

Burger King opened in Sky Mall (Barbados)

Burger King opened in Sky Mall (Barbados)

The news this week that fast food restaurant Burger King had to pull ‘beef burgers’ from its UK outlets which were supplied by an Irish vender has alarmed many Barbadians. Why you ask? Burger King recently opened its doors at Sky Mall formerly Mall Internationale in Barbados. It is a bold move by Bizzy Williams the principal investo given the view that Barbadians are not regarded as burger lovers. Perhaps he is banking on the fact that Bajans have moved on from the McDonalds experience. Nothing wrong with eating horse meat though, the issue like most things nowadays is it is all about the lack of business ethics and public trust. If you say you are selling beef burgers how the hell does it translate to HORSE MEAT? Let us hope that the carcasses of some of those retired horses owned by Bizzy’s brother do not make it into the kitchen of Burger King Barbados.

What has provoked the interest of BU about the coming of Burger King is a statement made by President of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce Lalu Vaswani at the renaming of Sky Mall which coincided with the opening of Burger King:

“… Barbados’ food and beverage and agricultural sectors can greatly benefit from the opportunity to secure long-term supply partnerships with franchises. Equally, it is in the economic interest of franchises to ensure a viable local supply chain, since reinvesting in the local economy promotes economic growth and consumer demand,” he said. (Barbados Advocate – 1/28/2013)

It is a free country and as Vaswani also indicated in his statement, the protective duty period is expected to expire within two years, it will not matter two hoots who Barbadians want to come to our shores to do business, neither goods and services. However, should the current state of things not offend Barbadians and cause us to question a growing penchant for junk food? We are an educated people but here it is the figurehead of the captains of industry is reported to be so lavish in his praise of a fast food restaurant setting up in Barbados.

Are we forgetting that Barbados is still fondly referred to as the ‘Amputation Capital’ of the world? And this is despite the political rhetoric coming from Minister of Health Donville Inniss. Why the hell do we have to jump on the bandwagon by welcoming Burger King to Barbados and in the process give further opportunity to deepen our reputation as the Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) domicile of the world? When our leaders appear to be so accommodating does it not serve to seal a questionable belief by the public that junk food is good?

To the President of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce Lalu Vaswani: what good is Burger King establishing in Barbados if any gains to the local economy are quickly eroded by a rising healthcare expense?

No wonder Bushie is frustrated!

The same logic is extended to questioning the several concessions which this government disgorged to Cost-U-Less, a company which is a retailer and an avarice consumer of scare foreign exchange. Was an impact assessment done before giving permission to Cost-U-Less to setup here? Now tell us why spend billions in educating our people and this is where we find ourselves?

It is the silly season and therefore the sentiments expressed above will be happily be spun by the politicos.

95 responses to “Burger King's Equine Burgers, Non-Communicable Diseases and the Coming of Cost-U-Less

  1. Ah boy, David holding the FOREX line … Refreshing!

  2. @Baffy

    It is the silly season so who cares!

    We eat ourselves to death or if we are lucky become chronic disease sufferers but guess what? Taxpayers in the form of government is there to pick up the tab read ‘free healthcare’.

  3. Does Cheffette not sell burgers, french fries, milk shakes, ice cream etc KFC sells fries and deep fried chicken etc You can go anywhere in Barbados and eat foods which are good or bad for you…. So either you are saying Burger King will have some hypnotic effect on the people who have good eating habits and like the Pied Pipers children form a line to the door , or it is what has been said in this forum in the past, Bajans dont like to see others try and succeed. Get your kick in early (horsemeat) create a negative spin so when it fails you can pat yourself on the back and say you knew from the beginning it would not work.It is amazing anyone wants to invest or try a new business on the island .But you can always look on the bright side the way things are going only tourists will be able to eat there anyway….
    Amputation capital of the world not surprised when I get home I cant even look at sugar, everything in Barbados seems sweeter than at home the coke, the milk the juices the fruit everything

  4. Bajans have been eating horse meat for a long long time . I remember in the 70′s when a couple horses fell and broke their legs at the Garrison and had to be put down. Men came with cutlasses and knives and carved up the horses and took home the meat. The Turf Club had to ban them after that when horses fell and broke their leg. So this talk about horse meat eating in Bim is not new. No one is forcing people to go into Burger King. It is just that the pie eaters have another place to try out from the same pie.

  5. @lawson

    What an amazing interpretation of what was written!

  6. @ David
    …..because we are clearly an island full of of brass bowls.

    @ David
    “No wonder Bushie is frustrated”
    “Frustrated” is the nice way of putting it…
    …..Is there a more succinct way of describing the feeling one has when one is forced to watch loved family and friends run happily towards a steep cliff which is littered with jagged rocks and sharp objects at the base?
    ……what word describes the feeling of hopelessness experienced when, dispite all the warnings and pleadings, these lovable brass bowls continue towards their doom?
    …..how do you articulate the agony of seeing expensively educated brass bowls who, in the year 2013, would turn to outsiders to supply them with “meat cutters”? (Something that ‘Rita’, of the now famous “cane field background”, did routinely back in the 1960′s)…..
    …..to take over and run their 100 year old electric company
    …..to manage their sugar industry
    …..to run their hotels, companies, Chamber of Commerce (…say he name Wuh??? Lalu Vaswani????)

    Some shoite got to be wrong wid we….
    Bushie strongly feel that Bajans “drinking something that they should be rubbing wid……” which is why the bushman sticks to bush tea…. :)

    …as for the nauseating political pundits, they like they EATING something that they should be flushing….

  7. Caswell Franklyn


    When are you going to understand that the concessions to Cost U Less had nothing to do with bringing down prices? There was no impact assessment: the only consideration was the amount of money needed for the DLP’s campaign.

    As for Burger King, that would soon be exiting this country. This is an attempt to further Americanise this country that will fail because the average Bajan can’t afford their prices. In addition, we don’t have a burger-eating tradition.

  8. Now if Burger King come with pork bugers, pulled pork, baby back ribs, just maybe they might last longer than their pal MacDonald.

  9. Barbadians are here for one reason … They are educated in this outmoded dilapidated system for one reason … They are entertained by elite professionals for one reason … They are wooed by private/public sector collaboration arguments for one reason … Barbadians were afforded the privilege of life for the sole reason that is to Consume.

  10. @islandgal

    The blog post never advocated NOT to eat horse meat. What it clearly stated is that if you advertise beef burgers then the ethical thing to do is to sell beef burgers.

  11. @Bushie

    Feeling your pain.

    About Lalu, he use to own a manufacturing concern in the early 80s in Barbados but he found his business could be sustained by entering wholesale/retail much to the chagrin of Baffy.

  12. millertheanunnaki

    How come Burger King (B K) can come to Barbados and open a meat shop just so but “CHEFETTE” that has been around since the 70′s can’t expand its wings not even to St. Lucia, St. Vincent or T&T?

    Does anyone know if the burger meat is going to be sourced locally or is it going to be imported from Ireland or USA from genetically modified animals?

    Now that the local dairy industry is on its last knees can’t some of the animals be slaughtered and kept frozen like the lamb imported from New Zealand for turning into beef patties to be sold to the local franchise of B K?

    After all, Bizzy Williams ain’t got a brother called COW for nothing!

  13. David you would know better than I, running a forum, how a few words can take on a life of there own triggering a massive backlash.People not even reading the story will say they heard Burger King sells horsemeat. Your worried about junk food, yet every indicator points more to the rum and the cigarettes they sell (that taste like they were made from old packing crates ) on the island.When you can go into a rum shop in every area buy a bottle of rum for less than it costs me for one drink at home it is a problem far larger than junk food. .. You see an interloper BK coming to Barbados selling unhealthy fast foods I see the same smart people you talked about embracing the inevitable of new businesess coming, getting a piece of the action in the way of employment and still being able to make those healthy meal choices. Now you may be able to get a philly-mignon steak on the island instead of clod.

  14. millertheanunnaki

    The government’s (under both B & D administrations) has a absolutely paradoxical and hypocritical position on the health of the nation and Renewable Energy and sustainable lving. A classic case of “Do as we say and not as we Practise”.

    Here is a set of so-called educated liberated politicians from both side of the fictitious divide engaging in the ‘black’ arts of subterfuge and psychological manipulation of the mis-educated simplistic intellectually poor Bajan masses.
    On the one hand we have a government expressing major concerns, making policy statements and spending hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money trying to come to grips with malignant scourge of NCD’s with dire warnings of national catastrophe resulting from poor dietary habits and lack of exercise with Mara Thompson and Donville Inniss the current official town criers for a healthier lifestyle.

    On the other hand we see a government in consistently crass hypocrisy encouraging the same stupid masses to gorge themselves with imported, GM-based, processed nutrient-poor food more akin to cooked cardboard just for the sake of so-called short-term foreign investment and whose associated forex will disappear before the first customer can shit out the crap digested the week before.

    When is the government (either party) going to do something real meaningful and impose a “FAT” TAX on these establishments equivalent to slow death fat chambers? Why not treat them like cigarettes and tax them to the hilt unless they sell healthier food?

    Same thing goes for RE. Talking out of one side of their mouths about greening the economy but here we have a massive housing project at Valerie that has no RE options for the potential residents.
    Is the Boabab Towers offices complex RE-configured? Just asking?

    When is the ML &MP fleet of vehicles assigned to senior public sector officials and messengers going to be converted to use hybrid fuels with lower engine capacities to suit our road network and reflect more affordable sustainable living by our government?

  15. David

    “Chagrin” does not even come close … HA HA HA

  16. Inniss and Thompson, spewing healthy lifestyles and over burdened health care system, while government encourages fast food businesses that are always being sued for promoting ill health, to enter the island. Is anyone surprised??? Chefette is owned by Trinis, but are unable to open a restaurant there, has anyone asked why???

  17. Fruit and vegetables.
    Fast food is just another method of population control. You eat it often you die sooner.

    But Barbadians have a more serious problem. A regular diet of rice, macaroni pie,chicken and pork will also kill you but it taste so good.
    Bajans need to change their diet to include fruit and vegetables daily and they need to exercise.

    Then there is the excessive use of Sugar and Salt.

  18. Have you all noticed that two of the richest men in Barbados are thin. Cow and Bizzy should let us know what they eating.

  19. Take a look at our parliamentarians.H ow many of them look healthy? Some of them are sending the message that obesity is ok.

  20. Hants let them politicians kill themselves it will make room for younger and more intelligent ones.

  21. Is it correct to state that fast food outlets in N.America and Europe have to disclose the ingredient mix?

  22. http://www1.mcdonalds.ca/NutritionCalculator/NutritionFactsEN.pdf

    BUT there is this” opinion”

    ???????? and several other chains recently stopped using the “pink slime” in their beef. But the vast majority of fast food beef comes from CAFO (concentrated agricultural feeding operation) cows. Not only is this horrible for the animals and the environment, but eating meat from sick animals will only make you sick. Eat a ???????? hamburger and you might be getting a mouth full of antibiotics, hormones, and dangerous bacteria.

    In North America we rely on the various Health safety agencies to police the food supply.

  23. @ David
    What is the alarmist drivel about Bizzy potentially selling horse meat? If some smart alecky Irish outfit sells horse meat under the guise of Beef to the English perhaps they were getting back at the British but it doesn’t translate into horse meat being on the menu in Bim. I am surprised that Burger outfits are doing well in Britain as the Brits shied away from eating Beef or by products after the outbreak of mad cow disease there.

    BTW is there some prohibition against selling or trading in horsemeat in Bim? I spy an opportunity, sometime ago OOB posted something about the carnage of retired race horses on the road so I will be killing two birds with one stone (a) providing people with an extra source of protein and (b) taking those horses off their owners’ hands when they are no longer useful, I haven’t even mentioned the potential spin offs e.g. providing employment in my horse meat diner.

    Bajans keep telling themselves that they are the smartest people in the world but yet some here think that they are unable to make sensible decisions for themselves, some people seem to want a nanny state where the Gov’t puts out your plate and say “eat this it’s good for you”.

  24. Rich people especially catholic ones stay very slim becuase they eat fish on fridays and feed on everyone else the rest of the week

  25. millertheanunnaki

    @ Sargeant | February 3, 2013 at 11:50 AM |

    I must agree with you that horsemeat would be a much healthier alternative as a source of lean protein than pig, cow or sheep. Just look at the slimmer healthier French people compared to their American or British counterparts.

    What is upsetting that the African snail has been demonized and on the brink of extinction like the sugar cane plant.
    How could black Bajans treat their fellow African species so? Imagine there is a potentially large market for the raising, production, processing of ‘escargot africain à la Barbadienne” for local consumption and export and the government promotes its wanton destruction and extinction thereby turning its back on such an agribusiness venture.
    By refusing to offer start-up incentives (similar to Cost-U-Less now but More later) that can lead to large forex earnings from the French West Indies, Europe, West Africa their ancestral home and even Quebec with you becoming an enterprising distributor for francophone Canada it has gone totally contrary to its publicly acclaimed policy of economic empowerment of the black (African) man and his pesky pest of a pal that made the same trip on the same slave trip just like his green monkey brothers.

  26. Owen Arthur must be complimented for his skill in MISPRONUNCIATION of words.

    He said last night in Haggatt Hall :



    # His leadership is proven…that should have been PRISON !

    That happens because of too much RUM…….between his tongue and the roof of his mouth .

  27. @Sargeant

    In response to you tongue and cheek the point about horse meat and Burger King is not about edibility but the need for consumer disclosure.

    Not to worry though, the Nation newspaper is happy about the full page ad today pushing the ‘Whopper’. It is all about dollars isn’t it.

    @lawson do you believe at some point if the NCDs number continues Northbound that intervention is a must? Or should we (government/NGOs/leaders) do nothing?

  28. ! on February 2, 2013 at 9:38 AM
    Hi BU fans,

    I was presently surprised to find that Barbados is the home to GRIZZLY BEARS.

    Please go to page 6 of the Barbados Advocate for the 1st February, 2013.

    You will see a BIG FACE one……actually talking to human beings !

    Truly amazing !!!

    Hi David ,

    I saw that post above by a fellow blogger. And was quite surprised about the growth of the animal species type in Barbados.

    However, today lo and behold I look at page 37 A of the Sunday Sun and see the same damn animal threatening to harm our PM of Barbados.

    Please call the RSPCA and sedate that animal !

  29. David I am sorry I do not understand the abbreviations could you lengthen them please

  30. @Lawson

    NCDs – Noncommunicable diseases

    NGOs – Non Governmental Organisations

  31. just right for this silly season ….. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgWrWFHCXL0

  32. this i time for bunning them wid my vote….. too long ah sufferin….. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ScLFqhHXwQ

  33. we as a people on this planet are living longer today than at any point in human history,A lot of it is medicines, but I believe that people in general today are more aware of what they are eating.In my own home because I worked two professions and my wife one fast food became a way of life because there seemed to be no time or inclination to cook. My kids are all strong and healthy but as they have gotten older they are the ones that are forcing me to change It is pressure from this new generation that has made us cook more at home watch salt intake and relax a bit.So I have faith in the new generation having. it right about health and appearance and taking care of their bodies Lets face it when all the girls and guys want to look like hollywood stars they dont mean Lisa Lampanelli and Fatty Arbuckle .Now to answer your question In NY Bloomberg has banned large drinks , people can just buy 2 small ones what sense does it make. I will give smoking for an example, yes the govt banned it in certain areas and forced manufacturers to post warnings, but only after people had the information and dangers they were doing to themselves , chose to stop and elected people who were like minded ..Govt and any leader are responsible to the people they serve and protect to provide all the information good and bad so people can make an informed discision and with the mandate of the majority of people bring in laws to bring about change.but in a way sensitive to the needs of the minority .

  34. for the wise in baje land …..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUmt21TqHw4 ……

    a classic from ’89 rpb….

    another classic ……

  35. @willie

    Please note BU pasted your links into one comment. Also secure URLS will note capture the video, must be http.

  36. I read most of the comments and had to laugh. The first thing that came to mind was the mad cow disease that got so much publicity all over the world.

    I think it is up to Barbados government to inspect all imported items upon entry into the country before dispersing to merchants. People hearing or reading stories which in some way might affect them, I think it would give them piece of mind knowing that their government re-inspects products, especially edible that arrive on its shores.

    There is nothing wrong eating a burger or other items from the fast food eateries once in a while. My doctor and a nutritionist once told me that we just need to control the frequency and the portions; that nothing in moderation kills. A few months ago, I heard it on TV that fruit which many people rave about as healthy eating could cause health problems, especially for those with diabetes if we eat too much of it because of its natural sugar content.

    The older generation grew up eating and drinking almost everything in sight. They did not consider the starch in the provisions, the rice, etc., or the sugar in the fruits, the sweet drinks, or even the mauby and gingerbeer they made.

    No matter where we get it, if we are to stop using most of what we eat and drink, instead of limiting ourselves to the amount of our intake, we would starve because they wouldn’t be much left to eat or drink, if anything. My grandmothers, both of them died in their 90’s from old age. They ate and drank any and everything that was fit for human consumption. They use to buy and grind their own horse meat and make patties. I doubt they give thought to whether the horse was found dead and then sold or slaughtered for sale.

    Another thing, back then, many of those old folks did not cut the fat off any meat – they ate it all. I remember my grandmother saying the fat was to grease her joints.

    I alternate going to different fast food eateries and pay a special visit occasionally. I’m not fat or obese. As far as I know, since my last yearly checkup, I’m in good health at my age. We need to realize that everyone metabolism is different. What my stomach maybe able to tolerate and digest is not the same for everybody. So we shouldn’t blame fast food for the things they sell.

    Burger King may put pounds on you and not an ounce on me. Let us not paint everyone with the same brush.

  37. @Candid,

    The old people ate what they could afford and grow but they also got plenty exercise.
    They walked everywhere and did manual labour. That may have contributed to their longevity.

    I have no problem with Burger King in Barbados because ultimately it is up to Bajans to decide what is good for them.

    David through Dr.Georgie Porgie tried to assist us in earlier blogs about health issues.

  38. @Hants
    Saw a story about one of your alumni in TO who will be spreading his expertise back to the Caribbean.


  39. @ Sargeant

    It would be more poignant to have written one of Dr.Georgie Porgie’s alumni.

    I don’t want to perceived as a “high achiever” like those fellas.

    Good to see a Bajan specialist helping Bajan children.

  40. Georgie Porgie

    Victor Blanchette is the son of the chap that owned[owns] Barbados Hardware at the Corner of Swan St and ………….He used to run the 8oo m and mile for HC until beaten by Pedro Hinds of CP in 65 or 66.

  41. Colonel Buggy

    We have had a burger King, in Barbados for many many years now. Sadly these days he finds work as a security guard. He was the man who for years turned out those grand tasting hamburgers , at Dougees, which was situated near the side entrance to the Cathedral on St Michael’s Row. Chefette, KFC, Mc Donalds and now Burger King, cannot produce burgers as tasty as this individual can. What was his downfall ? not the lack of clientele, but the unscrupulous landlord who raised the rent astronomically. A very familiar thing.

  42. Colonel I remember Doughies they had the best ice cream too. Was the landlord a black man?

  43. GP
    I recall that race that’s why I knew he was a Kolig boy, CP upset the order of things that year I think they also had Ezra Burnham and one or two others that I can’t recall was there a Cadogan also? Here is a more complete profile.


  44. Colonel Buggy

    Horse meat is a delicacy in Germany and they ate it raw. A colleague of mine was invited to dinner at his future in-laws, and after eating, in passing, he enquired if the horse meat thing was really true. To which he was told that he had just eaten some.

  45. Colonel Buggy

    islandgal246 | February 3, 2013 at 5:56 PM |
    The 7up Float was great. No , I do not think the landlord was.

  46. @Colonel Buggy

    Memory plays tricks on you so I can’t say if Dougies Burgers were as tasty as you remember but to this immature palate who only got to town on rare occasions (like Inter School sports) they were a slice of heaven. There was also a competitor called “Jeffs” a bit further up the street.

  47. @Colonel Buggy
    Maybe Bizzy can contract the Doughie’s man to add a “Dougies Bajan Burger…the DBB” to the Burger King Menu.

    Work with me fellas.

    A few years ago I tried a fish sandwich at a KFC in barbados and it was surprisingly good. Had a few on subsequent visits.

  48. One of the bonuses of going to Kolij.

  49. The problem with Bajan black people is that they give up too quickly when they encounter a roadblock. In those days of Doughies he probably didn’t have the backup and support to continue at another location.

    A classic case was Champers, the lady was renting from some people of indian descent. They were located in Hastings just below Kentucky. The landlord saw how well the lady was doing told her that he wanted to buy into her business she told him no and with that the rent was increased. The lady went in search of another venue and found one. The other stumbling block was that the bank did not want to give her the money unless she had he husband sign with her. Well she got the money and went ahead and bought the present property for around a million dollars and she hit the ground running. Today she owns prime ocean front property and is doing well. The former landlord in the location is not doing to well. Sometimes we have to take the plunge and get our clothes wet.



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