Government’s Clean and Green Initiative is off to a great start.
Word of this came recently from Public Relations Officer at the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) Carl Padmore, during an interview with The Barbados Advocate.

“This is part of the Government’s programme of Clean and Green and St. George North is our first stop. It has been going well so far. We started with the woods just 100 metres away from Flat Rock housing area. We were hampered a bit by the heavy rainfall that we experienced a few days ago, but we are back on-stream with our efforts to have the area cleaned and green,” he said.

“So we would have removed a lot of debris and any bush and garbage that would have been there have been cleared,” he added.

Padmore stated that the programme was a partnership between the National Conservation Commission and the SSA, and the SSA would have deployed four trucks and a bobcat to complement the bobcats and trucks currently being used by the NCC.

Following the clearing of the area, Padmore revealed that the NCC would then be responsible for putting in the ‘green’ in the area, and upon completion of this, the plan was to hand over taking care of the area to the residents.

“We want to empower residents to own these projects as well, by that we mean that after we clean the spaces, we expect them to look after it as they will receive a little recreational area,” he said.

He expressed that the cleaning in St. George North was simply the beginning, as it was their hope to expand the project.

He hoped that the members of the community would be able to work with them as they currently had a few areas earmarked in different parts of Christ Church to receive this type of cleaning and greening activity. (CLJB)

The Postmaster General salutes our Postal workers, today, October 9th, World Post Day, as we bring recognition to the indelible contribution given by all staff throughout the year.

Worthy of note is the commitment and dedication of the staff who worked diligently and tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 lockdown period. Postal Workers went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that the needs of all customers were met. The Barbados Postal Service (BPS) played a key role in reaching out to people across the island amidst the pandemic, as mail continued to be delivered, pensions cashed and bills accepted for payment.

Barbados Postal Service, from its’ inception, has contributed to the social and economic development of the island, innovating services to facilitate business and communication locally and internationally. To meet the changing needs of its publics, the Post Office continues to introduce new services, seeking every opportunity to innovate, while remaining relevant in the changing communication landscape and making a contribution to the social and economic development of the country.

The Director General of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), in his World Post Day message, “More Than Mail”, opined that “Innovation, Integration and Inclusion are the key drivers for the future of the Post”. He noted that, “from liberalization to privatization and the emergence of competition, the Post has faced many challenges to its survival, but none so daunting as the development of modern information technology”.

The focus on innovation, integration and inclusion will create a strong Post for the future, ensuring a postal presence that continues to be visible and relevant. Technological change, digitization and big data have transformed customer needs, thus leading to the creation of new products and services.

In addition to the Agency Service which includes the acceptance of all utility payments, the post office has embarked on the delivery of Drivers’ License and Barbados Passports. With the rise of digital technologies and e-commerce, Post Office stands ready to introduce additional services as we implement the current Postal Reform Strategy.

Today, Post worldwide is witnessing a decline in the traditional mail delivery business, but however the Barbados Post is repositioning itself through training, technology and systems to capitalize on the growing ecommerce market.

In the words of the Director General of the UPU, “We have always delivered. The year 2020 was the year that the Postal Industry showed the world its resilience, its determination, and the invaluable role it plays in every society”. We showed “we are more than mail”.

SANDALS BARBADOS and the Sandals Foundation have assisted in making back-to-school life a bit easier for parents employed by the resort and four special scholarship students.

The Sandals Foundation Care For Kids Scholarship recipients were presented with cheques to assist in their future development recently. The annual scholarship is awarded to students transitioning from the Primary to the Secondary School level, who performed well during their Primary School years not only academically, but who were involved in extra-curricular activities as well.

The cheque handover followed an earlier stationery gift pack presentation to parents employed by Sandals Resorts in Barbados to help with their back-to-school preparations. This was made possible through a joint effort of the Sports and Social Club as well as the company’s Training and Development department.

Sandals Resorts Barbados General Manager, Ramel Sobrino, lauded the initiative and said it was a continuation of Sandals’ efforts to help those in need during difficult circumstances, “Covid 19 has certainly changed the way in which we live, think and act; but one constant has always been our dedication to assisting those in need whether it be through the Sandals Foundation or our general staff programmes.

“As our resorts reopen across the Caribbean, we continue to be proud to stand by our team members and assist in any way we can. It was also pleasing to see that this gesture was well appreciated by them as well,” said Sobrino.

The Sandals Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the luxury resort chain and was created to continue and expand upon the work that Sandals Resorts International has undertaken.  The Sandals Foundation funds projects in three core areas: education, community and the environment.

The St. Philip Polyclinic at Six Roads, St. Philip is presently undergoing industrial cleaning and will remain closed today, after the doors were shut yesterday, to start the process.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has apologised for any inconvenience caused.

Reports reaching the Barbados Advocate are that employees there walked off the job yesterday, citing a number of environmental issues, which they said need to be addressed.

NUPW Acting General Secretary Delcia Burke who spoke over the airwaves, said that not only were concerns expressed about the limited number of maids available to facilitate cleaning at the polyclinic, but there were also concerns about issues with rodents, amongst other matters and they were being looked into.

Public officers who have been temporarily employed or acting in a post in the Public Service for three years or more before October 1, 2020, have begun receiving their appointment letters.

This disclosure has come from Director General of Human Resources in the Ministry of the Public Service, Gail Atkins, who said she and her team were diligently working on preparing and issuing the appointment letters. She added that the process was started on Monday.
Ms. Atkins stated: “The Ministry of the Public Service has formed a committee to facilitate the process for issuing the letters to public officers and we have completed a number of posts already.

“We have begun to issue letters to the ministries, departments and agencies [MDA], and we will be calling each MDA to collect their letters to be distributed to the officers eligible under the Public Service (Appointments) Act, 2020” she added.

She explained that where no vacancy or relevant office exists, officers would be appointed to a supernumerary office by the Act. Therefore, she added, officers would not be disadvantaged if there were insufficient vacancies for that post.

Due to the suspension of the relevant provisions in the Public Service Act and the Constitution, she said the officers have been appointed and will not be subjected to the regular provisions of attendance at a medical board to confirm fitness or confirmation of an appointment.
Parliament met last week and enacted the Act, to alter the Constitution to make provision for the appointment or promotion, as the case may be, of persons who have been temporarily employed or acting in a post in the Public Service for a period of three years or more on the date immediately preceding 1st October, 2020. The Royal Barbados Police Force, Prison Service and persons in Project Offices do not fall under the provisions of the Act and therefore will not benefit immediately.

Ms. Atkins pointed out that the Act stipulates that the person must be sitting in that office on October 1, 2020, and must have had three years’ continuous service immediately prior to that date. She noted that the Act identifies persons who are ineligible for appointment at this time. They include a person who has disciplinary matters or against whom a disciplinary matter or process has been started; a person with an ongoing criminal matter; and a person with a conviction which has not been expunged from his/her criminal record.

Additionally, a person who is on medical leave for a period of three months accumulatively in any one calendar year and has been processed by the Ministry of the Public Service for referral to a medical officer or a medical board; and a person who has a negative report or report of conduct which contravenes the Public Service Act, are not eligible for appointment.

The Director General said the Act recognises that there may be situations where officers have a grievance arising out of that legislation and it provides redress for such. As a result, the Ministry of the Public Service has designed a form which will be used by officers who consider that they are so prejudiced, to apply to the Governor General for the remedying of the prejudice.

“A link to that form is now available, and it will be placed on the Barbados Government Information Service’s website, as well as those ministries with websites or intranet,” she stated.

Ms. Atkins said there was space on the electronic form for the officer to identify their relevant acting assignments and make a written representation to the Governor General. She noted that the form must be submitted to the Ministry of the Public Service, which would have responsibility for transmitting it to the Governor General, as well as communicating her response to the public officer.

The Director General meanwhile reminded those recently appointed under this new Act that they were still subject to the rules and regulations of the Public Service. Meanwhile, for those public officers who have already been appointed and are awaiting their letters of confirmation, Ms. Atkins said the Ministry was aware of their concerns, and was working to restructure the process so it could be shortened where possible. Officers who fall into this category would be appointed on the date identified in their letters of appointment. (SA/BGIS)

It is going to be a busy weekend for St George North as Floyd Reifer, Democratic Labour Party candidate for St George North launched the Batting with Reifer, Mega Weekend at the Glebe, St George.

Yesterday Reifer, accompanied by DLP representatives including former DLP General Secretary George Pilgrim, made the announcement after canvassing in the area, inviting the public to the weekend of events. He revealed that the weekend would commence with the first of a set of shop crawls, to support local businesses in the constituency, visiting three establishments on Friday, October 9th.
“The first we will go to is the Duck Souse Bar in Walkers, then we will go to Shirley's Shop in Lower Estate and then we are going to go to the  Marway Bar in Charles Rowe Bridge. So we would like everyone to come out, support and I will meet the constituents and hear more of what they have to say," said Reifer.

The candidate for the St George North by-election also encouraged persons to come out for the mass canvassing on Saturday beginning at 830 a.m. Reifer and his team and supporters will meet at the Glebe, adhering to the social distancing and health protocols to prepare to visit various areas of the constituency, followed by a motorcade in the evening.

"We will be going all through St George again, meeting people, talking to people and listening to people. That is the main thing for us before the meeting on Sunday," explained the candidate.

On Sunday evening, October 11th at the Glebe, the DLP will host an evening of praise with a gospel concert themed, Lift Up & Praise at 7 p.m. It will feature renowned artists Neesha Woodz, John Yarde, Trinity Clarke and Donella to name a few. The concert will be followed by the first DLP Public Meeting where the support of fellow DLP stalwarts would be shown for Reifer, the newest representative. In addition to Reifer, speakers will include the President of the DLP Verla DePeiza, Colin Spencer, Hubert Reifer, Reverend David Durant, Dale Haynes and Michael Lashley.

Former General Secretary George Pilgrim also encouraged the public to come out during the weekend, to hear what the plans the DLP has for the constituency of St George North.

"We intend to engage Barbadians and we are inviting Barbadians to join St George North. Come and see what the Democratic Labour Party is offering to the people of Barbados in the person of Floyd Reifer," said Pilgrim.

The former general secretary also highlighted that since the nomination, Reifer had not stopped working to gather the thoughts and concerns of the constituents. (AS)

The Cabinet of Barbados has approved new exemptions, which will allow both females and males to wear their recommended head coverings for religiously mandated purposes when taking official photographs.

The announcement came yesterday from Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams, during a press conference held in the Ministry’s Conference Room at Webster Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael. Abrahams noted that members of the Muslim community as well as Rastafarians here in Barbados have long been pressing for such a move and he stressed the need to remove a number of old rules, regulations and even laws that prove disadvantageous or discriminatory, to certain groups in society.

“I am pleased to advise that effective last week Thursday, the Cabinet of Barbados approved the wearing of head coverings for religiously mandated purposes. Now understand that the standard is that you must not cover your head. That is the general standard and the general law in Barbados. However, if you are a member of a recognised religion in Barbados and your religion mandates that you cover your head or you cover your ears, once you provide proof sufficient to the Chief Immigration Officer that you are of that religious organisation and that religious organisation does have these rules in place, then you will be allowed to take your photograph for your passport,” Minister Abrahams outlined.

He added, “As I said, Cabinet has approved this across the Board, so this is going to be in relation to all official photographs. It makes no sense to do it for passports, but then they require you to uncover your head for your driver’s licence or a national ID photograph. So the position now is, where a religion mandates that either males or females cover their hair for religious reasons, they will be allowed to honour the dictates of their religion, for the taking of their official photographs.”

Abrahams also pointed to the removal of the bio-data page from the Barbados passport, which is no longer necessary. He meanwhile noted that fingerprinting and retina scanning are additional security measures which can be employed, to boost security when it comes to travel.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Barbados Muslim Association, Suleiman Bulbulia welcomed the long awaited changes, as did President of the Barbados Association of Muslim Ladies, Sakina Bakharia. Bakharia expressed thanks to the Minister for his efforts in bringing about the newly announced exemptions, whilst also outlining some of the challenges which Muslim women have faced, under the former regulations. Chairperson for the Ichirouganaim, Asheba Trotman also welcomed the move and the Minister’s efforts to stamp out discriminatory practices in Barbados.

Chief Immigration Officer Wayne Marshall, who was present, said the new measures would go into immediate effect. (RSM)

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is pressing ahead with plans to breathe new life into the sugar cane industry.

Speaking at the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) public meeting at Newbury, St. George on Thursday night, Minister Indar Weir reported that the strategy to revitalize this country’s oldest industry has already gone to Cabinet.

“We are modernising our sugar industry to the extent that we are using a full value chain industry which goes from sugar for domestic consumption, molasses for our rum industry, and then the waste matter is being used to generate renewable energy.”

Minister Weir thereby explained government’s foresight is to “bring the industry to profitability”.

“And all of you who are part of the labour force in farms and in the sugar industry, would have an opportunity for the first time in our existence to own shares where you can get a return on the profits made through the sugar industry transitioning programme.”

The Agriculture Minister also informed the people of St. George North that he will honour the BLP candidate Senator Toni Moore’s wish to introduce Hydroponics and Aquaponics into the constituency.

He said this will be achieved through the Farmers’ Empowerment and Enfranchisement Drive (FEED) programme aimed at reducing agricultural imports into the island which will ensure national food and nutrition security. Currently, farmers are also being trained in Apiculture and Freight Farming.

“I say to you St. George North that you do not have the traditional jobs that you used to get – we do not have enough land space even. And so, we must embrace technology, where you can take a freight farm and with your mobile phone, laptop, tablet and you can operate that farm, get to production faster and get greater yields. Yet, you do not have to use pesticides and of course it is a revolving system so therefore it is less water intensive, and you do not have to worry about climate change and prolong droughts,” he explained.

“To date, we have some 800 farmers signed up to be trained for the FEED programme and in St George North I am prepared to come here and identify space, where Toni can have Freight Farms which is also a Hydroponic system on a lease-to-own basis to young people who are interested in getting involved in agriculture.” (TL)

Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey has lauded the team at Barbados Port Incorporated, who all made sure to play their part in Barbados winning the Destination of the Year category of the 2020 Seatrade Cruise Awards.

Competing with St Kitts and Nevis, as well as CruiseCopenhagen, Barbados won for its humanitarian efforts in ensuring cruise workers returned home.

Humphrey emphasised all efforts were not to seek rewards, but to help everyone in the height of the pandemic, in addition to attending to the needs of other Barbadians on board as well.

Barbados won for returning cruise staffers to their respective homelands during the COVID-19 curfew.

For the first time ever, the Seatrade Cruise Awards ceremony was held online as they celebrated the successes and resilience of the cruise community, after a challenging year. (PR)
 

Covid-19 has created challenges for people worldwide and even more so for persons battling substance abuse.

Clients of both Verdun and Marina Houses, the two locations managed by the Substance Abuse Foundation of Barbados (SAF), were affected by the lockdown due to the pandemic, as relatives could not visit bringing vital personal care items.

In addition, donations to the foundation also shrank significantly as many of the corporate and individual donors too, are experiencing hard times.

The SAF was particularly tested during this time as well with the need for sanitizing and additional hand washing. This was made even more challenging because of water outages in St. John and the fact that alcohol-based sanitizers are not used at the drug and alcohol treatment facilities as it could have an adverse effect on some clients.

The SAF reached out to CIBC FirstCaribbean, a regular donor, for some assistance. It took some creative shopping, avoiding all alcohol-based products, but finally the SAF was able to purchase the much-needed supplies.

Toothbrushes and alcohol-free toothpaste, disinfectant spray, bleach, wipes, soap, shampoo and conditioner, hand cream, razors, sanitary napkins and paper towels were all on the list of required items.

The bank donated a total of $10,000 to buy the required personal care products and toiletries for the clients as well as supplies which were desperately needed to keep the facilities clean and sanitized during this Covid period.

When Michelle Whitelaw, Director Retail Banking Channels visited Verdun House to make the presentation, she was warmly greeted by staff and clients. She said she was happy to know that the bank was instrumental in changing lives and stated that it brought her much joy being out in the community giving back.

One client while thanking the bank for the generous donation also explained how being at Verdun House had turned him around and gave him his life back because he had lost everything as a result of his addiction.

He further added that at Verdun, he has learnt to change his thinking and to love himself and by so doing he has been able to get his family back and has found peace and acceptance.  He explained that he can now deal with life better and can stand on his own feet.

Since coming to Verdun ten months ago, he has learnt to pray and to meditate and also attends AA meetings. He expressed deep appreciation to CIBC FirstCaribbean and all those who help the SAF because he has seen how it has been a lifesaver for people like him.
Alison Gotip, Director of Clinical Services at the Substance Abuse Foundation expressed appreciation to the bank for the donation and explained that the simple gesture can help to change lives.

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) sector is needed now more than ever, and concerted efforts must be made to ensure that the future of entities operating in that sector do not become another casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NGO Management Specialist, Shelley Weir says that the pandemic has shown just how vulnerable the sector in this country is, and she is concerned that unless steps are taken to get the sector on sound footing, all the good work they do in respect of health care and assisting vulnerable and at risk groups, will be for naught.

“The NGO Sector in Barbados is not well organised; it is not well organised nor recognised. The evidence I would use to support that statement, is the response to COVID, where you had so many people, which was absolutely necessary, jumping in to lend assistance, but not in a systematic way. If the role of NGOs was truly appreciated and respected, some of the funding and assistance could have been filtered through existing NGOs, rather than people thinking they had to set up their own thing and operate in their own corner in order to satisfy needs,” she said in an interview with The Barbados Advocate.

She said while some NGOs were perhaps called on to help identify the needs of those they represent or advocate for, this was not a common trend across the sector and likely resulted in a duplication of effort, which she is certain resulted in some people falling through the cracks.

“NGOs represent the vulnerable in society and straight away you would have had a quick assessment of those who would really need assistance. But having not drawn on their expertise as should have been the case, my concern has been whether or not one person got assistance several times, and other people who really needed it never got any,” she stated.

Weir, who is the president of Hope Foundation, which advocates on behalf of those with lesser known chronic diseases such as Lupus, Sickle Cell and Arthritis, said if it had been a targeted approach, an organisation like hers which does not normally offer welfare services, would have been able to pinpoint more people in need and help steer those with the resources to help, in their direction.

“In a time like this we would have stepped up to the plate more and do things we wouldn’t normally do. But once we were called upon, limited as it was, we answered the call. But we could have gone forward with a lot more confidence had the resources been available,” she stated.

Speaking on the future of the sector, the NGO management specialist insisted that players in the sector have to be innovative and resourceful as they seek to find new ways of keeping their organisations afloat in the depressed economic environment that currently exists. She made the point while noting that the events they would usually stage as part of their fundraising activities,  have obviously been impacted by the requirements for social distancing and persons’ limited disposable income.

“So there is no major fundraising and those who NGOs would normally go to for sponsorship and who would willingly assist, cannot at this time, as there is poor cash flow. The fact is a lot of businesses are closed and there is so much uncertainty,” she explained.

The NGO management expert added, “I think there needs to be a concerted effort to look and see what NGOs are doing, the needs that are being served, how they match against Government’s agenda and how best we can reduce duplication and wastage to go forward with a sense of fairness and equity”.

Her comments came as she admitted that the NGO sector has always been vulnerable and underfunded, and as such, she warned that unless a strategic approach is adopted across the sector, a number of organisations could cease to operate.

“Right now most organisations are really struggling. There are a few things to my mind that if there was some coming together to do it, some new thinking, that I see some way out for the survival of NGOs. But I don’t want it to seem that NGOs are not themselves to blame too, because we need to understand what we are doing, we need to value our contribution, understand the meaningful difference that we are making and don’t just do it for the feel good factor,” she stated.

Weir’s comments came as she noted that the current pandemic is different from the type of crises that persons are accustomed to; and the world, not just Barbados, has been seeing significant social fallout as a result. She said while crises of the recent past have been of an economic nature, the health component of COVID-19 puts it in the social sphere, reinforcing the need for NGOs. With that in mind, she posited the view that going forward, as some jobs fade away and NGOs are called on more to help, new job opportunities are likely to arise in the sector.

Manager of the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA), Betty Hunte says greater focus needs to be placed on mental health, including ensuring that the necessary resources are available to safeguard the mental health and wellbeing of this nation.

Hunte says this is particularly important among the current and future employable persons in society, as this would help to maintain a solid platform on which the country can continue to build both economically and socially. She made the comments on Friday as she delivered remarks during a virtual panel discussion to mark World Mental Health Day 2020 under the theme ‘Your Mental Health Matters, Let’s End the Stigma’.

The NCSA head’s remarks came as she referred the World Health Organisation’s global social media challenge launched earlier this week, aimed at getting the world moving on mental health, with a call for a massive scale up in investment in this disease. She also drew on the words of the Word Health Organisation’s Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who said that “as we continue to live through a global pandemic, we need movement on mental health perhaps more than we have ever needed it before. We need to move for our own mental health, the mental health of our families, friends and colleagues, and more importantly, so that there is a massive increase in investment for mental health services at the national and international levels”. A position Hunte said the NCSA wholeheartedly endorses.

“If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health challenges you don’t have to suffer in silence. Receiving help is the most important thing anyone can do for themselves. But unfortunately the stigma keeps people from getting help. Mental illness, regardless of how acquired, should not be something to be ashamed about or thought of differently. When mental illness is treated equally to other illnesses, more people will have the courage to get help and better their lives,” she stated.

She made the point while noting that more than 450 million people are suffering from mental health disorders worldwide, and it is estimated that by the end of this year depression will constitute the second largest disease burden worldwide. She said the figures are “sobering”, when one considers that mental health has an impact on persons’ educational outcomes, productivity at work, development of positive personal relationships, crime rates as well as alcohol and drug abuse.

She made the point while referring to the “new dispensation” brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, where she lamented that “our levels of anxiety seem to have gone through the roof”, in particular when there are reports of another diagnosed cases of the potentially fatal virus.

“The uncertainty can be numbing. You know when we were growing up a lot of us used to hear ‘what you don’t know can’t hurt you’, but now it is truly frightening that what we don’t know can indeed hurt us. And it is this uncertainty and anxious anticipation that can impact any of us here today,” she added.

She went on to say that for many persons mental health is a provocative term, conjuring up stereotypical images of persons alternately ranting or raving, or ominously so into their thoughts that you never know what comes next. She maintained that the stigma that often accompanies these judgements are driven by the belief that mental illness is a personal failure, but Hunte made it clear that such is not the case. (JRT)

Effective November 1, 2020, Mr. Patterson Cheltenham, GCM, QC, will become the fifth Chief Justice of Barbados since Independence.
Additionally, also effective December 1, 2020, Madam Justice Margaret Arlene Reifer has been elevated to the office of Justice of Appeal.
Mr. Cheltenham will replace Sir Marston Gibson, who signalled his intention in July this year to retire from the post he held for nine years. He started his pre-retirement leave on September 1, 2020.

In late August, Government began advertising for candidates to fill the vacancies of Chief Justice and Justice of Appeal. Applicants were shortlisted and interviewed by the Judicial Appointments Committee, which then made its recommendations to the Prime Minister who consulted with the Leader of the Opposition before giving her approval.

This is the first time this method has been used to select a Chief Justice but had been employed to facilitate other recent judicial appointments.

Documentation supporting the application of Mr. Cheltenham, who attended Christ Church Foundation School before moving to The Lodge School, described him as having “had the benefit of a rich, mixed legal practice for almost 42 years” and “unchallenged integrity”.
“These include areas of regulatory law, tax law, company law, personal injury settlement and litigation, administrative and public law, amongst many others. [He has] also tutored part-time at the Faculty of Law in real property and company law. He also spent one year as a lecturer in the Faculty of Management. Those teaching assignments required a high level of understanding of the principles of law and jurisprudence…,” it added.

“He possesses the art of appropriately simplifying complex topics [and an] ability to make important judgments in a short timeframe… Not every opinion a lawyer is required to give is straightforward, and at times, there may be more than one option available, [and] he has always demonstrated excellent evaluative skills to decide the more appropriate course of action. Where creativity is required in solving problems, he is more than equal to the task. He has, too, a talent for sifting out extraneous considerations and is not distracted by irrelevances.”

Much of the new Chief Justice’s first decade as an attorney was spent practising criminal law under the guidance of his older brother, Sir Richard Cheltenham, QC.

About his appointment, Mr. Cheltenham said: “I look forward to bringing my usual professional energy to the task at hand.”

He will preside over Barbados’ largest ever judiciary, which now comprises five Criminal Court judges, three each in the Commercial and Family Courts and four handling general Civil matters. Additionally, the Chief Justice and four senior judges make up the Court of Appeal.
Justice Reifer, an attorney at the private bar for 23 years, has been a High Court judge since 2005 but has also acted as Justice of Appeal at various times over a two-year period, starting in January 2018. She has accumulated considerable experience in adjudicating criminal, civil and public law cases.

A firm believer in the value of continuing education and training, Justice Reifer, since 2012, has been chairperson of the Judicial Education and Training Committee of the local judiciary.(PMO)

Post-Independence Chief Justices:
1965-1986 — Sir William Douglas
1987-2001 — Sir Denys Williams
2002-2010 — Sir David Simmons
2011-2020 — Sir Marston Gibson

The Barbados Labour Party continued its mass canvass of St. George North yesterday as MPs and supporters from the majority of the constituencies urged residents to vote for its candidate Toni Moore.

From 9.30 a.m. several Cabinet Ministers including Ministers Wilfred Abrahams, Adrian Forde, Ian Gooding-Edghill, Charles Griffith, Ronald Toppin, Kay McConney and other members of Parliament including Dr. Rommel Springer, Neil Rowe and Edmund Hinkson led various groups through the various districts within the constituency.

Accompanied by her campaign manager, Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Dwight Sutherland, Moore, the General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, said the focus will be to engage with as much as the constituents as possible.

“This morning we have deployed some 50 teams that are going to be across the area touching different boxes across the constituency. As for me I will start off in Parish Land and I will hope that I can touch as many areas as possible. Our canvass has not started today, we have been on the ground and there are a number of people that are excited about seeing their candidate,” she told the media yesterday at the Glebe.

Sutherland, the MP for St. George South, said the group will also head into Airy Hill and Lower Estate as several issues have festered for years including poor street lighting and the need for the upgrade of sporting facilities.
Constituents of St. George North will head to the polls on November 11.(JMB)

DEMOCRATIC Labour Party (DLP) candidate for the St. George North Floyd Reifer and his campaign team hit the ground for what is being billed as a “ Mega Weekend” as the party continues to rally support for the first-time candidate, who will be contesting the upcoming November 11 by-election.

Starting with a Shop Crawl on Friday, it was explained that the series was launched as part of the outreach effort to connect with constituents and at the same time generate meaningful activity at the various community establishments. “We must support local businesses, helping them to sustain themselves in this challenging COVID-19 environment. Supporting local entrepreneurs and small business owners is a position I held even before entering politics,” said Reifer.

Yesterday morning, the campaign team could be seen with bright yellow shirts canvassing various areas of the constituency. Campaign manager George Pilgrim explained that over the weekend the focus was placed on eight boxes as part of the engagement strategy. “Floyd has indicated that his job is to engage the constituents of St. George North and since his selection last week, he has spent every morning and evening in the field. This campaign is not imbued in politics, I think people are more concerned with the quality of an Opposition and what is happening to our democracy in Barbados. I think Floyd represents a change in terms of what has taken place over the last two years. There is an element of freshness and sincerity coming from Flloyd Reifer camp as opposed to what we have seen.

“Floyd was not anointed by any leader, nobody handpicked … at the anger of the other people in the constituency or in the branch. Floyd’s process of selection was one where he received calls, the party selected him in a clear and transparent manner and it is clear that the entire party has rallied around Floyd.”

The Mega weekend continued yesterday with a motorcade in the constituency and will continue today with a Lift Up & Praise Gospel Concert and Public Meeting in the Glebe St. George starting at 7pm. (JH)

Pregnant women using the services of the Barbados Family Planning Association (BFPA) will now be able to have their babies’ heart rates monitored.

This as students of the Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) have donated funds for the purchase of a cardiotocography (CTG) machine.

Moments before presenting the cheque on Friday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, RUSM Assistant Professor in Clinical Medicine and consultant obstetrician/gynaecologist Dr. Sandra Bynoe, said the need for such a machine had been identified by students conducting practical training activities at the BFPA’s clinic.

“The students would have looked at the patient journey of a pregnant woman throughout the family planning visits and what they realised is that at sometimes we would have to refer patients to the hospital to have a CTG monitor. The patients were not always keen on this and the students realised this and worked tirelessly to raise funds to purchase this machine for the Family Planning Association. So you can see that they would have put great thought into this gift. With this gift, patients would no longer have to leave to go to the hospital and would be monitored at the BFPA, which would also be of benefit to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital as it would cut down on their load,” she added.
Extending thanks on behalf of the BFPA, its Director of Clinical Services Dr. Rashida Daisley said the much needed CTG machine will help to improve the quality of the association’s antenatal care and lead to better patient outcomes.

She also utilised the opportunity to speak on the work done by the Ross students at the BFPA.

“In the pre-Covid era, BFPA happily provided a facility to the budding Ross physicians to receive practical training in some areas of gynaecology. This ability to interact with a diverse subset of patients not only enabled the development of their clinical skills, but also provided an opportunity to learn compassion and understanding; skills that are often undervalued but critical to quality clinical care. BFPA has a strong relationship with Ross University School of Medicine and at every interaction we’ve been very impressed by the quality of medical education provided,” she added. (JMB)

There is need for a high level Caribbean reparations summit, geared to turn European and British apology into solid action. 

Sir Hilary Beckles, Chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission and Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, is advocating for such a summit. Just recently, Andy Knight, former director of the Institute of International Relations at the UWI St. Augustine campus, engaged Sir Hilary on the subject, in preparation for the celebration of International Day for Reparations today – Monday October 12th, 2020. Sir Hilary meanwhile stressed that any further talks about reparations, must now include talks about how investments can be made in the economic development of countries in the Caribbean.

“Reparations then, it is about development, it is about economic and social development. Britain has a debt and we are building upon the Arthur Lewis paradigm, because in 1940, Sir Arthur Lewis, our Nobel Laureate in Economics, he said, the only chance these Caribbean islands have of using development, industrialisation, global competitiveness, is they must have a major injection of capital, to lay the infrastructure” Sir Hilary pointed out.

“The most obvious source of that capital injection he said, is the value of the 200 years of free labour. He said Britain took 200 years of free labour and we did the numbers. If you take 200 years of free labour from 15 million people, including adults and children and remember, the children entered the production system as soon as they were weaned, three and four year olds, they were out on the plantation carrying out tasks, because you could not tolerate the notion of an unemployed asset. All assets had to go to work and we did the calculation and you are talking about seven trillion pounds, if you were to make a calculation on the unpaid labour Britain took from the Caribbean. That is more than their GDP, but it is just a reference, to give you a sense of the enormity of it,” he commented.

“And so, we have said, Britain must come back to the table for Stage 2. What is Stage 2? Stage 1 was when they sat at Lancaster House and discussed the terms and conditions of Independence. Bearing in mind, in those conversations, the CARICOM government back then had actually said, you need to give us a grant of about 200 million pounds to begin this journey. So there was always a development figure on the table and it has been consistently rejected. Their position was, we will give you social aid, and we are not giving you development capital,” Sir Hilary further noted.

He however indicated, “We have said, we want to go back to the table and we have invited the Government of Europe to come back to the table to discuss the legacy of colonisation, the poverty, the endemic challenges not only with public health, but inadequate infrastructures for schools, terrible situations in terms of human rights, a hospital in public health care, very poor undeveloped agricultural systems and we have said, you need to come back to this

“So the reparations that we are talking about, it’s about laying the foundation for investment in the economic development of the Caribbean,” Sir Hilary stressed (RSM)

Governments must continue to invest in social protection and take extra supportive measures to ensure the mental health of vulnerable disadvantaged groups, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Guy Ryder advises.  

On Saturday, in commemoration of World Mental Health Day under the theme “Mental Health for all. Greater Investment – Greater Access. Everyone, everywhere”, he underscored the importance of looking after one’s mental health at a time when stresses are rising because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“As our world continues to grapple with this crisis, it is crucial that we shed light on the mental health risks that will no doubt persist past this pandemic.” 

He said these past few months many workers have felt helpless in the face of the profound changes they have experienced.  

Teleworking, according to the ILO Chief, has brought new stresses, as workers find themselves isolated or juggling family and professional responsibilities while experiencing blurred lines between their work lives and personal lives.

In addition, Ryder pointed out that those who cannot telework have felt unjustly exposed to the risks of the pandemic, with all the anxiety it has brought. 

“We need to talk openly about mental health in the workplace and reduce stigma and discrimination for those who are less able to cope: young people, who don’t see a future for themselves, older workers who fear they might never find a job again, women, who have to bear the brunt of the economic downturn, front line workers who feel they haven’t been supported enough. 

“For many of us, work is an essential part of who we are. Making sure that the workplace is a safe environment where we can talk about mental health issues will help mitigate the impact of the pandemic in our personal and professional lives and make us more resilient,” he maintained. 

“We all have a role to play by caring for and supporting family, friends and work colleagues, by continuing looking after our own well-being and by not being afraid to talk and to seek help when needed.” (TL) 

Barbados will be keeping a watchful eye on the United States 2020 General Election, which is fast approaching.  

Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Ryan Straughn said that the result, whether we like it or not, on November 3rd, will play a significant role in terms of the path this country and the rest of the world would have to navigate.  

“Because it requires a significant policy change and shift, leadership and mindset, in order to change the trajectory with respect to how the coronavirus pandemic is managed globally,” he maintained.   

“And that is where we have some concerns as any right-thinking person would have those concerns, but whatever happens, Barbados must chart its own path with respect to being able to ensure that we can do right by the people of Barbados first, and then those who care to visit this country, that we also do right by them once they are here.”  

Minister Straughn, who was at the time addressing the members of the Barbados Yacht Club on the topic, “Boom or Bust in this Pandemic: Which way for Barbados,” stressed that the Mia Mottley-Led Administration has set about to ensure that they transform how they do things.  

“In my mind there is no notion of bust, there’s no notion so much of boom. It is about how do we establish and maintain a very serious social compact that allows all Barbadians to move forward with confidence knowing that I have your back, and you have mine. And that no matter what happens on November 3rd or any other date that may come about in the future, that Barbados and Barbadians and those who choose to live in Barbados, would know that we operating as one would be capable of overcoming any challenges.” 

However, the Minister emphasised that going forward leadership is crucial. He said not just at the level of the Prime Minister, but at all levels.  

“It takes leadership in every company, neighbourhood, church, organization – at all levels to be able to bring about the changes that we know that we have not implemented in our own spaces as fast as we could,” he said, further pointing out that COVID-19 presented a very unique opportunity to leapfrog a number of the issues that have been plaguing everyone for far too long.  

“And your government is committed to doing just that. But in doing so, we will continue to communicate with the public – to make decisions in the interest of the people of this country. But, you must know that we do this not just because its COVID-19, but it was always our mission to transform Barbados,” Straughn assured members. (TL)

THE FLOYD Reifer campaign for the St. George North seat switched gears on Saturday evening with a motorcade to rally support for his run in the November 11 by-election.

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate was earlier in the day leading a mass canvass through parts of the constituency during what is billed as a “Mega Weekend”.

The first-time candidate started the weekend with a Shop Crawl on Friday, which was intended to be part of an outreach effort to connect with constituents and at the same time generate meaningful activity at the various community establishments. On Saturday morning, the campaign team could be seen with bright yellow shirts canvassing various areas of the constituency and continued on Saturday evening with a motorcade.

Reifer was flanked by his team including recently re-elected DLP President Verla De Peiza, campaign manager George Pilgrim along with friends, family and other supporters.

The Mega weekend continued last night with a Lift Up & Praise Gospel Concert and Public Meeting in the Glebe.