OWEN AND THE BEES HAVE BEEN WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE AND FOUND WANTING

YOU ARE NOT A BEE! TO THOSE PERSONS WHO ONCE VOTED FOR THE BLP AND ARE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ARTHUR ADMINISTRATION, ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS Several people are agonising over a decision as to whether they should continue to support the Barbados Labour Party in light of its massive failure in its last term of office.  These persons cannot accept the behaviour of the Arthur Administration during this period where its policies and actions did nothing but created hardship and disappointment for them.   People who voted for the BLP in the 2003 election are justifiably annoyed at:

• The government’s failure to deal in an effective manner with the crippling cost of living, after first saying that there was nothing that could be done.
• The BLP promoting the sale of our scarce land resources to non Barbadians
• The high price of land and houses putting them out of the reach of ordinary Barbadians, especially young people
• The BLP’s failure to deal with the poor state of our health and other services
• The neglect of basic infrastructure such as roads, drainage and the inconvenience caused by this neglect
• The waste of tax payer’s money on dubious projects while neglecting basic amenities for ordinary people
• The massive and unexplained cost overruns where the money could have been spent on social needs
• The decline in good Barbadian values and the acknowledgement by Mr Arthur that Barbados now has a “bashment” culture.

 There is hope for such people.   They need to know why they feel conflicted by the situation and where they can turn for help.  BLP supporters have suffered, and are suffering, like all the other Barbadians who are now demanding change in government. After Tom Adams won the 1976 election, mainly on the grounds that the DLP had been in office for too long and that there was need for a stronger opposition, he conceived a strategy to crystalise his support.  He persuaded those persons who had voted for him and the BLP that they were Bees and those who did not vote for him were Dees.  He created a mythical bond between those persons who had voted for the BLP and the party itself.  Several people bought into this artificial division. The political polarisation of this country was the result.  The BLP was never interested in political education after this.  The Adams’ strategy has divided families and communities which have common needs and concerns.  It has created political differences where no philosophical, social, cultural, or economic differences exist.  The BLP encourages and thrives in such an environment.   The BLP does not initiate action on, and tries not to debate the issues that concern ordinary people.  They did not respond to the issues raised in the Hardwood case. They did not take the lead in dealing with high prices, the land issue, quality of care at the QEH, social decay, and the host of other matters that ordinary people complain about. The BLP wants the country to concentrate on matters such as leadership, on who has an experienced team, on republican status for Barbados, and on all the irrelevant things that do not improve the quality of people’s lives. They supplement this with hand outs, political attacks and propaganda at election time.  The BLP plays down issues you have a stake in, and in which you are interested for your own welfare.    That is the fundamental difference between the DLP and the BLP.  The DLP is people centred.  It focuses on the social and economic issues that affect you.  People are invited to think about and comment on the issues that concern them.  The DLP is not about itself.  The Democratic Labour Party is about making life better for Barbadians.  During the early 1990’s the DLP introduced a number of measures which restructured the Barbados economy and secured the rate of the Barbados dollar.  In 1994 several people who felt aggrieved by the 8% pay cut decided to withdraw their support from the DLP.  They thought that they were operating in their best interest.  That was their prerogative.   Everyone has a right to do this.  When you find that the policies and actions, or lack of action of the government are putting you at a disadvantage you are entitled to look after the interest of your family and yourself.  Politics is about you, the people. Every election gives an opportunity for you to assess what is best for you.  Every election is like a new beginning.  If you cannot accept what the BLP has done and is doing you have a responsibility to support what will make life better for you and your family.  You do not have to blindly follow anyone.  You need to think for yourself.   Once you have thought about your situation you will find comfort in the policies of the Democratic Labour Party.   You will find that the DLP’s policies and emphases have your interests in mind. You will like what the Democratic Labour Party will be doing for: 

• Families
• Children and Young People
• Women
• Senior citizens
• Workers
• Communities

You will like what the Democratic Labour Party is proposing to:

• Reduce the cost of living
• Educate our children
• Ensure adequate health and other social services
• Provide Barbadians with affordable land and adequate housing
• Develop and promote sporting activities

You will be pleased that the Democratic Labour Party will be:

• Ensuring a sound and sustainable economy
• Protecting our way of life
• Securing our democracy
• Looking after your interest and making your life more comfortable

 Help the Democratic Labour Party to help you: Vote in your interest.  You are not a BEE!

FOR THE PEOPLES SAKE OWEN MUSTGO NOW!

IT’S THE DEMS’ turn to drop a political bombshell.

The Opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has cancelled all meetings tonight except its national rally at which leader David Thompson has promised to reveal “some of the ammunition I have in storage” and which he was planning to use during the aborted live debates in the lead-up to next Tuesday’s general election.

Titled Campaign Eye-opener One, this meeting will be held at Haggatt Hall, St Michael, near the Emancipation [Bussa] Roundabout. “Some people in this country may not like what I will have to say, but in the public’s interest I believe I have got to say what I know,” Thompson declared.

It was only last Saturday night that the Barbados Labour Party hinted of a bombshell at its Bridgetown meeting when it accused the DLP of wanting to take Barbados into bed with Taiwan instead of the People’s Republic of China.

Thompson said yesterday he would use the opportunity of a single, national political rally to reveal “the latest and most stunning example of governmental mismanagement and squandermania”.

While not giving further insights into the precise nature of tonight’s “bombshell”, the DLP leader said the revelations involved the reckless spending of hundreds of millions of hard-earned taxpayers dollars in a “highly suspicious and certainly non-transparent manner”.

“Mr Arthur has said this election is about leadership and the economic management of this country,” Thompson said.

“I want Barbadians from all walks of life and of all partisan political persuasions to come to Bussa Roundabout tonight and determine for themselves whether Owen Arthur and his BLP Government are deserving of another term, given the hard, cold facts that I will make public at that meeting tonight.”

“The moment I said I wanted a debate on governance, the BLP retreated from the idea of debates. I suspect the Prime Minister feared that I might have been onto something and he did everything humanly possible to pre-empt disclosure.

Red herring

“Mr Arthur came with this red herring issue of Taiwanese involvement in this campaign to detract persons from examining the real charges that have been levelled against him, dating back to 2003. The time has come for me to give chapter and verse on that entire episode that again involved some very questionable financial transactions.

“This election is not about China or Taiwan. I repeat for the umpteenth time that this Democratic Labour Party has not benefited in any way from a single contribution from either China or Taiwan. This election is about governance and the manner in which we want as a people to be governed. I gave notice during the Hardwood debate that I would have been calling names such as the late Johnnie Cochran in my wrap-up to that debate.

“I do not know if that was the reason for the sudden curtailment of debate, but after tomorrow night (tonight), I expect that the voters of Barbados will be in a position to answer that question for themselves,” he concluded.

BLP FOUND IN THE BALANCE AND FOUND WANTING

Anytime you talk politics in Barbados, the question immediately turns to the issue of leadership. And it is almost always about David Thompson, as in: But can he really lead the country?

This question always shows up in the polls. While both major parties are running neck-and-neck, they say, Owen Arthur’s image as a leader outstrips Thompson’s by two-to-one, if I remember correctly.

This is of course being used as a put-down for the current Opposition leader, and the Bees have made the issue the centre piece of their campaign, believing that the more they remind voters of Arthur’s supposedly commanding margin in the leadership category that people will flock to the Bees once more.

Somehow the thousands who assembled at Oistins to meet the DLP candidates didn’t get the message.

You see, I look at it a different way, and because I fall asleep trying to analyse political polls, of course my analysis will be faulty. But I figure that if the Dems can be running an even race with the Bees despite the perception that they have a weak leader, can you imagine how they would perform if they were perceived to have a strong one?

All of which informs my feeble mind that putting the leadership question at the top of the agenda may not working for the Bees. Thompson seems, moreover, to have learned how to respond to it effectively: By remaining low key and not appearing defensive about the “poor leadership” accusations, he is allowing a sort of “underdog” image to work to his advantage.

Instead, he is promoting his team,  which belies the rule-by-division image of Thompson which the Bees are spending a lot of money on in their campaign (e.g. the full page ad quoting Freundel Stuart in last Thursday’s Nation).
And instead of showing a large group of candidates in their ads, the Dems are showing collections of four (for education, agriculture and so on) to emphasise what it sees as the depth of professional experience and knowledge in specific areas among its candidates.

This also seems effective to me, as it quietly counteracts the “leadership-by-division” image which the Bees are trying to imprint on the Dems. I hope it works because our democracy is not, to my mind, being served by any campaign which says essentially that there is really no contest because of such poor leadership on the other side. Then why have an election, I wonder? Let’s just declare a one-party state right away and be done with it.

I’ve said it before, and don’t mind saying it again, that the Dems have as talented and well-versed a collection of candidates as do the Bees, in terms of education, experience, willingness to serve, dedication to people and so forth. The Dems and Bees are two parties whose candidates are so well matched, and which differ so little in overall philosophy that they are interchangeable. Why, even their former leader can fly from his roost to a safe berth at the top of the other party.

And just for the record, let me say I also believe that David Thompson is capable of running the country as prime minister.

If the leadership question is fairly put on the table, however, it should also be asked: How good a leader has Owen Arthur been? Because some poll says it’s two-to-one over Thompson means nothing to me, as I am here talking about my own perception, whether you agree with me or not (it’s a little thing called freedom of expression, and more people should try it.)

Owen Arthur is not the leader he started out as being when he first came to office. He is missing in action far too often. A couple of years ago, the letters M.I.A. would certainly have been apt for this condition, but now they seem to have changed to C.L.Y.D.E.

Arthur seems to rule by fiat, and has done too many policy reverses without explaining his reasoning to the country for me to be comfortable with calling him a great leader. His arrogance in office now seems to permeate almost everything he does, and his decisions seem to make overall sense only when judged by one criteria, which is, what’s good for big business is good for the country.

How else do you account for the demise in service at the QEH, where people are literally dying to be seen, compared to the rise of private emergency rooms? Or how about the quicksand of Edutech, where millions have been spent with little to show for it?

What about the enormous cost overruns on so many projects, from the prison to the highways? We have also seen the government’s unyeilding, hard-headed approach to those insanely stupid flyovers, and its willingness to give unknown and untested companies massive BOLT projects which will tie up our infrastructure in so many contractual knots that we will be paying through our teeth for them long after Arthur has retired? And with no discussion, no give-and-take in debate, no explanations, I can only conclude that we live by arbitrary Arthurian decree. Is that good leadership?

The Arthur government has allowed the bogey man of globalisation to scare citizens into tolerating a concentration of corporate ownership unlike any we have witnessed before on this island, and the main question I have for Thompson is: Will you let it continue, just changing the names of the players? If you win the government and do so, your administration will be no better for Barbados over the long term than the present one.

So far, Thompson has said the opposite. His party is stressing the detoxification of the body politic from the infusion of the many corporate carcinogens it has ingested of late. Will the Dems really take us into public rehab? Will there come a day in Barbados once more when the government accepts that there are things which it must take responsibility for doing because to privatise all the way upstream results in selling us all down the river?

Where do you draw the line? Is it at the hospital bed and the school gate only, or is it in the many other services now provided, sometimes poorly, by the state? Can you manage a hybrid process under which private enterprise plays a role in an overall sector controlled by the state, not only through strong regulatory agencies, but by retaining ownership of key players, like water and transport and roads and prisons?

And what future will Bajans have in their own country if buying a house and a piece of land to put it on are priced outside their means, and if every young couple must get into hock up to their teeth for 30 years in order to buy anything out there?

Yes, the two sides in my view are equal in the quality of their human resources and the opposition has equal potential to the incumbent party’s experience, but how we move forward in the next few years requires, in my view, clear action on those types of issues. And a lot of the answers will call for more consumer discipline and responsibility, because you can’t sustain lower prices if you continue to create more demand than there is supply.
In my view, the leader who can answer these tough questions and show a middle way through the competing interests of average citizens and private corporate interests is the one who will deserve to be the prime minister.

DOWN WITH THE BLP UP WITH THE DLP.

The Democratic Labour Party is on its way to a historic victory on behalf of the people of Barbados. This great victory will call upon the people to rededicate themeselves to the upliftment of Barbados and to put God in the midst of everything, which they do. The Barbados Labour Party has failed miserably and as such will implode as the campaign goes on. Their strategy is terrible, relying and innuendo, nonsense and as usual glossy publications. The bought up every sticky on the nation newspaper front page. This is an act of desperation. They are unable to mobilise the people even their own supporters and therefore they are wallowing in mud. A comfortable place to be for some of them in the current circumstances. The people of Barbados will at last relieve themselves of this burden.

THE POLITICAL DESPERATION OF OWEN ARTHUR WILL INCREASE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS

The political behaviour of Owen Arthur and his gang over the next several days of this political campaign is beginning to emerge. ARthur is not interested in debating the issues. He is more concerned with how he will spin whatever information is made available by the Democratic Labour Party. It will be the strategy of disinformation. They will suggest the opposite to what are the truth and the reality of the current situation. The BLP is at its most desperate and therefore at its most dangerous. There are going to be citizens out there who will become confused by these antics. It is going to take many of us to clarify for them the issues.

This election is not about leadership, nor disagreements. It is about the burden of living in Barbados. It is about the extremely high price of land, It is about the high level of illegal immigration in Barbados. It is about issues of intergrity, accountability and transparency. It is about corruption. It is about the way in which Barbadians should be governed and not dictated to. It is about a sensible plan for the future. Barbadians do not want to be caught up in the gutter behaviour of political campaigns. Let us liberate the nation from the constant filth of political speeches. Some of the new candidates of the BLP have already resorted to smear campaigns and gutter behaviour as though they can win that way. Barbadians must reject this type of behaviour.

Onward to victory, Restore Barbados, Vote out the BLP and Owen Arthur

UNMASKING OWEN ARTHUR TO SEE HIS TRUE FACE

Owen Arthur has made several statements that both stung and petrified this nation since he became a party political leader and Prime Minister. Citizens have by and large given him an easy time, but he has not given any of them an easy time. Arthur has used his tongue like a two edged sword. He has cursed anyone who dared oppose him or his view. He called a local journalist an indentured servant. His tongue was supposedly sharpened on both sides. He has declared that the Poor black man he needs, is one that has 10,000,000. 00.

He is alleged to have lambasted Stephen Alleyne on the night before his death. We cannot verify this but we know the viciousness of his mouth. Owen Arthur shelf life is over. He needs to be truly unmasked by the electorate of Brnbados . His true face should beshown to shown to all sundry.

HOUSING AMONG THE LIST OF DLP PRIORITIES

A RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT would ensure that each low-income family can afford homes, says Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate for St James South, Donville Inniss as he canvassed the constituency.

“Haynesville is considered the epitome of low-income in St James South, which is comprised of housing stock of National Housing units,” he said yesterday.

“There is a need for assistance to those who want to purchase their own National Housing Corporation (NHC) units. The reality is that the income levels of individuals in those units do not generally allow for them to purchase these units,” he explained.

The people in Haynesville, he said, would not qualify for even what NHC calls “affordable housing” in its new residential developments, and so many would have to remain in the units they are living in.

“So as a responsible Government, we will have to put systems in place to ensure that each individual has established himself/herself in the community, and is in position to own the roof over their heads,” he said.

He also called for education and training programmes to be brought into the Haynesville community, noting that even though it was surrounded by Melbourne cricket field and the Holders Hill playing field, these were only sporting facilities without any organised activities.

“The physical club houses are not designed to provide training facilities for residents,” Inniss said

DEMOCRATIC PROCESS UNDER SEVERE THREAT

OPPOSITION LEADER DAVID THOMPSON says the non-national vote in the January 15 general election, combined with Prime Minister Owen Arthur’s stated desire for the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) never to hold office again, could pose a serious threat to Barbados’ democratic process.

In an exclusive interview with the SUNDAY SUN during the DLP’s Christmas concert in Heroes Square, The City, on Friday night, he responded to Dame Billie Miller’s comment that there was not any one non-national group where the numbers were large enough to make a difference in the next general election.

“I find it alarming that the Government would make those kinds of statements, even against the backdrop of there being outstanding a case relative to the registration of non-national voters.

“Therefore, until I am satisfied that there have not been persons who are registered as voters in Barbados who are not entitled to vote, I would have to be extremely concerned about that.

“I am (also) concerned about the statement by Prime Minister Owen Arthur that the Democratic Labour Party should never hold office in this country again, because, taken together, they are a significant threat to democracy in this country.”

Thompson said Dame Billie was “out of touch” with what was happening in Barbados because there was a dominant group whose votes were very relevant to the outcome of the elections, and in marginal constituencies their involvement was something to watch very carefully.

The MP for St John also responded to Deputy Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s announcement on Thursday that the unemployment rate had slipped to 7.1 per cent of the labour force (for July to September) from 9.8 per cent in the same quarter last year.

“I believe that [Mia] Mottley needs to speak to the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Clyde Mascoll, who certainly, when he was a member of the Democratic Labour Party – and I believe professionally – has indicated that the unemployment statistics are inaccurate in the manner in which they are measured,” he said.

Thompson reasoned that the statistics did not capture large numbers of persons who were unemployed in this country but who were otherwise categorised.

“I am very reluctant, based on the advice given to me by Mascoll many years ago and given to us and the country when he was Leader of the Opposition, to accept those statistics by Mascoll’s analysis,” he said.

“I WILL DO EVRYTHING IN MY POWER TO ENSURE THAT THE DLP DO NOT GOVERN BARBADOS AGAIN”- “OWEN ARTHUR”

Owen Arthur in one of the coolest voices that he has used in recent years stated at his endorsement as a candidate that he will do everything to ensure the Democratic Labour Party never governs Barbados Again. This admission sent shivers down the spine of all decent and democratic Barbadians. This was the unmasking of the dictatorial tendencies of the Napolean like Owen Arthur. He has played around with the notion of being called emperor of Barbados or is it President of Barbados. He has talked about the Republic, he has sung the Republican An them and has only held off of these things because some people in Society strongly objected. He will come again if Barbadians give him a chance.

History has shown that where people do not act quickly in stemming the unrush of dictatorial behavior then they live to regret it. Hitler, Stalin, Castro, Pinochet, Napolean, Attilla , Pol pot and many more down through history have been prefect examples of this. The slaughter of innocent ones was tremendous and societies still reel from it. Owen Arthur is fashioning himself in the mould of a dictator. Barbadians from all walks of life better wake up and smell the coffee.

Owen Arthur is an extremely strange and complex man. He will leave wreckage in is wake to get what he wants. Do not let him take Barbados. For goodness sake do not let him take Barbados.

THE BLP POLL EXPOSES THEM AS THE FAILURES THEY ARE

The commissioned poll by the Barbados Labour Party, which was shown in the Nation newspaper speaks to the mood of the country at this time. What was particularly not flattering to the Barbados labour Party is the narrowness of the points between them and the Democratic Labour Party. This statistical dead heat and the Hardwood Fiasco forced Owen “Ali Baba” Arthur to make the decision to go to the polls. This decision of course was hotly contested by many of his candidates. They told him that they were not ready and give them another 8 weeks. This was not to be the case. He retorted. What can wanna do in eight weeks that wanna did not do in four and a half years. This left many of them fuming and wanting his head.

Why did the BLP not step up to the plate and state what that the poll was commissioned by them and sent to the Nation Newspaper and story written by one of MIA main women. This would have clarified the poll before the people. But more of this will come from a desperate bunch who means to hang on by any means necessary.

The Democratic Labour Party will not be sidetracked by nebulous insertions. Leadership is not an issue in this election. Barbadians need to place before them the issues of (1)Governance (2) The cost of Living (3) Crime and Violence (4) Land Use Issues (5) Health Care (6) Housing for the population (7) Minimum wages (8)Education for the Future among several other matters.

A comparision between David Thompson and Owen Arthur on Leadership cannot be based on reality, but on propaganda, because Owen has been in the leadership of Barbados and has messed it up. David Thompson has never been the leader of Barbados. He desrves more than a chance to make a difference.

OWEN ARTHUR OWES HIS IMMENSE FORTUNE TO HIS FRIENDS

The Prime Minister of Barbados pretends that he is a saviour of the poor, yet he despises them with a passion unrivaled in modern Barbados politics. He has amassed such large money resources that it is impossible to trace all of it. His friends from every side of the racial spectrum has ensured that he will never want for any material resource ever again in his life, his wife’s life, his children’s life or any future generations of owen’s family life. He will pretend that he barely exists. We know better than that.

During the election. Arthur will do everything to ensure that his millions are not exposed. Many of his candidates are busy doing the same. To protect themselves they must ensure that there is no change of government in Barbados. The people of this country have been taken on a ride of deceit, corruption, arrogance, downright stealing by a government that cares really for its own pockets. Barbadians just need to look around at the extent to which Owen Arthur’s friends have become instant millionaires in this country.

These men behind Owen are scared that if he loses his pick, they too will lose their pick and they are terrified of that. They have all banded behind Owen Arthur to ensure that he has the monetary resources to fight the election so that they are in a position to continue to disadvantage Bajans. These fat cats must not continue to eat all that Barbados provides.

HERE COMES THE POLITICS OF NASTINESS BLP STYLE

The Barbados Labour Party’s strategy will be the politics of nastiness. hey have already notified their candidates ti look for dirt on every DLP candidate and if they do not find any, hatch as much of it as they can. They can always operate on the borderline in order to get the undiscerning to buy into their strategy. Money has already been identified as the single largest determinant to the outcome of the election in January 2008. Working class neighbourhoods like Wotton, Lodge road, Parish Land, Ellerton, Deacons, Fairy Valley, Church Village among several others have already been identified to be the recipients of this money. It has been drawn to our attention that persons have in fact been receiving vouchers in places such as Deacons and other st. Michael communities. The youth are further identified as the focused group for them to manipulate with cash.

The Barbados Labour Party does not care how it wins. It intends to subvert the process by any means necessary. BARBADOS MUST PUT ON ITS SHIELD OF ARMOUR against this advancing evil. They are many in that party who are evil. Do not let them fool you now. They who must uphold the law are the chief ones who are breaking the law. Then do you wonder why our society is so mashed up.

SAY NO TO BARBADOS LABOUR PARTY CORRUPTION.

OWEN MASHES UP BAJANS CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS.

Arthur has called elections in the midst of the holiday season. One must ask the question why. Would have been too late to call elections in early january to be contested on the last day of January or early september. No, not if you are owen arthur. You will call it now to frustrate the people of Barbados. You will do your dammest to spoil their celebrations. This is Own Arthur’s way. We will do anything to strangle the people of Barbados. One can only hope that they will look from behind the smoke and make a better way for Barbadians at home and aboard. OWEN ARTHUR AND HIS MERRY BAND MUST GO. ONLY THE PEOPL ECAN MAKE HIM GO.

ARTHUR AND HIS BAND MUST NOT SPOIL OUR CHRISTMAS

Don’t let anything spoil your Christmas!
Think as a positive Barbadian and reach for the stars. Change is coming your way. That is our message to the people of Barbados at this Christmas even though thinking Barbadians would be extremely disturbed by the statements made by the Prime Minister last Sunday at his nomination, suggesting that it is his desire to remain in office for life. While the rabid BLP acolytes and How Great Thou Art singers may have lost their ability to reflect on the dangers of this statement, the rest of Barbados has to take the words Arthur used seriously. These statements portend badly for politics in Barbados and his comments are unprecedented in the modern history of our parliamentary system.

Arthur’s statement that he is motivated in a special way to “ensure that the DLP never governs Barbados again” has disturbed many Barbadians since the system we practice is a multi-party system and if the Democratic Labour Party or any other political institution is permanently kept from power this means that Arthur and his outgoing Barbados Labour Party will permanently govern the affairs of this country. How would he and the BLP achieve this?

We have found Arthur’s statements sound frighteningly similar to those uttered by Forbes Burnham some years ago. These statements are particularly distressing in the context of a government, which only last month attempted to impose legislation that would have tinkered with the constitutional protection guaranteed to Civil Servants and moreover is committed to the pursuit of a Republic here. The signs are clear and the dangers are ever-present.

Arthur’s obvious obsession with the retention of power is in many ways what we have been talking about for some time now and is exacerbated by the fact his stated reason for wanting to hold office is a desire to keep the DLP away from office. This is an admission that there is no good reason to re-elect him. Clearly, he recognises that his record is poor and does not warrant re-election, hence he now tries to scare the people of Barbados into believing that the DLP is the problem, in the hope that he will be given a fourth term.

These statements reveal much about Arthur’s strategy which for the last 13 years has distracted the population by focusing excessively on the DLP, while he and his BLP have been mismanaging this country with alarming consequences. $750 million in cost over-runs, the deterioration of our public services, the treatment of the poor, the failure to solve little problems while focussing on the needs of the BLP’s supporters.

The DLP has previously and successfully managed the affairs of this country and we are now once more ready to resume this role. Our leadership is clearly now more critical if we are to save Barbados from these BLP power-hungry fanatics that are concerned only with power and not with our national development.

As we offer ourselves we do so with full regard and respect for the principles of democracy which inevitably will work both for and against political parties from time to time. The DLP has experienced the best of times as well as political adversity; however we have always respected the wishes of the electorate and will never seek to impose ourselves on the people of Barbados for longer than the people of Barbados desire our leadership. The Prime Minister would do well to remember that he was elected by the people of Barbados and that Barbados does not belong to him or the Barbados Labour Party.

It is unfortunate that this Christmas season is shrouded by such dark clouds on the horizon. For Christmas should be seen as a time of hope and joy – a time of giving and generosity. Despite the challenges ahead, we will keep the faith with the people of Barbados always trusting in the Almighty.

We wish all Barbadians a merry Christmas.

THE PEOPLE DESERVES A CHANCE TO WORK WITH THE DLP

BY REUDON EVERSLEYCHANGE IS EASILY the most dominant feature of modern life. We hear stories daily of how people around the world are coping with change at home, in the workplace, community and country. Right-sizing, re-engineering and repositioning are among common buzzwords in business parlance. They describe strategies companies are adopting in response to economic, technological and other changes. Driven mainly by globalisation and other economic and social pressures, change is also forcing individuals to rethink traditional ideas and approaches to work, education and other key aspects of life. Barbadians once believed a job with Government or certain companies made them set for life. Change has shifted this perspective to the point where there’s gradual acceptance that people are now more likely to hold several jobs in a lifetime. Change has always been a central feature of the human experience. The only real difference today is the speed and scope. Sometimes you haven’t fully adjusted to one form of change before another comes knocking. Change is everywhere and it’s affecting everyone and everything. After 13 years of Barbados Labour Party (BLP) rule, the winds of political change are blowing. A significant percentage of the population wants a change of Government. The BLP has repeatedly reminded Barbadians of the need to change. Yet, a strange scenario now exists, where the BLP is asking to be exempted from change. According to its reasoning, change is fine so long as it doesn’t result in its removal from office. Changing the Government, Prime Minister Owen Arthur argued last July, amounted to “gambl(ing) with the future . . .”. Ironically, the same argument could’ve been used against the largely inexperienced BLP team back in 1994. Yet they were given a chance. The Democratic Labour Party deserves no less. “He who rejects change is the architect of decay,” observed former British Prime Minister, the late Sir Harold Wilson. Instead of decay, a change of government offers hope for a beautiful spring of exciting opportunities and possibilities. A change of government is good psychologically for a country. It proves democracy is alive and well. In Barbados’ case, change surely can answer the growing national cry for a fresh start with new leadership, ideas and approaches. Change, not more of the same from a tired BLP, is the only meaningful solution for ending the present despair. Embrace the opportunity!

NO CONFIDENCE IN MASCOLL AND OWEN ARTHUR

The basis for No-Confidence Motions is well established in our parliamentary history. No-Confidence Motions were brought by the Barbados Labour Party against members of former Democratic Labour Party administrations for seemingly frivolous and vexatious reasons, but yet the right and decision of the then Opposition to table such motions, were respected and facilitated.Indeed, this Barbados Labour Party government was swept to power in the down-wind of a no-confidence motion. There have even been Motions against Speakers of the House. Motions of No-Confidence are moved against Ministers, in the main, who have exercised poor judgement, acted against the tenets of good Ministerial practice, for corrupt practices or for acts of moral turpitude and otherwise.This is therefore an important parliamentary tool to bring to the attention of the public, acts of Ministers, for which Ministers should be censured and that is what David Thompson’s resolution sought to do. No one in the DLP is interested in witch-hunts or the destruction of any small, black businessman. “But where any black businessman, or white businessman, or techni-colour businessman can use his relationship with a Minister to visit a reign of terror on young women and through his company breach our immigration laws to the detriment of small, ordinary Barbadian workers, intimidate staff – some of whom were ordinary Barbadians on their first ever job - on the strength that he got the backing of a Minister, even encourage staff members to engage in fraudulent practices and worse still if that small, black businessman is only a front for someone in high office,” said the Opposition Leader in the debate on Tuesday.It is now left to the judgment of the electorate of Barbados to determine the appropriateness of the Prime Minister’s actions in this whole Hardwood issue in not having a forensic investigation. David Thompson promised that, “any letter such as that, received by me as Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of this country, will be acted upon with despatch! And furthermore, any minister or official of a Democratic Labour Party administration discovered, after due process, to have acted in a manner as spelt out in that letter, will be censored and in the case of a minister of my Government, fired on the spot!!” This is the practice of good governance which the Democratic Labour Party pledges to the people of Barbados on its return to office. No one should cover up for any minister, whether that minister joined the DLP on his or her own free will and accord, or was purchased through inducements. Hardwood cannot and will not be resolved on the floor of a dying parliament. This matter cannot and will not be objectively approached and handled by Parliamentarians conscious of their political mortality. This is a matter for the people of Barbados to decide. This is a matter for the church to comment upon. This is a matter for journalists and hosts of call in programmes to ventilate and get to the bottom of.The Parliamentary Opposition has done its job.

HOW DESPERATE CAN THE BLP GET IN ORDER TO FOOL THE PUBLIC

THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY (DLP) has dismissed Government’s plans to build a new $700-million hospital and to complete work on the long-stalled St John Polyclinic, as just “attempts to catch votes“.

Opposition spokesman Richard Sealy told a news conference at Linda’s Bar in Bank Hall, St Michael, yesterday, that the DLP could not support the hospital project, or any multi-million-dollar scheme to be headed by Minister of Health Dr Jerome Walcott.

In the past, the party has called for Walcott’s resignation, claiming his performance was not up to scratch.

“We’re not supporting it,” Sealy said of the hospital project.

He called for the initiative to be put on hold until after the general election, widely expected to be held soon.

Earlier yesterday, Walcott announced that the Government planned to build a new hospital, which would take over from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) as the island’s premier health care institution.

The minister said the project would take four years, but admitted he was not in a position to say when construction would begin.

He also disclosed that Government would spend $5 million completing the St John Polyclinic in a two-year programme.

The polyclinic was originally part of the DLP’s 1988-1993 Development Plan, but construction was abandoned in 1992. No construction has been done on the site since.

Sealy charged that resuming construction on the polyclinic after 14 years represented nothing more than a “last-minute, vote-grabbing” attempt by the Government.

He made the comments during a news conference at which DLP candidate for St Michael West, Michael Carrington, reported on his tour of the constituency and the problems he encountered.

NO AMOUNT OF POLITICAL MACHINATIONS CAN HIDE THE TRUTH

Its time for Owen Arthur, Mia Mottley and the leading lights of the Barbados Labour Party to come clean on the issue of their obvious impatience with the timing of the Hardwood Housing scandal debate. We know for sure that it is clear that this issue is interfering with their election calling timetable and that Hardwood and the issue of cost of living could not have come at worse times for this blighted BLP group, Originally all systems were “go” for the calling of a mid- December general election. We have discovered that these plans now to be shelved even though they were discussed at their last meeting of Senators and MPs.

The BLP concern is that they do not want to carry this election too far into the New Year, but they cannot go to the polls with two such major issues unresolved and still hanging over their heads. The public should by now be able to see that they need to throw every possible solution at resolving these two particular issues before the end of this month.

The childish threat by Leader of the House, Mia Mottley to bring a counter no-confidence motion through the back door was always laughable if it was not so serious coming from a government that wants to temporarily suspend the Barbadian constitution. Although such foolishness was never on the cards because bringing a motion on Hardwood would have made it impossible for the Leader of the Opposition to do the same a few days later. It is David Thompson’s motion that goes to the heart of the matter. As the Leader of the Opposition said, “If they want to hurry this process and dissolve Parliament before debating Hardwood, that’s a matter for them. But I warn that they will have to answer a series of questions from the public platforms”.

While Ms. Mottley was misleading the honourable House and accusing David Thompson of not being ready with his motion, he had long given a copy of the Motion of No Confidence and the resolution calling for Integrity Legislation, Asset Declaration, Freedom of Information and amendments to the Defamation Act to the Clerk of Parliament. This is a shame and we hope that parliamentary action will be taken against the Deputy Prime Minister.

The stage is now set for debate on these crucial issues. The No Confidence Motion was deliberately tied to the accompanying resolution on integrity because we don’t just want to discipline Ministers who step out of bounds we also want to set forth to the Parliament and to the people of this country how the Democratic Labour Party, as a government in waiting, will go about repairing the damage that has been done to image of politics and the issue of governance in Barbados.

David Thompson has insisted, and rightly so, that this will not be done in their time.

In his letter to the Speaker and in a conversation with the Leader of the House, he had already given notice that he was going to be out of the island on private family business towards the end of this week, so it really made no sense for the Leader of the House to have adjourned proceedings until Friday. The motion that was given to the Speaker will not be debated on Friday. It’s as simple as that. No one is intimidated by Mottley’s threats and her silly strategy is now in tatters.

The colorful adjectives and superlatives used by Owen Arthur, is are all he is good for nowadays, are a reflection of his anxiety and desperation to clean the “things to do tray”, so as to pave the way for the calling of elections.

Mascoll et al are bungling the Cost of Living issue. This BLP had absolutely no intention of tackling cost of living before the elections, but now that it has been brought into play, they are agitated because they know that this will force them to choose between the interest of the people of Barbados and the interests of their financial masters. That is why we insist that that 20 per cent price reduction initiative is a farce that will not last, if ever it comes into operation.

WHAT MORE WILL BLP THINK OF IN THE PROPAGANDA ARSENAL?

LIKE AN ELABORATE jigsaw puzzle being pieced together, the ruling Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) election strategy is gradually taking shape in full public view. Your mind is the target. You must be on your guard.

As I’ve observed previously, critical thinking isn’t widespread in this society. Hence, many Barbadians unknowingly make themselves vulnerable to manipulation in support of interests which may not necessarily coincide with theirs.

Recent comments by a top BLP spin doctor raise an alarm. He suggested their competitive advantage over the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) lies in the effective application of propaganda.

In other words, he tacitly admitted the BLP uses deceptive communication which is what today’s propaganda so often involves. The lack of such expertise, he claimed, is a fundamental DLP weakness.

Any serious discussion of BLP election strategy cannot overlook this factor. Every clue so far suggests they’re planning an aggressively negative campaign driven by two main objectives: winning an unprecedented fourth term and counteracting a national mood hostile to a BLP win.

Don’t expect any innovative ideas from the BLP platform or serious debate of issues. The tired lot has already proved their intellectual bankruptcy. Rather, expect sustained attempts to divert attention from issues where the BLP is vulnerable.

You can also expect an intensified name-calling campaign targeting David Thompson in particular. The obvious aim is to fuel doubts about the DLP leader’s capacity to lead Barbados.

As usual, the BLP will play up Prime Minister Owen Arthur’s “leadership” and “economic management” expertise. Ironically, even here the BLP is vulnerable. Arthur seems baffled whenever Barbadians legitimately complain. Can’t he realise we would be rejoicing instead if his touted “strengths” had really made a difference where it matters?

Psychologically, the BLP feels cornered and threatened by a significant portion of the electorate desiring regime change. By focusing on manufacturing doubts about Thompson and the DLP, the logical conclusion is that the BLP’s aim is to convince such voters to stay at home on election day.

A low turnout appears to offer the best hope for a BLP win. For sure, committed BLP supporters will vote because they recognise doing so is in their interest. Barbadians desirous of change must similarly determine how their interests can best be served.

Staying at home means capitulation to the BLP’s strategy of desperation. Don’t let down Barbados! Go out and vote as your conscience dictates! Give hope a chance again!

OWEN ARTHUR WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY?

Prime Minister Owen Arthur is correct when he repeats what the DLP has already said – that the next election will be about accountability and transparency.

It will also be about how Arthur has taken Bajans for a ride.

Just check page 30 of the BLP’s 1999 Manifesto:

“We will sell minority interests in the Barbados National Bank, the Insurance Corporation of Barbados, the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, the Barbados National Oil Company and the National Petroleum Corporation to the public and do so in a manner that the staff of these institutions, members of credit unions, trade unions, cooperatives and other Barbadians are presented with attractive investment opportunities…”

And what have become of BNB and ICB under Arthur?

Talk about accountability and integrity?