The Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW) will carry out road rehabilitation on Eagle Hall Road in St. Michael from the Eagle Hall traffic lights to the Lower Bank Hall traffic lights, under its Focused Roads Programme.

Starting Wednesday, May 28, 2025, Infra Construction Inc. will dig test pits along this road between 8:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. During this time, the road will be reduced to one lane. Test pits are a crucial preparatory step in road rehabilitation as they provide critical information about the road’s subbase.

Infra Construction Inc. will begin road rehabilitation on Monday, June 9, 2025, and will continue for approximately eight weeks from 8:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. The scope of work includes excavation, deep milling, sidewalk as well as slipper and kerb repairs, and paving. During this time, the road will be closed. More details will be provided closer to the start date. 

MTW and Infra Construction Inc. apologise for the inconvenience and thank businesses, residents, and motorists for their understanding and cooperation. (PR/GIS)

Seventeen of Barbados’ most promising young storytellers were celebrated in a recent ceremony hosted at the National Library, Independence Square, as part of the 2025 Trinity Term Edition of the Make a Book Project.

The event marked a major milestone for the student authors, ages 8 to 11, whose winning compositions were selected from nearly 100 submissions, from 21 primary schools and homeschooled students, across the island.

These works are currently being transformed into illustrated children’s storybooks, which will soon be released via the National Library Service’s digital platform.

The event, attended by families, teachers, and sponsoring partners, featured remarks from Manager of the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme, Ryan Moseley.

Mr. Moseley commended the project’s impact on youth development and its success in engaging boys in creative writing, with 62 per cent of submissions from male students.

Among the male standouts was Ahren Ward, a two-time winner. Notably, Breanna Drakes was the most decorated author with three winning entries, while Ameliyah Gustave earned two.

St. Gabriel’s Primary School led the awards tally with seven winning entries, followed by Blackman & Gollop and Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary, each securing two prizes.

Each of the 23 Class 4 students who entered received detailed composition feedback to support their final preparations for the 2025 Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination (BSSEE).

During the ceremony, students were treated to a sneak peek of their storybook illustrations, which are now in the final stages of production.

The Make a Book Project is an initiative of All Global Group Barbados Ltd., a local artificial intelligence firm, in collaboration with the Barbados National Library Service, and supported by the Ministry of Educational Transformation and the Division of Culture.

The project is dedicated to fostering youth literacy and creative expression by guiding students through the journey of becoming published authors.

Following the success of this Trinity Term Edition, preparations are already underway for a Summer Camp Edition, which will once again empower a new wave of young Barbadian voices to share their stories with the nation. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Deputy Director of the National Library Service, Beverley Archer (left) and Team leader of the Make a Book Project, Curtis Padmore (right), pose with the winning authors of the 2025 Trinity Term Edition of the Make a Book Project, following a recent awards ceremony

The Ministry of Educational Transformation, in collaboration with the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), launched its first BDF Youth Upliftment Programme (BDF Y.U.P) at the Bay Primary School, on Wednesday.

This initiative, which is designed to ‘foster leadership, discipline, and civic responsibility among Barbadian students’, is also created to provide mentorship, guidance, and transformational experiences to students, by integrating leadership principles and structured engagement into educational environments.

Chief Education Officer with the Ministry of Educational Transformation, Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, stated that whole idea of education transformation is for students to reach their full potential.

Dr. Archer-Bradshaw commended the teachers for enabling the students to be their best, and also encouraged the students to be disciplined and hardworking, to consider what they want to be when they grow older, how they want to positively impact the world, and set on a path to make their dreams a reality.

“What I’m saying to you children, is that as children, you need to dream. You need to be allowed the space to think big, not to be constrained by certain circumstances… and every day, as a Ministry of Education, we go to work and we think about ways that we can allow you to think big.

 “Discipline gets you [to] places that you would wish to get to in terms of creating your future… nothing comes easy. You have to work hard for what you want,” she advised.

Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force, Brigadier Carlos Lovell, expressed excitement about Bay Primary being the first school to launch the upliftment programme.  He said that the school was chosen because there was a commonality between the school’s motto and that of the BDF.

“The reason why Bay Primary was chosen is because it has so much in common with the Barbados Defense Force. Does anybody know what I’m talking about? Students, what is your motto? Strive for excellence… the motto of the Barbados Defense Force is strive for excellence…so we share the same motto,” he pointed out.

Brigadier Lovell told the students that they are the future of Barbados and the BDF has recognised how important each young man and woman is to the country’s success. He told the students that there was one common thread among the National Heroes of Barbados.

He continued: “They were all disciplined. They all practised hard work, and that all led to their eventual success. I want to say to you, young men and women, that the potential that you have to reach the heights that they have reached to become national heroes and leaders of Barbados reside within each and every one of you.

“If you work hard, if you exercise discipline, if you’re committed and you stay away from the negative influences in Barbados, I guarantee you that each and every one of you will achieve success in your future endeavorus. We have a lot to be proud of in Barbados, we absolutely do. This is a small but wonderful island.”

He also admonished the children to stay away from guns and drugs and stated that organisations such as the BDF and the Education Ministry are proud when they choose to participate in activities that are not only constructive, but positive.

Brigadier Lovell urged the students to choose the right path, regardless of their backgrounds or the obstacles that may confront them.

“I’m asking you to choose the right path. I’m asking you to do the right thing even when nobody’s looking… if you can do the right thing even when you know you’re not going to get any credit for it, then you will be on the path to success,” he urged. 

This youth upliftment initiative is part of the BDF’s community outreach and reinforces its role and responsibility to shape Barbados’ future by inspiring its youth and equipping them with the tools for personal and academic success The launch at the Bay Primary is the first of four engagement sessions scheduled.  (PR/GIS)

Caption: Chief Education Officer with the Ministry of Educational Transformation, Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw greets Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force, Brigadier Carlos Lovell, at the launch of the Youth Upliftment Programme at the Bay Primary School, on Wednesday. Looking on is Principal of the Bay Primary School, Stacy Blunte.