The Government of Barbados has announced another US$13 Million in your tax money and mine going to those few weeks of cricket that are called Cricket World Cup 2007.
How Much Tax Money Is Really Going To Cricket World Cup?
Betcha that Prime Minister Arthur couldn’t find out the truth even if he cared to ask. Look up “out of control” in the dictionary and there just has to be a photo of CWC.
And what is this use of the word “invest”? Like there is going to be any return on this “investment”!
In your dreams…
Barbados Invests US$13 Million
BRIDGETOWN, Barbadas (AP) – The Barbados government will invest another US$13 million (€10 million) toward the island’s preparations for the cricket World Cup starting in March.
The money will be used to beautify Kensington Oval, venue for the April 28 final, plus for security, health and transport services, said deputy prime minister Mia Mottley on Tuesday.The beautification project will cost US$1.1 million (€830,000), and US$605,000 (€454,000) will go toward vending facilities, bathrooms and a service access road.
The oldest cricket ground in the Caribbean is being redeveloped at a cost of US$67.5 million (€51 million) and will be completed by the end of January.
For security, Mottley said US$605,000 (€454,000) was to purchase helicopter airtime and equipment for the Special Services Unit, and US$554,000 (€416,000) to buy a surveillance system for various ports of entry.
Barbados was pitching in US$3.2 million (€2.4 million) to cover its security commitments under a US$20.8 million (€16 million) arrangement with other Caribbean host nations.
“The rest of the funds will be allocated toward other special project including the transportation masterplan, health facilities and other areas which will be required under the host nation agreement,” Mottley said.
… read the original story at Fox News here.
What was that total again, Mia?
Hello? Mia?
Barbados Free Press 
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Well the foot is sooooo deep in the mud (CWC wild spending) that I quess the PM and his lackeys figure they might as well lick out the little remaining funds of the taxpayers. But pray tell me, it seems as though every week now we are hearing about additional funds being pumped into world cup activities. Should this trend continue – would any be left to relocate the Emmerton folks away from sewage plant stench! Ah wonder……
Because the BLP no longer feels accountable to the electorate for its extravagance, the whole matter has become one of International Image.
Owen Arthur and crew want to make as good a showing as they can for Barbados, and that is understandable. None of us want to see our country with egg on its face for pennypinching. But all this is going too far, without any businesslike justification.
Barbados had earned a reputation for spending its pennies wisely. That has now gone by the boards and our credit standing has suffered. But meantime our leaders will be considered munificent hosts- at our expense! Shameless.
I already feel sorry for all of you. I know two people who wont be helping you Bajans to pay off any of those debts. Adrian et moi! We spend as little there as possible. We do not plan to help rebuild the islands foreign reserves.
Well, we got ourselves into this mess and I cannot blame anybody for not wanting to bail this government out. Any money that comes in here is going to be blown just like our taxes have been.
We have committed ourselves. My main concern at this point is seeking explanations to why the budget has been blown.
As for all the other major projects here, we need audited, detailed accounting to be published, or at the VERY LEAST, available to those who wish at the Government Printery.
Audited, detailed accounting would at least give some assurance that the money is being spent in a manner which is on an ‘as needed’ basis only, and payments have been paid in accordance with tenders etc.
That’s one issue.
The other issue is one of priorities, which was made when we signed onto the deal.
Decisions on priorities are reflected also in the ridiculous over-spending on independence, the decree to build flyovers even before a new hospital (including equipment), before properly paying the Police, before increasing the house stock for the poor, before improving aid and grants for small hotels to assist in resurrecting our long-stay tourism.
The effectiveness of prioritizing will determine where we are tomorrow.
What is truly amazing about all of this is that the Government is coming to Parliament for funds after it has spent the money not before. We do not have a budget!
The taxpayers’ money goes into the bank account and the Government is spending it with no planning and no accountability like there is no tomorrow.
Today’s Nation newspaper says that persons deported e.g. Guyanese will be allowed back in under the World Cup decision taken by caricom Gov’ts.
My God,isn’t anybody in this BLP gov’t thinking?B’dos is the country of choice for guyanese and now also increasingly that of Jamaican and Vincentian – same as the USA is the country of choice for mexicans.
Guyana and Jamaica has outbreaks of malaria,guyanese are coming here in droves,sleeping in pig pens and living here illegally while committing all sorts of crimes,vincentians and jamaicans are bringing in drugs,while bajans can’t find decent housing nor jobs.
The QEH hospital is spilling over,large numbers of guyanese are turning up and having expensive surgeries,then giving false names and addresses and disappearing without paying their bills,they are bringing in their children and using a guyanese child ID card who is here legally to get free dental work for all of these illegal children at the polyclinics while bajan children are forced now to wait for long appointment dates, – Yet owen arthur says let them come.
Did you know that one of the things the st lucian people were up in arms about,was kenny anthony’s decision to give amnesty to a large number of illegal caricom nationals.
Who is looking out for us here in B’dos,will arthur wait until the guyanese flood us out and push us in the sea?
My goodness david thompson wake up and do something fast for your people please?
BFP
Where is that post I sent hours ago?
Hi Jupiter
For some reason it was held in moderation – and when that happens it just has to wait until one of us gets online.
I approved it and you should be seeing it now.
Good post BTW!
Cliverton
Yup, Jupiter is correct.
There’s lots more we weren’t told about CARICOM. Welcome to the Brave New World.
Robert
Nice points Jupiter, this current administration has lost all sanity. Can you imagine that all the essential social services are falling down while this government is priding itself on being able to stage a number of “dutty wines” to celebrate this and that? But we Barbadians must realise that St. Lucians also voted against broken promises by the Anthony administration, escalating cost of living and crime, unbridle selling of lands to foreigners and such like…
Barbadians need to wake and confront these bastards in the BLP head on!
are you all suprise at the massive investmet in such a privatized venture, especially since The Washington consensious has it emphasis on state non intervention in social enginering, which has enabled Barbados to have the type of infrastructure it has, but however there is the contradiction that investment is actively encouraged in commercial ventures that benefit the global investment of capital. Therefore investment in the oval is very pleasing to the globlized trend…just ask yourself who benifits the most …is it not the suppliers of the materials used ,which incidentially are non regional,,,, Another blarring example is the awarding of the mascot developent to an Australian firm.. believie it or not/