Bajans advised to pay bills

by TREVOR YEARWOOD

CUT OUT THE "BLING", go easy on the big entertainment shows and make sure you pay your utility bills.

Prime Minister David Thompson dispensed this bit of advice to Barbadians last night, urging them to "rethink their lifestyles for the time being".

In an address focusing on how his Government was tackling the tough economic times, he emphasised the need for Bajans to "get real about the situation in our country" and manage their personal budgets better.

He told Democratic Labour Party (DLP) supporters and members attending the meeting of the DLP's St Michael North branch that some people were spending heavily on the non-essential things, including brand-name clothing, flashy jewellery and other "bling" items, as well as on shows.

Warning given

"I have to continue to warn Barbadians about the choices that they are making; and I have no moral argument against the shows that come to Barbados. Every now and then I go to them and I like them too," he declared.

"But times are hard and if you cannot afford to go, you should save that money and invest it in ensuring you can meet your daily obligations."

According to Thompson, "there are a lot of people who patronise these shows, spend a lot of money buying the latest bling so that they can look their best, and yet complain for the next five days of the week that they cannot pay any of their bills, or that life is difficult for them and their children".

Barbadians need to be realistic in tough economic times about "what is affordable for you and make choices that are sensible and in keeping with your obligations", he told the gathering.

He said Government could not be blamed for spending people's money "on cellphones and designer brand-name clothing . . . particularly when your light and water bills have not been paid".

Thompson also stated that some Barbadians had a misconception about the country's economic situation, thinking that other countries were not similarly affected.

"I want Barbadians to move a little more out of the soap opera mentality and the game shows and the adult movies, and begin to follow the news as it happens around the world," he remarked.

While predicting better days are coming, Thompson stated the need for people who had fared well in the "glory days" of economic growth to hold some of the "strain".

He said his Government was not "going to rob the poor in Barbados to shore up the rich".