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The Chase Files Daily Newscap 5/11/2018

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! Here is The Chase Files Daily News Cap for Friday, 11th May 2018. Remember that you can read full articles via subscribing to Nation News Online, purchasing a Weekend Nation Newspaper (WN), via Barbados Today (BT) or Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS).

BLP’S WAY FORWARD – The Barbados Labour Party intends to reprofile this country’s debt to free up substantial cash over the short term. That is how it intends to get the money to fix the South Coast and Bridgetown sewage plants, pay for students at the University of the West Indies, acquire buses for the Transport Board, solve garbage collection problems, launch a major road repair programme, and expand the Accident & Emergency Department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. This would also make up for the revenue loss from the abolition of the National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL). Reprofiling debt is essentially extending debt repayments to allow more time to repay loans, giving Government access to a large chunk of the near $500 million in interest presently paid annually, and allowing time to restore economic growth while getting its debt obligations under control. This is one of several points in the party’s mini manifesto, The People’s Manifesto: Building The Best Barbados Together, a synopsis of its 70-page manifesto – limited copies of which were also distributed last night at the BLP’s public meeting in Kingsland, Christ Church. The five top issues the party identifies – apart from debt reprofiling, cutting out wastage and stamping out corruption – are rebuilding Barbados’ foreign reserves to 15 weeks of import coverage. Barbadians will be allowed to hold their foreign currency earnings in local bank accounts, while legislation will also be passed to stop the Central Bank from “printing money”. The BLP will also reduce threats to the financial services sector by enacting laws by December 2018 to remove Barbados from the lists of jurisdictions facing sanctions from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Union. It will also extend to all Barbadians a foreign currency tax credit on foreign exchange earnings. Tax credit It plans to abolish the NSRL and road tax. The latter will be replaced by a more equitable tax on petroleum products, while VAT will go back to 15 per cent within 18 months and tax clearance certificates will be repealed. Those who paid the municipal solid waste tax imposed in 2014 will be given a tax credit over time. The Bees pledge to put money back into people’s pockets by providing a cost of living allowance to civil servants if negotiations on salaries and benefits are not completed with the trade unions within three months of being elected. Non-contributory pension will go from $155 to $225 per week and will maintain relativity to contributory pension. The minimum wage will be increased from $6.25 per hour to $8 per hour. Measures will be taken to reduce the number of foreclosures by working with banks to establish a Troubled Mortgage Relief Programme. The reverse tax credit of $1 300 for people earning less than $18 000 will be paid; funeral grants will go up by $500; and a programme to eliminate the 5 000 pit toilets in the island, by using small contractors and community-based businesses, will be implemented. The BLP also proposes to improve democratic processes by introducing referenda on major national issues such as fixed dates for elections, term limits for the Prime Minister, republican status for the country, and the legalising of marijuana. On the International Monetary Fund, the party said it “will do everything humanly and lawfully possible to save the Barbados dollar”. It reminded that the IMF was established to lend to member countries in challenging circumstances. (WN)

ELECTIONS-MANIFESTO-MOTTLEY NOT AFRAID TO GO TO IMF – Leader of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) Mia Mottley says she is not afraid to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if that is what is required to turn the ailing Barbados economy around. Unveiling her party’s manifesto at Kingsland, Christ Church last night ahead of the May 24 general elections, Mottley, who is confident of winning, said while such a decision could only be made after an assessment of the true state of the economy, she was prepared to make the tough call if she had to. “I said it before that we would do whatever is necessary, that is legal and moral, to rescue this country. Does that mean going to the IMF? It may, we don’t know. But when we get the results in the first few days [of taking office], we will be able to make the judgement,” said Mottley, who went on to promise to release the IMF’s Article IV report on Barbados, which the Freundel Stuart administration has kept from public view. The BLP leader pointed out that Barbados had gone to the IMF before, noting that each time it had done so, the economy rebounded. “The IMF was set up for purposes such as this and that is why you heard [former Prime Minister] Owen Arthur in Parliament months ago talking about it; that is why you heard of Tom Adams going in 1981 and Erskine Sandiford going to the Fund and each time, Barbados came out of it. The IMF is not the only way, but it allows us the confidence to deal with partners and capital markets,” Mottley explained. She argued that the only reason that Prime Minister Stuart had not gone to the IMF months ago was because he was afraid of how history would remember him. In her more than one-hour long address to a massive crowd of BLP supporters, Mottley said that if elected, whatever decision was taken by her Government, the average Barbadian would be kept in the loop every step of the way. “I have not come to lie to the people of Barbados, I have come to talk to you and with you . . . . All that we have seen is that Freundel Stuart would do anything to be able to say that, ‘I did not go to the IMF. I did not carry Barbados to the IMF,’” said Mottley. However, she contended that Stuart had “carried Barbados to the bottom”. “He [Stuart] has left us exposed to the elements and the only entity established in the world to deal with what he has given us, an ailment and disease, is the entity called the International Monetary Fund. “Do not be fooled. I cannot tell you, ‘yes [I will go the IMF]’ from this platform, but I tell you that I am not afraid of going there if that is what we must do,” Mottley stressed. It was the clearest position given by the BLP to date on the IMF, which remains a controversial topic for Barbadians who still remember the bitter medicine dished out to them in the early 1990s after the then Sandiford-led DLP administration went the way of the Washington-based lending agency at the height of national austerity. It was felt that the tough measures, including an eight per cent cut in civil servants’ salaries, eventually cost the DLP the Government. Barbados now finds itself in a similar position with its foreign reserves at a two decade low, the economy in deficit and the country’s national debt in excess of 100 per cent of gross domestic product. With the situation as it stands, several economists, including Arthur, have been urging Government to seek IMF assistance, but the Stuart administration, cognizant of the possible political fallout, has been refusing to budge. However, on the eve of elections, Mottley has made clear where she stands on the matter. (BT)

BARBADOS CAN NOT AFFORD ANOTHER 5 YEARS – A third term is a price too high to pay for Barbados.So says former Barbados Labour Party cabinet minister Liz Thompson, who believes the country cannot afford to put back in the ruling Democratic Labour Part for another five years because of the soaring co st of living.Thompson expressed the sentiment tonight in Kingsland during the BLP’s manifesto launch.“We know that we cannot afford the Democratic Labour Party. Barbados cannot afford it any longer,” said Thompson.“The people have to go in the supermarket and decide whether to buy the small tin or large tin of corned beef; whether to take up rice or put back rice; to buy a big bag or small bag; to but a half chicken or quarter chicken; whether wings or necks or backs.“The 60 percent of students enrolled at the University who had to drop out. Those are the people who cannot afford the Dems,” she added. (WN)

END TO ROAD TAX – Road tax as we know it may be a thing of the past. Economic consultant Dr Clyde Mascoll says the Barbados Labour Party plans to rid Barbadians of paying road tax in favour of a smaller levy in fuel as part of a proposed plan to restructure the economy. “We currently have something call ed a Road Tax. Well, that has to change. It has to change because the tax does not make sense,” Mascoll reasoned.“What we are going to do is abolish the road tax. However, we can’t be irresponsible so what we are going to do is shift the balance of the tax more towards the business community. Those people who use the road most should hold most.“It’s called equity and justice so therefore we’re going to transfer the road tax to a small tax in fuel and as a result, those businesses that use the heavy vehicles and that are on the road all day will pay proportionately,” he added. (WN)

STUART IS A ‘SERIAL LIAR’, CLAIMS WOOD – Prime Minister Freundel Stuart came in for a severe tongue lashing last night from the man who defeated him at the polls in St Philip South back in 1999, with former Barbados Labour Party (BLP) candidate Anthony Wood describing this country’s head of Government as “a serial liar”.Citing broken promises which were made by the Stuart administration that it would not impose tuition fees on Barbadian students at University of the West Indies and would not dismiss public workers, Wood sought to back up his accusation. Appearing on a BLP platform in Wellington Street, The City, in support of incumbent Jeffrey Bostic, Wood, an economist, also sought to take apart Stuart’s incumbent Democratic Labour Party (DLP) over its “Progress” campaign slogan for the May 24 election. “Can we honestly say over the last ten years the DLP has made progress, when we have seen all aspects of life come crashing down?” he asked, while charging that Barbados could not be any worse off than it is now. In a fiery speech, Wood, who had captured 2,705 votes to Stuart’s 1,459 back in 1999 before he was routed two elections later by the current Attorney General, Adriel Brathwaite, while Stuart also achieved electoral success in St Michael South, also predicted victory for the Mia Mottley-led BLP at the polls in two weeks time. “Nobody votes for a Government to make their lives worse off. You have seen a systematic attempt by this Government to wreck the lives of our people,” he charged, adding that the DLP’s “economic management has resulted in thousands of people being sent home, thousands of people being under employed, thousands going for three or four years without getting their income tax returns, 23 economic downgrades and all the negatives associated with that. “Their economic management has resulted in the transport system being in chaos, because the number of buses has declined from 200 to around 50 buses per day. Their economic management has resulted in this country becoming one of the nastiest countries in this hemisphere, but despite this, a few persons are living large,” the former Minister of Agriculture said. “We as a Government increased the intake at the Polytechnic and Skills Training and the Barbados Community College. The last Minister of Education under the BLP had the highest number of students enrolled at UWI, close to ten thousand people. There was a dedicated programme to get people on the block into mainstream life, and these criminals [the DLP] came and changed all of that. They created two Barbadoses, one for a select few and one for the majority,” he charged. Wood also hinted that the much talked about integrity legislation would come to pass under a BLP Government, stating that “the BLP has a duty to this nation to bring those criminals in the DLP to justice so taxpayers can see someone is on their side, and if necessary, we will reconfigure the Constitution so that if people know they are coming into politics with a corrupt nature, they will know to stay away from it or face the consequences”. (BT)

ELECTION-MANIFESTO-PSVS MUST GO GREEN TO GET DUTY FREE CONCESSIONS, SAYS BLP – The cries of privately owned public service vehicle (PSV) operators for duty-free concessions will be heard, but only if they invest in vehicles that run on clean alternative energy. This is one of the promises contained in the Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) manifesto, which was launched at Kingsland, Christ Church tonight. The revelation came from BLP candidate for St Philip South Indar Weir, who broke down one of the seven pillars of the manifesto entitled, Protecting and preserving the environment. Weir explained that PSV’s would be given incentives in order to fast-track plans for making Barbados 100 per cent green and carbon free by the year 2030. “We will give duty-free concessions to PSV operators to import vehicles powered by clean energy and alternative fuels,” said Weir, who also announced that all Government vehicles and street lights would be running on clean energy by 2025, should the BLP be elected to office come May 24. “We intend that by 2030 to transform Barbados to be the first 100 per cent green and carbon natural island . . . . Barbados must stand out as a beacon to referred to as a gem of the Caribbean,” Weir said to loud applause. He also told the massive crowd of BLP supporters that homeowners and commercial property owners would be given incentives to switch to green energy. However, the St Philip South candidate did not go into detail about the nature or cost of the environmental incentives that the BLP intends to roll out if given the reins of Government. The environmental pillar also speaks to bolstering food security by providing fisher folk with opportunities to own state-of-the-art equipment. There is also a pledge to provide fishermen with rent-to-own boat loans. Plans were also announced to create more berths for fishing vessels while single-use plastics and Styrofoam are to be banned if the BLP forms the next Government. (BT)

DESAL PLANTS COMING, SAYS ESTWICK – Dr David Estwick has said there will be desalination plants in the north and south of the island so that residents won't suffer the indignity of not having water. Estwick told Thursday night’s crowd at Bay Street, St Michael during the Democratic Labour Party candidates launch that he was delivering a report The Minister of Agriculture and Water Resource Management and the candidate for St Philip West started with the Barbados Water Authority, an agency at the centre of massive criticism over the South Coast sewage crisis and some time ago because of water outages. He said when he took up the portfolio there was nothing being done about the water scarcity in Barbados. Estwick said a desalination plant in St Lucy was constructed and the output at the desalination plant on Spring Garden was increased. (WN)

MIA VOWS TO EASE THOSE IN ZONE 1 AREAS – After years of waiting, people living in The Belle, Licorish Village and surrounding St Michael areas that sit on the Zone 1 water table, are being promised relief by the Barbados Labour Party (BLP). “I would not know how to lead this country and leave the people out there in the circumstance in which they find themselves,” party leader Mia Mottley told supporters gathered outside RTR’s Minimart in Back Ivy, St Michael, Tuesday night. “It is the greatest pain that I carry as a Barbadian because I feel we were coming close last time [in the 2013 elections] . . . but we have a commitment to make sure that these people can have running water; that they can get security of tenure; that they can be Bajans like anybody else in this country. “They need a sewerage system. They need a reverse osmosis [system] . . . . That is a technical and engineering thing, but what I am telling you for sure is that it cannot continue,” she added. Mottley said that between 1965 and 1966, a Democratic Labour Party Government led by Prime Minister Errol Barrow, set out zoning based on biological contamination alone, not taking into consideration future engineering solutions and other developments. She explained that back in 2006, then Minister of Health Jerome Walcott presented a paper to the Cabinet on the Rezoning Of Barbados which proposed Government going out to tender to get a study done. “For ten years this study has been available [and] it has been sitting down there and no decision has been taken . . . to move to the new recommendations instead of the Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. “If you move to the new recommendations, and if you look at new engineering solution, then the life of the people in The Belle and Licorish Village would be different. You could then go to the bank and you can go and get security of tenure at the credit union,” Mottley stressed. (WN)

BOSTIC HAS PLANS FOR MORE HOTELS IN THE CITY – If Barbados Labour Party (BLP) incumbent Jeffrey Bostic gets his way, Speedbird House on Independence Square, which formerly housed offices for British Airways, as well as several buildings along Carlisle Bay could soon be converted into hotels. Speaking against the backdrop of the stalled Hyatt Centric project on Bay Street, which is currently the subject of litigation brought by social activist David Comissiong against the $100 million multi-storey resort for environmental and nationalistic reasons, Bostic said it was also his plan “to get some people from Bridgetown into the Pom Marine Institute, so that by the time these projects come on stream, they will have a pool of workers who are au fait with the area”. Bostic, who is seeking re-election on May 24, addressed a BLP spot meeting in Wellington Street, The City last night during which he released his mini-manifesto for the area. “I also have a vision of transforming Baxters Road and Nelson Street into cultural centres by making them more attractive, thereby bringing more business into those communities from visitors, and I want to start by holding an Old Year’s Night party in one of those streets,” the retired lieutenant colonel said. While suggesting that Bridgetown has become more aesthetically pleasing in recent years, he was adamant that more needs to be done to create employment and other opportunities for city dwellers. “Government has not capitalized on the World Heritage Site designation enough. Bridgetown needs its own tour company, employing people who live in Bridgetown, that will be better equipped to act as tour guides than those who come from other parts of the country. “Instead of debating whether we should move Nelson’s statue, we should try to profit financially from it. We should market it by emphasizing the fact it is older than the statue in the UK, and sell miniature replicas of it,” he added. During his address, the City incumbent also lamented the fact there were no skills training centres in The City, but said he intended to help both the young and old in Bridgetown. “I launched a mentorship programme but so far I have not really had the resources to push it. Ideally it will focus on children between the ages of five and eight years, and I want to get the churches involved so that by the time these children reach their teens, they are properly grounded in terms of their conduct and mindset. I also want to create a centre where the elderly can come together and enjoy themselves in their retirement years.” The BLP spokesman, who is confident of victory at the polls, said residents would get access to natural gas once he is re-elected to office. He also promised to correct the fact that “very few homes are connected to the Bridgetown Sewage Treatment Plant, even those in its immediate vicinity in Chapman Lane, Emmerton and Lakes Folly”. (BT)

INNISS SLAMS BUSINESS SECTOR AS INGRATES – Minister of Commerce and Industry Donville Inniss has labelled the private sector here as “ungrateful”, complaining it was supporting the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) although the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration had done much for the development of the business community. Inniss told a DLP meeting last night on the Esplanade on Bay Street – at which the incumbent presented its candidates for the May 24 general election – the Freundel Stuart administration, through the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation, provided nearly $30 million in subsidies to the private sector in the last ten years. In addition, he said, Government had “retooled industries” and established new markets for the private sector, including exploring opportunities in Panama, Cuba and parts of the Caribbean. Yet, he said, the private sector refused to give the DLP administration any credit for what it had achieved, and was instead backing the BLP in the election campaign. “When I see some of them out there cursing this Government and I sit back quietly and look at the amount of taxpayers’ money that they have received in their businesses, I shudder. “When I realize the amount of them now going to Barbados Labour Party fundraising events at a $1,000 a head, I say ‘you are ungrateful because a lot of the money you are spending with them now is money that the taxpayers popped into your businesses,’” Inniss told supporters, going on to complain: “Ingratitude worse than Obeah.” The minister gave notice of the DLP’s intention to aggressively defend its gains, stressing that, “for us, all gloves are off”. “There is too much at stake in this country today and for the foreseeable future for us to sit back be calm,” he warned. He conceded that the international business sector has had its challenges, including a decision by the Canadian government to expand to other countries, the tax information exchange agreement it once had exclusively with Barbados. As a result, he said, the island has been losing $200 million in corporation taxes annually, as many of the businesses domiciled here fled to other jurisdictions which were offering lower tax rates. “If the Barbados Labour Party was in office the same thing would have happened,” Inniss contended. He said recovery will take years, but the sector was beginning to recover and was now generating “nearly $900 million for this economy”. “We’ve signed more treaties and double-taxation agreements in a time when they say things are challenging than they did in the Barbados Labour Party,” Inniss said in defence of the administration. He also said the massive loss of revenue had affected Government’s ability to support tertiary education and aspects of health care. “We’ve had to make some adjustments, we’ve had to reset our priorities, and when I hear them talking about the fees at university etcetera that we’ve instituted they must also appreciate that is part of the adjustments and resetting of priorities that we had to do as a nation,” the minister stressed. (BT)

MAKE IT SIX FOR BARROW – Ahead of the May 24 general election, St Lucy incumbent Denis Kellman has released something of a constituency manifesto in which he is promising that if he is re-elected for a sixth straight term, he will fix more roads, repair more houses and refurbish and open for viewing the birthplaceof late Prime Minister and National Hero Errol Walton Barrow. In a statement issued in response to concerns raised by residents who spoke candidly to Barbados TODAY yesterday about the need for change in the rural riding, Kellman, through his Constituency Office, sought to explain that the past five years have been difficult; therefore since his appointment as Minister of Housing, Lands and Rural Development in 2013, he was only able to respond in a limited way to problems of flooding, roads and housing in St Lucy. “Unfortunately, remedying some of these issues has been difficult in the face of scarce financial resources. Nonetheless, a number of houses have been repaired to the satisfaction of individual homeowners; wells have also been sunk to alleviate flooding; [and] a number of road repairs have also been completed or are ongoing. “These include the road connecting Alexandria and Josey Hill, Peterses, Little Bay, Rockfield, Maycocks and Gilkes,” the statement said, adding that “many roads have also been upgraded”. Kellman, whose grip on the traditional Democratic Labour Party (DLP) stronghold appears to be slipping, also promised residents that he had either acquired, or was about to acquire, new housing lots at Colleton, Cluffs, Coconut Hall, Cottage and Lowlands. The DLP has had a firm grip on St Lucy since it became a single-member constituency in 1971, losing it just once – in 1981 when Roy Brathwaite of the Barbados Labour Party was victorious – before quickly regaining the seat in 1986 after just one term. In fact, the DLP had dominated the seat even during the days of double-member constituencies, sweeping St Lucy in three straight elections beginning in 1956. Its dominance has continued with Kellman, who has won five straight terms and is in search of a sixth. However, residents say what once seemed impossible could very well become a reality in two weeks time, as there are signs that the Barbados Labour Party’s Peter Phillips is breathing down Kellman’s neck. Be that as it may, Kellman is promising to push community tourism in a big way by embarking on the much needed upgrade of Barrow’s birthplace, which has been overrun with bush and has been allowed to remain a sight for sore eyes despite the unbroken rein over thepast decade of the party that Barrow founded. Kellman is also promising to implement planned projects at Hope, Harrison’s Point, Cove Bay, Archers Bay, Little Bay, Stroude Bay, Lambert Hill and Checker Hall. “Action in this area will combine with the work already under way to enhance the linkages being built between international transport and community tourism at the parish level. Needless to say, such projects will create significant job opportunities, particularly for young persons,” the statement said, while also highlighting agriculture and renewable energy as areas for priority attention. It explained that following the recent launch of the Rural Development Commission’s Eat What You Grow campaign, there were plans for the establishment of a new agicultural college at Hope “to provide additional opportunities for young persons, in particular, to gain valuable practical knowledge to further positively impact our local agriculture nexus”. Kellman also said St Lucy, which already has a solar park at Trents, can look forward to the start of the wind project at Lamberts later this year. (BT)

STILL NOT JONESING – It is questionable if the incumbent Christ Church East Central representative, Ronald Jones, will continue his winning ways this election, as constituents worry about the state of the island’s economy. Jones, the current Minister of Education, Science and Technology, has maintained a firm grip on the Christ Church East Central constituency for the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) for over a decade. His winning streak started in 2003 when he contested for the seat against current Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association Rudy Grant. The former Barbados Union of Teachers president romped home with 2, 524 votes ahead of Grant’s 2, 444 votes. The DLP’s reign was cemented in 2008 and 2013, when Jones trounced Barbados Labour Party (BLP) hopefuls Dalton Lovell and Desmond Sands respectively. In the 2013 election, Jones won by 945 votes, having amassed 3, 209 votes to Sands’ 2,264. However, this general election might upset Jones’ dominance as residents today expressed concerns about the Freundel Stuart administration’s handling of Government finances. Jeffrey Cheltenham of Wotton Christ Church, applauded Jones’ performance as Minister of Education but said he had seen little representation from the former educator. In fact, since elections were announced April 26, Cheltenham said he was yet to interact with any of the Christ Church East Central contenders. Ryan Straughn from the BLP, Ogeji Dottin of the United Progressive Party (UPP) and Scott Weatherhead of Solutions Barbados are challenging Jones for the seat. “I have seen none of them, not one,” said the outspoken farmer, who is yet to decide where he will place his X. “I am just waiting to hear who is going to bring the best policy to lift us out from where we are and if they can give me enough to convince me that this is going to work to make Barbados better I am going to go with them,” the 65-year-old said. Cheltenham argued that political candidates should not wait until the last minute to introduce themselves to the electorate, saying “don’t come two to three days before an election and expect to get a vote and after that you don’t see them, you don’t hear them. That is disappointing”. A frustrated constituent, who requested anonymity, told Barbados TODAY though it might be time for a change, he was unsure which party would be best for the country. The Ashby Land Christ Church resident revealed that he had been a DLP supporter for more than 40 years but said he was dissatisfied with the level of representation he was getting. “I feel they should give a new person a chance,” said the resident, adding, “I ain’t know if to vote for Jones or if to vote for the other man. All of them going to come and tell you the same story and when they get in, they don’t support you”. However, Lodge Road resident Jannis Taylor was leaving the election result in the hands of God. The BLP supporter added that although her neighbourhood was occupied by the Dees, she expected the tables to turn come May 24, with a number of the young people in the constituency seeking change. “I would advise anybody to come out and vote. If wunna want something good come out and vote,” she said. Jannis’ grandson, Tashawn, is one of the youngsters who will be casting their vote for the first time. With confidence, the 19-year-old footballer said that Straughn would be getting his vote. “I like Ryan Straughn better. He helped with the Lodge Road football team when nobody wasn’t helping us, so I would rather give him my vote than Ronald Jones,” Tashawn said. The findings are in keeping with Barbados TODAY’s Pulse of the People informal survey in April 2017 which suggested that Jones had quite some work to do if he were to retain the support of many of the voters. Of the DLP supporters who said they were withdrawing their support for the incumbent representative, none had promised at the time to switch allegiance to the BLP, which last won the seat in 1999, when Duncan Carter defeated Wendell Callender of the DLP by 3,227 votes to 2,149. In fact, DLP supporters seemed quite content to stay home for the election and with elections now a mere two weeks away many are still of this view. (BT)

I’M NO YARD FOWL – A secondary school teacher who caused controversy by defying public service orders and appearing on the platform of the incumbent Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has been silenced after all. Educator Simon Alleyne told Barbados TODAY this evening he had withdrawn from the line up scheduled to address a DLP meeting at Checker Hall, St Lucy tonight after finding himself in hot water with the Ministry of Education. The ministry rebuked Alleyne after he appeared as a guest speaker at the DLP’s campaign launch at Waterford, St Michael on Sunday night. In a brief hand-delivered letter to Alleyne, a copy of which was obtained by Barbados TODAY, Chief Education Officer Karen Best wrote: “The Ministry of Education, Science Technology and Innovation has been made aware of your presence on a political platform on May 6, 2018,” and referred him to a circular sent three days earlier by Acting Head of the Civil Service Dr Louis St. E. Woodroffe to permanent secretaries asking them to remind employees that under Section 3.18.1 of the General Orders for the public service they were expressly forbidden from canvassing on behalf of any party or candidate. “Additionally, officers and employees shall not act as agents or sub-agents for any candidate for elections or speak at political meetings,” the memo said. Alleyne told Barbados TODAY he was aware of the order barring him from appearing on political platforms before he spoke at Sunday’s DLP campaign launch, but he felt it was necessary to defy it in support of his party. “I believed for this election it was necessary for me to stand in support of the Democratic Labour Party. I believe that at this point where there is so much criticism about the Government I wanted to lend my voice to say that I have seen what the Government has done in certain constituencies,” the defiant teacher said. “I wanted to make it clear that I am an active member of the Democratic Labour Party. This is not an issue about being a yard fowl because I have served as a general and executive member. I had to express my support for the current administration,” he added. Alleyne, a former president of the DLP’s youth arm, The Young Democrats, said he was fully prepared to accept the consequences of his actions. In any event, he said, the time had come for Barbadians to have a serious debate on extending the role of public workers in the political process beyond simply showing up to cast a ballot on Election Day. “I am aware that I have contravened the General Orders and I accept that. However, I do believe it is time for a debate or public discussion going forward about the role of civil servants in the political process. “At the end of the day politicians are servants of the people and I do believe that civil servants have a right to participate in the process and it goes beyond just voting. There are persons who are teachers, general workers, all over the civil service and they can make a contribution to the political process in Barbados,” he stressed. “At this point I don’t feel threatened. I may feel that way after the general elections but right now, no. It is in my right as a Barbadian to have freedom of expression and to show my support for a political party. My speech on Sunday was about the issues, I didn’t attack anyone. I have just expressed my support for the Democratic Labour Party,” Alleyne insisted. (BT)

PUBLIC OFFICERS REMINDED AGAINST SPEAKING ON POLITICAL PLATFORMS – Two secondary school teachers, one of whom spoke on a Democratic Labour Party platform on Sunday, were this week given a serious reminder about public officers canvassing and speaking on political platform. Simon Alleyne, a former president of the Young Democrats, received a letter from Chief Education Officer Karen Best dated May 9, which he posted on his Facebook page and garnered several comments. In it, Best noted that the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation had been made “aware of your presence on a political platform on May 6, 2018” and drew his attention to an attached circular titled General Election 2018 from the Acting Head of the Civil Service Dr Louis St E. Woodroffe and dated May 3. It reads in part: “Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments are reminded that under Section 3.18.1 of the General Orders for the Public Service of Barbados, officers and employees are expressly forbidden to canvass on behalf of any party or candidate for election to the House of Assembly. Additionally, officers and employees shall not act as agents or sub-agents for any candidate for elections or speak at political meetings.” Another teacher involved in the election campaign also received the reminder although not in writing, but declined to comment. Alleyne said that he would comply with the regulations. “I’m glad I took a stand and I was on the platform but the reality of it is that I am guided by the General Orders, so therefore I will comply with the rules stated in the General Orders. I was aware of the Orders, but at that point I believe it was necessary for me to throw support for my party the Democratic Labour Party,” he said. He said that the General Orders speak to public officers being intimately involved in political campaigning such as speaking on platforms and canvassing and admitted that he would be involved in the campaign but “mindful of the rules”. “I do believe that this is a very important time to represent your political party and going beyond the political parties, for the future of Barbados, that’s how I see it. I do believe that the cause of the Democratic Labour Party is one that needs representation. “I have served on the general council and the executive council of the party, and I am part of the youth arm, and my participation points towards the future and the direction that you would want the party to go with young men and women who want to serve Barbados,” Alleyne added. As requested, Best sent the circular to all nursery, primary and secondary school principals as did heads of other Government departments. General secretary of the Barbados Union of Teachers, Herbert Gittens, said that although the union had not issued a statement or said anything to its members about participating in the General Election, they were aware of the General Orders. The principal of Wesley Hall Junior said that he read the circular from Best to his staff, and other principals said they shared it as well. (WN)

EBC LYING TO THE PUBLIC, NICHOLLS CLAIMS – Attorney-at-law Gregory Nicholls is warning the Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) that there will be hell to pay if it persists in “blatantly ignoring” the Court of Appeal ruling on the eligibility of qualified Commonwealth citizens to vote in the May 24 general election. After the EBC insisted yesterday that it would not budge on the issue, Nicholls fired back today, stating that the electoral management body was flirting with danger and would “suffer the consequences of their actions”. The guardian of the island’s electoral process said yesterday through its attorney Bryan Barrow that it would hold firm to its position that Commonwealth citizens residing here are not eligible to vote unless they have permanent residence or immigrant status. This was in response to a ruling this week by Justices of Appeal Kaye Goodridge, Andrew Burgess and Margaret Reifer that the EBC is prohibited from relying on its longstanding policy as the criteria for determining electors’ eligibility, and must instead only rely on Sections 7 and 11 of the Representation of the People Act to determine eligibility. An upset Nicholls told Barbados TODAY this morning not only was the commission looking for trouble, it was also being “disingenuous” and was lying to the public about the court’s ruling. “They are being disingenuous and they are telling lies. The ruling of the court is clear and their attorney is misleading the public. I am not arguing with them any further because the court specifically said that the [EBC] is prohibited from using that policy. So I have nothing more to say to them because they will suffer the consequences of their actions,” Nicholls said. The Commission has been embroiled in a legal battle over its stated policy to deny voting rights to Commonwealth citizens who reside here, but are not permanent residents or citizens of Barbados. St Lucian Professor Eddy Ventose, along with Jamaican Michelle Russell, Grenadian Shireen Ann Mathlin-Tulloch and Montserratian Sharon Edgcome-Miller, all of whom have been living here for over a decade, sued the EBC for excluding them from the voters’ list. Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson ruled in February that Commonwealth citizens who meet the requirements under the Representation of the People Act have a right to vote in Barbados. The Chief Justice also said at the time that any decision to exclude them would be in violation of the Act, which does not make it mandatory for the applicants to be permanent residents, immigrants or citizens of Barbados in order to vote. “Only the Parliament of Barbados has the power to insert those conditions,” the Chief Justice had said, going on to explain that the only requirements needed for Commonwealth citizens to vote here was for them to be resident in Barbados for three years and living in the constituency in which they are desirous of voting for three months. The Chief Justice ordered that Ventose, who had filed a separate suit from the other three Commonwealth citizens, “should be registered with dispatch” as he had met all the requirements. The EBC appealed the decision and the Supreme Court issued a ruling this week which Barrow said had quashed all of Sir Marston’s orders, while Nicholls, one of the lawyers who represented the four Commonwealth citizens, interpreted the Supreme Court’s ruling differently. Barrow yesterday argued that Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nationals who reside and work here on the CARICOM skills certificate did not qualify to vote in the election. “The Court of Appeal found that no decision had been made and therefore there could have been no refusal to register any person. So to say that we unlawfully register people is incorrect. That did not happen,” he insisted. “The Court of Appeal went on to say that our policy of only accepting documents in relation to permanent residents and immigration status was ultra vires [beyond the Commission’s legal power or authority], they never used the word unlawful, and they asked us to make a determination with respect to Professor Ventose, whether or not he should go on the register and that decision was communicated to Mr Ventose within the requisite time period,” the lawyer said, without revealing what was said to Ventose. However, this morning Nicholls revealed that the St Lucian professor was told that he did not meet the qualification requirements to register as a voter. He also said the other individuals in the class action suit were not included on the preliminary voters’ list but have since submitted objection forms.The lawyer said while there was little that could be done to hold the EBC’s feet to the fire before the election, which is under two weeks away, the electoral management body could very well end up having to fork out large sums of money to disenfranchised voters. “The fact of the matter is that time was always against us so the Electoral and Boundaries Commission can afford to play fast and loose with the processing of these applications. I am not sure how effective the fight is going to be before election. At the most you can object and if they don’t approve the objection then you would have to go court where you could get monetary compensation. By that time the election would have already been passed,” Nicholls explained while expressing no interest in seeking to hold up the election while this matter plays out. (BT)

REBEL TOURS ‘ACHIEVED LITTLE’ – The West Indian Rebel Tours of South Africa in 1983 and 1984 made little to no impact towards the development of black cricket in South Africa. That is the conclusion drawn by Professor Alan Cobley, pro vice-chancellor for undergraduate studies of the University of the West Indies, as he delivered the seventh of the lecture series, Fire In Babylon: Cricket as Popular Culture in Barbados. Professor Cobley who spoke extensively on the history of cricket among blacks in South Africa and the relationships between West Indians and the white cricket establishment during the era of apartheid, addressed an audience of modest size on Tuesday evening at the Queen’s Park Steel Shed in a lecture entitled Cricket And The Apartheid Era. In answer to his own question – What, if anything, did the rebel tours achieve? – Cobley, a graduate of the University of Manchester, the University of York, and the School for Oriental and African Studies, London, was of the opinion that “the most damning thing I could say about the rebel tours was that they were irrelevant in the history of the development of black cricket in South Africa”. Cobley, who joined the UWI, Cave Hill Campus in 1986, said those who made those controversial tours to then racially divided South Africa, made little of a difference. “I have listened to, read of the various encounters, and listened to the stories of some of the rebels concerning their positive experiences while in South Africa. I have no doubt that those who have spoken about this believe they made a positive difference. “Who would not want to believe that they had made a positive difference after all that they had been through? But my frank assessment is that they did not make a positive difference.” He recounted having visited South Africa around the time of the 1983 tour. “As a young graduate student, I happened to be in South Africa a few months after the first tour. The young black students and activists I met who were fighting the system of apartheid had nothing but contempt for the rebel tours. They were viewed as a PR stunt; a fig leaf to disguise the continuing deep-seated racism inherent in the South African cricket establishment. An excuse not to promote genuine non-racial cricket,” he said. To him, white South Africans were similarly unimpressed by the tours. “As for the white community so far as I could tell, the West Indian tour was viewed as little more than an entertaining interlude which was quickly forgotten”. The series continues on Tuesday when historian Morris Greenidge will lecture on the evaluation and impact of the Sir Garfield Sobers Cricket Tournament. The lecture series is hosted by the Barbados Museum & Historical Society, The University of the West Indies’ Department of History & Philosophy and the National Cultural Foundation. (WN)

TIA CUSTOMERS TO GET REFUNDS – Customers who bought tickets to fly on Trans Island Air (TIA 2000) within the next two months need not fear, even though the airline will be grounded. TIA 2000 general manager Simon Angoy is promising that no customers who had bought tickets with the airline would be disadvantaged. “All of our creditors will be fully paid, and any customers who purchased tickets that are unused will be fully refunded,” he said. Angoy revealed that TIA had stopped flying on April 18, and would review the situation again when the 60-day, self-imposed suspension was concluded. He also denied emphatically that the company was facing financial challenges. TIA, which started its operations on May 29, 2017, had a staff of 31, but according to management, 20 of those employees would be affected in addition to sub-contractors, who are hired by the airline. The airline’s fleet consisted of two 14-seat Beech 99 turbo prop aircraft and a 19-seat twin turbo prop Twin Otter. A seven-seat King Air plane was due to come on line later this year. (WN)

DOC WANTS NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE FOR THE ELDERLY – A renowned Barbadian physician is recommending the establishment of a national health service (NHS), similar to the one in the United Kingdom, to assist the rapidly aging population who require health care.

Sir Errol Walrond, a founding member of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP), and Professor Emeritus of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies, said the rising cost of health care, coupled with the difficulty in maintaining a health insurance scheme, made it necessary for Government to establish an NHS to help the elderly. “I believe that one thing a government can do well or cheaply is to organize a kind of national health service through our existing general practitioners for people over 65 years old who are either dependent on fixed salaries or have no income at all,” Sir Errol told BAMP’s inaugural annual lecture. He said recommendations for the establishment of such a health service dated back to the 1980s when then Prime Minister Tom Adams established a steering committee to explore the possibilities. However, he said, after a series of meetings and the presentation of papers, including one from BAMP, Government decided against it. The physician said one of the hurdles at the time was insufficient general practitioners (GP) to effectively service the scheme. “They were going to ask for one GP to look after over 5,000 patients, which was much higher than the British standard of 3,000. We proposed that we could start it as a pilot and try to build up the number of local GPs, which I believe we have done over the years. “I think the over-65 service is still an option we can consider, as this sector is the most vulnerable and generates the most headlines about the QEH, such as elderly people being left at the hospital because there is no one to look after them. With such a service in place you can avoid these situations,” the eminent physician said. The UK’s health scheme, which was launched in 1948, provides free health care at the point of use for all UK residents, with the exception of some charges such as prescriptions, optical services and dental services. It’s overall budget in 2015/16 was £116.4 billion (Bds$315.3 billion), £101.3 billion (Bds$274.4 billion) of which was managed by NHS England. (BT)

HOUSEHOLDERS URGED TO REMAIN VIGILANT AS RAINY SEASON APPROACHES – The Environmental Health Department of the Ministry of Health is reminding householders and property owners around the island of the steps they need to take to ensure that the Aedes aegypti mosquito population is contained as the rainy season approaches. With the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season scheduled to begin on June 1, the department is particularly focused on spreading the message this week, which is being observed as Mosquito Awareness Week. Senior Environmental Health Officer at the Vector Control Unit, Dale Holligan, urged residents to pay particular attention to the advice outlined in the Unit’s checklist. Noting that the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which caused dengue fever, lived in and around homes and places where people congregated, she encouraged householders to check their premises on a weekly basis for any collection of water, indoors or outdoors, that may encourage the breeding of mosquitos. Water containers, especially plastic buckets, should be emptied or covered and persons should make sure that debris such as discarded containers, plastic bags and coconut shells were properly disposed of. Special attention should also be paid to tyres, which are on the premises to make sure that they are dry and in a covered area. Receptacles used by domestic animals should be emptied and cleaned daily. Householders should also remember to empty plant saucers and change water in vases at least once per week. Roof gutters and drains should be cleaned and wells, septic tanks, soakaways and water storage tanks should be sealed or securely covered. It is also advised that screens be placed over the inlet and outlet pipes to water tanks. The Environmental Health Department has suggested to householders and property owners that they can spread a film of kerosene oil on pools of water to prevent mosquito breeding, as well as introduce larvae-eating fish to large bodies of water. Mosquito dunks may also be purchased from hardware stores and placed in large bodies of clear water to prevent breeding. (BGIS)

SENIOR COP VOWS TO END ‘CHAOS’ AT VAN STAND – The Royal Barbados Police Force has described the conduct of some vendors and public service vehicle (PSV) operators in the Constitution River Bus Terminal as chaotic, and is warning that it intends to restore order to that facility, particularly with the planned opening soon of a new terminal. However, during a surprise tour of the compound for a first-hand assessment, Divisional Commander for Bridgetown Senior Superintendent Eucklyn Thompson gave the assurance that the Force would not deploy any heavy-handed approaches in its quest to maintain law and order there. Accompanied by Acting Assistant Superintendent in charge of Operations Peter Gibson, Deputy Divisional Commander for Bridgetown Margaret Stephen, Acting Inspector in Charge of Central Police Station Wendell Thomas and Public Relations Officer Acting Inspector Rodney Inniss, Thompson told reporters their visit was motivated by recent incidents at the facility, including a murder and an altercation between officers and two PSV workers. A fight at the van stand last week between two police officers and PSV employees Travis Tremaine Brathwaite, 30, of Sealy Hall, St Philip and James Anthony Andrews, 34, of Apple Hall Terrace in the same parish, landed Andrews and Brathwaite before Magistrate Graveney Bannister in the District ‘A’ Traffic Court where they pleaded not guilty to a number of charges, including assaulting a police officer. Both were remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds in St Philip until June 1. “We are hoping that when this complex is open and in full flow that there will be a better flow of police activity in terms of . . . crowd control [and] general behaviour of the people. We are hoping we can get that resolved, because really it’s a no no for anybody to think that in our country that you can assault officers and it is alright. It is not alright,” Thompson cautioned. The altercation between the PSV workers and the officers was caught on video and went viral on social media. It showed one man in a vicious fight with the male officer, while other PSV employees intervened to put an end to the fight. Thompson advised those who had problems with police officers to refer their cases to the Police Complaints Authority instead of getting into altercations with the law. He said lawmen wanted a first-hand feel for what was going on “in this very volatile environment”, and what they found during today’s visit suggested “we have to have a greater grip on events that are occurring in this area”. The senior policeman spoke of illegal vending and the illegal construction of a number of poorly managed vending structures that inhibit the flow of traffic. “We cannot afford to let it continue like this. We have to approach it in a very structured way so that the chaos can stop. At this time, we are prepared not to come down for people to believe that we come to embark on any heavy-handed approach. But we want people to recognize that illegal vending, just like any illegal activity, just cannot go on in our presence and we do nothing about it,” Thompson stressed. He said PSV drivers and conductors appeared not to be getting the message that “what they are doing is wrong” and they needed to be orderly. However, the senior officer said he was hopeful that the new terminal, scheduled to open on Tuesday, would help engender a fresh attitude and improved behaviour. “There is a general feeling that when the building is fully operational that it will bring order to bear on this facility . . . this environment. And in that regard, it would be even better for us. In fact, we are going to have additional enforcement against recklessness and lawlessness. We are going to have additional people, and it would make it even easier for the police officers who would be functioning out here,” Thompson said. (BT)

DON’T GO BACK THERE – For failing to obey a not to trespass on a woman’s property when she was not there, Rafael Elson will have to keep away for the next six months. That was the sentence imposed by Magistrate Douglas Frederick in the District ‘A’ Magistrates Court today after Elson pleaded guilty to entering the premises of Laurencia Smith-Brathwaite on May 9, 2018, despite being forbidden to do so. If the 25-year-old of Laundry Road, Country Road, St Michael disobeys that order he will have to spend six months at HMP Dodds. “Why did you go there after the owner told you not to go on her property when she wasn’t there?” Frederick asked the accused. “I went to pick some breadfruits,” was Elson’s reply. The court heard from prosecutor Sergeant Edwin Pinder that Elson was accustomed to cutting Smith-Brathwaite’s lawn and was allowed to pick breadfruits when she was home. However, she had warned him several times not to enter her premises when she was not home. On the day in question he went to her residence and her daughter, who was home at the time, told her of his intrusion. She reported the matter to police and Elson was subsequently picked up after he was seen in the area. His conviction record showed that he had prior charges for stealing and breaking into people’s residences. “I don’t want to send you back to prison for this,” the magistrate told him. “So I am going to give you a chance and put you on a bond and you are not to go back around the woman’s place. To show you how serious about this I am, if you breach this bond you will spend six months in prison.” (BT)

BAIL FOR DUO ACCUSED OF ROBBING TOURIST – Two men accused of robbing a tourist were granted bail when they appeared in court today. Marcus Dwayne Chapman, a 34 year-old general worker, of #8, Watermill Place, Bayville, St Michael, and 22-year-old Kerrie Shaquille Thompson, of Block I4, Field Place, Bayland, St Michael, were each granted $2,000 bail by Magistrate Douglas Frederick. When the duo appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court, they pleaded not guilty to stealing US$100 belonging to Syreeta Ruiz on May 9, 2018. There was no objection to bail and the magistrate ordered the two men to return to court on October 4. Both men are being represented by Mohia Ma’at. (BT)

MAJOR MILESTONE - Barbados’ football is set to get some global goals at monthend when world governing body FIFA officially opens its regional development headquarters on May 29 in Welches, Christ Church. This development, according to president of the Barbados Football Association, Randy Harris, who also heads the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), is a major milestone for the Caribbean. “This is significant for the region. What this does for the Caribbean is to give us a voice at FIFA,” Harris told Weekend Sport yesterday at the Savannah Hotel after attending the signing of an agreement between SportsMax and the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation to televise the World Cup football finals from Russia. The FIFA office will be run by its regional development manager Marlon Glean, a Grenada-born attorney-at-law, and will be well staffed with a full complement of development officers. “It gives the current staff an opportunity to learn more about the Caribbean and vagaries and things that are affecting our football in terms of lack of training, not only in the technical area but also for administration,” Harris said. “We have had some serious problems over the last six years or so, and we are looking to rebuild the integrity of this region,” he added. Barbados’ tourism product should benefit significantly from having the FIFA office stationed in the country as most of the quarterly meetings of the 21-member football associations in the Caribbean are expected to be held here. Harris, who took over as CFU president last year, revealed that body had devised a strategic plan for the next four years. “We have an administrator for the plan and what we want to do is to really unite the Caribbean in football, to help each other in terms of looking at international competitions where three or four countries can host one team and share costs,” Harris explained. The long-serving football administrator, who is also a FIFA match commissioner, said financial management will be critical. “We are looking at lifting the standard of our administration in terms of marketing, promotion of the game in the Caribbean and also the way that we handle our finances. “We are getting significant funds through the FIFA Forward programme and also from CONCACAF and we also have to be able manage those funds carefully so that there will be no doubts where the benefits for the game will be in the Caribbean,” he stressed. In addition to yearly grants, every football association in the world can receive up to US$1.25 million per year or US$5 million over a four-year cycle. “We really look forward to some serious assistance from FIFA,” noted Harris. Harris further said that as CFU president, his interest was in ensuring the standard of football and the participation of the people of the region in the game are improved. “I know that not only the region, but of course Barbados, would be part of that membership and they would benefit from anything that we do to help improve on the standard of the game in the region,” he said. (WN)

TWO IRON WARRIORS SET FOR COLLISION COURSE – The two most exciting young guns in bodybuilding, Ramon Broomes and Shaquile Lavine, will go toe-to-toe on Saturday night for Mr Bridgetown, the oldest running muscle contest in the country. Lavine has been the poster boy for the sport over the last few seasons. He has won every junior contest including Mr Schoolboy and Mr Teenager, captured Mr Bridgetown at the tender age of 19 and clinched the coveted Mr Barbados crown last year. Known for his razor-sharp condition, Lavine will start as favourite for this weekend’s season opening contest at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Conference Centre. However, it would be unwise to count out Broomes, who seems to be returning to his best form. A product of Foundation and The Lodge schools, Broomes has not fulfilled his undeniable promise and has struggled to get his act together since winning an enthralling showdown with Hoskins Worrell to take the 2012 Mr Barbados title. Last year, he won Mr Bridgetown and just a few weeks ago, head coach Roger Boyce spoke glowingly of him when he took fourth in a high-class field at the Arnold Brazil in Sao Paulo. Those who have seen him up close have indicated he is in shape and should repeat as champion. Broomes himself is upbeat and said he is the man to watch. “I am ready and sharp. I have come a long way. I am totally focused. I don’t want to be doing this and not getting anything out of it. I am different these days, no distractions, no issues,” he said. The mild-mannered 27-year-old personal trainer says if he is in good form Saturday night, he will be a hard man to beat. “Last year I did not have any major comparisons and I would like it to be so again. If I am in shape, I will be a hard man to beat. “Shaquile is a fantastic competitor. He will go far in the sport but I am not worried about him. It is me vs me. This is about respect and showing the fans that Ramon Broomes is not a joke. I am in better shape than I was in Brazil,” he added. Lavine, 22, is ready for the mouth-watering showdown. “My prep has been going good. I am always looking forward to any clash; I like a challenge. “I am not backing down. Ramon and I will have it ding-dong. I am ready,” he said. Lavine has been hard at work over the past few months at Flawless Concepts in Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, training five days a week. Broomes and Lavine will headline a Mr Bridgetown field that includes Kirk Alleyne, David Small and the persistent Roger Streete. Fans are hoping for some fireworks in Mr Teenager. Last year’s Mr Schoolboy winner, Remar Butcher, will be one to watch. The Mr Teenager will comprise of Kyro Gibling, Nika Herbert, R’Son Knight, Treshawn Brathwaite-Russell, Chad Payne, Asa Inniss, Darrian Thompson, Daman Elcock and Trayjean Harvey. For the first time, there will be a Mr and Miss Sexy Bridgetown, which, according to Barbados Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation president Dr Alfred Sparman, should be a pleasing addition to the programme. Former Miss Barbados Raquel Wilkinson and media personalities Admiral Nelson and Cassandra Crawford, are among the celebrity judges for the Mr and Miss Sexy Bridgetown. (WN)

A BELLY FULL OF LAUGHS – If laughter is indeed the best medicine, last Sunday at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium was a place of healing. Twisted Entertainment delivered the much anticipated ‘LaughBarbados’ to a densely packed crowd, who by all indications, enjoyed the fantastic treat that was on display. Rachel Price, Quite Perry, Chow Pow, Trevor Dynamite Eastmond, Christopher Johnny Dailey and internet sensation, Majah Hype out of New York, finished off the experienced cast who all had their own hilarious takes on Caribbean people’s habits and issues. No punches were pulled at the gymnasium – the jokes were raw and deep, but at the same time made the audience laugh even harder when they realised how relatable the content was to them. Rachel Price, as always, showed us why she was arguably the queen of Caribbean comedy. Were her jokes raunchy? Yes, of course; anyone who knows Ms Price knows she gets straight to the point; there is no area she can’t, and won’t touch. Politics? Her phrase “I cannot vote in Barbados, and I will not vote in Trinidad,” was a sentiment she repeated during the latter half of her act to great effect. She also had commentary on those who were looking for relationship advice, to which she recommended the use of Aloe leaves for a certain ‘soothing’ effect. Trevor Eastmond has been accused recently of losing his tough on the comedy scene, and on Sunday one could see why some may have that impression of the now experienced performer. The crowd took a noticeable time to warm up to the veteran, but when they finally did, they were glad to see him still moulding his craft. Quite Perry is a rising star in comedy in Jamaica and his onstage persona and joke delivery were great to see on show. He was very much a crowd favourite on the night, with numerous fans seeking to get their photos taken with him after his act. Mac Fingall, as always, was a dependable MC who kept the crowd going between the acts. One must never forget the name he built for himself in comedy across the Caribbean, and as an MC he was free to poke fun at the crowd, with often quick retorts to some of the brave audience members who got a little too excited. Majah Hype closed off the night with a more than impressive performance for the first time here on the island. Showing off how familiar he was with Caribbean antics and social norms, he stimulated the crowd into a frenzy. Majah Hype is known for his many personas; from Timothy, to Ras, his gallery of characters is varied and much loved. However, no one is as recognisable or requested as Mitzy. And yes, as she would say “that’s Mitzy wid a Z”. Mitzy is a rude and confrontational Jamaican woman who always has advice for the ladies. She freely speaks about whatever is on her mind and is always ready for violence. Laugh Barbados was a well-produced show, which mixed new comers with experienced veterans. We should all be looking forward to what Laugh Barbados 2 will bring to the table. (BT)

LUX ENTERTAINMENT MAKES IT ‘LETHAL’ FOR CROP OVER – From Canada to Barbados, LUX Entertainment has officially landed on the Crop Over 2018 scene with a big bang. During its vibrant display on the grounds of the Barbados Museum last Saturday night, the premium carnival experience band showcased their offering for the season this year entitled ‘Lethal’. Vibes and action were part of the night’s proceedings as the promotions group unveiled its four sections – Arc, Stratos, Kunai and Sun Tzu. The event was not as well attended as previous launches we have been to this year. However, one could argue the presence of a political meeting during the same time at a different location, contributed to the average sized crowd. So, how were the costumes? Well, for starters, the backline costumes were totally interchangeable in my eyes. The only real differences among them were the colour choices; the real action for me belonged in the frontline costumes. Stratos’ frontline costume is for those ladies who just love the colour pink; several shades of the colour were present in this piece, with densely packed feathers blooming out from the head and shoulder pieces. Even though they are arranged in this manner, the outfit itself seems easily manoeuvrable, which for me is a nice balance. Kunai’s blue offering had a nicely arranged feathered backpack with an intricately gemmed wire bra. The piece is a stunner; simple yet punchy in looks, and the monokini options should make it a fast seller with clients. Arc lit up the stage with its fiery mix of orange and purple feathers that gave off an intense inferno look. The beaded arrangement of the chest piece invoked an intimate look which added to the fire theme and created quite the presence on stage. Finally we have Sun Tzu. Named after the Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher who wrote the infamous book The Art of War, it certainly has an aggressive look which many of us appreciate. With its green and blue array of feathers for the backpack, and gemmed monokini with a unique pattern of the above mentioned colours, Sun Tzu is for those who like a bit of vigour in their Carnival Monday outfits. LUX Entertainment is adamant that this year they are more than ready to deliver a great experience for their revellers, and with their many years of experienced in organizing successful party experiences, we have no reason to doubt it. (BT)

STIFFY ‘PLUGGIN’ IT FOR 2018 – “I am coming; this is not a normal transition, we taking it to pluggin land!” Stiffy Star Quality says he is ready for the 2018 Crop Over festival. “Plug into who, plug into wha, plug in to all. This is Stiffy Star Quality and right now I am taking over. This is not a normal transition we taking it to pluggin land,” the artiste told Bajan Vibes on the sides lines of last Sunday’s Reggae on the Hill. The two-time monarch whose real name is Shane Atkinson made it clear that he will be “pluggin” all the stops to ensure that he remains the king of Bashment Soca. “Let me tell you something, 2018 get ready for Bashment Soca, get ready for Stiffy Star Quality because I am coming, I am coming, I am already here! Plug into who, plug into all,” Stiffy said. With the 2016 Tek Off Something and the 2017 Tip and Ben Ova hits under his belt, the defending monarch promised fans more energy this year. “My music is going good and I am ready with a capital R. I always bring the energy, I don’t ever stop so my fans are going to love it. My fans are going to be fully aware and involved in what I am doing. So it is going to be a fun-filled event so plug in to all,” said Stiffy, who adds that his first soca song should be on the airwaves this week. (BT)

For daily or breaking news reports follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter & Facebook. That’s all for today folks. There are 234 days left in the year. Shalom! #thechasefilesdailynewscap #thechasefiles #dailynewscapsbythechasefiles

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confusingfuturehistorians · 7 years ago

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A House Divided: A Pre-Election Plea

Recently I was re-watching Lincoln and a particular quote from Thaddeus Stevens (played by Tommy Lee Jones) jumped out at me due to its relevance to our current political climate. (1) The scene takes place outside the chamber of the House of Representatives after a debate on the proposed Thirteenth Amendment (which outlawed slavery in the US) when Stevens went back on his position that he believed all men were created equal; instead insisting he believed that all men should be equal before the law. This astounded his faction of radical Republicans and prompted claims of dishonesty from most Democrats. Stevens backtracked on his position however, in order to try to get Democrats who may have been potentially sympathetic to the 13th Amendment to vote for it, as without some Democrat support, it would not have gained the two-thirds majority necessary for it to pass. Stevens therefore said what he said to ease their concerns that abolishing slavery would be too radical a move which would destroy the fabric of American society as they knew it.

After the debate he is confronted by Asa Vintner Litton (a fellow radical Republican Congressman) who says to him: “Have you lost your very soul, Mr. Stevens? Is there nothing you won't say?”

To which Stevens replies: “I want the amendment to pass, so that the constitution's first and only mention of slavery is its absolute prohibition. For this amendment, for which I have worked all my life and for which countless colored men and women have fought and died and now hundreds of thousands of soldiers... No, sir, no, it seems there's very nearly nothing I won't say.”

Of course, as the pedant I am, I have to point out that I have no idea whether this conversation ever happened (I doubt it did, or at least, I doubt there is a verifiable record of it happening); but it is certainly true that Stevens was willing to compromise his values in order to get the amendment through. This film depicts this as more shocking than it actually was (despite his undoubtedly radical positions, it was neither the first nor the last time Stevens proved himself willing to compromise in order to get results), but what I took away from it is that in the context of contemporary British politics, I think something like that would be a lot more shocking than it was in Lincoln.

Compromise is a very difficult thing, and given that I’m just as stubborn as I am pedantic, I would certainly have to admit that I am not an especially good compromiser. However, politics needs compromise because things simply don’t get done without it. And given the myriad of different opinions people can hold, even within a single political party, this is unsurprising. But one of my biggest worries about the way that the political climate has been changing recently has been the lack of willingness to compromise, particularly in progressive circles. (2) This is why in the UK, despite the fact that the Conservative lead has been massively reduced following a horrendous campaign, it looks unlikely that anyone except the Tories will win tomorrow’s General Election for the simple reason that those of us opposed to them have not done a good enough job of working together to prevent it. We already saw this happen to certain extent with Brexit, and we definitely saw it happen across the pond where a number of Democrat voters potentially cost Clinton the election by either not showing up or voting for another candidate. We would far rather argue amongst ourselves about how those guys aren’t “real progressives” because of that one thing one of their candidates said 17 years ago and so there’s “literally no difference” between voting for them and voting for Tories. It’s pathetic! And it’s not just pathetic, it’s downright dangerous.

I appreciate that most people have a clear favourite party that they support. And I appreciate the need for an active political discourse, which includes criticism of things that you find objectionable. But it’s getting to such a ridiculous extent now that people’s objections to some policies will enable situations that are far worse. From what I’ve seen, this has been most noticeable with the die-hard Corbynites for whom compromise appears to mean “everyone should compromise their values and agree with Corbyn on every issue”, but they’re not the only ones. Whether they are drawing their inspiration from Corbyn, or whether Corbyn has been drawing inspiration from them is difficult to tell. But either way, the gains made by Labour during the last month will mean absolutely nothing if Corbyn is not prepared to work with others who don’t share every single one of his policies; and this situation will not change if his most vocal supporters refuse to criticise him for this. The most obvious example is his unmoving (and seemingly un-negotiated) stance on Brexit, which completely goes against what the majority of the people likely to support him want. Most people (myself included, although I never thought I’d be saying this a year ago) would tolerate a soft Brexit if it meant it could be negotiated by a party that isn’t the Tories (or UKIP, but I’m not mentioning them after this because this Tory party is essentially the same thing). But that’s not good enough for Jezza or his comrades. It’s up to us to change our views to suit them, remember.

Now, I do appreciate the irony of me strongly criticising a particular faction of the progressive movement while also arguing that doing so is a problem. The problem does not only exist within the Corbynite movement by any stretch of the imagination, but my experience is that this is where it has been most obvious. Moreover, it is where the problem is most significant because any alliance formed in opposition to the Conservatives would have to be led by Corbyn and so his unwillingness to compromise means that unless he wins an outright majority (which no poll, however optimistic towards his chances) has predicted, his gains mean absolutely nothing. Reducing the Tory majority will not matter if he can’t convince some Tories to work with him to vote against the Government, and even a hung Parliament won’t help the cause if he refuses to form a government with other parties. (3) Perhaps I’m doing Corbyn a disservice and Stevens in fact had it far easier, as he was looking to change his country rather than simply stopping his opponents from getting in; but ultimately I think it still comes down to the same thing. How on earth can you achieve anything in politics if you won’t compromise? And that isn’t a rhetorical question, by the way. Look through your history books and I guarantee you will not find a political movement that achieved its aims without it.

So part of this mini-essay is an attempt to plead with the like-minded people who I am aware make up the majority of my social media contacts to go out and vote for the party most likely to stop the Tories, EVEN IF it means voting for someone you would generally rather not vote for. This is the only way that we can stop what will possibly turn out to be the most destructive British government in recent years (yes, including the Thatcher years). But there is another plea that I feel I need to make. This is to centrists and the centre-right who are also refusing to compromise in a different way, in the sense that they are refusing to compromise their party identity (or in some cases their “patriotism”) in order to do the right thing. Let me be crystal clear here, I am not saying that you should change your beliefs or values to mine because mine are right and yours are wrong. So you can save your “holier-than-thou-Lefties” speech for another day. I’m happy to accept the fact that you as a moderate Tory have different values from me as someone who is a member of the Green Party. What I am saying is that this current Tory Government under Theresa May does not represent your values and that the right thing to do is admit this and vote accordingly.

Of course, we progressives don’t spend our entire time arguing amongst ourselves. We do occasionally argue with those on the Right and in the centre too, and having engaged in many of these friendly discussions myself, I’ve noticed a number of themes that often emerge in these situations. While the far-right trolls are busy hurling the sorts of insults one might expect them to, the centre-right is busy claiming that in fact, it is us who are the unreasonable ones. Those right-wing trolls are just a few bad apples, whereas the vitriol in circles which claim to be progressive is systemic. (4) These people claim that it is unfair to insist that the Conservatives are “The Nasty Party”, it’s unfair to claim that they all hate poor people and it’s unfair to claim the moral high-ground when the Left is always shutting down honest debate through no-platforming and political correctness. Meanwhile they insist that they could not possibly vote for a party that is so politically weak, so economically inefficient and so dangerous to the security of the nation (not to mention in sympathy with the SNP and the IRA). (5)

Again, I am absolutely not asking people in this case to change those views. I do disagree with them, and before now I would have been happy to have had that debate (and indeed have done so on a number of occasions). But unless something drastic happens on June 8th I refuse to debate it anymore, because I cannot believe that you are being genuine with any of those concerns. If you knowingly vote for a party that wants to bring back fox-hunting and has willingly scapegoated immigrants ever since Theresa May became Home Secretary, then yes, I do believe that it’s fair to say that you are supporting the Nasty Party. If you’re going to vote for a party which has led to deaths of 30,000 people in 2015 alone through its harsh and unnecessary austerity policies, then yes, I do think it’s fair to say that you must have something against poor people. (6) I also think it’s hypocritical in the extreme to vote for a party whose leader has refused debates and public scrutiny at every possible opportunity if you value open discourse so much. As for values of free speech, I cannot even begin to comprehend how you could truly hold those values and still vote for a leader who has openly admitted that she wants to regulate the internet. If they don’t wish to vote for a politically weak party, how can they justify voting for a leader who U-turns on everything that the Daily Mail criticises her for? If they don’t wish to vote for an economically weak party, how can they justify voting for a party who have presided over the worst decline in real wages of any developed country other than Greece? And if they really value security so much, how can they vote for a leader who is obsessed with tearing up our human rights and who has supressed a report on how Saudi Arabia finances terrorists in Britain, because it would embarrass her party? (7)

Despite Theresa May’s extraordinary attempts to avoid as much engagement as possible in an election she called after repeatedly ruling it out, her intentions for the direction she wants to take the party (and therefore the country, if they get elected) have been made clear. These are not simply the rantings of a tin-foil-hat-wearing-conspiracy-theory-loving-Left-wing-lunatic. This is public information, which you should (and in my personal experience of centre-right voters, do) know. In 2015, the severity of the impact austerity cuts were having was nowhere near as widely known and the Conservatives did not make a big thing about their plans to spy on the entire country and crash headlong out of the EU (which, incidentally, most of the centre-leaning Tories I know voted to stay part of) even with the very real-looking possibility of deal whatsoever to go along with it. Now we know. There are no more excuses. The only thing holding you back from voting against the Conservatives is not your values, but you unwillingness to compromise on who you’re voting along with. I don’t profess to know the centre-right mind-set, but there is simply no way I can grasp how anyone in that group can profess to hold the progressive values that so many of them claim to hold and still vote Conservative this time around with a clean conscience. If you really want to show us Lefties how much more tolerant you are of other people’s beliefs, now is your chance. Vote for what you believe in, even if it means allying with people like me, and I’ll believe you. Refuse to take this opportunity and condemn this country to the most draconian government Britain has had is recent history, and I will not.

I have always prided myself to a certain extent on my stubbornness and my principled nature. And for a long time, I believed that those two things were one and the same, but they are not. Principles are things which you would be willing to do anything to avoid or achieve, whereas stubbornness is being unwilling to change what it is that you are doing. In many cases they are the same, but at some point there comes a point of no return where principles can no longer be safeguarded by stubbornness. I’m sure most people can think of a situation where they put up with something that should have been unacceptable to them simply because they were unwilling to change. And I’m also sure that everyone in that situation would act differently were they given a second chance. What we need to continually be asking ourselves is “Where is our line in the sand”? I think that if they really thought about it, more people would have actually gone past that line with regard to current politics than they are willing to admit. For me, I live in the Salford and Eccles constituency, which is an incredibly safe Labour seat, so I am someone who would gain nothing through voting tactically. As a result I intend to vote for my party, the Greens. However, if I still lived where I did during the last General Election (in Oxford West and Abingdon), then I would vote for the Lib Dems, despite there being two parties I agree with more. This is because, quite simply, with the stakes being as high as they are, my principles would not allow me to be stubborn. And whichever way people plan to vote, I strongly urge each and every person who reads this to think very carefully about why they are planning to vote the way they are. And in many cases, they may well need to channel their inner Thaddeus Stevens.

1. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the scene anywhere online, so I’ll just leave this with you instead. Ad hominem attacks aren’t ever productive in reality (and indeed the real-life Stevens rarely resorted to them, at least in Congress), but it nevertheless makes for a satisfying scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Brh9iWajc

2. I’m using “progressive”, purely in want of a better term, to describe any party or set of beliefs which does not align with the far-right of Britain. This includes centrists and even the centre-right, which is why I’m avoiding “Left” as a term here. I’m not overly sure “progressive” is much better, but it’s worth arguing the semantics, as long as everyone knows what I mean.

3. I’m not making this up – he genuinely said this at a time when his popularity was at his highest. It’s times like this that make me genuinely convinced he and his supporters want to lose the election and watch the Tories dismantle the country just so they can say “See, we were right!”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/01/corbyn-vows-no-deals-no-pacts-if-there-is-a-hung-parliament

4. It’s worth pointing out here, of course, that many people who would describe themselves as card-carrying Lefties and progressives would also make the same arguments here. Rightly or wrongly, it is another example of how progressives seem far more willing to argue amongst ourselves than actually achieve our aims. The Judean People’s Front / People’s Front of Judea bit from Life of Brain springs very vividly to mind.

5. Ignoring the completely false claims of the Left being IRA apologists, it is certainly true that there is a lot of support Scottish Independence among progressives. For me though, it’s ironic for Conservatives to take such a strong stand on this when their policy of unnecessarily pursuing a hard-Brexit is the thing that is most likely to bring about the collapse of the union. Thaddeus Stevens would certainly have disapproved.

6. This case is particularly poignant at a time when the country is mourning the loss of over 30 people in terrorist attacks, yet the government seemingly gets a free pass for killing a thousand times that many in a single year.

http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-02-20-30000-excess-deaths-2015-linked-cuts-health-and-social-care

7. All of the above points come with a delicious side of evidence. Enjoy!

https://www.ft.com/content/e021c208-3ede-11e7-9d56-25f963e998b2

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/uk-workers-have-had-the-worst-wage-growth-in-the-oecd-except-greece-a7773246.html?cmpid=facebook-post

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/theresa-may-terrorism-human-rights_uk_5936ec0be4b0099e7fafd14d?1zz

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/31/sensitive-uk-terror-funding-inquiry-findings-may-never-be-published-saudi-arabia

#general election #politics #conservatives #labour #theresa may #jeremy corbyn #general election 2017 #UK politics #may #corbyn #progressive alliance #green party #liberal democrats #tories out #make june the end of may #lincoln #thaddeus stevens

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