Blessed Christmas Barbados

 

      It is with a real sense of joy and deep appreciation for the spirit of the season that the family of the Barbados Labour Party extends best wishes for Christmas to all Barbadians at home and abroad.

 

Christmas is about giving and sharing with those less fortunate than ourselves and over the years Barbadians have demonstrated the capacity to meet this ideal. It is in keeping with this old Barbadian tradition that we invite every Barbadian to open their hearts this year and allow the abundance of kindness to flow among their fellow countrymen and women.

 

As a Government, this BLP is proud to have managed the economy in a manner that today we can give back something to our people from every walk of life. During the past year we have given back tangible benefits to all our citizens that have contributed to an improved standard of living which has become the envy of the developing world. Whether it be monetary or in kind for social groups or corporate entities this government has given back and has help our people to build and realize their dreams.

 

That more Barbadians are at work at this time is a commendable achievement that has resulted in increased savings, higher investment and greater demand for home mortgages. It was only in October this year during his address to the Party’s annual conference that Prime Minister Arthur reported that during the Government’s third term, “Barbadians saved and invested more than in any previous period. Between 2003 and June this year (2006) deposits held by Barbadians in commercial banks alone increased by $2.billion (from $5.1 to $7.1billion). With respect to mortgage loans the Prime Minister stated that, “loans by commercial banks for private dwellings have virtually doubled between the end of 2002 and June 2006 – rising from $386million to now over $720million”. It is noted that these loans amounted to only $34million when the BLP assumed office in 1994.

 

What is noteworthy is the fact that Barbadians are not only increasing their loan portfolios but are managing their loans well. An article in the Advocate Newspaper for Monday, November 6, 2006 under the headlines “Some banks say no increase in loan delinquency” establishes the fact that Barbadians are servicing loan commitments and this must be attributed to the high levels employment and greater purchasing power.

 

Prime Minister Arthur also reported that this BLP administration has given back immensely to the lower and middle income Barbadians through a far reaching tax reform and tax relief programme. With respect to income tax the Prime Minister stated, “That the combined effect of the raising of the threshold below which tax is not paid from $15,000 to $22,500 and the lowering of the tax rates on personal income has led to the removal of over 26,000 from the tax roll, including maid, gardeners, orderlies, messengers and the like”.

 

Small property owners with a property value of up to $125,000 now pay no land tax. Thanks to Prime Minister Arthur who stated that, “Over 50,000 homeowners have benefited from the lowering of land tax rates and the exemption of the first $125,000 from the payment of land tax entirely. A home owner with a house value at $250,000 was paying land tax of $500 at the start of the term. He or she is paying only $125 now”.

We are satisfied that our policies and programmes have worked and so this Christmas will find Barbadians in the right spirit and in a state of mind to have a blessed Xmas. Merry Xmas to all Barbadians.

Cheaper Gas

CHEAPER FUEL – just in time for Christmas!

From midnight, motorists will pay less to fill up with gasoline and diesel. Barbadians will also see a reduction in the price of kerosene.

It’s the second time in two months that Government has reduced fuel prices. In October gas dropped by $1 and diesel and kerosene by 36 cents each.

The welcomed news was delivered at a Press conference yesterday by Minister of Energy Elizabeth Thompson.

Consumers will now pay $2.15 per litre or about $8.60 per gallon for gas. Diesel will now sell at $1.46 per litre or about $5.84 per gallon and kerosene at $1.37 per litre or about $6.48 per gallon.

Gas prices have been reduced by six cents per litre or about 24 cents per gallon; diesel by 12 cents per litre or about 48 cents per gallon; and kerosene by five cents per litre or about 20 cents per gallon.

from the Nation

This Barbados Labour Party Government is committed to keeping the price of gas down in Barbados as well as controlling the cost of living in general. We expect that when the cess is removed and the merchants reduce the prices that would have increased due to the cess that prices will come down to manageable levels as of course one of the major contributors to the increases is the cost of energy. With this reduction in the cost of fuel being the first step in the reduction of the cost of living.

Let us take this opportunity to congratulate the Minister for this welcomed reduction and we look forward to any further reductions should the international price for oil continue to fall.

8 000 Passengers on 6 Cruise Liners

What a tremendous start to the season in Barbados. The economy with its main driver Tourism continues to improve and provide fantastic opportunities for Barbadians.

As a people we can only feel proud to see such a magnificent as the Bridgetown Port full of these large Mega Cruise Ships as thousands of people have chosen Barbados to visit as part of their cruise or to home port from which a growing trend in the industry.

One would expect that even more of these ships will be around the port during the CWC 2007.

A Job Well Done

THE EYES OF THE WORLD were firmly focussed on Barbados over the last week, and as usual, we did not disappoint. The World Cup Championships Barbados World Cup was a singularly successful event and all of those involved must take enormous credit for a job very well done. The event not only reinforces our place as the number one developing country, but it also shows that we are well on the way to fulfilling our destiny of becoming the world’s smallest developed state.

Minister of Tourism Noel Lynch must take credit for the way he championed the event. He realised from very early that staging such an event would put the country further on the map and would do wonders for our tourism in years to come.

The organisation of such an event requires enormous planning and the full co-operation of all persons involved. This is precisely what we as a nation can pride ourselves on. Time and time again we have showed to the world that we are a serious nation which, in the words of the United Nations Secretary-General, is fighting way above our weight class. Those who were sceptical about our capacity to organise large events have once again been proven wrong. They must never forget that we have a proud history of diligence and fortitude, nothing can easily defeat us.

It is significant that the staging of this golf tournament came soon after the nation had the opportunity to discuss the National Strategic Plan 2006-2025. That is a bold document which sets out the course for Barbados for the next 20 years. Incidentally, its quality is such that Opposition Leader David Thompson was unable to say anything about it in Parliament, such was its impact. Nothing from him on such a serious document! He still believes he can lead this country by rumour and innuendo!

But the success of World Golf Cup reaffirms what this Barbados Labour Party Government strongly believes in – the strength and ability of the people of Barbados to succeed. Few believed we could stage two world class events four months apart, but Government took the view that there is precious little in this world that is beyond our own ability. Indeed, very few nations, including some many times our size, can boast of the level of achievements by Barbados and its citizens.

Barbados has always done particularly well under visionary leadership – the ability to conceive and then execute. The public can compare Barbados in just 12 years under Owen Arthur, then under Erskine Sandiford and his side-kick David Thompson.

Obviously, even the most die-hard Dems would agree that there is just nothing to compare with the achievements of Arthur economically, socially and politically, clearly demonstrated in the lowest ever unemployment level in Barbados, consistent top world rankings in every area from human rights to the provisionof social services, and more importantly, in a people now excelling through wide opportunities in diverse fields.

The next few months will give further concrete evidence of the vision of Prime Minister Arthur and the capacity of Barbadians to achieve world status when such projects as Operation Free Flow are unveiled, the redevelopment of Independence Square, the Constitution River Renewal Project, and of course, there are the more than US$1 billion in private sector projects drawn to the island, like World Cup Golf and Cricket World Cup, by the policies and performance of Owen Arthur and the BLP Government.

This is what Barbados can achieve together – once it is well served by good governance and Government. Which are exactly what Owen Arthur and the BLP continue to deliver.

Ten Percent Increase for Public Service

THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC WORKERS – both serving and retired – are likely to have a more prosperous New Year after a wage deal was sealed yesterday.

The two-year pact will see a ten per cent hike for 2006 to 2008, with pensioners getting 6.67 per cent over the same period.

This is  a wonderful thing for the Public Workers of Barbados and bear in mind that this is in addition to the 2% Cost of living adjustment which was recently paid to the Public service. This party fully supports this move and would go further and suggest that the private sector should match this and give the private sector workers a similar increase over the two year period.

We already know the tremendous purchasing power Barbadian people hold in the region with our strong dollar and significant disposable income and this increase will only add to this. Well done to the unions and the government for this obviously very amicable arrangement as our greatest resource must always be our people.

Lots of Tourists

Ministry of Tourism is projecting that visitor arrivals this year should end at a four per cent increase over that of last year, totalling some 570 000 visitors, 30 000 short of the 600 000 mark Barbados is desirous of reaching.That is according to Minister of Tourism, Noel Lynch, as he spoke at a press conference at the Sandy Lane Resort yesterday morning to launch Tourism Week 2006 and to give some insight into the state of the tourism industry. Revealing the statistics for the January to October 2006 period, Minister Lynch said a total of 462 226 long-stay arrivals were recorded for the ten-month period, the highest number of long-stay arrivals that has ever been recorded in Barbados in that ten-month period. In terms of that period, he disclosed that our long-stay visitor numbers were up by 4.2 per cent compared to a 2.2 per cent decline for the same period in 2005.

Despite the difficulties with the traffic and road improvement problems we are experiencing in Barbados in preparation for the hosting for the CWC 2007 Barbados continues to be a destination which is attracting increasing numbers of visitors.

Tourism today is more than about the sea and sand. It is also about the total experience. Good service and value for money.  These things together with friendly people and multiple attractions, well educated people, good infrastructural development and a stable government have gone far to making Barbados the preferred destination in the Caribbean.

Our hats off to Minister Noel Lynch and his team for the hard work and dedication to continue to maintain Barbados as a world class tourist destination.

Sad Reflection on Dems

THE RUMBLINGS in George Street continue. It is no coincidence that the latest tongue-lashing has been reserved for Professor Frank Alleyne of the University of the West Indies, whose candid comments on the debt situation of Barbados has run counter to the vociferous utterances of Dr David Estwick. In fact, Professor Alleyne was quite pellucid and unequivocal in his description of the comments being made about the country’s debt by David Thompson and Estwick. He said “much of what was being said critically about the local economy is really a failing of intellect”.

You don’t get it any clearer than that.

Thompson and Estwick, in the tongue-lashing of the professor and the strong language emitting from both of these gentlemen, would suggest that Dr Alleyne is now persona non grata on the precincts at George Street.

But in the same way that Dr Alleyne would not venture to contradict Thompson and Estwick on issues relating to law and medicine, respectively, then it would only be reasonable to suggest that Thompson and Estwick would have accorded Dr Alleyne the same respect. The goodly professor would stick to economics in which he is well versed and would find it rather presumptious to tread in areas in which he has no expertise.

To ostracise people because of divergent views is a sad reflection on those people who commit such acts, but more so when it comes from leaders and their political parties, whose intention it is to run the affairs of a country.

The question that now arises is how will Thompson and Estwick deal with the professional public officers? The views of these two gentlemen are sure to create untold strife within the Public Service of Barbados, resulting ultimately in personality conflicts and an erosion of the public confidence among public officers.

Barbadians must see through the charade being offered by the Dems and are warned of the extreme difficulties which they themselves will face.

The attack on Dr Alleyne was vicious since he only sought to share with the public of Barbados his professional judgment on the economic issues at hand.

But Dr Alleyne should worry little about what Thompson and Estwick say about him and can take comfort from the fact that 12 other members of the Democratic Labour Party cannot now trespass at George Street. They, too, have been subjected to the vitriolic language themselves and they do not care about it.

The inability of Thompson and Estwick to accommodate diverging views should send a strong message to all Barbadians. It is legal to restrict people from entering George Street but how do they translate this approach into the governance of a country, where people of a different political persuasion are putting forward their lawful demands?

The threat of victimisation that runs through the utterances of Thompson, Estwick and the Dems on the call-in programmes sounds very familiar. Estwick has already declared that too many people are employed in the Public Service. A word to the wise is sufficient.

Thompson has made it manifestly clear that he is prepared to kill the fatted-calf which will be shared among the few. Is this the way to run a Government? But this is the route which Thompson and others are bent on pursuing – ostracise, victimise and declare persona non grata.

Barbadians have a lot to think about.