Axcel Finance giving back to schools

September 21, 2016, 9:00 pm

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FROM LEFT: Axcel Finance Marketing Coordinator Yulanda Celius; Senior Education Officer at the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Christina Morris; and Hindsbury Primary Principal Nola Cummins-Lewis pose with the students at yesterday’s presentation. 

 

Hindsbury Primary School was the first of ten local primary schools to benefit from Axcel Finance’s latest social outreach programme, as the micro-finance institution has partnered with the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation. 

 

These students were the recipients of the first batch of book covers and pencils during a short ceremony held at the school yesterday, as the regional company continues its drive to further invest in the youth of this country.

 

With visits scheduled to be made to Westbury Primary and St. Paul’s Primary, a total of 4 000 book covers and 2 000 pencils are expected to be distributed. 

 

During yesterday’s presentation to the Class 1 and 2 students, the youngsters were left with some wise words from Axcel Finance Marketing Coordinator Yulanda Celius in the “Basic Cents” session. 

 

Stressing the importance of saving and noting that this is the best time for them to save, Celius also gave the children pointers on how to get a start on a new savings regime. She urged the girls to learn at least one new thing everyday, prompting them to prod their teachers for knowledge if they did not pick up anything new.

 

Senior Education Officer at the Ministry Christina Morris was on hand to receive the supplies on behalf of the school, and she said that her ministry is thankful for the donation. 

 

“We are indeed grateful and we are appreciative and we welcome this kind of partnership. So we look forward to building that partnership in the future as we look to grow with each other,” Morris said.

 

Speaking to members of the media, Celius explained that although her organisation lacked the capacity at present to make the donation to all the primary schools, the small contribution at this time is part of a larger drive as the company continued to do its part. 

 

“For us here this morning, this is just a part of what we aim to do within all of the territories that we operate. We want to make sure not only that we serve the markets and that we provide affordable financing options to the persons that would seek to come in, but also we want to be able to give back. 

 

“I would have explained to Ms. Morris, this is but one of the educational projects that we have going. We also have a mentorship programme that we will start next week with the secondary schools. So we want to continue to build because education is where it is. You need to make sure you invest in your youth. We don’t just want to say it,” she said. 

(MP)

 

 

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YWCA looking to attract new blood

September 21, 2016, 9:00 pm

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President of The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Tamita Griffith says one of the greatest challenges facing the Association at this time is attracting new blood and in particular young people.

 

Griffith said this is a challenge faced by a number of non-governmental organisations, and in particular those that have been around for as long as they have. But, she told The Barbados Advocate during a recent interview, they will not allow that reality to discourage them, as new blood is needed to ensure their continued existence well past the 66 years they are celebrating this year.

 

“I would like to see more young people coming on board and I hope that our new Board can help to achieve that goal. Eighty per cent of our Board is under the age of 50 and I am hoping that when persons see this young Board they would want to be a part of what we do. The YWCA is for all women and we have many stalwarts who have given great service. We appreciate their efforts, but we also want to bring more young women into the fold, and to hear from them their ideas on how we can do more for women in general,” she said.

 

With that in mind, she added that as part of the efforts to increase their membership, they have plans to reach out to post-secondary and tertiary level institutions across the island. She made the disclosure while noting that they also intend to extend that outreach to the wider public, and are hoping to go to shopping centres and towns around the country to hand out information about the YWCA and their efforts to assist and empower women across Barbados.

 

Griffith’s comments came as she touched on their Y-Teens Programme, which she said is the perfect springboard on which the YWCA can build a sound membership base for the future. She said that they are collaborating with the Springer Memorial School – the only all girls public secondary school on the island – to reactive the programme and they are hoping to launch it officially during the first term of this new school year. She said that the Government Hill-located school will be the first they will work with, but the intention is to eventually take the Y-Teens Programme into all the secondary schools. She explained that the international programme is designed to nurture the talents of the girls who join, to help address challenges facing young girls and to help mould them into strong future leaders.

 

“Our hope is that by the time they leave school they will not only have an appreciation and zest for community service, but they will transition into the YWCA and help to make us stronger,” she stated. (JRT)

 

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Reverend: Invest in country’s young people

September 21, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Authors, Reverend Edison Bynoe and Brenda Daniel signing copies of their book, ‘Growing Up Gloriously’, during the launch at the Mount Restaurant, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.

 

 

A local reverend has called for a greater investment to be made in this nation’s youth.

 

This comes from Reverend Edison Bynoe, who was at the time speaking at the launch of the book “Growing Up Gloriously”, held recently at The Mount Restaurant, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. 

 

This text was written by Rev. Bynoe and Brenda Daniel.

 

Bynoe told the audience, “One of the things I want to challenge you with [is] that we need to invest in our young people,” noting that it could be an investment in the form of resources as well as finances. 

 

Meanwhile, speaking about the book on the sidelines of this event, he said the goal of the text “is to minister to the youth of our nation.

 

“We commend the teachers for the work that they are doing, but we also recognise the importance of a spiritual investment that needs to be made in our young people and this book is intended to be that kind of investment.”

 

Also speaking about the book, Daniel explained that the motivational and inspirational text is geared towards the youth. She highlighted that it comprises “55 themes and over 600 topics. The book is divided into five categories [and] the first theme – “Themes To Edify” – covers such [topics] as ‘building self-esteem’, ‘beautiful attitudes’, ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’.” 

 

The former acting Deputy Principal of the Christ Church Foundation School added that through the use of her book, she would like young people “to learn to love themselves, learn to love other people, learn to love God’s creation around them [and] learn to love God.”

 

She added that she hoped the book is used “by people who run youth groups, Sunday schools, teachers in schools [or] anyone dealing with young people. It could also be used for older people because you can adapt the message to be appropriate for whoever you want, but my main aim, goal and purpose is for young people, the teenagers.”

 (MG)

 

 

 

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FUND OPEN SOON

September 21, 2016, 9:00 pm

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President of the Small Business Association, Dalton Medford (right), presents a copy of the National Survey of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Sector to Minister of Small Business Development, Donville Inniss, yesterday morning.

 

THE $50 million Fund that has been allocated for the development of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Sector should be ready for disbursement by January, 2017.

 

Word of this has come from Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss. He made the comments while delivering remarks at the start of the SME Stakeholders’ Forum held at the Accra Beach Hotel yesterday morning hosted by the Small Business Association. It was last month in the Budget delivered by Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Christopher Sinckler, that it was announced that the $50 million special fund would be capitalised by money currently earmarked for the Industrial Credit Fund, managed by the Central Bank.

 

Inniss told the audience, which included several local small business owners, that the preliminary discussions on how that money will be allocated are currently being held between his Ministry and its strategic partners. With that in mind, he said based on reports from a recent meeting which involved the Ministries of Finance, Commerce and Small Business Development, the Central Bank, the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation and Fund Access, it is anticipated that the first set of additional funds for the MSME sector will become available by January 1, 2017. Inniss said this is not an arbitrary date, but was chosen based on what needs to be done to get the requisite provisions in place.

 

His comments came as he indicated that he will continue to demand the highest level of good governance from those who are tasked with managing State agencies under his watch.

 

“…We will insist that there is no slush fund mentality evolving in the system and there must be effective tools for measuring the success of our interventions. We will drive some of these State agencies towards a higher point of self-sufficiency through greater efficiency and a higher level of accountability,” he said.

 

Moreover, the Small Business Development Minister noted that access to finance continues to be a major challenge to enterprise development in this country. Given that, he said attention must be paid to the issue of “credit repair” to determine how best it may be used as a viable mechanism to mitigate the stigma associated with the high level of business failure among MSMEs. He is adamant that while the financial institutions have to make a profit, they must be more understanding and a little more lenient when lending to the MSME sector.

 

“I am not naïve; rather I am quite aware that the modus operandi of some elements of the financial services sector is to invest largely in those areas that promote their own economic viability. I contend, however, that it remains the corporate and social responsibility of those institutions, while not promoting a culture of mendicancy, but through a process of equitable, fair and reasonable due diligence, to be entrepreneurial in your efforts to assist such persons who can ill-afford to be disenfranchised by the very institutions within our society that their foreparents, parents and they themselves continue to support and assist in their profitability,” he said. (JRT)

 

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‘Maintenance clause to be put in place’

September 21, 2016, 9:00 pm

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By: 

Patricia Thangaraj

 

AS Barbados gets ready to host CARIFESTA 13 in 2017 to the tune of $6 million, which includes maintenance costs of cultural buildings, one of the areas of concern going forward is how these buildings are going to be properly maintained, so that they do not fall into a state of disrepair again.

 

Speaking at a press conference recently at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC), Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley, agreed that many of these buildings have deteriorated since they were last updated in 1981 for this same event.

 

“I do agree with you that certainly we have to do some work in terms of maintaining our facilities and that is why we are at the stage where certainly the Queen’s Park building, the Daphne Joseph Hackett Theatre are basically in a state of disrepair and that is why we had to look at launching a huge project to bring it back to a state of utility. This is why when these buildings are refurbished, there would be a maintenance clause in place,” he said.

 

“The Empire is another aspect as you have mentioned. We have also taken the step of allocating that to a private entity to start the work. But I agree that certainly going forward we have to find a more sustained way in which to manage our facilities. The economy behind of it is that certainly as we propel the importance of the cultural industries, we are going to have to utilise more of our facilities in a more enduring way and I think that generally speaking we have to put in place a mechanism.”

 

Lashley continued, “Certainly when we bring the Queen’s Park building back up, I can assure you that built into that model is going to be a very robust maintenance programme. I believe that certainly with the Empire, the same thing would obtain. We can’t afford to not build in the whole question of maintenance and therefore certainly from the prospective of those buildings that the Government – through the Ministry of Culture – have responsibility for, there would be a proper maintenance programme built into it.”

 

In addition, there was no Cultural Industries Development Authority or any other legislation in place in 1981 that would have driven the cultural industries forward, but now they have these things in place that should help, he said.

 

“Now we have very important incentives that are there in the Cultural Industries that are supposed to assist us in this regard and I also want to make the point that when we put that statute into law, we would have had the foresight of building in incentives to also encourage the private sector to invest in the refurbishment of cultural buildings and I think that once appropriately used would help a lot ... in maintaining those buildings.”

 

These incentives would provide tax breaks to those private sector organisations that are willing to provide financial assistance in refurbishing these buildings, said Lashley.

 

“So the incentives are there and therefore theatres, places of art and creativity, once they are developed by the private sector, they can readily go ahead and refurbish those buildings and claim the tax breaks that are there in the Cultural Industries Development Act.”

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RSS Director highlights contemporary challenges

September 21, 2016, 9:00 pm

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DIRECTOR of Operations and Plans of the Regional Security System (RSS), Lieutenant Colonel Glyne Grannum, says there are a number of contemporary challenges to be tackled by Caribbean and Latin American countries.

 

Speaking during a recently held panel discussion on Co-ordination Mechanisms in Latin America and Caribbean Regions for Natural Hazards and New Security Threats, he stressed the importance of the activities promoted by the Global Crisis Response Support Programme, which are critical to human capacity development through strengthening of crisis responses and early warning capabilities.

 

Highlighting some of the challenges that could impair the safety and well-being of the Caribbean, he pointed to those with terrorist ideologies and interests that welcome the presence of loose arrangements for the transport and storage of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear by-products.

 

“RSS has assessed that there is an urgent need to build capacity to deal with the new wave of terrorism, including radicalisation,” he said.

 

He also pointed to the number of transnational threats including infectious diseases, natural and man-made disasters, illicit drugs, human trafficking, cyber crime and financial crimes.

 

The director also told the panellists that a significant characteristic of today’s security environment is the deliberate or consequential marriage of several of the risk and threat vectors. 

 

“For example, local and transnational criminal entrepreneurs thrive in post-disaster settings. We saw this in Haiti and this phenomena is common in all conflict and crisis zones, however caused.”

 

Colonel Grannum assured that the headquarters of the RSS has looked at the potential for migrant crisis as it relates to the potential impact on the entire Latin American and Caribbean region.

 

He cautioned that there are other risks and threats which include the illegal movement of hazardous wastes, maritime pollution, maritime resource exploitation, cyber attacks and climate change. (JH)

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STUMBLING BLOCK

September 22, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Costly process to access wheelchair donation

By: 

Peta Rowe-Forde

 

 

President of the Barbados Council for the Disabled, Maria Holder-Small, is more than grateful for the over 200 wheelchairs and mobile devices which had been donated to the institution which she heads, but charged that the process to obtain these gifts was too difficult.

 

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the presentation, Holder-Small stated, “The biggest challenge was the fees that we incurred. We would have sent off the letter to the Minister of Finance asking for a waive on the VAT because we are not able to pay it and it happened that ended up around the time of the budget so that week was a stall… bearing in mind that all this time the…fees are adding up, the FAS is also adding, Port Storage is also adding, so by the time we did get the waiver from the Ministry, we were also hit with the two per cent the very next day.”

 

Holder-Small stated that when they again reached out to the Ministry of Finance about the two per cent levy, they were told that no exemptions are being given and so, the council made the decision to pay due to the fees that were adding up. 

 

Another issue which arose for the council was that of obtaining containers to store their donations. The President noted that due to space limitations and with the permission of Town and Country Planning, they acquired a 20 foot container, hoping to place the surplus of what came in the 40 foot container in the rooms at the council.

 

Unfortunately, the rooms were overflowing, and the request to place another 20 foot container on the premises of the Council was denied. Moreover, the Council has three months to clear the container and remove it from the premises.

 

“I thought it would have been a much smoother process than the unnecessary humps that we came upon; because we are not gaining anything from this project, just the satisfaction of seeing people being seated in a wheelchair correctly,” stated Holder-Small.

 

Given these events Holder-Small noted that enacted legislation is needed. “We signed on to the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities but we don’t have the legislation, and until then, nothing can happen,” she stated. “Nothing is going to make any sense to persons unless they are affected by it. If it does not hit home, it does not make any sense to you. Trust me, a lot of us did not always have disabilities and disability is something just waiting to happen. We have a lot of non-communicable diseases out there, you can get up one day and become an amputee, you never know,” she said in her closing statement.

 

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Herbert: Less talk, more action required

September 22, 2016, 9:00 pm

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President of the Barbados Private Sector Association, Charles Herbert (left,) leads the delegation of private sector representatives at the recent meeting of the Social Partnership.

 

“We know what to do, but we fail on implementing.”

 

President of the Barbados Private Sector Association Charles Herbert made this clear as he spoke at the meeting for the full Social Partnership held on Monday.

 

Saying that persons often accused such meetings of being “a talk shop”, he insisted that it was critical that not only are solutions found to the issues confronting the country, but also that a strategy is devised for implementing these.

 

In his first address to the social partnership since taking up his mantle, Herbert agreed with Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler’s priorities listed in the budget; including foreign exchange reserves, the fiscal deficit and the ease of doing business; all three of which were on the agenda for yesterday’s event.

 

“We see these as the three key items that need our collaboration and we need to bring about meaningful change as quickly as we can for the interest of our country. We have often been accused that today’s meeting is just a talk shop and that we come and chat and we do not get anything done. I am hoping that today we can identify the priority action items which are most important for our country, that we can develop a strategy for developing the solutions and a strategy for implementing the solutions,” he stated.

 

Telling those gathered at the Lloyd Erskine Sanford Centre that the island was still going through challenges, he insisted that the meeting must be collaborative and consensus driven.

 

“We intend to be here today, not to throw stones at government but to work with you to try and reach solutions and make things better. Our presentations will not be political – in that our goal is not to endorse or to change a government, the people’s representatives. Our hope is for consensus and that we will create ideas on how we should implement the consensus that we reach,” Herbert stressed. (JMB)

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CARIFESTA 13 perfect tool for world class participation

September 22, 2016, 9:00 pm

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CARIFESTA 13 is the perfect platform to enable Caribbean artists to position themselves at the world class level in cultural activities.

 

This is coming from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley, who spoke at a press conference to provide the media with updates on the planning stages of CARIFESTA 13 recently at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC).

 

“At its core, CARIFESTA 13 will focus on the development and the promotion of the cultural industries and I believe that certainly within the context of where we are at in Barbados and where the CARICOM Secretariat is seeking to position many of the Caribbean terrorises, the cultural industries is looming large as being one of the most critical aspects of the development of the region.”

 

In fact, he referred to this festival as the “Olympics” of the creative arts because it would provide the same opportunities for the artists that the Olympics provides for athletes and that is to bring their talents and skills to the stage.

 

“You will be aware that Barbados will be hosting this event which we consider to be the Olympics of Culture in the Caribbean because it is the biggest and the most important festival in terms of culture in the region.”

“In fact, the theme for 2017, which is ‘Asserting our Culture: Celebrating Ourselves,’ was chosen because it reflected where the region is in terms of its cultural industries and how they view its contribution to the growth of the sector,” stated Lashley.

 

“We feel that that particular theme is very critical particularly within the context of where we stand in the Caribbean; where we identify the cultural industries as a key growth strategy and a growth pillar upon which we believe the economies of the Caribbean can be further expanded and further diversified.”

 

Lashley stated that the programme for this event, which will take place from August 17 to the 27, 2017; will include all genres of culture and the different artists from across the Caribbean will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents.

 

There will also be tremendous opportunities for persons who may not be involved with any particular delegation to come and take part as there are various events that will facilitate their participation.

 

The venues for the ten day festival include Kensington Oval; Frank Collymore Hall; the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC); the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus; the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, which is currently being refurbished and the Queen’s Park House, where the contract to refurbish it has recently being given out.

 

In addition, several open spaces such as that at the Barbados Community College (BCC); the Village Green and the Jackie Opal Theatre will also be utilised for hosting various events of the festival. (PJT)

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Region’s vulnerabilities identified

September 22, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Women are studying more, causing the educational gap between women and men in the Caribbean to widen recently in favour of women.

 

According to the 2016 United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Report (HDR) for the Caribbean, which focuses on several groups and their “vulnerabilities”, education can be a potential protective factor against women’s disadvantages in the labour market, but women are still earning less than male colleagues and are proportionally holding fewer decision-making positions in the public and private sectors.

 

“An example of women’s under-representation in politics is that the percentage of women MPs ranged from 6.7 per cent in St. Kitts and Nevis to 25.7 per cent in Antigua and Barbuda in 2014.”

 

The report launched at Hilton Barbados Resort by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark, stresses that violence against women is a key challenge for the Caribbean, not only threatening lives but also negatively impacting all of society. Different types of violence – physical, sexual, psychological or a combination of them – affect between 20 and 35 per cent of women in Caribbean countries for which data are available.

 

Youth are also a critical group in vulnerability, the Caribbean report indicated, also pointing out that youth unemployment is a common challenge for both women and men.

 

“Youth unemployment rates range between 18 per cent and 47 per cent except in Trinidad and Tobago where it is ten per cent.  For young women, teenage pregnancy can hinder the possibilities of studying, working – and leaving poverty behind.” 

 

Young men, especially in poor communities, are both the main victims and the main perpetrators of crime in the Caribbean. These vulnerabilities must be addressed in all ages, the report stated, so they do not build up over the life cycles.

 

On average, the Caribbean has a higher rate of population 65 years old and above, and is ageing faster, than the Latin America region. It is estimated that by 2025, 11.4 per cent of the Caribbean population will be 65 years or above. Older women are more at risk of poverty and chronic diseases than older men – whose life expectancy is lower and who are less likely to access health care and detect disease, especially at earlier stages – but benefit more from family support, according to the report.

 

“Pension schemes, especially non-contributory ones, are often inefficient and inadequate both in coverage and value. Older women’s contributory pensions tend to be lower than men’s as a consequence of women in their earlier years concentrated in lower remuneration jobs.” (TL)

 

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Easy targets

September 22, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Barbadians carelessly helping criminals to steal their property

 

Crime Prevention Officer Inspector Stephen Griffith shows Deputy Director of the National Library Service Mary Waldron some of the dead-bolts that can be installed in the home, offering greater protection from criminals.

 

A CRIME Prevention Officer with over three decades in the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) is concerned that Barbadians are carelessly helping criminals to steal their property.

Inspector Stephen Griffith of the Crime Prevention Unit was at the time sharing safety techniques during a public lecture on Crime Prevention, hosted by the National Library Service in Bridgetown yesterday afternoon.

 

The inspector said it is generally estimated that in 95 per cent of the crimes committed, the victims actually help the criminal. He lamented that today many are caught up with the fast pace of their daily lives, their eyes are constantly glued to their smart phones and are blissfully unaware of their surroundings.

 

One of the areas the officer highlighted was the issue of vehicle safety, which includes theft from vehicles, theft of vehicles, and also theft of vehicle parts.

 

In fact, he revealed that within the last two weeks, at least four mechanics were charged for the theft of parts. “Sometimes the mechanic sells your parts. Another car comes and it wants something off your car. He hopes to put it back...” he stated.

 

He warned as well that leaving one's vehicle at a mechanic with scores of cars waiting to be fixed is a recipe for disaster, explaining that it is virtually impossible for a mechanic to keep track of every vehicle to be fixed while offering the best security.

 

As it relates to homeowners, he noted that many persons are purchasing alarm systems, which if triggered are not connected to any security personnel and would simply go unnoticed.

 

He also lamented that people are constructing garages without doors, and are storing items in plain sight. This, he said, is like creating a supermarket for a criminal. 

 

He cautioned that barrels and wooden palettes can be used to reach elevated levels in the homes.

 

He encouraged persons to be vigilant and to know their neighbours, and urged them not to follow stereotypes of what a criminal shouldlike, musing that an attaché case being carried by a well-dressed man in a neighbourhood could contain a screwdriver and hammer to break into a home.Inspector Griffith also urged persons to look at lighting in and around their homes, and the type of vegetation planted, explaining that cactus, rose bushes and bougainvillaea can be good deterrents for a criminal.

 

He also urged persons to stop placing keys under the mat, but rather make copies of the key. He advised that the criminal element might be watching as persons, often times children, come home from school, lift the mat and look for this key.

 

The officer warned citizens to be more vigilant when they go to ATM machines, revisit the type of screws used installing burglar bars and the type of locks used in the home, not just at the front door but specifically the back door. He lamented that persons are using internal locks on their front and back-doors to cut costs, but they can be pushed aside with just a credit card. He advised that persons use deadbolts.

 

The Crime Prevention Officer also warned that criminals can read body language and are extremely vigilant, pointing out that women generally clutch their hand bags tightly when they are carrying money, while men, with some degree of egotism, take out large sums of money to pay for small items. (JH)

 

 

 

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St Bartholomew’s Primary observes Arbor Day

September 22, 2016, 9:00 pm

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President of Southern Stars Optimist Club, Hyacinth Green, making a presentation to student Javonte Thorne as Principal at St Bartholomew’s Primary School, Hyacinth Harris, looks on during the Arbor Day celebrations yesterday.

 

 

St Bartholomew’s Primary School celebrated Arbor Day in the most fitting way possible yesterday.

 

The students were presented with trees from Southern Stars Optimist Club, which they planted at the school’s entrance.

 

President of the Club, Hyacinth Green, said that the initiative was made possible through the National Conservation Commission (NCC). Donated were three shade trees and eight fruit trees.

 

“Southern Stars Optimist Club has decided to give each class a fruit tree. You are going to give them love and care.

 

“We are going a bit further where each member of the club will adopt a class at St Bartholomew’s,” she said, as she revealed plans to adopt the school.

 

Principal at St Bartholomew's Primary, Hyacinth Harris thanked the Club and shared that for the past three years the school has embarked on a programme of beautifying the compound.

 

“Today our celebration and the activities associated with it have come to fruition because of the work of the Southern Stars Optimist Club and the National Conservation Commission – together they have supplied us with the trees which we will use to enhance our school’s environment. 

 

“This is only the first attempt by Southern Stars Optimist Club to assist the school, and we look forward to forming a partnership with them,” Harris expressed.

 

National Arbor Day is celebrated annually on September 22nd and this year’s theme is “Trees – the Circle of Life.” (TL)

 

 

 

 

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Professor: Invest more in research

September 22, 2016, 9:00 pm

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By: 

Patricia Thangaraj

 

 

Place more investment in research.

 

This is the advice that Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Undergraduate Studies at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus, Professor Alan Cobley is sending out to key stakeholders 

in Government, the private sector and non-Governmental organizations (NGOs).

 

He was delivering remarks at the Marijuana Symposium under the theme of ‘Perpetual Problem of Potential Problem Solver for Barbados’, held at the 3W’s Oval yesterday.

 

In addition, he called for these groups to provide an enabling environment for productive research to grow.

 

“Cutting edge research requires consistent investment of resources and a supportive environment in order to thrive. Regrettably, the statistics show that the Anglophone Caribbean is at the bottom of the league in this hemisphere in terms of investment in and support for research and development. 

 

“This is hampering our efforts to create new ideas and new products at a time when the ‘knowledge economy’ is driving global prosperity. I would like to use this opportunity to appeal to Government, NGOs and the private sector to invest more in research and to provide the support that is needed for good research to thrive in Barbados,” he urged.

 

The Professor stated that when it comes to research on medicinal plants, the Cave Hill Campus has already started to bridge a path in this regard.

 

“In the area of research on medicinal plants, the Cave Hill Campus has already made a start. There is a project currently under way at College Lands, St John to cultivate several plants and to investigate their medicinal properties in a scientific way. The project is co-chaired by Fr Michael Clarke, Principal of Codrington College, and Dr Damian Cohall, Deputy Dean of our own Faculty of Medical Sciences: it is being funded by the UNDP.

 

“However, Marijuana cannot be included in that project because cultivation of the plant remains illegal in Barbados. We need a change in the law similar to that seen in Jamaica to allow the legal cultivation of the plant under license for research on its medical use. Here is one example where Government can help to support the University’s research efforts.”

 

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Bottlenecks in justice system must be addressed

September 22, 2016, 9:00 pm

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The fact that almost half of the persons at Her Majesty’s Prisons Dodds are on remand shows that the local justice system is not functioning well. 

 

Making this assertion Criminologist Yolande Forde noted that the serious bottlenecks within the system have to be addressed.

 

“As it stands right now, almost half of the persons who are at HMP Dodds are remand persons. That really is a reflection of a justice system that cannot possibly be working efficiently. I do not know what the causes are for the delays,… but something obviously is very wrong,” she insisted.

Forde pointed out that many defence lawyers were already complaining that it was wrong for persons to face numerous adjournments as cases did not move forward.

 

Stating that Plea Bargain legislation was now being considered by the stakeholders, she pointed out that this would allow the relevant parties to get together and the person accused of the crime is encouraged to plead to a lesser offence, which would allow the case to move faster through the system.

 

“Barbados has also taken some other steps that are commendable such as the Drug Treatment Court. A person suffering from drug addiction is a person who is ill and that person’s problem is not going to be solved through incarceration. The establishment of this court in 2014 is definitely a step in the right direction and perhaps we need to move further in establishing problem solving courts. A drug treatment court is a problem solving court and is also a diversion from incarceration,” she stated.

 

Speaking on the People’s Business recently, Forde opined that incarceration was in many respects “an expensive way of making bad behaviour worse.”

 

“We seem to have an image of a prison as a hospital where people go to o get better and that is not necessarily the case and the rates of recidivism show it as two thirds of the people who go to prison return,” she stressed.

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Graduates reminded on use of weapons

September 22, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Director of Operations & Plans at the Regional Security System (RSS), Lieutenant Colonel Glyne Grannum

By: 

Marsha Gittens

 

Graduates of the Regional Security System’s (RSS) Instructors/ Range Supervision Course have been reminded of the importance of being disciplined in how they use of their weapons.

 

Addressing a recent Closing Ceremony at the RSS Training Facility at Paragon, Director of Operations & Plans with the RSS, Lieutenant Colonel Glyne Grannum cautioned that “a shot fired cannot be recalled.”

 

“The use deadly force remains a last resort. Thus, among the many things that you have learnt on this course, always remember that a shot fired cannot be recalled. You and those you train in the use of weapons whether they be police or military persons, serving on land or on seas will always be responsible and accountable for the application of armed force.”

 

He further urged the 19 participants to “spare no effort in preparing your subordinates in critical decision-making for the dangerous, complex and at times ambiguous circumstances that could well confront them in the tactical and operational settings they will find themselves.”

 

The police officers and Defence Force personnel participating in the four-week Course were drawn from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, St. Christopher and Nevis, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 

 

Grannum explained that during the four weeks, graduates were exposed to areas including the application of Weapon Danger Areas and the traditional notions of security with instruction in lethal operational shooting to Stage 3. He further said that it is intended that through the successful delivery of the Course “to continue to ensure that our servicepersons can use their weapons, one, safely among their peers in the law enforcement, defence and security professions in the service of protection our people and, if necessary. Two, with the highest level of effectiveness and precision against all hostile threats.”

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Tackling crime requires multi-pronged approach

September 22, 2016, 9:00 pm

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A multi-faceted, multi-dimensional approach is required to stem gun violence and criminal behaviour in this island. 

 

Making this strong assertion, Criminologist Yolande Forde insisted that no one entity in society should shoulder the blame for the recent rise in violent crimes.

 

“We need to move away from fingerpointing any agency or person to say ‘this person, this agency or this institution is responsible for the crime problem that this or any other country faces,” she said.

 

Speaking on the People’s Business on Sunday night, Forde outlined that crime was firstly a behavioural issue, and as such perceptions, thinking and value beliefs had to be looked at and tackled.

 

“It becomes very problematic when socialisation does not occur or when what is transmitted from one generation to another is anti-values,” she continued.

 

Pointing to a myriad of risk factors including developmental disabilities, family issues such as abandonment, abuse or criminality and drug abuse in families, she also highlighted the educational system, noting that many delinquent behaviours manifest early and as such needed to be wrestled at this point.

 

“When someone reaches the stage of a court, I put it to you that they have been exhibiting unacceptable behaviour for a long time and it has gone unaddressed, not only unaddressed but not properly assessed and no one is saying that this is the role of the teachers, but very often if that is the setting where this behaviour is manifesting and being played out, it is really incumbent on us as the authorities in society to have the necessary technical and human resources in that setting to deal with it, which would include reaching out to the home,” Forde added. 

 

Criminal Attorney at Law Angela Mitchell-Gittens highlighted that the majority of the time pre-sentencing reports revealed family dysfunction, a lack of a male role model, little or no educational attainment, sporadic employment or drug use.

 

“Those are usually present after someone has committed a criminal offence, so it seems to me from my vantage point that those are the root causes of criminal behaviour in this society,” she said. 

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Wind energy potential

September 23, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Dr. Thomas Rogers, Lecturer in Renewable Energy at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus delivering his address.

 

 

Onshore wind energy is the cheapest source of renewable energy for the foreseeable future.

 

That is according to Dr. Thomas Rogers, Lecturer in Renewable Energy at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, as he noted that Barbados has good onshore wind potential that should be capitalised on. 

 

Moreover, the university lecturer says to turn technical potential into reality, a more detailed wind resource assessment is needed, as is a wind power electrical integration study to determine how to connect wind turbines to the national grid.

 

He was speaking yesterday on the topic “A 100 per cent Renewable Future” at the Barbados Town Planning Society (BTPS) seminar at the Courtyard Marriott, under the theme “Planning for Renewable Energy in Barbados”.

 

Rogers noted that with the continued fall in the prices of solar PV and wind energy and the prospect of increasing oil prices, there is a general realisation among stakeholders in this country that the 100 per cent target is reachable and is possible in today’s market.

 

“We have the wind and solar integration study that Light and Power did, that was only for 15 megawatts of wind. I’m told that there is another study coming out and there was also a study by the Energy Division, which supports the connection of wind onto the island’s electricity grid, but we need to look at the kind of sizes that we’re talking about, 230 megawatts,” he said.

 

Rogers’ comments came as he noted that wind energy is a reliable, cheap and proven technology, and he said that while the first wind turbine on the island, erected in the 1980s, was not well received primarily because of the noise factor, the situation should be different going forward as modern wind turbines are quieter, better designed, have a greater power output, and have a longer lifespan. With that in mind, referring to a desktop study he conducted on wind energy potential in Barbados, Rogers said that there are seven zones, mainly in rural Barbados, where the wind turbines can be installed. These include, he said, areas in St. Lucy, St. Peter, Christ Church, St. Philip and St. George particularly agricultural land that is away from domestic properties.

He is suggesting that if erected on such lands, it could be of a benefit to the agricultural sector as well, allowing farmers to generate additional income.

 

He added that should wind farms be pursued in those zones, it is important that there is public ownership in respect of those ventures to ensure that there is public buy-in. Rogers said that this would help to raise the public’s awareness about wind energy; solves the problems and conflicts that often happen when overseas developers coming in to develop a wind site; and it keeps the revenue earned on the island while strengthening the local economy.

 

He admitted that there is concern about the impact that wind farms would have on the island’s tourism industry, but contended that the concerns were probably not merited as most visitors to the island are au fait with such technology and are not likely to think that it spoils the landscape. On that note, he said that the turbines could be used as tourist attractions, as have been done in other parts of the world, to afford persons spectacular views around the island. (JRT)

 

 

 

 

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Trade unions must target younger members

September 23, 2016, 9:00 pm

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The Business Session of the 11th Biennial Delegates’ Conference of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations (CTUSAB) was held at Savannah Beach hotel yesterday. From left: CTUSAB General Secretary Dennis de Peiza; President, Cedric Murrell; 1st Vice-President, Pedro Shepherd; and 3rd Vice-President, Grantley Greene.

 

Trade unions in Barbados are being urged to reach out to young workers – the next generation of union members.

 

According to President of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations (CTUSAB), Cedric Murrell, the time has come for unions to develop marketing and promotional strategies to sell themselves to this target audience.

 

He was addressing the business session of the 11th Biennial Delegates Conference held at Savannah Beach Hotel, Hastings, Christ Church yesterday.

 

“The attractiveness and relevance of our individual member units to young workers must be a priority,” he stressed.

 

“The obvious change in the demographic of the Barbadian workforce transmits its signal to all Trade Unions and Staff Associations, that immediate action is required in order to maintain and sustain individual membership basis.”

 

Murrell said that for quite some time, less than 40 per cent of the Barbadian workforce has been unionised, noting that this is not healthy for the labour movement.

 

“Given the changing labour employment trends, this can prove to be even more problematic than it appears,” he indicated.

 

“The current demographic shows that Barbados has an ageing workforce and in consequence of this would be that Unions and Staff Associations would experience a less militant membership. As workers come closer to the age of retirement, it is quite likely that they will tend to become less active and interested in trade union activities.”

 

He also observed that given the implications of new employment and recruitment strategies – which are in themselves imposing threats to the promotion of collectivism – it is imperative that the mobilisation of workers remain a front-burner issue.

 

“There is now a need for heightened worker education and sensitisation on the importance of the collective bargaining unit.”

 

Murrell explained that the theme “Promoting Social Equity and Justice: Championing the Cause of Labour”, is intended to highlight the continued promotion of the decent work agenda.

 

“That agenda supports opportunities for work that is productive and gives a fair income;security in the workplace; and social protection for families. Better prospects for social development and social integration and promotes freedom for people to express their views unhindered. 

 

“By choosing this theme, the Congress boldly states that it aims to be a strategic partner in a quest to create a just society in Barbados,” he said. (TL)

 

 

 

 

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BCC welcomes The Broken Trident

September 23, 2016, 9:00 pm

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From left to right: Dr. Ian Austin, Principal of the Barbados Community College; Samuel Rouse, Deputy Principal and Roger Worrell, Ag Registrar of the Barbados Community College posing for a pic with the Barbabdos trident whilst on display at the College.

 

“Determine where we would like to be and how we will get there.”

 

This is the advice from Prinicipal of the Barbados Community College, Dr. Ian Austin as he addressed a packed auditorium on  Thursday as students, staff, members of the Barbados Cadet Corps, the Barbados Regimen and invited guests celebrated the visit of the broken Trident. A symbolic representation of Barbados independence.

 

In expressing his delight at the visit of the broken trident he told the audience, “We welcome the Trident because not only does it symbolises political independence but independence of thought, independence of mind, the collective independence of a nation and a sense of self determination.”  

 

“The imperative to mobilise our collective imagination, intellect and spirit towards the continuation of the shaping of a new social order and in the building of a nation that has already taken its rightful place amongst independent and progressive nations.”

 

He pointed out, “As we receive the trident in commemoration of fifty years of independence, we must prospectively cast our minds to the next fifty years as we commemorate this historical moment in time but most importantly the ability to look to the future and explore the possibilities as a people.”

 

“At present, the Barbados Community College is two years shy of fifty years that our country Barbados will be celebrating and we will continue to be pivotal to the advancement of Barbados, as we have been for the last forty eight years through the calibre of education delivered at the institution.” 

 

“We will therefore continue to move in sync with the growth and development of this nation and shaping the minds of young and mature individuals as we assist them in repositioning themselves professionally in the type of education we deliver. Hence it is important all graduates must be armed with the tools and ammunition to allow them to reap the full benefits of being independent and self-defining Barbadians.”

 

Acting Registrar Roger Worrell told The Barbados Advocate, “We are happy to be part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Barbados Independence as we too are close to celebrating our fiftieth anniversary in 2018. We feel honoured being  part of this great event and nation building exercise as the Barbados Community College continues to develop, contribute and improve the educational standards  of Barbados.”

 

“It is my hope that this event will give the students an appreciation of what independence and the trident  means to Barbados whilst instilling a sense of national pride and confidence in this great country.”

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‘FIND RIGHT BALANCE’

September 23, 2016, 9:00 pm

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Strategic development important to Barbados

Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss (third from right) and Christopher Sambrano, Regional Leader, Transaction Advisory Services of EY, cut the ribbon at the official opening of One Welches, while Maria Robinson (left), Country Managing Partner of EY, Barbados; Mark Linehan (second from left), Managing Director of Regus; Connie Smith (second from right), Managing Director of Tricor Group’s Operations in Barbados; and Elizabeth Morgan (right), Country Manager at First Citizens Investment Services (Barbados) Limited, look on.

 

One Welches in St. Thomas officially opened on Thursday night, and Minister of Industry, Interna-tional Business, and Commerce and Small Business Develop-ment, Donville Inniss, has tackled any opposition to this investment.

 

He argued, “As we reflect from whence this area has developed, be ever mindful that there would have been detractors who would have argued that in 2016 no commercial building should be more than two storeys tall and at least a mile away from residences. 

 

“Some may even argue that your development may hinder a UNESCO inscription some 100 years from now. We have to find the right balance that captures our history, acknowledges our present and projects our future. Sticking to one era will ensure that this island remains recognisable to the British who landed in 1625 upon their return, and will never reflect our modern times. 

 

“On behalf of the architects, the builders, big and small contractors, the electrical team, the plumbers, the painters, window manufacturers, tilers, landscape designers, the truckers who delivered the building materials, the ladies who sold food from their vans to energise the workers and all who laboured here, I say thank you to the developers. I am not ungrateful, I fully appreciate that many families had their lives enhanced due to the opportunities presented to them from this project.” 

 

The Minister added, “That is why I get a bit annoyed when I see the obstructionists in our midst whose public and private utterances cause unnecessary delays in the provision of major physical development projects. I am not stating that we must allow developers to do as they please, but we certainly must not go to the other extreme in making their investments feel most unwelcome. I note that most of the recent critics of significant real estate development projects have themselves never even created a job for one person in this island. 

 

As long as the laws of the land are followed, I will stand up anywhere in this island and publicly defend private sector investors, even in the face of condemnation by political friends and foes. This island has always and will always need investors – big or small, local or foreign, black or white – and I welcome them all…” (NB)

 

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