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Henry Forde and David Simmons Legal and Judicial Complex Opened

Modern legislation for the protection of children will be going to Parliament shortly.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley shared this news as she delivered the keynote address at the Official Reopening and Renaming Ceremony of the Old Supreme Court Complex, last Friday night. The building now bears the name – Henry Forde and David Simmons Legal and Judicial Complex, after two of Barbados’ outstanding legal luminaries and former Attorneys General.

Ms. Mottley told her audience: “I’m happy that between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of People Empowerment, both Ministers…will soon be in a position to deliver to the Parliament of Barbados modernised legislation for the handling of the protection of children, and justice related to children in this country. It has taken too long for us to reach this point but alas, we are at that point where a Bill can become an Act….”

During her wide-ranging address, the Prime Minister said former Attorney General and Chief Justice, Sir David Simmons, had done a significant amount of work to ensure that the journey of penal reform was started.

“But we must now go further. And to that extent, I hope, Attorney General, that we will be in a position to ensure that criminal penalties are reserved for those who commit crime, and that we stop fining and confining for every regulatory breach in this country because it takes away from the seriousness of what the penalty of imprisonment ought to mean in this country….

“There must be other ways for us to ensure that people can pay their penalties without necessarily depriving them, and by extension their families, from a source of living in order to be able to sustain them as they go forward,” she stated.

Ms. Mottley said Government had boosted and would continue to boost the resources of The Barbados Police Service. She added that a framework had been settled on, to ensure that the needed institutional strengthening in the Service was carried out as a matter of urgency.

“There are many opportunities for those of you who want to serve in The Barbados Police Service…. I hope…that many more Barbadians will see this as a viable career as we go forward,” she stated.

*From left to right*: former Attorney General and Chief Justice, Sir David Simmons; Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley; former Attorney General Sir Henry Forde; Chief Justice Sir Patterson Cheltenham; and current Attorney General Dale Marshall, at the Official Reopening and Renaming Ceremony of the Old Supreme Court Complex, last Friday night. (T. Barker/BGIS)

The Prime Minister said Sir Henry Forde and Sir David Simmons had spent more than 50 years practising law and empowering ordinary Barbadians, and were indeed deserving of the honour.

After sharing important history about the Coleridge Street, St. Michael site dating back to the 1700’s, Attorney General Dale Marshall said it was imperative that the buildings be brought back into service.

Mr. Marshall disclosed that the new complex would house the Community Legal Services Commission; the Law Reform Commission; the Coroner’s Court; the Traffic Court, and two District Criminal Courts. He added that the Old Town Hall would be completed next March, and it would accommodate facilities for Alternate Dispute Resolution, and the Employment Rights Tribunal, among others.

“The completion of this Complex has provided a face-lift for this part of Bridgetown and complements the significant work that was undertaken on the old Jewish Synagogue, a stone’s throw away,” he noted.

Describing Sir Henry and Sir David as “two titans”, Mr. Marshall surmised: “Each served this country faithfully, and with aplomb as our Attorney General. I have personally benefited from their sage advice and drawn from their depth of experience and intellect. Barbados owes you both a debt of gratitude….”

In his remarks, Chief Justice Sir Patterson Cheltenham, noted that Sir Henry and Sir David represented excellence. He said he knew both of them from his early days at the Bar, and opined that they populated the statute book with new, exciting and thoughtful legislation. (PR/GIS)

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SANDALS BARBADOS RECEIVES (CARPHA) AWARD

Sandals Barbados is the proud recipient of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Healthier Safer Tourism (HST) award.

The presentation was made recently at the Ministry of Health and Wellness office located in the Frank Walcott Building, St. Michael, Barbados.

Accepting the award for the Luxury Included Resort was General Manager Bruno Couesnon.

In his brief remarks Couesnon thanked every one of the team members who contributed to the resort’s recent accolade.

“It’s always nice to win awards; but it takes a team effort to achieve the results for which we are being recognized, today. The health and safety of our guests and team members are important to us and it is great to be selected and celebrated by CARPHA for doing our part and succeeding,” said Couesnon.

Executive Director of CARPHA Dr. Lisa Indar commended the hotel for achieving this internationally recognized award and praised its commitment to health and safety procedures.

“The 2019 Covid pandemic led to global shut down of tourism but it also demonstrated the resilience of the Caribbean by being able to bounce back. Part of that bouncing back was to be able to create a healthier and safer tourism experience and the reason you are here today is by being part of the tourism health programme and implementing proactive measures,” said Dr. Indar.

Some of the benefits of this award include being regionally and internationally recognized for healthier safer tourism endorsed by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO); the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

The award is the only traveler’s health award where compliance is assessed – it is measurable and verifiable, ensuring the safety of the tourist facility, staff and guests. It also gives a comparative, marketing advantage and gives value to the quality of service.(PR)

CAPTION: Sandals Barbados General Manager General Manager Bruno Couesnon (L) accepting the CARPHA award from Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kenneth George

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Data in Action: Youth Data Literacy as a Tool for Change workshop

In an era increasingly shaped by data, equipping young people with data literacy skills is essential for fostering informed decision-making and effective advocacy.

This perspective was shared by De-Jane Gibbons, UNFPA Liaison Officer for Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), during the launch of the Data in Action: Youth Data Literacy as a Tool for Change workshop. The event, hosted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), took place on Tuesday at UN House.

Addressing the young participants, Gibbons underscored the critical role of data in shaping impactful social policies and emphasized the need for citizens in the region to grasp its importance.

“We all understand that we live in a world driven by data [and] by information. It’s all around us in everything we do. From tracking climate change to addressing community needs, data enables us to understand challenges and, more importantly, to create meaningful solutions. This workshop is more than speaking about numbers and spreadsheets, it’s about telling stories, making informed decisions, and amplifying your voice… it’s about turning insights into action, and action to impact the communities that we serve.

“We want to emphasise the role of data in strengthening advocacy efforts to shape government policies and to cultivate community empowerment across the Eastern Caribbean,” she stated.

The initiative is one of several by the UN aimed at reinforcing advocacy efforts, shaping policy, and empowering communities across the Eastern Caribbean. Gibbons highlighted that supporting youth data literacy is particularly crucial in an era where misinformation is widespread. She also stressed the importance of young advocates accessing reputable data sources to strengthen their efforts.

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Barbados Joins Celebrations To Mark Japan Emperor’s 65th Birthday

The cultural relationship between Barbados and Japan, as well as efforts to deepen and strengthen bilateral ties, will continue.

This was expressed by Minister of Training and Tertiary Education, Sandra Husbands, during a reception hosted, last Friday, by the new Ambassador of Japan to Barbados, Miyasaka Yusuke, to celebrate the 65th birthday of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito.

Government and private sector officials and members of the diplomatic corps participated in the event, including the President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason; Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw.

Minister Husbands, who offered congratulations to Emperor Naruhito on behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, said: “I extend my warmest congratulations and best wishes to His Majesty and the people of Japan on this joyous occasion. May this day be a reflection of peace, prosperity, and continued progress for your great nation.”

She noted that the Emperor’s characteristics personify not only its people but the bilateral relationship that exists between Barbados and Japan.

“His Majesty the Emperor has come to personify the very best characteristics of the people of Japan. Respect the pursuit of common ground and advocacy for peace. These same characteristics underpin the bilateral relationship between Barbados and Japan. Though geographically distant, Japan and Barbados share a deep commitment to democracy, economic development, innovation and environmental sustainability.

“Over the years, our bilateral relations have flourished, rooted in mutual respect, shared values, and cooperation in various fields, and we continue to pursue deeper engagement and strengthened cooperation,” Minister Husbands stated.

She also spoke of the “strong” bilateral areas that exist between the two countries. These are cooperation in disaster resilience, fisheries, renewable energy, education – Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme, sports, arts, and cultural exchanges, and most recently the donation to the Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness.

Ambassador Yusuke highlighted the deep friendship and mutual understanding between the two nations.

He said: “Since my arrival in Barbados, I have been deeply impressed by the beauty of this country, the warm hospitality of its people and the vibrancy of its culture. It has been a privilege to experience the spirit of this remarkable island through my encounters with the people of Barbados. I have come to appreciate the deep connection between our two nations, not only our shared values but also in our commitment to resilience and cooperation. This year, we commemorate the 58th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Barbados, a partnership built on mutual understanding and collaboration.”

As part of the evening’s celebrations, attendees were treated to specially curated Japanese food prepared by Japanese Chef Sakamoto, and Japanese wines and spirits. There were also origami, calendars, clothing, and artwork exhibits.

On May 1, 2019, Naruhito, the former Crown Prince, acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne, officially becoming the 126th Emperor of Japan.

Barbados and Japan established diplomatic relations on August 29, 1967. (PR/GIS)