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Caribbean leaders seem helpless

A recent Caribbean Food Security and Livelihoods Survey sponsored by CARICOM has exposed more than ever people of that the Caribbean region is under an existential threat. The “data collected over six survey rounds highlight the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of living crisis and the effect of natural hazards on food security…

A recent Caribbean Food Security and Livelihoods Survey sponsored by CARICOM has exposed more than ever people of that the Caribbean region is under an existential threat. The “data collected over six survey rounds highlight the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of living crisis and the effect of natural hazards on food security and livelihoods in the region“. 

A drill down to Barbados data confirms what citizens have been experiencing particularly as it pertains to the rising cost of living, availability of food and loss of income in particular.

Snapshot from the survey

It seems that leaders in the region – like a deer in headlights – have been shown to be powerless to implement counter policy measures to stave off exogenous threats. There is no need to be prolix, the existential threat is real.

See the full survey (use filters, top left to view the information of your preference).

Caribbean Food Security and Livelihoods Survey

61 responses to “Caribbean leaders seem helpless”

  1. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Allow me to depart from the script.
    We must not forget that Yugge Farrel was also a victim.

  2. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Focus TheOGazerts.

    Important to some. 3 times the land tax owed.

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2023/12/16/bids-climb-to-12-3m-from-bra-auctions/

  3. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Timing is important.

    ” The Barbados Revenue Authority’s (BRA) move to recoup over $4.3 million in tax debt has raked in three times as much in bids from two auctions – $12.3 million – in bids for 13 properties that fell under the auctioneer’s hammer.

  4. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    M & J a photogenic combination.

    I went to GBC in 1971

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2023/12/16/mevtv-in-partnership-with-george-brown-college/

  5. Hants Avatar
    Hants

  6. John Avatar
    John

    Not only the Caribbean is in trouble.

    Check London!!

  7. David Avatar
    David

    the article is another indicator of a lack of leadership. The ERT is relatively new and no surprise, there is a backlog of cases compounded with n replacement for Blackman. We talking about a massive transformational exercise in education, at NIS and other areas. Good luck!

    Too much backlog

    When claims are taking upwards of two to three years to get a hearing before the Employment Rights Tribunal, then the system is not working as intended. This delay can be seen by reviewing the decisions from the Tribunal and the time between the employee’s dismissal and the matter being heard by the Tribunal. Employment practitioners like myself experience the delay in real time as we wait years for claims to be given hearing dates before the Tribunal. This delay runs contrary to the speed originally intended by the drafters of the Employment Rights Act (ERA). It does not help that no new chairman has been appointed to the Tribunal despite the resignation of Justice Christopher Blackman since March this year. This means that only two out of the three Tribunals are currently operating which limits the number of claims that can be ventilated before the Tribunal.

    To their credit, once a matter reaches the Tribunal, it delivers their judgments with relative speed, usually within about 30 to 60 days after the hearing. The issue is not with the delivery of decisions, but with the length of time claims take to reach the Tribunal.

    Pursuant to the ERA, claims for unfair dismissal should generally be filed within three months of the employee’s dismissal.

    Thereafter, the Chief Labour Officer, through her designated officers, schedules a conciliation between the parties to attempt to effect settlement. Where no settlement occurs within 42 days after the claim was made, then the matter should be referred to the Tribunal.

    The entire process from complaint to referral to the Tribunal was intended to take a few months.

    Yet, I have recently observed that conciliations can take eight or more months to be scheduled after the employee first makes a complaint. Sadly, the conciliation process can also drag on when one or more of the parties fail to co-operate fully with the process or fail to provide information or responses within original times set. The result is that it can now take close to a year before a matter is referred to the Tribunal.

    Again, I do not blame the Labour Department.

    They operate within the limits of the resources that are provided to them, including suffering limited personnel from time to time who have to split their attention between health and safety matters, claims for unfair dismissal and other general employment inquiries which the office is flooded with daily.

    Blind spots

    I believe this is an issue of resources. The ERA has been in force for several years so that blind spots that may have existed when it was first implemented should have been addressed by now.

    I believe there needs to be a further increase in the staff complement at the Labour Department and with the Tribunal. This no doubt may require a larger sum being allocated in the budget of the Ministry of Labour to facilitate the cost of hiring new personnel and providing them with the space and equipment that may allow the processing of claims for unfair dismissal to run at greater speed.

    Additionally, as I have said repeatedly in this space, the Tribunal itself requires more resources.

    It still remains one of the lowest paid Tribunals on island, despite its importance in developing the jurisprudence. Hearing claims and delivering written decisions is a labourious process, including reviewing several documents and cases. This should be reflected in the compensation paid to Tribunal members.

    Finally, and quite important, the Employment Rights Rules are long overdue and should be implemented to tighten the processes and time frame for matters proceeding to the Tribunal.

    A colleague of mine recently opted, to file a termination claim in the Magistrates Court rather than before the Tribunal on the grounds that it would be heard quicker. He was not wrong as he secured a trial date within less than a year after filing the claim. When going to court is the speedier option, that says something about the delays at the Tribunal.

    Michelle M. Russell is an attorney with a passion for employment law and labour matters. She is also an advocate for mental health and social justice.


    Source: Nation

  8. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Visionary leader.

    ” I never thought that the initial work which started as far back as August 2001, two months before I left the Ministry of Education, would take so long to be able to put us in a position of readiness,” she said.

    It is envisioned that the new institution would subsume the BCC, Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute (SJPI) and the Erdiston Teachers’ Training College.

  9. David Avatar
    David

    Most recent IMF report in, thumbs up for additional borrowing.

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2023/12/18/pr23461-barbados-imf-executive-board-concludes-2023-article-iv-second-rvw-undereff-rsf?cid=em-COM-123-47661

  10. Fan Belt Avatar
    Fan Belt

    I want to say that there are too many females are being appointed as leaders in the public sector, but I’m not going to because… well you know why… so yeah, I change my mind.

  11. David Avatar
    David

    Belle area not ideal for new Geriatric Hospital

    This article was written and submitted by Saashen Sealy, a Barbadian senior hydrogeologist working in Florida, United States, and a former employee of the Barbados Water Authority.

    I would like to commend the Government for making the decision to construct a modern Geriatric Hospital for our growing elderly population, recognising the importance of addressing the needs of this demographic.

    While I am unaware of the locations provided to the Government, as a hydrogeologist I note that the Belle area is not an ideal location. However, with construction underway, it’s crucial to instead focus on mitigating environmental impacts and planning forward.

    In the context of the new Geriatric Hospital development in Waterford, St Michael, we must acknowledge its location in a Zone 1 protection area above the Belle aquifer. This highlights the need for a thoughtful and informed approach, resonating with the environmental sustainability push that Barbados has come to be known for internationally.

    Zone 1 protection areas are designated due to their critical importance in safeguarding our water resources. The Belle aquifer, a key source supplying over seven million imperial gallons of water daily, is integral to the health and sustainability of our country and economy. The hospital’s construction within this sensitive zone necessitates a heightened level of environmental vigilance and responsibility.

    The potential for pharmaceutical residue contamination poses a significant environmental risk.

    However, this situation offers a unique opportunity to demonstrate our nation’s commitment to innovative and sustainable practices. Implementing advanced wastewater treatment technologies is not just essential; it is a testament to our dedication to protecting our natural resources.

    These technologies are crucial in preventing any contamination to the aquifer by the hospital and maintaining the purity of our water supply. For the hospital in this zone, this equates to a mini tertiary level wastewater treatment plant.

    Moreover, implementing an advanced groundwater model is essential for this project, a viewpoint shared by other hydrogeologists and groundwater numerical modellers.

    Such a model would play a critical role in ensuring that effective contamination protocols are in place for a variety of scenarios. This forward-thinking strategy is key in managing any potential risks associated with the wastewater treatment process and would underscore a proactive approach to environmental stewardship, remembering the old adage in this context that an ounce of prevention is cheaper than a pound of cure.

    Given the geological limitations of our island, the protection of the Belle aquifer is one of paramount importance. Alternative water sources, such as desalination or reverse osmosis on the scale of seven million imperial gallons per day, while viable, are economically challenging compared to the sustainable use and protection of ground water.

    The new hospital offers Barbados a platform to exemplify not only health care innovation, but how general physical development can be harmoniously integrated with environmental conservation.

    By prioritising these advanced environmental protections, we are not only safeguarding our most precious natural resource but also reinforcing our commitment to a sustainable and prosperous future for Barbados.

    Source: Nation

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