1. Contents Returning Hope To Our People 77th | Annual
Conference 2015 | 01www.blp.org.bb Programme | 3 Hymns | 7 WELCOME
MESSAGES Message from the Political Leader & Party Chairman
Hon. Mia Mottley | 8 Message from the Conference Chairman Senator
Wilfred Abrahams | 10 Message from the General Secretary Jerome
Walcott | 11 Message from the President of the Womens League Sandie
Fields | 12 Message from the League of Young Socialists Asokore
Beckles | 12 Message from the Chairman of the US Branch Jessica
Odle-Baril | 13 Message from the Chairman of the UK Branch Vincent
Boo Nurse | 14 COMMENTARIES Mottley Excoriates Cahill Deal Mia
Mottley | 15 Timely Intervention Saves Us Dr. Clyde Mascoll | 19
The Citizenship By Investment Programme: A Model For Barbados?
Ricardo Blackman | 22 Child Care Board Affair a Sordid Stain
Senator Wilfred Abrahams | 23 Observing A Confused and Erratic
Prime Minister Indar Weir | 26 Bad Labour Relations Affect
Productivity And Progress Dwight Sutherland, MP. | 27 FEATURES
Speightstown Vital to the Future of Tourism in Barbados Colin
Jordan | 39 Three Possiblities To Lift The City Senator Jerome
Walcott | 32 Sir Louis R. Tull One Of The Outstanding
Post-Independence Ministers Of Education In Barbados Dr. Dan C.
Carter | 37 Needed : Early Childhood And Primary Education Reform
In Barbados Edmund G. Hinkson, M.P. | 40 BLP At Large | 42 YOUNG
VOICES Youth and Hard Times | 45 A future for Barbadian youth
Shanika Roberts-Odle | 49 Face Forward - Re-Imagining Governance,
The Bajan Model Kevon E. Henry | 50 Past Recipients of the Milroy
Reece and Grantley Adams Award | 52 Past Chairmen & General
Secretaries of the BLP | 53 TRIBUTES Mr. St. Michael West - Loyal,
Genuine, Man of Integrity. In Grateful Tribute To Geoffrey Cameron
Roach Bishop Joseph Atherley | 54 Educator and Tower in Boscobelle
Tribute to Mr. Anderson Jordan Colin Jordan | 55 Gone - Never
Forgotten | 55 Gilmore Rocheford - Last Federal | 56 MP and BLP
Stalwart PROFILE Q & A - Ralph Thorne | 57 AWARDEES 2015
Recipient of the Grantley Adams Award Erskine Griffith, GCM | 60
Recipient of the Milroy Reece Award Gloria Alleyne | 61 Recipient
of the Chairmans Award Noel Lynch | 62 Recipient of the Special
Award Indar Weir | 63 Recipient of the Cultural Award Peter Ram
Yella African Wiggins | 64 Wednesday2000 Kadooment Band | 65
Recipient of the Youth Award Rodney King | 66 Recipient of the
Sports Award Kim Holder | 67 Mark Venom Griffith | 68 Chelsea Tuach
| 69 Jason Holder | 70 Rivaldo Leacock | 71 Ramon Gittens | 72
3. Sports Awardees Constituency Awards Simeon Belgrave Ernesta
Clarke Mark Watson Alfred Drakes Leroy Gittens Sharon Thompson
Patrick Chandler Victor Oneale Nicole Thorpe Luceta Richards-Ward
Cyrlene Lewis Lyndon Clarke Cicely Harris Mark Philips Doreen
Glasgow Lynette Price Sylvia Cummins-Edwards Avril Crookendale
Dalton Best Ceceila Johnson Juetta Prescod Aneta Morrison Mavis
Greenidge Matthew Garnes Deston Howell Zuyncntb Pzruqhanz Bison
Ernest Downes Sam Clarke Robert Lawrence Makala Beckles-Jordan
Sherol Harte Kim Holder Mark Griffith Chelsea Tuach Jason Holder
Rivaldo Leacock Ramon Gittens St. Andrew St. Joseph St. Peter St.
Thomas St. Lucy St. James North St. James Central City of
Bridgetown St. Michael North St. Michael North West St. Michael
West Central St. Michael West St. Michael East St. Michael South
East St. Michael Central St. Michael South Central St. Michael
South St. Michael North East Christ Church East Christ Church West
Christ Church South Christ Church West Central Christ Church East
Central St. Philip North St. Philip West St. George South St.
George North New York Branch U.K Branch League of Young Socialists
Womens League FIRST DAY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23RD, 2015 Cocktail
Reception 6:30 7:45 Awards Ceremony National Anthem Welcome MC
Prayer Apostle Lloyd Henry Welcome Conference Chairman Senator
Wilfred Abrahams Address Adrian Green Remarks Hon Mia Amor Mottley
Political Leader PRESENTATION OF AWARDS Constituency Awards
Northern Branches Dale Marshall 1st Vice Chairman Southern Branches
Cynthia Forde 2nd Vice Chairman Central Branches Pat Parris 3rd
Vice Chairman Performance Majela Best Special Award Senator Wilfred
Abrahams Conference Chairman Youth Award Senator Wilfred Abrahams
Conference Chairman Sports Awards Senator Dr Jerome Walcott General
Secretary Youth Award Senator Dr Jerome Walcott General Secretary
Performance Joy Warde Cultural Awards Hon Mia Amor Mottley
Political Leader Milroy Reece Award Hon Mia Amor Mottley Political
Leader Party Chairmans Award Hon Mia Amor Mottley Political Leader
Grantley Adams Award Hon Mia Amor Mottley Political Leader
Performance Serenader Vote of Thanks Mr Adrian Forde Erskine
Griffith Gloria Alleyne Noel Lynch Indar Weir Seawell Wilkinson
Peter Wiggins (Peter Ram) Wednesday 2000 Kadooment Band Rodney King
Party Awards Grantley Adams Award Milroy Reece Award Party
Chairmans Award Special Awards Special Awards Cultural Award Youth
Award Returning HOPE To Our People 77th BARBADOS LABOUR PARTY
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 23rd, 24th & 25th OCTOBER 2015 CHRIST CHURCH
FOUNDATION SCHOOL Returning Hope To Our People 77th | Annual
Conference 2015 | 03www.blp.org.bb
5. Assembly National Anthem Prayers- Rev. Samuel Taylor
Performance - Kapremes Welcome Conference Chairman Minutes of the
76th Annual Conference and Reports (Donation) Reports: General
Secretary Treasurer Parliamentary Group League of Young Socialists
Womens League BLP New York Chapter U. K Branch Lynette Holder -
Progressive Credit Union LUNCH Delegate roll call Youth Symposium
Announcement of 2015-2016 Executive Break Introduction of Political
Leader Political Leaders Address 10:00 10.10 10:15 10:20 10:25
10.35 1.00 2.30 2.45 4.20 4.20 4.55 5.00 Assembly Liturgical Dance
The Majestical Dancers Service of Thanksgiving - Rt. Rev. Bishop
Marlon Jones Opening Hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer Bible
Reading Collection Hymn Will Your Anchor Hold Message Closing
Prayer Closing Hymn - Battle Hymn of the Republic Remarks - General
Secretary Introduction of Party Executive & National Council
Covenant of Hope LUNCH Covenant of Hope RESOLUTIONS Announcement of
Auditors Announcement of 2016 Conference Chairman The Majestic
Dancers Vote of Thanks SECOND DAY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24TH, 2015
Returning Hope To Our People THIRD DAY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25TH, 2015
9:30 10:00 10:40 10:50 10:55 1:00 2:30 3:30 5:30 5:35 5.40 77th |
Annual Conference 2015 | 05www.blp.org.bb
7. Will your eyes behold through the morning light the city of
gold and the harbour bright? Will you anchor safe by the heavenly
shore, when lifes storms are past for evermore? Battle Hymn of the
Republic Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are
stored; He has loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift
sword: His truth is marching on. Refrain Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah! Glory, Glory, Hallelujah! His truth is
marching on. I have seen Him in the watchfires of a hundred
circling camps; They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews
and damps; I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring
lamps; His day is marching on. He has sounded forth the trumpet
that shall never call retreat; He is sifting out the hearts of men
before His judgement-seat: O be swift, my soul, to answer Him; be
jubilant, my feet! Our God is marching on. In the beauty of the
lilies Christ was born across the sea, With glory in His bosom that
transfigures you and me: As he died to make men holy; let us live
to make men free While God is marching on. He is coming like the
glory of the morning on the wave, He is wisdom to the mighty, He is
honour to the brave; So the world shall be His footstool, and the
soul of wrong His slave Our God is marching on. Guide Me, O Thou
Great Redeemer Guide me, O thou great Redeemer, pilgrim though this
barren land; I am weak, but thou art mighty; hold me with thy
powerful hand; Bread of heaven, feed me now and evermore. Open now
the crystal fountain, whence the healing stream doth flow; let the
fiery cloudy pillar lead me all my journey through; strong
Deliverer, be thou still my Strength and Shield. When I tread the
verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside; bear me through the
swelling current, land me safe on Canaans side; songs of praises, I
will ever give to thee. Will Your Anchor Hold In The Storms Of Life
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold
their wings of strife? When the strong tides lift, and the cables
strain, will your anchor drift, or firm remain? Refrain We have an
anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the billows
roll; fastened to the Rock which cannot move, grounded firm and
deep in the Saviours love! Will your anchor hold in the straits of
fear, when the breakers roar and the reef is near? While the surges
rave, and the wild winds blow, shall the angry waves then your bark
oerflow? Will your anchor hold in the floods of death, when the
waters cold chill your latest breath? On the rising tide you can
never fail, while your anchor holds within the veil. Returning Hope
To Our People Hymns 77th | Annual Conference 2015 |
07www.blp.org.bb
8. Political Leader and Leader of the Opposition Hon. Mia Amor
Mottley T he hope for a better tomorrow has sustained generations
of Barbadians to en- dure hardship and difficult times; to aspire
to a better life for themselves and their children. This, sadly, is
at risk today. Our people have begun to doubt themselves. Many
despair of their ability to keep their heads above the water and to
build a better life for themselves in this, our beloved country.
Many question whether any government can make their lives better.
This is the result of eight years of unrelenting economic
devastation, social disorder and institutional decay. This is the
result of increasing tribalism reflected in decisions at all levels
across our country. This is inevitable when people feel they have
been left to their own devices and that their Government simply
does not care. This loss of hope is, by far, the worst crime that
has been committed against our people over the last seven and a
half years. Our task as a party will be to restore hope to our
people and to rebuild and transform our country. It is a daunting
task but one from which we cannot and must not resile. I am
confident that we can do so by reaching out to Barbadians and
putting Barbados and our people at the centre of all that we do. We
have deliberately chosen to focus on restoring hope; for this must
truly be the mission of the Barbados Labour Party, (BLP), if we are
to rise again as a nation and as a people. On the celebration of
our 75th anniversary as a party, I issued a Call to Arms that
signaled our intention to work Returning Hope To Our People
Restoring Hope to our People! www.blp.org.bb08 | 77th Annual
Conference | 2015
9. with all Barbadians who shared our phi- losophy and values,
whether they are members or supporters of our party or not. We need
the will and action of the majority of people to restore our
country to economic growth, to create jobs, to allow our people to
share in the countrys prosperity, to protect the most vulnerable
among us, to give Barbadians a voice and a role in transforming our
country and to provide opportunity to all Barbadians. In many ways,
our deliberations during this 77th Annual Conference will be a
watershed in the history of our Party as we prepare for this
historic mission in leading the rescue of Barbados. We have before
us a draft document entitled A Covenant of Hope Vision and
Principles of the Barbados Labour Party. This Conference is the
highest decision making body of our Party. There is no more
important business for us than to agree to these principles as a
Party and then to share them with Barbadians across the country. I
ask each of you to engage fully in this process for this defines in
clear terms: who we are as a Party, what we stand for and what we
will fight to achieve for our people and our country. My friends,
our journey to persuade Barbadians that they do have a REAL CHOICE
has started. We must work together as a party, and harder than we
have ever done, to give Barbadians that confidence. We must restore
the faith of Barbadians in our political system by being
accountable for our words and our actions. We must show Barbadians
that we care. Barbadians want a new politics. Barbadians want a
better society. Barbadians want an economy that is working for them
and not against them. Barbadians want a say in their affairs. Above
all else, Barbadians want Barba- dos to succeed. Let us engage
Barbadians face to face, parish by parish, to regain their trust
and to restore hope. This will be the platform for the
transformation of Barbados. We have done it before and we can do it
again. There is simply too much at stake for too many. We must
never be fearful of tomorrow. We must never doubt what we may
achieve as we work together! Let us restore hope to our people! It
is our solemn duty. Returning Hope To Our People 77th | Annual
Conference 2015 | 09www.blp.org.bb
10. Returning hope to our people Senator Wilfred Abrahams
Conference Chairman Hope. W e all have varying definitions of what
hope means; for some, its an intan- gible quality and for others,
it is the bedrock on which their dreams are built. Whatever our
definition, we can all agree that the essential quality that hope
engenders is a feeling of trust. Over these 49 years of
Independence and, indeed, over 300 years of our current history,
every Barbadian lived with a sense of hope, hope that the next
generation would be better off than the previous one. This
unshakable and self- fulfilling progress has guided us through the
oppressive days of slavery and colonial rule. This hope planted our
feet firmly on the path to Independence and all that it meant -
education, health care public safety and an improved quality of
living. This hope has fuelled our dreams and aspirations generation
by generation. Sadly, the flame of hope in Barbados has almost been
completely extinguished. Many of us would never have expected to
see that within our lifetime we would be the spectators to the
almost complete dismantling of our social services and economy.
Crime in Barbados has reached near epidemic proportions. Our soci-
ety has become more violent and has begun to cannibalise itself as
we witness increased instances of child abuse, elder abuse and
domestic violence. And while we all see this, the DLP Government
remains silent and uninterested. Free tertiary education, the long
treasured trophy of our country, has been unceremoniously ripped
from our grasp and denied to our children. The doors to advancement
for our most vulnerable people, our nations greatest natural
resource have been effectively closed. The Government, incapable of
creating innovative solutions to our woes, has defaulted to a more
and more tax is better approach to the DLP inflicted holes in our
economy. All the while increasing our debt servicing burden and
widening the deficit with ill-conceived fiscal plans. It is against
this backdrop of worry and tribulation that hope, like the sun,
must rise. This 77th Annual Conference of the Barbados Labour
Party, (BLP), the Caribbeans preeminent and enduring political
institution, heralds the first rays of the light of hope that must
shine through this gloomy landscape. Wake Up Barbados! Salute the
happy morn, our forefathers are calling us to retake our rightful
place as leaders. It has been too long since we have looked the
future in the eye with confidence. This conference invites you to
lift your head and hold it high in hope, for a change is on its
way! While the theme for the confer- ence is returning hope to our
people, we must also acknowledge that we are on the cusp of a
rebirth in the political landscape of Barbados; everyone tells us
that the time for change is now, and that we need to once again be
able to rely on the word of our leaders and the assurances of our
candidates. The next government of Barbados must be prepared to
make a solemn and binding oath in the form of a covenant that it is
prepared to stand by. This BLP knows that nothing less than strong
leadership, imbued with integrity and vision, will restore the
shattered faith and confidence in our country, economy and society.
This 77th Annual Conference is the starting point for the
rebuilding of Barbados. The BLP has served Barbados and Barbadians
faithfully and well and are prepared to do so again. We will return
hope to our people. Returning Hope To Our People Every Barbadian
lived with a sense of hope, hope that the next generation would be
better off than the previous one. www.blp.org.bb10 | 77th Annual
Conference | 2015
11. P arty members and Barbadians should take some pride in the
performance of our Party in the last year as we continued to expose
the misanthropic behaviour of the Government as it contin- ued to
take our beloved nation backwards down the cliff face. From Press
Conferences to mass meetings, the Barbados Labour Party, (BLP),
team has been unrelenting in calling out the wayward Government on
its several instances of arrogance, mismanagement, improprietous
conduct and inaction that have been the signal features of the
Democratic Labour Party, (DLP), to the ongoing damage to country
and society. Indeed, the BLP can take credit for the repeal of the
notorious Solid Waste Municipal Tax, following the massive campaign
it waged against that iniquitous measure. Further, the performance
of the Parliamentary Group in the 2015 Budget was one of the
outstanding features of the year. Leading from the front, Mia
Mottley delivered a tour de force reply, one of the central planks
of which was the comprehensive exposure of Government infelicities
in relation to the Cahill Waste to Energy Gasifica- tion Plant.
That to this day the several charges and questions have not been
answered underscore the veracity of Comrade Mottleys charges. The
team was prepared, re- freshing and, as required in these times, in
no nonsense mood, delivering its best overall debate performance
since this new parliamentary cycle began in 2013. The widespread
support of hundreds of people at our various activities should
inspire all of us in the BLP family to continue our work in pres-
suring the Government to do better and to provide hope for
Barbadians. In the latter respect, the Party has continued to
provide much needed support to Barbadians buffetted by the harsh
economic rule of the Government, both in cash and in kind. I wish
to applaud particularly those who continue to put others before
themselves and show their nationalism by contributing to our fund
raising efforts, the vast majority of which is passed on to those
in need. The League of Young Socialists charity initiative and the
Partys immedi- ate response to the tragedy in Dominica and its
shepherding of the One Dominica concert stand out among many
efforts to assist in timely and appropriate fashion, showing us
empathetic with the suffer- ing of people in contrast to the
uncaring stance of our opponents. Many of our branches have also on
their own launched community initiatives to help buttress the
depres- sion and practical daily effects of DLP rule. Among them,
the programmes of St. Thomas, St. James North have the potential to
be transformative and should be emulated by other branches.
Overwhelmingly so, the work of our branches is inspiring.
Voluntarily and, often, without praise, numerous comrades across
Barbados continue to makepersonalsacrificeswaybeyond time and
reasonable call of duty to ensure that both Party and candidates
look good and maintain presence in the communi- ties they serve.
With or without candidates, whether absent through sickness or
otherwise, branches keep the machin- ery of the BLP working in good
and especially in bad times. Neither MPs, candidates or Party can
function without the unswerving and selfless support of our
branches that has been a hallmark of our Party. The notion, then,
that branches should be secondary and be less than our constitution
accords is as ignorant as it is self-defeating. And no member of
our Party should be seen as not accepting, or seeking to remove,
any democrati- cally elected branch executive. That would make us
no better than those we condemn. No one, regardless of their per-
sonal quirks, is better than the BLP. Or should be supported in
trumping its rules and regulations. That is not the BLP! As General
Secretary and as Party Chairman, I have found our branches
generally supportive and harmonious in advancing the cause of the
BLP first, and I say, without contradiction, that we would not have
come this far without them. They have been the incubators of many
of our leaders. At this stage, when all Barbados is looking to us
for a new path in the hope of a much better future in all aspects,
particularly governance, let us resolve at this conference to
embrace our branches and all those, in and outside the Party, who
are supporting and assisting us in our foremost cause - to make
Barbados better. Let us focus and advance the many positives we are
too hesitant to showcase in our Party. The unity and camaraderie
demonstrated in our annual picnic, which this year was the largest.
The work and worth of our young people that the Party keeps
attracting, whose views, as illustrated in this publication and
which will be aired on the second day of confer- ence, are worthy
of note. The initiatives at fostering cohesion among the rank and
file, by the rank and file themselves, as seen in the Wednesday
luncheon at BLP head-quarters. We are at our best when all areas of
the Party are in harmony. And that cohesion, an organisation
charting a new road, one girded in a new gover- nance, respect for
democracy and our people, is what will, more than anything else,
return hope to our nation that we can halt the torrent of injustice
by an inhumane and insincere government of economic idiots. Let us
in our every action demonstrate that we can and will return that
hope to our people. Returning Hope To Our People BLP Bigger than
Anyone Senator Dr. Jerome Walcott General Secretary 77th | Annual
Conference 2015 | 11www.blp.org.bb
12. www.blp.org.bb12 | 77th Annual Conference | 2015 Exciting
Times for League Sandie Feilds Preisdent Womens Legue of the
Barbados Labour Party T his year for the Barbados Labour Party
League of Women was one of revital- ization. We attempted to do a
number of things including building the strength of the zones
within the party by having a joint meeting with the Northern
Branch. We also sought to have several discussions on topical
issues with speakers such as Sandra Husbands and President of the
Barbados Economic Society, Jeremy Stephens, on establishing small
female owned business; Mary Thompson and MP Cynthia Forde on
Domestic Violence and its societal effects. The League rekindled
its community outreach and visibility programme with a highly
supported food drive at Popular Discounts, Spooners Hill for the
HIV/ AIDS Food Bank. Public gratitude is extended to President of
the League for birthing the idea, floor member Alicia Deane who was
in charge of coordinating the Drive, and staff of Popular, who
allowed us to use their facilities. The League also formed a choir
and visited various Barbados Labour Party shut-ins to sing and
distribute hampers as a part of Christmas celebrations. The League,
through its Public Relations Officer, Marsha Hinds-Layne, has also
been speaking publicly to issues affecting women in Barbados, in-
cluding the retrenchment exercise being undertaken by Government.
There are several other challenges to be highlighted and the
Executive of the League stands committed to working for the people
of Barbados. Sandie Fields is an educator and longstanding
commentator on social issues. She is principal of Sunbeam Baby Care
and Montessori Pre-School. Returning Hope To Our People T he past
year has been one of growth, both for the Barbados Labour Party and
the League of Young Socialists (LYS). Our main objectives were to
revitalize the League and reassert its prominence as an influential
arm of the Barbados Labour Party. In October 2014, the LYS made it
our number one priority to form the first charity committee led by
the youth arm. This initiative was developed due to recognition of
a need for urgent help for disadvantaged persons across Barbados as
increasing numbers of individuals were unable to meet their
physical, social and financial requirements given the economic
climate. This charity was created under the theme Youth with a
Purpose. Its objective was to inspire the youth to play a positive
role in society through involvement in welfare and social wellbeing
programmes. Throughout the year we made several donations to
institutions and people in need: Thirty-seven hampers to Clyde
Gollop Mens Hospice Hampers to four members of St. Philip North
Assistance with home renovations and hampers to four members of St.
Michael South Hampers to one member of Christ Church West Hampers
to three members of St. Michael South Central Hampers to one member
of St. Michael West Central Following these efforts, we also
assisted our brothers and sisters in Dominica with two barrels
containing items such as toiletries, food and clothing during the
aftermath of tropical storm Erika. One of the major accomplishments
of the League over the past year was an increase in its membership
by approximately 100. This was achieved through creative measures;
for example, use of social media, which allowed youth to keep
abreast of the activities of the LYS. It also provided a forum
where any interested person could gain more information about
Cultivating Young Leaders Asokore Beckles Legue Of Young
Socialists
13. 77th | Annual Conference 2015 | 13www.blp.org.bb the
organization and its history. The success of these measures
highlighted the need for a greater online presence; hence, the LYS
website was created. The content of this website is not limited to
the activities of the League but includes an outline of the partys
legacy, philosophy and information relating to past and present
candidates and leaders. In keeping with the mandate to support the
Barbados Labour Party while being a voice for the youth, we
attended several branch meetings, organized joint meetings and
panel discussions and participated in mass canvasses. I was also
given the opportunity to speak on behalf of the youth in St. Lucy,
St. Michael North West, St. James North, St. Michael South East and
the Womens League. Our final initiative was the decentralization of
the League of Young Socialists. This process was brought about to
encourage the involvement of more youth within the party and
thereby cultivate future leaders. The framework of this project
constitutes organization of the members in the three established
zones (Northern, Southern and St. Michael zones). Each zone will
have an executive committee responsible for rallying the youth in
their respective areas, addressing issues and concerns and
encouraging young people to become active in their communities. I
want to thank my executive, which worked diligently and tirelessly
throughout the year. I wish the new executive a successful year and
hope that the League can continue its great work into 2016 and
beyond. One of the new crop of young Labourites, Asokore Beckles is
a statistician and Treasurer of the National Union of Public Works,
(NUPW). The former President of the St. Michael South East branch,
his ambition is to be in elective politics. Returning Hope To Our
People In keeping with our celebration of Caribbean American
Heritage Month, A
BetterLifeforourPeople,NewYorkagainbroughtrepresentativesoftheBarbados
Labour Party, (BLP), to network with the Barbadian Diaspora and
friends. Our party leader, the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, QC, MP and
Hon. Edmund Hinkson, MP engaged and enlightened the captive
audience as they shared what Barbados is now and where we can go.
Though geographically separated, the principals of the BLP remain
close to our hearts. Proverbs 29 tells us that where there is no
vision, the people perish. Our former esteemed leader, Grantley
Herbert Adams and others, were palpably aware of this. They
realized the unionization of workers and established the BLP, which
set the stage for the creation of one of the worlds most just and
dynamic societies. As the most mature political party in the land,
the Party has not moved away from our moorings and holds fast to
the vision. We have in our current leader Mia Mottley, a woman who
is enlightened and passionate about Barbados and its people. She is
attuned to the needs of this party as a modern functioning
institution, and holds a vision for Barbados and its people that is
humanitarian and progressive. She re-energizes our ability to build
and develop capacity within this Party and is a living reminder to
Barbadians that dreams and hopes can be fulfilled. The theme for
this, our 77th Annual conference, Returning Hope to our People is
therefore apt. Our land is at a crossroads as we witness acts
against humanity, which fall far short of brotherly love. Our
people seem to have lost hope and their way, like sheep without a
shepherd. The current government appears without vision, is silent
on matters of national and human interest and, therefore, suffering
abounds. The calypso song, Captain the ship is sinking by Gypsy, is
fitting for the current state of affairs. Enough is enough! In
returning hope to Barbadians, the BLP, as it has always done at
times of great crises, must be fired up and steadfast behind our
leader. Leadership has been our strength. Like most cohesive
families, we can and will disagree; however, there is no need to be
disagreeable and mar our public image and the reality of unity of
spirit, vision and the cause for which the Party, our party, is
known. Community and country always comes before self. Barbados
needs all of its sons and daughters, at home and abroad, to help
rebuild the country. This will be the task of the BLP when the
reins of government are again entrusted to us. We must be unified
and ready. Our mission must be fueled with the highest of
integrity, to put Barbados back on track, such that our citizens
are inspired to respon- sibly participate, contribute and benefit
from the land we love. I am pleased on behalf of the executive,
members and friends of the Better Life for our People, New York, to
bring greetings and best wishes for a successful 77th Annual
Conference. Lets Be Unified and Ready Jessica Odle-Baril Chairman
New York Branch
14. T his years report is intended to be an appraisal of where
and why we are at this point in our branchs history, more so than
what we have done over the last year. Every possible effort is
being made to stimulate interest in this branch. The year 2016 is
perhaps our water- shed year when we will seek to use the momentum
of the countrys 50th anniversary of Independence to bring fresh and
younger blood into the branch. However, it will not be an easy
task. The older generation of Barbadians, as they settle into
spending their final years in the UK, have in great numbers become
detached politically from Barbados and show only a fleeting
interest in the islands political affairs. Many of them have been
canvassed to join the Party but they show little interest beyond
basic support. It seems they do not care to be officially
identified with either political group. Regrettably, second genera-
tion Barbadians show little interest in the inner sanctum of
politics in Barbados. They have said they do not have a tangible
connection with the political wing on the island and therefore
cannot blindly support something that is not physically before
them. They say they can identify only a few of our politicians and
do not know, or show little interest in, what side of the fence any
one politician sits. They are impressed by the ideals of our party;
even more so when the records of the two parties are put before
them. However, they are quick to point out that without a vote they
are powerless to have a say in who governs and therefore their
interest is merely an academic one. It is a difficult point to
counter as we have nothing tangible to offer them in exchange for
their membership, loyalty and interest. Nonetheless, I continue,
and will continue, to argue fiercely to convince them of the need
to be attached to our party. The battle is never lost. Despite
these hur- dles, this UK Branch shall not be moved in its
determina- tion to keep the BLP in the forefront of the minds of
all Barbadians, regardless of age or sex, living in the UK. The
year 2015 has passed much like the two years immediately before it.
Membership has not in- creased and I am grateful to have a solid
core of members whose motto appears to be Never Say Die. We are
aware that interest falls for a party when it is in opposition.
However, it would be helpful if we could occasionally see someone
from headquarters. It is disappointing that none of our national
representatives have had occasion to transit London over the last
few years. Had that been so, it would have afforded our members and
supporters opportunity to be updated on the vexing issues which are
before the people of our country. Attempts to host/sponsor small
events have been muted. There appears to be reluctance on the part
of members to get involved in promoting them. We have therefore had
to withdraw some plans believing they would be loss making
ventures. We continued to represent the Party in the local
community and part sponsored a reception which was held at the
Barbados High Commission for a delegation from the USA, which was
in the UK to inform on a project concerning the building of a
hospice in Barbados. Small donations have been made to other
bodies. The project of gifting new and used clothing, stationery
and other essentials to local representatives continued and will
continue for the fore- seeable future. This branch remains vibrant
and loyal to the mother Party and its officers and we will support
them every inch of the way as they strive to bring Barbados from
the depths of its depres- sion. Never Say Die Vincent Boo Nurse
Chairman UK Branch Returning Hope To Our People www.blp.org.bb14 |
77th Annual Conference | 2015
15. S unday gone, a Minister of the Environment appeared on
page 3, next to a picture of a series of people, in respect of a
project to be built in the constituency of St. Thomas by a com-
pany called Cahill Energy, and we were alerted in that article by
the principal of Cahill Energy that the project is now to start in
September 2015. The consequences potentially for the country
financially and environ- mentally are of such serious proportion
that the whole of Barbados must now pause and have a conversation.
The implications for the breaches of gov- ernance are such that
unlike any time since Cabinet Government has been introduced in
this country, has there been a situation where four Ministers of
Government have been on a path that potentially has now exposed
this country to millions, ten or a hundred, depending on when the
Prime Minister can produce the document to the people, of this
country of the money liability. On 15th March 2014 in this Chamber,
two days before the estimates debate were scheduled to start, a
Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Government of
Barbados through four ministers of the Crown and a company called
Cahill Energy. The story was touted all on the Sunday and Monday to
coincide with the speech of the Minis- ter of Finance at the
commencement of Estimates that things were turning around and
things were getting better and look how we were attracting inter-
national investors for whom there are stories on Bloomberg; the
stories were made documents of the House. We were told that Cahill
were investing BDS$480,000,000 in a waste to energy project at
Vaucluse and it was cutting edge technology, plasma gasifica- tion,
and that it would bring significant benefits to the people of
Barbados and the economy of Barbados. In that same debate I
indicated to this country that that company was only formed in
August 2012; it was simply a name plate company in Guernsey. I was
attacked and the Opposition was attached. We said then that we
thought that Barbados should not a guinea pig for any cutting edge
technology that was not commercially viable for more than 10 years
across the world. What was the first amazing thing to us was that
it became evident that that Memorandum Of Understand- ing (MOU),
breaching the first rule of governance, saw four Ministers of the
Crown sign the MOU, to the credit of the Attorney General without
his signature or without his sign-off, to bind the Gov- ernment of
Barbados into anything; and the Solicitor General also did not sign
off on that MOU. It was another two months, I am told, before
anything went to the Cabinet of Barbados, so the announcement is
made to the Parliament of Barbados on 17th March but nothing goes
to Cabinet until May 2014. On that occasion Cabinet is invited to
rescind a previous decision to go out to public tender and request
proposals for waste energy plants. The most amazing thing is that
the MOU was not delivered to Cabinet, so the Cabinet does not see
the MOU, but the Cabinet agrees that the Sanitation Services
Authority should agree to enter into negotiations. Since that time,
the town hall meeting took place in July 2014, the principal of
Cahill also attended a meet- ing of a waste to energy plant at Tees
Valley in England on 10th July 2014, where she stated, among other
things, the following: 1. it cannot get any better than getting
paid to take other peoples garbage; That is the first thing she
tells the people, she then says that Cahill has been written into
the Laws in Barbados as having the legal claim to all of Barbados
municipal waste, municipal, hospital, shipping and sugar. Now I am
a legislator, as is everybody else in this Parliament. None of us
has had the privilege of being briefed, far less to write into law
anything for the benefit for any company called Cahill. At that
stage, she says that the Returning Hope To Our People 77th | Annual
Conference 2015 | 15www.blp.org.bb Mottley Excoriates Cahill Deal
In the Estimates of March 17, 2014, Minister of Finance, Chris
Sinckler sprung on Barbados with the words, nothing gives me
greater pleasure than to say this, that the Ministry of Environment
and Drainage, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Housing and
Lands and the Ministry of Energy on behalf of the Government of
Barbados signed for the construction of state-of-the-art, cutting
edge, waste to energy plasma gasification plant to be constructed
in Barbados between Cahill Energy and the Government of Barbados at
Vaucluse in St. Thomas. At the time, Barbados Labour Party, (BLP)
Leader in response raised several questions about this sudden
development, to the usual negative personal attacks by the
Government. This year, in the Budget Reply, Mottley returned to the
topic, stunning both Government members and the public with a
string of revelations on the Cahill deal. ........it is smoke and
mirrors and the only persons going up in fire are the people of
Barbados.
16. Returning Hope To Our People www.blp.org.bb16 | 77th Annual
Conference | 2015 plant for Barbados is intended to be a 650 tonne
plant a day. All of sudden she says to the people: They are
expected to receive cash flows of $3.7 billion Barbados dollars
over a 30 year period. According to her, they expected a rate of
return of about 19 percent at the time. Well you know, Sir, the
truth is that on that date it was no longer a $480 million project,
all of a sudden it was a $512 million project. Then in May of this
year, the project was being sold by members of this Government as a
$600 million project. This thing is moving faster than a
rollercoaster. Lo and behold, Sunday morning, at about midnight, I
get my Nation newspaper, and I now see on page three that this is
now a $700 million project. Mr. Speaker, in the same article I
began to wonder whether the Minister of the Environment and the
Principal of Cahill were talking about the same project. She said
that Cahill has had difficulties raising the investment for the
project because of the constant down- grading of the Barbados
sovereign credit rating, And we would have investors that were
very, very interested but by the time that there was a third credit
rating drop, they were not interested anymore and we would have to
start again with new investors. The principal is looking for money
and the Minister says the funding there. To my horror, Mr. Speaker,
I learnt that Cahill Energy had hired a company called Jacob
Securities, a company in the business with a mergers and
acquisitions division. We are also now learning from these
documents, (that Cahill) has also signed, a power purchase
agreement and an implemen- tation agreement between the Govern-
ment of Barbados and Cahill Energy. If what these documents say is
true, I am asking the Prime Minister to bring to this Chamber
before this debate is finished, copies of the power purchase agree-
ment, which Cabinet has not seen yet, and copies of the
implementation agree- ment, which Cabinet has not seen yet, but for
which I am told the Sanitation Service Authority has paid legal
fees in excess of $700 000. All of a sudden, having gotten a
license to shop and fish, off of the backs of the taxpayers of
Barbados, could you believe that Cahill Energy, nameplate company
is now for sale? Now for sale! It then goes, and I want you to hold
your stomachs now, because this is what bothers me after I have
been advised by scientists independent of my Party and independent
of Barbados. Cahill Energy Barbados agreement with the Government
of Barbados pro- vides that it will build a Plasma Gasifica- tion
plant (hereafter PG Plant)however, the protocol itself does not
provide for the project to comply with any specific environmental
standards. Mr. Speaker, the beginning of the second paragraph of a
cover- ing letter tells the purchasers come as you may, come as you
will, do what you like, this country Barbados will not and is not
enforcing for a technology that is un- tried any part of the world
at this scale. Do you understand that there is nowhere from China
to Timbuktu, Alaska to Antarctica to where ever, that this project
has ever been done as a 75 megawatt at this scale? Worse than that,
no part of the globe where it has ever been done on a coral island
that depends on water through the coral system at any size
whatsoever? What is plasma gasification? For the benefit of
Barbadians, Plasma gasification, Mr. Speaker, is burning at 5000
degrees C or more, above where the country earns its income from
the hotels that the Minister of Tourism is intent on making sure
contribute to this countrys GDP. It gets worse. What does Section 4
stand and reflect as Project Highlights? It says that the
Government of Barbados signed two contracts with Cahill Energy for
30 years each. Let me put that in context Sir, when these plants
are due to be built and delivered, the last year of the contract I
will be 83 years. Eighty-three years old, because these four
ministers have bound this country until the year 2048 with this
project! What does that Agreement now say? Let me go through it
very clearly and comprehensively for you. Part One of the
Implementation Agree- ment says that Cahill Energy now has the
exclusive right for all waste to energy plants in Barbados
hereinafter. So the gentleman who was on the back page of the
Nation, asking for waste to en- ergy plants on Saturday, better go
to Guernsey and look for the name plate to find the lady to beg for
permission to build a plant in Barbados. Nobody, from the Prime
Minister back down in this Government, or any future government
that we might constitute, will have the power to award a waste to
energy plant to anybody in this country, because
17. 77th | Annual Conference 2015 | 17www.blp.org.bb Returning
Hope To Our People these four Ministers have gone off on a frolic
to give Cahill Energy the exclusive right to develop waste to
energy plants in Barbados. Two, Cahill is exempt from all taxation
- no Corporation Tax, hear me Barbadians; no Value Added Tax, hear
me Barbadians; no Capital Gains Tax, hear me Barbadians; no
Transfer Tax on shares on property, no Withholding Tax on interest
and dividends. And listen to this one, please Barbadians, no import
duties on the importation of waste, tyres and other supply items.
Do you know that the Minister of the Environment in April 2013,
when the Solid Waste bill was being debated in here, denied that
there would be any need to import garbage or tyres into this
country for this project? How low can we go? How low can we go? We
knew from the Cabinet decision that the Government has to acquire
the land from one of the subsid- iaries of Eastern Land
Developments, 27 acres. So the taxpayers of Barba- dos will pay for
the acquisition of that land and the Member for St. Thomas cannot
get houses for her constituents, or the Member for St. George North
or St. George South. Worse than that, the Member for St. Andrew
cannot get his constituents in St. Andrew fixed prop- erly with the
problems at White Hill, but the Government is committing to buy 27
acres and give a contractor in this country to develop a plant that
the Government is going to give them all of their cost free and
then buy all that they have to sell. Cahill must be allowed, I want
the Minister of Agriculture to hear this, to drill water wells on
the land and that they must be done without charge or tax. It then
goes on to say that the Govern- ment must supply the
infrastructure, the water pipe lines and the commissioning of all
water pipe lines to the Plant. Cahill must be allowed not only to
drill wells, but to establish rain water lagoons. Rain water
lagoons in St. Thomas. Anybody who has lived in or visited Jamaica
knows that the spec- tacle and presence of lagoons and the use of
caustic soda, which is one of the expense items in this document
referred to, portends severe issues that we have to have answered.
For a country that has a water situation, where our water comes
through ground water, through a coral island? This is madness.
Guess who is to deliver the En- vironmental Impact Assessment? Do
you know that the Government of Bar- bados agreed to do the
Environmental Impact Assessment? That is what the old people would
call salt in the wound. Somebody is bringing something for you that
is potentially deleterious to your people and you are going to turn
around and do the Environmental Impact Assessment and pay for it,
but then put taxes on the people of Barbados yesterday to the turn
of $200 million. Do you understand why I tell you that this
Government is for the benefit of a few? Then, the Government of
Barbados is to represent and warrant, because any breach of
representa- tion or warranties is the basis for dam- ages, to
provide that the Government of Barbados will deliver 550 tonnes per
day of municipal solid waste and then 450 tonnes per day of
biomass. Do you understand that the Government cannot deliver to
SBRC every year the 360 000 tonnes a year that it promised them and
now is com- mitting to a company to deliver another 1 000 tonnes a
day? No wonder you are going to have to import garbage and tyres.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, they no longer will take sugar cane. They have
agreed, and this is how the Minister of Agriculture got drawn in,
that they will now take what Bajans call Elephant Grass, what they
call King Grass, that grass that grows wild by the side of the
road. So Barbados is now to become the country of Myamo- see and
Elephant Grass. Not cane. A Minister of Finance spends 15 minutes
on milk yesterday and less than 60 seconds on the sugar cane
industry, which is facing its most critical path and future for the
first time in cen- turies in this country and that is what we are
to be treated to in a Budget. Mr. Speaker, there are then tipping
fee costs in here. Listen to this part; if the quality of the waste
drops below a certain calorific value, those Ministers agreed, if
this document is to be believed, that Cahill Energy is allowed to
increase their processing fee from five percent to 13 per cent if
the garbage is not of a certain quality. So make sure it dry, make
sure it perfumed and make sure it looks a certain way, if not the
people of Barbados got to get taxed more!s Do you know that the
Govern- ment must also bear the cost for the commissioning and
debugging of the electricity at the Plant when it finished, too?
The people build a plant and now the Government must come in and
carry the cost for that, too. These four Ministers have sold away
everything possible to sell away. I cannot call it the mother of
all sell outs, because I wouldnt want to unfair moth- ers so. This
would have to be the horror of all sell outs. Mr. Speaker, it does
not end there. The handling costs are to increase every three years
to reflect the operational and maintenance cost of Cahill. Nothing
to do with the Govern- ment of Barbados. Nothing to protect us. Any
delays to the project will not af- fect the revenue earnings of
Cahill. The Government has to establish a reserve account from now,
when the financing is in place, and hold it for three years until
the construction is finished and the plant is ready. The Government
also has an obligation, Sir, to make whole any default under this
project. So even if the Government is to walk away from this
project now, the liability of the taxpayers of Barbados is
potentially going to be in the tens and hundreds of millions. That
is why, Prime Minister, this Implementation Agreement has to be
brought to the people of Bar- bados before this debate is over.
This project is intending to start construction in September. I can
speak on behalf of the Barbados Labour Party, (BLP) and the Members
of Parliament who represent the area and the surrounding areas and
we can tell you not bout here.
18. From Foursquare Rum Distillery, the Distillery of the Year,
comes one of our very finest rums, R L Seale's Finest 10 Year Rum.
Join us in savouring tthis meticulously aged rum as we celebrate
our extraordinary spirit. The World Celebrates our Extraordinary
Spirit www.blp.org.bb18 | 77th Annual Conference | 2015
19. Returning Hope To Our People T he lack of timely and
effective m a n a g e - ment of Barbados most recent economic
recession that started in 2008 is responsible, more than anything
else, for the prolonged period of financial drought, which persists
to this day among Barbadian households and businesses. On its
current path, the economy cannot recover to cause any reasonable
individual to forget the misery of the last eight years. The notion
that the prolonged recession was all due to the international envi-
ronment has long been proven false. This is in direct contrast to
the way in which previous economic downturns were managed, notwith-
standing that there was some delay in addressing the 1991 economic
crisis. There were three occasions in the past 1977, 1982 and 2001
when pending economic troubles were swiftly and effectively tackled
by the Government. In the first two instances, the Tom Adams
Administration relied on financial resources from the Interna-
tional Monetary Fund (IMF) to quickly stabilise the economy. In the
case of 2001, the Owen Arthur Government utilised an external loan
to counter- act the challenges posed by the 9/11 terror attack in
the United States of America. No wonder, there is a perception,
which when properly contextualized becomes reality, that the
Barbados Labour Party, (BLP), always has to rescue Barbados from
the throes of economic disaster. In 1977, the Government was
reacting to a sustained decline in for- eign reserves as the import
reserve cover, which had fallen to 11 weeks in 1975, fell to seven
weeks in 1976. Having experienced very favourable sugar prices in
1974 and 1975 in particular, there was a sub- stantial drop in 1976
that contributed to the declining reserves. In addition, the
economy was recovering from the 1973 oil price shock and while im-
ports were growing tourism earnings were sluggish. Timely
Intervention Saves Us Dr. Clyde Mascoll 77th | Annual Conference
2015 | 19www.blp.org.bb
20. Working to Build a Stronger Nation visit our website at
www.williamsind.com www.blp.org.bb20 | 77th Annual Conference |
2015
21. In the immediate aftermath of the 1976 election, an
unprecedented fiscal deficit added to the economic woes, but
decisive economic management arrested the potential danger. In
1982, the prudent economic leadership was in reaction to severe
external events that started with the 1979 oil shock. This
triggered persistently high inflation at home and abroad, which was
accompanied by high interest rates worldwide. There was an
inevitable economic recession among the industrialised countries.
As a consequence, Barbados import reserve cover hovered around
eight weeks and the fiscal deficit reached uncomfortable levels.
There is an abundance of evidence to show how economic problems in
the past were confronted through timely intervention. There was no
bemoaning the fact that the countrys earlier economic challenges
were genuinely caused by external events. In 2008, there was no
spiralling of inflation resulting from high oil prices and interest
rates were at historical lows - and remained so to this day.
Barbados import reserve cover was around 20 weeks, multiple times
more than in previous recessions. Yet, Barbadians were falsely sold
the impression that the countrys foreign reserves threatened the
exchange rate, even though there was a persistent message of
adequacy in the reserves by the Central Bank. This adequacy only
became threatened in the face of the excessive printing of money by
the Central Bank in 2011 which mushroomed in 2013. From the
inception, the current Governments focus was never on sharing the
truth with the public but, rather, on playing hide and seek with
the numbers. This lack of honesty resulted in the sending of very
confusing messages on the performance of the economy. Remember,
there was no need to send home public sector workers prior to the
last General Election, yet immediately after in excess of 3,000
were laid-off. There is still the threat that more public servants
will lose their jobs. Rather than intervene to stimulate the
economy in the early days of the recession, there was an insistence
on there being no need for a fiscal stimulus package. Instead, the
Government diagnosed that there was a problem with excessive
spending and chose to match the spending with excessive taxation.
Once the latter stifled economic activity, the Government opted to
temporarily hide some spending by asking certain statutory boards
to borrow money, not recognizing that such borrowing could not be
sustained. A timely stimulus package would have restored some
confidence to the consuming and investing public of Barbados and
caused private spending, leaving the Govern- ment to spend on
investment items rather than consumption. Rather than endure six
years of frozen wages and salaries, workers would have earned some
moderate increases to boost their spending power and the Government
would have siphoned off some revenue from the additional spending.
The need for increasing the rates of existing taxes and introducing
new taxes would have been reduced or deemed not necessary.
Fortuitously, oil prices have been declining over the last two
years, resulting in some accumulation of surpluses in the
Government-owned oil company that will be used to excite the
Barbadian public sometime next year. Benefits that they should have
been enjoying before and all now will be packaged as a testimony to
a perceived recovery taking place in the Barbados economy. This
will be done to coincide with the celebrations for the 50th
anniversary of independence. It is clear that there was political
will and economic know-how among the leaders in the past which
permitted them to approach eco- nomic problems with confidence. It
is there- fore surprising that the current political lead- ership
did not look at the lessons learnt from the past in formulating a
strategy to confront economic difficulties that have been allowed
to fester for well over eight years. In the circumstances, several
of the economic and social gains won since Independence have been
eroded by an ill-prepared and unwilling Government. The poor and
indecisive economic leadership of the current Government is best
reflected in the reversals in our social progress. Universal access
to health and education that were major sources of pride of our
countrys social engineering is now the victim of the suppression of
industry by a bankrupt government. In the midst of it all there is
still hope of a Better Life for our People. Putting people back in
the centre of a recovery programme that emphasizes economic growth
and social progress is the key to the future. The recovery will be
achieved through an invest- ment strategy that recognizes the need
to encourage a prudent mixture of local and foreign investment; a
fiscal strategy that balances the aspirations of the public with
the reality of governments financial resources and a human resource
strategy that prepares Barbadians to be more entrepreneurial
through appropriate training and education that is more in-line
with the needs of a new economy. The decisive difference going
forward will be in the capacity of the countrys political
leadership, in which case there is a distinct advantage that the
BLPs current leadership brings, after several years of trial and
triumph. Returning Hope To Our People 77th | Annual Conference 2015
| 21www.blp.org.bb
22. The Citizenship By Investment Programme: A Model For
Barbados? Ricardo Blackman U nderstandably, a future Barbados
Labour Party (BLP) Government would wish to examine a diverse range
of strategies for raising revenue, to inject new life into an
economy that has been literally wrecked by an inept DLP government.
One such strategy, which has now been given the nod of approval by
four (4) Caribbean governments (St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and
Barbuda, Dominica and, more recently, St. Lucia) is the Citizenship
by Investment pro- gramme (CIP). The government of St. Kitts and
Nevis was first to introduce the scheme in 1984. It targets high
net worth individuals who are keen to invest in real estate and
receive in return, residency permits and citizenship. As recent as
July 28th, 2015, the Citizenship by Investment Bill was debated and
passed in Parliament in St. Lucia, with Prime Minister and Minister
of Finance, Dr. Kenny Anthony telling the
Chamberthatthemeasurewasabsolutely essential at this time. The
purpose of this article is not to make a case for the embrace of
the CIP by a Barbados Labour Party administration, but this writer
is of the view that the turbulent journey of the programme, since
its inception in the Caribbean more than 30 years ago, is worthy of
clinical examination. Outside the Caribbean, coun- tries such as
Belize, Brazil, Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and Panama all run CIPs,
while Australia, Belgium, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, the United
Kingdom and the United States offer temporary resident permits or
golden visas granted to wealthy individuals in return for
investment. Many observers con- tend that while Citizen- ship by
Investment programmes may be economically viable, they are
reputationally risky, the Caribbean being no exception to this
theory. The journey of the CIP in the Caribbean has not been
without its turbulence. Prime Minister, Dr. Timothy Harris of St.
Kitts and Nevis has called for common standards and shared codes of
conduct to ensure that the programmes work properly and that its
impossible to play one jurisdiction against the other. Dr. Harris
call came against the backdrop of a warning by the US Treasury
Department to financial institutions, to be on the look out for
certain individuals abusing the St. Kitts and Nevis CIP. An
advisory issued by the Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement
Network (FinCEN) said these individuals were seeking to obtain St.
Kitts and Nevis passports for the purpose of engaging in illicit
financial activity. FinCEN also opined that Iranians were
purchasing foreign citizenship for US$250,000 cash or through
US$400,000 real estate in- vestment, despite assurances from the
then government of St. Kitts and Nevis that the citizens were
banned from the programme. The government of Canada, also concerned
about the need for greater transparency and due diligence in the
CIP, imposed a visa restriction on St. Kitts and Nevis for all its
55,000 nationals. Antigua and Barbuda has carried out a major
overhaul of its programme to enhance its management and level of
investigation required to ensure its integrity. And Grenada has
changed its Citizenship by Investment law so that applicants can
remain anonymous. Grenadas first Citizenship by Investment
programme had to be cancelled be- cause some applicants were
involved in terrorist and other criminal activities. Returning Hope
To Our People www.blp.org.bb22 | 77th Annual Conference | 2015
23. And when Jesus saw them he was much displeased, and unto
them said suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid
them not for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Mark 10 vs 14 B
arbadians can take no pleasure in the seeming mindless unravelling
of every- thing in our society that we hold dear. For nearly as
long as the oldest of us can remember, our Barbadian community
spirit and strict observance of justice in its most basic sense has
been the backbone of our development and success as a nation. To
the extent that we have been held up as a leading example of an
enlightened society that punches above its weight. Sadly, our
performance as a people has come up woe- fully short. The recent
disastrous situation with the abuse of our most vulnerable our
children - has laid bare some uncomfortable truths about the
performance of our communities, neighbourhoods and villages, but
most importantly, it has shed an uncomfortable light on the
performance of the Child Care Board, (CCB). We have all expressed
our outrage, shock and horror at what at first glance appears to be
apathy by the members of the Board to our young people. But I ask
us to step back and truly begin to com- prehend the magnitude of
the social failure that has been engineered by a government that
supposedly cares nothing about an economy but brands itself as a
society builder. The issue is, in fact, much, much larger than one
organisation. Even a casual observer will concede that this
unfolding situation has to be considered against the back- drop of
the recent drastic cuts to the social and welfare organizations of
Barbados. The failed fiscal policies of the Freundel Stuart-led
Government and the hapless financial leadership of the Minister of
Finance, Christopher Sinclair, have placed Barbados with a mounting
fiscal deficit and esca- lating national debt. The result of these
bungled attempts at financial management has meant that rash and
ill-considered cuts across the board have been made. These cuts
have apparent- ly been made without consideration of the cost or
consequence that will be experienced in the homes of the average
Barbadian. This Govern- ment has failed to make the con- nection
between the strengthening Returning Hope To Our People Child Care
Board Affair a Sordid Stain Senator Wilfred Abrahams To some
extent, it can be argued that the CIP corrects a flaw on
international trade which thrives on the freedom of move- ment of
capital across national borders, but which is unmatched by a
similar mobility regime for people. Neoliberal development models
promote free movement for capital but often forgets that neither
capital nor people travel alone. On the face of it, it seems that
the CIP is a win-win situation for those countries offering it and
those buying it. But are such schemes also legitimate and just?
This writer argues that the problem and the discon- tent that the
CIP generates is not rooted in the fact that citizenship, a concept
dear to citizens and deeply linked with other matters as democracy
and identity, is for sale. TheproblemwiththeCIPisglobalin-
equality. Citizenship by Investment Schemes do not themselves
produce injustice, but they are unjust because they build on
pre-existing large disparities in the world. If all countries were
equal in living conditions, would the scheme be objectionable? If
the answer is no, as I think it is, then the source of injustice is
global inequality rather than policies that do not themselves
produce injustice. Because staggering global in- equalities exist,
Citizenship by Investment schemes have very different consequences
for the worlds ultra-rich and less well-off; while the scheme
carves out global mobility corridors through entangled states for
the former, they confine to national borders, the latter and is in
this way, nationalizing poverty. Thus the question: who really
benefits? How does the Citizenship by Investment programme empower
the larger majority: the less well-off? Ricardo Blackman is a
renowned public relations expert and former newscaster. Among other
things, he monitors political trends for a number of clients. 77th
| Annual Conference 2015 | 23www.blp.org.bb
25. of the economy and the sustainability of our society. The
CCB, for years, has been an understaffed and underappreciated
organization tasked with a Herculean role of investigating and
responding to complaints of child abuse or social and domestic
situations involving children. In the past, the funds allocated
were not enough but were sufficient, albeit under strain, to meet
the minimum standards that were required. However, when the already
limited budget of the CCB was further brutally compromised as part
of an ill-considered governmental restructuring, even with the best
will in the world the CCB would have been hard pressed to
effectively carry out its mandate. The responsibility of those at
the CCB extends further than the investigation of social complaints
involv- ing children. It is an essential and much relied upon
institution for protecting the islands most vulnerable from abuse
and conditions that no child should be subjected to. The Board and
this Govern- ment owed a duty of care to the people of Barbados to
highlight the problems confronting it in the fulfilment of its duty
so that more informed decisions could be made. Barbadians should
have been told that while there were austerity programmes in place,
the CCB would be untouched and some other, less important
departments (constituency councils, the David Thompson foot- ball
tournament, Cahill, etc) would have to take a haircut in order to
maintain a shield over our children. I am confident that Barbadians
would have understood and welcomed the extra sacrifice. In any
event, even without this collaborative and enlightened approach,
the ultimate responsibility and duty of care of the Board must be
to the children of Barbados and not to the Government. It would
have been one thing if the board highlighted its challenges such
that the public was aware that in- vestigations could not probably
be done, and pressure could have been brought to bear to increase
funding. Instead, the directors trod the dangerous line of trying
to preserve pride above function and this danger was highlighted in
dismal fashion. While the Board and its directors can, and must, be
called to book for their apparent inaction, there, however, can be
no excusing Minister Steven Blackett, the minister directly
responsible for the CCB. Minister Blackett knew, or ought to have
known, of the deficiencies at the CCB and the dangers to which our
children were being exposed as a result - and evidence suggests
that he did nothing. In this he was either negligent or incompetent
in the execution of his duties. Worse yet since the recent scandal
involving the three children came to light there has been no satis-
factory explanation or statement from the Minister as to who or
what was re- sponsible other than a vote of confidence in the Board
and the announcement of the resumption of the David Thompson
Football Classic. In good conscience, nothing less than the
resignation of the Minister should have sufficed. The convenient
announcement of the resumption of the David Thompson Football
Classic is typical of the politics of distraction of this
Government when faced with public outcry over deficiencies in the
execution of their duties. It is not only the CCB, but the
underfunding and understaffing of the Royal Barbados Police Force,
(RBPF), the lack of resources of the Sanitation Service Authority,
(SSA), the shortages at the QEH, the abrupt termination of free
tertiary education and the recently highlighted crisis with the
legal aid scheme in Barbados which all herald the unfolding of a
social crisis in the country. This Government has failed in its
mandate. It has failed the people of Barbados and has exposed the
most vulnerable in our society to their greatest fears. There has
been, at best, a collapse and, at worst, a systematic dismantling
of the social welfare system in Barbados. And no one is being held
accountable. This tawdry affair is a salutary example of a
government that is help- less at building an economy and hope- less
at building a society. There is a cost to action but this
Government has shown that there is an even greater cost to
inaction. With the perilous state of our economy, the collapse of
our social structures and the crime crisis crippling the country
this is not the time to be penny wise and pound foolish. For how
long must our people suffer in silence at the hands of a bungling
government? Senator Abrahams is an attorney-at-law. He is head of
Aegis Chambers and the caretaker of the Christ Church East
constituency. Returning Hope To Our People 77th | Annual Conference
2015 | 25www.blp.org.bb
26. Indar Weir Returning Hope To Our People I t started in 2008
when political democracy erupted into a call for change. Coming
head on with this was the second major threat to global economies
since the Great Depression of 1929. Interestingly, these two
extremities were representative of un- managed forces coming
against each other at a vociferous pace, resulting in the economic
crisis of 2008. The Prime Minister at the time failed to contain
this potential juggernaut of human suffering that was progressing
viciously across all sectors of our economy. Rather than introduce
measures that may stabilize the situation, he pursued a hostile tax
grab that served not only to wreck the economy but also posed a
monumental threat to labour, business, social groups and ultimately
Barbadian civilization. His sojourn was short but pregnant with the
sins of the CLICO defalcation, increased energy cost, a baseless
increase in water rates and, if not bad enough, the imposition of
Sinckler to manage our economy and Stuart to take the wheel as
Prime Minister before his 10/10 (October 2010) departure. Prime
Minister Stuart, in his apparent confused and erratic approach to
governance, maintained Thompsons status quo. He continued to
marginalize Dr. David Estwick while tacitly venting a sense of rage
at capitalism by keeping Christopher Sinckler as Minister
ofFinance. His stewardship and policies present the likeliest
chance for the collapse of the economy. They have eviscerated our
society to the benefit of the wealthy. The removal of free tertiary
education serves only to rip away any equal chance of working class
Barbadians becoming an obvious part of the ownership structure. It
is tantamount to acceding to demonic forces that are usurping and
subverting the freedom of the poor, with a singular objective to
reverse all our achievements since emancipation and driving us back
to being menial labourers. Prime Minister Stuart presided over a
cabinet that dispensed the removal of access to education for all,
proper and timely delivery of health care and a botched up and
unsuitable Housing Every Last Person programme. He was relentless
in the Alexandra School debacle by publicly chastising our teachers
and reminding them of their places in the canfields. He sided with
a political colleague in a dispute with a member of our disabled
community. He gave a tongue lashing and ivory tower scorning to the
youthful leadership in the Labour Movement. And he continues to
separate himself from society only to be heard in instances of
reprimand or forced political agendas. Under his stewardship, we
have seen a concerted effort at the consolidation of wealth across
critical sectors of our economy: construction especially, and
tourism. Weve also witnessed the economic disenfran- chisement of
our indigenous capitalists and an unprecedented cleansing of the
public service, forcing our middle and working class out of
employment and at the mercy of a dysfunctional tribunal. Such
actions are representative of fundamental errors for which the
Prime Minster stands condemned. He knows better than most that it
is a fallacy to assume that wealth is privately created and
publicly appropriated through taxa- tion. It is patently clear in
our capitalist system that wealth is collectively created and
privately distributed. Any other philosophy is bogus! There- fore,
to spearhead a vicious political strategy that seeks power off the
ignorance and innocence of the populace is reprehensible. Present
evidence shows the dramatic shifting of wealth back to the
plantocracy as a consequence of Stewarts leadership style and
political posture. To my mind, the Prime Minister is lost to the
legacy of the founder of the party he now leads, the late Right
Excellent Errol Barrow, and in his state of confusion is seeking to
defend the destruction of the fundamental pillars that facilitated
his current honor: education, healthcare and free enterprise. The
fact that he speaks loudly about vote buying, has also ushered
several threats but has never taken action, is akin to turning a
blind eye to a crime in pursuit of victory. When one contemplates
Mr. Stewarts legacy, it presents a colossal challenge to find one
thing which may be cited as a positive response to the demands of a
21st century existence. It appears as though he never gave serious
thought to prime ministerial landmarks. His persistent silence on
the impact of the poli- cies he pursues, even though they have
reversed decades of achievements by previous prime ministers, is
unprecedented. His exaggerated lugubrious drollery is nothing more
than mere spat in defiance of logic. The most ironic was his
recommendation of legal advice against a disabled victim after
previously extolling the virtues of being a pal to an able bodied
Ponzi scheme architect. I believe Marxs mesmerizing dramatic script
about modern bourgeois society may be a fitting tribute to his
behaviour: he is like the sorcerer who is no longer able to control
the powers of the nether world whom he has called up by his spells.
Indar Weir is head of Indar Weir travel and other businesses. He
was the Partys candidate for St. Philip North in the last election.
He is Public Relations Officer of the BLP. www.blp.org.bb26 | 77th
Annual Conference | 2015 Observing a confused and erratic Prime
Minister
27. Returning Hope To Our People Bad Labour relations affect
productivity and progress Dwight Sutherland, MP. Dwight Sutherland
is the MP for St. George South and Shadow Minister of Labour. As an
engineering executive, he has firsthand experience in labour
relations. 77th | Annual Conference 2015 | 27www.blp.org.bb ment
should not set Laws to govern conduct of private sector employees
and employers and then do far worse than private sector employees
to do in terms of conduct and employee rights. This is simply
because there is the absence of national industrial relations
policy at Government level. Such a policy would address these IR
matters. Instead the Government of Barbados continues to move from
crisis to crisis and the IR climate in Barbados has reached its
threshold and is one of chaos and industrial mayhem. Today in a
Barbados all of the professional organiza- tions and Unions have
said they no longer trust this Government. The Social Partners have
also written to the Government to express concerns on the disdain
the government has shown them. This is simply because of the strong
arm and unfair policies of this Government and made worse by an
incompetent Minister of Labour who is yet to solve any problem that
has reached her desk. All this is happening at a time when Barbados
can least afford it: when the country is at its lowest economic
point. The formation of political organizations came about as a
result of the fight for and the need to protect workers. This was
done by the BLP.All of us who are members of this great party will
recall that the BWU was formed out of the belly of the BLP in 1941.
Early leadership of the trade unions often overlapped with
leadership of the BLP because there was recognition that there
could be no progress in Barbados and no national development
without improving the condition of workers. Where workers are in
peril the country is in peril so successive governments since 1940s
worked on laws, policies and protocol to maintain peaceful
industrial relations and progressive workers rights. All of
Government policies post 2008 have been a declaration of war on
working class people of this country. People have been betrayed:
the going home by the thousands after being told by the DLP that no
one will be sent home.To compound the problem, persons in the
public sector have had to endure a wage freeze since 2008 while
inflation has risen by 41 percent since then. Compare this style of
governance with the proud track record of the Barbados Labour
Party. The Barbados Labour Party introduced the Holidays with Pay
Act, Workers compensation Act, minimum wage legislation, gave
security of tenure to thousands of casual and temporary public
workers, NIS benefits unemployment benefits for laid off and
redundant workers, and under Owen Arthur made a Constitu- tion
amendment to prevent salaries of public workers being cut ever
again, and expanded the Social Partnership which worked to maintain
relative stability in labour relations in this country. A BLP
government will continue to ensure workers rights, that people are
treated fairly and will accord workers of Barbados the dignity and
respect they deserve, having work hard to build this nation. I
ndustrial Relations or simply put the maintenance of positive
relationship between employers, workers and unions are critical to
national development. Recently I said in Parlia- ment that a sound
industrial relations climate/system requires a labour management
relations policy which must have at its core certain objectives
such as job security, mini- mizing conflict, achieving harmonious
relationships, resolving conflict through peaceful means and
raising standard of living through improved terms and conditions of
employment. Research has also shown that efficient production of
goods and services depends to an extent on the existence of a
harmonious industrial relations climate while productivity is
largely enhanced and driven by job security and terms and
conditions of employment. Research has also shown that efficiency
and quality depends on a motivated work force for which a sound
industrial relations climate is necessary while productivity needs
a strong labour relations base. Productivity does not depend on
individual effort alone. We have a labour management crisis in this
country that clearly is not driven by the ILO Labour Management
Policy which I outline in the above. The question to be asked is
whether current Government laws and regulations are being adhered
to and is this Government practicing good Industrial relations
practices to foster productivity, growth and development in
Barbados? The record of this current DLP administration has been
one to dismantle what was a national core of Barbados development,
where Government recognized that Labour was an important partner
and people needed to be treated properly and rewarded for their
hard work in building Barbados. The many crises in our country
today have been fueled by bad leadership and ministerial
incompetence in the area of Labour Management and IR relations.The
Government is guided by the Public Service Act, Constitutional and
General Orders, Public Service Regulations but yet they are in
breach of all these Laws. This Government is trying to establish a
set of behaviors in the private sector and Statutory Corporation
(Employment Rights Act) but in the PUBLIC sector is chaos and
mayhem as it relates to Industrial relations climate.Government is
requiring a higher standard of private sector and statutory
corporations than what they have set for themselves. Govern-
29. Returning Hope To Our People Speightstown Vital to the
Future of Tourism in Barbados Colin Jordan S peightstown must be
revived for Barbadians and for our vitally important tourism
industry. Barbados first port and commercial centre, known in times
past as Little Bristol, is now battling for its survival. Founded
in the 1630s and named after landowner William Speight,
Speightstown is a fascinating collection of people, businesses and
history. The heritage of Speightstown is wide-ranging. It was the
centre of schooner traffic moving tobacco, cotton, and later sugar
and other produce from Barbados to the port city of Bristol in
England. The jetty in the then-bustling town was a hive of activity
with larger ships offshore and smaller vessels ferrying people and
goods. Speightstown was the centre of an active whaling industry.
Ships left port to hunt these large creatures and bring back their
catch to sell. There is significant military history, in the
Barbados context, sur- rounding Speightstown. Much attention was
placed on Speightstown because of its commercial importance. The
town boasted five forts Coconut Fort, Orange Fort, Fort Denmark,
Heywoods Fort, and Dover Fort, which was located on a cliff to the
east of the town. 77th | Annual Conference 2015 | 29www.blp.org.bb
A reinvigorated Speight- stown will serve visitors by providing
attractions and real opportunities for them to become immersed in
the heritage and culture of Barbados.
30. These fortifications were the reason Barbados, for many
months, was able to repel Oliver Cromwells forces in the only
attempted invasion of Barbados. Many of the early settlers of the
Carolinas, USA, left Barbados from Speight- stown, along with their
slaves, and there is still great similarity in architecture between
Charleston, South Carolina, and Speightstown. In spite of its early
prominence and the important role played in the development of the
country, Speightstown is now a shadow of its former self. As urban
and suburban areas around Bridgetown become more populated and
traffic congestion becomes more acute, Speight- stown will need to
be a point where northern and eastern residents are able to conduct
basic business activities without being forced to venture to
Bridgetown or Warrens. In this regard, there will be a continuing
need for some Government offices, banks, supermarkets, clothing and
provision supply in the town. We must build on the strengths and
attributes that still exist. There are communities of resilient and
resourceful people; hotels and condominiums to the south and north;
and two marinas to the north of Speightstown. There is law
enforcement as well as a major public transportation hub in
Speightstown. There are some sporting facilities, primary and
secondary schools, an accessible waterfront, and public meeting
areas. There are churches representing almost every major
denomination in Barbados. A revitalised Speightstown will see
residents serviced by the provision of cultural and other amenities
thereby improving their quality of life. It will, maybe more
importantly, see improved and increased avenues for productive
economic activity which residents can engage in and benefit from. A
reinvigorated Speightstown will serve visitors by providing
attractions and real opportunities for them to become immersed in
the heritage and culture of Barbados. If the proposed Scotland
District National Park, which stretches from the eastern coast of
St. Lucy through areas like Boscobelle, St. Peter, through St.
Andrew to St. Joseph, is to be properly developed as the major
attrac- tion for visitors to the island that it can be, then
Speightstown must be developed as a major service point for the
inevitable increase in visitor traffic that will result.
Speightstown has the potential to become the culinary centre of the
Caribbean. www.blp.org.bb30 | 77th Annual Conference | 2015
31. It can be the centre for the visual and performing arts in
Barbados. Its sheltered bays can be centres for watersports. It can
become a second port adding variety to cruise liners. Barbados
first town can become the point of departure for heritage tours.
There can be photo opportunities with replicas of William Speight
and re-enactments of aspects of the town life of a by-gone era. An
intricate network of gullies across St. Peter end at Speightstown
and these can be significant components in developing
heritage/hiking trails and geocache adventures. These are but some
of the many ideas already voiced by stake- holders. To effect the
restoration of Speightstown, genuine dialogue with residents,
business owners/managers and other stakeholders is essential
dialogue that moves beyond mere social interaction and is instead
aimed at obtaining buy-in for the ideas we already have and
concretising the pro- cess for their realisation. What we do know
from previous discussions is that buildings must be preserved and
the architec- tural heritage maintained. Government needs to signal
that it recognises the importance of the town and intends to
partner in its revitalisation. New approaches are needed by both
private and public sectors, and public/private sector partnership
opportunities need to be explored for some aspects of the towns
development. Heritage and history is one of Barbados unique selling
points and as such, a vibrant Speightstown, with its authentic and
unique positioning, is required for the vitality of our Barbados
tourism product. The time for us and our policy- makers to act to
save Speightstown is now! Colin Jordan is a tourism executive,
businessmen and former President of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism
Association, (BHTA). The BLP candidate for St. Peter, one of his
passions is working for an re-energised Speightstown, a community
he knows very well. Returning Hope To Our People Speightstown Fish
Market Arlington & BNB Building Speightstown Jetty Speightstown
Esplanade 77th | Annual Conference 2015 | 31www.blp.org.bb
32. www.blp.org.bb32 | 77th Annual Conference | 2015 This is an
edited version of an address to the Lions Club of Bridgetown,
delivered on impactful community projects in these times to assist
the most vulnerable. T hese times are clearly not the best and
Barbados most definitely needs all hands on the deck now, to join
the fight on the multiplicity of issues facing our nation. The
economic difficulties are well known. What is becoming more
apparent is the social disruption resulting from years of economic
stagnation that is spreading and becoming an endemic issue on its
own. I dare say that if there is not serious and urgent
intervention, our social problems may well become more of a
catastrophe than our economic prob- lems - certainly they will be
much harder to reverse and could well create a Barba- dos that none
of us would wish to see. Already, unfortunately, there are signs of
a developing underclass; indications that housing is becoming out
of reach; evidence that many are falling through the cracks in our
education system - or the system is failing them - and this is
separate and apart from those who have had to curtail their dream
of uni- versity education simply because they cannot afford it.
Generally, there is a definite drift in our accepted socialisation
to the extent where the block culture has become the choice for
several young people, deviant behaviour in our schools is
generating appalling consequences, as is seen now almost daily in
the various videos which go viral via social media, while issues
such as child and elder abuse are reaching worrying proportions.
Thanks to organisations such as yours, Mr. President, I know that
important work is being undertaken quietly and diligently to deal
with some of these challenges at the personal, community and even
the national level. However, there is much more