Bookkeeper Told “Leave No Paper Trail” For Corrupt Politician – But It Remained Anyway!
VECO’s financial records would show monies transferred to corrupt Barbados politicians, but neither Prime Minister Thompson nor the previous Deputy Prime Minister Mia Mottley want Bajans to see these records.
Barbados Prime Minister David Thompon has not asked the American FBI for access to VECO’s financial records… nor will he. Thompson will call names and huff and puff, but he doesn’t want to have to start a real investigation into corrupt VECO’s activities with Mia Mottley, Dale Marshall and Owen Arthur.
VECO, the corrupt company that built our new and infamously dry Barbados prison used to bribe politicians as a standard operating practice. After a three year investigation that included wiretaps and search warrants, the FBI laid numerous charges against corrupt American politicians and business people. The latest to come to trial is Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens who was convicted of receiving over a quarter million dollars in home renovations and other gifts from VECO.
Stevens didn’t report the gifts and so now stands convicted. The page of VECO financial records at the top of this article has been introduced as evidence at Steven’s trial. It shows expenses incurred by VECO when it renovated Steven’s home as a “gift”.
HERE IS THE POINT: VECO’s Financial Records Would Show Payments & “Gifts” To Barbados Officials
VECO is a multi-billion dollar company and even though the bookkeepers were told to hide various payments to corrupt politicians – those payments had to be marked down as something so they are all in the corporation’s financial records.
Just like payments to corrupt Barbados politicians would still be in the company’s financial records even if they attempted to disguise them.
Since he gained power ten months ago, Prime Minister David Thompson has not requested to see the FBI VECO financial records – nor will he.
Because, in the end, the DLP and the BLP are a club dedicated to grabbing all they can for themselves… and neither party will put that at risk by ratting out the other. Expect name calling and smear allegations – but real investigations that result in real charges would start a war that neither corrupt political party wants.
Further Reading
US Department Of Justice – Ted Stevens Trial Documents
Barbados Free Press 
Despite being found guilty of all counts, Ted Stevens will probably be given a Presidential pardon in George W. Bush’s last week of office.
So much for justice eh!
Adrian
in addition, you can bet that Karl Rove and “Skeeter” Lewis Libby will receive a free get out of jail card from Bush Junior the final day before he leaves office.
Justice is not always seen to be done by those in power who subvert the Rule of Law.
Thank God the US citizens saw fit to elect someone with integrity and basic transparency in his program. Guantanamo will be shut down and the old rules established under the Geneva Convention will be upheld so that the US will no longer engage in torture as a means of extracting information from alleged terrorists.
In the meantime, back in Barbados, the failure to tenaciously follow the trail of money mismanagement and unearned fee grab with respect to 3S, Dodds etc as promised by the Thompson administration is a very bad sign that Barbadians are really going to receive the fundamental change that they were promised.
BFP when are we going to see a story about the worldwide recession?
I agree with you Hants.All these inuendoes.
It was Thompson himself who presented the evidence about Hardwood Holdings and then failed to follow through.
Why wouldn’t Thompson ask the FBI what evidence they have about corrupt Bajan politicians? Why hasn’t he done it?
BFP, the consistency, or lack thereof, of the attachment to that of the narration brings me strongly in lie with Hants’ comment…in light of the growing economics crisis could we have a meaningful article to comment on about that…or even of the potential impact that the shaking up of the offshore sector in America by president elect Obama may have on Barbados? just a few suggestions
Hey in fact, for the following bloggers…what do u think about president Obamas proposal to cramp down on the offshore sector that ships jobs outside of America. Keep in mind that we have a feww of those such companies down here especially in the Harbour Road area. His proposal is to increase taxes on those american companies that ship jobs overseas and offer tax breaks to those that increase the local emplyee capacity.Do you guys think its going to be more damaging for the US or the Caribbean in the long run?
btw I’m still celebrating his historic victory.
The caribbean will be hurt in the short term by Obama’s plan.
However,when the American economy improves there will be opportunities for the caribbean to export more goods and services.
Barbados also has to worry about the current Canadian Government’s threat to close offshore tax havens.
We need a “messiah” in the Caribbean to come up with a plan to strengthen the economies of our islands in a way that is sustainable.
Globalisation works when the world economy is booming. It is failing miserably now we are in recession.
I listened to the late Errol Barrow at a political meeting give a sound suggestion for the prosperity of the Caribbean.
He said that each Island and Guyana should be supported in building their economies based on their strengths thereby making us self sufficient.
Barbados Tourism,Light industry and services.
Trinidad Oil, Guyana Minerals and Agriculture,
Jamaica Bauxite and Agriculture,Dominica Agriculture ……
Now we have the opportunity to make the Caribbean strong by increasing trade between our countries.
BFP is an intellectual vacuum. Another pointless article which adds nothing to the debate. A screenshot of Ted Stevens’ documents, none of anything that implicates Mottley or Thompson. More of the same. I’m bored.
all wanna talking i agree wid “Confused”……so eloquently put……..”an intellectual vacuum”…cuz d time wanna spend talking all o dis tripe….thompson driving in d new mercedes SL series and d public servants can’t get d pay increase, ppl still getting send home, land tax on d increase, everyday living in BIM still hard for d average man and d PM dat say he priorities is Jobs and looking out fa d ppl…..cud find enuff money ta buy a new car….Arthur drive d same car from 1994 – 2008 but in just under 11 months Thompson cud have a new one……Ironic isn’t it…..enuff said
Well Ras Bash, Bajans voted for “change”. Our PM wanted a new Mercedes, Secret Service style bodyguards, etc.
Confused says
November 18, 2008 at 5:09 pm
“BFP is an intellectual vacuum”
You have the FREEdom to write an “intellectualy charged” comment and ignore BFP storylines.
Go for it Confused. I tried but no one is responding to my lead above on the economy.
I don’t understand the griping about the PM buying a new car. You would have him, the Prime Minister of Barbados driving around in a 15 year old car? How do you know that the old car doesn’t have some major mechanical problem that would cost too much to repair? As for a security detail, the way the world is today, every PM needs a security detail. Stop sweating the small petty stuff.
There is a world-wide recession going on and the dominoe effect is at play in Barbados. Do you really think that Thompie has the ability to control a world-wide recession. The best he can hope to do is to lessen the impact, try to control food costs and introduce some tax cuts or incentives to the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.
Hants,
Why dont you write a full ariticle on the recession and submit it to BFP for publication? You are a CFA, arent you, or am I mistaken on that point?
@ Pat
Blp supporters might call me a CFA but the meaning would be an unprintable reference to copulation and a body part.
I live in Canada, watch BNN and I am a news junkie.
I am just a layman where economics is concerned so I am interested in what our “economists” on the blog have to say.
I was hoping to be a catalyst in jump starting a discussion.
In 12 months people are expecting the PM to completely turn things around. I believe he will meticulously deal with the issues at hand in a sensible way and within reasonable time. Relative to the mercedes, come people, the president of the United States drives around in the Presidential Limo. To tell yo the truth, I prefer our Prime Minister to have a car that we all can see instead of hoarding millions of tax payers dollars in foreign accounts to which we cannot see.
Yet still you all come back every day to score hits for BFP so they can brag about their ‘small’ blog being so successful. Well they get this hit from me but I bet you it is the last one, so I hope they enjoy it.
This is very “interesting”.
Hall was originally charged for murder, but pleaded guilty to serious bodily harm with intent and was jailed for six years.
Justice Mason said she hoped Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Charles Leacock, QC, would be informed of their concerns and explain the rationale behind how he came to his decisions.
@ piedpiper,
…………….ain dat he buy a new car….but …..dat he buy d car afta all d tax increases n otherwise…..n after telling bajans ta ‘tighten their belts’…wha u really telling u self doah……..d treasury ain got nah money he had ta pay back dis n dat………..increase d tax az a way o gettin mo money in d treasury but dn turn roun n buy a new car…..he shud b leading by example….not ‘do wha i say but no wha i do’…cha
The DLP came to office and found an economy that was the most developed among developing countries.
It also found unemployment at 8.6 per cent; over $2.2 billion in foreign reserves and high investor confidence.
Despite all of that good will, the DLP has been able to manufacture an economic meltdown of the Barbados economy, in just none months.
Tell me Hants, how is that possible?
Fair Nuff, Ras Bash
@ Eye95
Canada is headed into a worse recession than anyone expected, one that could last until almost 2010, said the country’s top economists on Monday.
The credit crunch has now been going on for more than a year. This severe crisis in the banking and finance system has, as we predicted in July 2007, been the foreshock of an economic earthquake – a huge surge in inflation around the world, and a pronounced trend towards economic downturn in the UK, Europe, Japan and USA.
Prehaps Barbados can get the BLP to save the rest of the world.
Eye95 can you call MIA from your lofty perch on the planet Utopia and ask her and her team of superheros to rescue the world economies?
In the meantime the DLP will just have to deal with the real Barbados on planet Earth.
Duh khaan even fine de time to propaly investigate the “2 to 1 cost overruns” at de Prison and ABC fly ovas. Even Hardwood turn soft.
BFP and bloggers have been warning about the huge burgeoning debt for several years now.
The expenditures under the BLP were not building long term sustainable jobs but rather over inflated one time construction jobs. This situation was an accident waiting to happen and smoke and mirrors only. for the sake of maintaing power.
The downturn was inevitable and predicted. Thompson must now slowly pick up the pieces of the BLP’s failed economic policies.
@ reality check
The time has come for all Bajans to open their eyes wide.
I live in Canada.I follow the News. Other people like eye95 above should use the internet and tv to find out what is happening around the world.
Example today.
TORONTO – The shares of Canada’s major banks tumbled Wednesday, as a $595-million writedown from Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX: BNS.TO) provided a fresh reminder of the sector’s exposure to Wall Street’s financial problems.
That is canadian dollars.Fortunately it only represents a loss of 60 cents per share.
To be fair, the BLP did not foresee this worldwide financial meltdown but they should have the decency to acknowledge that the current situation is difficult no matter who is in power.
I hope we can all get through this without too much pain but I am led to believe by persons far more educated than I am that this will be a long recession and Barbados will not escape.
Barbadians have serious doubts about their future employment and are already seeing their wealth confiscated through increased taxation and price gouging by the DLP, which punished success.
The majority of Barbadians believe that things will get much worst and that a lot more will loose their jobs with this uncaring DLP ruling this country.
The ruling party continues to get a very low approval rating from Barbadians who had grown accustomed to competent and responsible Government.
Barbadians are concerned and feel let-down that despite promising to be accountable for its action, the ruling party seeks to blame the global financial crisis and the former BLP administration for its countless blunders.
The people of this country a being forces to stay-up at night after their have put the children to bed, wondering how they will pay the mortgage and where the next meal will come from.
Barbadian parents who want a better life for their children are frustrated that they are unable to protect them and their piggy banks from this uncaring DLP administration.
Reality Check,
Have you ever heard about building productive capacity? For the first time in 13 years, the construction sector in Barbados is in decline.
David Thompson now promises to spend more on capital works projects after accepting the dictates of Moodys and Standards & Poors to cut spending, which triggered his manufactured meltdown of the Barbados economy.
Look! Barbadians have serious doubts about their future employment and are already seeing their wealth confiscated through increased taxation and price gouging by the DLP, which punished success.
The majority of Barbadians believe that things will get much worst and that a lot more will loose their jobs with this uncaring DLP ruling this country.
The ruling party continues to get a very low approval rating from Barbadians who had grown accustomed to competent and responsible Government.
Barbadians are concerned and feel let-down that despite promising to be accountable for its action, the ruling party seeks to blame the global financial crisis and the former BLP administration for its countless blunders.
The people of this country a being forces to stay-up at night after their have put the children to bed, wondering how they will pay the mortgage and where the next meal will come from.
Barbadian parents who want a better life for their children are frustrated that they are unable to protect them and their piggy banks from this uncaring DLP administration.
If you are working in the public service from the level of maid to Permanent Secretary, take note each time you see Prime Minister Thompson that the suite he is wearing cost far more than your monthly salary.
The truth is, had not for the intervention of the Barbados Advocate, the average Barbadian would never have in their lifetime, get to see what a $6000 suite looks like. Today, that is not a problem, thanks to the Barbados Advocate news paper.
Every day, it will inadvertently assist by placing the picture of Prime Minister Thompson on the front page of that paper, as well as on its webpage.
The irony is, to purchase Thompson’s suite, you need in excess of US$3000, but can get what passed for his “economic and financial brain” for below chicken feed.
Just image, while a large number of you are struggling to make ends meet because of the poor judgement and bad decision of this same Prime Minister, he is wearing bespoke suits from New York tailor Leonard Logsdail priced approximately $5,500. His handlers did say that he likes the “big life.”
Thompson’s private jet trips overseas (at taxpayers expense) is to ensure that he has the latest in made-to-measure garment from Ravazzolo – a price tag of a mere $2,000 for him.
That is, of course, just in case he gets tired of his collection of Brioni $6,000, Kiton $5,800, Canali $4,200, Bottega Veneta $3,800 and Giorgio Armani $3,595. That is the cost of the clothes he wears. For him it is about flair, whereas all Prime Ministers before – except Sandiford – personified substance.
Now, you could not wear a $6,000 suite in an old Mercedes, could you Hants?
Eye95
“Have you ever heard about building productive capacity?”
yes as a matter fact I have and building one off construction jobs with borrowed money and not long term sustainable jobs is just a recipe for disaster when a downturn occurs. The inmates were running the asylum and filling their pockets at the same time.
Anyone who thinks that the new government can spend its way out of this mess is smoking too much gangee. Similar to the nonsense spewing from the Bush administration, someone eventually has to pay back the extraordinary debt laid on future generations by power hungry politicians. The party and distortions are over.
Hahaha Eye 95….Wuh Lawds Beatrice wuh Rufus, If ya find he tell ee that Adolphus lehin go nuff gossip bout the DLP duning we and the BLP is Motley is de hope for we
…Wuh Lawds I cah tek it no moe, de BLP crabs dey suffering sooo.Wuh Lawds dey cah tek na moe dey throwing smir tactics hoping to get back we vote….
However,when the American economy improves there will be opportunities for the caribbean to export more goods and services.
———————————————-
Like what?
The point of this article is very valid. Why hasn’t Thompson requested FBI evidence showing corrupt payments from VECO to Barbados government politicians? A very valid question!
@ eye95
You should use your computer as a tool to improve your knowledge of planet Earth.
Have you heard of Google?
look what I found.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7677436.stm
“The UK economy has “deteriorated dramatically” in the past three months, and is already in a recession”
Hants,
After the last ten months of failed Sandiford/Thompson policies, even die-hard Dems agree that they cannot take four more years of Thompson as Prime Minister or four more years of the DLP ruling this country.
I too agree that David Thompson is no different to Erskine Sandiford on the economy. It is not without significance that at a time when Thompson has triggered a meltdown of the Barbados economy the DLP would honour Erskine Sandiford.
Barbadians are screaming that they want their country to move in a new direction but the DLP is not listening.
Even if it were, Barbadians unanimously agree that the ruling party still does not have the intellectual capacity.
Having said that Barbados is for Barbadians, the DLP is now importing non nationals to advise it on the economy.
Given the abundance of talent in this country, the action of Thompson has to be considered a cost overrun.
The people of this country are forced to watch helplessly even as the wheels fall off the DLP’s “integrity” and “good governance” wagon.
It is no laughing matter that right under this Government’s nose – $35.00 locks are being changed for $2,500.
Grab the microphone Mr. Thompson, say something!
This country cannot take four more years of economic mismanagement from David Thompson and the DLP.
Barbadians are crying out for a new attitude; new seriousness and a new and competent approach to dealing with their business. This country needs a Government, which can be trusted and knows what it is doing.
The people of this country need a Government that tells the truth; accept responsibility for its actions and cares about the things that are important to the ordinary people of this country.
We need to return Barbados to its greatness.
Eye95 aka BLP advocate, reign the verbiage in.
Thompson is left with almost a billion dollars in debt spent on NON-PRODUCTIVE capacity in the last three years of the last administration i.e. Kensington white elephant $350 Million, Highway $200 million and growing, GEMS another $200 Million, prison overruns on top!
The only one that had a semblance of productive capacity would be GEMS, but then that had the problem of purchase velieved to be at way overpriced and without any financial statements to explain expenditures.
One BIG mess!
So, please, even though I am no DLP stalwart, but a balanced Barbadian, lay off will you, your verbiage and party politics is sickening when we know the truth as to what has gotten us here.
And if you question my intentions, go back two years on this very blog and read when myself and a couple others predicted the current scenario and begged the then administration to pull back on debt financing BEFORE it had gotten out of control.
Peace and Live Strong.
Rumplestilskin,
Barbadians are surprised that you are sickened by what I write but not at the fact that Denis Lowe asked, and got the Board at the Urban Development Commission (UDC) to agree to pay his general election expenses.
This is like Ronald Jones the President of the BFA, writing to the Chairman of the school Boards he appointed, asking for sponsorship, which he Jones the Minister, would untimately have to approve.
And you people have the nurve to tell “somebody”about corruption! Could grief man! heaven knowns what will happen when they get their hands on that Constituency Council money?
Are you not sickened that Denis Lowe has nogitiated a move of the UDC headquarters from Roebuck Street to Country Road.
DLP stooges will see nothing wrong with that, but the rent at Roebuck Street (including for the rental of the car park) is $22,000 for the building and $2,000 monthy for the car park.
The rent for the “Alleyne Building” where Lowe wants to move the UDC – will be $40,000, with an agreement that the first two months ($80,000) goes into Denis Lowe’s pockets.
Are you not sickened that the Rural Development Commission (RDC) is paying $2,500.00 to change a $35.00 lock?
Are you not sickened that the cost to build a house under the BLP was $57,000 but to build that same house under Michal Power’s Chairmanship now costs $89,000?
Are you not sickened that DLP contractors are able to get mobilization fee from the RDC long before they even send in a tender?
Ask David Thompson why he is reshuffling the Cabinet tomorrow! A mere 10 months and the government is stale, tired and does not know what it is doing.
WATCH AND SEE WHO GETS A MINISTRY WHERE ACCESS TO PUBLIC FUNDS IS RESTRICTED!
It should not be a reshuffle but the date of elections.
This Internation economic crisis would be in Barbados’ favour – if only the government knew what it was doing.
Prices coming down has nothing to do with the DLP but because of reduced international demand.
By 2009, Americans will be using 600,000 barrels of oil less than they are now. Commodity prices will continue to decline, yet Thompson has triggered a meltdown of the Barbados economy.
The Brasil economy is booming so too Cuba and Venezuela. But david thompson has taken the most developed economy among developing countries and brought it to its knees in less than 10 month.
That is something only david thompson and erskine sandiford are capable of.
eye95 says,
“This Internation economic crisis would be in Barbados’ favour – if only the government knew what it was doing.”
Please explain eye95. The rest of the world would like to know.
Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something.
You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light continually – you have nothing and it is called darkness.
You cannot make dark, darker. You either know or do not know! The DLP does not know what it is doing. It is therefore the absence of something – “good governance.”
The ruling party has been a monumental failure, ever since its first 100 days in office, when it failed to do the things it said it would, within that time-frame it set for itself.
One hundred days after being elected, Barbadians said that the DLP was stale and did not know what it was doing.
Six months after, yet Thompson cannot act because he has no options. There is a shortage of talent in the DLP. That explains why david thompson will again go outside his Parliamentary Group.
Every day the DLP remains in office will be nothing more than a very painful reminder that even with a global financial crisis, which is working in its favour – the DLP lacks the capacity to make good on its job number one – reducing the cost of living.
The DLP therefore represents’ a vulgar consumer infringement: misrepresentation of fact. It misrepresented that it was ready and that it is better for Barbados.
David Thompson’s manufactured meltdown of the Barbados economy dismisses those myths.
It gets worst! As Minister of Finance, David Thompson has done what – not even Bush in the US would have thought of.
Can you imagine seeing “GW” imposing a $25.00 tax on the bicycles of five-year-old little girls or a $4.00 tax on the cell phones of young people?
Thompson is the only Minister of Finance in the history of this country who attacks the piggy bank of children and young people.
WHY CALL A PRESS CONFERENCE AT PRIME TIME JUST TO ANNOUNCE A FURTHER REDUCTION IN THE PRICE OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS?
Why Hants?
Eye 95:
No. Thompson is trying to salvage the mess that was left, just as the DLP was left with empty coffers when the BLP under St.John’s leadership left office.
St.John was all in favour of devaluation,the BLP had no ideas left, despite the world economy being in a good state when they had the reins.
Then, the DLP got the next election, 1990-1994 was a major world recession,but you people still managed to pin the blame on Sandiford, who prevented complete collapse by refusing to devalue.
As I said above, stop calling people who disagree with you names (classic symptom of a playground bully) and go back and check over two years ago when we predicted the current scenario, but the then administration refused to listen.
We predicted this scenario over two years ago closer to three, Thompson did not create it.
The Rumplestilskin,
The DLP is creating mess, not solving it. Do you think it is fair that Barbadians should now be caught in the cross fire just because the Dems are trampling each other to get to the trough?
Minister Denis Lowe wants to relocate the UDC to his friend’s $40,000 per month rent building, up from the present $28,000 monthly rental – with a guaranteed first two months ($80,00) in his pocket, but the Chairman, Alsopp, wants the UDC to located to his building in Belleville.
So Barbadians cannot get help through the UDC just because the Dems are pushing each other to get to the trough. I challenge you or anyone to say I am incorrect!
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