Successive governments have been unable to solve problems
BU and others have been preaching for some time about the weeds which have sprouted in our garden. We seem to focus on all the wrong things these days. We have ignored many societal ills over time and now the weeds have overrun the garden.
All of Barbados is up in arms in response to the advisory issued yesterday by the Barbados Police Force. The Advisory warned individuals not to wear jewellery in public. Many have argued that the police was injudicious to have made the announcement. BU prefers to focus on why the police was driven to warn the public that the cash for gold business has reached a crisis level. Could it be Commissioner Darwin Dottin is not satisfied with the resources he has at his disposal to fight crime? Why are we always so quick to react to the symptom? Despite the massaging of crime statistics all Barbadians are aware that crime has been trending upwards in the last five to ten years. BU is not aware that the Barbados Police Force and government have implemented new initiatives which attempt to frontally deal with rising crime.
Where do we go from here?
Yesterday’s advisory caused BU to reflect on the inability of Barbadians over the last three decades to solve serious problems. Some will argue that BU is being negative, we prefer to call it as we see it.
A generation of Barbadians have been influenced by the minibus culture. Where has the time gone? The problem of the PSVs go back to the Tom Adams era who served as prime minister of Barbados in the period 1976 to 1985. Can we honestly say successive governments – both BLP and DLP – have been able to address the problem plagued sector in the intervening years?
Another issue which for decades has challenged Barbadians to solve is that of praedial larceny. Today in the news James Paul, a pretender to the position of minister of agriculture, suggested the problem of praedial larceny is solvable. Whoopee! Tell us something we don’t know James Paul. As a member on the government side and president of the Barbados Agriculture Association (BAS) can we do it? How many farmers have given up because of praedial larceny? Patrick Bethel comes to mind.
We now turn to the problem of the Judiciary. For decades Barbadians have had to be satisfied with a court system which is in a constant state of struggle to deliver justice. Again this is a problem which has straddled both political parties. Despite the Sirs who have ‘laudably’ performed in the role of Chief Justice the problem remains outstanding. Just yesterday in the news Sir Frederick Smith – who should be familiar with the judiciary – called for the appointment of judges to be removed from the Executive arm of government. He also called for radical reform to the judicial system.
Should we list some more examples to hammer home the point?
To repeat, we continue to focus on the wrong things. Many have placed blind faith in politicians and political parties who have been unsuccessful in solving little problems which have grown to become deep rooted. Non-governmental organizations have not been strident enough to fill the void left by the ordinary public which has disengaged. What kind of society are we when we continue to accept a mediocre standard of performance from our leaders?
Where do we go from here?
Law and order in barbados,seem to be a thing of the pass.
Every night I see vwhicles parked sometimes ON THE WRONG SIDE of the road/street, with NO LIGHTS. Only today a young man was fined for riding his bicycle without a bell or light, yet every night this is common place. traffic on the roads of barbados drive at rediculous speeds. Persons are on remand at Dodds for years and then found NOT GUILTY. Something MUST be done about the judicial system in this country or we can become life the WILD WILD WEST.
David;
I think there is need to start another thread on the biggest problem we face as a nation – The management of the Public Sector economy. Yesterday’s Nation had two articles which highlighted the peril we are now in and indeed made it startlingly clear why the PM could not have an estimates debate before he called elections and indeed could not let the election date drag on as it seemed he intended, as gauged by sprats thrown out by the advisor plenipotentory and at large, Hal Gollop.
The articles were; Revenue Dip on page 3A and We need right figures – Auditor General: statements not fair representation. on page 5A.
Taken together they paint a picture of financial chaos in our public sector which strangely enough has been handed back to the same leaders after the elections.
It is recognized that the politicians will have their say on this matter next week when the estimates are debated. However I think that BU family members who like to comment on matters of this kind might like to get their views in before they are tainted by the politrickians.
To start, just read the report on the auditor general report and if possible, David, please link the report on BU. The statement suggests to me that it is probably the strongest overall negative statement on the management of Government finances EVER by an Auditor General in Barbados and we should note that traditionally for decades, the Auditor General Statement has always been non complimentary to Government departments. But this one is in a class of its own.
Agreeing with Checkit-out….
Bushie also wants to admit to a rare mistake here on BU.
The bushman had predicted that when the estimates were finally laid and the budget presented, it would become very clear to Bajans – and especially the political leaders, how serious our finances really are……
It is very clear now that Bushie may have been WRONG.
Judging from the level of idiocy displayed by public sector leaders, it seem that these people are such brass bowls that even with the numbers in front of them, and reports such as the Auditor General’s, ….they will still conclude that it can be business as usual….
….guess we will have to wait for the further downgrades, black listings, withdrawal of credit and fire sales before we recognize that 01 plus 01 equals 10.
Bushie; Re. downgrades, It is painfully obvious that whatever is done, there will be a downgrade coming from S&P and perhaps Moody’s as well, based only on the Auditor General’s reference to the non-standard accounting for the UWI deficit and how it should have been presented. Of course, the Aud.G personally had no choice as a professional re. reporting as he did on that matter but it places the people in the Ministry of Finance, i.e. the Minister and his senior advisors in that Ministry and the Central Bank in the crosshairs. It will be interesting to see the spin coming from the Government and the Opposition next week re. that matter.
Re. the Fire sales, We will see.
But as you so rightly said; It cannot be business as usual. There seems to be at least a strong need for realignment of the top technicians who crafted the policies that led to the strictures in the Auditor General’s report since the Minister himself can’ go nowhere else, along with bringing in some new blood. But I won’t bet that anything so will happen soon.
List of National Debt by Country:
1. Japan
2. Greece
3. Jamaica
4. Lebanon
5. Eritrea
6. Italy
7. Barbados
The list is compiled from statistics drawn from the IMF, EuroStat and CIA agencies.
Where will another $1 billion of borrowing put us?
Noted guys.
@ Adrian Loveridge | March 14, 2013 at 11:39 AM |
Expect to be hung, drawn and quartered for bringing to the fore this info.
Just prepare yourself for the racist onslaught from CCC, ac, “I”, TPP, Fractured, Clone and the likes; and especially your chief accuser for re-writing the book “How to Lie with Statistics “Watching Observant” all wrapped up and waiting to attack in 1000 lbs of blubber .
Adrian, you better batten down the hatches or retreat to the London Underground. Here comes the first wave of doodlebugs to blitz you.