Fourteen scholarships and 22 exhibitions have been awarded to top performers in this year’s Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and the Associate Degree Programme at the Barbados Community College (BCC).

Harrison College got most of the scholarships – seven of them – while students from Queen’s College took the lion share –16 to be exact – of the exhibitions.

The scholarships went to Harrison College students Kristi Brewster, Shawn Clarke, Philippe Forde, Ninon Foster-Chee-a-Tow, Natasha Rouse, Todd Lavine and Regina Young; Queens College students Kerrie Barker, Chelcee Brathwaite, Amina Desai, Elizabeth Gill, Gabriella Gill and Avery Kellman; and Christ Church Foundation School student Cheryse Greenidge.

Exhibition winners were: Dana Bayley, Shanelle Brathwaite, Rashida Carter, Tawnya Forde, Adriana Gooding, Roneisha Goodridge, Dominique Harris, Rebecca Harris, Richelle Haynes, Daneisha Holder, Rebecca King, Jessica Marshall, Nathan Parris, Leah Taylor, Melanie Taylor-John and Kimberley Yearwood of Queen’s College, Asia Blackman, Dario Clarke, Rheanne Ince, Charice Marshall and Brendon Taylor of Harrison College; and BCC student Janiel Odle.

The head of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) is sounding an alarm that all is not well in the hospitality sector and urgent Government attention is required to prevent hotel closures and other serious consequences.

President Sunil Chatrani said today the signs of disaster are too many to ignore and serious action, rather than more talk and studies, is necessary.

Sunil Chatrani

“We need to fix what we have and we need the tools to be able to do so. I am referring to the concessions that were approved by cabinet nearly nine months ago that we still cannot access. If we are serious about turning this economy around, then we need to create a conducive environment to facilitate the necessary and long overdue reinvestments,” he said in a statement issued this evening.

Highlighting concerns expressed by ministers, stakeholders and other observers about a range of issues affecting the industry, he added: “The recent debates concerning shortage of rooms, quality of rooms, declining tourist arrivals over the last decade, concessions to Sandals, lack of clarity of direct tourism services, restructuring of the Barbados Tourism Authority, loss in airlift capacity from major feeder markets, high operating costs, low returns on investments, declining service standards, losing our share of the younger tourist market, limited attractions . . . all serve as smoke signals to indicate that all is not well.”

Chatrani pointed out that the problems facing the industry have already been well documented.

And he contended that if Barbados is really depending on the industry to turn the economy around, “then we really need to stop and listen and deal with the issues.”

“Several studies have been done and many papers exist on the challenges of the industry. None of the recent comments highlighted in the press are new. There is the PCS study, the Tourism Master Plan, The Tourism White Paper and the list goes on. They all basically identify the challenges and the areas that we need to focus on, but these studies and documents have been around for years now and little has been done strategically to regain our share of the market in the Caribbean,”             he said.

Insisting that he was not trying to stir up any political debate or pit the private sector against the public sector, the BHTA boss said each side had to contribute to the solution.

“We all are responsible for our own success and something needs to be done urgently or we will continue to see our room inventory decline with the closure of existing hotels and the deterioration of the remaining room stock.

“We are already an overpriced destination that is uncompetitive and the situation will only continue to get worse if we do not address these problems now,” Chatrani added.

Although not making any direct reference to Government’s decision to compulsorily acquire the Sam Lord’s Castle property and spend $200 million in transforming it into 450-room resort, he argued that adding new room inventory cannot be the quick fix.

The Barbados Light & Power Company (BLPC) is reaching the limit of how much electricity it can buy from renewable energy consumers.

The company said while it has not yet reached the maximum 7 megawatts of installed capacity in the Renewable Energy Rider (RER) programme, it has to manage the remaining space and is looking to cut customers on the waiting list who are no longer interested in getting on board.

Under the RER designed by the BLPC and approved by the Fair Trading Commission (FTC), customers using solar photovoltaic or wind renewable energy systems can sell excess electricity to the grid to offset their electricity consumption.

In a statement issued this afternoon, BL&P said over 500 customers are benefitting from the programme and interest is “growing rapidly”.

“BLPC is advising customers that they are nearing the capacity that had been set for the RER programme and they are working to manage the application and installation of RE systems more efficiently.

“To that end, BLPC is contacting customers with renewable energy applications pending over three months to determine if the capacity reserved under the RER programme is still needed,” it said.

“We have informed the FTC of our efforts in this regard and will continue to consult with them,” added customer services manager Rohan Seale In addition to contacting customers who have RE applications pending for over three months, we have advanced the Intermittent Penetration Study to October, as the preliminary results will inform future decisions on the RER programme.”

Managing director designate Roger Blackman said the company wanted to ensure that all customers, and not just a select few, would benefit from the programme and it was therefore continuing to assess the plan to facilitate customers who wished to join.

The power company’s statement came two days after the FTC issued its final decision on the RER. That decision maintains the 7 megawatts cap and also gives consumers the right to choose their billing method.

BLPC described the ruling as “balanced and in the best interest of all customers.”

It reiterated its support of Government’s policy of seeing 29 per cent of the island’s energy needs generated from renewable sources by 2029.

The electricity provider said it would continue to work with the Minster of Energy, the Division of Energy, the Fair Trading Commission and other stakeholders “to achieve a sustainable energy future for Barbados”.

The 16-year-old girl who went missing last week has turned up safe.

Police say Shaniqua Ikemia Thomas, of Cummins Road, Brittons Hill, St Michael, showed up at the Hastings Police Station last night.

No other information was provided.

Thomas left home between 9 pm last week Thursday and 7.15 am the following day.

Markley Williams was fatally shot last night.

Police are investigating the shooting death of a 40-year-old Christ Church man in his neighbourhood last night.

Markley Williams was shot multiple times by an unknown assailant.

Lawmen say he was walking near his McClean Gap, Silver Sands home around 9 pm when he was accosted and then shot.

Williams was transported by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Two men caught red-handed stealing gasoline from the Barbados National Terminal Company Limited (BNTCL) escaped jail time and fines today.

But Christopher James of Keizer Hill, Christ Church and Julian Kirton of Crest View, Eden Lodge, St Michael, both 32 years old, were each placed on a one-year bond after appearing in the District “B” Magistrate Court and admitting to stealing 55 litres of gasoline.

Failure to stay out of trouble will cost them $700 forthwith or a prison term of three months.

James and Kirton were arrested around 12:25 am yesterday when police responded to a call that two men were siphoning gasoline from a storage tank at the BNTCL facility.

The value of the fuel was $200.

James was also charged with possession of a small quantity of cannabis which police found on him when they responded to the report, but he was reprimanded and discharged for that offence.

Romario Yarde was killed on August 10.

Detectives have made a breakthrough in the murder of a young man who was dropped off at the hospital with a gunshot injury earlier this month.

A man is now in custody for the shooting death of Romario Yarde, 20, of Bayville, St Michael.

Yarde was transported in a car to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by unidentified men on August 10, after being shot while in Collymore Rock, but he died while undergoing treatment.

Several people are in police custody following the discovery of almost 2,000 cannabis plants in St Philip and St Andrew yesterday.

Some of the cannabis trees discovered by law enforcement authorities in a bushy area in                                                                                        Congo Bay, St Philip.

Lawmen from the Belleplaine Police Station conducted an exercise in Turners Hall, St Andrew and 550 cannabis plants were discovered under cultivation, the tallest being seven feet.

It was in that bust that several people were arrested.

In the other incident,1,436 cannabis plants were discovered under cultivation in bushy areas in Congo Bay, St Philip when members of the Drug Squad, supported by members of Special Services Unit and the Barbados Defence Force, conducted a drug eradication exercise.

The tallest of those plants was 10 feet.

No arrests were made following that find. (PR/DP)

Shamar Antonio Lynch (left) being taken to the Oistins Magistrates’ Court.

Shamar Antonio Lynch has been remanded to prison after appearing in the Oistins Magistrates’ Court today charged with killing Romario Yarde.

Lynch, 24, of Walkes Spring, St Thomas, who had been out on bail for a similar offence also faced charges of affray and endangering life, in connection with an incident on December 18 last year in Six Roads, St Philip when Shamar James was shot.

Yarde, 20, of Field Place, Bayville, St Michael, was shot on August 10 and dropped off at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he died.

Hours after Rosemary Benskin made an appeal to the public to help locate her daughter, the 13-year-old has been found.

Tiana Rosemary Shanice Joseph was spotted in Baxter’s Road, the City this afternoon and was picked up by a family member, Benskin told Barbados TODAY  a short while ago.

She said her daughter was being taken to the police station.

Joseph left home last Friday evening and did not return. Benskin said it was the second time her daughter had left home but on that occasion she had only been missing for a few hours.

After receiving several reports that her daughter had been spotted, Benskin this morning appealed to members of the public, through Barbados TODAY,  for assistance in getting her daughter back home.

Firefighters are at this hour battling a blaze at Chickmont farms at Balls Plantation, Christ Church.

The fire started just after 4 pm.

General Manager and Director Edward Albecker told Barbados TODAY a short while ago that 7,000 two-week-old turkeys were lost in the fire.

The company is estimating at least $700,000 in damages - the cost of the pen in which the birds were housed.

A teenager has been remanded to prison in connection with yesterday morning’s police raid at the Party Stand which uncovered guns and other contraband.

Kemo Avery Grant, 19, of Grazettes Main Road, St Michael has been charged with illegal possession of a .32 revolver firearm and unlawful possession of three rounds of ammunition.

The gun was allegedly found on Grant when police searched patrons at the Party Stand.

That weapon was among several items lawmen seized. Other items included cannabis, scissors, knives, camouflage clothing and a ski mask.

Grant was remanded until September 26 when he will appear in the District “A” Magistrates’ Court.

(DP/PR)

Two men have been charged for drug possession following the police raid at the Party Stand early Monday morning.

Kuamie Cox, 25, of Jackson, St Michael and Ras Beja Gobor Prince, 30, of Wharfdale Road, Pinelands, St Michael were both charged with possession, possession with intent to supply and trafficking of cannabis.

Police alleged that when law enforcement authorities carried out searches at the final Summer Jam Sundays event, they found 45 grammes of marijuana on Cox and just over 17 grammes on Prince.

Yesterday, another young man arrested during the raid, 19-year-old Kemo Avery Grant of Grazettes Main Road, St Michael, was remanded to prison for having a .32 revolver and three rounds of ammunition at the fete.

Police investigations into the discovery of drugs in two shipments – one from Canada and the other from Jamaica – have resulted in six men being charged.

Four of them appeared in the District “B” Magistrates’ Court today but only one walked out on bail.

Andre Antonio Crichlow, 32, of 1st Avenue, Alkins Land, Eagle Hall, St Michael; John Grazettes, 48, of 2nd Avenue, Peterkins Land, Bank Hall, St Michael; and Selwin Junior Thorne, 38, of Gemwick, St Peter were all remanded while Jason Travolta Calderon, 33, of Block E2, North Close Wildey, St Michael was granted bail. The four will reappear in court on September 25.

They were all charged with conspiracy and trafficking, while Crichlow and Grazettes faced additional charges of possession, possession with intent to supply, trafficking and importation of nine pounds of cannabis. Grazettes was additionally charged with committing acts preparatory.

The charges were laid after members of the Enforcement Unit of the Customs and Excise Department carried out a search at the port, on August 20, of a consignment which arrived from Canada. Compressed cannabis was discovered and further investigations led to the arrest of the four men.

Grazettes is additionally accused of possession, possession with intent to supply, trafficking and cultivation of 37 cannabis plants after a search warrant was executed at his home and the plants were allegedly found under cultivation.

Police also arrested and charged Amos Wilberforce Andrews, 56, of Fitts Gap, Westbury Road, St Michael; and Martin Andrew Griffith of Bay Street, St Michael, following another seizure by the Customs Enforcement Department yesterday.

Officers from the unit carried out a search of a consignment containing seasoning which arrived from Jamaica. The search revealed two pounds of cannabis concealed in the bottled seasoning and the duo was subsequently arrested.

They will face charges of possession, possession with intent to supply, trafficking and importation when they appear in court tomorrow.

Police have formally charged Shaquon John Jose Cave, 25, of Flagstaff Road, St Michael for the offence of aggravated burglary which occurred last Friday morning at the Royal Bank of Canada Barbados Limited located at University Drive, Black Rock.

He appeared in the District “A” Magistrates’ Court today.

Shaquon John Jose Cave (left) being led out of the court.

On the eve of the fourth anniversary of the Campus Trendz tragedy, acting prime minister Richard Sealy is warning that the current level of violent crime must not be tolerated.

In fact, he warned today that the country had to do more than simply decry the current level of violence which he admitted was worrying.

In a message ahead of tomorrow’s observance of the September 3, 2010 fire that claimed the lives of Shanna Griffith, Nikkita Belgrave, Pearl Cornelius, Tiffany Harding, Kellishaw Olivierre and Kelly-Ann Welch, Sealy who is the country’s tourism minister, also insisted that the country needs to get to the bottom of the                                    crime problem.

Acting prime minister Richard Sealy.

“It is now four years since that horrific fire claimed the lives of six young women who were daughters, mothers, sisters, other relatives and friends. I know that their families and friends are still grappling with the loss of their loved ones. As we remember the victims of that sinister act on September 3, 2010, and reflect on their lives, we must also find ways to stop the perpetuation of violent acts which result in the loss of lives of our most productive citizens,” he said.

“In recent times, we have been experiencing a level of violence which is unfamiliar to our society and this is a worrying trend for all of us. As a nation, we decry these acts but we must do more. We have to unearth the root cause or causes and deal with them head on.”

Sealy added: “I believe that we need to reinforce our traditional values which include the sanctity of human life and being our brother’s keeper.  We must all work together to find solutions to correct this situation which has the potential to erode the positive image of our country which we have worked hard to build over several generations.”

He commended the many organizations that are working to help resolve the problem by reaching out to young people to educate them about conflict resolution and exploring the reasons for the upsurge in violence.

Sealy noted that there was “a small segment in society” that believed that acts of violence could solve problems but “the majority of us know that this is not the case.”

His comments came two days after Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite said consideration was being given to introducing a gun amnesty to arrest one of the main problems facing law enforcement authorities – gun crimes.

The acting prime minister has called on Barbadians to use the occasion of the anniversary of the deaths to remember the six victims and the 28 people who have lost their lives to violent acts since September 3, 2013 to “reflect on what we can do to rid our society of this wave of violence which is being manifested in all its forms.”

He joined the September 3rd Foundation in urging all Barbados to observe a minute of silence at noon in National Heroes Square. This forms part of a commemorative event which will be led by the Foundation.

“The purpose of staging such a public and all-embracing minute of silence is to ensure that the victims of violent crime do not become invisible or removed from our collective consciousness as a nation, and to provide our people with an opportunity to ponder deeply on the tragic and unnecessary loss, pain, grief and damage that is engendered by violent crime. It is the Foundation’s hope that this type of collective public reflection will have a positive impact on the psyche of our nation,” said a statement from the foundation’s coordinator, David Comissiong.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart was among leaders from the Pacific, Caribbean and Africa, Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea (AIMS) regions who signed a historic sustainable energy and climate resilient treaty that is expected to significantly change the lives and destiny of over 20 million small islanders, for the better.

Led by the Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa, Fonotoe Nuafesili Pierre Lauofo, leaders from more than 45 countries raised their voices in unison and accepted responsibility for fulfilling the commitment to the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Sustainable Energy mechanism – SIDS DOCK.

The opening for signature of the historic SIDS DOCK Treaty – a SIDS-SIDS Initiative – was a major highlight of the first day of the United Nations (UN) Third International Conference on SIDS, taking place in Apia, Samoa, which will continue until September 4.

The unprecedented and unexpected number of Heads of State and Government present, sent a strong signal to the standing-room only audience, the SIDS population and the international community, demonstrating how deeply committed SIDS leaders are and that they all firmly believe that SIDS must, have and will take responsibility for charting the future of their countries towards a path that would see a total transformation of the SIDS economy away from fossil fuels, to that of one driven by low carbon technologies.

More than half the members of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) were present for the signing of the historic treaty, witnessed by the SIDS DOCK partners Denmark, Japan and Austria, whose kind and generous support facilitated SIDS DOCK start-up activities.  Also present were SIDS DOCK partners – the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Clinton Foundation.

Apart from Barbados, Belize, the Bahamas, Dominica, Cabo Verde, Cook Islands, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Grenada, Guinea Bissau, Kiribati, Niue, Palau, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles and Tuvalu signed the treaty.

The statute will remain open for signature in Apia, Samoa until September 5, and will reopen for signature in Belmopan, Belize, from September 6 until it enters into force. Belize is the host country for SIDS DOCK, with Samoa designated as the location for the Pacific regional office.

Meantime,Prime Minister Stuart met with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, on the sidelines of the conference.

They discussed the way forward since the adoption of the Barbados Programme of Action in 1994 and the priorities of SIDS in the ongoing Conference.

Ban conveyed his appreciation for Barbados’ leadership on all issues related to SIDS and exchanged views with the Barbadian leader on the impact of climate change on SIDS, the Green Climate Fund and the implementation of the outcome document of the SIDS Conference.

(PR/DP)

The best of Barbados is on show as tourism officials continue efforts to sell the island as an all-inclusive experience. It’s all part of the annual Connect Barbados.

Almost 100 tour operators are in the island for this year’s instalment of the initiative –– 30 of them from Barbados’ main source market Britain, and the others from the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean and continental Europe. The event is sponsored by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), and has the full support of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA).

Locally made jewellery and craft were also among the offerings on show.

Operations manager at Ocean 2 Resort And Residences, Paul Collymore, welcoming some of the tour operators.

BHTA executive vice-president Sue Springer said it was important that Barbados sell a positive image to the tour operators and show them the diversity of the destination.

Executive vice-president of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association, Sue Springer

“We have over 65 per cent of business come from tour operators, especially from the UK and Canadian market. It is very key for these people to actually feel and see the product we have and experience it,” she told Barbados TODAY at a reception for the visiting tour operators at Sea Breeze Hotel last night.

“Many times we meet with these people at WTM [World Travel Market] and at Caribbean Marketplace in January, but this is the opportunity for people to actually see what Barbados really has to offer. We can talk, we can show pictures, but there’s nothing more than the experience that will sell. We rely on these people a lot, and
it’s very important that we give a very positive image.”

Springer said officials would be outlining to the tour operators just how diverse the Barbados offerings were, with events including the Crop Over Festival, Top Gear Barbados Festival, the Food, Wine & Rum Festival, and SOL Rally Barbados, as well as new events that will soon be on the calendar.

(DP)

The number of cases of chikungunya in Barbados has risen in recent weeks, with 11 now confirmed while 77 other people are suspected of having the virus.

That is according to Senior Medical Officer of Health Dr Karen Springer who disclosed that of the 11 confirmed cases, three were imported cases – that is, the patients arrived in Barbados already infected – while the other eight contracted the virus locally.

And Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr Kenneth George is warning that especially now during the rainy season, Barbadians have to exercise personal responsibility and do all in their power to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.

“The same approach we have recommended to deal with dengue fever applies to chikungunya. The mosquito life cycle can only be completed in water so we must get rid of all stagnant water sources. Wear protective clothing, preferably light coloured and long sleeved, use mosquito repellant and sleep under bed nets, especially if you are travelling to countries that are endemic,” he said.

George added that the Environmental Health Department within the ministry was very vigilant in targeting the most vulnerable areas.

“We try to put our resources in the areas where we have the most reports of either confirmed or suspected cases,” George said, adding that the fogging campaign played a very important role in reducing the mosquito population since the fog kills the adult mosquito.

Springer explained that once a case of chikungunya is suspected, blood samples are submitted to the Leptospirosis Laboratory to be tested initially for dengue. Only if this test is negative, are the samples sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency Laboratory in Trinidad to be tested for chikungunya. Results are received within seven to 10 days.

(DP/BGIS)

Police say the victim in the shooting incident on Lower Collymore Rock, St Michael was in a ZR van when he was shot in the back.

Public relations officer Inspector David Welch said the man, whose name has not yet been disclosed, was in a Route 10 ZR van, when he and another man were involved in an altercation around 12:50 pm.

When the shooting occurred, the passengers and driver scrambled to safety.

The shooter fled the scene and the victim is being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.