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Calls For Conversations On Gender Issues

A call has been made for “modern Barbados” to have a conversation about gender, and put things learnt through the island’s colonial legacy to rest.

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, made this call as he addressed the opening ceremony for the Livity Project Policy Forum on Inclusive Approaches to Justice at the Hilton Barbados Resort, this morning.

Reflecting on Barbados’ history, Mr. Humphrey said: “Our own journey on plantations and the definitions given to us about gender, what it meant to be a man, to be able to produce and produce; what it meant to be a woman, to be able to bear and bear more children and more children; and that at some point these things have to be renegotiated.

“That we need to have a conversation now in a modern Barbados about what it means to be a man, what it means to be a woman, what it means to really be a decent human being at the end of the day,” he said.

He added this meant that at some point Barbados was going to have very challenging conversations.

These, he said, should also extend to persons with disabilities and the elderly. “That we have not created a space for persons with disabilities is very perplexing to me. The vast majority of us will be over 50 in the next few years, and we have not made a space,” he stated.

The Minister charged that “at the end of the day” it was important to ensure that everyone was part of the development process to allow them to make a contribution and reap the benefits.

“This country must be able to recognise people in all their diversity and for us to be able to serve those people because they are people,” he said.

Mr. Humphrey also called on persons “to look at the world as it has evolved and apply rational thought to determine if we need to keep the trajectory, or if we should change it, considering how the world has changed. It is a question we all need to quantificate on at some point in time”.

Head of Delegation of the European Union to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, OECS and CARICOM/CARIFORUM, Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska, explained that the Livity Project started in 2018 to give a voice to the daily struggles of marginalised citizens in the Caribbean.

Those, she said, included members of the LGBTQ+ community, the disabled and the elderly. She added that the project was dedicated to inclusive approaches to justice, with the understanding that access to justice was a basic human right.

President of the Barbados Council for the Disabled (BCD), Kerryann Ifill, noted that the two-day event was the final policy forum for the Livity Project. She said the BCD applauded the champions of the project, and thanked them for their work and contributions over the years

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One Family hamper drive gets $75,000 boost from Sandy Lane Charitable Trust

Christmas 2024 just got a lot brighter for the 1000 families of the One Family programme under the Ministry of People Empowerment & Elder Affairs (MPEA), thanks to a donation of BBD. 75,000.00 worth of grocery hampers from the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust (SLCT).

Representatives of SLCT, including Derrick Smith, Grand Patron and founding Trustee, Trustee Pippa Challis, and Project Coordinator-Administrator Nekei Grant, were recently at One Family’s Warrens office to present the donation to the One Family Project Team. Present to receive the donation were Minister, the Hon. Kirk Humphrey, Permanent Secretary Jehu Wiltshire, Social Development Project Manager Nicole Daniel and Project Officer Lisa Holder.

Minister Humphrey commended SLCT and thanked its Board of Trustees for their ongoing work in Barbados, and specifically with his Ministry, noting that such partnerships could help break cycles of generational poverty in Barbados.

“The government of Barbados is passionate about the objectives of this One Family project, and we believe in what we are doing. We see One Family as the first initiative with the potential to break the inter-generational cycles of poverty, a purpose and objective that traditional government agencies were not designed for. Traditional approaches have not been holistic enough, and One Family gives the first real opportunity to break that poverty exchange between generations,” Minister Humphrey said.

Commenting in response, Trustee Pippa Challis said SLCT was pleased with the ongoing amazing partnership with MPEA. She said One Family had positively impacted SLCT’s work regarding due diligence and background investigations necessary to make the outreach work more effective.

“Our partnership with the One Family Programme Team is truly beneficial to both organisations, as we work towards one common goal of achieving social change. Our ability to rely on the One Family team to provide accurate, timely and reliable information means that our assistance can reach the most deserving families. Whether it is providing beds, back-to-school supplies or food vouchers, we know that we are reaching the right families. That’s why this collaboration works for us, as much as it works for you.” Mrs Challis, further commends the team on their success with the programme thus far and the amazing job they are doing.

One Family Project Manager, Nicole Daniel, said the SLCT donation would significantly boost this year’s hamper donation drive, bringing much-needed supplies and tangible Christmas cheer to the 1,000 families and hundreds of children currently served by the Programme.

“One Family is not a hand-out programme but concentrates on holistic transformation to help every family reach a stage where they can give back to their communities and Barbados.” (PR)

Caption: Pictured from left are SLCT Project Coordinator-Administrator Nekei Grant, One Family Project Officer Lisa Holder, SLCT Trustee Pippa Challis, Derrick Smith, SLCT Grand Patron and founding Trustee, People Empowerment Minister, the Hon. Kirk Humphrey, Permanent Secretary Jehu Wiltshire, and Social Development Project Manager Nicole Daniel.

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Men’s programmes lighting the way with support from Light & Power

Barbadian men are stepping up to mentor and inspire a new generation of male leaders to reach their full potential and light the path to a brighter future.

On International Men’s Day recently, two such organisations were recognised and supported with financial donations from the Barbados Light & Power Company (Light & Power). The Rites of Passage: Boys to Men program, led by Anthony Seale and Reverend Derick Richards of the James Street, Speightstown Circuit of the Methodist Church, and the Purpose 180 Foundation, founded by Nigel Jules, were both lauded for their contributions during a presentation held at Light & Power’s Garrison, St. Michael Headquarters. Both organisations spoke about the impactful initiatives they have established to support young men in Barbados.

Light & Power said it was pleased to support programs focused on mentoring and uplifting at-risk young men.

“These programs are crucial in empowering young men to reach their full potential, and Light & Power is pleased to support and partner with initiatives like Rites of Passage and Purpose 180 that actively work to create brighter futures for the next generation of young male leaders.”

Both programs focus on mentorship, character building, and equipping young men with tools to overcome challenges and achieve personal and professional growth. (PR)

Caption: Light & Power employees, including at left, Communications Advisor Adriel Richard, and to the right, Chano Belle, Manager, Finance (Supply Chain) and Curtis Brewster, Supervisor, Dispatch and Quality Control, with visiting organisation representatives Nigel Jules of the Purpose 180 Foundation (second from left), and Reverend Derick Richards and Anthony Seale of the “Rites of Passage: Boys to Men (BTM) programme” of the James Street/Speightstown Circuit of the Methodist Church in Barbados (at centre)

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Yearwood wins first 5k Run/Walk

Kristian Yearwood won the inaugural 5k Run/Walk to Help 5k held on Sunday. He clocked 21:36 in the running race, 2nd place went to Ralf Luther in a time of 22:05, followed by Fr. Andy Nyga in 3^rd with a time of 23:40. The top three runners in the female segment were Adeline Lamorell,27:17, Phillipa Sylvester, 30:46 and Sumaya Desai, 47:22.

The event was organized by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgetown and is a fund raiser for church’s ministry to the poor in our community as well as to assist the Child Card Board. What started last year as a fun walk now features competitive 5k races in running and walking. The blend of race running and walking along with fun walking should see the event attacking a cross section of participants.

Anderson Maughan was the winner in the walk race in the male segment with a time of 30:59, he was followed by Anthony Phillips in 34:50 and Akil Bryan in 37:40. Angela Jackson crossed the line in 36:31 to win the female walk race she was followed by Fay Waithe in 40:42 and third place was taken by Mary Moseley in 41:57.