Established October 1895 Sir Courtney Blackman’s body returns home PAGE 2 Thursday June 17, 2021 $1 VAT Inclusive CYBERCRIME ON THE RISE AS countries in the Executive Director of the has cybercrime, the trade in Agency’s 65th Annual Health inal activity in the future as we Caribbean continue to battle Regional Security System counterfeit and substandard Research Conference, hosted in embrace e-commerce, as we em- the COVID-19 pandemic, a (RSS). goods, as well as fraud and collaboration with the French brace more and more trading, regional security expert is According to Captain schemes linked to organised Development Agency. The as we embrace education on dig- warning that cybercrime is Shurland, during the various property crime. four-day conference is being ital platforms [and] meetings on on the rise, and contends lockdowns across the region, the He made the comments yes- held virtually this year under digital platforms. Criminals will that the region must get pre- RSS observed that traditional terday during a panel discus- the theme ‘Pandemic, NCDs and have new and adapted ways of pared for that growing criminal operations appeared to sion focused on the Caribbean’s Climate Change: The Carib- attacking our people using the threat. settle down. Since the lockdown, response to COVID-19, which bean’s Triple Threat’. virtual platform,” he stated. The advice is coming from that criminal activity has in- was held as part of the “This, I’m afraid, is going to CYBERCRIME Captain Errington Shurland, creased in some jurisdictions, as Caribbean Public Health be the modus operandi of crim- on Page 3 Forde: Speak out against elder abuse IF you see something, say something. That is the message coming from Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Cynthia Forde. She was speaking to those in attendance this week when the Barbados Alzheimer’s Association cele- brated World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Tuesday, with a panel discussion on how this issue can be addressed in the Barbadian context. During the event, which was hosted at the St. Paul’s Conference Centre, Minister Forde noted that elder abuse and dementia are nothing new in Barbados, and it is about time that this kind of discourse is had in Barbados. “I believe that this is timely because Barbadians don’t seem to quite understand or want to understand, and some just don’t know what Alzheimer’s is all about or the dementias. It seems to be something new to President of the Barbados Alzheimer’s Association, Pamelia Brereton (right), looks on as Minister of People Empowerment and many of us due to the fact that Elder Affairs, Cynthia Forde, speaks during the opening of the panel discussion on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. in the past our extended family looked after the seniors. So this says that she is well aware of but no relatives around.” evening to go into the demen- psychological abuse than some evening, I believe that what- the situation. With Psychiatrist Dr. Ermine tias so I shall not do that, but of the other types of abuse,” she ever discussions come to the “I receive no less than 50 calls Belle leading off the discussion just to say that the dementias said. fore will help us to better un- a week for persons who are on a panel that included are very much at the crux of With Heallis delivering defi- derstand what signs to look for,” abandoned – seniors – for those Director of Retail Banking the elder abuse situation, be- nitions and statistics on sexual she said. who are being abused physi- Channels at CIBC First cause many of the persons who and physical abuse, while With the abuse of elders cally, emotionally, one or two Caribbean, Michelle Whitelaw; are living to an aged point – Whitelaw and Pierce gave ad- ranging from sexual, physical, sexually, but the majority of Attorney at Law Milton Pierce; and in Barbados we are very vice on financial and legal mat- emotional and psychological to them are being duped of their and Senior Welfare Officer (Ag.) much third in line with cente- ters, respectively, surrounding financial, it was revealed that finances. And I agree, many of National Assistance Board, narians – we are seeing the the topic, Dr. Belle said we research shows that one in six them are family members, but Kayrene Heallis, she noted that effects of all kinds of abuse. all needed to take heed of the persons over the age of 60 in there are other people in the dementia is one of the most Emotional and psychological signs of abuse and be more Barbados has experienced community who they befriend common factors in most cases of abuse no less than any other.In understanding as family some form of abuse in the last or the people befriend them abuse. actual fact, it is easier to see members and care-givers. year alone, and Minister Forde knowing that they have a house “It is not my business this the effects of emotional and SPEAK OUT on Page 2 2 • Thursday June 17, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Persons urged not to take advantage of the elderly SPEAK OUT want to talk about cer- lives that we save may be from Page 1 tain things. They don’t our own parents. And “We need to under- want to get out of bed or strangers come and get stand that this is a socialise anymore and we the benefits that children reality. Emotional and know that something is should get, especially the psychological abuse is a happening that is not returning nationals – reality.We see people be- right in their lives.” they are targeted more come more withdrawn, Minister Forde also than ever because gener- we see people afraid to shed light on an ex- ally they don’t have fam- talk – people who might tremely prevalent situa- ily. The husband has have been chatty and tion where there are passed on, the children happy and easy-going – persons cashing pension still live overseas and suddenly they don’t want cheques for seniors be- they are being robbed of Psychiatrist Dr. Ermine Belle as she spoke during this week’s panel discussion. to ventilate, they don’t fore the pension date and their property and their then charging $40 for the finances. So I think this transaction. Calling for a is very timely and this in- stop to the practice, formation should not Forde condemned it and only be here tonight but all similar activities and we need to go into other called for more people to communities and share talk about it. the experiences,” she “We must say it when said. we see it because the (MP) Sir Courtney Blackman’s body returns home BARBADIANS can pay their final respects to Sir Courtney Black- man when his body re- poses at the Courtney Blackman Grande Salle, Tom Adams Financial Centre today, Thursday June 17, 2021 from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. The Bank encourages Sir Courtney’s contempo- raries, past and present central bankers, and the many people with whom he interacted when he resided in Barbados to attend the viewing. Sir Courtney, the Sir Courtney, the founding father and founding father and longest serving Governor longest serving of the Central Bank of Governor of the Central Barbados, died in the Bank of Barbados, died USA in March. His fu- in the USA in March. neral service takes place at the Cathedral Sir Courtney was Ambas- Church of St. Michael sador to the United and All Angels on States and Permanent Friday, June 18, followed Representative to the later that day by his bur- Organisation of Ameri- ial at the St. David’s can States, where he also Anglican Church. The fu- served as Vice Minister of neral service will be by Trade at the FTAA nego- invitation only because of tiations from 1995 to restrictions on numbers 1998. as a result of the pan- Please note that the demic. Bank will enforce all In addition to serving COVID-19 protocols on as Governor of the Bank, the day of the viewing. The Barbados Advocate Thursday June 17, 2021 • 3 G7 nations asked to prioritise one Countries billion vaccine donations for the region must guard FOLLOWING the G7 nations’ said that more than 1.1 million primary issue in the Americas is promise to donate one billion new COVID-19 cases and vaccine access, not vaccine ac- vaccine doses to countries in 31,000 deaths were reported in ceptance,” she said. against need, Pan American Health the past week in the Americas, “Across Latin America and the Organisation (PAHO) Director including the United States and Caribbean, we have a long Carissa F. Etienne urged them Canada. For the past few weeks, legacy in immunisation and cyber to prioritise Latin America and four of the five countries with trust in the life-saving power of the Caribbean. the highest weekly death counts vaccines. Once new doses are “Those countries that are in the world have been in the available, countries are ready attacks suffering the most should be at Americas. to distribute them as quickly the front of the line,” she said. “While vaccines are needed as they arrive and PAHO will CYBERCRIME from Page 1 During her weekly media everywhere, we hope G7 nations work tirelessly to get vaccines briefing, she pointed out that will prioritise doses for coun- to every corner in our region, Captain Shurland’s com- only one in ten people in Latin tries at greatest risk,” she said, until this pandemic is behind ments came as he indicated America and the Caribbean referring to those in Latin us.” (PAHO) Director Carissa F.