Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has declared that despite the economic challenges currently facing Barbados, as a people, Barbadians still have much to celebrate, and must continue to count their blessings

As he addressed a host of distinguished guests, including Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave, Members of Parliament, the Cabinet, the Judiciary, members of the Diplomatic Corps and this year’s Independence honourees, at the Toast To The Nation at St Ann’s Fort yesterday, marking the end of national events celebrating 48 years of Independence, Stuart pointed out that Barbados did not enjoy “any special dispensation under the laws of international economics”, and stressed that the economic challenges currently facing Barbados flowed from those that had been impacting the international community since the last quarter of 2007.

However, the Prime Minister maintained that Barbadians had it within their capability to turn the situation around. He continued: “History does not unfold in a straight line, there are ups and downs. The history of Barbados has prepared us for all of this . . . . Our people are a resilient people, always exhibiting an exemplary strength of character and indomitable courage. Therefore, in spite of the challenges we have had to face over the past 48 years, Barbados and Barbadians have prevailed.”

Stuart also took the opportunity to thank the international community for its assistance during Barbados’ 48 years of nationhood.

Before the Toast To The Nation, hundreds of patriotic Barbadians early yesterday morning gathered at at the Bridgetown Port where uniformed groups participated in the two-hour-plus Independence Parade. Sir Elliott inspected the troops while Stuart took the salute.

The detachments represented included the Barbados Defence Force, Royal Barbados Police Force, Barbados Legion Drum Corps, Cadet Corps, Boy Scouts Association, Girl Guides Association, Barbados Red Cross Society, St John Ambulance Association, Seventh-Day Adventist Pathfinders, Barbados Fire Service, Barbados Prison Service, Government Security Guard Service, Barbados Youth Service, and Barbados Landship Association.

The National Flag being carried across the parade square by members of the Barbados Defence Force.

The mounted troop of the Royal Barbados Police Force making its way across the parade square.

The Barbados Police Force Band marching through Broad Street.

A unit of the Barbados Cadet Corps marching past Parliament building.

The impressively executed march past was directed by Commander Aquinas Clarke and Assistant Commissioner of Police Erwin Boyce, second in command.

And, at the national service themed Hope, Healing And Strength Through Unity, held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Sunday, Independence Day, Canon Noel Burke appealed for greater unity among Barbadians to deal with the economic problems plaguing the society, crime and violence, and other challenges.

“We may sometimes argue that our major problem is money, or perhaps the lack thereof; but we may very well find on further examination that if we were to have all the money in the world we will still have some issues . . . and those issues may very well be moral and spiritual,” Burke observed.

The canon also identified other challenges as the breakdown in the family structure and dangers of chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) and urged residents to exercise greater restraint when eating, noting that too many of the country’s young people were dying due to CNCDs.

“I’m calling on us to be watchful over ourselves, our lives, and our bodies and take greater control . . . ,” he pleaded.

There were cultural presentations through dance, song and instrumental renditions throughout the service.

If Minister of Education Ronald Jones had his way, all men in Barbados would be made to pull up their pants – literally!

Addressing the Grantley Adams School Speech Day and Prize Giving ceremony today, Jones lamented what he viewed as a very negative trend of men exposing their underwear in public, saying it should be banned.

“I would like to ban in this country, all persons who show me their underwear,” declared the Minister of Education.

“I don’t want to see your boxer,” he added.

“. . . I have no interest in that. I don’t want to see the pants that you wearing, that you can’t stand up straight [in], and you look as though something is wrong with your joints. I have no interest in that.”

Linking the trend to the former colonial days, Jones said: “For a people who have come through the trials and tribulations to still want to remain in those circumstances, that bothers me.

“Too many of our bones are scattered in the middle passage for us to be living here now and acting as though we have no pride, acting as though we have no dignity, acting as though we have no purpose,” he said.

The Minister further questioned: “Why would I want to see your slider? I don’t want to see your slider! Today the same slider got on a name on it and we gyrating and showing off our behinds. So all those young people or those who are not so young, who believe that they should parade like fools, it makes no sense!”

Nevertheless, the Minister of Education said he was pleased with the management of the St Joseph school, which was emerging with a number of success stories.

At the same time, he commended and congratulated those students who persevered, climbed the ladder and had done well in gaining Caribbean Examination Certificates (CXCs), especially those students who accomplished passes in seven and eight subjects.

“I want you first to celebrate your successes. Sometimes in this life we spend too much time criticizing ourselves for lack of success than actually applauding ourselves for the success. The negative always engulfs our minds and our bodies, so all we think about is, ‘it ain’t good’.

“We fret, we become miserable and fretful and that is the journey to disaster,” he cautioned.

Jones also singled out for praise the “hardworking” teachers at the institution for putting in extra time and effort into assisting and motivating students along the way.

“What you have done here at Grantley Adams is that you didn’t spend time saying only, ‘what am I going to do with these?’ You quickly got down to the task of turning the raw clay into beautiful pottery. You may not feel so because you may say there is still some clay that I have to spend more time molding and shaping, but that’s life. . .”

The Most Outstanding Student prize was awarded to Philecia Marshall, while Izion Clarke received the chairman’s award. 

The Minister responsible for air transportation says Government is “very keen” to hold discussions with the United States Government on a regional open skies policy.

Richard Sealy, who is also this island’s Minister of Tourism, made the declaration as he welcomed back Delta Air Lines to Barbados after a five-year hiatus.

During an elaborate reception at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) this afternoon, he noted that the elusive agreement had been under discussion for some time, but said it was absolutely necessary to facilitate healthy competition in inter-regional travel.

Minister of Tourism and International Transport Richard Sealy (right) presenting a plaque to Captain Allendale Watson, who piloted DL 483 from New York, during the press reception in GAIA’s Grace Adams Suite.

“This would in turn drive down the cost of airfare and stimulate more travel within the Caribbean,” said Sealy, shortly after the 2 p.m. touch down of DL483 from New York, with several officials, including Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism Irene Sandiford-Garner and the island’s Consul General to New York Donna Hunte-Cox on board.

Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy

Sealy said the return of Delta signaled the beginning of new non-stop weekly flights between Bridgetown and New York and Atlanta. He also said 160-seater carrier offered new connectivity through the Atlanta gateway for Barbados to approximately 220 destinations worldwide.

The Minister of Tourism also expressed optimism that having recently lost its direct American Airlines service from New York to Barbados, the decision to have back Delta would help to get tourism numbers back up from that important source market, which currently accounts for 21 per cent of arrivals.

Sealy further noted that today’s flight was the first since the establishment of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI). Therefore, he said, it provided an opportunity to truly test if the recent restructuring of the island’s main tourism marketing and promotional entities had made sense.

“BTMI now has the task of making sure that the Atlanta and New York flights not only continue but indeed the frequencies increase. The Atlanta one is particularly exciting because the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the busiest airport in the world and of course is a tremendous gateway, particularly to open up parts of the United Sates that we don’t necessarily get a lot of business from.

“In essence, there is an excellent opportunity with this Delta flight out of Atlanta to get the incremental business going.”

“We are actually increasing our marketing drive in the US and we are also dealing with this issue of brands,” Sealy said, while noting that “the US market tends to be more attractive to hotels that carry international brand”.

“I am very happy to see investment going on with so many indigenous hoteliers either reinvesting or investing a new product,” he said.

The Minister also indicated that the Jamaican-based Sandals group played a pivotal role in lobbying for the return of Delta, whose arrival follows swiftly on the heels of Monday’s inauguration of  Air Canada’s Boeing 777 service, which inaugural flight touched down at the GAIA with 320 passengers on board. Officials have estimated that the 340-seater aircraft will bring 2,250 passengers to the island per week, amounting to a 15 per cent increase in traffic.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

The Barbados Investors & Policyholders Alliance (BIPA) today served notice to Government that it was not prepared to wait any longer, and that it intends to seek justice in the law courts on behalf of thousands of out-of-pocket policyholders of CLICO International Life (CIL).

The warning by BIPA that it will be pursuing legal action against the directors and others in CIL came in a press statement this evening in which the Association accused the Government of reneging on its commitment to its members.

“Promises may be a comfort to a fool, but when they come in the form of a series of written undertakings, approved by Cabinet and issued by Government officials at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs which are then reneged upon, that is an extremely serious matter which sends out worrying signals locally and internationally,” said BIPA President June Fowler in the release, in which she made reference to a series of documents dating back to April 3, 2014, which were issued by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, confirming its approval and commitment, as well as that of Cabinet, to a detailed plan for CIL.

That plan was proposed in December 2013 by the company’s Judicial Manager to restructure the company and preserve the savings, investments and pensions of thousands of traditional and non-traditional policyholders.

Fowler also pointed out that subsequent written commitments were given, including a specific undertaking for funding, which was due to be paid in August 2014, to contribute towards the costs of the first phase of the restructuring plan.

In view of what appeared to be progress, she said BIPA had previously decided to focus on supporting the restructuring plan rather than pursue its civil case against the directors of CIL and others.

However, as the restructuring process seems to have come to a complete halt, BIPA will now resort to its legal action, which will include a requirement for disclosure of the previously sealed Forensic Report, which provides evidence central to its case.

BIPA President June Fowler

“There has been much reference recently to the phrase ‘causing annoyance, distress and anxiety’. Anyone who wants to know what that really feels like, might ask a CIL or BAICO [CLICO’s sister company] policyholder who has saved for their retirement and spent the last six years wondering if they will ever see their money again, whilst Government continues to procrastinate and fails to fulfil their own written undertakings and commitments,” Fowler said.

Against the background of the massive ‘hole’ in CIL’s finances, the BIPA head said her organisation finds it difficult to believe the Government would risk the consequences of a complete collapse of the company, rather than honour its written commitment to inject the necessary funding.

She pointed to the fact that the Judicial Manager had been able to manage CIL’s cash flow sufficiently well over the last four years to meet its obligations to some 17,000 traditional policyholders locally without a single cent of support from the Treasury. But noted that internally generated income through premium payments and the like had now all but run out, as had time.

“Many people do not realise that the company has been paying out monthly pensions on matured traditional and certain other policies ever since, representing millions of dollars which has found their way via policyholders into the local economy,” she said.

However if the written commitment by Government to fund the first phase of restructuring, which was originally scheduled for payment in August 2014, was not made immediately, Fowler stressed that policyholders monthly pension payments would stop.

“Not only will this devastate thousands of pensioners, but it will also dramatically reduce their spending at a time when businesses are already closing down and jobs are being lost due to a reduction in trade,” the president explained.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

History must not be allowed to repeat itself at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).

The stern warning come today from the island’s doctors to local hospital authorities, following a recent shortage of emergency medical supplies at the state-run health care institution.

The Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) issued the warning this afternoon in a press statement, even as it gave a solemn assurance that its members would be treating non-urgent medical cases again.

However, the health care practitioners, who have been handling emergency cases only since last week, further cautioned the authorities that they would “take measured and appropriate action in the public’s interest whenever the need arises”.

Last evening, the Ministry of Health issued a statement in which it sought to assure the doctors that negotiations for a $25 million financial injection for the cash-strapped hospital were far advanced.

“These funds will be complemented by weekly transfers from the Treasury Department to the QEH to guarantee a continuous flow of service. It is anticipated that these measures will allow the QEH to meet its obligations on a timely basis and minimize any major inventory shortages in the future,” yesterday’s  statement said.

Nevertheless, the medical practitioners were insistent that a sustainable medium and long-term remedy had to be found to the institution’s financial woes.

BAMP’s public relations officer Linda Williams.

“Having met again with our members, BAMP has decided that we will accept these verbal assurances and we will resume the management of the majority of non-urgent cases, while supplies are being restored. Furthermore, BAMP will meet with the QEH administration on a monthly basis to ensure the most efficient use of limited resources, to devise further cost-cutting measures and to keep abreast of any developments that may impact on patient care,” the release, issued by BAMP’s Public Relations officer Dr Lynda Williams, stated.

Though pleased that their current concerns had been acknowledged and addressed, the doctors said they remained cognizant that “a mere five months ago we warned of the urgent need for sustainable medium and long-term solutions to the QEH’s financing problems”.

Today’s statement followed a meeting with the QEH’s administration on Tuesday and with Minister of Health John Boyce and a team from the Ministry of Health and the QEH on Wednesday.

At these meetings, BAMP said it was assured that some basic supplies had already arrived at the QEH and simply needed to be distributed within the hospital.

It also said assurances were given by the authorities that in order to prevent any further supply shortages, there would be “consistent provision of two million Barbados dollars per week to the hospital”.

Additionally, Government has promised that “the current problems related to the in-hospital management, procurement and distribution of supplies would be addressed by December 31, with full implementation and staffing of the SmartStream management accounting system” and that “a concept paper on plans for long-term financing of the QEH through health care reform, would be laid before Cabinet for consideration by January 31, 2015.

”Clear lines of accountability for each of these actions were established and agreed upon by both parties,” the release pointed out.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

It was an experience of pain, suffering, racism and exploitation for those 60 000 Barbadians who went to Panama in the 1900s to help build the renowned Panama Canal. And, their years of daily grind would finally see opened on August 15, 1914, this man-made waterway that would change the international shipping industry forever.

The millions by many a country from that canal today is the result of the death-defying labour of hundreds of thousands of West Indian men, recruited from their homes with both true and false promises about the presumably many opportunities building the waterway held for them.

What did happen to those Barbadians when they got there?

In addition to suffering the indignity of the United States-style Jim Crow segregation, they had to work with the constant probability of instantaneous death from accidental explosions of the dynamite being used to blow through the mountains to make room for the canal.

This is a story many Barbadians have not been exposed to.

However, through the Diggers documentary aired on national television on Independence Day, Bajans who watched CBCTV8 were able to see just what happened during that period through the accounts of survivors ranging in age from 88 to 95.

American film-maker Roman Foster told Barbados TODAY during an interview at Hotel PomMarine last week that the six survivors he sourced in Panama, Barbados, Jamaica and the United States had made the documentary a sad, thought-provoking and life-changing ordeal that would forever be etched in his mind.

American film-maker Roman Foster

“It is about what Bajans and all other West Indians who went to Panama went through. Added to that is the fact that after the canal was built, these workers were completely forgotten; and no recognition was ever paid to them for the work that they did. The Panama Canal is significant because world commerce depends on it.

“If you shut down the Panama Canal today, world commerce would suffer immensely. For [these workers] not to be recognized for their efforts was an additional crime committed against them. And so, Diggers was a way of not only recording the history for eternity, but being a long and everlasting tribute to what these workers accomplished, and to correct the injustice of their being forgotten by the world,” said Forster, as he spoke about the award-winning documentary that took some 11 years to be produced.

Giving an insight into the documentary, and speaking from research, Foster said that in 1891 thousands of Jamaicans were recruited to begin the work of building the canal by a French company that went bankrupt 15 years later, and abandoned them there. He said this caused the Jamaican government to spend millions in bringing their nationals back home and almost going bankrupt itself in the process.

“The second stage of the canal begins with the United States in 1903 . . . . They wanted to pick up from where the French left off. They went to Jamaica to recruit workers and the governor of Jamaica refused to let them do it, because of the experience Jamaica had gone through with the French.

“So, the government of the United States came to Barbados, which was the next populated island in the Caribbean and the Governor of Barbados was happy, because at that time, there was a depression going on in Barbados and a lot of young people were on the streets roaming with no jobs and nothing to do.

“So when the Americans came and give them the offer, the Barbados Government jumped at it and said, ‘Sure, we give you permission to contract as many as you want’,” Foster revealed.

The permission granted was followed by a recruitment centre set up in Bridgetown where young men in their late teens and early 20s signed a 500-day contract before sailing off to the Central America nation that borders both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica.

When the Bajans arrived, the experience was tragic for most of these men.

Firstly, they were forced to battle with the malaria and yellow fever mosquitoes rampant in the jungles of Panama.

Thousands died after they were bitten by these insects.

“They had no cure for malaria and yellow fever. At first, the white Americans were dying out because the mosquitoes were infecting them, and nobody knew what to do about it. And then it happened to Caribbean workers –– although not as badly as had happened to the Americans.

“It’s a horrible way to die, because you just turn yellow to begin with, and then you start to vomit black blood. And when you start to vomit that black blood, you are dead within hours, because that is probably the last stage of the disease.”

A potion was soon discovered, which the workers were given to control the effects of the malaria.

“So every day, the government made sure that they drank this [potion]. The side effects of that potion were that you went deaf, or after a while you couldn’t hear well. That created a problem, because you would have men digging to actually cut the country in half. And there were these long trains carrying the dirt out into different areas, and [those men] who were deaf couldn’t hear trains coming, and when they did realize it, they would be rushing, rushing; and next thing you know, they were under a train,” Foster explained.

Another sad aspect of the experience was that the workers also suffered the psychological taunt of living under discriminatory circumstances during their stay in the canal. The American laws only covered white American workers. The West Indians were not entitled to any benefits that applied to their United States colleagues.

“They came up with a system to keep the races from mixing; and the white workers were labelled gold and the West Indian workers, silver. And even the facilities in the canal zone were separated by this white and silver system.

“You go to church, white people were allowed to sit in the front and the Blacks had to sit upstairs in the back. At hospitals, just as was happening in the United States, you had a separate entrance for Whites and a separate entrance for Blacks. They were not allowed to mix at any time under any condition. Men went to jail for violating these laws.”

Diseases and discrimation were just two of the problems the Blacks faced.

These Caribbean workers, who were never trained in the use of dynamite, had no choice but to work with it to cut down the mountains to sea level.

“They wouldn’t allow the white workers to handle the dynamite; and so imagine these young men not trained in the use of dynamite, but being told what to do with it! Due to accidental explosions, a lot of them actually lost their lives, because the handling of dynamite is a very sensitive thing; and if you are not trained to do it, you are looking for trouble.”

The film-maker said cutting down the mountains also proved to be a problem.

“When you cut mountains down the soil becomes soft, and Panama was a rain-drenched country. Every day the rain would pour in Panama and loosen up the soil. So these men would be at the bottom of the mountains digging and all of a sudden the mud would slide and bury them alive in the cut,” Foster said.

After the work was done, some Barbadians returned home. However, quite a few stayed, having met their companions, got children, and had already built homes for their families there.

“To some of them, it didn’t make sense to uproot the whole family to bring them back home; so they chose to stay there. You walk through the streets of Panama today, and you would hear the same accents you hear in Bridgetown; and you would wonder, ‘Am I in Bridgetown?’ You have Jamaicans there, and you hear that Jamaican accent.”

The descendants of these original diggers now face the discrimination their forefathers did at the hands of the Panamanians who viewed them as intruders. In fact, many of the descendants have chosen to forget their past, have refused to admit their families originated in the West Indies and only speak Spanish. Some of them even went as far as to change their West Indian surnames into Spanish ones.

“The Panamanians viewed them as, ‘You come to my country and took away the jobs from me’, and that created much resentment. Working for the United States government was like a status thing in Panama, and they couldn’t understand why English-speaking black people would get those privileges in a Spanish-speaking society; and that created a lot of animosity between the Panamanians and the West Indian society,” said Foster who spent quite some time in Panama with his
production team.

There was a screening of Diggers at Frank Collymore Hall last Thursday night, attended by Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave, Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy, Speaker of the House Michael Carrington, Barbados Central Bank Governor Dr DeLisle Worrell, and historians Sir Henry Fraser and Karl Watson, among other senior officials and diplomats.

Producer Foster said that from the comments he had received from some officials after the screening, it was evident that they were all moved by what they had seen.

Despite being approached by archives, institutions and libraries on the prized volumes of film and recordings of the history of the building of the Panama Canal, he is yet to decide where to house all of the material –– and with a stipulation that it must be available to the public. But that is the least of Foster’s worries. He said he was more concerned that to this day, no monument was erected to honour those thousands of men who laboured to build the waterway.

“Nations depend on that canal to this very day. Yet nobody has taken a minute out of their time to say let’s honour the builders of the canal. They don’t care any more.

“These men are dead; they are gone. And who cares? And that is the attitude from the government of the United States, Panama . . . ,” the film-maker Foster declared passionately.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

Albert Boyce was among the thousands who attended last Saturday night’s Hennessy Artistry show, which featured American R&B singer Joe, as well as Jamaicans Sizzla, Konshens, Taurus Riley and Etana as headliners.

Albert Boyce died at the QEH this morning.

Unfortunately, the 20-year-old, who reportedly left the Kensington Oval before the show had finished to make his way home, never made it back home alive.

Today, his emotionally-shattered mother Glenda Boyce was still searching for answers as to why her son is now the island’s latest shooting victim.

Police are also investigating the unnatural death of Boyce of Reed Street, Bridgetown, who died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) earlier today after he was shot twice in the abdomen sometime around 4 a.m. on Sunday, whilst at Lower President Kennedy Drive, St Michael.

Tears did not flow from her eyes, but as she softly pounded on her chest with one hand and rubbed her head with the next, it was evident that 54-year-old mother was not only hurting but struggling to put the pieces of the puzzle surrounding her son’s death together.

“I don’t know why somebody would shoot him in the belly while he on his way home to he mother house,” she quietly declared, during an interview with Barbados TODAY at the home she shared with her deceased son, who she last saw moments before he died.

As other family members sat quietly and listened as she told her sad story, the mourning mother said this was one of the saddest days of her life.

“I would like to know why somebody kill my child. I would like police to find the person who do it as soon as possible,” she said.

“I want them to find the person that did it to him. He just turn 20 years old on November 9th and as a mother it hurts my feelings to see that he gone just like that,” she said.

Boyce described the former Grantley Adams Memorial School student as a quiet individual who stayed out of trouble’s way. However, she said he had many friends who also cared for him and suggested that nobody “but God” could understand the pain she felt when someone knocked on her door and informed her that her son who had left home in good spirits to attend the event, was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.

“It hurt me and I just begin to cry because I couldn’t believe somebody leave a show half of an hour before it finish because he wasn’t feeling well and when he walking coming home all of a sudden somebody just come and shoot him,” she said, adding, “I don’t feel good about that as a mother because he was coming home.”

Clearly nursing a wounded heart, and with head bent, Boyce said she loved her last born of four children unconditionally and did her best to raise him, giving him whatever she could have afforded to, just to make him happy.

When contacted for comment today on Boyce’s death, organizer of the Hennessy show Freddie Hill sought to distance his event from the death which has put a damper on an otherwise incident-free show.

“It has nothing to do with Artistry. It was a clean show and no incidents were reported at the event,” Hill said.

Before the curtain came down on the show, at Kensington Oval, Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley had praised the organizers for putting on a quality show.

“The Hennessy Artistry production has continued to excite Barbadians and visitors alike. I think that the crowd so far tonight shows that the brand is really taking off in Barbados. It is a calendar part of the cultural agenda in Barbados Persons have actually demonstrated that this is a good show, and I think it is going to be fantastic going forward,” Lashley said.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

Following today’s vicious attack on 36-year-old Marva Ward, the National Organisation of Women (NOW) has issued a fresh appeal to women to speak out against domestic violence.

NOW President Marilyn Rice-Bowen has specifically called on them “to seek help early and to treat every threat as serious”, while condemning the cutlass attack, which has left Ward warded at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) with multiple cutlass wounds and in serious condition.

NOW President Marilyn Rice-Bowen (right) was among those taking part in tonight’s walk against Crimes of Silence.

“It has upset us all very much because violence at any time takes a toll on you mentally and we do hope that the lady survives,” the NOW President said, noting it was the second time this year a woman had fallen victim to such an attack.

“We do hope that she pulls through and then [we will] to be able to meet with her and meet with her family to see what other assistance that we can render,” Rice-Bowen told Barbados TODAY.

Police say the attacker, who was known to the victim, is currently in their custody.

While not releasing his full identity, lawmen say the St Michael man, who is in his 30’s, was apprehended a short distance away from the scene of the incident, which occurred around 7 a.m. at the back of Sky Mall in Haggatt Hall, St Michael.

Maintaining that it was one incident too many, the NOW President also used the opportunity to urge women to “speak out” and not to suffer in silence.

“There is always someone willing to listen,” she said.

“They [domestic abuse victims]  can call the crisis hotline. Somebody is always there to talk you through the situation. If they feel that their lives are threatened by all means, don’t even hesitate, go straight to the police station and don’t leave until they get a solution.

“The major thing is to treat every threat seriously,” she stressed.

Back in August, 27-year-old Margaret Christopher was viciously attacked by her former companion as she and her six-year-old son disembarked from a bus at Parris Hill, St Joseph after weeks of harassment, threats and stalking.

Christopher, a resident of Halls Road, St Michael was slashed across her throat and from ear to mouth.

Tonight, as she addressed a gathering in the Oistins Bay Garden, following a walk against the Crimes of Silence to end the 2014 16 Days of Activism, Rice-Bowen reminded women that love and “licks” don’t mix.

She noted that once “licks” were introduced to a relationship, the person being abused should exit immediately.

“There is this old feeling that if you don’t hit me you don’t love me and this morning when we were doing some canvassing, a man said, ‘but the women say if you don’t lick me you don’t love me’. We will continue to focus on ways to assisting victims and transforming their lives,” she said.

(FW/AH)

A 36-year-old mother of two girls remains warded at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) tonight in critical condition after she was chopped multiple times about her body with a cutlass by a known attacker.

The victim of today’s attack – Marva Ward.

While police have not yet revealed the   identity of the St Michael man, in his 30s, who they apprehended a short distance away from the scene of this morning’s brutal attack, family members are already pointing the accusing finger at the father of Marva Ward’s two children, who along with the victim’s parents were still struggling to come to grips with the incident when a Barbados TODAY team visited their Haggatt Hall, St Michael home earlier this evening.

The terrible ordeal unfolded just after seven this morning as Ward, who is employed at the QEH as a maid, left home around 7 a.m. to walk 11-year-old Deansha to the bus stop.

After seeing the child off to school,  Ward, who is also the mother of 10-year-old Delesha, reportedly went to a nearby newspaper vendor to make a purchase and was making her way back home when the attack occurred.

An angry Leroy Brewster told Barbados TODAY that he was at home when he received the horrible news that his daughter, who he described as a churchgoer, had fallen victim to a severe cutlass attack.

“While I home here somebody start calling and hollering telling me to come. I put on a old pants and I went cross the hill over there and I see Marva out there in a pool of blood,” he said, still in disbelief following the incident.

“I couldn’t do nothing,” he said.

“I could not go near because my two foot would not [hold] me up, so two or three people bring me back home. I could not stay up, I really could not stay up,” said Brewster, who was still very shaken up over the entire episode.

The father of nine also reported that the incident had  devastated Ward’s mother, who he said had been crying ever since she got word of the attack and had been unable to speak. The victim’s children also had to be counseled at school today.

While unable to say whether the victim and attacker were currently in a relationship, the taxi driver indicated that the two were last together at the family home on Sunday, when an argument ensued and he was forced to step in and ask the alleged perpetrator    to leave.

“She [Ward] come out and told him, ‘it is time you go home in your bed where you live. Your bed is calling you’,” Brewster recalled.

However, the distraught father said his daughter’s alleged perpetrator had initially refused to leave.

“He still stay up there talking a lot of gibberish. So he get me kinda angry and I arose to my feet and I stay up. I told him, ‘listen, I don’t want nobody making no noise here. Any noise making here it is me’.

It was then that the father of Ward’s children left and “went about his business”, Brewster added.

Though admitting that his daughter and her alleged attacker were still friends up until then, “he got this thing in him about accusing her.

“If she leave here and go to church, she gone looking for a man,” he said.

However, he said he never suspected “that he had something up his sleeve”, meaning today’s vicious attack on Ward.

While  hoping and praying for his daughter’s speedy recovery, Brewster, who is in his 70s, said he also wants to see the back of domestic violence.

“It is horrible to tell you the gospel truth. It should stop. It is a total disgrace that a woman can’t walk the road in peace. This violence want stopping, it want something doing about it and that is the truth.

“It is a total disgrace . . .  It is foolishness,” he stressed.

“I feel that it can be stopped . . .  after all we are human beings. It is not an ants you are walking on,” the visibly upset father said as he anxiously awaiting word on his daughter, who at the time was still undergoing emergency surgery.                                 

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

Alexa Strauss-Hoffmann was born a man; but converted herself into a woman a few years ago.

“I was born a man, but today I am a proud transgender,” Alexa declared during a recent interview with Barbados TODAY in which she spoke openly about her decision to change gender, and how life has been since then.

This was the direction 21-year-old Alexa decided to take after years of suffering in silence being somebody she did not want to be.

Alexa Hoffman speaking about life as a transgender.

“I would say for my entire life I have always felt that I should be female. But only within the last three to four years I decided to make changes in terms of my life and how I dress, how I interact with persons, and even to an extent, my own self-image to bring it more to the fore that I can admit it to myself,” she said, as she sat neatly dressed in a skirt-suit.

The Barbados Gays & Lesbians And All-Sexuals Against Discrimination (BGLAD) had an inner image she preferred, but yet at the same time she was presenting herself as something that was not in alignment with how she felt.

In her opinion, she was not being truthful “with people I was interacting with; I was not being truthful with myself. So there was an internalized sense of betrayal, and then on top of that it was just discomfort”.

“I turned 16 in 2010, and it was around the start of that fifth year in secondary school that I had to do a bit of introspection, because around that time a lot of things were going wrong.

“I was getting into a lot of conflicts with classmates. I was having even more problems at home; and my mother and I weren’t seeing eye to eye sometimes; and so I had to take a step back.”

After tackling problem after problem, Alexa was forced to figure out why is was that all of a sudden these issues were occurring; and that was when she realized she had reached breaking point. “I was being targeted with the bullying, the name-calling, and the rumours –– just because people would look and see I carried myself with perfect posture, prim and proper, and voice very high-pitched.

“They used that as a checklist to say, ‘This person is gay’. As a result it was bulla this, bulla that; batty boy . . . . In primary school it was just the odd name-calling and teasing,” said Alexa who admitted she was not physically been attacked for her sexual preference, though she had to deal with the threats, and almost being purposely run over by a vehicle in her neighbourhood.

One of the most difficult times in Alexa’s life was when she had to break the news to her mother. She could not bring herself at first to tell the woman, who had welcomed a son into the world, that she was now going to have a daughter.

“I called my mother aside, and I took my Blackberry and typed out a memo to give to her, because I couldn’t bring myself to verbalize it. My mother read it; and it was back and forth text messaging between us.

“She was asking, ‘Are you sure? Why would you now do this? You were trying to get into relationships with classmates, and all of a sudden now you are telling me that you are into men? And you are telling me that you would wish to become female?’,” Alexa recalled.

The transgender would not say that her mother treated her any differently, but noted there was some change in the internal emotions of that woman dear to her, as her mum “started to get a bit depressed”.

Alexa’s mother was not only worried about what had “invaded” her “child’s development”, but also concerned about the potential fallout in her relations with her own work colleagues because of it.

“But my mother had already got to the point where she was accustomed to my already being attracted to men. But then when the gender identity stepped forward, it was another shock for her.

“She had to try and draw a line, saying, ‘Look, when I was pregnant, I always wanted a boy. I didn’t want to have a daughter; and all of a sudden my son is turning into my daughter; and that is something I can’t handle’.

“There was a point where we started to grow apart; and then she realized ‘okay, so now you are comfortable and you are able to get things done’,” Alexa said in a soft voice.

Unfortunately, her mother passed away in December last year at age 43. But according the transgender, by that time her mum had finally accepted her as she was.

“The last time we went out before she died, we went out as mother and daughter. So that was the first time I dressed in full female attire. We went to a NIFCA literary arts gala of some sort, and my mother actually came across some of her friends who were there; and she reintroduced me.

“She said, ‘You remember my son Gavin, right?’ And they said ‘yes’. And she said, ‘Well, meet my daughter Alexa’. For the most part it was a comfortable reaction.”

However, Alexa’s sudden new lifestyle change did not go down well with her family, especially after her mother died.

She is now no longer close to her relatives and barely says hello whenever she passes them on the road.

“The way how they had behaved when my mother passed away, while I can understand not everyone would be accepting, one would have accepted that, under those circumstances, family would have pulled together; but this was a case where they allowed that factor to nullify whatever family meant to them before,” she said.

“As far as they were concerned, I was no longer family. I was just someone or something that was there in the bloodline. So because of that, I am not very close to my relatives any more.”

Relatively tall and broad-shouldered, which she calls her Amazon build, Alexa’s erect walk causes many to stop, turn and look her way –– which helps to stroke her ego. Alexa noted that she must always look good in public, but like any other woman, had her flaws.

“At home, I am not in the skirt; I am not with the make-up; the wig comes off. So it is just me with short black hair. It becomes evident that I am a bit heavyset because I am close to 200 pounds; so then I would feel a bit self-conscious when I am looking in the mirror.

“Psychologically, I tell myself I am going to face the world. I am going to go about my day; and whatever happens, happens,” said the transgender, who has moments when she becomes withdrawn, becomes angry –– and, ironically, when she woud discover humour in sad situations.

For Alexa, being involved in relationships is a serious undertaking, as she prefers to be in a committed one.

In her view, many young men, around her age, only want to fulfil their sexual needs. However, this young lady has declared she does not want to be somebody’s “booty call”.

“I want to be with someone where I can settle down, have a relationship. I have had one or two relationships where the person genuinely wanted to be committed, but because of some reason or another we couldn’t be together, because their family didn’t approve, or the chemistry wasn’t right.

“I actually had a relationship this year that lasted six months and it actually got as far where he actually moved in with me, and we were living just under two months. But then unfortunately, plans changed for him and he decided, ‘I want to move on’. Though he genuinely liked me, he still had this goal in his mind that by a certain time and a certain age, he wanted to be married with children, because that was something that his family expected of him.”

Still looking for her perfect partner, staying away from intimate relationships for the time being, the transgender divulged she had contemplated having a genital change, and was currently thinking about the right time and place.

As an activist, Alexa has come across many young males as young as 12 who were attracted to the same sex.

Nevertheless, “I try to advise them, ‘At your age, you have got your studies ahead of you; you have got friends to make, do not focus so much on transitioning and do not focus so much on relationships. Just focus on enjoying your childhood now and then when you get to that stage you decide’.”

Alexa has identified young people in society, even those in their 30s and 40s, who would want to be able to transition in some form or another, be it in how they present themselves in gender identity, or just in their sexual orientation.

“I know of some men who are married; and they wish they could have a relationship with a man. But just because of the marriage or what their family might think, they are too scared to do it. It is almost like a threat to do it.”

When asked to state her views about the introduction of gay rights in Barbados, this transgender is all for it and has called especially for the implementation of gender-neutral laws concerning domestic abuse.

She sees it as “something that needs to happen because gay people were also expected to obey the laws of the land”.

“They are going to expect me to pay my bills, pay my taxes, obey the law. If I commit a crime I am going to be sentenced the same way as if you commit the crime.

“I am not going to at this point rally for marriage, because Barbadian society has not yet been able to grasp that concept; so it’s more or less something that they are not ready for.”

When it comes to her future, the seemingly intelligent transgender has not decided on a particular career goal, having attempted a law degree and computer studies.

When Alexa is not busy paying attention to her appearance, she is very much into automotive designs, and is always talking about cars to her friends, or may be found on the computer designing various models.

Alexa is often advised that Barbados is not ready for the transgender’s way of life, and is often prompted to tone down her feminine dress and behaviour. She listens and sometimes jokingly returns to her “male voice”.

“That is just theatre,” she stressed.

According to Alexa, who aspires to someday have a husband and maybe even adopt a child, the reality is that she has no plans on ever seeing herself as a man again.

“I am not turning back; I can’t turn back. It is just too far set in stone. Even before I transitioned, the writing was on the wall; and even for me to try to change back, it is still going to be obvious.

“One person thought when I was dressed in a T-shirt and jeans that I was a butch lesbian. I am not the slightest into women.”

Alexa sees her role as a member of BGLAD as a very important mission, as she strives to bring to light the situations many persons –– not only in the transgender community –– face daily.

The transgender also hopes to bring forward suggestions on where society could go in terms of being more understanding and sensitized about dealing with members of her community.

She pleaded: “I would like to see a point in time where we can walk the streets freely; we can go about our business and not be harassed and not worry about being assaulted; not be in fear for our lives.

No longer living in the closet, and feeling as free as a soaring eagle being herself, Alexa is adamant an individual’s sexual preference is personal, and one should not be ridiculed or persecuted for it.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that my gender identity is just my business now, because I am already out there. But, what is under my clothes and who I interact with on an intimate level is between myself, my closest friends, my family; those who would care to know.”

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

There is no legislation in Barbados that prohibits the use of polygraph testing but Director of Public Prosecution Charles Leacock cautioned that it cannot be used as conclusive evidence of guilt or innocence of an individual.

He made the revelation while delivering the feature address this afternoon during the closing ceremony of the inaugural Regional Security System Basic Polygraph Training Course, at the Regional Police Training Centre, Seawell, Christ Church.

Leacock said while the form of scientific testing should be viewed by the criminal justice system as an important tool, the rights of suspects must remain paramount.

He also explained that in order for the results to be used in the law courts, the lie detector test should be obtained voluntarily among other requirements.

Director of Public Prosecution Charles Leaacock delivering remarks.

“A suspect can only have a polygraph test if he agrees to one. If he agrees to have the test then the results may not be used to show by any means that it is conclusive of his guilt or of his innocence.

“An innocent man might well be a very nervous man or a guilty woman might well be much successful in passing a polygraph test as she might well be able to keep her blood pressure and skin connectivity to such an extent that she can pass the polygraph test easily.

“It is simply a tool of assessing his credibility. It must not be obtained by aggressive circumstances. It must not be obtained in breach of any rule that violates the suspect’s rights,” he said.

Twenty-four participants from six forces across the nation participated in the intense 10-week training programme facilitated by Chip Morgan and Lori Kosiarek from the Academy of Polygraph Science based in Florida.

In delivering remarks, Deputy Commissioner of Police Oral Williams said polygraph testing had a role to play in the proper administration of forces.

He said officers trained in the area have already used it to carry out pre-employment screening and as a result they obtained valuable information on applicants.

As he congratulated the successful participants, Williams told local officers that their new skills would be used for in house examination, in nearby jurisdictions and also indicated to them that local businesses were now requesting that the test be carried out on their employees.

A significant shake-up is due to occur in the Anglican Church next year, with over a dozen appointments announced last week by Bishop of Barbados John Holder.

In a circular to clergy, the Bishop revealed that four senior clerics would be elevated to the position of Canon within the Church.

They are Reverend Curtis Goodridge of the St Lucy Parish Church, who is being appointed to the stall of St Augustine and colleague Reverend George Harewood of St Stephen’s to the stall of St Aidan.

Longstanding clergymen Reverend Errington Massiah, rector of St Joseph, and retired priest Lawrence Small are to be made Honorary Canons. Those changes take effect January 1.

However, of special significance is the shake up of several posts within the various deaneries, effective February 1.

Those affected are Reverend John Rogers, current Rector of St Luke’s and Youth Chaplain of the Diocese of Barbados, who in addition to becoming Rural Dean of the St John’s Deanery – responsible for churches in the area – from the start of next year, moves to St George Parish Church following the retirement of Reverend Gregston Gooding.

He will be replaced at St Luke’s by Reverend Davidson Bowen, the current rector of St Philip-The-Less in St Peter, who also takes over as Chaplain of the Youth. Reverend Jerome Small, assistant priest at St Thomas, replaces Bowen in the north, while Reverend Michael Squires, former curate of the St Michael Cathedral, now serving as priest-in-charge of St George, takes over at St Matthew and the Church of the Resurrection from Hugh Sandiford, who is headed to St Matthias.

Reverend Angela Philips, Rector of St Patrick’s, has also been appointed Chaplain of the Mother’s Union.

Effective November 1, Kelly Burke also officially took up the position of Diocesan Secretary, the circular said.

While the Salvation Army has raised only just over $100,000 out of its $700,000 Christmas Appeal target, the charitable organization anticipates accommodating hundreds who will turn out at its City headquarters for food hampers on Wednesday.

Salvation Army public relations officer Major Denzil Walcott told Barbados TODAY that while the Christmas Appeal, launched two weeks ago, was a combined effort between the Kettle and Letter Appeals, where the Army hoped to raise $400,000 and $300,000 respectively, public response had been noticeably slow. Nevertheless, he added, people were giving more than
last year.

“I expect that between now and the end of the week,” Walcott said, “we can say more about how far we have reached. In the meantime, I want to appeal to Barbadians to keep giving, because this whole effort of helping our people is not only at Christmas time.

“The Salvation Army do this throughout the year. We will need your support to continue our programmes,” he said.

Walcott also revealed that since April the Army had seen the effects of this year’s civil servants job cuts, with an increase in the number of people coming forward for help.

However, the major stressed the Army was determined not to turn away any people in need turning up at its doors. Wednesday morning, he said, would be no different, as some 1,500 were expected to gather at the Army’s Reed Street headquarters for hampers.

The Army anticipates handing out approximately 2,100 parcels in all across Barbados on that day.

“You might see a lot of young people waiting for parcels; the point is that a lot of our young men on the streets who take drugs need a meal to eat, and they will be fed here and not given a food parcel.

Marcia Neblett, supervisor in the Salvation Army’s soup kitchen, sharing lunch for the needy.

“But we do as much as we can to give those who are really in need of food. Our food parcel is designed specially for the elderly. So when we interview people, based on their needs, we will give some of the younger ones as well,” Walcott explained, as volunteers busily prepared packages at Reed Street.

Volunteers at work!

A volunteer carrying bags of rice on his shoulders.

Residents of South District are crying out over the inconvenience the dust coming from ongoing road works is causing them.

Just over two weeks ago, a section of the road leading into the sub-urban St George community collapsed due to heavy rainfall.

However, today when a Barbados TODAY team visited the area for a progress report on the road repairs, residents complained that  the construction work being carried out by the Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW) was not only “messing up inside the house, but it is also causing a health problem”.

Resident Mark Crichlow reported that he had already contacted top officials at the ministry and voiced his concerns, while suggesting that MTW crews should wet the area before and after work daily.

South District resident Mark Crichlow

As he took a team from this newspaper on a tour of the downstairs of his two-storey house where dust was mounting on  the floor, furniture and windows, Crichlow said he was especially concerned about the well being of members of his household, including his two-year old child who he said was currently at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital fighting a fever.

The chairs in Mark Crichlow’s house covered with dust.

Dust from ongoing road works at South District, St George settled on the Mark Crichlow’s floor.

“We don’t mind them repairing the road but when they finish working on afternoon it would really take some wetting of the area to keep down the dust. The dust affecting me real bad so on evenings when I come home I got to wet it and before I go long [to work] on mornings I try to wet it.

“I got a young baby in here and I have to try to keep down the dust. Look at the baby clothes on the line there that I got to go and wash over,” he said.

Meanwhile, another vocal resident, who did not give his name, added: “Them just coming and working. Nobody ain’t wetting the road but safety comes first, even for the workers and not only the residents.

“Right now work slow down because it is Christmas but when it pick back up after Christmas they have to wet the road because inhaling all of this dust ain’t good for the residents health,” the concerned man said.

Other residents voiced concern that the road works would not be completed in time for Christmas.

Concerned about the number of house fires which have occurred so far this year, the Barbados Fire Service is urging home owners to take extra care this Christmas season.

Acting Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard, in a message on Christmas safety, said this year, regrettably, the Fire Service had been summoned to numerous fires, especially at private dwellings.

He reported that in 2013, there were 80 recorded house fires, compared to 93 so far this year –– an increase of 16.25 per cent.

This has sparked renewed concern that Barbadians are not heeding the message of fire safety.

The Fire Service is therefore urging persons who plan to cook to ensure that they are not fatigued or under the influence of any medication or any other legal or illegal substances that would impair their ability to carry out and complete their tasks safely.

“Persons who smoke are also asked not to carry out this practice in bed and to dispose of their cigarette butts in the appropriate containers, soaking them in water if necessary.

“On the matter of good housekeeping practices, you are encouraged to keep in and around your properties clean and tidy by not allowing materials such as old wood, log, grass piles, sponge or plastics to accumulate. Also, try not to let your vacant lots become overrun by grass as this practice is unsightly, unhealthy and gives fire a direct path to your home,” the release said.

Those who live near the ocean have been reminded to carry out frequent checks on the condition of their electrical fittings and fixtures as the salt sprays could easily corrode the protective casings, leaving wires exposed and sometimes allowing electrical elements to touch, which could lead to a fire occurring.

Also, at this time of year when Bridgetown is normally filled with shoppers, store owners and managers are encouraged not to overcrowd their stores with merchandise or block exits or firefighting equipment.

These actions are dangerous and are not in accordance with Part III Sections 38 and 39 of the Safety and Health at Work Act 2005, the Fire Service warned.

“I am further reminding persons that all smoke alarms should be in proper working order and that exits are clearly marked to ensure a safe evacuation of customers in case of an emergency,” Maynard said.

He also warned that provisions must be made for periodic announcements on what to do if an alarm goes off, particularly in one-door establishments.

Amid the festive season, he cautioned drivers not to drink and go behind the steering wheel.’

“If you must drink, have a designated driver, as the impact of a motor vehicle accident has far-reaching economic, physical and emotional consequences,” he said.

The Barbados Fire Service has responded to 49 motor vehicle accidents for the year to date, with a number of these being fatal.

There was much more order when hundreds of Barbadians turned up to collect their Christmas hampers from the Salvation Army’s Reed Street, St Michael headquarters this morning.

The usual shoving and squabbling were significantly reduced this year, the young and old queuing up for their gift packages that included basic food items.

Police officers maintaining order.

The orderliness to some degree was credited to a partnership between the Salvation Army’s management and the Royal Barbados Police Force.

On their way at the Salvation Army’s headquarters to collect their hampers.

“This year we worked with the police, and they asked us to tell them what we wanted them to do,” the Army’s public relations officer Major Denzil Walcott told Barbados TODAY this morning as the distribution took place.

Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave, with Lady Belgrave, handed out the first dozen or so of the 1,700 parcels distributed.

Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave (at centre) cheerful as he hands a elderly woman her hamper. Looking on are Lady Belgrave (right) and Aide-De-Camp Camp Carlos Lovell.

The Head of State, who was pleased once again to assist, expressed gratitude to all those who had made contributions to or had otherwise played a pivotal role in securing donations for the Army. Sir Elliott said that because many Barbadians would find this Christmas to be a challenging one, it was “good to find that there are people in Barbados who care and are willing to help”.

“It is my hope and wish that those persons who are attending for the purpose of receiving hampers will display good manners as they come forward, and that there would be no pushing or shoving, be it in front of the frail, infirm or not so strong,” the Governor General pleaded during a short Christmas service before the distribution.

Sir Elliott also thanked the Royal Barbados Police Force Band for its musical contribution to the carolling.

Major Walcott said this year’s numbers for hampers were noticeably smaller because there were now more organizations offering help to those in need. He was pleased that “more charitable entities and individuals are making the effort to lend a helping hand”.

In addition to the 1,700 hampers given out at Reed Street, about 500 more were distributed at about the same time among the Army’s 11 churches across the island.

Cuba’s Ambassador to Barbados has applauded the renewal of diplomatic relations between the Spanish-speaking Caribbean country and the United States.

Speaking to Barbados TODAY at the Embassy of Cuba, Ambassador Francisco Fernádez Peña said the decision was the best news his country had received in the last 56 years.

Cuban Ambassador Francisco Fernádez Peña

“This would be useful for Cuba and the rest of the region because we can now do many things as an integrated state. It means new opportunities from all points of view. From an economic point of view, there are many potentials for commerce in an exchange of goods and services. It is also important to get access to the US technology and Cuba’s technology . . . ,” Peña said.

In a live statement, Obama announced a major loosening of travel and economic restrictions on Cuba and also stated that the two nations agreed to reopen embassies.

However, the ambassador said the action does not go far enough and called for an end to the US trade embargo on Cuba, saying it had caused enormous damage to that country’s economy and its people.

“That’s why, so far, it has been impossible to have normal relations even though our country has sent many messages in private and public to the government of USA, and to the different administrations, to have a reconciliation of normal relations despite the differences between the two governments,” the diplomat said.

A recent National Health Accounts (NHA) study has shown that Barbados’ total health spend for fiscal year 2012-13 stood at BDS$732.4 million.

Chief Health Planner in the Ministry of Health Samuel Deane revealed the findings during a dissemination workshop this morning at the Savannah Hotel, Hastings, Christ Church.

The study showed that overall health spending was strongly supported by Government, which financed more than half of this recurrent expenditure. However, 39 per cent of spending on health was by households, many of which paid for health care with no financial risk protection.

It was also found that 44 per cent of health spending was on secondary care compared to six per cent for tertiary treatment.

The NHA study further revealed that nearly 60 per cent of HIV spending was for care and treatment.

It also found that prevention spending for HIV was higher than for other diseases, with curative care accounting for 58 per cent of HIV spend, compared to 18 per cent on surveillance management, 22 per cent on prevention strategies and two per cent on the purchase of condoms and drugs at private pharmacies.

Deane however cautioned that current spending data by disease and health conditions was limited.

In fact, he pointed out that based on the findings 53 per cent of health spending was not classified to any particular disease. Of the 47 per cent of spending that was determined to be “disease-specific”,

HIV/AIDS accounted for three per cent of the total, hypertension two per cent, cancer 13 per cent, cardiovascular disease three per cent, diabetes three per cent, mental disorder six per cent, other non-communicable diseases or NCDs five per cent, reproductive health eight per cent, asthma two per cent and injuries two per cent.

As for lessons learnt, the Chief Health Officer said the study, which was carried out by the University of the West Indies, provided new insight into how the country’s health resources were being spent.

However, he said there was need for more investigations to be conducted out.

Also welcoming the research, the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Cheryl Alleyne said the study provided a more comprehensive estimate of expenditure in the health sector and allowed the Ministry to measure and to analyze the flow of financial resources among all sectoral actors, including the private sector.

She said the information could be used by policymakers to examine viable alternatives for financing national health services and designing innovative revenue-generating models for programmes and services.

“Of course we have to maintain a socially-minded balance in any intiative to ensure that the most vulnerable in our society are always provided for and continue to enjoy the health and well-being that every individual in our country has a right to enjoy,” she said, in delivering the feature address on behalf of Minister of Health John Boyce.

“However, there are some systematic changes that we can employ immediately to improve efficiencies, and to bring greater accountability and to the management and utilization of resources,” she said, while identifying the procurement system as one such area.

Alleyne also suggested the standardization of patient care through the use of care maps and clinical protocols for the management of patients with specific health related conditions.

“This would also include specific guidelines for lengths-of-stay in the hospital, a source of major expenditure within the system.”

However, the health official made it clear that “such guidelines would not be instituted at the expense of quality care, but would be based on evidence from documented research on the management and care of disease and medical disorders”.

Alleyne added that duplication of health services was another factor that may be addressed with the view to rationalizing existing services and optimizing expertise and technologies.

The Ministry also needs to reorganize its priorities to place greater emphasis on policy development, strategic planning and regulation, she said.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

Two major stores in Bridgetown are reporting an increase in sales over the past two weeks, and predict the trend will continue over the next few days.

When Barbados TODAY visited the City yesterday, some streets were filled with pedestrians, while many stores were packed to capacity as shoppers took advantage of the last Sunday shopping day.

Owner and managing director of Abed’s Stores Eddie Abed reported that sales have been up at the Swan Street and Sheraton Mall locations since the start of this month.

Shoppers in Abed’s looking for flowers to decorate their homes.

He said this is clear indication that  “people have waited until the last minute to shop.”

“We have been fortunate that we have a good variety of merchandise, which has been able to take us through the season.”    However, the businessman noted: “We are just not sure if it is going to make up for the shortfall of November, but the jury is still out and, at this stage of the game, we are very thankful for what we are getting.”

Over at Cave Shepherd, Broad Street, jewelry retail manager Beverly Belgrave said that department store had also seen an increase in business in the past week.

Shopping for fragrances.

The men came out to shop too.

Belgrave said that while shoppers were still buying household items, many were in search of that perfect gift for a friend or loved one.

“This weekend we have seen an increase and I am sure that by Tuesday we are going to see even bigger crowds. As usual fragrance is always the gift of choice and also leather is very popular and toys for the kids,” Belgrave added.

The Child Care Board has met, and even surpassed, its target of Christmas food hampers this year.

Speaking to Barbados TODAY during the donation of 10 hampers from the Barbados Bar Association at the association’s Perry Gap, Roebuck Street headquarters today, board director Denise Nurse said a commendable 230 hampers had been donated, 10 more than was initially targeted.

She attributed the success to an appeal made by the board last week for corporate Barbados to assist.

Nurse said the Child Care Board was exceptionally pleased about the response from corporate Barbados with the hampers being used to assist scores of families, particularly those with children in dire need.

“Yes, assistance is needed all year round but Christmas is very special and is a time for families and fellowship,” she said.

“It is good that the children within the 230 families would have a meal on Christmas Day from these hampers. I hope more hampers would come.” Meanwhile, President of the Bar Association Tariq Khan explained that the donation of the hampers was an opportunity for the association to give back to the community, and to reach out to people who were genuinely in need.

He said it had become clear to the association that poverty was a hidden issue in society and indicated that the members of group were determined to do what was possible to help.

“We asked members of the Bar Association and members of the council to contribute by canvassing them through letters and emails and we used the association’s headquarters as the reception point for all the food stuff and perishable items,” Khan said.