Category: In the News

Barbados Demonstrates that We are World Class

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!

Are Bounce Houses Safe For Our Children?

Photo by Lukas on Pexels.com

“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?

TERM 2 ENDS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

“School Closed Stay Home” by Photographing Travis is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Good day, readers. The School Calendar for the School Year has been adjusted. So while the Ministry’s official school calendar states that the Term ends on Thursday for students, they have announced that that date is actually this WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016.

Have a blessed week ahead.

Congratulations continue

In this morning’s (June 12, 2014) edition of the Nation newspaper, Minister of Education Ronald Jones congratulated all of the students who sat the Common Entrance examination but expressed concern about the need for the challenges students face in Mathematics and English to be addressed. It was noted that out of 3,729 students, there were only 22 who gained 100% in Mathematics. This does not discount the efforts of any of the other children, since all children who sat the exam should be commended for reaching this milestone.

The names of those 22 were not mentioned but special congratulations to you all the same.

Also, kudos to the top performers in English, whose names were published:

Rehanna King – Eagle Hall Primary School

Jamilah Best – Hindsbury Primary School

Kacie Corbin – St. Winifred’s School

Jamie-Lynn Taitt-Gibson – Charles F. Broome Memorial School

Aria Kellman – West Terrace Primary School

Yohance Lewis – St. Cyprian’s Boys’ School

Teshara Walton – George Lamming Primary School

Aisha Waterman – St. Gabriel’s School

Leanne Alleyne – Hindsbury Primary School

Shamoya Carty – Wills Primary School

Thelema Grannum – Hillaby Turner’s Hall Primary School

Oluwatomi Oredein – People’s Cathedral Primary School

Sunshine Talma – Wills Primary School

 

Good job, children. Well done.

Common Entrance Results Are Back

Parents all across the island will be breathing a collective sigh of relief as the BSSEE (Common Entrance) results have been released. Congratulations to all of those hard-working students, encouraging parents and dedicated teachers.

Special kudos go to the top 10 students:

Jamie-Lynn Taitt-Gibson, Kacie Corbin, Yohance Lewis, Thelema Grannum, Shamoya Carty, Vanati Melwani, Rheanna King, Abeo Edinboro, Aisha Waterman and Shaliyah Wood of these respective primary schools:

Charles F. Broome Memorial School

St. Winifred’s School

St. Cyprian’s Boys’ School

Hillaby Turner’s Hall Primary School

Wills Primary School

St. Angela’s Primary School

Eagle Hall Primary School

St. Gabriel’s Primary School

Wesley Hall Junior School

HANDLING LAYOFFS WITH CONSIDERATION AND GRACE

            This article has been inspired by the current climate in the Barbados Labour market. If one is moving back to Barbados, it cannot be with blinders. Have a job lined up before you come or be sure that you have significant savings if you want to move first and search for employment after. For those who are already here as business persons, and are facing financial challenges which may require that you must terminate employees, remember that there are methods that encourage all parties to handle a difficult situation with grace.

It should be no surprise to anyone that terminations are traumatic experiences. For example, a recent news article mentioned the fainting of a Drainage Division worker on hearing she would be laid off. To be laid-off means more than losing a job or losing money. It means the disruption of many facets of one’s life including family challenges which may arise due to the economic and emotional strain that has been introduced. Simply put, a person’s life is turned upside-down. The experience may be less jolting, however, with proper management.

Wayne F. Cascio, a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Colorado and a prolific writer, states in his book, Managing Human Resources, that when creating policies in regards to layoffs, that one should consider the impact on several groups inclusive of those who are leaving and those who remain. He purports the need for “face-to-face, candid, open communication” between senior management and staff. He encourages preparation and support for those who will be laid-off, helping them through their transition. He also recommends openness with the survivors of layoffs to cultivate trust in order to boost morale and help them to feel more secure, loyal, motivated and productive.

Raymond A. Noe, a training and development specialist, endorses these thoughts in his text, Employee Training and Development, and takes it even further. He notes that research has shown that layoffs do not result in increased profits, but that they can have an adverse effect on productivity, work load, commitment and morale of workers. He suggests that alternative ways to reduce labour costs should be considered first, such as fewer working hours for employees, early retirement plans, delayed wage increases and not filling positions created by retirement and turnover. If these methods prove fruitless and layoffs are inevitable then it is the responsibility of management to adequately prepare all workers while trying to diminish any negative consequences.

If certain courtesies are extended, such as advance notice, clear and adequate explanations, and provisions for psychological, financial and career counselling, there are benefits to all parties. Those to be laid-off are not caught off-guard, are given time to make other arrangements and are even given resources to make the transition easier. Those who remain employed will have better attitudes and should maintain productivity once a sense of fairness has been exhibited. Furthermore, the reputation of the employer remains relatively unsullied if this approach is taken.

Timing is also important. Noe suggests that termination announcements should not be made on Friday afternoons, very late on any day or before a holiday. He advises that termination should happen early in the week to facilitate employees receiving counselling and possibly outplacement assistance.

Employees should also be aware of their rights and privileges. For example, they should know what to expect from Barbados labour legislation such as the Severance Payments Act or any benefits to be expected from National Insurance. They should also know where to access services such as the Government-funded Employee Assistance Programme for public workers. Ideally, if there is open communication, transparency, honest and fair treatment, the result of the retrenchment transition should leave all with their dignity intact.

Bajan Mom has a background in Psychology and MSc in Management

Dates & Locations for the Town Hall Meetings re Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination (Common Entrance) 2014

               The Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination (BSSEE), more popularly known as the Common Entrance exam, is one on which many Barbadian parents place grave importance as it is an integral part of a Barbadian child’s future. This year’s exam takes place on May 6, 2014, and the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology & Innovation has organised a number of town hall meetings with the purpose of educating principals, teachers and parents of Class 4 students about this year’s process.

               The time of all meetings is 5:00pm. The dates and locations of these meetings are as follows:

·        Tomorrow, Thursday, January 9, 2014

o   St. Bartholomew’s Primary, Parish Land, Christ Church

o   George Lamming Primary School, Flint Hall, St. Michael

·        Saturday, January 11, 2014

o   Roland Edwards Primary, Battaleys, St. Peter

o   Church of God of Prophecy, Water Street, Christ Church (behind Milton Lynch Primary)

·        Sunday, January 12, 2014

o   West Terrace Primary, West Terrace, St. James

o   Sharon Primary, Sharon, St. Thomas

·        Tuesday, January 14, 2014

o   Cuthbert Moore Primary, St. Helen’s, St. George

o   Bay Primary, Bayland, St. Michael

·        Thursday, January 16, 2014

o   Ignatius Byer Primary, Lowlands, St. Lucy

o   St. Lucy Primary, Trents, St. Lucy

·        Saturday, January 18, 2014

o   Blackman and Gollop Primary, Edgerton, Christ Church

o   St. George Primary, Constant, St. George

·        Sunday, January 19, 2014

o   Princess Margaret Secondary School, Six Roads, St. Philip

o   Wesley Hall Primary, King Street, Bridgetown

·        Thursday, January 23, 2014

o   A. DaCosta Edwards Primary, Belleplaine, St. Andrew

o   Eden Lodge Primary, Eden Lodge, St. Michael

·        Saturday, January 25, 2014

o   St. John Primary, Glebe, St. John

o   St. Joseph Primary, Horse Hill, St. Joseph

               For more information, you may visit the website of the Government Information Service.

Full Statement by Minister of Finance – January 6, 2014

The Barbadian economy tends to be under close watch, by local Barbadians and Barbadians abroad alike. This afternoon, at 3.00pm, Minister of Finance, Chris Sinckler, addressed the latest developments in the economy. The full statement is not yet available on nationnews.com and there is a brief synopsis on Barbadostoday. The full statement may be found, however, at the Barbados Government Information Service.

I have also provided the full speech here: Opening Statement on the Economy January 6, 2014.