An unemployed St Philip man denied unlawfully and maliciously wounding Deborah Straughn on October 9.

Damien Hosea Clarke of Marley Vale pleaded not guilty before Acting Chief Magistrate Christopher Birch earlier yesterday.

The accused first appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on Saturday. He was granted $6,000 bail by Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant and warned to stay away from the complainant and her son.

Today, the District ‘C’ Court continued the same bail for Clarke and adjourned the case until next January 25. Clarke was represented by attorney-at-law Ajamu Boardi.

Barbadians transacting business in the busy Swan Street shopping area no longer have to fear being trapped in a raging inferno in virtually any of the stores located there.

A majority of storeowners have sought to comply with the fire prevention code outlined by officers of Fire Prevention Unit of the Barbados Fire Service, Acting Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard disclosed to reporters today shortly after taking a fact-finding tour of the Swan Street shopping area.

Acting Chief Fire Officer, Errol Maynard, (left) has a word with tenant of Mall 16 on Swan Street, while Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Lloydson Phillips looks on.

Maynard, who was accompanied by Deputy Chief Fire Officer Lloydson Phillips; the officer in charge of the Fire Prevention Unit, Henderson Patrick and five fire prevention officers said many of the business owners in Swan Street are taking the necessary preventive measures to make their premises safe for workers and customers.

Fire Prevention Officer, Natasha Forde (left) explains how a fire extinguisher is used, while manager of Blessings Boutique, Deidre Thorne, listens intently.       

“We still have a few owners that we have to work with. We recognize that in some cases it is an expensive exercise to retrofit some properties. Some of the businesses do not have the capacity to create an alternative exit so we are working with them to ensure that the safety of the workers and customers is not compromised. However, I would say that many businesses in Swan Street are compliant,” he said.

Pointing out that the presence of fire prevention officers in Swan Street was not a reaction to the Campus Trendz tragedy in September 2012, Maynard said his officers were carrying out inspections long before that tragic incident.

“The Campus Trendz issue might have brought a lot of deficiencies to light that would have existed. People obviously were outraged by the incident, but our officers were there long before the Campus Trendz issue. It is not a reactive exercise, we would have had this programme in place already,” Maynard said.

Responding to a query on the location of fire hydrants on Swan Street, the fire chief said there are there, but they are underground.

He said that going forward he would recommend to Government officials that a few pillar hydrants are installed so that they can be easily seen easily.

During a ceremony to observe the fifth anniversary of the Campus Trendz tragedy on September 3, leading crusader against domestic violence Leisel Daisley complained that there were still young women working in unsafe “one-door” stores. She also suggested that there had been little to no progress in terms of safety in the five years since the fire that took the lives of six young women.

Daisley said she was “sick and tired” of empty and broken promises made by the authorities with regard to passing legislation for an enforceable building code. “It is time for action,” she said at the time.

“Imagine the four young ladies who have to work in that store every day, all day. Imagine how they feel with no windows, no extra door in case there is an emergency, one way in and one way out,” said Daisley at the time.

Campus Trendz victims Pearl Amanda Cornelius, 18, Kelly Ann Welch, 24, Shanna Griffith, 18, Nikita Belgrave, 23, Tiffany Harding, 23 and Kellisha Ovivierre, 24, perished inside the one door Tudor Street boutique after it was firebombed during a robbery. A young man is serving six life sentences for the crime.

Seven-year-old Jaloni Browne, a student of the Learning Centre, is now one stroke closer to learning to swim, thanks
to the Colony Club Hotel’s Sustainable Living Group.

Over the next year, Jaloni will attend the Learn To Swim Programme at Underwater Barbados, where he will be taught the basics of swimming, kayaking and snorkelling, as well as be exposed to other activities, including beach walks, fishing and turtle watching.

Learning Centre headteacher Dawn Rudder explained that 15 other students were enrolled in the programme and
she had seen the benefits.

“Our students who attend this programme all have one thing in common –– they are more confident; and this is very noticeable –– especially in the classroom, which is extremely important.

“So when Colony Club approached us about our specific needs at this time, I immediately thought of Jaloni and how helpful the swimming lessons would be for him. This will be his first time learning to swim and taking part in all the
other activities.

“I want to thank Colony for their assistance as activities such as these may be the norm for the average person, but are a great experience for children with special needs.”

Colony operations manager and Sustainable Living Group leader Lisa Batson  explained that the group was started in 2013 as part of the property’s mission to be more environmentally friendly.

“One of our first projects was the planting of a fruit tree at the Learning Centre on Arbor Day. This led to our adopting the school as part of our community outreach programme as we are committed to helping young Barbadians with learning disabilities.

“Since then we have worked with the principal, teachers and students at the Centre assisting with fund-raising and special projects, providing volunteer services, and donating items,”
Batson added.

She said the funds for Jaloni’s swimming lessons were raised by the group at a number of the resort’s Farmer’s Markets.

A St Michael man is expected to appear in the District “A” Magistrates’ Court today on charges of fraud to the tune of $200, 000.

Police arrested and charged Lester Howell of Brittons Hill with nine counts of fraud offences which were allegedly committed between February and October this year.

The charges include criminal deception, going equip, uttering a forged instrument and theft of money.

A seventh man has been arrested and charged in connection with the murder of Jamal Worrell.

Rico Jabarry McClean, 23, of Fairfield Cross Road, Black Rock, St Michael will appear in the District “E” Magistrates’ Court today charged with Worrell’s shooting death which occurred at the Bleak, Indian Ground, St Peter.

Worrell lost his life on October 2.

Six other St Michael men ranging for ages 20 to 39 are currently on remand in connection with his death.

Two young boys have been taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment for injuries sustained in an accident on Sion Hill Road, St James this afternoon.

Police Public Relations Officer Assistant Superintendent David Welch said the accident involved a vehicle driven by a St Thomas resident, Tanya Mayers, and two brothers aged four and seven.

The boys were taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance, however the extent of their injuries are unknown at this time.

Welch said however, their injuries are not life-threatening.

Much ado about nothing!

That’s how St James North MP Edmund Hinkson is treating the public squabble between Christ Church West Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Maria Agard and the branch executive.

“As far as I am concerned within the scheme of things it is insignificant,” he told Barbados TODAY, after he joined the Aron and Christina Truss Foundation which presented tablets to Class 3 students at
the St Alban’s Primary School this morning.

Some constituents have accused Dr Agard of “having a high level of disconnect” with the constituency, an accusation which she has rubbished in defence of her stewardship of the seat regarded as a BLP stronghold.

Hinkson, her parliamentary colleague, insisted that he would not ”make any judgment on the issue whatsoever,” maintaining that much bigger issues were at stake.

He said the BLP must focus on improving the quality of life of Barbadians and look ahead to forming a government that would do well by the people whenever the next election is called.

“Right now we are going through in Barbados the worst period in our socio-economic situation that we have encountered since independence. Under this Democratic Labour Party Government we have reached the brink of disaster, our economy has not shown growth at any stage of the seven and a half years of the Democratic Labour Party.  They have broken every promise that they have made to the people of Barbados, whether it is in terms of transparency of Government or stability; whether it is in terms of paying back CLICO depositors their funds, whether it is in terms of the economy improving. What more can the Barbadian people take?”

Against this background he urged his party not be detracted.

Hinkson said the BLP was grounded in providing proper representation to the country at all levels and that must remain the single focus.

“What I am certainly going to urge is that all of us came into public life with one ostensible purpose in mind, that is to serve our people, to serve first our constituents and to serve wider Barbadians and to improve the quality of life of the people of this country; and we must never forget that purpose and everything we must do we must never forget that aim. “

“I would really urge the country as well to let us forget and focus on the real issues which confront this nation and the fact that we have the worst Government that is frankly the worst since adult suffrage.”

Earlier this month, BLP leader Mia Mottley echoed similar sentiments, saying that her party was all about representation.

“Representation is what it is all about. Representation and being the voice for the voiceless, taking a stand for people when no one else will and the display of courage and compassion and affability.

“Our mission is not simply to make a better life for our people, but in every aspect of what we do to uplift them, to defend them, to protect them and to do so in a selfless matter. It is a feature that this Government has failed to recognize,” Mottley stressed at the time.

sandydeane@barbadostoday.bb

The Barbados Government is still weighing the pros and cons of the legalization of marijuana for medical uses, Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite has revealed.

Brathwaite told a forum on crime and its effects on community-based tourism hosted by the St Philip Parish Independence Committee at the Princess Margaret Secondary School last evening that while the issue has been heating up regionally and internationally research shows that there is not a strong lobby for the substance to be legalized here.

Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite

“Believe it or not, based on a study that we had conducted recently even though the information suggest that there is a wider tolerance to use of marijuana it was about 51/49 per cent of the persons canvassed; in other words it isn’t this large lobby for us to immediately go the root of Jamaica and what St Vincent has been signalling,” the Minister of Home Affairs said.

He revealed that while advocates have been pushing for the legalization of the substance they have not done the analysis in terms of the other side of the message.

“Which is whether or not they are encouraging the wider use of marijuana; whether it has any healthcare effects on the community, particularly on young people etcetera; and that’s the analysis that we are still doing.

“We have to do the analysis in terms of whether or not the smoking of marijuana on a frequent basis has any negative healthcare consequences to our young people. I don’t want to enter debate on this issue. We are not going to agree. I as a policymaker I owe it in terms of any policy I could come up with not just to a section of the community but to Barbados as a whole.”

He also made reference to a an article published in Barbados TODAY about the existence of a sophisticated hydroponics laboratory in a Christ Church community producing high grade marijuana.

Prominent criminal lawyer Arthur Holder made the revelation last month at a meeting of the St Michael Central constituency branch of the opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP).

However, Brathwaite said there was no truth to that claim, nor was there any truth that police were targeting the “little fella when it comes to marijuana.”

“I saw in the media recently an attorney-at-law suggesting that the police force are focusing on the little fella when it comes to marijuana but not focusing on persons that is growing it  . . . etcetera, etcetera. That is also untrue. In fact there is only one case I think last year when two persons where arrested somewhere in Christ Church so it is really untrue and uncharitable to suggest that the police are only after the little fella and not those wherever they are ,” he said. (FW)

A 63-year-old St Michael woman had a close brush with death today when she fell into a well estimated to be over 30 feet deep. Miraculously, she escaped with just a few scratches and bruises.

The well located behind Walter’s home is said to be more than 30 feet deep.

It was a terrifying experience for Margaret Walters of Pounders Gap, St Michael, coming 24 hours after Anthony “Bird” Walcott perished in a shocking freak accident when the bulldozer he was operating fell over 100 feet to the bottom of Carrington Quarry, St Philip.

“God kept me alive,” the soft-spoken woman told Barbados TODAY, shaking her head in disbelief.

Walters said it was her faith and will to live that kept her fighting after she fell straight into the well behind her home.

Walters who lives alone, explained that she was in her backyard cleaning up the mess created by a fallen banana tree. After completing her task, she noticed a tuft of grass growing from the well and decided to pull it.

To her surprise, the concrete slab covering the well gave way and she fell into the dark, wet hole.

“The whole thing just let go and I went straight down in the water. I start floating, I started kicking and I held onto the pipe leading from the sink. My body was flowing in the water and I tried to jam my back to the wall of the well and I shouted for help,” she told Barbados TODAY as she described her fight for survival.

Though Walters felt she was crying out as loudly as she could, screaming at the top of her voice, her immediate cries fell on deaf ears. But she was a determined woman and refused give up.

“I was shouting for my neighbour. I was calling ‘Kathy, Kathy’ but I couldn’t hear anybody.”

Later she learnt that her pleas for help did indeed reach her neighbour who at the time was speaking to two police officers.

“So then the police came, they couldn’t get in the house at first so I told him to break down the door. The police took two sheets off the bed and tied them together and they told me to take the sheet and form a knot around my hand but I told him I can’t let go because if I let go I going straight down.”

But the police officers who were being assisted by a male neighbour persisted and about half an hour later Walters was lifted to safety from the dark hole and rushed to the Black Rock polyclinic for treatment. Recounting the grim experience, Walter said it was horrific.

“It was scary. I was there for about half an hour. A lot of dirty water went into my mouth. There were a lot of dirty things in the water, but [I] managed to hold onto the pipe. It was God who kept me alive,” the relieved woman said.

Walters was thoroughly checked by medical personnel at the clinic and released. She later returned home counting her blessings.

“The doctor said nothing was broken but she wants me to go to the hospital to get an x-ray to make sure everything is ok.

“I am having pain in my right shoulder and there are a few bruises and scratches on legs and hands.”

Walter is praising her neighbours and especially the two police constables who visited her at the clinic while she was receiving medical attention, for saving her life.

“I am very grateful,” she said. “God kept me alive.”

sandydeane@barbadostoday.bb

Tourism boss warns that crime can hurt tourism

Crime, violence and social deviancy could place a choke hold on Barbados’ bread and butter industry, chief executive officer of the Barbados Tourism Product Authority Dr Kerry Hall has warned.

The top tourism official told a forum on crime and its effects on community-based tourism hosted by the St Philip Parish Independence Committee at the Princess Margaret Secondary School last evening that Barbados has attracted a “new type of tourist” that it simply cannot afford to lose.

“There is a new tourist out there that is driving what we call new tourism and this person is looking for more than a beach, they are looking to immerse themselves in the communities, in the culture of the destination. They want an authentic Barbadian experience.

“What I am saying is if this new traveller is looking to spread out and go into communities . . . if crime takes root and we cannot allow it to take root as for economic reasons. Barbados is the 15th most dependent country in the world on tourism out of 180 countries. That is serious, that means that anything that threatens [tourism] should be a cause of great concern to us all,” she maintained.

Dr Hall also revealed that the country has relied on the friendliness of its people, safety and the opportunity to relax as the three core elements that have been the foundation for the success of the tourism industry for 50 years.

“We cannot let those three elements slip away; they are the most critical,” she said.

“Tourism is also about bringing benefits to a nation; tourism is about ensuring; and what we want to ensure is that a wider cross section of Barbadians benefit from the prosperity that tourism brings. We want to spread the tourism, a special balance from the coastal part of this country into the rural areas, spreading that tourism dollar across this country and giving a wider cross-section of Barbadians an opportunity to interact and to benefit from that tourism dollar,” she added.

Past chairman for Crimestoppers Barbados Julie Dash made a similar appeal, stressing that Barbados could not afford to have its reputation for safety tarnished.

“Tourism being the goose that lays our golden egg we can not afford a single tourist to have a negative experience in Barbados. We just can’t stand it. We have to know that people can be safe here; we have been known as a safe destination for decades, we can’t let that stop now,” said Dash who is now the chairperson of Crimestoppers Bermuda, Latin America and the Caribbean.

However, Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs Adriel Brathwaite said the country is still a safe place for visitors. But he maintained that the right message should be go out to tourists.

“Do what you normally do at home, apply the same common sense. Yes you are on holiday, yes you are in a more relaxed mode but because you are on holiday does not mean that you leave your bags and valuables in the car unlocked and go about your business.

“Barbados still remains one of the safest places to travel in the world. It still remains one of the safest places to travel in the Caribbean. So yes we have some challenges at the community level and we need to make sure that we take the message to our young men and women in terms of what impact their behavior can potentially have on the tourists,” he said.  

Recko Antonio Joseph confessed today to a Bridgetown magistrate that the ganja which police found at his home on Monday was his.

The 35-year-old, appearing before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court No 2, pleaded guilty to possession, intent to supply, trafficking and cultivating the herb.

Acting on information received, police executed a search warrant at Joseph’s Whitehall #2, St Michael home, where they found a cakebox on a kitchen counter with a loose quantity of marijuana inside.

When lawmen searched outside, they found nine plants on his roof, in separate buckets.

Joseph admitted to police that the plants, which were one to four inches in height, and the loose cannabis, were his.

Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant fined Joseph $1,500 payable in three months with an alternative of six months in prison, on the counts of possession and cultivation.

He was reprimanded and discharged on the other two counts.

A presentencing report which was ordered for one of two men involved in a fight on Pinfold Street earlier this year was presented to the court today.

After taking the results into consideration, Magistrate Douglas Frederick placed the convicted man on 12 months’ probation, with mandatory psychological intervention as recommended by the probation officer.

Therefore, Kemal Antonio Roach must undergo counselling and if he breaches his probation, he will forfeit $750 forthwith or face a month in jail.

When Roach, 22, of Suttle Street, The City and Antonio Renaldo Todd, 28, of Ceres Land, Grazettes, St Michael first appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Douglas Frederick charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding each other, Roach pleaded guilty but Todd denied the charge.

Police facts said the two argued with each other on Pinfold Street. Roach took up a nearby piece of steel and swung it at Todd, hitting him in the back of his head and wounding him. This occurred after a substance was reportedly thrown on Roach. The two men then engaged in a fist fight which was parted by persons at the scene.

Both men later reported the matter to Central Police Station, before seeking medical attention and being charged later with similar offences.

Questioned by Magistrate Frederick on that occasion, Roach informed the court that he sells himself for a living and had been sexually abused as a child.

Roach’s father said he and his mother had been “trying with him” for some time but were not getting through to him.

One woman pleaded guilty to unlawfully and maliciously wounding another on September 30.

Lin-Marie Haydene Mayers of Bannister Land, Martindales Road, St Michael admitted to hitting Bianca Walcott twice with a rock on that date.

The District ‘A’ Magistrates’ court heard from Station Sergeant Irvin Kellman that Walcott was walking along River Road when she heard Mayers making remarks behind her.

Walcott ignored Mayers and continued walking. She went on to the premises of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and when she reached the canteen, Mayers and another person approached her.

Mayers then said: “I want you risk something.”

The complainant responded by telling Mayers to leave her alone, and walked away. Mayers then picked up a rock and threw it, hitting Walcott at the side of her face, close to the temple.

The two fought and Mayers was hit with Walcott’s umbrella during the scuffle. Two persons parted the fight and when Walcott stooped to pick up her cellular phone from the ground, Mayers hit her in the left side of the face again with the same rock.

Walcott fell to the ground unconscious.

During an interview later with police, Mayers admitted hitting Walcott with the rock but claimed that Walcott had hit her first.

Today, in court before Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant, Mayers said she had “nothing to say”.

A presentencing report was ordered and Mayers returns to court on December 11.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart tonight told Caribbean Community (CARICOM) agencies which benefit from millions of Barbadian taxpayer dollars, to spend that money prudently.

Delivering the feature address at the official opening of the new state of the art headquarters of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) in the Pine, St Michael, Stuart cautioned regional agencies that economic challenges are forcing his administration to be prudent in its expenditure.

“When Barbados provides the headquarters for a CARICOM institution it assumes payment of the rental and related charges,” the Prime Minister informed the gathering of dignitaries that included Minister of Education Ronald Jones, CXC chairman Professor Sir Hilary Beckles and Director-General of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Dr Didacus Jules, a former CXC registrar.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart

“In 2014, Barbados paid approximately $20 million in total contributions to CARICOM institutions which included an amount of approximately $6.6 million for CARICOM agencies based in Barbados, some 13 in number,” disclosed Stuart, who is the current chairman of CARICOM.

Of this sum, Stuart revealed the largest single amount of $1.8 million, including payment of rent, was spent on CXC. He said he was trying to highlight the effort which Barbados has been prepared to make in the interest of regional integration in all areas of functional cooperation and particularly in education.

“When, therefore, Barbados’ commitment to CARICOM is questioned, as happens from time to time, examples like this spanking new CXC building and Barbados’ support for CXC overall, must be given appropriate prominence,” Stuart said.

Stuart also lauded CXC’s achievements during the past 40 years, pointing to its expanded programmes and the international recognition which its assessments have gained.

“In terms of numbers, the Caribbean Examinations Council has grown from a fledging institution that assessed 58,709 candidates in five subject areas in 1979, when the first CXC exams took place, to an institution that now offers a wider range of subjects, I am told as many as 35, at different proficiencies to a greater number of candidates,” Stuart said.

The Prime Minister noted that subject entries had surpassed the 100,000 mark in 1997 and had almost doubled to near
200,000 in 2014.

He further noted that regional candidates can now choose to be assessed in a range of subjects at the levels of Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).   

Further, in an effort to cater to the needs of the countries in the region, Stuart said CXC now offers additional assessments in the form of the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC), the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) and the Caribbean Primary Exit
Examination (CPEA), as well as the CXC associate degree.

Prime Minister Stuart expressed the view that the establishment of CXC was a visible demonstration of the confidence and self-belief of the leaders and people of the region and their ability to run their own affairs.  He noted that while the going was not easy for CXC in its early days, it had persevered in the face of the doom and gloom challenges.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave has warned school girls in Barbados not to force their way into adulthood by engaging in mature activities. Instead, he urged them to enjoy their schooldays and to be kind to each other –– not being greedy or selfish in their doings.

Sir Elliott Belgrave (at centre) greeting students.

The Head of State told them that he found students fighting amongst themselves as an awful state of affairs.

“Do not follow bad examples by fighting each other and attempting to stone each other on the streets, or on the buses, as has happened elsewhere,” Sir Elliott warned.

The Governor General was today delivering remarks during a visit to Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School at Government Hill in St Michael.

Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave (right), with his aide-de-camp Captain Carlos Lovell, inspecting the Blossoms and Cubs at Charles F. Broome.

“That is not the way for young people to behave. It is not good for them; it is not good for the country; it is not good for anybody,” he stressed.

Sir Elliott encouraged the students and teachers of the school, one of the leading ones in primary education and sport, to maintain and enhance the institution’s rich history.

The boys and girls at Charles F. Broome were happy to see Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave.

The Governor General said the results of the recent Common Entrance Examination had shown the school scoring an excellent mark in English at 78 per cent and 67 per cent in mathematics.

“I think from what the principal said, she is proud that the school has achieved that high level of excellence. Sixty-seven per cent in maths is good, but 70 percent would be much better.

“So don’t sit back and say, ‘We have beaten everybody and that will do’. There is 100 per cent marks to be attained in each subject. There are further marks to be gained; so seek them out, teachers and students,” he said.

Sir Elliott indicated that while mathematics was not the favourite subject of most students, it was needed for most career choices.

He also commended the school’s vibrant extracurricular activities programme, saying he was especially impressed with the Scout and Brownie groups.

Sir Elliott also praised the well-conceived and beautifully entertainment package that included songs, acrostics, poems and dance.

Violinists playing for Sir Elliott.

Afterwards, he greeted selected students and teachers from each class, engaging them in conversation.

It was a strange response to a jail sentence but a thief today uttered “Praise the Lord!” after Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant sent him to HMP Dodds for two years.

David Christopher Clarke, of no fixed place of abode, had just pleaded guilty to stealing $3, 000 worth of tools from off the back of a van.

Complainant Trevor White went to an event at the Boat Yard on Bay Street on July 5 this year. He parked his van, which had two tool boxes secured by padlocks, in the tray of the vehicle.

White went to the van on several occasions and all was well. However, when he returned around 5 p.m., he noticed tools scattered around on the road. On inspecting them and realising they were his, White also checked his vehicle and found both locks on the tool boxes broken and tools missing.

The stolen items included a drill, angle grinder, wrench and screwdrivers. Police were called and investigations led to 53-year-old Clarke who later told police he had sold the tools to persons in the Nelson Street area.

None of the tools were recovered, the prosecutor informed the court.

When Magistrate Cuffy-Sargeant asked White if he had anything to say before sentencing, he replied: “No please. I am guilty.”

If was after Clarke heard that he would be spending the next two years in prison, that he quietly exclaimed “Praise the Lord!”

The female driver of a car that hit two primary school boys yesterday afternoon is being criticized for not contacting the youngsters’ family, more than 24 hours after the incident.

Dion Clinton-Carrington said she was thankful that her sons, Ramarko, 4, and Rameko, 7, were not more severely injured, but told Barbados TODAY that driver Tracy Mayers had not checked in on the children once and the younger boy, in particular, was extremely upset about it.

Four-year-old Ramarko (left) and seven-year-old Rameko who were hit by a car yesterday.

The two Gordon Greenidge Primary School students were in the cark park of Percy King Auto Parts, opposite the school in Upper Rock Dundo, St. James, when they were hit.

Still shaken by the ordeal, Clinton-Carrington said the boys were accustomed to walking home from school with their 10-year-old brother, also a student of that institution, but yesterday he went to a match with the school’s cricket team.

Clinton-Carrington said the younger of the boys reported to her being struck and dragged by the car, while the older son said the car grazed his toes.

The boys were rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) by ambulance, but their injuries were not life-threatening and they were discharged from hospital last night.

The younger Ramarko received bruises and swelling on his hand and face and his left eye is bloodshot and inflamed. Rameko’s foot was grazed.

Clinton-Carrington said she could not understand why her calls to Mayers have not been answered.

The mother said she believes the St. Thomas resident owed her an explanation and her children an apology.

Dion Clinton-Carrington

“At no time she has called. I have not seen what this woman look like as yet. The police gave me three numbers when I went to the station last night to contact her and I calling all up to late hours and no one answered,” she said.

“Not a word. Not a word and it hurts. She didn’t even try to call nor come to see, nothing, and that is the part that hurting me. It hurting me real bad. I feel so weak that I can’t eat . . . I was wondering how she could sleep because I couldn’t sleep. I lay on the floor all night just praying and feeling weak on the inside, but thanking God that my sons are still alive.”

The woman said what bothered her most was hearing Ramarko say that he never got an apology.

“When he got to the hospital he began crying and I hold over his bed and he said ‘mummy, a lady come and knock me over and she didn’t say sorry and I didn’t see she; she didn’t come to me’. He is hurt, I [was] taking he back to the hospital this morning, and in the taxi all he [was] saying is that he didn’t see she.”

The boys’ father, Rommel Carrington, told Barbados TODAY that he too was disturbed and hurt over the matter.

“Of all of my life that is the most frightening experience. To know that your son is only four years old and somebody call you and tell you to ‘stop whatever you doing, come now; you son get lick down’,” he said, recalling that, just like Clinton-Carrington, he was at work when he got the news about the accident.

Barbados TODAY understands that parents who witnessed the accident were also upset and vented their anger at the scene.

(anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb)

With the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) expressing concern over the number of complaints from Flow customers, the telecommunications company which recently merged with LIME has hired an additional 200 workers in order to fix the problems.

Chief executive officer and managing director Niall Sheehy told a news briefing at Flow’s Warrens, St Michael headquarters this afternoon that these employees have been given the task of transitioning all customers to Flow’s technologically advanced platform.

Sheehy said 30,000 former LIME customers who were making voice calls through an outdated IP system were migrated onto the new network in July alone, and he is urging the others to make the switch now in the interest of more efficient problem-solving.

Flow Chief executive officer and managing director Niall Sheehy.

“By the end of November . . . 100 per cent of Barbados would have fibre available. However, it takes time to migrate all those homes across, because each of those migrations requires physical [interventions]. Someone has to go out to the customer, go into their house, change up what they have, run a cable; it is very expensive, but that’s our commitment to doing it,” the telecoms company chief emphasized.

While admitting that he was not satisfied with the level of customer service or the time it was taking to resolve issues, Sheehy assured that most of the nagging problems would be eliminated within the next 18 months.

“If I could wave a wand and get them all done . . . I would. But until such time as everybody [is] moved across to that . . . people would continue to have issues. The other challenge for us is, ‘do we invest in old technology that is going to be down in three months [or] try and fix an issue that can be done by migrating?’”

Sheehy said the company was therefore prioritizing ex-LIME customers with “legacy issues” – problems they have been experiencing for months to years – to get them onto the new Flow network as soon as possible.

“The challenge for us is [that] everybody wants to be fixed now and get onto the network now, so we are trying to manage that process,” he said.

The company CEO also revealed that a special team has been established, headed by senior director of customer experience Justin Inniss, to address all customer service issues in the shortest possible time.

Sheehy also revealed that 30,000 customers who have been affected during the transition have been reimbursed.

“We have agreed to reimburse them $43, which is credit for one month’s rental for each one of those people. Some of those people were not affected at all; some were affected for a day or two; some were affected a maximum, I believe, six weeks. We felt that was a fair and reasonable position and that notification would have gone out to people about that,” the Flow boss pointed out.

When asked for its position on the complaints against Flow, the FTC told Barbados TODAY it has been in constant contact with the company with regard to the “several” problems experienced by customers.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

The Kiwanis Club of Bridgetown is reporting a decline in corporate contributions to its annual Silver Dollars for Children drive.

(From left) Dean of the St Michael Cathedral Canon Noel Burke, Chairman of the Kiwanis Silver Dollars for Children Drive Rory Hunte, Minister of Education Ronald Jones, President of the Kiwanis Club of Bridgetown Cyril Burke and Director of Communications Flow Barbados Marilyn Sealy at today’s launch of Silver Dollar For Children Drive.

Nevertheless, President Cyril Burke told Barbados TODAY following the launch of this year’s drive at the Ministry of Education this morning, that monies raised in other areas for the initiative, which supports various charities, have compensated for that loss.

Suggesting that the decline in corporate support may be a result of the current economic climate, Burke said supermarket drives and walks through Bridgetown asking for donations, have been successful.

“Members have to go out at different supermarkets and solicit funds from the public and that has helped us a lot. But we still find that Barbadians are giving and they do especially when we tell them this is for the kids,” Burke said.

“They are still philanthropic at heart and they tend to do the best that they can. I have personal experiences when a lady said I only have so much, let me come back and they come back to you. Which is something very commendable of the Barbadian public.”

The grand Silver Dollar Drive, now in its 10th year, will be held on October 31 in Heroes Square and Independence Square, The City, where Barbadians are asked to go and donate their dollars to the worthy cause.

On October 23, the drive will hold its schools collection and that will be followed by the church collection on the 25th.

At the launch, Minister of Education, Ronald Jones, said his ministry endorsed the drive which he commended for helping charities.

He encouraged the 60 000 students registered in public and private schools across the island to donate to the drive on October 23.

“It is also a lesson in learning, to share, to give and care. And we want our children with those particular attributes and those virtues. I know for several a dollar might be a little challenging, but whatever you have, you can make this contribution,” Jones said.

Director of Communications with Flow Barbados, Marilyn Sealy, said the telecommunications company was pleased to partner with the Kiwanis Club to ensure that the event continues to build on its great legacy of reaching out to help children.

Sealy said Flow was further inspired when they learnt that some of the funds collected this year will be distributed to the children of Dominica following the recent dislocation caused by the Tropical Storm Erika.

“I am also pleased to announce that FLOW Barbados will shortly start an internal Silver Dollars for Children Drive, the proceeds of which the company will donate to the Kiwanis.

“In addition to promoting this initiative via our official media channels, we will also endeavor to have some of our entertainment ambassadors participate via the popular Celebrity Length of Dollars,” Sealy indicated.

Canon Noel Burke, representing the Barbados Christian Council, called on congregations at all churches in Barbados to make their donations.

Rory Hunte, chairman of the Silver Dollar drive, said this year there will be a red carpet at the drive on October 31 when Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, along with a number of other well-known personalities, is expected to join the public
in making their donations.

There will also be health checks at Heroes Square and Flow will be marketing its products.

“It is going to be a Saturday unlike last year. Town is going to be abuzz (with) activities and we hope to get some good donations so we can continue to assist the children of Barbados through the various charities,” Hunte explained.

A desperate St James mother is calling on people from all walks of society to assist her in finding her 18-year-old daughter, Emela John, who has been missing for more than a week.

Emela John has been reported missing since October 7.

The signs of lack of sleep were evident as a tired Tracey Lawrence told Barbados TODAY from her Clarke’s Gap, Derricks, St. James home, that she wanted to “see my child alive and alright”.

“I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. You ain’t see how white my mouth is. I in a mess,” the mother said as she continued to worry about her asthmatic daughter who should be celebrating her 19th birthday in two weeks.

The former St. James Secondary School student was reportedly last seen last Wednesday evening, leaving the home of a family friend with whom she was living at Chapel Gap, Paynes Bay, just a short distance from her mother’s home.

Lawrence explained that she was informed that her daughter was missing when she called the family’s house last Saturday.

The mother of five says she plans to search the St. Lawrence Gap area which John is known to frequent.

“I would like her to come home if anybody got her. If she with anybody and hearing me, let her come along home,” Lawrence pleaded.

“I am not getting any negative feeling. I still feel she is alright and somewhere and ain’t want nobody know where she is. Or she probably gone with somebody and ain’t want nobody know. I just don’t know.”

But sitting at her dining table, having just returned from Holetown Police Station where she gave an official report about the missing teen, Lawrence questioned why the second of her children would leave home without all her identification documents.

“She don’t leave home without her purse with her ID card. I don’t know how come she left it home; it is not making sense to me,” a puzzled Lawrence said. “What got me is that she is just like one belt away from the black belt in Taekwondo. She is good and could manage herself.”

But as her tone changed, becoming more serious, Lawrence said she would be extremely upset if her daughter knew people were looking for her but was refusing to let everyone know that she was okay.

“You have your family looking for you, you got other Barbadians looking for you and you got people concerned. You don’t do these things, this is a serious thing,” the mother said.

She admitted that John had moved out from her home because she refused to abide by her rules, and could be stubborn at times.

Nevertheless, she said the teenager was a pleasant young lady who would not hesitate to help others.

 Meanwhile, police public relations officer Acting Assistant Superintendent David Welch said investigations were continuing into the teen’s disappearance and the public’s assistance was needed.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb