A 25-year-old man lost his life in a shooting incident which occurred during the wee hours of this morning.

According to police, Jamaine Williams of Waterhall Land, Eagle Hall, St. Michael died after being shot at Clarke’s Gap, Spooners Hill, St. Michael about 5:15 a.m.

Another man, whose identity is being withheld, was also shot in the same shooting incident. He is in serious condition at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where he is being treated for gunshot injuries about his body.

There was also reports of damage to property.

Dawn Headley (right) being tested by Pauline Burke of the Ministry of Health

The St. Michael South East constituency council is hoping to revive a once vibrant community.

Deputy chairman Aldeen Scott told Barbados Today, “it was a very vibrant community once before and we will like to get back there again.”

Speaking at the Council’s health fair at the Parkinson hard court yesterday, Scott explained that the newly elected council which was formed in June this year, was aiming to create community togetherness.

Deputy chairman of the St. Michael South East constituency council Aldeen Scott

While they encouraged residents to get tested for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, HIV, and high blood pressure at the health fair, Scott admitted that one of the council’s primary focuses would be on recycling and the environment.

“One of the chief things that we see around here…is a problem [with] the garbage in the area and we would like to see that we have the garbage under control at some point in time,” Scott pointed out.

“We will be looking to see if we could get the youth more involved in the environment so that moving forward it wouldn’t be as bad as it is right now.”

Bernadette Codrington of the Ministry of Health (left) counselling resident Sheena Pickering

Despite the limitations on garbage collection, the council will be making a move to solve the problem.

Scott expressed the hopes of the council to implement a recycling program, but said it would require the involvement of all community members.

She highlighted the importance of the constituency council in being the voice of the community, as they “try to protect the best interests of the constituents.”(KK)

Obadele Forde, the most outstanding student overall at BIMAP (left) accepting his awards from Minister of Education Ronald Jones

Minister of Education Ronald Jones wants too see the Barbados Institute for Management and Productivity (BIMAP) become a university.

He expressed this wish while delivering the feature address at the Institute’s annual graduation ceremony at the Hilton last night.

Speaking on a theme of going beyond what is expected, the educator said, “BIMAP has done great work over time. For 43 years you have been making the impossible, possible,” and suggested that with this same model or outlook administrators should explore, “the creation … of a university.”

Some of the people present for last night’s BIMAP graduation ceremony at the Hilton Resort

“I want you to look beyond our borders as part of a national project where we are moving our tertiary level institutions into international space. I want BIMAP to be part and parcel of that journey for Barbados,” he said.

Obadele Forde, was the most outstanding student overall at BIMAP for the graduating period.

To cop that recognition, a student needed to do four courses or more with at least three distinctions, but Forde earned an overall average of 93.29 after achieving A’s in all seven of his subjects, while earning six distinctions.(GA)

Darian King played unbeaten to ensure Barbados remained in Group 1 of the Davis Cup

Barbados avoided demotion this afternoon when they won their relegation tie against Uruguay 3-2 and remained in Group I of the Davis Cup competition. And it was thanks to an unbeaten performance by the island’s top-ranked Darian King at the National Tennis Centre in Wildey. 

The home side entered the final day of competition with a 2-1 advantage after King won his singles match on the opening day last Friday against Rodrigo Arus 3-1. He then came back on Saturday and teamed up with Haydn Lewis in the doubles which they won 3-0 and today in the reverse singles King closed it out when he came out on top with a straight sets victory 7-6, 6-2, 6-0 over Santiago Maresca.

The third and decisive day did not end without drama, though, as King and Uruguay team captain Enrique Perez- Cassarino exchanged words that forced the referee to intervene.

At the start of the encounter it appeared as though King got off to a slow start but after the game he told the media that was not the case. He did acknowledged that his forearm along with the wind caused problems on court and made him focus a lot more mentally in order to pull off the win.

“I wouldn’t say I started slow I was up in most of the games but just didn’t convert my chances. But it was tough because the wind was blowing pretty strong and unusual and it was tough for me especially on the far side to the pavilion. But that set point was important for me to come up with the first and I relaxed more and played my game,” King said.(ML)

The decomposed body found in a ravine at Halton Plantation, St Philip over a week ago has been confirmed as that of missing woman Marcelle Smith.

Acting Police Commissioner In Charge of Crime Livingstone Eversley told Barbados TODAY that a post mortem conducted today confirmed the identity of the 75-year-old, Farm Road, St Philip woman, who went missing three weeks ago.

However, lawmen are tightlipped on other results of the autopsy at this time, as the family has not yet been informed.

Smith’s car was found abandoned at Chelston Park, Culloden Road on October 18.

Police have since charged Cheriss Ricardo Omar Ince of Nursery #2, Four Roads, St Philip with theft of the vehicle.

Police today launched a fresh appeal for help in locating Emela John who has been missing for almost a month now.

The 18-year-old of Payne’s Bay, St James was last seen of October 7^th sometime between 8.00 am and 10.00 pm.

Emela is slim, of light brown complexion, five feet seven inches tall. She has a round face, small mouth and has a growth and birth mark on the right side of her back.

Police are asking anyone with information on her whereabouts to call emergency number 211 or the nearest Police Station.

The greatest fears of the family of missing woman Marcelle Smith have been realised.

Marcelle Smith

The decomposed body of the woman found in a ravine at Halton Plantation in St Philip two Saturdays ago was positively identified this afternoon as that of 75-year-old Smith, who had been missing for the past three weeks.

Acting Commissioner of Police in charge of Crime Management and Investigation Livingstone Eversley told Barbados TODAY an autopsy conducted on the remains this afternoon not only confirmed the identity, but also found the cause of her death.

However, Eversley declined to disclose the full results until Smith’s family was first notified.

He was certain, though, that, as a result of the autopsy’s findings, the man now in police custody, charged with stealing Smith’s car, would be charged this week with her death.

After appearing in court last week to answer the theft charge, 36-year-old Cheriss Ince, a carpenter of Four Roads, St Philip was remanded to HMS Prison at Dodds, St Philip until tomorrow when he will appear in the District “C” Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Christopher Birch.

His 14 years in office were marked by sustained economic growth.

So, with the Barbados economy currently performing, by Central Bank estimates, at well below one per cent growth annually, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Government may soon be calling on former Prime Minister Owen Arthur for advice.

Barbados TODAY understands that Arthur, a former leader of the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) who sits now as an independent member of the House of Assembly, has reportedly been approached by Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler to replace the retiring Sir Frank Alleyne, who is in his late 70s, as head of its “independent” advisory council on the economy.

That body, which was first impaneled by late Prime Minister David Thompson back in 2008, both reviews and recommends policy positions for the final approval of Cabinet, which will also have the last say should Arthur decide to take up Government’s job offer.

The Council’s membership, said to number about 14 at one point, largely reflects the tripartite arrangement. Membership is drawn from the trade union movement, the private sector, Government and academia.

Government is reportedly planning to make the Council smaller and have it focus on three specific areas: the social sector, statutory corporations which are earmarked for reform, and fiscal policy.

All indications are that Arthur, who turned 66 last month, and had earlier resigned from the Opposition BLP to go it alone, is warming to the idea of sharing his expertise to benefit the country through this new avenue.

When contacted by Barbados TODAY, Sinckler said he had no comment to make at this stage.

However, the St Peter representative confirmed that an approach had indeed been made to him to take over as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors.

“I have been approached, but as far as I am aware, there has not been any formal decision of the Government,” he told Barbados TODAY.

However, Arthur made it clear that he was not about to cross the floor and join the DLP Government, even though he acknowledged that his role of economic advisor would require that he works closely with the Freundel Stuart Government.

Pressed on the matter, Arthur was adamant about retaining his independence in parliament.

“I do it [advise on the economy] in parliament all like now,” he told Barbados TODAY.

Revealing that he had also been approached earlier by Senator Darcy Boyce to work with the Government on the Caribbean Commission on the Economy, Arthur, who had earlier rejected a suggestion made by Opposition Leader Mia Mottley for him to form part of an “eminent persons group on the economy”, said: “Clearly, it [the offer] says that they [the Government] think I have something to offer.”

The development comes on the heels of 3,000 plus layoffs in the public sector, and the announcement of $200 million in new tax measures in the last Budget — policies which Arthur has publicly deemed to be counterproductive.

In fact, his June contribution to the Budget debate focused on the need for achieving sustainable growth to support a continued high standard of living for Barbadians, and the urgent need for Government to address the record high level of public debt that is placing a severe strain on the country and adversely affecting its development prospects.

With Government facing an unprecedented challenge where 60 cents out of every dollar of revenue now go towards servicing the debt which, in March, was estimated at the dangerously high level of 135 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), Arthur had also made a strong case for Barbados to seek debt refinancing which, he contends, is indispensable if the emerging economic recovery is to gain momentum.

“There is no disgrace in dealing with the debt,” he told the Freundel Stuart administration back then, while referencing the dramatic turnaround of the Guyana economy, which after decades in the doldrums, is now the fastest growing CARICOM economy. He also referred to Jamaica and St Kitts as other CARICOM countries that have opted to go this route to deal with their debt.

As for the $200 million in new taxation which was imposed in the Budget, he said it represents a setback for the emerging recovery, since it is more likely to cause the economy to re-enter contraction.

“When a country is coming back out of recession, the one thing that is expected of a Minister of Finance is a confidence-boosting measure that points the way to a better future,” he said, reflecting on his own experience in 1994 when Barbados was in a similar situation.

kaymarjordan@barbadostoday.bb

Jamaine Williams had no criminal records, neither had he ever been arrested nor charged for any crime.

Jamaine Williams was gunned down at a fete at Spooner’s Hill, St Michael Sunday morning.Jamaine Williams was gunned down at a fete at Spooner’s Hill, St Michael Sunday morning.

And according to those who knew him best, including his aunt Veronica Williams, 61, who virtually raised him from the time he was a little boy, Jamaine was no troublemaker and did not belong to any gang. In essence, violence was not his way
of life.

Grief is etched on the faces of Jamaine Williams’ great-aunt Veronica Williams (right), who helped to raise him, and his cousin Angel Williams.

Yet, just as his father Basil Walkes did 23 years ago, the 24-year-old Waterhall Land, Eagle Hall, St Michael resident died a violent death at 5:25 a.m. on Sunday morning. He was the victim of an unknown gunman who opened fire during a fete at Clarke’s Gap, Spooner’s Hill, St Michael, sending partygoers scampering for their lives.

And his aunt Veronica has had a tough time since trying to figure out how this could have happened to the young man she had groomed and fed.

The sexagenarian, who has a weak heart, told Barbados TODAY that his killing was difficult enough to fathom. But worse yet were the gruesome pictures of his body lying on the road in a pool of blood.

This, she said, was most horrifying, causing her to clutch her chest in an attempt to soothe the pain which still lingers somewhat mercilessly.

“I ain’t cook yesterday at all. I ain’t eating or doing nothing. I feel weak. He ain’t known by the police. He was a good child. And he ain’t no party person. I trying to figure out what happen, but he was at the wrong place at the wrong time in my opinion. I want answers,” said Williams as she burst into a river of tears and looked up to the skies as if anticipating that the answers would come raining down upon her.

“Oh Lord, it ain’t easy. I keep looking through the door for he, hoping he would come and say, ‘aunty you alright?’ I want back my Maine, I want he back,” she continued, as she sobbed loudly, displaying a degree of emptiness.

Holding her hands to her head and with the tears washing over her, Veronica reflected on Basil Walkes’ death and the irony of it all. The young man’s father was at his Redman’s Road, Goodland, St Michael home on September 13, 1992 when two masked men riddled him with bullets from high-powered weapons in the presence of relatives.

Meanwhile, as Veronica’s younger sister Angela Williams, 57, who is Jamaine’s grandmother, sat next to her older sister, they painfully relived the trauma that haunts them.

Angela Williams wants justice for her grandson Jamaine Williams who was gunned down yesterday.

Angela told Barbados TODAY that whenever she closes her eyes she sees her grandson’s lifeless body flashing before her.

“He didn’t deserve to die like this,” she stressed.

During the shooting, which took the young man’s life, another man, Anthony “Platinum” Hewitt of Gills Gap, Eagle Hall, St Michael received several gunshot wounds and had to be rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) where he underwent surgery.

Jamaine’s grandmother said she was told that during the final seconds of his life he was helping the wounded Hewitt into a private vehicle when he was cut down by the bullets.

“If the fella [Hewitt] and dem had war, it wasn’t with Jamaine. People going to say all kind of stories, but it had nothing to do with Jamaine.

“He know the fella because he is from Eagle Hall and he tried to assist the fella in the car to get him to the hospital. Not because he is my grandson, but he had no convictions,” the grandmother said.

“He died trying to help the fella. He ain’t even end up getting to the hospital, he dead right there,” Angela continued.

As Jamaine’s relatives awoke to the tragic news, so did the residents of the Spooner’s Hill area who heard the shot ringing out. Joining the scores at the scene was his distraught mother Sherry “Plummy” Williams who was also overcome with grief by the loss of her only child.

And amid the pain and despair, the family has sought justice from the very heavens to which the dead man’s aunt had earlier turned for answers.

“When justice serve, dem does go up there [to prison], eat and do as they like up there and come back out.

“God’s justice is my justice. Whoever do it, I forgive them, I want that off of me. I forgive wunna because God’s justice is my justice,” she said.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

The Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP), which seems determined to make a big impact in the Christ Church constituencies at the next general elections, continued its series of mass canvasses on Sunday when its foot soldiers moved through the community of Gall Hill in the Christ Church West Central constituency.

With party leader Mia Mottley out front, accompanied by Adrian Forde, the newly endorsed candidate for the area, BLP faithful went from door to door, engaging residents and listening to their concerns. Major issues included faulty electrical wiring in some public housing units, high youth unemployment, the high cost of living and an inability by some young people to access tertiary education.

Newly endorsed candidate Adrian Forde leading Opposition Leader Mia Mottley during yesterday’s mass canvass in the Christ Church West Central constituency.

Following the two-hour outreach, Forde expressed satisfaction with the response. Citing the wiring issue as a major concern, he said: “We will definitely meet with the National Housing Corporation to see if we can get a response from them. We understand the threat of electrical surges in the units. There are abnormal surges.”

“One of the residents complained that she had to carry out her own wiring and that the meter project literally stopped just after the BLP left Government and has not been restarted. Almost every other unit has complained of sparks and surges this week. It is a serious issue,” he added.

Forde, who will be contesting a general election for the first time and is going up against Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley, said unemployment and the high cost of living represented a “double whammy” for constituents.

Addressing the issue of access to the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) following the decision by the incumbent Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration to make Barbadians pay tuition fees, Forde said: “It is impossible to ask persons to pay for goods and services if they are not working. It is really what we can call the true political storm that has been created since 2008.”

Forde emphasized his longstanding ties to the constituency, saying that he has never left the area and his place of business, a pharmacy, is located in Gall Hill.

“I feel the constituency is part of me. I was raised by the constituency and I call it a family. I see Christ Church West Central as one big family. I cannot wait to hit the ground working to rebuild it in a special way,” he said.

Meanwhile, when BLP leader Mia Mottley was asked for a comment by Barbados TODAY on reports that a recent poll carried out in the Christ Church area had shown that she is the preferred person to lead Barbados with a rating of 44 per cent, she said:” We in the BLP are doing our work as you can see, but we are comforted by the support shown.”  

One of the most sought-after legal minds in the Caribbean, Barbadian Sir Richard Cheltenham is blaming the already heavily criticized slow judicial process for the apparent frequency with which murder-accused are being granted bail, only to commit other serious offences while out awaiting trial.

While pointing to the 1996 Bail Act that entitles accused persons to bail, including those charged with murder, Sir Richard, a successful criminal attorney, said when a suspect “is rotting” in jail for upwards of six years and his preliminary enquiry has not even started, he was in his right to ask the High Court to release him temporarily.

“There is a new piece of legislation; new in relative terms, where an accused can get bail in exceptional circumstances. What has happened around here in recent times is that the system is so slow, that sometimes, five, six years after a man has been charged for murder, he remains in prison and his preliminary enquiry has not been completed . . . in some instances it has not started. Now that is a very long time,” Sir Richard told Barbados TODAY this afternoon.

“In those circumstances generally the court has said ‘look, unless the prosecution can give us an assurance that this matter can be dealt with, let’s say in the next quarter, I am afraid I would have to consider giving the accused bail,’” added the Queen’s Counsel who recently chaired the Walter Rodney Commission of Enquiry in Guyana.

Sir Richard questioned the public’s perception that murder- accused were frequently being released on bail, noting that it was unusual in Barbados for such persons to commit a second murder.

“What is the frequency with which that has happened? You [are] talking about what, one case? I don’t know . . . where a man is out for murder and then commits a second murder. It can happen, but if you are in prison and five, six years pass and your preliminary enquiry has not started, I think a man is inclined to say ‘look, you have me here on a murder charge and five, six years have passed and my case has not started, do you think that is fair to me?  I want to go before the court and ask for my bail,’” he contended.

However, Sir Richard strongly suggested that the conditions of bail must be set in such a way that the police would be able to closely monitor the accused. The senior lawyer recommended conditions that range from withholding the suspect’s passport and frequent reports to a police station, as often as three times a week, to frequent phone calls so law enforcement officials can track the suspect’s movements.

“The terms should be very strict in my view. If the fellow is on bail, he should hand [in] his passport. He should report to the police every two or three days at different times . . .And when you call in now, they may ask you where you can be found . . . so that the terms could be such that even though you are on bail, even for the offence of murder, you have to call into the station with such frequency and report in person with such frequency that they really have a monitoring system on you,” the Queen’s Counsel advised.

Just last week, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Charles Leacock criticized the practice of granting bail to murder suspects, except in cases involving the elderly of young students with a strong defence.

“I really do not think that bail should be given to murder accused. We don’t necessarily have to review the Bail Act to do that. There will always be discretions, but what we have to do is to get the judges to be less willing to grant bail to persons because what experiences have shown are that it is quite problematic,” Leacock told Barbados TODAY.

“People are out on bail and allegedly committing other serious offences and it is not the first time that it is happening. We will have to review the manner in which the Act is being applied,” he said at the time.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Charles Leacock, QC has received support from a local pastor for his stand on bail for people accused of murder.

Leacock told Barbados TODAY last Friday that criminals had escaped the full weight of the law for much too long and it was time that the judicial system begins sending a strong message to those who choose a life of crime by denying bail to murder accused.

Speaking passionately on the issue during a church service yesterday afternoon, Senator David Durant, senior pastor at Restoration Ministries in Brittons Hill, St Michael pleaded with the justice system to do everything possible to remove “all hindrances” that could possibly “frustrate” the process of justice.

He said if delays were an issue the country needed to ensure that all the necessary resources to deal with criminal matters expeditiously are in place so that those facing murder charges would not be put back on the streets and given the opportunity to engage in further criminal activities.

“We have to do all that we could to really make sure that we handle these cases much more speedily. It is no comfort to those who have lost loved ones having to wait a long time to get justice.

“If the justice system allows persons who commit murder to get off the hook because of prolonged remand time and lack of urgency, then the justice system must be deemed by some to be unfair,” the pastor said.

Meanwhile, also speaking at the church service held for families whose loved ones died tragically, Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite suggested that the country needed to find out what had to be done to change the mindset of some delinquent youths who engage in violent or criminal behaviour.

Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite also participated in yesterday’s service, which was led by Senator David Durant.

In fact, Brathwaite called on the church to equip young people in problematic communities with moral compass that would force them to think twice before leaving home with guns and ammunition when they go to parties.

“We need to find out what has gone wrong. What do we need to do to change this and we cannot change this by sitting in churches.

“We have to change this by going into the communities, by going into the homes, find out where there are families that have issues, go to the families and see how you can assist the families,” he said.

Brathwaite said he worked with many young people at the Government Industrial School who had underlying issues that manifested themselves in unfavourable behavioural patterns.

“I see the cause and it hurts my heart and that’s why I say continuously that we are looking at the criminal justice system. From the site of the Attorney General, I am looking at how we get down into the root cause.

“How do we go into the primary schools and find out how we can save more of these young people, so that when they become adults, they become responsible adults?”

He said while Government was prepared to fix the criminal justice system to see that justice is swift for grieving families, it was also necessary for families of victims to find peace.

“I will do my part, but you need to do your part. You need to look after you for the sake of your daughter, your grandchildren, your nieces [and] your nephews. I commit to you that we will do our part, but it is no use, you losing your daughter, and losing yourself also in the process,” he urged.

Senator David Durant said though the service was organized to encourage the families to heal, he pledged that his church would become instrumental in forming a support group for families.

The journalism fraternity turned out in their numbers this morning to celebrate the life of and say farewell to the late Charles Harding, a stalwart of Barbadian journalism who contributed immensely to the success of the Nation newspaper from its fragile inception

A who’s who of Barbadian journalism, representing every media house, turned up for the 10 a.m. funeral service at the St Matthias Anglican Church, Christ Church yesterday. The list included Barbados TODAY CEO and Editor-in-Chief Kaymar Jordan, Nation Editor Emeritus Harold Hoyte; and Nation Editor-in-Chief Roy Morris.

Sir Fred Gollop, chairman of ONE Caribbean Media, the parent company of the Nation, was also there, as were former Caribbean News Agency (CANA) general manager Harry Mayers; Al Gilkes, who was a reporter with Harding at the inception of the Nation, veteran journalists Rickey Singh and Ridley Green and international cricket journalist, Tony Cozier.

Also paying last respects were Appeals Court Judge, Madame Justice Sandra Mason; former Barbados Labour Party (BLP) Cabinet minister Sir Louis Tull, 10-times calypso monarch of Barbados Red Plastic Bag, who is married to Harding’s daughter and former West Indies opening batsman, Cammie Smith.

Former Executive at the Nation Newspaper Roxanne Gibbs, (left) Editor Emeritus of the Nation Harold Hoyte and his wife Noreen Hoyte and former Human Resources Manager of the Nation
Jewel Belmar (far right) attended today’s funeral service.

Former Daily Editor at the Nation Newspaper, Charmaine Mc Carthy (left), former Business Reporter at the Nation, Marva Cossey, former reporter at the Nation, Anthony Blackman and Director of Communications at Flow, Marilyn Sealy also turned up at today’s funeral service.

In his eulogy, Nation founding member and former circulation manager Stephen Brathwaite recalled that Harding was among a group of enterprising young Barbadians, including Hoyte, Gilkes, Carl Moore, and the late Trevor “Job” Clark, who founded the Nation, which began as a weekly newspaper operating out of cramped, humble premises on St Mary’s Row, The City.

Brathwaite recalled that Harding, who had worked previously as a journalist with the Caribbean service of the international news agency, Reuters, was the fledgling paper’s first news editor and used his prodigious knowledge to establish the publication as this island’s leading newspaper, overtaking the Advocate who formerly dominated the market.

“Harding made a significant contribution to the Nation newspaper,” Brathwaite said. “He was a hard working journalist who was always looking out for the next scoop. He set himself the highest standards and gave much attention to detail. He also trained scores of young journalists during his long career.”

In his sermon, Rector of St Matthias, The Revd. Hugh Sandiford, described Harding as a great Barbadian whose life was rooted in the identity of Jesus Christ. He also noted Harding’s contribution to the church as a pioneer of the quarterly Anglican newspaper and contended that it was through his journalistic skills, that the paper became the success that it is today.

Fr. Sandiford also said that throughout his long career, Harding remained very passionate about journalism and sought perfection through it. He read letters from Anglican Bishop of Barbados and Archbishop of the West Indies, Dr John Holder, who is off island, and former Anglican Bishop of Barbados, Dr. Rufus Brome, expressing heartfelt condolences to Harding’s widow Janet and children.

Harding, who died a week ago at the age of 73, was interred at the Coral Ridge Memorial Gardens, Christ Church.

nevilleclarke@barbadostoday.bb

For the second time this year, Shamario Stephen Leon-Walters came before the law court today for drugs.

The Black Rock Main Road, St Michael resident returned before Magistrate Douglas Frederick in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court, where he admitted having 1.40 grammes of cannabis in his possession.

Police were in the area of Rosemont when they saw someone sitting under a shed. While the others ran off, 17-year-old Leon-Walters began fidgeting with one of his pockets.

He was searched and two greaseproof wrappings were found in his pocket. He later told police it was “just a lil’ joint I had”.

The teen had been put on 18 months’ probation in January this year, after having drugs in his possession. Since that probation was breached by today’s offence, the previous alternative kicked in and he was fined $750 forthwith, with an alternative of a month in prison. The fine was paid.

During the court proceedings, Magistrate Frederick asked the teenager’s mother if she had spoken to her son about his drug use. The woman replied: “How many times?”

“The problem is that you have too much free time on your hands,” said the magistrate.

“Tell me what is happening with you that you keep using the drugs,” he urged.

“Today is my friend birthday so I just had a drink wid he and a lil’ thing,” Leon-Walters replied.

In sentencing for the current offence, Magistrate Frederick placed him on a bond to keep the peace for one year. If he breaches that, he will be going to prison.

“If you come back here, you will be going to prison for a month because you seem to want a little taste. Your mother won’t be paying any money next time.”

The bidding war for control of Banks Holdings Limited is now before the law courts.

Today, the Trinidadian conglomerate Ansa McAl sought and was successful in getting an interim injunction until November 11, effectively halting the sale of the local beverage company.

A release from ANSA McAL late this evening said the injunction, which was granted by Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson at 6 p.m. today blocks any further trading of BHL shares on the Barbados Stock Exchange or otherwise.

It also means that “until November 11 no one will be allowed to solicit or negotiate the purchase or sale of BHL shares”.

The company statement further explained that with the injunction, ANSA McAL (Barbados) Limited is now free to contest the 2010 agreement made between BHL and SLU Beverages Limited in the “interest of all shareholders”.

Under that agreement, SLU, which is owned by the Latin American beverage maker, AMBEV, provided a $56 million loan to BHL to build its new brewery in Newton, Christ Church.

The agreement specifies that if any person or group becomes the direct or indirect ultimate owner of BHL shares representing more than 25 per cent of the total voting power of the BHL shares, then “SLU has the ability to require BHL to re-purchase, at $10.00 per share, the 13,250,000 common shares which were issued to SLU on conversion of the debt in 2010.

BHL directors highlighted the controversial clause last week at the same time that they were calling on shareholders to accept the SLU offer of $5.20 per share.

However, that advice not only angered shareholders, who publicly rejected the board’s advice, but also ANSA, which by then had entered the highest bid to date of $6 per share for take over of the Barbadian company.

Not only did ANSA McAL launch a formal complaint to the Financial Services Commission, which is the regulatory body that supervises public company takeover bids, but it also issued a call yesterday for the directors of BHL to tender their resignations immediately.

With the granting of the injunction, Ansa McAL said tonight “the parties will have an opportunity on November 11 to argue their case for or against the injunction at which time the court will decide whether to end or extend the injunction while the matter regarding the SLU agreement is heard”.

President and CEO of Ansa McAl (Barbados) Limited Nicholas Mouttet added that the company was very keen to avoid any unnecessary delays in the takeover process and had requested of the court a short interim injunction period and an early hearing to limit inconvenience to shareholders.

Ansa Mc Al (Barbados) Limited has scheduled a press conference for tomorrow. (KJ)

A Christ Church man cheated death today when the van he was driving tumbled about 40 feet down a ravine after being struck by another vehicle along Maxwell Hill, Christ Church this morning.

The van driven by Anthony Bentham tumbled about 40 feet down a ravine after being struck by another vehicle.

Anthony Bentham, 54, of the same address escaped with lacerations to his head and face, while he also complained of pains to his body in the freak accident which occurred around 7 a.m.

Bentham had to be freed by the Jaws Of Life after his badly damaged vehicle careened off the road and slammed into a partially constructed house. He was transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance.

One resident who did not wish to be identified said that the van was struck by a taxi travelling in the opposite direction.

“He is really lucky to be alive. I’m glad that he went off where he did because further across there is an open well and things could have turned out a lot worse,” the man told Barbados TODAY.

“From what I saw he had some cuts and bruises to his face but he was still conscious when the ambulance came for him, so that is a good thing.”

He said it was the third time a vehicle plunged off the road in the area, recalling that a car also ran off the road last year, while another vehicle also ended at the bottom of the ravine three years ago.

Bentham’s son Ryan told Barbados TODAY this evening that his father, a baker, had been admitted to hospital for observation, but was recovering in good spirits.

“It was a close call for him. He is thankful to be alive. Members from his church came and they prayed with him and he is coming around.

“They just want to do the MRI to make sure everything is okay with him. But right now he doesn’t have anything major wrong with him,” he revealed.

The son indicated that when the accident took place, his father was on his way to deliver pastries to a buyer.

The condition of the other driver or that of the taxi was not immediately clear at the time of writing.  

Barbados today signed an agreement with the European Union (EU) under which the Brussels-headquartered international grouping will invest $9.1 million to develop the local energy sector under the Barbados National Indicative Programme (NIP).

Speaking at his official Ilaro Court residence, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart told reporters the money, which will be disbursed under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), would help support the Government’s energy sector goals as defined in the draft 2013 Government of Barbados Energy Policy.

European Union ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Mikael Barfod and Prime Minister Freundel Stuart sign the deal as representatives from their respective delegations look on.

“The main elements of this policy are (l) to increase the share of economically viable renewable energy in Barbados’ energy mix; (2) to achieve savings in the country’s consumption of electricity compared to a ‘business as usual’ scenario; (3) to achieve savings in transportation and other non-electric energy uses and (4) to increase the sustainability and efficiency of fossil fuel exploration, production transportation, storage and use across all sectors,” he said.

Stuart said increasing the awareness and skills of the people of Barbados in relation to sustainable energy was another element of the policy. He said the specific objective was to support the recently started Government pilot programme for renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in primary and secondary schools, “ . . . thereby raising awareness, reducing energy costs and securing a reliable energy supply for schools designated as hurricane/natural disaster shelters.”

“Complementary to this will be a capacity building programme for educators on renewable energy and energy efficiency,” he added.

Stuart said the related financing agreement would be ready for signature by early next year. “Under this programme, Euros three million have been allocated to the sector; Euros 150,000 to support civil society; Euros 200,000 towards technical assistance to support or accompany the programming, preparation and implementation; and Euros 150,000 to support the office of the National Authorising Officer,” he explained.

European Union ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Mikael Barfod, who signed the agreement with the Prime Minister, noted that money under this phase of the EDF would serve to cement relations between Barbados and the EU over the period 2014 to 2020.

Barfod said even though the NIP had previously benefitted from $7.7 million to assist the Smart Renewable Energy Programme, it still remained a significant investment. He also revealed that total current support had been put at about $110 million for the Barbados Human Resource Development Programme.

“To date, we have disbursed 87 per cent of these funds, making this one of our more successful programmes,” the top EU official added. (EJ)

Harrison’s Cave, the island’s top tourist attraction, has come in for high praise from European Union delegates, including top officials from the financial institution that helped to fund its redevelopment almost ten years ago.

Officials of the European Investment Bank (EIB), which funded the 2006 redevelopment of the St Thomas facility, visited the cave today as part of their two-day visit to the island to meet with key Government ministers, ambassadors and the local business community, as well as to conduct business with Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

Following the approximately one hour-long tour, the EIB’s Vice President, Pim Van Ballekom, told members of the media that during his visit to the Caribbean he would also be “looking to more investment possibilities”.

Ballekom noted that approximately 30 million Euros (65 million Barbados dollars), in the form of a long-term Government-backed loan, was approved for funding the redevelopment of the facility between 2006 and 2009.

The upgrade of the facility resulted in improved parking, new and improved restaurant facilities, as well as a souvenir shop with special sections for children and stationery items.

“It is an impressive tourist attraction,” said Ballekom.

“And that is quite an important part of business here in Barbados in the tourist industry. I think it is an asset to the tourist industry, so I think it is a good investment,” he said.

EU Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Mikael Barfod said he was proud to be associated with the developments, pointing out it was an important investment for the country.

“It is obviously a project that will attract tourists, which will generate jobs and which will eventually create [economic] growth, which is what Barbados needs the most at the moment. So I believe that these types of attractions are very important complement to the tourist offers that are made in Barbados and would certainly help to create growth in the future as well.”

Meanwhile, acting Chief Executive Officer of Harrison’s Cave Jennifer Williams told Barbados TODAY she and her team would be embarking on an aggressive marketing campaign in order to attract more tourists to the location in coming months.

The former financial officer said they would be working closely with the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI).

“We are growing steadily. It is not what we have predicted, but we are growing steadily,” she said, of the business at Harrison’s Cave.

Prior to the tour, Ballekom signed a letter of intent with the CDB President Dr Warren Smith, signaling their intention to work together in the future to address pressing issues relating to climate change, renewable energy and energy efficiency.

“The letter of intent we have just signed, formalizes a phase in our relationship that effectively started in December 2011 when EIB agreed to provide a 50 million Euro [109 million Barbados dollars] climate action line of credit to be used to finance public or private sector climate action projects, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, transportation, low carbon technologies, development and innovation and adaptation,” explained Smith.

He said CDB was pleased with the development of the climate action line of credit, adding that total commitments to date amounted to US$35 million (70 million Barbados dollars) or 54 per cent of the facility.

He said the funds have so far been used for highway reconstruction, water supply redevelopment, dam rehabilitation and development of a solar plant in the region.

“It is anticipated that the funds will be fully committed by March 2016 with the approval of another three projects at our December board meeting,” Smith added.

marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb.

Health Minister John Boyce has conceded that something has gone wrong with the south coast sewerage system, and he believes he knows who is to blame.

Addressing a political meeting of his ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP), Boyce, who is the parliamentary representative for Christ Church South, which encompasses the sewerage plant at Graeme Hall, pointed the finger at the former Barbados Labour Party administration, accusing it of years of neglect.

However, he said it now falls to the DLP Government to correct the problem.

Minister of Health John Boyce

“You see that sewerage plant at Graeme Hall, that was . . .  ignored for 15 years,” he told the gathering of the St Michael West branch on Sunday night.

“And I’m not surprised that it has fallen on us in the Democratic Labour Party, at a time when there is not a lot of fiscal room, . . . to find the couple of million dollars that it will take to bring it back up to a standard that it can be used,” he told the gathering.

Boyce, who is an engineer by profession, revealed that he was part of the initial team when the plant was constructed.  And he said he would be willing to take part in any national discussion on the subject.

Just last week, Opposition Leader Mia Mottley warned that all was not well with the sewerage system.

Addressing her party’s annual conference, the BLP leader said she was in possession of a report by biochemist and water quality consultant Patricia Inniss titled, ‘Funds are needed for our collapsing sewerage system’.

Mottley quoted Inniss as reporting, “If funds are not urgently sequestered to correct the multiplicity of problems plaguing both our sewerage treatment plants and their surrounding networks, we face the real possibility of their soon collapse.

The report also revealed that “the South Coast Sewerage Treatment plant has been virtually non-functioning for over a year, as over 90 per cent of the sewage entering the plant is now being diverted  from the influent pumps to the effluent pumps”.

According to the Opposition Leader, the report was sent to BWA Chairman Dr Atlee Brathwaite and copied to the Minister of Water Resource Management Dr David Estwick on September 10.

Barbadians have been put on notice of a possible shortage of some basic food crops early next year, if current drought conditions persist.

Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) James Paul has cautioned that the situation is approaching a very worrying level, and is not likely to improve any time soon.

“Unless we receive above normal rains during the period of November, December and going into January, farmers will have severe difficulties,” Paul told Barbados TODAY.

The BAS head went on to reveal that farmers were already experiencing difficulties with production, adding that certain vegetable crops, such as pumpkin — especially those grown in non-irrigated areas — stood to be severely affected.

Paul also said green crops, such as lettuce, which need water to grow, were also likely to be in short supply as a result of the current drought.

“Even to start a crop you need at least some rainfall especially in the non rain fed areas. Sweet potatoes, root crops, they are going to need water,” noted Paul.

With respect to the dairy industry, the farmers’ spokesman said hopes of increasing local production from four million kilogrammes of milk, by another 20 per cent by yearend, would not be realized as a result of the lack of rainfall.

He explained that while it was normal to have “dry spells” every year, since last August “it has gone haywire and this is quite a worrying thing for the farmers”.

Paul said the situation should serve as a wake up call to authorities and residents that there was need for better water management and conservation measures.

He also called for emergency measures to be put in place, saying he was surprised that policymakers “have not looked at and thought of addressing this matter of drought next year”.

“We are very worried at this time in respect to the drought. We were hoping that now we should have seen some rains coming in on a more consistent basis, [but] this is just not happening.

“I anticipate that we can see a very difficult time next year for the agriculture sector as a result of the lack of rain at this time,” said Paul, who is anticipating millions of dollars in losses.

The BAS head said the farmers’ body was putting measures of its own in place to mitigate the impact. He explained that it was currently working on an arrangement with companies that produce brown water, which can be treated for use in the agriculture sector.

In a separate interview, Chairman of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN) Senator Norman Grant called on Caribbean Community (CARICOM) governments to discuss the drought situation.

“Drought has begun to have a greater effect on farming in the region than was hurricane,” said Grant.

“Last year drought affected about 18,000 farmers in Jamaica and cost the agriculture sector JA$1 billion [approximately 17 million Barbados dollars]. By its action it really stymied growth within the domestic agriculture,” warned Grant.

“We need CARICOM and the governments of the region to build in the type of framework that is required to alleviate this issue if we are going to increase our domestic production, if we are going to reduce our imports, create more wealth for the rural people and the farmers, and if agriculture is going to be sustainable,” he argued.

Grant, who is also the president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), told Barbados TODAY CaFAN was working with all the 14 members states to lobby the governments and ministries of agriculture to provide more support for the farmers.

He said strategies such as rainwater harvesting, the distribution of water tanks, the creation of mini dams, greater promotion of greenhouse and hydroponics farming were being used to combat the drought conditions.

“We think it is something that has impacted production in a significant way in the region and it is also affecting our abilities to reduce this US$5 billion worth of food that we import in the region,” he said, pointing out that the drought condition was widespread across the region.

marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb.