UPDATED: DLP’s National Campaign Manager Lays Out The Issues – Doesn’t Mention Integrity Legislation, Conflicts of Interest, Government Corruption

Updated: Jan 1, 2008 – scroll to bottom for update.

We Told You So!

The DLP Piggies Can’t Wait To Get Their Hands On The Public Chequebook

Branford Taitt, former Cabinet Minister and now the DLP’s National Campaign Manager lays out the campaign issues and strategies for the Nation News and doesn’t breathe a word about corruption, conflicts of interest or integrity legislation. (Nation News Bajans Calling For Change)

Nope… those items simply aren’t on the DLP’s agenda in a major way.

Mr. Taitt makes it quite clear that the DLP hopes to win the election simply on the public’s desire to see a change. What the DLP and Taitt obviously don’t understand is why the public wants a change: they have had it with the big-spending corruption of the BLP government.

I guess Taitt and his party forgot some of the corruption issues he addressed in an interview back in February when the former Cabinet Minister told of how Government officials and insiders form companies on the side and then award government contracts to their own companies. (See BFP’s Former DLP Cabinet Minister Branford Taitt: Ministry People Are Directors Of Companies Receiving Government Contracts)

The DLP could have declared years ago that they would institute laws to prohibit this type of insider abuse that has characterized the BLP government. The DLP could have prepared legislation two years ago and had it all ready to go in the event they form the next government. The DLP could have embraced integrity in a big way for years – not as a throw away promise in the final days of the campaign.

But nope – the piggies in the DLP want their share of the public trough so they are not about to make any laws that would hinder their efforts.

Friends, Mr. Taitt’s interview again proves that there is not a lick of difference between the BLP and the DLP. Just different versions of the same old same old.

Yup… if the DLP win, prepare to sing that old song from The Who, “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Won’t get fooled again.”

Updated Jan 1, 2008

We received this email from the Communications Director of the DLP, Reudon A. Eversley…

Hello BFP folks

Just to notify you that the post under the name DLP Campaign Communications is genuine. I am the Communications Director with the DLP campaign and if you have any queries about any aspect of the DLP’s programmes and policies, please send me an email and I will endeavour to provide with an answer in as timely a manner as possible.

Let me assure you that the DLP is committed to openness and is serious about effecting meaningful change. If it weren’t, I would not have accepted this assignment.

With every best wish for the new year.

—
Reudon A. Eversley, M.J (Carleton), Dip. Th., J.P.
Journalist/Media & Communication Consultant
Motto: “Possunt quia posse videntur”  

BFP Replies…

Happy New Year to you too, Reudon!

Yup, we do have a request. Please forward to us or post on the DLP website the exact wording and all details of any intended DLP integrity legislation, conflict of interest laws, campaign financing laws, freedom of information legislation etc….

And tell us when such legislation will be placed before Parliament should the DLP form the next government.

Thanks!

Barbados Election Date Unlawful – Not Enough Clear Days From Call To Voting Day

If you haven’t read Douglas Trotman’s article in the Nation News, you should do so.

Readers of the article “Registers Cannot Be Ready“ can only come away with more evidence that our Prime Minister does not respect the rule of law or our Constitution at all. It seems that Owen Arthur did not allow enough clear days under law from the election call to the voting day.

Friends, the election laws are there for a reason, but Owen Arthur cares nothing for the law. We’ve already seen that a hundred different times so this latest abuse of power is no surprise.

Mr. Trotman makes a strong case that the January 15th date for the Barbados election is unlawful for a number of reasons. He is also asking for the Barbados election to be “monitored by the relevant authorities” although he doesn’t state who these “relevant authorities” are.

This call for election monitoring in Barbados should be taken seriously by the international community as our country started down a slippery slope several years ago. Personal freedoms and democracy are under attack by an Owen Arthur led cabal that does what they want, when they want – without fear of the police or the courts because they own both those institutions.

Mr. Trotman is a respected lawyer and is running as an independent candidate in St. Philip South. Please take the time to read his Nation News article. (link here)

Questions we would like answered by Government before the election on 15th January 2008!

Let’s see where this takes us.

Comments are open without moderation (for now).

Journalist Peter Wickham Banned From Nation News – So We’ll Print His Article Here

Regrettably I have to confirm that for the first time since my Grandfather Clennell Wickham started writing People and Things in the 1940s, this article has been unilaterally suspended by the Newspaper that agreed to host it. Clearly, my perspective on this occasion is very different to that which I offered during the 1999 and 2003 elections. I am therefore grateful to BU and to BFP for carrying this review of the politics of inclusion which is yet to see the light of day”.

THE POLITICS OF INCLUSION REVISITED

The Sunday Sun of January 3rd 1999 presented an article entitled “The New Politics of Inclusion” which sought to critique an apparent “programme” of the Arthur administration which was apparently intended to allow for greater participation in the governance of our country. This article took the position that the politics of inclusion represented a development that was not only good but absolutely necessary for the proper development of a country like Barbados which is both small and resource deficient.

This perspective was, however, a theoretical argument which assumed much about this programme of inclusion which this author presumed would take democracy beyond the right to vote in elections and allow Barbadians the opportunity to play a role in a government that is open, accountable and participatory.

The BLP fought and won the 1999 election and created history in the process. The bumper harvest of seats in that election was no-doubt assisted considerably by this programme of inclusion, which can now be reviewed against objectives which were both political and developmental. This review is concerned more with the delivery of developmental objectives, however, since the 1999 article is used
as a base and it concluded that:

”The politics of inclusion is worthy of consideration, so long as it can be identified as a derivation of “participatory democracy”. The nature of participatory democracy is such that is can easily be confused with a programme of overtly political patronage and the use of public funds to advance a political cause. A fine line separates the two; hence it is essential that either party adopting such a programme give it the fullest possible expression so that the objectives of the programme are clearly a contribution to national development”.

Needless to say, very little has been forthcoming from the Arthur administration regarding the philosophical and developmental objectives of the politics of inclusion, hence it is difficult not to conclude that it has been a crass programme of political patronage, that had nothing to do with development. The programme targeted “progressive” elements of Civil Society as well as political operatives; however in virtually every case there has been a direct political benefit, while an objective assessment of our system of governance now does not reveal any obvious contributions to the enhancement of democracy.

In a contribution that was perhaps ill-advised, Mr. David Commissiong who was one of the beneficiaries of that programme, indicated that he was “offered a ministry” in the Arthur administration in return for his support and that of the “Pan African Brigade” and while the PM has stated categorically that he did not make such an offer, it is clear that some discussion of options took place with agents of the PM who might or might not have been acting on his instructions. As a result Commissiong was able to negotiate the establishment of the Pan African Commission and a directorship for himself. The extent to which this commission has contributed to the development of Barbados is questionable, however the expenditure of three million dollars annually on its activities is not in question. Moreover it is a fact that the Commission has allowed the BLP to embrace “left leaning” characters such as Dr. Michael Hutchinson, Dr George Belle and Commisiong himself.

This component of the politics of inclusion programme is instructive since it provides evidence of the manner in which political commodities were traded and moreover we are now able to reflect on the extent to which these trades benefited the BLP’s politics, but not the development of this country. It was important that the BLP capture this “ideological bias” that the Pan African Commission represented since the BLP has always struggled to occupy that political space that is left of centre and consistent with its socialist philosophy. The DLP has traditionally been considered the more progressive of the two parties and as a result personalities like those associated with the Pan African Commission were always assumed to be Dems. The programme of inclusion successfully changed that perception overnight and added the philosophical dimension to the practical politics of attracting DLP politicians to cross the floor.

In almost all instances those who were “included” have lost their independence and become BLP apologists and in virtually every case these apologists have been rewarded in some way at the public’s expense. As a result the list of consultants attached to the office of the Prime Minister and indeed several other government agencies has grown exponentially and if the PM were to be brave enough to respond to Parliamentary question tabled in the last term requesting such information, then we would be in a position to know exactly who these consultants are, what they do (if anything) and how much of our money these people are paid.

As one reflects on the last three BLP terms, one struggles to identify the fundamental improvements in our governance that this inclusion has brought. The net size and expenditure of the central government has grown and this government has successfully executed some projects, however several of these have been poorly managed which speaks volumes about the extent to which government’s capacity has been enhanced. Moreover there are several governmental deficiencies that are yet to be touched by this intellectually enriched administration. As a result, we still do not have anything resembling integrity legislation in Barbados and our public service is still able to withhold information from taxpayers that was collected using taxpayer’s money. Certainly these two governmental innovations have been installed in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago without a politics of inclusion and in this author’s opinion the transparency offered by these initiatives is considerably more beneficial to governance and far less demanding on the public purse.

It is doubtful that a thorough reflection on the politics of inclusion will ever be written and this is unfortunate since it would be nice to hear some beneficiary of the programme speak to its benefits and attempt to convince us that it was not a crass vote buying exercise. It would also be interesting to see a comprehensive analysis of the extent to which this programme might have impacted negatively on our development in a way that goes beyond its enormous cost. Certainly if we accept that the opinions previously offered by persons like Commissiong were useful to democracy in Barbados, then any attempt to bring such persons under a party whip should be viewed contemptuously.

Peter W. Wickham (Wickham@sunbeach.net) is a political consultant and a director of Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES).

This article will be included in our next print edition.

For the story as to why and how journalist Peter Wickham was banned from the Nation News, check out Barbados Underground’s post Peter Wickham’s Articles Banned By The Nation Newspaper

Reminder: Moderation Is On For Everyone

Hello friends,

We’ve had a few of our regular readers email us asking why they are being moderated. The answer is that everyone’s comments are being held for moderation due to ongoing attacks from government agents. If there is one thing that the government can’t stand it is citizens holding open discussions of news that isn’t censored.

Because each of the writers at BFP have real jobs and real lives, your comments are sometimes not moderated for several hours.

That’s life on our island.

Barbados Death Threats: Copy Of Letter From Adrian Loveridge To Prime Minister Owen Arthur

The Right Honourable Owen S. Arthur, Prime Minister

Sir,

Two days ago the brother of the Chief Justice, Mr. Peter Simmons, telephoned me at our hotel to voice concern about any possible linkages between himself or brother, and what can only be described as almost daily death threats against myself and wife.

Most of these death threats and similar vows to burn down our hotel have been placed on two very popular blogs: Barbados Free Press and Barbados Underground.

Barbados Free Press recently advised that they have identified at least one of the death threats to IP: 69.73.212.201 timed at 10.39pm (GMT) on 28th December 2007.

I understand that with the assistance of the Police and Cable and Wireless, it is possible to trace the sender (s) of these deeply offensive threats which are often linked to pornographic websites and contain explicit vile comments.

While, we may not entirely share the same views on every subject, I am sure you would not condone this sort of behaviour and I would respectfully ask for your assistance to initiate a Police investigation into this matter.

I promise you my full co-operation to track down this person (s).

During the nearly 20 years of residence on Barbados, my wife and I have tried to make a useful contribution to our field of endeavour, tourism.

Of the 106 hotels on Barbados rated by the worlds most visited website, TripAdvisor, Peach and Quiet, is currently ranked #2, which are entirely based on actual guests comments.

I thank you for considering this matter and wish you and your family a healthy and happy 2008.

Adrian Loveridge
29th December 2007

Sent to info@primeminister.gov.bb at 0512 hrs 29 December 2007

BFP Reader Guy Hewitt Says “Many Thanks, Mr. Arthur”

“Many Thanks, Mr Arthur”

Like so many Barbadians considering their options for the upcoming General Election, I found myself in a quandary in trying to decide what to do with my vote on 15 January 2008. But knowing the history of the struggle for adult suffrage I feel compelled to place my ‘X’.

When I look at the main opposition, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), it seems a shadow of its former self. The DLP is still to convey a real sense of urgency to be the next Government of Barbados. As leader, Mr Thompson gives the impression that he adheres to the notion that governments lose election, oppositions don’t win them.

While there is some truth to this, political change in Barbados has always featured an opposition able to capture the popular imagination of the people. Campaigning around a slogan “time for a change” will be insufficient to win popular support.

Barbados is accustomed to strong political leadership and in his twenty years in Parliament and nearly ten as leader of the opposition, Mr Thompson is still to demonstrate his true political strength. His may be a case of too easy, too soon but whatever the cause, Mr Thompson needs to canvass a national constituency if he desires to become the next prime minister of Barbados.

Along the way, Mr Thompson also needs to let us know who his minister of finance will be. We Bajans are too cautious with our money to adopt a wait and see attitude on this issue. However, I give him full marks for displacing Mr Mascoll. The ‘Hardwood’ saga confirmed Mr Mascoll’s poor lack of judgement and possibly much more. Mr Thompson convinced me that Mr Mascoll should never get control of the Barbados treasury and definitely not the leadership of this country.

But what is the alternative?

There is no question that Mr Arthur is the most remarkable political operator in the history of Barbados. The emergence of ‘Owen Dems’ demonstrated his political skill and the success of his ‘politics of inclusion’. But to what end?

The Monday, 17 December 2007 edition of the Daily Nation revealed a side of Mr Arthur that drove fear in me. The report that he had a “determination never to see the DLP hold the reins of power in this country”, revealed the dark side to his ‘politics of inclusion’.

Having read political science and having lived in and worked on two general elections in Guyana, I was struck by what sounded to be the words of a megalomaniac. I heard in Mr Arthur’s assertion echoes of Linden Forbes Burnham, who similarly drunk on power, created a constitutional presidency and then an executive presidency to allow him to remain as President of Guyana until his death.

It was the first time I became suspicious over the political agenda to create a constitutional presidency in Barbados. I always assumed it was part of the ‘politics of inclusion’; to satisfy one woman’s personal ambition. But when I considered the Government’s recent attempt to amend the Constitution of Barbados to usurp powers from the Governor General to appoint civil servants, another component of the ‘politics of inclusion’, I realised this Government has become intoxicated politically to dangerous levels. Where will it end?

Strange Omission By Nation News Online – Murder Of Retired Chief Immigration Officer Not Mentioned

Paper Edition Tells Of Murder – But Online Edition Censors Story

Not for the first time we have noticed that the Nation News reports a murder in it’s paper edition, but doesn’t mention the crime in the online edition. This happened before with that poor lady who was murdered and decapitated.

This kind of censorship is (I guess) supposed to keep up appearances for prospective tourists who would have access to the online news but not the paper edition.

The downside of the censorship is once it started, our “news media” soon became a propaganda tool for business and government instead of a foundation of democracy and freedom.

Once the news media starts hiding one type of story, it is easy to extend this censorship to other stories – for instance the Ronja (Ronya) Juman scandal which has never been mentioned, or the 3S kickback scandal where the media sat on the story for weeks after the blogs printed the details.

By censoring a major story like the murder of a retired Chief Immigration Officer, the lapdog Nation News again proves that it serves the government, not the people.

Barbados Police In Political Cover Up – Fail To Investigate Violent Threats Against Witnesses In Chief Justice’s Land Fraud Trial

Police Commissioner Again Protects The Ruling BLP Government And Says “To Hell With Duty”

Damning Court Documents Posted Online

Police Commissioner Darwin Dottin of The Royal Barbados Police Force was notified weeks ago of numerous death threats against witnesses in the Kingland land fraud trials happening in Barbados and in Canada. Weeks ago Commissioner Dottin was given the evidence needed to identify and arrest the criminals – yet the police have done nothing. The police haven’t even spoken to the victims and witnesses!

A formal letter of complaint was sent to Commissioner Dottin on December 10, 2007 by a Canadian lawyer, K. William McKenzie. That letter is posted in full on the Keltruth Blog along with a second letter to internet supplier Cable & Wireless.

The Short Story

David Simmons, the Chief Justice of Barbados (photo above), his brother Peter Simmons, Prime Minister Owen Arthur, the Attorney General, David Thompson and many other Bajan big-ups are charged with land fraud and conspiracy in a Canadian civil court case that is making its way through the Canadian justice system. The lawsuit revolves around lands in Barbados known as “Kingsland” that are said to have a value in excess of US$ One Billion dollars.

Numerous threats have been made against witnesses in that trial, including one threat to bash in the head of an elderly witness, an old Bajan lady named Marjorie Knox. The threats have come via the internet to Keltruth Blog from a Barbados Cable & Wireless internet account.

Formal Complaint Made In Writing – Weeks Ago

In December 10, 2007 letters to Police Commissioner Dottin and internet supplier Cable & Wireless, Canadian lawyer K. William McKenzie sent a copy of the threat to murder Marjorie Knox, along with the IP number of the sender and the date and time. This information is all the police need to launch an investigation and to identify and arrest the person(s) responsible. After all, the records of the IP number reside on Barbados with Cable and Wireless. (Hey… perhaps one of those pre-signed blank search warrants is all the police need!)

Nothing has been done by the police. Why not?

Why haven’t the police acted? Easy… many of the accused in the land fraud case are Barbados Government Ministers or members of the BLP inner circle and there is a possibility that the threats against witnesses are coming from this highly-placed group of defendants.

Therefore, the police don’t want to touch the case.

Barbados Diplomat Delivers Violent Threats In The Same Land Fraud Case

In a related incident, former Barbados High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Peter Simmons, was recently tape-recorded making threats of violence against persons involved in the same land fraud court case. (See BFP’s Brother Of Barbados Chief Justice Tape-Recorded Making Threats Of Violence In Land Fraud Lawsuit)

Did Peter Simmons make the internet death threats too? The Royal Barbados Police Force doesn’t want to know. After all, Peter Simmons is the brother of Barbados Chief Justice David Simmons and like his judicial brother is a confidant of fellow defendant Prime Minister Owen Arthur.

Politics Cripples Our Police

We have grown accustomed to our police officers allowing themselves to be used by government members for political and personal goals, so we are not surprised at this latest incident of disgusting partisanship by the Royal Barbados Police Force. Whether it is the police being given blank search warrants and acting as debt collectors for government officials, or officers illegally smashing reporters’ cameras and dragging them off to jail without cause – or officers failing to come to the assistance of a woman in a domestic assault for four days – we are becoming used to our police being nothing more than a tool of the political elites.

The world needs to know the story of how a once proud and independent Royal Barbados Police Force has been subverted to a mere political tool for the current government.

May God take mercy upon our small island.

Further Reading

Keltruth Blog: Witnesses Threatened – Court Cases in Canada and Barbados

Keltruth Blog: Violent Threats in the Tropical Paradise of Barbados

Ho-Hum: Water Main Burst 30 Days Ago, No Action By Authorities

Over 30 days ago a water main in Husbands, St. Lucy burst and ruined the road.

The Barbados Water Authority was duly informed at the time and many times since.

No action taken. Water continues to pour onto the road.

30 days

Welcome to First World Barbados

We may not have the funds to fix broken water mains, but by God we had a hell of a cricket party in 2007 and don’t you forget it!

Those who want all the sad details can find them at Barbados Underground (link here)

Former Barbados Immigration Chief Kenrick Hutson Gunned Down At His Home

Victim Was On Front Verandah

Neighbours Heard Many Shots

Retired Chief Immigration Officer Kenrick Hutson, aged 74, was murdered at the front of his home on Friday evening as his wife and daughter were inside.

The story is being carried in the paper version of Saturday’s Sun but has not yet appeared on any Barbados media websites including The Nation News, Barbados Advocate or the CBC.

Did Hutson Know He Was In Danger?

The murder of a former Chief Immigration Officer raises all kinds of concerns and questions. Obviously a man of Hutson’s experience and service would have made some enemies in a post where he was in charge of Immigration processing, investigations, charges and deportations.

But Hutson was retired, and presumably would have little input or influence into current immigration matters.

IF his murder is associated with his service as Chief Immigration Officer, it would seem that it was either revenge for some past action – or to prevent Hutson from testifying or revealing information about something he knew.

When Did Kenrick Hutson Serve As Chief Immigration Officer?

Can any of our readers detail the years when Mr. Hutson was Chief Immigration Officer? I remember him being involved in the famous Paul McCartney marijuana incident of the mid 1980’s, but I don’t recall much about him later. Perhaps if we start with his dates of service we will then be able to think about what happened with immigration during his tenure.

Can any of our readers assist?

We will continue to follow this story as more information becomes available.

UPDATE: Our friends at Barbados Underground have published some additional details…

“The only disturbance which he is known to have had in his life recently is the action he took when he gave ‘notice’ to some Guyanese tenants living in his apartments.”

Read the entire story at Barbados Underground (link here)

UPDATE #2: CBC has a report online (link here)

Calling All Opera Interactive Barbados “Lucky Number” Winners… Do You Exist?

Over a hundred thousand people read Barbados Free Press every month. One would think that a few of our readers would know first hand of a Opera Interactive “lucky number” winner.

The media, the government and Opera Interactive have all said that winners exist and that the names will be published “shortly” (which was months ago).

Okay, let’s see how many winners are known by our BFP readers…

Let’s hear the names of the winners folks!

Background: Barbados Consumer Affairs Minister Lynette Eastmond… Are You Stupid or a Crook? Opera Interactive Fraud Continues

UPDATED: We just received this letter from Adrian Loveridge to the Fair Trading Commission, which speaks for itself…

Dear FTC,

Way back in September (2007), I wrote to you about a company registered in Barbados called Opera Interactive (Barbados) Limited, which was eventually identified as the company operating a number of call and text-in premium rate competitions.

You responded by letter dated 14th November 2007 (ref: 3/12/4 (648) stating among other things that you had been given a list of ‘winners’ in the Barbados Lucky Numbers competition and that you had contacted these ‘winners’ by phone and that they were ‘bona fide’.

You also stated that you had instructed Opera Interactive (Barbados) Limited in your words to ‘be more transparent and publicize the winners of its competition in the media’.

On Saturday 1st December the Saturday Sun printed a page three article stating that they were going to print a list of ‘winners’ soon.

Nearly three weeks later, Nation Publishing Company still has not printed a list of ‘winners’ and consumers like myself are left sadly with the view that the Fair Trading Commission is absolutely powerless to ensure its own directives are enforced and implemented.

Adrian Loveridge
28th December 2007

Copied to Roxanne Gibbs – Editor The Nation

We Ask Barbados Consumer Affairs Minister Lynette Eastmond… Are You Stupid or a Crook? Opera Interactive Fraud Continues

Opera Interactive Fraud Continues With Assistance of Government, Media & Consumer Affairs Minister Eastmond

Yet another week rolls by and the Nation still has not printed the list of winners in the Opera Interactive “contest” (read “consumer fraud”). The Fair Trading Commssion says it has the list and has verified they are ‘bona fida’. Why won’t they print the list? Perhaps this is the reason…

Could it be that there were no winners in the original contest and they are now busy making people winners?

When the list so-called winners is announced, I’ll bet a month’s wages that they don’t print the date that the person won the contest or the date that they were notified or picked up their winnings.

It is disgusting that the government, the CBC and the Nation will not address this issue responsibly with the rule of law in mind.

Something is very wrong with our country when multiple institutions like government, television and the print media are each so corrupt that they all stay silent over a consumer fraud because they are profiting from it.

Some leadership from Minister of Consumer Affairs Lynette Eastmond.

Stupid? Corrupt? Both?

I don’t know, but from the overall situation it is evident that our leaders are a bunch of disgusting crooks.

From the Nation News…

Lucky Number winners soon

Published on: 12/8/07. (Nation News link here)

TO ALL who enjoy entering the quiz games – please note that the Lucky Numbers competition that appeared in the SATURDAY SUN on December 1, 2007, was published by and is the responsibility of Opera Interactive Barbados Limited.

All prize winners to date will shortly be published in THE NATION newspaper as will all future winners. Thank you for taking part in these competitions and we hope that you will be a lucky winner. (PR)

Background Articles

Dec 14, 2007 – Barbados Government Says Opera Telecom Fraudulent Contest “OK By Us” !

Dec 4, 2007 – Lawlessness – Barbados Government Fair Trading Commission Lies

Dec 1, 2007 – Barbados Government And News Media Happy To Profit From Opera Interactive Consumer Fraud

Nov. 21, 2007 – Opera Interactive Crook Gary Corbett Has Made A Personal Fortune

Nov 13, 2007 – Barbados Underground – Authorities In Barbados Allow Opera Telecom To Piss On Our Rules & Regulations ~ Where Is Minister Lynette Eastmond?

Oct 6, 2007 – Opera Telecom – Obvious Fraud Yet The Barbados Government Refuses To Act

Oct 4, 2007 – Have Nigerian Scam Artists Taken Over Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation?

Oct 2, 2007 – Who Is Behind These Controversial Companies?

Sept 29, 2007 – Opera Telecom – Fraudulent Operations In Barbados

Brother Of Barbados Chief Justice Tape-Recorded Making Threats Of Violence In Land Fraud Lawsuit

Such Thuggish Behavior From A Government Diplomat!

The former Barbados High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Peter Simmons (photo immediately above), was recently tape-recorded making threats of violence against persons involved in a land fraud court case.

The former Barbados government diplomat and his brother, Barbados Chief Justice Sir David Simmons (photo above), are facing charges of land fraud and conspiracy in a Canadian civil court. The Simmons brothers are two of the many high-profile defendants in the Nelson Barbados Group Ltd. lawsuit that is currently being heard in Canadian courts. The lawsuit revolves around lands in Barbados known as “Kingsland” that are said to have a value in excess of US$ One Billion dollars.

Some other defendants in the lawsuit include Prime Minister Owen Arthur, the Attorney General of Barbados, Opposition Leader David Thompson (whether in his capacity as a politician or as a lawyer is unknown to this writer), government insiders David Shorey & Philip Nicholls, accounting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers and the corrupt company that built the new Barbados jail and the oil terminal: VECO.

Defendant VECO Corporation Has Record Of Bribing Government Officials, Politicians

The defendant VECO is especially interesting as this huge Alaska-based firm has a proven record of bribing public officials and politicians in order to obtain government contracts. One has to wonder about why the Canadian court added VECO as a defendant and what juicy stories of political corruption in Barbados will surface as the lawsuit progresses!

Barbados Media Has Reported Nothing About This Major Story!

Naturally, the “professional” Barbados media have reported nothing on the Canadian lawsuit – not even it’s existence – despite the fact that many of the court documents and other evidence have been posted online and discussed publicly for years. This latest revelation that diplomat Peter Simmons has been tape-recorded delivering threats of violence is hardly likely to be reported in the government-controlled Barbados media.

The majority of voters in the current Barbados election have no idea that some of their candidates are embroiled in this explosive lawsuit over massive land fraud and political corruption that is alleged to have occurred in Barbados!

Threatening Violence Is Nothing New For Supporters Of The Barbados Government

The story of the tape-recorded threats by Barbados diplomat Peter Simmons is breaking on the Keltruth Blog, which mentioned the Simmons brothers in a story about death threats against Marjorie Knox (an elderly Bajan lady who is involved in the Kingsland lawsuit) and Bajan hotelier Adrian Loveridge.

According to the Keltruth Blog article, both the Royal Barbados Police Force and internet provider Cable & Wireless are aware of the death threats and have done nothing. This is not a surprise to BFP as the “professional” Barbados media has refused to report on the threats as well. Don’t forget: in Barbados the government, police, courts and media are all just one big organisation.

For the full story on the death threats and to view many court documents posted online, check out Keltruth Blog’s Violent Threats in the Tropical Paradise of Barbados

Past And Future Landslip Disasters At Barbados Greenland Dump Site

This Huge Boulder Came From A Past Landslip At The Unstable Greenland Dump Site

December 24, 2007

The Editor,
The NATION,
Fontabelle, Bridgetown

Dear Sir,

The issue of your newspaper of December 24, 2007, page. 40 (Back page), quotes Ramon Alleyne, Chairman of the Sanitation Services Authority, as saying the landfill has come in under budget, a fact of which the Board is proud. (See online article Green Light)

Mr Alleyne’s reference to the Greenland garbage dump site is misleading and inaccurate. Perhaps it is the Silly Season preparing for the 15th January, 2008 General Election, and the BLP is publishing political propaganda favourable to itself.

“These slope monitoring reports which go back years. . . .” They have been careful not to publish the actual readings. However, during construction going back to 1995, there was plenty of evidence showing evidence soil movement downhill over hundreds of years, including 100 ton + boulders, and having excavated the toe of the hill, we could expect that this would be accelerated, particularly after heavy rainfall.

“There was mention of abnormal rains we had the year before. . .” (This would be 2006). Rubbish. The last heavy rain we had was in 1995 when 5” of rain fell in a 3 hour period (when Carew, the calypsonian, drowned at Weston). In 1984 25” of rain fell in 3 days, 13, 7 and 5. There have been 6 heavy rainfalls of over 20” in 24 hours between 1900 and 2000, and the last was in 1984.

To say that the landfill came in under budget again is inaccurate. C.O. Williams Construction and the British firm McAdle won the contract and carried out the actual physical construction at the land site, which was purported to be $20 million. I have a copy of the Tender documents and the treatment of the leachate including the ponds, were estimated at $4 million, when in fact only 2 people quoted, Williams at $21 million and Ward $25 million, with the provisos that no engineer would design the foundations to hold leachate tanks, therefore no work was started. Mr Stanton Alleyne, when the site meeting for the Tenderers was held, said the opening date was April 1, 2008.

While on the matter of leachate which is that poison which drains from the garbage, at the current garbage dump site at Vaucluse, the cells are freshly lined to avoid penetration of leachate into the water table, but since there is no leachate plant to treat it there, the leachate is then pumped into Mt. Stinkeroo, which is on the Mangrove Pond site, and as there is no waterproof membrane on this site, it dissipates through the natural fissures and coral and ends up at Sunset Crest and Sandy Lane, and into the sea. This has gone on for the last 15 years.

The taxpaying public in Barbados have never been told why it was necessary to carry out a retrofit of Greenland, after $20 million had been spent on it on the design of STANTEC Engineering of Edmonton, and Canada-Carib a Canadian construction company registered in Barbados, and not one pound of garbage has ever been delivered to the site.

On the matter of the transit station to be sited at Vaucluse in St Thomas, the public have never been told what the tenders were, and I share this information with the public. C.O. Williams Construction – $9.7 million; Rayside Construction – $12.5 million; Brathwaite Construction – $11.5 million, and Goddard Construction was Guy. $1.

As an official Tenderer, I was not invited to the opening of these bids, which is contrary to public policy, as all Tenderers are to be invited to the opening of the bids. No public tender has been invited for the building of this Transfer Station, and I am informed that a select number of people have been invited. It is my understanding under the laws of Barbados that a government project of over $100,000 must be advertised and the submission of tenders invited.

No mention has been made of the road system between the Vaucluse Transfer Station and Greenland. The primary route would be through Mile-and-a-Quarter to Cleland Hill and on to Greenland. This road is in an advanced state of disrepair, and will slip in the next heavy rain if not before the time of the printing of this article. The other roads through Boscobel, Cherry Tree Hill, Baxters, Horse Hill or the Bath road, are equally all in an advanced state of disrepair.

Finally, the taxpayers of Barbados are reminded that over the years the Auditor General has made a careful audit of the public accounts, and in a number of government departments including the Ministry of Health, and the National Insurance Board they were unable to complete the audit due to incomplete records. The local print media should publish this Auditor General’s report in full, if in sections, as a public service, as the politicians, including the Speaker of the House, is careful to hide its contents from the taxpaying public.

In the bad old Colonial days, our colonial masters insisted that the public accounts were completed or no money was passed for that department for the following year. But public accountability is a thing of the past.

Government cannot deny that public spirited persons such as Prof. Bob Speed and Prof. Hans Machel, both geologists, who have studied the geology of Barbados for over 25 and 16 years respectively, have both said that Greenland is the worst possible site for a landfill in Barbados due to its long history of storm washouts and landslips.

Richard Goddard

* This article has been edited to remove three words that were being misunderstood by readers and took the focus away from the issue of whether Greenland is an appropriate place for a garbage dump and lechate collection.

Another LIAT Airlines Horror Story: Your E-Ticket Is Worth NOTHING Compared With A Printed Ticket

A Further Example Of Why Government Should Not Be Supporting LIAT With Your Tax Dollars

Having waited patiently for approximately two hours we were then approached by a LIAT agent who asked us what type of ticket we (LIAT passengers with onward destinations to Jamaica) possessed. “What type of ticket?” I asked myself. Here I was thinking that a ticket is a ticket, but apparently according to LIAT it isn’t. Let me elaborate.

Actually, five of the nine passengers had printed tickets while four of the nine had e-tickets.

Shortly after, the agent informed us that based on LIAT’s policy (unknown to me and I’m being bold by saying also the general public), that LIAT will only take full responsibility for the passengers with a printed ticket while the other passengers with an E-ticket will only receive LIAT’s assistance in getting on to another flight with Caribbean Airline.

In other words, since I did not have a printed ticket, though I spent over an excess of $700.00 for my entire ticket, LIAT refused to accept responsibility for me missing my flight…

… Read the entire sad tale of why your government does not need to “invest” any more money with this bunch of losers known as LIAT Airlines. Story link here

Bibles Used To Smuggle Cocaine From Barbados To Canada

When Our Pastor Said “Get High On The Lord”, I Don’t Think He Had This In Mind…

A 21 year-old man was arrested at Toronto Pearson airport for bringing 4 kilos of cocaine into Canada from Barbados. There is no indication in the news story as to the man’s name or whether he is a Barbadian.

Sun Online story: Bibles Used To Smuggle Drugs Into Canada

A Merry Barbados Christmas To All – One Year Later…

From all of us to our readers in Barbados and around the world, a heartfelt…

Merry Christmas

See you on the 26th… na… make that on Monday the 29th… we’re taking a break!

***********  From December 24, 2007 you can read the comments on this article originally posted one year ago…