Moontown

DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN- THE DEBATE

SEPTEMBER 27, 2009

Each occasion I visit the auditorium of the Barbados Workers Union, I am forced to reflect on their slogan and have asked if the significance of the slogan is appreciated. “Unity is strength, where there is no vision the people perish.”

On Sunday, the newspaper published the findings of the recently conducted poll which was done a year after the facilitator and I clashed over the findings of the poll. I must admit that even though the aspect of the poll which deals with leadership is important and should not be ignored, that part which dealt with party support is very positive and should be studied with the utmost seriousness.

It is clear to all of us, that what we have been observing has been borne out in the poll. This poll must be seen as an indicator. We must now take those aspects of the poll and map out a strategy to win the next election based on our party support.

I am happy that after 12 years in Government, that the support for the BLP is known and that the remainder is for the DLP. This support will not come to us on a platter. It must be worked for. This fraction of supporters is waiting for us to demonstrate to them that we understand what is expected of us.

The pie chart on page one of the Sunday Newspaper shows that the BLP share of party support is 36%, DLP 22% plus what the members allow themselves to convert from the 42% uncertain. It is evident that the BLP’s 68% versus the 29% for the DLP as it relates to leadership is an indicator that the problem arising from the uncertain has nothing to do with the BLP. It is clear that those persons polled had no problem when it came to leadership, but were uncertain about the DLP as a party.

The DLP, as a party must now work on the information as it relates to party and ignore leadership. It is clear to all of us that the majority of uncertain voters are people willing to vote for the DLP and that they are willing to respond to us, subject to our willingness to listen. Everybody wants to blame Mr. Thompson for everything, but I am convinced, that based on a conversation between the two of us, he understands what has to be done to change the uncertain voters and to reduce the popularity of Mr. Arthur.

The path which we started last year, when we went back to the drawing board must be continued. The present approach of isolation will not work. The first mandate is to put those persons who put their self interest ahead of the masses on the back burner. Those persons who are prepared to give up a lot, by saying things that are not popular to certain persons must be brought on the front burner.

We cannot continue to receive notice from the electorate and ignore their advice. Party supporters must understand that they are important too, but the party must liste3n to the electorate.  Self interest should not be paramount in party politics.

The next election reminds me very much of the 1961 election. Our party supporters have enough information to help them to be delivered from the wilderness of which they have sojourned for the last 12 years.

As the indicators stand, it is clear that Mr. Thompson should pounder on a conversation we had a year ago and formulate all decisions based on that discussion, because I think it showed maturity. That approach should be used to solve the problem.

Some people believe that winning the next election is beyond comprehension, but I want to assure our supporters that the poll must be studied carefully. Our strong point is party, a known factor and we as a party must focus on our positives. This advice has been given to the party as far back as 2001 when I was Campaign Manager.

The poll has shown without a shadow of doubt, that as a party we are more popular than the BLP. This support is known by the public and is demonstrated by the poll. It must be used by the party.

Mr. Thompson as Party Leader must move swiftly to put the remaining candidates in place and ought to ensure that they are persons for the charge. We are about winning and I have seen enough in the poll to work with and make the party and the people of Barbados happy again.

The people of Barbados are suffering and cannot afford to suffer any longer. If we do not listen now, we will never be forgiven by the people of Barbados. Please find out what they want and give them. Please save Barbados.

 Peace, love, unity, honestly, frankness, humility, wisdom and understanding.

US passengers travelling on US carriers will now have to go through increased security checks, this after an attempted terrorism attack on a North Western Airline on Friday.

According to an article in the Associated Press as the Northwest airlines flight 253 was preparing for landing in Detroit passengers complained of smelling smoke, saw a glow and heard what sounded like firecrackers which sent passengers scrambling to tackle a Nigerian man who claimed to be acting on orders from Al-Qaeda to blow up the airliner.

In light of this, the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a new list of security requirements for passengers travelling in and out of the US.

Chief Aviation Security Officer at the VC Bird International Airport Jermaine Anthony told the AntiguaSun that these requirements which include extra baggage checks and certain restrictions came into effect over the weekend.

“Basically what they are asking for is a 100 per cent pat down of all US bound passengers, a physical pat down of all passengers at the boarding gate prior to boarding and an inspection of all passenger acceptable properties and strict adherence to the TSA principles.”

Passengers travelling with liquid aerosols and gels are allowed to walk with any container which should not be bigger than three ounces in a clear Ziploc bag.

“This is supplementary airport screening standard that passengers go through before boarding an aircraft, two screenings at the sterile area and at the boarding area and this applies only to all US carriers which also includes LIAT as it travels to US ports of entry.”

As it relates to passengers checking in two hours before flight time to accommodate the new requirements, Anthony said that this will be the responsibility of respective airlines.

RICE AND SPLIT PEAS; MACARONI PIE

LASAGNA; CREAMED YAM

BBQ SPARERIBS; BAKED CHICKEN

BAKED PORK; MIXED VEGETABLES

LAMB STEW; STEAMED FLYING FISH

TOSSED SALAD; COLE SLAW

A REASONABLY QUIET Christmas.

That’s how police described the Yuletide season so far as they prepare for Old Year’s Night festivities on Thursday.

“Apart from an unfortunate stabbing incident in Victoria Street, we have seen a pretty quiet season so far,” Morgan Greaves, commander of the Bridgetown Division, told the DAILY NATION yesterday in reporting on Operation Yuletide.

The senior superintendent also noted that there were fewer shoplifting offences when compared to previous years.

“We have been able to police the main shopping areas across Barbados with success and we are now making plans for the Old Year’s Night parties and fetês to make sure that people can traverse the entire island safely,” he added.

One of the biggest challenges facing lawmen, however, was the behaviour of people drinking alcoholic beverages on the road, especially in The City, during the busy Christmas period.

“There are two things that we would like to see halted and that is people drinking strong drinks on the street and also converging in The City to lime.

“Bridgetown is a place for shopping and transacting business but not a liming spot,” Greaves said.

The senior lawman said he hoped Barbadians would continue to celebrate the Christmas season in a peaceful and law-abiding way as was evident over the past several days. Operation Yuletide is a yearly operation conducted by police during the period before and after Christmas. (TS) (Nation News)

Independent MP, Hamilton Lashley. (FP)

INDEPENDENT Member of Parliament Hamilton Lashley is “on the warpath” with both the police and Barbados Football Association (BFA) over what he claims is discrimination against the “good people of Pine and Wildey”.

Lashley, who represents St Michael South East communities, charged that police were ignoring efforts to meet to deal with issues in the area, while the BFA was refusing to host football matches there.

He added that while the area has had its share of trouble in the past, referring to a shootout last July near Parkinson Community Centre during a summer camp, they were working to make sure such did not reoccur. This was why, he stressed, cooperation from police was so important.

“We have been trying to have a meeting with the chief of police and his staff in an effort to enhance our public image but there has been no response.

“I am extremely concerned and disappointed at the fact that the Pinelands area, particularly The Pine/ Wildey area, is still being seriously stigmatised and discriminated against in view that this twin community is one of the most active in Barbados,” he said.

However, Station Sergeant Stephen Griffith, who is in charge of District “A” which includes The Pine, Wildey, and other “problem” areas, told the DAILY NATION yesterday that police still had a presence in the area.

“We have solved many challenges between various interest groups in The Pine. We have also conducted many programmes there and will continue to do so into next year, but they cannot be done in an ad hoc way,” he said.

Griffith said he dealt mostly with the Pinelands Creative Workshop and its chief executive officer Rodney Grant, but said Lashley was welcome to contact him as he had an open door policy.

Lashley also claimed the community was passed over by the BFA when it designated areas to host its youth football programme.

“FIFA [the world governing body for football] has put millions into developing youth football in the Caribbean and the BFA has worked out an ambitious programme which I applaud; but they have downright discriminated against Pine and Wildey because they have not slated one single game here.

“Has anyone ever been shot or injured at a tournament in The Pine? No! We are a responsible community and you cannot apply the law where Peter pays for Paul, yet the [police] is not working with us and the BFA wants nothing to do with us,” he said.

Yesterday, BFA youth programme organiser Sherlock Yarde said no one in The Pine had requested any of the matches be played there.

He said the tournament was originally scheduled to be played exclusively at Blenheim in The Ivy, St Michael, but certain teams had requested some of the games be played elsewhere. (CA) (Nation News)

CAREFUL CONSIDERATION: FTC chairman Sir Neville Nicholls (pictured) says they are still analysing the evidence submitted during the recent rate hearing. (FP)

BARBADIANS WILL HAVE TO WAIT a little longer to know if they have to pay more for electricity.

A Fair Trading Commission (FTC) ruling on rates was widely expected to be announced before yearend, but yesterday FTC chairman Sir Neville Nicholls said the decision would come in the new year.

“This is not something we are going to rush,” he told the DAILY NATION.

He said the FTC’s October hearing of the Barbados Light & Power Company Limited’s (BL&P) application for a review of its rates had covered 13 days and generated a large volume of evidence which had to be analysed.

“We will give careful consideration to all the evidence, all the arguments for and against,” Sir Neville stated.

Without giving a date, he said the ruling would be announced early in the new year, “as early as possible”.

The rate hearing took place October 7 to 23 at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, with evidence from senior BL&P officials, expert witnesses the company had brought in and several intervenors.

Written and oral submissions as well as cross-examinations left the FTC with a vast amount of paperwork to be perused.

Yesterday, BL&P chief marketing officer Stephen Worme said the company had been anticipating an FTC ruling by the end of the year, but could understand any need for more time to make a decision.

He added there were elements in this first application for a rate adjustment in 26 years that required careful consideration by the FTC.

Worme told the DAILY NATION he was confident the commission would make the best decision at the end of the day.

BL&P is seeking to raise its rate base from 6.07 per cent to 10.48 per cent to realise an annual return of $544.19 million.

It argued before the FTC that “the present basic electricity rates are now inadequate to allow the company to continue to meet its operating and maintenance expenses which have increased over the years, as well as to attract new capital to replace older plant that is due for retirement”.

The Barbados Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (BANGO), one of the intervenors, actually welcomed a 2010 FTC ruling on the rates.

“The longer it takes to make a decision, the more likely it is that the ruling will be in our favour,” its head Roosevelt King said yesterday.

BANGO had suggested BL&P move its lowest tier of rates from 100 kilowatt hours (kwh) to 250 kwh, with no increase in charges in this category.

It also suggested a surcharge on customers to help BL&P recover costs of its hearing before the FTC.

BANGO suggested too that BL&P move to collect more money from the companies using its poles, among them the telecommunications provider LIME, arguing that unless BL&P maximised its revenues in this area, electricity consumers might have to cover the shortfall though price increases. (TY)(Nation News)