The Garfield Sobers Sports Complex was abuzz with musical energy Tuesday night, as artistes from De Big Show Calypso Tent made this season’s first case before the judges, who will determine who would advance to the finals of the 50th anniversary Crop Over Pic-O-De-Crop competition.

Among the most impressive on the night were perennial favourite and former calypso monarch Classic, Chrystal Cummins-Beckles-Holder, Jamal Slocombe, Skung Yung and Adrian AC Clarke. But, the other performers were not far behind.

Chrystal was in good voice and connected with the large audience with her De Proposal. She looked at several personalities across the social spectrum in the island, and suggested she could make an Olympic team out of their abilities. It was a well-crafted selection.

Former monarch Classic drew his inspiration from social media and explained in his song some of the things that would garner Likes from him. Again, as was evident in most of the material delivered on the night, some serious thought had been given to the lyrical construction of the song.

Skung Yung’s uplifting offering From Your Heart could possibly be put into pamphlet form and distributed to gun-toting youth, given the song’s positive message. He basically exhorted persons to live their best life and to “live it in praise”.

Both Jamal Slocombe and Tae were in the big tent mood, he with De Circus and she with A Big Circus. Both songs were potent on lyrics and melody, and dealt with social issues in the country that basically rendered the island a circus. Whether the judges take both circuses to the grand finale is left to be seen.

Biggie Irie’s QEH has already evoked much interest with its witty examination of some of the good and the bad of the island’s main health facility. In a year when most calypsonians appear averse to singing anything that might put the powers-that-be in a negative light, the veteran singer’s melodic and well-rendered deviation from this year’s norm was quite refreshing.

AC has been blessed with such a voice that it is hard for him not to impress with his pipes. His offering of Going Fuh Crown was well crafted, but there was still a sense of déjà vu about the subject matter. He is the consummate performer and might have done enough to capture the judges’ favour.

Mr Blood said that no matter his age he was always going to show everyone how he keeps himself looking young with I Work Out. The strength of the lyrically personalised song was in the sweetness of the melody, a feature of the calypsonian and his arrangers over the years.

Betty B was in fine form delivering Closing The Gap, a song that looks at the strides women have been making in society and closing the gender gap in terms of their roles across the social landscape. She could have felt pleased with her night’s work.

TC, as has come to be expected of her, was outstanding during her time on stage. Her Competition is a well-written, melodic song that suggested that notwithstanding what the artistes were all pursuing, life itself was a competition. She gave examples of these and seemed at ease back in the fray.

The standard-bearer in the tent over the past few years has been reigning monarch Iweb. The talented schoolteacher showed a little of what he has in store for those looking to knock him off his throne with Village Ram. It is a witty piece, filled with plenty nuances that sent a clear signal that he will be no pushover come final’s night.

Natahlee also faced the judges with a sweet selection entitled We Festival. Often pigeon-holed as a party performer, it was great to see the multi-talented singer take a crack at the Pic-O-De-Crop competition once again. Also facing the judges were Mary E who opened the night with All In The Name; and Mikey with Obsession.

Adding to the evening’s entertainment but not judging were Ishiaka with Nothing’s Gonna Spoil My Day, Pompey with Come With A Song, former two-time monarch Serenader with Shoemaker’s Rasp, Bit Bit with his Put On A Show and Mistah Dale rendered Play.

The Mighty Grynner performed Mash Up De Place and then was joined by IWeb and Bit Bit to deliver their popular number Generation Gap.

The show came to a rollicking climax with Mr Blood and Mikey belting out the popular Heart of de Party.

After the final judging night next Tuesday, 17 performers will be chosen to meet Iweb in the final.

(CW)

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One of the biggest songs for Crop Over 2024 is being sung by Sandals Resorts’ Entertainment Coordinator Azizi Clarke and her producer MSK MuSiK.

Clarke, 29, is the powerful voice behind the hit Break Away, the song that has been gaining much traction and drawing predictions that it may be a Road March as well as People’s Monarch contender.

“I’m excited by this song. It’s doing extremely well, way better than my songs in previous years. I’ve received multiple bookings and it’s being played everywhere so persons are really feeling this track this year,” said Azizi.

“This song has reached other islands, persons can relate to it. I’ve been receiving plenty messages about how much they are loving the song and looking forward to hearing it in the fetes and on the road for Kadooment Day,” she added proudly.

Clarke has been with Sandals Barbados since 2021 and loves her role and the support from her team.

“The support has been exceptional, from my manager to my colleagues. They’ve attended most, if not all of my performances, they are rooting for me each and every time. At work they are constantly singing my songs and it’s such a joy. I appreciate them so much,” she said.

Entertainment Manager Kimberly Hyman is thrilled by her team member’s success.

“Azizi puts her all into everything so I’m not really surprised she is excelling at what she loves. She deserves all the success she is enjoying and we wish her all the best” said Hyman.

Azizi is no stranger to the big stage. She has performed during Crop Over since 2015 and is the daughter of renowned performer and former Soca Monarch Adrian Clarke.

“My dad is of course an influence since I’ve been around him and his music all my life. Being at rehearsals with him and taking it all in, music became a part of me. He hasn’t really played any major role in my development as an artiste per se, everything you see is all me and my support system, but my dad allowed me to do my own thing which I appreciated,” said Azizi.

She said her ultimate goal is to produce quality music each and every year.

“I would love to be performing on bigger stages overseas and having my music reach a broader audience. I want to be remembered and for my songs to have longevity,” she added.

(PR)

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This year the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) has increased the prizes in Sunshine Snacks Junior Kadooment by close to $50 000.

Twenty-three participating bands will cross the stage to face the judges – with each registered entity vying to win any of the $146 000 in prizes that are up for grabs.

Those judging under private bands have $97 400 in prize money while the bands under the Sandy Charitable Trust Junior Masquerade Project will vie for $48 700 in prize money.

For Crop Over’s golden anniversary, Stacia Bryan, event coordinator at the NCF, promises a memorable highlight of the milestone during this year’s staging of Junior Kadooment.

“The event will have a very special tribute to the 50th anniversary with masquerade and after show featuring Mikey, Brucelee Almightee, Peter Ram and Fadda Fox,” she said.

Bryan expects that the parade will be filled with creativity and flair featuring nods to local culture in grandiose designs. But she kept her cards close to her chest about the tribute: “That is one of my little secrets that I’m holding a little bit closer.”

On Saturday, July 20, at the National Botanical Gardens, Bryan has invited everyone to immerse themselves in a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.

“Fifty years of a festival is not an easy feat!” she said. “It is a testament to the work that has been done through the Cultural Development Department [of the NCF]. And we are very happy with the results that we are seeing.”

Bryan was full of praise for the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust Junior Masquerade Project In Association With Abed’s initiative and the committed band leaders in the private sector.

The project and the band leaders, she said, are the lifeblood that transfers traditional skills and knowledge to younger generations to help them understand the art of costume-making and masquerading.

“It opens up children to cultural appreciation. We see Junior Kadooment as an investment into masquerade on a whole overall. And when you are able to expose young children to the masquerade genre, it opens up for them the interest in the Crop Over festival,” said Bryan.

Themes from cultural traditions, references to national heroes, and more from the Barbadian milieu could be expected to cross the stage when the juniors come out to play.

“Make it a day for the family. Watch the parade; be a part of the proceedings and enjoy Junior Kadooment on the 50th anniversary of Crop Over!,” Bryan said.

(PR)

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A public disturbance caused by two men over misplaced dog food resulted in them being hauled before the law courts on Thursday.

Jamar Paul Antonio Clarke, 33, of Close Hill Road, Cave Hill, St Michael and Pierre Pedro Ifill, 51 of Greenwich, St James appeared before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court where they pleaded guilty to causing a disturbance and possessing offensive weapons on July 16.

Prosecuting Sergeant Randolph Boyce told the court both men work at the Cheapside Public Market. Ifill is employed as a cold storage attendant and Clarke takes on odd jobs for butchers and vendors.

Clarke had some dog food stored in the market’s cold storage. On the mentioned date, market workers were cleaning the blast and chill freezers on the instructions of the supervisor and Ifill unknowingly placed Clarke’s dog food in a bin to be taken to the skip.

The next day, Clarke discovered that the dog food was missing and asked several people about it but did not talk to the supervisor.

Ifill overheard Clarke’s questions about the dog food and admitted to throwing out the package having been told to do so by the supervisor. This started an argument between the two which escalated with the men arming themselves — Ifill with a cutlass and Clarke with a knife. A small crowd gathered as a result of the disturbance during which Clarke was wounded on his bicep. The police were called, and the two men were arrested and charged. The weapons were also recovered.

After hearing the facts Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes placed the two on a bond to keep the peace for three months. If they breach that order they will each have to pay a $750 forthwith fine or face 30 days in prison.

(TS)

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A High Court Judge has suggested that persons seeking to travel abroad with foreign exchange educate themselves on the legal way to do so via the Central Bank of Barbados.

Justice Randall Worrell made the comment on Wednesday in the No. 2 Supreme Court as he dealt with the case of a marine technician who attempted to leave the island with over US$9 000.

The 59-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge of trying to export foreign currency without the permission of the Exchange Control Authority.

Justice Worrell ruled that he forfeit 20 per cent of the amount as the mitigating factors outweighed the aggravating features of the case. No conviction was recorded against him.

The ruling was delivered after Principal State Counsel Oliver Thomas submitted that there were no real aggravating factors beyond the offence itself. And although the prosecutor said the man had violated bail conditions by leaving the jurisdiction while the case was ongoing, he said that he returned promptly when summoned by the court.

“To his credit upon being informed that the court intended to have the matter ventilated, he promptly returned without any drawn-out legal processes,” Thomas said.

Acknowledging the defendant’s early guilty plea and clean record, the prosecutor proposed a 20 per cent forfeiture of the US$9 207, which formed the basis of the charge.

Defence attorney Romain Marshall described the offence as a straightforward strict liability matter. He said his client was a hardworking individual who commuted for work. Marshall emphasised the potential adverse impact of a conviction on his client’s livelihood, highlighting the threat of work permit revocation and a new job search process.

Additionally, the attorney outlined his client’s future work-related travel plans and stressed that his client did not waste the court’s time on the matter.

Marshall agreed with the prosecution’s forfeiture proposal, expressing his client’s gratitude for a second chance.

The defence lawyer also noted that Barbados has strict foreign exchange regulations and that many Barbadians may not be fully aware of the correct procedures for transferring money overseas.

Justice Randall Worrell in adjudicating the case agreed with the prosecution that the only aggravating factor involved attempting to export the foreign currency.

“It is not a matter which has caused anything untoward to any particular victim,” the judge ruled, adding that the impact would have been on the State.

(TS)

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Small businesses are being urged to work together to enhance their brands and export potential as part of a national drive to expand economic opportunities.

Kevin Hunte, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Business Development, delivered this message at the graduation ceremony for the Barbados Bottling Company Ltd and Coca-Cola Company Growing Together Small Business Training Programme, held at the Hilton Barbados on Thursday.

Hunte emphasised the importance of collaboration: “Very often, persons of my hue and colour, don’t often work well with each other and celebrate one another’s successes. Very often we operate sometimes with a crab-in-the-barrel mentality, and we want to see how best we can get one up on the other.

He continued: “Naturally you are in business, so you are in business to make money, you are in business to compete, but at the same time we are part of a country that is so small, that it is dependent on the contribution of each and every citizen and each and every business.”

The programme, a curriculum-based initiative facilitated in partnership with the National Transformation Initiative (NTI), was designed for owners and operators of retail businesses, vendors, and food and beverage establishments to help them grow in the retail industry.

Hunte stressed that whilst the focus during the programme was primarily on individual business growth, the true value lay in the connections made between graduates.

He urged: “I want to encourage you that as you have gone through this class together, as you are graduating together, continue to pursue growing together, because when you grow together, the country grows together.”

The permanent secretary also highlighted the government’s desire to see businesses expand internationally, encouraging entrepreneurs to pursue export opportunities.

“We have to take pudding and souse far and wide, for example. We have to ensure that the Barbadian product is tied into the Barbadian brand and it goes global,” he said.

In light of Barbados’ high rate of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Hunte called on entrepreneurs, particularly those in the food and beverage industry, to incorporate healthier options into their businesses.

He challenged them: “See what foods and beverages you can produce that would help make this country a healthier one. If we can become the pioneers in the region for something that is great in terms of our food production and our food generation that is on the healthy side, I think that we would be making a wonderful contribution to our current and future generation.”

Hunte urged businesses to look beyond simply minimising production costs and maximising profits, and instead focus on creating healthier products that could position Barbados as a regional leader in food and beverages.

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

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The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) regrets to inform the public that the Scotiabank Junior Monarch Finals planned for tomorrow Saturday, July 20 at the National Botanical Gardens Ampitheatre, will now be held on Thursday, July 25, at 7 p.m. at the Garfield Sobers Complex, Wildey, St Michael.
The recent several occasional showers over the past days have hampered the full technical set up and rehearsal needed ahead of the competition to ensure that the junior calypsonians can showcase their talents in optimal conditions.
This decision follows consultation with parents, sponsors, judges and other key stakeholders.
Producer of the event and Music Officer Kevin Moore reaffirmed that the NCF is committed to young contestants’ development and to staging the competition in the best possible environment.
“These young people have practice hard and while we cannot control the weather, we can assure you that the work put in by our mentors, coaches, band, technical and indeed our contestants will be worth the wait. Our main intention is that these youngsters get to perform in the best conditions possible conditions,” he said.
All tickets purchased remain valid. The NCF sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused. (PR)

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Police report that three men wanted in connection with serious criminal matters are in custody.
Hainsley Dacosta Browne, 43, of Drax Hall, Greens, St. George who was the subject of a Wanted Man bulletin issued on Thursday, May 2, 2024, was arrested on Monday, July 15.
Lee Sabastian Medford of Ashbury, St. George, who was the subject of a Wanted Man bulletin issued on Thursday, July 11, 2023  was arrested on Friday, July 12.
Enrico Dervent Carter alias Jeff or Bale, of #3 Clapham Heights, St. Michael, who was the subject of a Wanted Man bulletin issued on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, was arrested on Friday, July 12.
The trio are assisting police with investigations.

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Were there any doubts about how interconnected we are in Barbados with the rest of the world, those assumptions have been dispelled with the near global disruptions caused by a Microsoft update snag.

There is literally no where on this earth to run from the extensive tentacles of the gigantic technology firms. Those who believed that by opting out from social media platforms will somehow protect you from their intrusion, are sadly mistaken.

As Barbadians undertook their traditional weekend activities and as the country prepares to celebrate the big finale of Crop Over 2024, we learned that a major glitch had occurred somewhere in the world that had somehow prevented people from accessing the automatic banking facilities from at least two commercial banks.

Reuters News Agency reported on Friday that top American carriers including Delta Air and United Airlines were still trying to restore their operations following “a technical issue related to an information technology vendor” that forced to two airlines to ground their flights.

“Delays and cancellations were expected to persist throughout the day, as airlines try to fully recover from the impact of the outage that upended their flying schedules and affected thousands of passengers,” the agency reported.

More than 2000 flights were impacted, while local tourism officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the knock-on effect will not impact the many travellers who have planned summer visits to the island and specifically those planning trips around the Crop Over Festival.

American Airlines indicated that it was able to restore its operations after global tech giant Microsoft and cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike faced a major glitch with Microsoft’s systems update. As a result, the banking, healthcare and a number of other sectors globally were sent offline.

Local insurance company ICBL issued a notice to its clients that the company’s payment portal was knocked out.

The notice read: “Customers should note that our portal payment service is offline due to the worldwide Microsoft-related problem with our acquiring bank. They are working assiduously to remedy the situation. We thank you for your patience and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

The glitch, which Microsoft insisted was not a hack, was a big enough issue to cause Marsha Caddle, Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology to make a public statement on the matter. She sought to assure the country that its strategic assets such as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and the Grantley Adams international Airport had not been affected by the tech issue.

If a systems software update in the United States, can result in the hobbling of our banking system, even partially, represents a serious problem.

It begs the question how do we provide some protective barrier from the disabling effect of big tech firms in industrialised countries? This is exactly why some Barbadians expressed worry when the local banking sector abandoned the indigenous CARIFS electronic payments support system for our debit cards in favour of externally controlled systems operated by VISA and Mastercard.

Yes, VISA and Mastercard are innovators in the technology, but the island’s financial sector gave up a measure of autonomy with the move. If the two credit card giants decide next week to change the terms of engagement, there is little that a pint-sized market can do to exert influence on the VISA and Mastercard.

In fact, many local banking clients will concede that they never experienced as many online fraud attacks on their cards as they have since switching over from CARIFS.

The incident today demonstrates our vulnerabilities and how important it is to learn how to manoeuvre safely in the tech world.

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The Coastal Zone Management Unit will commence repairs to sections of the Richard Haynes Boardwalk at Hastings, Christ Church, from Monday, July 22. The repair work is expected to be completed on Friday, August 2.

The areas being repaired will be cordoned off, but the Boardwalk will still be accessible to users.  Persons are, however, advised to exercise caution in the area under construction.

(BGIS)

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Friday’s worldwide information technology outage, sparked by a routine software update, has exposed the Caribbean’s digital vulnerabilities, a cybersecurity expert has warned.

The incident has underscored the urgent need to evaluate and strengthen the region’s digital resilience, said Steven Williams, principal consultant with Data Privacy and Management Advisory Services.

Williams expressed grave concerns about the region’s exposure.

“The impact is more of a wake-up call to our vulnerabilities,” he told Barbados TODAY. “At present, we are unaware of the extent to which we are dependent on a similar scenario.”

The global disruption, which affected businesses ranging from airports and banks to retail and law enforcement, was not the result of a cyberattack but stemmed from a flawed update deployed by CrowdStrike, a prominent Texas-based cybersecurity firm. The company, widely used by multi-billion-dollar enterprises and government agencies operating on Microsoft systems, introduced a defect in an update for Windows computers.

Cybersecurity experts are calling it the largest global IT outage in history. Williams cautioned that the Caribbean might be overly reliant on particular technologies or cybersecurity vendors.

“While the region may not be using CrowdStrike specifically, we might be over-reliant on a particular technology or cybersecurity vendor that has captured significant market share in the region,” he said.

“By extension, we would be completely dependent on a single critical infrastructure solution provider or institution, whether it be Flow or Digicel, to be resilient enough to mitigate such disruptions,” he added. “We don’t fully understand our risk, and that’s part of the problem. Until we grasp how vulnerable we are, a similar occurrence could potentially impact the Caribbean, where we could be directly affected by system shutdowns due to our over-reliance on one specific vendor and their ability to manage such risks.”

The consultant highlighted a critical issue in the region: the lack of data-driven decision-making.

“The bigger problem is that we are not a data-driven region. We don’t know what we need to know because we don’t collect the data, and when we do collect it, it’s not widely available or shared”, he explained. “This lack of data creates a significant risk because we cannot protect ourselves against what we don’t understand. Even though we recognise the importance of resilience and having disaster recovery plans, we are unsure of the extent to which these plans need to be developed”.

Williams emphasised the importance of redundancy in IT systems, providing practical examples of how it can mitigate disruptions.

“Let’s be realistic. We can’t have a completely reliable system because it is created by humans, who are inherently imperfect, and thus systems will also be imperfect”, he said. “However, what we can do is ensure that we are able to function even when issues arise”.

He cited a personal experience to illustrate his point: “I went to a popular restaurant today, and they informed me that their card machine was down. I was able to use an ATM to get cash and complete my purchase. This is an example of redundancy in action.”

Looking to the future, Williams sees the current situation as an opportunity for the Caribbean to enhance its digital resilience. “I truly believe this is an opportunity for regional governments, through mechanisms like the Caribbean Telecommunications Union to examine our resilience.

“Although I hesitate to use the term, we need to conduct a thorough study to assess how dependent we are on global digital supply chain platforms such as Amazon Web Services and international institutions like Visa and MasterCard. We need to understand how these platforms might make us vulnerable to their disruptions and the impact it could have on our respective economies.”

He warned of potentially severe consequences if the region’s dependence on external systems is not addressed: “Those countries and networks can afford to experience failures, and we all have to wait for Visa and MasterCard to come back online. However, if a critical regional business or infrastructure system fails due to a lack of resilience against internal errors, mistakes, or disasters, those external entities won’t wait for us.”

“Right now, we are dependent on them to recover, but they may simply bypass us if they find that we cannot respond efficiently or resiliently. We are dependent on them; they are not dependent on us”, he concluded, calling for organisations such as the CTU to take the lead in enhancing the region’s digital resilience.

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Operations at Barbados’ key business centres remained largely intact late Friday evening after a widespread global technology outage disrupted flights, banks, hospitals, and media outlets abroad.

Officials of the Grantley Adams International Airport reported no challenges, while it emerged that the automatic teller machines (ATMs) of two commercial banks were back in working order after being knocked offline.

The global disruption was caused by a faulty software update issued by American cybersecurity company CrowdStrike to the Microsoft cloud computing system.

Earlier in the day, Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology Marsha Caddle reported that Barbados was only slightly impacted when the ATMs of the two banks were affected.

“What we can report at this time is that the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and its medical and information systems have so far not been affected,” Caddle announced. “We have also taken a report from the Grantley Adams International Airport, and they are also reporting that up to this time, no flights have been affected, [and] their own systems have not been affected. 

“But what we remain to see is whether delays caused elsewhere in the world with other travel itineraries will then have knock-on effects for travel that will occur later today or over the course of the weekend. But as of now, we are not reporting any delays.”

The minister had warned customers they might experience inconvenience because the two banks had reported that their ATMs and other systems were affected.

“To be clear,” Caddle said, “this is a platform issue. This is a question of how their systems are able to run. But to be clear in the banking system, this is not a threat; this is really a software issue that was triggered by the CrowdStrike incident that is affecting people worldwide.

She cautioned that while the government does not use CrowdStrike as an anti-virus software or as a service provider, the country could be affected later through the supply chain.

Caddle said: “You would imagine that the extent of the outages, really one of the largest that we have seen worldwide, would have a knock-on effect in the supply chain for services and companies in Barbados.”

The trouble with the update issued by CrowdStrike and affecting computers running Microsoft Windows was not a hacking incident or cyberattack, according to CrowdStrike, which apologised and said a fix was on the way. But hours later, the disruptions continued—and escalated. Long lines formed at airports in the US, Europe, and Asia as airlines lost access to check-in and booking services at a time when many travellers are heading away on summer vacations. Hospitals and doctors’ offices had problems with their appointment systems and cancelled non-urgent surgeries. Several TV stations in the US were also prevented from airing local news early Friday and the Sky News channel in the UK was knocked offline.

In Barbados, cybersecurity expert Steven Williams agreed with Minister Caddle that the country’s supply chain could suffer.

“The systems at the banks in Barbados, because of the interconnectedness to the Internet, those systems may be fine. But, we are all part of a global supply chain built on the Internet, and by extension, those businesses would suffer indirect disruption as well,” Williams, executive director of Sunisle Technology Solutions, told Barbados TODAY.

Cybersecurity Expert Steven Williams.

Williams, who is also principal consultant at Data Privacy and Management Advisory Services, said Barbadian firms that do not use the Crowdstrike software would still feel the fallout.

“A classic example may be, within the banking community,” he said. “Many banks integrate with Visa and MasterCard if not all banks integrate with Visa and MasterCard. If Visa and MasterCard are compromised in some way like through that CrowdStrike update, it means that businesses in Barbados could be experiencing disruptions in being able to settle payments via card machines.”

The cybersecurity expert said that because most businesses take cash and do not rely solely on cards, they would continue to operate.

“CrowdStrike has been more linked to institutions that are global 500, meaning they are global multi-billion dollar companies, and by extension, the connectedness of it would mean that the software that corrupted the Windows system wouldn’t necessarily be found on local machines within the region unless they are a direct part of a global conglomerate,” he said.

“So, that going and purchasing something from a retail store now has to be done via cash; and that’s part of resilience. A complete shutdown would mean that a business would have to completely shut down because of an event. Right now, resilience states that paper money is still valuable. If we were completely dependent on Visa and MasterCard, that business would suffer a catastrophic disruption which means it will no longer function.”

Commentators said Friday’s global disruption highlights the fragility of a digital world dependent on just a handful of providers. 

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

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Worthing Beach in Christ Church has officially reopened following a two-week closure prompted by damage from Hurricane Beryl’s storm surges, Minister for Infrastructure Dr William Duguid has announced.

As the popular beach on the island’s busy southern tourism corridor reopens, Dr Duguid told reporters at a press conference held at the beach about the efforts to repair a ruptured outfall line from the sewage treatment plant at Graeme Hall and ensure water quality in the area.

“Right after the passage of Hurricane Beryl, we had a rupture of one of the two lines that we have here that go to the outfall here at Worthing. That was the eight-inch line that was ruptured.”

The minister explained that whilst the 12-inch line remained intact, it required reinstallation of weights. “We immediately switched over to the 12-inch line,” he said, ensuring continued functionality during repairs.

Dr Duguid highlighted the extensive repair process, which involved anchoring the ruptured eight-inch line to the seabed approximately 340 metres offshore.

“We had the beach tested to make sure that it was totally within international standards, and it was. But out of abundance of caution, we closed the beach, and then we started investigations to look to repair it,” he said.

Robert Bynoe, a civil engineer from Stantec Consulting, emphasised the challenging nature of the repair work: “We started work on the 6th of July, and we finished [Thursday]. It was quite a bit of work. And kudos to the divers. They are out there in very rough conditions, and the water out there is shallow. So it [the waves] throws them around a lot.”

Dr Duguid also addressed rumours of sewage spills. “What people often mistake for sewage is when we open the sluice gate,” he explained. “When it is open, sometimes you get tannins, which are the stuff from the trees, and so on. And people think that is what that is, but that was not that. That was tannins when we opened the sluice gate.”

Area businesses were dealt a heavy blow by the beach closure. Sheena Lambert, who manages the Seafood Shack, detailed the challenges faced: “The closure of the beach was not good for us

. . . I tried to get some lighting on the back end of the car park because it’s very dark down here. So a lot of people coming to the car park, which was closed, thought that we were closed for business. But we found other alternatives, obviously. We tried to put some lighting up for the nighttime visitors, which is the majority of our customers, but that wasn’t successful.

“I did not close. because we provide a major service, so we had to keep it open. I put some signs up saying we are open. I tried using social media a lot more. This was in addition to renting portable lights. We tried to make the area still look as lively as we could, especially at night, because that’s when most people come out. It wasn’t a major loss, but it was still detrimental to the business.”

Lambert continued: “The hardest part of dealing with it was the delivery trucks having access to us. The actual delivery drivers, the people that are delivering the food, had issues coming across the beach to us. Because obviously, you know, the other part is very dark.”

Acknowledging ongoing issues in the area, Dr Duguid addressed the frequent flooding and high water table: “We can’t just drill a few wells because the wells themselves are going to be low. What we try to do is mitigate so that the runoff gets back to the sluice gate and take the water away from the area as quickly as possible. This has been the solution in the past.”

The senior minister also discussed plans for a permanent solution to the outfall system.

“This is something that we’ve been working on consistently to be able to get a permanent outfall. Now, as you’re aware, there is a permanent outfall already at Needham’s Point,” he said. He revealed that plans for an alternate route to the permanent outfall are in the final stages of approval.

Regarding the upgraded South Coast sewage project, Dr Duguid acknowledged its complexity: “That is not a simple project, as you would appreciate. And the committee that is working on that has been meeting for quite some time. I am the minister who chairs that now, and we’re making significant progress. It is going through the funding process.”

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Security measures for Crop Over 2024 are being intensified as the island faces a rise in violent incidents, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for culture has announced.

Senator Dr Shantal Munro-Knight on Friday emphasised that safety remains a “primary focus” as the festival enters the final weeks of its 50th anniversary.

She revealed that additional talks had taken place with security services to boost personnel at key events.

“We’ve been working very closely with The Barbados Police Service, as well as the Barbados Defence Force to make sure that we are going to have full presence on the road for Kadooment,” she said. “That is something that we have been very careful [about] in order to assure, and all of our events, sometimes you might not see them, there has been an outpouring of security.”

The minister stressed: “We are taking it very seriously.”

Senator Munro-Knight was keen to point out that Crop Over events have thus far been incident-free. But she called on citizens to “take some responsibility for our behaviour, and the extent that we are going to allow particular elements to be disruptive”.

There will be an increased number of officers on the road for Grand Kadooment.

The minister also hinted at special plans for the Kiddies Kadooment on Saturday, which will incorporate the midday five-minute pause for peace called by Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

“They can expect something extra special, I am not going to say it now, but there will be an extra special something that is going to be happening during Kiddies Kadooment again to speak to the young people that will be on the parade,” she said.

Mottley’s call for the symbolic pause for silent reflection and prayer is in response to the reported rise in violent acts, with the 27 homicides so far this year already surpassing last year’s total of 19. 

“That five minutes of your time on Saturday is you standing up and sending a message, and saying clearly that you are ready to stand up as a Barbadian for this nation, and those elements within the society that seek to destroy it that we would not allow it,” Senator Munro-Knight declared.

She continued: “Five minutes is what we are asking for; five minutes to take back this country, five minutes to reflect on the Barbadian values that have built this nation, five minutes for us to remember that these fields and hills belong to us.”

Senator Munroe-Knight made her remarks at the unveiling of a monument to commemorate stalwarts from the Bayland. It was organised by the Office of Reparations and Economic Enfranchisement in the Prime Minister’s Office. 

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

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Barbados, like much of the Caribbean, is experiencing a troubling level of criminal activity.  Recently it was revealed that in Jamaica there were some 24 murders in eight days, some 626 so far this year. In Trinidad in one weekend 18 persons were murdered in what the news gatherers called ‘a bloody weekend.’ Many of these killings were perpetrated with the use of high-powered guns. Crime is on the rise in St. Lucia, the Bahamas and Belize. A minister in the Guyana government recently revealed the increasing  level of crime around the Starbroek market in Georgetown.

Crime is persistent across much of Western society. A Sky News report of July 12, 2024 noted that prisons in Britain are currently at 99 per cent capacity. The Sky programme noted that with only 698 spaces left in British jails, they could run out of prison space in three weeks.  That country has a recidivism rate of some 35 per cent. The new Labour Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has responded to that particular issue. His new Justice Secretary Ms. Shibana Mahmood has announced that the government plans to solve the problem of overcrowding by freeing a number of criminals not guilty of severe offences such as rape or murder. Some offenders will be freed after serving 40 per cent of their terms. This, some commentators have observed, could backfire if there is an observable increase in criminal activity on the streets.

Here in Barbados there has been a startling 27 murders for 2024, many of which are seemingly a consequence of gang activity. Rather belatedly, Prime Minister Mottley spoke to the issue of crime in a nation-wide television address. One says belatedly because she has seemed more concerned with the legitimate question of global climate change than with the evidently deteriorating climate of crime, violence, incivility, deviance, indiscipline and general disorder.

Incivility and anti-social behaviour have been evident for some time. I am not a fan of calypso or soca, but I think it was Red Plastic Bag (RPB) who some decades ago noted in song that the country was not well. It was not well then and it may be sicker now. Both political parties, the Barbados Labour Party and the Democratic Labour Party,  which  have formed the government over the past four decades have been less than effective in coping with the psycho-social issues that have plagued this country. They have failed to face the problems head-on. Tom Adams solved the issue of Rocker’s Alley, now much of Bridgetown looks like Rockers’ Alley or worse. The so-called  ZR culture has gone on for some four decades and has a profoundly disruptive influence on school cultures in Barbados across the educational sector.

Two questions inevitably keep recurring in all the debate on crime and criminality. One relates to causality and the other to treatment. Crime is clearly multi-causal coming from any number of factors. Perhaps the critical over-riding cause is the decline in values. Values, attitudes and sensibilities have to be inculcated in people preferably from an early age. The central factor in the rising tide of criminality is the decline in the value consensus in Barbados. Not that we all had a firm and fixed corpus of values and that we all acted consonant with those values, sensibilities and attitudes.  However, we intrinsically seemed to know what was good and bad, what was noble and ignoble, what was of good report and what was not. Today, like in some other areas, these things appear to be non-binary. Values have been deconstructed. One is not sure that what we like to call the old fashioned norms can be reconstructed, recovered and revived.

The cultural ethos of Barbados and much of the region has dissolved. The ‘Idea of Barbados’ if it ever existed has now dissipated.  The institutions of socialisation to traditional norms, the family, the church and the school have lost much of their efficacy leaving an intolerable void.  Nature they say abhors a vacuum and all kinds of things have rushed in to fill the atmospheric black hole.

One cannot ignore Prime Minister Mottley’s address to the Nation on Monday July 15, 2024, if for no other reason than the fact of the extent to which she dominates the political landscape in Barbados. In the Caribbean everything is politics and politics is everything. Besides the State, no other institution has the legal force to address the pathologies in society if it had the political will and the mind to effect corrective measures. The often repeated notion that the Government cannot do it alone is something of a cop-out, intended to absolve the government for its sins of commission and omission.

Like with so many initiatives these days everything can be encapsulated in a convenient acronym. Thus we have the STEP initiative in which all Barbadians are implored to step-up to combat crime and violence. STEP in this case stands for See, Touch, Engage and Participate. It reflects an aspirational vision that is worthy, however too much of it is pitched at the level of rhetoric and wishful thinking. Too much of this ignores the depth of the problem that the Prime Minister herself outlined in the speech. She talked about ‘the nation’s children being desensitised to violence through non-stop playing of video games and the overuse and misuse of social media’.  She warned against ‘closing our eyes and remaining silent’ about the presence of guns.

On Brass tacks on Wednesday July 17 a caller made the insightful point that given the state of organised crime in Barbados it could be personally dangerous to one’s health and wellbeing ‘to see  something and say something’. Host Dr Kristina Hinds herself stated: “There are dangers in coming forward and giving information.” As my mother used to say in her later years, ‘be careful, you don’t know who is who in Barbados today’. Trust used to hold us together. One is not sure that it still does. One gets the impression that Barbadian society is becoming increasingly atomised, breaking into fine particles with little or no cementing glue.

A former primary school principal once told me that she was having trouble with some of the non teaching staff at her school. I asked if she had reported it to the authorities and her response was:  “No way, ‘I don’t want nobody come burning down my house.” Besides it is widely perceived that there is an accountability and transparency deficit on the part of the same government that is now calling for a cooperative effort in fighting crime and violence. If you want a cooperative effort you have to at least be willing to take persons into your confidence. Another caller to Brass Tacks noted that in spite of the breadth of her address, the Prime Minister did not adequately speak to the question of who might be bringing in the drugs and the guns into Barbados. We all need to STEP-UP.

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Scores of young people are finding jobs thanks to the Startwise programme.

On Friday, participants in the first cohort of the employability six-month training programme graduated during a ceremony held at the Savannah Beach Club in Hastings Christ Church.

Director of Operations, Celeste Foster explained that the programme was an initiative to help young people and other individuals gain employment globally.

“What you’re seeing here are people who have already reached a particular standard where they’re employable. Some are employable locally and those who would have attained a silver [recognition] are employable globally. We have 15 persons who’ve already been placed,” she said, adding that by month end about 100 people would have completed the programme.

“This morning we are celebrating 58 people who have reached that first level. But we have some persons who we’re giving until the end of the month who just have like one or two more skills to complete. And we expect that 100 persons will complete [the programme] by July 31st.”

She said the graduates acquired skills in specialised fields such as data, marketing, customer success, design and sales.

Startwise is a public/private partnership under the office of the Attorney General and executed in partnership with the National Peace Programme, the Barbados Youth Advance Corps, the Ministry of Labour, the Barbados Community College and the University of the West Indies.

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After falling in love with Barbados almost three decades ago, two American entrepreneurs have returned to the island to introduce their trainees to this island’s hospitality industry and the valuable lessons it offers for growing their small businesses.

Rosie Mendoza McCamery, the founder of S.O.A.R. Hospitality & Travel YLC, Inc., and Chef Aundre Blasingame, the chief operating officer (COO) of the company, recently spoke with Barbados TODAY about their programme, which teaches young Americans about the advantages of working in the hospitality industry and starting their own company from the ground up.

While taking a break from their sessions at the Golden Sands Hotel on Thursday, Chef Blasingame said that it was their experience at the same hotel back in 1997 while on an international internship, which laid the groundwork for what S.O.A.R. Hospitality & Travel YLC, Inc. has become today.

He said: “Rosie and I both had the opportunity to come and intern here when we were in high school. It was 30 years ago, [Rosie] came a couple of years later. It began our passion and love for hospitality and the travel industry. Once we were older, we always said we were going to pay it forward.”

McCamery noted that it was that experience back then which first launched the idea to help mentor other high school students from underserved communities through education in business, entrepreneurship, hospitality and travel.

“We have our Business and Entrepreneurship series where we do a high-level overview of financial literacy fundamentals and business and entrepreneurship. We teach them how to pitch, how to present themselves and how to do public speaking. Then we pivot into our more advanced deep-dive classes where they learn how to write resumes, where they learn how to actually put together a slideshow presentation. They drive more into financial literacy and management of their finances, learn more about credit and the impact of their credit and being a mindful entrepreneur and what they bring to the world,” she explained.

Blasingame noted that the approximately 50 students also got about four weeks of education in the structure of hotel, restaurants and the several levels of careers available in these sectors.

He disclosed that, while the programme began in 2013 with the intention of eventually establishing a physical school to accommodate students, the 2020 COVID pandemic forced a significant adjustment in that plan, resulting in a combination of virtual sessions as well as international training.

“The pandemic definitely taught us how to pivot because originally as a group, we wanted to open up a learning centre, a physical building, and it just happened that during the pandemic we had to put that on hold. But we did not want to stop the momentum. As a board we talked about it and Rosie was like ‘why don’t we make this pivot’. So we turned it into a virtual class and here we are four years later with 100 plus students who have come through the programme, and they get to come to Barbados to do internships.

McCamery said that the organisation was now in the early stages of possibly involving local students in the programme which has benefited well over 100 students so far in picking up necessary life skills.

She said she wanted students to feel: “empowered”.  “We want them to know that anything is possible. Then have a sense of gratitude and appreciation for life, for different cultures, and really just have that mindset of giving back and being intentional with it. That is definitely something we are always trying to instil in them – respect, discipline, dedication and determination. All of those things that make up the whole person and really helps them to succeed in life.”

During their visit to the island, the participants also interacted with students from the Princess Margaret Secondary School who are pursuing similar courses in tourism and entrepreneurship.

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

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A 66-year-old man had a matter against him dismissed in Supreme Court No. 2A.

Evans Maurice Malcolm also known as Poodle of Lower Brighton, St George had been charged with causing serious bodily harm to Clyde Alman with intent to maim, disfigure or disable him on September 12, 2011. He was also charged with a second count of inflicting serious bodily harm on Alman on the same date.

The complainant in the case never appeared in court despite being warned by the police to do so. Justice Elwood Watts dismissed the matter on Friday.

The prosecutor in the matter was State Counsel Kevin Forde.

(TS)

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Two murder cases will continue in the High Court next week.

The trial of Christopher Anderson Shepherd, 25, of Spruce Street, St Michael and Rio Richan Jeanie Malcolm Benn, 33, of Upper Duke’s Alley, Vine Street, St Michael who are accused of the murder of Le Andrew Coward will resume in the No. 2A Supreme Court before Justice Randall Worrell.

Coward was shot at a fete at V.I.B Sports Bar, Jessamine Avenue, Bayville St Michael on October 2, 2019.

Principal State Counsel Oliver Thomas and State Counsel Dr Zoe King are the prosecutors in the case while Angella Mithchell-Gittens SC appears for the accused.

In the next case, the trial of Kevin Andrew Haynes will continue in No. 5A Supreme Court before Justice Anthony Blackman.

Haynes is accused of murdering Rahim Ward between August 23 and 30, 2019.

Ward’s body was found buried in the area of Walker’s, St Andrew.

(TS)

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A registrar on call in the Accident and Emergency Department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) gave evidence on Friday as the trial of Daniel Leo St Elmo Gibson and Kyle Devon Connell continued in the No. 3A Supreme Court.

Gibson, 41, and Connell, 31, both residents of Gall Hill, St John are accused of causing serious bodily harm to Kevin Evelyn with intent to do him serious bodily harm, or to maim, disfigure or disable him on June 23, 2020. The two are also charged with unlawfully and maliciously inflicting serious bodily harm on Evelyn on the same date.

Dr Emil Phillips, a surgical resident but who was the registrar on duty in June 2020, drafted a medical report based on the examination findings of Dr Keimee Lopez, who assessed Evelyn. The examination revealed that Evelyn had sustained traumatic brain injury and experienced retrograde amnesia.

In the ongoing case before Justice Anthony Blackman, several witnesses have already given their testimony.  In his earlier testimony, Evelyn said that he had been involved in a gambling game on June 23. He said that Gibson, who was also involved in the game, was seated to his left, while Connell was positioned behind him. An interaction occurred between Gibson and Evelyn, during which Gibson claimed that Evelyn passed him twice, but Evelyn insisted that it only happened once. Gibson then picked up $1 from in front of Evelyn, but Evelyn retrieved it. It was at this point that the complainant felt blows to the back of his head.

Principal State Counsel Rudolph Burnett and State Counsel Anatascia McMeo-Boyce are the prosecutors in the case. Attorneys Michael Lashley KC, Kellyann Blackman, Sharessa Dottin and Jade Kennedy are representing the accused.

The case continues next week.

(TS)

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