Averting a Legitimation Crisis–a divided country

Six years after the global meltdown we remain a divided people

There is no safety for honest men except by believing all possible evil of evil men.

― Edmund Burke

Modern societies are fighting to stem an unprecedented level of corruption across the globe. There is  pervasive hankering for material things even when personal values are compromised in the process. Is Barbados insulated from the global experience?

There has been a lot of puffing of the chest by the political people in reaction to Transparency International’s release of the global corruption barometer for 2013. BU understands that Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart gave an interview to BBC and addressed the issue – how Barbados maintains its clean image given our high rating. Any good PR planted in the UK space is good given the dent to our reputation in the last 12 months. BU is not bowled over by Transparency International reports because we know this is based on a ‘perception index’ and then there is the relativity of the result. What is the significance of Barbados registering a better score on the corruption index compared to Jamaica, T&T, EC countries and others in the English speaking Caribbean anyway? Let us smile about the PR opportunity for Barbados but let us not forget that the incumbent government ran its campaign in 2008 on what it perceived was corruption by the Barbados Labour Party (BLP). Who do we believe Mr Prime Minister you or Transparency International?

More important should be the focus by Barbadians on what political science refers to as ‘legitimation crisis’. This is defined when  “a governing structure still retains the legal authority by which to govern, but is not able to demonstrate that its practical functioning fulfills the end for which it was instituted.” Some will argue that BU is being harsh in its assessment of the reality that is Barbados. We think NOT.

The Cost of Corruption… Jamaica’s Barrier to Prosperity

National Integrity Action (NIA) is a not-for-profit organization that was launched in December 2011 with the objective of combatting corruption in Jamaica on a non-partisan basis. This film, produced by NIA, graphically details four episodes in Jamaica’s 50-year Post-Independence history, each of which speaks to how corruption undermines Jamaica’s achievements.

Thanks to Ras Jahaziel

Deliverance Leadership Pragmatism: (DLP or BLP) A New Direction

Submitted by Yardbroom

Barbadians urged to vote INTEGRITY

Deliverance from Whom?

Leadership to Where?

Pragmatic in what we can reasonably afford.

All underpinned by “INTEGRITY” for without that, we are nothing.

In a matter of days Barbados’ electorate will go to the Polls and elect a Government for the next five years.  The time for crunching figures is over.  The pollsters have trotted out their numbers, the columnists showing bias have pontificated on the rightness of their selections and those in the shadows with much to gain, have invested their dollars and largesse to be distributed, no doubt expecting a large return on their investment.  The manifestos are near ready but they too rely on that word INTEGRITY for without it, they will be as useful as a loser betting tickets discarded at the Garrison Savannah.

I asked deliverance, from whom?  Deliverance from those in the shadows, whose faces are never seen but their dollars are.  They do not mount platforms and tell ribald jokes, and their parentage, domestic arrangements and physiognomy are never questioned, but like a fox at a Leghorn fowl shin-dig, they cannot be ignored.

Afra Raymond:The Three Sides of Corruption

Submitted by Afra Raymond

“Afra Raymond is an anti-corruption activist/blogger whose work – http://www.afraraymond.com – has focused on the collapse and bailout of the Caribbean’s largest conglomerate – CL Financial – and corruption in the property/construction arenas.

The Violet Beckles Affair, Separating Fact From Fiction Part IV

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Related Links:

• Rights, Justice And The Law In The Case Of Violet Beckles

• The Violet Beckles Affair, Separating Fact From Fiction

• The Violet Beckles Affair, Separating Fact From Fiction Part II

• The Violet Beckles Affair, Separating Fact From Fiction Part III

The links to the images in the Slide Show are provided below. To the lawyers,  we are not in a court of law.

A Land Use Policy:The Harlequin Squeeze

We loyal sons and daughters all

Do hereby make it known

These fields and hills beyond recall

Are now our very own

We write our names on history’s page

With expectations great,

Strict guardians of our heritage

Firm craftsmen of our fate

National Anthem of Barbados (chorus)

The failure of Almond Beach Village has fuelled feeling in some quarters that Neal & Massey is shedding assets to rebalance the acquisition of BS&T a few years ago. This has caused tongues to wag about whether Barbados has a viable land use policy. It is no secret our land space is known to be approximately 166sq miles. The absence of a robust land use policy should make this a concern for all Bajans at home and abroad.

Should The Enactment Of Transparency Legislation Be A Priority?

Owen Arthur, Leader of the opposition (l) Fruendel Stuart, Prime Minister (r)

To the independents who voted for the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) last election, it is evident that it has retreated from its promise to make enactment of transparency legislation a priority. Of equal concern to BU has been the reluctance by the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to pressure the government to honour its promise. Civil society should be concerned that the BLP – the government in waiting – is committed to following through on proclaiming transparency legislation. There will be the obvious argument that the 2011 perception index released by Transparency International, Barbados achieved the highest ranking in the region of 7.8 out of 10.  Perhaps the two political parties might suggest in light of the #16 ranking out of 183 countries, anti corruption legislation is not a priority. Such responses can be dismissed by asking – why did both political parties see the need to include it as a deliverable in their last manifestos?

Listed on the Corruption Index for 2011  are the USA at 7.1 and India 3.1. Although at opposite ends of the index these two countries are regarded as economic power houses on the global stage. More interestingly, the two are regarded as the two biggest democracies in the world. To acquire government approval in India for the most mundane request one must overcome an institutionalized system of corruption. Last week two angry Indian farmers acted out their frustration by dumping two dozen snakes in a government tax office. It is interesting that in India the fight against corruption in government has tossed up Anna Hazare. His charismatic leadership has attracted millions of Indians to the movement which has forced the government to prioritized its anti-corruption policymaking agenda. It seems India deserves its rating of 3.1.

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.

The Indomitable Power Of Human Kind Seeking To Overcome Corrupt Politicians: A Country Which Gave You Mahatma Ghandi Now Gives You Anna Hazare

The manipulation of a gullible Bajan electorate by the political class has seen corrupt and unethical behaviour now appear as normal. Perennial breaches of the government’s financial rules can be followed in recent Auditor General Reports to compare with how Barbadians follow Days of Our Lives on the CBC TV; routine.

Then there is the impotence of a committee of parliament meant to be important in our system of government, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), rarely mentioned by John Citizen, media and other members in civil society. PAC is a committee which seeks to give the power to members of parliament to investigate breaches of the government’s financial rules by public and elected public officials. We are therefore forced to ask, why are we witnessing an exponential breakdown in law and order in a country not too long ago known for its orderliness?

Barbados Police Force Getting A Bum Rap

Submitted by RUSERIOUS

An article was posted on that ignorant site called BFP about the and I quote “Inability of the Police Force to stem the violence“. I respond as a law abiding citizen who has a clue.

You say “inability of the Police force to stem the violence?” You are being sarcastic right? Let’s check some facts. There are 80,000 persons since Barbados became independent who have been charged with a crime. That is a significant portion of the population.

Time after time and all the time and every time the judiciary hands down monkey sentences, and recycles criminals through the prison system, violent repeat offenders who no longer serve a purpose in society are sentenced to miniscule prison sentences, come out, kill/rob/rape again multiple times,  are caught by police and the process repeats itself. Nearly ALL of the persons committing violent crime have multiple conviction records on average of 7 or more convictions. Some have as much as thirty for burglary/robbery/serious bodily harm/possession of weapons.

The CCJ Has Now Constituted Itself as a Parliament

Caswell Franklyn, Head of Unity Workers Union

I must admit from the outset that I am out of my league, but that has never stopped me before, and I see no good reason why that should stop me now. Recently the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) gave a judgement in a Belize case that I thought would have been the talk of the town. Unfortunately, this landmark case appears to go unnoticed and I can’t wait any longer to have my say.

The present Attorney General of Belize brought an action for misfeasance in public office against two former ministers in the last administration. Misfeasance occurs when someone acts improperly or illegally in performing an action that is in itself lawful. Apparently those two ministers were responsible for the sale of government land, at a substantial loss, to a company owned by one of the same ministers.

The local court at first instance ruled that the Government could not sue using the tort of misfeasance in public office: it was not an action available to the State. The Attorney General appealed, and the Court of Appeal overturned that ruling. The former ministers then took the matter to the CCJ. That court was divided on the issue, but by majority decision they have given the Attorney General the right to sue for misfeasance in public office.

Politician Could Be Charged Shortly With The Disappearance of $500,000.00

A reliable source has advised that an aspiring politician nominated to run in the East is to be charged for the disappearance of BDS500,000 shortly. Barbados Today is the only media outlet to date to have carried the story as far as BU is aware which raises the issue of freedom of the press in Barbados. The matter is not yet sub judice which is the ‘crutch’ traditional media often uses to explain its silence on stories the public has a right to know.

Here is a quote from a note circulating on email which BU intercepted:

“More and more it appears that for the Barbadian public to be well informed on current affairs they seem to have to turn to Blog Sites and Barbados Today for those big news stories.

I heard since Friday last week about the case of the missing money at Sagicor – only $500,000.00 of it – but I am yet to see a single mention of this news breaker story published by the Nation or carried on VOB. I seriously wonder how this could have failed to capture their attention, or did it capture their attention but set aside hoping and wishing for it to go away ? Then again some are so busy trying to elevate certain characters that the real news slides by them. It is with interest and I will wait to see if either the Nation or VOB set about reporting the story to the public as they ought to do.

Urgent Need To Define A Relevant Land Use Policy

Mark Cummins - Chief Town Planner Credit: Nation

“We face a problem in Barbados with smallholdings. A lot of these date back to pre-emancipation days when many non-slaves were what was described as “free persons of colour”. However, to be able to hold public office, they had to own in excess of 10 acres of land. Many free persons of colour purchased the minimum 10 acres of land and many of those titles remain with the descendants today”

–  Amused

.

The controversial Bizzy Williams brother of Sir Charles Othniel Williams is in the news again for asserting the government is to blame for the  ‘spiralling price of land’. He is partially correct although it is not as simple as he suggests. A former Commissioner of Land Tax stated recently if government wants to significantly reduce the price of land it would have to release several lots into the market to satisfy current demand. This would lead to a measure of price equilibrium. It is no secret that demand for land currently outstrips supply. It is easy for Barbadians to take pot shots at the Williams brothers because they are known to be rich and therefore an easy target. The fact that both of them are outspoken means the Williams target becomes even bigger.

When analysing the issue of spiralling land prices in Barbados several factors must be considered. Successive governments have used real estate development to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) especially on the West Coast. There are also Barbadians living in the Diaspora who have been encouraged to invest in Barbados to respond to  government’s insatiable need for foreign exchange. What about the ownership of large tracts of land which Amused reminded us of in the quote above and the impact it has had on freeing up land?