I WAS HAVING DINNER while watching the CBC Evening News one night last week and nearly choked when I heard a statement from the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), boasting of their wonderful stewardship over the last number of years!
I couldn’t believe it! Have they checked the definition of stewardship recently? It is “the acceptance or assignment of responsibility to shepherd and safeguard the valuables of others”.
Rather than shepherding us, they’ve taken us like lambs (or foolish Bajans) to the slaughter. In business, stewardship has been used to denote the concept that “as a steward, you try to leave the company in better shape for your successor than it was handed over to you by your predecessor.”
In their case they’re leaving a mere shell of Barbados for their successor.
The DLP’s George Pilgrim seems to think he can divert our attention from the turmoil this administration has landed us in by hurling insults at the Opposition Leader about her plan to lead a “march of disgust”.
I’m convinced that there are few people in Barbados who aren’t disgusted with the DLP’s governance, but unfortunately, a march led by a politician is unlikely to attract large numbers, not because they don’t support the cause, but because they’re afraid of victimisation or fear being seen as associated with a specific party.
In his diatribe reported in the WEEKEND NATION, Pilgrim is reported to have said, “the first thing the Opposition will do should they return to office will notbe to focus on the economy or foreign reserves – they want the keys to the Treasury, not the economy”.
As far as I can see, the Treasury seems to be empty, with Government owing every Tom, Dick and Harry. I even know of someone who tried to cash a US$50 money order at a post office and had to make four attempts before he was successful. Apparently, they didn’t have the funds available! What have we come to?
Then Mr Pilgrim went on to criticise the Opposition Leader for printing thousands of T-shirts. All I can say is we’d prefer her printing T-shirts than printing money!
But imagine that while all this turmoil is going on in Barbados, our Prime Minister is first in Guyana looking at regional matters (apparently more important than national matters), and then in New York, sipping cocktails with party faithful.
And he made matters worse by saying that he wasn’t in a position to comment on whether the government’s confidence in the Governor of the Central Bank underwent any change because he presides over the Cabinet of Barbados, and at no time has the issue of the Governor’s relationship with the Government come up for consideration.
So apparently a Minister of Finance can fire a Central Bank Governor without any previous consultation with Cabinet or with the Prime Minister. Of course, Mr Stuart said he preferred to remain mute, which is quite normal. His mute button has been in the “on” position for most of his tenure.
All this confirms my opinion that Dr Worrell’s firing has nothing to do with his management style, which was apparently complained about for some time but with his sudden awakening to the fact that printing money had got out of hand, resulting in his decision not to “play ball” with the Minister of Finance any longer. I’ll have to say, though, that it seems easier to fire a Central Bank Governor than it is to fire the lowest grade employee in any business.
By the time this column is published, Minister Sinckler should have held his promised news conference on the economy (or what’s left of it). Hopefully, he would have spoken in down to earth terms which the electorate can understand and did not serve up “word salad” like Dr Don Marshall fed us in his University In The Community lunchtime lecture.
Judging from the media report, I wasn’t sure what his opinion on devaluation and money printing was. In fact, as far as I can see, whatever the outcome, he could say “I told you so”. Why can’t economists speak in plain language?
Minister Sinckler needs to be honest with us about our position, drop the false pride and exhibit true Bajan pride and humility by consulting knowledgeable Barbadians on the way forward.
• Dr Frances Chandler is a former Independent senator. Email: [email protected]