Established October 1895 NCF launches a number of ‘Tings Bajan’ Page 4 Friday November 27, 2020 $2 VAT Inclusive SPOTLIGHT ON CRIME, COVID-19 A LOCAL researcher has identified senting the findings on the ‘Social Cost of carry some level of stigma associated West Indies Cave Hill Campus indicated clear parallels between crime and Crime’, which is the first phase of a wider with the crime.” that one of the biggest impacts that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Social and Economic Impact Study of He went on to point out, “If there was COVID-19 has had on persons is having “Crime is in fact a public health prob- Crime in Barbados (April to June) 2018 a business and there were creditable re- to limit their level of daily and outdoor ac- lem,” Professor Dwayne Devonish as- commissioned by the Criminal Justice ports that there were COVID cases that tivity. serts. and Research Planning Unit. were traced to that business, you will see “Long before COVID-19, pretty much “When you look at COVID and crime Recalling the most recent armed rob- that many persons will divert their atten- crime was doing the same thing. The so- you can draw some clear parallels, be- bery at a local business where an em- tion from that particular business onto cial cost related to the impacts on the cause the kinds of impacts that COVID ployee was shot, he noted that such an in- another to stay away. Because there is daily and outdoor activity oftentimes is has had on, let’s say for example on busi- cident causes not only physical injury, this kind of psychological stigma that is not easily monetizable … But, what we nesses, is pretty much the same for but injury to the business itself – “The associated there. Now that is the same did was ask persons about what were crime.” fact this person is now off from work – the thing with crime.” He made the comparison while pre- fact that the business in itself might The Professor at The University of the STUDY on Page 3 From ‘Dump to Table’ BDF makes furniture from shipping pallets THOSE discarded shipping pallets along the roadside can be transformed into stylish furniture and the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) has shown that it is not only possible, but cost-effective. Yesterday,the Barbados Advocate vis- ited the BDF base to witness the mili- tary officials at work as they disman- tled donated shipping pallets to create high-quality lounge tables, coffee chairs, and side tables. The project, which is called “Dump to Table” is a part of the refurbishment exercise in BDF’s mess room area. Some of the materials from the shipping pallets are being used to spruce up a lounge area, which will be known as “Laddie’s Bar”. BDF’s Sergeant Peter Gilkes ex- plained that the project, which was started just before the pandemic, will be completed in time for Christmas. He added that the officers took a break due to the COVID-19 measures, but at this moment the project is 95 per cent com- pleted. From right: Sergeant Peter Gilkes discusses some of the remarkable characteristics of a recently completed coffee table made from old shipping pallets with his colleagues. The furniture is a part of the refurbishing exercise in the BDF on Page 2 mess room area of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF). 2 • Friday November 27, 2020 The Barbados Advocate Financial Literacy Bureau Clinics continue THE Financial Literacy will commence at 6:00 and end Bureau’s satellite clinics, at 7:30 p.m. aimed at getting Also on December 3, at the Barbadians to be better Christ Church Foundation money managers, will con- School, Church Hill, Christ tinue next week at a num- Church, resource persons will ber of venues across the is- speak on the topic: Using your land. Credit Card Wisely,from 5:30 to On Tuesday, December 1, 7:00 p.m. there will be a session on The following week,Tuesday, Budgeting for your Household December 8, Costing and at the Valley Resource Centre, Pricing for Businesses will be The Valley, St. George. At discussed at the Valley Frederick Smith Secondary Resource Centre,The Valley,St. School, Trents, St. James, par- George. This will run from 6:00 ticipants will benefit from a talk to 7:30 p.m. on Using your Credit Card On Thursday, December 10, Wisely, while at the Gall Hill Making your Money Work for Members of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) demonstrated with a torch how they Resource Centre, Gall Hill, St. You, Budgeting for your created the distinct patterns on their furniture pieces. John, the topic will be Making Household and Costing and your Money Work for You. All Pricing for Businesses will be sessions will run from 6:00 to discussed at the Ellerton Donated shipping pallets used 7:30 p.m. Community Centre, St. George; On Thursday, December 3, Emmerton Resource Centre, St. BDF from Page 1 due the shipment of equipment Worrell, and Private Saheka the team will be at the Michael; and the Gall Hill for the BL&P’s work in St. Duke. Sergeant Gilkes noted Emmerton Community Centre, Resource Centre, St. John, re- The initiative used about 150 Lucy. that it did not take too long to St. Michael, where the discus- spectively.All sessions begin at shipping pallets. Some of The team of artisans who complete the pieces of furni- sions will focus on Making your 6:00 p.m. them were donated by Mr. created the furniture included ture. He pointed out a beauti- Money Work for You.At the Gall Interested persons may call Skeete of the Barbados Light & Leading Seaman Kindo Clarke, fully polished coffee table Hill Resource Centre, St. John, Velda Harewood, Lynn Power Company (BL&P). Ordinary Seaman Shane which was completed in about the topic will be Budgeting for Culpepper or Richard Harris at These pallets were available Coulthrust, Private Adrian two days. your Household. Both sessions 535-7700. (JC/BGIS) The Barbados Advocate Friday November 27, 2020 • 3 Learning a skill key for females at Jabez House LEARNING a skill has been key for training, whether that is in hairdressing anxiety and uncertainty,which I am sure the females benefiting from the or nail technology etc. Our focus is on other persons would have experienced” services which Jabez House in economic empowerment, so that you can she added. Barbados offers, given the levels of use these learnt skills to find am alter- “Then coming out of that, when we unemployment and problems aris- native means of income and transition were able to reopen, I felt as if persons ing out of the COVID-19 pandemic. from sex work. So for us of course, given had a new appreciation of being able to This was the acknowledgement com- that was our model of doing things, when make the most of what they could now ing recently from Shamelle Rice, we had the pandemic, where everything do. Given the levels of unemployment, I Founder and Director of Jabez House, had to close down, we had to decide what thought that being able to learn a skill, which provides vocational training and to do” Rice revealed. persons were more appreciative of what entrepreneurial opportunities for local “But what we saw was that even more they could do” she however stressed. female sex workers. She was at the time than being able to provide those practi- She meanwhile thanked Barbadians speaking as one of the panelists during cal skills for individuals, what persons who responded to the organisation’s food the National NGO Impact Consultation needed during that time was the psy- drive during the lockdown period, which held at the Hilton Hotel, under the chosocial support, which was always a helped in providing food baskets to fe- theme, “The Impact of NGOs During big component of our work. So we were males in need, especially those with chil- COVID-19 and Beyond”. able then to use the Zoom platform to do dren. Key now for Jabez House, like “For us at Jabez House, it definitely online sessions, to be able to still keep other NGOs, is mapping the way for- caused us to revisit our way of doing the ladies active and engage them and ward in a creative and innovative way,to things. We do work with females in the keep their minds in a good place, be- see how it can be more successful in its sex workers community and our pro- cause of course, people were wondering mission, whilst embracing a new way of grammes center around the ladies being how they were going to be able to make doing things, even in the midst of the on- Shamelle Rice, Founder and Director able to come to our space. We focus on it through this. There was a measure of going pandemic. (RSM) of Jabez House. The UWI and Missouri State sign MOU CONTINUING its global strategy of also been working for more than a Institute for Sustainable Development Community Development and discover- critical collaboration and partnerships decade in Jamaica in areas such as ge- (ISD) at The UWI and the Office of ing how climate and other factors affect with world class universities, The ology, sustainable tourism, International Programs at MSU. livelihoods and wellbeing.” University of the West Indies (The UWI) watershed/water quality management, Commenting on the partnership, Work between the two Universities is recently signed a Memorandum of bay bathymetry-coral reef/sea grass Coordinator of the ISD, Dr David C expected to begin with attention on how Understanding (MOU) with Missouri mapping, beach erosion-deposition Smith, acknowledged that the signing the Sustainable Development Goals can State University (MSU) in the US to trends and river response to big floods.