The Ellerslie School is sticking to its decision to change its uniform come the start of the 2018/2019 academic year.

Principal Major Errol Braithwaite all but put the matter to bed at an hour-long meeting this evening with close to 200 parents who filled the school’s hall.

Although no official explanation was made public, Barbados TODAY understands a survey carried out by the school’s management found overwhelming support for the change, which is also touted as more affordable for parents.

After the meeting ended just around 5 p.m., parents who spoke to Barbados TODAY supported the change.

“To me, from the beginning I had no problem with the uniform. Change is good. The khaki and the white seem to be okay and I like the idea with the crest. I’m happy with the change,” Judy Wickham, who has a son who will enter fourth form next school year, said.   

“As far as I understand the meeting went well. There were talks with the students about the change since last year and we were also told, so it didn’t come as a surprise to me,” Wickham said.

Past student and parent Serena Browne also supported the decision, while appealing to parents and students to accept the new uniform.

[caption id="attachment_273331" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Serena Browne[/caption]

“I don’t have a problem with the uniform change. I was thinking that the challenges for my fellow parents and their concerns would be how it was communicated to them. Some people thought it was too sudden, but in earlier days we were informed that the uniform would be fazed out at a PTA meeting,” Browne said, going on to state that the students’ education should be the priority.

“The uniform doesn’t help students in terms of their learning process . . . . It is all about the betterment of the students. The uniform will not make the child. We have to embrace the change. All students have to do is wear the uniform and come to school and do their best,” she stressed.

The planned change sparked controversy among parents and the school’s alumni association, many of whom complained that it was much too sudden and they were left out of the decision-making process.

In addition, there were several complaints that the new uniform closely resembled the one worn by Combermere students.

The students, known as Brown Cows for the colour of the uniform, will have a different look come next school year, with the traditional khaki shirt and pants worn by those in the junior school being replaced by white shirts, the school crest and khaki pants for the boys and a khaki overall, as opposed to brown, for the girls.

Senior boys will continue to wear white shirts, but the brown trousers will be replaced by khaki pants, while the school crest and tie will replace the epaulettes.

The upset members of the alumni association charged that the school would lose its identity, and its history was being compromised.

Former student Rodney Garnes has started an online petition titled Don’t Change My Ellerslie Uniform, which, up until the time of publication, had attracted 1,232 of the 1,500 signatures he is seeking in his bid to pressure the Ministry of Education to reverse the decision.

The  alumni association also staged a peaceful protest outside of the compound last Friday, to highlight its opposition to the change.

However, the protest did not go down well with Browne, who told Barbados TODAY she felt let down by those who participated.

“I was very disappointed. If you have concerns as the alumni, contact the principal and try to get a meeting with him and try to work out things. We shouldn’t be only hearing the alumni as it relates to a uniform,” she said.

However, one member of the alumni association continues to fume despite today’s announcement, accusing the principal of having a dialogue with parents “now that the decision has been taken”.

“The change in the uniform was made . . . unknown to us. Nobody consulted with us. It is not so much the change, it is the fact that we were left out of the decision and that is the hurtful part,” he said.

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While Barbadians reacted with shock to the news that a Barbados bound passenger attempted to smuggle a snake into the island on Sunday, it is being reported that there is a huge local underground market for reptiles.

A professional in the animal care business told Barbados TODAY the reptile black market is alive and well here with some of the illegal serpents fetching hundreds of dollars.

“There are bearded dragons [lizards] that sell at wholesalers for US$20, which sell here for BDS$700. That is big mark up and huge return on investment,” the professional, who requested anonymity, said, while adding that the price on the local market for a snake could start at BDS$800, therefore keeping such animals out of the hands of people who simply could not afford to maintain them.

According to media reports out of Florida, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Miami International Airport found a python inside an external hard drive that was hidden inside a piece of luggage headed for Barbados.

[caption id="attachment_273256" align="aligncenter" width="540"] At left, the snake in a stocking after it was found concealed in this external hard drive. Some ball pythons such as this one above currently fetch as much as US$85,000 on the market.[/caption]

“The snake, that didn’t get on a plane thanks to our officers’ diligent screening, had been artfully concealed inside the electronics of a hard drive and placed in a checked bag headed for a flight to Barbados,” the Miami Herald quoted TSA spokeswoman Sari Koshetz as saying.   

The paper said US Fish and Wildlife Services officials responded to the scene and took possession of the snake, and the passenger was fined.

It also quoted the TSA spokeswoman as saying while the reptile was “obviously not an imminent terrorist threat” to airline passengers, the interception prevented a possible wildlife threat on an aircraft. “Animals of many species have been known to escape and chew through wires with fatal results,” the paper quoted Koshetz as saying.

However, the animal care professional who spoke to Barbados TODAY said the confiscation of the snake may have left an eager buyer here disappointed.

At the same time, he said it was nothing but a small setback for smugglers, and would not deter those involved in the illegal trafficking of the reptiles.

“The snake trade, as many snakes that are brought . . . they sell comfortably and easily for very high prices and men are ready to order again as soon as people bring them in,” he said, even as he added that the local snake importers have slithered underground now that the spotlight is on the operations.

The animal carer explained that the illegal trading in reptiles and exotic animals is fed by a ban on the importation of these animals.

He told Barbados TODAY that in the past Barbadians could have applied for permits to import and keep reptiles, but Government stopped issuing such permits in recent years, creating the perfect conditions for a black market.

“Anytime you have a knee-jerk reaction to something that people want, you basically open a market for people who are willing to supply them and that is what has happened.

“Somebody who wants to keep a snake as a pet, who would have settled for some innocuous reptile like a ball python, can’t do that now because there is no facility for you to do it safely and legally. So there is a huge market for the people who are willing to take the chance as long as the price is right,” he said.

However, President of the Barbados Reptile Association Rico Sandiford suggested that the animal care official exaggerated the size of the black market for snakes.

And even as he condemned the smuggler, Sandiford said there could be some good to be derived from the importation of snakes.

Sandiford told Barbados TODAY Government should discuss the issue with his organization because the reptiles could be a way to help boast to the country’s dwindling foreign reserves.

“I don’t think the black market is a huge problem. Some people are making it out to be bigger than it actually is. This whole thing could stop if they allow certain people permits to import and export the reptiles and it would help with the foreign exchange and employment,” he said.

Sandiford explained that the humidity in Barbados was ideal for breeding and the country should seriously consider tapping into a market.

“The conditions are right in Barbados to breed certain species of snakes. People may laugh but it is serious. There are some ball pythons on the market that you could get for US$85,000, [so] financially it could bring in foreign exchange,” he added.

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The tears streaming down the face of 69-year-old Hazel Clarke tell the story of a mother’s unbearable grief and intense regret over the killing of her youngest child.

What started as an evening at the Pro-Fit Gym in Civilian Road, Bush Hall, St Michael ended fatally for Clarke’s daughter, Pauline, around 8:30 last night.

[caption id="attachment_273381" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Pauline Clarke (inset) was shot and killed at the Pro-Fit Gym in Civilian Road, Bush Hall, St Michael last night.[/caption]

Police said the 38-year-old had just completed a session and was making her way home when an unknown assailant approached her vehicle and fired multiple gunshots.

She was accompanied by her 17-year-old daughter, Keelia, who was also injured and had to be rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for medical treatment.

The blood stains on the ground near where Pauline’s car was parked today served as a grim reminder of the horrific event that was still lurking in the minds of those who were at the fitness centre with the victim mere moments before the killer struck.

Many were shocked and traumatized, and the shooting has forced a temporary halt to operations at the gym.

“She had just started the car to leave with her daughter and we just heard about five gunshots. Most of us were still in the gym, but when we got out there the person that shot her was already gone and she was just in the car lying,” one person who has lived in the area for nearly two decades told Barbados TODAY.

“It is really heartbreaking and sad for this particular avenue. Bush Hall might have its issues, but this avenue is one of the most peaceful communities. I have never encountered nothing like this. It is scary,” said the resident, who requested anonymity.

Sombre faces and teary eyes greeted Barbados TODAY during a visit this morning to Pauline’s Chase Gap, Halls Road, St Michael home, as the distraught community grappled with the cruel reality of her violent death.   

Her mum displayed all the signs of a mother overcome by agony and left to put the pieces together.

“How do you expect me to feel? That is my child,” she said.

[caption id="attachment_273382" align="aligncenter" width="257"] ‘I saw my child with her face swell up big, and all the blood coming through her mouth. They take my child away from me and a mother away from her child,’ says Hazel Clarke.[/caption]

“I saw my child with her face swell up big, and all the blood coming through her mouth. They take my child away from me and a mother away from her child.

“Pauline is a very pleasant person. She has a lot of friends. She don’t get in any noise with nobody, she don’t be in nothing,” the mournful mum said, speaking as though her daughter were still alive.

“Of course, I will want justice for something like this. The person that did this must pay the penalty for it. They need to be punished,” she said.

Police have appealed to anyone with information about the shooting to contact police emergency at 211, or any police station.

They also vowed “to have a thorough investigation with the goal of bringing the offender in this matter to justice”.

However, up until the time of publication lawmen were no closer to finding out who was responsible for the young woman’s death or the motive for the killing.   

Pauline’s family members, including her eldest sister, Beverley, with whom she enjoyed a close relationship, also wanted to know who did it, and why.

“We were extremely close; best pals. I could call to her and ask her anything and she could do the same with me. It is just really hurtful to see what happened. To see her like that last night, I am just numb and shaken and at a loss for words,” Beverley said.

“I don’t know why this person would do this to us. She just used to have fun. She is a loving, caring person,” the grief-stricken sister said.

anmargboyce@barbadostoday.bb

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One of Barbados’ main investment firms is already indicating that it is not prepared to readily invest in Government paper even at the end of  the ongoing debt-restructuring programme, unless the returns match the risk.

Chief Investment Officer of Fortress Fund Managers Peter Arender said Government’s “aggressive” debt restructuring plan was necessary, but “unpleasant”.

[caption id="attachment_273388" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Peter Arender[/caption]

He said Fortress would therefore keep a close eye on the developments and would take a cautious approach in the future, while explaining that for some time the company had been limiting its exposure to Government.

“We felt that investors in Government bonds were not being compensated for the very real, rising and substantial risk of permanent capital loss and it’s unfortunately the exact extent of that capital loss that is being negotiated now between creditors and the Government,” Arender told journalists today at the company’s second annual lunch-and-learn session.

“Certainly it is not a cause for happiness but we erred on the side of caution for a number of years and our next step is, as the situation normalizes . . . as it goes through, as the credit worthiness of the Government on the other side of this process comes out, we are open for business, we are ready and able to look at things again, once the return for our investors is commensurate with the risk we are taking,” he stressed.

Less than two weeks after assuming office following the May 24 general election, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mottley announced an immediate suspension of payments due to domestic and external creditors, as Government sought to restructure the island’s staggering debt.

She had also announced that Government would engage the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a rescue package.

Arender said he expected the negotiations with the lending agency to last several months, and would have some impact on the “moderate to okay” local investment climate.

“We feel that [the debt restructuring] is in the category of unpleasant, but necessary. These are some steps being taken now that are within the restructuring negotiations that I am sure are not easy but they are absolutely necessary for the sustainability of Government finances, and that has a knock on effect to everything. So I think the positive out of it is that it is getting dealt with. It is important that things are being seen as they are and not how we wish they would be, and I think that is not immediately positive but overtime will set things up to be more positive,” he explained.

The investment manager said should investment opportunities arise in some state-owned entities Fortress would be “very happy to look” at them.

Giving an outlook on the company’s performance, Arender said he expected the high-interest fund to continue to yield less than average returns.

“On the equity side, we actually continue to see really good value around the world and some places even in the Caribbean . . . We are very happy with how we are positioned there and we are quite constructive on equities in the medium and long term,” he said.

In a separate interview, Vice President and Country Head of Royal Fidelity Jillian Nunes told Barbados TODAY she was waiting patiently for the outcome of Government’s ongoing talks with the IMF, which she anticipated would impact on a board range of financial services.

[caption id="attachment_273389" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Jillian Nunes[/caption]

“I think any debt restructuring is something that will impact the industry as a whole and I don’t just mean fund companies, it is insurance, the banks, the pensioner who comes out of a pension plan and is trying to invest in Government bonds. It will affect everyone. Certainly we are keeping an eye on it. We don’t know which way they are going to go, but I know there are different groups who are speaking with the IMF and showing them the levels of debt they have and putting different proposals to them. So we wait patiently to see what the outcome is,” Nunes said, while stressing that with commercial banks continuing to give negligible returns, people were becoming more eager to find lucrative investment options.

“Certainly the climate has changed. We have to recognize that things in the economy have changed and persons’ mindsets have changed as well. What we have seen is a major shift with persons coming out from their regular savings accounts from the banks and moving into more investment products. So it is no longer a passive saving, but they are actively making their money work for them,” she said.

marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb

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A month to the day after Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced an end to tuition fees for Barbadian students attending the University of the West Indies (UWI), there is confusion over who will pay for the upcoming semester.

Students showing up to enrol at the university for the semester, which begins on August 20, are being told they must pay tuition fees themselves by August 26, 2018.

This came as a shock to everyone, including Marsha Lynch, whose daughter has been accepted at the Cave Hill campus.

Lynch told Barbados TODAY she was advised by the campus’ admissions department that in the absence of official notification from Government, her daughter would be required to pay $6,000 in tuition fees.

The concerned mum said she was also told that the monies would be reimbursed as soon as the financial arrangements were finalized.

Unhappy with the university’s position, Lynch sought clarification from the tertiary division of the Ministry of Education, only to be told the university was right.

“They [UWI] is telling me that I could apply to be reimbursed or keep the money on the account to pay the amenities fee over the next three years. This not $600, this a lot of money,” Lynch complained.

“I was under the impression that all my child had to do was apply because Government was paying the fees,” she added.

Several attempts to reach Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw and her Permanent Secretary Sandra Phillips proved unsuccessful.

However, Barbados TODAY contacted the ministry’s tertiary division, which said it had not been told officially to proceed.

“There is no official word on this as yet. Students would have to wait on official word or follow the directive from the University of West Indies, which is to pay the fees,” the ministry official said.

“The decision is up to the student whether or not they want to pay, but nobody has been given official word,” she stressed.

Meantime, a revelation by Director of Communications at the Cave Hill Campus Chelston Lovell suggested that the issue was a matter of timing.

[caption id="attachment_273390" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Chelston Lovell[/caption]

Lovell told Barbados TODAY the university was operating on the premise that tuition was free for Barbadian students as of August 1, 2018.

“The campus’ official policy is that come August 1 no student is expected to pay tuition fees whether you are a new student or a returning student. The only ones that would be paying are those that have an outstanding balance for part of year one or year two,” Lovell said, while adding that some students who owed tuition balances from the previous year were of the misguided view that they would no longer be required to pay those debts with the abolition of the tuition fees.

At the same time, the university spokesman said he would seek to determine whether or not the Ministry of Finance had officially advised the campus of the policy change.

“It may be a case of too much information coming in too soon, but all of it has to be worked out and I guess the campus’ financial arrangements have been caught up in that . . . . There would have to be something that comes from the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Finance,” he explained.

In her mini Budget presented on June 11, Mottley, who is also Minister of Finance, said effective September undergraduate students attending UWI would no longer pay tuition fees, fulfilling one of the signature campaign promises of the Barbados Labour Party.

“We will abolish undergraduate tuition fees for those attending the University of the West Indies with effect from the next semester. In return we will require each student to contribute to the development of social capital by giving back a minimum of 100 hours in approved service to the country,” she said at the time, while promising to introduce “safeguards against the explosion of enrolment”.

She also revealed that reversal of the decision made by the then ruling Democratic Labour Party in 2013, and which took effect the following year, would cost Barbadian taxpayers an additional $22 million annually.

colvillemounsey@barbadostoday.bb

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It is early days yet, but the July 1 introduction of the room rate levy and the 2.5 per cent product development levy on direct tourism has not scared away tourists for the Crop Over season now in full swing, according to the organization that represents the interest of local hoteliers.

The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) said information from key players in the sector suggested that business had remained steady despite the taxes announced by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mia Mottley last month.

“As far as some of the members have reported to us, there has been no drop off in accommodation and bookings and such like,” BHTA Chairman Stephen Austin revealed today while paying a courtesy call on Barbados TODAY at its Manor Lodge, St Michael headquarters.

[caption id="attachment_273394" align="aligncenter" width="500"] BHTA Chairman Stephen Austin warmly greets Barbados TODAY’s CEO Kaymar Jordan during today’s courtesy call.[/caption]

“I think . . . people have come to a point where they know and accept that there is a levy,” he added.

Austin, the general manager of Port St Charles, cited the experience of the high-end west coast luxury resort, revealing that his clients were not deterred by the new taxes.

“Most people have paid it without even a question. Most people that are coming next year have said, ‘you know we
expected it, we pay it in
Europe and we pay it in other places, so we expected it. It probably took a little longer than we thought in being implemented’. It was actually quite surprising for us in our experience,” he said, though readily admitting Port St Charles was not a typical example.

Back on June 11, Mottley announced in her austerity Budget that as part of her three-part Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan, a levy of between US$2.50 and US$10 per room per night would be applied to all hotel rooms.

In addition, a 2.5 per cent product levy was imposed on all direct tourism services along with a ten per cent tax on shared accommodation.

Mottley projected that the room rate levy would raise $47 million, the product levy $3.9 million and shared accommodation $8 million.

Austin insisted it was not all doom and gloom in the sector and BHTA members were prepared to play their part to help restore the ailing economy.

“We had a meeting with some stakeholders and many people have been calling to find out how can we help, how can we pay, what can we pay and when, so they are very anxious to help,” the BHTA head said.

“I am encouraged by this. I think this is an opportunity for Barbadians as a people to come together and make this happen and the tourism sector and the hotel and tourism association are assisting.”

Meanwhile, the sector is bracing for the introduction of Government’s Garbage and Sewage Contribution (GSC) levy, which will take effect from August 1.

Hoteliers have complained that the GSC, which will require them to pay a levy equivalent to 50 per cent of their water bills, would send their bills soaring to as high as $60,000 a month.

At their annual general meeting last month, BHTA members had appealed to Mottley to rethink the measure.

Austin told Barbados TODAY the tax would proceed as announced with a possible review in three months.

“When we spoke at the last Social Partnership meeting the Prime Minister did indicate that we would start the tax collection first and then in two or three months look at possibilities or alterations.

“So we are encouraged by the fact that she has opened discussion on it and she has said that she will look at it in two or three months. There will be a tribunal or some sort of appeal process at the BWA [Barbados Water Authority], so for people that are under the threshold and who cannot really afford to pay it basically means that will be looked at as well. So I feel very positive that we will get some assistance from Government,” he said.

sandydeane@barbadostoday.bb

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Government is promising that come September when students return to the classroom from the summer holidays, the troubling transportation woes will be resolved.

While not going into details as to how the ease will come, Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw hinted on Monday night during the inaugural education conference of the Barbados Association of Principals of Public Secondary Schools that an improved bus service for thousands of school children across the island was under way.

“My ministry will be working closely with the Transport Board to ensure that a timely bus service is provided for our students,” she revealed.

With the Transport Board experiencing a shortage of buses, several students of Grantley Adams Memorial School were left stranded earlier this year, some having to wait until well after dark to get a lift home, while others had knock on doors of homes near the school after 8 p.m. to ask for help in reaching their parents.

That was just one of many cases where students had to wait for several hours for a bus to school or home, as the authorities grappled with the shortage of road worthy vehicles. With the problem escalating, then Minister of Transport and Works Michael Lashley had announced that pupils would get to travel to and from school in the comfort of tour buses.

Lashley had said at the time the ministry had been approached by coach owners who were willing to assist with transporting the students.

“We first have to  speak to the Ministry of Education about it, but the Ministry [of Transport] feels safer with the coaches. That is the preferred option,” Lashley said, as he explained that owners of public service vehicles had also been given a proposal “and are supposed to get back to us”.

There had been no progress since, hence Bradshaw declaration that Government’s efforts to resolve the problem were part of a bigger plan to tackle a number of challenges in the local education system.

“We are facing an increase in societal issues that threaten the work completed by our forefathers to create a strong community-based society. As administrators, educators and policymakers in education, it is incumbent on us to identify solutions to treat the root cause of some of the societal problems prevalent in our schools, which can aim to reduce the impact on the teaching and learning process,” the minister said.

“These initiatives are essential to address the changes we desire to see in our educational system. We have a responsibility to our nation and to the future of this country to ensure that all of us work together to bring an end to the problems plaguing the school system,” she said.

The minister also touched on the vexing issue of violence in schools, a problem that has prompted protests by teachers and has left policymakers scratching their heads in search of answers.

Bradshaw said the authorities intended to “convene a session of professionals” to address the growing problem.

“We have realized the challenges you are experiencing and have started the process of addressing some of them,” she said.

“My Government has proposed an increase in the number of guidance counsellors, safety officers and social workers across the school system. We will also address violence and bullying by facilitating anger management resolution classes,” she pledged.

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A University of the West Indies researcher has again raised alarm about the skyrocketing rates of obesity among children and adults in Barbados.

Speaking during Tuesday’s presentation of a $143,983 cheque in support of the Barbados Diabetes Reversal/Remission Study 2 (BDRS-2) by the Massy Foundation, Director of the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre (GA-CDRC) Professor Alafia Samuels underscored the findings of a study, carried out six years ago, which showed that two-thirds of the adult population was overweight, while one-third of the island’s children suffered from obesity.

The 2012 Health of the Nation Study was conducted by the GA-CDRC on behalf of the Ministry of Health.

Most alarming, Samuels said, was the number of 20-year-olds who were susceptible to non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes.

“The 20-year-olds now are the weight that their mother and grandmothers are, and they are going to continue to gain weight during life,” Samuels warned, while blaming unhealthy eating practices.

“Part of this problem is the environment in which we live, the marketing of unhealthy foods in the schools, on the radio, on the TV . . . . We are having marketing now that is promoting and encouraging unhealthy eating and obesity,” she said during the presentation ceremony, which took place at Massy’s Dome Mall headquarters.

The GA-CDRC director further warned that many of this island’s youth were at risk of pre-diabetes, diabetes and other health conditions, such as hypertension, and she stressed that it was the responsibility of individuals to take care of their health.

Samuels also reiterated her earlier suggestion that Government’s ten per cent tax on sweet drinks should be increased to 20 per cent, as recommended by the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization.

“The tax was not high enough . . . because if you are doing all of these unhealthy things you may as well pay down on your hospital admission in the future,” she said, while noting that after the tax was imposed in 2015 purchases for water increased by eight per cent.

The second phase of the Barbados Diabetes Reversal/Remission Study will include 100 participants from four churches on the island - Mount of Praise Wesleyan Holiness, River Road New Testament Church, Abundant Life Assembly and Ellerton Wesleyan Holiness Church.

Samuels said the year-long study would contribute towards public education programmes and initiatives aimed at strengthening disease prevention and control.

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Fifty years after Barbados and fellow Commonwealth Caribbean countries first boldly proclaimed their independence from Britain, a University of the West Indies professor is warning the region that legally, it is still not free.

Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Professor David Berry issued the warning this morning as he addressed the opening of a three-day conference at the university’s Law Faculty entitled, Legal History and Empire: Perspectives from the Colonized.

He explained that “in some of the Commonwealth Caribbean countries, we have something called a savings law clause or existing law clause, and this means that any law in force before independence, that was not changed at independence, is saved and cannot be challenged by our local judges”.

Berry further pointed out that those laws had been allowed to remain in place even though “the Inter-American Court Of Human Rights has asked Barbados and some of the other countries to change these clauses in their constitutions”.

However, he noted that the indigenous people in Dominica, Belize and Guyana had successfully managed to challenge some of the laws governing them, while insisting that in general, “we need to come together to see how we can remove these clauses from our constitutions so that the region can truly go forward”.

The historic conference brings together UWI’s faculties of law and humanities, in particular the history department.

“We are looking at the history of the empires that have shaped the Caribbean, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Danish, English and American, and for the first time we are looking from the perspective of the colonized, and how they challenged the colonial system from a legal point of view.

“I believe the Caribbean is uniquely placed to host such a conference as we suffered the worst atrocities of imperial colonization, such as slavery, the slave trade, and genocide.

“We are looking at the effects of imperial occupation and conquest throughout the entire world, in places like Africa, New Zealand, Australia and North America along with the Caribbean and Latin America,” Berry added.

Other keynote speakers include UWI Vice Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles, who was due to address the topic, Reparations: The Greatest Democracy Movement of the 21st Century, on Wednesday evening, and Maya Jasanoff, a professor from Harvard University in the United States, who will speak on, Sovereignty From the Other Side: A people’s History of British Rxpansion, on Thursday morning. 

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The island’s two key tourism agencies, the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI) and the Barbados Tourism Product Authority (BTPA), will soon operate under a single board.

Acting Minister of Tourism Colin Jordan today said this was the first step in the Mia Mottley administration’s move to operate the two entities as a partnership between Government and the private sector, hence shifting funding for them from the Consolidated Fund.

“The Prime Minister spoke to a public/private structure being put in place. What the Ministry [of Tourism] has done as an interim measure is to have a single chairman and single board for the two existing entities,” Jordan told journalists this morning after delivering the feature address at the annual general meeting of the Intimate Hotels Group at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

“Even though there would be two organizations . . . at the moment they will take guidance from a single board until the private/public partnership is put in place,” he said, without revealing the composition of the new board, or giving a timeline for the establishment of the new partnership.

Jordan refused to say whether members from the BTMI and BTPA boards would be retained in the merger, stating instead that new ministers were afforded the privilege of selecting their own boards.

“It’s customary that once a new Government comes into office the existing boards place their instruments at the disposal of the new minister. It is not anything strange, as it would have happened, not just with tourism boards, but also with every other board. The new minister is therefore free to appoint, as he or she desires, to facilitate the policy of the Government,” he said.

Questioned about the rationale behind the decision to bring two bodies with distinctly different functions under the supervision of one board, Jordan said both the BTMI and the BTPA work to develop the same product.

“Product development and marketing are two different activities but they have to coordinate very closely. You are marketing a product and so there has to be a working together. Those who are marketing need to be fully in tune with what they are marketing. They are not two separate organizations off somewhere doing their own thing. They cannot be separate. When you have separate entities for one product they can end up going in separate directions,” he stressed.

Along with the BTMI and BTPA, Mottley, in her Budget presentation last month, announced plans to remove the Sanitation Services Authority from the Consolidated Fund. Provisions were also made for the partial removal of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) from Government funding, which will save the Treasury approximately $215 million in a full fiscal year.

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Squatters in Welch Land, St John are one step closer to owning the land they now illegally occupy.

Member of Parliament for the area and Minister in the Ministry of Housing Charles Griffith addressed some of the 40 affected households during a town hall meeting on Sunday at the Victory Wesleyan Holiness Church in nearby Welch Village.

Pleased with the response from the residents, Griffith told reporters Government was moving with dispatch to address their housing plight.

In this regard, official forms were handed out to the residents at the end of the meeting, with Griffith stating that it was the first step towards invoking the Tenantries Freehold Purchase Act, which makes provision for qualified tenants to exercise their rights to purchase lots on which they have been residing for five consecutive years, or for five years out of the immediately preceding seven years.

[caption id="attachment_273410" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Welch Land, St John residents were handed forms by Minister in the Ministry of Housing Charles Griffith during Sunday night’s meeting.[/caption]

“We came into Government on May 24th and the Government has been working at a pace in order to rectify a lot of the wrongs that have been happening across Barbados,” the Barbados Labour Party parliamentarian said, while acknowledging that the issues transcended several previous administrations.

He also acknowledged that attempts were made by the previous Democratic Labour Party Government to get the residents’ housing status regularized, but the process was never completed.

“Some four-and-a-half years ago attempts were made to regularize those people who are currently squatting . . . [and] the minister would have come to the community and told them that there was a possibility that they could own the land, but there was no follow through,” Griffith explained.

However, he said “a whole set of the communities would have benefited in the past from this [Tenantries Freehold Purchase Act] legislation . . . [and] residents in St John should feel the full benefit of a Barbados Labour Party Government that is working on behalf of the people”.

During Sunday’s meeting, residents also highlighted the need for road repairs, an improved bus service and a new community centre in St John.

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Despite recent economic challenges that have led to several downgrades of Barbados’ international credit rating, this island’s junior minister of foreign trade Sandra Husbands is assuring potential investors that it remains “open for business”.

“Barbados remains open for business, and we are on the way to rebuilding our national credit rating so we can provide investors with the confidence necessary to bring capital and business to our shores,” Husbands told Tuesday’s launch of a new Caribbean Export Development Agency web portal, CE-INTELLIGENCE.

The information portal, which took some five years to develop and was done in association with the European Union, is aimed at providing a “one-stop shop” for Caribbean companies seeking to export products and services, and investors wanting to do business in the region.

[caption id="attachment_273409" align="aligncenter" width="500"] From left, Head of Cooperation with the European Union Luis Maia; Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency Pamela Coke-Hamilton and Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade Sandra Husbands in conversation following the launch of the CE-INTELLIGENCE portal.[/caption]

Also addressing the launch, Caribbean Export’s Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton said export oriented small and medium sized enterprises were facing increased competition both intra regionally and extra-regionally.

She also pointed out that “traditionally they have not had access to the information they need to expand their horizons, such as market information and knowledge of trade agreements”.

“This portal is aimed at identifying, collecting, compiling and disseminating key strategic information to the regional private sector, business support organizations and other key stakeholders,” she added, while noting that this included a listing of financial institutions and opportunities across the Caribbean and step by step export guides which include a series of videos explaining the key elements of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement.

There is also a section on food safety providing information on the market entry requirements for key markets such as the United States, Europe and Canada.

Export Manager with the West India Biscuit Company Lisa Murray, whose firm exports to 22 different countries, spelt out the benefits of the portal.

“Exporting products is a multi-faceted area in which we have to consider the geography, economic indicators, trade agreements, culture, and the major players in our field, and the answers to these questions are never found in one place and may be outdated. Sometimes we have to travel to those countries and meet with the relevant agencies to discuss export opportunities, but CE-INTELLIGENCE will eliminate some of this work, since all the necessary information is available, updated regularly and you can access it from your workplace or home.”

In lending her support to the venture, Husbands said: “My vision is that this portal can serve as an impetus to give others a taste of Barbados. We need to develop new ideas, to galvanize our companies to get into non-traditional markets across the globe, and we stand ready to work with any organization, and are willing to embrace any ideas or initiatives aimed at helping Barbadian companies grow beyond these shores.” 

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The Barbados-headquartered Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has announced plans to construct a new US$36 million office complex here, as it seeks to upgrade its current Wildey, St Michael base.

The project, approved by the bank’s board of directors in December 2017, will provide adequate accommodations for the CDB’s current and projected staff complement, and integrate environmental sustainability considerations.

“With more than 200 employees and a building that is almost four decades old, it has become essential to construct new office accommodations that will effectively and efficiently support the Bank’s business and
staff requirements,” said Phillip Brown, the CDB’s director of human resources and administration.

In a release today, the bank also said the new office building was scheduled for completion in 2020 and would efficiently use energy, water and other resources; focus on protecting staff health and improving employee productivity; and prioritize the reduction of waste, pollution and environmental degradation.

“Building on the existing photovoltaic installation already in operation on CDB’s campus, the new building will provide opportunities to further integrate this renewable energy feature.

“In addition, CDB will pursue a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the new building, which could be among the first in the bank’s borrowing member countries to achieve the globally recognized green-building rating,” the press statement added.

In 1970, Government signed an agreement with the CDB establishing Barbados as the bank’s headquarters seat.

Since then, the regional lending institution has provided more than US$480 million in funding to support economic and social development on the island.

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Former Minister of Housing Denis Kellman is challenging the ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to prove he was engaged in corruption while in Government between 2008 and in May this year.

In this regard, Kellman encouraged the Mia Mottley administration to carry out its threat to investigate him and his Democratic Labour Party (DLP) colleagues, insisting he had nothing to hide.

It was during debate on the Integrity in Public Life Bill in Parliament on Tuesday that Attorney General Dale Marshall openly accused ministers in the previous DLP Government of corruption, and promised to do everything in his power to bring those culpable to justice.

Marshall did not name the suspected culprits, but said enough for people to deduce the intended targets.

Reflecting on the DLP’s ten-year reign before its spectacular ousting in the May 24 general election, Marshall said there were whispers of corrupt practices involving several politicians, as well as bribes that were paid by some individuals and business people for various services, “whether a contract, licence or permit”.

However, in an interview this afternoon with Barbados TODAY, Kellman described the allegation as “ridiculous”, and accused the BLP of going on a fishing expedition, which he warned could eventually “bite them in the behind”.

“Whatever I own before politics I still own today. As a matter of fact, I probably own less. So I have absolutely nothing to worry about,” the former minister said.

“These people have a way of doing and saying things [that] normally come back to haunt them. These things can come back to bite them in the behind because no one stays in power forever. So they may be playing politics without recognizing what they are doing,” he added.

The integrity legislation provides protection for whistleblowers; makes provision for those entering public life to declare their assets and do the same upon their exit; makes provision for an investigative staff to be put in place; and includes penalties such as jail time and fines, for individuals found guilty.

However, Opposition Leader Joseph Atherley questioned the level of seriousness of the law after some fines under the proposed measure were lowered from $500,000 and $250,000 to $20,000 and $10,000 respectively, although Marshall and Member of Parliament for Christ Church East Wilfred Abrahams later said the figures included in the bill were erroneous and would be corrected.

Kellman today suggested the legislation could be used later against the BLP after it is voted out of office.

The former Member of Parliament for St Lucy also rushed to the defence of his party colleagues, telling Barbados TODAY he had not known members of the then DLP Cabinet to be involved in corrupt practices. He therefore dismissed the “whisperings” referred by Marshall as nothing more than idle gossip.

“To the best of my knowledge no one from the DLP has anything to worry about. I am not that type of politician that believes in rumours. People say all kinds of things. Sometimes they say these things about yourself that would make you even second guess what you know to be true,” the former minister said.

“The bottom line is, I can’t tell them [Government] what to do, but they can bring whatever they want to bring. They are the Government and they are therefore free to do as they see fit,” he added.

In making the case for the bill, Marshall charged that under the previous administration several Government contracts were given without going to tender, despite costing in excess of $200,000. In this regard, he singled out multi-million-dollar contracts for the building of housing units and for the construction of a berth at the Bridgetown Port.

He also highlighted the contract awarded to a private firm to rebuild transmissions for the Transport Board, while insisting that “two ministers of the last administration were driving, and are still driving, two BMW 5 series vehicles that are registered to that company that received $28 million of Transport Board taxpayers funds within a contract and without going to tender over the last two years”.

Suggesting that these individuals were warned “time and time again”, Marshall also recalled that certain individuals were called before the Public Accounts Committee to give evidence in relation to the National Housing Corporation, but said nothing had come of that inquiry.

He also revealed that prior to the election, approximately 160 taxi and ZR permits were issued, with some people complaining that they had to pay out as much as $10,000 to get them.

colvillemounsey@barbadostoday.bb

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Barbadians should brace for a far-reaching International Monetary Fund (IMF) balance of payments support programme.

The warning from President of the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) Charles Herbert, as a team from the Washington-based lending institution wrapped up a ten-day fact finding mission to the island that began on July 2.

Before departing the island, the IMF team met with members of the business community today.

And though very few answers were forthcoming during those closed-door talks, Herbert told Barbados TODAY that one thing was clear  - the pending restructuring programme would have far-reaching impacts, beyond those interests represented by the Social Partnership, made up of Government, private sector and labour.

Herbert therefore suggested that there was a need for a broad national conversation on the way forward.

“Restructuring could be a very wide topic, which would affect Barbadians. It is something, which requires broad discussion and debate so that the wider public could be involved and have a say on what they would like to happen,” Herbert explained, while pointing out that “60 per cent of our local debt is held by National Insurance and the Central Bank, so this programme is going to affect every one”.

His comments came on the heels of a suggestion made earlier this week by President of the National Union of Public Workers Akanni McDowall that job cuts may be unavoidable, even though his union wished that such was not the case.

“We met with the IMF  . . . . The discussion was cordial, and we emphasized the point that we were trying to minimize, or if not prevent, job losses,” McDowall told Barbados TODAY following discussions with the visiting IMF team, adding that his union was concerned about “the social aspect of the economic recovery”.

However, the BPSA president today refused to speculate on the likely recommendations from the Fund, while cautioning that it was still early days yet in terms of determining the precise cuts that would be made.

“The reality is that it is far too early because the IMF is still in the fact-gathering phase,” he told Barbados TODAY following today’s meeting in which he said “people asked a lot of questions because they wanted to know the time frame for negotiations with Government, as well as the type of things that the IMF is going to require in their programme. So there were broad questions that a lot of members wanted to understand, but to be honest there were no answers”.

However, despite the lack of answers, the BPSA head told Barbados TODAY that his members left the meeting with a positive outlook and remain fully confident that the Mia Mottley-led Government, which is grappling with a $15 billion national debt, will successfully negotiate a palatable programme with the IMF.

“I think we are very positive because we realize that the team that is here does not have authority to commit to anything. Only their board back in Washington have that authority, so this team was always going to be cautious with its answers,” he said, adding that “I don’t think that any of us have reason to doubt that Barbados can negotiate a successful programme with the IMF”.

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Driven by virtually zero interest on savings at commercial banks, an increasing number of Barbadians are putting their money in long-term investments, according to Chief Investment Officer of Fortress Fund Managers Peter Arender.

“We are definitely seeing that and it brings us hope for the future because we very strongly believe that financial security is a huge and important part of life and you don’t get there by accident or on its own, it takes planning. You have to spend a lot less than you earn and you have to invest the amount you are saving sensibly for the long term,” Arender told journalists on Wednesday during the company’s second annual lunch-and-learn session at the company’s Hinks Street, Bridgetown office.

“We have more young people coming to us apparently by just becoming aware of what the options are and apparently by the fact that the banks are just not paying a lot anymore,” he said, going on to state this was among the reasons the investment firm kept its Barbados funds open “for regular monthly savers up to $2,000 per month”.

Since the removal of the mandatory minimum interest rate of 2.5 per cent by the Central Bank of Barbados back in April 2015, commercial banks have been offering almost zero per cent interest on deposits.

While interests on loans and mortgages have also fallen, the banks have been increasing their fees and charges in several other areas.

This has prompted calls for Barbadians to remove their savings from banks and deposit them in credit unions and other financial institutions that offer more favourable returns.

Last week, Chief Executive Officer of the Small Business Association Lynette Holder encouraged residents to transfer their savings to the credit unions.

“I really would advocate that,” Holder, a Government senator, told reporters on the sidelines of a sustainable development meeting at the Courtyard by Marriott.

Her comments came days after CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank announced a $3 charge for over-the-counter deposits, a $10 monthly service charge for chequing accounts, and the scrapping of its average balance requirement fee for accounts falling below a minimum amount, replacing it with a “monthly service charge” of $5 across the board.

Vice President and Country Head of Royal Fidelity Jillian Nunes told Barbados TODAY Barbadians were becoming more eager to find lucrative investment options, as they come to terms with the fact that their money was simply not stretching far enough when they save with commercial banks.

She said the increasing change in mindset among residents to search for more investment options was also influenced by Government’s downgrade, and by extension, the economic climate.

“Certainly the climate has changed, we have to recognize that things in the economy has changed and persons’ mindset has changed as well. What we have seen is a major shift with persons coming out from their regular savings accounts from the banks and moving into more investment products. So it is no longer a passive saving but they are actively making their money work for them and so they are looking for different options,” Nunes said.

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One local investment firm is calling for across-the-board mandatory pension plans here to help workers supplement their savings upon retirement.

Royal Fidelity, a joint venture between Royal Bank of Canada and Fidelity Bank & Trust International Limited, said individual plans were not enough.

Therefore, Vice President and Country Head Jillian Nunes said, employers should be made to establish pension plans for their employees.

“It is a long term product that you are saving for the future and a lot of things can change in your lifetime. So it is essential to supplement whatever savings you do have. A lot of companies still don’t have pension plans and I think that’s significant. I think it should be a mandatory thing in Barbados that you have a company pension plan,” Nunes told Barbados TODAY on the sidelines of the company’s tenth anniversary customer appreciation day.

[caption id="attachment_273490" align="aligncenter" width="500"] (From left) Royal Fidelity Trader Lamar Goring, Royal Fidelity client Anita Walters and Vice President and Country Head for Royal Fidelity Jillian Nunes.[/caption]

“I think that is maybe something that you fall short here, making it mandatory for all companies to offer a pension plan, because you do want to have that three-pronged approach – you do want your NIS, your company and then your own personal savings,” she added.

Over the years Barbadians have been encouraged to contribute to a pension plan, especially amidst concerns that the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) could be depleted in under 50 years if some fundamental changes were made, given the island’s aging population and falling birth rate.

The 15th actuarial review released last September said the NIS’ reserves could be depleted “as early as 2045 under the pessimistic scenario”.

The document, which gave the review based on the period 2012 to 2014, with some considerations between January 2015 and September 2016, added that expenditure would exceed contributions each year starting between 2028 and 2045.

The fund’s reserves grew from a revised $3.9 billion at the end of 2011 to reach $4.7 billion at the end of 2014.

Sticking to a campaign promise leading up to the May 24, 2018 general election, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mia Mottley announced in her June 11 mini Budget, that the minimum non-contributory pension would rise from $155 to $225 per week.

This additional payment will come from the Treasury, costing an additional $18 million in a fiscal year.

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A Government Senator is warning that “in the era of the couch potato” Barbadians need to change their eating habits if they are serious about tackling the issue of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

While stopping just short of telling Barbadians to give up two of their most loved traditional meals altogether, Senator Dr Crystal Haynes recommended cutting back on the consumption of macaroni pie and souse.

Addressing an international conference on NCDs at the UN House today, the medical practitioner said there was a need for a change in cultural behaviour, as she lamented that too often people were only satisfied that a child was happy or “seemed healthy” if it were fat.

“So we need to do a bit of introspection and consider our perceptions of what is normal and healthy,” Haynes told the audience, which included regional and international diplomatic officials.

“We, at least here in Barbados, must also examine our dietary norms – traditions, including souse on a Saturday or our love of macaroni pie. Secondly, we need to consider genetic factors,” she said, while acknowledging that in some cases, biological factors may predispose people to obesity and other NCDs.

“Most importantly, we must address behaviour [and] how our lifestyle and food consumption patterns influence the development of obesity. As long as energy input exceeds energy expenditure there will be an accumulation of fat,” the medical doctor explained.

She said while her older patients often attributed their longevity to a trust in God, healthy eating and some exercise, they were also part of a generation of people who engaged in more walking and ate what they grew.

Making it clear that she was not condemning people’s eating habits, Haynes admitted that she too fell short “from time to time”.

“But we find ourselves in the era of the couch potato. TV and tablet time have replaced activities that got adults and children out of the house. [Also] our taste has evolved in a way that is probably not in our best interest. We prefer sweet, salty, fatty and processed,” she lamented, adding that “sometimes it is a matter of access and convenience”.

Haynes also suggested that the adults should take the blame for what the children consume.

“For the kids, the vendor at the school gate has a tray full of chocolate bars, potato chips and sodas, not fruits and water. For mums and dads, store-bought, drive-thrus or dining out are better suited to our fast-paced life. Perhaps we have fallen victim to clever marketing – we see famous sporting figures and local celebrities feature in the campaigns of different fast food franchises,” Haynes acknowledged.

While insisting that Government’s role was mainly to provide the policy and legislation conducive to promoting healthy lifestyle habits, Haynes noted that calls had been made for an increase in the ten per cent tax on sweetened beverages, which was introduced three years ago, but stopped short of saying if the Mia Mottley administration would heed those calls.

However, she said Government recognized the burden that NCDs placed on households, the society and the economy, adding that most recent figures showed that up to 2012 about 11 per cent of Government expenditure went towards public health financing, while NCDs accounted for about 5.3 per cent of gross domestic product.

“We can all acknowledge that behaviour change is required, but further to this, a strategic battle plan is required for us to win this fight,” Haynes told the conference, which was held under the patronage of Miss World Barbados Ashley Lashley, in association with the American University of Barbados.

Even as she lauded a number of organizations for their research, advocacy and policies, Haynes said Government would continue to listen, consult and collaborate with individuals and entities “all for the greater good of all Barbadians”.

Meanwhile, UNICEF representative Dr Aloys Kamuragiye suggested that Barbados and other regional countries should tackle NCDs on three broad levels – through policy and legislation, standards and regulation and public campaigns.

“We need national policies and legislation to regulate the advertising of junk food to children, including on social media,” he said, adding that better regulation was also needed when it came to physical education and the sale of unhealthy food to children.

He also called for standards to regulate the quality of food distributed through school feeding programmes, while calling for “social and cultural norms that lead to NCDs” to be addressed.

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