“The level of insurance coverage within Barbados and the Caribbean is significantly lower than ideal relative to our population size. We are committed to improving this situation, which we believe is crucial to fortifying the financial future of many individuals and families.”

This from Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sagicor Life (Barbados) Inc, Paul Inniss, while speaking on the topic, “The Face of Next Generation Insurance”, during the 2021 edition of the Barbados International Business Association’s (BIBA) Global Business Week of activities.

Inniss stated that in 2019, the average market penetration rate in developed countries for insurance (life and non-life) was 3.8 per cent. In Barbados, this rate stood at 2.7 per cent, with Trinidad & Tobago and St. Lucia recording 2.8 per cent and 2.3 per cent respectively.

“Globally it is understood that 3.8 per cent is far below what should be considered a good rate of insurance coverage of any population, therefore, when we look at the Caribbean figures, we can see that these markets are lagging significantly behind. It therefore means that if the rest of the globe is currently described as underinsured, that we in the Caribbean are in a worse off position,” he stated.

Inniss made the point that underinsurance is viewed as a risk for individuals and families given the resulting difficulty or inability to recover from financial shocks. “For example, if an individual becomes seriously ill and requires significant and costly medical care, the expenses associated with the latter are often too much for them to handle on their own. In the case where an individual dies or can no longer earn a living due to illness or disability, the impact on their family could be significant especially if they were the principal bread winner.”

The Executive Vice President pointed to the ongoing COVID-19 experience as a perfect example of the immense value and importance of being adequately insured, stating that throughout this time many individuals and families have seen the benefit of having a financial safety net in the form of an insurance policy.

“No one would’ve started 2020 expecting to suffer a reduction in income from working less hours or being laid off from work temporarily, however, life is full of uncertainties that we should try our best to prepare for.

“As a result of these unexpected occurrences, some individuals would have found themselves in a position where they could not meet their financial obligations. Thankfully however, being able to access funds from their policy has gone a long way towards helping them to ride out this difficult period,” he said.

Inniss argued that it is the responsibility of companies like Sagicor to work towards increasing the level of coverage throughout the Caribbean’s populations, stating that public education is the first step.

“The insurance industry has a responsibility and important role to play in the continued education of customers and prospects. We still have a lot of work to do to dispel the uninformed views and opinions on insurance validity, along with the common misconception that it is simply a necessary evil.

“Throughout COVID, we at Sagicor grasped the opportunity to put together a comprehensive, wide-reaching education campaign, which is ongoing, and utilizes appropriate and relevant channels, including various media and online presence, seminars, podcasts, the list goes on and on.

“We are committed to providing the right kind of information to the public, at their convenience and in a manner that they can understand and on matters that are important to them and the role insurance plays in protecting them.” (PR)

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This alert message is valid from 12 noon Saturday and will be terminated at 6 p.m. or sooner if conditions warrant.

A flash-flood watch is issued when heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time (generally less than six hours) could result in flash flooding within the watch area.

It does not mean that flooding will occur, but it is possible.

Hazard Info: A light wind regime and abundant low-level moisture could result in some localised shower activity over some western and northwestern districts. Rainfall accumulations of 20.0 to 40.0 mm in moderate to heavy showers are possible in the watch area.

Key Message: Residents and visitors should be prepared for strong runoff from higher elevations. Soil erosion likely on bared or scarred land surfaces. Debris such as small rocks, mud and tree foliage could end up on roads and property. Traffic delays are likely. Flooding at the foot of hillsides and coastal roads is possible.

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Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited has entered into an agreement with Victoria Mutual Investments Limited (VMIL) to acquire 100 per cent of the issued and authorised common shares in Republic Funds (Barbados) Inc., the owner and operator of the Republic Bank family of Mutual Funds, comprising Republic Property Fund, Republic Income Fund and Republic Capital Growth Fund.

The transaction is subject to the approval of Regulators in Barbados and Jamaica. VMIL is a publicly listed company on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, and through its subsidiary, offers investment banking and wealth management services, including asset management of proprietary unit trust funds.

Republic Bank, in a strategic decision, has chosen to concentrate on its core business of commercial banking. The operation of mutual funds, under RFI, no longer fits into the Bank’s core business strategy.

In the process of identifying a purchaser, Republic Bank adopted a thorough and expansive process to select an acquirer for RFI involving Requests for Proposals from the major mutual fund operators in the region including Barbados.

These proposals were then assessed based on rigorous pre-defined criteria. Based on this process, VMIL was selected as the preferred bidder.

While awaiting regulatory approval in Barbados and Jamaica, Republic Bank will continue to be the owner of Republic Funds Inc. and until the acquisition process is completed, the Bank will remain the manager of the funds.

If the transaction is approved by all the regulators, on completion of the share transfer process, the purchaser VMIL, will notify fund-holders of the change in ownership.

The process is expected to be completed in approximately six to nine months, but could be extended depending on various factors. (PR)

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The One Caribbean Media (OCM) Group is describing its third quarter results as “credible” despite the COVID-19 mitigation measures imposed in several of its operating markets including Barbados.

According to the Barbados Stock Exchange-listed public company, revenue for the third quarter ending September 30 stood at US11. 48 million which was down from the US$11.91 million for the comparable quarter last year.

OCM, which is the parent company of Nation Publishing and Starcom Network, reported group net after tax profit for the first nine months of US$1.93 million, up slightly from the $1.57 million reported for the comparable period last year.

The group’s comprehensive income for the third quarter was US$1 million which was a reduction when compared to the US$1.29 million reported for the quarter in 2020.

In the statement which accompanied the unaudited results, chairman Faarees Hosein said the decline in net revenue of two per cent was an “improvement of nine per cent compared to last year, noting that in the comparable period in 2020, the Trinidad and Tobago market benefited from election spending”.

He added: “Positively, the companies engaged in manufacturing and provision of internet/cable services reported healthy growth in the third quarter. Additionally, the recovery in the Barbados operations which began towards the end of the second quarter continued during this period.”

Hosein told shareholders and regulators that “strategic initiatives of the group of companies progressed with the expansion of its fibre network and renewable energy projects while our digital revenues have shown steady growth.”

He also noted that with the easing of pandemic restrictions in Trinidad and Tobago, management of the media group was “cautiously optimistic” that the group will have a strong fourth quarter. (IMC1)

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An 85-year-old man is this island’s latest COVID-19 casualty.

He died this morning at the Blackman and Gollop Isolation Facility.  He was unvaccinated.

The number of deaths recorded from the virus is now 224.

Acting Minister of Health and Wellness, Senator Dr. Jerome Walcott, has extended condolences to his family and friends. (BGIS)

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Sixty-six males and 88 females are Barbados’ latest COVID-19 cases.  The Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory conducted 1,346 tests on Friday, November 26.

Of these 154 new cases, 19 are under the age of 18 and the remaining 135 are 18 years and older.

There are 524 people in isolation facilities, and 3,379 others in home isolation.

Barbados has recorded 24,923 cases (11,894 males and 13,029 females) of the viral illness since the start of the pandemic.  The number of lives lost to the virus, as at November 26, stands at 223.

The public health laboratory has performed 433,518 tests, to date.

Under the National Vaccination Programme for COVID-19, the total number of persons with at least one dose is 153, 459 (67.2 per cent of the eligible population). The total number of persons who are fully vaccinated is 136,474 (50.4 per cent of the total population or 59.8 per cent of the eligible population).  The eligible population represents those persons who are 12 years and older. (BGIS)

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The historic Golden Square Freedom Park was officially opened Saturday afternoon.

In a colourful, cultural, celebratory two-hour ceremony, which included tributes, the two-acre Freedom Park was officially opened by Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

Mottley was joined by President-Elect, Governor General Dame Sandra Mason, Chief Justice Sir Patterson Cheltenham, Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley, and Members of Cabinet, among other dignitaries.

Prime Minister Mottley, who reiterated the significance of Barbados moving towards a republic, called on Barbadians to remember Payne’s call to forever educate and agitate, but not to violate.

Mottley stressed that the loss of life or the loss of liberty are prices too dear to pay “especially if we can work together as one people”.

She asked Barbadians to respect and honour not just the physical aspect of the park, but also the monumental contribution made by those who gave up their life and their liberty.

“As we look around, let us enjoy the beauty. As we move, let us bring our children here to learn, and as we build let us remember that this too will be a living piece of park and space for those working, living, reflecting, playing in Bridgetown,” Mottley said.

Founder of the Clement Payne Movement and CARICOM Ambassador, David Commissiong, said the opening of the Freedom Park is a great day for him personally and for all the members and supporters of the Movement, who laboured diligently over a period of 33 years.

Comissiong said: “Brothers and sisters on the 21st of July 1937, the Right Excellent Clement Payne delivered one of his most important public speeches right here in Golden Square. As per usual, police spies were in the crowd and they made a written record of Payne’s words.

“And here is how Clement Payne ended that historic speech 84 years ago. And I quote, ‘I am going to make this spot the mecca of organisation on this island. Bad things have been said about Golden Square, but I have found my services better appreciated here than elsewhere in this island.’”

The Pan Africanist challenged Barbadians to play a role in helping to realize Payne’s vision, by embracing “this magnificent two-acre Golden Square Freedom Park and making it the mecca of civic engagement, public education, participatory citizenship, conscious artistic expression and progressive and even revolutionary consciousness in the new republic of Barbados”.

Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for The City, Lt Colonel Jeffrey Bostic expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Mottley for keeping her promise to transform the sacred space, which holds much national significance.

Bostic appealed to Barbadians to treasure the re-engineered Freedom Park and noted that there can be no doubt regarding the importance of the space in the country’s long journey to becoming a republic and the role played by Payne, a National Hero, whose bust graced the park for several years.

“Whilst the journey has been long, and the road has been winding, I am sure that we all agree it was worth the time and the effort,” Bostic said. (AH)

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Prime Minister Mia Mottley has hinted that construction of the proposed Hyatt Centric Resort could commence early next year.

Mottley made the announcement as she delivered the feature address during the opening of the Golden Square Freedom Park on Saturday, where she also revealed that the Pierhead project will also start as part of a major Bridgetown revitalization mandate.

“And the other works that are already out to tender for the Treasury Building, which we believe must be that place where young Barbadians and not so young Barbadians can take to living in the centre of town, so that we can bring back life to Bridgetown fully,” Mottley said.

Mottley also noted that the work being completed in the Constitution River will bring honour to, and allow Barbadians to see the area beautified and small boats sailing beyond Queens Park.

She also highlighted the more than 100 stalls Government built for workers and vendors at Fairchild Street.

Mottley said: “The project is not yet finished and I thank those who are working on it for when we finish there, we go straight down to the Constitution River terminal. The work in Temple Yard started and will be completed, and were it not for COVID, we would be much further ahead.

“Or in Passage Road and the corner of Baxter’s Road, or indeed with respect to Queens Park, which must become the centre of cultural activity and creativity for our people in this country, young, middle aged or old, regardless of who or where they come from.”

The Prime Minister added: “We have already announced that the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) must relocate from St James and find itself in the centre of town so that it can open up fully, the opportunities for all of our young people who need to know that there are spaces and places where they can be the best that they can be.”

Mottley also gave the assurance that work will continue to rectify the flooding issue at Murphy Pasture, also in The City. She said, “we will continue to ensure that those who live literally in the shadow of the Bridgetown Sewage Treatment Plant should not have to have the indignity of not being connected to the very thing that they live next to”.

“We must see people, we must hear people and we must care about people”.

The Prime Minister also announced that if not for COVID-19 protocols and restrictions, the Fairchild Street Bus Terminal would have also been renamed after Archbishop Granville Williams. (AH)

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A 27-year-old woman is dead following an altercation with another woman in Bridgetown on Saturday.

The victim has been identified as Shanice Miller of Kensington New Road, St Michael.

Around 8:30 Saturday morning, police  were called to Upper James Street near its junction with Synagogue Lane in Bridgetown, for reports of two females involved in an altercation.

One of them received multiple injuries about her body, police said. The injured woman fled the scene on foot toward Central Police Station and collapsed at the main gate.

An ambulance was summoned to the scene and transported her to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for medical attention.

Medical personnel at the hospital said the woman underwent emergency surgery but subsequently passed away whilst undergoing medical treatment early this morning.

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Prime Minister Mia Mottely has thanked Barbadians living in the diaspora for donating to the patients and staff at Harrison Point.

Mottley said: “In spite of everybody facing their own challenges, for you and them to do this, we know that you are doing excellent work in New York in the healthcare system and to be able to put all of this together for the nurses and for the patients and staff at Harrison Point really means a lot.

“This collective effort is really what will allow us to be successful in this battle even at this uncertain time as the world is trying to figure out if there is another variant of concern. I would only say to people, just stay doing what you are doing.

“You know the protocols – physical distancing, sanitizing, masks. And similarly, vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate. We will find out whether there will be other boosters that will come but that’s normal and if you look at the history of diseases throughout the world, they mutate and every year the flu vaccine has to change a little bit.

The worst thing that can happen to us now is not COVID, the worst thing that can happen to us now is fear. I ask us to remain focused and to continue doing the things that we know we have to do.”

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Members of the public are advised that the existing curfew will be suspended tomorrow, Monday, November 29, for one night only.

However, all other COVID-19 protocols and directives will remain in effect.

The existing provisions with respect to the curfew hours of 12:00 midnight to 5 a.m. will resume on Tuesday, November 30. (BGIS)

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A National Service of Thanksgiving was held Sunday morning to mark Barbados’ 55th anniversary of Independence.

The service, which was at the Wildey Gymnasium, featured a selection of hymns, including old and new Barbadian favorites. These include the hymns “Joyful, Joyful We Adore thee,” “The Right Hand of God,” “I will lift my Eyes to the Hill,” and“O Jesus I have Promised,”  and “I Vow to The my Country” as well as the anthem, “It is Good to Give Thanks to God,” “Psalm 92” and Red Plastic Bag’s “I’m Alive!”. 

The service also featured arrangements of Barbadian musician, Roger Gittens. Gittens is an influential music teacher, composer, arranger, and pianist. He is as comfortable with church music and the classics as with calypso and jazz.

An assembled choir, made up of several singing groups and organisations on the island, led the hybrid physical and virtual congregation in worship.

Senator, Rev John Rogers, Rector of St George Parish Church and member of the Republican Status Transition Advisory Committee, delivered the sermon.

He said the independence theme — Fortifying Foundations, Overcoming Adversity, Pursuing Destiny — speaks to Barbados’s journey as a continuum.

Focusing on the Book of Deuteronomy, he said: “Life is a continuum, life is a journey where each generation learns from the one that went before it.

“So, as we prepare to celebrate this 55th anniversary of our independence as a people and our transition to a Parliamentary Republic, I urge us all … let us join with the community of Deuteronomy and go into the plains of Moab for a bit.

“Let us take ourselves mentally from this space so we may truly engage in an exercise of fortifying our foundations and overcoming our adversity and pursuing our destiny,” he said.

Rev Rogers called on Barbadians to engage in an exercise of self examination on the basis of three prominent themes in the Book of Deuteronomy — faith, the struggle and the land.

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The Barbados Immigration Department will close at noon, tomorrow, Monday, November 29, to facilitate participation in the various Independence activities.

Persons with appointments originally scheduled during the period of closure may visit the department on Wednesday, December 1.

In addition, Chief Immigration Officer, Wayne Marshall, has advised that all Saturday passport application and collection services have been suspended until further notice.

Persons who were already given a collection date for a Saturday may now visit the department, Monday to Friday, during the opening hours of 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Those who wish to apply for passports may visit the website www.immigration.gov.bb, and choose a date and time during the department’s opening hours for their appointment.

Queries related to the Barbados passport may be sent to the email address:  immigration.passports@barbados.gov.bb.

Any inconvenience these changes may cause is regretted. (BGIS)

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Brazil’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue in the city of Rio de Janeiro will be lit in Barbados’ national colours at 8 p.m. tonight in celebration of the island’s 55^th anniversary of Independence and to mark its transition to a Parliamentary Republic.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,  the move is a collaboration between the Archdiocese of Sao Sebastiao do Rio De Janeiro and the Embassy of Barbados.

Barbados and Brazil are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations.

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The number of casualties from COVID-19 has risen to 225, following the death of a 53-year-old woman on Saturday, November 27.

She passed away at the Harrison’s Point Isolation Facility and was unvaccinated.

Acting Minister of Health and Wellness, Senator Dr. Jerome Walcott, has extended condolences to her loved ones. (MR/BGIS)

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SOURCE: CMC- Former Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony has called on the government of St. Lucia to follow in the footsteps of Barbados and move towards becoming a republic.

In a message posted on his Facebook page, Anthony also pointed to constitutional reform – stating that “over the past few years, Barbados has achieved two constitutional milestones which have surprised me. It has done the unthinkable – first, it jettisoned the Privy Council as its final Court of Appeal and adopted the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), then secondly, it replaced the British Monarchy as its Head of State in favour of a Republican President.”

According to the former Prime Minister, the actions were “unthinkable” for the reason that for years the wider Caribbean treated Barbados as the “most Anglophile nation” in the Commonwealth Caribbean.

”We ridiculed Barbados whenever we had the opportunity. There is no hope for ‘Little England” we would say. Yet, among the nations of the region, Barbados in recent times has chosen to be the most courageous.”

In the case of St. Lucia, Anthony questioned whether the current administration  has the  courage to take the first step like Barbados – “replace the Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice, as our final Court of Appeal?”

He noted that St. Lucia’s Parliament now has the two-thirds majority specified by the Constitution to amend the second of the constitution allowing appeals to the CCJ. He added that the local court of appeal “by way of an advisory opinion of a majority, does not need a referendum to take that step.”

”For my part, we should tarry no further and collectively, act together in unison to commence the process to repatriate our constitution to where it belongs, in the sovereign will of our people.”

”Surely, we have a duty to make final appeals in judicial matters accessible to the vast majority of our population, not only to the few who can afford it before the Privy Council,” he said.

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A total of 115 positive COVID-19 cases, 50 males and 65 females, were recorded by the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory on Saturday, November 27.  The number of tests conducted was 1,003.

Of the new cases, 20 persons were under the age of 18, and 95 were 18 years and older.

There were 505 people in isolation facilities, and 3,190 in home isolation.

Two people died on Saturday.  A 53-year-old woman passed away at the Harrison’s Point Isolation Facility, and an 85-year-old man succumbed to the virus at the Blackman and Gollop Isolation Facility. They were both unvaccinated.  As at November 27, there were 225 COVID-19 deaths.

The public health laboratory has carried out 434,521 tests since February last year, and recorded 25,038 cases (11,944 males and 13,094 females) of COVID-19.

Under the National Vaccination Programme for COVID-19, the total number of persons with at least one dose is 153,571 (67.2 per cent of the eligible population).  The total number of persons who are fully vaccinated is 136,738 – 59,061 males and 77,677 females (50.5 per cent of the total population or 59.9 per cent of the eligible population).  The eligible population represents those persons who are 12 years and older. (BGIS)

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All systems are a go for The Grand Cultural Celebration and the Declaration of Republic and Installation of the President slated to start at 7:30 p.m. tonight.

The cultural celebration features the debut of the newly-reconstructed National Youth Steel Orchestra which has 100 plus pan players aged 8 to adults. Under the musical direction of Lowrey Worrell, the orchestra will play many of the traditional Bajan favourites as we celebrate the island’s 55th year of Independence and usher in our historic Parliamentary Republic.

The Steel Orchestra will be performing in Independence Square.

Then at 8:30 p.m., we move over to Heroes Square where the creme de la creme of Bajan talent including the likes of Biggie Irie, TC, Edwin, Peter Ram and more will be performing with a band under the leadership of musical director Dr. Nicholas Brancker.

Around 11 p.m. the attention will turn to the officialdom. The ceremony and pomp will see the Installation of our first President Her Excellency Dame Sandra Mason. Present will be His Royal Highness Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall who arrived on the island last night.

After the President is installed and Barbados is officially declared a Republic at the stroke of midnight, a spectacular fireworks display will go off on location at three significant locations.

1. In Checker Hall St Lucy in honour of the Father of Independence Errol Walton Barrow, in Bathsheba.
2. In Bathsheba, St Joseph in honour of Sir Grantley Adams.
3. And at East Point in St Philip in honour of our new President Dame Sandra Mason.

Tonight’s events will be streamed live on all major news and information social media platform: PMO, GIS, NCF, VOB, CBC, Barbados TODAY, The Nation Barbados and live on CBC TV 8.

All of this action can also be viewed from watching a number of community screens that have been placed across the island. Those places are Mahica Playing Field, Speightstown, St Peter, the Desmond Haynes Sports Complex, Holder’s Hill, St James, Oistins, Christ Church, and St Catherine’s Sports and Social Club, St Philip.

If you gather to watch the screens kindly ensure you adhere to all the COVID 19 protocols. Wear your mask, keep your distance and sanitise. (PR) 

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Members of the public are advised that the Public Service of Barbados will close at noon next Monday, November 29.

This early closure is to facilitate the participation of public officers in the various Independence-related activities, as Barbados celebrates its 55th anniversary and transitions to a republic on Tuesday, November 30.

Those persons who will be conducting business with the Public Service are asked to arrange their business accordingly on Monday, November 29. (BGIS) 

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