Barbadians will get the opportunity to reflect, honour and celebrate the victories of their ancestors when a number of activities are staged this month as part of the Season of Emancipation.

On Sunday, May 15, designated International Day of Families, Rock Hall Freedom Park, St. Thomas, will come alive with the sweet aroma of tasty indigenous food, music and cultural performances, at a heritage fair to be held from 2 to 9 p.m.

The highlight of the evening’s celebrations will be a concert honouring spouge greats, Jackie Opel and Draytons Two, among others. There will also be a special “oldie goldie” session with Larry Mayers and DJ Captain Bubbler.

In keeping with the theme of the celebrations, local creatives will have the opportunity to craft the most creative concept that depicts the journey of the family, with the launch of the National Heroes Square Monument Design Competition, also on May 15. There will be attractive prizes up for grabs and the winning piece will be erected in National Heroes Square.

In addition, on that day there will be a virtual Youth Speak roundtable discussion on the Role and Importance of Families, to be aired on CBC TV8.

On Saturday, May 21, designated as World Day of Cultural Diversity, the public is invited to an international cultural event to be held in Golden Square Freedom Park, the City, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Patrons can sample dishes from 12 countries, as well as from local culinary experts.  There will also be entertainment and arts and craft booths.

The activities for the month of May will culminate on Wednesday, May 25, designated as Africa Day, with two events. The first event will be the National Library Service’s Africa Day Story Hour entitled: Under the Casuarina Trees, at Farley Hill National Park, St. Peter, starting at 10 a.m.

One hundred students from the All Saints, Roland Edwards, Wilkie Cumberbatch and St. Mary’s primary schools will hear stories on African traditions from Dean of the Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Dr. David Akombo.

Later in the day beginning at 6 p.m., will be the Roots Experience Fashion Show, in Golden Square Freedom Park.

Minister with responsibility for Culture, Senator Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight, said the Season of Emancipation was designed to not only pay homage to the struggles and victories of our ancestors, but also to unite the nation in the shared interest of rekindling the spirit of community.

“The activities are intended to bring communities, families and artistes together. We encourage all Barbadians to come out and participate in our activities during the month of May and throughout the Season.

“The Division of Culture is committed throughout this Season to ensure that we not only touch on all facets of our culture and heritage but as well as to celebrate the growth that has taken place over the years,” she stated.

All COVID-19 Protocols will be in effect at the events.

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SOURCE: CMC — The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Dr Carissa Etienne has launched a high-level commission on mental health and COVID-19 aimed at preparing guidelines and recommendations to reduce the impact on mental health caused by the pandemic and the related suffering in the population of the region.

According to PAHO, the commission’s work will focus on five key areas: recovering from the pandemic and promoting mental health as a priority; the mental health needs of vulnerable populations; integrating mental health into universal health coverage; financing; and promoting the prevention of mental health conditions.

“We must seize the opportunity afforded by the pandemic to address long-standing weaknesses in mental health services and strengthen them for the future,” said Dr Etienne, thanking the commissioners for their work and commitment. “Now is the time to build better mental health in the Americas.”

The high-level Commission on Mental Health and COVID-19 is chaired by Epsy Campbell Barr, vice president of Costa Rica, and co-chaired by Néstor Méndez, the Belizean-born assistant director general of the Washington-based Organization of American States.

It is also made up of leaders of health organisations, civil society, academics, “and people with direct experience in the subject”.

Campbell Barr said that the mental health and well-being of millions, especially women, have been “severely affected” by the pandemic, confinements, school closures, telecommuting and care for family members.

She called for “urgently addressing mental health” and “taking steps to prevent and respond to domestic violence, including mental health services for survivors”.

PAHO said the COVID-19 pandemic has had “devastating effects,” adding that “many are expected to be long-term”.

A scientific dossier published by the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25 per cent in the first year of the pandemic.

A PAHO analysis also noted that one-third of people who suffered from COVID-19 in the region were diagnosed with a neurological or mental disorder, while another study conducted with the support from PAHO (COVID-19 HEalth caRe wOrkErs Study – HEROES) showed that, in 2020, between 14.7 per cent and 22 per cent of health personnel in the region presented symptoms of depression.

Calling the work of the new Commission “timely, relevant and urgent,” Méndez said “a comprehensive plan of action for the recovery of COVID-19 must include the prioritisation of mental health with a human rights perspective and taking into account the particular situation of women”.

He also said that this is “an opportunity to bring about a cultural shift that can move us away from stigmatisation and lead us to more inclusive and open conversations to build better mental health systems again”.

PAHO said regional countries have made significant efforts to meet growing mental health needs during the pandemic.

But it said the historically low priority given to the issue — with insufficient funding and under-skilled human resources — has hampered the ability to respond adequately.

PAHO said the commissioners will prepare a report with key evidence-based recommendations to improve mental health in the Americas, including the Caribbean, and to transform mental health systems and services following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2022.

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Candidates of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) have been challenged by outgoing interim president Steve Blackett to get noticed.

“We have to meet people in their own spaces,” Blackett told those gathered Friday night at the party’s headquarters for the inauguration ceremony for president Dr. Ronnie Yearwood.

“Occupy school halls again, occupy community centres, visit bars … attend churches. Candidates you must adopt schools in your particular ridings, attend funerals … go to Q in the Community – get noticed.”

Blackett’s comments follow the announcement of a growth in the party’s membership despite their second successive defeat at the polls in January.

Addressing some of the more than 150 new members who were inducted during the ceremony, Blackett congratulated them for making the choice to join the 67-year-old political party that was co-founded by National Hero Errol Barrow.

“You are now part of a party striving for a just society and that has been always our mantra … You are in good company and I want to salute you for joining this political organisation,” he said.

“This party, and you will grow to be proud of it, transformed Barbados from what we always call a collection of villages to a prosperous, well educated, socially balanced country that we are all proud of in 2022. Your party, your DLP was in the vanguard and the refashioning of Barbados we have here in 2022. So, I welcome each and every one of you into the fold.”

Meanwhile, Yearwood also expressed his vision for the DLP to be a more people-centred and focused institution, which he hopes will shape a new future for the party and Barbados.

“This will not be about an army of consultants and half started half stalled projects and ministers in training …. This Government is a graveyard of failed policies and of contradictions,” Yearwood said.

“The biggest of all, the people of Barbados are the collateral damage for the personal ambitions of its ministers. We will place you at the heart and centre of your country.  It is time that you come into the big tent of the Democratic Labour Party so that we can not only re-imagine our party but re-imagine our country.” (KC)

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Another elderly person died from COVID-19 on Saturday, May 7.  He is a 91-year-old man, who was fully vaccinated.

The death toll from the virus has now reached 406.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Ian Gooding-Edghill, has extended condolences to his loved ones.

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Barbados recorded 394 new COVID-19 cases, 180 males and 214 females, on Saturday, May 7, from the 1,320 tests carried out by the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory.

Of the positive cases, 95 persons were under the age of 18, and 299 were 18 years and older.

There were 106 people in isolation facilities, while 3,612 were in home isolation.

Three persons, a 71-year-old vaccinated woman; an 83-year-old unvaccinated man, and a 91-year-old vaccinated man, passed away from the virus on Saturday.

As at May 7, there were 406 COVID-19 related deaths.

The public health laboratory has conducted 659,902 tests since February 2020, and recorded 73,592 COVID-19 cases (33,712 males and 39,880 females).

Under the National Vaccination Programme for COVID-19, the total number of persons with at least one dose is 161,885 (70.9 per cent of the eligible population).  The total number of fully vaccinated persons is 152,180 – 66,679 males and 85,501 females – which is 56.2 per cent of the total population or 66.6 per cent of the eligible population.  The eligible population represents those persons who are 12 years and older.

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Barbados is bringing the exciting motorsport lifestyle and luxurious island holidays together for world’s growing motorsport fanbase. That was the sentiment of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) as they launched Barbados’ ‘Motorsport Island’ concept
at Miami Speed Week, May 7-8 in Miami, Florida.

The destination was one of the partners at the highly anticipated Miami Speed Week event, with two dedicated spaces in the VIP and General areas of the Live Broadcast Activation in Bayfront Park, Miami.

Corey Garrett, BTMI Director for the Caribbean and Latin America with responsibility for Sports, commented that “Barbados has long been revered as the destination of choice for motorsport in the Caribbean, boasting the only FIA Grade track in the region. As motorsport followers are
rapidly growing worldwide, we are positioning Barbados to capitalize on this trend by pairing our own motorsport offerings and Barbadian holidays in an attractive, competitive way.”

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One of Barbados’ latest centenarians, John Phillips Durant, celebrated his birthday on Thursday, April 5, surrounded by loved ones at the St. Michael District Hospital.  He received a special virtual visit via Zoom by President, Dame Sandra Mason.

One of his daughters, Jacqueline Tull, and granddaughter, Nicole Tull, flew into the island to celebrate his special milestone.

When asked by Dame Sandra how he was feeling, his reply was immediate.  “I am alive; I am alive and strong.”

In addition to his family members celebrating with him were the staff from the District Hospital, and his caretaker, Brenda Tull.

Dame Sandra remarked: “I like to see the people responsible for the centenarians…  These are the people we say thanks to.”

After the centenarian’s daughter led those gathered in prayer, he shared that he felt very nice, and said: “I eat everything and do good to others….  I do good to everyone around me from a boy coming up.  I was a friendly man, a friendly person.”

Durant grew up in St. Patrick’s, Christ Church and attended Armitage Boys’ School, also in Christ Church.  He later moved to The Cliff, St. John.

The centenarian disclosed that he was an agricultural worker, to which Dame Sandra replied: “You are the people we have to thank for our food every day.”

When asked what helped him to reach 100 years, he said: “You have to mix it up (work hard and have fun); you have to do a lot of that.   I beg the Lord to help me.”

On behalf of Dame Sandra, the Aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Sena Price, presented Durant with a greeting card, a fruit basket and a bottle of wine.  After the centenarian read the card, Dame Sandra stated that in addition to being impressed that he read without glasses, he read effortlessly.

His daughter shared that her father was “the best dad as a kid growing up”.  Even after migrating to the United States forty-four years ago, Tull said that she always kept in touch with him. “I love him a lot and my daughter loves him a lot as well.”

She also noted that he was “being taken care of very well” by his caretaker, and the staff and management of the District Hospital.

Dame Sandra commented on how well Durant looked, noting that “we have some very caring people here; Tull helps to take care of him”, and those at the District Hospital have also “taken very good care of him, otherwise he would not have been able to live this long.  I want to join in thanking them,” Dame Sandra said. Durant has three children, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

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After years of abuse allegations levelled against the Government Industrial School (GIS), a collection of concerned citizens is calling for the closure of the state-run juvenile detention centre.

Bearing placards and chanting refrains in support of the protection of the island’s children, the gathering embarked on a Silent Prayer Walk along Black Rock this morning to announce their efforts toward pushing the authorities to reform the juvenile justice system and bringing an end to the  reported abuse of children in state institutions.

Speaking with reporters, coordinator of the walk and spokesperson for the Women in Action group, Tempu Nefertari, says they will continue to make their voice heard until the matter is handled appropriately.

“We are saying, enough is enough. We are being very diplomatic at this stage when we are urging the minister who has primary control, we don’t want those children going back to GIS. Shut it down,” Nefertari said. 

“Institutions like that and Dodd’s where children are being abused, where there have been outcries for years, shut it down. Let’s start afresh. If you need to move these girls, if you can prepare a space for them in the female prison then you do so but you do so under certain guidelines.”

In recent months the GIS has come under increasing public pressure due to claims of improper punitive measures against its wards and which allegedly caused a number of female detainees to run away from the institution. Several children, mainly girls, are charged annually with wandering but Nefertari believes that the root cause of their action is not being dealt with.

The activist says Government needs to do all it can to ensure its citizens are well prepared to recognised what inside the house would drive a child to repeatedly wander from their home and help them deal with the situation at hand. She says until this is addressed, the cycle will persist.

Meanwhile, adding her voice to those urging the Government to amend the law on wandering, Nefertari says not enough emphasis is placed on the rehabilitation of children in the detention centres. This is why she believes many have such difficulties reintegrating into society. 

“How are you preparing these girls to be reintegrated into society? Is that even important? Even if it is three/four girls it is still important because they are eventually going to be the mothers of children and these children are going to go into society. If it is not handled right then it contributes to the sociopathic nature of our society that we are not even coming face-to-face with,” she said.

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Police from the Southern Division are investigating a report of an aggravated burglary which occurred about 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, at Hythe Gardens, Christ Church.

According to lawmen,  a Canadian national, who has been resident in Barbados for the past 12 years, was at his home, along with four other occupants who were in another section of the house, when two masked men entered, armed with what appeared to be a machine gun, and demanded money while threatening to shoot him.

The man, fearing for his life, handed over money to the masked men, after which they ran off. The assailants were joined by a third man who was on the outside waiting.

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The Immunisation Unit encourages the public to take advantage of the COVID-19 vaccines which will be available at various polyclinics and sites from Monday, May 9, to Sunday, May 15.  The venues and times are listed below.

Monday, May 9

• Branford Taitt Polyclinic, Black Rock, St. Michael – 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Glebe Polyclinic, The Glebe, St. George – 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
• Eunice Gibson Polyclinic, Warrens, St. Michael – 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 10

• Branford Taitt Polyclinic, Black Rock, St. Michael – 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Building No.2, Harbour Industrial Park, St. Michael – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Glebe Polyclinic, The Glebe, St. George – 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
• Winston Scott Polyclinic, Jemmotts Lane, St. Michael – 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
• Edgar Cochrane Polyclinic, Wildey, St. Michael – 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
• Eunice Gibson Polyclinic, Warrens, St. Michael – 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 11

• Branford Taitt Polyclinic, Black Rock, St. Michael – 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Glebe Polyclinic, The Glebe, St. George – 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
• St. Philip Polyclinic, Six Roads, St. Philip – 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
• Winston Scott Polyclinic, Jemmotts Lane, St. Michael – 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
• Eunice Gibson Polyclinic, Warrens, St. Michael – 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
• Maurice Byer Polyclinic, Station Hill, St. Peter – 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 12

• Branford Taitt Polyclinic, Black Rock, St. Michael – 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Building No. 2, Harbour Industrial Park, St. Michael – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Glebe Polyclinic, The Glebe, St. George – 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
• Edgar Cochrane Polyclinic, Wildey, St. Michael – 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.

Friday, May 13

• David Thompson Health and Social Services Complex, Glebe Land, St. John – 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Branford Taitt Polyclinic, Black Rock, St. Michael – 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Christ Church Parish Church Hall, Church Hill, Christ Church – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Building No.2, Harbour Industrial Park, St. Michael – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Glebe Polyclinic, The Glebe, St. George – 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
• Maurice Byer Polyclinic, Station Hill, St. Peter – 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 14

• No sites will be operating.

Sunday, May 15

• Building No. 2, Harbour Industrial Park, St. Michael – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The Pfizer, Sinopharm, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available at the polyclinics and vaccination centres at the scheduled times only.  Students 12 to 18 years may visit any of the locations listed to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Persons who wish to receive their first dose are advised to walk with their identification cards.  Those eligible for second doses should also travel with their blue vaccination card.

Booster shots for the Pfizer and Sinopharm vaccines will also be available for eligible persons who had their second injection six months ago or longer.  Students 12 years and older are now eligible for the Pfizer booster. Persons receiving the booster may present either their blue vaccination card or vaccination certificate and valid photo identification.

Those who were fully vaccinated overseas must also provide their vaccination cards and valid photo identification (passport or identification card). (BGIS)

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The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) welcomed several bouncing new babies during  Mothers’ Day yesterday.

Omesha Roachford, 23, delivered her baby boy weighing seven pounds, nine ounces at 12.44 a.m.

Just over one hour later, J’nai Payne, 22, gave birth to her baby girl weighing eight pounds, two ounces at 1:54 a.m.

Tyra Griffith, 24, gave birth to her baby girl weighing seven pounds at 11.11 a.m.

Abigail Alfred, 18, also gave birth to her baby boy weighing 8.5 pounds at 5.06 p.m.

The first two mothers, Roachford and Payne each received $75 gift vouchers from BICO Limited.

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The COVID-19 death toll in Barbados now stands at 430.

In a statement today, the Ministry of Health and Wellness said an additional 24 persons were found to have died from viral illness, following testing conducted by the Coroner’s Office on persons who passed away suddenly in the community before being tested or accessing appropriate care.

The ministry explained: “It is the policy of the Coroner’s Office to rule out COVID-19 as the likely cause of death since autopsies cannot be performed on persons who are known to have died from or with COVID-19.

“It must, however, be noted that, in all cases, the primary cause of death may not have been COVID-19 but this diagnosis was found at the time of death.”

The Ministry said it was seeking to provide the public of Barbados with accurate information as it relates to COVID-19. (MHW)

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Police are on the scene at Black Rock Main Road, St Michael where they have discovered the body of an elderly man at a house.

Residents called police to the area after detecting a pungent odour coming from the house.

They have identified the victim as Anthony Mings.

A woman is assisting police with investigations.

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Jakobe Jaheem Yarde was today remanded to Dodds after appearing before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes on a murder charge and three other offences.

Yarde, 20, of Nurse Land, Bank Hall, St. Michael was arrested and formally charged with the April 16 death of Jerome Antonio Stuart, 25, of 8th Ave, New Orleans, St Michael.

Yarde is also charged with two counts of serious bodily harm, two counts of endangering life and use of a firearm.

Yarde will reappear in court on June 9, 2022.

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Phase Two of the Commonwealth of Learning/Coursera Workforce Recovery Programme initiative will be coming soon.

This was discussed during a courtesy call with Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations, Colin Jordan, and officials from Coursera and the National Transformation Initiative (NTI) at the Ministry, Warrens Office Complex, Warrens, St. Michael, recently.

Minister Jordan, reflecting on the initial opportunity with Coursera, noted that when the offer was brought to the Government of Barbados, “we grabbed hold of it and took it with both hands”.

“We realised that there was something in those courses and I think what appealed to us was that these were short courses, but connected with very reputable institutions, and we knew that that would be attractive to people.  We always talk about accreditation and you want to be associated with something that has a track record….

“And with Government utilising digital learning, what Coursera offered fit perfectly into what we were doing, so we figured that that would make a lot of sense for us as a country and for our people generally,” Mr. Jordan stated.

During the meeting, Senior Advisor for Coursera on Global Government Partnership, Chad Pasha; Director of the NTI, Dr. Allyson Leacock, and Assistant Director of NTI with responsibility for Coursera Communications and Client Success, Marcelle Greenidge, informed the Minister of the areas that would be focused on in Phase Two of the learning programme.

They disclosed that in Phase Two a new set of courses and tracks would be offered, including building and construction, retail and manufacturing, health and wellness, engineering, and land surveying, at various levels (basic, intermediate and advanced).

Minister Jordan said he was pleased with the relationship that had developed between Barbados and Coursera, and was looking forward to the launch of Phase Two, noting that it would help to advance and transform the people of Barbados, as the initiative seeks to upskill persons in a diverse range of areas.

Also present at the courtesy call were: Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Partnership Relations, Dr. Karen Best; Programme Officer in the Ministry, Randy Clarke, and Enterprise Client Success Manager, Patrick Whitaker.

Coursera’s website offered participants in Phase One access to over 4,000 courses and 400 specialisations, which were provided by 200 recognised and accredited international institutions. (BGIS)

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The Barbados Accreditation Council has two new Quality Assurance Officers, bringing the Quality Assurance & Quality Enhancement Services to its full complement of five. Shakira Vaughan and Sergio Alleyne are the latest additions to the team, effective 26 April, 2022.

Shakira holds a Master of Education degree (M. Ed.) in Testing, Measurement and Evaluation and a Bachelor of Education degree (B. Ed.) in Linguistics and Education with a specialization in Testing, Measurement and Evaluation from The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus. She served fifteen years as a Graduate Teacher in the primary education system.

Shakira has also completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Leadership at the Erdiston Teachers’ Training College. She currently facilitates courses in Classroom Assessment in the Bachelor of Education summer programme and the Post Graduate Diploma in the Special Needs programme. She is extremely passionate about assessments, as she is conscious that an understanding of testing, measurement and evaluation procedures can significantly enhance learning outcomes.

Sergio Alleyne is an educator with ten years of experience. He holds a Master’s degree in Education, a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, a Diploma in Education and an Associate Degree in Mass Communication. Mr. Alleyne’s strengths include good planning, organizational and project management abilities.

During his tenure, he has trained and mentored students who have won Toastmasters Speech Competitions in 2019 and 2020. Moreover, Mr. Alleyne has tutored a group of students who emerged victorious in the National Independence Primary School Quiz in 2015. Mr. Alleyne’s passion for education has led him to serve as a Public Relations Officer of a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) at a public school in Barbados.

BAC Executive Director, Lisa Gale, said “We are thrilled to have Mrs. Vaughan and Mr. Alleyne join our team. Not only because of their breadth of experience in education, which will bring fresh perspective as we expand our Quality Assurance team, but also their extracurricular interests. These will only stand to benefit the existing staff engagement agenda and contribute to the organization as it moves towards becoming world class, dynamic quality assurance agency for post-secondary/tertiary education in Barbados.” (BGIS)

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Barbadians living in New York, United States, now have a better idea of how the new Barbados identification card, the Trident Identity Card, will work and benefit them when it is launched.

They heard first-hand from Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology, Davidson Ishmael, and officials from the Electoral and Boundaries Commission about its features during a virtual meeting hosted by the Consulate General at New York, recently.

Minister Ishmael told the virtual audience of over 200, that the current analog card had to be replaced because it was susceptible to fraud and was outdated in a digital world.  The new ID card is expected to provide a greater level of physical security; it is tamper-resistant and more durable than the existing card, he said.

It is one aspect of the Government’s Trident Trusted Identity System – a range of offerings from the Government of Barbados related to identity management and authorisation.

The launch of the new ID card will be followed by a mobile application, Trident eID, which will link with the Trident Card to allow cardholders to prove identity for online transactions and sign documents electronically with legally binding, qualified electronic signatures from anywhere and at any time.

“Our new ID card enables support for electronic transactions both using the card itself in a physical reader and in conjunction with the forthcoming Trident eID (the mobile app), which will allow you to confirm your identity remotely with the highest level of security.

“The new ID card still works exactly the same way as the current ID card and can be used in that manner for as long as persons choose to do so…. If a person chooses to never use any of the electronic features, it will still perform all the other tasks for which it was used previously,” the Minister explained.

However, he said the aim of the Trident Card was to make things easier to do remotely, over time.

As for security, the new ID card will have a number of features that will reduce the possibility of being counterfeited.  It will also have much of the same information as the current one printed on the front – Barbados ID number, surname, given names, date of birth, sex, nationality, date of expiry, document number, other data, a photo and sample signature.

Addressing a question about how cardholders’ personal information will be protected, Minister Ishmael assured the audience that “every effort has been made to meet the six key requirements for deploying trustworthy identity systems: security, privacy, ethics, resilience, robustness, and reliability”.

“These requirements address the importance of assuring personal data remains confidential; is only accessed by those with the right to do so, and that it is always available and retains its integrity,” he stated.

To this end, he explained that two key pieces of legislation have been introduced: The Barbados Identity Management (BIM) Act and the Barbados Data Protection Act.

“The latter is closely modelled on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union, which is the acknowledged toughest privacy and security law in the world. Amendments to the Electronic Transactions Act were addressed as consequential amendments in Schedule 6 of the BIM Act,” he stated.

Persons in Barbados and those living abroad will be able to register for the Trident Identity Card online when it is announced. The card must, however, be collected in person as a security requirement. This means persons living overseas must return to Barbados to collect their cards.  Those who have caretakers can have that individual collect the card on their behalf once proof/permission is provided.

With the new card and the accompanying Trident eID mobile app, Barbadians anywhere in the world will be able to access a range of government services from wherever they are located.

The card for minors will be similar in design to the adults’ version but will have an image of the Coat of Arms in place of the photo, similar to what is now obtained. The information for the legal parent(s) or guardian(s), which was previously printed on the minor’s card, will now be accessible via a QR code.

Those who are eligible to get the new Trident Identity Card include anyone who is a citizen of Barbados; a legal resident in Barbados; students and workers who are in Barbados for six months or more; CARICOM skilled nationals; employees of the Caribbean Development Bank and other regional institutions.  In some cases, their family members will also be able to register for the new card.

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Barbados has copped two awards at the recently held Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum’s (CREF) Industry Awards.

The awards are for Best Energy Efficiency Project for theEnergy Efficient Retrofit of Public Streetlights, and Best E-Mobility Project for the Introduction of Electric Mobility into Public Transportation, at the Transport Board.

New Energy Events, hosts of CREF, the largest annual gathering of the regional energy market, announced the 12 winners of its fourth annual CREF Industry Awards during the meeting, which was held from April 26 to 28, in Miami. The awards recognise excellence in the people, projects and programmes driving the clean energy transition in the Caribbean.

Programme Manager at the Ministry of Energy and Business Development’s Project Execution Unit, Keisha Reid, and Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Claire Best, accepted the awards on behalf of the Government.

Ms. Reid told the Barbados Government Information Service that she was pleased the country’s clean energy efforts were being recognised and rewarded.

“This award acknowledges the hard work of the stakeholders in the energy sector, and impels them to continue working to ensure Government’s initiatives are implemented, as they are timely and will benefit citizens and the country.

“The Best Energy Efficiency Project is the second award the Project Execution Unit has received, and it really is a fine example of the beneficial results that obtain when there is collaboration with the public and private sectors,” she stated.

Ms. Reid thanked the Barbados Light and Power Company and the Ministry of Transport and Works for their work on the project, saying it was a “critical partnership”.

“With strategic partnership and alignment of goals, we were able to successfully complete the project last year and even surpass our own target,” she shared.

A press release from New Energy Events explained that “the awards were established to recognise those leaders in the Caribbean energy sector who are making a lasting impact on the development of resilient and renewable energy systems in the region.

“Many award winners are first-movers, carving a path for project development in the region.  Others have been in the region for years and understand the nuances and needs of island nations pursuing a clean energy future,” the press release stated.

The other winners of the CREF 2022 Industry Awards are:

•  2021-22 Caribbean Energy Leader MVP: Deputy Premier Walter Roban, Government of Bermuda
• Best Distributed Generation Project:1 MW Solar and Storage Project, Montserrat Utilities Limited and Government of Montserrat
• Best Energy Storage Project: Chub Cay Microgrid by Compass Solar Systems Limited, Bahamas
• Best ESG Project: Cossma Yabucoa Clinic, Puerto Rico, Elum Energy & Pura Energia
• Best Green Hydrogen Project: CEOG by HDF ENERGY, French Guiana
• Best Microgrid Project: Highbourne Cay PV Microgrid by Bahamas Energy and Solar Supplies & Solar Island Energy, Bahamas
• Best Renewable Energy Financing: CIBC FirstCaribbean (BGIS)

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