A flash flood warning is in effect for central, western and southwestern sections of Barbados.

The Barbados Meteorological Services (BMS) says maximum rainfall accumulations of 25 millimetres to 75 millimetres could result from heavy to violent showers anticipated across these districts of Barbados as instability associated with Tropical Storm Fiona affects the island throughout the afternoon.

The BMS said the warning will be terminated around 6 p.m. or sooner if conditions warrant. (BMS)

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Forty-three people, 16 males and 27 females, tested positive for COVD-19 from the 337 tests carried out on Wednesday, September 14, by laboratories across the island.

The cases consisted of nine persons under the age of 18, and 34 who were 18 years and older.

There were 36 people in isolation facilities, while 330 were in home isolation.

As at September 14, there were 559 COVID-19 related deaths.

The laboratories conducted 761,073 tests since February 2020, and recorded 102,068 COVID-19 cases (46,158 males and 55,910 females).

Under the National Vaccination Programme for COVID-19, the total number of persons with at least one dose is 163,510 (71.6 per cent of the eligible population). The total number of fully vaccinated persons is 154,528 (57 per cent of the total population or 67.7 per cent of the eligible population). The eligible population represents those persons who are 12 years and older. (BGIS)

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The U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown is pleased to resume processing of routine in-person appointments in all Nonimmigrant visa categories starting in September 2022. To schedule an appointment, please visit our website at bb.usembassy.gov/visas.

The Department of State has authorized consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain categories of Nonimmigrant visa applicants through 31 December 2022.

This new authorization applies to travelers applying for F, H-1, H-3, H-4, non-blanket L, M, O, P, Q, and academic J visas who were previously issued any type of visa, if they are applying for a visa in their country of nationality or residence. This

authorization does not apply to applicants who have a previous refusal that was not subsequently waived or overcome.

Adjudicating consular officers may request an in-person interview if additional information is required from applicants.

Applicants renewing any visa within 48 months of expiration also continue to be eligible for interview waiver. Due to reduced staffing and numerous pandemic- related disruptions to our operations since March 2020, demand is high for B1/B2 tourism and business visas and wait times may be lengthy for appointments in this category at the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown. For more information see: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html

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The Barbados Water Authority informs residents of some St. Philip areas that it will be installing a valve at its Hampton Station in the parish onFriday, September 16th between 10 am and 5pm.

The entire station will not be offline, however residents and businesses in and around Six Roadsmay suffer low pressure during these hours.

Customers are advised to store an adequate supply of water to assist during this period.

The BWA apologises for any inconvenience thiswork at the St. Philip facility on Friday, September 16th may cause. (ENDS)

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Manufacturers and retailers of school uniforms have assured parents that the clothing they are awaiting to have their children outfitted for the new term will be here in a matter of days, and there is no need to panic.

The assurance on Thursday came amid reports that customers had been making unrealistic demands of businesses and even verbally abusing staff over the unavailability of uniforms for next Monday’s start of school.

Welcoming the Ministry of Education’s decision to relax the dress code until at least the end of September, the uniform providers said the items are on the way here.

On Wednesday, Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training Kay McConney said that following complaints about the unavailability of either pre-made uniforms or uniform fabric, students who do not yet have uniforms will be allowed to wear a plain-coloured t-shirt or polo shirt and jeans pants for now.

Dean Straker, Managing Director of Barbados Industries Limited, one of the island’s largest manufacturers of school uniforms, said he was “very happy” that Government had given people extra time to get the required clothing.

He said he was expecting a shipment of fabrics and uniforms next Wednesday. However, with this requiring clearance at the Bridgetown Port, it could take up to a week for items to reach customers.

“My advice to parents is ‘do not panic, be civil and hospitable despite the fact that you may be disappointed. It is not the end of the world’. Whereas manufacturers and retailers should be about three months behind due to what took place, we are only going to be about two to three weeks behind,” Straker said.

“Don’t reduce yourself to cursing, swearing, and ’busing people that are trying their best. This is something outside of Barbados’ control. It is tantamount to blaming Bajans for COVID. You can’t blame Barbadians for COVID, so don’t blame Barbadians for the fact that you can’t get your uniforms in time.”

Explaining the delays, the garment manufacturer said that shipments that would normally take about three months to reach the island were now taking twice the time due to shipping challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, he said, ships were having to remain at sea while awaiting permission to berth in transit countries before coming to Bridgetown.

“These are the realities we are dealing with and when you have a situation like that there is absolutely nothing we can do,” said Straker.

The businessman said the situation was compounded by the uncertainty, up to about May this year, about whether students would return to the classroom after two years of mostly online instruction due to the pandemic; as well as work and electricity disruptions in China, the main supplier of the products.

“So nobody was really willing to put their neck on the line and say ‘yes, we are going back to school in full’. Similarly, manufacturers and retailers ordered but perhaps they did not order as much as they would have because it was hard to get it right and know exactly what to do,” Straker explained.

Importers of uniform fabric would usually order as much as 3,000 yards per colour and per design from January or February so that stock could reach the island in time for summer when parents are doing back-to-school shopping.

In light of the challenges of shipping via sea, some retailers and manufacturers have been flying in a portion of their orders to satisfy some of the demand.

Among them is Abed’s, whose Managing Director of Eddy Abed told Barbados TODAY that items will be on the island next Sunday and Thursday.

“I would like to suggest that parents and guardians who have been waiting on materials come in as soon as they can to get it, because we only brought in 500 to 600 yards per colour and per design just to get us over this hump. The rest will be coming by ocean by six to eight weeks,” he said.

“We have taken the decision that regardless of what it costs us for these shipments we are going to absorb the difference and retail at the same price that we have for the entire season.”

Saying the delays were the result of “unbelievable circumstances”, Abed said he has already placed orders for next year “to make sure we get goods in time for December, and if there is a surplus we will carry it over into next year”.

Rosita Hunte, a small garment producer based in Wildey, St Michael told Barbados TODAY she was confident she would meet all her deadlines over the next couple of weeks.

“The shortage of fabric did impact me a little bit but not as extensively as the bigger factories. So, I will finish my production on time,” added Hunte, who has been in the industry for over a decade.

(marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb)

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Fed up with a fellow ZR driver trying to prevent him from overtaking, Jerad Brathwaite took matters into his own hand.

However, his actions landed him in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he admitted to slapping the complainant out of frustration.

Brathwaite, of Brereton Village, St Philip, pleaded guilty to assaulting Chad Bishop on September 13, 2022, when the charge was read to him by Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes.

In outlining the facts, prosecutor Sergeant Randolph Boyce said both men ply their trade on the Silver Sands route. On the day in question, the complainant was driving ahead of Brathwaite slowly and preventing him from passing.

This continued for some time until both drivers stopped to pick up passengers. At this time, Brathwaite became annoyed and walked up to the complainant who was seen reaching for a wheel tool.

Brathwaite then slapped the man several times across his head.

When asked to explain his actions, he admitted to committing the offence.

“We were working on two different routes and he wouldn’t let me pass. He pull a wheel tool on me and I slap him. He went to the police and they charge me for assault,” Brathwaite said.

The Chief Magistrate then placed him on a bond to keep the peace for the next three months.

If he breaches that bond, he will have to pay $500 forthwith or he will spend 14 days in prison.

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Officials in Barbados and other Caribbean islands are being encouraged to take a more collaborative approach to managing the menacing sargassum seaweed, which hoteliers say continues to impact beachgoers and vacation seekers.

At the same time, some regional tourism industry operators are reporting a ramping up of effort to deal with the ongoing issue, as they outlined some best practices from which other destinations can learn.

Chief Tourism Officer with the Ministry of Tourism in Belize Raymond Mossiah said given the magnitude of the problem, the government in his country in 2015 established a “multi-sectoral task force” to get a handle on the situation.

“This task force was a public-private sector partnership. Collaboration is important,” he said, noting that the hotel association and academia are involved.

Mossiah said the challenge with sargassum should not only be seen as a tourism problem given the far-reaching impact it could have on economic activity.

“We have other stakeholders that also need to pull their weight. It is extremely important because the tourism industry is bearing the brunt of it and understandably so, but when you look at the economic impact of tourism and visitation, whether it be domestic, regional or international visitors, there is a tremendous multiplier effect that spreads throughout the economy,” he explained.

“It is therefore important that we address this sargassum issue because besides foreign exchange earnings, it has a tremendous impact on the circular flow of money throughout the economy,” he added.

Acknowledging that managing the seaweed influx could be very costly, Mossiah said the Belize Government had to provide tax relief to hoteliers.

“The hotel tax is nine per cent and we gave a tax relief of two per cent of that nine per cent so that hotels could then use that money to do some cleaning up. This is not a cheap effort. This is really expensive,” he said.

Additionally, he said the government was able to grant duty exemption on the importation of equipment that would be used in the cleaning up of the sargassum.

He also disclosed that Belizean authorities were considering a major clean energy project using sargassum and transforming it into energy.

Mossiah shared the experiences during part two of a Caribbean Hotel and Tourism (CHTA) organised webinar on Thursday, that examined the topic Sargassum: Managing the Threat, Outlook and Best Practices.

Pointing out that each territory could learn from the next, Mossiah said “Unfortunately, it is not only Belize but it is our entire Caribbean region that is affected and has been experiencing this problem.”

Moderator of the session, Denaye Hinds, Owner of the sustainability solutions firm JustaTAAD, agreed that was the right approach for companies and countries to managing the threats and finding opportunities from the sargassum.

“We all know that sargassum is an issue that we are all dealing with and we need many hands on deck. We need to take a regional approach for countries like Belize who have a task force and other innovations that we are seeing throughout the Caribbean,” she said.

“Also bearing in mind we need to manage the threat and manage the nutrients and how we reutilise sargassum . . . and look at different ways to partner with different entities in managing the guests’ perspective and outlook and talking to them about what to expect,” said Hinds.

Local hotelier Leroy Browne, General Manager of the Sea Breeze Beach House, gave a broad overview of the work his hotel was doing to manage the seaweed.

Pointing to the pungent stench associated with the decaying seaweed, Browne said this was “creating havoc” for our guests and other seabathers and persons wishing to use the beaches.

However, he said, knowing the patterns of when the sargassum would affect the island, this gave him an idea of when efforts would need to be ramped up to manage it.

“We try our best to work with the local government in terms of having help to move the seaweed,” he said.

Browne, who is the Director of “A” Class Hotels with the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), said managing the expectations of guests and employees was one method that has been employed by his facility.

He encouraged other hoteliers to do the same, while calling on industry players to be extremely cautious as they clean up the seaweed to avoid disturbing turtle nests.

“We have to continue to focus on it. We know that we are going to get seaweed every year and we know that from year to year it is probably going to get heavier . I think this is a great opportunity for us to focus on it and have a plan for it every year,” he said.

marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb

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With the current high temperatures expected to continue into next month, the island’s Chief Medical Officer has urged Barbadians to take necessary precautions to avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

These measures, Dr The Most Honourable Kenneth George said, include staying hydrated, staying indoors where possible, and dressing to stay cool.

He explained that the physiology of the body is such that while it could accommodate high temperatures by releasing sweat as a cooling mechanism, if temperatures rose severely the body’s core temperature would also rise.

Once that reaches above 40 degrees Celsius for at least 30 minutes, people usually start to experience heat exhaustion which can then lead to heat stroke, Dr George explained.

He added that symptoms were usually minor at first but could “scale up” over a short period of time.

“Basically, what happens is that it is a slow and progressive failure of the body to compensate when in a prolonged situation….  Persons may experience headaches, fast heart rates, feeling generally unwell, a feeling of thirst, and dizziness and that may progress to fainting if in a prolonged heat situation. And then later, the unfortunate outcome is that you start to get organ failure, where the body is not able to compensate anymore,” the CMO said.

Fortunately, he said, there were several measures people could take to prevent this from happening, including staying hydrated.

An individual requires between three and three and a half litres of water per day but with the current temperatures, Dr George advised that a person may consume up to four to five litres of fluid daily.

Other steps to beat the heat include remaining indoors when possible and avoiding exercise and other outdoor activities when the sun is at its hottest, between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m; wearing light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing; drinking cool water instead of ice-cold water to quench thirst; avoiding sugary beverages and limiting the consumption of alcohol which worsen the symptoms of heat exhaustion by causing dehydration. 

Alcohol is also a diuretic and makes the kidneys pass more fluids, the CMO explained.

He acknowledged that there were some categories of workers who could not avoid being outdoors and, therefore, recommended that they take short breaks in cool areas when exposed to the sun.

He also advised people not to over-exert themselves, which could add to the symptoms of heat exhaustion.

Special attention should be paid to certain groups such as the elderly and children, during this time, the CMO added.

“For children under six months, breastfeeding alone is still only recommended. You have to breastfeed much more frequently. And for the elderly, it is important that some younger folks check in on them regularly, making sure that they have access to cool water during the day,” he emphasised.

Dr George also offered advice on what to do if someone is exhibiting signs of heat stress.

“The treatment, in severe cases, is to bring down the core temperature of the body to an acceptable range and that needs to be done quickly. If a person has fainted outdoors, while you wait for the ambulance all attempts should be made to cool that individual. This can be done by placing cold packs on their chest and forehead or placing a wet towel to try to bring down the temperature,” he advised.

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Barbados is cementing its close relations with the northern Caribbean and has already started talks on boosting cooperation with Belize.

According to Barbados’ non-resident Ambassador to the Association of Caribbean States and CARICOM, David Comissiong, Belmopan and Bridgetown have already started talks on a wide range of areas including agriculture, the blue economy, investment, renewable energy, trade and the teaching of Spanish.

Last week, Comissiong presented his letter of credence to Belize’s Governor General Dame Froyla Tzalam. He also met with Prime Minister John Briceño; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration, Eamon Courtenay; other government ministers, including those with responsibility for Tourism and Education; students at the University of Belize; reparation leaders and the Head of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Dr. Colin Young. He also donated Barbadian books to the National Public Library of Belize on behalf of the Government.

“Belize is a very important CARICOM country. It is the only CARICOM country that is located in Central America, so it is our Caribbean bridge or gateway to Central America. I think that there are many, many benefits for Barbados and for the rest of CARICOM in deepening its relationship with Belize,” Comissiong said Wednesday during a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

He pointed out that in his report to the Government on his trip he recommended air lift talks, reciprocal cultural and secondary student exchanges, joint tourism ventures, training for Belizean hospitality students in Barbados and a technical and vocational education training programme.

Last month, the Ambassador visited Jamaica where he met with the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, and discussed the possibility of cooperating and developing bilateral and joint agreements.

Comissiong, who was appointed Barbados’ non-resident Ambassador to the Association of Caribbean States and CARICOM in August 2018, has only presented his letter of credence to Heads of State in St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, and most recently, Belize; making him Barbados’ High Commissioner to those countries. Until he has presented his letter to the other CARICOM countries, he is referred to as High Commissioner-designate.

Ambassador Comissiong said: “Barbados is looking at bilateral relations with all of our CARICOM brothers and sisters and in the weeks and months to come, Barbadians are going to hear a lot more about very specific and concrete initiatives that will be rolled out to take forward these bilateral cooperation programmes.” (BT/BGIS)

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The Ministry of Tourism is in early discussions with key players in regional airlift to enhance Barbados’ connectivity with neighbouring Caribbean islands.

Although she did not go into details about the talks between Barbados and regional aviation administrators, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Senator Lisa Cummins told Barbados TODAY that Government was interested in exploring airlift possibilities with the Cayman Islands and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

She shared Barbados’ goal to enhance intra-regional travel during her remarks in a panel discussion on Wednesday entitled Multi-Destination Tourism on Caribbean Aviation Day, during the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)/International Air Transport Association (IATA) conference being held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Grand Cayman.

Cummins said that intra-regional travel was just as important as international travel and she wanted to see regional connectivity developed to a level where scores of passengers could arrive in multiple Caribbean states on the same day on the same airline.

“We have to make sure that our neighbours and our sisters and brothers have the opportunity to be able to move freely and that very much is a challenge,” she said.

The minister acknowledged that airlift taxes and charges in the region were high, which could be a hindrance to regional connectivity.

However, she said that a reduction in ticket rates could be possible once the right balance between facilitating border infrastructure and airline profitability was reached.

“Will they be reduced? That’s possible too, but at the same time, the other side of that is what Barbados has experienced is that there has to be a balance between asking your destination to remove those charges and to reduce those charges that then contribute to the profitability margins of the private sector carriers, which will be the airlines.

“So how do we find that balance between ensuring that airlines are profitable, and they are also able to benefit from the best support mechanisms that are being provided by the destinations?”

In the case of Barbados, she said 56 per cent of the ticket price went to taxes but insisted that the fees were used to maintain the island’s tourism product and was not revenue for Government.

Cummins said the airport service charge went towards incentive programmes and cooperative marketing initiatives in key source markets.

She said a terminal fee was used to support the infrastructure of the aerodrome, adding that the island just completed a multimillion-dollar renovation of the runway at the Grantley Adams International Airport.

“When you disaggregate where the charges go, they’re not going to profitability for the destination. They’re not going to our Consolidated Fund as a source of revenue. They’re going back into providing the kinds of infrastructure and services that benefit the aviation industry,” she said.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb

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Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean are too dependent on arrivals for tourists to engage in their tourism offerings and it is time for regional countries to explore the possibilities of virtual tourism.

President of the Caribbean Development Bank Dr. Hyginus Leon delivered this analysis during a presentation on Transforming Regional Connectivity: The Role of the Private Sector in Financing Intra-Regional Travel on Caribbean Aviation Day on Wednesday, during the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO)/International Air Transport Association (IATA) conference at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Grand Cayman.

Leon said the Caribbean had to come up with alternative and creative ways to maintain the demand of their tourism product and stop solely relying on the traditional arrival model to generate revenue from the industry.

“Is the issue of arrivals the holy grail of saving our tourism problem? . . .How many times have we thought about what exactly is the definition of tourism? We are stuck in the line that says tourism is visiting the Caribbean and enjoying ourselves – sun, sand, sea, good hotel, food, drink and that is tourism,” he said. “Tourism in its native sense is simply the sharing of an indigenous nature character that you have with somebody else. It is indigenous to you, they don’t have it but they would like to experience it. That is tourism.

“If we start with that as the definition of tourism why then does tourism have to be that I have to physically travel? Only because we believe that the only way I can experience something that is external, not indigenous to me, means that I have to go there?

“Maybe that could have been in the 1900’s but in 2000, 2025. 2050, what is wrong with an entire new brand of digital tourism? We are in a space of virtual reality, why can’t we tease all of the people from all over the world with virtual reality products that will tell you what you may wish to experience in person? That is tourism.”

Leon added that the cruise ship industry also needed rejuvenation.

“What about bringing a Disney/Caribbean experience to the boat? We have cruises, they come and do they show them in the boats? Wherever cruise ship passengers want, can we simulate a Caribbean experience as part of the cruise that when they land they are part of that experience.

“We can make an experience a tourism product. What about just sharing literature, our culture, through the medium of writing. That is tourism.

“When we talk about making tourism a diversified large growing area, let’s close this genie that says it’s only about sun, sea and sand, physically in the space.”

The CDB head said regional governments could explore areas in education tourism as well.

During his presentation he also highlighted the need for sustainable investment in the tourism industry and a greater commitment by Caribbean states to improve intra regional travel.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb

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Days after a man was reportedly involved in an incident where a dog drowned at a St Michael beach, an animal rights advocate is appealing to authorities to strengthen animal protection laws.

Monique Archer also wants the law courts to inflict harsher penalties on those found guilty of starving animals, treating them badly and in some cases, even killing them.

Archer, who specialises in horse welfare, has identified cruelty to animals as a major concern which should receive immediate attention from Government and other authorities.

In an interview with Barbados TODAY, the trustee of the ten-year-old Human Organisation for the Relief of Suffering Equines (HORSE), a registered charity, which rescues and rehabilitates horses, said action must be taken to address the inhumane way animals are treated in Barbados, considering that visitors to the island are now questioning why it is being allowed to happen.

“What we have been dealing with in recent years is when the vets and volunteers turn up to rescue animals, people are willing to pull guns or knives on these people. It’s now getting to the stage where almost every time we have to take a police escort with us.

“And what people may not realise is that actually one of the most serious criminal offences in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act is if you threaten or try to prevent someone that is legally authorised to help in looking after animals and checking out these situations,” she said.

Police are continuing investigations into a viral video circulating online showing a dying dog on Pebbles Beach on Tuesday.

A man is said to be assisting police with the probe, but no charges have been laid.

One witness, Lavern Beresford, who was at the scene told Barbados TODAY that a man was seen ill treating the dog in the water, before dragging, then lifting the limp body of the animal onto the shore as persons on the beach pleaded with him.

Archer said she recently received a call regarding two horses being kept in poor condition, and when she and police officers responded to investigate the complaint, one of the animals had died and the other was “just bones”.

“Not all of them are serious abuse cases, in some cases it could be an injury that’s not being treated properly and someone sees it and they are concerned. We then bring our vets the information, they would go and inspect it, help the owner. Some are very dire, some have to be euthanized on the spot sadly because they are so critical.

“The last one that we got we managed to put it basically in a foster home to feed it and try and bring that horse back to good health. But it’s a big problem. In years of drought we can get 20 to 25 calls in a month easily when there is no water and it is fairly hot,” she said.

The equestrian who has competed on the international stage for Barbados said it is time policymakers review the need to strengthen animal cruelty laws which does not now give the law court the power to ban offenders from being able to own animals again.

She said there is also need for the courts to enforce the penalties in a meaningful way, and explained that she was left in shock when a person found guilty of starving horses and other animals on his property, was slapped with a minor fine, after a two-year court case.

“It’s a long tedious process, that’s a big challenge too. We need to speed up not just animal welfare cases, but all cases need to be worked on a lot more swiftly. After two years of prosecution, the gentleman was given a small fine which he paid on the spot and he walked away.

“We then know for a fact that he went on to re-offend but he found out that we were coming and the horse disappeared. I don’t know what happened to it, I can only guess. So there was no more evidence,” Archer said.

“We are appealing to the magistrates to treat these cases more seriously, because I think the police sometimes think that this is a waste of their time. They go through all of this, it is a lot of work to prosecute one of these cases, and then you get to the end, the person gets charged $1 000, they produce that, off they go and that’s the end of it. No wonder these things are happening with dogs, with horses, with all kinds of animals, over and over again.”

Archer said one of the trends her charity would like to see stopped is owners of retired race horses giving them away to young people who are unemployed and do not have access to the resources to feed and meet the general needs of the animals. She explained that it costs a minimum of $600 a month to properly care for one horse.

“We are appealing to horse owners to make better choices when they go to give away their horses. Make a responsible decision because that’s where the problem is starting.

Archer is also calling on the Ministry of Education to establish mandatory programmes in schools to teach children about animal rights and protection.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

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With weather forecasters predicting that the blistering heat could continue into October, agricultural officials are advising livestock, poultry and crop farmers to take precaution to protect their investment.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), said it is important that farmers take the necessary steps to prevent their livestock from becoming dehydrated, and crops from drying up, while President of Barbados Egg and Poultry Producers Association Stephen Layne is calling on industry operators to make any necessary adjustments to their pens to keep the birds cool.

“Ensure that the animals are well hydrated, they should not be out of water at this point in time. Make sure that they drink adequate amounts of water. And of course find ways to cool the pens as much as possible.

“The heat can cause a number of issues, especially for poultry farmers who have conventional pens, where for instance you might have one square foot per bird. During times of need you have to allow for one and a half square feet per bird. In other words, you can grow less birds than you are accustomed to growing,” he said.

Layne, who said he has not received any reports regarding an increase in birds dying, despite the unfavourable weather conditions, also advised farmers to reduce the stocking in pens over the next few months.

He suggested that while larger farms may have the space to provide adequate ventilation for their birds, small farmers have the option of installing fans in their conventional pens to provide that additional cooling effect.

“The last couple of days were very hot and it would put the birds under stress, but farmers have to make sure that they always have clean, cool, water going to those birds and that will help significantly.

“But they might lose a bit of performance in terms of growth because they might not be eating as much during the day, but at least you would be able to save the bird and still be able to have those birds come to market.

“The management at this time has to be alot better than under normal conditions. They have to be visiting their farms and spending more time with the animals and observing them and having clean, potable water available to the birds at all times,” Layne said.

Meanwhile, Paul, who indicated that the heat causes an increase in certain pests which are kept under control in cooler weather conditions, revealed that there has been a slight increase in farmers complaining about ticks affecting their cattle.

“As it relates to plants, the heat could burn the tips of the leaves of certain types of plants and also create some kind of growing issues,” Paul said.

In a notice issued on September 12, the Barbados Meteorological Services (BMS) said that the warm conditions in Barbados are expected to persist throughout the remainder of September and into October, with maximum temperatures across the island peaking between 32 degrees celsius and 34 degrees celsius, particularly in urban areas..

The Ministry of Agriculture has also advised owners of livestock and crop farmers to take precautions to prevent heat stress.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

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He was the former Minister of Environment & Drainage and former MP for Christ Church East. 

The post #BreakingNews – Dr Denis Lowe has died appeared first on Barbados Today.

On behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, and the family of the Barbados Labour Party, I extend sincere condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Denis Lowe on his passing earlier today.

Dr. Lowe, a clinical psychologist, who served in the Barbados Senate before representing Christ Church East in the House of Assembly for two terms, was a faithful servant of the Democratic Labour Party, and was always one of its most ardent supporters and defenders. His robust use of colourful language on the political platform endeared him to many and ensured he was always one of the DLP’s most sought-after speakers.

While we operated on opposite sides of the political divide, in Barbados we recognize that there is much value in the Biblical injunction — there is a time and a season for everything under the sun.

We may not have agreed often with his political style or the policies that his party pursued, but we do believe that as a Barbadian, Dr Denis Lowe cared about his country; and at this moment of his passing, it is appropriate to set aside the cut and thrust of politics to say: “Thank you for your service to Barbados!”

To his sons Myles and Jaydee, his father and other family members, I extend thanks, on behalf of all Barbadians, for lending him in service of his country.

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By Morissa Lindsay

There is a new wave of sporting excellence blowing across Barbados with local track stars Sada Williams and Jonathan Jones both winning medals on the international stage and Williams signing as a brand ambassador for Nike.

During a sit down with the media yesterday, Williams revealed that she signed with sports giants Nike this month, as she along with former Coleridge and Parry Secondary and later Harrison College Schoolmate Jones who was also present in the interview, shared their thoughts on this year’s achievements.

A member of the MVP Track Club run by head coach Stephen Francis, one of the best in track and field coaching, Williams shared what it is like to live and compete in Jamaica. “Being in that environment is like it is highly competitive but it is also really good. I train with
some of the best athletes in the world, so that is really good for me.”

One of the greatest female athletes of all time for Barbados, Williams who was named Barbados Olympic Association Senior Athlete of the Year for 2021 and is currently the third fastest woman alive over 400m, continued her impressive showing into 2022 with a bronze medal at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

The 24-year-old set a new national record of 49.75 seconds and also won gold at the Commonwealth Games in which she accomplished a meet record of 49.90 seconds which was part of her many highlights for this year.

Jones, the national record holder in the 400m
and 800m, is a student at Texas State University and has become a household name in his own right on the international stage.

During the interview, Jones spoke about the importance for athletes to focus on their mental health and the need to have psychologists in place whenever their services are needed. Like Williams, Jones is extremely pleased with the progress he has made this season compared to the past. As it relates to local support, Jones said he wants to see more of that and advised that going forward it would be good to celebrate the athletes even before they win medals or do well.

“I would say taking out a news ad (advertisement) after the fact isn’t really support. It is appreciated, obviously everybody would like to see themselves in the newspaper, everybody would like to see congratulations. But that doesn’t really help us to get there. We had to do what we had to do the entire year before to get to that moment. So, helping not just me but the younger athletes coming up, if you would help them then maybe we would get more medallists,” Jones explained.

Sometimes it seems that local athletes are taken for granted, having gone through a lot to reach a particular level and Jones touched on that point. “The same things on mental health, that is a lot that people don’t like to look at and then physically you could be training for four years and some people say ‘oh, Usain Bolt trained for four years for 9.58 seconds.’ So, it is a lot to ask of your body and your mind and unless you have been in the situation, it is hard to appreciate just how hard it is to compete on that level amongst the best in the world.”

Among the major highlights for Jones was running the 800m and setting a new national record of 1:45.83. Jones also won a bronze at the Commonwealth Games and made an appearance at his first World Championship.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb

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Stuart Maloney has increased his lead in the R5 Rally Championship presented by First Citizens with a series of strong results as the summer break was followed by four qualifying rounds in quick succession. With three wins and a second-place finish, he has now amassed 208 points after 11 of 15 rounds, giving him a 66-point lead in the standings over the new second-place driver, his brother Mark, who has steadily moved up from fifth over the course of these recent events.

Each is campaigning a Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo, with Roger Hill’s older Fabia R5 making it a Skoda lock-out in the top three ahead of the final four rounds. While there is a significant cushion between the points leader and second place, only 11 points cover second to fifth, with Mark Maloney on 142, Hill 138, Josh Read (Ford Fiesta R5) 135 and Britain’s Rob Swann (Fiesta Rally2) now the highest-placed of the five overseas drivers in fifth with 131 points after disappointing recent results.

Competitors in the island’s first-ever national motor sport series, which is administered by the Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF), now have a break of four weeks before rounds 12 and 13, the MCBI Hammer Time Double-Header Sprint (October 15), then round 14, the BRC Winter Rally (October 16).

Stuart Maloney, whose retirement from Sol Rally Barbados in June had trimmed his championship lead to just 20 points, won both directions of the Motoring Club Barbados Inc (MCBI) Full Throttle double-header Sprint (August 20). Fought out over a 4.6-kilometre course in the south-eastern parish of St Philip, running first from Golden Grove to Harrow and then in reverse, it included the Bushy Park triangle, tricky in either direction and a popular spot with spectators. All but one of the R5s based in the island was entered, 10 cars representing nearly one-third of the 31-strong entry.

Jamaica’s Jeff Panton (Fiesta Rally2) and Swann flew the flag for the visitors in the first direction, both within one second of Maloney and comfortably ahead of the rest, with Read a surprisingly low seventh, his car running in ‘limp mode’ after he misread the pop-off valve setting on the ECU. He had it better sorted for the reverse run, however, finishing second to Maloney, albeit more than three seconds adrift, with Mark Maloney third, then Swann and Panton picking up decent points again, the Englishman now second in the standings.

The following day the R5 circus headed north to the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) Autumn Double Header Sprint on the popular Sailor Gully stage in St Peter, which was being scored on cumulative times, rally-style. It ran from the Sailor Gully hairpin to French Village, with a longer reverse direction from Mount Brevitor back down to the hairpin. Just like the day before, Maloney set the early pace, with Panton, Read and Swann again his closest challengers on the opening stage, although Panton left the road just ahead of the Orange Hill Plantation on the second run and retired.

As had happened at the start of the day, a short rain shower preceded the first reverse run, in which Read topped the times, with Stuart Maloney losing around five seconds to a stall mid-way through the stage, giving Read a narrow lead. Despite Maloney being fastest on the remaining three runs, Read managed to narrow the gap to claim his second R5 Championship win by just six-tenths of a second, with Swann third, strengthening his grip on second in the standings.

Last Saturday’s (September 10) MCBI Rally of the Sun & Stars was the second-longest event of the season after Sol RB22, with venues in St George and St John, respectively just over and just under four kilometres each, run three times in each direction from day into night, making for 48 stage kilometres to challenge a depleted field of six cars. While the Fiestas of Stan and Ben Hartling, Andrew Mallalieu and Jeff Panton were absent (the Jamaican because his Skoda Fabia has been delayed), former Fiesta R5 pilot Suleman Esuf made his first appearance in the ex-Tom Preston Fabia R5 in which Zane Maloney became the youngest-ever winner of King of the Hill in May.

After Mark Maloney was quickest on the opening stage, brother Stuart won the remaining 10 (SS4 was cancelled), steadily extending his advantage to win by 28 seconds; on SS2, Swann was buzzing when he matched Stuart’s stage-winning time, but his delight was short-lived as a ruptured fuel line and fire on the next road section meant retirement. In a close fight, his brother snatched second place by just half-a-second from Read on the very last stage, with Hill fourth. With three-time British Rally Champion Matt Edwards again his co-driver, Paul Horton of the Turks & Caicos Rally Team was fifth, with Esuf, easing into his new mount, sixth.

R5 Rally Championship

Points after round 11:

1st Stuart Maloney (BAR), Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo – 208 points

2nd Mark Maloney (BAR), Skoda Fabia R5/Rally2 evo – 142pts

3rd Roger Hill (BAR), Skoda Fabia R5 – 138pts

4th Josh Read (BAR), Ford Fiesta R5 – 135pts

5th Rob Swann (ENG), Ford Fiesta Rally2 – 131pts

6th Jeff Panton (JAM), Ford Fiesta Rally2 – 89pts

7th Paul Horton (TCI), Ford Fiesta R5 – 78pts

8th Andrew Mallalieu (BAR), Ford Fiesta R5 – 67pts

9th Suleman Esuf (BAR), Ford Fiesta R5 & Skoda Fabia R5 – 36pts

10th Stan Hartling (CDN), Ford Fiesta R5 – 31pts

11th Ben Hartling (CDN), Ford Fiesta R5 – 13pts

12th Brian Gill (BAR), Ford Fiesta R5 – 11pts

(RB)

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By Morissa Lindsay

Not even the unbearable heat will stop either Barbados or Ireland’s players when they face off against each other in the historic first round World Group ll Davis Cup tie to be played tomorrow at the National Tennis Centre in Wildey.

Barbados’ number two seed Matthew Foster-Estwick will play first against Ireland’s number one Simon Carr. This was decided during today’s press conference and draw held at the Radisson Aquatica Hotel and conducted under the supervision of referee Roberto Perez of Spain.

Two singles matches will be contested tomorrow on the opening of competition commencing at 11 a.m. followed by the other encounter between national tennis ace Darian King against Ireland number two Osgar O’Hoisin in the afternoon. On Saturday, King and Haydn Lewis will team up in doubles against O’Hoisin and Conor Gannon while the reverse singles will follow if it comes down to that between the two countries.

Foster- Estwick confidently assured he was ready to give the home side a good start. Speaking about how he feels to be first up on court to compete, the Bajan number two said, “I am feeling pretty good. It has been a good week of training and I had a good set of preparation so overall I am ready to play.”

Meanwhile his singles opponent Carr is also feeling confident. “We are all feeling good both myself and the team and we are looking forward to this Davis Cup tie against the experienced Barbados side, so we are looking forward to get going.”

It will be an interesting battle between the two men given that Foster-Estwick does not have a singles’ ranking but the Irish Carr does at 767 in the world. On the other hand, King is ranked 868 in singles which is to be expected, given that he has not played on the international circuit for some time. His opponent O’Hoisin is ranked 811 but ability-wise the Barbadian is certainly capable of winning he encounter.

Meanwhile, Foster-Estwick’s world unranked status does not mean he cannot cause an upset. And given that this year he has been on the International Tennis Federation Futures circuit playing against top 500 players in the world, this should be a boost to his confidence going into the matchup against Carr.

The 25-year-old Foster- Estwick who holds a BS in Kinesiology and a Masters in Sports Administration, deservingly earned his place to be the number two ranked for Barbados having finished runner-up to King last year December in the Barbados Tennis Association’s Top 8 Invitational.

Even though King won in straight sets at that time, Foster- Estwick certainly sent a message that he deserves the number two spot left vacant by the veteran Lewis who occupied that position for a long time over the years. In the Top 8 Foster- Estwick came up against a competitive field of players that also included fellow Davis Cup teammates Kaipo Marshall and Xavier Lawrence. That perhaps made life easier for the national selectors including Barbados Davis Cup captain Damien Applewhaite to go with Foster-Estwick.

With this unprecedented heat affecting Barbados, captain Applewhaite explained that because his players are accustomed to the hot weather conditions, they are not concerned at all going into the tie.

“We are from here so we are very used to this weather. Our practice times were scheduled at the times we play on the match days so we are ready for tomorrow and Saturday,” Applewhaite explained.

He added: “We have played in hotter weather across the world so there hasn’t been any major complaints about the hydration in the camp. We have remained
hydrated throughout the week so we are ready.”

Ireland captain Conor Niland admitted that Barbados was a bit warm but said his team is ready to do battle. “We have had a great week. It is warm but these guys are on the road 30 weeks a year and we train in Spain and the United States, so we are accustomed to heat as tennis players in the best of three sets. So, we are looking forward to get going tomorrow and our number one and two are based on rankings so we are looking forward to the tie.”

President of the Barbados Tennis Association Dr Raymond Forde and Vice-president Junior King were in attendance for the draw. Forde said he expects the tie to be competitive as spectators will also be allowed to watch the matches over the two days.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb

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Very warm conditions in Barbados are expected to persist throughout the remainder of September and the greater part of October. In a notice sent out earlier this week, the Barbados Meteorological Services BMS) reminded the public that September and October are climatologically the warmest months of the year.

Follow our tips for helping your pets stay healthy while hot.

Practice Basic Summer Safety
Never Leave Your Pets in a Parked Car. Not even for a minute! Not even with the car running and the air conditioner on. On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. For example, on a scorching day, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die.

Watch the humidity
It is important to remember that it is not just the ambient temperature but also the humidity that can affect your pet.
Animals pant to evaporate moisture from their lungs, which takes heat away from their body. If the humidity is too high, they cannot cool themselves, and their temperature will skyrocket to dangerous levels—very quickly.

Taking a dog’s temperature will quickly tell you if there is a severe problem. Dogs’ temperatures should not reach over 104 degrees.

Limit exercise on hot days
Take care when exercising your pet. Adjust intensity and duration of exercise in accordance with the temperature. On sweltering days, limit activity to early morning or evening hours. Be especially careful with pets with white-coloured ears, who are more susceptible to skin cancer, and short-nosed pets, who typically have difficulty breathing. Asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet’s paws, so walk your dog on the grass if possible. Always carry water with you to keep your dog from dehydrating.

Do not rely on a fan
Pets respond differently to heat than humans do. (Dogs, for instance, sweat primarily through their feet.) And fans do not cool off pets as effectively as they do people.

Provide ample shade and water Any time your pet is outside, ensure they have protection from heat and sun and plenty of fresh, cold water.

In heat waves, add ice to water when possible. Tree shade and tarps are ideal because they do not obstruct airflow. A doghouse does not provide relief from the heat. It makes it worse.

Cool your pet inside and out
Whip up a batch of quick and easy popsicles for dogs. And always provide water, whether your pets are inside or out with you. Keep your pet from overheating indoors or out with a cooling body wrap, vest, or mat. Soak these products in cool water, and they will stay cool (but usually dry) for up to three days. If your dog does not find baths stressful, see if they enjoy a cooling soak.

Watch for signs of heatstroke
Extreme temperatures can cause heatstroke. Some signs of heatstroke are heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, seizure, and unconsciousness.

Animals are at particular risk for heatstroke if they are ancient, very young, overweight, not conditioned to prolonged exercise, or have heart or respiratory disease.

How to treat a pet suffering from heatstroke
Move your pet into the shade or an air-conditioned area. Apply ice packs or cold towels to their head, neck, and chest, or run cool (not cold) water over them. Let them drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes. Take them directly to a veterinarian.

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I am truly saddened by the passing of my friend and comrade Dr. Denis Lowe.

I say friend because in politics even with persons in your own party many are just comrades but Denis was my friend because he was a good and decent man.

During our two terms in office between 2008 and 2018, Denis and I sat next to each other both in Parliament and the cabinet room, so I got to share every single week of his immense intellect, humanity, devotion to his constituents, his late mother and to his family, relatives and comrades.

He was controversial in some of his mouthings but that was because his conviction to his philosophical beliefs often unbridled and loosened his tongue to the discomfort of some, but that was who he was.

His remarkable oration was informed, practiced and cultivated by his exposure to the church as a lay preacher, he was evangelical in his parliamentary speeches and his platform presentations and lectures.

On behalf of the President, Officers, Councils and members of the Democratic Labour Party I convey our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

I personally deeply mourn my friend’s passing, I shall truly miss him, farewell my buddy, may the angels soar with you and deliver you into the arms of your waiting Lord, rest in peace comrade and rise in eternal glory.

Steve Blackett
General Secretary of the Democratic Labour Party

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