Charles Griffith created one of the biggest upsets in this country's political history last night.

Running in a constituency the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) had never won, the 55-year-old first-timer became the party's first candidate to capture what had always been seen as the Democratic Labour Party's (DLP) stronghold – the constituency of St John.

In the 14 previous general elections held since 1951, the DLP had never lost that seat. But five years after the DLP's Mara Thompson thoroughly defeated BLP candidate Hudson Griffith 4,025 votes to 1,091, capturing 79 per cent of votes in the process, Griffith did what many deemed the impossible.

He captured 2,983 of the 5,167 votes cast, almost twice as many as his main challenger, George Pilgrim of the DLP, who earned 1,598 votes.

Griffith won all but two of the 22 boxes announced.

Hudson Griffith who represented the United Progressive Party captured 308 votes, Solution Barbados' Cherone Martindale got 86 votes, Leroy McClean who ran as an independent got 155 votes and the Barbados Integrity Movement's Derek Went won 22 votes.

They were 15 spoilt votes.

There were over 8,000 registered voters in St John.

Long before returning officer Richard Harris officially announced Griffith as the winner at 3:25 a.m., a large group of BLP supporters had gathered outside the Owen Estwick and Earl Gibbons Auditorium, celebrating his imminent victory.

Speaking to the media moments after former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart conceded defeat, Griffith, who was flanked by his children Destiny, Akeem and Niah, said he was honoured.

"This is a win not only for me but for the people of St John. This journey was never about self, so to be here tonight celebrating victory is a major, major plus, because this is about making St John grow," he said.

While he was humble in victory, Griffith said he fully expected to not only win the seat, but for the BLP to capture all 30 seats.

"I was expecting this outcome. I know the party's machinery was in high gear and we did what we were supposed to do. The confidence today was as a result of knowing that the persons in St John felt disrespected and neglected, so today was payback time."

Griffith said the fact that the DLP chose to select Pilgrim as their candidate for St John was also a slap in the face.

"Someone from St John may have been a better candidate, but the fact that you brought…a three-time loser to St John, people felt disrespected, so hence the reason the result is being reflected," Griffith said.

He disclosed that one of his first goals as MP for the area would be to address the high unemployment level as well as to upgrade the parish's road infrastructure. (RB)

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Police have confirmed reports that three people have been killed in two fatal road accidents.

Details are still sketchy on the accident which occurred at Foursquare, St Philip, claiming two lives.

However, Police Public Relations Officer Acting Inspector Rodney Inniss told Barbados TODAY a short while ago he was on his way to further investigate the matter, after visiting the tragic scene at the Belle, St Michael where a 45-year-old male lost his life after the vehicle in which he was travelling crashed.

The accident occurred about 150 metres away from the Norman Niles Roundabout.

Inniss said the driver, a 37-year-old male, lost control of his red Toyota sports utility vehicle and eventually crashed into a tree, killing the front seat passenger.

Both the driver and his rear seat  passenger - a 40 year-old female - survived, but had to rushed to hospital by ambulance.

A section of the Belle Road is currently cordoned off as a result of the accident, which occurred around 5:55 p.m.

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At this hour firemen are battling a major blaze at the abandoned Ministry of Health building in Jemmotts Lane.

Police spokesman Acting Inspector Rodney Inniss said lawmen were investigating the cause of the latest fire at the building, which was gutted last month.

More details as they come to hand.

[video width="640" height="352" mp4="https://barbadostoday.bb/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/VID-20180525-WA0022.mp4"][/video]

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Police have released the names of the island's latest road fatalities.

They are 45-year-old Mark Griffith of Broomesfield St Lucy; 31-year-old Lamar Small of Eddy Village, Christ Church; and 33-year-old Omar Chase of St David Village, Christ Church.

Griffith was the front seat passenger in a vehicle which crashed at the Belle, St Michael, about 150 metres away from the Norman Niles roundabout at 5:55 p.m. on Friday.

The driver, 37-year-old Kevin Hinds of #23 Maycock Terrace, St. Lucy,lost control of his red Toyota sports utility vehicle and ended up in a tree.

Small and Chase were on a motorcycle travelling along Foursquare Road, St Philip when they were struck by a vehicle which was being driven by 48-year-old Wayne Cummins of Packers Valley, St. Patricks, Christ Church. They were pronounced dead on the spot.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its Barbados Staff Report for the 2017 Article IV consultation, says the island's economy is slowing, following recovery in 2016.

The report was released Friday after Prime Minister Mia Mottley met with her economic team, the Governor of the Central Bank and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs to receive a briefing on the economic challenges facing the Barbados economy.

According to the report, international reserves, which are already low, continue to decline.

“While there is significant progress in reducing the high fiscal deficit, the government will fall short in meeting the ambitious fiscal adjustment targets set in the May 2017 budget,” the IMF said.

“The adjustment, if maintained, will lead to a decline in the debt-to-GDP ratio, but debt will remain unsustainable. Further delays in privatization will lead to a continued decline in reserves, while large financing requirements remain a serious challenge.”

The Washington-based financial institution said balancing the budget within three years, and maintaining the balance thereafter, while challenging, would help address financing needs and decisively place the debt on a downward trajectory.

The IMF said the fiscal adjustment should focus on reducing expenditure, centered around cutting transfers by reforming state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and public pensions.

It said the revenue effort should continue by broadening the tax base while increasing the overall progressivity of taxation.

“Strengthening the business climate and competitiveness would support economic growth. Eliminating reliance on the Central Bank financing of the government deficit would make monetary policy consistent with maintaining the peg,” the IMF said.

Reflecting the impact of a prolonged recession following the global financial crisis, and inadequate fiscal policy, the IMF notes that Barbados is contending with large fiscal deficits, high debt, and low reserves.

It said that the May 2017 budget sought to address the increasing funding challenges and falling reserves with an ambitious fiscal adjustment that aimed to eliminate new funding requirements including with receipts from additional privatization.

“The large adjustment was also intended to reverse the debt trajectory, but would slow growth and increase inflation. However, weaker than expected revenues and budget implementation slippages, suggest that the deficit is likely to remain significantly higher than planned with correspondingly large funding requirements,” the IMF said.

“Debt also remains unsustainable, while low and falling international reserves raise vulnerabilities. Against this background, tourism continues to do well, some competitiveness indicators, although deteriorating, remain stronger than those of Barbados’ peers, and the Human Development Index remains significantly higher than in the rest of the region.”

Meanwhile, the IMF says the economy is slowing in response to a large fiscal adjustment and weak confidence.

Growth is estimated at 1.6 per cent in 2016, and after a robust performance in the first quarter of 2017, it has sharply slowed in the third quarter.

Long-stay arrivals increased by 6.2 per cent in the first three quarters of 2017, after a strong performance in 2016.

Inflation increased to 6.6 per cent in October 2017, following an increase to 3.8 per cent at end-2016.

The IMF said confidence is low reflecting repeated credit rating downgrades, falling reserves and protracted reforms of the public sector.

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The Barbados Christian Council on Saturday congratulated the new Prime Minister Amor Mottley and the Barbados Labour Party on the tremendous victory at the General Election held on Thursday May 24.

The BXC said it is happy that the new Government is keen on the churches sharing in the various Councils and Partnerships on the island, as expressed in their manifesto and in the first speech delivered on Friday morning.

"We look forward to working with you," Chairman Canon Noel A Burke said in a statement.

"We wish the new Prime Minister and Government all of the very best and every blessing from God Almighty as we press on to with high ideals to make our nation, its people and institutions stronger and better."

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President of the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) Sharmane Roland-Bowen is expressing sadness at the passing of three people following two road accidents this weekend.

While offering condolences to the families, she called on the newly elected Mia Mottley-led administration to place road safety as a priority on its list of issues to tackle with immediacy.

On Friday three people died in two separate road accidents.

The first accident, which occurred between Hothersal Turning and the Norman Niles Roundabout, resulted in the death of 45-year-old Mark Griffith of Broomesfield, St Lucy. He was a front seat passenger in a vehicle driven by 37-year-old Kevin Hinds of Hope Road in the same parish.

The second accident, which involved a motorcycle and a van, occurred at Foursquare, St Philip.

Two men – 31-year-old Lamar Small of Eddy Village, Christ Church and 33-year-old Omar Chase of St David Village, Christ Church, who were travelling on the motorcycle, died on the spot, after they collided with the van that was being driven by 48-year-old Wayne Cummins of Packers Valley, St Patrick, Christ Church.

Roland Bowen told Barbados TODAY this afternoon as Barbadians celebrate the victory of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) at last Thursday’s polls, they should do so responsibly while bearing in mind the tragedy which is now affecting the families.

This brings to 14, the number of road fatalities in Barbados for the year so far.

“While we welcome the new administration to service, we want to draw their minds to that stark reminder of death and injury on our road,” said Roland-Bowen, who pointed out 14 road fatalities in just five months was simply too high.

With Crop Over festivities right around the corner, Roland-Bowen urged the BLP administration to ensure enforcement of the Road Traffic Act, especially as it relates to breathalyzer testing and driving and texting.

“We want the administration to view road safety as a priority and work towards the reduction of accidents and death on our roads. We want us not to encourage the bad practices on our road. By failing to act we are encouraging it,” she warned.

“We want us to enact and enforce the legislation that is there with a matter of urgency seeing the number of death occurring on our roads and with the Crop Over coming,” she said.

She said the BRSA stood ready to play its roll and work closely with the new government to help reduce the number of road accidents.

“We welcome the new administration and we want them to know we are willing to work with them. The victory that was won was won for the people. So let us all work together to achieve the ultimate goal with safety on our road,” she said.

Acknowledging that road users were most likely tired from the election campaign over the past few weeks, Roland-Bowen urged residents not to engage in the drinking alcohol and then operate their vehicles, pointing out that “alcohol and lack of rest is a recipe for accident and death on our roads”.

“Take some time and get the rest that you need and desist from using alcohol as part of the celebration if you know you are going to be on the road,” she cautioned.

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“The prime minister got the history … but he didn’t get the history he wanted,” quipped elections upset winner Kirk Humphrey who created history by unseating an elected prime minister in a constituency.

After it became apparent that he had attained an unassailable lead in votes for the St Michael constituency, political newcomer Humphrey early Friday morning sought to turn Stuart’s words about making history against the incumbent.

In a comment just over a month ago about his delay in calling elections, Stuart had said, “that is how history is made. History is not made by things happening the same way all the time. History is made by doing things differently".

Besides his jab at his losing opponent and emphatically stating that he has no words for the former PM, "none!", Humphrey was full of praise for Barbados Labour Party Leader and Prime Minister Mia Mottley and what he saw as a "clean" campaign ran by his side.

“I think it is validation of the campaign we ran. We chose to run a very clean positive campaign filled with hope,” he said in giving reasons for his and the party’s historic victory.

“It is validation in Mia Mottley’s leadership.”

Though he worked over two years for the victory, Humphrey said just minutes to 4 a.m. that the reality of the win is still sinking in, “tonight I think we have to take this thing in stages, like small little bites”.

“We have to come to terms with the fact that I am actually a Member of Parliament,” he said in a Graydon Sealy Secondary School classroom, adding a comment about his faithful supporters cheering and shouting on Paddock Road, “I have a whole set of people waiting on me outside. I want to spend time with the people who elected me.

“It’s clear to me that what has happened in Barbados is an expression of the frustration of the people, having elected a government that then chose to spend zero time, either advancing their issues, dealing with their problems, making sure their needs were met, or creating opportunities for them to advance”.

He assured that his leadership of the St Michael South community will be different.

“I do not intend to, on the first day or last, be separating myself from the people.

“So, my first order of business this morning is to spend time with the people and then tomorrow, and the following day is to go through my constituency and thank the people who actually elected me.”

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Newly installed Prime Minister Mia Mottley today announced a 30-member Cabinet, including two ambassadorial-level advisors.

These are former Deputy Prime Minister Dame Billie Miller, who is to be appointed Ambassador at Large and Plenipotentiary, and economist Dr Clyde Mascoll, who is to be appointed as Chief Economic Counsellor in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment headed by Mottley.

In making the announcement, the Prime Minister said Dame Billie and Mascoll would attend Cabinet as necessary given the task that is required to get Barbados out of its "perilous" economic state.

In addition to the key finance and economic affairs portfolios, the Prime Minister will also have responsibility for national security, as part of the enlarged Cabinet team, which also includes a new Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy to be headed by development specialist Kirk Humphrey; and a Ministry of the Creative Economy to be headed by entertainer John King, who will also take charge of the culture and sports portfolios.

There is also a People's Empowerment and Elders Affairs Ministry, headed by Member of Parliament for St Thomas Cynthia Forde, as part of the new-look Cabinet, which has ten more members than the previous Freundel Stuart-led administration.

The full team is to be sworn in here on Sunday.

The Primer Minister also announced  a total of 12 new senators, with Barbados Labour Party (BLP) elder Sir Richard Cheltenham heading the list. He is to be appointed President of the Senate while another BLP stalwart and former Cabinet minister Rudolph "Cappy" Greenidge is due to be appointed his deputy.

Today Mottley also revealed some key appointments to be made to the Parliament once it is convened.

These include successful St Michael Central candidate Arthur Holder to the position of Speaker of the House; Member of Parliament for St George North Glyne Clarke as his deputy and Member of Parliament for St Philip North Dr Sonia Browne as Chairman of Committees.

Rounding off today's appointments by the new Prime Minister, who took the oath of office before Governor General Dame Sandra Mason yesterday following her party's overwhelming victory at the polls in which it claimed all 30 seats at stake, are those of ex-diplomat Jessica Odle-Baril as Mottley's Personal Aide and Pat Parris, the former executive assistant to the Leader of the Opposition, as Director of Public Affairs in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Mottley is also to finalize by Monday the appointment of a Director of Communications and Social Media to fill the traditional role of Press Secretary in the Government.

She also served notice that some "czars" would soon be appointed in mission critical areas.

Following is the full Cabinet announced by Mottley today:

Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment - Mia Mottley

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs - Dale Marshall

Minister of Education, Technological & Vocational Training and Leader of Government Business - Santia Bradshaw

Minister of Housing, Lands and Rural Development - George Payne

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business in the Senate – Senator Dr Jerome Walcott

Minister of International Business and Industry – Ronald Toppin

Minister of Environment and National Beautification – Trevor Prescod

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs – Cynthia Forde

Minister of Tourism and International Transport – Kerrie Symmonds

Minister of Transport Works and Maintenance  - Dr William Duguid

Minister of Health and Wellness – Jeffrey Bostic

Minister of Home Affairs – Edmund Hinkson

Minister of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce – Dwight Sutherland

Minister of Energy and Water Resources – Wilfred Abrahams

Minister in the Ministry of Finance – Ryan Straughn

Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment – Marsha Caddle

Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade – Sandra Husbands

Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations – Colin Jordan

Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Rural Development – Charles Griffith

Minister of Youth and Community Empowerment – Adrian Forde

Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy – Kirk Humphrey

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security – Indar Weir

Minister in the Ministry of Transport Works and Maintenance – Peter Phillips

Minister of the Creative Economy, Culture and Sports – John King

Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology – Senator Kay McConney

Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Public Affairs- Senator Lucille Moe

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Technological & Vocational Training  - Senator Dr Rommel Springer

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of People's Empowerment and Elder Affairs - Neil Rowe

Chief Economic Counsellor  - Ambassador Dr Clyde Mascoll

Ambassador at Large and Plenipotentiary - Dame Billie Miller

The full list of Government Senators are:

Senator Sir Richard Cheltenham

Senator Rudolph Cappy Greenidge

Senator Dr Jerome Walcott

Senator Kay McConney

Senator Lucille Moe

Senator Rawdon Adams

Senator Lisa Cummins

Senator Rudy Grant

Senator Dr Rommel Springer

Senator Lynette Holder

Senator Damien Sands

Senator Dr Chrystal Haynes

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In the absence of an official Opposition, Prime Minister Mia Mottley today announced that an amendment is to be made to the Barbados Constitution to make provision for the appointment of two Opposition Senators.

And based on its performance in the May 24 poll, those two senatorial positions are being offered to the Democratic Labour Party, as the political party which mustered the second highest number of votes in the just concluded poll in which Mottley's Barbados Labour Party (BLP) was swept to power after capturing all 30 seats in Parliament.

Following consultations with Governor General Dame Sandra Mason today, Mottley said that in the event the DLP chooses not to take up the offer of the two Senate seats, the Governor General, acting in accordance with her advice as Prime Minister, would proceed to appoint two other representatives to the Upper Chamber.

Today, Mottley also announced a 30-member Cabinet team headed by herself, as well as a 12-member Government senatorial team, headed by BLP elder and Queen's Counsel Sir Richard Cheltenham, who is to serve as President of the Senate.

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Omari Jabari Bynoe, 26, who fell off a Democratic Labour Party (DLP) campaign vehicle on Monday of this week, has died.

Bynoe of Glebe Land, St George was reportedly sitting on the railing of a Toyota Hiace pick-up truck when he lost his balance and fell into the road.

Bynoe suffered serious brain injuries and was transported by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he subsequently passed away.

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An outspoken former Government Senator has taken issue with the size of Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s new 30-member Cabinet.

Posting on the Facebook page of the St Andrew Branch of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), defeated DLP St Andrew candidate Irene Sandiford-Garner pointed out that “in her first 24 hours [as Prime Minister] Mia [Mottley] added 14 new ministers and three staff each”, which she calculated would cost the Treasury “$664,000 a month or $8 million a year”.

“#MiaCares#Pray4Barbados,” the former parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport added, following this afternoon’s announcement by Mottley of her new Cabinet and senatorial team of 12, which is much larger than the 20-member Cabinet team headed by former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart whose Government was ousted from power on Thursday.

In a humiliating defeat, Stuart's DLP did not retain a single seat as Mottley's Barbados Labour Party (BLP) romped to power with a clean sweep of the 30 seats in the House of Assembly.

Earlier, Sandiford-Garner, who lost by more than 2,000 votes to the BLP's incumbent George Payne in the rural riding, had publicly conceded defeat in the same social media group.

“The people have spoken,” she said in a post made on Friday morning, while congratulating the new Government of Barbados.

“Thanks to each and every person in St Andrew who remained steadfast. I did my best.
“Remember: God is in control; whatever he does is well done,” Sandiford-Garner added.

[caption id="attachment_236694" align="alignleft" width="150"] Denis Kellman[/caption]

Defeated St Lucy candidate and former Minister of Housing and Lands Denis Kellman also took to Facebook yesterday morning to “thank the people of St Lucy and all those who helped, for the support given to me over the years”.

The five-time Member of Parliament who lost this time around to the BLP’s Peter Phillips by over 2,000 votes, congratulated “Phillips and his team for the transformation.

“I wish the church leaders well with their job ahead,” Kellman added without elaborating.

However, more gracious in defeat was the DLP’s St James South candidate Donville Inniss, the former Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, who was also trounced by the BLP’s Sandra Husbands in Thursday’s poll. Husbands polled 4,012 votes to Inniss’ 1,674, but in accepting defeat, Inniss posted:

“The people have spoken and the decision is to be respected. Congratulations to aĺl of the BLP candidates. The new DLP shall rise again."

Former Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth Stephen Lashley also publicly thanked his constituents in Christ Church West Central “for reposing confidence in me over the last ten years.

“I congratulate the BLP on its win. Our people have spoken. God bless you all,” he said, following his defeat by BLP candidate Adrian Forde by 2,760 votes.

Defeated St Michael West Central candidate James Paul also acknowledged that “the

[caption id="attachment_236713" align="alignright" width="150"] James Paul[/caption]

Democratic Labour Party has suffered a heavy defeat”.

However, Paul, who polled 865 votes to the BLP’s Ian Gooding-Edghill with 3,291, said the major defeat “does not mean that the party is vanquished.

“The party will rebuild and return even stronger to continue its mandate. The loss will be learnt from and will embolden the party to do better in the future. It is the intention of the party to remain true to its core,” Paul added.

Former Minister of Education Ronald Jones, who lost by 2,728 votes to the BLP’s Ryan Straughn, also said: "I wish to express my sincerest thanks to the people of Christ Church East Central who gave me an opportunity to serve them for some 15 years in the Parliament of Barbados.

“My journey is now concluded at this level. I move on to new journeys and new sacrifices. May the good Lord bless this country. Thanks to all of you."

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Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding an accident which occurred along the Barrow Section of the A.B.C Highway last night leaving two males with serious injuries.

The accident involved a motorcycle, registration number G1305, owned and driven by Renaldo Goodman, 29, of #1 Glebe Land, St George, and a pedestrian, Ricardo Stuart, 52, of Lower Burney, St Michael.

Around 11:55 p.m., the motor cyclist was travelling from Pine Hill towards the J. T. C Ramsay (Bussa) roundabout. On reaching the area of the traffic lights, two motor cars were stationary, one in each lane. At the same time the pedestrian was crossing and was struck by the motor cyclist.

The motor cycle then mounted the Jersey barrier and ended up on the other side of the carriageway.

Goodman sustained a fractured left forearm and multiple abrasions to his face and abdomen and Stuart suffered head injuries, lacerations to his abdomen and a fractured left foot.

They were both transported by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment.

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A Christ Church family is devastated after a vehicular accident claimed the lives of cousins,  31-year-old Kamar Small of Edey Village, and 33-year-old Omar Chase of St David’s Village.

Around 5:55 p.m. on Friday, Chase's motorcycle collided head on with a motor van belonging to 48-year-old Wayne Cummins of Packers Valley, St Patricks, Christ Church along Foursquare Road, St Philip. Small was the pillion rider on the motorcycle. The cousins died on the scene.

Speaking to Barbados TODAY hours after it was announced that the two men had become the island’s 13^th and 14^th road fatalities for 2018, Omar’s sister Kimberley Chase still had not come to grips with the tragedy.

“I’m waiting for him to come home and tell me Sis I coming for my food,” Kimberley said while crying.

Omar was her last sibling and only surviving relative since their mother died 14 years ago.

The loss of her beloved sibling was still too much to bear, especially since she buried her nephew a week ago.

“They [Omar and Kamar] promised they ain’t going to go along and left me and now they gone and I don’t know what to do. He is all I got besides my children and his, and he gone and left me and I don’t know what I am going to do,” she solemnly repeated.

“To lose my brother and my cousin in one week this is so hard  . . . I never believed that I would got to bury my mother last child.  I feel like I lost my soul all over again,” Kimberley went on to say while in tears.

Kimberley received the call of the fatal accident while she was at the nail salon.

“I didn’t expect my brother and my cousin to be dead because they told me they coming back home now then to go and see them dead hurt my heart,” Kimberley told Barbados TODAY.

“My brother, he is a good man he make sure he look out for his children and everybody around.”

Kamar’s 53-year-old mother Valencia Small was also struggling with the news that her youngest son would not be returning home.

Valencia’s Edey Village, Christ Church home was filled with relatives and neighbours who had stop by to offer their condolences to the family and offer their assistance during this difficult time.

[caption id="attachment_239248" align="alignnone" width="433"] Valencia Small[/caption]

Valencia revealed that Kamar was well known throughout the community. He could often be seen roasting up to 21 breadfruits outside his home to be shared amongst family and friends.

“A friend said she missed the smoke coming through her bedroom window,” she recalled, adding, “he was a fella that liked a lot of laughing and cracking a joke … he made you laugh.”

Valencia said when she arrived at the accident scene Friday night, it felt like the longest wait of her life before she finally saw her son’s body.

“I thought it was never going to end  . . . It was rough, it was rough,” she said before breaking down in tears.

“It is  hard and it is rough because he was not sick . . . to know that you child wasn’t sick and get in an accident and died on the spot the same time, it’s hard,” she added.

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The United Progressive Party (UPP) on Sunday thanked the people of Barbados for welcoming its candidates into their homes and into their lives.

“The UPP salutes all of the candidates who contested the 2018 election, whether you were victorious our not, it is by your efforts that we keep our democratic traditions alive,” party leader Lynette Eastmond said in a statement.

“We wish to extend a special thank you to our UPP candidates; for them it was an exceptional experience, building a new party while simultaneously learning how to represent a party at election time.”

The party also expressed thank those who provided support throughout the campaign.

“While this result is certainly not what we had hoped for, the people are never wrong. Our candidates embraced public life because we believe that Barbadians are working hard, that they have made many sacrifices, and they should keep more of the money they earn. We believe that government should manage the people’s money the way that the people wish it to be managed,” Eastmond said.

“We believe that our country can do more to ensure economic enfranchisement for all of its citizens, and that in this increasingly liberal global marketplace, Barbados must without apology advance our values and our interests, and demand a better deal for our people.  We shall not abandon these principles.”

Eastmond said the UPP will continue to develop and advocate policy which it hopes will benefit both the Government and people of Barbados and will be working towards implementation where possible.

“We feel blessed to live in a democracy where individuals can express their constitutional rights to form parties and vote their choice of candidate without fear. We once again congratulate our new Government and our new Prime Minister Mia Mottley,” Eastmond added.

The Mottley-led Barbados Labour Party won all 30 seats in the May 24 general election.

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Members of the public are advised that as a result of the swearing-in ceremony of members of Cabinet this afternoon, Highway 7, from its junction with Garrison Road to its junction with Beckles Road, St Michael, will be closed to traffic between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Inbound traffic to the City will turn right at Garrison Road and proceed to Dalkeith Road and on to Beckles Road, where it will continue on to Bay Street.

From Bridgetown, traffic will turn left at Beckles Road, proceed along Dalkeith Road, and turn right on to Garrison Road, where it will rejoin Highway 7.

People who reside and work in the area will be allowed access.

Members of the public are urged to comply with the instructions of police officers on duty.

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Barbados Labour Party (BLP) Cabinet members and Parliamentary Secretaries will continue to donate to charity, the 10 per cent restored to parliamentarians' salaries in 2016.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who made the announcement Sunday afternoon, said members of her new administration will continue this act of solidarity with the people of Barbados who have been enduring economic hardship.

When the Freundel Stuart-led administration restored the salaries in 2016, two years after they had been cut, BLP MPs took a decision to donate their portion of the increases and back pay to charity.

At this afternoon's swearing-in ceremony for Cabinet Minister's at the Esplanade, Bay Street, Mottley said this will continue as a matter of principle.

The Prime Minister also announced that all Ministers will be made to declare their assets.

Mottley said this information will be kept in confidence by the Cabinet Secretary until integrity legislation is proclaimed.

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Members of the new Cabinet of Barbados were told in no uncertain terms that they could find themselves out of office for failing in their duty and falling back into the habits and practices that they campaigned against.

Delivering the invocation today at the swearing-in ceremony for ministers of Government at the Esplanade, Bay Street, Presiding Bishop of the Barbados District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies, Reverend Gerry Seale, cautioned them to be humble and honest.

“You’ve been called to serve, not to be lord it over us,” he said. And in a hint at the decisiveness of the vote by Barbadians in last week’s elections, he added, “lead us with wisdom and understanding and we will follow you. Lead us with foolishness and we will use our ‘X’”.

The noted Barbadian man of the cloth moved away from the lectern, turned to face the Cabinet members and explained that he was addressing them as a family member, ‘Uncle Gerry’.

“Live and serve with integrity,” he exhorted the 28 members of the island’s new executive.

“If you have come for a piece of the fatted calf, may I suggest you’re at the wrong table.

“If you’ve come to feather your nest, may I suggest you’re plucking the wrong chicken … if that is what you are doing, I will pray – as I have done in the past with many others across this country – that God will expose you, strip you and bring you down.

“This is not time to rob the Treasury.”

Stressing the need for humility in high office, he said, “when you become puffed -up with pride we will take care of you”.

Making a biblical reference to God declaring he will live “with those whose spirits are contrite and humble”, Reverend Seale said, “we need leaders who live in the high and holy place with God”.

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