REDjet Approval To Fly Welcomed – Efficient Regional Air Travel Remains A Pipe Dream

Adrian Loveridge - Hotel Owner

Like thousands of people around the region, I share the excitement of impending competition and all the benefits hopefully it will bring to us with the launch of REDJET. Frankly, it could not come at a better time as we face the daunting prospect of near eight month softer summer season.

Our Government should be happy too, as if the majority of those seats transit or are purchased in Barbados they will collect up to a whopping BDS$15 million in ‘departure taxes’ and what could be another BDS$4.37 million in VAT.

Lots of discussion has taken place regarding the potential commercial damage to LIAT by REDJet, and clearly they will face some real competition on the Georgetown route. However, I would have thought LIAT faces a far greater threat from Caribbean Airlines, especially after the recent announcement that the carrier ‘has officially signed a contract for the purchase of nine (9) ATR 72-600 aircraft, valued at some US$200 million’ to replace its current fleet of five Dash-8 300’s. The European Turboprop manufacturer confirmed that first deliveries will start in October 2011. Whether these planes have been purchased on any preferential or subsidised financial terms is unsure.

Bridgetown Pierhead Marina Project – Government of Barbados Faces Possible Law Suit Over The Award Of Contract To Signature Management Inc

Michael Lagan, Chairman

The Nation Newspaper today carried the story of a threatened law suit of $60 million dollars by Lagan Construction, a British company, against the government of Barbados. Lagan Construction is reacting to government award of the contract for building the Barbados Marina Project to Signature Management Inc for a bid which trumped Lagan’s by 23 million dollars.

The following was posted by a commenter to BU on another blog which purports to encapsulate the facts of the issue. BU believes it is an important matter to merit separate scrutiny by the BU family.

If Not Fruendel Stuart, Who?

Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart

But what is leadership? It seems to be one of those qualities that you know when you see it, but is difficult to describe. There are almost as many definitions as there are commentators…

  inFED

Reading some of the comments on Facebook and other media there is a view gaining currency that Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart needs to become more visible in the public’s eye. The elevation of Prime Minister Stuart after the death of David Thompson some argue was the obvious choice at the time. He had been acting over several months through a difficult period for the party and country in the shadow of a popular David Thompson. He deserved his chance some believed and that view was obviously supported by his parliamentary colleagues when the time came to select who from among them should lead.  His publicly stated view  that he had an aversion to treachery would have endeared him to the conservative Barbadian.  The fact that the late David Thompson had devolved all authority to Stuart has sparked many hot political discussions.

BU suggests the leadership cupboard is bare on the Democratic Labour Party side of the fence. God forbid Stuart were not able to perform his current role as Prime Minister all kinds of ‘issues’ potentially could come to the fore. Should it be Estwick who has always made it known he is capable? What about the pretender Donville Inniss? Not to forget the anointed one Chris Sinckler. To the interested observer Prime Minister Stuart’s laid back – some would say aloof – style gives an opening for those on the other side to stoke the current discussion about whether he is an effective leader.

CARICOM Consumer Sentiment Survey, 1st Edition

The Department of Management Studies at UWI Cave Hill first quarterly edition survey of consumer sentiment across Caricom - Click image to read report

CARIBBEAN STOCK REPORT April 11 to 15 April 2011

Compiled by the Department of Management Studies, UWI Cave Hill - Click image to read in PDF

Investigation Needed At The National Union Of Public Workers – Transparency, Accountability And Leadership The Watch Words

Dennis Clarke, General Secretary (l) Walter Maloney, President (r) NUPW Big Boys

To those who would query why Barbadians who are not members of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) have a right to be concerned about alleged indiscretions and mismanagement at the Dalkeith based union, here is one good reason. Members in any registered union in Barbados are allowed to claim as a tax deduction up to a maximum of $240.00. In other words Barbadian taxpayers are subsidizing union business.

Walter Maloney was recently re-elected President of the NUPW for a fourth term and he conceded it was a campaign where there was a fair bit of mud-slinging. At the centre of the controversy is a substantial cellphone bill of $6,000.00 which was racked up by Maloney. He is on record admitting he is willing to pay for those calls which are personal. One wonders why it would have taken the Personnel Department at the NUPW so long to resolve a routine matter. Does it speak to inefficiency or cover up?

The matter becomes interesting with the intervention from Caswell Franklyn, Head of Unity Trade Union, who stated that President Maloney’s use of a cellphone is (was) not authorized by the NUPW’s National Council. The saga as it continues to play out begs the question, what urgent union matters were on the boil that would provoke a holidaying Maloney to saddle the NUPW with significant cellphone cost incurred over two months. In any event BU understands an acting president was available to attend to union business. Again the question why then would Maloney have to incur significant overseas calls while on holiday on an unauthorized cellphone.

Related Link: NUPW Rules & Standing Orders

We Need To Know The TRUTH About What Just Happened In IVORY COAST (Côte d’Ivoire)

Submitted by Ras Jahaziel

View pictures which detail a story not to be found easily in the local or international media:

Attorney-at-law Donna Symmonds Attempts To Intimidate A Bajan Blog

Attorney_at_law Donna Symmonds

Recent world events have demonstrated to the most doubting of Thomases the power of social media. Barbados social media is building momentum, Facebook is said to have 100,000 plus Barbadians as members and recent blogs like Real Talk//Gird Your Loins are helping to ensure a strong Bajan blogosphere. Inevitably, there will be attempts by many to muzzle, threaten and otherwise suborn the social media. After all we represent a threat to the establishment. BU has been subjected to such tactics in the past as the BU family knows. We note the latest such attack with interest.

In a report entitled New Barbados Tourism Authority Director charged with tax evasion? and dated April 2, 2011, Barbados Free Press (BFP) published verbatim a report also dated April 2, 2011 from the Nation . Included in the Nation report was a list of names of persons alleged to have failed to file required tax returns, either business or personal. Fair comment, you would think? NOT according to attorney-at-law, Donna Symmonds.

On April 11, 2011, Donna Symmonds posted the following letter in BFP’s comments section (redacted by BU).

It Is Time To Stop Living A Lie

Submitted by Ras Jahaziel

 

The following article points to the fact that on a global level the majority of Blacks FIRMLY believe in their own INFERIORITY. And even when this inferiority is not acknowledged it still manifests itself in many of the cultural norms that make up Black life today.

Even when they do not go as far as bleaching  the skin many Black women still  believe that God made a mistake when he created Blacks with hair that twines and knots. Because of this mistaken belief they will go to great lengths to recreate themselves in the image of the white woman. And this self despising trend is broadly approved and encouraged by the  men.

If the church is truly in the business of saving  souls should it not be involved in correcting the self-despising legacy of slavery? Should the church not be campaigning against the omnipresent White Jeezus picture that helps to perpetuate white superiority and Black inferiority?

What will God say on judgement day when he looks for the Black  woman that he made and sees her in another image? Will he be able to recognize her in her straightened-hair white wig and her bleached  out skin?

It is time for Black folks to stop living a lie in the name of Jeezus.

SEE FULL ARTICLE BELOW

Critiquing Chairman Of The Board, Adrian Elcock

Adrian Loveridge - Hotel Owner

I have waited a few days, hoping, even wishing that someone within the tourism industry would make a public comment over the appointment of a new Barbados Tourism Authority Board. Sadly, it hasn’t happened and almost with a sense of obligation, while knowing that it will invite criticism find it almost compelling to ask some seemingly relevant questions.

First let us establish the objective here. It’s not about individual personalities, but surely what is in the overall national best interest of Barbados and its tourism sector. To ensure that I fully understood the required criteria of a Board Chairman, I have read through pages and pages of reference documents on the internet.

Listed as a basic function is ‘The Chairman of the Board is responsible for the management, the development and the effective performance of the Board of Directors, and provides leadership to the Board for all aspects of the Board’s work’.