Government

Country Assessment Of Living Conditions Starts In July

Barbados’ true poverty line should be known by January 2025, thanks to the information that will be gained from the Country Assessment of Living Conditions (CALC) 2024, a socio-economic study that will be undertaken over the next six months.

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, revealed this yesterday as he launched CALC 2024, at the Warrens Office Complex, Warrens, St. Michael.

Pointing out that the CALC project will empower lives and the nation as a whole, he stressed it was essential to understand ordinary people and ordinary living in the country while also urging Barbadians to participate in the study to be rolled out in July, by the CALC National Assessment Team in his Ministry.

Noting that such a study needed to be done more frequently, as the “spaces in between studies” have “been too long”, Minister Humphrey lamented that data is often unavailable in Barbados and the region.

“Caribbean countries have a history and a very unfortunate record of not having adequate data. There is a dearth of important information on a lot of important topics, and therefore decisions can’t be made. And then when we’re being assessed, we assess on the information that people do not have,” he stated.

The last survey of living conditions was done in 2016. Commenting on this gap, Mr. Humphrey added: “We do not know what it will tell us now, but we do know that we need to know so that we can make informed decisions. I also must say to you that in the intervening years, I have had some concerns that, while perhaps we pursue the information, that a lot of the data that should be used to make decisions are not used to make decisions. Caribbean governments are very good at collecting information sometimes, and not doing anything with it.

Giving the assurance that the information from CALC 2024, would not be “stored on a shelf to gather dust” but would be used to make serious decisions going forward, he stressed: “I also hold the view, having said that we have to do that, it cannot be a kind of made-up conjecture, gut feeling, interpretation of the reality. We need scientific, evidence-based interpretations of people’s realities and to be able to express that as a true representation of what it is that people are dealing with in this country.”

Thirty-five enumerators will be conducting the survey across Barbados, which will help Government assess the living conditions of its people and come up with a poverty line by next year.

Minister Humphrey, while acknowledging that people seem tired of surveys, urged the public to cooperate, be “nice” and respond “with grace” as the country works towards improving the lives of people.

The Country Assessment of Living Conditions 2024 will target some 2,800 households. It is expected to help Government determine the minimum income a household needs to meet its basic consumption and non-consumption needs and understand the dynamic link between poor living conditions and education, health, household size, and employment.

It will also encapsulate the voices of citizens and take on board their recommendations to improve living conditions and allow Barbados to track progress towards national-level goals and international social development agreements, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

CALC 2024 is being undertaken with technical assistance from the Caribbean Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. It comprises four major components – the Participatory Poverty Assessment; the Survey of Living Conditions; the Institutional Assessment; and the Macro-Economic and Social Assessment. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey (second from left) greets Caribbean Development Bank Division Chief, Dr. Martin Baptiste, at the launch of CALC 2024, at the Warren’s Office Complex yesterday. Looking on is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Jehu Wiltshire and Chief of Operations Officer for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean at the Inter-American Development Bank, Jean-Eric Theinhardt.

Government

China-Barbados Relations Deepened Under Ambassador Xiusheng

The relations between Barbados and the People’s Republic of China have deepened and borne many fruitful ventures under China’s Ambassador to Barbados, Yan Xiusheng’s tenure.

This is according to Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kerrie Symmonds, as he expressed thanks, on behalf of the Government, to Ambassador Xiusheng, during a farewell courtesy call on Tuesday, at the Ministry’s Culloden Road office.

The Minister told the Ambassador that his tour of duty is one which he “will remember very fondly”, and since his arrival some seven years ago, the relationship between Barbados and China had deepened.

Mr. Symmonds continued: “We are grateful to you. You have a friend in Barbados. I say this very sincerely, there have been many areas where you have offered tremendous assistance to Barbados. I think that as we look back at it, the relationship between China and Barbados has grown considerably during your tenure.

“We’ve done a lot of good business together in many sectors, education, health, transportation and virtually every aspect of our sports. In fact, every aspect of our economy and society has benefitted, in particular, the introduction of the ambassador scholarship, and we want to say thank you.”

Ambassador Xiusheng said he made many friends from all walks of life during his time in Barbados and thanked the Minister and Government for the support and assistance given in helping him fulfil his role as a diplomat here.

“The cooperation between our two countries has been further enhanced and solidified. In the future, China will remain firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace and be dedicated to building a community with a shared future. China will continue to advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation,” the Ambassador stated.

Mr. Xiusheng, who took up the post in 2018, was the 14th and longest-serving Ambassador from China to Barbados. He was also the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.

Also present at the farewell courtesy call were acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Paula Byer; Senior Foreign Service Officer, Trecia King; Foreign Service Officer, Asha Pitt; and four officials from the Chinese embassy, including Political Counsellor, Xinhua Huang; and Economic and Commercial Counsellor, Liang Jie.

Barbados and China established diplomatic relations on May 30, 1977. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kerrie Symmonds, chatting with China’s outgoing Ambassador to Barbados, Yan Xiusheng, during a meeting on Tuesday

Government

BRA Investigating Data Breach

The Barbados Revenue Authority is aware that there is some vehicle registration application information circulating on the internet and social media and is actively investigating the incident.

The security and privacy of our stakeholders is of utmost importance to us. The confidence and trust that individuals and businesses have in the Authority are the cornerstones of our systems.

We are currently working with our partners and law enforcement to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the nature and scope of the reported incident.

As the investigation continues we have to be mindful not to share information about the specific nature of the incident or of the security measures taken to address them, so as not to jeopardize the work of the investigators. The Data Commissioner has been informed of this incident and will continue to be updated.

The Authority understands that restricting access to the vehicle registration portal is disruptive to Barbadians, and we regret the inconvenience that these necessary precautions have caused for the public.

The Authority advises the public to remain vigilant and monitor their personal account activity and be on the alert for any unusual activity or requests seeming to come from the Barbados Revenue Authority. If persons recognize any such activity, they should report such instances to our Data Privacy Officer at privacy@bra.gov.bb. (PR/GIS)

Government

CRC Hands Over Report To President Of Barbados

The Constitution Reform Commission (CRC) presented its report today to the President of Barbados, Her Excellency The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason.

After 27 months of intensive deliberations, the CRC has completed the mandate given to it in June 2022. Chairman of the CRC, Mr. Justice (rtd) Christopher Blackman, made the presentation at State House.

Dame Sandra thanked the members of the Commission for working assiduously to complete the report.

After handing over the document, Mr. Blackman told the Barbados Government Information Service that the Commission produced a report with several recommendations for a Constitution for Barbados.

“The draft Bill, which accompanies the report, expands the provisions of the current Constitution by more than 50 per cent, with a notable aspect being the greatly expanded Chapter on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. This has led to the recommendation for the establishment of a Human Rights Commission for Barbados.

“While the Commission has recommended the maintenance of the status quo in respect of matters such as the first-past-the-post outcome at elections and elections being called at the discretion of the Prime Minister, other proposals, limiting the powers of the Prime Minister on appointments and the like, have been proposed,” he shared.

Mr. Blackman added that there “are dissenting opinions on the Office of the President, in terms of whether the holder should be directly elected, and the qualifying criteria for the post, as well as in relation to the judiciary”.

He said the CRC was deeply indebted to the drafting team of retired Justice of Appeal and former Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Sherman Moore, and acting Parliamentary Counsel, Gabrielle Whitehall, for their hard work and delivering within the specified timelines.

In an effort to give members of the public an opportunity to share ideas, comments and suggestions, the Commission held several town hall meetings locally, and met with various institutions, stakeholders, and persons in the diaspora.

Senator Gregory Nicholls was the Deputy Chairman of the Commission, while the other members were: Senator Reverend Dr. John Rogers; former Attorney General, Adriel Brathwaite; President of the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union, Mary-Anne Redman; Vice President of the Barbados Council for the Disabled, Kerryann Ifill; Muslim Chaplain at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Suleiman Bulbulia; businessman, Christopher deCaires; Attorney-at-law, Sade Jemmott, and student advocate, Khaleel Kothdiwala.

University of the West Indies lecturer, Professor Cynthia Barrow-Giles, served as Secretary to the Commission. (PR/GIS)