The Business Of The Political Campaign And Its Financing

Submitted by Eli Davis

Peter Wickham recently sacked from the CBC TV8 has been at the forefront of calling for political campaign reform in Barbados

Every so often I get the urge to contribute (?) a comment to this forum that I believe merits attention. This time around it is that of The Business of the Political Campaign and its Financing. It is an issue that is basic in determining the relevance of our electoral process and, as a result of the moneyed interests involved, is the most difficult of topics to have discussed in public.

Few people would know that a study on this topic was commissioned by the OAS back in 2003 and resulted in a report that was published about three years later. My concern with the entire topic has to do with whether or not it is an appropriate topic for consideration in our current political environment that has demonstrated little in the furtherance of the long term viability of our peoples and nation states.

Basically, in my view anyway, a political party is simply an (legal?) entity that seeks to gain administrative control over the funds in the Treasury, and that’s it. How these are spent and on whom form the essence of the business of the party. The business requires that the populace be deceived into supporting the party campaign and once successful, that control over the funds be maintained for as long as possible.

How Is The Current Barbados DLP Government Doing: A Perspective From "The Boys Down The Gap" – Part 1

Austin

No one can argue the academic qualifications or professional experiences of many of the current DLP leadership; however I simply cannot understand “WHY” the DLP has chosen a non-strategy approach to our current economic challenges.  With that said here are few short and sweet ideas from the “boys down the gap” and I:

DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC STRATEGY: Let’s “wait and see” what happens with eyes back and forth between the U.S and the U.K is not a strategy. At this point I don’t believe it will ever happen, so the walk in the dark will continue.  To be fair some current ministerial leaders are trying but are hindered from reaching full effectiveness due to “publically obvious” poor leadership from the party leader.

FIOA: The economy works best with more FOI transparency (economic fact) so please release updated FOIA legislation and stop it from being blocked by Bajan elitist.  Updated FIOA legislation is needed to improve transparently in key areas like government contracting of goods and services.  Updated FIOA legislation would allow many Bajan small business with an opportunity to compete more effectively for business opportunities.  Resist Bajan elitist efforts to delay, its time to spread the wealth beyond a few.

Caribbean Professional Email Responsiveness Is Poor And Needs Improvement

Austin

In order to be competitive in a post recession world Caribbean public and private sector professionals need to improve overall “email responsiveness”.  This observation is made as a professional from the US doing business in the Caribbean region and is unfortunately shared by many of my colleagues in the US and UK.

Getting an email response days or weeks later from regional professionals is normal, in many cases senior professionals don’t even check email or know how to, and still require their staff to print their emails for them to read, this is simply ridiculous and totally inefficient.

I am of the opinion that the laid back Caribbean lifestyles has somehow made its way into daily business lives, which totally ignores the concept that “time is money”.

Is Enough Being Done To Prevent Crime And Violence In Barbados?

Submitted by Yardbroom

I have no evidence which leads me to believe, that the Barbados Police Force is not working “diligently” to achieve the aim as stated in their mission statement:

“To provide the highest quality Police service in partnership with our community, to ensure a safe stable environment.”

However, there is a perception widely held, that crime and violence are on the increase in Barbados, resulting in general unease in the populace.  We became complacent over the years with the relatively safe environment we enjoyed, believing it would last forever, therefore we never prepared ourselves for the social changes which introduced a different dynamic in Barbados.

There is a counter argument often stated, that our fears are unfounded as they are fed by a media which highlights major crime and a public that reminisces about a bygone age which is unlikely to return.  A fall-back position  is that the level of crime in Barbados is far lower than in some of our Caribbean neighbours, Trinidad, Jamaica and Guyana being given as examples.  Although true, no comfort should ever be taken from a comparison with countries whose crime rate is rated high, even in hemisphere statistics.

The Incoming Chairman

Submitted by Douglas Leopold Phillips

Dr. Jerome Walcott, BLP Candidate for Christ Church South

“Dr. Walcott had the … audience cheering lustily and shouting approval when he called on all BLP members to by their words and actions show total loyalty to the party and be fully focused on defeating the DLP. He then got his loudest roar of support when he demanded that BLP Members of Parliament Group maintain unquestionable loyalty to the party, stressing that one of the reasons he was seeking office as Chairman was to give 100 per cent assistance and support to Political Leader Owen Arthur…” [BLP_news@blp.org.bb August 30^th 2011]

The Incoming Chairman. This seems like the perfect title for a novel with immense literary potential. A novel that seeks to capture the constant churning and turmoil of a group of people destined to destroy each other. The main theme of the novel speaks to a tragedy of epic proportions. It’s a combination of greed and betrayal wrapped in the pretence of loyalty. We see a struggle taking place between the rival factions with a community of persons who once spoke to the text of unity and camaraderie, good governance and fair play. In this novel, we witness a fresh guard, in the person of a loyalist called Jerome. Jerome has a passion to serve and would do anything to ensure that his community is healed. His desire is so strong that he has opted to carry the fight to the other faction within the community. His desire and passion was wrapped in a virtue called loyalty. How did the old boss get Jerome to carry his political fire rage or is Jerome actually carrying his own rage? Questions of this nature can be explored in the novel.

In recent times, the small political class, within the community has spoken, and sought to dismiss any notion of a return to power by Mia. Now, Mia is seen as the other leader within the community. She possesses a fire in the belly to see the community grow. This desire is demonstrated in her constancy of getting up on each occasion she has been knocked down. One has lost count of the times she has been floored by her former boss now her political antithesis.

Open Letter To Marston Gibson CJ

Chief Justice Marston Gibson

My Lord,

On this day, September 01, 2011, the day of your installation as Chief Justice, we congratulate you on your swearing in and we thank you sincerely for having accepted the appointment.

The timely administration and delivery of justice in Barbados has long been one of the primary concerns with the BU family. For too long, the Charter of Magna Carta (that celebrates its 800^th Anniversary in 2015) has been flouted and ignored in Barbados. A Charter that clearly postulates that justice delayed is justice denied.

We have read your comments courtesy of the Fourth Estate and we ourselves have been linked to the New York Times blog in connection with your appointment. We are hopeful and optimistic that you are exactly the right man for the job of re-delivering Justice to Barbados.

However, my lord, we also realise that this is not a task in which you can succeed on your own. You will require the support and cooperation of the judiciary, the Bar, the Registry and the People. Last, but by no means least, Government will have to provide you with the tools to do the job, whether it be budget, the setting up of Royal Commissions to deal with unsatisfactory, incompetent or recalcitrant judges or, most importantly, having the courage and resolve to provide its backing (without political or personal bi-partisanship) to support your efforts. We urge everyone, especially Government (by both and whichever political parties) to give you full support.

Black Gold War In Libya