CameronEV completes electric vehicle tests in Barbados

by David Cameron

After 18 months the testing of e-bykes (electric bicycles) in Barbados is complete and the results analyzed. The following summary of analysis has taken into account current regulations determined from the Barbados Ministry of Transport.

The 500Watt Canadian versions used for the testing were adequate for majority of Barbados as long as the inclines are not too steep (>12°). The Canadian versions can be used as a mode of transportation for over 75% of Barbados.

Bull whips and bulldozers: Race card played in Bermuda Tucker’s Point development debate

Bermudian Senator LaVerne Furbert accused of “dancing to white man’s tune”

“(Furbert is) a marionette, a black puppet dancing to a white man’s tune.”

…Larry Burchall in the Bermuda Sun

“(Mr Burchall’s comments are) extremely offensive. I’m not a person who has my strings pulled…

At this stage of my life I will dance with anyone. I don’t care if they are black or white. I just want to dance.”

…Bermudian Senator LaVerne Furbert

Listening to the current debate about development at Tucker’s Point in Bermuda, for a moment I thought we were back in Bridgetown in the 1960’s when the white-flight was in full swing and black racial pride was more about “time for some payback” than building our children’s future.

Things have settled down some since those days, but this week in Bermuda the unwarranted injection of the race card overwhelmed what should have been the focus of the discussion. The debate on the real economic, social and environmental issues fell off the tracks as persons on both sides traded racial taunts and accused everyone else of playing the race card (except themselves, of course).

As we’ve said at BFP for a long time, in Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean race is always just below the surface. Sometimes those racial perspectives and an exaggerated racial consciousness combine to hold us back as individuals and as a country.

Sometimes though, the racial awareness alarm bells go off and it’s no false alarm.