The blogmaster tuned into the Brasstacks show on Voice of Barbados yesterday because the topic was about press freedom. It is a ‘large topic’ and one that could not be fairly discussed in 2 hours. The moderator Dr. Kristina Hinds gave it her best effort supported by panellists David Ellis, Carol Martindale (journalists) and Michelle Russell (lawyer). A few observations
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After the volcanic eruption in St Vincent, the Government held a news conference on 11 April 2021, and declared that fake news was killing us. The Government explained that the Commissioner of Police will be asked follow-up on fake news, since it can lead to a loss of life. I expected the press to ask some questions about this new
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The COVID 19 pandemic continues to be a challenge for many countries across the globe including Barbados. To shutdown or not is the question being asked by Barbadians. This evening’s briefing by the government will provide the answer. Latest numbers presented by BU’s Lyall Small posted to COVID 19 Update page Community spread has now been officially declared in Barbados
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The conviction of former Minister Donville Inniss in the United States of America an his upcoming sentencing has been smothered by news of the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020. The matter blipped twice in the newsfeed this month when first it was reported Inniss fired his lawyer Anthony Ricco and replaced him with Joel Hirschhorn to challenge how he (Inniss)
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On the 54th anniversary of our Independence as it is referred to signify the slashing of our navel string from former empire, several issues floated around the fertile mind of a lowly blogmaster about what to blog. We will read, listen view the usual scripting by program directors at the media houses. Barbadians everywhere will share on social media platforms
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This morning the blogmaster entered the local newsfeed from traditional media to be swamped with the predictable-news about the selection of General Secretary of the Barbados Workers Union (BWU) Toni More to represent the BLP in St. George North in the upcoming by-election. The proposal by the government to rename the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill in Owen
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Prime Minister Mia Mottley continued the recent trend of making controversial and contentious announcements. She revealed government’s recommendation to rename the University of the West Indies in recognition of the late prime minister Owen Arthur. To honour convention of parliament parliamentarians in the Lower House set aside yesterday to pay tributes to the late prime minister. The blogmaster has no
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It has been more than ten years the Barbados economy has been performing poorly – a situation triggered by the global financial crisis of 2008. Some of us are old enough to remember the oil crisis of the 70s as well as the fiscal challenges of the 90s which negatively affected the cost of living for Barbadians. There was the
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The editor begins by affirming that Barbados “continues to be a predominantly Christian society” and alludes to evidence of the same in the national anthem. To his or her credit, the editor makes it clear that the church is NOT the building or structure but the people who worship there. For pointing out this, we must thank the editor. Why
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During the last decade the BU blogmaster has not had the opportunity to highlight our prime ministers performing on the world stage/media. The election of Prime Minister Mia Mottley has corrected the problem. Today (2020-04-29) many Barbadians took pause at 2PM EST to watch Mottley with her usual oratory and unrestrained flair participate an interview with the world renown journalist
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In the social media world it is referred to as click bait, not sure of the equivalent in the dead tree world. A few weeks ago the BU blogmaster was critical of the Sunday Sun editor for offending the sensibilities of many Bajans by inserting a picture of Peter Wickam and partner on the front page. The objective of report
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The PM is a lawyer, the last two PMs were lawyers, the PM was Atty General, the present AG was AG in a previous Gov’t, the most senior Gov’t Minister who acts as deputy PM in the PM’s absence is a lawyer. Did any of the these ever suggest any changes in the relationship between lawyer and client? Did they
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Two of the most newsworthy and jaw dropping events to have rocked the local political scene in the last 18 months were – the decimation of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) in the last general election, AND, the arrest of former DLP minister Donville Inniss in the United States. BU pages must record Donville Inniss entered a plea of NOT
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The historical record of Barbados shows that Barbados welcomes responsible development. To ensure that developments are built in an orderly manner, the Town and Country Development Planning office has published, and maintains a Physical Development Plan to guide developers. Every developer who wants to build something in Barbados, whether a house or commercial building, must apply to the Planning office
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The traditional calypso composition, with its penchant for the risqué expression and the saucy double entendre, not to mention the frequent boast of the performer’s substantial sexual prowess, always sails close to the edge of what may be considered permissible for airplay in these regional societies. These factors doubtless place the legal publishers of the material to the public, the
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Dear Owner of Barbados Underground I would appreciate it very much if you would allow a submission I wrote on the nationnews blog to be featured here. It has to do with the nationnews paper decision to close the comments section of their June 23rd article entitled, ”Others Bribed.” Although the nationnews paper has a right to close comments to
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Writing a weekly column on a single subject (tourism) can certainly be challenging at times, especially when you tread that fine line, trying to extract meaningful answers to questions that some of us think should be a matter of public record, but that our politicians and policy makers feel should remain a dark secret. You stand an enormous risk of
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The question many continue to ask – why did a British man James O’Rourke receive a reprimand and discharge from a Barbados court for slapping a woman on the ass. The second question – why the obvious biase coverage by the Nation newspaper declaring the headline Visitor: I was saved by CCTV.
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