Prime Minister Thompson said supporting Four Seasons could be “extremely risky” to the DLP Government

How much public money is exposed in the Four Seasons project?

In the year 2012 under the DLP government of Freundel Stuart, Bajans aren’t quite sure how much public money is ‘invested’ or ‘guaranteed’ towards the Four Seasons Resort project.

Is it US$52 million through the IADB loan that is guaranteed, and another US$60 million in National Insurance Scheme cash? Or is that the other way around? Or something altogether different? And what about infrastructure guarantees and construction costs coming from the taxpayers? We’ve heard so many different versions from government and the news media that we don’t think anyone in government or media can provide a definitive answer.

We at BFP think that the Four Seasons project support is out of control with the amount unknown – that the government will not, cannot, provide a comprehensive and accurate answer about how much Bajans are invested and exposed.

Today we found this old article in some old notes we made back in February 2010 while David Thompson was our Prime Minister.

PM Thompson’s comments at the time make for interesting reading. Perhaps our accidental PM Freundel Stuart should read them too…

“Now of course the first objective is not for Government to give guarantees to projects of this type. So the Government is not available, generally speaking, for that kind of thing and I want to make that abundantly clear. It is extremely risky. It has brought down Governments in other countries and I don’t intend to let it bring down my government. And it can sometimes smack of an element of favouritism and once you start it, it becomes like a rolling stone that will gather moss…and therefore, we have to be very careful,”

February 2, 2010 – Prime Minister David Thompson in the Barbados Advocate article PM defends stance on Four Seasons

Further Reading

Are we ever happy that we preserved a copy of the Barbados Advocate from February of 2010, because the BA’s online version of the article seems to have disappeared! What a surprise!

Maybe some of our readers are better searchers than we are, so if anyone finds it let us know the link and we’ll include it.

Meanwhile, here is our copy:

PM defends stance on Four Seasons

2/2/2010

By Regina Selman Moore

Government could not sit idly by and watch a player of the size and significance of the Four Seasons Resort, pack up and move away from Barbados.This was just one of the reasons why the present Democratic Labour Party administration intervened to lend its support to restart the stalled multi-million dollar Four Seasons Resort project.

Bajans pick cotton, cut sugar cane twenty years from now? Let’s get real!

Does Barbados really have a cotton industry?

Cotton industry ‘revamp’ same talk we’ve heard for 40 years

submitted by Bleeding Hands

Barbados takes pride in our educated population and in our status as an ‘almost’ developed nation. The recent economic setbacks might have pushed us back a step or two, but this is a worldwide phenomena not exclusive to our country. Bajans should be proud of what we have achieved together in the last four decades.

One of the social changes brought about by our development and increased education, however, is that few if any of our young people aspire to jobs or business ownership in agriculture and especially not in agricultural sectors reminiscent of the plantation era of our history. If one could grow tomatoes or other food crops and make a decent living that is one thing: sugar and cotton are another world entirely in the minds of bajans and for good reason. Aside from the unprofitable nature of the those two crops, sugar and cotton have historical baggage that young bajans want nothing to do with and I cannot blame them.

Despite the unemployment on this island, Barbados has to import labour from other countires to work our sugar and cotton industries. That is because our population rejects the work, and they reject it because they have been conditioned to reject it – and also it pays nothing or next to nothing.

Visitor asks if Grantley Adams Airport Immigration service has improved

“A full 747 unloaded and we found one Immigration booth open”

Dear Barbados Free Press,

My wife and I are looking to revisit your lovely country again later this year, but have been put off because of the delay we experienced ‘clearing’ immigration earlier this year.

We queued for 1hr. 45mins, during which time there was shift change, and for a significant period of time just one booth was open.

It was a shambles.

I wonder, have things improved?

Thanks,

(name withheld by BFP editor)

Venus the cat reminds me of our Barbados

Does Gline Clarke appreciate this viral YouTube video?

Can any of us on this rock of mongrels call themselves racially pure? As those of us who have traveled know, what passes for white skin on this island is called coloured or black in some other places. That’s why racists like former Government Ministers Gline Clarke and Elizabeth Thompson are constantly inserting foot into mouth. To Clarke, Thompson and their racist ilk, skin colour is always placed ahead of any other personal traits.

So here’s Venus the cat: like Bim she’s a little of this and a little of that – but all those different coloured hairs make just one cat.

Barbados Health Ministry fails to ensure Dialysis clinics have back-up generators

Two out of our three dialysis clinics lack a generator

by Doctor Feelgood

Forget all the excuses: somebody has to be in charge of the health system. In Barbados that person is Minister of Health Donville Inniss. (photo above) After almost 5 years in power, Inniss and the DLP government own any operational problems. Any management failures are theirs. Any failure to budget for sufficient inspections to maintain standards is theirs.

“I sat there watching my blood sitting motionless in tubes outside my body and precious time running out. With two minutes to spare before the situation became critical and with the look of panic etched on the nurse’s face, I sent my wife and kids a bb message saying ‘I love U’….

Soca band leader George Jones describes what happened in Barbados Today’s Close Call. Also see Standard Care.

Sometime I’d love to see Minister Inniss (or any government minister from any party) simply tell the truth and say: “The Ministry of Health should have ensured that this critical health care supplier complied with the standard, but we did not. I apologise. We will now re-inspect each dialysis facility and ensure more regular inspections are done in the future. We will now test back-up power systems during our inspections.”

Instead, we get a blame the victim speech from the Health Minister. Yes, according to Donville Inniss it’s the victim’s fault for needing dialysis. Anything to deflect the story away from the fact that of the three dialysis clinics in Barbados, two operate without backup generators. Standards? I call that a third world standard.

Also during his Barbados Today interview, Minister Inniss started talking about how there was no power failure at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the QEH has backup generators. Was Inniss playing stupid to spin the story? He knows that this nearly averted disaster didn’t happen at the QEH: it happened at a private dialysis center that is supposed to be licensed, inspected and adhering to Ministry of Health standards.

Yes, patients almost died during a power outage last week because Minister of Health Donville Inniss and his staff failed to do their jobs. The public wouldn’t know about this except that one of the patients was George Jones of the Soca band Square One and he put his harrowing tale up on Facebook.

All that talk about making Barbados a destination for health care tourism? Without real actions to set, maintain and enforce standards, it’s all wish talk and nothing else.

Environment Minister says your flooding not his problem

What exactly has Minister Denis Lowe accomplished during his term?

Five years ago we heard the current Minister of the Environment and his fellow DLP candidates explain that the then BLP government had been negligent about flooding and the environment in general.

During the 2007 election campaign, Dr. Denis Lowe and other DLP candidates said that the Owen Arthur BLP government:

• failed to pass an Environmental Protection Act.
• didn’t care about valuable wetlands and natural flood buffers.
• failed to establish standards and laws for drainage to guide developers and builders.
• failed to take effective action to ensure that property owners kept their lands debushed and free of stagnant water that breeds mosquitoes.

That was five years ago, so let’s listen to what Dr. Lowe is saying these days…

Henderson Bovell loses memory, maybe his entire mind…

Apparently Mr. Bovell has entirely forgotten about the Owen Arthur government’s 14 years of non-stop corruption. Where to start? It was so bad that, not content with merely stealing public funds, the Prime Minister deposited campaign donations into his personal bank account!

Not that the DLP is any better, but to hear Henderson Bovell say that electing the BLP is the answer: well, mongoose meet chicken coop!

Read it all at Bajan Reporter with your jaw dropping lower at every sentence: Barbados Under seige and being held hostage by the DLP

Courage and love: Mother dies trying to rescue her children

 UPDATED: November 29, 2012

Lynette Stoute awarded Barbados Bravery Medal

On this National Independence Day, our thoughts go to Lynette Stoute and her family and friends.

Lynette is certainly worthy of the honour and of our remembrance. What this nation could do and be if each of us had 1/10th of her courage!

May God bless Lynette Stoute and her family

submitted by an old friend

When Lynette Stoute thought her three children were still in their burning home, she did not hesitate. Lynette ran into the flames and paid the ultimate price for her love as she was critically burned over 83 percent of her body. She died Tuesday in the hospital in Panama.

Children survived

Fortunately Lynette’s children were already safe outside the home, but that in no way diminishes Lynette’s valour. She died knowing they were safe.

I don’t know the exact circumstances of the fire or how the children escaped or if a designated meeting place would have saved Lynette in that moment when she made up her mind to try to save her children, but I will take the opportunity to remind everyone about this important safety decision.

Dithering Prime Minister Stuart admits he can’t make up his mind about Raul Garcia: DLP Leadership defined!

Garcia story an ideal illustration of our do-nothing, accidental ‘Leader’

What PM Stuart said in April (click photo)

Seven months after prisoner Raul Garcia’s hunger strike, and after seven months of press conferences and announcements about what the DLP Government intends with Raul Garcia, accidental Prime Minister Freundel Stuart announced yesterday that he still hasn’t any idea at all about what to do. It’s all so complex, you see!

Well… too complex for Stuart anyway. Maybe he’s waiting until he decides to pass the dead-as-a-Monty-Python-parrot Integrity Legislation first. You can’t move too quickly on these important decisions, folks! It might take thirty or forty years just to pull out a pad and a pencil to make notes.

And what about the previously announced decision to house Garcia at a military base so our country can comply with the international human rights agreements we signed and also comply with the rulings of the Barbados courts? Well, Prime Minister Stuart was lying about that. No big deal – he lied. Hey, you think that’s the first thing he lied about?

This is becoming less about Garcia and more about Stuart’s failed leadership

Hey reader… yes, you! You are a fairly intelligent person. You’re not without compassion – but you are no pushover either… You have our national interests, our reputation in the international community, and the security of Bajans in your mind. Maybe you see it this way, maybe that way. No matter…

How long would it take you to make a decision about Raul Garcia? Seven months? Six months?

More like a day or two is my guess.

And as far as Prime Minister Stuart’s comments about Raul Garcia’s 20 year old drug crimes being of concern – the DLP government just released a murderer after 3 decades in prison. Why the double standard?

Here’s the latest bit of propaganda from the Barbados Advocate. You should read it at their website, but you know we have to reprint it here because the Bajan news media have a habit of deleting or changing stores…

Raul Garcia’s fate being carefully weighed

8/28/2012

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart says that he is carefully examining the options that currently exist with respect to the future of Cuban Raúl García, who remains at Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds.

We must maintain our coastal walking paths or lose an important niche market: hikers and walkers

Local construction company ruins walking trail

by Adrian Loveridge, small hotel owner

Recently the current Minister of Tourism so rightly reminded us that Niche Markets play an absolutely critical role in our overall tourism industry. And protecting these special interest areas is fundamental to the sector’s long term survival and development.

Just about ten years ago, a prominent local businessman, persuaded Britain’s largest tour operator specialising in walking tours to consider including Barbados in their programme. A week or so later, the chief executive officer and his wife were on a plane and we had the pleasure to host them and personally escort the couple on a number of island walks. Frankly at that stage, I had neither the confidence or knowledge to even consider acting as a walk leader, and I will be eternally grateful to the late Dr. Colin Hudson for his invaluable assistance in ensuring that the itinerary was attractive from a clients point of view and practically operational.

Next year, multi award winning HF Holidays will celebrate a century in business and still operate to Barbados, which became one of its best selling worldwide destinations. During our decade, while accommodating their customers, some returned up to seven times. Quite a remarkable accolade, especially when you view the choice of destinations they offer.

That success led to the company’s biggest competitor, Ramblers, also including Barbados in their offerings together with a number of walking clubs in North America.

Like other niche markets, the price of the holiday is almost always not the primary consideration, as the traveller is looking for a ‘unique’ experience, which rarely can be provided by the standard off-the-shelf tour operator.

“Masterpiece of deception” will extinguish all rights of CLICO Executive Flexible Premium Annuity (EFPA) holders

The NEL2 Con

by David Walker
Santa Rosa Consulting Team

“Of course all of this is against our laws here in T&T. The company continues to trade while insolvent – illegal. The company has not produced accounts for years – illegal. The company flouts a judgement of the court requiring it to pay according to contract – illegal. Policyholders are denied access even to their own statements of account – illegal. And the list goes on.”

Here we are, at what the authorities hope will be the two closing acts of the tragedy known as CLICO. Firstly there is a final push, through a device going by the name of NEL2, to extinguish all rights and claims of EFPA holders. Secondly we shall witness the winding up and consignment to the dustbin of history, that once all powerful company called CLICO, along with all its books and records.

This article is headlined NEL2 Con but you will have to bear with us while we explain the context in which the con is to be executed. It would be impossible to achieve this masterpiece of deception without all that went before it.

“What we will show you is that many apparently unconnected acts or omissions over the past three years have been for the clear and narrow purpose of facilitating their devious objectives.”

A deliberate program of financial misinformation

When will former Chief Justice SIR David Simmons reveal the promised “Shocking details” ?

Revirginated Attorney General David Simmons became Chief Justice. Now promises to reveal SHOCKING DETAILS!!!

Last April, former Barbados Chief Justice SIR Davie-boy Simmons promised to reveal  “SHOCKING DETAILS of the Government’s refusal to extend his tenure as the island’s top judicial officer two years ago.”

Okay, we’re ready SIR Davie… let ‘er rip. We’re waiting. Give us the SHOCKING DETAILS…

Hey… you promised!

Chief Justice Gibson admits no progress on court backlog

Barbados Chief Justice Marston Gibson

Still over 3,000 case backlog. Justice system collapsing.

Some cases finished, waiting 19 years for judgment!

Almost a year ago Barbados Chief Justice Marston Gibson warned that a massive backlog, missing case files and deliberate delaying tactics by unscrupulous profiteering lawyers were threatening the very foundations of our justice system.

Gibson blew away the pretences of the previous Chief Justice, Sir David Simmons – whose failed and putrid legacy as Attorney General and Chief Justice is exposed more and more with each new revelation.

If the system took on no new cases, it would take 18 years at the present rate of case completion to clear the backlog… but there are 1500 – 2000 new cases per year!

“So here we are almost a year later and Chief Justice Gibson reveals that the courts are still clogged with over 3,000 cases on backlog. Not a lick of progress in a year.”

Enquiring minds ask ‘How many new courts and new judges were added in the past year?’

But we know the answer: none.

Doesn’t the government get it? This is the very foundation of our country and of our offshore banking industry. If foreign money can’t depend upon our courts to be just and timely, it’s all over!

Chief Justice Marston Gibson could make it happen if he was given the budget… but the money is gone – long ago spent on cricket parties, celebrations and council handouts.

Oh well… the law, the courts and justice were never high on the agenda for either the BLP or the DLP governments.

If you need justice folks, don’t even think about the courts. Do what you can on your own.

And lest you think that’s bad advice, it’s the same you’ll receive from the Chief Justice, who tells Barbados “alternative dispute resolution (ADR) may be the only solution to this long-standing judicial ailment”

Alternative dispute resolution… otherwise known as private courts.

Further Reading

Please read the Nation article online here, but we have to print it all because the Bajan media sometimes removes articles to change history according to revised agendas…

It’s a must!

WITH a backlog of over 3 000 court cases, Chief Justice Marston Gibson believes that alternative dispute resolution (ADR) may be the only solution to this long-standing judicial ailment.

University of the West Indies: “It was Al all the time…”

They used to tell me I was building a dream…

From the Nation article Pay Talk…

DESPITE THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES facing the country, the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) will soon be seeking a pay increase for public workers.

Its president Cedric Murrell announced this yesterday during the 71st annual delegates conference of the Barbados Workers’ Union at Solidarity House in Harmony Hall, St Michael…

From the Nation article UWI Unease…

Hundreds of Barbadians offered a place at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) are facing the prospects of having that offer rescinded in the wake of dire financial developments at the university, which senior sources there describe as “the campus’ worst nightmare”.

According to the top level sources, who only spoke on condition of anonymity, the jobs of hundreds of employees at the campus might also be in jeopardy after Government’s level of indebtedness to the institution rose to over $150 million recently and campus officials were told the debt would be settled through a four-year repayment plan of $40 million annually, starting in July next year.

Why are so many Muslims violent towards Christians?

The past week in headlines…

Muslims attack Christians in Jerusalem

Islamabad Imam denies issuing decree to burn Christians alive

Pakistan: 11 year old Downs Syndrome girl charged with blasphemy

Karachi: Christian slaves freed after 20 years, ask for protection

Christian 14 year old boy kidnapped, murdered, dismembered. (Photo above)

Kenya: Muslims murder 52 Christians: Los Angeles Times doesn’t mention the word ‘Christian’

Diabetic Christian beaten in Egypt for drinking water during Ramadan

Christian Lebanese film actress detained in Algeria: smoked cigarette during Ramadan

Turkish mob stones Christian family home

Muslim mob tortures, kills 11 year old Christian boy in Pakistan

Small business waiting two years for VAT refunds from Barbados government

Is Government really serious about Small Businesses?

by Adrian Loveridge, small hotel owner

After nearly 25 years running a small business on Barbados, I really wonder if the current Government, or in fact previous ones, are serious about encouraging small businesses and nurturing entrepreneurship.

Yet once again, we have been waiting for up to two years for various VAT refunds. If we are one day late submitting a return, a late filing fine and interest are payable, but clearly this is just a one way penalty.

Currently the following refunds are pending. 2010/07 period – $5,347.95, 2010/09 period – $7,675.73, 2011/07 period – $7,124.28 and 2011/09 period – $4,569.53.

So a total of $24,717.49 outstanding. Consider the strain on the business if we are paying overdraft interest on that amount.

Despite Government imposing a massive 16.6 per cent increase in the rate of VAT, it would appear that this hasn’t had any improvement of the level of efficiency. The private sector has been forced to absorb huge increases in most of our operational costs, while trying to maintain employment. Yet to the best of my knowledge, not a single civil servant has lost their job or witnessed a salary reduction.

In fact, to the contrary, it seems almost totally morally incomprehensible to see that certain public workers have taken delivery of  gas guzzling, luxury vehicles during a period of severe austerity.

The current Minister responsible for small businesses is very vocal and heard almost daily on the call-in programmes with a whole range of opinions. But now is the time to get off the phone, stop talking the talk and do more of walking the walk.

The late repayment of VAT refunds is not new and has been going on for years. Trade Associations representing various sectors have made repeated appeals but seemingly on deaf years.

If the current Government really wants the economy to recover and soak up high unemployment, it is going to be led by small businesses. Now is the time to give your support and ensure our massive civil service does the job they are well paid for.

What happens when you don’t change the oil?

A friend at the Sanitation Service Authority assures us that when those responsible don’t bother to change the oil, but just mark the chart ‘done’, and those in management don’t bother to verify the check marks…

… engines and transmissions destroy themselves far earlier than expected and budgeted for.

And then… this happens.

Barbados Tourism Authority responds to TripAdvisor commenter

Three days and 150 comments later…

A few days ago we told you about Mr. Frank James, who posted a comment on TripAdvisor.com about his poor experience vacationing at The Gap. Our story Barbados Tourism Authority, police need to read this TripAdvisor conversation about The Gap detailed Mr. James complaints and resulted in some other negative comments about the sad state of affairs at The Gap – an area that used to be known for its vibrant nightlife and as a friendly and safe venue.

It apparently took 3 days and 150+ comments, but the Barbados Tourism Authority replied to Mr. James. Alright, good… but why wasn’t the BTA all over this from the first day? There is no reason why they should not have seen Mr. James’ complaint on the first day. That is the standard I would expect from our national agency looking after the mainstay of our economy…

Good morning Mr. James,

Your letter has been passed on to me by Mr. David Rice, our President. Firstly please let me say how very sorry we are that you have had to experience such annoyance during what was supposed to have been a very peaceful and romantic vacation. We are none the less grateful that you have brought this matter to our attention and we assure you that we will be meeting with the Police Liaison Officer to address these matters. As you can imagine this is most embarrassing and annoying for us as a destination and will do all possible to have this very distressing practice curtailed. We shall get back to you with our results and sincerely hope that you will give us another opportunity to welcome you back to Barbados and to try in some way to make it up to you.

Regards

Gerald A. Cozier

Manager Corporate Affairs/Quality Assurance
Barbados Tourism Authority