Barbados' 46th Independence Feature 2013

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 2A

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What does Independence mean to you and how do celebrations today compare with celebrations of days gone by?

CORAL CHASE: Independence is very important to me as it reminds me of the fact that our nation has been given its freedom. When I was much younger I did not give it (the celebrations) much attention, but since growing up Independence celebrations have become more significant.

COLLIS CHASE: Independence for me is a type of exercise in self-government. That means you can also express some of the things you want to do. There is less restriction and today it is more publicized among young people.

The difference is there are way less fireworks today, as there were in days gone by.

ROSCA MCDONALD: Independence for me means self-government and sovereignty. It means that you can determine your own destiny. In my opinion, Independence today is as publicized as years ago but it’s just more commercialized.

STEFAN SHERRY: Independence means a lot to me because it is the realization of freedom from colonial rule.

There is much difference in the way we celebrate it today than in times past. In my opinion, the reality of Independence has just not been fully explored by the Barbadian community.

What I mean is that I don’t know if the children of today fully understand what it means not to be independent.

ROY CLARKE: It’s the opportunity for a sovereign country to chart its own course and destiny and to develop its society and culture in the best interest of its people and for generations to follow.

I see an evolution taking place – one for the better. Christmas and Independence are celebrated around the same time and I see no reason why one should completely exclude the other.

We can celebrate both.

AYODELE HARPER: I think many people have devalued Independence because of Christmas and this is more so now than in times past.

I have always loved and still love the traditions associated with Independence.

Our forefathers fought very hard for us to be independent and Independence celebrations should be more prominent.

AS BARBADOS CELEBRATES its 47th year of nationhood, many Barbadians will likely take the opportunity to reflect on the state of affairs in the society, weighing the good as well as the bad and contemplating the direction in which the country seems to be heading.

Over the years Barbados has faced many challenges, the crises of the 1970s and especially the early 1990s occupy a special place in the memories of many who were hit hard by their repercussions.

Through them all the people have prevailed, thanks to the creativity of the leadership in key sectors of our society.

Such creative thinking gave rise to the social partnership, one of the key planks on which Barbados leaned to turn the tide in the 1990s. So ingenious was the initiative that it was hailed as groundbreaking by leaders in some developed countries as a model to be emulated.

The challenges of today call for similar ingenuity so that Barbados can emerge from the recession equipped to achieve sustainable development. A review of the critical drivers within our economy indicates the need for creative thinking and decisive action on proposed initiatives to get the wheels rolling.

Key players within the international business sector have identified that industry as the one with the potential to significantly improve Barbados’ foreign exchange earnings. Currency is given to the thinking that opportunities could become available with Government’s moves to extend the sector’s reach to the African continent and the Middle East.

These efforts, together with initiatives planned for the tourism sector and the development of the renewable energy projects, have the potential not only to increase foreign exchange earnings but to reduce the drain on our foreign reserves.

Many in the agricultural sector were

becoming disillusioned because of the scant regard with which this important sector was treated but there is a flicker of hope that fortunes will change in this industry. That hope is vested in the plans for major agriculture reform with the focus on restructuring the local sugar cane industry which Government says will have positive spin-off effects for non-sugar crop production.

This recession could therefore be the catalyst for a rethinking and a repositioning of our economy by implementing new programmes that reflect changing local, regional and global realities. (LJ)

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CREATING A MORE STABLE, thriving local business sector is a matter of national pride.

As Barbados marks its 47th anniversary of Independence, the country is also facing one of its most challenging times, economically speaking. Recent international metrics have not painted a rosy picture for this small island-state.

A drop of seven points in the annual World Bank Doing Business index coupled with the November 20 Standard & Poor’s downgrade of Barbados’ longterm rating to a BB- from a BB+ are two of the most recent international reports on the local economy.

Putting it into context during this Independence season, president of the Barbados International Business Association, Ryle Weekes, noted that while these two reports were not expected to lose Barbados any business, it made attracting new business more difficult.

“It won’t assist us, it could raise doubts, and while not spelling doom and gloom, it speaks to the notion of confidence and stability and is cause for concern and action.”

Options open With that he outlined three actions that could be taken to assist Barbados in retaining its attractiveness as a business hub in the international arena, while noting that the Barbadian economy is currently the slowest in the region.

BARBADOS’ BUSINESS SECTOR has grown steadily inthe decades since Independence. (FP)

“Investor promotion, product development and business facilitation” are needed, he advised. “We are slipping, but we have a good product and this can be fixed, but for right now we are moving in the wrong direction and while the impact is not immediate, the competition can use this and it can impact us in the future if this continues.”

Weekes said Barbados’ national performance had been surpassed by countries in Africa and Latin America; countries that were nowhere near Barbados have caught up and surpassed the island which is reputed as one of the most

stable economies in the world.

But he boasted that the country with no natural resources had done well with its highly skilled workforce and needed to build on that.

“Business, both local and international and entrepreneurship are the keys” he said.

“We need new businesses; if we could get a fraction of a Bill Gates emerging from here every few years (that could sustain Barbados).”

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needed to be expanded, with more “nimbleness” required.

This is where the Ease of Business index is relevant. Weekes explained that the length of time taken to conduct business and to go from draft legislation to enactment was too long, and the process needed to be shortened.

On the regulatory side, he said the island is doing well and advised that this continue as Barbados enjoyed a solid reputation in some areas, particularly in the area of regulation.

Citing the Central Bank as one structure that continues to be well respected as a key pillar to the local business infrastructure, he noted that Barbados still had positives.

On the last of the three actions, he suggested, that of business facilitation. Weekes argued that

RYLE WEEKES.

(FP)

• From Page 4A. But with the current climate for businesses, validated by the 2014 World Bank indices, which ranked Barbados 91 out of 189, down seven points in the Ease of Doing Business marker, and slipping eight points in the Ease of Setting Up a Business ranking, now at 77, he observed that entrepreneurs were likely to go to Silicone Valley or somewhere else, costing Barbados valuable revenue and the equally important intellectual capital.

Advocating for change, Weekes said investor promotion and a rebranding of Barbados was needed.

Noting some of the barriers to this, he said funding was an issue. Advising that more sophisticated strategies need to be employed when marketing Barbados to potential investors, he suggested that the tourism and business sectors work more closely together to respond to the increased competition brought by new entrants into the space for investors.

“We need to put our house in order and to step up,” the head of the umbrella organization appealed.

Going back to the two recent reports, he again noted that the findings could make the job of attracting new investors that much more difficult.

While many look to Government for solutions, he opined that there were other players.

Role of private sector “The private sector’s role is to build products and to sell those products. We don’t need much in the way of infrastructure, but we need the products, this is core, we need to expand what we are sending.”

He also suggested that the current treaty network

this point had received considerable coverage and had been well debated in the public arena.

While these are challenging times, Weekes noted that Independence was an appropriate time for dialogue and action on how to move the country forward as business, local and international are vital to Barbados’ survival, with recent data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development showing there is a surge in annual foreign direct investment inflows into international financial centres, from US$15 billion (BDS$30 billion) to US$75 billion (BDS$150 billion) over the last five years.

Statistics like these show that exponential growth is happening, with Barbados likely to gain if changes are employed as a matter of national pride.

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by CHARLES HARDING BARBADOS MAY HAVE to rewrite its industrialization by invitation programme, radically restructure its flagging manufacturing sector and move on to new markets to attract an increasing number of international business companies for its economic revival and survival in this 21st century.

The manufacturing sector here is in decline. Its halcyon years are behind it. It is now no longer as relevant, attractive or competitive as it was just four or five decades ago when it provided jobs for some 15 000 people or 15 per cent of the country’s total labour force.

Its contribution to the gross domestic product is a meagre 4.2 per cent, according to Central Bank of Barbados reports for September 2013 — way below the eight per cent of 1960 when organized industrial development was just beginning to become a reality in a Caribbean country customarily associated with sugar monoculture, limited natural resources and a narrow technological base.

The Central Bank reported that earnings from manufacturing declined steadily from $62.8 million in 2006

to $45 million at the end of last year. Earnings to September 2013 were put at $33.4 million – a far cry from the $583 668 million in 1984 or the $510 165 million a year earlier.

Rum and other beverages which accounted for $8.7 million in earnings in 2006 were down to $6.3 million at the end of last year and were holding at $4.3 million around mid-September this year.

Food earnings slumped to $11.4 million at the end of 2012, from $16 million six years earlier and stood at $4.6 million at September 13.

Furniture hovered around $1.7 million in 2006 and $1.2 million at 2012 year end.

Other manufacturing slipped from $33.7 million over the six-year period to $32.6 million at the end of 2012.

The decline in manufacturing can best be measured, not so much in the six-year period between 2006 and 2012, when earnings slipped from $62.8 million to $45 million, but the fall from $583 668 million in 1984, $510 165 million

in 1983 and $502 134 million in 1985 and the loss of manufactures such as sports equipment and leather products, along with the decline in electrical components, whose contributions varied between $335 906 million and $241 800 million during the 1982 to 1985 years.

That Barbados’ manufacturing sector has been “in a secular decline” would be an understatement, deputy Governor of the Central Bank Dr Daniel Boamah told a meeting of manufacturers and private sector officials in April 2010.

He submitted that industry, which provided jobs for some 15 000 or 15 per cent of the total labour force in the 1970s, employed about 10 900 in 1998 and approximately 6 800 in 2008.

“If we were to take a much longer view, the secular

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• From page 6A. decline becomes even starker. In 1980, for instance,” Boamah declared, “the share of manufacturing in real economic activity was 11.8 per cent, while the sector employed approximately 15 000 people.

“Part of the reason for the secular decline,” he posited, “may be related to the fact that the country has indeed become a service-based economy. A major part of the fall may be attributed to a gradual loss of market share to regional and international competitors.”

Significantly, though, while manufacturing THE GOVERNMENT of Barbados is is on the decline, the looking abroad to grow the international business sector, international business sector. (FP) buoyed by low tax rates, expansive tax treaty networks and the availability of well educated and skilled managers, attorneys at law, auditors and registered in Barbados then, than accountants, is gaining ascendency in this country. last year, our sector was Ryle Weekes, president of the Barbados contributing over $350 million to International Business Association, revealed during the corporate taxes,” he disclosed, International Business Week in October this year insisting that the international that while revenues from international business and business sector remained a reliable financial services here had declined, the sector was generator of foreign exchange and adding more than 400 new international business an important source companies a year since 2008. of employment and contributor According to him, the sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP. to Government’s tax coffers amounted to about “Our sector has the potential $180 million last year. to place Barbados on the kind SENATOR MAXINE MCCLEAN. (FP) “In 2007, with almost 1 000 less companies of sound economic footing

required to ease the burden on the individual taxpayer and will continue to be a catalyst for growth and change in the island’s national development,” he remarked.

Government is now turning its attention to the African continent and the Middle East for opportunities to expand global reach and grow the country’s international business sector.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and

Foreign Trade Senator Maxine McClean, addressing the 20th Annual Conference Of The Institute Of Chartered Accountants on November 14, this year, revealed that Government was currently involved in negotiations that could open doors for greater business facilitation, at least between Barbados and Africa.

Senator McClean added that Government had already commenced negotiations on a number of double taxation agreements with the African continent and had signalled its intention to negotiate a number of bilateral treaties.

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• From Page 7A. WE ALL MUST play our part in stabilizing the economy and promoting industrial growth. (FP) She also pointed to the Arab nations, which were fast becoming significant financial centres, with Saudi Arabia poised to bolster its industrial sector and become a world leader of petrochemicals and minerals.

The initial impetus to Barbados’ industrial development came with the Barbados Development Act of 1955, which set up what was then known as the Barbados Development Board, an independent body charged with responsibility for stimulating the development of manufacturing activities and handicrafts.

The Barbados Development Act was followed in 1958 by the Pioneer Industries Act (replaced by the Industrial Incentives Act and the Industrial Development Export Act in 1963), which granted manufacturers of designated products a seven-year tax benefit and other incentives to attract investors manufacturing products ranging from umbrellas, embroidered goods and sports equipment, including tennis racquets and ice hockey gloves for coolers climes.

International Seafoods, located at Bridgetown’s Pierhead, processed shrimp brought ashore by ocean-going trawlers and established an export trade that earned revenue totalling between $4.268 million for its best year in 1967 and $23 million in 1978, one of its leaner years.

A short-lived fish canning plant was established at Half Moon Fort, St Lucy, and a factory manufacturing plastic shoes operated out of Church Village in The City.

A number of companies manufacturing and assembling computer components operated at industrial estates at Grazettes, St Michael; the Harbour Road, The City, and Sheraton in Christ Church.

Organized industrial development, whose primary purpose was to diversify Barbados’ monocrop economy and shift reliance on tempermental sugar had reaped rewards and brought prosperity to this tiny 166-square mile country.

But a number of the so-called pioneering industries pulled up stakes and moved elsewhere to take advantage of cheaper labour and other operational costs when their tax holidays expired.

Although the development of the International Business and Financial Services began in earnest around 1969, Barbados opened its doors to international business companies as early as 1965 when it first enacted legislation providing tax incentives to offshore companies.

The early legislation was replaced by the International Business Act, with incentives that included duty-free imports, tax concessions for qualifying employees, foreign tax credits and exemption of withholding tax on dividends, interest and other payments to non-residents of Barbados.

Double taxation agreements and exchange of information treaties have also provided Barbados with an ideal environment for attracting international investors to set up international business companies, offshore banks and captive insurance companies.

Although this Caribbean country is a very attractive offshore centre for businesses that want to reduce their tax burden to better compete on a worldwide scale, it is not a tax haven. It has built a strong reputation, focusing on regulation, transparency and tax information exchange – an approach that has led to international recognition by such institutions as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which has placed this country on its international “white list” of tax compliant jurisdictions.

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by MARVA COSSY THOSE FORTUNATE ENOUGH to have the opportunity to keep company with old people often sigh when they hear local agriculture officials speak about food security. This reaction comes not out of disagreement or disrespect but mainly out of frustration that our forefathers’ plea for us to do more to feed ourselves seems to be going unheeded.

The rationing and food shortages associated with World War II and later the Riots highlighted for them the importance of growing enough food to secure their livelihood in times of peril even though they had a better relationship with agriculture than we do.

The link between agriculture and nutrition must also be noted as one draws conclusions about building a strong

agriculture sector to enhance national development. In making the link, Professor Chandra Madramootoo agricultural expert and dean in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Quebec, Canada, said that the Caribbean could not talk about agriculture and food security without including nutrition security because of the problems countries in the region faced with non-communicable diseases.

“If we can put those elements into our nutrition strategy and then into our food production and food security strategies, we will reduce our health care bill significantly by hundreds and millions and focus can then be placed on food security,” he said.

Generally it is the food import bill which

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• From page 9A. startles many Barbadians into thinking that a change is necessary. That bill is said to be about $700 million annually and growing.

Earlier this year, former Director General of the Inter-American Institute on Agriculture Dr Chelston Brathwaite, noted that with the ongoing recession and rising global food prices, discussions on food security and innovation in agriculture were now crucial to the island’s economic sustainability.

As a small open economy, foreign exchange is key to Barbados’ livelihood. We import most of what we consume – clothes, food, goods and services to use in industry and the list goes on.

In recessionary times when fewer tourists come to our shores and our other export sectors decline, the importance of agriculture is again highlighted.

“It costs $2.1 million a day to feed a nation such as the size of Barbados. Multiply that by 365 days a year . . . . Those who say agriculture is dead should talk to the food importers . . .

The link between agriculture and food is big

REDUCING THE IMPORT BILL can help the agricultural sector. (FP)

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business,” Brathwaite said.

Many, including Brathwaite, have therefore concluded that a paradigm shift is required if Barbados is to develop a sustainable agricultural sector as well as minimize the rising food import bill.

The areas requiring work include: capacity building; developing a closer relationship between farmers and the market; working to decrease levels of praedial larceny through adequate legislation; increased investment in the sector, linking agriculture to valuable sectors such as tourism and manufacturing; and exploring the introduction of technology to the sector.

In the next few months, Barbados is expected to continue major agriculture reform with the focus on restructuring of the local sugar cane industry which Government says will have positive spin-off effects for non-sugar crop production.

The project which will see the “reengineering of an existing sugar factory so as

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• From Page 10A. to allow it to engage multiple applications, including the production of biomass for the cogeneration of electricity” was mentioned in the recent Budgetary Proposals delivered in Parliament

by Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler.

The Japanese Bank for International Cooperation and Japanese commercial banks will invest about US$270 million in the project which will start next year and last for about three years.

“This will be accompanied by a number of short-term [measures] to give a boost to the local agriculture sector, including the creation of a $2 million grant initiative specifically for small farmers to engage in crop production,” Sinckler said.

In addition, consultations between the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association are expected to begin soon. These will focus on a special programme to encourage local hotels to use more local produce.

“At present, when hoteliers and hotel developers seek concessions from the Ministry of Finance these are freely given

SUPPORT OUR OWN and choose to buy local. (FP) to promote investment and assist in earning foreign exchange. This, for all intents and purposes, will continue well into the future. However, it is the intention of my ministry to institute a policy that ties future requests for concessions and waivers by local hotels and restaurants to a demonstrable use of domestic produce and even manufactures,” Sinckler said.

These efforts seem capable of helping to encourage production in the agriculture sector. In addition, Minister of Agriculture Dr David Estwick promised to implement a national agricultural policy that would form part of his ministry’s efforts “to set out a strategic vision and chart the path for a modern agricultural sector for Barbados”.

“We have to break this perception of agriculture as an 18th or 19th century, antiquated sector for the poor, rural man.

We have to break that subsistence mentality . . . agriculture is so much more than that,” he said. If these plans bear fruit, Barbados’ agriculture will have a chance to make a more significant contribution to national development, food security and all.

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by CHARLES HARDING

THERE ARE MANY benefits to switching over to renewable energy. (FP)

BARBADOS moved closer to its goal for a comprehensive alternative energy programme when Prime Minister Freundel Stuart initialled $50 million agreements with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the European Union (EU) to jump-start this country’s Public Sector Smart Energy Programme (PSSEP).

Under the agreements, signed at Government Headquarters on Bay Street St Michael on November 15, just more than two weeks before Barbados celebrated its 47th anniversary of Independence, the IDB will make $34 million available to this country in the form of a loan, and the European Union $16 million as a grant to support the PSSEP, which comprises a range of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures.

Prime Minister Stuart welcomed the agreements, which actually set the PSSEP in motion and said the public programme would put this country in a position where the

administration could retrofit Government buildings and prepare them to make effective use of renewable energy technologies.

“It will put us in a position where we can do the necessary capacity building and institutional strengthening to make the programme effective,” Prime Minister Stuart said.

The funding will also enable Barbados, Stuart added, to conduct some pilot projects and indulge “not in wild and wanton implementation but to experiment nevertheless with electricity-powered vehicles and other such exercises”.

Energy-efficient lighting fixtures are to be installed on approximately 25 000 public street lights. At least 12 Government buildings will be retrofitted with solar power systems and upgraded with energy-efficient, energy conservation technologies, and a small fleet of electric vehicles will be launched with charging dock stations

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Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 13A • From Page 12A. powered by solar technology on a pilot basis.

These measures are expected to save Government some US$45 million over a 20-year period, and reduce Co2 emissions by an estimated 132 000 tons.

The signing of the agreements, Prime Minister Stuart submitted, was the first step in laying the foundation for enhanced competitiveness of the Barbados economy.

He remarked upon the importation of oil as a defining feature of the Barbados economy, which required about 10 000 barrels of oil per day to function at optimum levels. He was also critical of what he described as the “skittishness” of oil prices as one of the more salient features of the global economic environment.

As a result, the Head of Government declared, this country had no choice but to switch to renewable and alternative energy to ensure that Barbados’ development was sustainably guaranteed.

IDB representative to Barbados, Joel Branski, who signed the agreement on the bank’s behalf, said the Smart Energy Programme would finance capacity building for Government agencies and public information campaigns to raise awareness about renewable energy and energy conservation measures.

Chief of the EU’s delegation to Barbados, Ambassador Mikael Baroda, said the European grant marked the opening of “a new and highly topical chapter of cooperation on renewable energy” and promised the EU would be working with the Barbados Government to explore other areas of cooperation.

The IDB/EU Smart Energy Programme agreements are the latest renewable energy investments in Barbados since the passage of the National Energy Policy in 2007.

In 2009, the IDB slated one million dollars towards the development of a Sustainable Energy Framework for Barbados (SEFB), intended to fund Government research, a regulatory system and financial incentives to promote affordable and sustainable energy solutions and security.

The SEFB was complemented by the Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action Programme (CHENACT), which provided a further one-million-dollar grant to propel energy saving technologies within the Caribbean hotel industry – one of Barbados’ leading business sectors.

The United Nations Development Fund,

TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS have allowed for the use of alternative energy to fuel many commodities we use every day. With the recent introduction of electrically powered vehicles to the market, that technology has been extended to transport. Pictured here is the Nissan LEAF – a mid-sized electric vehicle. (FP) in a concerted effort with the IDB and CHENACT also contributed a one-million-dollar Global Environment Facility pilot project fund to support energy efficient and renewable initiatives.

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Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 14A

ADRIAN ELCOCK, chairman of the Barbados Tourism Authority. (FP)

by CHERYL HAREWOOD DECLINES in long-stay arrivals, low occupancies at some properties, little investment and controversies – summed up the tourism sector’s performance for the most of 2013.

The highlights of the year to date are as follows: SUE SPRINGER, Executive Despite a reasonable Director of the BHTA. (FP) winter, the Barbados Statistical Service disclosed that the latest available comparative statistics for the period January to July 2012 and 2013 showed that stayover visitor arrivals were 312 228, representing a decline of 22 434 or 67 per cent, compared to the same period last year. Although they were modest increases from Germany and other European markets of 1 096 or 22 per cent and 1 508 or 88.8 per cent respectively, all the other major markets recorded declines ranging from 2.2 per cent to 17.7 per cent.

On the other hand, cruise passenger arrivals for the comparative period were 360 217, representing an increase of 31 188 or 9.5 per cent when compared to the corresponding period for 2012.

By mid-November, following a slow period and drop off in arrivals for the first two quarters of the year, Adrian Elcock, chairman of the Barbados Tourism Authorityindicated that November was proving to be a good month for the sector.

No statistics were made public to support his comment and, up to press time, none were available for the period August to November.

Elcock also disclosed that the average age of people visiting the island was around 55 and that 44 per cent of tourists were repeat visitors.

He charged that in order for Barbados to build a sustainable tourism industry and attract visitors between the ages of 25 to 44, tourism partners needed to invest heavily in digital media. Elcock further stressed that by signing with Rihanna for November concert in Barbados, which was later cancelled, tourism officials were seeking to benefit from the Grammy winner’s large social media following.

Plan for tourism On the heels of what was turning out to be a slow period for the sector during the first seven months of the year, Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy, unveiled a ten-point plan on October 18, which, he promised, would stimulate growth by luring visitors from main tourism markets and save money through intense renewable energy initiatives.

The plan which was disclosed during a post-Cabinet Press conference at Government Headquarters, Bay Street, St Michael, was as follows: 1. Provide a $10 million window for the retrofitting of air conditioning and lighting systems in the tourism and hospitality sector. This will be the first

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PLANS ARE AFOOT to rebrand the Hastings to St Lawrence Gap strip as a weekend 24-hour indigenous arts and craft and cultural performers’ market. (FP)

• From Page 14A. phase of the $150 million Energy Efficiency and Hotel Refurbishment Fund. Further aspects of the fund will be rolled out over the upcoming months.

2. The existing 50 per cent land tax rebate for investment in renewable energy will be extended to tourism and hospitality entities that implement credible energy efficiency programmes.

These programmes will be assessed by the Division of Energy. This rebate will be provided under the Renewable Energy Bill, which will soon be laid in the House of Assembly.

3. For the next 12 months tourism and hospitalityrelated entities will be entitled to an electricity rebate of five per cent of their electricity costs.

Entities that implement a credible energy efficiency plan and/or investment in energy from renewable sources will enjoy the rebate on an ongoing basis, while the rebate will end after 12 months for entities that do not make such investments.

4. For the next 12 months tourism and hospitalityrelated entities will be entitled to a rebate of five per cent of their water bills. Entities that have undertaken a credible water management programme will enjoy the rebate on an ongoing basis, while the rebate will end after 12 months for those entities that do not make such investments.

5. The Ministry of Tourism will launch a programme to increase the number of Green Globe Certified hotels and implement an international marketing strategy promoting Barbados as a Sustainable Green and Clean Energy destination.

6. Resources will be provided for the strengthening of events-based tourism.

7. The Ministry of Tourism will partner with the tourism and hospitality-related entities to grant a credit voucher up to a specified amount in Barbados equivalent to the air passenger duty paid by British tourists who book for at least two weeks with participating hotels. Further details on this initiative will be released shortly.

8. The Ministry of Tourism will partner with a number of private operators and launch a programme where villa type accommodation will be available for marketing as part of the room stock available in Barbados.

9. The Ministry of Tourism will partner with the Ministry of Culture, community groups, tourism and hospitality-related entities and other cultural practitioners to rebrand the Hastings to St Lawrence Gap strip as a

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Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 16A CRUISE PASSENGER ARRIVALS for the comparative period were 360 217, representing an increase of 31 188 or 9.5 per cent when compared to the corresponding period for 2012. (FP)

• From Page 15A. weekend 24-hour indigenous arts and craft and cultural performers’ market.

10. The Government of Barbados is engaging a variety of multilateral and private partners for the construction of a new hotel plant in Barbados and the rebuilding and reopening of a number of derelict properties.

There was the above good news then there was disturbing news for many.

The arrival of Sandals Resorts International in Barbados just three weeks following the disclosure of the ten-point plan caused some measure of turbulence in the industry, especially after it was further discovered that the Jamaican hotel chain would receive special concessions not currently offered to other hotels. Sandals’ arrival, which meant

that Couples Barbados could no longer continue its operations, prompted the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) to place the following on its official website on October 18: From the desk of Glen Lawrence – chief executive officer.

Date: October 18, 2013, Montego Bay, Jamaica.

On January 10, 2013, Couples Resorts signed a lease agreement for Casuarina Beach Resort in Barbados and thereafter took over the management of the resort on February 10, 2013. We undertook a refurbishing and upgrading of the resort’s facilities and on June 15 the resort was rebranded Couples Barbados.

The abovementioned lease agreement included terms that allowed the Lessors to sell the property and, in October 2013, they

accepted an offer of purchase from a third party, Sandals Resorts Ltd. This means that Couples, despite its plans to continue for the foreseeable future as the operator of Couples Barbados, is required to cease operations as of November 6, to facilitate the transition to the new owner/operator.

Sandals will also be opening a new resort at the former Almond Beach Village in St Peter.

Among the special concessions offered in a 25-year tax holiday to Sandals Resorts International were a waiver on all import duties, taxes, imposts and levies on capital goods such as building materials as well as alcohol, food and beverages.

Top hoteliers and tourism officials immediately called on Government to “spread the generosity,” with the BHTA indicating to its members that while it understood the value of Sandals and “its

positive effect on the marketing of the destination and on our ability to attract and secure airlift,” it would seek to ensure its members also benefited from concessions and other incentives given to the popular hotel chain.

The debate continues.

Looking ahead According to executive director of the BHTA, Sue Springer, the forecast for the coming winter months look positive.

She said: “When we attended World Travel Market in London tour operators said bookings for winter were looking good, but they also noted we still needed to be out in the marketplace, especially for summer.”

Springer also added that in general, and from a global perspective, bookings were on par with winter 2012.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 17A “We believe that the protocols have over the last two decades been central to the development of our country, both social as well as economic development, but we must also remember that the original protocol came out of a very difficult economic time and we face now difficult economic times of a different nature.

“But just as the persons who were there 20 years ago worked on what they had and developed those things that needed to be developed as new approaches to address the problems that faced us, I am sure that PRIME MINISTER FREUNDEL STUART, flanked by Minister of Labour Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo (right) and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’ s Office, we can do the same . . .”

Patrick Todd, signing the Protocol VI resolution at Government Headquarters in Bay Street in May. (FP) CHAIRMAN OF THE Barbados Private Sector Association John Williams, spoke those words of hope about the island’s economic future earlier this year as representatives of Government, labour and business, signed a resolution extending the Sixth Protocol of the Social Partnership.

This series of protocols had their roots in the 1990s when Barbados stood on the precipice of currency devaluation and those sectors came together formulating a united and alternate response to Barbados’ economic and

social challenges.

That alternative package comprised stiff economic measures such as an eight per cent wage cut for Government workers, wage restraint in the private sector, a halt to consumer

price increases except those necessitated by imported inflation, cuts in Government spending as well as harsher conditions for obtaining credit.

Ordinarily, those austerity measures would not be

accepted without industrial unrest but the trade unions had already marched in protest and sat down with the other key sectors to develop what was hailed a win-win situation. Each side recognized the benefit of

decades since the first protocol, Barbadians are again hearing, though not from official sources, that the country cannot make its way out of the current seven-year economic malaise without currency devaluation and stiff economic measures imposed by the International Monetary Fund. This is frightening for Barbadians as they watch Guyana and Jamaica, which are significantly larger and more natural resource-rich than Barbados, struggle for decades on the tempestuous road to economic recovery.

But the words of Williams, the country’s

taking this economic medicine as well as participating in consensus building; consequently, they later formalized their relationship into a social partnership.

• Continued on next page.

Today, just over two

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 18A

• From Page 17A

GOVERNOR of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, Sir Dwight Venner. (FP)

business representative offer hope in the social partnership as part of the solution again. This notion was recently verbally supported on the Government side by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and by labour.

President of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados Cedric Murrell saying that The congress intended to use the protocol as a mechanism that allowed for the country’s development in the circumstances where Barbados was now challenged to ensure levels of growth that will allow prosperity.

In fact the consensus building and cooperation, key features of the partnership, have been acclaimed internationally and the model seen as one to be emulated especially by developing countries.

Closer to home and only a few weeks ago, Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, Sir Dwight Venner, cited the Barbados model as he referred to the challenges facing member countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

“There must be a balance between consumption and production, which will involve a pact between the state, the private sector and the trade unions to maintain the balance and trade-offs in wages [and] prices. This pact has been successful in Barbados and should be replicated throughout the region,” Sir Dwight said.

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FORMER PRIME MINISTER Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford thought the eight per cent pay cut was necessary to save country. (FP)

PRESIDENT of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados Cedric Murrell. (FP)

This three-way pact, which he views as necessary to erase the major impediment stalling a growth in production in the OECS, was also held up to the Jamaica private sector as part of a possible strategy en route to creating a platform for economic growth.

Dean of New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Dr Peter Henry, commented on the 1990s conditions in Barbados and use of wage restraint rather than devaluation, explaining that devaluation

was “basically a back door wage cut, a wage cut without the input of the workers”.

Importantly, though Henry posited that the Barbados approach required that the public and private sector work together on three critical areas: discipline, clarity and trust.

According to the Jamaica Gleaner, he said that the decision to “share the pain, and with the help of the Anglican Church, allowed this agreement to hold” and the economy improved rapidly

over one to two years.

The notion must not be given that Barbados’ labour movement jumped in gleefully at the first chance to swallow the bitter economic medicine which retrenched workers and reduced the pay of those who kept their jobs.

About 30 000 of them took to the streets in protest but the industrial unrest obviously settled and frank talking and solutions were created.

However, a key element brought to the fore by Dr Henry, was the role of Prime Minister Erskine Sandiford (now Sir Lloyd) who took tough decisions that one could foresee were likely to have dire political consequences for him as Prime Minister and they did. Sir Lloyd lost at the polls in the next elections but reflected that it was important to do what was necessary to save the country.

Referred to today’s scenario, general secretary of the CTUSAB Dennis de Peiza opined that the maturity and experience gained by the social partnership over its 20-years lifespan will help Barbados navigate through the testy economic conditions.

• Continued on next page.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 19A

DR GEORGE BELLE believes the Social Partnership is starting to lose its strength.

(FP)

• From Page 18A.

for legal action and lawyers rather than trade unions and industrial relations.

Barbados has experienced “With the current crisis industrial action recently the raw relationships of and some tensions have power have re-emerged. occurred within the ranks A capitalist economy has of CTUSAB but de Peiza resurfaced,” he said. does not see these as Therefore, he noted that having the potential whereas previously the to negatively affect fundamentals for a trade the congress’ ability union would have appeared to play its part in to have lessened, they have Barbados’ recovery. now remerged in full sight.

He said that workers “The power relationships were very cognizant in the workplace once again of the country’s economic give advantage to condition and were employers and disadvantage sensitive to the fact that GENERAL SECRETARY of the CTUSAB the employees and it is little would be gained Dennis De peiza. (FP) these developments that from harsh actions. On have changed the climate the other issue, he added in relation to the perception of the social that trade unions in CTUSAB had partnership,” he said. autonomy with regard to their individual He drew reference to one of the world’s union affairs but that he believed in the leading capitalists, American business congress’ strength. magnate Warren Buffet, whom Dr Belle Others, including political scientist, said: “uses the language of the class Dr George Belle view the situation struggle and indicates that his class differently. Belle believes that the intends to win and is winning. social partnership is starting to lose its “Therefore if capital can say this, for strength because the environment and a trade unionist to repeat the neoliberal socio-economic conditions are shifting. chivalries then this would seem strange.

He was referring to the implosion The win-win assumptions will now come of neo-liberalism which promoted the under pressure because they go against free-market and therefore divestment, some of the fundamentals of the deregulation and, where necessary, industrial relations realities. And on that devaluation.

Belle said that during the 1990s crisis, basis some of the current trade union the neoliberal fundamentals were given as leaders seem not to be discerning the shift in these realities. self-evident and people on the basis of “I think this is what is happening here such assertions were talking about a winin Barbados and the more experienced win situation. trade unionists are noticing the shifting However, he noted that the recent attitudes of the employer class and it is crisis, which was one of financial capital had led to the collapse of the assumptions not surprising therefore if cracks seems to be appearing in CTUSAB and there of neo-liberalism. are tensions in the social partnership.”

He said workers had become Therefore working out a recovery intentionally individualistic and intentionally focused on careerism both of solution with the social partnership which would have inhibited solidarity and may be more challenging than it was in the 1990s. hence the manifestation of a preference

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 20A

Education

IN ADDRESSING the launch of the United Nations Education First initiative, last September, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma said: “Education remains the most important investment that any state – especially in Africa and the developing world can make.”

Barbados has made enviable strides in reaching some of the ideals of that initiative. However, President Zuma’s words are instructive as Barbados looks to education as one of the planks not only to help it emerge from the recession per se but rather to assist the economy towards a sustainable development path.

Therefore, considering the definition of sustainable economic development, the goals are for education to help ensure that the country’s real per capita income increases for a long period while income distribution becomes more equitable, poverty is reduced and Barbados continues to improve on the gains that it has made in living standards.

In its Barbados Human Resource Development Strategy 2011 to 2016, the

Government outlined a programme that it proposed as “a vital response strategy in addressing the current symptoms of the downturn in the economy – increased unemployment, recession and inflation – while mitigating the risk of longer term impacts.

“Acquisition of new competencies, skills enhancement, improved institutional efficiency and effective dialogue among stakeholders will assist in developing a sound workforce and in meeting the overall development objectives of the country,” the document said.

One can see where education features there. Equally important is the forward-looking focus for education and human resource development generally.

The document speaks to globalization and for a long time now, Barbadians have recognized the

• Continued on next page.

OUR NATION’S CHILDREN deserve the best education possible. (FP)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 21A • From Page 20A. need to diversify the economy, broadening its range of exports, in goods and services, while becoming more competitive internationally.

As Barbados tries to achieve these objectives, the economic situation is forcing Government to reassess its spending. On the surface, therefore, it seems as if the current climate is likely to stymie our efforts to quickly get on the path to sustainability.

The answer therefore relates to spending efficiently and may mean sacrificing on expenditure in some old areas to concentrate on new ones.

Tertiary education seems set to get this attention as evidenced by the announcement that from next year, Barbadian students at the University of the West Indies would have to pay part of their tuition fees. In addition, it seems that consideration will be given to reducing the number of National Development Scholarships and upgrading the criteria for Barbados Scholarships and Exhibitions. Will this affect the role of education in nation building?

It is now a clichéd sentiment – derivations of which find themselves in Government officials’ speeches – that Barbados, lacking in natural resources, upholds the development of its human capital as critical to facilitate economic growth and sustainable national development. Spending cuts are seen as running counter to this as well as a departure from National Hero The Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow’s philosophy for universal free education.

For certain, quantity is not quality; and if reduced spending and prioritizing can lead to the adequate production of people with critically needed skills then the country will be the winner.

Studies, including those done by the World Bank, posit that too big a slice of a country’s education budget often goes to the university level that has the lowest rate of return and attracts the country’s most affluent students.

These studies argue against subsidizing people who can afford to pay and suggest selective scholarships and other means for financing those in need.

The efficiency argument also reflects on the mismatch between the job market needs and the output of the skills from tertiary level

BARBADOS STILL provides some of the best tertiary level offers around. (FP) institutions. Barbadians who had Government-financed scholarships and who were educated at overseas universities, even in areas such as tourism, are now either underemployed or unemployed after being told by potential employers they are overqualified or that no vacancies exist.

On the other hand, work permits for scare skills are issued in Barbados daily.

In 2004, Dr Marion Williams, the then Governor of our central bank, said: “Scholarships by Government, for the most part, are not targeted to the development of specific skills needed at the national level as scholarships in any field tend to be equally rewarded. To the extent that students choose the other options, there is therefore likely to be a disconnect between the skills needed in the future and the skills available.”

She also said that in 1996, 46 per cent of admissions to the University of the West Indies were in the social sciences compared with nine per cent in engineering and 3.7 per cent in agriculture. Since the rate of increase in new knowledge has been faster in the science and technology fields than in the liberal arts and social sciences, this could logically have led to a widening of the

God bless Barbados this independence day and forever.

This year instead of placing a big advertisement in the press for Independence Day we are investing $5,000 of the money in the Enterprise Growth Fund to assist small entrepreneurs in getting into business.

“Working to Build a Stronger Nation” visit our website at www.williamsind.com

knowledge gap (between us a developing country and the developed world)”.

Perhaps there is a missing link; that is the involvement of the employers’ input and labour market intelligence in the determination of where Government spending should be directed in order to satisfy efficiency considerations by a budget constrained country.

This is a consideration for those examining the criteria for spending and curriculum development at all levels of education in this country.

Cave Hill Campus has announced that it will be paying more attention on science and technology. But

work has to start at the lower levels of education, the secondary and primary levels where it has been said that students tend to shy away from grasping good mathematical skills.

In her 2004 address, Dr Williams said: “Education increased its share of Government expenditure from 15.2 per cent of total expenditure in 1957, that is prior to free education, to an average of 21 per cent of total expenditure over the last five years.

“Spending on education expanded more quickly than total spending by Government; this, of course,

means that other Government activities were losing resources in the interest of education.”

This underlines the fact that spending on education must pay dividends and that efficiency must be achieved but its importance as a development tool cannot be overlooked.

At the Education First launch, Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard made a statement worthy of reflection. She said: “When you run a country you worry about a lot of statistics – inflation, unemployment, gross product and so on – but the one statistic that I worry most about is how our schooling fares compared to other countries. The success of our 15-year-old children in education determines how far our economy will go and how fair as a nation we will be.”

Happy Birthday Barbados!

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 22A

by ANTOINETTE CONNELL THE JUSTICE SYSTEM is one steeped in antiquity and attempts to revolutionize it over the decades have barely made a mark.

Spawned from colonial times when Britain firmly controlled Barbados, the island’s judiciary, though largely regarded as corruption free, is plagued by systemic problems.

A major end result of that is a massive backlog from the lower courts to the Supreme Court, from criminal cases to civil matters.

This thus had led to an eternal list of complaints from users that

they were unable to receive any justice and even if the matter was adjudicated, by the time that occurred the effects were almost null and void.

Earlier this year, Chief Justice and President of the Court of Appeal Sir Marston Gibson revealed that of 21 663 cases filed in the Magistrates’ Court in 2011, only 1 316 were disposed by the ten available magistrates.

It gave confirmation to the public’s concern that matters were taking too long to be heard and that the wait was depriving them of justice. The case load

of magistrates include coroner’s inquest, civil and criminal cases which also involve the costly and time-consuming preliminary hearings into indictable matters.

Magistrates also preside over juvenile and domestic matters and traffic offences. Their heavy workload is further compounded by cramp and uncomfortable work spaces in a system lacking the benefits of technology.

One City Magistrates’ Court remains uninhabitable and in an attempt to find suitable

• Continued on next page.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 23A

A PROBLEMATIC judicial system can hurt the economy by detering potential investors from international territories. (FP)

•From Page 22A. accommodation to assist with the delivery of justice, sittings have been shifted from The City to Station Hill to the rural courts. Still the problem of a heavy backlog remains.

The increasing number of cases is an indication of how much of a litigious society Barbados has become. In the High Court of 2011 there were 2 500 cases lodged to be heard by eight High Court justices.

The old cry of less than optimum physical conditions affecting production can no longer apply, at least not in the case of the Supreme Court judges. They now sit in the intimidatingly spacious Barbados Supreme Court Complex housing 12 high courts, including the Court of Appeal.

The overwhelming case file numbers were a startling revelation from the man who had the charge of bringing a refreshing change to the judiciary after national debate surrounded his appointment two years ago. Sir Marston blamed limited resources as part of the reason for the pile-up and attempted to shift some of the workload for a smoother quicker flow.

There are now eight High Court judges and five Court of Appeal justices; in addition, there are at least six judicial assistants to assist judges with research and writing decisions within a shorter time.

Still, the blame for the persistently frustrating backlog accumulated over the years has been attributed to anything from the tardiness of the judicial officers and attorneys, to the need for extending court sittings. In the past in an attempt to resolve the problem of malingering attorneys, they were threatened with being penalized through costs. There was little movement.

There have been, however, impactful and practical recommendations. They include discarding scores of cases which had stagnated and clogged the system for years, decades sometimes; and mediation as a first step to resolving conflict before it reached the court stage, for this alternative dispute resolution training was instituted.

Sir Marston announced recently that cases in the system since the 1990s would soon be struck from the active list.

In addition, many of the other not so pressing matters for instance, debt collection cases were to be heard by the

Supreme Court master and by the registrars.

Some of the considerations to improve the justice system include: abolishing preliminary inquiries, introducing plea bargainings, reforming the double jeopardy rule, introduction of electronic monitoring for offenders, expanding the ticketing system for traffic offences and installing computerassisted devices in Magistrates’ Courts.

On the civil side, the recommendations are that courts sit in the morning and afternoon, allocating judges to fixed divisions, on the spot decisions and increasing the monetary civil jurisdiction of magistrates to at least $50 000.

The backlash from the clogged system also impacted on other institutions. Criminal cases which take long to be disposed of mean that the accused spends a longer time on remand which helps to create further overcrowding in the island’s lone adult prison. This overcrowding presents a further worry for authorities as it creates conditions that lead to unrest.

On the economic end, while the country depends on international business, the appearance of an ineffective judicial system affects investors’ confidence.

The measure of a country’s stability is gleaned from its justice system. If it fails to provide the security citizens require, then chaos ensues. The result is that internationally its reputation also suffers, a negative for a tourism dependent country.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 24A&25A

by MIKE KING

OBADELE THOMPSON. (FP)

OVER the last 47 years, Barbados has produced some outstanding sportsmen and women who have done us proud.

The island has also produced several administrators who have excelled at the highest level and who have charted the course for the development of the sporting landscape.

Here I look at 47 of these outstanding Barbadians, who have performed for the glory of the country, since 1966.

National Hero The Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers, Obadele Thompson, Malcolm Marshall, Anthony “Mango” Phillips, Victor “Gas” Clarke, Anton Norris, Patsy Callender, Ronald “Suki” King, Leah Martindale, Chally Jones and Tyrone Downes are automatic choices.

This was a tough task with international success, impact and playing skills, the main factors used in determining this elite group.

Weightlifter Blair Blenman, the first Barbadian to strike gold at the Commonwealth Games, boxer Shaka Henry, swimmers Bradley Ally and Nicky Neckles, marathon runner Adelbert Browne, chess player Kevin Denny, cyclist Kensley Reece, and windsurfer Brian Talma just missed out on selection.

Here are my picks: Sir Garfield Sobers (cricket): A cricketing genius, Sir Garry is one of the greatest Barbadians and is the country’s only living National Hero. He excelled in football, basketball and golf, but it was in cricket where Sir Garry stood way above all else who have ever played the game anywhere. As a batsman he was great, as a bowler merely superb, but would have made the West Indies side as a bowler alone. He was remarkably versatile with the ball, bowling two styles of spin – left-arm orthodox and wrist spin, but was also a fine fast-medium opening bowler.

His achievements are numerous – a then Test record 365 off Pakistan in 1958; six consecutive sixes hit off an over, a superb innings of 254 for the Rest of the World against Australia in 1971 that earned the praise of Don Bradman.

Now aged 77, he was knighted at the Garrison for his services to cricket in 1975.

Obadele Thompson (track and field): With the exception of the incomparable Sir Garry Sobers, arguably the finest sportsman this

ANDREA BLACKETT. (FP)

SIR GARFIELD SOBERS. (FP) country has produced. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he took a bronze medal in the marquee 100-metre dash, the first only and medal Barbados has secured at the greatest show on Earth.

He has reached four Olympic finals, has won a Commonwealth Games bronze and Central American and Caribbean (CAC) gold.

Ryan Brathwaite: A class act as a hurdler at the CARIFTA Games in 2006 and 2007; Ryan, reached dizzying heights last year when he became this country’s first world champion on the track, capturing the 110-metre gold, an achievement that gave him national prominence. Brathwaite reached the semifinals of his pet event at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and was this country’s best chance for a medal at the London Games in 2012.

Malcolm Marshall (cricket): One of the greatest fast bowlers the game has known, “Maco” got each way at furious pace and outfoxed the best batsmen in the world for more than a decade, capturing 376 Test scalps.

Late in his career he developed a devastating leg-cutter which he used on dusty pitches.

Marshall had all the toys and he knew how and when to play with them. His strike rate of 46.22 was phenomenal, his average of 20.94 equally so.

Sadly, he passed away in 1999 at 41, a victim of colon cancer.

Andrea Blackett (track and field): Maybe the finest sportswoman thus far to come from these shores. Blackett has the distinction of collecting Pan Am (silver), Commonwealth Games (gold) and CAC (silver) medals, all in the 400-metre hurdles. Blackett’s record-

RYAN BRATHWAITE. (FP) breaking gold at the Commonwealth Games in 1998 was the first for Barbados at those Games in 28 years.

Jim Wedderburn: He has the distinction of being the first Barbadian to win an Olympic medal, having been part of a West Indies 4 x400 metre relay quartet that snatched bronze at the 1960 Games in Rome. The former outstanding student of The Lodge School has a stand named in his honour at the National Stadium.

Anton Norris (track and field): One of the biggest stars of the 1960s, Norris and fellow high jumper Patsy Callender were the pioneers of track and field in this country. He won a bronze at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth and at the 1966 instalment in Kingston, Jamaica, delivered another bronze.Norris was a class-act and on his first appearance at the Pan Am Games in 1963 in Brazil, he came up with another bronze.

Elvis Forde (track and field): During the 1980s, Forde was one of

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the leading quarter-milers in the world and the first Barbadian to make an impact on the Olympic stage when he reached the semi-finals of the 400 metres, breaking the national record along the way. He led the 4x400 metres quartet to the final (sixth place) and another national record.

Ronald “Suki” King (draughts): Sharp, witty and seemingly invincible at times on the draughts board, King has given new meaning to the mind game by scaling unprecedented heights with world title success in both versions of the game. He has relinquished the Three-Move Restriction title but is still the master of the Go-AsYou-Please style. All of this from a man, who was born and raised in humble surroundings in St George. King has defied the odds with his draughts wizardry to become a national treasure.

Leah Martindale (swimming): At the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Leah Martindale became the first black female swimmer

to qualify for an Olympic swimming final. Her fifth place in the 50-metre freestyle was an astounding effort and was proof of the swift rise she had made in the sport under guidance of then coach Anil Roberts.

Martindale made the trek to Sydney in 2000, but though she never reached those lofty heights again, her place in the history of local sport is assured.

Anthony “Mango” Phillips (weightlifting): This pocket Hercules was the best of a stream of weightlifters that gave the country eminence in the 1960s and 1970s. “Mango” rose from the obscurity of a humble abode in Richmond Gap and Westbury Road, St Michael, to take silver medals at the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1967 and Cali, Colombia, in 1971. At the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, Phillips captured this country’s only medal, a silver. Phillips represented Barbados at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico and retired shortly after competing at the Munich Games in 1972.

Wes Hall: Arguably the first great West Indies fast bowler with Test 192 scalps, Hall also made a telling impact as a West Indies team manager and president of the WICB. He took just 20 Tests to join the 100-wicket haul and was the unquestioned spearhead of the West Indies pace attack throughout the 1960s.

Gordon Greenidge (cricket): Having honed his skills in England where he was raised, Greenidge made his name batting Barry Richards at Hampshire before embarking on a hugely successful Test career, where he scored 7 000 Tests runs, cracked 19 hundreds, including four doubles. Government recognised his contribution by having a primary school named after him.

Desmond Haynes (cricket): A product of Holder's Hill, St James, an area steeped in sporting tradition, Dessie worked hard at his game, especially the art of playing spin, and became a world-class opener with a proven record in both versions of the game.

Haynes, who holds the record for the highest score on one-day debut, amassed 17 limited overs hundreds and 18 Test tons.

Joel Garner (cricket): At 6 ft, 8 in, “Big Bird was one of the most imposing, and miserly fast mediumbowlers in the game. Of the top wicket-takers, few have a lower average than his parsimonious 20.97.

If his value in Test cricket was as an integral part of the most formidable pace attacks ever – they

RONALD “ SUKI” KING. (FP) spread the load so that he took five wickets in an innings on just seven occasions – then in one-day cricket, particularly in the overs at the end of an innings, when the unhittable yorker speared in relentlessly, he was priceless.

Roy Callender: He was inducted into the international hall of fame for pro bodybuilding greats for his sterling contribution to the sport in the 1980s. A winner of amateur and professional world titles, he was fourth at the 1981 Mr Olympia.

Earl Maynard: Maynard won the 1964 NABBA Pro Universe, the 1965 IFBB Universe and the 1978 Masters Mr America. He battled it out on stage with Larry Scott at the first ever Mr Olympia in 1965.

Darcy Beckles (bodybuilding): Winner of Mr Western Hemisphire 1975, Beckles had a superbly sculptured physique, showcasing one of the best backs around when he bestrode the international stage like a colossus in the mid- and late 1970s.

He won every major local and Caribbean contest during

• Continued on next page.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 26A

• From Page 25A. his heyday and was the spearhead of Barbados’ assault on the Mr Universe stage from 1976 to 1979.

Bernard Sealy (bodybuilding): Part of the triumvirate that represented Barbados from 1976 to 1978 at the World Championships which comprised Darcy Beckles and Loftus Roach, Sealy became the first Barbadian representative to capture Mr Universe with a sensational capture of the middleweight division at the 1989 event in Paris, France.

Patrick Nicholls (bodybuilding): Nicholls took local and regional bodybuilding to a new level with awesome mass and sliced to ribbons muscle in the mid-1980s.

It wasn’t long before “Boobie” climbed into the prestigious pro ranks, announcing himself with a splendid third place at the 1991 British Grand Prix. This earned him the right to go on stage at the 1992 Mr Olympia.

Albert Scantlebury (body building): Having announced himself in a big way by beating Beckles and Roach at the 1982 Barbados Olympia, Scantlebury captured the prized Mr Barbados five times.

His best moment came at the 1990 World Championships in Malaysia when he won a bronze medal in a tough light heavyweight field.

Patrick Husbands (horse racing): He has tasted more international success than any other jockey from Barbados, making his mark by dominating the race tracks and landing several championships at Woodbine. He has also made his mark on the Gold Cup, the most prestigious event in the Southern Caribbean.

Challenor Jones (horse racing): A master in the saddle, “Chally” Jones is one of the best jockeys to have come out of the Caribbean and the first to have 1 000 winners. He won every major race in the country prior to the Gold Cup and retired in 1981. He was a fierce competitor and was especially dominant in the derby.

Venice Richards (horse racing): Low in the saddle, “Pappy” Richards was a master tactician and a joy to watch when he came down the home straight hand-riding. Richards was so good, he once won

champion jockey in Barbados inspite of missing the last day’s racing.

Patsy Callender pioneered women’s track and field in Barbados. A versatile athlete, she excelled in the 100 metres, long jump, high jump and javelin but it was in the sprint and high jump that she won international accolades with medals at the now defunct West Indies Games, last held in Barbados in 1965, the CAC Games and the Pan Am Games. With limited facilities and a training regimen that pales in the face of modern scientific approaches, Callender made her mark, relying upon mainly natural talent and the encouragement of her Modern High School principal Louis Lynch.

Lorna Forde: This 400 metres powerhouse dominated the United States indoor circuit between 1972 and 1983 and pioneered Barbados’ entry to the European circuit She stamped her supremacy on the 440 yards indoors; was undefeated indoor national champion for six years and held the world record for that distance. She startled the United States track scene in 1978 when she won the national championships there with a record 51.04 run, defeating Olympic medallists in the process.

Freida Nicholls a threetime Olympian, first represented Barbados at the Munich Olympics in 1972 and has medalled at international meets in Europe, Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and Central America. She was once recognized among the top 50 women in Barbados for her contribution to sports, in commemoration of the United Nations Decade For Women.

Barry Forde (cycling): Although tainted by two positive drug tests, Forde has taken the sport of cycling to unprecedented highs as well.

The most decorated rider in the annals of local cycling, he was a sixth-place finisher in the match sprint at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, and has a silver medal in the keirin at the World Championships in Carson City, California.

In 1998, he became the only Barbadian to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games when he took the match sprint bronze in Malaysia.

Hector Edwards (cycling): One of the best sprinters and probably the most durable sprinter Barbados has produced, Edwards scaled new heights for the sport in the 1970s when he captured silver and bronze medals in the time trial at the CAC Games in 1974 and 1978.

Ken Farnum: Farnum was a household name in Barbados during the 1950s when he brushed aside all

MALCOLM MARSHALL. (FP)

TYRONE DOWNES. (FP)

CHALLENOR JONES. (FP)

local challenges for several years without tasting defeat on the cycling track.

He created history in 1952, becoming the first Barbadian Olympian, when he rode at the Helsinki Games. The Farnum to Finland Fund was created to cover

expenses to allow him to take part in the 15th Olympiad.

Jerry Goddard: No football striker has captured the imagination in the same manner as Goddard did for Wales and Barbados in the 1970s. Dazzling and

inventive with the ability to shoot with either foot, Goddard is without question one of the most lethal forwards in the history of the local game.

Keith Griffith: Griffith made his mark in the 1960s and 1970s both in attack and in the backline for both club

• Continued on next page.

GOD bless and prosper our Nation

BARBADOS 47 YEAR OF INDEPENDENCE TH

GENERAL OPENING HOURS

BRIDGE STREET MALL Monday - Thursday Friday & Saturday

7:00 am - 10:00 pm 7:00 am - 11:00 pm

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Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 27A • From Page 26A. and country. He would later serve as national coach, calling the shots from the sidelines periodically over two decades.

Victor “Gas” Clarke (football): A midfield general, Clarke was the leader of the revered national football teams of the 1970s that included Jerry Goddard, Eric Alleyne, Keith Griffith and Charles Williams. He had 59 caps for LEAH MARTINDALE. (FP) ROGER SKEETE. (FP) the Combined Clubs and Barbados and retired from the game in the early 1980s.

Reggie Haynes (football): One of the best and most complete footballers this country has produced.

A product of New Orleans, at the regional level, capturing the men’s singles title at the Haynes was a household name CAC Championships three straight years (1995 to 1997). in the 1960s with his Martin Blackman (lawn tennis): Barbados’ most dazzling skills. accomplished player to date, having played professionally Tyrone Downes (boxing): on the international circuit in the 1980s. Blackman formed Pound for pound, Downes was a formidable partnership with Richard Ashby, the two leading unquestionably the best boxer Barbados to rare Davis Cup victories over strong teams such as the island has ever produced. Bolivia.

He started his amateur career Roger Skeete (motorsport): Move aside Vin Diesel, race car in Barbados and later relocated driver Roger Skeete is fast and furious for real. to Trinidad but trained for his Daring and exciting, Skeete has been the king of speed World Boxing Council in this country for more than a decade, dominating every featherweight title shot in the major race event in this country, counting multiple triumphs land of his birth. in Rally Barbados. When rain, mud and wet conditions have A Commonwealth Games proven to be severe tests for most drivers, Skeete has been champion in the lightweight up to the challenge whether it is behind the wheel division, Downes failed in his of a Peugeot 205GTi or a Subaru Impreza WRC S12. featherweight title shot bid Andrew Alleyne (basketball): Without question, the best and against Australian Jeff Fenech most imposing player of his era, he was a colossus for Station when they fought Down Under Hill Cavaliers and the national team for two decades, his in the late 1980s, but he crowning glory coming in 2000 when Barbados won the remained rated in the world’s CARICOM crown and he was voted Most Valuable Player. top ten for two years running. A few years ago, Government honoured the six foot, eight inch Robert Earle (table tennis): forward/centre by naming the Station Hill Community Centre If not the best, certainly the after him. best known table tennis player John Stuart (volleyball): Stuart is arguably the most to come out of Barbados. respected and complete player of his generation.

A household name in the He was the lynchpin behind the dominance of the 1970s, this St Leonard’s St George-based Progressive in the 1980s and early 1990s, and Secondary student had was an integral part of every national team between 1978 and no serious rivals on the local 1997, when he retired after leading Barbados to five successive circuit and was the team leader Caribbean volleyball titles. at the regional level.

Anthony “Limp” Richardson (road tennis): Arguably the He moved to the United most dominant road tennis player of the 1970s, Richardson States in the 1980s, took his took the game to another level with his dynamic forehand game to another level and had smashes that made him a hero especially among his adoring the honour of competing at the hometown fans in the Deacons community. coveted World Cup at the Austin Sealy (administrator): One of the leading Community College in 1983. administrators in the world at present. He is a member of the Robert Roberts (table International Olympic Committee and has given over 40 years tennis): He may have surpassed of service. Sealy was responsible for the start of the CARIFTA even Earle as our finest ever Games. player. Ruthless in attack, solid Steve Stoute (administrator): Like Sealy, he has dedicated in defence, Roberts did what his life to sports and ensuring that the framework was put no other Barbadian could do in place. Stoute was the pivotal figure in the halcyon days and that was to dominate play of local cycling in the mid-1970s when he introduced world-

class cycling here by bringing ace riders like Daniel Morelon and Peder Pedersen to the National Stadium.

Marva Harris-Sealy (netball): When the sport was at its most popular in the 1970s, she captained the Barbados side and was the driving force in midcourt.

She was an integral part of the champion Hot Spurs team that dominated the local game.

When Harris-Sealy quit the sport just after the 1979 World Championships, she channelled her energies into coaching and guiding young talent.

Ralph Holder (hockey): Ice-cool and unruffled, Holder was an automatic choice in every national hockey team throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. A keen student of the game, Holder employed subtle stickwork to bamboozle defenders. A member of the CAC bronze medal winning side of 1982, Holder at one stage had accounted for onethird of his country’s goals.

Rudy Goodridge (squash): The best and most renowned exponent of squash, Goodridge was this country’s first black champion and changed the image of the game.

Goodridge was at his best in the 1980s when he won backto-back Southern Caribbean titles and the majority of his eight Barbados Opens.

• Mike King has been one of this country’s most versatile journalists for the last three deecades.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 28A

Barbados end title drought

by EZRA STUART BARBADOS’ capture of their first first-class title in six years was the only silverware which the national teams won in any of this year’s regional cricket competitions as the other sides all returned home empty-handed.

Whereas team glory was in short supply, a number of cricketers showcased their cricketing skills and enhanced their credentials with some solid batting and bowling displays.

The Barbados senior side, under the captaincy of Kirk Edwards, started the competition poorly, losing to fivetime defending champions Jamaica and the Windward Islands, but came good when it mattered most.

The Bajans exacted revenge by winning their semifinal against the Windward Islands and followed up by handsomely triumphing over arch-rivals, Trinidad and Tobago in the championship final to take the Headley-Weekes Trophy.

A superlative maiden first-class century by Jonathan Carter, who staved off the threat of West Indies’ off-spinner Shane Shillingford and outstanding off-spin bowling by Ashley Nurse, saw them turn the tables on the Windwards on a spin-friendly Windsor Park pitch in Dominica.

Barbados then hosted the final at Kensington Oval and defeated Trinidad and Tobago by an innings and 22 runs despite an attacking stroke-filled 140 from Lendl Simmons.

After opener Kraigg Brathwaite fashioned a typically solid 122 to lead Barbados to a first innings total of 369 while rookie fast bowler Miguel Cummins bowled impressively to take five for 30 as the Trinidadians were routed for 110.

Forced to follow-on, Trinidad and Tobago fared much better in their second innings, making 237, thanks to Simmons’ century, but Cummins completed a nine-wicket match haul, claiming four for 75.

It was the first time in six years that the title was not won by Jamaica, who lost to Trinidad and Tobago in the semi-finals.

Brathwaite, Nurse and Cummins enjoyed outstanding individual performances.

Brathwaite was the second-highest run scorer in the competition with 577 runs, studded with two centuries in eight matches at an average of 57.70, behind Windward Islander Devon Smith.

• Continued on next page.

RUN-MACHINE: Opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite was rewarded for his heavy scoring this year for Barbados and the West Indies A-Team by being recalled to the West Indies Test team. (FP)

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Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 29A

SPIN SUCCESS: Off-spinner Ashley Nurse enjoyed a dream debut first-class season, bagging 45 wickets at an average of 13.82. (FP)

We are proud of building • From Page 28A. Nurse, in his maiden first-class season, finished as the thirdhighest wicket taker with 45 wickets at a fantastic average of 13.82 runs apiece in eight matches.

Cummins, also in his first full season after a solitary match in 2012, captured 35 wickets at an average of 14.77 while experienced left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn took 27 wickets in five matches.

During the year, Brathwaite, Nurse, Carter, Cummins and Edwards were all selected for the West Indies ‘A’ teams while Kemar Roach and Tino Best played for the West Indies Test and One-Day teams.

Jason Holder was also called up for the One-Day side, making his debut against Australia in Perth and was recruited by Chennai Super Kings to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Champions League.

But it was the dynamic Dwayne Smith, who stole the spotlight, helping Mumbai Indians to win the IPL title as well as the crown in the Champions League T20, where he had the distinction of being named Player Of The Series for his dazzling top-order batting as he finished the tournament with scores of 63 not out, 48, 59 and 44.

Brathwaite, who also enjoyed a rewarding ‘A’ team tour of India, scoring 334 runs at an average of 66.80 was called up as a replacement for the injured Chris Gayle for the PROMISING PACER: Rookie fast bowler West Indies’ three-Test tour of Miguel Cummins bowled impressively New Zealand in December. Two

• Continued on next page.

in his first full first-class season, capturing 35 wickets to earn selection on the West Indies ‘ A’ team. (FP)

47

YEARS OF STEADY PROGRESS

We pride ourselves by staying on the cutting edge of technology with the world's most modern, fully computerised, block making plant at Lears, which guarantees our continuation of delivering the finest quality products, complementing our renowned ready mixed concrete preferred by the building industry and all made with the hardest stone on the island.

As we celebrate our Independence with fellow Barbadians, we thank you all for your support in helping us to maintain Pride in our Industry.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 30A

Trophies elude juniors performer, taking 21 wickets with his left-arm spin at 14 runs apiece and also scoring other Bajans in Edwards, who 152 runs. Limar Pierce was also hit a century on the ‘A’ Barbados’ best batsman with team tour of India, and Best 191 runs. will also be on that trip as The Under-17 squad, Roach had to return home despite all-rounder Shamar prematurely from the tour of Springer amassing the third India with a shoulder injury. highest aggregate of 223 runs Barbados, however, failed at an impressive average of to make the semifinals of the 111.50, had to settle for Regional Super50 Cup, which second place with 19.9 points was won by the Windward as hosts Trinidad and Tobago Islands, who defeated triumphed with 24.8 points.

Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in the final.

CCC pulled off a major upset in the semi-final when they eliminated Trinidad and Tobago with left-handed Barbadian opener Anthony Alleyne anchoring their innings before he was denied a century when he was unfortunately given out leg before wicket for 99.

The trophies also eluded Barbados’ Under-19, Under-17 and Under-15 teams in regional competitions.

The Under-15 side began with wins against host country Jamaica, eventual champions Trinidad and Tobago and Leeward Islands but then lost to Windward Islands and Guyana to finish a disappointing fourth with 39 points.

All-rounder Joshua Bishop was the most outstanding

• From Page 29A.

ALL-ROUNDER JOSHUA BISHOP impressed, taking 21 wickets with his left-arm spin at 14 runs apiece and scoring 152 runs. (FP)

SHAMAR SPRINGER amassed the third highest third highest aggregate of 223 runs at an average of 111.50 (FP)

The Bajan youngsters prevailed over Jamaica, Guyana and the Windwards but succumbed to Trinidad and Tobago and the unfancied Leewards. Left-arm spinner Deswin Currency was Barbados’ most successful bowler with 12 wickets.

It was even more disappointing for Under-19 outfit in St Kitts, where they finished fifth in both the three-day and 50-over competitions as Jamaica

reigned supreme.

Barbados earned 26.5 points in the three-day competition, finishing only ahead of the Leewards as champions Jamaica tallied 47.9 points while they lost four and won just two of their 50-over matches.

Aaron Jones was Barbados’ most impressive performer, scoring the tournament’s highest score of 143 and ending with the third-highest aggregate of 286 runs at an

average of 40.86.

He was won the Most Valuable Player award for Barbados in the One-Day tournament when he scored 116 runs and took a rare hattrick with his leg-spin while capturing six wickets.

Whereas he was unfortunately excluded from the West Indies Under-19 team, two of his teammates,

• Continued on next page.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 31A

SHAQUANA QUINTYNE gave a good showing for the West Indies. (FP) level of club cricket in Barbados when she represented YMPC in Sagicor General Super Cup 50-over matches against Banks and the fast bowlers Jerome Jones and Jofra Archer Barbados Defence Force (BDF) Sports were chosen for a seven-match series against Programme.

Bangladesh in Guyana. Batsman Jonathan In the inaugural Caribbean Premier Drakes was subsequently selected along with League, the Barbados Tridents, captained by Jerome Jones for a reciprocal series in Trinidadian Kieron Pollard, flattered to deceive Bangladesh in December. after winning their first four matches.

The Barbados Women’s cricketers were They then lost the next three preliminary denied championship glory when their semigames and the losing trend continued when final game against Jamaica was rained out in they went under to eventual champions, the West Indies Women’s 50-over Jamaica Tallawahs in the semi-finals. championship.

Locally, Sagicor UWI were dethroned as However, five Barbadians, twin sisters LIME Elite champions by CGI Maple in Kyshonna and Kycia Knight, Deandra Dottin, controversial circumstances.

Shakera Selman and Shaquana Quintyne were After UWI ended the season with the most selected to the West Indies team, for the home points and celebrated what would’ve been series against New Zealand and England. their fifth consecutive title, the Barbados Dottin and Quintyne were among the star Cricket Association (BCA) subsequently performers for the Windies and the latter awarded Maple maximum points for a disputed became the first female to play in the highest match against Carlton after they successfully

• From Page 30A.

protested that an unsatisfactory pitch was prepared by the home team.

As a result, Carlton and not the Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme, have been relegated from the Elite Division to the Division One for next year’s season.

Republic Bank St Catherine duo Derick Bishop and Kenroy Williams were the leading bowler and batsman with 52 wickets and 608 runs, respectively.

CounterPoint Wanderers earned promotion to the Elite Division next year by winning the Division One championship.

UWI still had something to celebrate as they retained their Sagicor Twenty20 title, ironically defeating Maple by two wickets in a low-scoring final at Kensington Oval with Carlos Brathwaite gaining the Man Of The Match for excellent bowling figures of 4-0-8-3.

Earlier that day, at the same venue, Vita Malt Whim won the inaugural Barbados Cricket League (BCL) Twenty20 Cup with a

victory over Sunset Tours and Vacation Cyclone in the final.

Cyclone were not to be denied a trophy, however and won the C.O. Williams Champion of Champions crown by triumphing over St James neighbours, Newbury Province in a championship match which was contested at the Dash Valley playing field.

Christ Church Foundation won the BCA’s Schools Under-19 title, defeating Combermere for the second straight year in the final with Aaron Jones repeating as the Player Of The Match.

Combermere won the Under-15 title by virtue of earning a three-run first innings lead over Alexandra in a drawn final. It was double delight for Dover Juniors as they won the Desmond Haynes Under-16 title by beating Carlton in the final and also took the Inspire Sports/National Sports Council Under-13 title with a victory over Passage United.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 32A TIA-ADANA BELLE (right, showing off her silver medal) and Mario Burke arriving to a rousing welcome by a large crowd of officials, coaches, fellow athletes and family at the Grantley Adams International Airport. (FP)

by SHERRYLYN A. TOPPIN

FORMER CHAMPION Ryan Brathwaite had a disappointing time at the World Championships this year with a number of slow starts. (FP)

IF THE HALLMARK by which an athletics season is measured is how athletes performed on the regional and international stage, then Barbados barely gets a passing grade.

This year featured a packed calendar of events from the CARIFTA Games early in the

season to the IAAF World Championships which capped it in August.

And while Barbadian athletes did well to qualify for meets in spite of the fact that they didn’t have access to the track at the National Stadium for almost the whole season, what they did when they did reach the international scene left a lot to be desired.

Two bright lights shone in the form of juniors Tia-Adana Belle and sprinter Mario Burke. Belle won a silver medal at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine, in the 400m hurdles, the first Barbadian female to do so.

She set a personal best 58.42 seconds along the way, stepping up at every level to perform just

as her coach Michael “Fatman” Linton had expected. Burke also posted a personal best 10.49 in the 100 metres. He was unfortunate not to be on the podium, finishing fifth in the final after picking up a hamstring injury in the semis.

But at the World Championships, where

• Continued on next page.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 33A • From Page 32A.

AKELA JONES came home with gold in the senior girls’ long jump.with a distance 6.19m. (FP)

Barbadians would have been hoping for great things from former champion Ryan Brathwaite, there was only disappointment. Brathwaite was plagued by slow starts throughout the rounds of the men’s 110-m hurdles, but literally sat in the blocks in the semi-finals while the race went along without him.

Despite concerns that there was movement down the line, he never responded to the gun, moving long after the other starters and had the slowest time of 13.64 seconds, failing to reach the final.

He was the only member of the Barbados contingent in Moscow that made it out of the first round; Sade Sealy, Ramon Gittens, Andre Hinds, Greggmar Swift and Kierre Beckles all bowed out early.

There was some feeling of satisfaction when the 4x100 metres relay team of Hinds, Levi Cadogan, Shane Brathwaite and Gittens posted a new national record of 38.94 seconds, down from the 39.18 they had done at the Central American And Caribbean (CAC) Senior Championships to qualify for Moscow.

That mark had finally eclipsed the 39.49 done by Garfield Gill, Jason St Hill, Achebe Hope and Obadele Thompson 18 years ago.

It was one of three records which was broken. The others went to Tristan Whitehall who raised the junior boys’ shot put standard to 17.02 metres and then to 17.64. Kion Joseph also set a new mark of 51.31 seconds in the junior boys’ 400m hurdles.

At the Pan American Junior Championships, Janeil Craigg won Barbados’ lone medal, silver in the javelin with a best of 69.38 metres.

After winning every edition of the CAC Age Group Championships since 1995, the Barbados team finished third this year behind The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago.

Still, those in the fraternity must see positive signs since the year started with so much uncertainty. Work finally got underway to replace the Mondo track at the National Stadium, but the project was beset by often unexplained delays.

Attempts were made to host the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Athletics Championships (BSSAC) and the National Primary Schools’ Athletics hampionships (NAPSAC) at Kensington Oval. However, the West Indies Cricket Board intervened.

Other venues were proposed by the National Sports Council but they were rejected by both bodies and for the first time since 1988, there was no BSSAC and NAPSAC also wasn’t held.

An attempt was made

to stage the Barbados National Secondary Schools’ Athletics Championships but very few schools took part when the meet came off at the Weymouth Ground.

Running on grass for most of the season, 28 athletes qualified for the CARIFTA Games in The Bahamas where Barbados placed fourth overall with four gold, 14 silver and two bronze medals. Burke (100m, 10.61); Rivaldo Leacock (400mh, 53.11), Jalisa

CARIFTA GOLD MEDALIST Rivaldo Leacock slamming home with a time of 53.11 seconds in the Under-17

boys’ 400 metres hurdles. (FP) Burrowes (long jump, 5.77) and Akela Jones with 6.19m in the senior girls’ long jump were the gold medallists. When athletics finally returned to the National Stadium for

the staging of the National Championships, Jade Bailey won the women’s 100 metres and Gittens the men’s 100, while Ariel Jackson and Burkheart Ellis Jr. won the 200-metre races.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 34A

LOCAL STAR PLAYER André Lockhart (ball in hand) initially signed a contract with German side BG Biggessee before moving up the ranks to sign with a club in a higher division, Dusseldorf Giants.

(FP)

by JUSTIN MARVILLE

BIG MAN JOHN JONES finally broke into the starting five for NCAA Division I college Illinois State. (FP)

OFTEN we spend so much time dwelling on the demise that the inevitable turnaround is rendered invisible.

You become so numb to the dark that nothing else is expected.

But there are none so blind as those who will not see.

Or simply refuse to.

All is not exactly right in local basketball as yet, but dawn is definitely breaking on a sport that suffered in the shadows for the last decade following years of miserable management, distinct disinterest and; most recently, unforeseen yet unrelated incidents of violence.

In what appears to be Barbados’ best kept secret, though, domestic basketball has rebounded to survive

three separate on-court incidents, two years of failing to attend a single regional tournament of any kind, one major raffle fiasco and no sort of public interest past the sport’s old faithful.

Anyone would expect basketball to wither away into nothingness following that.

However, for the first time since Gay Griffith’s last turn at the helm in 2006, the sport had some measure of real direction.

So after everyone saw Ricardo Yearwood take down an opposing player in Chuck Norris style in 2011, then watched in horror again last year as Warriors and Cougars broke out into their now infamous brawl a year later, 2013 had exactly no reports of player violence. None.

Guess that’s what happens when

life bans get shared out like pizza slices at a Chefette birthday party.

What was supposed to be the major fallout of the failed $480 000 raffle of a house and car in 2010 has merely resulted in former president Carlos Moore holding the brunt of the heat for signing off on a rushed four-month project that was always destined to fail.

As much $45 000 in the red, now

the Derrick Garrett-led executive is about to report books that are in the black for the first time since . . . well, no one really knows since when.

Maybe all it took was putting people in the seats rather than faith in a get-rich-quick scheme.

Then, after skipping regional tournaments between 2010 and 2011,

• Continued on next page.

Email: information@intimatehotelsbarbados.com

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 35A

• From Page 34A. the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association (BABA) not only sent their girls and boys to the respective junior tourneys in 2012, but also had the ability to commit to both men’s and women’s senior equivalents next year.

But that’s not all they did in this 2013 season. Not for the national programme at least.

No, the BABA also attracted the interest, then the services, of former NCAA Division I guard and current collegiate coach Brian Good to lead the men’s side into regional competition.

The women also attracted interest from overseas, but this time from foreign-based players, who all seem willing to play for the ultramarine and gold despite the low international standing of the team.

The foreign influx didn’t end there though, not in the least, as American FIBA expert Nelso Isley returned to these shores for the first time in over ten years as part of a grand reformation project of the BABA structure.

And his return has already paid dividends, with local basketball now welcoming some new 27 Level 1 coaches into the fraternity. It’s just the first phase of part of an overall goal intended to get qualified coaching into the primary school level to develop a real base.

Then when it appeared Bajan basketball was only importing talent, it sent out some of its own in the form of star playmaker André Lockhart, who initially signed a contract with German side BG Biggessee before moving up the ranks to sign with a club in a higher division, Dusseldorf Giants.

Around that same time, former Graydon Sealy big man John Jones finally broke ino the starting five for NCAA Division I college Illinois State to give the local sport further exposure on the international stage.

Unfortunately, though, not much changed at home, where Lumber Company Lakers copped their fourth league crown following their seventh title series appearance in the last eight years to once again illustrate lack of competitiveness that currently is the Premier League.

That, though, pales in comparison to the female equivalent as the Station Hill Cavaliers went about using the 2013 season to secure an unprecedented 13th league title in 15 years.

Warrens also went about making a mockery of the BABA rules to stack their Third Division team loaded with national team-calibre players and coast to the double while playing unbeaten.

But no one said all is right with local basketball.

Just don’t be blind to the turnaround that’s happening right in front you.

STATION HILL CAVALIERS secured an unprecedented 13th league title in 15 years. (FP)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 36A

NEW VOLLEYBALL knockout queens Deacons.

by KENMORE BYNOE THE 2013 volleyball season provided many intriguing matchups with perennial champions Deacons totally dominating the lower division which was served off in the first quarter of the year.

However, while Flow Sentry Brokers Insurance Deacons women followed up by capturing both the knockout and league senior titles, Coverley Medical Centre could not match suit as Chargers men won double crown honours.

The rise of a cadre of talented juniors among the boys and girls strengthened the hopes of Barbados’ volleyball resuming its dominance at the Caribbean level. That was realized when the Junior national team took the Caribbean Volleyball CHARGERS ARE THE double crown kings for 2013. (Pictures by Kenmore Bynoe.)

Championship to qualify for the Norceca Goodridge and Leshon Alexander were rather colleges in the United States. Senior players Juniors to be held next year. fortunate to gain partial scholarships to Anicia Wood and former repeat CVC Most Two of the better juniors Jabarry

Valuable Player (MVP) Shari Matthews continued to ply their professional skills in Europe with both carrying their respective clubs to titles.

Unfortunately, Wood and Matthews as best as they tried to blast Brydens Rockets to a local championship, they had to settle for second spot in both the league and knockout.

The maturation of Julia Lewis and Fabia Greaves, who won league and knockout MVPs for Deacons complemented a line-up of young talents which proved potent for Deacons.

Chargers, Warrens, Toners, RBC Carlton, Club United, while playing some games at a high level, were too inconsistent to stop Deacons’ dominance.

A similar script was played out among the men with Foundation United, Cawmere, Progressive and the Juniors challenging at

• Continued on next page.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 37A

• From Page 36A. times but not being consistent enough to halt Deacons and Chargers who ended with a flawless 2013.

Similar to Deacons’ women, Chargers’ men cleaned up taking the MVPs honours as well with Jamaican Mark Lewis shining in the knockout and Barbados captain Alain London being outstanding in the league.

Off of the court, Barbados also made advancements in 2013 with former national setter Dale Addison assuming the position of international referee while Sherry Yearwood become an FIVB official in waiting.

The FIVB Regional Volleyball Development Centre continued to host programmes and seminars to advance the sport in Barbados and the region.

The success of the Sizzlin’ Sand Beach Tournaments maintained Barbados’ bid to achieve international recognition in all facets of the sport of volleyball.

ANICIA WOOD (at left) blocking Fabia Greaves. At right, Wood in action again, this time, blocking Julia Lewis. (Pictures by Kenmore Bynoe.)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 38A

by ANMARIE BAILEY TWO THOUSAND AND THIRTEEN has been a dynamic year for motorsports in Barbados, filled with changes, firsts and, most importantly, potential.

The year opened with volunteers receiving preseason training organized by the Barbados Motoring Federation – the island’s governing body for motorsport – in conjunction with the Federation Internationale d’Automobile – the worldwide governing body of motorsport.

A first for Barbados, the training, conducted by Sue Sanders, training manager of the Motor Sports Association (MSA), the British governing body, and MSA International trainer Nigel Drayton, was opened to 34 volunteers from all six of the BMF’s sporting member clubs: the Barbados Association of Dragsters and Drifters (BADD), the Barbados Auto Racing League (BARL), the Barbados Karting Association, the Barbados Rally Club (BRC), Motoring Club of Barbados Inc. (MCBI) and the Vaucluse Raceway Motorsport Club.

This was step one in an initiative geared to improving the running of the sport in many areas. Later in the year, three of the volunteers were then sent to Britain for additional training conducted by the British governing body, the Motor Sports Association.

Armed with an increased knowledge about the management of the sport these three are now equipped to train local officials and competitors. This initiative was described as a real feather in local motorsports cap allowing the sport to go to the ‘next level.’

Another major development this year was the much talked about Bushy Park Redevelopment Project, which commenced in August.

Upon completion, the 40-year-old track will be transformed into a multi-purpose motor sport facility, which will be located on 65 acres of land. New track configurations, clubhouse, pits complex, car parks and landscaping are in the works with much of the original 1.3kilometre layout expected to remain.

• Continued on next page.

THIS YEAR, volunteers receiving preseason training conducted

by Sue Sanders, training manager of the Motor Sports Association. (FP)

BARBADOS

47

CONGRATULATIONS ON 47 YEARS OF PRIDE AND INDUSTRY Infrastructure

International Transport

Security

Law and Order

Holetown Waterfront Improvement Project

Grantley Adams International Airport

Coast Guard Station

Judicial Centre

Environment

Education

Sports

Health Care

Constitution River Project, Phase 2

Cave Hill Campus

Kensington Oval

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 39A

• From Page 38A. The project is a major plus for local motorsports as this will see the full-length national circuit developed to achieve FIA Grade 3 approval, while the kart track will meet the Grade A venue requirements for CIK-FIA events.

The potential for Bushy Park is astounding, paving the way for the hosting of international circuit racing categories such as Formula 3, touring cars, and karting events up to World Championship level.

Caribbean’s biggest annual motorsport International, other tarmac events, gravel events and the off-road MudDogs continue to Club level set the pace in areas of organization, At the club level, motorsport safety and atmosphere. continued to do well despite the A great kudos to the club was current economic challenges a positive report given by the MSA’s facing the island.

Sanders, who praised the club for The BRC, reported a good year. its high standards in SRB while Now in its 56th season, the organisers advising rallies around the world of Sol Rally Barbados (SRB), the could learn lessons from key events

in SRB. However, while she praised the club in many areas, she also noted that work needed to be done in the area of communications.

The event Sanders evaluated, Sol Rally Barbados, held June 1 to 2, saw former British National Rally Champion Paul Bird successfully defending his title, winning with a margin of 24.54 seconds – the biggest since 2005.

The hosting club had much to

boast about this year: a record 13 cars entered World Rally Car; a recordequaling 29 international entries, competitors from 11 nations; 24 firsttime drivers or co-drivers, 14 class battles; in excess of 20 000 spectators.

Public relations officer with the BRC, Neil Barnard, summed up the season as “good”. Noting that the club focused heavily on organization,

• Continued on next page.

PAUL BIRD successfully defended his title in the Sol Rally Barbados event. Above, Bird in flight.

(FPs)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 40A THE MUDDOG CHAMPIONS: Winners of the recent Nassco November Safari, Leslie Alleyne and Chris O’ Neal, in the Simpson Motors/Shell Rimula/Shell Spirax/Maxxis Tyres Isuzu D-Max. (FP)

• From Page 39A. said safety and stage planning were a major focus this year with new initiatives put in place to that end.

The inclusion of the Roving Response team has proven to be invaluable in addressing issues of safety, while better pre-planning also assisted in the smoother running of events.

With no real decline in the number of overall competitors, he disclosed that the gravel events were a casualty of the economic climate and, as a result, would not be on the calendar for next year.

“This is where the recession bit,” he explained, “the guys can’t do multiple surfaces and that’s the reality: another sign of the times was the increase in those entered in the clubman class.

However, economics did not impact the brilliant profile which the sport enjoys, with the club retaining all major sponsors.

Promising to keep Rally Barbados fresh, he said it’s always a challenge but said minor changes to a stage can be significant to competitors, adding that next year will see safe but interesting events and a change in the typical motorsport calendar.

Welcoming the Bushy Park Project, Barnard expects the sport in general to benefit, with the BRC also expected to see spins-offs despite the changing landscape of the sport.

The off-road boys had a good year competing in the BRC’s MudDogs. Known for their big tyres, super modified trucks and jeeps and their love of mud and water, the MudDogs saw a resurgence of the popular MudFest with three events held this year, up from one last year. Pitting man and machine against terrain.

Not meant to damage vehicles, the courses, designed to test driver skill, helped make Mud Dogs a household name and organizers are hoping these fun events can pump life into the sport, which brought throngs of spectators eager to cheer on their favourites.

On the navigation side of the MudDogs, the year saw a close battle for the safari championship and riveting end to the season.

With sponsorship steady, especially that of Chefette Restaurants, the MudDogs brand is strong and continues despite a slight drop off in numbers this year.

With long-standing sponsors ensuring all scheduled events were staged, the four-by-four club was able to add additional events to the calendar; responding to demand of competitors and fans.

The historic June Rally, the Caribbean’s oldest motorsport event with a continuous history was once again the high point of the Mud Dogs calendar, with the 57th staging attracting 25 entries for the 18-hour event.

Chairman of the Mud Dogs, Darnley Rayside, hopes next year will see some of the previous competitors returning to competition whether for safaris or Mud Fests.

Another of the island’s speed and tarmac event clubs, the MCBI reported a steady year. With numbers slightly down, the club staged all five of its scheduled events, with the championship rivalry between Josh Red and Rhett Watson being the highlight of the season.

The MCBI attracted 20 to 30 participants per event with organizers hoping for greater numbers next year.

The biggest event, The Sun And Stars, saw some controversy, with two stages cancelled due to timing issues. Despite that, the day and night event yielded good competition with crews forced to be on pace from the start, the event was described as “one which separated the men from the boys”.

The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus

Congratulates the Government and people of Barbados on

47

years

of Independence

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 41A

• From Page 40A. THE BARBADOS AUTO RACING LEAGUE (BARL), the circuit racing club on the island, experienced a year of transitions. Three chairmen, new directors, the closing of the track, no International, it was a year of changes.

Current chairman Stefan Hinds said while it was a tumultuous year, all things considered, it was a good year.

With three of the five scheduled events held, and the last two cancelled due to the track redevelopment project, the board was forced to be creative – hence the birth of the Fully Broad event.

Capitalizing on the buzz created by Fully Broad, Hinds says plans are underway to continue with the concept next season while awaiting the reopening of the track set for mid-next year.

Also new to BARL was the addition of the 2D class meant to accommodate more modern machines along with new regulations as the new board put its stamp on the club.

The cancellation of the Barbados leg of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships staged during the Digicel Williams International – the club’s biggest annual event – was a major blow, resulting in a major financial loss for BARL, but Hinds acknowledged that the new facility was expected to more than make up for the losses this year.

While other clubs experienced a slight decline in numbers, the Barbados Association of Dragsters and Drifters (BADD), had its most successful year to date in 2013.

Celebrating the end of its third season, BADD’s driver pool grew this year and chairman Adrian Linton attributed this to the affordability of the sport.

Explaining that competitors in the slower time brackets did not need much to start, Linton said the sport caters to a broad base of competitors, giving it mass appeal.

While the Bushy Park Redevelopment Project curtailed the BADD season on the track, the committee used the opportunity to realize a longstanding goal – that of staging quarter-mile events.

With road closures difficult to obtain in the past, BADD was able to secure two dates to host quartermile events on local roads, and this was due to the unavailability of the race track for the usual events.

This allowed legal dragging to take to the street much to the delight of enthusiastic competitors and fans.

The head of BADD looks forward to the possibilities the new facility could afford, including changing the way events are run while hosting overseas competitors at the new, world-class venue.

Hoping to collaborate with local clubs, Linton said the new facility would enable myriad combinations and opportunities and that he was optimistic about the upcoming racing season.

On a sad note, the club lost a stalwart this year.

Treasurer, Noel Pilgrim passed away during the season. Pilgrim was a fixture on the local motorsport scene.

From all accounts, the year was one of ups and downs and readjusting but, despite this, local motorsport is well positioned to continue to grow and to make valuable contributions to the local economy as the many facets of the sport evolve to keep up with the changing landscape of motorsport in Barbados.

PEELING OFF THE LINE at the Thickets, St Philip, 2013 event. (FP)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 42A

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 43A

JULIAN ‘MICHAEL JACKSON’ WHITE in action on the road. (FP)

by RANDY BENNETT DESPITE A TOUGH YEAR, Julian “Michael Jackson” White weathered all the storms to once again emerge as Barbados’ top road tennis player.

White confirmed his status as the island’s best player by defeating his new arch-rival Mark “Venom” Griffith in the finals of the SJ Health And Bakery Limited Punches In Bunches road tennis competition at the Belfield court in September.

And with the United Insurance Clash Of The Titans and the Inter-Parish Road Tennis Championships looming, White will be looking to end his year on a winning note.

Griffith, who is highly touted to succeed White as the island’s No. 1 ranked player, also had a strong year during which he defended his Silver Hill Road Tennis Championships title.

In the final of that competition, he comprehensively defeated White 18-21, 21-16, 21-5, to raise the question of whether or not he had superseded the 45 year-old as the top-ranked player.

And the 27-year-old had the perfect opportunity to dislodge White from the top spot when the two met again in the finals of the SJ Health And Bakery Limited Punches In Bunches road tennis competition.

But after winning the first set of the two best of three series, Griffith allowed complacency and overconfidence to creep into his game, and he eventually went down to White 17-21, 21-17, 21-16.

Even in victory, White admitted it was just a matter of time before Griffith took over from him as Barbados’ top-ranked player.

“Without a doubt you can see that he is going to be a really good player.

“And without a doubt this gentleman is going to be the number one player sooner or later,” he had told NATION SPORT shortly after his success.

Amidst White’s success though, and the customary strong performances of Griffith and Anthony “Ears”

• Continued on next page.

DARIO HINDS (FP)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 44A

DARIUS ‘BARRACUS’ GASKIN. (FP)

• From Page 43A. Mitchell, 2013 has so far seen the emergence of several junior players.

Dario Hinds, Darius “Barracus” Gaskin, Emar Edwards, Keon Murrell, Kyle King and Shawn Spencer have all announced themselves as the future stars with outstanding performances throughout the year.

Edwards played impressively on his way to capturing the junior division of the Silver Hill Road Tennis Championships, where he defeated Gaskin in a closely contested final.

He followed that up by reaching the semi-finals in the ‘B’ class division of the SJ Health And Bakery Limited Punches In Bunches road tennis competition, where he lost to Murrell, the eventual champion.

Murrell, a student of Lester Vaughan, was brutal in his demolition of seasoned campaigner Junior “Big Arms” Boucher 21-16, 21-9, to win his first major competition.

However, despite growing interest in the sport and a record number of players, one disappointing aspect has been the low level of participation from female players.

To date, there has not been a women’s division in any of the competitions, as organizers struggle to find interested and competent female players.

KEON MURRELL. (FP)

EMAR EDWARDS. (FP)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 45A

THE UNDER-21 TEAM placed seventh at the World Youth Netball Championships in Scotland in August. (FP)

by SHERRYLYN A. TOPPIN THE SYMBOLIC lighting of candles at the start of the season seems to have been a good omen for the sport of netball.

And while the flame flickered and dimmed at times, it never extinguished, shining brightest at the end of the season through the performances of two national teams in international competition.

The Under-21 team placed a very commendable seventh at the World Youth Netball Championships in Scotland in August and, not to be outdone, the senior team played unbeaten to lift the inaugural cup at the Senior International Festival Of Netball in Northern Ireland.

It was a highly satisfying outcome for the Under-21 group which was thrown into chaos when the management team was dismissed and a new one appointed just weeks prior to the Glasgow championships.

MEMBERS of the Barbados Senior Netball team won the inaugural cup at the Senior International Festival of Netball in Northern Ireland. (FP) of five places. Their highest score was But the players rose to the occasion, winning four of the seven matches, including an 84-5 drubbing of Republic of Ireland, beating arch-rivals Trinidad and Tobago 52-45 while their worst defeat was by 65 goals (79-14) against Australia. to clinch seventh position, an improvement

Shooter Shonica Wharton moved on from that performance to Ireland with the senior national team, taking her place as starting shooter ahead of the more experienced Laurel Browne. She seemed to hold her nerve against the competition and played unchanged in the 47-38 final victory over hosts Northern Ireland.

Barbados also beat St Lucia 51-33, Botswana 52-31 and had a 62-31 victory over the hosts during pool play.

Indeed, it has been a great year for Wharton who again led Graydon Sealy Secondary to their fourth straight crown in the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Netball League Under-19 Competition.

With the nucleus of the winning side gone, Wharton and Most Valuable Player Latoya Burke stepped up to take the side home 30-26 against Queen’s College who had beaten

• Continued on next page.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 46A

BOSCOBEL PRIMARY TEAM and supporters celebrating their victory in the Pine Hill Dairy-sponsored Primary Schools’ Netball Competition. (FP)

• From Page 45A.

SHOOTER Shonica Wharton is making a name for herself on the local and international netball scene. (FP)

them in the preliminaries.

Under new Barbados Netball Association president Nisha Cummings, the season started at the Wildey Gymnasium with a candlelighting ceremony involving the stakeholders. Speaking to the theme To Play Good, You Must Look Good, Cummings told those present “image is everything” and they needed to portray the right image in order to attract sponsorship.

She said discipline and mutual respect were key attributes for both players and officials to have a successful season.

The evening concluded in fine style when Spooners Hill defeated Falcons 25-22 in the winner-take-all $1 000

inaugural Fast Five Competition. Although participation was small, that tournament – like T20 cricket – had the potential to transform how the game was perceived and even impact on play in the longer format, if nurtured.

Pine Hill St Barnabas came out on top in the Division 1 league but lost the playoffs to rivals C.O. Williams Rangers. St Barnabas also won the Senior Knockout, Division 2 and Junior Knockout, while Rangers won Division 4

Email: office@tvetcouncil.com.bb URL: www.tvetcouncil.com.bb

and Junior B. Spooners Hill took first place in the Intermediate 1 Knockout and community team Newbury Ballers were the Intermediate 2 Knockout Champions.

In the other Schools’ League competitions, Christ Church Foundation were the best of the First Form teams and Springer Memorial followed on from placing second there to win both the Under-13 and Under-15 divisions.

Boscobel Primary pipped Blackman and Gollop Primary

8-7 to take the Pine Hill Dairy-sponsored Primary Schools’ Netball Competition.

Meanwhile, as the year draws to a close with the Barbados Workers’ Union competition still in progress, some netballers are already looking forward to 2014.

The inaugural Barbados Invitation Fast Five Netball Tournament, which is scheduled to be held in January, is offering total prize money of $30 000. The winning team will take home $15 000, possibly ushering in a new era in the sport.

WINNERS in both the Under-13 and Under-15 divisions Springer Memorial, celebrating their victory. At left, Foundation were the best of the First Form teams. (FP)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 47A

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 48A

Printed and Published by THE NATION PUBLISHING CO. LTD, Nation House, Fontabelle, St Michael, Barbados. Telephone (246) 430-5400

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 2B

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 3B

THE YEAR SINCE LAST INDEPENDENCE has been an extremely challenging one for Barbadians: individuals, families, businesses, organizations and, of course, the Government and political leaders.

At times it was as if the ground under our collective feet was like an electronic game in which the landscape changed in a flash; or, if you like a more traditional image, as if we were juggling from one issue to the next, paying whichever bill or loan we could and keeping others in the air.

To add to our angst, monetary agencies such as the International Monetary Fund and valuation experts such as Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s kept breathing down our necks, issuing well meaning but sometimes countercultural advice, or just reinventing THE SHANIQUE MYRIE case one of several issues that were of regional concern. (FP) the economic wheel on which we continuously and frantically run like • When Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler announced hampsters. the whopping and widespread 25-year relief on all taxes, Regional issues duties, levies, value added tax, furniture, vehicles, food and REGIONALLY, there were controversies of various sorts, beverage, and soon on, that were being extended to Sandals whipping up strong feelings and hot words. As some to set up two properties here; plus a 50 per cent reduction for old-timers used to say: “It was federation.” A reference to the another ten years, it left a gritty, sandy film in the eyes squabbling that stopped the unity of our countries of other hoteliers and restaurants. While welcoming the big in the past. brand name of Sandals coming here, other hoteliers and • When Jamaican Shanique Myrie took Barbados to court restauranteurs howled in protest that they could not operate for how she was treated by Immigration officials when she competitively with the giant and might have to lay off staff tried to enter the island and was awarded money or could face closure. to compensate her, the verdict was delivered along with • Yet, on the bright side, regional tourists and business a reminder that citizens of CARICOM should be granted travellers kept spending money in Barbados – especially at up to six-month stays, and that the Treaty of Chaguaramas festival times such as Crop Over. CARICOM travellers visited superceded local laws which may be contradictory. each other’s countries, albeit getting some abrupt surprises • Government announced that rich foreigners, with from LIAT as it juggled routes and strikes. valuable residences here, other real estate, and local • Regionalists such as our CARICOM Ambassador stuck investments, could qualify for five-year special entry to the greater good to be achieved by our cooperation rather residence permits. A condition for the granting of this than seizing on squabbles. included the parties having comprehensive health insurance.

Budget Foreigners with special skills could also apply for these THE BUDGET chopped funding to the Queen Elizabeth special permits.

Hospital and Barbados Transport Board and led to an There was a lot of vocal response and a flurry of letters increase of complaints about long waiting times for certain and emails to the media, as people vented their personal bus routes and speculation about longer waits at the feelings. hospital. Government repeated that people with private • Business buyout, takeovers, milk battles flowed between health insurance could pay for health care; while this sounds Trinidad and Togabo and Barbados; with fishing agreements logical and was no doubt well meaning, it led to many still floating around and the flying fish mostly preferring emotional arguments and comments that the middle class residence near Tobago. should not profit from the public purse, notwithstanding

that its taxes swell those coffers.

• There were shocked reactions to the news that future students would have to pay tuition at the University of the West Indies, although there was some support for the idea.

• The Budget brought about some confusion such as an apparently new form of land tax from next year and a halving of the tax return to $650 for low-income workers who previously received it.

An 18-month consolidation tax on those who were highly paid also caused some headaches as to exact percentages and the specific time of start and stop operations.

• As more people faced unemployment and found themselves unable to pay bills, rent and put food on the table, the welfare services were under pressure, including demands for school uniforms.

• Constituency councils and various non-governmental organizations also helped to assist the needy.

• The Opposition BLP did “rubbing shoulders” surveys of agricultural workers, fisherfolk, vendors, and so on, to acquaint themselves, and the public, with the difficulties being faced by workers. The National Insurance Board published a list of defaulters and this had little response by way of payments, but verbal expressions that if businesses or self-employed people were owed

by Government, then some cross calculation should be done to lower what they owed the state.

Cultural CULTURAL PERFORMERS, led by superstar Rihanna, of course, continued to achieve success, at home, regionally and further afield, in many areas of the arts and entertainment.

• A Cultural Industries Bill was passed which is expected to provide more ways in which entrepreneurs can find self-employment or business operations in a wide area.

• Our festivals continued to attract huge audiences and lots of participants, albeit with some fall of sponsorship.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 4B

DECEMBER is a month that merchants like, as cash registers ring often, given that many people shop for presents, new clothes, jewellery, lots of food, alcoholic beverages, sweet treats and decorations, in celebration of Christmas and New Year’s; albeit that some Christian denominations do not take part in the glitzy aspects.

• It is also a popular month for marriages thus honeymoons and such matters also spread dollars around, whatever the religious beliefs of the couple.

• A new global study revealed that one in every six people worldwide claims no religious affiliation and that statistic is higher in Jamaica and Cuba. In Barbados, 95.2 per cent identify as are Christian and one per cent as Muslim.

• Three baby girls were born on Christmas Day, giving their parents more reasons to celebrate.

• The Barbados Manufacturers’ Association ran a series of advertisements encouraging Barbadians to buy local, giving information on some of the attractive products made here which could be given as presents or to help people celebrate the season.

• Given the customary practices of the season, locals and visitors were warned about not drinking alcohol and driving, and also exercising caution while swimming or sea bathing after imbibing a lot of alcohol. The same advice applied to medications with which one should not drink alcohol or drive.

SHOPPERS LIKE PEAS in Swan Street, Bridgetown, pictured a week before Christmas. (FP)

THREE MINISTRIES HERE: United Caribbean Trust, Holy Seed International and The Living Room teamed up to continue assisting children in Haiti.

They went beyond the traditional provision of food and clothes to sending sewing machines and donated fishing boats in order to provide sustainable incomegenerating livelihoods.

• The Salvation Army dished out 100 to 150 meals daily for 30 shut-ins as well as those able to get to their Reed Street Centre in The City. It also hosted 300 people to a Christmas meal. More than 3 000 hampers were given out, an increase of 500 over 2011, and Governor General Sir Elliott and Lady Belgrave were on hand to assist with the seasonal presentations.

Donations to the Salvation Army were lower than 2011 by 50 per cent, and while corporate contributions were welcome, individuals were urged to continue putting money into the kettles on streets, in front of stores and supermarkets.

• Children in QEH received treats and presents from several groups and individuals, including Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave and his wife.

CHILDREN of Sandy Lane Hotel employees had a fun party complete with Santa, Batman and other characters. (FP)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 5B

THIS ISLAND was ranked the least corrupt country in the region by Transparency International and 15th on the international list.

• Barbados was named as one of the leading countries favoured by British expatriates and retirees, copping fourth place on a top ten list.

PUPILS OF Luther Thorne Memorial School, led by a teacher, walked to the Edgar Cochrane Polyclinic, Wildey, St Michaels and sang Carols there. (FP) RIHANNA DONATED THREE pieces of equipment costing more than $3.5 million to Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and she and her grandfather Lionel Brathwaite unveiled the sign for the opening of The Clara Brathwaite (her late grandmother who died of cancer) Centre for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine.

• Professor Timothy Roach, GCM, called for patients to be routinely offered testing for HIV during visits to doctors, polyclinics or hospitals.

• A team from Cuba came here to promote Vidatox-30CH, an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour medicine made in the Spanish-speaking island from the BARBADOS WAS THE TARGET for the venom of a local scorpion.

Panerai Transat Classique Race and also • A private-public partnership between the an exhibition yacht race, delighting QEH and Orthotix Inc. was introduced to offer sailing fans and other onlookers. (FP) diabetics with circulation and nerve problems in their lower limbs, more easy access A PROPOSED master plan to custom shoe soles so as to give them relief to develop GAIA over the at the pressure points of their feet. Payments coming 20 to 25 years was were spread along a range, accommodating completed in 2012 and will nationals and non-nationals. It was hoped that be presented to Cabinet. with increased testing of feet and use

of supportive footwear, the high incidence of lower limb amputations here – over 200 annually – could be lowered in future.

• The Chamberlain Bridge which separates the inner and outer basin of the Careenage in The City, was raised on the thrid, to welcome yachts participating in the Panerai Classic Transat 4 000 mile Atlantic yacht race.

The French-owned White Dolphin came in first with its seven-member crew.

HARRISON’S CAVE continues to be Barbados’ premier tourist attraction with nearly 100 000 people visiting it annually.

• The White Paper on tourism development, approved by Parliament, rests on eight pillars: sustainable and responsible tourism development, product development,

THESE DAPPER GENTS showed off their style in Queen’s Park on Christmas morning. (FP) marketing and promotion, human resources development, educational awareness, development of comprehensive research framework; effective participation, collaboration and access, and standards and regulations.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 6B

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 7B

STRONG RAINS delayed the start of the sugar cane harvest.

• High swells during mid-month caused some damage to beach properties, especially fencing, as swells rose higher than normal.

•

ALTHOUGH THERE WERE fewer firework displays, locals and visitors rang in the New Year at several venues while others went to church and some celebrated at the beach.

• Four babies were born on New Year’s Day: three girls and one boy.

• Police were on the road during the night and foreday morning checking driving speeds and looking for errant drivers.

THE production and packaging of cassava, and possible exports of cassava flour, are projects that could also contribute to animal feed.

• Dairy farmers complained they would either have to dump milk or give it away because Pine Hill Dairy would not be collecting any more milk for the month. Farmers protested the lowering of quotas. The dairy replied that the crisis leading to the quota cuts was not of its making.

• Residents of several areas of St John: Henley, Moore’s Land, Cherry Grove and Todd’s complained of suffering from cow itch problems and pleaded with land owners or land lessees to rid their fields of the irritating pods, especially for the comfort of children.

• Praedial larceny continued to rob farmers of their crops, including Michael Pile of Brighton Plantation in St George and Richard Armstrong of Armag Farms. In recent years, thieves have been taking massive amounts of crops so it is obvious they are able to sell the stolen goods.

Oran Ltd Do-it Best Home Centre Sheraton Mall

•

THELMA BOWEN hefting a 24-lb pumpkin she grew in Spring Hall Plantation, St Lucy. (FP)

MINISTER OF HEALTH Donville Inniss disclosed that a new law would tackle the problem of people who burnt trash, as this act had serious potential to damage the health of asthmatics and those with allergies or other respiratory illnesses and also endangered nearby properties.

• Leading fire officer Denzel Knight was on his way to the airport on the 3rd when he noticed smoke billowing from Lucky Horseshoe in Worthing, Christ Church.

Upon checking, he reported it to the Worthing Fire Station.

His quick action stopped the blaze from being more destructive.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 8B

MORE THAN $2 million was spent to install electrical outlets and potable water sources on either side of the inner basin of the Careenage, and this was not a moment too soon, as this island welcomed yachts and other vessels which sailed here in the Panerai Transat Classic race.

• Seven cruise ships visited the island on the 18th.

• Large pieces of an aircraft washed up on Crane Beach believed to be the wreckage of a French plane.

• Authorized taxi drivers at Grantley Adams International Airport complained of unfair competition from illegal drivers who aggressively nab passengers.

HAPPY NEW YEAR. Ocean Two Resort And Residence was just one of the party venues to ring in the New Year. (FP)

BARBADOS CHILDREN’S TRUST opened the Violet Gittens Centre, named after a senior welfare officer, social and childcare worker, to provide services to special needs children. The $3 million facility has 26 beds.

• People were urged to lower their salt intake as it was associated with high blood pressure, a common chronic disease here.

• Barbadians were warned to take precautions against influenza given the outbreaks in the United States, where the dominant viruses were A (H3N2) and A (H1N1).

• Barbados Veterinary Association announced that it would no longer perform purely cosmetic (or preferred breed appearance) operations on animals, referring specifically to owners’ wishes for docked tails and altering ears of dogs and declawing of cats.

• Sixth forms are to be held at Springer Memorial, Alexandra and St Leonard’s schools and four primary schools are targeted for rebuilding, according to Minister of Education Ronald Jones.

• The Garfield Sobers Sports Complex was the venue for about 500 people who sat the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Examination.

DEFENCE FORCE MEMBERS securing a piece of aircraft fuselage that washed up on Crane Beach, St Philip.

•

(FP)

THE OPEN CAMPUS of the University of the West Indies noted that special measures were taken to cope during the recession such as a reduction of the over 200 staff and possible closure of some of the 20 locations.

Stagnant economy BARBADOS economy registered no growth for 2012 with unemployment up nearly 12 per cent.

• Economist Michael Howard urged Government to stop giving tax breaks to companies and to impose stiff penalties for businesses withholding funds from public coffers.

Congratulations Barbados Barba ON 47 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE We join every Barbadian in celebrating the successes of our nation.

Members of the Duty Free Caribbean Holdings Group

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 9B

A CENTENNIAL WALL, including a plaque of honour to the centenarians was part of the Warrens Traffic Safety Project of road building. This island has the second highest number of 100-year-olds, as a percentage of the population, after Japan’s Okinawa island.

• Minister of Health • 41 000 Barbadians are Donville Inniss stated that over 65 with that 15 per cent expected to rise much the elderly who were higher between 2020-2025. in need of institutionalized care from the state, should • Since a silk cotton tree have a social welfare which was over 100 years investigation to determine old had to be removed for if they could pay for all the Warrens roadworks, or part of their a canoe carved from expenses. Their its trunk will be displayed Government pensions close to Baobab Towers should also be paid which derived its name to the geriatric institution. from the historic tree.

HOW LOW can the cute go in Holetown? Onlookers were wowed by these cuties during the town’s street parade. (FP) THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY won 16 seats and the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) 14 in a closely contested general election.

• Political scientist Peter Wickham said he was left “at a loss” when his polls done just before the election showed a BLP lead and a win for them of up to 20 seats.

Many questioned the leadership factor of the Opposition and Mia Mottley emerged as party leader while Owen Arthur said he would spend the next five years representing his constituents.

• An additional 3 000 new voters (including 285 who were secondary school students) were qualified to cast their ballot in this year’s elections. The electoral register had a total of 247 211 people, comprising 128 542 women and 118 669 men.

• Entertainment was an integral part of the general election campaigns, with professional artistes performing on stage and FIRE OFFICERS jingles written for both parties and PAHO staged and individual candidates. Add an urban search to that the politicians dancing and rescue on stage. exercise to • BLP candidates created prepare them for excitement in The City when such localized all of them, wearing red, crisis situations. of course, travelled through (FP) Broad Street in a bus, getting off in the precincts of the financial building to pay their deposits.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 10B

ONE MILLION RISING, a public dance event on Valentine’s Day, was celebrated in Barbados and around the world to draw attention to sexual and domestic abuse of women and girls.

• Prime Minister Freundel Stuart said there would be no sanction of same-sex marriages or legal same-sex unions in Barbados.

NORMA BROOMES of Six Men’s Bay St Peter, grew this giant 53-pound pumpkin, after watching many other plants shrivel and die. (FP)

THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH disclosed that there was a worrying spike in dengue cases, with double the number of hospitalizations in January for dengue fever or dengue haemorrhagic than last year. Total cases for the first four weeks of this year were 51 as compared with 20 cases last year.

Doctors were asked to assist the ministry in recording statistics so that accurate records could be kept, and also the area where patients lived and worked could be targeted for treatment to reduce the Aedes aegypti mosquito which spreads the disease.

YOUTH ROCKING THE VOTE, from left: Da-rell Foster, Rahmut Jn-Pierre and Linde Octave.

(FP)

A PROJECT to make craft, handbags, jewellery and other items from the indigenous Black Belly Sheep was launched.

• The Youth In Agriculture programme has had a good response and the commitment of the young people was evident when no longer receiving the stipend, they continued to work.

• When the Vector Control Unit planned a six-week rodent bait distribution, they were surprised with the large number of people who came forward thus effectively pushing the project into a longer time frame, because of the overwhelming response. This may be related to increased observation of rodents and also to the education carried out by Government officers through the media and in the community, including awareness that rats and mice spread diseases such as leptospirosis and hanta virus.

• Small farmer Ian Webster, who is located on the St Thomas/St George border at Exchange Plantation, complained that monkeys ate all of the corn planted on a half acre of land but in spite of his dismay, he said he would continue planting.

JAMES SISNETT, the second oldest man in the Western Hemisphere at 113, is presented with a rose by his great-great-grandchildren. (FP)

ORGANIZERS OF AGROFEST appealed to both political parties not to declare a bank holiday on Friday, February 22 after the general election, as this was the day when groups of school children visited this agricultural exhibition.

Prior to the event, vendors were invited to attend a workshop on food handling and urged to follow the rules of the Ministry of Health.

FEMALE DLP CANDIDATES showed their deposit money before paying it in. (FP)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 11B BARBADIANS CONTINUE TO BE high achievers in all areas of endeavour, from childhood, through adulthood and into senior life. THE NATION takes the opportunity of this Independence feature to highlight just some of these outstanding people.

• Alanna Crouch, five-year-old musical wonder child, gave sterling piano performances of her classical favourites Chopin’s Mazruka and Piano Concerto No. 21 during a concert by the Barbados National Youth Symphony Orchestra. Crouch also plays the violin.

• Rhea Superville won the Governor General Award For Excellence In Culinary Arts.

• The Queen’s New Year’s Honours List awarded Commander Of The Order Of The British Empire to former Chief Parliamentary Counsel Shirley Bell, businessman Everson Elcock and entertainer Charles Emille Straker of The Merrymen.

Officer Of The Order of the British Emmpire was given to former principal Joan Blackett, Anthony Devere Brown for services to industry and culture and Larry McDonald Mayers for services to broadcasting.

Member Of The Order Of The British Empire awardees were: Victor DaCosta Farrell for medical laboratory technology, Robert Jeffrey Kinch for tourism and Arlene Eleanor Mill.

FIVE-YEAR-OLD Alanna Crouch during one of her performances. (FP) January • Blue Tooth Breakers were the adult dance group to win the annual Community Dance Fest held on New Year’s Day; St George Primary won the junior title.

• Sir Ronald Sanders, member of the 2009 Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group was conferred with the prestigious Order Of Australia.

• Rihanna and Li’l Rick dominated the Barbados Music Awards. She won Female Act, Album, Song, Music Video and Pop Alternative Artiste Of The Year; whereas he won Song Writer, Soca/Calypso Artiste, Male Entertainer Of The Year and was given a Lifetime Achievement Award.

February • Awards were given during this year’s Holetown Festival to founders Keith Simmons and Joan Hoffman, who still host committee meetings, and the late Alfred Pragnell.

• Rihanna was a Grammy winner and she rocked a gorgeous red dress. She staged a fashion show of her first personal Spring/Summer collection for brand River Island, during London Fashion Week.

• Alison Hinds is well known for her excellence as a Soca performer, but she received an honour from one of the schools she had attended when she visited Christ Church Foundation School during Black History Month and was named ambassador of the institution.

• Continued on Page 19B.

BARBADOS’ VERY OWN Rihanna won many awards this year some of which are Best Female Act, Album and Pop Alternative Artiste Of The Year. (FP)

SPECIAL ACHIEVERS JANUARY - FEBRUARY

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 12B NEARLY A QUARTER of the adult population of Barbados does not want to work.

This was one of the findings of a 2010 Caribbean Development Bank 113-page report called Country Assessment Of Living Conditions subtitled Human Development Challenges In A Global Crisis: Addressing Growth And Social Inclusion The overall per cent of those “voluntarily idle” was 21 per cent but among youth, a whopping 38 per cent were not interested in work; whereas eight per cent were discouraged by finding it impossible to get work and others working for low wages sometimes being underemployed for their education, training, skills and experience.

• With an annual poverty line of $17 861, it was found that 15 per cent of households and 19.3 per cent of individuals were living below that line, a marked increase from the 8.7 per cent of households and 13.9 per cent of individuals judged in poverty in 1996.

• Chief Justice Marston Gibson said that if some older workers in the public service felt that young employees with higher qualifications were passing them and GOOD FRIDAY. Michelle Ward in moving ahead, then there was Silver Sands, Christ Church, cleaning a need for the older people to and deboning over 700 flying fish to be retrained.

supply shoppers for Good Friday. (FP)

•

A SURVEY revealed that 59 per cent of people between 31 and 50 were not interested in joining trade unions, with those questioned being from the private and public sectors. Two per cent were self-employed,

five per cent unemployed and five per cent retired.

These findings led to trade union leaders deciding that there should be more education of youth about what the unions did.

IGNATIUS BYER, primary school winners of the School’s Choir Competition finals, looking ahead to greater performances. (FP)

QUAW WILLIAMS, a 13-year-old slave who arrived in Barbados early in the 19th century, at , was the first black male to become a sexton in the Anglican Church, serving at St Stephen’s.

His persona is depicted in a monument at the University of the West Indies, to represent the 294 other slaves that records show were living in the Cave Hill area prior to being emancipated.

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles disclosed that British slave owners were paid sums that would translate to BDS$200 today to compensate them for losing “their property” of slaves.

barteachcredit@caribsurf.com

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION EXTRA 13 REAL FRUIT ACCESSORIES for Easter bonnets were the centre of attention at Haynesville Day Nursery when these jewels celebrated the season. (FP)

BARBADOS BECAME the first Caribbean country to have new carbon dioxide fibre technology which advances the ability to more easily manipulate lasers in medical procedures, including surgeries, giving greater scope than the earlier robotic arm lasers which were more limiting.

Laser surgeon Marquis Dowell demonstrated the carbon dioxide laser and explained that it could be used to go down into organs.

• This island was termed “the glaucoma capital of the world” because of the high incidence of the eye condition which had the potential to greatly reduce vision or blinding the sufferer.

• Given that records of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital indicate 950 strokes a year – about two a day – there are plans to renovate Ward C10 into a 20-bed Acute Stroke Unit and a four-bed High Dependency Acute Stroke Unit.

HORTENSE ROCK, 101, receiving an award for her church and community work from Joan Prescot acting chief community officer. (FP)

• TWENTY-THREE CHILDREN with varying

disabilities – sponsored by the National Disabilities Unit – flew to Trinidad and Tobago to take part in a Special Children’s Sports and Fun Day of PowerGen Sports Club.

• The Ministry of Health issued an alert that cases of gastro-enteritis had increased and that children and those over 60 – especially if they had an underlying chronic condition – were at high risk for complications such as dehydration.

• The Auditor General’s report disclosed that wastage in the Drug Service included $800 000 of medications in 2009 that were imported to treat the H1N1 virus, but remained unused until expired in 2011.

• THE Barbados Association of Retired Persons

announced that it had begun the process of building an elder care facility in planned phases on a 6.5-acre property at Six Roads, St Philip. A day-care structure is first, which will be followed by an assisted living and other full-time care facilities.

• A massive fire at B’s Bottle & Recycling Depot in Cane Garden, St Thomas, spewed thick clouds of rancid, black smoke in the air, high enough to be seen all over the island, as the collection of rubber tyres, old vehicles and appliances and all types of plastic waste burned.

• Fires broke out at the Government Industrial School – but no children or staff were in danger – and Oldbury bond where Furniture Limited had goods warehoused, created masses of smoke in St Philip on the 15th. Water tankers from C.O. Williams Construction assisted the Fire Services.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 14B

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 15B

ONE OF TWO KITES sponsored by Marshall Trading, constructed from bamboo and plastic, was built by residents of Andrews Tenantry, St Joseph. (FP)

ABDUR RAHMAN holding a swan-shaped cucumber that a co-worker grew in her yard. (FP)

THE BARBADOS WATER AUTHORITY (BWA), Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) and police carried out a joint operation at Concrete Alley, King William Street, The City, to remove an illegal paling and garbage from a public bath. The amount of garbage and degree of filth translated into hours of hard work for the BWA and SSA, the Animal Control Unit removed a dog as well.

JAPANESE COMEDIENNE Ayako Imoto (being filmed by a crew from her country) has fun trying to climb the greasy pole at the Oistins Fish Festival.

(FP)

SHAKESPEARE opined “’tis a wise man that knows his father” and for centuries men has taken it on faith then simple blood tests which were not necessarily conclusive, to establish parentage.

However, in modern times, there is the DNA test. The Men’s Educational Support Association called for such testing of fathers

and babies for every birth in Barbados. It is routinely done in some northern countries; however, because of the cost, approximately $1 000, many commentators have expressed that it should only be done in cases where the prospective dad was questioning the parentage.

The National Organization

INSPECTORS VISITED FISH MARKETS, examined and tested the fish for sale and pronounced some of the catch – including bill fish and dolphin (mahi mahi) – not fit for human consumption, as the seafood had not been properly iced or was exposed for sale for too long a period.

• Arch Hall residents, who are downwind of the Mangrove Landfill in St Thomas, complained that people were dumping septic tank effulent and other smelly materials as well as a huge amount of tyres

at the site.

• Samples of air from the area of the B’s Recycling business that experienced a fire were sent abroad by the Ministry of Health, facilitated

by University of the West Indies, to ensure that pollutants had dissipated.

Nearby residents held a meeting to air their grievances about how the business and the fire had affected them and planned a peaceful protest march in response. Their aim was to have the recycling dump moved.

of Women and other women’s groups strongly objected to testing every birth, with some women saying to do so was to imply that all fertile females had more than one partner.

A DECREASE in the number of children taking school meals and some of them throwing away meals they did not like were matters of concern to the programme.

Dr Marcilla Nelson, manager of the School Meals Department noted that schools where principals and teachers were involved had little to no wastage when compared with those institutions where none of the teaching staff paid attention.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 16B

MINISTER OF TOURISM Richard Sealy said Government would be investing $11 million in tourism.

• Passengers travelling on American Airlines had long waits at the Grantley Adams International Airports during a shutdown of flights by the carrier, due to computer problems. Passengers said they were not offered accommodation in hotels but told to wait in the airport.

• Barbados made a major breakthrough in bringing another cruise operator to the island during the 2013/14 season, Pullman Tour Cruises, which operates the ship Horizon.

Disney Magic will also include this island as a port of call in the 2014 season.

CHILDREN WERE HAPPY to get water to drink since taps were dry early in the month. (FP) OWNERS AND OPERATORS of nightclubs, restaurants and hotels in St Lawrence Gap, Christ Church, had a meeting with senior police, complaining about matters such as crime against visitors and locals. Other issues were harassment of beach-goers to buy craft, drugs and sex. The area could also benefit from some refurbishment of paving and lighting.

• The beautifully designed bandstand at the Esplanade, Bay Street, St Michael, was refurbished and spruced up.

• A crowd of hundreds showed up at Almond Beach Village, St Peter, which sold items in a public auction, including boats, kayaks and appliances.

THE BARBADOS CENTRAL BANK has relinquished control of the minimum rate on deposit accounts at commercial banks.

Central Bank Governor DeLisle Worrell reported that Barbados’ economy contracted 0.4 per cent in the first quarter with a widening deficit of 7.3 per cent, due to a drop in visitor arrivals, lowered tourism spending, and a slight increase in unemployment.

• The International Monetary Fund warned Barbados and other Caribbean countries that they would face an uphill battle fighting the debt crisis.

• Minister of Finance Christopher Sinckler

expressed concern that the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act which was introduced in 2010 by the United States, placed more pressure on the financial services sector to report information. However, he opined that Barbados saw no problem in complying.

The move is one of the ways in which the United States government tries to prevent and investigate the movement of money from illegal sources, which may end up as money laundered in offshore accounts.

AMERICAN TEEN Alexandra Milne enjoying her beach visit here with mum Julia and dad Simon in a chair provided by the multiple Sclerosis Society. (FP)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 17B

OTHER REGIONAL COUNTRIES have scrapped the 11-Plus examination, but Barbados still has not decided if to join this movement, based on research showing that the test placed undue stress on students and it was a better method to use their regular primary tests to come up with average marks.

The Caribbean Examinations Council also came up with an alternative, the Caribbean

Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA).

• A new unit for visually-impaired students, named after Kerryann Ifill, President of the Senate, was opened at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill.

• Principal of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic Hector Belle said remedial education was not only needed in primary and secondary schools but in tertiary institutions as well.

SABIR NAKUDHA wrote a book called Bengal To Barbados outlining the arrival of East Indians to Barbados and their contributions to this country.

KEVA PILE-ADAMSON, 7, a student of People’s Cathedral Primary School paying rapt attention to her favourite hero, Sir Garry. (FP)

THE LABOUR DAY PARADE brought out more workers than last year, and they had a grand time marching and jamming down the streets, some with placards related to issues.

Union leaders and Government officials placed wreaths at the statue of legendary unionist and National Hero Sir Frank Walcott,

MONKEYS were hanging out in Sandy Lane because some people were feeding them, and this attracted taxis to take tourists into the area, thus annoying some residents who prefer to live in a quieter environment. There were also complaints that the creatures were damaging the golf course and going into houses looking for food.

A PREGNANT WOMAN was among three people held in police drug operations over the weekend of the third, fourth and fifth.

She was a Jamaican national who had injested drugs and was sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital from the Grantley Adams International Airport.

• Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force, Colonel Alvin Quintyne, disclosed that since 2006 when drug testing started, out of

at Culloden Road, St Michael.

• Workers of Government’s Drainage Division, however, were not in a celebratory mood as they were still awaiting April’s wages, with Minister of Environment and Drainage ONLY A REAL MAN like Director Dr Denis Lowe promising that they would could wear a skirt while singing receive it by the third of this month.

Sousy in the first Cavalcade. (FP)

KERRYANN IFILL, President of the Senate trying out a computer for the visually-impaired at the new unit at UWI. Sitting is student Felicia Balgobin and (standing at left) principal Sir Hilary Beckles. (FP)

a total of some 3 000 tests, 27 were positive and those people had been dismissed from the force.

• Over half a ton of cannabis was seized by the Drug Squad (combined police, Defence Force and Regional Security System personnel) at Skeete’s Bay, St Philip, on the seventh, following a report that there was suspicious activity and packages believed to be drugs floating in the water.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 18B

ALBERTINA DANIEL, 73, admiring the 24 pound, 40-inch long cassava she grew. (FP)

HEAD OF SURGERY at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Dr Margaret O’Shea, called for legal regulations that would widen the pool of available kidneys and other organs for transplants and for greater public education on the issue. The current law governing such surgeries limits doctors here to only performing them between blood relatives.

• Judith Hurley, an oncologist and researcher who had given gene tests to 85 women here who had developed breast and/or ovarian cancer disclosed that the gene marker had been found in only two women, who were counselled by her team and the Barbados Cancer Society.

• Barbadian men are dying from prostate cancer at a rate of more than 100 annually, this being a faster rate than black men in the United States, according to Professor Aanslem Hennis of the Chronic Disease Research Centre.

• It was disclosed that for two months, the Government Ambulance Service had to call on private ambulances because only two or three of its vehicles were in working order as there were problems with wipers. Six vehicles were reported to be in workshops awaiting parts.

ART STUDENTS who helped artist Petra Haynes, at right, to paint a mural at Roland Edwards Primary School admiring the finished work. (FP)

A PRIVATE SECTOR annual Magical Island Safari tour, organized by realtor Julie Dash, who was assisted by businesses, took children nominated by the public as being in need of a special treat on a fun island tour, including a great breakfast. Entertainers Red Plastic Bag, Mac Fingall and popular MC Patrick Gollop also took part.

•

The National Nutrition Centre made the focus on children a special feature and hoped to educate children and parents that eating healthily from young could help prevent obesity and related chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems.

DIRECTOR OF THE Department of Emergency Management, Judy Thomas, said Barbados was prepared for a Category 1 hurricane but was “nowhere ready for a Category 3 or 4”.

FORMER PRIME MINISTER and Opposition leader Owen Arthur announced he was bowing out of elective politics.

• Opposition Leader Mia Mottley researched the working conditions of sugar workers in the field and called for equal wages for females (who get $2 a day less than males) and portable toilets in or near fields. She was able to get umbrellas from Digicel for the workers.

• For the fourth time in five years, Government wentgone to Parliament seeking an increase in the number of Tkreasury bills and tax certificates it could issue. Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler wished the limit to be raised from $1.75 billion to $2.75 billion.

• Government and other stakeholders, such as private business organizations, met to discuss the much talked about 184 per cent import tariff on some food items instituted as a measure to protect local suppliers but seen as a hardship by some fast-food and supermarket operators.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 19B

SPECIAL ACHIEVERS MARCH - MAY

KEMAR SAFFREY (centre) and other awardees greeting Queen Elizabeth. (FP) March • Twelve outstanding local women were given awards by the Nita Barrow Unit of the Institute for Gender and Development to coincide with celebrations for International Women’s Day. • Barbadian Kemar Saffrey received the Commonwealth Youth Award For Excellence In Development Work, as founder of the Barbados Vagrants and Homeless Society, and along with other British Commonwealth winners received Pounds Sterling 14 000 (BDS $44 101) for the project which provides food, clothing, shelter and rehabilitation to those in need.

• The Merrymen held a 50th anniversary party at Barbados Yacht Club, which included the showing of a video capturing some of their outstanding performances over the years such as in Madison Square Garden and the Superdome.

• Ziggy Marley, son of Bob Marley, wrote a children’s book called I Love You Too. April • Jacqueline Norgrove won the Flying Fish Scaling and Boning competition at the LIME Oistins Fish Festival, with Tyrone “Dolphin” Shorey copping the dolphin skinning title for the 11th time.

• Barbadian-born priest Peter Fenty, 51, was elected Bishop of an Anglican church in Canada, the first time a black cleric has held such a position.

• Bajan band NexCyx won the Ryan Seacrest March Music Madness contest for its version of Maroon 5’s song Move Like Jagger.

• Vita Chambers, 19, continued to achieve success on the charts with her single Fix You which received a nomination Best Dance Recording.

• Alexis Campbell won the second challenge on Season 3 of the Mission Catwalk show.

May • Local gospel artiste Nesha Wood launched a 15-track debut album entitled I Need You at the Church Of The Nazarene, Collymore Rock, St Michael, with many popular entertainers attending the event.

• Emmerson Boyce, 33, captained the Wigan Athletic football team that faced heavy favourites Manchester City in the FA Cup Final, becoming the first Barbadian to do so and to also claim the 1-0 victory.

• Mount Gay Rum copped four gold medals at the 2013 Monde Selection Awards.

• Winners of the Coastal Hazards Awareness Mascot Competition for schoolchildren aged 9 to 11 were: first Tobion Marshall of Roland Edwards Primary; second Michaela Ward from Providence Elementary; and Niann Thompson from St Alban’s Primary.

• Top entertainer Ricky Li’l Rick Reid was honoured by his alma mater Graydon Sealy Secondary School (formerly Garrison Secondary School) where he received deafening applause from students when he sang and danced in his inimitable style.

• Continued on Page 26B.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 20B

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS are owed to the Inland Revenue Department going back over 30 years but it seems there is no readily available information on who owes what.

Outstanding debts include revenue from the self-employed who did not file returns. Those who had filed and are awaiting returns were informed that the first set of refunds would soon be paid.

• Opposition Leader Mia Mottley continued to hold meetings with groups. Coming out of discussions with those in the Pine, St Michael area, were stories of personal hardship, including being four months behind mortgage payments and businesses slumping to losses of 50 per cent or more, amidst fears that more people would fall into poverty soon.

• The Barbados Government is borrowing more than $100 million from a locally based bank to pay off much of the $150M it owes to the University of the West Indies.

• Government has signed an energy agreement with Enermax to install photovoltaic systems on the roofs of all public buildings. Those occuping public and private buildings were also reminded that leaving too many lights on – especially in areas not in use – added a lot to electricity bills.

TWO ST PHILIP BEACHES, Crane and Bottom Bay, have been listed among the world’s 100 best beaches, the results of a CNN.com international poll.

• Long Haul Holidays Trend Report by Hayes & Jarvis, while listing Barbados in the top ten best-selling destinations, noted that this island’s position was slipping and St Lucia was taking over in popularity.

• Beach-goers were reminded that it was not wise to swim alone, so that if they got stung by jellyfish or felt ill they could tell their friends, and that they should swim parallel to the shore and not far out into the sea, to make rescue easier if they got into trouble. Lifeguards were also urged to ensure that first-aid

kits had in the right medicine to treat jellyfish stings.

• Tourism authorities planned to tap into the market of church members, and other religious organizations, who travel abroad for seminars and other purposes, as Barbados is an attractive destination for such visitors.

BICYCLES can be creatively extended to carry income-generating loads. (FP)

BARBADOS experienced its worst sugar cane crop yield in living memory with a final projection of about 174 000 tonnes of cane and just 17 500 tonnes of sugar, registering at more than 500 tonnes short of the projected amount.

One of the factors was the fall-off in production at the CLICO estates in St John.

Last year this island produced 24 000 tonnes of sugar and made two shipments to England.

A GOLDEN SIGN of Crop Over is captured at the Sugar Bond in the Bridgetown Port. (FP)

SAM THE SNAKE – a four-and-a-half foot boa constrictor – was captured (by camera) having a cool ride around the neck of his owner. (FP)

WOOD SCULPTOR Patrick Louis brushing off the piece called Tuk King. (FP) COMMISSIONER OF POLICE Darwin Dottin, 63, was removed as head of the Police Force after nine years in that job, reportedly “being retired in the public interest”. Assistant Commissioner Tyrone Griffith was given the nod by the Public Service Commission to act as interim boss. Dottin took legal action and his lawyer filed an injunction to stay the appointment.

• The Barbados Police Complaints

Authority may soon have nonpolice investigators to ensure the most objective and transparent inquiries into allegations of wrongdoings on the part of members of the force.

• This island has one of the lowest murder rates in the Caribbean.

• Police made a major drug bust of more then 800 pounds of marijuana at Harrison Point,

St Lucy, and shortly afterwards found another 13 bags of the illegal substance at Fryer’s Well near Clinkettes in the same parish.

• Event organizers were reminded to make early requests for the presence of police officers during the Crop Over season, as there was a minimum 28 day requirement.

JOB LOSS did not seem to be impacting on playing mas as Kadooment band costumes were going well, even at slightly raised rates, with one band being sold out four days after its launch.

• Prize-winning artiste Li’l Rick announced he would not be competing in the official Crop Over events, performing only at private fetes, and that he would be

holding an early August concert.

• Veteran singer Anthony Gabby Carter said he was not participating in Crop Over competitions this year but since he had composed for other singers his input would still be there.

He admitted to being under pressure, tired and going without sleep.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION EXTRA 21

PRIME MINISTER Freundel Stuart acknowledged Barbados had “serious problems of debt and deficit” and stressed that although sacrifices would have to be made, the non-devaluation of the local dollar was a “Holy Grail” priority.

• New and colourful banknotes with additional security features, easier to use by those with poor sight, were issued on the fourth. The updated money was printed by English firm De La Rue. • Economist Ryan Straughn urged credit unions to get together to form a bank.

• Sir Charles Williams led a tour, including Minister of Environment and Drainage Dr Denis Lowe, to see the Apes Hill golf and polo facilities and other property. He said that with the aid of a Canadian company, there were plans to build a special cosmetic surgery hospital in the areas of Gregg Farm, Farmers and Dunscombe, spanning St Andrew and St Thomas. This would provide employment for 1 000 to 1 400 people during construction and the project would cost between US$250 to $US300 million.

He also invited investors to build a clubhouse THREE ON HIGH at Apes Hill, which he said would cost $20 million characters as stiltmen but would create construction jobs and subsequent take part in a taste of jobs after the venue was finished.

Crop Over parade in • Italian developers who were considering the The City. (FP) Four Seasons Resort at Paradise, St Michael, said the value of the site stated as US$105 million was much too high. However, Avinash Persaud Minister Freundel Stuart.

ST CATHERINE’S ANGLICAN • Clive Lorde of the USAID executive chairman of the project said there were still a number of serious offers in the bag.

CHURCH came back from the Office of Foreign Disaster • A local businessman reported that he had damage caused to its roof and Assistance said many structure after heavy Barbadians “figure there are suffered a loss of over $400 000 because the herbicide he ordered from a Chinese firm came in lightning, with $400 000 going to be some goodies as a mixture of battery water and water, which had spent in the previous four distributed and they go been confirmed by Government lab tests. months. In addition to regular to shelters” even if they are parishioners, several VIPs’ not in a homeless or housing • CEO of Banks Holdings, Richard Cozier, disclosed that in spite of competition from attended, including Prime situation that makes

imported brands, Banks beer was still holding its own.

• It was the end of an era for Dacosta Mannings when the outlet in Fontabelle, St Michael, closed, resulting in some workers being made redundant. The parent company Neal & Massy explained it as just part of the changes being made to strengthen retail operations. Dacosta Mannings teamed up with other local companies and top appliance brands to link charitable contributions to local charities from a fund which would register contributions when specific purchases were made. The project was called Shopping for a Cause.

• Athelstan Mayers, a former employee of Barbados Light & Power, who got fed up with paying nearly $400 a month, installed – in stages – $100 000 worth of solar energy and ended up paying only $6.34 for a meter in case of emergency. He is not desirous of selling back into the grid and said his output of more than 19 kilowatts could supply six or seven houses.

Mayers, of Straker’s Tenantry, Black Rock, St Michael also has storage batteries, a back-up generator and a three-kilowatt wind turbine.

• A visiting Surinamese scientist suggested that Government enact legislation to guide the disposal of light bulbs to prevent mercury poisoning from broken compact fluorescent light bulbs, whether short or long.

• Twelve companies have been named to benefit from the Energy Smart Fund provided by the Inter-American Development Bank for the installation of solar panels on rooftops of public buildings among other improvements.

• Business operators in Swan Street The City, said sales were so low that they were unable to pay rents, which could be around $3 000 montlhly, and some had to close and sell clothes on the streets or in flea markets.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 22B

• QUIN QUIN P

• A GROUP of green turtle

PRESCOTT and Clarice Honesty Waldrond won the eight to 12 and 13 to 18 titles respectively in the Junior Monarch competition.

• Regina Ramjit, 19, a biochemistry student at University of the West Indies won Miss Barbados World, thus gaining a position to represent Barbados in the in the Indonesia pageant in September.

hatchlings, 73 hours old, were released out of a bucket where they had been safely kept, watched by a group of children and adults who witnessed this first-ever sight. It is more common to have leatherback and hawksbill turtle eggs on our shores.

CUTE KIDS and a lithe leader from Pinelands Creative Workshop performing an energetic Landship. (FP)

A POWERFUL BEAM of green laser light emanating from the Husbands, St James area, during the month, had some residents concerned that extraterrestials were targeting this island and that we would soon see the proverbial “little green men” visiting us.

However, it was just part of a German scientific study into an earthly “alien” invasion – Saraha dust – that floats across from Africa to our island and beyond, from time to time, especially when it becomes embedded in waves and storms.

It is not the only or first research into the dust, with earlier studies revealing that microscopic grass spores, pollen and even bacteria were carried in the dust.

People who are allergic to the substances can suffer reactions, including asthmatic breathing challenges and may need to use antihistamines and inhalers as directed by their doctors. However, it does not seem to affect asthmatics who have other triggers such as being exposed to chilly conditions, getting frequent colds and infections, and increases of mucus and inflammation in their respiratory passages.

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BLOOD (left) and Mikey just minutes before they were pronounced winners of the 2013 Party Monarch competition with the song Roll It. (FP)

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TOP SPOT in the Sweet Soca contest went to Blood; he also took home the Party Monarch title with Soca Kartel performing

Roll It. On their own and as part of Soca Kartel, Blood and Mikey raked in the lion’s share of prizes.

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Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 23B FIVE BARBADIAN CHILDREN had procedures done on their defective hearts at Bracebridge Medical Centre, Belleville, in a project between Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville, Florida, occuring since 2009.

Dr Richard Ishmael assisted the visiting team of Dr Jose Ettedgui and his cardiac nurse, with Variety Club Caribbean sponsoring their trip. Some patients were covered by medical insurance and others were expected to benefit from the QEH’s Medical Aid Scheme.

• Heart specialist Dr Richard Ishmael said Barbados or Trinidad should have a private catheterization lab to serve children with heart ailments.

• One in three heart attack patients in this country die before they are discharged from hospital, according to research. Poor dietary choices were linked to heart disease and strokes.

• Chefette Restaurants donated $20 000 worth of items to the Paediatric Unit of QEH. • QEH made history with the first-ever blood transfusion on a foetus who suffered from Rh-positive red blood cells.

The intervention enabled the baby to develop for another couple of weeks so as to have a better chance of survival when delivered.

Dr Na Tisha Robinson, who specializes in high-risk pregnancies, was the local surgeon who performed the operation, assisted by Dr Greg Ryan and Dr Rory Windrim, foetal therapists from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Canada.

LEADING CHARACTERS and stilt walkers were included in the Crop Over Opening Gala City parade. (FP)

TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL made a gentle pass across Barbados in the early morning of the ninth, with moderate winds and some patches of rain.

The all-clear was given about 11 a.m.

• The Barbados Defence Force and crew of the French naval vessel Dumont d’Urville conducted a joint exercise at Browne’s Beach, St Michael, in a simulation of bringing relief aid to the island if a disaster struck. In such an event, Martinique, a French island, would assist Barbados.

BIMEX impressed visitors with a range of products, from food and beverage to fashion and cosmetics to furniture and construction, leaving no doubt in the minds of observers that this island can produce world-class products.

• Sir Kyffin Simpson, business magnate, has struck a deal – reportedly for $500 million-plus to buy Exxon Mobil, parent company of Esso here and elsewhere in the region. Simpson already owns Simpson Oil Limited.

• Fishermen turned out in large numbers and bought the 20 boats auctioned at Coast Guard headquarters off Spring Garden Highway, for prices ranging from $200 to $18 000, with the funds destined for the Treasury.

A SPECIAL SERVICES UNIT member carrying some 14-foot tall marijuana plants during massive seizures in St Joseph and St Andrew. (FP)

BARBADOS RANKED 15th on a list of 176 countries working to stamp out corruption, according to Transparency International.

• The 1937 People’s Uprising (or riots as some call it) was marked by a ceremony in Golden Square, where there is a bust of Clement Payne, a National Hero who told Bajans of that day to “agitate but do not violate” for their rights. Speeches, musical tributes and wreaths were presented in memory of those who died during the insurrection.

• A call was made to replace British hero

Lord Nelson’s statue with one of Israel Lovell, who was a leader of the rebellion.

• The pillar on Bay Street (opposite the Bird’s Nest Bar), which represent the 1827 extension of Bridgetown, was wrecked by a car.

• A Spanish journalist – Juan Manuel Pardellas – came to this island as part of his investigation into the deaths of 11 Senegalese men whose badly decomposed bodies were discovered in a 20-foot boat off Ragged Point, St Philip, on April 29, 2006.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 24B

RIHANNA with her grandfather Lionel Brathwaite as she took a break from jumping in the Zulu International band. (FP)

IN THE AFTERMATH of yet another woman being killed by a former partner, the children of one victim asked for police to be more responsive to calls about domestive violence, including threats of violence, beatings and stalking.

Some females also noted that the shelters for abused women were providing housing and food but were not offering enough to keep women from going back to DI DI WINSTON their abusers after they left.

The Business and Professional was top Flag Person Of The Women’s Club, which operates a hotline and shelter Year, leading Gwyneth Squires noted that it did the best band. (FP) it could with limited funds.

Three female residents their report through the of a battered victims shelter were asked to leave following media,

• A majority of the families of the six women who were burnt to death in the Campus Trendz store in The City, on September 3, 2010, were taking legal steps to bring cases against those they considered responsible.

• In light of the public outcry after the recent murders of three women by partners or former partners, Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite announced he was fast-tracking a updated domestic violence law which would give police the power to arrest alleged perpetrators.

He also alluded to more education for officers in how to handle such reports.

Email: fundaccess@caribsurf.com/Website: www.fundaccess.org

CROP OVER AND cricket gave the local economy a much-needed boost, with the cricket matches at Kensington Oval playing to massive crowds.

• Ian Webster won the MQI/Banks/LIME Pic-O-De-Crop, receiving a Ford Focus vehicle, $10 500 in cash and other prizes.

He was followed by Chrystal CumminsBeckles, Blood and Colin Spencer. Mikey Mercer won People’s Monarch, a Starcom Network competition in which listeners vote for their favourite.

• Visiting Martiniquean band Moov did their own drumming and took part in Bridgetown Market as well as Kadooment. A small band from Dominica with stilt dance children also took part in Kadooment.

• About 20 000 revellers, locals and visitors, in 29 bands, took part in the Grand Kadooment Street Parade.

• Band leader Gwyneth Squires won Large Band Of The Year and also got prizes in Traditional, Historical, Most Colourful Large Band and Best Individual Female and Male. Her flag person Di Di Winston won the top award.

• Betty West was also a prize winner as well as Chetwyn Stuart’s Power By Four.

• 135 stalls were erected for Bridgetown Market.

• Richard Stoute who holds the Teen Talent show was happy to see that 11 of the performers in Pic-o-De-Crop were graduates of his shows.

• At least 40 foreign journalists came A TUNNEL, lined with brick, was discovered near to cover Crop Over and Kadooment.

• There were a few reports of violence the house of Hazel Barnes, who lived at the during the Foreday Morning jam, which Country Road, St Michael, property since 1981. attracted over 30 000 revellers. The The tunnel leads to Whitepark and Bank Hall, in the same parish, as well and older residents told stoning of a flag person and shouting of verbal abuse on the street resulted stories of being able to walk through caves and tunnels in bygone times. An engineer and heritage in the organizations that support gays consultants investigated. to appeal for the authorities to act on the • Harrison’s Cave by Night tours attracted many crime and many people asked for patrons to enjoy the tour and entertainment. greater tolerance.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 25B

MINISTER OF FINANCE Chris Sinckler presented a strigent budget aimed at controlling the economy as regards Government spending; measures aimed at increasing growth in main sectors; stopping new hirings in the civil service unless an exception was made by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart; a rationalization of statutory bodies and mergers where applicable; and UWI students paying for their tuition from the 2014 term while the public purse continued to finance the economic cost. An additional tax to run until 2015 was placed on people earning $50 000 or more and the reverse tax credit was halved to $650.

• Delays in summer camp staff receiving pay were explained as the proper attendance register information not being done in a timely manner.

• As with the Government housing project at Lancaster, St James, near the roundabout, it was noted that the National Housing Corporation and the ADC building project in West Terrace/Durants, St James also seemed to be stalled.

• Opposition Leader Mia Mottley called the DLP Budget a “lucky dip”. She said it was picking out bits of this and that but had no overarching philosophy or plan aimed at improving the economy. She bemoaned the lowering of spending on tourism marketing and noted that arrival figures had dropped.

The latter remark was pronounced to be “stupid” by Minister of Tourism Richard Sealey who pointed out that arrival statistics alone did not give the real picture as the amount of average spending per visitor was what counted.

Mottley promised that a future BLP Government would remove the need for university students to pay tuition and Barbados would resume giving free education. In a passionate speech she asked: “What do we have if we don’t have education and health?”

• Minister of Housing Denis Kellman said Government was ready to pay contractor Al Barrack. However, the contractor said he was tired of hearing the same old thing.

Barrack was awarded $34.5 million in court costs in 2006 plus court costs and the arbitrator’s fee still remains unpaid, with interest mounting all the time.

• BLP representative for St Andrew George Payne, also an attorney, asked why there was no mention of CLICO in the Budget and advised students to sue the Government re the

MUSLIMS praying during the Eid ul-Fitr celebrations to mark the end of their month of fasting, at Wanderers Cricket Ground, Dayrells Road, St Michael. (FP) proposed tuition fee.

• BWA sent home 30 of its temporary employees who worked as debushers, with vacation pay in lieu of notice, but without any idea of if and when they would get work again.

• Lifeguards disclosed that proposals they submitted to Government since 2007 had not been acted upon, including raising their wages, as they claim they were being paid less than general workers at less than $500 per week and not having enough opportunities for upward movement.

• Police who received a ten per cent budget cut faced cutbacks on extra pay and lower expenditure on gasoline, stationery, overtime, water and electricity use. One of the immediate responses from officers was that they were already functioning with not enough vehicles so the public complained when they could not arrive quickly at crime scenes, including those of domestic violence, and now

they were being placed in an even more limited operating capacity.

• Temporary workers complained that since the Budget speech in which Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler said that temporary workers might lose jobs, their names had been removed from the Smartstream payroll system used by Government, and while “temporary” included short-term personnel, it also applied to staff who had worked for years without permanent appointments.

• Mount Gay Rum executives were very happy that Government mentioned during the Budget the aim to take action against the United States giving benefits to rum made in US territories, which were not enjoyed by the Eastern Caribbean.

• Government announced that plans were on stream to redevelop the Fairchild and River terminals and to start work on the Cheapside terminal.

God Bless Our Nation

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 26B

SPECIAL ACHIEVERS JUNE - AUGUST

June • Rihanna’s album Unapologetic rose to platinum level.

• The Village Gate at Waterford, St Michael, was renamed for Barbadian Singing Francine, as the Francine B. Edwards Theatre For The Performing And Visual Arts.

• Charlton Chambers, the law firm of brothers Sir Richard Cheltenham and Patterson Cheltenham was named Chamber Of The Year by the Institute of Certified Financial Managers.

• Wilkie Cumberbatch won the Bico Primary Schools’ Football Competition for the third year.

• Yannic Boyce of Combermere School won the top prize in the Fair Trading Commission essay competition entitled What Is Consumer Protection And How Does It Affect Me As A Young Consumer? Her school received a $500 cheque and Boyce won an Apple iPad. Eighteen other secondary school students also received prizes.

• Sir Shridath Ramphal received the Commonwealth Lifetime Award.

July • Ashanti Trotman won the 2013 Central Bank’s Award Of Excellence in the bank-sponsored Crop Over Visual Arts Festival with his mahogany carved mural Echoes Of Our Heritage. He opined that more artists should use local mahogany, of which “there is an abundance”.

• Three Barbadians: Deidre Small, Lisa Howard and Christian Gibson, were among 24 Caribbean nationals to gain 2013 Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Fund Professional Development Scholarships.

WILKIE CUMBERBATCH celebrating having won the Bico Primary Schools’ Football Competiton. (FP) • Tia-Adana Belle and Mario Burke who respectively won a silver medal and placed fifth in the finals of the World Youth Championships in Ukraine, were greeted with flags, banners, and horns blowing when they came back to Barbados midmonth. Government ministers and sports officials as well as their school principals and coaches greeted them.

• Barbadian singer Judy Bailey, who lives in Germany, went to Brazil to perform in the Janeiro Rio de Janiero celebrations for World Youth Day. • Veteran photographer Ronnie Carrington launched his new book Pathways with friend Michael Forde.

August • Veteran Barbadian sports administrator Esther Maynard received one of six Plaques Of Merit from the International Association of Athletics Federations in Gostiny Dvor, Moscow, Russia, the site of the games this year.

• Swimmers Lani Cabrera and Alexis Clarke performed well in their maiden participation in the FINA World Swimming Championship in Barcelona.

• Barbadians Azizi Alleyne, 11, of The St Michael School

and Yannic Boyce, 16, of Combermere won first prize in the junior and senior divisions of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association essay competition, with the theme What Makes My Destination Different From Others.

• Ashly Eveluyn first runner-up in Miss Teen Barbados Universal Pageant will represent Barbados in the Ninth Annual Miss Global International Pageant.

• Former MP Haynesley Benn was appointed Barbados’ Ambassador to Canada.

• Former Prime Minister Sir Lloyd Sandiford was honoured for drawing attention to issues confronting small island developing states in 1992 to 1994, during a follow-up conference held here.

• Dr Jamario Skeete won Intern Of The Year 2012-13 at the QEH. Also receiving prizes for excellence were doctors Addison St John, Ciel Harris, Dana Forde and Kymberly Jones.

Continued on Page 33B

• Continued on Page 33B.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 27B

CHIEF JUSTICE Sir Marston Gibson inspecting the parade of police before the restart of the Supreme Court. (FP)

BARBADOS WAS INCLUDED on a British Foreign Ministry list of countries with “strange laws” because of its banning of military style camouflage clothing or any type of dressing that gave the appearance of such forces. The list was intended to warn travellers about the laws of countries they might be planning to visit.

There were a few occasions when visitors were asked to change such clothing before leaving the

MINISTER OF SOCIAL CARE, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development Steve Blackett said his ministry spent $14.8 million annually in assisting the disadvantaged of which over $2 million helped pay electricity bills, rented private accommodation and provided about 6 000 monthly grants totalling $1.2 million. He said aid to the needy was not a part of Government cutbacks.

A REPARATIONS TASK FORCE was launched, comprising 12 people including Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Professor Pedro Welch and attorney David Commisiong.

This body will become part of the CARICOM Reparations Commission.

GLENDORA CYRUS, 103, praising God in song and playing the cymbals. (FP)

THE ALZHEIMER’S CENTS raised more than the initial goal of $50 000 in the Making Sense Out Of Cents drive, but an appeal for more help in fulfilling the aim of establishing a centre was made. The Barbados Alzheimer’s Association reminded families that monitoring devices were available for their family members who were suffering from this widespread form of dementia, which would enable them being located if they wandered away. In 2007, it was estimated that 3 500 locals had the disease and that it was rising every day.

IN SPITE OF LIMITS on the number of migratory birds – related to the specific types – which could be shot by hunters, and the number of shooters in every swamp limited due to a 2010 regulation, nature lover Dr Karl Watson called for an outright ban against such hunting.

• The National Conservation Commission is using an observation hive at its Codrington headquarters as a pilot project aimed at perhaps assisting private entrepreneurs to keep bees and sell honey and related products, as long as the hives could be located in remote areas rather than where the bees might be a threat

to residents.

• Over 500 000 flying fish, in two containers, were found to be contaminated and not fit for human consumption.

• Some people were a bit alarmed by the increased lightning – including large forked lightning – but were reassured by the Meterological Services that there was only a low risk of people being struck by lightning.

• An unusually strong wind blew off part of the roof of Italia Coffee House, located next to Just Grillin’ restaurant, with which it shares a roof, in Holetown, St James.

Heavy rains also caused flooding in the area and other flood-prone pockets.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 28B

ACTORS PORTRAYING King Dyal and a Mother Sally during the Geriatric Hospital mini-Kadooment in Senior Citizens’ Month. (FP)

A CHURCH SERVICE and other events were held to commemorate the six females who died in the Campus Trendz robbery and fire of September 3, 2010 as well as other victims of violence.

• Chief Fire Officer Wilfred Marshall said in addition to the provision of fire escapes and more than one exit, his department was constantly working to educate people about fire safety, preventative measures and how to react in emergencies.

• Chairman of the British company Angloco Limited had discussions here on possibly updating the Barbados Fire Service with multipurpose tenders that carried water, foam and dry powder, thus being able to douse various types of fires.

• Firefighters were forced to work lots of overtime because of staff shortages.

CARPOOLING got a new meaning when this group was spotted in St James cooling off in a truck filled with water. (FP)

www.bdic.org.bb

FATHER CLEMENT PAUL of St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral opined that some of the problems being endured during the recession were not strictly about money but had roots in the breakdown of family relationships and stigmas against relatives who suffered from physical and mental illnesses.

• The number of suicides here, although much lower than in other countries, have increased in recent times, leading to speculation about links to financial

problems, relationship difficulties, domestic abuse, and depression and other mental illness.

• Psychologist Rev. Dr Marcus Lashley said the increased use of communications technology had added more suspicion, anxiety and accusations between couples, with some people constantly questioning and checking on spouses and partners, even when their jobs or businesses required them to use smartphones and tablets frequently.

CRIME STOPPERS received 250 anonymous tips in 2012, about several types of crime, with the majority being drug-related concerns. The 34th Annual Crime Stoppers International Conference was held in Barbados.

• The High Court turned down an application to allow suspended Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin to return to work as the island’s top cop.

• Judges of the Supreme Court complained to the Superintendent of Prisons about thecontinued late arrivals of prisoners for court. The ageing prison bus fleet was given as the reason.

• It was confirmed that it was the police who had requested information from Facebook about three local users.

• Elderly victims were swindled out of more than $350 000 so far for the year, prompting police to advise them they were being targeted and to exercise caution.

• An M-16 high-powered rifle was discovered following the collapse of a church roof in The City.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 29B

FARMER MR BOING, based on a reallife second-hand dealer, announced a sale. (FP)

RIHANNA’S SECOND local show was postponed because of problems in transporting equipment in time. Patrons were given refunds and a new date scheduled. However, tourism officials said some visitors who had booked to come here for the show still came in, but for the Food & Wine and Rum Festival.

• The harsh economic times impacted on the sponsorship of NIFCA, other festivals and performance events.

• American booking agency Degy International was very impressed with local performers when representatives visited Barbados and promised that some of these artistes would be given the opportunity to perform on the United States college circuit.

• Before Sandals starts to operate the former Almond, St Peter hotel property, Barbadian hotelier Bernard Weatherhead, of MW Sun Hotels Inc., will operate the property for at least one year.

A DANCER leaps over the heads in a Lian Marina Dance Project NIFCA presentation.

(FP)

SEVERAL ATMS were robbed and people found money missing from their accounts. The activity was traced to two Bulgarians who apparently travelled here to commit the thefts.

• With this year’s crop of 38 new lawyers Barbados has 930 attorneys licenced to practice.

• People in at least three parishes were mugged while walking during the night, allegedly by three men in a vehicle who were armed with guns.

• The police have dissolved the beach patrol but say beaches are still included in its operations.

• Police seized two assault rifles and three magazines which were concealed in a 40 inch flatscreen television. Police opined that there was a link between illegal firearms and drugs, with illicit substances sometimes being obtained in exchange for guns.

• People were smuggling the eggs of fighting cocks, packed in tubing, through the postal service.

• It was reported that a number of inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison, Dodds were quarantined because of influenza-like symptoms. However, the authorities disclosed that it was only six people who were affected.

• Gay rights activist Darcy Dear reported that a group of boys stole his coconuts and damaged his vehicle, and he asked people to leave him alone to live his life in peace.

• Beef farmers, who were having their valuable livestock butchered during the night, believed that professional butchers were involved because of the efficient manner in which the animals were being denuded of meat.

COMMUTERS COMPLAINED of having to wait long times to get buses, and opinions were expressed that this was due to many ageing vehicles at a standstill in the Weymouth depot awaiting repairs or because of a recent cutback in budgetary funds. However, the Transport Board, while acknowledging some challenges, said all routes were being serviced. owed to the NIS. • Four Government • Government and the entities were among 900 private sector owe the SSA defaulters listed by the National Insurance Scheme considerable sums of money for special skip as owing money: Queen services and events cleanElizabeth Hospital, up. If these debts were paid National Housing it would facilitate the Corporation, Sanitation purchase of more trucks.

Service Authority (SSA) • The response and the Transport Board. of businesses to the The list also included publication of NIS doctors, lawyers, defaulters was described manufacturers, hotels, media-houses, construction as lukewarm. Some said that since Government companies, stores, owed them value added tax restaurants, day-care or other money, those facilities, consultants and funds should be deducted service providers. Over $200 million is collectively to lower their NIS debts.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 30B

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION BLP, Mia Mottley brought a no-confidence motion against Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler, which, not surprisingly, was defeated by the leading DLP. Prior to the motion, the Opposition held a Save Us From Sinckler rally in Queens Park where a petition of no-confidence in the Minister of Finance was circulated and signatures collected.

• Several entertainers and those working in the industry were in Parliament for the reading of the Cultural Industries Development Bill.

LEATHER CRAFTSMAN Rassipho Onifa wants more marketing of Pelican Village. (FP)

A RESIDENT of Byde Mill, St George, fed-up waiting for repairs, working on the road surface. (FP)

A BACK PAGE STORY, with a photograph, in the Saturday Sun, exposed two secondary school students in an alleged sex act in a classroom. They were recorded, possibly by a cell phone, and the voices and cheering on of their peers could be heard in the Facebook post.

However, some readers objected to the photo being printed.

Police later charged the two youths who did the filming and three NATION personnel: CEO/Publisher Vivian-Anne Gittens, Editor-in-Chief Roy Morris and Sanka Price who had written the story. The cases will be heard next year.

BANKS BEER is making an outreach into the Brazil market as a speciality beer.

• Roberts Manufacturing reported it had lost 68 per cent of its regional market for vegetable oil to competition from extra-regional sources, but was still holding on to its staff.

• Beef Eater shut down its operations, putting ten people out of work; and Lucky Horseshoe announced staff cuts and shortening opening hours at Worthing, Christ Church, and Bagatelle, St Thomas.

• Burger King, which first opened in Trimart, Haggatt Hall, also opened a branch in Bridge Street, The City.

• FedEx sent home 13 staff.

• Canadian-owned (Emera Inc) Barbados Light & Power wanted Government to grant it another 40-year licence.

• Cave Shepherd is undergoing renovations as part of its consolidation of operations and creative use of space.

• Harris Paints reported increased sales, a bright light when contrasted with the gloomy experiences of many businesses at this time.

• Williams Electrical also cut staff.

Ralph “Bizzy” Williams said he was forced to do it because he still did not have approval for two projects.

• CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank announced that some layoffs would take place locally and regionally.

• In response to tenants of Pelican Centre’s calling for Government to do more for them, they were told they should also do their own marketing and if they paid their rents, that this would enable more promotion.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 31B

SANDALS HOTEL CHAIN of Jamaica is poised to make a massive footprint in Barbados. Government has given an unprecedented 25-year waiver for all import duties, taxes, value added tax, levies on all equipment, vehicles, furniture, food and beverage; to be followed by a 50 per cent discount for an additional ten years.

• Hoteliers, especially those with restaurants, said while being happy that the popular Sandals brand was coming to Barbados, they would have preferred the sweeping concessions given by Government to be first discussed with them. They strongly felt that the non-tax benefits should have been spread out in some way.

• Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association executives declared that given the consessions to Sandals, if other hotels and restaurants did not receive some type of ease on the taxes and duties they paid it would result in some staff being laid off from those businesses to survive.

The representatives also expressed hope that Sandals would hire local staff wherever possible.

• Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler promised to consider more aid to the hotel industry but mysteriously warned them to “be careful” about what they demanded “because they might get it” and then find themselves in trouble.

• Opposition Senator Kerrie Symmonds said the tax waivers and concessions given to Sandals were about $500 million in his estimation.

• Regional hotelier Joergf Roterberg of Fairweather Holding Inc., operators of Elite Islands Resorts in the Caribbean, said if the group he worked for had known about the concessions that could have been gained and if they had been given to his organization, the stated cost would not have been so prohibitive.

THE ISRAEL LOVELL FOUNDATION dancers perform in the dance finals of the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts. (FP)

RIHANNA’S SECOND CONCERT here was postponed and patrons who paid for tickets were refunded.

She spent some time on island and made a short appearance at Cave Shepherd in The City during the launch of her latest fragrance Rogue; as well as at the Sugar Ultra Lounge in St Lawrence Gap, Christ Church.

• Downes & Wilson Funeral Home has taken legal action to recover monies owed in lieu of the funeral for the superstar’s grandmother, which included a slew of expensive special requests. Only part of the bill was paid.

• Rico Bradshaw and Reshida Smith of St Joseph won the parish ambassadors prize.

BARBADOS ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS (BARP) discovered that some people other than bona fide cardholders were using the organization’s cards to get discounts, even after the death of these people and thus BARP would be updating its cards to deter such activities.

SIBLINGS Jayden and Jayla Crichlow finding joy in small national flags. (FP)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 32B

IN THE AFTERMATH of the SATURDAY SUN publication of a picture of two students apparently having sex, there were many discussions and comments.

• Reverend Dr Von E. Watson urged THE NATION newspaper to move to become the nation’s newspaper . . . to strive for beauty and for truth. This was during his sermon at St Mary’s Church in The City, in a celebratory service for the 40th anniversary of the leading newspaper.

• Mia Jules, a student of the University of the West Indies who did a study on how 18-to 24-year-old locals used Facebook and network sites to socialize, found that the young adults who indulged in sending or receiving risqué materials were more likely to have casual sex or be promiscuous than

CENTENARIAN Cleston Griffith celebrating his milestone with joyful great-grandson Shaquani Harvey.

(FP)

BARBADOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE had an enrolment of 2 428 females and 1 207 males, the total of 3 635 being 300 fewer than last year.

An increase in sixth forms in secondary schools was noted as a probable reason.

• Whereas the Government’s Summer Camp Programme was costed at $3 million in the March Estimates, it was revealed that expenses ran over by $559 240.

The Opposition Barbados Labour Party made accusations of “wasted money” and “paying Democratic Labour Party followers” to provide services.

LOCAL POULTRY FARMERS appealed for the 20 per cent charged on imported, breaded poultry, a temporary measure, to be reinstated to 184 per cent.

Months ago, fast-food restaurants, which represent international franchises, had asked for relief of the higher duties, saying it would impact on their success, opening other branches and keeping staff employed.

• Barbadian business mogul Sir Kiffin Simpson announced an expansion of his mega-farm at Santa Fe in Guyana, from 30 000 acres to 50 000, and it is understood that other local entrepreneurs are looking to follow his lead. Guyana has land suitable for growing crops as well as rearing cattle, in its interior.

• Farmers began to access some of the 100-acre area in Turner’s Hall, St Andrew, in a Land For The Landless Farmers programme.

• Consumers were assured by farmers that there would be adequate supplies of their seasonal favourites.

THE OLD PROBLEM with squatters at The Belle, St Michael, continued with some of them saying they were promised running water.

• Residents of the Park Road, St Joseph area begged Government to render them assistance as the land around their residences was slipping away, placing them and their buildings in danger.

those who did not share intimacies online.

Her doctoral supervisor, clinical psychologist Dr Donna-Maria Maynard, urged parents to be more vigilant in checking on their children’s activities, as younger students might be more susceptible to online seductions and related real-life behaviour.

• Parents were urged to stop their children taking cellphones to school.

STUDENTS of St Leonard’s Boys’ Secondary School launched their Donate A Dollar fund-raising drive, with the money collected going to the Hope Foundation which represents people with lupus and others who suffer painful conditions.

THE CHRISTMAS ANGEL TREE helps to provide gifts for children whose parents are incarcerated. (FP)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 33B September • Jenny Benedict won top recruit in the Barbados Defence Force 2012/13 group, the first female in ten years to achieve that distinction.

• Crystal Boyea came back home to a heroine’s welcome after scaling the 19 341-foot high Mount Kilamanjaro in Tanzania to boost international interest in type 1 diabetes, something with which the 26-year-old suffers. She devotes time to educating children and parents about good management of the condition.

• Dr Edith FergussonJacobs, a Barbadian-born Africanist wrote a book called Full Steam Ahead based on years of research, including the history of the Barbados Landship.

• Pine Hill Dairy endured controversies this year but also received four awards from the International Organization for Standardization for its quality systems, environmental management and health and safety systems.

• Honekia Husbands, ten, of Westbury Primary School won the 17th Kanagawa Biennial World Children’s Art Japanese Exhibition. She was one of 24 008 entrants worldwide and one of 19 from her school to enter.

• Dwayne “Batman” White won Mr Caribbean Barbados Fitness And Physique and will represent this island in Jamaica. The ladies at the Boatyard competition venue showed loud appreciation of his body.

info@hindstransport.net

SPECIAL ACHIEVERS SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER

DWAYNE WHITE posing during the Mr Caribbean Barbados Fitness and Physique competition which he won. (FP)

the Virgin Holidays bronze award during the World Travel Market 2013. Originally constructed as a rum storage facility for British regiments, the quaint property is located within the historic Garrison area.

• Similar medals from the Queen were • Twin 11-year-old boys Nakeem and • Editor of THE NATION’S Better Health Naheem Wahid won the six to 12 title in the given to 77 prison officers with 13 receiving magazine, Tracy Moore, received awards for exemplary service.

Richard Stoute Teen Talent competition.

• More than 100 soldiers of the Barbados an international award through the InterOctober American Heart Foundation and the Global Defence Force received Diamond Jubilee • Sir Henry Forde, Sir Keith Hunte, Bridges Health care Alliance for Tobacco Dr Marion Williams. Rt Rev Rufus Brome and Medals.

Dependence for her article Smoking Out • Three exceptional members of the Dr Julian Hunt of St Lucia were all given Tobacco. disabled community: Patrick Forde, Barry honorary degrees by the University of the • Rebekah Carter, 19, won the Richard Weekes and Junior Howell were given Pride West Indies Cave Hill Campus.

• Police who served for 30-plus years were Of Workmanship awards by the Rotary Club Stoute Teen Talent contest, with Sherece Chandler second, and Mishael Haynes third. of Barbados. given Diamond Jubilee Medals in honour • Kristina Adams, owner of Adams’ • Barbadian seniors, in a 29-member of the Queen’s year of celebration. The 162 team, won 88 medals at the Huntsman World Aqualife, an aquaculture farm in St Philip, awardees did not include former was the winner Bank On Me, of a televised commissioner of police Darwin Dottin or the Senior Games in Utah, United States. competition to assist entrepreneurs and give November nine veteran officers who have court cases • The 24-room Island Inn Hotel received prize money to the top contestant. against the force’s administration.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 34B THIS ISLAND is a celebrity magnet, not only for performers but also the rich and famous who enjoy vacations here and often buy property for their future visits.

Here is a list to remind you of those well known people who have been on local soil since last Independence.

December • Trinidadian-born Baroness Floella Benjamin visited from England for Global Entrepreneurship Week. She is an actress, author, television presenter, businesswoman, politician and popular speaker.

• Celebrity chefs visited for the Food & Wine And Rum Festival, including Marcus Samuelsson.

• Sizzla Kalonji and Damian Junior Gong Marley were among artistes who wowed the crowd at the Hennessy Artistry Show at Kensington Oval.

WHETHER FOR ENTERTAINMENT, business or pleasure, celebrities have discovered this gem of an island and make full use of it. (FP)

in that show was singer/songwriter Nikki Williams who is South African born but based in the United States .

• Admiral Tibet had his son and daughter as back-up singers during his performance at Reggae On The Hill.

• Many artistes came to Barbados for Another Jamaican star who concerts and fetes over the pre-Christmas came here for that show, to New Year season including Mavado, Tarrus Riley, held a birthday Popcaan from Jamaica and Machel cruise on the Jolly Roger and Montano from Trinidad and Tobago. Bajan lots of fans had photos taken performers who live abroad at times also with him and asked for came back to perform including Rupee autographs. Shaggy showed and Cover Drive. Grammy winner that he was still very Chrisette Michele performed in a Ball boombastic with of Life charity fund-raiser to benefit the an outstanding performance.

HIV/AIDS food bank.

May January • Air Supply • Emily “Cissy” Houston, 79, mother a British/Australian soft rock of the late Whitney Houston, and 1970s band, performed here a Grammy-winning singer in her own in a fund-raising Rotary Club right, came to the Barbados Music West and South concert Awards during which she received donating part of their fee to the a Lifetime Achievement Award for her multi-purpose play facility for deceased daughter. children of all abilities. The • Melanie Fiona, two-time Grammy band also performed in Guyana winner, came here to take part and Trinidad. Their hits in the Naniki Caribbean Jazz Safari include All Out Of Love.

Sunshine For The Stars.

• The Celtic Festival February brought musicians and other • Junious Brickhouse, founder performers here for a week of Urban Artistry collective of artistes and of activities. Celebrity chef dancers gave local dancers, tips in a series Paul Wedgewood of Edinburgh of free workshops. made some of the famous fare, March such as haggis, using local • Fabbagirls, a singing group spices, and even Black specializing in Abba songs, performed Belly Lamb. at a Rotary club event to raise funds June towards a school for special • Celebrated African master needs children. drummer Fode Moussa April Camara, M’Bemba Bangoura • Ne-Yo was one of the performers and dancer Sani-Abu, along who came in for the CHUM FM 104.5 with other artistes, performed Breakfast In Barbados. Also taking part in a series of concerts

presented at the Frank Collymore Hall, depicting heritage, film, fashion and cuisine.

• The Archbishop of Canterbury, made a two-day visit to Barbados, during which he had talks with Anglican Archbishop of the Caribbean, Barbadian Dr John Holder, and preached at Christ Church Parish Church.

• Many celebrities, regional and international, came for Crop Over fetes, shows and Kadooment Day, including Destra, Blaxx, Bunji Garlin, Denise Belfon and David Rudder.

• Bajan musician and singer Judy Bailey performed in Brazil for Pope Francis when he visited Rio de Janeiro.

September • Fantasia Barrino once more impressed local audiences in an outstanding performance supported

by Toni Norville and other Bajans artistes.

November • Although the Rihanna show here was postponed, some local and visiting fans got glimpses of the super star as she spent time on the island, appearing at the Cave Shepherd launch of her new scent Rogue; having a birthday bash for her grandfather; throwing a big Halloween party for 250 people and enjoying beach time on the West Coast.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 35B December • Nashum Clarke, 20, who lived at the corner of University Hill in Black Rock, St Michael, and who was reported missing by his mother Jenefer Clarke, was found dead on the ninth, on a ledge at Batts Rock in the same parish. Police commenced investigations.

• Dyann Ingrid Cadogan, 56, died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) on the 22nd, allegedly from being burned during a violent altercation.

Police are investigating.

• Kamale Llamar Broomes, 21, of Crab Hill, St Lucy, died from a shot to his head while walking home on the 30th.

Police are investigating.

January • Kari Nolan Cumberbatch, 33, of Fairview Heights, St George, a line chef at CinCin

By The Sea restaurant in Prospect, St James, was gunned down on the 16th in the car park of his workplace.

The gunman also threatened a staff member with the gun and dragged Alviena Powers, lunch manager, out of the restaurant.

She was treated for a wound to the head at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and discharged.

February • Dillan Skeete, 19, was stabbed on the 19th at a bar in Josey Hill, St Lucy, where he stopped to watch football and play dominoes before going to a political meeting, as he was excited about being able to vote for the first time. He died later that night at the QEH. • Shamal Worrell, 24,

WHEREAS EVERY PERSON’S DEATH affects their loved ones, the entire island pays attention to those who lose their lives through murder or manslaughter, as anyone can be a victim of such acts. Please note that the following list includes cases of suspected foul play for which no arrests may have been made as yet.

KIMBERLY HINDS (FP) of School Lane, Halls Road, St Michael, was gunned down in an alley in Garden Land, Country Road, in the same parish, on the 23rd.

March • Kimberly Hinds, 24, mother of two young children, was found dead – apparently murdered – in her Rock Hall, St Thomas home, on the 17th.

April • The corpse of Aubrey Marksman, 32, of 4B, Farm Road, Deacons, St Michael, was discovered in an alley of Madison Terrace on the tenth, with a bullet hole in the head.

DILLAN SKEETE (FP) May • Brenda Belle, 64, of St Barnabas, St Michael died on the night of the first, from slash wounds with

a cutlass, and the house in which she resided was set afire. She was Guyanese-born but married to a Bajan and had lived here for 12 years.

The man who allegedly killed her and committed the arson was held by the police.

• John Baptiste, 40, of Barbarees Gardens, St Michael, was shot to death on the 31st while in a bar on Nelson Street, in the same parish.

June • The body of Akeem Cadogan, believed to be in his 20s, of Deacons Farm, St Michael, was discovered with bullet holes in it, in Dunscombe, St Thomas on the night of the first, under a bridge.

July • Don Cox, 32, of Lion Castle, St Thomas, a security guard who was standing near the entrance of Welchman Hall Gully was shot around 9:15 p.m. on the 13th, and died as a result. Three other people received gunshot injuries.

• Tito Gill of Black Rock, St Michael, who tried to stop

him several times on the 17th.

• Denise Valetta Clarke,41, was found in a pool of blood on the premises of Bromswood Retirement Home, Two Mile Hill, St Michael on the 25th. The 41-year-old of Ellerton, St George, was allegedly stabbed.

August • Carolyn Forde, 49, of Bushy Park, St Philip, was DON COX (FP) attacked by a former boyfriend while at her job in the a fight between two men Bridgetown Fish Market. She at Seclusion Gardens on the 16th and was stabbed during was badly wounded and died after being taken to QEH. the intervention, died of his September wounds at QEH on the 17th.

• Damian Foster, 25, • Ryan Maughn, 40, of 3rd of Eden Lodge, St Michael, Avenue, Arthur’s Land, Carrington Village, St Michael, was murdered between the sixth and eighth, after was killed by someone who allegedly being kidnapped entered his home and shot by a group of men from his girlfriend’s home at Martindale’s Road, St Michael.

• Cosmo Hinds, 38, of Broomfield, St Lucy, was shot dead on the 26th at Husbands Drive, in the same parish.

October • The lifeless body of a man, Robert Rupert LINDA TULL (FP) Jones, 54, formerly of

theoffi ce@bca. o r g . b b

Speightstown, St Peter, with apparent stab wounds, was found in a pool of blood on the fifth, on the sidewalk at Lower James Street, The City.

• Moreta Forde was killed on the 31st.

November • Andgan Smith, 14, of Cypress Street, The City, was allegedly stabbed to death on the first by a 12-year-old boy.

• Ronnie Omar Clarke, 35, of Crusher Site Road, St James, was shot in his left arm and right thigh while sitting outside his home on the third. He died as a result.

• The body of Linda Tull, 45, of Highland, Foursquare Valley, St Philip, was found on the 15th, in her car which was parked behind the Randall Phillips Polyclinic in Oistins, Christ Church.

w w w . b c ac r i c k e t . o r g

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 36B

WHEN WELL KNOWN AND DISTINGUISHED PEOPLE DIE, the loss is often felt by many outside of their family circle and it sometimes impacts on communities and the entire island.

We mention some of these notable people below.

DECEMBER • Zaid Ali, 93, died on the 12th. He established Globe Cinema in Roebuck Street, The City, and Globe Drive-in in Christ Church, providing low-cost entertainment, not only in movies but also for concerts and beauty shows held at the cinema. The Globe Cinema closed in December 2011 and was put on the market but Ali continued to work until three months prior to his death.

JANUARY • Mavis Janet Browne, BSM, of DaCosta Drive, Eden Lodge, St Michael, former housekeeper of Ilaro Court and retired executive housekeeper of Hilton Barbados Resort died on the 30th.

FEBRUARY • Sir Branford Mayhew Taitt, KA, BA, (hons) MPA LLB (hons) DHL, (hons) of Rock Dundo, Cave Hill, St Michael, died on the 15th. The former attorney at law and politician, who served as a Government minister, President of the Senate and after whom the Black Rock Polyclinic was renamed, had an official funeral.

KINGSLEY THORNE (FP) MARCH • Professor Simeon Charles Randolph McIntosh, as known as “Randy,” of Wellington Drive, Enterprise Coast Road, Christ Church, and Mount Pleasant on the island of Carriacou, died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on the 22nd after a brief illness. He was former dean of the Faculty of Law, UWI Cave Hill Campus and professor emeritus at Howard University, United States.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 37B APRIL • Neville Henderson Bayley, 70, of No. 12 Stanmore Crescent, Black Rock, St Michael, former owner/manager of Sunshine Beach Apartments, Car Rentals, Shangri-La Hotel, Howard Johnson Hotel (Barbados) and managing director of Ozone Therapy Centres Inc., died on the 21st.

MAY • Winfield Bascombe,the godfather of bodybuilding in Barbados died at 81 on the 20th, after battling Parkinson’s disease. He dominated bodybuilding in the 1970s, managing and coaching the greats at home and abroad.

He was also a competitor who won masters titles and the 1957 Mr Bridgetown.

JUNE • Simon Foster, 68, a leading fashion designer with a popular following here and abroad, including on the island of Mustique in the Grenadines, died on the 16th while walking in Paynes Bay, St James near his shop Simon Peter Disciples of Style (which he operated with his partner Peter Bowen).

Foster was known for taking part in charity fund-raising events or donating pieces to such causes. He was Guyanese-born but lived here for many years.

AUGUST • Designer and model agency operator Kingsley Thorne died in his 40s, in the third week of the month, at Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he was in intensive care.

SEPTEMBER • Henry Thompson, 90, died on the 18th. He made a name for himself in commercial laundry and dry-cleaning service, being referred to as “Mr Sermac”. He died at his home after a 33-month illness. He was married for 65 years to his wife Pauline, who was also his business partner.

OCTOBER • Moreta Forde, a former president of the Barbados Association of Office Professionals met an untimely death on the 31st, apparently a victim of murder.

NOVEMBER • Former headmaster of Harrison’s College, Albert George Williams, 82, of “Green Trees”, Kent, Christ Church, died on the first.

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 38B

PM’S TEARS.

PRIME MINISTER Kamla PersadBissessar (left) shedding a tear as she chats with Natasha Rogers (right) and her daughter Narisha in Duncan Street, Port of Spain, on Thursday. Rogers’ son Niam Antoine was killed. At centre is Rodger Samuel, the member of parliament for Arima.

The Prime Minister announced that a police/army post would be set up at Duncan Street as the effort to curb the recent spate of murders there was intensified.

A TRUCK full of stranded commuters crossing a flooded street in Manila, Philippines, in August.

Torrential rains brought the Philippine capital to a standstill, submerging some areas in waist-deep floodwaters and making streets impassable to vehicles while thousands of people across coastal and mountainous northern regions fled to emergency shelters.

(Picture compliments Trinidad Guardian.)

(AP Picture)

FLANKED by bodyguards, Haiti’ s former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide (centre) greeting supporters as he leaves the courthouse in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Aristide greeted a small group of onlookers after testifying before a judge investigating the slaying of one of the country’s most prominent journalists.

The judge questioned Aristide about the 2 000 killing of Jean Dominique, a friend of the former president.

STANDSTILL

(AP Picture)

INDIANS SHOUTING SLOGANS during a protest in New Delhi, India, in January. Police said they had arrested six suspects in another gang rape of a bus passenger in India, four weeks after a brutal attack on a student on a moving bus in the capital outraged Indians and led to calls for tougher rape laws. The name Damini was a symbolic name given to the victim who was gang-raped on a New Delhi bus in December which led to the woman’s death. (AP Picture)

WATERY?WAY A MAN pushing a girl through a flooded street on a bicycle in Old Havana, Cuba, in September. After a few hours of heavy rain, a couple of blocks of downtown were flooded, as is common after heavy showers during the rainy season.

(AP Picture)

BIG WELCOME. President Barack Obama and Costa Rica’0s President Laura Chinchilla visiting with a group of students upon his arrival at the foreign ministry, Casa Amarilla, in San Jose, Costa Rica, yesterday. Obama’s three-day visit to Mexico and Costa Rica was his first to Latin America since being re-elected. (AP Picture)

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 39B IN SPITE OF THE EFFORTS of police and road safety activists, including the Barbados Fire Service which, responds to lots of accidents, from fender benders, to multiple vehicle smash-ups, and, most distressing of all, those involving fatalities.

December Sherese Alleyne, 20, Nikira Harewood, 17, and Keon, 15 months (Alleyne’s son), all from the same family, died on December 23 in a road accident with a minibus at Gibbs Road, St Peter.

Argyle Walker, 63, of Thyme Bottom, Christ Church, died on the 30th when his car collided with another.

February Raymond Lewis, 41, of Clifton Hall, St John, died on the 5th as a result of a collision with a van along Massiah Street, St John, when he was riding his motorcycle.

He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) where he died.

March Dario Linton, 23, of Sion Hill, St James, met his death on the ninth while riding his motorcycle on Orange Hill, in the same parish, as a result of an accident with a sports utility vehicle.

Rachel Pilgrim, of Halls Road, St Michael, died as a result of a road accident on Princess Alice Highway, outside of The City, on the 17th. Three other women were injured in the accident, one of them seriously.

Michael Johnson, 63, of Westmoreland, St James, died on the 27th at the QEH as a result of a road accident in Pleasant Hall Road, St Peter, two days previously.

April Hartley Cox, 51, died at QEH on the first, after being hospitalized as a result of injuries sustained in a road accident a fortnight previously on March 22.

Romario Husbands,18, who lived with his father at Lower Carlton, St James, died on the 14th while riding his bicycle, as a result of being involved in an accident with a car at Colleton, St Lucy.

Frank Moore, 62, a pedestrian of Haynes Hill, St John, died on the spot along Coach Hill Road in the same parish. on the 6th, when he was involved in an accident with a vehicle.

September Cadmore Burnham, 79, of Six Men’s Village, St Peter, was killed while riding a bicycle, as a result of a collision with a Transport Board bus along Heywoods Road, in the same parish, on the night of the tenth.

Michael Scott, 57, of Dover, Christ Church, was the lone occupant of a car, and met his death when that vehicle crashed into a utility

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pole at the junction of Briar Hall Road and Warner’s Park Road in the same parish on the 19th.

On the 30th, Frederick Bryan, 63, of Hothersal Turning, St Michael and Govind “Andy” Bhagwandat of Harrow Land, St Philip, a 29-year-old Guyanese, both died when the vehicle Bryan was driving ran off the road and into a metal fence along Codrington Road, St Michael. It was reported that the driver was hypertensive and thought to have suffered a heart attack.

October Orville Moore, 60, of Babbs, St Lucy, was struck

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by a motorcycle and fell on the roadside of President Kennedy Drive, St Michael, on the on the 19th.

Bystanders reported it took almost an hour for an ambulance to arrive. Police asked anyone who witnessed the hit and run to contact them.

November Carlene Stuart, 65, met a gruesome death at the Blowers section of the Ronald Mapp Highway, St James, (commonly referred to as Highway 2A), when two vehicles collided and one landed on top of her. She was among a Ministry of Transport and Works drainage crew clearing grass from the side of the road.

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Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 40B

Printed and Published by THE NATION PUBLISHING CO. LTD, Nation House, Fontabelle, St Michael, Barbados. Telephone (246) 430-5400

Friday/November 29, 2013/WEEKEND NATION SPECIAL 5B

THIS ISLAND was ranked the least corrupt country in the region by Transparency International and 15th on the international list.

• Barbados was named as one of the leading countries favoured by British expatriates and retirees, copping fourth place on a top ten list.

PUPILS OF Luther Thorne Memorial School, led by a teacher, walked to the Edgar Cochrane Polyclinic, Wildey, St Michaels and sang Carols there. (FP) RIHANNA DONATED THREE pieces of equipment costing more than $3.5 million to Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and she and her grandfather Lionel Brathwaite unveiled the sign for the opening of The Clara Brathwaite (her late grandmother who died of cancer) Centre for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine.

• Professor Timothy Roach, GCM, called for patients to be routinely offered testing for HIV during visits to doctors, polyclinics or hospitals.

• A team from Cuba came here to promote Vidatox-30CH, an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour medicine made in the Spanish-speaking island from the BARBADOS WAS THE TARGET for the venom of a local scorpion.

Panerai Transat Classique Race and also • A private-public partnership between the an exhibition yacht race, delighting QEH and Orthotix Inc. was introduced to offer sailing fans and other onlookers. (FP) diabetics with circulation and nerve problems in their lower limbs, more easy access A PROPOSED master plan to custom shoe soles so as to give them relief to develop GAIA over the at the pressure points of their feet. Payments coming 20 to 25 years was were spread along a range, accommodating completed in 2012 and will nationals and non-nationals. It was hoped that be presented to Cabinet. with increased testing of feet and use

of supportive footwear, the high incidence of lower limb amputations here – over 200 annually – could be lowered in future.

• The Chamberlain Bridge which separates the inner and outer basin of the Careenage in The City, was raised on the thrid, to welcome yachts participating in the Panerai Classic Transat 4 000 mile Atlantic yacht race.

The French-owned White Dolphin came in first with its seven-member crew.

HARRISON’S CAVE continues to be Barbados’ premier tourist attraction with nearly 100 000 people visiting it annually.

• The White Paper on tourism development, approved by Parliament, rests on eight pillars: sustainable and responsible tourism development, product development,

THESE DAPPER GENTS showed off their style in Queen’s Park on Christmas morning. (FP) marketing and promotion, human resources development, educational awareness, development of comprehensive research framework; effective participation, collaboration and access, and standards and regulations.