Invader’s Bay part 3: MORE Invaders Bay Ingredients

AfraRaymond.net

I closed last week’s article by restating my view that all the ingredients for corruption were present at Invader’s Bay.

What are those ingredients?

Here is my list –

• Extensive public assets coming onto the market, in turbid circumstances. Those assets can include property, concessions, contracts and jobs;
• Questions of access to the gatekeepers – in these scenarios, some people will have unbelievable access to the decision-makers;
• Conflicting and confusing versions of the project or proposal. The confusion is as persistent as it is deliberate, a part of the tangled web.
• Blatant double-standards and lying is the norm in these situations;
• Apart from ceremonial fluff, such as sod-turnings and ribbon-cuttings, there is no intention whatsoever to give any proper public account or statement of intentions. True transparency is evaded like taxes;
• Professional Civil Servants who are unable or unwilling to insist on the maintenance of minimum standards;

Extensive Public…

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Taking Trinidad’s Political Temperature

Submitted by Mark T Jones – London-based writer and commentator on International Affairs

MP Herbert Volney resignation from the UNC has triggered a bi-election in St.Joseph

Those who routinely dismiss politics as boring have evidently never experienced elections in Trinidad & Tobago. With a key bi-election on 4^th November 2013 things look certain to become hot, hot, hot.

St Joseph takes considerable pride in the fact that as San José de Oruña from 1592-1783 was the capital of Trinidad. The constituency is racially balanced, with a mixture of the comfortably off as well as those who struggle to make ends meet. St Joseph invariably acts as a bell-weather that enables local psephologists to gain a fair indication of what the mood of the country is. In addition this bi-election has added importance in that it was triggered by former MP Herbert Volney’s decision to resign from the United National Congress (UNC) and join the Independent Liberal Party (ILP). Such an important election has ensured that there has been considerable interest in the candidates and some appear to be far from run of the mill.

Crime and illegal activity has long been a pre-occupation and concern of the islands’ inhabitants and so it came of little surprise that TV6’s show Crime Watch proved to be so popular. The show ensured that its hosts Ian Alleyne and Om Lalla have become household names, a fact that both figures have sought to capitalise upon by entering the political arena. Alleyne, a man with an extremely high sense of his own worth and Lalla, a fiercely bright and ambitious individual forged a powerful partnership on screen and an extraordinary close friendship off screen. In television terms Crime Watch became something of a phenomenon, a show that with the additional credibility of the presence of Police Inspector Roger Alexander, appeared to be on a mission to become the scourge of criminal behaviour. For all their celebrity status, the two hosts as self proclaimed guardians of public safety have at times proved more than fallible. Alleyne has been no stranger to controversy having in the past compared himself with the Messiah. He demonstrated a gross error of judgement and extremely bad taste when the programme he fronted (and has the local rights too) showed footage of a teenage girl being raped with her face and that of the attacker clearly visible. The adverse reaction for TV6 was such that when his contract was up for renewal they chose not to renew it and he moved Crime Watch to CNC3.

Trinidadian Ulric Cross Made Us Proud

Reproduced from the UK Telegraph

Ulric Cross

Ulric Cross, who has died aged 96, is thought to have been the most decorated Caribbean airman of the Second World War; he went on to enjoy a distinguished career in Trinidad as a judge and diplomat.

Cross was working for Trinidad Railways when the war broke out, and was anxious to play his part. “The world was drowning in Fascism and America was not yet in the war,” he later recalled. “So I decided to do something about it and volunteered to fight in the RAF.”

Philip Louis Ulric Cross was born on May 1 1917 in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and won a government scholarship to St Mary’s College. His first job was with the Trinidad Guardian before he spent four years working in a solicitor’s office. In 1941, after three years working for the railway, he joined the RAF and sailed for England.

The Jack Warner Revolution

Submitted by Mark T Jones (London-based writer and commentator on International Affairs)

“Warner choosing green as his party’s colour was typical of his ability to read his electorate” – Mark Jones

For those prepared to look as well as see, Trinidad & Tobago is a fascinating country. One steeped in history, rich in cultural variety; a land of contrasts that deserves far greater attention than it receives. For a nation with a stable economy, rich in oil and gas, with an undervalued currency it is currently experiencing events in its body politic that can truly be said to be shifting its tectonic plates. The architect of this seismic activity is none other than Jack Warner, yes Jack ‘Teflon’ Warner of FIFA fame (or some might prefer infamy). Rarely in the history of the islands can one individual have caused so much excitement and anxiety. All the more remarkable as not so long ago Warner faced investigation and a degree of censure following on from a report compiled by the Integrity Committee of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF). In many ways this CONCACAF report could be said to be the genesis of the political ructions being experienced throughout Trinidad & Tobago at the present time.

Whilst Warner is no longer a big shot at FIFA, he certainly wields enormous influence in the Caribbean and effectively bankrolled the United National Congress (the largest partner in the People’s Partnership coalition) in Trinidad & Tobago’s two most recent general elections. Ever the workaholic, the wealth of evidence he is believed to have amassed on colleagues whilst heading up the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure (ministerial portfolio with possibly the largest budget and the greatest scope for corruption), and latterly as Minister of National Security in the Coalition Government will no doubt prove a handy ‘insurance policy’ in these turbulent times. The CONCACAF report has certainly proved controversial, especially in regard to the issue of the ownership of João Havalange Centre of Excellence (a 16-acre sprawl containing a conference centre, football stadium, hotel and swimming pool) on Trinidad. Whilst Warner had remained defiant, the damning criticism contained within the report along with the news that his sons in the US had been placed under house arrest for a time and of his being investigated by the Federal Bureau for Investigation (FBI) for possible fraud and tax evasion caused Warner to consider his position. Realising the potential gravity of the situation on 21st April 2013 he went to see the Prime Minister the Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar to tender his resignation as a Minister, MP and Chair of the UNC.

The People Want Caribbean Regimes to Fall

Submitted by Pachamama

WATER BLAST: A demonstrator shelters as Turkish riot police fire a water cannon at protesters occupying a park in central Istanbul, injuring scores – http://www.stuff.co.nz/world

As we write masses of people are demonstrating in the streets of Istanbul and many other Turkish cities calling Erdogan and Gul dictators, fascists, American puppets and Zionist traitors. They are chanting “we want the regime to fall’’, not the government – the regime, the regime! This call is not unlike what we have been hearing, for more than two years, in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisian, Libya and nearly all the European countries. It represents the latest flashpoint in the seismic changes the peoples of the world are demanding. Demands that world powers would prefer to misdirect into a full-blown world war to serve their corporate masters. The criminals Gul and Erdogan have their Gestapo in the streets cracking skulls, using tear gas that can kill and employing the most powerful water hoses against the people. Even in the United Stated the Obama administration used these extraordinary measures to quell the ‘Occupy Movement’’. These included infiltration by the intelligence agencies, the brute force of storm troopers, a propaganda corporate controlled media and up to that time an apathetic populace that had not felt the full force of a brutish grab for resources that has now left 150 million Americans at or below the poverty line. This is the central issue! The peoples of the world are engaging corporate interests in a popular war for resources everywhere. For them this will be a hot summer (fall) of rage. The lackeys in the Caribbean, through all of this, have no answers for their peoples. They responses are generally within the range of ‘this is a global problem and we are helpless to avoid it’’ and reverting to all the failed recipes of western financial capitalism, a dying political-economy model.

In Barbados, the regime deliberately misinterpreted the electoral expressions of the people for a government of national unity. Such a brazen and dictatorial power grab, under the rubric of an outdated Westminster system, merely serves the ruling clique, ignores the talents of nearly 50% percent of elected representatives, makes it more unlikely that the country will be able to exit the vortex of depression economics in the medium term, strengthens the idea of ‘the maximum leader’ and unduly sustains a false tension within the political system. When Caribbean people get hungry enough they will be in the street, not merely calling for the government to go, they will too be calling for the regime to fall. This will mean the government in the wider sense – BLP, DLP. The call must of necessity extend to the ruling elites as well – the education elites, the economic elites, the professional types, the elites in the clergy. They will be calling for a revolution! Barrow’s hideous Public Order Act will have no effect on ‘them’. The militarized police force will not be as persuasive to orders as the people will be to the hunger pangs they feels or the sight of hunger in their children’s eyes. The American trained special branch of the defense force, on call 24/7, may martyr some people in the streets but calls for the fall of the regime will continue, without ceasing. This call will be properly informed by a history of a lack of proper leadership, multiply betrayals of the people, an absence of land reform, political treachery by all parties and a growing mal-distribution of wealth.

Respecting National Boundaries

Submitted by Charles Knighton

Belize

About two years ago, after a long-standing, contentious and still unresolved dispute with Japan over certain islands and their surrounding waters, China redrew the map featured on its passport to include this disputed territory as part of China’s territorial ambit. Now Guatemala, after a long standing, contentious and still unresolved dispute with Belize over contested territory, has redrawn the map featured on its passport to include this disputed territory as part of Guatemala’s territorial ambit.

Which brings me to the long standing, contentious and still unresolved dispute between Barbados and Trinidad over fishing rights in contested Tobagonian waters. Hmmm.

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 Plight of the Local Dairy

Image Credit – Rosemary Parkinson

The following article was extracted from Rosemary Parkinson’s Facebook Page. She has become known on Facebook and BU as a strident advocate for one cause or the other as it affects Bajans. A read of Rosemary’s Bio can be an intimidating experience; where does she find the time and energy!  At the core of what she does is publishing books about the foods of our region BUT her interest gleaned from her BIO is far-flung.

Love it. First OUR LOCAL DAIRY tries to fool the people with their so-called “fresh” milk that was not fresh but some new-fangled bad-tasting excuse for milk that could last on a shelf for 90 days.

When the people screamed, OUR LOCAL DAIRY thought they could fool even more people by putting same into the coolers of supermarkets but the taste remained the same and no matter what OUR LOCAL DAIRY did for marketing, nothing worked.

CEO of OUR LOCAL DAIRY says “consumption not like it used to be”…well Sir WHOSE FAULT IS THAT, PRAY TELL? You admitted that people used to drink more milk in the past…so you gave yourself the answer one time but just in case you still doan get it. WHEN THAT HORRIBLE MILK DID NOT SELL, WHY DID YOU NOT TAKE YOUR LOSSES, SCRAP DE PROCEDURE AND REVERT TO THE REAL MILK THAT HAD BEEN SELLING WELL FOR YEARS EH? Oh! No! No!…you believed that we the people would soon get over our disgust and begin the consumption of what you felt we had to consume whether we liked it or not. Perhaps your marketing man should have heeded my words at BMEX when you first launched there and he insisted this milk was “fresh from the cow”…for I said clearly…THE PEOPLE WILL NOT LIKE THIS…YOU WILL LOSE!

Afra Raymond Chats With Fazeer Mohammed on TV6 About CLICO

There is a healthy interest by Barbadians in the CLICO Affair as in unfolds in the T&T parent market. A catastrophic failure of local and regional regulatory and political systems. Listen to searching interview by Fazeer Mohammed (known more in Barbados as a cricket commentator) and Afra Raymond, a vocal Trinidadian commentator leading the effort for transparency in the CLICO matter.

AfraRaymond.net

Afra Raymond chats with Fazeer Mohammed on the Morning Edition show giving a year end wrap up of issues including the Colman Commission and The CL Financial bailout. Video courtesy TV6

• Programme Air Date: 10 December 2012
• Programme Length: 0:31:49

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National Insurance Board Wants Equity Stake In Republic Bank Trinidad

Dr. Justin Robinson, Chairman of National Insurance Board

“In light of this, Dr. Robinson indicated that, “The NIS is looking at all of the options right now. The options are that the NIS could decide not to sell any of the shares it has, it could sell some or it could consider an exchange of BNB shares for Republic Bank shares.”

The Barbados Advocate

BU wishes to commend the Board of the NIS Scheme for stating a coherent position regarding the options under consideration regarding Republic Bank’s offer of $5.00 to buyout minority shares. If Republic Bank is successful it means the Trinidad owned bank would 100% own the former national bank of Barbados.

Chairman of the NIS Dr. Justin Robinson is on record confirming that the NIS Fund is cash rich and the Republic Bank is on record it wants ALL of the shares. The two stated positions make the third option favoured by Dr. Robinson the most sensible investment strategy for the NIS and Barbados.  Why should we not seek out an equity stake in one of Port of Spain’s leading companies? T&T capital has acquired many Bajan companies. It is time to confront the hegemony of Trinidad.

Notes From a Native Son: Are Cross-border Banks Giving Barbadians Good Service?

Hal Austin

Introduction:
Republic Bank, in a brave move, has announced its intention of taking the former Barbados National Bank in to wholly-owned control. The announcement has led to a muted discussion among some Barbadians, with the professor of economics at Cave Hill, Michael Howard, ‘advising’ local shareholders to sell to the foreign owners.

Apart from the principle of clean hands, the professor’s advice, which also includes keeping the local subsidiary out of the hands of the government, appears to lack any real understanding of banking and its role in intermediation and, even more, economic growth. It is silly advice and should be ignored. Of course, there is no doubt that Republic Bank has behaved impeccably in its dealings both with the Barbados Stock Exchange and investors, but with other unscrupulous operators there is every opportunity in such a move to undermine shareholder value. Is the acquisition going to create value? What about cultural differences, or are they saying Barbadians and Trinidadians share a common culture? What stress and prudence tests have been applied? Retailing banking has reached such a comfortable state in the Caribbean that it is difficult to find common performance measures of success.

We know, for example, that customer satisfaction is not a measure shared by the former BNB, since Republic Bank neither formally informed all its account holders when it took control of the bank, when it changed its name, nor of its intention to buy out minority shareholders. In simple terms, it could not give a hoot what Barbadian shareholders think about their management style.

Lawrence Duprey Says, “I did Nothing Wrong”

Former Executive Chairman of CL Financial, parent company of CLICO

The following report extracted from the Trinidad Express summarizes a 50 page statement by former CL Financial chairman Lawrence Duprey which was submitted to the Commission of Inquiry.

Former CL Financial chairman files 50-page witness statement at Commission of Enquiry
By Ria Taitt Political Editor
Story Created: Oct 23, 2012 at 11:03 PM ECT
(Story Updated: Oct 23, 2012 at 11:03 PM ECT )

Former executive chairman of insurance giant CL Financial, Lawrence Duprey, has said that as far as he was concerned, he has done nothing wrong.

Although the failure of the financial conglomerate seriously threatened to destabilise the economy and to date the rescue mission has cost taxpayers $21 billion, Duprey in his witness statement to the Commission of Enquiry which was filed on Monday described himself as “a hardworking and dedicated citizen who worked hard to create wealth for all and was instrumental in the creation of thousands of jobs”.

Read full report

A Call To UNITY!

Submitted by M1766

Call to Unity Workers Union

The Best Employers of Employers initiative is a good way for companies to see how they match up to other companies in their categories of operation & in general. It requires employees of participating companies to respond honestly and anonymously to a set of questions on a questionnaire.

A.S Brydens has decided to participate in the Best Employers in Barbados initiative which is being administered by Caribbean Catalyst. We as staff, while trying to manage the work formerly done by work units that were adequately sized are now faced with having to sit down like children, under a Trinidadian manager in the room overseeing them, as we fill out the questionnaires some of us initially refused to.

These questions have to do with the workers’ perception of the level of human-ness exhibited by the company & the extent to which they wish to remain employed by the company. AS Brydens, under Mc Al has been bullying staff, threatening staff & taking away rights that we had got through Union bargaining over the last few years.