British Foreign Office Says Prime Minister Thompson’s “100 Days” Integrity Promise Was A Deciding Factor In Barbados Election

“Although the BLP under Owen Arthur had run the country effectively for almost 14 years, helping Barbados become one of the most affluent developing countries in the world with low unemployment and relatively low crime rates, there was a strong desire for change. Concern had also been expressed about Owen Arthur’s increasingly autocratic style, and there were allegations of property fraud and of backhanders being paid in relation to government contracts.

This gave David Thompson the opportunity to win over voters with a strong campaign, which built up his credibility as a leader. Thompson also pledged to introduce integrity legislation within 100 days. Other priorities include making life better for ordinary Barbadians: reducing the cost of living; giving people access to affordable housing; and improving public services, especially health and education.”

… from the website of the U.K. Foreign & Commonwealth Office (link here)

Prime Minister Thompson: Barbados Elites Cannot Hide Wrong-Doing From The World Any Longer

The internet has empowered ordinary people. We now have access to information and source data that was once censored from mass distribution by various political, business and media elites. As well, the ordinary citizen can communicate with the world on a mass basis without the costs and gatekeepers that previously limited this ability.

True, there is a whole lot of junk, lies and errors out there in cyberspace, but citizens of the world are increasingly saying “We prefer to sort the good from the bad for ourselves. No government or media gatekeepers wanted, thank you.”

As we have seen with fictional news published by Reuters and by the L.A. Times and the New York Times, much of what appears in the “mainstream” press is agenda-driven and often outright lies. Not to mention what doesn’t appear in the news media – and especially in the local Barbados news media. (Think about the failure of the Barbados news media to publish stories about a Minister of Government building a home on expropriated land, the Director of Public Prosecutions misusing his position to collect back rent and the failure of the Barbados Media to cover a story of corruption surrounding the flyover project until they were shamed into it by the blogs.)

So ordinary Bajans are quite capable of sorting out the information for themselves. What is in the news media is not necessarily true, and what is on the blogs is not necessarily any less reliable than stories in the news media. We’ll decide for ourselves, thank you.

Prime Minister Thompson… You Can’t Control Information

Mr. Prime Minister, the British Foreign Office is officially on the record saying that there were allegations of fraud in the Owen Arthur Government and that your “100 days” Integrity, Transparency and Accountability Legislation (ITAL) promise was a big part of the DLP election win.

How long will it be before the British Foreign Office reports that you’ve done nothing with your “100 days” ITAL promise?

How long will it be before the British Foreign Office reports that your Royal Barbados Police Force is refusing to investigate politically-motivated threats with racial overtones against a British investor who purchased a hotel in Barbados?

How long will it be before the British Foreign Office reports that the new DLP Government failed to charge even one person with corruption-related activities when the evidence in several cases is overwhelming?

Google Me This…

Prime Minister Thompson, try a few Google searches on the internet and you’ll see what a billion people all over the world can access instantly when they are curious about Barbados – or perhaps want to do business with your government.

Try a few of these Google searches, Sir, and then think very carefully about what you and your government’s priorities should be for the next few years. Out of the millions of hits returned with the following Google searches, articles by Barbados citizens on this and other blogs are in the top ten on the first page…

“David Thompson integrity”

“Barbados government integrity”

“Foreign investment in Barbados”

“DLP Government Barbados”

“Justice in Barbados”

“investment Barbados”

“Barbados stock exchange”

“corruption in Barbados”

“Barbados aviation”

“Barbados Prime Minister”

“Prime Minister David Thompson”

“Prime Minister Owen Arthur”

“Owen Arthur”

“DLP Barbados”

COVER-UP: Royal Barbados Police Force Ignores Violent Threats To Businessman

Personal attention of Mr Darwin Dottin

Commissioner
The Royal Barbados Police Force

Subject: Death Threats

Once again, death threats, against myself and my wife, are appearing openly on one of the popular blogs, Barbados Free Press.

As you are aware, I have formally reported these and other threats in writing to you personally. The last contact I had from the Royal Barbados Police Force, was several months ago was when a gentleman identifying himself as Superintendent Jedder Robinson, telephoned me.

I understand from two senior managers at Cable and Wireless, one in London and one here in Barbados, that the source of these threats can be traced.

I am therefore at a loss why action appears to have not been taken.

Perhaps you could advise of any progress, and if you do not have the resources to actively pursue the investigation into these death threats, perhaps it might be advisable for me to contact the British High Commission here in Barbados?

I would also respectfully remind you of the larger picture here.

The United Kingdom is our largest single tourism market. British Nationals are also among, if not the largest single investors on Barbados.

And clearly it does not send a reassuring message that legal permanent residents holding British passports can so blatantly have their lives threatened, seemingly without any consequence or resolve.

I look forward to your response.

Thank You.

Adrian Loveridge
22nd June 2008

Faxed to the Administration office of the Commissioner of Police (429 8755) and copied by fax and email to Donald Austin – President – Cable and Wireless (Barbados) Ltd and John Pluthero Executive Chairman of Cable and Wireless International in London.

Barbados Free Press Comments

Barbados Free Press, Barbados Underground, Keltruth Blog and other Barbados-based blogs have for the last year or so seen threatening comments left by a group of persons who are rabid supporters of the previous BLP government. These threats are serious. There were threats to burn down Mr. Loveridge’s business, and these threats were followed by arsons against his hotel.

As you will read in our May 25, 2008 article re-printed below Barbados Police Continue To Cover-Up Threats Against Adrian Loveridge, Court Witnesses, Blogger – the Royal Barbados Police Force are engaged in a cover-up because there are big names involved, and the object of the threats was to intimidate political and media opponents of the Barbados Labour Party government.

Many of the threats came from a computer at the Barbados Parliament that is used by MP William Duguid. This was confirmed by none other than the Secretary General of the Barbados Labour Party, Doctor William Duguid, himself. (Dr. Duguid’s comments are here)

Reprint of BFP’s May 25, 2008 article…

Barbados Police Continue To Cover-Up Threats Against Adrian Loveridge, Court Witnesses, Bloggers

Online Threats Continue…

“There is only one solution.

K__i__l__l

s__t__i__n__k__i__n__g

L__o__v__e__r__i__d__g__e

l__i__k__e

r__a__s__s__h__o__l__e.

BFP… constant defender of w_h_i_t_e_s and h_o_m_o_s_e_x_u_a_l_s, constant attacker of b_l_a_c_k_s.”

The above comment was left by someone calling themselves “Bana” from IP: 69.73.251.222 on 2008/05/25 at 2:49 AM (GMT)

“KILL LOVERIDGE”

Comment left by someone calling themselves “The Verdict” from IP: 69.73.210.227 on 2008/05/07 at 12:36 AM (GMT)

Violent Threats Continue – Barbados Police Do Nothing

A friend who knows I write for BFP asked if all those threats to murder Adrian Loveridge stopped when the new government took power. The short answer is “No, the threats continue and the police continue to do what they do best – cover-up crimes likely to involve political elites.”

My friend then defended the police saying that they can’t do anything without witnesses willing to testify, and seeing as how BFP and Barbados Underground blogs are written anonymously, Mr. Loveridge cannot expect the police to do anything.

I explained that the police had received IP numbers from bloggers and witnesses who were willing to testify and that they had a victim in Mr. Loveridge who had already filed reports with the police. In fact, Cable and Wireless informed Adrian Loveridge that they had already provided the information about who was doing the threats to both the police and the former Attorney General. (See HERE)

“Oh, I see what you mean then.” said my friend.

Regular visitors to the Barbadian blogs are well aware that a person or persons have been making threatening comments for the last ten months or so on various blogs. Victims of the death threats include hoteliers Adrian Loveridge and his wife Margaret, bloggers Ian Bourne (Bajan Reporter blog), Kathy Davis (Keltruth blog) and lawsuit defendant Marjorie Knox.

Of particular interest is that threats were also made to burn down the Loveridge’s hotel, and that two arsons did happen. When someone threatens to burn down a hotel, and then there is an arson, one should expect some reaction from the police, don’t you think?

The threats were properly reported to the Royal Barbados Police Force along with the IP information that would enable the police to find the culprits, but seeing as how the main suspect(s) are BLP government supporters – perhaps even linked to the BLP government itself – we didn’t expect that the police would do anything more than pretend to investigate.

And that’s pretty well what happened with the police… Nothing.

And with the police unwilling to do anything, of course the threats like those above continue even to today.

BFP Is Going To Publish All The Threats And The IP Information

We don’t know if this will ever shame the police or the government into revealing or charging the person(s) who is doing the threats but we will publish the details of a selection of threats in this article – including the IP information and date etc..

We’re not sure how long it will take us to go back in our records, but we will try to post a few every day for the next week or two. I think we’ll start back last year at the beginning and then work forward to the present. That way readers can appreciate how the threats developed. Also, readers will see that while some of the comments might not be considered threatening by themselves, they are threatening in context of other comments left by the same people.

Readers should also be aware that on occasion the people posting the threats will do so using the handles of known and responsible BFP readers, so don’t pay too much attention to the name of the poster… it is the IP Internet number that counts!

It will be a long list that develops every day as we have time. If you want to have a look, you can click on the next link…