Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves: How many travel writers will you jail?

St. Vincent’s racist Prime Minister is on the record very upset that two BBC journalists ‘snuck’ into the country by telling Immigration authorities they were visiting as tourists when they were really working on a story about Harlequin and Dave Ames. Had the BBC journalists been filming a feel-good travel or investment article, Gonsalves wouldn’t have had a problem with them.

Too bad the BBC story was about how Harlequin collected hundreds of millions of pounds from British pensioners but only built a handful of promised holiday homes before running out of money.

Gonsalves threatened that Panorama tele-journalists Paul Kenyon and Mathew Hill committed crimes punishable by imprisonment.

No word on what PM Gonsalves thinks about Harlequin’s Ponzi scheme, but he is sure upset at the reporters for mentioning it!

How dare dem bloody reporters come snooping around and then expose the story of how SVG  and its politicians let a twice-bankrupt double glazing salesman get away with using the country to promote a pyramid scheme!

One problem though: does Prime Minister Gonsalves intend to apply the same rules to every travel journalist who comes to SVG as a tourist and then writes nice things about the island? Or is Gonsalves only concerned about the law when investigative journalists expose the truth?

If Prime Minister Gonsalves wants to put some journalists in jail he should start with every travel and finance writer who took a free trip from Harlequin and declared they were on holiday when they arrived in SVG. They are the ones who printed the flowery stories that set the trap for thousands of trusting Britons to lose their pensions. If any journalists deserve jail, it is that bunch.

Of course, it’s a good thing that the BBC journalists are of the white race because Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves is probably going soft on them. You see, Ralph Gonsalves is a racist who dislikes mulattos and brown people – and said so.

Further Reading

I-Witness News Citing possible jail time, BBC reporters staying away from SVG

Cartoon: SVG journalist Kenton X. Chance with PM Gonsalves. See BFP’s More WikiLeaks hit the fan!

Barbados, Trinidad governments excel at turning public assets into private profits

The ‘Eden Gardens’ transaction is a prime example of a large-scale economic crime against the State and the interests of its citizens.

Again, I ask – ‘Who were the beneficiaries?’

As we read Afra Raymond’s latest tale about how public monies are turned into private profits by corrupt T&T politicians and their friends, our thoughts turn to a dozen similar situations here in Barbados.

BLP or DLP doesn’t matter: the record of both major parties makes it clear that Barbados politicians have made it their business to rape the public purse at every opportunity. Think Dodds Prison and the Oil Terminal. Think CLICO. Think land expropriations where government doesn’t pay for the land ever and then some Minister of Government ends up fooping his mistress in a house built on stolen land. Her house but everybody knows where the land and building money came from.

Some church going folks will be upset I used the F word. They should first be upset at the Minister and if they have any upset left over then worry about my f word – for Bajans are being fooped by their guvment every day. It doesn’t stop.

Barbados lacks ITAL – Integrity Legislation, Transparency and Accountability Legislation. Prime Ministers Thompson and Stuart and their corrupt DLP promised it just to get elected in 2008. Then they pretended to push it through when they knew an election would kill it. An doan fool yourself… Mottley, Arthur and the BLP were in on the plan.

We can’t have the politicians restrained by little things like Integrity Legislation and Conflicts of Interest rules, can we?

There is only one political party in Barbados… the DLP-BLP coalition and they take turns every few years to let the other be on top. That’s the way things work in Trinidad & Tobago too. It’s all about turning those public assets into private profits. Afra Raymond tells us about some real experts…

by Afra Raymond

Calcutta Settlement review

The simple, inescapable fact is that the State could have lawfully acquired the ‘Eden Gardens’ property for less than $40M.  The HDC paid $175M in November 2012 to Point Lisas Park Ltd (PLP) for that property, which is the reason I am calling this an improper use of Public Money.

Despite having available the advice of the Commissioner of State Lands, the Commissioner of Valuations and various attorneys at HDC and so on, the Cabinet approved this transaction.  This Cabinet, with two Senior Counsel at its head and several other seasoned legal advisers, appears to have been unaware of, or intentionally ignoring, the legal safeguards.

“I am calling for this matter to be swiftly investigated and the responsible parties prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Some readers may be surprised at those assertions, so here are my reasons for making such…

The last two articles examined the steps leading to the HDC’s purchase of land at ‘Eden Gardens’ in Calcutta Settlement.  In my opinion that transaction, as well as the one which preceded it, are both highly improper and very probably unlawful.  The HDC purchase must be reversed and the responsible parties investigated/prosecuted as required by our laws. 

Who was charged for photographing their ballot? Who paid them: DLP or BLP?

File under “Disappearing news stories in Barbados”

by passin thru

Early afternoon on February 21, 2013 – Election Day – the news media in Barbados was full of stories of vote buying triggered by the arrest of a voter for using a cell phone to photograph their marked ballot. The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation called their original story “Arrested for photographing ballot” but that’s the last we heard of the arrest from the news media.

We see all sorts of news stories and editorials criticising the concept of vote buying, but no specifics with names and details of the event. It looks like the powers that be are allowing general stories about the practice but no specific proof can be shown the public. That’s because it is bad for business if the party that bought the vote is revealed. What if it’s the guvment? Woaloss!

You can still see the original CBC news because Barbados Free Press copied it into their own story Cash for votes scandal in Barbados election: BLP, DLP… or both? Good move, BFP!

Voters take photos of their ballot so they can prove how they marked their “X” to the person who is paying them for voting a certain way. It’s a crime because it totally destroys democracy. Some of the election contests are so close that only a few votes purchased can make the difference. This time around one of our Members of Parliament was elected by a mere 10 votes over the rival. A few more close contests like that and a few more votes bought and the BLP would be forming the government now… or maybe the votes were bought and the DLP bought more?

You see how destructive it all is?

Vote buying is destructive not only because it corruptly changes the results of democratic elections, but because it undermines public confidence in the democratic system, in our government and ultimately in our country.

We know one thing: a voter was arrested – but we were never told their name!

Will this be another one of those disappearing news stories that Barbados is so famous for? Patriotic Bajans of all political colours cannot, must not, let this happen!

Who was charged for photographing their ballot? What is their name?

When do they appear in court?

When can Bajans hear the evidence against them?

This is much too important for Bajans to let the news and the political parties let this story fade away. We can’t depend upon the news media or the political class.

Bajans should demand to know the truth.

Barbados Prime Minister and Attorney General confirm vote buying during 2013 election

“Attorney General Adriel Dermont Brathwaite said it was distressing that some Barbadians were selling their votes.”

Two Political Parties have the money to buy votes

Newly-sworn-in Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite confirmed Friday to the news media that “some” Bajans sold their votes during the recent general election.

A different way of putting it would be that “some” political parties bribed voters with cash – for it is surely true that unless there were ready buyers, there wouldn’t be any sellers of votes.

So let’s cut the B.S. by our Attorney General and tell it like it is: members of the political class bought the votes of willing sellers during the February 21, 2013 election.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart also said he was concerned about reports (as in more than one) about people buying votes. The CBC said about PM Stuart: “…throughout the day he has heard stories of people exchanging money for votes. The Prime Minister said this is an ugly practice which digs at the roots of democratic structures.”

The first question of many is…

Who sold? Who bought? Who are the ‘Some’ mentioned by the Attorney General?

Missing in all the news and commentary about vote buying is the name of the person arrested Thursday for photographing their marked ballot in the voting booth. BFP covered the election day story as Cash for votes scandal in Barbados election: BLP, DLP… or both? but no details have appeared in the oldstream news media since then. Strange… or maybe not so strange.

What constituency did this arrest happen in? Did the arrested voter mark their ballot for a DLP or BLP candidate? How many other instances of vote buying/selling is Attorney General Brathwaite aware of? After all… he spoke in the plural.

Barbados election doesn’t matter when the two parties are the same

DLP & BLP politicians at work

by Perdy

There is no difference between the two parties in my opinion. Both parties take it in turn to dupe the public into believing they are better than the other; yet when either wind office, they carry out the same or similar agenda as the the other party next.

Prior to the 2008 election,we were told by one party how corrupt the other party was, displaying so-called evidence. Four years later this claim is still being banded about. If one party has evidence to prove the other lied steal or borrowed, which may be against the law, it should proceed to bring a case against the other in a court of law and have those responsible prosecuted.

Four years later, with no action being taken, brings me to conclude there is no truth or, those critical are just as guilty as those they are criticizing.

If there are no laws currently on the statue books to use to prosecute, why not? Again 4 years have passed where those laws should have been implemented so as to halt or prevent a repeat of it happening again.

“The truth of the matter is: There is no difference between the 2 parties. The party is in power is as guilty as that out of power. If one witnessed a crime or is aware of a crime committed; refuses to take action to prosecute or to take preventative action, he is as guilty as the guy who has committed the crime.”

I would like to see good governance; transparency, integrity, especially those who are holding the public purse. There is temptation in many organizations and ‘Humans’ are weak. Some kind of legislation should be on the statue books so as to deter those who weak. The law should be applied equally to all who break the law.

It is high time now. We should be pressuring those who are in office or are thinking of running for office, that if they break the law, they will be harshly dealt with. No mercy should be shown to corrupt politicians.

Barbados has no anti-corruption laws. Neither party has put Integrity Legislation or Freedom of Information laws in place although each party has promised to do this many times. This brings me to conclude that neither party can claim to be credible when it comes to being honest with the public.

There is no difference between the two parties.

Submitted by BFP reader Purdy. BFP’s Robert corrected a few spelling mistakes and added some connective sentences. Purdy’s original can be viewed here.

Mitt Romney fund-raiser hosted on yacht Cracker Bay – by Barbados Port Ferdinand developer

After reading ‘Confessions of an Economic Hit Man‘ it is always interesting to see the connections surface – even if I don’t understand them and don’t have the knowledge to sort the meaningful observations from the mundane.

So Port Ferdinand developer Gary Morse gave a million dollars to the Romney campaign and also hosted a little unannounced get-together for billionaires, Romney relatives and politicians on his rowboat… does that undermine democracy or is it just the way things are?

And while our own DLP and BLP politicians probably don’t receive a million US dollars at one go, you can bet their palms have been filled in some form or another, whether they admit it or not. The difference, of course, is that the US election financing laws put structure and rules on elections and campaign money. In Barbados we have no rules and zero transparency when it comes to political financing… and that is the way that Owen Arthur, Freundel Stuart and their corrupt cabals like it!

Further Reading

ABC: Romney party yacht flies Cayman Islands flag

International Press Institute reports how Barbados politicians lied about Integrity Legislation, Freedom of Information, Defamation law changes

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and his DLP promised Integrity Legislation. They lied. That was a slimy thing to do!

UPDATED: January 22, 2013 (pinned to top. scroll down for newer)

Have another read of this folks and remember that the promised Integrity Legislation will not become law before the next election.

Time to vote for ANY INDEPENDENT!

Here’s our original story first published October 15, 2012….

Lying corrupt DLP, BLP politicians will not pass Integrity Legislation

The just-released International Press Institute report on Barbados tells the sad history of how the DLP – Democratic Labour Party lied about Integrity Legislation just to get elected. The report is dated last June, 2012 and now that we are well into the political campaign for the next election we know the truth: there will be no Integrity Legislation put forward by the governing DLP. It was all a sham to get elected in 2008.

“The government and the population know that Barbados’ Defamation Act is a relic of the colonial past and that it hinders freedom of expression. IPI believes that when the country’s politicians are aware of the situation and have already attempted to change it, half of the work is done. We are optimistic that there is still enough time before the January 2013 elections to implement the new legislation.

While several news outlets now say that the people in Barbados were misled and that the Freedom of Information, Defamation and Integrity Legislation is an outstanding debt, IPI believes that public opinion can be changed. Barbados’ leaders have the opportunity not only to change these reports, but also to make history, as those who make this decision will have ushered in a more free, transparent, and democratic country.”

… the last two paragraphs of the Report on the IPI Advocacy Mission to End Criminal Defamation in Barbados (PDF here)

Former BLP Attorney General confirms no plans for Integrity Legislation

Barbadian voters remember former BLP Attorney General Dale Marshall as the one who hilariously gave a clean bill of health to VECO’s operations in Barbados after a 25 minute conversation with representatives of the company. This was after a series of scandals showed that Alaska-based VECO used bribery of politicians as a standard operating procedure to obtain government contracts.

The Owen Arthur led BLP government awarded VECO the contract for the new Dodds Prison even though the company had never built a prison before. Everything was done in secret and that’s the way Dale Marshall, Owen Arthur, Mia Mottley and the BLP like it.

New Poll says Owen Arthur’s corrupt Barbados Labour Party will form next government

Bajans are gluttons for punishment, it’s true. In the 2007 – 2008 election campaign the DLP – Democratic Labour Party put across an effective message that they would clean up corrupt Barbados politics through Integrity, Transparency and Accountability Legislation that BFP called ‘ITAL’. After almost 15 years of proven BLP corruption that even extended to then Prime Minister Owen Arthur getting caught putting a $75,000 ‘campaign donation’ into his personal bank account, the public was ripe to respond to DLP promises to change the systemic conditions that bred corruption.

So the public voted and the DLP became the government with a strong majority mandate to put their promises in place.

Unfortunately though, the DLP lied. No Integrity Legislation, Freedom of Information or corruption trials happened.

Now, according to the latest Cadres poll, the DLP are about to lose the election. The DLP will lose for many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is that Prime Minister Stuart and his boys lied about their intent to introduce Integrity Legislation and Freedom of Information laws.

And Bajans agree that while the BLP and Owen Arthur are corrupt beyond measure, they form a better corrupt government than the corrupt DLP.

Welcome to island politics where the choice is always between two corrupt gangs – because that’s the way the system is set up and neither of the gangs is about to change anything!

Cartoon courtesy of The Nation

Afra Raymond: I will not be stopped!

“It is a wonder that you are continuing to write these articles Mr. Raymond. Have you received any pressure to stop? If only our Bajan journalists had your integrity and courage.”

Barbados Free Press reader WSD comments on Afra Raymond’s article CL Financial bailout “a major failure on any scale”

In response to a reader’s concern for his safety, journalist Afra Raymond replies:

Readers,

I am going to continue on my course, this is an epic crisis, being the single largest episode of corruption in our region’s history, so it is essential that the few of us keep on informing the public and agitating for Economic and Social Justice in this matter.

I am independent enough to maintain these efforts – no one is ever absolutely independent in our small societies – and it is a painful reflection in this, our 50th year of T&T’s Independence, that our leading institutions, academies and thinkers have remained resolutely silent in the face of this tidal wave of ‘commesse’ and ‘bobol’. It does make me wonder what was the ultimate purpose of all the sacrifice of our foreparents who struggled for liberation from colonialism, education and self-determination. What was that all for?

It is a disturbing measure of the depth of the corruption in all the western democracies that so few of the main players in this global meltdown have actually been imprisoned, but that is an issue for another column in this series.

My rallying call is -

SILENCE IS THE ENEMY OF PROGRESS!

Thanks for your support

Afra Raymond
www.afraraymond.com

Sanka Price delivers a message to Health Minister Pornville Inniss

It’s a long story folks, but Sanka’s latest column is all about delivering a sideways message to Minister of Health Donville Inniss. Now that it is published, we can say that aloud.

How do we know this? Let’s just say a little birdie told us so…

Why do we continue to publish the Donville Inniss pornography business story? Simple: Mr. Inniss refuses to acknowledge or explain his involvement with the porn industry, where his profits went, and whether or not his political campaign or the DLP received contributions from the online porn industry. We believe it matters and that Bajan voters are unaware of the truth because the news media refuses to cover this story.

Porn is not harmless. The porn industry is undeniably associated with human trafficking and the degradation of women. We believe that matters – and that our elected representatives should not be associated with the porn industry.

For background, check out BFP’s Barbados Health Minister attacks journalist over questions about Minister’s porn business profiteering

I Confess

as told to Sanka Price

I LEFT THE MAN I LOVE because he is obsessed with pornography.

It was difficult leaving him after nine years of friendship before we became a couple in the last two years. But I had to walk away to stay sane and keep my self-respect…

… read it all at The Nation: His love for porn hurt me.

Barbados Health Minister attacks journalist over questions about Minister’s porn business profiteering

Donville Inniss narrowly avoids defamation lawsuit with immediate retraction

Minister of Health Donville Inniss verbally attacked Barbadian journalist Ian Bourne last Friday before a public audience at the Unity Bar Lunchtime Lecture.

Minister Inniss falsely accused Bourne “You have a big blog site that is full of nasty (stories)” but then immediately withdrew the comment as a strategic move after having put Bourne down to the laughter of the stacked DLP audience. It was a dishonest move that lacked integrity, but it works in a room full of party supporters.

The audio recording of the event reveals that Inniss did not apologize, and he laughed derisively at the journalist along with many in the pro DLP audience. The derision has become the standard reply by Inniss and the DLP to defuse what should be, what would be, a major political scandal and a major news story in any nation with a free and determined news media.

If Mitt Romney had his name on ‘Orgasm.com’ or some of the other Inniss-related porn sites, can you imagine what the world’s news media would do?

In Barbados the news media is too cowardly or complicit to even mention the story despite the fact that the evidence is still available online to the public as well as the news media.

News blackout on the Donville Inniss porn business story

The recent defamation and derision by Minister Inniss stems from Ian Bourne’s private and respectful question to the Health Minister on July 7, 2011 about posts on Barbados Free Press exposing the Minister’s connections to online porn. (See links at end of story)

Mr. Bourne privately and respectfully asked Minister Inniss:

“Donville – I am sorry to disturb you but there are wild allegations as you may be aware of, concerning your alleged connection to a number of websites with pornographic connotations. EG: Youngntender.net, orgasm.com & nakednews.com among others. Can we do an Interview where the public has your side of the story? Please advise ASAP…”

Donville Inniss replied:

“come on Ian”

Mr. Bourne answered:

“What does this mean? Nothing wrong in dispelling rumours, it shows proactivity on your part to air your perspective on the matter…”

… For the entire story of Journalist Ian Bourne’s interaction with Health Minister Donville Inniss about the porno business connections, read Bajan Reporter’s piece: BARBADOS CABINET MINISTER ATTACKS “BAJAN REPORTER” AT DLP STRONGHOLD – MAKES FALSE ACCUSATION WITH NO APOLOGY!

Minister Donville Inniss refuses to talk about this subject – because he knows it is true.

Starting in 2011, Barbados Free Press published a series of articles showing the long term connections between Inniss and the online porn business.

Prime Minister Stuart and the FBI report: When idiocy meets the politics of corruption

“Campaign Donation” deposited into Prime Minister Owen Arthur’s personal bank account. DLP & BLP politicians engage in corruption  without fear that the next government will investigate and lay charges.

The DLP doesn’t want to see the FBI report any more than the BLP does

Nobody wants to break the DLP – BLP agreement that no corruption charges will be laid

Ten years ago, then Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur publicly acknowledged that the US FBI had delivered to him a report on the corrupt activities of Barbados ‘public officials’ – whatever was meant by the term ‘public officials’ at the time. Were the ‘public officials’ elected? Appointed? Both? Bajans never knew because the moment the news of the report appeared, that was the end of the story as is usual ’bout hey…

Until the other night in Parliament when Owen Arthur and our accidental Prime Minister had it out in a child-like ‘Did so!’ – ‘Did not!’ exchange.

Said PM Stuart about the FBI report…

“One of the first things that my predecessor in office [late Prime Minister David Thompson] enquired about in my presence at Government Headquarters on the Friday after the general election, was that FBI report.

“It could not be found anywhere, although that honourable Member [Arthur) had said that it was received, and he was aware it was on his desk.”

…Prime Minister Freundel Stuart talks about David Thompson trying to find the FBI corruption report.

Big news for the DLP and the Prime Minister: The FBI has a copy of their own report! (Gasp!)

Here we are heading for five years of DLP government and only now our PM (and former Attorney General) raises the issue of the ‘missing’ FBI corruption report? When the report couldn’t be found back in 2008, did PM Thompson or his Attorney General Stuart ask the FBI for another copy? Nope, they didn’t.

I guarantee that if the FBI delivered a report to the Government of Barbados, that agency would have a copy of it filed away. There is NO WAY that the FBI would deliver a report to a foreign government and not keep an exact copy of what was delivered. The current little stage play in Parliament is nothing more than politics at its worst.

If the DLP government really wanted a copy of the FBI report, they could have arranged to have it… but they didn’t really want it.

The DLP deceived Bajans about Integrity Legislation, FOI, conflict of interest rules…

The DLP was elected largely because of the public disgust with the open corruption of the Arthur/Mottley government and the DLP’s promise to implement Integrity Legislation and Freedom of Information as a priority in their first 100 days in office. The DLP also promised to put conflict of interest rules and a Ministerial Code in place “immediately” on the first day in office.

The integrity and corruption issue was what pushed the DLP over the top to victory in the January 2008 election – that much was stated clearly at the time in both the Bajan and UK news media.

But almost five years later the DLP government hasn’t laid a single corruption charge against anyone – although the government has had ample time and opportunity. The promised Integrity and Freedom of Information legislation will never become law prior to the next election. It will die with this last session of Parliament. The conflict of interest rules and Ministerial Code were never declared.

You see folks, the DLP and the BLP have had this agreement for 20 years and more: lots of shouting and talk and accusations, but no real action, no charges against each other. Neither party wants to start what would be a destructive war that might consume all, and therefore neither party will ever lay corruption charges against other politicians.

It just wouldn’t be wise for either party to start that kind of a fight.

And the public interest be damned to hell… the politicians don’t want to stop their ability to make something on the side.

Further Reading

Readers are encouraged to visit The Nation to read the below article online, but we have to reprint it here in its entirety as The Nation sometimes removes news stories for political reasons…

Bring it!

TEN YEARS AFTER controversy first arose over an alleged FBI probe of Barbados public officials, the issue was resurrected late last night in the House of Assembly.

Barbadian voters offered choice between corrupt DLP and BLP

There is no ‘lesser of two evils’ between the two major parties

submitted by BFP reader ‘JJ’

Current Opposition Leader Owen Arthur says that the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) government has a moral obligation to fix the CLICO mess.  Arthur and the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) perhaps have forgotten that the Barbados Water Author (BWA), a government owned corporation and sole provider of water services  in 2009 was near bankruptcy. David Thompson and the DLP inherited the BWA problem from Arthur and the BLP.  Arthur and the BLP were morally responsible for BWA problems totalling thirteen years.  BWA problems FIRST appeared during the ruling of Arthur and the BLP, also Al Barrack.

The Al Barrack mess FIRST appeared during the ruling of Arthur and the BLP.  The court ruled in favour of Al Barrack, a little less than thirty five million, $34,490.518 to be exact. Barrack in 2008 received 2.5 million from the David Thompson administration. Al Barrack, since 2008 has not received payment from the Barbados government in any form or fashion.  Building Contractor, Al Barrack built the government office complex in Warrens (St. Michael) but yet unpaid.  The total amount NOW owed Al Barrack is far above 34, 490, 518.  The Barbados national debt also is far above the 34,490,518 amount.

Just recently, Arthur reported to Midweek Nation that “the REDjet Airlines might still be flying if the Barbados Government had honoured its financial commitment to the collapsed airline”.  Well Mr. Arthur, if the government during your rein had honoured its financial commitment to Contractor Al Barrack, Barbados  NOW would not owe him seventy five million.

Owen Arthur would like us to forget the  $75,000 cheque that was directed into her personal banking account NOT the war chest of the BLP for electioneering where it rightfully belonged.  The BLP in 2008 lost power to its twin party, the DLP because of corruption.  The late David Thompson was able to prove this.  It was he David Thompson who produced the $75,000 cheque linked to Owen Arthur’s personal banking account.  The DLP house, of course is not clean.  The CLICO mess proves this.

The BLP house also was not/is not clean.  The $75,000 cheque proves this, likewise the Arch Cot Scrub land linked to Mia Mottley, the now opposition leader of the DLP.  The Mottley family brought the Arch Cot Scrub land and couldn’t be built on and within six months got planning permission when the previous owner couldn’t.

Barbados according to the United Nations has lots of thefts but relatively less violence than Jamaica and other Caribbean countries.  This perhaps is memory of the 75,000 check linked to Arthur’s personal banking account, the Arch Cot Scrub land linked to Mia Mottley and now the CLICO insurance mess.  A lot of things have surfaced before and since 2008.  Both the BLP and the DLP are equally corrupt. Both are vampire identical twins.

Bajans on January 16, 2008 awoke to a new ruling government, the DLP.  The DLP, however made promises that were not kept.  The DLP, additionally enjoyed a relationship with LeRoy Parris that was not squeaky clean.  The DLP now in a hospital intensive care unit has seriously wounded itself with THAT DAMM CLICO MESS.  If David Thompson were alive, it would be in his face.  Thompson put the 75,000 cheque in Owen’s face.  He did.  The BLP left office in 2008 and should have kicked itself in the butt for poor leadership and corruption.  The DLP possibly will depart office, January 2013 and should kick itself in the butt for poor leadership and corruption.  The BLP is a national embarrassment as is the DPL.

Barbados is at moment amidst an economic crisis.  Barbados, additionally has attained high unemployment.  It has also attained quite a large debt that continues to grow.  The Barbados S&P rating currently is BBB- with a negative outlook – not good.  The S&P recently has expressed concern on the growing debt in Barbados and warned another downgrade.  The current opposition leader, Owen Arthur says he believes he has the medicine to cure the Barbados economy problem.  The economy in Barbados is a giant problem. Barbados sad to say has many of those giant problems. Arthur needs medicine to cure all of them:  1). Unemployment the economy 2). It’s growing national debt 3). The Al Barrack mess and another 4). CLICO.

The Barbados S&P rating BEFORE the 2008 general election win by David Thompson and the DLP was continuously sliding down hill.  The S&P had downgraded Barbados several times before the 2008 general election.  The three, Kerrie Symmonds, Clyde Mascoll and Owen Arthur perhaps are not aware of this.  Barbados during the ruling years of Owen Arthur and the BLP got a state of the art prison at Dodds in St. Philip and Kensington Oval west of Bridgetown.  They also got several S&P downgrades.  The DLP in 2008 inherited  a large national debt from Owen Arthur and the BLP.  The BLP possibly will return to office in January 2013 and inherit a larger national debt.

Both vampire twins, the BLP and the DLP have sucked blood from the Bajans; they both want recognition and power; both want the Bajans to trust them AGAIN.

Barbados removes assets from CLICO victims: Sam Lord’s Castle to be expropriated by government

CLICO policy holders will never see a dollar for this ‘fire sale’ of assets

submitted by Parris Pauper

The Barbados Government is moving to ‘compulsorily acquire’ the Sam Lord’s Castle ruins and lands. As Minister of Housing and Lands Michael Lashley stated, Sam Lord’s is being acquired “for housing purposes, tourism development and beach access.”

Sam Lord’s Castle has been owned by CLICO for almost ten years (memory fails – if someone has the exact date CLICO purchased Sam Lord’s, speak up please) and is an incredibly valuable piece of property if developed. The hold-up to development approval was always the historic Sam Lord’s Castle building, but just as Barbados Free Press predicted in April 2009 – a fire took care of that little impediment.

If anything, the burning of Sam Lord’s Castle raised the end value of the land because the historic building was totally destroyed and ceased to be a major political obstacle in new development. Only the facia remains and this could be incorporated into any new structure if it doesn’t totally fall down first.

With the collapse of CLICO, the DLP government moved to grab the asset. They didn’t move to protect the public interest in the historic building before the CLICO collapse because Leroy Parris, David Thompson and the DLP were tight as thieves and the idea was to allow Parris to let the building fall to ruin, then maximize the profit from the lands.

And there was also that one little sticking point about the DLP never acting responsibly at the time to protect the interests of Bajans: Prime Minister Thompson and Leroy Parris were godfather to each other’s children. Thompson was also CLICO’s lawyer for over a decade when the company failed to file financial statements and broke the law, and CLICO Parris et al were major financial contributors to the DLP.

CLICO was a very messy conflict of interest indeed for Thompson and the DLP.

Fortunately for the DLP though, David Thompson is now conveniently dead and revered instead of being subject to what would have been a tsunami of Opposition attacks over the CLICO cover-up and conflicts of interest.

Now the DLP government is going to take Sam Lord’s and sell it to make some good profits. Or… perhaps sell it to friends at a low price so the friends can make the profits and kickback some contributions to the DLP. That’s how things work around here, you know.

Here is the one truth in my article that you should remember above all else if you are a CLICO policy holder or other victim…

The Barbados Government will never pay CLICO for Sam Lord’s Castle. No matter whether the asset is fairly valued or under-valued, not one dollar of government money will be transferred to the assets of CLICO where the money could benefit the victims.

Instead there will be some finagling with the books and some credit or swap against CLICO’s real or contrived debt to the government coffers.

The pillaging of the good CLICO assets continues to the ultimate detriment of the poor suckers who believed that the Barbados Superintendent of Insurance and the Barbados Government were looking after policyholders’ interests.

Parris and his gang were able to do what they did only because they had the cooperation and friendship of Caribbean governments. Indeed, it could truly be said that in the case of Barbados, CLICO, Parris and Thompson owned the DLP government.

Policyholders: kiss your assets goodbye.

Further Reading

BFP, October 21, 2010: Sam Lord’s Castle burns to the ground thanks to Barbados DLP, BLP, CLICO, Leroy Parris

BFP, April 11, 2009: How CLICO Ruined A Barbados Heritage Site: Sam Lord’s Castle

Grenville Phillips II: “I’ll run as a candidate for Parliament if …”

“Grenville… have you ever thought of running as an independent candidate for Parliament? Go ahead, put your name on the ballot. Don’t even bother with a traditional campaign. You might be very surprised by what happens.”

Barbados Free Press to Grenville Phillips II in our post One man takes on the cause: Most houses in Barbados unsafe construction

Grenville Phillips II lays out what it will take to get him to run…

Hi BFP:

I apologize for this delayed response to your suggestion that I consider running as an Independent candidate, but I had to carefully count the cost – which I have done.

As I pondered your suggestion, coincidentally, the same day’s Nation newspaper (Saturday Sun 26 May 2012) reported Gray ‘Doc’ Brome’s response to similar encouragements:

“Not interested. Not interested in the least. I’m disgusted with politics. I’m disgusted with politicians.”

Gray ‘Doc’ Brome as quoted in The Nation

If what followed was accurately reported, then in my opinion, Brome provided the most informed and honest summary analysis of the Barbados political system, that has been unmatched by my reading of any of the popular political scientists over the past 25 years. Brome’s analysis is instructive, since he appeared to have entered the political system with a desire to help people advance. The newspaper reported the following.

“Brome blames people who enter politics for personal empowerment only for a lot of the problems facing the average constituent today.”

Brome determined that it was in the politician’s best interest to keep people living “hand-to-mouth” “from pay check to pay cheque”, and concluded that the entitlement culture “had reduced the entrepreneurial spirit among young people.”

In Barbados, we have seen politicians appear to attempt to ruin the reputations of anyone not in their current favour and without warning. They appear to use rhetorical language to divide us rather than unite us in a common goal. The question that I have periodically asked myself is: Why?

Will Grenville run?

Why did our Minister of Works and Transport endorse this technology company? Does he own stock?

BREAKING HOT NEWS: Company paid up to $100,000 to certain websites to promote this stock! Did they pay anything to Minister of Transport John Boyce or any other Bajan? See end of story for details.

“Utilizing the Start FEED unit in Barbados on our government vehicles will result in tremendous fuel costs savings, in addition to major reductions of toxic automobile emissions and assist the government in accomplishing the goal of a cleaner and healthier Barbados.”

Hon. Mr. John Boyce, Minister of Works and Transport as quoted in a press release and stock prospectus for Great Wall Builders Ltd.

Did Barbados Minister John Boyce receive any gift or benefit from Start Technologies or Great Wall Builders Ltd.?

A new stock is in play. Press releases and a stock prospectus were sent out hyping new technology that is claimed to improve fuel efficiency by 20%. The miracle aftermarket gadget “uses a high-voltage electric current to break long-chain hydrocarbon molecules into shorter, lighter more volatile molecules.”

Why didn’t Detroit or Toyota think of this? Because they are stupid, that’s why! In 100 years of internal combustion engine development nobody has thought of this…

except… there have been many similar devices in history making the same claims about using electric current to modify the properties of fuel. There are even websites where engineers debunk this type of claim that electricity will change the molecular structure of fuel and result in significant mileage increases.

Not to worry though: the Barbados Minister of Transport attests that the technology works. And it’s not just Bajan citizen John Boyce saying this: he is a Minister of the Government of Barbados and representative of the entire country, so his claim must be true… right? It must be because the credibility of our country and the government rests upon Mr. Boyce’s endorsement.

Some engineers and scientists disagree with Minister Boyce. They say that claims of 20% increase in mileage are not scientifically possible and that these devices are scams…

“The unburnt fuel in the exhaust (even before the cat) represents 1 or 2% at most of the input fuel. If you factor in the energy in the CO emissions, the figure still only rises to 3% maximum. So even if the fuel “saving” device could totally eliminate unburnt fuel and CO in the exhaust, and give an absolutely 100% complete burn, you would only save 3% of fuel. Claims that 10%, 20% or even more of the fuel is not burnt and escapes into the exhaust are entirely false…”

From Tony’s Guide to Fuel saving gadgets

Why are my warning antennae up and pulsating?

The press release by GWBU reports that the Barbados Ministry of Transport and Works tested this new technology over a 2 month period and confirmed the claims of the company. Imagine what a 20% fuel saving could do for the world! With that kind of savings the West could tell the Arabs to shove it where the sun doan shine. That would be the end of the UK’s travel duty. Cruise ships will flock to Bim because they will use 20% less fuel.

This is big. Really big… and the stock price soared!

So the stock price of GWBU must go up… and up it went! Nine cents a share to a buck seventy three in a few of weeks!

I wonder if Transport Minister Boyce or his family members or close friends have any of this stock?

Good. That’s great to see entrepreneurship and progressive capitalism at its best: making money and saving the planet.

Hey… Minister Boyce… we are saving the planet with this device, right?

Just a few questions Minister Boyce. We know you’ll take the time to answer them because although your government promised to implement Freedom of Information Legislation within the first 100 days of office, your government didn’t do that in almost five years because you were really busy with (fill in the answer here.)

But the DLP government is committed to transparency and accountability – with or without legislation – so we know that you will take the time to answer a few questions…

Dear Minister Boyce:

1/ Did you or your family members have any GWBU stock? How many shares? Waddya pay per share?

Former Barbados Housing Minister Gline Clarke says take land from the rich and give it to the poor – Refuses to answer how he lived on expropriated land!

Housing Minister Clarke’s love nest on expropriated land. Barbados news media let it pass!

Clarke a never ending source of entertainment

What do you call a Minister of Government who lives in a house built on land expropriated for ‘public housing’ by his own government? You call him corrupt, that’s what!

This is the same Gline Clarke, the same Barbados politician who announced to the world last August that rich whites aren’t welcome in his Barbados…

“Mister Speaker, I am appalled. I am really appalled that a government in two thousand and eleven would be dealing with a group of white, conservative, rich people.”

“If the member want me to withdraw ‘conservative’ I will withdraw it and substitute it with the word ‘rich’, I will substitute it with ‘a group of rich white boys’…”

MP Gline Clarke, former Minister of Public Works, expresses his disgust in Parliament that the current DLP government would do business with people of the white race.

Barbados Member of Parliament: Rich whites not welcome

Gline Clarke is back at it again – telling the local news media that government needs to be more ‘progressive’. By that he means that the Government of Barbados should take land from private owners through force of law, not pay them for it (or delay for a decade or more as is usual) and then build houses on the land for Members of Parliament and their mistresses – just like Clarke did for himself. Not that you’d know that from the island news media.

Who would begrudge a poor man like Gline Clarke a place to park his Mercedes?

A call to nationalize large tracks of privately-held land should attract foreign capital, do you think?

Clarke is a moron in election mode!

Man, this corrupt Owen Arthur gang never changes – but if you vote BLP, at least you know what you’re getting! It’s almost like they are honest because they tell you up front that they are dishonest!

Lawd!

Former Chief Justice hits the campaign trail for Barbados Labour Party

SIR David Simmons didn't have the courage to confront Thompson until the PM died.

Simmons vows to tell “shocking” details about dead Prime Minister’s refusal to extend his term as CJ

… with a contribution from BFP reader Passin thru

The election is fast approaching and like a frustrated old fox hound responding to the sounds of riders mounting up and younger dogs eagerly baying, former Chief Justice David Simmons is whimpering in his kennel that he can still do it. “Don’t leave me behind. I’m still relevant, still an asset. Look at what I can do!”

Marketing decision to build excitement with a teaser

Last Sunday Davie-boy Simmons gave an ‘exclusive’ interview to the Sun and teased that he would reveal “SHOCKING DETAILS of the Government’s refusal to extend his tenure as the island’s top judicial officer two years ago.”

Simmons will not provide those SHOCKING DETAILS now, mind you, but later. That’s a marketing decision using the standard ‘teaser’ format: give the viewers a taste to get them talking and have them return for the SHOCKING DETAILS.

Later when Simmons has built some excitement about the announcement so the BLP campaign can milk it as much as possible, he’ll give us the SHOCKING DETAILS.

Simmons didn’t go public when Prime Minister David Thompson was alive because Thompy would have kicked his butt all the way to Grape Hall.

Now that Thompson is dead though, SIR DAVEY has no problem taking on the Prime Minister who said that it was unethical for him to accept the office of Chief Justice.

Simmons’ interview politicized the historic sitting of the Caribbean Court of Justice

Sir Davie-boy always loved the political fistfights so he started one during his Nation News interview.

The supposed reason for his interview was the historic first sitting of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in Barbados, but with the national election fast approaching, what better opportunity to direct some negative press against the DLP government!

Some Bee supporters will be happy to see the former Attorney General and Acting Prime Minister getting back into the political arena – but informed observers know the truth that Simmons never really left politics even while Chief Justice.

And that is why David Thompson fired him.

Further Reading

We encourage our readers to visit The Nation to read the following story, but we have to reprint the whole thing because the Bajan news media occasionally change history and re-write stories with zero notice…

Ex-CJ’s vow

BY TIM SLINGER | SUN, APRIL 15, 2012 – 12:09 AM

Former Chief Justice Sir David Simmons is promising to reveal “shocking” details of the Government’s refusal to extend his tenure as the island’s top judicial officer two years ago.