Category: Column

At the recent 142nd passing out parade of Police officers at the Regional Police Training Centre, the guest of honor, Sir David Simmons, spoke to effectiveness of technology in Policing and crime prevention. One of those technologies is the use of Public Closed Circuit Television (CCTV). Sir David noted that his research pointed to statistics […]

Over three years ago, I happened to read the IMF reports for Barbados and noticed that we were facing certain economic ruin.  The IMF warned us to never let our debts exceed 40 per cent of what we produce annually (GDP).  The BLP took us past this 40 per cent ceiling 20 years ago, to […]

It is said that one of the most powerful forces in the world is love. Love has spurred the creation of hospitals in some of the most remote villages all over the face of the Earth. Love has moved many men and women to leave their homes–their places of safety and comfort–to go and serve […]

“A republic should do so much more, as through the mode of electing it has not only two in succession but infinite most virtuous princes who are successors to one another. This virtuous succession will always exist in every well-ordered republic.” – Machiavelli: Discourses on Livy I do not really recall a time when I […]

On Wednesday, the 14th Bishop of Barbados will be chosen by an Elective Synod of the Anglican Diocese at the Ivan Harewood Centre adjoining the Christ Church Parish. The successful candidate will succeed the Most Rev. Dr John Holder, who retired at the end of February as the Diocesan and Archbishop of the West Indies upon […]

“When we observe calmly, we discover that everything has their fulfillment.” BASHO: Japanese Poet. Judy Layne-Banks, a Barbadian batik artist who lives and works in the Kentucky Elementary school system as an art educator, spent part of the 2018 Spring Break reflecting on her visit to Barbados for CARIFESTA 2017. Did she, as Basho does, believe that […]

“The big problem isn’t anger,” says professor Charles Carver who specializes in anger studies at the University of Miami, “it’s that it leads to action.” In spite of his wise words, the problem does simply seem to be our anger. There presently appears to be a relentless upsurge of it, with no obvious explanation for […]

I remember clearly when the discussion about Guyanese immigration was at its peak in Barbados. I remember the rhetoric about Guyanese women coming to take Barbadian men away from Barbadian women. The responses of the Barbadian men were instructive and worrisome to me. Many responded [saying] the Guyanese women were easier to get along with.  They […]

‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me’. I remember hearing these words uttered throughout my primary school years as one child responded to [a hurtful comment] said to him or her by another child.  Perhaps this little rhyme itself was a defence mechanism against the painful truth that words really do […]

We were told that if we wanted the youth vote, that we must agree to legalise marijuana for recreational use. Well, Solutions Barbados policies will significantly benefit the youth of Barbados. However, while we plan to allow non-addictive extracts to be prescribed by doctors for medicinal uses, recreational use of marijuana is another question. In a Solutions Barbados administration, […]

Life is not a walk in the park. In actuality, it is probably more akin to a walk in a dense forest or wooded area at midnight. There are so many unknowns – so many aspects of it that can inspire dread and concern. Should I take another step forward? What is lurking around the corner? […]

At the service themed Rediscovering Justice in Westminster Abbey last week, and which marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of the Revd Dr Martin Luther King Jr (News, April 6 ), my thoughts drifted to the numerous elderly Caribbean immigrants who are fighting for justice and compassion in the UK. Some have already lost […]

As parents we [need to be aware of] how we communicate with our children. We [must] ask ourselves whether it is lending to a relationship built on mutual respect, caring and trust. In the book, Raising children compassionately: parenting the nonviolent communication (NVC) way, Rosenberg makes a winning argument for re-focusing on the quality of […]

From April 8-11 2018, the Boao Forum for Asia  Annual Conference 2018 themed An Open and Innovation Asia for A World of Greater Prosperity was held in Boao, Hainan Province, China. Chinese President H.E. Xi Jinping delivered the keynote speech at the opening ceremony, stressing that all countries should conform to the trend of the times, [be dedicated] […]

Writing in the British Guardian newspaper on April 10, my colleague, Professor Phillip Murphy, the Director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London, recalled that for those who campaigned for Britain to leave the European Union, “depicting the Commonwealth as a huge potential trading opportunity for the UK was a useful […]

Twenty five years ago, the University of the West Indies (UWI) Chronic Disease Research Centre (now called the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre) started a study aimed at isolating the genetic factors behind the high incidence of asthma in Barbados. A quarter of a century later, that study has reached some interesting conclusions that […]

Barbados continues its slide away from the normal practice of having elections every five years. Simply because one party thinks it to be the most expedient thing to secure a political victory, Barbados’ economic and social issues have been on pause. More specifically, because one man, who knows that he is first, but has seemingly […]