One of the most frequently talked about things in Barbados nowadays is the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Government’s repeatedly demonstrated failure to do anything effective about deplorable economic situation, in general, and the ever-increasing cost of living, in particular.
People find it unbelievable that this is the same DLP that travelled all over Barbados harshly blaming the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) Government for being directly responsible for rising prices, to the point where the DLP’s late leader David Thompson became the face and voice of its pledge to reduce the cost of living with the immortal words that in government “Job number one, two and three would be cost of living, cost of living, cost of living”, only since winning the 2008 General Election to shamelessly both proclaim and show gross powerlessness to do anything to bring badly needed relief to long-suffering citizens.
Barbadians have overwhelmingly agreed that the quality of government provided by this DLP administration has been at its consistently poorest ever in the history of our country. Some have blamed this unsatisfactory state of affairs on the obvious lack of economics training and practical experience among the Dems at all levels.
Others have attributed it to the stubborn refusal of the DLP to accept advice from Owen Arthur and the BLP despite their shining example of 14 years of successful economic management, for fear of the BLP being credited with any success even though the public would be the biggest beneficiaries.
And yet others are blaming matters on a DLP attitude of arrogance and cold-hearted indifference to the plight of ordinary people, reviving memories of the “Like it or lump it” declaration of an earlier DLP Prime Minister at a time when Barbados was also in dire economics straits.
And who can challenge the soundness of this conclusion when, ever since the DLP’s 2008 Budget, Owen Arthur and the BLP have been pleading with the Dems to, for example, reduce the amount of taxes Government collects from the sale of gasoline and diesel to soften the impact of rising oil prices on individuals and businesses, given the vital and widespread effect of the prices of these petroleum products on the cost of living and doing business.
Government remains unsympathetic to persons experiencing difficulty with the new health care arrangements. Instead, Health Minister Donville Inniss said he would not be deterred by criticism, even if he loses votes in the coming general election.
In spite of the forecast by experienced doctors and pharmacists of the problems that would be encountered, the Ministry of Health ignored their practical advice and forged ahead with the changes, immediately plunging the ailing, aged and less well-off into considerable anxiety over what medication they can now afford.
And if all of that was not stressful enough, Barbadians at all levels are having to deal with steadily worsening prospects for their future standard of living as they battle with virtually daily increases in the price of basic goods and services, while this Government that claims it is more concerned about “creating a society” than “building an economy” remains seemingly indifferent to the social decay and dislocation that surrounds us.
