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Broken promises
Opposition Leader Mia Mottley addressing Sunday’s mass meeting at St Patrick’s, Christ Church. (Picture by Sharon Harding.)
Published on: 2/9/2010.
THE GREAT BETRAYAL.
That's how Opposition Leader Mia Mottley has described David Thompson's two-year tenure as Prime Minister thus far.
Speaking at a mass meeting at St Patrick's, Christ Church, on Sunday night, Mottley said Thompson's Democratic Labour Party (DLP) manifesto and promises to the Barbadian populace amounted to a social contract which the Government had broken at every turn.
She said Barbadians voted for the Government on the strength of promises that included: Duty free cars for police, nurses and teachers; VAT off electricity; 2 000 lots at $2.50 per square foot; a special interest-free fund for public servants, among others.
The Barbados Labour Party (BLP) leader said since the DLP Government came into power, it had directed its energies in one direction.
She said Thompson was practising a politics of "families first", where the only people benefiting from what little his administration was doing, were close friends of the party.
Mottley said the greatest promises were made to Barbados' public sector and it was to them that the greatest betrayal was now being meted out.
She said the Thompson Government had inherited a resilient economy with $2.5 milllion in reserves and unemployment at 6.7 per cent.
She added former Prime Minister Owen Arthur had warned Thompson of the "storm clouds" on the horizon and the need for careful management of a situation that was not yet a crisis. But, she said, the DLP paid no heed to Arthur's warning.
Mottley said Thompson's way of dealing with the economic crisis was to add further burden to Barbadians in the form of increased taxation, including land tax.
She said people who owned houses under the value of $150 000 previously paid no land tax. Thompson, she charged, had presided over a situation where there was an increase in land evaluation and those category of people were now paying taxes again.
She said small shop owners now had to pay an additional $650 to keep their businesses open legally, thanks to the broken promises of the Government.
Mottley stressed it was ridiculous to attempt to tax one's way out of a recession.
"All you would do is take money out of people's pockets and you would cause the economy to go further into recession; jobs would be lost; you would not control prices; and the revenue of Government would be affected because Government relies mainly on Value Added Tax and corporation taxes and needs people to spend in order to carry out its programmes," she said.
Mottley urged Barbadians, especially public servants, to take their minds back to the early 1990s when the DLP cut their wages and salaries. She said they were in the "firing line" then, and were in it once again.
She said history would show that public servants had endured wages stagnation under the DLP in 1992, 1993, and 1994. Conversely, she noted, under the BLP, public workers had enjoyed wage increases every year with the exception of one year.
She added that in that one year when the increase was not commensurate with inflation, Barbadians were granted a cost of living allowance. She said the BLP had never left people to the ravages of inflation. (WG)
23 comment found!
Unbelieveable : 2/9/2010
It is simply unbelievable that ms. Montley would think that the electorate in Barbados is so simple that they do not understand that there is a world financial crisis that does not exempt Barbados from the effects the rest of the world is suffering. Secondly the current administration much like president Obama in the United States had to do a clean job of the mess that was inherited, only in Mr. Thompson's case he had almost 15 years of mess to clean up as opposed to Obama's 8. Miss Montley should spend her time trying to fix the perception of the leadership issue within her camp as word has it that the BLp is a divided party and just like the Dems experienced the electorate will not go for a divided party. Actually must say she lacks the stature and sophistication of Mr. Arthur and she should demit office before she divides her already wounded party. Stp the madness ms. Montley we are not buying what you are selling.
: 2/9/2010
It is somewhat interesting how the current opposition party compares the actions of this current administration to those of the Sandiford Administration in the 1990's and suggests that the leadership in both instances have failed the people of Barbados. However, as history has shown, the Sandiford Administration made some very unpopular decisions that ultimately, in an immeasureble way, benefitted the people of Barbados. An argument can be made that the Thompson Administration is doing the same that will ultimately benefit the people of Barbados. As I read these posts, I am reminded of the lyrics of a song which says that "everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die". Here, it is quite easy to criticize when someone else is making the unpopular but necessary decisions that have the interests of the Barbadian people first. Given the circumstances, would or could the opposition leader, step outside her popularity drive and make decisions, however, unpopular, that put the people of Barbados first instead of party? Life is always good when you are spending someone else's money, it is quite a different thing when you are spending your own.
what a great betrayal : 2/9/2010
Mia is about to realise her dream to become the first Barbadian female prime minister, and that is her only concern in my humble oppinion.
: 2/9/2010
chick, chick come! scratch grain for the BLP yard fowls.
Print that Nation Newspaper, you don't have the guts.
: 2/9/2010
this admin has had to first deal with the cost over runs, let by the former admin. How soon we forget. The Barack fiasco.. left over from the last admin. The 100 million bullet loan left over from the last admin. Selling of our assets to pay the bills... BLP did that. Excessive Borrowing .. BLP did that. If you borrow 100 million it easy to wast 50 million, and still have 2 million in foreign reserves.We as a people need to wake up and smell the coffee. We can not continue to earn $1.00 and spend $2.00. Shoring up an economy by borrowing excessively is very short term thinking, and poor management. De sweets will left yuh wid rotten teet. Barbadians need to learn to not burn every light in the house, they have to stop using good potable water from the BWA to wash the cars and water the gardens. Every bedroom in a house don't need a tv. Mia should be talking about that not trying to score political points with spewing the jargon and misleading the public. The last admin sold eveything they could to the highest bidder, to make the treasury look good. The only thing they did not sell were our women and children..maybe if they had been given another five years they would have.
Dire situation : 2/9/2010
Am wondering like 'just wondering'. Having read the other comments, seems like people are still stuck in a partisan politics mode and 'we time now'. All to the detriment of Barbados. The public needs to call on both parties and hold them accountable for the improvement of the country!! But I know that is too much to ask.
Chaotic Rhetoric: Dangerous words : 2/9/2010
This is standard political rhetoric from any opposition and the Opposition Leader did an awesome job at delivering. However, let us not forget that the entire world is in financial crisis. Worse yet investors are hesitant to invest and banks are worried about lending. It is easy to stay from the distance and criticize Ms. Montley and or Mr. Thompson. Last time I checked, Barbados was doing fine under both administrations. This sort of "chaotic rhetoric" is inevitable and necessary in any democracy. Preach chaos and see who acts on it.
It amazes me that bloggers feed into these articles and respond with such emotion. Give it a break. Barbados is afloat and will survive this financial crisis. I wish the PM some success and I wish the opposition continue to apply pressure to keep the administration “honest”. And those of us that are quick to point out the 15 year rule, shame on the then opposition that allowed it.
The Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Q.C., M.P., is on the right side of history : 2/9/2010
Hello Toronto Bajan, the record will show that the Leader of the Opposition of Barbados - The Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Q.C., M.P., is bright and that she has good manners. Off all the people who ever led this country in any capacity, she has more Ministerial experience than any and all of them. Miss Mottley is a former Attorney General. A former Minister of Education. A former Minister of Economic Development and a former Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados. Because of her Trinidad can no longer claim that 40 miles off Oistins belong to them. Neither Grantley Adams, Tom Adam, Errol Barrow, Erskine Sandiford, David Thompson, or no other person who served as Leader of the Opposition of Barbados - has ever before come to that job with the Ministerial experience she now does. Miss Mottley made history by becoming a Minister at age 28. She made history by being the first female Attorney General of Barbados. She made history by becoming the first leader of a political party in Barbados. She will again made history by becoming the first female Leader of the Opposition of Barbados and will again make history when she becomes this country's first female Prime Minister.
: 2/9/2010
Broken Promises
This is in reply to Mike G. Please understand, Sir, it is when people fail to learn from history (ie what took place before)that they are then prone to repeat past mistakes. And this is exactly what has happened in this case. Not only did the DLP plainly show their gross ineptitude in the 1990s period but also in the 1970s when the BLP had to rescue this country on both occassions as far as I can recall from my limited memory! So this is why 1990s and 1970s is relevant at present. What the Honourable Minister Mia Mottley is trying to do is refresh our memories as to to gross ineptitude and inefficaciousness of the DLPites as far as governing a country is concerned
Mia : 2/9/2010
The Sarah palin of Barbados
Amazing : 2/9/2010
The present administration promised that they would turn Kensington Oval into a "money cow" in one year. Two years have gone by and some people are still "complaining and belly-aching" about the cost of Kensington.
Fueling the fire!!! : 2/9/2010
Why do politician fuel the fires of disenchantment among each other? No matter the ruling party, it is the same nonresense. Do fall into the grip of the pollsters we watch nightly on gaint mmedia live FOX TV,CNN. They creat an industry, an industry poor Bartbados cannot sustain the political fodder any long. Shame on you Mia because you know better....David you do not get off so easy either. You both appear to be going after the job for years!!!!
Barbados is not up to the whims of develop countries, who swing a bigger axe the BIM.
I ageee nhowever with Mia, we will need to dip deeper into our pockets public servant alway s take the lead as you are the you employment consumes a lot from goverment and you are the first to be chopped.
i will leave with one note, the actions of politicians and their government are not really abvious until many years after they are gone. A word to the wise is enough.
Broken promises : 2/9/2010
Mia and any other politician from the BLP should be shame to stand on any political platform and critize the DLP for failed promises. For almost fifteen years the BLP failed to honour their committments in the manifestos that they published. They held Barbados and its people to ransom in times of good and time of plenty. As usual the DLP now has to manange a country which is grossly neglected and bring us from a time of suffering back to a time of prosperity. Mia speaks of wages cut but when the BLP failed to pay back the people when times were good she didn't have a word to say. Mia it is clear that you really are just hot air blowing. You really should tidy up your public image. I am proud of the work the DLP has done thus far with an economy that was failing from the time they inherited it.
Talk ya Talk : 2/9/2010
Yes Madame Leader,
The BLP left Barbados in good standing, and David sold Barbados a bridge to nowhere.The DLP has not been fiscally responsible, and now doing the blame game.
Two years, of government, and you still blaming? A government that continue to keep blaming a past administration for a fiscal crisis that the current administration has created, is an administration without ideas.
The current administration has never had any fiscally responsible plan, for Barbados. It is an inept administration, that has shown it to gross negligent.
It is time for the politicians of Barbados, to move away from promising to the electorate programs that they cannot afford.
The way that the Barbados economy has been handle by this current administration, is abysmal. So the current opposition leader is correct, on the state of economy. Girl continue to TALK Ya TALk.
Bottom Line Politics : 2/9/2010
The DLP over the years mainly in the early 90’s showed time and time again, that when it comes to the economy and decisions, economic foresight is lacking. The DLP severely suffers from the inability to plan ahead.
The economy should be anticipated three or four moves ahead similar to person playing chess. If you cannot do that, with what the economy is facing, you are short sighted and most likely will lose the ability to (MANAGE) the economic crises.
Mostimportantly, people must remember that under this same administration with the present PM as minister of Finance and Sandiford as leader we suffered.
Mr. Thompson had full oversight for the ministry of Finance and whatever deals stuck with the IMF at that time. The DLP has defaulted on its manifesto promises when it pertains to the working class people of Barbados. With two years before the next general election we in Barbados must look closely at the urgency of this economic situation.
Take your time, Mia : 2/9/2010
Mia - get off of David's back - don't be in too much of a hurry for his job. Owen did not think you worthy of having it while you were in power. Spend some time looking at yourself and how you will be viewed inside and outside of Barbados in the event the job lands in your lap. Fifteen years was a long time and you guys did what you thought you had to do. Now it is somebody else's time and you are eating yourselves up. You have private work to do, do it!
Broken Promises : 2/9/2010
I wonder what they could offer - a Government who had more money than any other in the history to spend and as we would say in Bim "Lick it out" - so now they are complaining. The history has shown when their is a financial crisis in the world - the DLP always has to take the helm of the Country - try to keep it alive and then we "short minded bajans" because we have champage taste with mauby pockets complain. Accept you are no longer in power and let the man run the country - you nor your party do not have the guts to do it in bad times - it shows you only like time of plenty.
Money : 2/9/2010
All of the money the Blp put into the world cup that brought no benifits to Barbados would have help us at this time.Think of it,almost 700 million in cost overruns,where did all that money go.Mr Thompson need to take some action on all of that as he said he would.
You Go, Opposition Leader : 2/9/2010
So Mia Mottley is back to her grandstanding...finally. And she is doing what every politician in the country does - disecting the policies of the opposite side, without offering any meaningful solutions, or suggesting how they themselves would fix the problem. Is this old soup being warmed over?
Surely, Mia has something more to offer! Or does she? And what is the relevance of returning her thoughts to 1994- 16 years ago. Why not look at more recent history when her Edutec failed, her 'one metre' Kola Syrup deal, the NHC dilema ($67 million), the ABC highway cost overruns, Dodds Prison (where we still do not know if the cost was in US or BDS currency), Hardwood Housing Project, the many contracts to the 'contractors' (who did not know a 6-penny nail from a shingle-nail)....and the list goes on.
Incidentally, I see nobody in the BLP who is qualified to run the economy. The departure (and demise if Mia has her own way) of Owen Arthur has left a great void, and Mia would not admit it openly. Yet, she is suggesting he participate in HER mass meetings to speak on the economy.
For sure, Owen would not relegate himself to being HER Finance Minister, so she has to show us who she proposes. And please.......don't even talk about Clyde Mascoll, 'cause he has no integrity.
Politics : 2/9/2010
No politician, it seems, is upset at the lack of promised ethics legistation, just the usual pot calling the kettle black.The BLP can not claim to support tax payers and at the same time support public sector entitlements that are unfunded.
: 2/9/2010
she talking crap as usual...
You both have failed : 2/9/2010
Those are the facts Miss Mottley; plain and simple. Promises to win elections which is the aegis of the political persuade. But I am cognizant of the fact that BLP or DLP, you both have failed miserably in one area or the next. Both parties have practice deceit and deception and the electorate is no better off for it except those close to your political bossoms. There is no transparency or accountability in your practice of politics. Blame cast on one can easily be cast on the other. My judgement on both parties performance - FAILED, FAILING, FAILURES.
Broken Promises : 2/9/2010
Based on the central ban's inof, the article above should have read $2.5 BILLION instead of million.
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