IN the wake of the recent gun violence in Barbados, one youth development organisation is seeking to submit a petition for a gun amnesty to the Attorney General of Barbados and the Commissioner of Police very soon.

This was revealed by Secretary of the Barbados Youth Development Council (BYDC), Ade O’Neal, at the organisation’s Hues of Youth event held at the Barbados Museum and Historical Society on Sunday. O’Neal added that the organisation is trying to obtain 2 000 signatures for the petition. Last Friday, BYDC held a multi-faith service at the museum while on Saturday, International Youth Day, August 12, they visited Bridgetown where they started to collect the signatures for their petition. He also said that there is a facility online to support the initiative. There are also plans to host some town halls to discuss violence in Barbados.

President of the BYDC, Roshanna Trim, said that the aim of Hues of Youth and the past week of events was to encourage and empower young people. For the youth leader, the event is about showcasing the many positive young people and their different interests and talents.

“We have so many youth businesses and youth organisations, this is only a small fraction of what we actually have in Barbados,” said Trim.

The BYDC, which is the umbrella organisation for all the youth organisations on the island, held the event to encourage young people to join the various organisations which aligned with their interests. Presently the organisation, which has members between the ages of 15-29, showcased 20 of its up-and-coming local entrepreneurs (spa, catering company), youth organisations, and visual and graphic artists at Hues of Youth. In addition to the visual arts exhibition and entrepreneur showcase, there was also a youth talk hosted by Marcus Myers with youth members – Zico John, Luci Hammans, Krystal Hoyte and Donnya Piggott.

There are plenty of positive and talented young people in Barbados and this was evident at the recently held Barbados Youth Development Council’s Hues of Youth event.

The visual arts exhibition and youth entrepreneur showcase gave Barbadians an opportunity to see the work of up-and-coming talent in the youth development organisation. The Barbados Advocate spoke to a few of the exhibitors and artists at the Barbados Museum and Historical Society on Sunday.

Twenty-two-year-old Jadisa Andwele, daughter of well-known poet and performer AJA, comes from a family with a strong creative and artistic background. Andwele said that she always had an interest in drawing, a love which started at the young age of five. The third-year Barbados Community College (BCC) visual arts student is presently completing her Bachelor’s degree. Andwele uses social media – Instagram and Twitter – to share her art. She has received a good response from fans and even some of the celebrity football players and musicians that have inspired her.

Although Andwele is known for her pencil-drawn celebrity portraits, she has also experimented with other artistic media such as painting and photography. In the past, her work has been displayed in the BCC’s gallery. One of Andwele’s dreams is to travel to United States and England and showcase her work in international galleries. She encouraged Barbadians to check out her work on social media, on Instagram – Jadisa Artist and Twitter – Jadisa Art.

On the other side of the museum courtyard, photographer and graphic artist, Joy Maynard, displayed her unique talent. Her company Mayed will be celebrating its one year anniversary in October and she has had an overwhelming response from supporters. She said the company was created so she could have her own avenue to tell other people’s stories. Everything displayed was story-based and under the theme, “Once Upon A Time”, “Happily Ever After” and “Based on a True Story”. Maynard also created bleached and distressed hats, which were being sold at the event.

Co-owner Cassia Belle from Royal Hair Extensions, which is also celebrating one year of operation (in August), said that her business, which caters for those in need of premium hair extensions, was also doing really well.

Other entrepreneurs present were from catering and spa industries as well as other youth organisations like I am A Girl Barbados and CARICOM Youth organisation.

THE six recipients of this year’s National Development Scholarships as well as the lone recipient of a Commonwealth Scholarship, have all been encouraged to return here and give back to Barbados on completion of their studies abroad.

Both Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ronald Jones and Chief Education Officer, Karen Best, reminded the students of the need to “give back”, during a brief ceremony held in the Education Ministry’s conference room yesterday, to announce the scholarships.

“Thank you for applying for the National Development Scholarships and the Commonwealth Scholarship, because you are going to make a difference in the lives of Barbadians. You have been chosen because the National Development Scholarships are scholarships in areas of need and your area of study has been determined as one of need,” Karen Best told the scholarship recipients.

“Congratulations to you. I want you to do your best. Remember that Barbados is depending on you. I know some of you on these scholarships do the studying and then you get an offer. I am not going to stop you from accepting the offer. I will not deter you, but as soon as you get the opportunity, come back to Barbados and give back,” Best added.

Education Minister Ronald Jones, however, sought to clear the air about the responsibility of the scholarship winners, who are bonded to these scholarships.

“As the Chief was saying, the National Development Scholarship is geared to those areas which we consider to be of significance to the national development of Barbados,” he noted.

He then added, “I disagree with the Chief. Yes there are offers made to you, but you are not to accept those offers when you have finished studying. If you do, you pay back the State. That is what happens.”

“There is nothing which says that you cannot stay [abroad], but you are bonded in these scholarships and once you can’t satisfy the bond, then we take the money back from you… because as a small developing country, we just can’t provide you with the support that you will get for these scholarships and then you stay and work for somebody else. We need you here. That is why you are granted these scholarships,” Jones explained, pointing out that the money the state is expending to award these scholarships, is quite substantial.

The diverse areas of need covered by the scholarships include clinical neuropsychiatry, forensic accounting, sports psychology, music, animal science, occupational safety and health, and human rights and criminal justice. (RSM)

THE Caribbean Association of Safety and Security Professionals (CASP) has expressed concern about the policing of major events in this country, and is calling for a review of that process with the view of utilising more electronic security solutions.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday at the Career Development Institute, Chairman of the CASP Oral Reid, reflecting on the gun-related incident on Kadooment Day which left one dead and several innocent persons nursing injuries at the culmination of the Crop Over festivities, maintained that such reckless behaviour has shown the need for the policing of such events to move beyond just the use of police officers. Reid, a former law enforcement officer, maintained there is a growing need to embrace aspects of electronic security solutions, which would see the deployment of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and other devices at strategic points, especially when it is recognised that the event is likely to attract thousands of persons.

“I believe that if there’d been cameras deployed in the areas identified, we might have been in a position to identify the perpetrators of these acts. I am therefore calling for a review of the manner in which these events, national events are policed. We recognise that it would have implications for cost, but I think in the final analysis, cost should fade in significance compared to the provision of a safe and secure environment for patrons, especially where those patrons are drawn from across and around the world,” he contended.

He added, “We recognise tourism as very important to Barbados and I think that significant steps ought to be taken to make sure that we provide for persons who are residents of Barbados, but also those that will be visiting Barbados, recognising the significant efforts that have been made in recent times by our tourism sector.”

With that in mind, he added that CASP and local security firms can also play a role in maintaining law and order at mass events. He explained that the precedent for that was set when the Barbados and the region hosted Cricket World Cup 2007. He indicated that at that time, there was collaboration between a number of private security agencies and the police, and he added there was also a heavy deployment of CCTV solutions along the highways and other critical areas.

“So why are we deviating from these things? The template is there from 2007; we utilised it, I feel it can work again,” he affirmed.

Questioned then about whether there was a role that the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) could play, Vice Chairman of the Barbados Chapter of CASP, Wendell Cumberbatch, said while our soldiers can assist in maintaining safety and security and beefing up law enforcement numbers, they must be a last resort. He made it clear that any intervention has to come from the police and private security first.

“The Defence Force is not set up to do that, they are not set up to do policing functions. Other territories in which crime has spiralled out of control, use their local defence forces to supplement the policing of the state … but primarily persons would not want to do that,” he said.

To that end, both CASP officials said that Barbados has always sought to use the BDF’s services sparingly, only on special occasions, and the soldiers are always accompanied by a police officer. (JRT)

In 1961, a young primary school teacher made one of the most important decisions in her life and has no regrets today.

On wise advice from her father, Winifred Wedderburn invested in a whole life policy from the then Barbados Mutual and has remained a faithful and long-standing customer of the company which is now known as Sagicor Life Insurance.Now back in the island on holiday, the New York-based Wedderburn was recognised as an outstanding mother and long-standing customer during a recent visit to Sagicor Life.

Insurance executives presented her with recognition gifts for 56 years of being a customer with the company, as well as being exemplary in servicing her policy.

“I truly appreciate the gesture and I am happy that they recognised me. I worked in the United States for many years and every year I would come home to see my friends and family and also make payments for a full year on the policy,” said Wedderburn, who is a retired health-care administrator.

Sagicor Life’s Vice-President of Insurance Operations, Raoul Williams said they were happy to formally meet and present such gifts to Wedderburn, who is a special and highly valued member of the Sagicor family.

“We wanted to congratulate Mrs. Wedderburn for being our longest-serving female policy-holder in the Sagicor Family, and also for being a model citizen and outstanding mother ,” said Williams.

Wedderburn, who disclosed that she spent 30 years in the health-care sector in the United States before retiring, thanked the Sagicor executives for the gesture and was also full of praise for the company and their service over the years.

The “No Plastic” initiative was started by The Future Centre Trust in partnership with a group of retailers to address the growing plastic problem that exists in Barbados.

In 2016 alone Barbados imported over 100 million individual plastic bags which is enough plastic to wrap around the island 368 times. Plastic pollutes our oceans, threatens our livelihoods, and also directly affects our health. On June 1 a deterrent fee of $0.15 for all plastic bags was introduced with the assurance to Do it Best customers that 100 per cent of the proceeds would be donated to a designated environmental charity. Since the introduction of the fee, plastic bag usage has gone down on average 90 per cent per month. The Barbados Sea Turtle Project is involved in conservation of the endangered marine turtle species that forage around and nest on Barbados. To date they have rescued thousands of hatchlings and have saved turtles through the BSTP 24 hour “Sea Turtle Hotline”. The proceeds raised by Do it Best will go to the BSTP to purchase video technology to create awareness about the threats on our turtles.

Be part of the wave of change happening on our island. Say no to single use plastic and be aware of just how much plastic we use everyday. Bring your reusable bag to Do it Best on Thursday to enjoy 20 per cent off storewide and help save Barbados one bag at a time. Learn more about the No Plastic Initiative by visiting their Facebook page at 'No to plastic bags Barbados'. The Barbados Sea Turtle Project can be contacted at 246-230-0142.

Attorney-at-Law and former Deputy Registrar with responsibility for the Copyright Division at the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO), Kevin Hunte, has been appointed to the post of Director of International Business.

Hunte, who takes up the position from today, Tuesday, August 15, was previously in private practice for ten years with an emphasis on Conveyancing, Estates and Personal Injuries. He later joined the team at CAIPO in 2009.

He was intimately involved in the structuring of the online filing system at CAIPO, particularly from an administrative and legislative point of view. Additionally, together with staff, he worked assiduously to improve the level of customer service and business facilitation at the Companies Division.

In May 2016, Hunte assumed the role of Deputy Registrar (ag.) at the Supreme Court Registry of Barbados. He was assigned responsibility for the Court of Appeal and Caribbean Court of Justice Registries. While there, he played a vital role in vision-casting, administrative stream-lining, rectification of procedural policy and development of staff morale.

Even though the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has seen a decrease in the number of candidates, subject entries have increased.

“Therefore, it means that instead of a candidate doing three subjects on average, they are doing four. To get a job, get into Universities, Community Colleges, etcetera, the average subjects needed are about five,” CXC Registrar, Glenroy Cumberbatch pointed out. He was at the time addressing a press conference held at CXC’s Pine Plantation Road headquarters yesterday, where it was announced that candidates who wrote the 2017 May/June examinations will know their results by Friday, August 18.

The results for all examinations have been released to the Ministries of Education throughout the Caribbean, and on Friday students can retrieve their grades online and for the first time using the CXC Connect mobile app.

Cumberbatch also acknowledged the decrease in private candidates sitting exams. “We recognise that there is a falling number of persons over 17 years who are writing our examinations,” he disclosed.

“For that purpose, there has been a lot of emphasis on the out of school population. When we look at stats for last year the numbers in the schools seem to be steady even with falling populations in the region. However, there used to a fairly large number of persons who were out of school, and who were seeking to better their qualifications – they would either do something on their own and attend an evening institute to try to improve their number of subjects.”

“We are targeting that group of persons. To work with the institutions and to encourage an increase in enrolment capturing that population, because if you don’t have five subjects, then your potential for income is going to
diminish significantly,” he said.

Cumberbatch highlighted that overall the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) results showed 92 per cent of candidates receiving Grades one to five in 2017, compared to 90 per cent that received Grades One to Five in 2016.

As for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results in 2016, 64 per cent of persons received acceptable Grades One to Three and in 2017, 64 per cent received acceptable grades again.

The Registrar impressed that CSEC Grade Three is acceptable. According to CXC, Prior to 1998, a five-point grading system was in place and some employers and educational institutions recognised a Grade Three for the purposes of employment and further studies especially when candidates presented a combination of subjects ranging from Grades One – Three.

In 1998, the Council adopted the six-point grading scheme that recognised Grade Three as an award for employment and further studies.

“We keep hearing that persons are not accepting Grade Three. Grade Three is not the same Grade Three that existed before 1998,” Cumberbatch explained.

Public buildings across Barbados will soon be retrofitted with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems under the Public Sector Smart Energy Programme (PSSEP).
Solar Watt Systems, a local company, has been contracted by the Government of Barbados to install the PV systems on 13 buildings, which include the Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Education; Ministry of Transport & Works; Queen Elizabeth Hospital; Frank Walcott (NIS) Building; Treasury Building; and National Housing Corporation.

Yesterday during the signing of the contract, Senator the Hon. Darcy Boyce, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Energy and Telecommunications, revealed that the total budget for the renewable energy retrofit in public buildings will be US$$5.5 million.

He said that the retrofit is projected to result in 2.6 MW of renewable energy generation or US$16 million in electricity savings. Additionally, more than 30,719 tons of carbon dioxide emissions will be saved over the same period.

“The public sector is the third highest consumer of electricity after the domestic and commercial sectors. Present consumption represents 16% of all electricity consumption,” Senator Boyce indicated.

The Public Sector Smart Energy Programme co-financed with a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) of US$17 million and a grant from the European Union of US$7.6 million, came into effect with the signature of the respective agreements on November 15, 2013.

The focus is on investment initiatives for renewable energy and energy efficiency in the public sector, with the specific objective of installing renewable energy in government buildings, retrofitting public lights with energy efficient technologies, implementing an electric vehicles pilot project and conducting studies in ocean energy. It also provides for capacity building, institutional strengthening and public education and awareness for a sustainable approach to energy management.

“Our aim is to reduce the electricity bill in the public service by making as many of our buildings energy efficient and by earning income from electricity generation from solar photovoltaics. Government will do its utmost to encourage others to adopt renewable energy and energy efficiency wherever feasible and in doing so will seek to use itself as an example for others,” the Senator said.

Managing Director of Solar Watt, Joshua Hunte, disclosed that phase one of the project, to be carried out over six -months, will get underway from October of this year.

He also took the opportunity to laud the government for the initiative and for leading by example by taking the necessary steps to help reduce the level of the carbon footprint in the environment.

“We are proud that Solar Watt Systems, a 100% owned Barbadian company, was entrusted to execute this project from a list of larger competitors and we will be using 100% skilled Barbadian workers,” Hunte added.

IDB Representative, Juan De La Hoz Vinas noted that they have been working with government in other sectors besides energy.

“We have been working in different areas which are complementary and very relevant to facilitate economic growth and the well-being of the population... We have been working on road rehabilitation, social development, coastal management, energy and will enter a new programme to support tourism for long term growth and development,” he highlighted.

“In the energy sector, we are very proud to have been working closely with European Union and I hope we continue that relationship and partnership, as we want to achieve the same results.”

Her Excellency, Daniela Tramacere, Head of Delegation of the European Commission acknowledged that Barbados has meaningful targets, “and we want to support you in achieving those,” she said.

“We are really truly undergoing a clean-energy revolution and we fully engaged in supporting you in this…We don’t have a planet b, this our planet, and we have to do whatever we have to do – it is for the future; our children; for the planet.”

Caribbean culinary culture is being bastardised and a local chef is adamant that efforts have to be made to ensure that this culture retains its authenticity.

Chef Peter Edey, producer of the Caribbean Culinary Conference being held here in Barbados from August 21-25, 2017, made the comments as he spoke at a press conference yesterday morning at the Dining Club to apprise the media of the conference and the Caribbean Culinary Alliance which will also be launched at that time. “We have a serious culinary culture in the Caribbean and as small as the Caribbean is, it is a very diverse culture. If you look at it, as close as St. Vincent is to us they cook differently; as close as Trinidad is, they cook differently; but it is ours and it is different and unique and you can’t get it anywhere else in the world. And why I am happy that this conference is happening because I have seen too much now, when I look at international TV, bastardisation of our culinary culture,” he said.

Edey noting that Caribbean cooking is now “a hot thing” and “getting really hot around the world”, lamented that it is not being represented correctly. To that end, he maintained that the success of the conference and the activities being held as part of it is important as it allows chefs from each of the islands to come together and bring authentic, regional cooking to the table.

“What we intend to offer as the Caribbean Culinary Alliance is the training…We would have an organisation that can provide all of those techniques and training that you can apply now to each of your islands, to make authentic, your cuisine. Because, if you can’t describe it and write down, define it somehow, you’re in trouble,” he said.

Chef Edey explained that the Alliance is intended to help make Caribbean culinary culture that is already existent, more formal and tangible. He said this would involve producing books featuring Caribbean cuisine.

“So that when we go into our classroom now instead of using European books, and American books and French books, we can have all the same techniques, the correct techniques, but applied to our local fruits and vegetables… So when you are talking about julienne potatoes, it is no longer Irish potatoes and what we call English potatoes, it would be sweet potatoes, or even breadfruit or yam. So the books would have recipes where all the ingredients used would be local and Caribbean… it would really firm up what Caribbean cooking really is,” he said.

The chef maintained that if a structure which portrays Caribbean culture can be properly established, it will no longer be easy for persons from abroad to take advantage of it and exploit it for their own gain.

“Once we can put it together…. and say this is what Caribbean cooking really is, [it] becomes more difficult for the international people who have money to just say okay you know what, this is the time to go into the Caribbean and rape them too, let’s use their culinary culture and do a TV programme... And you watch this programme on television and then we as Caribbean people cringe because we see things like cornmeal cou cou being made with whole corn and okras cut in half and the presenter saying this is how they do it in Barbados and I’m like which Barbados, is it the one I’m from? I actually saw that on one of the international food networks,” he stated. (JRT)

One Youth leader is aiming to educate the Barbadian young people about the benefits of being in CARICOM.

Caricom Youth Ambassador, Zuwena Perry spoke to The Barbados Advocate about her organisation’s campaign, “I am Caricom” at Barbados Youth Development Council’s Hues of Youth on Sunday. Perry explained that it is important for the youth to gain more knowledge about the organisation and participate in CARICOM related activities. She added that all the CARICOM youth ambassadors in the region will be hosting an HIV/AIDS survey to educate the authorities about what the youth know and how to better tailor their messages to this audience.

Also, Perry invited Barbadians to visit the Facebook page and try the quiz to see if they are a CARICOM expert. This is the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors’ (CYA)second year participating with the Barbados Youth Development Council’s Youth Expo.

The six hour event which took place on the grounds of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society was part of the umbrella youth organisation’s week of activities to encourage and empower young people in Barbados. Twenty youth entrepreneurs, youth organisations, visual and graphic artists registered for the BYDC event where they displayed their various products and services.

Court marshals operating from the Court Process Office are doing their best to fast track the serving of summonses and other documents, in spite of the limited numbers at that office.

Senior Court Marshal in the Court Process Office, Rosanne Allder, pointed out the above recently, noting that the focus at present is on maintenance and traffic matters and reducing the backlog in relation to documents that have to be served in these main areas.

“What we do here is that we process any documents coming from the Supreme Court, the Magistrates Court or sometimes people come in and ask for assistance and we try to give it to them in the form of advice, so that they can also go through the Court system,” Allder explained.

“We have coming through here maintenance, criminal summons, Supreme Court summons that we refer to as High Court summonses. We have traffic summons, which has been a great thorn in our side for I don’t know how long, but we recently came up with an idea and we are out now in bundles trying to address that. We started with the Eagle Hall section and most recently we dealt with the van stand and in a few more weeks, we will be going out again. Note that in those two days, we did over 200 documents, which I think is a great success and we will continue that,” Allder said.

“We are having some difficulties in relation to the wrong names being given to the police officers when (persons) are being reported or the right name is given, but the wrong address. So because of that, the traffic summons seem to be stagnating and in a great abundance, (but) we have a remedy for that situation now,” the senior court marshal further indicated.

“In terms of maintenance now, we are telling the young ladies, when they come in to us, bring some form of ID for the gentleman (by which to) identify him.

“So for now, that is also working and the criminal matters, they are going pretty good. So all in all, I would say our Department down here is functioning. Although we are short-staffed, we have been able to utilise that short amount of staff that we have,” she told The Barbados Advocate.

Stressing that the numbers are now down from 77 to 40, Allder said that in spite of the pressure this brings in trying to operate effectively and efficiently, staff members are doing what they can, until additional staff come.

Her comments came during the recent Open Day hosted by the Registration Department at its White Park Road, St. Michael office in the Supreme Court Complex. (RSM)

THE attorneys involved in the ongoing controversial Hyatt case are expected to return to court today to continue their arguments.

The hearing is expected to resume at 11 a.m., before Madam Justice Sonia Richards at the No. 9 Supreme Court.

Last Thursday, the legal fight intensified when Senior Counsel Hal Gollop argued that social and political activist attorney-at-law David Comissiong has no right to challenge his client, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart’s decision to grant permission to developer Mark Maloney to construct the US$100 million Hyatt Centric Resort, on Bay Street.

Queen’s Counsel Barry Gale, who is representing Maloney’s Vision Development Inc. company, also started his presentation, which is in keeping with Gollop’s stance. Gale is expected to finish up his argument today.

Then, Comissiong will receive his turn to voice his concerns about the project, which has received much public attention, even before it was publicly announced that it was coming.

Comissiong requested the judicial review of the permission granted by Stuart, in his capacity as the Minister who holds responsibility for Town and Country Planning, to give Maloney the green light to start building the hotel.

Comissiong will attempt to convince Justice Richards that he does in fact have the right to challenge Stuart’s permission.

From the time he secured an injunction to immediately suspend the permission granted by Stuart, the political activist argued that the Prime Minister failed to conduct an environmental impact assessment on the project.

He stated on numerous occasions that Stuart had relied on an outdated Physical Development Plan, pointing out that Section 11 (1) of the Town and Country Planning Act stipulates that the plan, which is now 14 years old, must be updated every five years. (AH)

IN light of the various incidents that have occurred around this island with respect to an increase in crime and violence, particularly those related to the use of guns, there has been increased talk of the need for the Attorney General and those in the judicial system to take a tougher stance on crime.

However, this is not always as simple as it may seem. This point was made by Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Adriel Brathwaite, who delivered remarks at the USAID-sponsored Regional Workshop “CariSECURE: Strengthening Evidence Based Decision Making for Citizen Security in the Caribbean”, yesterday at the Radisson Aquatica Resort.

He said that there is a belief in this country that once someone commits a crime, then he or she should automatically be sent to prison. However, it must be noted that there are other things that can be done to ensure that this person faces justice.

“We also need to find some mechanism to instill to members of our public, what exactly works and why we take certain initiatives that we are taking. In Barbados, we have alluded that once somebody commits a crime, he should be incarcerated and stuff… But we need to be able to demonstrate to our public that in fact that these initiatives that we are taking to move our young people away from crime, does not mean that we are being soft on crime. There is a time and a place for serious punishment.”

The Attorney General stated that incarceration is not always the answer because when you do this, all you have is someone who goes into the prison system with a whole set of problems, comes back out of prison and goes back into their communities with those same set of issues.

Brathwaite added that this is the purpose of this workshop where stakeholders would work on finding the best solutions to decrease the number of young people who get involved in criminal activities.

“But there are also times when interventions, in particular where our youth are involved, where the softer skills are required because to me, and I am sure to many of you, it makes no sense or it makes little sense incarcerating a 19-year-old for example, for five years.

He goes into the prison system with challenges, either low morale, poor education or family difficulties, you know the usual gamut of challenges and he comes back out from prison with the same challenges and goes back into his community with the same challenges and then we question why he ends back up in prison. I want to challenge you colleagues to let us use the best resources that we have available, the best use of the tools that you have, over the next couple of days to ensure that we are better able to respond to save more of our young people.” (PJT)

IN Barbados, like the rest of the Caribbean, there is a need for more reliable crime data that can be utilised by regional governments in developing policies and by various stakeholder organisations in designing effective programmes aimed at reducing the increased levels of crime and violence in our countries.

So states Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Adriel Brathwaite, who delivered remarks at the USAID-sponsored Regional Workshop “CariSECURE: Strengthening Evidence Based Decision Making for Citizen Security in the Caribbean”, yesterday at the Radisson Aquatica Resort.

“In Barbados, like the rest of the Caribbean, there is a need for accurate, standardised crime data to enable a scientific approach to decision making. Reliable data provides an invaluable source for development and communication of island-based policies and programmes, which in turn have the potential to reduce crime and violence among our youth populations. The Criminal Justice Planning Unit, under my Ministry, have been charged with the responsibility of collecting crime data for the CariSECURE team.

He said that they have long recognised the importance of such data that can be used by the various key stakeholders in helping to fight crime.

“It is acknowledged that standardisation of the collection and management of crime data allows for comparison and trend analysis. This is relevant, both locally and regionally, in the context of fighting each crime. Regional analysis in addressing issues of crime analysis is critical. Barbados recognises the importance of law enforcement and communities to examine jointly the solutions to crime and violence, especially among the youth.”

Brathwaite added that while they are grateful to CariSECURE for their invaluable assistance that they are providing as well as the help offered by other international partners, there is also a need for “significant support in areas which would tackle the high level of youth unemployment in the region”.

Choosing the recipients for this year’s National Development and Commonwealth Scholarships, was not an easy task.

This was the admission of the Chairman of the committees for the National Development Scholarships as well as the Commonwealth Scholarships, deputy chief education officer, Joy Adamson.

Her comments came as the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation officially announced the names of the six recipients who were awarded National Development Scholarships for 2017, as well as the lone recipient of a Commonwealth Scholarship.

“[We were] charged with a very difficult task. First, selecting the areas [of need] that had been submitted from all across Barbados, both in the public and private sector, then shortlisting the persons for the interviews. We had three days of interviews where we actually had to select the individuals and then there was the hard, hard task of whittling it down, so that we had the priority [areas],” Adamson explained.

“We came up then with six persons for the National Development Scholarship and we made recommendations for the Common Wealth Scholarship. I think we sent forward three names and we had one person being successful, so it is an honourable task, and I feel very proud when I see the recipients at the end,” Adamson said in the presence of the awardees and their relatives as well as Ministry officials, whilst on location at the Ministry this week.

She meanwhile encouraged the scholarship awardees to be ambassadors for Barbados, whilst studying abroad. “Not only by the grades that you get on that transcript that we will be seeing every year, but also how you carry yourself when you are in Canada, the UK and New Zealand, to be that Ambassador for us,” Adamson told the scholarship winners. (RSM)

“The force is doing all that is possible to provide a safe environment for CARIFESTA”, this was the word coming from William E Yearwood, Acting Assistant Commissioner of the Royal Barbados Police Force. He was speaking at the Ministry of Culture in Sky Mall for the final update for Carifesta XIII that will be held in Barbados from August 17-27, 2017.

Yearwood indicated, “Certainly at this time there is concern about our country in terms of incidents we have had recently, but the force stands ready to provide the necessary security for any person coming to our island state, and for wider Barbados in general. We have our plans in respect to policing Carifesta. Each venue has been visited and we have come up with our security plan.

“I want to reassure all members of the public and those who are visiting, that our island state remains a stable environment generally and there is no need for high fear in relation to coming to our island. Generally we have been managing our crime level and we are doing whatever is necessary to keep our island state safe.”

He added, “We are asking members of the public to be on your best behaviour. This is an occasion where we want to market our island state. Each venue will be policed with respect to the assessments we have carried out. We have looked at the layout of each venue and the necessary security will be in place.”

Inspector Wayne Archer also stated that the mission is to keep all persons involved in this festival safe, “We intend to provide protection for those Heads of Governments, VIP… we intend to maintain public safety within respective venues and areas that the Carifesta festival will be held and this also includes wider Barbados. Crowd management, traffic management and incident response will be critical.” (NB)

THERE is evidence that some Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators appear to be exhibiting good behaviour these days.

Chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT), Roy Raphael told the Barbados Advocate yesterday that members of the Alliance have launched an aggressive campaign to put a stop to operators engaging in negative and dangerous behaviour while behind the wheels.

He reported that the Barbados Transport Authority established a hotline for passengers to call and make their complaints about the behaviour of operators, and fewer have been coming through in recent months.

“From time to time people call so we could weigh our survey based on the calls that we would get from people. There have been fewer calls, but we recognise that there is still one or two routes that we need to work on, such as the Speightstown route.

“But generally across the board, we are seeing people obeying the law and we are quite happy about it. We just have to keep at it and keep encouraging the operators to be on their best behaviour,” he said.

The Chairman also reminded that model routes were identified where operators must wear uniforms. He said PSV owners were also encouraged to get on board each other’s vehicles to see for themselves what is happening on the road.

“But we find generally that we have been getting fewer complaints as it relates to the negative behaviour among PSV operators, including drinking and driving, using illegal substance and the loud playing of music,” he said.

Director of the Barbados Transport Authority Alex Linton, who reported that there have been signs of improvement in discipline among the operators, said during the summer “you would see a decrease in certain activities”.

He said the negative behaviour demonstrated by some operators is as a result of lack of training and understanding of the Road Traffic Act and how to use the road.
Nevertheless, Linton pointed out that majority of the operators try to follow the rules.

Meanwhile, Raphael said while loud playing of music is usually an issue that many often complain about, the Alliance will soon be launching a pilot project, geared at making passengers ride a little less noisy.

“We will be launching a new project called the Wi-Fi bus where persons will have an opportunity to actually use the Wi-Fi on buses so that those persons who are not interested in hearing the type of music on the buses, they can use the Wi-Fi and listen to what they want to.

“We are looking to first introduce this system on a minivan and a route taxi. We are hoping that it would curb the type of music that is being played on the vans,” he said. (AH)

The issue of crime and violence is not immune to this island alone, but rather it is something that affects other countries in the region as well.

This is according to the Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Adriel Brathwaite, who delivered remarks at the USAID-sponsored Regional Workshop “CariSECURE: Strengthening Evidence Based Decision Making for Citizen Security in the Caribbean” yesterday at the Radisson Aquatica Resort.

This is why any and all solutions that are sought must be ones that address the Caribbean as a whole and the shared experiences, knowledge and skills from other countries can be utilized by this island in finding solutions to our own problems of crime and violence and, likewise, we can also share our own experiences and knowledge, stated the Minister of Home Affairs.

“The issue of crime, the issue of youth violence, is not a Barbados issue. No. It is not a Trinidad issue. It is actually a regional issue and therefore, we need our collective experiences, we need our collective energies, to ensure that once this programme is launched across the region, that we have the best data available and that we can tackle this serious issue of youth violence in our communities.”

It is with this in mind that Brathwaite urged the delegates at the workshop drawn from ten countries including Grenada, St. Lucia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda and St. Vincent and the Grenadines that they need to work together to discover what works so that these practices can then be implemented.

“What I do want you in your deliberations to do is to also do an analysis of what is happening in the various other terrorities. You heard about the initiatives in Guyana and Suriname. I don’t believe in reinventing the wheel. What we need to do is ascertain what really works and find somewhere within your framework to capture this information so that this can be more easily transmitted across the region.”

The Attorney General said that they can then use their collective wisdom to develop data for the region which would assist Ministers such as himself to implement effective policies and programmes targeted at reducing crime and violence among our young people.

“One of the criticisms that we have had in Barbados is our lack of data to support our crime initiatives and stuff and I believe that that same criticism has been levelled at many of us in the region. It is my hope that through CariSECURE and other similar initiatives, that policy makers like myself would be better able to ensure that whatever strategies that we implement are based on data of scientific approach and are therefore more effective.”

When “A Taste of Bajan Village Life and Sunset Concert” comes off next Saturday, August 26 at the Hothersal Playing Field in St. John, patrons to the event will have the chance to see over 100 art exhibits from local artists.

Word of this came from Bridgette Marshall-Griffith, Programme Coordinator – Community Development Department (CDD), which is partnering with the St. John Community, the Islands Incentives and Meetings Inc and other partners to help make the concert, which is one of the fringe events of Carifesta XIII, a success.

According to Marshall-Griffith, the art to be featured will be work of students and tutors of the Department’s Community Art Programme. She was speaking at a press briefing yesterday at the Gall Hill Resource Centre, Gall Hill, St. John.

“When we learnt that Carifesta was coming to Barbados, we at Community Development went into a mode that we wanted to make sure that we can capitalise on this event not only for the department – to advertise the department and what the department does – but to ensure that the persons