Public Forum Report Released
Posted on January 2, 2018 by David	55 comments
The report coming out of the Public Forum by a group led by Dr. Ronnie Yearwood and company in July 2017 (Shantal Munroe-Knight, Krystle Howell, Donna Every, Dr. Joseph Herbert, Corey Layne, Teisha Hinds, Jason Carmichael, Dr. Troy Lorde, Lisa Gale and Jeanelle Clarke) is attached for comment. The document can also be accessed on the group's Facebook page – Barbados Public Forum.
See full text of the Report of Public Forum.
tagged with Pubic Forum Report, Ronnie Yearwood
Barbados Economy
Well we will never really read any such report in its entirety. We have too much to look at.
At best we've scanned the introduction and the conclusion.
Less than an hour ago responding to you we spoke about all these reports. Before you posted this article, link.
Tomorrow morning somebody in 'Icetins' gine be rapping up fish wid it!
Bernard Codrington
Wuh loss!! Were these discussions rooted in reality? Or was this another talk shop without any base in evidence and understanding of how society evolves? What model of social/economic/political development was used? We need to have some meaningful analytical frame work?
In a crisis situation mechanistic approaches are useless. We are dealing with human beings operating in an environment of uncertainty. People are not robots.
If this report is any indicator of the level of thinking in this country, we are in danger of destroying democracy. There will be lower voter turnout in 2018.
Talking Loud Saying Nothing
Here is a recommendation from the forum and i quote:
"National Vision: Barbados should establish a national vision that states where the
country wants to be in the next 50 years. The design of the vision should consultative,
citizen-led and inclusive and revised periodically as required to keep up with the
changing global environment."
Poppy cock! You see Bernard, you boys over there are clueless. This is why Hal Austin is highly critical of your country. The rise of the robot is imminent and from all accounts represents a serious threat to undermine the net worth of human beings. We have arrived at the point in our society where human beings have become surplus to requirements. Yet this forum uses glib terms such as fifty years. Whuloss!
Everything is proceeding as Barrow predicted: One day Barbadians will wake up and figure out that the whole country is sold out.
I only ask myself why it took 51 years to implement this plan. Proper politicians would have done so within 5 years.
TLSN at at 8:58 PM
Clueless? I hope that it is temporary disorientation.
Like you I was turned off by the 50 year planning horizon. In these times things are changing at the speed of light. Past performance is no indicator of future performance . The social , economic and technological variables are not stable. How can one envisage where Barbados will be in 50 years?
William Skinner
The sooner we accept that the Barbados we yearn for has gone forever , the better we would be . We are constantly trying to reinvent the wheel and breathe new life into already dead systems and approaches. How do we expect citizens to be interested in consultation when in fact they are being educated to accept things as they are. Who are these people calling for consultation ? They are the same people propping up the tired and failing political class.
When Eric Williams wanted to involve and consult the people , he turned Woodford Square into a university and explained the historical journey of the country. He then exposed the colonialists. Everybody was informed; the entire country was involved. What we mostly have are people deeming social gatherings as forums. Just check the list of speakers. the soup it just warm over.
What about the list of speakers William?
Barbadians have become fat and lazy after years of benefiting from preferential treatment; including the offshore sector and a relatively 'fresh' tourism plant. There is an aversion to fully participating in our democracy and on Election Day participation hovers around 60%. Citizen apathy is thick.
Time to look at the man in the mirror although it is evident we lack the capacity to engage in self-critique.
Hal Austin
Sometime ago, the minister of labour raised the issue of the future of work. It was largely ignored, even by the militant trade unions, the press and academics. It said more about these groups and people than it did about the minister. It is an issue I have raised a couple times in these columns.
We have to be careful of the difference between intellectual self-indulgence and real attempts to come to terms with the place of Barbados in a fast modernising world. Technology, and in particular artificial intelligence, has changed the employment landscape and the at we interact with each other.
The Japanese, for example, have turned their back on immigration, unlike the US, and have created robots to do most of the low killed jobs that immigrants do.
Even in the UK we are now rolling out virtual physicians, including the reading of X-rays and scans and the diagnosis of some illnesses.
Other professions such as law, accountancy, teaching, journalism etc are all now done off shore. Some leading newspapers, for example, are now subbed in East Asia; even on the website we have the keyboard warriors Googling and writing as if the thoughts are theirs and original; some international law firms now work across borders, using local lawyers only to make sure reports and recommendations accord with local legislation.
All this comes back to the nonsense of talking about a creative economy when most of its advocates do not even fully understand what they are proposing.
We do not need a top down list of proposals, but people working across disciplines and services to reach a conclusion that is best for ALL Barbadians.
Many if not all of the recommendations contained in the report have been widely discussed in public forums i.e. talk shows, social media and other spaces. The sharing of the report at this time is opportune to arm an ignorant and disengaged citizenry on the eve of a general election. Even so the willingness of most Barbadians to politicize every issue will likely dull its effectiveness. That said the organizers of the forum should be commended. We need to see others get onboard to increase public awareness.
including the offshore sector and a relatively 'fresh' tourism plant. (quote)
How does Barbados benefit from the so-called offshore sector? How many jobs does it create or has created? What type of jobs are these? What is the skills transfer? What is the tax take, and what4 percentage of GDP is that? In simple words, who benefits more from the so-called offshore sector, the big companies or Barbados?
Further, what is a "fresh tourism plant" in plain English?
The "opinion shapers" continue to miss a fundamental part of the puzzle.
@enuff
To enter the political fray you mean?
We cannot see why this here 'report' has to or will get any more interest than all the other reports we've had over time.
And we've had some good ones – The Moyne Report, The Duffus Report – need we go on. Not even the IMF/World Bank reports or those from credit rating agencies have had much success in mind bending officialdom and Bajans, more generally.
In any event from what we've seen, in a very brief review, there is nothing earth shattering here. Just more of the same warmed over fish soup.
We have stated for over a decades that none of these ideas, not one, will be of any use to us in this 'brave new world' of Huxley.
So because a few people like to jerk off publicly there will be no satisfaction for anybody but themselves.
But as usual we expect your default position would be to support each writer of articles, reports.
@Pacha
Understand the role you pay as blog provocateur. We like to encourage?
We have previously drawn to your attention a UN report saying that crypto racism was rampant in Barbados.
What we didn't state was that a number of letters were written to this and the last government about this matter.
Not even an acknowledgement of receipt was issued.
Up to now there has been no government action on a report which we were sure would interfere with business as usual.
Well, the UN is still the ultimate authority in this world
And if they can't register, well ……………………… how could these neophytes
How provocative is the UN?
@Hal Austin January 3, 2018 at 5:26 AM #
The offshore sector is the only industry in Barbados where academics earn forex. Not in the tourist sector, were primary education suffices. The rest of the academic education (bureaucrats, judges etc pp) is a waste of resources.
Barbados spent billions for education with little success.
@ David January 3, 2018 at 3:08 AM #
David serious research on those driving the agenda will reveal that in many instances they have been saying the same thing and attracting the almost identical audience.
To quote you from above:
"Many if not all of the recommendations contained in the report have been widely discussed in public forums i.e. talk shows, social media and other spaces."
You then go on to blame the people for lack of interest. Citizens don't become interested "just so". What you and many others are refusing to admit is the dismal state of public discourse occasioned by the visionless political class that is failing miserably to motivate the entire country. Their cronies and apologists are now dominating the discourse therefore the people have correctly refused to drink their warmed over cold soup.
What do you really expect in a predictable musical chairs democracy ?
Is this a forum being led by the political class or concerned citizens. The flaw in your comment is that Bajans have always been led by one or two people and have never been inclined to be engaged as you intimidate in our system of government.
From when have you given any credence to the UN as an entity with the standing to enforce?
William Skinner January 3, 2018 at 8:15 AM #
The people repeat like parrots hat thy are told to say ie mumbo jumbo about foreign reserves; the fetish mantra about tourism; the obsession with the two-party political system, neither of which party has any idea of serious political discourse; cut and paste nonsense that masquerades as journalism; the constant argument about a so-called LEC that is of little significance in the few islands it applies to, far less the real world; celebrating judges that by right should not be sitting on the bench; I can go on. We treasure mediocrity and call it education.
This blog is no free of that half-baked nonsense: claims that logic is not core to philosophy; that the Bible's original language was Latin; that a so-called referendum could direct parliament what to do; nonsense about the valuation of companies; the semi-literacy nonsense about insurance supervision and regulation; the idiotic idea oaf a judicial management review without powers to subpoena witnesses; gridlock in the criminal and civil justice systems; an education system not fit for a modern, technological world.
In short, an inward-looking people who constantly fool themselves they can punch above their weight.
re that the Bible's original language was Latin
NOT TRUE! THE NT WAS WRITTEN IN KOINE GREEK THE OT IN HEBREW AND A FEW SECTIONS IN ARAMAIC
millertheanunnaki
@ Tron January 3, 2018 at 8:06 AM
Couldn't agree with you more!
It's akin to sending to school monkeys in unifroms to pick peanuts.
How else does one explain the ongoing acceptance of the fiasco taking place on the South Coast?
How can a so-called educated people- who like to boast about their paper mill university qualifications and social standing reflected in the slavish admiration of archaic irrelevant titles like knighthoods, OBE's and QC's- continue to accept the 'literal' river of shite flowing in the streets?
Why are these "educated" people finding nothing wrong with driving, walking shopping and dining in conditions infected with human filth and feces?
How could a people be so imbecilely brainwashed into accepting that seemingly inexorable state of deterioration in public sanitation without mass outcry and unrelenting demands to remove immediately those geometrically progressing risks to their personal health and economic survival is beyond comprehension and 'basic' commonsense.
The old adage that 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness' appears to have been thrown down Maxwell pond now overflowing with both the shit and the success the billions spent in education have produced.
The game of Russian roulette that has been played by the current administration with the public sanitation and people's health for the past two years is now up.
The sad thing about this politically selfish execution is that there will be more than one casualty in the final discharge.
@Miller
Shit running on the South Coast is symptomatic of the inability of BOTH political parties to implement a sustainable waste treatment structure. We like to focus on the shit and it the bodies creating it.
@Hal A
The Japanese, for example, have turned their back on immigration
When did Japan ever welcome immigrants?
Well Well & Cut N' Paste At Your Service
Oh how sweet it is…lol
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2018/01/02/dont-blame-the-private-sector-for-economic-mess-herbert/
"Don't blame the private sector for economic mess – Herbert
Added by Marlon Madden on January 2, 2018.
Saved under Business, Local News
The business community has fired back at Government backbencher James Paul advising him to look in the mirror for the reason the private sector is not reinvesting in the ailing economy.
Paul last week described the private sector as disingenuous for pointing fingers at Government over the struggling economy, while refusing to reinvest here.
He also claimed that the business community had refused to take some of the blame for the inefficiencies in the public sector.
However, Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) Charles Herbert told Barbados TODAY it was Government, not the private sector, that had the responsibility to create the level of confidence needed for investment.
And, he said, in the current environment, businessmen were nervous to risk their money.
"It is not the private sector's role to create the environment that encourages investment. It is Government's job to create that environment that encourages investment. There is no question that the private sector is nervous about the environment. It is uncertain and in those cases people make less investment. Creating the environment and encouragement is Government's job," Herbert insisted.
Addressing a news conference last Friday, Paul complained that businesses had "billions" of dollars "sitting" in the banks earning little or no interest, therefore they were also to blame for the state of the economy.
He added that they had refused to come up with ideas to help develop the country, create employment and earn more foreign exchange.
"It is an indictment on some of them that we have in our private sector, that instead of trying to contribute to the development effort of this country, want instead, Government to go out there to borrow more money to give them, not to engage in new projects that would advance in the development interest of this country, but instead to allow them to continue with their buy and sell importation scheme which has contributed to where this country is today," Paul charged.
Herbert today admitted that the business community was banking its monies, emphasizing that businesspeople had chosen the option to invest less or put their money in the bank and earn very little to no interest instead of reinvesting in an uncertain economic climate.
The BPSA head said in order to restore confidence in the economy and welcome more local and international investment Barbados needed "a published recovery plan so that people know what is going to happen".
Lol, lol…
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2018/01/02/hidden-agenda/
Inniss suggests private sector head may have political motives
Saved under Business, Local News, Politics
Minister of International Business, Industry, Commerce and Small Business Development Donville Inniss is questioning the motive of Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) Charles Herbert, suggesting the business executive was "hiding behind" his office in order to engage in party politics.
Inniss is upset at Herbert for stating that the Freundel Stuart Government achieved nothing last year, and for calling for a general election so there can be "a Government with a new mandate" to tackle the economy.
The minister said he was not sure if the private sector boss was simply advocating that a poll be held immediately – the general election is due by the middle of this year – or if he was calling for a change in Government.
However, he said Herbert appeared to have a hidden political agenda."
Never.They grudginly allowed the US into their affairs in only since 1861.Japan has always been about Japan
@ David at 9:22 AM
Surely the bodies creating it cannot be the political directorate? It is not their remit and it is not easy for them, under the Constitution, to get rid of the technocrats. Identifying the problem is an engineering task and a consulting engineer was a telephone call away. Is there more in the mortar than the pestle?
Neve- the- less, I agree with you that it is bodies that have to create and execute effective and efficient policies.
And it is bodies that have to insist on comprehensive analysis and solutions of our problems. The most BU can do is to hold their feet to the fire and you are doing a reasonably good job at the moment.
@ Well Well & Cut N' Paste At Your Service,
You provide a link. You don't need to provide more than a a few lines of introductory text.
Example!
"Two residents of Peronne Gap in Worthing, Christ Church, are evacuating the area to escape the ongoing sewage crisis."
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/116400/residents-sewage-comes
It is all going as foreseen by those with vision Pacha…lol
Hants…too early for your shit, I dont tell you what to post…I either read it or I dont.
I have been saying it all along.If nobody but your own yradfowls think you are capable,crapaud smoke yuh pipe.The best thing the likes of bullshitters like Paul and Inniss can do is to let intelligent people run this country sgsin.The DLP without Barrow is a waste of time.Wunna ent ready and neva will.
Most times when it's too short like yours, I just skip it, to each his or her own.
@ David January 3, 2018 at 9:22 AM
If you are going to assign ownership and responsibility for the current fiasco, then here is the promise from its author which was duly accepted as 'consideration' in exchange for the majority vote by returning 4 out of 5 representatives for the Ch Ch ridings:
"Why environmentally sound? We all have to live, move and have our being in the protection of the environment. Daily, as we interact with one another we also interact with nature. The contest with nature which characterized man's relationship in earlier times, has now become a contract with nature in our times. A degraded and unhealthy environment is a threat to man's very existence on this planet; and this Manifesto recognizes that important fact."
Remember the person who took direct responsibility for that commitment is a man who does not speak over the telephone to women like MAM after she offered her number to discuss the growing problem.
There is no mistake with this one. The current administration has been fully aware of the burgeoning problems for the past 7 years especially the lowedown fella sitting on the Pit Toilet and has literally cocked up and screwed up the entire country; economically, environmentally, socially and politically.
Now which jockey to too big for the broken foot horse?
All bets in!
Paul and Inniss talked pure crap, they are all desperate and pointing fingers while the cockroaches like Cow, Maloney etc are in their corners in the dark watching them and just waiting for their opportunity to strike.
It's the people as usual being played, but I suspect they will all get a shock from the electorate this time go around…as they deserve, the population is beyond fed up of politicians, ministers and their minority cockroaches and parasites.
New York Sewage had a major problem with the 'wet wipes' clogging up their system.They corrected it.If this is the same problem the Halliday fellow was referring to he should ask Bowels Marshall to seek assistance when he goes back to his holiday assignment in the Big Apple.
Likewise London had a Sewage problem with grease,lots of it,in their system.Perhaps the Rev Guy Hewitt,former curate of Ch Ch Parish Church,now High Commissioner to the Court of St James,pay back for using his Codgrinton College training to walk the walk in Ch Ch South and have a zombie installed in that riding,can make the necessary contacts to help Halliday, Inniss and Haigh bring relief to the good name of Barbados.
WW&C at 9:48 AM
As the Silly Season progresses there will be plenty of blame and shame.This is very counter-productive.
Labour, Private Sector and Government need to collaborate. There is no other way we can climb out of this mess. The adversary approach will not work. There is an absence of trust which is being encouraged by persons who ought to know better. Barbados will be the victim if this trend continues.
Thanks for your usual dispassionate interventions.
@ Bernard Codrington January 3, 2018 at 10:14 AM
"Labour, Private Sector and Government need to collaborate.."
Isn't that the stated and well discussed and widely known mandate of the Social Partnership?
Now who has broken that marriage vow?
Who is cussing the Private Sector and Labour to high heavens?
Who promised to review the impact of the NSRL at the end of September 2017 or the introduction of a duty-free zone to generate forex instead of breaking its electoral promises not to privatize state-owned assets now being flogged off for a forex song?
If there is one thing that the "need to collaborate" on ought to be of immediate paramountcy is the fast expanding South Coast shitty situation which was brought to the Government's attention many moons ago and dismissed as a big political joke like OSA's warnings about going to the IMF sooner rather than later.
Now who will you be blaming for the pending Devaluation other than the Government whose stubbornness as displayed by its primus inter pares is playing the same kind of tribal politics as it is doing with the South Coast sewage shit?
Bernard exactly…..Inniss is hoping against hope that he is reelected, by that time Del Mastros the Canadian convicted criminal will be out from house arrest and Inniss can give him all the concessions he needs for his scams, for a price…..and continue more of the same with others..
Paul is hoping he is reelected so he can continue talking nonsense and getting paid by taxpayers for doing very little….more of the same…
The majority population will once again be the pawns and victims in the dirty games between ministers, politicians and private sector. ….that is why every lying deceitful word everyone of them utter going forward should be exposed…take no prisoners.
Miller…you know well enough if there is devaluation, they will find someone to blame other than themselves….no minister or politician on that island ever take responsibility for their actions ir lack of,,,,
They got short memories.
They tell lies consistently. ..
They think everyone got short memories.
Peter Wickham made the point yesterday and it is that against all odds Stuart thinks he and Bobby Morris are the experts in political strategy in Barbados and they can do the same in 2018.Think of it.Stuart who fits the image of the worst kind of politician one can imagine and that is a politician who refuses to engage the citizens in any meaningful way,who has no personality,no charm,no interpersonal skills of any kind,no magnetism,in other words a complete political hermit,yet he is the Prime Minister of Barbados.Without being unkind at least the saving grace is that the Eager 11 recognized it back in 2011 and signed a truce with him and that is that he stay in his corner and they in theirs' and neither the twain shall meet in inter-necine combat again.
Is it true that there is a gastro outbreak at one of the restaurants in the raw sewage, shitbomb zone of Hastings that government is trying to cover up?
Some relatives of mine were planning to dine at that same restaurant and I told them keep their asses quiet, eat home this holiday.
And this government got the nerve to believe they will be reelected.
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/09/28/respect-due-12/
Some months ago I posted this link where Adriel Nitwit swore that people who need marijuana for treatment and medical purposes can do so by getting a doctor's prescription and contacting the drug service because there is provision for medical marijuana in the legislation….well ya would think the idiot would have sent something to the drug service head….IN WRITING..right.
People contacted the drug service and have been told they have nothing in writing from the lying attorney general Adriel Nitwit and knows nothing about what he sqid in the newspapers.
……..and these useless ministers got the nerve to believe anyone who is not a stupid yardfowl would reelect them…really?
He wants to exploit something that he as attorney general is giving the drug service head no information on…and he expects that the people are stupid enough to reelect him…
….quoted from AG Nitwit:
"And with public opinion seemingly mixed on the treatment of the drug, Brathwaite has stated repeatedly that he was neither for nor against legalization, but that he wanted the right decision made in the interest of Barbadians.
"As a country we have not closed our minds to the medicinal properties to be derived from the marijuana plant," he told last night's consultation, explaining that "if there is some derivative of the marijuana plant that you can show has medicinal properties that addresses whatever ailment that you have, there is an opportunity for us under our present legal regime for you to write to the present head of the Drug Service, explain to her, get your doctor to provide the prescription, and we will source the capsule or the oil or whatever it is that you want".
However, he stayed clear of the discussion on legalization while focusing on the "properties of the plant and how we can exploit it as a people".
Nah, didn't one of the chiefs in this group entered the fray?
Well Well @ Cut and Paste @ Your Service
dos feas gentes….lol
when demons fall out, am so sorry he cant get his hands on the BU trumpturds, they are way too insignificant and irrelevant for him, but one can hope eg GP, John Liesalot, Chadster, 45fraudster, Lawson…and all the other turds he will soon starve to death in the US…lol.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/trump-claims-steve-bannon-lost-mind-fired-article-1.3735372
Careful WW trumps giving out his dishonest awards on monday… you may get top billing…rumour has it it is a ugly foul mouthed hag at the top, so I am thinking its either you or maxine watters.
Lol….Lawson I can hear the handcuffs, cant you?
Sewage: A kingdom for a proper plumber!
We need a governance model that enables selfless leaders to act in the best interest of the country as a whole. Starting with a revaluation of our National currency, encouraging resourcefulness among the population and rewarding sustainable behaviors aka common sense while penalizing undesirable practices.
Two interesting excerpts heard on morning news coming from the newly installed Governor General and Sir Hilary. We talk a good talk!
The time is fast approaching (and sooner than you think) when that "good talk" will be put to the test.
Should we have a puppet president answerable only to a PM or a 'King's' lapdog?
Will Bajans ditch the monarchy with all the colonial pomp and pageantry displayed yesterday?
Or will Bajans enter a brave new world of republicanism where every man is a 'Sir' and woman a 'Lady'; with pips and crowns and still marching to the music of the Royal Scots Guards and singing?
"It's a long way to Tipperary,
It's a long way to go.
To the sweetest girl I know!
Goodbye, Piccadilly,
Farewell, Leicester Square!
It's a long long way to Tipperary,
But my heart's right there."
Vincent Codrington on The Adrian Loveridge Column – Automated Passport Kiosks and Sargassum Seaweed