Double blow . . . Mother and son Drownings hit CBC Staff hard

It was not business as usual at the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) today as staff members struggled to come to grips with the loss of their 27-year-old colleague Nioca Howard and her son Nico Roach, five, who died in a suspected drowning at Welches Beach, Christ Church yesterday afternoon.

Nioca spent the last eight years assisting her mother, Stacie Howard, with operating the canteen at CBC where she formed what is being described as incredible relationships and bonds with staff members.

When Barbados TODAY visited Nioca’s Emerald Park West, Six Roads, St Philip home, a grieving Howard said she was too distraught to speak, noting that she was grieving two loved ones who had died at the same time.

The atmosphere at CBC was much the same as employees, some of whom wore mourning colours, sought to comfort each other and reflected on the lives of the mother and son who were part of their work family.

Veteran broadcaster Anthony Admiral Nelson told Barbados TODAY it was difficult to find the words to describe the mood at the Pine, St Michael corporation today.

“I mean, I have worked at CBC for a very long time and I have never seen the staff responding the way that they did today to the passing of a colleague. It meant for me that she probably touched about 90 per cent of the people because of her entire attitude at work. She was one of us,” he said.

“She understood the business of broadcasting from this point of view. For instance, if you were reading the news and it was coming up at 7 o’clock and you ran downstairs to get something, she would tell you to ‘go ahead and do what you are doing, I would bring it for you, or you would come back after the news’. She understood the job the people around her was doing and we loved her for that.”

Nelson said because of the role Nioca played at CBC, she had developed a relationship with all the employees to the point that she knew exactly what they ate, how they wanted it prepared, and how often they ate it.

He said her competitive nature often resulted in her engaging in robust discussions with those who visited the canteen. Nelson stressed that Nioca, a former student of Springer Memorial, was not quiet, yet not loud.

“She was a girl with a kind heart,” he said.

“Nioca was one of those workers that a lot of companies in Barbados look for. She was never about reporting sick, never about not wanting to come to work. She always looked forward to coming to CBC to do her job. She was a really beautiful girl and I know that we will miss her.

“We were there for her family yesterday and we give her mummy who runs the canteen at CBC a lot of support. Of course she is not going to be able to do this job now for quite a while, if ever again, in that same location,” Nelson added.

The broadcaster said when Nioca gave birth to her son, he too became a part of the CBC team and was accepted by all. He recalled that Nico often stood at the receptionist’s desk and played with an obituary box which he referred to as a bus.

Nelson said Nioca lived for her son.

“She did not send her child to a day nursery; she brought that child to CBC. That child was with her all the time. He came to CBC with his books and he came with his tablet and he would sit down and read. I cannot imagine what that child went through. He was such a sweet little boy who was intelligent as heck. He was frisky. His hand was on everything and always asking intelligent questions,” he said.

Nelson said that the same way CBC staff stayed at Howard’s side at the scene, they would continue to give her support in whatever way possible.
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb