Cash for votes scandal in Barbados election: BLP, DLP… or both?

Voter arrested for photographing ballot – only one caught of many!

Did the voter support the DLP or BLP candidate?

by Passin Thru

Why photograph your ballot? To prove your vote so you can receive payment!

Police made an arrest today after a voter was seen about noon using a cell phone to photograph their marked ballot while voting. This arrest absolutely proves that the rumours of the past three elections are true: people are being paid for their votes. But this was only voter arrested and obviously this was not the only person bribed to vote. How much were they paid? Who paid them? How many other voters were paid for their vote?

The practice of paying for votes strikes right at the heart of our democracy. This person should be jailed for the full six months penalty and all inquiries should be made with the party and candidate supported by the arrested voter. The voter’s jail sentence should be doubled if he or she doesn’t tell the name of the person who paid them for their vote.

The results in that constituency  should be nullified and a new election should be held.

Biscuits and Tinned Beef

In ‘de good ol day’ candidates would drive through the village handing out tinned beef, biscuits and rum. The corruption is a little more sophisticated these days with voters required to document their vote via cell phone camera. That was the rumour and now we know it is for truth.

Was the voter putting his mark on the DLP or BLP? Bajans deserve to know!

Arrested for photographing ballot

One person is in police custody following an incident in a polling booth where the individual reportedly took a cell phone picture of the ballot after it was marked with an x for one of the candidates contesting the 2013 general election.

The incident occurred after allegations surfaced that some individuals were paying Barbadians for their vote in the 2013 election.

CBC understands that the incident occurred just after midday and that the individual is likely to be charged with breaching the requirement of secrecy in an election.

Legal officials have told CBC that the penalty for such an offence on summary conviction is six months in jail.

… thanks to the CBC for the news story and the photo!

Also see CBC’s Cash for Votes

Two cheques prove it doesn’t matter if DLP or BLP win Barbados election

“Campaign Donation” deposited to Prime Minister Owen Arthur’s personal bank account. Barbados political elites break laws without fear.

During the 2007-2008 election campaign, then Opposition Leader David Thompson produced a cancelled $75,000 cheque proving that Owen Arthur deposited a ‘campaign donation’ into Arthur’s personal bank account.

In other words, at best Prime Minister Owen Arthur stole $75,000 from his own party’s political donations, and at worst that the $75,000 was a straight bribe to the Prime Minister – disguised as a ‘campaign donation’ that was never intended to make it into the BLP’s bank account.

David Thompson jumped all over this, and ran the DLP election campaign on promises of personal and party integrity, and to implement ITAL: Integrity Legislation, Transparency and Accountability Legislation. Thompson promised Freedom of Information within 90 days and Conflicts of Interest Rules immediately.

David Thompson and the DLP lied.

Then we had the CLICO mess where it was learned that Thompson had performed all manner of unethical acts when he was CLICO’s lawyer. After being elected the corruption continued with Thompson and the DLP using the CLICO business jet for free and money-laundering for his old friend Leroy Parris.

At the time of the big collapse, David Thompson issued a phoney invoice from his law firm to CLICO – without the knowledge of Thompson’s law partners. His friend Leroy Parris approved the cheque $3.3 million dollar cheque to the Thompson law office – but that cheque went straight back to Parris through David Thompson on January 16, 2009! That’s right folks… while David Thompson was the Prime Minister of Barbados and within days of the CLICO collapse.

(click photo for larger)

It’s called theft. Stealing. Money Laundering… and Prime Minister David Thompson did it!

Owen Arthur and the BLP are thieves. David Thompson, Freundel Stuart and the DLP are thieves.

Two cheques – two corrupt political parties.

So tell it true, folks: does it really matter if either the BLP or the DLP form the next government?

I think not.

Henderson Bovell loses memory, maybe his entire mind…

Apparently Mr. Bovell has entirely forgotten about the Owen Arthur government’s 14 years of non-stop corruption. Where to start? It was so bad that, not content with merely stealing public funds, the Prime Minister deposited campaign donations into his personal bank account!

Not that the DLP is any better, but to hear Henderson Bovell say that electing the BLP is the answer: well, mongoose meet chicken coop!

Read it all at Bajan Reporter with your jaw dropping lower at every sentence: Barbados Under seige and being held hostage by the DLP

Why Prime Minister Stuart never mentions Freedom of Information legislation anymore

DLP thick as thieves with Parris, Duprey, CLICO & CL Financial

by Nevermind Kurt

It is readily apparent to anyone without a political agenda that the introduction in Parliament of the DLP’s promised Integrity Legislation was strategically withheld for the last four years so the DLP could again use the issue in the coming election. Their lies fooled the voters last time, so why not use the same technique again?

The obvious plan is to have the legislation ‘almost’ make it through this session of Parliament, but not be declared as law. That has been the intent all along: to have the legislation stillborn so a/ the current government would not have to conform to integrity rules, and b/ the current government can now say “We almost made it except for the damn Opposition. Give us one more term to finish it.”

Fool me once, etc…

How quickly the electorate forgets that the DLP promised to introduce Integrity Legislation and Freedom of Information within the first 100 days. The DLP also promised to introduce a Ministerial Code including conflict of interest guidelines “immediately upon forming a government”. That code was to have been a policy declaration and could have been implemented on the very first day as promised.

Leroy Parris and good friend Finance Minister Chris Sinckler share champagne

The DLP didn’t introduce any of these promises because as it turned out Prime Minister David Thompson and his gang were thick as thieves with Leroy Parris and Lawrence Duprey of CLICO and CL Financial infamy. It also turned out that David Thompson and his law firm were money-laundering for Parris. (That’s the auditors talking, not us, and you can read about it here.)

Under those situations and many more questionable activities of the DLP, it’s no wonder that the current government didn’t keep its promises concerning integrity legislation. A big part of the DLP/CLICO/Parris/Duprey relationship would have immediately become illegal under the new legislation and there’s no way that Thompson or Stuart would permit that.

So the DLP leadership lied to get elected and then delayed, delayed, delayed integrity rules until the DLP was well into its fifth year of majority government when the designed-to-be-stillborn legislation could be produced again at the right moment like a rabbit from a magician’s hat.

What happened to the Freedom of Information Act?

Prime Minister Stuart has been in the papers recently pulling out the Integrity Legislation, telling folks “It’s coming!” and setting up the public so the DLP won’t be blamed when the legislation doesn’t make it into declared law in time for the next election. Stuart fully intends that the promised integrity legislation “almost made it!” will be an asset, not a liability during the coming election.

But he never mentions Freedom of Information anymore.

The reason that the DLP never mentions FOI is that the thieving politicians know that Freedom of Information is the key to making the integrity legislation a real threat to the way things are ’bout hey.

Freedom of Information legislation gives ordinary citizens an easy and economical means to legally force the government to provide copies of documents and information that citizens need to hold officials accountable. Integrity Legislation isn’t much use if you can’t force the government to surrender the paperwork that proves offences. Stuart and the DLP know this and THAT is why FOI became a non-subject.

Look at the plight of David Weekes – and know why the Government hates Freedom of Information

David Weekes is an ordinary Bajan man trying to sue the CARICOM government and the cartels that run this place. PM Stuart won’t provide him with the CARICOM ratification documents he needs for his case. These are documents that every citizen should have a right to see, but the Barbados government is denying them to Weekes to spoil his case… and some people are so upset with Weekes that he believes (and we do to) they tried to burn down his home. With no Freedom of Information legislation and process, ordinary citizen Weekes has no effective means of forcing the government to provide the public documents that he needs.

That’s why the BLP and DLP elites and their cartel cronies have never implemented any kind of Freedom of Information rules and process: they desperately want to keep information out of the hands of citizens.

The thieving politicians simply don’t want the little people to become empowered by knowledge and access to public documents.

And that, my friends, is exactly why the DLP will not implement Freedom of Information and why the Opposition BLP is silent too.

Nevermind Kurt

Further Reading about Barbados political elites and (cough, cough) ‘integrity’

September 24, 2011: Prime Minister Owen Arthur “invested” YOUR money in Nigeria. A predictable result.

August 28, 2011: We told you so! Integrity Legislation buried in a dark hole

October 17, 2009: Prime Minister Thompson’s new strategy for avoiding Integrity Legislation, FOI

Misuse of Barbados Government property for DLP political fundraising?

The DLP Democratic Labour Party Barbados (UK) is holding a function on January 28, 2012 at Pembroke House, 9 Roehampton Gate, London SW15 5JR. The price of admission is 20 pounds.

An anonymous source forwarded us a copy of an email sent to Prime Minister Fruendel Stuart, asking the PM “Misuse of government property, is this legal???????”

DLP function using Government resources? Click photo for large.

We’ve been unable to determine if Pembroke House, 9 Roehampton Gate, London  is a Barbados government property, but if it is then the event should be moved or cancelled. It is unethical to use government facilities for a political party function. Most countries have rules against this type of thing, but alas, Barbados has no rules at all when it comes to elections financing, conflicts of interest or the use of government facilities for party politics.

Above is the photo of Pembroke House taken from Google – at least we think it’s #9 Roehampton Gate.

The sidebar contains the function notice sent out by the DLP Barbados (UK). Click on the photo for the large version.

How about it, readers… does anyone know if Pembroke House is a Barbados Government property?

Here is the email originally sent to Prime Minister Stuart and others.

We’ve removed the email addresses and date & time it was sent…

From: ‪<‬?????‪_bajan@‬??????‪.com>‬
Date: Jan ?, 2012 at ??????
Subject: Misuse of government property
To: fstuart@???,
CC: mmcclean@???, cburnette@???

Dear Prime Minister,

Misuse of government property, is this legal???????

Duprey, Parris, Thompson and some other people need to go to jail

CL Financial, CLICO – one huge unsustainable Ponzi Scheme

“Lawrence Duprey was paid $90 million a year from the deposits of policyholders in collapsed insurance company CLICO, attorney Neal Bisnath said yesterday.”

“CLICO invested US$445 million of policyholders’ money in a Florida real estate project called Capri, while the investment was worth only US$200 million.”

If Prime Minister David Thompson was alive today, he would have some difficult questions to answer about his activities as CLICO’s lawyer, and about how he and his government participated in building the house of cards Ponzi scheme known as CLICO. The public deserves the truth about what Thompson knew, what he did – and how his long-term service putting deals together for CLICO, Duprey and Parris put him in numerous conflicts of interest as Prime Minister.

David Thompson knew that CLICO policy holders were paying outrageous money to Duprey and Parris – probably illegally with no segregation of funds even where the rules called for this. David Thompson knew that the payments were being hidden. David Thompson was CLICO’s lawyer when ten years of accounting records were illegally withheld.

“We know now that on May 15, 2005 while acting as CLICO’s lawyer, David Thompson signed a secret contract between CLICO and Leroy Parris’ private company that in effect deceived shareholders into believing that Parris was being paid less than he really was.”

…from the BFP article Leroy Parris’ defence of Prime Minister David Thompson rings hollow now

David Thompson knew that CLICO was being raped by Duprey and Parris. David Thompson was part of it and you can bet that when he became Prime Minister his senior Cabinet members had to have known the truth too. That house of cards was wobbling long before it collapsed – and the Thompson-Stuart government covered up and protected Leroy Parris for as long as they could. After all, the government politicians got their bizjet rides, the DLP got its funding and Thompson’s law firm got big contracts – paid for with policy holders’ funds.

Now the only “solution” that the Thompson/Stuart DLP Government can come up with is for taxpayers to “invest” more money. Well, I guess that’s better than riots in the streets.

As for Leroy Parris and Lawrence Duprey – they laughed all the way to the bank and they are laughing still. There are hundreds of millions of assets missing, just vanished into thin air at the end of fraudulent paper trails, but nobody will go to jail for this massive fraud and breach of the public trust. No big shot ever goes to jail in Barbados.

This Barbados Today article lays it all out…

Bisnath made the statements as he cross-examined Michael Carballo, the former group financial director of CL Financial, during the commission of enquiry into the collapse of CL Financial and the Hindu Credit Union at the Winsure Building, Richmond Street, Port of Spain, yesterday.

Bisnath said CLICO’s cash stream was also used to fund investments made by CL Financial.

“Is it true to say that from what we have seen CLICO was really used as a cash cow in the group?” Bisnath asked Carballo.

“Yes, because CLICO was really the one that had the cash flowing in it,” Carballo said.

“And that cash that was flowing happened to be policyholders’ money and Mr Duprey and CL were using CLICO policyholders’ monies without regard to the risk that it was putting those policyholders under,” Bisnath said.

Bisnath described Duprey as a “great investor of other people’s money”.

He said CLICO invested US$445 million of policyholders’ money in a Florida real estate project called Capri, while the investment was worth only US$200 million.

“We know in taking on risks he (Duprey) used policyholders’ money, not his personal money; and when you use OPM, other people’s money, you can have all kind of fancy dreams and you can make all kind of fancy investments because if you lose it, it is not your money you are losing,” Bisnath said.

“He (Duprey) could therefore have a bold and aggressive attitude toward business, and an insatiable risk appetite because it was not his money he was using,” Bisnath said.

Read the entire story at Barbados Today: Duprey paid $90 million a year

Further Reading

Trinidad Express: Duprey bagged $1.1b before bailout

Politicians and voters – a visual illustration

Because it’s Monday morning and we all need a smile with our coffee!

“… campaigns once depended on rousing oratory by stump speakers but now feature expensive rallies with musical acts and other entertainment; the political speakers are an annoyance that the audience must endure.”

… from a WikiLeaks US Embassy cable talking about political campaign funding in Barbados.

Our thanks to an old friend for sending us the video!

BREAKING HERE FIRST: CBC sacks Peter Wickham over secret corruption briefings to US Ambassador

WikiLeaks “Confidential” US Embassy cable takes down Wickham

CADRES’ Peter Wickham revealed to US Diplomats: Campaign financing corruption, payoffs, “sweetheart deals”, political corruption by Leroy Parris & CLICO, drug money funding political campaigns, flying in of voters from USA.

“At the same time that Wickham was a political consultant, he provided secret briefings to US Embassy personnel about his clients’ activities. He’s finished. Who would hire him again?”

CBC senior executives “outraged”

Prime Minister Stuart said to be “beside himself” over CLICO / Leroy Parris revelations.

… CBC insider exclusive to Barbados Free Press

EXCLUSIVE to Barbados Free Press

(News media must attribute to “Barbados Free Press”)

The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) sacked journalist and political analyst Peter Wickham on September 1st over the contents of a US Embassy cable released by WikiLeaks on August 30th, 2011.

A CBC insider tells only Barbados Free Press that the Barbados DLP government and CBC senior executives remain “outraged” after learning that Peter Wickham provided a series of secret briefings to US diplomats “over several years” where Mr. Wickham discussed and provided details about political corruption in the Caribbean. The briefings included information about the activities of clients and former clients.

Hitting the fan!

Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is said to be “beside himself” over the cable, which reveals among other facts that CLICO executive, former CBC Chairman and DLP supporter Leroy Parris provided large sums of under the table money to the Dominica DLP in exchange for business and a diplomatic passport. Barbados government members are concerned that the cable will provide more fodder for BLP Opposition calls for details on CLICO financial abuses and CLICO’s political funding of the Barbados DLP. (Editor: No kidding!)

“Wickham met periodically with Embassy Officers over the past several years”

The February 3, 2006 “CONFIDENTIAL” cable was sent by Mary Kramer, (then US Ambassador to Barbados and the Caribbean) and is published at the end of this post. The WikiLeaks cable references other US Embassy cables that are not included in the WikiLeaks releases – indicating that the United States State Department is in possession of additional information that remains secret.

The February 3, 2006 cable also contains Mr. Wickham’s assessment of Caribbean political funding.

Wickham’s assessment and information makes an excellent case for Campaign Financing and disclosure laws in Barbados…

“The amount of money spent on political campaigns in the Caribbean has increased with each election, according to Peter Wickham, a consultant who has worked for various governments and political parties throughout the region.

With no campaign finance laws or disclosure requirements present in most countries, political parties are free to accept funding from any source, including wealthy expatriates seeking to curry favor for their business and personal interests.”

Comment:  The increasing availability of campaign funds to Caribbean political leaders, combined with a lack of legal control over how the money is raised, makes for a troubling situation in a region where many turn a blind eye to corruption.

A few hundred thousand dollars, a pittance to a wealthy businessperson in Barbados or the Cayman Islands, could buy a great deal of influence in one of the small, economically troubled countries in the region.  Some of this influence may be purchased to further legitimate business concerns, but as in the case of marijuana growers, or even the bearers of passports to which they are not entitled, the influence could be used for more nefarious purposes.”

… US Ambassador Mary Kramer in WikiLeaked cable from US Embassy Barbados

Peter Wickham unaware of reason for sacking

Saturday’s Nation newspaper quotes Peter Wickham as not knowing why the CBC sacked him. According to BFP’s source, Wickham may not yet be aware of the reason for his firing.

Says Wickham to The Nation…

“No rationale was given… Needless to say, I am not pleased.”

“Where there’s a termination letter there’s always the impression conveyed that there was incompetence, misbehaviour, non-performance or underperformance, and I hope that’s not the belief that goes out there,”

Peter Wickham quoted in the Nation story CBC sacks Wickham

If Mr. Wickham wishes to comment on our story, we’d be pleased to publish whatever he emails us. Barbados Free Press published Peter Wickham’s writing during the 2007 election when the newspapers refused.

February 3, 2006 “CONFIDENTIAL” US Embassy cable from Mary Kramer, then US Ambassador to Barbados…

Finance Minister Chris Sinckler silent on CLICO’s political donations to DLP

Sinckler: “Bajans aren’t mature or intelligent enough to see raw or incomplete data. They might draw conclusions different from what the government wants.”

How else should voters interpret Mr. Sinckler’s recent statement that the 30-day judicial manager’s report on CLICO International Life Insurance Limited should be kept hidden? Mr. Sinckler wants the big-ups and elites to put everything together in a tidy little report that directs Bajans to whatever conclusion the elites want to sell us.

“Let’s get this straight, Mr. Sinckler: Bajans don’t trust you or your government to tell the truth about CLICO.”

The late Prime Minister Thompson was way too close to CLICO’s Leroy Parris. David Thompson was also CLICO’s lawyer when proper financial statements weren’t filed for ten years. And when it all hit the fan for CLICO and CL Financial, Thompson used the power of his Prime Minister’s office to deny judicial oversight. Not to mention the cushy job he gave to Leroy Parris at the CBC that allowed the government to control the news about this fraud.

“We know now that on May 15, 2005 while acting as CLICO’s lawyer, David Thompson signed a secret contract between CLICO and Leroy Parris’ private company that in effect deceived shareholders into believing that Parris was being paid less than he really was.”

…from the BFP article Leroy Parris’ defence of Prime Minister David Thompson rings hollow now

Friends forever: Finance Minister Sinckler & Leroy Parris chatting over champagne

Finally, the DLP received big money from CLICO in the form or political donations and who knows what else on the side, including executive jet use for free when the cost was tens of thousands of dollars or more per ride. The DLP was brought into power in good part through the big money of CLICO.

That was OUR MONEY that was given to the DLP. The money that policy holders and investors placed with CLICO in good faith and it was sucked out of the company into phony land purchases, mansions in Florida and who knows how much into YOUR POLITICAL POCKET MR. SINCKLER.

Answer the policy holders this Mr. Sinckler, or sit down and shut up:

“How much did the DLP Democratic Labour Party and the candidates receive from CLICO and associated companies and persons in the last 15 years?”

Until you answer that question Mr. Sinckler, just sit down and shut up. We’ve heard enough of your opinions on how this fraud should be investigated, thank you.

Signed,

A policy holder and a victim.

Further Reading

You should go to Barbados Today to read the story about Sinckler, but we’ll reprint the entire passage here because the Barbados news media has a habit of re-writing history and deleting stories, and that includes staff at Barbados Today who used to be at The Nation.

So read the story at Barbados Today, but if it’s gone, then read it here…

Bahamas Member of Parliament gets it wrong about Barbados election financing

Former Bahamas Attorney General probably believed the lies

Bahamas Member of Parliament Alfred Sears is holding up Barbados as an example in his campaign to outlaw secret political contributions.

“Mr. Sears, who was a guest on Love 97’s Sunday talk show, Jones & Company, said in many countries, like Barbados there is legislation against (secret political contributions).”

While we wish Mr. Sears all the success in the world in his quest to bring transparency, integrity and accountability to the political process in the Bahamas, we have to correct his mistaken notion that Barbados is a model to be followed.

• Barbados has no election financing rules
• No public disclosure requirements for political donations.
• No Freedom of Information Act
• No Integrity Legislation
• No Conflicts of Interest rules.

Election Financing in Barbados: Anything goes

Barbados politicians are allowed to accept secret donations from any person or company, whether Barbadian or not. There is no limit as to the amount of money they can accept, and no restriction on politicians or their family members from receiving personal gifts or employment from companies that do business with the government or want to do business with the government.

click for large

As an example, if some political supporter wants to give $75,000 to a politician as a “campaign donation”, there is no legal requirement for the politician to reveal the donation publicly or even to place the donation into a designated bank account. ‘Matter a fact, our former Prime Minister Owen $ Arthur was caught out depositing a $75,000 “campaign donation” into his very own personal bank account. (cheque photo above)

Goin’ wid Owen would have gotten away with it except that then Opposition Leader David Thompson got up in Parliament and showed a copy of the cheque. A shamefaced Owen Arthur had to say “oops!” but no laws were broken. And that’s the way Barbados politicians want it!

Opposition MP Dr. William Duguid came right out and said that Barbados politicians would never pass integrity legislation or a Freedom of Information act and he was telling the truth.

Barbados politicians brag about Integrity Legislation and FOI “coming soon” but it never comes.

Bahamas MP Alfred Sears probably went to some conference where some lying Barbados politician told him that we have FOI, Integrity Legislation and Election Financing Laws. It’s happened before to another Caribbean politician as we’ve previously reported. (Clive can you dig up the story please, I’m off to work. M.)

Both the BLP and DLP have promised Integrity Legislation and FOI for decades but they lied. A few bills were proposed but always die before they pass into law. Then the government calls an election and says “We tried but those rotters in the opposition spoiled our efforts! Elect us again and we’ll finish it this time!”

Although Freedom of Information and Integrity Legislation are talked about, NOBODY TALKS ABOUT ELECTION FINANCING LAWS! Oh no… noooooooo way Barbados politicians will even talk about Election Financing limitations and disclosure rules. You mek sport!

So our best wishes to Bahamas Member of Parliament Alfred Sears, and he shouldn’t worry that the Barbados politicians fooled him. Those lying bastards have been fooling Bajans for four decades and we keep believing them – so you can hardly blame Mr. Sears for believing them too.

Further Reading

The Bahama Journal: Outlaw Secret Contributions says MP

Arch Cot Disaster: Links to Mia Mottley & family discovered

Updated May 14, 2011

Canadian geologist Professor Hans Machel testified the week of May 9, 2011 at the Coroner’s Inquest into the deaths of the Codrington family at Arch Cot. We’ll be putting up a new Arch Cot story, but for now have a read or re-read of our March 13, 2011 piece about the Mottley family connection and the unanswered questions about how a powerful Barbados family received land permissions when others were denied…

Powerful Mottley family obtained Arch Cot land use permissions denied to previous owner!

Will the Arch Cot Inquest follow up on our story?

“The Mottley family bought Arch Cot scrub land that couldn’t be built on and then got planning permission when the previous owner couldn’t. They made some quick and easy money.”

“Look at these documents I’ve attached. The people of Barbados deserve an explanation from the Mottley family and from the government officials who granted the land use permissions to the Mottleys that they refused to give the previous owner.”

The following was received via an anonymous emailer. Once again we remind all readers to keep an open mind and to keep asking the questions that need to be asked. Just because somebody says so, doesn’t make it true, but this story should be simple enough that the coroner could find the truth if she wants to.

Two Barbados political parties argue over who is most corrupt

The author of this hit piece calls himself “Dave U. Random” and he’s obviously a DLP supporter. The style is vaguely familiar but the tactics are undoubtedly inspired by DLP backroom manipulator Hartley Henry.

That’s okay. We’ll further the discussion by printing one sided pieces from the BLP too!

But we haven’t forgotten, and we want Bajans to remember, that there’s not a lick ‘o difference between the two large political parties in Barbados. Not a lick ‘o difference in philosophy or practice – only a different bunch of piggies fighting over the public trough.

As Member of Parliament Dr. Duguid said, there’s no way any Barbados politician will vote for Integrity Legislation.

So relax, sit back and enjoy the show as the DLP and BLP try to convince Bajans that THIS TIME it’s gonna be different. Honest, Honey, I’ll never hurt you again. Trust me. I promise…

Corruption and corrupt people now rule the BLP

by Dave U. Random

The Barbados Labour Party is becoming a war zone with the ‘gang of five’ now trying desperate measures to destroy “the decent four.”  They cannot get Mia Mottley or William Duguid because they have pedigree so the soft targets in that mix are Rawle Eastman and Cynthia Forde.  We have already told you that Clyde Mascoll will be the BLP’s candidate in St. Thomas, while Douglas Skeete (George Payne’s cousin) will replace Rawle Eastman in St. James North., hence a scheme had to be hatched and carefully executed, to discredit Forde and Eastman.

Barbados Labour Party self-destructing over leadership battle of the elites

“Crabs in a barrel

An animal so stupid and selfish that when piled in a barrel they will tear each other down to get an inch closer and would easily succeed if they worked together. God we’re so much better than them…”

… sacred oath of the Barbados Labour Party

After three years of turmoil Mia fights to stay alive while King Arthur awaits rebirth.

Mottley retained “for now” say the “party faithful” ? !!!

How many “successes” at retaining Mia Mottley can the BLP survive?

The recent “attempted coup” against BLP interim leader Mia Mottley is hardly worth mentioning by itself because it is nothing more than the continuation of three years of turmoil. It simply doesn’t matter who tried to de-throne Mia this time because nothing is settled.

If anything, the leadership of the BLP is less secure and less defined.

Just who is in charge at the BLP? Bajans still can’t say and neither can the BLP, except in a show of empty bravado.

Let’s review some history and then, much to the chagrin of the BLP, we at Barbados Free Press will tell the BLP how they can be elected as the next government. Not that the BLP elites will listen to their fellow citizens at BFP: but the membership just might…

Noel Lynch and The Nation newspaper – Partners in hypocrisy

Nation Newspaper selective in quest for morality and justice

Adrian Loveridge writes…

“I must admit that I find the editorial in the NATION today (Monday 23rd August) rather hypocritical.

Where was the same indig(nation) when the then Minister of Tourism refused to share a radio studio with me?

Imagine for one second if it was the other way around.

Pink Floyd’s “Another brick in the Bajan Wall” as sung by the DLP & BLP

Sung to Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” by a chorus of Bajan politicians. (Courtesy of BFP reader Motbutu)

Another Brick in the Bajan Wall

We don’t need no trans-parency
No reporting or disclosure

Hey people, mind your own bus-iness

You don’t need details of projects
Nor ex-plan-ations
Its Guv’ment business only

Hey people, leave this thing alone

President Obama and the Goldman Sachs campaign funds: An impossible discussion in Barbados.

President Obama is being called upon to return the almost one million dollars that his campaign received from Goldman Sachs employees – in light of securities fraud civil charges now faced by that company. The calls to return the campaign funds also concern the fact that Goldman Sachs received big money from the Federal Government bailout program and that thought riles many Republican and Democratic voters.

In light of everything, I can see folks demanding that this money should be returned, but I can also see the point that this money was donated to the Obama campaign by individual employees – not by Goldman Sachs the company – and therefore should not be returned. The entire issue is receiving extensive news coverage as the Americans debate and discuss.

An impossible debate in Barbados

The interesting thing about this issue though is that the American voters are able to have the debate because under their election laws the parties and politicians have to keep financial records and those records are open to public scrutiny.

It helps to keep everything honest – which is why our Barbados politicians won’t stand for such a requirement.

We know from the past that Bajan politicians receive “campaign donations” and “accidentally” put them into their personal bank accounts and “forget” to inform anyone about these donations. Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur was caught red-handed corruptly putting a cheque for $75,000 into his personal bank account. If it weren’t for then Opposition Leader David Thompson waving a copy of that cheque around at an election rally, that $75,000 would never have seen the light of day from Owen Arthur’s personal expenses.

And that’s only one cheque to one politician on one day.

Barbados needs to have proper election financing laws if we are ever to break free from the current system of government that is best described as a kleptocracy, but the current Thompson DLP government isn’t about to implement an elections financing law and neither are the BLP if that party ever waddles back into power under Mia Mottley’s ah, er, “leadership”.

How much in election funding did CLICO & CL Financial group of companies give to the DLP and BLP?

How much in election funding did VECO give to the Arthur/Mottley BLP government?

Well, Prime Minister Thompson? Well… Opposition Leader Thompson?

Why can’t the Barbados public know the answers to those questions?

Dozens of contractors hired in Barbados Flood Prevention & Drainage plan – but the Graeme Hall wetlands sluice gate is still broken!

Sluice gate has been broken for years at Graeme Hall wetlands Barbados

Has a political decision been made to not repair the Graeme Hall wetlands sluice gate?

A reader sends us this quote from a government press conference carried by The Barbados Advocate and some commentary and a question: Has a political decision been made to not repair the Graeme Hall wetlands sluice gate?

“Thirty-six contractors will be awarded contracts before the end of this month for well digging and cleaning throughout the island in an effort to minimise the incidence of flooding.

Speaking to the media yesterday at a review of the wells in the St. Michael West Central area at Belfield, Black Rock, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Water Resources and Drainage, Lionel Weekes, said that the island-wide review, which takes place during the dry season, is done at this time to also ensure that drainage systems are working…”

… from the Barbados Advocate article Flood Prevention Plan

The recently announced government programme to hire contractors to clean grates, wells and generally maintain the drainage systems is admirable and long overdue. The Thompson government should be congratulated for “pre-emptive” action rather than waiting for the crisis as was the effective policy under the Owen Arthur government.

Sometime ago the Thompson government changed the name of the Ministry to “Ministry of Environment, Water Resources and Drainage” and this indicates the DLP government recognizes how critical the drainage systems are to the overall health and economy of Barbados.

Nonetheless, one vital repair to the drainage infrastructure is missing: the government sluice gate controlling waterflow in and out of the Graeme Hall wetlands has been broken, rusted and blocked by silt for many years. This integral and important part of drainage management on the South Coast has been inoperative for years, apparently because the government is seeking revenge against the owner of a facility within the Graeme Hall watershed. Thus the environmental health of a large area of the South Coast has been put at risk against the public interest.

Will the sluice gate be repaired under the current operation as seems advisable… or, has a political decision been made to continue to not repair the Graeme Hall wetlands sluice gate?

Over to you Denis Lowe, Minster of Environment, Water Resources and Drainage…

Further Reading at BFP

February 16, 2010 Barbados Advocate accurately reports Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary press release!

February 11, 2010 Barbados Environment Minister caught lying again about Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary Dispute

January 14, 2010 Barbados Government takes new steps to destroy foreigner’s US$35 million eco-tourism investment on South Coast – Part 1 in a series

DLP Propaganda: “Meetings are the level of accountability the Barbadian public agreed to last election”

Commending therefore the Government’s decision to have the constituency reports to outline what the Members of Parliament had done within their respective areas, he said this showed the public a certain degree of accountability.

“The level of accountability is what the Barbadian public has agreed to when they handed the Democratic Labour Party a landslide victory in 2008!”

… Joseph King, Chairman of the Christ Church South Democratic Labour Party branch, re-writes election history in the Barbados Advocate article DLP supporting accountability

Memo to the DLP: Public Relations Meetings are not accountability!

“Listen Ah went to the meeting but left before it started. Choir, Performances, Opening Remarks, Prayers, PM Address, Featured Address by Chris Sinckler and Constituency Report John Boyce and Question & Answer was too much for me an EAGER BEAVER. Ah left when I realise it was a Constituency Conference and the Agenda format.”

… BFP reader Anasa comments on the Dog & Pony Show the DLP calls “accountability” (read Anasa’s full comment here)

DLP Re-writes Election History – Barbados News Media asks no questions

Truly you have to give credit to the Democratic Labour Party for their ability to re-write history and have the Barbados news media remain silent while the lies flow. Who else could get elected two years ago on a platform of the immediate implementation of Freedom of Information and Integrity laws – then break every promise – and now have the Barbados Advocate write an article praising the Thompson government for being accountable?

Then again – the BLP did the same thing and the media whores published their lies too, without so much as a question.

Hmmmmm… perhaps our problem is the media whores of Barbados who trade their silence for government advertising revenues?

Need some proof?

Okay, here we go…

Fact #1: 2007 DLP Election Manifesto “Pathways to Progress”

Hey… see the nice lady giving David Thompson a hug? She believed his promises in the DLP’s “Pathways to Progress” election manifesto. Nice lady, but a sucker like the rest of us.

Fact #2: Email from DLP Communications Director Reudon Eversley

“Hello BFP folks

Apologies for not getting back to you much sooner.

DLP leader David Thompson hosted a press conference today where he distributed the attached documents dealing with a proposed legal framework to promote accountability, transparency and accountability in public life and fight corruption.

The Ministerial Code takes effect immediately after a DLP government is elected. The Freedom of Information Act and Integrity legislation will be dealt with in the first 100 days in office.

Any questions, give me a call. If you were part of the traditional media, you would have been invited to the news conference where you could have asked whatever you wanted.

Best regards
Reudon Eversley
Communications Director
DLP General Election Campaign 2008″

… from BFP’s article David Thompson Reveals DLP’s Integrity and Freedom Of Information Plans – Much Cut and Pasted From The Internet Only A Few Days Ago

Fact #3 – No Ministerial Code Declared “immediately”

Oh… that’s right. Didn’t happen. Thompson lied.

Fact #4 – No Freedom of Information Legislation Introduced after 100 days

Yup, Thompson lied.

Fact #5 – No Integrity Legislation introduced after 100 days

Oh, that’s right. Thompy lied.

In Opposition, David Thompson promised "immediate" conflicts of interest rules for Ministers. He lied.

Folks, we wish we had the staff at Barbados Free Press to publish an article in response for every unquestioned lie published that government lapdog, the Barbados Advocate. Sadly, it sure looks like the DLP government buys the newspaper’s loyalty and unquestioning silence with government advertising revenues.

We want you to think back to January 2008. Think about how you felt when the corrupt government of Owen Arthur fell. Think of the pride you had in January 2008 that Barbados was finally going to have transparency and accountability laws for elected and appointed government officials.

We, the People of Barbados, thought that WE won the election.

We were wrong. Now we know – the people of Barbados didn’t win the election.

Thompson and the DLP did.

“Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss”