Reigning national ladies chess champion Hannah Wilson dominated the National Scholastics Championships by winning two of the categories.

In the first local over-the-board action for juniors since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wilson captured the Girls’ Under-15 and Under-17 sections when the Championships concluded last Saturday at the Coles Building on Bay Street in Bridgetown.

In the Under-15 age-group in which the boys and girls were merged due to insufficient entries among the females, the 13-year-old Queen’s College student took the Girls’ category with five and a half out of a maximum six points. She had to settle for a draw against Aaron Jaikaran in the fifth round but had her way for the rest of the competition.

Samuel Greenidge and Kanye Williams, both of Queen’s College, made a favourable impression in the Under-15 Open section and both finished with five points, losing only to Wilson. Greenidge, however, was declared the champion on the tie-break ahead of Williams with Jaikaran taking third place on four and a half points.

Wilson completed a 100 per cent winning record in the Under-17 Girls’ age-group in which the boys and girls were also merged. She went into the final round in a top-of-the-table clash against the previously unbeaten Alesha Lovell and duly won to record a maximum five points with Lovell taking second place on four points.

Alex Sargeant was the Under-17 Open champion with three points, while Jamani Bowen took second place with two points.

Jaikaran, of Harrison College, dominated the Under-11 Open category by scoring a perfect six points to win by one and a half points ahead of Chaz Reifer-Belle of Charles F. Broome Primary. Alexander Berry of Harrison College placed third on the tie-break ahead of Nathan Patterson-Simmons of Charles F. Broome Primary after both players ended on four points.

In the Under-11 Girls’ category, Jaeda Herbert of Luther Thorne Primary and Kayla Culpepper of Harrison College emerged as joint champions with four and a half points each. They were unable to be separated after the third tie-breaker. Makayla St. Aimee was third with three points.

The Championships, which attracted 44 players, were contested over six successive days, with the Under-11s in action last week Monday and Tuesday, the Under-15s on Wednesday and Thursday and the Under-17s on Friday and Saturday.

(BCF)

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UNITED NATIONS, CMC – A Barbadian is among the 2022 cohort of Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) announced by the United Nations while recogniSing their efforts to bring about a fairer future for people and the planet.

Every two years, the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth picks out young change-makers who are at the forefront of attempts to combat the world’s most pressing issues, and whose leadership is catalysing the achievement of the SDGs.

The Barbadian, Ronelle King, a multi-award-winning Gender Justice Activist, in 2016 founded the #LifeInLeggings hashtag, a safe space for women who had experienced sexual violence to express themselves.

It evolved into a grassroots organiSation: women, encouraged by solidarity, were empowered to speak out on their social media platforms about their experiences.

King has gone on to play a major role in the “Reclaim Our Streets” women’s solidarity march, and Pink Parliament, which seeks to increase women’s participation in decision-making spaces, which was awarded a 2021 Nelson Mandela-Graca Machel Innovation Award in the category ‘Democratising governance processes and systems’.

Her other awards include the 2017 Youth Hero Award, the 2018 Queen’s Young Leader Award by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, the 2022 Future Island Leader Award and the 2022 Ignite Caribbean 30 under 30 Changemaker Award.

In a statement, the UN said that the current cohort of leaders were chosen following an open call for applications earlier this year, which resulted in more than 5,400 applications from over 190 countries. Since launching in 2016, the initiative has collectively reached millions of young people around the world.

“The 17 Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are a diverse, highly accomplished group, all between the ages of 17 and 29, who hail from all corners of the world and work across all pillars of the UN, including sustainable development, human rights, and peace and security.”

Among them are an aspiring astronaut, a poet, and a Paralympic medallist. Others range from artists to climate entrepreneurs, and education innovators.

“The 2022 class of Young Leaders for the SDGs represents an incredibly diverse, intersectional and inspirational group of young people who reflect the very best of global youth activism and advocacy when it comes to challenging the status quo and creating a better world for all,” said Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth.

“Even amidst the ongoing pandemic, climate crisis and global instability, these young people demonstrate immense resilience, resourcefulness and leadership in finding innovative solutions to the world’s biggest challenges”.

In 2015, 195 nations agreed with the United Nation that they can change the world for the better. They said this will be accomplished by bringing together their respective governments, businesses, media, institutions of higher education, and local NGOs to improve the lives of the people in their country by the year 2030.

PHOTO CREDIT: CMC

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By Kimberley Cummins

Several children with special needs were overjoyed this past weekend when they got the opportunity to have a fun-filled day of activities designed just for them before the sun set on another summer vacation.

Pirate’s Inn Apartment Hotel in Hastings, Christ Church was buzzing with excitement on Saturday as the faces of the ten autistic boys, ranging in ages six to 11, lit up as they laughed, splashed in the pool and had lots of fun. Bedecked in tee-shirts customized with their names, compliments M.graphix Inc., they received day passes to the hotel, were also treated to lunch and thoroughly enjoyed themselves, while some of their parents and/or guardians lounged and got a much-needed respite.

Founder of the charity Too Loving Mums Sharon Walker teamed up with the major sponsor, C.O. Williams Construction Company Ltd. to make the event a reality. Walker, whose autistic son Tyler also attended the event, told Barbados TODAY the parents were really appreciative of the break. She believed that these interludes are not only important for the children but especially for their caregivers, the majority of whom are single parents, given the pressures and toll that caring for children with special needs can have on a person.

“Having an autistic child, you don’t know what level he is at during the day as it goes by. A child can wake up in the morning and be completely normal and take up his tablet or his toys and be good for the day. Then next time you have one that can have the slightest little thing like he doesn’t like how the ketchup tastes or he don’t doesn’t like how the sun hitting into the room and they can go from one to 1,000 in a matter of seconds [in terms of mood]. For instance, one of the children that came we had to take turns in talking to him for 45 minutes before we could get him to chill out before he went into the pool because his mother forgot his favourite tee-shirt. Eventually, he enjoyed the rest of the day. So, these kinds of breaks take a little burden off of us,” she added.

Minister of People Empowerment, Kirk Humphrey, also spent some time with the children and stated on his official social media account that he was hoping to give children with autism a better deal in Barbados.

“It was a great day of fun and play for the children and the love on the faces of the parents and caregivers was just beaming. It’s not easy dealing with autism and our society must do more to support the children and families. As Minister, this is my mission, for all persons with disabilities and their caregivers. Know that I feel you,” he said.

Walker noted that this event was only the beginning and she intended to plan more outings for the youngsters and their families. She also thanked C. O. Williams, marketing manager Sharon Carew White, M.graphix Inc., accounts and administration officer Kim Toney, along with Pirate’s Inn and general manager Renée Coppin for their assistance. Furthermore, she extended an invitation to others in corporate Barbados to reach out if they wanted to help the cause.

“Any help, in spite of the size, would be useful,” she added.

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By Morissa Lindsay

Beach wrestling has the potential to financially boost the sport tourism product in Barbados and the Barbados Wrestling Association led by President Rollins Alleyne wants to make this island a hub for the sport.

Alleyne who recently returned home to Barbados from the United World Wrestling Congress and World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, said that the 2022 Barbados Wrestling Association Open Beach Wrestling Tournament scheduled for Saturday, October 15th, at Brandons Beach is part of the plan to further expose beach wrestling on the island.

Each member country is mandated by the United World Wrestling led by President Nenand Lalovic, an International Olympic Committee board member, to promote beach wrestling which is expected to be featured in the Youth Olympics of 2026 in Dakar, Senegal.

In 2023 beach wrestling will also be on show for the first time at the Central American and Caribbean Championship in Santa Marta, Colombia, and Barbados will be sending an eight- member team. In addition, beach wrestling is also expected to take place next year at the Anoc World Beach Games.

President Alleyne said there is a push to develop and prepare local wrestlers for Olympic-style wrestling. “Over the years we have been pushing beach wrestling as our strategy to move from how we develop our wrestlers especially the young ones from the beach to the mat to Olympic style.”

However, Alleyne explained that the cost of hosting beach wrestling events in countries that have little resources was ideal for places like Africa, parts of Asia and the Caribbean.

“I just came from the World Championships and based on what I saw they had set up, I could clearly see that is a $5 million bill in terms of the infrastructure. With mat wrestling you need shoes, mats, etcetera, but with beach wrestling we have plenty of beaches in the Caribbean and all you need is a short pants or a t-shirt and most of the men compete bare back. So, beach wrestling has become a sports tourism product,” he explained.

So far the BWA has gotten confirmation from the United States of America, Canada, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago that they will compete in the Beach Open event. There are other countries who are also working on sending participants but Alleyne said they are awaiting final confirmation.

One of the most globally respected administrators in martial arts sports, Alleyne noted that the Barbados Olympic Association has been a constant source of support for national wrestlers along with BTMI, Rascals Barbados restaurant and the Argentina Embassy who are slated to host a special VIP cocktail reception on Friday, October 14th.

This Beach Wrestling event will tie in with the now popular BiiG Games put on by the Barbados Olympic Association. While he did not want to reveal too much, Alleyne shared that the winners can expect a good sum of prize money. In addition, spectators can look forward to seeing Cuban-born competitor Lesyan Otomuro, who currently represents Jamaica, in action.

This is the first time in a few years that international beach wrestling will grace the shores of Barbados and Alleyne said they are using this year to make 2023 even bigger as the world gets back to normalcy post the Coronavirus pandemic.

The BTMI Open Beach Wrestling Tournament will be used as a warm up for the national Under-15 team of Rebecca Williams, Ayden Williams, Kamar Williams and Kodi Marshall who will be competing at the Pan American Championships scheduled for November in Apartado, Colombia.

Meanwhile, the Senior National Beach Wrestling team comprising Lemar Tull, Kcey Williams, Ricandrea Beckles, Adrian Maynard and Reuben Wiltshire will feature in the first CAC Beach Games slated from November 19th to 26th in Santa Marta, Colombia.

Already there are a couple sponsors such as My House, a company that sells wrestling gear in the United States of America, that have come on board and donated prizes for the winners. Imperial Peers, a private school, will be having a beach hand-wrestling aspect for the children during the event which Alleyne explained is a strategy used to populate the event as the BWA seeks to get more people joining the sport.

Beach wrestling in Barbados started six years ago under then president of the wrestling association Vincent Smith.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb 

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A total of 42 new COVID-19 cases, 31 males and 11 females, were recorded from the 378 tests conducted on Tuesday, September 20, by laboratories across the island.

The cases consisted of four persons under the age of 18, and 38 who were 18 years and older.

There were 34 people in isolation facilities, while 260 were in home isolation.

As at September 20, there were 559 COVID-19 related deaths.

The laboratories conducted 762,920 tests since February 2020, and recorded 102,321 COVID-19 cases (46,276 males and 56,045 females).

Under the National Vaccination Programme for COVID-19, the total number of persons with at least one dose is 163,606 (71.6 per cent of the eligible population).  The total number of fully vaccinated persons is 154,616 (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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By Marlon Madden

Efforts are on to significantly increase Barbados’ export potential in the blue economy, as operators of three companies walked away with cash prizes on Friday to fund projects they presented during the National Innovation Challenge 2022 – Ocean Edition.

During the official closing ceremony for the challenge, which began in June and was hosted by Export Barbados (BIDC) in association with Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility (CCPF), the projects were presented as officials pointed to the need to protect the ocean space and capitalise on its potential.

The winners, Michael Hinds of WestPoint, Shelly-Ann Cox of Blue Shell Productions and Antonio Hollingsworth of Bajan Digital Creations Inc. received up to $20 000 each which is allocated for a pilot phase so the projects can be tested.

Hinds presented Skeete’s Bay Market Project, an aqua culture project designed to ramp up production of specific families of fish while reducing pressure on the island’s fish stock. Cox showcased her Digifish, a project for fisheries monitoring and traceability to address fragmentation in the fisheries industry and increase the island’s export of fish while Hollingsworth presented his BlueBot Project, which is designed to engage in ocean reef data mining to aid with the increase of the island’s ocean stock and fight against climate change.

All projects are aimed at reducing the island’s seafood trade deficit, save foreign exchange for the island and generate jobs, while linking various sectors.

The Ocean Edition of the National Innovation Challenge 2022, is the second in a three-part series. The first was the Beauty Edition, and a third edition is to be launched soon.

Chief Executive Officer of Export Barbados (BIDC) Mark Hill said the challenges formed part of the stimulation of an innovative culture and ecosystem being built out by Export Barbados (BIDC), which focuses on the ocean, biological resources and people.

“So this particular challenge is very critical because it taps that key market – the oceans, which is currently contributing less than US$1 million to our exports – and we want to see that grow significantly, and the only way for that to grow is through new innovations [and] new products that we can put into our export markets,” said Hill.

Pointing out the island was already exporting some fish products including the yellow fin tuna, Hill said “What we want to see are other products in the biotech space also within the marine engineering space as well. We also want to see our boat engineering capacity and boat-building skills also leveraged as well,” he said.

“We are excited about this initiative. It is not the last because we have to come back at this again and encourage a broader cross section of people to participate as we continue to build out our economy,” he added.

Compete Caribbean presented the cash prizes to the three companies. The companies can then get up to US$100,000 in financing to implement the project successfully, depending on its viability.

Executive Director of Compete Caribbean Sylvia Dohnert said the support being provided to the participants in the ocean innovation challenge was one example of that organisation’s support for entrepreneurship in the blue economy.

She noted that under Compete Caribbean, which is supported by a number of partners including the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Canada, the UK and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), some US$4.5 million was earmarked for the blue economy – one of the areas for development of entrepreneurship in the Caribbean.

“Barbados has a huge potential on everything innovative, very high human capital and how to add the knowledge that is produced by that human capital into products of more and more value-added. From the Compete Caribbean standpoint we are completely enthusiastic about supporting any initiative that leads towards that,” she said.

Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology Davidson Ishmael congratulated the winners of the challenge, describing them as bold to have taken the step to pursue the projects that will contribute to the island’s development goals.

“You have an unrelenting drive to break the status quo and develop anew where few have dared to go. In this context, you have recognised and accepted an opportunity for you to take your businesses to the next level,” he said.

He said government would continue to “support and assist Barbadian-owned or led businesses, in the case of partnership, in their effort to provide products and services that can capture the imagination and attention of buyers and consumers at home and internationally as well.

“Through Ocean Challenge 2022, you are contributing to a brighter and more sustainable tomorrow. This innovative and entrepreneurial drive has the potential to be a game-changer,” said Ishmael.

marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb

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Persons who were in isolation due to COVID-19 for the period February 1 to June 30, this year, are currently receiving ‘sick benefit’ forms via email, which will be submitted to the National Insurance Department.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness (MHW) is assuring the public that these emails are legitimate and, therefore, anyone who qualified for ‘sick benefits’ from the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) during that period as a result of having had COVID-19, and did not receive their form, may go ahead and sign as well as submit the form electronically.

Additionally, persons who received the form via email and do not qualify for NIS benefits, or persons who have already submitted and have been compensated, may ignore the email. (BGIS)

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Below is the full statement:

The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training wishes to inform the public about the situation that resulted in the temporary closure of The Alleyne School on September 21, 2022.

As a result of high gusts, galvanise sheets were observed lifting off the roof of the library block at The Alleyne School at approximately 8:15 am. Immediately, emergency procedures were put in place to ensure the safety of all students and staff who gathered at the emergency point by the schools’ sports hall and playing field. The school was subsequently closed to ensure the safety of students and staff on the compound.

The company that had been contracted by the Board of Management to complete the roofing was contacted, arrived on site almost immediately and assessed the situation. Based on their findings, the company began corrective action on the roof.  They have assured the principal and the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training that the work will be completed by the end of today.

School for all students and staff at The Alleyne School will resume tomorrow, September 22, 2022. (BGIS)

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CIBC FirstCaribbean and Credit Suisse as joint lead arrangers have successfully closed the recently announced US$146.5 million Government of Barbados Dual Currency Facility (US$ Blue Bond /BDS$ Blue Loan).

CIBC FirstCaribbean acted as domestic lead arranger and sole lender for the BBD146.52 million (US73.26 million Blue Loan portion of the transaction and Credit Suisse acted as global lead arranger, underwriter and bookrunner for the US$73.26 million Blue Bond portion of the transaction. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) acted as co-guarantors for the transaction. Credit Suisse and CIBC Capital Markets partnered as dealer managers for the buyback of the US$ 2029 bonds. Additionally, IDB is providing sustainability advisory services and TNC is providing conservation advisory services to Barbados.

The transaction takes the form of a debt conversion that will unlock significant funding for marine conservation over the next 15 years in Barbados. The debt conversion, conducted by Barbados, is expected to provide US$40-50 million in funding for marine conservation and other environmental and sustainable development projects over the next 15 years. As part of the debt conversion, Barbados committed to protect and effectively manage up to 30 per cent of the nation’s ocean, specifically the Exclusive Economic Zone and Territorial Sea, an area of more than 55k square km.

The Government of Barbados, TNC and IDB agreed to work together on restructuring external and local debt, thereby significantly reducing the country’s existing debt service costs while also securing funding for conservation activities. Proceeds of the financing were used by Barbados to repurchase a portion of its US$ bonds due 2029 and BB$ bonds due 2043, reducing debt service costs and improving long-term debt sustainability.

A unique component of this blue loan is that it incorporates a new development in debt sustainability and builds upon a framework that Barbados has pioneered and championed, namely, including an option to temporarily suspend debt servicing in the instance of future natural disasters or pandemics.

As part of the terms of this transaction, approximately US$1.4 million annually US$20.5 million in total, will flow to a new, independent conservation fund for Barbados, which will disburse funds to marine and coastal conservation projects. A portion of the conservancy savings, US$18 million over the next 15 years, will also be placed into an endowment fund that will set aside funding for marine conservation accessible from 2037, ultimately aiding in the long-term planning and protection of Barbados’ marine ecosystems.

CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Chief Risk Officer, Patrick McKenna, noted: “We actively seek to support the Caribbean region’s transition to a low-carbon economy and advancing of sustainability and climate resiliency initiatives in the territories in which we operate. One of our strategic objectives is to continue to develop a range of financial and advisory solutions focused on environmental and social development matters of importance and collaborating with other regional and global partners in alignment with the broader responsible business practices embedded across CIBC FirstCaribbean. This debt conversion transaction is an excellent example of our contribution to creating a more sustainable future.”

Chief Executive Officer at CIBC FirstCaribbean, Colette Delaney, added: “This transaction demonstrates to our sovereign and corporate clients CIBC FirstCaribbean’s capability to partner successfully with other financial institutions and agencies to help solve the complex challenges facing our region; it also demonstrates to our sovereign partners in the region our commitment to the sustainable development of the Caribbean region, in this case protecting Barbados’ environmental heritage and supporting efforts to build a sustainable economy. Overall, so far, this facility brings our total transactions arranged to almost USD500 million for sustainability linked Blue and Green Financing with our commitments exceeding USD280 million, impacting approximately 125,000 households in the Caribbean.”

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, noted: “We are delighted to see the successful execution of our debt conversion for nature. Recently, Barbados has found itself at the front line of both the global pandemic and the climate crisis. Our response has been to find innovative ways to strengthen our resilience and to address the challenges that face us, not least the climate crisis. This operation is the culmination of a lot of hard work, and of our determination to support our precious and irreplaceable marine environment which must equally be sustainably developed and managed. I thank the IDB, TNC, lenders, bondholders, and all other parties that have come together to make this transaction possible.” (PR)

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Barbadians are being urged to better manage their water usage and to reuse the precious commodity where possible.

Senior Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office in charge of Infrastructural Projects and Town Planning Matters Dr William Duguid gave the advice last weekend during a cocktail reception to officially announce the merger of Integrated Sustainability, a Canada-based sustainable infrastructure development specialist firm and the Barbados-based water maintenance and management company Ecohesion.

He said Barbados has had to take the expensive route of desalination to help deal with its water scarcity, and while Government was working on reducing incidents of dry taps, residents must “use less water, preserve water and understand that water is an important resource and understand that Barbados is one of the few water-scarce nations”.

“What we had to do is spend lots of money taking salt out of water to be able to make it usable and potable but, of course, that makes it expensive. What this partnership can do is to bring those opportunities to teach people how to desalinate, to use renewable energy for desalination to make water much more affordable, and to bring those financing opportunities and to bring those new techniques and technologies so that we get better water use and [are] able to use water in a much more efficient and circular way,” Dr Duguid said.

“We need to understand that when you finish with water that is not the end. Water can be reused. Water can be reused for irrigation, water can be used in many different [situations], and that is what we need to do,” he stressed.

The Minister said he was looking forward to the island benefiting from the merger of Integrated Sustainability and Ecohesion, both financially and in technology and knowledge sharing.

“We as a nation have to look to do different things to get better results for the people of Barbados. So I look forward to great things coming from this merger,” he added.

Dr Duguid also stressed the need for the Government, the private sector, and non-governmental organisations to work together, noting that this administration would continue to be “a facilitator, regulator, legislator and supporter”.

“That is what we are trying to do here by having a wonderful merger with our Canadian partners with local Ecohesion, to be able to bring water sustainability and to help people to understand in Barbados how precious a resource water is,” he said.

Company officials said while there have been many discussions in the past about change, they were confident this merger had come at the right time to help propel the island’s water management and sustainability efforts.

Corey Jackman, Co-Founder and Director of Ecohesion, told the gathering that the merger would lead to improvement in water management on the island as the company seeks to partner with the Government.

“To me, this means growth, it means being able to explore new frontiers, it means being able to do things differently. I love the collaboration of international experience with local know-how, in that you get the best solutions. And that is what we are – a solutions-oriented company in the water and wastewater industry. We intend to make Barbados better,” declared Jackman.

“The key focus here is to make water sustainable and to make it safe. Any financial derivative comes as an added benefit.” (MM)

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Thirty-four students are being celebrated as they head this year’s list of scholarship and exhibition winners.

Among them are 12 Barbados Scholarship recipients made up of six students from Harrison College, five from Queen’s College and one from The St Michael School.

In making the announcement on Wednesday, Minister of Education Kay McConney said that 21 students reached the standard to be awarded a Barbados Exhibition, 15 less than last year’s 36. Only six Barbados Scholarships were announced last year.

One student from BCC received an Award of Excellence.

Here’s the full list of scholarship and exhibition winners

BARBADOS SCHOLARSHIPS/EXHIBITIONS 2022

Harrison College – Scholarships

Maymuneh Elcock, Ella Emtage-Deane, Nathan Walker, Amelia Valdez, Jemma Evelyn, Toby Warren.

Queen’s College – Scholarships

Ayana Robinson, Jaden Whitelaw, Zuri Connell, Jordyn Donawa, Jada Pascall.

The St. Michael School – Scholarship

Janae-Joy Browne.

Harrison College – Exhibitioners

Dane Forde, Zainab Patel, Nicholas Phillips, Jasmine Simmons, Luke Thompson, Alyssa Torrence, Micah Williams, Simiya Allen, Hallie Skinner.

 Queen’s College – Exhibitioners

Ethan Ellis, Kenya Franklyn, Jeremy King, Joshua Millar, Makenzaé Hinkson, Satera Yarde, Hanna Ashby, Netanya Bradshaw.

The St. Michael’s School – Exhibitioners

Rashawn Griffith, Asha King.

 Christ Church Foundation – Exhibitioner

Destini Cummings

 Barbados Community College – Exhibitioner

Ajada Pilgrim

Barbados Community College – Award of Excellence

Tori Gaskin

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Michael Yearwood died from blunt head trauma.

That was the evidence given by consultant pathologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Dr David Gaskin, who conducted a post mortem on Yearwood’s body on April 2, 2015.

Dr Gaskin was testifying in the murder trial of Raheim Ricardo O’Neil Hinds, which got underway in the No. 5A Supreme Court this morning before Justice Christopher Birch.

Hinds, of Phillip’s Road, Pinelands, St Michael, today pleaded not guilty to murdering Yearwood on March 26, 2015. He is alleged to have struck Yearwood with a stone on March 11, 2015, which eventually caused his death.

He was initially charged with serious bodily harm but that charge was upgraded to murder after Yearwood passed away.

Dr Gaskin said while the post mortem revealed that Yearwood’s tissues and organs were relatively well preserved, externally significant injuries were observed included an eight cm diameter area of swelling to the right parietal scalp and on removal of the scalp there was a linear fracture to the parietal skull in the area of the swelling.

He said when the brain was removed it “was extremely soft” and there was “blurring of the grey and white interface.”

Dr Gaskin said while there was no evidence of haemorrhage or a tumour, there was thrombosis of the superior sagittal sinus and thrombosis on the base of the skull.

“Based on these findings I concluded that death in this case was due to blunt head trauma,” he told the court. This he explained, usually occurred when somebody suffers an impact to the head with a blunt object with severe force.

Dr Gaskin agreed with Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale that such an injury could be caused by a stone.

He revealed that the now deceased man had sought medical attention at the QEH on March 13 and was subsequently discharged after showing signs of improvement.

However, on March 21, he was found unresponsive.

Dr Gaskin said the victim suffered two heart attacks while being transported.

When questioned by Seale, Dr Gaskin said it was possible for a person to sustain such an injury and die two weeks later.

“What would have happened in this case is that he suffered an injury, there appears to be initial resolution of the injury, but what could have happened in a case like this and a likely scenario is that there was damage to the lining of the sinus, and that damage can cause activation of the clotting system and once that system is activated you get a clot being formed and that clot spreads until it fills the entire vascular system,” he pointed out.

Dr Gaskin said once that obstruction occurs the inflow of blood to the brain is compromised, resulting in irreversible damage to brain tissues.

Under cross-examination from defense counsel Arthur Holder, Dr Gaskin maintained that the injury which Yearwood suffered to his head was the most likely cause of thrombosis.

He however, admitted that the thrombosis had not initially been resolved and had reached a critical point by the time the man was re-admitted.

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Rashad Maynard today described the man who his brother is alleged to have killed as a “nuisance” who drank heavily and became aggressive.

In fact, he said on the day his brother Raheim Hinds struck Michael Yearwood with a stone, Yearwood had “straight pulled” a bottle of rum and was armed with a cutlass.

Hinds, of Phillip’s Road, Pinelands, St Michael, today pleaded not guilty to murdering Yearwood on March 26, 2015, when his trial got underway in the No.5A Supreme Court.

Maynard, who was 15 at the time of the incident, told the court he knew Yearwood as ‘Bishop’ who operated a tire shop in the area of Princess Royal Avenue, Pinelands, St Michael.

“I don’t know much about him but he used to drink a lot and get aggressive towards people. He would tell ya things and provoke ya,” he told the court.

Maynard said on the day in question Yearwood and his brother got into an argument.

The witness said he was outside sitting down relaxing by Marcia Moore’s shop when Yearwood walked across the road in his direction.

Maynard said he had a bottle of rum in one hand and a cutlass in the other.

He recalled that Yearwood “was telling him things” and he got up and went for a rock.

Maynard said the man went in the road and his brother came on the scene.

He said his brother then took up a stone and threw it at Yearwood, striking him on the head. He told the court the man fell down, got up and fell down again after being struck.

Maynard said people went to his assistance and he went home after he was ordered to do so by his father.

Under cross examination by defense counsel Arthur Holder, Maynard admitted that in a statement he gave to police on March 28, 2015, he told them that Yearwood had poked him and made swiping actions at him with the cutlass.

He recalled that after being hit with the rock Yearwood still had the cutlass in his hand.

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It is understandable the excitement within the Ministry of Finance following news that external investors are showing greater confidence in Government by snapping up some $140 million or US $70 million in restructured Government of Barbados (GOB) bonds in a debt swap.

Minister in the Ministry of Finance Ryan Straughn was quoted in the media on Wednesday: “Considering that the external bonds were trading at close to par for most of the duration after the foreign debt restructuring in December 2019, then it was not surprising. It demonstrates an expression of confidence in the management of the country’s fiscal affairs by the investors.”

We have come a long way from the period when foreign holders of GOB debt were threatening legal action against the country over fallout from the debt restructuring process.

It was back in October 2019 that the administration announced it had reached a deal with international market creditors more than a year after the country entered a historic selective default. Under the arrangement we issued some US$500 million or BDS $1 billion of new debt at 6.5 per cent and maturing in 2029.

According to Government, as a result of the agreement, the outstanding debt, including deals due in 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2035, would be exchanged for the new instrument with a 26.3 per cent haircut.

Barbados also received kudos for ensuring that in the restructuring, provision was made for natural disasters, which would allow the island to capitalize interest and defer principal payments for two years in the event of a disaster.

All this is critical background as Government is seeking to entice local investors to take a chance again on its debt instruments following the hit that many individuals, businesses, and financial institutions took as a result of the 2018/2019 restructuring process.

The administration has argued that it had few choices given the dire state of public financing when it took office in May 2018. Critical debt payments were coming due, there was about one month’s worth of import cover in foreign reserves, and public services were severely restricted because of the cash crunch confronting government.

However, with this new arrangement, Minister Straughn said in Parliament that the interest payments saved from repurchasing the bonds or the debt swap, as it is commonly referred, would be channelled to a new Barbados Environmental Sustainability Fund, resulting in estimated savings of between US$30 million and US$40 million in the next 15 years.

All this is good news for the financial and economic fortunes of the island. But there is still a problem confronting the administration and that is restoring the confidence of local investors. Having been assured for many years that they could sleep well and gain reasonable returns on instruments such as GOB bonds and treasury notes, they are now evidently reticent to take the chance with their savings at this juncture.

Admittedly, stashing hundreds of millions of dollars in commercial banks, as the statistics show, is not working for Barbadians. It is actually costing them more to keep their money on the bank.

Known for our risk-averse nature, Barbadians remain tepid about putting their money in Government investment instruments. Possibly, this new display of “confidence” from foreign investors may be the kind of development that pushes locals to test their appetite for GOB debt again.

With concerns rising about the level of government’s foreign borrowing and what it could portend for generations to come, government is likely hoping it will inspire hope among the public that will result in it having access to local sources of financing that will not require repayment in foreign dollars.

Last month Minister Straughn made a plea for Barbadians to support the Barbados Optional Savings Scheme (BOSS) Plus bonds “no matter how small the investment”.

In an effort to raise some $200 million in the current financial year, Straughn assured members of the pubic that he as a holder of BOSS bonds, could attest to adding up his interest payments to ensure they were accurate.

“Barbadians have in their hands the chance to help drive the [economic] recovery,” he told the House during debate on the second reading of the BOSS Plus (Offer To The Public) Bill.

His colleague in the Senate Senator Lisa Cummins too sought to rubbish suggestions that BOSS Plus Bond holders could find themselves facing another restructuring. “The 2022 BOSS Plus bonds are exempt from any restructuring that may take place at any time in the future,” she stated.

The jury is out, and it is Barbadians who will give their verdict through their wallets.

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The Barbados Consumer Empowerment Network (BCEN) and the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) are adding their voices to a growing number of Barbadians who are incensed about the Barbados Light and Company’s (BL&P) proposed rate increase in electricity cost.

In fact, the BCEN, which is headed by interim Executive Director Maureen Holder, criticised as “unconscionable” and “unacceptable” for the EMERA-owned BL&P company to be asking for a rate increase “at a time when many Barbadians are facing hardship and all manner of dire economic and financial circumstances”. While the leader of the DLP, Dr. Ronnie Yearwood, condemned the move as “oppressive” and charged that both the FTC and the Minister of Energy have “undoubtedly failed everyone who lives and works in this country”.

Last week the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) announced it had granted the BL&P’s request for an interim rate increase, but the regulatory body only granted 50 per cent of what the utility company had requested. This decision was made after the FTC began hearings on the matter this past July. The FTC’s decision does not sit well with the BCEN which, via a statement released today, took issue with how the matter concerning the application for a rate increase by the island’s main electricity supplier, has been approached.

Throwing its full support behind the intervenors who are asking for due process and careful consideration on the hearing of the matter to determine whether BL&P should be granted the increase, the Network maintained that consumers of Barbados deserve reliable, reasonably priced electricity. However, they believed that with the increase, albeit interim at 50 per cent, consumers will be compelled to pay higher electricity rates at a cost they could barely afford, while the risks to BL&P will remain relatively low.

“There seems to be a disconnect from the reality faced by consumers all over Barbados and the internal corporate affairs of the BL&P and its parent company EMERA,” BCEN stressed.

Similarly, Yearwood contended that despite the word “interim” being attached to the “ill-timed hike”, the results could be anything but interim. Moreover, he chided FTC’s decision and warned that it will only add to Barbados’ economic woes, potentially leading to some businesses laying off staff and/or the closing of other businesses.

“The reality is that electricity powers the country so this rate increase will mean higher prices at the supermarket and other bills such as water, internet, cellphone and even banking fees could be affected!” he asserted.

At the same time, the consumer advocacy body called out the business community, which has remained relatively silent on the increase in rates given that it runs the risk of escalating already soaring operating costs and further cutting into profit margins. The repercussions of which potentially have an additional ripple effect on consumers.

“We are therefore calling on the business community to speak up and speak out on this serious issue. We are also calling on the general public of Barbados to voice their concerns on the interim rate increase. Over the years Barbadians have struggled with unreasonably high utility rates and chronic underinvestment in utility infrastructure provided by the BL&P. Lower electricity rates for consumers are what we really want in Barbados, but outside of this, we believe that a rate increase at this time is not good for the economy of Barbados nor for consumers. BCEN believes that with unity, determination, and solidarity, as Barbadians, we can rally our support to show our disapproval of a rate increase for the BL&P and agitate to see more affordable and sustainable electricity rates in Barbados,” BCEN underscored. (KC)

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The Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) is upset that its members at Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary School are being asked to report for duty in a construction zone.

President Rudy Lovell deemed it an “injustice” that would not be tolerated by the union.

He was speaking to this paper outside the school gates of the Pine, St Michael institution around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday ahead of a meeting with the teachers. He was accompanied by his second vice president André Holder and executive member Tara Durant.

“We are here to meet with the staff. Essentially, we are concerned that the staff has been asked to turn up to work while construction work is still ongoing. We believe that is against the natural justice of health and safety,” he said.

Wilkie Cumberbatch was one of three schools which Minister of Education Kay McConney announced on Sunday would have a delayed opening due to ongoing remedial work.

She said the Pine, St Michael school would reopen for classes next week to allow work on the windows to be completed.

Lovell said the 30-plus teachers had complained about “stuff” and other irritants from the ongoing work on the compound, noting that he was surprised to hear that concrete was being poured while staffers were on duty.

“I will have to speak to the Ministry of Education again because I am not satisfied, the teachers are not satisfied with the process. The process could have been handled differently. We want the work to be completed on time but we don’t want to put the teachers under any harm.”

Meanwhile, Lovell said the teachers were “frustrated” as “there was nothing for them to do”. He added that they were also irritated that there was only one bathroom for males and females to access.

When the Barbados TODAY team visited the school, teachers were sitting in a corridor with books and laptops in hand.

Lovell reported that with the permission of the Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw the teachers left the school around 10:30 a.m.

He was unsure whether the teachers had to report for work on Thursday but said his union was willing to intervene again if the situation warranted it.

Efforts to reach Archer-Bradshaw for a comment were unsuccessful up to press time. (SZB)

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The Women in Action Network (WiAN) has called for a clean sweep of the Government Industrial School (GIS) that would involve the removal of everyone involved in the management of the facility, including Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams, and compensation for affected wards.

Asserting that the recent investigation into operations at the facility had raised more questions than answers, it further declared that it would not be easing up on its demands for clear answers about what was going on at the juvenile detention centre.

WiAN said on Wednesday that the entire Advisory Board for the GIS was “guilty of neglect, incompetence and failing to give advice for the protection of the wards of GIS”.

“Minister Wilfred Abrahams, the Board, the entire staff of GIS and the Permanent Secretary need to resign to bring this era of the Government Industrial School to an end,” WiAN manager Tempu Nefertari insisted.

During a press conference at the Ministry on Monday, Oral Williams, chairman of a four-member panel that carried out a three-month inquiry into operations at the GIS, identified several issues at the institution and recommended a major overhaul that would see more competent, qualified staff hired, an end to corporal punishment at the facility, and a possible name change.

Minister Abrahams gave the assurance that all the evidence gathered by the panel would be handed over to police to take further action if warranted.

However, Nefertari suggested that if the section on recommendations was taken out of the report, “very little” has been told about the actual findings.

“We are told the findings cannot be discussed because of a likelihood of matters going before the courts. So, should we expect charges to be laid? In one iteration we heard of one or two cases of physical abuse; is it one case or two cases? And then in another iteration, mention was made of a few cases. How many cases of physical abuse were found? There were no cases of sexual misconduct? Have any staff members been implicated in these cases?

“Of the allegations investigated, how many were made by wards and how many by staff members? When will we know from the Commissioner of Police if any charges will be laid out of the evidence presented in the report? These are the questions the Minister needs to answer. Running to a new building with new staff and an operations manual does not make these questions go away,” Nefertari insisted.

She added: “To even suggest that a care institution for girls be renamed Secure Residential Facility indicates a lack of focus on what matters.”

WiAN added that Minister Abrahams needed to get to the finer points of the impact of employing “unqualified, untrained, uncaring square pegs in round holes” to supervise troubled girls over the years.

Furthermore, it was the group’s view that as minister with responsibility for the GIS, the buck stops with Abrahams and he should be held accountable for the failure of the school to ensure the desired rehabilitative care.

This failure, Nefertari charged, had resulted in the “psychological torture” of some of the wards.

In addition to Abrahams’ resignation letter, the group is calling for compensation to be awarded to the wards whom they claimed the “government imprisoned and neglected”.

“He must be ready to take responsibility for the damages caused by the actions of the staff he promised to back and start talking compensation packages,” the WiAN head stated, adding that the damage caused could add to the instability of society over the lifetimes of traumatised girls-turned-women.

“And the resources the Government would have to put out in the future to stabilise such a person could be better paid now at this point of the girls receiving the rehabilitative care that they need. The allegations of abuse need to be taken in the context of how unqualified and untrained staff would deal with teenage girls who have been already living with a range of issues,” Nefertari contended.

WiAN has also queried the Government’s decision to house male and female GIS wards in the same facility.

A decision was made, following an assessment of the Female Unit located at Barrows, St Lucy, that the girls would be moved to the refurbished facility at Dodds, St Philip, but be located in separate sections – a recommendation which the investigating panel endorsed in its recommendations.

However, Nefertari argued that housing girls and boys with raging hormones in the same facility was “a recipe for disaster”.

“Whether it is girls in need of care or girls with a criminal leaning, these girls need not be living in the same space as teenage boys at a time when they are already easily distracted. Decisions like these leave us to wonder if the Minister understands and cares about how these young people function,” the WiAN head asserted.
(KC)

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A formal relationship between the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs should be established to ensure the effective delivery of health services to Barbados’ elderly population.

That recommendation has been made by the lead consultant on the National Policy on Ageing for Barbados 2023-2028, Professor Dwayne Devonish who has recommended the establishment of “an inter-ministerial governance framework in the form of Integrated Elderly Care Committee or Task Force with a shared mandate for the enhanced delivery of both health care and community care services to older people in need”.

Delivering the policy during a national consultation at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre recently, he said that body would work on capacity building and institutional strengthening initiatives at key institutions providing health care and medical services, with the goal of maintaining best practice standards for the healthcare system for older people.

He also said there was a need to maintain local, regional, and international partnerships to provide training and development experiences for healthcare staff working with older people.

Additionally, Professor Devonish said, health and wellness promotion strategies should be developed and executed to enhance awareness among older people.

He said these health promotion efforts should focus on food, diet, and nutrition within communities and institutions where older people reside, through physical activity and exercise programmes, mental health support, and related services.

“Introduce health and medical services to the communities, and close to the elderly, through heavier reliance on mobile health clinics to ensure easier contact and access for those who are otherwise unable to reach these services outside of their living environments and communities,” Professor Devonish said.

“Offer salon-type community healthcare and wellness interventions which have proved effective in reducing long-term care needs and may help reduce health inequalities.

“Develop and expand comprehensive rehabilitation facilities catering to mind, body, and spirit, with structured guidelines that promote a culture of returning admitted clients to the community after staying at a geriatric institution or related institutions. And work closely with relevant community-based stakeholders, healthcare providers, and private sector entities to expand community-centred healthcare and wellness services to older people in targeted at-risk communities,” the university academic added.

Professor Devonish also indicated that another way to improve healthcare for the elderly is for stakeholders to work with the Ministry of Health to identify those in most need of preventative care and target them with the relevant care services and interventions.

The Ministry of Health has also been advised to undertake critical resource needs assessments to inform adequate planning, designing and execution of preventative, integrated healthcare delivery of services for the elderly, and to ensure the sustainability of operation and longevity of desired outcomes.

“These assessments should examine key issues related to non-communicable diseases and related chronic illnesses of the elderly, and impacts and management of infectious diseases; mental health challenges and illnesses of the elderly; primary, secondary and tertiary health care and standards; nursing care; institutional care; home and community health care; and personal health care education and management including diet, nutrition, and exercise,” Professor Devonish said. (AH)

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Dodds Prison is aiming to boost its food security and maintain a high level of food self-sufficiency, farm manager Valiance Holder said on Tuesday.

In addition to a plan to acquire two greenhouses, he said efforts were underway to expand crop and livestock production.

Following the graduation ceremony for five inmates and five prison officers who completed an aquaculture farming course, Holder told Barbados TODAY that about 90 per cent of the produce grown at the facility in St Philip is used at the prison.

Sweet potatoes, cassavas, yams, pumpkins, cucumbers, carrots, squash, tomatoes, watermelons, chives, parsley, turmeric, and marjoram are planted on a ten to 12-acre plot of land, while Blackbelly sheep, Landrace and Large White (breeds of pigs) and Redpoll cows are also reared on the compound.

Holder said plans were in train to restart raising broilers.

He reported that two major COVID-19 outbreaks at the prison last year had resulted in a reduction in the amount of labour designated to the farm; however, the inmates were, in some instances, still able to produce a surplus and produce was donated to the neighbouring Male Unit of the Government Industrial School as well as the St Philip District Hospital.

With a donation of $50 000 from the Maria Holder Memorial Trust, the prison was able to set up an aquaculture centre for fish farming and growing crops like lettuce and sweet basil.

Holder said this would further improve the prison’s food security as the inmates could now grow tilapia to eat while simultaneously growing crops that could be difficult to grow in the open field.

The farm manager explained that the aquaculture course would be rotated on a three-month basis and the five inmates who just graduated would be required to train ten others in each rotation.

In his remarks at the graduation ceremony, Acting Superintendent of Prisons DeCarlo Payne said he was pleased with the success of the aquaculture programme which started in 2021 but due to challenges associated with COVID-19 took a while to get off the ground.

He said the training would come in handy for the inmates on their release as they could develop their own aquaculture businesses and not have to rely on anyone to hire them.

Payne said he wanted other inmates to get on board the programme – especially as it was being supported by the Fisheries Division and the Barbados Trust Fund – and contribute to the economy in a meaningful way when their sentences were completed.

Aquaculture expert Kristina Adams trained the inmates and prison officers and said she was impressed with the drive and energy they gave the project, as well as their determination to keep it going when COVID-19 hampered its progress. (SZB)

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By Emmanuel Joseph

The High Court will have to determine how the hearing into a review of electricity rates in Barbados goes forward following a dramatic start to the proceedings on Wednesday.

The session took an unexpected turn after the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) which was hearing an application from the Barbados Light and Power Company (BL&PC) for a hike in basic rates, denied a motion from Acting Public Counsel Sharon Dean for the proceedings to be adjourned for two months. The rejection prompted Dean to immediately give oral notice of her intention to go to the High Court for an injunction to stay the proceedings, slated to run for 12 business days, while the court hears and rules on her application for the adjournment.

Speaking on her motion, which also includes a request for an extension to file all relevant documentation, the acting public counsel argued that she only took up the post from the substantive holder on Monday and was therefore ill-equipped to properly perform her statutory duties on behalf of the over 200,000 consumers her office represents in this case.

Dean told the panel that the substantive public counsel had still not returned from extended sick leave and as the acting public counsel, it would be impossible to properly prepare a highly technical case in a day which involved 3,500 pages of documents. She submitted that a case was therefore not prepared, neither was she briefed on matters related to the application before the FTC.

The office of Public Counsel also represents the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) and the Ministry of Energy and Business Development.

“My concern is that the failure to provide us with this adjournment creates a situation where it is almost an abuse of discretion. It would be tantamount to regulatory capture [which] suggests there is no fairness going on. It’s almost as if there is no transparency…all the parties are operating together without the actual transparency that is required for such an exercise,” the acting public counsel suggested. The motions were supported by all of the intervenors with the exception of the Barbados Renewable Energy Association (BREA) led by Stephen Worme who argued that while the office of public counsel is important, if counsel did not participate, there were others who could represent the interests of consumers.

The BL&P rejected the move to adjourn and to extend the timeline for the submission of documents. Its lead attorney, Ramon Alleyne, King’s Counsel, said the commission had sought to balance the issues of all the parties and no one had gotten all that they wished.

“The reality is that the longer the proceedings are drawn out, the greater will be the costs which will be borne by the consumer,” Alleyne warned.

But four and a half hours after the panel returned from deliberating on the public counsel’s motions, chairman of the commission Dr Donley Carrington ruled that despite oral submissions, no sworn evidence had been presented to show there were active efforts made to find a suitable replacement for the public counsel.

Dr Carrington said there was no such evidence considering that notice was given of the proposed hearing dates during the procedural hearing on August 22 this year.

“The Office of Public Counsel also states that fixing dates of hearing commencing on September 21, 2022 was an unreasonable or improper exercise of discretion, a breach of the principles of natural justice and a failure to observe procedures set by law, but has led no cognizant evidence to support the same,” the commission head ruled. He also called attention to an email received on September 19, 2022 from the Business Development Division of the ministry withdrawing an earlier motion for an adjournment.

“The commission has considered the various grounds and matters relied upon by the Office of Public Counsel and the Barbados Association of Retired Persons. It is mindful of the wide interests that the two bodies represent in the matter and that refusal of the order they seek will likely affect their participation in the hearing,” Dr Carrington stated. He noted however, that “these matters” must be balanced with all other relevant factors.

He explained that the BL&P’s application for a rate review dated September 30, 2021 was filed on October 4, of the same year. “It is almost one year since the application was filed. An application for rate review should be heard with reasonable dispatch.

“The rate review application was originally set down for hearing from August 25, 2022 for 12 days. The Ministry of Energy and Business Development by letter dated July 27, 2022 sought additional time to comply with procedural orders and to meet with, and instruct consultants. The commission, on its own motion, convened a hearing at which the dates for the initial hearing were vacated and new dates for hearing given.

The chairman told the session that the initial hearing was adjourned in an effort to be fair to all parties in giving them time to comply with the procedural orders.

“Were this hearing to be adjourned, this would be the second occasion on which the hearing of the rate review application would be adjourned,” the chair said. “The commission is of the view that the motions to adjourn are late in all circumstances. The commission fixed these days for hearing on the 22 of August 2022. Given the gravity of the matter, the motions for an adjournment should have been made in reasonable time of the aforesaid order. The motions were made after arrangements were finalised for this hearing commencing today, and after the amended motion from the Office of Public Counsel was received by the commission,” Dr Carrington declared

He said that in arriving at its decision, the FTC has taken into consideration the motions, the affidavits in support of the motions and the submissions of the parties.

“To date, there has been nothing presented to support the statements made by Ms Dean in relation to her inability to perform the duties of public counsel as identified in Section 9 of the Utilities Regulations Act. While the commission is cognizant of the statutory duties of the public counsel, the commission also has its own statutory duties which it is obliged to discharge and is liable for any failings thereunder,” he pointed out.

“The commission has not prevented the public counsel from participating in the proceedings and discharging its duties under Section 9 of the Utilities Regulations Act CAP 282 of the Laws of Barbados.

“The commission considers that an adjournment at this stage would cause considerable disruption and inconvenience given the number of witnesses, the number of persons participating in the hearing as intervenors and the length of the hearing,” he added. “An adjournment at this stage would result in a substantial wasted time and cost, which eventually would be borne by the consumers,” he said.

Dr Carrington also “strenuously” disagreed with the “aspersions” made by some intervenors that it does not apply the concept of fairness and transparency when adjudicating matters before it.

“The commission is of the view that it would be just to exercise its discretion to refuse the Office of Public Counsel and the Barbados Association of Retired Persons the adjournment of this hearing and the motions are so dismissed,” he ruled.

The FTC chair also observed that the Office of Public Counsel has never sought intervenor status in this hearing.

“The Office of Public Counsel has no status to make a motion on its own unless it had previously been granted intervenor status. The Office of Public Counsel would have failed on this additional ground,” Dr Carrington declared.

The hearing continues tomorrow at 9 am at the Accra Beach Hotel and Spa during which it will entertain motions from the BL&P and the team of attorney-at-law Tricia Watson and David Simpson. (EJ)

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