Former Barbados Government Minister Liz Thompson Writes BFP – “I deny that I was involved in any way” with Arch Cot Collapse

The following comment which purports to be from former BLP Government Minister Liz Thompson was posted today on our previously published story Readers Say Barbados Arch Cot Cave-In Construction Was A C.O. Williams – Gregory Hazzard Project For Liz Thompson. We at BFP will save our comments until after the submission by (apparently) Liz Thompson – except to say that we had not received any submission before this one or we surely would have published it for fairness AND because its a great news story.

As Ms. Thompson requested, we will leave this post up as prominently and even more prominently than the original so everyone can read her response. We have also created an introduction and a link on the previous post to further prominently display the message from the former Government Minister.

One caution, we have not confirmed that this is Liz Thompson as it wasn’t sent from her email, it was posted as a comment. Take it away (apparently) Liz Thompson…

Rihanna and Slumdog Millionaire Child Actor: Both Abused, Can’t Break Free Of Abusers

Chris Brown "Sorry"

“Never ever go back to that man. Once a man hit you it be over. Doan be foolish.”

… BFP’s Auntie Moses gives some advice for Rihanna

Rihanna Back With Chris Brown

Before the very public incident last February 8th where it is alleged that Chris Brown battered Rihanna, there were rumours on a few occasions about Rihanna sporting bruises and then expensive gifts later on.

We hoped that we were not seeing the same pattern of abuse in their relationship that we’ve all seen at one time or another with some couples. When Rihanna’s bruised face appeared on the internet many of our readers commented with their advice and hope that Rihanna would not go back to her abuser.

Rihanna has done just that: run back to the arms of the bully who beat and bit her.

I don’t care if Rihanna started the whole thing. I don’t care if she slapped or hit Brown first. I don’t care if she was going hyper because Brown received a text message from another woman.

A man must not hit a woman. Period.

But like so many women who think that some violence in a relationship is “normal”, Rihanna has returned for more abuse. He’s “sorry”, she’s “sorry”…

… until the next time.

Slumdog Millionaire Child Actor Beaten By Father – Didn’t Want To Be Shown Off

Not A Movie Scene - Child Actor Beaten By Father

As usual most of the BFP crowd watched the Oscars on the satellite. I don’t know why, but this one annual event has turned into a big get-together where the girls comment on the dresses and the guys mock the celebrities who have gone to the plastic surgery clinic a few more times than they should have. (Oh those lips! LOL)

This year the attention was focused upon the big winner Slumdog Millionaire that won eight Academy Awards including Best Picture. We knew nothing of the film before the Oscars, but as we watched the clips and saw the children from the slum who had been flown over from India we talked about what would happen to them now.

Now that the ceremony is over. Now that the awards have been won and the money is rolling in. Now that their major usefulness is over.

It didn’t take long. Poor little Azharuddin went back to his home in the Mumbai Dharavi slum – exhausted from Hollywood and the flight back to India. He didn’t want to be shown off to reporters so his father beat him, the photographers photographed it and got a better story than they had hoped for. In North America or maybe even Barbados, the child welfare authorities would have been around just as soon as they saw the photos, but in Mumbai people will merely say that the child is lucky he isn’t a real slave (of which there are tens of thousands in Mumbai alone).

As for Azharuddin, he will continue to live in the slum with his abusive father who has tuberculosis. Like Chris Brown, the father made an apology and an excuse of sorts, saying “I was very sorry I did what I did… I was confused and stressed by my son’s homecoming and I did not know myself for a minute. I love my boy and I am very happy to have him home.”

People Don’t Have To Stay In Abusive Relationships

Most of us can think of a few abusive relationships we’ve seen in our neighbourhoods or workplaces. Many of us have been there ourselves. I can only hope that the very public nature of the abuse we’ve seen will cause some folks to realise that people don’t have to stay in these relationships. They don’t have to take it. Think about that the next time that you see a similar pattern developing with a friend or in the family. That is the only good that can come out of what has been shown in public with Rihanna and little Azharuddin.

Further Reading

People Magazine: Rihanna and Chris Brown Are Back Together

The Sun: Scumdad Millionaire

Carlos Belgrave, Supervisor of Insurance and Pensions in Barbados, Called “Worst Regulator” By OffshoreAlert

Prior to being appointed to his regulatory position, (Barbados Supervisor of Insurance) Carlos Belgrave was the General Manager of a local company that manufactures “flour, animal and poultry feeds”

… from OffshoreAlert’s 2006 “Worst Regulator” Award

IMF Says Barbados Insurance Sector Needs “Tighter Regulation” – No Kidding!

The chaos surrounding the Barbados financial and insurance company called CLICO is in full swing so the International Monetary Fund – IMF – feels obliged to tell us that our insurance industry needs “tighter regulation”. (Hey, thanks for the tip IMF! We’d have never known without you.) Next the IMF will be telling us to take a closer look at Sir Allen Stanford.

Perhaps if the IMF staff could have torn themselves away from their duck pate and champagne back in 2007 they would have seen that Carlos Belgrave, Barbados Supervisor of Insurance and Pensions, was named “Worst Regulator” by OffshoreAlert.

Apparently OffshoreAlert was most impressed by Belgrave’s staunch support of three Barbados insurance companies that faked their books and had owners previously convicted of fraud. Not to mention that Belgrave approved and licensed the companies when other countries had turned them down.

IMF Report Talks Of Potential For Bank Failure In Barbados?

Our friends over at Barbados Money Laundering Advisory have published an excellent article about the IMF and Offshore Alert reports AND they seem to think that the IMF report also talks about another potential failure of a Barbados bank. Scary times we are living in.

Hello KYC & OffshoreAlert!

KYC – Know Your Client – is an investigative organisation dedicated to exposing financial crime wherever it is found. OffshoreAlert! is one of its newsletters. The organisation is run by journalist David Marchant out of Miami, Florida. Marchant has an impressive track record and was even kicked out of Bermuda by the government of the day in retaliation for his work. Somehow, I don’t think that Mr. Marchant would be made too welcome by the Barbados government either!

We’ve made a decision to publish a part of Mr. Marchant’s work to illustrate to our readers just how capable and fearless he is. We also think that this little sample will convince many people of the value of subscribing to OffshoreAlert! and of attending their next conference in Miami Beach, Florida this April. (As a side-note to Mr. Marchant, if you have any problem with us publishing this excerpt, please email us. Thanks!)

Here’s what OffshoreAlert discovered in 2006 about Chris Belgrave – Barbados Supervisor of Insurance and Pensions…

OffshoreAlert Awards – Best & Worst of 2006

KYC News, Inc., January 7, 2007

Worst Regulator
Carlos Belgrave, Supervisor of Insurance and Pensions, in Barbados

OffshoreAlert had occasion to investigate three Barbados insurers in 2006, namely Strategy Insurance Limited, Reliant Insurance SCC and River Reinsurance Limited. The first two are part of a Canada-based group whose insiders have included three people convicted of fraud-related offenses, while the third, which has a business relationship with the Canada group, is partly-owned by two Bermuda-based businessmen who are currently under investigation for securities fraud in the United States and only sought an insurance license in Barbados after being turned down in Bermuda. If all that was not warning enough for Belgrave, Strategy Insurance Limited’s parent, which trades as a penny stock in the United States, disclosed that the insurer had been carrying 104 million of non-existent capital on its books for 11 months. The capital had once existed, according to the firm, but it was allegedly illegally transferred out of the company by unnamed shareholders, rendering the entire group insolvent.

Instead of pulling Reliant’s license and despite there being no change of control or management, Belgrave allowed Reliant to continue in business by approving replacement capital with a face value of $518 million that consisted of nothing more substantial than a loan note issued by a newly-formed Panama firm that was secured by “bearer peat certificates representing the right to obtain peat, a pre-coal state organic material used as energy or for horticultural use, from the Changuinola Peat Deposit of Northwestern Panama”.

When OffshoreAlert contacted Belgrave, he farcically claimed that he was legally prohibited from even having a general discussion about the Barbados Insurance Act, let commenting on individual companies. Belgrave declined to impart any information about his professional background and qualifications so we did our own research and found that, prior to being appointed to his regulatory position, Belgrave was the General Manager of a local company that manufactures “flour, animal and poultry feeds”, according to its promotional material. When we found out that Belgrave is currently the ‘Third Vice-President’ of the U.S.-based International Association of Insurance Fraud Agencies Inc., we didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Further Reading

Barbados Money Laundering Advisory: Bajan Banks and Insurance Companies Inadequately Supervised

KYC News – Offshore Alert: Website Link

People You Can Rely Upon: Pretty Ethiopian Orphans, Rich African Widows, CLICO Investment Bankers…

Jepter Ince has never said "Now is not the time to invest."

We’re All Going To Be Rich! Filthy Rich, I Tell You!

One never knows what little GEMS of financial information and advice will show up in your inbox each morning. Today all I have to do is to show a little faith in what these folks are telling me and I shall be rich, rich, rich!!!!

Email #1 – From A Beautiful Ethiopian Orphan..

My dear

I am miss florence naissm from Ethiopia , i am single and 26 year old girl. Immediately after going through your profile i made up my mind to contact you for friendship, marriage or long term relationship because you are my choice of trust. I must reveal to you that my daddy was the Financial controler to the Common Wealth North African Region who was killed with my mother. i am the only child. Before my daddy died he made me the beneficiary of his final WILL and i am the beneficiary of the sum of 4.5 Million USD$ in his Domicilary US Dollar account…

Email #2 – From A Rich Widow In Need Of Assistance…

Dearest One,

I am Mrs. Aisatou Mohammed; My late husband used to worked with Chevron/Texaco Cote D’Ivoire for twenty years before he died in 2005. My late husband deposited some money $7.5 million with a local bank here. And this money is still with the bank as the management just wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf if I can not come over due to my health situation…

Email #3 – Nation News Publishes Promises From Former CLICO Investment Banker Jepter Ince…

For years Jepter Ince and others like him have been flogging Barbadians all kinds of “investment vehicles” – financial products like the CLICO Balanced Fund he launched in 2000 with his promise as Fund Manager that it was “designed to create economic wealth for individuals and families in the short, medium and long-term.“

Mr. Ince even advised people to borrow to invest in his fund…

Yup, back in the year 2000 Mr. Ince and CLICO said we should all just step right up and borrow from Clico Mortgage & Finance Corporation to invest in the Clico Balanced Fund. Then the fund would invest “throughout the region”.

Hmmmmmm…. I guess Mr. Ince forgot to tell us that the Clico fund would be investing in companies owned by Clico and its affiliates.

If that all sounds a bit circular and house-of-cards-ish, well couldn’t we all see back in 2000 that everything was fine and under control? Silly people… step right and borrow the money from CLICO and we’ll invest it in the CLICO fund that will invest in the CLICO companies. Simple, yes?

Of course in Barbados we are all honest so there was no real oversight necessary. Never mind that now in 2009 everybody is saying that there should be better oversight in the financial and banking industries…

Now Mr. Ince is telling us “A recession can be a time for prudent financial investing…” and “now is the time to strategically invest, with the potential of great pay-offs…”

Really, Mr. Ince? Well, I guess that could be true if things are not going to get any worse. And if we had any faith left in your industry, or in the products you previously sold us.

Mr. Ince, why don’t you tell us what returns you’ve achieved for your clients since you created the CLICO Balanced Fund in 2000? How did all those folks do who borrowed money from you to invest in your fund so you could put that money back into Clico? Huh? How did they do?

And one more thing, Mr. Ince…

Was there any time in the past ten years when you told us “Now is NOT the time to invest…”

I’ve been looking all over and I can’t find one report of you saying such a thing. Why not?

Further Reading

The Nation: Jepter Ince – Now “good time” to invest

Stabroek News: Clico (Barbados) statutory fund in deficit – Mottley

Keltruth Blog: CLICO Quiz (You must take this delightful quiz!, Cliverton)

AND HERE’S A LITTLE SOMETHING WE REMEMBER TOO!

CLICO fund decline
(Wednesday, 15 February 2006)

The CLICO Balance Fund is looking to 2006 for an improved showing. Fund Manager, Jepter Ince, says there was a five percent decline, but he is optimistic this year’s performance will be better.

Speaking at a training seminar for over 70 agents at the Accra Beach Hotel, Mr. Ince anticipates a growth in the capital market and greater harmonisation in cross border trading. He says recent education programmes have also contributed to the fund’s viability.

One of the fund’s director’s, Tony Marshall suggests it’s never too late to invest in the fund.

Trinidad and Tobago Central Bank & CLICO Obtain Injunction Against CL Financial

A High Court judge has granted an ex-parte injunction to the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT) and the Colonial Life Insurance Company Limited (CLICO) preventing the embattled local conglomerate CL Financial from conducting any local or international business with its assets…

<snip>

CL Financial must also “disclose to the Inspector of Financial Institutions, or his designated officer, the identity, and location of all or any assets of CLICO in or out of the jurisdiction, and provide a sworn affidavit of the Chief Executive Officer, or Chairman of CCLICO within two working days of service of the order”.

The embattled company was also mandated to make, “forthwith, and full disclosure to the claimants of all or any information relevant to the existence of any interest held in any of the said assets in CLICO whether it be controlled by the Board of Directors, senior management, officers, servants, agents, subsidiaries, associated, related or affiliated companies”. ..

… read the full story at CBC: TT High Court Grants Injunction To Central Bank

How Much CLICO Assets & Cash Was Transferred To CL Financial Prior To The Injunction?

The most interesting aspects of this ex-parte injunction article are:

1/ The court issued the injunction without telling CL Financial that the court was considering the request.

2/ CLICO was asking for the injunction in concert with the Central Bank of T&T.

3/ CL Financial Group Finance Director Michael Carballo made statements that the company hadn’t dealt with or disposed of any assets “since the intervention by the Central Bank”… which makes us wonder about what mischief was done in the few weeks leading up to the day when the Central Bank intervened. CLICO’s participation in asking for the injunction is an indicator that some improper events probably took place before CL Financial’s dire straights became known.

Once again… the fact that this injunction was rushed through secretly without telling CL Financial is a huge indicator that something unusual was about to happen, or already did.

The phrase that best describes what is happening with CL Financial, CLICO and the rest of the world right now?

Feet of clay, my friends. Feet of clay.

An Honest Man Slaughters USA’s Bailout King Neel Kashkari

Donald Manzullo - American Hero! Rep. Manzullo grills Bailout Czar Neel on why a failed company that was bailed out with taxpayer dollars -- AIG -- was allowed to give a $3 million bonus to an executive.

“We can’t relate to you in your world. I don’t know where you come from or the people with whom you deal on a day-to-day basis – but when you sit there and cannot take a position as to whether or not a three million dollar bonus to a failed company and as to which the taxpayers have put 125 billion dollars in assets – perhaps you’re not the right person for the job. Perhaps you don’t understand the situation at all…”

…US Congressman Donald Manzullo kicks the ever-loving life out of US government bailout official Neel Kashkari

Neel Kashkari - Slimy, Evasive

You MUST Watch This YouTube Video!

How can we get US Congressman Donald Manzullo elected to the Barbados legislature?

Nevermind that he is a Yankee. Nevermind that he is talking about the trillion dollar bailout of failed American corporations.

Think Leroy Parris. Think CLICO. Think Cinnimon 88. Think rich Bajan racing horse owners. Think about all the money being handed out by the Barbados Government under the leadership of Prime Minister David Thompson.

Then watch this video of an honest man questioning a slimy, evasive government official.

Watch the YouTube video. Then think Prime Minister David Thompson as Neel Kashkari.

Do it. Now.

YouTube: Rep. Manzullo Questions Bailout Czar Neel Kashkari

Millions Of WordPress Blogs: Barbados Free Press…. #27 !!!

Barbados Free Press In Good Company With Other Top 100 WordPress Blogs!

Unbelievable But True!

WordPress.com has millions of blogs online, including some of the biggest (CNN & Fox News are pretty big!)…

Have a look at the February 21, 2009 statistics provided by WordPress.com HERE.

This is what they say…

Out of the millions of WordPress.com blogs online…

Top Blog Posts Of The Day – February 21, 2009

#1 CNN

#4 NFL.com Blog

#6 Fox News Forum Blog

#8 CNN Anderson Cooper 360 Blog

#11 People Magazine Celebrity Baby Blog

#12 CNN Jack Cafferty Blog

#16 People Magazine – Style Watch Blog

#25 Sony Playstation Lifestyle Blog

#26 Canada’s Macleans Magazine Blog

#27 BARBADOS FREE PRESS !!!

How Is It Possible That Barbados Free Press Was So Highly Viewed?

Yes, our coverage of Rihanna’s assault by Chris Brown had a whole lot to do with February 21, 2009 being our best day ever, but tens of thousands of blogs covered the same story.

Why does Barbados Free Press consistently appear in the WordPress Top 100 Blogs list?

Damned if we know. Perhaps it has something to do with our weekly Friday afternoon celebration of the Bajan rum an doing nothing on the beach?

Thanks to all our loyal readers and our new visitors who are interested in Rihanna’s home island of Barbados.

Yours truly,

BFP’s slightly tipsy editorial staff of Marcus, Shona, George, Cliverton, Robert and Auntie Moses

Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary – 85 Employees To Be Terminated, Barbados Government’s Double Standard Against Canadian Philanthropist

Sanctuary officials confirmed that there was still no word from Government on their intentions regarding the future of the Sanctuary…

…Saying that that the future of the Sanctuary and Graeme Hall National Park is in the hands of the Government of Barbados, Allard believes that the Friends of Graeme Hall and the citizens of Barbados must decide what their priorities are.  “We have great affection and regard for the people of Barbados.  This has been an incredibly painful and saddening decision, but ultimately it is not for us to initiate or set national goals and long term environmental legacies for the nation.”

… from a press release by Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary covered at Bajan Reporter

The Double Standard From Prime Minister Thompson

It seems that David Thompson and other Ministers of the Barbados Government have been everywhere lately trying to save jobs and convince businesses and investors not to cut back on employment in these hard times. Whether talking with LIME about keeping a hundred jobs at the call center open, addressing business people at the Chamber of Commerce, giving away tens of millions to rich horse owners and Thompson’s close friend and legal client Leroy Parris, or making secret deals and guarantees to keep the Four Seasons project abuilding, the Barbados Government has been in frenzied efforts to save jobs everywhere.

Everywhere that is, except for the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary where the Government of Barbados has not even bothered to send a letter or make a phone call to the management.

Why the Double Standard?

On Wednesday, Barbados Free Press will present a compelling argument (complete with visual evidence) that the Government of Barbados is carrying out a strategy designed to allow certain friends of government to make huge profits from Graeme Hall: the last natural green space between the airport and the city. This profit will come at the expense of the citizens of Barbados who will be denied their Graeme Hall National Park. To effectively carry out the plan, the Barbados government would like to seize land from Peter Allard – the Canadian philanthropist who offered to GIVE the land to people of Barbados as part of a National Park.

The Barbados government is happy to have the gift of the land of course – but government officials want no strings so they can later sell or lease the land to friends and family members in their quest for personal wealth.

Don’t forget to visit BFP on Friday for part 2 of this article, with details that should interest every foreign investor and foreign landowner in Barbados. If it can happen to Canadian Allard (and a few others we’ll talk about) it could happen to you!

Meanwhile, head over to Bajan Reporter for the story of the layoffs and the full press release…

Bajan Reporter: BREAKING NEWS – Final Employee Termination Schedule At Sanctuary, Let’s Try And Stop This Please

Ping Yark Hammers Barbados Government – Online Petition Demands Inquest Into Codrington Family Cave-In Deaths

Worldwide Online Petition Calls Upon Barbados Government To Hold An Inquest

The February, 2009 issue of the U.K. basted (or based?) Bajan newsletter Ping Yark is out and can be downloaded in PDF format here. (3.9mb)

Although still full of the naughty humour and cartoons you’ve come to expect from this irreverent offering, the latest comes down hard on a number of issues…

– Ping Yark says that the planning and building documents for the construction site at Arch Cot have disappeared from government files.

– An online petition has been established HERE to demand a full and public inquest into the deaths of the Codrington family who were buried alive when their apartment collapsed into a huge and well-known cave at a construction site.

– Currency transfers and restrictions to and from Barbados.

– Barbados Government’s restriction of free speech and Ian Bourne’s (Bajan Reporter) response to the Freelance Journalist fee.

– The troubles of Deputy High Commissioner Donville Johnson

– Updates on many community organisations abroad including the Barbados Cultural Organisation, Facebook groups and London’s Dutchpot Lunch and Social Club (London’s longest running black elderly project.)

Leigh Bourne and the team have done a magnificent job in putting together the February 2009 issue. Like many other readers we hope that Ping Yark becomes a blog so all its issues can be made permanently available online and discoverable though search engines like Google. How about it Leigh? (HINT HINT… Blog hosting service WordPress.com has the best interaction with other blogs)

Email received Monday evening…

“Hi guys

Thanks for the right up. Much appreciated. Its only a matter of time before PY becomes a blogg. It will happen sooner rather than later.

Thanks again

Leigh and crew”

Ping Yark February 2009 Issue: Download 3.9 mb PDF Here>>> ping-yark-feb09

Online Petition Demanding an Inquest Into The Codrington Family Cave-in Deaths

BFP February 8, 2009 article: Readers Say Barbados Arch Cot Cave-In Construction Was A C.O. Williams – Gregory Hazzard Project For Liz Thompson

BFP February 1, 2009 article: Barbados Newspapers Refuse To Print Letter Revealing Secret Government Report Into Cave-In Deaths. Professor Machel Will Name Names

Four Days After Barbados Free Press Broke The Sir Allen Stanford – Drug Cartel Link, Nation News Steals Our Story

UPDATE: Just a note that Allen Stanford has been under suspicion for money-laundering drug money for 20 years or so – according to The Independent article The Stanford Files: FBI’s first probe was 20 years ago.

Original article…

On Wednesday, February 18, 2009, at 11:50pm Barbados time, Barbados Free Press was the first Bajan news outlet to report that Sir Allen Stanford was being investigated by US Authorities not only for fraud, but also for money-laundering for a Mexican drug cartel. We also reported that one of his aircraft had been seized with drug money aboard.

Our story Stanford Trying To Flee USA! US Federal Authorities: Allen Stanford Money-Laundering For Drug Cartels was sourced from an ABC Network News article (link here).

Here we are four days later and now Albert Brandford at the Nation News is “breaking” the same story and using the same source that we used.

Good work, Albert! We love it when the Nation, CBC and the Barbados Advocate duplicate our articles and use the same sources. And not only does the Barbados media steal our story ideas, sometimes they even go so far as to scoop quotes from our story – actual phrases – without attribution. (For one of many examples see Nation News Steals Quote and Story Ideas From Barbados Free Press – Fails To Credit Source)

How often do Bajan “professional” journalists steal story ideas and sources from the blogs?

Every day, my friends. Every day.

Oh… Albert…?

Were happy to help, but you really should tell the folks where you first heard about the story you’re now breaking… OK?

It is all about ethics and integrity.

If you and your paper have any integrity left, we hereby give you our full permission to use another one of our stories. Let’s see if you have the integrity and the courage to copy this BFP story…

How Many “Political Donations” Did Sir R. Allen Stanford Give To Barbados Politicians?

Thanks!

Cliverton

Old News “Broken” By Albert Brandford

Drug Link In Stanford Money Saga?

Two Barbados Godfathers Look After Each Other First, All Else Is Second…

“It was a very good feeling to be here to celebrate with a very good friend of mine.

A lot of people do not know this but David is the godfather of my son and I am the godfather of his last daughter so there is not only a political relationship, but a personal relationship as well. Also, David is my attorney-at-law.

As you know, over the last 15 years I have been battered in the media for my relationship with him, but I have continued to stand by his side because a friend is a friend and friendship means a whole lot to me, not just as a political friend but a real friend…”

… Recipient of Government money & CLICO boss Leroy Parris speaks of his friend and business partner Prime Minister David Thompson at Keltruth Blog

No Wonder David Thompson Refuses To Implement Conflict of Interest Rules!

Prime Minister David Thompson and his government are directing public funds to his friend’s company, CLICO. Thompson appointed Leroy Parris to head Barbados’ public broadcasting company.

What other business dealings have they had over the years? What else do the two Barbados Godfathers have going now?

Keltruth Blog has been doing some research – and the results should outrage every thinking Barbadian. How can such things be permitted? How can they continue without the news media having the courage to do some basic commentary on the inappropriate and unethical behaviour of our Prime Minister?

David Thompson promised the people of Barbados integrity, transparency and accountability.

What he is currently delivering is something else…

Keltruth Blog: What is the Nature of the Relationship between Leroy Parris of CLICO and Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson?

UPDATED: Barbados Free Press Tries New Comments Settings – Rejects Reverse Order, Loves Nested Replies

UPDATED: Saturday Morning, February 21, 2009

The votes are in and our readers have spoken…

1/ The “newer comments at the top” (otherwise known as reverse order) was a failure. We didn’t like it, most of our readers didn’t like it and everyone found it to be confusing… so… we have gone back to the old way with the newer comments at the bottom of the page. It just seems more natural.

2/ People said nice things about the “nested comments” feature although not many have used it. We’ll keep that option and see how it works out in the next week.

Thanks for you input, friends!

Clive

Original article…

Do You Like The Changes?

Let Us Know One Way Or The Other!

Comments are now listed with the newest first – at the top of the page… AND you can reply to comments 3 deep.

Not sure if we like it or not, so we’ll leave it to our readers.

What say all? Let us know… in the comments section.

Thx!

Cliverton

Police Photo Of Rihanna Facial Injuries Leaked – Monster Chris Brown Did This – Bite Marks Visible?

LAPD Launches Investigation Into Rihanna Photo Leak

Los Angeles Police have launched an investigation into the leak of a photo of Rihanna which the police say “has the appearance of one taken during an official Domestic Violence investigation.” Meaning, yes this is a photo of Rihanna taken after Chris Brown “allegedly” beat and bit her. The photo first appeared on TMZ but now it is everywhere.

Somehow I don’t think that Chris Brown will ever show his face in Barbados again – ever.

What a monster he is to do that to a woman – but in truth Chris Brown did no different than has been done by hundreds of other men on Barbados. And now an entire new generation of young men have been raised on song lyrics that portray women as objects of pleasure and domination.

Not to mention that here in Barbados, if you beat your woman in a gated community, she can scream for help all she wants but the police won’t go past the security guard at the gate. After all, its only another ho gettin’ wat be deserved by she.

Do We Need Signs Like This In Barbados?

Further Reading: Domestic Violence In Barbados

Beat Your Wife In Barbados? You Are Protected From The Police If You Live In A Gated Community!

Do We Need Signs Like This In Barbados?

From Barbados To Canada To China: Joy-Ann Clarke Wanted An MBA But Discovered The World

“The past year has exposed the vastness of the world. Before attending Ivey, I had been content to stay in my ‘safe’ environment, where the majority of the people who I interact with have similar backgrounds and experiences to mine. However, I have come to the realisation that there is a large world out there to discover. This was highlighted by my recent class trip to China. In fact, if someone had told me a year ago, that I would have visited three major cities in China, it would have been a huge joke for me.

The impact of this experience was seen when I returned home around Christmas time. I found that I was seeing the familiar circumstances with different eyes. My MBA experiences had changed my way of thinking and as a result had changed the way in which I saw the world. In many ways, I will think about my life as ‘Before MBA’ and ‘After MBA.’ This year has been an amazing experience for me. As it draws close to an end, I am excited to see what my future holds. However, on graduation day, it will be bittersweet because it will signal the end of an amazing part of my life.”

… Bajan Joy-Ann Clarke blogs from London, Canada’s University of Western Ontario. An excellent read… (link here)

Who Was Gilberto Eastmond’s Barbados Grandfather?

“quisiera conocer la tierra donde nacio mi abuelo que requisitos necesito soy de colombia gracias”

… Gilberto Eastmond

Colombian Interested In The Birthplace of his Bajan Grandfather

Once in a while we receive requests to assist folks looking for their Barbados family roots and we’re happy to help when we can.

Gilberto Eastmond from Colombia says his grandfather was Bajan. He hasn’t told us his grandfather’s name or if he knows it, but we are a small nation and perhaps someone can assist him. Or perhaps he’ll see this article and provide more information.

Barbados is a small island, and with the internet the world has become very small too.

Breaking News: Barbados Four Seasons Development About To Stop, Lay Off All Staff

CONFIRMED: 700 Workers Laid Off At Four Seasons Hotel Site

See Nation News story – Project On Hold

Our original story published 16 hours before the oldstream media…

Right Now – Consider It Only A Rumour, But From A Good Source

A source who has been proven 100% accurate with Barbados Free Press over the last year says that the developers of the Barbados Four Seasons project are going to lay off all their staff (local and foreign) tomorrow and pay everyone what is owed. The rumour also says that the developers “owe lots” to local suppliers and “will make an effort” to pay them off over the next few months.

Have BFP’s readers heard anything one way or the other?

Someone please give the developers a call and tell them that we’ve put this up. They can reach us through email (barbadosfreepress “AT” yahoo.com) or by posting in this story’s comments section.

Hmmmm…. didn’t we just see government officials struting around the project for a photo-op a few weeks ago?

Irish Newspaper: Many Barbados Reds Suffer From Mental Problems Due To Inbreeding!

Today, there are about 400 individuals living in the north east corner of Barbados known as the ‘Red Legs’, due to their ancestors having arrived there as slaves in the mid 17th century; many were wearing kilts and so their legs were horribly burned due to the sun, the stalks of working in the sugar cane fields and by being constantly whipped.

These people don’t mix with anyone else on the island, have a very low literacy rate and many suffer from mental problems. They are tall, fair and blond haired, freckled skin and blue eyes and with names such as Lynch, O’Donaghue, etc. The forthcoming visit of Father Blackett should prove very interesting indeed.

… from the Drogheda Independent article To “Hell or Barbados”

To Hell or Barbados… or to the Mental Hospital!

What started out as a nice little newspaper article about a Barbados Catholic priest visiting Ireland to remember the transported Irish slaves during Cromwell’s invasion takes a nasty turn in the last paragraph. Reverend Father Harcourt Blackett, parish priest of St. Patrick’s Church in Bridgetown, is heading over to Ireland in May – presumably to explain how and why so many Bajans are illiterate and mentally ill.

What do you think, folks? Is there a grain of truth in the reporter’s statement? Should various mixed-race folks demand an apology from the newspaper? Do we need to build a new mental hospital up near Grape Hall? 🙂

Barbados Civil Servant To Public: “How We Spend Tax Dollars Is None Of The Public’s Business…”

Efforts to reach (Acting Registrar of the Supreme Court) Clarke on Monday to find out the cost of the repair work, the name of the company contracted to carry it out, and an estimated completion date were unsuccessful.

Clarke’s secretary received the call, but when told of the information needed, she said: “Who is doing the work, and how much it will cost is of no interest to the public.”

The secretary added that Clarke gave the information she deemed necessary for public knowledge.

… from the Nation News article Facelift Coming To Magistrates’ Court

Arrogant and Stupid Registrar’s Secretary Illustrates Typical Elitist Attitude To Taxpaying Public

The secretary to Acting Registrar of the Supreme Court Marva Clarke is not only arrogant – she is stupid. She must be stupid because only a stupid person would fail to realise that the taxpaying public has had it up to here with their government employees saying that how tax dollars are spent is none of the public’s business.

We were promised Transparency and Freedom of Information from the new DLP Thompson government, but have received quite the opposite.

The Nation reporter was making enquiries on behalf of the public, and we’re willing to bet that the enquiries were being made because there is something afoot.

Who awarded the contract to repair the Court roof?

Does the contractor repairing the roof have any connection to any government official?

Were tenders properly issued?

Has the government official who awarded the contract ever received a gift from the contractor doing the repairs?

Marva Clarke's Secretary

A Message To Marva Clarke’s Secretary…

Listen, you stupid cow…

The public has a RIGHT to know how our tax dollars are spent. We demand transparency, accountability and no conflicts of interest in the awarding of government contracts. You didn’t even have the intelligence to say to the reporter that you would look into his question and get back to him. Oh no… your arrogance and your elitist attitude made it so natural for you to snap back a “none a you bidness” smartass reply.

So typical of government workers. Try working in the real world out here with the rest of us for a while. You’ll soon change your smartass arrogance.

Stupid cow.

(photo courtesy of gimmecorn.com)