THE LATE TITULAR LEADER of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) outlined a clear political philosophy that was to undergird the economic programmes of his administration in 2008 and beyond.
He was deliberate in calling it the “fatted calf”, which suggests a festive celebration and rejoicing for someone’s long-awaited return. In this case, it was not a return but his arrival at a predetermined destination.
Unfortunately, the “fatted” part of his watchwords has not come to pass, but the calf is still being shared. The calf is now smaller than it was in 2008. So how was it possible to make it smaller and increase the share of Government at the same time? The answer is quite easy.
Given that the fatted calf is from the Parable of the Prodigal Son, it has a spiritual interpretation. In the context in which it was used by the late leader, there was a political interpretation that remains obvious. Perhaps, “let us make hay while the sun shines” is the closest political interpretation that is publishable.
There are three agents responsible for the fattening of the calf, but only one influences the share of each through deliberate action that impacts on the other two. The DLP Government stuck to its mandate even after the untimely death of its titular leader. It never once stopped to consider that the fattening, not the sharing, of the calf was the priority.
The new leader clothed himself in the past garments, philosophy and personnel. It was a change in appearance only. The sharing of the fatted calf, therefore, continued long after its protagonist. This is consistent with almost every aspect of the country’s governance, notwithstanding the evidence of failure.
Rather than focus on fattening the calf, the Government starved the other two agents, households and businesses, to increase its share. This was done by imposing excessive taxation on both; no salary increases for households and deprivation of entitlements for both – for example, tax refunds. As the calf suffered under the guise that all calves were doing likewise in the region and beyond, the Government continued to preach a message of hope.
Notwithstanding the message, the local drought persisted. On the other hand, the regional and international calves were experiencing intermittent showers with glimmers of more hope in the forecast.
As the local rains stayed away, increasing blame was being placed on the lack of more persistent showers abroad rather than the causes of drought here at home.
In the face of the unusual differences in weather patterns in Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean region, it was determined that the best approach was to conceive a home-grown rain dance.
The dancers would move to their own tune and pray with their silent god. Whenever one of the moves was out of sync with the home-grown choreography, it was blamed on outside interference. Silence would prevail, signifying some kind of “transitory inconvenience”.
The problem with a “transitory inconvenience” is that it still has real effects that can be lasting. A storm that lasts for a few hours is indeed transitory. A storm is certainly not a convenience. It may therefore be described as an inconvenience. It is, however, possible for a storm to cause severe and sometimes permanent damage.
Indeed, a fiscal measure that is intended to be a short-lived inconvenience may become permanent. This was the case with the increase in the VAT rate from 15 to 17.5 per cent. The damage that the increase has done to the Barbados economy has turned out to be severe. It cut the spending power of Barbadians, thus sacrificing growth, without yielding the expected revenue for the Government.
A myriad of expected short-lived inconveniences played their part in compromising the goal of fattening the calf since 2008. The inconveniences included depriving the calf of adequate grass on which to feed; making water less available and yet more expensive; removing access to affordable veterinary care and discouraging its capacity to reproduce. In essence, the calf struggled to put on fat.
In spite of not creating an enabling environment for fattening the calf, a select group of farmers still identified the reduced calf for slaughter and distribution. While the calf was getting smaller, they were growing.
Even though the “fatted calf” philosophy has failed the majority, including the grassroot, it is hoped that the privileged few can influence the deprived flock, as they tune into the What’s In It For Me (Wiifm) station at the appropriate time.
• Dr Clyde Mascoll is an economist and Opposition Barbados Labour Party advisor on the economy. Email: [email protected]
