Established October 1895 Sunday March 28, 2021 $2 VAT Inclusive SEEKING SEAWEED Teachers SOLUTION to receive docked pay A CONCERTED effort is from the invasive floating under way to tackle the algae. Sargassum seaweed prob- Yesterday, Minister of Page 4 lem in River Bay, St. Lucy, Maritime Affairs and the Blue Minister of Maritime Affairs and Blue Economy Kirk bringing much needed relief Economy Kirk Humphrey,along Humphrey while Member of Parliament for St. Lucy Peter to the residents from the with Member of Parliament for Phillips and owner of the 12 acres of River Bay Andrew noxious fumes emanating SEAWEED on Page 3 Bynoe (background) looks on. Put your mind to achieving your dreams Page 5 Workmen on the job at River Bay St. Lucy yesterday. Directive will be enforced during Holy Week By Cara L. Jean-Baptiste congregation size for Holy “Therefore the Sunday, the picnics, limes on the beach, Week, the stipulations for 28th March, Good Friday, were reminded that this was ATTORNEY General Dale churches in the new directive Sunday 4th of April, Easter not permitted. Marshall has stated that the remain the same. Bank holiday and Sunday 11th The Attorney General said new COVID-19 Directives will “Even though we are very of April, we will once more have that beaches and parks will be specially enforced during sympathetic. Holy Week will the partial shutdown and only be opened for swimming the upcoming Holy Week. not see a change in the stipula- therefore only certain specified and exercise from 6 am to 9 am Speaking during a recent tions,” he said. businesses will be allowed to and from 3 pm to 6 pm and not press statement, Marshall “We have tremendous con- open.” for picnics, gatherings and Protecting noted that while the cerns about the upcoming Marshall stressed that dur- recreational activity. students’ Government understood the Easter weekend and I under- ing this week, the rules of the “And therefore we will be out importance of Holy Week to the stand that this will be an im- Directive will be strongly en- in great numbers with the en- mental health Christian community, and portant bank holiday, but we forced. forcement team during those while some people have been still feel that we need to keep Therefore, he noted that indi- periods and we want to ask asking for the opportunity to the brakes on for a while viduals planning to go on a pic- Barbadians to cooperate with Page 6 do baptisms and have a larger longer. nic on Easter Sunday or mini us,” he said. 2 • Sunday March 28, 2021 The Barbados Advocate The Barbados Advocate Sunday March 28, 2021 • 3 AG: New Directive starts today By Cara L. Jean-Baptiste widest possible circula- tend the current stipula- mained the same. of a food establishment to home at 9 pm,” he said. tion so that individuals tions for another two- He noted that there close at 9 pm as that was “You must have your DIRECTIVE number could read it and under- week period.” seemed to be some confu- the time that the curfew people off the road by 9 Seven comes into stand it for themselves,” Marshall highlighted sion in terms of the stip- commenced. pm; so close at a time force from today. he said. that the curfew period ulations for restaurants He explained that in which allows you to sat- This is according to “You will notice that for now ran from 9 pm until and clarified that food es- some instances, food busi- isfy that requirement but Attorney General, Dale the most part things have 5 am, which allowed for tablishments, no matter ness operators lived on that time is up to you, if Marshall, who stated remained unchanged. persons to move around what food establishment, the premises or in the you can close at quarter that Directive Seven will And while there have an hour earlier. whether a fine dining neighbourhood and this to nine and still get your come into effect from been some significant im- However, Marshall was restaurant, snackette or was why the Government people off the road by March 28th 2021 and last provement in terms of quick to state that this a food shop, they were was allowing them to nine then that will be fine until April 11th 2021. our COVID numbers, it is did not mean that per- permitted to operate from close at 9 pm. but please do not ask for “It has already been the concerted opinion of sons would be allowed to 7 am until 9 pm. “They [food business mercy if at quarter past circulated, we tried to the Chief Medical Officer go to the beach from 5 am However, Marshall operators] can close at nine you are still on the make sure that well in and the COVID subcom- as the stipulations for noted that this was not whatever time that al- road because you closed advance it was given the mittee that we need to ex- beaches and parks re- an excuse for an operator lows them to still get at nine.” River Bay Sargassum buildup being tackled SEAWEED from Page 1 taken to Farley Hill or St. Lucy, Peter Phillips, Carrington’s where it is owner of the 12 acre site spread out and allowed to Andrew Bynoe, along with be dried. It is used by the other stakeholders, visited NCC in their gardens or the site where there is on- offered to farmers. “It is going works to clear the going to work. The unfor- putrid seaweed and allow tunate reality [is] some- for a natural flow of water. times you can clear tonight The Minister lamented and [then] you can get a that this is the beginning mat that is so large that it of seaweed season and it is looks like nothing was predicted that 2021 will done over a period of rival the volume seen in weeks.” the island in 2018. He assured that talks He revealed that the will continue with the From right to left: Minister of Maritime Affairs and Blue Economy Kirk Humphrey in discussion with Sargassum management BWA to address a problem Member of Parliament for St. Lucy Peter Phillips, Dr. Leo of the Coastal Zone Management Unit, busi- plan of 2018 may have to affecting residents on the nessman Andrew Bynoe and Anderson Cherry of Jose y Jose yesterday at River Bay St. Lucy. be tweaked to address the southern side of the river, buildup that is usually which is being affected by managed by the National a water main currently Conservation being put in place by the Commission, but which BWA, but which is caus- faced challenges with ing the flow of the river to equipment. It is against stagnate. this backdrop that he Owner of the property thanked Anderson Cherry Andrew Bynoe lamented of Jose y Jose for the equip- the turn of events, noting ment used to clear the that he was in talks with tonnes of seaweed and the Minister to see the de- other buildup. velopment of the popular It was revealed that St. Lucy site. He said that from next week, a monitor plans included a tourism- will be sent every day and related project.“The inten- persons skilled in moving tion was to dredge the two seaweed will be deployed rivers and populate them twice or three times with fish for sports fishing. weekly to remove the sea- We also had some accom- weed while it is “fresh”. modations on the lands He explained that over around. COVID has put a time the seaweed turns halt to that. Government into a solid and when de- owns two acres and we pleted of oxygen with bio- would have been cooperat- mass trapped inside, it ing on this project.” causes the foul odour Bynoe also believes that which wafts miles away, a technical solution can be posing headaches for resi- found to stop the seaweed dents. from entering the mouth The Minister told the of River Bay during “sea- media that the seaweed is weed season”. (JH) A look at the buildup of Sargassum seaweed at River Bay St. Lucy yesterday. 4• Sunday March 28, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Teachers to receive docked pay PRESIDENT of the Pedro Shepherd et al vs salary or your return on processed as well.” Barbados Union of Permanent Secretary the docked pay.” “So that is good news for Teachers (BUT) Pedro Ministry of Education, The BUT president said teachers who thought that Shepherd has declared Science, Technology and that this includes persons they should support the victory in the case of Innovation.” who would have retired, actions of the BUT in 2016 docked pay of teachers According to Shepherd, or unfortunately would against what we thought dating back some five “I am pleased to report have died during this pe- was an unfair practice, by years ago. that our lawyer is in re- riod. “You too are being the Ministry of Education, It was back in June of ceipt of a letter from the looked after. There are we want to thank you for 2016 that the pay of those Solicitor General, which some 54 persons who the support during that teachers were docked for states that the Ministry of would fall into that par- period.We look forward to attending a meeting called Education has prepared a ticular category.” your continued support.” by the BUT during school proportional abatement of “I think that there “As we go forward, do hours. salaries for teachers who might be a little difference not let issues of docking of In a statement released attended the meeting with in your payment because pay and those things pre- on Friday Shepherd the provision of teachers it might not be in the vent you from giving full stated: “You will recall in 2016.” Cloud Suite Payment sys- support to your union.