Established October 1895 Barbados an enviable place to work and live: Invest B’dos CEO PAGE 4 Friday May 28, 2021 $2 VAT Inclusive TRAINING OPPORTUNITY EMERA Caribbean awarding of ECRL-sponsored Renewables Ltd. (ECRL) is Students to benefit from MOU signed between Emera and SJPI student scholarships. making sure that students During a launch event details of their recently signed industrial attachments in the Neilsen Beneby, Renewable of the Samuel Jackman yesterday, which was held at three-year Memorandum of areas of photovoltaic and Energy Manager, Emera Prescod Institute of the soon-to-be commissioned 1 Understanding (MOU). battery installations. It also Caribbean, explained: “We are Technology (SJPI) will MW rooftop solar site owned by The agreement, a first for provides opportunities for job planning to expose the SJPI benefit from crucial on-the- CloudSolar Inc., located at local solar installer ECRL, placement for some SJPI students to on-the-job training, job training in the vital Guinea Plantation, St. John, will ensure students benefit graduates, the development renewable energy industry. the SJPI and ECRL shared from hands-on experience via of training courses, and the MOU SIGNED on Page 3 Students from the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology (SJPI), along with their Photovoltaic Installation Instructor, Andre Jarvis, were taken on a guided tour of the site by Kamal Seale, Systems Engineer at Emera Caribbean Renewables Ltd. (ECRL). CDEMA official: Churches have role to play after natural disaster By Cara L. Jean-Baptiste She outlined that the church related issues,” Riley said. everything and have gone a natural disaster and it is would be able to help disaster “Churches also have very through traumatic experiences against this backdrop that CHURCHES are uniquely agencies following a natural good structures like, you know and this support can come from Riley believed that in addition placed to assist disaster disaster because of its reach in when you have the Anglican churches. to using the different agencies in carrying out their communities. Church or the Methodists or She said that churches could organisations within the goals following a natural “Leadership in the church other churches, they have also act as facilitators of church, other churches could be disaster. is really well respected, and structures, and that’s really community action due to the used in this same regard. This opinion was voiced by because of that, there’s a lot of useful from an organizational number of clubs that resided She went on to note that the Acting Executive Director influence in terms of the things perspective.” within them, including men’s public needed to do its part as of the Caribbean Disaster you say and how people listen Additionally, she noted that and women’s fellowships. individuals and families when Emergency Management to you. And that is something relational care, support and The St. George Parish it came to preparing for a Agency (CDEMA), Elizabeth that shouldn’t be taken lightly, psychosocial support were Church is designated as a natural disaster and meet Riley, during a recent virtual especially when it comes to critical in the aftermath of shelter to be used by persons Government halfway in lecture. preparedness and disaster- events when persons have lost in the area of St. George during preparations. 2 • Friday May 28, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Prepare a family disaster plan By Cara L. Jean- This encouragement persons believed that the region, we are also events happening where assume that cell phones Baptiste came from Acting when disaster struck under threat from earth- you are not in the same are going to be working. Executive Director of they would be with quakes and these natu- space as a family. And In fact, sometimes you FAMILIES are being the Caribbean Disaster their family and every- ral disasters happen the question is, do you just have to forget that,” encouraged to de- Emergency Management one would be together. without warning and know where you’re going she said. velop a family disas- Agency (CDEMA), However, she pointed out house fires are a reality to rendezvous? How do “I think sometimes for ter plan before the Elizabeth Riley, during that this may not always in Barbados. you meet back up with Barbados, because we’ve hurricane season be- a recent virtual lecture. be the case. “There are instances your family to make sure not had a severe impact gins. She noted that many She highlighted that in where you can have everybody’s okay? Don’t for a long time, some- times these things are somewhere in the re- cesses of our mind. But it’s really important to just look at what hap- pens in other states. Sometimes you can have comms (communica- tions) being down for, you know, over a week. Sometimes you find that text messaging may work, and it depends on what happens to the cell towers. “So it’s important when you’re discussing and preparing for hurri- cane season to talk to your family, you have to have a plan.” Riley outlined that thinking about possible escape routes out of the house if the regular exits were blocked, was some- thing to include in the plan. She also stressed the importance of drilling the family plan into the memory of your child and lightly joked that they may think you are being paranoid. However, if an event were to take place, then at least they would be sure of and know the particular actions to take. Acting Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). The Barbados Advocate Friday May 28, 2021 • 3 Husbands supports housing push ST. JAMES SOUTH Lands and Maintenance, cently told the Lower tance to the people who have one, to cool their in the home may result MP,Sandra Husbands, which is pressing ahead House, “So this program are earning under heads for a moment, in them having to leave believes that with construction of af- that is being put on the $2,000. Sir, in my con- catch their breath before home, but very often with Government’s housing fordable housing solu- table by the Honourable stituency,there are many they re-engage. nowhere to go. And Sir, a boost will make a real tions for different income Member for Christ young people who find “And every day, the program such as what difference to young groups. Church West, is some- themselves having to put call is made to the con- the Ministry of Housing prospective homeown- This includes HOPE thing that will make a up a shack in the yard. stituency office for hous- is putting in place to as- ers. Basic for persons earning great deal of difference to There are people whose ing – ‘Is there anything sist us to be able to do She commended the under $2,000 monthly those young people who homes have become over- you can do? My circum- something very positive Home Ownership and HOPE Direct target- are looking forward to crowded and sometimes stances are difficult.’ for the people of this Providing Energy ing monthly incomes be- moving up in life and just to get some breath- Many of them have found country – this is going to (HOPE) Project, under tween $2,000 to $4,000. prospering. ing space, many go out- themselves in situations make a tremendous dif- the Ministry of Housing, Minister Husbands re- “It’s of great impor- side in their cars if they where sometimes discord ference,” she said. SJPI honoured to establish partnership with Emera Caribbean: Principal Drakes MOU SIGNED from ing opportunities for our and evening courses for Page 1 students in the area of re- all ages. Drakes high- newable energy,” said Ian lighted that it was also a in addition to presenta- Drakes, Principal of the focus of the institution to tions on photovoltaic best Samuel Jackman Prescod create gender-balanced practice, industry techno- Institute of Technology. education, where males logical trends and site Drakes continued, “We and females had equal safety.” are confident that the opportunity to explore He added, “Our team is training provided will en- studies. also looking forward to sure our students can After the remarks, providing SJPI with tech- enter work with skills students from the nical guidance and in- and make a meaningful SJPI along with their stallation services for the contribution from day Photovoltaic Installation build-out of photovoltaic one.We are looking for- Instructor, Andre Jarvis, systems across their cam- ward to a long and fruit- were taken on a guided Neilsen Beneby (left), Renewable Energy Manager, Emera Caribbean, speaking pus.” ful relationship.” tour of the site by Kamal with Principal of the SJPI, Ian Drakes. “The SJPI is honoured The principal also Seale, Systems Engineer to establish this part- dismissed any notions at ECRL. Seale explained and generated power nership with Emera that people over a certain that the rooftop solar site equivalent to that which Caribbean, a leading en- age applying to the SJPI at Guinea Plantation was would provide for 700 Stop the snobbery! ergy provider in the re- were overlooked and said one of the largest, if not homes over a one-year gion, for on-the-job train- that there were daytime the largest, on the island period. (AS) MINISTER of have employment, many Empowerment and Elder of them get children and Affairs, Cynthia Forde, rather than move away wants to see the “element from their mothers’ prop- of snobbery” surrounding erty or house, they add on where poor people live a little shanty. They are come to an end. people too! And then we Noting there were some end up with households persons living in less with 15 or 20 people in than desirable conditions, them and therefore they she said unfortunately need the space,” she said, these individuals were while highlighting that now looked down upon by many of the housing units those in better situations.