@checkit-out et al

Hopefully the list of 30 pages can be put in place by tomorrow then we can work to build the content. Again thanks for the suggestion.

May I respectfully ask, if politicians do come on the Blog, afford them some courtesy, hard questions yes but not personal abuse. It has happened before in another place and great opportunities were lost, as the politicians just walked away.

Well done David. Only just now I dusted off both 2008 manifestos and was weighing in considering Suckoo’s misfortune and Irene’s ill-targeted statements as reported in the papers. Hence I can comfortably say the following

1. All BLP seats remain
2. DLP definitely lose SJC, CCS, SMWC, CCE, COB and SGS
3. Toss ups are SMSE, CCWC, SMW and SME and SPS

BLP wins with 3-5 seat majority. This is of course barring any “earth shattering developments nationally or in the DLP camp. Opportunities lost and lessons learnt. We’re all the better for it.

BU has forwarded this link to both political parties inviting the PAs of the candidates to feel free to deposit info as they see fit. In the meantime th BU family can update info as they see fit.

Bear in mind we have separate links for the respective constituencies except a few which are under construction.

The DLP have made a slight improvement in the last couple of months and have not fallen at the obstacles they encountered.
YARDBROOM, the above is your observation, but I am at a loss regarding improvements being made. Where and when may I ask? As you can see, people are keeping quiet and waiting. Clico issue is far from over. Alexandra issue is far from over, Four Seasons is far from over. Almond is the only one making progress and it have nothing to do with political decisions. Now Yardroom, I am waiting for the improvements.

@ david

Need some help completing the 30:

St. Michael North East – Mia vs *Patricia Inniss
St. Michael West – Michael Carrington vs unknown
St. Michael North – Toppin vs *Francis Depeiza
St. Philip South – Brathwaite vs unknown
St. Thomas – Forde vs *Rolerick Hinds

Hi Tell me Why May 6, 2012 @ 2:47PM
I can only give “my” observation you will give yours and who knows you may be right. I am not here to defend the DLP or the BLP.

The obstacles to which I referred are:
(a) The perceived threat and the ensuing battle for leadership from the group of 11.
(b) The Alexandra School dispute, not completely settled but the school is functioning, with the possibility of a long-term permanent settlement.
(c) A slight – yes – slight improvement in the economy only slight but the trend is up.
This does not mean everything is rosy for the DLP it certainly is not . and I do not intend to beat any drum for them, that is not my function.

Here is a useful link which can be used as a resource.

http://www.caribbeanelections.com/elections/bb_elections.asp

now all we need here now is a POLL MISTER! wher in the hell is Peter WICKham. roll up your sleeves BU got a job for YOU1

@checkit-out

The delay is trying to find a picture of the goodly Doctor Miller. If not found by this evening will update without.

(a) The perceived threat and the ensuing battle for leadership from the group of 11.
………………………………………………………

the above comments are very shocking to me given the fact that this issue is the one that could destroy the DLP government but time will tell all.

Interesting that PM Stuart while addressing St. Lucy constituency meeting yesterday confirmed that he read the Clico Forensic report and that the report contains nothing that merits the hullabaloo by the opposition.

Observing, re your 10.32 comment;
It also suggests that the much vaunted impression of great integrity of the man might be somewhat misplaced.

Hi David (not BU) May 7, 2012 @ 9:49 AM
You quoted me in reference to a comment I wrote about an obstacle the DLP had overcome.
“(a) The perceived threat and the ensuing battle for leadership from the group of 11″
———————————–
You then went on to say…”The above comments are very shocking to me given the fact that this issue is the one that could destroy the DLP government but time will tell”.
— – – – – – – –
Pray tell me how it will destroy the DLP Government. That can only happen if the 11 are foolish enough to put such a plan into operation because they will be wiped out….the political wilderness is a dark lonely place for politicians.
“Perhaps” only perhaps you believe in Black & White politics, to which I do not subscribe. That being the BLP is always right and The DLP always wrong or vice versa. That thinking reduces the electorate to sheep, it is a simplistic model where no effort is required to think in determining which party to vote for.

The “lie” to that thinking is that over the years Barbados has had great political thinkers and statesmen/women of merit from both the BLP and DLP.

Hi austin,
May 7, 2012 @1:49Pm
There is free speech which I am an advocate of and there is vulgar abuse of a personal nature, for my part I never use language on the BLOGS I would not use in my home. Free speech is NOT absolute in “any” society…..often Laws ensure that…you are free to do as you wish.

Speaking last night in Pie Corner at a Democratic Labour Party (DLP) St Lucy branch meeting, Stuart lashed out at his critics, who have accused him of pursuing a legal solution rather than a political solution. You know what the political solution is? Forget anything call law, forget anything call human rights. Either chase away the principal or chase away the staff; and it didn’t matter after that how much money the Government had to pay out.

I wonder who was the Attorney General when this government was firing left, right and centre in 2008 and 2009? Integrity my ass. stupse

@ Yardbroom
“(c) A slight – yes – slight improvement in the economy only slight but the trend is up.”

Last year’s projected growth was higher than the one for this year; and if you think the deficit really falling read this excerpt from Wild Coot:

I was perplexed to read that the percentage of deficit to GDP had fallen from 117 per cent (not 100 per cent as stated in the Central Bank report) to 70 per cent almost overnight, so I had to look for myself. The Government holds the National Insurance Funds on behalf of the people. This is similar to an old lady keeping sou sou money for her neighbours. Making the board of the National Insurance invest in Government bonds is the same as the old lady using sou sou money to shop at the supermarket. Whether or not the IMF has sanctioned that such borrowings be deducted from the deficit, this is absolute folly. It means that the Government can borrow as much of the money that it has in trust as it likes, use it to pay salaries, and it does not affect the creditworthiness of the Government or its ability to repay from taxation.

The only thing worst then “political spin” and “play with the numbers to meet a political agenda is “pure incompetence” … and we in BIM getting all THREE from the current DLP administration.

Hi Enuff
You are being mischievous you know as well as I do that projections on the economy can be altered in light of changed circumstances.

The important factor is the trend.

I am sure – or perhaps maybe – that just the mention of DLP and trend upwards in the same sentence you will never agree to, ah lie? I am not here to beat the DLP drum…..I call it as I see it. I like to think I have an independent mind, a free spirit, labels matter little.

I wonder if we realise, as I think the politicians do, that this coming election is a good one to lose. If the DLP wins it is likely that they will retain power for one term only and the same for the BLP. The problem is that the economy is in such a sorry mess that whichever party holds the reins of Government this time next year (If there is a next year given 2012 and all that) that winning party will have to rain down such harsh corrective measures on the country that they will be unlikely to survive past that term.

The strategy of the current government seems to be to hope for the best and kick all the harsh decisions down the road, thus they seem to be hoping that using NIS as a piggy bank, avoiding making actionable decisions on clico, Alexandra, etc. etc. will see them through to 2013 where if they are are successful in the elections (against all the odds) they can then go about doing the things that might give rise to sustainable development.

The problem here, however, is that the genie is unlikely to remain in the bottle for much longer and if the battle is called sometime in the first quarter of next year there will be NO possibility of them winning and so the election should really be called sooner rather than later to take advantage of the declining possibility of winning. That struggle, re. the best date for calling the election, could well be another trigger for an eager 11 type rebellion since FS has spoken indicating that he has to have a number of things in place, re. fulfillment of the DLP fulfillment of 2007 promises. I wonder if he will be convinced to change that stance, as he did for Alexandra, in the coming weeks.

There seems to be a somewhat persistent rumour going around that FS will call the elections soon and that he will not be running in St Michael.

@truetoform

Thanks for the feedback. It was updated but we are having a problem adding it to the menu. Work in progress!

@david
Sure sure seats (at this time based on conditions and opponents): St Lucy, St John, SMNW, CCEC, SPN, SPW, and donville innis’ seat.

All others are potentially up for grabs (at this point).

HI Onions;

Thanks! It was just an idea that I had which I passed on to David and he took it and ran with it.

David is the only webmaster in Barbados who could got it to this stage so quickly by dint of expertise and almost superhuman effort. Anyone who has designed and put up a web page or even just added info to a web page would appreciate the fantastic effort that David has put into this in the last 3 or so days. Of course the BU family responded magnificently and that response suggests that it should be a resounding success.

David should be highly commended for his effort so far but I think the best is yet to come when the actual election bells are rung.

St. Michael North East updated!

We need to move to the next stage by building out the content under the respective constituencies as originally conceptualized.

Contributors are encouraged to post links to candidate’s websites which BU will update to the respective pages.

For Facebook users it may be possible to link to some candidates facebook pages now.