Barbados’ infrastructure is in a “woeful state,” and while the Government does not have the finances to deal with all the issues it will prioritize the critical needs, Prime Minister Mia Mottley has said.
She made the comment following a day-long tour of flood-affected communities following the passage of Tropical Storm Kirk. The system dumped heavy rain on the island over a 12 hour period — from Thursday night into the wee hours of Friday morning.
“The . . . truth is that we have found a deficit in the country’s infrastructure. Our country’s infrastructure is in a woeful state and we need to be able to deal with it. We don’t have the money to deal with all at once but we have to prioritize what we need to and between the various ministries we are going to go after it systematically.
“We also have some development work that we have to do with respect to loans that will be critical,” Mottley who was accompanied by several Cabinet Ministers and other officials told reporters.
She further explained that the biggest claim on public infrastructure was water and sewage, followed by drainage and roads.
“You can’t ignore [the] infrastructure for as long as we have been ignoring it and expect that it is still going to function in the same way. So when we say sometimes to people that we are focusing on needs, and not wants, it’s because we understand that the needs of the country in terms of public spaces is able to avert drainage problems . . . able to avert flooding . . . able to avert problems with the roads . . . . All of these things are as a result of a lack of attention to detail and not prioritizing how we spend public money,” Mottley added.
The Prime Minister who arrived in the country early this morning, after cutting short her attendance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, said her administration and other Government agencies will meet on Monday afternoon to get formal reports on the level of damage done by Tropical Storm Kirk.
“The problems that we have are not insurmountable but we have to deal with them. In some cases there were fixes that can be dealt with immediately by the Ministry of Public Works and the Drainage Division. In other cases we will have to assist those that have been very badly affected through the Government agencies that are set up to do that. In other cases we will need to have more medium term to long term solutions,” the Prime Minister said even as she urged residents to keep their surroundings clean.
“I want to be able to meet with Cabinet for us to discuss how we can have a better decentralized system where communities and households, and not just Government, can help us in this effort to be able to keep Barbados clean,” she revealed.
Mottley also disclosed plans for a “major national preparation exercise” when the 2018 hurricane season comes to a close.
“We are not waiting until next June because these things are affecting too many people and in ways that are substantive. So early in the new year we are going to have some . . . simulation exercises . . . .because the bottom line is that if we don’t take care of each other in preparing for this, then what happened in other jurisdictions will cause too many people regrettably to die. Most people don’t die from the water itself, they die from the consequences of it and then the other big problem afterwards is security. So these are the things that we have to get right,” the Prime Minister explained.(KK)
There was a 1955 film called “The Big Bluff” and that is exactly what is going on here..a Big Bluff.
http://dfordoom-movieramblings.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-big-bluff-1955.html
It has always been known that the infrastructure in Barbados is bad, nothing new to discover. As a matter of fact, I don’t think there is a country or island in the world, where the infrastructure is either satisfactory, or indeed perfect. It is also a known expectation that as a government, prioritizing is an essential, so that is a no brainer. So what have we gathered from this tour of the only political fat cats that will survive the current IMF hammer? We have learnt absolutely nothing. The present government begins its workday every morning with a prayer called “We have Found”, and then proceeds to squeeze sympathy from the masses, for not being able to fulfill the basket of promises, made before the May 24th general elections. Cutting show with PR blitz, but with little to show as achievements. to date. The biggest carrot which was dangled before our eyes in celebration, was the removal of the NSRL, and that is proving to be a hoax. One thing for sure, not even Harry Houdini – the American illusionist – could outsmart MOM when it comes to political tap dancing. The dance floor is slippery when wet though. One could fall.
@Johnny Crow: I was going to make a comment on this one, but you have saved me the time, space and effort. You have summed it up correctly.
These people are using every opportunity to make a public relations presentation, and soon every citizen in this country will get a grip of this ploy. This is clearly a Hartley Henry orchestration, but as you said, “the dance floor is getting slippery” someone will fall.
I will continue asking. Where is George Payne? Is he not a part of this game too?
One gets a feeling that angry and frustrated DLP yardfowls will be on this blog criticizing the Mia Mottley administration well into the 2030s, plus 90 days.
With no access to the corridors of the House of Assembly for at least the next five years to spew drivel, the Dems continue frothing at the mouth from every street corner, rum shop and backyard paling.
It must be very hard for it to sink in that the good people of Barbados booted EVERY LAST ONE of those incompetent DLP politicians from Office on May 24, and they no longer make decisions about what should be done on the island.
Many disgraced MPs from the Freundel Stuart government are now afraid to travel beyond Culpepper Island off St. Philip for fear of joining Donville Inniss in an ankle bracelet.
Temper your hostility and wrap yourself in the flag as Barbados returns to punching above its weight and regaining its prominence in the region — infrastructure and all.
While the PM is out with her officers I am hoping she pays attention to those persons who put up those galvanized fences and block the free flow of water resulting in flooding and severe damage to property. This is seen here in one of these photos.
The need to protect property and secure boundaries is well understood but must be done in a sensible way.
@JOHNNY CROW….” and then proceeds to squeeze sympathy from the masses, for not being able to fulfill the basket of promises, made before the May 24th general elections”.
Now Mr.CROW…can YOU see why I have to CONTINUALLY ADDRESS YOU by the name that YOU have given YOURSELF? and then got the gall to say I am cussing YOU ? when it is clearly shown that it is indeed YOU that have put that CURSE on YOURSELF…thou JOHNNY !!
PM MIA has 5 years …YES…FIVE YEARS and 90 days TO FULFILL those promises she made before the May 24th Elections,but here you are living up to your names to a T telling yourself that elections are due in a weeks time and she has not lived up to her promises made before the last.
Hope the DEMOCRATIC LABOR PARTY has settled the PRESIDENCY and the VICE PRESIDENCY and have all 30 candidates in place and not to wait until the 11th hour like the last time .
All ya gine open all ya campaign with a CUSS OUT EXTRAVAGANZA again or what ?…. me thinks that CUSS OUT should start at all ya headquarters…cause DEM caaaan be serious down dey with the top TWO LOSERS calling the shots.
Please folks: Try this: look into the mirror and say…”Industry, with Pride” You see, it is writ elsewhere…that ….”Pride goeth before something or the uthuh.
Yes, fellow Bajans…there is much to be done…much done to be un-done…but standing together, and working together, we shall not only rise again, but we stall be the stronger and the wiser for it all. God’s will…is a perfect will. Verily.
@ Carl Harper…WELL SAID…and that JOHNNY CROW vex as hell that I respond to his comments by addressing him either as a JOHNNY or a CROW not knowing that he has to get that CURSE lifted to start with…and not knowing as well that was a CURSE placed on top of another CURSE ( the WIPE OUT of his BELOVED PARTY)…and Mr.CROW didn’t you smell a RAT when you placed that CURSE on yourself ? or you good only at smelling them from a distance ?
JOHNNY CROW…which would you prefer in my comments ? me referring to you by your FIRST name ,which of course is a JOHNNY or by your last name which is a CROW ? or just simply JOHNNY CROW since you feel offended by that CURSE you have placed on YOURSELF after your beloved DEMOCRATIC LABOR PARTYS’ WASH OUT and WIPE OUT.
Today is Sunday ,go down by the St.Andrews Parish Church down the road from you and ask the Priest in charge to pray for you and to help LIFT that CURSE that YOU had inadvertently place on yourself after the last elections and for heavens sake ..be SERIOUS .. caah long a can of BOP in ya back pocket in case ya forget…ya simply caan call yourself a JOHNNY CROW all the time and while ya kneeling down can you offer a prayer for this poor,peaceful and polite turnover for giving you the advice that not even your associates were willing to?…I would be much obliged….thank you.
@JOHNNY THE CROW and FOWLS; your incompetent party took 10 years and destroyed the country leaving it broke and then believed 90 extra days could fix all the problems, which was impossible, why did you not asked DEM if they were Houdinies? That 30-0 shellacking have done serious damage to your minds so the best thing to do is, go on some kind of medication like PROZAC for the next 15 years
Was the 30 – 0 results an expression of the Barbadian electorate that they were more against the former DLP Government rather than being in favor of the potential BLP Government ? Or was said result the expression of the Barbadian electorate that they expect the BLP Government to solve all of the problems as promised on the campaign trail and not be bombarded with excuse after excuse on a daily basis ?
The last administration taxed the people of this country to fill their greedy pockets while ignoring their responsibilities of fixing and providing safe infrastructures for its citizens. Really and truly wunna yard fowls are the last thing people want to hear right now. A bunch of losers trying uphold a crooked washed-out gang of goons.
The guy from the BWA said that a number of wells are at saline level. I would like to know if any more aquifers have been put in place yet to capture the rainwater or is it just running into the sea per usual or causing flooding in various parts of the island?
Even in my garden I have a little system in place to capture water for my fruit trees and herbs. I dig deep holes around them and I try to plant the old time way to keep the soil from washing away.
I figure if you dig deep holes where you can and then place the huge piping vertically into the ground to assist with deeper penetration, along with horizontal connections that wells can top up we would be on the right path. Don’t forget to add the grates of varying sizes to keep out debris ’cause the nasty Bajans just can’t seem to understand that littering is contributing to our problems. And pretty please, stop destroying our coastline and swamps which help to contribute to all of these man-made problems.
Thank you.
Johnny
Try this for unfulfilled promises
dlp 2008 – we gine lower the cost of living! ?? it lowered? 2018
dlp 2013 – no layoff! – 3000+ when home in 2014
.no privatization! – wanta sell Barbados best performers (oil terminal and Hilton)2018!
Blp – 2018. – increase for civil servants, increase for pensioners, remove nrsl, all done in less than 100 days.
Too like to see when a DLP apologist writes the result of the May 24 election — 30-0.
It shows that humiliating drubbing is permanently etched on their brains.
By the way, is DLP candidate Kim Tudor still at NISE and Dems operative Derek Alleyne continuing to warm the director’s chair at UDC?
Good, medium or poor infrastructure, none will stand up to the forces of mother-nature.
@Johnny – Although I can’t be bother with this politics BS, u will find that a lot of the people calling in on brass tax and in the corner shops talking nuff RH about the BLP and their increase in monthly/weekly expenditure is who actually caused the 30-0 landslide.
@Tony W – Exactly who will rise again? u so correct though, much that is done really needs to be undone. hahahahahaha
What was the DLP next move for the Country of Barbados ?. All that has been tried before failed either by “self inflicted or other wise”. The VOTERS were willing to take a different route and made a clean sweep.
I am one who willing to wait it our for 3 years before I can really see a turn around cos too much mess caused and leave behind.
TOUGH ROAD AHEAD , BUT WE WILL MAKE IT. It is that this group taking another road around to make us all smile again, then we will and must cut some of the Ministries.
I AM ONE FOR A PAY RAISE FOR THE PM AS SOON AS SHE PUT US BACK IN CLEAR/SMOOTH WATERS.
And I suppose there are some who prefer to continue to live in the delirium of May 24,2018 rather than face the realities and responsibilities of the 30-0 result. Remember that to “she” whom much is given, much is expected.
All the BLP devils out with the crooked daggers on their tongues.
Self destruction will meet constant opposition and denial from this arrogant bunch, as their political glee gets cloudy with the IMF strokes of reality.
Promises promises, disappointments disappointments..the Mighty Sparrow sang it “No Money No Love”.
The people are starting to think and have doubts and they are not thinking about the DLP.
They are thinking that they have been conned.
yes johnny, they were conned for ten years
dlp 2008 – we gine lower the cost of living! ?? it lowered? 2018
dlp 2013 – no layoff! – 3000+ when home in 2014
.no privatization! – wanta sell Barbados best performers (oil terminal and Hilton)2018!
those were the promises that brought the disapointments
Exactly Alex…DEM pimps cannot wait to see if those measures will work or not but come out like TERMITES after a heavy downpour to criticize a Government and expect the Policies to bear fruit in 5 months.
That DAMN LYING PARTY wet down the population with TAX after TAX for 10 YEARS and 90 DAYS and the MASSES saw NOTHING…the measures DID NOT WORK for that period,but those DEM yard fowls above are telling and impressing DEM SELVES that BAJANS should have already seen the BENEFITS from the Policies after 5 months.
@ Carl Husbands…ALL the problems CANNOT be solved in 5 months,5 years and not even 10 years…and what excuse after excuse when the policies are not even 5 months old? one doesn’t have to come with EXCUSES AT THIS STAGE…if they don’t work then one can expect EXCUSES….and the DLP HAD TO GO AT ALL COSTS and it would have meant another Party taking over ..in this case it was the BLP.
@GREENGIANT
“… and soon every citizen in this country will get a grip of this ploy.”
I disagree with you there, as we can see from the commonets, time and time again, that effects of the koolaid do not wear off.
RIC and members of your FORGOTTEN CLIQUE of YARD FOWLS,PIMPS and PALING COCKS…why all ya don’t band together and organize courses in SIGN LANGUAGE…nobody can’t hear wunna…wunna in got NO VOICE…all ya still DO NOT KNOW that all ya garbling EVERYTHING and that NUTTEN in coming through?… all ya TECHNICIANS in tell you so ?
Don’t you know that all ya coming here to release all ya diatribe is akin to dipping water out of the sea to minimize the height of the waves in a tsunami.
JOHNNY CROW your so right they is no way in the world when u get hrs of rain fall that don’t flood out. the u s of a floods out all the time. the north pole the same thing.the earth could only hold so much water. no one can stop this from happening .water /wind /and fire is very difficult to stop.
@Harry Turnover: Understandably, the majority of the Barbadian electorate was not pleased with the performance of the last DLP Government. However, the “snake oil saleswomen and men” of the current BLP members of Parliament did make it seem that ALL of Barbados’ problems were going to be resolved immediately upon the election of same BLP members to
form the Government.
Carl Husbands what are you saying ? man that IS a STUPID STATEMENT. How could they have been resolved IMMEDIATELY ? seems like you are one of DEM snake oil men that thought that the BARBADOS LABOR PARTY is SO GOOD at fixing problems that although the DEMOCRATIC LABOR PARTY could not get them fixed in TEN YEARS and NINETY DAYS that all should have fixed in 5 months under the BEES
@Harry Turnover: You remind me of the lyrics of a Shaggy’s song “It wasn’t me”. Now the BLP folks back tracking that they didn’t campaign on fixing all of Barbados’ problems because we all know they had all the solutions when they were in the opposition. Don’t worry cause the DLP thought Bajans were “stupid” in their commentary and look what happened. So let the BLP continue to think that we Bajans are “stupid” and treat us as fools. When everybody talks about how these are different times yah better believe these are different times.
A couple of things here – It’s ok to support a party but it’s shameful to see how people will shut their eyes and be led down any road. The other thing is I firmly believe that the job of some of the posters here is to spread the gospel.
Wait by the way Duguid got a wardrobe full of those plaid shirts and the same type of pants?
Carl Husbands BE SENSIBLE man…yes !!… the BLP did say that they were GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEMS….where did they say that THEY WOULD BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY ?…didn’t it occurred to YOU that they had 5 YEARS and 90 days to start with ?
ONLY FOOLS like wunna DLP PIMPS would tell DEMSELVES that the BLP said they would be FIXED IMMEDIATELY just to get something to talk about.
People like YOU and your fellow yard fowls,pimps and paling cocks continue to think that BAJANS are stupid and that those problems that wunna left could have been fixed by this time.
See the NONSENSE and the CHUPIDITY wunna does come with on this forum.
” Understandably, the majority of the Barbadian electorate was not pleased with the performance of the last DLP Government”….YOUR WORDS…how then can YOU exposed your CHUPIDITY and IGNORANCE with your comments by telling yourself that 10 ..YES..TEN RH YEARS and NINETY DAYS of MISERY,PROBLEMS on TOP OF PROBLEMS that according to YOUR OWN WORDS..”.the BARBADIAN ELECTORATE WAS NOT PLEASED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LAST DLP ” that those problems should have been fixed in 5 months? and then got the GALL to say that MOST BAJANS were of that opinion….CHUPID DEM BAJAN YARD FOWLS like YOU…continue to pick and scratch round for something to write bout.
Ignorance of COMMON SENSE is NO EXCUSE…be REASONABLE…two or three years down the road your comments might have been REASONABLE…only FIDIOTS would tell DEMSELVES that ALL IMPROVEMENTS in the ECONOMY should have been felt by now as though one only have to press a button and BINGO…everything fixed.
…and people like YOU didn’t SHUT wunna EYES for 10 YEARS and 90 DAYS and led down ALL the roads….wasn’t it OK to have supported your Party then too?
The other thing is I too FIRMLY believe that to make the most STUPID of comments is DEM yard fowls way of spreading their gospel.
@Harry Turnover: For the same said 10 years that the DLP failed to correct the problems, the BLP, while in opposition, maintained that they had the solutions to the problems and only needed the opportunity to be elected Government to demonstrate their “prowess”, “agility” and “competency” in quickly resolving the country’s woes. Now that the people of Barbados have elected them what have they done …created even bigger problems!!! The 30-0 result means that Bajans want SOLUTIONS and not SAD STORIES !!!
@CARl HUSBANDS: 100% Agreed. Is it Johnny Crow that keeps saying “con job”?
hmm. it will take time to do things but cud dear the electiond done stop trying to harp on the dlp…the electorate voted them out ..get on with ur mandate and stop trying to conjure up sympathy..u politicians think that u are the only ones who know psychology? everytimr talking bout the past administration! there is a reason there are the past administration..do what u getting fat salaries to do and stop the mind games..they are wearing thin… some apologist will soon respond
Carl Husbands…the PROBLEMS..CANNOT..WILL NOT nor any NOT be FIXED IMMEDIATELY.
YOUR WORDS AGAIN..”.For the same said 10 years that the DLP failed to correct the problems…”.. big man….YOU are telling yourself that the DLP had TEN YEARS to fix the problems and COULD NOT GET THEM FIXED….YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU HAVE SAID…..COULD NOT GET THEM FIXED in 10 YEARS….but you are now TELLING YOURSELF that the BLP should have had them FIXED in 5 months..even PATTY from your clique has NOW come to her senses and realize that ” it will take time to do things”
PATTY,what mind games are wearing thin ?…after less than 5 months ?…and suppose the masses see the fruit of those “mind games” in less than 3 years and 90 days what will you say then ? Rome was NOT BUILT in a DAY and the DEMOCRATIC LABOR PARTY DID NOT DESTROY BARBADOS IN A DAY either.
How can YOU from one corner of your mouth say ” it will take time to do things” and from the other corner say… ” stop the mind games..they are wearing thin”?…wha kind a garbled up talk is that ?…and are YOU also saying that their policies were MANDATED to be done in 5 months.
PATTY you started off WELL ,but you SLIPPED back into your usual STUPID MODE…by now you should be well entrenched in your SIGN LANGUAGE COURSES…hope you don’t mistake them for KUNG FO moves.
Buh I dun tell wunnuh dat awready! Not so??
Bluff; Fluff and PRO Campaigns every which way you look. An wunnuh cahn hear a word ’bout wuh to expec going unduh de IMF……….We like dah singer:::::::::::::::We Up In De Air
If I was Dale Marshall and I would feel like a big fool, because i did do a good job with T.T. Hinkson: we stayed up late – in fact, we hardly sleep and went bout wawkin thru’ mud and garbage and watta……………………and as soon as dis, dis , dis…dis……… ‘woman’ lan back here, she pull all uh we @#$%^&* behind she so dat she could continue to parade and postulate tuh wunnuh dat she is de Prime Minista, like effin wunnuh din know. STUUUUUUUUPSE!
But wunnuh kno – wunnuh dun kno dat duh tekkin wunna fuh a ride. Wunna sailin in a sieve. Pick sense outta dat!
BUT! Wunnuh vote and she showing wunnuh, so doan complain.
IDWD
harry u cant help it..u catch at everything..use ur common sense at least i have enough sense and most otherscas well to know u cant solve problems over night. but equally important is cheap or stuntsvabout being able to solve everything. u asked for the mandate bso stop gripping and do the job..u cant becso blinded that u catch atvevery comment harry my boy..u will getva heart attack attacking everyone who differs from u. who died and left u alone with brains?
cool urself harry..take a chill pull. stop trying to bully people into agreeing with u
i agree poor dale tried to look in charge and calling conference yet auntie mia came back like a wind and did exactly wat he did..doh..poor dale looked like a fool