Established October 1895 See inside Monday June 28, 2021 $1 VAT Inclusive STOP THE BLAME GAME THE public is being encour- itage, we think about respect for pull back our nation from the lems which our nation faces at aged to get back to those life, respect for property, we brink of the precipice. It is every- this time, and all of us and the parts of Barbados’ heritage think about virtues like truth- body’s responsibility to pull back community at large need to that stress the importance fulness, honesty, patience, the nation so it will not fall over change the direction in which of virtues such as love, jus- respect, helpfulness, self-disci- the cliff,” he said. we are going – the direction in tice, tolerance and peace. pline, responsibility, tolerance, Issacs also urged the public to which some parts of our society, Such was the advice of offici- understanding and many more. stop the blame game. the way they are going, it could ating minister, The Reverend It seems that many persons no “We blame government, we change our heritage.” Canon Wayne E. Isaacs, who longer see these virtues as blame the church, we blame the His remarks came during his stated that some of the chal- useful or necessary and they de- school for the social crisis we ex- sermon on Sunday at the St. lenges being faced locally may velop what we are witnessing in perience, for everybody looks for Mary’s Anglican Church. This be because “we have discarded our nation at this time.” a scapegoat when things are not Heritage Service was attended some of our tradition, culture, He added that without these going well. And so we need to by Minister in the Prime The Reverend Canon Wayne and values which over time have virtues our development may put away the scapegoat mental- Minister’s Office with Respon- E. Isaacs giving the sermon served our nation well. come to naught “and we as a ity and accept that all of us have sibility for Culture, John King, during the Heritage Service at “When we think of our her- people must do all that we can to contributed to the social prob- BLAME GAME on Page 2 St. Mary’s Church yesterday. Kuron Griffith winning the Barbados National Championships 100m ahead of Mario Burke (left) on Saturday at the Barbados Nationals, which were held at the UWI Usain Bolt Sports Complex. Kuron Griffith beats Mario Burke in showdown By Corey Greaves The Men’s 100m was an ea- one to run against on home soil. athletes to make the journey team. However, with the chal- gerly awaited final which pitted Griffith had been in good form home to contest the Nationals. lenges presented by the proto- KURON Griffith crossed the Griffith against the defending since the return to competition This year was different due cols for travelling, among other finish line in 10.30 seconds in a National Champion, Mario in Barbados, dominating the to the COVID-19 pandemic. factors, the athletes were not headwind to be crowned Burke. sprints with only the clock to Usually, track and field athletes required to compete at this the 100m National Champion Both Griffith and Burke won run against until now. hoping to qualify for the year’s edition. on Saturday night at the their heat comfortably and it Burke had been competing in Olympics would have to com- Both Burke and Griffith did University of the West Indies was the first time many antici- a few events in the USA and was pete at the Nationals in order to not get the best start as all eyes Usain Bolt Sports Complex. pated Griffith would have some- one of the few overseas-based be considered for the Barbados SHOWDOWN on Page 20 2 • Monday June 28, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Five-year-old, Affia Daniel Stevenson was fascinated with this rotary phone Members of the St. Mary’s Church choir looked lovely in their attire for the which was on display. Heritage Service yesterday. Embrace the past BLAME GAME from Page 1 and former Liberian diplo- mat, Ambassador Lorenzo Witherspoon, who is the great grandson of John Prince Porte who emi- grated from Barbados to Liberia in 1865. The serv- ice is part of activities for June, which is Heritage Month, and also conducted as the island celebrates the Steel pannist, Terry ‘Mexican’ Arthur as he performs. 10th anniversary of the UNESCO designation of AT RIGHT: A section of the congregation present at Historic Bridgetown and Sunday's Heritage Service at St. Mary’s Church. Its Garrison on the World Heritage List. He also reminded, “Our heritage as a nation and a church has not been with- out blemish – it has its ugly parts and its good parts, its painful and joyful mo- ments”, but as a people we have to embrace both sides of the past because it shapes to our national character. He stated both sides play an important part in defining who we are and how we are. Meanwhile, King, in his remarks, commended the church for having the Heritage Service. He chal- lenged them to host a similar event for the calen- dar of activities for the re- public. “As we journey towards republic status, I would like to invite the members of this church to partici- pate in the activities and as you did for Heritage Month to conceptualise a signa- ture event for the calendar of activities for the repub- While viewing the artefacts which were on display, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with Responsibility for Culture, John King (left) lic.” has a chat with former Liberian diplomat, Ambassador Lorenzo Witherspoon, who is the great grandson of John Prince Porte who (MG) emigrated from Barbados to Liberia in 1865. Also pictured is Senior Cultural Policy Officer, Division of Culture, Dr. Sheron Johnson. The Barbados Advocate Monday June 28, 2021 • 3 Bostic: Barbados will soon be able to test for COVID-19 variants MINISTER of Health and this weekend, we are in a Organisation that would there’s going to be some what we’re dealing with. resources to be able to Wellness Lt. Col Jeffrey position to do the screen- facilitate screening for the validation over this week- But we’ve also started to purchase the necessary Bostic is optimistic that ing for all positive cases, so other variants. I also said end that made sure that send more samples to equipment to take us to the Best-dos Santos Public that we can do the first back then, that some of there were no changes in CARPHA [Caribbean that next level, where we Health laboratory will screening for the vari- our equipment had to shipment that would Public Health Agency], can actually perform the soon be able to screen for ants.” be sent overseas to be re- change or affect the recal- and the Ministry is in col- genomic test and sequenc- COVID-19 variants. Minister Bostic said he calibrated to be able to ibration. Once that is suc- laboration with the ing here in Barbados, He was speaking during would have mentioned re- allow this process to take cessful, then the lab would United Kingdom High utilising the persons we a recently held press cently that the laboratory place.” be in a position from early Commission here in have here locally, as conference, where he gave has the capacity to do He revealed that on [this] week to be able to Barbados to be able to fol- well as some Barbadians an update on the current screening for variants. Friday evening the equip- screen all the positive low up on an offer that in the Diaspora who are situation in Barbados “It started first of all ment was returned to cases for all of the vari- was made to us, and that professionals and well in the fight against the with the Alpha variant Barbados, at the Best-dos ants. is happening. qualified in this area, will virus. and we would have re- Santos Public Health lab- “And this is a significant “And also, the public be working with us,” he “... Hopefully from [this] ceived some primers from oratory. step in the process. This health laboratory, again, said. week, once all goes well the Pan American Health “I am advised that will allow us to see exactly has been given the (JH) More persons taken UPP calls before law courts for breaching protocols for greater PERSONS who fail to fol- ference where he said: low COVID-19 protocols “We just want to say it is may find themselves run- easier to follow protocols focus on ning afoul of the law. and allow ourselves to This word of caution enjoy the ease and the comes from Head of the recreation and normalcy COVID-19 Monitoring of an entire country, governance Unit, Ronald Chapman, than to don’t follow who revealed that just protocols and find yourself UNITED Progressive legislation, including last week there were 19 running afoul of the Party’s spokesperson the long-awaited court-related matters be- law. on Law, Governance Integrity legislation and fore the law courts of “I want to encourage & the Economy, measures to ensure the Barbados. persons to follow the pro- Lynette Eastmond, independence of the According to Chapman, tocols.We are in a good says good governance Auditor-General. “ ... of those 19 COVID re- position right now,and we Head of the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit, Ronald is critical for long- Eastmond further lated matters, we had want to continue that Chapman.