Moontown

DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN- THE DEBATE

JULY 27, 2007

The present saga of BS&T should be a lesson for all developing countries and educational institutions. This is occurring at a time when Government is boasting of the increase intake at its tertiary institutions. This significant increase has occurred during the period 1994 to 2007 and has clearly shifted students who would normally be seeking work to continue their educational thrust in the hope of higher jobs. These students are led into an expectation that after completion of their studies that Government would create an atmosphere to better their lives.

 Thirteen years later, we are seeing an expansion of qualified persons and a reduction in blue collar jobs. This process has occurred even though Government has been forewarned about creating an expectation that they could not fulfill.

This country has been fortunate to have a Government in the sixties that thoroughly understood what was needed to develop the country. This was why we developed our people from depending solely on agriculture and provide opportunities for Free Secondary Education for all at a time when developed countries were not thinking of such.

The DLP was so advanced in its philosophy that future Governments did not even understand how to make a small developing country, a developed country. For this reason, we saw capping of certain educational opportunities and the introduction of unemployment benefits using the wrong application. Too many persons believe that a negative can be corrected by a negative. That is why I would never agree with calls restraining the productive sector when the world economy is in recession. We have to understand that when the world is in recession, that we stand our best chance to take chances. We seem to believe that you can beat a man when he is strong.

The present problem that we have with the Chinese labour is a clear case of overheating the economy with construction projects which should have been planned to suit our labour market, instead of using the opportunity to rape the country of its offering without giving back returns.

Massive capital projects like the Four Winds Project should not be anti labour when one considers the concessions given by Government at the expense of locals. These investors must show their true intentions and should accept that the vision at the beginning will be used at all times to judge social conscience.

These projects should be judged by the treatment meted out to the William brothers, who were very accommodating in ensuring of the presence of Four Winds on the island. They were rewarded for their kindness by having steel imported in the island by persons whom they accommodated.

I have said before that Globalization is not for us, but about building a market share for the too few. This project is demonstrating that the only thing local will be the land, and one wonders why we continue to give up so much to accommodate these brands. I have always argued that we need to develop our own indigenous brands like Almond, etc. these brands are local in character and can easily be identified with country of origin whereas the other brands is so international that a reference to it means nothing to us.

As a country, we seem not to appreciate the acclamations given to us by our local brand and the importance of empowerment to these brands in preference to the foreign brands. I have said before that foreign investors and workers should be attracted to country by the way we treat local players. It is for this reason that I sought to introduce Kellmanomics which seems to be too kind to our own. We have enslaved ourselves for so long that we can only think external and anything internal must be punished. We have to wake up and see each other as equal players.

For years we have seen workers as a group that should have a limited amount of disposable income and we have used inflation and taxation to ensure that their upward mobility is engineered. This group responded by demonstrating their capacity by doing side jobs to counter the policies. We have now used international standards to deprive them of their opportunity to have choice by making their investments in stocks unprofitable through the usage of the Health Act and our full scale acceptance of globalization. This occurred when we accepted international standards.  These standards were for countries dealing with international exports and we used them to deplete the investment opportunities of the masses by interfering with their “ stocks”.

Countries like Barbados have the capacity to save foreign exchange at a faster rate than other countries because of its capacity to earn foreign exchange from services. A closer look at this suggestion shows that the retention rate of foreign exchange is much greater than other foreign exchange inflows.

I previously said that Barbadians must develop the economy of their country. This development could be enhanced by our Caribbean partners after exhausting their moonlighting concept.

It is interesting to note that Mr. Barrow in the sixties was accused of the no cane blade speech after introducing Free Secondary Education. Forty one years after, the country is hardly able to supply its quota to its contractual market and sugar is now a net foreign exchange user because of its reliance on equipment.

One of the first orders of the day must be a meeting of the players in the manufacturing, agriculture and other auxiliary services. Too often these players do not understand the importance of control of a market and the importance of customs to the upkeep.

Barbadians should be proud of the PSV service providers in their aggressive approach to delivery. As a Government, we must ensure that their aggressiveness is done without interfering with others and the law. It is regrettable that their productive capacities are not practiced throughout the economy. The marketing capacities of fishermen are needed also. These economic players know how to use market demand to their advantage and over supply to their customers advantage. The press is fully utilized daily to ensure that the customers know where the best offerings are. These players know how to lower their prices to suit demand. This is evident, as in the case of flying fish which could start at $60 a hundred and end up at $25 by the end of the day.

The poultry industry is a privileged industry. It must ensure that the advantage given by import substitution is not abused and that consumer’s rights are protected. These players must ensure that they do not treat capital expenditure like revenue expenditure. Players in this sector need to understand the importance of being supported when demand is low and supply high. I have already asked the farmers in my area to study the marketing strategy of fishermen. They know how to dispose of their catches thereby pleasing both sides of the market.

Ploughing produce back in the ground or holding in cold storage is not in the best interest of the consumer or supplier. The fastest growing cost for businesses is electricity and one wonders why farmers would hold stock in cold storage instead of using market forces. The consumer must be respected and the suppliers must be supported first.

Too many persons believe that the consumer must continue to support their products in this Globalize market. Some do not even understand the power of shops and cannot appreciate their patriotic approach to local industry. Some prefer to ignore the wishes of their clients in order to satisfy the demands of their friends. This too few approach must be stopped or patriotic persons will likely be courted by the enemy. Our society is too important to allow persons to berate those of us who can do better. Such players offer a little and save a lot by getting permanent promotion with minimal costs.

Small businessmen must understand what is marketing and the value of marketing and demand their fair share. They must stop allowing persons from exploiting the advantage of their location a penny to get thousands worth of marketing for a token. These guys prey on you, but never see it as a business deal. They create the impression that only you gain and not them. The consumer is king and without him we do not have a business.

 Last week I was invited to the Installation Service of the District Emergency Organisation at St. Lucy’s parish Church and the 41^st Anniversary of Bethel Family Church. This weekend, the Bennetts Temple Church will be having a Fish Fry and we are imploring all to support these organizations in their efforts to look after the needy in our society. If we are to deal with poverty, the church is the best organization to offer fairness.

I was asked last week which side I am supporting in debate about BS&T and I was quick to reply that I will be supporting the company that can increase trade in Barbados. This issue is too big for anyone to think self. In light of everything that is occurring, the directors and shareholders should think twice about their planned decision. We all know the problem and should move swiftly to correct it and keep BS&T. BS&T must be seen as an independent and equal partner to the major players to put CARICOM on the World Market.

Peace, love, humility, Kellmanomics, wisdom and understanding.

More than a quarter of children in Britain are overweight

Obese children as young as three years old show signs of future heart disease, say US researchers.

A study of 16,000 children and teenagers showed the most obese had signs of an inflammatory marker which can predict future heart disease.

In all, 40% of obese three-to-five-year olds had raised levels of C-reactive protein compared with 17% of healthy weight children, Pediatrics reported.

But more work is needed to prove the link with heart disease in later life.

The study, carried out by a team at the University of North Carolina (UNC), looked at children aged one to 17.

Overall, nearly 70% were a healthy weight, 15% were overweight, 11% were obese and 3.5% were very obese.

In the older age groups, the proportion of those in the very obese category with high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) increased even further.

By age 15-17, 83% of the very obese had increased CRP compared with 18% of the healthy weight children.

Inflammation

CRP is found in the blood, and high levels are a sign of inflammation in the body.

Because the damage seen in heart disease is caused by inflammation in artery walls, CRP can be used as a general marker for the risk of heart disease.

In adults, studies have linked high levels with a future risk of heart attacks.

This study tells us that very young, obese children already have more inflammation than children who are not obese, and that’s very concerning   Study author, Dr Eliana Perrin

The researchers also looked at two other markers of inflammation in obese children and found levels were higher in one from the age of six and the other from the age of nine.

Study leader Dr Asheley Cockrell Skinner, an assistant professor of paediatrics at the UNC School of Medicine, said the findings were a surprise.

“We’re seeing a relationship between weight status and elevated inflammatory markers much earlier than we expected.”

Co-author Dr Eliana Perrin added: “In this study we were unable to tease apart whether the inflammation or the obesity came first, but one theory is that obesity leads to inflammation which then leads to heart and vessel disease later on.

“A lot more work needs to be done before we figure out the full implication of these findings.

“But this study tells us that very young, obese children already have more inflammation than children who are not obese, and that’s very concerning.”

Judy O’Sullivan, a cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said it was an interesting finding but whether inflammatory markers in children were related to an increased risk of heart disease later in life needed further research.

“Nevertheless, this study reinforces the importance of ensuring children maintain a healthy weight right from the start, to keep them healthy throughout their lives.

“Children should be encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle and as part of this, regular physical activity and a balanced diet should be viewed as vital components.”

The Chilean military is attempting to restore order in the country’s second city, Concepcion, amid looting after Saturday’s devastating earthquake.

Troops have fired tear gas at looters attempting to flee with food and other goods from wrecked stores, as a major rescue effort is under way in the city.

The death toll of 708 from the 8.8-magnitude quake is expected to rise.

The United Nations has said it will rush aid deliveries to Chile after the government asked for help.

UN spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said Chile had requested field hospitals with surgery facilities, mobile bridges, communications equipment, kitchens, and disaster assessment and co-ordination teams.

CHILE QUAKE - LATEST Official death toll rises from 300 to more than 700 Tens of thousands forced to live outdoors because of damaged homes Troops in Concepcion move to stop looters stealing from shops Limited services resume on Santiago metro and international airport Pacific-wide tsunami alert lifted Concepcion’s troubled history Devastation in pictures Chileans tell of quake terror Long experience of quakes

In coastal towns and villages hit by giant waves after the earthquake, the scale of destruction is becoming clear.

AFP news agency quotes state television as saying more than 300 bodies were found in the fishing village of Constitucion alone.

In the port of Talcahuano, more than 20 boats were swept ashore and dumped in the streets by the waves.

Defence Minister Francisco Vidal has admitted the country’s navy made a mistake by not immediately issuing a tsunami warning after the earthquake, a move that could have helped coastal residents flee to higher ground sooner.

But he added an alarm sounded by port captains had saved hundreds if not thousands of lives.

‘Social tension’

Many of Concepcion’s 500,000 inhabitants are short of food and have seen their water and electricity supplies cut off.

By Gideon Long, BBC News, Santiago   There are still whole areas of the south of Chile which haven’t really been fully explored, and nobody has a clear idea of how bad the damage is there, and how many people have died. I get the sense that the government is totally overwhelmed at the moment by the magnitude of this quake. In Concepcion, the city closest to the epicentre, there were ugly scenes, with scores of people breaking into supermarkets and just taking anything they could get their hands on. It’s been more than 48 hours since the quake, and people are getting desperate - in many areas they still don’t have water, they still don’t have food, and they still don’t have electricity.

The army was called in to help the police force deal with looters, some of whom filled shopping trolleys full of groceries while others made off with plasma TVs and other electrical appliances.

The government said an overnight curfew was imposed in some of the worst-hit areas. It said it was largely observed, despite a number of strong aftershocks that sent frightened residents running out into the streets.

Meanwhile, rescuers with heat detectors are hunting for dozens of people believed to be trapped in an apartment block toppled by the quake.

The city’s Mayor, Jacqueline van Rysselberghe, has warned there is the potential for severe “social tension.”

She said: “We need food for the population. We are without supplies, and if we don’t resolve that we are going to have serious security problems.”

Regional military commander Guillermo Ramirez issued a warning to would-be looters.

“I would advise criminals not to mess with the armed forces. Our response will be severe, but within the context of the law,” he said.

‘Giant effort’

About two million Chileans are believed to have been affected by Saturday’s earthquake, the seventh most powerful on record and the worst disaster to befall Chile in 50 years.

President Michelle Bachelet, due to hand power to President-elect Sebastian Pinera on 11 March, said the air force was to begin flying in food and vital aid to badly-hit areas, some of which have been cut off by the quake.

“We face a catastrophe of such unthinkable magnitude that it will require a giant effort,” she said.

Chile did not initially request foreign assistance, but Ms Bachelet has subsequently said some offers of aid would be accepted.

She said Chile needed field hospitals, temporary bridges, water purification plants, damage assessment experts and rescuers to relieve those already working to find survivors.

Emergency aid

The epicentre of the quake was 115km (70 miles) north-east of Concepcion and 325km (202 miles) south-west of the capital Santiago.

About 1.5 million homes in Chile have been damaged. Most of the collapsed buildings were of older design - including many historic structures.

About 90% of the historic centre of the town of Curico was destroyed. Many roads and bridges across the affected area were damaged or destroyed.

One US risk assessor, Eqecat, has put the cost of repairing the damage at between $15bn and $30bn (£9.8bn-£19.6bn) or 10-20% of gross domestic product.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would visit Santiago on Tuesday and meet Ms Bachelet and Mr Pinera, officials said.

The European Union has pledged 3m euros ($4m; £2.7m) in emergency aid for Chile. Japan said it was providing an emergency grant of $3m, as well as sending tents, generators, water cleaners and other emergency gear, while China has pledged $1m.

RICE AND PEAS; SALT FISH AND RICE

MACARONI PIE; SHEPHERD’S PIE

BREADFRUIT COU COU; BBQ SPARERIBS

BAKED CHICKEN; BAKED PORK

FRIED SNAPPER; FRIED KING FISH

GRILLED KING FISH; BEEF STEW

FISH GRAVY; MIXED VEGETABLES

TOSSED SALAD; COLE SLAW