When Insensitivity, Ignorance And Commonsense Collide, The CLICO Saga Continued

Minister John Boyce having a drink in the company of Leroy Parris at Valery yesterday

In March 15, 2011 BU wrote about the insensitivity demonstrated by Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler, to be caught publicly sipping champagne in the company of former Chairman of CLICO Holdings Leroy Parris; he was all smiles on that occasion in the Sandy Lane Box on Gold Cup Day. Yet another minister is caught in the company of Leroy Parris at the launch of the Valery high rise housing project yesterday 8/11/2011).

It is a free country and ministers are free to fraternize with whosoever they please. However one would have thought with the CLICO Saga raging and a hotbed issue, ministers in government especially would show some modicum of commonsense and sensitivity indifference to policyholders who stand to lose significant lifesavings. So far the Deloitte judicial managers continue to search out the best way forward.

Where ignorance is bliss it should be exposed. Media reports confirmed that Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart along with Ministers Michael Lashley and Richard Sealy were in attendance at Valerie but appeared to have exercised better judgement to avoid being caught out. Kudos to Nation photographer Nigel Browne for  the Kodak moment.

Somebody needs to give Leroy Parris some advise. Whether you feel you have done nothing wrong in your former capacity as Chairman of CLICO Holdings there is something called commonsense, please exercise some. Why would you want to keep a high profile position at this time?

To further rub salt in the wounds of aggrieved CLICO and BAICO policyholders we understand he is about to change his Mercedez.

CARIBBEAN STOCK REPORT 03 October to 07 October 2011

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

Media Threat Intensified By PPP Administration

Lincoln Lewis, General Secretary Guyana Trades Union Congress - Press Release

In the wake of an attack on the media by President Jagdeo and the recent threat by Gail Texiera of reporting certain media houses to the United Nations, GTUC urges government to go right ahead without delay. We are assured that the blanket control and domination of state media, restriction of broadcast licenses, suppression and intimidation of independent media, economic destruction of the media by targeting of advertisers to deny media freedom, use of the media as a wedge to divide society and create ethnic tensions and violence as well as disseminate PPP propaganda, will make for interesting analysis before an independent arbiter of the United Nations. Additionally the consequence of fear of expression forces media self censorship  in order to survive ;job losses and increased prices also result as media houses increase prices to offset advertisement suppression would make for interesting disclosures. These too relate to efforts and consequences of media suppression that the UN would be interested in.

GTUC has a direct interest in media freedom as this is foundational to free, fair, transparent and credible elections and forging a society where the rule of law and good governance can prevail. It is the media’s role as a pillar of democracy to protect the rights of every citizen and where necessary expose those who violate the laws of the land and the rights of others. The PPP government clearly does not desire that their activities be exposed for they would prefer that Guyanese live in ignorance of their misdeeds and corruption, their lies, nepotism and their criminal associations such as Roger Khan.

Government Be Nimble, Government Be Quick

Government Headquarters

In the immediate post-Independence period Barbados was blessed with political leadership which laid the foundation for the social and economic success we are still reaping today.  The Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow and the late J.M.G. ‘Tom’ Adams are the two who stand head and shoulders above the others  we should credit. Some may argue that the local and global economic environment carried the economic capacity which afforded  Barbados the opportunity to implement social and economic programmes that resulted in ‘Barbados punching above its weight class’.  Regrettably that fertile condition has long disappeared and now more than at any time since adult suffrage, Barbadians will need to lever against the knowledge capital which we should have accumulated as a result of the enormous investment in education.

What we have seen from the political leadership since Barrow and Adams has been a ‘follow-pattern’ approach which has not resulted in any fundamental and strategic policy formulation and planning to ensure Barbados charts its own path; operating in a global economy not withstanding. Even as the world is changing literally by the week Barbados remains stapled to the economic fundamentals which have guided our path striking back to the Barrow and Adams era.

As is our wont given our proclivity for things American, Barbadians have become increasingly divisive on the issues driven by partisan political stripes. Not dissimilar to what the world is witnessing in the USA. Given that neither the Barbados labour Party or the Democratic Labour Party are not philosophical so far apart on the issues, it begs the question why a nation which boasts of a superior education system would allow ‘yardfowlism’ to compromise the greater national interest. More and more Barbadians have become adept at ‘rationalizing’ every problem which manifest itself in Barbados.

(10) Unspoken Truths About A Few Things In Barbados

Submitted by Austin

1. Barbados is not ready for a homosexual or lesbian PM, maybe someday but not today.
2. Owen Arthur is the best national leader alive capable of navigating Barbados back to prosperity.
3. Extremely unwise economic and fiscal decision have been made by the current government which is impacting Bajan households in a significant way, an example of this are our high gas prices at the pump,  while oil prices are down.
4.  The personality type of our current PM is not what Barbados needs at this time .. we need a lion  not a turtle.
5. The next PM elected in Barbados will determine the future of Barbados in a very significant way.
6. Elites in Barbados must be forced to share the wealth.
7. The import export industry in Barbados is draining the life from Bajan households at the cash register.
8. Priding ourselves on our high education standard is a waste of time if we have no jobs for our youth when they finish school.
9. Government is too large and too inefficient; it’s time to trim the fat.
10. We are as a nation horrible at marketing our national brand and must improve.

Where Is Our PM?

Submitted by Austin

The Hon. Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, Q.C., M.P

Can someone tell me why in the midst of so many national challenges in Barbados we seem to be hearing less and less from the PM himself ?  What we do see is all kinds of “photo ops” by members of his cabinet in the daily papers, which by the way appear to be in overdrive however contain no substance.

Where is the leader of our nation on a range of issues …  I cannot be the only Bajan with this observation, or am I?

‘Quiet’ Wall Street Protests By Young People

If it was happening in non western parts of the world it would be headline news in Barbados and elsewhere. Last weekend mostly young people from the world of social media in the USA instigated a protest which saw thousands protesting the actions of Wall Street. Several hundreds were arrested for their trouble. Some of us continue to monitor this event as it unravels on Wall Street. Of interest in that the famous ‘Anonymous’ has signaled his interest to join the protest by threatening to ‘Erase the NYSE from the Internet’.

Many global citizens buy in to the current money system without question. Some of us who question are quickly labelled conspiracy theorists. The signs are present that the global monetary system is under  stress. We are part of the world and therefore the potential to fear fallout from an imploding financial system is real for some.

To the newbies on BU here is a quick reminder of what we refer to as the ‘money system’:

The House Of David

Late Prime Minister David Thompson, sixth prime minister of Barbados

There has been some comment about the decision of the government to  construct a tomb like monument in memory of late Prime Minister. What is the hullabaloo? The late David Thompson – whether  you agreed with his politics or not – was the sixth Prime Minister of  Barbados, a historical fact. He died in office and all the trappings  of the office of Prime Minister he even in death, and his family should benefit.

BU suspects what some on the other side maybe questioning is the  timing of the project which is scheduled to be completed to coincide  with the first anniversary of the death of Thompson on October 23. When the Tomb  Project is assessed along with the announcement of The David Thompson  Memorial Football Tournament to be played this month, it gives wings to  the view that there is some political motive at play. While it can  be rationalized that each project has merit, the timing of the two projects makes it difficult to deny  a political  undercurrent to the decision.

With a less visible role for Hartley Henry, one can’t be sure if  political strategy is being seriously practiced by the Fruendel Stuart  administration. What should be obvious, even to to the least  discerning of politicos, it is unlikely the government can run on its  track record given the harsh economic times it has had to operate. This is understandable  and the government will have to build advantage over the opposition in the minds of the electorate in the weeks and  months leading to the next general election.

Slaver Monument of John Newton To Be Setup In St. Kitts : Open Letter To Prime Minister Of St Kitts

John Newton

Petition launched to stop the set up of a monument to John Newton who visited St. Kitts to sell slaves and later turned Christian abolitionist  – Reproduced from email received from Gilbert Léonard

A small Baptist church in St. Kitts has been convinced to set up a monument to John Newton who came here to sell slaves and later turned Christian abolitionist.  This is happening at the Lighthouse Baptist Church in Sandy Point.  An English couple convinced them to do this after the Anglican and Methodist churches in Sandy Point turned them down.  About 3 years ago I tried to convince them that this was not a right thing to do in an independent black Caribbean country.  Much of the information is being supplied by this couple whose name I cannot remember and they are using the film Amazing Grace as a way of convincing people with no concept of their own history.  I thought the whole thing had died down but I heard that the English people are coming here next week to put things in place.  I am convinced that Newton abandoned the slave trade because his ventures in it had failed.  He took up the priesthood as a means to a regular income.  His association with the abolitionists may or may not have been heartfelt but his association with the Caribbean and with Sandy point in particular was as a slaver.

Open letter to PM of St Kitts about Slaver monument in St Kitts.

Injustice Of Gas Attendants

Submitted by SA

I received this message from a friend who is trying to inform persons of what happens as a gas attendant. On Wednesday 7 September at Esso Black Rock an attendant was paid $100 U.S.D which she checked herself then took it to a cashier who also verified it with a machine that is provided by the business.

On the day that the gas attendant collected her pay slip she saw her shorts for $200 BDS when she asked management said the USD was counterfeit and they were not taking responsibility for the loss, but to add insult to injury management commented on knowing the machine that checks the money is defective but fail to inform employees of the matter.