THE just launched Strengthening Human and Social Development in Barbados Programme will address the issue of unemployment by reskilling and retooling participants of the programme who have low numeracy and literacy skills.

That’s according to Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development, Steven Blackett, who noted that the efforts will fall under Component Two of the programme. Speaking at the launch of the initiative at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre recently, Minister Blackett explained that the initiative will provide career counselling services and technical training, which are intended to enable the beneficiaries of the Government’s Identifi-cation, Stabilisation, Enablement and Empowerment (ISEE) Bridge Programme, retrenched workers and vulnerable youth between the ages of 16 and 30 to enter and re-enter the workforce. Moreover, he added that they will be equipped with technical and core skills necessary for the workplace.

“The core skills to be developed will include communication, numeracy and literacy, problem solving and interpersonal skills to enhance their marketability, as these skills are all demanded by employers,” he said.

The Social Care Minister’s comments came as he made reference to the Human Resource Development (HRD) Strategy, which he noted has been working towards developing human and social capital, through an enhanced, demand-driven, educational system, which enables knowledge sharing and promotes science, innovation and research.

“The HRD Strategy incorporates the Skills for the Future Programme and it is through linkages with this programme that the labour market demands will be ascertained, which will inform priorities in Component Two of our project,” he said.

With that in mind, the Minister disclosed that the programme will also concentrate on providing Technical, Vocational and Educational Training. He indicated that to achieve that, they will collaborate with the main tertiary institutions on the island. (JRT)

Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ronald Jones says it appears that some form of sabotage is taking place at Combermere School.

He made the disclosure while delivering a Ministerial Statement in the House of Assembly yesterday morning. While thanking all those who assisted in monitoring the situation at the school, including Engineer, Grenville Phillips Jr. and the independent team of professionals – Environmental Engineer, Brian Reece; Chemist, Dr. Leah Garner-O’Neal; Civil Engineer, Greg Parris, and Industrial Hygienist, Ian Weekes, who gave of their time free of cost to help remedy the situation, he spoke to what appears to be a “deliberate attempt to sabotage” the work that has been undertaken at the school.

In fact, he specifically referred to three instances where their recent efforts were disrupted. According to Jones, on Thursday, January 26, 2017 hand-towels and leaves from students’ books were found to be blocking drainage pipes from a toilet in an area where complaints were previously made, and again on Monday, January 30, a similar incident occurred.

“I’m sad Sir, to report that last week we found after closure of one of the labs, where natural gas is present in that lab, that on return of the teacher to that lab, it was found – and that was some 45 minutes after her exit – that two of those natural gas pipes were turned on and left on in that lab. Vigilance has ensured that its impact on the school was nullified,” he said.

But it appears these instances may not have been the first. The Minister noted that after the school was reopened in September 2016, there were again complaints of odours affecting sections of the main classrooms and the secretary/treasurer’s office. He said at the time the cover of the manhole of the septic tank was found to be dislodged and the cap of a ground level vent pipe to the nearby sewerage well, was broken and the cap missing.

“Gases would have been escaping from this point as well. At the same time, a second floor vent pipe was noted to be leaking gas from a joint opening. This would have allowed gases to affect nearby third floor rooms which had in fact also recently complained of odours,” he said.

Speaking to some of the work done to remedy the situation at the school, he said they excavated the soil cover of a nearby sewerage pipe coming from upper floor toilets, as part of the process of mapping the system, and a puncture was found, and leaking of effluent into the soil was confirmed and fixed. With that in mind, he said all the leaks that were found were subsequently repaired, the tank cover resealed and the manhole cover secured with locks. He added then that following complaints of odours and notable skin irritation at the start of the 2016-2017 school year, further attention was paid to drainage on the school compound.

Meanwhile, touching on the illnesses reported at the school, he said that reports from the nursing consultant that was attached to Combermere School for a one and half-month period, suggest that less than five of the illnesses reported at that time were due to environmental factors at the school. He said that nursing consultant was provided by the Ministry of Health, between May 17 and June 30, 2016, to assess and assist any incidence of ailment that occurred and to document the perceived causes.

According to Jones, the nurse’s report stated that 13 persons were referred to polyclinics and two to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Additionally, it noted that of the 131 incidents documented only three were assessed as relating to the environment of the school.
He said that report indicated that there was local irritation reported due to damaged desks and there was a noticeable improvement following the application of the corrective measures. Prior to that, he said, there were intermittent user reports of ill health which included instances of dizziness, light headedness, nausea and skin irritation and which individuals associated with experiencing the odours or specific conditions in certain areas of the school. (JRT)

Concern has been raised about a stretch of land running parallel to the Barbados Broadcasting Service Ltd. (BBS) radio station located at Astoria, St. George, which contains an alarming amount of cow-itch vines, now brimming with the menacing golden to dark brown mature pods that erupt during the dry season, causing intense itching to everyone in close proximity.

It is alleged that Chairman of the National Sports Council (NSC), Michael Power is responsible for the acres of land containing the cow-itch plants, which pose a threat to residents in an around the properties close to the BBS, owned by The Honourable Anthony T. Bryan, Barbados Advocate publisher and chairman. The cow-itch that is nestled in the overgrown bush on the land, can also cause headaches for those residents in the neighbouring community, who reside downwind of it.

The matter has been ongoing for some time now, to the displeasure of residents in the area. As such, The Honourable Anthony. T. Bryan says it is high time that this cow-itch problem is addressed. He wants those responsible for the land, who have the requisite power, to take immediate steps to clear it and clean it.

Of late, Barbadians on a whole have been crying out for relief from the ill effects of overgrown lots across local communities. Late last year, as if to answer their cries, the Government of Barbados went to Parliament seeking approval for $3.1 million for its annual de-bushing programme, which would see Government cleaning a number of overgrown lots and sending the bill to landowners.

FIXING the water challenges in this country will not be an easy task.

This is according to Andrew Hutchinson of Stantec Consulting, who was speaking earlier this week during a Rotary West meeting at Bagatelle Great House.

However, he highlighted that the framework is already there to ensure that the necessary improvements can be made to correct the issues which we currently face.

He suggested that one of the critical problems remains the maintenance of the infrastructure of the distribution network, which takes water through the system.

“As Barbadians we are blessed because we have an excellent water distribution network that we have built up over 155 years – we first harvested water from springs on the East Coast in 1861…we have excellent reservoirs, pipes etc. Indeed, I’m not knocking the system…but clearly there is need for maintenance of the system.

“We have a good system but the maintenance of it has gone down and we need to build it back up. In my opinion, it can take as long as ten years because it is not a quick-fix situation, but this requires funding...

“The Barbados Water Authority has taken important initiatives already such as main replacements; new meters which you should see higher revenues, they are doing the right things, but water utility is not something you can fix at the flick of a switch. We need to work at it for the next ten years to bring it back where it should be,” he asserted.

Hutchinson also reiterated that the time has come to seriously look at other means of utilising rainwater, and pointed to rain water harvesting as a viable option.

“I’m a very strong advocate for rain water harvesting ... If we embrace rainwater harvesting domestically and you can do it commercially as well, even if we could capture another two per cent of what comes out the sky it would make a big difference. I have been advocating this for some time and I’m not giving up, but I think we need to get across the message to Barbadians the need for rainwater harvesting even through non-portable uses. Approximately 50 per cent of the water in your house is used to flush toilets and do laundry, if you have rainwater harvesting for flushing toilets etc. you would reduce the pressure on the water authority because you would be using more of what comes out the sky.

“Rainwater harvesting is not new, it is done in Bermuda and they have managed the resource skillfully, we have not done that. The water challenge is everyone’s problem, we tend to say its the government’s or water authority’s, but it is our problem. Changes will require a major culture shift, education, fiscal tariffs and incentives to make that shift,” he added.

Hutchinson further suggested that, “There needs to be a balance between the water authority, water harvesting and you still need desalination. A water supply system has to have a redundancy, we saw that a few years ago when there was a drought, if we have a redundancy in the system we will have a fall back plan. The best redundancy would be the desalination plant, so when there is a drought you can take water from the desalination plant to fill the void. The drought to some extent exposed our underbelly to the fact that we didn’t have any surplus capacity. There are initiatives being made to build another desalination plant… A lot of good initiatives are being taken, but finance is needed which is scarce.”

He urged Rotarians to use their networking skills and knowledge of the country to promote the economic use of rainwater resources for the benefit of Barbados. (NB)

A new season of events has been added to Barbados’ tourism calendar, with the objective of enhancing the island’s cultural heritage and culinary tourism product offerings.

On Tuesday night, the inaugural Barbados Sugar and Rum Season was officially launched by the Barbados Tourism Product Authority at Sunbury House, St. Philip, with a number of officials, rum and sugar stakeholders and representatives from the cultural industry in attendance.

Chief Executive Officer of the BTPA Dr. Kerry Hall explained that the season will play a critical role in differentiating Barbados from the over 140 other countries vying for a piece of the proverbial ‘pie’, by focusing on several unique selling points of the island.

This, she stressed, includes the fact that the story of sugar and rum is unique to Barbados with origins in the early 17th century, with deep historic linkages into the economic, historic and socio-cultural fabric of Barbadians people. “We owe it to our ancestors to tell this story.”

She explained that through the pilot initiative which runs from February 1 to April 1, it is intended to rejuvenate the island’s mature tourism product, and include activities that will increase visitor spend and put much-needed foreign exchange in the government coffers.

“We are not moving away from sand, sea and sun... the core element of why people come. We are seeking to create a product that will complement and not compete with our natural assets,” she assured, saying it will ensure Barbados remains relevant in a very competitive market.

Dr. Hall added that the season is not intended to compete with the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.’s Food and Rum Festival, explaining that it will be held over a longer period and will be more nationalistic in focus.

The season also aims to sensitise owners of restaurants, bars and nightclubs about the story of rum and its value to the economy, to encourage wider use and consumption of the rums of Barbados among locals and visitors, to demonstrate the versatility of rum in culinary use, and to educate locals and visitors about Barbados’ rich rum and sugar heritage.

The event will comprise a number signature and satellite activities. These will include tours of distilleries and Great Houses, mixology road shows, cooking classes, dinners and educational talks. (JH)

Prominent historian Trevor Marshall wants black Barbadians to be aware that Africa is in their DNA.

Making the point that features of Africa are very much a part of the island’s cultural heritage, Marshall said while black citizens of other Caribbean countries have recognised that they are descendants of African slaves, only in Barbados there are dark-skinned people declaring that they are not Africans.

“We are tired saying to people that your DNA shows that you are African. Barbadians are the only people that do not accept that their DNA is African. So there is a major issue. I don’t know if it’s a curriculum issue, or what. It may be a matter of simple shame.

“We associate Africa with people who are monkeys. We associate Africa as a place with no culture, no scientific discovery, nothing. But most of all, we associate Africa with slaves; we think that Africa has no religion,” he said.

An outspoken Marshall made these remarks as he spoke to the media on Tuesday, after he delivered a dramatic presentation on Africa to the students of Sharon Primary School, at the Sharon Moravian Church, St. Thomas.

“A whole heap of negatives abound in the schools and even up to university level. You can still find people at university as black as tar, who say ‘I am not African.’ That has led me to suggest that anybody as dark as ourselves here, who do not accept that they ... have African heritage, should be committed to the Psychiatric Hospital for observation for the next six months,” he said.

Marshall further stated that it is important to educate children about their African ancestry, while they are still young.

Marshall alluded to the fact that while it is okay for women to embrace “European” influenced hairstyles, it is very important for black women to understand that cornrows and afros originated in Africa and should also be embraced. He said he was happy to see that female students at the primary level were wearing African hairstyles to school.

The historian’s talk with the young children was lively and energised, as he showed them a number of African dances, and highlighted African foods that are used in Barbados.

He said the beat of the African drum heard in Calypso songs and the dancing seen on the road Crop Over day, came from Africa.

The students and teachers completely enjoyed when Marshall called on them to sing along a number of upbeat choruses with him.

“Africa is in Barbados. It is in us and around us. As a historian for the last 40-odd years, teaching at the [Barbados] Community College and universities here, Trinidad and Jamaica, I have accumulated knowledge about the African heritage.

“There is no better place to expand on it, and to deliver, except to children, the leaders of tomorrow. Hopefully, one or two of these [students] here will understand that we are of African descent,” he said.

Over the next month, the students at Sharon Primary will join hundreds of boys and girls across the island in celebrating their African culture, through various activities. (AH)

CONCERNS raised that the homestay programme Airbnb is having an impact on local hoteliers, is an example of why tourism players must keep diversifying their product.

Word of this came from Minister of Tourism, Richard Sealy, during the official launch of the Barbados Sugar and Rum Season, an initiative of the Barbados Tourism Product Authority (BTPA) to enhance Barbados’ product offering in the increasingly competitive tourism market.

Airbnb is an online community marketplace that connects people looking to rent their homes with people who are looking for accommodations. Airbnb users include hosts and travellers: hosts list and rent out their unused spaces, and travellers search for and book accommodations in 192 countries worldwide.

According to the Minister, “We have been hearing about the fact that a few people have showed a preference to book accommodation via online vehicles and the BTPA is looking at that. Airbnb had people here recently... We hear people complain that Airbnb is taking all of their business.”

The Minister reported that Airbnb recorded 16 000 persons using the programme in 2016. “A record year, a year that saw 632 000 coming to Barbados. So we are talking about two per cent of the people using Airbnb. So I think we have to recognise that we are dealing with people who will book their vacations using different mechanisms. That in itself is a lesson for all of us and vindicates the Government’s decision to create the BTPA,” he said, stressing that it ensures tourism is sustained into the future.

It is against the backdrop of sustainability that the Minister stated that as a mature destination, the island must seek to diversify its product and appeal to a younger visitor.

“A high rate of repeat visitorship and natural appeal to older demographic that is a dangerous cocktail if you are talking about the future of your tourism, you better do something to appeal to the younger demographic. That is why efforts like this are so important,” he reiterated.

As it relates to the inaugural Sugar and Rum Season, he said that Barbadians ought to take ownership of rum, noting that it has been produced on the island longer than any other spirit in the world.

“The mere fact that the first time it was discovered, it was here and the first commercial distillery was here in Barbados means it is a story that is unique to us. And we should be prepared to let the world know and of course have our visitors experience all elements of it. And in that regard, I am prepared to salute what the main players have done over the years in terms of providing visitor centres,” he said.

Minister Sealy also lauded the BTPA for encouraging entrepreneurs to become involved in the season, which runs from February 1 to April 1. (JH)

PORTVALE Sugar Factory is gearing up to commence grinding as cane supplies continue to build up.

This is the third straight year that the factory will be the only one in operation as Andrews is still out of commission, with the authorities waiting to transform it into a multi-purpose facility.

An official of Portvale said yesterday that they probably would start grinding operations by today. By then the factory would have had enough canes to start the process.

Since Monday, vehicles have been hauling canes from the centres at three locations around the country to Portvale. That’s after labourers and mechanical harvesters took to the fields to begin reaping the canes.

When a team from The Barbados Advocate passed there yesterday, several large trucks were waiting to have the canes they were transporting weighed and eventually offloaded.

In the meantime, a meeting of key players in the sugar industry is scheduled for today. The Barbados Sugar Industry Limited (BSIL), the Barbados Agricultural Management Company (BAMC) and the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) are meeting to discuss a number of issues.

BSIL Chairman, Patrick Bethel, said that the pay talks are only one component of the whole discussions, while praising the BWU for the matured and responsible approach to the issues. The issue of financing the crop is also to be worked out.

“We the BSIL and the BAMC cannot deal with that component simply because we are just creatures of the source of funding,” he remarked.

It is uncertain whether the funding is coming from Government either through the public purse or by way of foreign injection of money.

However, he noted that as has been the case previously, the BAMC will pre-sell some of the sugar. In the past the sugar was sold to Tate and Lyle, which then sends a cheque to the BAMC.

“I believe those arrangements are still in place with the other buyers. We have not been told there are no funds available.”

He also said that Portvale is raring to go, while noting that last week trials were conducted at the St. James-based facility.

TheY are politicians, not celebrities!

According to Chairperson of United Progressive Party (UPP), Attorney-at-Law, former Senator and Minister, Lynette Eastmond, some Barbadians have been persuaded to treat politicians,
who are put in office for the purpose of serving the people, as if they are celebrities.

“So, we vote for them as if they are celebrities,” she told members of the media during the press launch of the island’s newest political party, UPP, at Courtyard Marriott, yesterday.

“We don’t need political celebrities. We need to vote for people based on their record, what they actually do. When I look at other countries, there isn’t this voting for people because they ‘talk sweet’. Some of the people who lack charisma, for example, Angela Merkel isn’t known to be the most charismatic person, but she is one of the strongest leaders in the world and I think that is because the Germans understand that they need people who can manage their country. They don’t want celebrities,” she stated.

Eastmond stressed that change is needed, and that voters need to choose people that can actually deliver.

“They talk pretty, but then they can’t deliver. I don’t think anybody would choose their heart surgeon based on whether or not he talks sweet. You want to know that he/she has a track record of delivering, if not you will die. And the same thing will happen to a country, if you don’t choose people who can actually manage it properly – the country will die,” she stated.

“We have seen countries fall into chaos and it happens by choosing the wrong people who are not competent to run things,” she further pointed out.

Describing the response to UPP so far as ‘positive’, Eastmond disclosed that a number of individuals have expressed interest in joining.

However, while not in a position at that point in time to name those individuals, she did acknowledge that the country’s next general election is constitutionally due in 2018, and assured members of the media that all candidates will be place before the last quarter of 2017.

“We will be ready for 2018 – there are candidates that have come to public far later than we will come. Some have even won. We have started to engage the public and the candidates will be introduced on an individual basis,” it was explained.

“We in the UPP believe in a united Barbados, so it is not our view that we should exclude anyone. We welcome businesspersons, community leaders, artistes; we welcome all Barbadians of all ages,” she said. (TL)

The time may come in Barbados when the sale of sweetened beverages will be banned in schools.

Next week, the start of a region-wide civil society advocacy campaign and programme aimed at banning the sale, marketing, promotion and availability of sugar sweetened beverages, will be announced, at the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) regional, multi-stakeholder workshop, in Antigua.

President of the HCC Professor Trevor Hassell, who is also Government’s special envoy on NCDs, told The Barbados Advocate that there was now a global recognition that the consumption of sugar is contributing significantly to an epidemic of obesity and overweight among children.

“As a result of that, something like a third of our children in our schools, are overweight and obese. The reality is that many of our children consume these sugar sweetened beverages on the school premises.

“And so what we are saying is, one of the things we should do, is we should discourage and even ban, the sale, promotion and marketing of sugar sweetened beverages in schools. And, this has been recommended by the World Health Organisation. It would be a very positive development. We, both children and adults, are just simply drinking too many sugar sweetened beverages,” he said.

Professor Hassell spoke about the initiative, following the opening ceremony of a Regional High Level Meeting to Develop a Roadmap on Multi-Sectoral Action in Caribbean Countries to Prevent Childhood Obesity through Improved Food and Nutrition Security, at the Barbados Yacht Club, on Wednesday.

He said the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, which is a civil society alliance to combat chronic diseases, would like sweet drinks suppliers and manufacturers to reduce the sugar content in their beverages.

“We think manufacturers should aim to produce healthy soft drinks. By that I mean, soft drinks with far less sugar. We think they would still have a viable business if they do that,” he said.
When asked to state his views on how he believes the public will receive the campaign aimed at banning the promotion and availability of sweet drinks in schools, the President said his Coalition has already received feedback from “many parents that they are really very happy that we are trying to achieve this.”

“Parents often say that in their homes, their children do not drink all the sugar sweetened beverages, and when they go to the schools they are then exposed to the sugar sweetened beverages there. So we know parents are very happy about what we want to do. It will take time, but it will happen,” Professor Hassell informed.

Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Joy St John, who was also in attendance at the opening ceremony, told this newspaper that over the years, the Ministry of Health has been working towards controlling the use of sugar in the school setting through issuing guidelines for the use of healthy foods in schools.

However, Dr St John said while the issue of childhood obesity in Barbados is a major concern for authorities, children have not been adhering to the guidelines.

“Sometimes, as a parent, I realize that if I keep speaking to my children, they stop listening, but if someone else tells them the same thing in a different way, they might obey and change their behaviour.

“But the issue of childhood obesity in Barbados is indeed a worrying one, so we need things other than same old same old, to try to stop it,” Dr John said. (AH)

So far eight CARICOM countries have confirmed their participation in CARIFESTA XIII and all systems are go, as the various agencies in Barbados mandated to manage the production of the biannual regional event, put plans in place.

In addition to those who gave early confirmation – Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Guyana, Montserrat and St. Lucia; there has been interest shown in the regional showcase from international buyers in Colombia, North America, Europe and the Middle East, as well as from other Caribbean islands, who have a special interest in one of the major events for the Festival – the Grand Market and Buyer’s Shopping Mall. The Caribbean’s first mega mall is expected to feature the widest range of Caribbean creative products under one roof with over 300 booth spaces available.

Come August 17-27, Barbados is expected to play host to over 3 000 artists, artistes and artisans, their families and supporters who will converge on the island to witness what, coupled with the Crop over Festival, has been dubbed, “The Biggest Summer of Culture in Barbados”.

Other than the Grand Market which will be held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC), there will be a number of entertainment events at various venues across the island where the extensive talent of this region will be showcased. There are plans for two Super Concerts; the Opening and Closing Ceremonies; three Signal Events, as well as nightly performances from the various country delegations expected. Many of the venues including some schools are presently undergoing stages of refurbishment in preparation for the Festival.

A call has been issued for the submission of interest from community groups and persons interested in producing their own events which can be promoted on the official CARIFESTA calendar. These creative fringe functions will permit artistic and resourceful individuals or groups the opportunity to design and develop events which can be seen by regional counterparts who will be visiting at the time.

Other Barbadian individuals or companies are encouraged to submit their names to provide support services for technical and production roles for the Festival as well as carpentry and joinery services. Another call has gone out for persons interested in volunteering to assist at the various events. Details for submission can be found on the CARIFESTA website. The deadline is February 28th 2017.

Barbados has not hosted a CARIFESTA since 1981 and 2017 promises to be epic in proportion. To date there are a number of committees that have been formed to manage the various areas of the Festival which will take place in numerous venues around the island and which are expected to generate a high level of economic activity at that time.

A Strong performance for the region in 2016, with a level of uncertainty in 2017 and a projection for the region that Tourism will grow at a slower rate, is the assessment coming from the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

At the press conference held yesterday at the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) headquarters in Baobab Towers, the analysis indicated the slow down would be centred on the uncertainty, due to external factors such as Brexit and the new United States government. The CTO representatives assured that they are monitoring these external factors and are in discussions with their partners, thus they remain cautiously optimistic about 2017.

Hugh Riley, Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization told the media while presenting the Caribbean Tourism Industry Performance Report 2017, “Caribbean tourism continues to break new ground, surpassing 29 million arrivals for the first time in our history, and once again we have grown faster than the global average.

"Despite political uncertainties, security and economic challenges in our main source markets, tourist arrivals to the Caribbean increased by 4.2 per cent in 2016, better than the 3.9 per cent overall, internationally.

"Encouragingly, we welcomed over one million more visitors last year than in 2015, to reach 29.3 million, continuing our proud record of growth for the seventh straight year. In addition, cruise passenger arrivals grew by an estimated 1.3 per cent, to approximately 26.3 million.

"No doubt, we are proud of our region’s performance in 2016 – the result of the combined efforts of our member countries, the CTO and our partners, who planned and executed a number of attractive and excellent programmes and activities to attract visitors and have them talking and writing and sharing images about the Caribbean. Our Year of Romance, for example, received broad participation despite the threat of Zika, and our social media campaigns in support of the year reached over 20 million people. Still, we had our shortfalls; our region did not break the 30 million arrivals barrier we had hoped for; but at 29.3 million there is still reason to celebrate. Among the countries reporting increases, growth was uneven, ranging from flat, to as high as 19 per cent; while about one-fifth of the countries reported declines.”

However he acknowledged, “Our hotel partners also experienced negative results when compared to 2015. These are important metrics which require particular attention. While it is critically important to monitor the numbers of visitors we welcome to our shores, knowing where they stay, how long they stay, what they spend and what contribution they make to the overall economy are all vital data points.

"According to Smith Travel Research, all hotel indicators were down, with the exception of the number of available rooms, which grew by just over one per cent. We’ll share more details on that, in the presentation which follows.”

According to Riley, no doubt, 2016 will be remembered as another successful year for the Caribbean’s main foreign exchange earner, with new record levels of visitor expenditure, tourist- and cruise-passenger arrivals.

He added, "however the year will also be remembered as a challenging one for the hotel sector which continues to be under pressure. In the months ahead, we expect that tourist arrivals to the region will grow at a slower rate;
between 2.5 per cent and 3.5 per cent in 2017. We also project increases of between 1.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent in cruise passenger arrivals. So all things being equal we’re expecting growth in 2017, but it will not be robust.” (NB)

The curtain came down this past weekend on the first ever Digicel (Barbados) Limited CoderDojo computer coding and programming club in Barbados. The graduation ceremony for close to 50 children was held at the Kensington Oval.

Ranging in age from seven to 16, participants from schools in Digicel’s immediate Warrens, St. Michael community received their certificates of participation in the initiative geared at gifting new skills, and opening new opportunities in the world of computer coding for young people in Barbados.

CoderDojo clubs are designed to allow children to explore coding in an informal, creative and fun environment. The curriculum included the basics of programming languages, website-building, and app and game design. The course which began late last year, also improved their team work, communication and problem-solving skills.

Addressing the participants, Natalie Abrahams, Chief Operating Officer of Digicel Barbados said, “We are very proud at Digicel to be the local pioneer of such an important initiative. We started our very own CoderDojo in October last year in celebration of our 50th Anniversary of Independence, a time when we focus on all things local and in this case the development of our young people. When we started, there were 1 100 “Dojos” across the world. It is fitting that we have added Barbados to that footprint in our 50th year of Independence, making that number now 1 101.”

Chief Executive Officer of Digicel Barbados, Conor Looney, encouraged other community-centric companies, schools, churches and community groups, to follow Digicel’s lead. “Anyone can avail themselves of the online resources at www.coderdojo.com to host other Dojos locally. The resources are free and it only requires the willingness to invest the time and energy in preparing the next generation for a future where the ability to manipulate technology will not be an option, but a requirement.”

In addition to the certificates and gifts received by every child from Digicel, awards were also conferred on participants who stood out in specific areas, including “Most Engaged”, “Most Diligent” and “Most Creative”.

Those awardees were chosen by the CoderDojo programme mentors, the majority of whom were volunteering Digicel employees, who were joined by choice technology professionals from the private sector and provided the expertise required to teach the coding skills to the students.

CoderDojo is a global community of free coding clubs for young people. Founded in 2011, the Dojos span across 66 countries across the world from Argentina to Australia, from Japan to Samoa, and now thanks to Digicel, in Barbados as well.

By Krystal Penny Bowen

Troy’s story
In urban communities in the St. Michael area, often the public are informed of the negative events within the society, such as crime among youth, school bullying, drug abuse and teenage sex. As a result, those who seek to do their best by working hard and supporting their community are left unrecognised and unappreciated. Nevertheless, some people see the good in their youth and this is evident in the St. Stephen’s Hill area. One young Black Rock resident who rather than spend his days “on the block” has been working diligently to provide for his family and his community through entrepreneurship.

Twenty-seven-year-old Troy Williams, despite his diminutive stature, has given back in a tremendous way by showing his school, St. Stephen’s Primary how much he appreciated the tutelage he received when he attended the school some two decades ago. In February, Troy showed his love for his alma mater by donating a skip to aid them with garbage storage, and free collection through his company. He also cleared the bush and shrubs which surrounded the school.

Born in the area once known as Chapel’s Hill, Troy attended the St. Stephen’s Nursery and St. Stephen’s Primary School. His father, who passed away when Troy was eleven years old, owned a trucking company and influenced the path that he would take. At an age when most boys would be transitioning into adolescence, this teenager was operating heavy machinery. The former Coleridge and Parry and Ellerslie student boasted that in his latter teen years, he was driving bobcats, other heavy duty vehicles and racing Datsuns in the gullies.

During an interview at St. Stephen’s Primary School with The Barbados Advocate, Troy talked about the challenges he faced growing up particularly when it came to academics. “I was not academically inclined, my scholastic skills were very weak, but I was able to get through school. Funny enough, in the Common Entrance my Maths results were high, but English, I wasn’t well in English – but Maths was always high,” said Troy.

The busy entrepreneur said he tried but knew school was “not fitted” to him, as he was always active [in the family business] and he knew that he wanted to be an entrepreneur.

Hardworking and dedicated, Troy has been working in the field of trucking and construction all of his life and his family has supported him through his many ups and downs. With three brothers and one sister; the young entrepreneur spoke warmly of his sister, Dr. Latoya Williams who has often provided support holistically as he takes on various ventures.

As to his current passion for entrepreneurship, he credits an American writer for his inspiration.

“Some years ago I received a copy of the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki – it is a book that speaks about the importance of financial independence and building wealth through starting and owning businesses. Basically the book speaks about what the rich people teach their children about money and investing, something that many poor and middle class parents do not… often times because they do not know or have the resources. That book inspired me to start my own business,” said Troy.

Today this son of Black Rock is a proud business man, Managing director of Williams Tools and Equipment Rentals and Williams Liquid and Solid Waste Management Inc, and he is currently part of the national waste haulers programme where he collects garbage for the entire parish of St. Lucy.

Not as many Barbadians are making early bookings for Trinidad Carnival as in previous years. So says Dale Layne, representative of Indar Weir Travel Centre. However, she did state that a lot of Barbadians are opting for cruise vacations.

Layne told The Barbados Advocate, “Barbadians are still going carnival, but not like in previous years, but this year at this time it seems lower than normal.

“However, a lot more Barbadians are enjoying cruising. They believe it is more value for money, and you get to explore different countries. Cruising is definitely high on the list.”

Trinidad Carnival will commence at the end of February.

The Barbados Advocate spoke to representatives from other travel agencies, who also echoed similar sentiments, that there is just not that hype for Trinidad Carnival this year, but it is still possible for those last minute bookings. Travel Agents have also argued that this is not a dying field.

Past President of the Travel Agents Association of Barbados, Anne Sealy, previously stated, “This is a misconception that travel agents will become dinosaurs because many persons don’t want the onerous and time-consuming efforts in navigating through options of flights. However, we have realised that for simple bookings, that persons turn to online bookings, but for more complex booking or connections they feel safer with a travel agent.

“Sometimes, in the long-run, some persons have realised the hard way they have paid more, because when you purchase online and you want to make changes because of an emergency, there are difficulties, and in many cases it can’t be changed and you have to purchase a new ticket.

“Credit card charges are higher than ticketing fees, and some airlines, when you do go to the counter to purchase a ticket, do charge ticketing fees.”

She maintained, “Travel agents build relationships with travellers to be there to guide them, [so that] especially when things go wrong, they can impact positively on a person’s travel experience.

“Agents offer more convenience and work for you if flights are cancelled to help you to rebook and navigate quickly out of a stressful situation. The nature of travelling is changing at a rapid pace. An agent’s role is not only there to book a flight, but agents advise on connections, economic, social and health issues.

“For example, you may book online and don’t notice you have to overnight and pay for a hotel, or you are going to Africa and don’t have a malaria vaccine... you will not be able to board the plane without that certificate or even the correct visa. These may be issues overlooked online.”

Many in the region have called for cheaper flights, and this is a major challenge when it comes to intraregional travel. It has been stated that a regional ferry could be the panacea to the cost challenges, however ,this long awaited ferry service is still not in action. (NB)

TO date no decision has been made on the fate of the solar farm proposed by Canadian energy company, Deltro.

New reports earlier this week indicated that the company had received permission from the Town and Country Planning Office (TCPO) for both a manufacturing plant to produce solar panels, and a 10-megawatt solar farm, but the top man at the TCPO says only the plant has been approved so far. He indicated that the plant is to be set up at a site in Kendall Hill, Christ Church.

The Chief Town Planner, Mark Cummins, was speaking during an interview with The Barbados Advocate yesterday morning at his Garrison, St. Michael office, about the upcoming edition of the Physical Development Plan, and community meetings that have been scheduled to get the public’s feedback about the ten proposed community plans. Those community plans, he said, will cover areas within the country, including the towns – Warrens, Wildey and Six Roads.

Cummins said that his office is yet to approve the multimillion-dollar solar farm, which the company hopes it can establish on approximately 70 acres of land in Waterford, St. Michael.

“The application that was made for the solar farm, at what I call Friendship or Waterford, to my best knowledge, and I sought confirmation yesterday [Thursday], planning permission has not been granted. There is no record that planning permission has been granted for that,” he indicated.

However, he disclosed that a decision on the initiative, which Deltro officials have said is expected to cost in the region of US$20 million, could come as early as next week. The Head of the TCPO made the comments as he also revealed that his office has made a recommendation to the Minister responsible for Town Planning, Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart, regarding the proposed site. However, he did not elaborate on what that suggestion was. (JRT)

Students of St. Gabriel’s School and Calypsonian Mikey joined Variety – the Children’s Charity to launch its 2017 Hearts4Hearts Campaign, yesterday.

This year, Sony has collaborated with the Children’s Charity to create limited-edition pins featuring iconic characters Papa Smurf and Smurfette from the “Smurfs: The Lost Village” movie, which premieres in April 2017.

As usual, proceeds from the pins will benefit Variety’s children through the programmes run during the year including the Sunshine Coach, Education ICT and social experiences put on for the less fortunate.

“The Gold Hearts campaign is very important as it raises funds so that Variety can continue to provide life-changing, provide life-saving, life-changing, and life-enriching equipment and services to children who have a disability or are disadvantaged,” expressed Variety’s Executive Director, Donnah Russell.

St. Gabriel’s School is one of the many private schools in Barbados, which have been supporting Variety for many years. Russell lauded the spirit of volunteerism, as students and their families ensure the sale of hearts on and off the school premises.

“Variety rewards the efforts of these children with small tokens of appreciation. In recent years, the public schools have come on board and have worked with Variety to sell hearts at their schools. Variety wants to inculcate the spirit of volunteerism as a good habit in all children.”

During the launch held at St. Gabriel’s auditorium, Mikey revealed that for the 2016 campaign, the school raised $1 147. He encouraged the students to keep embracing the Hearts4Hearts Campaign.

“From the time I was growing up, St. Gabriel’s has always led the charge in raising funds for charities,” he recalled.

“The amount you raised last year for Variety – the Children’s Charity was awesome; you students are helping other children. I want you to keep this spirit of helping others as you get older. Keep giving, keep helping, because when you do good, good comes back to you.”

Each special edition Papa Smurf and Smurfette Gold Heart may be purchased at a cost of $5, and will entitle donors to a chance to win one of three staycation prizes at Mango Bay, Sugar Bay or Ocean 2 Hotel.

They are available in all commercial banks and in private schools and public schools. They are also available in supermarkets, retail stores and in private offices across the island. (TL)

High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes and a local water ferry service are two of the ideas being put forward to help ease traffic congestion on the island’s busy roads.

Head of the Town and Country Development Planning Office, Mark Cummins, said they are hoping to see such developments taking place in Barbados within the next three years, but certainly within the next five. The Chief Town Planner’s comments came as he contended that as the island’s already dense road network, at 1 500 kilometres, does not allow for the soon to be completed amendments to the Physical Development Plan (PDP) to include the provision of new roads, alternatives have to be put forward and employed.

In fact, he told The Barbados Advocate that the Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW) has shown enthusiasm and excitement towards the HOV lane idea, and so they have been encouraged to get the Wildey to Warrens HOV lane up and running as soon as possible.

“There is no need for new roads, all we would require is the demarcation as to which lane is the HOV, and the necessary police presence to make sure that single-occupant vehicles do not go into it. If you go into that lane as a single driver, or you only have one other person in the car, you would have to pay a very high penalty. The idea is to encourage persons to pool up, and to utilise the HOV lane during peak hours to move large numbers of persons quickly, as opposed to moving large numbers of cars slowly,” he explained.

Cummins added, “The beautiful thing about it is that the law allows for the policies within a plan [Physical Development Plan] in preparation, to be implemented. As long as we get the buy in from the Ministry of Transport, and as I said before, I think we have it, they can start to roll out some of those things.”

In respect of the HOV lanes, the Chief Town Planner (CTP) explained that in addition to promoting the idea of carpooling, in the first instance, they are also suggesting that a park-and-ride system be introduced. He said that the 2007 Cricket World Cup is proof that such a system can work, but he acknowledged that in order to get it going successfully on a daily basis, persons would have to be assured that when they park their vehicles “nice motorised transport” would be provided to get them to their destinations.

“We cannot have so many cars on the roads bumper to bumper on mornings; it is not the best for our air quality. We are not saying persons should not own cars because that is a personal choice, all we are saying is that we have to provide options. There is not going to be a law to say you have to park-and-ride, it is an option,” the CTP indicated.

He further stated, “Just imagine persons driving to the public carpark at Oistins for instance, 75 of them getting into a coach and driving down the road, automatically that takes those cars off the road. That’s an area where the infrastructure is already, and it can accommodate 150 to 200 vehicles. The Garfield Sobers Gymnasium is another area where you can probably park another 300 or 400 cars; persons drive there, get into the coach and on to their destination.”

With that in mind, he maintained that a lot of public education will be need to get Barbadians’ buy-in, but he is confident that once they see it in action and they realise there are economic and social benefits to the either carpooling or utilising the park-and-ride system, persons will get on board.

“Another innovative transportation measure we have looked at is driving to Oistins, Holetown and Speightstown, getting on a ferry and heading to Bridgetown. We have a strong relation to the beach, going to the beach and relaxing at the beach, but we also have a fear of water, so that one is going to take a lot of education, and of course enterprising entrepreneurs. But it has a lot of potential, whereby we can move a lot of people by waterway; and the historians tell us that is what happened before.”

Cummins further suggested that the timing of the work on the PDP has been perfect, as the MTW is currently working on the strategic plan for the transport sector, which has allowed them to draw on each other’s ideas. (JRT)

Barbados’ latest centenarian is a lady of few words, but her family and friends say she has helped many in need and served her church well.

Marion Murrell, who celebrated her 100th birthday yesterday, not only walked a long way from her Layne’s Road, Clapham, St Michael, home to take care of a
family member when they were helpless. But, she also journeyed many Saturday mornings to clean the Deliverance Temple church, where she has been a member for over 40 years.

And though she is now unable to take that ten- minute walk to church, the members bring worship sessions to her home, where she enjoys singing praising God.

Sitting in her wheelchair, dressed in a green frock and wearing a white hat that showed off her grey and black curls, Murrell whispered she was happy to reach the milestone.

She said her love for God and a healthy diet helped her to get there.

Murrell, whose five children are all alive, was showered with love and gifts from her family and friends.

She also received a special visit from Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave, who brought her flowers and birthday cards, and shared a toast with her.

The centenarian’s last child, Hilary Murrell, explained that when his mother laboured on a plantation for many years, her colleagues referred to her as the “minister of peace and quiet” because she never got into any fights or confrontations.

“She was a very hard worker. She worked on the plantation for many years and even when she retired from that, she was doing domestic work and also found time to help family members and friends,” Hilary said.

Murrell is cared for by the third of her five children, Oscar Murrell, who relatives say “is doing a fantastic job” with meeting her daily needs.

She is now unable to leave home on her own because of a weak leg, but spends much of her time enjoying quiet moments.

Murrell has nine grand-children and seven great-grands.
(AH)

Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) leader, Mia Mottley, is not fazed by the newly formed United Progressive Party (UPP) that promises to give a challenge in the next general election, constitutionally due in 2018.

Yesterday, while speaking at a press conference hosted by the BLP, Mottley did not have much to say about the new party. However, she mentioned that the BLP, which will be celebrating its 79th anniversary at the end of March, has seen political parties come and go over the years.

“We have been the official Opposition twice and had that removed from us on two occasions, yet we went on to win the Government,” Mottley said.

Mottley did not comment on whether she believes the new party, which is being chaired by former BLP senator and Minister, Lynette Eastmond, has a chance of attracting supporters.

However, the Opposition Leader pointed out that the BLP’s success rate could be seen in the number of times it has been given the chance to govern the country, and as a result, change lives substantially. (AH)