Established October 1895 Scientists’ surveillance hindered by poor visibility Page 4 Wednesday April 28, 2021 $1 VAT Inclusive New policy UNEQUAL Concern expressed on quality about curtailing of Labour Day likely TREATMENT activities coming WHY is it that trade unionists in the 13th June 1980 Movement, wants Their comments came during a virtual Barbados cannot gather, whilst so- answered. He has also received the sup- press conference, which they convened cially distanced, to celebrate Labour port of General Secretary of the to discuss their Labour Day Programme, THE Cabinet of Barbados will soon have Day on May 1st, but religious Caribbean Movement for Peace and which will now take place over the Zoom before it for approval, a paper that out- groups, which in some cases have Integration, David Denny, who argues online platform on May 1st, 2021, given lines the development of a national pol- contributed to the spread of COVID- that May 1st is an important day for the restrictions in place on account of the icy on quality for this country. 19, can freely congregate? workers in Barbados and the curtailing pandemic. Word of this has come from Minister of This is the question Attorney-at-Law, therefore of Labour Day activities should Energy, Small Business and Lalu Hanuman who is the coordinator of be frowned upon. ANSWERS on Page 3 Entrepreneurship, Kerrie Symmonds, who said this policy will speak to the quality of services provided and goods produced here. He made the disclosure while delivering the keynote address yes- terday morning during the virtual launch of the Caribbean Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Centre. Symmonds told the online audience that on Monday he signed off on the Cabinet paper, and expects that within as little as a week or two, it will come up for discussion at that level. “We want this to be a quality policy which will be part of our national archi- tecture or infrastructure, so that every aspect of this country's business ecosys- tem, supplying goods or services irrespec- tive of what you do or at what level you do, we will now be utilising the Barbados National Standards Institute and related agencies to make sure that this is done in a way that is taking us all to the level of international best practice,” he said. Key to competitiveness Symmonds explained that such a policy is necessary if businesses in this country want to be able to successfully compete internationally.The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Minister made the point while lamenting for the second time Managing Director at Mount Gay Raphaël Grisoni presented Michelle Cave, educator, and beekeeper with a beehive in less than a week, that while there are towards her initiative with the primary school students in St. Philip. approximately 10,000 small, micro and medium enterprises in this country, less than one hundred are members of the Mount Gay donates hive towards initiative Barbados National Standards Institution (BNSI). AN initiative aimed at educating chil- ceive practical, hands-on experience with Cave, who is also a beekeeper,thanked “It therefore tells me that again, even dren on the importance of honeybees and a real hive of bees. Mr. Grisoni as well as Beekeeper at the in the field of practising business on a inspiring them to take part in their “I am very happy that we can donate National Conservation Commission day-by day-basis, there are way too many preservation will soon get under way this beehive, but it is not only a house for (NCC) David Small, for embracing the entrepreneurs and way too many enter- thanks to Mount Gay Rum Distilleries the bees – it is the education of children initiative. She said the hive will be placed prises that are not mindful of the need to Limited. about our environment and be conscious in an area between the Oughterson zoo maintain that which they do, in accor- Yesterday, Managing Director at about what we can do to have a sustain- and Bushy Park for the children to access dance with certain standards and cer- Mount Gay, Raphaël Grisoni, presented able environment around us, and bee- at any time. tain levels of best practice. And as I sim- a beehive and beekeeping suit towards hives are contributing to the sustainabil- “I keep bees and an increasing number ply said just now, if you don't get that, the effort spearheaded by educator, ity of our environment,” he expressed. of parents have caught wind of this and right, A, we fail our own consuming pub- Michelle Cave. “I am very happy that the young gen- would like their children to take part in lic domestically, but most importantly, Grisoni said that Mount Gay, which eration will be sensitized and educated the bee rearing at Bushy Park,” she re- we fail at the effort of raising foreign has beehives at its St. Lucy estate, is and will also learn physically and not vealed. pleased to make the donation to the pri- from just books, but really taking care of QUALITY on Page 2 mary school students in St. Philip to re- the bees.” HIVE on Page 9 2 • Wednesday April 28, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Minister Straughn speaks on National Payment System decision MINISTER in Finance The presentation was financial institutions and much time, too much man- from it,” said the minister. as a country,to set about a in the Ministry of done during the Barbados members of the business power to be able to collect Straughn acknowledged course of action that would Finance, Economic International Business sectors regarding the monies on behalf of the that Barbados has had help to mitigate or min- Affairs and Investment, Association (BIBA), BIBA move to more digital government and the rec- problems relating to the imise the risk of being as- Ryan Straughn, spoke Talks webinar on e- processes. onciliation needed to allow ease of doing business on sociated with money laun- yesterday on the rea- Readiness: Digital “We recognised that it people to do their business. the island, not just be- dering. soning behind the gov- Payments Webinar. costs the government We felt that it was impor- tween individuals and “Therefore the introduc- ernment moving to Straughn explained that more money to process tant that we look at this in government agencies, but tion of a comprehensive National Payment the Digital Payments Bill cheques, the financial in- a strategic way to ensure equally resides as a prob- digital payment system Systems and also the passed in February 2021 stitutions speak to the that we can better improve lem within the private sec- would in part solve some of Implications for the was a culmination of dis- costs associated with pro- the services we were offer- tor.As a result the govern- the Know Your Customer Ease of Doing Business cussions between the cessing cheques.We recog- ing and that the business ment saw it fit to address (KYC) requirements that in Barbados. Government and all of the nise that we are taking too community can benefit the problem by developing is needed to sensitise cor- a payments ecosystem. respondent banks outside “An ecosystem predi- of Barbados including the cated on competition, an FATF (Financial Action ecosystem predicated on Task Force), EU, the financial inclusion for a OECD (Organisation for whole host of Barbadians Economic Cooperation as well as citizens first, and Development) and all persons who are involved of the other regulatory in business and the agents. To be able to en- Government of Barbados, sure that regular but also three, to address Barbados can do their some of the emerging is- business inside or outside sues regarding Anti- of Barbados in the case Money Laundering, which where correspondent is a significant challenge banking occurs,” he ex- for Barbados,” said plained. Straughn. Straughn expanded by saying that whether peo- Correspondent banks to ple chose to go on Amazon, be addressed or seek to source goods or However, the Minister in services from overseas Finance also stated that suppliers,it was important the correspondent bank- that the government settle ing issue had not yet been any issues regarding cor- settled, but the govern- respondent banks as soon ment felt it was necessary, as possible. (AS) ‘Quest for quality and standards must start from the inception’ QUALITY from Page 1 ternational standards, he maintained that the quest exchange on the interna- for quality and standards tional market, because must start from the incep- our businesses then get tion of the business.He shell-shocked, when once said if they can get it right you reach to the export at the domestic level, pro- level platform, whether moting international best you're providing a cross practice, it becomes very border service, or whether easy then to penetrate you're providing a good, other markets. and you are told you have “Every step of the way to be in accordance with therefore, we have to be this, and if you can't get making sure that those that level then don’t businesses that function come,” Minister in this country must do so Symmonds said. at the level that satisfy Earlier in his remarks, two things - one, a more Symmonds said that discerning and demand- while tariffs in interna- ing, consuming body of the tional trade have been re- public; and secondly, the moved, non-tariff trade necessary levels of opera- barriers like standards re- tion which would allow main, and these present a them to be comfortable, challenge for businesses when once they do come seeking to export. to the expert level plat- Pointing out that local or form, of performing a regional businesses can- standard to which they not penetrate other mar- have become accustomed,” kets unless they meet in- he said.