Smart partnerships needed in tough times

Adrian Loveridge, small hotel owner – now selling!

Short of a miracle and/or a radical change in the way we do business, it appears we have headed into one of the most challenging tourism summers in recent history – hot on the heels of a poor winter.

With still no game changing strategies, other than one or two tinkering offerings on the horizon, is there more ‘we’ can do to avoid further widespread lay-offs and closures?

The answer has to be YES! And I think we can start by looking at further opportunities on our doorstep.

For ages, I have admired the work of the Barbados Association of Retired Persons. My wife and I have been lifetime members for a number of years and I cannot even begin to think of the savings it has brought us during that period, far outweighing any annual subscription fees.

For a number of reasons  I only purchased my first public company shares just over half a decade ago on the recommendation of our accountants. If we are lucky, our small capital investment will return to the level that we initially put into fund by the end of 2013. Ironically, in their latest quarterly report, the fund managers reminded us that during the last five years, cumulative inflation on Barbados reached 38 per cent and that any investment placed with them  ‘should outperform money left in a savings account over the long term’.

A little bit of history: The Barbados Water Supply Company, Limited

(click photo for large)

October 1, 1891 Debenture

You know how it is… you’re just surfing the net going from one thing to another and suddenly you’re into an area of interest you’ve never seen before. In this case it’s a debenture from 1891 for The Barbados Water Supply Company, Limited and it’s for sale for US$139.95 at Scripophily.com.

Then from there I ended up in the UK government archives, again in 1891, reading about how the Barbados Water Supply Company needed more time to finish laying water supply pipes. (A cynic might say the job still isn’t finished!)

“1 item (enclosure with report by Acting Attorney General W Herbert Greaves, 7 November 1891) extracted from CO 28/231. ‘Barbados. Parsons small scale map’: showing water pipes laid and stand pipes erected. Reference note. Compass indicator. Signed: P N S Jones, Resident Engineer, 2 November 1891. The report concerned an act extending the time granted to the Barbados Water Supply Company, Ltd, to complete their works.”

There’s all sorts of Barbados documents in the UK archives and I could spend hours exploring, but I’ll leave that for Sunday.

Newfoundland Canada tourist: Bajan old people are what I like about Barbados

by Ivan Emke, Newfoundland Canada

If you asked me what I like most about Barbados, you might expect me to talk about the beaches, or the lush vegetation, or the hospitable culture, or the serious interest in cricket (the sport, not the insect, though I find the latter far more interesting to watch). Or maybe you’d think I’d refer to the ready access to local rum products at discount prices.  But none of those are my favourite thing about Barbados.  No, it’s a bit more complicated than that.

My favourite Bajan (Barbadian) sight is old people on buses.

OK, that might take a bit of explaining. I’ve been riding buses here a fair bit. For a buck (Canadian) you can go from one tip of the country to the other.

Nothing brings a smile to my face as assuredly as being on the bus and having some old people to watch. When they get on, they are always slow. Each step up a victory. The first step is the hello to the driver. One more step and they look around the bus and laugh and greet others they know. The third step and they lean on the collection box and laugh about their infirmities. They get out their wallet and ever so carefully insert their fare. Then they sit down, with drama and flare. Of course, the bus will not leave until all are seated.

Nothing brings a smile to my face as assuredly as being on the bus and having some old people to watch. When they get on, they are always slow. Each step up a victory. The first step is the hello to the driver. One more step and they look around the bus and laugh and greet others they know. The third step and they lean on the collection box and laugh about their infirmities. They get out their wallet and ever so carefully insert their fare. Then they sit down, with drama and flare. Of course, the bus will not leave until all are seated…

… continue to read this article at the Western Star: Old people on buses

The shame of once-proud Barbados race-horses: lingering death, starvation, neglect

click photo for large

Shameful!

by Wayne Norville

These are some of the horses I had to put to sleep. These horses once graced the Garrison Savannah. Their owners can’t feed them any more so they give them to anyone who would take them.

THIS IS HOW THEY SPEND THE REMAINDER OF THEIR LIVES.

Say something about this disgrace.

Wayne Norville

Wayne Norville Facebook

Forgotten Race Horses

by Annemarie Green Harris

Shameful photos on Facebook…

 

 

 

 

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DNA Paternity Tests should be standard in Barbados

by Sherwin King

I am responding to statements made by the Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite and others in the nation newspaper dated Wednesday the 24th of April 2013 on page 6A, which was headline “AG knocks DNA call”.

The attorney general being a man in appearance is noted in the matter here as being ashamed of a call by a character to have a DNA test done on every child born in Barbados, which appears to be supported by other legal minds.

What are you really saying to men in this country AG?  Can women do no wrong in your sight? As an attorney at law for so long and now a QC also, have you not come across or heard about cases or matters in this country where a man was force to give child support to a woman who swear that the child is his, only to find out or be told by the same woman when the child is old enough, that the child belongs to another man? Do you have any idea how that man would feel now, being use by her in this way? Would the same force that force the man to pay her child support all these years now come to his aid and force the woman to pay him back every cent in support that he was force to give her because of the lies she stated?

Chrissy: Made in Barbados family film

The trailer is too dramatic but I liked the film very much. Excellent production values, good story, good acting.

Robert

From a publicity email sent to BFP…

This movie played to sold out audiences in Barbados and Premiered in Jamaica to a standing ovation. American Author Eric Jerome Dickey says “I Enjoyed Chrissy! from the beginning to the End.” The High Commissioner of Barbados to Canada Mr. Evelyn Greaves says “This movie is highly recommended for the entire family, educators and organizations.” The movie has played in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, London and Birmingham and is currently playing in Antigua. Chrissy is an inspirational movie for the entire family and stars 10 year old Makalah Harrison and Cara O’Donnell, Sophia Thomas lead actor of the HUSH series and Barbados’ own Mac Fingal and Peter Boyce. Shot entirely on location in Barbados, Chrissy will take you on a roller-coaster of emotions as you move from scene to scene with the children.

Afra Raymond charts the losses from large-scale, improper use of Public Money

click chart for full size

“Eden Gardens could have been lawfully acquired for $35million, but HDC paid $175million for it in November 2012”

“Objectively, it does not matter whether the money is wasted or stolen, if it is ultimately unavailable for the benefit of the Public.”

by Afra Raymond

The last four articles in this series have focused on what I call ‘two sides of the same coin’ – the coin being the large-scale and improper use of Public Money.

I examined the THA/BOLT office project called MILSHIRV being undertaken with the Rahael group and the Calcutta Settlement land scheme in which the HDC acquired developed lands at several times the proper price the State could have paid.

Throughout this type of critique one has to strive for effective balance and fundamental integrity.  The extent of the waste and/or theft is never easy to pinpoint when one is working from outside and relying solely on published documents, but my best efforts to establish those facts is what is presented.  Of course it is impossible to say for sure that any amount of money was stolen in a particular project, hence the phrase ‘wasted or stolen’.

Objectively, it does not matter whether the money is wasted or stolen, if it is ultimately unavailable for the benefit of the Public.  Once spent, that Public Money is gone forever, which is why Value for Money is of such importance in any proper Public Procurement system.