Government

Salvaging Efforts At Archives Department Moving Apace

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Culture, Senator Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight, is pleased with the salvaging efforts by the teams assembled to restore several pages of historic records damaged during a recent fire at the Department of Archives.

Speaking during a walk-through of an offsite facility on Monday, Senator Munro-Knight noted that the salvage and triaging teams assembled to preserve and restore the documents were able to restore and recover “what we thought was lost”.

She proffered that the teams assembled of over 20 persons are doing everything “they possibly can” to salvage and repair the material.

“I am really grateful to the team and [Ann Bancroft] for being able to recover the document. As you can see, this is meticulous work as it relates to how you open up the documents and treat them and these folks are working around the clock to make it happen,” Senator Minister Munro-Knight assured.

Though buoyed by the level of support from the public, she said the outpouring of support did not come as a surprise since more Barbadians were more knowledgeable and interested in learning more about their history.

“If you look at the amount of visitors that the Archives Department was having this year alone, we understood that there was a renewed interest post-COVID by Barbadians to understand and connect, so it is not necessarily surprising, but we are definitely grateful for it,” she stated.

Senator Munro-Knight stressed that there were daily debriefing meetings and gave the assurance that whatever materials or equipment needs would be addressed by the government given the importance of the records to the country.

“This is a whole of government approach, and we’re 100 per cent committed to seeing that the effort, where there’s a possibility for restoration, that it happens.”

Meanwhile, Head of Conservation and Collection Care at the Barbados Museum, Ann Bancroft, said the salvage teams were recovering hundreds of volumes on a daily basis at the Department of Archives’ site, which was now secured.

She pointed out that it was a national response which was supported by national repositories and sister institutions who were “rallying around our comrades at the Archives”.

“This is a lot of work going forward. This is not a sprint…this is a marathon…While we can’t control what happened, we can control how we respond to it and everything that can be done, I really feel is being done,” Ms. Bancroft underlined.

Heritage Consultant at the Department of Archives, Anisha Wood, gave an insight into the process that includes, but is not limited to, air drying the objects using various techniques before they are digitised. (PR/GIS)

Government

Mental Health Workers: Champions Of Change Across Communities

Employees of the Psychiatric Hospital have been urged to see themselves as champions of change across Barbados, to lessen the stigma of mental illness.

This message was conveyed by Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Davidson Ishmael, at the 2025 Employee Rewards and Recognition Ceremony of the Psychiatric Hospital, last Saturday, at Mahogany Ridge, Plum Tree Road, St. James.

Held under the theme Excellence in Healthcare Delivery, the event saw the Minister lauding staff, for “a tremendous job” and encouraging them to continue working to uplift their brothers and sisters, as they daily handle acute cases of mental health.

Mr. Ishmael, who stressed that many people needed an uplifting hand, given the several mental health challenges faced by society, suggested a comforting word or hug, could help bring such persons back from the precipice.

He praised the hospital’s anti-stigma campaign and emphasised it needed to be embraced to break down the mental blockades which lend to persons taking a stand-off approach to mental illness.

The Minister stated: “I want us, as champions of mental health in our country, to see ourselves as bigger than the Psychiatric Hospital and see yourselves as part of the messengers that have to go out there on a daily basis, within your various conversations, …wherever people are….

“Take a moment to encourage those who are around you to take better care of their mental health, so we can avoid, and we can pull back some of this discrimination, some of these unfortunate incidents that we are seeing in our country because we really have to do better in this country, and it begins with all of us.”

He also reminded staff that excellence in mental health required not only clinical knowledge and technical skill, but profound empathy, patience, resilience, and an unwavering belief in human dignity. And Mr. Ishmael stressed it was for this reason several of them were being honoured for consistently demonstrating this belief, not only through words but through action.

“You remind us that compassion is not just a value. It is practice. You are the reason that hope reaches the hopeless, and healing touches the broken,” he stated.

Several staffers received long service awards for having spent 10 to 40 years at the Black Rock, St. Michael institution. Social worker, Cecilia Ramsay received the 40-year award while Senior Nursing Officer, Alfred Alleyne was bestowed the 35-year award. Both were presented by Minister Ishmael.

Three people received the Hospital Director’s Award – Infection Control Officer, Selvin Greenidge; Deputy Principal Nursing Officer, Michelle Moore; and Department Aide, Rodney Stuart. The hospital also recognised its retirees and presented the “Friends of Psychiatric Hospital Award” to four persons – Peter ‘Peter Ram” Wiggins, Geoffrey “Biggie Irie” Cordle, Nikita Herbert, and Faith Callender – for their voluntary service to the institution and championing mental health initiatives. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Senior Nursing Officer at the Psychiatric Hospital, Alfred Alleyne (right), is presented with the 35-year award by Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Davidson Ishmael at the hospital’s awards ceremony last Saturday.

Government

EDMUND HINKSON RESIGNS

Speaker of the House of Assembly The Hon Arthur Holder shortly after the sitting began today read a letter of resignation submitted by the Hon. Edmund Hinkson representative for St. James North.

The letter stated ‘In accordance with Section 45 (1) b of the Constitution of Barbados, I hereby give notice that I shall resign from the Parliament of Barbados a the Member for the Constituency of St. James North effective Friday April 25th, April, 2025 at 10am.

Government

Prime Minister Mottley Pays Tribute To Pope Francis

The world today feels like a lonely place with the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis. For me, Pope Francis was the beacon of global moral strategic leadership.

I confess that it was Pope Francis’ writings and teachings that guided and inspired me through the dark and desolate days of the COVID-19 pandemic, as I worked with others to lead Barbados through that period of grave uncertainty. He was, in every sense, my hero.

I was later humbled to have spent time with him late last year, where he reinforced in me the importance of always aligning our hearts, our heads, and our hands with our faith – to see, hear, and feel all people, so that we may help them, and to protect our planet.

His voice comforted and inspired many. His hands led him to places where others dared not go, and His heart knew no boundaries. His humour and his laughter were not only infectious but calming.

Let us, each and every day, see, hear, and feel people—to fight the globalisation of indifference. In so doing, we will walk the road he paved tirelessly to the very end of his life.

If we dare to live with heart, to serve with courage, humility, and to love without borders—then Pope Francis still walks among us.

May His soul forever rest in peace. (PR/GIS)