Government

THREE RECEIVED BARBADOS’ HIGHEST HONOUR

Article by David Harris

Retired Justice of Appeal and High Court Judge in Barbados and the region Mr. Christopher Arthur Blackman. G.C.M, S.C, deputy president of the Senate and Ambassador Plenipotentiary Senator Hennrietta Elizabeth Thompson, and engineer and contractor Richard Edgehill are the recipients of Barbados’ highest National Honours the Order of Freedom in this year’s Independence Day Honours List.

Justice Blackman has been awarded for his distinguished career as a Justice of Appeal and High Court Judge in Barbados and throughout the region.

He qualified as a solicitor in 1970 was the Managing Partner of the law firm of Carrington and Sealy. Justice Blackman was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1987, he severed as the president of the Barbados Bar Association (1986-1990) and as an Independent Senator (1986-1990) in the Senate.

Justice Blackman served as a High Court Judge in Barbados (2003-2008) and Belize (2001-2003). He is a former non –resident Justice of Appeal of the Belize Court of Appeal having been appointed to that position on October 1, 2014 for a period of three years.

Prior to that he was a Justice of the Court of Appeal of Bahamas serving from March1, 2008, to December 5, 2014.

Justice Blackman is a former chairman of the Nation Publishing Company and director of CIBC (West Indies) Holdings Limited. He was the first chairman of the Employment Rights Tribunal. In the 2000 Barbados Independence Honours he was awarded the Gold Crown of Merit for law and public service.

Senator Thompson, 63, was born on November 22, 1961, an attorney at law, she was elected to Parliament representing the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) for the St James South Constituency from 1994 to 2008.

During that time, she served as Minister of Health, Minister of Housing and Minister of Energy and Environment and Environment. She joined the United Nations in 2010 first serving as an assistant Secretary General (2010-2013) special adviser to the President of the General Assembly (2013-14) and the Secretary General senior adviser on Sustainable Energy (2014 – 2015). In 2018, she was appointed Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Senator Thompson has been recognised for her stellar contribution as an international public servant and her contributions to combat the climate crisis and promote the sustainable development of small island developing states.

Edghill has made a sterling contribution to Barbados and throughout the Caribbean as an engineer and contractor. A civil engineer, he founded Caribbean Consultants Ltd (CCL0) with his brother Augus.

They were awarded contracts to construct bridges warehouses, hotels and offices buildings in Barbados, and expanded throughout the region specializing in marine projects during the 1970s and 1980s. In subsequent years, CCL began to construct its own portfolio of corporate and industrial real estate development.

The Honorary Order Of Freedom Of Barbados which is bestowed on distinguished individuals who are not citizens goes to Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and international Guyanese/British entertainer Edmond “Eddie” Grant.

Modi is being honored for his leading role and” reputation of responsiveness and care as the government of the Republic of India, under his strategic leadership, took urgent action to assist countries like Barbados with Covishield vaccines that changed the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and minimised its social and economic impacts.

Grant is being cited for “exceptional achievements as a global cultural icon, innovator of unique genres of music, including soca, and ringbang music, vociferous promoter of indigenous music, socio-political commentator, his matchless talent as a singer, song writer, and multi-instrumentalist, and his excellent contributions to the development of local, regional, and international artistes”.

The three recipients of the Order of the Republic Barbados’ second highest order are retired journalist, public relations executive, and entertainment promoter Anthony Altureo “Al” Gilkes for illustrious career as an investigative; Dr Joel Cumberbatch, a spiritual advisor and educator, and businessman Jeffrey Hoyte.

Government

Mental Health Workers: Champions Of Change Across Communities

Employees of the Psychiatric Hospital have been urged to see themselves as champions of change across Barbados, to lessen the stigma of mental illness.

This message was conveyed by Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Davidson Ishmael, at the 2025 Employee Rewards and Recognition Ceremony of the Psychiatric Hospital, last Saturday, at Mahogany Ridge, Plum Tree Road, St. James.

Held under the theme Excellence in Healthcare Delivery, the event saw the Minister lauding staff, for “a tremendous job” and encouraging them to continue working to uplift their brothers and sisters, as they daily handle acute cases of mental health.

Mr. Ishmael, who stressed that many people needed an uplifting hand, given the several mental health challenges faced by society, suggested a comforting word or hug, could help bring such persons back from the precipice.

He praised the hospital’s anti-stigma campaign and emphasised it needed to be embraced to break down the mental blockades which lend to persons taking a stand-off approach to mental illness.

The Minister stated: “I want us, as champions of mental health in our country, to see ourselves as bigger than the Psychiatric Hospital and see yourselves as part of the messengers that have to go out there on a daily basis, within your various conversations, …wherever people are….

“Take a moment to encourage those who are around you to take better care of their mental health, so we can avoid, and we can pull back some of this discrimination, some of these unfortunate incidents that we are seeing in our country because we really have to do better in this country, and it begins with all of us.”

He also reminded staff that excellence in mental health required not only clinical knowledge and technical skill, but profound empathy, patience, resilience, and an unwavering belief in human dignity. And Mr. Ishmael stressed it was for this reason several of them were being honoured for consistently demonstrating this belief, not only through words but through action.

“You remind us that compassion is not just a value. It is practice. You are the reason that hope reaches the hopeless, and healing touches the broken,” he stated.

Several staffers received long service awards for having spent 10 to 40 years at the Black Rock, St. Michael institution. Social worker, Cecilia Ramsay received the 40-year award while Senior Nursing Officer, Alfred Alleyne was bestowed the 35-year award. Both were presented by Minister Ishmael.

Three people received the Hospital Director’s Award – Infection Control Officer, Selvin Greenidge; Deputy Principal Nursing Officer, Michelle Moore; and Department Aide, Rodney Stuart. The hospital also recognised its retirees and presented the “Friends of Psychiatric Hospital Award” to four persons – Peter ‘Peter Ram” Wiggins, Geoffrey “Biggie Irie” Cordle, Nikita Herbert, and Faith Callender – for their voluntary service to the institution and championing mental health initiatives. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Senior Nursing Officer at the Psychiatric Hospital, Alfred Alleyne (right), is presented with the 35-year award by Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Davidson Ishmael at the hospital’s awards ceremony last Saturday.

Government

EDMUND HINKSON RESIGNS

Speaker of the House of Assembly The Hon Arthur Holder shortly after the sitting began today read a letter of resignation submitted by the Hon. Edmund Hinkson representative for St. James North.

The letter stated ‘In accordance with Section 45 (1) b of the Constitution of Barbados, I hereby give notice that I shall resign from the Parliament of Barbados a the Member for the Constituency of St. James North effective Friday April 25th, April, 2025 at 10am.

Government

Prime Minister Mottley Pays Tribute To Pope Francis

The world today feels like a lonely place with the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis. For me, Pope Francis was the beacon of global moral strategic leadership.

I confess that it was Pope Francis’ writings and teachings that guided and inspired me through the dark and desolate days of the COVID-19 pandemic, as I worked with others to lead Barbados through that period of grave uncertainty. He was, in every sense, my hero.

I was later humbled to have spent time with him late last year, where he reinforced in me the importance of always aligning our hearts, our heads, and our hands with our faith – to see, hear, and feel all people, so that we may help them, and to protect our planet.

His voice comforted and inspired many. His hands led him to places where others dared not go, and His heart knew no boundaries. His humour and his laughter were not only infectious but calming.

Let us, each and every day, see, hear, and feel people—to fight the globalisation of indifference. In so doing, we will walk the road he paved tirelessly to the very end of his life.

If we dare to live with heart, to serve with courage, humility, and to love without borders—then Pope Francis still walks among us.

May His soul forever rest in peace. (PR/GIS)