Established October 1895 See inside Sunday January 5, 2020 $2 VAT Inclusive INVESTMENTLAST YEAR there was a relatively that investment is needed to help that tourism and real estateA developers andMUSTextension and good research and the good yield for farmers as it relates aspect of the sector to continue to grow. the thing is really that as long as we truth a lot of emphasis is placed on to sweet potatoes and the hope is In fact, he said that to ensure the long encourage a culture in which people are tourism for example, but to what extent that they would be able to reap term viability of the agricultural sector permitted to speculate on agricultural do you see the same emphasis being similar benefits this year as well. in general, there is a need to invest in land and eventually be able to put applied to agriculture? It is not there,” That’s according to Chief Executive local agricultural land to help advance through an application to get a change he insisted. Officer of the Barbados Agricultural the sector. of use, the sector will suffer.Agriculture Society (BAS), James Paul, who said “Agriculture is competing with also needs to be backed up by good INVESTMENT on Page 4 All Barbadians, visitors can take part in tree planting project By Marsha Gittens everyone to support the ongoing Commission (NCC) and the national project. He was Agriculture Ministry. GOVERNMENT’S ‘Million speaking at Hope Plantation in Similar tree planting Trees for 2020 Project’ is not St. Lucy on Saturday where exercises occurred on the day at a partisan exercise but one about 2 300 shade and fruit Searles in Christ Church and that all Barbadians and trees were planted. This was at the National Botanical visitors can participate in. done by personnel from the Gardens in St. Michael. Some This point was emphasised by Barbados Defence Force (BDF), 500 trees were planted at each Minister of the Environment Barbados Youth Advance Corps, location. and National Beautification, the Soil Conservation Unit, Trevor Prescod who called on National Conservation TREES on Page 3 Chairman of Innotech Services Limited, Anthony DaSilva (left) jointly planting a tree with Director of the National Tree Planting Project, Dr. Chelston Brathwaite yesterday at Hope Plantation in St. Lucy. INSET: Minister of the Environment and National Beautification, Trevor Prescod adding soil to the tree while Chief Executive Officer of Haigh Communications Inc., Joy-Ann Haigh looks on. 2 • Sunday January 5, 2020 The Barbados Advocate The Barbados Advocate Sunday January 5, 2020 • 3 Innotech’s Chairman reports a mixed 2019 CHAIRMAN of Innotech economic situation under the Services Limited, Anthony Barbados Economic Recovery DaSilva says though 2019 and Transformation (BERT) was a challenging year for programme which has affected the company locally, in the us. So it has been a tough year region it was great year. here but it is has been a good He stated this while speaking year in some other on the side-lines of Saturday’s jurisdictions.” 2020 National Tree Planting Highlighting one of the Project at Hope Plantation in company’s recent major project St. Lucy.During proceedings at within the Caribbean, DaSilva the start of this exercise, said that Innotech assisted with DaSilva presented a $25 000 the construction of the second cheque to Environment and cruise pier at Port Zante National Beautification situated in the twin island of Minister, Trevor Prescod to go St. Kitts and Nevis. towards the project. “We had great success in St “It is a challenging year for Kitts. We have just completed in Chairman of Innotech Services Limited, Anthony DaSilva (right) presenting a cheque in the Innotech certainly in Barbados St. Kitts a major project there sum of $25 000 to the Environment and National Beautification Minister, Trevor Prescod. because like everybody else we for the government of St. Kitts are part of Barbados’ economy and a joint venture with the art cruise pier. The only one in He added while speaking for us both in St. Kitts, St. and obviously, Barbados’ government of Canada and the eastern Caribbean at the about this year’s projects, “We Lucia, St. Vincent, some of the economy has just gone through with a Canadian contractor out moment that can dock two are about to start a massive other territories and Barbados, a restructuring exercise with of western Canada, British Oasis class – which are the secondary school in St. Kitts we are starting to see some the government of Barbados Colombia, where we built a biggest class cruise ships in the and they are some really good prospects that are having to restructure its brand new, modern, state of the world simultaneously.” opportunities in the new year encouraging.” (MG) Minister hopes to pass one million mark by year end TREES from Front Page “This is not a partisan exercise. This will have nothing to do with which government won 30 seats in the last election because that is the manifestation of the confidence of the people who put the government there, it is a democratic process. But I want to call onboard all Barbadians, non-Barbadians, all Barbadians within the diaspora to support this national and truly national effort by the Barbados government.” Prescod stated the public will be notified of where and when the next government led tree planting activity will occur. He also encouraged groups and individuals to plant trees daily. He said contact lines will be set up at the Environment Ministry and at NCC so the Ministry could be informed when this is done. It will be headed and Barbados Defence Force and National Conservation Commission personnel collecting soil to place around the trees being coordinated by Director of the planted on the day. National Tree Planting Project, Dr. Chelston Brathwaite. National Beautification hundred thousand, I am going to itself.” planting project. “As you indicate to us that you Minister also shared his hopes shoot for two million by the end During Saturday’s activity, DaSilva described the day’s have planted a tree, we will add of surpassing the one million of 2020.” Chairman of Innotech Services exercise as “a wonderful it among the numbers so that mark and having “two million” He added, “This is an Limited, Anthony DaSilva initiative by the government of we will not be falsifying trees planted island wide by ambitious project. The only presented a cheque in the sum of Barbados. I endorse the anything.We will be able to year end. thing that can serve as a social $25 000 to the Environment and sentiments by the Minister that come and tell you we have “I know we also included in encumbrance in this effort is if National Beautification this should not be viewed as a reached over three million trees the title one million and more the national spirit of the people Minister. It was revealed this political or partisan project but by the end of 2020. It is possible.” giving us the flexibility to get is not moving in harmony with money was the company’s an apolitical initiative that will The Environment and probably get to one million five policies of the government contribution to the national tree benefit all of Barbados.” 4• Sunday January 5, 2020 The Barbados Advocate 2019 a year of success for Childhood Obesity Prevention Programme By Cara L. Jean-Baptiste and a few individuals who have and the canteens about “So, the programmes went off a care for the cause and are alternative drinks that they can really well for 2019, it is FOR the Childhood Obesity invested in it. use for the children within the something that many Prevention Programme, 2019 Browne went on to note that schools, and that went really Barbadians are interested in and could only be described as a there was also the Model School well. We are really excited about paying a lot of attention. The truly successful year. Programme, which was launched the response of the vendors, they students in the model schools as As she spoke with The with six schools, where they have come onboard and they are well are really energised about Barbados Advocate recently, adopted being free of carbonated willing to learn new techniques the campaign and are really Stacia Browne, Communications drinks. in serving healthier foods and aiming to live healthier lives.And Officer for the Childhood Obesity Another programme that she drinks and that is something we then obviously let’s not forget Prevention Programme of the was proud of was the vendor are really excited about because Cheyne Jones with ‘No Sugar Heart and Stroke Foundation, training programmes; they were we want them to be able to earn November’ which was well highlighted that the Programme able to host three sessions a living as well,” she said. received by Barbadians, as they set major goals for 2019 and she throughout the year with the The Communications Officer challenged themselves to not was proud to report that they help of the Barbados Association went on to say that they drinking any sugar for the month accomplished most of them. of Retailers, Vendors and conducted two major campaign of November and they were Stacia Browne, She reported that they were Entrepreneurs (BARVEN). launches, in May and October, astounded about how well their Communications Officer for able to be part of the Coalition on “These programmes were where they advocated for the bodies responded to not having the Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity Prevention, geared at training vendors in and removal of sugary drinks in the any sugar,” she Prevention Programme of the and joined 15 other organisations around the school environment schools.