Jamaican Light Bulb Scandal – A Lesson In How Corrupt Politicians Operate
Back on November 7th, we told you about how Cuba gave 4 million free light bulbs to Jamaica, but the government of the day then spent $276.5 million dollars to “distribute” the light bulbs. That is $69 dollars per light bulb.
They could have mailed the bulbs to every citizen for a fraction of the cost. Indeed, they could have couriered them for next to nothing compared with $69 dollars per bulb!
But then there wouldn’t have been any juice, squeeze MONEY for the corrupt politicians who organised this rape of the taxpayer.
Lesson #1 about corrupt politicians - they always choose the most expensive ways of doing anything because it allows them to steal more easily.
If a project costs $100,000, it is difficult to steal $50,000 and not be noticed. If the project costs half a million dollars, at 10 percent overage will be overlooked and there is your $50,000!
Lesson #2 about corrupt politicians - they award government contracts to relatives, friends and associates.
Lesson #3 about corrupt politicians - private companies are used to steal public funds.
In our November 7th article we told how a private Jamaican company had been formed to “distribute” the light bulbs and we speculated that the former Jamaican Minister of State Kern Spencer had a connection with this private company. We said…
“Who owns Universal Management and Development Company Ltd. that was paid $49.7 million dollars when it shouldn’t have received one dollar? Perhaps the former Jamaican Minister of State will tell…”
We were correct, it turns out that Minister Spencer awarded a $49.7 million dollar government contract – without tender – to his lover’s company…
Sherine Shakes, mother of Spencer’s child, is a manager at Universal Management and Development Company, one of the two companies which was paid over $85.6 million dollars for assisting in distributing two million florescent bulbs which were donated free of cost by the Cuban Government.
Sources said Spencer made no declaration about his connection with any principals of the company when the entity was awarded the multi-million dollar contract, which was not put to public tender in contravention of the required government procedures.
… from the Sunday Herald article Light Bulb Cronyism
Awarding Government Contracts To Relatives, Friends Or Even Yourself Is Nothing Special In Barbados Politics!
Citizens of Barbados should pay close attention to this latest Jamaican government scandal because the techniques used to steal tax dollars are regularly practiced by our own corrupt Barbados government officials.
Barbados politicians of all parties have steadfastly refused to implement laws prohibiting conflicts of interest or stopping them from using their government position for personal profit.
Barbados Government contracts are regularly issued without an open bidding process to private companies owned by friends and relatives of government officials. This can be a simple as the government paying a certain supplier three times the normal price for shipment of copier paper (hey, nice Christmas bonus for a relative!) to the sophisticated scams practiced by VECO Corporation – the builders of our new way-over-budget jail.
How Many Government Contracts Have Been Awarded To Noel Lynch’s Family & Friends?
When Barbados Tourism Minister Noel Lynch angrily objected to being asked about how he made his personal fortune while on government salary, he said that his family helped him out…
“I have a family and therefore all of us contribute to my wellbeing and my development…”
Government Minister Says His Family “Contributes” To His “Well Being” – Ha… No Kidding!
_click photo Without Laws Against Such Corruption, Barbados Officials Will Continue To Steal Without A Care
Further Reading
YouTube Video – Barbados Tourism Minister Storms Out Of Radio Show
5 Comments
November 16, 2007 at 8:50 pm
The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed — for lack of a better word — is good.
Greed is right.
Greed works.
Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
Greed, in all of its forms — greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge — has marked the upward surge of mankind.
And greed — you mark my words — will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA.
from the movie Wall Street
November 16, 2007 at 11:54 pm
It certainly is difficult to govern when you lay awake everynight thinking up ways to steal from your own people.
Is it true that Owing phoned up his friend Fidel being mad because he was not included in the light bulb scam? That he is angry he didn’t think of this crookery himself? Or are there more lightbulbs in Barbados than we know about?
November 17, 2007 at 2:29 pm
[...] Barbados Free Press continues to follow the story on the Jamaican lightbulb scandal, comparing it to corruption in their own country. Share This [...]
November 18, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Liz Thompson did exactly the same thing!
February 29, 2008 at 4:47 am
[...] Also see BFP’s How Corrupt Politicians Operate: Government Minister Awards A Contract To His Lover’s Company – Wi… [...]