PRIME MINISTER FREUNDEL STUART has tongues wagging with his emphatic statement that Barbados will be moving towards a republican form of government “in the very near future”.
Though some are dismissing it as an early All Fools’ Day joke and a deliberate distraction designed to change the national conversation away from the harsh economic situation, others feel the move is Stuart’s genuine desire.
One of those pointed to Stuart’s statement that “the Right Excellent Errol Barrow decolonised the politics; Owen Arthur decolonised the jurisprudence, and Freundel Stuart is going to complete the process,” as demonstrating his seriousness.
The individual told Cou Cou that as Stuart is a student of history and with Father Time catching up with him, his concern now is about his legacy.
The person suggested that Stuart would want an indisputable legacy to cement himself in Barbadian history, and taking the country into republican status would do this. Otherwise, his legacy as Prime Minister would amount to presiding over the biggest reversal in Barbadian socio-economic and living standards since Independence.
That said, Cou Cou has doubts if Stuart will ever get this wish – if that was indeed his desire. We say this because any change in the Constitution would need a two-thirds majority in the House of Assembly, and we doubt the Opposition would support the move.
We suspect they would tell Stuart if you want to change the Constitution, call a general election and get that mandate.
So, for Cou Cou, the question is: Is Stuart just taking Bajans for a political spin?
A cheque in time
A CERTAIN BUSINESSMAN has reportedly told his staff to file their income tax and pay whatever other tax they have to, after one of his businesses got a fat cheque from Government recently.
His reasoning is that once Government starts getting in more money, they would be better able to pay him and the other businesses that are owed millions of dollars.
From what Cou Cou was told, the particular business was having serious cash flow problems and was well over its overdraft when the cheque came in. It has been a game changer.
Since the cheque has been received, the businessman has cautioned his managers about spending and keeping things even tighter. He figures that as Government owes so many people, the business may not get another big payday soon.
Too many strings
EXPERIENCED WORKERS at a statutory corporation are fed up with the wastage and patronage involving the political appointees there.
One of them told Cou Cou he was frustrated with the bosses complaining about not having enough money to do needed things for the hard-working staff, yet recent hirings and consultants were falling over each other hardly doing anything.
Giving some examples, the veteran employee alleged that there are those who he understands are paid a travelling allowance, yet they don’t.
The worker also claimed that a company, closely affiliated with a political appointee, was recently granted a contract to do work which could be done by those staff as the organisation has the manpower and equipment. It galls him that such sums of money are being spent.
The worker is saying that with a situation like this, no wonder the financial fortunes of the organisation are being washed away.
