Physiotherapists at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) are struggling to keep up with the rising number of stroke cases, leading to the development of a specialised stroke unit within the hospital, the head of the physiotherapy department has said.

“Stroke rehabilitation is not quick unless it’s a mild stroke,” said Dr Gerry Warner, chief physiotherapist. “Anybody beyond that, you’re looking at usually the first six months to try to maximise their return. We get between two and three strokes a day in Barbados – that’s a high number.”

“We have a stroke unit set up at the hospital where we have a mixture of QEH therapists and private sector therapists who come in to offer gold-standard treatment on that ward,” he told the QEH Pulse Radio Show on CBC Q100.7 FM. 

However, this approach has stretched the department’s resources, with Dr Warner noting that it “extends our staff, who are already limited, sometimes to the breaking point”.

Physiotherapist Dr Alicia Grace highlighted the impact of strokes, particularly on younger patients. 

“When you’ve had a stroke and you have the residual weakness on one side of the body, it is life-altering,” she said. “We’ve been seeing a lot of younger persons now who are experiencing these types of life-altering situations.”

To alleviate the pressure on the main hospital, the Physiotherapy Department has expanded its services to a clinic at the St Lucy District Hospital. 

“To help counteract that,” Dr Warner said, “we’ve expanded some services to one particular polyclinic at the St Lucy District Hospital, which helps us to move some patients off.”

The importance of family support in the rehabilitation process has also been emphasised. 

Physiotherapist Dr Alicia Grace.

Christine Greenidge, CEO, Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

“Family support is also very, very important,” Dr Warner said. “Once you have a good nucleus of support around you, you will find that those persons are also more motivated to get better.”

Dr Christine Greenidge, the hospital’s chief operations officer, said: “Rehabilitation is not just physical; it’s about restoring balance, coordination, and ultimately, independence.”

The hospital has also integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) into its rehabilitation services, offering patients additional options for pain management and
recovery. 

“Traditional Chinese medicine uses things such as acupuncture, moxibustion, which is the burning of particular herbs, and a specialised massage to manage very much the same conditions that we manage in what we would call a Western medicine way,” Dr Warner explained.

Despite the challenges, the physiotherapy team at QEH declared it remains committed to providing the best possible care for their patients. 

“We really want to push that message: adjust your diet, exercise, take your medications, and everything in moderation,” Dr Warner added.  

(RG)

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The Barbados Cancer Society (BCS) is reporting an increase in the number of breast cancer cases, partly due to a rise in the number of women participating in the breast screening programme, a BCS official has revealed.

Dr Shirley Jhagroo, medical coordinator of the BCS’s breast screening programme, said due to a number of initiatives, such as the Walk for the Cure organised by CIBC First Caribbean, more Barbadian women were coming forward for important checks. Additionally, there was a major rise in the number of people conducting self tests, Dr Jhagroo said.

She stated that as a result the vast majority of breast lumps were discovered by the patients, with most cancer cases discovered in the early stages.

“Statistics now show that 80 per cent of breast lumps are found by the patient themselves. Thanks to the awareness, more than 40 per cent of patients attending the early detection clinic for screening or diagnoses are self-referred,” she explained. “This number has been increasing yearly, and so does the number of positive cases. Fortunately, most patients with positive diagnosis are at stages 0, 1 and 2, giving these patients almost 98 per cent to 100 per cent five-year survival.”

Dr Jhagroo noted that currently 700 mammograms and 130 ultrasounds are conducted at the clinic monthly, with 147 cases recorded in 2023, up from the 135 cases recorded the previous year.

The medical coordinator made the disclosure at the official launch of this year’s Walk for Cure at the CIBC First Caribbean, Warrens Great House offices with organisers saying they were hoping to raise over $200,000 this year to support cancer care and prevention efforts across the island.

CIBC’s managing director for Barbados and the OECS Donna Wellington told journalists that since its launch in 2012, the walk has raised over USD$4 million.

“Every penny raised and donated has been shared among cancer care organisations and charities committed to the prevention and early detection of the disease, to education and outreach and to the care of persons with cancer and their families that are impacted,” Wellington said.

She indicated that the effort raised Bds$200,000 last year, all of which went to the breast screening programme. “We are optimistic that we will reach and surpass our goal this year,” the banking executive said, adding that the monies raised this year will go towards the purchase of a new US$250,000 picture archiving and communication system to replace the  15-year-old system at the BCS.

This year’s Walk for the Cure event will take place on October 6, with participants leaving the CIBC’s corporate headquarters in Warrens at 3:50 p.m. for the 5k run and 4 p.m. for the 5k walk.

T-shirts can be pre-ordered from the breast screening programme offices or at upcoming CIBC pop-up stalls.

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On Wednesday, January 31, 2024, Dr Kevin Greenidge, Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, presented the economic report on the performance of the economy for 2023. Despite Dr Greenidge painting a glowing picture of the macroeconomic performance of the economy and prospects for 2024, there are concerns about the interpretation of some of the data and the lack of details about key economic variables.

The highlights of the economic report are as follows. First, two years of solid economic growth have placed the economy at its largest size in history at $12.8 billion. This was achieved as a result of 13.8 per cent growth in 2022 and 4.4 per cent growth in 2023. The growth performance in 2023 was driven by a robust performance in tourism which contributed to improved performances in other sectors through linkage effects.

Second, the size of the economy of $12.8 billion is large enough for everyone to benefit. Third, the unemployment rate increased from 7.1 per cent in September 2022 to 8.3 per cent in 2023. Fourth, the 4.4 per cent growth not only bolstered transaction-based tax revenues but also contributed significantly to reducing the debt-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio. Fifth, private sector investment of $1.9 billion annually is required to achieve growth of 4 per cent in 2024 and a strong growth rate in successive years into the medium term. Sixth, the level of foreign reserves was $2,997.4 million or 31.6 weeks of imports of goods and services as at December 31, 2023.

Though not mentioned in the presentation, the $12.8 billion is nominal GDP. It is well accepted by economists that in periods of persistent high inflation, the more appropriate measure of economic performance is real GDP rather than nominal GDP. Nominal output is the product of quantity and prices. Hence, in periods of high inflation, an increase in nominal GDP can be influenced by price increases in a disproportionate manner.

This point was acknowledged by Dr Greenidge in his first presentation on the performance of the economy. On that occasion, he noted that nominal GDP reached $11.4 billion in 2022 compared with the pre-pandemic level of $10.6 billion in 2019. However, when adjustments are made for price increases, the figures are $7.6 billion and $8 billion, respectively, indicating that the economy was $400 million smaller in 2022 compared to 2019 in real terms.

It is therefore puzzling that Dr Greenidge emphasised the nominal figure of $12.8 billion for 2023 and did not repeat the comparative analysis for real GDP in 2023 relative to 2019. Using the Central Bank data, real GDP was $7.93 billion in 2023, which is less than the 2019 figure of $8 billion. Thus, despite the nominal growth in GDP of 12.3 per cent (and real growth of 4.4 per cent) in 2023, the economy was smaller compared to 2019 in real terms

The suggestion by Dr Greenidge that the economy’s size of (nominal) $12.8 billion is large enough for everyone to benefit is unfortunate, insensitive and not expected from a trained economist. ECON 101 states explicitly that GDP is simply a summary statistic of the productive capacity of the economy and is an inadequate indicator of the well-being of citizens in an economy.

An increase in GDP will not be beneficial to the majority of the population when there is a high degree of skewness in the distribution of income, when there is inadequate spending on social services, and when (re)distributional policies are not catering properly to the most vulnerable in society.

As an architect of the International Monetary Fund-supported Barbados Economic Recovery and  Transformation (BERT) programmes, Dr Greenidge ought to be acutely aware of the adverse impact of the austere economic measures on the Barbadian economy and society.

Indeed, there has been an increase in dispossession and poverty, high cost of living and high food prices impact negatively on the most vulnerable families, and inadequate spending on health and education presents challenges in the provision of these two key public services. Also, the state of accommodation for some public officers is undesirable, and there is a pressing need to upgrade the road infrastructure and improve the distribution of water to certain areas in the country.

The co-existence of growth and an increased unemployment rate is deserving of an explanation. It is accepted that the quantity variable (rather the price variable) in the nominal GDP calculation should have correspondence with employment, that is, the quantity variable should have a positive relationship with employment. Thus, if the nominal GDP in 2023 was influenced more by price increases rather than quantity increases, growth can occur with an increase in the unemployment rate.

The twin phenomenon of growth and an increased unemployment rate may also be explained by increased productivity in key economic activities by existing and new workers, while more non-productive workers exit the labour market through retirement, frustration with working conditions and remuneration, and cessation of welfare-type government programmes.

With regard to labour market statistics, it will be useful for the Central Bank in future reports to present labour force participation rates (percentage of persons within the eligible workforce seeking employment) for males and females, a disaggregation of the retirees in terms of those persons opting for early retirement and those leaving at the mandatory age, and statistics on youth unemployment.

The tourism sector was the main driver of growth in the economy in 2023. In expounding on the tourism arrival statistics, an unusual approach was utilised by the Central Bank in comparing arrivals for 2023 with average arrivals for 2017 to 2019. Such an approach masks the peak pre-pandemic performance in 2019 and overstates the relative performance of tourism in 2023.

A review of the tourism statistics indicates that long-stay arrivals of 636,540 in 2023 were 89.1 per cent of the 712,946 arrivals in 2019 (rather than 93 per cent if the average of 684,214 for 2017 to 2019 was used). Figures for cruise passengers were rather disappointing, with cruise arrivals in 2023 reaching 64.6 per cent of the level in 2019.

The performance of tourism, though on an upward trajectory since the pandemic, does not compare favourably with many of Barbados’ competitors, for example, Aruba, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Maarten, The Virgin Islands, and Turks and Caicos, which surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2022 and enjoyed new record arrival levels in 2023. Thus, the challenge of the tourism planners in Barbados is to intensify their marketing efforts in order to ensure that the 2019 peak level of performance can be surpassed in 2024.

The practice has been to rely on tourist arrivals as an index of growth and performance of tourism. However, it is recommended that the Central Bank augments its assessment of the tourism sector through the adoption of the recent suggestion by Professor Michael Howard to employ quantitative approaches to calculate net foreign exchange earnings from tourism and the multiplier effects of tourism on the economy.

The Central Bank report noted that the debt-GDP ratio declined from 120.3 per cent in 2022 to 115.5 per cent in 2023. With the size of the economy reaching nominal $12.8 billion, the level of public debt was $14.79 billion on December 31, 2023. Considering that the government’s debt payment obligations will amount to almost $1 billion for the financial year ending March 31, 2024, the level of debt stock of $14.79 billion at the end of 2023 is indicative of a continuation of the policy of excessive debt accumulation by the government.

The government continues to use the policy of excessive foreign borrowing (rather than earning foreign exchange) to maintain a healthy level of foreign reserves. According to the report, the gross international reserves reached about $3 billion (or 31.6 weeks of import cover) at the end of 2023, an increase of $227.2 million over 2022. This increase in reserves resulted from an inflow of policy-based loans.

Finally, it was stated that $1.9 billion in annual private sector investment is required for the economy to achieve a growth rate of 4 per cent in 2024 and for such growth performance to be sustained into the medium term. However, the Central Bank report does not provide any information on a private sector plan to achieve the targeted level of investment. The lack of specifics on investment raises uncertainty about the economy achieving projected growth rates.

While the news of economic growth, driven mainly by the resurgence of the tourism sector, is welcomed, the Central Bank Governor is urged to temper his excitement about the economy given the following realities: unbalanced nature of growth with the economy heavily reliant on tourism, persistent high prices are contributing to the growth of nominal GDP and transaction-based taxation revenues, increased cost of external borrowing, constraining economic impact of the high tax regime, and the depressing social and economic impact of the austere measures in the BERT programmes.

Anthony Wood is a senior economist, former Cabinet minister in the Owen Arthur administration and former lecturer in economics, banking and finance at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus.

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Pebbles Beach, a popular spot for racehorses from the nearby Garrison Savannah going for a sea bath, became the scene of tragedy with the death of owner and trainer Xavier Blanch, who is believed to have drowned while taking a horse for a morning swim.

Blanch’s lifeless body was found on the beach around 5:44 a.m. According to the police, the 47-year-old resident of Padmore Village, St Philip was recovered from the scene by another man. He was confirmed dead by a medical doctor.

His death plunged the Barbados Turf Club into shock and mourning as fellow turfites remembered a prominent member of the racing community.

Turf Club liaison officer Mohommed Mohamad said Blanch died while caring for one of his horses.

“We understand that Xavier was swimming one of his horses when he encountered difficulties, leading to this unfortunate incident,” said Mohamad. “It’s a great loss to the racing community.”

Blanch was known not only for his skills as a trainer but also for his colourful personality. “He was very outspoken and sometimes radical but always brought a unique energy to the sport. 

“He had a few notable winners, including horses like Fantastic Francis and 9.69, which stand out in his career,” Mohamad recalled.

Fellow horse trainer Shakib Kellman described Blanch, who owned about nine horses, as a father figure to him. 

“He always put me on the right path, he’s a loving man, he always keep [to] his own corner . . . He was like a father to me,” he said, struggling to process the news of Blanch’s sudden death.

Police are asking anyone with information that can assist the investigations to contact the Hastings/Worthing Police Station on 430 7612, Police Emergency 211, Crime Stoppers at 1 800 TIPS (8477) or the nearest police station. (LG)

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The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has revealed a concerning rise in exam irregularities, driven by the increased use of smartphones and smartwatches to cheat during the May/June 2024 exam period.

Speaking at the official release ceremony for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results in Roseau, Dominica, Dr Nicole Manning, the director of operations for CXC’s Examination Services Division, reported that examiners had encountered a disturbing spike in cheating incidents.

Some 50 instances of candidates caught using cell phones during exams were reported compared to 36 last year—a jump that the CXC official described as concerning.

One particularly troubling incident involved a candidate who admitted to doing an online search during the exam, while another case saw the resurgence of impersonation, where individuals attempted to take exams on behalf of others.

“One candidate said they were googling the question . . . we are not just making this up,” she said. “Candidates have to sign and agree to what happened.”

The penalties for such offences are severe, with candidates facing disqualification and a two-year ban from sitting any CXC exams.

“You also have unauthorised materials where candidates try to take paper [with information] in and they are caught . . . and sometimes candidates share information [with each other],” the official said.

Dr Manning also noted that the rise in irregularities correlates with reports of increased absenteeism, with students citing a lack of preparation as the reason for either skipping exams or attempting to cheat.

The director emphasised that the council is committed to investigating the root causes of these irregularities and working with educational stakeholders to find solutions. She called for a collective effort to reinforce the values of ethics and integrity among
students. 

(SM)

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Firearm and ammunition charges sent a 20-year-old general worker on remand at Dodds for the next 28 days.

Tyrese Kadar Odle, of Rogers Road, Grazettes, St Michael appeared before Magistrate Alison Burke on Tuesday charged with having a gun in his possession without a valid licence and three rounds of ammunition with the necessary permit on August 17—charges he could not plead to as they are indictable and can only be adjudicated in the High Court.

The accused, who is not represented by legal counsel, was remanded to make his next appearance before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on September 17.

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Attorney-at-law Andrew Pilgrim made a successful bail application for a client on Tuesday on the basis that the prosecution’s objections were woefully “inadequate”.

His client, Jason Henderson Goddard, 43, of Redman Village, St Thomas, is facing a charge of stealing Dale Montague’s motor car valued at $15 000 between July 12 and 13.

The labourer could not plead as the charge is an indictable offence when he appeared before Magistrate Alison Burke in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecutor Ralph Rollock objected to Goddard being granted bail because investigations were still ongoing and there were fears that he would interfere with the probe. The prosecutor also pointed to the nature of the offence and Goddard’s prior conviction for a similar offence though he conceded that it was of some “vintage”, given that it was in 1998.

In his reply, Pilgrim KC who represents Goddard with attorney-at-law Kristen Vanderpool argued that the nature of the offence was not enough to deny an accused bail “given the new Bail Act“.

Pilgrim contended: “That objection does not assist the court in any way. The antecedent is 26 years old; it does not assist the court either.”

The defence counsel also countered the objection that the accused would interfere with the investigation if granted bail.

“On what basis?” the defence lawyer queried. “Because you can’t just say that. Why, because he is a rasta? Because he is wearing gold buckle shoes? You had him in custody for the last four days. To say he may interfere . . . is in my humble submission inadequate. The alleged vehicle is in police custody, what is the peril . . . the question is does he have a surety”.

Magistrate Burke then ruled in favour of the defence and offered Goddard $10 000 bail which he secured with a surety.

The case against the accused was then adjourned to January 8, 2025.

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A 21-year-old man facing a charge of seriously harming a woman was remanded to Dodds on Monday after spending a few weeks being assessed at the Psychiatric Hospital.

Davyn Ajani Adamson  of Lower Richmond Gap, St Michael is now scheduled to make his next appearance before Magistrate Manila Renee in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on September 2.

Adamson is accused of inflicting serious bodily harm on Trinity Addison on July 25.

Before Magistrate Alison Burke on Monday, prosecutor Sergeant Richard Ellis objected to bail over fears that the accused would re-offend if granted bail as the complainant also lived in the same house.

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As students across the Caribbean received their Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) results, a concerning picture has emerged, highlighting systemic issues within the region’s education system, a parent advocate has said.

Only 4.9 per cent of Caribbean students – close to 200 000 annual candidates for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate exams – achieved passes in five or more subjects, including Mathematics and English, according to figures released by CXC on Tuesday. Furthermore, only 36 per cent of the total candidates passed the Mathematics CSEC exam, with pass rates fluctuating between 34 per cent and 43 per cent from 2021 to 2023.

These trends were described as “disturbing” by Paula-Anne Moore, spokesperson and coordinator of the Group of Concerned Parents, Barbados, and the Caribbean Coalition for Exam Redress. Moore warned of the long-term implications: “The cumulative effects of years of such results are deeply concerning, especially given the well-established links between educational outcomes and negative societal impacts such as crime.”

Moore questioned the lack of a clear remedial plan from CARICOM governments to address these persistent issues, and whether the CXC had adjusted its grading to account for the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, as other international exam bodies had done.

The activist also highlighted the reliance on an “industry” in private lessons to achieve CXC exam success, suggesting that this “locks out the majority”. 

“This is unconscionable and is indicative that something systemic must be wrong with either the syllabi or the school environment,” she said.

As he released the results from this year’s exam, CXC Registrar Dr Wayne Wesley echoed the fundamental importance of English and Mathematics, stating that a pass in these subjects is usually the minimum academic requirement for employment. But Moore expressed disappointment with the CXC report’s silence on the CAPE Chemistry Unit 1 and 2 results, which had been deemed “deeply problematic” by numerous regional master teachers, students, and parents.

Moore added: “This suggests not only challenges with testing – such as the 20 000-signature petition outlining concerns regarding the 2024 CSEC Maths Paper 2, which was ignored by CXC – but also broader issues within the CARICOM education ecosystem. Too many children are graduating from primary and secondary school without the remedial help they need.”

Moore further stressed the gravity of the situation, citing Dr Wesley’s acknowledgement that each year, approximately 11 500 young people fail to make the standard to access higher education or secure employment beyond unskilled manual work. 

“The issue with CSEC Mathematics is only the tip of a regional educational crisis,” Moore added, suggesting there was an urgent need for comprehensive educational reform across the Caribbean. (RG)

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Individual action continued on Tuesday evening in Georgetown, Guyana, with the men’s and women’s finals in the 2024 ENET Senior Caribbean Championships. Under the auspices of the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA), the championships include competition for men and women in Open, 40+, 50+, and 60+ age groups.

Whereas Guyana are defending team champions, Barbados have been the top dogs in one-on-one play of late. Defending men’s champion Khamal Cumberbatch contested his third consecutive final on Tuesday evening. The only other Barbadian to reach a Senior CASA men’s final was his eldest brother, Gavin, who won his gold medal in 2007.

Barbadian women have been even more dominant. The CASA Senior Championships have been contested since 1977. In the last 15 years, dating back to 2005, however, Bajan women have contested 14 finals, winning six of them.

This time around, both 2023 champions were out to etch their names even further in history’s page.

The action got underway on Court 3 with the women’s final. Prow, a winner last year over Guyana’s Nicolette Fernandes, this time met another Guyanese woman, Mary Fung-A-Fat. The latter was a losing finalist in 2014, when Barbados hosted CASA.

And the diminutive Fung-A-Fat was a losing finalist again a decade later, as the top-seeded Prow breezed past her, winning 11-6, 11-2, 11-7. Prow pushed her opponent around the court, seemingly effortlessly, to take the gold in dominant fashion.

The reigning men’s champ and losing 2022 finalist had a slightly tougher proposition on his hands, in the person of Julian Jervis from the Cayman Islands. Jervis gave all he had in the first two sets, but Cumberbatch was able to stake himself to a two-set lead, 13-11, 11-9. In the final rubberer, it was straight work for Cumberbatch, winning 11-5 to take the gold.

Also making the women’s semifinal was Barbados’s Amanda Haywood. She lost to Prow on Monday night, whilst 2022 winner Ashley Khalil lost to Mary Fung-A-Fat. On Tuesday, in advance of the finals matchups, Haywood came through a nail biting seesaw battle to take third place in five sets: 11-9, 9-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-6.

President of the Barbados Squash Racquets Association, Craig Archer applauded the achievements of the two champions.

“Fantastic performances from both defending champions, Margot Prow, and Khamal Cumberbatch to repeat as champions and both from the same country,” he told Barbados TODAY. “Truly epic and never been done before. Back to back champions from the same country.

“Also really pleased for Amanda Haywood to win the bronze medal against a former Caribbean Ladies Champion, Ashley Khalil. Now for the doubles and onto the team event. Go Barbados!”

The champions teamed up for mixed doubles as well, taking down the Caymanian pair of Kion Knights and Sydney Wallace 11-1, 11-3 in the opening round of play. They now play the top-ranked Jamaican team of Dane Schwier and Sanjana Nallapati in Wednesday’s semifinals.

Darien Benn and Shawn Simpson will play men’s doubles on Wednesday morning against Leonel Sorrillo and Seth Thong of TRinidad & Tobago. Haywood and Sumaira Suleman got a first-round bye in the women’s doubles. They meet the Cayman Islands duo of Michaela Rensburg and Emma Turnbull in the semifinals on Wednesday morning.

(TF)

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The third iteration of the Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) 2024 starts on Wednesday August 21, in Trinidad & Tobago. Three teams will compete in a double round robin format. All matches will be played at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.

This year’s WCPL has attracted a number of new faces, including some of the biggest international stars in the women’s game. The format means each team will play the other two teams twice and the top two teams will play in the final on Thursday August 29.

Ahead of the first ball on Wednesday, the tournament was officially launched on Monday evening in Port of Spain. Tournament director Michael Hall said that the care and attention being put into the women’s game matches that which goes into men’s cricket from the CPL perspective. But he notes that the addition of a women’s league is simply reflective of global trends towards greater inclusion in sport.

“It is a great pleasure for us to be staging the third edition of the WCPL,” he said. “Four years ago when we were approached by Cricket West Indies with the idea of staging a tournament that would help us to showcase the best of women’s cricket from the region as well as some of the best from overseas, we immediately jumped at the opportunity.

“The face of sport globally is changing. And is becoming far more cognisant of the value of women’s sport and we certainly recognise that. And so we’re very very happy to play our small part in promoting women’s sport. We think this is a wonderful opportunity for all

of the players who play in this tournament, but in particular those from here in the Caribbean. It presents an opportunity for them to showcase their skills to a huge global audience.

“We make sure that the pictures that we send to the rest of the world are as good as those which we send when the men’s tournament takes place. Same level of coverage. Same

number of cameras. Same technology.”

The defending champion Barbados Royals will be captained by Hayley Matthews. Former West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor is in charge of the Guyana Amazon Warriors. And Deandra Dottin leads the Trinbago Knight Riders. Matthews and Taylor are rated in the top 10 T20 all-rounders internationally while Dottin is one of the most destructive batters in the women’s game,

Barbados’ Shakera Selman will be playing for the Amazon Warriors, who made the 2023 final. She, too, hailed the advent of professional women’s cricket in the region, suggesting that it can do a great deal to spur growth and improvement.

“First of all I would like to say ‘Thank you’ to CPL and Cricket West Indies for ensuring that we finally have a women’s franchise tournament in the Caribbean,” she began. “For many years the females have been asking for this tournament. And watching the men’s  tournament we felt that we had a lot of talent to display as well.

“We are very happy that CPL decided to invest in the women’s game in the Caribbean. Of course we all know and we have seen what franchise tournaments around the globe have done for women’s cricket in particular countries.

“You look at Australia, England with The Hundred, and India, the impact it has had on their

Improvement. By doing this, we hope that it can do the same thing here in the Caribbean. As well we’re very excited that the game is growing and that it has attracted players from all

around the globe.”

Selman expressed the belief that the WCPL can help unearth more great players for the West Indies going forward. She said she is hopeful that the young players from the region will seize the opportunity to put their talent and ability on display.

The Barbados Royals play the Guyana Amazon Warriors from 7:00 pm on Wednesday night.

(TF)

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A man was knocked down by a car along Prince Alfred Street in The City just after 2 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon.

One eyewitness, who was on her way to buy lunch, recounted the sudden turn of events that left her shaken.

“I was going towards Western Union, so I am walking on the right-hand side of the road and when I cross over I heard a speed and a screech coming around the corner. When I looked down, I saw this car all the way out of control, ride the banking and hit the man, so I run to the Chefette door because I thought the car was coming to hit me too.”

The driver of the vehicle stopped and ran over to the accident victim. Police and emergency services personnel quickly arrived on the scene and attended to the victim, who was later taken to hospital by ambulance.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing. (BT)

A man was knocked down by a car along Prince Alfred Street in The City just after 2 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon.

One eyewitness, who was on her way to buy lunch, recounted the sudden turn of events that left her shaken.

“I was going towards Western Union, so I am walking on the right-hand side of the road and when I cross over I heard a speed and a screech coming around the corner. When I looked down, I saw this car all the way out of control, ride the banking and hit the man, so I run to the Chefette door because I thought the car was coming to hit me too.”

The driver of the vehicle stopped and ran over to the accident victim. Police and emergency services personnel quickly arrived on the scene and attended to the victim, who was later taken to hospital by ambulance.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing. (BT)

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Barbados left it late to put Antigua & Barbuda away in their final game of Tier II Group A in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under-14 Boys Challenge. With a +11 goal difference, even a loss to the young Benna Boys would have had little effect on them advancing to the semifinals on Friday.

In the event, the management team opted to field essentially a second eleven for their group finale. Rested was captain Jamarco Johnson, who had scored five times in the three matches prior. Maleek Peters had two. And Sacha Pounder one.

The Antiguans, though, proved to be resilient. Despite the Bajans earning a number of first-half chances, they were unable to get the go-ahead goal within the first 35. For the first time in four games, they were stymied at the interval.

In fact, it was not until after the cooling break 20 minutes into the second period that Barbados truly began to come alive. It might have had something to do with the bit of refreshment, and the opportunity to refine strategy during the break. But more than likely, it was the introduction of the talisman, Johnson.

A student at the St Michael School, and a member of Kickstart Rush Football Club, Johnson has played at this level before. In fact, he was also in the national Under-15 squad in 2023.

Shortly after coming on, he showed off his experience and speed to get to the edge of the 18-yard box, where it took two Antiguan defenders to stop him. In so doing, however, they unceremoniously brought the Barbados captain to the ground, and handed their opponents a free kick.

Pounder, too, had been brought on as a substitute. Another Kickstart man, and a student at St Winifreds School, he it was who stood over the ball. Addressing it perfectly, he unleashed a kick that curled off his left boot into the top corner.

The Bajans were ahead with 11 minutes to go in regulation, and on their way to a perfect record. But they weren’t done just yet.

Once again it was Johnson, navigating his way through Antiguan defenders, and onto the edge of the six-yard box. Denied at close range, the rebound from his shot fell to Pounder, with a chance at a second. The ball was kicked away from his feet, but fell to Peters, himself the first of the substitutes to come on in the first half.

With everyone scrambling, and three minutes remaining until the final clock wound down, the Ellerslie boy kept his cool and collected his third goal of the competition, sealing the deal for Barbados, and making it four wins from four games.

It was the first clean sheet for the young Tridents, after conceding at least one goal in each of their first three fixtures. Pounder was named player of the match, an honour that Johnson and Peter had lifted in earlier games.

Following Tuesday’s slate of games, Barbados is the top team from the Tier II preliminaries. The young Tridents are now set to play the Turks & Caicos Islands on Friday from 4:00 pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.

(TF)

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The Masters rolled back the years with the Old and Drag Down (ODD) team winning two of their matches, as the 39th Barbados International Hockey Festival continued Tuesday at the home of hockey in Wildey.

The week-long festival resumed at the National Hockey Centre in Wildey with several matches on the fixture and ODD with several notable veterans were outstanding, scoring a 2-0 win over Hikers and returned later in the day to edge A Badd Connection (ABC) 1-0.

Defending Masters champions University of the West Indies (UWI) Blackbirds were held to a 0-0 draw against All Stars. Earlier in the day All Stars buried NY Islanders 4-0 with a goal from Laurando Davis in the sixth minute, while teammates Terrance Prescod (9th), Errol Clarke (28th) and Karen Bannister (37th), all contributed after.

NY Islanders again struggled in the Master’s division when they were defeated 3-1 against Hikers led by goal scorers, Amanda Garrett in the 17th, Harry France in the 20th and Sharteza King in the 23rd minutes respectively.

In the Mixed category, title holders Rockets were unstoppable, defeating ABC 2-0, with a field goal from Dario Lewis in the 6th minute followed by a penalty corner from Marlon Daniel in the 30th.

Rockets, moving at a rather swift pace to advance into the playoff round, easily dominated 3-0 over the Madhatters. Once again, thank you Lewis was in the mix, scoring a field goal in the 37th minute while veteran player Angela Thompson added two goals in the 24th and 40th minute of the game.

Hikers won 2-1 against UWI when those two met in the Mixed competition but the UWI Blackbirds pecked ABC 1-0 with Ahijah Springer registering the lone goal in the fourth minute.

Unfortunately for UWI Blackbirds, they failed to win their two men’s games against Total Hockey Club (THC) 1-0 and ABC 2-0. The women did not disappoint however, they edged Toronto United 3-2 and commanded Du Badd 2-0.

Du Badd’s men held Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) to a 0-0 result and won 2-0 when they took on Barbados Union of Teachers. ABC men’s team went down 2-0 when they faced THC.

The Barbados International Hockey Festival was started in 1985 by Mike Owen, a well known hockey enthusiast;renowned cricket commentator, Tony Cozier; and Winsmore Humphrey, then President of the Barbados Hockey Federation.

(AS)

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Police confirm that a 22-year-old woman died in a road accident along Welches Road, Christ Church this afternoon.

Police Spokesman Rodney Inniss identified the woman as Tishana Jamelia Ward of Husbands, St James.

He said Ward was the pillion rider on a motorcycle that was involved in a collision with a vehicle owned by the Barbados Police Service.

“The rider lost control and collided on the sidewalk and she was pronounced dead at the scene,” Inniss said, revealing that the male rider was also seriously injured and transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital via ambulance.

Inniss said personnel in the police vehicle were not injured.

Investigations are continuing.

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Police are seeking the public’s assistance to help locate a missing girl.

She is Britney Hinds, 16, of St Catherine’s New Road, St Philip.

She left her the residence of her mother Lisa Hinds of the said address, sometime between 11p.m on Monday 19th of August and 7:48 a.m on Tuesday 20th August. Her clothing is unknown.

Britney is about five feet, ten inches tall, slim and has a dark complexion. She has a long pointed face, small eyes and small nose. She also has a tattoo of the words Tre for live over her right breast and has faux locks down her back.

She walks with an erect appearance and has a pleasant manner.

Britney frequents the Nursery Drive Terminal, Bridgetown in general, Bibby’s Lane and Sargeant’s Village.

Anyone knowing Britney whereabouts is asked to contact the District ‘C’ Police Station at 416-8200, Police Emergency at 211, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIPS (8477), or any Police Station.

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The Barbados Police Service is seeking the public’s assistance to help locate Devon David Lashley, alias Marty or Makaveli, 26, who is wanted for questioning in connection with serious criminal matters.

Lashley, whose last known address is Thornbury Hill, Christ Church has a dark complexion and is slim. He has a long face, pointed nose and small ears.

Lashley is advised that he can present himself to the Criminal Investigations Department of the District ‘A’ Police Station located at Station Hill, St. Michael accompanied by an attorney-at-law of his choice.
Any person, who may know Lashley’s whereabouts is asked to contact C.I.D. personnel at the District ‘A’ Police Station at telephone numbers 430-7270 or 430-7295, Police Emergency at 211, Crime Stoppers at 1 800-8477 or the nearest Police Station.

Members of the public are also reminded that it is a serious offence to harbour or assist wanted persons. Any person caught committing this offence can be prosecuted.

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The Barbados Police Service is seeking the public’s assistance to help locate Jonathan Antonio Campbell, alias Twin man or Al Pacino 18 , who is wanted for questioning in connection with serious criminal matters.

Campbell, whose last known address is # 36 Lascelles Terrace, Pinelands, St. Michael has a dark complexion and is slim. He has an oval head, medium ears and thick lips.

Campbell is advised that he can present himself to the Criminal Investigations Department of the District ‘A’ Police Station located at Station Hill, St. Michael accompanied by an attorney-at-law of his choice.

Any person, who may know Jonathan’swhereabouts is asked to contact C.I.D. personnel at the District ‘A’ Police Station at telephone numbers 430-7270 or 430-7295, Police Emergency at 211, Crime Stoppers at 1 800-8477 or the nearest Police Station.

Members of the public are also reminded that it is a serious offence to harbour or assist wanted persons. Any person caught committing this offence can be prosecuted.

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Barbados is set to introduce plea bargaining to the criminal justice system, following the Senate’s approval of the Criminal Justice Pre-Negotiations and Agreement Act on Wednesday.

The government is expecting the legislation to bring significant changes to how criminal cases are handled, with a focus on streamlining the judicial process and reducing court backlogs.

The Bill, introduced in the Upper Chamber by Senator Chad Blackman, was hailed as a major step in ongoing efforts to reform the justice system. Plea bargaining, a practice that allows defendants to plead guilty to lesser charges in exchange for reduced sentences, is seen as a means of expediting justice and easing the burden on court resources.

Senator Blackman, minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment, emphasised the benefits of the Bill during the Senate debate.

“Simply put, it’s really an arrangement between the prosecution and the defendant. Of course, in criminal matters where the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a more lenient sentence,” he said, highlighting the potential for greater efficiency.

He added: “Plea bargains really allow for the defendant to cooperate in the pursuit of justice, helping the justice system invariably to move more quickly in getting to the bottom of criminal matters. Now, this government, from the time it was elected in 2018, has been working assiduously in the process of reforming Barbados’ criminal justice system.”

The introduction of plea bargaining in Barbados follows a trend seen in other Caribbean nations, including the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, Senator Blackman noted, as he sought to assure fellow lawmakers that the country is following a well-established path.

A key feature of the Bill is its voluntary nature, ensuring that neither the State nor the defendant is obligated to engage in plea negotiations. Additionally, it mandates legal representation for the accused during negotiations, a safeguard to protect the defendant’s rights.

“There is no obligation on the state to enter into plea negotiations. . .it’s voluntary,” Blackman reiterated, stressing that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) must ensure the accused is represented by an attorney during the process. “That’s to protect your interests, your rights, and also to ensure that the process is not seemingly unfair.”

The Bill also places a strong emphasis on transparency and fairness, with specific provisions addressing the rights of victims, he said. Victims will be informed of any plea negotiations and will have the opportunity to present victim impact statements.

“To protect this interest of the victim, they must be given a chance to make a victim impact statement,” Senator Blackman explained, adding that the DPP is required to inform victims when a plea agreement is being negotiated, ensuring their voices are heard even if the case does not go to trial.

Another aspect of the legislation is the allowance for post-sentence plea negotiations, where convicted individuals can provide valuable information to assist in ongoing investigations in exchange for a reduced sentence. But Senator Blackman made clear that such agreements will only be accepted if the information is deemed genuinely useful.

“If the information turns out to be not useful, then the agreement is rejected,” he said. “What is clear is that this Bill allows us as a country to ensure that there’s that continued efficiency. . .whilst we’re doing that efficiently and speeding up the process in the criminal justice system, that we’re also taking full cognisance of the rights of the accused but also the interests of the victims.”

The Criminal Justice Pre-Negotiations and Agreement Act now goes to President Dame Sandra Mason for her assent to become law.

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People who are interested in attending the Reflections on the Road to Freedom public discussion featuring the former First Lady of Mozambique and South Africa, Dame Graça Machel, are encouraged to sign up to reserve their seating.

The dynamic exchange on the concept of freedom and emancipation within the 21st century and what it means for people of African descent, especially women, will be held at the Frank Collymore Hall, Church Village, Bridgetown, on Friday, August 23, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Individuals may sign up for the event by clicking the following link: https://bit.ly/46RBx79.

A shuttle service will operate from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Grounds from 5:50 to 11:00 p.m. to take patrons to the venue.

For further information, persons may call the Division of Culture, Prime Minister’s Office, at 535-5844 or 535-5852. (BGIS)

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