He had made the purchase without telling anyone in advance. He knew he would have to explain to McCarthy why and how he had managed to buy such a large television once she got home that evening. He decided to make up a story that he’d won some money playing Betto, a local lottery game. McCarthy knew him to play Betto regularly, so would most likely not disbelieve and be happy for him. She would ask him how much he had won and he would say $2,700. The television was on special, so he’d gotten it for $1,400. A good and creditable story, he’d thought to himself. He decided to give her $300 as well.
The man’s vehicle was captured by one of the CCTV cameras located on a Government building’s roof across the street. The camera had been set up to capture traffic flows up and down the busy Fontabelle area and vehicles approaching and exiting the front of the Government building. But during the regular sweeps of the area, the CCTV camera also captured ongoing activity on the premises of the appliance store’s warehouse across the road.
To the man’s dismay, there was no help with collecting or placing his purchased item into the back of his vehicle. Eventually, he managed to complete the task using a wheelbarrow that he had borrowed from one of the store’s workers.
Returning to his vehicle, it appeared as if the man might have injured himself in the process. If not, was a previous injury the reason for his limp? Was not one leg shorter than the other one? During his exertions, he was oblivious to the CCTV camera across the road capturing his every movement.
As he drove away, the man thought none of his fellow Pressure Group members would ever need to know what he’d just done. None of them had ever been to his house. Nor did he plan to invite them either. Business and pleasure did not mix. Anyway, he wanted to keep them well away from McCarthy.
***
Around 1:35 p.m., Wharton left his house and headed towards his vehicle. It was that time of day when, three times-a-week, he visited his seventy-five-year-old mother’s residence in rural St John.
“Stabs ma boy, see you when I return,” said Wharton.
“Sure. I’ll be here. Have a good trip,” responded Power.
“Should be back around 3:30 p.m., latest. I hope you get through with your ongoing collection effort. Don’t rub that man Castille up the wrong way. Have whatever he wants ready for him when he turns up in…under four hours, right?”
“Look man, I think I got it covered.”
“Thanks! Be jolly now.”
With that, Wharton gunned the engine and steered his vehicle onto the road to start his journey.
Wharton had earlier picked up the two daily newspapers for his mother who loved to read them in the afternoon. He also decided that he would purchase some cou cou and steamed flying fish to take for her from Boyd’s Shop. The shop was at the end of the street where his mother lived, so the meal would still be hot.
Wharton disliked having the smell of food in his vehicle for even a short period of time. His mother loved cooked food, “Not the fast-food rubbish being sold all over the country,” she’d often told him. She particularly loved ‘soft’ food, soup, mashed potatoes and of course cou cou since she had started to lose her teeth about five years ago. She disliked the dentures that she had acquired to replace her missing teeth and so generally only used them when she went to church on Sundays or when she was otherwise in public view. Wharton knew that, should she reach the great age of one hundred, she would surely put them in for a home visit from the current Governor General of Barbados (HE Sir Livingstone Murray KA would be long gone by then).
***
It was around 1:50 p.m. when Castille passed through Bridgetown on his way back to his south coast hotel. He reflected on his enjoyable visit to the Animal Flower Cave and its restaurant where he had eaten some of the finest and tastiest Barbadian foods on offer. It had all reminded him somewhat of the food he had occasionally eaten in the Cuban quarter of Miami. Yet the local food was different – in its preparation and in its presentation.
***
Once Wharton left, Power knew it was time for him to make his move. He had a small ‘window’ to get to his pick-up point, for if he was not at the rendezvous by 2:30 p.m., he’d miss his escape route opportunity and that wouldn’t do.
Power would travel light. After taking a shower, he made himself a cheese and cucumber sandwich before washing it down with a cold soft drink. He then put on a large hat and a pair of baggy trousers and shirt that he had found in Wharton’s closet. A pair of soft shoes, obviously not Wharton’s, were lying at the back door which Power’s keen eyes had noticed. He now also put them on – they were most comfortable. As there was not much else that he needed for his journey, Power stepped out from Wharton’s house and started walking to the first of his pick-up points. After being transferred to the second pick-up point, he would be taken to the third and final pick-up point on the west coast of Barbados. There, Power’s remaining journey would commence later that evening.
Goodbye Spend Big, Goodbye Mr Castille, he thought satisfyingly to himself.
***
The Cabinet meeting recommenced its discussion on the National Security situation after lunch. As hoped for, there were now a few solution-orientated concepts that were discussed. Cabinet formally agreed that the Prime Minister and three of its most senior Cabinet Ministers – Attorney General and Minister of Residential Affairs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Culture and the Minister of Tourism, International Transport and Sport should hold a joint post-Cabinet media conference in the Cabinet room at Government Headquarters to calm things down and push back against recent media reports about Barbados’ national security situation. Sebastian Smith was also specifically directed by Cabinet to look into the HMP Dodds situation and bring a correction plan to Cabinet in a fortnight’s time (to include budget, timelines, personnel and equipment requirements) to fix the problems related not just to HMP Dodds, but the entire BPS. The Government would ensure that the two escaped prisoners and two attempted robbers/shooters were recaptured and identified respectively. The missing CBOB Deputy Governor would also be found safely and hopefully unharmed.
Plans for the 2018 hurricane season were quickly disposed of. They would be re-examined in mid-May when the final hurricane plan for the country should be ready for approval and implementation.
The new Tourism and Sporting Initiatives, discussed ad nauseam at an earlier Cabinet meeting, were also now approved by Cabinet. This pleased Minister Grant no end, for it allowed him to mention some of the initiatives in his second Sky Sports television interview with Oswald King. He would make a full Ministerial Statement to Parliament a week on Tuesday on these new initiatives.
The item before Any Other Business (AOB), saw Motby announce to his Cabinet colleagues his intention to put forward Petra Carmichael, former Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, for an Ambassadorial post. He reiterated her attributes and virtues as an excellent and longstanding public servant who, though now formally retired from the Public Service, remained willing to serve Barbados in a diplomatic capacity. He sought his colleagues’ approval (though the decision was his and his alone as Head of Government) to offer her a three-year overseas assignment, with an option of a further two years should Carmichael and the Government of Barbados be willing to continue this relationship.
“Prime Minister, which country are we looking at? You’ve not said, but I don’t think you mean to send Carmichael to New Zealand, Australia or India.” It was Hon. Walter Thompson MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Culture.
“Ladies and gentlemen… I sincerely apologise to you all. In my enthusiasm to submit this recommendation for your consideration, I neglected to say the country to which I propose to appoint Mrs Carmichael. It is the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Mrs Carmichael will be accredited, once accepted by Her Majesty’s Government, to the Court of St James. I’ve had the appropriate paperwork drafted but not finalised. Do we agree that I should submit her name? I’d like to do this tomorrow, with your consent of course. Are th
ey any objections to my proposal?”
There were none. Mrs Carmichael’s appointment was affirmed unanimous by nods around the table. Motby motioned to Dr Winston Smith who knew this signal meant that he was now to finalise the document following the Cabinet meeting and submit it through the relevant official channels to the Brits on the following working day.
***
Chapter Fourteen
Assemblies
Ben Mar now looked nothing like it had done the previous night to host the cricket reception. Gone were the ‘clutter’ of tents, drink and food areas, entertainment stand, performing stage and podium. In fact, by mid-day the entire facility was back to looking in its usual pristine condition.
Sir Thadeus was picked up from his west coast location by the High Commissioner’s driver at 2:05 p.m. The twenty-minute drive to the residence meant that the Head of MI6 arrived there for his meeting with the five Barbados-based officials just before 2:30 p.m., where Tullock met and welcomed him. No one else was on the compound, except for two security men at the main gate.
With pleasantries over between Tullock and Sir Thadeus, they held a ten-minute conversation in Tullock’s downstairs study before going out onto the back balcony where the 3:00 p.m. meeting was scheduled to take place.
The five special guests had been asked to assemble between 2:45 p.m. and 2:55 p.m. to enable a prompt start of their meeting. Keeping ‘Bajan time’ was specifically discouraged today! First to arrive, promptly at 2:45 p.m., was Colonel Burke. He was followed two minutes later by Brigadier Tenton. Next came Lt. Colonel Innis and Commander Junior Samuel who walked into the High Commissioner’s residence together. Ten minutes later, Jeremie appeared.
All of them, along with Tullock and Sir Thadeus, were deliberately dressed casually. In fact, it was the first time Tullock had seen the five Caribbean men looking so unofficial. I won’t see these men dressed like this again before my tour of duty ends and my retirement from the FCO in nine months’ time, he thought. Tullock hadn’t yet mentioned it to Motby, but it was his and Andrea’s intention to purchase a west coast property in which they planned to eventually retire in Barbados, possibly in another couple of years.
***
As expected, the weekly Cabinet meeting ended just before 3:00 p.m. This enabled Ministers to return to their offices to complete their day’s work and prepare for the following day and any forthcoming weekend activities they had in the pipeline for their ministries or respective constituencies.
Today was different. A post-Cabinet media conference featuring three Ministers was scheduled for 4:00 p.m., with the arrangements for this having been set up Giles Arthur. It was uncertain whether any of the international media would attend the afternoon’s media conference, but preparations were made to include them in case they showed up.
Motby and Ministers Walter Thompson, Sebastian Smith and Preston Grant prepared themselves to deal with the three issues – yesterday’s prisoners escape, Dr Lewis’s disappearance and the previous night’s St. Lawrence Gap incident involving four British visitors.
***
The seven men sat comfortably in large chairs around a circular table on the spacious back patio of the British High Commissioner’s residence. The patio overlooked a green lawn that was half the size of a soccer pitch. Luscious, colourful gardens surrounded the lawn. It was all a sight to behold, especially with the six-foot fountain at the far end of the garden.
Tullock welcomed his guests before introducing Sir Thadeus. Next, he invited everyone to introduce themselves and the agencies they headed. Yes, everyone (except Sir Thadeus) knew each other, but that was part of Tullock’s normal method of starting meetings he was going to be involved in. Formalities over, he offered them their choice of hot and cold refreshment items that were laid out on the dining-room table inside the residence.
Once each person had selected their eats and drinks, they reassembled around the table on the patio. Tullock explained that though today’s meeting was not official, it was an important…a somewhat unique one and a first of sorts, since to his knowledge a meeting like this had not taken place before. To have Heads of Barbados’ law enforcement and security agencies, the Head of the RSS, the Head of MI6 and him all together was therefore special. Tullock encouraged those gathered to speak frankly during their discussion, as no formal record would be taken (they all knew that was not exactly true, but it had to be said).
He then gave Sir Thadeus the floor.
"Thank you, Balwin. I must say that I envy your home. Where I come from, I don’t get anything like this. Not even my PM does!
"To our business. Thank you all for coming. I’m delighted to be in Barbados. My first time. Given your lines of work, I have assumed that you’ve all seen Mission Impossible 3. That’s where Ving Rhames’ character asks Tom Cruise’s character, ‘Whatever happened to those who can’t do, teach?’ Also, early on in The Wedding Planner, Jennifer Lopez tells her assistant, ‘Those who can’t wed, plan.’
"In my special and unpredictable line of work, I have translated these statements to mean ’those who commit major crimes against us will be engaged, legally apprehended and face the courts, or otherwise occasionally terminated’. We’ll use all legal means available, but that’s not always possible or enough.
"I’m in Barbados, not specifically for this meeting but for a long aspired-to holiday with my wife. However, I know it would be a missed opportunity if I did not meet with the Heads of your island’s major local law enforcement and security agencies on a subject that’s dear to my heart: ’Future Co-operation and Collaboration Between Friendly Law Enforcement and Security Agencies, Size Being Irrelevant.’
“I’ve been in this business a long time,” Sir Thadeus continued. He went on to explain how and why such cooperation and collaboration between such agencies must change and be enhanced.
***
Wharton had started the return journey to his Bathsheba home when his phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Castille. Is our man there with you?”
“I’m on the road man, not at my house, but he should be there,” answered Wharton.
“Do you know if he has secured what I came for?” asked Castille.
“I left him working on it… I suspect he’s, you know, trying to pull in one or two favours so as to be able to deliver. I expect he’ll have everything ready by the time you arrive.”
“Fine. See you at 5:30 p.m.”
“Right. Be jolly now.”
There he goes again, thought Castille…this damn ‘be jolly now’ nonsense is pissing me off.
Castille called the person he’d met just off the ABC highway the previous night, as he’d promised to do. He had just returned from scouting the specific location he’d carefully chosen for tonight’s follow-up rendezvous. He recognised the need to plug the first of the ‘loopholes’ in Barbados. Others would follow as necessary before his scheduled departure from Barbados on Sunday afternoon.
***
Around 3:25 p.m., Colonel Burke’s mobile phone vibrated. He had warned the others present before the meeting started that he might have to take an important call and, should that happen, could they please hold off their discussion until he re-joined them. He’d promised up-front that he would not be away for more than a few minutes.
And, so it was. He excused himself from the group to take the call.
Motby asked him if he had anything further to report before he conducted a post-Cabinet media conference on the national security situation. Colonel Burke advised that there was nothing new, at least nothing that the Prime Minister should report to Barbadians within the next couple of hours. He knew he would probe, but simply asked for a few more hours to see if what his BIB team were already working on would bear any fruit. They agreed to speak again that evening, at a time convenient for Motby.
Colonel Burke returned to the meeting to find the others topping up their the refreshments that had been laid out for them in the Residence’s dining room
. Being discussed were memories of the glory days of West Indies cricket (mid-1970s to mid-1990s).
Noticing Colonel Burke’s return, sandwiches and drinks were taken and everyone returned to the large patio to resume their seats. The discussion on future co-operation and collaboration then continued in earnest.
Recent developments in Barbados – the prior day’s prisoners escape, the now public knowledge that the CBOB’s Deputy Governor was missing, the previous night’s robbery and shooting incident and the ongoing ECC project were not discussed, although they were vaguely alluded to during the afternoon’s exchanges, sort of like…the ‘silent elephants in their midst’.
***
The post-Cabinet meeting media conference commenced at 4:05 p.m. It was surprisingly not as well attended as expected, but there were still a good number of journalists, photographers and cameramen present. Only one non-regional television crew from Sky Sports had shown up unexpectedly and so had joined local and regional journalists in the third-floor conference room at Government Headquarters.
Motby, surrounded by his three fellow Cabinet ministers, wasted no time in getting down to business. His statement was short and direct as it related to the three incidents.
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