Established October 1895 UNCTAD 15 website goes live Page 2 Thursday August 27, 2020 $1 VAT Inclusive IMPORT LICENSES ESSENTIAL PERSONS are being reminded that clearly that the Comptroller can refuse license, they were affected by the increase implemented from the point of view of a where they are seeking to import entry to the goods, or where they are being in the tariffs, so as to protect the whole quota. goods into the country, they should exported, not clear them for export where industry.So they have an increase of tariff “Currently within our environment we obtain the necessary licenses. the license has not been sought. and an import license, same thing as Lalu do not implement quotas and therefore it It is coming from Deputy Comptroller of “I think this is something that attention mentioned with furniture.Why the added is just a regulatory feature to ensure that Customs, Sonea Jordan-Clarke. She spoke should be paid to, so that persons would step, which used to be that they needed the we have the necessary statistics generated to this yesterday while participating in the know that it is important to have the information for stats purposes? ASYCUDA for the Government, so that they can do the latest Customs Bill Consultation license in place before bringing the goods provides the best stats and the fastest necessary monitoring,” he said. Workshop hosted by the Barbados into the country.It makes the goods liable means of getting stats now than we ever Holder indicated that the question of Chamber of Commerce and Industry in to seizure,” she said. had before as it relates to imports.Why are licenses was raised in a previous forum collaboration with the Customs and Excise Meanwhile, during the session, Customs T-shirts and those types of things that have and stated that there might be some scope Department via Zoom. Broker, Louis Forde raised concern about increased duties, still having that extra for removing some of those items, including “The importation of goods without the the requirement for some licenses being a step of applying for an import license?” he T-shirts, from the Schedule to the requisite license is definitely an offence. barrier to trade. He questioned why it was queried. legislation. We’ve got persons and we have companies still necessary to obtain a license, especially In response, Comptroller of Customs, “I know they were put in the Schedule that import items into the island and then where the goods in questions had heavy Owen Holder said that the determination when they were used to protect the apply for licenses,” she said. duties applied to them. He made the point relative to import licenses are based on industry in Barbados, but now that there Jordan-Clarke explained however that using T-shirts as an example. policy, he insisted that such a license only is no longer such an industry then we could under the draft Customs Bill, it states “The T-shirts are granted an automatic becomes a barrier when they are look at the removal,” he stated. (JRT) Meeting welcomed says primary school teachers MANY primary school teachers and principals who attended yesterday’s meeting with the Education Minister said they were pleased to hear first-hand what measures will be implemented for the reopening of schools next month. They shared this with the media while exiting the Wildey Gymnasium.The day’s meeting was the second of three meetings the Education Minister, Santia Bradshaw and education officials will have this week.Also in attendance at the session were Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Cynthia Forde, Minister of Youth,Sports and Community Empowerment, Dwight Sutherland and Director of the COVID- 19 Monitoring Unit, Ronald Chapman. Like Tuesday’s meeting, which occurred between Bradshaw and the secondary school teachers and principals, two areas dealt with during yesterday’s discussion were the blended approach that will be taken to teaching in the new term and what COVID-19 health and safety protocols will be setup for the reopening of schools on September 21st. Speaking to The Barbados Advocate, educator,Charmaine Ottley said she was glad to attend and “it seems that many of the teachers welcomed the opportunity to Education Minister, Santia Bradshaw in conversation with Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, be able to sit and have dealt one-on-one Technological and Vocational Training, Senator Dr. Romel Springer (left); Minister of Youth, Sports and Community with the Ministry and the Minister.” Empowerment, Dwight Sutherland (right) and Personal Assistant to the Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Angela L. Canchon. PRIMARY on Page 4 2 • Thursday August 27, 2020 The Barbados Advocate UNCTAD 15 website goes live WITH a banner that showed a has challenged so many assumptions and countdown of 241 days until the has sent us all back to the drawing board. official opening of the United The United Nations Conference on Trade Nations Conference on Trade and and Development emerged out of an Development (UNCTAD) 15, the equally turbulent era, the age of National Organising Committee decolonisation of the 1960s and the call launched the official website for the by the newly independent developing conference yesterday. Local and nations for a greater say in shaping the international delegates of the international economic order in which conference can now register, read they now functioned. We believe that up and conduct all business related UNCTAD 15 is taking place at a to the event which takes place every similarly historic moment where bold four years. leadership and new thinking can be After Barbados’ bid to host was transformative,” she said. accepted in June of 2019, the conference With the conference to be hosted at the was originally slated for October of this Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre with the year. However, due to the COVID-19 opening and closing ceremonies pandemic the conference dates have now earmarked for the Sir Garfield been set for April 25 – 30 of 2021. With Sobers Gymnasium, Deputy National the theme for the conference, ‘From Co-ordinator for Administrative, National Co-ordinator for the UNCTAD 15 National Organising Committee Teresa Inequality and Vulnerability to Financial and Logistical Matters Marshall (right) looks on as Deputy National Co-ordinator for the Substantive Prosperity for All’ decided on in February, explained that there were three meeting Negotiations Carlos Wharton speaks during yesterday’s website launch. it remains relevant and fitting given tracks set for the main conference which what has transpired since. were the general debate, negotiating the creative industries, trade digitisation Wharton said that the conference plays Yesterday’s launch of the website, sessions and ministerial roundtables and and global commodities,” he said before a major role in consensus building, which was created by TAPP New Media, high-level events. However,he went on to going on to state that there would also be research and analysis and technical a local digital solutions company, was say that there were also some very a two-acre space set aside for a Bajan- cooperation for developing countries. hosted at the National Organising important forums that would precede the themed village marketplace to showcase “It is in that context that UNCTAD 15 Committee’s offices in Welches, main conference and help to guide the local food, arts, music and culture. is a unique opportunity for Barbados, St. Michael however, there were discussion. “Immediately preceding the Laying down a backdrop in which he CARICOM and by extension, small participants in the virtual launch from main conference will be a series of highlighted the serious implications of island developing states to present this Barbados and New York and as far away pre-conference meetings and events that COVID-19 for world-wide employment, conundrum of issues that are seriously as Geneva and Nairobi.The launch event will run from April 23 to 24. Of particular sectors which contribute to economic affecting our ability to build a better was chaired by the National Co-ordinator interest on the pre-conference calendar development and governments’ abilities future for our children and to ensure that Teresa Marshall and she drew a parallel are a number of forums – six in total – to provide basic things such as education as a global citizenry, we are able to live between the inaugural conference and that Barbados will host. The forums will and healthcare across the board, with dignity,” he said. the upcoming one, noting that both came address matters relating to the youth, Deputy National Co-ordinator for the (MP) at trying times in the world. “COVID-19 gender and development, civil society, Substantive Negotiations Carlos The Barbados Advocate Thursday August 27, 2020 • 3 Reallocation of tourism workers, a challenging opportunity THE reallocation of tourism continues. However she stated understand that the digital workers into growing that one solution was to move transformation of our economies sectors is one of the tourism workers into other and our societies is urgently solutions to employment sectors. needed,” said Chen. woes in the Caribbean, “Perhaps one solution is to However the president said however that move will be a take workers from the tourism that the reallocation of workers challenge to the workers sector and re-allocate them to would be a challenge as and employers. other sectors that are doing governments cannot pick up This solution was put forward better,at least temporarily while tourism workers and easily slot during the recently held edition this sector comes back,” said the them into other sectors. of the Caribbean Economic chief. One of the sectors showing the Forum hosted by the Barbados Dr Pages-Serra explained that most growth, according to Chen, Central Bank.