Bajan Newscap 8/11/2016
Good Morning #realdreamchasers. Here is your daily newscap. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Today Online (BT) or The Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).
BUDGET PLEA - NO MORE TAXES, Mr Minister. That was the plea yesterday from president of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI), Eddy Abed, to Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler as he prepares to present the 2016 Budget on Tuesday in the House of Assembly.The private sector leader made it clear that high tax impositions were not working as Government was getting less revenue from this source, even though it had been imposing more tax measures on individuals and businesses.In the place of new taxes, Abed said, Barbadians should be prepared to pay user fees for some public services, including things such as school meals at the primary school level. (DN)
FLOW BOSS HAS SAY ON ECONOMY - Managing Director of Flow Barbados Niall Sheehy is recommending that Barbados takes control of some of the factors that impact on the economy in order to propel growth.In addition, he said while he was confident Government was working on initiatives to bring about positive changes in the economy, he would like these changes to happen faster. Sheehy said while he was happy the island’s tourism product continued to perform well, he remained concerned that the economy was still vulnerable to a number of external factors.Additionally, the telecommunications official said he would like to see more local initiatives to drive economic growth. Opting not to give suggestions, Sheehy would only say one area to examine would be that of outsourcing. Describing the current telecommunications industry as “a very active and competitive” one, Sheehy added that customers continued to benefit ,especially over the past year, as the company made changes to stay ahead of the competition. (BT)
BRIDGETOWN NOT DYING - Two of Barbados’ foremost housing planners have accused the private sector of being partly responsible for the decline in nightlife in The City.National Housing Corporation Planner Raymond Lorde and Chief Town Planner Mark Cummins said many businesses were investing in daytime retail sales, while ignoring night-time commerce. They shared that view on Monday night as the Urban Development Commission hosted a lecture in observance of its 19th anniversary. Lorde, who delivered the lecture, said: “Bridgetown is not dying, we just don’t understand what is going on in Bridgetown. Speaking from the floor, Cummins was also clear that he did not share the view that the island’s capital city was dying.“When I look and see what is happening in Nelson Street, Marhill Street, Tweedside Road, Baxter’s Road, Bridgetown cannot be dying,” he insisted, agreeing that the City’s redevelopment would not materialize if efforts were restricted to daytime activities.Lorde contended that private sector investors elsewhere would not be using such a property, with a view to the sea, for offices or a car park.“Private sector needs to see that housing in The City is a viable option,” he insisted.Town Planner Cummins added: “Look around Bridgetown. It is only the National Housing Corporation that has built social housing in Bridgetown, certainly within the last 25 years”.
SHUTDOWN LOOMING - The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) is demanding that the National Housing Corporation (NHC) rescind the recent appointment of a new human resources manager and to appoint Assistant Human Resources Officer Polla Blackman to the post instead.Blackman acted as Human Resources Manager for over a year until the recent appointment against which the NUPW has protested.The union held a three-hour meeting today with senior officials of the NHC and shortly after, NUPW President Akanni McDowall hinted at a possible showdown if the state agency did not relent.McDowall said that during yesterday’s meeting the union made it clear that the method of selection was neither objective nor transparent. He complained that no consideration was given to experience or seniority in appointing the new human resources manager and the NHC ignored proper process with its failure to first advertise the vacancy within the organization.The union has accused the NHC of nepotism, revealing last Friday that the new member of staff was the wife of Minister of Housing Denis Kellman’s nephew. It has also accused Kellman, who has responsibility for the NHC, of seeking to deceive the public on his relationship with the new manager. (BT)
TEACHERS URGED TO SPEAK OUT - PRESIDENT of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), Pedro Shepherd, is encouraging members to speak up on issues affecting them at schools though they may fear victimisation. His call has come in the wake of several complaints he said he had received recently about the conditions at several primary schools.Shepherd stressed that though teachers were barred from speaking to the Press, they needed to use the union more to resolve any challenges they experienced.“Teachers, because of the General Orders, are not supposed to speak in public but I always say to them, ‘I can speak for you’ and they need to take full advantage of this. (DN)
WHY POULTRY IMPORTS - JUSTIFY the importation of the poultry products. This is the cry of chief executive officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul, while stressing to the powers that be that local poultry producers could meet any shortages.He was speaking at a press conference at the BAS’ Beckles Road, St Michael headquarters yesterday.“I know we have heard from different agencies, whether the BADMC (Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation) or private people, the excuse being given that the poultry industry does not have the capacity to supply. But how do we balance that argument when we have seen a tremendous increase in the production of poultry products?” he asked. (DN)
CASSAVA RAID - CROP THIEVES are at it again.This time they have hit the Government-run farm at the Ministry of Agriculture in Graeme Hall, Christ Church, getting away with a bounty of specially grown cassava in the wee hours, stretching over the weekend and Tuesday.This latest spate of crop theft has left the ministry reeling from what Permanent Secretary Esworth Reid deemed the destruction of the Barbados economy.“This (theft) is mashing up the economy of Barbados. There are hundreds of pounds that were actually pulled. Two days before, the same thing happened on the other side of the ministry. So the ministry was hit two times within three days,” Reid said. (DN)
SHEER HELL - Residents of Halls Road, St Michael are crying out for help to fight a mosquito invasion that they fear could lead to a spread of Zika and other viruses.The frustrated City residents said they had been left to battle the infestation alone, as they pointed to a large area of bush and a nearby dirty canal that provide the ideal breeding grounds for the aedes aegypti mosquito. “The ministry wants to lock up people for breeding mosquitoes and look at out here,” one vocal member of the community complained. “The only MP we does see is the ones on the police,” he further lamented, referring to the absence of Member of Parliament for the area, Richard Sealy.“No tourists don’t come ‘bout here so dem ain’t care ‘bout we,” added a shop owner who gave his name as John. The proprietor added flies, rampant in the area because of garbage pile ups, to the list of flying insects that posed a serious health threat.According to people living in the community, the canal was only cleaned ahead of Argofest, which takes place at the nearby Queen’s Park in February, and for the remainder of the year they were being forced to battle “thousands of mosquitos”. (BT)
TEARFUL FAREWELL - The tears flowed freely on Wednesday as family and friends gathered at Mount Olive Church of America in Carrington Village, St Michael to bid farewell to Romario Lashley who was shot and killed by police on July 26.The uplifting songs and fiery sermon delivered during the hour-long service sought to raise the spirits of the mourners at a time of sadness. Still, they wept; especially Lashley’s immediate family members, who could not hold back the tears.
FAMILY STRUCTURE TO BLAME - Minister of Home Affairs Adriel Brathwaite is standing by his position that a weakening family structure is the root cause of problems among the island’s youth. Brathwaite backed his position by stating that a poor family structure was the underlying issue faced by children housed at the Government Industrial School, as well as by prison inmates.And, he has suggested that any money to be spent should be invested in strengthening the family structure and the overall framework.“When I see children not being allowed to be children and being taken advantage of. [I believe that] something has to be done,” a release from the Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS) quoted Brathwaite as telling UNICEF Regional Director Marita Perceval and other UNICEF officials who paid a courtesy call at his Wildey, St. Michael office Wednesday morning.The minister said there was a need to save and protect the island’s children by creating healthy environments, adding that “good behaviour could not be legislated”.“There has to be cultural buy-in, so we need to look to see where there are weaknesses; we need to look at the family structure,” Brathwaite, who is also the Attorney General, emphasized. (BT)
BAJAN GAYS CELEBRATE - While the local gay and lesbian community is jumping for joy at a ruling today by the Belize Supreme Court which outlawed the age-old ban on homosexuality, some church leaders here and a member of the Freundel Stuart administration are not pleased. Outspoken church leader Senator the Rev David Durant said he was disappointed at the Belize Supreme Court ruling. He, too, feared it would not be long before same sex couples here were given similar rights. He said the same sex marriages which the LBGT community wanted to “force” on Barbados would now have more legal ground with which to work. District Superintendent of the Nazarene Churches in Barbados Dr Orlando Seale said the ruling had serious implications for Barbados. “The powers that be would continue to push and continue to press and it is obvious that the gay lobby has a lot of influential people in the right circles, it would appear,” Seale complained. The District Superintendent contended that while not expressing its support for homosexuality, Government seemed to agree with it. (BT)
PROMOTERS FED UP WITH VIOLENCE ON CRUISES - A number of promoters who organize cruises aboard the Jolly Roger said they were sick of the increasing violence and are demanding an end to it. However, a store owner and event promoter who has an upcoming cruise on another pleasure boat, said too many people would be affected if the night cruises were cancelled.“The partying life on the boat right now feeds a lot of people. For me I am a store owner so it would affect me. There aren’t that many parties in Barbados right now and we are living off the cruises right now. When you put a stop to the cruises, you will have a severe problem because clothes won’t be selling, hairdressers and nail techs won’t be making as much money,” the promoter, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Barbados TODAY. Another promoter, Dwayne Drakes, who has an upcoming cruise themed Blended on the Jolly Roger, said he too was concerned about the violence.His event takes place in the daytime, a period which has not attracted violence, but this did not mean he was not worried. Another promoter who has an upcoming night cruise on the Jolly Roger said he was not sure whether or not his cruise had been suspended, but he too was troubled.“Of course I am concerned about the violence. I have to speak to the captain again but my crowd isn’t that kind of violent crowd. But I would prefer if the violence just cease at this point.”
JOLLY ROGER CRIME STATS - Within the last six months there have been three gun-related incidents surrounding the Jolly Roger. Two men were shot after leaving a cruise aboard the vessel in April; on June 9, Rico Reid, 23, was shot and killed in Wharf Road before he was able to board the boat and last Sunday night Ronisha Wilkinson, a 17-year-old mother of Grazettes, St Michael was shot at the back of her head, while 19-year-old Kemari Lewis of Black Rock, St Michael was allegedly shot in the left shoulder and Kadeem Maycock, 20, of Baxters Road was shot in his left foot. They were all rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment.
HARASSMENT LANDS EX IN COURT - “No means no.” That advice from Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant to Demian Ronnel Michael Leon Thorpe Wednesday, after he pleaded guilty to a harassment charge.Thorpe, 34, of Ocean View Road, Spooner’s Hill, St Michael confessed to harassing Salome Valence on Black Rock Main Road on August 9 without a lawful excuse.The No 2 Magistrates Court heard that the two were involved in a two-and-a-half year common law relationship, which ended back in May.However, the virtual complainant continued to live at Thorpe’s home as she was unable to make other arrangements.It was also revealed that during that time Thorpe made several sexual advances towards Valence, the mother of his one year old son.He would also follow her to and from work. Magistrate Cuffy-Sargeant then turned to Thorpe and said you have been reprimanded and discharged but you owe Miss Valence an apology. (BT)
W.I FIGHT BACK - OPENER KRAIGG BRATHWAITE’S tenth Test match fifty underscored a positive West Indies reply after centuries from Ravi Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha gave India a strong foothold on the second day of the third Test in St Lucia, yesterday. Responding to the visitors’ 353, West Indies reached the close on 107 for one, still 246 runs adrift of first innings lead, heading into the critical third day of the contest at the Darren Sammy National Stadium.The right-handed Brathwaite was leading the fight with an unbeaten 53 and was partnered by Darren Bravo who was not out on 18.Leon Johnson, in his first Test in 20 months, was the only casualty for West Indies when an error in judgement saw him run out for 23. (DN)
SIR EVERTON NOT HAPPY ABOUT SAMMY’S SACKING - ONE OF THE legendary Three Ws, Sir Everton Weekes, has given his disapproval of the sacking of West Indies captain Darren Sammy as well as the carnival-like behaviour of the regional players when they perform simple acts.While speaking on the sideline at the launch of Clarence Hiles’ book, 50 Barbadian Sporting Greats, at the Barbados Olympic Headquarters yesterday, Sir Everton said that Sammy may have been unfortunate to have been dumped after leading the West Indies to two World T20 titles. “I am not sure that this changing of the captain is the right thing for West Indies cricket as I am not sure that the best players are representing the West Indies. Most of the best players are playing the shorter version of the game and I believe that they can make a contribution to Test cricket. (DN)
CHEER FOR ATHLETES - MINISTER OF SPORTS Stephen Lashley has urged Barbadians to continue supporting their country’s Olympic team. In a statement issued to the media as he prepared to join the team in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Lashley said that Government also supported the efforts of the team.“We are hopeful of medals, but most importantly, we want to encourage our athletes to do the best they can,” he said.The Sports Minister said it was very important for Barbadians to demonstrate their full support for our athletes in Rio. “I would want to continue to ask Barbadians to remember our athletes, to support them, to pray for them, and to become enthusiastic about their performances in Rio,” Mr. Lashley urged. (DN)
40 YEARS OF TEEN TALENT - FOR THOSE FORMER participants present at the Barbados Hilton Resort, Needhams, St Michael, on Sunday night, the launch of the 40th anniversary of the Richard Stoute Teen Talent contest was not only an opportunity to rekindle old friendships but also to applaud and thank the man behind the show – veteran entertainer Richard Stoute.It was a time for tears, cheers, praise and much hugs as former winners, past contestants and long-time supporters from across four decades were reunited.The night opened with a sterling tribute to Stoute by past Over 21 contestant Elroy Tiger Brathwaite, this led the way to rousing tributes in song from the inimitable Shirley Stewart, Betty Payne, Barry Chandler, Lauri-ann Caines, Bianca Boyce, Christine Carter, Darren Mccollin, Crystal Austin, Shadia Marshall, Taneisha Alleyne, Phil Brathwaite, Wayne Daisley, Callie, Michael Streaks, Kim Sealey and Ray Armstrong.(DN)
MONARCHS RECEIVE THEIR CARS - THE 2016 MONARCHS are still cashing in on their winnings from the Crop Over season. This morning Party Monarch Lil Rick walked away with the keys to his Kia Cerato hatchback, while Sweet Soca king Edwin Yearwood got to drive away in his new Kia Cerato sedan and first time Pic-O-De-Crop winner Aziza Clarke got her Mazda 3. The monarchs received their vehicles at MQI's Wildey branch from representatives of the company as well as representatives from the National Cultural Foundation. (DN)
That’s all for today folks. Have w wonderful Wednesday. Shalom #thechasefiles.