Learning a skill has been key for the females benefiting from the services which Jabez House in Barbados offers, given the levels of unemployment and problems arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was the acknowledgement coming recently from Shamelle Rice, Founder and Director of Jabez House, which provides vocational training and entrepreneurial opportunities for local female sex workers. She was at the time speaking as one of the panelists during the National NGO Impact Consultation held at the Hilton Hotel, under the theme, “The Impact of NGOs During COVID-19 and Beyond”.

“For us at Jabez House, it definitely caused us to revisit our way of doing things. We do work with females in the sex workers community and our programmes center around the ladies being able to come to our space. We focus on training, whether that is in hairdressing or nail technology etc. Our focus is on economic empowerment, so that you can use these learnt skills to find am alternative means of income and transition from sex work. So for us of course, given that was our model of doing things, when we had the pandemic, where everything had to close down, we had to decide what to do” Rice revealed.

“But what we saw was that even more than being able to provide those practical skills for individuals, what persons needed during that time was the psychosocial support, which was always a big component of our work. So we were able then to use the Zoom platform to do online sessions, to be able to still keep the ladies active and engage them and keep their minds in a good place, because of course, people were wondering how they were going to be able to make it through this. There was a measure of anxiety and uncertainty, which I am sure other persons would have experienced” she added.

“Then coming out of that, when we were able to reopen, I felt as if persons had a new appreciation of being able to make the most of what they could now do. Given the levels of unemployment, I  thought that being able to learn a skill,  persons were more appreciative of what they could do” she however stressed.

She meanwhile thanked Barbadians who responded to the organisation’s food drive during the lockdown period, which helped in providing food baskets to females in need, especially those with children. Key now for Jabez House, like other NGOs, is mapping the way forward in a creative and innovative way, to see how it can be more successful in its mission, whilst embracing a new way of doing things, even in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. (RSM)

Pan American Health Organisation Assistant Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa recently cautioned that holiday season gatherings and travel involve risks and people should therefore follow the guidance of national and local health authorities, to make the holidays as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reminder was sent that during a pandemic, there is no such thing as a risk-free holiday season, since every gathering, every shopping trip, and every travel plan increases the chances of spreading the virus. Thus, it is critical that everyone continues to practice the public health measures that are known to be effective in controlling the spread of the virus, such as wearing a mask in public, including in the presence of persons from other households and keeping a safe distance from others.

Indeed, here in Barbados, this message needs to be shared with the public, even as Barbadians look to celebrate Independence Day and move into the eagerly anticipated yuletide season. We need to hear the health authorities sending these messages out on a wider scale. Yes, we have heard officials of the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit indicating that they will be monitoring various parties, fetes and gatherings on the whole for the Independence weekend, but we have heard nothing really about how persons should conduct themselves and what they should be mindful of, as they seek to get involved in various celebrations or even go about their Christmas shopping.

There seems to be a belief that since there is no official word of community spread in Barbados, all is well. However, locals must not throw caution to the wind, but they should ensure that they follow all the health and safety protocols, to be on the safe side.

However, we do have some key information from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), which is indeed useful. PAHO advocates that people should avoid the 3Cs: spaces that are closed, crowded or involve close contact with others. They should also wash their hands often.

PAHO and WHO recommend that countries experiencing widespread transmission of the virus should seriously consider postponing or reducing mass gatherings. This is not the time to be hosting any large gatherings. Each country, city and community should base decisions about hosting public events on the latest available data – especially data that show where the virus is spreading and whether health systems have enough capacity to keep up with cases.

Officials go further by noting that even smaller indoor gatherings can be especially risky, because they bring together groups of people, young and old, from different households, who may not all be adhering to the same infection prevention measures.

Dr. Barbosa warned, “They should be held outside when possible, and participants should wear masks and maintain social distance. If held indoors, limiting group size and choosing well-ventilated areas can help reduce exposure. With respect to travel, people should be cautious, and the safest option is to stay home, he said.

“PAHO does not recommend relying on laboratory tests for travellers. Yet we’ve seen countries across our region and throughout the world place testing at the heart of their travel policies. This cannot guarantee safe travel or eliminate the risks related to infected travellers, and resources can be used in other ways yielding a greater public health impact,” Barbosa said.

Certainly there is much to draw from, where this advice is concerned.

Student leaders in schools across the island are being told they have the potential to be change agents.

That is according to Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Santia Bradshaw. She made the comments while delivering remarks during the Leadership Badge Presentation Ceremony in honour of head boys and head girls across the private and public, primary and secondary schools, held at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium yesterday morning.

Her remarks came as she said that the reports of students engaging in negative behaviour are not reflective of all the students and it is imperative that this is made known.

“Therefore it is our responsibility to work with all of you today and going forward, to make sure that you become the change agents. That you start to write a different narrative, the narrative that you would like to see not only in your schools, but in your communities, and also in your churches. And also, to see yourselves as being able to change the narrative of how people view young people, and in particular your colleagues at schools and your other students,” she said.

Minister Bradshaw made the point while noting that children have an important part to play in the efforts to transform this country.

“We also understand that we have to write a different narrative and the narrative that we must write is one which it can’t come from simply the Government of Barbados, but it requires us to have many people lifting the heavy weight as Prime Minister Mottley always says. It means that in addition to all of the private sector entities, churches, civil organisations and all of the entities that help the Government, we recognise that we cannot truly transform Barbados unless we also target our schools, in particular our primary and our secondary schools, because we see you as the future leaders of this country,” she said.

The education minister noting that the actions of today’s leaders will impact the next generation, added that if they are to live up to their mandate they have to inspire the youth to be agents of change.

“When we leave here today, I hope that all of you will recognise, not only how important we view each of you, but also that leadership does matter... We are making all best efforts to ensure that we impart on you, a better understanding of not only who you are, but also what you have to fight for as young people to be really part of a true transformational change,” she stated.

Meanwhile, delivering the feature address, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley urged the more than 150 students present to wear their badges with pride, noting that it is vital that they recognise the importance of leadership in every aspect of society. She made the point while telling the students that “leadership is about doing the right thing”.

“We must always know the difference between right and wrong and leaders are the ones who insist that the right things be done. Managers insist on doing things right, but leaders insist on rightness... More than anything else you must have a moral compass and that moral compass must guide you throughout life, whether you end up living in Barbados, in the Caribbean, or somewhere else in the world,” PM Mottley said. (JRT)

By Marsha Gittens

A local insurance company is concerned about the number of accidents that have been occurring on roads island wide.

General Manager of Co-operators General Insurance Limited, Anton Lovell stated this continues to be a major worry for the company.

He was speaking at Friday’s awards to 30 longstanding policy holders. This event was done during the Customer Appreciation Day initiative which was held in recognition of the company’s 30th anniversary. Co-operators General Insurance’s anniversary celebrations commenced in July of this year.

He told the awardees, “When you go out there and speak to your various credit union members, friends and neighbours, see if you can tell them to be a little more considerate whilst driving because the only major concern we have now is the number of accidents that are occurring on our roads on a daily basis. That is the major concern for us, not because we worry about the claims. We are concerned about the deaths on the road as well as the injuries to persons that suffer as a result of these motor accidents. So again, when you speak to people not only refer them to Co-operators General but also tell them be careful on the roads. Be considerate to other road users.”

Lovell also used the occasion to thank the awardees for choosing local and for supporting the company for 30 and in some instances almost 30 years.

“It is extremely heartening for that support because we are competing against 14 or 15 other insurance companies out there and we really appreciate you selecting Co-operators General Insurance Company as your insurance provider.”

As part of Friday’s Customer Appreciation Day initiative, there was a free Pop up and Entrepreneurial Market which featured 30 entrepreneurs. Members of the public had the chance to buy local delicacies, jewellery and clothing among other products from the businesspersons.

Human Resources and Marketing Manager at Co-operators General Insurance Company Limited, Cheryl Forde said this activity was done as a give back to policy holders.

“What we did is we asked our policy holders to come out and display their products and services. These are small businesses, people that sell clothes, food, natural soaps… [They] came and set up so that they can make some money for themselves because during the time now, they are not working,” it was pointed out.

She added, “We wanted to give back to them as well. We know it is hard and some of them can’t pay their policies the way they would want to pay it but they are yet our policy holders as well so we care for them. So we try to find ways for them to make some money.”

Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Kerrie Symmonds is urging Barbadians to buy local this festive season.   

He said that the small and micro business sector needs the support more than ever this year given the significant impact COVID-19 has had on livelihoods.

His comments came during the first pop-up Bajan Christmas Marketplace at the Warrens Office Complex, Warrens on Friday.   

“I really want the Barbadian community to recognise the importance of supporting our own at Christmas time. And we can do this – we don’t have to go and buy an expensive foreign piece of leather, whether a bag or whatever else, in order to give a gift, when we have a similar standard, similar quality done right here.  Or even give a loved one a couple treatments at a local spa or hairdresser – there are a number of options out there. But I want us to remember, if we can look after each other at Christmas time, then we help to keep Barbadian people employed,” he said.

The carpark was transformed into a mini marketplace giving 30 vendors the opportunity to showcase a variety of goods, craft, clothing, tasty treats and services. This was the first in a series of marketplaces being hosted by the Department of Commerce, under the Ministry of Energy, Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

“Over the course of the last nine months there has been a jaw dropping amount of hardship and financial insecurity and pain in the small and micro business community. And it is because of our consciousness about that painful past nine months, and the fact these folks are genuinely not experiencing any land of plenty and there has been no turning of the corner for them, that we felt that it was absolutely necessary to mount such a programme,” he explained.

“It brings the small and micro people into a defined space where the Barbadian public can interact with them in a commercial way. And to give those folks an opportunity to make sales, which enable them to keep their businesses afloat, keep their families and employees fed.”

Re-emphasizing government’s stance on vending, Minister Symmonds further expressed “We feel very strongly that we have to get the Barbadian community as a whole to come to understand that vending is not just about this country, or about developing countries, it is something that is legitimized across the industrialize so-called “first world”.

“And therefore, there is really no reason why we too should not be celebrating the legitimate, economic and commercial efforts of Barbadian small and micro business people who, especially in these difficult COVID times, are doing their best to hold their families together,” he stressed.   

Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael, will be the venue for the second marketplace to be held on Saturday, December 5th followed by National Heroes Square, on Friday, December 18th.

The marketplaces, which will also feature some young entrepreneurs of the $20 challenge, are being held in conjunction with the Barbados Manufacturers’ Association; the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry; the Small Business Association; the Barbados Trust Fund Limited; Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme and the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation. (TL)

THE Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) is adamant the Lawrence T. Gay Memorial Primary School remains closed until January.

President Pedro Shepherd made this clear while on a tour of the Spooners Hill educational establishment yesterday afternoon.

“To have a school where there have been serious environmental challenges over the last five to six years, you have brought in all of the necessary persons – environmentalists, the Ministries of Labour and Health; and some work has been done to the plant and as we speak work is still ongoing and staff is still pointing out to the Minister a number of issues at the school in terms of leaking classrooms, termite-infested doors and furniture, and we heard about a nutrition building which has been condemned and is no longer in use.

“My position is that if the school is not ready today when we are having the walk-through, two days away from the date the Minister has suggested school would be back face-to-face, the simple decision can be made here to close the school for the next eight days to allow work that was done on the grease traps to be cured, to allow for the removal of the furniture and doors that is termite infested and all the other things that have to be done,” he said.

Insisting industrial cleaning was necessary, Shepherd stated it made little sense for the students and staff to return on December 1.

“This is an opportunity for the Ministry to begin whatever work they have to do early … so that when school reopens in January, there will be no issues in terms of scent of paints or termite treatment and the school would look better than it looks today,” he said.

Shepherd said the BUT will return to the school on Tuesday “to see whether it was in a state for the teachers and students to function”.

“If it is not, then we will do what we have been doing for the last two weeks and give notice of school closure at eight and nine at night to confuse parents to make the necessary arrangements to have their children looked after,” he stated.

He made the comments to the media moments before Education Minister Santia Bradshaw announced that the establishment will be closed on Friday for the rest of the Michaelmas term. (JMB)

While face-to-face classes resume at the Lawrence T. Gay Primary on Tuesday, it will be only for a short week.

This as Minister of Education, Santia Bradshaw, announced the Spooners Hill facility will be closed on Friday until January in order to facilitate repairs and industrial cleaning.

Students and teachers have been at the physical plant sporadically throughout the term as environmental issues, which have plagued the school for several years, forced several closures – the latest of which was two weeks ago. During this time, an environmental assessment was conducted and a report handed to the Education Ministry.

The minister pointed out remedial work was done to try to address the issue of the foul odour, which had left several students and teachers falling ill with sore throats, rashes, itchy eyes and shortness of breath.

“At the centre of the issues that have been plaguing this institution for a long time is there have been a number of odours that they have been unable to identify exactly what the source of the odours have been, and we have had a number of recommendations from Environmental Health (division) indicating that a number of the odours are not affecting the external community and therefore they have turned their attention back into the school plant to see whether there was any issue with the septic tank or the wells or the various pipes. We have completed the majority of those works and workers are here cleaning out the grease trap and that will be sealed this afternoon, so as of Tuesday, we are satisfied that the school plant can reopen,” Bradshaw stated.

Speaking to the media after a thorough walk-through of the educational establishment with the school’s management and several members of the Parent/Teacher Association yesterday, she noted however it was necessary to have an earlier start to conducting infrastructural works on the compound.

“In some of the classrooms there has been leaking, perhaps becoming more persistent as a result of the heavy rain and we do not want to inconvenience the teachers and students who have been operating in this environment. So we want to close school on Friday, December 4, to allow the Ministry of Education to put things in place to accelerate the civil works program for this school during the Christmas period,” Bradshaw outlined.

Expressing happiness at being able to indicate the school’s issues to the minister, Head of the PTA Stephanie Williams said: “We are willing to compromise with the Ministry and we appreciate that they are working to get things here working at the school and going forward, I hope that communication remains open to continue the work here.” (JMB)

THE organisers of Agrofest are hoping that they will be able to stage the premier agricultural exhibition next year as customary.

In fact, Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul, says that tentatively the event is still on the cards and the preliminary work has begun. With that in mind, he told The Barbados Advocate that given the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions that are currently in place, they have had consultations with the Ministry of Health regarding the type of protocols that would need to be employed to ensure that patrons who attend the usual three-day event, can feel safe and that nothing is done to facilitate the spread of the novel coronavirus.

To that end, he said if all goes well and they are able to stage Agrofest, they are going to ensure that every precaution is taken. He went on to say that given how easily the virus can spread, they are cognisant that there will have to be a measure of social distancing in place to safeguard the health of those attending the event and those who are exhibiting as well.

“It is good to discuss these things early and there are some things that are not debatable like the wearing of masks. I want to make it very clear that we will not compromise on any health standard laid down by the Ministry of Health in terms of holding Agrofest next year,” Paul maintained.

He continued, “We would be insisting on the observance of those protocols and all we would ask therefore is that persons who would be part of that event abide by those health standards.”

His comments came as he said there is growing interest from persons wanting to be part of the event and they are hopeful that the event can be put on. Paul made the point while noting that they have already come up with a theme for the event, and while he remained mum on the details, he indicated that they intend to announce it early in December.

“I think it is a pretty exciting theme and it is very relevant to where we are at the point in time. In the past year, more people have come to rec-ognise the importance of agriculture and we want to take the opportunity to remind Barbadians, the Government and other stakeholders within the private sector that we cannot continue to pay lip service to agriculture, but that it must be given pride of place in terms of developing this country. The sector has proven its worth,” Paul contended.

THE importance of maintaining high ethical standards in the practice of law can never be overstated.

One of Barbados’ newest attorneys, Shaddiah Hinds, stressed the above as she spoke on behalf of her colleagues before the island’s new Chief Justice Patterson Cheltenham, Justices of the Court of Appeal, Judges of the High Court, and Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Dale Marshall. Her comments came as a total of 32 new attorneys were called to the Bar, during a swearing-in ceremony held at the Supreme Court Complex in Whitepark Road, St. Michael on Friday.

“Law is often referred to as a noble profession. Lawyers have been instrumental in changing the trajectory of society. We acknowledge that the conduct of irresponsible and unethical attorneys-at-law threatens to erode the nobility of the profession. But as we were reminded by the Hon. Attorney General on Wednesday, the reputation of the profession is not unsalvageable. In this regard, it is my hope that our admission to the Bar enriches the legal fraternity and that our conduct as attorneys-at-law helps to repair said reputation,” Hinds remarked.

“The importance of ethics and the maintenance of high ethical standards in this profession cannot be overstated. The ethics course director at Hugh Wooding Law School, Mrs. Aberleen Boodoosingh, encouraged us to read the Code of Ethics at least one hundred times before the exam. While this may have sounded like an overkill to us as students, as attorneys-at-law we recognise that we must be familiar with what the Code dictates or stipulates. Moreover, we recognise that we must go beyond familiarity and committing Code provisions to memory. We must and we do resolve to be honest and to maintain the highest standard of integrity throughout our legal careers,” Hinds further commented.

Noting that throughout their legal careers the lawyers will likely face difficult choices and the stakes may often be high, she stated, “We may often be faced with opportunities for monetary gain and be confronted with the question of just how much does money and prestige mean to us, when weighed against ethics. I pray that our conviction never waivers in the face of such a question and that we always choose to do what is ethical.” (RSM)

Plans are on stream to restart a Barbados Black Belly Sheep registry in this country, beginning early in the new year.

So says Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul, who explained it is one measure that will be employed to ensure the longevity of the industry. He made the disclosure during a recent interview with The Barbados Advocate,explaining that the last time that a sheep registration programme was done, they registered around 700 animals as Barbados Black Belly Sheep, but he said without a current registry, it is difficult to know if the figures have expanded, decreased or remained stable.

“We are very concerned about the state of the industry at the moment. One large producer has actually gone out of business and sold off his sheep and we are seeing now an attempt by some other farmers who have significant numbers of animals also looking to get out of the business. This is not healthy for the industry because in most livestock industries, one of the things that is needed is large producers. Without large producers, you tend to lose the genetic base from which you can actually seek to expand the population of the animals,” Paul explained.

He insisted that the Barbados Black Belly Sheep population is one that must be expanded if the country wants to capitalise on potential export opportunities. His comments came as he lamented that requests to export the animals are difficult to fulfil, because there are not enough sheep to service such exports. This interest from overseas, he indicated, stems from the excellent meat-to-fat ratio of the Barbados Black Belly Sheep.

“We therefore need to look closely and see how we can increase the pop-ulation and one of the things that the BAS will be paying attention to in 2021, once we get past the COVID restrictions or find a suitable way to work within them, is the whole question of training. We have to look at how we are going to help our farmers to engage in better husbandry practices within the industry. I think that is going to be extremely important in terms of trying to improve the Barbados Black Belly Sheep and increase the numbers. We do have to see an increase in the numbers,” he stated.

Paul explained that it takes in the region of 11 months for a sheep to reach maturity and go to market, and he suggested that one of the reasons that is, is improper management of the breed. With that in mind, the BAS official said that by registering the animals, they would know definitively which sheep are pure-bred, and he added they would be able to avoid any inbreeding, which has been a problem in the past.

“Inbreeding is an issue and it is often because some farmers are not keeping accurate breeding records within the industry in order to prevent it. The poor performance of the sheep could be attributed to the fact that there is inbreeding. We therefore need to get this under control and will be holding seminars in the new year,” he added.

He went on to say that they are exploring the idea of getting software that can be utilised by the Barbados Sheep Farmers Association Inc. to allow for a “breed book” to be developed, such that persons interested in buying sheep would have greater information in terms of the pedigree of the animals. He said it will likely be an expensive undertaking, and they will be looking for funds to make it a reality, given the importance of the breed to the country.

Attorney General Dale Marshall has praised the diverse skills set of the 32 new attorneys-at-law who were recently called to the Bar, saying the island needs a mix of all skills.

Addressing a special sitting in the Court of Appeal, the Attorney General said the COVID-19 pandemic had “truly upended” the practice of law, as lawyers were now forced to be more creative in all ways of the legal practice.

“I am heartened though, My Lord Chief Justice, Justices of Appeal, Justices of the High Court, having read the CVs of every single one of these applicants, that these are the individuals who will do credit to the legal profession in these difficult times. Their skills set range from artist to social activist… from people interested in company law to people interested in human rights and the third sector. Barbados today needs a mix of all legal skills,” he stated.

Marshall continued: “I am truly satisfied … that these applicants are all, without exception, well and truly qualified and worthy to be admitted to the practice of law in this jurisdiction.”

The AG added that 2020 has been a difficult year and one which has called for a rethink of how systems function, how we work and study, as we adopt more COVID-friendly options.

Marshall said nonetheless, that the pandemic has presented opportunities in the use of modern technology and there “can now be no reluctance by the justice system in all of its parts, to fully embrace technology in the conduct of the dispensation of justice and those who don’t embrace this, run the risk of being left behind – both Bar and Bench”.

He told the gathering that the Caribbean Court of Justice had conducted appeals from this jurisdiction without anyone having to travel to the Court’s headquarters in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.

“It is natural, I suppose, to be afraid of the new, but the efficiencies and benefits stare us in the face and will simply not be denied. But it wouldn’t be entirely wrong to paint a picture of a new face to the justice system without acknowledging the great challenges, especially in a COVID and post-COVID environment,” he stressed.

Marshall urged the new attorneys not to be daunted by the challenges that lie ahead, in an environment characterised by retrenchment and uncertain job security that has led to transactions, such as mortgages, being put on hold.

If we refuse to stand as a people united our nation will not prosper.

The Secretary of the Muslim Association, Suleiman Bulbulia gave this warning during an emotional address at the National Independence Service on Sunday.

He said that even though we have to wear masks, if we fail to face the future with courage, determination, faith, and hope, the global pandemic would have defeated everyone.

In the presentation which was in honour of his father who passed on Friday, Bulbulia reiterated the sacrifices that their ancestors made for their freedom. Speaking about his immigrant father who sold household items door to door in his early life, the prominent Muslim leader noted that his father saw Barbadians who were poor but faithful in the future. He gave his blessing to all parents who have the responsibility of raising the next generation.

He continued by saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has dragged Barbados into unprecedented times where families are facing hardship regardless of race and social status.

“Brothers and sisters, we are people of faith and if we put our trust in God, this is a legacy left to us by our noble prophets Abraham, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be among them all. Leaders who walk this earth in humble obedience to God’s command but left for us lessons that will last an eternity,” said Bulbulia.

He celebrated the frontline workers and volunteers who are helping the most vulnerable people in society and prayed for their protection. Bulbulia also prayed for the sick, abused, unemployed and homeless people in society.

Earlier in the service, the Principal of Codrington College, Dr. Michael Clarke, along with 2021 Rhode Scholar, Trey Cumberbatch, lit the candle of hope. Dr. Clarke, in his contribution, said that the symbol will renew the hope the light represents. He added that the light, love, and healing grace are very much needed for the nation and across the world.

This year’s National Independence Service took place yesterday at the Wildey Gymnasium under the theme, “Standing Together, Renewing Hope”. Representatives of the Christian churches, Hindu, Muslim, and Jewish communities shared their blessings during the service.

The Royal Barbados Police Force Band provided the music for the morning proceedings. The students of the Barbados Community College (BCC) Theatre Arts programme gave a video presentation on “This Is Who We Are”, which recognised the frontline workers and other Barbadians who continue to serve the public during the coronavirus pandemic. Talented singer Jane Small gave her rendition of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water”.

The event was attended by Governor-General, Dame Sandra Mason; Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley; Chief Justice, Patterson Cheltenham; Cabinet Ministers; Opposition Leader, Bishop Joseph Atherley; other Members of Parliament; members of the diplomatic corps; representatives of the private and public sectors, the Social Partnership, other dignitaries and members of the general public.

TODAY Barbados will be observing its 54th anniversary of Independence, a milestone that shows gradual progress over the last five decades.

It was on this day in 1966 that the 166-square mile island severed links with the British when it lowered the union jack and replaced it with the Barbados flag.

That meant Barbados became the fourth English-speaking territory in the Caribbean to attain independence following Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana.

The country has made enormous strides in managing its own affairs, and in the process became one of the leading developing countries on account of the high rating it received repeatedly in the United Nations Human Development Report.

Much of this has to do with the economic and political stability, the socio-economic advances, the creation of institutions that have worked well for the most part, a strong commitment to regional integration and the allocation of resources to maintain a high quality of education.

A stable democracy, the country has changed governments via the ballot box and without much of a fuss, with its parliamentary democracy fully in tact. Barbados is also one of the leading tourism destinations in the Caribbean.

Perhaps one of the island’s other main achievements is a credit union movement which has mushroomed over the last 50 years.

However, as the island celebrates this milestone, it is doing so against the background of significant challenges, with a slowing economy brought on by a four-year agreement the country has with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and an environment aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has also brought a heavy toll on countries around the world.

Over the past three years, the economy has not grown. It has ran up huge debt and there are clear indications of a need for a new paradigm to propel the country.

Exactly one year ago to this day in 2019, the economy had registered an economic decline at September of about two per cent with only tourism doing well. There were projections for a two per cent growth rate in 2020.

That has not happened with the first quarter of this year revealing a three per cent drop in output and the remainder of the year to September, the falloff is over 16 per cent.   

Consumer prices have increased and unemployment is hovering around 25 per cent, although some critics of the Government point to a higher figure. This current situation of the challenges facing Barbados threatens to erode some of the gains the country has made. The economy, which was expected to be fully diversified, remains lopsided with only tourism being the major sector.

For years, Sugar has ceased to be king. What is so depressing on this day is that the sugar industry can only muster under 10 000 tons of the sweetener compared to the more than 200 000 tons at the time of Independence in 1966.

The export-earning sectors have not expanded beyond tourism and international business. What in the decades of the 1970s and 1980s were thriving manufacturing and agricultural sectors, are no longer the case.

Their contributions to gross domestic product, employment and domestic output have declined significantly.

The wholesale and retail trades continue to be dominated by Trinidad and Tobago businesses, there are no indigenous banks and the insurance sector, which the country’s two first prime ministers – Errol Barrow and Tom Adams – insisted should be owned domestically, are seeing a number of foreign players.

While total export earnings from tourism, international business and manufacturing amounted to $5.2 billion at the end of last year, outflows in the form of dividends and imports, transfers and loan repayments were at $5.4 billion as at December 2019.

However, all is not doom with the country still very strong amid the hiccups.

The Central Bank of Barbados remains a strong institution, and has performed its function professionally. Other agencies are in a similar position.

One of the key bright spots in Barbados is the growth and development of the Credit Union industry.

From humble beginnings, credit unions have amassed more than $2.2 billion assets at the end of last year. They continue to  provide financial solutions to just over 200 000 Barbadians who are members in the face of difficulties, which the established banking sector is not that inclined. The Credit Union sector also has an insurance company.

At a 50th anniversary celebration for the Barbados Public Workers’ Co-operative Credit Union Limited, Hally Haynes said that the movement had contributed in a big way to the economic enfranchisement of Barbadians. One of the setbacks to date is that the movement has not moved to the creation of the long mooted Co-operative Bank and is yet to get a deposit insurance scheme, something the movement has been agitating for years.

Today, the Prime Minister will be giving an Independence Day message, in which a new roadmap should be laid out for the country. (JB)

Trinidad and Tobago’s Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon has urged manufacturers across the Caribbean to pool resources for their mutual benefit.

Addressing the virtual signing ceremony of the CARICOM Manufacturers’ Association (CMA) last week, she said that these are very difficult times. Foreign direct investment is reducing.

“For our survival, we need investment by our private sector.”

The Minister said moves to improve manufacturing in the region were heartening and must be supported by Caribbean governments.

“There are lots of manufacturing opportunities in the region, but we must increase our interconnectedness.”

Gopee-Scoon said a pooling of resources could benefit regional manufacturers, boost the regional value chain and improve the region’s production base.

Saying the Caribbean offers “endless opportunities”, she also urged better linkages between the agriculture, manufacturing, and retail and distribution sectors.

She called for the creation of a list of the raw material needs/inputs of regional manufacturers plus a platform to facilitate the purchase of these items. The minister also urged the promotion of both horizontal and vertical diversification in such businesses.

Gopee-Scoon suggested a focus on promoting Caribbean niche products such as cocoa. She urged attention on the food and beverage, agriculture and fashion sectors.

“We are excited about the Caribbean brand,” Gopee-Scoon said. “Let’s all celebrate.”

She said she looked forward to a harmonious relationship between business and government. Inviting manufacturers to contact her directly outside of the traditional steps, she said, “Call and ask.”

Guyanese Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Waldron, hailed the association as a regional voice. “There is wisdom in the counsel of others. The CMA will be a think-tank. You’ll achieve great things as a body.”

Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Kamina Johnson-Smith, called for more regional co-operation on agriculture and food security, and reckoned the association could address production-related challenges faced by the region’s manufacturers. “This is where the work starts,” she said.

Guyana Manufacturers’ Association head, Ramsay Ali, said: “We know what the issues are. I’m sure we can deal with them in such a way that all our territories and all our people will benefit.”

Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association Deputy President, Jerome Mills, in reference to the economic fallout from COVID-19, said: “We are all looking for ways to pivot and recover.” He reckoned the CMA could accelerate regional growth by all members working together.

St. Lucia Manufacturers’ Association head, Marguerite Desir, said manufacturers in the region must come together to learn from each other and build together, even as they all face the biggest competitor, that is, the interests from outside of the CARICOM region.

THE St. Paul’s Church hosted its Fiesta Fair event of fun and fellowship on the church grounds on Saturday. The urban church was seeking to raise funds for its ministry of community outreach, building maintenance, and support of other organisations.

Reverend Erma Ambrose, in a brief interview with The Barbados Advocate, said that 2020 was a year of great change due to COVID-19. She said the church held a “mini Fiesta” in November in the month of the nation’s Independence.

Although the island was under a flood watch on Saturday, she noted there was a significant improvement of the weather which helped the church to hold the event. She indicated she was happy with the

day’s activities. Patrons enjoyed games, entertainment, local Bajan cuisine of fish cakes, turnovers, conkies and pudding and souse. They also had an opportunity to buy local plants and vegetables, clothing, toys, and locally made treats.

Fiesta Fair will be on National Heroes’ Day 2021

As to the church’s plans in the coming year, Reverend Ambrose revealed that the real Fiesta will be April 28, 2021, at St. Gabriel’s School when the heroes of St. Paul’s Church, the notable religious leaders, will be celebrated.

Patrons can expect more stalls, entertainment, and games for the children. She emphasised the importance of the event and the celebration of her fraternity.

“Our caring is our calling, so our priests who are going to be at the showcase next year, all found their calling at St. Paul’s,” said Reverend Ambrose.

Last week, the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) and the Caribbean Develop-ment Fund (CDF) jointly launched the Project Preparation Facility (PPF) and the Credit Risk Abatement Facility (CRAF).

The aim of both these timely facilities is to address the myriad of issues faced by many CARICOM member states, which are striving to achieve the goal of energy transformation. Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship,  Kerrie Symmonds, offered remarks during the launch at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, saying that though many sources of international funding were available to finance the transition to more sustainable energy sources, the Caribbean region remains hindered and restricted in its ability to adequately access such financing.

“The creation today of the CCREEE project preparation facility as well as the credit risk abatement facility, at the regional level, will now allow us, as regional project developers, to have a safe place where the necessary assistance can be provided to ensure that no one is left behind in our quest for self-sufficiency and independence in the supply and generation of energy,” said Symmonds.

The minister highlighted the challenges across the region including project preparation, technical assistance, project execution, and the ability to properly monitor and evaluate the success of projects.

“And of course, the access to the right types of financing to suit specific and unique needs, and the access to financing that is flexible enough to consider the potential devastating burden of natural disasters such as hurricanes which, as we all know, may visit us at any time during the period June to November annually and can wreak havoc on our economies and greatly retard our pace of development,” outlined Symmonds.

The minister then referenced the aim of Barbados, to move from being fossil fuel dependent to becoming powered by 100% renewable sources by 2030. He stated that the ambitious target with its 11-year planning horizon, had been described as heroic and had brought on a restructuring of the ministry responsible for energy. Symmonds explained that projects, both in terms of their execution, their monitoring and their co-ordination, have now been prioritised alongside other standard, policy-based, sectoral responsibilities.

“What began as a simple project execution unit in the Division of Energy, staffed with a handful of technical project staff, is now therefore a much more adequately staffed project monitoring and co-ordination unit, headed by a permanent secretary with specific responsibility for project management, monitoring and evaluation, procurement, administrative support, technical support, financial management, public education and communication,” explained the minister.

Symmonds pointed out that the establishment of the strategic unit had made the management of renewable energy projects more practicable. It has also allowed for a deeper focus on the implementation activities tied to the 2030 target.

“I am certain that all Member States will recognise that this necessary process of transformation is one which will transcend mere cosmetic adjustments. It will require fundamentally reconstructive approaches in terms of organisational structures, and in modernising the way we conduct business generally. An entire restructuring of this sector is therefore inevitable and unavoidable as we forge into a new and uncharted realm of energy generation,” said Symmonds.

The minister continued, saying that in the current, difficult global economic environment, it was also crucial for there to be more borrowing and financial flexibility opportunities available to assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in their quest to fund renewable and energy efficiency projects. He stated that he was pleased that CRAF would now be available to provide much-needed credit risk guarantees to financiers and also targeted technical assistance to build capacity among SMEs, financiers and other stakeholders within CARICOM Member States.

President of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), Verla De Peiza says going forward the party will be taking a fresh approach.

She told this to the congregation of the Bethel Methodist Church on Sunday where members of the DLP joined as part of their Independence celebrations to mark Barbados’ 54th anniversary.

De Peiza further told the gathering the DLP views the period presently being faced not only “as a period of hardship, that is in the moment, but what we really do feel that this is a time that Barbados is ripe for change.”

“We are at a point when we can sit and think very clearly about where we want to be, how we want our country to perform on our behalf and we must not lose that opportunity of a crisis because crisis really is an opportunity to try something different, to do it another way and that is the focus of the Democratic Labour Party going forward that we are looking for other ways of doing things besides what we were accustomed doing.”

She invited persons to join the DLP on this journey. She urged, “please feel free to liaise with us. We will tap into you as well and we always have that same objective of serving people and that is what makes it so much easier for us to connect when we come to church because we have that shared purpose of making people’s lives that much better and that much easier.”

The DLP President also used her remarks to note that the DLP remains grounded in Christian principles. She additionally highlighted the church’s role in nation building. She stated every opportunity the party gets, it goes “to the church and we not just make our presence felt but we form bonds, we make associations, because it does help us when we are crafting our policy and that when we are speaking to people that we have that touch, that we have had that conversation with the different societal agencies, including the church.”(MG)

During the BARJAM Media Awards held this past weekend, the President of the Barbados Association of Journalists and Media Workers (BARJAM), Emmanuel Joseph, vehemently rebuked the notion that the media should silence the voice of those who challenge ‘the establishment’.

“BARJAM has no confidence in any suggestion that would like to take it back to the dark days when dissent against the establishment or ruling classes was tantamount to a crime and was met with the most vicious push back that at times ended in the death for the dissenter,” said Joseph during his remarks.

The president explained that his comments were in response to the possible suggestion made by the Prime Minister, that the media should shut out certain voices.

“I would not want it said that I, on behalf of the Barbados Association of Journalists and Media Workers, have consented to any notion by anyone in this country that the media should silence the voices of dissent, opposition or otherwise,” said Joseph.

The president also highlighted that the Constitution of Barbados guaranteed freedom of speech and it also provided for the Office of the Loyal Opposition of Her Majesty.

“It is a dangerous, unwise and counter-productive road to take in this 21st century. The recent notion by our Prime Minister that the news media should shut out the voice of Opposition Senator Caswell Franklyn for whatever reason, once he is not outside of the law, goes against the highest law in the land, the Constitution,” argued Joseph.

He made the point that on that basis, dissent, alternate voices, opinions and positions were indeed sanctioned by the said constitution.

“The media cannot therefore be part of any suggestion by the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, trade union leaders, business leaders, church leaders, civil society leaders or even the ordinary man in the street to usurp its role as the eyes, the ears and the voice of the people,” said the president.

Joseph doubled down on the position of BARJAM, saying that the idea of the censoring dissent would even go against one of the building blocks of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP).

“For the media to embark on a censorship drive to facilitate some voices and silence others, while it may be politically or economically expedient for some, it stinks. It is instructive to note that the ruling Barbados Labour Party emerged out of the 1937 revolt, a classic form of dissent, when the rioting spurred late National Hero Sir Grantley Adams to found the BLP in 1938 after 14 people were killed and 47 wounded in the protests in Barbados a year earlier. Enough said,” contended Joseph.

Those who have been at the front-line of Barbados’ fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) during 2020 will be conferred next year with the Barbados Humanitarian Medal.

Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley announced this on Monday as she addressed the nation during this year’s 54th Independence Day Parade and National Awards Ceremony in National Heroes Square, the city.

“Our Parliament will have laid before it a special piece of legislation for the conferment of the Barbados Humanitarian Medal for all of our front-line workers in this country regardless of where they fought. We also will amend the National Heroes Act in order to be able to ensure that we can confer more than one gold medal of achievement for extraordinary service in causes that literally have protected this country over the course of the previous year,” it was explained.

She added, “When we pass that legislation it was always contemplated that it would be conferred on one but we must now recognise that this truly has taken a village not simply to build the nation, but also to protect the nation.”

Mottley further said “a date in early January” will be selected for this honour to be bestowed on the front-line workers. She said individuals to receive the award will be wide and vary.

“We shall bring from the doctors, the nurses, the lab assistance, the lab technologist, the supermarket workers, the Port officers, the Customs, the Immigration, the list too long to mention but which we all know that have allowed all of us now to stand before this country today comfortable that our future is still secure against the background of those who stood and protected us in this a moment of one of our gravest challenges since becoming an independent nation,” it was pointed out.

The Prime Minister in her address also commended all who in a small or big way worked throughout the year to ensure nationals remained safe and the island manage the COVID-19 pandemic. She selected for special mention the Minister of Health and Wellness, Lt Col Jeffrey Bostic, the former COVID-19 Czar, Richard Carter, Head of the isolation facilities, Dr. Corey Forde and Laboratory Director at the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory, Songee Beckles for the contributions they made.

The number of individuals requesting assistance from Variety – The Children’s Charity has increased.

This was revealed by Immediate-Past Chief Barker, Jacqui McDermott, who said 2020 has been one of the “toughest” years for the Charity. She also said they were unable to stage many of their major fundraising events due to COVID-19.

“In these times it is really tough. We are getting more calls but we are having to do more with less because we have not been able to do a couple of our bigger fundraisers. So the “Row for Charity”, which would have been one of our biggest events we weren’t able to do.”

She was speaking to The Barbados Advocate at the Charity’s “Christmas Fair for Charity” and “Clear Out for Charity” events which were held simultaneously last Saturday inside and on the grounds of Harbour Lights.

McDermott said she was pleased with the response of vendors and the public to the occasion. She also said the money raised on the day will be used by the Charity for its upcoming initiative.

“Overall, the response from vendors was excellent, so we thank everybody for being involved and for coming to support us. The numbers that we had today [Saturday] were good and steady and a great way for us to be able to keep it a safe environment.”

She added, “we wanted to make sure that we could raise funds in a safe way for our “Pack the Pantry” programme, which is where we will be giving food packages to families at Christmas and throughout the year. I think it is important to us at Variety that we support our families throughout the year and that it is not just at certain times. I think that is what the families are grateful for.”