamon 88 Ltd and through the years morphed to Clearwater Bay Ltd a company registered to do business in 2010. The project has straddled both administrations starting with the late David Thompson and now rest uneasily with the incumbent Mottley who was a legal advisor to the failed project while in opposition. An interesting side note – Avinash Persaud also played a role and would have assisted in him being able to drive the luxury sports car he zips .

We fast forward to the recent 2021 Auditor General report with the following note on Clearwater Bay Ltd can be found.

In my 2018 and 2020 Reports, I indicated that there were some concerns surrounding the accounting treatment of a loan guarantee made by the Government of Barbados through its’ company, Clearwater Bay Limited in the sum of $120 million. This guarantee was in relation to the construction of the proposed Four Seasons managed hotels and villas. The sum of $120 million had appeared in the books of the Government as a receivable for a number of years but was completely written off in 2018. I had previously indicated that enough information was not provided to my Office as to the nature of the arrangement between Clearwater Bay Limited and the developers. I also stated that, in any event, the entire $120 million should not be written off since the lands on which the project was being built were valuable; instead the value in the accounts should be written down rather than to be completely written off.

Based on information made available to my Office, Clearwater Bay held a mortgage over the real property and after the loan was called, Government was required to honor its guarantee and a payment of $124.3 million was paid to the bank. Action was then taken by the Government company to recover the monies expended through a sale of the property.

Audit Update

In respect of the sale of the property, a review of the records at the Land Registry Department indicates that the property has been conveyed to a private company. However, there is no evidence of consideration being paid. Matters surrounding the sale and ownership of this property are complicated and is currently the subject of litigation which is ongoing.

2021 Auditor General Report

See relevant BU blog on CLEARWATER BAY MATTER

Lord Mandelson and the Child Sex Traffickers

Submitted by Peter Mandelson (Survivors and Allies)

You will no doubt have been made aware of the horrifying newspaper reports earlier this year concerning the close friendship and alliance, over decades, between Lord Peter Mandelson,and the sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell (https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/17262658/peter-mandelson-jeffrey-epstein-after-paedophile-underage-sex-probe/).

We have attached to this email some additional materials for your information.

Please examine the attachments in conjunction with the information to be found at the following links:

Lord Mandelson – Timeline of  his involvement with the child traffickers

https://forums.richieallen.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=2504

Lord Mandelson –  His alleged involvement in the rape and murder of a youth – as documented by the late Surrey-based psychiatrist Dr. Joan Coleman

Lord Mandelson – Petition calling for his immediate suspension from the Labour party

https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Mandelson

Please help us expose the full extent of the historical activities and alliances of the deeply corrupt (and allegedly criminal) Lord Mandelson: including, in particular, his longtime involvement with the child sex traffickers.

UPDATE: Questionable Radical AstraZeneca ‘Purchase’ Attempted

Walter Blackman – Actuary and Host of Brasstacks
The following was extracted from a comment posted by Walter Blackman to respond to BU commenter Bush Tea on another blog Nation Publishing MUST Do BetterBlogmaster

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Statement from “Operation Safe Space” on the Government Industrial School in Barbados

Former Deputy Chairman of GIS Board Dr.Marsha Hinds

I started serving as the deputy chair of the Government Industrial School in Barbados (called the GIS), on the appointment of the Governor General and at the pleasure of the Minister responsible for reformatory schools on August 1, 2018. I must admit that although by that time I had been working with women and girls’ advocacy for just about 18 years I did not know much about the school. Every child who grows up in Barbados will get a threat or two about being sent to the school for being ‘own way’ but the truth is not many people who grow up in middle or upper class Barbados will ever interact with the institution.

The Government Industrial School was opened in 1883, forty-nine years after the abolition of slavery in the British Caribbean. The major purpose of the school was to house children who did not have parents or whose parents did not have the means to provide for their children. The Industrial Schools across the Caribbean extracted free labour from children in exchange for shelter and clothing. Flogging was allowed in the Schools and researcher, Dr. Shani Roper reported in a recent online forum on the topic of “Children in State Care” that records show that Barbados used the most flogging. The early 1900s saw the passage of two pieces of legislation – the Reformatory and Industrial Schools (1926) and the Juvenile Offenders Act (1936). These two pieces of legislation are still what govern the fate of children inside the juvenile justice system in 2022 Barbados. Despite the amendments to the Act over the years it is still archaic and ill-suited to govern a modern juvenile justice approach. It is gaps such as this in colonial repair that tempered my excitement about Barbados becoming a republic in November 2021. If you are still governing the future of Barbados under repressive, colonial law, what sense is it to expend money we borrowed from the International Monetary Fund on extravagant ceremony when the lives of the majority of Barbadians stand to see no improvement or material change?

A part of the responsibility of the Board of the School was to conduct inspections to ensure that all was well with the various stakeholders within the School. The fact that I had enough audacity to actually carry out the inspections was what eventually led to me losing the pleasure of the Minister and being fired in March 2021, for choosing to whistle blow publicly when I learnt of a 14-year-old girl resident being held naked in a cell under the conditions of solitary confinement. That incident was not where my journey with anomalies related to the children in care began. It was very much the ‘straw that broke donkey’s back’. When I started the tenure, the institution was run by an individual who was very proud to note that he had been at the institution since 1982. He had grown accustomed to commanding the institution with no reporting lines and no oversight from anyone. He was not required to write annual reports nor financial reports. Although the School is a government entity, it had never attracted the attention of the auditor general nor other state control mechanisms like the Child Care Board. The administration did not take kindly to my questioning or inspection. On my first visit to the Government Industrial School, I requested to see the breakfast service for the male residents of the School. Numerous people had reached out to me with complaints about how the children of the facility were being fed. That visit, breakfast was served around 8: 30 in the morning. I remember asking whether dry cereal and fruit was put out before that. I was told that it was not. The reason for my question was that the residents of the GIS would have been accustomed to a routine that required them to be at school by 8:30 in the morning. Many of them, unless they lived across the road from the school they attended would have had to be awake between 5:30 and 6:00 in the morning to catch school buses or other types of transportation to school. Having breakfast at 8:30 put them 3 hours behind their usual schedule.

The breakfast served at 8:30 consisted of canned spam fried with two or three crackers per boy and a cup of hot chocolate. There was no water offered, there was no fruit offered and there were no alternative food selections. The breakfast offered was not enough to satisfy teenaged boys. Trying to report what I had seen quickly brought me into another realization about the set up of the School. The Board of the Government Industrial School is advisory. That means that the Board only creates policy positions and passes those onto the Minister. Based on how government structures in the Caribbean work, the Minister would then have to pass the requests back to the permanent secretary of the Ministry who then instruct the senior administrative staff of the school. The cumbersome reporting lines are a part of the disconnect in policy and practice at the School.

The second major concern for me was the lack of educational and skills training programming at the School. The GIS is housed under the Ministry of Home Affairs, like the adult prison facility. There is no official document or memorandum of understanding establishing a status between the School and the Ministry of Education. There is no clear protocol on whether residents remain on the register of their substantive schools. The residents who can continue schooling in regular educational settings are not allowed to do so. There is an ad hoc programme of education offered by the staff of the GIS, but there is no curriculum developed, there are no individual educational plans created for the children and the ones who do complete Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) certification are largely self taught. In contravention of the rights of children deprived of their liberty, children who complete CXC while resident at the GIS have that printed on their certificates. In a small society like Barbados that is a branding that is hard to overcome in the job market.

A third frustration I quickly ran into was how the outdated and archaic frameworks for juvenile justice in Barbados were continuing to have negative impacts on children in the juvenile justice system. Although there were mounds of policy documents, reports about concerns that UNICEF had highlighted and commitments to update laws and change practices at the mistrial and governmental levels, the same abuse that was outlined by residents of the institution as far back as the 1980s and continued under my tenure as deputy chair. Simple actions had not been taken. For instance, UNICEF reclassified children in the juvenile justice system into children in conflict with the law and children in need of care. Given the history of the industrial schools in Barbados and the Caribbean, where children were criminalized at Emancipation or in the interwar years for not having family or for being poor, these two clear streams of children was an important step in terms of modernizing the juvenile justice system. It paved the way for the removal of old archaic charges such as wandering to be discarded. There are institutional abuses at both sections of the Government Industrial School but the charge of wandering has gender specific implications for girls.

Girls who were facing family instability, which often resulted from them being raped or molested were being charged for wandering as they tried to escape abuse. Girls who were in other state facilities and facing abuses who tried to escape these environments were charged with wandering. Girls who had started normal teenaged exploration of sex with boys in similar age category to them were charged with wandering. In many cases, these children only came into contact with the juvenile justice system because their parents reached out to the state apparatus to try to seek help and support for their children and not because they wanted them incarcerated. The parents were then overruled when their children were made wards of the court and although their parental rights were never officially revoked, they lost the ability to make medical decisions for their children, educational decisions or further decisions about legal outcomes. When girls are charged with wandering in Barbados, they are forced to have vaginal examinations as a part of the police investigation process. They are given the morning after pill as well. Even if attorneys at law representing the children or parents do not give consent, these measures are taken.

The juvenile justice system in Barbados is completely broken and despite the country having international obligations under conventions such as CEDAW, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Convention of Belém do Pará, old colonial practices persist. The Minister has a substantial amount of power to change the situation at the GIS. While the previous Minister has released some of the children in the facility in need of care, under the current Minister girls charged for wandering continue to be criminalized. Unless the region and the world pay attention, the children of Barbados will not be safe. Coloniality has killed out national conscience and only worldwide outrage can awaken change.

Operation Safe Space Copyright ©️ 2022 Caribbean Labour Solidarity, All rights reserved.

Gooding Family of Southern California Extends Best Wishes to the People of Barbados, World’s Newest Republic

Submitted by Don James (MASTER MEDIA STRATEGIES, INC)
The Gooding Family – Matriarch Shirley Gooding (left front) April (centre) back row left to right Omar, Cuba Sr, Cuba Jr and Thomas

In honor of my late husband, Cuba Gooding Sr. – who was a dual citizen of America and Barbados – I,
Shirley Gooding and family, send this congratulatory message to the country and people of Barbados for
becoming the world’s newest Republic. My husband passed in 2017. However, there’s no doubt that if
he were living, he would have attended the recent regal ceremony to witness Barbados’ removal of the
British monarch as its Head of State after almost 400 years.


As the matriarch of the Gooding family, which includes sons and actors Cuba Gooding Jr. and Omar
Gooding, daughter and actress April Gooding, and stepson and musician Thomas Ware Gooding, we
share in your joy and vision of becoming a prosperous Republic.


The Gooding family has a long history in Barbados. My husband’s ancestors were brought to the country
as slaves in the late 1700s into the early 1800s. His father, Dudley MacDonald Gooding, was born in
Bridgetown in the late 1800s. Dudley’s parents, William Gooding and Edith Augusta Walcott Gooding,
had and raised many children in Barbados. Dudley ultimately lived in Cuba before migrating to Harlem,
New York but always had a true love for his home country of Barbados.

Gooding Sr

Cuba Sr. and I first visited the lovely country of Barbados in 1998. My husband, who was the lead singer
of the legendary R&B-soul group The Main Ingredient for 47 years, was humbled and mesmerized to
walk on the same soil that his father and ancestors once walked. The visit inspired my husband to seek
Barbados citizenship, which was granted in 2001. It was perhaps his proudest honor. Over the years, he
often visited Barbados to meet relatives or perform with The Main Ingredient or as a solo artist.


As Barbados begins a new and exciting chapter as a new Republic and with a new Head of State, my
family congratulates President Sandra Mason, the country’s first-ever president, who has now replaced
Queen Elizabeth II as the country’s Head of State. We commend Prime Minister Mia Mottley and her
role in Barbados’ forward movements. In addition, we congratulate R&B and pop icon Rihanna for
Barbados honoring her as its “National Hero.” My husband greatly admired Rihanna for her unwavering
love for Barbados and saw her as a gifted and phenomenal singing star, recording artist, and performer.

In addition, we send our love to all the people of Barbados. May God bless you in your new era as a
thriving Republic. Please know that our family is proud to have deep Barbadian roots and rich Bajan
blood in our proud lineage. You will always be in our prayers and an intricate part of our future. We
look forward to visiting again.


Sincerely,
Mrs. Shirley Gooding and Family

Douglas Trotman Died Owed Millions by Government

The blogmaster extends sympathy to the family of Douglas “Slanty” Trotman who died today.

You know the poor and unconnected black man has to work 3 times as hard as the white man in the white man’s land but 6 times as hard as the white man in his own land. From March 3rd.. persistent delay in giving a date.Nov 18th .. will see the outcome”

(Douglas Trotman November 2021)

It is unfortunate Trotman died before securing legal fees earned from the compulsory Acquisition of property known as Sam Lords Castle. The blogmaster understands the transaction was frustrated by the Mottley government.

The documents filed with the Barbados detail the sorry tale.

Call to BARP’s Membership


The blogmaster continues to follow the story regarding a call to BARP’s membership to attend the AGM- the rule requires 200 members in good financial standing to achieve a quorum. 

It begs the question why the Barbados Association of Retired Persons with close to thirty thousand members representing a cross section of the local population has been unable to raise a quorum. One far fetched reason is that the meeting being convened via ZOOM, far fetched because BARP has a significant 50s professional membership. BARP has rescheduled the meeting for December 06, 2021 via ZOOM in difference to the prevailing COVID 19 condition.

A key agenda item to be discussed at BARP’s AGM is to approve a team to intervene in the upcoming Barbados Light & Power (BL&P) rate review. The BARP president has raised public concern regarding the impact an increase in the electricity rate will have on its membership. The inability of BARP to raise a quorum to be an intervenor at the rate review goes to the root of our failing as a people to actively participate in civic engagement activities.

The blogmaster looks forward to BARP being able to host a successful AGM on December 06, 2021.


BARP considers protest against proposed BL&P rate hike


The Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) is concerned that the hike in electricity rates proposed by the Barbados Light & Power Company, (BL&P) will be burdensome and unbearable for its members, and plans to intervene on their behalf.
BL&P has applied for a substantial increase in its rates and tariffs that would see the domestic rates per kwh increase between 33.3 per cent and 42.9 per cent, and the cost for new service (below 200 amps) jumping from $50 to as much as $130.
BARP is hoping to assemble a highpowered team of individuals of various skills to protest the steep increase.
“Since all rates are subject to Value Added Tax (VAT), such a steep increase will be even more severe for our members. We must make our voice heard, not only for our members but for all ratepayers,” said BARP president Marilyn Rice-Bowen.
She confirmed that the proposed intervention will be discussed at BARP’s annual general meeting which will be held next Monday via Zoom.In its 1,300-page application to the Fair Trading Commission (FTC), the BL&P said that following adjustments for rate-making purposes, its profits fell from $53.4 million in 2019 to $28.7 million in 2020.
The BL&P had also stated that its application for a rate hike was only its second in 40 years, and acknowledged the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the recent ashfall and Hurricane Elsa, had on ratepayers. (BT)

Source: Barbados Today

 

Most Expensive Fast Food in the Caribbean

Visit caribbeansignal.com for more details

Back in 2019, I wrote a series of articles on KFC in the Caribbean. Today, I am following it up with a look at Little Caesars in the Caribbean, and in particular, a price comparison of one of their menu staples (and a personal favourite of mine), the Little Caesars Hot-N-Ready Large Pepperoni pizza.

Before I do that, a few words on my research methodology. Firstly, I defined the Caribbean as member and associate member states of CARICOM. Secondly, using Google, I searched for CARICOM countries with Little Caesars locations (and websites). Thirdly, the prices are the final price paid by customers (including tax). Finally, I included the price of a large pepperoni pizza in the USA for comparison. The USA price was obtained from the Real Menu Prices website. All local prices were checked and converted to USD, on November 21. Currency conversion was done via the Xe Currency Converter website.

‘Miss Ram’ Caught Selling Inferior Covid Rapid Test


Miss Ram always find ways to be in the news mostly in an unfavourable light. Her latest flirt with the local newsfeed is that she has been exposed selling an unapproved, inferior off the shelf Covid 19 rapid test at her hardware store Builders Value Mart. A local press report quoted Miss Ram as saying:

Let me do my own research because I like to understand things. I will have to investigate because when I do certain things, I check first. I don’t know where the error has occurred, were they not known or what has come up. But if it is definitely banned and if they have done it, definitely it will go off the shelves right away.

Miss Ram
It is a Chinese manufactured product with the name COVID-19 (SARS-Cov-2) IgG/IgM Antibody Test Kits (Colloidal Gold).

It was drawn to the blogmaster’s attention the product highlighted below is the real macoy which is sold for about three times what Miss Ram is/was selling her inferior imitation.

The question on the lips of onlookers is – why would Miss Ram import Covid 19 rapid test kits during a pandemic without seeking approval or validation from the Ministry of Health? Whose side is she on besides greed?

The Case of Barbados Underground

A few months ago the blogmaster relented to a request from two post-grad students and shared a few insights. The result in the paper attached – CASE STUDY REPORTWhat are the motivating factors for news blogging? The Case of Barbados Underground.

Unfortunately the information sharing from Barbados Underground was not as free flowing as should have been ideal but the paper is a fair effort. The reason the blogmaster agreed to share – there is an urgent need for more bloggers to setup on platforms like WordPress to secure more control of the content and therefore be protected from the tentacles of the establishment. Posters to Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms are beginning to battle with interference from the publishers AND we know how easy it is to report a post on those platforms.

The blogmaster takes this opportunity to express deep appreciation to all contributors and commenters to Barbados Underground from the inception (est 2007).

See paper attached:

<object class="wp-block-file__embed" data="https://barbadosunderground.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/case-study-report-motivating-factors-for-news-blogging.pdf&quot; type="application/pdf" style="width:100%;height:600px" aria-label="Embed of <br><strong>The case of Barbados Underground.
The case of Barbados Underground.
Download

Barbados-Kenya Business Alliance

One encouraging approach of this Mottley government is the obvious policy to forge closer links with the Mother Country. Many are smiling at the news an MOU was signed to pursue trade, investment and knowledge sharing opportunities with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). Also the alliance between Kenya and Barbados which saw a two day conference which brought together business people across different sectors in both countries.

The detractors will continue to moan that improving alliance with Africa countries is being being pursued because traditional source markets have dried up, so what!

Day 1
Day 2
Day 2

Time for Barbados Government to Issue Mandatory Vaccination Directive

If the blogmaster were Prime Minister of Barbados the following edict would be issued as at 6PM today:

  1. Effective 15 October 2021 all persons entering banks and supermarkets will be required to show proof of being vaccinated for COVID 19 as well as adhering to existing COVID 19 protocols.
  2. Effective 1 November 2021 all medical personnel must be vaccinated as well as to adhere to existing COVID 19 protocols.

The blogmaster is aware the legislative framework will have to be tweaked to support. To manage a public health crisis prioritizing an amendment to existing legislation should command unanimous support in parliament.

It is obvious to all Barbadians community spread of the coronavirus is out of control in Barbados, confirmed by key medical personnel on the frontline. The virus is exerting extreme pressure on healthcare services in Barbados. The mouthings of a seldom seen or heard Minister of Labour should be punished in the context of the ongoing public health crisis on a trajectory to get worse. This is no time for rh political games.

It is times like now real leaders must stand-up for the good of country..

You have Five Years to Live…!

Submitted by Steven Kaszab

Imagine you have been told you have 5 years to live. What could go through your mind? The questions, the emotional pull upon your lived reality. You realize that you are not invincible but finite. There is an end to your journey and you are not prepared for it to happen.

I know of a few people who were told they had a limited schedule with regards to their lives. Our medical professionals often have to tell their patients this type of news. Must be hard to do so.

I have seen many people die before me. Young people often went quickly while those who were elderly knew their time was limited. They could feel it in their bones, by the way they were forced to live, dealing with medical issues and simply the ravages of age.

Well you know you have five years to live. What will you do? How will you live? How will you share this  with your family? Can you walk quietly into the night or will you go kicking and fighting?

I once sat with a elderly lady who was dying. She could not speak, but simply looked into my eyes and I into hers. Hands together, gently massaging her hand and speaking to her not about the after life to come, but about her life, the gift she had been to her family, neighbours and friends. As a chaplain I had not followed the time proven formula. You know, talk about Gods love for Her, and that a place was waiting for Her in Paradise. I have always centred myself upon the person. If God loves us, I do not need to remind her of that do I? 

Well after You take care of all the essentials, like your will, the debts you have, and messaged everyone about the news of your future demise what to do?

What do you simply want? You can continue living your life as you have been. No changes, except perhaps you can have one more beer or glass of wine then usual. Remember all those people who won a lottery and then say they will not change anything?  Yah really. 

Developing a  bucket list may make sense. Everything depends on the type of person you are right. Single, married, young or old. A single person may find satisfaction in so many things like travel, buying things, sex or finding the right person to share their shortened lives. Since you cannot take it with you like the Pharaoh’s of old, emotional and physical satisfaction may fulfil you. Buying a expensive new wardrobe may make your year, and leaving it all to charity a bonus. A hedonistic attitude maybe what your looking for indeed.

Put yourself into a charitable frame of mind. Helping your neighbour, or those less fortunate then you is indeed commendable. Helping others often brings you self meaning, self understanding and strengthens character. However think before giving all your belonging away. At the last hour you may get good news that you can be cured, salvaged in some way. Would be a shame continuing your life in poverty . Never react, always think before you act. 

What if you are a religious person? Boy the questions you could ask, like why did God do this to me, why me, why now? You may or may not fear the promised afterlife. Perhaps you have not been a pillar of goodness. Injured another perhaps? Well in the bad old days, they had sin eaters who would take your sin upon themselves. Ever ask why there are so may grand churches in Europe? Like the song “stairway to heaven” many wealthy but nasty individuals tried to buy their way into paradise. You could try in a small way yourself. The good people of AA seem have it right. You need to recognize who and what you are, and then see the good and damage you have done to others. Then you need to seek absolution, not from God, but from your moral neighbours. If you believe yourself to be one of the chosen you may not need to worry about passing into eternity. However, Image if you enter heaven and find everyone there, is someone you have always hated. Hell in Heaven. 

Humanists can enjoy their lives to the fullest, while doing good, enjoying themselves and their neighbours too. The world is a big place and no matter the time you may have, you’ll never be able to experience all that the world has to offer. You can certainly try and put it all onto credit cards too. Experience the world on someone else’s dime. Not to be encouraged, but them who am I to give you advice?

I think I know what I would do. May I tell you? Since my backyard is my cottage, and what brings me the most joy is my family, I will stay with them, not impose debt upon them, but do all things in moderation. After all five years is a long time. Really. Ever lived an experience that seemed longer then it had been. The three hours I spent with the above mentioned lady did not seem like  a long time. My concern and empathy for her encompassed me, and drew me into her life experience. For that moment, experiencing this lovely lady seemed a gift, and not a burden. In five years image the books you could right, the people you can meet, the love you can experience.

I have had one concern most of my life. as an amateur historian I marvelled at the “great” people that came before me. They left a mark upon this world, whether it be a mark of innovation, creativity, intelligence and humanity, or a mark of Cain. (biblical again). Good vs evil. Creative vs destructive.I think the most important question you can ask yourself is this…What type of mark do I want to leave, how will I improve this world? We are all pebbles of sand in the wind, but together we make up this world, like a sand dune that is constantly moving, we can make a difference, separately or together. Where are your strengths? Can you create for others or just for yourself?

I want to leave a mark that my family, friends and neighbour’s will be proud of, and no time limit can change that impulse, that craving to enjoy what I am to become.

Appreciate and live your lives to the fullest. Remember we are all God’s on a land that we transform daily. Only we can make a difference. 

Happy Birthday George Lamming

One of our most illustrious sons of the soil is celebrating his 94th birthday on this day. For avid readers and even for those who are not, In the Castle of my Skin is highly recommended by the blogmaster.

Unlike developed societies, Caribbean people are loath to give acclaim to home-grown literary talent.

We thank you for showing that a native of the soil, from humble origins, raised on a tiny island is capable of performing on the global stage with distinction.

Happy Birth Day Sir.

BORN

June 8, 1927 (age 94)

Carrington Village, Barbados

(Born on this day)

NOTABLE WORKS

“The Pleasures of Exile”

“Of Age and Innocence”

“Season of Adventure”

“Natives of My Person”

“The Emigrants”

“Water with Berries”

“In the Castle of My Skin”

Britannica

Zionists attacks on Palestinians Condemned

Submitted by CARIBBEAN AGAINST APARTHEID IN PALESTINE [CAAP]

PRESS RELEASE

CAAP condemns the on-going attacks on Palestinians in East Jerusalem at the site of the Al Aqsa Mosque. This is part of the “ethnic cleansing” by the Zionists of Palestinians who have been living in Jerusalem for countless generations, to make way for Zionist Settlers. Over 200 hundred Palestinians have been injured by stun grenades, teargas, and rubber bullets – many of which have been deliberately fired at their eyes, causing maximum injuries.

Lalu Hanuman, Attorney-at-law and Secretary of Caribbean Against Apartheid in Palestine, said “For over seventy-three years Palestinians have been daily murdered by the forces of Zionism while courageously standing up for their rights to be free from racism, colonialism, occupation, and oppression. All people committed to human rights need to stand with them. We must show solidarity with them, just as we did against apartheid in South Africa. Zionism, like the Ku Klux Klan, is a supremacist racist ideology, Further, CAAP again calls on the Barbadian Government to do the right thing and recognise the State of Palestine, as many of our CARICOM  sister states have done”.

Customer Versus Carmax

The Management of CarMax, a used car company owned by McEnearney Quality INC (MQI) is being accused of selling a pre owned Kia Sportage 2000 under questionable circumstances. The sales person at CarMax sold the vehicle to the complainant as a well maintained pre owned SUV based on MQI records.

Complaint

The vehicle is a Kia Sportage 2000 cc diesel 4WD A/T AC Engine# D4EA5H112253. Within the first year of purchase the vehicle would ‘hard start’ and overheat. Despite changing air, oil, diesel filters, radiator, thermostat and hose as well as all parts recommended by a mechanic the problems have persisted. In the spirit of full disclosure there was a three months warranty that expired. The running expenses to maintain the Kia even to satisfy minimum travel requirement was financially overwhelming. The frequency of hard starting and overheating eventually led to a complete breakdown. A mechanic who worked for MQI removed the faulty KIA engine last year. COVID-19 shutdowns have delayed the sourcing of parts and repairs, also MQI stocks are limited for the vehicle.

The blogmaster was supplied with a garage service document which shows that the poorly performing engine in dispute has a history of poor performance.

The matter of poor support from CarMax/MQI management to fix the mechanical problem has evolved into a more serious matter.

From documents in possession and inspection of the vehicle in question it appears CarMax officials supplied false information on documents included with the sale. The MQI document records the Engine Number as D4EA5H112253, however a mechanic has identified that the Engine Number number is D4EA9H903688 – see image below. The issue now is that the CarMax/MQI Sales Executive sold the vehicle to me as a well maintained and legitimate vehicle. The has also has implications for the owner as far as perpetrating insurance fraud.

Customer name not captured

Regrettably the customer is forced to use this forum to highlight his plight. The reasonable ask of CarMax/MQI is to do the honourable thing and give satisfaction to the CUSTOMER!

Plight of an Honest Blackman – Speed Dials and Privileges (2)

Dear Hon Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

I hereby resubmit my request for your intervention to address another case of classism and discrimination directed at Black man. I sent you the letter below THREE years ago. The situation has deteriorated since. I do not have you on speed dial which explains my use of this arcane mode of communication. For your information Prime Minister Mottley your Press Secretary Roy Morris is fully briefed about my matter, he highlighted same when he was Managing Editor of the Nation Newspaper many years ago – Arden BLACKMAN


Hon. Mia Mottley, QC., M.P

Prime Minister

Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment

Government Headquarters

Bay St, St. Michael

27 March 2019.

Dear, Honourable Prime Minister.

I refrained in the past years from seeking a political intervention of the highest. But, must do so. Hon. Prime Minister, I am requesting your intervention for an urgent, justly rectification of a dangerous situation, caused by a “Wrongful Created Private Botch Road within and across a Natural Watercourse, above Clarke’s Road, St. James. That happened under a previous B.L.P Government.

I will outline two main reasons for requesting your intervention upfront, the other reasons will become apparent.

(1)The fact that a remedy is yet, to be carry out by the Chief Technical Officer of M.T.W, who has the authority to do so.

(2) The political efforts in 2006-8 of B.L.P, M.P for St. James Central, The Hon. Minister Mr. Kerrie Symmonds M.P, to obtained a remedy to the dangerous situation on behalf on his constituents, failed by 2008, and continued to fail.

Hon. Prime Minister, I am very familiar with this location from 1978. And lived here since 1982, the top of dead-end Clarke’s Road, adjacent to a Natural Watercourse. This said course is situated between Chapel Gap and Clarke’s Road. The course was deep, never overflowed, during the mention times. Therefore, no foreseeable flooding risk. There were never a vehicular through public or private road, from Appleby or Chapel Gap, to or across the said watercourse.

In 2002, a British ex-pat White person, appeared with the services of heavy equipment, took the liberty to go from Appleby, across an open lot of an absentee land owner, and wrongfully altered the natural watercourse, by removing both edges. Thereby, creating a path/road across the said course, to her lot on the north.

Later in 2002, Pat Brayshaw commissioned further wrongful alterations, to the said watercourse, by placing boulders within, and along the land mark centre, that narrowed the course, for a built-up increase of level land to joined the across path/road, and created a wrongful private botch road, from Appleby, across the said absentee land owner lot, and watercourse, to Chapel Gap, vice versa. Thereby, causing the first flooding, I witness in my years of knowing this watercourse.

Hon. Prime Minister, Due to the proximity of my home, below the wrongfully altered course, the results from recurring flooding, caused severed damages to my surrounding, and caused me to made several changes to my home.

I complained verbally to the Drainage Unit in 2003, an Officer visited the site, and in conversation, said the encroachment is illegal, he will report to Drainage Director. I found out he never reported, when I went to the Drainage Unit Office, almost a year later.

The information from Drainage Office. Stated that Drainage don’t have the Equipment to removed the boulders or restored the course. Drainage Director directed me to M.T.W, Deputy C.T.O, Mr. Philip Tudor, in our telephone conversation about my complaint, and plea for a remedy. Mr. Tudor said, what was done to the watercourse is illegal. He promised to have the boulders removed and the course restored, Nothing happened to this day.

I then turned to M.T.W, C.T.O, Frank Thornhill who (almost) recited, what Mr. Tudor said of the situation and the actions that will be taken. The almost, is that Mr. Thornhill is the Chief Technical Officer. The promised actions of both top Technical Officers have not yet, materialized.

Hon. Prime Minister, The dangerous situation at the water-course, became worse, due to an obvious biased. Arthur’s Construction, wrongfully placed B.W.A pipes, into a part of my adjacent backyard, that was eroded by redirected spread flooding, from the illegal road within, and across the course. For two purposes ( 1 ) To saved company cost of cutting track. ( 2 ) To ensured the wrongful private botch road, probably built by the said company in 2002  remained. As a result of those unjustly actions, combined with the inactions to, and overlooking of, the dangerous situation by the then M.T.W, C.T.O. Mr. Frank Thornhill and Deputy C.T.O, Mr. Philip Tudor. The Black Residents had to endured the results of Clarke’s Road becoming the new watercourse

late 2006 I asked Mr. Roy Morris of the Nation newspaper, to highlight my plight, due to wrongful created dangerous encroachment, and the shoddy job of Arthur’s Construction. From what Mr. Morris saw, and his investigation, he published an article “St. James man fearing the worst” in The Nation on 26 October 2006. I was then enlighten years after making verbal complaints, that an Official of the Ministry, said Mr. Blackman must make an Official complaint in writing.

After that, I made written and verbal complaints, requesting a remedy to the said dangerous situation. Only to be completely ignored, by the then M.T.W, C.T.O, Thornhill and Deputy C.T.O Tudor who reneged on all verbally made undertakings of remedying the watercourse..

One response came from the Ministry of Environment and Drainage in 2015, informing me that the authority in the “prevention of floods Act Cap 235 section 6B and 7” to carry out remedy of watercourses, lies with the C.T.O of M.T.W.

The Nation Newspaper published two other articles highlighting the dangerous situation in the watercourse. The last article by Ms. Maria Bradshaw highlighted the November 2016 flooding in Clarkes Road, that caused damages to residents.

The muchly read Barbados Underground that bring news and opinions to the people ( that certain people want to hide) highlighted this dangerous situation in many articles over the years. But, M.T.W, Top Technical Officers continued inaction, and ignored the plights of Black Residents in Clarke’s Road

As if the apparent continued ignoring, inaction to the caused were not enough. M.T.W, said Top Technical Officers, discriminatory assisting in the upkeep of this wrongful created private botch road, leading up to the 2013 General Election. Tasked M.T.W. work men paved said road, supervised by the then D.L.P, M.P for St James Central. Mr. George Hutson

I email a letter requesting an urgent rectification of said wrongful dangerous situation, to our new Minister of Transport, Works and Maintenance, Dr. Hon. William Duguid, J.P MP.( I thank him for his quick reply) on 24, Feb 2019 he stated, “I have asked for a Town Planning Enforcement notice, that is the first stage”.( that was 3 years ago )

Hon. Prime Minister, M.T.W, D.C.T.O, Mr. Philip Tudor email me for the first time in 15+years, about a comment I made on Face- Book about his inaction to the watercourse situation. He stated on 20, Feb 2019 “ that this matter was referred to the chief Town Planner whose agency is responsible for issuing enforcement notices please note that no demolition of this structure. in St. James could have been carried out by the Ministry of Transport and Work without the prior authorization of Town and Country Planning Department. To-date we Have received no such authorization. I will however contact the Chief Town Planner in an effort to see if this situation can be remedied before the 2019 hurricane season”.

Hon. Prime Minister, Certainly, with all due respect, this wrongful created dangerous situation, is deserving of  much more attention, than a 14 worded statement, from the Hon. Minister Duguid (due to the fact that Town and Country Planning, has nothing to do with an encroachment within and across the watercourse.

Did M.T.W, CTO Frank Thornhill or Deputy C.T.O, Philip Tudor, seek Town and Country Planning authorization, to removed or demolished the boulders, after It was brought to they attention, and a formal verbal pledge made to remedy and restored the watercourse in 2004 ?

Who or what hindered, Hon. Minister Kerrie Symmonds during 2006-2008 from obtaining a remedy to the said dangerous situation ?.

Why did M.T.W, maintained the said wrongful private botch road across, within, and along the centre of a watercourse, leading up to 2013 General Election, despite the fact that from 2002, the said road caused flooding in The Black Residential Area of Clarke’s Road ?.

Who at M.T.W, authorized the asphalt paving of the said wrongful Private Road, who pay the cost ?.

Hon Prime Minister, the blatant discriminatory assistance to the wrongfully placed private botch road, that caused the dangerous situation, was enable by M.T.W. Top Technical Officers and others concerted corruption.

Hon. Prime Minister, there is a need for an urgent justly intervention, attention, and rectification of this wrongful created dangerous situation.

Best Regards.

Alden Blackman

Race Issue: Barbados and Everywhere Else

During the sitting of the Senate of 25 March 2021, Senator Rev. Dr. John A. Rogers delivered an interesting presentation. He referred to the heinous event history recorded as the Atlantic Slave Trade and its relevance to Barbados formulating fit for purpose policy to protect our future well-being in a volatile global space. The blogmaster recommends those interested in pursuing serious discussion to take the time to listen to Roger’s presentation from around 30 minutes of the video.

…it revealed that the top one percent of households globally own 43 percent of all personal wealth, while the bottom 50 percent own only one percent. That top-tier one percent amounts to 52 million people who are all millionaires in net wealth (after debt).

Top 1 percent of households own 43 percent of global wealth

In a related event this week President Joe Biden had reason to say in response to Georgia’s new suppression law that it is antithetical to who Americans aspire to be. The issue of race is not a Barbados condition, it is a human condition, a condition that has created an US versus THEM condition. It is also a zero sum condition that benefits the capitalists. When we we learn.

The Senate – Thursday 25 March 2021

The blogmaster has been around the block long enough to know the divide and conquer mentality of imperfect humans based on gender, class AND race will be with us until the end of time. However, as a people we will be forced to co-opt creative approaches to mask and contain the prejudice, bigotry and yes- racism of many who will walk beside us because the establishment is vested in the system.

Difficult Conversations – Paying for your house in six years – Part 2

Last week, I described the concept of a couple owning their house in 6 years, without paying more than twice the cost of the property in a 30-year mortgage. This article provides further details.

The house should be designed as both a starter and retirement house. This would be a 1,000 sq ft, 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, open concept styled house, with a laundry/storage room. The house should be designed for comfortable wheelchair access, which includes 12’x12’ bedrooms, 6’x10’ bathrooms and laundry/storage room, and 40” wide corridors.

STRONG AND DURABLE.

The house should be designed and constructed to survive the recent Category 5 hurricanes that struck the Caribbean in the past 4 years, and a magnitude 7 earthquake (that struck Haiti in 2010). The Barbados building code’s standard is a Category 2 hurricane – but that is not enough.

The cost of additional materials to resist the Category 5 hurricane, is approximately a mortgage payment for one month – so it is easily affordable. The additional cost for earthquake resistance is $0.00. You just have to know how to assemble the existing building materials.

Retired and disabled persons may not have the funds and mobility to repair and maintain their houses. Therefore, the house should not only be designed to survive natural hazards, but be extremely low maintenance.

LAND.

The lot size should have a 10 ft distance to the side and rear boundaries (instead of the minimum 6 ft Town Planning requirement). This minimizes the risk of fire jumps, and provides more privacy.

It should also have approximately 20 ft distance to the road for the option of planting a tree and parking a car. This results in a minimum 3,000 sq ft lot.

COSTS.

The cost of the house should not exceed $150,000. An individual can save approximately $1,000 each month for 12 years, and build the house in year 12, with no interest payments. A couple can save twice that amount and build their house in year six, without paying interest.

The main risk of saving now and building later, is that the costs of construction may increase over 12 years. If twelve couples engaged a contractor to build two houses each year, 12 houses can be built in 6 years. The unit cost of the houses should be less expensive than if the contractor was engaged to build only one. Excess materials purchased for one house can be used on another, to the benefit of all couples.

DISPUTES.

To reduce the risk of disputes, the quantity and quality of work to be done must be clearly and accurately defined, and disputes independently adjudicated. To further reduce the risks of disputes, the contractor should prepare samples of the quality of finishing work for approval, prior to starting that work.

For example, the contractor should prepare a 3 ft x 3 ft sample of wall painting and floor tiling for approval, before painting or tiling the house. If the contractor is unable to achieve the required quality o the sample, then specialist finishers should be engaged.

With this method, the contractor will have an incentive to do quality work, and repair all defects. Also, couples building after year one can see the quality of what they are getting, and the issues that are arising, and make improvements before the other houses are built.

LAND.

Each participating couple should either own, or plan to own land within five years. Since it is a starter house, they do not need look for their ideal lot at this time.

Two couples need to own land, and have town planning approval for their house, during the first year. If a couple does not own land in six years, then they would simply have saved $150,000, and can do what they want with it. Couples are encouraged to own their land before building on it.

PAYMENTS.

Two methods are proposed for managing payments to the contractor. One is for each group of 12 couples to form a company, which will own the land and houses for six years, and then transfer ownership of each house and land to the respective couple at the end of six years.

Since we seem to have a challenge trusting each-other, banks and credit unions get to benefit. However, to get into into decades long debt at this uncertain time is extremely bad advice.

Couples may negotiate a 7-year mortgage, but start saving immediately to minimize the amount borrowed. By getting a mortgage, a couple can build their house whenever they want, and pay off the loan within seven years. To get some group construction benefits, two couples can engage a contractor to build two houses in one year.

I am currently designing the starter house described in this article, with full construction details to guide contractors. The drawings should be available for anyone to download, free of cost, around July this year.

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer. He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com

Another Priority: Protecting Homeowners

While reviewing the voluminous news in the blogmaster’s inbox this morning the following podnote from Bloomberg piqued the interest. The content is not 100% relevant to Barbados, it targets US consumers. However, it reminded the blogmaster of the pressing need for local homeowners to be protected at a time COVID 19 continues to wreck havoc on homeowners.

Source: Bloomberg

In one of many national addresses delivered by Prime Minister Mia Mottley a few weeks ago, she advised us that Minister Ryan Straughn was assigned the task of working with the “financial sector to address the issue of retail and commercial mortgages and loans, to allow individuals to have a greater level of certainty over the next 18 to 24 months”. She went on to include utilities in the rescue effort. It is more than one month since she issued the statement and the blogmaster is not aware of a progress update. As the saying goes – while the grass is growing, the horse is starving.

We are also reminded that the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) in 2013 promised then that reverse mortgages were to have been available ‘as early as this year’. A search of several websites of financial entities while blogging on the issue this morning came up empty.

The prevailing economic circumstances triggered by the rampaging pandemic has created an urgent need to expand the definition by government of who are vulnerable groups. There is a large so-called middleclass unable to meet monthly mortgage payments who must be protected. So-called because this group is a paycheck or two away from returning to the family house to beg for a lodging. In the current market not only do they stand the risk of losing homes but the equity which represents years of labour as they struggled to achieve the dream of owning a piece of the rock.

The blogmaster is always the first to acknowledge that “uneasy upon the head who wears the crown”. We are living in unprecedented times and when the politician comes to mind, we are reminded of Joseph Conrad’s “words, as is well known, are the great foes of reality”. Barbadians must continue to believe that our leaders charged with the job of navigating the global tempest that currently assails small and large nations – small island developing states being more vulnerable – will be successful in the undertaking of avoiding the rocks, reefs and other obstacles of the time.

The Misdeeds of the USA

Two matters of interest to the blogmaster heading into the Easter weekend.

This comment is meant for Pacha sent via the blogmaster’s mailbox:

Re Chauvin’s trial

I’m still shaking my head as to why the Minnesota murderer, Derek Chauvin, was not charged with first-degree murder in addition to/or in the alternative to various charges against him.

Hope, however, springs eternal.  Perhaps, widespread protests, rioting, and any glimmer of political consciousness on the part of the jury (including its black members) might somehow limit the standard, historical, American racial impulse to acquit such a murderer.  

Prosecution’s tasks here must also be to split the defense.  

Going forward, also, where a bandit like former Police Officer  Chauvin is concerned, with 20+ prior complaints against him, his commanding/superior officer with knowledge of such complaints should be fired, stripped of any qualified immunity, and deprived of any pension rights and other benefits.

Imagine what would have happened if four or five black police officers had done this to a white suspect?

Other than that, Chauvin is a prime candidate deserving of Saudi type Justice.

Caleb Pilgrim

The other item of interest addresses how large countries like the USA views small (insignificant players) on the world stage. The reverse is also true, some small players believe that ‘brown-nosing’ large countries will secure priceless crumbs from the table.


A White House Diss Of Barbados’ Prime Minister?

By newsamericas–  March 28, 2021

prime-minister-of-barbados
Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley addressing the 16th annual Raul Prebish lecture on climate change in 2019

By NAN Staff Writer

News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C. Mon. Mar. 29, 2021: Barbados’ Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, has been at the forefront of the climate fight for the region since taking office in 2018. But she has not been invited by US President Joe Biden to a White House climate summit next month.

The virtual event, entitled the ‘Leaders’ Summit on Climate,’ is to be held on April 22 and 23 and live-streamed, the White House said Friday. But Mottley is nowhere among the 40 leaders invited to the summit.

Instead, the only Caribbean prime ministers invited are prime ministers Andrew Holness of Jamaica, and Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda. Not even the current CARICOM Chair, Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley has been invited. 

Other world leaders sent an invitation to attend the virtual summit include: Xi Jinping, President of China; Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; Emmanuel Macron, President of France; Angella Merkel, German chancellor; Jacinda Arden, Prime Minister of New Zealand; and Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

The White House said in a statement that the event is to feature the reconvening of the US-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which brings together 17 countries responsible for approximately 80 per cent of global emissions and global GDP.

Biden, in his invitation, urged leaders to use the summit as an opportunity to outline how their countries also will contribute to stronger climate ambition.

“The Leaders’ Summit on Climate will underscore the urgency – and the economic benefits – of stronger climate action,” the White House statement said. “It will be a key milestone on the road to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) this November in Glasgow.”

Interestingly, Mottley has been the lead on climate change for the region, including at the UN. Speaking at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York City in 2019, Mottley delivered a stern warning to world leaders on the destabilizing domino-effect she believes these rising temperatures will have around the globe if greater measures are not taken to hasten the effects of climate change.

“Make no mistake, there will be mass migration by climate refugees that will destabilize the countries of the world that are not on the frontline of this climate crisis,” Mottley predicted then.

Today, the US is battling with a border crisis that include many fleeing Honduras after back-to-back hurricanes last year.

Mottley has also become a champion of what are known in sovereign debt contracts as natural-disaster clauses, measures that give the government a break from principal and interest payments in the event calamity strikes.  She has defended the rights of small islanders bearing the brunt of the climate emergency, saying she was committed to empowering them, giving them opportunity, a voice and a presence, even when others cannot or refuse to see them.

In December last year, Mottley told the virtual Climate Ambition Summit 2020, that other countries’ climate ambition will determine the fate of Barbados and other island nations that are vulnerable to global warming.

While committing Barbados to a target of net zero emissions by 2030, Mottley urged large, high emitting countries to do their fair share when it comes to reducing emissions, and said she hoped they were not capable of what could be considered “climate genocide.”

And the PM has said Barbados has developed a model for how countries can protect their finances from climate change, especially neighboring Caribbean islands, which have been prone to default.

The invites to Brown and Holness is obvious. Brown for his part is Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) for the period, 2021-2022, and had sent Biden a note soon after his swearing in, expressing delight that the US government will, once again, commit to the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change. While Jamaica’s Prime Minister has been asked by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to lead a global political initiative to mobilize climate change financing for developing nations.

But come April 23rd, Mottley won’t be at the White House event even as Biden claims he wants to chart a new course forward.

Difficult Conversations – How to own your house in six years

A home mortgage is the price people pay for having a house before it is fully paid for. The price the unfortunate homeowners must pay is very high indeed – they must repay more than twice what they borrowed.

Why would people choose to repay so much, in an uncertain economy, for 30-years? Why would people agree to risk losing their house, and all the payments they made, if they missed paying their monthly payments? The simple answer is that new homeowners are normally desperate, uninformed, and easily taken advantage of.

NO-INTEREST OPTION.
Potential homeowners should know that they have a better financing option. Couples can pay for their house in six years, instead of 30, and pay no interest whatsoever. To do this, a group of 12 couples must agree to form a company to build 12 starter houses.

Each person in the group must agree to pay the monthly amount that they would normally pay on a 30-year mortgage for a starter house, for six years. Two strong and durable starter houses (1,000 sq ft, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1 pantry/laundry room, open concept), that can withstand Category 5 hurricanes and magnitude 7 earthquakes, should be built each year, with the final two being built in year six.

REDUCING RISKS.
There are several methods of reducing the risks of persons not paying their monthly amounts. First, the time is reduced to 6 years, by having each of the 24 persons make the payments. Second, it is for couples, where a person’s spouse can assist if there is a temporary financial challenge. Third, it is for a starter house, where the payments should be affordable for all participants.


To further reduce repayment risks, all twelve properties (houses and lands) should be owned by a company, that is owned by all the homeowners. After all houses have been built, the ownership of each property should be transferred to the respective couple.


In the event of death or disability, each couple should have term-insurance for six years, where the company is the beneficiary.

To address temporary financial challenges, each couple should have an emergency credit card, with a credit limit of six monthly payments. This card should only be used to make emergency monthly payments. To keep persons accountable, the credit card’s monthly statements should be copied to the company.

TERMINATION.
If a couple’s financial situation is so dire, that their only option is to use their emergency credit card to make payments for three consecutive months, then they will likely put the program at risk. The other persons will have to decide whether to increase their monthly amounts to assist the couple in need, or terminate the agreement with the couple. If a couple’s agreement with the company is terminated, then the company should take a short-term loan of the total amount that the couple contributed, for a duration of the remainder of the 6 years. The couple in need should receive the total amount that they paid, less the interest on the loan. A new couple should then be invited to take their place.
At the end of six years, the 12 couples can agree to either close the company, or build one house each year to sell and generate wealth.

BAD ADVICE.
The question is, if a couple can own a comfortable, strong and durable starter house in six years, and pay no interest, then why don’t they do this? Why would anyone pay more than twice the value of their house, and risk losing it if monthly payments are missed over the uncertainty of 30 years?

The simple answer is that they received bad advice, and should dissuade others from doing the same. However, if 12 couples cannot be found in Barbados, to demonstrate how wealth may be created, then we are doing the next generation of Barbadians a grave disservice.

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer. He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com

Pressure Mounts on Minister Wilfred Abrahams to Resign

I emailed Minister Abrahams the following, I am hoping that he receives many hundreds:


Minister Wilfred Abrahams,


You have failed to protect the vulnerable girls at GIS by removing all the staff who are implicated in the systematic torture of children by routinely incarcerating them naked in a bare concrete cell for days and weeks on end.

This treatment was contrary to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. It was also in breach of Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

I understand that you have ordered that such torture not be repeated, but you have left the torturers in charge of the institution and you have left vulnerable girls in their charge. Furthermore, you have publicly stated that you have confidence in the staff who inflicted these inhuman and degrading assaults on vulnerable children.

Your catastrophic error of judgement has made me deeply ashamed of my Government.

You have left me no choice but to insist on your immediate resignation from your position as Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Thompson

Don’t Mess with Our Children

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (friendly version) states at number 19 heading among other others of equal importance that:

Protection from Violence – Governments must protect children from violence, abuse and being neglected by anyone who looks after them.

UN Convention on the rights of the child

In recent days Barbadians have been expressing outrage in response to the report of a teenager at the Government Industrial School (GIS) recorded naked in solitary confinement. The blogmaster is acutely aware the danger of blogging about matters involving children given the inclination by some in Internet fora to be irresponsible.

Troubling to the blogmaster is the breach of the rights of the teenager occurred while under the care of government. It is not lost on the blogmaster that in other jurisdictions persons charged with the responsibility of managing the GIS would have tendered resignations forthwith.

There is no need for the blogmaster to be prolix sharing thoughts on the heinous act that has occurred at the GIS. It should never have happened. Successive governments by mediocre decision-making are responsible. Adults whether employed at the GIS or parents are responsible. The country is responsible for protecting our children. Faith Marshall-Harris is correct when she reminds us that adults have a moral and LEGAL duty to report incidents of child abuse to the authorities- even if the abuse occurred at a government institution responsible for enforcing the very rights of children.

The blogmaster congratulates children advocates who champion the rights of children every day, every week and all the time. Blogs have been posted over the years (not enough) to expose challenges children face in the country. The number of comments these types of blogs garner is always an indication of the level of public interest in these types of matters. Then there is a predictable reaction when the matter currently provoking rage occurs. We are reactive to the inevitable.

The following related links were posted on Barbados Underground in 2017 to support a similar matter.

We do not place enough importance on little problems until there is a crisis situation.

The blogmaster refuses to consider the problems were not being highlighted to the management of the GIS and at other similar institutions over time.

The blogmaster refuses to consider the problems were not being highlighted to the Board of the GIS and at other similar institutions over time.

The blogmaster refuses to consider that the problems were not being highlighted to the minister responsibly for the GIS and at other similar institutions over time.

The blogmaster refuses to consider that the problems were not being highlighted to the general population by current and former employees of the GIS and other over time.

When we make the logical conclusion what does it translate to?

Teachers Want to Know… DID President Pedro Shepherd Ask to Lease BUT Lands for $1.00?

Submitted by Paula Seale

Three years ago the BUT named a road in its housing project after former president Karen Best. There is a fence between the land of the project and the bus stop next to the hardware store in Hothersal if you want directions. Mrs. Best said her vice president Pedro Shepherd had wanted to lease the land to raise his chickens. The offer was made between 2003 when Mrs. Best become president and 2012 when she resigned.

According to Mrs. Best, he wanted to pay a dollar a year to lease the 12 acres of land. When I heard about that I started to ask myself some questions. What good to the union was one dollar a year? What sort of conscience does it take to offer to pay one dollar annually to use 12 acres of land? Land which belongs to the union you are serving as vice president? Mr. Shepherd was on YouTube on Monday. I was listening to hear about the money the ministry docked from teachers like me back in 2016. I didn’t hear anything about that. 

I left the BUT this year because I have no confidence in Mr. Shepherd. My issues started with that dollar a year talk. It had me puzzled and caused me to start thinking about what I was going to accept. After all he and his cronies did for two years to sabotage the former president he is back. And now it is embarrassment and more embarrassment.

I went to buy groceries on Wednesday. A group of people were laughing when they talking about the union in the car park. One woman who overheard them asked if teachers couldn’t find somebody else to be president. She even brought up the degrees and education we talk about having. The man with her said Mr. Shepherd should stick to the smaller words he can manage and stop reading from a laptop like a robot. I was embarrassed as a teacher. We are becoming the laughing stock of Barbados.

Mr. Shepherd is one of the people named in the docking of pay case so he should be able to inform us. I believe he wants back his money and I would love mine too. Why weren’t teachers informed about the case on Monday? We should be able to get an update. Mr. Shepherd asked Mr. Spencer for an update at the annual conference two years ago. Why can’t Mr. Shepherd give us an update now?

Fair is fair.

It looked like Mr. Shepherd was no closer to understanding secondary school matters on Monday. We do not stay with one class for an entire school day. I may teach four or five different groups in one school day. We can’t stop teaching at lunch each day to come back the next day and continue with the same class. lt does not work like that. As a former student, a parent of adult children, the ex-husband of a secondary school teacher and the president of a teachers’ union he should understand more about how things work in secondary schools. He was the BUT president for a long time. He does not seem to be learning though. Either that, he doesn’t care to learn, he isn’t interested in learning or he was never interested.

In these times I would not boast about being at work from 9 to 1 like he did. Many of us are under constant pressure. As the president it can’t only be about him. I believe that was thoughtless and careless. A lot of teachers put in very long hours preparing lessons day and night. And then they have to be online to teach those lessons, do corrections, create notes and exercises, and still attend to the home, find time to sleep, take care of their families, go shopping and so on.

Mr. Shepherd is the IT Coordinator at Wilkie. I understand another teacher was doing a lot of the IT work there for years. But that never stopped him from arguing about not getting his coordinator’s allowance. Before Mr. Spencer beat him in 2018, he was on the executive from 1996. The people in the area around Wilkie would tell you that he was at that school for over 30 years. Despite his time at the school and as a union man and as a top officer of the union, Wilkie is in bad shape.

He said the ministry can’t touch teachers’ money back at the meeting in Queen’s Park. We all know what happened after that. Now he and Ronald Jones are on the DLP executive together. So teachers can’t hear about the pay that was docked when Mr. Jones was the Minister of Education. That would remind people of how the party Mr. Shepherd serves as Ass. General Secretary treats teachers’ rights and salaries. It is not like the BLP is any better.

Union elections are due next month. So I expect Mr. Shepherd will be in the news more regularly now. What we aren’t hearing about is the money we lost when he was president in 2016. What teachers need from the union is representation. Not comments that make the president and teachers by extension seem foolish to the public.

What about term’s leave?

What is the union doing about leave?

Has the lawyer said anything about the long leave or the docking of pay?

Teachers want to know. We deserve to know. 

Difficult Conversations – Late-teenagers

Submitted by Grenville Phillips

Since we all learn new things through a process of failure, we are normally at our least responsible time as late-teenagers.  That is when we transition from being dependent children into adults.  As children, our parents were mostly responsible for our actions.  As adults, we are fully responsible for our actions.

Late-teenagers can do much damage as they get used to their new adult responsibilities.  Car insurance companies manage these risks by charging them high car insurance premiums.  Employers of secondary-school graduates manage these risks by apprenticing them under close supervision.

WIND OATS.

During this transition time, unsupervised young men may stupidly sow wild oats, and unsupervised young women may stupidly accept them.  This normally results in a well-studied set of social problems for all of us, and severe disadvantages for the children of such brief promiscuous unions.

Teenage university students have the potential to do significant harm.  They are sheltered from the responsibilities of adulthood if their parents are funding their studies.  They also tend to avoid the benefits of close employer supervision, since they are assumed to know the work – of which they only have an academic understanding.

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.

Since university students are normally delayed from transitioning into adulthood, they need additional adult supervision to manage their potential for harm.  When they do not receive that critical supervision, everyone is at risk.

University graduates, who have not yet experienced adult responsibilities, but who have been promoted over adults, can destroy a business.  They must make mistakes while they learn, and everyone under them will have to pay the price while they learn.

PROVEN FAILURES.

Those who give university students critical responsibilities, are the most unwise of us all.  University students were reportedly allowed to mark CXC exams – without the critical close supervision.  It was a regional disaster that will be nightmarishly messy to resolve.  But we refused to learn.

Some bright spark wants to unleash university students to visit every household, to carry-out medical tests, during a pandemic of an aggressive deadly virus.  The likely result is clearly foreseen – they will be national super-spreaders of the virus, as they go house-to-house unrestricted.

SAVE US.

What can the Government do to reduce our chances of this becoming the foreseen national disaster?  They can simply manage the students in accordance with ISO 9001 principles.  The obvious question, that everyone seems terrified to ask, is: Why does the Government continue to reject this internal management standard, which is now desperately needed?

The Ministry of Health appears proudly satisfied with their reactive management approach – just cleaning up their unnecessary messes.  Tragically, each successive mess has greater consequences for us all.  This time, it is not the grades of our students that are at risk – it is our very lives.

Today, the Ministry of Health should be reviewing their plans to manage these students, in accordance with ISO 9001 principles.  They are not.  So, we must now beg for the lives of our fellow citizens.

Can some influential person please tell the Ministry of Health to start using the ISO 9001 international management standard immediately – for all of our sakes?

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer. He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com

The Volcano is Going Off!

Submitted by Nathan’ Jolly’ Green

The volcano is going off! what volcano is going off? They are all going off!

The volcano is going off, what volcano is going off? They are all going off. What do you mean they are all going off? When that last happened in 1816, it created the Year Without Summer and almost brought the end to all humanity.

Vincentians know what is happening in their back yard, and often in their neighbours. But currently, Saint Vincent is in such turmoil with people running frightened from the COVID 19 virus; few look over the neighbours’ fence anymore in fear of catching the COVID. Vincentians know that La Soufrière is erupting, but all the others in the world who cares.

Around the world currently, most of the volcanos are in some state of eruption. They are all smoking, rumbling, or fully erupting. We lack the final piece in the 1816 year without summer equation, Indonesia’s Mount Tambora erupting explosively.

In April of 1815, Mount Tambora exploded in a powerful eruption that killed tens of thousands of people on the Indonesian island of Sumbawa. The following Year 1816 became known as the “year without a summer” when icy, wet conditions swept across Europe and North America in August.

The Year 1816 is known as the Year Without a Summer (also the Poverty Year and Eighteen Hundred and Froze to Death) because of severe climate abnormalities that caused average global temperatures to decrease by 0.4–0.7 °C (0.7–1 °F). Summer temperatures in Europe were the coldest on record between the years of 1766–2000. This resulted in significant food shortages across the Northern Hemisphere.

Evidence suggests that the anomaly was predominantly a volcanic winter event caused by the massive 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in April in the Dutch East Indies (known today as Indonesia). This eruption was the largest in at least 1,300 years (after the hypothesized eruption causing the extreme weather events of 535–536), and perhaps exacerbated by the 1814 eruption of Mayon in the Philippines.

With most of the Worlds volcanos making activity from 1800 causing cumulative upper atmosphere contamination, that in 1815/1816 the upper atmosphere was densely contaminated with ash and debris which blocked out the sun. Everything needs the sun to grow, needs the sun to live. But 1816 saw a year of little sun and a year-long winter. In August in New York, Frost and snow and freezing fogs, people starved around the world as crops failed, no wheat, and bread riots in Switzerland. People in the East Coast US marched across the country having heard it was a little warmer on the West Coast. Domestic farm animals were dying no food, no grains, no vegetables. Wild animals and birds stopped breeding, stopped replacing those that were dying by the millions. Had the intense volcanic activity continued for another two or three years and continued to exclude the sun. It would have most certainly been the end of humanity.

But back to the matter in hand, you can stop looking over the neighbour’s fence. Let us look again at the current evolving eruption of Saint Vincent’s Mount Soufrière. What is the worst that can happen?

Massive eruptions bring massive lightning storms, a deposit of ash that blocks rivers and closes off roads. Bridges fail due to the rivers’ blockage. The rivers in Saint Vincent are traditionally poorly maintained almost always containing lots of dead trees and debris, mix that with volcanic ash, and pop goes the bridges. Landslides block roads; roads collapse; people are stranded, no escape. Do we have to wait for all that before we attempt to evacuate our people from a situation that would prove impossible and the people may perish?

So why not rescue the people in case a tragedy unwraps, how about evacuation just in case? How about evacuation as a precaution? How about evacuation right now?

One of the most significant strains on the Vincentians’ minds living in the red and yellow zone is not knowing if or when not knowing the evacuation plan. Not knowing the meeting points, what they should bring and how to get there. No trial run of evacuation, no test run, no information, can you imagine how that plays on these people’s minds.

For the government to wait until something happens before they move into action, really may be just too late. Tell the people the whole plan, tell them now, they are not children, tell them, comrade. Give every one of them written instructions.

See also https://annsvg.com/index.php/2021/01/27/indonesian-volcano-unleashes-river-of-lava-in-new-eruption/

MCMANUS DEATH PROBED IN BARBADOS

The following report extracted from the Irish publication The PHOENIXDavid, Blogmaster


 

McManus Arriving at Inquest

 

THE DEATH on December 30 of 40 year old Emma McManus, daughter-in-law of zillionaire JP McManus, in the exclusive Caribbean Sandy Lane resort, reverberated around the super rich circles in Barbados as well as back home in Ireland.

Confusion was the order of the day and the memorial service initially planned take place at the start of January was deferred until the following week. Now the inquest is putting the tragedy back under the spotlight, featuring disputed references to alleged cocaine use.

Emma was married John Paul McManus, son of the Geneva based tax exile JP, who found himself giving evidence at inquest in Barbados yesterday – an experience that proved predictably intrusive. As reported in the local Daily Nation newspaper, John McManus had to deny that he told the office of coroner Graveney Bannister in a telephone call, allegedly made shortly after the death of Emma, that they had been doing “a little cocaine”.

Emma McManus

McManus confirmed there had been a party at their Sandy Lane property but denied he had told the official at the coroner’s office that any cocaine had been taken, also rebutting a claim that he had a convenient memory. When asked if he was claiming that Bannister was “making it all up”, McManus suggested the coroner had misheard him and also said he “would happily take a test for it”.

The inquest also heard that there was a dispute about calls allegedly made asking how quickly Emma McManus’s body could be released for burial, with John McManus denying he had repeatedly telephoned the coroner: “We were in a state of grieving and people were eager for answers, so it wasn’t me that did anything”.

His statement to the police, which was read into evidence by Sergeant Robert Jones, said the Emma McManus had left Sandy Lane’s Monkey Bar around 11.30pm on December 29 to return to the house, while her husband was taken home around 4am and put on the couch to sleep.

In the morning, he found his wife dead in the bed and she was rushed to Sandy Crest hospital. McManus’s statement concluded, “She was not smoking anything and I don’t know if she was taking any narcotics.”

The inquest has been adjourned until next month, when the toxicology report is to be read to the court.

Difficult Conversations: Stay in Your Lane – Part 2

If a mechanic and a lawyer give their opinions on why a car is not starting, we would likely believe the mechanic.  If the subject is an interpretation of a law, we would likely believe the lawyer.  In Barbados, we tend to believe persons who give opinions in their field of training.

Every profession has its activists who aim to influence Government’s policies.  Some activists become radicals, where they pursue similar aims, but by any and all means imaginable, including nightmarish.

Professions are responsible for policing their radical activists, lest they bring their professions into disrepute.  Radicals can do this by consistently making claims, that are easily disproved with credible evidence.  For that reason, radical activists rarely provide evidence to support their claims.

It was therefore a modern miracle, when historian Trevor Marshall did the unthinkable.  He recently revealed the main evidence that the government relied on to trash Horatio Nelson’s reputation, and remove his over 200-year old statue.

THE EVIDENCE.

Trevor Marshall revealed (in a letter to the editor, published in the Nation on 2 Dec 2020) that historian, Dr Marianne Czisnik, “documented Nelson’s involvement in the slave trade” in her book titled, ‘Horatio Nelson: A Controversial Hero’.

I read the well-researched book, which is based on Dr Czisnik’s 2004 doctoral dissertation.  Dr Czisnik critically reviewed the available evidence, to strip away any myths about Nelson.

The book contained no information that “documented Nelson’s involvement in the slave trade”, as Mr Marshall claimed.  Mr Marshall is free to dispute this, by providing the page number on which his evidence can be found.  Our journalists, poets and politicians who actively promote his claims as truth, should encourage him to do the same.

APPEAL.

I have come to accept that in Barbados, an Engineer is unlikely to be believed in a dispute with a historian, when the subject of the dispute is history.  It does not matter that the historian’s claims can be easily disproved, they can only be disputed by other historians.  If they are not disputed, they are accepted as true by our politicians, and used to direct government policies.

Radicals can make obvious false timeline claims, like Nelson killing Martin Luther King during the civil rights era in the 1960s, and no amount of evidence that an Engineer can provide can make a difference.  Notably, Mr Marshall has made easily disproven timeline claims against Nelson, which our historians would not dispute – so I decided to do it, but I should not have to.

It is time for honest and brave professionals to evidence-referee claims made by their radical activist colleagues.  They need to be brave because radical activists normally respond to request for evidence, with insulting accusations intended to intimidate everyone.

Historians with integrity may be denounced as racists if they are white, or traitors to their race if they are black.  The aim is to intimidate independently-minded journalists, teachers, poets and politicians not to attempt such folly – and it has worked.  In modern Barbados, evidence about radicals’ claims can neither be requested nor discussed – without persecution.

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer. He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com

The USA is Burning

As the blogmaster is typing he is witnessing a scene in the US Capitol akin to what is associated in countries often described as banana republics. It is impossible to find the words to accurately describe events which have caused the ceremonial event of the Electoral College to be suspended as members scatter to preserve life and limb.

Saint Vincent Judas Style

Submitted by Nathan ‘Jolly’ Green

Let us discuss Judas Law, Judas Politics, and Judas Business. The Vincentian Judas syndrome. Pontious Pilate and Herod were murderous statesmen, but unlike today’s political leaders they were then and are now historically called statesmen.

Today in Saint Vincent, few political leaders can be classed as statesmen or even stateswomen. Today’s Saint Vincent leader is little more than a flatulent hog, bloated with food and severely damaging the worlds ozone layer.

Saint Vincent has been ruled for twenty years by a man who has helped more than any other Vincentian himself and his family, to destroy the kindness and the traditional Vincentian way of life. He has created a family dynasty’s root structure to continue his ruling behaviour into the mist-shrouded future.

As the prime minister, he has created all sorts of nasty traits in his image, attributes, and behaviour mirrored, copied, and emulated by young people who are easily moulded, convinced, that nasty is better than nice. Wrong is better than right.

None of the grandparents of today’s adults would have elected Ralph Gonsalves, he was in the wilderness for years, hated by housewives, classed as a communist moron for the better part of his early political life. Local newspapers chat pages were full of anti-Gonsalves rhetoric. Stories that were not written by politicians or academics but by little old grandpa’s and grandma’s, ordinary Vincentian folk who wanted none of the left-wing rubbish growing like cancer in the country’s womb at the time.

Most of our grandparents hated him; some even feared him and his communist-style politics. They would never have elected him in a million years; local Vincentian newspaper columns were always full of comments by those folk condemning and calling him nasty names. They saw a threat in him being head of government, leading the government, even being a member of parliament (MP) as a definite no. No.

How then did we end up with someone who was unliked and mistrusted by the old folk?

That was a part of the early introduction of the Judas syndrome introduced into Saint Vincent by such rotten characters as Vincent Beache. He entered politics in 1972 when he was defeated in the North Central Leeward constituency by Victor Cuffy of the People’s Political Party (PPP). After that, Beache was to win the seat on the next three elections held on 1974,1979, and 1984, twice trouncing Ralph Gonsalves and Victor Cuffy. Vincent Beache was indeed a Judas character; he sold out the Labour Party of Saint Vincent to a party with communist leaders, people who could not get elected. Gonsalves at the time was part of the MNU leadership and that political party had Leninist Communist ideals. The membership was all rank supporters of Karl Marx and loved Cuba, the revolution, and dreamt of being Vincentian Castro figures.

So how did Judas Beache sell out our country of decency to a rag and tag collection of young want to be revolutionaries? It was not difficult, and history has shown it was a sell-out and not a giveaway by the Judas. Vincent Beache was honoured to such an extent for his service to the communist cause that he spent all the years up to his death almost, reaping the profits of his Judas actions.

The Unity Labour Party (ULP) was founded in 1994 by a merger of the Movement for National Unity (MNU) and the Saint Vincent Labour Party (SVLP) with Vincent Beache as its leader. The MNU was a communist stronghold party, which was never a stronghold, more like an unwanted weak-hold party. A party of Castroites and people who wanted to change Saint Vincent into a Marxist monster world.

At the end of the contentious 1998 general election, when polling results giving the New Democratic Party (NDP) eight seats and the ULP seven seats were announced, Vincent Beache declared that he could not accept the outcome and called for fresh elections, alleging voter intimidation, fraud, and bribery. The NDP promptly rebutted this.

Vincent et al. Judas Beache resigned as leader of the ULP in 1998 after doing a secret deal with Ralph Gonsalves, making way for Dr Gonsalves to assume leadership of the party.

But when Gonsalves apposed Vincent Beache, prior to the deal, he used some of these words against him. Vincent Beache is a coconut bat. Vincent Beache is just an electrician. Vincent Beache, dirty beach. Yet after all that he recommended Beache to be bestowed a Knighthood, for service to the Vincentian people, which it turned out was a service to Ralph Gonsalves.

When the ULP was elected to office in March 2001, Beache was returned as Member of Parliament for South Windward. Despite all the previous name calling Gonsalves fully embraced Beache. Although Beache knew nothing whatsoever about the subject, he was made, under the Gonsalves leadership, Minister of National Security, and put in charge of the Public Service and Airport Development in the Gonsalves’ ULP administration of 2001 – 2005. He also acted as Prime Minister at various times between 2001 and 2005.

Vincent Beache resigned from Government and active politics before the general elections of 2005, vacating his seat in South Windward where his son, Glen Beache successfully replaced him.

In retirement Ralph Gonsalves ensured Beache remained active in public life, serving as a close advisor to Prime Minister Gonsalves and on the boards of several Government-owned companies and organizations. He was credited with responsibility for the construction of the Belle Isle prison. Also, he drove the process for the establishment of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) while contributing to the establishment of the Argyle International Airport (AIA), the Canouan jet airport and many other important initiatives like the Campden Park Industrial Estate. The rewards had started to flood in; he earned more money from politics than he ever dreamed possible. A grateful Ralph Gonsalves heaped every position of financial gain potential on Judas Beache.

The biggest Judas triumph was in 2002 when Vincent Beache was awarded the Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for distinguished public service. Recommended to the Governor-General for knighthood by Ralph Gonsalves and the Judas now became known as Sir Vincent Beache. Most of us who follow politics know the only distinguished service emanated from Beache was shown to only one Vincentian, it was Ralph Gonsalves that benefited from Vincent Beache. Gonsalves without Beach would have been a political failure all his life. Beache never stopped benefitting from the Judas action of passing the leadership of the ULP to Ralph Gonsalves.

The people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, well perhaps not the Grenadines, because the old and wise in the Grenadines knew and recognized the truth and never accepted the communist MNU now cloaked, shrouded from view, and known as the Unity Labour Party. But those Labour supporters from Saint Vincent island were sold a pup and never recognized it, they thought, and still think the ULP is a labour party when it is a communist party, organised and controlled by a communist leadership. A party that has spent two decades actively working and whittling away Vincentians’ rights and privileges to bring them into line with the ULP model, Cuba.

Today even more people cannot live without state handouts, three times more getting national benefits. Despite that, there are still people going hungry, more people without work, and no youth jobs. But all that we must expect when we are the subjects of a bloodless revolution, a peaceful transition to being a fully-fledged communist state. Most of the poor must expect to be put to some severe hardships during the transition.

Many middle-class have fled to the US, Canada, and the UK. They are the lucky ones; they can expect a better life beyond the reach of the Judas principles and the Communist League of Nations registered ULP government.

Those of us left to fight Saint Vincent’s left and their hero nations, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, North Korea and all the rogue states everywhere whose principles are based on rigged elections, bought elections, stolen elections, even no elections, using dirty military and dirty police to help achieve dirty Judas governments. We must never give up the fight in ridding SVG of its Judas Judiciary, Judas Police, and Judas Government. Remembering how they came to power with Judas politicians’ help, we must persevere in telling what we see, what we hear, and what we believe.

It is time to become even more anti-communist revolutionary and reject our affiliation to Cuba, Venezuela, and all those other Judas states. Perhaps it is time for us to have our bloodless revolution, but decent, honest Judas hating people do not work like that.

The great thing about life is that it is eventually self-cleansing, death of Judas leaders ultimately relieves the world of the Judas syndrome bringers. We have seen the end of several Judas leaders, Castro, Chavez, Beache, and soon because he cannot live forever, Ralph Gonsalves. The latter may already be well on the path to goodbye due to his excessive eating, gorging like every meal is the last supper, his last meal, perhaps it is, maybe it is!

https://vincikallaloo.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/were-the-vincentian-marxists-ever-close-to-revolution/

Sinful Leaders, Sinful Followers

Submitted by Nathan ‘Jolly’ Green

Alert raised as SVG’s volcano oozes magma, watch out 2021.

Like Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, North Korea, has the leadership of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines brought the wrath of God upon the heads of those who support such leadership?

Jeremiah 23:1-4

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.

1 Timothy 3:1-5

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore, an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his household, how will he care for God’s church?

I honestly believe that we in Saint Vincent have all been on the receiving end of bad leadership, those that support such leadership can learn about the wrath of the Lord.

It is essential to understand the underlying forces at work in evil leaders.

Much has been written to tell us about the “top traits of a bad leadership” or “how to deal with an evil leader.” I will now impart some information here that should not be ignored, and the ideas presented in them help us understand the “bad leader.” But let us not also forget the failing junior and middle-level leaders and parliamentary ministers in SVG. Those that support evil leadership, knowingly join forces with a corrupt regime and are responsible for those evil deeds, as if they did them themselves.

Senior leaders who bring evil to leadership, bring a significant dimension of trouble to a government. While this may be obvious on the statement’s surface, what leads to it may not seem so clear.

Three crucial factors are at play with understanding the success or failure of political leadership: 1) A leaders Character, 2) His leadership Style, and 3) their Followers. And often, when an evil leader is elected, you can entirely blame the followers. But the actions of that leader are those of his choosing, often cheered on by the same followers who elected him.

Senior Leader Character: Many senior leaders become even eviler, ultra-evil. They also rely on their own political and often even judicial skills to do everything and are generally blind to their real inadequacies and drive. Frequently, they see their position in terms of privilege and power (although they do not admit it) and will ignore others’ advice. They are practically unsuitable for leadership and are unwilling to be held accountable for their evil and sometimes malicious conduct.

Leadership Style: Evil senior leaders also fail to have the proper vision or vision for their organization. Vision must be methodically established and pursued on behalf of the political party, not as a response to competitors, organization problems, or personal factors. The strategic vision also helps to determine leadership style because it must be pursued vigorously. Those senior leaders who pursue a vision for the wrong reasons (e.g., personal gain, gain of their families, and dynasties) will be more inclined to value employee obedience over creativity. These evil leaders never allow people with more intelligence and drive than themselves anywhere near the leadership position. They are often choosing to serve under them what may be viewed as political dunces as an act of self-protectionism.

Their Followers: Evil leadership involves the interplay between the leader’s skills, the needs of the organization, and the demands of the government. Party-hacks/followers will act according to these factors by accepting or rejecting a leader and following the senior leader wilfully or mechanically, disregarding and cheering on every evil act. Some Vincentian people always choose nasty over nice, evil over good, look for leadership and guidance on how to achieve evil, and when their leader fails to continue his evil patterns and style, only then will they react to reject the leader. Crime rates, rape, robberies, burglaries, all soar under evil leadership.

Here are just a few examples of bad leaders:

Lack of direction (improper or no vision) except for their benefit

Lack of energy and enthusiasm (no passion) in anything that does not directly benefit themselves

Have poor judgement (poor decision-making processes) make silly statements like I am here to complete the work of Maurice Bishop, if I work Obeah I only work Obeah for the Lord, show me a liar, and I will show you a thief, I sometimes tell lies

Do not collaborate (sees no need to enlist the assistance of others) absolute refusal to recognize the good offices of the opposition political party even when they come with excellent proposals

Resist new ideas (obedience is valued over creativity and hard work) unless they are their ideas or those of their family or dynasty member

Lack of interpersonal skills (also unwilling to improve social skills) unable to accept anything or anybody who may be a political threat to them

Do not develop others (interested in themselves, not others) underdevelopment of others means they are kept down and not a threat

Use others to carry out evil, malicious, and spiteful deeds against those in society who may become a political threat to them

God is the great lawgiver; man is a lawless sinner. If God had not ordained government to order mankind, we would be a murderous lot of barbarians, and so he commands us to obey our laws and refers to every governor as his “minister … for good” (v4). If we obey our leaders, we will have a good reputation and a civilized society. Now verse 3 reveals the intended nature of our governmental heads, saying “rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.” You see, Iran’s leader, Venezuela’s leadership, president, and chairman of North Korea, are to be to their people agents of lawfulness and good thriving. They are meant to be peacekeepers and maintainers of order. If, however, the leader is an enemy of the good, a terror to his people, and does evil before God, he will be judged, and the wrath of both heaven and Earth will be upon him.

All leaders are known by God and are either permitted or placed explicitly by him. Sometimes a section of the people clamours for an evil leader, and God gives them what they obviously deserve. But God can put whomever he wills in the seat of authority, so any way one looks at this, “There is no power but of God.” Which raises the question, what happens when a Hitler makes it to the top, or a modern example like Kim Jung-un, Maduro, and the Castro’s, what to do about them? It could be argued that the cultures behind such despots facilitated their rise to power, and from lack of resolve or concern for their fellow man, brought the awful results upon themselves. When considering how Hitler came to power, then persecuted Jews to death, and then began invading other countries to spread his poison and overtake the world, it is no wonder much of the world allied to destroy his regime. Today, the Korean dictator leads an officially atheistic government that persecutes religious minorities (especially Christians) to death, massacres entire clans of perceived dissenters and threatens those outside his borders with nuclear missiles. If his threats become perceived as legitimate, war will be fully justified to end his reign of narcissistic terror.

Finally, keep in mind the strong verse of balance regarding government’s authority: “If we have to choose between obedience to God and obedience to any human authority, then we must obey God” (Act 5:29 VOI).

Wrath may well be vented on the Vincentian people if la Soufriere volcano erupts. The stupidity of building a major medical facility close to it and the Argyle airport close to it will be obvious. Despite many warning about the volcano erupting, our leadership ignored the calls of common sense because they ran contrary to the leadership’s political views and dominance. The building of both those projects was political, not social, or commercial. Three-year projects each took nine years, overrun without penalty on the Cubans, a procedure designed to keep the Unity Labour Party in power.

When Soufriere erupted in 1979 volcanic rocks, microwave oven sizes crashed through the roofs of people’s houses in Georgetown. Today, those homes are next to the new Cuban built medical facilities there, the Vincentian ULP leadership knew this but for the sake of Cuban collaboration and solidarity continued and allowed the Cubans to develop our leading medical diagnostic and treatment centre right in the heart of imminent volcanic hail and gas inundation.

When you do something amorally, you do it in an ethically indifferent way, without stopping to contemplate whether it is good or bad. As with the word immorally, that can mean that what you are doing is wicked; it means that you are not concerned about your actions’ moral consequences. When you pay millions of taxpayer’s moneys to have boreholes drilled in the search for super-heated rock, where a new power plant will be successfully built. When you do that in an area for political reasons instead of commercial reasons, knowing there is somewhere better to drill is not amoral; it is most certainly immoral.

When people are driven out of their business because they do not support the political party in power, Bigger Bigs and many many other springs to mind, that is not amoral; it is immoral. When peoples land and property is taken from them by the government under the pretext of social good, that is immoral. Everyone who supports an evil leadership, knowing what that leadership is doing is immoral are themselves sinful beings.

The Lord works in mysterious ways, you can see the results in what has happened, and is happening to North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, and so many other countries, now perhaps even Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Echoes of Delayed Responses: A Case for Human Rights in Barbados

Submitted by TK Butler-Intimate Partner Violence Survivor 
Human Rights Advocate 
Author & Activist @ Focus Barbados| Protect the Children

JUSTICE DELAYED is justice denied. Barbados is becoming notorious for pushing matters under the rug for years, backlogged court cases, people remanded to jail and cases that don’t get called before the court until several years later, witnesses to cases being asked to remember evidence from 10 years ago, and people walking around the same streets as perpetrators while awaiting their day in court.

In my case, Barbados failed to respond to a petition I submitted in June 2015 to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights by the deadline. This failure triggered  the advancement of my petition to a formal case as stated in a letter mailed from the Commission to Jerome Walcott and myself on November 23, 2020: 

The State in question did not submit a response to the petition during the admissibility phase. Therefore, the Commission has decided to open the case…

The details of my case against the government of Barbados as well as the specific abuses I’ve suffered are shared within my blog posts on WordPress @ Focus Barbados (est. 2015) and Instagram @quarantineipv (est. March 2020). I used Facebook as a platform for raising awareness back in 2012-2014. I was also interviewed by Naked Departure on her blog talk radio in 2014. I have been more than vocal.

I lived in the communities of Barbados as a tourist. My abusive relationship with Barbados began in 2012, lasted for 3 years which has lapsed into a total of 7 years and counting. After leaving Barbados in 2015, I began researching and educated myself about the plight of Bajan women and children in Barbados. It is through understanding their struggle that I became aware of the connection we all have to trauma, crime, justice and the delayed responses by relevant authorities in each of those areas. We are all survivors of systemic governmental neglect and abuse. These abusive relationships formed the basis of my view that there is a lack of empathy in Barbados that is cultural. The people hold dear their customary “respect and manners” but because of deep seated anger issues, this hospitality and politeness does not ease the rage of Bajan hostility. Through my conversations with Bajans, experiences of culture and observations of governmental leadership, I am as clear as ever that Sir Hilary Beckles assessments of Barbados as the First Black Slave Society, including all the barbaric and traumatic implications, is one of many contributing factors that plays a significant role in my struggle for freedom from gender based violence in Barbados.

I’ve learned that when I was being strangled and my abuser asked me: “ARE YOU GONNA SHUT UP? YES OR NO?”, he was echoing the sentiments and voices of a majority of the population. I, THE TOURIST, although supposedly “superior” in status due to my relationship to the tourism industry/economy, ended up being treated as many local women are treated every day. I was not given the world renowned  “ROYAL TREATMENT” as a tourist. Instead, I experienced a major contributor to the normalization of abuse for Bajan women and children: THE CULTURE OF SILENCE. My research provided further evidence that emotional and verbal abuse in Barbados is rationalized as commonplace. The same hurt people who hurt people are working as teachers, lawyers, police, judges, and government officials.

According to Cynthia Forde:

There is no community that is not a part of the nonsense that has been going on.  And the molesters are not just the ordinary men in the village, but we have police officers taking advantage, and according to what we know, there are teachers, priests, counsellors and caregivers who are taking advantage of young children…all people who know better, and because they have not been caught, they get away with it.

Loop News Barbados


How can the cycle of abuse be broken when those who are supposed to help victims are also people who can’t be trusted? Who was gonna raise awareness if it’s normal to have your voice choked out of you? Who was gonna be an example that speaking out can bring healing where there’s no justice or closure? Who was gonna expose the wounds in order to justify the need for healing? Who was gonna ask someone out there somewhere if they dared care to listen to our screams for help? I asked others if they were willing. Everyone feared retaliation by employers and government. The rumours that Bajans are docile and content with suffering in silence became all the more real. No more delays. No more denials.

My case with the Commission is strong and justice will prevail. I would like acknowledgment from the government that my and OUR suffering is not in vain. The government must pledge itself to fix the broken systems, including those within the Child Care Board and Juvenile Justice circles, that enable the cycles of generational abuse and trauma that create abusive men and women. This must be done for the sake and well being of children. Every living adult in Barbados is called to task.

In this year’s throne speech, Dame Sandra Mason stated: “Barbados is now increasingly finding itself on international lists, including within the multilateral system, which identify us as having a poor human rights record.”

Need I say more?

In conclusion the lyrics of an old gospel spiritual by Mahalia Jackson will suffice:

If I can help somebody, as I travel along
If I can help somebody, with a word or song
If I can help somebody, from doing wrong
No, my living shall not be in vain No, my living shall not be in vain
No, my living shall not be in vain
If I can help somebody, as I’m singing the song
You know, my living shall not be in vain.

Barbadian Beware of Forex Trading Scams

A few weeks ago the blogmaster assisted a middle aged lady with a matter to her satisfaction. She then politely asked the blogmaster if she could give him a call later in the evening. Of course said the blogmaster being the kind gentleman, about 7:30PM should do it.

To hurry the story along the middle aged lady asked if the blogmaster was familiar with FOREX TRADING and that she was presenting the opportunity for significant money to be made by the both of us. After a few questions the blogmaster was able to conclude that the middle aged lady was ignorant about how to trade in foreign currencies but to compensate, she was confident the people she had become involved would deliver on a promise to train her AND the blogmaster should he grasp the opportunity to get on board.

Always mindful of the familiar Proverb a fool and his money are soon parted the blogmaster pulled up Google (let Google be your friend) to confirm a suspicion. This was another scam where snake oil sales men pump ignorant individuals for referrals to the scam – it turns out the referral payment is the revenue opportunity for the managers of of the scam and the foreign exchange spreads – where the risk is 100% – left to the hapless individuals who were referred to the scheme.

One of the biggest perpetrators of the FOREX TRADING Scam is the company iMarketLive.

We are living in a harsh economic time, when greed and ignorance are added to the plot it makes for a sizeable opportunity for fraudsters.

Barbadians, a word to you should be sufficient!

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Fascism – The Capture of the Republican Party by TRUMP

Submitted by Pachamama

By the end of the business day, Thursday 27 August 2020, political history of the world would have been written by one Donald Trump. This grifter would have achieved total and unquestioned controlled over the Republican National Convention (RNC) apparati and inserted his brand in such a way that there would be no recognizable differences between man, family and party. The former Republican Party would have become an integral part of the ‘family businesses.

The current coming-out ‘party’ convention has been so organized so that not a whisper of dissent could be given voice. Every ‘man jack’ chosen to speak was to be a reliable Trumpeter. Only Hitler was this exacting. Dissidents were either skillfully sidelined, assigned to the political wilderness in search of uncertain futures or made to join the growing numbers of ‘never-Trumpers’ in groups like the Lincoln Project, in exile as outside supporters of Joe Biden, a man who himself, is less than compos mentis.

As Trump plays for keeps, the clear intention is the deployment of the party organization for the maximization of personal and generational wealth. He and he alone must be the richest man in the world. This is Trump’s personal party! This is all happening, while the Democratic congressional leadership is running around talking about passing this bill, and that bill. But none of this matters to Trump. For Trump, they provide good cover for him to reshape the political structure, under their feet, and in his own image, his brand. The Republican leadership, on the other hand, has been mere lapdogs to this new ‘King’ of America!

We would be unsurprised should Trump emerge from this convention gaining the added bonus of reducing the margins between himself and Biden, a post-convention bounce. This is the normal bounce expected, which Biden failed to obtain from his own theatrical displays of last week.

At the end of the day we would fail to see, if Trump is as successful as we assess he will be, the circumstances under which the current political duopoly formations could resist the type of transformation similar to that as imposed on the Whig Party of the early 19th century. The real question here is whether the Republican Party, as we have known it, is now dead or not? Given demography, some may wonder how it could have existed for so long. History may find that this has been achieved through systemic electoral fraud. This is a history of fraud with which the Democratic Party (DNC) has willingly colluded to ensure that the status quo is maintained.

Trump must be well-pleased with himself for getting away with the incessant moral and legal challenges he has mounted to the system. For example, no president has thus far, been subjected to an impeachment conviction but continued to successfully seek the party’s banner in a coming election. But nobody even mentions this fact. Such is the gravamen of existential challenges to the duopoly as presented by Trumpism.

Maybe, he was right when he voiced his truism that the president’s power is ‘total’. Evidently, his most loyal supporters, the fascist-Christian-evangelicals; court systems well populated by Trump loyalists; that critical mass of Euro-Americans whose every sinew is racist; the silent corporate elites who support both duopoly factions; and a bevy of supine congressmen and senators are now well-prepared to set-sail any remaining notions about ‘democracy’, ‘liberty’, ‘freedom’ down the Potomac River. The Potomac two-step on full display!

Trump has instilled such a perverse party ‘discipline’ that a Martian visiting Earth and landing on this convention would not believe that there is currently a pandemic and that north of 200,000 Americans, based on excess deaths statistics, lay dead. Even as a coterie of buffoons feels confident enough to compel a populace to believe that what is real is indeed fiction and that fiction is reality. Oh, where is George Orwell when needed most!

Internationally, the Dictator-in-Chief has wielded his fascist powers with ruthless efficiency. We could list the countries. They include Bolivia, Venezuela, Guyana, Belarus, Palestine, Syria and more. In the case of Guyana he, with hidden hands, was able to deploy CARICOM and the OAS to overturn an election and install the PPP on the basis that one of his associates in Washington was a paid consultant to the Jagdeo gang. What is currently happening at the so-called Republican National Convention has more to do with the future of empire and the fortunes of the Caribbean than anything happening in this region currently.

Of course, we expect Trump will be the next president. This we see as highly possible regardless to who wins the most votes, who gains the larger number of delegates in the Electoral College or what the exit-polling may suggest. A Biden victory will merely delay the inevitable. The American fascist dictator has already laid the predicate in order to question any adverse result. Before that, we are guaranteed an enhanced panoply of uniquely American electoral fraudulent measures, maybe by both sides, measures already in play. Will CARICOM and the OAS interfere like they did in Guyana or Bolivia?

Even if by some miracle Biden were to win, it would be another significant hurdle to get Trump out of the White House, physically. Biden is wrongly persuaded that the military brass will expel Trump under these circumstances. Given recent events outside this very White House and the irrational refusal of all elements of the military to arrest Donald Trump and subject him to a military tribunal on treason charges, we are not inclined to concur with Biden.

Trump has never followed any tradition or lawful requirement. He breaks more laws before breakfast that the criminals in his dungeons, it has been said. Also, he is much too fearful of going to jail, like he must, if a sense of political decency is to be re-established in Washington DC. We are therefore left to loiter on the good graces of ordinary citizens in an unlikely quest of removing a political carbuncle from the body politic.

We have been reminded that the Constitution requires the Speaker of the House, Pelosi, to assume the interim-presidency should there be long-lasting election uncertainty going beyond January 20th, 2021, as Trump is threatening with blatant interference in the USPS. But even if it were to come to this, we would fail to see any circumstances where the incumbent, Donald J. Trump would recognize her (Pelosi’s) existence. He may even have her arrested should she venture anywhere near 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The fatal flaw is the American political culture requiring the presumptive loser to accept defeat will serve merely to ignite deeper social discord and further the aims of the fascists. This is an environment Trump lives for and is clearly willing to ignite a civil war if necessary.

The classical definition of fascism has been the conjoining of political and economic forces, an unholy alliance. However, what we see emerging here through the use of processes to further disempower the masses and enrich the few is a more virulent formation than understood by the traditional definition. Lewis and Long argued well that when fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag. However, this writer is still left in wonderment that such a monster, from the cesspool of American fascism, would arise in our own lifetimes, at the centre of empire, even as we have always been acutely aware of the very nature of American political culture, which has always been fascistic at its core. We are left to wrestle with the internal contradictions.

EZ to Pay Driver’s License Renewal: Happenings @GAIA

BU tries to keep an eye on all developments occurring in the country. On this note the government must be complemented for maintaining an active GIS news presence on its portal and Facebook. Of interest to Barbadians is the news a driver’s license can now be renewed remotely. This follows the use of technology to improve the quick turnaround of certificates of character.

There was also the news “thirteen companies or consortia with significant experience in the aviation sector have received the go-ahead to bid on the operation, financing, development and maintenance of the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA)“.

See link to GIS portal for details.

We look forward to the rollout of improvements to obsolete processes gathering momentum in the weeks and months to come.

Police Need to be Trained as Peace Keepers

Submitted by Steven Kaszab

Police, body of officers representing the civil authority of government. Police typically are responsible for maintaining public order and safety, enforcing the law, and preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal activities. These functions are known as policing. (Webster’s dictionary).
The definition maybe simplified, but the basis states that Police are persons of authority, armed and able to maintain public order and safety.
We have seen may cases of violence set upon Citizens and Police alike in North America.
Justified violence? Is that the important issue here? The main issue is that Our Society is filled with FEAR.  Police fear for their lives, loss of authority while Citizens Fear those who are suppose to be protecting them.
Why the FEAR?  So many reasons…
  • Armed Criminality
  • Social injustice & prejudice
  • Racism (personal & institutionalized
  • Availability of weapons
  • Supposed media availability(everyone has a video)
  • Generational Poverty & Unemployment
Fear of all kinds transforming our society into groups…cultural, social, political, economic classes, race. Even when we protest the injustices of the world we come face to face with Fear whether it be institutional ignorance, police/social  oppression, societal exclusion’s.
Have you ever been in a predominately poverty stricken community walking at night, see three youths coming towards you on side walk? Hoodies in the dark. What to do. Fear of the possible.
A couple driving a premier vehicle  in an exclusive neighborhood are stopped. If they were white they’d still be driving, but no. Police check. Why?  Fear of the possible.
Lets get rid of this fear. Lets change how Police and Policing are viewed. No longer should police be viewed as those to be feared.
                                             Policing should be viewed as PEACE KEEPING
Police Keepers do what? Stand between opposing forces to negotiate and stop violence.
I experienced an event in New York City long ago. We were on a bus when two officers came aboard. A young man stood up and pointed his fire arm at them. What did they do? Have a shootout? No. One officer stepped back down the stairs while the other spoke to the young man. We were all involved in this conversation. The officer knew how to de escalate  the situation. The young man went down the stairs, sitting on a bench with an officers while the other stood behind him. Peace Keepers talk, discuss, influence situational experiences. As a clergyman I to learnt the power of intelligent gabbing. Explain the pros and cons of existing or future events. Have a gun, what can happen to you or others if that gun is used.
TALK-Walk in Their Shoes – Respond
Peace Keepers find solutions to problems. They often hash out political-Personal issues between individuals and groups. Policing has become a multi tasking career. Part police, social worker and diplomat. Remember the Police are agents of the justice system but they do not punish. The Courts decide what is fair and just. The Police learn and proclaim Laws of the land. Therefore if someone has been perceived to break a law, the police respond in an intelligent controlled manner. Most times violence is not needed. If a law breaker does not fear the police, knowing they will be going to court where they’d be judged violence can be avoided. Do the Police know this? Is every Citizen in Our Land viewed as innocent or possibly guilty. Do the Police Fear Us(the Citizenry) so much that weapons in hand have become habitual?
Policing needs to become Community Centered. Police and our citizens need to learn what it is like to live in one another’s shoes. I lived in the Bronx of @ a year. White, Black, Hispanic, Asian…we all lived below the poverty line, among those who stood outside of the American experience. Low income, addiction, low prospects. Yet the communities in the Bronx were centers of helpful, charitable Community also. Respect given and taken by all. The police lived in the community. They knew the Fears, Joys and Expectations of their neighbors and responded with open hands & hearts. Shit happened, yes, but there was more good then bad.
We need to know each other, seeing our neighbors with new eyes. The prejudices of the past and present can be understood and dealt with intelligently. A Peace Keeper is possibly the most flexible of our armed forces. Thrown into every possible situation they need to adapt and respond in a constructive manner. So too Our Police. Pulling a weapon is a last resort. A Good person standing in their uniform, ready to serve their neighbor should be all that’s needed. Armed yes. There are situation that require the authority of a weapon, But the power of intelligent thoughts can be voiced, transforming a situation of potential violence into a act of peaceful good.
Our Police need to be trained as peace keepers. The days of turning off body cams, taking a hooligan down town for a beating, hassling someone cause they are in a car, neighborhood not symbolic of their demographic Must end.
Eric Cartman, a character of South Park bark’s these words  “Respect My Authority”.
That is what is happening throughout North America. Police FEAR loss of their authority. Every ones seemingly questioning that authority on social media, videos and the media. I guess what I am saying is Authority is not as powerful as Respect. Found in the same statement, both words actually compliment each other. Respect My Authority. Police are not in themselves authority, but represent Authority. Who gives them this authority? We do. It is not Them and Us. It is US. WE are the authority they represent.
As God says “I Am”  we the people should proclaim to all RESPECT OUR AUTHORITY. Who will represent us in the world?  The Peace Keepers of society, our neighbor’s “THE POLICE”.

Covid 19 Forces a Rush to Implement Digital Transformation

The COVID 19 period has redefined the new normal in the world. Whether a small, medium or large business, business models have had to be rejig deliver goods and service safely and economically. Government departments comfortable for decades with operating under layers of bureaucracy have been forced to join the rush to deliver services via electronic channels.

To the credit of the Mottley government a high priority was already being given to a digital transformation program before the pandemic struck. The nature of the coronavirus pandemic has given greater urgency to implementing government’s digital transformation program in both private and public sector.

It was timely to travel to the St. George North branch meeting to hear first hand Minister of  Innovation, Science, and Smart Technology Senator Kay McConney deliver a presentation on Sunday on the status of Government’s digital transformation programme. Given the large slice of critical services which government delivers to the public, it is an imperative Minister Kay McConney earns her pick.

 Listen to the Senator by fast forwarding to 1hr 02 min of the video.

Elder Abuse Is the New Normal

Submitted by Cherfleur

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), elder abuse is an important public health problem. A 2017 study based on the best available evidence from 52 studies in 28 countries from diverse regions, including 12 low and middle-income countries, estimated that over the past year 15.7% of people aged 60 years and older were subjected to some form of abuse (1).

Public health is not mental health.  It is unacceptable, contemptible for every person over 60 or 70 years old to be dumped in a sanatorium or in a ‘shrink’s’ office for examination and assessed when they complain of abuse or someone complains on their behalf.

Why then is there no legislation for Elder Abuse in Barbados.  Although I have informed on the gravity of this issue since 2018?  No White Paper no Green Paper. Nothing. Nada.

****Data on the extent of the problem in institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities are scarce. However, systematic reviews and meta-analyses of recent studies on elder abuse in both institutional (2) and community settings (1) based on self-report by older adults suggests that the rates of abuse are much higher in institutions than in community settings (see Table).

 Elder abuse in community settings (1)Elder abuse in institutional settings (2)
Type of abusReported by older adultsReported by older adults and their proxiesReported by staff
Overall Prevalence15.7%Not enough data64.2% or 2 in 3 staff
Psychological abuse:11.6%33.4%32.5%
Physical abuse:2.6%14.1%9.3%
Financial abuse:6.8%13.8%Not enough data
Neglect:4.2%11.6%12.0%
Sexual abuse:0.9%1.9%0.7%
Table: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Abusive acts in institutions may include physically restraining patients, depriving them of dignity (for instance, by leaving them in soiled clothes) and choice over daily affairs; intentionally providing insufficient care (such as allowing them to develop pressure sores); over and under-medicating and withholding medication from patients; and emotional neglect and abuse.

Relevant Link: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/elder-abuse

From the Table (compiled of only reported cases) community elder abuse is much less than institutional elder abuse.  That is deceptive and misleading.  A greater number of community elder abuse exists, especially in affluent communities.  The incidences are greater by trusted persons aka relatives.  It is darn hard to detect and more so to prosecute unless the elder gets a chance to get to a trusted outsider or is humble enough to even let on that things aren’t what they should be.

What then is Cynthia Ford doing? 

Hoping that old people just disappear?

Oh Dear!

We are all growing old and most of us are living longer. There are no guarantees. What is responsible in many instances is the lack of opportunities for younger people or people generally to earn liveable incomes or to worse to plan for their retirement. Baby boomers are the target.

 

2020 Hurricane Watch

The geographical location of Barbados in the archipelago translates to the island being spared the worse of the weather during hurricane season which from June to November.  However given the unpredictability of nature it is not a bad idea for the island and its citizens to prepare for the possibility of being ‘hit’ by a weather system.

Source: Barbados Meteorological Services

Caribbean Against Apartheid in Palestine…

Submitted by CARIBBEAN AGAINST APARTHEID IN PALESTINE [CAAP]

Media Release

This month Israel’s Government plans to formally steal large swathes of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, culminating decades of gradual de facto annexation through the appropriation of land, forcible displacement of the Palestinian population, and the transfer of an Israeli settler population into the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Israel is only able to maintain its regime of occupation, colonisation, and apartheid, over the Palestinian people, because of the United States of America’s complicity in the process by both its diplomatic as well as military support.

On Saturday the 4th of July 2020 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m “Caribbean Against Apartheid in Palestine” in conjunction with the “Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration”, is planning on having a joint picket outside of the American Embassy, calling for the end to the oppression of Black and Palestinian Peoples by the United States of America.

Screenshot 2020-07-02 at 08.17.25

For over seventy years Palestinians have been daily murdered by the forces of Zionism while courageously standing up for their rights to be free from racism, colonialism, occupation, and oppression. All people committed to human rights need to stand with them. We must show solidarity with them, just as we did against apartheid in South Africa.

Lalu Hanuman, Attorney-at-law and Secretary of Caribbean Against Apartheid in Palestine, said “It is apt that there is this joint action on BLM and Palestine, as Zionism, like the Ku Klux Klan, has a supremacist racist ideology”.

Further information from Tel: (246)-420-2022.

Caribbean Scholars Renew Reparations Call

 

Submitted by Don Rojas

Scholars from the Caribbean recently renewed their call for reparations in recompense for hundreds of years of native genocide and enslavement in the region. The calls were made during a recent virtual symposium to honour the life and work of St. Lucian Nobel Laureate Sir William Arthur Lewis…

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#BLM

Submitted by Caleb Pilgrim

While I do not vouch for the authenticity of all social media postings … to those who defend white police officers’ privilege of killing unarmed blacks, on the grounds that blacks kill other blacks, e.g Chicago, LA, are such defenders advocating that such errant cops/defendants might be better served/pacified by the black citizen with a ghost gun complete with silencer? A form of reprisal? What would happen to the likes of Fuhrman, Pantaleo, and a ton of others, who have acted with impunity?