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Mascoll: Come clean on state of the economy

January 5, 2017, 9:00 pm
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BARBADOS Labour Party’s spokesman on economic matters Clyde Mascoll is urging government to tell the public the state of the economy since the fiscal measures put in place did not meet the set targets.
 
In a media statement issued yesterday, Mascoll says that the Central Bank Governor Dr Delisle Worrell and the Freundel Stuart government are admitting failure of the fiscal measures that started in 2009/10, based on statements made by Dr. Worrell in the January economic letter.
 
“In which he said Barbados had repeatedly failed to achieve the balance between its foreign exchange outflows and inflows necessary for a stable economy, and his recommendation on further restriction on spending in order to protect the country’s foreign exchange reserves.”
 
‘Suffering in vain’
“This means the suffering Barbadians have been enduring for the last eight years has been in vain,” Mascoll charged.
 
Mascoll stated that the public would have seen that what the Barbados Labour Party as well as regional and international economists were saying about the state of the economy is true.
 
“Dr Worrell confirmed all that we have been warning about when he said that Barbados had repeatedly failed to achieve the balance between its foreign exchange outflows and inflows, necessary for a stable economy.  
 
“Now that Government’s policies have failed as predicted, the Governor is using the threat of devaluation to sell the need for more taxation and/or cuts in government expenditure. 
 
“This is clear from his statement: ‘The reserves are what protect us against the devaluation of our currency. . . The future is exceptionally promising, but it will not happen unless we make it happen, and like all worthwhile objectives, realising the vision will not be painless.’”
 
Conflicting message
The spokesperson said that the decline in the country’s foreign reserves which persisted into the last quarter of 2016, is at odds with this positive talk about the tourism sector.
 
“Government, not the Governor, needs to say clearly what went wrong and explain to Barbadians how further fiscal measures will be implemented. Or, will we be again treated to a situation where the Minister of Finance comes out in disagreement to Dr Worrell’s position. 
 
“We simply cannot go on like this. The Governor should not be the one bringing this news on fiscal policy. Government needs to come clean with the public and outline what is really going on in the economy,” he said.
 
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BHTA Chairman representing association on BTMI board

January 5, 2017, 9:00 pm
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Chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), Roseanne Myers.

 

CHAIRMAN of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), Roseanne Myers, has been appointed to represent the Association and its members on the Board of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI).
 
Myers welcomed the appointment and said, “The BHTA is committed to working closely with the BTMI to market Barbados and I am very pleased with the appointment to the board in my capacity as Chairman of the BHTA. It brings formal structure to what is already a constructive and close private-public sector partnership between the two organisations.”
 
She noted that the BHTA has worked with the BTMI since its inception in 2014 to promote Barbados on the international market, including attending a number of international trade shows, developing special marketing promotions and hosting tour
operators and travel agents FAM trips to the island.
 
The General Manager of Atlantis Submarines previously served as a director on the board of the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA), now BTMI, and also as Chair of its National Tourism Marketing Committee for several years. Throughout her career in the industry she has also held the position of director on the boards of other major tourism institutions including the Barbados Port Inc. (BPI) and the Tourism Development Corporation (TDC).
 
The BTMI is responsible for promoting, assisting and facilitating the efficient development of the island’s tourism and designing and implementing suitable marketing strategies for the effective promotion of the industry, among others. 
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Safety the main concern

January 5, 2017, 9:00 pm
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BRSA not in conflict with Ministry of Transport and Works

 

President of the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) Sharmane Roland-Bowen and Executive Member, Carson Lee, during an interview yesterday with The Barbados Advocate.
 
By: 
Cara L. Foster

 

 The recently launched initiative by the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) is not meant to cause any conflict with the Ministry of Transport and Works.
 
This is according to President of the BRSA, Sharmane Roland-Bowen, during an interview with The Barbados Advocate yesterday evening.
 
She acknowledged that their campaign to place markers  near the road to warn drivers of upcoming potholes has caused some murmurings. However, Bowen readily stated that if her Association is instructed to remove the markers, they would comply with any such orders. 
 
She pointed out, though, that the Ministry of Transport and the BRSA have to work together to fix the growing pothole problem, since these potholes can sometimes damage vehicles.
 
“We are here as a non government organisation and we abide by the rules of the road and the traffic laws and the highway laws of Barbados; and if we are informed and directed to remove them, we will,” she said. 
 
Lamenting, however, that some of the accidents on the road are caused when persons swerve to avoid potholes, she added that this could all be averted if persons were properly warned beforehand of the approaching hazard. 
 
Carson Lee, an executive member of the BRSA, agreed that their aim in placing these markers is not to agitate or cause any conflict with the ministry, but instead to warn citizens. He explained that the markers were placed a few feet ahead of the actual pothole,  giving road users enough time to prepare for the approaching danger. 
 
Lee highlighted that the island has been experiencing substantial rainfall recently and this has had a part to play in the deterioration of the roads, and the organisation realises that something needs  to be done to warn motorists about the damaged roads.
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No height restrictions!

January 5, 2017, 9:00 pm
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President of the Barbados Horticultural Society, Orson Daisley; First Vice-President, Jennifer Weetch; and Second Vice-President, Dr. Frances Chandler.

By: 
Marsha Gittens

 

The height of decorations placed at roundabouts across the island should not matter.
 
This view was expressed by Second Vice-President of the Barbados Horticultural Society (BHS), Dr. Frances Chandler who made the point that plants or other items used to beautify the circles should not be restricted to a certain height.  
 
“It does not matter how high a plant is at a roundabout because you do not need to see across the roundabout. You need to see who is on your right and as soon as you look on your right and you see nobody you proceed. If you see somebody, you stop. So I don’t accept that argument at all… I was against the removal of the beautiful little house on the roundabout at Lears. It was a very attractive little house and I didn’t see that it was causing a problem but it was removed.”
 
Dr. Chandler was speaking at Wednesday’s launch of the BHS’ “Roundabout Beautification” Competition. 
 
Addressing this event, BHS President, Orson Daisley stated that the competition will be opened to all landscapers, community groups and others who have an interest in beautifying the over 40 large and small public roundabout across Barbados.
 
He noted that the inaugural competition, which is being funded by the Peter Moore’s Trust, will benefit not only locals but also visitors. “Enhancement of our landscape will benefit not only Barbadians but visitors to the island, as well as contribute positively to the tourist industry because our mandate is to promote the understanding of and to encourage the interest and participation in all aspects of horticulture amongst residents of Barbados and visitors, and to this end that the island’s ambience will be steadily improved.”
 
Adding to this, Dr. Chandler said one of the aims of the beautification contest is to encourage the upkeep and sponsorship of roundabouts. “In the survey that I did, some of the roundabouts are sponsored – you see the advertisement of the sponsor on it, some are not sponsored at all – they have no name on it; some are not landscaped at all; some are new roundabouts which are now being landscaped and some are concrete. So we are trying to encourage those that have no landscaping to get sponsorship [though] quite a few of them are sponsored,” stated while adding that written permission from the Project Division of the Ministry of Transport is required to sponsor a roundabout.
 
The Roundabout Beautification Competition will be judged from April 4 to April 6. Participants will be judged in four categories; use of drought tolerant plants to increase the sustainability of the landscaping; diversity of plants; attractiveness of design and general condition or health of plants.
 
The winner will be awarded $4 000 00, while the second prize winner will received0 $2 000 00 in each category.
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Carnival Medea premieres at Little Carib Theatre

January 5, 2017, 9:00 pm
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Award winning Actor, Director, singer and songwriter Levi King, one of the  Barbadian actors who has been cast in the Caribbean premiere of 'Carnival Medea – a bacchanal'.

Sonia Williams, a Performance Artist, Theatre Director, Writer and Educator in Theatre Arts, will be the second Barbadian cast member in the production.

 

Port of Spain – Barbadian actors Sonia Williams and Levi King will join an international cast of actors for the Caribbean premiere of “Carnival Medea – a bacchanal” in Port of Spain, Trinidad. 
 
Williams and King will play the roles of Nen/Mama Neza and Tan/Chantwelle in the production, to be presented by Lordstreet Theatre Company and Little Carib in time for T&T Carnival 2017.
 
Williams is a Performance Artist, Theatre Director, Writer, Educator in Theatre Arts, Inspirational Speaker and Activist. King is an award winning Actor and Director, with a series of other talents including singing and songwriting. In addition to the Barbadian actors, Carnival Medea will feature an all-star cast to include acclaimed Trinidadian-Canadian actor, Joseph Jomo Pierre as Jason, Tishanna Williams as Medea, Penelope Spencer, Cecilia Salazar, Susan Hannays-Abraham and Marie Chan-Durity as the Macomeres (Chorus), Kearn Samuel in the role of Creon/Aegeus and Norway-based Finnish performer Mari Pitkänen as the Tourist/Security to Aegeus. 
 
The play, written by Dr. Shirlene Holmes of Georgia State University and T&T’s Rhoma Spencer, re-tells the classic Greek tragedy of Medea, whose husband casts her aside for a younger woman, and how she takes revenge for the infidelity. The work 
is re-imagined in a “Trinbagonian” setting, with the actors bringing to life such traditional masquerade characters as the Baby Doll, Pierrot Grenade, Dame Lorraine, Midnight Robber and Batonye.  
 
In Carnival Medea, the Grenadian Medea – a baby doll – , flees Carriacou with Jason – a Tobagonian stick fighter – to live in Trinidad. After some years of marriage, he forsakes her to marry a younger woman. Distraught, she is determined to wreak havoc on the new bride and spite Jason where it hurts the most, by denying him access to his two sons. 
 
Chief Executive Officer of the National Cultural Foundation, Cranston Browne said, “The Foundation is pleased to partner with Lordstreet Theatre in this venture. When we made the approach to the producers of this play, and asked if they would consider auditioning our actors via Skype, they readily agreed, immediately recognising the value of strengthening regional partnerships in the arts.”
 
Browne added, “This collaboration is also significant because Barbados will be hosting CARIFESTA in August 2017. Local actors stand to benefit from the creation of an infrastructure that facilitates working in other Caribbean territories. This means greater employment opportunities, exposure to the expertise of specialists from other parts of the region, and through contact with them, further development of their skills, ultimately making our actors more marketable, and expanding the industry’s network.”
 
Carnival Medea is set in Trinidad circa 1950s when the traditional masquerade characters were at the zenith of their existence in carnival on the streets of Port of Spain. Spencer said, “The decision to use the Mas characters was inevitable as they are a dying performance art form and the full potential of the playing of these characters is not being expressed in neither narrative, dance, nor costuming today.” 
 
Carnival Medea will run on February 9 to 12, 16 to 19 and March 2 to 5, 2017 at the Little Carib Theatre, Port of Spain.  
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Barbados Independent Film Festival launched

January 5, 2017, 9:00 pm
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Left to right: Co-Director of Barbados Independent Film Festival, Jennifer Smith-Bent; Director of the Barbados Independent Film Festival, Sir Trevor Carmichael; CEO Interim First Citizens Bank Barbados Ltd, Carole Eleuthere Jn Marie and Deputy Director of the Museum, Kevin Farmer.

The newly restored Walled Garden Theatre.

By: 
Peta Rowe-Forde

 

Barbados is welcoming yet another festival that will capture the attention of locals and visitors alike. The newest festival to launch on the island, the inaugural Barbados Independent Film Festival, promises to be quite a treat, featuring local and international persons in the film industry.
 
Speaking during the launch of the festival at the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, Co-Director, Jennifer Smith-Bent gave an oversight of the festival. 
 
“The festival is committed to highlighting film makers, producers and actors – identifying champions for a better world. We are providing a platform for films, that embrace the power of story-telling and in part inspire and entertain...The festival will be featuring, films, documentaries as well as shorts, in particular they are looking to have shorts that really talk about the environment, why it is loved and why it needs to be protected.”
 
International actors, directors and individuals working within the film industry such  as Stephen Lang and Yared Zeleke will be in attendance. Also, coming out will be local upcoming stars such as Kota, Jewel Forde Cumberbatch and Jamal Weekes. Moreover, the highlight of the opening night of the festival will be a presentation of an honorary award to Machel Montano along with the screening of Beyond Glory.
 
Nevertheless, this launch comes in conjunction with the opening of the refurbished Walled Garden Theatre. The theatre, which will be used for some of the activities, is said by Deputy Director of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, Kevin Farmer, to commemorate the place where theatre first started in Barbados, at the Garrison.
 
Thus, he expressed his desire to see the public at the various events, spread across the various venues for the fantastic film event. Noting that the festival is the vehicle and avenue by which local work can be known, he encouraged everyone to come out.
 
The festival runs from January 11th-15th. Information about the schedule of the events can be found at www.BarbadosFilmFest.org and proceeds will go to restoration and continuation of the Museum and World Heritage site.
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BSTU uneasy

January 5, 2017, 9:04 pm
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Union expresses concerns ahead of meeting
By: 
Jenique Belgrave

 

The Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) is not impressed with the timing chosen by the Ministry of Education to have a joint meeting to discuss the Combermere School situation.
 
The meeting is to be held today, which is not enough time, according to the union, to fully thrash out the issue or to form contingency plans. 
 
“The Christmas holidays were three weeks long with only three non-working days; ample opportunity for meetings with the BSTU and their members, ample opportunity for exchange of information, clarification, to provide assurances and formulate contingency planning-none of which has taken place,” the union said in a press release.
 
The union also expressed concern with the ministry’s decision to speak to the parents of the students of the school before speaking with the teachers’ representative agency, saying this, combined with the timing of today’s meeting, “will not preclude any action that the BSTU might have to take in protecting and enforcing the rights of its membership and the interests of the children”.
 
“The BSTU is fully cognisant of what may be an attempt by the MOE to prevent what they might envisage as potential pushback from the Union and teachers with a lack of satisfaction with the outcomes at the scheduled meeting,” the release stated. 
 
Saying that the MOE’s meeting with the frustrated parents had the potential to influence and create potential dissent before the forum with the union, the BSTU also said that it could prejudice opinion against any stand that the teachers may be forced to take to protect their health.
 
The union added, “To the ministry, we quote Daryl Alexander: ‘People exchange their time, energy and skills for wages. They shouldn’t have to trade their health. It is not a commodity to be traded’.” (JMB)
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‘2017 could be another record-breaking year’

January 5, 2017, 9:06 pm
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Prime Minister Freundel Stuart as he thanked Jean and Terry Hough, who are on their 28th visit to the island.
By: 
Janelle Husbands

 

WITH visitor arrivals in Barbados’ Jubilee year surpassing the 2015 long stay visitor record, Prime Minister the Rt Hon Freundel Stuart has expressed confidence that with work, 2017 can be a third consecutive record-breaking year for arrivals.
 
His comments came during the first in the series of four repeat visitor receptions, which was held at his official residence at Ilaro Court on Wednesday night.
 
The Prime Minister told the specially invited guests, “The year 2015… we had 592 000 long stay visitors visit Barbados and that was supposed to be a record. During our Jubilee year we were able to attract, according to my advice, 610 000 long stay visitors to Barbados, which is supposed to be another record.”
 
While thanking all the tourism stakeholders for their role in promoting the island and making these records a reality, he said there is nothing which states the records must come to an end in 2016.
 
“I therefore confidently expect that at the end of the year 2017, it will be reported to me that we have had 650 000 visitors visit Barbados,” he said.
 
The Prime Minister noted that while Barbados’ main source market continues to be the United Kingdom, greater effort can be given to increase the arrivals from the other, main source destinations in order to break the record once again. Stressing that he is not complaining about the numbers from the UK, he said there is nothing wrong with the US or Canada taking over the top spot.
 
“What that would mean of course is that we get the English to continue to come but you get more Americans and more Canadians and that would get to the 650 000 that I expect to see here in Barbados in the year 2017,” he challenged.
 
Prime Minister Stuart thanked the visitors for continuing to choose Barbados – some of whom have visited the island 30, 40 times and, in the case of the Thorley’s from the UK, 73 times – and for continuing to choose Barbados as their second home.
He noted that while other destinations have sun, sea and sand, visitors always state that their main reason for returning is the warmth and hospitality of the people of Barbados.
 
“They don’t behave as though they have never seen potholes in the roads in their lives and they do not behave as though their societies are crime free or anything of the kind. They understand the real world and in spite of the fact that from time to time you may have these inconveniences, which are really transitory inconveniences, the warmth and hospitality of the people of Barbados is what keeps them coming.
 
“That’s the magnet that attracts them to this society. It is on that that successive governments in Barbados have worked consistently, insistently and persistently ever since we embarked on this tourism journey. Because we know that no matter how perfect our roads are, no mater how beautiful our hotel plant may be, no matter how easy it is to get through our ports of entry, no matter how cheap or how low our cost of living may be, if when they come to Barbados the people of Barbados appear to be hostile to them, those other things will not matter and they will find somewhere else to go,” he said.
 
The guests were greeted by students of the Ellerslie school and entertained by students of the Bay Primary, accompanied by Dr. Anthony “Gabby” Carter on guitar, and directed by Nicole Brathwaite. They were also treated to a performance by five-year-old Kenaz “Bit Bit” Walker. (JH)
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Maria Holder Memorial Trust: Additional nursery schools to come

January 6, 2017, 9:00 pm
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The Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation has also already secured staff for the soon to be opened Oldbury Nursery School.
 
That’s the word from Chief Education Officer, Karen Best. She told those attending yesterday’s official opening of the Maria Holder Nursery School Gall Hill, located at Church Hill Road, Christ Church, that they are just waiting for the facility, which like the nursery school at Gall Hill is also being built by the Maria Holder Memorial Trust, to be handed over to the Ministry.
 
Her comments came as she said the Ministry is pleased to offer additional spaces at nursery schools to young children, and values the partnership that has been forged with the Trust which has facilitated the expansion of the provision of Early Childhood Education in this country.
 
Speaking moments after; Chairman and Co-founder of the Maria Holder Memorial Trust, Christopher Holder, said the nursery school at Oldbury, which will cater to 90 students, is set to be completed by Friday, January 13, 2017, and will be ready to receive pupils by the end of the month. Meanwhile, in relation to the Gall Hill school, he said that it is the largest nursery school with a capacity to educate up to 150 students. These nursery schools, he said, are but two of the six to be built by the Trust.
 
According to Holder, the schools at Government Hill, St. Michael and Holders Hill, St. James are slated to start construction later this year; while Sayers Court, Christ Church and Deacons, St. Michael, will start construction in 2018. He said the six schools project is expected to be finished by the early part of 2020. 
 
“What this means ladies and gentlemen, Prime Minister, is that every child of nursery age will have the ability to be educated. Now that’s a marvellous achievement for this Government and I am delighted that the Maria Holder Memorial Trust is part of that. We’ll build the schools; the Government has to run them,” he said.
 
Holder noted that the Trust has also supported the training of nursery school teachers, adding that by June this year some 75 teachers would have been trained through a programme offered by Wheelock College in Boston. He explained that the training included Special Needs Education and he was pleased to note that some of the teachers that were trained are now working at the new Gall Hill nursery school.
 
“When we agreed to support the Wheelock project, I don’t think the trustees, the project management team thought some of those teachers would actually be teaching at one of our schools, so that is a wonderful achievement,” he stated. (JRT)
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Maria Holder Memorial Trust: Additional nursery schools to come

January 6, 2017, 9:00 pm
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One of the classrooms at the new school.

 

An appreciative Christopher Holder, Chairman and Co-founder of the Maria Holder Memorial Trust thanks the two students for his token of appreciation from the staff and students of the new nursery school.

 

The Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation has also already secured staff for the soon to be opened Oldbury Nursery School.
 
That’s the word from Chief Education Officer, Karen Best. She told those attending yesterday’s official opening of the Maria Holder Nursery School Gall Hill, located at Church Hill Road, Christ Church, that they are just waiting for the facility, which like the nursery school at Gall Hill is also being built by the Maria Holder Memorial Trust, to be handed over to the Ministry.
 
Her comments came as she said the Ministry is pleased to offer additional spaces at nursery schools to young children, and values the partnership that has been forged with the Trust which has facilitated the expansion of the provision of Early Childhood Education in this country.
 
Speaking moments after; Chairman and Co-founder of the Maria Holder Memorial Trust, Christopher Holder, said the nursery school at Oldbury, which will cater to 90 students, is set to be completed by Friday, January 13, 2017, and will be ready to receive pupils by the end of the month. Meanwhile, in relation to the Gall Hill school, he said that it is the largest nursery school with a capacity to educate up to 150 students. These nursery schools, he said, are but two of the six to be built by the Trust.
 
According to Holder, the schools at Government Hill, St. Michael and Holders Hill, St. James are slated to start construction later this year; while Sayers Court, Christ Church and Deacons, St. Michael, will start construction in 2018. He said the six schools project is expected to be finished by the early part of 2020. 
 
“What this means ladies and gentlemen, Prime Minister, is that every child of nursery age will have the ability to be educated. Now that’s a marvellous achievement for this Government and I am delighted that the Maria Holder Memorial Trust is part of that. We’ll build the schools; the Government has to run them,” he said.
 
Holder noted that the Trust has also supported the training of nursery school teachers, adding that by June this year some 75 teachers would have been trained through a programme offered by Wheelock College in Boston. He explained that the training included Special Needs Education and he was pleased to note that some of the teachers that were trained are now working at the new Gall Hill nursery school.
 
“When we agreed to support the Wheelock project, I don’t think the trustees, the project management team thought some of those teachers would actually be teaching at one of our schools, so that is a wonderful achievement,” he stated. (JRT)
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BAS hoping for full participation of farming community at Agrofest

January 6, 2017, 9:00 pm
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Agrofest, the premier Agricultural Exhibition in Barbados, attracts not only a large number of exhibitors, but also a large number of local and international patrons annually.

Agrofest, the premier Agricultural Exhibition in Barbados, attracts not only a large number of exhibitors, but also a large number of local and international patrons annually.

This year, the Barbados Agricultural Society is working hard to have the full participation of the local farming community at Barbados’ premier Agricultural Exhibition, Agrofest.

Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul, acknowledged the above this week.

“We are trying to contact the farmers, trying to make sure that we have full participation among the farming community. With regard to the livestock areas, we have already started to communicate with some farmers ,and these farmers have already indicted their participation. The (participation levels) are looking quite good at this particular point in time,” Paul indicated.

“We are also trying to reach out to the sheep farmers, the goat farmers. In general, the pig farmers are always very well represented at the show. We are also looking forward to seeing a larger variety of fruits and vegetables being made available for judging this year,” the BAS head stated.

Agrofest, the premier Agricultural Exhibition in Barbados, attracts a large numbers of local and international patrons annually, with exhibitors displaying a variety of livestock, vegetables, flowers, plants, craft items and educational items. At Agrofest, patrons get the unique opportunity to see local, high quality products/services, and to experience all aspects of Barbados’ agricultural sector in a relaxed and comfortable environment.

There are also interactive educational workshops, demonstrations touching on plant care & flower arranging, and talks highlighting the journey of agricultural products from the farm to the table.  This is also the perfect opportunity to meet local vegetable and fruit farmers, livestock farmers, fishermen, as well as persons involved in horticulture and other areas of agriculture.

Agrofest will take place this year over three days, February 24th, 25th  and 26th in Queen’s Park, under theme  “Agrofest 2017 - Agriculture 50 Years and Beyond”. (RSM)

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Early Childhood Education thrust

January 6, 2017, 9:00 pm
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(from left) Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart, unveils the plaque, officially opening the school. Looking on are (second from left) Chairman and Co-founder of the Maria Holder Memorial Trust, Christopher Holder, Minister of Education, Ronald Jones and Minister of Education of Antigua and Barbuda, Michael Browne.

(from left) Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart, unveils the plaque, officially opening the school. Looking on are (second from left) Chairman and Co-founder of the Maria Holder Memorial Trust, Christopher Holder, Minister of Education, Ronald Jones and Minister of Education of Antigua and Barbuda, Michael Browne.

Some 2200 nursery aged children are receiving education through the state’s 11 nursery schools and the nursery units established within 50 primary schools across the island.

Those figures were disclosed yesterday by Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart, as he said that the Government he leads remains committed to the provision of Early Childhood Education, and citing the National Strategic Plans, he said they identify Early Childhood Education as a key component to propel this country forward.

His comments came as he delivered the feature address yesterday morning at the official opening of the Maria Holder Nursery School at Gall Hill, located at Church Hill Road, Christ Church.

Prime Minister Stuart told the audience, which included several Cabinet Ministers, officials of the Maria Holder Memorial Trust – which undertook the construction of the school – and officials from Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Education, that there are countless benefits to be derived from exposing children to quality Early Childhood Education programmes, including the development of literacy and numeracy through play-based interactive learning, and the provision of opportunities to learn how to socialise.

Moreover, the PM said such programmes help to build self-confidence and self-esteem, foster enthusiasm for lifelong learning and promote values such as respect, patience and tolerance.

“Early Childhood Education is without question the platform for the construction and development of a child’s spiritual, social, emotional and physical attributes. These building blocks will prepare children for life with its varying and ever changing nuances, particularly in this dynamic and volatile phase in today’s world,” he added.

He further noted, “In addition, changes in the family structure have necessitated the establishment of institutions which offer quality care and supervision, during the hours when parents are at work. In many modern societies, there has tended to be a decline in the reach of the extended family, which has resulted in the need for the state and the private sector to fill this ever gaping void.”

He made the point while noting that the main benefit of Early Childhood Education is that it helps attain success, which enables the students to become well rounded, self-actualised individuals. He is adamant that in this modern age, that is an “invaluable ingredient” for the positive development of Barbados.

With that in mind, he expressed appreciation to the Maria Holder Memorial Trust for the exceptional contribution they have made to Early Childhood Education in this country, seen in the state-of-the-art facilities already provided by the Trust at Sharon, St. Thomas and Gall Hill, Christ Church, as well as those to come including at Oldbury, St. Philip, which is to open later this month and cater to 90 students. He noted too that the Trust has plans to build four more nursery schools.

PM Stuart said that in addition to the provision of the schools, the Trust has also given support for the training and retooling of teachers in the Post-Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Education Programme offered by Wheelock College, which has also offered the graduates of the first and second cohorts an advanced programme.

“It is therefore expected that with exposure to continued in-service training, teachers will gain the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes required to provide and maintain the delivery of quality Early Childhood Education in Barbados. This is paramount if we are to prepare children to think critically, to be observant and discerning, and to be creative and productive,” he indicated. (JRT)
 
 

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Problem at the Combermere Secondary School explained

January 6, 2017, 9:00 pm
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THE parents of students of the Combermere Secondary School were able to receive a bit more clarity on what exactly caused some students and teachers to take ill, resulting in that school being closed for the last five weeks of the first term last year.

During the meeting that was held in the school hall at Combermere Secondary School yesterday evening, a team of environmentalists and scientists, some of which were past scholars of the institution, offered their services to the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, in finding out exactly what caused the slew of problems that the school has encountered over the past couple of months.

Brian Reece, who is a Health, Safety and Environmental Professional, reported that the aim of the team was to find out exactly what was causing the stench which affected the students and teaching staff, where it was coming from, and to try to come up with as many recommendations to fix the problem as soon as possible, and to bring the school back to an acceptable state.

He shared with the parents present that a full review and investigation was done at the school, and they were confident that there were no further locations that required investigations.

Greg Parris, a registered, professional, civil engineer, reported that their investigations revealed to them that there were some problems with the sewage system. He reported that regarding the sewage system, there was a fracture in one of the vent pipes, a fracture in the sewage pipe exiting the Sick Bay, a loose cover on a septic tank and the cap was off on one of the pipes. As a precaution, Parris added that they did a sweep of the wells and divulged that all the wells are in working order and the tanks were further cleaned.

Leah Garner-O’Neale, a lecturer in Chemistry at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, explained that an investigation was done as well in the laboratories at the school as a precaution, and they also found that there was inappropriate storage of the chemicals that could have contributed to the obnoxious odour of the school.

The team reported that a clean up was done of the issues and recommended that some safety practices were put in place regarding the storage of the chemicals in the labs and the treatment of the equipment and regular checks of the sewage system, to ensure that it is operating flawlessly.

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ALL-CLEAR GIVEN at combermere

January 6, 2017, 9:00 pm
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School set to reopen on Tuesday

Senior Safety and Health Officer of the Labour Department, Alison Elcock, as she addressed parents at yesterday’s meeting at Combermere School.

Parents in attendance at the meeting. 

By: 
Cara L. Foster

 

 There has been a thorough clean-up and walk through of the Combermere School, and the Ministry of Labour has assured that the institution is ready for the opening of the new term next Tuesday.
 
This was revealed by Senior Safety and Health Officer of the Labour Department, Alison Elcock, to the hundreds of parents who turned up for the meeting convened by the Education Ministry in the school’s hall 
yesterday evening. 
 
Elcock reported that based on the visits made to the school this week and yesterday, they are satisfied that the institution is fit to be occupied. 
 
However, the Senior Safety and Health Officer said that not all areas will have been cleaned in time for the start of school; but the main block where the majority of students inhabit is ready for the reopening.
 
“Some things take time to be resolved -  in other words, there are some things that have to be done but they have to go through a process,” she said. 
 
Elcock added that what was recognised over the years is that maintenance and housekeeping are critical to ensure a safe and healthy environment for the children and teaching staff.
 
 
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BUT wants teachers’ pay restored

January 6, 2017, 9:00 pm
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Teachers who had their pay docked after attending meetings called by their representative body, the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), will fight to the end for their pay to be restored.
 
BUT President, Pedro Shepherd made this clear yesterday, stating that the matter will never be laid to rest until the affected teachers “get back every last cent”.
 
Addressing the joint BUT and Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) meeting held at Solidarity House, he shared with members that the Union wrote the Ministry of Education no less than four times on the matter, and to date has not had a single reply.
 
He recalled meeting with Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and senior officials of the Ministry together and separately on the matter, and still they have gotten no resolution.
 
“The Union received two favourable legal opinions from its lawyer and had our lawyer write the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry outlining the facts of the matter and seeking restoration. All of those efforts were in vain,” said the frustrated Union leader.
 
Shepherd also recalled the May 31st, 2016 meeting held at the Ministry, chaired by the Permanent Secretary with the main agenda item being docking of pay.
 
“… We raised the following – Firstly, the Trade Union Act stipulates that Executive Members of Unions were exempt from the abatement of pay in such circumstances. Secondly, who was supposed to give permission for teachers to attend meetings, because we are always of the view that the principals in the schools give permission. Thirdly, we also noted that it was not custom and practice for teachers to have their salaries docked as we cited the Alexandra Secondary School case, where teachers were absent from work for three weeks and did not get their salaries docked…The Union also used the opportunity to state that the action by the Ministry was setting a bad precedent, especially for Trade Unions who operate under a voluntarist system.”
 
Shepherd said that in turn the Permanent Secretary drew attention to section 22 of the Code of the Conduct of the Public Service cap. 29, which states that officers should not paid for any day or portion of the day when they are on strike. However, the BUT President once again stressed that at no time did his Union declare or informed the Ministry that strike action was being taken.
 
“The BUT had never declared a strike and if we did declare a strike, there are requirements by law and the P.S would have had to act,” he pointed out.
 
“Let me reaffirm our position on this matter to say that it will be fought to the end. There can be no cordial relations between us and the Ministry of Education with this matter unresolved.”
 
BSTU President, Mary Redman also shared her view that the Union must make certain provisions for their members.
 
“It is clear that unless attitudes and behaviours change drastically from our employers, we as teacher trade unionists are heading for a major showdown with them. Members need insurance in these circumstances,” she stressed.
 
Redman therefore advised the BUT to establish a “strike fund”.
 
“We in the BSTU have a strong “strike fund”. Our advice to the BUT is that if you don’t have one – hold a special General Meeting, get the permission from your membership, transfer funds from one account to another, and establish such a fund…It will be crucial in the fight as we move forward”. (TL)
 
 
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Work of Rapid Response Unit will be key going forward

January 6, 2017, 9:00 pm
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The Barbados Water Authority’s (BWA) recently established Rapid Response Unit will  play a key role in the way the utility company responds to challenges concerning water outages and leaks and the way in which it communicates with the public, going forward.
Acknowledging the above recently was Chairman of the Barbados Water 
Authority (BWA), Dr. Atlee Brathwaite.
“Information and communication is critical and certain problems we had, we did not address very effectively (last year). For example, delivering water to customers in the countryside. Therefore, we paid some attention to the mobilisation of resources to bring in additional tankers and to also ensure that the tankers were properly deployed,” he commented.
“We have established what we call a Rapid Response Unit. The Rapid Response Unit will be coordinated by Joy-Ann Haigh, who also has responsibility for information (and communications) and she will be working assiduously and closely with the various technical divisions, to ensure that water is delivered to our customers,” Brathwaite further noted, as he spoke of the way forward for the BWA.
“In addition, we have a number of problems we suffer from and the public often criticizes us. There are outages, leaks that are not quickly addressed, burst (mains/pipes) that are not quickly addressed. That Rapid Response 
Unit 
will address some of these problems,” he continued.
“That is not to say they will be taking over the core of the distribution section, because the more complex things the distribution section will continue to deal with, but any areas that can be fixed quickly, the Rapid Response Unit will deal with,” the BWA Chairman revealed.
His comments came as 
he spoke with members of the media concerning a 
number of changes to the institution, at the BWA’s Headquarters in The Pine, St. Michael, on Friday afternoon. (RSM)
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BWA Chairman: Restructuring of BWA needed to ensure its success

January 6, 2017, 9:00 pm
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For any institution to be successful, changes are needed.
 
This was the view expressed by Chairman of the Barbados Water Authority (BWA), Dr. Atlee Brathwaite, as he shot down reports of a “BWA shake-up” in which a number of senior managers would be replaced. 
 
Instead, he noted that the BWA is being restructured and hence, a number of new appointments have been made, to ensure that the institution can meet the objectives of a recently written and developed Strategic Plan, to ensure better management and handling of the utility, to ensure it can be financially viable and to better meet customer needs.
 
What’s more, Dr. Brathwaite noted that he already had a meeting with senior staff, including a number of longstanding BWA staff members and they have all given him the assurance that they are willing to give their full cooperation to the new appointees.
 
“It is a restructuring, what you call an institutional upgrade of the institution…we have an appreciation for the number of engineers that we have worked with in this institution for a number of years and we will do everything really, to utilise their skills. I am sure they are going to make available their skills to the new appointees, to make sure most of the objectives of the institution are achieved” the BWA Chairman told members of the media, during a press conference held at BWA Headquarters on Friday afternoon.
 
“You don’t really succeed unless you introduce changes. It is a question of changes, it is a question of organising our technical and management skills in a way that we can achieve our objectives” the Chairman further remarked.
 
Dr. Brathwaite then officially announced the new posts that have been filled to date.
 
Dr. John Mwansa previously held the post of Acting General Manager. However, the newly selected BWA General Manager is Keithroy Halliday, a Barbadian who has been working as a general manager in Trinidad. He will assume his new responsibilities, effective February 2017.
 
Working closely with Halliday will be the newly selected Director of Engineering, Charles Leslie, who Dr.Brathwaite described as “a skilled person within the organisation, well trained in the broad area of engineering”.
 
The new Project Director, Wayne Richards, has been selected, Dr. Brathwaite said, since he is a mechanical engineer who is also trained in project, as well as financial management. His skills will be needed to ensure the effective implementation and monitoring of a number of key projects.
Patricia Inniss, a biochemist who also has a lot of experience in water quality management, will now head the BWA’s Wastewater Division.
 
A Director of Finance is to be selected to assist the BWA in addressing a number of its financial challenges.  However, Joy-Ann Haigh will retain her post working in the area of information and communications and she will also coordinate the Rapid Response Unit, which was recently established to address issues of water outages and leaks, in a timely manner. (RSM)
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Road signs not ‘hazardous’

January 6, 2017, 9:00 pm
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President of the BRSA, Sharmane Roland-Bowen (right) and Carson Lee, executive memer of the BRSA placing one of the markers to warn motorists of upcoming potholes. 

By: 
Cara L. Foster

 

The Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) has recently placed 3-foot markers to warn road users about the upcoming  potholes, however, these warning markers are not hazardous.
 
President of the BRSA, Sharmane Roland-Bowen told The Barbados Advocate recently that these road markers were the opposite of hazardous as they were used as a way to prevent further accidents. 
 
“Our first and foremost priority is prevention and we are committed to road users,” she explained.
 
The President explained that this is where education through road safety comes in as the markers are placed to educate road users of the upcoming hazard. She pointed out that there are no other warning signs anywhere in the island that indicates to users of the potholes. 
 
Her colleague, Carson Lee, an executive member of the BRSA described the poles and pointed out that they were mainly three feet tall with a brightly coloured flag attached. He added that there are no words on the flag which do not provide a distraction to the road users. 
 
The President expressed that she saw placing the markers to warn users of the danger as their duty. She explained that she believed it was a duty that was neglected by the authorities. 
 
Wednesday would have been the beginning of the initiative and Roland-Bowen revealed that the support the BRSA received from the general public  was quite positive as many persons expressed to them that they were grateful that their pleas were being heard by someone and things were being put in place to solve these problems. 
 
She believed that as a non-government organisation whose mandate is to educate on prevention and saving lives, the markers are something that are necessary until the problem of potholes is permanently fixed. She went on to say that the markers were the next best thing that could be done until the problem is rectified.
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New day care and pre-school coming soon

January 7, 2017, 9:00 pm
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Senator David Durant.

Senator David Durant.

By: 
Patricia Thangaraj

By the mid to end of February this year, Barbadian parents would soon have a new option in Barbados to send their children for day care services and to pre-school.

In an interview with The Barbados Advocate, Pastor and Co-Founder of Restoration Ministries International, Senator David Durant, said that it would be called Hephzibah Day Care and Pre-school – Hephzibah being a Hebrew word which translates to ‘The Lord delights in you’ in English – and it would be in a neighbouring house which the church purchased in December of last year. They will soon embark on making the necessary renovations inside the building to get it up to the standards that have been approved by the Child Care Board (CCB).

Representatives from the CCB have already visited the place and given their instructions as to what adjustments Restoration Ministries would need to make in order to get it up to par, and they have also been granted permission from the Town and Country Planning Department to go ahead with these adjustments.

“We will do some renovations inside for the daycare according to the Child Care Board standards. So we are going to start doing the adjustments and then we are going to start taking the children. They (CCB officials) came and visited it. They came about three times and we also have permission from Town and Country Planning.”

It would cater to 55 children from three months to four and a half years old, and would be a full-time facility that also offers pre-hours and after hours day care service for those parents who may have to drop their infants in earlier or pick them up late as a result of their work schedule.

This day care and pre-school would be one with a difference, however, because the children in the pre-school would not just learn the curriculum set out for that age group by the Ministry of Education, but they would also be exposed to the Word of God on a regular basis, the Pastor stated.

“Yes, apart from the Ministry of Education curriculum, we would also be sharing the Word of the Lord, because the idea is that when these children leave here and go to primary school, we want them to be well-rounded young people, you know – mannerly, respectful, brilliant, also having a passion and motivation for excellence.

“We want the teachers to be impressed with their behaviour, attitudes (and) mannerisms. We want them to be different, and of course, with the educational curriculum plus our spiritual value system being relayed to them, it would help to balance them.”

They are currently interviewing staff for the institution, and registration forms are now available at the church office for interested parents, he said.

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Listen to your employees

January 7, 2017, 9:00 pm
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Economist at The Productivity Council, Nadia E.M. Skeete.

Economist at The Productivity Council, Nadia E.M. Skeete.

Listen to your employees and hear what they have to say, what their concerns are, what their needs are and what their goals are in terms of self-development within the organisation.

This is one of the critical pieces of advice that Economist at The Productivity Council, Nadia E.M. Skeete, sends out to management of business houses in her article, ‘Effective Motivation: The Key to Business Success.’

She stated that when employers listen – truly listen – to their staff, it shows these persons that management cares about them and what they have to say and this only encourages them to work harder.

“Listen effectively: Listening attentively is a form of recognising and appreciating the person who is talking. Effective listening by the manager boosts the employees’ morale and thus motivates them.”

Management can also ensure that the lines of communication between their employees and themselves always remain open and courteous.

“Ensure effective communication: Avoid using expressions of anger, instead use questioning techniques to understand staff’s mind-set. Rather than ordering staff what to do, use a relaxed and steady tone and listen effectively. Remember to share your views with the staff.”

Employers should also encourage their employees to share their ideas and to have flexible schedules whenever the need may arise.  

“Develop and encourage creativity: This can be used to help solve organisational problems.  Encourage ideas and suggestions from the staff. Don’t be rigid and flexible – allow for flexi-hours if possible. Accept ideas from the staff readily, even suggestions with respect to changes they would like to bring about if afforded the opportunity.”

Including your staff in the decision making process and respecting them are also important skills that a manager must process.

“Adopt job enrichment: Involve employees in the decision-making process, show them loyalty and celebrate their achievements. This may mean facilitating the process for people to achieve self-development and success through a more challenging job which provides more promotional and upward mobility opportunities.

“Respect your team: Respect not only the employees’ rights, but their time too. This will ensure that the employees respect you and your time. The staff should feel respected, not just as employees, but as individuals as well.” (PJT)

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