President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Dr Gene Leon is calling for urgent improvement in the region’s air, sea and land infrastructure in order to maximise economic development.

He issued the call while pointing to the need for increased investment in and development of the region’s digital infrastructure and acknowledging that the development needed would require both public and private sector involvement.

“As a matter of urgency, the region must improve infrastructure for air, marine, and road transportation to maximise opportunities for production as well as global and intra-regional trade in goods and services. Governments cannot do it [alone], we need partnerships because if it is done it will redound to the benefit of all,” said Leon.

“Air and sea transportation are vital for creating and sustaining business activities through the movement of people, goods, and services intra-regionally and between the region and extra-regional destinations. Our transportation network in the region is still quite fragmented and there is a need to build greater complementarity between the air, sea, and land infrastructure to support our development thrust,” he said.

The president of the Barbados-based financial institution, which commissioned a study on regional transportation several years ago, said one immediate priority for the region should be a logistics plan.

“An immediate priority for all of us who have a stake in development, should be the design for the wider Central America/CARICOM region of a master integrated logistics network plan to provide trading routes to North and South America, eastward to Europe and Africa, and westward to Asia and Australasia,” said Leon.

He made the suggestion while addressing the recent launch of the Business and Management Research Think Tank (BMRTT) and the Business Roundtable Forum at the Cave Hill School of Business and Management (CHSBM).

The BMRTT is an agreement between the CHSBM and the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) and the Business Roundtable Forum is an agreement between the CHSBM and the Barbados Chamber and Commerce and Industry (BCCI).

The deals between the learning institution and the business community are designed to guide research and innovation that can influence the business environment and lead to the reform of industries.

Leon said in addition to the lack of transportation connectivity, the Caribbean’s use of technology was also lacking. This, he suggested, was hampering the region’s chances of keeping up with the changing pace of communication.

“Based on our own research at CDB, several countries in our region are not sufficiently well-positioned to be competitive in a digital future world and would require investments in cutting-edge infrastructure among other enablers,” said Leon.

“Seized of the fact that digital connectivity is the backbone of 21st century communication, commerce, and most other economic activities, we have proposed the deployment of a secure, zero-divide regional digital network grid, to facilitate enhanced services in trade, education, health, commerce, and government service delivery by 2035,” he said.

“The development of a joint action plan that includes appropriate policy, regulatory and security frameworks, upgrade of information technology infrastructure, and the wider access of broad-band services at both national and regional levels and across private and public sectors, will be urgently needed to achieve this regional digital grid by the stated timeline,” he said.

He also called for greater “cultural connectivity” throughout the region, adding this could be achieved through languages.

“Paradoxically, this is the glue to making physical and digital connectivity a tangible reality. Connectivity through trade in goods and services is an outcome of our cultural connectivity. I believe that the singular catalyst for this to happen is making the region a single multilingual space,” said Leon.

“Broadly, that translates to requiring conversational fluency and preferably certification in each of the four languages spoken in the region by the time of secondary school graduation. Further, at the tertiary level, each professional training programme or university degree should have an instruction element in at least two languages . . . It won’t be overnight, but imagine where we can be in 10 years,” he said.

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The Mia Mottley administration has outlined a three-step plan to encourage urgent and decisive action to address an unprecedented combination of crises, through a reformed international financial system.

It includes debt service suspension and an expansion of lending by multilateral lending agencies.

The 2022 Bridgetown Agenda for the Reform of the Global Financial Architecture plan seeks to address the cost of living, debt and climate crises facing Barbados and other developing nations.

The Bridgetown Agenda was first mentioned by Prime Minister Mottley at the General Debate of the 77th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York last Thursday.

In a subsequent statement outlining the three-point plan, the Government noted that the crises facing developing countries were compounded by tightening of monetary policies in developed countries and a strengthening US dollar.

“One in five countries is experiencing fiscal and financial stress. Unaddressed, there will be deepening hardship, debt defaults, widening inequality, political upheaval, and a delayed shift to a low-carbon world.

“Global leaders are now experienced in managing crises. They know what to do and have the means necessary. We must act now. We cannot be good at rescuing banks but bad at saving countries,” it stated.

Step one of the plan calls for the provision of emergency liquidity “to stop the debt crisis in its tracks”.

“We call upon the Board of the International Monetary Fund to return access to its unconditional rapid credit and financing facilities to previous crisis levels; temporarily suspend its interest surcharges; re-channel at least US$100 billion of unused Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to those who need it and; operationalise the Resilience and Sustainability Trust by October 2022,” the Barbados Government stated.

At the same time, it said, the G20 should agree to an ambitious debt service suspension initiative that includes all multilateral development bank loans to the poorest countries and COVID-related loans to the middle-income.

“Major issuers of debt to the markets should help normalise natural disaster and pandemic clauses in all debt instruments to absorb shocks better,” it added.

Step two involves the expansion of multilateral lending to governments by US$1 trillion. According to the Government, liquidity is simply not enough, and investment is required to address the “systemic roots” of the crises.

It calls for the implementation of the recommendations from the independent G20 Capital Adequacy Frameworks Review by the end of this year, and for the World Bank and other multilateral development banks to “use remaining headroom, increased risk appetite, new guarantees and the holding of SDRs to expand lending to governments by US$1 trillion”.

“New concessional lending should prioritise attaining the Sustainable Development Goals everywhere and building climate resilience in climate-vulnerable countries,” it added.

The third step of the Bridgetown Agenda relates to the activation of private sector savings for climate mitigation and fund reconstruction after a climate disaster, through new multilateral mechanisms.

“Most climate-vulnerable countries do not have the fiscal space to adopt new debt. We must move beyond country-by-country responses that have become bogged down by issues of who should do more. We need a global mechanism for raising reconstruction grants for any country just imperiled by a climate disaster. And we need a new issuance of 500 billion SDRs (US$650 billion) or other low-interest, long-term instruments to back a multilateral agency that accelerates private investment in the low carbon transition, wherever it is most effective,” it explained.

The Government said the Bridgetown Agenda requires “a coalition of like-minded leaders” to support its implementation.

“We do not anticipate complete agreement on the detail and sequencing of the solutions above, but rather aim to support progress on this agenda through greater understanding, focus, priority, coordination, and unity of effort,” it said. (MM)

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President of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Dr Ronnie Yearwood, has lambasted the current administration for the “deafening silence” on the rate adjustment hearings being held by the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) in which the Barbados Light & Power Company (BLPC) is seeking a hike in basic rates.

Dr Yearwood voiced his concern during a Democratic Labour Party public meeting at the corner of Pine Plantation Road on Sunday, where he referenced recent comments by BLPC Managing Director Roger Blackman who warned that there might be implications for the quality of service if the increase is denied.

According to the DLP President, such comments should not be taken lightly.

“How can the sole electric company in your country threaten the people of a sovereign government, supposed to be a republic, and you have a government that is silent. You have all of these organisations sitting down, and you are allowing a private entity to literally say to Barbadians ‘[if] I do not get more money, I will turn off the lights on you’.

“How can this be normal? How are we just sitting down,” he questioned.

Dr Yearwood stated that the cost of living crisis continues to be a growing concern for Barbadians, and since the cost of energy determines the cost of products and services in a country, the need to keep electricity rates as low as possible should be a top priority to the current government.

“Barbadians are experiencing a cost of living crisis, and the Barbados Light and Power has been reaping the rewards over the last 11 years. The average payout to shareholders was $48 million in profits… and in all of this, the Fair Trading Commission that is supposed to defend Barbadians, actually is allowing the [interim rate] increase.”

He added: “The reality is if the electricity bill goes up, it affects the entire economy… Don’t mind people talking foolishness about how it’s only two or three or six dollars and they have Barbadians who can afford that. That cost will ripple through the entire economy, so the price of everything else has to go up.

“When you go to the fish market, when you go to the supermarket, refrigeration costs, the lights that you see on here… everything is going to go up. So it’s not just a little 12 or six dollar increase. Even if it’s a 12 or six dollar increase, we know there are Barbadians who cannot afford that. That is just where we are.”

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

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There were 32 new COVID-19 cases, 15 males and 17 females, recorded on Monday, September 26, from the 349 tests conducted by laboratories across the island.

Of the positive cases, six persons were under the age of 18, and 26 were 18 years and older.

The number of people in isolation facilities was 30, while 232 were in home isolation.

As at September 26, there were 559 COVID-19 related deaths.

The laboratories conducted 764,707 tests since February 2020, and recorded 102,488 COVID-19 cases (46,362 males and 56,126 females).

Under the National Vaccination Programme for COVID-19, the total number of persons with at least one dose is 163,631 (71.6 per cent of the eligible population).  The total number of fully vaccinated persons is 154,650 (57.1 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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A young mother who admitted to assaulting two people, including a police officer, may have to pay compensation to her victims.

Magistrate Manila Renee said that possibility would be explored when Shakira Nikita Mascoll returns to court next month.

When Mascoll appeared before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court in Cane Garden, St Thomas on Monday, the 32-year-old resident of Ashby Alley, Nelson Street, St Michael, pleaded guilty to resisting Special Constable Ross Straker in the execution of his duties on September 22, 2022.

She also pleaded guilty to assaulting Straker on the same date, occasioning him actual bodily harm.

Mascoll also admitted to unlawfully and maliciously inflicting serious bodily harm on Subriner Smith; entering premises occupied by Smith in a threatening manner; and damaging a door belonging to Toppin Holdings Limited, on May 23, 2022.

When Magistrate Renee queried whether Mascoll was known to the courts, it was revealed that she had spent 45 months at Dodds prison on firearm and ammunition possession charges.

Rather than sentence her immediately, the magistrate released Mascoll on $1 500 bail and adjourned the matter until October 7.

The virtual complainants are expected to be present on that occasion at which time Magistrate Rene said the court would look into whether compensation would be paid.

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It seemed like a case of déjà vu last week when we reported that three schools were not opening at the start of the Michaelmas academic term.

We have grown more than accustomed to successive Ministers of Education and Education Chiefs lamenting at the start of the new school year about unfinished repairs being carried out on schools.

We have become more than weary in hearing over and over again that after a lengthy vacation, and in this case a COVID-19 period of physical school downtime, that hundreds of students must wait another week or weeks to be housed in a school.

We are simply tired that it would appear that the upkeep of our country’s educational institutions often appears to be an afterthought.

It was Sunday, September 18th that Minister of Education Kay McConney announced that due to incomplete repairs, the resumption of classes at Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary School and the Eden Lodge Nursery School would be delayed by a week, while the Gordon Walters Primary School would have opened later this week.

The reopening of Gordon Walters Primary School, McConney reported, was delayed to ensure that the smell of paint dissipates and to allow for final touches before students return. The Minister also explained that there was ongoing work on the windows at Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary School which underwent a complete overhaul. She added also that the 35 children from the Eden Lodge Nursery school would be accommodated at the nearby Seventh Day Adventist Church.

The Minister told the media during a tour of schools: “Sometimes when we start a job, we discover that there is more damage than we anticipated, that was the case with the windows. When we started to replace, we realised that the entire structural system of this block had to be redone, both the roof and the flooring had to be redone; again, those were unexpected setbacks at the time. We thought we could do smaller repairs.”

But the delays, especially the work that was ongoing at Wilkie Cumberbatch, did not go down well with the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT).

The BUT head Rudy Lovell complained that the Ministry of Education approached school repairs the same way every year but expected to get a different result.

So concerned was Lovell about what he referred to as a recurring situation, that he suggested that perhaps the time had come for the Educational Technical Management Unit (ETMU) under which school repairs fall, to become a separate unit from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MEVT) and be given independent funding.

He pointed out that during the September 12-16 planning week, teachers had to be at school plants while construction and industrial cleaning were ongoing – a practice which Lovell said the union was opposed to as it could affect the safety and health of teachers.

“Today, the 19th of September, media reports have informed of at least three schools not opening due to incomplete renovations, while others have been impacted by last-minute industrial cleaning which, in some cases, were completed late last night,” Lovell said.

“This is so despite numerous assurances from the Ministry of Education that the renovations and industrial cleaning would have been completed on time to facilitate the proper start of the 2022-2023 academic school year.”

During the week at a tour of Wilkie Cumberbatch the BUT president deemed the situation there an “injustice” that would not be tolerated by the union.

“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.

We feel the BUT president’s frustration. We are sure that his frustration for the teachers was akin to that of ancillary staff, parents and students as well. People simple want to get on with the business of education.

What the Ministers, Education Chiefs and the Ministry must understand is that when they do not fulfil their mandate of maintaining the schools and doors remain closed, they are squarely at fault.

Sadly, for the ministry, when they drop the ball the situation is sometimes compounded by circumstances beyond their control. Take for instance the environmental saga Lawrence T Gay Memorial School which to this day investigations have proven to be “inconclusive” as reported by the Minister last week.

A day ago, Monday, Grantley Adams Memorial was closed due to “environmental issues”, at the same time St Giles Primary had to be closed due to a criminal matter as someone broke into the school. It is occurrences such as these, that add insult to injury. We start at a deficit then something happens and the number of schools closed start to increase. Then we have hundreds of students out to sea.

We have lost precious, precious, school time when we were battling the COVID-19 pandemic at its height. We do not need a thesis or study group to tell us that our student population at all levels, is behind. We are all acutely aware that this is time lost that can never be recovered. However, the onus is now on us, and especially the Ministry of Education, to ensure that what time we now have is used as effectively as possible. There really is no time or place for closed schools in a 2022 post-pandemic Barbados.

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Two days after Government closed a debt swap deal to help fund marine conservation efforts, international ratings agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P) has kept Barbados’ long- and short-term sovereign credit ratings at a highly speculative grade.

In its latest ratings, issued last Friday, the credit rating agency said it reaffirmed its ‘B-/B’ long- and short-term sovereign credit ratings on Barbados, and its ‘B-’ issue-level rating on Barbados’ debt. In addition, S&P reaffirmed its ‘B-’ transfer and convertibility assessment, and issued a stable outlook.

And, Prime Minister Mia Mottley has welcomed the news, saying it is an indication that Barbados had done reasonably well in the present turbulent circumstances.

However, she warned that Barbadians still had a “very tight rope” to walk as her administration continued to do what was necessary to dig the economy from its state of sluggishness and make it “world-class by 2030”.

Mottley’s reaction came on Tuesday during a short groundbreaking ceremony for Hotel Indigo, a US$50 million project on the site of the old Caribbee Hotel on Hastings Main Road, Christ Church.

“It is ironic that as we meet today we meet with the shadow of Standard and Poor’s agreeing to uphold our rating and to have a stable outlook on Barbados. This comes at the very time when there are about 46 countries globally that are on the precipice of a debt crisis. The world is in serious difficulty,” she said.

“I would like Barbadians to appreciate that we can make it but we are going to walk a very tight, tightrope, and that means everyone is engaged and understanding that this is not business as usual, nor is the world the same as we came to know it,” said Mottley, who indicated that she was concerned about the falling value of the British Pound against the US dollar.

Pointing to Barbados’ endurance through the COVID-19 pandemic, a freak storm, volcanic ashfall, a hurricane and the impacts from the ongoing war in Ukraine, Mottley said while it has been a rough few years, she was “confident” the country has done “reasonably well” and that those who are watching, have made a judgement, like the hotel project’s investors and investors in the blue bonds that Barbados has done a “credible enough job”.

“Does it mean we rest on laurels? Absolutely not. We have now the journey to build such that Barbados can become world-class by 2030. I am going to remain steadfast with that goal.

“We had hoped it would have been 2027 when we set it in January 2020, but you have plans and other plans are made for you. It is not those plans that throw us down that matter, it is how we get up and face the future, having been thrown down by those plans,” explained Mottley.

In outlining its rationale for keeping the island’s “B-/B” long-and short-term ratings with a stable outlook, S&P said it considered Barbados’ debt repurchase and prepayment “opportunistic and akin to a liability management operation, given that we believe the government could have fulfilled its financial commitments absent this transaction, and that it was conducted with the purpose of directing funds to conservation efforts for Barbados’ marine environment and to promote a sustainable blue economy.”

Last Wednesday, Government announced that it had finalised a first-of-its-kind debt conversion deal, which is expected to free up some US$50 million over the next 15 years to help fund marine conservation efforts.

As part of that deal, Government repurchased US$77.6 million of its 6.5 per cent Notes due 2029 and prepaid the equivalent of US$72.9 million of its Series E 8 per cent bonds due 2043.

This was done from a US$146.5 million equivalent loan from Credit Suisse (US$146.5 million equivalent), and guaranteed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) at US$100 million and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) at US$50 million.

S&P said its stable outlook reflected the view that the island continued to make progress under the Barbados Economic Recovery Transformation (BERT) programme, having met benchmarks under the International Monetary Fund’s (IMFs) Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement.

“The ‘B-’ ratings reflect our view that despite external challenges, including the pandemic, a hurricane, volcanic ashfall, and global geopolitical tension, Barbados’ progress under the domestic BERT programme, and its achievement of IMF EFF targets, will continue to facilitate access to financing from multilateral institutions. At the same time, we believe that high reserve levels will continue to provide external liquidity to support the country’s balance of payment position,” it explained.

“The ratings also incorporate our view of Barbados’ stable and mature political system, despite past issues with sustainable public finances, as well as an economy that has struggled with low growth and is vulnerable to external shocks, given its high concentration in tourism. At the same time, Barbados has limited fiscal and monetary policy flexibility, in our view, given a high debt burden, fixed exchange rate, and weak monetary policy transmission mechanisms following the completion of its debt restructuring in 2018 and 2019,” it added.

The ratings agency said it could lower the country’s ratings in the next year “should the impact of external conditions lead to larger fiscal deficits than we currently expect, and we believe that the government would not have sufficient funding to meet its fiscal or external financing needs”.

At the same time, S&P said it could raise the ratings in the next 12 months if the risks of global external conditions to the economy and government finances were to “diminish sooner than expected, and if incomes and fiscal balances were to return to their pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels on a sustained basis, strengthening confidence in government policymaking and contributing to improved GDP growth prospects and improved monetary policy transmission mechanisms”.

“Higher economic growth would facilitate a reduced debt burden, which, together with an expectation of continued access to official funding, could lead to higher ratings,” added S&P.

marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb

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A plan to acquire and develop 18 parcels of land in the St Lawrence, Christ Church area has triggered concern among residents of that community and surrounding districts who are worried about how it will affect their homes and businesses.

Spokesperson for the St Lawrence, Dover and Maxwell Association Adrian Donovan told Barbados TODAY the situation has prompted a town hall meeting for Saturday, which Member of Parliament for Christ Church South Ralph Thorne has confirmed he will attend.

The meeting follows a land acquisition notice published in the newspaper last week.

That Government notice, issued under the Land Acquisition Act, Cap 228, stated that the parcels of land situated in Bath Village, St Lawrence Gap and Dover were needed for “public purposes, namely road improvement, car parking, environmental improvement and tourism development”.

The mentioned properties included Josef’s Restaurant, Southwinds Hotel and Beach Club, Investment Integrity Corporation, Sea Life Barbados Ltd, and several other commercial and residential spaces.

“Over the past couple of days, we have been [hearing] about the possibility of an acquisition by the Government of some lands within this Christ Church community…. There have been a number of commentators who have taken to the social media expressing their disgust but as was done in the past, and we will continue to do, we always keep the residents informed….

“We are having a town hall meeting for the residents in those affected areas and by a wider margin, the whole of Christ Church,” Donovan told Barbados TODAY.

He insisted that before any large-scale development is contemplated, several steps must be taken by the so far unnamed developer, including meeting with residents and conducting a social impact study.

Responding on his Facebook page on Sunday to a post about the proposed land acquisition, Thorne said he understood the concerns but stressed that the so far unnamed property developer would have to provide the public with more details.

“It is always a very serious matter when lands are identified for acquisition by the Government. I fully understand the trauma of being asked to sacrifice your private property and I can assure you that the law does not condone sacrifice in any arbitrary manner,” the MP stated.

“Apart from property owners, those who reside, work, recreate or do commerce in the area are all affected and must have an interest in knowing what is the proposed development. Thus far, the notice speaks with generality and you will have the right to more specific information from the developer. You may be aware that the developer is obliged to come to the public and to give information as to the more detailed nature of the project and to engage public inquiry.”

Thorne said people who have an interest – residentially, commercially or otherwise – may exercise their constitutional rights to congregate and speak on the proposal prior to the developer’s meeting.

“The voice of the citizen is as sacred as the vote and you must never be timid in the exercise of your rights. You elected me to serve you and it is my duty to ensure that your voice is heard in representation of your rights and legitimate interests,” he added.

The parliamentary representative, who is also a Queen’s Counsel, encouraged full attendance and participation at the meeting which he said, at the time of his Facebook post, was being organised “for all persons with direct or indirect interests to exercise genuine community engagement on this very serious matter”.

When contacted by Barbados TODAY, Thorne said he did not have any information to add.

The town hall meeting is slated for 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 1 at the St Lawrence Primary School.

Donovan said it is also expected to be streamed online.

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

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The rates charged by utility companies here could be reviewed more frequently in the future.

Chairman of the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) Dr Donley Carrington gave that indication on day five of the hearing into an application by the Barbados Light and Power Company (BLPC) for an increase in basic rates – its first such request in 13 years.

“We may reach a point where we may be able to get to some type of rate design that will enable us to have a more frequent review of rates,” he said as he engaged with intervenor Lieutenant Colonel Trevor Browne who suggested that the FTC should track the operations of utility companies more regularly.

Browne, chairman of the Coalition of Cooperatives and Concerned Citizens, cited the Utilities Regulations Act Chapter 15 (1) which states that “the Commission may fix a period of time not exceeding five years in respect of which the rates for the supply of a utility service… and the standards of service, will apply.”

While cross-examining BLPC’s managing director Roger Blackman, Browne said: “From the point of view of transparency, it is far better on a regular basis for an independent panel like the Fair Trading Commission to say that things are on track.

“It has been very difficult for me to convince my members that in the 13 years since the last review… for Light and Power everything was going perfectly. We were not being robbed and you were good. The actual inclination of my members is to think that during that time you were making a killing and now that you are no longer making a killing you want to get back to the point where you are making a killing.”

At that point, Dr Carrington intervened and explained that BLPC’s standards of service were reviewed every three years and it was only the rate review that had not been done since 2009.

Browne then asked the FTC chairman why the standards of service were more important than the rates.

“Well, the process is a lot simpler and a lot cheaper,” Dr Carrington replied.

However, the intervenor pressed further, stating that his query was about the importance, not cost.

Dr Carrington responded: “The standard of service that you see that is normally required to be posted on the applicant’s website, we do look at them having to report on faults and all of these different things. There are different sections. We would look to see if there are any of those particular standards that need to be adjusted within the three-year cycle.

“And what you are getting to here now is probably rate design, and maybe it is something we will need to look at because that is one of the issues that have been set down for discussion for this actual hearing. So that when we look at the whole issue of rate design, maybe we may reach a point where we may be able to get to some type of rate design that will enable us to have a more frequent review of rates, as opposed to the current one that we do have.”

Earlier, Browne questioned Blackman about the soundness of BLPC using 2020 as the test year on which to base its rate hike request, suggesting that it was an unusual year, being the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The power company executive defended the decision.

“It was the year of closest proximity with full financial data. And when we do the assessment on that year and determined rates on that basis, and forecast based on those rates, and test it with a full year that we can test, we determined that those rates, even with that test year and the sales as they were, would not result in an over-earning position,” he explained.

“And, at the same time, it would have been irresponsible, we believe, to further delay the request for rates beyond what we had already [done],” the BLPC witness added.

The FTC chairman intervened again and explained that the Commission “does allow in any rate hearing that the rate applicant uses the year closest for the purpose of filing the application”.

“It has not necessarily been approved, and part of this process here is to interrogate the data that has been supplied in that particular test year to see whether or not it is appropriate. We may ask the applicant to recalculate based on another year, so the purpose of using that particular year is for the purpose of filing the application. So that is the principle that is used,” Dr Carrington added.

Blackman was also cross-examined by intervenor Ricky Went.

The hearing resumes on Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the Accra Beach Hotel and Spa.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

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The lawyer leading the fight to prevent Alex Tasker from being deported to the United States to face money laundering charges insists the appeal against the extradition should be allowed, despite the prosecution’s suggestion that it was not filed in time.

King’s Counsel Andrew Pilgrim made the submission on Tuesday before the Court of Appeal, insisting that even if the appeal was “out of time” under the Extradition Act, it was not under the Magistrate’s Court Act.

Last September, Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes ruled that Tasker, a former senior executive at the Insurance Corporation of Barbados Ltd (ICBL), be extradited to the US to face charges that between August 2015 and April 2016, he conspired with others to launder money from outside the country in violation of US law.

Pilgrim, who along with Neville Reid and Lani Daisley are representing Tasker, subsequently appealed the decision.

However, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale and Senior State Counsel Oliver Thomas, who are representing the United States in the matter, contended that Pilgrim filed the appeal after the stipulated 15-day period had expired.

In his submissions, Pilgrim pointed out to the panel hearing the matter – Chief Justice Sir Patterson Cheltenham, Justice Rajendra Narine and Justice Francis Belle – that he had filed an appeal under both the Magistrate’s Court Act and the Extradition Act.

He argued that under Section 238 of the Magistrate’s Court Act, any person had the right to appeal any decision.

“My interpretation of that is that it is specifically saying that where there is a conviction or where there is a different type of proceeding other than one in which a conviction would be the result, the complainant or informant – in this case, it would be the USA – has the right to appeal.

“It is also saying that a defendant or a person negatively affected by an order has a right to appeal. It is very clear in this language that it is not limiting the proceedings to summary proceedings or indeed to preliminary inquiries. The language is distinctly broad and wide, in my humble submission, and it is indicating a jurisdiction which in my submission encompasses all matters before a magistrate,” Pilgrim argued.

“….It is in my humble submission this Section 238 (1) gives all persons before magistrates in Barbados the right to appeal any order against them and it is my submission that this is not a right that should be easily subtracted from or denigrated from and there is no indication, in my humble submission, that the Extradition Act stands separate and apart from this.”

Pilgrim said while the Extradition Act became law in 1980, the Magistrate’s Court Act was passed “a long time after”, in 1990, and therefore superseded it.

However, Seale has contended that Pilgrim was out of time and, as such, there was no recourse under the Magistrate’s Court Act.

He said Tasker was ordered to be extradited on September 8, 2021, which meant the appeal would have had to be filed by September 23. That did not happen until September 28.

Pilgrim said he had encountered difficulties in filing the appeal.

The Chief Justice acknowledged there had been delays, and asked Pilgrim how much he blamed the system for the issues he encountered while filing the appeal under the Extradition Act.

“I would have to say entirely,” the senior lawyer responded while pointing out that the process was much more complicated now than it was in the past.

The Chief Justice said the court could not be harsh on Pilgrim, based on the malfunctioning of the system.

The matter was adjourned until Friday at 10 a.m. when Pilgrim will wrap up and Seale will make his submissions.

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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Works and Water Resources Santia Bradshaw has taken her criticism of the work of some state workers to the House of Assembly, chiding them for inefficiencies in the public sector which have the potential to delay projects.

Insisting that we can do better as a people and a country, Bradshaw insisted that Barbados often falls down as a country because nobody wants to bell the cat and call out others who are failing to do their job.

Specifically making reference to Government’s plan to build 10 000 houses, the Deputy PM’s  suggested that public officers failing to facilitate necessary paperwork in a timely manner, could delay the delivery process.

Speaking in the House of Assembly on Tuesday Bradshaw implored public officers to pay closer attention to their tasks including those who facilitate paperwork.

“Those who we want to engage to be able to build out the additional housing stock, we [must] put mechanisms in place to make sure that people are paid.

“Too often across ministries we have situations where monies are held up. And when monies are held up for contractors you know what ends up happening?

”They have staff that they have to pay and that staff has children that they got to send to school, they got women sometimes to support Sir. The actions of one person or a few persons have a knock-on effect on everything that this administration is trying to achieve,” Bradshaw said.

Her comments came in the House of Assembly on Tuesday as the Chamber considered Section 5 Crown Lands (Vesting and Disposal) Act, Cap 225, Brighton, St George.

Bradshaw lamented that it is not sufficient for supervisors across the public sector, who have been tasked with responsibility to oversee others, not to carry out their duties. She said people cannot turn a blind eye and pretend as though government workers who, even though they have the necessary equipment and resources to get the job done, “are still not doing what they are supposed to be doing”.

“A number of the issues that my colleagues have been raising have been of great concern to them and they have become a great concern to me. It has become that recurring issue and the general theme has been that they call the officers across the depot, they are trying to get people to come out to do certain things, people start the work they don’t come back.

“…An unresponsiveness not just to the members in this Chamber sir, but an unresponsiveness sometimes to the wider public as well. Drive through St Thomas, drive through St Andrew, we are doing things, but we are doing them in a systematic way that you can start to see the improvement, that you can start to see the difference within the country in the way that I believe that you can certainly do it if we pay attention to the detail,” Bradshaw said.

On Sunday evening, while addressing constituents at the annual general meeting of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) St Michael South East branch at the Parkinson Memorial School, Bradshaw spoke out about some public sector workers shirking their responsibilities and not giving the government “an honest day’s work”.

Contending that the public is aware that Barbadians are not getting their best out of workers, the parliamentary representative appealed to those employed by the state to reflect on the significant amount of financial resources the government has been investing in creating programmes to provide them with employment.

“I spoke on Sunday regarding this issue because you know there is a saying by Shirley Chisholm that she was unbought and unbossed. And therefore I am in nobody’s back pocket, I speak my mind because that is what I have been sent by the people of St Michael South East here to do. I speak my mind because that is how I was raised. I call a spade a spade, I am speaking frankly and candidly to people across this country that we can do better as a country, we can do better as a people,” she told the Lower Chamber. (AH)

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The Barbados Meteorological Services (BMS) has issued a flash flood watch for northern, northeastern, western and central parishes until noon, but it said the alert could be updated sooner if conditions warrant.

“This watch may be upgraded to a Flash-Flood warning at short notice.”

A flash-flood watch is issued when heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time – generally less than 6 hours – could result in flash flooding within the watch area. It does not mean that flooding will occur, but it is possible.

The BMS said the intertropical convergence zone in combination with a low-level trough system continues to affect Barbados. “Over the past 24 hours between 1 to 3 inches of rainfall was recorded across parts of the island. Localised activity during the late morning and into the afternoon across northern, northeastern, western, and central parishes is likely to generate further accumulations of up to 3 inches. Due to the already saturated nature of the soils, any additional rainfall is likely to cause flooding”.

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Member of Parliament for St Peter Colin Jordan is calling for better road infrastructure and access to water for the people of that parish.

The Minister of Labour and Social Security and the Third Sector told his colleagues in the House of Assembly on Tuesday that residents are fed up using unacceptable roads which have been damaging their personal vehicles and also public transportation.

Jordan said his constituents have asked him to share with the Chamber that they expect those who work at the Jerusalem Depot, in Maynards, also in that parish, to get up off of their “sit downs” and do some work in the community.

“I am being very clear in what I am saying here today. And I am saying it understanding that sometimes when you appear to offend somebody you can end up getting a backlash. But I am putting all of them on notice, this Member of Parliament is not going to be accepting  no backlash. And so what can be done ought to be done.

“There is no reason why I should be driving through these kinds of potholes in Indian Ground. And if I go to Boscobelle I have the same issue. If I drive through Gays, I have the same issue. If I go into Mount No 1 and Mount No 2 the same issue. If I go into Mount Brevitor, the same issue. If I go into Farm Road, the same issue.

“The people of St Peter are not going to be accepting this. If housing is going to make sense, we need to be able to get to our homes,” Jordan said, while contributing to the Resolution: Section 5 Crown Lands (Vesting and Disposal) Act, Cap 225, Brighton, St George, in the House of Assembly.

Nevertheless, despite the challenges they are experiencing, Jordan said his constituents have been seeing improvements in the delivery of water and particularly with the colour. He said constituents are happy with the mains replacement work from Lamberts to Boscobelle so far, even though they feel that sometimes “the work lags”.

“Sometimes people disappear. We want both the Thomas Bridge to be completed and we also want the mains to be continued to be laid. We do not want the mains that have been assigned to the Boscobelle project to be taken up and sent somewhere else in Barbados. We have suffered for too long and we want the water issues addressed.

“We look forward to the work continuing at Colleton, we are happy for that. The residents recognise that once that comes on stream, then more water flows into Half Acre and if more water comes into Half Acre, more water gets to Lamberts and if more water gets to the Boscobelle reservoir then it flows down into the community,” he said.

The parliamentary representative extended gratitude to the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) for placing water tanks across the parish to give residents access to clean water, allowing them greater comfort.

Jordan, a St Peter resident, said he was happy to be a part of a Government which is making the effort to address various challenges.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

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Lawmen are conducting investigations into a house fire at Rogers Road, Government Hill, St Michael which occurred around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 27.

No injuries were reported.

Police say the two-bedroom, one bathroom, timber residence, occupied by Petra Ann Peters, her husband Adrian Hinds and their two children, was extensively damaged. Hinds’ motorcar was also destroyed.

Another house received heat and water damage.

Three (3) fire tenders and twelve (12) fire officers under the command of Station Officers McCallister and Bourne from the Barbados Fire Service responded to the blaze.

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Member of Parliament for St Thomas Cynthia Forde has complained that more than a year after Hurricane Elsa and a freak storm damaged about 80 houses in her constituency, many residents were still waiting for repairs to either start or finish.

And on Tuesday in the House of Assembly, she pleaded with the relevant authorities to get on the case.

Forde said she wanted to see constituents benefitting from the same kind of repairs being carried out in other parts of the country.

“And I am not badgering anybody. I am just saying that I want the houses finished. I have photographs of grass growing almost as tall as the houses and I don’t know who the contractors are.

“I want to know how many houses in St Thomas have been repaired because I cannot tell you two. I want to know how many have not yet been visited, and I have the list. Even though I write and request a report, even though I send the WhatsApp messages and the photographs, I still am not getting the responses,” the MP said.

Speaking on a Resolution to approve the vesting of Crown lands at Brighton, St George in the National Housing Corporation (NHC) for housing development, Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance Dwight Sutherland said repairs from the 2021 weather systems were still ongoing in other parts of the country as well.

He reported that of the 1 796 houses reportedly impacted by the freak storm and Hurricane Elsa, which occurred in June and July, 2021, respectively, 1 496 were to be repaired by the NHC, Urban Development Commission (UDC), and Rural Development Commission.

Sutherland said almost 600 structures had so far been completed and work was in progress on close to 500 others.

“We have engaged, as a Government, 420 local contractors to rebuild these houses. The Minister of Small Business [Kerrie Symmonds] continues to advocate for that sector and we have rebuilt and repaired and started and will finish, before year end, some 73 per cent of these houses. But we still have to mobilise another 15 to 20 per cent, roughly around 220 houses out of the 1 496,” the Housing Minister reported.

He added that residents of 213 other houses had also been provided with materials to carry out their own repairs.

Meantime, Forde suggested that Endeavour and Dukes in St Thomas were ideal locations for housing projects, but insisted that no housing units should be built.

Making a fresh appeal for housing solutions for her constituents, Forde told Minister Sutherland that people preferred to buy land spots and build spaces that would enable them to engage in agricultural activities.

“To develop sections of Dukes and Endeavour will have more people in St Thomas being able to own the piece of St Thomas. The Honourable Minister, please listen to me. I don’t want a single housing unit, not one.

“Forty Acres is already there. Please install the road, but make sure that some kind of acquisition is made for persons to be able to purchase some lots so that they too can get their independence,” Forde pleaded. (AH)

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Eight students at The Alexandra School have received the coveted Gabrielle Thompson Memorial Scholarship Award.

They are David Cox, Dania Lewis, Celina Clarke, Keshana Bartlett, Adia Ferguson, Rianna Hinds, Tanee Clarke and Jessica Brooks.

The students, who are currently pursuing degrees at tertiary institutions, each received a cash prize of $1 000 among other prizes during an award ceremony held at the Queen Street, Speightstown, St Peter school on Saturday.

Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw encouraged the students to keep striving for success but not to focus purely on academics but to get involved in community work and volunteering.

She also told them that in their quest for excellence they should look after all aspects of their wellbeing, specifically their mental and physical health and to eat healthy foods.

Archer-Bradshaw said that it was important for the students to remain focused throughout their studies especially in the challenging periods.

Acting principal Cheryl Gill said she was pleased with the performance of the students and congratulated them on a job well done.

She said the award winners were not only selected for their academic performance the extra curricular activities they participated in were also considered. She said it was important that students become well-rounded citizens who could contribute to the economy and their community in a meaningful way.

Gill thanked the old scholars association and members of the private sector who came on board to maintain the scholarship programme which is open to students obtaining five or more certificates at grade two or higher at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate level. Students taking the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) are also eligible for the award once they attain a grade three or higher in their subject areas. (SZB)

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At the request of the Government of Barbados, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Bert van Selm visited Barbados during September 20-28, 2022, for discussions on the IMF’s new Resilience and Sustainability Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) to provide affordable, long-term financing to help build resilience against economic risks associated with climate change.

To qualify for the RST, countries need a concurrent financing or non-financing IMF-supported program. In recognition of the macroeconomic challenges from recent global developments, Barbados has expressed an interest in an accompanying economic program supported by the IMF’s three-year Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement.

To summarise the mission’s findings, Mr. van Selm made the following statement:

“We welcome the staff-level agreement reached between the Government of Barbados and the IMF team on access to the IMF’s new Resilience and Sustainability Trust to build resilience against climate change with affordable, long-term financing at 150 percent of quota (about US$183 million).

“The RSF will be accompanied by a 36-month arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with requested access at 90 percent of quota (about US$110 million) to maintain and strengthen macroeconomic stability in a more shock-prone environment by enhancing fiscal sustainability, continuing and broadening the implementation of the structural reform agenda. The combined RST and EFF program aims to strike a balance between enhancing resilience to climate change while also focusing on Barbados’ continued efforts to reduce public debt and facilitate capital expenditure to boost growth. The agreement is subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board.

“The proposed arrangement under the RSF will provide financing to support the country’s climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, and support Barbados’ ambitious goal of transitioning to a fully renewable-based economy by 2030. The Fund’s RSF and the proposed broad set of reform measures are expected to catalyze financing from other international financial institutions as well as from the private sector.

“Reforms under the RSF would include the mainstreaming of climate change in the budget and enhancement of risk management, including for the financial sector; the introduction of ‘green Public Financial Management’, including in procurement; and adoption of measures that would incentivise private sector investments in climate resilient infrastructure and into renewable energy projects. These measures will be closely coordinated with the World Bank and other international partners. Executive Board consideration of Barbados’ request for support under the RSF can take place once this new instrument has become operational.

“Barbados continues to confront economic challenges owing to the global pandemic and higher global commodity prices, but the recovery is now well underway. Inflation has been rising since the second half of 2021 owing to supply chain disruptions and increasing global food and oil prices, fueled in 2022 by Russia’s war in Ukraine. With a strengthening in tourism to about 60 percent of pre-pandemic norms, economic growth is projected at 10 percent in 2022. A gradual economic recovery is expected over the medium term, but downside risks to the outlook remain high.

“Despite this challenging environment, Barbados has made good progress in implementing its Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) plan. Supported by a 2018-22 EFF, major structural reforms have been implemented, including the introduction of a new Central Bank of Barbados law. Key elements of the new program would build on these achievements. In particular, the program targets a gradual and sustained increase in primary surpluses to accelerate the reduction in public debt, supported by structural reforms, such as the strengthening of tax and customs administration, reforms in Public Financial Management, the public pension system and state-owned enterprises, as well as growth and resilience-enhancing measures, including steps to improve the business climate.

“The team would like to thank the authorities and the technical teams for their openness and candid policy dialogue and congratulate them on being the first country to access the RST.” (IMF)

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Dr Barbosa da Silva Jr., a national of Brazil, will be the new Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). He was elected today by PAHO Member States during the 30th Pan American Sanitary Conference.

Dr Barbosa da Silva Jr will begin his five-year term on 1 February 2023, succeeding Dr Carissa F. Etienne of Dominica, who has led PAHO since 2012.

A national of Brazil, Dr Barbosa da Silva Jr. is currently the Assistant Director at PAHO where he has led the Organization’s efforts to increase equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and to enhance regional capacities to produce medicines and other health technologies.

Dr Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr. received his medical degree from the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil, and specialized in public health and epidemiology at the National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) in Rio de Janeiro. He holds a master’s degree in medical sciences and a PhD in public health from the University of Campinas in São Paulo. Earlier in his career, he was Municipal Secretary of Health of Olinda, State Secretary of Health in Pernambuco, and Director of the National Center for Epidemiology (CENEPI) in Brasília.

Dr Barbosa joined PAHO in 2007 as Area Manager for Health Surveillance and Disease Management, responsible for coordinating regional activities related to the surveillance, prevention, and control of communicable and noncommunicable diseases; veterinary public health; and health analysis and statistics. In 2011, he rejoined Brazil’s Ministry of Health as Secretary of Health Surveillance, and later became Secretary of Science, Technology and Strategic Supplies. Prior to becoming Assistant Director at PAHO, Dr. Barbosa was Director-President of the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) from 2015-2018.

PAHO is the health organization for the region of the Americas and serves as the Regional Office for the World Health Organization (WHO). The election of Dr. Barbosa da Silva Jr. will be transmitted to the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) for appointment as WHO Regional Director.

This year PAHO celebrates its 120th anniversary, working for over a century to improve the health and quality of life of the peoples of the Americas.

Former PAHO Directors include Dr Mirta Roses Periago (2003-2013), Sir George Alleyne (1995-2003), Dr Carlyle Guerra de Macedo (1983-1995), Dr. Héctor Acuña (1975-1983), Dr. Abraham Horwitz (1959-1975), Dr. Fred Soper (1947-1959), Dr. Hugh Cumming (1920-1947), Dr. Rupert Blue (1912-1920) y Dr. Walter Wyman (1902-1911). (PAHO/WHO)

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Twenty-eight people, 13 males and 15 females, tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, September 27, from the 362 tests conducted by laboratories across the island.

The cases comprised eight persons under the age of 18, and 20 who were 18 years and older.

There were 28 people in isolation facilities, while 214 were in home isolation.

As at September 27, there were 559 COVID-19 related deaths.

The laboratories conducted 765,069 tests since February 2020 and recorded 102,516 COVID-19 cases (46,375 males and 56,141 females).

Under the National Vaccination Programme for COVID-19, the total number of persons with at least one dose is 163,633 (71.6 per cent of the eligible population).  The total number of fully vaccinated persons is 154,653 (57.1 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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A flash flood warning is currently in effect for central districts and will be update at 6 p.m. or sooner if conditions warrant.

A flash-flood warning is issued when rapid flooding due to heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time (generally less than 6 hours) is occurring or is imminent in the warning area.

The intertropical convergence zone in combination with a low-level trough system continues to affect Barbados. This afternoon, 4 inches of rainfall was recorded in Holetown. With the observed reduction in wind speeds, localized activity is expected across northern, northeastern, western, and central parishes this afternoon. This activity is likely to generate further accumulations of up to 3 inches. Due to the already saturated nature of the soils, any additional rainfall is likely to cause flooding.

Key Message:
Significant runoff from higher elevations.
Significant soil erosion is likely on exposed or scarred land surfaces.
Large water settlements on roads and fields.
Significant adjustments to water levels of existing water bodies (ponds etc.).
Significant delays on traffic routes with some roads possibly impassable.
Large objects or debris from higher elevations may also become embedded within fast-moving water flows.
Significant flooding at the foot of hillsides and coastal roads is possible. (BMS)

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