The cupboards of the One Family program, an initiative of the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, will be stocked with plenty of fresh bread for 2025.

One Family recently welcomed Purity Bakeries onto the programme’s growing extended support structure, with Purity committing to donating 100 loaves of freshly baked bread every two weeks for six months. 

One Family Project Manager Nicole Daniel said the gesture was doubly appreciated as a tangible contribution to the well-being of vulnerable families and for reinforcing the One Family strategy of transformation through cooperative effort. 

Purity’s Head of Sales, Distribution and Marketing, Ms. Angela Haynes, said the Company was pleased to play its part as an extended member of One Family. “We are delighted to contribute to the One Family effort, as freshly baked bread is an essential grocery item for Barbadian families and children who have just resumed the new school year,” Ms. Haynes stated.

CAPTION: Roseanne Keizer, Senior Family Empowerment Officer with the One Family Programme, is assisted by Mrs. Shemim Belgrave Greene, Marketing Coordinator, in collecting another 100 fresh loaves of bread from Purity Bakeries.

Ensuring fair, efficient and sustainable remuneration systems is pivotal to maintaining the integrity of the international postal network and safeguarding equitable partnerships among all stakeholders.

Postmaster General of the Barbados Postal Service (BPS), Joann Busby, expressed this view at this morning’s opening ceremony of a two-day Regional Remuneration roundtable and workshop, in the General Post Office’s conference room, Cheapside, St. Michael.

“The topic of remuneration is particularly timely and relevant. The global postal landscape, as we all know, is undergoing profound transformation. The rapid growth of e-commerce, advancements in digital communication and shifting customer expectations have created opportunities and challenges in equal measure,” Ms. Busby stated.

The Postmaster General told participants that the Barbados Postal Service was proud of its legacy of more than 170 years of service to the people of Barbados, and of its achievements.

“We have evolved with the times, adapting to technological advancements and the changing needs of our customers. However, as with all postal administrations, we recognise the importance of staying ahead in a dynamic global environment. The remuneration framework, which underpins international mail exchanges, is a cornerstone of this effort, enabling us to maintain quality service delivery and strengthen our partnerships,” she shared.

 Ms. Busby explained that as part of the workshop, participants will engage in critical discussions, share insights and explore solutions to address remuneration challenges. She added that these deliberations were not just technical exercises but represented a collective investment in the future of the global postal system.

“They are about ensuring that every member country, regardless of size or economic standing, can contribute to and benefit from a fair and sustainable postal network. I encourage all participants to approach this roundtable with open minds, a spirit of collaboration and a shared determination to make meaningful progress,” she told the attendees.

The Postmaster General stated that the presence of the regional participants underscored the significance of this event and the region’s collective commitment to shaping the future of global postal services.

She encouraged the audience to listen to each other, learn from their diverse experiences and work towards actionable outcomes.

Director of Postal Policy, Planning and Regulation with the Universal Postal Union, Altamir Linhares, hailed the workshop as “an important milestone”. 

“This is an important milestone in the process of bringing countries together and achieving a compromise on proposals that have been shaped through a work cycle of almost four years now. These proposals have been devised based on the results of several studies presented, discussed and negotiated at each and every meeting of the Remuneration Integration Group, as well as at the meetings of the committees too of both the POC [Postal Operations Council] and the CA [Council of Administration],” he outlined. Remuneration Vital To Sustainability Of Postal Services

TBPS introduced a Road Traffic Accident Policy on September 15, 2024. Police officers attend road traffic collisions only where there is:

• A fatality;
• Serious injury;
• A situation where there is a likely breach of the peace or acts of suspected criminality; 
• A mass casualty traffic event; and
• A pedestrian-involved accident.

TBPS will also go to the scene of an accident if the free flow of traffic has been severely interrupted or where there is a road safety issue.

What is a serious injury?

A serious injury is one where a person requires hospitalisation; or has any of the following injuries (whether or not the person is detained in hospital) – fractures, concussion, internal injuries, crushing, severe cuts and lacerations, as well as severe general shock requiring treatment.

Why was the policy being introduced?

The management of The Barbados Police Service recognised that a tremendous number of man-hours were expended on the response to accidents that did not involve serious injuries or road fatalities. Police resources are now being used more efficiently by officers not attending incidents that do not require their presence.

What should a person who is involved in an accident do?

It is the duty of the parties to stop and exchange information.

What action does The Barbados Police Service take once a motorist reports an accident to 211?

When the report is made and there is no fatal or serious injury, specific information will be taken to determine whether the presence of a police officer is needed at the scene.

The information includes:

• Is the traffic flow interrupted?
• Did a driver leave the scene without exchanging the required information?
• Is a pedestrian involved?
• Is it a mass casualty accident?
• Is there likely to be a breach of the peace, or an act of suspected criminality?

If it is determined that a police officer is not needed, the person reporting the accident will be informed and advised to contact his or her insurance company. Where the presence of the police is deemed necessary, police officers will be deployed.

If a motorist feels pain a few days after the accident, what should he/she do?

Motorists should seek medical attention and contact their insurance company.

What if the other party does not have insurance?

An investigation will be conducted and if that is proven, the necessary court process may be instituted to deal with the defaulting parties.

What if the other driver leaves the scene before the insurance representative arrives?

• The person has 24 hours to report an accident to the police. He/she should also report the accident to the insurance representative. If that person leaves the scene of an accident without complying with the law, he/she may be prosecuted.
• Additionally, it is suggested that all persons involved in vehicular accidents should, wherever possible, use their cellular phones to record the scene.

How is the new policy benefiting The Barbados Police Service?

• The new policy allows for the more efficient use of police resources and facilitates timely responses to other calls for service and enforcing the law.
• The implementation of this initiative allows The Barbados Police Service to reduce the response time to emergency and critical situations.

Is this policy in place in other countries?

It is followed in many countries, including:

• United States of America
• United Kingdom, and
• Canada, to a lesser extent.

Have the insurance companies’ accident investigators been trained for this change?

Responders from the insurance companies have been trained by The Barbados Police Service at the Regional Police Training Centre. These courses have been specifically structured so that the insurance companies’ investigators can gather the required information to facilitate any future civil action. (PR/GIS)