Opposition leader Mia Mottley is calling on Barbadians to make sacrifices, and come together as one for a better tomorrow.

Mottley told thousands that attended the Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) National Heroes Day picnic on Friday at the Ermine Bourne Highway, St Andrew, that it is only through making sacrifices that “we can become a better people”.
She reminded them that being a citizen of the country is not only about having rights, but also the responsibility to carry each other.

“If you see a person falter, hold them up. If you see someone living in poverty, understand that that may be their circumstances, but that is not their spirit.”

“And if you see our people sometimes doubting themselves, remind them that there is a better tomorrow and that you may weep at night, but joy cometh in the morning. And if we stay together as one, we shall remain focussed and ready,” Mottley said.

On another note, the Opposition stated that while some BLP supporters may believe that the party is ready to win the next election, “the only win we have here today is the wind in our sail and we thank God for that”.

“We will not have a win until the electoral officers on the night of the elections says it is a win. I ask you therefore, that until such time, do not be deluded by the numbers, do not be deluded by your good feelings, these things are important to give you courage to move to tomorrow, but they do not represent victory.”

“I ask that you remain focussed and remain ready, that we can come to a point where we can deliver, not victory, but a better tomorrow to the people of Barbados. A transformation that will make us believe that we can be the best the best that we can be in this country,” the fired up leader said.

Mottley noted that National Heroes Day will always be special to Barbadians, especially against the background that if former Premier Sir Grantley Adams did not pave the way for citizens to have the right to vote, there would have been no independence.

“If Sir Grantley did not give us the right to vote, we could not become free.

So it is right and fitting that we continue as a family to pay tribute to where it all started. These little children here must always remember that it wasn’t always so, but because we had a man who was a leader . ..”

“I say to you today that we understand that walk, and on a number of occasions I ask you to walk with us, because it is only in walking with us that the rest of the country understands that we shall not bow down, until this country again is on a path of growth and doing better for the people of Barbados,” she said. (AH)

The Youth Division of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth has programmes in place to aid youth in making that crucial transition from school to the workplace, and these programmes have been bearing fruit.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley acknowledged the above in a recent interview with The Barbados Advocate. Acknowledging Monday’s May Day celebrations, the focus of which will be on the productivity of workers and taking note of the need for school leavers to have a better fit in the working world, so they too can give or their best, Minister Lashley noted the ongoing work of the Youth Division to achieve this aim.

“We have a number of programmes in the Youth Division, that are designed to do that. We have a programme called Endless Possibilities, which is a training and mentorship and job placement programme which has really worked very well,” the Youth Minister noted.

“We certainly have been able to get on board in excess of 30 private sector partners. The intention of that programme is to give a second chance to those students who may have left school and may not have been at the level of qualification that would earn them a job, but we have worked with our private sector partners to place them in a period of mentorship, with a view to (fostering) their employment and that programme is still being executed,” Minister Lashley pointed out.

He also pointed to the Barbados Youth Service, which has a job placement component and also to the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme, noting, “We are very cognisant of the need to transition young people into the world of work and we have placed a lot of resources behind that, through our programmes in the Youth Division”.

The Youth Minister also highlighted the cultural industries and the opportunities there for school leavers to excel.

“Of course we have the creative industries as well, which is designed to not only speak of work but to empower Barbadian creatives to develop their own jobs, their own businesses and so on. So it’s a combination of not just them getting a job, but being able to form a business and to ensure that it can be sustainable,” he said.

“So I certainly would like to confirm and say that we have certainly placed a lot of resources behind the very important idea of ensuring that our young people can transition and they have responded very well and we will continue that effort,” he told this newspaper. (RSM)

If there was one act whose performance scored highly with the large crowd at Friday night’s Digicel Vintage Reggae Show and Dance, it was that of Shirley Stewart and The Escorts.

The six-member local group has not performed on a national stage for over 30 years and they made their return a memorable one. As the first performers to grace the stage following the disc jockeys’ set, they packed the right punch with hit after hit and took persons at Kensington Oval on a trip down memory lane.

Stewart, who was accompanied by Jack Lee as lead vocals, sang hits like “Six Pence”, “Sylvia’s Mother”, “Half Way To Paradise” and “Never Ending Love”. These and other classics transformed the cricket Mecca to a night club where dancing, singing and enjoying the performances were what patrons opted to do. Like fine silver, they polished off their segment with the classic, “Walk Away From Love” which was particularly welcomed by couples in the audience who held each other closely while dancing during the rendition.

Settling for close seconds in terms of crowd-pleasing performances were seasoned artistes Pluto Shervington and Flourgon. The former entertainer dusted off the classics and specially received loud cheers of approval from the audience when he treated them to songs like “Letter From Miami”, “Ram Goat Liver”, which is 43-years old and “Dancing Mood”.

The latter singer on the other hand opened his set on a high with songs such as “Bad Boy Tune” and “Big Batty Gal” which were well-received by crowd who showed there was no shortage of dance moves. Their enjoyment of his set however came to halt when equipment failure occurred.

The patient crowd then waited for roughly an hour before the situation was fixed. Giving reason for the break, master of ceremonies, Anthony “Admiral” Nelson explained that a massive power failure had destroyed the mixer board.

Flourgon upon his return to the stage blessed the proceeding with songs like “By The Rivers Of Babylon” and “Fly Away Home”. These too were well-received.

Also blessing the crowd through her performance was singer, Marcia Griffith. However, like the performances of Little John, Pinchers, Glen Washington and Erick Donaldson, she did not move the Bajan crowd that much.

Overall, if Friday’s Digicel Vintage Reggae Show and Dance had to be ranked out of ten it would score poorly. A plus however must be given to disc jockeys Dooley Unruley, Alvin Toppin, Lil Rick and Frogg who were able to whip up the crowd and have them in a dancing mood.

Kudos must especially be given to MC Admiral for his excellent crowd management during the unexpected break in the show. The second master of ceremonies on the night was Wayne “Cool” Simmons.

Invest in this country’s natural talent as this could be the gateway to the development of other sectors such as tourism and culture.

This was one of the key messages that the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley, gave to local and international delegates from the tourism and communications sectors who were in attendance at the public relations session of the Tourism Management Conference yesterday at Sandals Barbados.

He stated that if this country fails to invest in local talent, then there would be nothing to attract visitors as nowadays tourists are looking for more than the sun, sea and sand experience. “Of course we also need to utilize these very rich cultural products in the advancement of enhancing tourism and the potential of the development of tourism.…I think that you would agree with me that unless we invest in the preservation and protection of our cultural goods and services, then of course we have nothing to promote,” he said.

The Minister of Culture stated that in order to do this, stakeholders in these sectors must first identify the best in natural, indigenous talent and then form partnerships with the tourism sector. “These [natural talents] are very key in terms of how we can create that synergy and that connection in that what we produce in Barbados in terms of our cultural offerings is indigenous, must be unique and certainly must be marketable.”

He continued: “But in all of this we must be prepared, not only Government, [but] hoteliers and of course our cultural practitioners as well, we must be prepared to invest in our country’s natural talent. We speak of course of the highlight of that talent in recent times, which is Rihanna ...But the reality of course is that as a very small country, Barbados has so much undeveloped, raw, natural talent to the extent that I believe that we perhaps have many more Rihannas in Barbados than we actually know.”

Lashley added that if this is going to be achieved, then we must provide opportunities for these artists to showcase their talents to the rest of the world.
“The question is what are we doing about the development of this natural talent? How is that talent being developed to the benefit of Barbados and to the extent of course, that attractable of Barbados as a tourism destination? Of course we need to expose our talent to enable it to grow and develop. Each of these aspects entails sound and consistent consideration for investment.”

The time for pointing fingers as it relates to low productivity must come to an end, and a Cabinet Minister is suggesting that a strategic approach must be taken at the enterprise, sectoral and national level to resolve the problem.

Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development Minister, Senator Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo made the point as she spoke at the May Day Media Launch, held at Solidarity House. Referencing the theme of this year’s May Day celebrations – ‘A Productive People; A Productive Nation’, the Minister said that such a wide approach would ensure that the many issues associated with the problem of low productivity could be addressed.

She made the point while noting that the issue of low levels of productivity and low employee engagement is not unique to Barbados. In fact she went further, contending that the search for efficiency, effectiveness and delivering work in a timely and energy-efficient manner does not mean that Barbadians have to work harder, just smarter. She is contending that productivity is really about working smarter and utilising all the resources in the most efficient manner to attain the expected outcomes and high output.

With that in mind, the Labour Minister is urging the Productivity Council to enhance its work in the island’s schools, starting at the primary level to ensure that not only do the students understand what productivity is, but that they know how to achieve it.

“This is the next generation of workers and if we are hearing employers now complaining about productivity and low productivity, if we don’t tackle our students while there are still students our problem is going, not only to continue, but the problem is going to get worse. And the truth is you don’t have to use the word productivity… it is about the attitude that you bring to the work, about getting the work done and about taking pride in that work,” she added.

She also raised the issue of absenteeism, adding that while there are some people who miss work because they are genuinely ill, others are not. Also of concern, she lamented is the issue of presenteeism, where while the worker is present in the workplace, they are not functioning at optimum capacity.
“These are things we have to stamp out, not just by legislation, not just by changing the sick leave requirements and the national insurance, but it has to be a mindset and that is why I say to the Productivity Council, you have to work with the students as well, so we change the mindset,” she added.

With that in mind, she said that trade unions also have a duty to sensitise and educate the workers in productivity approaches. She said this is crucial, as sometimes efforts to improve productivity are sometimes seen by workers as “just another ploy by employers to push them harder”. But she is adamant there is a need for the unions to get their members to buy-in to the measures to improve performance and productivity in the workplace, so they do not see them as weapons to be feared, but tools that would ultimately benefit all in the organisation.

To the end, Minister Byer Suckoo maintained that productivity has to be given foremost importance as it is key to driving the nation and economy forward. (JRT)

Changes to the legislation governing the operations of the Central Bank of Barbados are not too far off.

This disclosure came yesterday morning by Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Christopher Sinckler, who indicated that his ministry is awaiting word from the legal drafters in the office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel, as one of the final steps before Government can take the bill to Parliament for approval.

He made the comments as he delivered remarks during a service held yesterday morning at the St. Michael’s Cathedral, where management, staff and well-wishers of the Central Bank gathered to commemorate the financial entity’s 45th anniversary. Sinckler further told the congregation, which included Governor General, Sir Elliott Belgrave and Acting Governor of the Central Bank, Cleviston Haynes, that the proposed new Central Bank Act is not designed to “discombobulate” the excellent manner in which the Bank has operated over the last 45 years, but he said, to ensure that the country’s chief monetary authority continues to give more of that outstanding service going forward.

The Finance Minister made the point while noting that the process of drafting the changes has been four years in the making, and is closer now to becoming a reality.

“Changes to its governance, to its financial supervisory role will become a part of the new transformed Central Bank as we move into the future and equip the organisation with the tools necessary to be able to take on many of the modern things that have emerged, both in terms of the financial sector in the economy and of course the society as a whole,” he said.

To that end, Minister Sinckler contended that the changes are needed to ensure that the rest of the world does not move ahead and leave our Central Bank behind. With that in mind, he noted that in the coming weeks and months ahead, as the Bank undergoes organisational renewal and periods of transitions, as it is experiencing now, it is important to recognise that there are opportunities to be grasped and new systems to be introduced to make the institution better.

“This will only be achieved, if it continues as an organisation to be inclusive, to be transparent and to involve all persons in the changing use of that programme,” he stated. (JRT)

THE Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is ready, willing, able and determined to carry on governing this country after the next general election.

This is the assurance of the Party’s President and Prime Minister of Barbados, the Rt. Hon Freundel Stuart.

Addressing the DLP’s 62nd Anniversary Gala and Awards ceremony on Saturday night, he made it clear that this will not be done by the practice of any conjuring tricks.

“We don’t have to lie to the population. We don’t need all the tactics that I see being played out from other quarters,” he pointed out.

“All we need to do is to tell the people of Barbados the facts about the record of the Democratic Labour Party. Because facts have their own power and when you are confronted with lies and distortion – the most powerful weapon against lies and against distortion is the truth. The most powerful weapon is a fact and that is what we have been doing in the Democratic Labour Party.”

The Prime Minister admitted to the full house gathered at the DLP’s George Street Headquarters that his administration has faced challenges ever since being in office.

However, he reminded them that those challenges did not prevent them from passing the Employment Rights Act; as well as passing the Cultural Industries Act, opening a new sector for Barbados to earn foreign exchange and to find outlets for the talents of its young people.

“And we have kept Barbados stable,” he said.

Prime Minister Stuart went onto explain that on the April 27, 1955, when the Democratic Labour Party was formed, the world was a completely different place. He also observed that when Barbados became independent in 1966 after being a colony of Great Britain for 339 years, it had a lot of catching up to do.

“All of the colonies in the Caribbean, all the English- and Spanish-speaking colonies – whether your colonial master was English, Spanish or Portuguese – when you got your independence you had a lot of catching up to do because at the heart of colonialism, at the heart of being a colony, was the fact that your colonial masters used you to promote their interests and in the process subordinated yours.”

According to him, Barbados therefore had to launch a serious attack on education, health, housing, social protection, land reform and law reform – all matters which are still being fought in 2017.

“Because you cannot undo what it took 339 years to create in just 50 years. That is why our patterns of public expenditure are what they are. That is why we spend so much money on education, health, housing, land reform and law reform.

“So, when you hear the protests from our critics that we have to try and get the economy right and the only way to get it right is to cut the expenditure – understand what expenditure they are talking about. They want expenditure cut on education, health, public transport, housing…,” he remarked.

“Practically every single English-speaking Caribbean country is waging the same battles which we here in Barbados have been waging, because we all have inherited the same set of conditions just with varying degrees of intensity.” (TL)

Barbados should consider further developing its medical tourism niche, with aid from China.

This suggestion has been put forward by Dr. Shiqiao Luo, Director of the eight-member Chinese medical team that is currently operating at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, due to an agreement established between the Barbados government and the People’s Republic of China.

Acknowledging the areas of expertise from which the QEH has been able to benefit thus far, as a result of the work of the team, Dr. Luo suggested that there is potential to further deepen the cooperation between the two countries, by allowing Chinese medical experts to aid Barbados in developing itself as a medical tourism destination.

“If you look beyond the horizon, you can find greater potential [to develop] the cooperation between the two sides. From my point of view, I think we can turn... Barbados’ health care institution, the QEH, into a medical tourism destination, [and you can benefit from] our expertise, our equipment from China,” Dr. Luo recently commented.

Minister of Health John Boyce meanwhile noted that, “the question of developing medical tourism opportunities has been around for some time.”

He went further to point out that the Ministry of Health has had many visits from investors, who want to look at different areas in Barbados, “where there are opportunities for this medical tourism to roll out, and in terms of medical tourism successes, one can look at the success and growth of the Barbados Fertility Centre in Hastings Christ Church,” Boyce stated, noting that this is a good example to draw from.

Acknowledging that he is aware that investors will look for areas where they can make the greatest return, he however stressed that the area of medical tourism is something that continues to be supported by the Government of Barbados and the Ministry of Health, even though government’s primary remit, is to deliver health care first and foremost to Barbadians. (RSM)

Barbados should consider further developing its medical tourism niche, with aid from China.

This suggestion has been put forward by Dr. Shiqiao Luo, Director of the eight-member Chinese medical team that is currently operating at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, due to an agreement established between the Barbados government and the People’s Republic of China.

Acknowledging the areas of expertise from which the QEH has been able to benefit thus far, as a result of the work of the team, Dr. Luo suggested that there is potential to further deepen the cooperation between the two countries, by allowing Chinese medical experts to aid Barbados in developing itself as a medical tourism destination.

“If you look beyond the horizon, you can find greater potential [to develop] the cooperation between the two sides. From my point of view, I think we can turn... Barbados’ health care institution, the QEH, into a medical tourism destination, [and you can benefit from] our expertise, our equipment from China,” Dr. Luo recently commented.

Minister of Health John Boyce meanwhile noted that, “the question of developing medical tourism opportunities has been around for some time.”

He went further to point out that the Ministry of Health has had many visits from investors, who want to look at different areas in Barbados, “where there are opportunities for this medical tourism to roll out, and in terms of medical tourism successes, one can look at the success and growth of the Barbados Fertility Centre in Hastings Christ Church,” Boyce stated, noting that this is a good example to draw from.

Acknowledging that he is aware that investors will look for areas where they can make the greatest return, he however stressed that the area of medical tourism is something that continues to be supported by the Government of Barbados and the Ministry of Health, even though government’s primary remit, is to deliver health care first and foremost to Barbadians. (RSM)

The Central Bank of Barbados remains focused on making its institution a top class entity in Barbados and the wider region.

So says Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, Cleviston Haynes, who also told the congregation at St. Michael’s Cathedral, where the Bank held its 45th Anniversary Service, that their goal has been and continues to be, a model of excellence for central banks globally. In fact, he gave the assurance that the management of the institution during this tough economic period, is also committed to safeguarding the Bank’s reputation, not only of excellence, but of stability.

Moreover, adding that they are thankful for the trust and support of the public which, he noted, has come to expect independent analysis, thought and action from the Bank; he said it is their aim to repay that trust. “As we strive to fulfil our objective we urge you to have a quiet word with us if you think that our standards in efficiency or customer care, fall short of your expectations. We’re in a period of transition, which provides an opportunity for recommitment and an opportunity to look ahead to the future,” he said.

Haynes admitted that some of the work that the Bank does, seems to be wrapped in mystery, and is not fully understood, and as such, he said much of this year’s anniversary celebrations will be focused on changing that.

Meanwhile, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Christopher Sinckler said, looking back on the 45 years of service from the Central Bank, that one would recognise its capacity to act responsibly and he has congratulated the past governors of the Bank, as well as past and present staff for their efforts in that regard.

“I believe we have an institution of which we can be justifiably proud. Now the difficulties that we as countries face, not just Barbados – all over the world – of managing processes of economy and society, grow exponentially on the challenges and the things which happen on a day to day basis to us. However once we have good institutions, strong institutions with a resolute culture of excellence, we feel reasonably assured in our minds that with God’s assistance and with the cooperation of all of us, we can overcome any challenge which is facing us,” he said.

Sinckler added, “Like any other institution, the Central Bank has its challenges, it is not devoid of the innate stresses and strains of any institution, but the hallmark of excellence and dedication and commitment of any institution and its leadership, is how it fixes the challenges”.

The Central Bank, he said, has demonstrated it is fair, and resolute in its regulation and supervision; it is consultative and cooperative in its interventions and most of all, he said, it is caring about what happens to Barbados and its people.
As such, he is adamant that even in these difficult economic times we must not lose sight of the fact that the Central Bank is an institution which has demonstrated that its capacity for research, regulation and supervision and counsel on matters of an economic and financial nature, is of such an exemplary quality that the country can feel assured that we can triumph over any challenge that we encounter.

With that in mind, he also expressed his appreciation to the Central Bank for the help it has offered successive governments in helping to developing a strong economy in this nation. (JRT)

President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), Akanni McDowall, strongly believes that there really cannot be any growth without a salary increase for public servants.

“I think that the two go hand in hand,” he stressed, while observing this year’s Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) May Day celebrations theme, “A Productive People, A Productive Nation”, yesterday.

“Productivity usually cannot be spoken about in isolation, it has to be spoken within context. And if you are going to talk about increasing the level of productivity within the public service and the private sector, then you must also speak about the fact that public servants have not received a salary increase in almost a decade,” he stated.

McDowall, who continues to push for a 23 per cent pay increase, revealed that while meeting with government officials two weeks ago, NUPW was able to prove that the Government could indeed afford a salary increase.

“It is just up to the Government to show the will to pay public servants a salary increase,” he pointed out.

“We started at 23 per cent and we would have been able to show that the Government can afford 23 per cent. The Government would have started at zero and we tend to meet somewhere in the middle. So, I am hoping that if the Government doesn’t agree on the 23 per cent at least the public servants would receive an increase that is as close as possible to that figure,” he said.

The NUPW president also admitted that it will be a long process, explaining, “We have negotiations, then we have to put it in writing and the Government has to write back and then we have to meet. Therefore, it is a very long process so I would not want to give a time of our next meeting – but it has to be sooner rather than later. Workers are suffering.”

“It is really difficult for people to live during these difficult economic times, especially since they would not have received a salary increase in almost a decade… So people are finding it difficult to go about their day-to-day activities simply because they do not have enough money,” he pointed out. (TL)

A local businessman is contending that Barbados must go back to offering free tertiary education.

Delivering the 11th Ermine Holmes Memorial Lecture on the topic, ‘Investing in Barbados’, at the St. George Secondary School on Sunday evening, Immediate Past Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA), Alex McDonald, maintained that “plan one” of the investment portfolio for Barbados must be to rethink how we can better maintain our promise of free three-level public education, while not wrecking the economy.

“It can be done and in fact it must be done,” he contended.

With that in mind, and noting that education is the foundation on which this society is based, McDonald said that free, at the point of access, tertiary education is critical to the country’s continued development. Starting academic year 2014-15, Barbadian students enrolling in the University of the West Indies (UWI) have been required to pay tuition fees, accounting for 20 per cent of the cost of the programme, while Government continues to pay the 80 per cent, referred to as the economic costs. The former BPSA head is suggesting however, that some steps must be taken to ensure that should Government recommit to paying the entire cost of the programme, its decision is not short-lived.

To that end, he is calling for increased matriculation standards for entry to UWI and for Government to invest in a first degree for all who make that standard. However, he maintained that persons pursuing such programmes will have to complete the degree in no more than four years. Additionally, the businessman proposed that “deep credit analysis” of the UWI’s offerings should be undertaken, with the view to rationalising courses and matching those courses to national development goals.

McDonald’s comments came as he suggested that getting the public’s buy-in would not be a hard sell, as Barbadians have always paid for tertiary education through taxation. He explained that it has long been understood that in respect of education, the Peter and Paul Principle pertained, and he maintained that while finding the funds to support tertiary level education has become hard, this predicament is the result of poor choice making and weak governance, at the level of successive government policy making and the UWI management.

“If governing policy ring-fenced or isolated education, being one of the sacred cows of development in this island, better and different decisions about spending choices, ought to have been made. Similarly, if the UWI was cautioned about its capital spending and fiscal campus improvement plans, along with a cautionary warning about matriculation standards we would not have had the perfect storm of economic crisis, weak policies and spending that brought us here,” he surmised. (JRT)

David Denny of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration is of the view that a visit to the Clement Payne Memorial bust should have been included in yesterday’s May Day celebrations.

He expressed this while speaking to the media in Golden Square, The City where the bust of the National Hero and pioneer of the trade union movement is located. It was there the Movement conducted its inaugural flower-laying ceremony.

“It is a mistake for us in Barbados to have today as our Labour Day and for us to just bypass Clement Payne... It all started here and this is the stomping ground of the Labour Movement in Barbados. So at least the leadership of the Trade Union Movement, the major trade union, should at least be coming here today and to pay some kind of respect to those leaders who would come out of the 1937 period.”

Denny also used the occasion to call for Israel Lovell and Nanny Grigg to be given National Hero status. He stated this while adding that the Movement does not object to Wynter Crawford and Atholl Edwin Seymour Lewis, who was affectionately known as T.T. Lewis, also being afforded this status.

“We want to join the discussion in relation to the whole idea of National Heroes. While we do not object to T.T. Lewis as a National Hero and Wynter Crawford, we want to put forward a proposal that Israel Lovell and Nanny Grigg be recognised as our National Heroes. Because Israel Lovell would have played a leading role in that 1937 period and when you get to know more about Israel Lovell, Israel Lovell was that trade union leader, that Garveyite who would have led most of the working-class struggle and who would have held most of his public meetings right here on this square, which is called Golden Square.” (MG)

A representative of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration is “not happy” with the upkeep of Golden Square in The City.

Speaking to the media at this location yesterday, David Denny shared that prior to the day’s flower-laying ceremony, when he visited the location he had to do some tidying.

“I am not happy because yesterday [Sunday] when I came here I had to move a whole set of bottles and different things from around here, so it would look presentable for today.”

Denny went on to explain that the “Clement Payne Movement donated the [Clement Payne Memorial] bust [found in the Square] to the Government”. He further said that the space is “governed and managed by the National Conservation Commission (NCC), they are the ones who are responsible for this area”. He therefore called on this state agency to treat the bust and the location in higher regard.

“I think the Government should treat this bust like any other bust. For instance, if you go by Lord Nelson, Lord Nelson is properly taken care of. So that if the Government is responsible for here, then the Government has a duty to take full responsibility for this park and to make sure that it is properly maintained like any other bust in Barbados.”

The Square, which is situated behind the former National Insurance building on Fairchild Street, is the location of the Clement Payne Memorial bust and the Monument to the Martyrs of 1937. Each year, members of the Clement Payne Movement conduct a flower-laying ceremony at The City site in observance of the Day of National Significance.

This is the first occasion the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration has done a flower-laying ceremony in Golden Square to mark May 1, which is celebrated as May Day or Labour Day. (MG)

THE Barbados Workers’ Union’s focus on productivity was embraced by hundreds of workers who took to the streets for the annual May Day march, yesterday.

Led by the Barbados Cadet Corps band, workers from both the public and private sectors united under the theme “A Productive People, A Productive Nation”, as they journeyed from the Garrison Savannah, through Dalkeith, then onto Culloden Road, St. Michael.

At Culloden Road, Minister of Labour Senator Dr. Esther Byer-Suckoo; former Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) General Secretary Sir Roy Trotman, his successor Toni Moore, and President General of the BWU, Linda Brooks, were among those who paid their respects and laid wreaths at the statue of Trade Union Legend and National Hero, Sir Frank Walcott, located on the grounds of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

The Reverend Joseph King led the brief ceremony acknowledging the contribution of the Barbados Workers’ Union as “an agency of further enfranchisement of the masses in the social, political and economic transformation of this society”.

The march climaxed at Browne’s Beach for the signing of the Productivity Pledge by the island’s Trade Unions and the Productivity Council. BWU Senior Assistant General Secretary, Orlando ‘Gabby’ Scott, who served as co-ordinator for the May Day celebrations, described the pledge as “significant”.

“It is going to be significant because sometimes the Labour Movement has been criticised really unfairly, but are really actually one of the groups that started the Productivity Council… We are going to show all Barbadians that the Trade Union Movement in Barbados is together and that we are going to work with the public and private sectors to drive productivity. Because if you do not do that, we can’t extricate Barbados from the difficulty that it is currently in.”

Scott also expressed his satisfaction with this year’s turnout, which he said was larger than 2016. He also welcomed back the Massy Group, which had pulled out of the march because of disruptions from individuals invading the parade. (TL)

THE discussion on productivity is one that is done very much in isolation and as a result, it does not take into account certain types of workers.

This was one of the points brought forth by President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), Akanni McDowall, as he delivered remarks yesterday at Browne’s Beach to mark May Day celebrations.

“The NUPW is certainly supportive of all efforts to make the public sector as efficient as possible. However, we find that the discussion about productivity is done very much in isolation, as it does not take into account the plight of temporary public servants who wait upwards to three months to be paid; the many public servants who have not been appointed or even given an opportunity to act in higher positions; the public servants who are being asked to revert to their substantive post because of the new qualification order; and the public servants who have not received a salary increase in almost a decade.”

He stated that this is because in the public sector, a top-down approach is still very much in effect and therefore, not all of the affected stakeholders are involved in those discussions.

“In the public service, a top-down approach is still very much being used, hence the operational core of departments are not involved in the discussion of the goals and objectives or the planning of activities.”

In addition, there is very little research relating to the productivity levels for persons in the public sector in comparison to those in the private sector. More effective
research must be done in this regard.

“Furthermore, there is limited research of productivity levels in the public sector as compared to the private sector. Therefore, it highlights the need for research on productivity levels in the public sector, which would of course mean improvements in the data collection methods. Nonetheless, we believe that public servants have been more productive since thousands of public servants were retrenched, yet Government is still able to receive the same level of output.”

McDowall also stated that these discussions have to include all of the obstacles that are present in the workforce.

“The discussion, therefore, has to include all the factors that influence and impact workers’ ability to be productive. Many challenges lay ahead of us. We have an ageing population and increasing dependency ratios. We therefore need greater output per worker to sustain the ageing population. Also, with globalization, there is a need to reduce cost and hence, increase productivity.”

Journalists in Barbados are being asked to act responsibly when reporting on issues that affect the country’s image.

Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss, said what has been happening in Barbados today, is that some media houses have been highlighting bad news, without first checking the facts.

He also charged that the media had been disseminating information to the public from international rating agencies without checking the authenticity of the report, or the credentials of those who are presenting it.

“But what happens, you get on the front page of the papers, online, or otherwise, things that people say about Barbados and you run with it as though it is gospel.

“And then you have a few individuals who really don’t give a damn about this country or the Government, and who believe that the best thing that they can achieve is to see the back of Democratic Labour Party,” Inniss said.

As DLP supporters who attended the party’s third FACTS conference at Belfield Resource Centre, Black Rock, St. Michael, on Sunday evening, applauded Inniss for the tongue-lashing he was giving the media, the outspoken Minister reminded journalists that they “are all are Barbadians and your country must come first and foremost”.

“It becomes the talking point of the call-in programmes. It becomes the talking point of social media, and then the whole country then, gets caught up in an atmosphere of negativity. I am not going to call the name of any journalist, or any media house, I am speaking what I consider facts,” he said.

The Minister said he was aware that members of the media must do their jobs. He also said he believes in the independence of the media and that not only favourable things about the Government should be reported.

“I want to talk to the media persons present here today, because you are not doing your own country that you were born in, any service at all. I don’t care if you don’t like Donville Inniss.

“I don’t care if you don’t like [Prime Minister] Freundel Stuart. I don’t care if you don’t like the Democratic Labour Party, but I say to you as journalists, that you have a duty to act more responsibly,” he said. (AH)

At a time when the citizens of Barbados need them the most, the Government of Barbados has failed to demonstrate leadership.

These were some of the strong words that the General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU), Toni Moore, gave as she delivered a fiery speech yesterday at Brownes’ Beach to mark May Day celebrations.

She stated that her union believes in giving everyone in this country equal opportunities to succeed, which is not only financially viable, but also morally important. However, there seems to be this practice going on where a privileged few are given a “leg up”, which is a scary thing to occur during an economically challenging period.

“So, what must workers stand for? We believe that giving everyone a fair opportunity to thrive and prosper is not only an economic necessity but it is a moral imperative. It is therefore scary when especially in challenging times, economic forces seem to be positive only in the direction of a privileged few.”

She further stated that the union is often pounced upon as being the enemies, but the real enemies are the enemies of democracy as evidenced in some sectors of Barbadian society. “Dare we speak out against the inequity even on the basis of verifying the environmental integrity of decisions; we are deemed ‘enemies of the state’. Brothers and sisters, the enemy that we must beware of is the enemy of our democracy, that which wishes to tell us that we can’t see wrong and speak about it for fear of recrimination. So, we must see backdoor methods being adopted in hotel construction, and for instance, in approvals to establish a new berth and to introduce an unfamiliar approach in the Port that seeks to deny port work for port workers and shhhh… we must not speak up and become enemies of the state. We must know that at the Transport Board there is a deliberate ploy to run down the fleet of buses to make way for a new system to be justified, but I can’t say that because I am a friend of the state.”

Therefore, Moore stated that she would not apologise for speaking out on what she believes are the injustices where public servants are being expected to make the sacrifices, but those in power are not making the same sacrifices.

“So, we will not apologise to the leaders or as Sir Frank would have said, ‘the creatures of Government’ when we challenge that the Government of Barbados has failed to demonstrate leadership.

“In fact, at a time when the financial suffering is greater than it was three years ago and at a time when at every turn, we are hearing about big and bitter pills to be swallowed; one must wonder how in the name of conscience could a fair and caring government decide to restore themselves and expect public servants to continue to restrain themselves?”

Like the song says, it was hit after hit after hit when the curtains came down with Digicel’s Reggae on the Hill on Sunday.

With thousands of music lovers making the trip to Farley Hill and grabbing every possible vantage point, they were surely not disappointed with the five headliners of the show.

The local artistes also had their time on stage as they were mixed between the overseas guests.

Sanchez rocked the crowd and got them in the mood with his silky smooth voice and range as he serenaded the crowd.

The pace started to pick up with Spragga Benz and then Popcaan added more fuel to the fire that was burning on “The Hill”.

Moving through the years of his career Popcaan had the crowd singing along as well.

Cocoa Tea brought the crowd back down to a simmer with his slower songs before Capleton erupted with his high energy entrance.

The “Fireman” was jumping in the air and singing as he opened with one of his mega hits “The day will come”. Also hitting the stage was Jahmiel, EZB, Fully Loaded and Buggy, Triple X. (CG)

Parents must work alongside teachers to ensure that asthma is better managed in schools and students can have more favourable outcomes.

President of the Asthma Association of Barbados, Rosita Pollard pointed out the above yesterday, as the Association celebrated World Asthma Day with a few activities at its office, located at Shop #3 Tyrol Cot Heritage Village, Codrington Hill, St. Michael.

Pollard stressed that it is important that school personnel have a full understanding of asthma and how it can affect children, so as to reduce the fear and helplessness that often accompanies an asthmatic episode. Parents of asthmatic children should also be encouraged to discuss this chronic respiratory medical condition with the teachers, the principal and the school nurse if one is available and there should be written guidelines and an action plan on the steps to take if a student shows signs of having an asthma attack, such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness.

“In schools, a lot of people don’t know what to do. Teachers don’t know what to do. So, first of all, when the students are going into school, the parents have to give the teachers and the principals a written (description) of what medical problems the children have, so that the teachers can know. The teachers also have to be educated about asthma. They should have a written plan as to how to manage a student if there is an attack,” Pollard noted.

If a child suffers an asthma attack in school, Pollard said, the most important thing is for everyone to remain calm, as stress and anxiety can make the attack worse. Teachers should be on the alert for warning signs so that the child can be instructed to rest and start early treatment, she also stated.

“Make sure the environment surrounding the child is free of irritants,” she also cautioned.

If the child takes asthma medication via an inhaler and the child’s condition does not improve, Pollard noted that parents should be contacted right away to determine if medical assistance is required. She meanwhile stressed that medical assistance must be sought, in cases where the symptoms including wheezing, shortness of breath and coughing get worse, the child appears to be struggling to talk, walk or breathe, is hunched over and is sucking in their chest and neck muscles in order to breathe, the child’s lips and fingernails turn grey or blue and there is profuse sweating, as it then becomes a medical emergency.