Senator Dr. Sir Trevor Carmichael says there is tremendous value in hosting independent film festivals in this country.

Speaking recently in the Upper House during the debate on the Cultural Industries Development (Validation) Bill, Sir Trevor, who is the co-founder of the Barbados Independent Film Festival – which is scheduled to be held on the island early next month – indicated that the film industry in general has grown astronomically over the last four decades, and is an area that Barbados can capitalise on.

“In 1971 there were 3 906 new movies; in 1981, 4 211; in 1991, 5 972; in 2001, 10 342 and since then astronomical growth. So what is obvious is that what began as a cottage
industry, has become today possibly one of the largest global enterprises. Huge!” he said.

Sir Trevor said that while the film-producing jurisdictions have historically been United States, Japan, India, Canada, England and China, others are coming on board. Moreover, he said, allied with that large burgeoning number of films being produced, are the film festivals associated with it. He indicated that since the first ever film festival in 1932, the then the next which was held in Berlin in 1951, there have been festivals of all sizes across the world.

“This Berlin festival which started in 1951 has become one of the standard-bearers of the film festival industry. It is set like a template, for what a film festival can do in terms of attracting people, in terms of bringing in revenue and in terms of stimulating local production and co-productions,” he stated.

Sir Trevor reiterated that the presence of film festivals have the ability to not only bring people to Barbados, but to bring in revenue. Referring to the Barbados Independent Film Festival, held for the first time last year, he said there were also workshops held, which provided opportunities for young local filmmakers to learn from more experienced counterparts. Coming out of the Barbados Independent Film Festival, a local filmmaker had the opportunity to work with an international expert and that short film will be showcased at the upcoming festival.

“That is a special film that will feature the Historic Garrison and it will highlight the Garrison horses… It has all been captured in a very interesting and riveting film which highlights the horse racing at the Garrison, highlights the Garrison area as a UNESCO district, and also highlights the collaboration which is possible between a young Barbadian filmmaker and a more experienced foreign filmmaker, all coming out of the festival. All of these things can happen and will happen in terms of stimulating local production,” he said.

Sir Trevor said it is his hope that with that type of activity going on, Barbados will step up the co-production treaties. He is suggesting that Barbados should be exploring the idea of co-production treaties with Canada, United States and the United Kingdom. He said if we can do that, we can then pursue more filming in Barbados, which he said is also a potential growth industry. (JRT)

The Ministry of Health is aware of the sewage problem in the Worthing and Hastings area and assures that they, along with other entities, are working hard but efficiently to solve the problem.

So says Minister of Health, John Boyce, during a press conference that was held at his ministry yesterday morning.

“As the Minister of Health, I just want to assure the public, and especially constituents and the business people, of our continued surveillance of the area and our continued management of the health-related issues by way of the deployment of additional environmental health officers,” he said.

“Some ten officers have been added to the two catchments. Randall Phillips and Winston Scott will be responsible for the two areas and they are out there working with business people and restaurants to ensure that effective health practices are in place and are reinforced.”

The Minister revealed that there is a committee, headed by the Chief Medical Officer, and made up of the Barbados Tourism Authority and the Barbados Water Authority representatives at the highest level, the Barbados Police Force, the regiment of Barbados, the Environmental Protection Department and the Coastal Zone Unit. He added that the committee meets weekly to monitor the issues and decide on necessary courses of action.

He expressed that this has been an extremely challenging exercise in terms of locating the area causing the problem, and then of course, putting the necessary solutions in place to bring about some relief and correct the situation.

“This is really a three-stage process; the first stage is of course to identify the affected areas causing the manholes at certain points to behave the way they have been. We believe that the Water Authority has found the area and we are trying to zero in the exact location,” he said.

“These pipes are 15 feet under the ground, so we have to use specialised equipment and expertise to find these areas. The second stage or part of the first stage, then, is that we need to put in place a temporary over ground pipework, but again that is to be carefully located so as not to impact the general public or business.”

As a result, Boyce explained that the BWA is working on clearing the areas so that they could insert large pipes and large pumps that need to be put in place to take the effluent away so that repair work can begin.

The Minister noted that this will be a very long process but assures that they are working as quickly as possible to fix the problem.

The hall of St. David’s Church was filled with the lovely voices of its choir and congregation as they gathered for their annual Christmas Carol Service on Wednesday night.

Speaking with The Barbados Advocate, Reverend Cannon Burke noted that Wednesday night’s Carols and Lessons service was a part of the traditional way in which Christians celebrate Christmas.

“It is made up of the singing of Christmas carols, especially familiar carols, which is meant to put persons in the mood to understand that we are celebrating this Christmas season,” he said.

“In the midst of the carols, there’s also bible readings. The Bible readings trace the history of salvation, from the book of Genesis, to the time when our Lord came into the world. So you can see that there is a close connection between the book of Genesis and the Gospel according to John.”

The choir of St. David’s Church, who had rehearsed for last night’s event since the month of September, were a treat for everyone as their voices beautifully reached incredible octaves, much to the delight of the congregation.

The first reading, which was taken from the book of Genesis, tells of how human beings were at first disobedient. The following eight readings, which were read by members in the congregation,
including the Clergy, the Dean Emeritus, former Dean of the Cathedral, William Dickinson and Father Cortez Nurse, traced the history of salvation through the prophecies of the Messiah.

Reverend Burke noted that according to scripture, everything in life was incarnational.

“By that we mean that God Almighty is in all of us human beings; but not only in us as human beings, but God is in nature and in the historical events of the world,” he said.
He stressed that Christmas was not a fairy tale, or a fantasy, but it was “rooted in God’s tremendous love for us through God Almighty sending his Son into the world for us.”

Purchasing salt bread from bakeries around the island just a day or two ahead of Christmas day continues to be a Barbadian tradition.

At bakeries and supermarkets visited yesterday individuals could be seen standing in long lines with one or more packs of this commodity. Three customers who spoke to this newspaper while at Carter’s Bakery in St. George said they were purchasing the bread to enjoy with ham on December 25th. Other popular purchases were fruit cakes and plain cakes. These were bought in slices as well as whole.

Speaking to The Barbados Advocate, Manager of Carter’s Bakery, Marva Greene said Saturday was a hectic day. She explained this was the case “because everyone is coming to get their salt bread which is my biggest seller and most of the time people like to get their salt bread and ham at Christmas because that is kind of a tradition where people look forward for their salt bread and ham. So we usually have big sales in that area.”

She further stated that individuals were in store to collect cakes which they order well in advance.

“They are coming for the cakes too but the thing about it is, we had problems with the eggs so you wouldn’t get as many as you would really like but we are still baking cakes. You will be baking cake until tomorrow [Sunday].”

Giving a comparison of sales during this period last year and this year, Greene reported a similar response from the public.

“I would say that things are almost the same because somehow at Christmas time people just come out, find money and they want their cakes and their salt bread, they want to enjoy the Christmas.”

Despite a slow start to the Christmas season, many storeowners are hoping for an increase in last minute shoppers today, Christmas Eve.

While speaking with The Barbados Advocate, it was clear that many storeowners in Sheraton Mall agreed that there had been an extremely slow start to the Christmas shopping season.

Suleiman Bulbulia, manager of the Abeds Department in Sheraton Centre, expressed that for the Abeds store in particular, there was a slow start to the season when compared to previous years.

“It did start off kind of slow. Usually you would see some activity in October or November, but it was not as in previous years. However, within the last week or week-and-a-half ago, we have seen an increase in sales,” he said.

“So it has been picking up and it is still quite busy, up to today (yesterday), but we are definitely down compared to previous years in sales. We’re hoping that within the next day, which is Christmas Eve … that there would be an even larger increase in activity.”
The manager stated his belief that people obviously had a lot less to spend as things have gotten a little more expensive as the year progressed, but he hoped that since more people were coming out and filling the stores, that there would be an increase in their sales.

When a few customers spoke with The Barbados Advocate, many corroborated Bulbulia’s perspective, citing financial challenges. For one shopper, who wished to remain anonymous, she said that her bills increased but her salary remained the same, which meant that she had much less to spend on her family and friends this Christmas season. However, she was not going to let that hinder or dampen her spirit as she was forced to become more innovative when shopping for her family.

One local charitable organisation has reaped success in a number of areas during 2017.

Public Relations Officer of Cancer Support Services, Antoine Williams told the Barbados Advocate that this year “has been successful” and “a productive year” for the organisation.

Going into detail about the gains made, he stated the charity has “been able to maintain our relationships. We have been able to make the organisation become even more visible and we have been able to create some strong linkages.”

Giving an example of a link formed, Williams spoke “of the Memorandum of Understanding which was recently signed between Cancer Support Service and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital”.

“Cancer Support Services has adopted Ward C12, so a lot of the work [and] a lot of the contributions that we have given to the Ward as far as patients and the nursing staff, as far as they are concerned then that MOU says we are on board.”

Further highlighting the charity’s accomplishments, Williams said “this year we have seen an increase in men attending the PSA exercises”.

He spoke on side-lines of a recent donation by Popular Discounts to the charity at the supermarket’s Kendal Hill, Christ Church branch. Cancer Support Services was one of two selected by the grocery store to give back to.

Sharing with Barbados Advocate how the funds received will possibly be used, Williams stated “a lot of it will go back into the welfare element for members. Welfare in terms of providing household items, in terms of providing counselling care, in terms of providing medication for patients. I believe that in cases like this, the welfare feature of the organisation will benefit.”

WITH just a few hours remaining before Christmas Day, stores in Speightstown are making it known that they are open for business with the same, if not better prices, than other major shopping areas.

While heavy crowds headed to the Bridgetown to grab their gifts and other items, a steady stream of shoppers made their way to Speightstown yesterday afternoon. Many expressed the view that they could get the same items, sometimes at better prices and with less hassle.

Longstanding business Eddie’s Trading on Church Street was a hive of activity with persons making purchases of drinks from the depot and groceries from the supermarket.

Co-owner Angela Edwards said sales have been going “reasonably well” and was particularly pleased that people from all across the island have been patronizing what is still referred to as the “Eddies tent” to shop for all their household items.

She revealed that Eddie’s supermarket will be opened until 10 p.m. to accommodate those last minute grocery shoppers or for those who finish their work late in the evening.

Newcomer to Speightstown S Y Adams was also buzzing with activity yesterday. However, supervisor Amina Esuf said that while shopping was relatively light since the store opened its doors on November 24, sales picked up considerably over the past two days. She noted that the store will be opened until 5p.m. today.

Vendors on Church Street were also in high spirits, including Linda Brome, who said most shoppers were looking for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Cynthia Burnett assured that she will be coming out today to accommodate shoppers, noting that peas and golden apples were at the top of most shopping lists. She lamented however that peas were not as plentiful and sold out quickly. Looking over her packed trays she said she recorded good sales of yams, sweet potatoes and sorrel, along with the other trimmings to make Christmas lunch come to life tomorrow.

People taking a break from shopping or simply seeking to relax could also be seen lounging at one of the bars and restaurants overlooking the sea. (JH)

With just a few days remaining in 2017, the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) is urging Barbadians to be extra careful on the roads during the holidays, to help ensure that there are no more fatalities recorded this year.

In an interview with The Barbados Advocate, President of the BRSA, Sharmane Roland-Bowen lamented that with 27 road fatalities recorded already for the year, it is three times the number recorded in 2016, which at the time was the lowest number of road deaths for Barbados in decades. The road safety advocate is concerned that unless road users exercise greater caution, the country would fail to meet the goal of reducing and stabilising road fatalities to fewer than 20 per year, by the end of United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety which ends in 2020.

“Twenty-seven is a lot, too much; it is three times the amount and that is serious. This is not something to take lightly, we have to be more alert and we have to be on guard. We would see when most collisions occur it is because someone broke the traffic laws in some way, doing what they should not be doing whether it is speeding, driving too fast for the condition, driving under the influence or driving distracted. All drivers can make a conscious effort not to do those things,” she said.

With that in mind, she made a call for drivers to take note of the five primary causes of road fatalities – alcohol and driving, not wearing seatbelts, speeding, driving while distracted and fatigue, so as not to become one of the fatal five statistics. Moreover, she is advising persons as they attend events this Yuletide season as well as next weekend, as we usher in the New Year, not to get behind the wheel if they consume any amount of alcohol, as even one drink can impair them.

“Each driver has a responsibility to the others on the road not to put their lives in danger. So, we are not telling people not to drink, but that if they do, make sure that they have a designated driver to ensure they can make it safely home. Also we know that persons are going to be busy over the next few days and we certainly do not want them to be driving tired resulting in them being involved in a collision or being the cause of one,” she added. (JRT)

Jesus knew beforehand how the will of His Father would play out in His life on earth and in spite of it, He still chose to make that sacrifice to come to earth and be our Saviour and this is something that persons must remember as they get ready to celebrate His birth once again.

This was one of the message Pastor Jamal Medas of The People’s Cathedral (TPC) gave to the congregation as he delivered the message to mark Christmas Eve yesterday at TPC.

He asked the church to imagine, “Yet knowing all of this, the Father still sent His Son and the Son still agreed to come. Believers, I want you to begin to imagine what was happening in heaven on Christmas Eve – the day before the King of Glory was sent to earth. Imagine the Father having a discussion with His Son and He is saying unto Him, ‘Son I want you to understand that you are born as the Son, but in few hours I would send you to earth. You would not make a grand entry… you would not be born in a royal palace, you would not be born into a royal family, but I am sending you to a family that is not well known… I want you to understand that when you grow up in a small city, you would have an ordinary life… you would take 30 years preparing for three years of ministry.”

Medas stated that Jesus also knew what He will endure, but He chose to do it anyway because He was being obedient to His Father.

“I want you to understand Son that they will embarrass you, they will laugh at you, they will torment you, they will drag Your good name, You will find yourself find Yourself in the garden of Gethsemane and in that place, Your human tears would be so severe that there would be drips of blood… You have to carry Your own cross. It would be heavy. You will be beaten to a place whereby You would be unrecognisable, but Son, I am still going to send You. It is not going to be easy, it is going to be very trying, it is going to be very hard, but I want You to understand that from the moment that I release You, from the moment that You enter earth, it will be a holy disturbance. From the moment that You are released, it would be a spiritual invasion, when you find Yourself on earth, it would be heaven touching earth.”

OVER 100 homeless individuals were treated to an early Christmas breakfast in Queen’s Park yesterday.

Many of them were smiling and expressing their gratitude, as they thanked Cheerful Givers Club, for blessing them with a special breakfast.
They received fruits, pastry, a hot cup of drink and a nice piece of ham, among other treats. Each person also received a gift bag which included personal items.

“We were all former colleagues and where we worked before use to team up with the Barbados Vagrants and Homeless Society (BVHS) to feed the homeless. But when the company stopped doing it, we took it upon ourselves to start to do it because we recognise that there is a need for it, especially at Christmas time,” the Club Public Relations Officer Shakida Grant said told The Barbados Advocate.

Last Christmas was the first time the Group fed the homeless.

“It was a good and fulfilling experience. We also did it throughout the year a couple of times. But we did it today because we thought that Christmas Eve would be a fitting time for people to enjoy good quality ham and nice juice.

“We are giving the gifts as well so that they can groom themselves and feel good. Although they may not have the economic wherewithal, people are still very proud and would like to keep themselves in a clean and tidy manner. So that is what we are just hoping to do. I want to thank all of the members of the club and our sponsors for lending assistance to this worthy cause,” Grant said.

The sponsors that contributed to the breakfast included the National Conservation Commission (NCC), Robert’s Manufacturing Company Ltd, Courtesy Garage, Bryden Stokes Ltd, Armstrong Agencies, WIBISCO, Tropical Print Services, ANSR Investment Ltd, Bakers Mart, Graphic Artist Terry Moe, and Terasu.

“I just want to encourage everybody in Barbados, as little as you think you may have, help somebody because there is always people with much less. If you can’t give your money, maybe you can give of your time to ensure that you help people, especially at Christmas,” she said. (AH)

THE QUEEN ELIZABETH Hospital (QEH) is stocked and ready to face the pressure of a busy Christmas season.

However, Chief Executive Officer, Dr Dexter James is pleading with Barbadians not to overdo it as they enjoy the festivities of the season.

Dr James told The Barbados Advocate that the island’s tertiary health care facility has “increased its non-perishables by 25 per cent” to take on additional cases.

“A similar approach would be taken for drugs and medical supplies to ensure sustainability of services. As you are aware, many suppliers in Barbados close their doors around mid-December.

“So we have to respond to this annual normal to ensure continuity of services. We have to ensure we have stock to cover us now and almost into mid-January,” he said.

And while the QEH has put all measures in place to ensure that it is fully prepared for the season, the Chief Executive Officer reminded Barbadians that they must exercise due care and attention on the roads to mitigate accidents which are likely to place immense burden on the hospital’s emergency and critical care structure.

“We want members of the public to enjoy the festivities of the season, but do so with moderation and be responsible. Persons who are diabetic or have hypertension, govern yourself accordingly; make sure you maintain a healthy diet and take your medication as required and check your sugar. Please ensure you do your self-checks. We want you to make sure that you keep yourself in good health during and after the season,” Dr James urged.

On behalf of QEH’s management, Dr James thanked all stakeholders for their support and feedback during 2017.

“We wish every citizen a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year,” he said.
(AH)

While graduated licences were not provided for in the recently passed amendments to the Road Traffic Act, the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) is not giving up on wanting such a provision to be made in the law.

As such, President of the BRSA, Sharmane Roland-Bowen, while contending that Government missed the mark by not including it in the recent amendments, reiterated that
the association’s call for the authorities to implement a system of graduated licences in this country remains a priority. The road safety advocate is adamant that restrictions should be placed on all newly licensed drivers, particularly those who obtain their licences at the age of 16, to help them better learn to operate vehicles and ensure they develop good driving habits.

“When you obtain a licence it only means you have passed a test, the real learning now begins and so graduated licensing programmes put restrictions on new drivers, setting out rules they are to follow until they have developed enough skills to be competent drivers on the road,” she stated in an interview with The Barbados Advocate.

The road safety advocate added, “We would like to see young persons especially, given the time that they need before they become fully licensed drivers and we know graduated licensing is a programme that has been used internationally and has proven to save lives, especially young lives. We would really like to see that implemented, but so far it has not been and we are hoping that an amendment to the now amended Act can make provision for it, and bring it into force. But we are not for a moment suggesting that we do that now, because we do not want anything to delay the proclamation of the new Act,”

Roland-Bowen went on to explain that the BRSA is not opposed to 16-year olds obtaining driver’s licences, but she is suggesting that at that age certain measures should be implemented to reduce the risks they are likely to encounter on the roads. As such, she is recommending that they should be prohibited from driving late at night
and restrictions should be placed on the number of passengers they are allowed to carry in a vehicle.

Nevertheless, in the absence of the legislative restrictions, she is again reminding parents that they have the power to institute similar restrictions on their children, also identifying penalties to be meted out if they do not comply with those rules. (JRT)

Several of the island’s special needs children are definitely smiling and will be having a Merry Christmas this year.

More than 30 of these children and their parents enjoyed a special treat and shopping day at Cave Shepherd last weekend, which was coordinated and sponsored by Variety – The Children’s Charity and Courtesy Garage.

Toys and clothes were high on the list and smiles abounded as the children moved from aisle to aisle seeking their favourite items to purchase and take home.

St. Michael resident, Alicia Bishop, was among the parents who were thankful to Variety and Courtesy Garage for such a gesture at this time of year and said her two children – Tiara and Nyerere – who attend the Erdiston Primary Special Unit, were also happy to go shopping.

Executive Director of Variety – The Children’s Charity, Donnah Russell, said she was very appreciative of the gesture from management and staff of Courtesy Garage, who sponsored the shopping vouchers, and urged other companies to come on board and support the organisation during the new year.

Variety – The Children’s Charity, currently assists around 400 of the island’s mentally- and physically-challenged children and Russell said the assistance of corporate Barbados was always welcomed.

Residents affected by the noxious fumes which have been emanating from the Lower Estate Quarry in St. George for some months now, had mixed feelings about the Christmas period, even as they continue to put up with the stench coming from the landfill.

Roger Craigg spokesman for the St. George North-western Community Group which has been actively seeking redress in relation to the problem which has been ongoing for some time now, indicated that residents were not quite sure how they would celebrate this Christmas, given the issues at the Quarry operated by Anderson Cherry, CEO of Project Recycle Ltd.

“At this time of year we are usually in a joyous mood. However, we the residents of the communities affected by Mr. Cherry’s landfill are somewhat unsure of what or how to celebrate this festive season this year, because of this situation which we have found ourselves in, (through) no fault of our own,” Craigg said on the behalf of the group.

“At this time, my family and I want to wish each and every one in these communities a Merry Christmas. Five months ago most of us did not know each other, yet we came together and stood as one, for which I thank you,” he issued in a statement to members of the group.

“We have also formed formidable friendships, which I believe will grow stronger going forward into the New Year, in which we will regroup as early as the first week in January, to continue our fight for our communities and (to) rid it of this nuisance, which has been contaminating our lives,” he added.

As a result of the work of the St. George North-Western Community Group, backed by St. George North Member of Parliament Gline Clarke, residents have however seen some progress to date. Following numerous calls from frustrated residents for the Quarry to be closed, given its impact on their health and a call for government to step in and take control of the situation, the Ministry of Health issued an abatement notice on December 1, which required the closure of the dump, since it was deemed a public health threat.

Since then, the Ministry of Health has noted that it is continuing to monitor operations at the Quarry, and Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kenneth George has indicated that there has been no further dumping at the site, since the abatement order was issued.

“The priority now is to contain the possible environmental health risk, as the site continues to smoulder. As a result, he said, the Ministry and the Barbados Fire Service are working with the owner/operator of the quarry (Mr. Anderson Cherry), to ensure the fire threat is contained,” Dr. George said.
The Ministry is meanwhile advising persons with respiratory illnesses, including asthma, to avoid the area. (RSM)

As Barbados gears up for a General Election in 2018, politicians and Barbadians on a whole are being reminded that they should not give way to raw emotions such as anger and vexation, neither embrace what is sensational, but focus more so on the betterment of society.

Former General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) Senator Sir Roy Trotman, who now serves as a consultant to that trade union, suggested the above recently in a brief interview with the Barbados Advocate, where he offered his suggestion on how the upcoming election period should be handled.

“General elections are always periods where people get worked up into putting emotion in front of carefully studied reflection and I would think that this season more than any other, we have to be careful about that, because the last few years have been expressive of a period where there has been far too much that has caused us to be angry, too much that has caused us to be expressive of strong emotions, in a global environment in which anger is the order of the day,” the former head of Barbados’ largest trade union commented.

“While I do not wish to direct anybody’s thoughts regarding how they should approach the new election period, I would wish for myself to recognise that times like these are too often taken to be times where people appeal to sensationalism, appeal to what are gut responses, as opposed to what are reasoned and carefully worked out positions and we have to concern ourselves with what has to do with the betterment of our society, what has to do with the betterment of our position as workers, as members of families and what has to do with how we perceive how we can have those issues better consolidated and better structured for enhancement and improvement,” Sir Roy maintained.

“Moving into 2018, I would want to suggest to anybody who would ask me, that those concerns would be the concerns that I would give to my family, to those closest to me and to anybody else who cares to ask for my guidance or my views regarding the future,” Trotman concluded. (RSM)

THE head of the Infection Control Department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Dr. Corey Forde believes that infection prevention control across the Caribbean needs to be seen as a mission critical issue for hospital systems.

Speaking to members of the media recently, Dr. Forde said while infections and outbreaks are not uncommon in any modern hospital across the world, if hospitals do not have good infection control programmes there will be a spread of organisms, which can be resistant, across the region, leading to more spending in the healthcare system.

“It is therefore important, as Barbados has done and this hospital has done, to start antimicrobial stewardship programmes. We have demonstrated in Barbados the benefits of antimicrobial stewardship programme.

“We have shown a decrease in the amount of infections, certainly with these multi-drug resistant organisms in this hospital. We will continue to do that, but we will also require the continuous support of administration in the hospital in support of the Infection Control Department…,” Dr. Forde said.
Through collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), teams from St. Lucia, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, and Antigua, among others, have been trained in infection control, at the QEH.

The head of department reminded that patients from many Caribbean countries come to Barbados for treatment at the QEH, and indicated that if they have multi-drug resistant organisms “and we bring them into our system, then they become our problem”.

“It is therefore important that we train them and that we are involved in their processes, and we work with them to strengthen their healthcare systems and that in turn will make our system safe.

“I think QEH, and Barbados as a whole, needs to be proud of this particular programme and we will continue to work with PAHO to ensure and strengthen infection prevention control issues across the region,” Dr. Forde said. (AH)

GENERAL Manager of the Barbados Water Authority (BWA), Keithroy Halliday, says the reality facing the South Coast Sewage Treatment Plant is that it is showing signs that it needs to be overhauled or replaced.

Halliday highlighted the challenges to the media yesterday morning and the steps being taken to address the sewage spilling onto sections of the south coast. This includes efforts to get the by-pass to function in order to bring levels down so that the blockages identified can be fixed. However, the bigger picture Halliday says, is the plant itself.

According to Halliday, “It is clear that this plant must be replaced. It is clear that it must be upgraded. It is clear that we must go from a primary level plant to a tertiary level plant.”

“Our Force main line is significantly compromised. It seems to be crumbling. What this means is that the effluent that is going out to the sea a mile and a half out to the various diffusers it is not working the way it should. We are having recirculation of some of the effluent coming back into effluent line and overwhelming or overloading our plant.”

“And what is contributing significantly to that is the amount of rags, the amount of debris that is in our plant. Added to that we still have a copious amount of storm water that is coming into and any and everything that people are disposing of into the sewage,” he lamented.

Halliday, who noted that this has the potential to be a national crisis if not fully addressed, pleaded with householders and businesses in the catchment to understand their respective roles.

“There needs to be a higher level of national conscientiousness by all of the individuals who are on our network to understand that you cannot just dispose of anything into the sewer with the thinking or behaviour that once it is not at you all is well and good. It has to stop,” he asserted.

The general manager said some tough decisions may have to be taken in order to ensure that this problem is rectified. “We may be forced at this time to start looking at who or what we need to disconnect if we are going to protect the larger interest of the national community.

“We would rather not go that route, whether it is legislated or whether we are forced under our Act to take steps or measures to do what is necessary, but we need everyone to start exercising a heightened degree of sensitivity, we need everyone to educate their household to work with them. I can only plead enough at this stage because as we start to make one step forward we feel like we are sliding two steps backward,” he further pointed out.

Halliday explained that if the effluent line cannot be repaired there will be a need for another Force main. “This is a significant project that will have to be undertaken, where we will have to create another outlet whether it is parallel to the existing one or otherwise that basically takes the effluent when treated right out to the sea. What we are seeing now is really not just an issue of maintenance, not an issue of management, not just a misuse of time. It is an issue of national neglect. We are all solid contributors to this,” he lamented.

“With respect to what we need to do as an organisation in terms of the BWA, in terms of the national community who may not have been sufficiently educated or sensitised to the fact that only certain types of material can go into our sewage line and in terms of the certain level of behaviour that ‘once it is not at me it is all fine and dandy’, but we have to wake up. If you have not yet recognised that what has happened on the south coast is of massive proportion you need to start looking at it now,” he said.
(JH)

In less than two weeks Barbados will have a new Governor General. She is Madam Justice Sandra Prunella Mason.

Justice Mason, the first female Appeal Court Judge in this country and the first woman to be admitted to the Barbados Bar, will, when she becomes this country’s eighth Governor General, be the second female to hold that honour.

The announcement of her elevation to the office of Governor General came yesterday in a statement from Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Freundel Stuart, who indicated that Her Majesty The Queen, on the recommendation of Her Majesty’s Ministers in Barbados, has been graciously pleased to approve the appointment of The Honourable Sandra Mason as Governor-General of Barbados, with effect from January 8, 2018. Her appointment comes a little over six months since the seventh holder of that office, Sir Elliott Belgrave, retired on July 1, 2017 after five years of service.

“The selection of a Governor General is never an easy task. The selection process must be guided by a range of factors, among them being personal and professional attributes, record of service, commitment to country, integrity and dignity. There are many Barbadians at home and in the Diaspora who could qualify,” the Prime Minister stated.

He added that in keeping with tradition, Her Majesty The Queen has agreed to confer on The Honourable Sandra Mason, the honour and dignity of Dame Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG). Moreover, he indicated that on assumption of the office of Governor General, the distinguished jurist will, under the Order of the Dame of Saint Andrew, become the Chancellor and Principal Dame of Saint Andrew.

In a statement issued yesterday evening, Leader of the Opposition, Mia Mottley offered congratulations to the new Governor General on behalf of the Barbados Labour Party, describing it as a “crowning achievement” in a long and varied career in public service here, within the region and further afield.

“We are confident that she will bring to her office of Governor General the impartiality which is the hallmark of the other office which she held as a Judicial Officer in this country. Indeed, Ms Mason has had many firsts, being the first female Judge to be appointed to the Barbados Court of Appeal. We look forward to her installation ceremony and to her tenure as Governor General of this great country of ours. The people of St Philip and her family should be justifiably proud of her achievements as a daughter of the soil, as she is now the first person ever from that corridor of the island ever to be appointed to the highest office in the land,” Mottley stated.

The mother of one has had a long and successful legal career, which spans more than three decades. Her accomplishments, apart from the 2008 appointment to the Barbados Court of Appeal, include her appointment as Chief Magistrate in 1994 and Registrar of the Supreme Court in 1997. She has also served as a High Court Judge in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and as chairperson of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. On January 1, 2014, Justice Mason started a four-year term as a member of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal (CSAT), based in London, England. She became the first Barbadian to be appointed as a member of the CSAT.

The role of Governor General is not one that Justice Mason is unfamiliar with, having served as acting Governor General from May 30, 2012 to June 1, 2012, when the country prepared to install Sir Elliott Belgrave in that post. The installation ceremony for The Honourable Sandra Mason, will take place on Monday, January 8, 2018 in the Senate Chambers, one week before her 69th birthday.

This is beyond a simple crisis!

Powerful words from General Manager of the Barbados Water Authority (BWA), Keithroy Halliday, as he painted the harsh reality facing the South Coast Sewerage Treatment Plant and the round-the-clock measures being undertaken by the BWA and other officials to get the situation under control.

One such measure was the installation of brand new pumps, which was successfully carried out last week by a team of Trinidadian consultants. However, as Halliday and Head of the Wastewater Division Patricia Inniss pointed out, things started to go downhill after just one day of operation.

That’s because the pumps were severely blocked by rags and other “extraneous debris” which caused the $130 000 piece of machinery to stop working and have also compromised other pumps. To this end, the largest pump (ten inch) is currently not in use after clumps of towels and other materials choked the equipment and have even made their way into the impeller.

The team from Trinidad is expected back into the island in short order to seek to address the problem.

Inniss recounted that while teams were expecting a quiet Christmas and relief for residents and businesses, this was not to be as BWA workers were on duty over the entire Christmas holiday seeking to keep the pumps clear.

Halliday explained that this by-pass system was just one step in the chain of steps to address the problems plaguing the plant.

“If we can get this by-pass to continue to work we still have to deal with the blockage. Once we can deal with the blockage we can deal with the repair…this is on the sanitary line. Once we have dealt with that, we then have to look at the effluent line because there is a breach there and that in itself is going to be tricky,” he explained.

“This is beyond the simple crisis, this is a serious issue. This is a national issue. We need the cooperation of everyone. We need the support of everyone, we need to push forward as aggressively as we can over the next several weeks to bring some closure to the issues that we have.

“There are a number of steps that we can take, but we can’t afford to put all of our resources into one or two steps and still have to be fighting with others who are aligned with us or who are not in sync with us who are disposing of illicit material. We have to repair our effluent line which has burst and which is recycling the water. That is the genesis of the problem that Barbados now faces,” he said.

He noted that the screw lifts are designed to manage some of the rags into the plant but are failing, since according to him the plant needs to be overhauled. To this end, additional pumps have to be employed to manage the flows. It is these pumps that cannot handle the heavy volume of debris.

Inniss said that the magnitude of the problem was identified on November 14. She said while a timeline was set and followed, every time one corner was passed, a bigger problem emerged.

She also lamented the fact that crews are now tasked with de-ragging all the debris from the pumps every few hours, which is hampering the level of progress.

“The significance of this has been that while we have installed three new pumps, our largest pump has been so compromised that it is no longer working.

“We are appealing seriously to all – not only residents, but larger commercial houses, hotels, large guest houses – we are not going to identify anyone specifically at this point because we don’t know exactly who are the main contributors.

“If we are going to deal with this, and it is a national crisis we need all the businesses, all of the residents to come on board.”

The BWA noted that they are working closely with businesses in the area and is there to answer any questions or to offer assistance.

“If it is you are unsure of what you need to do, contact us, let us show you, let us help you, and let us show what you need to do to rebuild your systems.

“Barbadians now have to realise that a paradigm shift needs to occur. You cannot put anything in the sewer lines which does not belong. We cannot continue with blocks, breaches in the force main and then extraneous matter in the sewer line. Every tourist, business person, householder, has to realise you are going to play a part in whether we succeed or we fail and that is across the board,” Inniss said.

Some of the measures implemented to mitigate the challenges include the use of flushing crews, private septic haulers to ensure levels are contained.

The Ministry of Health and Environmental Protection Department are also closely monitoring the situation. (JH)

PUBLIC SERVANTS feel insulted that Government has not offered a firm proposal regarding a “coping mechanism” for workers.

This dissatisfaction was expressed by several public servants during a two- hour long, closed-door meeting hosted by the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) executive with its membership, at the Union’s Dalkeith, St. Michael headquarters on Wednesday evening.

Though the doors were closed, loud voices could be heard as workers lamented their concerns regarding Government’s inability to make a firm proposal.

“What they have done is, these are two scenarios, we want you to determine which scenario you would choose and then we would go back to our principals and say to them ‘we made an offer to the Union and this is what the Union accepted,” NUPW’s Acting General Secretary Delcia Burke said as she explained the reason behind the members passion.

The workers were unimpressed with the content of the correspondence which came from the Ministry of Civil Service.

“I think the workers felt slighted, they felt insulted…Most persons felt insulted because it was not a firm offer,” Burke added. (AH)