Attempting to practice what I preach, I have just returned from a week on St. Lucia. It wasn’t all pleasure. I managed to visit over 40 hotels including witness at first-hand the current progress of the new Raffles, Ritz-Carlton, Cap Maison, Landings and Westin Le Paradis Hotel and property developments and the expansion of Rodney Bay Marina.
We took advantage of some of ‘special’ LIAT airfares posted on their website.
At first, they seem so attractive. Barbados to St. Lucia US$45 and St. Lucia to Barbados US$35! So a return airfare of just US$80! But then start adding the taxes and additional charges.
First Barbados (all shown in US$)
Sales Tax $6.75
Passenger Facility Charge $5
Airport Development Tax $27.50
Airport Authority Tax $2.50
Airport Passenger Tax $0.37
Fuel and Insurance Surcharge $13.75
Second St. Lucia
Sales Tax $5.25
Passenger Facility Charge $1.50
Airport Development Tax $25
Airport Passenger Tax $4.82
Fuel and Insurance Surcharge $13.75
So on top of the US$80 airfare goes another whopping US$106.19 in additional charges.
Anyone sitting yesterday in George F.L. Charles Airport waiting for the two hour delayed, 35 minute flight back to Barbados had plenty of time to try and figure out exactly where those Passenger Facility Charge/Airport Development Tax/Sales Tax and Airport passenger taxes were being spent. Well the US$36.57 in taxes alone charged by St. Lucia was certainly not being spent to improve the comfort of the delayed passengers in adequate seating or air conditioning. Now the fuel/insurance surcharge! I understand that unless LIAT have hedged (bought forward) their fuel purchases, the current price being paid for A1 fuel is between US$840 and $1,000 a ton.
I am not sure if LIAT measures by a US (short) ton of 2,000 lb or an Imperial (long) ton of 2,240 lb. I also understood from the Captain that a Dash Eight would use around 1,000 lb. of fuel between St. Lucia and Barbados. Yesterday’s flight was full, perhaps partially due to the next scheduled flight leaving within 15 minutes of the time we eventually departed and other passengers were perhaps consolidated onto our plane.
So, 50 persons paying each a fuel/insurance surcharge of US$13.75 or a total of US$687.50. 1,000 lb. of fuel even at the higher cost of $1,000 a ton then would mean the total fuel element was $500. So what exactly is the insurance cost per person? Do we as taxpayers have a right to know?
Of course the taxes collected by the St. Lucia Government (as most) do not end at the airport. A temporary Driving Licence - US$21 (3 months) US$5 a day on Car Rental 8% on accommodation and food and beverage are among others levied. Pending any unforeseen developments, all the indicators show that long stay visitor arrivals from our traditional markets including the United States and the United Kingdom are going to show little of no growth this summer.
Our registered accommodation providers barely reach an average annual occupancy of 50% currently and this takes into account the stronger four month winter season. So you can imagine many of our hotels, especially the smaller ones, are struggling at 25% occupancy or less during the summer. Caribbean Government’s and their Ministers of Tourism will one day have to wake-up and realise there are simply only so many ways you can extract taxes from people.
Make it too expensive and people will not travel at all or at least go to areas where they can offset the costs in shopping. No travel, No taxes. It’s really as simple as that.
Adrian Loveridge
19th May 2008
33 responses so far ↓
Miss Guyana // May 19, 2008 at 6:40 pm
So that is Mr. Adrain Loveridge…no comment about the air service situation, since I don’t travel int he region much…I go to America and Mexico..so LIAT does not affect…but Adrian nice..can I tell him the Guyana Hilton is about to open pretty soon…Thank you….Bye
David // May 19, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Adrian they are some who would say we can’t have our cake and eat it too. If we have these ultra-modern airports they must be paid for if they are loan financed. If the governments are to subsidized air travel all of them have to agree to a road map and blue print as to the correct model which must include a strategy for cargo.
So many issues which our regional leaders have shown little stomach to face.
Travel The Caribbean » Blog Archive » Are Caribbean Government’s Really Serious About Growing Intra … // May 19, 2008 at 7:16 pm
[...] Original post by David [...]
The People's Democratic Congress // May 19, 2008 at 9:39 pm
We in PDC will continue to argue and argue this: a future PDC Government in Barbados shall ABSOLUTELY ABOLISH ALL TAXES in Barbados. One of the Ten Commandments in the Holy Bible, which Christians strongly believe in, says categorically: Thou shall NOT steal, yet leading state officials, many of whom are Christian, are part and parcel of a cruel and inhuman system of government that continues in this modern day and age to VIOLENTLY STEAL AND ROB thousands upon thousands of people, businesses and others in Barbados of the relevant portions of their incomes. Indeed, TAXATION is a very wicked, evil and demonic political arrangement where ever it exists, locally, regionally, and globally.
According to the airfare and TAX figures put out by Mr. Loveridge above, in Barbados, the government STEALS and ROBS CRUELLY every airline passenger, to whom such a viscious and idiotic system applies, of more than the amount of income it costs them for the LIAT airfare itself. What an unholy, monstrous and digusting affair!! And, we are supposed to be in Barbados so educated and literate!! Moreover, we remember quite recently during the national debate concerning the high cost of regional air travel that the CEO of LIAT, Mr. Mark Darby, attributed a great proportion of the total amount charged on regional air travellers to the many TAXES that are imposed by regional governments. And, we are still not learning that TAXES greatly devalue business and commercial output!! In this LIAT and many more countless instances, it is certainly NOT a matter of having your cake and eating it too - when you are, to whatever extent, wickedly and immorally ROBBED by the State of your hard earned money income.
What is patently clear is that this wicked and evil TAXATION SYSTEM in Barbados is an absolutely totalitarian and tyrannical one, is a murderous one that would have been long treacherously designed by colonial bandits of old, and is draconian one that would up to this point in time have been perpetuated by state officials acting in concert with some neo-colonial elites in this post-independence era, to further and further oppress and suppress the broad masses and middle classes of people of Barbados. We have long been arguing that, in Barbados, this said odious TAXATION SYSTEM has been helping to deliberately create severe disparities in the national income and wealth among the different social and income categories in our society. Sir Charles Williams, Mr. Ralph Williams, Sir David Seale, Mr. K. Simpson, Mrs. Ram Merchandani, Sir John Stanley Goddard, Sir Douglas Lynch, Mr. Geoffrey Cave and some others of the elite greatly owe their fortunes to this evil and divisive TAXATION system, whereas ALL the members of our party and many other members of the masses and middle classes in Barbados greatly blame their average status to this dastard TAXATION SYSTEM in Barbados. Certainly, wherever TAXATION SYSTEMS are found in this world, long established, extant severe disparities are NOT ONLY helped created by TAXATION SYSTEMS, BUT ARE ALSO helped reinforced by these said systems. Check on pg. 9, of today’s Barbados Business Authority (May 19, 2008, pg 9) and it will be seen a story that deals with how Brazil’s TAXATION SYSTEM is largely to blame for a high concentration of the country’s wealth at the top of society and the country’s wealth being miserably distributed, inspite of a strong economy and the President’s social and anti-poverty programs.
So much for this utter nonsense that emanates from some so-called economists that this TAXATION SYSTEM in Barbados has been helping to substantially redistribute wealth and income in this country. In this sense, what it is certainly doing is helping to wretchedly bring about the greatest concentration of wealth and income in the hands of the elite and the government in the country, and helping to wretchedly bring about the least concentration of wealth and income in the hands of the broad masses and middle classes of people of Barbados.
Finally, we in PDC definitely reiterate that a future PDC Government shall ABOLISH ALL TAXES IN THIS COUNTRY AND REPLACE SUCH A TAXATION SYSTEM WITH A SET OF NATIONAL STRATEGIES THAT WILL, ET AL, MAKE SURE THAT THE STATE DOES NOT ANYMORE VIOLATE THE INCOME AND PROPERTY RIGHTS OF OTHERS IN BARBADOS, WHILST MAKING SURE THAT IT SHALL ON A FAIR AND LEGITIMATE BASIS BE ABLE TO EARN ITS OWN MONEY AND PAY ITS OWN BILLS.
PDC
David // May 19, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Adrian L we are not sure if it is fair to LIAT to do a cost accounting exercise by sitting in the departure lounge :-).
What is the debt burden of LIAT? This has been a perennial problem. What about the equipment? Do they have the equipment selection right cognizant of the short haul routes which they have to ply? How about it’s workshop and maintenance configuration. To what extent do they have to pay artificial dollars for labour because of a limited pool of supply.
There are a lot of factors which must be inserted into the equation when jawing about LIAT.
Point of Order // May 20, 2008 at 12:05 am
St. Lucia has two airpots Adrian
Miss Guyana // May 20, 2008 at 12:38 am
Point of Order Hewanorra Airport is not that great either.
Adrian Loveridge // May 20, 2008 at 4:28 am
David…
753 employees, 15 operational aircraft and a totally irrational operating base.
BUT my criticism in this case is not totally against LIAT, but the level of taxation levied by Caribbean Governments on intra regional travellers.
The plans for the new airport look pretty but when will it be finished and exactly how many years in advance of its completion do we have to pay for it.
The freight observation I totally agree with.
Again, as Dominica, thousands of ripe mangos just off the trees while as the same time what price per lb or kilo are we paying here (Barbados)?
Plus no-one has yet addressed my point about the fuel/insurance surcharge!
What does LIAT pay per ton for A1 fuel and what is the cost per passenger for insurance and should this not be a normal cost of operation?
If we expect this as a ‘norm’, what will happen next, the Transport Board will levy an insurance surcharge?
David // May 20, 2008 at 6:33 am
We have flogged this matter to death. We are one region with a small geographical space with equally small populations. The critical mass of people flying, the diversity of our region, the lack of a ONE policy towards air travel makes the LIAT problem one that will not go away. This is a game of political football which has gone into overtime. Our leaders have failed us miserably on the issue of regional air travel
Straight talk // May 20, 2008 at 6:59 am
David:
Our leaders have failed us miserably on all inter-regional ferries.
What is the point of a single economic space if we cannot access the enlarged market.
Bring back ferries.
Adrian Loveridge // May 20, 2008 at 7:56 am
David…
Are we all just going to lay down dead and accept that we cannot change things then?
There has to be a solution. Unless we address the issue, we will always remain overly reliant on tourism markets that we cannot substantially influence (other than dumping the product at below cost).
If that is the case we will NEVER control our own destiny.
I am all for the highspeed ferries.
Even now you can climb on a waverider in St. Lucia and get off in Martinique 90 minutes later.
Or put another way, just 30 minutes longer than the minimum airport check-in time.
Iain Edghill // May 20, 2008 at 9:44 am
Adrian, fuel is priced per litre, not per ton. In the US it is priced in US gallons [4 litres per gallon].
One comment only re. fees. Airport infrastructure COSTS, not just for buildings, but also for maintenance. But what needs to be addressed, IMHO, is the bureaucratic costs of the various authorities. e.g. why does GAIA need a CEO? In the old days, there was a single manager. Now there is a vast layer/layers of airport bureaucracy.
More to come…
Adrian Loveridge // May 20, 2008 at 10:09 am
Iain..
If I remember correctly, you are (or were) an Air Canada Captain?
I stand corrected re measuring of fuel, but I was getting my guidance from Goole which specifies in some instances costs per ton.
So what would 1,000 lb of burnt A1 fuel cost?
That is the amount that the Capt. of my flight Sunday stated he used between SLU and BGI.
Adrian Loveridge // May 20, 2008 at 10:20 am
Iain..
http://www.eyefortravel.com/node/14178
‘As easyJet disclosed in the 19 March fuel update, the recent dramatic increases in fuel costs cannot be fully offset in the current financial year and although eastJet has hedging in place for 40% of fuel requirements in the second half at US$750 per tonne, with a fuel price of over $1,000 per tonne, fuel costs in the second half would increase by around UK Pounds 45 million.’
Iain Edghill // May 20, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Adrian, you are correct regarding fuel hedging costs in tonnes. One metric ton is approximately 1010 litres so assuming a cost of Jet A1 [kerosene] of $1000 per tonne that is $.99/litre. The cost of the fuel burned on your LIAT flight would have been around $500.00 US.
I was referring to the measuring and metering of fuel boarded on the aircraft from the tanker. The fuel figures that the pilots receive for weight and balance, and billing purposes is always in either litres or US gallons in the Caribbean, litres in Canada and the rest of the world, including the UK.
But you are correct, and my apologies, hedging amounts are in either US$ per metric ton, which always translates to X$/barrel.
You are also correct, I used to be a captain with Air Canada but am now happily retired and “home” in Bimshire.
Cheers,
IE.
Iain Edghill // May 20, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Further to my earlier post, one of the flight operations aspects that makes running a Category I airport so expensive is the constant maintenance on the runways and aprons. Also, the maintenance of the Precision Approach Systems - in the case of GAIA it is the ILS [Instrument Landing System]. This is why many airport authorities are taking a serious look at using Precision Approach systems based on GPS [Global Positioning Systems]. The only problem with that so for is that the USA owned the satellites that were used for GPS, but that is soon going to change with the advent of more and more Galileo satellites placed into orbit by the Europeans.
It is my understanding that Virgin Atlantic is going live with GPS approaches worldwide sometime soon. What this will do is shift the onus from the airport authorities to the airlines and aircraft operators. I would not expect that this will cause an immediate drop in prices since the operators will have to pay for the costs of maintaining their airborne GPS systems, and it is reasonable to expect that their costs will have to be passed on to the customer.
Ultimately there should be significant cost savings since the airlines are far more efficient and squeezing maximum efficiency out of an operating dollar than are unaccountable airport authorities. As you, and all readers of this forum are well aware, airport authorities succumb only too readily to the sickness of “institutionalization.” And there are 2 features common to any institution, be it GAIA, the Government of Canada, or Barbados, the FAA, whatever: these are [1] Self-Perpetuation, and [2] Self-Enlargement.
If I were asked, and I have not been, I would immediately transfer the operational responsibility of GAIA to an oversight board comprised of the airlines operating into Barbados. Air Canada and the airlines operating into YYZ, LBPIA Toronto have for years been trying without success to rein in the GTAA [Greater Toronto Airports Authority]. Under the tenure of the previous chairman, CYYZ became the 2nd most expensive airport in the WORLD to operate into [and, as the joke goes, the 2nd best. Who was the best? Everyone else]. As a bureaucracy and institution, the GTAA was completely out of control. The BAA is no better. Just today I read that they have increased their fees to the airlines by 20%. When was the last time you got a 20% pay raise?
Moral of the story? Remove these bloated airport bureaucracies and replace them with representatives of the users, the airlines.
Over to you.
Bush tea // May 20, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Iain Edghill,
You could really be serious with that suggestion? Don’t you read the blogs? Have you not been observing how things work ’bout here?
You really expect to come up with such a sensible, logical, money saving and efficient suggestion?
What representatives of what users what?!?
If you were to do that, and the idea was to catch on, can you imagine the chaos you would cause?
What would all those jokers (who could not run an ant farm in a gully - but) who find themselves sitting in critical positions on national boards do? Suppose this was applied to Civil Servants?
( Lord have mercy….)
You expect them to go and look for REAL jobs?
Just so that you could save millions of dollars for the country and have businesses working more efficiently, and maybe even improve safety etc , you expect that you could come and disrupt peoples’ lives so??
…my man, if I was you I would withdraw that suggestion now before people start pelting some more licks in your behind yuh….
Technician // May 20, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Bush Tea …you aint easy at all man.
What kind of bush are you ?
Bush tea // May 20, 2008 at 7:57 pm
….Man Technician,
….Just like how Bimbro does rub you the wrong way… the lot of nonsense ’bout here getting to me…. It is as though common sense gone on leave.
….so when I hear sensible suggestions like that from IE, (or really foolish ones like usually come from my pal Peter W,) my head does get hot….
I also get some hot licks recently from my friend Micro Mock Engineer, so that got Bush tea a bit edgie too…..
I guess that based on the current mood, I must be Phaseolus vulgaris type of bush.
Iain Edghill // May 20, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Bush Tea, Bro’ I hear ya, but man, I still gotta try! I got a broad back!!
Cheers!
IE.
Pat // May 20, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Nah Bush Tea,
….you be a ROSE BUSH! Red, red rose at that.
You aint no green been, no snap bean and no string bean. I dont like bush beans, dont produce long enough. Grow only pole. Produce from early July until first snow fall.
Georgie Porgie // May 21, 2008 at 12:40 am
Bush Tea
I gott to put a lash pun your Cawmere back now.Ok?
You wrote re Iain Edghill’s suggestions which you obviously liked thus…..
so when I hear sensible suggestions like that from IE
You realize that Iain is a HC geek?
Not really. He and his brothers used to swim fast for Kolij in the early 60’s when I was a wee bairn. I tell you all Harrisonians are not geeks Bush Tea! LOL.
I enjoy your contributions and banter. Be good old chap.
Iain Edghill // May 21, 2008 at 9:47 am
Georgie, Man, yuh givin’ ‘way all my secrets. But is my big Bro’ Angus who is/was de REAL swimmer. Me? I only used to coast along in de wake! 100 metres max an’ I was done!
But I’m wid’ you, I enjoy BT’s contributions and tongue-in-cheek repartee, even if he’s a Cawmere boy!
KOLIJ forever! [Actually, I'm a secret admirer of that august educational institution at Waterford. Great school!]
Cheers All!
IE.
Bush tea // May 21, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Thanks for the info on Iain, GP…. and for the compliment. … no surprise about IE’s background - to whom much is given…
I really think that HC is, and has been a major asset for Barbados. The school has done an outstanding job in developing the best academic talents from ALL CLASSES of Bajans, and in ways that we can all be proud of.
The Waterford institution of course is much more that just a school - it is also a world class character molding, citizenship building, lifetime experience…..
(…and there is no good reason why St James Sec could not be a premier performing arts college in the world… )
Of course you know that Geeks are a small percentage of specially talented citizens with which each country is blessed.
Those countries that recognize this resource and develop it will benefit accordingly. Those that don’t will pay a great price of omission….
…this is why I react strongly against those who would seek to just scrap the 11 plus…. they know not what they do…
…by the way GP, Geeks don’t recognize other geeks. They take this talent for granted…. I just want you HC grads to know that you all OWE us ordinary folks BIG. …. in leadership, creativity, and in the setting, and maintenance of of high national standards.
I have to say that your willingness to share your immense knowledge in this forum is no small contribution.
Georgie Porgie // May 21, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Bush Tea
I cant say what kind of institution Cawmere is. But I am impressed that the graduates there are more tightly knit by a bond greater than the fact they assembled in Waterford. I am wont to think that it is because you all come from the same social grouping. I don’t know. At College you had some rich whites, some poor whites, some rich blacks and some poor blacks and never the twain did mix. Being geeks was not enough to make us a homogeneous breed.. I don’t know. But I met a lot of fellas that were OK, and some I admired for their sheer talent or brilliance. Did you know that Darcy Boyce is supposed to have got all A’s on every report card throughout his days at Kolij. When Darcy got his O; levels he got like 9 Grade 1’s and a grade 3 in Physics- because as he said he didn’t have time to finish a question. This was at a time when not many passed Oxford & Cambridge O level Physics.
My willingness to share my knowledge in this forum is a function of my philosophy for education, which is based on 2 Timothy 2:2. Having been taught the little I know by others, it is my duty to pass it on to others, so that they can teach others also. I believe that a teacher has taught well only when his students can teach others what they were taught.
Except for when I am just fooling around on topics of little consequence, like say the Clive Lloyd affair, I don’t pontificate about things which I know nothing. Instead I seek to learn from others, who are more informed in what may be their areas of expertise or experience. I tend to confine my expositions to Pharmacology and Bible.
All persons educated in Barbados owe it to Barbados Big as you say to offer their talents in leadership, creativity, and in the setting, and maintenance of high national standards—including HC grads and geeks. You will be surprised to know that often some Bajans are ran out of Bim and not allowed to participate in the exercise of which you speak..
When I was training at the QEH in the 70’s, there returned to Barbados an ex HC lad who was highly regarded by the Americans as an exceptional person in the field of Cardiology. There was another ex HC lad who was highly regarded as a paediatrician. They had to run, because others didn’t want them around, as they were a treat to pretenders.
I don’t really think that HC has done as an outstanding a job in developing the best academic talents from ALL CLASSES of Bajans, as well as you think. The cream will rise to the top. HC gets good students and therefore good results. But not optimum results. I never excelled at HC or reached my true potential there. That’s why I keep saying that HC is not for everyone. It is not always true that thoroughbreds can run with thoroughbreds. Talent must be nurtured in many cases. If you don’t feed your thoroughbred good oats, he might very well perform like a donkey.
There are many who might want to scrap the 11 plus exam because it is inimical to their purposes.
About 20 years ago my son and the son of a former classmate at HC and doctor like myself sat in the same class at primary school. In the early sixties pre the 11 plus exam both of our sons would have attended HC automatically. Today the 11 plus exam does not allow that anomaly.
When I was at school a teacher could walk in a class and call a boy whom he had not previously met by name because he looked like his father whom he had taught when he was that age. It was like a dynasty if you get my drift—not so much so now.
Iain Edghill // May 22, 2008 at 9:33 am
Georgie, you wrote, “At College you had some rich whites, some poor whites, some rich blacks and some poor blacks and never the twain did mix.”
I think that the divide at HC was probably more a product of testosterone and adolescent hormones than of any racial animosity, although some playground hostility between the races did exist. My feeling was - and is - that it was more hormonal than racial. My brothers and I were of a middle-class background but all of us, black and white, geek and non-geek, were treated as equals by the staff of HC. At HC, as probably at Combermere, there was more of a divide between jocks and non-jocks, those who played cricket & football and those who played chess!
It is a testimony to the legacy of HC that in adulthood, friendships have endured and economic and social alliances have been forged among former students of both HC and Combermere. My business partner is a distinguished black graduate of HC, who began at Combermere.
This is a great discussion/string, and I salute both you and my friend Bush Tea for steering it in this direction.
Best,
Iain E.
Wishing in Vain // May 22, 2008 at 10:27 am
To those of you loyal supporters of the Opposition party (what is left of it anyway) may I draw your attention to the Newspapers of todays date where we are seeing some really interesting developments.
First we have your blp sitting member in full agreement and singing the praises of the DLP minister of housing and the ruling party with them delivering the notices informing the tenants that they are now entitled to own their own home, this is remarkable for more than one reason, the first being the obvious difference in method and plan of operation between the duds of the blp, they wanted to make these same people take out loans to own the same homes that they have paid for in some instances in excess of 20 years, as opposed to a caring considerate Gov’t who has said to these same persons look you have lived and you have paid rents for 20 years do the legal work and the home is yours to pass on to your children and for them to pass on to their children.
Secondly it clearly shows a divide between the thinkings of the rest of the blp and their independent blp member Mr Hammy Lashley for somewhile now Mr Lashley has been hurting and hating the blp and its policies and finally he has spoken out clearly and openly about where he stands and it there for all to see, he fully supports the DLP with its programs and its policies which are so unlike those of the side for which he was elected.
As Mr Thompson said in recent debate he has the support of the 20 on his side and 2 on the other side that makes for a commanding majority.
Then also today we have the headline story that yet another FORENSIC AUDIT has been ordered for the URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION this along with the other one being held into the operations at HARDWOOD HOUSING is the way to go in bringing these CROOKS to justice, we will await the next two to follow and in my books the ones dealing with the awarding of the contracts with the VECO OIL STORAGE FACILITY, THE VECO PRISON, and DANOS 3 S may yet hook the biggest fish in the river of corruption, Mascot is guilty as charged at Hardwood Housing, Edghill and Trotman guilty as charged at URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION but when we get to VECO and DANOS 3S I just cannot wait to see the results, do the names NICHOLLS, ARTHUR, WILLIAMS, DANOS, BANNISTER and HOBSON ring any bells?
I am sure it will make great reading when the time comes for the investigation.
Wishing in Vain // May 22, 2008 at 11:10 am
Seeing eye to eye
Published on: 5/22/08.
Rock Close, Wildey, St Michael resident Dale Lewis with baby daughter Ceeanna chatting with Minister of Housing and Lands Michael Lashley (right) and Member of Parliament for St Michael South East, Hamilton Lashley, after receiving his letter.
by TREVOR YEARWOOD
GOVERNMENT’S PLAN to transfer ownership of its housing units to thousands of people who have been living in them for more than 20 years was endorsed by Opposition parliamentarian Hamilton Lashley yesterday.
At the same time, Government took a crack at the Opposition, charging that the Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) programme for the housing estates would have proved burdensome.
Lashley, the MP for St Michael South East, linked up with Minister of Housing and Lands Michael Lashley yesterday morning as the National Housing Corporation (NHC) handed out letters of intent, setting out terms and conditions of the transfer of the units in the Pine and Wildey, St Michael areas.
Hamilton Lashley called the programme “a wonderful initiative” and “a good thing” which brought relief to people in his constituency, “especially in these harsh economic times”.
Pointing out that he had lived in housing estates for 30 years, the former minister said: “I know what it is to suffer the indignity of having to be put out of one of these houses with my mother and all of my brothers and sisters – six of us – and I know that sometimes it would be difficult to pay the rent on a weekly basis.”
Welcoming the endorsement, Michael Lashley said his Government and the Opposition differed on the housing matter since the Opposition saw it necessary for all categories of NHC tenants to pay for their units.
Under the BLP, “someone living in a unit, say for 30 years and at age 50, would have to go to a financial institution to get a mortgage”, the minister told reporters.
“That person would have to pay the legal fees for the financial institution’s attorneys and pay their own attorneys and then have to be burdened with a loan for probably the next 20 years or 30 years,” he added.
“When you look at the two policies, this [Government] policy has removed that burden.”
What the BLP was doing was making tenants “pay twice for the units”, he charged.
At least 100 housing estate residents were expected to receive the letters yesterday, paving the way for them to take ownership of the units once they have signed the necessary documentation, agreed not to sell the properties within ten years and paid minimum legal fees.
Almost 2 100 people qualify for owning their units under the property transfer programme.
Those receiving documents yesterday were estactic. Forty-year-old Dale Lewis of Rock Close, Wildey, said ownership of his unit was “an awesome gift”.
Janet Worrell told the minister: “I feel good, real, real good. Thank you very much.”
Wishing in Vain // May 22, 2008 at 11:12 am
UDC probe under way
GOVERNMENT’S promised forensic audit into the Urban Development Commission (UDC) has started.
And Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Urban Development Dr Denis Lowe said yesterday it was intended “to be comprehensive in scope and will include investigations into financial, human resource, management, administrative and operational issues at the UDC”.
In a statement the minister said the audit started Monday and it was “to ensure that the integrity of the UDC is maintained”.
Daniel Cruise // May 22, 2008 at 11:50 am
I cannot be more agree with what that you are write and I can only recommend on cruising because that way you will not have too deal with such problem.
Georgie Porgie // May 22, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Iain Edghill
Although I said “At College you had some rich whites, some poor whites, some rich blacks and some poor blacks and never the twain did mix,.” I am not suggesting that it was a racial thing. My racial classification is perhaps the easiest one I can think of to explain why we don’t seem to have as strong an Old Boy’s Association as they do. But I have not worked it out yet.
I don’t remember any racial tensions at all. In fact it was not uncommon for fellas of the two races to share their lunch etc. My cousin claims that he sold his lunch to a rich white boy (who obviously liked poor people food) and then spent the money to buy Marry cassava pone.
In those days lunch was so simple. A drink from John (frozen or cold, cold cane juice in crop season – which we used to call ‘MUD”) and Mary pone or a “bread and two”!
I do remember minor “playground hostility” between the races in what we used to call “bruising” when chaps would be “stoned” with a tennis ball or ball of similar texture that just stung the skin. That this occurred spontaneously on the small field usually just prior to school or at break might accord well with your suggestion of a release of adolescent hormones. I suppose it was during such spontaneity easiest to divide along the lines of melanotics vs non-melanotics.
Of course such divisions were forgotten when our flying fish (who were mostly white) took on those from Foundation off the pier at the Aquatic club for the annual swimming sports. The competition was for a school generation between the Gibbs and Burke brothers of Foundation and our much longer bench of flying fish (the Edghills, Knowles, Tomlin, Talma, Farmer, Niblock et al.) Hope I have not forgotten anyone.
These are very pleasant memories of schooldays. They sure were some of the happiest days of my life!
Iain Edghill // May 22, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Georgie, my apologies if my reply seemed to impute a statement of suggested racial hostility in your post. That was absolutely not my intention.
And since this string is all about tourism, we should not forget another HC boy who was transplanted from Coleridge & Parry School, Chetwyn Burnham who, in addition to being an outstanding cricketer, was also a very good and fast swimmer, as was his old C&P colleague, the amazing athlete Pedro Hinds [I'll never forget the way Pedro overtook Victor Blanchette in the last lap of the mile race at the Inter-School Sports at Kensington: Victor was finished, burned out too early from a hot pace, and Pedro passed him like he was stationary]. Have lost contact with Chetwyn but he had a very successful career in the hospitality industry. Would like to make contact with him again.
You’re right, Georgie, Foundation was our main competition in swimming, but David Burke came to HC from the Barbados Academy, and swam for us not Foundation, as did his brother Ronald. Andrew Burke, that brave cancer survivor, swam for Foundation, as did Lennox Cox, Tony Jordan and David Williams [David and I both ended up working at Air Canada, myself in Flight Operations and he in Ground Ops, as did some other old HC boys like David Gaskin and Rudi Ellis, "Beans'" brother. Lennox Cox also had a very successful career at AC]. The ne plus ultra of swimming was, of course, Chris Gibbs but he was in my brother Angus’ age group: I swam alot against Chris’ younger brother Peter who was a formidable opponent and always whupped me in the backstroke. Caw’mere was not without good representation in William Chandler and Peter Browne [sp?]. Apart from my cousin Rusty Edghill, I can’t remember who swam for Lodge.
Actually, speaking of ‘playground hostility’, one of the worst fights I ever witnessed at HC was between 2 white guys, one of whom was a son of the then commissioner of Police. Took place right below the Hall, near the tennis courts. Grim!
Georgie, thanks for evoking some very pleasant memories. The friendships I formed at HC have lasted for a lifetime. One of the nice things about being retired and “home” is that those friendships can now be rekindled.
All de Best,
IE.
Georgie Porgie // May 22, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Yes Chetwyn Burnham who, in addition to being an outstanding cricketer, and having a very successful career in the hospitality industry was also a very pleasant person. He was my form prefect in first form. Have not seen him for a long time.
Yes the overtaking of the well favored Victor Blanchette in the last lap of the mile race at the Inter-School Sports at Kensington by the amazing athlete Pedro Hinds is indelible in the memory. You have forgotten Archie Lynch who also ran in that race. He used to run in a cap, and tore it off during the last lap beating Victor in the Kolig sports prior to that event.
You wrote “I can’t remember who swam for Lodge” LOL who does? LOL
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