The Psychiatric Hospital is on heightened vigilance following the escape of a Government Industrial School (GIS) ward said to be on suicide watch at the mental health institution.

The disclosure came on the same day that the High Court refused to grant an interim order to overturn a magistrate’s ruling that put the 13-year-old girl at the state-run GIS, and the organisation that had sought the court order declared it would appeal the judgement.

Up to the time of going to press, the girl’s whereabouts were still unknown.

The teenager, along with another female GIS ward recently escaped from the juvenile reform facility at Barrows, St Lucy, amidst allegations of abuse. The two turned themselves in after being on the run for about a week.

Director of the Psychiatric Hospital David Leacock said the girl’s escape from the Black Rock, St Michael institution was a concern to management. Although saying that escapes are possible due to the nature of the facility, Leacock assured: “We will try to make sure that we encourage our staff to be as vigilant as possible.”

“The protocols are in place. We are not a prison and, so, the possibility is that a person can always escape,” he told Barbados TODAY. “We will try to make sure that all the protocols that are supposed to be there are definitely being observed.”

The mental health administrator also confirmed that the girl’s admittance to the Psychiatric Hospital was justified, saying: “All persons that come to us, once we admit them we believe that they need to be here.”

But women’s and girls’ activist and former GIS deputy chairperson Marsha Hinds on Monday attributed the repeated escapes by the minor to her having to remain in a system of alleged abuse.

“When you are a child and you are saying constantly, ‘I have been abused’ and all you get is a collective national silence about the abuse that you face, and the insistence that you must go back to the institution where the [alleged] abuse occurred without anything changing, what does a child do? I don’t even know as an adult what I would do in that circumstance,” she told Barbados TODAY. “And really, I think we have to understand the actions of this child.”

Hinds, who is also co-director of child advocacy organisation, Operation Safe Space (OSS), was adamant that the Government has not provided a safe space for children who exhibit behavioural issues because of traumatic situations but are still in need of care.                                                                                        

“So, I think this young lady, in her own way, may have quite unintentionally focused our attention on the real crux of what this issue is…because the Government Industrial School and the treatment at the Government Industrial School, was a part of the problem; but also the question of where do we place children like her is an unanswered question,” Hinds added.

She said Monday’s decision by Madam Justice Barbara Cooke-Alleyne to deny OSS’ request to relocate the girls from GIS, has made a bad situation worse.

“The judge is of the opinion that she does not have the jurisdiction to overturn the decision of the magistrate’s court that put the girls at the Government Industrial School in the first place,” disclosed the former president of the National Organisation of Women (NOW) in reporting on the outcome of the court case.                         

“This is one of the concerns that we have: the fact that it seems very easy to get children into the juvenile justice system in Barbados, and almost impossible to remove them from that system. Once they are in there, they are in there.”

Hinds insisted, however, that her group would not play dead following the unfavourable ruling.

She revealed that the OSS intended to challenge the High Court’s decision before the local Court of Appeal and beyond.

“What is next is that we will avail ourselves of the next step, which is to take the matter to the Court of Appeal in Barbados. We have also actively started the process of having an international review, honouring our responsibilities under various international treaties which we have signed with respect to this matter,” she disclosed.

Contending that what is playing out is not in line with international best practice, Hinds added: “And so, we have triggered the process for an international review of the matter to ascertain whether our understanding is correct and that Barbados is acting outside of international best practice.”
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

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Superintendent of Prisons Lieutenant Colonel John Nurse has reportedly been sent on leave from the penal institution over which he had been in charge for the past two decades.

Barbados TODAY has been reliably informed that second in command DeCarlo Payne is now Acting Superintendent of Prisons.

Neither Nurse, who was seconded from the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) in October 2001 to oversee the transition of change within the prison service, nor Payne was available for comment.

When contacted, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams declined to either confirm or deny the development which comes amid a departmental investigation into the operations of the prison as well as the Government Industrial Schools at Barrows, St Lucy, and Dodds, St Philip.

“I will make a statement on any circumstances surrounding the Government Industrial School and the prisons, consequent upon departmental enquiries. I will make a statement on any change of circumstances surrounding the Government Industrial Schools and the prisons, consequent on the enquiries,” was all Minister Abrahams would tell Barbados TODAY.    

Just over a week ago, he announced that an inquiry would be undertaken at Dodds Prison, under the chairmanship of attorney-at-law, Philip Pilgrim, Q.C.

The inquiry, which is expected to span a three-month period, will investigate concerns raised about the recruitment and promotion process of staff, treatment of staff, staff accommodation, medical care of inmates, and the protection of inmates while in transit to court or clinics, and protection of inmates.

Minister Abrahams had outlined that among measures the Government would be taking going forward regarding the management of the island’s juvenile and adult penal institutions.

During the GIS investigation, former wards and former staff will have an opportunity to lay complaints and highlight concerns that they may have with the institution, against the background of claims of abuse at the juvenile correctional facility. emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

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Residents of two neighbouring St James communities are working with law enforcement officials to nab an armed robber who has been terrorising the area and targeting women in recent weeks.

However, Member of Parliament for the constituency Sandra Husbands said contrary to social media reports, there is no evidence to suggest that the alleged perpetrator is of Haitian descent.

During an interview on Monday, she told Barbados TODAY that at least five women were attacked in recent weeks, at least one of them sustaining minor injuries, in Wanstead and Husbands. In most cases, the offender seemed to be after handbags and other valuables.

Some residents were so concerned about the situation that they called for a meeting with the St James South MP who is also the Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. On Saturday evening, the Queen’s College auditorium was packed with concerned residents, community leaders and officials from the Barbados Police Service eager to address the issue.                    

“[The perpetrator] has been approaching people with something like a weapon in their hand, and the weapon may just be like a piece of metal iron or a screwdriver or something; because it’s dark outside, they [the victims] are not sure,” Husbands explained.

“Most of them weren’t struck or hurt; only one, to my knowledge, was struck. So we moved on it very quickly because whenever I heard of the attacks, I went out to visit and follow up with the police. But by the time we got to number three, we realised that we have a real, persistent problem here, and that is what led to the meeting at Queen’s College on Saturday.

“The police have stepped up their engagement with the problem and came out in full force for that meeting, although it was at short notice, and shared a lot with the residents about their security risks, things they need to avoid, and also to share what they were doing in response to the issue,” Husbands added.

Warnings about the perpetrator have been posted on social media, with one person cautioning Twitter users living in Wanstead and Husbands to be careful because a “dark-skinned, round face, about 5’8 man who is middle-aged and of a thick structure” was robbing women.

The social media user and others also alleged that the perpetrator had a Haitian accent. This led to speculation that the culprit may have been one of the Haitians evicted two weeks ago from the Wanstead Gardens apartment in which they were staying while awaiting documents to travel to Guyana and Brazil.

Husbands, however, declared that after discussing the matter at length with law enforcement, there was absolutely no evidence to support the claims or to narrow down the search without sufficient evidence.

“I think the only thing that led people to think that was that the [perpetrator] didn’t speak,” she said.

“So I don’t know that you could take that somewhere, and the police… don’t seem to be caught by that notion, I suppose, because in the past it has been easy to make connections that may not be there.

“You don’t want to go accusing a community where you don’t have the evidence of it. You don’t want to do that, and I would suggest that we don’t put the notion out there because once you start doing that, you shut your eyes to other people who might be doing it,” Husbands added.

Another social media user revealed that she had encountered a man outside her window that she said was definitely Barbadian.

Police Public Relations Officer, Acting Inspector Rodney Inniss was looking into the matter but had not responded to requests for comment up to the time of publication.

Husbands also said that police had not confirmed claims of sexual violence by the perpetrators on social media.

“The first thing I saw anything about sexual [violence] was on social media today, but that hasn’t formed any part of the reports that I have gotten, nor did the police who shared with us on Saturday indicate that there was any such move. They did not report that at all, so I don’t know if it was just the apprehension of it because it was a female versus a male situation,” she said.

The MP, however, promised to engage neighbourhood watch groups in the surrounding area, monitor cameras, and collaborate on the reporting of suspicious behaviour.

She warned against pursuing alleged perpetrators, despite numerous declarations from residents on social media that they would.

“If you see something, take a photo if you can. Call the police and the neighbourhood watch right away so that they can check any of the cameras along that area to see if they can pick up or get a better photo of the person,” Husbands advised.

“Later this week, I will be pulling in all of the neighbourhood watch coordinators; we will talk through the strategies that we would want the neighbourhood to discuss and cement, and then they will call all community meetings in their neighbourhoods to discuss and work through how they will be implemented.” kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb

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President of the Barbados Association of Professional Engineers Lieutenant Colonel Trevor Browne, who months ago criticised Government for ordering dozens of prefabricated houses from China, hopes this country’s decision makers have learned from their mistake.

On Monday, Lieutenant Colonel Browne said he had no feelings of vindication over the unfortunate turn of events following a statement from the current housing minister outlining reasons for the delay in completing the eagerly-awaiting structures.

“As professional engineers, we don’t feel vindicated. We speak to the situation as we see it. Some people like it and some don’t, but we only deal with facts as they present themselves to us as professional engineers,” Browne told Barbados TODAY.

“That is what we did and that is what we will continue to do. From the very beginning I said that we wish the ministry the best and that we really want this thing to work out,” he added.

Over the weekend, Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance Dwight Sutherland disclosed that the 150 houses imported for people displaced by Hurricane Elsa and a surprise ‘freak’ storm last year, would be delayed well into this year’s hurricane season.

In a recent press release, Sutherland suggested that 150 families who had been living in shelters since July last year, would be homeless for at least another four months.

He blamed a range of factors including the absence of technical Chinese experts arriving on island, the passage of two storms in China, the unusual design of the houses, the Christmas holidays, January’s General Election and the COVID-19 pandemic, for the delays. The minister also said some of the materials on the worksites had been stolen.

In September last year, Lieutenant Colonel Browne slammed government on the exclusion of local engineers in the joint initiative between the National Housing Corporation and the Chinese-owned East West Building Solutions. At the time he accused the government of operating in a “casual and offhanded manner”.

“It is passing strange that government officials did not see it fit to challenge local building professionals to execute this project, with specific requirements that are custom-designed for the local environment – and which could well have led to concepts that could be adapted for export to similar jurisdictions,” Browne declared in early September.

In a sharp rebuke, then Minister of Housing Dr William Duguid declared that there was no requirement on the part of the government to consult with the engineering association.

However, the BAPE president said today that the organisation had a vested interest in ensuring that taxpayers’ dollars used on such projects are used as efficiently as possible.

“We are not in the ‘I told you so business’, but at the same time, it is important that we learn from our mistakes to make sure that going forward, we don’t repeat the same mistake over and over again,” said Browne.

“There is a way to do things. You sit down and consult with people who understand what is going on and you make a plan and you execute that plan. That is the way you go about doing things.

“If you are going to build a building in Barbados, that is how you would do it. You would get some architects who would give you some plans, you would get people who understand things from an engineering point of view to make sure that it can withstand and exist after hurricanes and earthquakes and all of that, and then you collectively go ahead and institute that plan. You do not start to build first and run around doing things and realise that there is no plan. That is what we said from the beginning and that is what I would say now,” he added.

Browne neither confirmed nor denied whether locals would have been able to complete the job within the allotted time frame, but he invited doubters to consider critical projects that have been entrusted to local professionals.

“Specifically, for example, when there was the COVID situation, there was a need for a medical facility at North Point, during the midst of a COVID situation. All of our professional engineers were actually asked to undertake that almost impossible job. I invite you to look at the results,” Browne concluded.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb

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A member of Government is concerned that workers are being brought in from overseas to take up jobs, particularly in the construction sector, that could be filled by Barbadians.

Member of Parliament for St James North Edmund Hinkson said the practice of local construction firms hiring overseas workers before locals must be corrected if young Barbadians are to reap the benefits of investments in local building projects.

“It can’t be a situation where businesses, construction companies as we speak, are applying for Columbians to come here to do construction when we have Barbadians here,” Hinkson said, as he suggested that the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training’s recently launched Barbados Construction Gateway Training Initiative could help address this problem.

“ . . . . Through this Construction Gateway Initiative, [they] will be given three months training and will be able to get a job in plumbing, in electricals, in tiling, in labour work, masonry, etc.”

Hinkson, patron of the Clarkson Foundation Inc. – a non-profit company that provides social welfare, and community services and projects for the residents of St James North and its environs – made the comments at the recent launch of the foundation’s Life and Work Skills Programme.

He suggested that the programme could help provide persons for the Construction Gateway Initiative, which is designed to give local artisans the skills they need to be ready for the predicted construction boom on the island.

The Work Skills Programme, which is in its fourth iteration, will consist of teaching sessions and workshops geared at developing students’ confidence, self-esteem, team and analytical skills, and other areas that are necessary for the modern world of work. It targets individuals between the ages of 17 and 35 years old.

Hinkson said the programme should be seen as a priceless opportunity for young people.

“This programme has a proven record of success…. About 80 per cent of those who have graduated from the three previous programmes have found employment within three months of their graduation, or have been able to start their own businesses. That is a fantastic record of achievement,” he said.

Space in the upcoming workshops is still available and interested persons have been urged to contact the Clarkson Foundation Inc. to secure their spots.
(SB)

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Pig farmers are trying not to raise the price of pork, despite facing an increase in feed prices, according to President of the Pig Farmers Association Henderson Williams.

He gave that assurance in an interview with Barbados TODAY, even as at least one restaurant has advised customers that effective May 14, the price of souse will go up to reflect the increase in pork prices.

Stressing that the association had not made any decision to drive up prices, Williams said: “There is a new price increase for feed and certainly that has impacted on pig farmers and pork production. But as it relates to an increase in pork prices immediately, that is something that we oftentimes give total consideration to. We have now a pricing model that we look at all of the inputs into production before we put any increases in place.”

“At the end of the day, we want to continue to be viable for all of our operations. We always look at it from all sides, including the impact that it will have on our customer base. We really don’t want to have a situation where there is dampening in demand and for our product,” he added.

Williams acknowledged that the price of grain has skyrocketed, which will have a significant impact on the price of feed, a major component in pork production.

“It’s a global phenomenon that is taking place and it will have an impact locally. We continue to monitor what is going on as we are well aware that this movement is nothing that will stop shortly. We anticipate that the fluctuation will continue for some time,” he said.

Just last week, Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society James Paul warned that Barbadians may soon have to pay more for chicken due to a significant increase in feed prices internationally.

Pinnacle Feeds Limited, the largest feed producer on the island, indicated that there will be an eight per cent increase in livestock feed due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and unfavourable weather conditions in South America.
(AH)

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Losing candidate in the recent Democratic Labour Party’s (DLP) race for president Dr David Estwick, on Monday declared his full support for Dr Ronnie Yearwood who was chosen for the leadership position.

Dr Estwick, a former Cabinet minister who is considered one of the old guard, has also wished Dr Yearwood a successful tenure as party president. The party held its installation ceremony on Friday night.

“I would like to express my support for the newly-elected president.  As long as I am a member of the DLP, I will support the leadership of the DLP,” the former Minister of Economic Affairs in the Freundel Stuart Administration told Barbados TODAY.

“I will continue to make my experience, knowledge of government, governance and macroeconomics available to the DLP so that effective and efficient evaluation of government policies can be done while creating appropriate policies that redound to the improvement of the lives of the people of Barbados,” he stated.

“I am confident that the new president understands how to make use of all of the resources he has at his disposal. I wish him a successful tenure,” said Dr Estwick.

DLP members voted on May 1 for the new leader.

During his acceptance speech, Dr Yearwood called on party supporters to “come back home”.

On January 21, Errol Barrow Day, and two days following the 2022 General Elections and a second 30-nil beating at the polls, then president Verla DePeiza resigned. (EJ)

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The Caribbean Credit Bureau Limited (CCBL) has once again urged Government to relook its Fair Credit Reporting Act, warning that it could result in not only Barbadians’ financial data being leaked outside the region but job losses as well.

It insisted that the legislation – which has created a regulatory environment to promote the development of a fair credit reporting system; regulation of the use of such data; and the secure keeping of the private data of persons collected by a credit bureau – was not necessary and has the potential to do more harm than good.

“There is no need to regulate the business of credit bureaus as we currently have a system in place that has proven to work for players in this sector and by extension our stakeholders,” the CCBL said in a press release on Monday.

“Therefore, should Government refuse to reconsider this Act’s passage, we run the risk of seeing our unemployment numbers rise if local credit bureaus are unable to satisfy the requirements in the Act, the potential loss of foreign exchange, people’s data being exported and utilised by organisations and persons unknown to us who by their very actions can undermine our already broken financial system,” the CCBL further added.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act was passed in December 2021 and proclaimed last month.

“Although some would argue that credit bureaus like CCBL should be mature and endorse the legislation, we remain fearful that if Government enforces the regulations associated with this Act, there is the potential risks of our people’s sensitive financial data being exported to and controlled by entities outside of the region, which local regulators will be unable to properly regulate,” the CCBL said.

“For this and other reasons, CCBL restates its position to Government that instead of seeking to regulate the sector under this Act, it should seriously consider building on the work of established local institutions and legislation already in existence to address potential threats to national sovereignty and sensitive data on the public.

“To this end, therefore, Government is being asked to revisit this Act with the view of making specific amendments to our Data Protection Act, 2019 which can be used to utilise the existing regulatory mechanisms of the Financial Institutions Act in order to protect the interests of our citizens against potential threats from outside our region,” it added.

The CCBL also questioned whether the new legislation was enacted because of pressure placed on Barbados by international financial institutions.

It maintained that Government was merely creating a regulatory environment for companies currently operating as credit bureaux when there was no need to do so.

“Accordingly, to the extent that Government or the Central Bank has been unable to produce any proof that highlights any evidence of malfeasance on the part of any locally owned and controlled credit bureau regarding the way they function and operate to justify this move, CCBL is questioning the real motive and rationale behind this Act’s rushed passage.

“Is it that Government has made commitments to international financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund and spontaneously passed this Act to further coordinate their efforts with large data harvesting operators and national security agencies outside of Barbados to access funding?” the credit bureau asked. (RB/PR)

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Attorney-at-law Lalu Hanuman is questioning why his general election appeal has not been heard by the court, more than three months after it was filed with a Certificate of Urgency.

He has written to Chief Justice Sir Patterson Cheltenham querying why the application, which he claimed could negate the results of the January 19, 2022 general election, has not yet been listed.

Hanuman had challenged the decision not to postpone the elections as well as President Dame Sandra Mason’s granting of Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s request for elections to be called.

The frustrated attorney has sent an email to the Chief Justice, titled Re: CVA0010/2022 -Philip Nathaniel Catlyn v President Sandra Prunella Mason et al, seeking movement on the case which he said is one of “national interest”.

“Given that it is a matter of national importance, I would be most grateful if a case management conference can be convened shortly,” Hanuman wrote.

A day before the general election, Hanuman, representing Philip Catlyn of the Barbados Sovereignty Party, went to the High Court for an injunction to postpone the polls, following Government’s decision not to allow eligible voters who were COVID-19 positive to cast their ballots.

Catlyn had claimed that the exclusion of more than 5 000 COVID-19 positive citizens from the election was in breach of Section 6 of the Representation of the People Act which enshrines the right of eligible residents and citizens to vote.

The applicant also accused President Dame Sandra of acting unreasonably when she accepted Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s request for an election in circumstances where thousands of persons could be disenfranchised.

The matter was heard by Justice Cicely Chase who ruled that the High Court had no jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter. She said such issues could only be heard by a special election court comprising three judges.

Hanuman subsequently appealed the decision at the Court of Appeal, and he is now lamenting that despite his action coming soon after Justice Chase’s ruling, there has been no movement.

“We got the hard copy of Justice Chase’s written decision on January 26 and two days later I filed the appeal. On January 30, we amended the appeal, and then on February 1, I filed an affidavit of urgency. So that’s more than three months till now…and nothing has happened, not even an acknowledgment or a scheduling of case management conference or anything, which is what should have happened,” he told Barbados TODAY.

“Given the certificate of urgency that was also filed, it should be dealt with with great alacrity but that hasn’t happened. Over three months is definitely too long. This matter should have been dealt with that same week. Normally, if you file a certificate of urgency the matter is dealt with within a week, within seven days and this is now over three months. And given that it is a matter that involves elections and it conceivably can negate the elections if we were to succeed, it should have been dealt with by now because it is a national interest issue.”

The Mottley-led Barbados Labour Party (BLP) won the January polls, securing all 30 seats in the House of Assembly for the second straight time.
randybennett@barbadostoday.bb

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Government has invested millions of dollars to train hundreds of teachers to better manage the online teaching environment.

The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training has launched the 21st Century Educators Hub, which in its first phase, supports teachers in improving their digital and socio-emotional skills.

The programme is a partnership between the ministry, the National Transformation Initiative (NTI) and Coursera.

Speaking at Monday’s launch of the hub, Minister of Education Kay McConney said the programme will allow authorities to facilitate the training of many educators and give them the competencies that they need to survive in the 21st century.

McConney said the hub will not just enable educators to be consumers of content, but they will also be capable of creating content to meet the needs of Barbados’ education sector.

She noted that Erdiston Teachers’ Training College and its partners cannot possibly fulfill the level of training and professional development needed in the education system.

The minister explained that the collaboration with Barbados and Coursera, through the NTI, was designed specifically to improve the quality of education through the provision of professional development courses for educators and educational leaders.

She said the training is intended to address the skill gaps that currently exist and to also bring innovative content to support national ambition in new and interesting areas.

Minister McConney said during the 2022 Easter Vacation some teachers sampled five courses offered on the Coursera platform through a pilot project. She said the certificate courses are certified by respected international institutions.

“This Government has determined that we will invest in these courses so that financial considerations will not be a deterrent for our educators to be able to access. And therefore, Government will be paying for these courses that are a part of this education hub,” she said.

Director of the NTI, Dr Allyson Leacock said the partnerships represent the potential for 120 000 Barbadians utilising 20 000 licences the Government purchased from Coursera and an additional 20 000 scholarships Google gifted to Barbados.

Coursera is a United States-based online course provider founded in 2012 which works with universities and other organisations to offer online courses, certifications, and degrees in a variety of subject areas. (AH)

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As the Government of Barbados prepares to unveil a new comprehensive five-year healthcare plan, the Minister of Health and Wellness has promised strategies to fill personnel shortages and increase the autonomy of nurses.

Addressing a religious service at Christ Church Parish Church on Sunday to mark the start of nurses’ week and International Nurses’ Day on May 12, Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill said the plan will be linked to greater accountability and good governance, as core principles.

“Over the next five years, the Ministry of Health and Wellness will implement a new and comprehensive plan for the delivery of healthcare services in Barbados. Our strategy will be driven by some fundamental principles including financial resources being tagged to pragmatic outcomes, that there be greater professionalism and accountability and good governance,” Gooding-Edghill told the congregants that included other representatives from the Ministry of Health and the nursing fraternity.

He said other fundamental principles at the heart of the plan would include better engagement to encourage long-term public confidence and delivery of timely care which places the patient at the centre of the process and ensures the health services’ fraternity, especially nurses, are well-resourced, supported and valued.

Stating that the government was treating the replenishment of the nursing complement as urgent, the minister said this will partly be done by exploring new markets from which to import nurses, adding to those from Cuba and Ghana.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is yet another reminder that we need to close the staffing gap in the nursing workforce to adequately meet our healthcare needs and demands. The Ministry of Health has prioritised this as an urgent action, and will address this by implementing plans to attract persons to the nursing profession in pursuit of maintaining a suitable nursing workforce over a phased period,” Gooding-Edghill said.

He pointed out that the government was pressing ahead with plans to better equip its nurses to help the country meet its healthcare goals by providing opportunities for more robust education, supported environments and greater levels of autonomy.

“Our aim is to provide a nursing workforce that is diverse and prepared with knowledge and skills to address healthcare issues and overcome current and future barriers affecting workforce capacity. Other initiatives to increase the number of training opportunities for nursing students are presently in the pipeline and discussion with other universities and stakeholders are ongoing,” the minister said.

He added: “The Advanced Nurses’ Practice Register is soon to be expanded to permit increased enrollment, thereby increasing the autonomy of the nurse practitioners. The Ministry of Health will continue to strengthen the capacity and capability within the nursing workforce, empowering and supporting the expansion of the scope of practice, and the role of nurses will ultimately lead to improved patient care,” the minister explained.

Gooding-Edghill said the ministry will work with stakeholders to provide specific leadership programmes for nurses and mid-wives and continue to engage nursing professionals and leaders on healthcare policy.

“The adoption of these measures will support the delivery of new service priorities and needed reforms,” he declared.

The theme of this year’s International Nurses’ Day is Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health. (EJ)

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Barbadian Dr Kurt Lambert will join New York City Mayor Eric Adams as a recipient of a 2022 honorary degree from Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.

Dr Lambert will also deliver the commencement address to the graduating class.

Lambert is Chairman of the Board of RepRisk, a global leader in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risk and due diligence, delivering best-available data globally to leading organisations across all industries.

A passionate entrepreneur, Lambert has built a number of early and late-stage firms spanning the investment, fintech, healthcare, and consumer goods sectors, including Swiss coffeeshop chain ViCAFE.

In 1997, he founded Harcourt Investment Consulting AG, which was a pioneer in the Swiss hedge fund industry, and managed in excess of US$5 billion by the end of 2009.

Lambert is Chair of The Forlam Foundation in Barbados and was previously Chairman and member of the Board of Trustees of the Africa Foundation UK Trust.

In addition, he has served on the Advisory Board of several major initiatives including the Advisory Board of the FTSE Hedge Fund Index, the most recent being to establish a regional financial services institute in the Caribbean.

Lambert has a PhD in Economics from the University of Lausanne, in Switzerland, a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin, and a BSc in Mathematics from Hofstra University.

He along with Drs Vidya Armogan and William Duguid, MP and former MP Richard Sealy are members of the Harrison College 1979 entry year.

Former distinguished Hofstra awardees include the Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm Forbes, Publisher of Forbes magazine, former US President Bill Clinton, Alan Greenspan, Chair of the Federal Reserve, and Dr Courtney Blackman, former Governor to the Central Bank of Barbados. (PR)

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The Chefette Frosteez Distance Relay  National Primary Schools Athletics Championship (NAPSAC) is off and running at the Usain Bolt, Sports Complex.

Eden Lodge Primary won the first which was the Under-nine 4x400m mixed relay in the Andrea Blackett and James Wedderburn Zones.

Eden Lodge won in 6:11.42 for the top podium finish.

Today’s zones are sponsored by Fruta and Rubis respectively. (ML) 

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Pinelands Creative Workshop over the weekend donated three bicycles to the West Terrace Primary School to assist them with their project of teaching their young pupils how to ride a bicycle.

In the brief handover ceremony at Pinelands Creative Workshop headquarters, physical education teacher Dwayne Phillips said that he reached out to Stephen ‘Iambo’ Grant, supervisor of the Pinelands Creative Workshop Bike Project, as he realised that many pupils did not know how to ride a bicycle nor did they have the means to do so.

“The initiative is to get students within the Infants Department of the West Terrace Primary School to learn how to ride a bicycle.

I know across primary schools that students between the ages of 5-9 years-old are unable to ride a bicycle and or have not been afforded the opportunity due to the current Covid-19 climate that we are in now to afford to purchase a bicycle.

I decided to reach out to Pinelands Creative Workshop to request a donation of bicycles so that I can start this programme to teach the students how to ride at the school,” he said.

Grant said that support from the organisation to assist Phillips was seen as a good way to help the children as he too realised that many children want to learn to ride a bicycle but their parents might be unable to purchase one for them.

Thus, Pinelands Creative Workshop decided to assist with a donation of three bikes valued at $450.00.

“We donated today two 18-inch bicycles and one 16-inch unisex bicycle to West Terrace Primary School.

The reason why we accepted their request to sponsor is because PCW it about helping and developing children.

We at Pinelands Creative Workshop know that there are a lot of children whose parents cannot afford bicycles, therefore we wanted to assist the initiative that Mr. Phillips is seeking to do to encourage the students at his school to ride as it is a good initiative for keeping fit, a way for them to have fun and build the confidence and self-esteem in children, and at the same time it’s environmentally friendly and we hope that other schools follow suit,” he said.

Phillips commended Pinelands Creative Workshop for the excellent work that they are doing with the Bicycle Project and was hopeful that other sponsors would come on board so that he could expand the project at West Terrace Primary School.

“I believe other sponsors would come forward to donate to this initiative. But, I think that it is an excellent initiative that Pinelands Creative Workshop has started with the bicycle project as they have good brand bicycles where individuals within different communities can come get a bicycle and teach students how to ride,” he said. (Write Right PR Services)

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Head of Chronic Disease and Injury at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Dr Tamu Davidson says recent studies have shown that persons who have mild symptoms of COVID-19 can be affected by long COVID, even though vaccinated persons are less likely to suffer from the condition.

She was speaking at CARPHA’s recent meeting of regional Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) on the potential impact of long COVID on the health status of the region.

The World Health Organisation defines long COVID as a condition that occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed COVID-19 infection. Symptoms usually occur within three months from the onset of the viral illness, with effects that last for at least two months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis.

While patients can have lingering symptoms for months following COVID-19, it is difficult to predict just how long they may last. These symptoms may include fatigue, shortness of breath and cognitive dysfunction (brain fog); and may be of new onset, persist from initial illness, or may relapse and recur over time.

“While anyone could develop this condition, current data, though limited, points to an increased frequency in women, middle-aged individuals and in those with more symptoms during the COVID infection,” she said.

However, the condition is not limited to these groups and even those with mild COVID-19 symptoms can be affected.

An overview of the potential burden that long COVID-related morbidity can have on the health care system, as well as the implications for public health were discussed at the CARPHA meeting.

The importance of strengthening health systems to support early detection and clinical management of the condition, with a focus on primary health care, was noted. Additionally, officials highlighted the need for surveillance of long COVID and research to support an understanding of the natural history of the condition within the Caribbean context.

CARPHA provided specific management activities that the region can undertake, such as adhering to public health measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, long-term follow-up of infected persons, continued vaccination and boosting, as well as continued research to improve knowledge of the condition.

In the discussion that followed, the CMOs shared specific measures they had employed to manage long COVID, including the establishment of specialised clinics with multi-disciplinary support to manage cases.

CARPHA commended the CMOs on the interventions they had initiated to directly address the issue and encouraged them to continue with heightened surveillance for cases that may yet be undetected. (BT/PR)

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World food commodity prices decreased in April after a large jump the previous month, led by modest declines in the prices of vegetable oils and cereals, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) reported last week.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 158.5 points in April 2022, down 0.8 per cent from the all-time high reached in March. The Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a basket of commonly-traded food commodities, remained 29.8 per cent higher than in April 2021.

The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index decreased by 5.7 per cent in April, shedding almost a third of the increase registered in March, as demand rationing pushed down prices for palm, sunflower and soy oils. Uncertainties about export availabilities out of Indonesia, the world’s leading palm oil exporter, contained further declines in international prices.

“The small decrease in the index is a welcome relief, particularly for low-income food-deficit countries, but still food prices remain close to their recent highs, reflecting persistent market tightness and posing a challenge to global food security for the most vulnerable,” said FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero Cullen.

The FAO Cereal Price Index declined by 0.7 points in April, nudged down by a 3.0 percent decline in world maize prices. International wheat prices, strongly affected by continued blockage of ports in Ukraine and concerns over crop conditions in the United States of America but tempered by larger shipments from India and higher-than-expected exports from the Russian Federation, increased by
0.2 per cent. International rice prices increased by 2.3 per cent from their March levels, buoyed by strong demand from China and the Near East.

Meanwhile, the FAO Sugar Price Index increased by 3.3 per cent, buoyed by higher ethanol prices and concerns over the slow start of the 2022 harvest in Brazil, the world’s largest sugar exporter.

The FAO Meat Price Index increased by 2.2 per cent from the previous month, setting a new record high, as prices rose for poultry, big and bovine meat. Poultry meat prices were affected by disruptions to exports from Ukraine and rising avian influenza outbreaks in the Northern hemisphere. By contrast, ovine meat prices averaged marginally lower.

The FAO Dairy Price Index also was up, by 0.9 per cent, on the back of persistent global supply tightness as milk output in Western Europe and Oceania continued to track below their seasonal levels. World butter prices rose the most, influenced by a surge in demand associated with the current shortage of sunflower oil and margarine.

FAO also released a new Cereal Supply and Demand Brief with updated forecasts pointing to a likely 1.2 per cent decline in world trade in cereals in the 2021/22 marketing year compared to the previous year.

The decline is associated with maize and other coarse grains, while trade volumes for rice are predicted to grow by 3.8 per cent and that for wheat by 1.0 per cent.

With almost all crops harvested for the 2020/21 cycle, FAO pegs the world cereal production at 2 799 million tonnes, an 0.8 per cent increase from the 2019/20 outturn. World cereal utilisation for the 2021/22 period is projected to increase by 0.9 percent from the previous year to 2 785 million tonnes.

FAO’s new estimate for world cereal stocks by the close of seasons in 2022 now stands at 856 million tonnes, 2.8 per cent above opening levels, led by a build-up in maize inventories partly due to suspended exports from Ukraine. If confirmed, the global cereal stocks-to-use ratio would end the period unchanged at a “relatively comfortable supply level” of 29.9 per cent, according to FAO.

FAO still predicts global wheat production to grow in 2022, to 782 million tonnes. That forecast incorporates an expected 20 per cent decline in harvested area in Ukraine as well as drought-driven output declines in Morocco.

For coarse grains, the Brief indicates that Brazil is on course to harvest a record maize crop of 116 million tonnes in 2022, while weather conditions are likely to dent maize output in Argentina and South Africa.

Initial planting surveys indicate that maize acreage in the United States of America is likely to decline by 4 per cent, amid concerns over the high costs of fertilisers and other inputs. (FAO)

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Fortress Fund Managers (FFM) recorded mostly solid gains across its funds in the first quarter of 2022 despite weakness in global markets.

Fortress shared this news with investors in its March 2022 Quarterly Report. It highlighted Fortress’ three Barbados dollar funds  – the Caribbean Growth Fund, the Caribbean High Interest Fund, and the Caribbean Pension Fund.

The report’s summary noted that after a strong 2021, the new year started with volatility in financial markets in the form of higher inflation, rising interest rates and the effects of war in Ukraine. Fortress’ funds, however, were able to avoid much of the fallout and, mostly, held their own.

“Global stocks and bonds fell, and we naturally felt these headwinds. Thankfully, though, the weakness in stock markets has been centred in the kinds of technology shares we’ve largely avoided due to their high valuations. Prices of the steadily profitable, growing, reasonably valued shares where we invest held their ground well during the quarter, and some posted solid gains amidst the general market weakness,” the report explained.

The Caribbean Growth Fund gained 3.6 per cent in the first quarter and was up 16.5 per cent over the past year. While stocks around the world weakened, the Fund’s global and Caribbean holdings outperformed, especially in Guyana which contributed strong returns.

Globally, equities fell as high inflation readings, less supportive central banks, and increased geopolitical risks weighed on sentiment.

“Inflation headwinds intensified in January and initially sparked a decline in global equities. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February prompted markets to lose further ground, with the greatest pressure in European and emerging markets. Commodity prices, on the other hand, strengthened and pushed inflation even higher,” the commentary explained.

Closer to home, equity performance was flat except for a few select holdings.

“The Barbados and Jamaica index were little changed while the Trinidad index fell 4 per cent. Over the quarter, Massy Holdings cross-listed in Jamaica and approved a 20:1 stock split. The stock gained 14 per cent in the quarter and reported positive underlying earnings growth. Also in Trinidad, Agostini advanced 40 per cent on thin volumes.

In Barbados, Goddard Enterprises added 4 per cent and earnings showed welcome signs of recovering post-pandemic.

The Fund also continued to see outsized gains from holdings in Guyana, where the energy buildout has been boosting economic growth. Our substantial positions in Banks DIH and Demerara Bank posted the largest gains,”
the report added.

The net asset value (NAV) per share was $7.7438 as of March 25. Net assets of the Fund were $652 million, up from $549 million this time last year.

The Fund’s annual compound rate of return since inception in 1996 is 8.5 per ent per year and its portfolio remained well diversified by security, geography, and currency in line with its aim of capital growth over the long term.

The Caribbean Growth Fund commentary ended with a positive outlook.

“Longer-term, we continue to see excellent potential for future returns from the kinds of high-quality, reasonably valued shares in which the Fund invests in the Caribbean and around the world.”

The Caribbean High Interest Fund declined 1.8 per cent in the first quarter and was down 0.2 per cent over the past year.

Global bonds fell during the quarter as yields rose around the world. “This occurred as central banks shifted their focus from supporting economic recovery via ultra-low rates to containing inflation, which has been well above normal in recent months,” the report noted.

In Barbados, activity in the corporate bond market remained limited. “Our positions continued to perform as expected, but their prices were marked lower along with global bonds of similar quality and terms.

We continued to add to holdings in Government of Barbados (GOB) Series B bonds as the final payments of Series F bonds draw nearer. GOB holdings are still approximately 12 per cent of the portfolio.”

The NAV of the Fund’s Accumulation share was $2.0913 as of March 25, while the Distribution share finished at $0.9985. Net assets of the Fund were $144 million, up from $136 million this time last year. The Fund’s annual compound rate of return since inception in 2002 is 3.8% per year. Its portfolio remained as diversified as possible across various issuers, industries, geographies, and terms to maturity.

Pension Fund shares mostly up

The Caribbean Pension Fund, which invests across stocks and bonds in different proportions, “mostly rose in the quarter” with its three classes of shares returning between -0.9 per cent and +2.5 per cent in the first quarter. They were up between 2.3 per cent and 13.1 per cent over the past year.

As with the other funds, financial markets grappling with high inflation, rising interest rates and geopolitical conflict impacted returns. The quarterly report concluded by reminding investors of questions to ponder during seasons of uncertainty.

“There is always something to worry about in the investment world. Today the worries are inflation, interest rates and geopolitical conflict. Yesterday the worry was the pandemic…. (But) as investors, the most important questions to ask are these: Can we invest today in reasonably priced securities, diversify appropriately, and expect a fair return from today’s starting prices?

For the Fortress portfolios, we think the answers to these questions today are all, still firmly, yes.” Fortress Fund Managers manages over Bds $800 million in assets across 12 funds with investments in regional, US, international and emerging markets. (PR)

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Clients at the Geriatric Hospital, Beckles Road, St. Michael, will be allowed to receive visitors once again, starting Sunday, May 15, 2022. However, a new system will be in place where persons may visit relatives on designated units during alternate weekly cycles.

During the first week, which starts May 15, clients in Units Two and Three, which comprise Wards 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6B, 7B, 8B, 9B and 10B may receive visitors on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, only.

The next week, starting Sunday, May 22, it will be the turn of those clients in Units One and Four, which comprise Wards 2B,3B, 4B, 5B, 8A, 9A and 10A, to receive visits on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays only. The cycle will restart the following week.

Visitors should note that weekly visits of 15 minutes’ duration will be facilitated between 4:30 and 6:00 p.m. Persons visiting the hospital are expected to follow all COVID-19 protocols and guidelines, which will remain in effect for the protection and well-being of clients and staff. (BGIS)

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