AFRI-PHOBIA Raises Its Colonially Educated Head Again

Submitted by Ras Jahaziel

At this time in world history there is a renewed penetration of Africa in the search for land and wealth. Along with the nations of Europe, large nations like India and China now see the need to obtain a piece of that rich resource base that is the rightful inheritance of Blacks in Africa and Blacks in the west who were violently robbed of their birthright and their land-right.

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Notes From A Native Son –The State Of The Barbados Economy, The Competence Of The Government, And Its Ratings By International Rating Agencies

Hal Austin

Financial and academic economists are rushing out oaf the woodwork to take sides in the continuing debate about the state of the Barbados economy, the competence of the government, and its ratings by the international rating agencies. What is clear, however, is that the people who matter – the taxpayers – are not getting a true picture of the state of the economy.

Two of those who have taken opposing views on the Moody’s downgrade are Professors Michael Howard, broadly in agreement, and Avinash Persaud, who is opposed. If Professor Persaud’s outburst, as reported on Barbados Today Online (15/6/11) is accurate, he is simply wrong in suggesting that the Moody’s downgrade was ‘an irresponsible rush to judgement.’ Where is the evidence?

What should they have waited for, more soothing words from the minister of finance and his backers, asking citizens to accept in good faith that the economy is in good shape, but not providing any sound evidence to back it up. Professor Persaud, a member of the prestigious National Council of Economic Advisors, is either speaking as an objective economist or as an economic advisor to the government, an insider. He has to make clear his position. He is reported as saying: “I have no doubt that Barbados will repay its debts and so I believe the decision of Moody’s is an irresponsible rush to judgement, especially given the recent decision of Standards & Poor’s to hold our credit rating steady.” Where is the beef? If Moody’s is rushing to judgement, then where is the counter evidence, the facts to substantiate Professor Persaud’s apparent position that Barbados would repay its debts?  Does he know something that the rest of us do not?

Borrowing, Borrowing, Borrowing, Debt, Debt, Debt

Submitted by Charles Cadogan

In a recent issue of Barbados Today I read where Barbados is borrowing BDS6.5 million from China.  But the most interesting thing was the suggestion of learning Chinese as a second language.  How is all this money going to be repaid? What if Barbados defaults on the loan? Some of the changes that are being made in Barbados, for instance the Pier Head Project, is this for the good of all Barbadians or for a select few and outsiders?

In the last year reading the Barbados Today  I have seen where  quite a number of large sums of money has been borrowed from China and a few others. In my humble opinion China isn’t going to give any money to any country in the world unless it’s beneficial to them in some form or fashion.  Right here up North China has their foot in the door because of huge loans owed by the USA.  The Chinese are shrewd business people who are in it to win.  Barbados be careful who you keep borrowing from to do all the different projects you deem more important than better housing for the LITTLE MAN, and a few other things that need addressing to make the LITTLE MAN in Barbados live much better than he’s presently doing.

Don’t keep borrowing to do what you are calling improving Barbados and not paying attention at what cost it will come to in the long run.  PLEASE make sure that Barbados continues to belong to BARBADIANS and not some other foreign government. Don’t keep borrowing and end up over your head in debt when you are no longer in office.

All Barbados Must Remain Focused In The Face Of Moody’s Downgrade

Press statement from an official at the Ministry of Finance

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Chris Sinckler, Minister of Finance

The recent decision by Moody’s to adjust Barbados’ domestic Credit rating downward coming as it is just weeks after Standard and Poors using the same information issued a review holding the country’s rating, is both disappointing and surprising.

Disappointing from the perspective that while it recognises the country’s efforts at fiscal consolidation as evidence by the initiatives taken as late as the last budget and more recently in the expenditure restraints in the 2011-12 estimates, it does not sufficiently credit these efforts in the government’s quest to reduce its fiscal deficit and ease debt burden over the medium to long term.

Equally, it is surprising because while correctly holding the foreign debt rating, it curiously ignores the very strong and liquid domestic capital market situation to claim that the system might be unable to support government’s requirements over the short to medium term.

A Mendicant State Of Mind

Submitted by Charles Knighton

Many years ago I gifted my brother a new vehicle, hoping such a gift would help him develop a much needed sense of responsibility as he would obviously need to maintain it.  I further wished him to develop a much needed sense of PRIDE as well as INDUSTRY, characteristics I felt would come to the fore as he assumed the tasks necessary to keep this gift in tip-top condition.

Sometime later, he let me know that even though he still greatly appreciated my gift to him, the required maintenance was beyond his meager capabilities. He then asked if I would be so kind as to perform all the necessary repairs as the vehicle’s condition was beginning to embarrass him.  It was not only his ingratitude, but his childlike inability to assume responsibility that rankled. That he was not the slightest bit embarrassed by such a state of affairs was truly stunning and spoke volumes of his mendicant state of mind.

Which brings me to page four of the June 14th Nation, $6.5 million grant from China where we learn the Chinese will undertake remedial work at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, following which a long list of maintenance and repair items are enumerated. How utterly embarrassing, though it does help to explain the age old question:” How de yute get so?”.

By the way, my brother somehow managed the wherewithal to put his vehicle right after I refused his request to do so, which turned out to be his first step on the road to independence and a healthy sense of self-esteem.

CARIBBEAN STOCK REPORT 6 June to 10 June 2011

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

Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart, Good Governance Starts With Transparency

Submitted as a comment by Crusoe to the Prime Minister Fruendel Speaks To The Nation, AGAIN blog

Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart

The diatribes above actually do contribute to good exchange of banter, even if politically motivated. The above highlights what the ‘average Joe’ is very annoyed at, such as unexplainable project expenditures, lack of transparency and accountability and a complete disregard of voter wishes.

As Halsall has referred to, this administration committed, yes  committed, to a Freedom of Information and Transparency Legislation on its entry into this term. There is no excuse for the delay in this. They got the Judicial Legislation changed for their appointee fast enough.

Secondly, cost overruns etc. have not been explained and no attempt has been made to enable this nor to enable explanation and evidence of future projects for the average voter. As government is supposed to represent the people for the good of the country, this is a disgrace, by both parties.

Thirdly, while the current administration supports running on about 3S, it must be noted that the marina project appears to have been given to the highest bidder, amidst resignations from the independent directors of the same project. Without due explanation and with an impending legal case as a result, from an alternate contractor, that is highly worrying from a voter perspective and does not give that ‘warm and fuzzy feeling’ that a citizen should have  on his taxpayers monies being spent well. Is this another botched project? Slated to cost 700MM but will probably eventually cost 1.2Billion?

Anthony Weiner Goes Under The Bus

Submitted by Rickford Burke

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Embattled Brooklyn Congressman Anthony Weiner

COMMENTARY: ANTHONY WEINER GOES UNDER THE BUS: A distinguished career goes down to defeat by a oligarchic hegemony with a false sense of moral rectitude

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President of the New York based Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) Brooklyn Congressman Anthony Weiner, after lying for several days, last week admitted sending lewd and sexually explicit photos of himself to several women via the Internet. Although reprehensible, his admitted acts do not at this point appear to constitute a crime.

Yesterday, Democratic Party Chair, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Democratic Leader in the Congress, Nancy Pelosi, used carefully crafted diplomacy to prod his resignation. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi posited that “Congressman Weiner has the love of his family, the confidence of his constituents, and the recognition that he needs help” …. “I urge Congressman Weiner to seek that help without the pressures of being a Member of Congress.”

Democratic National Committee Chair, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) said “the behavior he has exhibited is indefensible and Representative Weiner’s continued service in Congress is untenable.”

It is inconceivable that Pelosi and Wasserman Schultz would make such devastating statements against a colleague; which in essence eclipsed his political career, without initially consulting President Barack Obama, the Leader of the party.

Why Are We Here? Atheism’s Narrative: Zeitgeist In An Age Of Moral Relativism And Where Deluded Scientists Inspire Men To Believe There Is No God Or No “HEAVEN”

Submitted by Terence Blackett

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In my Father’s House are many mansions and if it were not so I would have told you…John 14:2

 

In 1972, Beatle – John Lennon released the most famous song ever recorded by any human being with words that ominously ask us to -”Imagine there’s no Heaven, it’s easy if you try, no hell below us, above us only sky, imagine all the people, living for today…”

4 decades later, on Monday May 16^th 2011, (reported in Reuters) ahead of the Google Zeitgeist meeting in London where speakers included British finance minister George Osborne and Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz found imminent physicist Stephen Hawking hogging the limelight ahead of an all-important speech. Before the meeting, Hawking was asked to address the question – “Why are we here?”

Hawking argued that “tiny quantum fluctuations in the very early universe sowed the seeds of human life.” He suggested that – “Heaven is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” He said “I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I’m not afraid of death, but I’m in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first,” he told the Guardian newspaper. “I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” When asked how we should live he said: “We should seek the greatest value of our action.”

What a thought-provoking statement by Hawking but more so his comment that – “We should seek the greatest value of our action” which presupposes that life is utilitarian in its ethos yet it is somehow peppered with Aristotelian philosophical strands. One wonders at time if Horgan’s words do have a merit of truth where he says that guys like Hawking are a kind of “cosmic comic performance artist who loves goofing on his fellow physicists and the rest of us.” But is he goofing around or is he positing a serious philosophical slant which has its roots in classical literature? Or is Hawking indirectly admitting that there is an epistemological conundrum which for 1000’s of years remains unresolved as to why we are really here on this planet?

On Generic And Brand Name Drugs

Submitted by Georgie Porgie on request from BU in light of the current debate around generic and brand name drugs

 

Every drug has a generic or chemical name, which often tells us some thing about the chemistry of the drug. In addition, the generic name of a drug allows physicians, pharmacologists and other health professionals to have a universal nomenclature for a specific chemical formulation. For example paracetamol, or acetamenophen is the name of a commonly used non steroidal anti inflammatory drug.

A generic or chemical name allows us to identify a particular chemical compound anywhere we go in the world.

Generic names are used universally and allow for international discussion on pharmaceuticals.

GENERALLY WE DISCUSS DRUGS BY THEIR GENERIC OR CHEMICAL NAMES