The soon-to-be released National Primary School Survey 2020 found that the average age of first use for most drugs is between seven and eight years.

Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams said that it also revealed that family and friends are the most common drug sources for students in Classes 3 and 4, more than half of whom reported the use of “any drug” during their lifetime.

He is therefore adamant that findings such as these clearly underscore the need for, and importance of, a programme such as Project SOFT (Safeguarding Our Future Today).

Throughout the past 18 years, approximately 650 children have passed through the Camp hosted by the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) and over 500 families have been positively impacted by the programme.

“Most families that experienced its benefits first hand, went on to ensure that all of their children and relatives participated after completing the secondary school entrance exam. This is a true testament to the quality of the programme and its role in positively shaping our young people,” said Minister Abrahams, who was at the time addressing Project SOFT’s Annual Graduation Ceremony at Prince Cave Hall, District ‘A’ Complex, on Saturday.

Project SOFT, traditionally a one-week, residential, self-development programme was conceptualised to respond to the increasing levels of drug use and violence among the youth in our society, and specifically seeks to increase the protective factors of 11-year-old students transitioning from primary to secondary school in order to prevent or delay the onset of drug use or abuse.

However, this year’s Project SOFT programme differed from that of previous years. Due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, a decision was taken to utilise a non-residential approach. Despite this year’s change the children were, as always, exposed to a curriculum designed specifically to equip them with the skills and information needed to successfully navigate their transition to secondary school life.

Moreover, the Home Affairs Minister took the opportunity to encourage the 40 Project SOFT graduates to choose their friends wisely, warning “The friends you socialise with can influence your lives for the good or the bad.”

“At the camp, I told you that anyone who encourages you to try drugs is not your friend. Remember that. Also, take time to evaluate each decision you make and determine if it will have positive or negative consequences. And set goals, like ‘I Choose to be drug-free’. Research has shown that it is less likely for a young person, like you, to use drugs if they have drug-free friends and an attitude to remain drug-free,” he told the children.

NCSA’s Deputy Manager (Ag.), Dr. Jonathan Yearwood, said that school transitions are also linked to addressing the psychological and social problems students face as they change schools. He further explained that Project SOFT is a three-phase approach to transitioning students from primary to secondary school.

“First, students participate in a one-week camp delivering life skills and drug education. In the second stage, parents of participating students receive training in drug education, dealing with adolescents and coping skills. The third component involves students’ participation in a follow-up programme that assesses and reinforces learning and skills acquired during the first stage.

“By addressing the challenges students face on entering secondary school and equipping parents with the relevant skills to guide their children through a difficult period in their lives; Project SOFT meets the criteria for the successful transitioning of students from primary to secondary education,” he assured. (TL)

The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) is currently undergoing a brand repositioning effort for Destination Barbados which seeks to reintroduce the island to the external markets.

Head of Global Markets at BTMI, Petra Roach said that the re-entry campaign will be launched across all current source markets with the added expectation of attracting attention from untapped markets.

“This launch campaign slated for the end of September/early October has not been done in a silo, but rather has integrated insights from players in the tourism sector; across hotels, attractions and the various associated ministries and sectors.”

She made the reveal during the recently held interCaribbean Breakfast Event at The Abidah by Accra Hotel.

“As such, we are confident that this campaign will reflect who we are collectively as a Barbadian people, and our combined goal of revitalising the industry and ensuring that the destination remains competitive.”

Roach also disclosed to local tourism stakeholders that emerging from re-entry efforts will be the refresh of the visitbarbados.org destination website. A portal that supports the new destination rebrand, which includes new imagery, new fonts, and new visuals.

“Providing and enhancing the representation of authentic Barbados – all products that represent Barbados, be it sustainable tourism, community tourism, and wellness. These products are being brought to the forefront, either on the homepage, or having their own dedicated space. Cultural attributes will be highlighted to ensure that Barbadiana is aptly represented across the site; whether it be the traditional cultural elements such as the tuk-band, arts, music...

“The site will also ensure that there is true representation of our people. Faces of Barbadians – be it a recognisable artist, musician, or sports athlete, or a familiar Barbadian personality. Lastly, we are ensuring that we position the destination’s primary digital portal as a revenue generator – not just to the local advertisers but to the wider region, as well as internationally. This is a significant opportunity that we have already started to build out the framework to capitalise on,” she outlined.

“So, though tourism activity at our ports may have slowed, we have certainly been best ensuring that we don’t lose our coveted position as one of the world’s most celebrated travel destinations,” Roach further expressed.    

A National Youth Stakeholders Consul-tation is set to be held on Caribbean Youth Day, September 30th.

Minister of  Youth Dwight Sutherland made the announcement yesterday while launching National Youth Week 2020 which commences on September 27th and concludes on October 4th.

“During the period, a series of activities will be hosted by the Ministry and will include among others, a National Youth Stakeholders Consul-tation,” he said, revealing that the initiative will bring together the major players who provide programmes and services to youth, including public, private and civil society organisations.

“They will seek to identify ways to increase efficiency and effectiveness; identify synergies to streamline programmes and eliminate duplication and fragmentation; strengthen intervention programmes by increasing collaboration and identifying priorities to focus attention. The outcome will be a policy paper to guide policy makers and stakeholders in youth development on appropriate actions to address youth challenges.”

The Minister said that another major event will be the Youth Enterprise Expo, hosted by the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme, scheduled for Saturday, October 3rd at Sky Mall. The event will present an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services to the general public.

“It will serve to enhance their marketing efforts by providing a platform to increase awareness of their products to the general public,” Sutherland pointed out.

Other events during the week include the Richard Herbert Memorial T20 cricket match on September 27th in memory of a former Youth Commissioner.   

There will also be the launch of the GenU Report which is a report on the circumstances of Barbadian youth in all field of endeavour. It was conducted by UNICEF and the intention is to share the findings with stakeholders in youth development to increase their knowledge based on the circumstances of local and Caribbean youth. (TL)

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has received high praise from the Government of Barbados for the “modified examinations strategy” used to yield valid grades, assess critical competencies, and minimise the disruption to the education system during this COVID-19 period.

Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Santia Bradshaw, commended the region’s examination body during the official release of the July/August 2020 results at CXC’s Corporate Headquarters yesterday.

While most international examination bodies took the position of awarding grades this year on the basis of “teacher predictive grades”, she said that the  CXC  was bold enough to introduce a modified approach.

“In many countries across the globe, high stakes examinations were cancelled due to the impact of the pandemic. Instead, many have opted to award qualifications on the basis of the predictive grades and predictive student performances made by teachers. Nevertheless, CXC took a different approach and they must be applauded for the leadership that has been demonstrated during these most challenging times,” Bradshaw said.

The Minister explained that this year candidates were primarily assessed on their performance in the Multiple-ChoicePaper (Paper 1) which was used as a common paper for all candidates; and the School Based Assessments (SBAs) and an alternative to SBA for private candidates. With the exception of modern languages, human and social biology, and visual arts at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level, candidates did not have to write the traditional Paper 2 this year.

“While this approach raised concerns in some quarters, CXC addressed this potential deficiency by ensuring improved quality assurance measures were instituted through an expanded moderation process, which was conducted across all centres and subjects. The simple aim was to ensure that the validity and reliability of the examination process was maintained. This was supported by the appropriate modelling to take account of historical data and teacher predicted information as well,” she pointed out.

The Education Minister also noted that CXC’s approach was arrived at after extensive consultations with key stakeholders which started from as early as March of this year.

Furthermore, she said that credit must also be given to CXC for reaching out to international institutions during this consultative period, aimed at reassuring

these entities that the modified examinations, and the rescheduling of the examinations to July/August, would have had no adverse impact on the quality or the timely return of grades for students who were seeking to matriculate into US colleges and universities.

(TL)

THE number of people entering the race for the position of vice president of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) has grown even larger, with businessman Ryan Walters putting his hat in the ring in time for the party’s 65th Annual Conference coming up this weekend.

The much-anticipated annual conference will see Verla De Peiza seeking to retain her position as president of the party, coming up against former general secretary George Pilgrim. There are no less than six persons vying for the VP post.

In a message to the party faithful, Walters made his intention known as he called for the party to dig deeper to craft the way forward and rescue the people of Barbados.

According to Walters, “Over the past 17 months my contribution to the voice of the party has been in the capacity of an executive member and as the assigned spokesperson on business-related issues. I did not shirk from the assignment.”

It is against this backdrop that Walters thanked De Peiza for giving him the opportunity to serve on the executive council and extended that thanks to members that gave their support as well as the St. Michael North West constituency.

“As I reminisce on the past months, I am humbled at how I have been blessed to mature politically with guidance. It was not easy as a newcomer speaking out and facing some of the political hostility and wrath directed at this great party. Like many young political hopefuls, I could have chosen to jump on the gravy train, or remain silent. But I am here for the long haul. It’s the DLP for me or nothing, and this country needs true leaders.

“As we look to chart our way forward, we must have an intentional, actionable and committed team. It is my humble and passionate plea that those who accept nominations and ultimately are called to office have an intention to act. To work. Non-performance of officers will carry us nowhere,” he said.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is pushing the idea that the Cave Hill Campus of The University of the West Indies should be renamed in honour of the late former Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Professor Owen Seymour Arthur.

Paying tribute yesterday to the late Prime Minister who passed away in July, Prime Minister Mottley said her Government has already indicated to the Vice Chancellor of The UWI, that if the Barbados Government could have one wish, it would be to have the campus in Barbados bear his name. Her comments came during the second sitting of the second session of the House of Assembly 2018-2023, where members of the late Prime Minister Arthur’s family, including wife Julie and daughters Sabrina and Leah, were present.

“He represents the fine Barbadian that that campus was developed to be able to produce, and as Prime Minister for a longer period than any other Prime Minister since independence, it was his to engage with that university. I know, because for seven years of those 14 years I was his Minister of Education and I know the depth of his commitment. I know the extent to which he wanted the rest of his days to be associated with the institution that helped to shape him and mould him as a young Barbadian mind, and that helped shape the national consciousness that gave him the courage to be the man that he was, and to be the leader that he was,” Mottley stated.

Mottley said while this is the Government’s hope, they are cognisant that the decision is not theirs, but that of The UWI. Her comments came as she said that her Government is prepared to live with whatever choice the university makes.

“But we will strongly advocate for the Cave Hill Campus to be named the Owen Arthur Campus at Cave Hill, University of the West Indies, because we believe that that simple act would inspire another young boy, whether in Rose Hill; or a young girl in Bush Hall; or a young boy in Hindsbury Road; to believe that they can be the best that they can be in this country,” she indicated.

She continued, “To use his words that they can go for the best because Barbados must not settle for the bronze, Barbados must not settle for the silver, Barbados must go for the gold. Those words must forever mean something to generations of Barbadians.”

Earlier in her remarks, Prime Minister Mottley spoke glowing of the late statesman, who served at the level of Parliament for 34 years and was the longest serving Prime Minister of this country.

“Owen Arthur was a distinguished member first and foremost for the people of St. Peter. He had a simple philosophy  that while he had a responsibility as Prime Minister to treat to the needs of the general upliftment of the people of this country, and to the distinction that was necessary to be brought to the international reputation of this nation, that his first and foremost duty was to the people he had the responsibility to represent – the people of St. Peter,” she said.

She noted that her concept of representation as well as those who came to public life post 1990 was largely shaped by Arthur. Mottley said that Arthur understood that every vote truly mattered.

“...And this was not just a saying, but that one’s preparation and servicing of one’s constituency needed to reflect that meticulous nature that would guarantee success. And one only needs to look at the way in which his majority moved over the years, to see that while that was his strategy, the people of St. Peter obviously found favour with his mode of operation,” she said.

(JRT)

The Government is making provisions to update the Computer Misuse Act.

This was revealed by Senator Kay McConney, Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology (MIST) as she spoke during Fortinet’s recent virtual forum, which was hosted in association with MIST.

“There is the Computer Misuse Act; this has provision generally for some crimes committed using computer systems. However, with the ever increasing sophistication of crimes committed through the internet, there is a need for us to strengthen even that Act and to strengthen in general the legal framework to meet the highest regional and international standards and to promote a safe cyberspace environment,” she said.

“Further, in terms of procedural law, there is a need for procedural tools for investigation to address the issue of territoriality in cross-bordering investigations. There is so much more that we need to do and we continue to evolve the way in which we approach cyber-security from a legislative perspective.

“Our intention is to review not only the Computer Misuse Act so that it brings us in compliance with current international practice, but also we need to expand provisions to make it more relevant in an evolving digital age.”

In addition to this, McConney stated that Government is working on amending and drafting legislation to include security for network and information systems.

She explained that this would include a mandate that operators of essential services and key digital service providers implement robust controls that would protect their systems against cyber-threats, as well as put cyber-security incident response mechanisms in place that would report cyber attacks to the correct authorities in a timely manner.

She also revealed that Barbados has been working with international partners, including the Organisation of American States, to finalise their National Security Strategy and Action plan.

McConney confirmed that a draft has already been prepared that seeks to emphasise five major areas: developing a national cyber-security mindset, their robust legal framework, incident responses capabilities, critical infrastructural protection, and international cooperation.

The long-anticipated CARICOM Travel Bubble is now in operation.

Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM David Comissiong said that it went into effect on Friday 18 September 2020, in keeping with a decision made at a Special Emergency CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting one week previously.

The defining feature of a COVID-19 Travel Bubble is that persons entitled to participate in the Travel Bubble are not required to take COVID-19 tests, nor to undergo a period of quarantine in order to travel to countries that are within the Bubble.

“Our CARICOM Heads of Government took a major step towards resuscitating the COVID-19 challenged travel and tourism sectors, with their agreement to institute a Travel Bubble among CARICOM Member States and Associate Members which meet the agreed criteria from Friday 18 September 2020.

“The Heads took the decision at a Special Emergency Session on Friday 11 September 2020, at which they acknowledged that the past six months have been a very challenging period globally and regionally, as countries have struggled to cope with the effects of the novel coronavirus.  They noted that for CARICOM, it has been particularly difficult given the high dependence in most of the economies on the travel and tourism sectors,” he stated.

In agreeing to establish the Bubble, the Heads were guided by a comprehensive report from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) which provided recommendations on how the Bubble would operate, and laid out the eligibility criteria for countries to participate.

Ambassador Comissiong went onto disclose that the recommendations included that countries would be categorised ranging from those with no cases to those which had low, medium, high and very high risk with respect to the rate of positive cases over a 14-day period. The level of risk would be determined by the amount of positive cases per 100 000 of the population within a 14-day period; only those countries with no cases and those in the low risk category would be allowed to participate in the Bubble; and CARPHA will assess relevant data to advise on participation in the Bubble.

“Heads of Government agreed that travellers from countries within the Bubble would be allowed entry without being subjected to PCR testing prior to arrival and would also not have to undergo quarantine restrictions.  Travellers may however have to be subjected to screening on arrival.  Such travellers should, however, have been resident in a Bubble country (or should not have travelled to a country outside of the Bubble) at least 14 days prior to the date of travel.”

It is agreed that initially, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be in the Bubble as they presently meet the criteria.

Other Member States and Associate Members will be allowed to participate when they meet the criteria, according to the Ambassador.

“It has been definitively confirmed that as of Tuesday, 22 September 2020 – St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and Barbados have all put their arrangements in place and have commenced operating the Travel Bubble.”

(TL/PR)

The Princess Margaret Secondary School was on the receiving end of a number of items donated to the school by the Eastern Orators Toastmaster Club.

The Club on Monday presented a bookshelf, books, a laptop and a variety of fruit trees to the educational institution.

Club President, Alicia Chandler, told the media the items were given “in recognition of our partnership with the school.

“This is where we hold and host our Toastmaster Club meetings. We haven’t done that for a while as we have gone virtual, but we intend to do some hybrid meetings…. Today [Monday] we would have donated a series of trees in recognition of National Arbor Day which is celebrated tomorrow [September 22nd] and a laptop and bookshelf for the school. This is something dear to our hearts as we do this probably every three years.”

Accepting the items on behalf of the school, Principal Jonathan Corbin expressed his gratitude to the Club. He said the fruit trees, which were soursop, sugar apple, Surinam Cherry and mammee apple trees, are especially welcome as the school is looking to further develop its orchard.

“We are extremely grateful for those fruit trees because we are in the process of expanding the orchard… There has always been an agricultural thrust and this will help to bolster the stock of fruit trees that we have, especially in the light of the fact that our golden apple tree which had been there for a number of years fell victim to the disease that is in the region. There is quite a void in the original orchard there that can be filled by some of the trees that we received today.”

(MG)

A strategic effort is being made to ensure that more beekeepers in Barbados get the training they need to rear high quality bees, thereby increasing local honey production and reducing the need to import honey and its various by-products.

Brett Taylor, Senior Agricultural Officer in charge of Food Crops, acknowledged the above on the last day of a training workshop in beekeeping, which was held at the Central Agronomics Research Station and Graeme Hall Apiary, at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security yesterday.

“In the Estimates process of 2018 to 2019, the Honourable Prime Minister (Mia Amor Mottley) provided the Ministry of Agriculture and in particular the Food Crops Research and Extension and Development section with funding to increase the amount of beekeepers – and the interest in beekeeping as a whole – around the island. The Beekeeping Unit was resuscitated by former chief agricultural officer Mr. Lennox Chandler and during that time, the Food Crops Research Division started to increase the number of hives at the Ministry,” Taylor explained.

“We have an apiary and we also have a resident beekeeper, Ms. Lynette Rudder, who is in charge of the apiary. The funds were also used to train new persons in beekeeping, in how to rear queens. For the industry to expand, we must have a method of increasing or bringing new, high-quality queens into production. So we had assistance from the University of Florida and the Argentina Embassy in bringing in resource personnel to do training. So these sessions that we’ve had, two last week and then today, are part of the training that the Ministry of Agriculture is having to encourage beekeeping around the island,” Taylor further commented.

He added, “The training is to encourage the increase in the production of honey around the island. We do just a small percentage of the honey that is used in Barbados. A lot of the honey is imported, so we are looking to cut down on that amount.”

Taylor pointed out that there is a lot of testing to be done on the imported honey sold on the local market, to ensure that it is not “adulterated” – that is, made poorer in quality via the mixing in of other substances such as water or different kinds of syrup, for example.

“So those are the things that you have to look at. The whole idea then would be one, increasing honey production and the keeping of bees, along with the million tree drive. Because  with this million tree drive, obviously we are going to be planting trees that are favourable or trees that the bees love. So this is all part of a national drive to increase the production of honey,” Taylor stated.

There are issues confronting the nation regarding vending and yesterday, Minister of Energy, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Kerrie Symmonds, in a walk-through of areas in Bridgetown, spoke to vendors and small business owners to hear and see firsthand their concerns.

Minister Symmonds was accompanied by Alister Alexander, President of the Barbados Association of Retailers, Vendors and Entrepreneurs (BARVEN); Eddy Abed, President of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI); and other officials, as he visited the City.

The minister explained that Government was trying to wrestle to the ground some issues that had been plaguing the vending and small business community in Bridgetown from the time he was a little boy going to school.

“The fact of the matter is that the Ministry is now working on the closing stages of our discussions on a new piece of legislation, which will empower vendors in Barbados and make sure we give them rights for the first time,” explained the minister.

Symmonds explained that the legislation would ensure that the business owners would be taken care of legally and consulted if they are asked to leave their current location.

“That person would have the benefit of making sure that their goods are not damaged and if in fact they are damaged by the police or whoever moves the product or produce, then that person would be entitled to compensation. We want to give them a body of rights and treat them as business people in a way that they have not been treated before,” said Symmonds.

The minister also highlighted the establishment of vending zones, a tactic which will be employed to help alleviate some of the spacing issues between the vendors and store owners.

“We also want to create special zones for vending in Barbados and make sure that those zones are places where they are properly prepared for consumers to interface with the vendors and for the vendors to be able to do what they have to do,” outlined Symmonds.

One of the areas being worked on with regards to the vending business space improvement is providing proper bathroom facilities and running water. Symmonds stated that many vendors are unable to access these necessities as they go about servicing customers and it needed to change.

“We have to do better than that, not only for ourselves as Barbadians but also because we want it to be a tasteful product for tourists, once they start to return,” said Symmonds.

Another concern mentioned by some of the vendors to the minister, was the lack of adequate parking for the vendors. He highlighted that when produce got low, vendors would have to trek long distances to their vehicles in order to replenish stock in the trays. Symmonds said he believed that discussions with the Royal Barbados Police Force about providing special parking permits to help alleviate that inconvenience would be significantly beneficial to the vendors. (AS)

Government will be putting measures in place to regulate where and how watercraft and water sports operators will be able to conduct activities at the beach.

Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey, said this will be done at 31 of this island’s beaches.

Giving details, he explained that corridors will be created and it is “expected the watercraft, the water sports operators to enter and exit via those corridors. So the time for skiing on the jet skis and other operators zooming across and skipping across the water putting your life at risk, those days are done”.

He told this to the media yesterday while at that Ministry’s Charnocks, Christ Church headquarters where the Minister’s Award Ceremony was held in recognition of outstanding performances by Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute (SJPI) students in maritime studies.

“The Cabinet has already approved the Domestic Shipping legislation, which provides for the … order that provides for the corridors and we are doing it on 31 beaches [where] we have calculated to put down the buoys. It would cost us about $150 000, nearly $200 000.”

He added, “We have done so though in conversation with the jet ski operators and with the water sport operators; it wouldn’t only be jet skis. The idea is that we are going to have these designated points where you enter and exit. So you go on the beach, let’s say it is Carlisle Bay, you enter at a particular point and after 150, 200 metres, then it’s open ocean. But once you come back in, back into the lane.”

Humphrey also said that within the legislation, provision has been made for ‘no wait zones’ and in these, operators will not be allowed to go above particular speeds.

“So in the No Wait zones, we know that if you are going above a certain speed, then you are going too fast and that is also in the legislation as well. We have also decided on GPS (Global Positioning System) for the watercraft to ensure that Barbadians are safe and ensure that people are safe. Again, we did this in consultation with the jet ski operators. So the corridors that we identified, we identified with them and the other water sport operators.”

Humphrey said Government is going to set in “place enough staff to be able to maintain” and to monitor what is occurring. He also stated they will be continuing to work closely with the maritime police. No definitive date was given when the public will see these measures rolled out. (MG)

THE Government’s latest initiative, the $300 million Barbados Employment and Sustainable Transformation (BEST) Plan, is really not what is best for Barbadians who have found themselves out of work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That’s the view of Shawn Tudor, who is a member of the People’s Party for Democracy and Development’s economic team, he maintained that while the programme sounds good, it will not deliver for workers. Speaking during a recent press conference, he said the “BEST programme might be best for hotel owners, but it is certainly not best for the workers”. He made the charge while contending that the programme is not entirely focused on payroll support.

“The programme is for facilities upgrades, especially in the area of water conservation and renewable energy; and then the programme is for payment and systems upgrades... This is essentially not a workers’ programme because the programme hopes that the benefiting hotels and tourism facilities will retain 75 per cent of the workforce, so that means that you accept that you can let go 25 per cent of the people,” he stated.

He took issue too with the fact that the programme is intended to give workers 80 per cent of their normal salaries. The PdP spokesperson said that this would still put workers at a disadvantage and “bind workers in ever-increasing debt and dependency”.

Tudor added, “Then you take people and put them on two days and three days and pay them 80 per cent of the normal rate of the wage, you are putting people in a bind. They would actually get more money if they had received unemployment benefits. Their income now falls below the level that they can meet their mortgage and their rent and their fixed monthly expenses, and what they have left [is] no disposable income. People would be left in a zone where they are not getting enough to live on, but they’re afraid to quit because if they quit the job, they effectively run the risk of not being able to get any severance, and if they remain, they sink further and further into debt and dependency,” he stated.

He also touched on the $40 million 12-month COVID Relief Programme, that is intended to help displaced workers. Tudor said that if 10,000 persons take part in the scheme and the money is distributed equally, what they would receive monthly is just over $300, and they would still be required to pay National Insurance contributions.

“So what are you really saying? Carrying it down to 5,000, that would be $666; carrying it down to 3,000, it is $1,000 a month and they still have to pay NIS. And who is going to be planting khus khus grass for 12 months? So it is a 12-month programme, but it doesn’t mean you would be retained for each month of that 12-month. It may mean that you get a single contract inside there and no mention is made of how these contracts are going to be awarded, who is going to determine who qualifies for these contracts,” he said. (JRT)

THE Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC), in partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), will be hosting a webinar tomorrow, to explore a number of mental health concerns as schools reopen their doors to welcome students.

The webinar is entitled “Re-opening Schools: Shared perspectives on navigating mental health during COVID-19”, and it is designed to explore the mental health concerns of key actors within schools as they reopen across the region, and to discuss strategies to cultivate school ecosystems that support positive mental health and well-being.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has radically transformed schooling as we know it – largely shutting down traditional face-to-face education and forcing children, teachers and parents to struggle with an entirely new world of virtual learning. Significant uncertainty still looms as educational institutions across the Caribbean prepare for the 20/21 academic year,” officials at the HCC have noted.

“We are already beginning to see the negative mental health impacts of the pandemic on students and teachers in the school community. Guidance counsellors designated to provide in-school support may be ill-equipped to handle the anticipated rise in mental health issues experienced by children. Parents and caregivers have been highlighted as key actors in this new school system, serving their role as a parent while also navigating virtual learning/homeschooling and providing holistic support for their children during this time,” the HCC added.

“All of these challenges are further exacerbated for children living with disabilities, who very often require face-to-face, hands-on support from highly trained professionals. The loss of this specialised care is having devastating emotional impacts on the children, families and their teachers.”

The Coalition therefore noted, “This is a new and challenging space for many, and discussions that highlight concerns and guide strategies that will support positive mental health and well-being are critical.” (RSM)

Dr. Liam Fox, the United Kingdom nominee for the post of Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), is advocating for gender equality as it relates to the global economy.

In a recent press briefing with journalists from across the United States and the Caribbean region, Fox acknowledged that it is one of the tenets of his campaign bid for the top position at the international rules-based trade entity, as he said he believes that women have an important role to play in the political, social and economic development of countries, but are not being given the opportunities to meet their potential. His comments came as he said women’s involvement in the economies of the countries in which they live, have a positive impact on the political stability of those countries.

“About seven, eight years ago, I wrote a book called ‘Rising Tides’ and in that I set out from my perspective as the Defence Secretary at the time, why it was important for political stability that we got more women into the global economy, because all of the evidence suggested that where you have more women active in any economy, they are likely to be politically more stable and less likely to be subject to political radicalisation in the way that some have,” he said.

Fox added, “From my time as Trade Secretary, you add one level on top of that, which is the economic level. If as many women were incorporated into the global economy, the value of that global economy would grow hugely – so you have an economic effect, you have a development effect, you have a political effect and a security effect – it is absolutely a win-win.”

The former UK Secretary of State for International Trade maintained that it is not a tokenistic policy, but a “hard-headed evidence-based policy”, which shows that if more opportunities could be made available to women, so as to get them involved in trade, including e-trade, then there is a benefit for everyone.

“I think there are genuine benefits for all of us if we can get the system to work better for many women who find themselves disempowered around the world at the present time,” he stated. (JRT)

United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Didier Trebucq says there are concern that violence against women and girls has been exacerbated by COVID-19 in the Caribbean and further afield.

He further stated the UN is responding to this in many ways through social economic COVID response plans.

“For example, the community sector response plan for Barbados and Eastern Caribbean or the social economy response plans for Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname amongst others all address as a core issue violence against women, shelter for special services to women affected by this violence, psychosocial support for women’s economic empowerment for recovery and this focus has actually been mainstream in the regional Spotlight Programme strategy with the view to immediately address this year the impact of COVID in the region.”

Trebucq was speaking at Tuesday’s virtual Signing Ceremony for the Spotlight Initiative Caribbean Regional Programme. This document was signed by representatives from the UN, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the European Union (EU).

The focus of the Spotlight Initiative Caribbean Regional Programme is the reduction in the prevalence of incidents of family violence. The Spotlight is being implemented in Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

Trebucq explained the “regional initiatives is one of the flagship partnerships between the UN and EU aimed at eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls. It is a true commitment to fight what has become one of the most widespread persistent pandemics and is a devastating human rights violations in today’s world. The Spotlight Initiative Caribbean Regional Programme will specifically address family violence in all its forms- physical, social, sexual, economic and also emotional abuse within relationships that are considered as family connections or akin to family.”

He also outlined what makes the Programme distinctive from other gender investment.

“First, we felt like this is a partnership and key pillar of the UN reform as it brings together several UN agencies to fight violence in an integrated manner by leveraging each other’s strengths and expertise. Secondly, it will establish a new way of working between the United Nations, government, inter-governments and institutions and civil societies organisations to find a sort of multidimensional approach that will bring innovative solutions to gender inequality and family violence in the region. And thirdly, it aims at enabling transformative change, change is grounded on the human right approach and ‘leaving no one behind’ principles by integrating governance, norms and behaviours, services, data and women movements.” (MG)

The Caribbean Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Livelihoods (COESL) and the Women Empowering Women In Lifelong Leadership (WE WILL) partnered with the Barbados Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (BANGO) in early September to assist over 30 vulnerable women-led families in Barbados. The organisations strategically selected fellow Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) which are members of BANGO, and which service the most vulnerable, to benefit from this assistance.

The assistance was in the form of food and daily care items for families, including children and youth with allergies and other special needs. The organizations which were selected, based on their profile of service beneficiaries and vulnerability index ratings,include Ichirouganaim Council for the Advancement of Rastafari (ICAR); Lifelong Skills Training Inc; Barbados Council for the Disabled; Variety – The Children’s Charity and the National Organisation of Women.

This support was made possible through funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Family Association in Barbados. Dr. Marcia Brandon, Managing Director of COESL and also Secretary General of BANGO praised both the IDB Family Association in Barbados and WE WILL for their dedication to improving the daily resilience of the most needy in Barbados, as well as improving the supply chain of BANGO’s members to meet the needs of the people they serve.

According to Dr. Brandon, “For me, as usual, it is all about ensuring that we assist the people who cannot assist themselves now, so that they can build their resilience and restore their dignity. It is also critical that we as CSOs help each other to grow.”

Rhea Brathwaite, Co-founder and Executive Director of WE WILL stated, “the assistance came at a crucial point in time, when so many families are struggling to put food on the table. We are honoured to have the opportunity to serve the Barbadian community, and in particular, to provide for women-led households.”

Debbie Grimes of Lifelong Learning Inc. was very grateful to COESL and WE WILL for the support and she noted that it came at such an opportune time, especially for one of the families her organisation supports. This vulnerable mother was very worried about what her children would eat over the next few days as she became unemployed and ill and had to be hospitalised over a weekend. “This is such a life saver, Grimes said, that is one worry off her head.”    

Brandon and Brathwaite pledged to continue the work to serve as many people as they can and help the CSO sector to build sustainability. As a respected expert and elder in the sector, Dr. Brandon noted that it is so heartening to see young professionals coming into the development sector. It is a sector which requires the 3Hs –Head, Heart, and Hands. I will do all I can to continue to mentor and encourage young persons, who have all three and have a strong desire to be the change.

FORMER General Secretary of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) George Pilgrim has raised a red flag following the announcement of the decision to replace former Cabinet Minister Gline Clarke with General Secretary of Barbados Workers’ Union, Toni Moore.

On Wednesday night Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley made the announcement that the National Executive Council of the BLP overwhelmingly supported Moore for the post. Clarke will resign as Member of Parliament of St. George North on September 30. The date of the by-election has not yet been called.

Pilgrim, in a statement issued yesterday, congratulated Moore on her nomination and thanked Clarke for his 26 years of service to Barbados, but said the nomination raises quite a few questions.

According to Pilgrim, “Can Ms. Toni Moore as a declared candidate for the Barbados Labour Party credibly continue to serve as the co-chair of the “Independent Body” charged with monitoring the implementation of the much touted “BERT Programme?”.

“Can a member of the Barbados Labour Party serve as a member of such a monitoring body?  Is Ms. Moore a member of the Barbados Labour Party and if so how long has she been a member?”

“Should such membership have been declared when she was appointed to serve as Co-Chair of an “Independent” monitoring body? Was Ms. Moore duty-bound to declare any formal party affiliations before taking the oath as an “Independent senator appointed by the Governor General. Will Ms. Toni Moore be reassigned to a Senate seat if she loses in the by-election?”

Pilgrim noted that during a recently held DLP meeting, he questioned the “troubling issue” of the fragile nature of our democracy and what needs to be done to strengthen the bonds as a society. He challenged that the state of the democracy in Barbados is in unchartered waters.

“We are familiar with political unionism and the courtship between unionists and political parties. This is not new to Barbados, think Sir. Frank Walcott, Leroy Trotman, Bobby Morris, Evelyn Greaves and so on. What is new however, are the times we are in and our expectations, as well as the fact that the political stripes of these gentlemen was no secret while they practiced unionism.”

“Citizens are demanding greater transparency and democracy as promised by the current administration when in Opposition. How is our democracy advanced by the co-option of the leader of the largest private sector leader to the fold of a government that already holds all 30 seats?”

“Barbadians are watching on,” he warned.

GENERAL Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) and independent Senator Toni Moore has been named as the Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) candidate for St. George North for the upcoming by-election.

The announcement was made late on Wednesday night by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, following a decision last weekend by Member of Parliament Gline Clarke to officially resign from the House of Assembly on September 30 after representing the constituency for the last 26 years, triggering a by-election, the date of which has not yet been announced.

Prime Minister Mottley, while endorsing Senator Moore described her as a “strong woman and excellent choice” for the position.

“The National Council has determined that given her academic, social and professional background that she is the right fit for the BLP in this constituency at this time. I am happy that it is a unanimous choice at all levels of this party’s council.”

Prime Minister Mottley described Moore as an exceptional debater and also a strong voice in defence of national development particularly for the working classes of this country.

“I must tell you that I am excited to have someone who can also help to do some heavy lifting join us as we go forward. Because we are very much aware that we are not living in normal times in this country and to that extent it is therefore important that all of us who can add to the value of helping Barbados get through this difficult and challenging time, largely placed on us by COVID-19.

“At the end of 2019 as I said we had literally marked out all of the major blockages with respect to the macroeconomic stability of this country such that we could move forward towards growth and jobs as our primary purpose and commitment. We have had blockages and obstacles in the road and while you have blockages and obstacles in the road you need all good people .

Prime Minister Mottley said the marriage between government and labour is not new to Barbados. “But it was determined that given the specific social and economic realities of this country ...that labour ought to have a dedicated political voice in the House of Assembly and that we believe that there is a commonality between our interests in representing the working class of this country.”

Expressing confidence in the difference Moore will make in the constituency, Prime Minister Mottley says she also recognises that there are others who went before her in this regard. “Sir Frank Walcott is the one most of us remember. But the BWU’s first general secretary would have been Sir Hugh Worrell Springer, then Sir Frank Leslie Walcott, then Sir Roy Trotman and of course now Senator Moore. The truth is, all of them before would have given full expression to the purpose of political representation for the labouring classes.”

Barbadians have not given up on the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) and this is evident with the influx of new members, according to Outgoing General Secretary Guyson Mayers.

Addressing the press conference to announce the DLP’s 65th Annual General Conference, which gets underway Friday September 25th to Sunday September 27th at George Street Headquarters, he disclosed that the political party has in recent days been reprinting membership forms to satisfy the request.

“The feedback coming through is that people believe that Barbadians are having “buyer’s remorse”, and a lot of persons are trying to make sure that this party is ready to face any challenge, and any opportunity that is presented to it.”

“I think that a number of young people believe that they can do no worse than what they’re seeing in the current administration – and believe they can do better, and they will not have the opportunity to have the voice that they think they need to have in Barbados outside of the Democratic Labour Party,” he stressed.

“Barbados is now in a position where we have alternative parties, yet the general sentiment seems unmistakably to be that the Democratic Labour Party is still the alternative to the Barbados Labour Party. And people who think that they can offer something to the country will seek out the Democratic Labour Party.”

Voting for the Executive and General Council commences today from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00p.m.

Mayers went on to reveal that only two persons will contest the position of President – the current President Verla De Peiza and former General Secretary George Pilgrim; while 15 persons will vie for Vice-President; four persons for General Secretary; three for Assistant General Secretary; four for Treasurer and 29 seeking to full out the General Council arm of the Party.

“We have a mixture of persons offering themselves, a few persons of experience in terms of political candidacy. A lot more persons of experience in terms of years around the party and who have been most invaluable in guiding this entire process, and the young blood that are not shying away from offering themselves for the highest offices in the party.”

He also gave the assurance that COVID-19 protocols will be in effect, pointing out, “This year we are going to have a cut off of 175 persons who can be in physical attendance. We expect others to join us online.”

“We have established the voting booths in the conference room and it will be one-way traffic. Persons will be sanitizing the booths throughout the day. Also, while we invite all members to come and participate, you will have to be a financial member.” (TL)