Established October 1895 Dame Patricia laid to rest PAGE 4 Saturday June 20, 2020 $1 VAT Inclusive Efforts on to improve CHICKEN GLUT Barbados’ water supply EFFORTS are on to improve the quality,reliability and efficiency of Barbados’ potable water sup- ply, as well as its wastewater system. Just yesterday, the Barbados Water Supply CAUSESWITH over 600,000 currently working at 40 per cent BusinessCUT and Entrepreneur- as supermarkets were wary of Infrastructure Rehabilitation kilograms of frozen chicken of its capacity due to the closure ship, Dwight Sutherland. being shut down at a moment’s Project was launched at the in stock, Chickmont Foods of many hotels and restaurants “You cannot stop the notice, so they were hesitant to Barbados Water Authority’s Limited will be slashing its during the national shutdown production of poultry buy fresh meats cause they did (BWA) Bowmanston Pumping days of operation to just two caused by the COVID-19 immediately, so while the not know if they were going to Station in St. John. per week. pandemic. country shut down, we were be stuck with it. Barbados is a Minister of Energy and Water Explaining the reason behind He highlighted the delayed still producing. You have fresh chicken market, so if you Resources, Wilfred Abrahams, the glut of this commodity, effect the shutdown had on the different ages of chickens on the cannot produce fresh, you have noted that the project, which is General Manager of Chickmont poultry industry during a tour farm and different ages of eggs to freeze it,” Albecker noted. being financed by the European Foods, Edward Albecker, said of the plant yesterday with in the hatchers aging. Then Investment Bank (EIB) and the processing plant was Minister of Commerce, Small sales declined to less than half GLUT on Page 2 CAF – the Development Bank of Latin America – to the tune of over US$12 million, had some initial delays as it was several years in the making, but it will now serve to aid the BWA in overcoming a number of its challenges. “The main objective of the proj- ect was developed through many collaborative missions by CAF, the EIB and the Barbados Water Authority from as far back as 2015, to reduce and control unac- counted for water losses, which will be achieved through the re- habilitation and optimization of existing storage, pumping and pipe work infrastructure, as well as long-term planning to im- prove climate change resilience and suitability over a four-year period,” Abrahams explained. “Under the Pre-investment Component, the development of a Master Plan will facilitate the Government of Barbados in the provision of a roadmap to determine the sustainability of the water and sanitation sectors, which will take the changing climate conditions into account. In the Investment Works Component, we will see the im- provement of reliability and quality of service for over 82,000 customers, as well as upgraded working conditions for Barbados Water Authority staff, associated with improvements to security and occupational safety,” he added. “All of this will be accomplished through the repair and reconstruction of stor- age tanks and the provision of additional equipment at reser- voirs and pumping stations at 12 locations across Barbados. General Manager of Chickmont Foods, Edward Albecker and Commerce Minister, Dwight Sutherland, speak on the various products available at the processor’s depot during the tour. WATER SUPPLY on Page 3 2 • Saturday June 20, 2020 The Barbados Advocate Albecker: Take advantage of specials on frozen chicken products GLUT on Page 1 will only work two days for maybe ten weeks as With the company al- we have to cut back our ready having laid off over production,” he stressed, 100 workers in the last saying the story was the three months, the GM same for every poultry said the reduction in op- production company in erating hours would also Barbados. have a serious impact on He therefore encour- the staff remaining. aged persons to take ad- “We are now getting to vantage of the specials the point where from next that were now on on week, when we usually frozen chicken products. slaughter 100,000 birds “Currently there is a week, we will be only 600,000 kilograms of slaughtering two days, frozen chicken in stock, which means in addition which is why we are sell- to the 130 staff which ing it at cost in the depot, were laid off, the remain- because we need to move Whole chicken from Chickmont Foods is now vacuum sealed to reduce the usage of styrofoam, this worker ing 300 staff members it out,” he added. (JMB) explained. Government day nurseries will not reopen on Monday PARENTS and A notice from the the Ministry of Health guardians of children Child Care Board yes- and Wellness, in re- who attend terday explained that sponse to COVID-19. Government’s 15 day the reopening has been Notification of the nurseries are advised delayed to allow for new reopening date that these facilities will the implementation will be given in a not reopen on Monday, of measures outlined in subsequent announce- June 22. the protocols issued by ment. Register with the NIS, urges Sutherland MICRO and small wasn’t asking you to be therefore paint a better business owners are up to date with your NIS picture of the contribution being urged to register payment. We were just of these businesses to the with the National simply asking you to island’s economy. Insurance Scheme register because some of “When you sign onto (NIS). the small businesses shy the NIS you are known, Minister of away from it because they and when we are talking Small Business, are not financially liter- about the impact on Entrepreneurship and ate and believe that if the Micro and Small Commerce, Dwight they register with NIS, Enterprises, it gives us Sutherland, made this the Government will more leverage to come up plea, while assuring these come after them for NIS with an accurate figure as owners that this regis- payments. That is not the to how these businesses tration would redound to case. All the Government are doing in terms of gen- their benefit. wants you to do is to bring erating revenue and their Pointing out the heavy these businesses from the contribution to GDP and impact the COVID-19 informal business sector. how many employees national shutdown had This means we are giving they have. We are not ask- placed on these establish- you the opportunity to ing to look into your books ments in particular, he become bankable, to im- to see how much you are said these businesses prove your credit rating, making.We just want to were given a chance to and to access financing help, so register with the access a wage subsidy and financial assistance,” NIS,” the minister urged. of up to $1,000 over two he claimed. At the time, he was on months, with the require- Sutherland also high- tour at the Chickmont ment of registering with lighted that signing on- Foods processing plant in the NIS. to the NIS would allow Lowlands, Christ Church. “The Government better data collection and (JMB) The Barbados Advocate Saturday June 20, 2020 • 3 Minister Caddle: Electrical Barbados must hit turbine to be installed Top 50 in Doing WATER SUPPLY from Page 1 Business Index In order to address im- “GETTING Water” proved quality of delivery has been added to in both potable and non- the list of indicators potable water areas, the being monitored by project will introduce addi- Barbados as it targets tional upgrades to equip- the Top 50 in the ment at both wastewater Doing Business Index. treatment plants, as well This announcement as the implementation of came from Minister in a turbidity control system the Ministry of Economic here in Bowmanston, Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Wilfred Abrahams (left) with Chairman Affairs and Investment, which should also facili- of the Board of the BWA, Leodean Worrell, during the launch. Marsha Caddle, as she tate a direct reduction in addressed the launch the shutdowns required and intensity of green- in non-revenue water, the tation of the project, as of the Barbados Water during heavy rainfall house gas emissions, replacement of 16 kilome- well as the opportunity for Supply Infrastructure events,” Minister through the installation tres of mains in St. John, local and international Rehabilitation Project, a Abrahams also revealed. of an electrical turbine to St. George, St. Peter, St. engineering firms to par- new project to be imple- It was also noted that in be powered by natural Andrew and St. Lucy. ticipate in detailed engi- mented by the Barbados keeping with the country’s gas, for one of the major The final component, neering designs of the Water Authority with mandate to achieve a potable water stations. which addresses project investment works, as well financing from the greener economy,the proj- The project will also facil- management, will see op- as the supervision of European Investment ect will further achieve a itate improved operating portunities for locals to be works during the project’s Bank (EIB) and the reduction in the amount efficiencies and reductions involved in the implemen- execution. (RSM) Latin American Development Bank (CAF). Minister Caddle said: Minister in the Ministry “We talk a lot about of Economic Affairs and changing the doing busi- Investment, Marsha ness environment, and Caddle. we may feel that that is only about big business is responsible for coordi- and commerce. But the nating the business re- doing business environ- forms. The indicator was ment is in many ways added based on feedback about the basic purpose from the planning and of why we as building permission Government are here: to process.