Barbados Earthquake Damages Greenland Dump Site – Cracks In Leachate Liner

Preliminary Damage Assessment To Take Place This Weekend

New Cracks And Fissures Visible At Dump!

The controversial Barbados Greenland Dump construction site was damaged during Thursday’s lengthy earthquake.

A source who is known personally to one of the Barbados Free Press staff informs us that “much shifting” took place and that “new fissures and cracks” are visible in several key areas of the site – including the locations of several berms and the leachate liner.

The construction engineer was not on the site at the time of the earthquake and did not arrive before dark, so a preliminary damage assessment will probably not take place until Saturday. (Or even Sunday as some of the staff are Saturday church-goers.)

Our source fears that there will be those who wish to fill in the new cracks and fissures at Greenland prior to a proper engineering damage assessment – for reasons of “money and politics”.

A New Independent Environmental And Engineering Assessment Is Necessary

The appearance of new fissures, cracks and evidence of soil shifting at Greenland after an earthquake is no surprise given the area’s history of landslips, roadway fissures and unstable substrate.

Opponents of the new landfill site at Greenland have long stated that their primary objection to the project is the highly unstable nature of the soil in the region – which causes doubts about the project’s safety and the longterm risk to the surrounding environment when (not if) the soil under the leachate holding ponds cracks or shifts.

Now that the “retrofit” at Greenland is exhibiting visible damage after the earthquake, it is imperative that an independent engineering assessment be made to determine the extent of the damage and whether or not repairs are possible.

Can the damage be properly repaired or is the landfill site now requiring another full rebuild?

Can we trust the government or the construction contractors to perform a proper and unbiased assessment of the damage and possibility of proper repairs?

Or will construction workers be filling in the fissures in the morning?

Stay tuned!

Background Reading At BFP

Greenland Fiasco Dooms Barbados – Professor Machel Names The Liars, Thieves & Incompetents

The Great Barbados Landslip Of 1901 – Will It Be Repeated At Greenland Dump?

Greenland Dump Project Doubles In Cost Overnight – And That Figure Is Still A Lie!

Rape Of A National Treasure Continues At Greenland Dump

Greenland Dump Construction Problems – Landslips, Deviating From Plans, Runoff Diverted Into River

We’re Back!

Barbados Free Press editors are back online after losing our ability to post articles or moderate comments for over ten hours due to the earthquake. For obvious reasons, we can’t provide many more details than that, but Shona had a particularly long day and will be sharing some of her experiences on the blog tomorrow.

G’night all.

51 Comments

Filed under Barbados, Building Collapse, Disaster, Environment

51 responses to “Barbados Earthquake Damages Greenland Dump Site – Cracks In Leachate Liner

  1. Rumplestilskin

    Thanks for the info BFP. If this is accurate, then a decision should not be made to retrofit, a decision should be made to ‘call it a day’ and accept the terrible original decision to place such a structure on such unstable land. It would make a decent National Park.

    That would not be falling in the face of difficulty, but rather recognising the insurmountable task of attempting to build the dump there and ignore natural tendencies of the area.

    However, the current administration appears never able to say, as the true test of a mature adult let alone as the test of good leaders, ‘we were wrong’.

    Compound this with the impending election and what do you have, do you really think that they will admit their error in this scenario?

    If this is accurate, although such an unexpected event was not foreseen by any of us, the original argument by Richard Goddard et al i.e. that the land was unstable even without such an event, will be further vindicated.

    If this becomes known on a widespread basis, now before the election, it is more trouble for the ruling party.

    Not that they had any power over the event, but that previous bull-headed decisions against justifiable concerns have now further and dramatically shown to be wrong, again.

    They will try to blame this ‘act of God’, but the reality is that the dump should never have been put there and legitimate concerns were raised and strongly voiced at the time and regularly since, including on this blog last year.

    Inconceivable also that, as I said earlier this week, they plan to put the new hospital in flood zone where the old one is. This may not be directly related to this event, but it is a part of the overall capital development and design and thus relevant.

    All of the decisions on capital projects indicate lack of commonsense, lack of adequate assessment studies, arrogance in ignoring legitimate oncerns and the downright waste of money when concerns result in overruns in an attempt to ‘conquer’ what may indeed be insurmountable.

    But maybe that is just the problem, some people think that they can move ‘heaven and earth’.

    Only the Almighty can.

  2. centipede

    Is this ‘earthquake’ a portend of things to come in the up-coming elections AND in the business world… where (re the latter) we are about to hear (momentarily) of a ‘business shocker’ ?

  3. centipede

    I think this ‘earthquake’ could provide an excellent excuse for the Government to get out of Greenland… i.e. “the area has been severly damaged by the quake and it will cost too much money to repair it… so we will have to look at other options….”

    Another option would be to create a small island off shore (taking the time from Dubai) … and dump the garbage there.

    Such would have lots of secondary benefits.

  4. Thank God no accompanying big rains!

    And what if, in the future, a big rainstorm had started around 2:30 p.m. soaking the ground,the dump and environs with maybe 2 inches of rain(not impossible) – and then at 3 p.m. along comes the 7.3 seismic event?

    What a pleasant little slurry of garbage might have descended on the nice people living in Shorey Village!

    Good thing Barbados never experiences earthquakes – or deluges of rainfall!

    Remember Carew – washed out to sea by 9 inches of rain in one day, not so long ago…about ten yrs. ago

  5. Thank God no accompanying big rains!

    I agree with Centipede that we should(somehow!) put our ever-mounting garbage disposal problem to some land-reclamation effort.

    God knows we need a disposal solution and we need more land.
    How do we go about creating this win/win situation, although yes it will be messy?!
    Do we start filling in the gutter between ‘The Fathom’ and the S.E.coast?
    I hear the St.Philip people bawling.

    Do we make a mountain out of a molehill by adding to Dottins Reef, off Holetown?
    and filling in the gutter between Dottins and land?
    I hear the St.James people bawling.

    Do we fill in the gutter between the offshore banking reef(1 km. offshore) all the way from Oistins to Hilton) and land?
    I hear all of Ch.Ch. hollering!

    What about my beautiful Gay’s Cove/Cove Bay, across the mouth of which, we place a solid barrier, and back fill the rest!
    I hear all of Barbados screaming at me.

    I see us buried in our own garbage, on our island, in 50 years.
    Offshore -somewhere!- is the solution.

    More land//less garbage.
    Start thinking, people! start thinking.

    I’m not talking about simply dumping at sea beyond the usual 7 mile limit
    where it just “disappears” to no one’s benefit.
    I’m talking about serious land reclamation to ADD TO Barbados’ 166 sq. miles.
    a la Bridgetown Hbr. and Flour Mill complex.

    We need the extra space to house the Guyansese

  6. Undertaker

    Thank God no accompanying big rains!

    We have to look for someplace to house the BAJANS, the guyanese not going anywhere.

    When we start to see the guyanese running/leaving is when we know that the country is in more serious trouble. The birds and dogs warn is of bad weather conditions, and the guyanese warn is of bad economic conditions.

  7. Thank God no accompanying big rains!

    That’s exactly my point: the Guyanese aren’t going anywhere
    we need more space!
    We need to start turning a minus(garbage)
    into a plus(more square miles for Bim!)

    Let’s not wait for the birds, dogs or Guyanese to warn us of anything.
    I’m proposing actual ACTION,
    as in DOING something, other than talk.

    Start thinking of the appropriate land reclamation location!
    Maybe a whole new offshore island belonging to Barbados is the way to go.

    In which case.,..where (Whuh-Part) do we locate it?
    Starting with/on what identified offshore seamount?
    London Shallows?

  8. Vick

    More BFP lies.

  9. Thank God...etc.

    I’m thinking we’d need to compact the garbage into big square solid lumps(concrete for “glue”?) before dumping
    – or we’d have plastic bags and other loose material drifting about.
    ————
    Have you seen how full the metals dump is?
    We’ve already 2/3rds. filled the old Bagatelle Quarry hole in the ground,
    and that’s taken us no more than about 10 yrs.!
    We soon need another Bagatelle Quarry, just for the non-household-garbage disposal problem. – just ask Ian Bourne!
    —————
    We need to start filling in somewhere in the sea with a view to the eventual linking up with Barbados-itself.

    Old cars can be used as a base for each cubic compaction-module.
    These are then taken out via barge and dropped at the right spot, cumulatively.

    Look what the Trinis did with a whole section of the Caroni swamp at La Basse!
    T&T now have a few extra solid sq.miles to add to Port of Spain.
    Took them 30 years,yes.. but now they have it.

  10. Thank God...etc.

    Vick, get a life

  11. Hants

    Now that Barbados has been shaken for real by an Earthquake, will we now have a Building code that includes the probability of more eartquakes.

    Will this be another case of “God is a Bajan so he gine spare us”?

    You should all teach you children what to do so that next time they will be prepared.

  12. Observing

    All of the decisions on capital projects indicate lack of commonsense, lack of adequate assessment studies, arrogance in ignoring legitimate oncerns and the downright waste of money when concerns result in overruns in an attempt to ‘conquer’ what may indeed be insurmountable.

    ———————

    Well said Rumplestilskin. Has anyone ever added up the overruns from major projects fo rthe past 5 or so years?? Would be nice to see how much money we could have saved with basic common sense and half decent decision making and project management.

  13. Surely this is a sign from God that Greenland is doomed as a garbage dump, and can revert to the national park originally planned?

    Government can thank its lucky stars this happened before Greenland dump was already in use, with an environmental disaster sure to follow. I doubt the earthquake damage could be mended once the site was filled with garbage.

    Rather than go to the exorbitant expense of again retrofitting, Government can and should switch to the environmentally safe incineration of our garbage which everyone agrees is the answer in the longer run. The site has already been selected.

    Using garbage for landfill on our coasts to create more space sounds good, but will entail much expense in sorting garbage so that what is used does not cause pollution offshore. Incineration makes use of garbage to generate energy thereby saving on our fuel bill.

  14. Vick

    greengagemonkey,

    Is Greenland in Martinique, you foolish bahstard?

    Is Greenland in Guadeloupe, you foolish bahstard?

    Is Greenland in St. Lucia, you foolish bahstard?

    Is Greenland in Trinidad, you foolish bahstard?

    Is Greenland in Guyana, you foolish bahstard?

    The earth tremors were felt in all those other countries too.

    Stupid fool.

  15. Anonymous

    Let us hear more about that cheque that Owing collected and put towards his personal bank account?
    He seemed very shocked, stunned and dumbfounded when confronted by the announcement in the house.

    Tell us about the perceived corruption with the awarding of the PRISON project and how VECO was awarded this contract when locals quoted US $ 67 million and your awardee did it for US $ 142 million is there also any truth to the rumour making the rounds that the local group was asked to pay an agent of the gov’t the same one who collects a commission on each vehicle imported into the island for the gov’t, not sure why this is but it is.

    Tell us more about how that BATH became such an expensive bath?

    Tell us when that building will be completed at NEWTON?

    Tell us what is the real plan for GREENLAND and how much more you intend to throw away in one project?

    Tell us why you are so closely connected to known and proven Fraudster DANOS in the 3 S ROAD WORKS project?

    Tell us why you have chonsen to corrupt the reputation of the blp even further by bringing ASSCOLL on board?

    Tell us why we are to be happy with you allowing ASSCOLL a free hand to divert public funds to a sickly and abused venture called HARDWOOD HOUSING?

    Tell us why should we be happy with a Deputy Prime Minister that is devoid of morals?

  16. cherry2enpowered

    Yes they were but the fact that the earthquake exposed the vunerablity of the greenland dump site is enought proof that it was better that it happen now than later, clown!

  17. Knighthoods for sale!

    Pllease, someone kindly let me know how Dr. Hiliary Beckles and Mr. Kiffin Simpson were endowed with the title “Sir?”
    Was it for switching political loyalties or for making money?

    Over the years the criteria for receiving knighthoods seems to have changed from that of making tangibe contributions to benefit society as a whole, to political allegiance, fame and money manufacturing.

  18. Anonymous

    Like everything else once Arthur juk he hand in something it goes sour.

    Once this country faced the unfortunate reality with him as prime minister we see all the ‘includeds’ being given knighthoods.

    We see Arthur and his cronies tiefing left right and center without shame.

    We see this country being sold for the highest bidder.

    What Independence what.

    I long for the day when bajans see these politicians in the street and tell them how they – the people – feel about dem tiefing we money.

    Don’t let them feel they could tief so bold and then retire in piece at all.

    bunch a *#@**#

  19. cherry2enpowered

    This knighthood business is getting out of hand.

  20. Hants

    These two gentlemen are in good company with the likes of Sir Elton John and Sir Michael Phillip “Mick” Jagger.

    go figure.

  21. Knighthoods for sale(2)

    Haunts, I am trying to figure.
    I really don’t undertand how people who have not made a mark on the social environment. That is, who have not made a tangible contribution to the good of the common man can get a knighthood.
    It cheapens the title and makes a mockery of the honour.

  22. CO2 levels - keep an eye on me.

    “environmentally safe incineration” is something of an oxymoron.

    Incineration may be ‘convenient’ to mankind,
    but it involves combustion
    which means carbon dioxide,
    which adds to the already-rising CO2 level,
    which is the very base of the global warming problem that shall fry us slowly,
    our very own self-made problem alluded to,earlier.

    Incinerate if you must, but don’t complain when the average daily temperatures for your grandchildren keeps rising and rising.

  23. Anonymous

    God how I love it!
    Sir Hilary Beckles, Knight Errant of the Order of The British Empire he hates so much.
    Knighted by Ye Whyte Queene.
    How uncool is THAT, Hils??

    Maybe her grip will slip on the sword and his jugular or carotid will get knicked.
    We can only hope.

    Thanks for all the work you’ve done,Hils,
    over the years, twisting the national psyche of the average unintelligent Bajan twit,
    into believing that all white people are evil,etc. – very cool.

    This Knighthood is your reward for national services rendered.

    How’s the case in Jamaica coming along?

  24. Pingback: » Stunned to Hear of Earthquake in Barbados…. Updated, Friday 3:50PM EST Keltruth Corp.: News Blog of Keltruth Corp. - Miami, Florida, USA.

  25. sick and fed up sylvan

    Can somebody tell me what the hell has Hilary Beckles done to deserve a knighthood?

  26. This is what he's done

    Sick and fed up Sylvan,

    This is what Sir, Dr. Hiliary Beckles has done:
    1. Refrained from this anti – establshment
    rhetoric of the 1980’s.
    2. If you can’t beat em’, join em’ – Get on the gravy
    train”
    I
    To his credit, he still makes a contribution from the “Hill”. But what can we say about the Billionaire , Sir Kiffyn? What he he done apart from having connections and amassing a personal fortune?

  27. Unbanned

    This is what he’s done,

    Useless fool.

    Billionaires are good for everyone.

    When we go to the gas station, there’s ALWAYS gas. Kiffyn Simpson is not some lazy-az whiner-loser like you.

    BF & PE.

  28. Unbanned

    sick and fed up sylvan,

    Another useless loser.

    YOU will never be knighted, that’s for sure.

    And by the way, knighthood is of no interest to me (it’s too British), but what I really HATE are lazy useless scumball-vermin like you who always grudge hardworking and successful people.

    BF & PE.

  29. Makaveli

    CO2 levels – keep an eye on me read this and get out of the illusion of human CO2 raising global temperature.

    http://www.oism.org/pproject/s33p36.htm

    Then this:
    http://mysite.verizon.net/mhieb/WVFossils/greenhouse_data.html

    I hope do didn’t watch that film by eco-prostitute al-gore, but temp doesn’t follow CO2 …he got cause and effect mixed up. Then again he lost an election to an idiot so go figure.

  30. Anonymous

    I think anyone who was at the University before Sir Hilary Beckles and again recently, will appreciate what the professor has done to warrant being knighted. Many of you will comment without being aware of what goes on at Cave Hill, well, let me be the first to say that he has done a fantastic job, and I hope he continues to do so.

  31. Eyebother

    Man you all either have short political memories or just no knowledge! Kyffin Simpson used to be perhaps the most important business supporter of the DLP: he was close to Barrow and Richie Haynes (his neighbour for a long time) from the late 60s and early 70s when he was making his first millions. Hilary Beckles, similarly, used to be close close close to the DLP, even speaking on platforms and denouncing the BLP as the white people plantocracy party– he spoke on platforms even. Now Kyffin since the early 1990s became a faithful BLP donor, while Hilary not only became close to Labour but also wrote re-wrote his History of Barbados (Cambridge University Press) so that Owen Arthur was now the culmination of the making of black freedom in Barbados after Emancipation! Yes Hilary has been a good Principal at Cave Hill, or that Kyffin has been a successful businessman, BUT those knighthoods are rewards for betraying the DLP and bigging up Owen personally.

  32. sick and fed up sylvan

    unbanned, i pity an ignoramus like you. get a life, please. i asked a question. fyi, a knighthood means nothing to me. it is from a past which is not part of my present or will be part of my future. and if i may say hilary talks about making cave hill world-class. but how can cave hill be world class when a lot of students are coming out who cannot write proper english. a lot of chinese now are writing and speaking better english than cave hill students.

  33. Sanitation Service Authority

    Management of the Sanitation Service Authority is pleased to report despite recent heavy rains and now a Caribbean-wide earthquake – the National Sanitary Landfill at Greenland, St Andrew maintains its original structure.

    During the quake at 3:00 pm on Thursday 29th November, personnel observed the slopes during the event and saw no fissures created as a result of the 7.3 Richter-scale event – the slopes of the landfill were reinspected at 5:00 pm that same day and remain stable.

    Subsequent to the tremor, the landfill was checked again by Sanitation Service Authority staff and engineers of the project on Friday 30th November – the leachate liner’s integrity remains intact as well as all roads and other works at the entire site.

    Pizometers, which measure any form of movement at Greenland, recorded the tremor data and this was sent to Canada and although it recorded the quake, the landfill remains safe and in order – the earthquake had no effect on the landfill.

  34. BFP L.I.E.S E.X.P.O.S.E.D!!!!

    BFP L.I.E.S E.X.P.O.S.E.D!!!!

    Just heard the news report on the radio… there was NO DAMAGE DONE to the Greenland dump site.

    Two inspections were made… there were NO CRACKS IN THE LEACHATE LINER.

    BFP L.I.E.S E.X.P.O.S.E.D AGAIN!!!!

  35. Observing

    Eyebother, the revised “History of BArbados” had me scratching my head as well. I looked thru it earlier this week and saw the quote

    “Arthur has emeregd as a determined, charismatic leader whose creative political imagination transcends the narrow, confining boundaries inherited from tradition.”

    I closed the book and returned it to the shelf never to be picked up again. Seeing Hilary receive a Knighthood simply confirms any suspicions i had and carries me back to Sir Roy and such others.

    Such is the reality and political climate that we have no choice but to deal with…for now.

  36. Suckerrrrs...

    Yes, I believe every word told to me by Officialdom! hook line + sinker!

    SSA says they had enough warning to pre-place people at the dump, in order to observe the earthquake’s effects.
    How fortuitous. I “believe” that!
    Inspected again at 5 p.m. wow! impressive! no cracks.
    they say so, so it’s SO.

    Just like how de bible say so,
    ergo it’s God’s truth. wheee!

    Ummm… the seismic event may have been 7.3 AT SOURCE,
    but that doesn’t mean that Barbados experienced 7.3
    -more like a 5.5 to 6. in reality, on the ground, at Barbados.
    please bear that in mind. so let’s not hear that(historically) the Greenland dump survived at 7.3 earthquake, bcoz it DID NOT!

    I saw recent heavy rains mentioned?
    WHAT heavy rains???

    When last did Barbados have 5 inches(even HALF of that) in one day.??

    “recent heavy rains”?? When?
    that last 60 parts of an inch back in October? Hello-o-o?

    Who are the official statements fooling?
    You? – not ME!

    MyGod, Bajans still foolish bad,yes?
    If it’s an official utterance over CBC-TV or in the local newspapers,
    that passes for absolute Gospel.

    Suckerrrs!

  37. Anonymous

    BFP Lies Exposed because Greenland landfill was not damaged in the earthquake…

    OR

    Instant government coverup and lies to conceal that Greenland was damaged?

    Who do I trust more? BFP or the government?

    I think the government covered up the cracks and then say “nothing wrong here” !

  38. Kighthoods for sale(3)

    Dear Unbanned/BF@ PE
    There is no need to get bombastic and ugly. One needs to be unbiased and impartial and not be possessed by the flames of emotionalism.

    Sir Kiffyin and Sir, Dr. Hiliary Beckles have both done well in their respective endeavours – that need not be debated. But so have thousands of other Bajans in their respective fields. None of these will be knighted. Most of them will go unnoticed.
    Knighthoods are reserved (or, should I say, “used to be”) for those who have carried out EXTRAORDINARY FEATS, TRICKLING DOWN TO THE GOOD OF THE COMMON MAN OVER A SUSTAINED PERIOD OF TIME.
    Therefore, we have no problem in people being knighted like: Sir Grantley, Sir Frank Walcott, Sir Hugh Springer and even Sir Erskine. These men have sacrificed even their personal lives.
    But tell me, why should making truck loads of money qualify one to become a Knight?
    Sir Hiliary is doing good at the Campus, and has written a few books (there are others who do the same) but this alone is not deserving of a knighthood. If you want to give him something, well, perhaps, a lower ensignia – but not a knighthood.
    In addition, you cannot with one face be criticizing a group of people and then wit another face patronizing them. They is the hype of hypocrisy.
    It would appear that you were just waiting for your “moment in time”

    I write this not in any way being jealous of the 2 men in question, for I think they are honourable Barbadians, but this whole knighthood saga over the years seems suspect and smacks of political lineage.

  39. Rebranded

    History does not show the following to be true:
    \”Knighthoods are reserved (or, should I say, “used to be”) for those who have carried out EXTRAORDINARY FEATS, TRICKLING DOWN TO THE GOOD OF THE COMMON MAN OVER A SUSTAINED PERIOD OF TIME.\”
    Stop bothering about who gets Knighted, it was never about helping any \”common man\”.
    In English history, Knights were hired soldiers, the hit men of the nobility (monied classes), pirates even. Today they are still associated with \”nobility\” or those who have reached lofty heights of achievement, and are seen as favoured. It has absolutely nothing to do with any service rendered to the common man.

    By the way, it has always amazed me how a man can be Leroy throughout his years of achievement, but the day he gets knighted suddenly becomes Sir Roy. His name, his choice. Is it that Leroy is a common name given to Bajans at one time, and Roy, while a shortened form is not so common and more befitting nobility?

  40. Rebranded

    As for Greenland, the Government can take my advice or they can dump it, like it or lump it. Forget about Greenland and add the cost to the overruns on all the other projects, then the money already spent will be neither here nor there and we can get on with our lives.
    New dump, new Hospital, new prison, new highway, new millionaires, new squatters, new homeless, new underemployed, new crime, newest developed country in the world, Buhbaduss.

  41. Jukecheckedeyskirt

    1. Is Barbados the only country where persons in the Government service are not paid for professional qualifications?

    2. Is it true that Europe is looking for 20 million skill workers from around the world to fill a shortage professional positions?
    3. What must I do to obtain permanent residency in another country e.g. UK, US, or Cananda

    I want to leave Barbados, I am tired of being honest and hard working when others are dishonest and rich.

  42. Anonymous

    Hilary get a knighthood, his son miraculously cleared of murder:

    I’m telling you, that man has the luck – or something – of the devil.

    Anyone else hear the rumour he plan to run for parliament in the near future?

  43. Eyebother

    Knighthoods for sale/Rebranded– I have a problem with knighthoods, and if Owen and Mia and dem don’t have one then they don’t think straight, particularly at the same time that they are urging Barbados become a republic. Knighthoods are emanations of the power of the monarchy, they are expressions of the sovereign’s will to demand fealty (thus the kneeling and offering up one’s throat to be cut by the sovereign) from all distinguished men and women. It is an identification of great distinction and achievement and service with being appointed by a sovereign, and over the ordinary people. It is a profoundly UNDEMOCRATIC institution. In the entire Caribbean, only Barbados has so slavishly modelled its system of national honours on the British precedents. Abolish them all, right now, once and for all, as far as I am concerned. And the most hilarious bit is going to be the day when we see Professor Hilary BlackRebellioninBarbados Beckles kneeling and bowing his throat to the cold steel of her majesty — I just hope he goes up to Buckingham Palace for the formal investiture service, it would be too sweet.

  44. Adrian Loveridge

    The person (or persons) posting comments under my name or Kill Adrian Loveridge really does not have any idea of exactly who I am and what I believe in.

    ‘Because of its tenacity, the bulldog is a symbol of England’.

    The more you threaten us, and our property, the more resillient and resourceful we will become.
    British people function at their peak when intimidated and threatened. Its having relatives that died in both world wars, who gave up everything to stand on points of principal.

    Eventually, the person (s) posting these comments will be revealed and everyone will be able to judge the source.

    It is still interesting that a no BLP politician (including our local representative) or anyone from the Royal Barbados Police Force has seen fit to contact me and investigate the persistent death threats.

    Very suprising, as I understand that this Government can (and does) monitor email.

  45. Knighthoods for sale(4)

    Dear Eyebother, I take your point and actually agree with you.
    However, since we have the system still with us, I guess we will have to live with it until the change comes(Republic?)
    My concern is that as the highest level of honours in this jurisdiction, , the way they are being dispensed leaves one to question the criteria required.

  46. Vick- Your stupidity and the childish abuse to which you resort amuses me.

    We all know the earthquake was felt in all islands of the Lesser Antilles from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and even Caracas on the mainland.

    This does not mean we cannot look at what in this earthquake concerns Barbados alone. It may be Barbadocentric to do so, but we do this most of the time on this blog.

  47. Anonymous

    From following the discussion on the no confidence motion I am getting the impression that some influential folks seem to be saying that documentary evidence of criminal conduct is required for a “strong” no confidence motion.

    My understanding about no confidence motions is that they were about poor judgement by a public officer rather than criminal conduct which is a matter for the DPP.

    The current Prime Minister has quite rightly disciplined Ministers by firing them (evidence of a loss of confidence in them) without any evidence of criminal conduct.

    If we make documantary evidence of criminal conduct the requirement for a no confidence motion then we will never develop a culture of acountability in Barbados.

    We should not let party loyalties inhibit our march towards a mature democracy. The only relevant question is whether or not the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance has acted in a “seriously” improper manner inconsistent with his high office not necessarily whether he has broken any laws or rules. This was quite rightly the standard when the prime minister disciplined Dr. Cheltenham, Ms. Thompson and Mr. Payne. The Minister of State should be held to a similar standard.

  48. peltdownman

    Hey Vick
    Thanks for your contribution and your well thought-out arguments and pithy comments. I can see that you are in line for a ministry. Greengage, give the man a break – it’s not often that commentators of this quality come along.

  49. Hants

    “The only relevant question is whether or not the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance has acted in a “seriously” improper manner ”

    The answer to that is YES. Mascoll should have resigned or been fired.

    However, Barbados is so small that “cross contamination occurs so it is not surprising that he still has a job.

  50. As Ian Bourne is spinmeister for the SSA (PR officer), can we take it that the statement of no earthquake damage at Greenland came from his pen? The normal way to monitor land slippage is with little stakes driven into the ground in straight lines in the areas where slippage is likely. Any slippage can then be easily observed and measured. You do not have to be there at the time. Is this being done at Greenland?

    The Caribbean Seismic Unit of UWI says that the Nov 29 ‘quake was the strongest in the Caribbean since records were first collected in 1952.

    However they do not say how strong it was in various islands. Just because it was 7.4 in Martinique does not mean it was that strong in Barbados. In fact I would guess it was between 4 and 5.

    I timed its duration as 70 seconds, watching the second hand on a clock for the full period while a nearby chandelier swayed 18 inches from side to side.

  51. St Lucia reported an aftershock to the earthquake of Nov 29 yesterday morning. It registered at 5.3 and had its epicentre at about the same spot as before. I doubt Barbados felt anything?