Students pursuing the Master’s programmes in Innovation, Manufacturing, Management and Entrepreneurship as well as Innovative Design and Entrepreneurship at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) are currently on island for a study tour. 

The tour is being done in collaboration with the Ministries of Innovation, Science and Technology; Energy and Business; and Training and Tertiary Education.

Speaking yesterday while visiting a local business, Assistant Professor of the Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship Units at UTT, Dr. Jorrel Bisnath, explained that the students participating in these specific areas were chosen because the university and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago have recognised them as being critical for sustainable development.

According to Dr. Bisnath, the UTT hopes that initiatives like the study tour will expose the students to the best of professional business practices while simultaneously helping them to mature in a very short space of time, since they are being exposed to over 12 companies.

“Every year, we identify a regional economy that is of value or in alignment with our objectives, within the programme, which is to support manufacturing, entrepreneurship and innovation, and our students are expected to identify what best practices take place in these economies, … compare them to Trinidad and Tobago, [and] look for opportunities for integration, development, adoption and also growth,” he stated.

He added that this type of exposure allows the students to exercise their corporate skills and professional expectations and also helps them to easily integrate into regional work environments.

“We know that for us as a region to progress we must develop these inherent talents… and in viewing and visiting the companies that we’ve been exposed to here, I think it would have been apparent that we are doing so many things very well, but they’re also quite well kept secrets.

“We went to Lenstec today, which is a world class manufacturing facility right here in Barbados. We went to McBrides, who is a leading distributor of aerosols across the region and delving into North America as well… and all of these companies have told us that Barbados is not a manufacturing economy.”

The UTT professor noted that although countries like Trinidad and Barbados are producing ‘world class outputs with limited resources’, there is a struggle in trying to achieve specific goals, even though there is an input of work because there is also a lack of sharing and collaboration.

“I think opportunities like this really open our eyes and exposes our students to what the possibility is for them and how they can contribute… and to be afforded the support that the Government of Barbados has provided, I think has gone a long way to help with that integration and our development, so we are truly grateful.

Minister of Training and Tertiary Education, Sandra Husbands, acknowledged that Trinidad has been leading the region in manufacturing, setting the example for Barbados, but added: “We do not have to buy somebody else’s property; we can produce a quality product here.”

She continued: “Barbados is following suit. We have just started to do some investment in an international food centre to help us to begin to do the Agro-processing that we need to do, and to be able to encourage our small innovators to begin to think big and to think in terms of export.”

The Minister revealed that her Ministry will be opening the Agricultural Institute in Hope, St. Lucy, to be able to help the country to build its skills in agriculture, especially within a climate challenged environment.

“We’ve seen the impact, … but we want to go further than just simply produce food for immediate consumption as is, but to be able to lay the foundation for Agro-processing and to be able to start producing products. I firmly believe that if we are going to deal with the NCDs that plague our region, and especially in Barbados, I know they don’t have it quite as much in the other islands, but we definitely have a problem here. 

“We have to look at our domestic foods and look at how we can produce a new family line of snacks that are healthy and that are attractive…. I think if we could actually create some type of product that is healthy, I believe that we can make a tremendous difference. So, I really, truly welcome having you here, and I trust that for you, this particular experience here in Barbados will empower and energise you. I’ll be looking to see you producing things in the future and offering yourselves, across the region to help us build capacity,” she told the visiting students. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Minister of Training and Tertiary Education, Sandra Husbands, and officials pose for a photograph with Assistant Professor of the Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship Units at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), Dr. Jorrel Bisnath (third from left), and students, during a visit to a local business

What is the Solidarity Allowance?

As announced in the Budgetary Proposals and Financial Statement 2025, the Government of Barbados will issue a one-off $300 payment called the Solidarity Allowance. This tax-free payment is designed to distribute the benefits of stronger-than-expected corporate tax revenues from 2024 to a broad segment of the population, particularly those who have contributed to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) in the past year, as well as pensioners, welfare recipients, and individuals receiving invalidity benefits.

Is the Solidarity Allowance taxable?

No, the Solidarity Allowance is free from income tax.

What is the criteria for receiving the Solidarity Allowance?

• Every Barbadian over 18 years old and every person with legal status who has made a contribution to the NIS in the last year will qualify for the Solidarity Allowance;
• All persons who made Contributions to NIS in the last 12 months;
• All NIS Contributory Pensioners;
• All Non-Contributory Pensioners including those accessing Special Needs grant;
• All persons receiving invalidity benefit from the NIS;
• All Welfare Clients receiving support, not in any category above;
• Persons who are not on welfare and others who have not worked in the last 12 months;
• Persons entitled to receive the allowance must have been ordinarily resident in Barbados during the last 12 months, that is, since April 1, 2024.

When will the payment be made?

Solidarity Allowance payments will be made from May 14, 2025, until June 30, 2025.

Who will issue the payment?

To facilitate this payment, different government agencies will pay different categories of persons. If you are employed in central government or a welfare recipient, your Solidarity Allowance will be disbursed through the Treasury Department, deposited directly into the same bank account where you currently receive your salary or welfare payments.

If you are employed by a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE), your payment will be issued by your organisation, using the payroll system already in place.

The Barbados Revenue Authority will issue payments to private sector employees registered in the tax system with banking information; and the National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS) will issue payments to self-employed persons, pensioners, and all others who are eligible but have not been captured by the other agencies. This includes issuing payments by cheque to private sector employees where no banking information is available for direct deposit.

What do you need to do if you do not fall into the categories mentioned or if you are not captured by any of the agencies disbursing the Solidarity Allowance?

Persons who do not fall in the above categories and who are eligible but have not received the payment from any of the payment agencies identified, should visit the designated locations across the country.

A due diligence check will be made and persons will thereafter receive the Solidarity Allowance if eligible.

What are the designated locations for registration?

Registration desks will be set up at the National Insurance Office in Collymore Rock and at designated Post Offices, which will be advertised on assigned dates.

What information do you need to have to get registered at the designated locations?

Persons seeking registration will be required to present the following:

• The National Identification Card (preferably the Trident ID Card);
• The header of the last bank or credit union statement showing branch number and account number (if in possession of a bank/credit union account);
• Your Tax Identification Number (TIN) if registered with the Barbados Revenue Authority The current address to which payment should be issued in the absence of a bank account; and
• Contact number or email address.

A due diligence check will be made and persons will thereafter receive the Solidarity Allowance if eligible.

What should you do if you feel aggrieved?

In the event that you have a grievance in relation to Solidarity Allowance, there will be an appellate process which comprise of:

• the Director of Finance and Economic Affairs, as chairman;
• the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, and
• the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs.

It should be noted that all such grievance applications for the Solidarity Allowance must be made, before June 30, 2025, in order to be eligible. 

If the Solidarity Allowance be paid to an eligible person who dies, would the payment form part of the estate?

This payment will not form part of the estate as it is not a benefit. Therefore, it will be returned to the state. (PR/GIS)