Education

Integrated Resource & Resilience Plan Going To Cabinet Shortly

Work on the Integrated Resource and Resilience Plan (IRRP) has been completed by the Ministry of Energy and Business and the document will be sent to Cabinet shortly.

Minister of Energy and Business, Senator Lisa Cummins, made this disclosure today at a press briefing at the Warrens Office Complex, to discuss the 2024 Energy Development Scholarship.

Senator Cummins told the media an IRRP was completed in 2021, but it was necessary to update it. “The IRRP will be going to Cabinet in the coming few weeks. In that Integrated Resource and Resilience Plan, we considered any number of battery storage solutions, what are some of the technologies that are available and to date, lithium-ion still remains the most commercially viable technology.

“But that does not mean that it will always be the only or the primary solution in technology that is available now; there are so many other technological solutions that are evolving,” she stated.

The IRRP is a roadmap for countries which outlines what will be included in the energy mix; the available options; their requirements, timeframes, among other things. It enables an integrated assessment of demand and supply-side options, assists the Ministry in optimising energy services and minimising electricity costs for consumers, among other things. The policy aims to achieve a modern, efficient, diversified and environmentally sustainable energy sector for the island state.

Senator Cummins explained that technologies are evolving very quickly, so therefore it was necessary to update this island’s IRRP.

She continued: “So, the 2023 Integrated Resource Resilience Plan…will then set the roadmap for Barbados for the next three years in principle. But I say in principle because for things that are fast moving, you can’t have a three-year timeline…. If things change, and we expect that they will, that plan will have to be upgraded well before three years.” (PR/GIS)

Caption: Minister of Energy and Business, Senator Lisa Cummins, speaking at a press briefing on the 2024 Energy Development Scholarship. To her left is Director of the Natural Resources Department, Jamar White and Chief Legal Officer, Samantha Cummins

Education

Immigration Webinar For Students Wishing To Study In Canada

Barbadians interested in pursuing studies in Canada are invited to participate in the online Immigration Seminar of the Consulate General of Barbados, in Toronto.

The Consulate, as part of its annual activities to observe National Heroes Day, is hosting a week of activities, and the key event will be the Immigration Seminar tomorrow Thursday, April 24, at 6:00 p.m.

Over the past 12 months, there have been significant changes to the requirements and processes for obtaining an international student visa. As a result, the seminar will focus on the recent changes to the entry requirements for international students coming to Canada to pursue undergraduate or postgraduate studies.

Prospective students, as well as parents, guardians, guidance counsellors, school teachers and principals, who have a vested interest in obtaining the most up-to-date and accurate information to make the most informed choice from the available study options, are encouraged to participate in the online seminar.

Alana Alleyne, a barrister and solicitor, will cover areas such as the latest changes to international student visas, eligibility criteria for student visas, requirements for postgraduate work permits, and changes to eligibility for spousal work permits. (PR/GIS)

Education

Information Session For Teachers Keen On Working In USA

Primary school teachers interested in working in the United States of America (USA) are invited to an upcoming Information Session, tomorrow Thursday, April 24.

The session will be hosted in the Main Conference Room of the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector, Warrens Office Complex, Warrens, St. Michael, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The initiative is being facilitated by the Ministry, in partnership with the Barbados Employment and Career Counselling Service, the Barbados Union of Teachers, and Participate Learning, a USA recruitment firm.

During the event, Participate Learning will share important information on the application and recruitment processes, as well as on working in the USA. (PR/GIS)

Education

Ellerslie Students Welcomed At Barbados’ Embassy In Panama

The Embassy of Barbados in the Republic of Panama was pleased to welcome The Ellerslie School students and staff to its Chancery in Panama City, recently.

Chargé d’Affaires, Sandra Gittens, in her welcome to the group, which included Principal, Andrea Baptiste and Deputy Principal, Carl Applewhaite, shared the history of the mission, noting that the Embassy was established in 2020.

Mrs. Gittens said this was “in line with the Barbados Government’s desire to strengthen its relations and cooperation with Panama across a number of areas, including trade, investment, tourism and education”.

She expressed the hope that the visit would signal the start of a new relationship with The Ellerslie School in pursuit of future student-to-student and teacher-to-teacher exchanges, in collaboration with the Ministries of Educational Transformation and Training and Tertiary Education and its Panamanian counterpart, within the framework of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries.

Speaking on the value of learning a foreign language, First Secretary, Shireifa Joseph, spoke of her experience as a foreign language student and the positive impact that it has had on her career.

She encouraged the students to continue their foreign language journey, signalling that they were well on their way to becoming “bridge builders” in their future careers with the capacity to connect Barbados to other countries across the globe.

Counsellor at the Embassy, Michelle Carter, also noted the value of language learning, especially for those studying tourism, stating that developing a strong proficiency in a foreign language will serve as a critical tool in opening doors to their success in this sector, whether in Barbados or abroad. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Students, teachers and parents of the Ellerslie secondary school to the Embassy of Barbados in the Republic of Panama