14. October 2009 by admin.

BARBADOS ADVOCATE

DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN – THE DEBATE

MAY 6, 2005

Fifty years in anyone’s life is a significant landmark and the occasion should be treasured by those who have to carry on the pilgrimage. In order to carry on, one must have an appreciation for the expectations of the followers and also have the capacity to utilize the philosophy of the organization to motivate persons who are willing to appreciate that they do not have to accept what they are being offered.

Any organization that has been able to survive for over 50 years is deserving of the best, and it should be able to appreciate its mandate.  We ought to understand by now that it is who the people like and not who we like that matters. Once this is understood, then we are 50 per cent towards the achievement of our goal.

I have said before that the only person who can transfer goodwill is the leader. Should this goodwill match the expectation of the voters, then an election victory is sure, since it is the goodwill from the people that is required to deliver the victory. Good leaders can give their comrades votes, but poor leaders take away votes and can easily destroy their colleagues. President Bush has been able to achieve what he could not have achieved in Barbados.

Persons who are interested in political life and have something to offer seem to have to play second class citizens to other persons who do not have anything to offer. Before it was pedigree, now it seems to be another quality, which eludes some of us. It is evident that we are back in the Biblical days and some persons will continue to look for the Messiah even though he or she is among them.

The passing of Prime Ministership from Sir Lloyd to Prime Minister Arthur should be a lesson to many, and those who sit gazing at the sky must remember that we live in a revolving world. The Democratic Labour Party must treat the O’Neales like how the Barbados Labour Party treats the Millers and the Mottleys, and should not be afraid of the O’Neales, nor should they deny them. Good has been planted by them and appreciated by Sir Lloyd and the party cannot continue to over look goodness in search of goodness.

 I have already said that Prime Minister Arthur has been allowed to take Barrow’s goodwill from the party and has entrenched it within the Barbados Labour Party. This goodwill must be brought back by persons who have always been committed to the cause and who are appreciated by the engines of the country. If America, that beloved country can do it, the same can also be done by us.

This country needs persons with ideas to take it out of its mess and those groups who previously did not support others, who did not fit the bill, according to their standards, must admit that they were wrong before and can be wrong again. The O’Neales have given of their fruitful lives to the cause and will continue to give without living like crabs, but are prepared to share with all to the betterment of the country.

They never ran away, even when they had just cause to do so. They stayed and took the abuse that was dished to them. Sometimes I wonder if other persons were faced with these challenges what would they have done? In life it is not what you have received, but what you have refused.

Last week was a very active week. I attended the Cable and Wireless Blackberry launch, the Democratic Labour Party’s Fiftieth Anniversary Dinner and the Barbados Workers’ Union Anniversary Church Service, and I should also be attending a conference.

From a child, I was told that hard work and dedication pay off. At the tender age of 13, Mr. Vinston Philips made me politically active and he has stood by me ever since then. Mr. Vinston Phillip is truly an Ambassador for the Democratic Labour Party and is deserving of the highest honour.

God will continue to bless cheerful givers and doers.

(Denis Kellman is the parliamentary representative for St. Lucy, Barbados)

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14. October 2009 by admin.

BARBADOS ADVOCATE - 2005

DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN- THE DEBATE

Some people have been meeting me and admitting that I am no political neophyte as believed by my comrades and opponents. They are now saying that they understand why persons have been behaving as if I have nothing relevant to say and want to know why the Party’s column does not mention anything said by me.

They are saying that they can now appreciate why I said in 2001 that I am not interested in the Party’s leadership and they now appreciate that in order for the Party to go forward, the elders must take control of the party’s leadership.

The confusion created by the supporters of candidates for party leadership must stop and senior members of the party who do not have elected political ambition, must put party before self and help to protect this great political party.

The elders must understand that they have a role to play and at this stage of our development. We need all hands on deck as occurred in the St. Thomas By-Election, when I was able to get the elders to come out and assist the party in making a significant dent in the BLP Stronghold. Everyone must understand that the Democratic Labour Party has done well for them and for the country and what is needed is for them to show their support at a time when such a great institution needs their help.

I know what it feels like to be on outside child, so do not expect me to treat anyone like how outside children are treated. I have no enemies, neither do I want to know if people have me as their enemy, therefore I do not want any person identified as the enemy. In the rebuilding process, I do not even see persons who voted for the BLP as the enemy, I see them as potential supporters.

Successful political leaders have always been loved by supporters on both sides of the fence and those persons seeking to lead the political arm of the party must be able to attract support from the other party.  In Barbados, you can always tell to whom the electorate is gravitating and there is no need for that person to overplay his hands. It is when one is seeking to be popular that they try doing things to please the masses. A leader must lead and cannot afford to compromise his or her position by seeking cheap support.

The DLP has been fortunate to have the Right Excellent Errol Barrow and Sir Lloyd Sandiford who were able to demand respect from the electorate and any future leader must be able to attract persons to the party and demand respect.

Let us continue to show what has developed the party over the years and continue to deliver to the electorate the person who is capable of operating in the interest of the country. This country needs a leader who is strong and committed to the development of the country, not self and friends. This country is at a very critical stage in its development and it is clear that whatever we do, the workers of Barbados must play a significant role in the expansion of the economy.

New ways essential

Over the last eleven years, we have concentrated on asking workers to accept their responsibility, while at the same time, we have deprived the owners of capital and the country from achieving their maximums. These same persons are expected to work capital to generate revenue, have been frustrated, causing them not to perform at their maximum.

This country Barbados needs to change its approach to development and understand that new ways must be found to deal with our economic problems. What does not work for other countries cannot be ignored by Barbados, and because something did not work for Grenada and Antigua, does not mean that it would not work for Barbados. I was told before that every party that introduces VAT is defeated at the polls the following elections, we in Barbados have seen the opposite.

We all know that no country can be progressive when you are operating two regressive taxation systems at the same time, and we in Barbados have been doing it for the last nine years, because some people want to see the middle class oppressed.

Last Tuesday, the Opposition had a good chance to put a case for the people of Barbados seeing that the present Government has surrendered its rights to lead by not accepting that a New Economic Order is needed to solve the problems of the country. Barbadians must now admit that they blamed Sir Lloyd and his administration for taking the country into a crisis, but they should now be admitting, that they brought their own home grown solutions to solve the problems, which created growth in the economy and solved our foreign exchange problems.

The oil arrangement with Venezuela cannot be accepted by Barbados and Trinidad because Venezuela is seeking to dominate the Caribbean and trying to treat them like ungrateful countries that do not have an identity.

Barbados must ensure that their loyalty to CSME and Trinidad is accepted and those who were eager to imprison our fishermen must now ask themselves whether the fishermen are their friends or enemies, it is not Barbadians that are allowed to fish in Trinidad waters without hindrance, but Venezuelans who are allowed to deprive Trinidadians of their territorial rights, while at the same time we have to fight our friends at the International Court to protect our rights.

I have said before that the debate is about votes and people must understand that the leaders could not solve a simple problem because of how it affects the voting pattern in the country. So far, it has cost both countries a large sum of money to have someone else to make the decision for them, and so absolve them of any blame in the matter.

This weekend, the DLP will conclude its conference and major decisions must be made to make the DLP the party of choice among the voting public. This party has what it takes to bring Barrow’s goodwill back,  that has been taken to the BLP by one of our own, and the person capable of bringing it back home must be allowed to do so and stop the people of Barbados from suffering. The great work of the O’Neal family must be completed and it must be done without war in the party or country. It must be done with love, peace and unity. One family, one love, Barbados belongs to all of us.

(Denis Kellman is the parliamentary representative for St. Lucy, Barbados)

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14. October 2009 by admin.

ST. LUCIA STAR

Written By: Maryanna Williams 

For some party loyalists legality has become the only litmus test for determining unacceptable behaviour. If the behaviour, however unethical, does not offend any existing law, then it is acceptable. This new measure of testing has conveniently been extended to officials whose suitability for public office should depend on public confidence and trust. The widespread criticisms of Kenny Anthony over his handling of Rochamel is overwhelming and the evidence pellucid: Kenny Anthony squandered millions of dollars of taxpayers money on Rochamel. Yet for some he has done nothing wrong because there is no particular statute to deal with the reckless use of taxpayers money by public officials.

I have made the point before that public officials are called to a higher standard of behaviour than ordinary citizens because they are in positions of trust. The Prime Minister more than anyone else is expected to live up to the public’s trust. I suppose the question on many minds is, whether the former prime minister benefited financially from the Rochamel saga? My response to this remains one of uncertainty.

I have no evidence to think that Kenny Anthony gained personally. This is no reason to say that he did no wrong. He was entrusted with the finances of the country and was grossly negligent in the use of it. That is indisputable. Regarding what can legally be done must be left to meticulous lawyers. But on ethical grounds Kenny Anthony should no longer be trusted with the finances of the country. His disqualification is not based on just the Rochamel scandal but on a series of other money related scandals over which he presided as Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. There is something chronic about the former finance minister’s financial recklessness and sloppiness.

The National Conservation Authority (NCA) for years failed miserably in accounting satisfactorily for public funds placed at its disposal. Any responsible minister of finance would have demanded proper accounting of taxpayers money by the NCA. As if to affirm the mismanagement taking place at the NCA, the minister of finance dutifully made available yearly, millions of dollars to the organization. It is no wonder that those placed in charge of the day to day running of the NCA felt free to engage in financial impropriety.

It is interesting and instructive to read what the Standard, a daily newspaper of New Zealand had to say about a particular politician whose action though not illegal (a lavish expense claim for accommodation) was unethical. I quote from the September 28th issue of the Standard: “There are few sights more unedifying than that of a politician countering accusations of improper behaviour by claiming that his actions are consistent with the letter of the law. The idea that someone is innocent unless and until he is demonstrably guilty quite properly carries weight in criminal proceedings but for those elected or appointed to high office the rules are different. Their tenure being the result of electoral fortune, their tenability will always depend on public confidence. And public confidence relies on something more ineffable than precise legal niceties.”

There are good reasons why laws cannot be the only measure of acceptable behaviour among politicians. Parliamentarians have a history of passing laws to curb their excesses. Moreover laws do not necessarily equate to what is right and are not meant to cover all that is unethical. Remember slavery was once legal but of course could never have been right. Politicians have a responsibility to go beyond what the law requires. The absence of legislation is no excuse to avoid what ethics demand.

Those who are found guilty of criminal acts can be subjected to the punishment of imprisonment. And what of those who commit egregious acts of negligence in the use of public funds? Well they cannot be jailed but surely deserve ridicule, scorn and embarrassment for their wrongdoing especially when they are not remorseful. Moreso they should not be given the opportunity to repeat their hurtful acts on the citizens.

As I write I am sadly reminded for the umpteenth time of the former prime minister’s dual personality. Earlier during this week the opposition leader, Kenny Anthony in belligerent mood was calling for civil disobedience over the inclusion of fingerprints on ID cards. But it was Kenny Anthony the prime minister who signed the relevant statutory instrument to make law, the inclusion of fingerprints on ID cards. Kenny Anthony’s dual personality is indicative of a person who lacks integrity. He says one thing and does the exact opposite. On the fingerprinted ID card issue some party loyalists in the spirit of consistency would conclude that the opposition leader did nothing wrong because he broke no law. For the rest of us it is yet again another example of Kenny Anthony’s duplicity.

Ethical standards transcend time, place and political whims and must remain the standards against which the behaviours of our politicians are measured. Those who wish to exonerate the former prime minister over Rochamel on the grounds that he broke no law have adopted a lower standard of behaviour. And in so doing have excused the reckless use of public funds by public officials. Something no decent self-respecting citizen should encourage.

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14. October 2009 by admin.

THE ST. LUCY DLP BRANCH MEETING WOULD BE HELD THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2009  AT 5 P.M. AT THE PIE CORNER CONSTITUENCY BRANCH OFFICE, ST. LUCY, BARBADOS.

GUEST SPEAKER WOULD BE THE HONORABLE DONVILLE INNISS, MP, MINISTER OF HEALTH.  MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE CONSTITUENCY AMBASSADOR DENIS KELLMAN, WOULD DELIVER  REMARKS AND PRESENT HIS REPORT.

THIS IS A MEETING YOU SHOULD NOT MISS. COME ONE … COME ALL….

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14. October 2009 by admin.

Government will begin refunding investors and policyholders in the local CLICO company as soon as the court approves the order to liquidate the company’s assets, President Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed on Monday during a press conference.
Responding to a question posed by this newspaper as to how soon government will honour its commitment to the company’s investors, Jagdeo said that “once the court gives a liquidation order then you can start disposing of the assets and also taking care of the investors.”

“As soon as that happens you will see some entities getting their money back immediately, and (with) others the government sitting and working out with them a time-frame over which they’ll get back their money”, he stated.

Following the disclosure of the financial woes of CLICO in February, President Jagdeo had issued several assurances that no policyholder or investor in the company would lose their money and outlined several measures that would be employed to ensure that this was done.

The PNCR recently called on the government to inform CLICO policyholders of the “arrangements, timing and procedures” to be used to honour the guarantee that they would not lose their money. The party said that it was “appropriate for the government to inform policyholders of CLICO when the promised guarantee, given first by President Jagdeo, and, later, by the Parliament of Guyana, will become a reality.”

At a previous press conference, Jagdeo told reporters that Guyana has received the promised $3 billion (US$15 million) from the regional Petroleum Fund, which is to be used to assist CLICO (Guyana) to meet its liabilities.

The injection of the US$15 million from the petroleum fund is expected to significantly reduce the gap between the liabilities and assets. This injection, along with other interventions could see the gap being completely eliminated, thereby negating the need to use taxpayers’ money, the President had said.

CLICO came under financial strain after it invested a significant part of its assets in CLICO (Bahamas), which later found itself in financial woes. The local company invested $6.9 billion in CLICO (Bahamas) which represented 53 percent of the local companies’ assets. Although these investments were liquid on paper, subsequent investigations revealed that this sum has been tied up in real estate investments that CLICO (Bahamas) had in Florida through subsidiaries. When CLICO (Bahamas) was ordered liquidated on February 24, the local company was subsequently placed under judicial management.

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14. October 2009 by admin.

SALT FISH AND RICE; BLACK EYE PEAS AND RICE

MACARONI PIE; CREAMED YAM

BAKED CHICKEN; BAKED PORK

FRIED FLYING FISH; FRIED SNAPPER

STEAMED VEGETABLES

TOSSED SALAD

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14. October 2009 by admin.

The VC Bird International Airport continues to function effectively despite the halt on the expansion project, which came about when it was seen that the Brazilian company contracted to complete the construction would have difficulties receiving payment.

CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Airport Authority Ken Hurst said at present, the work on the runway is 85 per cent complete and will continue only once funds are made available to allow this to happen.

“We have completed most of the areas around the runway to include the eastern side of the ramp and the eastern extension, but nothing has been done since April when the project stopped,” Hurst said.

In September of this year, the Antigua and Barbuda Airport Authority announced that it will be returning to the regional securities market to generate funds needed to complete the VC Bird International Airport extension project.

The authority at that time needed at least $50 million and intended to sell bonds through the Antigua and Barbuda Investment Bank, backed by the government. This, however, did not materialise.

Additional funds are needed for expansion of the runway, and completion of the airport parking lot.

According to Hurst this has not derailed operations at the airport.

“We continue to operate on a day to day basis. We have a job do to and we have to continue despite the obstacles,” the CEO said.

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14. October 2009 by admin.

Antigua and Barbuda has until 1 Jan., 2010, to comply with a number of new rules and regulations as it relates to seafood exports to the European Union or risk losing its export market.

The country now enjoys a “provisional approval” from the European Commission to allow for export of fresh fish (including live lobster, the main export).

Maintenance of approval for Antigua and Barbuda, however, depended on its addressing the concerns raised by the Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission, following an inspection in November 2002.

These include updating of the fisheries legislation to meet the European legal provisions, accreditation of the national laboratory, refurbishing of deficient landing sites, development of systems to monitor and test seafood for environmental contaminants, including ciguatera toxins (the toxins that cause “fish poisoning”), assessment and implementation of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) system in fish processing establishments. HACCP is a “preventative-based” food safety system.

Chief Fisheries Officer within the Fisheries Division Eon Horsford said as it stands, Antigua and Barbuda will not be able to export to the French territory unless the country is in full compliance with the regulations.

“The regulations are difficult, but it is not impossible for us to comply. It is not impossible because at the end of the day, we have to adjust accordingly,” Horsford said.

For Antigua and Barbuda and the rest of the OECS region to take full advantage of the recently signed Economic partnership agreement, member states will have to meet several requirements.

All seafood entering the EU has to be certified as having been caught legally and the regulations also enable the EU to adopt retaliation measures against states and vessels.

Increases in financial sanctions for serious breaches are also proposed as well as action to be taken within the regional fisheries management organisations to improve the fight against illegal fishing.

Horsford said that one good thing to come out of the regulations is that they will act as an incentive in getting local fishermen on the island to comply with rules already laid out in the country.

“This will also help us in dealing with the issue we already have in terms of illegal fishing with the French because now the EU is actually looking at taking action against persons who are involved in illegal trade,” Horsford added.

Plans are also in the pipeline to get the sister island of Barbuda to be in full compliance with the regulations as currently only 25 per cent of the Barbudan fishing fleet is licensed back in 2008. This could bring about serious implications for the fishing industry on the sister isle because it depends heavily on lobster exports as a main foreign exchange earner.

For years, the country has supplied the French territories with seafood, but with the formation of the single European market in 1993, legislation governing the production of food was harmonised throughout the European Union (EU), meaning that the same rules apply in all EU countries.

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14. October 2009 by admin.

Nikita Braxton South Bureu

Chinese construction workers protesting no pay for two months and poor working conditions had an audience of thousands yesterday, when they crowded onto the shoulder of the Uriah Butler Highway during rush-hour. The workers, numbering about 85, held high scraps of paper on which Chinese characters were written. They pumped fists in the air and shouted to passing motorists. Their protest caused a traffic gridlock, which only worsened when police officers arrived and detained the men, who work with a construction company based in Port of Spain. The men live in freight containers, and a barrack-type building on a compound along an unnamed road off Warren Road, Cunupia. Two Chinese men seen leaving the compound yesterday said they were “looking for food” and did not respond to questions about the protest. The protest, on the shoulder of the South-bound lane of the highway, began just after daybreak, and caused a traffic pile-up from Freeport. Immigration officers were called to the scene. Some ten workers were found to have expired work permits. The work permits of at least 25 others were close to the expiration date, but their passports were all valid, according to an Immigration officer.

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14. October 2009 by admin.

Aretha Welch awelch@trinidadexpress.com

stopped work: Chinese workers downed their tools and sat on the shoulder of the Uriah Butler Highway yesterday near Guayamare. See Page 3. -Photo: KRISHNA MAHARAJ They haven’t been paid in months, they were seen eating “dry bread”, cannot speak a word of English and would rather return to the crowded streets of Fujian Province than stay to work as labourers in Trinidad. However, they want the money that they claim is owed to them before they leave. This is what about 85 Chinese nationals say they were protesting when they gathered on the South-bound lane of the Uriah Butler Highway, near Guayamare, early yesterday morning. Police were called to rein them in, and escorted them from the highway to the administrative branch of the Immigration Department on Henry Street, Port of Spain. When the Express arrived, around noon, at the Immigration compound on Henry and New Streets, Port of Spain, the Chinese workers were there, adamantly refusing to be sent back to work at the Five Rivers Secondary School compound in Arouca, and also refused to return to where they were being housed in Central Trinidad. Some indicated by sign language that they were hungry and patted their pockets, as if to illustrate to the local media that they were empty; while others took empty water bottles onto the Immigration compound, gesticulating that they were in need of water. While most could only speak their native language, Mandarin Chinese, the few who did know some English told the Express they had come here from the Fujian Province in China about 18 months ago “to make money for family”, and were ready to go back home because they had not been paid for several months. They used sign language and gestures to show they were ready to “fly” and be on “a plane to China”. They also showed a handwritten letter in English, explaining their plight and asking the Government to intervene, but could not say who had written the letter for them. One of the workers said they were each owed 30,000 yuan (TT$22,000), for two months of work. Many citizens who gathered in front the Immigration office expressed concern and sympathy for the men, many of whom they said “looked afraid”. “They have a unique job and they work hard and fast. Unlike most of us they are productive,” said one local Chinese man who was passing by. The man said he was not affiliated with the workers in any way, but had observed the conditions under which they live in Trinidad at various compounds and felt they were being treated unfairly. After several hours with nothing to eat and much pleading from Gang Liang, an official who came from the local Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, the men dispersed in the dozens, making their way across New Street onto Charlotte Street. Embassy officials said they could not decide who was right in the dispute but were only present to ensure that the rights of all their nationals are protected. When the Express tried to find out where the men were going for the night, one could only say in broken English, “We do not have idea.” However, the group maintained they were not going back to work or to the compound where they are being housed. While speaking, at the scene, to the police, who also expressed concern for the well-being of the men who are relatively new to Trinidad, one Embassy official said the men wanted to be taken to the Embassy, but could not be taken there because there were too many of them, and they did not want to be separated from each other. The workers eventually made their way to the Embassy in St Clair, where they were afforded a translator. Late last night they were escorted by police from the Embassy.

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