#freundel stuart

[nakeddeparture]

Bridgetown, Barbados. What’s in your news for Saturday, March 9, 2024.

https://youtu.be/Sim0JWE97Nc

Freundel Stuart. Mariette Cyrus. Rihanna. World Cup. Richard Sealy. Fashion. Women/African awareness. Walk Around Barbados videos. And much more on Naked Departure on YouTube. Naked!!

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[galleryyuhself]

LIAT - A history of aviation in the Caribbean - compiled by Darrel Lou-Hing

1950 SIR FRANK HENRY SAPENNE DELISLE

The founder of Leeward Islands Air Transport Ltd. LIAT

A bit of history

Frank Sapenne Delisle O.B.E.

Managing Director, Leeward Islands Air Transport Ltd.

Director, Montserrat Co. Ltd.

Born: St Kitts Dec. 5, 1918.

Educ: St Kitts Grammar school and St Mary's College Halifax Nova Scotia.

Dept of Agriculture, St Kitts 1936-46;

Married March 4, 1941, Valentine May, daughter of Dr. W.A. Slack Medical Officer of St Kitts. 3 daughters, Marie Yvonne (Mrs Randolph) Jeanne Marie, Marie Therese.

Joined Montserrat, Co. Ltd. as Estate Man'gr., 1945; Man'gr.

1948; served as member executive council, Mont.,

1952; Member Montserrat Cotton Growers' Assoc. Fruit and Veg. Prod. Adv'y Bd.

Represented Montserrat at W.I. Sea Is. Cotton Conf St Vincent 1952 and at Livestock course in Br. Guiana. Club: New. Sport: Tennis.

Founded L.I.A.T. Airline, 1956.

Member Airline Operations Committee. Recreation Swimming Address Hodges Bay Antigua.

Prime Ministers laud Kittitian founder of LIAT airline

Fifty-five years after the establishment of LIAT (1974) Ltd by Mr. Frank Delisle, a national of St. Kitts and Nevis, in October 1956, with a single Piper Apache aircraft, the airline continues to advance the goal of Sir Frank to provide safe and reliable air transport to the islands and peoples of the eastern Caribbean.

Shareholder Prime Ministers Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Dr. the Hon. Baldwin Spencer of Antigua and Barbuda and the Hon. Freundel Stuart of Barbados in a joint statement noted that from such humble beginnings, today’s LIAT now represents the primary mover of people within the Caribbean region

Sir Frank Henry Sapenne Delisle, was born on the island of St. Kitts on the 5th Dec 1918, the Son of Harry Delisle and May (Stephens) Delisle. Frank received his early education in Halifax, Canada then went to neighbouring Anguilla as a young man to work in the Agriculture Department.

Frank Delisle, got the aviation bug after some unofficial trips on US Marine Corps anti-submarine patrols from Anguilla during the Second World War.

He then migrated to Montserrat where he was employed with the Montserrat Company Ltd. as a manager of a fruit plantation in Montserrat, he took time out to take flying lessons and began flying a two-seat Aeronca from Montserrat in the early 1950s. It was there that his love and interest in aviation developed.

A former airline captain, Frank S. Delisle, is one of the most engaging and resourceful characters one could wish to meet on one's Caribbean.

Sir Frank played a tremendous role in bringing aviation to the Caribbean region.

Sir Frank DeLisle was the founder of the Leeward Islands Air Transport (better known Caribbean-wide as LIAT), the oldest airline in the sub-Caribbean region.

With a vision of transforming air transportation in the region, Delisle started the Leeward Islands Air Transport Service Ltd. on 20 October 1956, on the island of Montserrat the year of the opening of Blackburne Airport.

This was preceded by operating from small landing strip he built on his plantation in Olveston in 1953. The strip was only 800 ft long and had a six degree incline. All take-offs were down hill and often down wind. Landings were made against the incline.

In those days LIAT was a privately owned one-man operation with a fleet of one aircraft and a non-scheduled service between Montserrat and Antigua a sector distance of just 35-miles, blue water passage, using a Twin engine Piper Apache. His available payload was just three passengers and/or some freight which could amount to little more than an arm full of parcels.

Nevertheless the service was popular among the islanders and the next year, the airlines schedule was widened to include St. Kitts, St. Eustatius, and St. Marteen.

Soon the Apache was reinforced with a twin engine Beechcraft Bonanza that could carry six passengers.

Gradually each island in the chain carved out miniature airports so that they can become aerially linked.

LIAT was incorporated in the Colony of Antigua, British West Indies, in 1956. At the time of its incorporation, its immediate purpose was to was to conduct a local inter-island operation with small aircraft within the British Caribbean area.

With the support of the late V.C. Bird, former Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, DeLisle’s vision grew and LIAT moved its headquarters from Montserrat to Antigua and their Hanger, a 60ft x 60ft structure, was erected to accommodate the Herons. Alongside the first Hanger was the fuselage of another Heron which was modified to become an office of the accounting department.

The airline continued to grow and develop with the co-operation of other regional leaders.

In 1957 shortly after its incorporation, control of LIAT through purchase of 75% of its issued and outstanding stock was acquired by British West Indian Airways (BWIA). LIAT became a subsidiary of BWIA.

It was considered that control of LIAT by BWIA would be mutually advantageous in that BWIA would participate through LIAT in providing local inter-island service with small aircraft and that LIAT would receive financial and other assistance in the conduct and expansion of its local service operations.

LIAT maintained a home base at Coolidge Airport Antigua, equipped for routine maintenance and for training of personnel, its fleet consisted of four six passenger Twin Bonanza aircraft recently augmented by two 48 passenger AVRO-748 aircraft, there were over 90 employees, including 14 pilots; its capital structure consisted of 1,500 common shares of $100 par value, of which 805 shares were issued and outstanding of which 75% of such outstanding shares were owned by BWIA; not withstanding the a measure of autonomy LIAT was financially and administratively dependant on an integrated with BWIA.

By 1960 LIAT had six aircraft four Bonanzas, a pair of de Havilland Herons and was flying as far as Trinidad.

By now the airline was flying scheduled services in a 1,400 mile arc in one direction to Puerto Rico(via St. Thomas) and to Trinidad via Guadeloupe, Dominica, Barbados and St. Vincent in the other.

In 1965 Delisle obtained his first turbo prop, an Avro 748, registered VP-LIK, and a second one a year later in 1966 due to the airline's decision to phase out the Herons, the Airlines Headquarters moving to Coolidge Airport to allow the Avro 748 to be operated.

In 1968, LIAT was operating some flights via an agreement with Eastern Air Lines to provide passenger feed at this U.S. based air carrier's hub located in San Juan, Puerto Rico and was flying "Eastern Partner" service between San Juan and Antigua, St. Kitts and St. Maarten

For the first time LIAT operated two 19 seat Twin Otters, which were replaced by 1970 by five Britten Norman Islanders.

Every winter from 1967 onwards, LIAT leased a single 748 from Autair and later from Court.

In October 1971 Court Line acquired a 75% interest in LIAT from British West Indian Airways, BWIA the National Airline of Trinidad & Tobago and the remaining 25% on the 1st October 1972 for the total cost of £790,000, at that time LIAT’s liabilities exceeded the book value of tangable assets by £1,461,000 so the total cost of LIAT’s goodwill was £2,251,000.

LIAT consistently made losses up to the time of the takeover. The purchase agreement required BWIA to convert US$ 2,500,000current account with LIAT into a long term loan.

In 1972 (Sir) Frank Delisle founded Carib Aviation with a single twin-prop aircraft.

Carib Aviation provided charter and scheduled flights throughout the Caribbean from its main base in Antigua.

At its peak the company employed 63 personnel, including some 15 pilots and 22 engineering staff.

The office facilities were at VC Bird International Airport, accommodating administration, accounts, operations and traffic departments.

An additional terminal office facility was located at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Carib Aviation also operated the DOMINICA AIR TAXI service between Antigua, Saint Lucia and Canefield Airport as well as a local feeder for LIAT.

On Tuesday 30 September 2008, Bruce Kaufman, new owner and CEO of the airline, announced that he was forced to cancel all flights the very same day because of no flight crews available.

He accused LIAT to have hired 7 of his Twin Otter pilots within a few days, breaking an agreement between the two airlines signed earlier in 2008 and leaving him with no choice to stop all operations.

Sir Frank DeLisle also founded Radio Montserrat, the first radio station in the sub-region, which is still operational today.

Frank Sapenne Delisle died at age 83 on Friday, November 1st, 2002.

It was the same day that he was honoured with a knighthood for his outstanding contribution to the aviation industry in Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean as a whole.

Frank is buried in St John's Public Cemetery, Antigua and Barbuda.

[jimi-rawlings]

Freundel Stuart - Wikipedia

Greetings Justin Trudeau Alain Berset,

I've never met this man in my life.

Regards,

Adrian Blake-Trotman

[thechasefiles]

Former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is not in favor of any plan to relocate Government Headquarters from Bay Street to make room for any future tourism development. He made this clear while speaking on the current administration’s decision to move the Geriatric Hospital on Beckles Road to the Botanical Gardens in Waterford, St Michael. “I passed where we are going to have the new Geriatric Hospital so that we can release the land in Beckles Road to private investment. When I was Prime Minister, some people came to Barbados telling me that where Government Headquarters is would be good for tourism development and that the Prime Minister’s office should be moved up to Ilaro Court. “I said ‘I don’t have any problem with that suggestion, just come back and tell me when the White House is going to be moved in the United States; come back and tell me when Number 10 Downing Street is going to be moved and when 28 Sussex Drive In Canada will be moved and where’. I haven’t heard from any of them since,” he stated. Saying the island once had the belief that the achievements of its people are important and in need of protection, the former leader of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) lamented that now “all life in Barbados today is about transactions” with no concern being given to the societal impact. “They do not discuss the social implications of anything going on in Barbados. It is just the bottomline, what the transaction will yield and what it will yield for certain people’s pockets,” he charged. Speaking at the DLP’s City branch meeting at Baxter’s Road over the weekend, Stuart said the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) is failing both residential and commercial Bridgetown. He said that since the current administration came into power there has been no transformation of The City either for those who live there or who work there. The former prime minister pointed out that while Bridgetown was a bustling hub of commercial activity for 69 years, this has declined significantly over the past decade and that the current government has done little to address it. Read the rest below 👇🏾 https://www.instagram.com/p/CqofLnaJtEnuAV7R6pGWmAMWEDq5dwX2c4CVFc0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ifreakingloveroyals]

30 November 2016 | Senator, the Honourable Maxine McClean, singer Rihanna, Prince Harry and Prime Minister of Barbados Freundel Stuart attend a Golden Anniversary Spectacular Mega Concert at the Kensington Oval Cricket Ground on day 10 of an official visit to the Caribbean in Bridgetown, Barbados. Prince Harry's visit to The Caribbean marks the 35th Anniversary of Independence in Antigua and Barbuda and the 50th Anniversary of Independence in Barbados and Guyana. (c) Chris Jackson/Getty Images

[hellyeahrihannafenty]

Rihanna is Getting Her Own Street in Barbados, Rihanna Drive

Shutup and keep it movin’ on Rihanna Drive.

Bajan megastar Robyn Rihanna Fenty is admired for being a worldwide acclaimed pop star who never forgets about her roots. Rihanna’s consistent charity work in her hometown of Saint Michael, Barbados is largely appreciated and now the “Diamonds” singer is being honored in her hometown by having the street she grew up on renamed after her.

Formerly known as Westbury New Road, the street is now bound to become an eternal landmark as its new name Rihanna Drive will soon come into effect.

This past Friday, the Government of Barbados Ministry of Tourism announced, “The Government of Barbados will on Independence Day, Thursday 30th November 2017 officially change the name of  Westbury New Road located in St. Michael to Rihanna Drive in honour of Barbadian superstar Ms. Robyn Rihanna Fenty who grew up in Westbury New Road.” as reported by Nation News.

On Barbados’ Independence day, Rihanna along with the Prime Minister of Barbados, Freundel Stuart will be present for the two-hour ceremony to unveil the street’s new signage.

Rihanna takes out precious time to perform clever acts of kindness by making great contributions to charities that focus on matters such as children in need, disaster relief, donor needs and more. Named after her grandparents, Rihanna started the Clara Lionel Foundation Scholarship to help students in the U.S. who are from Caribbean countries attend college. She has also developed a modernistic center for oncology and nuclear medicine to diagnose and treat breast cancer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown, Barbados. The Grammy award winner has honored her former street residence by naming her record label after it, Westbury Road Entertainment.

This is a timely well deserved earned honor for Riri which will simultaneously occur during the phenomenon of her makeup line Fenty Beauty and collaboration with Puma, Puma x Fenty.  [The Source]

[nakeddeparture]

Politics, Barbados. Mia Mottley. Leaders are arriving in SVG, but DLP faithfuls (haters of Mia Mottley) are talking about the $1.3 million she spent in Dubai.

https://youtu.be/HuU_9RrWlno

Truth is, she’s a better Prime Minister than Freundel Stuart (what did he do?) or anyone now in the DLP lineup. You’re going to be hard pressed to find a more energetic and intelligent leader. Have your say. Naked!!

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[thisisjamaica]

Westbury New Road to become Rihanna Drive

Barbados' most famous daughter will soon have a lasting landmark named after her right in the neighbourhood where she grew up.

In a statement a short while ago, the Ministry of Tourism announced: "The Government of Barbados will on Independence Day, Thursday 30th November, 2017 officially change the name of Westbury New Road located in St. Michael  to Rihanna Drive in honour of Barbadian superstar Ms. Robyn Rihanna Fenty who grew up in Westbury New Road."

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and Rihanna are scheduled to unveil the new signage at a two hour ceremony at Westbury New Road, from 3.00pm to 5.00pm on Independence Day.

[newestbalance]

Barbados elects first female PM in opposition landslide

BRIDGETOWN (Reuters) – Barbados elected its first female prime minister as the opposition inflicted a crushing defeat on the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP), winning all the seats in the Caribbean island’s parliament, election results showed on Friday.

Mia Mottley’s victory in Thursday’s elections returns the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to power on the island of some 285,000 people for the first time in a decade.

The Electoral and Boundaries Commission said the BLP had elected all 30 members of the parliament, delivering the first clean sweep in the history of the legislature. The DLP had previously held a slim majority with 16 seats.

“This victory is the people of Barbados’ victory,” Mottley, 52, told supporters outside the BLP’s Bridgetown headquarters early on Friday, calling the result a vote for a more inclusive and transparent kind of leadership for Barbados.

“This must be our legacy to the people of Barbados: to give you back your government and your governance,” said Mottley, a former minister and attorney general who was sworn in later on Friday.

The result means the Barbadian House of Assembly is without an official opposition, despite the fact that an unprecedented 135 candidates ran for office across nine parties.

Outgoing Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, who had served since 2010, congratulated Mottley, conceding that the DLP had suffered an “overwhelming defeat.”

“In campaigning, whenever there is success, success is shared by all those who succeed and by those with whom they are associated, but when there is failure, failure points to one man,” he told reporters at his party headquarters.

“I think that there was some hurt in the society in respect of some of the decisions that had to be made.”

The U.S. State Department issued a statement commending Mottley’s “stated intent to address fiscal transparency” and saying the United States looked forward to working with Barbados to enhance economic partnerships and private sector investment.

The Barbadian economy has struggled since a sharp contraction in 2009 after the global financial crisis.

Weak growth has put strains on Barbados’ public debt, pressuring foreign exchange reserves and helping to spark repeated downgrades of the island’s credit rating.

The DLP’s economic record dogged Stuart in the campaign. Many voters expressed frustration at the party’s failure to reduce debt and the cost of living even as their taxes rose.

Reporting by Robert Edison Sandiford; Additional reporting by Mohammad Zargham in Washington; Editing by Alistair Bell

The post Barbados elects first female PM in opposition landslide appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2xd0Hjn via Everyday News

[thechasefiles]

The Chase Files Daily Newscap 7/6/2018

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! Here is The Chase Files Daily News Cap for Friday 6th July 2018. Remember you can read full articles by purchasing Weekend Nation Newspaper (WN), via Barbados Today (BT) or Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS).

INNISS MUZZLED – A last minute decision by former Prime Minister and outgoing President of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Freundel Stuart to abruptly end the party’s signature lunchtime lectures has left one party elder fuming, and threatens to cause fissures within the 63-year-old political movement. Stuart last night cancelled the lectures with immediate effect following a meeting of the DLP Executive Council, leaving former Minister of Commerce Donville Inniss with the proverbial egg on his face. Inniss, a prospective DLP leader, was scheduled to deliver tomorrow’s lecture and had produced and circulated a colourful flyer promoting the event. The title of his lecture was expected to be, Barbados and the DLP: The Future is Now, according to the flyer, which was done in the party’s colours and featured a reflective Inniss dressed in a white shirt, a yellow tie and a grey jacket. A further decision was taken to defer all such events until a new executive is in place after internal elections are held during the party’s annual conference next month. Inniss could not be reached for comment, but the decision did not sit well with party elder Astor B Watts, in whose honour the lecture series was renamed last year. An incensed Watts did not mince words this afternoon as he said what he thought of Stuart and the decision to shelve the lectures. The outspoken party stalwart suggested that the decision to bring a halt to the presentation without warning might have been driven by fear that Inniss would have criticized the former Prime Minister over his leadership of the party and the country. “Donville Inniss was going to do the speaking and he probably thought that he [Inniss] may not have given him any kudos,” Watts told Barbados TODAY. “I am not interested if they are at variance because I am doing something for the people of Barbados. We have been doing that lunchtime lecture on Friday for years and if he [Stuart] had any grievance, he should have consulted with me before making the suggestion which he made last night,” he added. The DLP elder told Barbados TODAY he had no intention of allowing Stuart the final say on the matter, and he did not hold back, saying the defeated Prime Minister “could go to hell”. “I am going over there tomorrow because I am not a fly-by-night, I was properly brought up. If he [Stuart] does not know right from wrong then he could go to hell! That is where he belongs,” an angry Watts said. “I am really going over there tomorrow because of all of those people I invited and I would have to now go and apologize to them and let them know what my position is,” he added. Watts reminded Stuart, who led the DLP to an historic defeat in the May 24 general election, that he only had a month to go as leader of the party, and therefore was in no position to act as a dictator. “We are not living in a Russian atmosphere, we are living in a democracy and I don’t stand for nonsense and I intend to still do my talk tomorrow when I go over there,” he said. “We can’t hide from the truth and the truth is that all is not well. If he felt that Donville Inniss may not have stuck to his script, I would have guided him not to bring any politics into the talk, or point fingers at anybody. “ I don’t know what would have possessed him to make such a decision, but he needs to realize that he is an outgoing president and he should take his seat and remain where he is,” Watts stressed. Barbados TODAY contacted DLP General Secretary George Pilgrim who refused to comment “on any internal matters of the Democratic Labour Party”. However, he confirmed that a meeting of the Executive Council was held last night, but said he was absent from the discussions.  (BT)

UNIFORM PROTEST – A major controversy is brewing at The Ellerslie School over the sudden change of the  uniform for students attending the Black Rock, St Michael educational institution. In fact, former student Rodney Garnes has started an online petition in a bid to pressure the Ministry of Education to reverse the decision. The petition, titled Don’t Change My Ellerslie Uniform, had attracted over 800 signatures up to the time of publication. Barbados TODAY understands that a number of disgruntled parents and members of the school’s alumni also plan to stage protest action tomorrow outside the school compound. When students return to school in nine weeks time following the summer holiday they will have a brand new uniform, which critics say is much too similar to that worn by students of Combermere School. Instead of the traditional khaki shirt and pants in the junior school, the boys will wear white shirts with the school crest, and khaki pants, while the girls will wear a khaki overall, as opposed to brown. Senior boys will continue to wear white shirts, but the brown trousers will be replaced by khaki pants and the school crest and tie will replace the epaulettes. A number of upset old scholars, including Terry Clarke, took to social media to vent their opposition to the change. “I stand in solidarity with my past and present colleagues of The Ellerslie School by signing this petition as my disapproval for the change in a new design of the school’s uniform,” Clarke posted. He said the new uniform would change the school’s identity and put a dent in the pockets of already struggling parents. “I am convinced that similar to other organizations both military, paramilitary and NGOs [non-governmental organizations], Ellerslie has become a brand where the uniform has affectionately attracted the name of ‘Brown Cows’ to the institution and throughout various social networks. “Also, major consideration must be given to those parents who have invested heavily previously, and last school year, and who, because of the bleak economic conditions domestically and nationally, cannot afford to purchase any further new uniforms,” he said. Another member of the school’s alumni, Judith Prescod, also gave the uniform change a failing grade. “As a past student I do believe that the uniform should not change. There are too many uniforms that already look similar to that, and besides the design is awful. Whoever did it needs to go back to needlework class. We are known as ‘Brown Cows’, let it stay that way,” she said. However, when Barbados TODAY visited the school just as students were dismissed around 1 p.m. today, Randall Stevenson, who will be entering his final year come September, was fully in support of the change in uniform. “To be honest, I really agree with the change in the uniform. I like it. The junior school uniform, when you look at the boys, one, it looks like Lester Vaughan slightly, and the girls look like Combermere just because it is an overall, but to me it isn’t that close,” Stevenson said. “The only thing that I’m not supporting is that we will now have no choice but to wear brown shoes. I don’t like that because to me brown shoes are harder to source and they are expensive.” Equally happy with the change was fourth year student Denzil Lockhart, although he said he was concerned that it had caused inconvenience to parents and guardians who had purchased the old uniform, only to be told it was being replaced. “At first I told myself it didn’t really make any sense because we could wear the fourth form uniform both in fourth and fifth form. It didn’t make a difference because it was the same thing. “So now students’ parents who aren’t that fortunate will now have to buy a fresh set of uniforms. So it will definitely be harder on them. It is not easy . . . because the uniforms aren’t cheap,” Lockhart said. The senior student surmised that parents were upset because of the additional expense thrust upon them at short notice. “Most parents would have already bought material for the old uniform because we wear the same in fourth and fifth form. So now that they hear the outfit changed they will have to get new material and shoes, and the money may just not be there. “Some parents may buy uniforms and put down for the next year so their children will have two new shirts or pants. I have some new ones that I never wore yet so I don’t know what I will do now,” he stressed. Principal Major Errol Brathwaite declined to comment on the matter.  (BT)

COMISSIONG’S AMBASSADOR TO CARICOM – Controversial attorney David Comissiong will be Barbados’ next Ambassador to CARICOM. THE NATION was reliably informed that Comissiong’s appointment became effective on July 1, but Thursday night he said he was ambassador-designate, as the appointment had not been concluded. He is in the delegation Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is leading at the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Montego Bay, Jamaica, as an adviser. Those talks started on Wednesday and will conclude Friday. Mottley has lead responsibility for the CARICOM Single Market and Economy and Reparations.  (WN)

WORTHING POST OFFICE REOPENS – Members of the public are asked to note that the Worthing Post Office, Christ Church, has reopened for business. The opening hours are from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Mondays, and 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., Tuesdays to Fridays. Customers with parcel notices in hand indicating collection at the Brittons Hill Post Office are advised that this condition remains unchanged. The Postmaster General thanks the public for its patience and understanding during the closure. (BGIS)

HEAVY TRAFFIC RESULTING IN DELAYS WITH COMPUTER SYSTEM – Members of the public are asked to note that a surge in usage on the Customs and Excise Department’s ASYCUDA++ System has resulted in some further difficulties being experienced. As a result, importers and exporters are experiencing delays in processing their documents. Acting Comptroller of Customs, Annette Weekes, explained that people trying to access the system were either being “knocked off”, or cashiers were experiencing a “hanging effect”, where they had to wait for a period of time before completing transactions. She appealed for all users to remain off the system as the Information Technology staff of the Barbados Revenue Authority work to rectify the problem. In the interim, she informed people experiencing delays or challenges, that the department was working to put temporary measures in place. The ASYCUDA++ System allows Government to streamline and simplify supply-chain processes from the point of importation, to customs clearance, to final importers to consumers. It also allows importers, exporters or their agents to submit their single administrative document along with supporting documentation for the processing of their goods from their homes or businesses, as long as they have an internet connection. (BGIS)

STINKY MESS – There is a high level of frustration and despair among some residents in Lascelles Terrace, St Michael, who say they have had enough of the indiscriminate dumping of garbage right in front of their homes. They say not only has the unsightly collection of refuse become a stinky mess, but it also encourages rodents and flies, posing a health concern for everyone in the vicinity. Annette Clarke, who claimed people have turned the sidewalk at the front of her house into a dump, is pointing an accusing finger at those driving by and residents of the neighbouring area. “I think they feel it’s a dump. Everyone comes and sees two or three bags [of garbage] and then everyone does come, but this is right in front my door and it is not affecting the people who put the garbage here, it affects me and it needs to stop,” she said. Clarke said the stench sometimes becomes unbearable, particularly if the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) does not clear the pile-ups regularly. “The wind blows the stench right into my house. Sometimes the garbage is thrown all in front of my gate because the rats and fowls burst it out,” she told Barbados TODAY. “It is really bad . . . . A night I came home and as soon as I got here [gate entrance] a big rat run across my path. I thought it was a cat. The rat run all through my garden, it was looking for food,” Clarke said. Another resident, who asked that she not be identified, told Barbados TODAY she and her family had become virtual prisoners in their own home as a result of the mountains of refuse. “I does try to keep around the place clean, but I had to tell the children to stop going outside barefoot now, and they don’t really go outside now because of the garbage,” she said. “The flies aren’t as bad as the rats; they got some rats out here that are huge,” she explained. The situation is such, she said, that people feel comfortable enough to simply walk or drive to the spot and place their refuse there. However, she said her attempts to catch the perpetrators red-handed have so far proved futile. “Sometimes I would sit down and watch who put the garbage there but they like they does be watching me too because as soon as I turn my back you see a bag there and then it piles up,” the concerned resident said. “People drive up there with vehicles and come from all over the place just to put garbage there and then the garbage does be all over the place.” She said the matter had been reported to the SSA and health authorities, but the dumping had not abated. Instead, she said, as soon as sanitation workers clear the spot, the dumpers strike again. “As soon as the truck passes and takes up the garbage people does come and put back down garbage. The truck usually passes on Tuesdays and Fridays, but it passes anytime because of the shortage of trucks and the garbage just piles [up]. . . but when it comes by the evening the garbage is back there,” she disclosed. “People need to put the garbage at them. I don’t know why the whole neighbourhood putting garbage there to be collected. Your garbage should be at you,” the frustrated woman said.  (BT)

SAFETY A BIG CONCERN – People in a number of districts across St Andrew want urgent action taken to repair several bridges in that rural parish. From Trio Path to the East Coast, the plea is the same for the Ministry of Transport, Works and Maintenance to deal with the problem before it is too late. “I would not advise anyone to be on that bridge when one of those heavy vehicles passes,” said a Cane Garden resident known as “Puffy”, who added that the bridge there was “very dangerous”. Puffy, and another man known as “Slims”, said the bridge had been weakened by water damage and it “trembled” when heavy vehicles passed over it. They said it was only a matter of time before it went from bad to worse. (WN)

MAN INJURED IN ST LUCY ACCIDENT – One man was injured earlier tonight in an accident along Alleynedale in St Lucy. Two vehicles were involved in the accident and one man was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Police are currently on the scene carrying out investigations.  (WN)

TEENAGER CAUGHT WITH BULLETS IN PANTS – When police tried to search a teenager four years ago not only did his pants fall to his knees, but three rounds of ammunition were exposed. And today Kemal Mario Straker officially owned up to the April 15, 2014 charge before Justice Randall Worrell in the No 2 Supreme Court. Crown Counsel Oliver Thomas said lawmen were executing a search warrant at Straker’s Lot 15, Clapham Park, St Michael home when the ammunition was found. After he was arrested he gave a police statement detailing what had occurred. Thomas said that Straker was lying down when he heard a knock at the door and suspecting that it was police, he went to the front house where he sat quietly with “some bullets” in his pants. “Police start to search me and I went down on the ground to stop the police from searching my pants [but] my pants drop down to my knees because I was struggling and my pants came off,” the statement read. Straker, who is represented by attorney-at-law Angella Mitchell-Gittens, is due to reappear before Justice Worrell on July 26. (BT)

‘SHAK’ APPEALS FOR LENIENCY – A St Lucy man today pleaded for leniency after he was caught with two illegal firearms and ammunition in his possession on March 14, 2015. Shakeil Akeem Connell, alias Shak, of Fryers Well, Checker Hall, pleaded guilty three months ago to possession of a .22 revolver, .32 revolver and nine rounds of ammunition without the valid licences. “It is the first time I in this position . . . in this trouble [and] I ask you to be lenient towards me,” Connell told Madam Justice Pamela Beckles, in the No.5 Supreme Court, which is temporarily being housed at Cane Garden, St Thomas. However, Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Blackman questioned why Connell had travelled from the north of the country to Oistins to attend a fete with two weapons in his possession. “I never had intentions [for] the firearms. I was just with the wrong people who got me involved in these things and I get in trouble . . . and I up in prison,” the accused explained, adding that he had never “used a firearm”. However, Blackman suggested that Justice Beckles should impose a custodial sentence despite Connell’s previous unblemished criminal record and the fact that he had never used the guns. “It is unfortunate that he made that choice in a climate where there are so many illegal guns out there,” the acting DPP said before the case was adjourned for a decision later in the assizes. (BT)

FATHER ON TRIAL – A landscaper in his 60s today denied fondling the breasts of one of his daughter’s friends nine years ago. However, the now 20-year-old complainant told a nine-member jury, “that is a lie”, when the case against Thaddeus Leroy Best, of 1st Avenue, Brevitor Hall, St Peter, began in the No.5 Supreme Court this morning. Best, who now resides in St James, is on trial after pleading not guilty to indecently assaulting the then 11-year-old girl between July 1 and 31, 2009. The alleged victim was the first to take to the witness stand today as Senior Crown Counsel Krystal Delaney put forward the prosecution’s case. She explained that she was in the habit of visiting her friend’s home to play. However, on the day in question, she said they were in a bedroom playing when Best, who was “laying on the bed”, sent his daughter for a glass of water. “He come up to me and start to play with my breasts and told me if I was older he would give me some d*****,” the alleged victim said. She left the house shortly after. However, the alleged victim said she only told her mother about the incident in August. “It was on my mind at the time and [another] friend told me to tell my mother . . .  [but] I didn’t tell my mother at first, because I was afraid,” the complainant said. Under cross-examination, Best told his accuser: “I did not touch you” to which she replied, “that is not the truth”. He then told her: “You and I were never alone” to which she answered, “that is a lie”. Her mother and two officers then gave evidence before the accused gave an unsworn statement, saying he visited his daughter three to four times a week in a St Michael community. “On the day I was accused of touching [the girl] she was nowhere at the house at that time [and] at any given time of that given month was I alone [with her in] any part of this house,” Best, who is unrepresented, said. The case, presided over by Madam Justice Pamela Beckles, continues tomorrow when Best will call two witnesses to give evidence on his behalf. (BT)

WINDIES TORMENT BANGLADESH – Opener Kraigg Brathwaite stroked his first hundred in nearly a year while Shai Hope passed 50 for the first time in 13 innings, but it was speedster Shannon Gabriel’s devastating four-wicket burst which rocked Bangladesh and put West Indies on course for a comprehensive win in the opening Test on Thursday. Playing on the second day of the contest at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, West Indies piled up 406 all out in their first innings, with Brathwaite top-scoring with 121 – his seventh Test hundred but first since his 134 at Leeds last August. Hope, without a half-century since scoring one last October on the tour of Zimbabwe, chipped in with 67 while captain Jason Holder (33) and tail-ender Kemar Roach (33) produced breezy knocks down the order to add to Bangladesh’s pain. Armed with a big lead of 363, West Indies quickly demolished the tourists’ top order, leaving the innings in shambles at 62 for six and in need of a miracle to avoid falling 1-0 behind in the two-Test series. Bangladesh trail by 301 runs heading into today’s third day with only four wickets intact. Gabriel, fresh off a 20-wicket series haul against Sri Lanka, was again at the heart of the Windies juggernaut, snatching four for 36 while Holder chipped in with two for 15. Requiring a massive effort following their record-low 43 all out in the first innings, Bangladesh again found themselves hurt by the Windies quicks as wickets tumbled spectacularly. Starting their innings on the stroke of the final hour, Bangladesh safely navigated the opening overs with Tamim Iqbal passing 4 000 Test runs when he cut Gabriel to the ropes at backward point. However, off the very next ball, Gabriel had the left-hander caught at gully by Hope for 13, sparring at one that bounced and took the shoulder of the bat. Two balls later, a fired-up Gabriel struck again when he bowled new batsman Mominul Haque without scoring, with one that kept low. Holder then picked up his first, finding Liton Das’ outside edge for Brathwaite at first slip to take a simple catch and leave the Bangladesh innings in strife at 16 for three. Captain Shakib Al Hasan (12) and former skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (8) put on 20 for the fourth wicket – the best stand of the innings so far – with both escaping with a couple of streaky boundaries past the cordon. But Gabriel bowled Mushfiqur playing down the wrong line and in his next over, claimed the prized wicket of Shakib, brilliantly caught low down at third slip by Holder. Holder accounted for Mehidy Hasan for two in the fourth over before the extended close, nicking one behind which seamed. West Indies had earlier batted themselves into an impregnable position after resuming the day on 201 for two. Starting the day on 88, Brathwaite raised triple figures inside the first hour when he cut pacer Kamrul Islam to third man for four, and was unbeaten on 121 at lunch with the Windies on 271 for three. Nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo was the only casualty of the session, falling for 19 in the second over following the drinks break. Resuming on one, the left-hander struck two fours in a 79-ball knock while adding 52 for the third wicket with Brathwaite, before missing a defensive prod and losing his off stump to Kamrul. However, Brathwaite failed to add to his lunch time score, dismissed off the fourth ball following the resumption when he was taken low at cover off left-arm spinner Shakib (2-71), with West Indies adding a single run to their interval total. (WN)

GROUNDS FOR CONCERN – The Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) and Kensington Oval Management Inc. (KOMI) are on a collision course over the use of Kensington Oval in the midst of the Crop Over season. Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) president Conde Riley and acting chief executive officer Uina Prescod fear there could be major damage to the Oval if a stage is erected on the field for the forthcoming cultural events. When a NATION team visited Kensington on Thursday, the stage for the Phenomenal Friday show which features the Big Bashment finals, was erected on the eastern events plaza. Both Riley and Prescod expressed concerns with the Caribbean Premier League T20 matches scheduled here next month, the first of five games slated for August 25.  (WN)

BLEAK GRAND KADOOMENT LOOMS – It’s beginning to look a lot like one of the most low-key Grand Kadooments ever. This is the grim outlook from leaders of three top bands, who are all reporting depressed sales, poor sponsorship and a possible reduction in the number of bands taking to the streets for the Crop Over climax. Veteran costume designer Betty West, whose band this year is called Soca Royalty, told Barbados TODAY this year was the worse she has experienced in 27 years in the business. “This year everything has been slower. I find that people are a little restless with spending their money and I am experiencing quite a bit of difficulty where sponsorship is concerned,” West said. “The cost to bring a seven-section band, which caters to 350 people, has gone up from $90,000 to $125,000. I feel that in my 27 years of doing this I have not experienced what I am currently experiencing.” Just over 20 bands made the journey from the National Stadium last year after popular bands PowerX4 and Ravurz dropped out due to financial constraints. And, West said, based on the feedback from her fellow bandleaders, others may fall by the wayside. “It is going to be worse this year as far as I am concerned because from what I understand two bands have dropped out already. This is all because of finances, as well as the fact that the local people are not really coming out. I understand that Foreday Morning bands have dropped significantly as well. So it is really a big challenge for us this year,” she stressed. The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) has confirmed that 37 bands have registered for this year’s Foreday Morning street party, ten fewer than last year. “What I am hearing from the other bandleaders is that things are pretty tough, and things are pretty tough for us too. The influx of overseas patrons is what is saving the day. Had it not been for the overseas patrons most bands would be dead in water this year. Last year we held our own and this year we expect to do the same, but the truth is that this year is looking worse than last year,” Layne said. The bandleader blamed the economic downturn and the decision by then Prime Minister Freundel Stuart to hold the general election in late May, echoing a complaint by Barbados Association of Masqueraders President Chetwyn Stewart, who told Barbados TODAY last month that the election campaign had sucked the life out of Crop Over. Like Stewart, Layne also said the July 1 abolishment of the National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL), which increased from two per cent to ten per cent last July, came too late to help costume producers this year. “Taking off the NSRL now is a good thing but it would not help us now. You don’t start preparing for a band in January, we would have started since last year. So therefore, we are still in the red and it is certainly not going to help us in this season, because the NSRL has really affected us,” Layne lamented. Like the other bandleaders, perennial Band of the Year winner Gwyneth Squires told Barbados TODAY she was hanging on by a thread, and would soon call it quits if business did not improve. Meantime, Anthony Layne, the leader of the popular band Yello Kontact, said the situation was such that if not for revellers from abroad, a lot more bands would have been “dead in the water”. “All of the bandleaders are making a loss and I am still in it because I love it and I was born in it. But I will be soon done with it because it is not going anywhere. I have been losing money for years and you can’t sustain a business on love alone,” Squires said. The veteran costume producer also said a decision on whether or not to persist in the tough industry would depend on the urgency with which new Minister of Culture John King addresses the bandleaders’ concerns. “The new minister knows better than us the struggles of industry and he has promised to look after them. We understand that he can’t do it this year because he just got there,” Squires said. “John is a good man and his heart is in the right place, so I am hoping that he would put things right,” she said, while suggesting that a reduction in the Value Added Tax was a good place for the minister to begin. NCF Corporate Communications Officer Simone Codrington was unable to say how many bands have registered to date for the Crop Over main event,  but promised to provide the information as soon as it becomes available.   (BT)

CROP OVER DRONES – One Grand Kadooment band will be keeping an eye on revellers from above by employing a drone to improve security. The every move of those jumping as part of Erup The Band will be monitored and recorded, as will that of those planning mischief. General Manager Brian Layne told Barbados Today his band intended to beef up security in light of last year’s deadly shooting which marred the Crop Over finale. This, Layne said, would include the use of the drone to capture and monitor what is happenings during the five-kilometre jump from the National Stadium to Spring Garden Highway. “The drone would be flying over just to watch and ensure that persons are having a good time . . . .[It] would capture if anybody did anything to a masquerader,” Layne said. He disclosed that the band, which caters to between 400 and 450 revellers, would have extensive security and emergency personnel on hand in the event there is a serious incident. Mesh will also be used to fence in masqueraders, instead of the usual rope. “Once they are inside the mesh we can keep them safe but once they are outside of the mesh then it is really at them,” Layne said, while adding that the band was finalizing preparations with the authorities. Although last year’s shooting occurred at the end the Grand Kadooment jump up, it left a bitter taste in the mouth of the public. Twenty-year-old Taried Junior Rock of 3rd Avenue, Chapman Lane, St Michael, was killed and 20 others were injured, including a six-year-old boy who was grazed by a bullet. Layne confirmed that while some of his revellers were alarmed by the violence, most masqueraders were not deterred, as they believe the country and Crop Over were safe. “Most persons who jumped would not have experienced it, they just heard about it.  It may impact the persons who wanted to come and jump but for the majority . . . Barbados is fully safe,” Layne told Barbados TODAY. Meanwhile, the Barbados Masqueraders Association (BAM) has continued its call for soldiers to be assigned to help beef up security at the event. Ooutraje bandleader and BAM floor member Trevor Chase argued that despite the best efforts of bandleaders to hire the best security, the Barbadian public only respected law enforcement officials. “You will take all the precautions . . . but the security detail that the people pay attention to is the police that wear blue, the task force personnel and the army,” Chase stressed. “We will take all the precautions that we possibly can but people will respect the uniform more than anybody that is holding a rope,” he added, while urging Government to take note of the strict security detail at Trinidad’s carnival. BAM President Chetwyn Stewart disclosed that the association was in talks with the Minister of the Creative Economy, Culture and Sports John King to increase the military presence at the Crop Over main event. He indicated that the Grand Kadooment experience was more pleasurable and much safer when there was intensified police and military presence. A week ago, Deputy Commissioner of Police Erwin Boyce said the Force was 230 officers short of a full complement, but he assured the public that despite the challenges the Royal Barbados Police Force would have enough members deployed for the Crop Over season. Public Relations Officer Acting Inspector Rodney Inniss told Barbados TODAY the authorities were still finalizing security plans. However, he assured the public that the police “will continue to plan meticulously to keep them safe” this Crop Over. (BT)

CHEATS TRYING TO ENTER CROP OVER EVENTS WITH FAKE TICKETS – Event promoters are being encouraged to be on the look out this Crop Over season for an ever increasing number of people who are trying to get into events with fake tickets. Several individuals were turned away from fetes last weekend after they showed up with knock-off tickets. And while there have been such attempts in the past, one source indicated that the practice seemed to be on the rise in recent times. Promoter of the increasingly popular Awaken Ultra Premium all-inclusive breakfast party, Tremayne Austin, told Barbados TODAY 18 people were caught with fake tickets trying to enter the pre-dawn event last Sunday. This, he said, was “on a larger scale” than normal. “The ticket was actually printed but what we did was added a barcode, so they felt that they probably could have done it too. You know people take risks with everything. But we got all of them,” he said. “He actually got in because the head person for the ticket company was not at the door at the time . . . . So the person that was dealing with the ticket system thought it was a glitch, but when he came back they saw who it was who came in and when he was questioned he didn’t even put up a fight, he just walked out,” Austin said. The event promoter told Barbados TODAY when that individual was questioned he said he had bought the ticket from “someone who said they know the promoter”. Austin said he was still probing the issue and there was a possibility he would report the matter to the police after he was certain who sold the fake tickets. “I just want to make sure that the information I have is correct,” he said. Austin said not everyone who purchases a fake ticket is aware it is not legitimate, and he advised those who plan to attend ticketed events to buy their tickets from the advertised locations. “You either buy them directly from me if you know me or from the box office if you are not sure,” he said. In some cases the knock-off tickets were being sold for the same price as the legitimate ones, and in other cases they were cheaper. Alex McDonald, one of the main promoters behind the popular all-inclusive Beach House Breakfast Fete and the all-inclusive pool party, Splash, told Barbados TODAY he was aware some individuals may try to enter parties on fake tickets. However, he warned that it was highly unlikely they would get in given the level of technology in use at the doors. “We always tell people to buy from the legitimate box offices because they will have the right and legitimate tickets,” McDonald said. “People who buy from other people will be found out because now most people have scanners that they will use. So if you buy fake or scalp tickets we will find out and no matter how much you pay for them we can’t honour those. “It would be an attempt at fraud so we would [report it] and that person would be in trouble. But more importantly, the person whose ticket was denied should also report it because they would have paid money to get the ticket from somebody having thought it was real,” McDonald advised. However, he pointed out that a lot of people were aware they were doing something wrong when purchasing fradulent tickets because they would most likely pay less than the advertised price. “If a ticket is worth $200 and they said I have one for $150, then it is probably not real,” the promoter explained. Public Relations Officer of the Royal Barbados Police Force Acting Inspector Rodney Inniss told Barbados TODAYit was an offence for people to try to enter an event with a fake ticket. “Once it is a fake ticket it is offering a fake document and that is fraud,” he said, while adding that only a few cases had been reported. “You might get a case where people get bad experiences, but in terms of being reported to the police and people giving evidence we don’t have a lot of those cases,” Inniss said. “There will be people out there trying to get deals for various reasons and you have to make sure when you enter into a contract or deal with a person, make sure it is legitimate and you don’t fall victim to any falsified documents or tickets or anything along that line. You are advised to purchase your tickets from legitimate sources, and bear in mind if you are not going to do that you are taking a chance. And if you are taking a chance you are part and parcel of the outcome,” the police spokesman warned. (BT)

NEW STOLID J CROWNED – Crowd favourite DJ Bon entertained his way last Saturday night to win the coveted Stoli DJ Competition title. The 34-year-old disc jockey showed his versatility behind the turntables as he played the perfect mix of genres from disco to soca, defeating Jamaican Bobby Kush and the DJ combo of Tonk & Jones. The competition, now in its sixth year, was held at Regne Lounge after several stages where disc jockeys were tasked to show their technique and ability to appeal to the audience. This year, with an increased number of entries and a total of 107 submissions, there is no doubt the Stoli DJ Competition is here to stay. Stoli Brand Manager Allister Edwards told Bajan Vibes he was pleased with the success of this year’s competition. He said, “The competition was definitely a step up, with DJs not only showing technicality but also coming to entertain.” The winner-take-all contest gave DJ Bon the big prize of $5,000, an internship with Slam101.1FM, an opportunity to play with Xhosa Barbados for Grand Kadooment and other prizes. DJ Bon, who first thanked God for his victory, expressed gratitude to the Stoli Brand for continuing their efforts to develop the local talent. “I intend to take the experience gained from the competition and use it to my advantage since I’m thinking about entering the Redbull 3Style Competition,” he added.   (BT)

SCRILLA FIRST TO GRACE BASHMENT STAGE – Scrilla will be going out “with guns blazing” at position No. 1. The artiste drew that position Thursday night when the 12 Yello International Bashment Soca artistes met to see how they will perform in the finals at Phenomenal Friday stage at Kensington Oval on Friday. He is followed by first timers Porgie & Murda. Lil Rick is at No. 3.  Stiffy has taken the two titles in the Bashment Soca competition in 2016 and last year and he will come right after Lil Rick at No. 4. With a rebranded Yello International Bashment Soca competition, the gates have been opened to overseas acts and Sita from St Vincent (doing Hammer) and Freezy (with Badang) from St Lucia are hoping to pocket the winner-takes-all cash prize of $80 000. But it all comes down to what you bring to the stage on the actual night. Freezy, pulled No. 7 and he is good with that number. Sita ends the show. The others in order are Stabby at No. 5; Jus D at No. 6; Marzville at No. 8; Rhea at No. 9; Jagwa De Champ at No.10 and Jah Reddis at 11.  (WN)

ARTISTES READY FOR PHENOMENAL FRIDAY – Tonight 44 performers will grace the Kensington Oval stage for ‘Phenomenal Friday’. The stage is set and the competitors are eagerly anticipating the eight-hour battle as soca’s crème de la crème  fight it out in the Party Monarch and Sweet Soca semifinals, as well as in the finals of the Yello International Bashment Soca Competition. Twelve performers will be contending for the $80,000 grand prize on the bashment soca stage, while 32 artistes, 16 in Sweet Soca and 16 in Party Monarch, will compete for a chance to be on the Bushy Park Soca Royalestage on June 29. Ahead of tonight’s big event, Jagwa De Champ told Barbados TODAY he was elated that he finally made it to the bashment soca finals. Last year, his song Ride was disqualified, and in the inaugural year of the competition he failed to take the prize with his song ‘Back It Up’. “I feel like a winner even if I don’t win,” he said, while noting that this year’s contest was shaping up to be a keen one with regional competitors Freezy from St Lucia and Sita from St Vincent and the Grenadines entering the fray. “I feel the judges are going to have to work extremely hard this year, but I bringing my ‘A’ game and I know the rest of competitors are [also],” he added. Sita is also ready to hit the big stage. In fact, she told Barbados TODAY she planned to bring a lot of “fyah” on Friday night. This is her first time competing internationally. Nevertheless, the Vincy is confident that she can grab Barbadians and make her island proud with her catchy lyrics and endless energy. “You can expect pure fyah . . . .  I am coming to ‘knock it like a hammer,’” she said in reference to the hook line in her song. “I am a bit anxious but I am also enthusiastic because the Barbadian audience is different to the Vincy audience and . . . if I am performing for someone who is not familiar with my music . . . [I always ask myself], ‘what do I do to overcome obstacles,’” she added. Although reigning Pic-O-De-Crop monarch iWeb did not make it to the bashment soca finals, he will have a busy night, jumping from the Sweet Soca stage to the Party Monarch platform. iWeb will be competing in the Sweet Soca semis with ‘Best In Me’ while his Party Monarch entry is a collaboration with Mr Blood entitled ‘Stomp’. Yesterday, the seasoned and confident performer was cool, calm and collected as Phenomenal Friday approached and said that he would leave the anxiety for the finals stage. “Having done it a few times already there is no pressure at this stage, [but] once we advance that is when the pressure will start,” he told Barbados TODAY. As for the bashment soca finals, iWeb praised two-time king Stiffy for his evolution as an artiste. “Stiffy is evolving before our eyes . . . and he is a phenomenal talent,” iWeb said. “He is not a predictable artiste and that is something that goes well for him . . . . He is a  prime example of one in the entertainment industry that one would want to patent one’s self after,” he added in support of Stiffy’s bid to be crowned bashment soca king for a third time. Also making it to the semifinals stage for the fourth time is the orange-haired songbird Nikita. However, this will be the first time that she will be competing in both Sweet Soca and Party Monarch. “Vibe wise and energy wise, I am feeling positive,” said Nikita, whose Sweet Soca entry is ‘Journey’ and her Party Monarch song is ‘Going The Distance’. Earlier this week, 2017 Sweet Soca Monarch Red Plastic Bag (RPB) revealed his plans to retire from competition. It was a decision took many by surprise. However, responding to his decision to step away from the competitive stage, Nikita said that the veteran entertainer remained a mentor to many in the industry. “He is still singing, he is still there, he is still very much all of our mentor. We can still call on him and get some advice,” said Nikita, whose song ‘Going The Distance’ was written by RPB. Another Sweet Soca contender, Sanctuary, who will be singing ‘Fete Loan’ on Friday night, said he was not surprised by RPB’s decision which he does not expect to change the dynamics of the competition. In fact he said the exit of the reigning monarch would leave the door open for another deserving competitor. Although satisfied with making it to the semifinals for the second year in a row, Sanctuary said the May 24 general election had dampened the overall Crop Over spirit somewhat. “The election really mashed up Crop Over,” he said, while pointing the finger at former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart over his delay in announcing the date for the much anticipated poll. “If Crop Over is the biggest festival for the island I think that was really irresponsible of a Government to offset it that way because it going to effect the people coming in to see Barbados. . . . When people don’t see the same thing they saw the year in front they aren’t going to come the following year. We will get the ripple effect of it this time next year when people come in,” Sanctuary suggested, while stressing that “the build up to Crop Over was a bit taxing on people and you could tell because you are not seeing the numbers at fetes as before and you are not seeing as much fetes as before”.  (BT)

For daily or breaking news reports follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter & Facebook. That’s all for today folks. There are 178 days left in the year. Shalom! #thechasefilesdailynewscap #thechasefiles  #dailynewscapsbythechasefiles

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Barbados elects first female PM in opposition landslide

BRIDGETOWN (Reuters) – Barbados elected its first female prime minister as the opposition inflicted a crushing defeat on the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP), winning all the seats in the Caribbean island’s parliament, election results showed on Friday.

Mia Mottley’s victory in Thursday’s elections returns the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to power on the island of some 285,000 people for the first time in a decade.

The Electoral and Boundaries Commission said the BLP had elected all 30 members of the parliament, delivering the first clean sweep in the history of the legislature. The DLP had previously held a slim majority with 16 seats.

“This victory is the people of Barbados’ victory,” Mottley, 52, told supporters outside the BLP’s Bridgetown headquarters early on Friday, calling the result a vote for a more inclusive and transparent kind of leadership for Barbados.

“This must be our legacy to the people of Barbados: to give you back your government and your governance,” said Mottley, a former minister and attorney general who was sworn in later on Friday.

The result means the Barbadian House of Assembly is without an official opposition, despite the fact that an unprecedented 135 candidates ran for office across nine parties.

Outgoing Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, who had served since 2010, congratulated Mottley, conceding that the DLP had suffered an “overwhelming defeat.”

“In campaigning, whenever there is success, success is shared by all those who succeed and by those with whom they are associated, but when there is failure, failure points to one man,” he told reporters at his party headquarters.

“I think that there was some hurt in the society in respect of some of the decisions that had to be made.”

The U.S. State Department issued a statement commending Mottley’s “stated intent to address fiscal transparency” and saying the United States looked forward to working with Barbados to enhance economic partnerships and private sector investment.

The Barbadian economy has struggled since a sharp contraction in 2009 after the global financial crisis.

Weak growth has put strains on Barbados’ public debt, pressuring foreign exchange reserves and helping to spark repeated downgrades of the island’s credit rating.

The DLP’s economic record dogged Stuart in the campaign. Many voters expressed frustration at the party’s failure to reduce debt and the cost of living even as their taxes rose.

Reporting by Robert Edison Sandiford; Additional reporting by Mohammad Zargham in Washington; Editing by Alistair Bell

The post Barbados elects first female PM in opposition landslide appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2xd0Hjn via News of World

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Rihanna: ‘If Jesus Hasn’t Answered Your Prayers, Try Satan’ December 1, 2017 Baxter Dmitry 42 While attending a ceremony to rename the street she grew up on after her, Rihanna advised an audience of children to "try praying to Satan." “The definition of stupidity is doing something over and over again when it isn’t working,” according to Rihanna, who told a group of children that “if Jesus hasn’t answered your prayers, try praying to Satan.“ Rihanna has been honored by the Barbados government who re-named the street she grew up on as a child after her, and speaking at the official ceremony to unveil the newly-named Rihanna Drive in Bridgetown, Barbados on Wednesday she took the opportunity to hand out advice to young Bajan children. “I know it isn’t easy being born in Bridgetown, Barbados, it’s a struggle and you have to work twice as hard to achieve anything. You have to hustle. I’m still hustling, but I am living proof that you can do anything,” Rihanna told the children in attendance, before adding, “If you came here for tips I can give y’all the biggest one straight off.” “How many of y’all have prayed to Jesus for years, prayed with all your hearts, and got nothing back from him?” Rihanna asked the audience, comprised mostly of children and early teens. “Hands up. Be honest, it’s OK.“ After a few of the children raised their hands, the Diamonds singer said: “Jesus doesn’t care about you. Do you really think He even listening? Hot tip y’all, because you are my people. Be efficient, go to Satan,” Rihanna said, before Prime Minister Freundel Stuart hastily changed the topic, and shocked parents intervened and removed their children. rihanna-street-barbados The new street sign for Rihanna Drive in Bridgetown, Barbados. In spite of the light rain, Rihanna seemed in high spirits as she attended the ceremony, smiling and waving to fans as she strolled through the streets of her hometown dripping in expensive jewelry and wearing a luminous yellow dress and huge gold hoops. Rihanna’s Satanic preaching is merely the latest public dalliance the singer has shared with the dark side. After starting her career as a fresh faced R&B singer, she reinvented her image

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Moradores de Barbados comemoram mudança de nome de rua em homenagem a Rihanna

Moradores de Barbados comemoram mudança de nome de rua em homenagem a Rihanna

A cantora, que vive nos Estados Unidos, estará no evento em sua homenagem, um ato que contará com a presença do primeiro-ministro de Barbabos, Freundel Stuart. A Westbury New Road, uma das mais conhecidas da capital, passará a se chamar Rihanna Drive.

[thechasefiles]

The Chase Files Daily Newscap 5/25/2018

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! Here is The Chase Files Daily News Cap for Friday, 25th May 2018. Remember that you can read full articles via subscribing to Nation News Online, purchasing a Weekend Nation Newspaper (WN), via Barbados Today (BT) or Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS).

MIA, BEES CREATE HISTORY – Mia Amor Mottley is now the Prime Minister-elect of Barbados. The Barbados Labour Party (BLP) leader and her team romped home to an unprecedented 30-nil victory at the polls last night, with a punishing defeat of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP). With the demolition, the long-serving MP will today write her name on history’s page when she is sworn in as the first female Prime Minister, joining a prestigious regional list including the late Dame Eugenia Charles (Dominica), the late Janet Jagan (Guyana), Portia Simpson Miller (Jamaica) and Kamla Persad-Bissessar (Trinidad and Tobago). The BLP’s poll party started just before midnight at its Roebuck Street, St Michael headquarters where thousands of supporters danced and sang throughout the wee hours of this morning, forcing police to block off the street to vehicular traffic. “This is not my victory. This is not the Labour Party’s victory. This is the people of Barbados’ victory,” Mottley told a jam-packed Roebuck Street in her victory speech, before thanking her family, campaign manager Jerome Walcott, and consultants Dr Clyde Mascoll and Lucille Moe for the sacrifices they made in the campaign. At around 3:40 a.m., Mottley officially acknowledged the concession speech of outgoing Prime Minister Freundel Stuart. She had earlier in the night cemented her personal victory in the St Michael North East constituency, easily beating former MP for Bridgetown, Patrick Todd. But this was a party win all the way, with the DLP amazingly losing in its major stronghold, St John, for the first time since it had been contesting that seat in 1958, and other powerhouse constituencies such as St Philip North, St Philip West, St Michael North West and St Lucy. For the three-week campaign there had been noticeably heavy support for the Bees at political meetings, and that manifested in former MPs such as Michael Lashley, Dr David Estwick, Chris Sinckler, Ronald Jones and Denis Kellman, all comfortable winners last time out in 2013, becoming victims of a massive national swing. A humble Mottley thanked Barbados for the historic win, which became clear just after midnight, after the late arrival of numerous special ballot boxes at polling stations across the island. “I have seen in my colleagues a level of commitment and sacrifice,” she added, while paying special tribute to party chairman George Payne for helping show the unity developed in the Best For Barbados team which included 20 new candidates. “There should be no time for gloating. We are all one people. We are Barbadians,” she said to loud applause. “We will need many hands to help make light work. We will rebuild Barbados together. “We have to get to the task immediately,” Mottley said, adding mission No. 1 was to reduce the fiscal deficit, and that she wanted a Cabinet in place by Monday. Stuart signalled his retirement from elective politics, but indicated the Dems would definitely bounce back. “We suffered a similar defeat in 1999. We rebounded from that and I expect us to rebound from this,” he said around 3:15 a.m. in his concession speech. Stuart also accepted blame for the loss, saying it was on him “unequivocally”, but adding the DLP had more than enough talent to lead it back to elective prominence.  (WN)

ALL O DEM GONE - “I take full responsibility for the defeat.” These were the words of a clearly deflated Prime Minister Freundel Stuart as he pondered the overwhelming defeat of his Democratic Labour Party (DLP) at the polls yesterday. Standing virtually alone on stage at the DLP’s George Street headquarters in the early hours of this morning, a clearly dejected Stuart accepted blame for the crushing loss in which not one DLP member retained a seat. Speaking in a low tone and with none of the defeated DLP candidates in sight, Stuart maintained his party had put up a fight, but he conceded: “Those performances were not outstanding enough if one is to draw any conclusions from the results one has heard so far. “To persuade the electorate that the Democratic Labour Party should be re-elected to office or that any of its candidates should be re-elected to the House of Assembly, that is the nature of politics,” he added.  In apparent reference to his being left alone to face the music of defeat hours after, in virtually empty party headquarters, he said: “There is an old feature . . . that in campaigning whenever there is success, success is shared by all those who succeed and by those with whom they are associated. But when there is failure, failure points to one man.” However, he thanked the members of his party who had faced the polls for the “courage” they had shown in making themselves available to contest seats on behalf of the DLP and for their “outstanding performances throughout the campaign”. He told the media: “You can sometimes fail and we have to learn how to cope with both victory and defeat.” Stuart, 67, also said it was the end of his political career as a candidate, saying he had not planned to contest further elections, even before yesterday’s loss. He added, however, that he would still be “available to the party that has done so much for me, to participate in the rebuilding process”. (WN)

MOTTLEY WINS EASILY IN ST MICHAEL NORTH EAST – The Queen Bee still rules the hive of St Michael North East. Mia Mottley was moments ago officially declared as the duly elected representative for the constituency by returning officer Gwendolyn Bridgeman-Bushell at 2:45 a.m. Mottley easily took care of the three other candidates she faced in her seventh election, earning 4 553  votes to breeze past the Democratic Labour Party's Patrick Todd (500), 23-year-old first-timer Kemar Stuart (133) of Solutions Barbados, and Barbados Free Party member Enlou Frere (37). "Today is a good night," a beaming Mottley said on the steps of the counting centre at St Matthew's Primary after she was declared the winner. Mottley thanked her campaign team, noting that it was the first time in almost 29 years of elective politics she had been unable to properly traverse her constituency as she concentrated on the national campaign.  (WN)

SINCKLER OUSTED BY ROWE – First-timer Neil Rowe has wrested the seat of St Michael North West from two-time incumbent Chris Sinckler. He beat the ex-Minister of Finance 2 489 to 1 991 votes in Thursday’s poll. The victory was confirmed by returning Officer Charles Haynes and Rowe’s entourage gave him a cheer sure to be heard throughout St Michael North West. Rowe said his initial interaction with residents began three years ago and intensified once it was confirmed he would vie for the seat. Sinckler never made an appearance at the Ellerslie Secondary.   (WN)

HINKSON OVERWHELMED BY VICTORY – Tears came to the eyes of an "overwhelmed" Edmund Hinkson as he scored a resounding victory in St. James North this morning. Following an unusually long night of counting, Returning Officer Anthony Greaves declared Hinkson the winner at minutes to 4 a.m. The attorney at law trounced his three opponents, scoring 3 716 votes to the Democratic Labour Party's Harry Husbands. David Walrond of Solutions Barbados had 76 votes, while United Progressive Party candidate Grafton Cobham tallied 54 votes. "I am absolutely overwhelmed. I knew that we had put in the work over the last five years, that we had kept in touch with people, because that's what's politics is about," said a beaming Hinkson. "And I would never imagine that I would be standing here winning by 3 000 votes." (WN)

FORDE TAKES CHRIST CHURCH WEST CENTRAL – The people of Christ Church West Central have spoken. And resoundingly so. They surprised Adrian Forde with over 3 000 votes to incumbent Stephen Lashley's 1 100. He said while he was quietly confident he would win he thanked voters and supporters for believing in him. "I have to thank my team. They rallied with me. Christ Church West Central has been underrepresented for the past decade and I am aiming to remedy that." He said the constituents are proud to finally have a son of the soil represent them and he said after the celebrations at party headquarters this morning, he will be getting to work. Returning officer Walter Jones declared him the duly elected representative at 3:03 a.m. Forde, on the Barbados Labour Party ticket, garnered 3891 votes. Lashley, running on a Democratic Labour Party ticket, received 1 131 votes. Kenneth Lewis of Solutions Barbados got 170 and Ria Riley of UPP had 45. There were 15 rejected ballots.  (WN)

STRAUGHN STUNS JONES IN CHRIST CHURCH EAST CENTRAL – Ryan Straughn has done what no member of the Barbados Labour Party has managed to do for the past 15 years - unseat Ronald Jones from Christ Church East Central. Riding a massive wave of anti-DLP sentiment, the newcomer stunned the experienced campaigner, defeating him with a lopsided voter count of 4 062 to 1 334. Scott Weatherhead of Solutions Barbados and Ogeji Dottin of the United Progressive Party failed to make much of a dent, with voter scores of 217 and 93 respectively though Weatherhead consistently outscored Dottin. The constituency has been held by both the BLP and DLP, switching hands five times since 1981.  (WN)

GOODING-EDGHILL WINS BIG IN ST MICHAEL WEST CENTRAL – Returning officer for St Michael West Central Leonard Walters has officially declared the Barbados Labour Party's Ian Gooding-Edghill as the winner of the seat. The human resources director of Elegant Hotels amassed 3 291 ahead of incumbent of the Democratic Labour Party's James Paul who ended his campaign on 865 votes.  Solutions Barbados' Angela Edey ended on 125, while United Progressive Party's Herman Lowe managed 29, and Barbados Integrity Movement's Stephen Belgrave finished on 46. While no unauthorised persons were allowed on the compound of the Lawrence T Gay Primary School where ballots were being counted, a massive crowd began celebrating even before Gooding-Edghill was officially declared the winner. After the announcement, the soft spoken former senator described the victory as a humbling experience. As he greeted his supporters at the gates of the compound, they swarmed him and lifted him into the air as they paraded up and down Spooner’s Hill, before boarding their motorcade to head to the BLP’s Roebuck Street headquarters.  (WN)

CONTROVERSY OVER BALLOT BOXES – The Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) Dr William Duguid claimed last night to have uncovered a plot to remove boxes from certain polling stations in Christ Church West. However, returning officer Wayne Taylor denied any knowledge of it, while Francis DePeiza, brother and election agent of Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate Verla DePeiza, said no box was ever missing or tampered with. An angry Duguid arrived at the counting station, Arthur Smith Primary School  in St Matthias, with his election agent, Roseann Parris, at 8 p.m. on board the Transport Board bus with the boxes. Last person He was the last person to disembark and told the media that Box ZA1, from the Barbados Council for the Disabled polling station, had been placed on a van from the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC). “We were made aware that there was a plot to remove boxes from certain polling stations in Christ Church West. We had done our vigilance all throughout the constituency and I alerted all of my people that there was that intent. What happened then is that while I was here at the polling station at Arthur Smith, I got a call from one of my people that two boxes were on a BIDC van,” he charged. Duguid said he alerted Taylor. “He called and then it was confirmed that a box was indeed on a BIDC van. The box had to be taken off the van and the question is if the same box that went out on the van was the same box that came back to the station. We still are not sure.” Duguid, a dentist, also charged he had information that two other boxes – ZC3, which was at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and ZC2 in the Bonnetts Resource Centre – were also supposed to be removed. He said he then boarded the bus to the polling station. But DePeiza said box ZA1 was always accounted for. “Whatever the hyperbole surrounding the situation, I happened to be present at the ZA1 box at the close of polling at 6 o’clock, over at the Barbados Council for the Disabled. There may have been some miscommunication.  I cannot comment on it because it would be outside of my scope, but while I was there, the box that I saw never went missing,” he explained. DePeiza said there were two ballot boxes in separate rooms and while officials from the Electoral and Boundaries Commission were going about their duties at the close of the poll, one box was completed ahead of the other.  “The box, I have been made to understand, is the source of some controversy. I can certainly say that none of the boxes at that location were ever out of the eyesight of my agents.” Depeiza added that if a box was not placed on the bus, “that may not be through any fault of the officers. “The security of that box was never compromised. It was never out of the possession of the Electoral and Boundaries officer who had custody of it,” he said. He also confirmed he had seen the box “and the seal of the box and there is no question that it has not been compromised”. DePeiza said he was satisfied “that we still do have peaceful and fair elections and I am satisfied that the electoral process has triumphed”. (WN)

SCHOOLS CLOSED, BUSINESSES TO CLOSE AT 1 – No school today and businesses will close at 1 p.m. This is the word from Prime Minister designate Mia Mottley. Giving her victory speech from the Barbados Labour Party headquarters, in Roebuck Street, St Michael, Mottley made the declaration to the delight of the party faithful assembled. (WN)

For daily or breaking news reports follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter & Facebook. That’s all for today folks. There are 221 days left in the year. Shalom! #thechasefilesdailynewscap #thechasefiles  #dailynewscapsbythechasefiles

[jaeame-blog]

Former Olympian Neil Brooks wanted over alleged $2 million fraud after wife charged | Linda Brooks

He will be taking over from principal Linda Brooks. A neighbour is concerned that plans to build more than a hundred new flats behind her home will "eclipse" the quiet area. When my husband Paul and I started looking at the cabin in Minnesota we realized that we had both been lovers of log cabins for a very long time. Polls will open at 7 am Saturday, and close at 8 pm for the election.

Linda Brooks is to be extradited from Perth to face court in Brisbane over an alleged fraudulent business deal worth almost $2 million in 2008. Looking at an original Alexander Calder mobile. Linda Brooks takes advantage of early voting Tuesday, Oct. 3, at the Franklin Parish Registrar of Voters Office in advance of the Oct. 14 Open Primary Election.What sets David and Linda apart is their naive belief that they can change that, something Brooks sees as entirely futile. Snow is not something that I, as an interior designer, would normally use in my work.

Interior design, although usually limited to interior spaces in homes and commercial settings, is a field that broadens to include questions about landscape design, gardens and sculptures. PILOTED BY GOAL SHOOTER Heather Belle, Police Boys' and Girls' Club plucked Chickmont Ballers 25-18 for their first win in the Linda Brooks Zone of the Barbados Workers Union Netball Tournament at the Netball Stadium on Wednesday night.As Hurricane Matthews approaches Haiti, Canadian Linda Brooks describes her escape from Dame Marie and the mood in Haiti. The wife of a former Olympic gold medallist swimmer Neil Brooks has been arrested after landing in Western Australia. Their 2017 honorees were Linda Brooks, Michelle D. Chambers, Alyssa and Kala Chapman and Martha Piper.

[stephaniefchase]

Bajan Newscap 1/25/2017

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! Here is your daily newscap for Wednesday 25th January 2017. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Today (BT) or by purchasing a Midweek Nation Newspaper (MWN).

STUART “WE’RE ENTITLED TOO!” - Prime Minister Freundel Stuart Tuesday accused the Opposition of spreading “bold untruths”, while suggesting that Government’s move to restore the salaries of senior Government officials and parliamentarians was no different to that which had transpired back in 2000 when public servants were given back eight per cent of their salaries. “This is just a restoration of salary parliamentarians voluntarily gave up,” Stuart said while seeking to set the record straight about “the bold untruth that was told in this House about parliamentarians getting a salary increase, rather than just having a restoration”. Stating that the claims by the Opposition “offended my sense of decency”, he said when the ten per cent cut was introduced the Barbados Labour Party parliamentarians had opposed having the money taken from their salaries. “Members of the Opposition made it very clear that they did not want their salary touched, that it was not going to make any impact anyhow and that they wanted their money. “So they opposed the reduction, and now they are opposing the restoration too,” he said. Stuart said while he could not fault the Opposition for saying they would not accept the ten per cent restoration to their salaries until public servants receive a pay increase, “ as far as the empty grandstanding is concerned, and the bold untruths. I will have no part of that. “This resolution has my 100 per cent support,” Stuart added. (BT)

MPS TO GET BACK THEIR MONEY - The green light has been given. The House of Assembly yesterday evening approved the Ministers And Parliamentary Secretaries (Remuneration And Allowances Of Members) Order, 2016, in the absence of Opposition members, who earlier staged a walkout. Government MPs refused to back down from the contentious legislative move to restore a ten per cent cut in their salaries, but rather doubled down on the decision. All who spoke denounced the actions of members of the Opposition Barbados Labopur Party and accused them of attempting to mislead the public. Minister of Education Ronald Jones termed yesterday “possibly one of the saddest day of his life”. “It is insidious to implant in the minds of both a discerning and undiscerning public that somehow in the midst of salary negotiations, that the Government would first increase their salaries and then wait for the real increase,” he argued. The implication, Jones added, indicated “a sickness of mind and body”. (MWN)

WALKOUT - Opposition leader Mia Mottley led another walkout of her members from Parliament yesterday as she blasted the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) for seeking to restore the docked ten per cent of their salaries in light of the latest Central Bank report. In fact, Mottley said the resolution, coming just hours after Central Bank Governor Dr DeLisle Worrell gave his outlook for the economy, could be seen by the thousands of public servants who had not received a raise in seven years, as an attempt by Government to feather its own nest. “The Opposition will have nothing at all to do with this resolution . . . and if you see us leave the Chamber, it is no disrespect. We will not be in this Chamber for any vote with respect to this resolution,” she declared before leading her Barbados Labour Party (BLP) colleagues out of the Lower Chamber. (MWN)

DEMS ACTING ‘IN BEST INTEREST OF COUNTRY’ - Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler has vowed that the Government would continue to take decisions “that we believe are in the best interest of the country”. That was his response in the House of Assembly yesterday in the wake of the latest report by the Central Bank governor on the state of the island’s economy. He blasted Opposition Leader Mia Mottley for leading a walkout of Barbados Labour Party colleagues from the House yesterday afternoon. Sinckler denounced the Opposition MPs’ interpretation of the Central Bank report, arguing that the press release did not suggest that wages be cut. (MWN)

DON’T GO THERE MIA - A Government minister has taken umbrage to a suggestion made by Opposition Leader Mia Mottley that the Freundel Stuart administration was seeking to  “feather its own nest” with the restoration of a ten per cent pay cut to parliamentarians and other senior Government officials. Mottley had made the remark before leading members of her Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) in a walkout of Parliament Tuesday, in protest of the move to restitute the salaries to pre-2014 levels.In response Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Stephen Lashley said: “I certainly have a problem with the Leader of the Opposition pointing a finger at me, as an honourable member of this House, and claiming that I am being part of a parliamentary act to feather my own nest.” Making his contribution to the debate on the Government resolution, which was eventually approved by the House in the absence of the Opposition members, he accused the BLP of “having spun an abuse of the truth in this House”, while insisting that the matter was a mere pay restoration and not any increase in salaries as had been suggested. For this reason, Lashley called for a public apology from Opposition Leader Mia Mottley and her team while charging that they had not only misled the House, but the entire country on the matter.Lashley argued that the resolution should have been a simple matter, but lamented that it had become the subject of political partisanship on the part of the Opposition. “Unless we confront it, the members of the public will get the impression we are in this House voting salary increases for ourselves,” he cautioned fellow members on the Government side. The ten per cent pay cut for parliamentarians and other senior Government officials came as part of an austerity package announced by Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler back in December 2013. At the time, a number of new taxes were also imposed, and some 3,000 public workers sent home. Suggesting that the austerity period was now over, Lashley said “all that is before the House is to restore the salaries of the members of parliament, including the Cabinet”. While pointing out that on the basis of a legal amendment made years ago Government was prohibited from increasing the salaries of public officers without the agreement of the labour unions, Lashley challenged the Mottley to show by what legal means the Stuart administration had hiked parliamentarians’ salaries, as the Opposition leader had claimed. “The Leader of the Opposition is getting involved in guerrilla warfare tactics. If you stand up in the House, and you make a position known that the Government is giving itself and all parliamentarians a salary increase, then the Leader of the Opposition should point to the instrument [legally empowering Government to do so], because the Government cannot come in here and give salary increases just like that, “ he stressed. (BT)

NUPW BLASTS GOVT OVER PAY PLAN - The move by Democratic Labour Party parliamentarians to restore the ten per cent docked from their salaries has been blasted by the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW). President Akanni McDowall has called the move “unreasonable”, “unconscionable” and “insensitive” in light of the fact that civil servants have not had a wage increase in the past seven years. He is calling out public servants to a meeting on Friday at 2 p.m. at NUPW headquarters “to discuss this issue and the way forward”. McDowall said last night that the last round of salary negotiations was in October, and since then the NUPW had been trying to get a meeting with the Ministry of the Civil Service “but to no avail”. “I find it unreasonable, unconscionable and insensitive that this Government, at this time, would demand the ten per cent restoration of their salary when public servants have not received a salary increase for over eight years. These same public servants are faced with numerous taxes and a high cost of living . . . . “There seems to be a lack of regard for the average man on the street who has to struggle every day to pay bills, send children to school and keep a roof over their head . . . . The economy has not turned around; how can you expect to restore your salary and your people are suffering?” McDowall asked. (MWN)

UNIONS SLAM GOVT OVER PAY MOVE - Two of this country’s trade union leaders have led a stinging condemnation of Government over the decision to restore the ten per cent taken from the salaries of parliamentarians and other senior Government officers back in 2014. President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) Akanni McDowall and President of the Unity Worker’s Union (UWU) Caswell Franklyn took no prisoners as they tore into the Freundel Stuart administration, describing the governing parliamentarians as shameless, “unconscionable”, “money grabbing” politicians who cared little about the average Barbadian.   In tabling the resolution this afternoon, Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler was careful to point out that it was not a salary increase, while suggesting that Government was simply honouring its promise to restore the amount, which was initially due to be repaid at the end of 19 months but was yet to be restituted. However, McDowall said his members were equally anxious for word from Government on a proposed 23 per cent pay increase. “I am left with no choice but to call a meeting of all public servants for this Friday at 2 p.m. at NUPW headquarters to discuss this issue and the way forward. Public servants should come out and say to this union by their presence how bad they need a salary increase.” Also speaking out strongly against the pay restoration, Franklyn called on Barbadians to hold the Freundel Stuart administration accountable for “their insensitivity to the workers of the country”. “What has happened to people from National Housing Corporation that have not gotten back a cent after they were sent home? They are talking about getting back their ten per cent but what about those people who lost 100 per cent? These people are unconscionable and that should be their resignation. “Barbados should rise up against this nonsense but Barbadians are too docile. These people got no shame whatsoever. They are basically uncaring and unfeeling, money grabbing bunch of people. They should be ashamed,” an upset Franklyn said. As for Sinckler’s suggestion that the monies were long overdue, Franklyn argued that if Government was such a stickler for timelines, then it would have honoured its commitment to increase the Value Added Tax from 15 per cent to 17.5 per cent for 18 months only. (BT)

DEBT BURDEN DESPITE GROWTH – Not even 1.6 per cent economic growth last year was enough to loosen the vice grip of high debt and weakening foreign earnings now burdening the Barbados economy. In his economic report for 2016, Governor of the Central Bank Dr DeLisle Worrell yesterday admitted that Government and state entities owed a staggering $4.9 billion to private individuals and companies, though it represented a 15 per cent drop from last year’s position. And as attention focuses on the state of the country’s foreign reserves amid increased discussion on the value of the Barbados dollar, Worrell reported that at the end of December, the bank held $681 million in reserves, or the equivalent of just 10.3 weeks of imports. (MWN)

CONCERN OVER DECLINING FOREIGN RESERVES -  Barbados Economic Society (BES) president Jeremy Stephen is worried about the island’s falling foreign reserves. He said while the Central Bank seemed hopeful that the sale of the Barbados National Terminal Company Limited (BNTCL) and the start of a number of planned projects was likely to bring in $250 million or about US$125 million, it would do little to dent the near $200 million fall in reserves over the last year. His comments came last night as he responded to Central Bank Governor Dr DeLisle Worrell’s report on the performance of the Barbados economy in 2016. “Government and the Central Bank are very positive on the receipt of about $250 million that was pending at December 31, so they are expecting, some time in this calendar year, to receive this $250 million, of which $100 million is expected to be gained from the BNTCL sale, and you have got around $68 million that should be [received] from the Chinese relating to the Sam Lord’s project,” Stephen noted. (MWN)

REID: END OBSOLETE PUBLIC SERVICE SYNDROME - A leading public servant is calling for an end to “the obsolete public service syndrome” in order to facilitate business and improve competitiveness in Barbados and the Caribbean. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Esworth Reid Tuesday morning said for much too long regional states lagged a long way behind the more developed countries because of “our obsolete way of thinking and our obsolete application of business practices” linked to the delivery of public service. Sadly, he suggested, the Caribbean was likely to be considered as Third World countries for a long time to come by the developed world. However, he stressed the people of the region did not have to be seen as second class or third class people. The permanent secretary maintained that public sector output in the individual countries of the region still had some way to go before it became compatible with what is required to effectively drive private sector led growth. Reid concluded that there was a need to upgrade the thinking of Caribbean public servants through retraining. (BT)

STOP FAKE ADVERTS – Member of Parliament for St Michael West Central James Paul is leading an attack on false advertising which “encourage recklessness” among consumers. Speaking in Parliament this morning on the Health Services Amendment Bill 2017, which proposed widening the ban on smoking in public to include electronic cigarettes, Paul suggested there was a rise in misleading and dangerous labelling, which legislators should consider controlling before it is too late.   He also urged Barbadians to pay closer attention to the fine prints on the labels of products as quite often they contradict what the products purport to do. (BT)

EDUCATION SYSTEM GETS TWO THUMBS UP – Barbados is being seen by one regional policymaker as a leader in an evolving Caribbean education system. Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Education Michael Browne said education in the region continued to progress, with Barbados at the top of the pack. The visiting minister said there was “so much goodness” in education, but it was being undermined by a high level of criticism of the efforts by people and institutions.  In recent times the education system here and in the region has been said to be failing students and in need of reform. At a conference on higher education last October, Dr Mariana Alfonso, a senior education specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank, had warned that even though Barbados was considered a leader in Latin America and the Caribbean, its overall level of learning was still way below par. Basing her assessment on studies done between 1999 and 2012, she said many school leavers could not even meet the basic requirement of four Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) passes for entry into the public service. A week later, university professor Dr Justin Robinson claimed Barbados’ education system was creating a “world-class elite”, but a large percentage of people were “falling through the cracks”, with more than 90 per cent of students unable to pass five subjects in one sitting. However, Minister of Education Ronald Jones has denied those charges, contending information presented on the education system by some officials was “all wrong”. (BT)

MIA WARNS YOUTH ABOUT SMOKING – Opposition Leader Mia Mottley is appealing to young Barbadians to avoid smoking, warning the addictive practice “will harm you in many ways”. She admitted to her parliamentary colleagues yesterday that she was struggling to quit smoking. Minister of Health John Boyce had earlier made a comprehensive presentation to the House of Assembly during the First Reading of the Health Services (Amendment) Bill that extends the ban on public smoking to include e-cigarettes, as well as their sale to minors. Giving her support to the amendment which was passed, Mottley urged Government to go further and engage the population in “conversations” that would encourage them to cease habits that contributed to the high incidence of non-communicable disease among the population. (MWN)

BAN ON SMOKING E-CIGS IN PUBLIC AREAS - Smoking of e-cigarettes in public places in Barbados as well as the sale of the product to minors has been banned. The House of Assembly yesterday passed the Health Services (Amendment) Bill which adds the electronic cigarette to those tobacco products which people are already forbidden to smoke in public. Minister of Health John Boyce, who introduced the amendment, served notice that steps were also being taken to have cigarette packaging graphically illustrate the harmful effects of smoking. Boyce explained that an e-cig was a hand-held electronic device that vapourised a flavoured liquid and contained the addictive ingredient nicotine. (MWN)

TRIBUNAL TO RULE IN CASE OF WOMAN WITH 464 SICK DAYS - The Employment Rights Tribunal is set to order the two sides in the wrongful dismissal dispute between the then Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA) and former quality assurance officer Constance Reid-Batson back to conciliation under the direction of the Chief Labour Officer. Tribunal Chairman Hal Gollop, QC, Tuesday said he was not satisfied that all of the avenues of conciliation had been fully exhausted and therefore he was prepared to order further talks between the sides on a resolution, even if it meant his decision could be overturned by a higher court. When the hearing resumes at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Warren’s Office Complex, Warrens, St Michael, Gollop will hear submissions from the BTA’s attorney-at-law Dr Lenda Blackman and Reid-Batson’s attorney Gregory Nicholls on the Statutory Boards (Pensions) Act. The Tribunal’s Chief Legal Consultant Winston Chase told Barbados TODAY the two lawyers would focus on aspects of the Act that deal with pensions and gratuities for employees of statutory corporations. Following the presentations, the panel will decide whether or not the case should go back to conciliation, Chase said. The BTA is claiming that Reid-Batson, who started work in 1986, was dismissed in May 2014 because her prolonged illness had affected the agency’s productivity. It was revealed during a sitting of the tribunal last month that Reid-Batson had chalked up 464 sick days over a 24-month period and had received ten warning letters between February 7, 2014 and March 5, 2014 regarding her absence from work, The former BTA employee had also admitted during that hearing that she had not reported for work between March 5, 2012 and March 4, 2014 and that she had not submitted a sick certificate for the period she had been absent. However, she had disagreed with the BTA’s attorney that she had abandoned her job. (BT)

NO LEADS IN LEWIS MURDER CASE – Police are still on the hunt for suspects in the murder of Romario Lewis last Thursday morning. Lewis, 22, of Fairview, Christ Church, was found lying face down in Highland, Foursquare, St Philip. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and appeared to have several stab wounds to the upper body. He was Barbados’ first recorded murder for the year. Public relations officer, Acting Inspector Roland Cobbler, said yesterday that no breakthroughs had been made in the case as yet. He appealed to anyone who could provide any information to call District “C” Police Station at 416-8200/1, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 or the nearest police station. (MWN)

COURT TO RULE AGAIN ON CYCLING AGM – The impasse that has engulfed cycling over the past year is likely to occupy the attention of the High Court sometime next month. Attorney at law Larry Smith, who is representing people “interested in the affairs of the cycling”, told the MIDWEEK NATION that he had filed a further application last week and was confident the matter would be heard shortly. Last month, the council of the Barbados Cycling Union (BCU) refused to call an annual general meeting (AGM) as stipulated by the High Court. Smith will be asking the court to appoint an independent group to oversee the election process. Smith said that the last council was doing little to advance the cause of cycling by failing to call an AGM. (MWN)

BFA SHARES PLAN FOR YOUTH FOOTBALL - Plans are under way for further development of youth football, said senior vice-president of the Barbados Football Association (BFA), Captain Al Walcott, during a press conference held at their Wildey offices yesterday. One of those developments will see the Association covering cost for the Secondary Schools Football programme. “The BFA will be injecting a significant amount of funds into the programme for all schools who are participating in the competition. Whatever they need in terms of gear, equipment, transportation, referee fees and coaching will be provided,” he said. Another initiative is to extend the youth programmes throughout the 2017 season. (MWN)

DEACONS END PRELIMS UNBEATEN - Defending champions Flow Deacons duly finished the preliminaries of the Goddard Enterprises senior knockouts unbeaten by predictably defeating Burger King Clapham Toners 25-16, 25-15, 25-8 in a rescheduled game at the Kensington Bond on Monday night. While the match contained little for former queens Toners, who had already been eliminated from Thursday’s semi-finals, Deacons needed to follow up their Sunday night victory over Pan American International Insurance Warrens to finish unbeaten and in the No.1 spot. With young Shonte Seale leading the attack, Deacons seemed almost in practice mode although a number of serving errors kept Toners in track, even if some distance behind their opponents. Toners recalled former national setter Allison Pile, who would have been a member of their champion team in the 1980s. (MWN)

MAROONERS STING SCORPIONS - Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) Marooners registered a stunning upset victory over Jamaica Scorpions in the opening fixture of the Regional Super50 Tournament at the Three Ws Oval yesterday. After winning the toss, Marooners posted a moderate 215 for eight off their 50 overs before dismissing Scorpions for 140 in 35 overs to win by 75 runs. The match commenced fifteen minutes late due to transportation problems encountered by the Scorpions’ squad but once play got started man of the match, 19-year-old Amir Jangoo, announced himself with an impressive a half-century in his debut List A match. After losing his opening partner, captain Jamal Smith, lbw to Nikita Miller for 13, Jangoo played steadily to notch up 64 from 114 balls. The left-handed Trinidadian stroked four fours and one six off (balls). (MWN)

DISABLED MAN IN NEED OF A HOME - A disabled man is now homeless after his brother left him at the home of his mother on Monday morning. Don Marshall, 47, a victim of rheumatoid arthritis, and his mother Eminel Marshall turned up at the NATION and appealed for help. Don, once a robust man, saw his health decline over the years. He stopped working ten years ago and has no means of taking care of himself. His father, who had been paying his rent for a room at a house in Jackson, St Michael, for the last six months, said he could no longer foot that bill, leaving Don homeless. “This morning while I was in bed, I heard a sound outside and it was his brother who brought him and left him there,” said his mother. (MWN)

DYING ART - The death rattle appears to be sounding from the art forms of limbo dancing and fire eating, as well as tuk music, with fewer than ten people estimated to be practising these forms of entertainment here. And if the response to a series of workshops organized by Ruk-A-Tuk Inc in association with the Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development is anything to go by, the last rites are likely being administered, as a combined total of only 13 people have registered for the three disciplines, each of which was anticipated to attract up to 15 people. However, while Ruk-A-Tuk Inc’s Managing Director Wayne Poonka Willock is concerned about the future of these art forms, he is holding on to hope that those who take advantage of the ten-week workshops will help keep these cultural forms alive. Registration is still open this week via email at tukbandman1@gmail.com or 418-1035. The training is being funded by the European Union through the department of Human Resource Development. (BT)

There are 12 Days until Girlfriends Expo & Arts Festival (February 4th & 5th) and you can purchase your tickets from Ticket Pal. Well that’s all for today folks. There are 340 days left in the year                          ;) Shalom! #thechasefiles #dailynewscaps Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your daily news. #bajannewscaps #newscapsbystephaniefchase https://www.facebook.com/TheChaseFilesTVShow/?fref=ts