Moody’s downgrades Barbados bond rating to brink of junk (This doesn’t sound good to us)

How much did that Cricket Party cost us?

Was it half a billion or a billion? I’ve forgotten, and I’ve forgotten what fun it was too!
Barbados Gets A Downgrade
Barbados may have gotten a high quality of living stamp but its bond rating was yesterday downgraded to the brink of junk.
Moody`s Investors Service on Tuesday lowered [...]

Texas Billionaire Crook Sir Allen Stanford hospitalised after jailhouse attack. Can we get a deal on his yacht?

As of Sunday night, SIR Allen Stanford is still in hospital after taking a thumping last Thursday in a jail about 40 miles north of Houston Texas. His injuries are reported minor and there is no word why he’s still in hospital.
Would an ordinary crook still be in hospital for “minor” injuries after a fight [...]

BICO Ice-Cream Complex Fire – Million dollars or more damage

Much of the BICO dairy complex was destroyed in a major fire last night.
What a tragedy for BICO employees and their families. No time would be a good time for a fire, but the world economy and job market are pretty tough right now.
Many of our visitors from North America or the UK will not [...]

Tributes Continue For Sir John Stanley Goddard “Quiet Manner, Business Acumen and Integrity”

Sir John passed away early Saturday morning and we see many folks and organisations contributing their condolences to the family and expressing their respect and fond memories of Sir John as a person and a leader.
The Barbados Consumer Research Organisation spokesperson, H. Malcolm Gibbs-Taitt, spoke of Sir John’s contribution to the island’s economic development and [...]

Royal Westmoreland’s Pure Leisure Group Accused of Unethical Behaviour By U.K. Town Council

A Community Is Lied To By John Morphet’s Pure Leisure Group
1/ In 2007, Pure Leisure Group purchased land in Ulverston, U.K. – presumably to develop into one of their famous holiday caravan parks or resorts. Later that year the industrial building on the site was gutted by a fire.
2/ Pure Leisure Group failed to properly [...]

Sir John Stanley Goddard Passes

Our condolences to the family and many friends of Sir John Goddard, who passed early Saturday morning at the age of 78 after being taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Friday evening.
For decades, Sir John was a driving force in the family-owned business Goddard Enterprises Limited and in other businesses and organisations. His leadership [...]

Murder Allegations Against Principal Of Barbados Corporation – Blackwater and Greystone use Barbados to support arms dealing & mercenary operations

“While the private military/security industry rejects the characterisation of their forces as mercenaries, Blackwater executives have turned the grey area in which they operate into a brand asset. The company has been quietly marketing its services to foreign governments and corporations through an off-shore affiliate, Greystone Ltd, registered in Barbados.”
… Jeremy Scahill, author of Blackwater: [...]

Nation Newspaper CLICO Advertisement – “Why do I save? 3 Reasons!”

My 3 CLICO Reasons for saving…
1/ I used to have savings, but then I invested with a CLICO investment fund and now I have nothing.
2/ CLICO gave millions to Barbadian and Caribbean political parties so they could act without oversight or accountability. Now those politicians are bailing out CLICO and protecting CLICO executives.
3/ CLICO used [...]

Barbados High Court Justice, Supermodel Jodie Kidd’s Father Both Caught Breaking Law – Corporate Records Funny Business Surfaces During Land Fraud Trial

Actions of Barbados High Court Justice Elneth Kentish & Businessman Johnny Kidd Are What President Obama Warned About!
The Obama Administration is on the offensive against offshore banking jurisdictions like Barbados – in part because Barbados often allows corporations to play fast and wild with the few laws we do have about records keeping and accountability.
Most [...]

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

“…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 [...]

Will Chubbie’s Rude Employee Kill Their DVD Rental Business In Barbados?

My first post after a long break and I’m damned cranky.  I had planned to write something nice, not this.  But a trip to Chubbie’s DVD rental this morning changed my mind for me… (snip)

…In his typically friendly manner, Greg says to the clerk, “Good morning.  We’d like to take these, please.”
The clerk recoils.  She [...]

Working Together: Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Barbados Youth Business Trust

The Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) has just signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Barbados Youth Business Trust (BYBT). This MOU will serve to streamline networking plans and events between the BCCI and BYBT, who share a common mandate.
BYBT is a 12 year old NGO youth entrepreneurship development organisation. The Trust [...]

Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry Enlists New Marketing Communications Executive

The Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry in meeting the current economic challenges of Barbados through effective and efficient communications with its stakeholders has announced the appointment of Mr. Ian Bourne as its new Marketing Communications Executive.
Chief Executive Officer of the BCCI, Magnus Whitehead, says that Bourne will strengthen his organisation’s ability to communicate with [...]

New York Times Editorial Reflects Growing US Assault On Offshore Banking – What Should Barbados Do?

The Swiss and Their Secrets
A New York Times editorial is calling upon the United States government to reject any deal with Switzerland that would let 52,000 American citizens off the hook for having unreported Swiss bank accounts. This “get tough” attitude is reflected in many American media articles and mirrors the long-standing position of President [...]

Tougher Times Ahead For Barbados: Standard & Poor’s Lowers Outlook From Stable To Negative, Worries About Civil Unrest

S&P Report Uses “Social Cohesion” Loaded Term

Standard & Poor’s has dramatically lowered its outlook for Barbados from “stable” to “negative” — and most worrisome, introduces the concept of civil unrest in Barbados should things get much worse financially. The Wall Street Journal said the following…
“S&P said the ratings could be downgraded if the loss in [...]

Carlos Belgrave, Supervisor of Insurance and Pensions in Barbados, Called “Worst Regulator” By OffshoreAlert

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

IMF Says Barbados Insurance Sector Needs “Tighter Regulation” – No Kidding!
The chaos surrounding the Barbados financial and insurance company called CLICO [...]

People You Can Rely Upon: Pretty Ethiopian Orphans, Rich African Widows, CLICO Investment Bankers…

We’re All Going To Be Rich! Filthy Rich, I Tell You!
One never knows what little GEMS of financial information and advice will show up in your inbox each morning. Today all I have to do is to show a little faith in what these folks are telling me and I shall be rich, rich, rich!!!!
Email [...]

Trinidad and Tobago Central Bank & CLICO Obtain Injunction Against CL Financial

A High Court judge has granted an ex-parte injunction to the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT) and the Colonial Life Insurance Company Limited (CLICO) preventing the embattled local conglomerate CL Financial from conducting any local or international business with its assets…
<snip>
CL Financial must also “disclose to the Inspector of Financial Institutions, or his [...]

Breaking News: Barbados Four Seasons Development About To Stop, Lay Off All Staff

CONFIRMED: 700 Workers Laid Off At Four Seasons Hotel Site
See Nation News story – Project On Hold
Our original story published 16 hours before the oldstream media…
Right Now – Consider It Only A Rumour, But From A Good Source
A source who has been proven 100% accurate with Barbados Free Press over the last year says that [...]

Barbados Economy: Crisis & Stimulus

Those who think that Barbados is better positioned than many to weather the global financial crisis, and that the impact will be limited and short-term should think again.  Right now the industrial states are in deep recession with little but cautious optimism for short term recovery in a shrinking world economy where job loss is [...]

UPDATED: Stanford Trying To Flee USA! US Federal Authorities: Allen Stanford Money-Laundering For Drug Cartels

UPDATE – February 19, 2009
Various sources are reporting that as late as last night, Stanford was seen trying to flee the USA in a chartered jet bound for Antigua but was refused because the charter company wouldn’t take his credit card. (TelegraphUK: Sir Allen Stanford’s ‘attempted flight’ thwarted as credit card refused)
Original Article…
Allen Stanford’s office [...]

How Many “Political Donations” Did Sir R. Allen Stanford Give To Barbados Politicians?

“Stanford’s business is headquartered on the Caribbean island of Antigua. In the last decade, Stanford and his companies have spent more than $7 million on lobbyists and (US) campaign contributions in efforts to loosen regulation of offshore banks. Among the top recipients: Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Senator [...]

Standford International Bank Bars Withdrawals – Charges Laid In $9 Billion Dollar Fraud

“We are alleging a fraud of shocking magnitude that has spread its tentacles throughout the world”
… United States SEC Director (Fort Worth, Texas) Rose Romero in the TimesOnline
Sir Allen Stanford’s House Of Ponzi Cards
The economy pulls back and the facades of integrity and competence presented by many of the super rich start cracking. We’re not [...]

Report: Barbados Anti-Money Laundering Authority A Phony Shell – Doesn’t Really Exist!

Barbados Government Agency With No Staff Designed To Look Good & Receive U.S. Foreign Aid Funding?
Oh My!!!
Those curious folks over at Barbados Money Laundering Advisory have been doing a little digging into the Barbados Government Agency known as the Barbados Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA).
Our own sources tell us that Barbados AMLA receives all kinds of [...]

Clico and Barbados: So Many Unanswered Questions, So Many Suspicious Activities By Government And Friends Of Government

“Wife came home last night with the story on how the whole CLICO thing unfolded for them. Seems some one in the Bahamas had 100 million invested with CLICO and needed the money back, because they (Bahamas) were in tights!
CLICO doesn’t have 100 Big Ones sitting around to handle large redemptions, and couldn’t borrow that [...]

President Obama and America Getting Tough With Tax Cheats

Apparently, President Obama has imposed tough new requirements on his officials and cabinet members: They must pay taxes.
This onerous rule has already sidelined or slandered a number of candidates or appointees for his critical posts. Many wonder if such strictures are a wise move, but it’s hard to quarrel when their jobs are about spending [...]

Cable and Wireless/LIME Made Over A Billion Dollars Profit Last Year – A Pity They Didn’t Invest Some Of That In Customer Support

“The past day has heard me screaming loudly and boiling internally at the ostrich called “LIME”. I am reading books on arson as I write. The story in brief, and it’s not the first time. “Catch 22″ has nothing on this…”
… Dennis Jones of Living In Barbados blog considers suicide, arson and a number of [...]

Breaking: Swiss Bank UBS Closing 19,000 Hidden Offshore Accounts Of American Clients – What About Barbados’ Offshore Banking Industry?

Caribbean Offshore Financial Centers Next?
The Swiss bank UBS is closing 19,000 previously-secret offshore bank accounts owned by American clients after being targeted by the United States government that is determined to stop all tax fraud through offshore banking centers.
Offshore banking centers like Barbados.
This is huge my friends. Huge.
And no, President Obama is NOT going to [...]

Witness Intimidation In Barbados: Was Mercedes Van Registration At Home By Accident – Or For A Sinister Reason?

For Barbados and for our children, this threatening of court witnesses must stop. This firing of court witnesses must stop. This harassment of court witnesses must stop.
If the police will not stop it, then we must turn to the court of world opinion. Barbados Free Press will do everything it can to ensure that each [...]

How About President Obama and Vice-President Palin?

We all laughed pretty hard when we saw the above photoshop of Barack Obama and Sarah Palin on Dancing With The Stars – but then I thought “An Obama/Palin ticket would have been pretty good!”
Barbados Free Press came out early for Obama and on February 26, 2008, we predicted he’d be the next President of [...]

Canadian CIBC-Owned FirstCaribbean International Bank Indicted In 100 Money-Laundering Act Charges! Barbados News Media Hides The Story

Lapdog Barbados News Media Covers-Up For First Caribbean
FirstCaribbean International Bank, headquartered in Barbados, has been indicted in Belize in over 100 money laundering charges that happened between 2001 and 2005.
The bank is over 90% owned by the Canadian bank, the CIBC.
This story has been on the international news for almost two weeks, but the Barbados [...]

Offshore Banking In Barbados, Switzerland and Many Countries Under Fire From United States Lawmakers

“Tax havens are engaged in economic warfare against the United States…”
… Democratic Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday, July 17, 2008
Arrested Banker Tells US Government Everything
Revelations in the trial of an employee of Swiss Bank UBS will have serious repercussions for the Barbados offshore banking industry. [...]

Barbados Flyover Contractor Jonathan Danos Admits Paying Huge Bribes To Caribbean Government Officials & Their Middlemen

Photo: From left: President of 3S Barbados SRL, Jonathan Danos, Minister of Public Works and Transport Gline Clarke, and Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Clyde Mascoll
Danos Explains How Bridge & Flyover Kickbacks And Bribes Work
If you want to know why our flyover and highway work costs so much, you need do [...]

Rich and Fat Bankers Warn Barbadians To Cut Back On Entertainment And Partying

Not A Word About A Billion Dollars In Government Project Overruns!
Can you hear the train coming folks? The government is trying to keep us from noticing until the election is over, but the express train called “Pay The Piper” has been barreling down the tracks for some time now towards a car called “Barbados” that [...]

Mariano Browne Fraud Allegations Take A Political Twist

Will The Barbados Courts Be Predisposed To Favour Mariano Browne?
Today, the Trinidad & Tobago Express is taking a look at the politics and political connections behind the Mariano Browne fraud allegations. Barbados Opposition DLP leader David Thompson is acting as lawyer for one of the interested parties – RBTT/CLICO.
On the other side of the [...]

Bush Tea Says “Leave Barbados Credit Unions Alone!”

“We now have the ridiculous situation where government ministers who oversaw projects like Greenland, The Prison contract, The VECO oil terminal and the ABC Flyover scams are now ‘helping the Credit Unions to introduce proper controls’ – and worse yet, the Credit Union Leaders are so lacking in self-confidence that they cannot see the irony.” [...]

Leroy Parris, Clico, David Thompson and Mariano Browne – Valid Points By A Reader, Or Using BFP For An Agenda?

This letter was received from an anonymous reader. What do you think, folks?

 
The recent debacle surrounding the semmingly innocent appointment of Mariano Browne to Trinidad and Tobago’s Finance ministry hides many a skeleton.
Leroy Parris’ motives are clearer than most. He resents the fact that he was denied a seat on the board of CCB [...]