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donna-camilla-blog · 7 years

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MACRONGATE - « Jessica Gomez », commissaire aux comptes chez Deloitte : « Les documents d’évasion fiscale de Macron sont authentiques » !

Article traduit de l’anglais, publié originalement sur: http://gotnews.com/emmanuel-macrons-tax-evasion-documents-real/ *** Cet article a été publié sur www.dreuz.info le 5 mai 2017, puis retiré le 6 mai 2017. http://www.dreuz.info/2017/05/05/jessica-gomez-commissaire-aux-comptes-chez-deloitte-les-documents-devasion-fiscale-de-macron-sont-authentiques/ Autocensure ? Pressions ? Alignement sur les médias « mainstream » ? Une chose est sure, la déclaration de patrimoine de l’ex-associé de la banque Rotschild E. Macron ne correspond en rien à la réalité des sommes perçues par ce dernier en temps que banquier d’affaire et ministre. Macron: 3,6 millions d’euros de revenus, et patrimoine négatif ? https://www.les-crises.fr/macron-36-millions-deuros-de-revenus-cumules-patrimoine-negatif/ *** L’autocensure opérée par Dreuz n’enlève en rien la véracité des propos de la commissaire aux comptes de Deloitte qui a verifiee l’authenticité des documents compromettants pour E. Macron : Article original non censuré: http://gotnews.com/emmanuel-macrons-tax-evasion-documents-real/ Les documents complets (contrat signé par E. Macron entre autres) sont disponibles en accès libre sur: http://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/123933076/ https://my.mixtape.moe/onviuq.pdf (Contrat complet La Providence LLC – Statuts de la société signé par E.Macron en format .pdf)) https://my.mixtape.moe/bspenp.pdf (Fax de First Caribbean format .pdf) Article Le site GotNews.com publie l’avis d’une experte, commissaire aux comptes chez Deloitte, qui sous le pseudo de Jessica Gomez a épluché les documents concernant les comptes bancaires offshore et la société d’Emmanuel Macron dans un paradis fiscal. Nous avons traduit, (pour les lecteurs de Dreuz), l’article qu’elle a publié. « Je suis commissaire aux comptes avec plus de deux décennies d’expérience dans l’un des trois grands cabinets comptables mondiaux [Deloitte]. J’ai une vaste expérience en contrôlant les grandes entreprises qui ont des filiales à travers le monde, y compris dans les paradis fiscaux, comme les îles Caïmans. Au cours de ma carrière, j’ai découvert des cas de détournement de fonds, de fraude et d’évasion fiscale. J’ai également découvert des documents falsifiés. Un journaliste d’enquête m’a demandé de confirmer l’authenticité des documents liés à Emmanuel Macron ci-dessous, et depuis que ces documents ont été rendus publics, je publie maintenant mes conclusions. Mon travail est décomposé par chaque élément depuis la création de la société mère au compte bancaire dans le paradis fiscal. Je conclus avec ma recommandation : le gouvernement français doit obtenir un mandat pour mener d’autres enquêtes sur les activités financières d’Emmanuel Macron. La Providence LLC – Statuts de la société Signature de Macron Dès le début de cette société, les statuts créent la société mère et contiennent la signature de Macron. Signature de Macron officiellement associée à la campagne électorale La signature d’Emmanuel Macron associée à sa campagne est fabriquée par un graphiste sur la base de sa signature, mais ce n’est pas sa signature. Il existe trois variantes de la signature d’Emmanuel Macron, entre les livres et les affiches qu’il a signés pour les fans, et les documents gouvernementaux destinés à être rendus publics. La signature sur sa page Wikipedia provient de sa déclaration de richesse au gouvernement, largement controversée et contestée, faite dans le cadre de ses déclarations officielles pour être candidat. Elle n’a aucun rapport avec la signature ci-dessus, ou même son nom. S’il a effectivement dissimulé des richesses, il est possible qu’il n’ait pas signé le document lui-même pour limiter sa responsabilité en cas de parjure. Puis il existe des échantillons de sa signature qui correspondent à ceux figurant sur les statuts de la société offshore. Ces signatures correspondent à celles qu’il a faites sur des livres et des affiches et même sur d’autres documents officiels : Et voici la signature supposée de Macron sur les statuts de la société : Date des statuts Les statuts sont datés du 4 mai 2012, une convention utilisée en France et d’anciennes colonies britanniques et conforme à la culture du client et aux normes de l’entreprise contractante. Relation entre la date et les événements politiques La date correspond au second tour de l’élection présidentielle précédente. Deux jours après le débat Hollande-Sarkozy et deux jours avant le vote final. Hollande était toujours en avance devant le titulaire Sarkozy dans les sondages. Onze jours après la signature des statuts de sa société, Emmanuel Macron a quitté Rothschild & Cie pour travailler pour le président Hollande. Relation entre la date et les intérêts commerciaux d’Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron était toujours dans les premières phases de son conseil dans le dossier Pfizer-Nestlé. Ce dossier, selon ce qu’affirment ses associés chez Rothschild & Cie., a été le motif de sa grosse prime. Il convient de noter que l’accord n’a pas été finalisé avant décembre 2012. La prime pour le travail effectué en 2012 ne sera versée qu’en janvier ou février 2013, alors que Macron a déjà des activités auprès du gouvernement. Capitalisation de 1 $ C’est le montant de l’obligation légale pour créer une société de type LLC à Nevis. D’autres accords sont habituellement pris pour assurer le paiement des avocats. Ceci est typique des cas où les paiements pour la structure de l’entreprise sont effectués par une personne autre que son propriétaire. Cela aurait pu être le cas si cette société avait été créée pour recevoir les bonus exceptionnels de Macron à la banque Rothschild & Cie., ou d’autres revenus perçus en dehors de la juridiction des autorités fiscales françaises. Choix du domicile de la société mère Nevis, une île de l’Etat de Saint-Kitts-et-Nevis, exige que seuls les noms des «partenaires principaux» soient divulgués dans les documents de dépôt des sociétés. Les «partenaires principaux» sont parmi les rares «agents enregistrés», avocats à qui le gouvernement permet de déposer des documents de sociétés LLC au nom de leurs clients anonymes. Les «commanditaires» qui sont les «propriétaires bénéficiaires» de ces entreprises ne sont pris en compte que dans les dossiers détenus par le cabinet privé, et ne sont pas systématiquement divulgués au gouvernement. En outre, contrairement à la plupart des autres juridictions, une société LLC peut être constituée d’un seul associé. Dixcart Management Nevis Limited et le siège de la société La Providence LLC Dixcart est un cabinet d’avocats international qui opère à Nevis pour créer ces entités juridiques pour des clients qui cherchent à cacher leurs actifs. Dixcart Management Nevis Limited est un agent enregistré auprès de la Commission de réglementation des services financiers de Nevis, avec Graham Sutcliffe en tant que directeur général. La société La Providence LLC dit que l’adresse de Dixcart est son siège social ce qui, selon les Panama Papers, a révélé qu’il s’agit d’une pratique courante des clients de Dixcart. Le Fax de First Caribbean Qui est Richard Palmer ? Richard Palmer est indiqué comme destinataire du fax de First Caribbean Bank. Richard Palmer est inscrit sur le site de Dixcart comme l’un de ses avocats basés à Nevis. Son numéro de fax est bien celui de la télécopie. La Providence LLC est-elle la même que La Providence Ltd ? Afin d’ouvrir un compte bancaire dans un pays autre que Nevis, où La Providence LLC est enregistrée, une filiale d’entreprise doit être créée dans ce pays. Les îles Caïmans utilisent la convention « Ltd » par opposition à « LLC » qui est utilisé à Nevis ce qui correspond à « SARL » en France ou « GmbH » en Allemagne. Parce que les îles Caïmans publient dans la Gazette des îles Caïmans uniquement les noms des propriétaires des sociétés défaillantes au moment de payer leurs frais forfaitaires annuels au gouvernement, nous ne pouvons pas confirmer le nom du propriétaire de la société La Providence Ltd (îles Caïmans) celui d’une entreprise parente ou propriétaire. Cependant, puisque Richard Palmer est le contact du Cayman Banker, nous pouvons supposer en toute sécurité qu’il s’agit de la même entreprise. Qui est Brian Hydes ? J’ai parlé avec le département des ressources humaines de la CIBC, la société mère de First Caribbean. Ils m’ont confirmé que Brian Hydes était employé chez First Caribbean mais ne l’est plus. Toutes les autres informations que j’ai demandées ne pouvaient m’être partagées sans une lettre de consentement signée par Brian Hydes. Son numéro de téléphone arrive à un numéro de poste maintenant déconnecté de la branche des Caïmans de la First Caribbean. Mots employés et date de la télécopie Les mots «Cheque» et «Centre» correspondent aux conventions de l’anglais britannique, et sont conformes à ce fax provenant d’une entreprise située dans une ancienne colonie britannique et appartenant à une société mère canadienne. Par conséquent, on peut supposer que la date indique que cela a été envoyé en février et non en novembre. Date des paiements dans la société supposément de Macron La télécopie a été envoyée en 2015 et fait référence à des chèques qui ont probablement été payés à son compte. Cela correspond à deux ans après que d’éventuels versements de Rothschild & Cie aient été versés. Ces paiements rémunèrent-ils des activités de 2014 pour le secteur privé ? Du 10 juin 2014 au 26 août 2014, Emmanuel Macron n’était pas au gouvernement. Au cours de cette période, les rapports de presse affirment qu’Emanuel Macron a mis en place un cabinet de conseil en finance, un fonds de capital-risque axé sur l’éducation et qu’il était professeur invité. Si les paiements concernaient l’une de ces activités, qui se sont produits en France et en Allemagne, Macron pourrait être accusé d’évasion fiscale. Ces paiements sont-ils versés au ministre de l’Économie? Cette date tombe également après l’accord controversé d’Alstom-GE. En tant que ministre de l’Économie, Emmanuel Macron a annulé la position de son prédécesseur, qui s’était opposé à l’accord. Macron a refusé d’exécuter les directives antérieures concernant l’accord et a apposé sa signature pour permettre que l’opération se produise le 4 novembre 2014. L’accord a été finalisé le 22 décembre 2014. La réussite de l’opération a fait qu’Alstom a payé 30 millions d’euros de primes à ses dirigeants. Si les chèques envoyés à La Providence Ltd. ont été émis, directement ou indirectement, par Alstom, GE, ou leurs dirigeants ou actionnaires, Emmanuel Macron devrait être poursuivi pour évasion fiscale et corruption. Conclusion À mon avis, il n’y a aucune raison de supposer que ces documents sont faux. Si j’étais engagée par le gouvernement français pour examiner ces documents, je recommanderais aux enquêteurs gouvernementaux d’obtenir un mandat pour mener une enquête plus approfondie sur les documents personnels et les correspondances écrits et numériques d’Emmanuel Macron. *** Reproduction autorisée avec la mention suivante : traduction et adaptation, Alain Leger pour Dreuz.info. Source de l’article http://gotnews.com/emmanuel-macrons-tax-evasion-documents-real/ MacronGate -Autres sources : Documents Indicate That Emmanuel Macron May Be Engaging In Tax Evasion http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-05-03/documents-indicate-emmanuel-macron-may-be-engaging-tax-evasion Macron Document Leaker Releases New Images, Promises More Information www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-05-04/macron-document-leaker-releases-new-images-promises-more-information Macron Document Leaker Releases New Images, Promises More Information http://disobedientmedia.com/macron-document-leaker-releases-new-images-promises-more-information/ http://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/124134731/ Îles Caïmans: Les sous de Macron enfin retrouvés ? http://www.wikistrike.com/2017/05/iles-caimans-les-sous-de-macron-enfin-retrouves.html

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lovelyfantasticfart · 4 years

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Real Property With Realtor Rod Sager

Most skilled brokers normally have a very good eye for looking beyond staging. Majority of individuals who are looking to trade currency in Vancouver will accomplish that following extra traditional strategies reminiscent of exchanging their cash at banks comparable to BMO, TD, Scotia, RBC, and so forth, at airport kiosks, hotel foreign money exchanges or brokers. So my concern with the system is will the day of reckoning come in my time or not. First time patrons comprised 31% of gross sales according to NAR and 22% of gross sales have been all money, up slightly from final June. The Vancouver Eastside had 68 sales and 846 lively listings for detached houses at the end of the month. And it didn鈥檛 hurt that the Vancouver real estate market was smoking hot at the time. Read our weekly real property column, 'Offered (Bought)', within the Vancouver Solar that reaches 481,a hundred readers. Low interest rates, lack of stock and really high rents are continuing to fuel the attached Vancouver real estate market. For lower-earnings families, who've been forced into the suburbs by excessive real property prices, it may imply the distinction between proudly owning a second automobile, or a house. There was a drop of 25 per cent in common house value and 22 per cent drop in median residence value for the reason that highs of 2017, in response to Bonner.

Value was a determining issue. Annual price increases peaked in December at slightly below 6%, and has been tapering ever since. Nearly all the best areas in Mexico have luxurious beachfront/oceanfront condominiums with world class amenities and amenities, facilitating an incomparable seashore lifestyle. I've carried out neither however it is on my bucket list. Stop postponing the replacement since if it has really surpassed the use deadline, the filter media not operates optimally filtering system substances that pollute the water properly. Routine alternative of water filter media is essential. 75k in scholar mortgage debt. With out pledging collateral, it is sort of useful to avail such loan because it comes below the class of unsecured loan. I discovered quite a bit in the case of selling insurances of any form. Down the hall is the insuite laundry and a large flex room which can be utilized as office. The president of ADCO (American Low cost Catalogue Operations, Inc) interviewed me in his near the top Flooring, Govt workplace situated in the prestigious Portland, OR Georgia Pacific Building the following morning. Benjamin Tal, deputy chief economist at CIBC World Markets, says the important question is not how far prices would fall, however why they fell in the primary place.

It really will not be an exquisite notion to go over one thing which you鈥檙e private in the very first location. Note: if changing oil over carpet put some aluminum foil on the food underneath neath as there's a seam proper subsequent to the drain plug and one little slip and it gets away from you fast! I'm a firm believer in utilizing all the natural assets that God has placed on this earth to assist in healing, bettering and sustaining our physical and emotional health. Slowing down would also assist in the process of exit of some of the weaker entities from the market and rising the energy of a few of the established developers. Salt Spring Island real property was a buyers鈥?market from late 2008 till spring/summer season of 2015. The low of the market was in all probability 2012/13. Since 2015 Salt Spring has been a sellers鈥?market with costs trending up. Our of high school we purchased our first property and received into real property investments.

For those contemplating the investment in real property on Vancouver Island, there's good news. WEST VANCOUVER House FOR RENT - Daydreaming? Mr. Ramlo acknowledged that a few of the home-ownership patterns in Vancouver are puzzling, given the disparity between incomes of younger people and home prices. For people who can afford the new components, it does not matter, and they鈥檙e in a position to buy even the most recent Automotive Components. Transforming detrimental energy into neutral or constructive energy can happen with a bit effort in your half. This is a rustic with a vibrant multiculturalism, an exquisite natural magnificence, and a friendly, sophisticated inhabitants. Interesting Islands belonging to those countries embrace: Panama's Isla Colon within the Caribbean Bocas del Toro archipelago the place Bocas city has a longtime population of expats. She specializes within the Lower Mainland of British Columbia together with: Vancouver, West Vancouver, and North Vancouver. And right here in North America we are poised to follow swimsuit pretty quickly.

And now we get to the signal that things are really getting determined. If you wish to get rid of a hook the 1st point you could do is check out your grip. She additionally vowed to convey extra transparency to murky possession data 鈥?it isn鈥檛 clear who owns almost half of Vancouver鈥檚 most expensive properties, based on a funds doc. At that supply a bunch of various types counting on who you are shopping for. The majority of people, nevertheless, don't learn how to accurately strategy inside beautifying. Acid reflux is often brought on by eating specific varieties of meals. But there may be resistance to rural areas which might be essentially closer than some urban counterparts to the "center" of the metro space. If you are trying to find first time tunes to obtain, consider searching websites which give songs from up and coming musicians. Rumours began circulating that CFTC Commissioner Bart Chilton had modified his place on the position restrict query.

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tsbarbadosrentals-blog · 5 years

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If you are coming to Oistins Barbados you are going to need money. Many people will bring enough cash money to last for the trip while others may use traveller’s checks if they’re able to obtain them. In most cases however, you won’t be changing your money into Barbados currency (BBD) until you get to the island. Most people will convert money into US as most establishments will accept both US and Barbados dollars. For those who don’t, finding an institution that will change your money into BBD currency is important. Now, while you could use conversion spots in Grantley Adams International Airport they are usually more expensive than if you go to a bank. If you are staying in Oistins there is only one bank you need to go to: CIBC First Caribbean Bank.

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mikemortgage · 5 years

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TD, CIBC close out 2018 with big numbers on U.S. growth

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Toronto-Dominion Bank kept another earnings season for Canada’s big banks moving on Thursday, with both lenders posting eye-catching numbers for their businesses in the United States.

After sewing up its US$5-billion purchase of Chicago-based PrivateBancorp Inc. in June 2017, CIBC said profit from its U.S. commercial banking and wealth management unit rose 178 per cent year-over-year to $565 million for its fiscal 2018.

Overall, CIBC posted a record $5.3-billion profit for its year ended Oct. 31, an increase from the $4.7 billion reported for its fiscal 2017.

Toronto-Dominion Bank sees up to 10% growth next year after earnings beat forecasts

CIBC earnings rise on retail banking and wealth management

Scotiabank to exit nine countries in Caribbean shake-up

RBC says customer acquisition drive is paying off as domestic competition ramps up

CIBC president and chief executive officer Victor Dodig said during a conference call Thursday morning that the share of the bank’s earnings from the U.S. had gone from nine per cent in 2017 to 16 per cent this year.

The shift has put the bank — which has had a relatively higher reliance on Canada compared to its peers — on pace to hit a previously announced target of the U.S. contributing 17 per cent of its earnings by 2020.

“We successfully diversified our earnings by investing for organic growth in all four of our business units,” Dodig said.

Canadian banks that have exposure to the U.S. have reaped the benefits this year of both rising interest rates and tax reform, giving their operations south of the border an added boost. Those benefits have come as new mortgage regulations kicked in at the start of this year in Canada, tightening lending conditions.

CIBC’s quarterly results came in just under what analysts had estimated, however, as the lender reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.

“Though a modest miss, this is notably the first time CIBC has missed consensus estimates in nearly 4 years,” wrote Eight Capital analyst Steve Theriault in a note.

TD’s earnings for its full fiscal 2018 were $11.3 billion, an increase of about eight per cent over the prior year.

For its fiscal 2018, which ended Oct. 31, TD also said that U.S. retail earnings rose 26 per cent over its fiscal 2017, to approximately $4.2 billion.

The bank’s 2018 was buoyed by last September’s acquisition of U.S.-based Scottrade Financial Services Inc. by TD Ameritrade Holding Corp., of which TD Bank owns more than 40 per cent. TD booked a $25-million charge for its fiscal fourth quarter tied to the Scottrade deal, which also involved a subsidiary of TD buying Scottrade’s bank subsidiary for around US$1.4 billion.

TD reported a $3-billion profit for its fourth quarter, which likewise ended Oct. 31, up nine per cent from the same period last year. Adjusted earnings per share were $1.63 for the three months, a 20-per-cent increase from a year ago, which was just above what analysts were expecting.

Canaccord Genuity analyst Scott Chan wrote in a note that TD’s U.S. business had continued its “excellent momentum.”

“Canadian retail performance looks to be tracking slightly below peers thus far,” he added, “while US commercial loan growth has moderated somewhat versus our expectations.”

• Email: [email protected] | Twitter: GeoffZochodne

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damajority · 6 years

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DaMajority Fresh Article https://www.damajority.com/firstcaribbean-international-bank-files-for-proposed-initial-public-offering-in-the-united-states/

FIRSTCARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL BANK FILES FOR PROPOSED INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING IN THE UNITED STATES

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

FIRSTCARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL BANK FILES FOR PROPOSED INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING IN THE UNITED STATES

Bridgetown, Barbados, March 23, 2018. FirstCaribbean International Bank Limited (“FCIB” or “First Caribbean”) today announced that it has filed a Registration Statement on Form F-1 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) relating to the proposed initial public offering in the United States of FCIB’s common shares.

All of the shares to be offered in the proposed initial public offering will be offered by a subsidiary of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (“CIBC”). The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined. FCIB intends to apply to list the common shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the ticker symbol “FCI”. FCIB’s common shares are currently listed and currently trade on the Barbados Stock Exchange (“BSE”) under the symbol FCI. FCIB intends to maintain a listing in Barbados on the International Securities Market of the BSE in addition to the proposed NYSE listing.

Barclays Capital Inc., UBS Securities LLC and CIBC Capital Markets are acting as joint bookrunners for the offering. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus related to the offering may be obtained from: Barclays Capital Inc., Attention: Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717 or at [email protected]; UBS Securities LLC:1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019 and CIBC Capital Markets:[email protected] or at 1-800-282-0822.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been publicly filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. This press release is being made pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 134 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About FirstCaribbean

FCIB is a leading financial institution operating throughout the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean with a strong balance sheet and regionally-leading digital banking capabilities. FCIB’s team, extensive branch network, ongoing investments in technology and unwavering client focus are competitive differentiators that enable it to maintain its leadership in the Caribbean banking sector.

FCIB is a member of the CIBC Group. CIBC (TSX, NYSE: CM) is a leading North American financial institution serving clients in Canada and around the world.

Media contact: Debra King, Director of Corporate Communications, CIBC FirstCaribbean, Barbados Head Office; telephone: 246 367 2248; fax: 246 421 7148 and email: [email protected].

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT DISCLOSURE

This report may contain forward-looking statements, including statements about our financial condition, results of operations, earnings outlook, asset quality trends and profitability. Forward-looking statements provide management’s current expectations or forecasts of future events and, by their nature, are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Although management believes

that the expectations and forecasts reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those contained in or implied by such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors including: (1) changes in interest rates; (2) changes in trade, monetary or fiscal policy; (3) changes in general economic conditions, or in the condition of the local economies in which we have significant operations or assets, which could, among other things, materially impact credit quality trends and our ability to generate loans; (4) increased competitive pressure among financial services companies; (5) the inability to successfully execute strategic initiatives designed to grow revenues and/or manage expenses; (6) consummation of significant business combinations or divestitures; (7) operational or risk management failures due to technological or other factors; (8) heightened regulatory practices, requirements or expectations; (9) new legal obligations or restrictions or unfavourable resolution of litigation; (10) adverse capital markets conditions; (11) disruption in the economy and general business climate as a result of terrorist activities or military actions; and (12) changes in accounting or tax practices or requirements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and should not be relied upon as representing management’s views as of any subsequent date. We do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. For further information regarding FirstCaribbean International Bank Limited, please read FirstCaribbean International Bank Limited’s financial and other reports that are available on the company’s website at www.cibcfcib.com

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thechasefiles · 5 years

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The Chase Files Daily Newscap 6/20/2019

Good MORNING #realdreamchasers! Here is The Chase Files Daily News Cap for Thursday 20th June 2019. Remember you can read full articles for FREE via Barbados Today (BT), Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS) or by purchasing a Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).

ALL HANDS IN FIRE FIGHT –The fire that engulfed the Sustainable Barbados Recycling Centre (SBRC) on Tuesday is no longer a national threat, but it is a major concern for Government and a nuisance to residents. An inter-ministry approach has been undertaken to bring operations back to normal at the Vaucluse, St Thomas recycling plant. Yesterday, Minister of Environment and National Beautification Trevor Prescod met with Minister of Home Affairs Edmund Hinkson, Acting Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams, representatives from the Disaster Emergency Management, Environmental Protection Department, Ministry of Health, Sanitation Service Authority (SSA), Waste Haulers Association, SBRC and Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard to address the situation. “Although the responsibility is SBRC’s, the only way we could resolve the issue is through concomitant representation,” Prescod told the NATION after meeting with officials at the nearby Central Country Club ground pavilion in Vaucluse. (DN)

SHORT-LIVED SCHOOL MEALS ACTION – Staffers at the School Meals Department at Lancaster, St James, were off the job again yesterday. However, this time it was not from the heat in the kitchen. Some employees began wildcat industrial action, but were back at their stations less than an hour later, after a visit by their representative, the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW). Assistant general secretary of the NUPW, Wayne Walrond, told the NATION the decision to strike was based on what they thought was a supervisor being passed over for promotion. “The workers were back on the job quickly. There was a miscommunication which led to them thinking a supervisor had been bypassed for promotion, but that was quickly clarified and they returned to work. (DN)

RETRENCHED PUBLIC WORKER AMONG PRIZE-WINNING UWI ENTREPRENEURS –A business idea from a former public sector worker who was retrenched last year is among winners of a University of the West Indies contest to find viable startups by UWI students. Five ideas made the final cut in the Student Entrepreneurial Empowerment Development (SEED) competition, who were presented with seed money in a ceremony attended by the Minister for Entrepreneurship Dwight Sutherland at the 3Ws Oval at the UWI’s Cave Hill campus. And even as the student-entrepreneurs were being toasted by the university, Sutherland called on the UWI to play a greater role in developing entrepreneurship in Barbados and the region. Winners of the competition were Mikhail Eversley and Kemar Codrington of Oasis Laboratory and Franz Harewood-Hamblin from Grow Smart Youth Farm. Over 60 businesses have been created out of the SEED programme over the years with the contribution of over $180,000 from the CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank. Sutherland said it was about time higher education institutions make every effort to “resist any temptation to be stymied by intellectual loyalty” and instead “reinvent” so that they could help individuals turn their ideas into viable businesses. He said it was important that regional universities foster entrepreneurial development by focusing on courses that place emphasis on creating new enterprises, provide positive role models in teaching and intensify experiential learning and real-world experiences. The Minister said: “You must see yourselves as an integral source of talent and ideas as you serve as economic magnets for investments, entrepreneurs and talent in the region. “Further, your role in economic development must continue to be increasingly magnified, given the fact that there is considerable leverage that can accrue through your agenda of core education, research and development, and other critical spillovers. “Your remit must, therefore, be to create the type of entrepreneurship education that causes those who graduate in the past to also become interested in up-to-date and transferable entrepreneurship programmes.” Sutherland said he saw the university playing a critical role in helping to develop the blue economy in the Caribbean as Barbados and the rest of the region continue to grapple with economic development issues. (BT)

ALL LOCAL ONIONS ON THE MARKET – Barbados is set to save US$1.5 million in foreign exchange this year from not importing onions. Board Member of the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (BADMC), Peter Chase told members of the media today that BADMC would not be importing onions any time soon, since local farmers have been able to produce a phenomenal onion crop of close to 300 000 pounds, that would last an estimated six months. “It is a major crop and a major savings for Barbadians. The crop was fantastic. We still have farmers coming in and for the last three months we have not imported any onions,” he said. Chase said farmers started reaping the five-month crop in April, a process, which he said, should be completed by July. Chase noted that currently, all onions being sold in supermarkets were locally grown. (BT)

HEALTH SECTOR TO GET BOOST FROM CUBA – For the second time in a matter of days, the health sector is set to benefit from a bilateral arrangement. This time the help is to come in the form of access to medical training and technology from Cuba. The revelation came from Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Dr Jerome Walcott, following recent talks with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez Parilla. Senator Walcott said that Barbados and Cuba have had a long history of collaboration and the visit from the Cuban foreign Minister allowed for further discussions on how this collaboration can be built upon in the current era. The move comes just days after Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced plans to augment chronic nursing shortages, with 400 nurses from Ghana, following the visit of President Nana Akufo-Addo. Said Senator Walcott of the bilateral talks with Cuba: “We spoke of the need to go into different areas in terms of specialist nursing, in terms of nurses being trained in oncology. We also dealt with the issue of pharmaceuticals.” Speaking at a press conference at Accra Beach Hotel, Senator Walcott, himself a medical doctor, noted that he was especially excited about gaining access to Cuba’s technology on treating leg ulcers on persons with diabetes. “Cuba has some revolutionary techniques as it relates to diabetes in terms of the management of leg ulcers which is a scourge of diabetes in Barbados. They [Cuba] have done some very good work and we are looking at trying to get access to some of the drugs and methods. “We want our professionals to be trained in treating leg ulcers and the diabetic foot and we have had discussions on how this can become available to us.” The Foreign Minister noted that Cuba has done extensive work in the area of microbiology and vaccines, which are of significant interest to Barbados. “Many of you might not know that the vaccines for yellow fever was in fact discovered in Cuba. More recently they have discovered vaccines for certain types of cancers such as those that affect the head, neck, lungs and liver. These are areas that we can certainly work collaboratively.” But he noted that the health sector was not the only beneficiary of the exchanges with Cuba, as education, culture and sports, will also receive a boost as a result of the closer ties. “As it relates to education, we spoke about the need to widen this system of foreign languages. Cubans will be exposed in terms of training in English and we benefit in terms of Spanish training. “There is a MOU which is being reviewed by the Ministry of Education and we hope that this will roll out in the not too distant future.” (BT)

NURSES, MINISTRY SET FOR FRESH CLINIC TALKS –Despite Government’s insistence that 24-hour polyclinics will open in a matter of weeks, it is unclear if the middle ground could be reached over the issue of the nurses’ refusal to work the shift system. A meeting is set for Friday between the Ministry of the Civil Service and the nurses who will staff the clinics in another effort to break the deadlock. Nurses from the two polyclinics earmarked as the pilots of the programme, the Winston Scott and David Thompson Health and Social Services Complex, met this afternoon with the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) to strategise for the meeting. The Ministry of Health is also expected to outline Cabinet’s decision on the matter. Earlier this week, Minister of Health Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic told Barbados TODAY that last Thursday, ministers greenlighted the round-the-clock care plan and that it was just a matter of informing the unions of what is to come. Lieutenant Colonel Bostic said: “As a result of a decision taken at Cabinet on Thursday, I can tell you that we will commence the service within the coming weeks. “I don’t want to go into the specifics at this stage because I want to first share that information with the unions and with the staff before going public. “We had called a meeting with the unions on Saturday, but they were unavailable, so we have scheduled a second meeting to articulate what we are going to be doing going forward.” But following today’s two-hour meeting, which began at 3 p.m. at the Sir Winston Scott Polyclinic, NUPW acting General Secretary Delcia Burke, insisted that the matter was not going to be solved by ministerial directive. She told Barbados TODAY that although Government has not yet indicated what the new position is, union members were prepared to respond to most eventualities. “The nurses communicated their position to us and we would prefer to say it to the meeting first on Friday. “The Minister of Health did say that the 24-hour polyclinics will commence but he did not say when. It might move along but not with the nurses because there certainly aren’t enough nurses for the project. “It really now depends on what Government’s position is because the nurses have opted not to work the 24-hour clinics and nobody can’t make them change that if they don’t want to. So we will really have to see now what they are telling us.” The trade unionist also told Barbados TODAY that members had no problems with Goverment’s plan to bring nurses from Ghana, suggesting that the recruits could man the round-the clock facility, providing they met certain conditions. The NUPW acting general secretary said: “I believe that the nurses from Ghana will sort out this issue with the polyclinics but first we have to be sure that they can speak in a way that the average Barbadian can understand. “We have to also be sure that they are properly trained, and they would have to do the regional exams that our nurses are required to do. As long as they can meet those three criteria then we have no problem at all.” Earlier this week, the Health Minister said that he has looked into all of the nurses’ concerns and he is satisfied that the majority of them have been resolved. “Contrary to what has been said in the press by some people, the 24-hour polyclinics is not a proposal, it is documented Government policy. “For the last several months, the unions and staff have raised several issues and one by one we have solved those issues. “From transportation to security as well as appointment of nurses, we have dealt with all of those issues,” Bostic said. He declared that he was taken aback by the nurses’ security concerns, as this was a matter which, he said, he used his military expertise to address. “We have certainly done everything possible and that ranges from electronic security to human resources as well as protocols and procedures with the Royal Barbados Police Force. So, I am satisfied that we have done everything that was asked of us and we are ready to commence the service.” The Minister insisted that the start of the round-the-clock clinics was vital to Government’s plans to improve the health service and therefore nothing was going to derail it. “This is a service that is vitally important not only because it eases the situation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Accident and Emergency [Department], but more importantly it gives this country greater capacity in terms of responding to national emergencies, so that we don’t have everything centralised within Bridgetown.” (BT)

TOUGH TALK – The Prime Minister yesterday used a global labour forum to denounce a “racist and xenophobic” world order, in which large and powerful nations contribute to the downfall of “dispensable”, small ones. Before the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland, the PM pleaded with world leaders to guard against a “multipolar” system, in which power and influence are confined to the hands of a few. Referencing the current wave of migration confronting rich nations, she accused unnamed world leaders of practising hypocrisy. “The world has made a pact that it is not prepared to protect those that are most vulnerable among the global community of nations. “It is unfortunate because it reminds us of a world that was not prepared to see the most vulnerable of human beings a hundred years ago, namely the workers. “It is also the global insecurity, the continued willingness to believe it is okay to move capital, but it’s not okay for people to move and hence mass migration of labour is unacceptable to a world whether for xenophobic, racial or other reasons,” she said. Aiming at the threat posed by climate change, Mottley predicted that if the world failed to take note, developed countries could be further bombarded with “climate refugees”. She declared: “Within our own region, we have seen more than two-thirds of the population of Montserrat leave because of a volcano. “Two years ago we saw the whole island of Barbuda evacuated because of a hurricane. We have seen the country of Dominica lose 226 per cent of its GDP and significant dislocation of its population due to two hurricanes two years ago. “We speak from event to event and from institution to institution and even though politics is the art of repetition, it appears that neither politics nor morality is having any meaningful impact on those whose actions and voices can make that significant difference to the climate difficulties that we did today.” Mottley said she could not support a world, which is only prepared to protect the most powerful countries. She contended that core values of equity and justice were being eroded. She said: “In spite of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in spite of all who have died and all that we have fought for, that we should continue to think that it is okay to view a group of nations as dispensable or worse still, not to view them at all against the very threat that is perhaps the greatest threat since mankind has ever inhabited this earth. It is perhaps the greatest, most unfortunate aspect of our global affairs today.” (BT)

TAKE UP HYATT CAUSE! –Social activist and Ambassador to CARICOM David Comissiong is willing to fight any new application for a differently designed Hyatt on a bigger piece of land at Bay Street, The City. But he would like some other activist or any other institution to take up the mantle for such environmental matters. “The people of Barbados have to take an interest in environmental matters of this nature. This should not be seen as David Comissiong’s issue,” he said yesterday. “I am sending out a message to this society, to all of the relevant institutions – do your duty.” Comissiong singled out the Barbados National Trust, which he said “apparently dropped the ball” when it came to last week’s demolition of the home of National Hero Samuel Jackman Prescod. (DN)

BUSINESSES HELP REOPEN POLICE POST – The Police’s community outreach in The City has received a boost from corporate Barbados. Acting Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams today unveiled a reactivated police outpost at Lakes Folly which was refurbished by members of the business community. In praising the initiative, Abrahams said: “Time and time again it has been said that the Government cannot do it all. So, we are therefore heartened by this initiative and the continued commitment by corporate Barbados to assist law enforcement.” The Minister urged others within the private sector to follow this example, suggesting that the outpost at St Lawrence Gap could benefit greatly from such a private-public partnership. Abrahams said: “Other persons in the private sector should be saying to themselves that they too want to make a difference in their community. “There is one outpost here and there is another at St Lawrence Gap that could use this type of assistance. “However, there is no good reason why we should not have police outpost, not just in the areas that already desperately need them, but in areas where we can. This would prevent those areas from becoming areas that desperately need police presence.” The acting attorney general pointed out that community policing has always played an integral role in tackling crime and said the time had come for the return of this type of interactive policing. He declared: “When I was a child, we knew all of the police officers at these outposts by name. These officers were not fear figures, but they became extended members of the family. “We had incidents where parents turned up at the school with a collins (cutlass) for the teacher and the police were always able to respond quickly because they were always in the area. So, the presence of community police officers significantly aids the police in their rapid response.” (BT)

DISMISS THE CASE! – The fact that five young men have been languishing in jail for the past four years without a file being presented cannot be justice, charged attorney Angela Mitchell-Gittens. And despite an impassioned submission by her for the matter to be dismissed in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court today, magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant denied the request. The five young men are among a group of eight charged with the August 6, 2015, murder of primary school teacher Dwight Holder. Rasheed Jabar Gittens, 20 and Akeem Adrian Gittens,19, both of Belleview Gap, Station Hill; Ayo Prince Bascombe, 24, of Headleys Land, Bank Hall; Adrian Antonio Watts, 41, of Windsor Road, Bank Hall; Brandon Damon Joseph, 22, of Beckwith Street, the City; Kemal Mario Straker, 20, of #15 Clapham Park, Nicholas Ricardo Clarke, 19, of 2nd Avenue Godding or Gooding? Road, Station Hill; and Rio Richian Jelani Benn, 23, of Upper Dukes Alley, Vine Street, The City, all in St Michael, have been charged with Holder’s murder. Rasheed Gittens, Benn and Bascombe have all been granted bail. When the men appeared in court today, prosecutor acting Assistant Superintendent Trevor Blackman said a voluntary bill of indictment was scheduled to go before Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. But an irate Mitchell-Gittens – who is representing Straker, Joseph and Rasheed Gittens – did not take kindly to the news, saying it was unacceptable that four years after her clients had been charged a file was yet to be presented. Furthermore, she contended that the prosecution had repeatedly offered up the voluntary bill as an excuse. “I would be comforted by those words except for the fact that I have heard them said many times before. “August 6, 2015 Dwight Holder lost his life. We are now in June of 2019. Apart from putting charge sheets in the hands of eight young men, nothing else has been done in this matter. His family must be wondering what is the state of justice in this matter,” Mitchell-Gittens pointed out. “And people want to know how people get bail for murder? This is how because we can’t charge people, send them to prison, forget about them and do nothing four years later.” The prominent lawyer said the long delay was not fair to either the deceased man’s family or the accused. “Your order on the last occasion was for the file to be brought here. You didn’t ask for a message, you asked for the file to be brought here. There is no file …no disclosure, but you charge eight young men with murder. Some of them are still in prison because we know how onerous High Court bail conditions are. They have spent four years in prison and not even the courtesy of an album, not even the most non-contentious statement has been served in this matter. That is the state of justice in Barbados,” Mitchell-Gittens said. “There is no justice for anybody to be had here, not for Dwight Holder’s family and not for these still in prison. I am inviting you to dismiss this case for want of prosecution. After four years, enough is enough, whatever the charge is…There is no justice in this matter for the deceased or his family. There is no justice for these eight young men, several of them have been incarcerated for the last four years and can’t get back any part of their lives that they spend in prison. “This is disrespectful behaviour, this cannot be the state of justice in the country. Where is the file, why have no documents been served?” she further questioned. Mitchell-Gittens reminded the court this was the fourth occasion she had asked for the matter to be dismissed. She maintained that while the charge was a serious one, it was unfair to expect accused persons to sit in jail until whenever the prosecution deemed it fit to present a file. “I am inviting you to dismiss this matter, let the public see what happens in Barbados. Let us see what happens to eight young men, black people children in this country, put a charge sheet in their hands and four years later, nothing. But the charge is murder so we must lock them up forever and when they come out, they come out. Nobody don’t care because once the police charge you that is the end of that,” Mitchell-Gittens proclaimed. “The time has come for you to dismiss it for want of prosecution and let the DPP, the police and whoever else do their jobs. When you charge people prepare the file, serve pre-trial disclosure in a timely manner.” After listening to her seven-minute submission, the magistrate ruled in favour of the prosecution and adjourned the matter until July 2. (BT)

PRISONERS’ WISH – Six murder accused went before the High Court today wanting to plead guilty to manslaughter. Included were three charged with two separate murders who now want to plead guilty to the lesser count. Murder accused Applon Ishmael Ithamar Parris, 27, of Taitt’s Road, Brittons Hill, St Michael who is charged with the March 26, 2018 stabbing death of Police Constable Shayne Welch told the court he was among those ready to admit to manslaughter. Brothers Chris Amal Lorde, 31, of No. 31 Newton Terrace, Christ Church and Eddisa Deon Mitchell, 23, of 2nd Avenue, Thomas Gap, President Kennedy Drive, St Michael, accused of the death of businessman Colin Forde, 50, who was gunned down on May 10, 2016 on the steps of his business at Baxter’s Road, The City also want to go a similar route. The three made their intentions known in the No. 2 Supreme Court this morning as the status hearings for inmates on remand at Dodds continued before Justice Randall Worrell for the second straight day. The men were among 20 who appeared at the Whitepark Road, St Michael court complex today. In Lorde and Mitchell’s case, Senior Crown Counsel Olivia Davis informed the judge that the brothers were scheduled to be arraigned to plead before the No. 5 Supreme Court on June 28 and she was preparing to indict their case. The men, who have Safiya Moore as their legal counsel, stated that they wanted to plead guilty to manslaughter. Applon meanwhile, told Justice Worrell his file was at the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions but he wanted to plead guilty to manslaughter. He also questioned whether he could plead to a serious bodily harm charge, which was committed to the High Court from the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court last year. In that case he is accused of causing serious bodily harm to Antonio Coco Todd on February 15, 2017 with intent to maim, disfigure or disable him or to cause some serious bodily harm to him. He will get another status hearing on July 31. Three other murder-accused also signalled intentions to plead guilty to manslaughter. Seventy-five-year Sylvester Nelson, who previously resided at a senior citizens home in Vauxhall, Christ Church told the High Court judge: “I am guilty for what I have done and I would like you to sentence me today.” However, he was informed that his matter needed to follow procedure in the form of an indictment. Attorney-at-law Angella Mitchell-Gittens, who is representing the accused as a friend of the court, informed Worrell that there was no file in Nelson’s matter and he would need to get legal aide. Meanwhile, there is an indictment in the capital case against Emmerson Hurdle, 46, of Gall Hill Land, St John, who says he has been on remand for the past seven years. “I would like to plead guilty to get it over it,” Hurdle stated but the judge made it clear “this was not a get over with it court”. Murder accused Floyd Leacock, 47, of Clifton Hill, St James was only charged in February this year and wished to plead guilty to manslaughter. However, his attorney Marlon Gordon informed the judge that his client’s case was still before the magistrates’ court at the sufficiency hearing stage. Gordon said now that he knows of Leacock’s intentions: “I will make every effort to have that facilitated”. Thirty-three-year-old Shane Ifill, of 4th Avenue New Orleans, St Michael who says he has been on remand for almost six years declared “I come here to plead guilty now sir”. He is on firearm and violent disorder charges. Three non-nationals were also among today’s group of 20. Crown Counsel Oliver Thomas was the second prosecutor at the sitting. However, 33-year-old Jamaican Bassonia McDermoth, who is charged for having counterfeit money, has already pleaded guilty and was just waiting on getting a pre-sentencing report done. Thirty-year-old Guyanese Andrew Mullins, who is facing cannabis charges, is in the same situation as McDermoth while Dave Peters, a 27-year-old from Arima, Trinidad who has been on remand for the past two years says he wants to plead guilty to drug charges. So far Justice Worrell has gotten information from 37 inmates and is getting ready to hear the status of the cases against 17 more tomorrow. (BT)

CONVICT PUT ON PAYMENT PLAN – A 19-year-old has been given eight months to pay back a woman for the damage he caused to the bonnet of her car. Not only that, Bridgetown Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant has allowed for Kevon Odane Forde, of Upper Collymore Rock, St Michael to pay Clydette Jordan in instalments, the $1,635 in damages he caused. The unemployed teen must return to the No. 2 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court every month to pay $137 until the payment is completed. He is to reappear before the magistrate on July 19 to honour the first payment. Forde has been warned that he will spend 12 months in prison if he fails to pay the money for damaging the car on May 28. (BT)

GUILTY PLEA – A St Michael man owned up to a robbery charge in the High Court today after maintaining his innocence for the past four years. London Bourne Towers, Bay Street resident, Demareco Rico Murray had been adamant that he did not “rob nobody” even after the complainant had recognised him and picked him out of a police line-up. However, when he appeared before Justice Randall Worrell today he admitted to robbing Sherene Mussenden of a chain, a cellular phone and a handbag totaling $1,120 on June 2, 2015. Mussenden was walking home in the company of a male friend around 1a.m. along Beckles Road, the City when she looked back and saw three men running towards her, one holding a gun and wearing a mask, while the other two were crouching. They pounced causing her and the friend to run. One of the men grabbed her from the back, while the masked gunman put the weapon to her stomach and robbed her of her belongings. Mussenden contacted police after escaping into a neighbour’s house, Crown Counsel Oliver Thomas told the judge in outlining the facts. The prosecutor also revealed that Murray turned himself to police and was told about the robbery. “I ain’t know about nothing, I ain’t do nothing . . . I ain’t rob nobody,” he told police when questioned four years ago. He also declined to give a written statement to police. Thomas said none of the property was recovered. Attorney-at-law Angella Mitchell-Gittens, who represented Murray as a friend of the court, requested that his time on remand be read in and a probation report be compiled in preparation for sentencing. The judge agreed and made the order and Murray, who is not known to the court, was told to return before the No. 2 Supreme Court on September 20 when the sentencing phase of his case will commence. (BT)

WORRELL PLACED ON BOND – A general worker who pleaded guilty to criminal damage has been ordered to be on his best behaviour for the next 18 months. The bond was imposed on Junior Ricardo Worrell, of Odessa McClean Drive, My Lord’s Hill, St Michael today in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court. If he breaches the order he will spend 12 months in prison. The 50-year-old admitted before Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant to damaging a camera and window belonging to Sunshine Early Stimulation Centre on May 26. Prosecutor Kenmore Phillips told the court workmen were on the job at Perry Gap, St Michael when they noticed that the camera and window were damaged. A check was made of the CCTV footage and Worrell was seen hitting the property with a stick. The matter was reported and he was arrested. Asked if he had anything to say in his defence, the convicted man replied that he had already spoken to the owner who agreed to accept compensation. Worrell must pay the money by next Thursday. (BT)

SIR VIV BLASTS WINDIES – Iconic former captain Sir Vivian Richards has criticised West Indies’ “one dimensional” approach to their World Cup campaign and has slammed the lack of intensity shown in their defeat to Bangladesh last Monday. West Indies went down by seven wickets to Bangladesh in Taunton to suffer their third defeat in five matches, and remain on three points in seventh spot in the 10-team table. Their lone win came against Pakistan in their opener three weeks ago. The Caribbean side copped criticism for their persistence with the tactic of short-pitched bowling, which worked well against Pakistan and Australia but backfired against the Tigers, who completed their highest-ever run chase of 322 to win with 51 balls remaining. “There didn’t seem to be any planning where if this particular plan isn’t going to work then what about the plan B, plan C or whatever the case is. We are too one dimensional,” Sir Viv, who never lost a Test series as captain, told the Observer here. (DN)

NEW ZEALAND DEFEAT SOUTH AFRICA BY FOUR WICKETS – New Zealand captain Kane Williamson played one of the great World Cup innings to steer his side to a tense four-wicket victory over South Africa. Needing eight to win from the final over, Williamson swept the second ball for six to complete a majestic century. And he sliced the next away for four to see the Black Caps past their target of 242 with three balls to spare. He was aided by Colin de Grandhomme's superb 60 off 47 balls after the Kiwis had slipped to 137-5. South Africa squandered chances to remove both during an absorbing finale, including failing to ask for a review before replays showed Williamson had nicked Imran Tahir behind to Quinton de Kock on 76. De Grandhomme was caught at long-off trying to hit the first ball of the penultimate over for six but the unflappable Williamson took his side home, ending unbeaten on 106. With the match reduced to 49 overs per side because of a wet outfield that delayed the start of play by 90 minutes, South Africa posted 241-5 following Rassie van der Dussen's 67 not out and Hashim Amla's scratchy 55. Their circumspect approach on a tricky two-paced pitch was not quite enough though, with a fourth defeat in six matches effectively eliminating South Africa from semi-final contention. New Zealand remain unbeaten, with four wins and a no result in their five games so far, and move back to the top of the table. (DN)

PRIMARY STARS – The girls of Wesley Hall Primary and the boys of Ifill School jumped for joy as they celebrated as first-time winners of the second annual National Primary Schools Volleyball Competition played this afternoon at the Wildey Gymnasium. Wesley Hall Primary won the two best of three final 15-12 and 15-12 against Deacons Primary who fought well but were unable to stop the King Street, St Michael school led by most valuable player Theanny Herbert-Mayers. He will be attending Christ Church Foundation in September and is certain to add to that school’s sports programme. Rajae McCollin of Ifill School was adjudged most outstanding male volleyballer as he piloted his team to a 15-9 and 15-10 victory in the best of three sets showdown. (BT)

BASHMENT SOCA FINALISTS ANNOUNCED –There is no Stiffy and no Scrilla but there are eight new artistes, three females (Mara Rose, Sita and SugahRhe) and Guyana, St Lucia and St Vincent are represented. The Yello International Bashment Soca Monarch Competition had 25 semi-finalists who received 98 000 online votes. “These votes, added to the judges scores shows we are in for the biggest Bashment Soca competition ever”, said 4D Entertainment, producers of the event which takes place on July 6 at Pirates Cove. The voting took place over five days. In the finals are Blaze Anthonio (Guyana); Sita The Lyrical Diva (St Vincent); Subance & Mighty (St Lucia) and from Barbados are – Jagwa The Champ, King Bubba FM, Mara Rose, Marz Ville, Mole, SK, SugahRhe, UndaDawg and Walkes. The 2019 monarch will receive $60 000, which is $20 000 less than last year’s cash prize of $80 000. However, for the first time, there will be second and third place prizes in the competition, now in its fourth year. The second-placed artiste will receive $15 000, while the third will take home $5 000. The winners will all receive additional prizes and everyone who enters the competition will receive a performance fee. (DN)

For daily or breaking news reports follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter & Facebook. That’s all for today folks. There are 195 days left in the year. Shalom! #thechasefilesdailynewscap #thechasefiles# dailynewscapsbythechasefiles

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The Chase Files Daily Newscap 4/12/2019

Good MORNING #realdreamchasers! Here is The Chase Files Daily News Cap for Friday April 12th 2019. Remember you can read full articles for FREE via Barbados Today (BT) or Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS) OR by purchasing by purchasing a Weekend Nation Newspaper (WN).

NSC’S ‘PROMISE TO PAY’ GYM’S EX-WORKERS – A week after being severed from their jobs at the defunct Gymnasium Ltd, the public workers who once ran the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex and the Wildley Gymnasium are still to receive their severance payments. But Acting Director of the National Sports Council, Neil Murrell has promised that payment will be made to the ex-employees at the NSC offices tomorrow. He said: “Monies for the payment of these terminated employees have already been lodged in the National Sports Council’s account via the Ministry of the Creative Economy, Culture and Sports. On Monday, Minister John King told Barbados TODAY, the retrenched workers could be re-employed by the Sports Council as the layoffs were a technicality in the due process of the merger of the former Gymnasium Ltd with the NSC, which has taken control of the sporting complex and arena. (BT)

CHEFETTE ‘MAY EMPLOY EX-WORKERS’ IN EXPANSION DRIVE – At a time when Government is sending home hundreds of public servants amid budget cuts, fast food giant Chefette is set to expand operations yet again and could employ unemployed public workers, the chain’s managing director has said. Ryan Haloute told Barbados TODAY that within the next three months, Chefette would present a draft plan to the Town and Country Planning Department for approval to expand its factory at Lears, St Michael. He said the proposed plant would be an opportunity for Chefette to absorb some of the newly retrenched workers, casualties of the International Monetary Fund-sanctioned austerity measures. Haloute said, “We have to play our part as Chefette to help whoever is in power by hiring people, paying our people well, expanding and so on. Trying to lay off people is the absolute last resort or no resort. “On one hand we can say things are getting better, but people are getting laid off. We understand Prime Minister’s Mia Mottley’s mandate and we have to play our part too as Chefette. We have to try and employ more people and expand, because she might have to layoff more people. The net effect is hopefully everything overall would improve “It seems like things should be getting better. But plans are being put in place and things are getting better, but only for some obviously because people are getting laid off.” But the managing director would not divulge details on the planned features and capacity of the factory. He said all would be revealed when town planning authorities have approved the draft. He gave the assurance that the 46-year-old restaurant chain had no intention of sending home workers, despite the state of the economic climate, which has been having an impact on its operations. Haloute said: “In my time we have never laid off anybody, and we have no immediate plan or plans to do that. That is like the last resort that we ever do. Even though we shut Fairchild Street down two years ago, it was because our landlords needed the space to expand, so they gave us notice that they won’t renew the lease. “We absorbed the staff and just kept them on, we don’t lay off. But when we expand the manufacturing plant we are going to be taking on more staff, we have to. When we break ground, and we are ready, then we would announce this is what we are doing, this is how much more staff we would need. (BT)

BANKS COMMIT TO NEW CODE – Customers of commercial banks will no longer have to worry about hidden fees. That’s because The Barbados Bankers Association (TBBA) has launched a new code of banking practice, which will be implemented by all five commercial banks in operation here. The Bank of Nova Scotia, RBC Royal Bank, First Citizens, CIBC First Caribbean International Bank (FCIB) and Republic Bank have all signed on to the new code. During its launch at FCIB’s Warrens headquarters this morning, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel of Republic Bank, Sasha Shillingford explained that banks would have to reveal any potential fees relating to its services or products up front to customers. “Often times, terms and conditions are one of the top most important things that customers want to know up front. The important thing is that the code outlines the requirements of the bank and sets the standard that we have to disclose any fees and charges which are applicable to a product and service and this has to be done up front before you go into a relationship with the bank…because you don’t want fees and charges to be in a hidden way or not known to you,” Shillingford disclosed. However, when questioned on whether banks were required to give reasons why fees were introduced or increased, president of TBBA Donna Wellington said it was not always possible. She said more importantly was for banks to make their customers aware of those planned changes. “Banks are commercial institutions whose prices vary based on their operating model. It would be left to any commercial bank to basically indicate if they are able, the specifics around why certain movements in prices are increased. “I would say that across the commercial space in any sector or sphere, that there is not that level of granularity required from most places that offer services, products, fees or anything. So what we are saying is that there will from time to time be reasons or needs for us to raise prices, raise interest rates…so there is a commercial level that we will always have and it stands to reason that as business decisions are made that we will change accordingly. “The important thing is that we tell you rather than have to explain in a granular way why changes are being made,” Wellington said. Among some of the topics referenced in the code are operating an account, foreign exchange services, lending and advertising and marketing, protecting customer information and complaint handling procedures. In her remarks, Wellington said the code was “our voluntary commitment” to customers to adhere to a code of conduct for operating in the market. She maintained that there was need for commercial banks to be self-regulating. “Banking is based on the maintenance of the highest level of ethics and operating principles. These must extend beyond the regulation of a Central Bank. “We must be self-regulating, responsible entities, duty-bound to deliver the fiduciary and financial obligations owed to our customers, to our community and the country as a whole,” she insisted. Wellington said the code would be reviewed intermittently and if needed it would be updated to reflect current banking practices and customer needs in an ever changing environment. (BT)

NO NEED TO FEAR – The operations of commercial banks in Barbados are in no way threatened by the emergence of digital currency. That is the view of president of The Barbados Bankers Association (TBBA) Donna Wellington who said banks had already embraced digital technology in their operations. At the ongoing IMF/World Bank 2019 Spring Meetings in Washington, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde said the role of banks as providers of payment services was being challenged by the growing popularity of digital currency. “Banks are going to have to adapt to survive or possibly disappear,” she predicted. When asked if commercial banks had any reason to fear digital currency Wellington responded, “Not at all.” However, she said it would take a change in attitude of Barbadians for digital technology to become normal practice. “Digital transactions are alive and well in Barbados. All of the commercial banks allow you to do digital transactions even now and what people may not be aware of is that you can, from internet banking and mobile banking apps, transfer money between all of the commercial banks using digital means and not cash,” Wellington said. “Of course the intent is to reduce cheque usage by digital transactions and also to reduce cash usage by digital transactions. We are aspiring to be exactly there and it will take a change of mindset around cheque and cash usage from all Barbadians in order to make that leap.” She lauded Government for leading the charge by its move to reduce the number of cheques issued, and for putting a new system in place for tax collection and tax refunds. “With the Government leading the charge and making sure that people understand that when it deals with Government it will be on a digital basis, digital transactions to and from Government can be expected, then the hope is that individuals both personal and business will also take the initiative,” Wellington pointed out. She also noted that while the use of digital currency was complex, digital transactions were much simpler. “Basically what we are doing is going another way. Instead of dealing with digital currency which is fraught with complexity, what we are doing is just digitizing all of the transactions that are available in country,” she said. Wellington also revealed that banks would be rolling out more products and services later this year that will be “leading the charge” in that regard. (BT)

WOMEN ‘IN UPHILL STRUGGLE’ FOR BIZ CREDIT - Despite the fact that many women run their own small businesses throughout the world, they still find difficulty getting credit from financial institutions to expand, a phenomenon which a development banker has blamed on sexism. Vice President of Operations at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Monica La Bennett, said: “While women own two out of three micro- and small business enterprises, 80 per cent of them do not get the credit they need to grow their businesses and create jobs.” Citing a Barbadian study which was published last September, La Bennett said: “Women tend to get micro loans for small amounts of capital when they are starting out, but when women want to grow their firms and need more funds, they often end up with less money than they requested. “As a result, they tended to rely on funding from personal loans, getting help from family members, putting whatever money they earned from the business back into it, or credit cards, and that can become an expensive process.” The CDB official added that collateral was also a challenge for women seeking bigger loans, and evidence showed that “in the few cases where women managed to get loans from commercial banks in the early stages, it was usually because their husband was their business partner or through their own persistence. They also reported that they got discouraged from applying for loans again after being turned down”. La Bennett continued: “It is also claimed that female entrepreneurs are satisfied with their small size, as it gives them extra income and provides them with the flexibility they need to take care of their families and other aspects of their lives, and also that they are more risk averse than men and more cautious even if they qualify for loans. However, this is not always true.” The development banker blamed deeply rooted gender stereotype for the challenges facing women in the financial sector. She said: “Women are fully capable but there are structural barriers in society that prevent them from reaching their full potential, and these are shaped by gender. Removing biases requires training, making the unconscious conscious, standardising procedures, creating data and evidence to challenge perceptions and also requires accountability.” But she declared that the CDB was working to break down the barriers with women featured prominently in some of the initiatives the bank had undertaken to help micro- and small business enterprises in recent years. Between 2013 and 2017, the CDB provided $36 million (US$18 million) in lines to micro- and small businesses across the region, from which 78 women benefited, she said. Over the last three years, the bank funded skills training and technical assistance for over 2,400 entrepreneurs to help them improve their competitiveness, and more than half – 1,400 – of those beneficiaries were women, she added. The bank also trained 500 women involved in music about the business aspects of their work through the Creative Industries Fund, the CDB official reported. La Bennett noted: “There is a strong correlation between women’s access to financial services and greater social welfare, because women are more likely to spend their income on health care for their children, improving their housing and education. “The CDB cannot do this alone; we need to partner with the private sector, especially those organisations dealing with social responsibility, to become advocates for gender equality.”(BT)

PORK FARMING ON RISE, UNDER THREAT, SAYS BAS - Despite rising pork production, president of the Barbados Agriculture Society Woodville Alleyne-Jones has claimed that pig farming is on the verge of collapsing under the hefty weight of water and tax bills. Alleyne-Jones was speaking at a press conference with BAS chief executive James Paul when he revealed a 25 to 30 per cent jump in pig production in the month of December. He also attributed a rise in pig farming, particularly among women, to the mass public sector layoffs, which began late last year. But he contended that the high water bills and additional costs were threatening the survival of pig-rearing and farming in general. Alleyne-Jones told journalists: “If we are not careful, farmers are going to drop out because they can’t afford to pay. Before it was hard for farmers to make money but now it is nearly impossible. “A farmer cannot afford now to work for nothing, the bills are there he has to pay them. If he doesn’t they will cut off the water bill and agriculture is going to suffer.” He declared that as Government continued to advocate for food security, agriculture should receive subsidies as the imported products were maintaining a competitive advantage. The BAS president added: “We have countries that are heavily subsidised they can sell their products a lot cheaper than Barbados and if we are not careful these people will take over our products and then . . . what they might do is take over our agriculture sector and by then it might be too late Describing dialogue between farmers and Government as pivotal to the developing and preserving agriculture, Alleyne-Jones told reporters that discussions with Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Indar Weir have been amicable. He also revealed that the growing green monkey population has become “a big threat” to farmers and was in need of a solution. The green monkey has long been officially classified as a pest, with a bounty placed on its head by the agriculture ministry. The agricultural society leader said: “As far as I am concerned the monkey has become a pest; it is not just a pet anymore it is a pest and people are suffering from this pest . . . . We the people in agriculture need to start now looking up all the aspects whereby we can improve our agricultural sector.” CEO James Paul joining the discussion, expressed his grievances with local retailers. He revealed that the pig farmers were in danger as the buying habits of consumers were evolving. He pointed out that the seasonal demand of different cuts of the pig was working to the sole advantage of commercial retailers. He indicated that the BAS will be embarking on a national campaign similar to the Proper Pork initiative to increase local consumption of pork products. “We are seeing now pens come back into production but what kind of incentive are you going to give to those individuals when at the same time you have a situation where the buying habits in the supermarkets are changing. You have a disputation where now supermarkets are asking for the prime cuts before Hipacc takes the whole carcass . . . now we have a situation where supermarkets are saying ‘no we want the loins’. . . . I understand that there are some major supermarkets that are telling farmers they are not taking the whole carcass so farmers are now challenged with how do they get rid of the lamb and shoulders,” Paul disclosed. “In the past, many of the retailers that we had were local retailers so they understood and they could empathize with how the market needed to be shaped, now we have a situation where many of the principal retailers are foreign owned in this country and they do not feel the same level of empathy with a Barbadian,” he added. (BT)

PSVS THREATEN TO SUE – Wheel and come again. That’s what public service vehicle (PSV) owners are telling the Transport Authority as some move to take legal action against that body for reassigning their permits as part of a pilot project. The owners are contending that the Authority’s tactics border on bullying and they are not standing for that. They are so adamant that they have engaged the services of Queen’s Counsel Michael Lashley, the former Minister of Transport and Works. He told the Weekend Nation: “I was contacted by some of the PSV operators. The chairman has no power to take such action legally and I am awaiting further instructions.” (WN)

BUS ‘PASS’ – It’s still early days yet, but commuters appear reluctant to purchase the Travel Smart cards from the Transport Board ahead of Monday’s 75 per cent bus fare increase to $3.50. Many angry bus riders interviewed by Barbados TODAY appear opposed to the hike coming before an improvement in bus service. The transferable tickets, which are to be sold to frequent passengers by 10,14, 20 and 28 trips with discounts ranging from 30 cents per ride to 50 cents per ride, were announced by Prime Minister Mia Mottley in March 20 Budget. Passengers who spoke to a Barbados TODAY team at the Fairchild Street Bus Terminal spoke out strongly against buying the tickets, which were officially available from just after four o’clock this evening. One Foster Hall, St Joseph resident said she was waiting for more than two hours for the Bathsheba bus. Declaring she was beyond frustrated with the long wait times she has had to endure in the bus terminal to get home on evenings, she said she would not be buying the new tickets. “I would prefer to try to get rides with friends and family to get from point A to point B and eliminate having to take the passes. “I am one of those persons that do not have the patience to stand up here for so many hours and rely on an unreliable bus system. “In the next week, we have to pay an extra $1.50 and there are no new buses, the service is not reliable. To increase bus fare and the service is horrible I think it’s ridiculous.” A Massiah Street, St John commuter said she was not purchasing the passes because the Society bus came once every six hours. In a statement issued ahead of the roll out of the Travel Smart cards, acting general manager of the Transport Board Felicia Sue said the bus tickets were “the first step in making public transport more affordable for Barbadians and bringing the Transport Board up to international standards of public transportation.” Noting that the change was customer oriented, she explained that the cards would allow commuters to have approximately 15 per cent discount and in some cases as high as four free trips per card depending on which card is purchased. “For example, a commuter that purchases a 28-trip ticket would normally pay $98 for 28 trips, with the Travel Smart option you will pay $84, a savings of $14 or 4 free trips.” However, a retired Christ Church resident declared that many Barbadians would not take advantage of the frequent passenger tickets unless they were distributed in their communities. “The pensioner said: “Somebody would have to bring them for them or have a central location issuing them. But if they have to go and collect them, they are not going to go. The bus service is not reliable,” he said. Commenting on reports that the Transport Board’s service could be privatised he said: “I do not think transport should be something that should be privatised as you have no control over the rise of bus fare. “Poor people will suffer and school children would not be able to travel on the buses free anymore.” A Horse Hill, St Joseph retiree said he believes the Prime Minister made a mistake when she increased bus fare while knowing that the state bus service was in dire need of an overhaul. He told Barbados TODAY: “Sometimes I have to wait seven hours for a bus, you think in here nice? Mia made a mistake [she] should never put on bus fare without buses.” (BT)

PULL PRINCIPAL – A massive investigation has been launched at the Government Industrial School (GIS) in response to a number of “pressing issues”, the most recent of them the recent escape of two teenage girls from the Barrows, St Lucy branch of the correctional facility. And board members are calling for swift and sweeping changes to the way operations at the institution are conducted. In fact, Barbados TODAY understands that a majority, including chairman, the Reverend Dr Joseph Johnny Tudor, has called for the departure of Principal, Erwin Leacock, following a meeting on Wednesday evening at the Ministry of Home Affairs. On April 1, 16-year-old Tammagn Omega Caesar and 15-year-old Kyesha Wilson vanished without a trace moments after being spotted in broad daylight scaling the facility’s ten-foot barbed wired fence. An official close to the situation indicated that numerous complaints about inadequate security measures, including the absence of the cameras which have reportedly not been functioning for at least a year, had fallen on deaf ears, along with other “critical” matters. When contacted, 71-year-old Reverend Tudor, a former government minister confirmed that the principal had in fact been “read the riot act”. At the moment however, he stressed that the wellbeing of the two escaped teens was of the greatest concern. “There are several other things, but right now we are dealing with the fact that two girls have escaped. I can’t sleep and every time the phone rings I am jumping, because I am totally uncomfortable, very upset and everybody knows it,” he revealed in a telephone interview. “We are making a request to have the matter fully investigated, because the briefs presented to the board are unacceptable and the board has literally read the riot act to the principal. We are not happy and the matter is receiving our very full attention.” Numerous efforts to reach the embattled principal were unsuccessful, but the frustrated chairman revealed that even 10 days after the incident, board members were “not yet entirely clear” about what happened on the day in question. He however revealed that prior to the incident; the board had expressed tremendous concern about the measures in place to guarantee the safety and protection of inmates. “We found that there were breaches in the operation of the industrial school in terms of what are the minimum requirements for the protection of students and there have been breaches that we are very unhappy about as a board. It is the responsibility of the school to ensure the girls are safe,” he stressed. While the upset chairman added that there were other challenges to be ironed out, he expressed confidence that the all female section of the institution, which houses no more than 40 or 50 girls at a time, could be reformed. “The school itself is not a hostile prison environment. It is very accommodating and understanding of some of the challenges that our young people have in terms of interacting with the society and they are treated in a manner that is humane. “The surroundings at Barrows are not rigid and there is a lot of interaction from time to time with organisations who visit the school and lend assistance in terms of training and so forth.” Of the inmates, he added: “Some of the girls are very bright and are capable of doing very well at CXC in there. They do very well, but we have to be protective of them. I take no chances with the children, because they are our special gifts in society. “We are doing programmes with Oxford University with the residents trying to get them to understand behavioural patterns and so on and we want to improve their communication with their parents, friends and families and society in general to avoid certain difficulties and to solve problems without violence,” he said. Reverend Tudor indicated that board members also intended to lobby for the reform of some archaic laws still governing juvenile offenders. On Thursday correspondence was reportedly sent to the office of Home Affairs Minister, Edmund Hinkson from the institution’s board outlining its assessment of the situation and giving recommendations for the way forward. Attempts to contact the minister have been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, with the two teenage girls still at large, police have continued to request the public’s assistance in returning them to the custody of the state. (BT)

PUBLIC SPECIAL NEEDS PRIMARY SCHOOL ‘NEEDED’ – A principal of one of the few private schools for children with special needs has suggested that Government create one to meet high demand. Jennah Parris of Sunshine Early Stimulation Centre and John Payne School for Exceptional Children said: “I do think there needs to be another facility. On a daily basis, I can tell you in the first three weeks of school without exaggerating we had about 15 calls for referrals alone. “Our challenge here is that usually, we do not have space opening in our primary department. Our children from Sunshine graduate on to John Payne. We can accommodate children from two to four and it is very hard for us to accommodate those who are older so then we have to turn them back. “There are only so many special schools and so many special classes within the Government setting that can accommodate children and then that is a case of if I have to go to a private school it is a cost as well as transportation. “So, if it is something from a Government end then it would be most affordable for most students. We do scholarships here whether it is partial or full to make sure that our students can get here.” The special needs educator has recommended that a public special needs school be staffed by two teachers per class given the challenges of catering to special needs students. “One teacher in a class with six or seven students with special needs or varying special needs is not easy,” she said. Parris said a key feature of her school located in Country Road, St Michael is that it accepts children who are not potty trained. She added this to the qualities a state special needs school should have. “We accept children who are not pottytrained. So you can be ten years old and not pottytrained and it is not a challenge here. In the government system, you cannot. Even if you have special needs and there is a medical reason why you cannot [go to the bathroom on your own] you have to provide someone who would come and change the child through the day because the Government system does not have someone who can do that,” she said. Parris said she has noticed greater tolerance of children with special needs in recent years. “We still do have a way to go in terms of where we need to be as it relates to special needs, but we can see that there are things happening just as Rock Your Socks for World Down Syndrome Day. “Definitely, there is that level of awareness and a lot more being done, and we hope it continues and we see a wider integration of children with special needs. “Even if you look at Massy Distribution, they have persons with special needs, so we see business places open doors slowly for persons with special needs.” The principal urged that children with special needs should not be segregated in society. But she said: “I am very aware of what it takes to have an integrated school that is done the right way. “It means additional staff and resources. I do think that we need to do more but there needs to be more groundwork done before we can reach that point. But I do think there is more that we can do.” (BT)

24-HOUR HELP HOTLINE FOR YOUTH – Round-the-clock rescue is coming for troubled children, including runaways and those at risk of gang initiations or violence. Former juvenile magistrate turned children’s champion, Faith Marshall-Harris, has expanded her FMH Family Law to join forces with the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust for a 24-hour hotline that provides immediate help and follow-up support for anyone calling with child-related problems. The 24-hour FMH/Sandy Lane Charitable Trust Helpline is being launched this month and among its recruits are a slew of social workers, church leaders, well-meaning retirees and young people. (WN)

DOUBLE TROUBLE – Two men who were allegedly involved in a shooting incident on the very day that a one week gun amnesty went into effect in Barbados have been remanded HMP Dodds for 28 days. They are 21-year-old Kareem Decoursey Brathwaite, of Jessamy Avenue, Bayville, St Michael and 28-year-old Jamal Omar Springer, of Liverpool Road, Brittons Hill, St Michael. The two appeared before Magistrate Douglas Frederick this afternoon accused of unlawfully wounding Niko Forde on April 7 with intent to maim, disfigure or disable him or to do some serious bodily harm to him. They are also separately charged with use of a firearm in committing the offence of wounding with intent or were reckless as to whether or not they would cause or meant to cause bodily harm to Forde. According to a release from the Royal Barbados Police Force the incident reportedly occurred about 2:50 p.m. on April 7 in the area of Beckles Hill, near Pipers Avenue, Bayville, St Michael. It was reported that two motorcyclists, both with pillion riders, were travelling in opposite directions when a pillion rider was shot in his right calf by the pillion rider on the other motorcycle. Brathwaite, who is represented by attorney-at-law Vonda Pile and Springer, who has Angella Mitchell-Gittens as his legal counsel, were not required to plea to the indictable charges. The accused will reappear in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on May 9, 2019. (BT)

FRAUD ACCUSED GRANTED BAIL – After several attempts, Guyana national Kelvin Richard Nixon who is accused of several fraud offences was able to post bail in the sum of $40,000. The 35-year-old from East Coast Demerara had been on remand at HMP Dodds since his first appearance in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court in August 2018. He is accused along with a female relative of obtaining goods from PMST (Barbados) Limited on August 7, 2018 by using a FirstCaribbean International Bank visa debit card belonging to Anthony D. Phillips. Nixon is also charged with conducting a series of transactions using Phillips’ card between August 2 and 22, 2018 including dishonestly obtaining a $12,939.30 engine from Star Products Limited; $3,632 in goods from Pro Sales; $779.98 in goods from Galaxy Fashions; $2,435.95 in goods from West Riley Electronics Company Limited; $460 in goods from Fusionz Boutique; $1,130.84 in goods from Shopsmart Inc; two airline tickets valued at $1,646.42 from LIAT (1974) Limited; $702. 36 in goods from F&B Automotive Arts; $7,150.85 in goods from Carters and Company; and $4,357.58 in goods from Cost-U-Less. He is further accused of stealing $39,000 from Phillips’ account at the bank’s Broad Street branch, as well as laundering $82,134. 40 in proceeds of crime. The prosecution maintained objections to bail on the grounds that the accused was a flight risk given that he was arrested at the departure lounge of the Grantley Adams International Airport. However, on his last appearance in court his attorney Angela Mitchell-Gittens provided the court with medical correspondence outlining Nixon’s health status. After considering the circumstances Magistrate Doulgas Frederick offered the non-national bail with orders that he reports to the District ‘A’ Police Station every Wednesday before 10 a.m. with valid identification. Nixon who informed the magistrate that officers at the Criminal Investigation Department were in possession of his travel documents must also reside with his surety until the matter is adjudicated. The accused was then released after the court accepted his surety to return to court on June 11, 2019. (BT)

DRAKES SUING CWI –The axe has fallen on former Barbados and West Indies cricketer Vasbert Drakes – again. But he is not taking it lightly. Less than two years after he was fired as head coach of the West Indies Women’s team, Drakes was removed from his position as bowling coach of the men’s team on Wednesday. Through his attorney Queen’s Counsel Ralph Thorne, he is suing his former boss Cricket West Indies (CWI), saying the way he was terminated was unlawful. He is asking the High Court to reinstate him to the position and to order CWI to pay him compensation. (WN)

REIFER TO TAKE OVER – It’s official! Former Barbadian and West Indies batsman Floyd Reifer has been appointed interim head coach of the West Indies cricket team. During a press conference this morning in Antigua, newly-elected Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Ricky Skerritt announced the appointment. Skerritt, who defeated Jamaican Dave Cameron 8-4 in last month's CWI elections, has also appointed Robert Haynes chairman of selectors to replace Courtney Browne. Reifer replaces the English-born Richard Pybus who led the regional side to a 2-1 Test series win at home versus England in January. (WN)

REIFER WANTS TO BUILD WINNERS - One of Floyd Reifer’s major priorities as the new interim head coach of the West Indies will be on building a winning culture. Speaking at a Cricket West Indies (CWI) press conference in Antigua yesterday morning, which was streamed across the Caribbean, Reifer said he was keen to see the regional team develop a winning feeling. “My coaching philosophy is about building a winning culture and creating that honesty and trust among players. “Communication is very important between players and staff. Honesty is very crucial as well,” said Reifer, a Barbados player and interim West Indies captain. His first assignment will be the Tri-Nations One-Day Series in Ireland where the West Indies will play two matches against their hosts and Bangladesh from May 5 to 17. (WN)

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The Chase Files Daily Newscap 8/5/2020

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! HAPPY MAY DAY! Here is your daily news cap Friday 8th May, 2020. There is a lot to read and digest so take your time. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS), Barbados Today (BT), or by purchasing a Weekend Nation Newspaper (WN).

1694 FAMILIES BENEFIT UNDER PROGRAMME – Government has disbursed $1 016 400 to date under the Adopt-A-Family Programme, which was designed to help vulnerable families cope with the effects of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A total of 1 694 vulnerable families have each received $600. Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Alies Jordan, said today that the money was the first of three monthly payments they would receive to provide food for their families. “These payments exceeded the original target of 1 500 vulnerable families, at a cost of $900 000 per month. In addition to disbursing the funds, which were received through donations, Government also provided financial support for the programme, to meet the additional need. “Based on the referrals, calls and emails that have been received, it is now estimated that a minimum of 2 500 vulnerable families are likely to apply for assistance. This would take the disbursed amounts for May and June to $1.5 million per month,” Jordan said in a press release. The Permanent Secretary said that as of May 4, 2020, 326 individuals and companies had donated $900 000.82 to the Adopt-a-Family Programme. She said all donations were used to provide assistance to the most vulnerable families. With regard to selection, Jordan said families were first assessed to ensure they were not receiving other benefits. She explained that with the assistance of CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank, debit cards were provided to the recipients. The Ministry of Finance, Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, the COVID-19 Unit, the Household Mitigation Unit, and the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology worked to ensure the programme worked efficiently, according to Jordan. The bank account will remain open at CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank, Broad Street to account number 1001193982, for those wishing to make donations. (BGIS) 

MORE PEOPLE SEEKING HELP AS COVID BITES – The Salvation Army has seen a substantial increase in the number of persons seeking assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Divisional Commander Major Darrell Wilkinson told Barbados TODAY while the charitable organization was accustomed to feeding around 20 people weekly, it was now servicing the needs of 200 people on a weekly basis. Wilkinson said he believed the sudden and sharp increase was due to the large numbers of people who were now unemployed as a result of the pandemic. Earlier this week Minister of Tourism and International Transport Kerrie Symmonds revealed that the National Insurance Scheme had processed over 30 000 unemployment claims. Wilkinson said the Salvation Army had been able to meet the high demand thanks to help from the Rotary Club of Barbados and the Mormon Church. He explained that the donations from the Rotary Club went specifically to those persons who had lost their jobs. “We’ve moved from roughly 15 to 20 a week to 200. I think this is because a lot of people have lost their jobs and are finding it hard to support themselves and their families so they are turning to us for help,” Wilkinson noted. “The parcels from the Rotary Club go specifically to those persons who have been laid off.” He admitted that while fulfilling the needs of the increased numbers was challenging, he said the Salvation Army would continue to provide the hampers as long as they had the resources. Wilkinson said the contributions from the Rotary Club were expected to run for about two months. He pointed out that with the partial re-opening of some businesses and with more expected to re-open within the coming weeks, the numbers could possibly decrease with more jobs becoming available. “We have a partnership with the Rotary Club and they provide us with 200 hampers every two weeks or so, plus we have our own stuff as we got businesses to give us some foodstuff. Also, we have the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) who have come on board as well and they gave us some hampers so that helps us to service the additional people. “As long as we get the foodstuff persons will come and when there is no more foodstuff then it will level off,” Wilkinson said. “But it all depends on what happens in the next couple weeks when Government decides to re-open things fully because then things may change.” Wilkinson said the Salvation’s Army seven locations at Reed Street, Speightstown, Upper Carlton, Long Bay, Four Roads, Wotton and Checker Hall, had also seen an increase in the number of females seeking help. He however, pointed out that this was not a surprising trend. (BT)

EMPLOYERS CHIDED – Opposition Senator and trade unionist Caswell Franklyn says he is being bombarded with complaints from workers whose bosses appear to be using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to take advantage of them. Franklyn, who indicated that the number of complaints has reached worrying levels, accused employers of lacking compassion and care for their workers. “I predict that the labour department is going to be quite busy from the calls I had this morning alone, they are going to be quite busy. The employers are having a field day taking advantage of workers,” he told Barbados TODAY. An outspoken Franklyn said while employees returned to offices and other work settings on Monday May 4, many of them are concerned about their safety and health since the management of their respective workplaces failed to put provisions in place to establish the social distancing protocol. “I got a call from an institution this morning where they are telling me that the staff don’t have enough space between them. They are telling them come back to work and some of these places cannot afford to allow people to have their information outside of the office because the information is people’s private and financial business. So these people have to go into the office, but management has not made any physical changes to the office,” he said. Franklyn said he was also worried that workers are being told to quit their jobs and if they oppose, what he has described as, a sudden salary cut without a negotiation process. The Opposition Senator said he is also receiving complaints that employees are being fired under the guise that businesses have been struggling financially due to the pandemic. However, they are being replaced by employees who have allegedly agreed to do the job for less pay. “One worker called me twice today because they are telling her to take her holiday and she took the holiday. You can’t do that legally but they did. Now the time for the holiday gone and now they telling her ‘look we will make you redundant or you can work three days, which one you want?’ “There is another one where they ask the staff to take a 25 per cent cut in salary from last month and the girl says she can’t afford a 25 percent cut in salary this month. They told her she is going home,” he said. (BT)

GOVT SHOULD HAVE BEEN STRAIGHT ON COMMUNITY SPREAD – The Opposition People’s Party for Democracy and Development (PdP) has accused Government of not being straight with Barbadians about community spread of the viral infection, which COVID Czar Richard Carter has now acknowledged is present here. Expressing little surprise at Carter’s revelations, the party’s spokesman on health Paul Gibson today suggested that Government should have closed the island’s borders and ban the gathering of groups at an earlier stage to better contain the viral illness. Gibson said: “We have always felt that the Government’s messaging was a bit compromised in that they were talking about community spread but they never used the World Health Organisation’s definition of person to person spread. “Now we were purporting that there was person to person spread. But this was not being spoken about in the press releases being done with the Czar and so on. This was always a concern to us, that we were not sending the right messages. When we were trying to tell them to stop sports and NAPSAC they thought that we were being political.” Speaking on the state-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation this morning, the Czar, citing the definition of community spread as outlined by the US Centers for Disease Control, explained there are two COVID-19 cases where authorities are unable to trace to an existing case in the system. Carter said: “We have two such cases in Barbados, one from a while ago that we have been investigating for some time and one more recently. These are two cases that we are unable to link to an existing known case in our system, so following our definition that would constitute community spread.” But the Czar insisted that community spread of the disease is not widespread. He declared: “It is two cases out of the 82 and in fact only one of those two cases is live but it does represent a situation that is of concern to us because we have a case that we can’t link to someone else and it means that that person would have acquired the infection somewhere other than through a person that is in our system.” Gibson told Barbados TODAY that the PdP is of the firm view that any response to the coronavirus must be based on the science and testing is paramount. “COVID is a new forest and the best way to find your way to the endpoint of COVID is via the use of testing,” he added. The party spokesman stopped short of saying whether Government should pull back on easing lockdown measures in light of the new development. While stressing that the health of Barbadians must come first, Gibson expressed the view that authorities should be guided by the science. “So wherever the science takes us we go. We should be very cognizant of what is happening in the country. Yes, stimulating the economy is important but death is real with COVID and we must be mindful of this in terms of the outcomes that we are discussing,” he said. (BT)

CZAR NOT ALL ON BOARD WITH ANTI-VIRUS PROTOCOL – Public service vehicle (PSV) operators were today chided for not observing some of the COVID-19 guidelines set by Government. However, COVID-19 Czar Richard Carter pointed out that workers in that sector were not the only ones openly flouting the law. Having revealed that community spread of the respiratory virus had been identified in Barbados, Carter said PSV operators who wore no masks, who allowed commuters to board their vehicles without masks and who packed their vehicles although they were authorized to carry only 60 per cent capacity were putting their lives and their passengers’ lives at risk. “You are supposed to operate with 60 per cent capacity, you are not allowed to have two people sitting on the same seat and that importantly, every person on that PSV and any other public transport or motor omnibuses must wear a mask or a face covering. “We have observed this in the breach over the past couple days. We’ve observed drivers not wearing masks; we’ve observed passengers not wearing masks. It is a really interesting thing that you would have the sector making an application for relief of the Government of Barbados because of the circumstances they are facing and some of its membership contravening the directive of the Government of Barbados at the same time they are asking for relief and in fact risking and prolonging the situation that we are in by risking further infection,” Carter contended. “So if there is community spread, it means that you do not know which of your passengers or even if you yourself may be an asymptomatic carrier. If you are asking for support then comply with the directive that is being given and protect yourself, protect your passengers, protect the country of Barbados.” But the Czar said he had also witnessed other persons disobeying the guidelines set out by Government and health officials. He said this included businesses which had re-opened even though they had not been given permission to do so. “I don’t want this to be a bashing of the PSVs because they do a very important job and they are not the sole sector which is guilty of indiscipline in relation to the instructions. “We have seen on the roads of Barbados levels of indiscipline displayed by many people. We have seen businesses engaging in levels of indiscipline in terms of opening in spite of the restrictions,” Carter pointed out. The Czar reminded Barbadians that even though the 24-hour curfew had been relaxed and there had been a staggered re-opening of the country, Government had the power to enforce further restrictions if necessary. “The Government reserves the right and in fact many countries have had to do this, that if persons are failing to observe the restrictions, if persons are putting us at additional risks by virtue of their behaviour, that additional measures can be imposed or can be reversed and we can find ourselves back to where we were again,” Carter cautioned. “Now obviously this is not a situation we would prefer but that reality exists because the health of the public of Barbados trumps your individual freedoms to a point.” (BT)

SANDALS RESORTS GIVES MILLIONS TO FIGHT COVID-19 – Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, has donated JCA$31.5 million to the Andrew Holness-led administration to be used in all 63 constituencies. Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who made the announcement in Parliament on Tuesday, said the funds are a direct donation to the Jamaican people. In a news release late Tuesday, Sandals Resorts said Stewart will donate JCA$500 000 to each of the constituencies and this was done consultation with Holness and Leader of the Opposition Dr Peter Phillips. Holness said that each member of parliament will be responsible for the preparation and distribution of the care packages to those in need within all constituencies. Commenting on this latest act of support, Stewart said he feels it is both his personal and corporate duty to provide the assistance during these unprecedented and extremely difficult times. “Not only am I a proud Jamaican, born and raised in St Ann, I raised my family in Jamaica and the Sandals brand was born right here in Jamaica. The country is the heart and soul of our organisation, with the majority of our team members, approximately 9 000 of them, residing in Jamaican communities. It’s a responsibility my family and I do not take lightly, and this is just one step to do whatever possible to assist them and the most vulnerable in our communities during this time,” said Stewart. Meanwhile, the prime minister also announced that insurance giant, Guardian Life, has proposed to make available a facility for law enforcement officers who, in the event of illness, will be offered some level of care. (WN)

PROTOCOLS FOR FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY –The Ministry of Health and Wellness has issued COVID-19 Protocols for food service establishments. Please see below an edited version of a statement from the ministry. The Environmental Health Department, in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, has developed a framework geared towards ensuring the safe management of food service establishments (FSEs), during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Designed to work in conjunction with the food hygiene regulations of the Health Services Act Cap 44, the framework consists of several short-term strategies, focusing on the critical areas of employee health and practices, the supply chain and the facility. The goal is to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus, and the department will monitor, review and strengthen the health and safety policies of these establishments, in the areas of personal hygiene (including hand washing and respiratory hygiene), food hygiene, cleaning of environmental services, use of standard precautions relating to infection prevention and control. Some FSEs have resumed operations with adjustments to their menus and on-site offerings. These include only offering delivery, takeaway or drive-through services. The guidelines listed below pertain to the management of these facilities and the handling of supplies. Food Service Establishment Facilities:

• All surfaces shall be cleaned and sanitised at the beginning and end of each workday. Additional cleaning and sanitising of all surfaces should be done as required during the process of food preparation.  

• Surfaces shall include high contact and food contact surfaces, doorknobs, handrails and telephones.

• Posters displaying handwashing guidelines shall be placed in key areas, for example, the kitchen and bathroom.

• Sanitising and hand rub dispensers shall be placed within the workspace.

• All suppliers of food, cutlery, or any other provision to a food establishment shall wear masks at the point of delivery. 

• Employees receiving items are also required to wear masks.  

• People receiving items shall wash hands immediately after receipt of goods.

• Delivery personnel shall wash or sanitise hands before and after every delivery.

• The Environmental Health Department has also encouraged employers to conduct risk assessments to determine the risk of exposure and eliminate them, where possible.

• In the event that this is not feasible, administrative controls, such as social distancing should be employed, and where these are not possible, personal protective equipment must be provided and worn.

• The Environmental Health Department of the Ministry of Health and Wellness can be contacted for assiatance. (BGIS) 

SAFFREY WANTS MASKS FOR HOMELESS – Give the homeless a mask! That is the appeal from Kemar Saffrey, president of the Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness, as it seeks to ensure its clients are complying with the safety regulations by Government during the COVID-19 pandemic. Saffrey told the Weekend Nation his group would be issuing all clients with masks given Government’s suggestion that Barbadians wear them in public. “We are also asking the Barbadian public to also issue the homeless in their community with a mask. So, if there are any homeless persons in your district or area, we are appealing to you to give that homeless person a mask because we may not be able to reach everybody,” he said.(WN)

FLOWER BUSINESS NO LONGER BOOMING – It’s not a bed of roses for some florists. They say the coronavirus pandemic is having a devastating impact on the industry. Florists and flower farmers reported that almost all of their markets have been lost, workers had to be sent home and they were struggling to make ends meet. Owner of The Flower Pot, Dorothea Pierre, said she incurred major losses because there were no business functions, and only a few funerals and celebratory events such as weddings required her services. (WN)

WORK RESTARTS AT GARRISON – The sound of pounding hooves and flying dust associated with horse racing at the Garrison Savannah gave way to a different kind of activity this week. Apart from workers with heavy duty pieces of construction equipment pounding away, there were two large machines – one on the sand track and another grading the race track – as restorative work was carried out to improve conditions. The arrival of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in early March, and the mandatory social distancing safety measures, led to the Barbados Turf Club (BTC) cancelling the March 22 race day and subsequent race days for an initial period of three months. The BTC then brought forward the maintenance work that was originally scheduled for August 31 to November 21. (WN)

EX CHEFETTE MANAGER'S PAYOUT CUT AGAIN – Former Chefette assistant manager Orlando Harris had his monies for being sacked by the fast food chain cut by more than two-thirds this morning. The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) upheld part of the legal challenge mounted by Chefette and awarded Harris $31 000 instead of the $95 089 which the Barbados Court of Appeal had determined in 2016, which was down from the $106 630.01 the Employment Rights Tribunal (ERT) had granted also in 2016. In a unanimous decision, the CCJ dismissed the company's claim that Harris was not unfairly dismissed after 14 years and upheld the Court of Appeal's ruling in that regard. However, it allowed the appeal against the award of compensation to $31 274.78, stating that what Harris received in lieu of notice and vacation pay should have been deducted. Harris, who was dismissed in January 2014 by Chefette and given payment in lieu of notice, took his case to the ERT. However, Chefette, in its appeals, insisted it had not breached any laws in getting rid of Harris over what it said was his failure to follow cash handling procedures in the day-to-day running of the restaurant. The case stemmed from a $40 cheque bearing the name 'O Harris' in circumstances where cashiers were allowed to cash cheque for employees in the same or similar category, but not permitted to cash Harris’ cheque made out to a manager, without permission from the manager on duty. The Court of Appeal had found that Chefette did not act reasonably in its treatment of Harris and while the nature of the misconduct for which he was dismissed was of a type sufficiently serious to warrant dismissal, the evidence on which the company sacked him was not sufficient. The CCJ said that as the appeal was allowed only in part, it ordered Chefette to pay 75 per cent of Harris’ cost at both the CCJ and the Court of Appeal. Attorneys Satcha Kissoon and Benjamin Drakes appeared for Chefette while Gregory Nicholls, Kashka Mottley and Demetrie Adams appeared for Harris. (WN)

BARBER GRANTED BAIL ON DRUG CHARGES – A barber who was allegedly found with 21 grammes of marijuana in his possession will make his next appearance in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court later this year. Reo Rashad Walkes, of 6th Avenue New Orleans, St Michael is also charged with having a trafficable quantity of the illegal substance in his possession which was intended for supply. The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to the possession charge but not guilty to the other two charges which are alleged to have occurred on May 6. Walkes secured $2,000 bail with one surety after the prosecutor put forward no objection before Magistrate Douglas Frederick. The accused is expected to return to court on September 10.(BT)

TEEN GRANTED BAIL AFTER ADMITTING TO ONE OF TWO CHARGES – Magistrate Douglas Frederick today imposed further bail conditions on a teenager who had breached a previous court order. Nothing that “these are really serious times to be on remand” Magistrate Frederick told Achim Johnathan Wiltshire, of no fixed place of abode, he must now report to Central Police Station every Wednesday and Friday before 10 a.m. with valid identification. The 19-year-old who appeared before the No. 1 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on two charges was also placed on a daily 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and must also reside with his mother at No 2 Prospect, St James. The conditions were imposed after Wiltshire pleaded guilty to using abusive language to Gail Frank as she performed her duties as a parish constable on May 6. He allegedly said, “You is an a***** or a f*****g idiot. You like you is a f*****g idiot or something.” He however, denied the charge that he also resisted special constable Kimberley Atherley, a member of the Royal Barbados Police Force as she performed her duties on the same day. Station Sergeant Crishna Graham and the accused made submissions on bail with the prosecutor disclosing that Wiltshire was currently on bail on a robbery charge. “He has not been meeting his bail obligation of reporting to Central Police Station,” the prosecutor said. She also raised concerns that the accused would not present himself to court as he had no fixed place of abode. In response Wiltshire disclosed that he would be living with mother from today. He explained that he did not have an address because he had been involved in an argument with his grandmother with whom he lived and was “put out”. “My mother was to come for me yesterday,” he added. Wiltshire explained that with regards to not reporting, he did not realise that he had to do so and was sorry. But the magistrate told him that could not be the case as he had questioned him on which police station was the most convenient for him to report. He was told he had also signed a bail document with that stipulation. “I now remember sir. I apologise. My bad,” he told the court. However, his mother gave another account saying that she would remind Whiltshire every Wednesday morning before heading to work that he had to report to the police station. “I thought he was going . . . Every Wednesday I told him to go,” she revealed. Despite this Magistrate Frederick ruled in favour of bail. “The only consolation is that this is a charge that is not as serious as before. These are really serious times to be on remand . . . but you are running out of chances.” Wiltshire responded: “I am grateful sir.” The accused was granted $2,500 bail. That’s in addition to the $5,000 bail that he was previously granted on the pending robbery charge. Wiltshire will return to court on September 10. (BT)

BISHOP REPRIMANDED AND DISCHARGED ON DRUG OFFENCE –A 24-year-old mother of three was reprimanded today when she appeared before a Bridgetown magistrate on a drug charge. Shereece Latoya Bishop, of Rock Gap, New Orleans, St Michael pleaded guilty to having a small quantity of cannabis in her possession on May 3. The illegal substance, which was in a plastic bag in Bishop’s backyard, was discovered when police executed a search warrant at her residence, Sergeant Robert Jones disclosed. “The drugs belong to me,” she told police when asked to account for the substance. In the No. 1 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court today the young mother explained that she used the “leaves to make tea”. She told Magistrate Douglas Frederick she “just heard about” using the drug but it had not been prescribed to her by a doctor. Bishop made the comments after her attorney-at-law Romain Marshall urged the court to show the first-time offender some leniency. “Being in the station since Sunday and I know that is not a punishment . . . it’s an experience that she will not forget,” the defence counsel submitted. Bishop was reprimanded and discharged for the offence. No conviction is to be recorded against her. “Do not find yourself back here again,” Magistrate Frederick warned. (BT)

The world is facing the rapid spread of the Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic. As we continue to do our part in Barbados please remember to stay home but on the days you have to go out wear your masks, practice social distancing (stand 6-10 feet away from each other), practice good daily hygiene, eat healthy, exercise and keep your mind active. There are 238 days left in the year Shalom! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your daily news. #thechasefiles #dailynewscaps #bajannewscaps #newsinanutshell #coronavirusinbarbados #nationalresponse #dailynews #thechasefilesblog

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mikemortgage · 6 years

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Oilpatch sees deals worth $10 billion despite adverse M&A environment

CALGARY – Despite the threat of investor ire, Canadian oil and gas companies are seizing on merger and acquisition opportunities, lured by depressed valuations of their competitors.

Calgary-based energy sector companies struck two separate billion-dollar deals on Wednesday, bringing the total value of deals struck or proposed in the oilpatch to over $10 billion in the last week-and-a-half.

“This is exactly the right time in the resource cycle to be pursuing this strategy,” International Petroleum Corp. chair Lukas Lundin said in a release announcing his company’s US$1.36-billion acquisition of Calgary-based oilsands producer BlackPearl Resources Inc. on Wednesday. The deal marks the first major foray into the oilsands in since the oil price crash of 2014 by a company that is not already operating in the basin.

Husky launches $6.4-billion deal in bid for prime takeover target MEG Energy Corp.

Precision Drilling emerges as white knight for Trinidad, but Ensign may still sweeten bid

International Petroleum is a publicly listed subsidiary of Vancouver-based Lundin Group of Companies, which has interests in mining and oil and gas assets around the world.

On the same day, Calgary-based fuel retailer Parkland Fuel Corp. announced it would spend $1.57-billion to buy 75 per cent of SOL Ltd., which owns fill-up stations and fuel marketing assets throughout the Caribbean.

“This is our first foray into the Caribbean,” Parkland president and CEO Bob Espey said in an interview, adding that the seller had approached Parkland.

“When we looked at the business, it fit very well with ours,” Espey said, adding there has been a lot of consolidation in the downstream fuel-retailing business over the last 10 years — and he expects the trend will continue.

Credit ratings agencies upgraded Parkland Fuel’s rating following the deal, Espey said, noting that other oil and gas sector deals, primarily on the upstream side, have led to ratings downgrades or share price sell-offs.

Parkland shares jumped 5 per cent to $44.46 each in mid-day trading following the deal announcement Wednesday, while International Petroleum’s shares fell 12 per cent to $6.70 each on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Last week, Precision Drilling Corp. shares dropped sharply after it announced an all-share deal worth roughly $1 billion to buy rival Trinidad Drilling Corp., rescuing it from a hostile bid by Ensign Energy Services Inc.

Similarly, Husky Energy Inc. shares fell 3 per cent to $20.57 on Oct. 1 after it announced a $6.4-billion hostile bid for indebted oilsands producer MEG Energy Corp. The shares traded down close to 3 per cent on Wednesday to $20.44 each.

“It just seems like we’re in the kind of environment where you stick your head up above the trenches and it gets shot off,” Michael Freeborn, CIBC World Markets director and head of energy investment banking, said at a conference Wednesday.

Freeborn said the majority of recent deal announcements have been followed by massive share price drops, which has led some oil and gas companies to reconsider mergers and acquisitions.

Canadian oil and gas companies’ share prices are trading at a huge discount relative to their U.S. peers, but companies that are striking deals to acquire their competitors at depressed share prices are being still punished.

“It’s very difficult to do M&A in this type of environment,” JP Morgan managing director, head of Canadian natural resources Dave Harrison agreed.

“If you’re going to do M&A today, it’s got to be right in your wheelhouse,” Harrison said at Wednesday’s Energy Roundtable conference in Calgary. He urged companies not to surprise investors with deals that don’t fit their asset base.

• Email: [email protected] | Twitter: geoffreymorgan

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thechasefiles · 6 years

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The Chase Files Daily Newscap 7/20/2018

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! Here is The Chase Files Daily News Cap for Friday 20th July 2018. Remember you can read full articles by purchasing Weekend Nation Newspaper (WN), via Barbados Today (BT) or Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS).

PM NOT AMUSED BY LATEST AUDITOR GENERAL REPORT – Prime Minister Mia Mottley is not at all amused by the findings of the 2017 Auditor General Report. In fact, in light of the latest findings, she is promising a full review of “every area of Government”, with a view to carrying out the necessary house cleaning. One of the glaring irregularities highlighted in the 186-page report by Auditor General Leigh Trotman is the overpayment of salaries at five state entities to the tune of $3.78 million as at December 31, 2017. These are the Prison Department, in the amount of $134, 123.57; the Ministry of Transport and Works, $134,155.07; the Ministry of Health, $719,606.49; the Ministry of Education, $564,473.55; Ministry of Agriculture, $60, 884.42 and the Police Department, $1,764, 669.26. The main reason given for the overpayments, the Auditor General said, was “the payment of full salaries to officers when they should be on no pay or half pay leave as a result of extended sick leave”, and in the case of the Police Department, Trotman further explained that the affected officers were also enjoying benefits for employment injury from the National Insurance Scheme. With these financial irregularities now coming to light, Mottley told business leaders attending Wednesday’s Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) luncheon at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, that once her review was done, the problems would be addressed. “I am not going to go into details today, but you have to be able first and foremost, to verify your payroll. That is the first thing. If you can’t verify your payroll you have a problem. And if people are being certified as being there by supervisors then we have a problem with them too. So we are not going to have a situation of those kinds of things continuing,” she said in reference to the report. “Secondly you cannot belong to the same Government in different departments and then tell me that you can’t have access or you not talking to each other because then clearly you want to work in a different Government in a different republic. So all of these things – a lack of communication, lack of verification, review of systems – all of these things have led to the inefficiency, some of which you see being reflected in the Auditor General’s Report, much of which doesn’t even get there,” Mottley added. Questions were also raised by the Auditor General about $1.1 billion in loans to statutory entities as at March 31, 2017, with Trotman pointing out that while these organizations were required to repay the amounts advanced, “no loan payments or reimbursements were received”. He also took issue with the fact that many of the advancements were made to state agencies which lack the capacity to repay, while pointing to a $60 million loan to the loss-making Transport Board. “In other cases there is uncertainty about the value of the receivables. This would include the advance [of $120 million] made [back in 2013] to Clearwater Bay with respect to the Four Seasons Project,” the Auditor General said, while stating that “there is no current information on this asset that would help in the assessment of its value”. During, the financial year 2004/2005 an amount of $4.6 million was also advanced to the state-owned Needham’s Point Holdings Limited to facilitate construction of the Hilton Hotel. Since then, that loan has accumulated nearly $2 million in interest, but no payment has been made on the principal, with no evidence of efforts to recover the outstanding debt even though the hotel was recently due to be put up for sale. In his new report released earlier this month, the Auditor General also outlined a number of unpaid loans to non-governmental agencies, as well as dishonoured cheques, unverified balances and other financial irregularities, with Mottley giving a commitment that “we are going to review every area of Government and make sure that we are in a position to validate and verify what the taxpayers’ money is being spent on. “We do it because we want to spend money on things that we know will make a difference to either Barbados’s efficiency, its quality of life, its competitiveness and its ability to be able to create a platform for growth and wealth for its citizens,” the Prime Minister added, while revealing that on Tuesday alone she had five meetings across several ministries. (BT)

SPLIT AMONG NUPW LEADERSHIP SPILLS INTO CAR PARK – The gloves are well and truly off at Dalkeith Road, as a huge fissure between the top brass of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) gets even wider. There was no smoothing over the cracks as the animosity between NUPW President Akanni McDowall and General Secretary Roslyn Smith was further exposed today ahead of a meeting called by the union president with the national council. There were heated exchanges in the parking lot, following which several members refused to enter the meeting room for the 3 p.m. talks. Among those boycotting the meeting were General Treasurer Asokorie Beckles and Smith, who last week openly contradicted a report on talks with the International Monetary Fund given to Barbados TODAY by McDowall, who has been ordered by the union to appear before the national council next week to answer questions about the NUPW’s finances. Smith questioned the legitimacy of today’s meeting, while making it clear she would only recognize next week’s face-off between the national council and the union president. “That was not a meeting. They did not have 15 persons. They may have had 15 persons in the yard, but 15 persons did not go into that meeting. So there was no meeting. “Next week, if Mr McDowall chooses to turn up, he would deal with what is on that agenda,” said Smith, who refused to confirm whether a list of charges had officially been sent to McDowall. Following the meeting, which ended at 5:30 p.m., McDowall refused to update the media on what went on behind the closed doors, only stating he would reserve comment until next week’s meeting. However, he was adamant that today’s gathering was legitimate, claiming that more than the 15 members needed for a quorum were present. “I hope you all saw how many people came out. I had more than 25 persons in attendance,” said McDowall, who was officially summoned on Monday to face the union’s management, according to a source familiar with the development. “We sent the letter summoning him to the meeting next week and it was signed for yesterday. So as far as I am concerned he was served and it would be up to him now,” the source said. Barbados TODAY reported last week that McDowall was facing possible dismissal from his post after it was unanimously agreed at a special meeting of the union’s national council last Thursday to give the president seven calendar days, starting on July 13, to answer four issues relating to the NUPW’s finances or face disciplinary action, including possible dismissal. This followed a recent investigation by a sub-committee, which was mandated to carry out an internal financial review. McDowall’s attorney Fabian Walthrus subsequently wrote to Smith on July 11, charging that she had called the special council meeting on or about July 3, 2018, but was later advised verbally and in writing by the acting president Fabian Jones that her actions were in breach of the customary protocols for summoning such meetings. The attorney also accused Smith of breaching the NUPW’s Rules and Standing Orders regarding the same. “I am therefore instructed that, contrary to the acting president’s instructions not to do so, you proceeded to convene the said meeting on the appointed date,” the letter stated. “Consequently, you have acted ultra vires of the powers conferred upon you under rules 8(a)(ii) and/or 12 of the said rules,” it added. “I am therefore instructed that, for your future guidance and for the good governance of the NUPW as per its rules and standing orders, that only the president or national council where your position is merely ex officio, has the right to summon a special meeting at any time,” the correspondence added. The attorney therefore informed the NUPW that his client had nothing to answer. Barbados TODAY understands that the general membership, which had elected the president in the first place, has the power to suspend or dismiss any member for neglect, dishonesty, incompetence or refusal to carry out a decision of the executive. McDowall was re-elected as the NUPW president for a second two-year term back in April 2017, having successfully survived previous no confidence votes. (BT)

P.M: BANK TALKS A MUST – Prime Minister Mia Mottley is to hold talks with the country’s banking sector on a wide range of issues of national concern. Speaking last night at the reopening of the Warrens Great House which has been renovated by CIBC First Caribbean International Bank, Mottley told the audience that such a discussion was paramount as Barbados treaded the choppy waters within its debt restructuring efforts. “We both know we are not here by choice,” she said in reference to the country’s ballooning debt. “We will withstand difficulties and come out stronger for it. I look forward to our respective teams working together for a solution that would be of benefit to your institution and shareholders, and the people of Barbados.” She said the national conversation would help both sides confront issues such as de-risking, and delinquency by some Barbadians, who, because of the serious economic situation they faced over the last decade, were unable to pay their mortgages and lost their homes in the process. (WN)

GOVT LOOKING TO CREATE ‘A SMART’ BARBADOS’ – The new Mia Mottley-led Government is aiming to create “a smart Barbados”. However, Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology Senator Kay McConney is warning that in order for that to happen, there must be an across-the-board change in the way the island does business and responds to technological advancements. McConney was addressing a reception here on Wednesday night marking the opening of the second annual Internet Governance Forum at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination. While quoting Microsoft founder Bill Gates as saying “the Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow”, she noted that “innovation can move us closer to achieving our goals as a society, but it also disrupts people and our traditional ways of doing business. “Establishing this ministry by bringing together numerous Government departments is one step in our journey, but it will take more than the consolidation of Government units to cause positive disruption throughout the country,” she added. The new ministry combines the functions of the National Council on Science and Technology, the Data Processing Department, the E-Governance Department, Telecommunications Unit and the Office of Public Sector Reform. McConney said her Government, which took office here on May 25 following general elections, was also “determined to ensure we have a seat at the table in shaping global Internet policy beyond mere attendance at international conferences, and we are willing to work with our colleagues in CARICOM [Caribbean Community] to advocate policies beneficial to the Caribbean as a region.” She also cautioned that shaping policy was not enough. “We must be courageous in taking action to show we understand that every day we delay is a day of reckoning,” she stressed. Chairman of the Internet Society Barbados Chapter and Director of the Government’s Data Processing Department Rodney Taylor described the Internet Society as a “non-profit organization founded to provide leadership on Internet related standards, education and access”. He also said its mission was to promote open development of the Internet to benefit people all over the world. He therefore welcomed this week’s forum as an opportunity for all Barbadians to discuss more effective use of the World Wide Web. “There is no one in this room who has not been on the Internet at least once today, and over the next two days, you will hear from panels of experts drawn from all around the world who will give us insight into how we can develop policies governing its use,” he said. Taylor was also pleased to note that this year’s event has attracted twice as many participants as the inaugural one a year ago, and said the society’s recently held youth forum, where they engaged young people on matters like social media, gaming, developing online businesses and education, was also a tremendous success. During the opening reception, the Internet Society honoured the late Director of Public Prosecutions Charles Leacock, QC, for an “inspiring and thought provoking” presentation on the legal ramifications of the Internet at the 2017 conference, and Ian Clarke-Worrell, the man who founded CaribNet, which in 1995 became the first Internet service provider in Barbados and one of the first in the Caribbean. (BT)

PSV HOPES – Minibus and ZR owners say they have no intention of walking out empty-handed from a yet to be finalized meeting with Prime Minister Mia Mottley at which they expect to discuss the newly introduced fuel tax. However, the public service vehicle (PSV) owners and operators remain optimistic that something will come out of the talks. Communications Officer of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) Mark Haynes said while he would make no predictions, an ideal outcome would be an agreement by Mottley to provide duty-free concessions on the importation of new vehicles to replace an aging fleet. “We have pushed several issues such as an increase in bus fare, but the thing we would really like to get would be the duty-free concessions on vehicles because that is really going to be the most [critical]. Most of our vehicles on the road are aging and if we get assistance with that it would help us offset some of the additional cost that we must not take on with these measures,” Haynes told Barbados TODAY. Reminded that the Barbados Labour Party had promised duty-free concessions on electric vehicles during its campaign for the May 24 general election, Haynes said while this was a good start it would not bring immediate relief. “We appreciate that offer and we hope that becomes a reality soon. However, heavy load carrying versions of these green vehicles are only now coming on stream and we now have to invest in expertise and technology to deal with these vehicles. So in the meantime, we are going to need vehicles that use fossil fuels to help the sector [alive] because if on top of the increased fuel tax operators have to incur heavy maintenance costs for old vehicles, many are going to go out of business,” he stressed. Soon after Mottley announced in her June 11 austerity Budget that a tax of 40 cents per litre on diesel and gasoline and five cents per litre on kerosene would replace the road tax, the PSV owners complained the new levy would have a devastating impact on their business. In a joint statement, the AOPT and the Association of Public Transport Operators said the petrol tax would raise expenditure for route taxis to $6,741 from $2,250, while minibus operators would have to fork out $10,861, up from $3,625. They also complained that they had not been consulted on the matter, and expressed a desire to have talks with the Prime Minister, as well as Minister of Transport and Works Dr William Duguid, before July 1. While the proposed date came and went without any indications that she would meet with the private sector transport owners, Mottley promised last Sunday during a live nationally televised interview that she would meet with industry stakeholders, while acknowledging awareness of the complaints about the fuel tax, which is expected to raise $80 million annually. Haynes said today the minibus and ZR owners were pleased that they would have an opportunity to make their case to the country’s leader. “We believe that we would have a very cordial meeting with her. She is apprised of our concerns and while we don’t know the outcome of the meeting, we are eagerly looking forward to meeting with her when that meeting is formerly arranged,” Haynes said. (BT)

LIGHTS DIMMED – Caribbean LED Lighting Inc, one of Barbados’ fastest growing manufacturers, has become one of the latest casualties of Government’s decision to default on its foreign debt payments. The decision to immediately suspend debt payment to international commercial creditors was announced by Prime Minister Mia Mottley a week after taking control of the reins of Government on May 24, while pointing to an out-of-control national debt in the order of $15 billion or 175 per cent of gross domestic product. Earlier this month Barbados TODAY reported that due to this development, the Ontario-based export credit agency Export Development Canada (EDC) implemented new restrictive measures to its credit insurance coverage for Barbados. As a result, Canadian manufacturers and suppliers that receive assistance from EDC are demanding upfront payment from Barbadian businesses when they make an order, instead of giving them as much as a 60-day grace period. During yesterday’s Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) luncheon at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, which was attended by the Prime Minister, the founder and Executive Chairman of Caribbean LED, Jim Reid, complained that his seven-year-old company was finding it more expensive to do business. Reid said while he understood why the debt restructuring was necessary, it was affecting the overall cost of his operations. “We get suppliers from seven countries and one of those is Canada, and that contract for supply was underwritten by the export government corporation, which is now withdrawing support for Barbados, which means we cannot get any credit terms from the supplier. “We have to pay up front. That is an extra cost to our business and we are competing with very cheap, and I would say somewhat inferior products from China,” he added. In openly complaining that “the law of unintended consequences has hit us hard”, the businessman explained to Mottley that while “you did what you thought was right for the country and I agree with you, . . . the impact of that is hurting manufacturers here who [seek] credit terms with suppliers”. “We understand the Prime Minister had no other choice than to do what she did and we support her decision. It is just that the pain when we are all going to carry the load, sometimes the pain can hurt individual companies differently and in this case it has really hurt us,” Reid later told Barbados TODAY, explaining that firms like his would normally be given up to 60 days credit after ordering supplies, which means they would usually be able to make payments after receiving their shipments, manufacturing their products here and selling them. “So you are talking about five to six months before we get our money, so it makes it more difficult to do business . . . . We are growing, but this just makes it difficult for us to do business in Barbados,” he insisted. However, in response to those concerns, the Prime Minister was adamant that her move was necessary given Barbados’ dire debt situation, which she inherited from the previous Democratic Labour Party Government. At the same time, she apologized to local firms who were now feeling the effects of the credit default. “I am sorry. I appreciate the difficulty, but I would like also to give you the confidence of knowing that in every phase where a country has gone through debt restructuring, as long as they have taken the steps to undergo a resumption of fitness that within two, three or four years, they access international capital markets again,” the Barbados Labour Party leader said. “We don’t want to do like those countries that went through debt restructuring, went back to bad behaviour and found themselves in a second debt restructuring, . . . but we accept that there would have been, regrettably, some unintended consequences, because we can’t literally live how we were living, with debt, and not expect to have some kind of pain or consequences,” she added, while offering to meeting with Reid to further discuss the matter with a view to finding a possible solution. Caribbean LED, which currently exports to 18 countries, recently won contracts in Suriname and the Bahamas. After starting operations here in 2011, the company quickly outgrew its location and had to double its floor space in 2013, hiring about 30 people at that time. The company then moved to another location and then to its current offices at Lower Estate, St Michael in February after it was forced to double its floor space again. The company employs 50 full-time workers and produces more than 1,000 bulbs per day. (BT)

GUYANA’S RICE EXPORTS INCREASE FOR FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2018 – As the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) wraps up its 2018 first crop results from January to June, export volume has increased by 87 000 tonnes compared to the same period last year. “When we look at the figures compared to the first half of 2017, we saw first that the total volume that has been exported is 290 000 tonnes which is 43 percent more than the 203 000 tonnes than was exported during the first half of 2017,” said general manager Nizam Hassan. The increase has so far earned the country GYD$23.2Billion (US$111Million) this year. For the same period in 2017, the country earned GYD$16.1Billion (US$77Million). Hassan credited the increase to the determination of rice producers and millers to meet production targets and more so Guyana’s access to new markets, particularly in Latin America. “We’ve seen some significant increases in some of the blocks. For example, exports to Latin America jumped by 215 per cent. In the first half of 2017, we did 64 000 tonnes as against 202 000+ tonnes in the first half of 2018.” Standing out for exports was Mexico and Cuba taking a total of 133 000 tonnes, 45 000 and 88 000 respectively. Both countries did not take during the January to June exports of 2017. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo facilitated access to the Mexico market. This comes as approximately 99 per cent of the country’s rice lands cultivated having been harvested. For the first crop of 2018, approximately 508 000 tonnes of paddy has been produced equivalent to 330 000 tonnes of rice. (WN)

CHURCHES CHALLENGE LGBT AGENDA – A group of concerned pastors has come together to challenge the homosexual agenda which they say is trying to take a hold of Barbados. In an hour-long press conference at the MERC Building in Fairchild Street, the leaders, who represent 20 churches, delivered 12 points on their list to challenge the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT). "We are opposed to and are confronting the LGBT Agenda, not the community of the LGBT. We are targeting their agenda," Apostle Eliseus Joseph said. "The Church must destroy any attempt to make homosexual preferences a human rights in Barbados," he added. This protest comes just three days before the planned Pride Parade scheduled to take place in Bridgetown, Barbados. (WN)

NO SAME SEX – A group of church leaders brought down fire and brimstone on the country’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community today during a news conference prompted by an upcoming gay pride march and the need to clearly state their position “on the LGBT agenda”. During the hour-long briefing at the New Testament Church, the group of approximately 20 leaders, led by Apostle Eliseus Joseph, the senior pastor of Apostolic Teaching Centre, accused LGBT people of trying to bully Barbadians into adopting the gay lifestyle. “This is a classic definition of bullying. A small segment of the population wants to bully us into accepting their values and norms,” Joseph charged. “Whatever they want to do that is their business, but don’t impose it on our population, don’t impose it on our children. That is bullying. We as a nation, we oppose bullying,” he stressed. Despite his searing condemnation, Joseph said the church leaders had no issue with the LGBT community, but would not tolerate their “agenda”. Therefore, he said, every attempt must be made “to challenge any agenda that propagates homosexuality”. “We are condemning the behaviour, not the person . . . .We are very compassionate but the important thing we need to understand as a church is that we need to address sin. Sin has the potential to enslave us and rob us from having God’s presence and grace in our lives. Our attitude towards the homosexual community and all other is one of love and compassion. “We want to make it clear that homosexual behaviour and preference is a learnt behaviour. God did not create anybody gay. It is not an organic behaviour. There is no homo gene; that is a myth. We oppose any attempt to deconstruct marriage and reconstruct it to legitimize homosexuality [and] same sex partnership, as opposed to the biblical narrative of Adam and Eve,” Joseph insisted. Today’s news conference came just three days before the scheduled pride parade in Bridgetown on Sunday, bringing to an end the observance of pride month, celebrated here for the first time ever. Pride month is a period during which members of the LGBT community come together and celebrate the freedom to be themselves. Joseph saw the planned march as an affront, while suggesting that the very existence of humankind was threatened by the gay lifestyle. “We feel that the homosexual, LGBT agenda is existential. It challenges our existence. The behaviour doesn’t perpetuate the human species,” he said. “We oppose any attempt to rebel against God’s command to increase, multiply and replenish the earth. “The first command the human race received from God was to increase and multiply. If we propagate the LGBT agenda we are going against the commands and undermining God’s desire for propagation and future generations. No same sex can produce an offspring.” Joseph also passionately opposed any attempts at tolerance of homosexuality in schools, contending that there was a sinister plot to indoctrinate the country’s children in a quest to ensure that homosexuality would become the new norm. “We oppose that. It is an attempt to indoctrinate and influence the next generation and we challenge that. They want to do it by changing the curriculum and eclipsing the sexes,” he said. The LGBT community also came under attack at the 37th annual general conference of the Caribbean Baptist Women’s Union at the Barbados Beach Club, where Reverend Vincent Wood of the Emmanuel Baptist Church urged christians to unashamedly and publicly rebuke homosexuality and same sex unions. “Those [who] are engaged in their kind of lifestyle . . . want us to feel guilty when we speak against it, but we are to rise up and to shout and to declare that God made man for woman and woman for man,” he said to applause from the predominantly female conference audience made up of representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, Guyana, Grenada, San Andres, Turks and Caicos, Bermuda, Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Meantime, in response to Joseph’s charges, Ro-Ann Mohammad, co-founder of the Barbados Gays, Lesbians and All-Sexuals Against Discrimination, dismissed the accusation that the LGBT community was forcing its agenda on the population. “We don’t have a specific agenda. What LGBT people want is to be able to exist freely in a society which we contribute to. That means living without discrimination and being able to enjoy freedom like everybody else regardless of sexual orientation,” Mohammad told Barbados TODAY. “We are all entitled to certain rights whether we are LGBT or not. We are dedicated to pursuing equal human rights for everybody. We all have freedom of expression and we are not forcing LGBT on anybody,” she said. The LGBT advocate accused the church leaders of spreading “a narrative of separation instead of promoting love and acceptance and peace and respect. “I don’t think it is fair that these church members continue to push this narrative that promotes negative ideas about the LGBT community,” she said. (BT)

HYPOCRITES – Hypocrites! That was how attorney Douglas Trotman described some members of the medical fraternity in Barbados as he blasted them for what he perceived to be dragging their feet to embrace marijuana for medical purposes but were now seeking to gain financially from its use. For two years, Trotman and his wife Kathy-Anne, who died from breast cancer in April this year, had been battling to acquire an import licence for the use of medical marijuana, after it was prescribed by her Canadian doctor as part of her palliative care. In a scathing attack during the question and answer segment of a public forum on medical marijuana hosted by the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Wednesday night, Trotman cried shame on doctors, some who were present. “What is happening now, everybody is jumping on the band wagon because it’s an opportunity to make some money, maybe start a new direction in your practise but I am not going to sit and watch you fool people, that ain’t happening. Anybody who knows me knows that ain’t going to happen and if I got to sue anybody I gine do it for free. I want you all to remember that,” he said. The bereft husband, who indicated his intent to leave the island, was especially angry because, according to him, marijuana was not illegal in Barbados and hadn’t been since 1991. “Marijuana is legal and I have the evidence to prove,” he maintained to the large audience. Trotman said he was in possession of an import licence for cannabis, which he said was signed by acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Anton Best as the representative for the Minister of Health as well as a civil servant working in the Drug Service. However, he suggested it was the cowardice of some in the medical field that didn’t allow for his wife to attain the medicine. (WN)

JUDGMENT RESERVED IN FREDERICK’S APPEAL – Defence attorney Marlon Gordon today argued that the two “indeterminate” concurrent life sentences handed down on manslayer Charles Matthew O’Brien Frederick almost six years ago were “wrong”. Gordon, in an appeal before Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson and Justices of Appeal Kaye Goodridge and Andrew Burgess, was adamant that the trial judge had a duty to set a “minimum term of years” on the life sentences, which were handed down on July 30, 2012. The now 42-year-old Frederick had been charged with the August 2, 2011 murders of Gerhard Stock and Arthur Chadderton but had pleaded guilty to lesser counts of manslaughter. However, addressing the appeals court, which is sitting temporarily at Cane Garden, St Thomas, his attorney argued that the judge’s failure to put “tariff terms” on the sentences was “likely to breach [Frederick’s] rights under Section 15 of the Constitution”. Gordon however admitted that there were circumstances when life sentences were applicable, but said this was not so in his client’s case as he had entered an early guilty plea, had not gone to trial and had expressed remorse for his actions. However, Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Blackman was adamant that the appeal should be dismissed and the life sentences affirmed. Blackman further contended that the sentencing judge had satisfied all the required criteria in arriving at the ruling, which he said were “correctly and lawfully” applied. The acting deputy DPP also warned that there must be very good reason for the court to overturn the decision which was based on “discretion”. “The appellant has failed to demonstrate that that sentence was wrong in principle, manifestly excessive [and] disproportionate,” he stressed. Judgment was reserved in the case following almost three hours of submissions. (BT)

MECHANIC DENIES CURSING POLICE – A 50-year-old mechanic, charged which committing three offences against police, has been released on $2,000 bail. Mark Winston Rollins, of Farm Road, Ellerton, St George, had been on remand since May 29, after denying a charge of refusing to leave Police Headquarters when directed to do so on May 22. Rollins is also accused of failing to obey a police order to “move and keep moving” and of using abusive language to and resisting police constable Lenroy Scott in the execution of his duties on the same day. However, today he was finally able to find a surety to post bail on his behalf. The accused returns before Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant on November 12. (BT)

LOVE TRIANGLE TURNS UGLY – A Barbadian, a Jamaican and a Trinidadian, who were apparently involved in a love triangle, have ended up before the law courts. The Jamaican, 25-year-old Odelva Rose Nathan, appeared before Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant today charged with wounding Trinidadian Ornella Hall and damaging a motorcar belonging to Barbadian Samuel Boyce on July 18. After she pleaded guilty to the charge the court heard that Boyce was involved in a relationship with both women. The two women apparently crossed paths and there were discussions about becoming roommates. However, around 3:30 p.m. on the aforementioned date Nathan called Hall to ask whether she could come over and look at the apartment. Hall agreed, but when Nathan arrived, Boyce was in Hall’s bedroom, triggering a fight between the two women in which Hall was injured. Boyce later attempted to leave the scene, but Nathan launched a stone at his car, damaging a front indicator. Today, both women were in court. However, the matter was adjourned until tomorrow when Boyce is expected to appear. The issue of compensation will be discussed then as Hall is expected to leave the country on Sunday. In the meantime, Nathan, who is represented by attorney-at-law Angella Mitchell-Gittens, was granted bail and her passport was handed over to the District ‘A’ Magistrate’s Court. (BT)

NO EXCLUSITIVITY – The possibility of Kensington Oval being used for the sole purpose of playing cricket is very remote. And if it were used exclusively for cricket it would cost in the region of $2 million per year to cover the operations, says chief executive officer of Kensington Oval Management Inc. (KOMI), Ben Toppin. Toppin’s assertions come as preparations are being finalised for the staging of the annual Pic-O-De-Crop finals as well as the Rise Soca Kingdom show on July 31. There have been public outcry and concerns mostly by cricket enthusiasts about the staging of non-cricket events at “the Mecca” over the past couple of years since it was reconstructed for the 2007 ICC World Cup final held in Barbados. Earlier this month, Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) president Conde Riley and acting chief executive officer Uina Prescod expressed fears that major damage could be done to the Oval if a stage was erected on the field for the imminent cultural events. However, with the Barbados Tridents set to take on St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at the Oval next month, Toppin gave the assurance the outfield would not be threatened. “The issue of the Pic-O-De-Crop stage having an impact on the field so close to CPL was resolved in May. There is no issue,” he stated. However, the CEO toldBarbados TODAY that he saw no problem with using the Oval for cricket only if the cost of running the facility was taken care of. “We can use it for cricket only if somebody is prepared to fill in those blanks in terms of the finances. If somebody is willing to come up with the amount of money it takes to run a sporting facility of this size, of course, we can use it for cricket only. The operating expenses are in the vicinity of two million dollars,” he said. Nevertheless, Toppin disclosed that Kensington Oval was always intended to be a facility which catered to events outside of sports. “The new Kensington Oval was conceptualized as a multi-purpose facility. Most people accept that. Cricket cannot cover the cost of running Kensington Oval. The concept of a single purpose facility has been universally discredited years ago. There are very few facilities like that. A single purpose facility in an economy and society this size cannot be cost-effective.” When asked about a number of patches plaguing the outfield at Kensington Oval, Toppin revealed that a year-long process must be followed in order for the field to be in tip-top condition at all times. “It involves cutting the grass right down to the roots, it will look like if you are forking the entire field up. It is called verity cutting. The soil has to be tilled and re-sanded. It will call for the complete disruption of the surface then followed by a process of levelling, watering and grooming so it comes back looking like a carpet. Under the present circumstances based on the frequency of use and the pattern of use patches will be forming in certain areas all the time,” he said. Toppin added: “The difficulty is if you want a multipurpose facility you have to design it that way. There are cricket facilities in Australia that get their biggest crowd from other sports using big screens. There are also football facilities in England that double as athletics tracks as well. The idea of single-purpose facilities has been discarded worldwide.” He also hinted that if the Oval was solely used for cricket fewer workers would be employed. “We operate on a $4 million budget, half of which we generate on our own and the other half comes from Government assistance. I am assuming that if you are using it for cricket only, you would need far less staff, so money could be saved there,” he said. (BT)

PHILO WALLACE’S VERDICT – Despite the struggles of West Indies batsmen in the recent series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, former Barbados and West Indies opener Philo Wallace says the current cadre of players possesses the tools to take the region forward. But the former Barbados captain believes that some of them have to make adjustments to their game to fit specific situations when they arise. Wallace noted that with the exception of Devon Smith who is 36 years old, the regional side had a core group that could take them up the ladder of international cricket. “When one looks at the age of these players, I think they will be around for several years. After a squad has been together for such a length of time, they should start to perform. By then, they should be well aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses and would have built confidence as a unit, therefore they should start to win more Test matches,” Wallace said. He added: “I like the majority of our batsmen, but I have a special liking for Shai Hope. I think he can score runs at all levels of the game. He is prolific for Barbados at the regional level and is one of the few batsmen who scores double centuries in our first class cricket. “At the Test level, Shai has that record of scoring centuries in both innings in the second Test against England at Headingley to win that Test match for the West Indies last year. When a batsman who seems to have that special touch begins to score runs, tongues start to wag and everyone will expect him to dominate in Test cricket almost every time he goes to the crease.” However, Wallace suggested that Hope had some technical flaws which he needed to address if he wanted to be more prolific. “Hope has some technical deficiencies that he has to work on. One of the things our young batsmen need to understand is that while they might score a century or two hundreds in a Test match, in the following Test they start at zero, and have to assess the opposition all over again. There is so much technology around that their opponents get to view footage of how their play. I have detected that Shai tends to get square on the ball when it is bouncing. When it is coming into him on a length, he plays away from his body. Therefore he has to be a lot more tighter when he is defending, his bat must be straighter and present an open bat face on to the ball rather than a closed bat face which has created problems for him. These are problems that can be corrected in the nets with the West Indies batting coach or even with a coach of his choice. Hope needs to go into the nets and bat for a considerable amount of time, videotape what he is doing and try to get his rhythm back. Shai has lost the rhythm he had in England last year,” Wallace explained. Wallace said opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite who had a lean time against Sri Lanka but rebounded with two centuries against Bangladesh, had to understand that his style of batting might not always be the correct way. “Kraigg continues to bat his way but he has to understand there are occasions when his way of batting might not be the correct way. I think the bowlers worked him out and he has to counteract that by changing his mindset. Kraigg has become bogged down too much when he is batting in a defensive role. I have noticed that sometimes when he is playing shots, he looks a better player. On the other hand, when he is batting for survival Kraigg looks ungainly and gets into some very bad positions to defend the ball. This was clearly shown in the series against Sri Lanka when he was dismissed softly a couple of times which was out of character for a batsman of his calibre. He has such a strong mental character that he was able to shrug off his failure against Sri Lanka and rebound with two back to back centuries against Bangladesh. My suggestion to him is that he revisit his successes and analyse them in order to move forward because he has a big role to play in taking West Indies cricket forward for several years,” Wallace said. He added that Roston Chase was another young batsman with a massive responsibility on his shoulders who had fallen into a rut. “Chase does not know when to play at the short ball or not, particularly when its in-swinging because he lunges forward on the front foot. Once the ball is banged in short and coming back into him, he is in no man’s land and more often than not, when a batsman finds himself in that position, he drags the ball into his stumps. If the ball is head-height he flinches at it and is caught at short-leg or by the wicketkeeper. These are things that he needs to work on which are not difficult to overcome. It is just about balance, getting into that back and across position and staying balanced and being able to negotiate the ball if it is full or short,” Wallace said. Wallace was also impressed with the way Shane Dowrich batted against Sri Lanka and said leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo had shown improvement since former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed came to the region and conducted a clinic for spinners earlier this year. Wallace now lives in Trinidad and Tobago and is pursuing a law degree. He expressed concern that he was not seeing a lot of past players attending cricket-related events. “I am disappointed that most of our cricket legends are not attending functions like the WIPA Awards. Look, they might not like the way how some things are being done off the field but our past cricketers have a vital part to play in taking our cricket forward. All of them cannot be coaches but they have vast knowledge and should share it. I would like to see our former cricketers interacting more with our young cricketers,” Wallace said. (BT)

GAYLE RECEIVES ACCOLADE – West Indies star Christopher Gayle said it means a lot to have been recognized by the University of the West Indies for his contributions to cricket. Gayle and Patrick Patterson were the two honourees recognized today during the innings break when the UWI Vice Chancellor’s XI played Bangladesh in a day/night match at Sabina Park. Before a small but appreciative crowd of several hundred, Dr Akshai Mansingh, Dean of the Faculty of Sports at the University of the West Indies, Mona, read tributes to both men – first Patterson, who was absent and then Gayle. Bangladesh coach Courtney Walsh, a past honouree, collected a plaque on behalf of his reclusive one-time bowling partner from UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Hilary Beckles, who also presented Gayle with his. “It means a lot. I just want to thank the University of the West Indies, Professor (Hilary) Beckles and the entire team. It’s good to be recognized when you have achieved the outstanding within your career. I am very thankful for that and hopefully set more standards, set more records before I actually depart from the game,” said Gayle, whose contribution of 29 helped take the Vice Chancellor’s XI to 227 for 9 in their turn at bat against Bangladesh. He said he was disappointed that Patterson was not able to make it to the ceremony but happy that he was able to be honoured alongside the long-retired tearaway Windies quick. “It’s good to be honoured beside Patterson aka Rambo, it would have been nice to see him in the flesh. It has been a while since I have seen him, two former (Excelsior students) as well, so it’s actually good to be honoured alongside Patrick Patterson. It’s a privilege to be honoured once more.” Of note, it was Gayle’s 138 playing for the Vice Chancellor’s XI back in 2003 that propelled him back into the Windies team after being out of the squad for two years. Earlier, Yannick Ottley top scored with 58 and Kavem Hodge 44 as the two shared in a 91-run seventh wicket stand to rescue the Vice Chancellor’s XI from 89 for 6 taking them to a respectable 227 for 9. Some lusty hitting in the final over from Javon Searles who was unbeaten on 11 got the Vice Chancellor’s team to their respectable total. Mossadek Saikat took 4 for 14 while Rubel Hossain returned figures of 3 for 40. (BT)

UWI PRINCIPAL APPEALS FOR SUPPORT TO COMPLETE MANDELA FREEDOM PARK – Principal of the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies Professor Eudine Barriteau is appealing for corporate support in completing the Mandela Freedom Park, which was opened by the university last year in honour of the late South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela. Speaking during a special celebration at the UWI marking what would have been Mandela’s 100th birthday on Wednesday, Barriteau said he continued to serve as a beacon of encouragement for Cave Hill administrators in their educational pursuits. “Nelson Mandela’s famous observation that education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world, coupled with his exemplary life of a commitment to upend injustices, demonstrated for all humanity crucial lessons on leadership,” she told those gathered at the Roy Marshall Teaching Complex on the day designated by the United Nations as Nelson Mandela International Day. “His regard for, and subsequent pursuit of tertiary education helps us in our quest to underscore the value of access to higher education as fundamental building blocks or stepping stones for those who wish to embark on a life of leadership and service. “Indeed, our strategic pursuit of ensuring greater access to tertiary education remains one of the central pillars of our educational philosophy,” the principal stressed. With respect to the Mandela Freedom Park, which was opened by his granddaughter Ndileka Mandela in March 2017, Barriteau said the cash-strapped university had been unable to complete “that social and recreational space in a manner befitting his memory”. “[However] we remain optimistic that our corporate and philanthropic partners will assist us in completing this project and present to the citizens of Barbados and this region a facility for relaxation and intellectual engagement on issues such as integrity, good governance, commitment to social progress and speaking truth to power,” she said, adding that the university envisioned the park becoming “an idyllic setting to facilitate peaceful reflection, stimulate spiritual renewal and intellectual regeneration [and] . . . viewed as a space for public reasoning and for engaging with the thorny issues affecting Caribbean life”. Mandela, who has been credited for his leadership of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, went on to serve as the country’s first black president before his death in December 2013 at age 95 after suffering from a prolonged respiratory infection. (BT)

NEW CHAIR OF QEH BOARD – Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland is the new chairman of the board of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Bynoe-Sutherland is a former director of the Barbados Family Planning Association. She is also the wife of Minister of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce, Dwight Sutherland, MP for St George South. Also on the board are Dr Abdul-Rehman Mohamed, the permanent secretary in the ministry, Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George, Joseph Laflour, Sharon Christie, Sonia Connell, Annalee Babb, Andrew Niles, the principal of the University of the West Indies, Nigel Hall, Dr Jacqueline King and a representative from the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados. The appointments, which became effective on June 28, are for a period of three years. (WN)

E. HUMPHREY WALCOTT BUILDING CLOSED TEMPORARILY – The E. Humphrey Walcott Building, corner Culloden Road and Collymore Rock, St. Michael, will be closed tomorrow, Friday, July 20 due to an environmental problem. Departments housed in the building, namely the Personnel Administration Division, the Ministry of the Civil Service and the Unemployment Section of the National Insurance Department (NIS), will therefore be closed to the public. Persons are advised that during the closure, the services of the Unemployment Section will be available at the NIS’ main offices at the Frank Walcott Building. Normal business at the building will resume on Monday, July 23. Any inconvenience caused is regretted. (PR/BGIS)

MOVES TO INCREASE PANAMA FLIGHTS TO 4 – GOVERNMENT is already looking to expand the arrangement with Copa Airlines to capitalise on the Latin and South American markets, as well as more destinations in the United States. With the ink barely dry on the direct flights arrangement from Panama that was inaugurated on Tuesday, Minister of Tourism and International Transport Kerrie Symmonds said Barbados was in talks with Copa’s management to move from twice weekly flights to four in the near future, as the load factor for the next few months was in excess of 90 per cent, both ways. He was speaking in an interview at the Panama Hilton, Panama City, on the eve of the historic Flight CM 260 to Barbados, which was captained by Barbadian Marc Holford, and returned home by his countryman Captain Chetwyn Clarke. “Copa is interested in having an entity like Barbados work with them towards moving people from the Eastern Caribbean, because there is a lot of heritage linkage. St Lucia, St Vincent, Dominica, all would have had people who went to the Panama Canal and worked there, and also in terms of business traffic.” (WN)

COPA AIRLINES BRINGS EAGER VISITORS – Some passengers on the inaugural Copa Airlines Flight CM 260 from Panama to Barbados just couldn’t wait to be in the land of their ancestors. The historic flight left Tocumen International Airport at 10 a.m. local time Tuesday and arrived in Barbados just before 2 p.m. to an official welcome. Doraldo Branch, travelling with wife Evon and their friend Evelia Carrington, said this was his first visit. His grandfather Charles Branch migrated to Panama in the early 1900s to work on the canal. “I plan to catch up with any relatives, and also eat flying fish and cou-cou. I always heard about it and I want to see what it’s like and tastes like,” he added with a chuckle, his wife nodding in agreement. Carrington, also a first-timer, was keen on “getting into contact with any of my family – the Carringtons”, though she wasn’t quite sure where they were located. A couple seats away, Roxana Brown Larrier and her husband Jaime Brown were just counting down the minutes, even though this was her second visit. Her grandfather Joseph C. Larrier, a former Christian Mission Church pastor, also emigrated to Panama. She said she was the cousin of former meteorologist and television weather presenter Vic Larrier. Sheila Wilkinson was leading a group of 13, including her daughter and grand-daughter. She said although she had been to Barbados nine times, the last being for the 50th Independence anniversary celebrations in 2016, she could not miss out on this. “From the time I hear about it, I said I have to be on this flight. I am looking forward most to the food, family and friends.” Before take-off, there was a short ribbon-cutting ceremony where Panamanian dancers and a folk group, dressed in national costumes, entertained the travellers. There were also speeches by Panamanian government and Copa Airlines officials. Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport Kerrie Symmonds lauded the Copa team for working with Government for nearly a decade to see the historic moment come to pass, saying it would open up more opportunities for genealogy tourism and business for both countries and the airline. (WN)

FTC ISSUES WARNING TO CROP OVER REVELLERS – The Fair Trading Commission (FTC) is warning Barbadians not to be duped this Crop Over. Director of Consumer Protection Dava Leslie-Ward is specifically advising those taking part in masquerade bands for Grand Kadooment to pay close attention to all contract terms and to avoid misleading or deceptive information. “Persons might have signed up for a specific type of contract, and you know when you are in the midst of Crop Over and you are trying to look good for the season, you accept the contract. And, then you don’t realize that it may have implications after the season has ended. So, those are the types of issues we would have at this time,” she said during a recent outreach programme at Sheraton Mall during which the FTC distributed special brochures for outlining how to be good consumers. During the event, a warning was also issued to frequent users of social media to beware of pop up advertisements encouraging them to sign up for Crop Over gym specials. “Those are very popular at this time. So what we are trying to advise consumers to do is to ask the person: ‘Do you have any contractual terms? What happens if I can’t complete it? Do I still have to pay the entire fee? How do I have to pay it? Do I have to pay all the money up front or is it payable in installments? And what if I miss one of those installments?’” Leslie-Ward also advised those planning to jump on Kadooment Day to carefully examine their costumes and before entering into any contract to make sure they read it and have an understanding of it. The outreach programme continues on Friday, July 20, at Cave Shepherd, Broad Street, and again on Friday, July 27, at Abed’s, Swan Street. (BT)

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