Friday, March 29, 2024

THE AL GILKES COLUMN: Top to bottom of barrel

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After all this time, people are now coming around to admitting that things are really getting hard on the rock in truth.
As far as I am concerned, it’s not only the things that getting hard but the whole rock.
Last week, three such things happened that showed me that Barbados has gone from enjoying the goodies at the top of the barrel to scraping the bottom. We might soon even have to scrape the outside of the bottom as well.
First, and I am still waiting for somebody to state that this was an error, was the announcement that henceforth entertainment businessmen, in addition to the regular 17.5 per cent VAT they now pay on tickets sold, will also now have to pay VAT on complimentary tickets too.
Then on Friday, I received an email pertaining to the sale of an up-market property. I cannot state the name of the location or the company because that would be free advertising. However, I will tell you that the property is in the wealthy Westmoreland, St James area.
The subject (edited) of the email was: BARBADOS . . . Resort, “. . . . .” Westmoreland. Reduced price to $485 000 from $890 000.
The content was as follows:
Dear Clients:   
We are pleased to introduce this immaculate 2 000 sq ft, 3-bedroom and 2-bathroom townhouse for sale, ideally situated within the famous . . . . .. Resort.  
The price has reduced to $485 000 from $890 000 and is sold fully furnished. Features include an Italian Kitchen with Smeg appliances, a private plunge pool, tropical landscaped gardens and a host of resort amenities and facilities including 4 tennis Courts and 2 resort pools, gym, clubhouse and restaurant and 24-hour security.
This is a one-off unique opportunity and we do not anticipate such a low attractive purchase price like this to arise again in the near future at . . . . . . Attractive rental and capital appreciation expected.
Please do contact us soonest if you are interested and see below for further information.   
Below that were the name of the company, the Barbados telephone number, the British telephone number, a United States toll free telephone number and a Barbados fax number.
Earlier in the week, I had gone into a supermarket with a $100 bill to pick up a few items that I like to use. Normally, the cashier would punch in my stuff, take the Grantley from me and give me the bill with $20-something in change.
But last week, I had to ask her to take back a few items to get within $100, and held up the line behind me as she waited for a supervisor to come and correct the cash register. And to make it worse, a malicious woman in the line shouted out to another woman: “Girl, look. Al Gilkes like he bruck. He can’ pay fuh de people tings. De young girls mussee car’ way all ’e money.”

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