President Obama Slams African Leadership – West, Colonialism, Neo-Colonialism “Cannot Be Blamed For African Catastrophe Of Last 20 Years”

“I think part of what’s hampered advancement in Africa is that for many years we’ve made excuses about corruption or poor governance – that this was somehow the consequence of neo-colonialism, or the West has been oppressive, or racism,” Mr. Obama told an African website, AllAfrica , in his only interview dedicated to Africa before his visit.

“I’m not a believer in excuses,” he said. “I’d say I’m probably as knowledgeable about African history as anybody who’s occupied my office, and I can give you chapter and verse on why the colonial maps that were drawn helped to spur on conflict. … And yet the fact is we’re in 2009.”

The West cannot be blamed for the disastrous policies that have brought catastrophe to Zimbabwe and other African countries over the past 15 or 20 years, he said. “I think it’s very important for African leadership to take responsibility and be held accountable.”

… from Globe and Mail World article Obama’s Mission of Tough Love In Africa

The Obama Cat Is Amongst The Pigeons!

You really must read the go to YouTube or All Africa.com and let President Obama speak for himself. Read the transcript of the interview or hear him speak on YouTube.

Just do it.

The man has ideas, presence and moral authority unlike any USA President I’ve ever seen. I think that Barack Obama would have a most interesting conversation with George Ayittey and Dambisa Moyo.

As I have said before… Darn, I like Obama… if he would only soften the US position on Barbados offshore banking and our “tax haven” status.

Internet Searches For Sir Charles Williams of Barbados Explode: What Is Happening With COW Williams?

It’s me, Robert. I am not in Barbados at the moment and I’m handling spam duty this morning for the next few hours. I’m tired, hungry and stuck somewhere I don’t want to be, but at least the sun is rising so the breakfast lady will be around soon. Drank way too much Pernod last night.

There is a spike – hell, an explosion – in Google and Bing searches for “Sir Charles Williams, Barbados” and similar enquiries. Hundreds of hits coming in for the last few hours. Nothing on the web or internet radio.

What’s happening? Why the sudden intense interest in Sir Charles?

Anyone hear anything?

Robert

Barbados In 2025: More Cars, More Roads – Or Light Rail Transit, Fewer Private Vehicles?

Our Current Failed Vision Of Barbados Transportation, Society and Daily Life

If you think our roads are crowded now, if you think that your time spent getting to and from work or school is unreasonable, if you think our quality of life and environment in Barbados is heading for the suckwell – just close your eyes and picture how Barbados will look after another ten or fifteen years of continuing to implement the same transportation “solution” of more cars, more roads, wider roads and ever more cars.

Is that where you want to see Barbados in the year 2025?

Unless we get some vision and leadership around this place, that is exactly where Barbados is headed.

In 1995, Barbados had a total of 55,668 vehicles on the island, of which 42,821 were private cars. By 2005, only ten years later, the number of vehicles had doubled to 116,675 of which 94,496 were private as opposed to buses, taxis, zr’s etc. (Thanks to Linda at My Barbados Blog. Where are you, Linda? We miss you.)

In 1995 Barbados had 55,668 vehicles on the island. By 2005, the number doubled to 116,675

How many vehicles do we have today in Barbados? We weren’t able to find any newer statistics than those quoted by Linda, but you can bet the number hasn’t gone down in the last four years.

Despite the fact that this out of control proliferation of private vehicles is spoiling the value of Barbados as a tourist destination, successive governments have devoted virtually 100% of transportation expenditures in support of ever increasing numbers of vehicles. Flyovers and more and wider paved roads are all we ever hear from government.

Friends, we can never build “enough” roads in Barbados if we continue to allow the number of vehicles to increase. Never.

But thanks to the DLP and the BLP, the only transportation option for Bajans is to drive on the crowded roads in a car, a bus or mini-bus – all competing for the same piece of pavement.

Stop Spending On New Roads – Start Spending On New Forms Of Public Transit

“Let’s just pave over the whole damn island” seems to be the motto of both the current DLP and the previous BLP governments.

All the good intentions in the world, and Bajan government officials attending environmental conferences in Greenland and Switzerland will do nothing to stop this private car insanity in Barbados. We must start spending our money to provide real solutions – instead of creating more problems.

How much good did it do for Barbados when Owen Arthur and Mia Mottley spent half a billion dollars for a few weeks of cricket? Would we not have been better off spending that money on starting a new light-rail transit system for Barbados? Instead of widening the ABC, we could have spent the money building vehicle parking lots outside the city and implementing a rapid commuter system to the city core.

More vehicles and more roads is foolish. It reminds me of that old definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different outcome.

Puffing Billy: Nostalgia, Or Visions Of The Future?

Ian Bourne got us thinking about light rail transit with his excellent article Puffing Billy – History of the Barbados Railway Pleads for Revival of Old Service.

Then we read Jane Shatuck Hoyos’ article about our old horse-drawn trams Is it Time to Bring Back the Past in Barbados?

While we don’t think we need any more horse manure on the streets (especially near Parliament), we do think that a system of light rail public transit throughout the island combined with free and secure parking at major transportation nodes away from the city is the only solution that would really accomplish anything worthwhile for the future.

To be successful, a light rail transit system would have to be frequent, convenient, reliable, clean and safe. It wouldn’t have to go everywhere on the island, but as a start it would make sense to use the old Puffing Billy trackbed where possible if for no other reason than cost. Allen Morrison has put up a website display called The Tramways of Bridgetown Barbados that has the old tramway and Puffing Billy system maps. (Thanks to Planet Barbados for the tip on that one.)

You’ll hear all sorts of reasons why light rail transit can’t be successful in Barbados, and when you hear those arguments ask the speaker what alternative they propose. Unless they have invented a Star Trek transporter, the only “solution” they can offer is more vehicles competing for the same piece of pavement.

Let’s stop this insanity. Do we have any real leaders out there willing to say enough is enough?

Barbados 4H Tree Planting – Volunteer Efforts Much Appreciated – Money Wisely Spent

Well done to the 4H folks and Mr. Everton Hunte!

Hundreds of children from the 4H movement are involved in the growing of seedlings and planting of trees in an effort to beautify and stabilize coastal areas in Barbados. On Saturday 4H children planted over 1200 trees on the East Coast where the soil had been slipping in part due to the lack of plant roots and cover.

As reported in the local media, the project cost $30,000 – or about $25 per tree, which sounds like an excellent return on the investment if even half the young trees make it through the first few years. (See The Barbados Advocate article Green Coast)

The major benefit from the exercise though might be what the children learn about working together for the common good – and that ordinary people can make huge changes in the environment and the landscape.

While we’re not privy about which people were the driving force behind this project, from the accounts in the papers Mr. Everton Hunte, Chairman of the Barbados 4H Foundation, is obviously providing the kind of leadership that inspires everyone to do their part.

Should We Put Everton Hunte & 4H In Charge Of Saving the West Coast Beaches and Fixing The Sluice Gate at Graeme Hall Mangrove Wetlands?

Can the West Coast beaches and the Graeme Hall Mangrove Wetlands be saved with the help of the 4H Movement?

Rock Groins Destroying Barbados West Coast

Three Rock Groins Benefit One Condo While Destroying An Entire Coastline At Mullins Bay, Barbados

With all the ongoing erosion on the west coast, some of it no doubt probably related to climate change, government should have never given approval for three groins at St. Peter’s Bay. To put it mildly – it was a monumental environmental mistake (if indeed it was a mistake and nothing even more sinsiter). To continue to ignore the problem (where is the Minister of the Environment who promised to visit the area two weeks ago) will in the very short term mean kissing goodbye to Mullins Beach itself and tourism in the area – not to mention the total devastation and havoc it would visit on the local and adjoining communities…

… from Mullins Bay Blog article Educate Yourself On The Mullins Bay Area Issues

Graeme Hall Wetlands To Be Developed By DLP Campaign Funder CLICO & Leroy Paris

The Broken Sluice Gate That Is Killing The Graeme Hall Mangrove Wetlands

Despite formal Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary offers to government to help with Worthing Beach sluice gate operations over the years, almost nothing has been done, resulting in significant environmental degradation at the Sanctuary.

“We experience massive fluctuations of water levels because the sluice gate is not operating.  This has contributed to increasingly unhealthy wetland waterbodies, including fish kills and mosquito infestations.  After nearly 15 years, mismanagement of the sluice gate and the elimination of traditional tidal flows into the wetland continues. Since August 2006, due to the inoperative sluice gate, the Ministry of Public Works controls water levels in Graeme Hall Swamp using a backhoe to add or remove sand fill in the sluice gate channel.”

… from Graeme Hall Sanctuary “New Plans To Develop Most Of Graeme Hall Lands Will Kill Wetlands & Migratory Bird Site”

How Much To Send Barbados Environment Minister & Team To Greenland? What Will Be Accomplished… REALLY Accomplished?

Hey… we’re all for meeting with the world. That’s why Barbados is a member of the United Nations.

You know… so we can vote FOR the hanging of 16 year old girls in Iran who have sex outside of marriage. (Yup… Barbados voted to support Iran in the execution of juveniles.)

So… we came across an article that says Barbados Environment Minister is in Greenland for an “informal” meeting with a few other environment ministers.

Lies Before Election: Environment Minister Denis Lowe & David Thompson Promising Freedom of Information & Accountability Legislation

Okay, Dr. Lowe… Let’s have a report…

1/ How much did it cost to send you and your assistants to Greenland?

2/ What was accomplished? What ACTIONS will Barbados take as a DIRECT RESULT of the meeting?

OH! …Wait a minute!

We forgot… without a Freedom of Information Act, Bajans have no right to ask you for any justification at all – not how much you spent or what was accomplished.

Please, forgive us, oh Holy One.

More on the web…

Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy – Greenland Dialogue provides political guidance to climate negotiations

Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy – Greenland dialogue: Chair’s Conclusions

Should I Obtain A Masters In Cricket Studies or Basket Weaving? Decisions, Decisions!

The Editor,
Barbados Free Press

Dear Sir/madam,

I recently came across a brochure, put out by the University of the West Indies (U.W.I.), offering a Master of Science program in Cricket Studies. The number of faculty or facilitators for this program, according to the brochure is twelve. I consider this to be a waste of resources, which could be better spent, as I will show below.

Barbados is a developing country. It therefore suffers from most of the ailments associated with developing societies. These ailments are briefly, lack of trained professionals in the sciences and the ancillary equipment and instrumentation needed to implement any meaningful developmental thrust in these area. An in depth examination of all countries, which are developed or are on the verge of being called developed, will reveal, that science and technology, form the backbone of their developmental thrust (eg. Singapore).

There is a need to develop a cheap source of rations for animal husbandry in the region. Processed products from our agricultural commodities, as well as from the fishing industry are needed. There is also a need, to develop new products for export if this island and the region are to survive.

The morass in a country like Barbados is further compounded by the proliferation of non-productive or virtual reality occupations (e.g. law, public sector reform, political science, public administration, accountancy and  management – the latter two are really forms of legalized thievery- etc.). U.W.I. seems very adept at graduating lots of persons in these disciplines. If there is one thing that, the credit crunch has demonstrated, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), it is the fact that, agriculture and engineering form what are called the real economy. The service sector and investment banking among others, the virtual reality economy. Without the former the latter cannot exist.

Like most developing countries, Barbados suffers from a lack of resources. I used to play cricket for U.W.I., St. Augustine and my two sons played cricket. I have a problem, at this juncture in Barbados’ development, with money being spent on this cricket venture. I wonder, if this program, which is being implemented by U.W.I., is a one-man venture or the collective will of a number of persons. If the latter is the case, it would seem that , we are a society, in which individuals lack independency of thought as well as vision.

Sincerely

Robert D. Lucas, Ph.D.
Food biotechnologist.

Barbados

Secret Withdrawal Of Bribery Charges Against Barbados Cop Stinks Of Corruption At The Highest Levels

Unholy Alliance: Sergeant Paul Vaughan (left) & Charles Leacock - Barbados Director Of Public Prosecutions

Barbados News Media Remains Silent

On September 16, 2008, Barbados Police Sergeant Paul Emmanuel Vaughn (sometimes spelled Paul Vaughan) was charged with corruptly accepting $56,500 in bribes between December 1, 2004 and April 30, 2007 from Evadney Cindy Bushell in return for protecting her from prosecution for selling pirated DVDs.

We said at the time that the Director of Public Prosecutions Charles Leacock would eventually withdraw the criminal charges against his old friend, Sergeant Vaughn, because the two corrupt public employees had previously been involved together in the Ronja Juman scandal. In short, Charles Leacock had Sergeant Vaughn and his goon squad arrest Ronja Juman in the middle of the night and subject the terrified woman to a vaginal search – over back rent she owed Charles Leacock. There was no way the DPP was going to continue the prosecution of a man who was his friend and a co-conspirator in the illegal activities and abuses that happened to Juman – and we said so.

See our article Corrupt Director Of Public Prosecutions Must Now Prosecute His Corrupt Police Friend For Accepting Bribes!!!

Well surprise, surprise! The Director of Public Prosecutions recently ordered the withdrawal of the bribery and perverting the course of justice charges against his friend, Sergeant Vaughn. No public explanation was given – and the cowardly lapdogs in the Barbados news media never asked a single question even though the whole thing stinks to high heaven.

As our friend from GBL Blog pointed out, the original charges stated that $56,500 had been paid by Evadney Bushell to Sergeant Vaughan between certain dates. The police who laid the bribery charges didn’t just pull that figure out of a hat, you know! Here is what our friend said…

“Yesterday, prosecutor, Sergeant Trenton Small informed the court that acting on the instructions of the DPP, Charles Leacock, QC, the two charges were being withdrawn by the prosecution.”

- Daily Nation, June 23, 2009, Pg 17.

This stinks to me. I wish I had the original court report so I could point how ‘dead to rights’ this guy was. The 56K figure which seemed connected to him had to come from somewhere. As far as I am aware, an influx of cash of that amount for a civil servant will raise eyebrows, as civil servants are not allowed to work outside of the civil service whilst still employed by the civil service.

There is also the evidence against the accused Evadney Bushell. Did that just disappear into thin air? What brought the charges in the first place?

The article does not say that the case was dropped for lack of evidence, the procedure was not improperly followed, so I am left to ask WHY?

The boys in blue look after their own. That’s why. From the beat cop to the DPP.

… from The Good, The Bad & The LOL article Charges Against Sergeant Discontinued

Police Commissioner Dottin… Why Do You Think The Barbados Police Enjoy So Little Public Respect?

As we said when we predicted the charges would fade into nothing without any explanation…

I love Barbados – but I hate the corrupt and incestuous cartel that seems to run everything.

Top Ten Dead Movie Star Cigarette Advertisements

Starting with our Barbados Sweetheart: Claudette Colbert

There was a time not so long ago when smoking was considered “calming” and “healthy for the nerves”. The criminals who ran the tobacco companies knew for decades that smoking was killing millions of people through cancer, heart and lung diseases – but the almighty dollar was far more important than mass murder (for that is what they did).

Through advertising, cigarette placement in movies, the embracing of smoking as women’s liberation (“You’ve come a long way, baby.”), political activism and distributing “kiddy packs” of cigarettes to minors, the tobacco companies made new addicts and staved off product and advertising bans until the tide turned in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.

Here are some fabulous movie star tobacco advertisements we found at the Stanford School of Medicine’s exhibit “Not a Cough in a Carload“. Many of these folks died of lung disease, heart failure and cancer – but some lived to 90 and 100 years old. Here is Shona’s list of the Top 10 Dead Movie Star Cigarette Advertisements…

Number 10 – Barbados Sweetheart Claudette Colbert

Claudette Colbert – Lived 92 years, died in Speightstown, Barbados in 1996.

Number 9 – Lucille Ball

Lucille Ball – Died aged 77 of a ruptured aorta

Number 8 – Jean Harlow

Jean Harlow – Lived 26 years, Died of Renal failure (kidney failure)

Number 7 – Rock Hudson

Rock Hudson died at age 59 of AIDS

Number 6 – Gary Cooper

Gary Cooper – Died of lung cancer at age 60

Number 5 – Bob Hope

Bob Hope – Died aged 100 years old

Number 4 – Betty Grable

Betty Grable – Died age 56 of lung cancer.

Number 3 – Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra died at age 82 of a heart attack.

Number 2 – Robert Taylor

Robert Taylor died at 57 years old of lung cancer. Taylor was a chain smoker.

Number 1 – Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan – Died at age 93 with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Barbados Business Could Face Immigration Backlash Throughout Caribbean

Dear Barbados Free Press:

I will just state for the record that my job involves extensive travel throughout the Eastern Caribbean and I have been in the same job for over 11 years. Let me also state that I am for managed migration, however, I must admit that I have a soft spot for my Caribbean brothers and sisters having made genuine friends in all the EC countries that I visited, so much so I have the choice to stay at a friend’s home as opposed to a hotel when I visit my neighbours. Similarly I entertain at least 8 of my EC mates or their family every year for a week at a time.

Prime Minister Thompson’s announcement of am amnesty for all Undocumented CARICOM Nationals (I do not subscribe to the view that a human should ever be referred to as ILLEGAL) has not gone down well in any of the Caribbean countries I have visited since May 15th. Bajans have come in for a tongue lashing from all walks of the EC’s society – e.g. the taxi driver, the home helper, the call in programs, the politicians, the business people and others. I have found myself on the receiving end more often than not and I am beginning to sense that a dislike for Bajans like me and you is rapidly brewing and it genuinely concerns me.

In a nutshell I am hearing from OUTSIDE OF BARBADOS that the backlash is rooted in the following –

1. The amnesty sets unrealistic requirements. A radio call in host in St. Lucia noted that PM Thomson’s conditions (I suspect with time spent in Barbados) would disqualify more than 90% of Undocumented Immigrants here in Barbados. Therefore it is being suggested that PM Thompson’s amnesty was never intended to facilitate the Undocumented Immigrant to regularize his/ her stay in Barbados, rather it is believed by the wider Caribbean that it is more so intended to justify the mass deportation of Undocumented CARICOM Nationals come January 1, 2010.

2.    Barbados and Bajans encouraged many of these same very Undocumented Immigrants to come to Barbados to work over the last 16 years. As a result some of Guyana’s and St, Vincent’s most talented artisans left their home for greener pastures in our then booming construction sector; additionally others were readily employed by our middle and upper classes as maids and gardeners. How often you were at a cocktail party in the late 90s and the work ethic or roti making skills of the Guyanese maid was being praised? Others came to our shores as plantation workers while others were recruited as sex workers. However, now that the party is over these Undocumented guest of ours are expected to drop everything – including chattel and family and jump on the next plane home.

3.    The politicians, especially the PMs of St. Vincent and Guyana, are stirring up the flames of anti-Bajan sentiment in their respective countries. I have little doubt that such a move is meant to distract from their impoverished economies, respectively.

4.    A middle class Grenadian business man reminded me in no uncertain terms that Barbados depends on her CARICOM neighbours for almost 60% of our exports. And how we are ungrateful “sycophants”. And if we don’t watch it our exports were going to suffer. He and others were of the opinion that we should go easy on our CARICOM brothers/ sisters because our manufacturing sector could not survive without CARICOM.

5.    A St. Lucian taxi driver reminded me that CO Williams Construction, SAGICOR and Almond Resorts St. Lucia were Barbadian companies who were making lots of money in St. Lucia while there were no St. Lucian companies of note that were allowed to exist in Barbados. Again he thought that PM Thompson was undermining and taking for granted the good bilateral relationship that existed between St. Lucia and Barbados for years by announcing “such a callous immigration policy”.

6.    The Caribbean media have reported the Gestapo like raids on undocumented immigrants quoting individuals who stated that they were awoken in the middle of the night by Sergeant PC Brooms and a very caustic immigration officer not caring what was to happen to their belongings once they were escorted off the premises.

7.    Many are accusing us as being short sighted pointing out that in the early half of the 20th century Bajans travelled without restrictions throughout the Caribbean in search of gainful employment.

PLEASE DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER / OBSERVER.

If we don’t bring a more realistic and human face to dealing with our Undocumented CARICOM neighbours Barbados could face a serious irreversible and potentially economically crippling backlash.

I would be first to admit that I have a vested interest in Barbados being perceived as being a kinder and gentler nation. My livelihood in intricately connected to doing business with our Eastern Caribbean neighbours, however, I must point out that if I fail to meet my targets over 30 Bajans could be on the bread line adding to the drain on our social security services. While my failure will in turn affect over 100 persons (including immediate family members), however, with my limited knowledge I can see our recently announced immigration policy resulting in:

1.    Possibly 1000s of Bajan manufacturing jobs being threatened
2.    A reduced number of CARICOM nationals choosing Barbados as their holiday/ shopping destination
3.    Reduced opportunity for our professionals – e.g. accountants, quantity surveyors, engineers, lawyers, pilots – getting jobs in the Eastern Caribbean
4.    Reduced business opportunities for our companies and businesses in the Eastern Caribbean. Right now the Williams group of companies have recently completed a water desalination plant in St. Kitts.
5.    Reduced number of CARICOM nationals travelling to Barbados for Crop Over/ Jazz Festival/ Cricket/ etc.
6.    Reduced number of EC Governments paying for their nationals to come to Barbados for medical test and care
7.    Reduced number of EC countries coming to our rescue in the face of a national disaster/ crisis – e.g. hurricane, tsunami, social disturbance (Prison riots)
8.    Our fishermen may be increasingly harassed if they ventured into the territorial waters of our increasingly unfriendly CARICOM neighbours.
9.    We may no longer be a hub for air transport into the EC.
10.    Our nominees for UN/ OAS/ FAO/ PAHO/ CCJ and other appointments may no longer be guaranteed the support of the EC
11.    UWI Cave Hill may see less and less EC nationals entering its doors.
12.    Our regional companies – Goddards and Cave Shepherds – may find it increasingly difficult to do business in the EC

I was once told for every action one should always be prepared for an equal and opposite reaction. I do think that most Bajans supporting PM Thompson’s immigration policy are unaware of the possible consequences of the reactions by our EC neighbours who rightly or wrongly feel hurt that a CARICOM brother/ sister in Barbados would devise a policy that on the surface, at least, seems inhumane and unjust.

A Very Concerned Bajan

Suspicions Of Vote Tampering: 98.1 The One & Banks Sweet Soca Competition

(Above photo is a sample from the 46 screen shots taken to document possible vote tampering)

Online Photos Demand Answers From 98.1 The One & Banks Sweet Soca Competition

Technology is welcomed and has played a vital role in the development and advancement of mankind. At times that said technology and increased knowledge are used in self fulfilling and greedy ways.

That leads me to my topic at hand… 98.1 The One & Banks Sweet Soca Competition.

Apparently some artistes have been getting a rather generous boost in votes from seemingly suspicious means.

On my investigation of these bold claims I was quite intrigued by my findings.

The matter was brought to my attention around 22:50 June 29, 2009. I must add that it took me a while to actually lend my resources to same as i was engaged in what I thought at the time was more pertinent.

On inspection of the claim involving vote tampering at around 23:50 the votes per artiste stood as follows:

Aritste: Blood
Song: Back It Up
Votes: 14688

Artiste: Mr. Dale
Song: Come Out
Votes: 5157

Artiste: Statement
Song: All Night Till Mornin’
Votes: 3437

Artiste: TC
Song: Hot Sun & Riddim
Votes: 3299

Artiste: Tarah Holdipp
Song: Hottie Hottie Gal
Votes: 2906

Artiste: Lorenzo
Song: Good Vibes
Votes: 620

Artiste: Lil Rick
Song: Carnival Jucks
Votes: 545

Artiste: William Watts
Song: Busted
Votes: 59

What follows next is mind-blowing… shocking at the least! What you are about to see are screen shots taken of the following website (www.barbadoscropoverfestival.com) between 23:49 Jun 29, 2009 & 01:04 Jun 30, 2009. The pictures speak for themselves.

I invite you to pay attention to the times of the screen shots and the first two artistes on the list namely Blood & Mr. Dale.

Photobucket Still Picture Screenshot Views

Download Video (12.5 mb)

Am I paranoid or does all evidence lead to some form of foul play? Is this actually possible? Something is definitely ‘fishy’ here to me, after all it unfolded before my very eyes.

On even further investigation of the site in which the activity was purported by my technical assistant it was found that inadequate security measures were put in place to deter dishonesty by players or supporters of persons within the competition. Investigations revealed that persons were able to vote multiple times or in batch by either a) reseting their internet browsers i.e deleting cache, cookies, history etc or by (b) running a script encompassing elements of (a) to yield catapulting results.

As you can see Blood at the time of writing this post was already sitting comfortably on top with 16,000+ votes with Mr. Dale trailing behind with a steady rising figure of  9000+.

All this being said… in the spirit of  Crop Over and the festival upon us this should never be happening, so I appeal to the major players and fellow citizens like myself to put an end to this at once. In my opinion this competition is a farce and something needs to be done urgently to correct the wrong doing that has transpired. Lets not let a few bad apples destroy ‘we culture’.

NB: Dirkmouse “Da Bouse” does not blame or hold any artiste or individual responsible for any material contained or discussed within.

–
Kurt Linton
a.k.a Dirkmouse “Da Bouse”

Website: http://www.dirkmouse.com

President Obama A Class Act: Interrupted By Quacking Duck Ringtone During Gay Rights Speech – No Problem Without The Teleprompter

This Guy Is The Right Blend Of Approachable, Dignified Authority & Leadership – And Yes, He Does OK Without A Teleprompter

I haven’t agreed with everything that President Obama has done since he took office, but that’s ok – he probably wouldn’t agree with everything I’ve done either. He’s trying to implement some big changes in the middle of an economic crisis not of his making, but I give him high marks for trying to make many of those changes that he said would be on his list.

One thing I give him credit for big time is a new message to the world about what the USA is all about. Some folks disagree with President Obama’s quiet and friendly style compared to the gunslinger-talk favoured by Dubya. Those folks are, I think, misreading the man. Obama still has a big stick available if he needs it – and the world knows it – but he is secure and confident enough in himself and in America that he doesn’t have to shake that stick aggressively at everyone who disagrees with him. Not right off, anyway.

Which brings me to this YouTube video hot off the press from Drudge Report only 30 minutes ago. President Obama was giving a speech today at the White House about gay rights (LGBT I think means “Lesbian, Gay, uh… Bisexual and Transgendered people” – I think) when right in the middle of it someone’s cell phone went off with a quacking duck ringtone.

Have a look and listen at how the President handled the situation and himself and you will again see that blend of dignity, friendliness and authority. This man is a leader – he is no pushover – and he is confident. What a pleasant change.

Darn, I like this guy more and more. Now if we could only get him to relax a bit on his anti-offshore banking agenda.

British Tourist Shot, Robbed Near Sandy Lane Resort Barbados On June 4, 2009 – Victim Alleges Silence By Barbados News Media, Hotel, Tourism Authorities

“It did concern me that other British tourists who were staying at the hotel were completely unaware of what had happened. I am not saying it was deliberately suppressed but it doesn’t excuse the fact that no tourists were told about it..”

“There need to be warnings to British tourists that there are armed robbers operating in West Coast Road.”

… British lawyer Andrew Thompson tells the U.K. news media about his Sandy Lane Resort vacation - Suffolk barrister shot in Barbados and in a second article here.

Update: Many Newspapers picked up the story including the Daily Express: Britons’ Shooting Terror At Celebrity Caribbean Retreat

Couple Robbed, Husband Shot Walking Back To Sandy Lane Resort

Not A Word In Barbados News Media – Visitors & Hotel Guests Not Warned About Nearby Shooting, Robbery

Hotel is popular with Simon Cowell & Other Celebrities

Recovering from shooting: British Tourists Robbed, Husband Shot in Barbados

Suffolk barrister Andrew Thompson and his wife Isobel were walking back to Sandy Lane Resort after dinner on June 4, 2009 when they were held up by two men who had to dodge through busy traffic to reach them. Mr. Thompson was shot almost immediately after one robber demanded his wallet and the other snatched his wife’s purse. The shot ripped through his lower leg and caused major damage.

Mr. & Mrs. Thompson are veteran Barbados vacationers, visiting the island some 20 times and staying at Sandy Lane 10 times. They say they’ll be back – but they wish that someone had warned them and their fellow Brits that gunpoint robberies and shootings of tourists happen. They also complain that none of the other Sandy Lane visitors heard about it in the days afterward and so might have been at risk themselves while walking in the same area after Mr. Thompson had been shot and robbed.

The story only just appeared in the British news media some three weeks after the incident and, to Mr. Thompson’s knowledge (and our’s), has yet to be mentioned by the Barbados news media. (Dear readers: if the Thompsons & BFP missed coverage, please let us know and send us the reference.)

Memories of Murdered Canadian Tourist Terry Schwarzfeld

Murdered Canadian Tourist Terry Schwarzfeld

Back in March of 2009, Canadian tourists Terry Schwarzfeld and her daughter-in-law Lauana Cotsman were attacked and robbed on Long Beach on the Barbados South Coast. Sadly, Mrs. Schwarzfeld died from the beating after being returned to Canada in a coma.

Soon, Canadians were outraged to learn that many tourist robberies and rapes had been taking place at Long Beach but the Barbados news media, police and government hadn’t warned visitors even though the media and authorities knew of the ongoing danger! For an entire year or more the Barbados news media and authorities concealed a string of violent offenses at Long Beach and put many visitors at risk until one was finally murdered by the same serial criminal who was stalking the location.

Disgusting.

In the ten days immediately following the Schwarzfeld murder, the initial response from the Barbados Government and the Barbados news media was to say nothing and hope it all went away. Only after the Canadian press criticized Barbados for a cover-up did the Barbados Government and our news media mention Schwarzfeld.

FACT: Barbados Authorities Learned No Lessons From The Schwarzfeld Murder

Here we are only a few months after Terry Schwarzfeld was murdered – and once again foreign news media is reporting that Barbados tourists and Sandy Lane hotel guests were not warned that a robbery and shooting of a tourist had taken place nearby!

Once again the foreign news media is reporting that Barbados does not warn tourists of dangerous areas where there have been recent or ongoing attacks.

Have we learned nothing? Barbados and other tourist destinations can no longer cover up incidents of robbery, rape, shootings and even murders as was done in the past. Can you image what the foreign press would be saying if another Sandy Lane Resort guest had been shot or murdered in the same area after the first shooting – and the hotel guests hadn’t been warned of a recent incident?

This is the internet age and information cannot be contained. As Barbados Free Press has stated time and time again…

“…the international traveling public will accept a few unfortunate tourist incidents – but only if there is not one hint of a cover-up or sloppy, uncaring response. Everybody knows that trouble happens – and they also know that what happens after the trouble occurs is the true test of any organization.”

It is outrageous that once again the foreign news media is reporting that visitors to Barbados are not warned of recent shootings and robberies against tourists right where they are staying!

Here is the story from the Nation News about the despicable behaviour of the Barbados news media and authorities in covering-up the Long Beach tourist attacks for a year until Mrs. Schwarzfeld was murdered!

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Target Barbados Solar Car – Driver Marcelo da Luz Happy Not To Be Tasered

Barbados Solar Car Survives RCMP Traffic Cop

Sun-Powered Auto “Too Slow” For Canadian Police

Former Air Canada flight attendant Marcelo da Luz has been pulled over by police about two dozen times during his travels across North America. They always let him go when he tells them about the treaties that allow his Barbados-registered solar car to use the roads legally.

But the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Red Deer, Western Canada were a little tougher than some of the other law enforcement types he’s met. They detained him for hours because he and his follow-up vehicle were traveling too slowly for their liking. The police also told da Luz that his vehicle would be prohibited from traveling on the roads permanently.

Rule of Law Comes Through

The amazing thing about the rule of law is this: If a country respects the rule of law, the police just can’t make things up as they go. The police can’t make the rules, they have to obey the law or they find themselves in trouble. In this case, the law stated that a Barbados-registered vehicle MUST be allowed access to highways in Canada – so the RCMP had to let da Luz and his Barbados solar car continue on the way.

Yes, da Luz promised to stick to the secondary roads during busy times – but in the end a police officer’s power was not higher than the law. See the Canada.com article: Solar car driver resumes journey after police warning.

You can read our two previous articles on the Barbados solar car…

May 9, 2009: Barbados-Registered Solar Car Heading Back To The Arctic

November 24, 2008: Barbados Solar Powered Auto Breaks World Record For Distance

At Least The RCMP Didn’t Taser Our Friend!

The RCMP are Canada’s national police force. Their name used to be synonymous with the image of dashing young “Mounties” in their red uniforms – riding on horseback to rescue damsels in distress etc etc etc.

Lately though the Mountie image has been a YouTube video of RCMP officers tasering a man to death at Vancouver International Airport in October of 2007. Polish tourist Robert Dziekanski died when four RCMP officers tasered him to death for the offense of having a stapler in his hand. Dziekanski was upset after he had been waiting for 10 hours in the airport security area. He didn’t speak English and didn’t realise it was OK for him to leave. 29 seconds after the officers entered the room they tasered him numerous times. A video of the incident shows Dziekanski not attacking the officers before they killed him.

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Bill Sweeney apologized for his officers making a “mistake”, but an inquiry into the man’s death was halted a few days ago (June 19, 2009) when it was discovered that all four RCMP officers lied during their testimony at the inquest.

How Will Barbados Police Officers Use Their New Tasers?

Every patrolling officer of the Royal Barbados Police Force is about to be issued with a Taser. While we at BFP are pleased to see our police receiving new equipment and another option that is less lethal than firearms, we have grave concerns that our under-trained, under-staffed, under-paid and under-supervised police will misuse their Tasers.

If a premier police force like the RCMP can “accidentally” kill someone with a Taser, what can citizens expect from our Barbados police? According to an investigation by the CBC Canadian News, One-third of people shot by Taser need medical attention. There have also been numerous deaths attributed to the Taser and any Google search will show that Taser deaths and liability lawsuits are a hot topic. You can start with this article: The Trouble With Tasers – What the manufacturer doesn’t want you to know.

Cartoon from Gizmodo.com

Barbados Free Press Posts Article Three Thousand (#3000)

Welcome to BFP’s 3,000th Article!

Barbados Free Press published our first article on January 17, 2006, and right away we let the world know where we stood on Integrity, Transparency and Accountability of elected and appointed public officials in Barbados.

In that article, Prime Minister Owen Arthur Opens a New Can of Paint – To Cover Old Corruption, we took the first shot across the bow of a corrupt BLP government led by then-PM Owen Arthur. The article also mentioned the controversy over the flyovers, a company called 3S Structural Steel Solutions LLC, of Maryland USA and said…

The last thing that Barbadians need is a “public relations programme” instead of an open accountability about where every dollar is spent.

Prime Minister Arthur is correct: the cartel must stop misusing their political offices and connections for “personal material gain.” Only time will tell if the Prime Minister is really serious about stopping the corruption, or whether, like a used car salesman, he really means “Give her a new coat of paint and some sucker will buy it.”

We followed up the very next day with an expose, Barbados Tender Process Corrupt? that told how the $120 million dollar flyover project had been awarded without being put out to tender. On our third day, January 19, 2006, we expressed our hopes and doubts about the newly appointed Leader of the Opposition, David Thompson. About David Thompson, BFP said…

“…will Mr. Thompson (whom this writer greatly respects) remain true to the principles he so ably espoused earlier that day? Will he be able to ignore the siren call of easy money that has corrupted so many in the current government?”

Barbados Blogs Hounded Prime Minister Arthur & Opposition Leader Thompson On Integrity Legislation For Two Years Leading Up To The 2008 Election

As our long term readers know, Barbados Free Press hounded Prime Minister Arthur and the BLP Government for two more years on integrity and competency issues.

David Thompson & DLP Dragged Kicking & Screaming Towards ITAL

At the same time we urged Mr. Thompson to break his silence on ITAL – Integrity, Transparency and Accountability Legislation – and to declare that if elected his government would implement ITAL forthwith. We chided Thompson and the DLP to introduce Integrity Legislation while in Opposition to shame the government into action, but Thompson and his members remained silent until the last minute.

In the final weeks of the January 2008 election contest and with everything in the balance, David Thompson and the DLP finally came out in favour of ITAL. Although we were skeptical that Thompson’s last minute “cut and paste” declaration taken from an internet website was merely an election ploy, Barbados Free Press declared for the Thompson and the DLP.

After all, Thompson and the Democratic Labour Party promised in writing to implement ITAL within 100 days of forming a government, and to implement a Ministerial Code of Conduct immediately upon forming a government.

The rest of the election, as they say, is history.

Some people, perhaps many, believe that the island blogs were responsible for the DLP’s last minute Integrity Legislation promises and in fact, that without the island blogs and Thompson’s 100 day ITAL promise – the BLP may have succeeded in gaining an unprecedented fourth term.

Lies Before The Election: Denis Lowe & David Thompson Promising Integrity Legislation

Three and a half years later, Barbados still lacks Integrity, Transparency and Accountability Legislation

So here we are in June, 2009 some three and a half years after Barbados Free Press published our first article (that was viewed by I think seven people on the first day). We are about to welcome our six millionth visitor. Thompson’s “implement a Ministerial Code of Conduct” promise was dead the minute he took office. His “ITAL in 100 days” promise is now overdue by almost a year and a half and anyone with half a brain can see that integrity is the furthest thing from the DLP Government’s concerns.

Most telling, it is still legal for Barbados Government Ministers, and elected and appointed government officials to receive gifts – even money – from companies that do business with the government. It is still legal for elected or appointed government officials to award government contracts to themselves or their immediate family.

The issue of gifts, contracts and conflicts of interest standards could easily be declared as policy by Prime Minister Thompson – as he promised to do immediately upon forming a government. Such a policy declaration does not require legislation or discussion, and it is exactly what David Thompson promised to do IMMEDIATELY upon becoming Prime Minister.

Why didn’t Thompson do as he promised in writing?

Die hard DLP supporters don’t want to face that issue. They are too busy enjoying the spoils of their election victory.

The Barbados Chum Machine… by Colin L. Beadon

Recycling: Boosting the Sea’s Food Chain

The sun hadn’t yet reached up to horizon’s lip when I met Samuel on the beach. He stunk of strong rum and half the beer in Bridgetown.

“I couldn’t sleep”, he said through puffed grey hard- seeing eyes, his face lined like the Orinoco delta, his nearly white beard bedraggled like a heap of wet cane chaff. He was a ‘dropout’ professor of anthropology.

“What have you thought of this time?” I asked, hesitantly. You never knew what you’d get out of Samuel when he’d been doing his best to drink down the town all night. Drinking loosens his brain waves, if you get what I mean.

“The fish,” he says. “This time it’s to do with the fish, and how we should think about giving back to the sea what we take from her daily. Fish stocks ‘going through’ on a world scale, as you know.” he says.

“Fish stocks, timber from the Amazon, petroleum, fresh water, ….” I was about giving him my list.

“And the main reason,” he cut across my words like a cutlass swipe, and repeated,

“ And the main reason ?” His blood shot eyes glared into me for an answer.

“World Human Population spread?” I murmured.

Samuel buried his head in the sea at our feet. Small fish flicked off and away each side of him. And who could blame them? Fish can smell too.

“Think about it, Rawdon,” he said, spitting out water. He always got my name wrong. “Instead of us using up timber and holes in the ground to burry ourselves, we need to give our corpses back to the sea.”

Well I’d thought about that myself, several times, so I asked him how he would do it.

“Chum!” He said. “All you need is a powerful grinder about the size of a 747 jet engine, and designed on the same principle. Chum is the answer. The body goes in one end, chum out the other, blasted out into deep sea water, simple! Simple as sprat food ! Done!“

“Thrilling,” I said, amused,… pondering.

Samuel had a valid idea. Look at the advantages. Saves timber for billions of coffins, saves the huge amount of energy used in cremation and the carbon exhaust and smog that goes with it, leaves land for farming instead of graveyards, allows the human body to recycle quickly back where it came from, and, above all, feeds the micro organisms at the start of the food chain in the sea.

“I’ll shake your hand on that one Samuel. But who is going to listen to us?”

“What happens when the crabs and fish all done?” he answers, the glint of early coppery sun giving him the regal glowing charm of a ,… Neptune.

“ I need another drink,” he says. I needed some fresh air, I thought, and wishing him farewell, left him contemplating restless sea.

Who Is In Charge Of Environmental Damage On The Barbados Coast… Coastal Zone Management Unit or Town Planning?

“The high point for this blogger was the chance meeting for the first time with Dr. Leo Brewster, the Director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit, on Ground Zero and an opportunity for an impromptu and brief interview, and – totally unplanned – in the presence of a section of the print media.  He was gracious but clearly uneasy with the line of questioning. Consequently, his answers were at best evasive…”

Mullins Bay Blog Reports First Person As Dr. Leo Brewster Ducks The Issue

Our friends at Mullins Bay Blog were there for the Tourism Environmental Awareness walk at Mullins Beach yesterday, and their interview with the Director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit highlights exactly what we all know to be true. The destruction of our West Coast beaches is not so much an environmental problem as a political one.

A blind man on a fast horse can see that the choices made by government favour big time developers rather than preserving the environment, universal beach access and protection of the entire coast. In the case of Mullins Beach, a large condo developer has been allowed to build three massive groins that trap sand in front of the condo to the detriment of other property owners and nearby beaches.

What does the Director of Coastal Zone Management Unit have to say when specific questions are put to him in a public forum?

Perhaps diehard DLP supporters will discover much to their own chagrin, as Jack Nicholson once screamed in one of his brilliant performances: “You can’t handle the truth.”

But if you can handle the truth – head over to Mullins Bay Blog and discover right from the mouth of the Director of the Barbados Coastal Management Unit exactly what the government plans to do to save the West Coast beaches: which is nothing.

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

Prior to being appointed to his regulatory position, (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

Carlos Belgrave, Former Chicken Feed Manager, Sets The Standard For Barbados Insurance Industry

The recent collapse of the CLICO insurance company exposed the fact that successive Barbados governments have allowed insurance companies and offshore corporations to pretty much do as they please so long as those political campaign donations, kickbacks and business jet rides keep rolling in.

But now that the world’s attention has come to focus upon our failings, Barbados decided to make some noises so investors and other governments will believe we’ve taken effective measures to supervise our offshore insurance industry. The key here is that we haven’t taken any new steps… we just make noises and promises so others will be taken in and believe that things have changed in Barbados.

The sham press conference by Barbados Supervisor of Insurance was all about repairing investor confidence after the CLICO debacle – not about real change to protect investors & policy holders

To kick things off, our Supervisor of Insurance held a press conference (Nation News article) announcing that the General Insurance Association of Barbados (GIAB) members have agreed to some voluntary standards that may be enforced by a $2,500 fine. It is hoped that maybe, sometime in the future, these voluntary standards might possibly become law in Barbados. Maybe. If. Sometime.

Judging by the accounts in the local news rags, the revelations at the press conference were shocking – but true to form the Barbados media spun an outrageous admission of incompetence, guilt and amateurism into a positive story. In truth, the Barbados Supervisor of Insurance admitted that Barbados lacks effective standards in law respecting the financial health, financial management and financial strength of insurance companies. (Barbados Advocate coverage of press conference here)

CLICO investors and policy holders probably thought we had such standards as laws – but they thought wrong.

But hey, we’re going to put those laws in place. Someday, maybe, if… but for now the Barbados insurance companies promise to volunteer to maintain those standards or risk having to pay (again voluntarily) a whopping BDS$2,500 (US$1,250) fine. Wow! That should prevent another CLICO-type collapse, don’t you think?

Our lack of rules, laws or effective oversight is what allowed a healthy insurance company like CLICO Barbados to “invest” in huge loans to parent company CL Financial and other Clico companies – loans that were secured by way-overvalued swampland in Florida. Loans secured by deals where executives of CLICO-associated companies took secret commissions and kickbacks for engineering the over-payment for swampland!

See our articles about the CLICO fraud…

CL Financial, CLICO Fraud Report: Dummy Company, Phantom “Consultancy” Payments, Vanishing Money Transfers From Company To Company

EXCLUSIVE REPORT BY BARBADOS FREE PRESS: CL Financial Group Collapse – Insiders Took Bribes To Have Company Purchase Land For More Than Market Value!

One of many: A US$3 Million Florida mansion belonging to CL Financial Director - Thanks for the bailout, Prime Minister Thompson!

Meanwhile, the Directors of CL Financial were purchasing millions of dollars of prime, upscale Florida waterfront mansions for their own enjoyment and profit.

That is the legacy of two successive Barbados governments and our Supervisor of Insurance, Carlos Belgrave.

Now Belgrave says he wants to make a law requiring minimum capital standards for insurance companies. Hopefully Belgrave no longer accepts “bearer peat certificates” as security for capital! Such standards saw Belgrave named in 2006 as the “worst regulator” by Offshore Alert.

The CLICO Chicken Came Home To Roost

A Chicken Named CLICO

In the case of CLICO, the Barbados insurance company was allowed to operate for years without sufficient cash reserves – and no one thought it dangerous when a otherwise healthy CLICO loaned all kinds of money to its parent company to purchase swampland in Florida at a price that greatly exceeded the real value of the land!

Not to be outdone by the previous BLP Government for looking after friends and concealing the truth from the public, current Prime Minister David Thompson has pledged millions of your tax dollars to assist collapsed CLICO. Oh… did you know that the Prime Minister and CLICO CEO Leroy Parris are godfathers to each other’s child? Did you know that CLICO contributed to the DLP election campaign and that David Thompson borrowed CLICO’s business jet?

All a coincidence I’m sure as the Prime Minister works diligently to socialize Clico’s losses with our tax dollars.

You know the drill for the Prime Minister’s friends: Profits are private, but losses are paid for with your public tax dollars!

Barbados Supervisor Of Insurance Carlos Belgrave Approved US$ Half A Billion Insurance Assets That Were “Bearer Peat Certificates” !

Instead of pulling Reliant’s license and despite there being no change of control or management, Belgrave allowed Reliant to continue in business by approving replacement capital with a face value of $518 million that consisted of nothing more substantial than a loan note issued by a newly-formed Panama firm that was secured by “bearer peat certificates representing the right to obtain peat, a pre-coal state organic material used as energy or for horticultural use, from the Changuinola Peat Deposit of Northwestern Panama”…

… quoted from Offshore Alert in the BFP Article: Carlos Belgrave, Supervisor of Insurance and Pensions in Barbados, Called “Worst Regulator” By OffshoreAlert

Barbados Government Steals 2/3 Of Parkland For Developer Friends – Graeme Hall Environmental Disaster Continues

After being elected in January, 2008 one of the first acts of the David Thompson DLP Government was 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.

We have just received some satellite maps and a press release from the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary that we publish here. Click on the image for a larger view…

Graeme Hall Parkland Loss Map Released

[Bridgetown, BARBADOS]   A land use map depicting the planned loss of parkland at Graeme Hall has been released this week by the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary.

Titled “Parkland Loss Planned at Graeme Hall,” the new map (www.graemehall.com/press/papers/ThenNowMap1.pdf ) illustrates the Government’s plan to allow residential and commercial development on government-owned Graeme Hall land.

Contrary to the original 1988 National Physical Development Plan (PDP), the new 2003 PDP recommends that parkland at  Graeme Hall be limited to the flood-prone Graeme Hall Swamp, and that all dry land be developed.

Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary officials are critical of the land use change, saying that urban development of Graeme Hall would be akin to developing Central Park in New York, and that wetland buffers and recreational opportunities would be permanently destroyed.  Sanctuary officials also cited recommendations from the Urban Land Use Institute quality-of-life recommendation of 25.5 acres of parklands for every 1000 people.

The move to convert the Graeme Hall parklands began after the Sanctuary was acquired by Peter Allard in the 1990’s.   Allard, a retired Canadian attorney and investor, purchased the Sanctuary lands after due diligence examination showed that the 1988 PDP designated the approximately 240-acre green space at Graeme Hall as an environmental, recreational and agricultural buffer for the wetland, and as a green corridor between Oistins and Greater Bridgetown urban areas.

Parliament ratified the land use change in early 2008 despite a petition signed by 6,000 Barbadians to preserve the 240-acre Graeme Hall area as a National Park.

Located at www.graemehall.com/press/papers/ThenNowMap1.pdf, the new map derives its information from Map 20 of the 1988 PDP, and Maps 4 and 6 of the 2003 PDP.  These maps can be located in the “Map” section of www.graemehall.com/reference.htm.

Graeme Hall contains some of the highest concentrations of biodiversity in Barbados and is the last major urban green space over 200 acres available as a regional park on the South Coast.

Guyana Deportees Report Thefts Of Money, Property In Wake Of Barbados Immigration & Police Raids

“When I got to my room,  the door was off, all my clothes thrown on the floor, my suitcase ravaged and all my documents and money gone. I could not believe it. I had recently bought  a Dreambox, a dvd player,  and I had $1 300 Bajan saved and it’s all gone.”

… An illegal immigrant tells of thefts during Immigration Raids in The Nation article Lucky Escape

Free-For-All As Landlords And Others Profit From Deportations

Two days ago Barbados Free Press asked what our Barbados Immigration and Police were doing to secure and protect the valuables and personal property of persons arrested in the recent immigration raids. (See BFP’s Barbados Continues Immigration Raids, Deportations Of Guyanese…)

Now we know: Barbados Government officials are in fact doing nothing to protect or secure deportees’ valuables. It is a free-for-all with neighbours, landlords and passersby grabbing the “abandoned” property and money of arrested persons. Our authorities are doing nothing except dragging persons away from their rooms and homes.

What a National Shame for Barbados

So far there are no reports of government officials ending up with deportees’ property, but where there is no system used to properly seize, protect and catalogue the property of arrested persons – it is only a matter of time until the abuses start if they haven’t already.

Damon Corrie Remembers A Kinder Time In Barbados-Guyana Relations

“When the English speaking Caribbean countries were colonies of Britain – there was actually more freedom of inter-regional movement and migration than there is today”

An interesting observation and a typically good article from Damon Corrie at the Bajan Reporter.

As usual, you may not agree with everything Damon says – but he will make you think and question that which needs to be questioned.

The Bajan Reporter: Ordinary Barbadians migh suffer the consequences of the new Deportation policy – by Multi-Caribbean D.G. Corrie

Michael Jackson Dead – Cardiac Arrest, Not Breathing at 12:21pm Los Angeles Time. CNN: “Jackson Dead”

UPDATE: 6:25pm Barbados Time: TMZ Confirms Death, Further Details

UPDATE: Michael Jackson Reported Dead by www.x17online.com

UPDATE: TMZ.com says Michael was DOA

“Not Breathing When Paramedics Arrived”

“Really Bad Shape – Family Being Called In”

Michael Jackson Rushed To UCLA Medical Center - From x17online.com

Yes, we know he went weird, but Michael Jackson’s Thriller is still one of our favourites and we remember him as he was – not as he became.

It looks like he had a heart attack in Los Angeles.

TMZ: Michael Jackson Cardiac Arrest

LA Times: Michael Jackson Rushed to Hospital

Above from TMZ.com

Barbados Continues Immigration Raids, Deportations Of Guyanese – Media Report Of $100 Per Head Reward For Deported Guyanese

“Now I have lost everything, a whole house full of appliances, clothes and so much more. I miss work because I could afford to do so much, now to come back home and just leave that, it’s hard…”

… Guyanese deported from Barbados speaks to Stabroek News: Deportee from Barbados has lost hope in her homeland

Barbados Immigration Paying $100 A Head Reward For Information?

Barbados Immigration authorities are offering BDS$100 per head reward for information leading to the deportation of illegal Guyanese on the island – this according to Stabroek News of Guyana. News reports also say that the Guyanese government is documenting the treatment of deportees by Bajan authorities through interviews, media reports and follow-up visits by the Guyanese Consul in Barbados.

Who Ends Up With The Deportee’s Larger Possessions?

Where are the deportees' autos?

One of the articles we read tells the story of an illegal Guyanese woman whose home was raided in the middle of the night by Barbados authorities. She, her family and friends were packed off in custody with no time to secure her larger possessions which included major appliances such as a fridge and cooker.

Who ends up with the deportee’s major possessions? What happened to the tens thousands of dollars of autos, clothes, appliances and tools that were owned by the Guyanese who have already been deported from Barbados?

Deportees’ possessions – Spoils of the hunt for Barbados Immigration Officials?

Who ends up with deportees' large possessions?

What have Barbados authorities been doing to protect the deportees’ possessions? Have any Immigration authorities been seen with new stoves lately?

The question is not as flippant as it might seem because if it turns out that Bajan Immigration authorities have ignored the issue of deportee’s property (or worse), it will reflect very badly upon our country.

Yes, we at Barbados Free Press believe that Barbados has the right and the duty to control immigration and to take steps to remove persons who are in the country illegally – HOWEVER – we must not forget that, illegal or not, these folks are just ordinary people who deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and even kindness by Bajan authorities. Anything less will make Barbados a brutal nation in the eyes of the world.

Barbados Law Library In Ruin Due To Water Damage: “Preventative Maintenance” An Unknown Concept To Successive Barbados Governments

“There are two types of people in the world: Those who change their engine oil regularly, and those who ignore maintenance until the engine is already headed for ruin. We Bajans are usually of the second type…”

Shouldn’t The Chief Law Librarian Be Fired For Failure To Preserve Irreplaceable Books & Documents?

According to the Bajan news media “environmental problems” are responsible for ruining a “substantial” amount of the books and other documents in the law library of the Supreme Court.

Typical Barbados news story: “environmental problems” are responsible for this massive loss. God forbid we would ever hold a real person responsible for anything.

No, it wasn’t the people in charge of the law library who are responsible for failing to note the deterioration and protect the thousands of books and documents – many of them irreplaceable. No, it wasn’t Chief Justice who is responsible – even though according to his own statement in the Barbados Advocate he has known for at least four years of the deterioration and did nothing to stop it. No, it wasn’t former Attorneys General Mia Mottley or Dale Marshall who are responsible for this loss. It wasn’t 15 years of a BLP government that spent hundreds of millions on cricket and consulting payments while neglecting everything from schools, to police stations to the law library.

According to Attorney General Freundel Stuart, nobody in the current or former governments ever thought to train ANY of our law librarians in book preservation or about the dangers of dampness, mould and fungus to our almost 300 year-old law archives. It is like the whole problem just happened last week without any warning.

Books are damaged by water and dampness? Well, who could have known!

So you see? No person is responsible… it was “environmental problems”.

And the solution to the “environmental problems”?  The usual: borrow or beg for more money from the Inter-American Development Bank.

“Just put it on the tab, waiter… the next generation will pay for my spilled drinks.”

Court library compromised

read the full article at: The Barbados Advocate 6/23/2009

By Shawn Cumberbatch

ENVIRONMENTAL problems, including mould and fungus, have cost Barbados’ highest domestic court a “substantial” amount of its library material.

Chief Justice (CJ) Sir David Simmons disclosed yesterday that authorities were now looking to secure funding from the Inter-American Development Bank, as part of its Justice Improvement Programme with the island, to significantly restore the large volume of legal books and other important reading material housed in the 278-year-old Supreme Court library.

Both Sir David and Attorney-General Freundel Stuart voiced concern about the impact these environment-related issues could have, with Stuart saying most Caribbean governments had devoted larger budgets to libraries, but had not paid enough attention to training law librarians in book preservation.

The officials were speaking yesterday at the Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, during the official opening of the Caribbean Association of Law Libraries 24th Annual General Meeting and seminar.

The CJ noted that over the last few years Barbados had suffered the fate of most libraries, which “face the problem of contamination of the environment by mould, fungus and other deleterious substances”.

Barbados Company In Middle Of Philippine Election Intrigue – Fears Of Uprising and Revolution Over Automated Balloting Problems – Memories of VECO Corporation’s Barbados Contracts

“How could a company based in Barbados, which has only a handful of employees, complete a contract worth US $141,356,604?

… from The Daily Tribune (Philippines) article Comelec faces failed bidding

“…the public might be provoked into taking to the streets again if no election takes place in 2010. “If that is the case, Mrs. Arroyo should accept the near future scenario of being the third President ousted by the people through another popular uprising,…”

GMA NEW.TV - No-election in 2010 could spark another uprising

How Kickbacks Work: Barbados Smartmatic-Total Information Management Corp. Subcontracts Work To Philippine President’s Friends!

Here is a lesson for all of us in Barbados who aren’t part of the past or current government inner circles. You know, we ordinary folk…

The government of the Philippines wants to implement electronic voting for the 2010 election. (As an aside, electronic voting is probably the most dangerous silent threat to democracy that the world has ever known – but we’ll leave that issue for now.)

So the Philippine government strikes a deal for voting machines with a bunch of Venezuelans who run a company out of the Netherlands that has a sub-company out of Barbados. This is the same technology that Hugo Chavez used to get elected again in Venezuela.

Got all that?

The circle becomes complete when the sub-company out of Barbados subcontracts work to a Philippine company owned by a friend of the President of the Philippines.

Is there a kickback from the Philippines company to the President of the Philippines? You’ll never prove it.

But that is the way the world works. Corrupt? Yes! Centered upon profits rather than the good of the country and the people? Sure!

Welcome to Dodds Prison, Barbados…

Dodds Prison in Barbados was built under the BLP – Barbados Labour Party – by the disgraced VECO Corporation of Alaska. VECO – a company that regularly practiced bribery of government officials to obtain billions of dollars of contracts from governments around the world.

Yet, the current Democratic Labour Party government of David Thompson refuses to audit the expenses and the companies that built Dodds prison for… How much? US$200 million? US$300 million? US$400 million?

The citizens of Barbados are not allowed to know how much the new prison cost us!

According to our source, the stainless steel toilets for Dodds prison were purchased from an intermediary for 200% over the regular cost!

Do you want a sample of what Dodds was all about? According to our source, the stainless steel toilets for the prison cells were not purchased directly from the manufacturer in the USA. No Sir! The toilets were purchased from an intermediary company in Florida that inflated the price by some 200%. Who owened the company? Why did Barbados pay so much over the going rate?

Prime Minister Thompson knows… and he is holding the information as a trump card for his benefit. As far as the people of Barbados are concerned…. don’t look to recover your overage costs anytime soon!

From the Philippines news media…

MANILA, Philippines—Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile expressed on Tuesday concern over the preparations for the conduct of the automated balloting next year, warning a failure to hold the presidential election could spark a revolution.

During a four-hour Senate hearing, officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) were questioned on whether due diligence had been made in selecting the consortium of Smartmatic-Total Information Management Corp. to carry out the computerized polling.

The signing of the P7.4-billion contract has been set for Friday with the Barbados-based company to supply 82,200 counting machines to get results of the polls within two days of voting instead of weeks it takes currently.

The senators also sought a review of the “hubs” where the counting machines will be stored following disclosure that planning for this had been subcontracted by Smartmatic to a forward firm, To Go, owned by the Aboitiz family that is closely identified with the First Family.

“If you don’t have an election in this country, you’re going to have a revolution,” Enrile said. “We have to be very careful and be sure that we can really hold an election with an automated system. Never mind the money, it’s the social explosion that will come that we should be worried about,” he added.

… from Inquirer.net: No election could spark revolution

Canadian Police In Nationwide Search For Barbados Murder Suspect Shawn Andre WEEKES – Reward

INTERPOL WARNING - May Be Armed And Dangerous

Wanted For Murder In Barbados – Has Ties To Canada

Our thanks to a long-time BFP reader for alerting us to this story.

Canadian police and CrimeStoppers network have launched a national campaign in an effort to track down some dangerous foreign criminals who may be hiding in Canada. Each fugitive is known to have connections with Canada.

On the list is Shawn Andre Weekes who is wanted for murder in his home country of Barbados. There is a reward for information leading to his capture and you can make a tip and collect the reward anonymously through Canada’s Crime Stoppers programme. I don’t know if you could collect any reward through Barbados’ Crime Stoppers. (Cnews Article: Winnipeg Crime Stoppers Joins Global Manhunt)

Like Rihanna, murder suspect Shawn Andre Weekes has a Gun Tattoo

Here is the information from Canada’s Crime Stoppers…

Shawn Andre WEEKES
Male, born September 21, 1983 (25 years old)
Place of birth: Bridgetown, Barbados
Nationality: Barbados
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black/brown
Marks: Pierced ears, Gun tattoo on upper right
Arrest warrant issued by Barbados

If you know where Weekes is, or has been lately, contact Winnipeg Crime Stoppers anonymously via telephone or ONLINE.

Website: Winnipeg Crime Stoppers.Org

Phone – Winnipeg Local: 786-8477
Long distance: 1-800-222-8477

To use Crime Stoppers’ secure website to leave a tip: Submit a tip anonymously here.

Let’s Hope Our Next Barbados Chief Justice Isn’t A Political Hack Like SIR David Simmons

“It’s no secret, however, that Prime Minister Thompson when he was the Leader of the Opposition had serious misgivings about Sir David’s appointment and it would be surprising if Sir David remained in office a minute after the April 28, 2010 (Simon’s 70th birthday)”

… Stephen Alleyne writing in the June 22, 2009 edition of the Barbados Advocate

Stephen Alleyne Doesn’t Know The Meaning Of “Judicial Independence” Or The Importance of the Appearance of Justice

In today’s Barbados Advocate, columnist, lawyer and ex-cop Stephen Alleyne states that SIR David Simmons has the “integrity and independence that’s a sine qua non of this high judicial office”.

Chief Justice Simmons - Career Politician Is No Independent Judge!

What absolute rubbish from a person who should know better. If David Simmons had any integrity, if he was concerned about the independence of the judiciary, he would never have accepted the Office of Chief Justice of Barbados.

The courts in Barbados have always been a highly politicized but this reality moved to new heights during the BLP government when then-Prime Minister Owen Arthur appointed his long time political colleague and Attorney General as the Chief Justice of Barbados. The move effectively consolidated the power of the government and the courts under the control of Barbados political elites – and the image of both the courts and the Office of the Chief Justice have never recovered.

Certainly when David Anthony Cathcart Simmons agreed to accept the position from his old friend Owen Arthur, the act brought the administration of justice in Barbados into disrepute. It is the very presence of a career politician, former Attorney General and former Acting Prime Minister as Chief Justice that warns ordinary people that they haven’t a hope of seeing justice in Barbados. (See David Simmons’ bio here. Very impressive career politician!)

Chief Justice David Simmons On His Way Out – But Will Another Politician Replace Him?

Prime Minister David Thompson has no intention of extending the tenure of Barbados Chief Justice SIR David Simmons, who turns 70 on April 28, 2010 and would need Thompson’s recommendation to continue. No, Sir… you can bet your house on the fact that David Simmons will not be Chief Justice of Barbados come the day after his birthday.

And so the process of easing the Chief Justice out of office with all honours begins in the local media with a column by Stephen Alleyne in today’s Barbados Advocate newspaper. “Sir David: A hard act to follow” is available in the dead-tree edition or online for 24 hours at the Barbados Advocate in “photo” form.

As usual in societies where the news media is tightly controlled, the Barbados Advocate does not publish even mildly controversial articles online in a “text” format that can be read and indexed by Google or other search engines. This protects the ruling elites from the inconvenience of having historical records easily accessible by the public.

Will Prime Minister Thompson reverse his position and appoint another "political friend" as our Chief Justice?

For instance, there are no newspaper articles available online from the time when David Simmons was appointed as Chief Justice by his old friend then-Prime Minister Owen Arthur. At that time the DLP was up in arms that a politician and former Attorney General and Acting Prime Minister should be appointed to the highest court in the land.

It was argued by David Thompson that Simmons’ appointment politicized courts and brought the entire system into disrepute. Notwithstanding that the DLP itself had previously appointed two of its own former Attorneys General as judges in lower courts, David Thompson and others argued that the office of the Chief Justice should be protected from even a whiff of politics.

It will be interesting to see whether David Thompson as Prime Minister still believes as strongly that no politician should be appointed Chief Justice as he argued when in Opposition!

Barbados Advocate Article

We reprint the Barbados Advocate article referred to here under “fair use” provisions as we are criticising the Barbados Advocate and it is the practice of that newspaper to remove all historical records from public view after 24 hours. (Click to view full size)

Cover-Up In Barbados: Inquest Into Deaths Of Hugh Springer & I’Akobi Maloney – But No Inquest Into Codrington Family Deaths

Too Many Big Names Involved So No Inquest Called: Family Died When Home Collapsed Into Known Cave

An inquest, however unsatisfactory, was held into the death of I’Akobi Maloney while in police custody. An inquest has been announced into the death of Hugh Springer – an innocent passerby shot in the back of the head by a police officer.

But no inquest has been called into the death of an entire family who died because of actions taken or not taken by corrupt and/or incompetent government officials, engineers, developers and greedy landowners.

Why call inquests into suspicious, unusual or controversial deaths like Hugh Springer or I’Akobi Maloney and not into the deaths of an entire family where evidence of wrong-doing has already come to light at BFP and in the Barbados Advocate?

Stupid question. Too many big names involved in the Codrington family deaths. This is Barbados and we only do inquests or other public enquiries when it is safe and convenient. Rule of law be damned.

There are many villains who must bear responsibility for the deaths of an entire Barbados family whose members died after their house fell into a collapsing cave at Arch Cot. Horrifically, we know that members of the Codrington family did not die all at the same time. As he was trapped in the rubble, Donavere (the father) talked to people at the scene after the initial event. Some of the children could be heard screaming for a time.

Although we have been denied a public inquest by two successive governments, Bajans now know some of what happened thanks to the efforts of Hans Machel, Richard Goddard and a handful of others who, unlike Barbados politicians, still care about the truth and the public good. No thanks to the professional Barbados news media who are (or were, in the case of the Barbados Advocate) part of the cover-up to protect the members of the Bajan nobility who murdered the Codringtons…

… from the Barbados Free Press article Expert: Arch Cot Cave-In Victims May Have Been Killed By Wrong Decisions, Actions and Inaction By Barbados Emergency Officials

Guyana Consul in Barbados Norman Faria “Immersed In Barbados National Politics, Reckless, Making a bad situation worse…. Lacks understanding of his diplomatic role”

“Guyana Honorary Consul to Barbados, Mr. Norman Faria’s attacks on the Caribbean Congress of Labour’s (CCL) for its advice to undocumented immigrants in Barbados to regularize their status as offered under Barbados’ recent immigration policy, demonstrates once again the refusal to acknowledge there are significant differences between free movements of skills under the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) and illegal immigrants.

…It should be said that the fact that I am Guyanese does not mean I will join those crusading against the principles governing the CSME, a country’s right to its sovereignty and the rule of law…

The Guyana Consulate in Barbados is the representative of the Government and people of Guyana. Recent statements made by Mr. Faria in the SN favourably comparing the relationship with the Government of former Prime Minster Owen Arthur against current Prime Minister David Thompson is reckless and making a bad situation worse. This immersion in Barbados national politics while performing diplomatic duties on behalf of the Guyana Government indicates that Mr. Faria lacks an understanding of his role.

This is the type of behaviour that pit countries against countries and people against people and more so can contribute to the prejudice against Guyanese living in, or visiting, Barbados. It would have served this nation best interest had Mr. Faria used the time to educate and advise Guyanese in Barbados as to their rights and how they need to pursue same…”

(snip)

“…The fact that some Guyanese felt, and were lead to believe, that the Free Movement of Skill meant they were not obligated to CSME’s guidelines and Barbados’ laws is an indictment on Guyana’s representative in Barbados…”

Lincoln Lewis, General Secretary of the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) in a letter appearing in the Kaieteur News: Guyana’s migration has the characteristics of a humanitarian crisis.

When Does A Diplomat Step Over The Line Into Political Activism Against The Host Government?

Norman Faria – Guyana Consul & Political Activist against Barbados Government

At Barbados Free Press we have followed the antics of Guyana Consul Norman Faria with increasing confusion as to his message and role. Is Mr. Faria a diplomat? A newspaper columnist? A political activist against the Government of Barbados? All of the above?

Does Faria believe that Barbados has no right to control immigration according to its own laws and international agreements and laws?

The Government of Guyana should remind Mr. Faria that he is ceasing to be effective as a diplomat. If he wishes to continue engaging in Barbados political debate, perhaps he should resign as Consul.

As to why there is so much fuss over the Barbados Prime Minister’s announcement of impending mass deportations (for that is the truth of the matter), we have said before and say again…

The main problem with Barbados now enforcing the rule of law when it comes to immigration is that we don’t generally enforce the rule of law anywhere in our society. The Guyanese recognize this fact and are incensed that they have been singled out due to the numbers of illegal Guyanese immigrants in Barbados.

FBI Arrests Sir Allen Stanford, Antigua Government Official & Others For US$7 Billion Fraud, Money Laundering. Striking Similarities With Barbados CLICO Fraud

Sir Allen Stanford - Massive Fraud, Money Laundering for Drug Cartels, Organised Crime

“…Stanford and his co-defendants engaged in a scheme to defraud investors who purchased approximately seven billion dollars in certificates of deposit, cds, and administered by Stanford International Bank Limited, an offshore bank controlled by Stanford and located in the island of Antigua. According to the indictment, Stanford and his co-defendants allegedly misused and misappropriated most of those investment assets, including diverting at least 1.6 billion dollars into undisclosed personal loans to Stanford himself.

All the while, Stanford and his co-conspirators allegedly misrepresented to investors the financial condition of Stanford International Bank, its investment strategy and the extent of regulatory oversight by the Antigua authorities.

The indictment charges Stanford with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud and securities fraud. Seven counts of wire fraud, ten counts of mail fraud, conspiracy to obstruct an investigation by the FTC, obstruction of an investigation by the FTC, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Mr. Stanford was taken into custody by Federal agents in Virginia last night. Also charged today and arrested this morning in Houston was Gilberto Lopez, the Stanford Financial Group’s Chief Accounting Officer, and Mark Kuhrt, the global controller for Stanford Financial Group Management. All are expected to make court appearances this afternoon (Friday).

Also charged today is Leroy King, the former administrator and Chief Executive Officer of Antigua’s Financial Services Regulatory Commission, an agency of the Antigua Government that is responsible for monitoring and regulating banking activity on the island.”

… transcribed by Shona from a US Department of Justice press conference shown on CNN. (Stanford Arrest Indictment Video Here – AP)

Antigua Government Official Received Bribes Of Cash, Vacations & BUSINESS JET RIDES

When government officials receive “gifts” from business it just has to influence their decisions and loyalties. I mean, why do corporations give these “gifts” in the first place? When the “gifts” ramp up with vacations, jobs for government officials’ family members, scholarships over and away for their children, the use of corporate business jets and cash, WELL… government officials soon forget about their duty to the public. That is why corporations give “gifts” to government officials.

So it was with Mr. Leroy King, head of the Antigua and Barbuda Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC), who now stands charged with being a “key inside collaborator” assisting SIR Allen Stanford to commit a US$7 billion dollar fraud and money laundering.

It just goes to show how little it takes to buy a country’s integrity and reputation – which is exactly what Sir Allen Stanford did when Antigua said his bank was solid.

Mr. King received “gifts” from Sir Allen Stanford including jet rides, vacations, cash and treats of expensive entertainment like Super Bowl tickets. How much cash? According to the news media, a paltry $100,000. Chicken feed for Sir Allen, but no small sum for me, you or any government official.

PM Thompson Says His Use Of CLICO's Business Jet Is None Of Your Business

Similarities With The CLICO Scandal

In Barbados we have an ongoing situation evolving with CL Financial and an associated company called CLICO – an insurance company regulated by Barbados that was “solid”, “well managed”, “transparent” and “well regulated” …

… until it tumbled like a house of cards.

How are the Stanford and CLICO Barbados cases similar, you ask? Consider this…

1/ Both companies were under Government Regulations & Oversight. Stanford & CLICO were supposedly well regulated by government authorities – Stanford by Antigua, and CLICO by Barbados.

2/Both companies and their upper-level executives maintained close relations personally with individual politicians and corporately with the same government that was supposed to be regulating their activities and standards. In Barbados, CLICO CEO Leroy Parris and Prime Minister David Thompson are so close that they are Godfathers to each other’s child!

Ex-PM Owen Arthur "Just let the FBI be blind to my Swiss accounts, Oh Lawd!"

3/ Both companies were heavily involved in politics and funding political campaigns. In the USA, Stanford provided millions to both the Republicans and the Democrats – covering all bets by backing both John McCain and Barack Obama in the last Presidential election! Only God knows how much Stanford gave to Antigua and Barbados politicians. The same God might also know how much CLICO gave to the BLP and the DLP, including Prime Minister Thompson’s last campaign… because campaign donations in Barbados are kept secret from the citizens.

4/ Government officials and politicians used company business jets. In Antigua the head of the Antigua and Barbuda Financial Services Regulatory Commission used Sir Allen’s jets. In Barbados, Prime Minister David Thompson used CLICO’s private jet.

5/ Years in advance, there were reports and signs of trouble brewing that were ignored and covered-up by the respective government agencies and the politicians in power.

6/ Both companies were allowed to break various government laws and requirements to file financial records and audits. In Antigua, government officials allowed faked outside audit reports and even faked government audits. In Barbados, under both the current David Thompson DLP government and the past Arthur/Mottley BLP government, CLICO was allowed to violate laws respecting reserves and financial integrity of insurance companies.

In the case of David Thompson, he personally acted as CLICO’s lawyer when the company failed to file financial statements for 13 years!!! (See Keltruth blog’s Did Thompson’s DLP Have Audited Financials for the Companies that they Bailed Out?)

7/ Both Stanford companies and CLICO “invested” in risky property deals and provided highly irregular loans for such “investments” to associated companies – sometimes paying much more for land than the true value. These actions transferred company funds to other entities and people even as investors were told their funds were safe in highly liquid and conservative assets. In Barbados, CLICO provided loans to other CL Financial companies that paid hundreds of millions of dollars for Florida swampland that wasn’t worth anywhere near the purchase price… and kickbacks were paid to CL Financial / CLICO company officials!

EXCLUSIVE REPORT: Bribes paid to insiders in CLICO land fraud. Read our stories…

EXCLUSIVE REPORT BY BFP: CL Financial Group Collapse – Insiders Took Bribes To Have Company Purchase Land For More Than Market Value!

CL Financial, CLICO Fraud Report: Dummy Company, Phantom “Consultancy” Payments, Vanishing Money Transfers From Company To Company

8/ Politicians approved unusual land deals for both companies. In Antigua, Stanford’s companies purchased and developed lands where others had been unable to obtain permissions. In Barbados, CLICO did many questionable land deals and was not challenged when it allowed a Barbados national heritage site – Sam Lord’s Castle – to deteriorate beyond saving. In another deal with the devil, CLICO’s land holdings in the Graeme Hall Wetlands were excluded from RAMSAR protection by the BLP government. Subsequently, the DLP government changed the law to allow building on the Graeme Hall wetlands.

9/ Government officials and politicians continued to defend both companies and their upper executives long after it was obvious to everyone that something was rotten.

10/ Even after the scandals broke, Government officials and others took action to protect themselves and their friends in high places. In Antigua, the head of the Antigua and Barbuda Financial Services Regulatory Commission falsified audits. In Florida, Stanford’s security staff shredded bank documents after a court order freezing the business records. In Barbados, Prime Minister David Thompson refused to allow the supervisor of insurance to take over CLICO. Instead, and without any legal authority to do so, Thompson appointed a group of “special” people to a board to oversee CLICO’s operations because he couldn’t afford to lose control to the courts.

The One Big Difference Between Stanford & CLICO Frauds

Antigua has integrity legislation, so presumably Mr. Leroy King, as a government official and head of the Antigua and Barbuda Financial Services Regulatory Commission, could not receive gifts legally from Sir Allan Stanford.

PM Thompson Lied About Integrity Legislation

Contrast the situation in Antigua with that of Barbados where it is perfectly legal for elected and appointed government officials to accept “gifts” from persons or entities they deal with in government service. In fact, we have no Integrity Legislation or conflicts of interest laws that prohibit government officials from profiting from their position. Heck, it is perfectly legal for Barbados government officials to award government contracts to themselves or their immediate family members!

Thanks To Prime Minister David Thompson, Barbados Government Officials Can Still Legally Use Their Office For Personal Profit

Prime Minister Thompson and the DLP promised to implement Integrity Legislation within 100 days of being elected and to implement a Ministerial Code immediately that would define and prohibit conflicts of interest for government officials.

Now a year and a half after the DLP took power, it is widely acknowledged that the DLP and David Thompson lied about Integrity Legislation, Freedom of Information laws and conflicts of interest rules.

And finally…

No word yet from either the Barbados Labour Party or the Democratic Labour Party as to how much in “campaign donations” they received from Sir Allen Stanford over the years.

No sir… the DLP and the BLP are pretty quiet on that one!

Why Rihanna Couldn’t Leave Chris Brown… Of Pit Bulls, Cobras, Dr. Phil and Oprah

“I’m going to beat the shit out of you when you get home. You wait and see.”

…Chris Brown as said to Robyn Rihanna Fenty. Detailed in court documents read on Oprah’s show, March 6, 2009

“Yes, low self-esteem is a well-known factor in domestic abuse dynamics. But, people don’t stay in abusive relationships because they have low self-esteem. They stay because their partner has threatened to kill them if they leave. They stay because their partner has reinforced that threat with physical abuse and stalking…”

… Anne Caroline Drake speaks of what she knows personally in her article Rihanna: Should You Stay? Should You Leave?

Anne Caroline Drake visited our blog and left words on the Rihanna/Chris Brown saga a few times. I guess you would call Anne an activist against domestic violence and child abuse. She met President Clinton three times and that is three times more than me.

I don’t know if she ever read our articles titled Beat Your Wife In Barbados? You Are Protected From The Police If You Live In A Gated Community! and Do We Need Signs Like This In Barbados? but I think she would appreciate them.

If you care about domestic violence or if you want insight into why women and Rihanna have difficulty leaving abusers, you should read her article on Rihanna and some of the other things she writes. Anne thinks Oprah and Dr. Phil are wrong about domestic violence and she has convinced me.

Shona with Cliverton

Barbados Police Praised By Bahamian Volleyball Team – 2 Arrested, 60% Of Stolen Property Recovered

It has been a bitter-sweet feeling for the visitors who found their locker room emptied of their personal things after playing a game in the just concluded Women’s Volleyball World Championships. Joseph Smith, head of the delegation, said although they had not recovered everything that was lost, the team was very happy about the outcome, especially in cases where there were personal items.

“Members of the team who had I-pods and things like lap-tops with their personal information were ecstatic,” he added.

“We appreciate everything that was done for us and want to say a big thank you,” Smith said.

… from the Nation News article Loot Found

Praise Where Due, But Many Questions Remain

Bahamas Volleyball Team Sorts Through Recovered Property

Criticism of the Barbados Police by the Bahamian Volleyball team gave way to praise after some good police work resulted in the arrest of two Bajan brothers and recovery of about 60% of the team members’ stolen property. The girls were particularly happy about getting back electronic devices like iPods and laptop computers that contained personal information.

While this sterling performance by the officers of the Royal Barbados Police Force takes the edge off the public relations disaster that happens whenever visitors become victims of crime, it in no way makes up for the failure of the Barbados Volleyball Association officials and planners to protect our guests in the first place.

It is the natural culture of Bajans to write this incident off because the thieves stand charged and some property was recovered. It is the natural culture of Bajans to not want to be critical of the individuals who failed to consider security when hosting an international sports event.

But as we should have learned with the disaster called Cricket World Cup, if you want to play on the world stage your actions will be instantly broadcast around the world – so you had better get it right. Unfortunately, no amount of “Barbados Police get their man” stories about this volleyball tournament incident can ever make up for the original stories that appeared in the Bahamian news media and throughout the Caribbean.

And what about the unrecovered property? Who will pay for that? Who will compensate the team members and supervisors for their lost time at work and disrupted lives?

This is not a story with a happy ending despite the current spin in the Barbados news media.

Our Great Failing As A Society

Bajans (and their successive governments) believe in being reactive, rather than proactive. We seldom act to prevent incidents before they occur – we prefer to clean up afterwards and half the time we can’t get that right. This “doan worry ’til somethin happen” failing has dogged our culture for decades and becomes increasingly worse as our leadership exhibits the same laissez-faire attitude.

I mean, heck – we had to replace a whole fleet of garbage trucks four years early because nobody bothered to change the engine oil as required! Whose fault was that? “Nobody”.

So who of the Barbados Volleyball Association will admit personal responsibiliy for failing to ensure the security of visiting team members during an international tournament? Which person will pay for the losses? Who will resign?

Answer: Nobody

Oh, there will be a press conference where the BVA will announce that they have “reviewed” what happened and “taken action” to ensure that future events are “better secured”… but that may or may not be the truth. It is more likely than not that the “new commitment” will be nothing more than a statement without real follow-up action or ongoing oversight to ensure compliance.

In Barbados, we learn from our Government leaders. We do press conferences and promises very well.

As to taking real action?

Doan mek sport!

Further Reading…

BFP – June 16, 2009: Bahamas Volleyball Team Robbed Of Everything From Barbados Garfield Sobers Locker Room – Complaints of “Lukewarm” Response By Barbados Police & Volleyball Officials

Chris Brown Hearing To Go Ahead Monday – Rihanna May Testify About Assault

California Supreme Court Says Its Time For Chris Brown To Face The Music

Like the coward he truly is for hitting a woman, Chris Brown tried to delay his preliminary hearing into assaulting Rihanna last February. The Supreme Court of California says that the hearing is to proceed as scheduled on June 22nd. It is expected that Rihanna will testify on June 22, 2009

Rihanna & Chris Brown A Few Hours Before The Alleged Assault

A Rap For Chris Brown

Well Chris, it’s like this...

Well Chris, it’s like this...

Even though you have money for big fancy lawyers,

It isn’t a murder trial! You don’t rate – the highest court in the State says you have a date

to face the music on Monday.

You’ve had plenty of time to prepare for the day, so HEY! for once be a man and take your medicine if you have to.

I don’t care if she hit you first. I don’t care if she was screaming throwing a hissy fit. You don’t Hit!

I don’t care if she was crazy lady moon time. ‘less you tell me she had a knife at your throat, I don’t, I won’t…

I don’t buy any story that has you laying hands on a woman… let alone bite marks. Bite Marks!

Look at you, Chris. Look at Rihanna. Hey doan ya know, she’s a little slip of a thing who coulda beat on you all night

…and not even raise a bruise.

What message are you going to deliver to the world, Chris?

Okay to beat on a woman if she hit you first? Okay to bite a woman if she won’t let go?

Okay to slap her on the face? Slam on the brakes, launch her face – into the windshield?

If you were wrong, fess up. Doan try to get more licks, ’cause then the judge gonna fall on you like a ton a bricks!

(submitted by a reader who says “apologies to Lady Ga-Ga” – which means nothing to me! )

Boscobel Road Toll Gang Still Operating Freely In Barbados

Dear Barbados Free Press,

Last year you talked about “road toll” incidents at Boscobel and begged the police to make arrests. The gang is still there every day at the intersection preying on tourists as if it was a regular job. Without exaggeration I tell you they are there every day. Last week some of our guests were frightened to death when they were stopped by one of the men blocking the road. When he asked for money they drove off and the man kicked the side of the car denting it and fell down pretending to be injured. Fortunately they kept on driving. Will you please draw attention to this once more?

(Name withheld)

The road is closed. I need ten dollars.

Dear BFP Reader,

Here you go… we’ll republish our earlier article NOT THAT IT WILL CAUSE THE POLICE TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING…

Before we get to the original article, here are a couple of satellite shots for the tourists so they can avoid the thugs. We’d say the maps are for the police, but they already know about this gang… NOT THAT IT WILL CAUSE THE POLICE TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING…

Click on the images to view the large size in new windows. Blue dot marks the gang’s usual intersection. They sit on the south side and take turns stopping hired cars.

-

Barbados Police Helpless In Stopping Boscobel Road Toll Gang

Hundreds Of Tourists Being Accosted For Money Every Month!

The Boscobel “Road Toll Gang” have been doing their thing for at least three years now. They stop tourist hired cars by standing in front of them. They inform the drivers that the road is closed, instruct them to drive another way and then demand money for the “assistance”.

They are big, nasty men and most of the tourists pay. It is a lucrative business for the gang.

Always seven or eight sitting at the “T” intersection and while one engages the driver in conversation another will sometimes come up behind on the passenger side, reach through an open window to grab a purse or a camera and then run like hell. Sometimes they will even open an unlocked door.

The Royal Barbados Police Force are well aware of this bunch of thieves, but have done nothing except take the reports from the poor tourists who are stupid enough to stop and roll down their windows.

I guess that Commissioner Dottin and his officers have much better things to do than to look after this group of thugs who are singlehandedly destroying the reputation of this island sometimes ten and twenty times a day.

No trouble finding them: they are at the “T” in Boscobel every day. It is their place of business, and their business is shaking down fearful tourists…

… continue reading this article here: Barbados Police Helpless In Stopping Boscobel Road Toll Gang

William Duguid Re-appears In Barbados Parliament – Speaks… but not about his Canada Permanent Residency Application

Has William Duguid applied for Canadian Permanent Residency or not?

Barbados Labour Party MP Dr. William Duguid has been quite prominent in the last few days in and out of Parliament. This flurry of activity was no doubt the result of recent reports here and in the Nation that Dr. Duguid had been neglecting Parliament and his constituents while “visiting family” in Canada. (See BFP’s Dr. Duguid Returns To Barbados – Fails To Address THE QUESTION: Did William Duguid Apply For Canadian Immigration?)

Questions are naturally on people’s minds: Is their absent MP getting ready to pull the ejection handles from Barbados and the BLP? Is he trying to live a dual life between Canada and Barbados so he can complete the little time remaining to receive a full pension? Is it fair that constituents elected a full time Member of Parliament but now have a part-time MP whose focus is wavering?

The island press, Interim Opposition leader Mia Mottley and Duguid himself made things worse instead of better by tap-dancing all around the question of whether or not the Member of Parliament for Christ Church West has applied for permanent residency in Canada.

Nobody in the regular media has asked the question directly of Dr. Duguid or interim BLP leader Mia Mottley.

So how about it, Dr. Duguid? How about some direct and honest communication with the people of Barbados? Frankly, as far as we’re concerned at BFP we’d be prepared to cut you some slack if you were forthright about your intentions, worked hard while you are in Barbados and publicly announce your on-island/off-island schedule.

How about it, Dr. Duguid… Have you applied for permanent residency in Canada? Do you intend to? Do you intend to complete your term?

Thanks!

Barbados Children’s Environmental Action Awards Programme – Sponsored By Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary

School Children Learning At The Last Mangrove Wetlands On The Island - The Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary

[Christ Church, BARBADOS]  The new Barbados Children’s Environmental Action Awards (CEA) programme was announced today by the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary.

To be awarded four times each year, the CEA Awards encourages and recognises children and children’s groups for their activities that directly preserve and protect terrestrial and marine natural habitats and parklands throughout Barbados for future generations.

“Today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders.  We encourage children to learn the importance of the environment to our health and social welfare, and be proactive in saving wild habitat and open spaces, as well as helping to identify and correct environmental problems,” said Peter Allard, Chairman of the Sanctuary.

“This award pays tribute to the work of many in the community who understand the importance of protecting the last remnants of Barbados’ environmental legacy for future generations.”

Each CEA Award includes a Bds. $2,000 prize, plus a public recognition ceremony at Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary for invited children, families and guests.

The first CEA Award nomination deadline for 2009-2010 is September 15, 2009.   The successful nominee will be  publicly announced by October 31, 2009.

More information for CEA nominations can be found at www.graemehall.com/awards

Bahamas Volleyball Team Robbed Of Everything From Barbados Garfield Sobers Locker Room – Complaints of “Lukewarm” Response By Barbados Police & Volleyball Officials

Bags, Passports, Credit Cards, Laptop PCs, Thousands Of Dollars In Equipment & Possessions Stolen

This won’t go over too well anywhere. Last Friday night the Bahamas Women’s National Volleyball team were playing at Garfield Sobers and were ordered by Barbados officials to move all their bags to a locked room for security.

After the game they returned to find everything – and we mean everything – stolen. Clothes, passports, wallets, jewellery, cameras, ipods, laptop computers, credit cards, watches… you name it.

One would think that as a courtesy to visiting teams, the Barbados Volleyball Association might have provided someone to keep an eye on players’ possessions – you know, so we wouldn’t have foreign news media reporting a mass theft against our guests and our country’s “lukewarm”, disinterested response.

So what does the Bahamian team really think of the response from the Barbados Police, the Barbados Volleyball Association and others to their plight?

For the answer you’ll have to read the Nassau Guardian – because it might be a while before you read about their thoughts in the local media…

The Nassau Guardian: Bahamas volleyball team robbed in Barbados

Swine Flu Cruise Ship Refused By Grenada – Heading For Barbados… Now What?

UPDATE: Ocean Dream Denied Barbados Entry – 43 Crew Ill With “Flu-like” Symptoms

A LUXURY CRUISE LINER carrying 43 crew members exhibiting “flu-like symptoms” was denied entry into the Bridgetown Port yesterday. (snip)

When contacted, Minister of Health Donville Inniss said: “The situation was drawn to our attention this afternoon [yesterday] that the vessel was heading to Barbados as its second port of call and that several crew members were ill.

“After consultation with all relevant stakeholders, the decision of the Barbados Government is that this vessel should not make Barbados its next port of call.”

… continue reading this story at The Nation: Sail On By!

Original story…

Ocean Dream Due In Bridgetown – Tuesday, June 16, 2009 8am

Grenadian health authorities on Monday refused to allow the luxury cruise ship “Ocean Dream” to dock after some of the crew and passengers exhibited symptoms of the influenza A (HINI) virus, commonly referred to as Swine Flu.

Public Relations Officer with the Grenada Board of Tourism, Edwin Frank confirmed that the ship, which visits the island on a weekly basis with 1,350 passengers, was refused entry on Monday, but could not say how many persons were affected with the flu-like symptoms…

… from the CBC News article: Grenada turns cruise liner away from port

Barbados Health authorities have been doing much public relations about enhanced employee training and screening at the port and the airport, but when the Ocean Dream arrives in Barbados on Tuesday morning (or maybe before), one person will eventually have to make a decision to turn the ship away or to accept passengers who want to come ashore and see some of Barbados. (Ship’s cruise schedule is here)

If we let the passengers off but Grenada didn’t, does that mean our decision is wrong or theirs? Or can everybody be correct?

Whatever the decision…

Zero risk = zero tourist dollars

BUT… could a bad decision put our families at risk?

I don’t know any of the answers folks, but if July and August are much worse than April, May and June – more than a few businesses might not make it to the high season.

Meanwhile… Let’s go for a cruise on the Pullmantur Ocean Dream…