“Stuart just doesn’t get it.”
Four months for the PM to respond to a simple request
submitted by iTourist
What the hell? It’s only that way back in March the business people driving THE major section of our economy asked for a meeting with Prime Minister Freundel Stuart to discuss the obvious distress being experienced by the tourism industry. Stuart has ignored the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association’s request for months and only now says he’ll meet – but no date has been set. July will be four months since the BHTA’s request.
The Nation News presents the announcement of the unscheduled future meeting as if it is some great triumph to be celebrated. It is, in fact, a tragedy that we are saddled with a do-nothing Prime Minister who insulted and ignored an entire business community that is foundational to our economy. It seems that each day another news story proves that Stuart can’t decide whether to tie his shoes or brush his teeth first. What are this man’s priorities?
“Let’s not be hasty here. Maybe the PM should keep the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association waiting a whole year for a meeting. That will show them!”
Yes, it sure will show the members of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association that our accidental Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and the DLP government are totally disconnected from reality.
If I could make this article any more contemptuous of the PM’s arrogance, ignorance and disconnect, I would. Stuart just doesn’t get it.
Further Reading
Folks: Please go to The Nation to read this article, but we have to print it here because that paper has a history of removing or changing news stories to suit changing political agendas…
Meeting On
THE DATE AND TIME are still to be fixed. But Colin Jordan as well as other past and present executives of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA) who have been anxious to meet with Prime Minister Freundel Stuart are about to get their wish.
Since March 30, they had written to Stuart requesting “an urgent meeting” with him as head of Government to “discuss the critical state of our vital tourism industry”.
A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister, released by the Government Information Service yesterday, said Stuart “is preparing to meet” shortly with new BHTA president Patricia Affonso Dass and her team.
It also said past presidents, including Jordan, would be invited to attend, even though Stuart took issue with recent remarks made by the outgoing BHTA head.
Barbados Free Press 
I’ve used it to reach LA and it was an excellent route. Probably badly promoted or when flights sought may hv bn full in peak periods. AA is trimming all fat and raising prices on prime flights. Check the cost of a flight from Miami to Orlando return
Just for the record. In the two years Colin Jordan served at BHTA President, I always found him approachable and responsive. I admired his forthright approach which is extremely difficult when you are trying to appease so many interests and groups. If he felt (or still feels) our tourism industry is in crisis, and it would appear several previous Presidents share this view, then it is his obligation to the membership to raise these concerns at the very highest level. If the PM appears not to take this concern seriously even when the word URGENT is used, then he should respond in a timely manner and explain that he is involving the MOT and MOF. Better still, knowing that ‘we’ have lost around 1,000 rooms and a 1,000 jobs over the last year or so, either permanently or for extended periods, then HAVE the meeting and invite the MOT and MOF too.
The list of dithering and dallying is getting longer by the week.
But who really cares. It seems to me that the PM is only interested in holding on as long as possible cause he knows the end is in sight. Pity we do not have a third party to vote for.
@a policy holder.:Rent a car and drive. why would you want to fly from Miami to Orlando?
Mr. Stuart was NOT supposed to be in that position of PM, the evidence of that is emerging stronger and stronger every day! The man don’t have a clue where to turn his big head when serious attention or action is requested. He is a waste of time, probably the worst PM in the history of this Country. Sad!
Many persons are spouting their mouths off with uninformed opinions of our beloved Prime Minister Mr Stuart’s personality and management style. I think they all need to be still and feel the vibrations from the Man. He is deep. He is no fool. He is listening. He cannot please everyone. Leave him alone. Ask Ac and Kid Site!
The problem with being forthright – as I know very well – is that people take you as a troublemaker who is trying to throw your weight around. Their response is ‘Who are YOU to tell ME’. We witnessed it in the response of the CJ to the Pilgrim Bar Association letter reminding him of his responsibility to do something to mitigate delay in the Court system. And most of us witness it every day when minor functionaries make the blood curdle with their nonsense – in particular government employees who are there to serve John Citizen. Does Mr Stewart reflect that portrait – little people trying to be big people and, because of their own insecurities, flexing egos to the detriment of – in this case – the national welfare?
@ Kimesha
You what? Ask ac? Did he/she feel the vibrations of this man? What on earth are you saying? I mean, if you are a ZEN person you might want to say ‘Listen to the one hand clapping of this man’ – but I don’t see that as a method of discharging responsibility.
Does the PM wear moccasins? If not he should. Think of all the time spent trying to tie shoelaces!
At first I was extremely disappointed in the PM. As the rest of the story emerged, I have to conclude that he is innocent of this charge. It turns out that 1) his office replied to the BHTA and 2) the BHTA met with the Min of Finance and Minister of Tourism.
I think the Nation has misled the public on this one and should have done a better job to check facts and timelines.
Any relief to the industry must be channeled via the Min of Finance anyway.
We in the Caribbean seem to feel that all roads must go to some singular giant. A symptom of our stunted democracy perhaps?
What is the point of meeting with the Minister of Finance and not the PM also as no one other than the PM seems able to make financial decisions Viz RedJet. An $8,000,000.00 commitment from several Ministers and never seen a penny
The PM was breeded from a dildo whose battery ran out…dat is y he is so slow.
@ Yambelly
You know you’re absolutely right. When I was ‘clienting’ I found so many who had written to the Minister or the CJ or the PM and, of course, got absolutely nowhere – this kind of simple faith is all very well but, as they all learned I suppose, it’s not a substitute for getting off your bum and helping yourself.
@ Yambelly again
The Nation is quite good at misleading people. See recent posts on Raul Garcia. BUT it’s a problem shared with other manifestations of the ‘third estate’ and not least beloved BFP and BU on times. One man’s bias is another man’s truth. One man’s truth is another’s bias. Ultimately we mostly believe what we want to believe.
@ Mr Barnes
To be honest from your statement I am assuming you know that the meeting was about Redjet. But why should the PM be corralled into making an $8 million (US?) investment in a private sector airline , and especially outside the confines of a budget when we are on the verge of a downgrade?
Could a recapitalised Redjet compete with CA which even now gets free gas from the Government of Trinidad? As long as T&T is willing to play that game any other entity will probably lose. I don’t think even LIAT will survive long term since everyone else in the Caribbean is pretty much broke.
To RR and Yambelly
The meeting between the BHTA and the Minister of Finance was NOT in response to the BHTA’s request to meet with the PM. It was a routine meeting that the Minister if Finance has with all the private sector agencies prior to the budget.
Stuart is finished. A few more months and he’ll be gone.