Barbadians Too 'Soft'

Established October 1895 Relatively quiet hurricane season predicted Page 5 Saturday May 30, 2015 $1 VAT Inclusive Know the importance of Magna Carta THE Magna Carta is the “seed” from which all our rights and liberties, which are often taken for granted, flow and Chief Justice of Barbados, Sir Marston Gibson, is encouraging the public to learn more about this 800-year-old charter. Sir Marston made the comments yesterday morning while addressing an audience which included British High Commissioner to Barbados, Victoria Dean; Director of Public Prosecutions, Charles Leacock; and students of Wesley Hall Primary, at the opening of the ‘From Magna Carta to Commonwealth Charter’ Exhibit, which has been erected in the foyer of the Supreme Court. “Those rights flow from Magna Carta – freedom of religion; the right not to be dispossessed of your land; the right to trial by jury – all of those things we now take for granted. Those rights began on a fateful day, the 15th of June, 1215, on the banks of the River Thames, when a monarch actually ceded some of his power to persons who were not of royal blood and who basically said, ‘we do not any longer wish to live in a society where we have no say and where we have no rights,’” he explained. He said the display is for the public and they especially want school children and university students to attend. He made the point while CHARTER on Page 2 Chief Justice, Sir Marston Gibson (left), answers questions from the students viewing the exhibition. BARBADIANS TOO ‘SOFT’ MINISTER of Culture, the issue of same-sex various rulings on these Barbados Workers’ Union when it comes to how I wonder if we are Sports and Youth, marriage. issues, and in Barbados (BWU) Youth Congress, our schoolchildren, in following the crowd only Stephen Lashley, “I do not embrace it and we are apparently open yesterday. particular, use the social for the sake of following believes that I remain fully of that to anything… Our The Minister also spoke media. I think that has the crowd.” Barbadians have gone particular persuasion,” mortality is under to the need for parents to been curtailed,” he stated. Lashley is therefore ‘soft’ on a lot of issues. he told the media. question, because we are ‘poke’ their noses more “Sometimes the things calling on families to take “We are not prepared to “I am aware that not firm on who we are.” into what their charges I see people sharing back control. take a position on certain internationally a lot of His comments came are doing. on social media makes matters,” he said, thereby things are happening. on the sidelines of the “I fear that we are me wonder if we have TAKE CONTROL on stating his position on Courts are passing opening ceremony of the being a bit too liberal lost our purpose, and Page 3 2 • Saturday May 30, 2015 The Barbados Advocate An honour to Competitiveness key, host exhibition says BTMI Chairman CHAIRMAN of the Barbados inspections, market intelligence improvement; increased Tourism Marketing Inc. gathering and competitor communication and CHARTER from Page 1 State, albeit having the (BTMI), Alvin Jemmott is analysis,” he said. collaboration at the global level; monopoly on organisational highlighting the need to With that in mind, the BTMI high employee engagement; and noting that too few students power, nonetheless is not improve the country’s Chairman said they are looking clearer lines of cooperation know the significance of the without restrictions and not competitiveness as a forward to having new rooms between us and our sister document which also played a without limitations. And I like tourism destination, to come into use soon via The agency, the Barbados Tourism role in the Treaty of Oistins, to think of our constitutions as ensure long term Sands with 87 units, which can Product Authority,” he added. and so he wants the public to representing a natural sustainability of the sector. be equated to 193 rooms, and To that end, Jemmott said feel free to come and view it progression from a pact Jemmott made the remarks Sugar Bay, which will have 138 that they are confident that the and not have any reservations between the powerful, to giving during a press conference earlier rooms. He made the point as he best days are yet ahead and are about coming to the Court. rights and representation to this week at the Hilton Hotel, to noted that the reaction by the of the strong belief, that by Contending that it is a the powerless; so that the update the media about tourism marketplace to the recent becoming a more a “nimble privilege and an honour that weakest in our society has the arrivals for the first quarter of opening of Sandals, suggests organisation”, fuelled by a Barbados was chosen as one of right to come to this building – 2015. His comments came as he that it is to the country’s strong sense of purpose and the sites for the exhibition, Sir the court, in any case in which contended that the focus on advantage to make investments accountability, they will be Marston noted that the that person believes that his or competitive advantage will have in our room stock. successful in growing the exhibition is one that should be her right has been infringed,” even greater significance as “Correspondingly, at the tourism sector. seen by all, as it provides the Chief Justice explained. Cuba – “the regional sleeping BTMI, it is within our ambit to “We trust that our partners insight into the developmental The exhibition has been tourism giant” comes into its full revamp our marketing methods are as excited about this new history that has taken place jointly organised by the potential. to better reflect our new ethos as era in Barbados’ tourism between the date of the signing Commonwealth Lawyers “…We are conscious of the fact a private entity. Through marketing as we are, and thank of Magna Carta and the Association, Commonwealth that our product and service implementation of a policy them in advance for their present. Legal Education Association, levels must be improved if we change strategy, we will be support as we move to develop “That I believe to be the Commonwealth Magistrates’ are to maximise our improving our competitiveness unprecedented and witty legacy of Magna Carta, because and Judges’ Association and is competitiveness, a challenge from the inside out. These programmes to deliver an when you look at our modern sponsored by Lexis-Nexis and which our sister agency, the changes are at the beginning of equally strong performance day constitutions, that the Magna Carta 800th Barbados Tourism Product a cultural shift in the way we during the summer, and essentially is what Magna Anniversary Committee. Authority is undertaking work; a shift that will manifest beyond,” he stated. Carta has led us to; that the (JRT) through research, product as an environment of continuous (JRT) Barbados must stand out ONCE again, this island’s level upcoming June 15 budget would of competitiveness has come up result in some hardships for the against the spotlight. business community, she said Addressing her organisation’s that several issues affecting that luncheon at the Hilton Barbados group could be resolved on Thursday, President of the internally. Barbados Chamber of “One of the most enduring Commerce and Industry Tracey cries from business continues to Shuffler noted that improving be related to financing.We score this was a pressing concern, very poorly in Barbados on ease especially in the face of new of access to loans, on venture players like Cuba. capital availability and on British High Commissioner to Barbados, Victoria Dean (right), talking to students of Wesley Hall “Our competitiveness will availability of local equity Primary about the Magna Carta. only improve significantly when financing. Have we done enough our relative position on cost in the private sector to find efficiencies and quality of goods creative ways to reshape small and services delivered can and medium enterprise surpass those of our regional financing? I challenge the and even international financing sector to dig deeper counterparts,” she added. and to work harder to bring Highlighting for example that solutions which will help both two of the island’s most small and larger businesses to traditional and successful finance for growth,” she said. exports – rum and sugar – were Shuffler stressed that more being produced in most work needed to be done in the countries, she stated that export area of research and development was a critical development, noting “While we strategic direction for many are quite technology ready in Barbadian businesses. Barbados, we rank very poorly Pointing to the country’s 55th in company spending on R&D.” ranking on the World Economic “Again, this change must be Forum’s Global Competitiveness driven by us to be future focused Index 2014/2015, she indicated and ready for changes that will that there was much room for come to the very fabric of our improvement regarding the current economic base. The Chief Justice, Sir Marston Gibson (right), addressing those attending the opening of the exhibi- macroeconomic environment question will be whether we will tion. Looking on is (left) British High Commissioner to Barbados, Victoria Dean and Registrar of and goods markets efficiency. be leading or lagging at the time the Supreme Court, Barbara Cooke-Alleyne. Forecasting that the of change,” she said. The Barbados Advocate Saturday May 30, 2015 • 3 Youth told: Recognise contributions to growth of our nation BARBADIAN youth are House” yesterday, under expressed. gain entry into the job models for our youth.

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