“In The Name Of God” – Just And Holy Wars: A Planet In Turmoil Where The Innocent Die And The Guilty Go Free

Submitted by Terence Blackett

“There is always war. If peace is made with one country, war is claimed on another nation to keep the military machine rolling.” George Orwell (1984)

In book of Revelation, chapter 12 verse 7, this apocalyptic book states that, “there was war in Heaven: Michael and His angels fought against the Dragon; and the Dragon fought and his angels. In the Gospel of Luke 10:18, Jesus said, He saw Satan fall from Heaven like lightning but the question we must ask – where did Satan fall to or where was he hurled to? Revelation chapter 12 verse 9 answers that “the great Dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”

As any military strategist will tell you – the biggest mistake you could ever make during a war is to say that your enemy doesn’t exist. Do not discount the existence or the working of the enemy on earth today. Some folks are so kafuffle by this Arch-Deceiver, that they even lament that there is no Devil.

But why?

Simple – disbelief and denial.

However, let’s examine why in the name of God, since man dwelt on the earth, there have been wars and rumours of wars, where the innocent still die but it appears that the guilty still go free and are at large creating more havoc and mayhem.

There is no proven empirical statistical model to determine how many have died since records began but some have tried to give us a bird’s eye view of the tabulation based on modern calculations and what those numbers mean in terms of human life.

Today men are still fighting wars in the name of God and deem them just.

Haiti And The Blacks!

by Loose Canon (Reproduced from Botswana’s Sunday Standard)

Click image to watch - Nelson Mandela anniversary: ANC march to mark the release of Mandela

I hope black people will learn a lesson from the earthquake that hit Haiti.
If they don’t learn anything from it, then I throw up my hands in despair and give up.

Let’s start with a few basic facts.

Until the earthquake, I never knew there was a place called Haiti. I was taught geography at school but I cannot remember a time when the mistress told us about Haiti. It must have been one of those insignificant countries that we had no reason to know about.

I was fairly good at geography because I knew which country was on which continent. I also knew many capital cities. But as for Haiti I was clueless.

Now the whole world, including myself, knows about Haiti. I heard news of the earthquake on the radio. I wondered where Haiti was and what sort of people lived there.

Finally, when I switched on the television, I was informed that Haiti is an island out in the Caribbean. Television pictures revealed a place populated by black people.

From the non-stop television coverage of the earthquake, I got to learn about the history of Haiti. It was not a good history lesson. It would seem throughout its existence Haiti has suffered a series of natural calamities. In the process it has sunk even deeper into poverty and deprivation.

Prime Minister David Thompson’s First Press Conference in 2010

Prime Minister David Thompson

Prime Minister David Thompson has delivered on one election campaign promise; to hold regular media briefings. Tonight Thompson will host the first press conference for 2010 at his official residence at 7.30PM. Given the precarious positioning of the Barbados economy BU hopes the Fourth Estate will send senior journalists to challenge the Prime Minister. After several press conferences BU contends the Prime Minister has been enjoying a free ride.

Points of interest to BU arising from the Press Conference

Mia Mottley Bungled A Golden Opportunity (Part 1)

Hartley Henry - DLP Political Strategist

I hold no brief for Owen Arthur. Indeed, I see merit in the reasoning of those who say, politically, he is a “spent force”. David Thompson put it more delicately a few years ago when he said Arthur’s political shelf life had expired and that he had passed his ‘best buy’ date. However, I am beginning to see wisdom in Arthur’s caution in relation to the leadership of Mia Mottley.

Added to the deficiencies that even her staunchest ally or defender would concede, is the issue of judgment and what some may go further to describe as her tendency to “wing it”.

I wrote a few weeks ago of the seriousness of the role of Leader of the Opposition in Barbados and the need for Mottley, in that capacity, to step further up to the plate. As much credit as is given to previous Prime Ministers of Barbados, the success of this small nation is built also on the caliber of Leaders of the Opposition it has boasted.

New York Caribbean Institute Calls For Guyana’s Health Minister To Be Removed And Prosecuted For Abetting Murder

Submitted by Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID)

Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo under fire for massive corruption in his government

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: The New York based Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) has renewed its call for Guyana’s Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, to resign for authorizing the acquisition of telephone spy and geographic intercepting equipment by convicted criminal Roger Khan. Khan was the head of a drug cartel and a violent gang called the Phantom gang, which has killed more than 400 individuals in Guyana.

A CGID statement issued on Wednesday, February 10, 2010, announced that the institute has acquired a copy of Ramsammy’s letter approving the sale of the equipment to Khan on behalf of the Guyana government. The statement quoted CGID President, Rickford Burke, as saying that “There is incontrovertible evidence that Dr. Ramsammy is a nefarious crook who is part of a criminal enterprise. He must be removed from office and prosecuted for conspiracy and accessory to murder for aiding, abetting and assisting Roger Khan and his gang in the assassination of several individuals, including journalist Ronald Waddell.” UNESCO has ruled Waddell’s January 30, 2006 killing a political assassination.

Burke said that “It is repugnant for a Minister of government to be involved in a criminal enterprise that exported drugs into the United States and conducted murder for hire,” and added that “there needs to be justice for the victims who Khan has allegedly killed and their families.”

The Owen Arthur Versus Mia Mottley Rumble

Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur

Amid the political rhetoric emanating from the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) political meeting held in St. Patricks on Sunday night, it was reported that former veteran BLP ministers Lammie Craig and Clyde Griffith called former Prime Minister Arthur is a spent force.  The current tussle between party leader Mottley and the Arthur camp to establish control of the party promises much more for bystanders to observe. A disunited opposition party will obviously work in favour of the government. Barbadians concern about preserving its stable political climate would be concerned when one out of a two party system becomes distracted by in-fighting.

When the BLP was defeated in the last general election there was an immediate handover of the reigns by Arthur to Mottley. It surprised many the haste at which it was done and this fuelled reports that Arthur was pressured to relinquish the position as party leader. One day Barbadians may learn about what happened at BLP headquarters in Roebuck Street.

Leader of the Opposition Mia Mottley

In 2013 the next general election will be constitutionally due, Owen Arthur will be 63 years old. In the current environment with an economy spiralling caused by external shocks it is not unreasonable to expect that Barbadians may want to revert to a man who despite what his detractors believe presided over a Barbados economy in times of plenty. At 63 years old a message of being experienced and wise about the workings of the Barbados economy may work in his favour over the untested Mottley. Until the next general election is announced it serves Arthur’s interest to disrupt any public perception of Mottley becoming comfortable in the role as the Prime Minister in waiting. A recent CADRES poll which positioned Arthur on top of Mottley in national ranking should not be ignored. The assertion therefore by Clyde Griffith that Arthur is a spent force is optimistic at best.

Police Harassment, Racial Profiling And Human Rights Violations In Brazil And Guyana

Submitted by Mark Jacobs (Voice of Guyana)

The Takatu Bridge opening last September saw Guyanese and Brazilians celebrating but for different reasons. It signalled that Guyana was finally on its way in fulfilling its ‘continental destiny.’ Brazil on the other hand is happy to have finally opened up access to the Atlantic and Caribbean for it’s landlocked territories.

Brazil has tremendous resources to assist Guyana in achieving our highest potentials. There are but few of our imports that cannot be fulfilled by Brazilian industries. With all that said, there’s another side to Brazil many refuse to acknowledge much less discuss. And I speak of the plight of the 90 plus million Afro-Brazilians.

We need not discuss how these Africans got to Brazil, but to understand
the magnitude, it’s four times larger than the African American population. Nigeria is the only country in the world with more Africans than Brazil. (I prefer the term African as opposed to Black since Africa indicates a place of origin) I point these things out because I visited Brazil last year and became a victim of police harassment and racial profiling less than twenty four hours after arriving in Boa Vista.

I was in a tourist zone when three City Police (Guardia Municipal)demanded that I turn around and put my hands up. I objected as is my right. I had done nothing but take photos of the Rio Branco. These police weren’t having any of it and forced me around and began aggressively patting me down and kicking my legs apart. My passport was checked out so they had nothing on me there as I had legally entered Brazil. In the end it may have been my Guyana passport that saved me as Afro-Brazilians are routinely rounded up beaten, killed, framed and imprisoned. The current and historical record speaks to this.

The Rights Of ALL In The Anglican Church To Stated Burial Rites

Submitted by BU family member (as a comment)

We, my wife and myself, recently attended a funeral in Barbados. We have attended many, and understand how important a funeral is to many Barbadians. The deceased person was the brother of a good friend of ours, and we were attending to give our friend some support, and, as we so often say, to renew our contact with him even though the circumstances were very sad.

The service proceeded according to the order of service given to us, and the eulogy was delivered. The next item, according to the order of service, was to be a tribute from his brother, our friend. However, whoever was on the public address system said that the next item would be a solo singing rendition, from someone else. By this time, our friend had arrived at the rostrum, and he turned to the announcer and said, with the microphone in his hand, that the announcement was a mistake, and that according to the order of service, which we all held in our hands (I estimate a four to five hundred attendance in the church), he was now to give a tribute to his dead brother.

We have never ever witnessed at a funeral what happened next! As our friend asserted his right to give a tribute, the minister of the church, robes flowing, nearly physically assaulted our friend, and stopped his presentation. The minister forcibly took the microphone out of our friend’s hands.

Never A Dull Moment In Barbados: Veteran Journalist David Ellis Squeezed Out From STARCOM Network?

Click image to read related blog

In recent days BU sense a quickening of the political pace in Barbados. We have had the statement floated by Minister responsible for economic affairs David Estwick about the necessity for a wage freeze and all hell has broken lose. Prime Minister David Thompson and Minister of Agriculture Haynesley Benn have declared support for the wage freeze initiative. To be predicted the cries of the unions, an IMF official, and the media houses have joined the fray, John Public has been given another reason to sit up and take note regarding the tottering economy.

What should be clear to most Barbadians on both sides of the political divide is the recognition the pace has quickened because the economy has started to spiral. It will take a a vision filled captain supported by a dedicated team to keep Barbados from running aground. Forget about restructuring the economy it has now become all about survival.

To add to the excitement, news reaching BU suggests veteran journalist David Ellis has resigned from STARCOM Network. Ellis has always attracted heavy criticism from BU because he is the lone journalist in Barbados who has the breath of knowledge and experience to qualify as a proper journalist. On the flip side, we understand he would have had to curtail and sacrifice his creative skills and dampened his journalistic curiosity at the altar of pure economic considerations during his tenure at STARCOM. Vic Fernandez along with his former Chief Operating Officer Alex Macdonald would have provided little wriggle room on that front. If our source is correct Ellis’ resignation seems the honourable thing for the veteran journalist to do. The fact he occupies the position as the only bona fide journalist in Barbados should still recommend him for a job. His former colleague Roy Morris seems to have bounced back with the recent launch of an online newspaper Barbados Today. God help Barbados if we are to assume Stetson ‘ the tueeesday edition’ Babb is the one groomed to fill Ellis’ shoes.

It will be business as usual on River Road, Vic will continue to drive his top of the line Audi to the office while his foot soldiers are sent home or harassed into leaving. Never a dull moment in Barbados.

Fat: Good, Bad or Ugly?

Submitted by Doctor GP - Click on image to view presentation

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948. The Definition has not been amended since 1948 – WHO definition of Health

Obesity continues to be of concern in Barbados. Government continues to spend a significant percentage of its annual budget on healthcare but the question remains: Has the Ministry of Health developed a health and wellness message which is resonating with Barbadians?

It is interesting to note thin people can be fat!