DLP: Bajans Not Good Enough – Neither Can They Reach Jamaicans High Standards – Work Permits Therefore Necessary

Henderson Bovell

You can excuse the DLP if it did not care to read the ‘National Strategic Plan 2005-2025. But Goal #6 of that document speaks, in part, to: “Branding Barbados Globally.” When you read it, you begin to understand why the demise of a Barbadian brand like Almond, is a national scandal. I suppose the same can be said about the DLP’ reluctance to spend a puny US$500,000 to save a $80m Rum Industry, which will result in “a-310-year-old-company” leaving Barbadian hands for the first time in its history.

Of all people, the BLP, which is responsible for the “National Strategic Plan Document,” should understand that the issue of “Sandals” – is more than the quantum of concessions or what is contained in some MOU, especially since the same National Strategic Plan sought “to continue consolidating the country’s international image, particularly on account of political stability, educational quality, democratic governance and good leadership.”

I do not know that the present Barbados Cabinet and Government – are showing good leadership on tourism right now” because “Almond” is a Barbadian-home-grown-international-families-brand,” which was on par (in the view of many) with Sandals, which is nothing more than a Jamaican home-grown-international-families-brand. That makes Ralph Taylor, the equivalent of the Jamaican Butch Stewart.

Sad Times In Barbados Fuh Real: How Much More Can Bajan People Bear?

Submitted by Bajan Patriot

Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart and Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler, How Much More Can Bajan People Bare?

By now it must be clear to all with “common sense” living in our great nation that we have totally lost our way on many key fronts with tourism and the general state of the economy in mind.   After many years of prosperity we have found ourselves in an economic, political, and social hole we just can’t seem to muster the intellectual capacity to dig our way out of.  Instead of a democracy we have found ourselves in an “Idiotcracy” which gets more and more out of control with each passing day.

Like crabs in a barrel we are clawing our way with the weakness crabs out numbering those of us that know better.   Common sense has totally left the stage and has been replaced with selfish disengaged self-serving leadership, poor business performance at all managerial levels, poor customer service on all fronts, and partisan politics that cares nothing about putting country first.

Notes From a Native Son: Unless We Create an Equal Society We Will Have Serious Social Problems

Hal Austin

Introduction:
Lawyers and public commentators in Barbados have now discovered the concept of human rights, but missing from public political and economic discourse is any reference to inequality, the moral foundation of a fair and just society. The nearest we come to any mention of inequality in public space is the flawed reference to so-called free education, which disciples of the late Errol Barrow hold as the mark of his great contribution to post-war Barbados. But, after dominating public discussions since the Black Power era and the student rebellion of the 1960s, both Left and Right have returned to look at the relevance of equality in modern society. Some people have even intimated that in the post-Obama world the battle over equality has been won and we should move on. It is disingenuous. Even someone as radical as Roberto Mangabeira Unger, the Harvard professor and former minister of strategic affairs in Brazil, has called on progressives to abandon equality and replace it with something called deep freedom.

The posing of equality against freedom and human rights is a false dichotomy. What do we mean by freedom? Freedom from what? What do we mean by human rights? The idea of ‘freedom’ is a vacuous philosophical concept that has no grounding in the day-to-day lives of people living in a liberal democracy, despite its imperfections. A minority in control of an oppressive police force or military can understandably talk of freedoms, but that is a misinterpretation of the illegal behaviour of a powerful institution. A good example of this is the stop-and-frisk in New York or its equivalent stop and search in Britain, which has replaced the old Sus law, under the 1824 Vagrancy Act, introduced to control begging by deformed soldiers who had returned from the Napoleanic Warts. But the concept of equality has a firmer philosophical meaning, since it does not mean equality of outcomes, but of opportunities. It is also superior to the concept of human rights since embodied in equality are all the rights under the portmanteau term human rights.

Notes From a Native Son: The Time has Come for all True Barbadians to Put Country Before Party

Hal Austin

Introduction:
After a few days in Barbados, mostly resting, but spending time with friends and acquaintances alike, I have returned with a feeling of deep sadness for a nation for which I have a very deep affection. But, we have a situation in which the national political discourse has been reduced to a leading minister inviting the leader of the official Opposition to strip naked and run down Broad Street, our main thoroughfare, to grab attention. While, at the same time, the governor of the central bank could announce that the economy is in recession and the minister of finance, the captain of the nation’s economy, did not see fit to respond to, the Opposition did not speak out on, our academic economists kept their opinions to themselves nor did our feeble media see it fit to inform their readers.

As I have said before, the nation is in serious crisis, only this time it is much worse than it previously was. Yet, there is an epidemic of denial: a police force that is imploding and cannot properly guard against organised criminality, medieval religious practices and family abuse. We are a nation that has lost faith in itself, when we could appoint a Canadian – repeat the word, Canadian – as head of our football association and every spare bit of land bought by dubious foreigners because our policymakers are addicted to foreign reserves. The New Barbados has also lost its moral purpose, its sense of decency, as is reflected in the obscenities that desecrate the airwaves as a matter of course; of the total national silence when a toddler can make sexual gestures over an apparently drunken woman at Crop Over, our leading cultural event; when our leading news paper thinks that pornographic pictures of juveniles having sex in a class room is newsworthy. Even more, not a single senior executive or director of the publishing firm has made a public statement about the obscenity. If ever there was a case for ordinary Barbadians to show their power as consumers and ban that publication, it is now. This is a long way from the nation I know as a young man, when, in the 1960s it was exporting people to work on London buses, trains and in the national health service, routinely gave them a printed booklet on how to behave in Britain. Those were days when the nation was concerned about its global reputation as reflected in the behaviour of its citizens.

Notes From a Native Son: A Nation with a Hollow Where Public Morality Ought to be

Hal Austin

Introduction:
The political and economic failure of Barbados is like a slow motion car crash which onlookers are powerless to do anything about. As we look on, we can see the economy heading for a reinforced wall like a speeding, driverless car; we observe our leading institutions collapsing like a pack of over-used cards, while the high priests and priestesses of society preach about the solidity of these very flawed institutions. It is like Armageddon, we run screaming to the captains of industry, but there is nothing they can do; we plead with our politicians, but they are not listening; we ask our professionals for help, but they are pre-occupied with feathering their own nests. Repeating the growing lists of failings may hurt, but that is not like the pain felt by the marginalised, the disadvantaged, the outcasts. Like the man left on the floor of the hospital for four hours without any attention, then only to have a kind soul throw a sheet over him; like the man who collapsed at the wheel of his vehicle, only to find that calls for an ambulance could not be met – while the so-called Defence Force has an abundance of ambulances. Like a government refusing to pay Mr Barrack, while still pretending that it can engage in big capital projects.

Death of a Dream:
I seem to pinpoint the historical juncture when this rot set in when we started Barbadianising all our top management and public sector positions, regardless of the quality of the talent to fill those positions. This runs from the quality of programming at CBC, the leadership of our secondary schools and the nature of decision-making in the public sector. The only explanation is the rise of a petit-bourgeois nationalism in the years since constitutional independence which, in many ways, is driving the nation back in to the dark days of neo-colonial rule. The dominant belief now is that, no matter which political party one belongs to or support, this Barbadianisation of public sector jobs is a social priority over and above the quality of the service we deliver to the long-suffering public. In many ways, the irony is that this retreat in to a self-protective nationalism is taking place while the island itself is giving way to new forms of Barbadian-ness. This weakness is in most part an outcome of a weak public intellectual movement, as a reflection of the wider ruling elite. It is a small elite which has found it intellectually and politically cosy not challenging each other and accepting a consensus which is not ideologically tested in any way.

BAJAN, What Happened?

Submitted M.R.Thompson

Flying Fish and Cou Cou

How can a prosperous flourishing country which gained it’s independence from mother England in 1966 have fallen into such a Political, Economic, Social and Financial morass in 47 years. Under the leadership of the British the country flourished, economically, financially and socially. It can be argued that this flourish was on the backs of black slaves, indentured white slaves and an aristocratic over bearing British master. The point is that the country did flourish and was looked on as the JEWEL of the Caribbean.

During the initial years of independence the leaders of the country were black and white British educated and schooled in old world ethics. Eventually locally educated and raised individuals assumed the day to day responsibilities, the political entity controlled by the blacks and the economic identity controlled by the whites. Today in 2013 these black/white control distinctions are becoming somewhat less distinct in the economic forum as the non whites are now responsible for the majority of lower/mid level commerce. The non blacks still control the majority of the larger corporate end of the economy which may or may not reside within the country.

Execute Prime Minister!

Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart

Execution in it’s simplest sense is to: get things done. Period. But it’s more complex than those 3 words might suggest. It’s about getting the right people in place, building a strategy around the resources available, and finally implementing the strategy, linking the strategy with people.

– David Lau

It is generally accepted that highly successful organizations achieve stated objectives because they execute with military like precision. And as Lau opines, it is about defining a strategy, accumulate and efficiently deploy resources and assemble people with the correct skillsets.   The theory is easy until we allow indiscipline to intervene.

Barbados like many countries in our region finds itself mired in an economic morass. While there is agreement from all quarters that the environment in which we have to manage is a challenging one, we remain divided as a people the path we should follow. It is a situation which cries out for leadership.

Do You Care About Your Environment? Complete the Survey!

Submitted by Kammie Holder (FCT)

The Future Centre Trust (FCT) is currently conducting a survey to measure the public’s perception concerning important environmental issues. Barbadians living on the rock are encouraged to participate.

Follow the link to complete the questionnaire which should take less than 2 minutes.

• Link to survey

Notes From a Native Son: It is Urgent We Discuss What to do About Our Foreign Reserves

Hal Austin

Introduction:
One of the challenges of a small economy in a global landscape that is deep in crisis is the need for news ways of thinking. And, a self-inflicted deadweight that has fallen upon most small economies is the over-whelming desire to accumulate excess foreign reserves. The debate that is taking place among leading economists and policymakers about a more sustainable use of excess reserves and the social cost of warehousing such piles of money has created its own library of literature.
(For those of you who are interested, see, for example: Cedric Achille Mezui, Uche DuruCedric: “Holding Excess  Foreign Reserves Versus Infrastructure Finance: What should Africa Do?” African Development Bank Group. Wijnholds and Kapteyn: “Reserve Adequacy in Emerging Market Economies”, IMF, 2001. #Dr Courtney Blackman, “Managing Foreign Exchange Reserves in Small Developing Countries,” Group of 30, 1982). There is a strong case against the fetishising of foreign reserves when a stagnant economy is crying out for urgent and strong stimulation.

Infrastructure:
Financing infrastructure, for example, which in an economy like Barbados is badly in need of upgrading, there must be new ways of raising funds without adding to national debt and without entering private/public partnerships which would only hold the nation to ransom. What is badly needed is deeper financialisation, particularly from non-banking sources, to fund small and medium enterprises and, more so, infrastructure developments. One possible source of such funding is excess foreign reserves, the build up of which has attained an almost obsessive cult following among some policymakers. However, to clarify this there is a need for a widespread national debate on what is an adequate level of foreign reserves.

A Vision of Hope for Barbados

Submitted by Yardbroom

Barbados fortunes are not dire says BU commentator.

The present economic downturn in the fortunes of Barbados has led to a plethora of bad news.  It “appears” that this news is dispensed with relish by some observers; most of whom believe what they say and to be fair are often not malicious with intent.  It would be silly of me to pretend things are not uncertain and that remedies should not be sought – which will be painful – but our fortunes are not dire.

It is imperative that in this uncertain climate, we review our positions and seek to redress the malaise which has surreptitiously crept in during the recent good times.  By this I mean our “attitude” to those who travel in many cases thousands of miles to visit our shores and in turn spend thousands of pounds, dollars or marks, in much needed foreign exchange, on which we depend.

We have not made enough effort over the years to protect and encourage those who visit us, and to address this there should be a sea change.  There should be a genuine “welcome” mat and that does not just mean saying we are open for business.  The man/woman who carries the luggage at the airport, the taxi drivers, the immigration officers, the receptionists at the hotels.  Remember you “represent” Barbados, you “the people” are the best Barbados has to offer.

Notes From a Native Son: Sinckler’s August 13 Budget Proposals are Uninformed, Misleading and Displays an Embarrassing Ignorance of Monetary Policy

BU apologizes for the late update of the Hal Austin submission.

Hal Austin

Introduction:
Barbados is in the last chance saloon. Things are much worse then they believe and the recent Budget proposals by finance minister Chris Sinckler have only added to the fog of ignorance. I have taken the liberty of a long contribution, but please forgive me as these are important issues which deserve a proper airing.

The Budget:
Minister of finance Chris Sinckler kicked off his 2013 Budget statement with a broader social philosophical statement which has wider application to what can be called the Barbados Model, and in the US the American Dream. He states: “(We are now at a historical juncture) …that presents this country with a real opportunity to choose a path of restructuring and revitalisation not just to the obvious systems that drive our economy and society, but importantly as well, to the core beliefs, values and philosophical moorings that characterise who we are as a people, what quality of life we want and imprint what we desire to leave on history’s page.”

That, I suggest, is a statement that all public intellectuals and anyone taking part in the ongoing public conversation about who we are must at some point address. Further, the minister admitted (page 5) that the government’s macroeconomic programme had gone off track and needed to be brought back in line to attain “…economic sustainability characterised by growing international reserves, exchange rate stability, sustainable and balanced economic growth and adequate yet affordable social services provision.” Of course, he does not offer an explanation as to why the macro-economic policy had gone off track, given the DLP has been in government for going six years.

Read text of Budget 2013

Case of Implementation Deficit in the Tourism Sector

Adrian Loveridge – Owner of Peach & Quiet Hotel

I make no apologies of staying with the subject of implementation, or rather the lack of it this week, because I feel it remains the single biggest impediment to returning our tourism industry to viability and restoring previous levels of long stay visitor arrivals.

What prompted these latest thoughts was scanning through various media coverage quoting several named Government officials and politicians, stating that by the end of the year, Grantley Adams International Airport would receive Category One status. The trouble being that the press articles referred to were printed in 2007. Here we are six years later, with the same proclamations being made in the same publications.

Of course, it’s not just the aviation issue, but the much vaunted Tourism Master Plan, the restructuring or the Barbados Tourism Authority, an all-embracing Hotel Refurbishment Fund and so on and on. According to the organisation charged with the responsibility of making the new St. Vincent and the Grenadines airport a reality, the International Airport Development Company (IADC) state on their website, that ‘the new Argyle Airport is expected to come operational in 2014’. Just months away from opening and I wonder what impact , especially financially, it will have on any plans there may be for our own airport (GAIA Inc.). Already GAIA Inc., has been negatively affected by reduced passenger arrivals and the use of smaller aircraft into Barbados, resulting in diminishing revenue generation. Not only directly, but for it’s tenants, concessions and service providers.

Notes From A Native Son: The Budget Speech Sinckler Should Make on Tuesday

Hal Austin

Mr Speaker, fellow members of parliament, I rise today with great humility; knowing the state of our nation’s economy and being aware of the weight of expectations by ordinary people, looking to me to provide the answers regarding their jobs, their welfare and their children’s futures.

Mr Speaker, I will do my best by delivering the package of reforms, monetary and fiscal, which I hope will lead us forward both in the short and medium terms.

The past five years have been tough, not only for us, but for the rest of the world; but it is to our little island home that I am given the great responsibility to pilot the ship of economic stability, growth and, with it prosperity for our people. It is a great responsibility and one that I am not treating lightly.