Established October 1895 Three workers at Geriatric Hospital test positive for COVID-19

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Friday February 5, 2021 $2 VAT Inclusive GG and Chief Justice self-quarantining PM Mottley: GOVERNOR General Her said that the Governor General, came back few hours ago. She explained, “He is self- Captain Excellency Dame Sandra Mason whose first COVID test is nega- “But we had to move everyone quarantining, and this is largely Tom ‘a true has gone into self-quarantine, tive, will remain in self-quaran- out of Government House to as a result of someone who works having been exposed to the coro- tine until results are received allow for the in-depth sanitising with him displaying symptoms gentleman’ navirus disease by a member of from the second test. that has to take place. and is awaiting results of the test Government House staff who has She told the COVID-19 update Regrettably, because of the level to determine what is the best PAGE 5 tested positive. and press conference, “There was of exposure of the person and course of action. Also doing the same is Chief a member of the household staff viral load of the person, Her “Similarly, the public health Justice Sir Patterson Chelten- at Government House who Excellency will have to remain in officials have been in contact ham, as a precautionary meas- tested positive. And the public quarantine and her family until with Sir Patterson and they ure after one of his staff pre- health officials went in and con- the second test is done”. have all agreed that at this stage sented with symptoms. ducted the extensive contact As it relates to the Chief self-quarantining is all that Prime Minister of Barbados tracing, and the good news is Justice, Ms. Mottley further is required for him at this Mia Amor Mottley,who made the that on the first test she is fine; divulged that he however did not stage,” the Prime Minister dis- revelation yesterday evening, she is negative – the results require a COVID test. closed.

Home gardening the way to go

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Report: High levels of toxic heavy metals found in some baby foods

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These UWI blackbirds are an integral part of the Operation Seek and Save. ON A MISSION OPERATION Seek and Save Operation Seek and Save gets going more likely to be able to prevent – the community-based inter- the onset of severe symptoms of Holder says vention being rolled out by all across Barbados to identify The primary objective of the in- COVID and reduce the likelihood he’s committed the Ministry of Health and persons who are COVID-positive tervention is to ensure that med- of death. Particular emphasis is Wellness – made its way into or at risk of COVID. ical professionals reach persons being placed on households with to WI, but a number of communities The collaborative effort with who are infected, at risk of infec- persons across wide age ranges, yesterday. The University of the West Indies tion or who would be particularly elderly members and those break was The programme, which is en- saw a number of UWI ‘blackbirds’ vulnerable to severe conse- with chronic non-communicable gaging health care specialists, hitting the ground to gather infor- quences when infected with diseases. needed other professionals and inter- mation from residents, which is COVID-19. If reached early, SEEK AND SAVE on viewers, will go into communities integral to local COVID 19 fight. health care professionals are Page 2 PAGE 26 2 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Students as they prepare to enter a home to carry out their questionnaire. Residents engaging one of the UWI interviewers. Barbadians urged to be upfront with interviewers SEEK AND SAVE from Page 1 something isn't right, shout it, chance of survival.” bing teams. However, recognis- swabbing of persons exhibiting because that's the only way we During the address, it was re- ing the need to have more volun- symptoms, and who would then Prime Minister Mia Amor are going to know to test you vealed that over 400 persons teers to be swabbers, a hotline be subject to the rapid antigen Mottley,in an address to the na- and to be able to save you at an have been trained by the UWI to has been set up via the Prime test. tion on Tuesday,made a plea for early stage. And Dr. [Corey] do the requisite questionnaires. Minister’s Office at 535-5352 to A team from The Barbados Barbadians to comply with the Forde and all the other doctors Initially, only 360 were needed, allow for more persons to step Advocate caught up with this personnel and be upfront if they have been consistent, that the but the others will serve as back- forward. team in the St. Michael districts have any symptoms. earlier we can catch persons ups, Mottley said. In addition, She said 15 teams would be of Brandon’s and Bridge Road “If something is wrong, say. If with the virus, the greater the there are also nine full swab- ideal in the field to carry out yesterday. The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 3

Exemptions will be revoked if in breach BUSINESSES granted exemp- into the 14-day lockdown, the with on a case by case basis. tions to operate during this two- AG said having received no re- Speaking particularly on the week lockdown are being ports from the Royal Barbados opening of some minimarts, he warned that if they breach the Police Force, Barbadians are be- said an additional four have COVID-19 protocols, those priv- having “in an orderly fashion”. been placed on the list as some ileges will be revoked. However,he noted the Force is rural areas were lacking such a Attorney General Dale looking into reports of bread service. Marshall stated unequivocally vans being parked within some “We have a list of permitted yesterday during the Covid-19 communities, causing large minimarts. I can say to you that update, “Where exemptions numbers of individuals to even though the list was pub- have been granted, if any of gather. lished last weekend, the occa- those entities run afoul of the “This presents a problem for sion has arisen, based on fur- established protocols, we will us. So things of that sort we are ther consultation and strong not hesitate to revoke the ex- going to be monitoring very representation, that there are a emption, plain and simple. carefully. Bread depots have number of rural areas that are “That doesn’t just apply to been allowed specifically to not easily satisfied by shopping minimarts. It applies to compa- open. In rural areas, we have facilities nearby, and we have nies that we allowed to do busi- not made a ruling on vehicles, therefore added an additional ness of any kind. If you breach but if it comes to that we will four minimarts to complement the protocols, rest assured that have to come back and stipulate those that have been brought in we are going to revoke any ex- that they are not allowed to be by way of exemption,” Marshall emption that you might have,” on the road,” he stressed. stated. he stated. Marshall also said persons The updated list will be pub- Giving an update on the is- continue to apply for emergency lished this weekend. land’s handling of first two days passes and these are being dealt (JMB) Attorney General, Dale Marshall. Three workers at Geriatric Hospital test positive for COVID-19 THREE staff members of were therefore immediately the Geriatric Hospital, also under way as that individual known as the St. Michael was on a ward which had District Hospital, have about 16 persons in addition to tested positive for COVID- staff. 19. “The Minister of Health and Prime Minister Mia Amor the CMO would have advised Mottley made this announce- me that we have an issue with ment after being advised of the three persons at the Geriatric results of the two kitchen Hospital, and therefore they staff workers and one nurse, are literally now aggressively by Minister of Health and doing the contact tracing, and Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley (INSET) revealed yesterday that Wellness Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic will do and take the necessary three staff members at the Geriatric Hospital (above) have tested and Chief Medical Officer Dr. action to be able to put the staff positive for COVID-19. Kenneth George, yesterday on rotation to protect all of the evening. residents, who by the way were tients, we have three persons accommodation, more quaran- Last week, the Health all tested and all came back that have come back positive”. tine facilities for them, as is Minister announced during the negative,” she disclosed. Given the need for staff of the necessary. And at the same COVID-19 press conference “We had an issue last week facility to quarantine, Prime time, we are asking the staff that one patient had tested that Minister Bostic would Minister Mottley further dis- there to meet, in addition to positive for the viral illness. have raised, and he took pre- closed, “We are in the process of having had the contact tracing The patient was isolated and emptive action there. And the looking to see how we can facil- completed, for them to be able tested on developing symp- testing that was done of all the itate those staff members in to literally advise what is the toms. Contact tracing efforts overall staff and overall pa- terms of accessing more hotel best course of action.” Health Minister: Now is not the time to question and criticise

ONE minister is urging several months. He reiterated that if there is being seen in shops and other a matter of urgency, as while Barbadians not to doubt gov- Speaking on the current out- no buy-in from the entire coun- places seeming oblivious to we may have some control as ernment policies in fighting break, which has seen the try in fighting COVID-19, then what is happening in Barbados government – and certainly it COVID-19, even with the re- country’s numbers of positive his ministry’s and govern- and the rest of the world – is our responsibility as a gov- cent spike in positive cases. cases rise to over 1,500 cases ment’s efforts could well be in not wearing masks, bunched ernment to be able to put During the recent debate in last month, he nevertheless vain. up all together and other some things in place to govern the Lower House, Minister of stated, “I want to say to my na- Admitting the majority of things,” he noted, saying such movement and so on in public Health and Wellness Lt. tion’s men and women, because persons are to a large extent attitudes disheartens those spaces – at best we have to Colonel Jeffrey Bostic said now we have one significant chal- adhering to the protocols, he health professionals working depend on moral suasion for is not the time to question and lenge after several months of lamented that there are still overtime daily on the front- our citizens and visitors to do criticise government’s policies, living, that now is not the time some not taking the current lines. the right thing when they which held the country to low for persons to doubt and ques- situation seriously. “This is something we really are in private spaces,” he numbers of positive cases for tion everything.” “Still far too many people are need to address and address as added. 4 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Measures to minimise crowding in QEH out-patient clinics AS the country observes risk of falling the 15 day “National Persons who are visually Pause”, the Board of impaired Management of the Queen Those who require assis- Elizabeth Hospital wishes tance with regular day to to inform the general day activities such as public that to minimise going to the bathroom or crowding in our out-pa- who may be disoriented tient clinics some out-pa- should be accompanied by tient appointments may be a single caregiver or com- postponed. In this event, panion. out-patients whose ap- Out-patients who are pointments have been out of medication refills postponed will be con- prior to their next appoint- tacted by a member of ment date will be issued their treatment team or with a new prescription The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. the Medical Records and contacted when it is Department for the pur- available for collection Monday to Friday,between fect. Pause” please the call the www.qehconnect.com or pose of scheduling a new from the Pharmacy (11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.), For more information on QEH Help Desk at 536- follow us @qehconnect on appointment date. Department. However, it or preferably online the operations of the QEH 4800. Facebook, Instagram and Out-patients who are is strongly recommended at www.qehconnect/phar during the “National You can also visit us at Twitter for updates. not contacted are asked to that patients take advan- macy. Further assistance present to their respective tage of the Medication can be obtained by contact- clinics as scheduled, and Delivery Service to have ing the QEH Help Desk at to arrive at the QEH no prescribed medications de- 536-4800. Barbados records earlier than 30 minutes livered directly to their The Queen Elizabeth before their scheduled homes. Deliveries will be Hospital Board of appointment time. Be re- facilitated for a nominal Management thanks you minded that only out- fee of Bds $10 or $16 de- for your usual support and 16th COVID-19 death patients who are: pending on the size of the cooperation, and reminds Minors i.e. children package. Orders for med- all persons visiting the COVID-19 has struck developing health and and especially the team at under the age of 18 ication delivery can be QEH that all COVID-19 another death blow in safety protocols for our Harrison Point, must be Elderly, who are at high placed by calling 536-4804 protocols remain in full ef- Barbados. In the early homes. commended for the excel- hours of yesterday, the “This would involve lent work they are doing in disease claimed the cleaning and sanitising the saving so many lives.” life of a 93 year old house; mask wearing, es- The Minister again Barbadian lady. With pecially around vulnerable stressed the importance of her passing, the num- family members; frequent “Operation Seek and Save” ber of COVID-19 related hand washing with soap in interrupting the current deaths in Barbados and water; trying to main- national wave of COVID now stands at 16. tain physical distances as and urged the cooperation At the time of her pass- much as possible; and al- of the general public. ing, the senior citizen lowing proper ventilation He explained that, “All had been a patient of by keeping doors and win- interviewers will be wear- Harrison Point’s Secon- dows open.We have a fight ing protective gear. They dary Isolation Ward for 11 on our hands and these will be equipped with sani- days, having been admit- measures are now essen- tisers and will be main- ted there on January 24. tial.” taining physical distance As with the majority of He further added, “With when conducting the inter- persons who have died Barbados’ and the views. from COVID-19 in Bar- Caribbean’s high incidence “I know that safety and bados, chronic noncommu- of chronic noncommunica- security concerns have nicable diseases of hyper- ble diseases among na- been raised, but our inter- tension and diabetes were tional and regional popula- viewers will be working in part of the lady’s medical tions, those who contract teams; will have proper history. COVID-19 are at serious identification and will not Minister of Health and risk. We must not think of be working at night.” Wellness, Lt. Col. Hon COVID as a disease of the In relation to issues of Jeffrey Bostic, offers his elderly, because many peo- confidentiality surround- deepest condolences to the ple in our country, in all ing the information col- grieving family. The age groups, are diabetic or lected in the interviews, Minister also reminded hypertensive and would the Minister said, Barbadians that “some- therefore be considered “Interviewers have all thing as simple as a per- high risk. In fact, there are been trained and signed sistent dry cough could be many persons who suffer confidentiality agree- a symptom of COVID. from more than one ments. They will not be Persons must not take flu- chronic condition and it is taking persons names,only like, or unusual symptoms not unusual, for example, the relevant information for granted, but seek for persons to have both and that information will medical help early.This ap- diabetes and high blood be identified by geo-map- plies in particular to per- pressure at the same ping, not be anyone’s name. sons we know to be in the time. The information that is high risk groups, such as “Every life is valuable taken goes directly to the the elderly and those who and we do not want to lose Ministry of Health and suffer with diabetes, hyper- anyone, but given the co- Wellness and the inter- tension and other chronic morbidities of NCDs as viewer does not have ac- noncommunicable dis- complicating factors for cess to it. Every safeguard eases.” persons infected with has been put in place to The Minister also COVID-19, our frontline, protect the names and pri- stressed the importance of health-care professionals vacy of those interviewed.” The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 5

Bank donates ECG machine to Heart and Stroke Foundation NEW patients who are other team members how about to commence the device will be used. cardiac rehabilitation She also identified the treatment at the Heart areas where precautions and Stroke Foun- will be taken to safe- dation (H&SF) will guard all patients, espe- now receive an ECG cially operating in this test prior to enrolling COVID-19 environment. in the programme, She explained how the thanks to a brand-new Bio-Adhesive electrodes 22 Welch Allyn ECG and the disposable tab Machine. electrodes will be With its battery opera- changed after each pa- tion and instant-on fea- tient to ensure all Covid tures, the device can be safety protocols are fol- easily transported to the lowed. patient and can be pow- CIBC FirstCaribbean’s ered-on quickly to be able Managing Director, Officials at the Heart and Stroke Foundation examine the new ECG Machine. From left: Michelle Daniel CEO; to take an ECG at a Barbados and the Dr. Dawn Scantlebury, Medical Director, and Greta Yearwood, Administrative Coordinator. moment’s notice. The ma- Eastern Caribbean, Ms. chine carries a seven- Donna Wellington, ex- sist in acquiring this ma- inch colour touch screen plained that the bank chine for the foundation” PM: Captain Tom ‘a true gentleman’ display for fast and easy wanted to ensure that the she explained. entry of accurate patient persons who utilise the CEO at the foundation, ON Tuesday, February 2, She noted that this was not in a record 24 days, information, and it can services of the Heart and Ms. Michelle Daniel, in 2021, Captain Sir Thomas simply the departure of a Captain Tom was able to store up to 100 test re- Stroke Foundation not expressing thanks to the Moore, affectionately man, but the recognition of raise 33 million pounds to sults or they can be only get the best care, but bank, stated that “inter- known as Captain Tom, someone who was, until assist fellow Britons via transferred to a USB also have access to cut- ventions like this are im- passed away and Prime the very end of his 100 the United Kingdom’s memory stick. ting edge technology portant for the health Minister Mia Amor years of age, a man who National Health Service. On arrival at the where required. care services in the Mottley joined the chorus had a spirit of sharing and “I felt his deep sense of Hassell and Symmonds “I understand that hav- community”. She also in saying goodbye to “a true caring; something that she compassion when I had the Cardiac Care Centre in ing an ECG machine on explained that the gentleman”. believes is so often lacking opportunity to meet him Ladymeade Gardens, the hand while patients are COVID-19 pandemic had In a statement issued by in our daily interactions. on his visit to Barbados machine, a gift from working out will be an curtailed the major the PM, she expressed that She said that Captain last December. CIBC FirstCaribbean, asset because if there is fundraising activity this while death has and will Tom, as far as we know, “Rest in peace Captain was unpacked and exam- any discomfort or chest year and the foundation always bring its fair share was not a man of notable Moore,for you have indeed ined by Interventional pain while they are exer- will now have to “revisit of sadness to those left be- financial wealth, but had fought a good fight and Cardiologist and Medical cising, they can be the time” of their Red hind, she believes that this a heart that was teeming have completed your Director at the Foun- checked immediately by Dress Fundraising Gala is one occasion where the with compassion for oth- course with dignity. All of dation, Dr Dawn Scantle- the nurse on duty.We are which was slated for world is able to say good- ers. Barbados applauds you,” bury, who explained to pleased that we could as- February 13this year. bye with a collective smile. The PM pointed out that Mottley said. High praise for training courses PROJECT from Back knowledge as well as the explained a 31-year-old fe- will receive employment Page skills necessary to craft male course participant.“I services provided by and implement personal learned new information the Ministry of Labour For example, the OSH and professional strate- that can benefit me in the and Social Partnership course reinforces preven- gies to adapt to change. future.” Relations to facilitate tative and protective “The best thing about Upon completion of their reinsertion to the measures to curb the the course is that it offers the courses, participants labour market. spread of COVID-19 by information that aids in ensuring safe and healthy equipping you with infor- working conditions that mation that is relevant mitigate against work- and necessary upon entry place-related risks. into the workforce,” said a “The course has opened 21-year-old female who my eyes more to the risk took the course. and hazards to be found Notably, the training in the workplace. I have successfully promotes en- also learned how to ap- trepreneurship as a viable proach and deal with any- career option when re- thing that may arise,” said entering the workforce. a 56-year-old female par- During the highly-sought ticipant. after course, participants During the Core / Social learned practical tech- Skills course, participants niques on how to transi- gain new insights on the tion their careers by threats and opportunities starting and maintaining of change. Additionally, it their own businesses. helps participants to ac- “It was a very helpful quire appropriate self- and interesting course,” 6 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

In the final leg of the Grow Barbados Challenge, Raiden Kennedy won first place Caroline Mason took second place for growing Chinese cabbage. for his crop of Chinese cabbage. Home gardening the way to go By Regina Selman lected crops – Chinese from each other and to more work to do,” Reid Moore cabbage, okras, lettuce take things forward, told this newspaper. and cucumbers. We hand- Reid said he plans to HOME gardening can held them through the make the Grow Barbados The pick of the crop do wonders for a per- process and via a number Challenge a yearly initia- With regard to the four son’s mental health of videos they would have tive to foster a movement crop categories, Raiden and there can be fi- gotten from us, team out of the project. Kennedy won first place nancial gains as well leaders would have “We want to make it a and Caroline Mason took for those who do it guided them through the yearly activity.That’s the second place for growing well. process on social media,” aim, and also to build Chinese cabbage.First Adrian Reid, Co- Reid explained. more and more resources place went to Dana Founder of Victory “Out of this, we’ve seen that they can learn and Williams for her crop of Gardens Caribbean, ac- a community of new watch and grow from. So cucumbers; whilst knowledged the above as growers that has devel- we do plan to build up a Cynthia Cumberbatch the second and final leg of oped. We’ve also seen peo- co-community, a move- took second place. Nicole the 2020 Grow Barbados ple start businesses out ment around this, and a Austin Belgrave won first Challenge recently came of this, because one lady, home gardening (project) place for her crop of let- to an end. she actually began to sell in particular, so that peo- tuce; while repeat winner In the interest of food her excess vegetables. So ple can go and learn and Dana Williams won first Cynthia Cumberbatch took second place for her security and to help she has started a whole get support if they want place for her crop of crop of cucumbers. Here, co-founder of Victory Barbados reduce its high new company out of this,” to take that journey. So okras. Sandy Searles took Gardens Caribbean, Adrian Reid makes the food import bill, Victory he revealed. we definitely have some second place. presentation. Gardens Caribbean, in “We’ve seen parents partnership with Farm- with children who are Finder and the National disabled tell us how it’s Conservation Com- helped their children mission (NCC), launched with their disability. So the challenge last year. we’ve had a myriad of Reid noted that origi- feedback, different ac- nally, Victory Gardens counts of how people was birthed out of a min- have been impacted by istry called In Light of this. People who were not Jesus Christ Ministries, working began to see to show the wisdom in their bills being reduced moving from being just whilst doing this, and it consumers of produce has also been keeping and products to produc- them in good mental ers. health because being Speaking with The unemployed a lot can Barbados Advocate re- weigh on their mind, but cently after prizes were the gardening kind of delivered to the final set helped them toughen of winners, Reid said that their focus. So we’ve re- some participants in this ally seen mental, social final leg have vowed to and economic benefits continue with their that have come out of this home gardening projects, challenge and we have whilst others have star- seen success on all those ted businesses after suc- levels,” Reid further com- cessfully going through mented. the Challenge. Stating that there is “We would have currently a very active wrapped up the second WhatsApp group set up half of the process for for the successful first Co-founders of Victory Gardens Caribbean, Adrian Reid (second from right) and Roberta Reid (centre) with those growing the four se- time farmers to learn (from left) prize winners, Dana Williams, Raiden Kennedy and Sandy Searles. The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 7

E-commerce plan lifts Anhui village out of poverty ONCE a backwater village in Anhui were deemed to be out of poverty. province, Kengshang has embraced the e- “In 2014, poor families earned no more commerce boom thanks to government than 3 000 yuan, but that amount has support and the hard work of villagers. risen to 13 000 yuan now,” Liu said. Despite being blessed with a beautiful The village’s development has lured environment and clean air, the village in more young entrepreneurs to start Huangshan’s Huizhou district was businesses in Kengshang. trapped in poverty for years, the village’s Fang Jiewei, 33, is one of them. He left Party chief said. Kengshang in 2011 to look for work in “Back in 2014, there were 210 people Shenzhen after graduating from from around 100 households out of the university and returned home in 2014. village’s 640 families who were listed as “The longer I worked outside of my poverty-stricken,” said Liu Wei, hometown, the more I missed this Kengshang’s Party chief. “The poverty beautiful place,” Fang said. “I heard the rate was relatively high at the time.” government was offering support to A shortage of farmland and inadequate develop the village’s e-commerce, which transport connections were two of the I thought had great potential, so I came main factors that kept the village poor. back.” “Villagers made their living mainly His parents didn’t support the move, from growing tea, while the working but Fang went ahead with it anyway.At population was reduced as people found first, he volunteered at the e-commerce jobs out of town,” he said.“Transportation Businessman Fang Jiewei checks the quality of dried bamboo shoots in workshop with the poverty-alleviation was another problem. The village was Kengshang village in Huizhou district, Huangshan, Anhui province. work team to help villagers sell their about 11 kilometres from downtown products. Huizhou, connected only by a narrow were very good, but sales were poor village, into small decorative bags that “We did face problems as villagers road.” because villagers weren’t aware of new could fetch a higher price. didn’t believe us or understand the online Liu said the government and a poverty- retail channels like online shops.” The poverty-alleviation work team sales channels,” he said. “But as more alleviation work team he led racked their A workshop was set up with then sold the packages online and passed online orders were received and products brains to find ways to lift villagers out of government support to train the villagers on the profits to the villagers. sold online, they began to trust us.” poverty. on different aspects of e-commerce. “We also hired seniors or those in When the online workshop was “I remember it was in 2015 that the “We renovated a disused school extreme poverty to work for the online established in 2016, annual revenue was district’s commerce bureau came up with building to base the workshop in. The shop,” he said. “Packing parcels and about 150 000 yuan, he said. Last year,its the idea of selling the villagers’ products total investment was around 200 000 sending parcels to a delivery station can reached 800 000 yuan. online when e-commerce was becoming yuan ($31 000),” Liu said. earn them ten yuan per hour.” “Though we still face problems in the popular,” he said. “The products, such as The villagers were taught how to pack Kengshang shook off its poverty label quantity of the products, things are tea, vegetables and dried bamboo shoots, dried bamboo shoots, a speciality of the in 2016. A year later, all the villagers getting better,” Fang said. WHO expert team’s visit raises hypothesis again about virus sources IN its efforts to search for clues to find out more information about earlier the origins of the novel coronavirus, cases to understand the possible origins the team of experts from the World of the virus and its transmission pattern. Health Organisation (WHO) on However, they stressed that it is still a Sunday visited the cold-chain question if much earlier cases existed storage area of the largest and whether patients in Wuhan were agricultural product market in infected by domestic transmission or Wuhan, as well as Huanan seafood from other external sources of infections. market which was sealed off in Therefore, more evidence is needed before January 2020 after being drawn into drawing any simple conclusions as the speculation that the market was the virus origins may have had links to some possible origin of the early outbreak other unknown places in the world. of the COVID-19. Huanan seafood market was deemed to Members of the World Health Organisation (WHO) team, investigating the origins “We went to two markets today. The be the “original” place where the virus of the coronavirus, visit the closed Huanan seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, Baishazhou this morning and Huanan jumped from animals to humans at the Central China’s Hubei Province on Sunday. this afternoon. We had some good very beginning despite there was no solid discussions with market regulators, evidence to demonstrate that wildlife some clues to the WHO team on the virus the cold-chain storage area in vendors, suppliers, and community animals were sold here or that locals have transmission pattern. However, the Baishazhou market, some Chinese leaders,” Peter Ben Embarek, a Swiss the habit of consuming bats.The market animal origin of the virus is still netizens raised the hypothesis once food safety scientist who is leading the was closed on January 1, 2020. unknown and needs efforts from global again: Is it possible that the coronavirus WHO team, told the Global Times. In May 2020, Chinese scientists scientists, Wuhan-based virologist Yang was passed on from cold-chain products Ben Embarek revealed to the Global discovered a novel coronavirus clade that Zhanqiu told the Global Times on into Wuhan, or more specifically, to the Times that the team will go to the Wuhan is different from that shared among Sunday. Huanan seafood market, where the Institute of Virology some time this week patients connected to the Huanan Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist of the sale of frozen products was once so without specifying a date and will meet seafood market in Wuhan, which Chinese Centre for Disease Control and prevalent? Chinese “bat woman” Shi Zhengli. WHO provides new evidence that the market Prevention, told the Global Times Baishazhou market is the largest experts had already spoken with Shi may not be the origin of the virus, as it previously that in respect to the early agricultural and sideline produce market during their hotel quarantine on her bat was previously speculated. outbreak in Wuhan, patients were mainly in Wuhan. The Global Times reporter and coronavirus research, according to Peter Daszak, a zoologist and president linked with the areas selling frozen visited the market recently and found Ben Embarek. of New York-based EcoHealth Alliance, seafood at Huanan seafood market. strict anti-epidemic measures were still Chinese experts believe the visits to described the visit to Huanan market in The fact that seafood has caused flare- implemented in the market, which the two markets represents the country’s a Tweet on Sunday as “very informative ups in Beijing, Dalian and Qingdao also requires visitors, logistics workers and open and transparent attitude as the and critical for our joint teams to raised the question whether the early store owners to register their health Huanan market was the place where the understand the epidemiology of COVID outbreak in Wuhan was also triggered information, measure their body earliest case in Wuhan was found and it as it started to spread at the end of 2019". by imported seafood, Wu said. temperatures upon entering the market could give more clues for WHO experts to Huanan seafood market may offer Following the WHO experts’ visit to and wear facial masks all the time. 8 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate ‘For the cause that lacks assistance, ’Gainst the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that I can do’ Editorial Smartmatic sues Fox News, Giuliani Communication over election-rigging claims ELECTRONIC voting sys- make Smartmatic “the statement. “We are proud Trump and some of his tems maker Smartmatic villain in their story”. of our 2020 election cover- supporters spread false on Thursday sued Rupert “Fox News used the age and will vigorously de- claims of election fraud, in- concerns Murdoch’s Fox News cable story to preserve its grip fend this meritless lawsuit cluding that Smartmatic ALTHOUGH the health authorities in Barbados network and Rudolph on viewers and readers in court.” and competitor Dominion have been trying harder in recent times to improve Giuliani, a lawyer for and curry favours with the Dobbs referred ques- Voting Systems manipu- communication, there still appears to be a few former President Donald outgoing administration – tions to Fox News for com- lated the results. problems. These small problems can lead to Trump, claiming they one of their anchors was ment as did a represen- On Dec. 10, Smartmatic consequences for individuals, especially where defamed the company even able to get a pardon tative for Bartiromo. The sent a letter to Fox News they affect the work lives of these individuals. by falsely accusing it of for her ex-husband,” the other defendants did not demanding that it retract The main concern is communication about helping to rig the US pres- lawsuit said, referring to immediately respond to a allegations levelled by its COVID-19 testing and the subsequent results. idential election in favour Pirro. request for comment. employees and guests. The Ministry of Health and Wellness’ daily update of Joe Biden. The suit seeks more Florida-based Fox did not issue a dashboards have had to be changed to make them The suit, filed in New than $2.7 billion in com- Smartmatic’s technology retraction. Instead in more intuitive and easier to comprehend, however York County Supreme pensatory and punitive was only used in one place December it aired an in- these dashboards are not often daily. The next Court, also names as de- damages. Smartmatic also for the Nov. 3 presidential terview on the three hosts’ concern the authorities should address, is the fendants former Trump asks for defendants to election – Los Angeles programs, featuring an drafting of the country’s protocols.These are often lawyer Sidney Powell, Fox retract “false statements County, which Biden won. outside expert who con- written in a manner that is difficult for the layman Corp. and Fox hosts Lou and implications”. “This is a first step firmed there was no evi- to interpret, causing persons to call the provided Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo “Fox News Media is in trying to recover our dence to support the hotline to ask questions which could have been and Jeanine Pirro. committed to providing reputation and trying to Smartmatic claims by Fox avoided with the use of simpler language. Smartmatic alleged that the full context of every set the record straight,” hosts and guests. Officials have been quoted as saying the Fox and other defendants story with in-depth report- said Smartmatic Chief Dominion Voting communication system will get better, and it is invented a story that the ing and clear opinion,” Executive Antonio Mugica Systems has filed similar hoped that the results of their efforts will be election was stolen from a Fox News Media in an interview. lawsuits against Giuliani actualised sooner rather than later. Trump and decided to spokesperson said in a After the election, and Powell. After hearing these complaints about communication, the Government took action to implement a Communication Committee headed by Ambassador Elizabeth Thompson, a former High levels of toxic heavy metals Minister of Health with years of experience, in order to address the developing crisis in the country. A schedule for press conferences was found in some baby foods: report created to give the system a bit more structure, with conferences scheduled for Tuesdays, WASHINGTON – US con- panel that released the private label product 2019 the FDA received a Thursdays and Saturdays. The press conferences gressional investigators report, said it found “these suppliers to hew to its own secret slide presentation were also to be accompanied by an agenda for the found “dangerous levels of manufacturers knowingly internal specifications, from Hain that said “cor- day’s topics of sorts. However, the adherence to toxic heavy metals” in cer- sell baby food containing “which for baby and tod- porate policies to test only this schedule and its set outline has been varied tain baby foods that could high levels of toxic heavy dler food means the levels ingredients, not final prod- to say the least. The idea, albeit reactive, was a cause neurological dam- metals... It’s time that must meet or fall below ucts, underrepresent the welcomed change and made it clear that the age, a House Oversight we develop much better the limits established by levels of toxic heavy met- Government intended to work on the issues as subcommittee said in a re- standards for the sake of the FDA”. als in baby foods”. they arose. port released on Thursday. future generations”. Hain Celestial, which The report said the FDA The Ministry of Health and Wellness has also The panel examined A Food and Drug makes Earth’s Best, said took no new action in re- made clear statements that no COVID-19 test baby foods made by Administration (FDA) it had not seen the report sponse. “To this day, baby results have been misplaced. However, persons Nurture Inc., Hain spokesman said it was and did not have a chance foods containing toxic have had to redo tests after not receiving the Celestial Group Inc., reviewing the report. to review it. heavy metals bear no label results of a first test, suggesting that in the worst- Beech-Nut Nutrition and The agency noted toxic A Gerber representative or warning to parents. case scenario, if the results were positive the Gerber, a unit of Nestle, it elements are present in said the elements in ques- Manufacturers are free to person would have only been in self-isolation as said, adding that it was the environment and tion occur naturally in the test only ingredients, or, they awaited their results. This is a dangerous “greatly concerned” that enter the food supply soil and water in which for the vast majority of situation to which the various ministries have Walmart Inc., Campbell through soil, water or air. crops are grown and baby foods, to conduct no paid much attention, but occasionally there are Soup Co. and Sprout “Because they cannot be added it takes multiple testing at all,” the report still stories told of such occurrences. Organic Foods refused to completely removed, our steps “to minimise their said. It is expected that those locals who had to co-operate with the in- goal is to reduce exposure presence”. The FDA has declared reschedule flights due to delayed COVID-19 test vestigation. to toxic elements in foods The report was critical that inorganic arsenic, results will also be compensated for any losses The report said internal to the greatest extent also of the administration lead, cadmium, and mer- they would have incurred. Persons have expressed company standards “per- feasible,” the FDA said. of former President cury are dangerous, par- extreme frustration with the lack of availability mit dangerously high lev- Campbell said in a Donald Trump, saying it ticularly to infants and of information from the Ministry of Health els of toxic heavy metals, statement on its website “ignored a secret industry children, the report noted. and Wellness in general, whether it is from the and documents revealed that its products are safe presentation to federal The FDA in August fi- Best-dos Santos Lab itself or from the various that the manufacturers and cited the lack of a cur- regulators revealing nalised guidance to indus- hotlines provided. have often sold foods that rent FDA standard for increased risks of toxic try, setting an action level It is understood that the workload on staff exceeded those levels” and heavy metals in baby food. heavy metals in baby of 100 parts per billion in- at these facilities is overwhelming, but clear it called on US regulators The company said it foods”. organic arsenic in infant communication of information can give persons the to set maximum levels of thought it had been “full The report said: “In rice cereal. opportunity to avoid further losses by adjusting toxic heavy metals permit- partners” in the study 100% of the Hain baby “We acknowledge that flights, finding alternative accommodation or ted in baby foods and re- with congressional re- foods tested, inorganic ar- there is more work to be providing details to their employers. quire manufacturers to searchers. senic levels were higher done, but the FDA reiter- An assessment of the organisational system test finished products for Walmart said it submit- in the finished baby food ates its strong commit- should be undertaken to allow for better tracking heavy metals, not just in- ted information to the than the company esti- ment to continue to reduce of COVID-19 test results, so that even if results are gredients. committee in February mated they would be consumer exposure to delayed, persons can be given definitive answers. Representative Raja 2020 and never received based on individual ingre- toxic elements and other It must be noted also that waiting on any type Krishnamoorthi, a any subsequent inquiries. dient testing.” contaminants from food,” of medical test result comes with a great deal Democrat who chairs the The retail giant requires It said that in August the FDA said on Thursday. of anxiety and that attempts should be made wherever possible to reduce this by being Telephone: 467-2000 News Fax: 434-1000 News Editor: Dorian Bryan Executive Editor: Allison Downes reassuring, comforting and efficient when E-mail Address: [email protected] Business Editor: Jewel Brathwaite General Manager: Sandra Clarke Assistant Managing Director: Sean Eteen communicating with persons who are no doubt Website: www.barbadosadvocate.com Sports Editor: Corey Greaves Publisher: Sir Anthony Bryan overly stressed and frustrated by the situation. @The Barbados Advocate @barbadosadvocate The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 9

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ADVOCATE PUBLISHERS (2000) INC, FONTABELLE • FAX: 434-1000 • E-MAIL: [email protected] Say sorry publicly!! Thank You BY now all of Barbados who is rest of the world who have seen of a family of business owners, LAST Sunday,I decided to get a I decided, inexplicably, that I plugged in would have seen the the video will be in no doubt that he and they are in positions of sea-bath before the lockdown. It was not yet finished bathing. video of a white man berating racism is alive and real today privilege and power and this was the first time I entered the So I made it to the safer yellow Bajans and calling them by in Barbados and be very clear attitude therefore has a direct sea in years.When I got to Accra zone, and tried to understand racial slurs, and the attendant about the vicious undertones impact on his/their treatment of beach, I noticed the yellow flags. what just happened. My hip was memes. that permeate this society. employees, customers, how any There was no lifeguard on hurting, and my forearm was In part of that berating, he We all think that these are kind of incident involving black duty, so I asked the security bruised, with a little skin miss- said: “Y’all don’t know how to things that are said in private people plays out and the influ- guard to keep an eye on me. She ing. But other than that, I was act, how to behave... why people among the white settlers in this ence his family and family busi- said that she was not the life- OK. bring wanna bout here from country. nesses have in so many other guard. I told her that I under- I observed the man and the Africa for.” That white man should be told situations. stood that, but she could still lad hurrying to reach the yellow All right-thinking Barbadians that the reason the black people Nothing less than a public call for help. She laughed. zone – which they did. Perhaps are calling on that man to were stolen by his people and apology must come from him they reckoned that if one wave give a public apology to all sold to his people was to work in as a start. He must be held ac- Red flags could take out a giant of a man Barbadians, especially the Barbados to build up his family’s countable for his private words, There were 4 persons already in like me, what hope could such Afrikan-descended ones. wealth. Wealth that now allows now made public by the brave the water. I assumed that they as they have. Whatever action precipitated him to drive a truck to conduct person who sat next to him in were tourists. Entering the When I later learned that two his outburst proved to be too his business and take money the truck. water with the waves breaking people were missing that same much for him to keep his racist from the same black people he was a challenge, but beyond day,after being struck by waves, thoughts and words in check is berating. AMMA OYAYEMI that, the sea was less violent.All I panickily hoped that it was and now all of Barbados and the The issue here is that as part A proud Pan Afrikanist five of us stayed in a line, where not them. I ashamedly admit the water was around our waist to being relieved to hear that it level. I enjoyed the experience. was not. I also understood how I noticed the red flags to my close I actually came to joining Do you know of the Divine Love? west, and was careful not to get the two who have ended their pulled in that direction by the course. THERE is a WhatsApp video any gatherings at all; fifteen ‘Love one another as I love you.’ currents. After some time, I no- message circulating in which have no restrictions. It can’t be the love of tearing ticed what I assumed to be a boy What happened? the speaker identifies himself Is the concern, I would not say down or scheming to get a share of 8 with his father – tourists. What stopped the normal as an apostle who purports to rant, more about church income of a global ‘pot of money’. They entered the sea in the area process of events, to give me be bringing a message from God. than anything else. Surely, if The Love of which Jesus is with the red flags. enough time to stand in the He starts by asserting that there the members are faithful, they speaking is that Love which had midst of the riptide? I do not are demonic generals from should be willing to continue to been infused in his soul from his Warning know.Perhaps there is still Africa here in Barbados. I won- make their contributions. It time in the womb and which he Since the other sea-bathers work for me to finish. der why Africa? would then be up to the leader(s) continued to pray for while on seemed to ignore them, I decided Why did I not avoid the dan- The Christian communities in of the congregation to devise a earth. It is the love which trans- to go and warn them. So I en- ger by simply ignoring the man Africa were the earliest in the means of collection. forms one’s soul from one of nat- tered the red zone. When I was and the lad? Because that is not world – late 1st century or early The apostle goes on to assert ural love, with which we are all about 3 m (10 ft) away, but be- who we are. Barbadians tend to 2nd AD. No worries for this gen- that somebody gave the United born, to the state of the Divine. tween them and the beach, I ex- give their unsolicited advice – tleman, but I have to worry if he Nations (UN) $25 billion to That Love leads one away from plained the danger of being in even if it is not taken. I under- seems to be linking the so-called share among the countries fight- ‘an eye for an eye’ and other Old the red zone, and advised them stand that the UK visitor was demonic generals to people of a ing COVID. He does not give the Testament teachings. Some to go to the safer yellow zone. similarly warned. certain ethnicity. One wonders alleged source of the funds nor churches glibly pronounce that He politely thanked me for my what he has to say about the how the division is to be made. ‘God is Love’, but then ascribe to advice. Thank you rampant effervescent conspir- He, however, says that to get a Him unloving actions. I left them and proceeded to It is my personal belief that the acy theories in a country much share, the country – excluding I have often written about the return to the yellow zone, and lad has some important work to closer to us and which have been states or provinces? – would Divine Love, but may not have then it happened. I was knocked do. I was at the right place at the raging particularly in the last need to have two lockdowns. indicated that it is available to off of my feet by a wave I did not right time to warn them. To en- four years. There are good peo- Conversely, I read that the UN every human being through see, and my hip hit the bottom sure that they took the warning ple on both sides? launched a $2 billion global hu- earnest and sincere prayer to – hard. I began to tumble, then seriously, I was sacrificed to the He also claims that God told manitarian response plan to The Father for His Divine Love. the current dragged me out. waves. him that He (God) would dis- fund the fight against COVID When once an individual has I could feel the abrasive sand I believe that someone was mantle the Barbados Labour in the poorest countries. sufficient of this Love in their ripping skin off my forearm as moved to pray for me at that Party,which the speaker claims In all of this I wonder about soul, they will notice how differ- I was being dragged out to sea. time, and an Angel was dis- is going up against the church. the words of Jesus and how they ently they relate to people and The next thing I knew is that patched to give me a brief mo- Is he (“the apostle”) referring to apply to dismantling of an insti- circumstances. Our relation- there was a moment of calm and ment to get up – and I took it.To the reduced requirement for tution, which is seeking to pro- ships shall be more loving. The I was stumbling to my feet – a the one who prayed, thank you numbers attending church serv- tect the people from congregat- Divine Love’s availability is in- little disoriented and embar- for your obedience. ices? I believe similar obtains in ing in such numbers, which then finite. Just pray. rassed. many other countries and even might more easily spread the GRENVILLE ten states in the US do not allow virus. I hear the voice of Jesus, MICHAEL RUDDER Unfinished business PHILLIPS II

LET GOD QUOTES FOR TODAY WORDS OF SPEAK TO US WISDOM Jackie Robinson (1919-1972) Tiffany Haddish “This is love: not that we loved American professional American actress & God, but that he loved us and baseball player comedian WHAT MATTERS sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” “The most luxurious possession, “Stop holding your truth; It is not what you do that the richest treasure anybody has, speak your truth. Be your- matters, it is what you – 1 John 4, vs 10 is his personal dignity.” self. It's the healthiest way to don’t do that really matters be.” at the end of the day. 10 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Rare black Fortune 500 chief Ken Frazier to retire

THE US is losing one of former US President leading a Fortune 500 tive chairman of the firm’s its few black leaders Donald Trump’s manufac- company in the US. board during a transition at the top of a major turing council, after Mr. The 66-year-old, who period, the company said. American company. Trump failed to condemn trained as a lawyer at “His shoes won’t be easy Merck & Co.’s chief ex- a white nationalist rally Harvard, joined pharma- to fill in so many ways, ecutive Kenneth Frazier in Charlottesville, Va. ceutical giant Merck in both within Merck, but is retiring at the end of Last year, he spoke out 1992 and took over as also including his many June, the drugs company after the death of George chief executive in 2011. principled and valuable said. Floyd in policy custody. During his tenure, he contributions to impor- The firm said he would “What the African has worked on issues tant issues facing society be replaced by current American community such as government today,” Mr. Davis said on chief financial officer sees in that videotape claims against the com- a conference call on Robert Davis, who joined is that this African pany about its arthritis Thursday held to discuss the firm in 2014. American man, who could painkiller Vioxx and its the firm’s quarterly finan- Mr. Frazier, the grand- be me or any other African acquisition of another cial results. son of a sharecropper, is American man, is being firm which owned Mr. Frazier was origi- known as a leader in the treated as less than Keytruda, a cancer nally set to retire in 2019, US business community human,” he told business therapy that is now one but stayed on after Merck on racial issues. broadcaster CNBC. of Merck’s best-selling changed its policy requir- In 2017, he was the first Mr. Frazier is one of just products. ing retirement at the age Chairman and CEO of Merck & Co., Kenneth Frazier. business leader to leave four black executives He will serve as execu- of 65. Farmers need to produce high quality fresh foods: Dr. Worrell INSECURE from Back food in support of healthy local herbalists and nutri- turn the corner on what is Page lifestyles for Barbadians. tionists. He highlighted still a failing agricultural He said that nutritionists that one piece of advice sector, farmers need to However, the economist attest to the fact that fresh that stuck with him from focus on the production of stated that there are good produce, locally grown, is that event was that the high quality fresh foods, reasons to promote com- the key to a healthy diet. healthiest diet uses the produced organically and petitive local production of In the letter, the former products that are grown distributed to consumers quality fresh produce, but governor explained that all around households. safely, quickly and conve- they have nothing to do the very first Fish & However,Worrell voiced a niently. He made the point with food security.Instead, Dragon Festival, held concern. that this will not be cheap Worrell believes that local annually to celebrate “There is a qualification: food for mass consump- farmers should be encour- Chinese New Year, fea- it does matter how the food tion. aged to provide top quality tured presentations by is grown. We need to ask “If the product is cheap whether current agricul- to buy, the return to the BANK RATES tural practices in Barbados farmer will be low; or you do in fact produce high will not find the product Commercial bank rates to the public at the close of quality food that is healthy fresh in the supermarket, Former Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, business yesterday by the Central Bank of Barbados. and nutritious to eat. My and you will have to go Economist Dr. DeLisle Worrell. wife Monica and I live in pick or dig your own sup- Valid for February 5, 2021 the country, and I have to ply. A focus on organically boasts creative chefs who can provide the stimulus Notes: confess that the frequent produced fresh food pro- use local products as the for the growth of a sustain- Currency Buying Selling scent of herbicides and duction offers ample scope basis for exciting culinary able agriculture that does Belizean Dollar 1.00000 1.00000 pesticides, wafting across for vigorous expansion in experiences for residents not depend on bans, prohi- Canadian Dollar 1.53845 1.58395 from cultivated fields farm output in Barbados and visitors alike,” said the bitions or tariffs on im- East Caribbean $ 0.73704 0.74445 nearby, is more than a lit- and the Caribbean. There former governor. ported foods, and which Euro 2.34375 2.44245 tle disconcerting,” he said. is already a demand for With the use of suitable provides a comfortable Pound Sterling 2.67694 2.78966 Dr.Worrell recom- healthy, nutritious food, incentives, Dr. Worrell middle-class lifestyle for United States Dollar 1.98000 2.02857 mended that in order to and the Caribbean now stated that governments farmers. Demand/Sight: Currency Buying Selling Belizean Dollar 0.99688 1.00313 Canadian Dollar 1.54721 1.58256 NY money manager charged in $1.8B Ponzi-like fraud East Caribbean Dollar 0.73843 0.74306 Euro 2.37814 2.42729 NEW YORK – The Authorities said GPB former GPB managing Exchange Commission in- Guyana Dollar 0.00943 0.00949 founder of a New York told investors their pay- partner Jeffrey Lash, 51, cluded accusations that Pound Sterling 2.71622 2.77235 money manager and two ments would be funded by of Naples, Florida; and GPB silenced a known United States Dollar 1.99000 2.02768 associates were criminally revenue from the firm’s Jeffry Schneider, 52, of whistleblower and forbade Telegraphic Transfer charged on Thursday with holdings, including a Austin, Texas, who owned former employees from Currency Buying Selling running a $1.8 billion group of car dealerships, GPB’s placement agent speaking to the agency. Belizean Dollar 0.99688 1.00313 Ponzi-like fraud where when in fact a “significant” Ascendant Capital LLC. GPB had no immediate Canadian Dollar 1.55014 1.58256 thousands of victims were portion came from money Each was indicted on se- comment. Lawyers for East Caribbean Dollar 0.73843 0.74306 Euro 2.38262 2.42729 falsely promised steady from newer investors. curities fraud and conspir- Gentile and Schneider did Guyana Dollar 0.00943 0.00949 returns on their invest- The defendants also al- acy charges, and Gentile not immediately respond Pound Sterling 2.72133 2.77235 ments. legedly siphoned millions and Lash were also to requests for comment. United States Dollar 1.99375 2.02768 David Gentile, the chief of dollars for themselves, charged with wire fraud. Lash’s lawyer Robert executive of GPB Capital including for luxuries such Related civil charges Gottlieb said his client will INDICATIVE RATES FOR SOME REGIONAL Holdings LLC, was ac- as a Ferrari for Gentile were filed by New York plead not guilty.“Mr. Lash CURRENCIES AS ADVISED BY THE cused of cheating more and a $29,837 American Attorney General Letitia is a good man with a spot- RESPECTIVE CENTRAL BANKS. than 17,000 retail in- Express bill covering James, who said victims less record,” he said. N.B. These rates are not meant to be used for trading. vestors taken in by prom- “David’s 50th Bday.” lost more than $700 mil- According to court pa- BDS$ ises of consistent 8% an- Gentile, 54, who founded lion, and several other fed- pers, GPB claimed to man- Guyana Dollar 0.00946 Jamaica Dollar 0.01350 nual returns even as the GPB in 2013, lives in eral and state regulators. age just $239 million as of T&T Dollar 0.29856 firm was haemorrhaging Manhasset, New York. A complaint from December 2020, despite losses. Also charged were the US Securities and raising the $1.8 billion. The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 11

Royal Dutch Shell sees huge loss as pandemic hits oil demand OIL giant Royal Dutch production. Other big oil companies are merger. climate change combine with Shell sank to a net loss of In September last year, Shell also feeling the strain. On The two firms declined to other events like the COVID- $21.7bn (£16bn) last year announced that up to 9,000 Tuesday, BP reported that it comment, but sources told 19 pandemic.” after the coronavirus pan- jobs would go worldwide as lost $18.1bn in 2020, marking Reuters that the discussions Prof. Elmes said the slump demic caused demand to the company responded to the its first annual loss in a decade. involved Exxon chief executive in demand for oil and gas due slump. effects of the pandemic. On the same day, US giant Darren Woods and his counter- to the pandemic had become The announcement comes Last month, it said it was Exxon Mobil posted annual part at Chevron, Mike Wirth. more prolonged than initially after two of its rivals, BP and cutting 330 jobs from its oper- losses of $22.4bn. “This week’s huge losses by hoped. Exxon, posted similar big ations in the North Sea. Two other big US firms, Shell, BP and Exxon reflect the “There will be some ongoing losses. Even before the virus struck, Chevron and ConocoPhillips, challenges oil and gas compa- need for oil and gas as a fuel for Looking ahead, Shell said the oil industry was already reported big losses as well. nies face,” said David Elmes, a while yet. There will also be “significant uncertainty” would having to rethink its future There are also indications professor of practice and head demand for the petrochemicals continue to have a negative plans as part of the transition of a potential shake-up in the of the Global Energy Research and other products made from impact on demand for oil and away from fossil fuels. sector, after media reports Network at Warwick Business them. But that can’t sustain gas products. The COVID impact means emerged this week that Exxon School. the industry we’ve seen in the As a result, it said it might companies such as Shell are and Chevron held preliminary “They are skating on ever- past as we look to address cli- need to take measures to cut accelerating that transition. talks last year on a possible thinning ice as the effects of mate change.” Ford cuts output of F-150 pickups due to semiconductor shortage WASHINGTON – Ford Motor Both are expected to return to Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan after the market closes on parts and will put over 7,000 Co. said Thursday it is cutting three shifts the following week. Motor Co. and Subaru Corp. Thursday. workers on furlough. Mazda shifts at two plants that build Ford declined to say what Up to now, automakers have Felker said the automaker Motor Corp. said it expected a its highly profitable flagship F- part or supplier were involved largely focused on cutting pro- was “working closely with sup- production cut of 7,000 vehicles 150 pickup trucks starting next or how much volume would be duction of less profitable vehi- pliers to address potential pro- this month as a result. week due to a global shortage of lost. cles as they manage through duction constraints tied to the On Wednesday, GM said it semiconductor chips, raising Global automakers have the shortage, but Ford cutting global semiconductor shortage would cut production at four fears the problem could be been caught off guard by the output of its high-profit trucks and working to prioritise key of its plants due to the chip worsening. shortage of crucial semiconduc- will raise concerns the impact vehicle lines for production”. shortage. The No. 2 US automaker said tors, used for everything from is spreading. Ford has previously cut other On Tuesday,a group of 15 US it will run one of three shifts computer management of Ford spokeswoman Kelli production because of the issue. senators including Majority of production at its Dearborn engines to driver-assistance Felker declined to address why Also on Thursday, union Leader Chuck Schumer and Truck Plant the week of Feb. 8, features such as emergency the F-150 had been affected, sources told Reuters that au- Republican John Cornyn urged while the truck portion of its braking. but the Dearborn, Michigan- tomaker Stellantis will slow the White House to work with Kansas City Assembly Plant Other automakers hit by based company may discuss production at its Melfi plant in Congress to address the global will run two of three shifts of the shortage include General the matter further when it re- Italy next week due to a short- semiconductor shortage hitting production during that week. Motors Co., Volkswagen AG, ports fourth-quarter earnings age of microchips and other auto manufacturing. 12 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Regular Market BARBADOS STOCK REPORT Security Volume High Low Market Advance/ Price Decline February 4, 2021

There was no activity today on the Regular Market.

Deposit Receipts Security Previous Current Advance/ Close Close Decline BARBADOSBARBADOS STSTOCKOCK EXCHANGEEXCHANGE EMERA DEPOSIT RECEIPT $20.57 $20.31 -$0.26 SHARE SUMMARY INFORMATION Thursday February 4, 2021

LAST TRADE VOLUME HIGH LOW LAST CURRENT PRICE BID ASK BID ASK DATE CLOSE CLOSE CHANGE PRICE PRICE SIZE SIZE

ABV Investments Incorporated 15-Oct-20 - - - $0.05 $0.05 - $0.02 $0.30 8,080 10,498

BICO Limited 21-Sep-20 - - - $3.10 $3.10 - $3.10 - 70 - INDICES Banks Holdings Limited -+ 09-Dec-19 - - - $4.85 $4.85 - - - - - TODAY'S TRADING LAST TRADING CHANGES February 4, 2021 February 3, 2021 Barbados Dairy Industries Limited -+ 04-Oct-19 - - - $3.00 $3.00 - - - - - Local 2,447.20 2,447.48 (0.28) Barbados Farms Limited 22-Jan-21 - - - $0.40 $0.40 - $0.35 $0.40 1,000 6,561 Cross-list 933.43 933.43 - Composite 596.28 596.35 (0.07) Cave Shepherd and Company Limited 28-Jan-21 - - - $4.10 $4.10 - - $4.10 - 1,100 MARKET CAPITALISATION (in millions) FirstCaribbean International Bank 28-Jan-21 - - - $1.80 $1.80 - $1.77 $1.80 2,000 261 TODAY'S TRADING LAST TRADING CHANGES February 4, 2021 February 3, 2021 Eppley Caribbean Property Fund SCC 01-Feb-21 - - - $0.16 $0.16 - - $0.16 - 11,434 Local 4,918.84 4,919.41 (0.57) - Dev Fund Cross-list 119.19 119.19 - Composite 5,038.02 5,038.60 (0.57) Eppley Caribbean Property Fund SCC 18-Dec-20 - - - $0.57 $0.57 - $0.55 $0.57 1,600 7,427 MUTUAL FUND -Value Fund February 4, 2021 ENDED NAME OF FUND NAV OFFER BID NAV Goddard Enterprises Limited 27-Jan-21 - - - $2.17 $2.17 - $2.17 $2.20 26 7,880 CHANGE 29-Jan-21 REPUBLIC CAPITAL GROWTH FUND w 1.1904 -0.0085 Insurance Corporation of B’dos Limited 22-Jan-21 - - - $2.00 $2.00 - $1.78 $2.00 78 9,700 29-Jan-21 REPUBLIC INCOME FUND w 1.2676 0.0003 29-Jan-21 REPUBLIC PROPERTY FUND w 0.6733 -0.0003 One Caribbean Media Limited 27-Jan-21 - - - $1.80 $1.80 - - $1.80 - 375 29-Jan-21 FORTRESS CARIBBEAN GROWTH FUND w 6.4844 6.4844 6.4844 -0.0816 Sagicor Financial Corporation Pref 6.5% 23-Jun-16 - - - $2.26 $2.26 - - - - - 29-Jan-21 FORTRESS HIGH INTEREST FUND - ACC. w 2.1002 -0.0023 29-Jan-21 FORTRESS HIGH INTEREST FUND - DIST. w 1.0224 -0.0011 Sagicor Financial Corporation Limited -+ 29-Nov-19 - -- $2.80 $2.80 - - - -- 31-Dec-20 ROYAL FIDELITY SELECT BALANCED FUND m 5.5718 5.5718 5.4665 0.1391 31-Dec-20 ROYAL FIDELITY STRATEGIC GROWTH FUNDm 1.0241 1.0241 1.0036 0.0415 West India Biscuit Company Limited 27-Jan-21 - - - $31.55 $31.55 - $31.55 $31.65 38 200 31-Dec-20 ROYAL FIDELITY PREMIUM INCOME FUND m 1.6435 1.6435 1.6106 0.0168 29-Jan-21 SAGICOR GLOBAL BALANCED FUND w 2.72 -0.04 Emera Deposit Receipt 14-Aug-20 - - - $20.57 $20.31 -$0.26 $30.00 - 50 - 29-Jan-21 SAGICOR SELECT GROWTH FUND w 1.65 -0.03 29-Jan-21 SAGICOR PREFERRED INCOME FUND w 0.99 0.00 - TOTAL SHARES BOUGHT & SOLD * Indicates the Fund is currently ex-div NOTES: QUOTATIONS AND NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE ARE SUPPLIED BY THE FUND MANAGEMENT. THE OFFERING PRICE INCLUDES NET ASSET VALUE PLUS * = Security is Trading X-Div ENTRY COSTS. m = monthly valuation, q = quarterly valuation, w = weekly *+* = Security is Suspended Fixed Income ** = Rights Issued Last Trade Last Current Bid Ask Bid Ask Date Close Close Price Price Size Size GOB Series B 28-Jan-21 $60.00 $60.00 $60.00 $80.00 50,000 34,828 GOB Series D 12-Nov-19 $50.00 $50.00 NOTICES GOB Series F 03-Nov-20 $89.00 $89.00 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS GOB Series I 24-Mar-20 $65.00 $65.00 $70.00 19,617

West India Biscuit Company Limited - Directors have fixed January 7th, 2021 as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive notice of the Annual General Meeting of the Company which will be held on February 12th, 2021. NEWS

FirstCaribbean International Bank - Directors have fixed February 1st, 2021 as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive notice of the Annual General Meeting of the Company which will be held on March 12th, 2021. Dogecoin takes off DIVIDEND DECLARATIONS Cave Shepherd and Company Limited – Directors have declared a final dividend of five ($0.05) cents per share to be paid on February after tip by Elon Musk 19th, 2021 to Shareholders on record at close of business on February 5th, 2021. DOGECOIN, a cryptocur- joke about the next big Emera Deposit Receipt - Directors have declared a cash dividend of sixty-three point seven five (CDN $0.6375) cents per common share to be paid on February 16th, 2021 to Shareholders on record at close of business on February 2nd, 2021. Registered holders of rency which started off as a cryptocurrency,according to depositary receipts ("Depositary Receipts") issued pursuant to Section 4.1 of the Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement dated joke, has jumped in value an interview with Vice. February 2nd, 2016 among Emera, the Barbados Central Securities Depository Inc. and registered and beneficial holders of depositary by 50% after inventor Elon However, with no intrin- receipts from time to time, are entitled to receive, in proportion to the number of Depositary Receipts held by them, respectively, a Musk dubbed it “the peo- sic value like gold or land, distribution in the amount of any cash received by the Barbados Central Securities Depository Inc. (net of any applicable withholding taxes) in connection with the Dividend (the "Distribution"). ple’s crypto”. and no ability to generate Cryptocurrencies such as an income like a company BSE NOTICES Dogecoin and Bitcoin are or bond, cryptocurrencies generated by computers. are extremely volatile and COVID-19 PROCEDURAL UPDATE Their supposed value comes can crash as fast as they Kindly note that effective February 3rd, 2021, the offices of the Barbados Stock Exchange Inc. (BSE) and the Barbados Central Securities from the finite number that rise. Depository Inc. (BCSDI) will be closed in accordance with the National Pause – February 3rd, 2021 to February 17th, 2021 – announced can be computed. This makes them hard by the Government of Barbados. Dogecoin uses a Shiba to value and makes their Inu dog as its mascot and is prices susceptible to tips Kindly note, however, that while our physical offices will be closed, all trading, clearing and settlement operations will remain fully operational as staff will all be working remotely during this period. While our offices are closed, we remain easily accessible via email. For Stock based on a meme featuring from backers or sudden Exchange related queries, kindly email us at [email protected] and for Shareholder related queries contact us at [email protected]. the animal. panics. The currency has risen Critics point out that We wish to thank you in advance for your understanding and trust that all and sundry remain safe during this time. more than 800% in the year while any given crypto- TRADING SUSPENSION so far. currency may have a finite After reaching a high of supply of units, the number The Barbados Stock Exchange Inc. (BSE) wishes to advise that due to non-compliance with Section 4.01.3 and subject to Section $0.058 (4.2 pence), each do- of cryptocurrencies is ever- 3.01.5.(1)(b) of the Rules of the Barbados Stock Exchange Inc. trading in the Common Shares of Banks Holdings Limited were gecoin is currently chang- growing and potentially suspended effective December 10th, 2019. ing hands for about $0.046, limitless. The Barbados Stock Exchange Inc. (BSE) wishes to advise that due to non-compliance with Section 4.01.3 and subject to Section suggesting a total value for People have lost large 3.01.5.(1)(b) of the Rules of the Barbados Stock Exchange Inc. trading in the Common Shares of Barbados Dairy Industries Limited all 128bn coins of about amounts of money in steep were suspended effective December 10th, 2019. $5.89bn. drops in the value of cryp- The Barbados Stock Exchange Inc. (BSE) wishes to advise that to facilitate the closing of the Scheme of Arrangement effected by way of It was created in 2013 by tocurrencies and in hacks Section 99 of the Companies Act 1981 of Bermuda involving the transfer of all the issued and outstanding shares in Sagicor Financial a pair of software workers and corrupted or lost hard Corporation Limited to Alignvest Acquisition II, it has suspended trading in the security Sagicor Financial Corporation Limited. after one of them made a drives. The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 13 Antigua schools returns to remote learning ANTIGUA – All schools and Wednesday, Director of Education Clare with the education officers, school for the virus. educational institutions in the Browne explained that the decision came administration,” he explained. The Seventh-Day Adventist Church in country – both public and private – after critical examination of current Teachers who do not have the resources Antigua also took the decision to close its immediately returned to remote conditions. to facilitate remote learning will be primary and secondary departments in learning yesterday for at least the Possible resumption of in-person required to access such resources at their St John’s after a student’s parent tested next couple of weeks. instruction, the director said, will occur on respective schools. Ancillary and clerical positive for the virus and another child The decision from the Cabinet of February 22. staff are also expected to report for duty as was exposed to a positive person. Antigua and Barbuda came days after a “At this time, allowances are given to normal. Classes at Irene B Williams Secondary number of schools were forced to either institutions for a nominal group of Browne said all efforts should be made and Princess Margaret Secondary have close or suspend classes after some students and teachers to have a limited to ensure the health and safety of all also been disrupted due to virus concerns. students were exposed to the Covid-19 number of in-person classes, any given personnel while on the school premises. Schools closed last year for several virus through parents or others who time,” Browne said. Over the past few days, both the months, beginning in March when the tested positive. “The decision to allow this nominal primary and secondary school in Barbuda twin island nation entered a national In a memo to all school principals on group on plant, will have to be discussed were closed after a teacher tested positive lockdown. Bahamas: Beating care home kids to cease BAHAMAS – Social Services Minister said. homes and we have accepted that Frankie Campbell said Tuesday his According to Mr Campbell, other recommendation. ministry plans to eliminate corporal recommendations by the body include “We’ve also accepted a recommendation punishment in all children’s homes additional training for future staff, the to come up with a behaviour modification following recommendations from the implementation of a behaviour programme for the children. It is National Child Protection Council that modification programme and regular important that while we won’t administer the practice be “ceased” immediately. visitation from officials at the homes “to corporal punishment that the behaviour This comes amid an ongoing police ensure that logs are being properly kept”, of the children are such that it is investigation into the Children’s among other things. acceptable in any social environment.” Emergency Hostel after shocking He said: “There is also a He added: “…I’ve spoken with the surveillance footage at the care home recommendation for what I would term chairman of the board of the children’s went viral last month, showing numerous top brass visitation meaning some person homes, of that particular children’s home children being severely beaten. of a higher rank from the Ministry of and I would share the report with him Four female staff members at the home Social Services, the Department of Social before it is shared with the media that the have since been “relieved of their duties” Services who’s attached at the home, will recommendation that we accepted will pending the outcome of the investigation. visit on a regular basis to ensure that be across the board for all of our children’s Asked if more staff had been placed on logs are being properly kept and homes throughout the Commonwealth of leave, Mr Campbell said he believed one maintained. the Bahamas as we await the results of more worker faced action, but could not “We’ve also accepted a recommendation the investigation from the police. Those confirm at the time. from the council that some members of are our immediate decisions and we will “I believe there may have been one the council will visit randomly to ensure keep you apprised of any further decisions more additional person, but I’m not sure that there is oversight. Another we make.” of that, but I can tell you that I would’ve recommendation that we, in addition to The investigation was turned over to indicated in the first instance that the in-house training that we’ve given to police after preliminary findings by the whoever is responsible and whoever is staff, that we have an external accredited NCPC revealed that there was sufficient found culpable will have to answer to training programme as part of the information to involve the law Social Services Minister Frankie some authority,” he told reporters before requirement for employment at the enforcement agency. Campbell going to Cabinet. Since the video’s release, discussions on corporal punishment have been reignited, with many calling for an end to Former Education Minister of J’ca, the archaic practice in both schools and care homes. The situation has also forced the social President of CMU to stand trial services agency to review protocols and KINGSTON, Jamaica – Chief Parish university and the Ministry of disciplinary practices in children’s homes. Court Judge Chester Crooks has just Education. Mr Campbell told reporters the ruled that former senator and education They were subsequently brought ministry has made the decision to stamp minister Ruel Reid, president of the before the Half-Way-Tree Criminal Court out the practice in care homes nationally Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) and charged but subsequently released after the NCPC recommended that Professor Fritz Pinnock and several on bail. corporal punishment no longer be used to others will go to trial for the allegations Attorney Hugh Wildman has been discipline children until further of fraud brought against them. lobbying the court to throw out the case discussion is had. Law enforcement agencies in October against Reid and Pinnock on the basis Noting that all staff members will be 2019 arrested and charged Reid, his wife that his clients were arrested by officers fully informed of the ministry’s decision, Sharen, daughter Sharelle, Pinnock, and of the Financial Investigation Division he said that workers will have to sign a Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence (FID), which has no jurisdiction so to do document to ensure that everyone is fully (Jamaica Labour Party, Brown’s Town as they are purely an investigative body aware of the new protocol. Division, St Ann) during early-morning and not empowered to carry out arrests. “I met (Monday) with the National raids at their homes in a coordinated Wildmann has maintained that by Child Protection Council and they gave a strike acting on allegations of financial arresting both applicants, the FID acted further update on their findings with Former senator and education improprieties in which funds were outside of its statutory powers and some recommendations,” Mr Campbell minister Ruel Reid supposedly siphoned off from the therefore what it did was a “nullity”.

Mix of sunshine and clouds with a few brief isolated light to moderate showers.

High Tide (First) 9:39 High tide (Second) 23:16 London 08 Cloudy/Light Rain Yesterday: Nil mm Boston 02 Cloudy Low Tide (First) 3:00 For the month: 7.2 mm Max: 29.3 °C Montreal -01 Fair Low tide (Second) 16:41 For the year: 134.5 mm Min: 25.3 °C Toronto 02 Fair New York 05 Fair Miami 22 Fair 6:24 am 6:01 pm 14 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Haiti opens debate on proposed constitutional changes PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – François Duvalier and Jean- Haiti has unveiled multiple Claude Duvalier. proposed changes to “The drafters were very wary of overhaul the country’s allowing anyone having too much Constitution that officials unbroken time in the Presidency,” plan to present to voters he said. starting this week for an The new draft also drops the upcoming referendum that requirement that to be president looms amid growing unrest. of Haiti, one needs to have lived The public meetings are in the country for five consecutive scheduled to be held across Haiti years prior to the date of general for the next three weeks, ahead of elections. All it says is that one the April 25 constitutional “must have habitual residence in referendum, which would be the Haiti,” a change that could allow first one held in more than 30 the diaspora to run for the years. highest offices in Haiti, which is FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2019 file photo, entrepreneur and youth leader Pascéus Juvensky St. One of the biggest changes is an currently banned. The proposed Fleur, 26, holds up his copy of the Haitian constitution during an interview in Port-au-Prince, omission in the draft issued by change also would apply to the Haiti. an independent commission position of vice president. tasked with creating the Other proposed changes 18 months on average,” states the Alfredo Antoine, a former Constitution. It also notes that constitutional changes that have include compulsory military document issued by the legislator, said the changes are an amendment can only go into generated heated debates. Haiti’s service for those age 18, creating independent commission. “The simply a proposal at this point effect when the next president is current Constitution bars the position of a vice president to difficulty of respecting this and that people have the right to installed, and that the current presidents from serving two replace that of prime minister binding electoral agenda plunges study them. He also said president under the government consecutive terms, but the draft and establishing a unicameral the country into a chronic opposition leaders should seek to that approved the amendment only states that a president legislature to be elected every five institutional crisis.” create a dialogue with Moïse cannot benefit from it. cannot serve for more than two years to replace the current Critics of the proposed changes instead of organizing protests as “Moïse is clearly ignoring this terms; it says nothing about Senate and Chamber of Deputies, say they see it as a power grab by they insist he leave office by important limitation,” he said. whether they can be served which was largely dissolved more Moïse, who says he will step down Sunday. As officials meet with certain consecutively. than a year ago when President in February 2022 when his five- “They should not put oil on the sectors of society to discuss the Human rights attorney Bill Jovenel Moïse began to rule by year term ends. The opposition, fire,” he said. proposed constitutional changes, O’Neill told The Associated Press decree following a lack of however, argues that his term Opposition leaders could not be some are demanding more that his interpretation is that the legislative elections. began when that of former immediately reached for inclusion. Ulrich Louisma, a 40- omission would allow a president Another change also calls for President Michel Martelly ended comment. year-old air conditioning to serve two terms consecutively. legislators to be elected every five in February 2016, even though Meanwhile, Brian Concannon, repairman, said people and He noted that those who drafted years to match the presidential Moïse wasn’t sworn in until an adviser for the Institute for officials other than the president the 1987 Constitution currently term since some senators are February 2017 following a chaotic Justice and Democracy in Haiti, should provide input on a in use were emerging from a 29- currently elected every two to six election process that led to the said the proposed referendum potentially new Constitution. year dictatorship under two so- years. appointment of a provisional itself is unconstitutional, “It can’t be a one-man show,” he called “presidents for life”: “This requires elections every president for one year. according to the current said. Peru court scraps law allowing withdrawals from state-run pension system LIMA – Peru’s Constitutional Sagasti. for those in need amid the and some in private business,opt however, had warned that Court yesterday tossed out a law The court said in a statement coronavirus crisis, would have instead for the state-run plan. tapping the state-run system that would have allowed the that it had voted unanimously to allowed members to draw up to The bill’s passage came just would further decimate public partial withdraw of savings by overturn the law, calling it 4,300 soles ($1,192) from the weeks after lawmakers approved coffers, already in dire straits as citizens enrolled with state “unconstitutional.” state-run system. two similar withdrawals from Peru, the world’s No.2 copper pension fund, a measure that The law passed by opposition Most Peruvians prefer the the country´s parallel, privately- producer, struggles through one had prompted fierce opposition members of Congress in larger, privately-run pension run system. of its deepest recessions in from interim President Francisco December, intended as a lifeline system, but many state-workers, Sagasti’s administration, decades. This Caribbean island is offering year-long visas for remote workers • British territory Montserrat “The global pandemic has and you can do the same work working days. year, including Aruba, Anguilla, started a ‘Remote Workers Stamp’ changed how we live and work, that you would have produced for Montserrat is a British Barbados, Bermuda and the to boost tourism amid coronavirus and as multinationals and your company,from Montserrat.” overseas territory in the Eastern Cayman Islands. pandemic leading startups across the world The Remote Workers Stamp is Caribbean that measures roughly The programs are meant to accelerate their rates of digital a government-run program, 39.4 square miles and has a boost tourism as the industry has REMOTE workers who want to adoption, the need to be according to the release. population of around 5,000, been greatly hurt by travelers complete their duties in a tropical physically present to fulfill Applicants accepted into the according to the United Nations adhering to shelter-in-place locale might want to look at professional responsibilities has program are reportedly not liable Statistic Division’s 2019 guidelines advised by local Montserrat. been redefined,” said Montserrat’s to pay Montserrat income tax. Demographic Yearbook. governments and health Authorities at the Caribbean Deputy Premier Dr. The Hon. Applications cost US$500 for The territory claims there has agencies.The island destinations island recently announced the Samuel Joseph, in a press release individuals and US$750 for not been a confirmed coronavirus have also been affected by the territory is welcoming digital that went out Friday. individuals who are accompanied case since July 2020. Data from CDC’s No Sail Order for Cruise nomads with a 12-month “There are people currently in by a maximum of three family Worldometers.info report Ships, which would typically “Remote Workers Stamp,” a year- metropolitan areas and various members. Families that are larger Montserrat only had 13 cases of bring day-visiting tourists. long visa program that allows parts of the world, who now have than four will have to pay an COVID-19, all except one led to The global number of confirmed tourists to make money while the ability to work from home,” he additional US$250 for each recoveries. Other Caribbean coronavirus cases has surpassed they’re in Montserrat, so long as continued.“So the remote worker family member. islands have invited remote 100 million, according to data they have a location-independent program is basically telling people Program applicants can expect workers with long-stay visas and from the Johns Hopkins COVID- job. to come to Montserrat to work to receive a response within seven other travel incentives in the last 19 Dashboard. The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 15

After seven years, Brazil shuts down Brazil’s Vale Car Wash anti-corruption squad agrees to BRASILIA – Brazil’s Car Wash anti- corruption unit has officially shut US$7 billion down, the end of an era for a team of prosecutors that helped send dozens Brumadinho of Latin American political and business leaders to jail, including several former presidents. disaster The task force, which stemmed from a routine money-laundering investigation into a car wash in Brasilia, ceased to exist settlement on Monday, although its dissolution was not announced until Wednesday by the RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO – federal prosecutors’ office (MPF). Brazilian miner Vale said yesterday it Some of its prosecutors will be had reached a 37.7 billion real (US$7 transferred to the organized crime unit of billion) agreement with prosecutors and the MPF, where they will continue their the state of Minas Gerais to settle work, the agency’s statement said. claims stemming from the collapse of a The Car Wash squad began its work in mining dam in 2019 which killed 270 2014, focusing on contracting graft at people. state-run oil company Petrobras, although In a securities filing, Vale said it its scope quickly expanded. Former would book a further 19.8 billion presidents and major companies reais related to the agreement this throughout Latin America, thought for year. years to be untouchable, were implicated Vale shares, suspended for the in sprawling corruption schemes announcement, reopened up 2.3%, then uncovered by the investigators. pared gains to trade little changed by Among prominent figures sent to jail late morning. On Wednesday, as initial because of the investigation were popular information of the agreement emerged, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da shares jumped 3%. Silva. Outside of Brazil, ex-presidents in FILE PHOTO: Demonstrators take part in a motorcade in support of the “Lava Brazil’s most deadly mining tragedy Peru, El Salvador and Panama were also Jato” (Car Wash) corruption investigation, in Brasilia. has hampered Vale’s performance over jailed as a result of investigations started the past two years as it was forced to by the task force. Major international corners to secure prosecutions. extended the task force’s mandate until curb production amid new safety companies, such as Maersk and Glencore, Corruption probes into family members Jan. 31, but did not say if he would renew protocols. have also come under the investigators’ of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro it. The government of Minas Gerais, microscope. have made some conservatives suspicious According to its own data, the Car Wash where the disaster occurred, said the But many leftists had grown wary of of efforts to fight corruption as well. task force was responsible for 295 arrests, agreement does not set a ceiling on the investigation, in part because of the That had left the future of Car Wash in 278 convictions and 4.3 billion reais potential costs associated with the jailing of Lula, while a series of leaked doubt, even as its work remained popular (US$803 million) in ill-gotten gains being environmental cleanup, which Vale will conversations in 2019 raised questions among Brazilians. In September,Brazilian returned to the Brazilian state during its have to cover. about whether investigators were cutting Prosecutor-General Augusto Aras roughly seven years of operation. It also does not interfere with any criminal cases against Vale personnel, the government said. Leonardo Correa, analyst at BTG Guyana nixes Taiwan office Pactual, said in a note the agreement appeared positive for the company and was significantly lower after Beijing criticizes ‘mistake’ than the 54 billion reais the TAIPEI/GEORGETOWN – Guyana terminated,” Guyana’s statement read. government had initially yesterday abruptly terminated an Guyana has traditionally had close ties wanted. According to Correa, the agreement with Taiwan to open an office with China. positives also went beyond the headline in the South American country, hours Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman figure. after China urged Georgetown to “correct Wang Wenbin had responded to the move “This is not really about numbers, their mistake.” by saying Beijing hoped Guyana would this is more about putting an Taiwan’s foreign ministry earlier not engage in official ties with Taiwan, overhang source behind the yesterday said it had signed an calling on the country to “earnestly take company and turning the agreement with Guyana on Jan. 11 to steps to correct their mistake.” Brumadinho page,” he said, open a Taiwan office, effectively a de facto The United States is worried about referring to the town where the dam embassy for the island that China claims deepening Chinese influence in Latin collapsed. as its sovereign territory with no right to America. Guyana, a former British colony, On Wednesday, Vale reported diplomatic ties. recently begun developing offshore oil lackluster annual production Guyana’s foreign ministry yesterday reserves and is strategically located next figures, but flagged a potential afternoon said it was rolling back the to strife-torn Venezuela, a major Chinese Chinese Foreign Ministry rebound in both output and sales in agreement and that it continued to ally with which Guyana has a territorial spokesman Wang Wenbin 2021. adhere to the “One China” policy. dispute. Vale said it closed 2020 with 322 “The government has not established Taiwan only has formal diplomatic Mobil Corp and Hess Corp that has million tonnes of annual iron ore any diplomatic ties or relations with relations with 14 countries, including four discovered more than 8 billion barrels of production capacity,and it expects that Taiwan and as a result of the Caribbean nations. recoverable crude reserves in the number to rise to 350 million tonnes by miscommunication of the agreement China’s CNOOC Ltd is part of a Stabroek block off Guyana’s coast, turning the end of 2021. signed, this agreement has since been consortium with U.S. oil companies Exxon the country into a new energy hotspot. (US$1 = 5.3640 reais) IDB president: It behooves US to support capital increase NEW YORK – It is incumbent on the step up and have the resources to do so it behooves the United States Congress 30 years from Latin America to Asia.” United States to support a capital the region is going to look for to support a capital increase for the He said there is a “unique opportunity” increase at the Inter American alternatives,” said Mauricio Claver- bank.” to bring that back. Development Bank, the bank’s Carone, who took the reigns of the Claver-Carone said the IDB has The IDB president spoke at an online president said yesterday. development bank in October as its scaled down its role as a guide to the event organized by the “The IDB is the lender of preference first-ever U.S. president. region’s private sector and there has Americas Society/Council of the of the region, and if the IDB doesn’t “So it behooves the United States and been a “recalibration over the past 20 or Americas. 16 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

UN Security Council calls for release of Myanmar’s Suu Kyi THE United Nations commander Min Aung traditionally shielded at her home and she has Security Council Hlaing took power, alleg- Myanmar from significant been detained until Feb. called for the release ing irregularities in an council action. China also 15. of Myanmar’s leader election last November has large economic inter- Some 147 people have Aung San Suu Kyi and that Suu Kyi’s party won ests in Myanmar. been detained since the others detained by the in a landslide. A spokesperson for coup, including activists, military and voiced The 15-member UN China’s UN mission said lawmakers and officials concern over the state Security Council said in a Beijing hoped the key from Suu Kyi’s govern- of emergency, but statement agreed by con- messages in the statement ment, Myanmar’s stopped short of con- sensus on Thursday that “could be heeded by all Assistance Association for demning this week’s they “stressed the need to sides and lead to a posi- Political Prisoners (AAPP) coup. uphold democratic insti- tive outcome” in its neigh- said. US President Joe tutions and processes, re- bour. At least four people Biden’s administration is frain from violence, and Reuters was not imme- were arrested on meanwhile considering an fully respect human diately able to reach the Thursday,including three executive order in re- rights, fundamental free- Myanmar government for who took part in a street sponse to the coup that doms and the rule of law”. comment. demonstration and a could include some sanc- Language in the state- Nobel Peace laureate teenager who was bang- Myanmar’s State Counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi. tions, national security ad- ment was softer than that Suu Kyi, 75, has not been ing a pot in part of what viser Jake Sullivan said. originally drafted by seen since her arrest. have become nightly there has been no mass civil disobedience that has Myanmar’s long and Britain and made no men- Police have filed charges protests against the coup. outpouring of opposition also been joined by some troubled transition to tion of a coup - apparently against her of illegally im- In a country with a on the streets. other government employ- democracy was derailed to win support from China porting and using six bloody history of crack- But doctors have helped ees, students and youth on Monday when army and Russia, which have walkie-talkie radios found downs on demonstrations, spearhead a campaign of groups. Britain explores mixed COVID vaccine shots as variants threaten LONDON – British re- world first trial aimed While thousands of only a tiny minority are tions emerge and disap- around June. searchers are to explore at finding new ways to individual changes have likely to be important or pear continuously,” Gupta The trial will examine mixing doses of the Pfizer swiftly reduce coron- arisen as the virus mu- change the virus in an ap- said. “Scientists are using the responses to an initial and AstraZeneca COVID- avirus infections as new tates on replication and preciable way, according ‘variants’ to describe dose of Pfizer vaccine 19 vaccines shots in a mutated variants emerge. evolves into new variants, to the British Medical viruses with mutations followed by a booster of Journal. that are transmitting in AstraZeneca’s, as well as Among coronavirus the general population – vice versa, with intervals variants currently most there aren’t 4,000 of of four and 12 weeks. concerning for scientists those.” The trial will be the and public health experts The so-called British first of its kind to combine are the so-called British, variant, known as VUI- a mRNA shot – the one South African and 202012/01 or B.1.1.7., has developed by Pfizer and Brazilian variants, which mutations including a BioNtech – and a aden- appear to spread more change in the spike pro- ovirus viral vector vaccine swiftly than others. tein that the coronavirus of the type developed by British Vaccine uses to bind to the human Oxford University and Deployment Minister ACE2 receptor – meaning AstraZeneca. Nadhim Zahawi said cur- that it is probably easier AstraZeneca’s shot is sep- rent COVID-19 vaccines to catch. arately being trialled in would probably still pro- “We have about 50% of combination with another tect people against infec- the world’s genome se- viral vector vaccine, tion with the new vari- quencing industry, and we Russia’s Sputnik V. ants, but this would need are keeping a library of The British researchers to be closely monitored. all the variants so that we behind the trial said data “Its very unlikely that are ready to respond – on vaccinating people the current vaccine won’t whether in the autumn or with the two different be effective on the vari- beyond – to any challenge types of vaccine could ants ... especially when it that the virus may pres- help understanding of comes to severe illness ent and produce the next whether shots can be and hospitalisation,” vaccine,” Zahawi said. rolled out with greater Zahawi told Sky News. flexibility, and might even “All manufacturers, Vaccine race increase immunity. Pfizer-BioNTech, Israel is currently far Matthew Snape, an Moderna, Oxford- ahead of the rest of the Oxford vaccinologist who AstraZeneca and others, world on vaccinations per is leading the trial, said are looking at how they head of population, fol- mixing different shots can improve their vaccine lowed by the United Arab had proven effective in to make sure that we are Emirates, the United Ebola vaccine schedules, ready for any variant – Kingdom, Bahrain, and though the new trial there are about 4,000 the United States and mixed vaccine technolo- variants around the world then Spain, Italy and gies, it could also work. of COVID now.” Germany. “Ultimately, it all comes Ravi Gupta, a professor Britain on Thursday down to the same target – of microbiology at launched a trial to assess cells making the spike Cambridge University the immune responses protein – just using dif- said Zahawi had misspo- generated if doses of ferent platforms,” he told ken, and was referring to the vaccines from Pfizer reporters. individual mutations, not and AstraZeneca are “For that reason we variants. combined in a two-shot do anticipate that we’ll “The number of muta- schedule. Initial data on generate a good immune tions has little actual immune responses is ex- response with these com- relevance as many muta- pected to be generated binations.” The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 17

Prominent Hezbollah critic killed in Lebanon BEIRUT – A prominent Lebanese “symbols of free political thought”. Shi’ite publisher who criticised the The centre was founded after a car armed Hezbollah movement was bomb killed journalist Samir Kassir in shot dead in a car in southern 2005, at a time when a series of assassi- Lebanon on Thursday, the first such nations hit Lebanon targeting critics of killing of a high-profile activist in Syria’s 15-year domination. years. At Slim’s family home in Beirut’s south- A judge said the body of Lokman Slim ern suburbs, where Hezbollah holds sway, had four bullets in the head and one in the relatives sat in shock. Some wept in si- back. A security source said his phone lence. One relative said they had found was found on the side of a road. out about his death from a news alert They said the motive was unclear. while at a police station. Slim, who was in his late 50s, ran a re- “What a big loss. And they lost a noble search centre, made documentaries with enemy too ... It’s rare for someone to argue his wife and led efforts to build an archive with them and live among them with re- on Lebanon’s 1975-1990 sectarian civil spect,” his sister Rasha told reporters, Lokman Slim, an activist and publisher who ran a research centre, speaks during war. without naming Hezbollah. an interview, in a still image taken from Reuters TV footage shot on February 2, He spoke against what he described as She said he had not mentioned any 2009, in Beirut, Lebanon. the Iranian-backed, Shi’ite Hezbollah’s threats.“Killing is the only language they intimidation tactics and attempts to mo- are fluent in,” she added. “I don’t know blast. The official investigation into the Initiative and worked with an American nopolise Lebanese politics. how we will go on with our work... It will explosion has yet to yield results. think tank, leaked WikiLeaks diplomatic His sister suggested Slim had been be hard.” Former premier Saad al-Hariri, whose cables said in 2008. murdered because of this. He was last father’s assassination sparked regional In late 2019, Slim said people had gath- seen after visiting a poet friend. His wife ‘A big loss’ turmoil in 2005, said Slim had been ered in his garden, chanting slurs and said he had gone missing overnight. In an interview last month on Saudi’s clearer than most in identifying the threats. His statement held Hezbollah’s Hezbollah said it condemned the al-Hadath TV, Slim said he believed source of danger to the nation. leader responsible. killing, which Lebanese officials, includ- Damascus and its ally Hezbollah had a Slim’s criticism of Hezbollah faced re- At the time, Slim also said he had re- ing the president, called an assassination role in the port blast that ripped through buke from its supporters, who called him ceived death threats after speaking in a Human rights groups, the United Beirut in August, killing 200 people and “an embassy Shi’ite”, accusing him of debate at a Beirut camp that activists set Nations and Western diplomats all de- injuring thousands. being a tool of the United States. up when protests against all the country’s manded an investigation.“We deplore the Hezbollah has denied any links to the Washington, which classifies Hezbollah political leaders swept Lebanon. prevailing culture of impunity,” EU am- explosion. as terrorists, has ramped up sanctions “His murder is a very big loss for bassador Ralph Tarraf tweeted. President Michel Aoun, a political ally against it to pressure Tehran. Lebanon, for culture,” said Hazem A Lebanese press freedom centre, of Hezbollah, said he had ordered an in- Slim founded a non-profit to promote Saghieh, a well-known Lebanese journal- SKeyes, said it feared a cover-up of the vestigation into Thursday’s crime, which civil liberties which received a grant ist. “He was one of a few who only knew crime and more attempts to eliminate came exactly six month since the port under the US Middle East Partnership how to speak his mind.” US hospitalisations fall, but virus deaths stay stubbornly high UNITED STATES – Coronavirus hospi- virus patients, said her daughter Lisa “Even as the pandemic has spread more an ICU for many weeks,and some will die. talisations are falling across the United Jones. broadly in the population, the demograph- “The patients who don’t do well are States, but deaths have remained stub- “They were just about ready to call an ics of who dies from COVID has not really often in for these long and very stormy bornly high, with 50,000 new fatalities in ambulance, but they realised there is changed.” courses, and the patients who die, that’s the last two weeks alone. nowhere for her to go. She is going to end In Florida, for instance, 83 per cent of typically weeks into their hospital stay,” Infectious disease specialists expect up in a hallway somewhere,” Jones said. deaths attributed to the virus have been Holland said. deaths to start dropping as well, after new Padilla was stable for days and seemed in people 65 and older. Treatments have evolved for COVID cases hit a peak right around the begin- to be improving, but suddenly grew ill Still, that hasn’t been enough to inspire over time, but there have not been any ning of the year. again before she died. some people to wear masks.A recent viral “game-changing miracle treatments” on “The patients who were infected in that “I am still just kind of numb,” her video from Oakes Farms Seed to Table, a par with the development of the vaccine, wave – or in that peak – who will ulti- daughter said. local grocery store in Naples, Florida, Holland said. mately die of COVID, those deaths are California’s experience has mirrored showed both maskless customers and em- “We’ve had things on the margin that happening now,” said Dr.Thomas Holland many of the inequalities that have been ployees, chatting and laughing, without are helpful,” Holland said. of Duke University. exposed since the pandemic began nearly any social distancing. Among those, the use of steroids for pa- The nation reported 3,912 COVID-19 a year ago, with people of colour being hit Alfie Oakes, the store’s owner, told tients who require oxygen, different ven- deaths Wednesday, down from the pan- especially hard. NBC’s “Today” show he knows masks do tilator strategies and preventing and demic peak of 4,466 deaths on January 12. For example, Latinos make up 46 per not work, and he does not believe the coro- managing blood clots.There’s also the use On Thursday, the United States hit cent of California’s overall death toll, navirus has killed hundreds of thousands of monoclonal antibodies for outpatients 450,000 total deaths. despite being 39 per cent of the state’s of people in the United States. early in their illness who do not need to be The biggest driver to the US death toll population.The situation has worsened in “That’s total hogwash,” Oakes said, on oxygen, but who might be at higher over the past month has been California, recent months. In November, the daily adding: “Why don’t we shut the world risk of complications. which has averaged more than 500 deaths number of Latino deaths was 3.5 per down because of the heart attacks? Why In addition, changes in testing have per day in recent weeks. 100,000 residents,but that rate shot up to don’t we lock down cities because of heart helped. Dora Padilla was among the thousands 40 deaths per 100,000 last week. attacks?” “Clearly,if people know they’re infected, of Californians who died in the last Alabama is another hot spot.The seven- He did not return a call from The they’re going to be more likely to do the month. day rolling average of deaths there has Associated Press on Thursday. things they need to do, like staying at The 86-year-old daughter of Mexican risen over the past two weeks, from 74 to Public health experts are watching home and quarantining or isolating,” he immigrants served two decades as a 147 deaths per day. Kentucky, North Florida closely this week, because the said. school’s trustee for Southern California’s Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Super Bowl will be played in Tampa. City Looking forward, the big concern is how Alhambra Unified School District after Tennessee also saw surges in deaths. leaders and the NFL are trying to ensure the virus is changing, shifting into new helping out as a parent volunteer and The hardest hit demographic groups social distancing by capping attendance at strains that are potentially more infec- band booster for her own children. She continue to be the oldest and frailest, a third of the stadium’s capacity – 22,000 tious and better able to evade antibody was one of few Latinos to hold elected Holland said. When coronavirus first people. Still, there will be parties, events products or to make vaccines less effective. office at the time. swept through the country,it was concen- at bars and clubs, and other activities that “We’ve always been in a race,” Holland She tested positive in December at the trated in nursing homes, prisons and draw people together. said.“But it’s a lot more obvious now that facility where she lived, then developed a other congregate care settings. It later While most people who become infected we’re in a race to vaccinate people fast fever and saw her oxygen level drop. The spread more broadly. will recover, others face a much longer enough to slow down transmission, so that facility was going to call an ambulance but “But deaths have still been concen- road. It can take a week or two to get sick the virus has fewer opportunities to mu- decided to treat her there amid a surge in trated among older patients and patients” enough to end up in the hospital. Then, tate and change and create these strain infections that filled local hospitals with with other health problems,Holland said. those who are severely ill may end up in problems for us.” 18 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

House Democrats ask Trump to testify at his impeachment trial WASHINGTON – House of Representatives Democrats who will prosecute former President Donald Trump in his impeach- ment trial asked him on Thursday to testify next week about his conduct before hun- dreds of his supporters launched a deadly at- tack on the Capitol. The House last month impeached Trump on a charge of inciting insur- rection after he made a fiery speech urging his followers to “fight” his election defeat shortly before they stormed the Capitol, fighting with police and sending law- makers scrambling for their safety. Trump’s attorneys this week rejected the charge, contending that he “fully and faithfully executed his duties as president” and asserting that his claims that his election defeat was the result of US President Donald Trump holds a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 US presidential election results by the US Congress, in widespread fraud – which Washington, US, on January 6, 2021. were baseless – were protected by the First ing your conduct on tween Feb. 8 and 11. tatives and lawyers did stormed the Capitol to try ments. Amendment of the US January 6, 2021,” “If you decline this invi- not immediately respond to stop the certification of A total of 17 Constitution. Democratic lawmaker tation, we reserve any to a request for comment. Biden’s victory. Five peo- Republicans would need “In light of your disput- Jamie Raskin, the lead and all rights, including Republican Senator ple, including a Capitol to join all 50 Democrats ing these factual allega- House impeachment the right to establish at Lindsey Graham, a close Police officer, died during to convict Trump in the tions, I write to invite you manager, wrote in a letter trial that your refusal to ally of Trump’s, dismissed the incident. trial. to provide testimony to Trump and his attor- testify supports a strong the request as a “political Trump’s lawyers and The impeachment trial under oath, either before neys. adverse inference regard- ploy”. most Republican senators of Trump, the first US or during the Senate im- Raskin asked Trump ing your actions (and Asked if Trump would have challenged the president to face such a peachment trial, concern- to provide testimony be- inaction) on January 6, testify, Graham said: “I constitutionality of the trial twice, is expected to 2021,” Raskin wrote. don’t think that would be trial. They have said the begin next week. House managers want in anybody’s interest.” Senate does not have the Trump’s first impeach- North Korea to Trump to testify under For two months after authority to hear the case ment trial, on charges of oath about a number of losing his re-election bid because Trump, also a abuse of power and ob- statements made by his to President Joe Biden, Republican, has already structing Congress after receive COVID vaccine lawyers, including that he Trump loudly argued that left office and cannot be he appeared to pressure never tried to subvert the he lost due to rampant removed. the president of Ukraine after making request certification of the elec- electoral fraud, claims Such an argument to investigate Biden and tion results, according to that were rejected by would allow Republican his son, resulted in an ac- SEOUL, South Korea – Gavi spokesman told AFP a senior aide on the im- multiple courts and state senators – who hold half quittal by the Senate, North Korea has re- on Thursday. peachment team. election officials. the seats in the chamber where Republicans held quested COVID-19 vac- The allocations cited in It was not immediately At the Jan. 6 rally, the – to vote against Trump’s the majority at the time cines and is expected to the report “reflect latest clear whether Trump former president urged conviction on procedural and denied Democrats’ receive nearly two million estimates of supply and would agree to the re- supporters to fight concerns instead of di- attempts to present wit- doses, according to the take into account country quest. Trump’s represen- before hundreds of them rectly supporting his com- nesses. Gavi vaccine alliance, part readiness and regulatory of the WHO-backed Covax approvals,” he added. programme, although the According to the report, Biden says US ready to isolated country has in- the North is to receive the Macron backs US-Iran sisted it is virus-free. AstraZeneca-Oxford jab It is the first official con- produced by the Serum dialogue, floats himself work with China when it firmation that the North Institute of India. has asked for interna- Pyongyang closed its is in America’s interest tional help, with the coun- borders in late January as ‘honest broker’ try’s medical infrastruc- last year – the first coun- WASHINGTON – Biden said in a speech ture is seen as woefully in- try in the world to do so – WASHINGTON – French the Washington-based President Joe Biden on during his first visit to adequate for dealing with in a bid to protect itself President Emmanuel Atlantic Council think Thursday called China’s the State Department. any large-scale outbreak. against the coronavirus. Macron on Thursday wel- tank in a video conference America’s most serious “We will confront The Covax scheme, co- It has long insisted that comed the US willingness from Paris.“I will do what- competitor, but said the China’s economic abuses, led by the Gavi alliance, it has had no cases, with to engage with Iran, of- ever I can to support any United States is ready to counter its aggressive will distribute 1.99 million its leader Kim Jong Un fered himself as an hon- initiative from the US side work with China when it course of action to push doses to the North, accord- reiterating the claim at a est broker on the nuclear to re-engage a ... dialogue is in its interests to do back China’s attack on ing to Covax’s interim dis- huge military parade in issue and said Saudi and I will be here ... I was so. human rights, intellec- tribution report released October. Arabia and Israel must ul- here, and available two “We will ... take on di- tual property and global this week. Experts suggest that is timately be involved years ago and one and a rectly the challenges governance,” he said. All countries receiving unlikely, given the virus somehow. half (years) ago, to try to posed (to) our prosperity, “But we’re ready to work interim allocations of first emerged in neigh- “We do need to finalise, be an honest broker and a security and democratic with Beijing, when it’s in vaccines “have submitted bouring China, its main indeed, a new negotiation committed broker in this values by our most seri- America’s interest to do requests for vaccines”, a provider of trade and aid. with Iran,” Macron told dialogue.” ous competitor, China,” so.” The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 19

Covax: Canada defends taking vaccines from sharing scheme CANADA has de- more than 330 million available, though, will fended its decision to vaccine doses in the first be delivered to low- and draw on a supply of half of 2021. middle-income countries. coronavirus vaccines Canada is the only Many of those from a global inocula- member of the G7 group countries haven’t even tion-sharing initiative of rich countries listed as started vaccinations. known as Covax. a Covax beneficiary at Meanwhile, Canada has Covax pools funds from this stage. vaccinated 2.29% of its wealthier countries to Other wealthier coun- population with one dose, help buy vaccines for tries, including New including 48% of health Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has faced pressure to roll out vaccines themselves and low- Zealand and Singapore, workers, government faster, after delays. income nations. have requested an early data shows. The scheme has an- allocation as well. Aside from Covax, lion doses of vaccines Canadian government cover the country’s popu- nounced a plan to deliver Most of the first doses agreements for 398 mil- have been struck by the – more than enough to lation of 37 million. Fired Ohio police officer under arrest on murder charge in Black man’s shooting A FORMER Ohio police killing of Andre Maurice Hill had a cellphone and summer, a handful of der, one charge of felo- the judge for a “reasonable officer, who is white, will Hill, 47, officials said. Coy no weapons were found. high-profile deaths in nious assault and two bond”. appear at a bail hearing was responding to a nui- “Andre Hill should not Minneapolis; Atlanta; counts of dereliction of “My client is not a flight today after his arrest on sance call about car noise. be dead,” Yost said, an- Louisville, Kentucky, and duty, Yost said. Coy was risk, he voluntarily sur- a charge of murder in Coy, who was fired a nouncing the charges.“No elsewhere triggered a arrested at the office of rendered, and he is not a the fatal shooting on an week after the shooting, weapon was found at the wave of nation-wide his attorney Wednesday safety risk to the commu- unarmed Black man in told his fellow police offi- scene.” protests that pushed po- afternoon. nity,” Collins said. “The December. cers that he thought Hill The case is the latest in lice reform to the top of His attorney, Mark only question here is his Adam Coy,44, a 19-year- was holding a gun and he a series of police killings the US political agenda. Collins, told Reuters he judgement while acting in veteran of the Columbus feared for his life. Ohio of Black people that have The grand jury indicted would enter a not-guilty the course of his duty, not police force, was indicted Attorney General Dave highlighted long-standing Coy on one charge of mur- plea for his client and ask whether he is a danger.” by a grand jury on Yost told a press confer- issues of racial injustice in Wednesday in the Dec. 22 ence on Wednesday that US law enforcement. Last Trump resigns from actors union after facing discipline from Capitol riot WASHINGTON – cause that he had vio- that this union holds Former President lated its terms over the most sacred – democ- Donald Trump on attack. racy, truth, respect for Thursday resigned his “Who cares!” Trump our fellow Americans of membership in a top US wrote in the letter, pro- all races and faiths, and actors and screen union vided by a spokesman the sanctity of the free that was reviewing disci- and first reported by Fox press.” plinary action against News. “I no longer wish The union had not said him after his supporters to be associated with when the meeting would stormed the US Capitol your union.” be held. Fox reported in a Jan. 6 attack that “Thank you,” the guild that Trump’s discipli- left five people dead. responded in its own nary hearing was set for In a letter to the statement. this week. Screen Actors Guild – SAG-AFTRA, which “While I’m not famil- American Federation represents some 160,000 iar with your work, of Television and Radio actors, journalists and I’m very proud of my Artists (SAG-AFTRA), other media profession- work,” Trump wrote Trump slammed the als, on Jan. 19 said it SAG-AFTRA President union’s planned hearing would review Trump’s Gabrielle Carteris. “You Protesters gather outside of the home where Andre Maurice Hill, 47, was killed after the board last role in the riot, saying he have done nothing for in Columbus, Ohio, US, December 24, 2020. month found probable had “attacked the values me.” Fund for Jeffrey Epstein victims short of cash, pauses payout offers NEW YORK – The fund Jordana Feldman, the ing principles of the Epstein signed his will ment provided by the home in Palm Beach, set up to compensate vic- fund’s administrator, program,” Feldman said on Aug. 8, 2019, two days executors’ lawyers, the Florida. tims of Jeffrey Epstein’s said she regretted the in a statement. before killing himself “great bulk” of the re- The executors sexual abuses is short of suspension, but it was Feldman worked for in a Manhattan jail maining assets – includ- nonetheless have a “full cash. necessary to protect the many years on a com- cell while awaiting ing homes, aircraft and expectation” the com- The Epstein Victims’ rights of Epstein accus- pensation fund for Sept. trial on sex trafficking private investments – pensation program will Compensation Program ers whose claims have 11, 2001 attack victims. charges. His estate’s ex- are illiquid, and the soon return to normal, said on Thursday it will not been resolved. The Epstein compen- ecutors have since been coronavirus pandemic the statement said. stop offering payouts “Issuing a compensa- sation program has re- selling assets to pay vic- has hamstrung efforts to Payouts began after to victims through at tion offer that cannot be ceived more than 150 tims. sell them. Denise George, attorney least March 25, citing timely and fully funded claims since being cre- Once valued at around It also said the estate general of the US Virgin uncertainty about the and paid, consistent with ated last June, and paid $630 million, the estate has spent heavily Islands, where Epstein liquidity of assets from the way the Program has out more than $50 mil- ended December with defending against civil also had a home, re- the disgraced financier’s operated to date, would lion. Victims have until approximately $240 mil- litigation, including ceived assurances that estate that fund the compromise claimants’ Feb. 8 to register and lion of assets. “fraudulent” ownership Epstein’s accusers would payouts. interests and the guid- March 25 to file claims. According to a state- claims for Epstein’s be treated fairly. 20 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Shaggy to rock Super Bowl

TWENTY-ONE years after its advertisement during the game costs release, It Wasn’t Me, a song by US$5.5 million. Shaggy is still making the rounds. It Wasn’t Me was the first single from The singer, performing a remixed Shaggy’s multi-platinum studio album version of the hit, will be featured Hot Shot (2000). The song also features in a commercial for Cheetos’ Rikrok. Crunch Pop Mix that will be aired The track has been regarded as during the third quarter of the Shaggy’s breakthrough in the pop Super Bowl on Sunday. market, and is his highest charting In a social media post on Monday, song to date, topping the charts in Shaggy posted the 60-second Australia, Austria, Flanders, France, commercial which sees Hollywood Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, the couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis United Kingdom, and the United in a tongue-in-cheek exchange over a States. It was the best-selling single of bag of Cheetos. Kutcher evidently 2001 in the UK, selling over 1.15 catches his wife “orange handed” with million copies that year and over 1.42 his snack. However, Shaggy encourages million as of 2017. her to deny the allegations by saying: To celebrate the 20th anniversary of “It wasn’t me.” Hot Shot last year, Shaggy released The video, captioned, “It’s been 21 another project titled Hot Shot 2020. It years since It Wasn’t Me came out, and featured updated versions of some of it’s still the perfect response to getting his biggest hits across the deejay’s Shaggy during a performance. caught @Cheetos #ItWasntMe #SBLV catalogue, along with a number of #Ad,” received close to 200 000 views on never-before-heard tracks. album that really brought numbers to playing Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the singer’s Instagram page up to In an interview with the Jamaica the game. It brought dancehall to a decide the league champion for the yesterday. Observer ahead of its release, Shaggy mainstream audience and on different 2020 NFL season. According to Columbia Broadcasting said it was the best way to mark such a platforms,” said Shaggy. Besides Cheetos, other well-known System (CBS), the annual Super Bowl milestone. Super Bowl LV, the 55th Super Bowl companies and brands to secure ad games attract approximately 100 “For me, to put that record out is a and the 51st modern-era National placements include Tide, Amazon, million viewers. Additionally, the celebration of the journey of what Football League (NFL) championship Squarespace, Miracle-Gro, Doritos and placement of a 30-second Shaggy has done. Hot Shot was the game, will see Kansas City Chiefs Michelob Ultra. Sia says sorry to autism community for controversial film Music AUSTRALIAN pop star Sia has apologised for casting a neurotypical actor as a nonverbal autistic girl in her film Music, and for scenes depicting the use of restraints on autistic people. Her directorial debut Music attracted controversy online on Wednesday after it was nominated for two Golden Globes. It was criticised for the casting of dancer Maddie Ziegler in an autistic role, as well as for restraint scenes. Sia has now said a restraint warning would be added to the film’s start. Variety said the singer had also tweeted that all restraint scenes will be removed from public screenings of the film. “I plan to remove the restraint scenes from all future printings.I listened to the wrong people and that Maddie Ziegler and Kate Hudson star in Music, which was nominated for two Golden Globes. is my responsibility, my research was clearly not thorough enough, not wide pressure feedback to help w[ith] A tweet from GhillieGuide, an film, which Sia described as “a love enough,” she tweeted, shortly before meltdown safety.” “austistic self-advocate”, said the use letter to caregivers and to the autism deleting her account which had about On Wednesday, actress Ruth of restraint in the film brought back community,” went up online. 6m followers. Madeley, who has spina bifida, “traumatic memories”. Speaking recently on the Grounded “I promise, have been listening. The expressed solidarity with “every The film, written and directed by with Louis Theroux podcast, Sia motion picture Music will, moving #ActuallyAutistic person who is Sia, also stars Kate Hudson and Leslie agreed with him that the challenges forward, have this warning at the head rightly devastated to see #Sia”s Music Odom Jr, and will be released in and experiences for people with of the movie,” she said. nominated”. certain cinemas around the world for autism are varied, and said she She added: “Music in no way “Disabled people are needed in the one night only next week. wanted that to be reflected on screen. condones or recommends the use of industry now more than ever to help It received a Golden Globe “Sometimes it’s coupled with savant restraint on autistic people. There are change the narrative we’re all so sick nomination for best picture in the capabilities and other times it is not,” autistic occupational therapists that of,” tweeted the actress, who was in musical or comedy category, along she said. “If you went and met specialise in sensory processing who 2019 BBC drama Years and Years and with Kate Hudson, who got a nod for everybody in the world who is on the can be consulted to explain safe ways has featured in BBC One’s Celebrity best actress. autism spectrum you would never find to provide proprioceptive, deep- Best Home Cook. In November a petition to cancel the two the same.” The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 21

‘CODA’ has loud message even when there’s silence NEW YORK – The breakout hit of some flashbacks based on my this year’s Sundance Film Festival experience in this world,” said Kotsur, is set to expand the conversation recalling first reading the script. “It’s a about diversity in Hollywood. good experience for the audience to “CODA,” which stands for “Child of come into deaf culture and get an Deaf Adults,” invites viewers into a inside view of what it looks like.” world many have never seen, with a During filming, two ASL experts silence they’ve never experienced. It reviewed the script, helped Heder depicts the life of a mostly deaf family interpret the scenes and relay whose love, friction, drama and messages to the cast. They also made laughter is the same as any other adjustments if scenes were not true to family, but communicated through sign deaf culture. Subtitles are used when language. family members are communicating The movie, a remake of the award- with each other, but only Ruby’s winning 2014 French film “La Famille translations are heard when they Bélier,” won the festival’s top audience speak with hearing people. and grand jury awards and set a Matlin, who won the best actress Sundance record by selling to Apple for Academy Award in 1987 for “Children $25 million. of a Lesser God,” says “CODA” is “the Written and directed by Sian Heder, full package” in portraying the deaf it was shot in Gloucester, community on screen. Massachusetts, during the summer of “No offence to the other projects that 2019. The movie follows Ruby, the only I’ve been involved in where there were hearing person in her New England deaf characters in them, (but) I found family, as she contemplates leaving that since ‘Children of a Lesser God,’ their struggling fishing business – and This image released by the Sundance Institute shows Emilia Jones in a scene there wasn’t really a profound her role as their interpreter – to pursue from ‘CODA,’ an official selection of the US Dramatic Competition at the 2021 exploration of characters being deaf, her own dreams at the Berklee College Sundance Film Festival. whether they were authentically deaf of Music. The family is forced to figure or the story was about being deaf or out how they’ll survive without her. “I remember thinking whoever is The film highlights the humanity of love in the deaf and hearing Deaf actors Troy Kotsur, Daniel lucky enough to be able to play Ruby is those with disabilities while dispelling communities,” she said. Durant and Marlee Matlin – the only a very, very, very lucky girl because it’s myths, showing in one instance how “For people who have never seen deaf deaf actor to win an Oscar – play not very often that you have so many deaf people experience music. Ruby and people or have never even seen sign Ruby’s family. Emilia Jones stars as skills that you can learn for a film. I her brother tease and sign profane language and they think that the we’re Ruby. had to learn sign language. I’ve never insults at each other, while their all the same, that we live the same way, Jones wasn’t an obvious choice to had a singing lesson before we started,” parents’ extremely active sex life plays that we come from the same mind-set, play the role of Ruby, which demanded she said. “But I love, I love, I love a out in awkward, hysterical situations. we are not,” said Matlin. “We are as singing and knowledge of American challenge and I love a film that will “The first thing that came to mind is varied as people who can hear, Sign Language. The 18-year-old British educate me and make me grow as a my daughter, who is a real-life CODA. and this is one facet of the deaf actor had no formal training in either. person.” And when I read it over, that gave me community.” ‘Malcolm & Marie’ director reveals origins of buzzy film NEW YORK – The global pandemic was not about to stop filmmaker Sam Levinson without a fight – literally. The creator of HBO’s “Euphoria” found his hit series shuttered so he pivoted to writing and directing “Malcolm & Marie,” a film about an epic lovers’ quarrel starring John David Washington and Zendaya – who also stars in the HBO show. Set in a luxury California beach house, Washington’s Malcolm – an up- and-coming director – and Zendaya’s Marie – an out-of-work actress – have returned after a party where his film has premiered to rapturous applause. This image released by Netflix shows Zendaya, right, and John David Washington in a scene from “Malcolm & Marie”. But he forgot to thank Marie and that leads to an outpouring of simmering both burst into laughter because, crazy.“Stop blaming me for your and the hypocrisy of the movie grievances. granted, that might have been inabilities,” Malcolm tells Marie. She business. They mock celebrities “in a Levinson had been thinking about something I did at one point.” yells: “Do you know how disturbing it $2,000 dress talking about socialism possible script ideas when he seized on While he and his wife had a calm is that you can compartmentalise to on the red carpet” and film reviewers this argument as a way to explore art conversation after his slight, Levinson such a degree that you can abuse me who are clueless, throwing around and appreciation. He ran it past his wrote a two-hour blow out, likely while eating mac and cheese?” academic nonsense to cover their lack wife, producer Ashley Levinson, a Malcolm and Marie’s worst fight. Is this how arguments go in the of knowledge. frequent collaborator whose credits “Malcolm, I promise you nothing Levinson household? Ashley Levinson One critic in particular – a “white include “Bombshell” and “Queen & productive is going to be said tonight,” just laughs: “If you know Sam at all, lady from the Los Angeles Times” – is Slim”. Marie warns. you know that this is Sam in battle a repeated target. She has apparently “I remember I was like I turned to But back and forth the lovers go, with himself. I think he is both Marie panned Malcolm’s previous movie, but Ash and I said, ‘What if it’s about a pushing and goading each other. She and Malcolm.” calls his new one “a cinematic filmmaker who forgets to thank his says he’s a megalomaniac and a During their on-screen argument, tour de force.” Still, Malcolm is partner at a premiere?’ And we just narcissist. He says she’s needy and the couple also lash out at Hollywood unhappy. 22 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Morgan Wallen: US country star dropped The Weeknd vows to tone it by his record label over racial slur down for his Super Bowl show THE Weeknd may be known for his US country star Morgan Wallen has graphic music videos and been dropped by his record label, after performances featuring blood and a video emerged of him using a racial violence, but the three-time slur. Grammy winner says he will tone Nashville’s Big Loud Records said it down his act during the Super had “made the decision to suspend Bowl half-time show. Morgan Wallen’s recording contract The pop star said he will “keep it PG” indefinitely” in light of the video. during his headliner slot on Sunday at In the footage, reportedly filmed by a Raymond James Stadium as the neighbour last weekend, the 27-year- reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas old is seen saying goodbye to some City Chiefs take on the Tampa Bay friends and calling one of them the N- Buccaneers in Tampa, Florida. He word. promised to be “respectful to the He has apologised for the incident. viewers.” “I’m embarrassed and sorry,” he told “I will still incorporate some of the TMZ, which first published the footage. storyline. It’s a very cohesive story I’ve “I used an unacceptable and been telling throughout this era and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I throughout this year,” he said. “The could take back. There are no excuses story will continue, but definitely will to use this type of language, ever. I keep it PG for the families.” want to sincerely apologise for using The 2021 Pepsi Super Bowl Half-time the word. I promise to do better.” Show will be different this year due to Wallen, whose career began on the the pandemic and The Weeknd said he This photo provided by the NFL shows singer The Weekend speaking at the half- US version of TV talent show The will use different parts of the stadium, time press conference ahead of the Super Bowl 55 football game, yesterday. Voice, is currently one of the biggest the field and a “little bit” of the country stars in the US. famously massive pirate ship. But the sparklers, hundreds of dancers spelled Feel My Face” that was featured on his His latest record, Dangerous: The singer would not be drawn into out her name on the field, she made second studio album, “Beauty Behind Double Album, has been number one on specifics of his show.“You have to watch three costume changes and she left via the Madness,” which topped the the Billboard chart for the last three on Sunday,” he said. helicopter. Billboard 200 in 2015 and won a weeks; and his last four singles have When asked for his favourite Super “The show just makes me smile,” said Grammy. He’s had three other chart- reached number one on the country Bowl half-time show,The Weeknd cited The Weeknd. topping albums including his recent airplay chart. Diana Ross’ 1996 performance. She was The Weeknd broke though into offering “After Hours,” which was However, the industry’s response to lowered to the stage by a crane of mainstream with his smash hit “Can’t released in March. his use of a racial slur has been swift and decisive. Within 24 hours of TMZ publishing its video, Wallen’s music was pulled Rita Ora: Venue to keep licence from the airwaves by iHeartMedia, the largest radio station group in the US, which owns more than 850 stations, including 135 country music stations. after admitting lockdown breach Other major networks, including Cumulus Media and Entercom, have A RESTAURANT that broke lockdown The venue said it was “grateful for the should have isolated for two weeks. also removed his music from their rules to host Rita Ora’s 30th birthday council’s careful consideration”. Instead, she threw a birthday party in playlists. will not have its licence revoked. The restaurant’s director Nic Fallows London, which violated lockdown rules “In light of Morgan Wallen’s recent The pop star’s team offered the said: “We look forward to serving our that prevented households mixing actions involving the use of a racial manager at Casa Cruz, in Notting Hill, customers and community as soon as we indoors. Ora has said she “deserved slur, we have made the decision to £5 000 to allow guests to attend a party are permitted to re-open.” criticism” for her actions, and would remove his music and content from our on November 28, during the second Rita Ora has previously apologised for donate her fee from the concert to stations effective immediately,” said a virus lockdown, police said. the party. charity.The general manager at Casa spokesman for iHeart. Kensington and Chelsea Council said The 30-year-old flew to Egypt for a Cruz, Scottie Bhattarai, told police he Broadcaster Country Music it will suspend the venue’s licence for six private performance on 21 November. was contacted by a representative of Ora Television also distanced itself from the weeks. On her return the following day, she on the day of the party and offered £5 star. 000 to open the venue. "After learning of Morgan Wallen’s In a statement to police, Bhattarai racial slur late last night, we are in the said he had accepted the offer “because process of removing his appearances he was greedy”. He was “fully aware the from all our platforms,” said the event breached coronavirus company in a statement. “We do not regulations”. tolerate or condone words and actions He also confirmed that he had not that are in direct opposition to our core received the £5 000 offered. values that celebrate diversity, equity Bhattarai said he began admitting and inclusion.” guests at about 19:00 GMT. Between 15 And the Academy of Country Music and 20 people were at the venue at the said it was revoking Wallen’s “potential party’s peak, at about 21.00, he said. involvement and eligibility” for this The venue was found to have breached year’s ACM Awards. licensing rules by not allowing police “As a result of this unprecedented into the premises and failing to provide situation, the Academy will be them with CCTV footage. reviewing our awards eligibility and Bhattarai is also subject to a criminal submission process, ensuring our investigation, while four party-goers nominees consistently reflect the were issued fines at the time. Their Academy’s integrity,” it said in a identities have not been revealed. statement. Casa Cruz said it fired Bharratai Wallen’s songs also appear to have following the revelations. been removed from Spotify’s Hot The council’s licensing committee said Country Songs playlist and the breach “was extremely serious” as it Apple Music’s equivalent, Today’s Rita Ora has said she ‘deserved criticism’ for hosting a birthday party during hampered the police’s ability to Country. lockdown on November 28. investigate the incident. The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 23

Singing Sandra remembered at moving ceremony in Trinidad IN a near three-hour long before such a time this fraternity and it is cultural icons. long memorial service like this.” always said on occasions “This is solid policy held for the late He added, “This is why like these when the crafting and calypso icon Sandra we are in the process of person lies in the coffin implementation of a “Singing Sandra” Des implementing a national and our emotion run mechanism to recognise Vignes-Millington at cultural policy to ensure high and their those who have made our the Queen’s Hall, in St. that artistes are significance is magnified culture richer through Ann’s, Port-of-Spain, appreciated for their in a way that we extol their excellent tributes in song, work.” their virtues and talk contributions.” dance, written He said the idea of the about all the things that expressions, and even policy is to reward and we are going to do. Have A call for Singing extempo came filing encourage cultural and we done it? And if not Sandrato be in for the woman they artistic expressions what has prevented us immortalised all affectionately recognising that the from doing it all these Before performing called “Mother”. country’s artistes were years,” he asked. powerful renditions of The service was constantly innovating. Peters said members of “Die with My Dignity” attended by several of But during his tribute the cultural fraternity and “Ambataila Woman”, Des Vignes-Millington’s to his old friend, did yeoman service Marva “Marvelous colleagues in the National Carnival through the arts without Marva” Joseph, close fraternity, as well as Commission (NCC) appreciation but did it friend, spiritual sister Government Ministers chairman Winston nonetheless. and former member of including Social “Gypsy” Peters appealed “This fraternity of ours the United Sisters, of Development and Family to Mitchell to keep the has done yeoman service which Des Vignes- Calypso icon Sandra ‘Singing Sandra’ Des Vignes- Services Minister, Donna promises made to for Trinidad and Tobago Millington founded, Millington. Cox, Minister in the members of the cultural and continue to do. All be brought a moving Ministry of Housing and fraternity and to not let it, that we have done it tribute. creation of a monument. comes from. So when she Urban Development, emotion be the impetus silently, but my dear In a teary tone, she “Sandra will be missed call for the ancient Adrian Leonce and for the proposed National brothers and sisters we reminisced on the times for years and years. Mr rhythms to make her Minister of Tourism, Cultural Policy. have done it past when she first met Minister, I am asking you dance. It wasn’t just a Culture and the Arts Peters told Mitchell nonetheless,” said Peters. Des Vignes-Millington, one favour. You have to call for a song to Randall Mitchell. that promise had been However, in a their years travelling have a monument for be on a show,” said Bringing greetings on made throughout the subsequent interview and performing together Sandra. Build a Masimba. behalf of his Ministry, years and was always with Mitchell, he said as the United Sisters, monument for Sandra,” The service was also Mitchell who described said on the occasion of Peters’ comments took and the last words she implored. attended by several other Des Vignes-Millington’s the death of one of the him by surprise and spoken to her by her Sandra, walked in the fellow artistes in the death as the loss of a country’s cultural wreaked hypocrisy since beloved friend. spirit industry, including “gifted daughter and ambassadors. He said during Peters’ tenure as “A few days before Trinbago Unified Austin “Super Blue” national treasure,” while all the tributes Minister of Culture Sandra left, she called Calypsonian Lyons, Hollis announced plans to were beautiful, the under the Peoples my phone and she said, Organisation (TUCO ) “Chalkdust” Liverpool, develop and implement a questions remained: Partnership ‘leh me tell yuh President Lutalo Winston “Explainer” National Cultural Policy “Where were we before Government, he did not something.’ She say,‘yuh “Brother Resistance” Henry, and Michael that will serve to ensure now? Why our absence in put anything in place to know I does get all my Masimba, while ringing “Sugar Aloes” Osuna who the hard work of cultural the lives of so many who recognise the inspiration from you yuh his signature bell praised performed a rendition of artistes did not go in have done so much for achievements of those know…I does get all my Des Vignes-Millington the Slinger “Mighty vain. He said with such a our country, when they outstanding persons in vibes from you.’ She say for her contribution to Sparrow” Francisco’s, policy artistes will be need us most?” the cultural arena. ‘but ah going to d the art form and said Des Memories. recognised while they are “Minister I really Referring to the hospital to get some tests Vignes-Millington was a Tributes from cultural alive. appreciate the fact and I National Cultural Policy, done and when I comes woman who walked in ambassadors from the As the Minister like what you say. But to Mitchell said it was only back, I want to spend a the spirit of the oral Caribbean region and entrusted with the care say to you that it is not under the PNM day with you.’ She never tradition whose ancestral abroad were also read at of T&T’s culture, Mitchell for the first time I am administration came back but she came ties ran deep. the service including said, “I want to ensure hearing that. I have been beginning in 2015 and back in spirit,” said “Calypso claim she and greetings from the that we value Singing in this business for over continuing now, the void Joseph. embrace she and lift she Calypso Rose. Sandra’s contribution 50 years and I have been had been acknowledged Joseph called on up, and show she the The memorial service and others like her and hearing it for longer than and mechanisms were Mitchell to preserve the world. But Calypso itself concluded with the want to ensure that our that. All the things that being put in place to memory of Des Vignes- might not even know, viewing of Des Vignes- artistes are recognised we are going to do for honour the country’s Millington with the how deep her spirit Millington’s body. Theme park sues singer over Evermore album name TAYLOR SWIFT is after the album’s park owners, who are legal team to say they being sued by a US release. seeking millions of were “open to discussing theme park called Swift’s lawyers dollars in damages, reasonable terms for Evermore, which says responded that “there is have said the trademark your discontinuation” of the star’s latest album no basis” for the claim. for the name belongs to the trademark. has infringed its They wrote in a letter them, and that Swift Evermore, which was trademark by using the filed in court: “Moreover, violated it when she released on December same name. your client has suffered started selling 10, was Swift’s second The theme park’s no damages whatsoever album-related surprise album of 2020 owners said Swift’s and, in fact, has openly merchandise. and was described as a Evermore release had stated that Ms Swift’s In the case, filed in a “sister album” to caused confusion about album release creates a US District Court in Folklore, which came whether the two were ‘marketing opportunity’ Utah, the owners said out in July. linked. for your client’s troubled they had spent millions Both albums were The Utah venue said theme park.” of dollars on the critical and commercial there was a “dramatic The letter added that attraction, which successes, topping departure from typical the claim was “frivolous opened in 2018. charts around the The singer’s lawyers say ‘there is no basis’ for the levels” of traffic on its and irresponsible”. In December, the world, including in the claim. website in the week However, the theme owners wrote to Swift’s UK and the US. 24 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Hunter Biden’s memoir ‘Beautiful Things’ out in April NEW YORK – Hunter – can take a ride on the Biden, son of pink horse down President Joe Biden nightmare alley,” King and an ongoing target writes in his blurb. “Biden for conservatives, has remembers it all and tells a memoir coming out it all with a bravery that April 6. is both heartbreaking and The book is called quite gorgeous. He starts “Beautiful Things” and with a question: Where’s will centre on the younger Hunter? The answer is Biden’s well publicised he’s in this book, the good, struggles with substance the bad, and the abuse, according to beautiful.” In a snippet Gallery Books, an imprint released by Gallery, Biden of Simon & Schuster. writes in his book, “I come Acquired in the fall of from a family forged by 2019, “Beautiful Things” tragedies and bound by a was kept under wraps remarkable, unbreakable even as Biden’s business love.” dealings became a The president and first fixation of then-President lady released a statement This cover image released by Gallery Books shows Donald Trump and others yesterday saying, “We ‘Beautiful Things’ a memoir by Hunter Biden. Biden, during the election and admire our son Hunter’s son of President Joe Biden and an ongoing target for his finances a matter of strength and courage to conservatives, has a memoir coming out April 6. The investigation by the talk openly about his book will centre on the younger Biden’s well Justice Department. addiction so that others publicised struggles with substance abuse, “Beautiful Things” was might see themselves in according to his publisher. circulated among several his journey and find authors and includes hope.” said. “He’s overtaken it. 1972 car accident, and advance praise from During one of last fall’s He’s fixed it. He’s worked son Beau Biden to brain Stephen King, Dave presidential debates, Joe on it, and I’m proud of cancer in 2015. The title Eggers and Anne Lamott. Biden defended his son him. I’m proud of my son.” of Hunter’s book refers to “In his harrowing and from attacks by Trump. Hunter Biden, who an expression he and his compulsively readable “My son, like a lot of turned 51 Thursday,is brother would use with memoir, Hunter Biden people, like a lot of people the oldest surviving child each other after Beau’s proves again that you know at home, had a of the president, who lost diagnosis, meant to anybody – even the son of drug problem,” the his first wife and 1-year- emphasise what was a United States President Democratic candidate old daughter, Naomi, in a important in life. Bridge The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 25 SPORTSSPORTS Brathwaite leads Windies fightback after Mehidy hundred CHATTOGRAM, Bangla- deliveries and struck seven to a soft dismissal half-hour desh – West Indies gifted the fours while Bonner has counted before lunch, scooping Cornwall gutsy Mehidy Hasan Miraz two boundaries in his 58-ball (2-114) to Brathwaite at point, his maiden Test hundred stay at the crease. after facing 150 balls in two before quick strikes by West Indies enter day three of hours and 50 minutes, and seamer Mustafizur Rahman the contest still requiring a counting five fours. put them under further further 355 runs to overhaul Mehidy then combined with pressure, but captain Bangladesh. Taijul Islam (18) in a 44-run, Kraigg Brathwaite propped Warrican (4-133) gave West eighth wicket partnership, up the innings with a breezy Indies the start they needed in allowing the hosts to reach knock on day two of the his second over of the day when lunch on 328 for seven. opening Test on Wednesday. he picked up his fourth wicket, Unbeaten on 46 at the Arriving at number eight in bowling Liton Das after the interval, Mehidy brought up his the morning’s third over, the 23- right-hander misjudged the line fifty in the fourth over following year-old Mehidy – known more and attempted to cut. the resumption but then lost for his bedazzling off-spin – rode With Bangladesh on 248 six, Taijul nearing the first hour, the his luck in an adventurous 103 West Indies were sensing a way left-hander feathering a leg side which propelled Bangladesh to through but Mehidy turned the catch to wicketkeeper Joshua an imposing 430 in their first tide in his side’s favour by Da Silva off fast bowler innings at the Zahur Ahmed inspiring three successive Shannon Gabriel with West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite is unbeaten on 49. Chowdhury Stadium. important partnerships. Bangladesh on 359. All-rounder Shabib-al-Hasan All told, the right-hander The frustration continued for He clipped the first ball of the before the drinks break, falling converted his overnight 39 into struck 13 fours off 168 balls in West Indies, however, as innings to the square leg plumb lbw to a full length 68 while Liton Das added only a shade over 3-1/2 hours at the Mehidy added a further 57 for boundary and followed up with delivery from Mustafizur after four to his overnight 34 and crease, but the innings was not the ninth wicket with Nayeem, his second scoring shot in the surviving a review for lbw the number 10 Nayeem Hasab hit without chances. before reaching three figures fourth over, coming down to previous ball. 24. On 24, he was put down by about 15 minutes before tea. left-arm spinner Shakib and On 24 for two,West Indies Left-armer Mustafizur then Moseley at silly point off He cut Warrican to backward lofting to the long on took the honours in the final ploughed through West Indies’ Warrican, mis-stumped on 72 point for four to move to 97, boundary. hour as Brathwaite and Bonner top order removing opener John off off-spinner Rahkeem collected a couple to cover point There was no such success for combined to deny Bangladesh Campbell for three and Cornwall and then missed by off the next ball and then swept Campbell, however, the left- any further success. debutant Shayne Moseley (3) in Cornwall at slip off Bonner’s behind square for another hander playing down the wrong quick succession, to reduce the part-time spin on 85. couple. line to Mustafizur in the next Scores innings to 24 for two. Undeterred, Mehidy produced Mehidy was last out, taken at over and perishing lbw. BANGLADESH 430 (Mehidy However, Brathwaite played a combination of drives, flicks long on hitting out against Moseley endured a nervy first Hasan Miraz 103, Shakib-al- positively to end unbeaten on and delicate sweeps as he first Cornwall on the stroke of the 23 deliveries of his Test career, Hasan 68, Shadman Islam 59, 49, featuring in a crucial put on 57 for the seventh wicket interval, after earlier losing given out lbw first ball before Musfiqur Rahim 38, Liton Das unbroken third wicket stand of with Shakib, to steer Nayeem playing on to Bonner. being reprieved by DRS and 38, Mominul Haque 26, Najmul 51 with debutant Nkrumah Bangladesh safely through the Tasked with seeing out a then surviving a review for a Hossain 25; Jomel Warrican 4- Bonner who was unbeaten on remainder of the first hour. difficult last session, catch at the wicket also off 133, Rahkeem Cornwall 2-114) 17, to see the Caribbean side to Skakib reached his 25th Test Brathwaite dispensed with his Mustafizur a few overs later. WEST INDIES 75 for two 75 for two at the close. half-century with the drinks usual tedium in exchange for The left-hander’s torment (Kraigg Brathwaite 49 not out; Brathwaite has faced 81 break approaching but then fell refreshing enterprise. ended in the penultimate over Mustafizur Rahman 2-18) Chris Gayle smashes joint-fastest fifty in Abu Dhabi T10 League VETERAN swashbuckling bats- (15*) made their presence felt as Fastest 50: Gayle smashes man Chris Gayle scripted history well. joint-fastest T10 fifty in the T10 League by smashing For Team Abu Dhabi, Obe Gayle took just 12 balls to hit a the joint-fastest fifty. McCoy was the pick of the fifty. This helped him equal the In the ongoing Abu Dhabi T10 bowlers,claiming two wickets for fastest fifty in T10 history. League, the southpaw scored an 20 runs. The record was held by unbeaten 84 off 22 balls. Tom Helm was terrific, giving Mohammad Shahzad for Rajputs He helped his side Team Abu away eight runs in his spell. in the 2018 edition. Dhabi to a nine-wicket win Gayle: Gayle’s blistering Notably, 78 runs out of his 84 against Maratha Arabians. knock floors the Arabians came through boundaries. Gayle played an array of shots It was a one-man show when Gayle smashed Sompal Kami to light up the season. Team Abu Dhabi batted. for 27 runs in an over as well. Here are the details. Gayle was on song and shared Fact: Team Abu Dhabi claim Arabians: Maratha a 47-run stand for the opening second win of the campaign Arabians restricted by Team wicket. Team Abu Dhabi occupy the Abu Dhabi After Paul Stirling’s dismissal fourth place in the T10 League The Maratha Arabians posted in the third over, Gayle contin- 2021 Super League standings. 97/4 in 10 overs.UAE’s Alishan ued in the same vein. This was their second victory of Sharafu scored a 23-ball 33 at the He smashed six fours and nine the campaign as they have four top. sixes at a strike rate of 381.82. points from five games. Chris Gayle smashes joint-fastest fifty in Abu Dhabi T10 Pakistan duo Mohammad His exploits helped Abu Dhabi Fact: Gayle smashes 84* off League. Hafeez (20) and Shoaib Malik win the match in just 5.3 overs. 22 balls 26 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Injured Crawley to miss England’s Commitment first two tests against India to Windies NEW DELHI – England top order batsman Zak Crawley has been ruled out of the first two unwavering, tests against India with a wrist injury, the team said yesterday. Crawley, who was likely to bat at number three in the opening says Holder, but test from Friday,injured his right wrist after slipping outside the dressing room in Chennai on break was needed Wednesday. “Following the results of last TEST captain Jason Holder England last July. night’s scan, England top-order has pointed to “mental The 28-year-old returned to batsman Zak Crawley has been fatigue” as an added reason lead Barbados Tridents in the ruled out of the first two tests,” behind his decision not to Caribbean Premier League the tourists said in a statement. tour Bangladesh but said staged in Trinidad in August “Scan results have confirmed his commitment to West and September before heading that Crawley has jarred his right Indies remained steadfast, off to the Indian Premier wrist, which has sprained the after copping criticism for League in the United Arab joint and led to local opting out of the ongoing Emirates, where he turned out inflammation.” international series. for Sunrisers Hyderabad as a The Kent player sustained the The world-rated all-rounder last minute replacement for injury during England’s practice led West Indies on historic tours injured Australian Mitchell in Chennai on Tuesday when he England and New Zealand last Marsh. slipped on the marble floor, the year amid the raging COVID-19 Holder then travelled to New team said. pandemic, but was one of ten Zealand for the two-Test series Opening the batting with Dom players who declined selection against the hosts and on to Sibley in Sri Lanka, Crawley for the ongoing Bangladesh Australia where he played managed only 35 runs in his four FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Third Test - England v Pakistan - Ageas series tour over what Cricket three matches for Sydney innings and was expected to drop Bowl, Southampton, Britain - August 25, 2020 England’s Zak West Indies labelled “COVID Sixers. down with Rory Burns, back from Crawley after the match, as play resumes behind closed related concerns or personal The Barbadian said the paternity leave, replacing him at doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease fears”. rigorous travel with the added the top. (COVID-19). However, it was Holder’s challenge of COVID-19 had decision to feature in the forced him to take a break and Australia Big Bash last recharge. December but then decline to “When I get a chance to go tour Bangladesh starting in away from the game I just take January, which drew criticism a back set and try to relax and from some quarters. refresh,” Holder said. “A lot of people just don’t “It was good to see my family. understand,” Holder told I hadn’t seen my family in over Starcom Radio’s Mason and six months so it was good to get Guest this week. home, spend some time with my “I would hate to think people family and re-energise, and now would question my I’m ready to go again.” commitment to West Indies Holder is currently in Antigua cricket. I’ve been on the road for with Barbados Pride preparing eight years consistently now for CWI’s Regional Super50 playing for West Indies and I’ve Cup which bowls off on Sunday. had tonnes of opportunities to The tournament will be the go abroad and play in domestic first one hosted by CWI after T20 leagues … and I’ve had COVID forced the opportunities to go around the abandonment of all home world and I’ve always put West engagements after March last Indies cricket first.” year, and will be played in a “So for people to now come strict bio-secure bubble which and question particularly my has become the norm in the Babar Azam scored 102 and 143 not out in his previous two Test innings in Rawalpindi. commitment, it shows me that ongoing pandemic. people just don’t understand.” Holder, who in the past has He continued: “My reasoning pointed out the mental Pakistan v South Africa: Babar Azam for not going to Bangladesh is challenges of ‘the bubble’, said it obviously I had concerns over was the most difficult part of the integrity of the bubble but playing cricket in the ongoing more so it was just mental pandemic. leads recovery in second Test fatigue.” “Bubble life is tough. It’s Second Test, Rawalpindi But the hosts fought back Maharaj took two wickets in “I’ve been on the road for six obviously a different dynamic,” (day one) through an unbroken 123-run his first 10 balls after Pakistan months, after the tour of New he reiterated. Pakistan 145-3: Babar 77*, stand between Babar and chose to bat, removing Imran Zealand it was a pretty tough “Mentally it is very, very Fawad 42*; Maharaj 2-51 Fawad Alam, who is 42 not out. Butt for 15 and Azhar Ali for a tour, mentally draining as well draining. Being stuck in a hotel South Africa: Yet to bat Only two overs were possible nine-ball duck as the pitch too and I was getting to the and being confined to a hotel is after tea because of a wet offered immediate turn. point where I was not only not easy and that was pretty CAPTAIN Babar Azam hit an outfield. A stunning catch by Aiden physically tired but mentally much my struggle over the last unbeaten 77 as Pakistan South Africa were without Markram at short leg off Anrich tired.” couple months. recovered from a poor start to George Linde for much of the Nortje removed Abid Ali for six “I was not sure I could survive “I had practically six months reach 145-3 on a rain-affected day after he injured a finger to put South Africa firmly on top. and cope with another bubble; on the road in various different first day of the second Test fielding a Babar drive off his Babar and Fawad, who made that would have been seven bubbles and to be honest, it gets against South Africa in own bowling.Although an X-ray a century in the seven-wicket months basically on the road.” to you mentally”. Rawalpindi. showed no fracture, Linde did win in the first Test, played West Indies were the first “It’s good to get the break and Two early wickets from not return to the field, and fellow patiently as the surface team to tour following the I’m really excited to be back spinner Keshav Maharaj left-arm spinner Maharaj was flattened out after lunch, before global lockdown of cricket due to playing some cricket and I’m reduced Pakistan, who lead the responsible for 25 of the 58 overs heavy rain at tea curtailed the COVID-19, when Holder looking forward to the two-Test series 1-0, to 22-3. bowled. day. oversaw a three-Test series in tournament.” The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 27

Olympics: Mori’s comments show system needs a shake-up – WST head LONDON – Sexist a storm of criticism on Reuters. just focus on the head of world soccer body the Premier League club’s comments by Tokyo social media. She said a WhatsApp comments because I see FIFA, made headlines in official account. Olympics chief Yoshiro The International group of elite athletes was the comments as a 2004 when he suggested “If you look at the whole Mori are further evidence Olympic Committee (IOC) buzzing at the ‘jaw- symptom and the cause is women should play in Karen Carney incident... that the whole sporting said it considered the dropping’ story but the not having enough tighter shorts than men. actually a lot of male allies system needs a shake-up, issue closed. situation was not all diversity and inclusion Ex-Formula One were standing up and Women’s Sport Trust chief “The athletes that I’ve negative. plumbed across the whole supremo Bernie saying ‘Look, this isn’t executive Tammy Parlour spoken to have been in “The fact that it’s system.” Ecclestone, whose sport right,’” said Parlour. said yesterday. utter disbelief as far as the actually getting called out Mori’s words invited has not had a female “I think it’s a massive Former Japanese Prime comments go, but this sort now is really positive in comparison with other driver in a race since 1976, turning point, people are Minister Mori, 83, of attitude and these sort my view and it provides elderly male sports joked in 2005 that women starting to speak up and apologised for saying of comments have been an opportunity to talk leaders who have should dress in white like say ‘This isn’t actually women talked too much in happening behind the about this,” said Parlour. triggered controversy for ‘other domestic what should be happening meetings but said he scenes for years, for “At the same time I sexist remarks. appliances’. and we need to re-look at would not resign despite decades,” Parlour told think it’s important to not Sepp Blatter,the former Parlour said the system the system’.” needed shaking up but Parlour said change was suggested progress was needed to stay relevant, being made, citing as progressive, creative and Golf: McIlroy slams proposed rule evidence the response to attract new audiences and online abuse aimed at revenue streams – and former England there was a strong international and appetite for that in changes to reduce hitting distance television pundit Karen countries such as Britain. Rory McIlroy has Carney. “We’ve got to look criticised golf’s lawmakers Carney deleted her beyond gender as well, for considering changes to Twitter account after her we’ve got to diversify.The equipment that would remarks about Leeds industry is too white as tame the power of the United were ridiculed by well,” she said. game’s big hitters, saying the campaign is “a huge waste of time and money”. The Royal and Ancient (R&A), in conjunction ‘Spectacular’ with the United States Golf Association (USGA), has proposed reducing Beijing 2022 driver shaft length to 46 inches from the current limit of 48. Games will Another “area of interest” for the R&A and USGA is for the potential transform winter use of local rules that would specify the use of clubs and/or balls, resulting in shorter sport – Bach distances. BERLIN – The Beijing on the brown, arid The proposals are part winter Olympics next mountains northwest of of the latest updates to the year will be Beijing but the IOC is Distance Insights Report spectacular and will confident the introduction published last February transform winter of millions of Chinese to that said increased hitting sports “for ever” by winter sports will help distances changed the introducing some 300 open up a huge, untapped challenge of the game and million Chinese people market. risked making courses to them, International “Every time I have obsolete. Feb 3, 2021; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Rory McIlroy plays his drive on the Olympic Committee visited China I am “I think the authorities first hole during the Annexus Pro-Am at the 2021 Waste Management President Thomas impressed by the are looking at the game Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Bach said yesterday. enthusiasm and support through such a tiny little In a video address to for the Olympic Games,” lens, that what they’re game play for enjoyment. distributed to getting average, welcomed the China, Bach said Beijing, Bach said after signing trying to do is change They don’t need to be told people into the game.” proposed changes. which will become the first the invitations for the something that pertains what ball or clubs to use. U.S. Open champion “I’m not worried about city ever to have staged athletes of the 206 to 0.1% of the golfing “I think this report has Bryson DeChambeau, it. There’s no issues,” he both summer and winter Olympic committees to community,” four-times been a huge waste of time who tried out a 48-inch said. “It’s funny, I’m sure Games after also staging attend the Games. major champion McIlroy and money, because the driver last year and there’s a lot of excitement the Beijing 2008 “You can already feel said. money that it’s cost to do topped the 2020 PGA about me having a Olympics, was ready to this passion for winter “Ninety-nine percent of this report could have driving distance charts potentially controversial deliver ‘spectacular sport with the excellent the people that play this been way better with a colossal 329-yard thought on it but I don’t.” Games’. preparations for the “Our Chinese partners Games.We can say and friends will deliver already now with great spectacular Olympic confidence China is ready Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard ruled out vs. 76ers winter Games that will to welcome the world’s PORTLAND Trail Blazers recorded 32 points and just because I didn’t think Lillard’s absence comes change the landscape of best athletes for star guard Damian Lillard eight assists in 39 minutes like I could move well. during a time in which the winter sport for ever,” unforgettable Olympic has been ruled out of in a 132-121 road victory. “But in my mind, I was Trail Blazers (11-9) are Bach said. Games Beijing 2022.” Thursday’s road game “I’ve been dealing with pushing and fighting without two other starters: Organisers, who have However, dozens of against the Philadelphia some nagging things my- through that the whole shooting guard CJ already completed the human rights groups and 76ers due to an abdominal self,” Lillard said after the game because I know how McCollum (fractured left majority of venues, have some Western politicians strain. contest.“Even coming into important this one was for foot) and center Jusuf promised a “joyful have criticised the Lillard has been dealing tonight, I felt like I could us and our season.” Nurkic (fractured right rendezvous upon pure ice decision to let China host with the issue in recent barely move out there to Lillard ranks third in the wrist). Forwards Nassir and snow” that will kick next year’s winter days and considered sitting start the game. I was even NBA with a 29.1 scoring Little (knee) and Derrick off on Feb. 4, 2022. Olympics, citing Beijing’s out Tuesday against the thinking ‘Man, should I average. He has tallied 30 Jones Jr. (foot) also have Artificial powder will policies in Hong Kong and Washington Wizards be- have just sat last night or or more points in seven of been ruled out against the likely be needed to help the region of Xinjiang and fore opting to play. He sat tonight?’ or whatever the past 10 games. 76ers. cover the slopes carved out its overall rights record. 28 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

REAL ESTATE Testing times: Organizers say Aussie Open will start on time MELBOURNE, Australia – There were Some got a surprise notification before 160 players back in isolation because a midnight. hotel quarantine worker tested positive for Organizers were in touch with 507 COVID-19. people quickly asking them to isolate and TEL 572-1452 Six tuneup tournaments were giving instructions on how to undergo Cel: 253-6319 828-4800 suspended for a day so that 507 people testing soon after Victoria state premier Email: connected with the Australian Open could Daniel Andrews held a news conference at caribbeanpropertiesltd be tested for the virus. 10:30 p.m. Wednesday to announce the @gmail.com Apparently, no worries. new case and some new restrictions for Australian Open organizers weren’t Melbourne. deterred at all, vowing that the year’s first Anyone who quarantined at the Grand PROPERTIES Grand Slam tournament would start as Hyatt hotel in Melbourne was deemed to planned next Monday,with all the tuneup be casual contacts of the 26-year-old Kirtons, St Philip 3 bedroom plus tournaments completed – somehow, infected quarantine worker. 2 bedroom apt tweaks are expected – between Friday and “Players and their teams in there Land 4,790 sq ft $685,000 Sunday. between Jan. 16-29 were immediately The one-day shutdown was triggered – notified that when they got up at 9 a.m. Amity Lodge, Ch Ch the Victoria state premier,a leading health we’d start testing, then stay in isolation 3 bedroom plus REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE official and Australian Open tournament until they got permission from the health 1 bedroom apt director Craig Tiley all said – out of “an authorities to leave,” Tiley said. Land 6,646 sq ft $650,000 Haggatt Hall, St. Michael Bagatelle, St. Thomas abundance of caution.” The other players, he said, were allowed Land 6336 sq ft Land 62000 sq ft into 2 lots “We are absolutely confident the into Melbourne Park for practice or to Gibbons, Ch Ch $126,000 $520,000 each Australian Open is going to go ahead,” receive treatment. 3 bedroom plus Tiley told a news conference Thursday Some took up the option. Among them, 2 bedroom apt Cane Garden, St. Thomas Marley Vale, St Philip against the backdrop of an almost deserted John Millman had an afternoon hit on Land 9,835 sq ft $765,000 Land 7,000 sf to 18,000 sq ft Land 21,780 sq ft Melbourne Park. “We will be starting on Court 16. Private entrance. From $275,000 $187,681 Monday and we have no intention of He used up all his time, giving those Breezy Hill, St Philip changing times.” waiting for the court some regular,friendly 3 bedroom, 2 bath Sandford, St Philip reduced to $298,000 The Mount, St. George Land 16,356 sq ft Preparations have already been updates, “Five more minutes. One more Land 6544 sq ft $305,000 disruptive and chaotic for the so-called game. One more point!” Black Rock, St Michael $110,000 Happy Slam, even compared with some He finished in a blustery breeze strong 3 bedroom, 1 bath recent troubles. enough to knock over some potted trees Land 6732 sq ft Shop Hill, St Thomas COMMERCIAL Organizers and players have dealt with dotted around for decoration. $360,000 Land 11,735 sq ft searing heatwaves some years. In 2020, And that also could be a problem. The $258,000 Mount Standfast, St James Two properties on acrid smoke from deadly bushfires forecast is for wind and rain, possibly a Enterprise, Christ Church overshadowed the leadup to the thunderstorm on Friday for Melbourne. 3 bedroom, 2 bath Ragged Point, St. Philip 22,714 sq ft Land. Land 5062 sq ft Land 8,267 sq ft Asking $1,200,000 tournament. Everyone adapted, the show That could play havoc with an already $390,000 (reduced) $166,000 went on. Novak Djokovic won his eighth overcrowded schedule. Black Rock, St. Michael Australian Open title in late January 2020, Not even that kind of forecast concerned Golf Club Road, Rolling Hills, St. George Warehouse/Factory and Sofia Kenin won her first major. Tiley.“We are full steam ahead on planning Christ Church Land 12,000 sq ft 4000 sf space Two months later, the Formula One what we’ve planning all along for this $315,000 (negotiable) 3 bedroom, 1 bath Land 23,861 sq ft season had a false start when the event,” he said. fixer upper $900,000 (reduced) Ocean City, St. Philip Australian Grand Prix was called off before Earlier, the state’s deputy chief health Land 4,000 plus an official practice session could be staged. officer, Allen Cheng, had explained the UNDER OFFER Land 6150 sq ft Foul Bay, St. Philip $123,000 Approved for condos, Drivers and teams had flown in from rationale for the sudden testing. The Belle, St George Land 39,242 sq ft Europe. There were thousands of fans “We think the risk to other guests at the Plantation style House Fortesque, St Philip $1,600,000. queuing up to enter Melbourne’s Albert hotel, so tennis players and their Standing on 4 acres Agricultural Land Park circuit. Still, the government shut it accompanying staff, is relatively low UNDER OFFER 494,500 sq ft Dover, Christ Church down. because they were in the rooms at the time $1,100,000 Hotel 18 rooms fully Tiley was confident tennis wouldn’t be as opposed to staff who were outside the Frere Pilgrim, operational $2,950,000 neg Silver Sands, sidetracked like the F1 GP. rooms,” Cheng told a news conference. “So Christ Church “The event that we have planned and the we’re testing them to be sure, and it’s 3 bedroom, 2 baths with Christ Church Dalkeith, Christ Church two bedroom apartment. Land 7,129 sq ft Land 17,371 sq ft approved lead-in events — we’re absolutely confident precautionary.” Land 4,387 sq ft. $850,000 $160,000 for shops and offices it’s going to go ahead,” Tiley said. “The Cheng said six people in the Grand $495,000 probability is very low that there’s going to Hyatt during the quarantine period for the Hanson Heights, St George Bushy Park, St. Philip be an issue.” Australian Open had tested positive and 3 bedroom, 2 baths Land 24,000 sq ft Roebuck Street, He said he’d expected all 160 players were transferred to a medical facility, and $200,000 Bridgetown Land 8321 sq ft involved to have been tested by 5 p.m. and it was likely the man – a resident support $595,000 Shopping Mall/Office space Apes Hill, St. James $8,100,000 negotiable an order of play for Friday released officer – was infected there. Ealing Grove, Land 31,000 sq ft upward sometime later. The draw for the “We are aware that he was on a floor Christ Church Large lots at $15 per sq ft Batts Rock, St Michael Australian was pushed back almost 24 where there were cases,” Cheng said. 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 baths Guest House, hours to Friday, sometime in the mid- Cheng said it was “unlikely” the Open Land 9320 sq ft Mount Wilton, St. Thomas Land 12,078 sq ft afternoon. will be canceled. $565,000 Land 15,500 sq ft $2,850,000 negotiable Uncertainty is the only certainty for Under the current plans, up to 30,000 and 22,066 sq ft players and the tennis tours. spectators are expected daily at Melbourne $300,000 and $220,000 Cane Garden, St Thomas The Australian Open chartered 17 Park for the two-week Grand Slam event. LOTS FOR SALE 3.6 acres approved Union, St. Philip Roadfront land flights and used three hotels in Melbourne So far, there’s no plans to change that. Cave Hill Drive, St. Lucy Land 7560 sq ft $1,650,000 negotiable for the bulk of the players to quarantine for Not only will the latest issue test the Land 14,876 sq ft. $150,000 14 days and had other secure resolve of players who’ve already been $110,000 Fitts Village, St James accommodation and facilities in Adelaide, through two weeks of quarantine, it will Cottage, St George Guest House, 4 Suites South Australia state, for some of the also give ammunition to critics of the Bushy Park, St. Philip Land 5000 sq ft Land 6,135 sq ft biggest stars, including Serena Williams, government decision to allow about 1,200 Land 17,000 sq ft $110,000 $850,000 negotiable Naomi Osaka, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. people to fly in from all over the world at a $10 sq ft Morningside, St Philip Mason Hill Street The City Of those,72 players were forced into hard time when coronavirus cases were surging lockdown after passengers on their flights in some countries but under control in Inchcape, St. Philip Land 4567 sq ft 26,500 sq ft with buildings Land 4355 sq ft $133,000 $4,500,000 negotiable later returned positive tests for the virus. Australia. $ 96,000 Unlike the bulk of the players, they weren’t Australia has 909 deaths attributed to Jupiter Gardens, St Philip All enquiries to allowed out for five hours of supervised COVID-19, including 820 in Victoria state. Belle, St. George Land 7312 sq ft (246) 253 6319/ 828-4800 daily practice during quarantine. Most of those were during a second deadly Land 4 acres $133,000 (246) 572 1452 All players were tested daily during wave last year when a hard lockdown and $400,000 or (246) 247 4469 quarantine and all were cleared before the overnight curfews were put in place in tuneup tournaments began this week. Melbourne. The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 29

Tuchel’s good start continues as Chelsea beat Spurs LONDON – Thomas Tuchel in charge with no goals Hudson-Odoi and Mason continued his impressive conceded. Mount going close, although start as Chelsea manager Jorginho’s 24th-minute Tottenham striker Carlos by getting the better of Jose penalty, awarded for a clumsy Vinicius, playing in place of the Mourinho in a 1-0 Premier foul on Timo Werner by Eric injured Harry Kane, headed League win at Tottenham Dier, did not do justice to one glorious late chance wide. Hotspur yesterday courtesy Chelsea’s domination of a Chelsea were well worth the of Jorginho’s first-half Tottenham side who have now victory that lifted them into penalty. lost three league games in a sixth spot with 36 points from German Tuchel, who row for the first time since 22 games while Mourinho’s replaced Frank Lampard last 2012. Tottenham, who topped the week, has now seen his side Chelsea had numerous table in December, have take seven points from his chances to stretch their lead slumped to eighth on 33 three Premier League games after the break with Callum points. Liverpool won’t be allowed into Germany for Champions League tie – reports BERLIN – RB Leipzig will not Feb. 16 despite COVID-19 The German government has be able to host Liverpool in the pandemic restrictions. banned all arrivals from areas Champions League this month “The Federal Police informed affected by COVID-19 after authorities refused to the RB Leipzig club today that mutations until at least Feb. issue a travel permit for the the case does not fall under the 17, with the only exceptions English club, German media category of exceptional made for German citizens or reported yesterday. circumstances,” they said in a residents. German federal police statement. Leipzig said they would not rejected an application by the Leipzig will now have to find be making any comment on home club for a special permit an alternate venue for the Feb. Thursday about the Liverpool that would have allowed 16 clash and must inform game. Thomas Tuchel continued his impressive start as Chelsea Liverpool to travel to Leipzig UEFA of any change by Liverpool are due to host the manager by getting the better of Jose Mourinho in a 1-0 for the last 16 first-leg tie on Monday, the reports said. return leg on March 10. Premier League win at Tottenham Hotspur. 30 • Friday February 5, 2021 The Barbados Advocate

Arsenal’s David Luiz red card appeal fails Southampton’s Jan Bednarek sees ban overturned ARSENAL have lost their appeal to overturn David Luiz’s red card against Wolves – but a ban for Southampton’s Jan Bednarek has been rescinded. Gunners centre-back Luiz clipped Willian Jose’s heel in the box in a 2-1 defeat at Wolves, while Bednarek was adjudged to have fouled Anthony Martial in Saints’ loss at Manchester United. An Arsenal statement said the club were “disappointed” with the appeal result. Defender Bednarek will now be available for Saturday’s trip to Newcastle. The Gunners were 1-0 ahead when David Luiz’s red card against Wolves was his third for Arsenal. Luiz was judged to have fouled Jose and, because there was no attempt to play the yesterday that he was “very hopeful” that purpose and the player’s ability to finish Hasenhuttl. ball, Luiz, 33, was dismissed and Ruben the decision would be reversed. the action but its still a similar action. I Mike Dean was the referee for Saints’ Neves scored the resulting penalty. “I’m very hopeful. That’s why we put think they will look at it.” defeat at Manchester United and the Craig Pawson was the referee in the appeal in. We went through all the Meanwhile, Southampton boss Ralph club have requested that neither he or charge – and following a video assistant images and we think the red card should Hasenhuttl felt that the decision to Lee Mason, who was the fourth official, referee check the decision remained, be overruled. That’s why we appealed,” overturn Bednarek’s sending off in the 9- officiate their games in future. although Pawson was not asked to said Arteta. 0 defeat at Old Trafford was the correct Dean initially only awarded a penalty review the incident on the pitchside “We know the law, for me its more one. to Manchester United but dismissed monitor. about the decision and what happens in “I knew that Jan was not guilty for Bednarek after being instructed to watch Luiz will now miss Arsenal’s Premier that instance. having made a foul because I saw the replays of the incident on the pitchside League game at Aston Villa on Sunday. “He was on the side of the player that scene after the game so it was the only monitor by video assistant referee Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said earlier completely changes the angle, the possible decision for me,” said Graham Scott. The Barbados Advocate Friday February 5, 2021 • 31

P R O HOROSCOPES S A ARIES: A desire to improve your understanding of N certain areas of your life will make itself felt very D strongly. Even if it does mean juggling your current responsibilities, try to think of ways and means of C improving your knowledge. Make a positive start on O this as soon as you are able. Don’t let minor obstacles N put you off. S TAURUS: An ongoing argument will not be resolved today and the tension between you and a loved one or workmate is draining your energy.This issue has raised some significant questions and there is going to be no easy answer. Strive to find some common ground and this could help give you a way forward.

GEMINI: If you are able to get out and about and your Z social diary is fully booked, so much the better.You feel I you’ve spent more time than enough within your own T four walls this past year. It will be meeting and talking to friends even from a safe distance that will give you S plenty to smile about.

CANCER: Take an interest in community matters and you will get the chance to test your talents in several new and different fields. You may not take to everything you attempt but you could discover skills you never knew you had if you’re willing to practice a little more. A senior colleague who has been underestimating you recently is about to see what you R are capable of. E X LEO: You’re making some exciting plans for the weeks ahead. A close friend can sense your suppressed M excitement and they want to know what is going on. O You aren’t yet ready to reveal what you are planning as you want it to be a special surprise. Some secrets are R hard to keep but it won’t be long before you can reveal G all. A N VIRGO: You’re doing your best to support your family and a neighbour who needs you. This gives you little time to call your own. One area you cannot push aside for others is your work. You can’t drop everything for everyone. Being held accountable for your actions in the workplace should encourage you to stay on track.

LIBRA: The more effort you put into trying to please P someone who is never happy or grateful, the more H likely it is you will eventually walk away.Normally you A will do anything for the sake of peace but there is a N limit. Arguments are making you tense and you’re T disappointed with a friend’s childish behaviour. O SCORPIO: Your partner or a conscientious workmate M has already completed work you had intended to do. You’ve been doing too much of late and it is time to reduce your commitments. You can’t ignore your health and if you won’t take responsibility for yourself, as you will discover today, someone else will do it for you.

SAGITTARIUS: Fulfilling an important obligation M that has been weighing heavily on your mind will give you a sense of personal fulfilment. Key issues during A communications will be agreed on. A workmate’s R eccentric ideas will excite you but it will be a practical Y friend who makes you aware of how there is beauty in simplicity. W CAPRICORN: You might agree to take on extra work O responsibilities due to a staff shortage. Take a deep R breath whenever you start feeling anxious. All you T have to do is approach this work in a sensible and H practical way. You’re naturally blessed with liberal helpings of common sense so your success is almost guaranteed.

AQUARIUS: You’ve been half expecting a partner to M decide to call it a day. When a past mistake or O misunderstanding is brought up again in T conversations, you’re ready for someone to walk away. H It may turn out contrary to your expectations that E they want to get past this, as a team. You will be happy R to agree. G PISCES: A dominant character in your home or O workplace is making your life miserable. You dread O being in their company. There isn’t enough give and S take in this relationship and you no longer feel the E same about joint plans as they just want their own way all the time. You like them less and less. Gayle smashes joint-fastest fifty in Abu Dhabi T10 League

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Friday February 5, 2021 NOT GOOD ENOUGH FORMER Governor of the news clip which he had seen re- family needed. The locusts had the fact that depending on the drought, flooding or extreme Central Bank of Barbados, cently regarding the resurgence stripped the land bare of vegeta- food you produce yourself is a weather,or whenever crops were economist Dr DeLisle of a plague of locusts in Somalia, tion and crops lay dying in the very insecure way to live.That is affected by infestations, preda- Worrell, has presented the East Africa. He said that a fields, and there was no food for true for the household, the com- tors or other adversity.Growing argument that eating what Somali farmer was lamenting the animals. Without urgent munity and any small nation. If your own food does not increase you grow, will not increase the fact that his family faced food aid, famine threatened his Barbadians depended mainly on food security; it decreases food food security. starvation, as he led the reporter family,the community and that fruits and vegetables grown lo- security," said Worrell. Worrell, in his February around his fields where he nor- entire region. cally,we would suffer from acute INSECURE on Economic Letter, referenced a mally provided all the food his "This is a stark reminder of shortages whenever there was Page 10

WORK CONTINUES: Work continues in various sectors even as the country has entered it official national pause, which started on Wednesday February 3. Yesterday, The Barbados Advocate was on hand to witness these River Tamarind trees being cleared in The Belle, St Michael. Employability project preparing workers to re-enter job market A PILOT initiative developed of COVID-19 and can respond hoods and productivity. sought a viable intervention to opportunities to reach wider for persons in Barbados who to participant needs on an “The Ministry of Labour and assist the thousands of unem- audiences and ultimately have lost their jobs due to the ongoing basis. Social Partnership Relations ployed, laid off workers, partic- deepen their impact on the COVID-19 crisis is proving to be Implemented by the Ministry welcomed the technical support ularly single mothers, the youth Barbadian labour force. a sustainable mechanism for co- of Labour and Social provided by the ILO Caribbean and the disabled. This project “The ILO is pleased to sup- operation, skills development, Partnership Relations (MLSP) Office to make the Employ- was therefore timely and af- port this important training and employment recovery. and the National Training ability Project a reality,” said forded participants the oppor- relationship between the MSLP The three-month Barbados Initiative (NTI) , the project of- Marva Howell, Deputy tunity to learn new skills, or to and the NTI as part of the Employability Project, made fers a suite of three free courses Permanent Secretary in the re-tool, thus enabling them to Government of Barbados’ possible with support from the in the areas of Core/Social Ministry of Labour and Social return to the work environment COVID-19 response to build a ILO Caribbean Office, has Skills, Occupational Safety and Partnership Relations. or, even to start their own small stronger and more adaptable drawn a total of 912 enrolments. Health, and Entrepreneurship. “Given the negative economic, business,” she explained. work force now and in the fu- Well-aligned with international The collaboration is a sustain- financial and social impacts of All courses are currently ture,” said Ariel Pino, ILO training strategies, the pro- able skills development under- the COVID-19 pandemic on available on the NTI platform. Caribbean Specialist for Social gramme has been specially taking that can be continuously countries, workers and their They have the potential to be Protection and Occupational designed for the Barbados adjusted to crises in order to families, it was imperative that shared with other training insti- Safety and Health. labour markets in the context minimise interruptions to liveli- the Government of Barbados tutions that offer e-learning PROJECT on Page 5

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