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Bajan Newscap 11/10/2015

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! Here is your daily newscap.

"MOTTLEY CREW" WON'T HURT MIA'S CHANCES - The current impasse between Christ Church West MP Dr Maria Agard and the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) is unlikely to impact Mia Mottley’s leadership of the party, and is not likely to affect the party’s chances at the next general election, according to political scientist Peter Wickham. Dr Agard has been at odds with the BLP since September when an internal squabble saw the election of a new executive for her constituency, with which she said she would not work. A meeting planned for November 4 between Dr Agard and party leader Mia Mottley to bring about “healing” failed to materialize, as Mottley did not show up. Wickham recalled “well-known” divisions within the DLP while it was in opposition, including challenges to the then leader David Thompson ahead of the 2008 general election, as was well as public disagreements involving the likes of the current Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, David Estwick and Denis Kellman. “And those issues were resolved reasonably amicably one could assume . . . because they won an election subsequently. ‘So I don’t believe that this is any more of an indication of division than anything else. I think what it is an indication of is that you have a personality that was firmly associated with the Barbados Labour Party that’s alive and well and very, very active and it starts giving some trouble and trying to make one uncomfortable for Ms Mottley and we just have to see how she handles it,” he said, without naming the personality. Wickham added that he expected the situation would end soon, but that Dr Agard was unlikely to emerge the winner. He advised that she “negotiate a soft landing” as soon as possible for her own good. The political scientist argued that an election victory for the BLP did not rest on Dr Agard, but advised that the party needed to resolve the matter as soon as possible. He made reference to the last opinion poll which showed the BLP “would have done very well” if an election were called, adding that the general assessment was that the Government was not doing well. “So the question of Dr Agard being critical to the Barbados Labour Party victory is not anything that I believe they need to worry too much about,” he said. In fact, he predicted that a split within the BLP could ultimately do more damage to the ruling DLP. “So my sense is that if you have a split in the BLP and members now move to an alternative bench, they will create some interesting times for themselves, and quite frankly I think that they will also be setting up the Democratic Labour Party for greater trouble,” Wickham said.

NOT IN THAT! - Count me out of any conspiracy to oust Opposition Leader Mia Mottley from the leadership of the Barbados Labour Party. St Michael East MP Trevor Prescod issued this stern warning today to those persons said to be planning a palace coup against the St Michael North East MP. The outspoken parliamentarian said while he could not vouch for the veracity of statements linking some BLP members with plans to replace Mottley, he wanted to make it clear he would not join any such rebellion.“ What I can say is if they [the rumours]are true and if there is any attempt to stage a coup within the institution and displace Mottley I would then have to make a decision. I am already clear in my mind that if such a move is taken, I would not have to delay 24 hours because I would never be part of any institution which continues to behave in that conspiratorial manner,” Prescod asserted. “ I can guarantee anyone that I would not be part of any team in the BLP who would set about to stage a coup to replace Mottley. I certainly would not be a part of that team that would constitute any new body led by any new person in the institution at present.” The BLP has been rocked by a bitter internal tussle surrounding the stewardship of Christ Church West MP Dr Maria Agard, who has been at odds with both the branch and party executives. The situation has turned ugly, leading former BLP general secretary George Griffith to warn last week that the situation was becoming “increasingly embarrassing” and was “a sad reflection” on the party which had “an outstanding tradition of settling all issues, big and small, in a very dignified manner.” BLP MP George Payne has also warned Mottley that her actions could not only affect Agard’s standing as a member of parliament, but also jeopardize the BLP’s success in the next polls and plunge the party into a “constitutional crisis”. Payne’s warnings came in a November 5 letter in response to a letter sent the previous day by Mottley to the embattled Agard, regarding a November 4 meeting that was scheduled to be held to bring about “healing”. But Prescod argued that the issue was no longer about Dr Agard but of “latent forces with intentions not really known to me or even the general public” that want to replace Mottley as leader. “I believe there will always be people who have dreams of playing important roles in an institution. There will always be people who try to play roles they do not have the capacity to carry out in any meaningful way. There are many people with inflated egos who believe that they are leaders even though they do not enjoy the support or confidence of the people. Then they are others who believe that without them the world would come to an end. I have come across many of these people in Barbadian politics over the years,” Prescod contended. Prescod charged that there were some people who not only see themselves as kingmakers, but sometimes saw themselves as probably the king too. He also took issue with a suggestion from a senior member of parliament that the executive of Christ Church West branch ought to resign. “The executive is not there as a result of a selection process, it is there as a consequence of being elected. It represents over 1 000 members in some cases,” the St Michael East MP said. Mottley was elected BLP leader for the second time in February 2013 after former Prime Minister Owen Arthur led the party to its second successive general election defeat. She was first elected in 2008 after Arthur stepped down soon after his first defeat. She was forced out more than two years later in October 2010 and replaced by Arthur, but pledged to remain committed to the party even after accusing it of engaging in a kangaroo court to oust her. One longstanding party member has contended that “power hungry” members in the party want to unseat Mottley again. “ I have been around the BLP from the by-election with Dr Clyde Mascoll of the Democratic Labour Party and Mark Williams of the BLP and I thought it was a great party. However, this conspiracy has turned me off. It is definitely a conspiracy to get rid of Mottley again and the same individuals are at it again. I know who is the mastermind behind this conspiracy,” said this person who requested anonymity because he did now want to be engaged in a public debate over the issue. The impasse in the Christ Church West constituency first made headlines on September 20 when the election for a new executive was cancelled by Mottley after several members of the constituency claimed their names were excluded from the list of party members in the constituency. At a subsequent meeting of the branch a new executive body was elected but Dr Agard said she would not work with the body. She also failed to show up for the party’s recent annual conference at the Christ Church Foundation School or a special meeting of the executive called by Mottley at party headquarters. Meanwhile, there are reports that Mottley failed to show up for a meeting last Wednesday at which Payne and St Michael North MP Ronald Toppin were expected to speak on Dr Agard’s behalf. However, Executive Assistant to the Opposition Leader Patricia Parris told Barbados TODAY that her boss did not snub Dr Agard and had written indicating she was unable to attend because of other engagements. Mottley could not be reached for comment.

TOO IMMATURE - Government Minister Stephen Lashley sees no reason why members of the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) and the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) cannot put partisan differences aside and work together for the benefit of Barbadians. Lashley, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, is questioning what the fuss is about, regarding his partnership with BLP representative for Christ Church West, Dr Maria Agard, to host a family fun day/football competition last Independence. Commenting on the issue for the first time, Lashley said the time had come for partisan politics to be put aside. Instead, he said, the focus should be on working together in the best interest of the country. “I understand that one of the big issues troubling the BLP is the fact that Maria Agard would have been involved in a collaboration in a football/family fun day held for the residents of Sargeants Village last year, in which I was involved, and I think that is being held up as something which ought not to be done,” Lashley said. “That smacks of immaturity in politics. I think we need to have more maturity in politics in Barbados,” he added. “I see nothing wrong with two Members of Parliament, in response to a call and a need of the community, to put their partisan politics aside and come together in camaraderie and in the spirit of Independence and to support an activity designed to bring togetherness to a community. I really don’t see why the BLP is making such heavy weather about this.” Lashley said if given the opportunity, he would invite Agard to take part in similar activities. In fact, the minister argued that such partnerships should be encouraged. “I feel we should try to focus our communities away from tribalism and away from partisanship, especially when it is not necessary,” he opined. “I think we spend too much time politicking and electioneering when in fact we should be seeking to build our communities.”

ENERGY ACTION - Representatives of the fledgling renewable energy sector told CARICOM governments today to bring more action and less talk when it comes to addressing issues related to achieving energy efficiencies and implementing policies to facilitate growth of the sector. Their position was made clear at the start of a CARICOM Energy Week conference which is taking place here under the theme of Empowering and Sustainable Development. The conference is aimed at identifying solutions to challenges and areas for collaboration, among other things. President of the Barbados Renewable Energy Association (BREA), Aidan Rogers, lamented the absence of cohesiveness among Barbados government ministries. He cited a need for “synchronization” of legislation and a more concerted effort from Government in driving the development of the renewable energy sector. Rogers said putting a focus on “several complementary technologies”, including electric vehicles and energy efficiency, was critical to the sustainable development of the region.

SILENT UNIONS - TRADE UNIONS, which have been “vile” relating to some state-owned organisations, seem to have fallen silent concerning the Banks Holdings Limited (BHL) saga, says Minister of Industry and Commerce Donville Inniss. Speaking at a Democratic Labour Party St Michael East branch meeting in St Giles Primary School on Sunday evening, Inniss said his major concern was for the jobs at the company, something he added should be a top priority for the unions. “I want to know the jobs at BHL are protected. If [the workers there] are unionised, I hope the unions are doing more than watching from a distance but are agitating for the protection of their workers. The same unions that conduct themselves in a very reckless manner sometimes with [some] other issues need to stand up and pay [more] attention [now].

YES TO CELL PHONES - MINISTER OF CULTURE AND YOUTH Stephen Lashley is supporting a proposal by the Ministry of Education to allow children to use cellphones in schools across the island. Speaking at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre during the NIFCA Visual Arts Exhibition on Sunday, he expressed satisfaction with this year’s entrants, especially those from Ellerton Primary who participated in the photography competition with work that essentially utilised cellphone cameras. “I believe it has become exceedingly clear that our nation’s youth are keen on utilising what is common and what is easily accessible to them for creative expression,” he said. “Indeed, I’ve always been of the view that the use of the cellphone in schools in particular ought to have been regulated rather than banned.”

DRIVERS BLOCKED - A MERE five per cent. That’s the extent of the tariff Government is prepared to levy on imported cement in the future. Minister of Industry and Commerce Donville Inniss has made it clear that the days of a 60 per cent tariff to protect cement produced in Barbados by Arawak Cement Ltd are numbered. Warning the local subsidiary of Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) that it had to be prepared to “compete on a level playing field”, Inniss added: “Barbadians for years have been complaining about the cost of cement, and we have protected the Arawak Cement Co. Ltd and Trinidad Cement Limited for years. Those days are over.”

DAYS NUMBERED - A MERE five per cent. That’s the extent of the tariff Government is prepared to levy on imported cement in the future. Minister of Industry and Commerce Donville Inniss has made it clear that the days of a 60 per cent tariff to protect cement produced in Barbados by Arawak Cement Ltd are numbered. Warning the local subsidiary of Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) that it had to be prepared to “compete on a level playing field”, Inniss added: “Barbadians for years have been complaining about the cost of cement, and we have protected the Arawak Cement Co. Ltd and Trinidad Cement Limited for years. Those days are over.”

ACCIDENT - Two people were transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance yesterday afternoon after the vehicle in which they were travelling overturned on the Spring Garden Highway, St Michael. According to reports, the driver was on his way home from a cruise when he lost control of the vehicle, struck the embankment and hit an advertising board before overturning. The accident took place on the stretch of highway near the Barbados Coast Guard.

COSTLY LIE - Last week Magistrate Christopher Birch promised a teenager three months in prison if he found out the youngster was lying to the court. Birch made good on that promise after the court learned that Kemar Shaquiel Garnes had in fact lied and had breached his community service order. The stern warning was given to Garnes at the District ‘C’ Magistrates’ Court just before he was remanded. Originally, the Four Roads, St Philip youth was placed on a 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. curfew and given 240 hours of community service after pleading guilty to a loitering charge in June this year, and was to complete his assignment at a public market by October 2. On Thursday, his probation officer brought him back to court after receiving reports that Garnes had stolen money from an employee and had also altered his community service documentation. Garnes, 17, denied the report and told the court that the supervisor had given him permission to record his time once he (the supervisor) was not there. That was when the magistrate warned the accused teenager that if caught lying, he would be jailed. Garnes returned to court today following further investigations into the matter. The court heard from his supervisor, a Mr Kirton, that he never gave Garnes any permission to alter his files. In fact, Kirton said he was on holiday when another supervisor heard rummaging in the office. She went in and caught Garnes tampering with the records. When she questioned him about being there, he also told her Kirton gave him permission to fill in his time. However, when Kirton returned from holiday and was asked about it, he said he never did so.The community service order was therefore withdrawn and a 90-day sentence substituted.

NARINE REPORTED AGAIN - Sunil Narine’s international career has been thrown into turmoil once again. The West Indies off-spinner, has been reported for bowling with a suspect action during the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. Narine finished with figures of 0 for 24 in the Pallekele ODI, which Sri Lanka won by 19 runs based on the Duckworth-Lewis method. The match officials’ report, handed to the West Indies team management after the game, cited concerns about the legality of Narine’s deliveries. Narine will need to undergo testing on his action within 14 days, and will be permitted to continue bowling until the results of his testing are known. This is the first time Narine has been reported in an international game, though he has undergone scrutiny of his action during the IPL and the Champions League T20. He was reported twice in two matches during the 2014 edition of the CLT20, forcing him to miss Kolkata Knight Riders’ final against Chennai Super Kings. Though he was free to bowl in international cricket, West Indies withdrew Narine from their tour of India to allow him “the opportunity to have his action assessed and plan his return to cricket”. West Indies left him out of all their subsequent international assignments until they picked him for the 2015 World Cup. Though he had remodelled his action in the interim, Narine pulled out of the tournament, saying the return would be “a little too much too soon”.Narine endured further trouble with his action during the 2015 IPL –– he was first cleared to bowl in the tournament, reported and sent for a re-test, banned from bowling his offbreaks, and then cleared again, with a “final warning”.The Sri Lanka tour was Narine’s first international tournament since August 2014. He picked up four wickets at an average of 18.00 in the three ODIs, while conceding 3.34 runs per over.

WADA CALLS FRO RUSSIAN BAN - Russia should be banned from athletics competition, a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) commission report has recommended. WADA’s independent commission examined allegations of doping, cover-ups, and extortion in Russian athletics, which also implicated the IAAF, the sport’s world governing body. It says London 2012 was “sabotaged” by “widespread inaction” against athletes with suspicious doping profiles. Russia were also accused of running a “state-supported” doping programme. The report also recommended that five athletes and five coaches should be given lifetime doping bans. The commission’s chairman, Dick Pound, who led a WADA news conference on Monday, said: “For the 2016 Olympic Games our recommendation is that the Russian federation be suspended,” he said. “One of our hopes is they will volunteer to take the remedial work – if they don’t the outcome may be no Russian track and field athletes in Rio. I hope they recognise it is time to change.” Pound, meanwhile, gave his backing to IAAF president Lord Coe, saying he was the right man to lead the governing body. In an IAAF statement, Lord Coe described the information in the WADA report as “alarming” and said he would seek approval from the governing body’s council members to consider sanctions against the Russian athletics federation (Araf), which could include suspension. Russia’s sport minister, Vitaly Mutko, has denied all allegations, while Araf has accused WADA of circumventing established protocols for dealing with doping. “Any suspension should be discussed at the meeting of the IAAF in November,” the acting Araf head, Vadim Zelechenok, told R-Sport channel. “It should be proven that any violations were the fault of the federation and not individual sportspeople. We should be given a chance to clear our names.” The international police body Interpol says it will be coordinating a global investigation into the suspected corruption and doping.

RICHARD STOUTE TEEN TALENT FINALS - WHAT A DIFFERENCE a year makes! Last year, Cherece Richards stood on stage at Hilton Barbados with tears in her eyes. She had to settle for fourth place in the Richard Stoute Teen Talent final. On Sunday night she was once again on the same stage, but this time with tears of joy as the 39th monarch of the annual contest. One could not have scripted a better conclusion for Richards. After months of hard-fought battles, she did not falter in the finale and produced two outstanding performances. She may have come into the final as a favourite, but the other contestants did not make it easy for her at all. Rashida Codrington, Tarique Griffith, Kenyah Joseph, Daryan Jordan, Neesha Welch, Destiny Ifill and Amanda Mascoll refused to go down without a fight.

CROP OVER CHANGES - There could be some major changes coming to the 2016 Crop Over Festival. According to chairman of the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) Cranston Browne and Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley, the removal of restrictions on vendors and a move to have calypsonians in the Pic-O-De-Crop competition sing just one song, are among some of the recommendations that have been put forward. And Lashley has given an assurance that if new legislation has to be passed for some of the changes to be implemented, it will be done. Cranston Browne said there had also been a suggestion that the current format of singing two songs in the Pic-O-De-Crop competition be changed to just one song. Veteran entertainer Mac Fingall explained that the high cost of production was one of the chief reasons behind the call for it to be changed. Calypsonian Colin Spencer, who was present for the discussion, said he fully agreed with the proposal, but he wanted it done on a trial basis.

LENNON'S GUITAR SELLS FOR 2.4 MILLION - A guitar stolen from the late John Lennon in the 1960s sold for $2.41 million on Saturday at an auction in Beverly Hills, California, and a Beatles drum head went for $2.1 million, fetching some of the highest prices ever for items of rock and roll memorabilia. The 1962 J-160E Gibson acoustic guitar had for decades been in the possession of John McCaw, a novice musician who bought it in the late 1960s without knowing it had been stolen from the legendary Beatle several years before, said auctioneer Darren Julien.

;) Shalom <3 Steph! Have a great day.