THE increased demand for day care places across the island for children is being addressed.

According to Senator Harcourt Husbands, one of the weaknesses in Barbados’ educational system for a long time, under both political parties, was a shortage of spaces in the nursery schools.

“When we reported to UNESCO every year or every two years about our progress, the weakness that we always reported was that there were not enough places in early childhood education to cater to everybody.”

The Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education said that with the development of the Maria Holder Nurseries at Sharon, Gall Hill, Oldbury; Thelma Berry in St. David’s; the Olga Miller Nursery in Six Roads; and with three more on the way, government would have solved that problem.

“Once the other schools are completed in conjunction with the private sector, any child who needs access to education at this early stage – there will be a place for them.”

The Senator, who was at the time addressing the delivery of the Astor B. Watts Lunchtime Lecture Series on Friday at the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Headquarters, admitted that facilitating the expansion of the provision of Early Childhood Education would not have been possible with the generous assistance of The Maria Holder Memorial Trust.

“Fortunately for us, The Maria Holder Memorial Trust has helped tremendously. Without them, we would not have been able to go as quickly as we have gone,” he expressed.

“The Trust has built the schools and the government is running them, so they are government institutions. Without the Trust, we would not have been able to make the great lap that we have made.”

Senator Husbands further revealed that all teachers within the nursery schools are specially trained. “You can’t get a job in these schools unless you have at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and training is done in conjunction with a Canadian and an American University. Also, many of those teachers are going to the Masters level – we have set the standard.” (TL)

Ensuring that an organization has a positive health and safety record and that it has as few accidents and incidents as possible on its grounds, involves more than just purchasing health and safety gear.

This is according to Senior Consultant, REA Envirohealth International, Harold Oxley, who made this clear as he spoke to the Barbados Advocate recently on the sidelines of a seminar marking the International Labour Organization’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work.

Oxley further stated that costs of safety equipment is not a true indicator of the success of safety programmes for management. “The idea of costs associated with health and safety always comes up and many people’s idea of health and safety is the buying of safety equipment … and if health and safety gets involved in buying things, then you are obviously going to have an expense, you are not really seeing the deterrent and many health and safety officers and HR personnel who are pushing health and safety are then challenged by management to show the payback and they have a hard time showing it because they do not have proper indicators,” he said.

Therefore, these organizations must spend money on training their employees on proper health and safety practices, for instance, which would then translate into a safer work environment which you would then be able to prove to management.

“What we are looking at are some of the ways of calculating the true position so that you can see the benefits of what is going on (and) the investments that are being made … If the only thing that you are looking at is the number of accidents – you had three last year and two this year – it looks as if you are making progress, but if you had other ways of measuring that progress, some other more positive indicators like training and so on as well as a way of translating the accidents, incidents and the property damage also into money, then you can show that even though you may have had one accident,, you may had saved a whole lot in terms of property damage and therefore there is still some payback in terms of investment in health and safety.” (PJT)

THE doors of the historic Colleton Great House, St Peter, have been opened to locals who want to experience the unique opportunity of exploring one of Barbados’ heritage sites, through a staycation.

Owner Garry Burke told the Barbados Advocate during a recent exclusive interview at the property, that while tourists have been coming from all over the world to enjoy the listed historic house, which is set in seven acres of secluded tropical gardens on the West Coast, he has decided to give Barbadians the same opportunity.

The Great House is being launched into the local market, through the Barbados Museum and Historical Society and the Barbados National Trust, “because we think it would appeal to people who have an interest in historical houses and, also it’s an opportunity for them [Barbados Museum and National Trust], to get an enhanced cash stream running to their organisations”.

“I think Barbados has got a lot of opportunities to develop its historical tourism, which is what we are trying to do. I must say that we are getting enormous support from the Barbados Tourism Marketing Authority; they have been very enthusiastic and very helpful to us,” he said.

“I think the local market has perhaps been dominated by sand and surf which is a beautiful thing and it has been very successful for Barbados. But, I think there is a wealth of history in Barbados, particularly relative to the colonisation of the Carolinas,” the owner added.

With foundations laid in 1652, the Colleton Estate features a grand two-storey, five bedroom, plantation-style home and in-ground pool.

In addition to the main house, the estate includes a two-bedroom guest cottage and an historic stables presently being used as a private art gallery.
Colleton, which is filled with fabulous artwork from the 16th to 19th century, Persian rugs, elegant furniture pieces and art glass, was built by Sir John Colleton in the 1650’s.

Sir John was a sugar baron who headed up a group to which King Charles 11 gave North and South Carolina and all the land to the Pacific Ocean.
Burke said, while the property which was recently re-opened to the public as an historic guest house is limited in the number of rooms available, an expansion project is currently taking place.

“By the end of the year, I think we are going to have a 100 percent increase in our occupancy. And after that, I think it’s a matter of what the market demands. If the market likes it, then we’ll keep expanding.

“If the market doesn’t like it, then we will thread where we are. But from all indications we have got at the moment, the market is very good.
“We are getting a lot of bookings, and the reason for that is that the prices are cheap and the prices will continue to be cheap, until the market tells us that the prices can go up. But probably for the next twelve months, we are going to be a very economical place to stay,” Burke, who is very excited about the project explained.

Recently, Minister of Tourism, Richard Sealy, called on Barbadians to embrace the country’s heritage sites that have significant benefits for the tourism sector.

Director of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, Alissandra Cummins, who was experiencing a stay at the Great House, at the time the interview was conducted, noted that while there are a number of historic plantation houses across the island, opened for viewing, there are a number of unique features to Colleton.

She said, making the property accessible to Barbadians, is a project which she looking forward to seeing being rolled out in coming weeks.

“There are a number of properties that are marketed as historic houses. Yes, Barbadians can pay and go and enter these. So, what is different here, however, is that Barbadians are being given the unique opportunity to come and experience for themselves, how it feels to be in a space like this. That is not on offer on any of the other historic houses and I think that is a great plus for Colleton,” she explained.

Cummins indicated that Barbadians staying at the Great House will afford them the opportunity to have a greater understanding of who they are, which is very difficult to achieve through history books of lectures.

The Director stressed that only through encountering objects, and being in spaces, that people get a sense of where they came from.

She also expressed that historic buildings can tend to feel very remote, to ordinary Barbadians, but, when given the opportunity to visit the locations, they are given new perspectives.

“Yes, this house was built on the back of slavery, this was a plantation, and this is where this connection between European and African was made in the first instance.

“But we think, this house also tells the other story some may miss and that is Barbadians in Panama, coming back into their countries in the 1940’s, 1950’s and owning a property like this. We would encourage Barbadians to come and explore this history on both ends of the scale,” Cummins said.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Food and Nutrition Department has achieved Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification.

During the evening of Celebration, Recognition and Reward to commemorate the Department’s achievement, Chief Executive Officer of the island’s main medical institution, Dr. Dexter James, outlined that the goal of the HACCP
system is to prevent the occurrence of potential food safety problems.

“The Food Services department has satisfied all of the non-conformances and will be awarded the prestigious internationally recognised HACCP credentials signalling the attainment of international acceptability in safe food production and management system,” he said.

The accreditation process consisted of training staff in food safety and good hygiene practices, sanitation, critical control point monitoring, and a general food and safety course; a two phase refurbishment of the hospital’s kitchen quarters, which consisted of an upgrade of the facilities and the purchase and commissioning of new equipment; and the development and attainment of 60 standard operating procedures.

Commending all of those who put in the work to see the process come to fruition in just under a year, he emphasised the fact that any credentialing programme must be seen as a journey and not a destination.

“The leadership of the department is now charged with the responsibility to ensure that standard operating procedures and good practices are adhered to and preserved. Guard your turf; embrace the change; nurture, build, protect and sustain the gains as part of continuous improvements to food services operations; maintain a supportive work environment. These are necessary conditions to sustaining the HACCP certification,” he stressed to the applause of those gathered at Almond Bay, Hastings, on Saturday night. (JMB)

Barbados is blessed with several unsung heroes within the tourism industry.

One such hero is Nadeen Sandiford. This unassuming hotel worker was recently honoured by Dover Beach Hotel, on the occasion of her official retirement from the hotel after 40 years of unbroken and dedicated service.

Sandiford started at Dover Beach back when Jeff Kinch, the owner, opened its doors in 1977. She started her tenure as a room attendant and retired as housekeeper.

Her service did not end there, however. She has been an ambassador to the hotel and Barbados, and over the years was a key influencer of the many repeat guests coming to the hotel. Sandiford made it a habit to expose guests to
authentic Barbadian experiences such as bringing them homemade cou cou and flying fish, and inviting and taking them to her church and other local activities. These invaluable connections developed solid relationships over the years and left heartfelt impressions on guests, who responded by seeking her out when they visited.

CEO of Dover Beach, Adua Kinch, in her presentation at the retirement event in honour of Sandiford said, “Nadeen has been part of the Kinch family from the time my father opened these doors and she is our queen, performing way beyond the call of duty to make our guests feel like family, and for the pure joy of loving her job and our guests. This is an extraordinary woman, who gave extraordinary service to this hotel and we are very fortunate to have had her on our team for the last forty years. We wish her an enjoyable retirement.”

The Immigration Department should be moving into a new headquarters in the not too distant future.

That is according to Senator Darcy Boyce, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, who has responsibility for Immigration. Addressing participants of the Joint National Border Security Training Workshop for Immigration and Customs Officers at the Barbados Defence Force yesterday morning, hosted by the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security, the European Union and the United States Customs and Border Protection, Senator Boyce, assuring the immigration officials present that providing them with a comfortable working environment remains a priority for Government, indicated that work on their new home, to be located at the Princess Alice Corporate Centre, is at an advanced stage. He added that the work is expected to be complete by August this year, and is being facilitated through funding from the Caribbean Development Bank.

The new Immigration Headquarters will feature enhanced security protocol and facilities; all new furnishings; external door and windows to be impact resistant up to a Category 3 hurricane; covered reserved parking spaces for staff; onsite high density storage facilities; LED lighting throughout; and integrated indoor air quality monitoring units,” he informed the gathering.

Boyce further disclosed that in addition to the provision of the new headquarters, work is ongoing to improve the information and communication technology systems and to convert the paper files to digital systems to improve processing, improve communications with other agencies, and improve data sharing. He indicated that quite a bit of work has also already been concluded, with the assistance of Compete Caribbean on the development of procedures manuals for the Immigration Department, to ensure certainty and consistency of procedures in all matters.

“We are also working on reviews of immigration policy in several areas and expect that the results of these policy reviews will be shared before the end of this year. Effort is also being directed to developing time standards for processing various matters,” he added.

The Immigration Minister further stated that once all that work has been completed, the policies, procedures and expected time standards will be published. His comments came as he said that they will also move to publish immigration statistics in all areas on a regular monthly or quarterly basis as necessary. (JRT)

There is not enough action coming out of Social Partnership meetings.

Admitting the importance of such fora, President of the Barbados Employers’ Confederation Marguerite Estwick, however, expressed concerns that the matters raised within the meetings are not being addressed in a timely fashion.

“Institutions, like people, need to move from infancy to adulthood and we think that there must be the process of making the consultations far more efficient. There are cordial discussions; the actions coming out of these discussions cause us some concern and we need to see some improved efficiency in terms of how issues raised at the Social Partnership, the timeliness with which they are addressed, so that we do not spend as much time talking around these issues and having these issues come up and we reiterate the matters arising from Minutes with very little action coming out of them,” she stressed.

One such issue was the matter of how national shutdowns during bad weather are dealt with by the business sector.

“In the shut down of Barbados, there were members of our organisation who would have found themselves in an awkward position because there remain areas in the disaster management programme that need further clarification and further discussion,” Estwick pointed out.

Earlier, she highlighted that while work has continued on the drafting of Protocol VII, it was time the partners refined the role of the partnership’s sub-committee so that the time spent at the fora result “in a defined path and accountabilities for the improvements desired”.

“It is imperative that at the level of the social partnership, we set the tone and lead the national drive for improved productivity in 2017,” she added.

At the time, she was addressing a press conference called to announce the BEC’s annual week of activities, which includes a luncheon tomorrow at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill which will feature a presentation by Roger Blackman, Managing Director of the Barbados Light and Power Company.

ONE of the challenges confronting the agricultural sector is the lack of young persons involved in it as the average age of persons is over 50.

Chief Agricultural Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management, Lennox Chandler, made mention of this as he delivered remarks on Sunday night at the Graduation and Opening Ceremony for the Youth in Agriculture Programme Phase 10 at the Ellerton Community Centre, Ellerton, St. George.

“I must admit that agriculture and its development in Barbados is not without its share of challenges, including an ageing farming population and a noted decline in youth involvement in agriculture. Indeed, the Ministry has observed that the average age of persons in Barbados actively involved in agriculture was over 50 years and was a great cause for concern.”

He said that the Ministry aimed to rectify this matter by actively seeking out ways in which they could get the youth interested and invested in this sector through various programmes and initiatives.

“The Ministry and its supporting agencies therefore sought to remedy this issue by intensifying efforts to encourage younger persons to pursue careers in agriculture and facilitate training programmes to educate our youth, whether they are provided by Government or by non-governmental organisations.”

Chandler said that their efforts are proving to be successful with the average age of farmers registered for their Youth in Agriculture Programme being 38 years old.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to say that our efforts are bearing fruit. The Ministry of Agriculture can report that the average age of registered farmers in 2015 was 38 years. And thanks to the Youth in Agriculture Programme and other targeted initiatives, we are making inroads in engaging our youth and seeing them become more involved in agriculture.”

Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Senator Patrick Todd, agreed. “The programme has been facilitated through a plot of land located in the compound of the Animal Nutrition Unit and managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management. It began on May 13, 2008 with six participants and soon rose to 25 participants including three females.”

He continued, “It has been carrying out an invaluable task. It is aimed at inculcating agricultural skills within the youth, while building a cadre of young farmers that will continue the legacy of food production for the citizens of Barbados. Approximately 35 participants per year have benefitted in each year of this ten-year programme.”

THE Employment Rights Act (ERA) is creating some headaches for employers across the island.

So explained Executive Director of the Barbados Employers’ Confederation (BEC), Anthony Walcott, as he spoke to the media yesterday, while highlighting that some areas of the Act were hindering businesses due to missing regulations, leading to a myriad of interpretations.

“One of the other issues that we are having with the operation of the Employment Rights Act relates to the involvement of legal counsel, in matters relating to discipline, which normally would be within the purview of the employer. We are finding several instances where an individual may be called up in a disciplinary matter and we find ourselves almost in a courtroom environment trying to deal with simple operational issues in our midst. These are things, we feel, that if they were properly addressed in the regulations to the Act, which governs and sets out how the parties behave and get into the functions of the Act, would certainly make life a lot easier,” he said.

“We have things inside the Act that say that during the hearing the employee is entitled to bring a representative or friend and that section has been so grossly misinterpreted where we get lots of people turning up with attorneys as friends,” Walcott continued.

Saying that the BEC had sent Government some 14 pages of recommended changes, he pleaded with the administration to consider these as top priority.

Adding her voice to the matter, the Confederation’s President Marguerite Estwick said small businesses especially were being affected, saying a legal procedural element was now being brought into the workplace.

“It may not make it very difficult for large employers, but it makes it very difficult for small employers, who may not have dedicated human resource departments, highly trained human resource professionals to lead a process that has become very legalistic. In terms of how the procedures are set out, it makes our environment very difficult and you look at it as we position ourselves to compete for investment dollars,” she stated. (JMB)

Initiatives are currently on the cards that will see an enhancement of border security and passenger facilitation at the airport.

Senator Darcy Boyce, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, speaking yesterday morning at the opening ceremony of the Joint National Border Security Training for Immigration and Customs Officers at the Barbados Defence Force, disclosed that one initiative, which is expected to improve efficiency, is a new border control technology that will be introduced at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) later this year.

According to Minister Boyce, 14 Automated Passport Control (APC) kiosks have already been installed in the Arrivals Hall at the GAIA, and once operational, are expected to significantly decrease the waiting times of arriving passengers in the terminal. He made the point while noting that at international airports where such systems are already in place, waiting times in the Arrivals Hall have dropped by 40 to 50 per cent. However, the benefits do not end there; he added that the system is also expected to help increase the capacity for processing additional arrivals quickly, while maintaining high standards of security at no additional operational costs.

The Minister went on to explain that though the APC kiosks will be available, the Immigration counters currently in use will be retained, and passengers will have the option of either interacting with the Immigration Officers at the counters, or inputting the required customs and immigration information electronically at the kiosks. His comments came as he revealed that the system is being installed by Innovative Travel Solutions, a private company at Vancouver International Airport in Canada. That company, he said, is regarded as a leading provider of self-service border control technology, and has installed more than 850 kiosks at airports and seaports in North America, as well as Aruba, Jamaica and The Bahamas.

Boyce added that officers, who will be working with the system, including those from Immigration and Customs departments as well as other airport workers, are at present participating in sensitisation workshops to educate them about the initiative. Additionally, he said as they look to roll out the initiative, efforts are being made to ensure that all pertinent regulations are examined, with the view of updating them before the system comes into operation.

“Work is also ongoing on a project to provide the technology to enable the Customs to improve and increase surveillance of luggage and cargo in less time, in order to improve security and increase facilitation,” he said.

Word of the APC kiosks came just moments after the Minister revealed that he has asked that discussions be held with the Ministry of the Civil Service and the trade unions on redesigning the shift systems, so that at times of peak arrivals Immigration and Customs are always fully staffed to facilitate quick, but secure passage through border control. Moreover, he said steps are also being taken to ensure that Advanced Passenger Information is effectively provided by all carriers to the island to help improve security and processing times.

With that in mind, he went on to say that training opportunities in fraudulent document detection and in e-passports will be provided, to ensure that Barbados continues to achieve the highest standards in the maintenance of national security and the safety of the public. (JRT)

Government is expecting to seek parliamentary approval soon for the Persons with Disabilities Bill.

That’s the word from Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development, Steven Blackett, who said that piece of legislation is key to Barbados facilitating its commitment to honour the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He made the comments while delivering the feature address last Saturday evening at the official opening of the Multi-purpose Unit at the Thelma Vaughan Memorial Home, Glebe, St. George.

“The intent of the legislation is to codify the legal entitlements of persons with disabilities to ensure compliance with international best practice. In addition, it is anticipated that the legislation will promote the integration of these persons into the mainstream of national life by enabling the authorities to implement and enforce appropriate regulations in relation to access to public facilities and services, education, employment and cultural expression, with a view to substantially reduce social inequities that are endured by persons with disabilities, and that is a pledge of this Government,” he stated.

He went further, stating that this country’s national policy on persons with disabilities is in keeping with its international treaty commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Barbados signed in 2008 and ratified in 2013. Moreover, he said that the country has also made it clear that it is committed to implementing the 2030 Development Agenda for All Persons with Disabilities.

With that in mind, Minister Blackett added that Government, through the National Disabilities Unit, remains committed to the five objectives outlined in the White Paper on Persons with Disabilities, aimed at improving the lives of persons with disabilities. Those objectives, he said, include creating a supportive environment; promoting equal opportunity in all areas of development in order that each person would reach his or her maximum potential; empowering persons with disabilities and their organisations to become involved in the social economic development of the country; providing a framework for planning of programmes, services and activities; and encouraging and supporting ongoing research in all areas that impact on the lives of persons with disabilities.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I have no doubt that the future of persons in Barbados living with disabilities – insofar as their empowerment, integration and inclusion are concerned – will continue to be in good hands provided that actors such as the Thelma Vaughan Memorial Home are involved,” he said.

His comments came as he noted that the Thelma Vaughan Memorial Home has made a sterling contribution to persons living with disabilities since it started operations in April 1975, offering 24-hour residential care for physically disabled children. Since then, he noted, the Home has continued to grow.

The newest addition to the Home – the Multipurpose Unit, he said, will be a facility shared with the Because of Jenna Trust to offer a new day-care service and respite centre for severely brain-damaged children.

“It is no secret that in order to sustain, improve and expand a range of services and capacity offered by Thelma Vaughan Memorial Home and similar entities, would require large outlays of financial and other resources which are proving more difficult to source. This is particularly so for Government which continues to provide an annual subvention, while at the same time is grappling with a revenue shortage for a considerable period of time. It is against this background that counterpart funding may be sourced from supplemental sources, including philanthropic sources.

The collaboration between the Thelma Vaughan Memorial Home and the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust is demonstrable and tangible evidence of the fruitful possibilities of pursuing additional streams of financial revenue,” he added.

To that end, he expressed appreciation to the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust for assisting with the construction of the Unit and called on other corporate citizens to also lend a helping hand. (JRT)

His Excellency the Governor-General, Sir Elliott Belgrave, GCMG, KA received a visit from the new CEO, President and Vice-President and Honorary Director of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados on April 7, 2017, at 11 am.

The CEO and Directors of the Foundation expressed their gratitude to His Excellency for honouring the Foundation as its Patron, and for his dedication and commitment to the fight against cardiovascular disease in Barbados.

In sharing the vision of the Foundation for the future, the new President of the Foundation, Dr. Kenneth Connell, Deputy Dean & Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacology, in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus; who is also an Associate Consultant in charge of the Resistant Hypertension clinic at the QEH, provided His Excellency with information on the status of the disease in Barbados and the Foundation’s focus on regular health checks.

Ena Harvey was introduced to His Excellency as the Senior Vice President of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados Inc. With a background and expertise in Agriculture and Food. Harvey will be lending support to the Foundation’s activities dealing with healthy lifestyles through consumption of nutritious, locally produced foods.

Fiona Anthony, the new CEO of the Heart & Stroke Foundation Inc. since January 9, 2017, engaged the Governor General in a lively discussion around the current programmes offered by the Heart & Stroke Foundation, which include the Cardiac Disease Prevention and Rehabilitation Programme, the Emergency Cardiac Care Programme, and the Screening Department. As a trained physiotherapist, she expressed her delight in having the opportunity to assist patients at the Foundation.

Special mention was made of the YUTE Gym which focuses on childhood obesity by providing education and advice, and promotion of regular exercise for the younger generation.

His Excellency expressed his confidence in the future of the Foundation, and thanked Honorary Life President, Dru Symmonds, SCM, JP, for his continued guidance and support for the work of the Foundation.

PARENTS of students awaiting results for this year’s 11 Plus Examination are being urged not to put negative ideas in their children heads, about any particular school.

Principal of the Grantley Adams Memorial School, Dennis Browne, told The Barbados Advocate that the trend of some parents discouraging their children from attending particular secondary schools because of the negative publicity they may have achieved in the past, needs to be stopped.

He said there is good and bad at every school, noting that it is usually the parents pushing for their students not to attend, particularly, some of the newer secondary schools.

“Despite what you would hear from the public, it is not the children that don’t want to be here, it is the parents who are putting the negative in their heads. It is just that Barbadians have been groomed to only associate the older secondary schools with success.

“But the students need to come with an open mind and do their best at the school. No secondary school breeds children out of the walls, they come from communities,” he said.

“I went to school at Princess Margaret. The principal at Alexandra School [Orson Alleyne] went to school at Princess Margaret. The Principal at Queens College [Dr. David Browne] went to school at Parkinson.

“The Principal at Ellerslie [Major Errol Brathwaite] went to Parkinson. So the people out there know that it ain’t got anything to do with the school,” Browne added.

Browne said while Grantley Adams may have had its challenges in the past, as it relates to negative publicity, in his opinion, the school is on its way to becoming one of the leading newer secondary schools in the country.

He indicated that in reviewing the school’s curriculum and programmes, in addition to what is being done overall to ensure the school moves forward, it is clear that Grantley Adams is on a mission “to actually become one of the leading secondary schools in this country”.

“I am not bragging or boasting, but it is fact. Of course, you got one or two students who have issues, and it’s now clear through what would have happened at another secondary school recently, that students bring serious, social issues to our schools,” he said.

The Principal also alluded to the fact that the institution’s technical and vocational programmes have now moved progressively forward, to the extent “where we would soon be the first secondary school to offer a sixth form programme at CVQ (Caribbean Vocational Qualification) level”.

Browne also pointed out that in addition to that, the school would have had success in its sports programme, having won various titles in recent years.

“In addition to that, our CSEC (Caribbean Examinations Council) programme has been growing with the number of students being entered, and in addition, with the number of students who are leaving school with five or more CXC’s. So I mean we are on the path to success, and there is no stopping us,” he said. (AH)

Barbados and Canada signed off on an air services agreement yesterday, which promises greater tourism and business opportunities for both markets.

Pointing out that Canada had been the island’s largest tourism market in the 1970s, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Maxine McClean, outlined that through government’s marketing push over the past four years, higher numbers were coming to Barbados – a situation that would be added to by the agreement.

“I am happy to say that with this new agreement, designated carriers from Barbados can now operate to any intermediary and beyond points in Canada and vice versa. Canadian designated carriers can also operate also to any intermediary and beyond points in Barbados, subject of course to regulatory conditions, and this agreement gives both countries the flexibility to operate without directional or geographical limitations… The new agreement therefore allows for greater airlift, and it is envisaged that we will once again see higher numbers of long-stay arrivals visiting our beautiful shores,” she stated.

Addressing the short signing ceremony at her Culloden Road office yesterday, McClean noted that in the international financial services sector, Canada was this island’s leading source market, and said the agreement would allow for renewed business investment.

Her signature was joined by that of the Canadian High Commissioner to Barbados, Marie Legault, who outlined that the figures coming out of Canada had increased by 50 per cent since 2015, from that of
15 000 to over 21 000.

“Air connectivity is crucial to growth, productivity, trade and investment,” she stressed, while pointing out that the agreement was an example of how the two countries continuously worked as partners. (JMB)

PRIME MINISTER Freundel Stuart is not about to let the Hyatt case go down without a fight.

Stuart, the Minister responsible for the Town and Country Planning Department, is challenging social activist and attorney-at-law David Comissiong’s application for Judicial Review of the multi-million dollar construction of a 15-storey hotel on the beach-front land, at Bay Street, St Michael.

The Prime Minister is challenging the review on the grounds that Comissiong, as merely a citizen of Barbados, does not have the standing to bring the application for Judicial Review of the green light given to the Hyatt.

Another legal development in the case is that on Monday May 8, developer Mark Maloney’s company Vision Development Inc, filed an application to the High Court requesting to be added as a party to the suit, to join the Minister responsible for Town and Country Planning as a defendant in the matter.

The substantive court case was due to be heard by Madame Justice Sonia Richards yesterday, however, it has been adjourned until Friday July 7 at 11:30 a.m., because Justice Richards is on
vacation.

Speaking to the media on the steps of the Supreme Court yesterday, Comissiong stated that he is not fazed by the Prime Minister’s challenge, pointing out that as recently as Monday, the Judicial Committee of the English Privy Council delivered a judgement on a Trinidad matter.

“This is a case in which a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago took the Police Service Commission to Court to review the actions of the Police Service Commission in some appointments that had been made to the Commission.

“The question that the Trinidad Courts had to determine was whether a citizen had such a right. So the Trinidad Court Appeal held that a citizen did have such a right. That position was upheld by the Privy Council just yesterday,” he said.

Comissiong argued that “the reality is that this area of the law has developed in recent times and whereas, many years ago, there were court rulings that one had to have a personal legal right or interest in the matter before one would have the standing to take the matter to court, the modern development of the law is in favour of a citizen’s right”.

The attorney added that once a citizen has a sufficient interest in a matter, that individual has the power, and the right, to apply for Judicial Review.

“So I am very comfortable about where these issues are concerned,” Comissiong declared.

Comissiong said he filed the Judicial Review on the grounds that it is in the best interest of the country to have a Judge of the Supreme Court examine the project and its implications for the physical, social, cultural and heritage environment of Barbados.
(AH)

This week local Immigration and Customs officers are receiving training which is intended to help them better protect the country’s borders.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the five-day course at the Barbados Defence Force, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Immigration, Senator Darcy Boyce, highlighted the importance of the training, and expressed appreciation to the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and the European Union for collaborating to host and fund the workshop.

“The initiative stresses a co-operative effort as it promotes and develops co-operation among border security agencies. It also helps to strengthen and advance a more effective security partnership. I applaud this collabor-ative and integrated approach. Border security, in very many ways, continues to be top of mind for many of us. Training of border security officials is therefore necessary to support the improvements in border security controls,” he said.

Senator Boyce made the point while indicating that as a result of the training, the Immigration and Customs officers are expected to improve their interviewing techniques, be better able to inspect and identify fraudulent documents, as well as hone skills in respect of body language analysis and luggage and person examination. Likewise, he said, the training is intended to enhance the capacity of border security officials to identify and intercept persons, goods or vessels travelling across borders by illicit means or with illicit intent.

“I am delighted that so many participants from both the Immigration Department and Customs and Excise Departments are here today. I want to assure you that this Administration is very appreciative of the critical role that you play in ensuring the national security of this country, a role that sometimes leads to officers putting themselves in harm’s way to ensure that the country’s borders are protected. This certainly reflects the nobility of your professions,” he stated.

With that in mind, the Immigration Minister added that the workshop will help to improve screening techniques, which should reduce wait times at checkpoints, as passengers and cargo of no interest can be readily identified and processed; and he added, it is intended to reduce litigation and poor publicity that may result from a less informed interaction with Immigration or Customs officials.

“As the Minister with day-to-day responsibility for Immigration, I want to re-assure you that your hard work and commitment do not go unnoticed and I wish on behalf of the Government of Barbados to thank you for your sterling efforts. I should add that in recognition of the crucial role which these Departments perform, Government assumes a highly supportive stance with respect to ensuring that critical training needs are met. You may recall that in January this year, officers from Customs and Immigration were trained, along with other agencies, in customer service. I am told that the training is already yielding excellent results,” he added.

Minister Boyce said this is very encouraging, as he noted that as the first locals that travellers to the country meet, they play an important role as front-line ambassadors for the country.

“You have to be facilitators of tourism and other business activity without sacrificing security objectives. In these circumstances, skilful, warm and friendly customer interaction can often yield the most security information. You catch flies with honey,” he told the participants. (JRT)

Organisers of this Friday’s inaugural Tattoo in St. John are anticipating “a good turnout” to this event.

Chairman of the St. John Constituency Council, Richard Harris, stated this, adding that he hopes “persons will come out and enjoy” the evening’s presentations.

He further said that the Gall Hill playing field in St. John will be the location where individuals of all ages will view the parade and exciting demonstrations by members of the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF). There will also be a performance by students of the Mount Tabor Primary School. This school won the ‘Large Vocal Ensemble’ title earlier this year during the annual Schools’ Music Festival when it took place at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

The Tattoo is slated to occur on May 12 from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. It is a presentation of the St. John Constituency Council, the St. John Care Community Organisation and the St. John Parish Independence Committee.

On Monday, a site visit was conducted at the Gall Hill playing field as preparation continues for the upcoming event. It was attended by the Tattoo’s organisers, RBPF personnel and important stakeholders. (MG)

THE Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) is reiterating its call for the speed limit around all schools to be significantly reduced, and for the requisite signs to be erected to alert motorists of the need to slow down in those areas.

President of the BRSA, Sharmane Roland-Bowen, is adamant that such measures are needed to protect the school children, who she said as pedestrians are vulnerable road users. She is suggesting that the speed limit should be no more than 40 kilometres per hour, but noted that for schools that are situated in close proximity to a highway or a main road, there are vehicles travelling as fast as 80 kilometres per hour. As such, she said Government needs to take steps sooner rather than later to remedy this problem.

“The chances of our vulnerable road users dying as a result of a crash with a vehicle rise, especially at speeds 60 and above, that is death for that person whether they are old, middle age or young. So we want the authorities to look at the speed limit imposed around schools. While we applaud them for putting a speed limit of 40 in the area of the old St. David’s school [Thelma Berry Nursery School], we strongly believe that such should be done around all schools, not just one or two, but all,” she indicated.

Her comments came as she said it is imperative that a similar approach be taken in respect of residential communities across the island. She noted that too often motorists are traversing such areas as though they are on the “open road” or a race track and she contends that such behaviour has to be curbed. She further contended that there was an urgent need for more pedestrian walkways and sidewalks to be created to ensure that persons could more easily traverse the country, without fear of being struck by a vehicle.

“We have a lot of ailments and chronic diseases ... because people lack exercise; and while walking is a good form of exercise, most people are afraid to walk because of what is happening on our roads – the reckless speeding of some motorists and the lack of pedestrian facilities. So we are calling on the relevant authorities, both in Transport and Health, to look at this with the view of seeing what can be done to improve the situation,” she added. (JRT)

A move is on to ensure that the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) can realise its vision of becoming a digital hospital, enabling its health-care team to access medical information on computers at the bedside of patients and to access patients’ medical records electronically, instead of using paper files.

QEH CEO, Dr. Dexter James, acknowledged the above as he accepted a donation of three new HP laptop computers and accompanying mobile laptop stands, valued in excess of US$1 500, from the Barbados Association of Tampa Bay (BAOTB), based in Florida in the USA.

President of the BAOTB, Henderson Griffith, accompanied by BAOTB Ambassador and Honorary Member, Stedson “Red Plastic Bag” Wiltshire, made the presentation of the “computers on wheels” to Dr. James and other QEH officials in the hospital’s boardroom yesterday.

Dr. James stressed that such a donation must be seen in the wider context of the effort to have the hospital go digital.

“Rest assured, this donation will help us to further our vision, which is really to move the QEH towards a digital hospital. (We want to) move towards a digital hospital, where lots of the applications rolled out, can then be accessed by health-care providers digitally,” Dr. James.

He added, “These computers will provide an important boost to the implementation of our National Health Management Information System.

“As you know, the Ministry of Health has embarked on this noble project, which perhaps is the biggest transformational (initiative) that is taking place in the public health system today. What this implementation will do for us, is create an opportunity for us to be able to access patients’ records in one place, under one unique identifier and thereby permit what I refer to as the seamless movement of patients between the hospital and the polyclinics,” he further commented.

“The software that is being implemented is called MedData and a number of modules are being contemplated. To bring it closer to home, we have since deployed 31 computers on wheels across the hospital, valued about $95 000. What these computers do, is that they provide for flexibility of our doctors to be able to move these computers on wheels across the continuum of care. In so doing, it allows doctors to avail themselves of patient data and in particular, information on laboratory results and imaging studies at this point in time. So we have to see this presentation within a much wider context,” he stressed, while thanking the BAOTB for the donation.

He meanwhile noted that the electronic medical records system should come on stream by November 2017. (RSM)

By November 2017 the Queen Elizabeth Hospital will be saying goodbye to a system of paper-based files, replacing them with electronic medical records for its patients.

QEH CEO Dr. Dexter James acknowledged the above as he accepted a donation of three new HP laptop computers and accompanying mobile laptop stands, valued in excess of US $1 500, from the Barbados Association of Tampa Bay (BAOTB), based in Florida in the USA.

President of the BAOTB, Henderson Griffith, accompanied by BAOTB Ambassador and Honorary Member, Stedson “Red Plastic Bag” Wiltshire, made the presentation of the “computers on wheels” to Dr. James and other QEH officials in the hospital’s boardroom yesterday.

“When the National Health Management Information System is fully implemented, the hospital will have in place Electronic Medical Records (EMT). As you know, we are all for patients’ records to be located in one place, under a unique identifier. We have only recently signed a contract with a provider to do what is called backfile conversion. This process enables the conversion of paper-based records to electronic records. Once this project is implemented, it means patient records will be available online, in real time and available 24/7,” Dr. James commented.

“We anticipate that the pilot will be rolled out somewhere between now and the next couple of weeks. But we anticipate that the full EMR will become a reality at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, certainly by the end of November,” the QEH’s CEO revealed.

This will transform the hospital and the public health care system by extension James said, noting that the challenges surrounding “missing notes” which the QEH at times has had to grapple with, will no longer be an issue. (RSM)