First 100 days: St Michael folk ‘see change’

Voters in St Michael Central and St Michael West say they are already seeing some of the promises made on the election platform kept through improved road infrastructure and programmes targeting young people.

Barbados TODAY visited several communities on Friday to get updates 100 days after the February 11 election.

One of the roads showing marked improvement was Powder Road in St Michael Central, where vehicles were seen flowing smoothly along the newly resurfaced roadway residents say had been in poor condition for several years.

“A couple years though, I glad they fix it, it look real good. We couldn’t even walk on the road properly,” said resident Trey.

He said while this was the only promise delivered so far, residents remain patient.

“Jobs for the youngsters, more yutes and things that idle, things to prevent them from walking bout,” he said.

An elderly resident on Powder Road, Mrs Mayers, said while she was pleased with the resurfacing, another issue has now surfaced.

“I don’t like the corner there, see how they coming through here,” she remarked while pointing to vehicles speeding from the main road into the minor road nearby.

“They will have to put something at the corner there, cause somebody will get knocked down, but otherwise, I love it.”

Sherlock King also expressed delight at the development.

“Great, splendid, marvellous, we were waiting for them to do that for years now cause this was the most dangerous road out here. We thank the Lord for that. Everything takes time.”

Another initiative introduced by St Michael Central MP Tyra Trotman was Faces of the Future, a makeup artistry course for young women in the constituency.

Trinisha Farrell, parliamentary liaison officer, told Barbados TODAY that 17 women completed the first six-week programme.

“We actually had an influx of persons calling the office from other constituencies asking to be a part of the program as well. It was a hit amongst Barbadians, and it definitely was a hit amongst the constituents as well because we would have had an overflow of persons who wanted to join even after it had started.

“The persons who would have done the programme, they would have went through six weeks of training and then graduated and are now certified to do makeup artistry as well. Some of them have gone on to start their own businesses.”

Farrell revealed that Trotman also offered assistance to any of the women who needed help registering their businesses through Business Barbados.

The second run of the programme is expected to begin soon, said Farrell:

“The second cohort should begin sometime next week. Fifteen persons registered for that one as well. We had originally aimed for 16 persons each cohort, but we would have done 17 in the first instance and 15 in the upcoming.”

The aim is to continue the programme once funding becomes available.

“Funding is one of the main things that will be required. We are trying to see if we can secure some funding to continue the program because again it is a hit. Persons are interested in it and coming forward to do it. So it is just something that we would like to have continue because the more entrepreneurs you can have within the constituency, people are better able to stand on their own. That is one of the aims.”

The parliamentary liaison said the recently launched Walk the Bush programme is also progressing well.

“She did start that programme with 11 gentlemen from the constituency who were unemployed, giving them the opportunity to work three days a week, and they would do jobs in the constituency for persons who are disenfranchised, disabled, elderly persons, single-parent families who may need the additional help with keeping and maintaining their properties.

“We’ve now extended the programme to the point where if you’re interested in having the guys come out and do some work at your home, you can request it through the office and you can put it in a fund so that it can help to maintain the guys staying on the programme.”

She said the next stage of the initiative is to help the men transition into working independently so they can eventually assist other young men.

Over in St Michael West, people in Greaves Land said they were happy to finally see a road resurfaced after being neglected for more than 30 years.

One neighbour said although workers encountered a minor setback with a burst main, she was looking forward to being able to walk comfortably again.

“When it done I can wear high heel shoes and take off the soft wear and the slippers, my foot won’t be so marly and white.”

She said she was pleased the government acquired the patching machine to repair potholes.

“Now the children can run on it and play, once the ZRs dont come through here, that’s what they does do when they cutting off.”

The middle-aged woman said although the repairs were taking place directly in front of her business, she did not mind the temporary inconvenience.

“It is what it is, want the right things sometimes you got to enjoy of the dust.”

She added that she is now waiting to see what happens during the rainy season, as water usually settles in one section of the road.

“I got to wait til the rainy season to see what going on now. You see the land gone so,” she said while pointing to a slight slope. “I thankful, that’s the truth. They working hard.”

(LG)