Government spends money on oil
Friday, March 5th, 2010KELLMAN’S COLUMN- THE DEBATE
AUGUST 23, 2007
I always thought that the role of Deputy Chairman was important until I read an article published in the Nation Newspaper on Sunday, where it seems that you are supposed to vet news and report to your masters any sensible comment. After reporting to the people who have appointed you, your job is to put a negative spin to give the impression that the person speaking is ignorant of what he speaks.
From a school boy at “Mess House” School to the longest serving activist in the House of Assembly for the DLP, I saw drilling occurring in the sea to the north of the island. I am yet to learn of any oil finds, but yet oil companies continue to drill offshore spending millions of dollars.
It seems to me that Mr. Clyde Griffith believes that the difference between an oil find is the person holding the position and that it has nothing to do with the companies carrying out the exploration. He now believes that oil can be found in the level of the debates. With this in mind, then we should not now have to worry about exploration, because based on his writings, we found a lot of oil, after the debate on energy two decades ago. It is clear that the Government has spent a lot of money on oil and has capped it.
The difference between the debate two years ago and now is the following comment according to Mr. Griffith: “There are other countries and players that could seek to stall progress for Barbados, if an abundance of oil is found during the exploration…there are countries who will ensure they do not want an oversupply and even if we were to find an abundance, they would tap and keep it there and pretend that they did not find it.”
I am happy that the Attorney General has assured me that he is aware of these occurrences and will put provisions in place for the fields to be surrendered to other players in order to ensure that the system is self regulating.
One would have thought that these theoreticians would appreciate that some of us still operate in the real world and understand why international organizations are set up. It hurts as a northerner to have to correct another, but sometimes you have to save a man from himself and it makes one wonders what the present Minister of Foreign Affairs would say after reading what was written by some person who was connected to that office. Then again, he was not a Lilliputian, but a giant writing for his equal.
It is clear to me that once he continues to help in shaping economic reforms in this country, we will continue to borrow , sell land and other fixed assets, while our productive sector continue to contract.
The impression given by this writer is that the OECD was right to have black listed us and that our good sea island cotton does not have a right to be traded internationally. “So in Kellman’s world, another form of Kellmanomics emerges. Companies will invest billions to uncover reserves and then cap them to stop Barbados from getting ahead!” the die is cast for him. If this information was written in a book, it would have been substantiated by the writer, but it came from a thinker, so it cannot be accepted until this article is read.
Small developing countries have always suffered at the hands of developed countries and that is the reason why some countries offer them soft loans instead of trade. A country like Barbados would do well if we can get the developed countries to help us with our cotton industry. It is no doubt that like oil, cotton has a great demand in the world. But where is this top quality found? It is for this reason that I opined the comments above. We have to live in a real world and stop creating impressions.
We spent more than $12m claiming to be looking for a fishing agreement and now that the flying fish have returned from Tobago, we suddenly found out that it was not shark oil, but real oil that we were looking for.
Mr. Griffith should tell us why Venezuela is still fighting for more territory and offering deals to the same countries it wants to deal with. Consul General, come on, you should know better, your articles are being read by your equals. Are you going to tell them that you were playing politics with me? I can now understand why you are making the same mistake as Senator Ivan Linton. I have always associated you with the Lucy’s children like Mr. Caswell Franklyn, whose contributions are frank, but it is clear that you are not.
It is clear when you read my contribution on the Board of the QEH, that you are likely to reverse your decision to attack me for having foresight. It seems that you are a strong fan of napoleon in Animal Farm, believing that all men are equal, but some are more equal than others. That error has been made by others to their detriment, but you having St. Lucy connections should know better.
Obviously, I made an error in assuming that you think before talking. I do not normally answer my critics, but you should know better than to try to berate a contribution that was expected from your side when we were dealing with a plant for the Sea Island cotton.
I honestly believe that we have good oil reserves under our sea bed, but the question must be asked, why Mr. Griffith, as minister did not deliver? Or, am I to believe that oil is like fish which move from place to place to suit the currents. Or, is it that oil likes people who are Lilliputians?
Mr. Griffith, you are out of your league and should remember that politics is about selecting the right battles and timing is important. If the public is on your side, then you can afford to accuse me. I have never once made a statement for political expediency. Then again, you said previously that I should have been kicked out of the Democratic Labour party for taking a stance, and you also said that I could not be in the Barbados Labour Party. Am I to believe that your comments must be accepted because of the position you hold within your party? Mr. Griffith, someone should remind you that you are now a free man, not permanently gagged. I know that you are not the type to sing for your food considering your upbringing.
This column is used to advance the causes of Barbados and I will not be diverted by persons seeking to be popular by attacking me. This country Barbados has some serious economic problems and I will continue to use my time extolling the virtues of Kellmanomics until it can be bettered. I have no time for theoretical giants who have nothing to show for it. If talk could make Barbados rich, we would be the leading exporting country in the world.
As Barbadians, we need to find out where the oil was hiding all the time, because the oil that is out there did not come overnight. If we have oil, why has it not been found before? Was it being capped or was it washed by the currents to our territorial waters?
Am I to believe Mr. Griffith, that oil can only be found where the flying fish can be found? Is it why the Tobagonians are fishing in our waters? Are we supposed to monitor their works to find where the oil is?
Mr. Griffith, Kellmanomics is it. It is about rewarding positiveness and punishing negativity. Until you can better it, you should shut up and continue to monitor the news. The world is moving too fast for me to procrastinate like you.
Peace, love, humility, Kellmanomics, wisdom and understanding.
Antigua and Barbuda are flanked by Ethiopia and Georgia on the world ranking who are currently ranked 122 and 124 respectively while two other CONCACAF teams in Guyana and Cuba are presently ranked at 120 and 124 respectively.
