Submitted by Henderson Bovell
Opposition Leader Mia Mottley
It perhaps would have caused some to think of Charles Dickens (1859) novel - A Tale of Two Cities, which depicts the plight of the French peasantry demoralized by the French Aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolution. After all, the DLP (which does not know what it is doing or what to do) has also demoralized ordinary Barbadians as a result of its dangerous mismanagement of the Barbados economy and more direct – because of its high cost of living, burdensome taxes and its discriminatory family first and fatted calf doctrine.
On one hand you had David Thompson, acting in the interest of the DLP and with a serious fiscal crisis on the current account which was manufactured by his party – reshuffling his politically incompetent Cabinet for the 4th time in less than 3 years and hoping on this occasion for a different result while on the other hand – you had a compassionate Leader of the Opposition – acting in the national interest – taking fresh guard and outlining her vision and advancing a new politics and a new development path for the country. ‘A Tale of Two Cities,’ you ask? – Video 1,2,3
Think about it! In the recent Nation Newspaper/Wickham Poll, Barbadians were concerned about the high Cost of living, Unemployment, the Economy and Crime. Reshuffling the same Cabinet 3 times before, did not help and doing so now (for a 4th time) certainly will not either. How will the recent reshuffle address the peoples’ concerns? Wasn’t Stuart Attorney General from day one (1)?
The fundamental principle remains: “the DLP does not know what to do or what it is doing.” That the DLP spent 14 years in Opposition but could not come up with sensible policies – wouldn’t it now be wishful thinking to expect that they could somehow come up with relevant policies in a few months, given that urgent action is needed now?
But it is clear that the DLP has two doctrines: ‘wait and see’ and: “do nothing and things will get better!” Meanwhile and by stealth, it has been implementing the recommendations of the last IMF Article 1V Consultation. It raised water rates by 60%, refused to adjust the land tax bands or rates, increased the price of fuel, and is now talking about a wage freeze and an increase in VAT.
In contrast, what Miss Mottley has been talking about is so people-centered and revolutionary that a Senior Editor of the Financial Times of London (of the world’s leading business news organisations – recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy) predicts that her address to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, recently: “will be seen over time as one of the more important post-independence speeches to be made by any political leader.”
At a time when the DLP is more interested in power and access to the fatted calf – even though its political incompetence is recognised by even die-hard dems, “Mottley has raised an issue for public debate that should now dominate political discourse for sometime. It is a real answer to the economic mess we are in.” That is, if the BLP and the country are ready for “SERIOUS” politics and SERIOUS conversations.
DEHOOD
It is after 8.00 which is way past your bed time.
What the BLP spin doctors are doing to MIA is repugnant.
Setting her up for a fall by making her the target while Owing builds the critical support to control the BLP again.
And to DLP supporters like CCC, stop casting aspersions on the good lady’s character.
She is just another very accomplished Bajan woman and whether she likes to eat bacon or suck cane is not of national interest.
@ Carson C. Cadogan
Permit me to let you know that the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition – The Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Q.C., M.P, and the Church, have excellent working relations.
Note also that Rev. Joseph Atherley is now our candidate for St. Michael West and has been assigned by Miss Mottley as a member of our “Team on Governance.”
Our Leader has already met with the BEA and is also working with the Salvation Army and the Principals of some Primary and Secondary Schools on a programme, which involves schools in Barbados and Haiti.
Of course – our Leader has also invited the country to pray for the Prime Minister. Harold Hoyte said recently on VOB that this is unheard of in our “once politics of division and tribalism” (my emphasis)
But as you know, Miss Mottley has taken fresh guard and is introducing a new, kinder, more caring politics to Barbados.
Mr. Bovell
Did you have these same views when Owen was PM? Just curious.
Chris Halsall
Borus piece a cane.
De Hood
Hope you’re making plans for your exodus. Won’t want to be caught up in the rapture now, would you? Make hay while the sun shineth.
Your friend Porgie very quiet these days. Hope he was/n’t diagnosed wid anyting too serious. After all……………………
Henderson
“Note also that Rev. Joseph Atherley is now our candidate”
Don’t put the words “Rev.” and “Joseph” in the same sentence.
Henderson
Here is a little information for you from an impeccable source.
“”“The private lives of public officials are subject to the morality of the office they hold. Adultery, homosexuality and prostitution are the age-old partners in crime. If there is evidence of the subjection of high office to any of these vices then the private lives of public officials cannot be ignored.” This article will seem remorseless in its attack on Mia, but in terms of elections, I have already argued in my previous post why Mia is key. Here is the reason why she is key, and an exposition on the term you use against her – Mottleyism.”
This big long foolish thing. It is plain if the BLP face the next election with the present leader they will loose. It don’t need this lotta long talk.
@Carson C. Cadogan: “Here is a little information for you from an impeccable source.
That is so funny!!!
You didn’t answer the questions asked, but you take pride by answering the unasked questions you want to answer.
Welcome to the “New World Order”.
“Even when a woman’s work is indisputably excellent, people don’t believe she’s good — they think she got lucky.” At the BLP’s Conference last year Miss Mottley outlined a vision – a new politics and a new development path for Barbados.
She declared her asset, is committed to the introduction of ITAL as a priority, so too – campaign finance reform and the reform of Parliament.
She added more when she gave the Feature Address at the luncheon held by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry last week.
In contrast – not a man in the DLP or any other Party has presented anything that can qualify as a vision and yet, we are hearing why men are superior and more qualified to lead Barbados.
Well men have led this country for the past 44 years eventhough women are equalily as qualified.
Mia Mottley has more Ministerial experience than any man who has ever shown and interest in the office of Prime Minister and yet we are hearing trivia why this country must continue to hold on to old-style slash and burn divisive politics of tribalism.
Here is something worth noting:
“Women in high-level leadership positions, such as corporate CEOs, when studied, seem to exhibit the same sorts of leadership behaviors as their male counterparts. That is probably because the demands of the leadership role require certain actions and behaviors to succeed. In addition, because of the hurdles that women must leap to get to the top (leadership and gender expert, Alice Eagly, refers to this as the “labyrinth” that women, but not men, need to go through), it could be the case that only women who exhibit the same sorts of leadership styles and behaviors as male leaders make it through. So, studying leaders at the top, gives the impression that there are no big differences in how men and women lead.”
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201003/do-men-and-women-lead-differently-whos-better
With the current leader of the BLP, the DLP will win the next elections hands down.
@ BP
De Hood
Hope you’re making plans for your exodus.
*****************************************************************
Any particular suggestions as to where I should prepare to exit? I am hoping that you may have some room for me to hide up because if things continue as they are I don’t know how long I may be able to hold on to my “l’il tinnin boodoo near de Turnin” (as Ms Clarke used to say).
@ Mary | October 5, 2010 at 9:23 PM |
This big long foolish thing. It is plain if the BLP face the next election with the present leader they will loose. It don’t need this lotta long talk.
*******************************************************************
So, Mary, I see that you are still being quite CONTRARY!
Henderson and Carson why the two of you all big men don’t learm to behave yourselves. And Henderson even though we don’t mind giving the BLP a vote from time to time, try and get rid of the theives and conmen in the party well before the next election. And Carson we don’t care who is a bulla or wikka. We don’t care what politicians do in the bed as long as they don’t do it with a child, an animal or a dead body, and as long as they work hard and honestly when the week come, they can close their bedroom doors and mek’ a littl sport when the weekend come just like anyody else.
We don’t want to deny anybody (gay or straight) a sex life.
WOW! It is pretty clear after seeing these comments that Barbados is in parts a sexist, homophobic, stuck in the past society.
Lord save us from the logic of ‘men’ like Carson. He is so typical of the shallower male of the species that when they are outmatched, outwitted or outclassed they always resort to playing the man and not the ball.
Point is that a hell of a lot of Bajans simply do not care what their leaders do under the sheets so long as they perform in the office. If we were as right-wing Christian fundamentalist as is sometimes thought not one of our Prime Ministers would have been elected to serve a second term. They were all adulterers. (not sure about H.B. St. John but where did it get him)
I have seen with my own two eyes Owen Arthur at the BLP candidate meeting in Carlisle Car Park get onto the platform and address the crowd when it was plain to all who heard him that he was blind drunk. A ripple went through the crowd about it. But we still in the old slave mentality the more rum you could drink and the more women you could foop the bigger man you are.
Of course this makes politics very appealing to some men. They can get nuff women and nuff rum and the size of their pricks doesn’t matter either. Funnily enough neither does the size of their brains.
But along comes a woman with a little sense and the perverseness comes out to the max. How insecure some of us men are.
I think that on principle I am going to join islandgal and support Mia. She clearly is the brightest politician of her generation and she has the experience that Sinckler now needs to gain.
I really can’t consider Owen Arthur. He did a reasonable job in his time, but his time has past. I have to look to the future. Made that mistake with Rt. Ex. EWB. Won’t do that again. The country ended up with a PM that we did not vote for and well, the rest is history.
And besides when I read between the lines and see who Arthur has with him I am not even sure he would get the parliamentary support. Jerome Walcott, Kerrie Symmonds, Dalton Lovell, Maria Agard, Peter Phillips – not one of them has a seat between them. Oh and George his old arch enemy who is holding on like crazy glue with his 49 vote majority to bequeath the premiership to Dale.
But there is one other thing that makes me chose Mia over Arthur. He has no guts. The man is a coward. If he wants to lead the party have the guts to just say so. Don’t let the girl put in all the hard work of Opposition and engineer it so you do a repeat performance of the old knight on the white charger routine to rescue the country one more time. There is something inherently wrong with this.
I hear that he is not even really interested in being PM again but wants to get back at Darcy, Bjerkham, Bryan and others that frig him up.
So islandgal I wid you. God don’t like ugly. and Hants right the BLP spin is outta control.
Mia equals defeat, Owen equals vitory, take your pick
The last time i vote BLP the next time if Mia at the top i in voting.
Carson et al, you like women right? Dem sweet, nuh?
So if a woman sees the same thing as you, i.e. sweetness, how you could blamc her?
Is that not hypocritical?
You have the power to shape the history of Barbados. Will you?
++++++++++++
“Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good,” may not be totally off the mark in the workplace.
In a recent study, no matter how they sliced the data and controlled certain variables, sociologists Elizabeth Gorman of the University of Virginia and Julie Kmec of Washington State University, came to the same conclusion: women say they have to work harder than men.
Gorman and Kmec then compared their findings to research about attitudes and beliefs held about men and women in the workplace. “We know that people give lower marks to an essay, a painting or a résumé when it has a woman’s name on it,” Gorman said. “And when a man and a woman work together on a project, people assume the man contributed more than the woman did. Even when a woman’s work is indisputably excellent, people don’t believe she’s good — they think she got lucky. In light of this previous research, it makes sense to conclude that women have to work harder to win their bosses’ approval.”
http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=3370
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
What then is my thesis? The Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Q.C., M.P., is not lucky – she studied; worked hard and now demonstrates pure natural brilliance on a sustained basis. She is a shining beacon in a male dominated society, to the extent that she is being viewed by many (who are now looking to the future with confidence and renewed hope) as the next Prime Minister of Barbados.
Mia Amor Mottley continues to pave the way and is breaking the glass ceiling for women who were long held back – despite being (in many instances) far better qualified and educated.
Think about that for a while! That a woman could excel in an environment long regarded as the preserve of men – is nothing short of history in the making.
“Even when a woman’s work is indisputably excellent, people don’t believe she’s good — they think she got lucky.”
What is being manufactured about Mia Mottley (of course by men) is what the brightest people in the world have long predicted will be said about any women who dares to out-perform men in what they feel is their domain. It is time we respect and embrace the Barbadian woman.
That any man would feel that he needs to pull down or bad-mouth any woman in order to compete, is typical old-style-slash-and-burn politics of division and tribalism.
Grantley Adams gave women the right to vote. Henry Forde provided legislation. Mia Mottley now serves as a beacon of hope and a reminder that the Barbadian women is competent; capable of leading and has something revolutionary to contribute.
Mia Mottley is the hero and the change the Barbadian women has been waiting for. Now leading the charge for a new beginning and a new politics – she is the brightest politician of her generation..
The moment and the leader this country has been waiting for, has come. No man in this country can make history by becoming Prime Minister – a woman can and with your support, Mia Mottley will. For women, for Barbadians and for Barbados.
You have the power to shape the history of our country.
Will you?
@Henderson
BU understands you wanting to fly the kite to establish how some Bajans feel about a woman perceived as intelligent being Prime Minister. The truth for most Bajan electorate, it will not be an issue. What will be an issue is the press conference which Arthur delivered at the UWI. Yes Mia and Owen may slap backs when that time comes to give the impression the past is the past but the unknown will be how the Bajan electorate respond to the politicizing of it Haggatt Hall style.
Carson C
“Don’t put the word Rev and Atherley in the same sentence”.
Lawddddddddd, ah deadinnnnnnnnnnn.
In udda words, it is blasphemous.
Lord, help ma. Carson C killin ma. Ya tu swoiteeeeeeee.
Halsall
Ya klown. I tell you aready dat BU is not your classroom and so you cannot assign na Homework to nabody ya idiot. stupsee.
De Hood
I suggest Guyana.
Sinckler can beat Mia he can’t beat owen.
If we must respect the Barbadian woman then maybe we should vote for you hendy. you is woman yourself.
Been in town too long you are bang on target. Every word of your post is gospel. I support your position 100%.
That is why I said in an earlier post that Mia’s politics is like a breath of fresh air rather than the politics of nostalgia that currently flows from the other side.
Mia has been doing a lot of work in keeping the BLP relevant. If there is any improvement in the political fortunes of the BLP and there certainly is, it is all because her hard work.
Been in town too long wrote, “But there is one other thing that makes me chose Mia over Arthur. He has no guts. The man is a coward. If he wants to lead the party have the guts to just say so”.
Could Owen be serious about leading the BLP again after giving it up following the last election? Is this what you are saying fellow bloggers Been in town too long? This is beginning to sound like the Thompson and Mascoll debacle when Thompson ran away from leadership in 2003 and then came back in 2006 to oust Mascoll.
We saw the political destruction and division this caused in the DLP and to this day the DLP is still paying the price. Could the BLP be looking to repeat history? Thompson was installed while Mascoll had to leave the Party. Today Thompson has received his call from on high and the DLP would do with the assistance of Mascoll. Haven’t the BLP learnt anything from this?
If we destroy Mia for Owen and Owen falls ill then who can we turn to for leadership? Payne?, Dale?, Toppin?, Clarke?, Pat Parris? God help us.
Can somebody please tell me that the BLP is not this dumb? We have always had could sensible leadership. Let commonsense prevail BLP. Any open warfare in the BLP at this time could put the Party in opposition for any other five years.
So tell me. Why would Owen want to commit the BLP to other five years in opposition which clearly put him out of contention for leadership for the next election when he can simply support Mia win this one and play a major role in reshaping the economy? He can’t hate women that badly, can he?
Even David Thompson acknowledeged that OWEN ARTHUR is a great leader, ROYALASS ,i mean Royalrumble
BLP united this country
DLP has polarized the country
DLP DOOMED
ONE TERM!
ONE TERM!
ONE TERM !
IS BARBADOS better off now than Barbados was pre-election 2008 ?
Answer : ONE TERM !
IS THE DLP GOVERNMENT DOING A GOOD JOB ?
Answer : ONE TERM !
CAN THE DLP STOP TELLING LIES
Answer : ONE TERM !
If we destroy Mia for Owen and Owen falls ill then who can we turn to for leadership? Payne?, Dale?, Toppin?, Clarke?, Pat Parris? God help us.
Answer : CLYDE MASSCOL
we have a real man to lead us yet we choose to lead us a mock man, Mia
@ I will only say this once.
It is really funny how fucking simpletons like you walking around trying give the impression that you are real men yet scared as hell for bright intelligent women.
The real mock men in this country are men who lack the ability to step up to the plate and be counted. We now live in society where big hard balls men still live home and live off of their mother’s pension but walking bout telling people that a woman can’t lead them anyway. They see women as sex tools and punching bags. Any time a woman is independent of that kind of male dependency they become scared and piss their pants.
They believe that their daughters can only be fooping bags for other men and should not aspire to any serious highs in this country. Oh how pitiful. What has men come to. Well let me say this, my daughter as the right to rise to any level in the country or in the world. Sorry I don’t have a problem with bright intelligent women and none of you on this blog can say that Mia is not head and shoulders above her contemporaries.
KISSMYA wrote, Answer : CLYDE MASSCOL
Would this be same Mascoll that was the victim of this same viscous political underhand tactics? The BLP would really want put him in this position and would he really accept being pushed in this position?
How could Mascoll deal with himself, his conscience, to sit back and watch Mia work tirelessly to keep the BLP politically relevant and he just walk in and take over? Would he not see the repeat of what Thompson did to him? He despised that level of behavior then. Would permit now? Will the ordinary folks in the BLP sit back and allow their Party to be use in this way?
I am calling on the young people of the BLP to step up and take control of this Party. They must stop this rot which the elders and supposedly statesmen of this Party is about to visit on. If this wrong is allowed to happen then it will destroy the confidence young people have in the system.
Mr. Bovell if Mia is your friend the least that you could do for her is to ask to step down let a real man do the job. Owen or Clyde.
Been In Town too Long
Lawddddddddd mek peace.
‘………and the more women you could foop the bigger man you are.’
Ah deadinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn. Sumbody soon get charge fa my murdahhhhhhhhhhh bout hay.
Heroes Square
ya badddddddd.
Royalrumble
Cool down, cool down, befo ya burs a artery. aneurysms does kill hear my man. Chill
But wait, how you know de gender of someone posting? You tearing off you coat at wah ‘I will only say this once” post. Ya getting me frighten now ya.
KISSMYA
You mean Clyde Mascoll or Clyde B Jones? Wah both a dem dead areddy. Man, wake up do.
Crusoe
As man, just between me n you, you know dat a woman sweet because you got de tester ta insert ta experience de sweetness but pray tell me, how two women could experience dah same sweetness? Dat is always puzzle me. and doan mention nutton ‘mock’ cause um in de same ting. ya gotta born liking dah rub-a-dub-dub two women in a tub. wah you tink?
Now that the BLP people are killing one another let me just ease in here and encourage the DLP to get their PR program working because they deserve five more years with or without David Thompson.
You the DLP are behaving like you are frightened. The IMF said that you are doing things right with your medium term policy, not a word from any of you to show that MIA is all hot air with her gloom and doom talk.
Today Sir Courtney Blackman gave a thumb up to one of the most progressive social policy delivered by you to the families of Barbados in Free Bus fare. Big up yourself, the women of Barbados are behind you not behind someone who has them confused with her behavior and the other who took us for a ride and then called us xenophobic
On a Point of Order Mr. Moderator Sir. David I rise to bring this debate to a close. I wish to thank all honourable persons on both side of the blog who participated.
I must admit that the Dems who are obviously afraidand in panic mode. They have moved this debate a long way from what I brough to the public’s attention. This is trademark DLP incompetence that now has Barbados in crisis.
This same DLP inherited a perfect batting wicked but in less than 100 days – it somehow managed to crashed the Barbados economy.
That the DLP operatives would vulgarise this debate – shows the level of disrect the DLP has for the Barbadian woman. In fact, it is Mazie Barker-Welch who refers to the DLP as a male Chauvinist party.
But what is my thesis?
I posited that two things happened last week which were completely opposite each other and yet – very few noticed.
On one hand you had David Thompson, acting in the interest of the DLP and with a serious fiscal crisis on the current account which was manufactured by his party – reshuffling his politically incompetent Cabinet for the 4th time in less than 3 years and hoping on this occasion for a different result while on the other hand – you had a compassionate Leader of the Opposition – acting in the national interest – taking fresh guard and outlining her vision and advancing a new politics and a new development path for Barbados.
That is the contrast and the debate: Mia Mottley saying something new and fresh in the national interest but a tired, frightened and incompetent DLP, holding on to power in the interest of the DLP and Clico.
The most recent Cabinet reshuffle is about Clico and who is most likely to continue to give CLICO a Golden parachute at taxpayers expense.
The point is: Mia Mottley defends Barbados while the DLP has taken fresh guard to defends Clico even more. Simple as that!!! That is what that Cabinet reshuffle is all about?
With Mia Mottley and Team BLP, Barbados wins whereas with the DLP – old ladies cannot get their money out of Clico and Clico gets a golden handshake and renewed protection from the DLP.
You are right Henderson! SweetCakes has set up things mostly to ensure the protection of his Man “At The Hellum”
The Man At The Hellum seems to be coming back down to earth, and good for him! Glimpsed him this week travelling incognito! He has put down the large conspicuous Mercedes, now driving an ordinary pickup truck.
@ Henderson Bovell
“The most recent Cabinet reshuffle is about Clico and who is most likely to continue to give CLICO a Golden parachute at taxpayers expense.
The point is: Mia Mottley defends Barbados while the DLP has taken fresh guard to defends Clico even more. Simple as that!!! That is what that Cabinet reshuffle is all about?
With Mia Mottley and Team BLP, Barbados wins whereas with the DLP – old ladies cannot get their money out of Clico and Clico gets a golden handshake and renewed protection from the DLP.”
Sadly, HB (the soft pencil) has got it wrong, again. This is what happens when you take a systemic problem and try to reduce it to a narrow issue, like little old ladies losing their life savings (although I am not saying that this should not be a matter of concern for the authorities) for purely political purpose.
It should be clear to even the most purblind commentator that the risk the CLICO debacle poses to the financial systems of CARICOM countries cannot be resolved simply by taking action only at the national level in individual countries. CLICO is a problem that demands an innovative response at the sub-regional level!
I am not sure that Ms. Mottley has the credentials to be a leader in that process, but I shall continue to keep my ears tuned!
Hello George Reid-Raven Craven,
You posited: “I am not sure that Ms. Mottley has the credentials to be a leader in that process, but I shall continue to keep my ears tuned!”
Tell me Sir: Is this then a matter for – say, a constitutional lawyer or an economist, and – is this matter more or less complex than Four Seasons?
Is it more complex than winning a maritime boundaries dispute with T&T or negotiating with China – an extention for Barbados as regards, the IBS?
@Henderson Bovell | October 7, 2010 at 6:58 AM |
“Hello George Reid-Raven Craven,
You posited: “I am not sure that Ms. Mottley has the credentials to be a leader in that process, but I shall continue to keep my ears tuned!”
Tell me Sir: Is this then a matter for – say, a constitutional lawyer or an economist, and – is this matter more or less complex than Four Seasons?
Is it more complex than winning a maritime boundaries dispute with T&T or negotiating with China – an extention for Barbados as regards, the IBS?”
Listen pencil boy (it seems that your only contribution in the classrom was handing out pencils) what the hell does it matter whether am Ravin’ Craven Raven (can’t you get the name right? WTF is a “craven” anyway?) or not?
Your inability to comprehend what I mean when I say:
“It should be clear to even the most purblind commentator that the risk the CLICO debacle poses to the financial systems of CARICOM countries cannot be resolved simply by taking action only at the national level in individual countries. CLICO is a problem that demands an innovative response at the sub-regional level!” is pathetic. What does a recitation of Ms. Mottley’s alleged successes, have to do with fashioning a financial engineering solution to resolve the CLICO problem. It seems that you and your “championess” have not moved beyond your one note samba in which you are merely trying to create alarm, and that you have nothing constructive to propose.
And you dare to suggest that solutions for all the ills that confront Barbados can come from persons of your ilk!
Hi Ravin’CravenRaven;
At last we seem to be getting a defense of the Thompson CLICO policies from someone with very significant government credentials at the highest public service levels and indeed one who might have helped concretize those policies. I think you have practically all the credentials for explaining some of the things which have troubled me and perhaps others about that policy.
Perhaps (but not in your inimitable obfuscatory style) you could explain the following;
Given your call for a sub-regional treatment of the CLICO clean up effort, Why was it necessary for David Thompson to reject the judicial management approach that appeared to be the regional approach, initiated by Trinidad and adopted by all the other caribbean jurisdictions, and instead opt for a novel and strictly Barbados approach that appears to be now resulting in Barbados being saddled with regional CLICO debts that we can ill afford.
Why is Barbados only now adopting the Judicial management approach for CLICO well after the horse has bolted?
Did you assist in formulating any advice that a number of statutory organizations should be required to transfer their pension fund or other investment portfolios to CLICO soon after the changing of the administrations?
What else did David Thompson do in his Prime Ministerial capacity when he first reassumed the office of Prime Minister about a month ago besides pushing through a Cabinet solution that reportedly would leave the Barbados taxpayers facing a 1/2 billion dollar debt, much of it for writing off CLICO debts to the other Islands?
What is the strategy you would have recommended to government for avoiding serious IMF conditionalities and properly managing those CLICO debts, apparently now in the process of being transferred to the public purse, in the face of a burgeoning deficit that might well be now significantly higher than 1.5 billion dollars?
Why does it appear that the oversight committee was not reconstituted when it expired in June therefore leaving a possible avenue for some costly infelicities to occur?
There are many other questions but these would do for a start.
@ George Reid. You wrote:
“CLICO is a problem that demands an innovative response at the sub-regional level!
I am not sure that Ms. Mottley has the credentials to be a leader in that process, but I shall continue to keep my ears tuned!”
Listen Sir: Until and unless the suggestion of Dr. Tennyson Joseph is accepted and there is a reshuffle of the quasi-CARICOM Cabinet, any Prime Minister of Barbados immediately has lead responsibility for the CSME. That is the first point..
My question to you is – Can the problems at Clico be solved by a BLP Cabinet? The Trinidadians seem to think that it can be best solved by the DPP with Robert Lindquist’s assistance. Further the T&T AG is now in London seeking independent persons to serve on a Commission.
Therefore, isn’t Kamla – the New PM of T&T fixing the CL Financial/Clico mess that was created by MEN?
The point remains that the mess at CL Financial/Clico was created by a man. There were male dominated Cabinets across the region when the Clico mess was created.
It now falls to a WOMAN in T&T (Kamla) to clean-up the mess that occured under the watch of male-dominated Cabinets.
Or, is it that you are just not getting it?
Men have always ruled Barbados. Therefore, if there is corruption, mess whatever, a woman or women cannot be blamed.
All across the world, it now falls to WOMEN to clean-up the mess caused by MEN, whether Clico, CL Financial, AIG, Nother Rock, where ever.
It fall to Hiliary Clinton to now resolve world tension created by MEN.
That is my thesis. I do not have to be a constitutional lawyer to have a view – do I?
It is therefore immaterial what The Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Q.C., M.P., can or cannot do in you male chauvonist opinion – as regards, Clico, because the REAL issue is that – the mess was created by (males) MEN.
That, kind Sir, is your smoking gun.
In Barbados, the current fiscal crisis on the current account was created by a male dominated DLP Cabinet. So too the high level of taxation locally.
What part of what I am saying do you not understand?
In a male dominated society it is very difficult for men to give up power to a woman whom they see only as chattel. There is also a deep hatred and jealousy of women by men and some women. Look at the ratio of abused women in society to men. In the past even when had the right to vote, we were not protected by the law when it came to domestic violence. Many women were murdered by their spouses because the law condoned it. The law and the Bible stated that the man is the head of the household, even though today many( if not the majority) household are headed by women. Men think that they have the God given right to rule. Until they see women as a partner who will share the leadership role from time to time, we are in for a fight.
Earlier, George Reid wrote:
“CLICO is a problem that demands an innovative response at the sub-regional level!
I am not sure that Ms. Mottley has the credentials to be a leader in that process, but I shall continue to keep my ears tuned!”
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Do you hear that male chavonist crap?
Here is what Miss Mottley said at the Chamber’s lunchoen last week. Note that it was Miss Mottley who brought the no-confidence motion against the PM as regards his poor handling of Clico.
Note also that the males said that Miss Mottley’s actions were salacious gossip and that it should be punished with laughter.
Fellow bloggers, tell me – does the below sounds like a good idea? Have you heard any male offer a better suggestion:
Perpetual Bond
“Instead of making a payout in two years time, which is expensive from the perspective of the government, but miserly from the perspective of individual clients, the Government could issue a perpetual bond, backed by the company’s assets, with a Government guaranteed rate of interest, similar to the rate offered on long-term Government bonds.
The guarantee of a government interest rate would allow the instrument to be traded and sold by those who need cash today without the Government having to fork out this principal today or in the immediate future. A broadly similar commitment of Government can be turned into something worth several times what depositors have been left with today.
The Government should decide who would be eligible for the perpetual bond, and up to what level of deposit and I would hope this would focus where possible on the most vulnerable in our society.
However it is cut, this Government guarantee is the single biggest guarantee in our history. Although there are no lasting buildings and facilities, it dwarfs that of the ABC highway or the prison. This matter is too large, too important, too critical to our economy and our fiscal position, to be treated in a dismissive fashion.
I have outlined these facts to show you that serious and sensible decisions must not just be made, they must be made now. Not ten years from now, not when we get round to it after recess here and there, but now. We are already late…”
@Henderson
What is this feminist bullchit being peddled all of a sudden?
Is this Mia flying a kite?
Was it Mia when asked to give an explanation about the CLICO statutory deficit under a BLP government offered the explanation that the government at the time felt a comfort level with the financial standing of the parent CL Financial?
This CLICO matter has been a real political football.
You can’t see that Henderson is a woman too, he can talk all he likes if that mock man as somebody call she at the head of this BLP I am not voting next time and I am not alone.
@ David:
“Was it Mia when asked to give an explanation about the CLICO statutory deficit under a BLP government offered the explanation that the government at the time felt a comfort level with the financial standing of the parent CL Financial?”
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Are you sure Sir David?
Under the Insurance Act, the Minister mentioned is the Minister of Finance. While I understand collective responsibility – Mia Mottley has never held that office.
So-all of a sudden, I remind of the Barbadian reality and you call it feminist bullshit. Ok, which woman was Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Barbados; Head of Clico or the substantial office holder of the Office of Supervisor of Insurance of Barbados?
@Henderson
Don’t side step this issue at all. She made the statement when all hell broke lose on this CLICO business. He stated that the BLP government at the time felt comfortable that CL was a strong parent and therefore the short reserve at the time was to be viewed in that context. If you make us we will research it.
Why are you substituting he for she in the above post? I know it is a typing error but that is why Henderson is peddling the feminist crap. He now has to sell her as a woman which is so ridiculous because she was born a female.
To all those persons who wish to suggest that I have privileged information about the CLICO mess, or that I have been in any involved in advising the current authorities, I wish to say the following:
1) I retired from the Barbados public service in August 1996, and I have played no role of any kind in policy-making since then;
2) My comment regarding Ms. Mottley’s capabilities was in no way related to her gender. In a nutshell, to call for judicial management (which is a process) is not enough, since appointing a fully competent JM may be a major challenge. Even if such a person is appointed he/she/they (is it not reasonable to assume that more than one person could be appointed? In Barbados we like committees.) must formulate the “imaginative” solutions where nobody loses, for which we all seem to be hoping;
3) The judicial management process in the Bahamas seemed to have presented serious challenges to the work-out of the CLICO problem in Guyana, so to that extent given CLICO’s regional reach, action at the purely national level may be inadequate.
I think that the problem of most persons who have commented on the CLICO issue, is that they seem to think of it as discrete unrelated national problems. In short, no one seems willing to think regionally! I doubt that T&T will take a lead in this matter, not because the PM of that state is a woman, but, because she has already limited her capacity to act by declaring that Trinidad and Tobago is not an ATM card.
This will be my final contribution on the CLICO matter.
George Reid; Thanks for providing a tangential limited response to the queries in my last post above about CLICO. I note that you will no longer participate in the debate on this thread but I wonder if Ravin’ Craven Raven might do so, if only on the aspects of it related to CLICO. I admit to being quite inexperienced in matters of high finance or insurance and I suspect that many who post on CLICO may also be so disadvantaged. Therefore any light that can be placed on the matter re. a regional approach versus a national approach or the pros and cons of judicial management would be very much appreciated.
In effect, I am wondering if knowledgeable persons about high finance in general and the CLICO problem in particular would deign to educate us.
The various disparate bits of information coming into the public domain on this matter, taken together, seems to suggest that CLICO could serve as a catalyst to serious times ahead for Barbados . It would be very useful if someone could carefully, fully and clearly give the side of the story related to the current Government’s actions in this regard.
@ checkit-out | October 7, 2010 at 2:07 PM |
“George Reid; Thanks for providing a tangential limited response to the queries in my last post above about CLICO. I note that you will no longer participate in the debate on this thread but I wonder if Ravin’ Craven Raven might do so, if only on the aspects of it related to CLICO.”
You seem unwilling to accept that I have no information on CLICO, other than what is in the public domain. Of course, I can research that information and offer an opinion, but that opinion would not have the “authenticity” that you would like to attach to it.
I really don’t feel that I have anything more to contribute on this matter, so “goodbye” for now.
George;
Thanks for responding. A pity you finished with this discussion as I think there is a crying need for someone with credentials like yours to research and provide a balanced picture of the whole CLICO debacle.
checkit-out:
I’ll try to make a deal with you. In the interest of promoting a better public understanding of the issues at stake, if you can find someone to do the grunt work, I am willing to review their analysis and conclusions. However, for a semi-retired septaugenarian, my hands are too full, at the moment, to do more than that!
I may never have agreed with anything Royal Rumble said beefore but when he wrote on October 6 at 1:50 p.m. “The real mock men in this country are men who lack the ability to step up to the plate and be counted. We now live in society where big hard balls men still live home and live off of their mother’s pension but walking bout telling people that a woman can’t lead them anyway. They see women as sex tools and punching bags. Any time a woman is independent of that kind of male dependency they become scared and piss their pants.” he wrote the truth.
But I’ll also add that the mock men are those men who foop down the place and then do not acknowledge their own children and who refuse to be seen in public with such children until the children are successful hard backed men and women.
Both parties have mock men like this.