Vaccines Arrive

Established October 1895 NCF launches free training website PAGE 2 Wednesday June 30, 2021 $1 VAT Inclusive MORE VACCINES ARRIVE PRIME MINISTER Mia Barbados gets 30,000 doses of Sinopharm from China Minister Mottley said that the Amor Mottley is once again only thing standing between making an appeal for Adams International 30,000 doses of the public to do some quick Barbadians and protecting our Barbadians to consider Airport yesterday as Sinopharm vaccine from reflection as she drew attention way of life was a decision to becoming vaccinated government officials were the People’s Republic of to the empty departures take the vaccine. against COVID-19. She was on-hand for the official China. lounge, a stark contrast to the speaking at the Grantley handover of a shipment of Calling on members of the usually bustling area, Prime SINOPHARM on Page 3 From left to right: Minister of Health and Wellness, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic; Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Barbados, Yan Xiusheng and Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley pose with the shipment of vaccines as Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kenneth George, inspects the cargo. Bishop Atherley to Gov’t: Become ‘price shapers’ GOVERNMENT must seek to Inefficient Lighting Bill 2021, he feeling and become “price situation. electricity generation accounts address Barbados’ high cost of said while Government was shapers”. “For several other reasons, we for about half of our import energy, insists Leader of the often seen as “price takers”, as Saying this island’s energy find ourselves being subject to bill with respect to fossil Opposition, Bishop Joseph the chief entity responsible for costs were amongst some of the paying some of the highest costs, fuels. Therefore, it is an Atherley. creating regulatory framework, highest in the region, he stressed with reference to energy in the abundant responsibility upon Speaking during yesterday’s it could remove some of the this was not just because of the region and the Honourable the Government of debate on the Control of pressure that consumers were current energy monopoly Minister also suggests that ENERGY COSTS on Page 4 2 • Wednesday June 30, 2021 The Barbados Advocate AT LEFT: Several free courses are offered on the NCF training website. NCF launches free training website THE National Cultural Foundation (NCF) has officially launched a free website opening a virtual door for persons to learn a wide range of disciplines in the Arts from the comfort of their own home. Basketry,video production, joinery,act- ing, dance and spoken word are just a few of the online classes which can now be accessed through the NCF’s website under “Training’. Yesterday during a press conference via Zoom, Chief Executive Officer Carol Roberts-Reifer explained the importance of the initiative, which was created as a result of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. She reminded those in attendance that a training programme in partnership with the Division of Community Development was launched back in March and was originally to be spread across 24 community centres. “The arrival of COVID-19 in Barbados and the resulting national shutdown and NCF’s Chief Executive Officer, Carol emergency measures forced us to halt Roberts-Reifer. the full rollout of the project and to re- evaluate its structure. The one aspect rich and diverse modes of artistic expres- that was steadfast was our determina- sion; that it will motivate greater per- tion to provide free basic training in mul- sonal research into and of course, the dis- tiple cultural settings. covery of our national identity; and in- “The decision to reformat the project to spire renewed and enlightened collabora- allow for digital tutorials and demon- tions aimed at demystifying and cele- strations, though largely new territory brating all that underpins and permeates for the Foundation, quickly inspired the who we are, who we were, and who we conceptualisation and production of a are yet destined to become,” she said. slew of digital content programs that The CEO said never before had such an eventually,quite naturally morphed into accomplished and acclaimed corps of the digital training platform.” local artists and arts educators across With the pandemic, she noted that multiple disciplines gathered to share gears had to be shifted. “We then em- their immense talents, experience and barked on a strategic programme to knowledge. “In fact, the Foundation and produce digital content that could be I dare say the people of Barbados, owe a accessed and used by all... debt of gratitude to their priceless contri- “This online platform covers topics and butions to their project, and I personally multiple categories of the Arts, and it is want to say thank you to each and every absolutely free to all users wherever they tutor and facilitator,” she said. (JH) may be located. It is an invaluable resource tool that delivers basic training and cultural art forms in an easy and en- BWA to make new joyable format. It features over 37 facil- itators, and offers a total of 28 courses suitable for all age groups, where partic- connection in the ipants can absorb the material at their own pace, and as often as they like.” Mount, St. George It was also revealed that the NCF has also worked closely with the Ministry of THE Barbados Water Authority informs Education to create learning tools for residents of St. George that it will be students studying theatre, music and making a new connection in The Mount dance at the CAPE and CSEC levels. on Thursday, July 1, between 10 a.m. “There are digital books like the and 6 p.m. Cultural Resource kit, which contains As a result, residents and businesses valuable information about our cultural located in The Mount, Mount Tenantry, forms, as well as the Teachers’ Training Drax Hall to Drax Hall Hope, Drax Hall Manual for learning and teaching the Jump and surrounding districts may codified movements of the Barbados suffer low pressure or a water outage landship.” during this time. She said the cultural training pro- Customers are asked to store an ade- gramme is an example of the potential of quate supply of water to assist. partnerships focused on a common cause A water tanker will also help resi- with people at the centre. dents in the affected areas while work “Far too often our intent and by exten- is ongoing. sion, our content is measured by financial The BWA apologises for any incon- barometers only.I am truly hopeful that venience this installation in the Mount, this educational and developmental tool St. George on Thursday, July 1, may will offer a variety of glimpses into our cause. The Barbados Advocate Wednesday June 30, 2021 • 3 New structure for electricity generation and supply coming MINISTER of Energy, cense, noting that renewable en- Small Business and ergy technologies are largely in- Entrepreneurship, Kerrie termittent, he said it is impor- Symmonds, says further ef- tant to have a way to capture forts are being made to open the power that is generated, the electricity market for which is then sold to the grid. competition. Minister Symmonds went on He said in doing so, this would to say that the Fair Trading allow for investment to be made Commission is working on set- in the sector. His comments ting the appropriate tariff for came in the House of Assembly energy storage. yesterday afternoon as he said “We are cognisant of the fact that in April, Government con- that what we do not want is en- cluded negotiations with the ergy arbitrage, where people will Barbados Light and Power just simply generate storage Company Limited (BL&P), with a view to selling at the time which will see five licenses being when the highest price is avail- made available to local investors able. That’s not what we are in- who want to be a part of the new terested in, and that’s what we market structure for electricity have to guard against, because generation and supply in this there are those people who country. His comments came as would seek to humbug a whole he piloted the debate on the country in order to profiteer per- Control of Inefficient Lighting sonally and privately, and that Bill, which is to ban the importa- cannot be allowed. Equally Mr. An empty departures lounge at the Grantley Adams International Airport tells the story of our tion and sale of incandescent Speaker, Sir, there’s a transmis- once bustling tourism industry as Prime Minister Mottley addressed the nation yesterday. light bulbs in this country. sion and distribution and sales “And so we have negotiated, license, which has been negoti- and in April of this year, the ated,” he said. Light and Power indicated satis- Symmonds added that the es- Health Ministry happy to receive faction by way of letter with the tablishment of the new market negotiation, and we now will go structure will be characterised through the formalities of the by maximum participation of much-needed assistance: Bostic public discussion and public local entrepreneurs and inter- signing of the new arrange- national partners and it will be SINOPHARM from Page 1 but to partner with you in all prevention and control.With the ments,” he stated. done through power purchase that we do.And so, the arrival of arrival of Chinese vaccine aid Symmonds said that for ad- agreements between independ- “Our capacity globally and lo- the Sinopharm vaccines is some- today, we sincerely hope that ministrative purposes, the five ent power producers (IPP) and cally to be able to have a situa- thing that we have been looking China would make a further licenses will be treated as three the utility company.

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