Established October 1895 ‘Swim for Life’ programme has tremendous potential Page 2 Tuesday August 11, 2020 $1 VAT Inclusive DLP: NO Stay alert! IN a public service announce- ment to the public yesterday,the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) urged those persons who have NEED been laid off due to the impact of COVID-19, to be aware of the Health officials seek time frame for the filing of sev- to reassure public erance claims. President of the DLP, Verla after confirming one DePeiza was speaking specifi- case of malaria cally to persons who were laid off between March 1st and May 30th, 2020, including those TO dates. DePeiza alerted them that the amendment to the Severance Payment Act had ex- pired on July 31st and stated that they needed to be aware of two important points. "One, they have 22 weeks in order to claim and two, they Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer Ronald Chapman. have four weeks from the end of PANIC that 22-week period in order to ACCORDING to the top- make that claim," explained brass of medical practition- DePeiza. ers and public health and The amendment of the act, safety officials in Barbados, mainly targeted tourism sector there is no need for panic employees in the hotel and hos- after the discovery of one pitality industry, and allowed confirmed case of malaria employers who had laid-off staff on the island. during the March 1st and May This was revealed yesterday 30th time span due to the pan- in an emergency press confer- demic, to have a 22-week cush- ence that was called by Chief ion before the employees were Medical Officer (Ag.), Dr legally able to apply for sever- Kenneth George, Infectious ance payments. Disease Consultant, Dr. Corey The president argued that the Forde and the Deputy Chief piece of legislation was indeed Environmental Health Officer, helpful to businesses during the Ronald Chapman. uncertain times of the COVID- Just about two weeks after a 19 pandemic, but had not aided group of Ghanian nurses ar- the employees in any way. She rived in Barbados in a bid to im- asked the public to take note, prove nursing care in Barbados, safeguard themselves and to 12 of those nurses have tested safeguard their interests. positive for COVID-19 and one "You now have to be vigilant of them has been diagnosed with in your own right and get to the malaria. “In addition, I would National Insurance severance like to let the Barbadian public section in order to get your in- know that there was one case of structions on how to claim your malaria in one of the nurses who severance, and within the four came to Barbados to serve the week period," urged the DLP people of Barbados.We are cur- president. rently making sure as based on DePeiza also told those who the international protocols for had been laid off on March 1st, how malaria is treated that we 2020 that their 22 weeks had use these protocols and use the already passed and if they appropriate drugs and at the ap- wished to make the claim for propriate time for the appropri- severance, their four weeks ate duration,” Dr. George stated. began on July 31st. She let them Going on to note that there know that after the four-week were two to three cases of period had expired, they would malaria in Barbados every year, lose their right to claim sever- MALARIA on Page 3 Infectious Diseases Consultant Dr. Corey Forde. ance. (AS) 2 • Tuesday August 11, 2020 The Barbados Advocate ‘Swim for Life’ programme has tremendous potential MINISTER of Youth, fundamental, if the country has developed those guys that there are job Sports and Community is looking to build out the into millionaires, we want opportunities. We use the Empowerment, Dwight sports industry and sports to create some black word seafarer, but there Sutherland is confident economy in Barbados. millionaires by recognising are marine opportunities... that Government’s new “We have to start with the value that the ocean there are many global national initiative to our young people and that brings to this economy.” opportunities as we see the teach young people is why there are With that in mind, he ocean, not only as an ocean, across this country to tremendous synergies said the ‘Swim for Life’ but as a key resource in swim, could assist in between the ministries programme is three-fold – terms of building out what further building out with Youth, Sports and teaching young people to we call sustainable and diversifying the Community swim, building out the development with our sports industry in this Empowerment, because sports industry and citizens and indeed as a country. what we see is young economy and opening the country,” he stated. Minister Sutherland people from communities doors to employment Sutherland’s comments made the comments learning to swim,” he opportunities. came as he offered full during the recently held stated. “Exposing your children support for the press conference to launch Sutherland continued, to the sea can build programme, and the ‘Swim for Life’ “And indeed swimming as confidence, can develop maintained that programme. Sutherland, a sport has taken off and I what we as a Government Barbadians must not who recently took over the see it as one of the areas promulgate – building underestimate the value Youth, Sports and that we indeed can build global citizens among our that learning to swim can Community high end revenue young people.When we are have for young people in Empowerment ministerial generation from, because looking to take on the respect of confidence and portfolio, said that when you look at Michael world, when we are looking attitude “to learn new recognising the value of Phelps and those guys, you at what is going on in the things and take on the Minister of Youth, Sports and Community water sports is would see how swimming international space, we see world”. (JRT) Empowerment, Dwight Sutherland. Dr. George defends his position AFTER the return of the her the all clear.This as he augment its healthcare our protocols that persons substantive Minister of spoke during yesterday’s delivery force, she received coming from high-risk Tourism and International media conference at the her bill of health from the areas should be tested Transport, Senator Lisa Ministry of Health and top medical officer and before they come to Cummins, triggered a Wellness. proceeded to Senate to cast Barbados and five to seven walk-out in the Upper With Senator Cummins her vote on the Integrity in days after, they will be House of Senate about a having self-isolated for a Public Life Bill. However, tested again. After that week ago, Acting Chief few days after being part of the action resulted in period, we consider them Medical Officer, Dr. the welcome party for the several fellow senators to be not infectious and Kenneth George, is Ghanian nurses who walking out and public they could move on. We standing by his call to give arrived in Barbados to backlash as she tried to have said so in the defend her position. protocols and that is good After Senator Cummins information. We have also also issued a public said that for those apology, Dr. George stubborn persons who do yesterday stood by his not want to be tested, that decision to give her the Ministry of Health has clearance. “I believe that advised that they will what I did was the remain in quarantine for scientific approach. 14 days. These are public Obviously things were said documents which are there in other places regarding for you to scrutinise.So it is the decision I had made. not a clear cut definition. It We in this ministry have depends on when you test, assured the public that we how you test and the use a steady hand when we disease process,” he said. make decisions in this Infectious Diseases ministry and we have Consultant Dr. Corey agreed that the risk, to Forde backed up Dr. start with, was extremely George’s position stating low. And we used the that practitioners operated Chief Medical Officer (Ag.), Dr. Kenneth George, as science at the time and I under the available he spoke during yesterday’s media conference. stand by my decision to knowledge and science. issue the letter. We will Going on to say that the positive, when they culture Senate or members of the continue to make sure that science now proved that the virus in the lab,we now public at large as it related the interest of the public is persons were most know at that period you to that incident. “I have paramount and the infectious during the first cannot actually spread the written letters for persons protection of the public is week of the illness,Dr. disease because the PCR today letting them know paramount,” he said. Forde said that after that test does not differentiate that they can safely go With most of the public the risks were much less. between a live virus and back, just as I did with her. outrage and confusion “If you don’t want to get dead virus or what is called I did three letters today being generated by the tested, we will put you out shedding of the virus. So because based on the week Cummins spent in for 14 days as a security. that becomes a very information and science I isolation versus the two Since then we have now important point as well,” have, I made a weeks which has been learnt that past Day 8, Day Dr.