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CHRISTOPHER WINS ARNOTT CATO SCHOLARSHIP

Christopher Laurie is the 2024 recipient of Arnott Cato/City of Bridgetown Credit Union Scholarship.
Every year, the credit union and the Cato Burton Foundation collaborate to grant a scholarship to one Barbadian Master of Public Health (MPH) student to help pay for their tuition.
Laurie, who has collaborated with the Heart and Stroke Foundation and other organizations on the National School Nutrition Policy and other initiatives aimed at the rising number of people with noncommunicable diseases in recent years, stated that he planned to use this year’s scholarship to conduct research on how to strengthen the embryonic nutrition policy in the nation’s schools in order to combat lifestyle illnesses.
“My intended research seeks to both support and evaluate various aspects of this policy, identify implementation gaps, and suggest areas for improvement. Such research is essential if we are to realise our aim of achieving a 50 per cent reduction in new cases of non-communicable diseases by 2023, as highlighted in the 2023 Bridgetown Declaration on non-communicable diseases and mental health.
“It goes without saying that this cannot be achieved without collective action. I must thank the Cato Burton Foundation, as well as COB for facilitating this award to further public health training in Barbados,” he said.
Meanwhile, during the presentation ceremony at the Errol Walrond Clinical Skills Complex on Jemmotts Lane, Dr Heather Harewood, head of the Public Health Group and a lecturer in public health and epidemiology at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill, stated that the scholarship continues to be a welcomed on, as a strong public healthcare system remains the key to a productive and healthy nation.
“The strength of the health system response is predicated upon having a well-trained and agile public health workforce. This requirement was one of the primary reasons for the development of the MPH programme at Cave Hill,” she said.
“A strength of our MPH is the integrated delivery [in] which students are able to benefit from interaction with technical experts from the Ministry of Health, the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre, as well as other regional and global academic partners, many of whom are adjunct faculty. These opportunities, along with selected field trips and directed activities have equipped our graduates with the needed authentic exposures to enhance their ability to integrate into various workplaces and fields of interest.”

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The UWI Cave Hill & UNCTAD Sign Partnership MOU

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus, the Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, and the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further trade-related research and cooperation.

The MOU was signed by Principal of The UWI Cave Hill Campus, Professor Clive Landis, and UNCTAD’s Deputy Secretary General, Pedro Manuel Moreno, on Tuesday, June 18.

It was witnessed by Barbados’ Ambassador to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other International Organizations in Geneva, Matthew Wilson, who also serves on the Board of the Shridath Ramphal Centre; Director of the Centre, Dr. Jan Yves Remy, and The UWI’s Cave Hill Dean of Social Sciences, Professor Troy Lorde.

The partnership is a direct outcome of the recent Global Supply Chain Forum held in Barbados in May and builds on almost 20 years of collaboration between The UWI and UNCTAD, specifically concerning annual visits to Geneva by students.

A focus of the partnership going forward will be on joint research, especially in the area of the blue and green economy, building on the Villars Framework, and supporting trade-related data and analysis.

Principal Landis praised the collaboration and said it was an input into the ongoing work on ‘remaking trade’, led by Dr. Remy and other academics under the Villars Framework.

UNCTAD’s Deputy Secretary General Moreno pointed out that the MOU represents a continuation of the long collaboration between UN Trade and Development and the Caribbean.

Ambassador Wilson, who has been involved in the Centre’s MITP Programme for almost two decades, stated: “The policy support and analysis that can result from this partnership will be incredibly useful for the small Caribbean missions in Geneva, which often have to cover a multitude of issues and need quick policy contributions.”

Students of the Shridath Ramphal Centre’s MITP Programme have been in Geneva for two weeks as part of the Joint University Study Tour, where students visit international organisations, CARICOM embassies and missions, as well as private sector entities, to get a first-hand view of how trade practitioners, from a variety of fields and institutions, undertake their tasks and put trade policy in action.

The Barbados Mission in Geneva is hosting four interns from The UWI and the University of Newcastle, who will be shadowing the Barbados team, at meetings of the Human Rights Council and the WTO Trade Policy Review of Canada, where Ambassador Wilson is serving as the discussant. (PR/GIS)

CAPTION: Principal of The UWI Cave Hill Campus, Professor Clive Landis (sitting left); UNCTAD’s Deputy Secretary General, Pedro Manuel Moreno (sitting right); and officials pose with the signed MOU which will further trade-related research and cooperation.

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National Council on Substance Abuse To Host Cannabis Panel Discussion

The National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) will be hosting a panel discussion on the topic “The Grassroots of Medicinal and Recreational Cannabis.” This insightful event is scheduled for May 30, 2024 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Chesterfield Brewster Empowerment Center, Silver Hill, Christ Church.

The panel discussion aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of cannabis from various perspectives, including medicinal, recreational, and sacramental use of cannabis. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the following panellists who are experts in their respective fields:

Mr. Joel Barrow – Nursing Officer, Psychiatric Hospital – Mr. Barrow will discuss the biopsychosocial effects of cannabis on the mind and body of the user.

Dr. Adrian Waterman, Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners – Dr. Waterman will discuss the qualifying conditions for medicinal cannabis use and address common concerns of patients regarding their treatment with medicinal cannabis.

Mr. Corey Beckles, Senior Attorney-at-Law, CBL Chambers – Mr. Beckles will discuss the legal aspects surrounding the sacramental use of cannabis.

Representative from the Barbados Police Service – the new amendment to the Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act CAP 131.

The NCSA is committed to fostering informed discussions on health risks associated with using legal or illegal substances and its implications for society. This event promises to be an enlightening experience for all members of the public. For further information please, contact the NCSA at 535-6272.

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BARBADOS VOCATIONAL TRAINING BOARD

Programmes for January & February 2024 with two new courses, Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Massage Therapy for Beginners. Register today!