Tag Archives: One Caribbean Media

Fontabelle 7 Day Eager 11 Sales Plan

Posted on by
139

Oh what a tangled web we weave,

When first we practise to deceive!
Sir Walter Scott

Kaymar Jordan, NATION Editor in Chief (l) Carol Martindale, former Sunday Sun Editor (r)

In the same way Editor in Chief of the NATION Kaymar Jordan believes she has the right to ration news to Barbadians, BU claims the right to continue to express disgust at the decision. It is obvious to most people that enough time has elapsed since the story broke that any responsible newspaper in possession of the facts would have sought to clarify the story for the public it serves. Journalistic integrity should never be traded for a bounce in sales.

BU has been criticised by some who believe we should be focussed on the bigger story which is the disquiet haunting the DLP camp concerning Prime Minister Stuarts leadership. Our response is,  we will do so on Sunday when the NATION reveals it all. Then and only then will the public be relieved of the manufactured suspense and be able to engage in a coherent analysis of what transpired.

BU was born in April 2007 because we felt the media was being intimidated by the Arthur administration. A working Fourth Estate is critical to ensuring the crust which protects our democracy is safeguarded. It is serious business. The yellow journalism which is being foisted on Barbadians by the NATION is not acceptable and we need to tell them to stop it!

Continue reading →

Forensic Audit Needed At The National Library Service And Why Did One Caribbean Media Value ‘Goodwill’ At The Nation Newspaper Ridiculously High Anyway?

Posted on by
53

BU has been investigating a couple of matters which led us to a particular place we do not like. We have decided to release what we have discovered and leave the BU family to slice and dice the information as they see fit. What has been evident from the inception of Barbados Underground is that there are an important few in Barbados whose sole existence is to guard the status quo at any cost. Until ordinary Barbadians buy into a philosophy which says we have to contribute to the job of protecting our fragile democracy through participation, the establishment will continue to flourish.

At a time when the country is going through an economic recession, officials at the National Library Service appear to be squandering taxpayers money to the benefit of a few. Do you remember a little while ago there was the furore over the vast  sums of money  spent on a public bath and the cutting of an Ackee tree?

A BU source has exposed a little of what may be described as the tip of the iceberg occurring at the National Library Service:

  • The son of an officer of the library was awarded a contract to cut the lawn at the St. Philip branch, and paid $2,200. In addition, the individual used the library’s equipment and to add insult to injury left over twenty garbage bags full of grass on the site. After being paid $2,200 to cut a relatively small area of grass, the job was estimated by others at approximately $500. The library then had to make arrangements to remove the grass. The eyebrow raiser is that the library employs a general worker to do   exactly what this official’s son was paid to do.
  • The same official paid her other son $6,000 to paint the Eagle Hall library on the inside only. Last time BU checked the Eagle Hall library was a tiny place.
  • Then there is the payment to the daughter of $6,000 to cater an event at the library. If one could smile at the abuse of tax dollars it would be that the food was delivered after the Minister and specially invited guests had long gone.

Our source admits that there is a lot more abuse of public funds taking place and if the minister responsible is interested it being a good guardian of the public purse he should order a forensic audit post haste!

Continue reading →

Nation Newspaper Jettisons Nine Employees

Posted on by
16

Fred Gollop, Chairman OCM

The Nation newspaper announced today that it has released 9 employees, 6 who were permanent and 3 part timers. Wonder if Harold Hoyte is resting comfortably at night. He and a few others sold a profitable local newspaper for a bag of silver to provide comfort in their golden years and the rest as they say is history.

Why should Barbadians support this newspaper when it continues to send home Barbadians?

A scan of the parent company’s most recent financials confirms that a conservative decision was taken to chargeoff US38 million in goodwill.  It seems there is recognition by the Board of Directors that web-based media has been impacting negatively on traditional paper-based media delivery. Despite the one-off hit to their profit and loss, One Caribbean Media (OCM)has taken the decision to send home people to defend its balance sheet position. OCM suffered a decline in profit before tax  of 9%  2010 over 2009.

Continue reading →