THE rocky transition of the Customs & Excise Department into the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) must be settled for the interest of the country.

Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss, insisted that the move, which has been riddled with snags of industrial action and protest, was leading to higher costs of goods on the island, hitting Barbadians deep in their pockets.

“This island needs to settle down. If it means that a few have to be discomfited for the sake of the masses, then let us do what has to be done and do it now. This is no idle threat, this is my honest simple opinion as a Cabinet minister, as a Member of Parliament, as a father and as a member of this community. This matter with the Barbados Revenue Authority and Customs & Excise Department needs to be settled. It is causing just too much frustration amongst ordinary Barbadians,” he said.

Noting that it will never be easy to merge Government’s revenue collection entities because of the administrative, legal and personnel issues and financial costs involved, he admitted that managing the transition of Customs into BRA had not been as smooth as it should have been, but should be viewed as “a work in progress”.

The outspoken minister also took a swipe at those behind the protests saying, “What must never be allowed to rule the ultimate goal is the self-serving egotistical attitude of a few individuals or entities...”

He made the comments while commiserating with the members of the Customs Brokers and Clerks Association gathered yesterday at the Small Business Association for their annual general meeting as many outlined how the issue had affected their businesses.

“We have to look at what is in the best interest of the country. When we had industrial action at the Port sometime last year, I felt the pain of those who wanted to get their goods out, the pain of the business people who were losing money due to spoilage,” he said, noting as well that businesses across the island were hit hard by costs due to the delays in clearing the containers, and were often left with no other choice but to pass on the cost to consumers. (JMB)

THE just launched Barbados Sugar and Rum Season is meeting with strong opposition from the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA), which intends to stage protests against the State-sponsored initiative and push for breathalyser testing to become law in this country.

President of the BRSA, Sharmane Roland-Bowen, contended that at the heart of the action will be to educate locals and visitors alike about the dangers of alcohol and that there is no drink driving legislation on the statute books. Moreover, she has told The Barbados Advocate that in light of the Barbados Sugar and Rum Season coming on stream, the BRSA will be sending correspondence to Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Richard Sealy, as early as this week, to get his support for the breathalyser and requisite legislation.

“My appeal to him is to ensure that the safety of the visitors that come to this country is a priority when it comes to road use. Our goal is not to prevent persons from drinking alcohol, but we don’t want them, or any Barbadian for that matter to drink alcohol and then get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Nor do we want them to be transported by someone who is under the influence of alcohol,” she stated.

Sealy will make the fifth Minister of Government that the BRSA will be lobbying as part of their ‘War on Drink Driving’ Campaign, which was launched at the end of last month, to ensure that no one is driving under the influence on our nation’s roads. At the time of the launch, Roland-Bowen said that she intended to send correspondence to Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart, who is also Head of the Barbados National Road Safety Council; as well as Attorney General, Adriel Brathwaite; the Minister of Transport and Works, Michael Lashley; and Minister of Health, John Boyce. Moreover, she said that as part of the campaign, the Association intends to go first into the constituencies of those Members of Parliament, seeking to garner support for the cause, before extending the campaign island wide.

“They say this is a democracy, we have the right and freedom to lobby for a cause and we have the right to protest, peacefully protest, and that is what we intend to do. We are fighting for the safety of our people, especially our children and grandchildren and our visitors. We are urging members of the public to join with us and help to fight this war on drink driving, and do as our slogan says and ‘Stand Up For Safety’,” she maintained. (JRT)

A high rate of unemployment, poor housing, blocked drainage and canals, overgrown bush, rat infestation and garbage collection are concerns residents of The City pointed out to members of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), when they walked through the communities yesterday.

However Leader of the BLP, Mia Mottley, has asked these residents, and is appealing to Barbadians to hold on and remain hopeful that better days are ahead.

Mottley said the party has observed that many people are lacking confidence in the attainment of the Barbadian dream.

Speaking to the media at Kensington Lodge, Passage Road, St. Michael, as the BLP rubbed shoulders with residents of The City, Mottley also suggested that many Barbadians are not seeing themselves and their children advancing in the current environment.

She said it was very discomforting and heart-wrenching to interact with young people who have never worked, and some who have not acquired skills since leaving school.

She mentioned that some of them want to go to a university but they do not have the money, and made reference to a Combermere student who wants to become a doctor, but his mother only works part time, occasionally.

“We have intensified our dialogue with the people because we sense they need a reassuring voice; something and someone to believe in again. The ... attitude to problems by this Government has left many, indeed the majority of Barbadians exasperated and shaking their heads.

“So, the BLP will continue on the road across this country to rub shoulders with the people. We will do it individually, and we will do it as a Party. We know more than ever Barbadians need to be told to hold on and to keep the hope alive,” Mottley said.

Member of Parliament for The City, Jeffrey Bostic, said he was pleased that his colleagues got the opportunity to see firsthand the level of socio-economic challenges taking place in his constituency.

He said the experience would facilitate the level of assistance required when the BLP forms “the next government” in the country.

“We were able to hear people discuss issues that are affecting them. We were able to see issues regarding poor housing in this City of Bridgetown [and] the lack employment opportunities. Unemployment in this City is perhaps the highest in this country. We have a number of young people who are frustrated, and they are angry,” Bostic said.

“We have problems with drainage and that is a serious problem in The City. Most of The City is below sea level and the problem is exacerbated by the fact that the drains are not cleaned on a regular basis. Then, there is overgrown bush that is blocking the natural flow of water and that also results in flooding,” he added.

The Member of Parliament said there are constituents depending on tracks to access their homes, and as a result, he called on Government to “build some concrete footpaths” so that ordinary people can get to their houses when it rains.

One of the young residents of The City, Paul Stuart, said there are many young people crying out, and that as they face the reality of unemployment, there is nobody for them to talk to about the hardship they are forced to endure.

Stuart said he was also concerned that many social development programmes in the communities have been abandoned due to a lack of funding.

“They see what going on and they still want us to reach out because they believe in the Party. Today was a good day because the feedback we get from today is that the people really want a change. But you can’t just say you want a change, you have to go out there and make the change,” Stuart declared. (AH)

NOW in its 40th year, the annual Holetown Festival was officially opened and the refurbished historic landmark of the Holetown Monument unveiled during a double ceremony yesterday evening.

The refurbishment was facilitated by the Massy C.A.R.E.S programme and, according to Massy Country Manager Frere Delmas, is just a part of the multi-million investment going into the wider community.

Delmas stated: “I hope that with this $80 000 community project and the close to $50 million investment which we are spending in the redevelopment of our Massy Stores-Sunset Crest, these will help to greatly improve the value and appreciation that visitors, residents and the wider community have for the Sunset Crest/ Holetown area.”

Before symbolically handing over the monument to Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy, in the absence of Prime Minister Freundel Stuart who was unable to attend, Delmas used the opportunity to thank Managing Director of Massy Distribution Glenn Taylor, who proposed the project after noticing its deteriorating state on his daily commute to work.

“This recognised landmark is significant to the history of our island as it marks the spot of the first landing of Englishmen on the island in 1625,” he said adding that it also represents the first place of law, order and justice in Barbados as the first Militia was based at the site. “It is steeped in history from which we cannot escape.”

Taylor, who described the project as a labour of love, noted that the efforts would have been in vain without the financial support from the executive team of Massy.

He thanked Minister of Housing and Lands Denis Kellman and the efforts from his Ministry for their interest and support in facilitating the restoration.

Taylor revealed that the project commenced in October 2016 and was completed in December of the same year. It included a thorough clean and repainting of the monument, re-lettering of the plaque, removal of the original wall at the front of the monument and building steps and a wheel chair ramp to allow full accessibility, the full restoration of two of the original cannons which are now mounted on handcrafted and historically accurate wooden carriages, and intentionally minimalist landscaping.

Minister Kellman thanked Massy Stores for its contribution and action of its corporate social responsibility and for exemplifying the true essence of the Social Partnership.

“The responsibility to conserve and restore our nation’s heritage cannot simply be the sole preserve of governmental agencies, especially in a country where the physical manifestations of our past are so numerous, and often appear to be at risk of being overwhelmed by the pace of present development,” he said.

The opening ceremony featured the contestants of the upcoming Holetown Festival competition, the Haynesville Youth Group, the 2016 Calypso Monarch Aziza, the Coleridge & Parry Choir, Cherece Richards and Ricardo Reid. The life and times of renowned artist Fielding Babb, who recently passed away, was also remembered by fellow founding member of the festival Keith Simmons, who delivered a tribute in his memory. (JH)

A White Paper will soon be brought before the Cabinet of Barbados that seeks to address how healthcare costs in this island should be covered.

This revelation was made by Minister of Health John Boyce, who stated the importance of such a paper considering that $750 million dollars is currently spent on healthcare on an annual basis with the Government covering approximately $400 million via taxes.

Delivering the feature address at the official launch of Urgent Care Mobile at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC) on Saturday night, Minister Boyce stated that only $150 million of the cost is covered through insurance, with Barbadians having to therefore pay for the remainder from their own pockets. He urged persons to consider whether this model of healthcare payment would be sustainable in the future.

“Our greatest concern is that insurance coverage et cetera only covers about $150 million of that, so that Barbadians pay out of their pockets in the region of $200 million…for their healthcare. The reason I share these statistics is because we have to constantly examine if these situations are sustainable.

“We listen to the interesting debate in the United States of America now and we can look back and reflect on the work done in Canada and in the United Kingdom in respect to the provision of healthcare and we recognize that we really have to urgently tackle the question of ‘How do we pay for healthcare going forward in Barbados’.”

He continued: “And in this regard, we of course have embarked on the development of a health financing project in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance and we are moving towards the delivery of a White Paper to the Cabinet of Barbados very soon which indicates our initial position, but then offering it for discussion with stakeholders etc before we take a firm position as to how we envision healthcare costs being provided for in the future.”

Bridgetown, Barbados will be joining an exclusive list of cities across the globe when the University of the West Indies hosts its RBC “Race for the Kids” event on April 17th this year.

The fund-raising venture, which is aimed at supporting the university’s Cave Hill Campus’ scholarship programme, is set to come off in conjunction with RBC Royal Bank.

The event, which will take the form of a 5K Run and Walk locally, is part of a larger commitment – the RBC “Kids Pledge”, which is a five-year $100 million promise to improve the well-being of one million children and young persons across the world. With Barbados being the first country to host the event for the year in the southern hemisphere, the island has also joined the fold as the ninth city with, New York, Toronto, Chicago, London, Minneapolis, Sydney, Trinidad and Tobago, Hong Kong already in the mix with several others such as Kuala Lumpur, Calgary and Luxembourg getting their own iterations in the near future.

Speaking during a media briefing held at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination yesterday, Managing Director of RBC Royal Bank Kevin Darling stated that the funds raised would be going toward assisting incoming and existing students to the university’s programmes as he was aware of the special situation in Barbados.

“We all know that since 2013, there has been a financial burden for some to attend university – something that was new for Barbadians – and this will help some that can’t afford to get here to get into school and further their education and help Barbados in the future.” he said.

With RBC starting their relationship with the university back in 2005 with donations made towards the Errol Barrow centre, the partnership is still a strong one as the third instalment of three-year bursary was also made during yesterday’s conference.

Professor Eudine Barriteau, Pro Vice Chancellor and Principal of the Cave Hill Campus was also on-hand and said that the partnership was a welcome one as education was of the utmost importance in the development of the lives of persons in the region. “Establishing a scholarship for deserving UWI students can make all the difference to their lives. Education, in particular higher education, has played a pivotal role in transforming the lives of individuals and families in the Caribbean, empowering them to advance socially and economically, while enabling them to become productive citizens.” she said.

With Easter Monday set for the event, all are invited to take in the run and walk. The course is expected to go from the University Hill branch of RBC Royal Bank to the Barbados Light and Power on Spring Garden before making a U-turn and heading to the Usain Bolt Sports Complex. The run is slated for a 4 pm start with warm-up activities by Bassa Bassa at 3:30.

Higher levels of transparency and accountability must become the norm to drive productivity in the public sector says Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce
and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss.

Responding to queries recently from members of the Customs Brokers and Clerks Association about the length of time it took in many cases to receive replies to correspondence or acceptance to applications from various government departments, the minister said that it was unfair that no one was taken to task for such delays, which were hurting many businesses.

“I have no problem with transparency of the system, because we ministers get blamed for a lot of things that we do not know about. If you send in an application six months ago and someone sent in one for a similar concession last month and they go to the same department where they may be handled with the same officers; please explain to me why the person who sent in theirs last week got theirs, and you who have submitted six months ago, did not get yours?” he queried, stressing that, “this friends and family thing needs to stop!” Inniss went as far as to say that in some cases, government must be taken to task.

“Quite frankly, and maybe I should not say it as a minister, but the government needs to be sued a little bit more. Sometimes it may take that to show people how their actions are costing people money across the country,” he said.

He pointed out that antiquated rules and regulations were also hindering the progress of the country.

Speaking on his own personal experience when trying to pay road tax days before it was due with a new insurance certificate, but being informed that he would have to bring in the expiring insurance form to be permitted to make such a transaction, he said, “this is the reason why sometimes there are unlicensed vehicles on the road because we make it so difficult sometimes.”

“It is the little things we talk about like getting things through the port on time. It is these that can help us to solve the macro issues like the fiscal deficit,” he added.

Inniss later remarked, “The bigger issue that we have in the system is that we have good policies, but there is too little accountability. When people are not held accountable for their actions then a culture takes root in society which says you can do whatever you want to do. That is where I think the problem lies. Government takes too long to hold people accountable.” (JMB)

Rather than continue an old and outdated practice of seeking to provide support by means that are not sustainable, the Democratic Labour Party believe that they should provide the kind of empowerment that enables the constituents in Christ Church West Central to help themselves.

These comments were made by Constituency Representative for Christ Church West Central and Minister for Culture, Sports and Youth, Honourable Stephen Lashley at the ninth annual Valentine’s luncheon, held at the Almond Bay in Hastings, Christ Church on Sunday.

The Minister said when he entered public life that his mission was to provide a new type of politics which would be based on empowering people and that it has transformed the lives of many.

“I believe our economy, our country has to be refocused along the pathway of sustainability and therefore it will call for a drastic change not only in how government functions; it will call for a drastic change in relation to how every person in Barbados sees their role in the transformation of Barbados,” said Lashley.

On the topic of transformation, earlier in his remarks, he expressed his appreciation to the companies Emera, Barbados Light & Power Company and the Maria Holder Memorial Trust for sponsoring the refurbishing of the hard court and play park in Silver Hill, respectively.

The Minister explained that the Silver Hill development plan called for a complete refurbishment of the hard court which will be used for basketball, road tennis and netball.

Lashley added that there will be plans to create a multi-purpose centre which will be built with the financial assistance of the Maria Holder Memorial Trust. When completed, this Youth Empowerment Centre, will be managed by his ministry. It will facilitate youth development sessions; a computer centre, satellites office for welfare department and constituency council, changing rooms for those using the hard court and two store spaces made available to members of the community.

“We expect that those services will be barbering services or hairdressing services or selling of specified items. We are going to using that as a model for developing entrepreneurial talent in the constituency,” said Lashley.

Barbados still has a sound education system. That is according to Retired Educator, Dr. Dan Carter, while giving a comprehensive look of education in Barbados yesterday at the Holetown Methodist Church. He outlined that even though technology is being used in schools, more needs to be done as many challenges still exist in the system.

The experienced educator suggested that, “We need to carry out more empirical studies into what some may call challenges with the system because sometimes we talk but not based on research. We need to have another investigation into the system and look at different aspects of the system to see what areas we can make improvements ... for instance co-education. For the last ten to 15 years people have debated if this is the best form, but you should examine the pertinent factors, if we go back to same-sex would it improve behaviour?”

Dr. Carter further pointed out that our human resource remains important to successive governments and we may not have free education from cradle to grave – referring to part payment for University – but this is a product of the economy. While stating that education remains important and we in Barbados still enjoy the privilege of education, he did raise concerns about the drug culture impacting children.

“Parents need to pay greater attention to their children and see what they are doing at school and work with the teachers so the students would know their parents are interested, there seems to be a tension been parents and teachers and we need to close that [gap],” he advised.

Many talk about entrepreneurship, but entrepreneurship should be linked to an expanding economy, once your economy is experiencing growth, people will see opportunities and introduce new businesses, he explained. (NB)

DECLINING “foreign reserves cover” is not a new phenomenon in Barbados.

However, unlike previous governments of the day, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) government is not looking to borrow large sums of money to prop up the reserves, nor is it currently seeking to implement credit controls.

This is according to Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Freundel Stuart, who was addressing a DLP St. Michael South branch meeting at the Bay Primary School on Sunday night.

Instead, the Prime Minister stated, “We take the position that you have to pay your way in the world, earn your way and the stage has to be reached that we recognise the need to live within our means and stop financing lifestyles that the country cannot realistically afford and tune our budgets to fit the things we need rather than to finance the things that we just want.”

The Prime Minister said this is an issue that will require educating the people of Barbados about the impact of their spending habits, which go back many years. “Errol Barrow warned about them in 1970. In fact, he used to always say that the problem in Barbados isn’t the high cost of living, it is the cost of high living. That a lot of us want to live too high and therefore live beyond our means and we had to control that.”

He explained that the country has been importing much more than it has been exporting in recent times which led to a dip in the foreign reserves, which according to international standards should be enough for 12 weeks of cover.

The Prime Minister also touched on the topic of devaluation, which he recently discussed at the monthly meeting of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He reiterated that devaluation is off the table.

“Why do countries devalue their currencies? The answer is very simple. If a country is suffering from a chronic balance of payments problem, that is another way of saying if a country is importing more than it is exporting and therefore spending more on imports than it is earning from its exports, and therefore is not able to pay comfortably for its imports, one way of dealing with that challenge is to adjust the exchange rate.

“The reason you adjust the exchange rate is that you want to make it more difficult for people to buy foreign currency to import goods into the country. I want to encourage people to concentrate more on exporting, so that the country can earn more foreign exchange rather than to spend the country’s money on other people’s goods and services.

“The two countries in the Caribbean that have devalued currencies over the years are Guyana and Jamaica, and nobody has ever satisfied that those devaluations have worked any miracles in those two countries. In fact, I think the opposite may be the case.

“So devaluation is not a solution. What ultimately is a solution is our people taking the decision to live within their means and to rely less on what they want, and more on what they need.”

He further explained that credit controls, while used in the past until the danger period passed, are also not an option currently being explored. “We have not done that recently and there are no immediate plans to do it, but a job of serious public education has to take place if we are going to steer clear of these challenges,” he stressed. (JH)

Former President of Sony Music Entertainment Europe, Paul Russell, is calling on the Government of Barbados to invest more in its musicians.

“This country punches way above its weight when it comes to music,” he expressed.

“I don’t know all the great Bajan film directors, actors, but I know a lot of very gifted Barbadian musicians,” he stated.

Russell shared this with students of Harrison College during an interactive session made possible by the Aron and Christina Foundation, yesterday.

According to him, Government needs to keep its musicians on this rock. He believes more should be done to help them, particularly the song writers.

“By doing so, they wouldn’t have to leave Barbados. In addition, a lot of international artistes and others who need songs will come to Barbados. They will all spend money; the dollars will stay here instead
of disappearing abroad,” he stressed.

While lauding the work carried out by the University of the West Indies Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination, Russell however pointed out, “It’s all about helping film – helping film directors, producers – it does nothing for music. In my view that’s a disgrace. And it can be done so cheaply.”

“Also, what kind of annoys me is that governments tend to see the Arts as mainly film and theatre. You never hear about government subsidies for music. Why is that? But, every time governments need help, they firstly turn to music. For example, every time there is a disaster – hurricane in Haiti, floods in Bangladesh.”

“Any Government can take a tiny fraction of what they spend on the Arts and divert that to what I called the song writers collective,” he suggested.

Russell took the opportunity to advise students considering a career in the industry, which he said generates billions of dollars annually. He explained that they can work in the music industry without being an artist, as there are opportunities for lawyers, accountants, marketers, promoters, human relations, etc.

“Go get your university degree. With a Bachelor of Arts or even Bachelor of Science Degree along with a passion for music, you have a much better chance getting a job in the industry.”

Sony Music Entertainment Europe, under Russell, enjoyed much success with a wide variety of artists from all over the world including Frances Cabrel, Jean Jacque Goldman, Mariah Carey, Des’ree, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, the Fugees, Macy Gray, Gipsy Kings, Julio Iglesias, Jamiroquai, Patrica Kaas, the Manic Street Preachers, Ricky Martin, Oasis, Frances Obispo, the Offspring, Sade, Savage Garden, Bruce Springsteen, Suede and Travis.

In that time, he worked very closely in both the UK and Europe with Michael Jackson in many different areas – from his records “Thriller”, “Bad,” “Dangerous”, the six-times European platinum “HIStory” and “Blood on the Dance Floor” through to his record-breaking European tours in 1988, 1992 and 1996/7.

Russell further stressed that “music is in the blood of Barbadians”, and having moved to the island eight years ago, he has proudly thrown his full support behind Honey Jam, which is a developmental programme that provides educational, networking, mentoring and performance opportunities for young female artists as well as promotes and supports entrepreneurs and initiatives which support women and girls.

In February 2013, Russell joined Ebonnie Rowe in the incorporation of Honey Jam (Barbados) Inc., where he is a director of the board. (TL)

General Secretary of the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is welcoming the recent announcement from Canadian-based energy company Deltro, that it will be operating a solar panel manufacturing plant and solar farm in this country.

According to General Secretary, George Pilgrim, the initiatives are a representation of the policy of the Freundel Stuart-led Government to embrace renewable energy, the fastest growing sector in the world. In a statement released yesterday, Pilgrim said these new types of manufacturing plants speaks to the future economic activity which will become a part of the Barbadian landscape going forward.

Additionally, he suggested that it in fact will boost the ability of the Caribbean region to expand the development of residential and industrial solar energy.

“The Democratic Labour Party views this as a spectacular step required to ensure that Barbados becomes the centre of excellence in renewable energy. This reality for Barbados represents a platform within the Caribbean region to grow the green energy footprint. Another first for Barbados, authored by the Democratic Labour Party,” he insisted.

Pilgrim made the point while contending that this “determined strategy” by the DLP to encourage the use of renewable energy is rooted in a deep belief that as a small island developing country, we should not find ourselves at the mercy of fluctuating market prices of crude oil. As such, he said that as a Government, they have recognised the need to find ways to reduce the outflows of much needed foreign exchange, and are of the firm belief that the investment in renewable energy should be commended as a “correct move”.

With that in mind, the General Secretary said his political party is confident that with the new economic activity that renewable energy provides, there will be plenty of new opportunities for training and enhancing the skill sets of locals. He is therefore calling on the public to support the Government’s effort as it seeks to “reposition Barbados for the new economy”.

FIELDING Babb’s contribution to the cultural development of Barbados can only be described as phenomenal and outstanding.

This description from Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley as he paid tribute to the renowned artist who passed away on Saturday.

Minister Lashley told The Barbados Advocate that Fielding who was born in 1935, and was one of the rare artistes who used his artistic ability to capture on canvas the landscapes of Barbados to tell the rich history of the island.

“Many of those landscapes have since disappeared from our eyes either through the vagaries of development or through the affliction of time, but he has been able to capture them on canvas. He has been able to motivate so many young artists, so many senior artists, with his unique style of using the knife instead of the brush to do what he loved to do.”

The Culture Minister who is also the parliamentary representative of Christ Church West Central in which this outstanding son of the soil resided, described him as jovial, yet humble. He was also a vibrant member of the community. He said he was able to visit his home studio on many occasions and see him work and see his pieces on display.

“I first encountered Fielding when I first went into that constituency just about 2004 -2005 and he has always been a tower of strength and offered advice. He served on one of the first committees that I set up in that constituency to look at culture and sports and he would have been very active. He had a vision of reaching out to young people and always would have given advice where he felt that the youth of Barbados had to be reached and he certainly gave me that advice.”

“He has made an indelible impression on the Visual Arts in Barbados. NIFCA would always be a special part of his work and he would have dedicated quite a bit of his time to ensuring he could be a part of very important exhibitions where his story could be told. I believe that Fielding would not only be missed in Barbados but his work would have extended across the Caribbean and in many other countries in the world,” he said. (JH)

The teachers and students of the Coleridge and Parry School celebrated 65 years of amalgamation at the historic St. Peter’s Parish Church yesterday.

The school which was originally known as two separate institutions – Coleridge School located opposite the St. Peter’s Church rectory and the Parry School which was near the St. Lucy’s Parish Church – were established between 1825 and 1852. By 1881, the colonial government had recognised these schools as secondary grammar institutions for boys. It was 1952 when the two schools joined as one and it was relocated to five acres of land purchase from the Ashton Plantation. Throughout its history, Coleridge and Parry School transitioned from all boys to a co-educational institution in the latter stages of the 20th century.

Over the years, the school has nurtured several influential public figures particularly former Prime Minister Erskine Sandiford; Anglican Bishop, Rufus Brome and former Governor of Central Bank of Barbados, Calvin Springer.

During the service, students were privileged to see one of their fellow students of Coleridge and Parry, Reverend Davidson Bowen give his feature address on “character”. The Reverend who was a member of the church in his youth is currently the rector for St. Luke’s Church.

During his sermon, Rev. Bowen noting that Tuesday (today) is Valentine’s Day, spoke about the idea of love and its meaning. He explained that true love is God, however what some people perceived to be love is lust.

“Because love is not something to talk about, love is not something to do it is something we become. Love is character, love shapes character,” said Rev. Bowen.

The final message which the Rev. Bowen left with students is that character is about relationships and it is about what people see or hear. Highlighting the power of modern technology like mobile phones, he told the congregation that devices like these create barriers and it can often sully our character when we communicate negative opinions over social media. Another point made about the theme of character was the importance of valuing the human experience instead of material possessions. (KPB)

One challenge which has impacted Community Dancefest 2016-2017 is the availability of venues.

Chief Community Development Officer, Patricia Hackett- Codrington disclosed this while pointing out some of the other challenges encountered. The dance competition, which is normally held each year on Errol Barrow Day, was staged last Saturday but not in its usual format.

“There were a number of things that contributed to the fact that we didn’t have Dancefest as we normally have it. One was the number of activities that were held [in 2016] around October, November starting out with the 50th anniversary of Independence celebrations and secondly, the fact that the gymnasium is out of commission [for renovations].”

She added, “Even having this show, we wanted to have this show on [January] 21st because you know when you have an activity and you miss it then it is hard to catch back up. So we decided we would have this one off show but we wouldn’t have it on the 21st and then we had difficulty getting venues…Venues have been a problem in getting the show to come off.”

Hackett-Codrington said though there were challenges, keen interest in participating in the annual dance competition has still been shown by dance groups. She is hopeful that this interest will be maintained and that it will increase during the staging of the 13th edition of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (Carifesta) in Barbados from August 17th to 27th.

“We are going to meet very shortly and start to plan for the 2017-2018 season. Hopefully by then with all the infrastructure that is going on to work for Carifesta…and coming out of Carifesta too, we will be able to put forward a better show because Carifesta will bring to the community a whole set of activities which would energize them and then we can really look to move forward.”

Hackett-Codrington spoke to this publication on the side-lines of last Saturday’s Community Dancefest Showcase in the Major Noot Hall of the Combermere School. This event was presented by the Community Development Department of the Ministry of Social Care Constituency Empowerment & Community Development.

The large audience in the hall enjoyed dance performances by several groups that have competed in Community Dancefest over the years. These included Haynesville Dancers, Dancin’ Africa, Israel Lovell Foundation, Praise Academy of Dance Barbados, ADL Adrenalin Dancer and Reactive Squad. There were also guest performances by members of Pearls Dance Academy and Louise Woodvine Dance Academy.

“Tonight is a showcase of the previous groups that have done well and we just brought them together to keep the momentum, to let them know that the Community Development [Department] is still interested in them and to let the public know that we are still interested in having the activity,” Hackett-Codrington said of the night’s Showcase.

Public officers are deserving of an increase in salaries and wages because they help to keep this country in good economic standing.

This was one of the points that was raised by the General Secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), Roslyn Smith as she addressed the media after a meeting with public officers on Monday evening at their headquarters.

She stated that this was done in spite of the fact that they had to operate with fewer workers after some of them were laid off and yet, they still managed to meet with goals that were set, which in itself is a good reason for them to get that increase in their salaries.

“The workers are of the view and most of the public officers know that they deserve a salaries increase because they have taken the brunt of the productivity because people believe that public officers are unproductive. But this country has been going on the backs of lesser workers because we had layoffs, yet still persons were still able to meet the targets and demands like that. So there is no reason to say that they don’t have justification in requesting a salary increase.”

In fact, if these public officers were to decide that they would stop working tomorrow, the country would see exactly how much of a contribution they really make to this country, said the General Secretary.

“If public officers do not drive the economy – obviously I am not seeing the private sector driving it – and yet still, they will complain and say that the public officers don’t work, they are lazy whatever. But if all of the public officers sit down one day, I will like to see what would happen to this country. You cannot keep beating on public officers. And we are saying no more. They deserve a wage increase and I am going to ensure that they do get a wage increase.”

Smith also voiced her disagreement with the former Prime Minister, Owen Arthur that now was not an ideal time to be asking for this wage increase.

“Honestly, what time would ever be a good time? You are getting the production, workers are working hard. They have been over-taxed. Okay. And they would have built or propped [up] the economy over the last five years. The Government – they have restored their ten per cent. It is not a salaries and wages agreement, but at least when they restored their ten per cent; they have ten per cent more to spend. Public officers do not have one per cent as yet. So it would be unreasonable to say that the public officers do not deserve a salaries and wages settlement and I believe that it is time that we go forward so that we can have the economy going again.” (PJT)

Plans for Agrofest at Queen’s Park are underway and James Paul, CEO of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) has assured despite the challenges in terms of the construction being carried out at the location, this should not significantly alter the experience of those attending the event.

Paul was speaking at the Agrofest 2017 Sponsors and Major Exhibitors meeting yesterday in the Spartan Pavilion in Queens Park. He warned the exhibitors, “We have some challenges this year but what we are going to do this year we are trying to keep the same template that we had in previous years, you should not see a lot of difference except they are areas we want to build on …”

He continued, “We are hoping this year to get more animal exhibits this year than last year, in that regard what we want to do is to make minimum adjustments that should not impact the overall layout.”

“Carifesta will be held July this year and we have been impacted because of the construction in the park that has reduced some of the space we have but we have come up with an alternative plan to compensate for that, it should not significantly alter the experience …”

The theme of Agrofest 2017 is ‘Agriculture – 50 years and beyond’ and will take place February 24, 25&26. Paul also thanked sponsors and exhibitors that have been integral in making Agrofest what it is over the years. He highlighted it is a mature event and the team attempts to keep it fresh.

The CEO added, “We are busy trying to ensure that the same level of participation on the part of schools that we normally get will continue, we recognize the challenges faced by the Transport Board , we have been busy making alternatives and we expect those should work …”

Friday is not closed for only schools, we welcome the general public, on Friday evening we have entertainment for adults such as karaoke, etc. . . .”

Theodore Fraser, Coordinator of Agrofest stressed that this year will be challenging due to construction etc. and he outlined that it is important that all exhibitors follow the guidelines throughout the course of the event.

He reminded the public Agrofest will be a smoke -free exhibition, as a result no sales or smoking of cigarettes or any other substance will be allowed in the park. (NB)

LEADER of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), Mia Mottley, is reiterating her party’s position on the provision of free education for Barbadians.

Speaking at a press conference in The City, last Saturday, Mottley stressed that the BLP stands for ensuring that “our people” have access to full education, and noted that her party will stand proud defending this right for Barbadians.

Mottley said no child in Barbados, whether poor or middle class, should be deprived of education.

She spoke passionately about a Combermere student who wants to become a physician, but his mother only works part-time, occasionally, and cannot afford to pay for him to pursue medical studies.

She noted that while there has been discussion about the introduction of means testing in Barbados, it should be considered that not all middle-class parents, though they may want their offspring to succeed, are financially able to pay the tuition fees for their children to get an education.

“Is that child now to suffer because he happens to come from a family who does not fall below the means test and they now, bright, and presumably living in a house that is middle class but can’t afford to go to university?

“Barbados is too small and if you sneeze in St. Lucy, you are going to catch a cold in St. Philip. We have to make sure that every child in this country, regardless of where they come from, has the ability to become the best that they can be,” Mottley said. (AH)

Amid an anticipated proliferation of investor demand in ground-mounted solar photovoltaic applications, the Barbados Renewable Energy Association (BREA) has reiterated a call for a speedier approach to approvals by the Town and Country Planning department.

President of the energy association, Aidan Rogers, applauded foreign and local investor interest in the expansion of the Renewable Energy sector, but cautioned against delays in processing of approvals.

“We are aware of instances in which some installers might not have been aware or fully compliant with the various requirements for obtaining approvals, but wish to reiterate a call made in June 2015 for the procedures for approval to be clear to all investors. There is a lot of education and understanding required on both sides and BREA has been pushing arduously for this, and is prepared to work in conjunction with the Chief Town Planner and his team in arriving at a more facilitating approval process consisting of publicly accessible guidelines for ground-mounted solar PV installations,” Rogers said in a media release.

The president went on to state that the BREA was keen to work with all parties and stakeholders to improve stakeholder understanding of the procedures required by the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department.

Williams Solar, a long-standing investor and advocate of local investment in the sector, last week complained of unfair treatment by the Town and Country Planning department, noting it had an outstanding application for a solar farm. The comments coincided with an announcement to the media from Deltro Group, a foreign company, that it had received approval for a 70-acre, 10 megawatt solar photovoltaic farm at Waterford. However, Chief Town Planner, Mark Cummins, said on Friday, that his office is yet to approve the solar farm, and disclosed that a decision on the initiative could come as early as this week.

Rogers said BREA has worked in the past with the Town and Country Planning department on an understanding of technical matters pertaining to rooftop solar PV installations and stood ready to deepen its relationship with the TCP and investors, both local and foreign. “The big picture is that Barbados needs to move speedily towards the creation of a 100% Renewable Energy island and the regulatory and licensing processes, which are the starting point for any investment, need to be understood by all and sundry for this to happen,” Rogers remarked.

The Barbados Renewable Energy Association is the island’s sole independent Renewable Energy non-governmental organisation with a mandate to assist in the development of the sector. (HH)

There are several skilled in-dividuals in Barbados who do not think that they are being engaged enough to push this country forward.

This is according to Chairperson of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Lynette Eastmond, as she assures Barbadians that this island’s newest political party will be embracing everyone.

“2017 is the year to shake off fear and to actively participate in this democracy,” she stressed.

“This is a political party that I am proud to say grew out of the movement that has been started by many Barbadians in exercising their rights and responsibility within a democracy.”

Eastmond, who was at the time addressing the recent launch of UPP, also explained that depending on who is placed in Parliament, will determine whether “the gifts” citizens always thought that they could give their children – access to education, access to health care – can continue.

“In my view, they can,” she stated. “The difficulty I believe Barbados has had is that we have not linked our education to a modern, new economy.

So the brightest and best in Barbados are still being trained to be employees; they are not being trained to be entrepreneurs. Their mindset is therefore not one of being an innovator. We need employers, we need individuals who are going to create intellectual property…”

She went on to highlight that one of the difficulties in recent years as Government increased taxes on Barbadians, is that there has been very little thought with regards to growth.

“Creating jobs… Looking for new avenues by which those several Barbadians whom we have educated, who are talented, can take those skills and talent and actually create new industries. And it will be our intention to focus on that.”

The Attorney-at-Law and former Senator and Minister further stressed the need to create new industries. According to her, the existing ones have served the country well, but need to be refreshed.

“Tourism needs to be refreshed. We have to look at agriculture, and make sure that agriculture is linked to health care. We have to ensure that our educational system is linked to these new industries which we will build. And it will be our intention, if given the opportunity, to allocate a substantial amount of money of our budget to de-veloping these new industries – which will be sustainable,” Eastmond said. (TL)