BARBADOS ADVOCATE- DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN - THE DEBATE  (11/06/04)

Over a year ago, I warned the members of the political party, to which I have devoted so many of my youthful years, not to be trapped into believing that the Government of the day was restricting Guyanese from entering the country.

It was clear to me that Government just wanted the Opposition to attack the Guyanese so that Government could use the criticism as a platform to gain support for the build up that was occurring over the years.

One must ask Government, how is it that there was a policy to keep Guyanese out and still their population in Barbados is over 25 000. I argued that Caribbean people had a right to each other’s country without having a right to live there permanently. It is rather interesting how we accept persons who do not have any CARICOM roots before we can accept our own.

It is my belief that the comfort that we provided for the Vincentians and St. Lucians in the 70s have been fully utilized, and that the citizens from these countries have been able to repatriate their resources to develop their country to a state now that St. Lucia can compete with us in tourism and has the most modern cricket complex, that is World Cup 2007 compatible.

The same thing that we have done for these two countries we have to do for Guyana. As stated previously in an article, Mr. Barrow as able to exploit the resources of Guyana in the interest of Barbadians and it is only fair that we reciprocate once we are able.

We must understand that the Caribbean is as strong as its poorest country. Until we can help develop each country, CSME cannot work as we must have a workable economy and market…

Government’s biggest office complex at Warrens is a good example of this Government’s double policy where it pretended that it did not want the Guyanese, but at the same time took away work from its own to give to the Chinese.

I am awaiting the completion of the project to see how the commemorative plaque for the opening ceremony will be adorned. It was well published how the initial contractor had all the problems with the foundation and had to provide a solution different from the one provided previously.

This project will be the largest Government complex, built 23cyears after the Central Bank was built at substantial costs.  It is expected that the cost to construct this project will be lowered than that incurred at the Central Bank. It must also be stated that the contractors on the Central Bank did not have the problems that the initial contractor had early in the project.

This Government has been fortunate in being given a passing grade by the political commentators after mismanaging complex issues like GEMS, Warrens Complex, Public Investment Fund, Housing, The National Bank, the Guyanese issue, the IMF Report, Queen Street Land Acquisition, World Cup 2007 and foreign borrowings. These are all issues that the Opposition dealt with over the past two years. The question must be asked how come this Government is committing political suicide and still living?

St. Lucy is known for having six undertakers and it is about time you call in the professionals to bury the dead. Last Sunday, there was a letter purported to be written by Mr. Henderson Bovell stating that the members of the Democratic Labour Party were against World Cup 2007. I am now calling on Mr. Bovell to name those persons in the DLP who are against World Cup 2007 and I would disassociate myself from them.

It was also stated that I, one day after Mr. Mascoll wrote in the newspaper that I followed, criticizing the location which was construed to mean that I was not supporting the World Cup 2007, which is the furthest thing from the truth.

As a person paid by the public’s purse and not dictated to by anyone, I am free to look after the interest of this country by looking at the opportunity costs of the decision. Something one would have expected from the Economist and not from one with accounting knowledge.

The Democratic Labour Party cannot now criticize World Cup 2007 after bringing the SID conference to Barbados and using Sherbourne Conference Centre to accommodate the capacity without displacing anyone. This large conference centre has now saved many hotels from having to provide such facilities because of its location.

The development of Bridgetown and its environs has nothing to do with the location of World Cup 2007 at Kensington and I do not want to say “I told you so”, because we will still have the debt to pay, increase GDP, unemployment to worry about and the development of Community Tourism to help the masses share in the productive pie.

The development of Barbados cannot be controlled by a few, but must be shared among all its people and decisions of this magnitude must be done in the interest of the country and not to suit a two few. The support from the late Sir Conrad Hunte is now explained and it is clear to me that I am wasting time talking about the future development of Barbados, because short term interest has taken over and it does not matter how much the country would have gained if my suggestion was implemented to build a modern complex somewhere else that would solve the headache of the football association, cycling union, athletes, the musicians and entertainers.

I have been writing against Kensington as the location for months and I will continue to, and Mr. Bovell must tell the public why Nelson Statue must be moved, but Kensington must remain. Is history not important now or is it that history is only important when we are talking about Trafalgar Square?

When the DLP moved Nelson Statue for less than $500 000, it caused much discussion and was called squandermania even though it stopped traffic from being impeded. The Government will now waste over $30m and deprive the country of real development and it appears that the press is asleep on important issues.

These issues must be dealt with by the calypsonians this season and they must get on with what they do best. The question must be asked if the problem they have, has to do with pirating, proceeds from copyright or both? Maybe the last increase in fuel has taken all the energy out of them and they cannot fire-up this season because they lack energy because of the fuel charge.

They need not worry because the Minister of Energy has stated that bus fares and taxi rates cannot be increased because the increases are temporary. I have persistently warned Government of the inflationary impact when fuel prices are increased and how they should absorb the increases so that they would not impact negatively on the productive sector.

The impression was also created that the Barbados Labour Party was the only party to reduce energy costs, when fuel prices dropped. I am sure that Sir Richard and Sir Lloyd as former Ministers of Finance would not be happy to be discredited for giving reductions to the consumers and not being credited with them.

The Democratic Labour Party must understand that  someday the Barbados Labour Party will not  create such opportunities for us to destroy them, and that we must stop thinking self and think party by adopting the 123 strategy by starting an issue at the primary stage, then secondary and then tertiary, and not the reverse.

(Denis Kellman is the Member of Parliament for St. Lucy, Barbados)