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Incompetence of Government exposed
“There is nothing sacrosanct about being a Minister. It simply means that if a stupid man becomes a Minister all you will have is a stupid Minister” This statement has come from a DLP supporter as he resigned from the board of a statutory corporation in Barbados. While we do not know the Minister by name the gospel favourite “swing low sweet chariot” does come to mind!
Incompetence and lack of integrity of the DLP Government was the subject of the Christ Church West AGM which was held at Bonnet’s on July 17, 2011. The meeting was hosted by the representative Dr. William Duguid and Candidate-elect Dr. Maria Agard. The branch installed its new executive and declared itself ready for the task at hand of retaining the proud record of the Barbados Labour Party in that Constituency. Dr. William Duguid commended Dr. Agard for her sterling performance and urged the branch to put their full weight and support behind her.
Tyrone Lovell and Angelo Lascelles candidate for the Presidency of the League of Young Socialists both set the room ablaze as they outlined incident after incident of mismanagement by the current administration, leading to the pain and suffering of many Barbadians.
Lynette Eastmond was the featured speaker of the night. She focused on the three budgets that had already been delivered by the DLP, two under the late David Thompson and one under Chris Sinckler. Ms. Eastmond noted that all three budgets had the same structure:
· BLAME THE BLP FOR DLP LACK OF VISION
· BLAME THE WORLD RECESSION FOR DLP LACK OF IDEAS
· TELL BARBADIANS THAT THERE ARE OTHER COUNTRIES WORSE OFF
· SET OUT A SERIES OF DISJOINTED MEASURES BEARING NO CONNECTION TO ANY WELL THOUGHT OUT POLICY
· IMPOSE A BUNCH OF DRACONIAN TAX MEASURES ON BARBADIANS
Ms. Eastmond described the DLP Policy position as “sit and do nothing, hope for the best and tax Barbadians to death”. She said that the imposition of a heavy tax burden would continue to have a strangle hold on the economy. The BLP position was to keep the tax burden light, let the economy grow, raise revenue from the growth, prepare the economy for the time when the recession would end.
BUDGET 2010 – A SERIES OF BLEEPS AND BLUNDERS
Chris Sinckler’s budget in 2010 had left the country in a state of confusion. The country was left wondering whether the draconian VAT increase would also affect the hotel sector. The answer was “maybe”, “no” and then it was “yes”. And then the legislation was amended to make sure Sinckler had his way – another move which would help to depress the tourism sector, the sector that was supposed to pull the country out of the recession. Further after Sinckler’s maiden budget we did not know whether the allowances were going to be removed in income year 2010 or 2011? – a basic point that any Minister of Finance should know. She noted that this additional burden on taxpayers had also depressed business in Barbados as it has severely handicapped the ability of the middle class to purchase goods and services.
CHRIS STILL UNCLEAR
The former Senator said that Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and now the Governor of the Central Bank had all revealed that the Chris Sinckler’s policies were not working. According to the Governor in the latest economic review:
· TOURISTS HAD SPENT LESS
· THERE HAD BEEN NO BUILD UP IN THE FOREIGN RESERVES
· CORPORATION TAX RECEIPTS HAD FALLEN BY ABOUT HALF
· VAT RECEIPTS HAD FALLEN BY 2%
Ms. Eastmond pointed out that there were certain basic principles in taxation that Sinckler should know and one was that if the rates are too high it is likely that people would try to avoid paying the taxes altogether, further the consuming public would buy less.
The Former Minister of Commerce noted that Chris Sinckler had run out of ideas so now after doing a bit of reading had suddenly dawned on him that he should restructure the economy. But this was nothing new he had talked about this in 2010 and had done nothing. She told the packed hall that they should note that the Government already had a medium term economic and fiscal strategy and these had said nothing about restructuring the economy.
THAT BOAT HAS ALREADY SAILED SINCKLER
Ms. Eastmond noted however that the restructuring of the economy had started years ago. While she did not have time to go into all the examples she pointed out that the BLP under Owen Arthur had recognized Information Communications Technology as the third gateway for Barbados along with the airport and seaport. It was for this reason that computer assisted learning had been introduced to schools, Community technology programmes were put in place, all Government offices had become computerized and citizens could access them via the internet. The result of this was that Barbados now had internet usage ratios that exceeded Europe and were four and a half times that of the Latin American region.
BETTER CAN BE DONE, BETTER WILL BE DONE
Agard All The Way
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In an earlier article entitled: ‘Pre-determined Outcome – A Party of Deals,’ I made the point that ‘if you thought last year’s Annual Conference (2010) was the most rowdy and disorganised in the BLP’s 73 year history – then this year’s promises to be the most pre-determined. I added that it will be a political non-event and went on the say that ‘those attending should not expect any buzz or excitement.’
Nothing has changed and many are still saying that the BLP’s 2011 Conference should really be cancelled, especially since there will be nothing new to report: The BLP does not even have a full slate of candidates; the promised public meetings are yet to get off the ground (despite that party having launched its general election campaign five months ago now; the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) never met and even though the BLP alleges that: “Bees Ready,” that party does not even have a functioning Shadow Cabinet.
Owen Arthur is old; tired; has not new ideas and really did not remember any of this. In the recent budget, the DLP (through Minister Sealy) reminded the country that the Public Accounts Committee (under Owen Arthur) is yet to meet. Pressured by these facts; running out of time and driven by his own witch-hunt agenda, Owen Arthur has hurriedly arranged a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to throw red-meat to the base of his party (as a distraction tactic) but more so because up to this point – he has nothing to report at his party’s up-coming annual conference. Arthur is simply being blinded by Mia Mottley’s glow and is therefore desperate and dangerous. While he is engaging in political trivia and irrelevance and pulling silly political stunts, Mia is doing remarkable things for the people, while coming-up with innovative ideas, effortlessly.
The Nation newspaper (now functioning as an executive arm of the BLP) on Sunday (October 2nd 2011) announced that Arthur has selected the Pierhead Project for a probe by the PAC, which he chairs. The question is: should Arthur be allowed to use people’s time and a State entity, to go after people (Bannister & Darcy Boyce) long-time friends and some to whom he has given lucrative government contracts, like the prison and a sweet-heart; multi-million deal to construct an oil storage facility and the Coast Guard facility? Shouldn’t Arthur be the one being investigated?
Barbadians have not made the error yet and made this man Prime Minister and already he is hunting people whom he believes, have crossed him. In this personal vendetta and one-man-lover’s-quarrel and under the guise of acting in the public’s interest – Arthur is expected to abuse his power as Chairman of the PAC and summon people like Darcy Boyce, Lawrence Bannister; the present Minister of Finance and others, to give evidence and seek to embarrass then.
Why should such a ‘kangaroo court’ be permitted? Is such a personal vendetta and witch-hunt, using the State apparatus, ethical? Why no inquiry into “hardwood,” or “JAWS?” Why no inquiry into the serious concerns expressed by Rawle Eastmond in 2010 about voter padding and why not a word from him about electoral fraud within the BLP? I feel that somebody should really file an injunction preventing this sort of ‘distraction tactic and political stunt” Owen Arthur is attempting to pull, as regards the Pierhead project announcement.
Because, as Political Leader of the BLP, who is turning blind-eye to corruption – Owen Arthur has no moral or ethical authority to call no probe into the Pierhead or anything else. Why is there no probe whether he used the office of Prime Minister to raise funds for his wedding or to pay for his divorce? We are talking about a man who made a deal to be Leader of the Opposition and Political leader of the BLP, yah know! He who is seeking equity should come with clean hands – CLEAN-UP THE BLP FIRST!
Owen Arthur does not realise that government contracts are not his to give, neither should they be given by him with the specific intention to buy permanent affection, worship and social-class acceptance. Why is he so angry that the country is moving forward and people are making it without him, as Bannister and Boyce are showing him? Arthur cannot deal with that! Secondly, using the PAC to investigate the Pierhead Project is an admission that Arthur already knows that he cannot win the next election for the BLP. He is therefore hunting people “NOW” when he is Opposition Leader and Chairman of the PAC.