Barbados Advocate

Established October 1895 BTMI pushes Welcome Stamp initiative in Miami PAGE 3 Thursday April 8, 2021 $1 VAT Inclusive GETTING READY ACTING Chief Education Officer, Joy Adamson, says preparations have begun for the resumption of face- to-face classes when schools reopen in coming weeks. Adamson told the media this yesterday as she spoke at the Blackman and Gollop Primary School. This educational institution, which was used as a COVID-19 isolation facility by the Health Ministry, has been decommissioned, sanitised and handed back to the Education Ministry for start of Term 3 on April 19. Sharing what has occurred, Adamson said the ministry has designated education officers to three schools. “They would be making contact with the principals and ensuring that everything is in place as it relates to the sanitising equipment, materials that they would require, the principals and their staff and the management team. They started to go to the schools and they are looking now to set up the rooms at least at the primary for the exam classes and the secondary [for] the exam classes as well.” Franz Jordan, who acted as the Facility Manager of the Blackman and Gollop Primary School when it was an isolation facility, speaking PREPARATIONS on about the cleaning and sanitizing that was done to Acting Chief Education Officer, Joy Adamson and Principal of the school, Petrona Page 2 Holder. Vaccines present some measure of hope for tourism industry THERE is great ministers from across Minister of Tourism, seen in the significant date, given that St. Kitts COVID-19 and the consensus amongst the region, who discussed Senator Lisa Cummins, falloff of international has only recorded 44 cases Ministers have indicated regional Tourism several pandemic-related who was scheduled to be visitor arrivals due and no deaths. However, that their vaccination Ministers that COVID-19 matters. The panel a part of the session, was to travel restrictions, the ripple effect of COVID programmes are going vaccines offer some consisted of Dominica’s not able to participate, declines in cruise tourism on regional economies was well, even as some receive measure of hope, when it Tourism Minister, Denise as moderator Johnson and a badly crippled an agreed challenge, for more vaccines via the comes to the revitalisation Charles; Minister of Johnrose indicated that tourism sector on account many of the small island COVAX facility. of their badly hit tourism Tourism for St. Kitts and she had to attend an of workers not being developing states. Dominica’s Tourism sectors. Nevis, Lindsay Grant; urgent meeting. employed. Minister of The Tourism Minister Minister, Denise Charles, The Caribbean Tourism Tourism Minister for The Tourism Ministers Tourism for St. Kitts and however acknowledged revealed that to date, Organisation (CTO) St. Vincent and the first acknowledged the Nevis, Lindsay Grant, that their governments about 40 per cent of the recently presented a Grenadines, Carlos James devastating blow which however received some are trying to get a population in Dominica virtual session entitled and Minister of Tourism the COVID-19 pandemic recognition for the way in significant percentage of has been vaccinated and “The COVID Lessons”, for Anguilla, Haydn has wrought on their which his country has the population inoculated which featured tourism Hughes. Barbados’ tourism industries, as handled the pandemic to to reduce the effects of VACCINES on Page 5 2 • Thursday April 8, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Blackman and Gollop Primary handed over THE Blackman and Principal of the school, first and we disinfect Gollop Primary Petrona Holder and after.We would have used School, which was teachers of the educa- Clorox 1 in 10 solution as used as a COVID-19 tional institution. This said in the policy and by isolation facility, has was led by Franz Jordan, the statement by the been decommissioned, who acted as Facility Ministry of Health. So we sanitised and returned Manager of the Blackman would have done an over- to its regular operation and Gollop Primary all cleaning of the whole as a primary school. School while it was an entire school, both upper Chief Operating Officer isolation facility. and lower levels.” (Ag.) at the Queen Prior to the tour, He continued, “They Elizabeth Hospital Environmental Services would have done each (QEH), Louise Bobb, Supervisor in charge of room by each room, clean- returned the school to Isolation Facilities, Romel ing from high to low and Acting Chief Education Murphy, explained how we ensured that we did Officer, Joy Adamson yes- the cleaning and sanitiza- that process twice. We did terday. The school was in tion of the school was car- the first cleaning first and operation as an isolation ried out. He stated that we came back again. We facility for 76 days, from “the policy of the Ministry did a power washing of around January 3 until it [of Health] as it relates to the whole entire school was decommissioned on cleaning and disinfecting and we disinfected after Environmental Services Supervisor in charge of the Isolation Facilities, Romel March 19. for COVID-19” was fol- we had done the power Murphy (centre, in pink shirt), answering questions from teachers about the Yesterday, a tour was lowed. washing. So for those who cleaning and sanitising of the school. conducted with Ministry “That would be the may have concerns, let of Health officials, process where we clean me assure you that the [QEH’s] House Keeping pleased with what we with the condition we see Department would have saw. They would have the school in now and it is done a fantastic job in gone through what they ready.” making sure the school did in making sure this Adamson said next PTA president gives thumbs up is clean, it is safe and school was ready… The week the Barbados PRESIDENT of start of Term 3 on April 19. this time being a lot ready to hand over to the last patient left on March Defence Force (BDF) will the Parent-Teacher “Based on the walk- shorter.But I feel comfort- Ministry of Education.” 19th, so they would be working with the Association (PTA) of the through that we did this able now, having gone Speaking to the media have cleaned, sanitised teachers to set back the Blackman and Gollop morning, I would say that through it, having talked after the tour, the Acting and returned the school classrooms as they get Primary School, Tricia I personally am very com- to health officials and so Chief Education Officer spick-and-span and we’re ready for the return of the Augustine, says she is fortable with the conclu- on that based on when said she was “very pleased as a ministry Class 3s and 4s. (MG) comfortable the school has sion that the school is cleaning was completed been cleaned and is ready cleaned and ready for stu- March 19 and school re- for students, teachers and dents, teachers and staff opening on April 20 that staff to return. to return to school.” we are ready for children Her comments came as She added, “Having to return to school.” she spoke to the media gone through the process Augustine said parents yesterday after touring the before as in last year, I are “eager for children to school with officials of the wasn’t really and quite a return to school”. She said Health and Education few parents, we weren’t re- the parents’ role “right ministries. This educa- ally as concerned about now is just to talk to our tional institution, which extent of the sanitisation kids prior to re-entering was used as a COVID-19 process. I think it was just the school environment to isolation facility by the the fact that last year we reiterate protocols and the Health Ministry, has been would have had a longer importance of following decommissioned, sanitised period of time for the the rules, that type of and handed back to the school to be decommis- thing within this environ- Education Ministry for sioned, then reused versus ment”. (MG) More meetings, tours to be conducted PREPARATIONS from needs schools. Tours also to now get to collate that Page 1 will be conducted during number and then work to this and next week to see how we can put the She also said the min- schools. Lawrence T. Gay tents in place for the istry has started to pro- Memorial Primary School schools. So those are some cure and distribute equip- will be chief among those of [the] things that we ment to primary schools. visited. have started to do,” she Meanwhile, secondary “We are also going to be added. (MG) Some of the furniture that has to be organised in the classroom. schools have “started to doing a survey at all the do their own procurement schools. Some schools are as it relates to extra san- going back to the alterna- COVID-19 update: 6 new cases, 8 recovered, 1 death itizer, alcohol, spray bot- tive sites – the churches tles [and] some persons and stuff they have used, THE number of COVID- positive COVID-19 cases first time since December, To date, 63,738 people – are purchasing shields they will continue to use 19 deaths has moved to – one man and five women 31, 2020, that the cases in 26,344 men and 37,394 [for] their teachers”. that. So we just have to 44, following the passing – recorded on Tuesday. isolation are under 100. women – have been vac- Adamson also said the get that list finalised, so of a 52-year-old Barbadian They were identified from Barbados’ confirmed cinated as part of the ministry has been meet- that we will be able then man on Tuesday, April 6.

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