Ventilators Destined for Barbados Seized by United States

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Caribbean National Weekly


April 5, 2020

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Barbados’ Health Minister Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic has sought to assure the country that there is no shortage of ventilators despite the fact that a shipment of ventilators destined for the island from the United States were recently seized.

Bostic, who was speaking during a press conference on Sunday revealed that the ventilators donated to the Barbados Government as an act of philanthropy were barred from exportation.

“They were seized in the United States. Paid for, but seized, so we are trying to see exactly what is going to transpire there.”

The Health Minister added that ventilators are one of the most in-demand items in the world today and “Barbados is merely wrestling with the other 203 countries and territories around the world seeking to secure as many of these pieces of equipment as possible.”


Read more: https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/ventilators-destined-for-barbados-seized-by-united-states/

[Arkansas Granny]

1. Is this modern day piracy? I've read several reports today of medical equipment

procured by various states being procured by the feds, re-routed or sold to a higher bidder.

[DENVERPOPS]

9. Exactly AG

The Virus has produced opportunities galore for Major Grifting......Trump's specialty.............
Trump's Spawn have been working non stop, 24/7 to play rape and run on the American People, and on other countries.......
It is an endless, corrupt tactic to capture all the profits for himself, his family, his Corporation and for other corporations across the land.

The hell with calling us the U.S.A............It is now U.C.A......United Corporations of America.
The Republican Party has conquered our Democracy and installed a Corporate Fascist Tyranny, and the sooner more people realize this, the better.......Hell the Trumphumpers can't even spell the word Tyranny or Fascist, let alone know what the words mean.

At some point, you would think that they would suddenly wake up after getting royally screwed by Trump and the Republican Party, and realize that they have been the target of a con man and the Trump Republican Party. When they finally realize that they have been scammed personally by the biggest con man ever, my hopes are that they will tend to get really really angry and lash out.

But as they constantly watch Fox News, and listen to Right Wing Limbaugh type stations as their only news sites, they will continue to be brainwashed as they are now...........and nothing will interrupt their Trumphumping adoration and worshipping of old Lardass.

Short of some miracle, WASF..........

[CrispyQ]

15. +1

A lot of them have the same character flaw the Con has—they can never admit when they're wrong. In fact many of them will double down.

[cstanleytech]

17. Yes but its legal because when a state of emergency has been declared the government

is granted broader powers until the issue has been resolved which means that yes they can seize property that is within the US like this.
They have to generally reimburse the people later though if I recall but they can do it.
As for them seizing medical equipment with the intent to resell it for a profit that is as of now still a rumor though it would not surprise me if some have done that.

[James48]

2. We need armed guards

To keep their merchandise safe in transit.

[quakerboy]

3. Which group of "armed guards"

Will deny the whichever US government department decided to seize these.

[James48]

4. Another group of US government guards.

[christx30]

5. Sometimes governments need to be told "no".

They don't have the right to steal things. They can bid and buy like everyone else.

[C Moon]

6. Only to make Trump look good and probably to make money, as well.

[stopdiggin]

7. unfortunately, this action will be met with ringing endorsement

in certain quarters (including some here on DU)

[Judi Lynn]

10. Always so odd seeing that anywhere, but here, it's so unlikely, like a sock in a punch bowl.

Ethics! Either you've got them or you're not a Democrat.

We do get the occasional imposter, don't we?

[stopdiggin]

28. I'm trying to make allowances for

people being stressed .. and scared .. and perhaps not exercising their best judgement during such times. On the other hand .. what I suspect to be the larger truth .. is that authoritarianism is a lot more popular than many of us would like to believe, or acknowledge.

(and, yes .. also clearly have a certain number of "posers" lurking around)
(but .. we're a "big tent", right?)

[ananda]

8. We are a horrible country right now.

The USA is pirating aid shipments to other countries. It pirated several to Europe, and recently to Cuba and Barbados. We are a horrible country right now! Trump and minions are monsters more worried about profiteering and extortion than lives.

[Judi Lynn]

11. Makes you want to sing the "Star Spangled Banner" repeatedly, doesn't it? n/t

[NoRoadUntravelled]

21. Yes. But I'd have to be down on one knee to do it. Not just for US but for the world.

[Judi Lynn]

29. That would work! Welcome to D.U., NoRoadUntravelled.

[NoRoadUntravelled]

30. Thanks!

So glad to have found you all.

[SheltieLover]

12. And pirating shipments to our own states as well.

Article posted above about PPE confisgated which was destined for Wyoming. WTF? 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

[ashredux]

13. It is simple....FOLLOW THE MONEY

[mackdaddy]

14. I would be OK with controlling shipments of critical items, IF

we has a sane and fair policy and implementation of a plan on how to identify and allocate them.

The "free market" becomes a "free for all" of graft and inequality during a true health emergency like this crisis.

It does not make sense to be exporting crucially needed items like this when we are tens of thousands short ourselves. These are now life and death decisions on who gets these, and when which will result is decisions on who will live and who will die.


Of course with the current Mal-administration running things, we can expect the most unfair and stupid outcomes possible.

[Igel]

16. Update

https://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/244846/bostic-ventilators-seized

MINISTER of Health and Wellness Jeffrey Bostic said that ventilators bound for Barbados were not seized.

During an online press conference on April 5, he had said that 20 of the much sought after breathing aparatuses which had been bought by a philanthropist, had been seized by American authorities.
However, he later told the DAILY NATION “seize” might not have been the correct word since he had “a bit more information”.

“It has to do with export restrictions being placed on certain items,” he said.
Bostic said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had stated that the United States Embassy was trying to assist in getting them here, adding discussions were ongoing. (AC)

I assume that just means we can ventilate about a different aspect of the story.

[Laelth]

26. That's still a seizure. n/t

-Laelth

[Marthe48]

18. I hope every other country resorts to smuggling supplies

Every person in every country who dies for lack of the equipment and gear die because of traitor and his evil family. Get them the hell out! Now!

This is piracy, theft, graft, and evil.

In case anyone thinks that traitor stealing respirators and you think you might get a 5 finger discount, even if you do, if you go on a respirator because of covid-19, you don't have much chance of surviving. If you are a traitor supporting p.o.s with the stereotypical traits of a traitor-humper, don't even bother getting in line. Just prepare to meet your Maker. Here's a 1 finger salute from me to you.

[melm00se]

19. The other day Gov Cuomo basically said

that he was going to do the exact same thing from places, companies and facilities.

How is this any different?

[stopdiggin]

24. in fact there might not be much

and, on the other hand, there might. We'd have to drill down on the specifics and legal powers involved in each case. And the reporting is woefully short of those things. But I think it is a good idea that at least some citizens are calling out extra-judicial powers for what they are. And .. flip side .. you notice that at lot of citizens (here and elsewhere) .. really aren't bothered all that much at all .. Curious, huh?

[sarisataka]

20. Wasn't it Friday

That there were discussions about medical supplies being exported? Such practice was vigorously opposed due to the need for supplies with the US.

Is my memory in error or is this different somehow?

[Calista241]

22. Yep, here and on the MSM.

I mean, did anyone not have an idea what would happen when the DPA was invoked? We were encouraging this behavior, and berating the Administration for not doing it, right up until it actually happened.

[stopdiggin]

25. gosh darn it. there you go with

logic and reason again.
"Well .. of course we didn't mean that ..."
Sigh.

[Mersky]

23. Because tRump doesn't take his job seriously more people will die than otherwise would have

He cannot keep competent people under his employ, because they tell him things that don’t fit with his corrupt whims. The result is a total lack of planning for the inevitable.

If he’d cared to conserve and deploy resources early, used testing and contact tracing swiftly and comprehensively, then ugly seizure of medical equipment out from under his own states or other countries would not have happened. Sharing resources with other countries in a methodical and reasonable way isn’t just ethically sound, it is the way to fight a global pandemic.

But no, his administration is wasteful. They’ve wasted time and resources ultimately leading to excessive loss of life that will prolong the damage caused by the virus.

[Iliyah]

27. Germany and France and now . . .

Barbados . .

WTF is wrong with this administration.