Opposition Senator Damani Tabor is questioning the reason for what he says is the late payment of pensions and salaries.
Public servants were paid late this month.
Writing on his official Facebook page Table asks, “Why are pension payments getting later and later every month, with some pensioners getting paid as much as 20 days late?”
“Does the ABLP government think it’s acceptable to have our distinguished seniors waiting until the 15th, for funds due on the 25th of the previous month?”
He is also questioning what’s happening with social security.
“Why is Social Security still struggling even after receiving a large loan to ensure on-time payments?”
Tabor says in December 2018 Cabinet revealed that a whopping $54 million is owed to social security by other statutory corporations.
“If the economy is so healthy – and compliance measures so effective, why do private sector employers owe $27 million, of which $10 million has been declared bad debt?
Something is terribly and chronically wrong. Wages and pensions are clearly going to be a major issue over the coming months. May God’s guidance and a mutually uplifting community spirit help us to make it through the increased hardship to come.” He said.
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Look who’s asking questions……Wonders never cease.
Paying grandma 20 days late while claiming a strong economy and prudent management has left a great many in wonderment. When you get over yours, maybe you can provide some reasons.
You people got more nerves than dam brains.What ? do you think all Antigua has dementia?..,You’ll keep grasping at straws,it appears the UPP has a serious memory problem. You are a young man, maybe you can check back in a couple of years,for now,you,ll are all political flushable waste..
I think “you people” have nerves thinking that empty political rhetoric will distract from the real issue. Why are we having late payments in the so-called economic powerhouse?
If you have more brains than nerves friend, please do provide some answers..
What is the excuse today – “in an economic powerhouse” – when things are supposedly much better? There is No Global Economic Crisis. No CL Financial/British American crash, wiping out 300 million in savings. No Allen Stanford collapse, putting 14% of private sector workers on the breadline. No 100 USD+ per gallon fuel driving up the cost of living generally.
And let’s not forget the CIP bonanza that should have made meeting obligations easy for such a ‘competent’ administration.
ABLP collects on average 200 million dollars more per year in revenue than the UPP did. How then is it so hard for them to be on time?
P.S. The suffering workers and pensioners of today cant feed on or pay their mortgage with tired rhetoric about what happened 5 years ago.
Damani. Do you know the difference between an economic issue and a fiscal issue? Do your know the different between having profit but yet not having cash flow. Seem you need financial education. No wonder you lost all that MBS money in the ABDB.
Let me explain it to you a bit. Having a fiscal issue means the timing of Receipts and payment is not aligned. That is the same when you have a cash flow problem. Means your customers do not pay you on time to pay your creditors. Although you are making profits. So yes the government is encountering fiscal problems. The revenues are not coming in as fast as they should to make the payments. But the economy is thriving and growing every year by at least 4 to 5%.
I hope this free lesson has done you well. If not sorry. Means your head too hard to learn.
@From The Sideline
Thanks. I’ll let grandma know that chronically being paid 20 days late boils down to a “fiscal issue”.
Seems you’re not nearly as smart as you think. One statutory MBS makes a fixed deposit in another ABDB, as it does in all major financial institutions. ABDB had payment issues. How does that constitute losing money? Are you claiming that ABDB is insolvent today? Has it returned to the bad old days of an 80% default rate compliments mad lending to party supporters?
@ Damani Tabor
I wish you would learn to be honest about your stewardship. It was not about one statutory body placing money in another. And yes ABDB as insolvent when you guys left office. The Gaston Browne government had to put millions into it to keep it going. And yes you lost the money from MBS you invested in ABDB just like how Stanford lost his $10 million he placed their to support entrepreneurship. When you place money in the development bank you place it with a specific purpose. And purpose you chose was a flawed project, and now MBS is million poorer. And your imagination granny could not get her medical prescription from MBS or MSJMC. So once again yes you left ABDB bankrupt. Insolvent.
wait! Is he trying to usurp the now PRO of the UPP – Mr. Marshall? He made the mistake of siding with Richard Lewis instead of supporting his mentor. Lovell interpreted this as lil Damani being damn ungrateful and so voila! we have Mr. Marshall to keep the public abreast with the wrangling in the UPP.
Stay in your lane lil Tabor. Nah mek Lovell haffu “mannaz” you again.
You’re an entertaining writer with a conspiratorial grassroots style, I’ll give you that. Lanes and usurpation aside, what do you think of granny getting paid 20 days late in an economic powerhouse?
I think you were wrong to bite the hand that feed you. Lovell mentored and groomed you to be PRO and you chose Richard Lewis over him. Were you a part of the Tradewind meetings? But that aside, do you think that money used to build the Can’t Park could’ve been used to pay your granny?
Lol. Distractions distractions. That tired ABLP lie alleging UPP spent 40 million to build the car park was comprehensively exploded when the ABLP itself admitted to buying the property from the Trinidadian company responsible for it’s construction.
The project used the BOOT model. Build. Own. Operate. Transfer. The investor bore the construction cost, and would have recouped their investment from parking fees.
So regrettably the is no “UPP spend” to pay granny form that. What *could* help granny is if ABLP were to stop wasting the extra 200 million more per year they enjoy in recurrent revenue. Cut pack on the travel expenditure which they doubled… commonsense things like that.
Weren’t payments ever late under the UPP? I seem to recall they were for many months on end!! What is he talking about? I hate hyprocrisy.
That being said, payments should not be late. Hoping that one day the fiscal problems in this country can be fixed. Time for ministers etc to understand we are a poor country: stop the first class flying, no more per diem (make it expense coverage only after all you are still getting our salary, hotel, food and transport paid), stop the mismanagement and theft, put all work to tender, stop bailing out friends business failures etc
Fiscal prudence is needed in this country and it’s not just a ALP problem.
Correct. Indeed the UPP had some challenges, mainly during the global recession, which affected every country in the region. While others laid off staff, not a single public servant was fired in Antigua.
What is the excuse today – “in an economic powerhouse” – when things are supposedly much better? There is No Global Economic Crisis. No CL Financial/British American crash, wiping out 300 million in savings. No Allen Stanford collapse, putting 14% of private sector workers on the breadline. No 100 USD+ per gallon fuel driving up the cost of living generally.
And let’s not forget the CIP bonanza that should have made meeting obligations easy for such a ‘competent’ administration.
ABLP collects on average 200 million dollars more per year in revenue than the UPP did. How then is it so hard for them to be on time?
I quite agree with the austerity measures you are recommending re unneeded travelling, per diem etc. Indeed fiscal prudence is something any government should be forced to pursue by and informed and vocal electorate.
Wow
This is a BIG BIG joke Damani Tabor is asking question about late PAYMENT???? Short memory. U P P is always late . Pensioners had to camp early in the morning. No wonder U P P will NEVER see Power again.
The ones that a certain former MP referred to as “RAG-TAG”?
“Always late” is perhaps good political rhetoric but factually incorrect.
Yes the UPP had some challenges, mainly during the global recession, which affected every country in the region. While others laid off staff, not a single public servant was fired in Antigua.
What is the excuse today – “in an economic powerhouse” – when things are supposedly much better? There is No Global Economic Crisis. No CL Financial/British American crash, wiping out 300 million in savings. No Allen Stanford collapse, putting 14% of private sector workers on the breadline. No 100 USD+ per gallon fuel driving up the cost of living generally.
And let’s not forget the CIP bonanza that should have made meeting obligations easy for such a ‘competent’ administration.
ABLP collects on average 200 million dollars more per year in revenue than the UPP did. How then is it so hard for them to be on time?
UPP is not running the government ABLP is. How is the government going to run a university and maintain LiAt when they can’t pay pensioners and civil servants on time? Is it that there is no money or the government doesn’t care? Noticed the PM is in Geneva and his wife in China with their entourage. Wasn’t the PM recently in Suriname? They always find the money to benefit themselves.
I wonder why this website thinks it is news worthy for us to know what Damani Tabor has on his Facebook page. He is not relevant at all. Apart from holding a mirror for him to look at the UPP time in office when it comes to late payments of Salaries and Wages and amounts owed to Social Security. That is why they had to go to the IMF. To get budgetary support.
Whatever the reason, I’m honored, really…
Fun fact: It is the Hon Prime Minister who initially recommended IMF support while in opposition. Prompted by the worst global recession in history, the program was entered, the nation survived… not a single public servant was fired, while others like Barbados sent people home.
Today however, we are told that growth is robust and the streets are flowing with milk and honey. Against that backdrop – far removed from global recession, CL financial’s crash, the massive hit we took with Stanford’s demise etc – we EXPECT on-time payment of obligations.
What are we saying? That this superhero government can’t perform when times are so good?
Tarl!
Poor you. Now you are suggestion that it was the PM in opposition that was running the country. Yes I know he recommended you start selling passport in order to get out of the fiscal hole. But the IMF is against any Labour Party’s DNA. From Papa Bird to Lester Bird to Gaston Browne. That is why we kicked them out so fast. The minute we got in office. And the entire loan, which we did not benefit from was paid by us. And paid before time. Can you imagine if we had pumped that money in our economy. The kind of growth that would have brought. And the fact that you claim that no public servant was laid of was just a matter of time, as the IMF and the World Bank had already made all the necessary arrangement. Remember the Public Sector Transformation program that was going on. $10 million dollars was invested to get that done. And it was headed by Gale Archibald from St. Lucia right out of the Finance Ministers Office, which she later had to move out to a more private office on Friars Hill Road. So do not brag about something that you guys were working to implement soonest. It was this government that chased them out of the country. Too bad Barbados does not have the kind of people in government that we have and the kind of leader to tell the IMF where to let off. Jamaica went through the very same thing. That is all IMF recipe is all about. Retrench retrench and more retrench. One size fits all. You guys cannot admit you were not up for the task to sail a ship in stormy sea. You started good with introducing PIT and getting the windfall of the Cricket World Cup. But thereafter!. Oh boy. World Economic Downturn became you guys saving grace. Everything every time you sing the same song. We took the same problems you guys had and solve them. Buying WIOC without taking a dime from the Treasury. And buying it for far less than you guys had planned. Solving the ABIB debacle without anyone losing a dime. Again one of the mess you guys created and for years didn’t know how to solve it. The Car Park. We had to buy it back, after you guys gave away the land as security for the developer. You know the list goes on and on and on. It would be better you stay quite for the next 28 years and sit watch and learn how to run a country with the little bit of tools you have at hand. And we will make it the Economic Powerhouse of the Caribbean. See how we are buying back the shares of LIAT to once again make us the largest shareholder. Something you guys gave away to Barbados so easily. Was like stealing candy from a child. That is why I call you guys INEPT.
“And the entire loan, which we did not benefit from was paid by us.” Nice try. Kindly read the following:
PRESS RELEASE
Lovell: PM Browne lied about IMF payments
On Monday, April 1, in the course of an interview with Darren Matthew-Ward on Observer Radio, Prime Minister Gaston Browne made several misleading statements, some of which were outright lies.
One such lie was that the United Progressive Party (UPP) Administration never made any payments to service the IMF loan. Another lie was that the UPP Administration was delinquent with its loan payments for nine months.
These are the facts:
1. The UPP Administration entered into a loan agreement with the IMF on June 7, 2010.
2. The total amount disbursed over a three-year period was US$101 million.
3. The repayment terms were as follows:
a) A total of eight years to repay
b) A grace period of three years where only interest is paid
c) Repayment of principal in five years commencing in September 2013
d) The rate of interest was 1.25%
e) Payments would be made quarterly in September, December, March and June.
4. In keeping with the agreement, all interest payments were made regularly and on time between 2010 and 2013.
5. Repayment of the principal began in September 2013 and further payments were made in December 2013 and March 2014.
6. The payment that was due on June 6, 2014 was not made and the IMF was informed beforehand that the payment would be approximately 10 days late. General Elections were held on June 12, 2014 and there was a change in administration.
7. It is therefore not only a contradiction, but it is an outright lie to say that no payments were made and the UPP administration was delinquent for nine months. At the time the ALP took office, one payment was six days past due.
Harold Lovell
Political Leader of the UPP &
Former Minister of Finance
I you want us to take the words of king liar above that of our esteemed Prime Minister. If wanted to be believed the least he would have done was to present the evidence to his claim. Next time spare yourself the effort and bring credible witnesses to state your case.
Continue to preach like Paul,because come 2023 and the father allows life,the UPP is going down for the third time in a row.Hope then you’ll will grasp the reality that the Party is and has been over for the UPP..
This is the hangman’s rope of a two party system.
ABLP in UPP out then an exchange UPP in ABLP out. And it is expected to carry on like that until infinitum.
How can UPP credibly complain about late payments, the very thing they were guilty of before the exchange took place.
This is a serious dilemma. One must be truly insane or lack capacity not to see the reality of this stampede wrestling match.
Is this Facebook Page Facebook verified?
It legit. Please do go ahead and follow it. Cheers
So last week the big issue was RED plastic needed to be removed in order for the country to see much better economic growth. This week it is some ramblings on Facebook that has been turned into an article? I had eggs for breakfast this morning. They were local Antiguan eggs too.
The thing is I cannot remember when last I had foreign eggs in Antigua. It went to seamless. Keep it up chicken farmers. Now we need to work on the meat production as well.
Yes go on and Shoot the messenger, let’s see if the salaries get paid early next month and the SS fiscal woes be rectified.
Wish I had known all along that all we had to do to fix the budget shortfall and bring SS payments up to date was to cuss out Damani Tabor, well I would have have done it decades ago and the University would be open by this and Friars Hill road would be a four lane highway. damn
The choir singers are firing shots today, I don’t see the choir master though, wonder what become of him. His boss must be on his case to produce results as his portfolio is performing very poorly while our neighbours are flourishing and outperforming us at every turn. Then again you never see the headline ‘Political appointee exceeds expectations and produces records growth’.
Bingo! Forget the messenger… Let’s ensure granny can live in some dignity in this powerhouse man!
Anybody knows when “jus ask KATE “ will be back…..was it cancelled for good
I feel “petty”….
#ASKING4MYSELF
I miss her too. Intriguing reads.
I think that freedom of speech is a major problem. What I don’t understand with humans they will curse to themselves and wait on someone to speak out so they can be a follower. If one speaks out about a situation First then they get backlashed from persons who vex they weren’t the one to speak out in the first instance. UPP and ALP have their faults but it’s more regular under the ALP administrative that workers are being Paid LATE. I work for government so I can speak out. I don’t back any party and I don’t take part in our elections. If the Senator decides to speak out about a problem that many of you are facing and not saying anything about just allow him to. The Present PRO for UPP is not doing a good job. HL too needs to go sit down and give a younger person the chance at leadership.
Sometimes is not about what is said, but who said it. And some people just have no moral authority to make certain comments. Especially when their hands are very very dirty of the thing they are saying. Anyone could have said it and it would have been OK. But not he. Not them. Pot calling kettle black.
Constructive criticism is always welcome.
Who gives the right to determine who should speak and who should not considering everyone knows how bias you are. We could say the same things about you.
If my hands are dirty about something and I comment on it you may use the same stick indeed to beat me. But guess what do not comment on anything that I myself am guilty of practicing. So come again. I guess it is just a fact of live.
He who is without sin cast the first stone
IMHO that hits the nail on the head. UPP needs to present a younger and more articulate public face. The DNA is eating their lunch in this regard. Damani was the best political PRO the UPP ever had and he is being wasted.
A bunch of party politics from those ABLP supporters commenting under this post. De man a try fu say the ABLP claim to have an economic powerhouse so salary naffu late.
Exactly. I couldn’t have said it better myself. Economic power house means no financial issues.
Sad bunch you guys are. You have no understanding of what it means to strive to become an economic powerhouse and while you strive to get there, there will be challenges. Not just economic challenges but also fiscal challenges. But does that means you should not strive to become an economic powerhouse. The PM never said that we are there already. It is a work in progress. And where their is no vision the people perish. In live one has to set goals and set them high enough in order to challenge yourself to greater heights. That concept seem to be too much to grasp for UPP people. They keep saying with sarcasm that we say we are an economic powerhouse. When what the PM is saying we will strive to become an economic powerhouse. And that should be the Vision and Mission Statement for every Antiguan and Barbudan that believe in the ability of their people. To do great things. No matter how small. But as I always say this government is a CAN DO government and not one that throws their hands in air when they meet stumbling blocks. Or run in the arms of the IMF.
He should not open he mouth he mussa forgot whem dem min dey ah pay people on late till bank ah put notice pan them door saying government nah pay them damani need fu sit he azz down.
I see someone got up on the wrong side of the bed.
Yes the UPP had some challenges, mainly during the global recession, which affected every country in the region. While others laid off staff, not a single public servant was fired in Antigua.
What is the excuse TODAY – “in an economic powerhouse” – when things are supposedly much better? There is No Global Economic Crisis. No CL Financial/British American crash, wiping out 300 million in savings. No Allen Stanford collapse, putting 14% of private sector workers on the breadline. No 100 USD+ per gallon fuel driving up the cost of living generally.
And let’s not forget the CIP bonanza that should have made meeting obligations easy for such a ‘competent’ administration. ABLP collects on average 200 million dollars more per year in revenue than the UPP did. How then is it so hard for them to be on time?
I see why the party kicked you to the curb after the convention. You just do NOT have what it takes to be the voice of the UPP. Cortwright a try wan ting, but Shawn Nicholas is best for that position.
DAMIAN TABOR..I AM SURPRISED THAT YOU ARE STILL DEFENDING U P P. A FEW WEEKS AGO LOVELL KICKED YOU OUT OF THE PARTY( YOU SUPPORTED RICHARD LEWIS FOR LEADERSHIP).YOU ARE NO LONGER THE PRO. WHAT THAT TELLS YOU ????. THEY DONT NEED YOU. YOU WILL BE CRITICIZING FOR NEXT 50 YEARS. THE U P P WILL NEVER SEE POWER FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS. HOW WAS THE PICKETING TODAY???
STILL ATTRACTING 20 PEOPLE ??? KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK
MR.KNIGHT FROM THE SNAKE PIT SAID THE FOLLOWING..
“THE UPP IS OLD WINE IN BROKEN BOTTLE”
DAMIAN TABOR…JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY…ARE THE PERSONS IN THE ABOVE PHOTO WILL BE CONTESTING THE SEATS FOR THE 2020 ELECTION FOR THE U P P ? IF THIS IS THE SLATE WILL I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOOMED FOR FAILURE.
ON THE OTHER HAND …ARE YOU STILL SUPPORTING RICHARD LEWIS ? I BELIEVE THAT RICHARD WILL BE A GOOD CANDIDATE TO LEAD THE U P P IN 2045. THE PROBLEM WITH THE UPP TOO MANY UNTRUSTWORTHY PERSONS IN THE TOP POSITIONS. YOU GUYS LEFT JAMAL PRINGLE IN THE COLD. HE IS TRYING BUT NEEDS SOME TRAINING BEFORE HE IS BOOTED IN THE NEXT ELECTION. JUST GIVING SOME ADVICE WITHOUT CHARGE. TAKE HEED U P P. YOU WILL HAVE A BETTER SHOWING IN 2045. LOVELL WILL NEVER WIN HIS SEAT EVER.
ANR needs to correct the caption under the photo accompanying the article. The PRO is Mr. Marshall from St.Mary’s South. The boy with the foreign accent no longer holds that post.
He betrayed Harold Lovell and Gisele Isaac when he voted for the man who pretended to be poor, but earned millions from content creation for textbooks.
YOU ARE CORRECT ANR.
Damian Tabor u have plenty time on your hands fu answer every comment with these book length ramblings. Damian Tabor ya done wit. Lovell gave u the ‘Joanne Massiah’ treatment. U dare go aganist Lovell and Gisele and now ah look fu get back in them good graces. Damian Tabor go beg Joanne pardon maybe she might forgive u and ten u in. Lmao………..
There are persons in Antigua that get their pensions late every month.It is a very good thing that I have the where it all to support them financially.Or else they would be sucking salt monthly.That is rather an unfair situation.To put those who have toiled for the country to be treated so poorly.Do the Ministers in Government get their salaries late in any given month?I would think not.It is all of self rich men and not even crumbs for those poor pensioners.Darn shameful.
You do NOT mess with Harold Lovell and get away with it. He will be sure to teach you a lesson fu nah RAMP WIT HE. Joanne learned the bitter, hard, belly-bawling way. Just you wait and see. Driftwood, Lamin and the driving-school instructor is next in line for punishment.
That is not just Harold. That is how the UPP operate. No wonder people cannot stay in the party for long. There is no room for different thinkers. You have to tow the party line. And these guys want to say Gaston is a dictator. Give me a break.
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