The Insidious Creep Of Connections In Barbados And How They Can Be Used To Undermine The Rights Of Ordinary Citizens

Submitted by Yardbroom

 

I was fascinated but yet discomforted, by a story on another Blog, about “allegations” of rudeness by an immigration officer, to a young lady on her return to Barbados.  The story in summary, is that the young lady on arrival at Grantley Adams Airport from America was spoken to rudely – she said without justification – by an immigration officer.

The essential feature of her story being, that she was asked to wait in a room, until certain investigations the officer thought necessary were made.  After some time had elapsed, she refused to do so, and a verbal confrontation ensued.  The “allegation” is that in this exchange she was rudely spoken to.

If I accept that on her recall of the confrontation, there is a prima facie reason for complaint to the authorities to investigate the matter,  it would therefore be necessary to hear the immigration officer’s side of the story.  What was particularly alarming, was this young lady “allegedly” – and I have her word for that- solicited a telephone call to be made through her connections, to the Attorney General on her behalf and a complaint was made.  The tenure of her report indicated that the Attorney General sprung into action on her behalf.

Understanding The Appointment Of Kerrie Symmonds To The Barbados Senate

Senator Kerrie Symmonds

The recent announcement of the reappointment of Kerrie Symmonds as a government Senator surprised BU. While there has been a lot of debate about the non-reappointment of former Senators Elizabeth Thompson and Arthur Holder, our surprise has more to do with the reason why Symmonds resigned last year. Symmonds was involved in a widely publicized marital dispute. BU posted on the matter at the time to join local media which reported on a protection order being filed to keep Kerri at bay [it is our understanding his divorce is at the advance stage].

Symmonds widely reported to have resigned contradicts rumblings which suggest that former leader of the opposition Mia Mottley pressured him to resign. Perhaps the e-letter authored by his father Dru Symmonds currently making the rounds in cyberspace gives weight to the view Kerrie was pushed.

The concern which BU has about the Symmonds appointment to the Upper House has more to do with the obligation of public officials to be transparent when dealing with the public. It is BU’s understanding the request for a Protection Order from the court stemmed from the tyres and car seats of the vehicle owned by his wife Andrea being slashed. As human beings we maybe able to empathized with Symmonds at his actions in a failing relationship. People handle problems in different ways.

Destroying A Decade Old Culture Of Debt Accumulation In Barbados

Submitted by The People’s Democratic Congress (PDC)

The huge and burgeoning financial debt across the personal, private, public and social sectors of Barbados is the second biggest political financial problem facing the country at this stage ( The biggest is TAXATION).

And, whether it is at the individual, household, organizational, institutional or governmental  levels, or  whether it is owed to local or external sources, it remains a very pervasive substantial obstacle to the further long term material productive growth and development  of the country.

Whereas, there are two broad levels of financial debt in Barbados – (a), money for money debt, and (b), goods and services for money debt, that are invariably incurred on a daily basis by the said individuals, households, businesses, social clubs, government, the one broad level of debt that the PDC is focused on in this article- notwithstanding that there is a significant degree of interrelationship between itself and the other – is this  particular money for money debt variable.

To get a sizable piece of the bigger picture of this disastrous alarming money for money debt situation as it stands now in Barbados, an online reading of the Economic and Financial Statistics of the Central Bank would show that total commercial bank liabilities at March 2010 were provisionally reported as  BDS$11.5 billion (total commercial bank assets were about the same for that time), that total credit union assets/liabilities at December 2009 were BDS $ 1.3 billion, and that the gross central government debt at March 2010 stood at BDS $ 7.57 billion. These statistics come against the back drop that the GDP of Barbados is only about BDS $ 8.0 billion, and worse yet when the said document reveals that the total money supply is provisionally reported to be significantly less – BDS $ 3.69 billion as at April 2010.

Tribute to Owen Arthur

George Pilgrim, General Secretary, Democratic Labour Party

Tribute according to the Oxford Compact English dictionary is:  “A thing said or done or given as a mark of respect or affection”.

Tribute according to Collins Cobuild English Language dictionary is: “A speech gift or action made in order to show your admiration and respect for someone and to praise or thank them …”

These are the definitions that many of the Parliamentarians used to shape their delivery in the recent sitting of the House of Assembly. The session was called to pay tribute to the late Prime Minister and Leader of the Democratic Labour Party the Hon David Thompson. It was on this occasion, in his usual style, that the Opposition Leader sought to embellish his delivery by rolling out a political speech. Boy!!! Oh Boy!!! Arthur has returned to his element.

Is Illegal Tapping Of Phones, Monitoring Text Messages, E-mails Occurring In Barbados? – Who Is Guarding The Guard? Anderson Bowen Can You Help Us Please?

Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs - photo credit Trinidad Express

GIBBS CATCHES SPIES …uncovers illegal tapping of phones, monitoring of text messages and e-mails

By Lennox Grant

An early-morning police raid, ordered by Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs, on a secret snooping agency within the National Security Ministry has brought to light an extensive list, including Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and private citizens whose phone calls, text messages and e-mails have been monitored over five years.…read full article

 

In Barbados we have heard accusations levelled at Commissioner Darwin Dottin that CWC2007 technology was used to monitor the calls of Barbadians. Many of us expressed scepticism which runs counter to the way we have done things in Barbados over the years. Yes we live in a world where the criminal element has become very sophisticated and our security forces need to keep pace.

The above therefore provokes the question – who is guarding the guards.

A Different Kind Of Politics Beckons

Leader of the Opposition Owen Arthur - Photo Credit/Nation Newspaper

The Seventy-Fifth Sitting of the House of Assembly of Barbados will be remembered for the heartrending tributes which the Late Prime Minister Prime Minister David Thompson elicited from his former parliamentary colleagues. Hansard will record that the business of the House of Assemble was set aside for the sole purpose of receiving tributes from Members of Parliament as well as the public.

As if wanting to court controversy while delivering his tribute the Leader of the Opposition Owen Arthur appeared to be alone by forgetting what is the definition of tribute – ‘a gift, payment, declaration, or other acknowledgment of gratitude, respect, or admiration’. Why would he have used the occasion to mention Thompson’s IMF letter waving incident in Queen’s Park of 1994? We are left to wonder if this was a deliberate political ploy to taint Hansard with that dark moment in the political life of  David Thompson.

It is BU’s understanding  the widow and her three children were present at today’s sitting. Is it is accepted custom when paying tribute to a fallen colleague to recall those memories which place the recipient in a positive light? The presence of Mara Thompson and her children should have reminded Arthur of the need to be civil in the circumstances. Mention of Thompson’s political missteps only served to make his ‘tribute’ disingenuous. It will be interesting to review the critique of Arthur’s ‘tribute’ in the local media.

The Legacy Of David Thompson, The Calling Of The Next General Election And The Enactment Of The Prevention of Corruption Bill 2010 – Your Move Prime Minister Stuart!

Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart

It was interesting to hear  Brian Clarke reveal in his eulogy that the Late Prime Minister David Thompson was not passionate about the legal profession. In contrast we understand Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart has a great love for the profession. It will be left to Prime Minister Stuart to champion the  Prevention of Corruption Bill 2010 commonly referred to as Integrity Legislation (IL) which had its first reading in parliament recently. Time will tell if Stuart is motivated to enthusiastically chart the efficient implementation and application of Integrity Legislation.

The current debate in Barbados is when will Prime Minister Stuart ring the bell to call a general election constitutionally due in 2013, a state of affairs brought about by the death of David Thompson. In the opinion of BU the proclamation of IL and Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation will be critical to the decision to determining the date of the next general election. Although Stuart has been catapulted into the current role based on the unfortunate circumstance of Thompson’s death, as a member of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) opposition campaign platform he would have endorsed the promise to deliver IL and FOI legislation as tools to fight soft corruption in Barbados on winning the government. Three years have past and the people are still waiting. If the two pieces of legislation are not rolled out before the next general election the opposition will have the making of a platform agenda.

The Frozen Ark: “As It Was In The Days Of Noah” – Future Cloning, Tampering With Nature And Man’s Efforts To Resurrect Life From The Primordial Shadows Of Antiquity

Submitted by Terence Blackett

“And the thoughts of men’s hearts were only evil continually” – Genesis 6:5

Death remains man’s greatest foe. After 1000’s of years, we still grapple with this silent, torturous, invasive supernatural force. From the moment of birth, we are all doomed to die with no man knowing for sure the day of his demise. Many presuppose that death is a natural phenomenon – being the opposite of life.

But can death be properly explained, outside of the Biblical context?

Death like evil is an invisible enemy. They are both consequences of each other. Philosophy and science have for centuries been inundated with nagging questions but have been bereft of any real answers. Even religion struggles with these questions often glossing over them in hope that randomized spiritual appeasement would be enough to satisfy those who lose love ones under tragic conditions, through disease or even sudden circumstances.

Mankind remains in a perpetual state of abject denial contending that the prevalence of “EVIL” in the world (arguing senselessly) that it is a by-product of human choices. Understandably, there is an elementary grain of truth to be found in such forms of social perception – sadly, a half truth is still a whole lie!

Too many refuse to admit that evil spurns from a source that is way outside the realm of human cognizance and human reasoning. Evil is a malignant esoteric force; a primordial enemy; a vacuous entity which still “sneaks” in while men are asleep at the wheel. It gives no warning – it surfaces when least expected without fear of reprisal.

Anticipating Owen Arthur’s Address To The 72nd Annual Conference DLP Style

George Pilgrim, General Secretary, Democratic Labour Party

Good morning, Mr Chairman, Officers of the National Council, Members of Parliament, specially invited guests and comrades, It gives me great pleasure to address the 72nd Conference of this great party.

I address you with a heavy heart amidst our internal turmoil. I am fortified in our past successes and so we will overcome this. “We have had crises in the past and we will rise above this” A party founded on the principle of providing a Better Life for our People must not be put out to pasture by a few who don’t understand the basic principles of democracy. Our founding father, Sir Grantley Adams, fought to ensure the principles of democracy were paramount in the ideals upon which we were to evolve as a nation. We have a proud history, let us not consume it in this quagmire of darkness.

I know most of you here today must be wondering what type of speech I would deliver as your reappointed political leader. It has only been a couple weeks since my return to this lofty office. I must repeat at this junction, however:

“I am here to build and I look forward to that opportunity. This is a very difficult time for the country. It is a very difficult time for the party. It is a very difficult time for me.” I came to office as the son of a shopkeeper and led this great party for 14 years through the rough and tumble. I have said that persons on the other side treated politics like a blood sport and I would not want our party to go down that road. I swallowed my pride and acceded to a response from my parliamentary colleagues and decided to accept the post of Opposition Leader.

Barbadians Quibble About TOMAS While Haitians, St. Lucians, Vincentians Suffer

A man carries a child while wading across a flooded street during the passing of Hurricane Tomas in Leogane, Haiti, 05 Nov 2010 - APPhoto

There is a lot we could write about who is to be blamed for the late notification of Storm TOMAS which wreaked havoc on Barbados last weekend. Funny enough the other islands to the North have had more time to prepare but it did not seem to have prevented lives and property from being loss. What was easily ascertained from listening to and observing Barbadians before, during and after Storm TOMAS was the high level of lethargy, complacency, even ignorance demonstrated. The ready excuse must be that Barbados has not experienced any significant weather system since Janet 1955. The folly of such a position would have been exposed two weeks earlier when heavy rains precipitated significant flooding in Barbados. Perhaps, just perhaps TOMAS would have served as a wake-up call for Barbadians who have become fat and lazy caused by a mindset ‘dah cyan happen hey’.

The fact that perennial sufferer Haiti was spared the brunt of Hurricane TOMAS is little consolation. “Haitian officials say before Tomas weakened into a tropical storm, hurricane rains triggered flooding and mudslides that killed at least six people.” Barbadians may also want to understand the plight of St. Lucians who as far as we are aware have had no running water for the past week because of significant damage to a Dam. People also perished and hundreds of houses have been damaged or destroyed. St. Vincent has also been badly affected. Some Barbadian organizations have mobilized to provide relief to our neighbours.

Back to Haiti which is known to be the poorest country in the world if measured in economic terms. In January 2010 Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake which has seen over a million people living in Tent Cities and many others displaced. As a consequence of the inevitable unsanitary conditions over two hundred and fifty Haitians died of Cholera last month. This is a people who know suffering.

What has been difficult to accept by BU about the Haitian Saga post-earthquake has been the failure of the international relief bodies to effectively and efficiently distribute the aid which was freely given by the world all those months ago. The suffering is too much.

The CARICOM initiative which saw former Prime Minister of Jamaica the Most Hon PJ Patterson appointed to draft a report on the way forward seems to have suffered from the accustomed CARICOM malady. In a recent address Patterson outlined the reconstruction effort  but what about the suffering NOW?

Contrast what Patterson is saying to what NGO people are saying on the ground.