Established October 1895 Barbados wins Wellness Destination of the Year PAGE 2 Thursday January 30, 2020 $1 VAT Inclusive Stadium to close for track repair By Corey Greaves WORK on the track at the National Stadium is expected to begin from this Saturday, forcing the closure of the stadium until February 11. This was revealed by Chairman of the National Sports Council (NSC), MacDonald Fingall, during a media briefing at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex yesterday. It follows an interview which Minister of Sports, John King, had recently, regarding the same closure of the track and the relocation of school sports for some schools. The Mondo track at the National Stadium was laid in 2013 and Fingall said that representatives from the company are coming in to do remedial work on the track. “They have sent in the equipment and tools that are necessary and we got that cleared. We knew it was coming, but because of how things can be with Customs in terms of clearing stuff, we didn’t want to do anything until we got it cleared.” Now that the equipment and tools have been cleared, Fingall said that everything seems to be in place and the Mondo representatives have strict orders in terms of what the NSC needs and they have met all of those things. The Mondo team is expected to arrive tomorrow, Friday, and the stadium will have to be closed while they work. They have said it will take seven days and then some time for it to cure. “So I would say in ten days we will be ready to roll again,” said Fingall, who also mentioned they have alerted the Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, Cleviston Haynes, in a press conference at the Bank yesterday to give a review schools that had been booked during of Barbados’ economic performance for 2019. this time. “Initially when the Mondo representative came, he had projected that it would be finished by December, but they had difficulties”, and that is why they have been forced to do the work during this period. GROWTH EXPECTED During this time, Fingall said they will IF all goes well, the Barbados throughout the year. hedged mine as much as the IMF has also try to fix some of the things with the economy should expand between “The overall pace of activity will hedged theirs, but that really is the stands. 1.25 and 1.75 per cent this year. be influenced by the start-up date of essence of the problem. When we meet “We took off the roof and the structural Governor of the Central Bank of these projects. Investors are finalising with the IMF, I don’t think we have support and they advised us by doing Barbados, Cleviston Haynes, in a press plans in several cases and obtaining large difference in how we see the this, we can use up to 80 per cent of the conference at the Bank yesterday to the necessary regulatory approvals. future evolving, but we have to get the stand.” give a review of Barbados’ economic Implementation of several of these projects started and that really is going Fingall mentioned while taking the roof performance for 2019 and the outlook projects is multi-year in scope and this to be a critical thing,” he said. off the VIP stand that it was far worse for this calendar year, indicated that should enhance medium-term growth The Governor added that their than they expected, as many of the this expected growth, if realised, will prospects by enhancing Barbados’ predictions are also that domestic supports were completely rusted as well be made possible by continued growth competitive capacity,” he stated. inflation will slow to within 2.5 per as the covering. in tourism and the recovery of private With that in mind, he said timing cent to 3 per cent this year. While that As it relates to the stands, they have investment. will be critical in our ability to achieve is the case, Haynes said there is a discovered some cracks which developed His comments came as he suggested the growth, and it is imperative then “downside risk” to that outlook, related over time and the plan is to meet with the that special events, including the that all that needs to be done to garner to the agriculture production outturn. engineers to determine how to fix these year-long We Gatherin’ and the 15th regulatory approval is done. Earlier, he noted that in 2019, despite issues. UNCTAD quadrennial conference to “The sooner that happens, the falling international energy and stable “We will fix it to a point where it is be hosted here in October, should help faster the growth rate will be. I can’t imported food prices, inflation took an absolutely safe to continue and we may to boost the tourism and ancillary say to you that standing where I upward trajectory to 4.1 per cent. even be able to move up and down sectors as well as complement the am today, that project X was going to “The relatively benign price another 10 per cent, and it will be ideal activity related to the investment start tomorrow, and therefore I have to get these things done while they projects that are expected to start to hedge my bets. Maybe I have not ECONOMY on Page 3 are working (on the track).” 2 • Thursday January 30, 2020 The Barbados Advocate Barbados wins Wellness Destination of the Year OF all the destinations in the Caribbean, Barbados stands as the destination of choice for wellness. This was the finding at the 2020 Caribbean Travel Awards during the recently con- cluded Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) marketplace in Nassau, Bahamas. The award dubbed ‘Wellness Destination of the Year’ was pre- sented by Alexander Brittel, Editor-in-Chief of Caribbean Journal to the Barbadian dele- gation. The delegation led by Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Kerrie Symmonds, included Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and International Transport, Donna Cadogan; Chairman of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) board, Sunil Chatrani; Acting CEO, Robert Chase; Head of Global Markets, Petra Roach; Acting Director of USA, Eusi Skeete; Director of UK, Cheryl Carter; Director of CLA, Corey Garrett; and Director of Canada, L-R: Corey Garrett, Director of CLA, BTMI; Guy Britton, VP, Managing Editor, Caribbean Journal; Cheryl Carter, Director of UK, BTMI; Peter Mayers. Donna Cadogan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and International Transport; Sunil Chatrani, Chairman, BTMI; Petra Caribbean Journal is the Roach, Head of Global Markets, BTMI; Eusi Skeete, Acting Director of USA, BTMI; Alexander Brittel, Editor-in-Chief, Caribbean global leader in covering Journal; and Peter Mayers, Director of Canada, BTMI. Caribbean travel and trade news – from new flights to lux- “Barbados has an impressive ment you land – you seem to in- for us to be awarded with the During the marketplace, the ury resorts and secret vacation slate of wellness hotspots, from stantly feel better,” mentioned Wellness Destination of the delegation met with key stake- escapes. The annual Caribbean grand spas at resorts like Sandy Caribbean Journal. Year, especially as 2019 was holders in an effort to further Travel Awards celebrates the Lane to the all-inclusive well- Acting CEO, Robert Chase, our Year of Wellness and Soft drive business to destination best in Caribbean travel, as cho- ness at The Waves and the holis- commended the Barbadian Adventure. It really demon- Barbados and to continue to sen by the editorial team of the tic wellness experience at the team as he noted, “I am thrilled strates the distinction of the build on the strategic partner- world’s leading Caribbean travel historic Sweetfield Manor. It’s by the destination’s first award Barbados tourism product ships established and speak on publication. something you sense the mo- for the year.This is very exciting around the world.” the successes of 2019. Caribbean Catalyst Inc. launches BBE 2020 By André Springer been designed to assess pating, it was clear to us from Employee Engagement, the survey results the areas RECENTLY at the Savannah Leadership Effectiveness, that were of the greatest con- Hotel, Caribbean Catalyst Inc. Productivity and Accountability. cern to our employees, and launched the prestigious bien- In 2020, the programme will the recommendations from nial programme – Barbados’ combine descriptors to evaluate Catalyst and the review panel Best Employers (BBE) Growth Mindset. It also fea- were useful for us in taking ac- Programme 2020. tures the sharing of informa- tion to address those concerns,” The Barbados’ Best tion where a company will be said McConnie. Employers (BBE) awards ini- informed as to how it performed Managing Director of tiative is now an established relative to other companies. Caribbean Catalyst Inc., programme which is open to What has also happened is that Rosalind Jackson, implored private and public sector organ- some businesses participate in managers and leaders to step isations of all sizes. Themed the programme over multiple up and lead by example and set “Continuous Improvement – A years, which allows them to the standard. She also ques- Growth Mindset”, the 2020 edi- compare the yearly data which tioned the term “weak leader- tion promises to be even better is presented to the company ship”, saying that it was not than previous years. Presenting through comprehensive reports leadership and that managers the benefits of participating in which outline recommendations and other people at the top were BBE was Jacqueline Elias, from HR experts. responsible for performances of Director, Caribbean Catalyst “Continuous improvement is those under their care. Inc. at the heart of BBE as evident In an interview conducted re- “BBE allows for an External in the success of many past par- cently, John Williams, CEO of Managing Director of Caribbean Catalyst Inc., Rosalind Jackson.