Established October 1895 Government seeking legal opinion in G4S matter Page 4 Wednesday December 9, 2020 $1 VAT Inclusive CHEMICALS CONCERN OPPOSITION Leader Bishop Atherley queries safety of chemicals, pesticides We have protected water zones Bishop Joseph Atherley is in Barbados and we have clearly, calling for greater focus to (Amendment) Bill 2020, Bishop and will serve well to strengthen water; even in the absence of firmly enforced laws with refer- be placed on the types of Atherley also queried if there is the institutional framework of heavy downpours, we have had ence to those protected water chemicals being used by em- any knowledge of pesticides po- the Ministry of Agriculture. complaints in rural Barbados zone areas. ployees indoors and also in tentially getting into the island’s According to Bishop Atherley, and not only rural Barbados. “We have done so with refer- the agricultural sector. groundwater supply. “In recent years we have been “I wonder if the Minister has ence to building and structural Addressing the storage and His comments came as he having many growing com- any idea or to any extent any development. That is the con- disposal of chemicals and pesti- joined the debate in the Lower plaints about discolouration of knowledge as to the level of con- struction of buildings. I wonder cides on human health on the House yesterday, where he the water.Even in the absence of tamination of our groundwater what is the level of collabora- environment during the noted that the adjustments in temporary outages, which may by the use of chemicals and pes- tion and the level of scrutiny Pesticides Control the legislation will be important impact the colouration of the ticides. This is very important. SAFETY on Page 2 Change in name proposed for St. Leonard’s Boys’ Secondary School By Marsha Gittens THE name St. Leonard’s Boys’ Secondary School in future could be no more. Rather, the sixth form school could be called the St. Leonard’s Boys School. Principal, Stephen Scott said an adjustment to the school’s name is among that educational institution’s forthcoming plans. He was speaking at Tuesday’s Speech Day and Prize-Giving Ceremony held in the school’s auditorium. “Our goals for the upcoming years are to transform the St. Leonard’s Boys School, and I want you to notice that I have left out the word ‘Secondary’.We will be known very soon as long as I can instil that the powers that be agree, that we will be called the St. Leonard’s Boys School and not the St. Leonard’s Boys’ Secondary School. We have moved past that and there- fore, we will be looking to trans- form our school into a centre of excellence for the arts, sports and vocational training and we look forward to engaging all stakeholders in attaining this Principal of the St. Leonard’s Boys’ Secondary School, Stephen Scott (left) standing with the school’s Independence task.” Honours recipients (left to right) Joseph Maynard, Reverend Jamal Medas, who is an old scholar and was the day’s feature In the Principal’s report, Scott speaker, and Michael Allman. Not pictured are George Ward and Russell Clarke who also received the award. highlighted the successes of the school in many areas for the ac- to 2020, 27 subjects were exam- Speaking about the CAPE areas mentioned above.” 1.While 92 per cent gained sim- ademic years 2018-2019 and ined at the CSEC level. There level, he stated “In 2018 to 2019, The St. Leonard’s Boys’ ilar qualifications in 2019 to 2020. Putting the spot- were 554 entries with 44 stu- there was a pass rate of 100 per Secondary School Principal also Commercial Food Preparation light on the academic areas, he dents receiving grade 1s, 211 re- cent in Building and Mechanical spoke about the Caribbean and Cookery Level 2 and 100 said “In 2018 to 2019, 27 sub- ceiving grade 2s and 152 receiv- Engineering and Physical Vocational Qualifications per cent of students entered for jects were examined at the ing grade 3s. Thus, there was a Education and Sport with an 80 (CVQs). He stated “100 per cent Furniture Making received CSEC level with a total of 436 20 per cent increase in these re- per cent pass rate in of students entered in 2018 to statements of competence”. entries. Of these, 34 students re- sults overall.” Communication Studies and a 2019 received full qualifications Students entered for 2019 to ceiving grade 1s, 123 receiving He further made special men- 60 per cent pass rate in in Metal Work, Engineering, 2020 are presently completing grade 2s and 171 students re- tion “of the third formers who Caribbean Studies”. He further Electrical Installation, General their CVQs in these areas as ceiving grade 3s. However as we entered in several subjects and said in 2019 to 2020 “there were Construction and Food well as in Barbering, Auto continued to aim higher in 2019 received 100 per cent passes”. 100 per cent passes in all the Preparation and Cookery Level Mechanics and Crop Production. 2 • Wednesday December 9, 2020 The Barbados Advocate Questions for cleaners SAFETY from Page 1 posal of chemicals, is im- pleted and we make re- jected because they are pacting our groundwater course back there. That forced in their work to that obtains across system. That is seriously place has to be main- use pesticides and other Ministries with re- a concern of mine.” tained, cleaned. But what elements which may in spect to the matter of He said while great is being used to clean?” fact be detrimental to pesticides and chemi- focus is placed on the im- he asked. their health. cals used in farming pact of the coastal and “Are cleaning enter- “I want to know if there and agriculture and marine environment as a prises, those who have is any concern at any that impact upon the result of chemicals used pesticide, insecticide level of the Ministry of groundwater system inland, there is also a companies, ...are they Agriculture or any rele- in Barbados. need to what is happen- governed by protocols vant ministry as to what “I see farming opera- ing in buildings across and prescriptions based has befallen poor black tions either in what I be- the country. on studies and research people who work on es- lieve to be protected “We contract various which establish the tate in Barbados and who water zone areas or quite cleaning enterprises to soundness of what is have every day to use near protected water come into our various ed- used and the unwisdom chemicals. Are they pro- zones in Barbados and ifices, whether it is a of what otherwise is vided, is it mandatory? Is whereas we are fairly church, business house, used. or is it left to man- the law enforced? Are forceful in terms of how whether it is the institu- agement to determine they being allowed to pro- we apply the law with tion of parliament, but what they use when they tect themselves through reference to protecting what level of attention is apply the chemicals to use of protective gear? Is water zones from con- paid to the elements your property.” it something that falls struction, I am not too which constitute the ma- It is against this back- into the realm of the sub- sure we are as diligent terials used for cleaning drop that Bishop jective? Is it one that the Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley when it comes to the mat- and what are their likely Atherley suggested that manager sees fit. Is it ter of agriculture. impact upon those who there are some employ- what the estate can af- “I just wonder if any- occupy those spaces.” ees who are being ex- ford? Is it what the where in the Ministry of “We are in the process ploited on the job. worker chooses to wear? Update on former Agriculture, or anywhere of doing some environ- “But I wonder what is “The question of proper in the mind or anywhere mental cleaning and re- the situation on agricul- protective gear especially in the mind, of the arrangement in the tural and farm lands in as you deal with chemi- Mobil Refinery Minister, any idea, any Parliament of Barbados. Barbados with respect to cals and pesticides is an knowledge of any extent But then that space has the level of exposure to issue for me,” Bishop of agricultural efforts, to be maintained after which poor black people Atherley reiterated. site requested pursuits through use, dis- those repairs are com- in Barbados are sub- (JH) OPPOSITION Leader highly chemically com- Bishop Joseph Atherley is posed. The event of a by- calling for an update on election brought this into the cleaning of the former focus again. It should not site of the Mobil Refinery take such events and obvi- at Needhams Point. ously there is a problem His comments came in there which government the Lower House yester- has committed to address- day during the debate on ing in the shortest possible the Pesticides Control time. (Amendment) Bill 2020 “The standing of the where he used the oppor- problem is that though tunity to raise the con- there is no dumping going tentious issue which has on there now,the fact that been in the works since you have not properly the Owen Arthur adminis- sealed what was once a tration. dump, or used as a dump, Bishop Atherley, who left persons exposed to noted that he raised this various health threats and question last year, said, “I other discomforts as a re- don’t know if that is a job sult of chemicals still being that’s done, but my under- able to reach them in the standing of the situation privacy of their homes.