Owen “Gouging” Attack on Entertainment
I could not believe my eyes when I read the attack leveled at our entertainment industry by our Minister of Culture and Prime Minister Owen Arthur. It was like being hit in my entertainment face with a piece of “hardwood”.
The article quoted PM Arthur lamenting the fact that despite him removing duties on local CDs they still retail at stores for $49 in Barbados while he can purchase the same CDs for U.S $12 in New York.
It is these kind of reckless statements that encourage piracy by giving the impression that local entertainers are ripping off the public on cost of legitimate CDs. Owen is basically accusing entertainers of “price gouging” by not passing on savings to customers and is promising “anti gouging” legislation to deal with our asses when he gets back in.
PM obviously forgot that cute little government tax nick named VAT aka Value Added Tax. The Government adds on 15% vat when calypsonians collect CDs from the manufacturer and then Government adds on 15% again on retail selling price to customers.
So that means a whopping 30 % of the price of a legitimate CD is government vat. Therefore Boyce Voice agrees with the PM the price is too high and should be drastically reduced by taking VAT off CDs like entertainers have been asking for years.
The PM also forgot the meeting between his Ministry of Finance and record shop retailers back in 2000 where the selling price of local CDs were agreed on with Government. Since then the cost of living and CD production cost has gone up but CD retail prices have remained the same.
Why is the PM attacking entertainers at election time anyway, is he trying to beat our votes out of us? I blame Bajan comedians Mac Fingall and Trevor Eastmond though. That is what you get for cracking so much “vagina-biting” jokes….
The PM should focus on the fact that there is more than just price gouging going on, some people are gouging other things and biting them right out too. If Owen gets back in he also needs to set up some “Anti Biting Legislation”.
If during the reading of this blog there is any thing I might have written which might have incensed or offended you, GET OVER IT! There are many things I read and hear in the media on a daily basis that I don't like either. SO DEAL WITH IT! You are welcome to leave your comments though. Make sure and come back yuh hear !!!...
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January 6th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I like uhm!!!!!!!!!! LOL
January 6th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
So ahm.
Whuh Tomppy he gine do?
Entertainers like they cut he wires!
Testin 1 ,2 ?
January 6th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
no
testing
1, 3
you did not read Peter’s post on this
January 6th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Yes wunna entertainers is a bunch of price goughisters. Owen needs to stop you in your tracks, when he gets back in he should ban you all from making music for cropover…no music no price goughing
Wait though…this is the same Owen that is the PM of a country which in 2008 still only got one TV station which is owened.. sorry OWNED (pardon my spelling) by the guvment? last time I checked them things used to only happen in communist cunttrees, and he talking bout the price of a CD in America? he should find out how much it does cost to make a CD in America first. Bajans don’t eat CDs, instead of talking $hyte he should be talking bout price gouging in de supermarkets.
January 7th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
What is going on with all this talk about biting in Barbados? I read about the PM wanting to sink his teeth into David Thompson and how he couldn’t wait. This was in reference to the upcoming – now cancelled- leaders debates. I guess somebody realize that the biting must stop.
Anti Bite Legislations
A scary thing fah me
Nuisance tax on a CD
This is what yah mean? But I don’t eat them
I cud nevah bite into such a gem
But this cyan be it, wha yah talking bout?
I cud nevah put a CD up in me mout
There must be more to this propose tax
Everybody in Bim already paying the max
Legislation now to be added on all kinds of bites
Encompasses a whole lot more than just dog fights
Got tah tax everybody from the tiny babies
Incising into the nipples of their mummies
Some growing up without shaking the habit
Loosing their teeth on parts more private
And what about me biting my nails
This means manicurists gun get more sales
I don’t know if I can agree
On any legislation to curb this biting frenzy
No, don’t include me, but make no mistake
Some biting got to be band fah goodness sake
January 8th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I hope wunnah put wunnah x part wunna mouts is
January 9th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Another point is that the CD retail outlets in Barbados put 75 – 100% ‘mark up’ which makes the pricing less competitive. It really is shite that these retail stores can make just as much money as an artist on a CD. However the cd is becoming a thing of the past and all music will be purchased online…
January 11th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
when colin spencer win his seat things will be better for entertainers and musicians
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:16 pm
As the results of the polls decleared on the 16th of January 2008……….. . Somebody should’ve asked Owen then how much was for an “Unbreakable” in New York too HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!