Government’s Proficiency Test

Chief Marketing Officer Stephen Worme, Barbadians Want To Examine The Analysis On Solar Energy

Stephen Worme, Chief Marketing Officer, BL&P

As part of a pilot programme, BL&P has introduced a Renewable Energy Rider “to permit small customer-owned wind and solar photovoltaic systems to connect to the grid” to generate electricity for their own use and sell surplus back to BL&P. Provision was made for up to 200 connections but the last public report I saw suggested that less than 10 consumers had signed up.

Andrew Brathwaite

Chief Marketing Officer Stephen Worme of the Barbados Light and Power Ltd (BL&P) is quoted in the press suggesting that “international oil prices are predicted to rise and it would be unrealistic to expect the Barbados Light & Power Company not to pass on the increase to electricity users or to expect Government to subsidize it for “any extended period of time”  BU’s best research contradicts Worme’s forecast however we  concede that there is a known volatility associated with oil prices.

A couple years ago when the price of oil skyrocketed to USD140.00 plus per barrel it sparked a robust national conversation about the mitigating steps which should be taken.Two years later we are still talking with no semblance of a Renewable Energy Program to be mobilized any time soon.

Central Bank Governor Advises Government To Reduce Expenditure, Modest 2% Growth Forecasted

Click here to view video of "Review of Barbados’ Economic Performance for First Six Months of 2011"

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Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) Is In The News, AGAIN!

Dr. Carlos Chase, President of BAMP

The question which Barbadians can legitimately asked is whether the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) has a Public Relations Officer, and if that officer is trained in the discipline of public relations. The other question which can be posed, is BAMP a trade union and does it believe – by its decisions – in maintaining a good industrial climate? Why is it relations between BAMP and the government always go down the acrimonious route more often than not? Why is there a perennial stridency in the dialogue between BAMP and all and sundry or so it seems to John Public.  When Doctor Jerome Walcott was Minister of Health it did not seem to make a difference.

From the public’s perspective the current behaviour on display is not good enough and parties on both sides of the argument need to act more responsibly. Frankly we do not care who feels they have a legitimate grouse.

BAMP is within its right to call a meeting to discuss whatever it believes is of concern to its membership. The Minister of Health is within his right to question why BAMP would schedule a meeting at a time to ensure disruption to Barbadians seeking medical attention. Where both are guilty is dragging the matter in the public domain. It seems highly unprofessional and insensitive to the public both parties should be committed to serving.

Bemuddling African History

Submitted by Charles Knighton

I always find myself bemused by the ipso facto logic of those who attempt to conflate the geographic fact of Egypt’s location on the continent of Africa with Egypt therefore being a black civilization worthy of study during Black History month as Mr. Ian Marshall suggests in his guest column of July 10th, “Laurie misses the point“.

A demographic snapshot of Egypt today would reveal, as would a snapshot of all Mediterranean countries, decidedly non-black populations, a make up not much changed over the millenia.  This is not to suggest that through Egypt’s  long history  Black Africans did not at times gain ascendancy in Egypt, but this this does not make Egypt a Black civilization anymore than Black African countries under colonial rule became White civilizations.

Mr. Marshall’s concern with black Barbadian children who have “grown up on the lies and distortions of Africa by bigoted scholars and mass media” is laudable and yet he seems quite willing to indulge the same tactics by making Egypt a cornerstone of Black History month.  The cognitive dissonance awaiting children who are taught of the magnificent achievements of Egypt during Black History month and who then see old photographs  or newsreels of a non-black population will be palpable, unless the plan is to claim that despite strong evidence to the contrary if one goes back far enough through the centuries and relies on less and less evidence they will discover the original Black Egyptian civilization which dastardly White propagandists have cleverly obscured.

Do Not Let A Power-Hungry DLP Brain-Wash You!

Former Chairman of the NAB and BLP Supporter

Two things are crystal clear: the public have had enough and in their view – the DLP has so betrayed their trust and confidence that it has lost the moral right to govern Barbados. The out-going DLP has buckled to logical public pressure and has issued a directive to the relevant State agency to forgo the lawful collection of acquiring and paying for Entertainment Licenses this Crop Over season. But how could the DLP seek to collect that money when it gave a company it said was “sound” and well-managed” $10 million? How could the DLP collect fees for entertainment licenses when it wrote-off $19 million for a brand-name entity?

This and “OTHER” incidents are proof that the electorate and the taxpayers of this country, will have to rescue the DLP from itself long before 2013, if it is to be prevented from imploding and doing even more severe damage to this country. DLP operatives collectively being paid some $2.4 million for a 28-day-summer-camp, is scandalous, so too news of DLP operatives operating businesses at the Airport but not paying rent for three years and now owing the Government, in some instances, in excess of $150,000 in rent.

When the Prime Minister was in China, the Finance Minister announced that a Statement of Financial and Economic Policies (commonly referred to as the Budget) will come before Kadooment. We now hear that the proposed “Kadooment Budget” will actually happen much later in August. Is this a strategic shift, given that while in St. Kitts recently, the Prime Minister announced that the country will have a new Chief Justice before the beginning of next month? Or, is the Budget being timed so that a now badly deflated DLP – can salvage something for its base because it is struggling badly to go into its Annual Conference, which starts on August 19^th, on a high.

Government Public Private Partnership Housing Strategy Comes Under Attack

Submitted by the People’s Democratic Congress (PDC)

Michael Lashley, Minister of Housing

A local home building firm charges the NHC/Government BDS$1.6 million for building 20 wall bungalow-type homes on so-called crown lands in a particular region in Christ Church.

The Government intends “to sell” these houses to prospective “buyers” on the local commercial housing market for BDS $ 1.8 million. But, being in no position to finance the building of  these houses on its own, the government treacherously lay waits portions of the relevant incomes of the relevant persons, businesses and other entities in this country, and brutally seizes them, to disgracefully diabolically pay this home construction business this BDS  $ 1.6 million.

However, before this happens, this firm goes and draws down on some of its savings and gets some institutional loans as well,  in order to help get the building plans, the workers, the resources, the equipment, the necessary building and building related approvals, and other such things together, so that it would be able to  construct the houses and turn them over to the government at the agreed time.

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Government Must Not Kill The Golden Goose – Small Hotel Suffers 50 Percent Hike In Land Tax Valuation

Adrian Loveridge - Hotel Owner

Just when you were beginning to think that it was almost impossible to absorb anymore increased operational costs and stay in business, out of the blue comes yet another surprise. This time for us, its a 50 per cent hike in our Land Tax Valuation.

The number of hotels that have closed over the last 16 years now exceeds thirty and that fact surely cannot have escaped the authorities. Their closure doesn’t seem to indicate improved viability in the sector or that the value of the accommodation property has dramatically increased. So where on earth can there be any logic in re-assessing our small hotel upwards by over 16.6 per cent per annum for the next three years?

Of course, we can object, providing we do it within 30 days of receiving the notification, but a week has been lost already, as the assessment apparently took a week in the post to reach us from Bridgetown, judging by its issuance date. To give that objection any real credibility, we would have to have a professional valuation undertaken, which again takes time and at speculative additional cost. In our case, valuers have indicated at least $7,000 and at a time when we are probably experiencing one of most difficult trading periods for decades.

CARIBBEAN STOCK REPORT: Half Year Report 2011

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

ENTREPRENEURSHIP – Latest Buzz Word For Government

Sandra Husbands, Barbados Labour Party Candidate for St. James South

The revival of the demand for a relatively unknown entertainment licence has frustrated the efforts of many promoters to host Crop Over fetes resulting in losses for this sector. It is a reflection of the regard with which small businesses are held by government. This economic crisis has taken a toll on the small business sector that now reels from diminished spending power of its customers, and rising costs to do business, compliments of the international environment and government taxation policy. Hundreds of small shops, professional services, contractors, fisherfolk, retail shops, cosmetologists, IT service providers, general services providers are now operating on a third of the income they commanded in better years or in some cases closing. Loss of private sector jobs have come primarily in this sector as small business employers have been forced to cut hours, lay off, reduce purchases of goods and services. Many are unable to meet payments and statutory obligations such as rent, wages, loans, utilities, suppliers, increased licensing fees, NIS, PAYE, and VAT. The international environment and questionable government policy squeeze from both sides robbing these businesses of necessary oxygen to survive. Their demise affects significant investment capital, and the employment opportunities for the young graduates and school leavers, now some 12,000 strong. The growing number of empty commercial spaces is testimony to closures in this sector.

Taking government at its word that it is committed to the small business sector, in 2008, the request to government was as a strategy to aid the small business sector to survive the unfolding crisis was to ensure that 40% of government contracts worth 200m be distributed to this sector which would support close to 1000 small businesses. This would have protected more than 4000 jobs thus stabilising the unemployment figures without gov’t swelling the civil service. This money would flow through the economic system benefitting a wider network of persons into the retail and services sectors, banking system, large businesses etc, thus sustaining government revenues through VAT receipts, duties, income tax and corporation tax. Instead we witnessed a contraction in the use of small businesses in the tenders for government contracts, which have become concentrated into fewer hands.