With the number of reported suicides in Barbados rising, many have been shocked into the reality of the state of mental health in this country. One of the common phrases over the past few days have been, “but he or she seemed so happy.” There are many happy people out there who are struggling.
There are those who believe they have overcome their depression and then succumb to a weak moment. There are those who are smiling to protect their loved ones from their pain. There are those who are smiling to get through the working day.There are those who are smiling to suppress the realities of social ills in their life such as abuse. There are those who are smiling because they are leaders and they are expected to motivate and inspire. They are those who are smiling because their boss expects them to function. There are those who smile because friends and family have become tired of hearing of their depression, and they smile to spare them even though they are still hurting.
There are so many reasons why they may smile, but this does not invalidate their pain. This does not invalidate your pain.
Some may have somewhere to turn but may not realise where their resources are. If you find yourself in such a situation, here are some resources compiled by a mental health advocacy group called Let’s Unpack It.
This site has had reviews of various services in Barbados before, but never as a dedicated series that examines concrete examples of customer service excellence. There will be 1 nominee per month for the Bajan Mom Award of Service Excellence 2023 (no monetary value, but a sense of pride is priceless), and then, in December, one of these monthly nominees will be declared 2023’s winner overall.
Have you ever tried renting a car in Barbados in the winter season? Not only does demand outstrip supply, but the rates that are charged are astronomical. I can tell you with authority that a “reasonably priced” rental of a vehicle that can seat 4 passengers can cost over US$900 for less than a week. Yes, nearly BBD $2,000 to rent a car for less than a week in January. I can also tell you with authority that in off-peak months that that price will drop lower than a double-jointed limbo dancer at a Bajan cultural event.
This is why when a friend recommended our February Nominee, BCR Car Rentals, and I saw that their winter rates were almost off-peak period prices, I thought there was a catch. Something had to be wrong with these cars or the service. Maybe they are jiggling jalopies or rickety rust buckets. Maybe the staff members have the temperament of a pride of constipated mountain lions . . . but no, from beginning to end the staff was pleasant, helpful and gracious. The vehicle was clean, not in perfect but good condition, and many people who saw us driving it could not help but comment on what a good-looking vehicle it was.
Ease of Booking
We booked our vehicle via email since it was a direct referral from a friend but anyone can easily make a booking on their website. Vonetta was willing to answer all of my questions via email and even phone when necessary. Also, extending the period of hire was not difficult. The front desk staff, including Kerry, are also quite pleasant and professional.
The Handover/Drop Off
Again, we were exposed to another genial staff member who conducted the drop off. Baggio not only followed the procedure of making a record of the state of the vehicle when delivered, but he took the time to give an overview of how the vehicle worked. It was a push button start and although it was a right-hand drive, the indicator and light lever was on the left.
He noticed that the gas tank was below the quarter tank that is BCR’s starting point and he made sure that it was at the appropriate level before he officially left the vehicle in our care. I had experienced some “wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am” kind of service from a previous provider that just did the due diligence regarding the state of the vehicle then dropped the keys in my hand and left. I appreciated this young gentleman’s attention to detail and his pleasant demeanour.
Extension of Rental
If you need to extend your rental period, just give the office a call. They will check to see the vehicle’s availability and then you can pay over the phone or in person. I had to extend a few times and each time the responses were professional and helpful. Manager Ramon was also very warm while Baggio and others made sure to check under the bonnet and top up the car’s fluids before I left the parking lot.
Overall Impressions
BCR Car Rentals is a family business with a family culture. As a customer, especially as one referred by another consumer, I was treated as if I had come in for the family reunion. The prices are reasonable and fair, and the service is pleasing. The vehicle also served my family and me well.
Bajan Mom recognises Bajan Excellence! January’s nominee for this inaugural annual ward is “High Trees”!
View from “High Trees”
This site has had reviews of various services in Barbados before, but never as a dedicated series that examines concrete examples of customer service excellence. There will be 1 nominee per month for the Bajan Mom Award of Service Excellence 2023 (no monetary value, but a sense of pride is priceless), and then, in December, one of these monthly nominees will be declared 2023’s winner overall.
January’s nominee for the Bajan Mom Award of Service Excellence 2023 is the team that manages a short-term rental in the parish of Christ Church. High Trees, which is on St. Lawrence Main Road, is an exquisite 3-bedroom, 2.5 bathroom townhouse run by a host (Gloria) and property manager (Margot), assisted by Grace Anne, who understand how to give guests value for money. Just a stone’s throw away from the Divi Southwinds Resort and popular St. Lawrence Gap, this property is ideal for anyone who wants to be close to entertainment but tucked away enough to enjoy peace and relaxation as well. For those who are travelling as a family, note that the property houses a maximum of 6 persons.
I recognise the service excellence at High Trees based on the following 6 categories: Amenities, Cleanliness, Hospitality, Communication & Responsiveness, Family Friendliness, and Honesty in Advertising.
Amenities
When you visit this property’s link on Airbnb it advertises a whopping 52 amenities. These include a combination washer and dryer, as well as a kitchen with whatever you need to prepare meals for your family. I will mention a few more in the other categories but how the property is presented, and what is available, offer a perfect balance of being on a relaxing holiday and being self-sufficient. Wifi and a workspace are also available for those who need to work.
Cleanliness
When you first step into High Trees and want to lay your head down after a long flight, you can do so without concern. You do not have that sense of dread that first you have to sanitise every surface before you can go to bed. The air is fresh and the rooms and contents are pristine.
A housekeeper comes to the property once a week, for your convenience and at your convenience, and the bed and bath linens are laundered professionally by an outside service. There are also cleaning products available should you desire to do your own cleaning for maintenance purposes.
Hospitality
Never, in my family’s and my entire experience at High Trees did we ever feel like we were an inconvenience, unlike other experiences we have had at other properties where making money was king and hospitality was the jester. It was understood that we were guests and that our comfort was their first priority. Whatever we needed was made readily available and we were made to feel at home away from home.
They also sought to make navigation throughout the property easier by providing a manual which explained how appliances worked, gave the WiFi password, and the general rules of staying at the property.
Communication & Responsiveness
The lines of communication were always open and if there were any concerns, responses were prompt, within a few hours, or at longest, by the end of the day. The property manager or host did not allow the sun to set without offering assurances and actively finding solutions. That level of professionalism was very comforting.
Family Friendliness
The property is spacious and ideal for families. The homey atmosphere and the appliances for ease of taking care of needs are pluses.
Two cautions though: 1) there are some expensive and fragile décor items that may not be suitable for children, and 2) the Airbnb link warns families that due to the reflecting pools, despite their shallowness, that the property may not be suitable for small children.
Honesty in Advertising
There are no smoke and mirrors here, folks. What you see is what you get at “High Trees”. In fact, the photos are inviting but pale in comparison to the sense of serenity one feels in the airy, light and tranquil rooms, or stretched out on the rattan chairs in the patio next to the water garden and looking on to the beautiful flora concentrated in the centre of the complex.
The only caveat is that there is no agreement with Divi Southwinds as advertised. If one looks at any unit advertised for sale, long-term or short-term rental in this condominium complex, that alleged agreement is shown as a benefit, however, on visiting the hotel to ask about use of the gym facilities, we were told that several visitors have come asking but have left disappointed since no such arrangement exists. This does not seem to be the fault of the hosts/landlords, but some other entity, but to be forewarned is to be forearmed, so let me save you a trip across the street to the resort.
Overall Impressions
The High Trees team offers better hospitality than some hotels that I have visited at home and abroad. They are customer-centric, professional, responsive and knowledgeable. The main drawback is the property is not suitable for young children but this is advertised upfront.
Congratulations for a job well done to Jessica Cummins and Tonquanja Giddings of Barbados
Dish prepared by Jessica Cummins. Photo by Dario Walcott.
Good day, everyone.
It has been quite some time since I have posted, but I had to make a little time for this!
As each of you have come to learn, I am a fan of high standards and professionalism. This is why I am also a fan of WorldSkills International, a competition where contestants from all over the world compete in their respective disciplines that reflect global occupational best practices.
This year, Barbados had two entrants. Tonquanja Giddings, who represented our country in Restaurant Service; and Jessica Cummins, who represented us in Cooking, and let me tell you, I saw the videos of them at work, and they did what they had to do with precision and sophistication!
Left: Jessica Cummins at Work. Above: Tonquanja Giddings at the table she set. (Photos by Dario Walcott)
Thank you, ladies, for showing the entire globe that Barbados is world-class!
Author’s edit: It has been reported that transfers will be considered this year, a variance from the usual stipulation of waiting an academic year.
Congratulations to the students who received their results for the Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination today. Well done! You worked hard and no matter the result or school, we are all proud of you. Preparing for and taking such an important exam during a pandemic is no small feat. You are a warrior and you remain undefeated!
I know that with this time there is not only celebration, but also some frustration, especially when it seems as if the grades and the allocated schools do not seem to match. Do not forget, the cut-off marks for schools change every year and depend on the overall performance of students. Each school has a specific number of spaces to fill. Trying to break it down to its simplest calculations (The Ministry’s system is a bit more sophisticated), if School X has 100 spaces in 2032, and the 100th student who has that school as the first choice gets an average of 85%, then the student who gets 84% is allocated to their second choice. If that same school has 100 spaces in 2033 and the 100th student who has that school as the first choice gets an average of 91%, then the student who gets 90% is allocated to the second choice. So there really is no predictable marker for “HC marks” or “Foundation marks.” This is not something that can be forecast or determined by history.
For parents who are still not satisfied with my explanation above, pounding down the doors of the Ministry of Education today or tomorrow will not give you the solution that you desire. The Ministry of Education has clearly documented annually that transfers will only be considered after a student has spent one academic year at their allocated school.
I understand the disappointment, but celebrate the achievement. Your child has been through the storm of the pandemic exam and came out unscathed on the other side. A new school brings with it new opportunities for excellence and adventure, so even though you are frustrated, don’t let them see it. Let them face their future with positivity, and maybe feeling their joy may help you face the future with positivity as well.
I don’t know about you, but during the pandemic, I have got to learn a little more than I would like about some people, their leadership styles, etc. For example, some people are so professional and cordial in face-to-face meetings, but let them host a Zoom meeting from home and all of a sudden they become the cousin twice removed of a ravenous Tyrannosaurus Rex.
I have no explanation for this transformation, even though I can hazard a few guesses, including pandemic fatigue. Nevertheless, here are ten TOP THINGS that meeting hosts should remember. Maybe someone may find this to be helpful.
Some of us have been part of a virtual team forever, and we actually find that it facilitates work-life balance. For others of us, virtual meetings have been a pandemic-induced intrusion on our private lives. The newness of the situation, as well as its ambiguity, has resulted in confusion regarding the rules of the virtual meeting, if there are any at all. It has also spawned a newsworthy faux pas from time to time that makes us raise our eyebrows.
Watch the video above and feel share to share what you think. Was it helpful? What would you add? With what did you disagree? Don’t be shy, just be respectful and let us know how you really feel.
Celebrities and “ordinary folks” have been finding themselves in the crosshairs at work due to something that they said on social media that came to their boss’s attention.
The question is: should an employee’s social media account even be the boss’s business?
Watch the video above and let us know if you think that what we put in our “private space” is fair game for our bosses.
I need your help again! One of our readers, a foreign national who is still familiarising herself with Barbados, would like recommendations for a good nursery, preferably in St. James but is quite flexible. Please read the summary of the emails that we sent back and forth and send your suggestions in the comment section or through the contact form.
You have been so generous with your knowledge in the past, and we thank you for what you will do for us today.
Have a marvelous Monday!
Best wishes,
Bajan Mom
Dear Bajan Mom,
Thank you so much for all your help. You are great! I have another question to ask, could you recommend a daycare centre in Holetown?
You asked me these questions:
Could you be a little more specific? Are you looking for family-based? Is there a particular price range that interests you? Does the Day Care need to have an outdoor play area? Do you prefer a small facility where the ages tend to be mixed or a larger programme where the age groups are a little more segregated? Ideally, will this just be a place for your little one to start or do you want a place where your child can learn and grow until going to school? Is the Holetown location set in stone or could you be more flexible?
So the most important wish is, that the people there are lovely and of course not violent with the kids. My daughter will be only 9 months old, so must be possible for toddlers.
Great would be a flexibility in hours per week. I plan to put her only a few hours (4-5) per weeks in the first months and later more. A contract that can be canceled monthly would be perfect. I like Montessori, but it’s not a must. And Holetown (walking distance) would be good, but not a must too.
Also, no TV. Do you think there are daycare places without any TV?
“Mom! Dad! Can I go in the bouncy house, pleeeeeeeezzzzzzeeeee!!”
How many of us have been the recipients of this request at a party or a fair? Our children’s eyes light up with glee and their bodies wriggle in anticipation as they watch their barefooted and sock-footed peers gleefully propelling themselves airborne in brightly-coloured, dancing structures. Who can say no to that pleading face in that air of amusement and excitement? The better question may be, should we say no?
Today reports came out of Tasmania, Australia where five children were killed and other children were injured after a “significant gust of wind” sent a bounce castle and other inflatables, flying through the air, with children falling catastrophically to the ground thirty feet below. This is months after similar incidents happened this year such as what occurred in Arizona in May and in Iceland, then Belarus in July.
We send our sincerest condolences to these families that have suffered such a tragic loss. Unfortunately, such incidents are not uncommon. Here are just a few which have occurred over the years:
These amusements flying away have not been the only cause of injuries either. In 2018, The Journal of Children’s Orthopaedics reported other mechanisms of injuries included falls inside and off of inflatable structures, overcrowding, and collisions between children who differ in age and size. In 2015, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission published a report that identified 113,272 emergency department-treated injuries and 12 deaths related to amusement inflatables during the period 2003 – 2013. These fractures, strains, sprains, dislocations, contusions, abrasions, lacerations, paralysis, and sadly, deaths, were caused by various circumstances including falling badly, suffocation after a motor was accidentally unplugged, and drowning by bouncing out of the inflatable and into a lake or swimming pool. The inflatables that triggered these events were not only bounce castles, but included inflatable slides and other forms of inflatable entertainment as well.
Prevention is Better Than Cure
Is this article saying that bouncing houses should be banned? No. The trajectory is more in line with the recommendations made in the aforementioned study in The Journal of Children’s Orthopaedics. Care needs to be taken at the regulatory and personal levels. In other words, there needs to be national safety guidelines that need to be enacted at the legislative level, higher standards of regulation re manufacturing and safety regulations at the business level, and increased effective adult supervision at the personal level.
Suggestions for prevention in the article include the aforementioned:
adult supervision,
rotation of age and size groups,
age limits and limiting the number of children at a time,
a safety distance of 3 – 6 feet around the facility leaving entrance and exit points free.
proper cushioning materials around the inflatable,
no climbing or hanging from the walls of the facility,
nothing that would be dangerous to fall on in the perimeter including trees and benches,
the set-up, operation and supervision of equipment by the inflatable hire company’s own staff,
the inflatables should be regularly inspected.
bounce castles, etc should not be used in adverse weather conditions such as high wind or wet weather,
only socks should be worn on feet,
no sharp objects should be worn such as jewelry, buckles, pens or other sharp pocket contents,
and, of course, the castle must always be adequately moored to the ground and away from fences and overhead power.
So now that you have the information, what will you choose to do? Share your views in the comments below. Do you have additional suggestions that you would like to share?
BAJAN MOM 