Fort Hood Muslim Terrorist was a known al Qaeda suspect – Why didn’t the US Army act months ago?

“U.S. intelligence agencies were aware months ago that Army Major Nidal Hasan was attempting to make contact with people associated with al Qaeda, two American officials briefed on classified material in the case told ABC News.”

…from ABC News Officials: U.S. Aware of Hasan Efforts to Contact al Qaeda

Why didn’t the US Army or Intelligence Agencies do something about Major Nidal Hasan?

Was it political correctness? Fear of making a decision? Whatever it was, it looks like some person or persons made a decision not to take steps to remove Major Hasan from the US Army even after it was known that he was contacting al Qaeda.

This should be a lesson to government authorities, law enforcement and military leadership everywhere in the West: If there are signs that a Muslim employee has gone fundamentalist, ACT to counter the threat!

Further Reading

Sudden Jihad Syndrome? Muslim terrorist yelled “Allahu Akbar!” during mass murder at Fort Hood.

Chinese-equipped Cuban Secret Police beat Award Winning Global Voices bloggers

“I was arrested along with Orlando L. Pardo and Claudia Cadelo they carried us off sicilian style. Knocks. We were left lying in a corner.”

Cuban blogger Yoaní Sánchez (wikipedia link) in an SMS text message to Spanish blogger Rosa Jiménez Cano, who works at the Spanish news daily El País

Photo: Three Men Who Excuse Murder & Oppression of Cubans

Translation of the account posted by Yoaní on her blog

Near 23rd Street, just at the Avenida de los Presidentes roundabout, we saw a black car, made in China, pull up with three heavily built strangers. ‘Yoani, get in the car,’ one told me while grabbing me forcefully by the wrist. The other two surrounded Claudia Cadelo, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, and a friend who was accompanying us to the march against violence.

The ironies of life, it was an evening filled with punches, shouts and obscenities on what should have passed as a day of peace and harmony. The same ‘aggressors’ called for a patrol car which took my other two companions, Orlando and I were condemned to the car with yellow plates, the terrifying world of lawlessness and the impunity of Armageddon.

I refused to get into the bright Geely-made car and we demanded they show us identification or a warrant to take us. Of course they didn’t show us any papers to prove the legitimacy of our arrest. The curious crowded around and I shouted, ‘Help, these men want to kidnap us,’ but they stopped those who wanted to intervene with a shout that revealed the whole ideological background of the operation, ‘Don’t mess with it, these are counterrevolutionaries.’

In the face of our verbal resistance they made a phone call and said to someone who must have been the boss, ‘What do we do? They don’t want to get in the car.’ I imagine the answer from the other side was unequivocal, because then came a flurry of punches and pushes, they got me with my head down and tried to push me into the car. I held onto the door… blows to my knuckles… I managed to take a paper one of them had in his pocket and put it in my mouth. Another flurry of punches so I would return the document to them…

(snip)

We were left aching, lying in a street in Timba, a woman approached, ‘What has happened?’… ‘A kidnapping,’ I managed to say. We cried in each others arms in the middle of the sidewalk, thinking about Teo, for God’s sake how am I going to explain all these bruises. How am I going to tell him that we live in a country where this can happen, how will I look at him and tell him that his mother, for writing a blog and putting her opinions in kilobytes, has been beaten up on a public street. How to describe the despotic faces of those who forced us into that car, their enjoyment that I could see as they beat us, their lifting my skirt as they dragged me half naked to the car.

Full story at Global Voices – Cuba: Yoani Sanchez & Other Bloggers Seized

Further Reading

Along the Malecon blog: We are all Yoani

GEMS cover-up continues under DLP: Hundreds of millions of Barbados tax dollars vanish with zero public accountability

What are the functions and objectives of an independent Senator?

During the time the late Sir John Stanley Goddard sat in the Senate he repeatedly called for up-to-date financial statements for Hotels and Resorts Limited to be made available.

After all, it’s a majority Government owned company funded by the taxpayer and surely we have a right to know their current fiscal position?

I understand that HRL’s accounts have now been laid in Parliament
for the subsequent years since 2001, yet why has there seemingly been no Senate debate, discussion or public comment?

Losses for the GEMS project have been quoted at anything from $200 to $400 million, and as yet, no analysis has been in what part in the closure of over 30 private sector hotels over the last fifteen years they have played.

Adrian Loveridge

(Editor’s note: The headline “GEMS cover-up continues under DLP…” was created by Barbados Free Press. The body of the article is exactly as received from Mr. Loveridge)

Below article from the November 12, 2007 Nation News…

THE HOYOS FILE – A GEM OF A FINANCIAL REPORT

by Patrick Hoyos

November 12, 2007

WITH A SORT of morbid fascination, I have been revisiting the shipwreck that was Hotels & amp; Resorts Ltd, the above-ground financial counterpart of the Stavronikita at the end of 2001.

Yes, dear readers, I know this is almost December 2007 – so, you may wonder, what is the point? Well, there really isn’t any except that the 2001 accounts were only recently laid in Parliament along with the remainder of the company’s annual reports from 1997 to 2001, so I thought it would be “interesting” to recap the disastrous position GEMS had found itself in by then.

Writing in the notes to the financial statement for 2001, KPMG stated that “the company incurred a loss for the year ended December 31, 2001 of $22 million and had accumulated a deficit of $60 million at the year-end date. Also at that date, current liabilities exceeded current assets by $51 million. This raises substantial doubt that the company will be able to continue as a going concern without the continued financial support of its shareholders.”

$51 million? How did that happen? Current assets – which were made up of cash in hand as well as trade, VAT and other receivables, prepaid expenses and inventory – totalled a paltry $4.1 million, while current liabilities – the company’s bank overdraft, accounts payable and accrued expenses, a sum due to CRL Ltd, interest-bearing loans and interest payable – totalled $55.6 million. Subtract one from the other.

The Barbados Advocate blows the Manulife Lawsuit story big time

Prior to being appointed to his regulatory position, (current Barbados Supervisor of Insurance) Carlos Belgrave was the General Manager of a local company that manufactures “flour, animal and poultry feeds” … from OffshoreAlert’s 2006 “Worst Regulator” Award

Manulife Case Going To Trial in 2011

The civil court case involving Bajan policy holders who claim they were fleeced by Manulife will finally take place in 2011. Maybe. If the Manulife lawyers don’t do their “delay, delay, delay” thing until witnesses and victims die or move on after a decade of being under the oppression of being denied justice for so long.

If you want some background on the case and to read the court documents, they are posted online at the Sutts, Strosberg lawyers who are handling the class action. Here is their website: Manulife class action website

About That Inadequate Barbados Advocate Story…

“The suit claims that Manulife obtained approval for the sale of its Barbados interests by providing adequate information to the Supervisor of Insurance in Barbados.”

… from The Barbados Advocate article Manulife trial set for 2011

I guess that the reporters at the Advocate didn’t read the court documents about the case because if they did they would know that the plaintiffs are alleging that Manulife provided inadequate information to Barbados Supervisor of Insurance, Wismar Greaves, not “adequate” information as the news story says.

That is a small issue – a word that changes the whole meaning of the story – but it is important.

Lawsuits Cut Two Ways

The larger issue about this story is unreported and unremarked upon by the Barbados news media: lawsuits cut two ways. The defense will undoubtedly claim that the fault lies not with Manulife, but with inadequate and/or incompetent performance by the Barbados Supervisor of Insurance.

In many ways, it will be the Wismar Greaves and our system of oversight that is on trial. Considering that Carlos Belgrave, our current Supervisor of Insurance, received the 2006 Offshore Alert award for “Worst Regulator” – I expect that Manulife will come on strong and aggressively defend this case.

No Sir, this Manulife case will be no “slam dunk”.

Contributed by an anonymous BFP reader

Further Reading

Barbados Supervisor Of Insurance Announces $2,500 Voluntary Fine For Infractions… That Should Stop Multi-Million Dollar Insurance Frauds Like CLICO!

Belgrave named in 2006 as the “worst regulator” by Offshore Alert.

New Book Coming: In Pursuit of Giants, Matt Rigney

Author and avid Barbados Free Press reader Matt Rigney has a new book coming.

In Pursuit of Giants is the story of one man’s global trek to learn the fate of the ocean’s great fish—marlin, swordfish, and tuna. It is a journey into the history of big game sportfishing and a voyage of discovery to the few remaining locations in the world where these animals still exist in numbers and sizes that hint at their former abundance. It is also an investigation into the failure of fisheries management and an exploration into what must be done to save the world’s fisheries.

The last we heard Matt’s book was ahead of schedule and might even be out in time for the 2010 Christmas buying season. The BFP gang eagerly awaits our first read of In Pursuit of Giants.

Nation reporters implement Barbados Free Press suggestions – return to hospital morgue

Friends, it looks like some reporters from The Nation newspaper read BFP’s article Night of the Living Dead in Barbados?

They returned to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital morgue and discovered that the original information they received from the hospital authorities was, how do you say? Oh yeah… bullship.

It turns out that the “high security electronic door” to the morgue needs a special card to get into the morgue, but any escaping corpses only need press a button to exit. Contrary to what the hospital authorities said at the press conference, escaping corpses don’t need an access card to leave.

Just like we said when we criticized the Barbados news reporters for failing to think.

Glad to see that Barbados Free Press could be of assistance to the junior cub reporters at the Nation News!

Further Reading

Nation: QEH opens up morgue

Who are the most influential Canadian Expats? Michael J Fox is #1, Wayne Gretzky #2… and OH MY!!!

The Canadian Expat Association’s list of “The most influential Canadian Expats” has just been published. Thanks to all BFP readers who sent us the story and to Google alerts too.

Here are the Top 5 Most Influential Canadian Expats as chosen by the Canadian Expat Association (website) and the public…

#1: Michael J. Fox (Actor, Back to the Future series etc.)

#2: Wayne Gretzky (Ice Hockey super hero)

#3: Tony Burman (Who? Oh… managing director of Al Jazeera English News)

#4: Neil Young (Musician who sings like someone has a pair of pliers on his toe)

#5: Peter Allard

Here’s what the Canadian Expat Association says about Allard…

“Peter Allard, formerly of Edmonton, practiced law in Vancouver before moving to Barbados about 15 years ago, to focus on preserving natural habitats especially threatened by tourism and other development in the Caribbean.

On the island of Barbados, to spearhead national environmental awareness and encourage government-led development of national water policy and environmental management practices, Mr. Allard provided in excess of US $34 million to restore and professionally manage the last mangrove forest and most significant migratory bird habitat in Barbados. The Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary consists of 35 acres of wetlands and forest, and is located within the newly designated 81 acre Graeme Hall Ramsar wetland, recognized by the Convention on Wetlands. Within the Site, Mr. Allard has set aside approximately 5 acres of land which has been developed with visitor and educational facilities. Mr. Allard has promoted an environmental standard that encourages development of a Barbadian national water policy. He believes that while private sector efforts to preserve habitats is very important, effective environmental management practices must be derived from government-led national water policy. In light of this belief, Mr. Allard has donated (and continues to donate) hundreds of thousands of additional dollars associated with public/environmental health, safety and education in Barbados.

On the island of St. Vincent Mr. Allard continues to provide the government with direct support for the St. Vincent Amazon parrot conservation programme, in an effort to save this endangered flagship species from extinction. The importance of this programme is significant, as it is the first phase of a national effort to protect the species and its natural habitat. Mr. Allard is also responsible for maintaining the only other St. Vincent Amazon population in the Caribbean (located at the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary in Barbados) in order to maintain genetic diversity. To date, the cost of this Programme has been in excess of $500,000, and it is hoped that the core populations in St. Vincent and Barbados will be the basis for genetically-diverse wild St. Vincent parrot populations when government can declare a new National Park for the species.

On the island of Dominica Mr. Allard provided the government of Dominica with the largest and single most significant contribution that ensured creation of the Morne Diablotin National Park on January 21, 2000. His contributions were the essential element that guaranteed the formation of the world’s newest National Park of the millennium. The Park is expected to become the Caribbean’s second United Nations Natural World Heritage Site.

While residing in Barbados Mr. Allard has widely donated in excess of $2.0 million to 75 Canadian charities, focusing on research and development of treatments for cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and for arts and health and human welfare support organizations.“

Sudden Jihad Syndrome? Muslim terrorist yelled “Allahu Akbar!” during mass murder at Fort Hood.

US Army Major was on Homeland Security Panel advising President Obama

Nidal Hasan, the US Army major who went on a shooting rampage at Fort Hood, yelled “Allahu Akbar!” (God is great!) as he opened fire on his army colleagues. Earlier that day he handed out new Korans to neighbours. (Associated Press: Neighbor: Fort Hood suspect emptied his apartment.)

Oh yes, it might be of interest that Hasan was also on the Homeland Security Policy Institute’s presidential transition task force in 2008.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families and friends. Our thoughts and prayers also go out to those good people around the world who happen to be Muslims. I read one estimate that only three percent of Muslims can be considered “Jihadists” in the terrorist sense of the word. Another estimate I read by a member of the Royal Family in Saudi Arabia said (I think) seven percent.

So let’s use the three percent of a billion Muslims… that makes about 30 million or so of the world’s Muslims as potential hosts for the deadly virus called Sudden Jihad Syndrome.

At the low end of the scale.

 

Night of the Living Dead in Barbados?

Reynzill Scantlebury claims he woke up in the morgue of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital after being declared dead. Not a common experience, fur sure – but not entirely unknown in any country even in recent times.

The QEH originally said “we had no such patient” but later said, “oops, yeah, Scantlebury was admitted.” or some such words.

Then they said that some person with a name “almost” like Scantlebury did die! The Nation newspaper said…

“In that article, Best said the hospital did not have a Reynzill Scantlebury on record, but did have a record of another man who had died, also a Scantlebury, whose first name was close to his and who had Lorenzo as a middle name.” (QEH: Escape from morgue ‘unlikely’)

Yesterday the Queen Elizabeth Hospital took the press on a tour to say “could not have happened.“

The QEH staff talked about video surveillance of the morgue, but not one of the press asked to see the video tape or for a copy. The press were told that no persons “dressed in white” work in the morgue as Mr. Scantlebury claims.

But the press missed one point – the Barbados Advocate article claims that “Only authorised persons with electronic keys can enter or exit the morgue.”

Hmmmmmm… Are they saying that there is no fire exit from the morgue? That if the power goes off the people are trapped inside without recourse?

Whether Mr. Scantlebury was declared dead or whether he was smoking something he shouldn’t have – it would be nice if Barbados reporters started asking some questions instead of ingesting and regurgitating whatever garbage is tossed their way.

For the full story see Keltruth Blog’s story “Dead” Man Escapes from Morgue?

Barbados Electric Bicycle Experience – Great, until Sugar Hill

THE BARBADOS E-BIKE (ELECTRIC BICYCLE) EXPERIENCE

David Cameron of Ottawa, Canada commenced conducting a preliminary feasibility study in Barbados with an EMoto™ Milano brand e-bike for his company CameronEV (Electric Vehicles).

The study started with using the Milano e-bike on the South Coast in St. Micheal & Christ Church and expanded Parish by Parish up the West Coast to the Parish of St. Lucy then down through St. Andrew to the Ecolodge – Barbados in Mellowes, St. Joseph.

A distance total of 176km was tested over a five-day period Oct 8-12 ending with the hill coming out of Mellowes up to Sugar Hill proving to be too much for the e-bike configuration under test. The Parish of St. Joseph remains to be conquered by the ‘green’ machine along with the Parishes of St. John, St. George and St. Phillips upon David Cameron’s return in late November/early December.

Amazingly, the electric current cost a total of $2.00 Barbados Dollars recharging nightly and periodically during refreshment stops along the way.

It was very evident that the people in Barbados know how to “Share the Road”. The drivers in Canada and the United States could learn a lot from the Bajan drivers about sharing the road and being courteous. The e-bike maximum speed of 32km/h meant the e-bike needed to be passed on the road and the short horn toot people gave as they passed did make one feel safer.

David Cameron would also like to thank both the establishments that allowed the e-bike to be periodically topped up and the people along the way who asked questions and offered both refreshments and let the e-bike be topped up from their house current. A very special thank-you goes to Grahame & Andrea Reeves-Law of the Ecolodge-Barbados for their assistance and guidance, Champion Wrecker Services for the flat-bed truck service, Mr. White of St. Joseph when the Mellowes Hill proved too much, the patrons at a refreshment stand in Inch Marlow for their wisdom on bicycle licensing, Alfred in Oistins for the bicycle licence assistance, the Blue Moon Guesthouse in Rockley for their assistance and Mr. Jerry Spooner of Spoons Customs Brokerage for the tremendous assistance in getting the study & testing underway.

David Cameron looks forward to returning and completing the feasibility study. All in all, very very positive thus far.

www.cameronev.com

Ingrid Persaud coming home early from Miami, misses Barbados

“I stared at his disappearing form and tears flowed down my face.

By 7am this morning in the full glare of morning I decided to return to Bim earlier than planned. The household will survive without the new linens, kettle and DS games I should have secured.”

For all our government’s faults, and our legitimate concerns about where this country is heading, Barbados is home.

Sometimes the rock seems so small, sometimes so large – but there’s no place else we’d want to live.

Ingrid is in Miami on a shopping trip but she can’t sleep so she’s coming home early.

A worthy read at her blog Notes from a Small Rock: Lost in Transit

Welcome home, Ingrid!

Freedom of Information Request #2009-2: To Barbados Department of Emergency Management

Barbados Queen Elizabeth Hospital Washroom in September 2007 - A new report details whether or not the hospital was built to plans and proper standards, but citizens aren't allowed to know!

Hiding information from citizens…

Was Queen Elizabeth Hospital built to proper standards? When Government refused to tell the Nation newspaper, the journalists said “OK” and walked away.

With much fanfare during the 2007 election campaign, then Opposition Leader David Thompson promised that a DLP government would introduce Freedom of Information legislation (FOI) within 100 days of taking office. FOI was part of a promised ITAL (Integrity, Transparency and Accountability Legislation) package that dropped off the radar the minute that the DLP gained access to the treasury after 14 years out of power. Likewise, the promise to “immediately” enact conflict of interest rules for Ministers was never heard about again. Thanks To Prime Minister David Thompson, Barbados Government Officials Can Still Use Their Office For Personal Profit

In Opposition, David Thompson promised Freedom of Information laws within 100 days of election. He lied.

Almost two years have passed but Thompson and his government members don’t want to enact Freedom of Information Legislation because FOI would allow ordinary citizens access to government financial records. That would empower ordinary citizens and the media to hold elected and appointed government officials accountable for wrongdoing and the Prime Minister doesn’t want that!

Like the Barbados Labour Party government before them, the DLP government is committed to keeping citizens in the dark – but there is no reason why we can’t put these Freedom of Information Requests on file on the internet. Someday perhaps citizens will be able to act upon them, but in the meantime the presence of these FOI requests on the internet will serve to illustrate that Prime Minister Thompson and his gang know nothing about transparency, accountability or integrity.

Our first FOI request was to the Barbados Transport Board about vehicle maintenance standards and what happened when both rear wheels fell off a bus.

Here is our second Freedom of Information Request…

FOI Request #2009-2: To Barbados Department of Emergency Management

To: Department of Emergency Management

FOI Request: PAHO Inspection Report, Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Dear Sirs,

Under the FOI legislation of Barbados, I demand a copy of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Inspection Report as prepared by the Pan American Health Organisation, and any associated internal or external communications held by the Barbados Department of Emergency Management as indicated in the attached October 13, 2009 Nation newspaper article Call for stiff building codes. The article indicated that the PAHO spokesperson would not divulge “any information as to whether the Queen Elizabeth Hospital was built to standards.”

As a citizen and taxpayer I demand under FOI to know this information about a public facility.

I enclose the required fee and expect to receive copies of the requested records within 100 days as per the FOI law. Specifically, I request copies of…

1/ Queen Elizabeth Hospital Inspection Report as prepared by the Pan American Health Organisation.

2/ Copies of all internal and external correspondence and/or reports mentioning this PAHO report.

Yours truly,

A Bajan citizen empowered by the Freedom of Information Act of Barbados (enacted 2017 by the Barbados Integrity Party government)

Further Reading

September 10, 2007: Your Child Is Sick: Welcome To Barbados Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Six weeks later: Still no Spanish, Portuguese language welcome on Barbados Tourism or Investment & Development websites.

MP Stephen Lashley wants to make BTA overcome 'island time' performance.

Last week the government member for Christ Church West Central, Stephen Lashley, stood up in Parliament and talked about the need for Barbados to tap into new international markets for tourism and industry. As tactfully as possible (considering he is a member of the government), Mr. Lashley made the point that our Barbados Tourism Authority and Barbados Investment and Development Corporation aren’t doing nearly the job that they should be doing.

To be fair, Lashley talked about “encouraging” the BTA and BIDC and being positive about their efforts. He also chided the Opposition for being “negative” as he delivered the traditional Bajan milquetoast speech about “what we’re gonna do” etc etc etc. His central message for those listening at the BTA and BIDC came through though: “FOR GOD’S SAKE JUST BLOODY-WELL DO SOMETHING!”

Good luck with your encouragement, Mr. Lashley. Just don’t hold your breath waiting for results.

Let’s get real for a minute, shall we?

Over six weeks ago, Minister of International Business and International Transport George Hutson gave a press conference where he mused about the possibilities of targeting South American markets to fill the tourism void during the “off” season – and to try to raise some new business opportunities.

At that time Barbados Free Press said that IF the government and the Minister were serious about South America, they would already have ordered Spanish and Portuguese language options on the websites of the Barbados Tourism Authority and the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation. We said it would take a week, maybe two, to translate both websites, put up a welcome in Spanish and Portuguese and at least look like we mean business.

We also predicted that it wouldn’t happen. We said…

“Oh well, not to get upset about it because the truth is that nothing will be done.

The Minister spoke a fine little speech, and the newspaper printed a fine little article and editorial.

That’s it, folks. That’s all you’ll see. This is Barbados and we do – or don’t do – things a certain way.”

We were correct. Here we are six weeks later and nothing was done. The BTA and BIDC websites are still in English only.

See? We told ya that nothing would be done!

Adrian Loveridge: Hotel owners have been asking for Spanish/Portuguese BTA website for 10 years!

After all, the Barbados Tourism Authority failed to establish Spanish, Portuguese language websites despite 10 years of begging by hotel owners.

Why should anything change now?

Please have a read of our original story and we’ll see you again in another six weeks and every six weeks thereafter until all those concerned become embarrassed enough to make it happen – if such a thing is possible in the cushy government service. I tell you the truth friends – very few in the BTA or BIDC would last a week in a similar position in London or New York.

Barbados Tourism Authority failed to establish Spanish, Portuguese language websites despite 10 years of begging by hotel owners

Barbados students forge special bond with imprisoned Chinese pastor – through footballs made in slave labour camps

Government Minister Patrick Todd and students of Westbury School accept gifts from Ambassador Qiang Wei: Footballs made in China's Laogai slave camps.

The lead in the Barbados Advocate story China’s Gift to Barbados is “Christmas came early for students of Westbury Primary and Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary yesterday morning, when they received gifts of basketballs, footballs, volleyballs and pencil cases compliments The People’s Republic of China in a ceremony at Westbury school.”

The reference to Christmas is particularly relevant considering that one of the products of China’s vast slave camp system for Christians and other politically unreliable people is… Footballs!

Meet Pastor Cai Zhuohua, who spent the last three years in a slave labour camp making official footballs for the 2008 Olympics. His crime? Unauthorized possession of bibles.

It is outrageous that of this country named Barbados continues to fawn over the Chinese Communists for a few trinkets here and there. Basketballs. Computers. Uniforms for our Coast Guard. Footballs.

Here’s what I would ask of you: Every time you see your children playing with Chinese-supplied sports equipment, I want you to think about how ironic it is that we, as the descendants of slaves, so easily and warmly accept gifts from the country that still maintains the world’s largest slave camp system.

Further Reading

China Aid: Free your Christian brothers and sisters in China

Barbados Haggatt Hall Football Club Crawls On Belly To Accept China’s Trinkets

Tiananmen Square Massacre 20 Years Later: Hugs and Kisses From Barbados As We Trade Our Silence For Cash

Did Owen Arthur just relaunch his leadership campaign?

“Mia thought that by pre-empting and forcing an early vote she would cut Mr. Arthur off at the knees. But in fact she gave him the perfect platform to relaunch his leadership campaign, undermine her credibility and leadership qualities and defend the integrity of his party all at the same time. Master stroke.”

… a friend tells Dennis Jones at Living in Barbados Blog

Marcus: Where are you?

Out of GIN!

Out of RUM!

Down to drinking tequila. Woe! Woe! Woe!

Where are you?

Thank 2 vacationinbarbados.com

We gone get high high high 2nite!

Investor files international complaint – says Barbados government violated agreement with Canada, failed to protect Canadian investment in Barbados

“Barbados has consistently refused to enforce its domestic environmental laws and to abide by its international obligations…”

Barbados news media silent as Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary owner alleges Government harmed wetlands & eco-tourist facility

Letter says International investor's complaint was filed September 8, 2009

The government and the news media in Barbados must be disconnected with reality to think that in the year 2009 they can hide a major international investment story from Bajans. Do they think that ignoring the issue will make it a non-subject with investors in London, New York and Toronto?

We’ve got news for our government and our news media: Reuters covered this story four days ago and it’s being picked up by international investment and environmental forums everywhere. According to the documents presented at the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary, the international complaint was filed early in September, 2009.

Yet our print and electronic news media haven’t mentioned it or approached the Barbados government for comment.

No problem ladies and gentlemen of the Bajan news media – just go back to your intensive coverage of government Ministers standing beside a pothole announcing that government will soon commence a study on when the pothole should be fixed.

Don’t worry folks, the international investment community won’t notice anything amiss!

Read the details at The Bajan Reporter

We’ll be saying more on this story in the coming days and weeks, but unless I shut down this computer in the next five minutes there is no way I’m going to be on time for work today. Meanwhile, our blogging friend Ian Bourne has the story and links to the official complaint at the Bajan Reporter: Canadian Alleges Treaty Violations by Barbados.

Tourists documenting our destroyed beaches, placing photos on the Internet

Environment Minister maintains silence on the destruction near Mullins Bay

The government of Barbados authorized groynes to be built into the ocean near the old Kings Beach Hotel. Only a few years later the entire area is suffering as the groynes accelerated the destruction of the area beaches.

“Word is getting out that Mullins Bay is a disaster zone.  Pretty soon you are not going to be able to sell holidays, let alone condos or villas, in an area where people do not want to stay unless government does something about a situation that is getting worse by the day.”

… from the Mullins Bay Blog story Horror Of St. Peter’s Bay Captured Through The Lens Of A British Visitor

Minister of the Environment Dennis Lowe hasn’t said a word about the problem, and citizens in the area have never seen him on the beaches. (BFP editor’s note: Mr. Lowe prefers the Hilton beach where he gets free lunch and a chance to chat with pretty tourists.)

Now tourists are starting to document the destruction of our beaches through photos posted on the internet.

Our friends at Mullins Bay Blog have the sad story here.

VECO cover-up continues in Barbados – CEO Bill Allen gets 3 years prison for bribing Alaska politicians

Alaska Senator’s Son was paid US$243,250 in “consulting fees”

The corrupt former head of VECO Corporation – the same company that built the Oil Terminal and the new Dodds Prison in Barbados – has been put in jail for 3 years for his leading role in VECO’s ongoing policy of using bribes to obtain government contracts. VECO founder Bill Allen will also have to pay a 3/4 of a million dollar fine, but frankly that’s just spare change to the man who used bribes of politicians as a standard operating procedure to grow his business into a multi-billion dollar international company. As part of a plea-bargain and in exchange for Allen’s testimony, Allen’s son and other family members escaped prosecution and were able to walk away with hundreds of millions of dollars.

The American FBI seized millions of VECO’s documents and made hundreds of hours of secret recordings to document how Allen and his company undermined US democracy by the simple method of paying millions to various politicians over the years. As was revealed over the last two years in public testimony and court documents, this bribing of politicians was VECO’s standard operating policy.

Who Did Barbados Prison “Consulting”?

In Barbados, VECO was closely associated with now Opposition Leader Mia Mottley and with former Attorney General Dale Marshall. Mia was “in charge” of building the new Dodds Prison.

After the scandal broke in Alaska, then Attorney General Dale Marshall met with VECO company officials in Barbados for 23 minutes, and then announced that there were no issues about VECO’s activities in Barbados. Dale Marshall was an active part of the VECO cover-up in Barbados.

Hmmmmm…. let’s see here. VECO had never built a prison before it was awarded the contract for Dodds – without tender. VECO used bribery of politicians as its standard operating procedure to obtain government contracts around the world.

And Dale Marshall says “no problem here” after a 23 minute meeting.

Nothing suspect there!

In any event, VECO and the BLP spread the “consulting” and sub-contracts around to DLP members at the time so that if the DLP ever formed a government, they wouldn’t be able to come after the BLP.

Hmmmmm…. DLP Prime Minister David Thompson has never asked American officials to allow Barbados to examine the VECO company records that list bribes of politicians around the world.

Nope. Nothing suspect there, either!

Who were the middlemen in Miami that handled the Dodds Prison shipments? What money was paid to “consultants” in Switzerland and the USA? Which Dodds Prison sub-contracting companies were owned by relatives of Barbados politicians?

Barbados citizens will never know, and have no right to know because both the Arthur/Mottley and the David Thompson government keep this information secret.

Citizens of Barbados? More like “suckers of Barbados” if you ask me.

Further Reading

Alaska Dispatch: Ben Stevens’ consulting fees surface in Allen, Smith sentencings.

 

Freedom of Information Request #2009-1: To Barbados Transport Board

With much fanfare during the 2007 election campaign, then Opposition Leader David Thompson promised that a DLP government would introduce Freedom of Information legislation (FOI) within 100 days of taking office. FOI was part of a promised ITAL (Integrity, Transparency and Accountability Legislation) package that dropped off the radar the minute that the DLP gained access to the treasury after 14 years out of power. Likewise, the promise to “immediately” enact conflict of interest rules for Ministers was never heard about again. Thanks To Prime Minister David Thompson, Barbados Government Officials Can Still Use Their Office For Personal Profit

Almost two years have passed since those ITAL promises and even the most die-hard DLP supporters have reluctantly conceded that Thompson and his DLP lied to the electorate about their intentions.

Thompson and his gang of piggies at the public trough don’t want to enact Freedom of Information Legislation because FOI would allow ordinary citizens access to government financial records. That would empower ordinary citizens and the media to hold elected and appointed government officials accountable for wrongdoing and the Prime Minister doesn’t want that!

Like the Barbados Labour Party government before them, the DLP government is committed to keeping citizens in the dark – but there is no reason why we can’t put these Freedom of Information Requests on file on the internet. Someday perhaps citizens will be able to act upon them, but in the meantime the presence of these FOI requests on the internet will serve to illustrate that Prime Minister Thompson and his gang know nothing about transparency, accountability or integrity.

Here is our first…

FOI Request #2009-1: To Barbados Transport Board

To: Barbados Transport Board

FOI Request: Maintenance & other records for bus involved in accident October 9, 2009

Dear Sirs,

Under the FOI legislation of Barbados, I demand copies of the following records for the bus involved in the accident that happened about October 9, 2009 as illustrated in the attached photo taken from the Nation newspaper. I enclose the required fee and expect to receive copies of the requested records within 100 days as per the FOI law. Specifically, I request copies of…

1/ All maintenance records for the bus for the last five years.

2/ All vehicle licenses, inspection certificates, safety certificates and/or other forms and inspection sheets associated with this bus.

3/ Any Bus inspection procedures and/or regulations published internally by the Barbados Transport Board.

4/ Copies of all internal and external correspondence and/or reports mentioning this bus for the last five years.

5/ Copies of all post-accident reports, photos, inspection forms, reports, letters and/or any communications, whether internal or external, possessed by the Barbados Transport Board and having to do with the accident involving this bus.

Yours truly,

A Bajan citizen empowered by the Freedom of Information Act of Barbados (enacted 2017 by the Barbados Integrity Party government)

Owen Arthur clearly indicates he’d take the BLP leadership again

We at Barbados Free Press spent our lunch listening once again to a recording of yesterday’s interview with former Prime Minister Owen Arthur.

One thing is clear: Owen Arthur will return to lead the Barbados Labour Party for the next election if he is asked to do so by a unified BLP. The ex-PM says that pretty well straight out.

“A unified BLP” is the key concept in Arthur’s interview, but the only way that will happen is if Mia Mottley pulls the ejection handles – which she must be thinking about considering all those knives sticking out of her back after Monday’s meeting of the BLP Members of Parliament.

Here’s the quote from Owen Arthur…

“I have no interest whatsoever in being involved in dividing the Barbados Labour Party.

I will have no interest whatsoever of wanting to re-emerge as leader in a divided party. My only interest is wanting to serve if they, if I still think that I have something to contribute to the people of Barbados. And that is my only interest in being in public life at this time.”

…from Owen Arthur’s interview by David Ellis on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 on Voice of Barbados Radio.

What do you think, folks? We say that Arthur is taking great pains to leave the door wide open while trying not to look like he is fomenting rebellion against Mottley.

Owen Arthur as skillful an assassin as we’ve ever seen

(Alternate cartoon caption: “The party has spoken!“)

BLP Elder Statesman publicly assassinates current party leader

We listened to the Voice of Barbados re-broadcast tonight and within five minutes we realised that Mia Mottley is now walking dead. Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur slid the stiletto into Mia Mottley’s political heart so quietly and so smoothly that his victim probably has no idea that she has been mortally wounded.

And there is no doubt that Miss Mottley is mortally wounded, politically speaking. The only question is, how long will it take her to bleed out?

Owen Arthur spent an hour talking to reporters on Tuesday morning, arguing that Mottley lacked judgment in delivering an ultimatum to the BLP inner circle and forcing a leadership loyalty vote as she did on Monday. Mr. Arthur is correct. With three of the nine sitting MPs effectively voicing their non-confidence in Mottley the result of the “vote” gave public credibility to the rumours of chaos within the Barbados Labour Party.

Mr. Arthur has obviously decided that the best way forward for the BLP is to lance the leadership boil now, rather than have it continue to fester for another year or so.

At the crux of the matter is Arthur’s contention that Mottley does not enjoy the widespread popularity and support throughout our society that is needed to lead the BLP to victory in the next election. Owen Arthur is correct, and we at BFP can’t see Mia Mottley being able to repair that deficiency. Not in a year, not in two or three years and maybe not in five years.

The big question for the Barbados Labour Party: What now?

Further Reading

Nation News: Owen has his say

The Barbados Advocate: It’s up to Mia!

Tennis! Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniaki to battle it out in Barbados

Tennis pon de rock – November 28, 29, Barbados

With US$27 million in career prize money won, Serena Williams is the #1 player by winnings in history – and she’s coming to Barbados.

Shona is all excited and it looks like yours truly will be springing for tickets and handling the babysitting so the girls can see Serena do her thing at “Tennis pon de rock” next month at Wildey Gymnasium on the 28th and Sugar Hill on the 29th. Truly, I would enjoy going but I’ve been given the message that this is strictly a “girls day out” as far as my woman and her sister are concerned.

(Yes dear)

Organiser Kodi Lewis

This tennis exhibition looks like it’s a big deal and it has me thinking about what it takes to pull it all together. I’d love to know the story behind what is being called “the country’s biggest ever exhibition game”. Undoubtedly it all started with an idea, but good ideas are like raindrops in a storm: so many that it hardly matters.

What really counts is being able to turn the idea into reality. Somebody (or maybe a few people?) had the drive to make this event happen. I see Barry Gale and Kodi Lewis mentioned online so perhaps one or both are responsible.

Kodi Lewis, who is described in various stories as either the “coordinator” or the “organiser” of the event made an excellent point when he described how Barbados won out over Singapore when Serena made her decision. This from the Barbados Advocate:

“They had another offer to play in Singapore on the same day so we had to be quite pro-active in securing their contracts”, said Kodi Lewis, coordinator of the event. “The attraction is Barbados itself and both Serena and Caroline know Barbados so definitely it was an advantage being here in Barbados and having the reputation that Barbados has”.

… from the Barbados Advocate article Barbados set to host showdown between Serena and Caroline

Once again, the cache of Barbados as a world-class destination comes through. Although this is an exhibition, I wonder if the event has enough of a profile to receive international coverage or even mention on television. That, I don’t know – but it seems to me that there will be increased interest if Wozniaki (number 5 rated) wins over Serena Williams.

Hmmmmm… perhaps Bajans should be cheering for Wozniaki when the day comes? (Couldn’t but help throwing in a little mischief )

We’re going to keep this event on the radar as we think it is an excellent opportunity for Barbados to be proactive as a brand during tough times and, as Kodi Lewis pointed out to The Nation News, this might just be the start of something bigger. (Nation: Organiser pushing for ATP tourney)

Once again, our thanks and encouragement to the people who had the vision and the drive to make this happen.

Tickets?

From the newspapers we read the following: Tickets for both events are expected to go on sale (October 24th) and are available from the Barbados Tennis Association, all Supercentre locations and through e-mail at tennisponderock@gmail.com.

Further Reading

FTI Tennis Solutions (Kodi Lewis)

Barbados Tennis Association

BLP political elites stage manage Mia Mottley’s “Leadership Contest”

The newspapers are all afire that Mia Mottley has “demanded” a review of her leadership to quash rumours of a divide in the Barbados Labour Party. (CBC News, Nation news, Barbados Advocate)

Rumours?

Much more than “rumours”…

Golly. I guess Mia and her supporters have been reading Barbados Free Press.

Here’s the results of our now-closed recent poll on Mia Mottley’s leadership…

Some 960 people voted in our poll that asked “Mia Mottley is…”

* “Interim Leader of the BLP, whose legitimacy grows weaker by the day” (580 votes or 62%)

* “Legitimate Leader of the BLP, but not for much longer without a membership vote” (200 votes or 21%)

* “Legitimate Leader of the BLP – No leadership vote necessary! (160 votes or 17%)

Don’t forget, folks… these are ordinary people speaking, not the inner circle of the Barbados Labour Party. As the newspapers take great pains to point out, the leadership of the BLP is not decided by the public membership in a process that is transparent and accountable. The leadership of the BLP is decided in a closed room by a handful of people. (Where Mia’s ranting daddy may or may not be present.)

So let’s take it one step further, shall we?

Here’s our new poll about Mia Mottley’s leadership. Never mind what the newspapers say tomorrow morning, let’s hear what the people say…

POLL RESULTS… (Prior to sabotage by two Mia Mottley supporters who erased their cookies and returned almost 100 times…)

Can the BLP win an election by presenting Mia Mottley as the next Prime Minister?

“Yes, the majority of Bajans would accept Mia Mottley as their Prime Minister” (27%)

“No, the majority of Bajans would not accept Mia Mottley as their Prime Minister” (55%)

“I’m not sure whether Mia Mottley could gather enough votes to be Prime Minister” (18%)

And Finally…

I thought you might be interested in this…

HA! HA! HA!!!  The Nation News titled their article “Mia’s Move” but the URL for the article is listed as “empty-bravado” !!!!!!!!!

Here, look… http://www.nationnews.com/news/local/empty-bravado-FRONT-PAGE-LEAD

Full Court Press by DLP at Barbados Free Press

“Dear Barbados Free Press,

Is it just me or are you being very tolerant of Hartley Henry/Wishing in Vain/Love/A Mottley Group being multiple posts that all read the same?

Yours truly,

A friend.”

DLP government operatives attempted to post comments under multiple identities - contrary to BFP's rules.

Dear “A Friend”

Thanks for your email alerting us to the DLP operative(s) at Barbados Free Press who are operating under multiple identities. As our long time readers know, multiple identities are contrary to the rules of BFP as outlined in our Blog Policies and, as per our published policy, result in ALL posts being erased.

We are always amused when BLP or DLP operatives attempt to take over the reader discussions at BFP by using multiple identities. Sometimes we at the editor’s desk don’t cotton on to the abuse until a reader points it out to us. That’s just the way it happens when we’re busy writing or dealing with our own lives. (Hey… I have a wife and childrens doan ya know!)

So…. thanks to “A Friend” for pointing out what is now obvious once we’re alerted where to look.

Penalty: ALL “A Mottley Group” posts are now being erased from Barbados Free Press.

Hey… nice try DLP (or David Thompson or Hartley Henry or whoever you are!)

Take that, sucka!

Barbados Immigration: Is PM Thompson taking advice from Winston Churchill?

Churchill opposed Immigration of “coloureds” from Barbados

British National Party "For Race & Nation"

An online article by the racist British National Party has us thinking about some of the comments we’ve heard about immigration from DLP government supporters and Prime Minister Thompson himself.

BFP long ago dropped our sidebar link to Barbados Underground Blog – the de facto active blog of the governing Democratic Labour Party – for a number of reasons including BU’s willingness to publish articles and comments that communicate support for the most foul racist positions.  Some recent immigration discussions at Barbados Underground target West Indians of Indian heritage, whites and asians as being “unacceptable” races for immigration to Barbados. The BU blog publications even go so far as complaining about the high fertility rates of Indians and calling murdered Canadian tourist Terry Schwarzfeld “white trash”.

Barbados Underground Blog is also the venue of choice for Hartley Henry, DLP party strategist and confidante to Prime Minister David Thompson.

So it was with a sense of irony that we followed a Google news alert for “Barbados” this morning and learned that none other than Sir Winston Churchill himself is on record in released Cabinet documents as wanting to curtail the immigration of “coloureds” from Barbados to the United Kingdom. Sir Winston was “not in favour” of coloured immigration and wanted to introduce a bill to impose limits based upon skin colour. Viscount Swinton offered that the government could further their position by introducing a committee to look into the “social aspects” of coloured immigration. Other members talked about employment and housing concerns.

But the concern about housing, employment and the “social aspects” of coloured immigration were a way of candy-coating the heart of the matter: Sir Winston and others didn’t want “coloured immigration” – and the Cabinet notes mention immigration from Barbados by name.

The Google news alert led us to the website of the racist and increasingly popular British National Party (Party slogan: “For Race & Nation”). There you’ll find the article What did Churchill really think about Immigration?

The Barbados Underground and DLP Immigration lobby would do well to read the British National Party article and then compare it to their own writings and comments at Barbados Underground blog. Just substitute “Guyanese” or “Indians” for the references to “coloured immigration” and “Barbados” at the British National Party and you’ll get our point.

Shirlee Smith shares a Barbados family history: Searching through garbage for food in 1940’s Toronto Canada

Family History includes Barbados & Inter-marriage between escaped slaves and Canada’s Native peoples

By any standard, we are an adventurous people. That may be a surprising statement to some who have never been off this rock (and there are many) but anyone who travels knows that you will find Bajans everywhere on this planet. I’m not surprised anymore when I run into a friend of a friend while passing through Dubai, Manila or Japan. We’re everywhere!

That’s not only a modern occurrence. Bajans have been leaving this island for hundreds of years. We all know about the Carolinas and Panama, but here’s a new twist… runaway slaves marrying into Native tribes after arriving in Canada via the Underground Railroad… with descendants searching through garbage in Toronto Canada in the 1940’s.

The Chronicle: From Slavery to Celebrity

Robert

Jamaica’s Canadian tourism up 28 percent over last year!

Caricom Unity? Forget about it… it’s every country for itself in a fight for survival on the Tourism Battleground.

Jamaican Tourism Minister personally met with 300 Canadian travel agents in Canada’s Western Provinces

Despite the global economic crisis, Jamaican Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says a record number of Canadian tourists are expected to visit Jamaica this winter.

“Canada is our fastest growing market,” the Jamaican Information Service (JIS) quoted Bartlett as saying in Toronto.

“Two years ago, the Canadian market was providing around 150,000 stopover visitors and for this year we are looking at close to 300,000, which represents a 28 percent increase over last year,” he added.

Bartlett recently visited Canada to thank travel partners for helping to make Canada the fastest growing market for Jamaica. He met with some 300 travel agents, airline officials and four operators in Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg, cities that have shown encouraging growth in recent times…

… from eTurboNews.com’s article Jamaica looks forward to record number Canadian visitors this winter season

Bahamas Politicians lie about Freedom of Information legislation too

“Barbados Free Press blog reminded me of all the times I’ve read about the commitment of our political class to to do something similar.

Oh they write about it in their respective manifesto’s and talk it up on the campaign trail but just seem so busy passing laws to keep the general public “in check” that they just can’t pass laws that do the same to themselves…”

Rick Lowe kicks the political class right where they deserve in the Weblog Bahamas article The Bahamas and freedom of government information

Poll: Mia Mottley Opposition “Leader” in name only? You decide…

Mia Mottley: almost two years without a leadership mandate from BLP Membership

It’s almost two years now since Mia Mottley was declared last man standing at the post-election punch-up that saw her declared “Leader” of the BLP. Many party members and the public are starting to understand that it will soon be time for the BLP to fish or cut bait…

It is time for the BLP to confirm Mottley as leader or to select another person to lead them into the next election.

Seeing as how the Mia Mottley is doing everything she can to avoid putting her leadership to a test in front of the BLP membership, we at Barbados Free Press decided it was time to ask the people of Barbados: Is Mia Mottley an “interim” or legitimate leader of the BLP?

In the wreckage of the January 2008 election, defeated Prime Minister Owen Arthur resigned from the leadership of the BLP, and Deputy Leader Mia Mottley was publicly announced as the new party leader.

What most of the public didn’t see or read about in the papers – and only heard about in whispers and quiet standpipe talk – was that Mia Mottley’s “promotion” to party leader was anything but unanimous and smooth sailing. Her “confirmation” (if you can call it that) as Leader of the Opposition took place behind closed doors and must have been some battle judging by the reports.

When will the BLP hold a Leadership Vote?

Like many people I heard the stories of screaming, shouting and banging that could be heard out onto the street until some thinking person sent a text message to one of the participants that party supporters milling about outside were overhearing the disaster. Later, rumours came around that Mia almost lost the position until her father threatened to lay waste to half the old-boys network if his little girl didn’t assume the mantle of BLP leader. Yes, Mia’s daddy – Justice Elliot D. Mottley – was at the inner-circle meeting on election night and not just to provide moral support to his daughter.

In my opinion, what the Barbados Labour Party received on election night was an Interim Leader. Whether the BLP cares to call Mia Mottley by that name or not, the public understands the reality of her position and it weakens her image and credibility in Parliament.

This article is adapted from our May 31, 2009 editorial: Why The Barbados Labour Party Needs A Real Leadership Contest & Convention – And Why Mia Mottley Will Never Agree To A Leadership Vote

Further Reading

March 11, 2008: Who is in charge of the Barbados Labour Party?

Barbados PM admits citizenship applications “not dealt with for over 12 years”

Prime Minister David Thompson admitted yesterday what anyone who has applied for Barbados citizenship in the past decade already knows: there really aren’t any clear rules and the system is a mess.

What Thompson didn’t say is how some people just sail right through the system and others never make it.

Money can grease the wheels sometimes, but other times it doesn’t seem to matter. Many folks – some rich and some ordinary – arrive in Barbados thinking that a decade of hard work and commitment, or marriage, will gain them citizenship as the law apparently says. I say “apparently” because, as the PM points out, there is a large element of “whimsical Ministerial or other discretionary and flimsy entitlements” that are in play.

So a word to foreign spouses, investors and retirees… whatever nice stories you’ve been told about obtaining Bajan citizenship aren’t worth the paper they’re not printed on.

Buy your house, promote the country, be a good sport and make a positive contribution to Barbados. Enjoy your 10 year vacation – because without citizenship your stay could end any time a government official gets “whimsical”. And that is the truth right from the Prime Minister’s mouth.

Good luck to the DLP government as they try to restructure a government service that is infested with the friends, relatives and supporters of the last BLP administration.

Read the Prime Minister’s press release: Barbados: Green paper on Immigration laid in house

New Hospital the only proper decision for Barbados – but as a nation and as citizens, do we have what it takes to make it happen?

Barbados Queen Elizabeth Hospital Washroom - "Progress & Quality Of Life" As Defined By The Arthur/Mottley BLP Government

Minister of Health Donville Inniss announced Tuesday morning that our government has committed the country to building a new hospital. We pray that our current government and the succeeding government(s) receive the wisdom and strength to continue with vital project.

If we can make it happen in five years, I’ll be surprised but pleased. Most people don’t realise the enormity of the task – or how much commitment and effort this will require.

The danger is this: as a people we have been spoiled by two decades of politicians who bribed us with our own money until the cupboard was bare and the loans dried up.

After a generation of artificially living the high life, are the people of Barbados willing to put up with fewer circuses and parties in exchange for a new hospital?

For twenty years, we’ve had government giveaways by the score. We had community group funding. We had huge Crop Over celebrations. We had a Cricket World Cup party that cost us… well.. we don’t know because they never told us. Was it a billion dollar party? Probably. Blown to hell in three weeks of some of the worst cricket I’ve ever seen. Not to mention that “finale” in the dark. A generation of government contracts awarded to friends without bids. Hundreds of millions in project over-runs with not so much as an explanation from any government, whether DLP or BLP.

And then there were the little projects that bled us by a thousand cuts. Remember the $400,000 privy built by Government Minister Liz Thompson’s spouse? Remember the two million dollar plan that gave weed-trimmers to the unemployed boys on the block so they could each have a business cutting the lawns of the rich? That worked out well, didn’t it?

And that’s only a sample of the money the politicians shot to hell to keep us amused.

It’s all gone now, folks – but we still need a new hospital and the economy is in a graveyard spiral. (“Graveyard spiral” is aviation talk, but I’m sure you get the meaning.)

Our Queen Elizabeth Hospital is by any standard, a dump. Ineffective. Wasteful. A national embarrassment. A new coat of paint can only cover so much and that place has seen more coats of paint than Owen Arthur has seen empty bottles.

The condition of the hospital is one of the reasons why a beautiful country like Barbados can’t attract foreign nurses. Think about it… with a modern hospital paying a living wage, Barbados would have well qualified and experienced medical personnel lining up to live and work here.

Barbados desperately needs a new hospital. By the time the new one opens its doors we will be in crisis if we aren’t already.

BFP's Shona plants a kiss on the PM for his Good Decision

So good for the Thompson government for making a decision that should have been made five years ago by the Arthur/Mottley BLP government. The BLP chose cricket circuses for the masses instead of making the tough decisions to build hospitals and watermains.

Let’s hope and pray that the Thompson government and each citizen remains committed to the new hospital for the long run.

Further Reading

Nation News: New hospital in the works

BFP: Has it come to this in Barbados? Dialysis patients turned away due to shortage of needles, gloves, standard supplies

BFP: Your Child Is Sick: Welcome To Barbados Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Environment Minister Lowe’s speech a farce as he deliberately ignores the largest and best green space near Bridgetown

Lies Before The Election: Denis Lowe & David Thompson promising "whatever it takes to get elected, not that you can believe a word we say"

Hey friends, just found a short little reminder to myself about something I read in the Nation a few days ago so I’ll write a few lines before it slips away and I forget again…

Environment Minister Denis Lowe was recently rambling on and on about the importance of open spaces for people. Lowe said recreational spaces were important to all Barbadians, “particularly since we are becoming a fast-paced society and we need to find places where we can cool down, so to speak, and recreate”.

Right.

That man has been making the same speech for seven or eight years and I mean the SAME SPEECH. Same words, same hand gestures, same earnest “I care” expression like a preacher man on fire to save your soul. Lowe could have been successful anywhere in the deep Southern USA pitching a tent in the middle of a farmer’s field.

Yup, Dr. Lowe is pretty damn good talking about open spaces, families and green space.

Except… when it came down to it, he voted with the rest of the DLP to change the law protecting 265 acres of parkland at Graeme Hall to allow developer friends to profit from these public lands. To make this happen, David Thompson and the DLP Members of Parliament had to set aside laws that had protected the land from development since 1988. When the government was finished, 2/3 of the parkland (175 acres) was gone.

If you can stand the smell of cow manure, you might read Dr. Lowe’s comments in The Nation News article The worst of green

If you want the truth about what Dr. Lowe, David Thompson and the rest of the DLP piggies did with your irreplaceable national treasure, read Barbados Government Steals 2/3 Of Parkland For Developer Friends – Graeme Hall Environmental Disaster Continues

Barbados Athlete Ramone Harewood has shot at NFL – National Football League

Couple six foot – seven, three hundred and sixty pounds with a engineer’s mindset and you get a thinking football player who can also eliminate opposition like a tank rolling on the battlefield.

Oh… and they say Ramone Harewood likes cricket too!

The NFL (that’s American “football”) has taken a liking to a young man from St. Michael and the talk is he’ll be snatched up in the 2010 National Football League draft.

Good for you Ramone!

We’d love to see you succeed, an we’ll send you off with best wishes and an admonition from Auntie Moses: “Unlike some folks, doan forget where you came from and wat is right and wat is wrong.”

Morehouse star from Barbados has shot at NFL

Rihanna: Barbados Ambassador for Culture, Youth and Barbed Wire

Another Rihanna nasty picture. So sad.

I arrived home this morning to find Shona prancing around the kitchen wearing only knickers and barbed wire. “It’s the latest Bajan fashion for young girls” she said. “It must be – because our Ambassador for Culture and Youth thinks it’s the thing, doan ya know? Rihanna’s photo is all over the world on her Russian Roulette cover promoting Bajan culture. And youth.”

“The boys?” says I.

“Auntie’s” says she with a twinkle in her eye.

“Let’s get that wire off”

“Careful, I don’t think this fashion will last.” says she.

“No way!” says I, “Don’t you know that Prime Minister Thompson who made Rihanna our Culture and Youth Ambassador adopts all her styles? I even have a photo to prove it…”

Prime Minister Thompson couldn't resist naming Rihanna "Ambassador for Culture and Youth"

Nicholas Cox asks “Where’s the professionalism?” but leaves out his own profession

In his latest column at the Barbados Advocate, Mr. Cox is aghast (and rightly so) that Barbados police officers, lawyers, and bus drivers – people we should be able to depend on to do the right thing – are being hauled before the courts for wrongdoing up to and including rape, kidnapping, major thefts and driving in a dangerous manner.

His article “Where’s the professionalism?” is a worthy read and he makes many good points.

But except as an afterthought Mr. Cox leaves out his own profession of journalism, so we’ll have to ask all the Barbados journalists… not “Where’s the professionalism?” but…

Where’s the investigative journalism?

Can someone list for me the last three pieces of true investigative journalism in Barbados? Didn’t think so!

Where’s the professionalism?

10/20/2009 By Nicholas Cox

Police officers being hauled before the courts for crimes like kidnapping and rape; a Transport Board bus driver facing charges for driving in a manner that was dangerous to the public; an attorney-at-law facing jail time for allegedly defrauding a client.

These are all worrying examples of the lack of professionalism that is becoming more common in Barbados. It seems that very few people take pride in a job well done. This is frustrating in every day situations, but apathy at work becomes especially concerning when innocent lives are at stake.

The expected response to this type of criticism will be that the type of behaviour mentioned above is not representative of people working in any profession, but yet another example of a few bad apples spoiling the bunch. However, it appears that the rot is well underway…

… continue reading at the Barbados Advocate Where’s the professionalism?

Remember When? BWIA posters in 1965 & 1970

-

I stumbled on these two at the National Air and Space Museum collection of aviation posters. Are there any more? I don’t know and I didn’t look, but you can at the National Air and Space Museum Fly Now! online museum.

Robert “still not home”