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Sunday March 7, 2021 $2 VAT Inclusive EXAM JITTERS Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union concerned about June CXCs THE decision by the Caribbean ceed as normal, but most of their sugges- made to suffer, or the teachers made to suf- Examination Council (CXC) to go tions have not be taken on board. She raised fer, in an attempt to try and have students ahead with the traditional format for the concern while questioning what CXC’s achieve the impossible – that is complete the exams this year, despite the fact contingency plans are if circumstances CXC subject syllabi. Neither students nor that the region is still grappling with deteriorate by the time the exams are sched- teachers should be made to suffer as a result the COVID-19 pandemic, is not sitting uled to start. of circumstances over which you have ab- Prescod: It’s well with the Barbados Secondary According to Redman, while provision is solutely no control. CXC itself admits that Teachers’ Union (BSTU). being made in Barbados for students who this is an unprecedented crisis and CXC all about the President of the BSTU, Mary-Anne want to defer and sit their exams in January acknowledges its disastrous effects in the re- Redman, says that the Union made recom- or May next year to do so, the BSTU is gion,” she stated. money mendations about modifications that could worried about those who want to do the Despite that acknowledgement, she be made should there be an improvement in exams this year and the added stress that lamented that the regional testing body has PAGE 3 the circumstances that would allow the will be placed on teachers to “achieve the im- decided to go ahead with the exam Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate possible” and complete the syllabi in time. timetable, delaying it only by one month, (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced She added, “We are of the opinion that such that it will now start in June. Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) to pro- the students in the region should not be EXAM JITTERS on Page 2 Better, stronger policies needed to address child care challenges GOVERNMENT is fully aware that child care challenges are keeping women out of the workforce. Rastafarian In fact, Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment, Marsha community Caddle admits that there is need for better playing part to and stronger policies. She made the point during the opening help the needy ceremony of Soroptimist International of Barbados’ annual professional and business development workshop, “Sister Put Your PAGE 5 Best Foot Forward”, held yesterday as part of SI Barbados’ activities for International Women’s Day. She said even though there has been sig- nificant investment in government day care services, there is regrettably still a gap in terms of affordable access to day care. “It means that what we need are better and stronger policies that relate to care in the workplace. That means maternity and paternity leave; feeding arrangements for parents in the workplace; flexible work arrangements which is a policy that I would say is at the cuff of being the subject of con- sultation and rollout in the public service”. “Also, an erection of day care facilities in and near commercial developments. That was one of the policies that became popular some time ago, but I fear that as we have moved on and we have seen a lot of private sector development – we have not perhaps Good time to insisted on having physical developmental planning done such that you are required to Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment, the Hon. Marsha Caddle. break into the have accessible affordable day care close to where people are working”. labour market. what we call the ‘dependency ratio’ in fashion industry She also identified care of the elderly as a She explained, “We live in a population a household – how many people are barrier keeping some women out of the that is ageing and it means that it increases CHILD CARE on Page 6 PAGE 21 2 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

BSTU: Students Employers asked to require more return forms time to prepare as soon as EXAM JITTERS from Page 1 layed submission dates for possible She further lamented that School Based Assessments THE National Insurance there has been no reduction in (SBAs) and that in respect of Office is appealing to all those the syllabi content to be taught Paper One, which features mul- employers who received corre- to students to properly prepare tiple choice, that more than the spondence entitled Notice of them for the exams; and no required numbers of items be Appearance by Respondent changes have been made to the provided for students to choose (Form 5) in respect of former em- structure of Paper Two, as was from. At present, CSEC has 60 ployees, to complete and return suggested by the Union. items and the number for CAPE these Form 5’s to the National Redman explained that the is 45. Insurance Office. BSTU suggested that Paper “CXC is continuing with the This is urgently required Two revert to the pre-2017 for- exams with no consideration of, to facilitate the continued pro- mat, where there were choices as we had asked, an increased cessing of severance payment on the paper, and further sug- number of multiple choice items applications of former employ- gested that no one question tests from which to choose the nor- ees. more than one topic. mal number of required items... These forms should be placed “...CXC cites equivalency is- All of this is taking place, as I in the drop-boxes at the Frank sues in the exam, stating that it said before, in an environment Walcott Building no later than would be a problem because is- where students are still reeling President of the BSTU, Mary-Anne Redman. Friday, March 19, 2021. sues of equivalency could now from the 2020 exams fiasco; Please note that no scanned be raised if they seek to add where not all the requested re- corrected papers before or cor- available to students three or email copies will be accepted. choices in Paper Two. What the views have been completed to rected the same papers that weeks before the exam, they be- If you have any queries, please BSTU finds confounding is that date; where there is a clear lack they're presently reviewing,” she lieve that six weeks would give call 431-7400 Ext. 1501 to 1509, CXC had no problems with of transparency in the review indicated. the students more time to make or e-mail us at severancedepart equivalency issues when they process in relation to the Meanwhile, the long-time ed- informed decisions. She is sug- [email protected]. totally removed Paper Two from methodology used [and] the ucator said that while they were gesting that students should For further details, please the exam last year,” the union types and qualifications of informed at a meeting with the have the choice of deferral six visit our official website at leader stated. the persons involved in the re- Ministry of Education recently weeks before the exams as www.nis.gov.bb. Additionally, she said they view process – whether anyone that CXC would make the gen- well. The National Insurance Office asked that students have de- presently reviewing might have eral topics of the examinations (JRT) thanks you for your co-operation. The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 3

Opposition leader calls for equal justice Many issues plaguing AMENDMENTS to the for some reason, or if they Drug Abuse (Prevention do face the courts, avenues teachers, students and Control) (Amendment) are found whereby they Bill, 2021 are welcomed by may enjoy their freedom. Opposition Leader Bishop “I am saying therefore in SEVERAL weeks into the go over 30 minutes. She Joseph Atherley as long as a much broader frame, if current term where the stated that most tend to equal justice is meted out. this legislation helps to ad- online teaching format is be 25 or 30 minutes in du- Speaking as the legisla- dress the imbalance in our being employed, there are ration. tion was being debated in justice system with respect still some teachers and “If you have syllabus re- the Lower House on to how people of different students who are facing quirements of four lessons Friday, he said often those classes, different stations the problem of a lack of per week, per subject at trafficking large amounts in life are treated, then it devices. 40 minutes, that is what is of illegal drugs were not has some merit and is wor- That’s according to the normally the require- punished by the justice thy of consideration, be- President of the Barbados ment, and you now have system, but only those re- cause we have to take any Secondary Teachers’ four lessons a week at 25 cruited to sell smaller discriminatory practice Union (BSTU), Mary- minutes, you are now re- quantities, who were often which may obtain either in Anne Redman. In a re- ducing actual teaching doing so to make ends actuality or at the level of cently released statement, time in this 11-week term meet or to provide for their perception in Barbados out she stated that devices by 16 and a half lessons.If children. of the practice of dispens- were still being distrib- you go for the 30 minute “Those who are guilty ing justice in this country,” uted to teachers last week, maximum, then you are apparently so of bigger of- he contended. some of whom are teach- reducing teaching time by fences are untouched by The amendments to the ing fifth and sixth form 10 lessons in this 11-week the shortened arm of the act allow provision for a classes. She said that in term alone. And so, even law. Its reach does not ex- fixed fine for people found Opposition Leader, Bishop Joseph Atherley. addition to that, problems with online instruction, it tend to them, and where in possession of 14 grams of availability and consis- still results in a loss of perchance it does extend or less of cannabis, with the Saying the system often ther pushing them towards tency of internet connec- teaching time,” she that reach and it touches purpose of ensuring per- criminalises many of the undesirable activities tivity are among the lamented. them, then the system does sons were not incarcerated nation’s young people, which end up at tremen- major concerns for teach- The BSTU president not fully bring to bear its for the act and therefore Atherley noted, “The sys- dous cost to the govern- ers. went further, noting that weight upon them because would not have a criminal tem itself turns out ment and people of Her comments came as the subjects with practi- they don’t face the courts record for such. prospective criminals, fur- Barbados.” (JMB) she said teachers of the cal components including fifth and sixth forms the sciences, drama, home across the island are also economics and physical concerned as to whether education have suffered their students, who choose from an inability of stu- Prescod: It’s all about the money to sit the CXC exams this dents to do the necessary year in June, will be ade- practical work. Redman GOVERNMENT’S quately prepared to do so. stated that this has had a move to amend legisla- She said not only are deleterious effect on the tion to provide for the teachers cognisant of the ability of students to com- payment of a fixed challenges they face in ad- plete their School Based penalty for persons equately completing the Assessments (SBAs). found in possession of syllabus requirements in In addition to those is- small quantities of the different subject sues, Redman said that as cannabis, has been de- areas, but the truncated students prepare for scribed by a former school year last year, exams, those in authority Cabinet member as where the current fifth must also consider the simply a revenue gen- form would only have had psychosocial effect of erating exercise. two terms of instruction COVID-19 on the stu- Special Envoy for in the fourth form, is also dents and the teachers. Reparations and Econo- a major worry. She ex- “Besides the obvious ef- mic Enfranchisement, plained that the third fects that we have been Trevor Prescod, who previ- term of the last school feeling, one now has to ously served as Minister year, during which they consider the added stres- of the Environment and commenced online teach- sors and fears, as more National Beautification, ing, there was no new and more families have hinted to the fact that teaching as the mandate been directly affected and whilst government seems given was to only review infected by COVID, and to be taking small steps in and consolidate. there have been more going forward with re- “So, this present fifth deaths. Some of our stu- gards to the matter of form lost one term from dents have been affected marijuana use, more could the fourth form; they have directly now by COVID. have been done to ensure lost two weeks from last There is also the economic that persons who use Special Envoy for Reparations and Economic Enfranchisement, Trevor Prescod. term, and there was a effect where students are small quantities do not blended approach last in households where ei- have to face a penalty or result of being in posses- along and although you tle fine and get away,they term. Now this term, they ther the number of bread- pay a fine. sion of two grams, one,12 might say it is an inch, it is are going to look for a sup- have already lost two winners has been re- “I strongly believe that or 11. It is a revenue not good enough. plier. Are you then culti- weeks, and it is an entirely duced, or you have at this nobody should be in pos- earning exercise,” he “I cannot see this as a vating an environment online situation this present point in time no session of 14 grams and maintained. major step and fundamen- that allows for people to term,” she stated. breadwinners in the fam- have to pay a fine. Two Prescod added,“All I am tal change. The thing plant and grow?” he con- Redman went on to ex- ily, and there are the stres- hundred dollars?” he re- saying is what other peo- about it is, at the end of tinued. plain that with online sors of that as well,” she marked during recent de- ple have been calling me the day, somebody has to “If it is yes, because you teaching, they have to added. bate of the Drug Abuse with within the last two to now supply the marijuana are going to do it shortly, modify their lesson times Those economic impacts (Prevention and Control) three hours. The newspa- too, so you have got to be especially if the state is and so students are losing are very real, Redman (Amendment) Bill 2020. per is already all through- accepting it because the looking for revenue, for- valuable teaching time in said, as it has been noted “At the end of the day, out Barbados, running man that has got the five eign reserves and every- that regard as well. She by teachers that in some you are going to see the through the whole coun- bag got to get it from some- thing, you are going to do indicated that with online classes such as home eco- same amount of cases try asking the Rastafarian body.So this is not a holis- it and then you are going instruction, there must be nomics and art, there was going before the court.The community for their opin- tic view of the realities to have another issue on reduced screen time to a situation last term only difference is going to ion, asking youth in that we are experiencing. your hands because we safeguard students’ where students did not be that the government is Barbados do you consider There [are] men planting are not addressing the health and eye safety,and have the resources to buy going to receive $200 dol- this to be progressive leg- it out there and if men now fundamentals,” Prescod as such, the normal 40- the items required to com- lars from each man as a islation? We are inching feel that they can pay a lit- opined. minute lessons must not plete the SBAs. (JRT) 4• Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Next generation vaccines in pipeline WHILE several vac- cines have already been approved for use around the globe, many more remain in devel- opment. Dr. Soumya Swamina- than said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) is looking forward to these next generation of vaccines that will be sin- gle dose, that can be stored at room temperature; that is safe for use in pregnant women; that can be taken either through a nasal spray or even orally and will provide long lasting immunity. “With the news about the variants and the fact that some mutations in these variants seem to pre- WHO Chief Scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan. vent the antibody binding to the virus as compared and immunological data are living in that commu- to the wild-type virus, the developers will need to nity, the moment they go what’s also happening now provide in order for vac- outside to a place where is that vaccine manufac- cines to be certified for use. there is less herd immu- turers and developers are Dr. Swaminathan also nity and if they don’t have working on the next gener- revealed that less than 10 antibodies, they will then ation of vaccines using the per cent of the world’s pop- become susceptible,” she same platform, but incor- ulation has antibodies to warned, further emphasis- porating the new antigen, this virus. However, she ing that the only way of the new protein, which has said in some settings, par- achieving herd immunity the mutations of interest ticularly in the very high- at that scale is through that have been incorpo- density urban settlements, vaccination. rated so that the antibod- there are pockets where “And that’s what we’re ies are now developed to 50, 60 per cent of the pop- focusing on now through this new form of the spike ulation has been exposed COVAX to get vaccines out protein,” WHO’s Chief to the virus and has anti- to all countries, to vacci- Scientist explained. bodies. nate populations as soon She said that WHO is “But that doesn’t mean as possible. Till that hap- working with regulators that the whole city or the pens, we need to continue around the world to try whole province or the state to take all the precautions and determine when a vac- or the country is now that we’ve been advised to cine change will be needed, achieving herd immunity. and that we’ve been doing and secondly,what clinical The same individuals who for all these months…”

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SEND SEALED BIDS TO: [email protected] CONDITIONS OF SALE: 1. Vehicles are to be sold “as is where is” 2. The Mortgagee does not bind itself to accept the highest or any offer. 3. Unacceptable bids would not be acknowledged. 4. Bids close March 15, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 5 DLP says more money needed for agriculture WITH the Government and truly recognise the the Ministry of Agri- started, it started with a ernment who reduced crops that are regularly soon set to outline its value the sector holds, culture that you want budget of $2 million and their budget for agricul- consumed by Barbadians, Estimates of Revenue especially at this time. enough drip line for an they would give the ture by more than 61 per which he said should help and Expenditure for “I’m hoping to see a acre and they give you a prospective farmers the cent. In the Estimates to reduce the imports of the coming financial larger budget in agricul- voucher to take to the sup- training, they would then under the area to increase such produce and by ex- year which commences ture, which will go to plier and you secure the provide them with access crop production – that was tension reduce the high April 1, there is a call direct assistance for farm- items,” he said. to the land and the start- actually reduced from food import bill. Equally, for more money to ers. Last year we went In addition, Worrell up. But we need to see a roughly $40 million in he said it would ensure be allocated to the through a drought period would like to see the higher budget for that, 2018 to 2019, to around that people have access to Ministry of Agriculture and we need to outfit our Government allocate sub- more than $2 million, pos- $15 to $17 million in this more nutritious food. and Food Security to farmers with proper irri- stantially more financial sibly $5 million or more, current Estimates, which “If we can grow more of assist in helping gation. We need to give resources to the Farmers’ so that you don’t just give will come to an end of this the crops that we would to build out the agricul- them money upfront, re- Empowerment and the farmers and then they month. So that’s a 61 per utilise here – more sweet tural sector and fur- vamping the process in Enfranchisement Drive are struggling.We need to cent reduction, but yet potatoes, lettuce, vegeta- ther boost production. terms of how they access (FEED) in the approach- give them all of the inputs we are throwing over bles, and even foods such It has come from the subsidies in agriculture. ing financial year.Worrell that they need in order to $300 million dollars at as watermelon and paw Spokesperson on The current process is said the FEED pro- get by,” he stated. tourism through the paw – we can engage in Agriculture and the that you go and you buy gramme is an excellent Worrell’s comments BEST Programme. The import substitution and at Environment for the the drip lines, then you initiative to train more came as he said that de- Government needs to the end of the day we will Democratic Labour Party take in the invoice to the people to get into the agri- spite the reduced budget start providing that sort get a better quality food (DLP), Andre Worrell. Ministry of Agriculture, cultural sector and see it allocated to agriculture in of funding to the agricul- that has not spent a Worrell, who is also the and they will give you the as a viable career option, the last year, the sector tural sector so that we can month on the water to get second Vice President of rebate. We need to over- but he is of the firm belief proved its worth, espe- take it to the next level,” here. Instead you can go the DLP, says that he haul that and put the that the money put into cially during the pan- he stated. straight from the farm to wants to see the financing there so that that project should at least demic, and grew by 1.9 The DLP’s Second VP, table and the nutritional Government pay greater as long as you are a qual- be doubled. per cent. also spoke of ways of value would be much attention to agriculture ified farmer,you can say to “I believe when it first “That was with a gov- ramping up production of better,” he said.

Rastafarian community playing part to help vulnerable persons

AS the COVID-19 pan- the only person that is re- demic comes close to a ally coming forward to year of having its effects work without money be- felt in Barbados, the cause we have no money Rastafarian community is here. We would like some doing their bit to ensure assistance from govern- that the vulnerable are ment. The same way how not forgotten. you put $300 million in Now armed with several tourism, give us some acres of land at Bath by money here, even if it is a the government, the loan or grant that we Alkebulan agricultural could do things.We need programme is committed irrigation and we need to feeding those who are certain things. We are unable to feed themselves. going to plant 100 acres of At the centre of a viral land at Bath and feed video that highlighted ille- Bajans free,” he said. FROM LEFT: Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Indar Weir speaking with Rudy and Head of the gal dumping that im- Going on to say that Alkebulan agricultural programme Anthony ‘Ras Levi’ Burrowes yesterday at the dumping site at Bath. pacted their operations, they are also in the busi- the non-profit programme ness of preparing care care packages and that was started with the sole packages for persons they were concerned interest of providing food that need them, Rudy about how much of it was for those who were not lamented that it is sad produced in Barbados. in a position to do so. that not having money Adding that the pro- Working the land at Bath could disqualify a person gramme would remain for a few months now, the from being able to get food. free, Ras Levi stated that initiative was thrust into “This system is designed food is the most important action from the beginning funny that you need thing for human beings. of the pandemic when money to get food.The vul- “We see what COVID is they noticed the burden nerable people don’t have causing.We don’t know that many Barbadians the money and we try to what the future monetary were faced with. create something that market is going to be like, Speaking to members of they can get food. So if a so to take Alkebulan and the media yesterday at the person wakes up and they venture into an entrepre- dumping site, one of the don’t have food, they can neurship, to me, is ludi- farmers who gave his come to Bath and get crous. Right now my heart name as Rudy said that food free. That is what has to be with feeding the they were thankful for the Rastafari is doing for people because it is evi- lands, but also noted that Barbados,” he said. dent we see the people they needed some assis- Head of the programme don’t even have money.As tance to carry out their Anthony ‘Ras Levi’ a farmer, am I supposed charity work. Burrowes, said that it is to prepare myself to put “Minister of Agriculture much more than just money in my pocket off the A view from the dumping site of some of the plots being worked by Alkebulan. Indar Weir is trying his Rastafarians growing suffering of the people? best to make food security food. He noted that they But everybody is. This is man and man has to be do not need BMWs and said as he gestured to his a success in Barbados. As have witnessed the local what makes Rastafari dif- selfless. We know we do diesels, but we know we body. far as it goes, Rastafari is armed forces handing out ferent.This is a time when not need wifi.We know we need to sustain this,” he (MP) 6 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Government investing in care, says Caddle

CHILD CARE from Page 1 there is a group of workers depending on a particu- who – separate from the lar income or a particular resources of the National person.” Assistance Board – visit Minister Caddle also households with elderly in- gave the assurance that dividuals and others re- the government of Bar- quiring special attention, bados is investing more in so that those with the care care in households and responsibilities in those communities. homes have more time to Barbados COVID-19 Situation Report for Friday March 5, 2021. She told the virtual dedicate to other activities, event that government es- including their own self- tablished Community care. COVID-19 update: 47 new cases, 64 recovered Health Liaison Officers in “We are still trying to the Ministry of Health and monitor closely how suc- THE Best-dos Santos The 47 positive cases other 29 persons are pleted 129,589 tests. Wellness, who visit house- cessful that programme is Public Health Laboratory comprise 23 men and 24 Barbadians. There were 1,940 per- holds to understand the going, and I hope to be able identified 47 new positive women. Eighteen of them Barbados has recorded sons vaccinated on Friday, health and well-being pro- to say soon, but wanted as cases of COVID-19 on had already been at the 3,264 confirmed cases – as part of the National file of the home, with an government to be able to Friday, March 5, from the Harrison Point Isolation 1,540 females and 1,724 Vaccination Programme emphasis on NCDs, nutri- invest in care because we 710 tests conducted. Facility undergoing as- males – and 2,754 persons for COVID-19. tion and other factors.Also, realised that’s really the Sixty-four people also sessment to determine have recovered. Thirty- To date, a total of 48,480 more recently, under the economic input that hold recovered from the viral whether they were newly seven people have died vaccinations have been Ministry of People economies together, and it illness. The number of positive, or had COVID-19 from COVID-19. administered – 20,425 Empowerment and Elder unfortunate that it took a active cases on the island in the past and were The public health labo- men and 28,055 women. Affairs – Community pandemic to show us that, is 473. no longer infectious. The ratory has so far com- (BGIS) Elder Care Programme, but here we are,” she said.

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https://www.nis.gov.bb/nis-covid-19-safety-protocols/ The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 7

BARBADOS

Bajans urged SUPREME COURT OF BARBADOS to break IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE CLAIM NO 1143/2020 addiction to IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION by GAIL CHARMAINE MINOTT (the 'Applicant') for the discharge of a charge on certain land situate at Lot 56, unhealthy Elizabeth Park in the parish of Christ Church foods, drinks IN THE MATTER of Part 66 of the Supreme Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2008 WITH several Parliamentarians express- AND IN THE MATTER of Section 25 of the Limitation of Actions Act Cap 231 of ing concern over the impact of illegal the Laws of Barbados drug abuse, Prime Minister Mia Mottley turned the spotlight on another type of AND IN THE MATTER of Section 86 and 137 of the Land Registration Act Cap addiction facing many Barbadians; a love 229 of the Laws of Barbados for unhealthy food and drink. “There is an issue with addiction and AND IN THE MATTER of FIRST ALL THAT certain lot or parcel of land (being bad habits in the country.The addiction part of Elizabeth Park (Kent Part II) which was itself originally part of the entire is not just with cannabis. The addiction building estate of nineteen acres two roods and twenty-one and one-tenth is with macaroni pie. The addiction is to pigtail,” she said, while reflecting on her perches of land divided into lots as aforesaid) situate at Elizabeth Park (Kent own love for the salted meat, and pork Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley. Part II) in the said parish of Christ Church and Island aforesaid containing by chops. admeasurement nine thousand two hundred and sixty square feet or Admitting it was not easy to give up an Ministry to educate the public to push a thereabouts (inclusive of one thousand seven hundred and twenty square feet addiction, while reminiscing on the many “transformation in how we eat and how contained in the area of the road reserve twenty-six feet wide hereinafter years it took for her to successfully quit we drink”. mentioned) and being the lot numbered 56 on the Key Plan – Kent Part II cigarette smoking, she said many per- “You are giving children juice loaded up ABUTTING AND BOUNDING on lands of Upton Plantation which includes the sons were also struggling with alcohol with a lot of sugar all day! All of that lands formerly of Kent Plantation on the lots numbered 55 and 57 on the Key addiction. leads to the same issue,” she stated. Plan – Kent Part II and on other portions of the said road reserve or however “I understand the challenges of addic- The PM noted a holistic approach was tion with respect to things that people therefore necessary to address the situ- else the same may abut and bound AND SECONDLY ALL THAT one-eightieth like. There are people who like liquor, ation. undivided part share estate or interest of and in ALL THAT certain lot or parcel who must have a rum or brandy every “I want to change the structures that of land (also being part of Elizabeth Park Building Estate (Kent Part II) also day or a whiskey.There are some who be- we have in our social sector ministry in situate at Elizabeth Park (Kent Part II) in the said parish of Christ Church in this lieve that a meal without wine is not a order to be able to allow them to treat to Island containing by admeasurement twenty-seven thousand four hundred and meal, but I do believe that there are some families as opposed to individuals. forty square feet or thereabouts (inclusive of two thousand two hundred and things we have to tell our people ‘look When you treat to individuals, you do forty square feet contained in a road reserve twenty six feet wide hereinafter cease and settle’. not have allies in the fight. When you mentioned) and being the lot numbered 69 and shown as “Open Space” on the “The chronic non-communicable dis- treat to families you have allies; when eases, it hurts me . .. the extent to which you treat to the church, the community Key Plan – Kent Part II showing the subdivision of four hundred and thirty-one young Barbadians are more at risk of groups and the cultural groups and thousand seven hundred and twenty square feet of land which comprise Diabetes Two now, I suspect there is far sporting groups, you have allies,” she ex- Elizabeth Park Building Estate (Kent II) ABUTTING AND BOUNDING on the more risk there than for most other plained. lots numbers 70, 71, 72 and 74 respectively on the Key Plan – Kent II on a foot things in their behaviour, but because it Noting the process had started but had ten feet wide on the lots numbered 75, 66, 67 and 68 respectively on the Key appears to be benign we say ‘let the child been delayed by the onset of the COVID- Plan – Kent II and other portions of the said road reserve twenty-six feet wide eat some food, you always humbugging 19 pandemic, Mottley added “I give this (including road or carriageway) as shown on the Key Plan – Kent Part II or the child about eating greens all the honourable Chamber the commitment however else the same may abut and bound (the “Property”). time’, when in truth and in fact all that this Government will stay focused of us in here know that the digestion on changing the structures of our social system needs it and there are certain services, just as we are intending to do NOTICE OF APPPLICATION FOR DECLARATIONS THAT AN INDENTURE discussions we are not having,” she con- with our educational services, and just as DATED AUGUST 2, 1974 TO CUTHBERT LEWELLYN SHAW BLACKMAN tinued. we are doing now with our criminal jus- OVER PROPERTY SITUATE AT LOT 56 ELIZABETH PARK IN THE PARISH OF In a bid to arrest the issue, Mottley tice system.” CHRIST CHURCH IN THIS ISLAND BE REMOVED FROM THE LAND REGISTER said she would be reaching out to the The PM also insisted more had to be AND ANY INTEREST THEREFROM BE EXTINGUISHED Ministry of Empowerment and Elder done to help parents in the often difficult Affairs and the Public Affairs Division in task of parenting to be able to gain a TAKE NOTICE that Gail Charmaine Minott of 3 Orange View Drive, Kingston 8 in the Island of the Ministry of Home Affairs and had sense of control. Jamaica has applied to the High Court for the following declarations: already spoken with the Education (JMB) A Declaration that any estate or interest in the Property in favour of Cuthbert Llewellyn Shaw Blackman by virtue of an Indenture dated August 2, 1974 recorded in the Land Registry on August Fogging schedule for this week 8, 1974 as Deed No. 4262 (the “Charge”) has been extinguished and that the said Cuthbert Llewellyn Shaw Blackman has no estate or interest in the Property; and THE parishes of St. John and Christ The following day,Thursday,March 11, Church will be targeted for fogging as the the Unit will focus on Inch Marlow, Coral A Declaration that the Registrar of Titles be at liberty to cause an entry cancelling the Charge in the Vector Control Unit of the Ministry of Avenue, Jasper Avenue, Pearl Avenue, Register of Land at the Land Registry. Health and Wellness continues its mos- Walls Road, Round Rock, Breedy’s Land, quito eradication efforts this week. Ealing Park South, and environs. The Unit will start with districts in St. Fogging for the week will conclude on Any person having any claim or right or interest against the Property under the Charge should John on Monday, March 8, when they go Friday, March 12, in Sayers Court, St. submit the claim duly authenticated on oath to the Registrar of the Supreme Court, Bridgetown on into Massiah Street, Lovell Road, Stewart Christopher,Upper Bournes Land, Silver or before the 31st day of March 2021. Hill, Rosegate, and environs. Sands, Lisbonville, Green Gardens, and The next day, Tuesday, March 9, the surrounding areas. Any other person who has any information relating to the ownership of the said Property is invited team will head into Christ Church, where Fogging takes place from 4:30 to 7:30 to give such information in writing to the Registrar of the Supreme Court, Bridgetown on or before they will remain for the rest of the week. p.m. daily. Householders are reminded to the 31st day of March 2021. They will concentrate their efforts in Fairy open their windows and doors to allow Valley, Holbourne Terrace,Wilcox Hill, the spray to enter. Dated the 7th day of March 2021. Chancery Lane, and surrounding areas. Members of the public are asked to note On Wednesday,March 10,Almond Row, that the completion of scheduled fogging Sunrise Road, Old Chancery Lane, activities may be affected by events Clarke Gittens Farmer Sunrise Rise, Arawak Road, Park Road, beyond the Unit’s control. In such cir- Attorneys-at-Law for the Applicant, Cassia Drive, Seaview Road, Golden cumstances, the Unit will return to com- whose place of business and address for service is Plower Road, and neighbouring districts munities affected in the soonest possible “Parker House”, Wildey Business Park, Wildey Road, St. Michael will be fogged. time. 8 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate ‘For the cause that lacks assistance, ’Gainst the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that I can do’ Editorial Whodunit? WHILE feeding my feath- next seven sayings com- ered darlings in the gar- pare Jesus at Luke 6:20, Has COVID-19 den today, a little black- Matt. 7:15, Mark 8:35, bird took food from my fin- John 14:27, John 8:34, ger. That made me reflect John 8:32, John 11:26.The killed culture? on one of my favourite last three sayings are re- themes – oneness. Covid ports. Jesus also walked on IN the media, there has been a discussion about local must surely have given the water (Mark 6:48) and creatives and their ability to monetise their work and meaning to it, as we all entered through a closed talent during a pandemic. Our culture and tourism, struggle together to ob- door (John 20:26). At which in recent times have a symbiotic relationship, serve the protocols, stay Jesus’ death, the curtain have fallen victim to coronavirus. With COVID-19, home, and adjust our of the Temple was torn, musicians, dancers, performers, songwriters, artists lives. Later I went to my then, the idea, at least, of not conquer me”; “People and similarly the earth are confined by the lack of movement, public events, Facebook page and, on the Divine within us, the compelled by craving shook and the rocks were and ability to travel locally,regionally,and internation- scrolling down, found a Kingdom in this world, crawl like snared rabbits”; split (Matt. 27:51). ally. They ask, why create when there is nowhere for post which was headed that Life in all life. Maybe “One who acts on truth is The resemblance be- their work and talent to go? How can they make money with an icon of Jesus my little blackbird under- happy in this world and tween the two sets of without booking events and attracting mass crowds? which I have in my chapel. stood as he took my food in beyond”; “Those who have sayings and reports – and It’s simply a question of, what will Barbadian culture There was then a series of perfect trust. sufficient faith in me, suf- these are only surface look like during a pandemic? How will creatives pro- quotations. Thus: “‘The The two experiences ficient love for me, are all scratching – is remarkable duce in a restrictive environment where social distanc- kingdom of heaven is gave me an idea. Here are headed for heaven or be- enough. It’s as if Jesus ing is key to reducing the spread? within you’ (Christianity); some more quotations. yond”;“He walks upon the and, yes, Siddhartha But there is technology and while it is not an ideal ‘Those who know them- As you read them, ask if water without parting it, Gautama, the Buddha, solution, it can provide a platform for the creatives to selves know the Lord’ you’ve heard something as if on solid ground”; “He walked hand in hand find new and broader audiences, especially when many (Islam);‘He is in all, and all like them somewhere. goes unhindered through though 500 years sepa- of their viewers and fans are facing mobility and eco- is in Him’ (Judaism); “Consider others as a wall”; “At the Blessed rated them. Oneness. It’s a nomic challenges. ‘Those who know their yourself”; “Hatreds do not Lord’s final passing there universal wisdom, the law own nature, know heaven’ ever cease in this world by was a great earthquake, of the heart, of love. Can Culture was in crisis before COVID (Confucianism); ‘In the hating, but by love; this is terrible and hair-raising, we ordinary folk ever iden- People are the culture and it is impossible to host fes- depths of the soul, one an eternal truth...”;“Do not accompanied by thunder”. tify with it? If not, what’s tivals in the region without the participation of the sees the Divine, the One’ look at the faults of oth- Now, these sayings and the point of all our church- local community. They provide the colour, music and (Taoism); ‘Look within, ers, or what others have reports should remind you going? The Way is Life for energy that will keep these celebrations alive. An ex- you are the Buddha’ done or not done; observe of the Gospels. Take the Buddhist and Christian, ample of this is seen during Crop-Over.But past Crop- (Buddhism); ‘Atman what you yourself have first. Jesus’ words: “Do to one family, one transfor- Over festivals were struggling to attract mass crowds (individual consciousness) done and have not done”; others as you would have mation.The Buddha med- in Barbados; the visitors came but the locals were left and Brahman (universal “Let us live more happily, them do to you” (Luke itates. Jesus throws social out and the festival was in a stage of metamorphosis. consciousness) are one’ possessing nothing; let us 6:31). Consider the second punches. I suppose that’s Many elements such as the King and Queen of the (Hinduism).” feed on joy,like the radiant saying. Jesus: “Love your why I’m a Jesus person. Band, and the parade at the National Stadium were It’s the idea of oneness gods”; “What good is hide enemies, do good to those What about you? gone and replaced with smaller, exclusive fetes and which articulates our re- clothing? While your who hate you” (Luke 6:27). Go safely, then – until events.Artistes and costume designers were crying out lationship with the Divine, inward state is a tangle, The third saying parallels the next time. for more prizes, creative freedom and fewer taxes on its geography.At the foot of you polish your exterior”; Jesus’ remarks of the Standing with Jesus their work.The festival was becoming commercialised, the icon a caption from the “With the relinquishing of woman taken in adultery: and the Buddha and even adopting external carnival characteristics while ‘Gospel of Thomas’ reads: all thought and egotism, “Let anyone among you always remembering, leaving traditional Bajan themes and ideologies be- “My Kingdom is in this the enlightened one is lib- who is without sin be the from the boundary: “The hind. world, but men do not see erated through not cling- first to throw a stone at light will dawn” (Mary For many past festivals, there was a funeral for it.” Let’s contemplate, ing”; “May fear and dread her” (John 8:7). For the Kupferle). Barbadian calypso and creativity,but a birthday for re- gional soca, banality and all of its mutations and in- carnations. Several of the founders and pioneers of Pandemic risks undoing Barbadian culture are ageing or dead and the youth, influenced by American and regional sources, know lit- tle about the roots of costume design, music, and dance. gains for women, Merkel warns In schools, there was interest in African heritage, and students and teachers wore African dress with pride. BERLIN, Germany – represented in decision- “It cannot be that women earning on aver- Aside from Bajan food and drink, many national tra- German Chancellor making positions. women are to a large ex- age 19 per cent less than ditions were only shown on a few occasions, specifically Angela Merkel warned on “Once again it’s more tent carrying our society men in 2019 – partly Independence Day. To reverse this trend, our people Saturday that the pan- often women who have to yet at the same time because many German must reclaim our culture and share the knowledge demic risked rolling back master the balancing act are not equally involved women work part-time. using technology. progress made on gender between homeschooling, in important political, The gap narrows to six equality, as women take childcare and their own economic and societal per cent when comparing Social media, the Internet create opportunity on the lion’s share of jobs,” said the veteran decisions,” she added. men and women in the Virtual is a new buzzword and most organisers hope childcare in lockdown and leader. Merkel welcomed re- same jobs. that if the word is attached to an event, it will create are more likely to work in Women also outnumber cent legislation requiring Merkel’s warnings were interest. But virtual shows, festivals, and other events at-risk jobs. men in care professions at listed German companies echoed in the EU’s annual are different from the real ones and cannot be mar- “We have to make sure a time when those jobs to include more women on report on gender equality keted in the same way as a traditional event. Most that the pandemic does are “particularly challeng- their executive boards. released earlier this week. physical shows have to be advertised weeks, if not not lead us to fall back ing”. But she said more The study found that months, in advance. It is a collective and complex ef- into old gender patterns “More than 75 per cent should be done to support the pandemic “has exac- fort of organisers, event planners, musicians, artistes, we thought we had over- of those working in the women, including through erbated existing inequal- fans and followers, hair, beauty and cosmetics busi- come,” Merkel said in a health sector are women, expanding childcare facil- ities between women and nesses, DJs, retail, and ticketing agents hyping these video message ahead of from doctor’s offices and ities and equal pay. men in almost all areas of events. It takes money and human resources and for International Women’s hospitals, to labs and “Women must finally life”. a virtual space, the principle is the same. Day on March 8. pharmacies,” Merkel said earn the same as men,” It could “take years, or The ability to sell virtual events online must be ex- Women have been dis- – yet women account for she said. even decades” to overcome plored more; local small entrepreneurs are fighting to proportionately affected barely 30 per cent of man- Germany has one of the the gender setbacks find a way to set up viable payment options for clients by the health crisis, she agement positions in European Union’s largest caused by the pandemic, and the challenge is the same for creatives. Social said, while being under- those areas. gender pay gaps, with it said. media and the Internet expose creatives to global mar- kets, but they need the support. No one wants a world Telephone: 467-2000 News Fax: 434-1000 News Editor: Dorian Bryan Executive Editor: Allison Downes that is exclusively online with no in-person concerts, E-mail Address: [email protected] Business Editor: Jewel Brathwaite General Manager: Sandra Clarke Assistant Managing Director: Sean Eteen events or festivals. But it may be the world we all Website: www.barbadosadvocate.com Sports Editor: Corey Greaves Publisher: Sir Anthony Bryan have to learn to live in until the pandemic ends. @The Barbados Advocate @barbadosadvocate The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 9

Should we move to trials without juries? BARBADOS has been The usual existence of is the COVID-19 virus. no doubt that there may flirting with the intro- a judge is a cloistered one. There is a legitimate fear be an odd instance of such duction of bench trials, There are very few persons that having a jury empan- behaviour, I do not know or trials without juries. who appear in our law elled in a close physical that it is a major concern Like with most issues, courts charged with a space could lead to the here. there are arguments for crime that could consider spread of the virus. In some jurisdictions, a and against, so it was a judge who sits in judge- However, it seems like level of ignorance or lack of thought best to sit on the ment of him as one of his overkill to uproot one of education or sophistication fence until the contending peers. the fundamental pillars of is assumed in the jury views have been fully ven- Some among us hate to the criminal justice system pool, so cases of certain tilated. However, before discuss the fact that only a which has been considered types of fraud are deemed there could be full debate certain class of Barbadian as sacred for hundreds of to be too complex for a jury, here, I was invited to offer is charged with criminal For example, the every day without a jury, years, because of a tempo- hence, in those cases there my opinion in a neighbour- offences. When others end Government passed a law but these cases have less rary virus. is no jury.If the conditions ing country which is con- up charged, they are al- that required persons who potential to have a cata- Further, that considera- are right, this may be a templating a similar move, most always acquitted, if are carrying out repairs on strophic effect on the life tion can be effectively ad- practical consideration so I have had to step down the matter reaches trial. their homes to leave those and future of the accused. dressed by making a jury which should not be dis- off the fence. There is no mystery why homes and find alternative Further, Magistrates are smaller, so that they could regarded. However, one Removing the jury from this has been the case for accommodation. I shudder community judges. They be comfortably distanced should consider whether the court room in criminal the past 300 years, so I will to think that a Barbadian sit in the community and during a trial and in a jury this is just a confession cases is really a giant step not use my limited space to legislature could even have a more problem-solv- room when considering that counsel may lack the in the context of criminal pursue that discussion. dream of such a law, but ing function than a judge. their decision. In my view, ability to translate the ev- justice. There is a consid- Judges are well schooled that is what the law said. They dispense justice and the COVID-19 argument idence into layman lan- ered opinion that the right in the law and are more If this were to come before help to regulate the com- is not a strong one. guage. That should not be of a criminal accused to be likely to return findings a judge for consideration, munity at the same time. There is good reason to seen as a jury deficiency. judged by his peers is a that are sound in law than the unfortunate person Although trained in the have some trials without Justice is not properly fundamental component of would be the case of a jury. who found himself in such law, a Magistrate is well juries. The most obvious dispensed if the principal a fair trial. In fact, this is However, the history of a position may have little placed to be a finder of fact, one would be where there pursuit of the State is the seen as a sacred right and jury trial imports other hope. But I would bet while having a clear view is evidence of jury tam- conviction of an accused if its removal is contem- considerations besides the that no jury made up of of the social nuances that pering, either actual or person. By all means, the plated, it should be only letter of the law. Justice is Barbadians would find should influence his deci- prospective. In a small guilty should be convicted, after the widest consulta- about more than law. such a person guilty of sion. A High Court judge, jurisdiction, this could be but only after guilt is tion and careful considera- There are social implica- anything. not so much. a real concern, if such be- patently clear, even to tion of all of its implica- tions that make their way Criminal cases are tried One rationale for ridding haviour is common in the those who are not legally tions. into considerations. in Magistrates’ courts the justice system of juries country.Although there is trained. Small states diplomacy pays dividends on ‘de-risking’

IT was an odd law into of Trump’s supporters up to 2019, US$26 billion solid arguments were all which to place it, but new come from the former con- has been imposed world- necessary,particularly for and welcome directives on federate states. wide as fines for non- a US Congress confronted ‘de-risking’, which has Section 6215 of the compliance with money with a multitude of do- plagued Caribbean coun- NDAA, which deals with laundering, but not one mestic and global issues tries, has become law in Financial Services De- bank was located in the on an hourly basis. the United States. Risking, is the result of Caribbean. In Maxine Waters, the The law in which the painstaking work by the Little attention was Caribbean region found a helpful directives are Prime Minister of Antigua paid to the reality that all tough but decisive person, embedded is the “William and Barbuda, Gaston the banks in CARICOM sceptical but willing to M. (Mac) Thornberry Browne, and his in- countries and all their as- listen and to examine the National Defense structions to me,as sets and transactions do evidence. Authorization Act for Ambassador of Antigua sentative in the House for some CARICOM countries not total 5 per cent of the The Caribbean effort Fiscal Year 2021”(NDAA). and Barbuda to the California’s 43rd district. had lost all their corre- assets and transactions that was spearheaded in It was vetoed by former United States, to leave no Throughout the latter spondent banks, and in- in the world. Therefore, in Washington by Antigua President Donald Trump stone unturned in engag- half of 2019, she was bom- stitutions in other states the unlikely event that and Barbuda, strongly and it should, at that ing the US Congress and barded by approaches were tenuously holding on all 5 per cent of financial supported by Belize and point, have died. But for particularly the House from Antigua and to only one. All this had transactions are dirty in St. Lucia, culminated in the first time in Trump’s Banking Committee,to Barbuda in written and arisen because of US reg- some form or another,it a Congressional Round presidency, the Congress draw attention to the personal presentations, ulatory directives to its stands to reason that the Table in November 2019, mustered the two-thirds harmful – if unintended – explaining why de-risking banks concerning money countries and banks, re- chaired by Waters and at- majority needed to over- consequences of de-risking by US global banks was laundering, financing of sponsible for the remain- tended by Gaston Browne, turn his veto. for the Caribbean’s bank- depriving Caribbean terrorism and the mythi- ing 95 per cent of assets St. Lucia Prime Minister Trump’s veto had noth- ing system. Browne is the banks of crucial correspon- cal but popular view that and transactions were Allen Chastanet, and ing to do with ‘de-risking’. lead CARICOM head of dent banking relations, Caribbean countries were large tax havens and pur- Ministers from Trinidad It was directed mainly at government for financial and threatening to cut off ‘tax-havens’ and their veyors of illegal financial and Tobago, Barbados, the bill’s removal of the services. the region from participa- banks were awash with services. and Jamaica. Waters had names from military facil- The Chairperson of the tion in the global trading dirty money. Changing this image of invited to the meeting ities of Confederate offi- Committee is the formida- and financial system. The facts told a differ- the Caribbean, laying out cers.A significant number ble Maxine Waters, repre- In early 2019, banks in ent story. In the 10 years the evidence, and making SANDERS on Page 10

Partly sunny with a few brief isolated light showers.

High: 10:23 a.m.

New York: 02°C Low: 4:02 a.m. Yesterday: 0 mm Miami: 24°C and 5:56 p.m. For the month: 12.7 mm Max: 29.1°C Boston: 02°C For the year: 187.8 mm Min: 24.2°C Toronto: -01°C Montreal: -06°C London: 04°C 6:11 a.m. 6:08 p.m. 10 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Can CARICOM Heads of Government deliver? A LITTLE over a year ago need for much improved change retention and cur- tation through to the this column observed that region-wide procurement rency stability”. An “itera- bitter end, or determine the pandemic will pass, and inter-operability if tive” emergency tourism accountability. but noted that more the region is to be able to plan was agreed, a subse- That said, there is every telling will be the way in respond to future crises in quent more detailed pol- indication that the pan- which the region responds a unified way. icy and strategy will be demic and the need for a to the impact of a virus- On February 24 and 25 delivered before the third politically joined-up re- induced recession. Caribbean Heads of quarter of this year, and sponse makes this crisis At the time, it was ap- Government, meeting vir- in future the words ‘West completely different, not parent that once the most tually,recognised that the Indies’ will be used to least because a failure to immediate and pressing region now needs to move market the Anglophone deliver economic recovery regional tasks such as rapidly to address these Caribbean through a may redound on the vaccination had been issues in the context of the iff barriers between each regional telecommunica- Tourism Reserve Fund in whole Caribbean political achieved, an economic looming post-pandemic other to boost the region’s tions regulator. Heads part supported by “willing class. recovery plan should be economic crisis that will economic output, and to also “instructed” COTED Member States”. Put an- Spurred by a poten- developed that pays par- face the Caribbean once simplify administrative (transportation) to take other way, the pandemic tially disastrous economic ticular attention to the most citizens are vacci- procedures relating to the the actions necessary to has dramatically proved collapse, it would seem region-wide structural nated, and the time comes free movement of people. create “an effective air private sector-led tourism that all member states shortcomings that the to engineer recovery. The second is the recog- transportation system”, to be existential to most recognise that unless key pandemic has shone a In this respect, three nition that unless struc- build maritime capacity CARICOM states’ future issues are addressed now, light on. outcomes from the re- tural problems that for the transportation of economic recovery and they could consign the re- At its most obvious, the cently held intersessional should have been reme- agricultural produce, and viability. gion to a hard to resolve pandemic has pointed to are particularly striking. died long ago are not review existing port fa- Other private sector- long-term economic crisis. the absence of a region- The first is the much swiftly addressed, recov- cilities to support intra- related outcomes may see This time, the option of wide integrated approach discussed and reported on ery may be a long way off. regional cargo. the creation of a “commer- ‘business as usual’ is un- to food security; CARI- failings of the regional in- It was agreed that And the third is the long cial” food security strat- likely to be available as COM member states’ con- tegration process and the the Prime Minister of overdue recognition by egy through a strategic much has changed glob- tinuing failure to address need for all governments Barbados, Mia Mottley, governments that the pri- public-private partner- ally, requiring industry the logistical and infra- to address and implement will lead a review of vate sector in the region, ship involving long-term and governments in the structural challenge of the measures necessary implementation and if enabled, can deliver private funding. Caribbean to think differ- having efficient intra- to have a genuine Finance Ministers will many of the desired out- Having over many ently. Caribbean shipping and Caribbean Single Market meet no later than the comes. decades observed CARI- The pandemic offers air transport links; the and Economy (CSME). end of March 2021, to re- In a line about the role COM in action – if that is an opportunity to rethink importance of tourism; On this the communiqué solve issues outstanding of the private sector that the right word – and seen the Caribbean economic and shortcomings in the was forthright. on the still awaited CARI- seems to put to bed many the post-summit enthusi- model, and to explore al- region’s IT infrastructure Expressing concern COM Financial Services years of public-private asm of Heads then turn ternative ways in which and connectivity. It has about the continuing lack Agreement, the Regional dissonance, the commu- to dust, it is hard not to be smallness and fragmen- underlined the need to act of progress on implemen- Securities Market, niqué observes: “The re- cynical about the latest tation can be overcome decisively to encourage in- tation of the CSME, it and the Community gion is depending [on it] decisions. through integration. vestment in e.commerce noted that to ensure re- Investment Policy and to fuel the recovery of its Many, myself included, There is no shortage of and e.governance, which covery, Heads “agreed to Credit Reporting. In economies and which will say they have heard it viable solutions. the COVID crisis has review urgently the entire addition, COTED – need[s] to be fully en- all before and will observe At issue is whether proved to be central to consultation and decision- CARICOM’s Trade gaged at both the national that over decades, lacking CARICOM, as presently future efficiency. making processes at all Council – was “urged” to and regional levels.” executive authority and constituted, is the right The pandemic has also levels in the effort to es- expedite and make recom- In a similar vein, Heads the transfer of sover- vehicle to deliver the highlighted the failure to tablish the most effective mendations by July on placed stress on the pri- eignty from governments, long overdue structural address the already well strategy for effecting in- creating a single ICT vate sector’s role in devel- CARICOM continues to changes that COVID-19 understood Caribbean creased levels of imple- Space, reducing roaming oping a joint CARICOM suffer the post-summit has highlighted, and Single Market and mentation”. They also rates, enhancing broad- tourism policy aimed paradox of Caribbean whether Heads are able Economy (CSME) imple- urged all CARICOM band access, and explor- at restoring “revenues, Heads, becoming unwill- to fulfil the promises they mentation deficit, and the states to remove non-tar- ing the creation of a single employment, foreign ex- ing to act, see implemen- have made. NDAA a small but significant step SANDERS from Page 9 plementary goals; access tering the financing of ter- issues are a concern for rorism, and sanctions poli- senior representatives other underserved indi- cies must ensure that the of major US banks as viduals and entities such policies do not unduly hin- well as other members as those sending remit- der or delay legitimate ac- of the House Finance tances from the United cess to the international Committee. A full and States to their families financial system for un- frank discussion ensued. overseas and certain do- derserved individuals, At the end of it, Waters mestic and overseas juris- entities, and geographic and her Congressional col- dictions that have experi- area. leagues promised action. enced curtailed access to Those were the very Deal making in the US cross-border financial points which were put for- Congress is more art than services due, in part, to de- ward by the representa- science. It results in mat- risking; the financial ex- tives of small Caribbean ters inserted in a law clusion caused by de-risk- states who can be pleased where it may seem to have ing can ultimately drive that one of the law’s fun- no relevance. But that is money into less transpar- damental directives is the trade for support that ent, shadow channels that “policies that encour- occurs. In the result, the through the carrying of age financial inclusion promised action was de- cash or use of unlicensed must remain a priority”. livered in the NDAA. or unregistered money The NDAA is a small Among the matters that service remitters, thus re- but significant step by US Congressional Round Table in November 2019: (left to right) Sir Ronald the law stipulates as ducing transparency and the US Congress and Sanders; Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne; guidelines are: providing traceability,which are crit- especially by the House Congresswoman Maxine Waters; and Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Allen vital humanitarian and ical for financial integrity, Banking Committee, Chastanet. development assistance and can increase the risk led by Congresswoman and protecting the in- of money falling into the Maxine Waters. It was a triumph for their dili- be done, but an important been opened. Amid the tegrity of the international wrong hands; and anti- a big leap for small gence and diplomacy. pathway to rectifying and ravages of COVID-19, it is financial system are com- money laundering, coun- Caribbean countries and Much work remains to balancing de-risking has welcome good news. The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 11

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ADVOCATE PUBLISHERS (2000) INC, FONTABELLE • FAX: 434-1000 • E-MAIL: [email protected] An unconventional solution with additional benefits WITH more and more robust monkey population on the is- Africa for those who consume Korea gave credence to the idea d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria debate on the monkey problem land must be eliminated once rodents and wildlife as an inte- of greater efforts in the future and Senegal are the African in Barbados, I am proposing an and for all, otherwise diverting gral part of their diet. towards the supply of meat-pro- countries known and identified unconventional way to reduce investments towards agricul- Would people who eat rodents tein from rodents and wildlife. for the consumption of rodent the growing population and ture will be a waste of time, not be attracted to a possibly In the same article, these sup- meat. simultaneously create other energy and most of all money. healthier alternative? porters of rodent and wildlife I am therefore encouraging possible benefits for Barbados Barbadian farmers and con- Would the exportation of meats were supported by Louw Barbadian authorities to engage and Barbadians. sumers will continue to be at Barbadian green monkey-meat Hoffman, a researcher in rodent in some “outside of the box A recent editorial in a section significant disadvantage now not significantly decrease and and wildlife science at the thinking” and make arrange- of the print media has led me and well into the future if mon- possibly eliminate the destruc- University of Stellenbosch, ments to export monkey-meat to return to a major unresolved keys are allowed to mark their tion of our food crops? South Africa. as a possible healthier alterna- problem still confronting local destructive footprints across In an article titled “Rodent The facts provide evidence tive to rodent meat. farmers . the food-producing fields of meat – A sustainable way to that rats are a source of meat Such an initiative is likely to An editorial writer has Barbados. feed the world ?” and written by protein in Asian countries such achieve several results such as correctly suggested that focus It is not by accident that my freelance journalist Karl Gruber as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, reduction of the monkey popula- should shift away from tourism attention was drawn to an arti- for the EMBO organisation of parts of the Philippines and tion, minimising the destruction with substantial investment di- cle supporting the idea that researchers, two experts in the Indonesia, Thailand, China, of agricultural produce, creation rected towards agriculture. rodents, specifically rats will persons of Grant Singleton, a Vietnam and in North East of an export industry, the earn- But farmers continue to face become a major source of pro- visiting professor in rodent biol- India among the Adi tribe. ing of foreign currency and the the destruction brought to bear tein for the world’s population in ogy and wildlife management at There is a vibrant trade of establishment of a food security on agricultural produce by an the not too distant future. the International Rice Research canned Star (rats spelled back- system. expanding colony of green mon- The authorities should make Institute of the Philippines, and wards) meat exported from the Yes, we must be prepared to keys. a concerted and conscientious neuro-ethno biologist Victor Philippines and Cambodia to think outside the box and jour- As grotesque and inhumane effort at producing monkey- Benno Meyer-Rochow of the Vietnam during the high sea- ney on the road less travelled. as it may seem to animal rights meat as a special export item Oulu University, Finland and son. advocates and activists, the shipped to countries in Asia and Andong National University of Benin, Togo, Cameroon, Cote MICHAEL RAY Belief in moral absolutes requires belief in God MR. FREDERICK JOHNSON, book of Leviticus by the very suggest that the concepts of or frown on these kind of prac- them since they are just illu- who appears to be an atheist, God who atheists claim does morality are not dependent on tices in human society? sions. All that really matters is was quite within his right not to not exist. or indebted to belief in God. To get around this conun- survival of the fittest in a dog join in the national call for Secondly,many scientific dis- However, this raises the ques- drum, morally minded atheists eat dog world. prayer appealed for by our coveries and principles which tion: if God, the moral governor claim that human morality is Richard Dawkins puts it this Government leaders on behalf atheists adhere to were discov- of the universe, does not exist, an evolutionary illusion of our way: “The universe we observe of all of us as our nation contin- ered and formulated by men do objective moral absolutes genes to enhance our chance has precisely the properties ues the fight against COVID- who stoutly believed in God. and values really exist? Is there of survival. However, when we should expect if there is, at 19. For example, famed as- really such a thing as right and carefully examined that claim bottom, no design, no purpose, However, the claims ad- tronomer Johannes Kepler indi- wrong? exposes itself to be really just no evil and no good, nothing vanced in his letter titled “No cated that the impetus for his Is it wrong for primates such that: an illusion, since animals but blind, pitiless indifference” Prayers thank you, just science scientific research, ideas and as chimpanzees (our supposed are surviving very well without (R. Dawkins, River Out of Eden: please” (The Barbados discovery was the fact he was evolutionary cousins) to com- any illusions of right and A Darwinian View of Life (New Advocate, February 19, p.9) that “thinking God’s thoughts after mit murder as they practice in- wrong! York, 1995), p. 133) prayer “doesn’t work, because Him”. He also believed that sci- fanticide? If not, why is it wrong Atheistic, mindless and pur- While atheist philosopher, there is no deity listening” and entists must guard against the for humans to do the same? poseless evolution, the only John Gray,sums it up this way: that “Believing in and practis- propensity to “glorify our own Is it wrong for animals such alternative to special and “The human mind serves evol- ing the scientific rules and poli- minds instead of giving God as the Hyena and many others purposeful creation by God, utionary success, not truth” (J. cies about COVID is the only the glory”. to cheat by stealing from other “knows” nothing of right and Gray, Black Mass: Apocalyptic effective preventive strategy to Another example is agricul- animals? If not, why is it wrong wrong because there is no such Religion and the Death of protect our families and our … tural scientist and inventor for humans to cheat and steal thing in a blind chance evolu- Utopia (London, 2007), p. 26) visitors” needs to be scrutinised. George Washington Carver. from their fellowman? tionary process in which the So Mr. Johnson, belief in Firstly,it is instructive to note Carver was a devout man of Is it wrong for animals to “selfish gene” (according to moral absolutes – those “com- that the five basic scientific prayer who attributed his over practice promiscuity or indulge atheist Richard Dawkins) fights mon values of honesty,integrity, rules for preventing the trans- 300 discoveries to his conver- in sexual coercion as observa- to survive. and familial love” – requires mission of contagious disease: sations with God in prayer. A tions show they do? If not, is If concepts of right and belief in God – the very one to hand hygiene, quarantine, powerful testimony to the effi- there equally nothing wrong wrong, truth and falsehood are whom we need to direct our physical distancing, wearing cacy of prayer. with human promiscuous be- really only subjective illusion- prayers. masks and sanitization of ob- Turning to the subject of haviour including rape? ary ideas in the human mind, jects were prescribed in the morality, Mr.Johnson tried to Why do we have laws against then one doesn’t have to live by ROGER MARSHALL

LET GOD QUOTES FOR TODAY WORDS OF SPEAK TO US WISDOM Lou Rawls (1933-2006) Andra Day “Lord, you are my God; I will American singer, songwriter American singer, LIFE RULE exalt you and praise your & actor songwriter & actress name, for in perfect faithful- A good rule for going ness you have done wonderful “Music is the greatest communica- “I'm inherently a through life is to keep things, things planned long tion in the world. Even if people chameleon... to not evolve is the heart a little softer ago.” don't understand the language that to not live.” than the head. – Isaiah 25, vs 1 (NIV) you're singing in, they still know good music when they hear it.” 12 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Teacher crusades to end cramped classrooms EIGHT years ago, when pecially when she was in- their difficulties and edu- ever she had a chance. “I teacher Pan Xiaohong saw formed that students cation demands. knew it could be solved an overcrowded classroom hardly went to the bath- During her research more quickly when it in Lanshan, a mountain- room during class breaks trips across the county, aroused greater attention ous county in Hunan due to the cramped condi- she found the number of and got more support,” she province, she told herself tions. students in a typical said. the situation must change. “As a teacher, providing classroom was 80-100, In 2017, thanks to her More than 100 students children with a comfort- compared with the recom- efforts, students in the were crammed into a sin- able environment to study mended capacity of 45. county were reallocated to gle classroom, which only in is my lifelong pursuit,” Pan submitted a report new classrooms with no had the capacity to cater she said. “As a provincial to the provincial people’s more than 45 pupils in a for about 45 pupils. lawmaker, helping resi- congress in late January classroom and other up- “It was commonplace dents solve their problems 2013, suggesting the graded school facilities. that many children sat by rule of law is my major county improve the stu- Pan is happy when she close to each other in a responsibility.” dents’ environment by re- sees children moving classroom in our area, be- Pan’s proactive approach vising regulations and around freely in a class- cause supporting construc- to change has seen her pushing government de- room at recess time, but tion (of infrastructure), visit primary and middle partments to accelerate she says there is still a long such as schools, had schools to conduct surveys construction of educational way to go. dropped behind local ur- and solicit opinions, often facilities. “For example, more banisation and the popula- at weekends or after work. Knowing the problem classes need more teach- tion increase at that time,” Although she sometimes would not be eradicated in ers, but now the number of Pan said. “But I was still has to spend a few hours a short time, she cam- teachers in our area is in- shocked by the situation in riding by car on a rough paigned tirelessly for the sufficient,” she said. the Mingde Primary mountain road, she never changes and kept a close “Attracting more people to School.” complains or gives up, be- watch on measures taken teach in the county and en- Also a deputy to the cause “I carry the hopes of by the provincial legisla- sure the teaching quality Pan Xiaohong plays with students during a visit to a Hunan People’s Congress, residents”, she said. ture and educational au- are what I am most con- primary school in Lanshan county, Hunan province. the top provincial legisla- She also gives out her e- thorities. cerned with, and I’ve ture, she was greatly con- mail address and phone She also discussed the begun research into the take up the issues with demands for better lives is cerned about the poor number, so residents can schools’ problems with leg- issue.” local government because what every deputy should learning environment, es- contact her directly about islators and officials when- Pan said she will again “helping people meet their do”. In cold Xinjiang gas field, foxes are family ON a cold, dark evening 1980s and started working ing to leave.” recently, inspector Li in the Kelameili field the Hunger is likely the Tao, 47, made his year it started production. main reason they seek out rounds of the Kelameili “Life in the desert is sim- humans, Li said.”The tem- gas field in the Xinjiang ple and sometimes boring,” perature can fall to -40 C Uygur autonomous re- he said. “We are glad to here in winter, and it’s dif- gion. It was a frigid -20 have foxes come to visit us. ficult for them to find C and his breath froze They are like old friends.” food.” That also explains instantly. Li is one of 130 workers why foxes are seen more But more curious was in the gas field.Their facil- frequently in winter than Li’s furry companion – an ities include a dormitory, in summer, he added. unusual animal with yel- a gym and a canteen.They “I will give them meat low hair. It was no dog but work 12-hour shifts, either and eggs, avoiding bones a corsac fox. night or day, during the so they don’t choke,” he “I remember the first week, and then take a said. time I saw a fox – around week off to rest. There is Sometimes, the animals 2015, on another cold win- little leisure time. store extra food in the ter night,” Li said. “It was Li’s wife and children snow for their next meal. making a weird sound, live in downtown Li is cautious about feed- and I didn’t know what it Karamay. After working ing his furry friends too was. When I turned on the all week, he takes a shut- much. “They are wild ani- flashlight, it ran off tle bus home to be with mals,” he said. “I’m afraid quickly. I could sense its them. easy access to food will fear.” In the lonely gas field, weaken their instincts and Located in the center of however,the foxes are fam- their ability to survive.” the Gurbantunggut ily. He feels close to them In recent years, the Desert, the gas field, which after years of contact. He number of foxes appearing is affiliated with China can feel the connection. at the gas field has been National Petroleum Corp, “They kept their dis- stable, around three to five is about 230 kilometres tance from me years ago, annually. from downtown Karamay. but now when I’m work- In January, the Ministry It mainly produces natu- ing the night shift outside, of Agriculture and Rural ral gas, liquefied gas and a fox follows me so closely Affairs and the National ethane, according to Xie that I’m afraid of stepping Forestry and Grassland Hu, its general manager. on it,” Li said. Administration released In 2017, it produced 1.5 “Sometimes when we an amended list of pro- billion cubic meters of gas, are in the room, a fox will tected wild animals. An employee of a gas field in Karamay, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, helping to ensure the sup- knock on the door and look Corsac foxes are listed as a feeds a fox that regularly visits the site in the winter. ply for northern Xinjiang. through the window. If we Level 2 protected animal. Li, who was on patrol open the door, it will come According to staff from creasing due to improved After many years of in- the darker the older,” he that cold night, was born in and stay for hours, the region’s forestry and ecological conditions.In teraction, Li has learned said. in Sichuan province. He jumping up and down on grassland administration, places like deserts, the to identify the age of each Somehow, the long night has been living and work- the desk and playing the number of wild ani- number might be less than animal. “You can tell by shifts seem shorter with ing in Xinjiang since the around.They seem unwill- mals in the region is in- in forests and grasslands. the colour of their claws – foxes around, he said. The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 13

Laws to better deal with health emergencies CHINA will increase its ef- ing a law to help the nation tributed, in my opinion, to forts in making and better deal with public helping alleviate public amending public health health emergencies,” Yue concerns at the critical mo- laws this year to further Zhongming, spokesman ment in the epidemic pre- improve people’s safety for the NPC Standing vention and to building a and provide them with Committee’s Legislative legal system in the public high-quality lives, China’s Affairs Commission, said health sector,” Li said. top legislature said last in early February. In late February last month. “The safety of people’s year, as COVID-19 flared Based on last year’s lives will always be the top in China, the top legisla- legal achievements in priority in making and re- ture promptly passed a pandemic control, the vising laws, and our aim is measure to comprehen- Standing Committee of to ensure that people can sively ban the wildlife the National People’s have high-quality lives trade and unhealthy prac- Congress has decided to and to promote their sense tice of consuming wild an- Members of the disinfection team work at a shopping mall in Suihua city, accelerate its public- of fulfilment, happiness imals. Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, Jan 18, 2021. health-related legislative and security by legisla- In April, the NPC ap- pace in 2021 to continu- tion,” he added. proved a legislative work building of a legal system legal consumption of people’s lives,” he said. ously fight the ongoing In 2020, Li Zongsheng, plan on promoting public on public health in China. wildlife, Sun suggested it However, as some outbreak and effectively an NPC deputy and health that would resolve Sun Jianbo, an NPC amend the Wildlife wildlife farmers could be prevent health risks. lawyer from Liaoning shortages in the health deputy from Shandong Protection Law to update affected by the ban, he also “We plan to revise the province, attended several sector and problems ex- province, also shared his in a timely manner or fur- called on the top legisla- Infectious Disease legislative activities relat- posed during the outbreak. ideas of promoting public ther clarify which animals ture to make policies to Prevention Law and the ing to public health and It was the first time the health through legislation must be safeguarded, “be- assist them in transform- Frontier Health and shared his views with the top legislature created a last year. cause the rule of law is a ing their businesses and Quarantine Law, and we public. work plan for a special sec- As the legislature ap- good remedy that can pro- prevent them from suffer- are also considering draft- “All the measures con- tor, and it accelerated the proved of the decision on il- tect both wild animals and ing economic losses. Hard work, new skills improve villagers’ lives THROUGH the sprawl- Meanwhile, the local ing alpine grassland in government has been Aqik, Xinjiang Uygur improving the basic autonomous region, infrastructure in Aqik, in- flows a river fed by cluding repairing roads, snow melting from the delivering broadband cov- northern slope of the erage to villagers and Kunlun Mountains. supplying tap water. For generations, people The 27 kilometres of in the town have been main roads across the grazing cattle, sheep, town have been paved, as camels, horses and other have around 19 km of animals to make a living. roads leading to villagers’ However, the backward households. animal husbandry tech- Last year, poverty alle- niques they used and viation funds of 19.6 mil- their disorganised way of lion yuan were spent on a herding livestock made it road reconstruction proj- hard for them to earn ect covering more than 44 enough to support their km of streets and roads in families, let alone expand Aqik, and 4.2 million production. It was an im- yuan spent on building poverished town with a three steel-truss bridges. per capita income of less Combo photo shows Rushengul Usmann working at a garment factory, which providing over 100 jobs for Matniyaz said the im- than 3,000 yuan ($464) in local villagers, on May 23, 2020 (L) and on May 21, 2020 (R) in Shache county of Kaxgar, Northwest China’s provement of basic infra- 2014. Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. structure has changed the Things started to get daily lives of villagers re- better after the launch of loans,” he said. Belik, with impoverished million yuan. “With the increasing markably. the fanghuiju campaign With the team’s sup- villagers as its sharehold- Matniyaz Mamatemin, profits brought by the co- Belik, once a poverty- in February 2018, which port, a grid management ers. an experienced rancher in operative, our fellow vil- stricken village, was lifted dispatched civil servants system has been applied “It can serve as a sheep Belik, was selected as a lagers are more willing to from poverty last year, to grassroots communi- to improve animal pro- breeding base and a place manager of the coopera- join the cooperative now,” with upgraded housing ties to help people from duction and protect the for ranchers to entrust tive. He was offered the he said. conditions, proper sanita- various ethnic groups. environment. Wire fenc- their animals,” said Tong, chance to systematically Matniyaz, a member of tion, adequate water sup- Tong Xinhui, a member ing has been used to box adding that about 40 im- learn how to breed ani- the Uygur ethnic group, ply and connection to the from the fanghuiju team off the pasture into poverished villagers can mals, control animal dis- has been a beneficiary of internet. and a resident cadre in smaller areas ranging share an annual bonus of eases and improve feed- the town’s animal hus- “We used to live in mud Aqik’s Belik village, said from 20 hectares to 33 3,600 yuan from the coop- ing. bandry boom in recent cottages and drink water that farming and ranch- hectares. The areas open erative. “I can make decisions to years. that was directly drawn ing experts were invited in turns to ranchers for The cooperative is now expand the ranch’s scale,” In 2014, he only owned from rivers and lakes, but to teach villagers how to livestock grazing during leading 22 poverty- he said. three sheep and earned now we are living in com- scientifically practise an- summer and autumn and stricken households to He also said that since 4,000 yuan for a whole fortable houses with clean imal husbandry. close in spring and win- raise 2,100 sheep, 150 the cooperative can take year. kitchens and toilets “And we’ve also finan- ter, giving them healthier camels and 30 cattle, be- care of the animals for in- “Supported by the where we can use tap cially supported farmers pastures. coming the largest cooper- dividual ranchers, they fanghuiju team and the water for cooking and and ranchers by helping In 2019, the team also ative in the sector in Lop now have time and energy government’s favourable washing, which is really them to apply for inter- set up an animal hus- county. Its total output to do other work such as policies, I earned 100,000 convenient,” Matniyaz est-free government bandry cooperative in value last year exceeded 3 planting crops. yuan in 2019,” he said. said. 14 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Bahamas to receive first batch of COVID-19 vaccines today NASSAU, Bahamas – The donation from the Government Organization (WHO) and commitment from India to donate of India for the donation on behalf government of The Bahamas is of India of 20,000 doses of the received Emergency Use Listing a total of 500,000 doses of the of the Bahamian Government scheduled to receive its first batch AstraZeneca vaccine, which is (EUL) approval by the WHO. AstraZeneca vaccine to and the people of The Bahamas. of COVID-19 vaccines today. also known as the Covishield The vaccines have also received Caribbean Community (Caricom) The prime minister is In making the announcement, vaccine. certification from the Caribbean countries. scheduled to provide a live update the Office of the Prime Minister The vaccines were pre-qualified Regulatory System (CRS). Prime Minister Dr Hubert on the rollout of this first batch of said the first batch consists of a by the World Health The donation is part of a Minnis thanked the Government vaccines today. J’ca: COVID Jamaica hits new daily field hospital record of at Falmouth 527 new COVID cases KINGSTON, Jamaica – New now ready daily COVID-19 cases in Jamaica hit a record 527 on JAMAICA – The need for installed. Come Monday Friday, pushing the total con- additional bed space to morning, six patients will be firmed cases to 25,303. handle coronavirus cases in transferred to this new ward,” The Ministry of Health and western Jamaica should be added Tufton, who has been Wellness also reported that the alleviated somewhat under pressure to find death toll is now 446 with three tomorrow as the new J$200 additional bed spaces as more deaths – a 91-year-old million field COVID-19 cases continue to woman and a 48-year-old man, hospital/COVID-19 Ward on increase steadily. both from St Ann, and a 76-year- the grounds of the Tufton praised Falmouth old St Catherine man whose Falmouth Hospital in hospital for the role it has death was previously under in- Trelawny will be ready to played in the region at a time vestigation. host patients. when the Cornwall Regional Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton wash- Of the 527 new cases, there The announcement, which is Hospital is struggling to ing his hands at one of the wash stands at the recently con- were 315 females and 212 males welcome news for the Western rebound from a noxious fumes structed COVID-19 field hospital in Falmouth, Trelawny, on with ages ranging from one year Regional Health Authority,was issue that came to the fore in Friday. to 95 years. made by Health and Wellness 2016. The cases were recorded in Minister, Dr Christopher “Five years ago when I came 30, 2020 completion date,Tufton Perrins, said he was excited to Kingston and St Andrew (149), Tufton, during a tour of the here (Falmouth) the bed count had this to say. see the new facility finally ready St Catherine (98), St James (76), facility on Friday. was under 100.Today,because of “We have had to make some for use. Clarendon (51), St Thomas (30), “All the support systems are COVID-19 and what is adjustments, the weather “I am very happy. I have Manchester (26), St Ann (18), in place for the facility to become happening at Cornwall Regional played a great part in always championed for an Portland (17), Hanover (15), St operational,” stated Tufton Hospital, the bed count is now influencing the delay as for increase in bed capacity.We now Elizabeth (14), Trelawny (14), following his tour. 220. This further qualifies the three weeks it rained,” have 25 doctors on staff.The 36- Westmoreland (10), and St Mary “The doctors and nurses and hospital for Type B status,” said explained Tufton. bed addition makes it necessary (nine). other needed staff have been Tufton. “The landscaping was not in for additional staff, which is With 147 recoveries on Friday, recruited.The equipment, which When questioned about the the original budget but we got good for us. At the end of there are currently 10,469 active is a gift from Pan American cost over-run incurred for the value for money.” COVID-19, we will have these cases of the virus in the country. Health Authority Organization field hospital as a result of Senior medical officer at newly installed beds for our To date, 14,159 people have re- (PAHO), all brand new,has been missing the original November Falmouth hospital, Dr Leighton patients,” said Perrins. covered from the virus locally. US Coast Guard interdicts Haitian migrants off Southern Florida coast MIAMI, United States – The repatriation to Haiti”. United States Coast Guard says “Thankfully, the people rescue crews interdicted a 30- aboard this vessel had a VHF foot vessel with 25 Haitian radio in order to call for help, migrants who called for help but there wasn’t any other after taking on water about 30 lifesaving equipment on board,” miles northeast of Jupiter in said Senior Chief Petty Officer Southern Florida. Jason Reynolds, command duty The US Coast Guard said the officer, Coast Guard Sector Station Lake Worth Inlet rescue Miami. crew determined that the vessel “The risk of loss of life is too was overloaded and not in great to take to the seas in danger of sinking. overloaded, unseaworthy “There were no reported vessels and no lifesaving gear,” medical concerns,” the US Coast he added. Guard said. Since October 1, 2020, the US It said that US Coast Guard Coast Guard said its crews have Cutter William Flores arrived interdicted 181 Haitians on the scene “and embarked 25 compared to fiscal year 2020, Haitian nationals: nine adult October 1, 2019 – September 30, The newly completed 36-bed COVID-19 ward on the grounds of the Falmouth Hospital in males, nine adult females and 2020, where crews interdicted Trelawny. seven accompanied minors for 418 Haitians. The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 15

Trinidad promises tougher sex offences laws TRINIDAD – A law against expressed concern that sexual harassment – in the application time might delay Social media harassment workplace, streets and via protection for people who really covered use of cyberspace – is need it. New offences being created by coming. On Thursday, Al-Rawi said the amendments cover sexual Draft pepper spray law is also there will be a modified permit harassment in the workplace, on completed and ready for Cabinet process. He said he’s also nearing the street, when doing business next week, plus a note on completion on a package of and via internet sources, regulation of public transport, amendments to deal with sexual including social media and including PH taxis, went to harassment.These will be issued videos. It also covers voyeurism Cabinet on Friday. for public consultation before and extends to abuse of Attorney General Faris Al- being finalised for Parliament confidence in relationships. Rawi confirmed this to Guardian debate. Clauses cover categories Media on Thursday as Some amendments will including domestic and International Women’s Day is become part of the sexual migrant workers tomorrow. offences law which is currently Al-Rawi added, “It’s very far- Proposed pepper spray silent on sexual harassment reaching, revolutionary, cutting legislation was being finalised in offences. edge law which the UK, for recent weeks after it was Amendments are also instance, is now getting into. It announced on February 11 that proposed for other laws, covers a wide spectrum which its use had been approved. The including the Industrial people – particularly women and announcement came hours Relations Act, Bail Act and girls – might be subject to in before the funeral of murdered Computer Misuse Act. public or private circumstances, court clerk Andrea Bharatt. Amendments will also involve including via chance encounter. Calls for tasers, pepper spray a return to attempts to establish “For instance, the aspect of and similar protection arose a Sexual Offenders Registry and confidence in sexual since the murder of teenager witness protection for people relationships could include Ashanti Riley last November. seeking to report matters, instances where a video of The issue was being examined including sexual offences. someone having sex with Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi by Government, which was Government had failed with another person (in the confidence concerned such implements previous attempts on both of a relationship) is circulated wanted to focus on the whistleblowing which will allow could be used by culprits on issues. and this is done to embarrass or rehabilitation and recovery of threats of sexual harassment to victims. Police had supported While there is national policy threaten them, extort something offenders, rather than allowing be reported in a safe way without calls for devices. Reinforced calls against sexual harassment, Al- from them or similar damaging for transparency for the public of consequences. for such protection, including by Rawi said the sexual offences situations.Those will be criminal having offenders’ names • Amendment to the independent Senator Paul law lacks specific sexual offences. These situations go to published in a registry, but we’ll Industrial Relations Act and Richards, arose when Bharatt harassment offences. the heart of harassment and is press on.” Equal Opportunity Act to treat was murdered on January 29. “The package we propose will linked to sexual harassment.” with core issue of sexual Government subsequently curtail the need for people to ‘try On the return to establish a Other parts of the package: harassment in workplaces. stated that pepper spray will be their luck’ with such cases in the Sexual Offenders’ Registry, Al- • Amendment to the Bail Act • Aspects of the Cyber Crime available for trade on a regulated criminal, civil or Industrial Court Rawi added,“Some stakeholders regarding bail and sexual Bill which can be used in sexual format with a permit. – it will consolidate and clarify previously said we were going offences and offender harassment matters will be The “We The People” group processes to deal with this,” the too far too fast with the Sexual management. placed in the Computer Misuse and Gerald Aboud subsequently Ag said. Offenders’ Registry and they • Amendment on Act. Ecuador Gov’t to allow municipalities to directly import COVID-19 vaccines QUITO – Ecuador’s health progress of the government’s country’s largest city had jurisdictions. ministry said on Friday it plan. devoted a budget of some Moreno’s government says it would allow municipalities to The government says it has US$15 million to a plan to buy has negotiated some 20 million directly purchase vaccines administered the first dose of doses of the AstraZeneca Plc, doses of vaccines with Pfizer, against the novel coronavirus, Pfizer Inc’s vaccine to some Sputnik V and Sinovac AstraZeneca, the World Health provided they comply with 53,000 people, namely vaccines. Organization’s COVAX requirements laid out in the healthcare workers in On Friday, the health initiative and Sinovac in an central government’s hospitals dedicated to treating ministry said municipalities attempt to inoculate 60% of vaccination plan. COVID-19 patients, and the seeking to import vaccines the country’s population The approval comes after the elderly living in nursing themselves must negotiate the over the age of 18 for country’s largest cities of homes. purchases directly and free. Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca Cynthia Viteri, the mayor of “without intermediaries,” The South American country requested that President Lenin Guayaquil, told reporters and said they should be has reported 291,070 Moreno allow them to import this week that the local distributed for free to coronavirus cases and 15,997 President Lenin Moreno vaccines due to the slow government of the Andean residents of their respective deaths. Chile donates 20,000 doses of Sinovac coronavirus vaccine to Ecuador QUITO – Ecuador has received wealthiest countries, ranks sixth import vaccines on their own. from Chile to vaccinate 20 million total doses of various a donation of some 20,000 doses in the world for per-capita The Andean country had healthcare workers. “It is a COVID-19 vaccines by the end of of the Sinovac coronavirus vaccine shots administered, administered some 65,000 doses demonstration of solidarity the year, enough to inoculate vaccine from Chile, Ecuador’s according to Reuters data, with of the Pfizer vaccine as of Friday, between countries.” between 60%-70% of the President Lenin Moreno said on a quarter of the population now namely to healthcare workers Ecuador’s health ministry said population over the age of 18. Saturday, in a sign of the stark having received a dose. and nursing home residents. in a statement that it had issued The country has registered disparities in South American By contrast, Ecuador’s slow “Bilateral relations are an emergency use authorization more than 290,000 cases and countries’ inoculation rollout has prompted criticism bearing fruit,” Moreno wrote on for the Chinese-made Sinovac nearly 16,000 deaths from the campaigns. of Moreno by municipal Twitter on Saturday,adding that vaccine. novel coronavirus, official data Chile, one of Latin America’s authorities, who are planning to Ecuador would use the donation Ecuador plans to administer show. 16 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Mexican president defends 10-foot Three Venezuelans barriers to wall off women protesters plead guilty MEXICO CITY – Mexican President people protested rampant violence against At least 939 women were victims of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador women and impunity. femicide last year in Mexico, official data yesterday said a metallic barrier to “We have to avoid provocation of people shows. for aiding wall off the presidential palace ahead who only want to cause damage,” Lopez Interior Minister Olga Sanchez Cordero of a planned women’s march on Obrador said at an event in Yucatan. said on Twitter that the barriers were “for anti-Maduro plot International Women’s Day was to “Imagine, if we don’t take care of the the protection of the women.” avoid provocation and protect national palace and they vandalize it. Anger among women was stoked this THREE Venezuelan men pleaded guilty historic buildings from vandalism. What image will this send to the world?” year after Felix Salgado, who has been to helping organise an ill-conceived In a country where femicides rose nearly Lopez Obrador reiterated that women accused of rape, announced his candidacy invasion last year to remove President 130% between 2015 and 2020, critics said had the right to protest and cited his own for governor for the southern state of Nicolás Maduro. the decision to erect the 10-foot-high movement in 2006 as an appropriate form Guerrero. In Friday’s hearing before a Colombian (3-meter) barriers was symptomatic of of peaceful protest. A representative for Salgado did not court, the men acknowledged their role Lopez Obrador’s apathy toward the crisis “The presidency was stolen from us ... reply to repeated requests for comment; alongside Jordan Goudreau, a former of violence afflicting women. and we protested but never broke glass. ... media reported that he has denied the American Green Beret and Iraq war Ahead of International Women’s Day I walked two, three times all the way from allegations. veteran, in organising a ragtag army of tomorrow, barriers were also installed Tabasco to Mexico City,” he said. Lopez Lopez Obrador has said that those a few dozen Venezuelan military around other emblematic buildings and Obrador has repeatedly accused calling on him to drop support for Salgado, deserters intent on overthrowing monuments in downtown Mexico City opponents of electoral fraud over the a member of the ruling Morena party,are Venezuela’s socialist leadership. where a year ago tens of thousands of years. politically motivated. Plans included raiding military installations as well as the presidential palace. “I apologise to the Colombian government,” one of the men, National Guard Major Juvenal Sequea, told a judge in Bogota on Friday as he and two others accepted lighter charges of providing advice and logistical support to illegal armed groups. “I accept responsibility for my actions but want people to understand that this is all the result of the consequences of what we Venezuelans are living through.” The so-called Operation Gideon – or the Bay of Piglets, as the bloody fiasco came to be known – ended in disaster, with six insurgents dead and two of Goudreau’s former Special Forces buddies behind bars in Caracas. But the plot really never stood a chance of succeeding against Maduro’s loyal and heavily armed military after having been thoroughly infiltrated months earlier. Sequea and his co-defendant Captain Juven Sequea are the older brothers of the confessed commander of the failed May 3 incursion, Captain Antonio Sequea, who is jailed in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. The third person pleading guilty, Rayder Russo, is a civilian who has long sought Maduro’s armed overthrow. As part of the plea bargain agreement – which the judge is expected to ratify later this month – the men have accepted a single charge that is punishable from 6 to 10 years in prison. Venezuela’s President Maduro receives COVID-19 vaccine in Caracas. But under Colombian law they can be released on parole or placed under house arrest if sentenced to lesser than 8 years, Venezuela’s Maduro receives first dose meaning the men could be freed in exchange for cooperation. Previously the men, who have been jailed since their arrest six months ago, of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine had been charged with providing CARACAS – Venezuelan President people of Venezuela.” the Russian vaccine. military training to illegal armed groups, Nicolas Maduro and first lady Cilia Later on Saturday, Venezuela’s The crisis-stricken OPEC nation also a more serious offence punishable of up Flores have received their first dose of Health Ministry said the second batch received 500,000 doses of China’s to 30 years in jail. Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, of 100,000 Sputnik V doses had arrived Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine earlier None of the men participated in the Venezuelan state television from Moscow via a flight operated by this week. Maduro said the government failed raid, having abandoned the secret reported yesterday, while the country state airline Conviasa. would begin to inoculate Venezuelans camps in northern Colombia where the received a second shipment of the Venezuela had received the first with the Sinopharm vaccine beginning rebels were gathering, in some cases vaccine. 100,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine on Monday. months before it was launched. Images of both Maduro and Flores on Feb. 13. Maduro said authorities had Venezuela has reported 141,356 cases Testimony from other Venezuelan receiving their doses were broadcast on administered around 60% of those of the novel coronavirus and 1,371 deserters, one of whom was arrested state television. Maduro said he felt doses, prioritizing medical personnel as deaths, well below levels of its South transporting a weapon and a large “fine” after receiving the injection. well as officials and lawmakers in the American peers. Many opposition number of cellular phones, nonetheless “Across the world the studies say that first phase. politicians and medical personnel placed each of the men in leadership the Russian vaccine is a great vaccine The South American country, home question those statistics, saying the positions of the plot alongside Goudreau to generate immunity,” Maduro said. to some 25 million people, has invested true toll is likely far higher due to a and the plot’s ringleader, retired “We will guarantee all vaccines for the $200 million to buy 10 million doses of lack of testing. Venezuelan Army General Cliver Álcala. The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 17

Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 bill pushed through Senate on party-line vote WASHINGTON – The Senate on jobless benefits for the 9.5 million peo- Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. of aid about one-third the size of Saturday passed President Joe ple thrown out of work in the crisis, As the Senate was about to cast its Biden’s plan. Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 re- and $350 billion in aid to state and vote, Schumer said the bill was the McConnell argued that even with- lief plan in a party-line vote after local governments that have seen prescription for getting the upper hand out this legislation, “2021 is already an all-night session that saw the pandemic blow a hole in their against a pandemic that has killed set to be our comeback year” because of Democrats battling among them- budgets. more than 520,000 people across the relief bills enacted last year. selves over jobless aid and the House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer country and upended most aspects of The measure comes as an increas- Republican minority failing to said in a tweet that the House will vote American life. ing number of states have been relax- push through some three dozen Tuesday on the Senate-passed bill. “I want the American people to know ing restrictions designed to curb the amendments. After passage by the House, it would be that we’re going to get through this pandemic, with Texas earlier this week In brief remarks on Saturday, Biden sent to Biden, who hopes to sign the and someday soon our businesses will announcing it would allow most busi- said passage of the plan will help get bill before enhanced jobless benefits reopen, our economy will reopen and nesses to operate at full capacity and relief checks to Americans starting expire on March 14. life will reopen,” Schumer said. California saying it would soon allow this month. He said he hopes for The Senate voted 50-49, with no Senate Republican Leader Mitch Disneyland and other theme parks as quick passage by the House of Republicans supporting what would McConnell, however, had harsh words well as sports stadiums to reopen at Representatives so he can sign the be one of the largest stimulus pack- about the measure. “The Senate has limited capacity.But even as more and bill into law soon. ages in US history. never spent $2 trillion in a more hap- more Americans get vaccinated The final bill includes $400 billion in Democrats broke out in applause hazard way or through a less rigorous against COVID-19, top infectious dis- one-time payments of $1,400 to most amid passage of the bill and Senator process,” he said. ease official Dr.Anthony Fauci has said Americans, $300 a week in extended Bernie Sanders fist-bumped Senate Republicans had sought a new round that “now is not the time to pull back”. Pope, on Iraq visit, decries violence in the name of God as ‘greatest blasphemy’ UR, Iraq – Pope Francis walked down a narrow alleyway in the holy city of Najav to hold a historic meeting with Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric and visited the birthplace of the Prophet Abraham on Saturday to condemn violence in the name of God as “the greatest blas- phemy”. The inter-religious events, one in a dusty, built-up city and the other on a desert plain 200 km (125 miles) away, reinforced the main theme of the pope’s risky trip to Iraq – that the country has suffered far too much, and the killing has often been sectarian. “From this place, where faith was born, from the land of our father Abraham, let us affirm that God is merciful and that the greatest blas- phemy is to profane his name by hat- ing our brothers and sisters,” Francis said at the ancient site of Ur where Abraham was born. With the desert wind blowing his white cassock, Francis, sitting with Muslim, Christian and Yazidi leaders, spoke within sight of the archaeologi- cal dig of the 4,000 year-old city that comprises a pyramid-style Ziggurat, a residential complex, temples and palaces. Hours earlier in Najaf, Francis met Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a visit that sent a strong signal for inter-reli- gious dialogue and coexistence. The US invasion of 2003 plunged Iraq into years of sectarian conflict. Pope Francis attends an inter-religious prayer at the ancient archeological site of Ur, traditionally believed to be the Security has improved since the de- birthplace of Abraham, in Ur near Nassiriya, Iraq on March 6, 2021. feat of Islamic State in 2017, but Iraq continues to be a theatre for global and intensely blanketed in security and the present at the inter-religious event in at Ur. “We believers cannot be silent regional score-settling, especially a bit- roads his convoy travelled along on Ur. when terrorism abuses religion; in- ter US-Iran rivalry that has played Saturday were closed to other traffic. In 1947, a year before Israel’s birth, deed, we are called unambiguously to out on Iraqi soil. Pickup trucks mounted with machine Iraq’s Jewish community numbered dispel all misunderstandings,” he said. Sistani, 90, is one of the most influ- guns and even tanks were stationed around 150,000. Now their numbers Islamic State militants, who tried to ential figures in Shi’ite Islam, both in some places along the routes. are in single figures. establish a caliphate covering several within Iraq and beyond, and their After the meeting, Sistani called on A local Church official said Jews countries, ravaged northern Iraq from meeting was the first between a pope world religious leaders to hold great were contacted and invited but the sit- 2014-2017, killing Christians as well and such a senior Shi’ite cleric. powers to account and for wisdom and uation for them was “complicated” par- as Muslims who opposed the insur- The meeting took place at the hum- sense to prevail over war. He added ticularly as they have no structured gents. ble home Sistani has rented for Christians should live like all Iraqis in community. However, in similar past Iraq’s Christian community, one decades, near the golden-domed Imam peace and coexistence. events in predominantly Muslim coun- of the oldest in the world, has been Ali shrine in Najaf.Francis had to tries, a senior foreign Jewish figure particularly devastated, falling to walk about 30 metres (yards) along an A meeting of faiths has attended. about 300,000 from about 1.5 million alleyway to get to it after leaving his Although Abraham is considered the “Hostility, extremism and violence before the US invasion and the brutal car. father of Christians, Muslims and are not born of a religious heart: they Islamist militant violence that fol- The pope’s visit to Iraq has been Jews, no Jewish representative was are betrayals of religion,” the pope said lowed. 18 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

US congresswoman welcomes passage of George Floyd Justice in Policing Act WASHINGTON, United States – represents the predominantly Caribbean armed Black man, begged for his life. tory profiling; eliminating the qualified Caribbean American Democratic 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, His final words were ‘I can’t breathe,” immunity doctrine that is a barrier to Congresswoman Yvette Clarke has New York. “It brought into focus a truth the congresswoman said. “Despite his holding police officers accountable for welcomed the passage of the about policing and our broken legal sys- desperation, Derek Chauvin (white police wrongful conduct; and establishing a George Floyd Justice in Policing tem: Black and Brown Americans have officer) stared at us with his hand in his National Police Misconduct Registry to Act in the United States House of endured generations of state sanctioned pocket and his knee cutting off George improve transparency and prevent prob- Representatives. systemic racism, racial profiling and Floyd airways, believed that he could get lematic officers who are fired or leave “This bold, transformative legislation police brutality. away with this evil deed, and there was one agency from moving to another juris- will reimagine the culture of policing in “As New Yorkers, we are all too famil- no price to be paid for taking a Black diction without any accountability. America with unprecedented reforms to iar with this most fundamental and man’s life, that he would face neither “George Floyd, Sandra Bland, curb police brutality,end racial profiling, painful truth, we have all witnessed how criminal penalty nor civil liability.” Rayshard Brooks, Daniel Prude, eliminate qualified immunity for law en- our country has turned a blind eye to law Clarke said “this brazen act changed Atatianna Jefferson, Freddie Gray, Eric forcement, and build greater trust be- enforcement officers who have intimi- the course of history” in America, stating Garner, Stephon Clark, Botham Jean, tween law enforcement and our commu- dated, abused, tortured and killed un- that the George Floyd Justice in Policing Philando Castille, Alton Sterling, Andre nities,” Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican armed Black and Brown people,” Clarke Act holds the legal system and police ac- Hill, Casey Goodson, Jr, Tamir Rice, immigrants, told the Caribbean Media continued. “The global, multi-racial, countable “at a time when transparency Michael Brown, and Breonna Taylor.We Corporation (CMC) on Friday about HR multi-ethnic and inter-generational and liability are lacking”. speak your names to honour this action,” 1280, or the George Floyd Justice in outrage, coupled with the activism of the “We’ve witnessed far too many deaths Clarke said. Policing Act. Black Lives Matter movement, has at the hands of law enforcement with “Your lives, like so many other Black “The murder of George Floyd was not moved us all to action in the wake of the little to no recourse,” she said. “This bill and Brown people who proceeded you, just an inflection point; it was a tipping killing of George Floyd.” must pass. We cannot abide the murder mattered,” she added. “Black Lives still, point,” added the congresswoman, who “Last summer, George Floyd, an un- of Black lives any longer. Full stop.” and always will, matter. Clarke said the Act will take “numer- “I remain committed to taking action ous key steps to achieve transformative, that will eradicate racially motivated po- structural change to combat the pattern lice brutality and the extrajudicial execu- US poet says of police brutality and racial injustice”, tion of Black and Brown people,” the con- including banning all chokeholds; ban- gresswoman continued. “I will not stop ning no-knock warrants in drug cases; until the George Floyd Justice in Policing security guard ending racial, religious, and discrimina- Act becomes law.” labelled her Black woman’s arrest draws new ‘suspicious’ scrutiny to police in a NY city AMANDA GORMAN, the young poet NEW YORK, United States – Police in allels” to an incident in late January in who found global fame after performing the New York city of Rochester are again which a nine-year-old girl was hand- at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, under scrutiny after body-cam video cuffed and pepper-sprayed. has shared her experience of alleged shows them forcing a woman, holding “Both involved Black people obviously racial profiling by a security guard. her three-year-old daughter, to the in crisis, both involved officers using pep- The 22-year-old said on Twitter that ground and pepper-spraying her. per spray on or around a Black child,” she was accosted on a walk home on Rochester police had come under Wilson said on Friday. Friday and told “you look suspicious”. fire in recent months over two earlier She said the Rochester Police “This is the reality of black girls: One episodes that raised questions about Department “needs to fundamentally day you’re called an icon, the next day, a their use of force. change its organisational culture”. threat,” she wrote. Police video of the latest incident, And City Council President Loretta Gorman received widespread acclaim which took place on February 22 and Scott said that “the amount of force used, for her reading of The Hill We Climb. was released on Friday,shows an officer coupled with the emotional damage suf- Her poem was seen as a rousing and stopping a woman on the snow-covered fered by this child, was disproportionate timely call for national unity – delivered shoulder of a road, telling her a nearby to the alleged crime,” according to the at the US Capitol just weeks after it was Amanda Gorman was the youngest business had accused her of stealing. Democrat & Chronicle. the scene of deadly riots. poet to ever perform at a presidential The woman, carrying her tiny daugh- The woman was ultimately charged Tweeting about her experience, inauguration. (PHOTO: AFP) ter in one arm, insists that she stole with trespassing and the arresting offi- Gorman described being “tailed” by the nothing and partially empties her purse cer was placed on administrative leave security guard who she said offered no faced by black people in the US. to show the officer. pending an internal investigation, the apology after she was able to prove she “Let this story sink in,” Mark Keam, a But when the officer refuses to let her newspaper said. lived in her own apartment building. state legislator in Virginia, tweeted.“And leave, the woman suddenly turns and In September, Rochester police came In revealing her experience, she re- realise how – while I’m glad it ended safe runs, her child still in her arms. Several under attack after video showed the shared a post she made in February for @TheAmandaGorman – this type of officers give chase, catch up with her arrest of Daniel Prude, a 41-year-old which said:“We live in a contradictory so- confrontation is an every day occurrence and force her to the ground. Black man. ciety that can celebrate a black girl poet for millions of our fellow Americans.” When the woman struggles back to Prude was walking naked, high on & also pepper spray a 9 yr old” – in ref- In her inauguration poem, Gorman her feet and grabs for her screaming drugs, when police put a hood over his erence to a recent incident in Rochester, described herself as “a skinny black girl daughter, police use pepper spray to sub- head to prevent him spitting, then held New York. descended from slaves and raised by a due her and force her back to the ground. him face-down on the pavement until “Yes see me, but also see all other black single mother [who] can dream of be- “Stop. Oh my God, what is wrong with he stopped breathing. He died a week girls who’ve been made invisible. I can coming president, only to find her self her?” one officer is heard saying of the later. not, will not, rise alone.” reciting for one”. mother. A medical examiner ruled Prude’s In a second tweet about the incident, Born in Los Angeles in 1998, Gorman The child was not pepper-sprayed death a homicide, but a grand jury Gorman added:“In a sense, he was right. became the city’s youth poet laureate at directly, according to the Democrat & declined to indict any of the officers I AM A THREAT: a threat to injustice, to 16. Three years later, while studying so- Chronicle newspaper, but officials who involved. inequality, to ignorance.” ciology at Harvard, she was named the saw the footage said she could have been The incident recalled the death in May Later,she returned to Twitter to thank first ever National Youth Poet Laureate. exposed. of George Floyd, the Black man who died people for their support. She was the youngest poet to ever per- The city’s Police Accountability Board, after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled The BBC has contacted her for further form at a presidential inauguration and made up entirely of civilians, said it on his neck for several minutes. comment. her performance was praised by influen- was “disturbed” by the video, which it Floyd’s death, and other police-in- Gorman’s social media posts have tial national figures, including former released. volved deaths of Black people, sparked been widely shared – highlighted as First Ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Board chair Shani Wilson told re- protests across the US and around the an example of the everyday prejudice Clinton. porters that there were “troubling par- world. The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 19

US envoy seeking support to shake up Afghan peace process, warring parties object KABUL/ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON – The US special envoy to Afghanistan proposed a shake-up of the stalled peace process this week, including an interim government and a conference of key play- ers, according to diplomatic and political sources, but his plan faced immediate objections by the warring sides. Afghan-born US diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad is on a visit to Kabul, Doha and other regional capitals, his first since US President Joe Biden’s administration began reviewing its options for the peace process and as time runs out before a May 1 US troop withdrawal deadline. With peace negotiations in the Qatari capital making little progress and violence in Afghanistan escalating, Khalilzad is trying to build consensus around alternative options with all Afghan sides and key regional players, Finnegan Lee Elder arrives for a hearing in the trial where he is accused with Gabriel Natale-Hjorth of slaying the sources said. Carabinieri paramilitary police officer Mario Cerciello Rega, while on vacation in Italy in July 2019, in Rome, Italy, on “(The United States) thinks Doha isn’t March 6, 2021. working and needs impetus and an al- ternate approach,” said one diplomatic source who closely follows the process. Italian prosecutor seeks life sentences for In Kabul, Khalilzad met Abdullah Abdullah, the chief peace envoy, President Ashraf Ghani and other polit- US students accused of killing policeman ical and civil society leaders, including former President Hamid Karzai. ROME – An Italian prosecutor on Three diplomatic sources, two sources Saturday demanded life sentences on the teams of political leaders who met for two young Americans being with Khalilzad and two international tried on murder charges after a sources in Kabul said one of the envoy’s policeman was killed following a main proposals was an interim govern- botched drugs sale in Rome. ment arrangement, referred to as a par- Finnegan Lee Elder,who was 19 at the ticipatory or representative government. time, has admitted to stabbing Mario A former Afghan government official Cerciello Rega in the early hours of familiar with the matter said Khalilzad July 26, 2019, while his friend Gabriel shared a document detailing the power- Christian Natale-Hjorth, then 18, was sharing proposal and that it revised a tussling with another police officer. paper he circulated in December. Under Italian law, anyone who partic- Another proposal was a meeting with ipates even indirectly in a murder can a similar format to the 2001 Bonn confer- face murder charges. ence, to involve representatives from a Prosecutor Maria Sabina Calabretta wide range of Afghan parties meeting in said in her four-hour indictment that person while international agencies and the attack against the policeman was diplomats push them to a solution. “disproportionate” and carried out with Anti-Taliban leaders met under inter- “the purpose of killing”. national auspices in the German city of The two Americans, both from Bonn after the 2001 US-led invasion California, have said they did not know ousted the insurgents from power and that Cerciello or his partner, Andrea agreed on a provisional administration Varriale, were police officers, telling the and a roadmap for forming a permanent court that neither man had identified government and writing a new constitu- themselves. tion. Varriale has denied this, testifying that “We’re considering a number of differ- they had shown their two assailants their ent ideas that might accelerate the badges. Cerciello’s badge was not found Gabriel Natale-Hjorth is escorted upon his arrival for a hearing in the trial where process,” State Department spokesman at the crime scene. he is accused with Finnegan Lee Elder, of slaying the Carabinieri paramilitary Ned Price told reporters on Friday. Elder and Natale-Hjorth were in Rome police officer Mario Cerciello Rega, while on vacation in Italy in July 2019, in “The United States is not making any on holiday at the time and had tried to Rome, Italy, on March 6, 2021. formal proposals and is continuing to buy drugs from a local dealer. They have review all relevant options for future told the court that they were cheated, “I panicked and believed he wanted to Elder apologised for the killing. force posture – and all means all,” a State but managed to snatch a bag off an kill me,” Italian media quoted Elder as Natale-Hjorth initially told police he Department spokesperson said on intermediary as he tried to get away. telling the court earlier this month. had not been involved in the killing and Saturday. “Ambassador Khalilzad has They subsequently agreed to meet the Police say Cerciello, 35, was unarmed did not know his friend had a knife. discussed a range of ways to move the dealer again to get their money back in at the time and was stabbed 11 times by However, his fingerprints were found on diplomacy forward, nothing more.” exchange for the bag, but instead the two Elder with an 18-cm (7-inch) blade. a panel in the ceiling of their hotel room The two international sources said policemen showed up. Neither man was Italian media have reported that the where the knife had been concealed. Khalilzad is asking the United Nations in uniform and Elder has testified that dealer was an informer who had reported Lawyers for Elder and Natale-Hjorth to take a lead role and call the conference. they immediately attacked them, forc- the theft of the bag, asking the police to have yet to present their defence. A Spokespeople for the UN mission in ing him and Natale-Hjorth to defend intervene. verdict in the trial is expected in April, Afghanistan did not immediately re- themselves. In a court appearance last September, legal sources said. spond to a request for comment. 20 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Swedish police break up coronavirus demonstration in Stockholm STOCKHOLM – tal. Fifty people were Swedish police on moved on under a tempo- Saturday dispersed rary pandemic law. hundreds of opponents “Police have taken the of coronavirus restric- decision to break up the tions who staged a non- authorised gathering protest in the capital which is ongoing,” Stockholm in defiance Stockholm police said on of a ban on large gath- their website on Saturday. erings. Earlier this week, Police blocked a bridge protest organiser Filip in the centre of the city and Sjöström told local media Swedish police break up a demonstration of coronavirus restrictions opponents protesting against a ban on said on their website they that he was expecting large gatherings, in Stockholm, Sweden on March 6, 2021. were in dialogue with around 2,000 people to join organisers to persuade the demonstration, which demonstrators had trav- tered 4,831 new coron- restaurants, bars and ment has gradually tight- demonstrators to disperse. had been announced on elled from several parts of avirus cases on Friday,and cafes and tighten limits on ened restrictions since late TV images showed po- Facebook. Sweden, which has a ban 26 new deaths, taking the the number of people al- last year after keeping lice shoving some protest- TV images showed hun- on public gatherings of death toll to 13,003. lowed in shops, in a bid to most schools, restaurants ers. The police said six of- dreds of people had gath- more than eight people. The government said ward off a third wave of and businesses open, rely- ficers were injured, one of ered.According to Swedish Sweden, which has 10 last month that it would the COVID-19 pandemic. ing primarily on voluntary whom was taken to hospi- daily Dagens Nyheter, million inhabitants, regis- cut opening hours for The centre-left govern- measures. Myanmar forces make night raids after breaking up protests MYANMAR security priority should be stabil- forces fired gunshots as ity and that other coun- they carried out overnight tries should not interfere. raids in the main city Protesters demand the Yangon after breaking up release of Suu Kyi and the the latest protests against respect of November’s last month’s coup with election, which her party teargas and stun won in landslide, but grenades. which the army rejected. The Southeast Asian The army has said it will country has been plunged hold democratic elections into turmoil since the at an unspecified date. military overthrew and Israeli-Canadian lobby- detained elected leader ist Ari Ben-Menashe, Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. hired by Myanmar’s 1. Daily demonstrations junta, told Reuters the and strikes have choked generals are keen to leave business and paralysed politics and seek to im- administration. prove relations with the There were sporadic United States and dis- protests across Myanmar tance themselves from on Saturday and local China. media reported that po- He said Suu Kyi had lice fired tear gas shells Protesters set up a makeshift shield formation in preparation for potential clashes, in Yangon, Myanmar on grown too close to China and stun grenades to March 6, 2021, in this still image from a video obtained by Reuters. for the generals’ liking. break up a protest in the “There’s a real push to Sanchaung district of Don’t you even touch my reach police for comment. exhumed the body of front. move towards the West Yangon, the country’s father and brother.Take A junta spokesman did 19-year-old Kyal Sin, who Photographs on the day and the United States as biggest city.There were no us too if you want to not answer calls request- has become an icon of the showed her head turned opposed to trying to get reports of casualties. take them,” one woman ing comment. protest movement after away from security forces closer to the Chinese,” Late at night, residents screamed as two of them, she was shot dead in moments before she was Ben-Menashe said. “They said soldiers and police an actor and his son, were Arrests and dead the city of Mandalay killed. Opponents of the want to get out of politics moved into several dis- led off. Well over 1,500 people on Wednesday wearing coup accused authorities completely... but it’s a tricts of Yangon, firing Soldiers also came have been arrested under a T-shirt that read of an attempted cover-up. process.” shots. looking for a lawyer who the junta, according to the “Everything will be OK”. The killings have drawn Ben-Menashe said he They arrested at least worked for Suu Kyi’s Assistance Association for State-run MRTV said anger in the West and also had been tasked three people in the National League for Political Prisoners advo- a surgical investigation have also been con- with seeking Arab sup- Kyauktada Township, res- Democracy (NLD), but cacy group. This asso- showed she could not have demned by most democ- port for a plan to repatri- idents there said. They were unable to find him, ciation and the United been killed by police be- racies in Asia.The United ate Rohingya refugees, did not know the reason a member of the now dis- Nations say that more cause the wrong sort of States and some other hundreds of thousands of for the arrests. solved parliament, Sithu than 50 protesters have projectile was found in Western countries have whom were driven from “They are asking to take Maung, said in a Facebook been killed. her head and she had imposed limited sanctions Myanmar in 2017 in an out my father and brother. post. Myanmar authorities been shot from behind, on the junta. China, army crackdown after Is no one going to help us? Reuters was unable to said on Saturday they had whereas police were in meanwhile, has said the rebel attacks. The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 21

Good time to break into the fashion industry By Marsha Gittens can take their polaroids just using their advance your modelling career.” smart phone. So if models are really Turning her attention to speak about ersons who aspire to be models or serious about getting in the industry, the local, regional and international those hoping to advance their now is the time to approach agents, now fashion industries, Lashley pointed out Pmodelling careers are being told is the time to approach photographers, some of the recent changes that have now is as good a time as any to pursue now is time to experiment using your occurred due to COVID-19. this. smartphone. So your smartphone now “Everything is being done virtually as This advice comes from Founder and becomes your best friend as it relates to it relates to the fashion industry globally Chief Executive Officer of Model Patrol the advancement of your modelling and in the Caribbean. Fashionistas, they Academy,Ashley Lashley who suggested career.” have it very hard because they are not persons should not allow the impact She explained that all individuals attending fashion shows… The fashion that the COVID-19 pandemic has had to “have to do is simply take a photo with industry has totally changed due to discourage them from going after their their smart phone and they can send it COVID but in Barbados particularly, it goal. to multiple agencies internationally and has decimated the industry and there is Rather, Lashley who is also Miss models can be signed from Barbados to not so much that fashion designers, Barbados World 2018 stated, “Now is one of the major agencies in America or models, event producers can do due to the best time for you to actually get into Europe. So it is really easy now to get the COVID situation. So everyone is the fashion industry.Why? Because the into the model industry but you just taking the virtual route in order to fashion industry is becoming more have to know the right platform and the promote their businesses and to assist Lashley was crowned Miss Barbados diverse and more inclusive. Like models right person to approach in order help with the development of the industry.” World 2018.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Model Patrol Academy, Ashley Lashley. Photo credit: Visublast 22 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

A taste of the islands makes lockdown easier LONDON – Glenda Andrew weeks, the lucky seniors on pulls a tray of salmon from Andrew’s list have been the oven, filling the treated to delicacies such as community center’s jerk pork, curry goat and cow kitchen with the aroma of foot soup accompanied by rice garlic, cayenne and lemon and peas, yams and plantains. rising from its crackling Portions are hefty, so there’s skin. enough to go in the freezer for It is the scent of memory, of another day. Last week, some family dinners and church 400 meals were packed into socials – the warmth of the yellow foam packages and Caribbean in the middle of a delivered by volunteers. gray English winter made The meal program grew out gloomier by COVID-19. of Andrew’s work with Preston This is food for the soul, Windrush Generation & Chief coordinator Glenda Andrew checks the pot as she prepares West Indian meals with Andrew says, and it’s needed Descendants, a group members of the Preston Windrush Covid Response team, at the Xaverian Sanctuary, in now more than ever by organized to fight for the Preston, England, Friday Feb. 19, 2021. Once a week they distribute meals to people in Britain’s older immigrants rights of early immigrants Preston and surrounding communities in northwestern England that have recorded some of who have been isolated from from the Caribbean and other the U.K.’s highest coronavirus infection rates. friends and family by the former British colonies who pandemic. Once a week the 57- found themselves threatened countries they barely of the past year is painful for mass vaccination program may year-old joins other volunteers with deportation in recent remembered. many of the seniors. When soon allow lockdown to prepare hot meals with the years. When the coronavirus deliveries arrive, they seek out restrictions to be eased. zing of the islands, which they The Windrush Generation, pandemic struck Britain, the friendly gossip with the The project runs on distribute for free to people in named after the ship that free-spirited Andrew didn’t volunteers about what their donations and the energy of Preston and surrounding carried the first migrants from want the community to be neighbours are up to. Andrew, who seemed to be in a communities in northwestern the Caribbean in 1948, came to victimized again. She decided Sylius Toussaint, 81, who dozen places at once as she England. The area has Britain in response to a to create her own food program came from Dominica in 1960, marshaled her volunteer chefs recorded some of the U.K.’s government call for workers tailored to the taste buds of the said chatting with volunteers last week. For now, they use a highest coronavirus infection from throughout the Empire to people she grew up with. like Dave Williams helps as donated kitchen in a rates. help rebuild the country after Nothing is too good for much as the food. community center, but there’s “It’s a great way to connect World War II. Andrew’s people. They get the “They say hello and give you a glimmer of hope for a more and build that relationship, The Windrush Scandal best. No pilchards here. a meal, and maybe for just a permanent venue at some but I didn’t know that at the rocked Britain in 2018 amid a “Salmon is a delicacy, isn’t it? few seconds at least you see point – maybe a place the time? Andrew said of the crackdown on illegal You know what I mean? someone new; someone you community can gather. project’s beginnings. “I just immigration. Long-term legal They’re worth it,” she said. haven’t seen all week,” But that’s in the future. For knew that I wanted to do residents lost jobs, homes and “They brought us up, they’ve Toussaint said as his wife, now, the volunteers plan to just something and make sure that the right to free medical care taught us so many things. Bridgette, shot him a bemused keep going, gluing the they were getting a hot meal – because many arrived as They gave up their life in the look. “If you are on your own, it community together with not sandwiches, not soup – children and couldn’t produce Caribbean to come here.’’ is so nice to see a fresh face – plates of rice and peas. getting something that they’re paperwork proving their right In addition to food, the especially bringing gifts.” “Initially it was the food and, accustomed to eating and hope to live in the U.K. Some were volunteers offer a bit of human Andrew wants to keep the as I said, I didn’t know what that they would enjoy it.” detained, and an unknown contact. meals flowing, even as we were creating,” Andrew Once a week, for the last 42 number were deported to The loneliness and isolation optimism grows that Britain’s said. “And it’s been amazing.”

Easy ways to ward off screen fatigue ARE your eyes tired? Is your Every 20 minutes, look into citrus slash the risk of eye vision blurry? Your smart your yard for 20 seconds, complaints by 57 percent. phone, computer, and blinking 20 times. television could be the culprit. Turn up ambient lighting. According to a recent poll, Add a squeeze of lemon. A surprising cause of eye most of us spend nearly 13 Ever notice that some days, damage: Looking at a backlit hours a day looking at a your vision is worse than other screen in the dark – or even in screen. Thankfully, these three days? Scientists now know a dimly lit room! Low lighting easy science-proven tricks can why – and their intriguing causes pupils to open wide, Dr. relieve tired eyes in seconds. research suggests that simply Stringham explains, allowing sipping a glass of lemonade more high-energy blue light to Look out the window. might almost instantly reach the backs of the eyes and “Near-focus” tasks like improve vision for more than overload the delicate cells of looking at a computer cut your 75 percent of us. Turns out, the retina. “Turn up room blink rate in half, leading to eyes are one of the first areas lights,” he advises. “The pupils dry eyes and even corneal in the body to suffer when will constrict, significantly damage. “Each time you blink, we’re mildly dehydrated, reducing the blue light getting a coat of tears is applied to the making tears less slippery and into your eyes.” cornea,” says James M. causing corneas to crinkle, Also: try wearing a pair of Stringham, Ph.D., a research temporarily distorting both blue-light blocking glasses scientist at Duke Eye Center. near and distance vision. when looking at your screen! “Blinking is like using Tip: Sip 8 oz. of water with a These can help prevent eye windshield wipers: It wipes the healthy squeeze of lemon. damage and keep you from window clean so you can see Research shows that high suffering from eye strain and Easy science-proven tricks can relieve tired eyes in seconds. clearly.” The simple to-do: levels of vitamin C in the fatigue. The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 •23

Famous people with disabilities arch is the Month of well into old age. awareness of sound helped him the Disabled, and create vibrant, colourful music Mevery Sunday this Frida Kahlo teeming with life and ambition. month Homemakers will Frida Kahlo, one of the most Wonder was born Stevland showcase three famous persons influential artists of our time, Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, who didn’t let their disability contracted polio at the age of Michigan, on May 13, 1950. A stop them from achieving six. This resulted in one of her premature infant, he was put greatness. legs being thinner than the on oxygen treatment in an other, according to Disability incubator; it was likely an Stephen Hawking Horizons. Then, at age 18, she excess of oxygen that Stephen Hawking was a was involved in a horrific exacerbated a visual condition British scientist, professor and trolley accident that left her known as retinopathy of author who performed with a broken spine and pelvis, prematurity, causing his groundbreaking work in as well as a pierced abdomen. It blindness. physics and cosmology, and was during the year that she Wonder signed his first whose books helped to make was essentially sequestered record deal with Motown’s science accessible to everyone. from the outside world while in Tamla label at the age of 11. He At age 21, while studying a body cast that she took up has sold over 100 million cosmology at the University of painting as a way to express records worldwide, won Cambridge, he was diagnosed her creativity. 25 Grammy Awards and was with amyotrophic lateral Throughout her life, Kahlo the first Motown artist and sclerosis (ALS), a motor neuron came face-to-face with her second African-American disease (MND) . disabilities and turned them musician to win an Academy Confined to a wheelchair, into art. She has many Award for Best Original Song, Hawking used a synthetic voice paintings depicting her for the 1984 film The Woman in to communicate with the world. disabilities. She never let her Red. “My advice to other disabled disability prevent her from Additionally,Wonder has people would be, concentrate on pursuing her passion. As Kahlo been inducted into the Rhythm things your disability doesn’t said, “I never paint dreams or and Blues Music Hall of Fame, prevent you doing well, and nightmares. I paint my own the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame don’t regret the things it reality.” and the Songwriters Hall of interferes with,” he said in an Fame, and has received a star interview with The New York Stevie Wonder on the Hollywood Walk of Frida Kahlo, one of the most influential artists of our time. Times.“Don’t be disabled in Stevie Wonder is a beloved Fame. Some of his well-known spirit, as well as physically.” American icon and an hit songs include “I Just Called Hawking lived a full 76-year- indisputable genius not only to Say I Love You”,“Signed, long life, married twice, with R&B but popular music in Sealed, Delivered (I’m fathered three children, general. Blind virtually since Yours)”, and “Isn’t She Lovely”. published books, and worked birth, Wonder’s heightened (LS)

Stevie Wonder is a beloved American icon and an indisputable Stephen Hawking was a British scientist, professor and author. genius not only with R&B but popular music in general. 24 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Greek Yogurt Pancakes ADD a protein boost to your favourite and mix to combine (batter should be breakfast with these fluffy Greek like thick papier-mâché). Yogurt Pancakes. Stacked high and Heat a large nonstick skillet on piled with fresh fruit, it’s a nourishing medium (see tip below). Check heat breakfast or weekend brunch recipe by sprinkling with water – when that tastes like a total treat. Top tip – water bubbles and evaporates make a double batch on Saturday and immediately, pan is ready. freeze for a quick morning meal all Spoon in enough batter to make 3 to week. 4 medium pancakes (about 2 tablespoons each) or many smaller YIELDS: 4 servings ones (about 1 tablespoon each) and TOTAL TIME: 0 hours 25 mins cook pancakes until bubbles begin to appear around edges and in centers. Ingredients Using a spatula, peek under the 1/2 c. vanilla Greek yogurt pancakes to check that they are 1/3 c. milk golden brown, then carefully flip. 2 large eggs Cook about 1 minute more depending 2 tbsp. maple syrup on size. Transfer to wire rack and 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract cover loosely with foil to keep warm 1 c. all-purpose flour or serve immediately, topped with 3/4 tsp. baking soda yogurt, strawberries, blueberries and 1/2 tsp. baking powder syrup. 1/4 tsp. kosher salt Yogurt, strawberries, blueberries TIP: If your nonstick skillet is past and syrup, for serving its prime and the pancakes stick, add 1 tsp canola or vegetable oil and Directions heat it before pouring in the next In a large bowl, whisk together batch. yogurt, milk, eggs, syrup, and vanilla. In a second bowl, whisk together Nutritional information flour, baking soda, baking powder, and (per serving): About 225 calories, 4 g salt. fat (2 g saturated), 9 g protein, 480 mg Stacked high and piled with fresh fruit, it’s a nourishing breakfast or Add flour mixture to yogurt mixture sodium, 36 g carbohydrates, 1 g fibre weekend brunch recipe that tastes like a total treat. Garlic Butter Salmon GARLIC butter salmon will be your the ingredients. new go-to weeknight recipe Next, drizzle the salmon with the Garlic Butter Salmon is delicious garlic butter and roast until it’s and impressive enough for company, opaque and flakes easily with a fork. but easy enough for any night of the Sprinkle with parsley, serve with rice, week. Salmon slathered in a lemon, and enjoy! honey, butter and garlic sauce is YIELDS: 4 servings roasted in the oven and served with TOTAL TIME: 0 hours 30 mins citrusy white rice that brings even more flavour. It’s the ultimate Ingredients weeknight meal that is made in one 1 tsp. orange zest plus 1/2 cup juice pan and takes just about a half hour 1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce from start to finish. Yes – you can Kosher salt and pepper have tasty, buttery salmon on the 1 c. long-grain white rice table in well under an hour. 2 tbsp. lemon juice So, what’s the secret? The garlic 2 tbsp. honey butter keeps the salmon juicy while it 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted roasts, and the gentle heat of the oven 1 tbsp. paprika ensures that your salmon won’t 2 cloves garlic, pressed overcook. If you’re used to cooking Kosher salt and pepper salmon on the stovetop, prepare to be 1 1/4 lb. salmon fillet amazed by this baked salmon recipe. 1/4 c. flat-leaf parsley, chopped Plus, this is a relatively hands-off recipe so you can prepare a healthy Directions side dish while the salmon bakes.We Heat oven to 400°F. In a small pot, love pairing salmon with zesty orange combine orange zest and juice, soy and soy sauce-infused rice. The fluffy sauce, 1 1/2 cups water and 1/4 starch is the best way to soak up the teaspoon each salt and pepper and salmon’s flavourful juices. bring to a boil. Stir in rice and return to a boil, then reduce heat and How to make garlic butter baked simmer, covered, until all the water is salmon absorbed and rice is tender, 20 to 24 There are just 3 main steps to minutes. achieve this surprisingly easy recipe: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk Start the rice, as it will take longer together lemon juice, honey, butter, to cook. Just combine orange zest and paprika, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon each juice, soy sauce, water, salt, and salt and pepper. pepper in a small pot and bring to a Place salmon, skin side down, on a boil. Stir in the rice and simmer, parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle covered, until all the water is the lemon butter mixture over top and absorbed and the rice is tender. sprinkle with half the parsley. Roast Then, make your garlic butter until salmon is just opaque sauce. This sauce is enhanced with a throughout, 12 to 18 minutes. little lemon juice, honey and paprika Fluff the rice with a fork and serve in addition to the melted butter and with salmon. Sprinkle with remaining garlic. Simply whisk together all of Start the rice, as it will take longer to cook. parsley. The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 25

The Heroic Life of Joe Fortes IN THE Caribbean, people of African descent have always feared the sea. It Respected swimming instructor, lifeguard of Vancouver is not strange to discover that many young people and older folk do not In Liverpool, he learned to swim at area was soon known as Joe’s Beach. know how to swim. But for Joe Fortes, St.George’s Baths. He was such an He was a friendly and patient teacher he was not only a skilled swimmer and excellent swimmer he would dive for and he also helped to improve the a swimming instructor of the 19th to notes. infrastructure around the swimming 20th century but became a respected He was also admired for swimming area. During this period he asked figure in Vancouver, Canada. Fortes across the Mersey River. In 1881, he Mayor Malcolm MacLean to build a had many roles, he was a shoeblack, caught the attention of Liverpool’s road to the Bay. bartender, porter, and lifeguard. He was Daredevil Club for this incredible feat. Throughout his career, he saved over remembered as a “Gentle Giant”, a hero Fortes received a gold medal for life- 100 people including a crew on a and protector of the English Bay. saving. sinking sailboat.

Seeking opportunity abroad Leaving on Robert Kerr for Recognition and remembrance of a Joseph Seraphim Fortes’ birth Vancouver hero information is dubious. In some Around 1885, he boarded a ship In 1900, the people of Vancouver sent Joe Fortes had Barbadian roots. sources, he was said to be born in 1863 called Robert Kerr to Vancouver, a petition with thousands of signatures in Barbados, other sources reported Canada. to the City Council requesting a salary Vancouver. There are a monument, 1865 and he was Trinidadian. His In Lisa Ann Smith’s “Our Friend Joe: and position of lifeguard for Fortes. stamps, library branch, a film and father was a sugar plantation worker The Joe Fortes Story”, Fortes was the “ It was granted and he received $80 a business which commemorate the life from Barbados and his mother was of Gentle Giant” who embodied the values month to fill the post of swimming and career of this great man. the Spanish middle class. The story is of service, kindness, and modesty. instructor, lifeguard, and special that Fortes left Trinidad at age 17 for Fortes won the hearts of the people constable. • Born in the 19th century, Joe England. His mother gave him advice through his acts of heroism. Brave and In 1921, Fortes got pneumonia and Fortes, a great Canadian hero had to “Never forget to whom you belong noble, Fortes who worked as a never recovered. He died in 1922 and Barbadian roots. He is celebrated as and always be straight and honest.” shoeblack and bartender, volunteered received a civil funeral which was Vancouver’s earliest black lifeguard, his time as a swimming instructor and attended by the mounted police in swimming instructor, and special It started with a dare lifeguard along the English Bay.This uniform, the Mayor and City Council of constable.

Yoga nidra: The wellness practice that reduces anxiety and helps manage periods TUCKED up at 8pm when even your relaxation is so powerful that it actually gran is still awake? FOMO. Following decreases levels of hormones that mess through on that promise to stop with menstruation, such as those that scrolling in bed? Unlikely. But how stimulate the thyroid. about following a guided relaxation that How? Well, while you’re horizontal, is so effective at altering brainwave complex things are going on activity it can replicate getting four neurologically. ‘When you begin Yoga hours of sleep, according to Dr Nidra, your brain is in an active state of Kamakhya Kuma, a professor of yogic beta waves with many thoughts swirling science? It’s called Yoga Nidra – and around,’ describes Emma. ‘The with Emma Watson and Charlie meditative practice then takes you into Humman as devotees, plus almost 340K an alpha state of brainwave frequency, mentions of #yoganidra on Instagram, where fluctuations in the mind start to this ancient but little-known practice is, decrease, you feel more at ease, and the ironically, having an awakening. body moves into stillness.’ Go deeper So, what does a Yoga Nidra session into the practice and the brain emits look like? For starters, no one will get delta waves – which also occur during any bonus points for “casually” standing deep sleep. ‘The difference between sleep on their head. ‘How Yoga Nidra differs and Yoga Nidra is that you stay awake from other strands of yoga is the during this final phase,’ Emma stillness,’ explains yoga expert Linzi continues. ‘We call it “conscious deep Rodina. ‘There are no poses except There are no poses except corpse pose. sleep” – a profound relaxation while corpse pose – lying on your back, palms remaining alert and aware. Since the facing up.’ Unlike savasana, which you want to take off the mat and into healed and that light has spread to pandemic, I’ve seen a huge shift in allows the mind and body to rest after your daily life?”, practicing slow every part of your being, shining students wanting the inclusion of such a the physical exertion of an asana inhalations and exhalations, and then outwards,’ says Emma. practice that gives them 30 to 45 practice, or simply laying down, Yoga beginning a body scan. Yoga teacher minutes to switch off from everything Nidra involves a “Rotation Emma Hall, who teaches Yoga Nidra And there’s science behind this? and “just be”.’ of Consciousness” – a body-scanning weekly (@emayoga_wellbeing), suggests Yep. Science backs up what yogis have exercise that systematically takes your starting with your right side and been teaching since circa 600 B.C. when Not known for your stillness? focus to different parts of your body, steadily acknowledging each body part, this “yogic sleep” practice was born: that Totally normal, says Linzi. ‘The most then to feelings in your mind, releasing one by one. it comes with genuine health benefits. common stumbling block with Yoga tension as you go and calming the ‘Imagine there is a warm, bright light Danish research found that Yoga Nidra Nidra is the incessant chatting of your nervous system. ‘Having less adrenaline that glows from within your heart increased levels of dopamine – the feel- mind, but with regular practice there and cortisol in your system can have a centre and send this light to each part of good neurotransmitter associated with will be more space between those profound effect on anxiety and panic your body as you scan it. Follow this pleasure – by 65%. Regular practice has ramblings and the still ‘aha’ moments disorders,’ Linzi adds. progression: fingers, front and back of reduced anger and anxiety in military of nothingness.’ She also warns against the hand, whole hand, forearm, elbow, veterans , eased PTSD, body tension and rating whether the practice is good or How to do it? upper arm, shoulders, neck, each part of self-blame in women who’ve suffered bad, or if you’re doing it right or wrong. First up – get comfy. ‘I advise my your face (forehead, mouth, eyes, nose), from sexual assault , and improved (Tip: there is no right or wrong). You’ll clients to imagine they are setting up a ear, scalp, throat, chest, rib cage, back, chronic insomnia. Yoga Nidra can even know you’ve reached the ultimate level space for their best friend who may be waist, stomach, lower abdomen, lead to more manageable periods. In one of Yoga Nidra when it feels like you’re going through some stuff: cosy socks, genitals, glutes, spine, thigh, top and study 6 featuring 150 women with tucked up in bed. ‘It’s similar to that comfortable clothes, maybe a soothing back of the knee, shin, calf, ankle, top of unpredictable cycles and/or severe wonderful moment when we are just bath first. Being warm, without external foot, heel, sole, toes.’ If your mind cramps, half took medication while the about to fall asleep. The body is in deep distractions, is key,’ recommends Linzi. wanders, simply acknowledge those other half took medication and; relaxation; the mind is disengaged from It’s easiest to start with a guided thoughts without judging yourself.‘After practiced Yoga Nidra for 30 to 45 thinking, yet awake and aware,’ practice, and there are great online the scan, visualise yourself feeling minutes, five times a week. After six describes Anna Blackmore, a yoga classes. happy, then imagine looking down on months, the Nidra yogis experienced teacher at triyoga. ‘True relaxation is an The Yoga Nidra sequence begins with yourself. Finally, bring everything less pain, period irregularity and active process – it’s more than simply an intention, such as, “What feeling do together: imagine yourself whole and depression; it’s thought the Yoga Nidra doing nothing.’ 26 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

How to make over your life in just 28 days tart fresh this year! merely looking at a nearby Take a deep breath and plant can lower stress levels Sdive into all the little and improve mood. Not sure ways you can feel calmer, what to get? A small aloe kinder, stronger and more plant makes a great desk joyful in mere minutes a day. topper; it does well in indirect light with a watering every Day 1: Take 5-Minute week or two. A jade plant Brain Breaks works on the floor; position it Set an alarm to go off at in a sunny spot and water five specific times during the when the soil is dry. Or add a day when you’ll turn your pop of green with a hearty brain off for five minutes.You pothos vine that hangs down might close your eyes and from an upper shelf. rest, sit outside and look at trees or go for a walk (without Day 5: Set Up a Movie Night listening to a podcast!) and Turn all the living room zone out. Having just five seating to face the TV, make minutes without major input some popcorn and settle in is the best way to reset your just as if you were at the brain. To take things up a cinema. On Netflix, nature notch, try meditation. Insight lovers will enjoy My Octopus Timer, Calm, Unplug and Teacher, a fascinating true Headspace are good app story about a diver’s options. interactions with a wild cephalopod. Or try The Day 2: Add Flavour ‘Greenery never fails to Social Dilemma, which will to your Water breathe life into a room’ spark conversations Sipping H2O throughout about the pros and cons of the day helps with blood distancing: With so many technology. Make over your life in 28 days. pressure, joint health and workouts now streaming more. Plus, it can help you cut online, your choice is no Days 6 & 7: Make Something grudge, suggests Kati Morton, Day 9: Go Meatless for a Day down on mindless snacking. longer limited to the classes There’s a reason the sale of LMFT, author of Are U OK? Studies show that a To inspire you to hydrate all at your local gym. If you’ve adult colouring books soared Connect with someone you’ve plant-based diet can lower day, the Good Housekeeping always wanted to try African early in the pandemic: disagreed with in the past your risk of heart disease and Institute’s Registered dance, Bollywood dancing or Sometimes a playful, focused and reminisce about things help you live longer. And it’s Dietitian Nutritionist, Stefani Zumba, now’s your chance. pastime can help ease the you have in common and why better for the planet too. Sassos, recommends adding Push the furniture out of the mind. This weekend, buy and you became friends in the “Start with just one day,” one of these combos to your way, lace up your sneaks and arrange a dozen colourful first place. In a time when we suggests nutritionist water bottle today: blueberry, check out aileyextension.com, blooms, create a photo album are physically distanced from Shanon Whittingham. Try orange and basil; cucumber, obefitness.com or from the best images on your others, maintaining meatless meals you already lime and mint; or grapefruit, stepsnyc.com. There are also phone or, if knitting or connections with people we love, like oatmeal, veggie- lemon and lime. hundreds of free dance crocheting interests you, have love – whether over the topped pasta, teriyaki-grilled classes on YouTube. a go. phone or on Zoom – is tofu or an acai bowl loaded Day 3: Join a Virtual Dance extra important, says with fruit. Class Day 4: Buy a Plant Day 8: Call an Old Friend Morton. A silver lining of social Studies have found that Start 2021 by letting go of a MAKEOVER on Next Page

Push the furniture out of the way, lace up your sneaks and Make some popcorn and settle in just as if you were at the Some water bottles have a dance. cinema. built-in infuser compartment The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 27

Time to switch things up MAKEOVER from Page 26 clothes on a chair and bring empty water glasses to the kitchen. Day 10: Practice Your Push-Ups Day 15: Don’t Look at Push-ups may sound old-school, but Social Media or Newsfeeds they’re one of the best exercises to Facebook, Instagram and the like build strength in your chest, triceps, can be great for connecting, especially shoulders and core – no equipment when you can’t see friends or family in needed. If you’re a novice, trainer person. But endless scrolling can leave Tatiana Lampa suggests starting with you stressed and exhausted. Try wall push-ups: With your hands tuning out the noise for 24 hours – slightly wider than your shoulders, delete the app from your phone or press against the wall as if you’re in a change the settings so you won’t be plank. As you bend your elbows, make alerted of every new post. Keep a sure your hips move with you toward paperback novel or a real magazine the wall. “Keep your core fully handy for moments when you’re bored. A soothing sleep environment equals more zzz’s and better healt. engaged, and exhale as you push away “Give yourself the gift of a media-free from the wall,” Lampa says. Try 10 to day,” says Bethany Teachman, Ph.D., a these treatments as well, says Good 12 today, adding more reps over the professor of psychology at the Housekeeping Beauty Director April next few weeks. Before you know it, University of Virginia. Franzino. you’ll be ready for modified push-ups Antioxidant-Rich Face Mask: Mix 1 on the stairs or a bench, then on your Day 16: Use a New Ingredient Tbsp each crushed ripe blueberries, knees before you go for the full monty. Cure dinnertime boredom by lemon juice and cucumber juice, 2 Tbsp experimenting with an herb or a spice baking soda and 2 Tbsp water. Apply to Day 11: Replace Old Cleaning you don’t normally use. To try the face and let sit 15 to 20 minutes before Supplies sweet, earthy flavour of saffron, make rinsing, says skincare expert Jasmina “An old, grimy brush or flat a Spanish paella, or sample a soft and Aganovic. scrubbers with no abrasion are not mild cheese in an Indian dish like saag Nourishing Hand Soak: Heat 2 to 3 going to clean well,” says Carolyn paneer. Plus, a new-to-you flavour can cups whole milk (enough to cover Forté, director of the GH Home transport you to another part of the hands) in a glass bowl in the Appliances and Cleaning Products world. “Since traveling is limited this microwave until warm. Soak hands for Lab. Make a list of cleaners you have year, trying something new is a five to 10 minutes to hydrate dry skin, that you don’t like or that don’t work delicious way to bring a vacation to suggests Debra Jaliman, M.D., a New well and any broken or past-their- your kitchen,” says GH Institute York City dermatologist. prime tools that need to be replaced. R.D.N. Stefanie Sasso. Days 20 & 21: Have Day 12: Play a Board Game Day 17: Reconnect With Your Doctor a Cleaning Competition There’s nothing quite like a fit of The pandemic has likely affected Play music you like and turn tidying laughter while playing Apples to your mental and physical health in up the house into a contest. Assign Apples or Pictionary, or a good-natured ways you haven’t realized. “Your everyone a space to dust or vacuum squabble over Scrabble or Monopoly. primary care provider is a good and let the person who finishes fastest resource for helping you navigate this choose the night’s dinner. Days 13 + 14: very challenging season,” says Anita Make Your Bedroom Blissful Skariah, D.O., a primary care Day 22: Donate Food A soothing sleep environment equals physician at UNC Health. While you’re An estimated 50 million people could more zzz’s and better health – but it’s at it, schedule the mammogram and face hunger this year. An easy way to Turn tidying up the house into a about more than the comfort of your skin check you’ve been putting off. help: Sort through all the food you contest. mattress. Make sure you’re happy with stocked up on and donate unopened the textures of your sheets and Day 18: Set a Mood With a Scent shelf-stable products to your local food core (to hold it all together). comforter as well, advises Fariha “Instead of a candle, use an essential pantry (check the sell-by date first). Abbasi-Feinberg, M.D., medical oil diffuser to create a specific vibe in Much needed: peanut butter, canned Day 25: Plan Your Dream Vacation director of sleep medicine at your space,” says GH Senior Home soups, beans, tuna, cans of pasta sauce Even if you can’t travel just yet, start Millennium Physician Group in Fort Editor Monique Valeris. To relax, try and individual bags of rice. “The need imagining your trip by looking up Myers, FL. If you or your partner move lavender, chamomile or eucalyptus oil. has grown exponentially in the past hotels, restaurants and sights to see – a lot overnight, try separate coverings For more focus and energy, peppermint year, but the opportunities to help have research shows that even just (or a bigger bed). While you’re at it, or grapefruit works well. grown too,” says Muzzy Rosenblatt, anticipating a vacation boosts your remove clutter to calm your mind president of BRC, which serves 3,000 happiness. Or dive into a book set in an before going to sleep: Put away the Day 19: Try a DIY Spa Night homeless New Yorkers every day. unfamiliar place – try Flesh and Bone books on your nightstand, fold the Your partner and kids will enjoy and Water by Luiza Sauma, or Day 23: Upgrade Tomorrow’s anything by Akwaeke Emezi or Kevin Breakfast Kwan. Spend a few minutes prepping tonight, and you’ll be rewarded with a Day 26: Hold an Indoor Olympics morning meal that’s way more Sure, it’s not here yet, but you can inspiring than a bowl of cereal: In a have lots of zany fun with the kids mason jar, mix 1/2 cup old-fashioned inside! Blast the Olympic theme music oats, 1 Tbsp chia seeds, 1 Tbsp honey while marching with a torch made of and 3/4 cup coconut milk. Cover, shake coloured tissue paper, then hand out and chill overnight. In the morning, homemade medals for best dance add lemon zest, nuts or berries and dig moves, fastest paper-cup stacking, in! farthest paper-airplane flight and longest time spent bouncing a balloon Day 24: Focus on Your Posture into the air. Include at least one If you’ve been working from home, activity each kid can excel at, and have you’re probably familiar with The a blast! Slump. “Improper posture can lead to a myriad of problems down the road,” Days 27 & 28: Tackle says Ridge Davis, a certified personal Your Entryway trainer in Los Angeles. He “When you walk into a totally recommends exercises that will organized foyer, it instantly makes you strengthen your upper-back muscles feel calmer and more relaxed,” says (to keep your shoulders pulled back), Carolyn Forté, GH’s home care expert. glutes (to avoid an anterior pelvic tilt, “Plus, entrances may be the one part of Push-ups are great – no equipment needed which can cause lower back pain) and your house guests see these days. 28 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

ARIES (March 21-April 19). LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You're There's a happy and restless HOROSCOPES starting to feel exhausted. spirit about you that makes Someone is trying to persuade you you good company. Your to take on even more. Even though presence will lighten the mood wherever you happen you want to please everyone, don't listen to them. to be. Even so you do know when it is time to call a One or two early nights might help. halt to fun and games. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Depending on your TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You've always been mood an unexpected problem will be a welcome practical and tried to make sensible use of your time change or an unwelcome irritation. Although and resources. That's why you can surprise others by unplanned, you will impress everyone with the way doing a lot with a little. People respect you for your you handle the situation. skills and are happy to have you take the lead. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You're trying to GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You just want to have fun figure out how new domestic appliances or and joke around with everyone. Someone close is in equipment work and you seem to be getting a touchy mood. They may not be quite so willing to nowhere. Ask someone who is experienced to help have their leg pulled, try to be sensible. you master the complexities. CANCER (June 22-July 22). Look after your own CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Talks are taking interests. If you can see the logic in other people's place behind the scenes that could affect your future. requests or suggestions, give these further thought. If You have a feeling some people have a greater there's even the slightest hint you could be wasting advantage and will come out of these with better time or money, withhold your support. results than others who are less experienced. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). A workmate or neighbour AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You might think about with a powerful personality will put on a fine utilising your skills to teach, help or support the performance. You won't be taken in by their airs and needy. Whether paid or voluntary, there will be a lot of graces or attempts to impress. Sincerity is more satisfaction from serving those who are vulnerable or attractive. suffering in some way. You might get the chance to VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). All some people can do pull some job strings behind the scenes. is waffle on and get things wrong. Stay calm even PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). He who dares wins. when it might feel as if you are dealing with a team of You are determined to go after what you want. A babbling idiots. Team efforts will hit a brick wall. Take sudden inspiration will put you on a fresh course that a step back from it al, you will think of a solution. will offer more challenge and greater satisfaction. Bible Challenge 1.) Who was thrown D. The General of from a window and Saul’s army struck the ground dead? 4.) Who lied to the A. Nebuchadnezzar Holy Spirit and fell B. Ruth dead? C. Delilah A. Elisabeth D. Jezebel B. Sapphira C. Phoebe 2.) What Apostle D. Priscilla was crucified? A. James 5.) When a messen- B. Peter ger reported to Eli C. John that the ark of God D. Andrew had been captured by the Philistines, 3.) Who fell on their Eli sword after seeing A. Hanged himself that King Saul had B. Fell backwards killed himself? and broke his neck A. Saul’s son and died Jonathan C. Suffered a B. Saul’s wife heart attack and C. Saul’s armor- died

bearer D. Drank a poison Ans: 1. D, 2. B, 3. C, 4. B, 5. B B 5. B, 4. C, 3. B, 2. D, 1. Ans: The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 29 ‘WandaVision’ A sitcom sendup, was a pandemic parable, too magine being Because it reached so trapped in the lovingly into the Iconfines of your own mannered, structured neighbourhood, losing a lore of sitcoms, which sense of the outside were comfort food for world – and of yourself – the American TV with each passing day. watcher’s brain long Things are seeming before the word kind of flat lately, and “streaming” ever sometimes downright tumbled into the colourless. Everything lexicon. looks reasonably placid, The television scholar This combination of images released by Disney+ shows Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany in various but something’s not Robert Thompson once scenes from “WandaVision.” quite right with reality. described the The days feel … contentment that people credits of that “very offers its take on the entire pantheon of purposes, says to Wanda episodic. Does the world find in old sitcoms as special episode” sang “Malcolm in the Middle” secular gods. as her magic-powered taper off at the end of “the aesthetic of the this to us, revealing the opening credits of the You could even argue dream microverse the block? Does life loop anesthetic” – a style of theme of the show (and early 2000s. This theme that its seamlessly begins to fray. “Well, back on itself? Are your narrative that reset of pandemic life too): song, more aggressive cross-marketed cosmos that’s something neighbors with you, or itself every week, “We’re making it up as and insolent than its is the new American special, baby.” against you? making sure society’s we go along.” predecessors, offers up suburb – a completely Does life imitate This has been the norms were reinforced Yet like those 1980s the following lyrics: immersive Marvel, then? Maybe premise of by presenting horror movies in which “What if it’s all illusion? neighborhood, just a little. One day, “WandaVision,” Marvel’s nonthreatening the dreamer of the Sit back. Enjoy the interconnected and self- after the blip that was latest foray into the communities populated nightmare awakens, show.” perpetuating, privileged the pandemic finally intricate, immersive with nonthreatening only to find out that he As the first storyline and complex and, ends, we’ll all be back – universe first cobbled characters doing or she is still asleep, in of its astonishingly sometimes, brimming well, most of us. We’ll re- together in the comics nonthreatening “WandaVision” the extensive streaming with the emptiness of emerge into the real by Stan Lee six decades things. “real” world is still the lineup of shows the industrially world, blink hard, look ago. Not incidentally, it’s “WandaVision” fantastic one of the concludes, that could be manufactured around, reconnect with also an apt description coopted that vision and Marvel Universe. The Marvel’s overall tagline. Technicolor narrative. It our neighbors and take of life in many corners upended it. It used, as “Inception” model is at Because – first in comic is us, but amplified. stock of what we all of America and the foils, those landscapes of play: You’re still in the books, then in theaters, “Thousands of people missed. world during this assuagement and the layered matrix, still now on all our assorted under your thumb, all We’ll say to each pandemic micromoment. way they morphed over separated from actual screens – Marvel IS the interacting with each other: What a weird and In an era when the decades to match reality by several strata universe. It is comics other, according to all-encompassing dream meticulously crafted the times. Their surface of Marvel and a robust and movies and video complex storylines?” one this was. And then we’ll fictional universes are tranquility and amiable layer of Disney. games, TV and toys and character, who will dream again. Roll entertainment’s billion- conflict were backdrops In one of its later collectibles, cosplayers remain nameless for credits. Rinse. dollar baby, for a slowly unfolding episodes, “WandaVision” and party favors and an spoiler-avoidance Repeat. “WandaVision,” whose Marvel plot that, in its inaugural and probably wink-nudge bubblegum only season concluded darkness, was pure 21st Friday, took it all a step century. further, turning the There’s irony, too, in seven-decade tradition the fact that Marvel has of the American sitcom been owned for the past into a decade-hopping 12 years by Disney, a suburban prison. conglomerate built by Episode by TV-homage self-described episode, it pinballed “imagineers” who were through unsettling instrumental in sendups of “The Dick stamping the sensibility Van Dyke Show,” of immersive fantasy “Bewitched,” “The Brady onto more than a half Bunch,” “Family Ties,” century’s worth of “Malcolm in the Middle” American children – and “Modern Family,” and onto the landscape swallowing an entire itself. New Jersey town and its Wanda Maximoff, the people and, along the world-building witch at way, serving up a darker the show’s nucleus, is a version of Marvel’s stand-in for Walt Disney already dysfunctional himself, who built his funhouse mirror. gauzy childhood The pitch-perfect memories of early 20th- result: a distorted century Midwestern life reflection not merely of into theme parks and an America, but of the way entertainment empire. it has seen itself Like the world of through its broadly “WandaVision,” Disney’s drawn television comedy creations reflected not across three quite reality but its generations. saccharine stepsibling, How did this show recognizable and manage (inadvertently, appealing but hardly of course, since it was real life. conceived before the By the time virus arrived) to match “WandaVision” got to its the tenor of its comfort- take on 1980s television, craving moment? the gentle opening 30 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 31

SSununddaayy A Addvvococatatee C Comicsomics 32 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

SSununddaayy A Addvvococatatee C Comicsomics The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 33 SPORTSSPORTS Sri Lanka win second match; stage set for series decider today ST JOHN’S, Antigua – named CG Insurance West Indies lost to Sri Man-of-the-Match for his Lanka by 43 runs in the good bowling and his un- second CG Insurance T20 beaten 19 in Sri Lanka’s International on Friday innings, which was given night, to set up a series-de- the ideal start by cider. The visitors batted Danushka Gunathilaka first and made 160-6 off top-scored with 56 off 42 their 20 overs. The balls. He shared an open- home side lost wickets ing stand of 95 with steadily and were bowled Pathum Nissanka who out for 117 off 18.4 overs made 37 from 23 balls. at Coolidge Cricket Dwayne Bravo was the Ground. stand-out bowler with 2- West Indies won the 25 from his four overs – a opening match on mixture of change of pace Wednesday night by four and accurate yorkers. wickets – a memorable He broke the opening contest which included six stand, with a sharp piece sixes in an over from of fielding and a direct hit Kieron Pollard and a hat- which accounted for trick by spinner Akila Nissanka. Three balls Dananjaya. The stage is later he had Gunathilaka now set for the third and caught at extra-cover from final CG Insurance T20I a well disguised slower tonight and the winners Sri Lanka players celebrate the fall of the final wicket. ball.. will take the series. Upcoming match: 3rd For West Indies, tailen- sixes and two fours. added 36 for the second Left-arm spinner were the leading bowlers, and final CG Insurance der Obed McCoy top- Opener Lendl Simmons wicket with Chris Gayle Lakshan Sandakan (3-10) backed up by fast bowler T20I today at CCG. First scored 23 from just seven made 21 off 19 balls, with who hit a run-a-ball 16 and leg-spinner Wanin- Dushmantha Chameera ball is 6pm (5pm Jamaica balls. He hit two straight two fours and a six and with two fours and a six. dudu Hasaranga (3-17) took 2-26. Hasaranga was Time) COVID stops Sandy Lane Gold Cup in its tracks

By Corey Greaves ing enthusiast, writer and The stands at the Garrison Savannah were only filled with sunshine yesterday, as the Sandy Lane Gold Cup steward Charlie Heath could not be held because of the COVID-19 pandemic. EVERY year thousands put it,“They are missing it of horse racing fans – but they understand that around the event, in an and even those who are it could not have hap- effort to cheer on their not fans of the sport – pened.” chosen mount too. flock to the Garrison This understanding Heath mentioned that Savannah for the pres- however has not stopped visitors from England, tigious Sandy Lane fans from being grossly Canada and the United Gold Cup, which at- disappointed, as the States have all supported tracts local, regional entire production around the Gold Cup tremen- and international the event – from the dously, and have also re- horses for the event. flying in of the coveted turned each year along Traditionally held on trophy, to the full enter- with the local fans who the first Saturday in tainment package inclu- make and entire day of the March, anyone making sive of a parade of the event. their way in the vicinity of dancers, stilt walkers Looking on the bright the Garrison would have and marching bands side, there is still some- been met with traffic from just before the race – thing positive which has all corners. would have captivated come out of it all, as the However, this year, due everyone. horses that would have to the pandemic, the “From the racing per- raced at yesterday’s Gold hugely popular event spective everyone is very Cup are looking beautiful, could not be held and the disappointed, but accepts according to Heath. usually packed grand- the fact that it isn’t prob- The trainers are still stand and surrounding able… there is no way that taking them through some vantage points were only you could risk to run it,” of their paces, but are not filled with sunshine. said Heath. bringing them to peak fit- The Garrison Savannah track is in top top shape after the lay off. The Sandy Lane Gold The grandstand would ness as they do not know Cup was definitely missed have been filled with 70 when the next race meet looking magnificent. in tip top shape, despite a being staged on the soft by racing fans this year, per cent visitors who had will be. As a result of this The track, which was re- few setbacks caused by tracking. but as long-time horse rac- planned their vacation break, the horses are furbished last year, is also the rain and a race day (CG) 34 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Dates revised for Sol Rally Barbados 2021 Continuing COVID-19 pandemic causes calendar rethink IN light of the continu- ing effects of the coro- navirus pandemic at home and overseas, the Barbados Rally Club (BRC) has an- nounced revised dates for Sol Rally Barbados and its associated events. Sol RB21 is now scheduled for the weekend of September 25 & 26, with Flow King of the Hill on the previous Sunday (September 19), dates which will be con- firmed by the Club on June 1, if a further three months has seen significant success in the fight against COVID-19 around the world. Some weeks after the originally-planned June date was announced last December, the pandemic grew worse both in Roger Hill has been one of the consistent entries for Rally Barbados over the many years. Barbados and in the event’s major source mar- In a notice to the the external influences event to be run with Federation (BMF) work of public roads, kets, particularly the membership and the of Government Policy as the Motoring Club of Calendar after August 21 under road closure orders United Kingdom. The Club’s overseas competi- they battle to bring the Barbados Inc. (MCBI). will remain as previously granted by the Ministry situation remains fluid, tors issued yesterday, pandemic under control With the championship indicated at this time, but of Transport, Works & with restrictions on public BRC Chairman Mark locally, regionally and in- once again squeezed into a are subject to change after Maintenance; the previ- gathering and travel Hamilton said: “As we are ternationally.” shorter time frame, there review and inter-club con- ous Sunday’s Flow King of under constant review, all aware, our sport con- As for the rest of the will be no ‘Shakedown sultation via the BMF, the Hill, run under a sim- although vaccination pro- tinues to be impacted by Club’s 2021 calendar, Stages’, an event which as a revised calendar is ilar arrangement, features grammes on both sides of the COVID-19 pandemic Hamilton’s statement was also dropped from last structured in the coming four timed runs on a the Atlantic have given creating challenges in the confirms the start of the year’s calendar. weeks.” roughly four-kilometre rise to cautious optimism planning and execution of Club’s sprint and stage Hamilton added: “The Sol Rally Barbados is a stage, the results of which that the pandemic may be events. This is primarily rally disciplines will be de- remaining event dates tarmac rally, with around are used to seed the run- brought under control in driven by the fluid nature layed until the weekend of currently listed in the 24 special stages run on ning order for the main the coming months. of the environment and August 21/22, with a joint Barbados Motoring the island’s intricate net- event. Simmons: Batsmen must do their job THE batsmen have to do wobbled and the Sri ers having played all over in during the game when their job as the bowling Lanka spinners were on the world, Simmons they go to the middle. and fielding unit have top of the West Indies noted: “All the guys who “In this format, we are been good thus far. batsmen. played IPL would have not looking at specific That was the assess- Simmons said that not played against these spin- player to bat around ment of West Indies much thought has gone ners and even better spin- because today Evin coach, Phil Simmons, into playing an extra spin- ners and done well, so (Lewis) and Simo (Lendl ahead of the third and ner for the West Indies as that’s what we have to Simmons) can go out and final CG Insurance T20 the bowling unit has been make sure we do tomor- Evin starts and Simmons International Match doing well, but “I think row (today).” has to buckle down and against Sri Lanka today. there is more thought Simmons also pointed bat through or visa versa Simmons was speaking about how we negotiate, out that the dot ball per- on another day. Even if at a virtual press confer- how we play,how we score centage in the T20, as well you go down the order, ence where he said that runs against their spin- as the 50-over version, Chris (Gayle) has played “in both games, the ners”. needs to be reduced. He a few innings in the IPL bowlers have been excel- The coach pointed out, believes that if they con- where he has batted lent”. “The key is making sure tinue to hit the bound- through the innings and Simmons highlighted that we are looking to aries and reduce the dot (Nicholas) Pooran has how the bowlers managed play them in the right balls, then they will have done it, so everyone has to pull back Sri Lanka way. You can’t be too ten- some high scores. the ability to do it.” who had a good start in tative when you are play- As for looking at a Will the West Indies the second match, and ing against good spinners, player to anchor the in- clinch the series and the after the visitors were 94 so you have to still go out nings and for others to bat batsmen finally put up a runs after 10 overs, the there and look to score around, the coach said good showing without the West Indies were able to against them and playing that it was more about major wobbles? hold them to 160 runs. cricket how we know to batsmen taking the re- The answer to that However, in both play cricket.” sponsibility of the situa- question will be tonight. West Indies coach, Phil Simmons. games, the batting With West Indies play- tion that they are placed (CG) The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 35

South America soccer body postpones World Cup qualifiers

SAO PAULO – Two rounds of available for the games. quarantine restrictions.” national team and come back in a World Cup qualifier on South American World Cup “FIFA will analyse the CONMEBOL had said on and (for) 10 days cannot play.” March 26 in Barranquilla. qualifiers scheduled for the rescheduling of the fixtures, in Friday that FIFA was “looking Liverpool manager Juergen “To open that possibility (of a end of March were postponed coordination with CONMEBOL for a solution to the stalemate” Klopp also had spoken out flight from Brazil) would be very yesterday following opposition and its members,” CONMEBOL after Manchester City’s Pep against letting his South worrying,” minister Fernando from European clubs about said. Guardiola became the latest American players travel for the Ruiz Gómez said. allowing their players to travel In a statement, FIFA said the manager to reveal he wouldn’t games. Brazilian media had previ- during the coronavirus pan- decision to postpone was let his players travel to interna- Colombia’s health minister ously reported national coach demic. reached after “discussions with tional matches this month if has said it was unlikely the Tite was considering a list that South American soccer body our South American Member they have to quarantine on their country will reopen its borders includes only players who do not CONMEBOL tweeted that its Associations in conjunction with return. to flights coming from Brazil, need to return to Europe for the council made the decision based CONMEBOL and taking into “They are not going to fly, for which is experiencing a second two rounds of World Cup quali- on “the impossibility of having consideration the existing sure,” Guardiola said. “It makes wave of the virus. Colombia fying against Colombia and all South American players” volatility around travel and no sense when players go to the was scheduled to host Brazil Argentina. American Shields makes boxing history after points win over Dicaire AMERICAN Claressa 31. Shields made history as she The victory meant the outclassed Marie-Eve 25-year-old retained her WBC Dicaire in their light-mid- and WBO light-middleweight dleweight title fight. titles, took Canadian Dicaire’s A unanimous points victory IBF crown and won the vacant meant she became the first WBA belt. fighter – male or female – She had already won all four to be undisputed champion in belts at middleweight. two divisions in the four-belt After the fight Shields called era. out Britain’s Savannah Her hometown bout in Marshall, the WBO mid- Flint, Michigan, was also the dleweight champion and the headline act of the first all- only women to beat her as an women pay-per-view boxing amateur. Shields unified the middleweight division with victory over Christina Hammer in 2019. card. All three judges scored the ‘Lucky decision’ said. down weight divisions to lars”. fight 100-90 for Shields, who “You won a lucky decision However, Shields laughed face Ireland’s Katie Taylor, say- Shields also plans to make landed 116 punches to Dicaire’s when we were kids,” Shields when asked it she would drop ing it would take “a million dol- her MMA debut in June. Djokovic confirms return to Tour at Miami Open WORLD number one Novak www.novakdjokovic.com, Djokovic has said he will return Djokovic is entered for the ATP to the court at this month’s Masters 1000 event on the hard- Miami Open having recuperated courts in Miami from March 22- from a muscle tear suffered April 4. It is the first of three during his Australian Open title events he will play in before defence. heading to Europe for the clay- The 33-year-old Serbian suf- court swing ahead of the French fered the injury during a third Open in end May. round match at Melbourne Park From Miami, where he has but that did not stop him from won six titles, Djokovic will head clinching a record-extending to Monaco for the Monte-Carlo ninth Australian Open title and Masters, running from April 11- his 18th Grand Slam. 18, before returning home to He will surpass Roger Belgrade for the ATP 250 Serbia Federer’s all-time record for Open. most weeks as ATP world num- The Tour is returning to ber one tomorrow, holding the Belgrade for the first time since top spot for the 311th week. 2012, and the Serbia Open will Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in action during his final match against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev last According to a partial sched- be held at Djokovic’s tennis cen- month at the Australia Open. ule posted on his website ter from April 19-25. 36 • Sunday February 28, 2021 The Barbados Advocate REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE Kvitova rolls to Haggatt Hall, St. Michael Land 6336 sq ft Qatar Total Open title $126,000 PETRA KVITOVA of It’s the 28th career Cane Garden, St. Thomas the Czech Republic WTA title for Kvitova, Land 7,000 sf to 18,000 sq ft Private entrance. 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PROPERTIES Ragged Point, St. Philip Land 8,267 sq ft nament final in three of Golubic will next face Kirtons, St Philip $166,000 the past four years, last Denmark’s Clara Tauson, 3 bedroom plus year falling to Aryna who upset seventh-seed- 2 bedroom apt Rolling Hills, St. George Sabalenka. ed Paula Badosa of Spain Land 4,790 sq ft $685,000 Land 12,000 sq ft The fourth-seeded 7-5, 6-1 in the other semi- $315,000 (negotiable) Amity Lodge, Ch Ch Kvitova broke Muguruza final. 3 bedroom plus Ocean City, St. Philip REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE five times in nine chances The 18-year-old Tauson 1 bedroom apt Land 6150 sq ft Foul Bay, St. Philip as she cruised to the win won their only previous Land 6,646 sq ft $123,000 Approved for condos, in one hour and six min- meeting 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 in $650,000 All enquiries to Land 39,242 sq ft (246) 253 6319/ 828-4800 utes. January. Fortesque, St Philip $1,600,000. (246) 572 1452 Gibbons, Ch Ch Agricultural Land or 3 bedroom plus 494,500 sq ft Dover, Christ Church (246) 247 4469 2 bedroom apt $1,100,000 Hotel 18 rooms fully Land 9,835 sq ft $765,000 operational $2,950,000 neg Silver Sands, Breezy Hill, St Philip Christ Church Dalkeith, Christ Church 3 bedroom, 2 bath Land 7,129 sq ft Land 17,371 sq ft approved reduced to $298,000 $160,000 for shops and offices AUCTION SALES $495,000 Black Rock, St Michael Bushy Park, St. Philip 3 bedroom, 1 bath Land 24,000 sq ft Roebuck Street, Land 6732 sq ft $200,000 Bridgetown $360,000 Shopping Mall/Office space Apes Hill, St. James $8,100,000 negotiable Enterprise, Christ Church Land 31,000 sq ft upward 3 bedroom, 2 bath Large lots at $15 per sq ft Batts Rock, St Michael Land 5062 sq ft Guest House, $390,000 (reduced) Mount Wilton, St. Thomas Land 12,078 sq ft CARL HOLLIGAN Land 15,500 sq ft $2,850,000 negotiable GRADUATE OF THE OHIO Golf Club Road, and 22,066 sq ft SCHOOL OF AUCTIONEERING Christ Church $300,000 and $220,000 Cane Garden, St Thomas 3 bedroom, 1 bath 3.6 acres approved Our Auction Sales will be fixer upper Union, St. Philip Roadfront land done Online Via "Zoom" this Land 4,000 plus Land 7560 sq ft $1,650,000 negotiable Thursday March 4th, 2021 UNDER OFFER $150,000 at 1:00 PM. All persons are Fitts Village, St James asked to sign in by 12:40 PM The Belle, St George Cottage, St George Guest House, 4 Suites on the day of Sale. Photos Plantation style House Land 5000 sq ft Land 6,135 sq ft and Info will be posted 3 - 4 Standing on 4 acres $110,000 $850,000 negotiable days in Advance for viewing. UNDER OFFER Morningside, St Philip Mason Hill Street The City Contact Carl / Trevor Holligan Frere Pilgrim, Land 4567 sq ft 26,500 sq ft with buildings for further details. Christ Church $133,000 $4,500,000 negotiable Tel: 850-1818/ 850-2906 3 bedroom, 2 baths with two bedroom apartment. Jupiter Gardens, St Philip Land 4,387 sq ft. $850,000 Land 7312 sq ft NOTICES NOTICES $133,000 Hanson Heights, St George 3 bedroom, 2 baths Bagatelle, St. Thomas SAGICOR LIFE INC SAGICOR LIFE INC Land 8321 sq ft Land 62000 sq ft into 2 lots $595,000 $520,000 each Winston Brooker of “Good Annmarie Thompson of 11 Hope”, Lower Greys, Christ Ridgeview Estate, Christ Ealing Grove, Marley Vale, St Philip Church having made sworn Church having made sworn Christ Church Land 21,780 sq ft 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 baths $275,000 deposition that Policy No. deposition that Policy No. Land 9320 sq ft 077422952 issued by Sagicor 077401708 issued by Sagicor $565,000 Sandford, St Philip Life Inc on his life has been lost Life Inc on her life has been lost Land 16,356 sq ft and having made application to and having made application to LOTS FOR SALE $305,000 the Directors to grant a duplicate the Directors to grant a duplicate Cave Hill Drive, St. Lucy of the same, notice is hereby of the same, notice is hereby Land 14,876 sq ft. COMMERCIAL given that unless objection is given that unless objection is $110,000 raised within one month of the raised within one month of the Mount Standfast, St James date hereof, the duplicate policy date hereof, the duplicate policy Bushy Park, St. Philip Two properties on asked for will be issued. asked for will be issued. Land 17,000 sq ft 22,714 sq ft Land. $10 sq ft Asking $1,200,000 Dated: February 12, 2021 Dated: February 12, 2021 Inchcape, St. Philip Black Rock, St. Michael Land 4355 sq ft Warehouse/Factory By Order By Order $ 96,000 4000 sf space Land 23,861 sq ft Belle, St. George $900,000 (reduced) Althea C. Hazzard Althea C. Hazzard Land 4 acres Corporate Secretary Corporate Secretary $400,000 The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 37 England in India: Joe Root says his team would be ‘stupid’ not to learn from defeat CAPTAIN Joe Root says losses the hosts have suffered at England would be “stupid” home in 38 matches going back to not to learn lessons from 2013. their 3-1 Test series defeat in However, England’s India. performances have declined since The tourists lost the final Test then, culminating in a final by an innings and 25 runs after batting collapse on the third being bowled out for 135 in their afternoon of the fourth Test in second innings. Ahmedabad. England’s batsmen floundered Needing 160 to make India bat Joe Root (left) has lost his past three Test matches as England captain. on turning pitches against India’s again, England found themselves spinners, but are not due to play 10-2, 20-3 and 30-4 before being World Cup in October. England’s request for him to stay playing guys until they fall over. their next Test in Asia until the bowled out for 135. All of Jofra Archer,Ben Stokes, on, England went back to Bess We might not get it right all of the end of 2022. With Axar Patel and Mark Wood, Jonny Bairstow, Jos for the final Test, with the off- time, but it is going to be really “The guys have to embrace Ravichandran Ashwin taking five Buttler,Sam Curran, Mark Wood, spinner visibly low on confidence. important that we look after what has happened, understand wickets each, England lost all 10 Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes “The rotation policy is there to everyone.” it and be realistic,” said Root. wickets to spin for the third time have been rested at times during look after the players,” said Root. England’s next overseas tour is “We would be stupid to come in the series. the Tests in Sri Lanka and India. “It was all done with the best a bid to regain the Ashes in away from this trip and say ‘it “It was disappointing,” said In Bairstow’s case, he regained interests of the England team, Australia and Root was asked if was India, it was extreme Root.“It was a frustrating way to his place in the Test side in Sri the three formats across the the rotation policy will still be in conditions, it is impossible to bat’. finish. India showed us how to Lanka, then missed the first two whole year. place down under next winter. That is the wrong attitude. bat on that wicket.” Tests in India, only to then “There might have been areas “If we are in a bubble “The most important thing is to England have rested and register three ducks in four where we could have done things environment, there will be an know there are things we can get rotated their players across the innings on his return. slightly differently.Looking back, element of this that will carry better at. Yes, they have world- winter in a bid to manage their Moeen was recalled for the that’s very easy to say. over,” he said.“It would be silly for class spinners, but we can be physical and mental well-being. second Test in India, just before “It’s not the ideal scenario.As a us to look at this and not make it better.” Root’s side will play a total of 16 he was scheduled to miss the last captain, you always want all of better for the next tour. It does England won 2-0 in Sri Lanka or 17 Tests in the calendar year, two as part of a planned rest, your players available for deserve a lot of time, attention before defeating India in the first while Eoin Morgan’s white-ball taking the place of Dom Bess. selection. and thought before any decisions Test of the series, one of only two team will bid to win the T20 When Moeen opted against “But we have to get away from are made on it.” 38 • Sunday March 7, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Tiger Woods car crash: Golfer found NBA: Sixers centre Joel unconscious, documents reveal Embiid donating ASG TIGER WOODS was found unconscious earnings to homeless after his car crash in SIXERS centre Joel provide 15,000 meals for California last month, Embiid is donating homeless and under- it has emerged. $100,000 in earnings served individuals; 4,000 A man who lives nearby from Sunday’s All-Star essential clothing items said he heard the crash Game to combat home- for homeless teens and and walked to the scene lessness in Philadelphia. adults; care and treat- where he found the golfer The four-time All-Star ment of 100,000 homeless with his face and chin said Saturday that his individuals receiving covered in blood, court contributions will go to COVID-19 vaccines; sup- documents based on a several of the city’s home- port for 30-plus former police affidavit show. less shelters, including homeless families, in- He said he tried to Project HOME, Sunday cluding education, health speak to the champion but Breakfast Mission and care and employment; did not get a response. Youth Service INC. funding for a six-week Woods required lengthy “So many have fallen summer camp for 50-plus surgery to a fractured The SUV being driven by the champion golfer was badly damaged in the crash. on such hard times homeless and at-risk leg and shattered ankle (PHOTO: REUTERS) during the pandemic,” youth; and shelter and after the accident in Los Embiid said in a news re- essential needs for 300- Angeles County. the Los Angeles County believe the data will rolled over several times lease issued by the team. plus teens facing home- Police have said there Sheriff’s Department, po- explain how/why the and then plunged off the “I felt it was important to lessness or home insecu- was no evidence that he lice said that Woods could collision occurred,” Los road and down an em- provide more support for rity. was impaired by drugs or not remember driving. Angeles County sheriff’s bankment. individuals and families Embiid, who turns 27 alcohol. Officers had to tell him he Deputy Johann Schloegl County Sheriff Alex struggling with home- on March 16, will start The first emergency had been in a crash, ac- wrote. Villanueva has said that it lessness and food inse- for Team Durant in crews who arrived at the cording to the documents. Police have previously was “purely an accident”. curity. I’m continually Sunday’s All-Star Game scene reported that Woods The local resident who said that Woods was driv- Woods suffered “open grateful for all of the sup- in Atlanta. was “calm and lucid” as he first found him has not ing alone along a downhill fractures” on the tibia and port that Philadelphia A leading contender for was cut from the wreck of been named. stretch of road that has a fibula of his lower right leg and the fans have given MVP honours this sea- the SUV. Police filed the affidavit high frequency of acci- and a rod was inserted me not just around All- son, Embiid reached the It had not been previ- in order to try to obtain dents. into the tibia. Injuries to Star but all my years in break averaging 30.2 ously disclosed that Woods the SUV’s data recorder His car struck the cen- his foot and ankle were the league. I will continue points, 11.6 rebounds, had lost consciousness. for the investigation into tral reservation, crossed stabilised with screws and to help in any way I can.” 3.3 assists, 1.4 blocks and In the affidavit, filed by what caused the crash. “I into the opposite lane, pins. Embiid’s donation will 1.2 steals in 30 games. The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 7, 2021 • 39

Lewandowski hat-trick as Bayern stage comeback against Dortmund ROBERT Lewandowski’s ond-placed RB Leipzig, Haaland’s two early hat-trick outdid Erling who had briefly climbed strikes amazingly brought Braut Haaland’s early above them by winning at his career tally to 100 double as Bayern Munich Freiburg earlier on senior goals in all compe- came from behind to beat Saturday. titions at the tender age Dortmund in a Der Dortmund, meanwhile, of 20. Klassiker thriller. drop a place to sixth, four He has taken just 145 Haaland drove points off the Champions matches to reach that Dortmund ahead from 20 League places, their woes milestone - by comparison, yards after just 74 seconds compounded by a knock to Kylian Mbappe took 180 and then turned home Haaland that forced the matches to rack up triple Thorgan Hazard’s cut- Norway striker off in the figures, Lionel Messi 210 back. second half. games and Cristiano But Lewandowski He joins England Ronaldo 301. steered in Leroy Sane’s winger Jadon Sancho on His second-minute cross and levelled from the the treatment table, the opener took a slight nick spot after Mahmoud England winger absent off Boateng but was al- Dahoud fouled Kingsley with a thigh injury, and ways heading for Manuel Robert Lewandowski’s hat-trick was his 13th in the Bundesliga – only Gerd Coman. Dortmund will be desper- Neuer’s bottom corner and Müller (32) has more. Leon Goretzka drilled ate for both to be fit by he ended a classy move by Bayern ahead late on Tuesday as they bid to sweeping home Hazard’s placed Klaus Fischer on centre from close range accurate finishes in the before Lewandowski’s protect a 3-2 first-leg ad- pass for Dortmund’s sec- the league’s all-time scor- and beating Marwin Hitz closing stages to continue third confirmed a return vantage against Sevilla in ond. ing charts. from the spot. Bayern’s hold over to the top of the Bun- the Champions League However, Lewandowski The Poland striker could Dortmund looked set to Dortmund – they have desliga. last 16. was not to be overshad- have had more against his see out a cagier second won the past seven meet- Victory moved Hansi Haaland’s hasty hun- owed, his hat-trick taking former club, snatching at a half but Goretzka and ings between the sides at Flick’s reigning champi- dred as Lewandowski his Bundesliga total to 267 volley that he sent wide Lewandowski both found the Allianz Arena by an ons two points clear of sec- landmark looms goals, one behind second- before converting Sane’s the bottom corner with aggregate of 30-5. Xhaka mistake proves costly for Gunners

ARSENAL were denied dropped points will be victory by the wood- laid at the door of work, some heroic Xhaka, who was sent off Burnley defending and in the Gunners’ the video assistant ref- December defeat by eree amid a dramatic Burnley and had an- late onslaught as Granit other day to forget Xhaka’s error ultimately against the Clarets. cost the Gunners dear. Receiving an ill-ad- After Xhaka’s errant vised short pass facing pass struck Chris Wood his own goal from for a bizarre equaliser to keeper Bernd Leno, he Romain Saiss had the best opportunity to break the deadlock for Wolves. cancel out Pierre- tried to clip a square ball Emerick Aubameyang’s to David Luiz across the opener,Arsenal piled on penalty area but suc- Aston Villa, Wolves in derby stalemate relentless pressure in ceeded only in hitting the closing stages. Wood in the midriff and ASTON Villa’s Euro- snatch all three points. pace of Pedro Neto and markedly after the break. The Gunners thought the ball bounced into an pean hopes suffered an- Romain Saiss blazed an Adama Traore on the Neto tested Martinez they had been awarded empty net for the soft- other setback as they effort over the bar from counter,their first-half per- five minutes after the in- a penalty against Erik est of levellers. were held to a goalless practically on the goal-line formance underlined many terval to set the tone and Pieters but the spot-kick Buoyed by the unex- draw by Wolves in their after Conor Coady had of the reasons why. both Joao Moutinho and and the defender’s red pected gift, Burnley con- West Midlands derby. headed against a post, While Neto and Traore Ruben Neves appeared to card for deliberate hand- trolled a scrappy second The hosts, who suffered a while another close-range offer plenty with the ball have been given the free- ball were overturned by half before Arsenal’s late surprise loss to Sheffield effort from Coady drew a at their feet they were dom to roam forward. VAR after replays siege but Leno first pro- United in midweek, domi- superb save from Villa scarcely given the oppor- A well-worked corner showed he had diverted duced a fine save to keep nated the early stages with goalkeeper Emiliano tunity to threaten as routine saw Coady hit the Nicolas Pepe’s shot onto out Erik Pieters’ dipping Ollie Watkins and Ezri Martinez to ensure the Wolves failed to record an post before a stretching the bar with his shoul- 30-yard volley, and then Konsa both hitting the spoils were shared. effort on target. Saiss lifted the ball over der. used his leg to deny crossbar. The result leaves Villa Often receiving the ball the bar from barely a yard That was not the end Wood in a one-on-one. But with the influential ninth in the table on 40 deep, the duo were repeat- out. of the late drama as Ben A fifth successive Jack Grealish again miss- points while Wolves re- edly smothered by Villa’s Wolves were unfortu- Mee’s block denied home draw inches 15th- ing as he recovers from in- main 12th, five points fur- three midfield players, and nate that their next oppor- Aubameyang a sure-fire placed Burnley seven jury, Villa faded after the ther back. on the rare opportunities tunity from Willian Jose’s winner in stoppage time points clear of the break as Wolves sparked Only Burnley, they managed to advance skewed shot also fell to before Dani Ceballos Premier League bottom into life. Newcastle,West Brom and little arrived by the way of their England defender crashed an effort three, while Arsenal re- Having failed to create a Sheffield United have support. Coady,who while excellent against the post with al- main 10th, their hopes chance of note during the managed fewer goals on Only Sheffield United at the other end of the most the last kick of the of a late push for first period, Nuno Espirito their travels than Wolves have failed to score in more pitch – making more clear- game. European qualification Santo’s visitors somehow this season. opening periods in the ances than any other Ultimately, however, hindered by two contrived to miss several And having seemingly Premier League this term, player (eight) – is not noted the blame for the dropped points. gilt-edged chances to been set up to utilise the but Wolves improved for his finishing prowess.

COVID stops Sandy Lane Gold Cup in its tracks

Page 33

Sunday March 7, 2021 MORE SUPPORT KEY

A CALL has been made for greater would go do a residential camp in which support to be given to the National NCSA doing important work with youth children would be exposed to decision- Council on Substance Abuse making, how to make friends. They (NCSA) for the work it has been would not only talk about drugs and the doing with the youth of Barbados abuse of drugs etc., but how to manage who need key interventions and the the whole transition from their primary work to come, as changes are made education setting into that secondary to a key piece of legislation. education setting and it was something The call came recently from Minister that when I was Chairman, I really in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and wanted to us to be able to offer this to all Foreign Trade, Sandra Husbands, as she children in that transition corridor, made her contribution to the Drug when they’re making that jump from Abuse (Prevention and primary to secondary and so it is a Control)(Amendment) Bill, 2020 programme that I would want to recently. commend to us as a country. It is one “I recognize that as a society we have that I think that if we were to use it as a really long way to go and we need to a starting point, it would help us in give all the necessary support to our working with our young people, to be schools, to our parents and to the able to make the necessary choices”. National Council on Substance Abuse. Minister Husbands went on to state And I just want to commend one that one of the reasons why NCSA would particular programme that they have have found this absolutely necessary, is that has worked very well, but it’s too because of the reality of what is small to have the broad-based national happening in our society, drug wise. impact that we would like it to have and “In their reports, they found that a lot this is the project called Project SOFT,” of the young people who needed to do Husbands said. drug counselling, needed drug “Project SOFT is a programme that counselling around marijuana and most targets children who are moving from of them were 15 years of age. And when primary school into secondary school. they examined the reasons why these 15 Why? Because we know in the secondary year olds found themselves in the arena, children are brought under more situation of the use of marijuana, it was peer pressure, they might be introduced because they came from families where to drugs if they have not already been there was the use and abuse of illegal introduced at the primary level and this substances,” Husbands noted. is the area where they are most As such, she suggested that such vulnerable, as they’re trying to shape programmes and the work of the NCSA and make decisions about who they are in general, in terms of the training it where they’re going and what they want offers to youngsters will be key going to do. This is the time that they want to forward, given that the Bill being fit in,” Husbands continued. introduced seeks to provide for the She added, “Every year, the National payment of a fixed penalty for persons Council on Substance Abuse used to Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Sandra found in possession of small quantities have a camp for forty children and they Husbands. of cannabis. Still yes to referendum on decriminalisation of marijuana BARBADIANS are being given the matter,we have remained resolute.When people if we get to that place. But we are some persons of that faith who think assurance that the Government remains it comes to the question of should recognise that there are other matters the Government should have gone further, committed to holding a referendum to Barbados legalised cannabis, it would be that are important. It is important for the but he stated that while the Government determine whether or not marijuana a matter for the people of Barbados to State to provide economic opportunity and is prepared to do what it has to, to respect should be decriminalised. weigh in on and decide,” the Attorney economic enfranchisement and medicinal their constitutional freedom, they must So says Attorney General and Minister General said. cannabis is a well-respected and precious remember that they live in a society which of Legal Affairs, Dale Marshall. His With that in mind, he contended that opportunity, and we are not at all is made up of various groups. comments came in the House of Assembly the Bill before the House yesterday,which embarrassed that we are going in that “In fact, one of the things about the last Friday morning as he led off the paves the way, once passed and enacted, direction,” the legal affairs minister Constitution is that your rights must be debate on the Drug Abuse (Prevention for persons caught in possession of 14 stated. balanced against the rights of other and Control) (Amendment) Bill, as he grams or less of marijuana to be fined Marshall continued, “We gave the people.And so we give you that particular maintained that such a referendum is in $200 if they plead guilty; the development Rastafarian community, because of the opportunity to practice your faith in your keeping with the Barbados Labour Party’s of the medicinal cannabis industry and religious right that they have,the right to way without anybody knocking to lock 2018 manifesto pledge. the Sacramental Use of Cannabis Act, are practice their religion under the you up, but you also have to respect the “We are not resiling from that at all.We not attempts by Government to inch its Constitution, we’ve given them that. But fact that the Barbados Government has committed to that in the manifesto, we way to legalising cannabis. that is a limited right, limited purpose signed on to international treaties relating spoke about it on our platforms every “The Barbados Labour Party is holding and limited to place”. to cannabis use, and we have laws which night during the last election and on that fast to its commitment to consult the The Attorney General said that there must also be applied,” he stated. (JRT)

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