NOT A PAID LOBBYIST
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010DENIS KELLMAN’S COLUMN – THE DEBATE
AUGUST 9, 2010
For thirteen, a couple of persons who do not think much of themselves have been trying to berate me. These persons who have tried hard to be counted have done everything possible to convince the public of Barbados, that I do not know what I speak about. The latest scenario would have been my mouthing on BS&T. These guys give the impression that I was ignorant of what I spoke about and that I had to produce documented evidence to convince them.
The evidence has since been produced to the public of Barbados and the main bone of contention to block the merger was the lack of a valuation. These guys as usual can only operate in a box and find it difficult to agree with persons like myself who do not think in a box.
I would like to refer to a column written by the Barbados Labour Party in the Barbados Advocate, Friday March 30, 2001 and I quote, “MP for St. Lucy Denis Kellman must always be taken seriously when he contributes to public debate. So his recent announcement that when the DLP returns to office, vendors would no longer require licenses, made all of us sit up and take notice. We know that he is in the top leadership of the party and therefore this action would have official endorsement.”
“The DLP is constantly making mouthings to show that it has the interest of the “small man at heart. But we know that they long ago left with progressive and philosophical moorings they had and instead become a party of reaction. How else would you explain the decision to make leader David Thompson a man seen as having no appeal to the ordinary Barbadians and who appears absolutely out of place whenever seeking to make contact with the man in the street?
“The Dems also know that they are up against a party led by PM Owen Arthur who has enviable track records of service to and concern for the small man. That is why the Dems are becoming political dead weights and are trying to “back raise” the BLP once again.”
“We must therefore see Kellman’s promise as nothing more than an attempt by the DLP to curry favour with that element of Barbadian society with whom they have lost. They know that elections are just over 30 months away and that the people are even now making up their minds about whom they will vote for.”
This statement must be matched to what was said about the solution to BS&T and many others. I must admit that I felt happy to hear experts agreeing with what I had to say about BS&T. too many persons cannot accept that there are politicians who generally care about Barbados and would give up friendship in order to advocate for what is right. I am not a politician to look for short term gains.
I am proud to say that I am not a paid lobbyist for any group and that my telephone cannot be used to be criticized by my masters. I have always defended the rights of the “underdogs” and will protect all those who I feel need my support. Many times, I have defended persons with whom I never had any dealings. I remembered well when Mr. Barrack was being unfairly criticized over the Warrens project. I stuck my neck out for him. The results are there to prove that I was on the right path.
Globalization ahs brought some positives with it and the synergies now being created in Barbados will continue to see marriages that will strengthen localization. The Williams brothers know what to do in order to ensure that the social fallout will not be great.
As people, we have spent too much time dealing with our own and have ignored the real treat. That is why we are spending so much time worrying about the land ownership of our own, while praising foreigners for their development.
We have Four Seasons, the Hilton and other foreign interest raping our tourism industry, but have failed to accept that he local brand Almond means more to Barbados because of its indigenous nature.
I am not one for foreign brands taking over our tourism product. I believe that we have achieved more than we can appreciate. We seem to be endowed in the belief that anything foreign is good and anything local is inferior.
Barbados and Barbadians are unique and we seem not to appreciate ourselves. That is why our greatest asset is ignored by our people even though it is about us. our greatest asset, our people have been placed on the back burner and this error must be corrected, because Barbados will only become a developed country when we learn to accept our people as workers and investors. We need a serious mental change. We are still thinking s if we are 380 years old, because nothing has changed about us as people.
Kellmanomics is seeking to bring about this mental change. It sees people as important and sees no colour, class or creed. It is about equal opportunity for all, precluding each group from being segmented, but united in once cause to create growth for all without jealousy. Its main mandate is to create a happy society by increasing disposable income for workers, higher profits for investors and higher revenues for Government. These will be achieved while allowing the cost of production to remain static, while production will increase, agriculture and the importance of its products will be appreciated and the sea will be seen for its importance by all. Import substitution will be seen as important once again, because exports will be compensated, while exports will be punished. The unions will be seen as important again because labour will be seen as fundamental.
This present Government is practicing Kellmanomics, but in a piecemeal manner which will not achieve its true worth. What is needed is a full dosage and not a prolonged application.
The growth in our economy is skewed in the wrong direction. We have allowed the non traded sections to create growth by destroying our foreign exchange, causing us to borrow and sell our fixed assets. What is needed now is a new approach that must be led by the Government acknowledging that workers are essential and that it only gets its revenue if workers work capital.
If we do not accept that we are living on borrowed time, we will continue to live off the “hog” that is owned by outsiders and some day, we will have to pay for it without having income or reserves.
The problems facing Barbadians are local in nature and we cannot run away from it. In earlier years, when sugar was king, we had our problems too, but we used our lands to our advantage. These days we are destroying our only hope, our land and people and turning to outside sources to solve our problems. We talk about Republican status for Barbados as if we will be more independent, but every day, we are becoming more dependent. This must stop!
The brains have used all types of smoke screens to cover their emptiness and discussions like the removal of Nelson, Republican status and the dumping of trade for soft loans have been used.
This country Barbados will once again understand the true philosophy of the O’Neale family. Friends of all, Satellites of none, will be our renewed policy and those persons who expect us to give up industry for loans will be ignored. Too many countries are offering loans instead of trade. An early message to the New Sugar Power is needed at this time. We as people should be grateful to our North American friends who have always provided trade for us. Our new friends have now treated us like Blue Peter Sharks and have created a dependency mentality of which we are not accustomed.
It is better for Barbados to keep its basket and hoe, than to keep the computer to do the computations of foreign loans. If we want to continue being independent, then we must be prepared to create industries.
Give me the sea, land, a line and a basket before a soft loan. The Right Excellent Errol Barrow said that he borrowed only from his friends as a Government, but independent institutions as a business.
Barbados is in mourning. We can only continue to pray for good health. It is important that we become productive again. We must see the land and sea as our saving grace. Jesus Christ showed us the importance of the two and we are now even ignoring Christ, land and sea.
This country needs to get back to wisdom and understanding and get rid of selfishness. If we do, the new w ill understand and appreciate BS&T like how Trinidadians appreciate its potential.
Giving up BS&T is like giving up our oil rights. I want to thank the shareholders for agreeing with me that before any company can be merged or acquired, that its assets must be valued and goodwill appraised. Legislature will do well to amend the Companies Act to ensure this is done when companies are operating under their values. The power of directors is great and well protected by the Companies Act.
Peace, love, unity, humility, Kellmanomics, wisdom and understanding.
