Election Day Note: We published this article way back during Cricket World Cup (April 18, 2007). We thought it would be appropriate to bring it back today in view of the few commenters who seem to think Owen Arthur is still a poor little boy with no shoes.
One of the lines in the article struck us… “…think about the wealth it takes to give away US$150,000.”
PM Gives Cricket Legends Of Barbados US$150,000 In After-Tax Dollars
That is quite a chunk of change.
Don’t you wonder where Prime Minister Arthur got it? Prime Minister or not, he is only a politician with a family (or two) to feed and send to school. Just a man with a huge divorce settlement not so long ago.
Yup. Quite a chunk of change – $150,000 American. After Tax Dollars. That is real hard money, for sure.
Oh well, that still leaves US$600,000 in his personal account from that $750k cheque he received for “campaign donations”, doesn’t it?
Without integrity legislation, conflict of interest rules, freedom of information laws and transparency, being elected will continue to be the road to riches – so many riches that a man with two families and children to send to school can give US$150,000 to charity.
There are those who will say we are too hard on the man. They say “Look at the PM. He can’t do anything right in BFP’s eyes. Owen Arthur gives away that much money out of the goodness of his heart and BFP can’t even commend him.”
To those folks, we say think about the wealth it takes to give away US$150,000.
If the Prime Minister came by his wealth honestly and NEVER profited from his inside knowledge in government, never took “consulting fees” or “gifts” from persons with an interest in having land use permissions changed, never arranged to have his assets held in a proxy’s name, never had an offshore bank account, never arranged for a family member to have a government job, housing or benefits (oops… Owen blew that one for sure!!)… then we congratulate the Prime Minister on both his charity and his business acumen.
But without laws and transparency, there will always be the question – Where did this politician’s great wealth come from if not from you and me?
We have a right to make those who control our public monies account for an apparent conflict between their annual income and their personal wealth.
Politicians can continue to storm out of radio shows or become indignant at the mention of their assets – but Bajans have had enough.
Where did you get your great wealth, Mr. Prime Minister?
From BBC Sport Cricket…
Barbados Greats Give A Little Back
A group of 41 former cricketers from Barbados, including some famous names, is clubbing together to help former team-mates who have fallen on hard times.
The organisation, Cricket Legends of Barbados, will also promote the game on the island, and stars a glittering roll-call of members.Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Everton Weekes, Wes Hall, Charlie Griffith, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes and Joel Garner will all lend their time.One of the group, former wicket-keeper David Allan, said there was one former star which the group was already targeting for assistance, but declined to name him.
Barbados has produced more stars for West Indies than any other island.Prime Minister Owen Arthur, an ardent cricket fan, has personally donated US$150,000, an amount that has been matched by local hoteliers.
And the government has spent $2.3m on renewing a derelict house to serve as the headquarters for the venture.Allan told the BBC: “The main objective is to raise money to promote cricket, mainly school cricket. We will all chip in.”Sir Gary and Wes Hall and other legends have a lot to offer youngsters in cricket knowledge and attitude.”
… continue reading this article at the BBC (link here)
Barbados Free Press 
Where indeed did such (after tax US dollars ) largesse come from unless it was taken from the very people he is suppose to be representing?
A politician who makes say $300,000. BBDS per year cannot afford this, ergo, he stole it or maybe he was given it for favours if you get the drift. So much for the little guy.
This man is a very smug, he knows that the most people will do is talk.
If he was anywhere else he would have to account for how he came by that money. From what he makes a year and cost of living he would never have that much money to give away. He could never say that he was saving it up just to give it away.
Now is the time for the media or the DLP to get all over his arse, it could turn out to be a stupid move on his part. Everyone that was trying to pin him down, should be able to do so now.
It seems that this Owen is sure of himself to think that Bajans wouldn’t be able to do Maths of any kind. He thinks that the people are stupid, so he can smile and give money away and think they can’t do nothing about it.
I hope the people and the DLP see this as the one thing that they can jump on to bring this man to the ground, and by the look of it he doesn’t have that far to fall.
Owing is like the little boy who has been found out in a wrongdoing by his parents and knows he will be punished, so he rushes out and buys (or tiefs from a store) a gift for his parents. I think he knows that stupid Bajans will say, “See what a nice man Owen is? He giving way US$150,000. Man, he’s a giant.” Yes, you can fool some of the people some of the time. Some people are extremely gullible.
Maybe David Ellis can have the Prime Minister on Brass Tacks this Sunday!
Only The Rich can make donations like that!
– on a politician’s salary?
Hi Friends,
Let’s all remember about the $ 750,000.00 Mega – six cheque lying in Owen’s personal bank account….!
Let’s all remember he publicly admitted to this cheque…!
Let’s all remember he publicly admitted then to making other mistakes….a.k.a probably other sized cheques…!
US $ 150.000.00 is chicken feed when there is so much money lying around in Owen’s personal bank accounts…!
No need to touch his PM salary or the last MP’s pay increase….which he publicly declared he would leave in the treasury until retires….!
Which would probably be 50 years from now…..!
Minor correction, he’s donating $150000USD, which is 300,000bds which means he only has 450000 left.
What was Owen thinking?
The winds have changed and he doesn’t know. The 150,000 is proof of his crimes.
TAX PAID DOLLARS? HA.
What a joke. Owen and his friends, and that includes DLP members too and high ranked public officials and judges don’t pay taxes on their true income.
A couple of years ago a friend who worked in the tax office she no longer works there though told me that these types either pay taxes on their salaries only or don’t bother to pay at all. Nobody has the courage to call them on it or they would get fired.
Hi there to all of you, my dislike for Arthur is well known. However I have to take my hat off to him for giving our hard done cricketers a chance at a better life. When a person, regardless of where he got the money from can donate to help those who need it, I say well done. Please do not let us drag this into a BLP/DLP fight it is not worthy of that. Let us accept the fact that he has done something for a change that helps people less fortunate than him
When I fight for a cause as you all well know I do it with vigour, however on this one I think that Arthur did the right thing. I know all of you will come back and give me licks, however look at what the man has tried to do. Fire away and take your best shot
Arthur is like Al Capone donating stolen money to charity.
Patrick:
How are you doing?
Hope all is going well with you and the family.Have mum in from NY,here surrounded with my 3 favourite ladies.
Stay good and take care,watch the stress levels ok.
Aye-yay-yay! Fantastic plug for the BLP from Patrick Porter. He like he don’t realise that IT IS NOT THE MAN’S MONEY TO GIVE AWAY.
Patrick Porter is on medication: he’s not thinking right.
He’s still in ‘awwwww…’ mode.
Chase
Good for you that’s what it is all about. Going back to the hospital tomorrow for more cancer checks, they have now found something else on my ear, they think it is a new melonma growth, but will have to wait and see. You know when I was a young boy, I was hard ears and my family always told me to put on a hat or cap, but I never listened and now I am paying the price of being hard ears.
I fight in my life for what is right for all, I try to show love to all people regardless of who they are. I try to stand up for the downtrodden and defend those who can’t do it for themselves.
But it is people like you and your family that give me the most joy in life. Thank you and your wonderful family for what they give us all. They make us realise that life is not all about what we have in material things, but what we have that is given to us to love and care for. The shear joy of holding that litle hand in ours, the immense pleasure of tha hug and that small peck on the face. The love that is given without expecting anything back in return
Yes Chase, life is about more than politics or anything material. It is about people, their lives, loves and commitment to each other. To see each other as people and not as some high and mighty object to follow
Thank you all for your comments
You missed my point. I am not defending Owing or his party. But when you do something to help our less fortunate than you then you should get the reward of being told that. I am the first one to take down Owing for what he has done to my country. But on the other side of the coin you have to give jack his jacket. He may have got the money through ill gotten gains, however he has at least given some of it back to help our cricket heros of the past. Give me all the broadsides you want, but when I see something that is right I will defend it and all of you know that
Owing coming with an imp face explanation.
he always does.
look out for;
(1)he was misquoted;
(2)it is $1500 BDS not $150000 US;
(3)its another owen arthur;
(4)story concocted by david thompson;
(5)boyhood dream to be west indian test cricketer , donation next best thing;
(6)its his returned 24% salary hike
forgot
(7) barbadians complain too much
(8) barbadians see success as bad….this has to cease
I always hear dat you gotta watch out fuh greeks dat come bearing gifts. I also hear dat you gotta watch out fuh HYPOCHONDRIACS. (I had was to check date spelling in de dictionary).
Lollipop
I hope that the word you couldn’t spell does not refer to me. If it does then it is in very poor taste, we can debate our beliefs, but when you come to using terms that bear no reference to the subject, then you have hit a new low and should not be taken seriously. If it does not refer to me then I appologise, but please explain yourself
Patrick Porter, why you should feel is you I refering to? De cap fitting you?
Lollipop
Just checking. I have many medical problems, however I fight them as best I can. One day as you get older and all the things you did earlier in life catch up with you remember this post.
Look, let us stop this bashing thing. Patrick, it would appear that you like honesty and you speak your mind. Therefore you should appreciate honesty in return and I hope you take this in the right way. There are probably many of us on this blog site who are suffering in one way or another from various illnesses and medical conditions and aches and pains. We are all very sympathetic to your medical problems, but it is not in good taste to dwell on peoples’ sympathy. Surely this site is not about “I” and “I” problems. We are discussing serious issues and your inputs are invaluable.
True Native
Thank for your honesty.Will see you all in awhile
Let me see if I have this right Owing and company steals over $ 100 mill from the taxpayers with his personal wealth standing at around $ 60 mill and he decides to return $ 150,000.00 to these same taxpayers it seems a little unbalanced this donation ought to be more in the area of $ 250 mill if we where really serious about it that being his share and Nicholls, Bannisters, Shorey,Hobson,Johnson, Washington and Cox share for what they have stolen from us the ones that pay our share of taxes.
It’s all well and good that Owen felt he should give money to a good cause.
They are others giving to this good cause as well, the way I see it is that this cause will have more than enough.
This stupid man has put his foot in it, now everyone can ask questions about how much money he has.
How many poor, hungry people in Barbados?
How many without somewhere to live and no money to send the kids to school?
If he is in such a giving mood, I think he should find all those people that would make a $100 go a mile.
This is a rant people and I hope someday those crooks have to give every last cent back to the people of Barbados.
So, Lollipop seems to be inferring that ‘SomeOne’ is a hypochondriac.
Hypochondria is a psychological state usually assoc. with a person who feels un-loved, and who develops various (imaginary) illnesses and bodily afflictions so that (medical)attention,if nothing else, will then be forthcoming, in lieu of real love.
Now. we need to ascertain who is the alleged hypochondriac. Who feels unloved? Surely not our beloved PM,who hopes to be vaulted back in for a fourth term,maybe even a fifth!
And we have most sectors of our economy failing and they continue to steal as they have done where do you think this will lead us ?? Down the path of self destruction no doubt, And we are in dire straights with the QEH but not one red cent being directed there only goes to show who and what these crooks really care about if in any doubt check all of their new found wealth.
go Owen…..lol..keep us talking
Just trying to get some answers.
1. Who knows about the house that was built by the former made of the DLP, now decease? That house is now in the name of one of thompy’s daughters. Thompy did not not buy the house though and Velda’s son is at a lost as to what has happened to his mother’s property.
2. Who can speak to the $5.2 million thompy has sitting in the Malaysian account? Some of it campaign donations from a Mr. Riley for the last election that was never given to the candidates. Steve Blackette is still angry that he never got a cent in the last election to run his campaign.
3. Will thompy be transferring his assets again before the next general election? Will the DLP’s style of transparency legislation be good only for election time thus given thompy and the others band of crooks the opportunity to reclaim their assets after the election has past?
Royalrumble your concerns pale in relation to the mega cheques and mega bucks that you and your gang of crooks have amassed in the last years of your adminstration, do you really want a listing of the corruption that you have overseen during this time it may well take a lot of reading.
It is certainly time for you lot to be retired to arm chairs in your plantation houses this type of corruption has got to cease and the only way that will happen is if we change the party in power creating this corruption and it needs to happen right now not later while they will issue more orders and place more contracts with their friends like Nicholls for him to have a commission built in for he and Owing this must stop now.
How much money did Owen payout in that long awaited divorce? Can someone pls shed some light? $1 Million per outside woman?
Owing divorce was done very quietly here again an active press would not let this take place and not mention a word about it actually I am not certain that he did not break the law in his effort to c0nceal the details of the settlement.
Royalrumble
April 18th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Just trying to get some answers.
1. Who knows about the house that was built by the former made of the DLP, now decease? That house is now in the name of one of thompy’s daughters. Thompy did not not buy the house though and Velda’s son is at a lost as to what has happened to his mother’s property.
2. Who can speak to the $5.2 million thompy has sitting in the Malaysian account? Some of it campaign donations from a Mr. Riley for the last election that was never given to the candidates. Steve Blackette is still angry that he never got a cent in the last election to run his campaign.
3. Will thompy be transferring his assets again before the next general election? Will the DLP’s style of transparency legislation be good only for election time thus given thompy and the others band of crooks the opportunity to reclaim their assets after the election has past?
**********************************************
Royalrumble a.k.a Judas,
Your first line in the post above further confirms why you have proven yourself to be an imbecile…!
The occupation you presumably refer to is spelt MAID …..not MADE…!
I guess having to leave school early to pick up a job as Owen’s **SS cleaner accounts for your spelling deficiency…!
With regards to your 1 – 3 above….it is funny, you always claim to have information on the DLP……so if you have it publish it…only you know how to fabricate documents…!
I am back. The Royalrumble aka Judas thing makes me laugh till I cry. I love it. Have not had much time for this stuff lately. It can become addictive. Hold out no hopes for the media printing that piece about the US$150 k. They are a bunch of spineless government PR jokers. Not one of those organisations will carry it, even though we know the BBC has its facts straight. Owen Arthur ‘s influence reaches right to Roxanne Gibbs’ hem and Roy Morris pants tail. Don’t talk about Richard Fowl Coop Cox and Clifford, the big red whatever at Starcom. The so called “political analyst” Albert Mascoll aka Branford is now a lost cause. He wears his bias on his forehead like a patina of cold sweat. Under them you have an army of passive, intellectually constipated “reporters” who do just that. Report “he said” and “she said.” What is even more nauseating is that within the past three months the Nation’s BLP agenda has become increasingly clear. They are losing their credibility.
This government has the media locked down. The newspapers are a waste of time and money. Sometimes you buy 40 pages of one and 18 of the other and all they are good for is to wrap fish. Not one fart of substance.
Thank God for BFP. We need to get more Barbadians to stop wasting money on Newspapers and get blogged on. The news online, be it environmental, entertainment or political is worth the time and the money. Spread the word.
cat eyes,
Welcome back . Yes, we still here chomping with these BLP gangs. They still dodging & spinning….but that is fine the more they do that the more they expose themselves.
I agree with you, we all have to do our bit to introduce others to this site….hopefully before Mia close it down…..! lol
Keep it up !
cat eyes
Welcome back.
Besides wraping fish the daily newspapers I found came in very handy when the dogs used to have pups.
Royal “Slimey Sylvan” Rumble, why don’t you go down to the NHC accounts department and find out who paid for the house when the maid was unable to work for over 12 years? Her son?
By the way, who paid for yours when it was about to be sold by Clico?
Velzo,
Good to see you back Velzo.
I always look forward to your direct approach to the facts as well.
Keep it up, it sends Royalrumble a.k.a Judas ninnies up the creek….!
Velzo
Good to see you back.
What is that little smiley face doing on the BFP banner, upper right side of the Main Page? And why does it interact with the cursor?
*******************
BFP Cliverton here
We haven’t a clue what the smiley is doing. He appeared one day as if by magic. Other than that, I have no idea.
What a relief to know that everyone in Barbados is not being fooled by this crooked government. Barbados cannot afford another five years with these bands of thieves. Barbadians really need to wake up and bring an end to the crap that we are experiencing. Thank you BFP for creating an avenue for us to express our frustrations!!!
Bajan George/BFP,
April 19th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
What is that little smiley face doing on the BFP banner, upper right side of the Main Page? And why does it interact with the cursor
________________________________-
…that little smiley face belongs to Owen Arthur…so be careful what you do and say….he is like big brother watching over you!
Royalrumble is one sick person. Do we the taxpayers really pay him? It is a shame such a psychologically hobbled is in so high an office.
More importantly, is tomorrow a day off ?. The masses want to know, so they can get some down time. it will be the best thing we will get out of this election
The two previous posts aren’t me but I support the sentiments.
Welcome back cat eyes and velzo.
… and I also say, … welcome back Patrick Porter!!
Good to hear/see you again.
well ! well ! well !
you people are something else
you are internet junkies who distort the truth and dissed it out to other junkies
i cant believe this happening in my country barbados
**************
BFP Comments,
This anonymous commenter is obviously Owen $ Arthur, blind drunk and throwing empty bottles at the wall.
Sleep well, Owen. Ya got about 6 weeks ta move to Switzerland!
your comment is just another example of how you distort reality-just like david thompson has always done—wunnah looking to destroy barbados——-if this crap continues -you are a threat to the stabilty of my country
i hate david thompson, owen arthur was the best pm we had. i hope thompson does what he promised the people
**************
BFP Says…
OK, we’ll bite… why do you hate Prime Minister Thompson? And what distinguished Owen Arthur’s tenure as PM that made him “the best pm we had”…
(And BTW… we agree with you that Owen Arthur was “the best pm he had”. Literate folks will get the joke. 😉
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