Comprehensive Review Of Immigration Policy And Proposals For Legislative Reform

Swine Flu (H1N1) Concerns ???

Submitted by Georgie Porgie

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It Feels So Good!

Click on image to follow the Mail Online story

Recently BU posted two blogs about the Bajan brand. What can we tell about the Bajan brand if we are to judge by the following comment made by the UK’s latest lottery winner Les Scadding of £45.5m?

The couple robustly insisted they would keep their feet on the ground and ‘think very carefully’ about what to do with the money after some instant indulgences. So far they include the first new car Les has ever ordered, a Range Rover Sport to replace his modest Citroen; and maybe a house in Sam’s favourite holiday destination, Barbados.

Nation Newspaper Creates News Based On Unscientific Cellphone Poll

Barbados Nation Newspaper Cartoon - 09 November 2009

Submitted as a comment by Adrian Hinds

Two accepted scientific polls with results unfavourable to Mia Mottley, followed by two questionable polls that are favourable to her. The latter enabled by the Nation newspaper; coincident, or a deliberate attempt to create news rather than report it?

We should remember the 2007-8 Cadres poll that suggested 20-10 victory for the DLP in the 2008 Jan 15 national election. We should remember the counter poll by Boxill that sought to counter Cadres projections and results.

Another Cadres poll with statistics that Mia Mottley does not like so the Nationnews decided to counter or is it contained the results of that poll with a text message unscientific poll and has sought to highlight and publicize the results as if they were or could ever be provable “statements of Facts”.

During all of this traditional media employees are reminding us that they  check and recheck facts.

2009 Final Barbados National Survey On Corporal Punishment And Educational Issues Report

Extracted from the CADRES Survey done on behalf of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provided to BU with the compliments of Peter Wickham, Head of CADRES

The report speaks to the issue of corporal punishment and other major educational issues in Barbados, based on a July 2009 Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT)/United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) sponsored survey of a representative sample of adults and children across Barbados, along with other previous Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES) surveys where these are relevant. It was commissioned as part of a BUT/UNICEF initiative to track public opinion trends on the use of corporal punishment against children as well as other issues of importance to the mandate of the Government of Barbados’ National Commission on Education.

The survey found that support for corporal punishment in schools has fallen precipitously since 2004 when it was 69% to a significantly lower marginal majority of Barbados at 54% in 2009. Additionally, students’/children’s opposition to corporal punishment in schools remains consistent. Currently 74% of children oppose this form of punishment in schools and this opposition has clearly solidified since 2004 when it was 56%.

However, corporal punishment in the home is another matter. An overwhelming majority of Barbadians (75%) still support and use corporal punishment in the home and while this support has fallen slightly since 2004 when it was 80%, it is still quite high and suggestive that Barbadians wish to maintain this form of punishment in the home at this time. Just over half of the students/children support the retention of corporal punishment in the home (54%) falling significantly from 76% in 2004.

With regards to corporal punishment it is interesting that opposition tends to follow a pattern that is influenced by age, gender and educational attainment. As a result it can be seen that support for corporal punishment is higher among older persons (51 years old and over) and persons who have had limited educational exposure (primary and secondary level). Conversely, younger people and those who have been exposed to tertiary and post-secondary education tend to oppose corporal punishment. Reference to the actual use of corporal punishment is consistent when relevant questions are asked of parents and children. It would appear that corporal punishment is used in a majority of cases (63%) across the island but is especially popular in large families and seems to be the preferred form of discipline by women; older persons and those men and women who are married, divorced and widowed.

Does The Black Race Suffer From An Inferiority Complex?

Sosa in 1989 with Texas, in 2004 with the Cubs and this week in Las Vegas. (AP / Tribune / Getty)

As great as the late Michael Jackson was many Blacks questioned his acceptance to being a Black man. His transformation to a lighter skin complexion in his later years was viewed with suspicion. Despite many news reports which have suggested Michael Jackson was afflicted with the disease known as vitiligo, Blacks have remained suspicious. The suspicion was probably heightened because Michael Jackson succumbed to the plastic surgeons knife on many occasions, the result, the alteration of physical characteristics worn proudly by Blacks.

In recent days yet another high profile Black celebrity is being accused of ‘messing’ with his skin colour. Sammy Sosa the poor boy born in the Dominican Republic; who went on to become a famous baseball player in the American Major League Baseball admits to the following:

… in the middle of doing a cleansing process to his skin. The picture is deceiving. He said, If you saw me in person, you would be surprised. When you see me in person, it is not going to seem like the picture.

Police Tortures Teen In Guyana

Submitted by Dawn Simmons – Chairman of the North American Region People’s National Congress Reform

14 year old Torture VictimTeen Being Transported to Hospital

The North American Region of the People’s National Congress Reform condemns the most recent heinous acts of torture committed by members of the Guyana Police Force on a fourteen-year old, while in their custody at the Leonora Police Station, Guyana. The shocking photographs published in the Kaieteur News on Saturday October 31, 2009, and appended to this statement provide gruesome evidence of the reprehensible conduct of the police officers.

It is alleged that members of the Police Force, while interrogating a teenager, set fire to his genital area after soaking him with mentholated spirits. He was also burned on his tongue and lips. This is not a singular case, but is the latest of several examples of the pervasive culture of the Police Force which permits such despicable behavior.

In a press statement issued only two days prior to this horrific incident, Guyana’s Parliamentary Opposition Leader, Mr. Robert Corbin of the People’s National Congress (PNCR) warned that the Ruling Party, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) appears to condone torture of individuals in Guyana by its dismissal response to reported allegations of torture. Regrettably, the Administration, which is a signatory to the UN Convention Against Torture, seems comfortable with the current state of affairs in Guyana. The refusal of the Jagdeo Administration to take serious and drastic action in cases of reported torture coupled with its failure to condemn such behavior leads one to the conclusion that the Guyana Government gives tacit approval to these acts of torture. Moreover, the Government by its inaction conveys the message to the Security Forces that such behavior is acceptable.

The Urgency Of Pursuing A Renewable Energy Agenda For Barbados

Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Darcy Boyce

Maybe BU missed it and if we did we are willing to apologize to the government. It is approaching two years since the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) took-up the reigns of government and we are still to sense the urgency of its renewable policy. So far all we have read about is the wind farm program being piloted by the Barbados Light & Power Company which if we understand correctly is locked down in the bureaucracy of Town Planning and by extension government.

Is there more Barbadians should know about our RE policy and if so why not have a national discourse to ensure top of mind awareness? Is there a role for the Fourth Estate of Barbados? Hell yes!!!

Barbadians remember the urgency to discover renewable energy sources and the public fear which was fuelled when the price of a barrel of oil jumped to USD147 just over a year ago. In the post-global financial meltdown there has been a significant reduction in the oil price which at last closing indicated USD78.30. Although BU concedes most governments around the globe have had to allocate unplanned resources to survival and not growth initiatives, it does not explain why our government supported by traditional media would not articulate, distil and or communicate to Barbadians some urgency about our renewable energy program.

The logic used over one year ago to shift Barbados’ dependence from fossil fuel is the same today is it not?

In a call-in program yesterday (November 8, 2009) on VOB there was consensus it seems that our media houses are hamstrung by the lack of resources to follow-up on stories. This admission alone paints a worrying picture for the state of health of the Fourth Estate in Barbados. It is significant that in the month of November when Barbados will celebrate 43 years of Independence our thoughts as a nation should be about energy dependence. Energy cost is the key input which drive prices in Barbados and a significant slice of the import bill which requires foreign exchange support. How can Barbados claim to be a progressive country in this part of the world when we continue to build our economic success on legacy models which are quickly becoming redundant and unstable given the reality of the non-renewability of fossil fuels.

GEMS

Submitted by Adrian Loveridge

What are the functions and objectives of an independent Senator?

During the time the late Sir John Stanley Goddard sat in the Senate he repeatedly called for up-to-date financial statements for Hotels and Resorts Limited to be made available. After all, it’s a majority Government owned company funded by the taxpayer and surely we have a right to know their current fiscal position?

I understand that HRL’s accounts have now been laid in Parliament for the subsequent years since 2001, yet why has there seemingly been no Senate debate, discussion or public comment?

Losses for the GEMS project have been quoted at anything from $200 to $400 million, and as yet, no analysis has been in what part in the closure of over 30 private sector hotels over the last fifteen years they have played.

BU Family Member Asked To Contribute To Call-in Show

The following comment was posted by BU family member ROK. We invite the family to share feedback before and during the show if they can to represent the views of the BU family. Hopefully ROK will be given some latitude to represent the Bajan blogosphere. Here is the link to VOB to the 12PM EST show for those who are off-island.

@David

Sorry to be off topic here but I just got a call from VOB inviting me to be on the phone during their call-in program after the news (11:40 am) tomorrow morning. The discussion is on the media and this time includes the blog.

Apparently Denis Jones will be in the studio along with Julius Gittens and Amanda. If you are game, maybe we can set up a thread that will feedback as the program is in progress. Any BU Bloggers could make comments which I would refer to while on the phone. Not a problem with me.