The ten-year ban on the playing of loud music in St Lawrence Gap after 3 a.m. is to be revisited by the new Barbados Labour Party (BLP) Government, Acting Minister of Tourism Colin Jordan has said.

He made the revelation this week, while contending that a way must be found for hoteliers, residents and nightclub operators along the popular south coast strip to co-exist.

Jordan, who spoke to reporters after delivering the feature address at the annual general meeting of the Intimate Hotel Groups on Wednesday, explained that St Lawrence Gap was a key peg in Government’s plan to breathe new life into the entertainment industry.

“Everything is being re-looked. All legislation is being examined, because we have to make sure that in St Lawrence Gap, for example, the entertainment entities can co-exist with the accommodation entities,” Jordan said.

Back in 2008, then Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin, using Section 37A of the Highway Act Chapter 289, ordered that all music to be lowered at 2 a.m., and must cease entirely an hour later in the popular party circuit.

The decision came as a result of numerous complaints from hoteliers that the noise from the entertainment clubs was disturbing their guests.

At the time, residents had also complained that their elderly were being kept up late at night, especially during karaoke sessions.

However, the decision to shut off all music by 3 a.m. did not sit well with the club owners who predicted the death of the St Lawrence Gap entertainment industry. At the time, club owners had strongly argued that partygoers usually came out at 12:30 a.m.; therefore their businesses would suffer from the 3 a.m. shutdown.

However, while acknowledging that finding a middle ground would be difficult, Jordan said a revival of St Lawrence Gap was needed.

“We realize that St Lawrence [Gap] is unique in that it has both entertainment and accommodation, so one cannot drive out the other. We have to be sensitive in how we go forward and this Government must engage all stakeholders. We must listen to people and then we make decisions,” he said.

In response to Jordan’s comments, community activist Adrian Donovan told Barbados TODAY he fully agreed with the need to take a fresh look at the cut off time for the playing of loud music in St Lawrence Gap. He contended that over the past decade, the Gap had lost much of its nocturnal entertainment appeal.

[caption id="attachment_272988" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Adrian Donovan[/caption]

“St Lawrence Gap has always been a party spot, but over the last ten years most of the clubs have not been doing so well. Many of them have changed ownership so many times. It really needs to be looked at,” Donovan said.

Like the acting tourism minister, he suggested that consultation was key. He also suggested that Government should mandate all clubs to invest in sound proofing in an effort to curtail noise levels.

“Apart from the cut off time for the music, Government has to look at parking because years ago when the Gap was swinging, people used to park on both sides of the street and even block people’s driveway. Also, we want the police outpost to be functioning again. All these things have to be looked as at well,” he added.

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The world’s major universities have a significant role to play in the debate surrounding reparations for the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

This is the view of one of the main people driving the global discussions on the issue, Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles.

Speaking on the topic, Reparations: The Greatest Democracy Movement of the 21st Century, at a three-day conference jointly held by the Faculties of Law and Humanities at UWI’s Cave Hill campus entitled, Legal History and Empire: Perspectives from the Colonized, Sir Hilary noted that these institutions drafted some of the laws governing slavery, held slaves themselves or were founded using profits generated from the slave trade.

He gave the example of “a slave trader who originally lived in Antigua, but fled after a slave revolt there and moved to Boston [and] provided the initial funding for the Harvard Law School.

[caption id="attachment_273507" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Vice Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles (left) and Dean of the Faculty of Law professor David Berry (right) in discussion following Sir Hilary’s presentation.[/caption]

He also explained that “the people who owned Dukes Plantation in Barbados [had] split their money between Barbados and South Carolina and founded Duke University, the owners of which recently donated land to UWI for a major agricultural project.

“Meanwhile, when Georgetown University was going through bankruptcy in the 19th century, it sold 200 of the more than 400 slaves it owned in order to get back on its feet,” he added.

Sir Hilary, a noted historian, also pointed out that John Locke, one of the world’s leading political philosophers who acted as an adviser to many universities in England, “owned slaves in the Bahamas and was the corporate secretary for the Royal African Company, one of the major organizations involved in the slave trade”.

The vice chancellor also said UWI had a significant role to play in the process since it was based in the region that bore the brunt of the slave trade, adding that the lands on which the Mona campus in Jamaica and the Cave Hill campus in Barbados were built were directly involved in the industry itself.

“When we began working on a new medical complex at the Mona campus nine years ago, the construction company unearthed a lot of bones, and we discovered that the two acres of land we were using for that project served as the burial ground for the slaves at the Mona and Papine plantation.”

In terms of Cave Hill, the vice chancellor said, “we have a monument here to a boy who was brought to Barbados from Guinea in 1798 when he was only three years old. He was sold to the owner of the Cave Hill estate, who recognized he was a mathematical genius and ‘showed him off’ to other people.

“Ultimately that boy became the book keeper for the plantation, a Sunday School teacher, and the first black sexton in the Anglican Church in Barbados when he took up that post at the chapel on the Cave Hill estate, which eventually became the St Stephen’s Anglican Church. So we can say the first teacher on the site of the Cave Hill campus was a slave.”

In terms of the reparations debate itself, Sir Hilary said “the main focus of this movement is the fact that you cannot commit crimes and just run away from them, using the excuse that it is ‘remote’; that it happened so long ago people have forgotten it.

“The truth is, there are people living in the Caribbean whose great-great-grandparents were slaves and they have heard stories about the slave experience over the years.”

He said debate was gaining momentum worldwide, while pointing out that recently “the Indian parliament has voted in favour of the Caribbean’s position on reparations, and the African Union has agreed to send a delegation out to the region to discuss it with CARICOM [Caribbean Community] leaders. In addition, CARICOM heads of government have sent out letters to the leaders all across Europe inviting them to hold formal discussions with us on reparations. We have not only reached out to the former colonial powers but we are also inviting Germany, Russia and Central and Eastern Europe, because as far as we are concerned, there are no minor or major players in this matter.”

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Seven-time Pic-O-De-Crop calypso monarch Anthony Mighty Gabby Carter is calling for an increase in prize money for the winner of the annual competition, in light of the relative riches enjoyed the International Bashment Soca winner.

The Pic-O-De-Crop competition is regarded by many as the most important and high-profile Crop Over cultural contest, without which the annual summer festival would be sorely lacking.

However, the monarch rarely receives a substantial cash prize, unlike the much newer Bashment Soca contest – rebranded this year as the International Bashment Soca competition, which began in 2015 with a first prize of $50,000, that was increased to $80,000 this year.

By comparison, last year’s calypso monarch received a Nissan X Trail from Courtesy Garage valued at $125, 000, full comprehensive insurance from Cooperator’s General Insurance valued at $11,000, a trip for two on JetBlue Airways, a staycation at Divi Southwinds, along with other prizes.

Gabby told journalists today on the sidelines of the Scotiabank Junior Monarch draw, this made little sense, contending that the Pic-O-De-Crop monarch was being shortchanged.

“This car has been going on for about ten million years and when you go to Bashment and you give $80, 000 . . . as a first prize, what really is that?” the legendary calypsonian asked.

His comments came on the heels of the announcement by 2017 Pic-O-De-Crop monarch iWeb, that he was unsure of defending his crown this year.

Speaking to Barbados TODAY, the three-time monarch expressed some discontent with the prize money, saying: “You win, you sell the car, you have you cash . . . and that is it.”

Gabby contended that not only were calypso monarchs being forced to become car salesmen, they had to sell the vehicles at reduced prices.

More attractive prizes, he said, would lead to an influx of new artistes, as well as the return of seasoned veterans to the social commentary stage.

“When you go and give somebody a car and $10, 000 or $15, 000 that is peanuts, that is foolishness . . . . The calypso monarch deserves $200,000 [in cash] as it adds value to the country. In terms of everything else, it far supersedes Bashment,” Gabby maintained.

“It is a very important component of the whole Barbados economic landscape so you must value it in that way and value artistes and value culture,” he stressed.

He said Government should foot the bill for the contest, and not the National Cultural Foundation or the sponsors, as Barbados reaps tens of millions of dollars from the three-month-long Crop Over festival.

At the same time, the cultural ambassador bashed the growing bashment soca genre, arguing it had no export potential and would fail to grab an international audience in the manner that classics such as his own hit song, Boots, or Ragga Ragga by fellow multiple winner, Red Plastic Bag, did.

The lyrical maestro bluntly stated that the genre, which is in its embryotic stage, “can’t get past Culpepper Island in its present form”, while describing it as “six-week music” which showed no diversity in subject matter, and possessed little melody.

“Bashment is now beginning, nobody knows if it is going to become a pygmy baby and don’t move from where it is or if it is going to grow into something fantastic . . . but in its present stage it is a six-week music, where it becomes popular for six weeks and then you stash it away. No singer wants his song to last for [only] six weeks. We want the song to last for years or decades so that generations to come will look at it and say, ‘wow, yes!’” Gabby said.

“There is no movement of the subject, it is constant . . . woman, bumpa and rum, and some go as far as to say, ‘hands in the air’  . . . and after that there is nothing else happening.

“In order for the music to reach outside of Barbados, outside of St Vincent, St Lucia . . . there needs to be a focus on melody that can be played with one instrument,” the former monarch advised.

katrinaking@barbadostoday.bb

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) today warned that a second phase of measures will be needed, in light of the $1.2 billion austerity package announced by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mia Mottley in her June 11 Budget.

The warning came at the end of a ten-day visit to the island by an IMF staff team, led by Bert van Selm, which held discussions with various stakeholders on a pending IMF-supported economic recovery and transformation plan.

In a release today, the IMF also revealed that this next phase of adjustment would focus on reducing expenditures "by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public services, reducing Government transfers to state-owned enterprises, by reviewing user fees, exploring options for mergers, and providing stronger oversight".

Following is the full statement issued at the conclusion of the July 2- 12 visit, which came at the request of the newly elected Mia Mottley-led Government .

[caption id="attachment_270342" align="aligncenter" width="650"] An IMF team, led by Bert van Selm, recently met with Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who is also the Minister of Finance, as well as members of her economic team.[/caption]

"The Barbadian authorities, in close consultation with their social partners, are taking effective steps to address current economic vulnerabilities. The IMF stands ready to partner with Barbados to restore macroeconomic stability in order to secure strong, durable and inclusive growth in the years ahead.

“Fiscal consolidation alongside a comprehensive debt restructuring exercise is critical for restoring debt sustainability and policy credibility. In this context, the authorities’ revised Budget for 2018/19, approved by Parliament on June 11, is a decisive step in the right direction. The Budget targets a primary surplus of six per cent of GDP.

“Consistent with the message delivered by the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance during the Budget a second phase of measures will be needed to achieve this target. This next phase will focus on reducing expenditures—notably by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public services, reducing government transfers to state-owned enterprises by reviewing user fees, exploring options for mergers, and providing stronger oversight.

“Progress being made by the authorities in furthering good-faith discussions with domestic and external creditors is welcome. Continuing open dialogue and sharing information, will remain important in concluding an orderly debt restructuring process.

“Significant progress has been made during this IMF staff visit on the plan that could underpin financial support from the IMF. On its return to Washington the team will continue to analyze the Government’s comprehensive reform program. We will remain closely engaged with the authorities in the coming weeks.

“The team would like to thank the authorities for open and candid discussions, and looks forward to building on this engagement in the period ahead.” (End of text)

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Caribbean jurisdictions yet to make the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) their final appellate body, need to “stop pretending to be independent” and cut the umbilical cord with the United Kingdom.

This strong admonition today from Barbados’ Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson, who contended that the reluctance of some countries to leave the London-based Privy Council was indicative of a lack of confidence in their own capabilities.

“With regard to the attitude of other Caribbean countries towards the appellate jurisdiction of the Caribbean Court of Justice, the metaphor that comes to my mind is one of children born but still tied to their mother.

“In a sense the failure of other Caribbean countries to accede to the appellate jurisdiction is akin to giving birth to a child who continues to grow and continues to pretend to be independent, but still tied to his mother,” Sir Marston said while addressing a special court sitting this morning to mark the elevation of Justice Adrian Saunders to the presidency of the CCJ.

Noting that the new president received his legal training at homegrown institutions, Sir Marston argued that the time had come for Caribbean people to repose confidence in their own organizations.

“My reason for feeling pride in the elevation of Adrian Saunders is that no one can say that he was trained in England. He is a trained Caribbean lawyer from the University of the West Indies and the Council of Legal Education. I want to believe the fact that our president was trained in an autochthonous institution will finally convince our Caribbean people that we are people of quality. We don’t need to be tied to England, and in many ways it is our cultural differences that justify the court,” the Chief Justice said.

Since the CCJ was established in 2005, only Barbados, Belize, Dominica and Guyana have signed on to the appellate jurisdiction of the court which is based in Trinidad,  an irony that was not lost on Trinidad and Tobago’s chief justice Ivor Archie, who said today he was embarrassed by this reality.

Archie also lamented the length of time it was taking other jurisdictions to get on board, suggesting that current trends indicated that it would take another 40 years before the region recognizes a single court of last resorts.

“It is an abiding irony, to my mind a continual embarrassment, that the seat of the court is in Trinidad and Tobago and we do not yet access the appellate jurisdiction . . . . Mathematically, a new state accedes to appellate jurisdiction every five years and considering that there are 12 signatories to the agreement to establishing the CCJ one must now wonder just how many decades it would take before all of us are fully on board if we continue as we have begun,” he said.

Grenada is expected to hold a referendum in November to determine whether it will join the CCJ, while St Vincent and the Grenadines, the birth place of the new CCJ president, failed to get the mandate to join from its electorate last year. Despite not signing on to in its appellate jurisdiction, countries such as Jamaica have benefited from its landmark rulings in its original jurisdiction which covers disputes arising from the Caribbean Community Single Market and Economy. Most notable among these was the Myrie case, in which Jamaican Shanique Myrie was awarded damages in the sum of US$38,000 after she filed a lawsuit claiming she was subjected to a dehumanizing cavity search by a female immigration officer at Grantley Adams International Airport, locked in a filthy room overnight and deported to Jamaica in March 2011.

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Government will review its national shutdown policy, Minister of Home Affairs Edmund Hinkson assured today in an address to private sector officials at a seminar at the United Nations (UN) House, Marine Gardens, Christ Church.

The policy came under scrutiny in 2016 after a number of businesses remained open during the passage of Tropical Storm Matthew, despite a shutdown order.

It later emerged that there were no clear procedures governing closure, and last June, at the start of the hurricane season, the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) had promised to revise the plan to include the time frame within which the business sector would close in order for employees to get home safely, as well as facilitate traffic management, evacuation of Bridgetown if necessary, and the storage of food and water on a national basis, should there be a powerful hurricane, tsunami, or earthquake that compromises the population.

However, two years later, the promised changes have not been forthcoming until today when Hinkson, the minister with responsibility for the country’s disaster preparedness, told those gathered at UN House that “as a new Government we will be reviewing the existing national shutdown policy and reopening guidelines, with the objective of legislating a regime for the same, in the event of an impending disastrous event”.

Following the May 24 general election in which his Barbados Labour Party was swept to office, Hinkson further assured that the promised review was high on the list of priorities of the Mia Mottley-led Government, but said in the meantime it would to seek to enhance the current framework.

Hinkson also called on the local business community to play a greater role in ensuring the country’s preparedness saying, “disaster risk reduction is a shared responsibility and cannot only be governmental responsibility”.

“Traditionally the role of the private sector is that of generating economic activity, earning foreign exchange that underpins our financial stability and supporting the livelihoods of our citizens by providing sources of employment.

“[However] there is also that recognition of the importance of focusing and activating all the potential for action by all members of the Social Partnership during times of emergency and disaster,” Hinkson said, adding that “in the disaster management space we must expand our view of the private sector to embrace its potential to be a driver of resilience”.

He thanked the private sector for its work so far in providing assistance to the DEM through its sponsorship of several programmes, but cautioned that this was not the only function it could serve.

“The private sector can be the driving force in promoting resilience through mitigation of risk, by facilitating an environment that enables and empowers citizens to opt for risk reduction actions,” he said.

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Eight people are now homeless following a fire at Gully Road, Rices, St Philip this afternoon.

According to one of the victims, 63-year-old retired nurse Maria Clarke, it was as a result of an explosion which occurred in the kitchen of her four-bedroom wood and wall home, which she shared with her husband and three other family members.

[caption id="attachment_273556" align="aligncenter" width="575"] Here, Maria Clarke (centre) is consoled by her niece as her husband looks on.[/caption]

“The frying oil just pop up and they couldn’t reach the fire extinguisher,” explained the homeowner, whose uninsured dwelling had a bar and grill attached. She said the gas tank subsequently exploded and “then the whole thing went up in a blaze”.

“They couldn’t save nothing. Then the other two big cylinders [gas tanks] explode as well,” she told Barbados TODAY.

Her 64-year-old husband Caspar Clarke said he was a short distance away when he noticed smoke coming from his home.

“Just as I turned the corner, is when I see [it] and I say, ‘[Expletive] don’t tell me that kitchen on fire’. Then I parked there [in front of the house] and take up the hose but that wasn’t any help after the gas bottle explode. That was fuel for the fire,” he said, adding that “all that was going through my mind was trying to see what I could do, but it was a waste of time. There is nothing saved. We just have to build it back,” he added, while noting that all of their worthy possessions were lost in the 1.p.m. blaze.

Another victim, 67-year-old Merlene Austin, whose home was severely damaged, told Barbados TODAY she was rudely awakened from her afternoon nap.

“I was having a rest and smoke woke me up. All I was able to grab was my phone because the smoke was intense, so when I came out the house above me was in flames and there was a lot of cracking and crying,” she said.

Also overcome with emotion, Austin said it was difficult for her to watch her home, which she shared with her daughter and granddaughter, go up in flames.

“I was so distraught, I was bawling for murder and I walked from here [at the scene of the fire] and went all around Rices road and came back when the Fire Service came,” she explained.

Fortunately, her wood and wall home was insured. However, she was only able to salvage a few of her possessions from the badly burnt structure.

“The fire officials came late. When [they] got here that house was already burnt,” she said, pointing to her neighbour’s house, before suggesting that had the fire team, which included seven fire officers and two tenders, arrived just five minutes later, “mine would have been worse than it is”.

Leading Fire Officer Franklin confirmed that by the time they arrived the flames had already engulfed the Clarkes’ home and had spread next door to Austin’s dwelling.

However, the retiree said that she was putting her faith in God to get her through this rough patch.

“I serve a living God. He has brought me this far. He told me to have confidence in him and I do have confidence in him that he will rebuild for me and will keep me. I don’t know if it is going to affect me emotionally eventually, but right now I am trying to stand up and trying to be good,” she told Barbados TODAY.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) today warned Barbadians to prepare for a second round of austerity as the Mia Mottley administration seeks assistance from the lending agency to drag the economy back from the brink.

At the end of a ten-day visit here during which the IMF team held discussions with various stakeholders, the Washington-based institution said the $1.2 billion package of austere measures announced by Mottley in her June 11 Budget were not enough.

In a release today, it said the next phase of adjustment would focus on reducing expenditures “by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public services, reducing Government transfers to state-owned enterprises, by reviewing user fees, exploring options for mergers, and providing stronger oversight”.

These words echoed those by the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance when she introduced her three-phase economic recovery and transformation plan, the first of which continues through to October.

“It focuses on the imposition of user fees on domestic and international players to take three statutory corporations completely off, and one partially off, of the Consolidated Fund which will account for a reduction in expenditure of almost $215 million in a full fiscal year,” Mottley said at the time.

“Phase 1 also focuses on a review of our tax revenue to impose more effective taxes, increase compliance, broaden our base between domestic and those visiting our shores. This will better allow us to reduce the fiscal deficit in this the first year of our plan,” she said.

The second phase of Mottley’s plan, clearly endorsed by the IMF, will focus on the reduction of expenditure “through a review and analysis of central Government and state-owned enterprises focusing on the merger of potentially affiliated entities such as corporate affairs and the financial services commission, both of which currently receive subventions from central Government,” the Prime Minister said during the June 11 presentation.

The IMF team, led by Bert van Selm, praised the adjustment programme, describing it as a good first step.

The team also said progress was being made on Government’s debt restructuring efforts with domestic and external creditors.

However, the Washington-based lending agency advised that “continuing open dialogue and sharing information, will remain important in concluding an orderly debt restructuring process”.

“Fiscal consolidation alongside a comprehensive debt restructuring exercise is critical for restoring debt sustainability and policy credibility. In this context, the authorities’ revised Budget for 2018/19, approved by Parliament on June 11, is a decisive step in the right direction,” the IMF said, adding that the Budget targets a primary surplus of six per cent of gross domestic product.

At the conclusion of the July 2- 12 visit, which came at the request of the Mottley administration, the IMF team reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with Government on the road to economic recovery.

“The Barbadian authorities, in close consultation with their social partners, are taking effective steps to address current economic vulnerabilities. The IMF stands ready to partner with Barbados to restore macroeconomic stability in order to secure strong, durable and inclusive growth in the years ahead.

“Significant progress has been made during this IMF staff visit on the plan that could underpin financial support from the IMF. On its return to Washington the team will continue to analyze the Government’s comprehensive reform programme. We will remain closely engaged with the authorities in the coming weeks,” the release stated.

The third phase of Government’s austerity programme “will see a continuation of the review of all remaining state-owned enterprises and departments of Government,” Mottley had said in her June 11 Budget presentation.

“We will determine what expenditure is essential, what is highly desirable and what is optional,” she said then. 

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A lack of interest in electric vehicles has forced at least one car dealer to put the brakes on the importation and sale of these vehicles, with others likely to follow, one dealer said.

Sales Director of NASSCO Limited Roger Moore said it took the company about two years to sell the last two hybrid vehicles that it had in store, as he blamed high taxes for the more than sluggish sales.

Importers of electric vehicles pay taxes equal to 100 per cent of the value of the car, and of the over 100,000 cars on the island’s roads, only about 300 are electric.

Moore said unless Government reviews the tax a lot more car dealers could also find it difficult to import electric or hybrid vehicles.

“Unless they do something with the duties I am afraid that a lot of distributors will not be able to afford to purchase those vehicles because it makes no sense to purchase then having them in your showroom and can’t get them sold,” Moore said at the introduction of the new Toyota Rush at the company’s River Road, St Michael showroom.

“It is something that the new administration would now have to look at and I am sure that they will because they have indicated that they want to go in that direction too. They want to go green. It is good for the environment, so I think they will definitely look at it and will do it soon,” he stressed.

NASSCO carried three lines of hybrid vehicles, which Moore said sold “very well” when they were first introduced into the local market.

However, he said increased taxes, compounded by the introduction of the National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL), “really pushed the cost up very high so a lot of people then were not in a position to purchase the vehicles”.

“We had the last three or four for almost two years before we got them sold. And since then we have not really gone into the hybrid vehicles anymore,” he said, adding that car manufacturers were eager to increase sales of those vehicles in the Caribbean.

“I guess that is something that will happen down the road. As I said, if Government don’t do anything about the duties on those vehicles I don’t think we will be able to purchase them,” he told Barbados TODAY.

Moore said he was hopeful that car sales would increase with the July 1 removal of the NSRL, following a decline in sales for the first six months of the year.

“All of us are expecting that the removal of the NSRL would mean that we would sell a lot more vehicles because so far for the year we have not done very well because a lot of people were in election mode,” he said.

However, he said over the past two weeks there had been an increase in foot traffic since the removal of the NSRL took effect, and he was hopeful the trend would continue, and result in more sales.

“We have not yet seen it in sales but we are sure that with the launch of the Rush today we will definitely see an improvement in our sales going forward and in another two or three months we will definitely see some better results,” he said.

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Labour officials today revealed that an increasing number of Barbadian workers were absenting themselves from work because of their birthdays; because they had to care for their children or the elderly or due to mental illness.

Labour laws in Barbados provide for six uncertified sick days from work, up to 12 consecutive months of certified sick leave, and up to 12 months within a 24-month period of certified sick leave.

During a panel discussion at the Barbados Employers’ Confederation (BEC) on the theme A Business Approach to Managing Absenteeism, officials complained that absenteeism in the workplace continued to impact negatively on productivity and companies’ bottom line.

Attorney-at-law Cicely Chase, QC, said absenteeism was “a very worrying trend” in Barbados and other Caribbean countries.

[caption id="attachment_273584" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cicely Chase[/caption]

“What you have is employees who believe that their birthday is so precious and so important to them that it will override a contract of employment,” Chase said, adding that this practice was quickly becoming “a culture” in Barbados.

“What about the Crop Over weekend? That is upon us, so we must look at the Crop Over weekend . . . This is a challenge that a lot of employers are facing in Barbados,” she added.

Encouraging employers not to treat absenteeism casually, Chase said sick certificates had become “less descriptive and less explanatory”, as she accused some doctors of being “very liberal in giving employees sick leave”.

Stating that mental health issues were very sensitive, Chase told the packed room of employers from several industries that they should seek advice before taking any action against individuals who were being absent due to those issues.

“Unfortunately, employees know all the loopholes better than we do, and one of the things that is becoming very common is the fact that people have to go to take care of their child or go to take care of somebody [or] they have a family emergency. That is becoming more prevalent,” she added, while stating that special provision could be made on a case-by-case basis.

Yet to be published results from the Productivity Council’s macro-productivity indicators project showed that the national absenteeism rate in Barbados dropped by almost half to reach 8.6 per cent in 2016, compared to the 16.1 per cent the previous year.

At the same time national productivity increased to 4.2 per cent in 2016, up from 2.7 per cent the prior year.

The measurement is carried out in seven sectors – accommodation, agriculture, construction, financial services, wholesale and retail, manufacturing, transportation, and communication.

Productivity Officer with the Productivity Council Janelle Arthur said the “worse cases of absenteeism tend to come from the accommodation sector” with the trend also emerging in the financial services sector.

Arthur said there were instances of decreases in both absenteeism and productivity, “which leads us to believe that there are obviously other things driving labour productivity” other than being absent.

“There is some volatility with absenteeism in Barbados at the moment. There are some tremendous highs and some tremendous lows that we have experienced. Today we can say there really is no ideal state of absenteeism,” she said.

The Productivity Council defines absenteeism as the failure of an employee to report to work or to remain at work as scheduled regardless of reason.

Arthur complained that too many employers were unaware of the number of days employees were off sick because they simply did not keep records.

At the same time she said too many workers were taking time off during work hours for personal business which they were unable to do online or outside of their work hours.

BEC Labour Management Advisor Kara Sealy said while absenteeism could be as a result of sickness, low levels of satisfaction and burnout of employees, workers were also taking time away from work due to bullying and harassment in the workplace.

“It is unfortunate that bullying is now increasing in Barbados within workplaces. That can also lead to absenteeism. Harassment can lead to absenteeism where persons are avoiding the situation so they are not coming in. We need to engage our people,” Sealy said, while cautioning it could get out of control.

The officials recommended a number of solutions, including the implementation of health programmes, addressing environmental issues, implementing and enforcing attendance policies, identifying causes for absenteeism, providing support where necessary, and rewarding employees for consistent attendance.

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Cease and desist immediately!

That was the impassioned appeal made today by the management of the MV Dream Chaser to perpetrators of violence in and around its vessel, following the shooting death of 26-year-old Donasan Husbands who was gunned down in the car park east of the Flour Mill, off Spring Garden Highway, St Michael in the wee hours of this morning.

Police say the victim and a male companion, who has since been identified as Adrian Sealy, had just disembarked the MV Dream Chaser after attending a cruise and were making their way towards their vehicle around 2:30 a.m. when a series of gunshots were fired at them.

As a result, Husbands, of Fairfield Road, Black Rock, St Michael, suffered multiple wounds about his body. He was transported by ambulance to the state-run Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

[caption id="attachment_273605" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Donasan Husbands (right) and Adrian Sealy in happier times.[/caption]

The other victim, who was shot in his left thigh, was transported by private transportation to the QEH for medical treatment. No update has since been forthcoming on his condition.

However, with investigations said to be at a sensitive stage and lawmen appealing to anyone with information to contact them, Management of MV Dream Chaser today strongly condemned the incident while urging the unknown perpetrators to stop the violence.

“While deeply saddened with the loss of life the Management of the MV Dream Chaser will also wish to make an appeal to the perpetrators of violence on our vessel and the environs of our vessel to please cease and desist with immediate effect.

“Let persons who want to come out and enjoy themselves do this in a peaceful manner,” they said in a statement in which they also extended condolences to the family of the deceased man.

Last night’s deadly incident came on the heels of a brutal stabbing last month, which marred an afternoon cruise aboard the popular party boat and sent patrons into an immediate state of shock and panic.

The four-hour ISSA VYB cruise was coming to an end at around 4:50 p.m. on June 17 and the vessel was preparing to dock at Cavans Lane in Bridgetown when things turned ugly.

As an altercation among a group of men escalated, one patron reportedly broke a glass bottle and repeatedly struck another cruiser, leaving him battered and bloodied.

The incident was immediately condemned by the promoters who swiftly took to Instagram to apologize in a post which read: “We the host of ISSA VYB would like to apologize for the unforeseen event which took place causing the cruise to end abruptly. We also hope that no one was hurt in the midst of those uncalled for actions.”

At the time, captain and part-owner of the MV Dream Chaser John Moore had also told Barbados TODAY that management of the vessel was angry over the stabbing which had triggered public concerns about the overall safety of pleasure cruises.

[caption id="attachment_273591" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Captain and part-owner of the MV Dream Chaser John Moore[/caption]

Those concerns were reawakened today following Husbands’ murder with at least one poster on Barbados TODAY’s Facebook page, Angus Benn, suggesting that it was “time the police banned those night cruises.

“More people [are] going to die. Just couple weeks ago [someone went] missing from one of those cruises,” he added, while acknowledging that “the cruise is not at fault [but] most of these young men getting [a] beef with one another. So they wait for you and shoot you when you least expect”.

However, other posters were of the view that a ban would not solve the problem even as management of Dream Chaser today sought to assure that “we take our patrons safety to heart and we will be cooperating with the Royal Barbados Police Force to the fullest extent to ensure these tragic events of the last month do not reoccur.

“In times of tragedy is when we need unity and togetherness in fighting the trend of violence that is not only present in isolated pockets on our vessel but prevailing throughout Barbadian society as a whole.

“As a country we need to stand together in condemning this senseless act of violence and send a message that we, together believe in a peaceful and unified Barbados,” they said, while thanking members of the public in advance for “your support in ending the violence”.

The latest murder brings to 17, the number of homicides so far this year.

Just two days ago, 38-year-old Pauline Clarke was shot multiple times and killed as she was leaving the Pro-Fit Gym in Civilian Road, Bush Hall, St Michael.

At the time, she was accompanied by her 17-year-old daughter Keelia, who was reportedly grazed by at least one bullet during the unexpected attack.

Police say both matters remain under active investigation with a view to nabbing the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.

The family of the latest victim, meantime, was today in a total state of shock and declined to comment on his killing. Husbands’ neighbours in Black Rock were also tightlipped about the circumstances surrounding his death, only suggesting that there was more to the matter than what has been reported so far.

The post Senseless! appeared first on Barbados Today.

President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) Akanni McDowall is facing possible dismissal from his post.

Union sources told Barbados TODAY that it was unanimously agreed at a special meeting of the union’s national council on Thursday to give the president seven calendar days, starting today, to answer four issues relating to the NUPW’s finances or face disciplinary action, including possible dismissal.

This follows a recent investigation by a sub-committee, which was mandated to carry out an internal financial review.

Sources explained that should McDowall fail to respond within the next week, the national council was prepared to ask the general membership to discipline him.

Barbados TODAY understands that the general membership, which had elected the president in the first place, has the power to suspend or dismiss any member for neglect, dishonesty, incompetence or refusal to carry out a decision of the executive.

McDowall was re-elected as the president of the NUPW for a second two-year term back in April 2017 having successfully survived previous no confidence votes.

However, in recent months his leadership has been severely tested with charges being made both inside and outside of the union that he had sold out the workers, following approval of a five per cent pay deal with the Mia Mottley-led Government after waging an acrimonious battle with the previous Freundel Stuart-led administration for a 23 per cent pay hike.

However, McDowall has been adamant that the former Government was not interested in compromise even in the face of damaging public suggestions made by his predecessor Walter Maloney that the rejection by the membership of the NUPW of a proposal by Government in 2013 for a five per cent cut in public servants’ salaries led to the retrenchment of 3,000 civil servants and placed up to 6,000 jobs at risk - charges which McDowall has rejected.

However, sources say some executives are currently at their tether with McDowall, who reportedly refused to attend Thursday’s council meeting as well as the previous one, choosing instead to have an attorney write to the union explaining his absence.

Initially, McDowall could not be reached for comment on the matter, but his attorney-at-law Fabian Walthrus confirmed to Barbados TODAY that he had been engaged by the president to carry out certain instructions and he did.

In his letter, dated July 11, 2018 and addressed to NUPW General Secretary Roslyn Smith, Walthrus pointed out that he was acting on behalf of McDowall.

[caption id="attachment_273595" align="aligncenter" width="650"] NUPW President Akanni McDowall (left) and General Secretary Roslyn Smith appear to be at odds.[/caption]

“I am asked to advise on an issue relating to the right of the General Secretary to summons a special meeting,”  he wrote.

The letter also noted that the General Secretary had called the special council meeting on or about July 3, 2018, but was later advised verbally and in writing by the acting president Fabian Jones that her actions were in breach of the customary protocols for summoning such meetings.

The attorney also accused Smith of breaching the NUPW’s Rules and Standing Orders regarding the same.

“I am therefore instructed that, contrary to the acting president’s instructions not to do so, you proceeded to convene the said meeting on the appointed date,” the letter stated.

“Consequently, you have acted ultra vires of the powers conferred upon you under rules 8(a)(ii) and/or 12 of the said rules,” it added.

“I am therefore instructed that, for your future guidance and for the good governance of the NUPW as per its rules and standing orders, that only the president or national council where your position is merely ex officio, has the right to summon a special meeting at any time,” the correspondence added.

The attorney therefore informed the NUPW that his client had nothing to answer.

“Therefore the said meeting and/or any decision and/or directive and/or resolution emanating therefrom is null and void and or no effect,” he stressed.

In a subsequent response to Barbados TODAY this morning, McDowall said: “I’m not going to comment on any unresolved matters of the union. I am aware that while I was out of the island an attempt was made to convene a meeting which, if held, was in breach of the rules of the union.

“And since that meeting has been cancelled, I have sought legal advice on the contents of the letter, and have been advised by my attorneys not to respond to any allegations contained in the letter.

“However, the authors of that letter and anyone who publishes the contents of that letter will hear from my attorneys-at-law in due course,” he added.

When contacted, the union’s general secretary said she could not address the matter publicly at this stage.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

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As a further sign of the widening rift within the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), General Secretary Roslyn Smith has issued a press statement distancing herself and the union from recent comments made by President Akanni McDowall.

Following talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) earlier this week, McDowall had hinted to Barbados TODAY that the NUPW was prepared to accept some job losses as part of an IMF supported balance of payments support programme, although he made it clear at the time that the union’s preference was that there be no cuts at all.

“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,” the NUPW president had said, adding that “we indicated to them that we were more concerned about the social aspect of the economic recovery. We told them that the way forward for us was to maintain those social aspects while ensuring that the country gains revenue”.

However, in response, Smith said in a statement released yesterday that McDowall’s view did not reflect the position of the union on layoffs.

In fact, she made it clear that “the NUPW has never waivered from its position that public workers, and in particular its members, did not face layoffs”.

As such, the general secretary reported that “the meeting with the IMF steered clear of any mention of job losses, and instead emphasized other ways to assist cost cutting such as flexi-time where appropriate, and more efficiency through technology.

“The union is therefore not prepared to accept job losses as a remedy to fix our debt problem,” Smith stressed, adding that “the much welcomed initiatives implemented by the Mia Mottley-led administration through Social Partnership dialogue emphasizes the importance of, and has implemented policies which will essentially share the heavy tax burden between public and private entities”.

In this regard, the NUPW general secretary noted that a meeting of the Social Partnership was due to be held today at which the Prime Minister was to provide an update on the IMF proposals.

In further publicly chastising the president over his remarks, Smith therefore suggested that McDowall had “prematurely” gone to the press “with predictions of what the IMF may or may not do”.

It was the clearest sign to date of a rumoured rift at the helm of the NUPW
that resulted in the president and the general secretary being at each other’s throats.

As further evidence of the infighting, McDowall has been given seven days by the executive council to respond to certain financial allegations or face possible disciplinary action, including and up to dismissal.

The post NUPW officials at odds over union’s position on possible job losses appeared first on Barbados Today.

The semifinalists in this year's Pic-O-De-Crop calypso monarch competition have been announced with the Cave Shepherd All Stars claiming the majority or eight of the 18 places.

The announcement was made in the wee hours of today by the National Cultural Foundation's Corporate Communications Specialist Simone Codrington.

The semifinalists are as follows:

From the Cave Shepherd All Stars: Charisma, Colin Spencer, De Announcer,Donella, Jude Clarke, Kid Site, Raheem and Structure

From The Big Show: AC, Chrystal Cummins-Beckles, Mr Blood

From the House of Soca: Amazing Dre, Billboard, Doyenne, Miss Sammy G

From the Stray Cats: Apache, De Doctor

From the Super Gladiators: Smokey Burke

The reserve is  Classic of The Big Show.

The reigning monarch is iWeb.

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The former Director of Resource Mobilisation and Development at the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Bonita Morgan was remembered today as her family presented a sizeable cheque donation to the Barbados Cancer Society, Henry’s Lane, St Michael, Friday morning.

The presentation was made by her daughter Ayanna Morgan and widower Paul Morgan, both of whom were solemn as they posed with the cash donation in Bonita's memory. Mrs Morgan passed a mere two months ago after a lengthy battle with cancer.

[caption id="attachment_273622" align="alignnone" width="650"] From left President of Barbados Cancer Society Dr Dorothy Cooke-Johnson, Daughter of the late Bonita Morgan Ayanna Morgan and Manager of the Client Services and Welfare Program Jacqueline Skeete at the presentation made Friday morning at Cancer Society's headquarters in Henry's Lane, St Michael.[/caption]

President of the Barbados Cancer Society Dr Dorothy Cooke-Johnson said the donation will assist with the Client Services and Welfare Program.

“Bonita Morgan did an enormous amount of work [at the CTO] for a lot of years. Her funeral was held at the end of April and they started collections for her in May. They received funds from a variety of persons who really appreciated the work she had done and representatives from all over the Caribbean, New York, Montserrat and Spain attended the funeral. So, what [they] wanted was that the contributions come to the society to assist those who have cancer,” she said.

She added that the donation will go a long way to helping those less fortunate who are dealing with cancer.

“These [cheques help] with the medical expenses for our children and adults; particularly adults [who may] have a child [with] cancer and cannot work. Most of the clients we have are those who really need help. Those who are affluent can easily manage themselves as they have got insurance... but ordinary Bajans really do need help,” she said.

The family of the late Bonita Morgan intends to donate a portion of the collection and donations from her funeral service in her memory. (LG)

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Prime Minister Mia Mottley will deliver the feature address at the opening of a stakeholders’ consultation aimed at reforming and modernising Barbados' Town and Country Planning Act, on Monday, July 16.

The consultation, which comes off at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, will bring together public and private planners, developers, investors, architects and others who interact with the planning process.

Areas for consideration include the role of the Physical Development Plan; how can the town planning system become more open and transparent; the feasibility of a one-stop shop for planning and other permits; and how should enforcement be addressed.  Other questions relate to development control decisions, the appeals process and Environmental Impact Assessments.

The public is invited to participate by following the discussions, which will be livestreamed from 2 p.m.

The purpose of the exercise is to enact new town planning legislation which is efficient, transparent and consistent; and which supports high quality, sustainable development for current and future generations.

The post PM to address town planning consultation appeared first on Barbados Today.

Newly appointed president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Adrian Saunders has expressed disappointment with the reluctance of the government of Trinidad and Tobago to have the institution as its final court of appeal.

Saunders told reporters following a special sitting of the court on Friday  that there is need for more public information , adding that he hopes  more countries would take the step.

“That is a political process though but there are things we can do in order to assist that process.”

“One of those things is providing more information on the court, on what it does and about the processes we undertake and some of the cases we do. People can get a greater sense of confidence about the court and about our ability to be a protector of the rights of people and to serve the Caribbean public in promoting the rule of law and defending democratic values,” Saunders said, while admitting that in the past education programmes only targeted bar associations and professional organisations.

“I think we need to spend more time engaging with people on a broader or grassroots level.”

The CCJ President  suggested that the court was considering using social media and mass communication methods to get its message across.

Saunders admitted that there was misinformation in the public domain about the court's independence and ability.

“The Court actually has produced far more judgements for the four countries that are on board in the appellate jurisdiction than the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council has produced for the several other states that are still sending their final appeals to them.”

When asked if the court could handle an even larger case-load when more countries agree to sign on, he said yes noting that the CCJ has provisions for 10 judges, although it currently has seven.

Saunders took the oath of office  recently, in Jamaica,  ahead of the opening ceremony of the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, before host Governor General Sir Patrick Allen.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Ivor Archie  said the reluctance of the twin-island republic  to make the CCJ its final court of appeal is an embarrassment.

“I consider it a continuing embarrassment that as the seat of the court we do not yet access its appellate jurisdiction.”

Archie’s comments were supported by almost all the speakers who proceeded him including the Chief Justices of Barbados and Guyana and several senior regional attorneys.

Of the 12 Caricom nations which signed the treaty, only Barbados, Guyana, Belize and Dominica have made the move to have their criminal and civil appeals heard by the CCJ. 

The CCJ still has exclusive jurisdiction to hear all cases involving the interpretation of treaties dealing with Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) for all 12 signatory states.

The post TRINIDAD – CCJ President disappointed with reluctance to join court’s appellate jurisdiction appeared first on Barbados Today.

As part of its efforts to monitor the nature and extent of competition within economic sectors in Barbados, the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) has launched a study of the poultry sector on the island.

The Commission will be aiming to identify the separate markets that exist along the value chain; describe activities within each market; highlight key stakeholders at each level of the value chain; identify issues that affect both customers and stakeholders; and address these in accordance with the Fair Competition Act, CAP. 326C.

Information for the study will be collected through a series of interviews with stakeholders along the value chain, such as farmers, distributors and suppliers. Following this, a survey will also be conducted to determine the experiences of consumers regarding interactions with suppliers within the poultry industry here.

It is expected that the research will enable the Commission to identify and address any activities that may hinder competition in the sector or prove detrimental to consumers.

The post Market study on poultry sector appeared first on Barbados Today.

The HIV Food Bank is in urgent need of a number of items to be donated to their clients.

Manager of the Food Bank, Stacia Whittaker, said the agency was in need of perishable and non-perishable food items and toiletries.

These include biscuits, crackers, cereals or grains, dairy products, ground provisions, fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as canned or packaged soup and breakfast items, such as tea and hot chocolate.

Whittaker reminded persons making donations that canned items should not be dented, rusted or past their expiry date.

“Items which were previously opened will not be accepted,” she stressed.

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