Former Minister of Economic Affairs Dr David Estwick has hit back at Government Minister Ryan Straughn for questioning the Democratic Labour Party’s (DLP) moral authority to criticise the current administration’s management of the country’s debt.

Estwick contends that the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Finance is off target regarding the debt the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) inherited and where the country’s debt situation is now.

Earlier this month, Straughn told the House of Assembly that the DLP could not come to the country with any credibility, neither could any representative of the party “masquerading as an economist…with smoke and mirrors”, on matters related to the management of public debt.

He contended that the BLP inherited $18 billion in debt when it took over the government in 2018 and had restructured that debt – which represented 176 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, reducing it to about 119 per cent of GDP or $12.5 billion.

Straughn at the time was responding to comments made at a DLP St Thomas branch meeting by Estwick who predicted that the country’s debt service and debt stock would continue to rise “dangerously” and could become an “albatross” around taxpayers’ necks.

But at a DLP St Michael South East branch panel discussion on Sunday at the Parkinson Memorial Secondary School, Estwick dismissed Straughn’s figures, drawing from what he said was data from the reports of the International Monetary Fund Article IV Consultations, the Central Bank of Barbados, and Standard & Poors, as well as from Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure documents and the Barbados Economic and Social Reports.

He claimed the total public debt when the BLP took over was approximately 157 per cent of GDP and not 176 per cent; and total debt stock was about $16 billion at the end of financial year 2018 and not over $18 billion.

Estwick, who also headed the Infrastructure Committee of Cabinet under then Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, also contended that the debt which the Government found in 2018 could be traced back to previous BLP administrations.

“What he [Straughn] apparently forgot was that the history of the buildup of debt in the Barbados economy did not start in the 2008-2018 period [when the DLP was in office] and that there was a period before that, that seriously affected and shaped the economic metrics he spoke about in 2018 when they went into office,” the ex-Cabinet Minister said, noting that when the DLP took office in January 2008, the economy was already unstable with a “very high” and “unsustainable” central government deficit and debt, a “huge” central government debt service, a high foreign debt, a “very high” external current account deficit, high inflation, high unemployment, borrowed net international reserves, and a sovereign international credit rating of BBB-.

The former Minister of Economic Affairs explained that this meant debt repayment by Barbados was speculative – uncertain or carrying a high risk.

“So, between 2008 and 2018, the DLP borrowed to keep the economy afloat and protect the people of this country. Our borrowing was mostly domestic in nature and, on leaving office, the central government debt was 70 per cent domestic debt and 30 per cent external,” Dr Estwick argued.

He contended that since the BLP came to office, “every debt metric has worsened”.

“But Barbadians are being told that the debt situation is not worsening, everything is under control and we are on target,” the former MP for St Philip West declared. (EJ)

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Barbados is under a flash-flood watch as a result of a tropical wave affecting the island.

The Met Office said in a statement that rainfall accumulations of up to 25mm have already been recorded across parts of the island.

“These unstable conditions will continue to affect the island into tonight generating pockets of moderate to heavy showers. A further 25mm to 50mm is possible during the next 12 hours, ” it said.

Residents have therefore been urged to prepare for the following possibilities if this alert level elevates to red: 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; and possible significant flooding at the foot of hillsides and coastal roads.

The flash-flood alert is valid until 6 p.m., at which time the Met Office will issue an update, if conditions do not warrant it being sent earlier.

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Barbados is under a flash-flood watch as a result of a tropical wave affecting the island.
The Met Office said in a statement that rainfall accumulations of up to 25mm have already been recorded across parts of the island.
“These unstable conditions will continue to affect the island into tonight generating pockets of moderate to heavy showers. A further 25mm to 50mm is possible during the next 12 hours, ” it said.
Residents have therefore been urged to prepare for the following possibilities if this alert level elevates to red: 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; and possible significant flooding at the foot of hillsides and coastal roads. The flash-flood alert is valid until 6 p.m., at which time the Met Office will issue an update, if conditions do not warrant it being sent earlier.

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The Barbados Fire Service is warning that smoke emanating from the asbestos roof of the old Barbados Family Planning Association building Jemmotts Lane, St Michael poses a danger to households in the area, and is therefore advising residents to vacate their homes for now.
Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard this morning ordered residents to remove themselves from the direct path of the plume since the smoke should not be inhaled.
“As asbestos smoke it is dangerous, and therefore we don’t want you to inhale it. So as much as possible, move away from the scene until the fire is extinguished,” he told members of the media this morning.

Divisional Officer of the Barbados Fire Service Tremelle Perch said three fire tenders from the Bridgetown and Arch Hall fire stations responded to the blaze which started around 10:35 a.m.
“It is mostly under control at the moment, but we are just giving it a few more minutes before we can say that it is definitely under control,” he said.
Meanwhile, residents in the area who said this was about the seventh time a fire had occurred at the abandoned building in recent times, called on authorities to demolish derelict structures, particularly in The City. (AH)

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Tobacco use remains a major public health concern in the Caribbean Region. There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke. The use of tobacco products in any form harms nearly every organ of the body, irrespective of whether it is smoked, smokeless, or electronic. Of all the forms of tobacco use, most common in the Caribbean region is cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer. Using other tobacco products such as cigars or pipes also increases the risk for this disease.

Second-hand smoke exposure causes stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults; and acute respiratory infections and severe asthma in children. It is a preventable risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which are the leading cause of death, disease and disability among Caribbean people. 

This year, World No Tobacco Day focuses on Grow Food, Not Tobacco. This campaign advocates for ending tobacco cultivation and switching to more sustainable crops that improve food security and nutrition. The campaign observed annually on 31 May, also informs the public on the dangers of direct use, and exposure to tobacco.

In the Caribbean Region, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death and disability – 76.8 per cent of the total deaths (non-Latin Caribbean, excluding Haiti) were due to NCDs in 2016. Cardiovascular diseases 30.8 per cent and cancer 17.2 per cent are the leading causes of death due to NCD, both linked to tobacco use. Many of these persons die in the prime of their lives before the age of 70 years old. The prevalence of smokers for overall tobacco products ranged from 57.2 per cent prevalence (95 per cent CI 48.4 to 65.4 percent ) to 16.2 per cent (95 percent CI 11.2 to 23.0 per cent ). 

According to the Report on Tobacco Control in the Region of the Americas (2018) Caribbean countries have the highest levels of tobacco experimentation before the age of 10.

Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) warned: “Smokeless does not mean harmless. Nicotine in e-cigarettes is a highly addictive drug and can damage children’s developing brains. Children and adolescents who use e-cigarettes at least double their chance of smoking cigarettes later in life. Preventing tobacco product use among youth is therefore critical. It is important that we educate children and adolescents about the harms of nicotine and tobacco product use. We must work to prevent future generations from seeing such products as ‘normal.’”

In 2008, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) endorsed the recommendation to ban smoking in public spaces. Later, in 2012, CARICOM regulated a standard for labelling retail packages of tobacco products with health warnings. Caribbean civil society organisations (CSOs), working in collaboration with local governments and international partners, have led the charge in fighting for significant gains in tobacco control in the Caribbean region.

Dr Heather Armstrong, Head, Chronic Disease and Injury said: “At CARPHA, we believe that reducing the harm caused by tobacco use requires a collective approach, where government, civil society, and the individual play a critical role. CARPHA promotes the prevention of tobacco use in all forms and commitment to the WHO FCTC. The focus on tobacco control deals with the youth of the Region. Children and adolescents who use e-cigarettes at least double their chance of smoking cigarettes later in life.”

The Chronic Diseases and Injury Department of CARPHA provides leadership, strategic direction, coordinates and implements technical cooperation activities directed towards the prevention and control of NCDs in CARPHA Member States. CARPHA’s message for prevention of tobacco product use has spread across its Member States.

In 2018, CARPHA in partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI), Global Health Diplomacy Program at the University of Toronto, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the Healthy Caribbean Coalition evaluated the Port of Spain Declaration to learn which mandates helped to prevent and control NCDs. Taxation, smoke-free public places mandate, and mandatory labelling of tobacco products are some of the leading policies making the biggest impact on reduction of tobacco use in the Caribbean regions.

CARPHA urges Member States to work together to prevent and reduce the use of all forms of tobacco products, and scale-up efforts to implement their commitments under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). By doing so, the negative impact of smoking and its consequences on the health of our people, especially the younger generation, and the tremendous burden on the economies of the countries in our Region, will greatly be reduced. (CARPHA) 

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FATHER OF SUSPECTED SUICIDE VICTIM LOST ABOUT CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING SON’S DEATH

By Anesta Henry

A grieving David Taylor is struggling to understand the circumstances surrounding the death of his son Akeem Taylor, who was found hanging from the ceiling of his Ellis Village, St Michael, home on Monday night.
Taylor said he was afraid that he would never find the answer to why his first-born, whom he raised from a toddler, appeared to have taken his own life, leaving his two children – a one-year-old and a seven-year-old – fatherless.
He told Barbados TODAY that as far as he was aware, Ackeem, who was scheduled to start training soon as a recruit with the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), had no major problems going on in his life.
“He had little small issues, though. Something happened with one of his cousins’ mother who got a stroke and then she went back home, and then she came back and she was in the hospital, and her son came here yesterday crying. So that little depression is the only depression that he really had in between there that I really know about.
“But he lived with me for years and he didn’t tell me anything, so I don’t know anything. As far as I know, he was always good from a baby. He ain’t give me no information, he ain’t tell me he had a problem with a woman. He does work with me painting, he does get money, he does get girls, he does get everything going on. I am clueless,” he said.
Taylor recalled that he last saw his son at home around 2:35 p.m. on Monday when he informed him that he was leaving to go to work.
Taylor pointed out that Akeem’s mother and other siblings also had difficulty understanding what could have led to the demise of the young man who would have celebrated his 26th birthday on July 29.
“Everybody in shock because nobody knows what happened. There is nobody to blame,” Taylor said as he sat under a tamarind tree close to his home, reflecting on the life of his son.
“It ain’t nothing that I could do now; it happened and gone. The Father got to handle it from here. I only hope that the Father will forgive him. When I got there, he was done gone, there is nothing that I could have done. But that is just how life is and how it plays out sometimes.”
Taylor said his son had informed him that from next month, he would return to the BDF’s recruitment programme. He explained that the young man, who attended Erdiston Primary School and St Leonard’s Boys’ Secondary School, was enrolled in the programme before but had to withdraw because he was medically unfit.
“He was a lively youth, you know, he was doing certain things. He was happy, and he was going back into the BDF. I don’t know what it is that was going on in his head, but whatever happened, that is just how it played out. Life is hard,” Taylor said.
“This is hard, but I have to be strong. I have four children and one gone, but I can’t shut my eyes and lie down because one gone, because the other three would suffer. I got to try to hold that balance. I got to be firm because that is what he would have expected me to do anyhow.”
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

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Two men who have been housed at the Psychiatric Hospital for more than half their lives will be discharged from that institution on Thursday.

However, Justice Randall Worrell has ordered six-month and one-year updates on the duo, 62-year-old Theo Bourne and 56-year-old John Brathwaite, as they seek to reintegrate into society.

Their discharge date was given on Wednesday in an update from Dr Ronald Chase, a psychiatrist at the Black Rock, St Michael hospital, when the matter came up in the No. 2 Supreme Court.

For more than three decades, Bourne and Brathwaite have been kept at the mental institution at His Majesty’s pleasure. They were admitted in their 20s. Bourne has been there for the past 42 years while Brathwaite has been institutionalised for 34 years.

In 2021, King’s Counsel Andrew Pilgrim and his team of attorneys brought the court’s attention to their situation. The court was informed that no documents, records or information about the men could be found.

Since then, Bourne and Brathwaite have been in a quarter-way house programme to get them ready to be reintegrated into society.

On Wednesday, Dr Chase told the court that both men were “not a threat to society”.

In Bourne’s case, the doctor said, the Psychiatric Hospital’s social work department had secured suitable accommodation and a welfare grant to assist Bourne.

“Mr Bourne is expected to move into his rental accommodation on June 1. Mr Bourne is not a danger to society, and we recommend that he be discharged from the hospital. Mr Bourne will receive his mental health follow-up through the outpatient clinic at the psychiatric hospital,” Dr Chase told the court.

Asked by the judge whether he understood what had been said, Bourne, who has been the more vocal of the two men, replied, “I fully understand. That is appreciated. I respect that. Thank you, thank you.”

Dr Chase said Brathwaite was also being discharged. However, he must sign himself in as a voluntary client of the hospital as the search continues for suitable accommodation, “preferably near his niece or the hospital”.

The doctor explained that while a home had been found, there were “some issues”.

“Mr Brathwaite is not a threat to society and we do recommend that he be discharged from hospital on June 1. He has agreed to readmit himself as a voluntary client to the hospital as his relatives and hospital staff continue [efforts] to secure suitable accommodation,” the psychiatrist further stated.

Dr Chase explained that in the interim, Brathwaite would reside in the quarter-way house at the hospital.

“Dr Chase, we wish to thank you for all of the assistance that you have given us in this process. We hope that this process can be streamlined at some stage, probably by some sort of legislative force,” the judge said.

“Mr Bourne and Mr Brathwaite, we wish you all the best in the future. Thanks to counsel as well for having the matter placed before the court.”

The case will come up for an update before Justice Worrell on December 14.

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-The operators of Fortress Funds say the investment landscape appears to be turning the corner after a “difficult year in 2022”.

This was outlined by Fortress Fund Managers in its quarterly report for the three months period ending March 31.

According to the company’s management, while there was not necessarily a lot of good news, there were fewer reports of bad news.

In its note to investors, Fortress stated: “The first quarter had a fair helping of bad news, and yet despite this, it had positive returns for both stocks and bonds, and the Fortress funds all saw healthy gains.

“The bad news this quarter centred around inflation and the United States banking system. Inflation has been moderating but in fits and starts, not in a satisfying straight line down. Parts of the US banking system, meanwhile, got caught with large, nervous  depositors on the one hand, and portfolios of underwater bonds on the other.”

On the positive side, the mutual fund operators who have over $1 billion in assets under management in its three major funds, said the scare in the American banking system raised the chances that the time of aggressive rate hikes is over.

It noted that financial markets were very pleased with this development.

Fortress added: “This quarter’s good news/bad news story is another reminder that the financial markets are not what we see in our daily lives or in the media.

“Financial markets ‘feel around’ constantly for what the future will look like long before it ever happens. This means that sensible long-term investing isn’t about waiting for when the news is undeniably good. It means investing steadily in good assets when they are available at good prices, even – perhaps especially – when the news is bad, and just might get a bit better in time.”

Addressing the Caribbean Growth Fund’s performance during the first quarter of the year, it was revealed that the net assets of this Fund were $620 million, down from $652 million this time last year.

This mutual fund, which invests primarily in Caribbean and international equities, indicated that Caribbean shares were mostly weaker during the quarter, while there was a rally by global shares, in which the fund invested 64 percent of its assets.

In its assessment of the future, the fund managers pointed out: “It is now likely that a long-awaited US economic slowdown is upon us. This could mean weaker company earnings in the months ahead, but it could also mean an end to interest rate hikes.

“It may also leave room for other geographies such as Europe and Asia to see better equity returns than the United States to the benefit of globally diversified investors – a development we would welcome,” Fortress added. (IMC1)

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The latest quarterly financial report from One Caribbean Media (OCM) is showing increasing revenue for the group as it confirmed that Carnival activities in Trinidad and Tobago earlier this year were a big boost to the company’s bottom line.

The media group, which is headquartered in the twin-island republic and owns controlling interest in the Nation Newspaper and Starcom Network in Barbados, recorded an operating profit of US$741 000 (BDS$1.48 million) for the quarter ending March 31, 2023. This position was down from the US$794 000 (BDS$1.58 million) reported for the corresponding period last year.

However, OCM, which also operates the Trinidad Express Newspaper and TV6 in Trinidad as well as the Grenada Broadcasting Network, recorded group revenues of US$11.3 million (BDS$22.6 million), representing a four per cent increase over the comparative period last year. The net profit before tax reached US$5.2 million (BDS$10.4 million), accounting for a three per cent increase.

Chairman of the OCM Board of Directors Faarees Hosein commented: “The Group recorded strong growth in its media segment, in particular the radio assets which benefitted from the return of Carnival and related entertainment events in Trinidad and Tobago.”

He also drew shareholders’ attention to the recent investments the company made in solar farms and real estate in Barbados, which “also made a useful contribution to the Group’s performance”.

“The one-megawatt solar farm was fully commissioned in December 2022. The investment property acquired at the end of 2021 achieved an increase in occupancy level. The television rights for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for both the Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada markets for 2023 to 2025 were secured, which stands to benefit our television segment in the third quarter,” the chairman said.

According to Hosein, the media group maintained its commitment to further improving operational efficiencies and was “cautiously optimistic that the Group will continue its growth trajectory”.
(IMC1)

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The top leadership of Pine Hill Dairy (PHD) is hailing the dairy and juice manufacturer’s balance sheet as “trending in a relatively strong position”. This, despite a significant loss reported in the first quarter.

Commenting on the unaudited summary consolidated financial statements for the period ending March 31, chairman of Banks Holdings Group – the parent company of Barbados Dairy Industries Limited (BDIL) which is trading as PHD – Caio Miranda, and country manager Shafia London expressed optimism, even with the total comprehensive income loss reported.

They argued that the performance in the first quarter showcased the efforts of the Banks Holdings Group to deliver revenue growth when compared to 2022.

PHD recorded revenue sales for the review period of $13.13 million, up from the $12.13 million recorded for the same period in 2022.

According to Miranda and London: “Barbados Dairy Industries Limited has not been immune to signifi­cant volatility in the market over the last few years, stemming from supply chain unavailability and inflation.

“BDIL continues to absorb most of these impacts, resulting in an upward trend of our COGS [cost of goods sold]-to-revenue ratio which closed at 96 per cent for the last quarter compared to 84.5 per cent for the comparison period.”

In response to the challenges faced by the subsidiary, the country manager and chairman said management was reviewing and implementing several initiatives to “quickly reverse this trend”.

These actions include what they described as “cost efficiencies and adjustments” in the price to trade.

The senior officials conceded that despite the increased revenue generated in the quarter, it was not enough to offset operational costs, thus leading to a net loss for the period.

In their assessment, London and Miranda described the company’s balance sheet as trending “in a relatively strong position”.

They noted also that despite a reduction against the comparative period of 2022, the working capital remained “in a solid ­financial situation, showing that the short-term ­financial health of the organisation is stable”. (IMC1)

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The Caribbean has great potential for a large-scale offshore wind farm project, says Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Francesco La Camera.

“We have projects that we wish to be supported in the islands on the wind. We have made a request to come up with an idea for offshore wind. I think there is big potential there and also for solar together with agri-foods, so we have many initiatives,” he outlined.

He was speaking during a press conference on the second day of the IRENA’s Caribbean Cooperation for Fostering Energy Transition Investments and Finance conference at Hilton Barbados on Wednesday. He said several projects are already being worked on in the region through the agency’s Climate Investment Platform (CIP) including its geothermal project in St. Kitts and Nevis and Dominica.

La Camera stated that progress is being made in its project facilitation work through the CIP, which has already seen 400 renewable energy project proposals from developing countries.

“The CIP already has more than 300 partners, including all of the multilateral financial institutions. We have started to work on building a good pipeline of projects. We have received 400 proposals for projects around the world, mainly from the least-developed countries, the small islands,” he stated.

Speaking at the opening of the session moments earlier, he outlined that for the world to remain on the 1.5°C pathway, US $35 trillion must be invested in energy transition technology projects between now and 2030.

Giving a preview of IRENA’s World Energy Transition Outlook 2023, he pointed out that cumulative investments of US $44 trillion, with energy transition technologies representing 80 per cent of the investment, are needed throughout the next seven years to deliver rapid and immediate reductions in emissions.

“To mobilise such a level of investments, we need enabling frameworks and a steady pipeline of investor-ready and scalable renewable projects,” he stated, as he committed IRENA’s support to Caribbean islands to speed up the development of project pipelines and facilitate access to finance.

He acknowledged that the challenges faced by small island developing states in increasing clean energy investments cannot be ignored.

“Governments and the energy industry must critically evaluate their actions. We must proactively use the energy transition as a tool to shape a more equal and inclusive world. This means overcoming existing structural barriers, namely the physical infrastructure, the legal environment and enabling policies, institutional capacities, and skills,” he stressed.

US Ambassador to Barbados Linda Taglialatela said the time has come for collaboration to accelerate renewable energy projects in the Caribbean.

“Now is the time for all of us to work together in the region to implement the goals in a reliable and sustainable manner at the lowest cost possible. Doing so will help the region reduce the cost of energy subsidies and enhance its energy security,” she stated.

She was speaking ahead of the June 8th visit of Vice-President Kamala Harris to The Bahamas on the one-year anniversary of the launch of the US/Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis. Taglialatela said the US had made substantial progress in increasing development financing, facilitating clean energy project development and investment and allowing shared partnerships within the region.

jeniquebelgrave@barbadostoday.bb

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As countries across the globe recognise World No Tobacco Day, we question whether it is not time to shift the focus to World No Smoking Day.

For while the anti-tobacco advocates have been successful at significantly cutting the number of people smoking cigarettes from the heydays, the tobacco void has been effectively replaced by the ever pervasive marijuana spliffs and joints, electronic cigarettes, and increasingly popular cigars.

Just as the tobacco companies successfully marketed cigarettes as “cool” with “Virginia Slims” for women with the “tough guys” in the movies always smoking a cigarette, weed users have employed an equally successful underground, counter culture campaign to make weed “cool”.

We must also note that marijuana spliffs are often supplemented with unprocessed tobacco, and thus, all those weed smokers are also tobacco smokers.

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is the regional public health body located in Trinidad and Tobago and headed by Barbadian public health expert Dr Joy St John, as its executive director.

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders, when they established the organisation in 2011, envisaged this body would provide support “surveillance, prevention, promotion and control of important public health problems in the region”.

In the regional entity’s message to mark World No Tobacco Day, CARPHA stated: “Of all the forms of tobacco use, the most common in the Caribbean region is cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer. Using other tobacco products such as cigars or pipes also increases the risk for this disease.

“Second-hand smoke exposure causes stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults; and acute respiratory infections and severe asthma in children.”

What does the medical profession say about smoking marijuana, especially the drug that is commercially grown or manufactured to ensure high levels of the addictive THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis?

Smoking marijuana harms more than just the lungs and respiratory system—it also affects the immune system and the body’s ability to fight disease, especially when the immune system is weakened and also impacts brain function.

The American Lung Association says it is “concerned about the health impacts of marijuana use, especially on lung health” and cautions the public against smoking marijuana because of the risks it poses to the lungs.

As Barbadians, we too are troubled and it is our concerted belief that marijuana use and its concomitant activities including criminal behaviour such as trafficking, gun smuggling, gang activity, and violence as traders/pushers seek to protect their “territories and goods”, are all contributing to a major public health emergency.

We call on Governments across the region to add their voices to the push against weed smoking.

We recognise that many governments and leaders across the region will find themselves conflicted because it is difficult to reconcile an anti-weed smoking public health stand, while at the same time pushing a very lucrative medicinal marijuana industry.

At the end of the day, one has to consider the future social and health consequences of this weed smoking trend.

One cannot drive for more than 15 minutes in Barbados without encountering groups of predominantly young men huddled on corners and up against galvanized palings smoking weed and lamenting how “the system” has been unfair to them.

Let us not be fooled into believing that this is a poor people’s problem. Use of marijuana, which costs way more than the highly taxed tobacco cigarettes, is being widely used in all strata of society – rich, poor, middle-class, young and middle aged, white, black and Indian/Asian.

Heavy marijuana use causes psychosis symptoms such as paranoid delusions, hallucinations, detachment from reality and unusual changes in behaviour. Importantly, these are not even the worst-case behaviours.

Quoting Dr Heather Armstrong, head, chronic disease and injury, the CARPHA statement added: “At CARPHA, we believe that reducing the harm caused by tobacco use requires a collective approach, where government, civil society, and the individual play a critical role.”

We completely agree with Dr Armstrong, however, we say cast your focus also on the smoking of marijuana. It is an epidemic occurring right under our noses and in plain sight.

We need to take our heads out of the sand and confront this exploding problem or we will reap the consequences sooner rather than later.

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A religious leader is defending the church against criticism that it is not speaking out or taking action on issues of national concern.

In fact, said Senior Pastor of Sanctuary Empowerment Bishop Dr Marlon Husbands on Tuesday, the church has been quietly collaborating with authorities to help find solutions to problems such as deviance among the youth.

He said that on that particular issue, the church has been working with state agencies, schools and community groups to help remedy the vexing issue.

“So when the Government has deviancy that they are finding problematic – and not only problematic but you are looking at the expansion of this deviancy amongst youth throughout Barbados – then the church comes alongside and facilitates with things like rehabilitation with counselling, with guidance and that kind of thing,” Bishop Husbands said during a press conference at Sanctuary Empowerment.

He added that the church had also been partnering with state authorities to find solutions to the recent spate of shooting deaths and violent crimes.

Bishop Husbands disclosed that individual churches have been conducting outreach programmes in their communities to guide young people to stay on the right side of the law.

However, he said, churches were not being acknowledged or recognised for their work across the country.

“The church has significant footmen, real footmen on the ground, people that work really hard in collaboration with social workers that are a part of those assemblies. We have social workers within our assembly who connect with us to outreach and reach out to young people. So there is that aspect of the service and work that the church is doing that persons are very unaware about,” he said.

Bishop Husbands was speaking at a press conference to launch Barbados Youthfest 2023, a one-week national event in which the church community will partner with various government ministries.

From June 25 to July 1, there will be a series of worship and educational activities aimed at ministering to the nation’s youth, explained lead organiser Dr Patrick Tannis. (AH)

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Chief Executive Officer of Supreme Counselling for Personal Development, Shawn Clarke believes the Government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) need to improve their collaboration to provide better counselling services to the youth.

He expressed that view as he endorsed comments made at last week’s crime prevention symposium by senior psychologist in the Student Support Unit of the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Juanita Brathwaite-Wharton that a detailed counselling intervention framework, supported by sound scientific data, was needed to assist deviant young people.

Clarke told Barbados TODAY that collaboration between government entities and NGOs is needed to make such a comprehensive framework a reality.

“I agree with the fact that we lack data in Barbados and in the Caribbean in general…. We have to make resources available to do research so that we would have information that represents the Caribbean, so to speak,” he said.

“The authorities also have to make the resources – whether financial or otherwise – available for these organisations, especially non-governmental organisations, to be able to carry out this work and to be able to get the data that is needed. There [also] needs to be a greater alliance between the Government and NGOs; there is no need for the Government to try to reinvent the wheel for things that are happening in the NGO world,” Clarke added.

The counsellor also responded to the recent disclosure by Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey that at least two cases of child abuse were reported in Barbados every day.

“Between 2019 to 2020, there were 611 reported cases of child abuse in Barbados; between 2020 and 2021, 544 reported cases of abuse; between 2021 and 2022, 667 cases reported of abuse,” he said as he gave a detailed overview of the new Child Protection Bill 2023 in the House of Assembly last week.

Though saying the figure would seem high for most Barbadians, Clarke contended that the real number was likely much larger.

He said children must be provided with a safe and comfortable environment to report abuse and get the help they need.

“We have to be able to convince our children to become more trusting of the guidance counsellors and school teachers and so on, [so] that they too can become more comfortable going to these persons and reporting if they are being abused, touched inappropriately; if the beatings they get are too severe,” Clarke said.

“I think we have to teach our children to be trusting enough to make those reports [and] when those reports are made to the authorities, they need then to do the due diligence and [follow up] the report. We have to start on the premise that all reports made by our children are true, and then investigate.”

Under the new Child Protection Bill 2023, it will be mandatory to report cases of abuse. This mandatory reporting will apply to parents; medical, health, dental or mental health practitioners or nurses; medical facility administrators; school principals or teachers; social workers; law enforcement officers; Internet providers and computer or telecommunications technicians; and any person providing care to a child. (SB)

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Child protection and emergency services are ready to respond to cases of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence against children in the aftermath of a disaster, the director of the Child Care Board (CCB) RoseAnn Richards has assured.

However, she has urged parents and guardians to put measures in place to ensure their charges are in a safe and secure environment and not exposed to such situations, in the event that Barbados is affected by a storm this Atlantic hurricane season.

Delivering remarks at a press conference at the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) headquarters on Wednesday, a day before the start of the season, Richards stressed that preparation must be made for children even before an event occurs.

“It includes guaranteeing that children receive all necessary assistance that is required for their safety and well-being at this time, protecting children from maltreatment, and ensuring their survival and well-being during and after the disaster. Children are a vulnerable group; they are very dependent on adults and we need to care for them more at this time,” she said.

Richards pointed out that during an emergency, several factors increase a child’s vulnerability. She said displacement, relocation, separation from family and community, loss of a loved one or even a pet, losing their home and possessions, lack of safety, and reliance on humanitarian assistance might expose children to violence, exploitation and abuse.

The CCB director stressed that assisting children during an emergency has to be facilitated through careful intervention, meeting their immediate needs and protecting them from harm.

“Parents are vital and critical. They need to talk to their children about the disaster before and after. I would suggest that they need to listen to all of the information that is put out by the Department of Emergency Management because a lot of PSA [Public Service Announcements] are put out there where parents can get information, and they need to follow that. Parents need to look at the things they need to do before and ensure children are planned for,” she advised.

“If you are going to pack an emergency bag, ensure that that child or those children are also prepared for it. Some children are diabetics and some are asthmatics, so therefore you need to make sure that you have their medication in place as well.

“And if you have to go into an emergency shelter, you need to help your child or your children to acclimatise to that shelter. You need to keep your eyes on them, you need to be vigilant because a lot of things can happen in an emergency shelter,” Richards added. (AH)

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NIS CHAIRMAN SAYS SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME TRANSITIONING TO NEW TYPE OF ENTERPRISE

By Emmanuel Joseph

Prime Minister Mia Mottley and members of her Cabinet will in a few weeks have in their hands proposed provisions to transition the island’s social security scheme into a “commercial state enterprise” to make it more profitable and ensure its long-term viability.
Chairman of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Leslie Haynes, KC made the disclosure to Barbados TODAY, indicating that the NIS is targeting the end of June to send the draft of the new National Insurance Bill to Cabinet for approval.
He said the NIS and the Minister of Labour and Social Security Colin Jordan have already held discussions with the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) and the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) to get feedback on the provisions. A similar meeting was slated for Wednesday evening with the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW).
“The new Act is establishing the National Insurance as a commercial state enterprise. That would establish the board of directors, it would establish the relationship between the Government and the statutory body, and it will deal with certain provisions of the National Insurance Fund and how it is to be administered,” the NIS official told Barbados TODAY in an interview ahead of that meeting with the NUPW.
“We in Barbados are leading the way in the Caribbean to ensure our Fund is not depleted. Every three years, the actuary, according to the present National Insurance Act, has to review and put in a report. The last report received from the actuary was last year when he said action has to be taken in order to avoid the depletion of the fund sometime in the 2030s,” Haynes recalled.
In that 17th Actuarial Review of the National Insurance Fund (NIF), Unemployment Fund and Severance Payments Fund, dated July 2022, actuary Derek Osborne projected that the NIF would move from expenditure being 36 per cent more than contributions in 2020, to 77 per cent more than contributions when all reserves are exhausted in 2036.
As of December 31, 2022, the NIF stood at $3.679 billion.
Haynes pointed out that as a matter of urgency, there is now a general reform of the pension fund and the system for self-employed Barbadians to contribute to the social security scheme.
“In addition to those major reforms, we are also dealing with the pension fund because of the actuarial report and trying to make it easier for self-employed persons to contribute to the scheme. I cannot speak of these reforms as yet because they still have to go to Cabinet,” he said.
“This is in addition to the number of other matters that we are working with at the National Insurance . . . such as payments of pensions into bank accounts to becoming more digitised, and curing problems…about employers not paying in contributions. So, a number of major reforms are taking place at the National Insurance,” Haynes said, adding that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was supporting the reforms.
Recalling that there was a run on the NIF during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Haynes disclosed that more than half of the $100 million-plus which the Government had pledged to invest in that fund to recapitalise it had already been paid.
“And they have agreed to pay off the balance at certain intervals to recapitalise it, but they have already paid one tranche. So I really wouldn’t worry about the National Insurance Fund,” the chairman asserted.
Last week, former Minister of Economic Affairs in the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration Dr David Estwick recommended the elimination of double taxation on pensions and the scrapping of any direct tax on people who take up jobs post-retirement as strategies to help save the NIS from potential collapse.
He also suggested that Barbados introduce a tax write-off of 150 per cent of business investment for people over the age of 60.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

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ATTORNEY SAYS PEOPLE WITH DRUG CONVICTIONS SHOULD NOT BE BLOCKED FROM MEDICINAL CANNABIS LICENCES

By Jenique Belgrave

An attorney-at-law has contended that the section of the Medicinal Cannabis Industry Act which prevents anyone who has a drug-related conviction from getting a licence to legally participate in the industry should be repealed.
Although stopping short of saying he intended to lead any such action, Rasheed Belgrave told Barbados TODAY that people should not be hampered from building the medicinal cannabis industry because of an “infringement”.
According to Section 32, Subsection 3 of the Medicinal Cannabis Industry Act 2019, a person who has been convicted of an indictable offence under the Drug Abuse (Prevention and Control) Act, the Proceeds and Instrumentalities of Crimes Act, or any other similar enactment creating offences for illegal drugs and for the proceeds gained from such illegal drugs in Barbados or any other country shall not be eligible for a licence to conduct any business pertaining to the medicinal cannabis industry.
But speaking to Barbados TODAY on Wednesday, Belgrave presented the case that some of those individuals were already skilled in growing the plant and should be allowed in.
Contending that their exclusion was “not fair”, Belgrave said: “Basically, you are saying that the people who have the skills and the knowledge in the industry are precluded from participating. So what this is trying to tell me is if the police report me today for speeding, that means I can’t drive tomorrow or for the rest of my life in Barbados…? And, really and truly, the industry is not going anywhere because the people who are in the industry really do not know much about it or are there just for the financial gain.”
He had initially raised the matter during Sunday evening’s Democratic Labour Party joint zonal branch meeting at Deighton Griffith Secondary School where he insisted that the industry would grow much faster if those small farmers already experienced in the process were granted access.
“The persons who would have been caught or went before the law [courts] with these charges of possession or trafficking of marijuana would have been persons with the track record and experience in the industry. So, tell me how you free up an industry and do not involve the experts? Help me understand,” the attorney said.
He added that the application, licensing and administrative fees associated with getting involved in the medicinal cannabis industry were restrictive, with interested parties having to shell out over $50 000.
Belgrave said this would be a hindrance to Barbados developing a thriving medicinal cannabis industry.
“This is a barrier to the average man,” he insisted.
jeniquebelgrave@barbadostoday.bb

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Government has been pumping up its efforts to mitigate flooding across the island, Minister of Home Affairs and Information Wilfred Abrahams assured on the eve of the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season.
He said on Wednesday that he had been assured by Minister of Transport, Works and Water Resources and Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw that workers of the Drainage Division were out in full force addressing issues in flood-prone areas.
“We are aware of the flood-prone areas and we had the discussion yesterday at Cabinet as well about prioritising the flood-prone areas. So, while we have to make sure all the waterways are kept clear, some waterways leading to some areas are going to have to be done a lot more than others.
“So that is definitely on our radar and the aim is to minimise the impact,” Abrahams said during a press conference at the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) headquarters in Warrens, St Michael.
He was speaking ahead of the June 1 start of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season and on the same day that Barbados was under a flash-flood watch due to a tropical wave affecting the island.
After heavy rains just over a week ago, on May 22, there was significant flooding in Church Street, Speightstown, St Peter. The high water levels made it difficult for pedestrians and drivers to get through the area.
Although making it clear that he was not finding an excuse for that flooding situation, Minister Abrahams said if a significant amount of rain falls in a short space of time, “all of the infrastructure in the world is not helping you”.
“And sometimes we get significant flooding in areas over a two-hour period, and when that happens, it will flood; no matter what we do, it will flood. The ground cannot absorb the rain as fast as it needs to prevent flooding.
“We might not be able to control flooding when there is very significant rainfall but we can do the things that we need to do to ensure that flooding dissipates as quickly as possible, and that is the responsibility of the Government,” he said.
Abrahams added, however, that residents have a responsibility to help prevent flooding as well.
He urged Barbadians to dispose of garbage appropriately to avoid blocking drains, stressing that even one plastic bag blocking a drain could lead to major flooding in an area.
“So, at this particular point in time, we need to secure our garbage and be mindful. We are saying, ‘do what you need to do to protect yourself and protect your neighbours’. Your bag may clog a drain and the house that might be lost as a result of it might be yours. We are all in this; this affects us all. We all have our roles to play and I am asking everyone to please play your role,” the Home Affairs Minister said.
(AH)

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By Shamar Blunt

Barbados’ fire chief is calling on authorities to critically examine the safety and security of derelict buildings across the island.
Chief Fire Offa Maynard made the call after personnel from the Barbados Fire Service responded to another blaze at the old Barbados Family Planning Association building on Jemmotts Lane, St Michael, on Wednesday morning.
Maynard, who had earlier asked residents to evacuate the area as a safety precaution because of the smoke coming from the asbestos roof of the building, told Barbados TODAY the Fire Service wanted the appropriate officials to focus their efforts on addressing the state of abandoned buildings around the country.
He highlighted the repeated fires being reported at these sites. Since the start of 2023, seven blazes have been reported at the Jemmotts Lane compound alone.
The fire chief insisted that the situation had to be addressed.
“As long as something is in the building, we have a concern. What we need the authorities to do is to clean it out; get all of the combustibles out of it and carry them away so the building would just stand there free. It doesn’t make sense we have to rush there every time that it smokes because we don’t only go for the destruction of property; there are also the environmental and the health issues that would occur because of the smoke,” he said.
Although Maynard did not specify the origin of the fires, he told Barbados TODAY: “Everytime these deserted buildings or abandoned buildings are left with openings and the undesirables go into the buildings and light fires, we have to respond. And once one of our vehicles gets on the road, that is a risk of an accident and that is also a risk to the public and their health… That is always an issue for us”.
When a team from Barbados TODAY visited the surrounding area later in the afternoon once the fire had been fully extinguished, residents said they were aware of the evacuation advice issued but said their real concern was the lack of attention paid to the abandoned building, given the long history of fires there.
One resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said neighbours believed a man who frequented the area and was well known to the community was responsible for Wednesday’s fire as well as previous blazes at the building.
“[Tuesday] was the first time he come down here for the week. This morning we see him and as soon as he left from around there, when I looked I see the building smoking. I said…he gone and light the building again. I come around and tell the people that out there burning, smoking, and he disappeared,” the resident said.
Another member of the community said that while residents were keen on seeing something done with the site, since it was often frequented by vagrants, he understood that the compound was recognised as a Barbados National Trust site.
Given that connection, he suggested that the buildings be gutted to prevent loitering.
“The best thing to do is to just shell it and just leave it, because then it can’t be a haven for nobody. There will be no shelter because it would just be four walls,” he said.
shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

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NEAR-NORMAL HURRICANE SEASON EXPECTED BUT MINISTER, DEM URGE PREPAREDNESS

By Anesta Henry

Even though an average 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season has been predicted, Minister of Home Affairs and Information Wilfred Abrahams is calling on Barbadians to ensure that their homes and surroundings are in a state of readiness.
Delivering remarks at a press conference on Wednesday to mark the start of the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season at the District Emergency Management (DEM), Warrens, St Michael headquarters, Abrahams called on citizens to carry out their household checks and community planning in order to reduce the impact of any hazards.
“This will include ensuring that your houses and your homes are in a position to withstand an event. We implore you to retrofit your homes as required. Clean up around your homes, and check the status of your insurance policies. If the insurance is not valid at the time of the event, you cannot claim after,” Abrahams said.
“Ensure that all your family members and persons within your care know what to do if they are impacted. The time of the event is not the time to figure out what to do, we need to know beforehand to ensure that all of those for whom we have a responsibility know what to do if we are impacted.”
The hurricane season starts on June 1 and ends on November 30.
Acting Director of the Barbados Meteorological Services, Brian Murray, said that based on recent projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there will be between 12 to 17 named storms of which nine will become hurricanes and “one to four will become major hurricanes”.
“In a nutshell, it is going to be a near-normal season, just like last year. Luckily, no system has formed yet, but as I said, there are some times when you have a system forming outside the hurricane season. One did form outside the hurricane season, but it has not been named because that was in January this year,” Murray said.
Minister Abrahams said Barbadians should not be complacent.
“We could have the lowest, slowest hurricane season in the history of hurricane seasons, but if one hurricane forms and impacts us, that is one too many. Prepare yourself in the same way that we are preparing ourselves. We are doing our part Barbados, but you also must do your part to protect yourself, your family and your community,” Abrahams urged.
He also appealed to civic-minded persons to volunteer their services to one of the 30 District Emergency Organisations (DEOs) and other community response agencies, which play a significant role in the event of an unfavourable weather system impacting the island this season.
The minister said that training and skills development opportunities were available for persons who join DEOs.
DEM Director Kerry Hinds, disclosed that 30 Category One and 59 Category Two emergency shelters across the island have been approved for the 2023 hurricane season.
She encouraged members of the public to use the shelters as a last resort.
“It is a public good for the Government to ensure that there are shelters available for those who need them, but your home should be your shelter. And as the minister would have indicated, it is important that you retrofit your homes. It is important that you see your home not only as an investment, but as your shelter,” Hinds added.
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

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