By Morissa Lindsay

Barbadian top player Khamal Cumberbatch demonstrated he is one of the best squash players in the Caribbean, when he earned silver in an exciting match against Jamaica’s Christopher Binnie at the 37th Senior Squash Championship in Jamaica last night. The regional squash star Binnie claimed his 10th individual men’s title.

Played in front of a capacity crowd at the famous Liguanea Squash Club in Kingston, the 20-year-old Bajan played one of the best games of his career but in the end, it was Binnie who delivered on his home soil 14-12, 11-5 and 11-5 in the three best of five sets showdown.

After the match Cumberbatch told Barbados TODAY it was a tough battle to reach the final against Binnie and that he was pleased with his overall performance.

“It was a tough battle making it to the final so I’m very pleased with my performances thus far. I came in as the number two seed and knew to at least keep my seeding I would have to perform at the best of my abilities. So, I can’t be happier to accomplish that.

“I’m extremely proud of how I was able to stand up to Chris Binnie on what would be the biggest stage of my Caribbean career. I kept [my] focus and intensity in the first game to make it to a tiebreak, but his experience and consistency of high-level squash was able to help him close out the remaining games,” Cumberbatch said.

Sponsored by WATA, Cumberbatch put the hometown lad Binnie under early pressure which came as no surprise taking into consideration that he had youth on his side against the 33-year-old Jamaican.

Cumberbatch proudly carried on his family legacy in a sport previously graced by his father and former Barbados Squash Association President Monty Cumberbatch, along with his three older brothers Gavin, Rhett and Bryant who all represented Barbados at some point.

In the opening set, both right-handed players went on the attack and it was the Barbados number one and Caribbean number two seed Cumberbatch that applied the early pressure on the top ranked Binnie with a 6-2 lead.

The regional number one men’s player Binnie however showed his experience as an undefeated champion for over a decade at the Senior Caribbean Area Squash Association Competition, to come from behind and equalise at 6-6 and worked his way back into a keenly contested first stanza.

The first game is always crucial especially in a final’s match and with several long rallies, Binnie at 10-7 appeared set to take the lead but not without resistance from the talented Cumberbatch who came from behind for the first time in the set and tied the scores 10-10.

It was a spectacular showing to start from Cumberbatch who managed to save three game points and went on to take the lead 11-10 after Binnie made an error.

At this stage Cumberbatch who was an undisputed king of squash at the junior level in the Caribbean, had Binnie under pressure. However, Binnie showing great composure at 12-12 went on to secure the next two points to take an early 1-0 advantage.

While Cumberbatch fought with vigour and seemingly sent a strong message to the region that he is next in line to sit on the throne, it was the Jamaicans who celebrated as Binnie went on to capture the next two sets and accomplished what no man has ever done before completing a whopping ten individual championship titles.

It was even sweeter for Binnie because that was the first time he had ever won at home in Jamaica and based on his calm composure during the nightcap match, it was evident he was not willing to let Cumberbatch deny him such glory.

In the Women’s consolation final, Barbadian teenager Eboni Atherley playing in her first senior tournament defeated Courtney Stafford of Cayman Islands 5-11, 11-5, 8-11, 15-13 and 11-4 in an exciting three best of five sets showdown.

The mixed doubles team comprising Jodi Smith-Padmore and Darien Benn finished with a bronze medal that was shared with Trinidad and Tobago.

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By Morissa Lindsay

After eight days of intense training, the Barbados senior men’s basketball team has received wonderful praises from head coach Devan Blair who said not only is the talent there among a crop of young talented players, but their ability to catch on quickly is impeccable.

On the final night of training yesterday at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex, Blair who is from the United States of America and coaches in the NBA G-League, said he is excited for the future of basketball in Barbados based on what he has seen so far from 20 plus players who came out to be part of a mini training camp.

“I am not doing any new drills I haven’t done before but I have had teams where I have had to explain it three, four, five times before they comprehend it. These guys get it on the first try and so that is a testament to coaches on the island and these guys having been previously coached well.

“But it is also a testament to them and their basketball IQ and knowledge which frankly I didn’t know what I was walking into, I didn’t know what level it was and I don’t mean that as a bad thing, it was just ignorance I didn’t know. And so seeing where we are at just means my plans, Francis (Williams BABA President) plans, I think can go a little quicker than maybe we had previously anticipated,” Blair explained.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Blair was unable to meet and work with the team and he described it as an exciting time to work with the senior men’s national team.

He also shared his thoughts on Barbados basketball talent and the possibility to being match-ready to compete and win games as early as next year once all goes according to plans.

“I think our talent is really good. I didn’t know exactly what to expect coming down here to be completely honest. But I am leaving more excited than when I came and I was very excited coming down here; but having seen the guys, having worked with them these past eight days now my excitement is through the roof. I think we have a crop of guys here, all of them have an opportunity to compete for a spot on our national team, and we are not making those decisions right now. This was an invite only. These are the guys who we think have a shot and I am really excited by the guys that have been here,” Blair said.

He added: “The goal is to be ready by the next tournament window and fingers crossed that is next summer. Ultimately that is out of our control but it should be next summer. So, the plan for right now is getting down here this week and making sure we got something started because we haven’t had this for two and a half years. So, the plan for this was let us get people in the gym; let’s get coaches in the gym, let’s get excited, let’s lay out my vision for how we are going to play. That was the goal this week and the next time I come whether that is February or when summer hits then we are preparing to play, compete and win.

“We have players overseas and we don’t have commitments right now and we haven’t asked for commitments, we aren’t at that stage. All we are doing is opening the dialogue and starting building relationships and if they want to play they are welcome with open arms so that is where we are right now. This was our springboard and let us use this for the next time I come back. We are serious and it is time to win games.”

In any sport having a home is a necessity and Blair while he agrees believes that for Barbados that may take some time but in the meantime he advised the players to take advantage of what they do have such as the newly refurbished National Sports Council gym.

“The more access our players can have obviously the better. I don’t know if you guys have seen the new weight room back there but Sabrina (Wood – National Sports Council accountant) did a terrific job of putting it together. She deserves all the credit in the world and my point and emphasis to these guys at the end of practice is going to be, ‘you have the tools, you have the facilities; there is no longer an excuse to not be here working’.

“Obviously, some of these guys would not be here, some of these guys are going to the States playing high school, playing college, in which they have access to the facilities. But for the guys that are here in the summer time we have to take advantage of this. Would it be great if we have a gym available all the time? Of course, not the reality of the situation right now but we are working towards that. Can we get another court, can we get another area that has a roof so we can play when the weather doesn’t permit? That is obviously not something that gets solved overnight but that is what we want to head to, but in a perfect world we have another indoor gym for our national team. Can we get to that point? Hopefully, we are certainly going to try and if we get there then the sky’s the limit on where we can go because guys wouldn’t have an excuse anymore,” Blair expressed.

Blair first visited Barbados five years ago for the NBA/Digicel Jump Start programme and that is where he saw an opening to help make a difference. He also said that he is here for the long haul as long as the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association led by president Francis Williams would have him around.

Going into his eighth season as a NBA G-League coach, Blair with his years and level of experience strongly believes he can make a difference in local basketball and that also prompted him to apply for the position.

“To be able to come into a place like that which has the talent, has the ability and I just have the easy job of coming in and getting people excited again. That seems like a great opportunity outside of falling in love with the people, falling in love with the culture. The other part of it is my job back home, the NBA G-League. I’m going into my eighth season.

“At the end of the day I don’t have the opportunity to facilitate change. It is business, we are there to win basketball games, get players better and help the NBA clubs win basketball games. That is our job at the end of the day. Here it can be bigger, we can impact kids’ lives whether that is through scholarships and getting them an opportunity they wouldn’t have had through basketball. Opening their eyes up to other opportunities they didn’t think were possible before and that doesn’t just go for these guys but if we have success at this level then it just trickles down,” Blair said. morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb

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After several years of successfully coordinating an annual back to school drive for children in need across Barbados, Shenika Hinds is Republic Bank’s Be The One staff initiative winner. She received 73 per cent of the votes for her work in creating and maintaining the Centralised Credit Unit’s Back to School Drive and has received $2,500 to support her efforts.

After the announcement at the Broad Street Branch where she works, the smiling Hinds thanked her colleagues for nominating and voting for her as well as for their substantial contributions to the drive over the years.

“It really does make a difference to the children who are identified by the Barbados Child Care Board who are in need. It really goes a long way. Over the last couple of years, we have seen more people who are in need and this donation will help to go even further,” she said.

Hinds explained that about four years ago, she teamed up with two of her departmental colleagues to find a way to give back to the community. They settled on supporting children and eventually began working with the Barbados Child Care Board to help children in need. This led to the development of the back-to-school drive.

“The reception was very, very good at first. The donations flowed in. We took in monetary donations and physical donations based on the list that was provided by the Barbados Child Care Board,” she said

Hinds explained that the support has continued even as the need has grown. Over the years, she has collected both monetary donations and items such as backpacks, lunch bags, stationery and more for the children. She said representatives of the Barbados Child Care Board have always expressed gratitude for the donations. Republic Bank’s new Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Mischa Knight, praised Hinds as well as her fellow Broad Street Branch nominee, Dario Braithwaite for their philanthropic work.

“I hope that seeing this presentation will inspire others in the Bank to do more out there in our community,” she said.

Meanwhile, General Manager, Retail and Operations, Sharon Zephirin, stated that both Hinds and Brathwaite were winners in everyone’s eyes. She urged more Barbadians to adopt the spirit of the initiative and find ways to “Be The One” to do some good within their communities.

“This call is for a national movement, for us to take Be The One to the next level and for us to see ‘how best in my life I can do better and assist others, and see some improvement in their life as well’,” she said.

Zephirin added: “The call is for us to look at all the areas in the community that may require some attention, and look to see where there is a need and make that change today.”

The #BETHEONE initiative originated in Trinidad & Tobago and was adopted by Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited in 2019. This is the second year that the Bank is running a staff initiative. There is also a community-based component that seeks to identify and celebrate people in communities across Barbados who are doing good deeds and contribute to their causes. The nomination process for this component concluded recently and voting is underway to elect the 2022 Champion.  (PR)

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Last month, the world’s most reputable higher education agency Times Higher Education (THE) announced its 2022 Latin America University Rankings. Marking its third consecutive year in the hemispheric rankings, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) succeeded in sustaining a leading position among the region’s best, and significantly scored 100% in the citations (research influence) performance indicator used by the prestigious ranking agency.

The UWI’s 100 per cent score in citations/research influence is above even the number one ranked University in Latin America; a feat it also achieved in the 2021 Latin America University Rankings. This performance indicator is one of five areas assessed by Times Higher Education. It looks at a university’s role in spreading new knowledge and ideas.

The research influence score captures the average number of times a university’s published work is cited by scholars globally. THE’s other performance indicators include teaching (the learning environment); research (volume, income and reputation); international outlook (staff, students and research); and industry income (knowledge transfer).

Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, commenting on the report stated, “These excellent results are the outcomes of the sustained, smart work of our academics and administrators, students and service providers.”

Also weighing in on the accomplishment, The UWI’s new Pro Vice-Chancellor, Board for Graduate Studies and Research, Professor Aldrie Henry-Lee congratulated the University’s outstanding researchers and their support staff. She noted, “The UWI’s research continues to significantly impact not only academia but the policy processes in developing countries.”

The UWI’s high ranking and high demand for its research is a key advantage that the University aims to leverage in its 2022-2027 strategic cycle. The strategic plan, dubbed The Revenue Revolution, is focused on converting the University’s well-earned and honed international reputation into much-needed revenue, as well as enhancing the quality, quantity and impact of research to develop revenue generating industry-academic partnerships.

Since its 2018 debut in the Latin America University Rankings, The UWI is still the sole university from the English-speaking Caribbean among all the institutions ranked by Times Higher Education’s Latin America University Rankings.

Its consolidated results in the rankings’ five performance areas have overall remained consistent since last year, although the 2022 edition saw an increased number of new entrants. The UWI is ranked at position 21 in the 2022 Latin America University Rankings, which comprise 197 institutions in 13 countries, up from 177 institutions in 2021.  (PR)

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The Regional Organisation of Women in Leadership (ROWL) has enrolled twenty participants in the 2022 Women in Politics Leadership Institute Programme.

The programme received a significant number of applications from across the OECS and Barbados.

This results-oriented leadership programme for young women in the Eastern Caribbean and Barbados was conceptualized in 2020 by the United States Embassy, Bridgetown Barbados.

The Regional Organisation of Women in Leadership was awarded a grant by US Embassy, Bridgetown, to implement the 2022 programme.

Greater female participation in politics and leadership in the Caribbean is encouraged through active participation in sessions with leading professionals.

The program commences August 24, 2022 and ends September 28, 2022 and will be facilitated by distinguished female leaders across the OECS and Barbados and also the United States.

Participants will engage in topics such as:

• Building your brand and finding your place in politics

• Developing new skills to advance your career

• Diversity, Inclusion and community activism

• Grow your professional network of fellow female leaders

This year the programme will include a mentorship component which will commence after the training sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in a mentorship program to strengthen their skills development, fortify what was taught during the training sessions and broaden their professional network.

The Regional Organization of Women in Leadership congratulated the new inductees and noted it looks forward to a productive six weeks with all the participants.

For more information and to follow highlights of the program follow ROWL and the US Embassy on social media on the following platforms.

Facebook- ROWL US Embassy

www.facebook.com/rowlglobal www.facebook.com/USEmabssyBarbados

Instagram- ROWL US Embassy

www.instagram.com/rowlcaribbean  www.instagram.com/usembassybridgetown

LinkedIn – ROWL 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/rowl-global

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/women-in-politics-leadership-institute

(PR)

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The Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) has elected new members to its Board of Directors following the organisation’s Annual General Meeting held on July 28, 2022 at the Hilton Barbados Resort.

Dame Billie Miller continues as the organisation’s Vice-President having been re-elected unopposed, while a new face, chartered accountant Orson Simpson takes up the post of Board Secretary.

He replaces Henry Barrow who now holds the position on the Board as a Director. Irene Sandiford-Garner and Lennox Prescod have also been elected to the posts of Directors.

Irene Sandiford-Garner

They will all serve for a two-year period ending in 2024. The full Board comprises Marilyn Rice-Bowen (President), Dame Billie Miller (Vice-President), Orson Simpson (Secretary), Monica Hinds (Treasurer), Irene Sandiford-Garner, Lennox Prescod, Clorinda Alleyne, Henry Barrow and Eric Smith (Directors).

Rice-Bowen in welcoming the new Directors said: “We are delighted to welcome the mix of talent and experience amongst this team as we continue to do our utmost to help our members, indeed all seniors in this country, to enjoy a good quality of life in their golden years.”

This diverse all-volunteer, nine-member governing body will tackle issues ranging from pension to health care, technology and cyber security awareness as well as elder abuse. The BARP president also lauded retiring Directors Lolita Applewhaite, Professor Andrew Downes and Keith “Tony” Marshall for their outstanding contribution to the organisation.

This year’s AGM was well attended and members were informed about the organisation’s performance during this turbulent pandemic period under the theme “Adjusting Your Sails”.  (PR)

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Barbadians have been urged to reject the notion that the sugar industry freed this island as well as others in the region from bondage.

Special Envoy on Reparations and Economic Enfranchisement Trevor Prescod insisted on Wednesday that this false narrative was a grave insult to the struggles endured by African slaves during the height of the transatlantic slave trade.

Giving brief remarks at a lunchtime organized by Write Right PR Services lecture and delivered by Barbadian-born civil rights activist and author Terry Morris on his book Raped and Robbed: Time For 21st Century Reparations and No Justice, No Peace!, Prescod said while the sugar industry supported a lot of the infrastructural development in the region, it was also accompanied by acts of savagery.

“You know the things, the evils, and the atrocities that came along concomitantly with sugar? Some of the most felonious crimes on the face of the earth, in order to sustain that industry called sugar that led to super capitalism that led to the inferior role that all of us are expected to play in society,” Prescod argued.

“Don’t urinate on me and call it rain….

These people urinate on us, some of us even call it sugar. Any time that you hear a Pan Africanist tell you that sugar made us free, this is a Pan Africanist madman.”

Morris echoed similar sentiments and criticised black academics who were often educated at the highest level in western universities but seldom used their knowledge to uplift their countries.

“The knowledge you gain from these institutions, you couldn’t put towards the benefit of your people? “Moses came from an oppressed group, Moses ate Pharaoh’s food, Moses studied Pharaoh’s books…. Moses applied the knowledge to the advancement and liberation of his people. Why can’t you be like Moses?” he added in a biblical reference to illustrate his point.

“Harvard or Yale . . . Oxford and Cambridge, there is a reason those institutions exist… They exist to provide leadership for England [and] the United States. That is why they exist. I’m not telling anybody not to go to a higher institution; in fact, if you get a scholarship, go but understand your purpose of going,”
Morris added. (SB)

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The U Report Steering Committees from the OECS, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago met in Barbados for a Training Workshop from August 17th to 19th 2022, to build the capacity of U Report Ambassadors within the Eastern Caribbean area. The Workshop, that was held at the Lloyd Erksine Sandiford Centre in Barbados, was supported by the OECS Commission and UNICEF. Several U Report Ambassadors from across the Eastern Caribbean also participated virtually.

The aim of the workshop was to assist the Steering Committees and U Report Ambassadors in acquiring knowledge and training that would contribute to increased visibility, mobilisation and impact of the U Report Platform.

The areas of training included partnerships, communications and outreach, poll development, research and data analysis, and monitoring and evaluation.

Thereafter, members of the U Report Steering Committee applied the concepts learned to further develop strategies to mobilise youth and proliferate social impact in the Eastern Caribbean.

Dr. Carlene Radix, OECS Head of Human and Social Division, applauded the U Report team for their execution of the event. 

“The U Report Ambassadors organised an excellent event with the support of the OECS Commission and UNICEF, and I look forward to exciting things ahead for the U-Report platform,” she said.

As part of the agenda, the U Report Steering Committees hosted a virtual Stakeholders Engagement Meeting on Friday August 19th. Present at the meeting were stakeholders from across the Eastern Caribbean, to learn how the U Report platform can be used to engage youth across their varying sectoral areas of interest and to discuss possible areas of collaboration. Consequently, stakeholders affirmed their commitment to partner with U Report OECS to achieve mutually beneficial objectives and youth-inclusive policies within the OECS.

Sheriece Noel, Interim Chairperson of the U Report OECS Steering Committee, remarked on the successful outcomes of the workshop.

“Unreservedly, the first Joint Meeting of the U-report Steering Committee was a resounding success. The three-day affair was meticulously planned out; and each day presented itself as an excellent capacity-building exercise to ultimately host a lucrative StakeholderEngagement Meeting on the final day.

Having been convened during the pandemic, the hybrid affair provided an excellent opportunity to delve into the inner workings of the U-report platform and fine tune our aims and objectives as a group, without the disadvantages of online planning and communication,” Noel said.

Head of Communications at the OECS Commission Loverly Anthony facilitated the Communications and Outreach component of the training. She emphasized the need to engage the schools and communities to expand the reach of U-Report.

‘U-Report provides multifunctional usage for youth in the community and at school. It is both a data source and a data collection tool, that can support students in completing their research projects,’’ Anthony stated.

The U-Report is a digital platform designed by UNICEF to engage young people in program priorities, emergency response and advocacy actions.

It supports adolescent, youth, and community participation; and works as a tool to share information, raise awareness, and collect quantifiable data on specific areas that impact youth and the most vulnerable. The information is then utilised by various stakeholders to inform their respective policies and programs as they seek to create relevant youth-focused initiatives. (PR)

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On Monday, August 22, Barbados TODAY published the article, ‘DLP at Fault’ which incorrectly stated that St Michael South Central MP Marsha Caddle placed the disaster facing the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) at the feet of the Democratic Labour Party. The Barbados TODAY Inc apologises for its error.

Below is a true reflection of Caddle’s comments on the NIS expressed at Saturday’s meeting of League of Young Socialists.

Barbados must explore a more progressive National Insurance Scheme (NIS) that could include higher contributions from the wealthy with no increased benefits for those individuals, economist Marsha Caddle has proposed.

“I stand by it. I don’t know if it is a recommendation that the Government will take but I think that the NIS contribution system has to start to more closely align with our progressive tax system,” she said as she presented wide-ranging proposals for the fund which experts warn could be depleted in 12 to 20 years if urgent action is not taken to bolster it.

Addressing the annual general meeting of the League of Young Socialists at Barbados Labour Party headquarters last Saturday, the Government backbencher cautioned that the country must be very cautious about determining which category of citizens can afford to pay more.

“Because when we set these thresholds for higher contributions too low, then we have an issue with a middle class that is vulnerable and that is about to become poor,” she said.

The former Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment advised that while Barbados has long based its social protection policies on protecting the vulnerable, this group is not static and the policy should therefore be set based on a person’s life cycle.

“We also have to understand that when we talk about this middle class, increasingly we are talking about people who have complex vulnerabilities and our policy has to be very fluid and very nimble. It is not just a question of taking care of a set number of families because tomorrow that number could change,” she added.

Caddle, who praised the Government for attempting to face and fix a complex issue that has been ignored for too long, made clear that the challenges facing the scheme have nothing to do with investment but fall in line with the problems facing broken social insurance models all over the world.

“The returns on NIS investment have been high and the rate of return versus the risk of investment is sound. The problem that the NIS has today is the problem that every social insurance scheme that is set up in this way has all over the world, which is that we have increased life expectancy and a declining population,” he noted.

The Michael South Central MP proceeded to recommend a slew of reforms, suggesting that the scheme should start with compliance by companies.

“When I talk about compliance, I think that we know that there are large companies and companies that do well that either collect National Insurance contributions and don’t pay them in or don’t collect them, and I think we have to start there with this compliance issue,” Caddle said.

Additionally, she said, “I think that if we are going to have a reform of the NIS system there has to be an alignment between what we would call standard employee benefits and self-employed benefits”.

Caddle further suggested that NIS should give self-employed people the flexibility to make their contributions based on how they receive their income, in a manner that does not destabilise the certainty of the scheme.

She advised that a restructured NIS should take a robust investment policy that is more varied and buttressed by all necessary controls and high levels of accountability.

The economist also urged Government to right-size the disability benefit to allow those who retire medically unfit from a particular field to still contribute while provisions are made for those who cannot work as well as their caregivers and family.

Caddle made clear that a reformed NIS must create value and increase the speed at which it delivers benefits, provides access to client information, and stay current on its audits.

“This is a whole part of the question of building trust. But I don’t think that we can look at the whole question of NIS reform if we are not talking about a scheme that creates value,” she said.

“There are countries in the Eastern Caribbean that pay out benefits in 48 hours. Our National Insurance Scheme has to get there because I do not think that we can propose to the people of Barbados some of the reforms that are on the table if we are not increasing efficiency, [and] cutting the time of benefit payments. People need benefits today.

“I think the NIS has to commit to improving these times and creating value for people if we are to take forward these reforms because you can’t ask people to sacrifice more for nothing or for the same sub-optimal value that they are getting today,” Caddle added.  sandydeane@barbadostoday.bb

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Government’s recent move to encourage Barbadians to install larger renewable energy systems without acquiring a licence is not supported by the law.

The charge has come from president of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Dr Ronnie Yearwood, who has contended that the legislation governing the energy sector was not amended to make it lawful for persons to have renewable energy systems up to 10 kilowatts without first getting a licence.

On Wednesday Chief Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Officer in the Ministry of Energy, William Hinds revealed that under Government’s new Householders’ Right to Renewable Energy Policy, people would be allowed to have 10 kilowatt systems without a licence.

However, Dr Yearwood told Barbados TODAY that as it currently stood, any person who did so would be in contravention of the law.

In fact, he said it was possible that the Barbados Light and Power could deny persons access to the grid if they did not have a licence since under the law, any renewable energy system above five kilowatts required a licence.

“They announced this policy that would get Barbadians to be able to afford 10 kilowatt photovoltaic systems connected to the grid and I think Government’s view is that this would allow Barbadians a share in the renewable energy market.

“However, what I realized when I had a more indepth look at it, is that the approach is wrong. They’ve announced this as a policy change but they have not changed the actual law that governs the licences and the processes for this.

“So this is the same Electric and Power Act that a few of us were critiquing when they were trying to shut out folks from being able to access the licences. This is the same law that governs the licence process,” Dr Yearwood pointed out.

“So right now the law says you don’t need a licence if your system is basically below five kilowatts but anything above you’re supposed to go through this licence process. Therefore, as it stands, the Barbados Light and Power can turn down folks trying to get these 10 kilowatt systems if they don’t apply for a licence as set out in the law. It’s one thing for them to announce a policy change but there has been no legal change to govern this system.”

Dr Yearwood said this meant that persons who acquired systems above five kilowatts without having the appropriate licence were “at the goodwill of the minister and the goodwill of the Barbados Light and Power”.

He insisted that for an initiative of this importance, Government should have ensured it was done properly and lawfully.

The DLP president contended that Government was engaging in fairytale politics.

“You either amend the law to make it clear that there is no licensing process for this and you set out clearly what you are trying to do and how you are trying to bring people into the market, not as what looks like some kind of a rushed job as a policy change but there is no actual legal change,” Dr Yearwood said.

He also suggested that very few Barbadians would benefit from the initiative because of the associated costs.

He suggested that the average price for a 10 kilowatt system was between $40 000 and $45 000 without a battery. He said if a battery backup was used it could cost above $50 000.

“How many people can pull out of their pockets right now $40 000 to $50 000 for a system to generate 10 kilowatts of electricity? I guess the question is who is this change really trying to benefit?” Dr Yearwood questioned.

randybennett@barbadostoday.bb

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President of the Barbados Bar Association Rosalind Smith-Millar has joined the chorus of calls for court cases to be dealt with in a timely manner. However, she warned, all cases are different and cannot be held to the same timeline.

Speaking on the recent decision by Justice Cicely-Chase to award murder accused Larry Patrick Agard $95 000 in compensation for the 14-year delay in having his matter heard, Smith-Millar agreed that such a significant delay was unacceptable.

She told Barbados TODAY, the justice system needed to be more efficient.

However, she suggested that all cases were different and therefore to attach a timeline might be difficult.

“I think we need guidelines but I don’t think it could be feasible to have hard and fast rules because every case is going to be different, every investigation is going to have its own path and require its own timeline, but I do think that there must be a greater effort to ensure that accused persons have their trials in a timely manner…

“I don’t want to trot out the usual justice delayed, is justice denied cliché but it is a cliché for a reason,” said the Bar president. “People are entitled under our Constitution to a fair trial in a reasonable time and it may well be time for the AG’s [Attorney General] Office to look at what is reasonable and what resources are required to ensure that matters come to trial in a reasonable time and that all of the state actors, the police, the court system, the DPP’s [Director of Public Prosecutions] Office all do what they have to do diligently and in a reasonable time.

“But, I can’t say that six months would work for every stage of every case because all the cases are different,” Smith-Millar said.

Agard’s award came after his attorney Queen’s Counsel Larry Smith filed a constitutional motion in the High Court charging that his client’s right to a trial within a reasonable time had been infringed.

In handing down her judgement, Justice Chase called on state agents to be “actively engaged in cases management” and to “ensure that there is a speedy disposal of criminal matters, from charge to trial and even to appeal of sentence”.

The judge also called for timelines to be implemented and suggested a six-month timeline from the time an accused is charged to the start of the trial.

Previously, another High Court judge, Justice Carlisle Greaves put forward a three-month timeline.

Smith-MIllar noted that although murders and firearm-related matters were especially serious, all cases should be dealt with as speedily as possible.

“Whatever you’re charged with, it has an impact on your life. Yes, some crimes are more serious than others and the penalty that one would pay would reflect the seriousness of the crime.

“So you would go to jail longer for murder than for petty theft, but there has to be a greater effort to deal with these matters expeditiously and certainly it cannot be acceptable to put somebody’s life on hold for 14 years whether they are guilty or not guilty, because obviously they are not guilty until it’s proved in court,” Smith-Millar said.

Meanwhile, Michael Lashley Q.C. called for a complete overhaul of the country’s judicial system.

He said the six-month suggestion was unrealistic given the current backlog in the High Court.

“I think that the criminal justice system needs a complete overhaul. The suggestion of a six-month deadline to do a trial within a system that is already overburdened and lacking in serious technological intervention, will be questionable. However, I believe that all the stakeholders should be involved in the overhaul.

“We need to utilise technology, prepare witness statements by way of dvd. There are some offences that are indictable that can be made summary instead of clogging up the High Court, for example, indecent assault.

“We need a new procedure that will deal with case management thereby, giving deadlines for pretrial disclosures,” Lashley said.

“We need also to increase the jurisdiction of magistrates to deal with matters that are clogging up the High Court. I also believe that cases should be dismissed for want of prosecution where the prosecution delays in the disclosure of pre-trial statements without a reasonable excuse.”

randybennett@barbadostoday.bb

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Convictions have been recorded against a mother and son who appeared before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on drug charges.

Maureen Moreen Sealy, 55, and her 38-year-old son Ramon McDonald Sealy both of Bonnetts Housing Area, Brittons Hill, St Michael pleaded guilty to separate charges of possession, possession with intent to supply and possession with intent to traffic cannabis. The younger Sealy also pleaded guilty to a charge of cultivation.

Station Sergeant Vernon Waithe told Magistrate Manila Renee that as a result of information, officers executed a search warrant at the Sealy residence on August 19.

While searching a bathroom, two bags containing other bags were found with the vegetable substance. Ramon took ownership and admitted knowledge when asked to account for the drug.

In the yard, police discovered 29 plants under cultivation. He also took responsibility for the plants. The total weight of the substance was 7.8 kilogrammes with an estimated street value of $31 208.

The search continued in the mother’s bedroom where officers found a jar with 64 bags containing vegetable matter. The prosecutor said it was concealed under a pillow and when asked to account, she admitted knowledge and ownership. The illegal substance weighed 44 grammes and had an estimated value of $200.

Magistrate Renee ordered that the young man pay $5 000 in one month or spend the alternative of three months in prison for the trafficking offence. He was reprimanded and discharged for possession of the drug. On the supply and cultivation charges he was convicted, reprimanded and discharged.

His mother meanwhile was placed on a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for six months on the possession charge. If she breaches the order she will have to pay the court a forthwith fine of $500 or spend the alternative of one week in prison.

She was reprimanded and discharged on the other two offences.

The two were presented by attorney-at-law Damien Sands.

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Investment officials want Government to review its tax policy on private pension schemes. They complain that the absence of tax incentives has been a disincentive to people wanting to invest in Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs).

Principal and Consulting Actuary with Eckler Lisa Wade said given that people were no longer getting a concession on these pension plans, they have “reduced their level of voluntary contributions”.

“What happens is that when you choose to join your employer’s pension plan most employers’ pension plans require you to pay something into them. That is called your compulsory contribution.

“When the tax incentives were there most people topped up those even more with voluntary contributions which helped to ensure that when they reach retirement they would have a higher pension which would help them ride out any storm that would take place such as inflation.

“Right now, there is a really high level of inflation in Barbados and pension plans can’t afford to give pension increases to help offset that high inflation. So it is really important that government relooks their taxation structure. I think this has to come about as part of the review with respect to NIS [National Insurance Scheme] as well, if one of the options they are thinking of putting on board is some marginal increase within the contribution rate for NIS,” explained Wade.

Prior to 2015, individuals with RRSPs were able to claim a tax credit of up to $10,000 on their plan during the filing of their annual income tax return.

However, in 2015 that deductible was removed, which resulted in an immediate drop in the number of individuals taking out private pension plans.

Despite numerous calls over the years from pension fund, life insurance and mutual fund operators for the reinstatement of the incentive, there has been no movement by Government to date.

However, with growing concerns over the need for pension reform of the national pension scheme that experts have predicted could run out in as little as 12 years, officials have renewed their call.

Speaking during an Institute of Chartered Accountant (ICAB) forum on Wednesday, which looked at the topic Pension, Planning and Investment Options in Today’s Economy, Wade said the “kind of double taxation” on the RRSPs now was “a huge issue”.

“We have been lobbying the government on this for a number of years within the pensions industry because we do believe that it is extremely important that people now try to save, and one great incentive for saving is that tax incentive. It is really important that we try to have people become less reliant on Government and NIS,” she said.

Investment Director and Founder of Fortress Fund Managers Roger Cave also highlighted the need for incentives to encourage people to save for their retirement.  “I think an incentive is a key way to encourage wider participation.

“Tax savings – pre-2010 we had an annual allowance of 27,500 per year, per individual – $10,000 for mutual funds, $10,000 for RRSPs and $7,500 for bonus. That has now all gone,” said Cave.

“The needs of today are always greater than those of tomorrow so unless there are incentives, people are not going to invest … [The] double taxation policy which came into effect in Barbados is simply unacceptable. It is seven years now, three different governments and we have written extensively on it and it has not been addressed. That is going to put stress on [defined contribution] plans, the NIS and retirees generally, from restructuring and lower expected returns,” he said.

“So more saving is going to be required and more investment overseas. We have fewer investment options than we used to and post retirement options are more and more relevant,” he said.

Cave said there was a need for a more diversified option of investments for pension fund schemes. He welcomed government’s policy to allow locals to hold a foreign exchange account, which he said was one “instant diversification”.

Meanwhile, Michael Millar, Head of Wealth Management at Sagicor Asset Management Inc., said while he agreed the tax consideration was a key driver for individuals to invest in private pension plans, “outside of the tax considerations we still need to take charge of our retirement planning”.

“It means that persons should go around, look at the various products and sit with the investment manager and understand how the product actually works and understand what are the underlying investment vehicles and then make a determination if the historical performance outpaces that of a bank account savings rate,” said Millar.

marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb

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Authorities in Barbados and the rest of the region are being advised to stop putting all their eggs in the tourism basket and diversify their economies in line with global changes if they want to survive.

Principals of Upturn Funds Caribbean (UFC) offered that guidance during the venture capital firm’s inaugural investment summit on Thursday at the Barbados Hilton Resort.

“Tourism is something that no longer works in this region,” said UFC co-founder and chairman Raphael D’angelis.

“There are way better markets [that are] more fit to be a more aggressive competitor in the tourism arena than many countries in the Caribbean. But we know that if we integrate the region, bring the region closer together we have a shot here in actually creating economic prosperity on a level never seen before.”

“We base this not only on the fact that we want to integrate. We actually went through many studies in many different regions around the world to show the average growth that that integration can generate,” he added.

His view was supported by co-founder and chief executive officer of UFC Ambassador Dr Andre Thomas who drew attention to the tourism sector being impacted by international events.

“So when you look at the Caribbean, you realise that one of our major economic pillars, which is tourism, it is very clear how susceptible it is in our current world . . . . With climate change and geopolitical conflicts and the integration of the world in which a crisis in one country in Asia or, say, Europe can trigger a chain reaction around the world, that can affect people’s inclination to travel. Our vulnerability is significant. Our world is not as stable as it was before. That is the reality,” said Thomas.

“I am not saying that we don’t nourish and develop our tourism product . . . but what I am saying is that just like cities around the world, they evolve, and so economically we have to evolve,” he added.

Thomas said that with ongoing geopolitical tensions and significant economic transition taking place globally, leaders should move swiftly to diversify their economies.

He warned that failure to do so could stymie economic development, and therefore called for a paradigm shift in the Caribbean when it comes to investment.

“Within the Caribbean, we are dealing with a significant reality, and that is that the mental maps for economic development for the last 10 to 20 years have to change because the economic realities have changed,” he said.

“The best way to deal with this is to be more efficient in administration, more efficient in managing and more efficient in asking for funding. But that [alone] is not going to help because the core issue has not been dealt with. The core issue is the economic landscape has changed and leaders who are very agile mentally who see this and adapt are those that survive these transitions.

“So, the failure to transition could cost you your existence. It is that serious when you really study it. These transitions do not ask us if we are ready for them. These transitions do not court us. These transitions just happen, they do not consult with us,” Thomas added.

D’angelis told the room of potential investors that one of the first projects ripe for investment in the region to aid in its transformation was in maritime transport.

He said that once governments are “willing to listen, together we can actually start this transformation”.

“Without logistics integration, without transportation infrastructure development for people and cargo there is no future in the Caribbean,” contended D’angelis.

He also singled out housing and business development as areas to pursue.

Organisers of the UFC are hoping that the August 25 to 27 investment summit, which has attracted scores of potential investors from the US, Canada, Brazil, Europe, the Caribbean, Central America and the Middle East, will result in more than US$5 billion in investment across a range of sectors in the Caribbean, including agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure development, maritime transport, renewable energy, mining and real estate.

“The thing about economies is this – every time there are new economic realities, money flies from one sector to another. I mean, it has left tourism and landed in COVID supplies,” Thomas pointed out.

“So we have to focus on each particular sector. There is an opportunity for the region.”

marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb

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United States (US) representative Mark Green has warned Barbados and other Caribbean countries that accepting investment opportunities from economic powerhouse China would come at a price.

He issued the warning on Thursday as he promised a deepening of security links between the US and the region to transform island economies.

Green’s advice came amidst rising tensions between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as a Beijing invasion of Taiwan looms.

It also came against the background of Chinese investment and aid here. Almost completed is the multi-million-dollar Wyndham Grand Hotel at Sam Lord’s Castle project, which is being constructed by a Chinese firm with part funding from that nation; while Barbados is also looking to the East Asian nation for grant funding to redevelop the National Stadium.

“I don’t blame countries for partnering with China. There are countries that have economic needs, opportunity needs, and we understand. But understand this – investment from China comes with a price,” Green said, although not mentioning any specific funding from China.

“The Chinese communist party harbours aggressive strategic ambitions and they start with dislodging the United States and creating an international world order that serves their interest. Through industrial espionage, forced technology transfer, extensive intellectual property theft, China and its network of state-sponsored enterprises have been able to corner the market on key industries,” he further alleged.

Green was addressing the opening of the inaugural investment summit of venture capital firm Upturn Funds Caribbean at the Barbados Hilton Resort.

The three-day event is designed to attract scores of potential investors from around the globe and more than US$5 billion in investment across a range of sectors.

Green said it was his mission to reorient US foreign policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean and reverse some of the “damages” that were done as a result of America’s “aloofness towards the western hemisphere”, which he said had created a vacuum that was rapidly filled by China and Russia.

He suggested that the Caribbean should look more to the US for major investments, as he accused the two communist nations of being self-serving.

“Unlike the United States, which seeks mutual and beneficial relationships, Russia and China care only about themselves.

“What’s good for the United States is good for the Caribbean and what’s good for the Caribbean is good for the United States. Unfortunately, for too long, US foreign policy has largely ignored our neighbours in the western hemisphere, particularly the Caribbean, and we have seen the detrimental effects of that detachment – from China’s debt-trap diplomacy to Russia’s extensive disinformation campaigns . . . ,” Green asserted.

He said re-establishing the relationship between the US and the Caribbean was important, but noted that a chronic shortage of human resources at the US State Department has impacted diplomatic relations over the years.

However, the Republican, who represents a district in the state of Tennessee, announced that the US Congress would be pressing ahead with a Western Hemisphere Nearshoring Act that would facilitate major economic and development transformation for the Caribbean, while addressing issues relating to migration.

Singling out the area of security in which, he said, his country was already working closely with the Caribbean, Green said other elements of the reorientation within the region include establishing new free trade agreements, harmonising existing agreements, and establishing nearshoring, which he said could result in massive economic growth for Barbados.

“According to estimates by the Inter-American Development Bank, nearshoring could add an annual US$78 billion in additional exports of goods and services in Latin America and the Caribbean in the near to medium term . . . . Such a huge influx of capital from nearshoring would mean massive growth if concentrated in countries like Barbados,” he said.

Explaining nearshoring, Green said it was “basically bringing jobs and industry back to our hemisphere, particularly manufacturing from China, a regime with an egregious human rights abuse system”.

“Nearshoring holds the promise of laying the foundation for new relations between the US and the Caribbean, and with this legislation we can foster stronger commercial ties while enabling the dynamic development of diverse industrial economies and raising the standard of living for people living in poverty,” he said.

“As we face the challenge of bringing back manufacturing to the western hemisphere, the United States must look to empower our neighbours for our mutual benefit and long-term prosperity.”

The US Congressman stressed, though, that having a closer partnership between the US and the region would require Caribbean governments to create a more enabling environment for the private sector to lead economic growth.

“I say this from experience . . . . If governments want to do this we have got to create a business-friendly environment and let the private sector compete and operate without undue burden and restrictions,” he urged.

“This means increasing privatisation, cutting taxes and decreasing unnecessary regulations. It also means welcoming foreign investment, and I hope that will be from the United States . . . . Russia and China do not have our best interest at heart, but America seeks a mutually beneficial partnership where we work together diplomatically, economically and in security partnerships.”

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A Hopewell, Chalky Mount, St Andrew mother is living in fear that her home could slip into a nearby gully as a result of work done by the Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW).

But the MTW’s deputy chief engineer Philip Tudor has assured that the ministry has been trying to find a solution.

Small business owner Camille Bryant, who occupies an upstairs and downstairs wall and timber house with eight other occupants, told Barbados TODAY on Thursday that from what she could see, a substantial amount of water was settling under a stack of gabion baskets the MTW had erected directly in front of her house.

She said while the work, which has been starting and stopping since October 2021, was done to help stabilise the eroding land, it was creating problems for her.

“I believe that over time if nothing is done, the house will be pushed into the gully,” the concerned resident said.

Bryan got the opportunity to speak to Prime Minister Mia Mottley and other officials earlier this week, but said she was concerned about the time it would take for a follow-up visit to be conducted and what could occur in the interim.

“What is going to happen [if a bad system passes]? The weight from here [the stagnant water and gabions] is going to cause the soil to become unstable . . . . So that means these gabions are going to move. Some of them are tilting,” she lamented.

Bryant pointed to a surface crack near a gabion adjacent to a pavement in front of her house, from which water was leaking.

“That shows the water is trying to get out. That is why I have a continuous flow of water alongside the house and in front of my business,” she complained.

On Tuesday night, during the St Andrew Speaks town hall meeting at The Alleyne School, Bryant raised her concerns with members of the head table, which included Prime Minister Mottley, Member of Parliament for St Andrew Dr Romel Springer, and other government officials and technocrats.

In response, deputy chief engineer at MTW Philip Tudor explained that Bryant’s house was below road level and in front of a water course.

He said he was aware there was water there but said it was due to a burst pipe in the area “because water does not settle by gabions”.

Tudor added that land slippage was a major problem in the area and while MTW had made a driveway for Bryant and her family to access their home, “I’m not sure if it is adequate to do anything really structurally significant there because the whole area is moving”.

Prime Minister Mottley said there was a need to get an engineering and geotechnical report done to see what MTW could do to address the issue, noting that Bryant’s house being metres below road level was a possible contributing factor to the problem.

However, the Chalky Mount resident said water had been settling under the gabions for several weeks and the situation worsened during heavy rains as more water flowed onto her property.

She said she did not believe a runoff system had been created to facilitate the water that went through the gabions.

“The amount of water that is in there cannot get out through that crack and I would just like to see the work done here properly. You can see for yourself that the work is shoddy. If you look at the gabions, tell me how is that water going to get out?

“Tudor said water filters through the gabions and water doesn’t settle. The MTW dug out a footing before they put down the gabions and it is right here that the water is settling. You can see the moss on the rocks indicating where the water is settling.”

The mother of two placed her hand through one of the gabion baskets to show water was settling there, and also pointed to other gabion baskets along the footing with mossy rocks.

“Up here is made of clay [soil] and if you research it you would see that limestone holds water. So, if the water continues to saturate the land, what is going to happen? Then I would be told the house was poorly constructed,” she complained.

Bryant said she was also concerned about the type of materials used to build a temporary access road for her, referring to it as a sloped and slippery hazard.

She was also worried that the issues would affect the small beauty services business she operated from her home.

Bryant added that her house, like many others along the stretch, experienced land slippage from time to time during heavy rain. She said the slippage usually occurred at the back of the houses, a few metres away from a gully.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb

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The goodly people of St Andrew want better and they deserve it. On Tuesday night, residents congregated in the hall of  Alleyne School to listen to the Government and get the ear of Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley.

The session called St Andrew Speaks did not lack speakers, as many wanted to be heard on their desire for better after decades of what some termed “neglect”.

It was an almost four-hour town hall meeting at which other government officials and technocrats in various ministries fielded questions. The PM herself commented on the fact that the St Andrew session was the longest of the parish public engagements she has had so far.

Residents came armed with their concerns, challenges and plights. But many also came with suggestions that the PM promised would be acted upon, where possible.

The issues they raised included: a lack of recreational facilities, community and resource centres, agro-training facility, title deeds for tenantry land, and educational and training opportunities; deplorable road and bridge conditions; inadequate lighting; poor accessibility in and out of the parish; and the need for an improved bus service, a shuttle service for residents in Bawdens, St Simon and Belleplaine to synchronise with the Turner’s Hall bus, and a tree planting initiative that would improve soil conditions and boost food security.

Lack of running water, postal issues and inadequate other social services were also some of the complaints laid before the Government panel that included Deputy PM Santia Bradshaw, Attorney General Dale Marshall, MP for the area Dr Rommel Springer, and Senior Minister Dr William Duguid.

Andrew Jordan from White Hill was one of many who spoke.

He recalled: “I remember when the road in White Hill collapsed, my son was in primary school; he is working now. October coming will be 19 years. You all say work will be done but I was hearing that over eight years ago and nothing at all has been done. Promises, promises, and promises. I have been hearing ‘hold tight’ for so long I want to know when we can let go.

“People complain that they got potholes in the road and they want a new road. People want a new road but we don’t even have a road. We have to go through the gully and through mud and everything. Many times, I slipped down in there and fall [sic]. It is time enough something should be done now. Another thing, when we get off there is no lighting. Can you imagine going through a gully with no light? Thank God for cell phones,” he further lamented.

Government did not shy away from St Andrew’s reality. PM Mottley said she was concerned that over the years, scores of people were leaving the Scotland District because of a significant lack of social services and amenities that people in other parts of the island have access to.

“Regrettably, what we have seen over the last few decades is people moving out of St Andrew, people moving out of St Joseph, parts of St Peter, largely because we have not carried the services to the people.”

She said, however, that there is a planning programme for bringing services back to the Scotland District so that people would want to remain there.

“The population numbers in the Scotland District have dropped significantly . . . so let us work to stabilise the Scotland District and let us work to bring back the services.”

Mottley said the plan to establish the Scotland District Authority would run in conjunction with the $230 million Scotland District Rehabilitation Project and other initiatives such as the relocation of residents living in areas prone to land slippage, and a Scotland District Revolving Loan Fund for residents to access funding to avert crisis situations.

Barbados TODAY guest columnist John Beale opined in June: “While we appreciate the importance of developing the Scotland District, we trust that a thorough analysis (including investment possibilities) has been done to justify spending these funds at this time. In addition, has there been a study regarding the cost of road maintenance and the life expectancy of the new roads, given the high rainfall and soil movement – including soil creep and slippage?

“Such a large investment with an unknown life expectancy will need other activities to promote faster returns in order to compensate for the shorter life expectancy of the investment. One such example would have been Tom Adam’s ‘vision’ of an East Coast Road running continuously all the way to a Consett Bay and College Savannah which would have attracted more tourists.”

MP Springer shares the view that St Andrew can be transformed into a major tourism hub if advantage is taken of its natural beauty. He believes it could attract the kind of crowds seen at Oistins.

The hopes and plans are lofty, and rightly so. But attention must first turn to ensuring that those faithful residents who did not flee the area can live more comfortably than they are now.

The issues St Andrew face are not new; they are chronic. It is disheartening that Bajans who toil and contribute to national development must endure decades of “neglect” only because of the geological make-up of the parish they reside in.

Successive Governments knew; however, they all failed to act as the parish continued to slip away from the rest of the country, literally and figuratively.

St Andrew is often referred to as “The Valley” but it is high time residents’ living status is elevated.

As those who spoke for the dear parish they love said, “Better must come to St Andrew.”

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BASSETERRE, St Kitts – Cricket’s newest novelty, the Women’s and Men’s Sixty, continued today with both men and women in action at Warner Park in St Kitts. Much attention was on recently retired Barbadian allrounder Deandra Dottin following her shock retirement from international cricket at age 31 and she did not disappoint.

Captain Dottin made an immediate impact on the Women’s Sixty, helping to fire Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) to a 29-run victory over Barbados Royals. The veteran all-rounder missed Wednesday’s opening games but wasted little time in finding her stride with 46 off 34 deliveries as TKR gathered 92 for three off their ten overs.

In reply, Royals stumbled to 63 for five from their allotted overs with West Indies batter Chinelle Henry top-scoring with 37 from 29 balls. The victory for TKR was their first after two defeats on Wednesday.

Dottin was at the heart of TKR’s enterprise, punching three fours and two sixes as she posted 35 for the first wicket with Lee-Ann Kirby (16) and a further 56 for the second wicket with Luus who struck two sixes in a 17-ball knock.

Royals were never in the hunt, slumping to six for three in the second over as 18-year-old American seamer Geetika Kodali snatched three for six to hurt the run chase.

Henry came to her side’s rescue, striking five fours and a six in adding 52 for the fourth wicket with opener Reniece Boyce (18), but the stand proved insufficient.

In men’s action, West Indies power-hitter Odean Smith starred as Guyana Amazon Warriors opened their campaign in the Men’s Sixty with a seven-run win over St Lucia Kings.

Smith lashed an unbeaten 36 from 24 balls as Amazon Warriors recovered from a middle order collapse to reach 111 for five off their ten overs at Warner Park.

Amazon Warriors were given a flying start, Shai Hope (19) and Chandrapaul Hemraj (18) putting on 41 off 16 deliveries for the first wicket.

When four wickets tumbled for 14 runs to leave Amazon Warriors tottering on 55 for four in the fifth over, Smith arrived to belt two fours and three sixes in a 48-run, sixth wicket stand with captain Shimton Hetmyer (13), to revive the innings.

In reply, Kings slumped to 55 for five at the end of the sixth over after 20-year-old Afghan left-arm spinner Waqar Salamkheil (3-16) ripped through the top order.

Roshon Primus then opened his shoulders to blast 41 from 23 balls with four fours and two sixes, inspiring a 49-run, sixth wicket partnership with Matthew Forde (12) but Kings came up just short.

West Indies international Fabian Allen’s first appearance in three months resulted in a victory for Jamaica Tallawahs, as they thrashed St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by 55 runs in the second game of the Men’s Sixty.

The 27-year-old left-arm spinning all-rounder, whose last outing came in the Indian Premier League last April, top-scored with a sizzling 18-ball 45 which helped Tallawahs to a huge 139 all out in the final over.

He lashed two fours and five sixes, receiving support from West Indies all-rounder Raymon Reifer who made 38 from 19 deliveries and Rovman Powell, whose 32 required just 13 balls.

Playing also at Warner Park, Tallawahs were stumbling at 42 for three in the fourth over before Allen orchestrated an 80-run fourth wicket stand with Reifer who lashed a four and four sixes.

Facing a required run rate of 14 runs per over, Patriots buckled despite the presence of veteran Chris Gayle (9) and Evin Lewis (15), and were dismissed for 84 in the eighth over.

They were slumping badly at 36 for four in the fourth over before Dewald Brevis struck 34 from 11 balls with five sixes, in a 45-run, fifth wicket partnership with Darren Bravo (11) to revive the innings.

However, off-spinner Jamie Merchant (2-8), along with fast bowlers Migael Pretorius (2-9) and Nicholson Gordon (2-16) all claimed two wickets each to keep Tallawahs on top.

Meanwhile, Barbados Royals made a winning start to the Men’s Sixty with a comfortable three-wicket win over Trinbago Knight Riders.

Asked to chase a paltry 77 in the final game of the men’s triple header, Royals overhauled their target with 21 balls to spare.

Corbin Bosch, a 27-year-old South African, led the run chase with 42 off 23 balls. He struck three fours and four sixes and put on 46 for the third wicket with Harry Tector (16), a partnership that hauled Royals around from 20 for two in the third over.

Earlier, TKR mustered only 76 in the eighth over, West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein top-scoring with 27 from 16 balls but no other batsman passing 20.

The innings was tottering on 27 for three at the end of the third until Hosein arrived to belt a four and a couple of sixes, in a 29-run fourth wicket partnership with Andre Russell who finished on 12 not out.

The Sixty is a new format organised by the Caribbean Premier League and Cricket West Indies, which sees 30 balls – in five separate overs – bowled from one end and another 30 balls from the other end in each innings.

Each batting side only has six wickets.

(CMC)

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By Morissa Lindsay

National representatives for squash continue to blaze a trail with victories at the 37th Senior Caribbean Squash Championship as well as the 2022 World Masters Tournament where veterans Mark Sealy and Karen Meakins have reached the semifinal.

Meakins, a 15-time national women’s champion won her quarterfinals match in straight sets against Jennifer Dillon of Ireland while Sealy, an eight time Barbadian men’s individual champion came from 2-0 down to defeat South African Francis Bradford 3-2 in an entertaining showdown today.

Currently being played in Wrocław, Poland, Meakins and Sealy will both be in action tomorrow in their quest to advance in their respective age groups of the women’s Over-50s and the men’s Over-60s as they both aim to reach the final for the first time at this level.

Meakins will compete against Sarah Parr of England in the women’s semifinal while Sealy will take on the number two seed Peter Gilbee of Australia in an effort to secure their place in the final.

Bringing it closer to home, it was a sensational start for team Barbados as the ladies won 3-2 in their opening match of the team competition yesterday at the 37th Senior Caribbean Team Squash Championships being played at the Liguanea Club in Kingston, Jamaica.

Sponsored by WATA, the talented Barbados female team led by captain Jodi Smith- Padmore and comprising teenager Eboni Atherley along with Muffin Stollmeyer did well to come from behind and win given that they did not have the allotted five players as required for the competition.

The Jamaicans took a comfortable 2-0 lead because Sanjana Nallapati and Nathlee Boreland both won by default and therefore left the rest up to their teammates Mia Todd, Melissa Lue Yen and Savannah Thomson to complete the mission against the Barbadians.

First up on the court was Smith-Padmore leading by example with a hard fought 11-5, 11-8, 5-11, 4-11 and 11-5 victory against Mia Todd. That particular contest was crucial for both teams as it was the number one seeded matchup between the two countries. Smith- Padmore as a first-time captain for Barbados set an early winning tempo for the Bajan ladies as Atherley and Stollmeyer accomplished success in their respective matches of the two best of three sets showdown.

While Smith- Padmore’s encounter lasted for 45 minutes, young Atherley took care of business against her rival Melissa Lue Yen in 36 minutes in what was also a commendable showing at her first Senior Caribbean Area Squash Championship for Barbados.

Atherley, a student of Christ Church Foundation, came from behind to trounce Lue Yen 7-11, 12-14, 11-5, 11-3 and 11-3 in another entertaining battle.

With the game tied 2-2 Jamaica playing at home would have hoped to get their campaign off to a winning start but instead Stollmeyer, the eldest and most senior player on the Barbados team denied them such bragging rights with a stellar performance that lasted for 35 minutes.

Over the years Stollmeyer has represented Barbados well in squash and with a few of the country’s top players being unavailable she stepped up and delivered again against Savannah Thomson in the final encounter of the match. Stollmeyer won 11-8, 7-11, 7-11, 11-8 and 11-9 and that ensured that team Barbados captured a well-deserved 3-2 victory.  morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb

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