CBC does excellent job with new website look

This looks absolutely GREAT!!!

Well done, CBC!

www.cbc.bb

(Attractive looks are fine, but please do something about the search… it doesn’t work.)

Cat Piss

Renaldo Walcott. Brave Young Hero saves 2 Neighbours from Burning House.

Young Renaldo Walcott deserves the highest honour this country can bestow for an act of bravery. At just 19 years old, he risked his own life to run into a burning house and save two of his neighbours.

Cat Piss and Pepper extends greatest thanks and congratulations to this outstanding young man. He makes us proud to be young Bajans.

Cat Piss

http://www.nationnews.com/story/311971019700054.php 

Man, son rescued from burning house
Published on: 2/27/08.

TO THE RESCUE. In an act of sheer bravery a teenager yesterday darted into a this burning house and rescued an elderly man and his son. Renaldo Walcott, 19 (inset) managed to bring out Leonard Buynan who is in his 80s and his son Cyril Crichlow in his 50s but the two lost the house and their possessions.

RENALDO WALCOTT, a 19-year-old labourer, ran into a burning house early yesterday morning and rescued an elderly man and his son from death or injury.

The timber house at Howells Cross Roads, The Ivy, St Michael, was reduced to ashes and Leonard Buynan, in his 80s, and his son Cyril Crichlow, in his 50’s, took refuge in neighbour Velda Neblett’s house last night.

Walcott said he returned home after 1 a.m. yesterday and his mother alerted him after hearing an explosion.

“She [my mother] told me to get Bunyan. The back part of the house was burning when I got them out,” Walcott said.

Heard explosion

Neblett said: “It happened really fast. I told my son I smelt gas and he checked my house. There was no gas. But when I opened the window, I saw the house on fire. I told my son to go and move the car. I heard an explosion.”

Nothing was saved. Both Neblett and Bunyan said they had suspicions about how the fire started since there was no cooking at the house because food was delivered to Bunyan and his son daily.

Bunyan added: “There is no gas in the house. . . . I don’t buy matches. I’m pondering to know how it catch. I’m still in shock as well. My house was over 100 years. I was born in there. The Lord will help me to get another house,” he said. (KB)

KB Klown!

Kevin Hinds, yuh idiot!

There is a time and place for everything.

Show respect next time, fool!

Cat Piss

Leave those Braids and Dreadlocks alone!

Is this any reason to stop the education of our young people?

This discrimination cannot be allowed in Barbados! I commend Minister Ronald Jones for speaking out against it. He can even SHOUT and get combative this time if he wants to!

Cat Piss.

Hair Discrimination Must Stop! Male Braiding is a Proven African Custom!

The Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic wants to stop young Bajan men from getting education based on their hairstyle, but we commend Minister of Education Ronald Jones for defending the right of our young men to wear their hair in braids.

There are several African societies where men wear (or used to wear) braided or plaited hair, including…

Young Maasai warriors in Kenya and Tanzania,

Young Samburu warriors in Kenya,

 

Yoruba Shango priests in Nigeria,

15. Osun Priest with the Agogo Hairstyle
Osogbo, Nigeria

Author’s photo, 1972.

Mau Mau rebels in Kenya,

and the Mungiki sect in Kenya.

 

As black people who are descendants of West African slaves, we in Barbados MUST defend our rights, even within our own country, and especially within our own country.

There is no room in Barbados for discrimination against black people and black hairstyles, especially within our educational institutions. Enforce the rules to keep hairstyles neat, but do not discriminate against people because of hairstyle.

Bajan Free Press

http://www.nationnews.com/story/299461955129249.php

NOT IN HAIR!
Published on: 2/21/08.

Caught in a hair net: Carlos Adams (foreground) and Damien Weekes, students of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, have been called upon to change their hairstyles. (Pictures by Charles Grant.)

Stories by Katrina Bend

Unless you are a Rastafarian, don’t wear your hair like one if you want to study at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic (SJPP).

That regulation right now bars five young men from completing their two-year programme at the institution in The Pine, St Michael.

Deputy principal of the SJPP, Merton Forde, confirmed the ban on Tuesday and said if the students were willing to show they belonged to the Rastafarian sector, they would not be barre from any classes.

Unhealthy

“We have regulations concerning the type of headdress considered to be unhealthy to students around them. We expect students to conform to those regulations. The students were told that their dreadlocks would not have been a problem once they are part of the Rastafarian faith,” Forde said.

One of the affected students, Carlos Adams, 22, of the Electrical Department, said that since last Wednesday, there were a series of meetings about how he and four other males should wear their hair.

Asked for letters

They are in the Electrical Engineering, Micro-Electronics and Refrigeration and Engineering departments.

When they returned to class last Friday, personnel from Student Affairs asked for letters stating their dreadlocks were religion-related. Failing that, they would have to cut their hair in order to attend classes.

Adams said: “The only way we are allowed into our class is with a letter from the Rastafarian organisations [but] the organisation said they cannot issue letters to people with long hair. You are a brethren because
of your heart.

“I think it is some sort of prejudice. Why should I bring in a letter saying that I am some part of a movement . . . . We are not little kids going to school up here. We are not seeking to change the rules in the institution. We just want to go to class.”

Damien Weekes, 24, also of the Electrical Department said security personnel refused to let him enter the institution last Friday with his hairstyle.

In the past, Weekes unlocked his hair and wore his hair in an afro style because personnel felt the students could conceal weapons under the tams (headdress) worn over the dreadlocked hair.

Adams and Weekes said when they attended the interview and orientation sessions, they were told that dreadlocked hair was not a problem, as long as it was well groomed and pulled backwards.

The students are in the final semester of their first year of their two-year programmes. They are missing the core subject, electrical installation, and if they don’t successfully complete this, they say they cannot go on to pursue studies for their City Guild certificate.

http://www.nationnews.com/story/299461954952127.php

Jones knocks ban on locks
Published on: 2/21/08.

The dreadlocks hairstyle ban at Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic (SJPP) has been criticised as discriminatory by Minister of Education Ronald Jones.

“No child or student studying can be excluded from a school as result of a hairstyle, particularly in a situation where they are kept in a clean and inoffensive manner. So I’m surprised that that would even arise. It would then be termed discriminatory circumstances, but nothing has reached me here in relation to that particular manner,” Jones told the
DAILY NATION yesterday.

“These are not little children, this is a tertiary institution. And even though we want persons to be decorous, to treat adults like children would be a no-no. Once the hairstyles are clean and conform to generally accepted standards, no young person should be left out of school . . . . Most of these things have to be handled sensitively otherwise they would come over as discriminatory,” the minister added.

Backward

Director of the Commission of Pan-African Affairs, Ikael Tafari, who is a part of the Rastafari Movement, described the SJPP regulation as backward, discriminatory, ridiculous and a dangerous practice.

“It’s a violation of a religion. People like me, Adonijah and other Rastafari; 1 000 in the island, they are stopping people from getting skill training on dreadlocks . . . How are we going to really determine Rastafari? There are different beliefs . . . . You don’t have to join an organisation to be a Rastafari . . . . Barbados has to get serious. We are a multi-religious society. They must stop discrimination.”

DLP Minimum Wage Promise Goes Up in Smoke

So much for the DLP election promise about introducing minimum wage legislation “immediately” after coming to power.

Will anybody even remember about it two years from now?

Cat Piss

http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/14015/10/

New minister promises labour legislation within two years

Wednesday, 30 January 2008

Enacting the most pressing legislative changes necessary to improve the local labour environment, is a priority of Barbados new labour relations minister, Senator Arnie Walters.

He made this clear when the top brass of the Barbados Workers Union made a courtesy call on him at his Warrens, St. Michael office Wednesday morning.

Employment rights and employment relations legislation, the Trade Union Act and the Shops Act, were among those listed for attention in the short term.

“I would think that within probably two years most of the important pieces of legislation that would impact on employment relations we would have tried to have put to bed.”

Minister Walters says there will be wide consultation on the changes.

While not going into details, he did speak a bit about how the issue of the minimum wage will be tackled.

“The approach likely to be taken is not necessarily one minimum wage but a sectoral approach because of the disparity between the sectors in terms of entry level jobs.’

Earlier in the meeting, BWU General Secretary, Sir Roy Trotman reiterated the union’s concern about the lengthy delays in implementing important legislative changes.

“We have expressed that concern before, and having expressed it, we will be watching, giving support, but at the same time giving critical support to the pace at which you move in order to implement those kinds of labor legislation which are important for us.”

http://www.nationnews.com/story/290978295226553.php

Minister: New laws after talks

Published on: 2/11/08.

by YVETTE BEST

THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME for the Ministry of Labour will not be among achievements in the first 100 days of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Government.

Minister responsible, Senator Arni Walters, made the point on Sunday when addressing the half-year meeting of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) at Solidarity House.

He said the legislation would take some time because full consultation with the relevant stakeholders would take place prior to any enactments.

“It is the Government’s intention to obtain broad consensus taking into account the changing international trading environment and the need to preserve employees’ employment rights as enshrined in the Constitution and in compliance with international labour standards,” he said.

The minister also said Government was looking to put in place a number of “contemporary” pieces of employment legislation, entrepreneur structures and resources to assist in providing new employment opportunities and protecting rights.

He added that the Barbadian population needed to “seek to enhance the productive capacity with a view to competing globally”.

Government’s legislative agenda for employment and labour relations is as follows:

1. A full Employment Rights Act.

2. A revised Trade Union And Human Relations Act,

3. A Safety And Health At Work Act,

4. A Sex Discrimination And Harassment Act,

5. Expansion of minimum wage legislation to key sectors,

6. Revision of aspects of the Holiday With Pay Act

7. Revision of aspects of Shop Legislation to bring it in line with contemporary consumer thinking in changing circumstances,

8. To provide for new dispute resolution mechanisms including the revision of the Labour Department Act, the setting of Alternative Dispute Resolution and a system of employment appeal tribunals, and

9. Revised aspects of Public Service legislation.

Croneyism: Making your personal friend and daughter’s godfather chairman of CBC

What do you call it when the prime minister of Barbados appoints his personal friend and the godfather of his daughter as the chairman of the broadcasting corporation which controls the country’s sole television station? Especially when the friend and godfather is an insurance executive with no broadcasting experience?

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Croneyism

cro·ny·ism

n. Favoritism shown to old friends without regard for their qualifications, as in political appointments to office.

Cat Piss

http://www.nationnews.com/story/290779605789101.php

Family, friends proud of new PM
Published on: 1/17/08.

Another long-time associate, Leroy Parris, chairman of CLICO Holdings (Barbados) Limited, said: “It was a very good feeling to be here to celebrate with a very good friend of mine.

“A lot of people do not know this but David is the godfather of my son and I am the godfather of his last daughter so there is not only a political relationship, but a personal relationship as well. Also, David is my attorney-at-law.

“As you know, over the last 15 years I have been battered in the media for my relationship with him, but I have continued to stand by his side because a friend is a friend and friendship means a whole lot to me, not just as a political friend but a real friend.

http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/14103/10/

Prime Minister David Thompson has announced the names of members to 12 other boards
Saturday, 09 February 2008

Insurance executive Leroy Parris has been appointed as Chairman of the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation;

DLP’s first act of WICKEDNESS. Four junior UDC workers dismissed yesterday!

Time for change?

It is one thing to dismiss the big boys when government changes, but the vindictiveness, victimisation, abuse of power and WICKEDNESS of what prime minister David Thompson and the DLP government did yesterday, when FOUR JUNIOR MEMBERS OF STAFF at the Urban Development Commission were fired because they were deemed to be “close” to O’Brien Trotman and George Edghill marks a sad day in the history of this country. Who will speak out for the unknown public workers in Barbados when the government of the day can so callously dismiss them like this?

This act of political victimisation stinks to high heavens!!!

Bajans be warned! Brace yourselves for a long period of political victimisation and witchhunts in this country over the next five years.

Cat Piss

http://bajanfreepress.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/dlp-victimisation-at-udc-continues-four-more-employees-dismissed/

DLP victimisation at UDC continues… four more employees dismissed!

The wickedness of prime minister David Thompson and his new Democratic Labour Party government was unleashed today on the workers of the Urban Development Commission when four JUNIOR members of staff were dismissed because they were deemed to be people who were “close” to the former director George Edghill and former urban renewal advisor O’Brien Trotman who were themselves dismissed two days ago. Remaining staff left work today sympathising for their victimised colleagues and worried about the security of their own jobs as the DLP witchhunt continues in Barbados. What is most sickening about this situation is that these employees are not “big wigs” but ordinary junior employees.Bajan Free Press condemns prime minister David Thompson and his DLP government for these acts of wickedness, oppression and political victimisation against Barbadian public workers. All Bajan public workers are warned to take heed of what has happened at the UDC today, and we should ALL keep a close eye on it in the days and weeks ahead, since more innocent workers could be targeted in this climate of fear and intimidation.

Bajan Free Press

UDC Dismissals. David Thompson’s First Act of Political Victimisation?

The dismissals have started.

Is this David Thompson’s first act of political victimisation? His reasons for these dismissals are flimsy at best.  It appears to be a straightforward case of getting rid of BLP people so that their jobs can be given to DLP people.

The prime minister says it is “staggering” that eight months of O’Brien Trotman’s contract would come to $109,551.24 (gross) or $83,666 (net). But when we convert it to monthly figures it is $13,693.90 gross or $10,458.25 net, a big salary but certainly not the biggest in Barbados, and certainly comparable to what many other top people receive in the public and private sector.

We will wait and see who else in Barbados will get the axe, to be replaced by DLP faithfuls. After all, Thompson warned long before he became prime minister that he was eager for the DLP to eat “the fatted calf”.

Cat Piss

http://www.nationnews.com/ 

GONE. Former UDC deputy director Andrew Payne (at left) leaving that job for the last time yesterday. George Edghill at his UDC office, shortly after the Prime Minister announced his contract had been terminated. (Pictures by Antonio Miller.)

http://www.nationnews.com/story/349490053667612.php

AXED !
Published on: 2/7/08.

by TRACY MOORE

GOVERNMENT has terminated the contracts of the director and the urban renewal advisor of the Urban Development Commission (UDC) effective immediately.

Prime Minister David Thompson made the announcement yesterday at the after-Cabinet Press briefing at Government Headquarters.

Last August, George Edghill was appointed director with a $16 000 per month salary in a five-year contract.

O’Brien Trotman, the previous director, retired and returned to the UDC to the post of “urban renewal advisor”.

According to the Prime Minister, Edghill was fired with cause.

“On January 17, the director of UDC, purportedly acting under the instructions of the [former] Minister of Economic Affairs and Development, the Honourable Mia Mottley, sought just a day after the election, to appoint a deputy director [Andrew Payne].

“We will revoke that appointment and that person will return to their substantive position.

“We can’t imagine that Edghill was not aware that a change of Government had taken place and at that point there was no Minister of Economic Affairs and Development in Barbados; that there was only a Prime Minister and an Attorney-General and therefore writing a letter to somebody appointing them to a position on behalf of a minister who did not exist is a very serious matter and not in keeping of sensible management practices,” he charged.

In terms of Trotman, the Prime Minister calculated that a full remuneration package paying out the last eight months of his contract would come to $109 551.24 (gross) or $83 666 (net).

“These figures are staggering, frankly, but I believe we are certainly not going to deprive anybody of their legal rights but we are certainly not going to allow the situation . . . at the UDC to continue,” he said.

The Prime Minister said he was disappointed that under UDC chairman Sir Henry Forde, the contracts of Trotman and Edghill gave them the options to terminate their contracts, with six months’ notice, but gave the commission no option to terminate their contracts.

“I can’t imagine that such contracts would leave the legal brains of Sir Henry and members of the board so easily and this is something that we are not going to accept,” he said.

Meanwhile, the appointments of the UDC board members have also been revoked and Government will put in place an interim director “to ensure that the functioning of the UDC can continue during that period”.

Thompson said an analysis would be undertaken to estimate the money spent by the UDC, noting that large supplements were approved just before elections, for both the UDC and the Rural Development Commission. (TM)

This idiot hotelier should just shut up!

Why do these clowns who own hotels (like Dr. Nigel Roberts) think that it gives them some divine right to dictate to others in the tourism industry?

Did he never hear the line “dah beach is mine” from Gabby’s famous song Jack?

This idiot hotelier should just shut up!

Cat Piss

http://www.nationnews.com/story/290918222794716.php

BEACH BAWL
Published on: 2/3/08.

by CARLOS ATWELL

A WEST COAST HOTELIER feels this island’s international reputation as an upscale tourist destination is being tarnished by the ever increasing number of cruise
ship visitors.

Hotelier Dr Nigel Roberts said the problem could be seen especially in the Paynes Bay, St James area where often hundreds of people flooded the beach when cruise liners berthed at the Bridgetown Port.

Roberts does not think the cruise ships visitors “really contribute significantly to foreign exchange receipts”.

“The people we should be looking out for are those who stay for two or three weeks or more, not cruise ship passengers who spend a few hours and leave a mess of the beach. They [the former] bring in far more money,” he said.

Roberts, a former chief medical officer on the cruise ship Queen Elizabeth 2, said the problem was made worse by the habit of certain establishments offering incentives to taxi drivers to bring them a certain number of tourists per day.

Compounding the problem, he said, were beach chair and jet ski operators who were frequently abusive when spoken to about their activities.

“This beach [in Baynes Bay] is more like Coney Island. I have been threatened in front of my guests by people, saying I don’t like black people and this is not my beach. This is not Barbados,” he said.

Roberts said the beach operators spread their chairs from as early as 7 a.m and often set up directly in front of his guests.

As for the jet ski operators, he said they sometimes drove their machines right up to people on the beach; so he had buoys put in place to mark off the bathing area, which he had to replace after they were cut.

To make matters worse, he said a number of his visitors had indicated they would not be returning and he had even been approached by the news media in Britain about the issue which he said could seriously ruin Barbados’ image. He said he has so far declined to comment to the British media.

Roberts showed a DAILY NATION team letters sent to the Ministry of Tourism, the Barbados Tourism Authority and the National Conservation Commission regarding the issue, adding he had received word from former Minister of Tourism Noel Lynch, but now there was a new administration, his work would have to start all over again.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Andrew Cox, confirmed meeting with Roberts and added the issue was still being looked at.

“We have had meetings with other governmental departments with a view to addressing the issue of overcrowding to everyone’s satisfaction.”

He said he was unaware of any issue involving taxi drivers but said if that was the case, his ministry would also speak with them and any organisation offering them incentives.

carlosatwell@nationnews.com

Rise of the Red Men in Caribbean Politics

Bruce Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica. Elected in September 2007.

David Thompson, Prime Minister of Barbados. Elected in January 2008.

Is there some deeper significance to the rise to power of these “red men” in predominantly black majority Caribbean countries?

It is a matter of our inbred perceptions of race and colour? Or is it proof that we are mature societies where colour is no barrier to the highest office of public service? Or is it just another flip in the flip-flop, love-hate relationship which Caribbean people have for the mulattoes among us? Indeed it could be argued that the red man holds a comfortable and neutral middle ground between the opposite poles of black and white in the Caribbean.

And what of that other “red man” who is vying for power in the USA? Could his appeal to the American people spring from the same reasons responsible for the success of Bruce Golding in Jamaica and David Thompson in Barbados?

Only time will tell.

There is one thing, however, about which there is no doubt: Bruce Golding is a full Jamaican, David Thompson is a full Bajan, and Barack Obama is a full American.

Cat Piss