Members of the Royal Barbados Police Force seized a firearm and a "large quantity" of ammunition during an operation at 2nd Avenue Harts Gap, Christ Church around noon today.

Police spokesman Station Sergeant Michael Blackman said officers from the Anti-gun and Tactical Response Unit intercepted a motor car with the three males onboard. The illegal items were discovered when police conducted a search of the vehicle.

The men are currently assisting police with their investigations.

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Government's Senior Technical Advisor is urging the Mia Mottley-administration not to back off from restructuring its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) over the next three years.

Dr Kevin Greenidge, a Barbados-born economist seconded from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to assist with the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) programme, has reminded the Government it must not lose sight of meeting its targets between now and 2020.

Dr Greenidge cautioned that despite the BERT programme having come in for praise by the IMF for making “an excellent start,” there was still some way to go.

“Much remains to be done, particularly as it relates to the state-owned enterprises and the transformation and restructuring that must occur there. And that is what should be the main focus for the three years...[to] 2020,” he told Barbados TODAY.

“So in a nutshell we have made great progress, but the road is still ahead...,” he added.

The IMF economist noted that at the end of 2018, Barbados was on course to meet the targets under the BERT programme.

“In terms of, for example, the net international reserves...we exceeded that target by a considerable amount so far. The debt is on the trajectory where we are heading; and indeed the fiscal performance has been on target. So yes, we are on target in terms of the targets set under the BERT programme,” Dr Greenidge said.

According to Dr. Greenidge another disbursement of financing from the US$290 million IMF loan would be accessed in June this year, after the March 2019 review.

“But we have an end of December [2018] target which was set under the programme. But that is not tied to any disbursement. That is basically what we refer to as indicative targets...like targets along the way. We expect the IMF team to come to Barbados sometime early this year to do an evaluation. That time and date will be announced by the Prime Minister at some time,” the technical advisor said, adding that the December target would be assessed during the IMF visit.

Asked if he was optimistic the country would meet its end of March target, Dr Greenidge assured that every effort would be made to do so.

“Right now, our first hurdle would be to see how we have done at the end of December. That remains to be evaluated. And indeed, we must continue to stay the line in order to meet the end of March target,” Dr Greenidge told Barbados TODAY.

He is sticking to his guns that the ongoing retrenchments which form part of the restructuring was not a numbers game but a process designed to improve the way business was conducted in central Government and the SOEs.

In looking back at where the country has come from since the May general election, Dr Greenidge is certain that Barbados has done “remarkably well” as a small country.

“We are back in that it's business as usual...normal business has resumed. But we still have a lot to do and a long way to go; but we can do it, if we stick to it,” the top economist assured.

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The discord between the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) and its workers over the issue of overtime pay for weekend work, has been settled for the time being.

Minister of the Environment and National Beautification, Trevor Prescod, has revealed that Government has agreed to continue paying overtime until a permanent agreement could be reached with the workers' bargaining agent, the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW).

The minister explained that while Government was still very much determined to curtail overtime in the public service as a cost-cutting measure, they were willing to make a temporary exception for the SSA workers, because their service was critically needed on all seven days per week.

“While the overtime is still an issue, we certainly cannot do without those workers being deployed to different areas on weekends. The Prime Minister is still concerned with the amount of overtime but we will continue to pay the overtime in the interim until we resolve the problem,” Prescod said in a recent interview with Barbados TODAY.
Last month, as garbage continued to pile up across the island, workers threatened to stop weekend collections if the SSA management followed through with its plan to cut out overtime payments.

It took a last-minute meeting of the SSA, NUPW and Minister of Labour Colin Jordan to avert a potentially messy situation. At the time workers claimed that they were being pressured into accepting new work conditions, a charge which was denied by Prescod.

Under the current arrangement, a workweek is fixed from Monday to Friday and crews are paid overtime for weekend collections. The proposal was for the work week to be made up of any five days.

However, Prescod maintained that negotiations were still actively continuing between the union and the SSA. He revealed that several offers are currently on the table for consideration.

“We have also put on the table the concept of leasing vehicles from private persons that would be driven by the Sanitation Service Authority staff.  I thought that this idea should not be too contentious but apparently we have not been able to resolve that yet. So, the talks are going on and they are relatively warm, not contentious, but we have not made the decision that I would like to see coming,” he stressed.

NUPW Acting Deputy General Secretary Wayne Walrond said he was happy with Government's interim position. However, he is of the view that the overtime issue will work itself out in the long-term once Government eventually acquires the full complement of trucks, which would enable workers to cover the entire island between Monday to Friday.

“I have not heard anything official yet, but we would really welcome this move because this has been the union's position all along. We understand that Government has a difficult decision to make with regard to the retrenchment. However, we had always put forward the position that it was more economical to let the overtime run until Government gets the additional trucks and then the overtime would not even be an issue because workers would be able to pick up the garbage in the normal work week,” Walrond pointed out.

Earlier this month, Government received the first two of seven new garbage trucks, ordered from Japan and retrofitted in the United States. Prescod has promised that once there are no further unforeseen issues, two more trucks will be arriving next month while the remainder will arrive in March.

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Staff of the Nation Publishing Company are bracing for more job cuts.

According to reports reaching Barbados TODAY, a number of positions will be made redundant in the coming months.

This follows a meeting between the company’s management led by Chief Executive Officer Anthony Shaw and Group Financial Controller Noel Wood and a delegate from the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) which included general secretary Senator Toni Moore and consultant Sir Roy Trotman.

Sources said that managerial staff is expected to be among those being sent home.

In a meeting with staff this afternoon, Shaw informed them that he had met with union officials and had presented them with the financial particulars and performance of the company since 2008, to help determine a way forward for the company.

He told them that while changes in staff were possibly coming, it would not be on the same scale of those from 2018.

It will be the second series of layoffs for the Trinidadian-owned newspaper company in less than a year.

Last April, close to 30 workers were severed, including some from the newspaper’s sister company Starcom Network. At that time, the company blamed the highly competitive and rapidly changing print media environment for the layoffs.

It also claimed that the cuts were as a result of challenges posed by the various social media platforms and dwindling newspaper revenues over the past ten years.

On that occasion, one advertising sales executive, two classified advisors, one typesetter, one senior writer, one traffic coodinator, one lithographer, one graphics artist, one senior accounts clerk, one sub editor and three reporters lost their jobs.

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Yet another Government Minister has joined the chorus of people demanding an end to the country’s deadly spate of murders.

Hours before Barbados recorded its eighth murder for the year, Minister of Youth and Community Empowerment, Adrian Forde declared, “Government would not allow the criminal element to take over the country.”

Forde was speaking yesterday to scores of young people during the launch of the Youth Achieving Results Program in the ministry’s training room at Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, Saint Michael.

His comments came amid a bizarre spate incidents, which resulted in the death of three women in less than 48 hours. His comments also come as an apparent gang war rages in the New Orleans and Chapman Lane areas, which has resulted in the death of one man and injuries to others.

“It is no secret that crime and violence have raised their ugly head in this country,” said Forde, who promised that government would not sit back on its laurels, but instead, would “handcuff” it, put it before the magistrates’ court and lock it up for life, because we are not going to allow the criminal element to take over our country. It’s as simple of that,” he said.

Speaking directly to the participants of the program which works on the skills of young people in the areas of dance, drama, voice training, technical theatre, as well as a personal development costume design, jewellery-making and garment construction over an eight-month period.

These skills, Forde described as the “tools of empowerment,” which he pleaded with young people to view as viable alternatives to crime and violence.

“At the end of the day, our young people matter the most. I am imploring you to put down all of those weapons of destruction and pick up the tools of empowerment…the tools of the creative culture, the tools of your imagination; these must go with you every step of this journey,” he told the participants.

“This voice that you hear from the minister of youth is the collective voice of every single member of the Cabinet and the government of the day,” he added, while reminding them that too many meaningful opportunities exist which should be pursued as alternatives to crime.

“Put down those deadly weapons because the reality is that if we lose one, we lose one too many and our country should never be reduced to a country of fear. Barbadians must be able to carry out their duties in a fair environment.

“We will do everything in our power to ensure that we provide that vehicle for you to succeed and see yourself as a leader,” he promised.

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Police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating missing 73-year-old Edwin Rollock, of Gill's Terrace, St Peter.

Rollock, who is light in complexion, clean shaven and about 184cm tall, was last seen on Tuesday January 22 around 3p.m. in the aforementioned parish. He was wearing 3/4 pants and a strip shirt at the time.

Anyone with information relative to his whereabouts is asked to contact Police Emergency at 211, Crime Stoppers at 1 800 8477 or the District 'E' Police Station at 419 1730.

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The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) is unhappy with the level of transparency from Government as it relates to proposed retrenchment of workers at the Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS) and the Government Printing Department.

According to the union's Deputy General Secretary Wayne Walrond, workers have been growing increasingly restless as murmurings of imminent job cuts grow louder while their bargaining agent remains in the dark. This week Walrond sent a stern warning to Government that the NUPW would not “take too kindly” to being informed of the cuts after the fact.

His comments came following a meeting with workers of the National Assistance Board (NAB) at the NUPW, where those workers voiced similar concerns about being kept out of the loop as it relates to their job tenure and matters of occupational safety.

“...We have been hearing unconfirmed reports circulating about the number of persons that are to be affected by the restructuring and retrenchment within those entities. This is something we are taking seriously because we have not had any consultations or negotiations with regards to those entities,” said Walrond.

The senior trade unionist told Barbados TODAY that they have requested an audience with the Ministry of the Civil Service to discuss the concerns. Walrond did not go into details about the numbers being touted for the breadline, noting only that the word on the ground points to cuts being completed by the end of the financial year (end of March).

“After the NUPW received further reports about numbers to be retrenched, we requested an audience with the Ministry of Civil Service to discuss the proposed retrenchment and mergers of these two entities. We expect that before anything is done that we have some preliminary discussions to ensure that all issues are well ventilated. To date, we have no information on how the cuts are to be implemented or the categories of workers that will be affected. We are very concerned to hear about these reports because the union is insisting that it must be involved in the process,” he said.

Since last October GIS was earmarked in phase one of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) programme. However, this afternoon Walrond told Barbados TODAY that his union has always maintained that the function of the printer and GIS were too important to be amalgamated.

“The union would have expressed the view that the Government printing department should remain as it is in the interest of national security. Government needs to have its own printer for the purpose of printing legislation. We think it is strategic for Government to maintain its own printer. GIS has done an excellent job over the years. It is not a broadcasting service as some people think, it is about research and providing the public accurate information,” he argued.

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Minister of Education Technology and Vocational Training Santia Bradshaw says more needs to be done to change Barbados’ rigorous educational system.

Speaking on the sidelines of a scholarship presentation at Bagatelle Great House, St Thomas Tuesday, Bradshaw said that she would like the conversation to be on assessments that lead to the 11-plus examinations.

“ I think over the last few years enough has not been said about those assessments or the ability of our students to understand subject areas because we have a lot of persons who are skilled across the board. But right now we only focus on two subject areas: Mathematics and English. Within the Ministry of Education, yes, we are looking at the 11-plus examination but we are also looking at assessments that lead to the 11-plus examination,” she said.

Bradshaw who is also the Member of Parliament for St Michael South East said that the educational system needed to ensure that students with behavioral challenges were able to reach their full potential in school.

“I believe that apart from focusing on an examination alone we should look at the continuous assessment of our young people, not just for academic qualifications, but any behavioural challenges that they may have so that we can put in place a system to deal with all types of children and the different ways they learn, instead of what has been happening which is a rigorous way of testing but also assessing our young people in the system,” Bradshaw said.

She added it was vital for Barbadians to realize that schools were different and all students learn at different paces.

“Take the children as you find them. Determine the best type of programme that will [assist] them in functioning after they leave school,” she said, adding that a lot of persons were leaving school with certificates but they were deficient in the subject area in which they were applying for employment.

Bradshaw said that Barbados needed to have a conversation on what they accepted as professionals as a student did not have to aspire to be a doctor or lawyer once they gave of their best and did an honest day's work.

“The Ministry of Education is focusing heavily on technical and vocational skills. It is an area I believe was neglected for a while and I want us to get to a point where becoming a skilled labourer with technical skills is just as important as becoming a doctor or a lawyer,” Bradshaw said.

The Minister said she has advised principals to teach students life skills as this was of vast importance in the labour market.

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Concerned parliamentary representative for the City of Bridgetown Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic has offered to broker a truce between suspected warring factions in his constituency said to be responsible for a frightening upsurge in deadly violence in that area.

The most recent fatal incident occurred last evening on Baxters Road, when an unknown gunman emerged from the nearby New Orleans area of the City and riddled Corey “Yabba” Parris, 47, with bullets while he sat in a car near Jordan's Supermarket.

But while Bostic, who is also Minister of Health and Wellness accepts that much of the violence involved residents of the City, he believes that outsiders have something to do with it as well.

He told Barbados TODAY this evening that while on previous occasions he found it easy to determine who the perpetrators were and was able to bring the violence under control, this latest flare-up was more complex.

“This particular spate of violence really is not as clear-cut in terms of trying to wrestle with exactly what is the root of the problem. But I would say upfront, I would urge all those persons who are engaged in this recent bout of violence to really, really, stop the violence and let's come to a position where we can discuss to see exactly what the issues are from their own perspectives,” the City MP said.

Minister Bostic said there were some things which he accepted could be done to address the deeper social problems peculiar to the City, and he would shortly intensify the initiatives and programmes already started.

“The other thing though is that on this occasion, I am not convinced all of the action really relates to persons who actually live in the City, although perhaps, that is the case in some instances,” he told Barbados TODAY.

The trained soldier said while he did not intend to cross paths with the legitimate responsibilities of law enforcement, he was preparing initiatives to deal with the situation as best he could.

He explained that his approach would be to find out who the perpetrators of the lawlessness were and interact with them to have the issues resolved.

“But it is a serious concern and of course it is a frightening situation for those persons who reside in the communities that are being impacted by this level of violence that we are seeing displayed before our very eyes,” the City MP added.

“What I am working on right now, is a series of initiatives which would have to start with engaging those members of the various communities who are in positions of influence, whether it is through sports, through the church, any groupings that are within the communities to see exactly what we can do in terms of having a dialogue,” he declared.

Bostic, who is a product of the City and still has family connections in the Chapman Lane community, said he would be moving to ease the social situation by addressing the serious unemployment in the constituency.

“There has always been a level of unemployment among the City youth which is really not acceptable. So we are trying to deal with some of those issues by directing persons who are in a position to establish their own micro business, for example, through the trust loans,” he assured.

Bostic told Barbados TODAY that help would also be coming for those who want to enhance their existing businesses.

“That is a continuation of some work that was started before, even before the elections. The availability of the trust loans now facilitates that process.

“The other area is that I am waiting for the First Job initiative to start so we can get some of the young unemployed persons engaged in some meaningful activity,” Minister Bostic promised.

The ongoing gun violence in the City and elsewhere has already seen one Cabinet casualty with former Home Affairs Minister Edmund Hinkson being stripped of the responsibility for the police. Those responsibilities were handed over to Attorney General Dale Marshall.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

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Within the first month of 2019, Barbados has recorded a higher murder rate than that of Trinidad and Tobago and according to economist Jeremy Stephen, a continuation of this trend could be disastrous for the economic recovery efforts.

To date, Barbados has recorded eight murders, which puts the murder rate at 2.8 per 100 thousand, while Trinidad, which has recorded 32 murders thus far, has a rate of 2.3 per 100 thousand.

Last year, Trinidad and Tobago recorded 516 murders, which represented a rate per 100 thousand that was five times more than Barbados, which recorded 28 murders for the same period.

“This is very sobering fact because the way you look at these figures, the rate for Barbados has to be rounded off to three persons per 100 000 because you can’t have a half of a person. So we are at three and they [Trinidad and Tobago] are at two. This could easily change as the year progresses but normally when the year starts, Barbados is nowhere near Trinidad’s murder rate,” Stephen said in an interview with Barbados TODAY this morning.

The University of the West Indies lecturer warned that the worrying trend could derail the Government’s recent efforts at restoring investor confidence in the country.

“This could really damage investor confidence in the long term. People believe that Barbados is still a safe place but if this issue persists it definitely can undermine any efforts to attract foreign direct investment in any sustainable manner,” said Stephen.

He contended that the repercussions were not limited to those on the outside looking in, noting that the nocturnal entertainment sector could also suffer as result of growing fears brought on by increased gun violence. Stephen argued that because of the possibility of being caught in the crossfire, Barbadians might decide not to leave the safety of their homes to go out at night.

“From a confidence point of view it could also damage what is happening on the local side. Persons would not want to go out at night because they are afraid that people will shoot up the place. A lot of people are reacting to these murders even though they don’t know the circumstances surrounding them. It seems a little more intense than the others that we had a year ago. So if this persists it could really damage the economy and affect people’s confidence to move around,” he explained.

However, Stephen made it clear that while he believes that the trend is worrying, he is by no means suggesting that Barbados is at crisis stage, as it is less than a month into the year.

“We need to bear in mind that the year has only just started and there is really no need to start getting carried away. However, it is important to make comparisons to bring the problem into sharp focus. Every time we hear about Trinidad the story is that they start each year very hot in terms of murders but it is really sobering when you place the start of our year in that context,” he explained, pointing out that due Barbados’ small population and a few incidents can easily taint the image of the country.

“Given the size of our population we need to understand that we cannot afford for this problem to get out of control and we need to support our law enforcement in every way. I need people to understand that this is a problem for all Barbadians,” he stressed.
colvillemounsey@barbadostoday.bb

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Barbados could be under an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme for the next 15 years, former Prime Minister Professor Owen Arthur has warned.

Stating that the country was facing the “perfect economic and financial storm”, Arthur said the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) programme was neither a quick fix nor a sure one for the economy.

Arthur said while the BERT programme was designed to cut government spending and raise revenue, it would reduce economic growth as a result of its dampening effect on economic activities.

“The programme itself does not contain an explicit defined set of measures to spur growth in the short or medium term,” he said.

He explained that given Government’s target of a primary surplus of six per cent, this would have to be sustained for the next 15 years in order to achieve the proposed reduction of the debt to gross domestic product from 157 per cent to 60 per cent by 2033.

“The core provisions of the programme will continue to be operative for the next 15 years and will be difficult to implement successfully. As such, the BERT will not be a quick fix or a sure fix. It will be a supreme test of the capacity of our people to accept the austerity the programme brings and the potential decline in the general standard of living of people that may ensue,” said Arthur.

He was addressing the SALISES Policy Forum at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus on Wednesday night, where he examined the topic Barbados and the Frist Phase of the IMF/BERT Plan: of Recovery and Precarity.

Stating that the BERT programme contained anti-growth provisions that should be “amended as soon as is possible”, Arthur said the debt restructuring and primary surplus policy provisions were not far-reaching enough.

In fact, he said given the sheer magnitude and diversity of the number of challenges that had to be confronted, “the major error of the programme by its explicit statement, is to restrict policy interventions largely to fiscal policies”.

He said there were other policies that should be employed that could “assist greatly” in restoring stability and viability to the economy without inflicting more tax burdens on residents.

Arthur said while the programme insists that there must be significant structural reform, those proposed were “somewhat vague”, similar to those in IMF programmes elsewhere and were limited to measures to improve the island’s public finances.

He suggested that the BERT programme should consist of measures to focus on improving the country’s credit ratings so that Barbados could have preferential access to the international market once again.

Arthur, who led the country as Prime Minister for 14 years, said, a clear “pro-growth” programme should be devised outside of the IMF framework to encourage economic growth.

He said given the scale of problems facing the country, the basis for that growth agenda should consist of restrictions on importation by invoking the protection clause under the relevant sections of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, and a major reform of the renewable energy sector to complement the BERT programme.

He also said there was a need for new ways of delivering social programmes, improvement in the conditions for doing business in Barbados, a larger role for the private sector in some areas, and greater focus on technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Citing Singapore as an example, Arthur also proposed that policymakers consider pegging the Barbados currency to “a basket of currencies”.

“We have in Barbados worshiped the exchange rate and said all of our economic policies must be based on protecting the exchange rate, when our economic policies should be designed to protect and enhance the standard of living of the people and everything that can contribute to the improvement of that standard,” he said.

The Barbados currency is pegged BDS$2 to U$1.

“I gave one to Parliament: 30 per cent to the US, 30 per cent linked to the Pound, some linked to the Euro and that would allow us to have a stable exchange rate that will boost exports,” said Arthur.

The economist said the most disappointing aspect of the BERT programme for him so far was the retrenchment aspect were Government indicated that it would lay off staff and would provide training in order to rehire them to offer services.

“I cannot conceive of a process by which the clerk typist in the Barbados public sector can be made responsible for the archiving of Government’s records dating back to 1956 as a serious programme. That is a work for archivist and those who have the skills,” said Arthur.

In fact, he accused the Mia Mottley-led administration of witch-hunting in its retrenchment exercise, adding that government should rethink its plan to provide $30 million a year to retrain people.

“It will neither, in my view, lead to
cost savings nor efficiency,” said Arthur, who described the move as “a leap in the dark”.

“I am not seeing rationalization. I am seeing a lot of political witch-hunting and replacement of appointees by political appointees that will lead to the same situation we have,” he said.

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management at the Cave Hill Campus Dr Akentoolove Corbin suggested that performance measurements be put in place for public sector workers to ensure increased productivity.

Adding that wage increases should not be automatic and promotion should not be based on length of service, Corbin also called for a review of the last in first out policy “because it is not working”.

marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb

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Barbadian youth advocate Corey Layne wants to see the island’s judicial system set an example for the youth of Barbados.

Layne was speaking to Barbados TODAY as the island recorded its 13th reported shooting and eighth death for the year. The youth advocate argued that the legislative system needed to “make an example of those who were perpetuating crime and fear in society”.

Layne said that society needed to be alarmed when disillusioned youth in society saw a life of crime as an easy solution because felons received bail after committing heinous offences.

“The young persons we need to be concerned about are the ones who are looking on and noticing that there are persons out there shooting [and] going before the law courts and in two blinks and the shake of a tail they are in front of you again.

“It sends [the message] that you can participate in this type of activity with impunity when really and truly it really speaks to our judicial system - innocent until proven guilty and it takes a while to prove someone guilty,” Layne pointed out.

Layne explained that the criminal subculture was becoming mainstream and the lack of justice and slow pace to trial was not helping to change people’s opinion. He stressed that Government and law enforcement especially needed to crack down on the importation of illegal firearms.

“We need to look at how we can intercept a lot of these guns coming in whether it is the ports or the ports outside of the main ports. Not talk about it, not look at it, just deal with it.

“Shut it off, have serious investigations, have sting operations and get rid of the persons in the system who maybe circumventing the system,” Layne contended.

“We have talked a lot about night court but how much night court have we had going? There are lights in these buildings, turn on the lights and have night court!” he added.

The founder and director of the National Fun Ranch also suggested that parental guidance programmes should be offered to parents from infancy to secondary level education and support programmes be offered to at-risk youth.

Layne indicated that at-risk youth were often pushed into the society “ripe for the drug lords and the block leaders” and this needed to be stopped. He argued that the spike in gun violence could be “the single most destabilizing phenomenon for this country” and urged Government and civil society to unite and tackle the problem head-on.

“Primary school teachers can tell you they can identify the children who will cause problems in this society. We need to pull them out and we need to put support behind programmes that will work with them, hold their hands and coach them along the way,” Layne recommended.

“Put some money behind civil society, identify these children from early at primary school and secondary school and get them alongside positive mentors. We have talked about it, we have dreamed about it [and] we have romanticized about it - it is time to do something about it.”
katrinaking@barbadostoday.bb

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With eight murders less than a month into 2019, five involving the use of firearms, Deputy Police Commissioner Erwin Boyce is telling Barbadians the numbers, though worrying, do not paint the full picture.

Boyce explained that while the numbers racked up so early in the year were indeed staggering, they must be analysed in context.

“This is something from the police force’s perspective that we would not have anticipated at the beginning of the year. The level of consistency is extremely worrying. However, we must put it in context because it is only then we understand what is happening. What we are seeing in these cases is a victim-offender knowledge of each other. So, therefore, these cases could have genesis elsewhere to where the shooting actually occurred,” explained Boyce, who was
speaking to reporters following the closing ceremony for the online child exploitation investigations training course at the Regional Police Training Centre, Seawell, Christ Church today.

To date, Barbados has recorded eight murders, which puts the murder rate at 2.8 per 100 thousand, while Trinidad, which has recorded 32 murders thus far, has a rate of 2.3 per 100 thousand. Last year, Trinidad and Tobago recorded 516 murders, which represented a rate per 100 thousand that was five times more than Barbados, which recorded 28 murders for the same period.

Responding to calls for police to take more of a big stick approach to Barbados’ gun crime situation, Boyce explained that law enforcement has always operated within the parameters of the constitution of Barbados and this current wave of violence was not about to force a deviation from that practice.

“We are a law enforcement organization guided by the constitution of the land. We have boundaries, we have general standing orders, we are an accredited force and we know what direction to go and how far to go in relation to how we do our operations and how we respond to situations. So, we will always demonstrate the best way to do things. This way will ensure that John Public has the confidence in the organisation and that there is a peace of mind and less anxiety as it relates to these crimes,” the high-ranking lawman said.

However, the deputy commissioner made it clear that while fear was a natural response to the spike in these types of crimes, the police were on top of the situation.

“We know that there would be alarm, there would be anxieties and some peace of mind disruption. But we want to assure Barbados that operationally, the Royal Barbados Police Force and its partners are working towards ensuring that the peace of mind returns and there is less anxiety as it relates to that type of crime,” he said.

Without going into detail, Boyce explained that the force has a number of strategies - short, medium and long-term on which they are working. “Once we get the full corporation of all of our partners then we are going to have a much more peaceful society,” Boyce added.

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One local economist is calling for an immediate review of the Renewable Energy Rider (RER) programme, which allows producers of electricity from renewable energy source to sell power to the Barbados Light & Power Company (BL&P).

Former Prime Minister Professor Owen Arthur said if Barbados was serious about meeting its renewable energy goals and breathing life into the economy, then the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) should review and adjust the limits and rates under the programme.

In July 2016, the FTC set a temporary rate for the power being sold to the national grid under the RER programme at $0.416/kWh for solar photovoltaic and $0.315/kWh for wind until a permanent rate may be established”.

[caption id="attachment_288296" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Professor Owen Arthur (left) answers a query from one of those attending the lecture while at centre is Senior Fellow of SALISES Dr Keith Nurse.[/caption]

At the same time, the FTC said a decision was taken to increase the capacity limit to 500kW from 150 kW for individuals. Companies have a limit of 5 megawatts (MW).

Last year, Minister of Energy and Water Resources Wilfred Abrahams gave notice that a permanent rate would be pursued.

However, with that yet to materialize, Arthur told the SALISES Policy Forum at the University of the West Indies (UWI) on Wednesday night that the country was running out of time to improve its growth prospect.

And he said he believed a lot of that growth would require a “major reform” of the renewable energy sector by “releasing it from the chains that have been imposed on it”.

The noted economist argued that the country could use photovoltaic and wind energy to generate most of its energy, but suggested that the current sum being paid for the energy and the limit of how much individuals and companies could produce under the programme were simply not cutting it.

“We have to move the restriction on the capacity and pricing and it can be done right away for alternative energy to become a growth area for Barbados,” said Arthur, while arguing that if this was done other sectors such as agriculture could benefit.

“I believe that it is absolutely necessary that there be an immediate revision to rulings of the Fair Trading Commission that really run directly counter to the need for us to be able to generate 500 megawatts of energy from alternative sources immediately, and to do so without impoverishing the alternative energy producers and enriching the light & power. Mr Abrahams, please act,” said Arthur.

The economist argued that the proposed changes would immediately enable the sector to “invigorate the Barbados economy”.

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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – West Indies, leading on first innings by 212 runs, were 237 for six in their second innings at lunch on the the third day of the first Test against England at Kensington Oval here Friday.

Scores:

WEST INDIES 289 (Shimron Hetmyer 81, Shai Hope 57, Roston Chase 54, John Campbell 44, Kraigg Brathwaite 40; James Anderson 5-46, Ben Stokes 4-59) and 237 for six (Jason Holder 80 not out, Shane Dowrich 61 not out, John Campbell 33, Shimron Hetmyer 31, Kraigg Brathwaite 24; Moeen Ali 3-60, Ben Stokes 2-52)

ENGLAND 77 (Kemar Roach 5-17, Jason Holder 2-15, Alzarri Joseph 2-20)

The post CRICKET-LUNCH WI(289) & 237-6 vs ENG(77) – 2nd day, 1st Test appeared first on Barbados Today.

Below is a full statement by Dennis De Peiza,General Secretary of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados on the crime situation facing the country.

Barbados has traditionally been known as a low crime jurisdiction and a peaceful place. Such attributes have served as a major selling point to attract tourists and other investments. Any deviation from this historical norm is a threat to the Barbados we know and love.

It is against this background that the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) views with alarm and great concern, the recent upsurge in crime and especially those involving the use of firearms. Every act of violence has the potential to injure not only the intended victim but also innocent bystanders.

The Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados is therefore wary of this development, as it threatens the safety of ordinary law-abiding citizens.

There is also the concern of the resultant trauma from these incidences, which can have untold consequences on the psyche of the Barbadian worker and those who are witnesses to these senseless and insensitive acts.

The Barbadian economy and social services will experience further stress in seeking to treat and care for the survivors of the action of the criminal element amongst us. Barbadians are urged to seriously consider the burden that our National Insurance Scheme, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the Ambulance Service, families, the church and other institutions will bear in coping with these tragic circumstances and the fall out.

The issue of gun crime and violence needs to be tackled head-on if Barbados’ image as a safe place to live, a safe destination to visit and place to work, is not to be tarnished.

Barbadians must feel safe going about their daily lives, whether commuting to and from or while at work, and within the communities in which they live.

As a nation there can be no divide on this issue. It is now imperative that all efforts are directed at curbing the entry of illegal firearms into the country. Members of the public are urged to show unswerving support for the work of Royal Barbados Police Force as the law enforcement agency, which is charged with the protection of the state. We must all play our part to bring an end to the acts of criminal activity and lawlessness.

In this fight against the rising tide of gun crimes, violence and trafficking of illegal drugs, it is absolutely necessary that an all-out effort is made at ensuring that the Royal Barbados Police Force is provided with all of the resources necessary, inclusive of human capital and relevant technology.

We also urge the Royal Barbados Police Force to rekindle the spirit of community policing as a tool for use in the push back against the scourge of all forms of criminal activity.

While the country may speculate on how it has reached this point, and may wish to point towards the illicit drug trade and gang related activity, the frontal issue to be addressed is that of how to arrest the behaviour of the criminal element, whose actions can impact negatively on an already ailing economy.

CTUSAB supports the introduction of security measures at the ports of entry, which are intended to prevent the smuggling of illegal guns into the country.

CTUSAB goes further and calls for swift judicial action involving gun related crime, for a decisive and sustained plan of action to tackle both the escalating gun crime and the apparent gang activity.

Let us all resolve to be our brother’s keeper and to take a firm and uncompromising stand against any activity that threatens to take Barbados down the slippery slope.

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Below is a statement by the Ministry of People Empowerment an Elder affairs on increasing violence

The Ministry of People Empowerment & Elder Affairs registers its dismay at the prevailing spate of violence in the society as Government designates February 2 and 3, 2019 a Weekend of Prayer.

Concern heightens as violent incidents during the first month of 2019 reach record levels and intimidate even the strongest among us.

This new level of violence, however, cannot be viewed in isolation, but is a reflection of social and economic realities. It is linked, for instance, to gangs and the drug trade – two illicit activities that lure our vulnerable young men and women who are faced with a sense of disenchantment and alienation, and being barred from a stake in this country’s future.

This is our society. We must therefore own our part in its ills, as well as its fortunes, and our collective responsibility for our youth and succeeding generations. This Ministry recognises that we can no longer treat only the symptoms but must address the root social determinants which result in violent gun crimes and homicide.

Violence in society goes beyond the police concern with far-reaching social and economic implications. It is, for example, linked to public health and puts pressure on already scarce resources. It traumatises families and friends and causes stress, anxiety, depression and additional financial burdens. It sends the wrong messages to the tourism industry and our other productive sectors. Sadly, it particularly affects our young men in what should be their most productive years. The traditional village no longer exists to raise the child and our children are creating their own dysfunctional villages.

The Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Cynthia Forde, expresses her gratitude to personnel of the crime fighting agencies who continue to deploy strategies to safeguard communities, as people have the right to feel safe.

As the Minister also responsible for Ecclesiastical Affairs, she is calling on all faith-based leaders, during the Weekend of Prayer to lead us back to our basics and the principles of love and mutual respect.

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Prime Minister Mia Mottley and other Caribbean officials are at this hour participating in a Regional Security System meeting at Parliament to deal with regional and national security matters.
The Prime Minister said she will speak to the county later today.

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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – West Indies, leading on first innings by 212 runs, were 349 for six in their second innings at tea on the the third day of the first Test against England at Kensington Oval here Friday.

Scores:

WEST INDIES 289 (Shimron Hetmyer 81, Shai Hope 57, Roston Chase 54, John Campbell 44, Kraigg Brathwaite 40; James Anderson 5-46, Ben Stokes 4-59) and 349 for six (Jason Holder 155 not out, Shane Dowrich 97 not out, John Campbell 33, Shimron Hetmyer 31, Kraigg Brathwaite 24; Moeen Ali 3-61, Ben Stokes 2-63)

ENGLAND 77 (Kemar Roach 5-17, Jason Holder 2-15, Alzarri Joseph 2-20)

The post CRICKET-TEA-WI (289) & 349-6 vs ENG (77) – 3rd day, 1st Test appeared first on Barbados Today.

West Indies captain Jason Holder heaped more pain on the English team with a scintillating unbeaten 202 on Day 3 of the 1st Test at Kensington Oval today.

Holder's innings came off 229 balls and included 23 fours and eight sixes.

He shared an unbroken 295-run partnership with wicketkeeper/batsman Shane Dowrich who finished not-out on 116. Dowrich's innings came off 224 balls and he struck 11 fours and one six.

This is the only third occasion that anyone batting at number eight or lower has made a double hundred in Test cricket. The stand between Holder and Dowrich is also the highest undefeated 7th wicket partnership in Test history.

West Indies have given England a monumental target of 628 runs to win the game over the next two days.

(Credit: AP photo)

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