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The Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS) received its Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) Media Awards on Monday, after winning in three categories at the recently held CBU Caribbean Media Awards in Trinidad and Tobago.

They were presented by CBU Secretary General, Sonia Gill, at the CBU Secretariat in Barbados.

The BGIS won in the categories: Coverage of the COVID-19 Pandemic with “COVID Stories 246 – Not The Common Cold”; Best Public Service Spot with “COVID-19 Contact Types Explained”, and Coverage of the COVID-19 Pandemic (Digital) – “COVID-19 Story: The Mathematics of a Virus”.

Winners in the category Coverage of the COVID-19 Pandemic were: Shamkoe Pilé, Sharon Austin-Gill-Moore, Joel Bowen, Carl Allman, and Ian Inniss. The recipient of the award for Coverage of the COVID-19 Pandemic (Digital) was Esther Jones, while Paula Harper-Grant and Mikul Elcock won in the Best Public Service Spot.

Staff of the Barbados Government Information Service pose with their CBU Awards and CBU Associate Member certificate. *Back row, standing, left to right* – Joel Bowen; Esther Jones; Mikul Elcock; Sharon Austin Gill-Moore; Shamkoe Pilé, Eyvette McClean and Paula Harper-Grant while seated are Acting Chief Information Officer, Ian Inniss and CBU Secretary General, Sonia Gill.

Speaking during the brief presentation ceremony, Acting Chief Information Officer, Ian Inniss, noted that although the BGIS was not present at the first in-person awards ceremony coming out of the pandemic, it was a pleasure for the BGIS to have learnt that “we were winners in three categories, and narrowly missed out on one”.

Mr. Inniss added: “When you think of the fact that out of 258 submissions, BGIS was up there alongside CCN TV6, RJR Gleaner, Great Belize Productions and other regional entities, it speaks volumes about the quality of work produced within the department.

“It is also testimony to the effort that members of the department would have put in during the pandemic, when others were sleeping at night and in those times when others were in lockdown. Over that period, the members of the department were constantly working…. So, having won the three awards, I can only but have praise for members of the department at this time.”

Secretary General Gill pointed out that the Caribbean Media Awards was approaching three decades of service to the region, and the CBU, which was established in 1970, was always about development of the region through media practice and the development of media practitioners.

She continued: “One of the key ways to recognise excellence and to encourage it is to have awards such as these. In the years between 2019 and 2022, the recognition had to be purely virtual, but at no point has the CBU ever lowered the rigour of its assessment of the entries…. More than 300 entries were received and the determination was made about which ones would even be eligible for nomination, and for consideration by our expert panel of judges….

“These categories in which the Barbados Government Information Service has been successful are particularly important. The CBU Awards do not just look at best technical aspects, in terms of the production, or the publication or the writing; those are very, very important, and if that bar is not met, then it can’t go forward. But we have also always integrated thematic categories, and for the past three years, looking carefully at the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, has been very important to the CBU. What these winning entries demonstrated was not only excellence in their production and conception and in their execution, but also in addressing the real needs of audiences identified.”

During the presentation ceremony, the BGIS also received its certificate, acknowledging it as a CBU Associate Member.

The Starcom Network Inc. was the only other Barbadian entity which received a Caribbean Media Award. The company won Best Documentary Programme (Radio) with the entry “Fighting Crime”.

The winners of the Caribbean Media Awards were announced during the 53rd CBU General Assembly in August. This year’s judges were Enrico Woolford (Chief Judge), Dr. Sh

aron Marshall, Dr. Yvonne Weekes, Zadie Neufville, and Andrew Millington. (PR & pic GIS)

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Ecumenical Service For Legal Year 2024-2025 Next Monday

The Ecumenical Service to mark the commencement of the Legal Year 2024-2025 will be held at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael & All Angels, St. Michael’s Row, The City, on Monday, September 16, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Justices of Appeal, Judges of the High Court, Masters of the High Court, Magistrates, and Legal Practitioners are expected to be in attendance.

Jurors and other members of the public are encouraged to attend the service and to be seated by 8:30 a.m.

Meanwhile, the public is also advised that the High Court and the Magistrates’ Courts will sit at 1:00 p.m., on September 16. (PR/GIS)

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NCSA Celebrates Campers at Project S.O.F.T. Camp Graduation

The National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) proudly hosted the graduation ceremony of its 22^nd annual Project S.O.F.T. (Safeguarding Our Future Today) camp on Saturday September 7^th, 2024, celebrating over 40 new graduates. This transformative programme, which aims to prepare young people transitioning from primary to secondary school, continues to be a vital part of NCSA’s commitment to substance abuse prevention and youth development.

Chairman of the NCSA, Mr. Hadford Howell in his address, praised both the camp staff and participants for their hard work and dedication. He emphasized that while the programme’s name might imply softness, the work required is anything but soft. He remarked, “There is nothing SOFT about this long-standing and commendable NCSA programme. The work put in by camp staff and the children is HARD but rewarding.”

Since its inception in 2002, Project S.O.F.T. has impacted the lives of over 700 young people and their families in Barbados. In this year’s camp, participants engaged in drug education, team-building exercises, and life skills development, all designed to help them navigate the new challenges they will face in secondary school.

In his inspiring message to the graduates, the Chairman likened them to pearls—precious and valuable, offering advice using the acronym “PEARL” encouraging them to resist Peer Pressure, to draw on their families Experiences, to be Ambitious, to be Responsible and to Listen, Learn, Lead and Love as they move forward in life.

The NCSA continues to play a significant role in shaping young lives through Project S.O.F.T., and the organization looks forward to seeing the future success of its graduates. “Who knows,” the chairman added, “perhaps in a few years, you will come back to help us by being a counsellor at a Project S.O.F.T. camp.” (PR)

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CHILDREN TREATED TO A DAY OF FUN

Some of the children receiving their back to school goody bags from BNOCL CEO, James Browne and Tradewind Tankers represented, Mikel Juan Panek

Over 300 children in Barbados enjoyed a day of fun and excitement at the recent Back-to-School Giveaway sponsored by Tradewind Tankers and the Barbados National Oil Company (BNOCL). The free event featured a variety of activities as well as free school supplies, food and drinks,

Tradewind Tankers, a shipping firm that operates and owns a diverse fleet of oil/chemical tankers and dry bulk carriers is a vendor of BNOCL, was eager to give back to the Barbadian community in a meaningful way. The company’s involvement in the Back-to-School Giveaway was a testament to its commitment to corporate social responsibility.

“We were thrilled to be a part of this wonderful event,” said Mikel Panek from Tradewind Tankers. “It was an opportunity for us to make a positive impact on the lives of young people in Barbados.”

Samantha Hazlewood-Ermay, Marketing & Public Relations Officer at BNOCL, expressed her satisfaction with the event’s success. “The Back-to-School Giveaway was a wonderful experience for everyone involved,” she said. “The children were overjoyed to receive school supplies and enjoy the festivities, and we were delighted to be able to support local small businesses as well.”

BNOCL and Tradewind Tankers are already looking forward to hosting a similar event next year, providing even more opportunities for Barbadian children to benefit from their generosity. (PR)