The angelic tones of seven-year-old Gerrad Norville echoed through the Sir Garfield Sobers Complex on Sunday as he sang the uplifting notes of The Goodness of God. The lyrics encapsulated the feeling of gratitude which was constant in the National Independence Thanksgiving Service.  

Under the theme Embracing Our Heritage with Grace and Thanks, Bishop Dr Kenroy Burke, the Administrative Bishop and National Overseer of the New Testament Church of God, declared during his sermon, “God has been good to us.”  

He said, “As a nation I wish to submit to you this morning that I believe we need to learn what it means to be a little bit more thankful.” He noted that in the previous month there were complaints about the sweltering heat and similarly about the increased rainfall.

He reminded, “God has been too good to us as a nation for us to have an ungrateful attitude in 2023. I suggest that everything is not perfect, but Barbados has been blessed over the years with some of the best. We ought to give God thanks for all that he has done and all that he has been to us as a nation.”

Using three thoughts to reinforce his point he advised, “Let us be careful to be always thankful for the progress that we have made over the years. We have to be careful that the price of progress is not too high.”  Secondly, he noted, “We must maintain our identity as a people in this region.” 

His final assertion was, “Be careful to preserve the cornerstones.” He explained, “In all of our progress let us not walk away from the stones that our forefathers laid for us. Even if it has not cost you anything it sure did cost them something. Some of them gave their lives for it, it cost them a whole lot.”

He emphasized, “This little island has done so much in the last 57 years. I want to suggest this to you, there are several others that have much more might, financial might, military might, all the other things that they may have. But Barbados stands tall among them, and we ought to be thankful as a nation for all that he has done for us.”

Commending Prime Minister Mia Mottley on leading the country through the pandemic he said, “I pray that God will guide you. I pray that God will lead you, I pray that at every single moment of your leadership of this nation that you would hear clearly what God would want you to do.”

Prior to the official start of the service, celebratory messages were delivered by Barbadians from across the diaspora. Patrons enjoyed a musical interlude by the Barbados Police Service Band and renditions of Walk Holy and March on.

There was an emphasis on youth involvement in the celebration. Members of the Barbados Boys Scout Association conducted a ceremony with a presentation of the national flag. The multi-denominational service included a reading from the Bhagavad Gita by Kalika Ramdat of the Barbados Hindu Community. Prayers for the nation were led by Joshua Roett of the Prince’s Trust Team Programme. Alviann Jordan of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Barbados offered a prayer for the elderly, Tobia Blenman of the Seventh Day Adventist Church offered one for home and family life, and Tamia Reece of the Barbados YouthADVANCE Corps prayed for the youth and children.

Other youthful participants included Kemar Beckles of the Irvin Wilson School leading those assembled in the national pledge.  Bible readings were delivered by Jason Cadogan of Harrison College and Josiah Lowman of the Cuthbert Moore Primary School. The Covenant Dance School added a kaleidoscope of colour with a liturgical presentation choreographed by Valerie King.

(STT)

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A report by an environmental hygienist five months ago confirmed mould and other environmental issues at the St John’s Primary School and made recommendations for corrective action to be taken, Barbados TODAY has learned.

And with students and teachers still falling ill with respiratory issues at the Glebe Land, St John school, parents have indicated that they and their children will join teachers early on Tuesday morning in protest against the environmental issues plaguing the school for almost a decade.

In a report dated June 23, 2023, environmental hygienist Ian Weekes stated that mould was a major problem at the learning institution.

“The microbial air samples collected within the workspaces on the 1st June, 2023 showed that 81.8 per cent of the surface sampled had predominantly or exclusively cladosporium spores growth that ranged from light to heavy mould spore growth. The surface samples collected from the indoor surfaces had cladosporium spores growth that ranged from light to heavy mould spore growth.

“Also 36.4 per cent of the surface samples collected had small amounts of dust mites. The air conditioner units, blower wheels, fins and louvres have mould growth and dust mites. There [are] leaks via the roof and leaky flash head on the parapet feature onto the walls in the nursery, hall [and] computer lab,” it stated.

The report also revealed that the printers in the computer lab were a source of airborne toner particulates. However, all chemical concentrations recorded in that lab were significantly below their respective exposure recommended limit.

In the report, Weekes also outlined a number of solutions, including contracting a professional mould remediator; special remediation of air conditioning units, blower wheels, fins and louvres on a quarterly basis; contracting a roof specialist to fix leaks; relocating printers to a room dedicated to printers with mechanical exhaust ventilation; and improving computer lab ventilation.

The environmental health specialist also instructed that “persons who demonstrate hypersensitivity to any of the fungi, dust mites or chemicals found on the inside of the buildings should consult their doctor . . . .”

During a visit to speak to the frustrated workers on Monday, Chairman of the Health and Safety Committee of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) Julian Pierre told Barbados TODAY that Weekes had visited the school on Monday and was carrying out investigations again.

“We had a tour with the environmental hygienist Ian Weekes who pointed out that the findings of his report in June had recommendations.

“Now normally, he would advise that persons deal with the recommendations within a three-month period, as after three months the recommendations become invalid. If there is something wrong with the environment, chances are with little to no rectification, there would have to be another test to see what is there most currently. So St John’s had their last test done in June and based on what he started to see this [Monday] morning, he realised the recommendations were not adhered to so he had to do over his test,” he said.

Pierre, who is also the BUT’s first vice president, confirmed that teachers would report for duty on Tuesday but would not be going into the classrooms.

Asked how long teachers planned to maintain their resolve, he said: “I can’t say how long but they want the report to determine if it is safe to enter the classrooms or not. When Weekes is finished with this new test, they will determine what they are going to do.”

The school’s parent-teacher association (PTA) has reported that parents have pledged to throw their support behind the educators.

Head of the PTA Nicole Gill-Wilson told Barbados TODAY that while the motion by parents was not a coordinated move with the educators, they had intended to join the fight with the teachers on Tuesday to send a strong message to the Ministry of Education.

“Nobody sent their children to school today . . . . We saw an article in Barbados TODAY over the weekend and we shared it [in the group chat] telling the parents it doesn’t make any sense sending school the children. A lot of parents are not in the chat but people know people and the message spread.

“We want to go there in the morning to show that we are in support of the teachers and that we too are not in favour of entering the building until a resolution has been made. The students will be coming in their uniforms but they will not be going to school,” she said, adding that while the students were missing out on classes, the environmental issues were too much of a burden for school to continue as normal.

Gill-Wilson said she was informed that an environmental health officer had visited the school on Monday and that the school had received a recent environmental report. However, she said she had not seen it but was told the ministry would hold a meeting with parents to share the findings.

Meanwhile, Pierre added that an environmental test is also to be done at the Ann Hill School in Pine Plantation Road, St Michael, where teachers and students have also been complaining of health problems.

He said one had not been done since 2019.

Barbados TODAY reached out to the Ministry of Education for a comment but none was forthcoming up to the time of publication.

At a St John Speaks town hall meeting on June 6, Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training Kay McConney had said plans were being made to tackle the issues at the school that had resulted in children and teachers falling ill.

She said there would be industrial cleaning that weekend and every three months going forward.

“The intention is that there will be a standard industrial cleaning every three months and there will be air quality tests in between so that if we need to do it more often we will do so but with a view that there is a longer-term plan,” she had said at the time, adding that Director of the Education Technical Management Unit Francisco Miller would be closely monitoring the maintenance.

Miller, who was also present at the meeting, said the Ministry of Health will be leading the efforts at the St John Primary School and, in the interim, “we have sought to use the industrial hygienist to take some air quality samples as well as swabs of the area so that we can determine whether or not the quality of the air is good or not”. He had also said commercial-grade dehumidifiers would be installed at the school.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb

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Confirming the enduring nature of great art, a selection of award-winning pieces made a return to the stage as the 50th anniversary of the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) culminated at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium on Sunday night with the Performing Arts Gala.

Drawn from various disciplines, the highlighted pieces conveyed powerful messages that have stood the test of time, with their themes as poignant as the first time they were performed.

Winston Farrell’s De Bus Man resonated with the appreciative audience. With replays of that piece being a staple in CBC television programming, it evoked nostalgia for many in the audience who knew the words by heart and even accompanied it with the familiar movements. The rhythmic beat and timeless storyline captivated both those familiar with the piece and younger members of the audience, providing a connection to our current reality of continued transportation woes.

Adrian Greene, drawing from his highly acclaimed body of work, presented a blend of four memorable pieces. Transitioning between each, he engaged the audience with the call-and-response interaction of “Out that” and the enthusiastic response of “Light it back” to make the change.

In her inimitable style, comedian Jennifer Walker did Tribute to the Bag, infusing humour into the celebration of the excellence of Barbadian Ambassador Dr The Most Honourable Stedson Red Plastic Bag Wiltshire. Opening with the importance of bags, she switched to discussing the humble beginnings of the cultural icon and his rise to attaining his doctorate, emphasising that goals have no limits.

Perennial dance finalists Pinelands Creative Workshop were among the featured performers, delivering an ode to the Barbados Landship with their gold medal award-winning piece Afro Ship. Their blend of artistry and cultural homage showcased the rich traditions of the Barbadian Landship. S. Neverson Dance Company also presented their gold award-winning piece And So We Danse. Dancin’ Africa performed a futuristic Man Overboard while Kemal Marshall performed the Gene Carson choreographed Metamorphosis.

Abuse was a prevailing topic. Cherie Jones left patrons at the edge of their seats with How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps. Building an air of anticipation, she ended on a cliffhanger, leaving attendees curious to know what happened next. Akeem Chandler-Prescod’s Suicide Bomber and Yolanda Capendeguy with Guard Ya Virginity had a similar undertone in their pieces.

Contributing to the evening’s cultural richness was Cultural Ambassador Dr The Most Honourable Anthony Gabby Carter who, with guitar in hand, delivered the classic Emmerton. He dedicated the performance to the late godfather of Barbadian entertainment Richard Stoute, who died the night before.

During the night, violinist Dwain Gill performed Rupee’s patriotic I Am a Bajan.

The exuberance of the multiple award-winning Christ Church Foundation Steel Orchestra was contagious as they captured the dynamism of a panyard for their soca medley to close the first half.

The second segment of the event delved into the life of the late literary luminary Kamau Brathwaite. Directed by Cicely Spencer-Cross, the mixed media piece titled Barabajan chronologically portrayed the prolific writer’s journey. The protagonist was played by Neil Waithe and the narrative spanned from his childhood exploits to his formative years at Harrison College, addressing the sense of detachment he experienced in Cambridge, London. There was a focus on his spiritual reawakening during his decade residing in Ghana, a period that gave birth to his new name.

To bring this rich narrative to life, multiple dance troupes contributed to the performance, including the Barbados Dance Theatre, Dancin’ Africa, Pinelands Creative Workshop, Louise Woodvine Dance Academy, OAN Dance Academy, and the Multifarious Dance Crew. Their collective efforts added a vibrant and dynamic dimension to the storytelling, bringing Brathwaite’s life and legacy alive on stage.
(STT)

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Richard Stoute was remembered as a true Bajan icon and the godfather of entertainment by an array of colleagues and commentators inside and outside the entertainment industry in the hours since his death on Saturday.

The founder of the Richard Stoute Teen Talent Contest as well as several other ventures aimed at supporting entertainment and creative talent was the subject of an outpouring of tributes from artists, friends, and other Barbadians who sought to pay homage to his five-decade career, after his death at the age of 77 on Sunday.

Carol Roberts-Reifer, CEO of the National Cultural Foundation, took to social media Sunday and paid this tribute to the stalwart: “Rest well my friend. I will miss your quick wit and humour, our long chats about anything and everything; I will miss refereeing between you and Gabby as to who was telling the most outlandish stories; I will miss our annual birthday celebrations, you on January 8th and me on the 9th.

“I will miss our partnership with the [Richard Stoute Teen Talent Contest] [and] I’m glad that we got to reintroduce the live band last year. Most of all I’ll miss you: your grace, dignity, charm and commitment to service to your country. I learned a lot, I surely laughed a lot and I listened a lot. I know you are at peace and I will never forget our parting words on Friday. Soar with the angels my friend!”

Hours after his death, Teen Contest veterans such as Terencia TC Coward, Edwin Yearwood and Adrian Clarke, also voiced their appreciation for the man who played a significant role in their artistic development.

Coward said “he mentored us, he nurtured us, he was firm with us when he needed to be, and we are all the better for it”.

“No one can say that they were responsible for three generations of entertainers that one country has produced other than Richard Stoute. I just want to say ‘thank you, Richard, thank you for all that you did for us. Thank you for being the godfather of entertainment’,” she added.

Clarke said that the teen talent competition did a lot to raise the bar for entertainment on the island.

“You can’t call five popular names in entertainment right now that have not been through Teen Talent. This goes back as far as the show goes; if you mention bands, you talk about Spice, they came through Teen Talent. You mention Calypso Monarchs and Party Monarchs and Roach March title winners, and Caribbean Song Contest contenders, they all came through Richard’s show. His show actually heightened the interest of most Barbadians when it came to entertainment,” he said.

“I remember Richard mainly for his backstage humour, whether it be at a show or. . .  at cricket.”

Yearwood described Stoute’s death as a tremendous loss for the entertainment fraternity and the nation.

“[He] kept pushing, and people like myself would have benefited tremendously from it [the Teen Talent contest]. He is going to be sadly missed. He was like a father figure to me and so many others, [and] I hope we can have his legacy live on,” he said.

Former Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth Stephen Lashley paid this tribute: “His contribution to the development of entertainment and especially our youth is best recalled through the Richard Stoute Teen Talent competition which has been the foundation for the success of so many of our young artistes. It is through this developmental initiative that many of our most accomplished performers first found their way to the stage.

“He was relentless in his efforts to ensure that this competition survived and as then Minister I felt proud to support the important work that this great Barbadian was doing.”

Prime Minister Mia Mottley said Stoute was a “true Bajan icon” who “left an indelible mark on our cultural landscape”.

“Richard’s legacy is deeply intertwined with the Richard Stoute Teen Talent Competition, a fixture in local entertainment for an impressive 36 years. This platform has nurtured countless talents, including John King, Allison Hinds, Edwin Yearwood, and more, making Richard a beacon for Barbadian creativity,” she added.

“The Government of Barbados has conferred on Richard the Barbados Service Star in 1993 and the Gold Crown of Merit in 2008. On this occasion we go one step further and will affix his name to a facility we are certain will become the premier place for the display of local talent in the years ahead.”

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

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Barbados’ Representative to the African Caribbean Pacific (ACP)-European Union (EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly has sought to “clear up some misconceptions” about the recently signed Samoa Agreement amid concerns that the deal will impose laws that are not in keeping with the Caribbean culture and values.

In fact, Member of Parliament for St James North Edmund Hinkson SC described the deal, which Barbados recently inked as a “win-win” for participating countries.

Signed earlier this month in Apai, the Samoa Agreement serves as an overarching legal framework for the relationship between the EU and the 79-member Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). It succeeds the Cotonou Agreement and covers subjects such as sustainable development and growth, human rights and peace and security.

However, several organisations around the region have raised concerns about the agreement, including the Roman Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Jason Gordon said that while the agreement is “written as a trade agreement and an agreement of support, financially etc. for the African Caribbean and Pacific nations, embedded in that agreement – and when it is signed it is for 20 years and cannot be revoked – …is that anyone who signs that agreement will have abortion legislation in their countries”.

“They will have to impose abortion legislation, transgender, LBGTQ, comprehensive sex education, a whole range of values will be imposed because of the signing of that document,” he argued.

However, Hinkson insisted: “This agreement does not add anything . . . or derogate anything in terms of our human rights. All of our CARICOM countries are signatories to the Charter of the UN, are signatories to the Declaration of Human Rights, [and] are signatories to UN Programmes of Action. All we have done is sign an agreement . . . [that] is wider than trade . . . .” 

He contended that some organisations were “creating hysteria at every turn”. 

“I am not going to get into any argument with [any] religious organisation. The Samoa Agreement didn’t just appear and arise one day as say, ‘Come sign me’. This agreement constitutes a win-win situation for the ACP and EU…. This agreement is wider than a trade agreement. It addresses global needs and challenges such as environmental sustainability and climate change . . . . It speaks to ocean governance, migration, health, peace and security, democracy, sustainable development and economic growth, human rights and human and social development – that’s what this agreement is about,” Hinkson told those attending the joint Barbados Labour Party St James Central and St James North branch meeting at the St James Central constituency office on Sunday.

He questioned whether people speaking on the agreement had actually read it. 

“It is a long document, and it has three protocols — protocols relating to African countries, one relating to Caribbean countries, and one relating to the Pacific. And I swear blind that a lot of people who are speaking against it have not read that document,” he said.

Hinkson argued that while he could not speak about other Caribbean countries, the Government of Barbados had a duty to look out for its national and geopolitical interests.

“This agreement revolves around shared priorities and interests. It represents a paradigm shift in our external relations with Europe to a win-win partnership that fits our current world order. It reflects a triumph for the principles of multilateralism in an era where some countries in the world: some super powers in the world, would wish to deal with all developing countries on a bilateral basis. 

“This agreement, for example, ensures that the Europen Union will help us with disaster risk management; they are helping us with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital digitalising it,” he stated. (FW)

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Late Barbadian entertainer Richard Stoute should be awarded the highest national honour – the Order of the Freedom of Barbados  – and given an official funeral, fellow entertainer and president of the Barbados Association of Creatives and Artists (BACA) Colin Spencer said Monday.

Spencer told Barbados TODAY that the loss of the national cultural icon cannot be overstated, owing to his enormous legacy and influence in the island’s creative industry.

And he said bestowing the posthumous honour for Stoute’s efforts would be a significant and fitting act by the Barbadian government and people for a man who has done so much for the place he loved.

Stoute, 77, died on Saturday night.

“Richard’s passing leaves an enormous hole in the entertainment fraternity in general, but in music in particular. He was truly one of the icons, one of the builders, of local entertainment; if you had to pick 20 persons of any era that worked tirelessly to push music forward, Richard would be among those people regardless they [are]. Richard would have to be among those people.

“His legacy is assured in entertainment circles here in Barbados… [it] can not be questioned. As we speak, I am here in the process of drafting a letter to the Prime Minister of Barbados on behalf of BACA to ask that serious consideration be given to granting him an official funeral that is paid for by the government, and that whatever national honour has replaced the knighthood, that it be bestowed upon him posthumously, because it would send a positive message to the scores of young people now pursuing careers in entertainment.”

In 2019, the Order of the Freedom of Barbados was approved as an alternative to a knighthood as the highest national honour.

Meanwhile, Spencer also expressed the hope that the government would take over the Richard Stoute Teen Talent Contest, the nursery of several notable entertainers over the years, such as Edwin Yearwood, Alison Hinds, and TC.

He said: “We would . . . like to see the government assume responsibility, management really, for the Teen Talent competition; raise the standard [and] raise the level of production. It has the potential to become a regional type of competition once enough work and thought goes into it.”

The BACA president also emphasised that Stoute was well known not only for his mentorship of young performers but also for his willingness to lend a helping hand whenever an entertainer was in need.

“He did not only provide the platform on which they could perform, there was training that was involved. Holistic training in terms of mannerisms, behaviour on and off stage,” the veteran calypsonian said.

“He was the person who, in situations where persons were sick or lost their homes through fire or just down on their luck [and] not working . . . would arrange quickly, a fundraiser for the person. His main legacy would have to be in that role.”

Throughout his career, Stoute received several awards and honours including the Jackie Opel Award, Clement Payne Award, Barbados Silver Star and the Gold Crown of Merit.

On Saturday, hours before his death. Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced that the Cabinet of Barbados had agreed to name the amphitheatre at the National Botanical Gardens at Waterford in his honour.

“If the debt owed to him by those who have followed him into the entertainment industry over the past half-century is anything to go by, then there is no other entertainer to whom the country owes more than Richard Dick Stoute.

“His unmatched contribution to the entertainment life of Barbados — particularly since Independence — requires that his name, his legacy, and his never-daunted approach, ought to be immortalised in a place where every Barbadian will forever see displayed the qualities inherent in the label ‘Bajan’,” she said.

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

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Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kerrie Symmonds has urged Barbadians to embrace and be part of ongoing efforts to transform education given the current level of underperformance and the disengagement of young people in the system.

He told a Barbados Labour Party joint branch meeting of the St James Central and St James North constituencies last evening, held under the theme, Coming Together to Shape our Nation’s Future, that above and beyond the fact that the government was spending 25 per cent of its budget every year on education, the country must act to avert losing its young people.

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but 35 to 40 per cent of the children that we are putting into school every September when they get to age 16 . . . are now lost because they’re leaving school without that certification,” he said.

Equally concerning, Symmonds argued, are the findings of a 2016 World Economic Forum report that cautioned that six out of every 10 students entering school will not be ready for the jobs of the future.

He believes the answer to that issue partly lies in the transformation of education and rubbished the suggestion by former Education Minister Ronald Jones that the process was being rushed.

“If every year we are going to lose 30 to 40 per cent of our young people, I do not know how much slower we are to go . . . . I ask Mr Jones, ‘how many more thousands must slip between the cracks? How many more lives that should be pregnant with potential must now be fueled by a forced failure?’” the senior minister asked.

He went on to note that the island will not be able to address the coming challenges with the current education system, insisting that it must move to develop people with digital competence that meets its economic needs. (SD)

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‘We Loyal Sons and Daughters All’ in National Heroes Square is all but ready for its unveiling on Tuesday. Workmen were seen on Monday applying the finishing touches to the monument, designed by Vincent Jones and Hugh Holder, which replaces the bronze statue of British Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson that was removed in 2021.
(Photo by Emmanuel Joseph)

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By Emmanuel Joseph

Barbados is pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into readying the Port of Bridgetown as a regional transhipment hub, and Guyana is one of the key markets being targeted, the port’s chief has confirmed.

“BPI is currently in discussion with potential partners on the development of transhipment trade,” Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Port Inc. (BPI) David Jean-Marie told Barbados TODAY, disclosing that Guyana tranships just over 300 containers per month.

His announcement comes after Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali declared that steps were being taken to maximise the use of a shipping facility in Bridgetown to move cargo to Guyana. He was at the time commissioning a US$8 million (BDS$16 million) mixing plant of the National Milling Company (NAMILCO) in the Guyanese capital, Georgetown.

President Ali said: “I’m working with Barbados now to say to Barbados… maybe Barbados can give us a special area on their port where we have all the containers there and we have a more efficient transhipment plan from Barbados to Guyana with the two countries at the government level entering into an arrangement.”

Dr Ali said talks between the two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations “are very far advanced” and very soon authorities would engage NAMILCO and other freight movers to take advantage of that “guaranteed market”.

The construction of a new berth and expansion of the cargo handling fleet are now underway to support the new Barbados transhipment thrust, Jean-Marie said.

“Construction of Berth Six at a cost of $200 million, inclusive of two new gantry cranes already on order, is scheduled to be completed by August 2024,” he said.

The cargo handling equipment fleet will see the addition of rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) to allow for higher stacking of containers, according to Jean-Marie. He added that the port would become a hybrid straddle carrier and RTG yard operating system to increase the capacity to handle the increased freight volumes. 

By the end of the financial year last March, the Port of Bridgetown registered its highest volumes of containers handled at 119 733 20-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), a 17 per cent increase over the previous year.

“Berth Six is coming closely on the completion of a new dedicated roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro) berth intended to support ferry services,” Jean-Marie stated.

The RoRo Berth, built as part of the Shallow Draught Marina Expansion Project, went into operation on October 3.

This facility is currently being used by the inter-island feeder vessels, with weekly shipments of fruit and vegetables, as well as the vessels bringing natural gas to Barbados, the port administrator said.

“The expansion is being executed with environmental impact considerations at the forefront and includes two wave attenuation structures that are designed to improve wave conditions within the marina during extreme weather events,” he added.

Guyana’s President Ali said he hopes that NAMILCO could play a key role in the processing of Guyana’s increasing soya and corn production to manufacture animal feed for export to the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic. A subsidiary of the American agribusiness and transport multinational Seaboard Corporation, NAMILCO exports flour and specialty flour products to the Caribbean, Suriname, North America and Northern Brazil.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

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The Paradise Nature Park has officially opened and officials are hoping that the new facility will help improve and diversify the farming sector.

During the brief opening ceremony on Monday, park personnel along with Minister of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security Indar Weir and other ministry officials, toured the Balls, Christ Church location which underwent a major transformation in 2015. The previous Ocean Park Aquarium was converted into a new visitor attraction that combined agriculture and a working farm with exotic animals and a botanical garden.

Paradise Nature Park’s owner and Chief Biologist Mitchel Hird explained to the media: “[We wanted to] provide a fun but educational opportunity specifically for Barbadian families to come and learn and see first hand a lot of these animals.”

“It’s not just something we can be proud of but also Barbadians can be proud of to have here. More importantly, I think it allows them to see some new breeds of animals, especially some of the new breeds of agricultural animals that have been brought into Barbados that have tremendous future potential for agriculture production and hybridising with local varieties, and optimising productivity of the farming sector.”

Hird said that education in the sector is one of their main aims with the new project, noting that experimenting with new species of plants or livestock could reap significant benefits in the long run.

“I think that is kind of the first and important step in formulating a way forward, specifically for the farmers. Potentially, they [can] look at hybridising what they have with, say, Boer goats or some of the other highly productive varieties. That would mean you could produce more meat and milk and that kind of stuff,” he suggested.

Minister Weir praised Hird and his team for the work that has been done so far on the site and expressed hope that the site would be expanded in the near future.

“I believe Mr Hird and his team are doing an excellent job here. I really and truly would like to see an expansion of the goats project because it is something that we need in Barbados. Barbadians now are into curry goat in a big way and I think that our farmers equally can benefit from coming here,” he said, noting that the facility would serve several purposes.

“Be it to get different species of animals, to be able to expand what we have, or for the people who are into ornamentals to be able to come here and get either different varieties of plants, [or] those who want to keep pets, they can come also.” (SB)

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Barbadians were jolted by a 5.6 magnitude earthquake around 11.26 p.m.

The Seismic Research Unit of the University of the West Indies said the quake was located 29 kilometres south west of Bridgetown. It had a depth of 26 km.

The Unit said the quake also affected St Vincent and Grenadines and St Lucia.

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The Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) says it is “encouraged” by the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) decision not to grant the island’s sole electricity company the full electricity rate increase it was seeking.

And it is “optimistically” awaiting the FTC’s final order outlining the rates that Barbados Light and Power Company (BLPC) customers will have to pay.

In a  brief statement issued on Tuesday, BARP applauded the intervenors in the matter for their tenacity, determination, and thorough representation of all Barbadians during the rate hearings that led to the FTC decision.

“We are pleased that the 7.47 per cent increase previously granted will remain. This is a testament to the power of advocacy, one of BARP’s strategic pillars in our continued lobby for elevating the quality of life for our members and allowing them to live an independent life with dignity,” it said.

Last week Monday, the FTC said Barbadians will hear before Christmas how much more they will have to pay for electricity, after dismissing the BLPC’s request that it alter its February 15, 2023 orders required the power company to recalculate its rate data on which its 11.9 per cent rate increase request was based.

“The BLPC’s motion for the review and variation of the commission’s decision dated February 15, 2023, is dismissed. The commission will now formally review the applicant’s compliance filing, require amendments as necessary and thereafter issue the final order outlining rates,” chairman of the rate hearing Dr Donley Carrington had told a press conference.
(BT)

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Cabinet has agreed to a mechanism that allows for competitive procurement for renewable energy battery storage.

Minister of Energy and Business Senator Lisa Cummins made the disclosure as she spoke about the current electricity grid being close to capacity at 89 megawatts, and the need to take urgent measures to correct the issue and include battery storage into the energy mix.

“On the basis of advice from a range of international and development community partners, as well as storage and battery specialists, we have identified a range of solutions and the Cabinet is agreeing now to come forward with a mechanism that allows for competitive procurement for battery storage, up to 200 megawatts, to allow Barbadians to get on to the grid.

“This is a solution that allows us to go to market and ensure that there is the most competitive pricing (available) that allows Barbadians to access the grid. Secondly, we’re building in a mechanism that allows Barbadians, in the same way that they have bought into renewable energy capacity on the generation side, to also be able to do so on the storage side; so we are making these changes,” Senator Cummins said.

She disclosed that the necessary legislative processes would be underway in the coming weeks and months, to allow for the competitive procurement to go forward.

The minister explained that Barbados has been working with international partners, including the Rockefeller Foundation and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, to find the most suitable solution.

“Competitive procurement guarantees that you get the best price solution, but by working with partners like the Rockefeller Foundation, it also helps us to ensure that we’re working on the supply side with partners…to make sure that we’re getting the best technology, the best solution and at the best price, thereby ensuring affordability for Barbadian consumers at all times, with a renewable energy mix that ensures we meet our climate goals but also meet our affordability goals for the price of electricity….

“We will go to Parliament with an amendment which allows for changes to be made to the Utilities Regulation Act that paves the way for competitive auctions to take place. The competitive auction framework is something that has been agreed to globally…, and so all the best international advice says that the next phase for countries like Barbados, is the auction framework, and we have taken that step…,” Senator Cummins stated.

She stressed that Barbados will have a dedicated transaction advisor to guide it through the competitive procurement process.

“It will be an independent process with an independent expert who is an arbiter and who has done this in countries like ours around the world, and they’re working in other countries in the region, very similar to Barbados, with similar circumstances. So they have large country experience and small country (like Barbados) experience,” she pointed out.

The minister said many Barbadians are trying to get on the grid and the government is committed to ensuring their wish becomes a reality.
(BGIS)

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A Member of Parliament of one of the St George constituencies has hopes of the rural parish becoming a hub for business activity in Barbados, and she is holding the government to its promise to create spaces for entrepreneurs to operate there.

St George North MP Toni Moore spoke about her expectations for the area as Rubis Caribbean officially reopened a refurbished service station at Market Hill, St George on Tuesday morning.

She said that and other investments in the area were a good sign for both small and large businesses in the parish.

“Whether it’s the smaller business like those who vend on the side of our streets, whether it is restaurants, we have Rezult [Auto Shop] that has been here for some time, Mark’s Auto Spares, the minimart . . . [and] medical facilities. What we hope to see more of is that this community, the Market Hill community in St George North, could be witnessing expansion that would see St George not only being the centre of this country but being an expanded central hub . . . of business activity,” Moore said.

She recalled that three years ago, during the period that she was campaigning to represent the constituency for the first time, Acting Minister of Small Business Dwight Sutherland indicated that the government planned to deliver to the people of St George North. and particularly Market Hill, some vending stations “where small business people could ply their trade in a way that was safe, and in a way that would attract and accommodate customers”.

“And that is still something that is envisaged for this area along with the Lower Estate area and along with the Glebe; there is some expansion that is contemplated there.

“The kind of expansion that we envision is the kind of expansion that will see you not having to travel to Bridgetown, but you’ll be able to pick up what you want from Rubis here, from the minimart across the road, from the vendors who are offering it. Not that we want you to be so narrow in your thinking that you don’t branch out but that the conveniences that make life comfortable are conveniences that you can access in your community,” Moore added.

She praised Rubis for its significant investment in the community, reading it as a sign of strong confidence in the local market.

“When we see business not only opening but expanding and improving on current facilities, what is that a signal of? It’s a signal of tremendous confidence. Tremendous confidence not in the business itself although that is important, but tremendous confidence in the country as a whole. So today we salute Rubis in a big way for demonstrating that confidence in this country, in this country on and off the unbeaten track. I also want to say thank you for doing it for this community in St George,” she said.

Addressing the reopening ceremony, CEO of Rubis West Indies Limited Mauricio Nicholls said the company had invested just over $4 million for the raze and rebuild of the service station.

“I think this demonstrates the commitment to the Bajan public [and] the country Barbados, to offer a clean, safe, efficient fueling facility for all those customers that buy our Rubis fuel.

“That commitment is not just along very high-traffic locations, that commitment is across the entire island. We have places like Market Hill today and Bellplaine [St Andrew] that offer a convenient way to buy fuel from areas that are off the beaten path, a little more remote, a little more rural. We are happy to offer those facilities in these more distant communities,” he said.

The refurbished Market Hill location is the second of three service station upgrades planned by Rubis in this current phase, with the service station in Eagle Hall, St Michael being finished a few months ago and the Wildey, St Michael station approaching completion.

Nicholls said the total investment in improving those three stations was $15 million, and the company has seen “substantial growth in the fuel volumes and convenience store sales in other facilities which we have redone”.

The Rubis CEO said he hoped the upgraded facility in Market Hill would attract other businesses to the area to capitalise on the new aesthetic.
(SB)

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Sunday Grooves – an Afternoon Delight at Hunterspring in Brereton, St Philip, continues to be a platform for producer Shadia Marshall’s display of her penchant for creating musical mastery. Having received rave reviews for previous editions, Reggae Divas and The Blockbuster Soundtrack, Bajan Pride was on show in this latest instalment.

Patriotism was high with artists choosing their favourite songs. Though soca is not Ayana John’s primary genre, her dynamic performance style emphasised the depth of the seasoned vocalist. Paying homage to some of the local ladies of entertainment John delivered a double shot of Natalee Burke with Weakness for Sweetness and Sun Til Sun. Her rendition of Imani’s Bacchanal Road highlighted her sweet vocals.

Any Bajan musical tribute would be incomplete without tracks from the Caribbean Queen of Soca Alison Hinds. John encouraged the audience to sing along to classics like Iron Bazodee and Togetherness. In paying tribute to the late Richard Stoute and his remarkable impact on the island’s entertainment scene, she honoured his legacy by singing the iconic Jackie Opel’s Higher and Higher.

Another featured artiste was Faith Callender. She and Marshall melded tones as they harmonised on Carlyn and James Leacock’s award-winning Musical Matrimony. Accustomed to seeing Callender in the party mode it was refreshing to see her take on another style. Her renditions of John King’s How Many More, Sheryl Hackett’s Beautiful and Unspoilt and Gabby‘s Emmerton were well-received. The soca artiste then delivered a medley of Edwin Yearwood’s hits before moving into her own material. She was drenched in sweat by the time she had completed Pop Kite and Honestly.

The next segment celebrated global phenomenon Rihanna, with Ayana John singing We Found Love followed by Marshall’s rendition of the record-breaking Umbrella. They teamed up with Callender for a rendition of Diamonds.

Marshall’s solo performance featured a touch of spouge with Stand by Love and Have a Thing About You. The set included a nostalgic throwback to The Clock made popular by Carlyn Leacock and her Hello There Baby. She switched up the tempo with the groovy Electric Avenue by Eddy Grant. Not wanting to leave out a favourite of many, she delivered an impromptu rendition of the Shirley Stewart ballad Walk Away from Love which had members of the audience swaying in their seats.

The final act of the evening was veteran performer Adrian Clarke, a boss when it comes to extempo. To show off his prowess, he allowed patrons to feed him some topics, responding in quick time with witty lyrics.

Clarke’s set included regional favourites like Sweet Soca Man from Baron and Black Stalin’s Black Man Feeling to Party. His offerings featured his own compositions Nice Time and Soca You. He even added in Anansi and the Big Bad Ram, his second-place finisher in this year’s Pic-o-de-Crop finals, as he ended the evening on a high note.
(STT)

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By Emmanuel Joseph

Seismic experts have warned Barbadians to be on their guard constantly for a possible large earthquake striking here, following the “moderate” one that affected parts of the island on Tuesday morning but caused no damage or injury.

Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams condemned the spreading of misinformation as he urged citizens to step up preparations for a future quake.  

The 5.4 magnitude quake that was recorded 29 kilometres southwest of Bridgetown at 11:26 am, could be a precursor to a more severe event at any time in the future, said Stacey Edwards, education and outreach manager at the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (SRC) at the St Augustine Campus in Trinidad.

She cautioned that while this country is not earthquake-prone, residents ought not to be lulled into a false sense of security.

“The message is that Barbados lies in an area that has low seismic activity. You do not have a lot of earthquakes occurring or impacting Barbados. However, the region itself is seismically active, and therefore, Barbados will occasionally be impacted by earthquakes. And you can have larger earthquakes occurring that may impact the island,” the Seismic Research Centre official told Barbados TODAY in a telephone interview from St Augustine.

“People should be prepared for earthquakes…. The Caribbean as a whole is a multi-hazard environment…. Barbados has no volcanoes, but you were impacted by the ash from La Soufriere in St Vincent. So, the idea is, you should prepare for multi-hazards.

“Preparing for an earthquake would essentially mean knowing what to do during the event…get under a strong table, try not to panic, avoid elevators, make sure you have your emergency kits prepared as you would for hurricanes and tropical storms,” she added.

Edwards cautioned citizens that while aftershocks follow all earthquakes, they may or may not be felt on this occasion due to the size of the event.  

The initial quake was measured by UWI seismologists as lasting for about eight minutes, but may not have been felt for that duration, she said, explaining that any resident would have experienced the effects for seconds at most because of the low intensity of the tremor and their location.

The tremor, which was felt in Bridgetown, other areas of St Michael and as far from the city centre as the rural parish of St Philip in the southeast, forced the brief evacuation of businesses in the heart of the country’s commercial hub and at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) headquarters in Pine Plantation.

A CXC employee recalled sitting at her desk when it started to shake and then all of her colleagues in the same department said they, too, felt the quake.

“So, everybody grabbed bags,” she reported. “Each department in my organisation has a fire marshal. So, our fire marshal told us to just walk cool and calm and we all came outside.”

While this tremor did not feel as strong as the magnitude 6.4 quake in 2015, it left her with a headache, she said.

Minister Abrahams said there were no reports of damage or injuries from the earth-shaking event. But he expressed concern that people were spreading misinformation about the quake which created unnecessary panic. 

Abrahams told Barbados TODAY: “One of the most important things you can learn is to pay attention and monitor the official stations. When this [type of hazard] happens, we will respond as quickly as possible and in very short order, put out a statement through GIS [the Government Information Service] and Barbadians will be informed. There are a lot of people who were out there spreading news about aftershocks… [that] more and more are coming and about tsunamis coming, and generating unnecessary panic. 

“The one thing we can learn is that the authorities are working with the people. We are all Barbadians and it is not in our interest to give people false information. . . . When things like this happen, whether it’s the hurricane season or anything like that, listen out for the official and reputable media channels, which would include Barbados TODAY. We all know who they are, and you will get the information you need,” he said, adding that there was no reason to fear a tsunami.

Abrahams further suggested that with building codes and building standards in place, prospective homeowners should plan for various hazards, including hurricanes and earthquakes.

“We do need to be aware in the continuing climate crisis we are in, that we are going to get more intense and more frequent climate-related activities which would include tremors, which would include hurricanes, which would include droughts, which would include very severe rainy seasons. So, let us be informed going forward,” he said.

President of the General Insurance Association of Barbados (GIAB) Randy Graham said that while Tuesday’s tremor was not strong enough to cause damage resulting in claims, it should be a wake-up call for the country.

“It is a reminder that Barbados is not completely absolved from these things. We can get earthquakes here. Fortunately, they have been weak, but if they were strong those things could be damaging. So, just a reminder to the country that they are things we have to keep our eyes on,” he told Barbados TODAY.

Graham called for more frequent drills for hazards that include earthquake readiness.

He said: “In our building there are wardens and so on to remind us of these types of things,” he said. “But still, when it happens, you could still look around and see people nervous and confused as to what to do next. So, although you say when there is an earthquake go under the desk, use the stairs, don’t use the elevators, you still see people when they get into these positions, panicking and forgetting all of the instructions…. We need to rope these types of things into our security and into our planning so we are prepared, so when it happens, we don’t cause unnecessary panic.”

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

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Residents from all across the country reported feeling the 5.4 magnitude earthquake that shook the island on Tuesday morning. While some said they felt nothing, several reported feeling the tremor.

A Barbados TODAY team spoke with some members of the public about their experience.

Witney Lascaris

I was at my work office in Wildey when I felt the earthquake. I was sitting sharing the table with someone and I asked them if they shook the table. They said no and we realised it was an earthquake. We evacuated the building. I am from Trinidad and we have bigger earthquakes than this so I did not panic.

Grantley Holmer

I was home in Flagstaff Road and my next-door neighbour phoned and asked me if I felt the earthquake and I told her no. I was outside working so I didn’t feel anything.

Kenny Hutson

I didn’t feel the earthquake, I heard about it on the news. Around the time the officials said it happened I was on the road traversing the South Coast but I felt nothing.

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By Shamar Blunt

Barbados must return to its roots and rebuild the strength of family and community bonds, said Prime Minister Mia Mottley as a Monument to the Barbadian Family was unveiled in Heroes Square on Tuesday.

The monument in the heart of the nation’s capital, which replaces the statue of the British naval war hero Horatio Nelson, in Heroes Square, formerly Trafalgar Square, features slabs which recognise all 11 National Heroes of Barbados, as well as the words “Inspired, Exulting, Free” from the National Anthem on both ends of the structure.

In speaking on the significance of the new installation, Mottley said that in order for Barbadians to remain firm in their commitment to building a better future for generations to come, a renewed focus must be placed on repairing the modern family structure.

“What does it mean to be firm craftsmen of our fate? I say to you this afternoon, that we in this generation, as children now not only of Independence, but of a Republic, have determined that being firm craftsmen of our fate means being faithful of our past, and committed to building a future,” she said.

“If we understand that, then we know that if we are to be faithful to our past, the one institution that has not received the healing that it ought to have received, and continues to suffer in a way that we see regrettably in too many examples in our landscape, is our family. A family that was broken from the time that they brought the people here, in order to determine that one group should have dominion over another group.”

According to the prime minister, the National Heroes have all demonstrated in their own manner the sacrifices and dedication required for building the country, but they also demonstrated what is achievable with a solid household and a community foundation.

“The National Heroes as signified, show us what is possible, but without the family, none of them would be where they are today and capable of producing what they produced to build this nation. I ask us therefore today, to reflect, that as we seek to be firm craftsmen of our fate, that we understand that while families are not being divided on arrival, that not enough is being done to keep families together in our communities.”

Despite some critics’ claims that the island draws much of its influence from bodies from outside our shores, Mottley believes that the opportunity to restore families must come from inside.

She declared: “This time we can’t look outside for the answer, we have to look within. When we speak about the need to remove the scars of slavery, one of those things must be the commitment to raise our children. We know that in our context, family is the extended family; the grandmother; the great-aunt; the godmother; the auntie; the uncle. These are the voices and these are the hands that helped nurture and raise our children, particularly when they fall on doubt or fall on hard times.

“It is only through solidarity and community and family, that we can raise to become the best that we can be because as a small nation, we need everyone moving in the same direction if we are going to make difficult things seem achievable.”

In light of the recent emphasis on mental health, Mottley also issued an appeal for Barbadians to offer support where it is needed in a respectful and loving manner.

“I equally ask us to recognise that the cries of some in our community, whether through mental health difficulties as young people as we have seen in recent times, or whether those who believe that the new family should be the gang, that we say to them, do not lose your roots, and do not forget those who love you unconditionally even if they have not understood how to express it. The rest of us who can intercede where those relationships are clearly broken, and where there is need for healing, then we should do so with dignity and respect,” the prime minister said.

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

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Jackqulin Cox and her seven children are closer to having a proper place to call home.

Almost three months after Barbados TODAY published a story highlighting the squalor in which they had been living, a new home is taking shape on the same spot as the previous century-old dilapidated wooden house that flooded whenever it rained, was shifting off its foundation and sinking at its rear.

After the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs came to the rescue of the 34-year-old woman and her children – ages 14, 13,12,11,10, 5 and 4 – the Urban Development Commission took on the job of rebuilding the structure that has been home to nine generations of Cox’s family.  

The family is temporarily housed in rental accommodation paid for by the state while the house is being rebuilt. (EJ)

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