Moontown

Barbados Advocate

DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN – THE DEBATE

September 23, 2005

The Government of the day has over borrowed on the International Monetary Market and is not in the market seeking cheap loans. Those persons who would like to see the Government accept cheap loans from the PetroCaribe deal fail to understand what is happening to our credit rating.

The IMF and Standard and Poors have already warned Barbados of its borrowing capacity and the effect it has on its credit rating.

The Prime Minister has already warned this country of the serious implications that the increased debt will have on this country’s credit rating, and its ability to seek international financing when there is a need to borrow.

Those persons who continue to ask about the Venezuela oil deal can only be trying to interfere with the relationship that we have with America and at the same time not understand the politics of Venezuela, which has now damaged the relationship that Trinidad was able to gain from, as it relates to its CSME members.

We as a country have a serious Current Account problem and we must produce in order to deal with this problem. The only way the deal can help us is if we take the money that we would normally pay for oil and repay debts at higher servicing costs.

The oil deal between Trinidad and Barbados must be improved by the Trinidadians to help enhance and strengthen its position within Caricom. Trinidad must now offer its CSME partners the same or nearly the same incentives that it is offering the United States.

Our brother in need must understand what Venezuela is doing to vulnerable states that have been affected by falling revenues from bananas and sugar, compounded with increased costs of goods, including oil that is destroying the economies of small states. This occurrence has caused states with newfound wealth and a grouse to bear, to insult small states because of the need to get a quick bargain, without looking at the long-term effects.

I was recently asked, how come productive Government Ministers like implementing everything I speak about? My attention was then drawn to page 1 of the Advocate dated 21^st September, 2005 under the caption “Agricultural boost for farmers, vendors and consumers”. This Minister seems eager to follow my path and is doing everything right whenever he follows my dictates.

The Minister needs to take to Cabinet a plan to finance farmers for the next three years leading up to World Cup 2007, to allow the county to fully benefit from the increase in tourist arrivals. The farmers must remain in their fields and the vendors must have the appropriate vehicles to move the produce to the consumers, easing the burden on the farmer by allowing him to increase productivity by having his produce distributed.

I have offered advice freely over the years and those persons and organizations who accepted it have done well, but those who ignored it have paid the price. Those persons who ignored the advice have been able to see persons who should not have benefited from it, using it to enhance their opportunities at our expense.

 Everybody knows that I am a supporter of institutions and not personalities. I have been able to compare both and my advice to anyone is to accept that the institution is larger than the personality. The Barbados Labour Party was able to accept what was important for the country by dumping their selfish approach in 1994 and turning to the person who they thought was able to motivate the masses and resulting in a victory for the party.

The Democratic Labour party is now in a similar position where they have to thanks some members for their contribution, and this must be done without injury to anyone. The older players who are sitting on the fence looking to achieve glory twice before the younger ones get an opportunity, must be told that when the cake is divided everyone will get an equal share provided that they had reported for duty.

The cake must not only be for friends who believe that the institution is primary to a personality, but for workers, who have worked for the institution. Fairness must be the hallmark. Young workers must be prepared to develop themselves by learning the positiveness of their roles and stop playing back-up for persons.

These young men must understand that they have to see and learn the system for themselves. Opposition politics is good for beginners, but they should not allow anyone to keep them in Opposition for more than two terms. In my political life, I have served three terms under two leaders in Opposition and I have accepted my lot and maximum, since I have learned enough.

I have said before that the Barbados Labour Party is second to the DLP and we must figure out why we continue to lose to them if we have the better party. The public wants to vote for the party of its choice and we the members of the party must understand that we have to give to the voters what they want.

The Barbados Labour Party ignored the gurus who wanted snobbery to continue and gave the public what they wanted. Please let us get some peace, love, fairness and unity. This I beg of you for the sake of the people.

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

MIDWEEK NATION

OCTOBER 29, 2009

Returning nationals must be treated in the same way as offshore companies because they also bring foreign exchange to Barbados.

Member of Parliament for St. Lucy Denis Kellman stressed this point in the House of Assembly yesterday in debating two bills intended to make Barbados more attractive to international companies.

“We have to understand that when we are dealing with offshore companies that they are bringing new revenue to the country. We must do everything in our power because they are bringing new foreign exchange to the country…

“We have to match what they are bringing and give the necessary concessions to those persons.

“But it must not stop there. Returning nationals must also do something even more important to this country Barbados.

“This is a good step by Government to look at those foreign companies first, but we must also look at the retuning nationals who bring new foreign exchange to this country. We must treat them likewise,” he said.

Kellman was taking part in the debate on the amendment of the Property Transfer Tax Act and the Stamp Duty Act. The backbencher said there was a time when returning nationals felt there was something to gain by coming to Barbados, “but now the reverse is happening”.

Diluted

“What they thought they had, they recognized it has been diluted. Seeing that we recognize the importance of foreign exchange we have finally arrived at this… at how to gain foreign exchange and seek investment without giving away all of the land in Barbados .

“There are other ways that you achieve foreign exchange. Property Transfer Tax is something that you cannot ignore,” he added.

Kellman also noted that the workers who leave Barbados to work overseas should also be included in concessions given to the foreign investors. (TM)

PEAS AND RICE; MACARONI PIE

YAM PIE; SAUTEED POTATOES

BAKED CHICKEN; GRILLED PORK CHOPS

BBQ SPARERIBS; STIR FRIED SEA CAT

 BBQ PIG TAIL; GRILLED MARLIN

FRIED SNAPPER; FRIED MARLIN

BEEF STEW; FISH GRAVY

STEAMED VEGETABLES; TOSSED SALAD

PORT-AU-PRINCE – A small but very powerful group of legislators is seeking the removal of Haiti Prime Minister Michelle Pierre-Louis on charges that she has moved slowly to solve the country’s problems.

“The situation is critical,” Senator Jean Hector Anacasis told reporters.

Anacasis is among the six legislators behind a recent summons for Pierre-Louis to appear before Haiti’s Senate tomorrow. The lawmakers are reportedly also seeking the removal of several ministers.

The 30-member Senate has the power to remove the prime minister by a simple majority vote.

Pierre-Louis was approved as Haiti’s head of government a year ago after her predecessor was fired by the Senate following food riots.

The internal political manoeuvring comes in the wake of a recent visit to Haiti by former US President and UN Special Envoy to Haiti Bill Clinton

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):Ramnaresh Sarwan feels his time as West Indies captain has passed and fully endorses Chris Gayle for the position.

Sarwan, as well as Gayle, Trinidad & Tobago captain Daren Ganga, T&T vice-captain Dwayne Bravo, and T&T wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin have all been put forward in public discussion for the position.

“I got injured just when I was appointed captain and things did not really work out for me, so I think my time has passed,” said Sarwan at a news conference yesterday.

“I want to concentrate on improving my cricket and my full support is with whoever is appointed captain.”

Sarwan, like several other current players, believes that Gayle has not done a bad job as captain and has also done well with the bat as leader and should be given the opportunity to continue.

“Chris has got the support of all of the players and I think that is very important in any team sport,” said Sarwan.

“He has done a good job so far and I know he is committed to West Indies cricket.”

Jamaica Gleaner

( l - r ) Gayle, Ganga PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Daren Ganga has shunned suggestions that he should captain West Indies to Australia next month and has given Chris Gayle a vote of confidence.

Several regional and international figures have weighed in on the debate on the position of West Indies captain and have identified the T&T captain for the position.

“I know that there have been calls for me to be captain of the West Indies and it is a job that I’d be very honoured to do,” said Ganga, when the Calypso Warriors returned from India late on Monday.

He said: “As I have said before, my focus these days is T&T’s cricket and doing the best for my country.

“I am also working very hard at my game to get myself involved in international cricket again and would take it from there.”

Ganga, like several other key West Indies players, has thrown his support behind the embattled Gayle for the position of captain.

“I think that Chris has the support of many of the players,” Ganga said. “They have come out and stated their support for him.

“I personally think that he has done a good job as captain of the West Indies team and I will also like to give him my full support.”

Jamaica Gleaner

A posh Bermuda resort named one of the world’s top 500 hotels this year will close its century-old main building because the economic crisis has sapped tourism to the island.Elbow Beach Hotel will lay off about 160 employees by the end of November as it shutters 131 rooms and outsources food and beverage services, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group spokeswoman Danielle DeVoe said.

“It’s fair to say that current business levels are challenging globally,” she said.

The hotel’s 1908 pastel-yellow building will remain closed for several years. Hotel officials hope to renovate it during that time, although no details have been specified, DeVoe said.

Premier Ewart Brown said he hopes the projected renovation will enable Elbow Beach to compete with other high-end brands.

“The closure of any hotel property is difficult at any time,” he said. “We never want to see Bermudians losing their jobs.”

Elbow Beach will still operate 98 luxury suites and cottages, said Frank Stocek, the hotel’s general manager.

The resort made its debut on Travel + Leisure magazine’s list of the world’s top 500 hotels this year. Mandarin Oriental has managed it since 2000.

Rates range from US$300 to more than US$800 a night.

Bermuda, a British territory several hundred miles northeast of Florida, has seen a nearly 20 per cent drop in tourists through June, compared to the same period last year, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

Earlier this year, the Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma in the Bahamas and the Nikki Beach Resort & Spa in the Turks and Caicos Islands both closed down.

- AP

Jamaica Gleaner

Keith Mitchell, former prime minister of Grenada, says the Grenada Today newspaper

had libelled him consistently over his 12-year administration. - File Grenadian high court Judge Claire Henry on Tuesday ordered the liquidation of the Grenada Today newspaper after the owners failed to reach an agreement with former Prime Minister Keith Mitchell over the settlement of an EC$191,000 (US$71,135) libel award.

Justice Henry appointed former Accountant

General Garvey Louison as the liquidator after attorney Anslem Clouden, who is representing the paper’s editor, George Worme, informed the court that the parties had failed to reach an agreement over the payment.

Last Thursday the judge said she did not want to see the company dissolved and called on the parties to work out a payment format before returning to the High Court on Tuesday.

Mitchell, who was not present in court for the brief hearing, sued the newspaper over the publication of a letter from a reader in 2001 that contained disparaging remarks about him.

The High Court awarded the then prime minister compensation totalling EC$120,000 (US$44,692) in 2003, but the matter was appealed and the Court of Appeal increased the judgement.

Mitchell told reporters on Monday that his lawsuit was aimed at protecting his name.

“All I am seeking is justice for being slandered for literally 13 to 14 years consistently,” said the former premier.

“I have said to people over and over that in the past 13 years if you check the editorials of Grenada Today, 90 per cent of them have been concentrated on attacking one man and slandering me consistently.”

Worme, a veteran journalist, and Mitchell, currently the longest serving parliamentarian here, have been at loggerheads for years as the newspaper sought to expose what it termed corrupt activities of the Mitchell administration during its 13 years in office.

- CMC