Rats Everywhere

The following link was forwarded to the blogmaster’s inbox by our dearly departed ac. It is a serious matter and we thank her for making the blogmaster aware of this recent event.


There is still a sewerage problem on the South Coast although being ‘managed’ away from the glare of the public, add to the list now a rat problem. A consequence of the rat problem is that baby turtles are being targeted by the rats.

These rat attacks on turtles and invasion of popular eating spots on the South Coast are occurring in the highly trafficked tourist belt. Anyone passing on the South Coast today observed traffic congestion caused by major construction of a hotel. One must question the sense of it all.

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Our Silent Actuaries

What are the ‘ACTUARIES’ in Barbados saying about increased mortality figures?

In a post Covid 19 pandemic period there are increasing calls for governments and responsible agencies in civil society to address concerns about the efficacy of Covid 19 vaccines and excess deaths. It is well documented global authorities issued emergency use authorization of Covid 19 vaccines to address what was considered a public health emergency.

Doctor Campbell has been a lone voice asking probing questions supported by credible data sources. His most resent intervention addresses data produced by the the Society of Actuaries in the USA. There is a trend in data to support increase excess deaths in the younger age ranges. Campbell issues a caution that source data belongs to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC). The stark conclusion is that there was no negative correlation between vaccine rollout and number of deaths recorded.

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Barbados death rate on the rise…

Minister of Labour Colin Jordan admitted during a recent public talk show on VoB that the number of deaths increased in Barbados during the period 2020 to 2022.

YearNumber of deaths
20152538
20202713
20223347

He attributed the increase in deaths to Barbados’ ageing population. He was honest to admit that his honest to admit his conclusion was not based on empirical analysis.

The distrust by citizens in the public health authority during the post Covid 19 pandemic period will therefore continue – a global concern.

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Trust in public health officials declines

Calls for the government and other actors to honour a commitment to the public to engage in rigorous post Covid 19 analysis of vaccine performance has fallen on deaf ears. Unfortunately, notwithstanding a significant investment in education, there is no local equivalent to the selfless Dr. John Campbell to probe the effectiveness of the many Covid 19 vaccines on the population.

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How many Excess Deaths in Barbados being covered up?

Late last year Prime Minister Mia Mottley advised the country after one of her jaunts that a deal was in the making with the Rwandan Government to establish a pharmaceutical industry in the region, the first of its kind. Mottley further updated that the Rwandan Food and Drug Administration and the Barbados Drug Service and Ministry of Health and Wellness had started discussions to advance the matter.

See Related Link: Prime Minister Strikes Major Pharmaceutical Deal With Rwanda

A few days ago Chief Medical Officer The Most Honourable Dr Kenneth George was quoted in the media as saying Barbados was, “considering the possibility of establishing local vaccine manufacturing capabilities in response to the challenges brought about by the COVID 19 pandemic”. He explained the Covid 19 pandemic had exposed an inequity with Small Island Developing States (SIDS) unable to access the vaccine therefore compromising the ability of public health authorities to protect vulnerable members of the public.

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Finding My Mind

Submitted by Dr. Grenville Phillips II

I noticed the decline about one year ago. I first had difficulty remembering things that I had routinely needed to recall every month – then every week – then every day. Fortunately, I was functional because while I could not recall the information, I still knew where to find it.

I was not ready for dementia. I tried to determine what I had done wrong to bring it on. Was it the effort of doing a Doctorate in Structural Engineering that permanently exhausted my brain? Was it how I slept that put too much pressure on my brain? Researching the subject did not help – so I accepted my fate and prepared to retire after my contracts were completed.

HEAVY METALS

On 15 December 2022, I read a US Consumer Report article on the high levels of cadmium and lead in dark chocolate [1]. For years I had been habitually eating dark chocolate every night before I went to bed. The cadmium level in the brand that I ate was safe, but the lead level was about 1.7 times the maximum allowed in California.

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Excess deaths related to Covid 19 …


A legitimate question being asked is whether local authorities see the benefit to producing analytics to establish if COVID 19 is linked to excess deaths. Elsewhere a solid case is being promoted when deaths in the current period is compared to historical certificated data. 

Should a similar trend exists for Barbados wouldn’t it support an intervention by authorities to identify those who maybe vulnerable? The blogmaster is NOT a conspiracy theorist, what he is though is someone who believes in transparency and accountability. Especially as it relates to safeguarding the rubric of public health.

#jeromewalcott #covid19 #deaths #miamottley

Barbadians prefer to eat junk

We are a society that has become reliant on government for everything under the sun. While the government cannot be excused from its governance responsibilities, a civil society by definition is “considered as a community of citizens linked by common interests and collective activity“.

What is wrong with as many households as possible prioritizing kitchen gardens in pots, pans, replace lawns etc. Instead, we have allowed ourselves to become intoxicated with the easy lifestyle of sourcing too many food items from the shelves of a retail outlet whether local or international, Chefette, KFC and several others spring to mind.

Credit to Bentley
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We are being poisoned with our processed, high sugar, nutrient poor foods

Submitted by Green Monkey

In this recent video Russel Brand explores with US food activist Calley Means the disastrous declining state of US citizens’ health which Calley relates to a diet that is increasingly taken over by highly processed food devoid of nutritional value and high in sugar while both children and adults both get less physical activity in their daily lives than their ancestors did.  Calley explains that the declining health of its citizenry is making the US a nation in decline with an increasingly uncompetitive, out of shape workforce suffering an overabundance of non-communicable, degenerative diseases, and falling fertility rates along with increasing psychological and psychiatric problems and skyrocketing medical costs. 

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Out with the old

It is ironic commentators refer to Barbados as an ageing society but we struggle with implementing adequate frameworks to attend to the needs of the elderly. The biggest embarrassment is to read about senior citizens who are abandoned at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and elsewhere by family members. 

The blogmaster can list many reasons we should take good care of our elders, however, the one reason that resonates the most is that a it is the humane thing to do.

Increasingly the scourge of Alzheimer’s disease has made it more challenging to care for senior citizens. We need to have a relevant policy and develop a better system to care for the elderly. As they say, you can tell a lot by how any society looks after the elderly and animals.

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Pfizer CEO Unable to Answer Questions about Vaccine preventing COVID 19 transmission

Submitted by Green Monkey

CAUGHT HIM! Rebel News pummels Pfizer CEO with questions at World Economic Forum

It was the moment we were waiting for: one of the most hated men in the world going for a leisurely stroll because he assumed he was amongst friends. After all, in the three years since the pandemic began, have you ever seen a journalist ask him a tough question?

Well, he didn’t count on Rebel News and our accountability style of citizen journalism.

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What does a study tell us about the production of Cannabis?

Submitted by Steven Kaszab

More Canadians are choosing legal forms of cannabis then previously, from 52% to 61% reported last year. The 2022 Cannabis Survey carried out by Health Canada has shown that smoking is the most favorable form of consumption, but the number of people choosing to use vape pens is increasing.

The study was carried out April-June 2022 and offers insights into Canadians knowledge, attitudes and behaviors on Cannabis use.

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Who cares some faceless person stole information from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital?

A recent report caused the blogmaster to search BU Archives.

As far back as 2014 with the support of vested parties led by subject matter expert James Bynoe, several blogs highlighting the threat posed by cybersecurity were to Barbados Underground – list a FEW- Understand Internet Data Privacy: What should you know and expect, Website Defacement Cyber threat to the Caribbean and Caribbean Businesses, Organizations and governments and people could be losing millions to cyber criminals and hackers and don’t know it appeared. For those interested do a search using ‘cybersecurity’ of the BU Archives.

Last week it was reported the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) suffered a cybersecurity incident. Another way to explain it – information was stolen from QEH’s database by unknown parties. So far the official and sanitized explanation is – “the QEH was taking all necessary precautions to protect the integrity of our systems ans patient privacy“. On December 14. 2022 the QEH issued a report indicating changes to its operations because of the cybersecurity incident – Temporary Changes At QEH Due To Internet Outage.

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Covid’s Ugly Reach

Submitted by Steven Kaszab
Nearly 1 in 20 people who were infected by COVID have not completely recovered. That is a 6 to18 month corridor from time of infection. 42% claim to have only partially recovered from the infection. Most people recover fully from the infection, but some people develop a wide variety of long-term problems. The government needed to understand Long COVID as an essential to forming health and social care policy and supports.
The University of Glasgow carried out this prescribed effort. These scientists found the various symptoms to have one central focus, that Long Term Covid has an impact upon all aspects of daily life and reduces people’s overall quality of life. The most common reported symptoms were breathlessness, chest pain, palpitations and brain fog. Who was most likely to be infected with this type of COVID? Older individuals, women, those from deprived communities and people with pre-existing physical or mental problems. The study is important because it attempted to understand Long Covid within the general population, comparing symptoms with those uninfected, thereby distinguishing between health problems caused by COVID and health problems that would happen anyways. Analyzing 33,000 laboratory confirmed COVID cases and matching them to 63,000 never infected people from the general population. Both groups were followed over a 6,12 and 18 month period. About 13% of people in the study reported improvements in their health over time, while 11% reported some deterioration.
The study found those who had asymptomatic infections and those who had been vaccinated before their infections were fully or partially protected from COVID. The study showed that COVID is truly a multi-system disorder, not only in the brain, not only in the heart, but all organs can be attacked by this infection.
This winter will challenge our community and its healthcare systems. The data has shown us that the death and serious illnesses among the unvaccinated due to COVID, versus vaccinated and boosted will increase continually this winter. The level of vaccinated vs unvaccinated tells the tale. At the height of the pandemic 40% of Americans were untruthful about whether they had the virus or were ignoring safety precautions. While @68% of Americans have received their 1st vaccination, most have not received their second one, or boosters. The pandemic is still filling our hospitals with infected patients, and while most 1st nations offer free vaccinations and booster, only 7.6 million Americans have received their updated booster dose.
This winter as many as 90,000 Americans will die from COVID. The University of Southern California along with The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have placed the populations lack of urgency to be vaccinated as the factor causing these deaths. According to CNN, more than 400 people die of COVID daily in America.
Citizens have a responsibility to protect their families, neighbors and themselves. Get your vaccination and do it now. While many administrations go out of their way trying to propagate an illusion of societies return to normalcy, COVID-!9 has mutated and will continue to do so for the conceivable future.  Children are returning to classes, and with winter upon us, their schooling will likely be indoors. The only way we can reach a level of normalcy is by investing our time and efforts in health safety procedures.
Vaccinate Your Future Success.

Government Discontinues Covid 19 Dashboard

The success of what we do on Barbados Underground depends on contributions from many persons. One such person is Lyall Small, the man responsible for preparing the BU Covid 19 Dashboard since April 2020. On behalf of the BU household we thank you Lyall. With the pandemic numbers trending down in Barbados this will be the final BU Covid 19 Dashboard – Blogmaster

Attached is the final Covid series of charts to 30th September as the authorities have indicated that they will not be publishing the daily dash board data after today.  The decision is understandable as resources might be better used elsewhere.  The charts show a continued decline in the Covid incidence figures and now is probably the best time to move on. 

Lyall

Microbial Growth – Elements of Microbial Nutrition

Submitted by Dr. GP

For the purpose of the blog, interested persons should pay particular attention to slides 59, 63-67, 70-73 & 75, as these slides note some of the main culprits in most food poisoning seen in the GIT.

After the incubation period and the generation time, the major Patho-physiology that cause the symptoms of pain, vomiting diarrhea involves the impaired function of the Na+K+ATP dependent pump in the walls of the GI TRACT.

There is thus a tendency to dehydration, which can be kept at bay in mild cases by increasing one’s fluid intake, until the function of the Na+K+ATP dependent pump in the walls of the GI TRACT is restored.

Dehydration is dangerous, because all chemical reactions in the body take place in aqueous medium.

In mild cases, and while waiting for care in severe casses one can try to replace the Na+ by putting some pot salt in your lemonade. K+ may easily be obtained from bananas and citrous fruit. Use very little sugar in your rehydration fluid, as the sugar will attract water to the gut, and defeat the purpose that you are trying to achieve.

– Dr. GP

Are Barbadians Buying Contaminated Food?

In our system of government (sog) officials elected to parliament are expected to put the interest of the people ahead of their own. In fact the (sog) places a premium on those offering themselves to public office, not dissimilar to the calling of a priest who is expected to facilitate members of the public getting closer to the Most High. In other words, it is not a 9 to 5 job, it is a ‘calling’.

There has been a lot written in recent years about rising apathy and cynicism by the public directed at the political class and government institutions, Barbados is no different. We can cite comments from the Auditor General, note the precarious state of the National Insurance Scheme or if we want to go big – the ease with which successive governments have borrowed massively instead of implementing initiatives to facilitate adequately earning our way in the world.

It is important for members of the public to be able to develop trust in public officials. Take for example the issue of food standards. The average citizen enters a supermarket or any similar outlet to purchase food items with an understanding standards are being met to protect health standards. In Barbados the Barbados National Standards Institute (BNSI) is the agency with primary responsibility. The reference to BNSI should not be misconstrued as accusing the institution of not delivering on its mandate although the blogmaster is not in a position to know.

The objectives of the BNSI are to facilitate trade and the international competitiveness of Barbadian goods and services, the protection of consumers and the harmonious development of the sectors of the economy, through the development of standards, revision and amendment of these standards from time to time, testing of products for conformity to these standards, certification of products to national standards, accreditation to ensure that those who carry out testing, certification and inspection are competent to do so and calibration of measures (including mass, volume, temperature, length).

BNSI

A survey of markets in countries more developed than Barbados and with active consumer organizations suggest that Barbadians should be very concerned about the quality of food items being sold to the public.

Two videos sent by Alien to BU with a focus on bottled water and meats are a must watch. Believe it or not this is an expose from Canada and not a third world country. Where can Barbadians turn for comfort that health standards are being monitored?

This is about the quality of water.
This is about meat.

Is There a Link Between Covid 19 and Excess Deaths in Barbados?

For some time anyone who dared to question the possibility of excess Covid 19 deaths were ridiculed by establishment opinion. However, there are a number of analyses being shared to encourage questions about higher than normal death rates because of Covid 19 in working age people.

In Barbados there is definitely a worry of elderly people dying reportedly because of contracting Covid 19. Unfortunately exhaustive Covid 19 related data is not made public by local public health authorities to support rigorous independent analysis. However, more and more questions are being asked of the local public health authority in some quarters about excess deaths linked to the Covid 19 pandemic.

A non traditional publication by the name of The Conservative Woman questioned last week if the Germans have raised a plausible link between individuals injected with the Covid vaccine and excess deaths. The blogmaster in the public interest thought it important to share different opinions flowing in the news feed. Local government departments feeding the skepticism of the public is a well known fact as it relates to accurately aggregating data. Several times we have witnessed Covid 19 statistics adjusted with a one line explanation. The question some continue to ask of the local public health authority is – how robust is the criteria used to parse Covid 19 data in Barbados?

It is a preprint research paper by Christof Kuhbandner (a psychologist at Regensburg) and Matthias Reitzner (a statistician at Osnabrück) who have applied sophisticated actuarial analysis to the publicly available all-cause mortality data provided by the German government. Eugyppius comments: ‘When you account for historical mortality trends, the virus no longer looks so dangerous and the vaccines no longer look so great.’ 

TCW

As a matter of urgency to ensure confidence in maintained in the public health authority, independent agencies including the UWI, Cave Hill should be allowed to perform a deep dive of the criteria used to collect and analyze Covid 19 data. The pandemic has exposed globally there is growing cynicism and distrust by the public regarding how public health officials rolled out the Covid 19 vaccination project.

This is a call for greater transparency in Barbados to provide clarity about possible excess deaths. It should not be difficult to collate a minimum of 5 years of data between 2017 and current to eliminate questions being asked about excess deaths.

See the writing posted by The Conservative Woman publication – Have the Germans proved the link between Covid vaccination and excess deaths?Credit TB.

See studyExhaustive study of German mortality data finds excess deaths tightly correlated with mass vaccination by Eugyppius

Treat Your Body Like a Temple

A timely reminder from long time BU family member Bentley that it is important to make sensible decisions about our diet.

Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian population

Assuming the rights to health and healthy food as general assumptions, the Guide is an official document that addresses the principles and recommendations of a healthy diet for the Brazilian population, representing a tool to support food and nutrition educational activities in SUS and also in other sectors. Considering the multiple determinants of feeding practices and the complexity and challenges that are involved in the shaping of current food systems, the Food Guide reinforces the commitment of the Ministry of Health to contribute to the development of strategies for the promotion and realization of the human right to adequate food.

Ministry of Health of Brazil

BU Covid Dash – Monkeypox is Here

Barbados is a tourism dependent economy, first COVID 19 shut down the country and the world for a time, now there is the emergence of Monkeypox along with a resurgence of another hyper Covid 19 variant. Health concerns combined with ongoing Russia and Ukraine conflict continues to stoke feeds uncertainty across the globe whether travel or trade.

Raw numbers still elevated and climbing but perhaps not alarmingly so. Daily official isolations dropping.  Ro reproductive rate numbers fluctuating near and sub 1. Vigilance is necessary given that the new Omicron variant is increasing rapidly in our major trading partner countries amid increasing cropover travel Source: Lyall Small


Health Ministry confirms first case of Monkeypox in Barbados

Minister of Health Ian Gooding-Edghill

Article by
Barbados Today

Published on
July 16, 2022

Barbados has confirmed the first case of Monkeypox on the island.

The confirmation came by way of a statement from Minister of Health Ian Gooding-Edghill.

The full statement is below:

Good morning.

You will recall that yesterday, I informed the Barbadian public that there was a suspected case of Monkeypox in the island. In keeping with my Ministry’s commitment to transparency and full disclosure, I’m here to inform you that Barbados has recorded its first confirmed case of Monkeypox.

This case is a Barbadian male in his thirties, who attended the Winston Scott Polyclinic with symptoms of a progressive rash, body pains and fever. He sought medical attention at the Polyclinic within hours of his arrival in Barbados.

The patient was seen and assessed based on a history of recent travel and clinical manifestations. The patient was swabbed and the samples were sent to the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory for testing where results revealed a positive case of Monkeypox.

These results of the locally done test were obtained within 24 hours as against the days awaiting results when the tests were done in Trinidad by CARPHA.

The patient remains in isolation and is under the direct care and medical supervision of our Medical Officer of Health. In the interest of patient confidentiality, no personal details will be disclosed.

I am confident that the Ministry’s speedy announcement of this case will, as has occurred with our response to Covid-19, get from the Barbadian public the same level of cooperation in our ongoing management of the Monkeypox health issue. The Ministry of Health and Wellness has commenced contact tracing as a responsible
public health measure.

Let me assure the public that the Ministry is fully prepared to handle any cases of Monkeypox in our nation. I wish to thank the Ministry’s public health team for their continued dedication and commitment as we continue to manage public health in Barbados.

Thank you.

A Pox on You

Submitted by William Harriss

The Immortal Bard, otherwise known as William Shakespeare, is an easily recognizable figure no matter where you go. Four hundred years after his death, his phrase is still used.

This is the new frightening story of the Monkeypox, which may well end up as ‘A Pox On You’ and ultimately a ‘Pox On Your Business’ and a ‘Pox On Your Country.’

As COVID mutates, creates a herd immunity and hopefully subsides, there is the distinct possibility of a new pandemic following in its wake.

Monkeypox virus has been detected in Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden, Spain and Portugal.

According to the U.S. agency the ‘Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’ [CDC], Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research, hence the name ‘Monkeypox.’

The first human case of Monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a period of intensified effort to eliminate smallpox. Since then, Monkeypox has been reported in humans in other central and western African countries.

Scientists at the CDC are currently tracking multiple cases of Monkeypox that have been reported in several countries that don’t normally report Monkeypox, including the United States.

It’s not clear how the individuals were exposed to Monkeypox, but cases include people who self-identify as men who have sex with men. The disease until now, has been considered predominantly sexually transmitted.

CDC is urging healthcare providers in the U.S. to be alert for patients who have rash illnesses consistent with Monkeypox, regardless of whether they have travel or specific risk factors for Monkeypox and irrespective of gender or sexual orientation.

CDC is working with state and local health officials to identify people who may have been in contact with individuals who have tested positive for Monkeypox so that they can monitor their health.

It is now known Monkeypox is not exclusively sexually transmitted. Instead, it can be transmitted through close contact with infected people, body fluids, sweat and clothing, bedsheets, and pillows. The incubation period [interval from infection to onset of symptoms] of Monkeypox is usually from 6 to 13 days but can range from 5 to 21 days.

In Britain, the Alarm was first raised in 2018 by ‘Porton Down’ scientists who said the virus could have ‘devastating consequences.

In June 2019, a Coalition of experts warned that 70% of the world is vulnerable to Monkeypox.

In 2020, a report from the ‘The World Health Organization’ [WHO] warned of the ‘endemic potential’ of Monkeypox.

September 2020: WHO warned the ‘epidemic potential’ of Monkeypox was rising. The paper published by the WHO warned the ‘epidemic potential’ of Monkeypox was increasing. Warning the end of routine smallpox vaccination could lead to the rise of Monkeypox in people. ‘In a population with diminishing herd immunity against orthopoxvirus species, the epidemic potential of Monkeypox will continue increasing,’ they said. That has since proved to be a correct forecast. WHO concluded that the use of the smallpox vaccine had been hiding and keeping at bay Monkeypox.

In November 2021, scientific health experts ran a hypothetical scenario that found a genetically engineered version of the disease could kill 300 million people.

In Spain, 50 new cases and another 12 Britons were diagnosed with the tropical illness on Thursday, May 26 2022, bringing the U.K. total to 90. In addition, the virus has been spotted in 19 countries outside its usual range, making it the widest-ranging outbreak of this disease ever.

The latest cluster of Monkeypox cases has experts wondering if the virus has mutated to be more contagious and easily spread between people.

It is now known you can catch Monkeypox by being near an infected person and breathing in the virus when they cough or sneeze. All bodily fluids of an infected person carry the virus, vaginal, penile, blood, spital, tears, and sweat included. In addition, bedding, duvets, pillowcases, pillows, and towels can carry and distribute the disease. So we seem to be back to the ultra necessity of sterilizing bedding properly. In particular, pillows between every new guest.

Countries hold wargames on an annual basis. The idea being if they practice for what may be, they will be much better able to cope with war if it actually happens.

In 2021 an organization specializing in world protection against what may wipe out the world’s human race, ‘Nuclear Threat Initiative’ [NIC], carried out a war game against a laboratory-created Monkeypox.

May 20, 2022. Given the occurrence of cases of Monkeypox in countries within and outside of the Region of the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) shares with its Member States a series of considerations in relation to the identification of cases, the isolation, identification, and follow-up of contacts, the clinical management, and the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections.

Is the Monkeypox threat so severe that an organization made a cloaked study and called it hypothetical?

NTI experts met in November 2021 to discuss how the world would respond to a hypothetical pandemic caused by Monkeypox. The exercise included fake news reports on how the fictional virus was spreading in May 2022. They produced a ‘scenario summary’ displayed on the last page of this article, the NIC’s fictional Monkeypox pandemic timeline.

In a statement this week, NTI said their choice of Monkeypox for the exercise was based on recommendations from scientific and medical experts on potentially pandemic causing pathogens.

The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 2001 by former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn and philanthropist Ted Turner in the United States. It works to prevent catastrophic attacks and accidents with weapons of mass destruction and disruption – predominantly nuclear, biological, radiological, chemical, cybersecurity, and now pathogenic threats.

Ernest J. Moniz has served as Chief Executive Officer since June 2017, and Joan Rohlfing serves as President. Co-chaired by Moniz, Nunn and Ted Turner. A Board of Directors governs NTI with current and Emeritus Members from the United States, Japan, India, Pakistan, China, Jordan, Sweden, France and the United Kingdom.


References of research: William H Harriss. http://www.fulgorharrisindustries.com

The World Health Organization [WHO]

The Pan American Health Organization [PAHO]

U.S. agency the ‘Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’ [CDC]

‘Nuclear Threat Initiative’ [NIC]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Threat_Initiative

The Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10848725

Mon(k)ey-Pox: Simulation or Simulacra – The Synagogue of Satan Strikes Again

Submitted Terence M. Blackett

All it takes for ‘EVIL’ to prosper is for good men to do nothing.” ~ Sir Edmund Burke

The place is Munich, Germany – the date, March 2021. A high-level security conference is being hosted under the (DIS)guise – “HIGH-CONSEQUENCE BIOLOGICAL THREAT” that looked at gaps in national and international biosecurity and pandemic preparedness. Almost on cue, the World Economic Forum planned COVID-19 viral PlanDEMIC Event 201 simulation in what they spun as a hypothetical situation became a reality in 2020, and fortuitously here come the 2.0 in 2022.

Conspiratorially, as of this week in May 2022, the same World Economic Forum is in Davos, Switzerland, planning the next phase of the “Great Reset” agenda. In the sub-orbital pandemic sphere was a brokered simulation exercise of another “Global PlanDEMIC” caused by Monkey-Pox, induced by a supposed terrorist attack. By the end of the exercise, some 3 billion cases would have spread around the globe and some 270 million people are dead.

This is PlanDEMIC 2.0!

Renowned sociologist Jean Baudrillard’s idea on simulacra as per the COVID-19 phase of medical tyranny unleashed on the world was given theoretical wings in the Journal of Sociology under the heading: “A sociology of the Covid-19 pandemic: A commentary and research agenda for sociologists” highlighted in vagaried degrees of Malthusian ossification the damnable risks, morbid fears, merciless uncertainties and most importantly, a demonic agenda we saw in the 2 years of apocalyptic disruption, chaos and death.

Bill Gates (of Hell) had warned 2 years ago that post COVID, the world will be in the vice-grip of another planDEMIC that will be as defining as the last world war. Clearly, the Synagogue of Satan is now conspicuously open-mouthed, with fangs in plain sight, and they are not hiding their plans as to how they intend to not only ruin our lives but how they intend to control our very existence by any means necessary.

Klaus Schwab – the chief high priest in the Synagogue of Satan remarked today at the opening of the WEF conference that the “future will be built by us” to the consternation of many who still believe that the “gates of HELL shall not prevail” – for man cannot fight against God or His church and win!

Monkey-Pox has now moved from the fictional narrative to being a looming, clear and present danger with Belgium being the 1st EU country to set an mandatory 21-day quarantine for anyone with the disease – opening the flood-gates for an Autumn/Winter of lockdown measures that could see a global fallout of unprecedented proportions given the miasma of the last 2 years.

What is remarkable is that as far back as February 2022, a study was published in Science Direct – a paper authored by 9 virologists from the “INFAMOUS” Wuhan Institute of Virology posted in their quarterly scientific journal Virologica Sinica following the wide-scale use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests to identify COVID-19 positive persons.

Senator Rand Paul in his congressional hearings over COVID-19, clashed with the slithering “Fraud” Dr. Anthony Fauci over the tyrannical science that undergirds “GAIN OF FUNCTION RESEARCH” and how the CCP virus and the nefarious Chinese researchers who manipulated pathogens in primates that have crossed over to humans is the reason why the Monkey-Pox virus transmissibility and lethality could see the globalists’ agenda rocket fuelled on steroids.

The CEO of Big Pharma giant Pfizer – Albert Bourla dropped a pearl to the hogs at the WEF about new microchipped pills and brazenly opined: “Imagine the Compliance” as the global plan is nothing more than a chemically-induced & sustained world populace that will also be microchipped into beast-like submission, (where you will own or have nothing but will still be happy) to serve your masters and overlords.

According to the WHO, since 21st May 2022 numbers have jumped to over a 100 cases in over a dozen countries. By January 2023, the simulation suggests that some 83 countries will be affected with over a million deaths.

The Synagogue of Satan knows the Scriptures and to copy-cat the plague of Rev 16:1 is a sign of deceptive diabolical distraction, as can be seen in the Word: “The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.”

What is subliminally insidious about the media coverage of Monkey-Pox is how the news media uses Blacks in their portrayal of this disease and African journalists are condemning Western media outlets for using images of Black people in their coverage of the disease.

As the numbers mount, it will be interesting to see the seismic fallout. The last two years were horrendous to say the least, and for many they are keen to see the tail-end of COVID-19, as it dissipates – yet, no one is prepared for a “MONEY-POX PLANDEMIC” and its ugly realities.

Stay tuned…

BU COVID 19 Dash – Numbers Rising

Attached are charts for the week ending 1st April. All  the charts indicate a distinct upswing in the epidemic reminiscent of the changes around the period when Omicron was taking over from the Delta strain.  I suspect we are now in a similar phase when the new variant Omicron BA-2 might be taking over from Omicron.

Source: Lyall Small

Sweet Drink Tizzy

In a country reported to have a high incidence rate of non communicable diseases one of the issues causing Bajan tongues to wag violently is the increase in the excise tax on ‘sweet drinks’. During last month’s budget presentation Prime Minister Mia Mottley decreed that effective 1 April 2022 (today) the excise tax on sweet drinks increases by 20%.

On the face of it one would have assumed the imposition of a sin tax in the prevailing circumstances should be accepted for what it is. Instead many Bajans are expressing that it is a revenue grab instead of part of a holistic approach to tackling the health of the nation. 

It seems ridiculous any government should have to legislate to encourage individuals to take responsibility for health decisions, such is the reality; people have to be protected from themselves. The government needs to tax citizens to ensure a balanced budget and at the same time implement effective policies to ensure there is a seamless relationship between achieving financial and non financial targets. Bad decisions taken by SOME Barbadians ultimately effect ALL Barbadians in the pockets.

Can we agree a national debate promoting a healthy lifestyle given the high incidence of NCDs is a good thing? The ‘proposed’ increase in the price of sweet drinks has triggered a national discussion, mission achieved. The blogmaster deliberately used the word proposed because a feature of the Mottley government has been to back out or delay a few decisions taken. Latest example is the postponement of breathalyzer testing because a metered taxi rate system needs to be implemented. You simply cannot make this stuff up.

There is voluminous information to support the conclusion sweet drinks have a high calorific content and therefore high consumption by individuals is likely to negatively impact ones health. The evidence is apparent that the current health trajectory Barbados is on must be interrupted. While we jabber away money must be found to pay for lifestyle choices made by Barbadians. If we want to drink sweet drinks and exhale smoke from our nostrils like Portvale factory, we must pay for it. A good government has to provide leadership that redounds to the benefit of the nation. There are numerous risk factors to manage as it relates to a healthy lifestylke, it is established sweet drinks contribute negatively to the risk factors associated with NCDs.

The blogmaster looks forward to those in the public and private sector charged with healthcare working together to implement effective measures to save Barbadians from themselves. 

See relevant link:

Sugary Drinks Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

BU Covid Dash – Getting Back to Normal

Attached are charts up to the week ending 11th March 2022. The numbers are generally trending in the right direction but they seem to be slowly levelling off at relatively high levels. The R0 reproductive number needs to be closely monitored even though it is below the 1.0 target – Source: Lyall Small – See BU Covid 19 Updates page

BU COVID Dash – Living with the Virus

Please see uploads for the week ending 25th February 2022. Barbados is now at a new “living with Covid” stage. The various ministries announced significant changes in their management of Covid this afternoon. As such, I am suggesting that I would submit only the enclosed graphs on a weekly basis, initially, but subject to modification if new substantive changes in the pandemic occur. All the indicators are trending in the right direction and we should all hope that they continue to do so – Source: Lyall Small

BU Covid Dash – Back to School II

The blogmaster is pleased to hear more urgent discussions taking place about agreeing to protocols and logistics to have face to face classes resume between stakeholders. From anecdotal chatter the majority of parents seem supportive of the effort to restart. The one group offering some resistance seems to be the teacher’s unions.

A word to the teachers. This is a risk reward kind of situation. This is a cost benefit kind of situation. There will be a price to pay if the current way of teaching our children continues. There will be a social cost. If the class size is to large, split is and teach each group on alternate days BUT do some rh thing. The virus from all accounts will be with us for the foreseeable future, let us agree (without the long talk) how the physical plant will be changed to mitigate the risks at play.

Time to get on with it!

BU Covid Dash – Back to School Time

If we are to judge from recent events like cricket at Kensington Oval and political campaigning – supported by utterances from the Chief Medial Officer and Minister Kerri Symmonds –  the government is about to switch to a getting ‘back to normal’ mode. We must do all that is possible to address educating our children. Crop Over will fall in line.

Attached are charts for the week ending 4th Feb 2022.  The major takeaways may be that the R0 chart is continuing to trend downward, as is the daily cases chart and that the Death’s and total isolations charts are continuing to trend upwards.  These changes need to be monitored over the next couple of weeks to determine any changing or continuing trends. I’ve reposted the positivity chart as there seems to have been some recent interest in that statistic – Source: Lyall Small (Click image to see BU COVID 19 Updates page)

BU Covid Dash – No Need for Panic

Attached are updated charts for the week ending 28th January.  We saw a record number of daily cases (923) on 25th January.  This was followed over the last 3 days with daily cases in the 700’s.  The reproductive R0 numbers increased slowly to just 1.18; Deaths and Daily Official isolations also remained at relatively low levels while Home isolations rose precipitately. If these dynamics are maintained there will be no need to panic and fear that the dread worse case prediction of 3,500 peak cases per day is heading our way.  The data also indicates that the Covid-19 team and the Barbados populace in general are continuing to do a good job – Source: Lyall Small

BU COVID Dash – General Election Watch

The just concluded 2022 General Election is feared by many to be a ‘super spreader’. The country is on watch for COVID 19 cases to spike given the frolicking witnessed on last campaign night, especially at Bay Street.

Enclosed are Charts for the week ending 21st January 2022.  The daily cases are rising but with a relatively low reproductive number of 1.08.  Daily official isolations have flattened out.  Total isolations (Official + Home) are however increasing quite steeply fueled by the increasing home isolations indicating that Omicron, at this stage, is milder than the Delta variant.  So far so good.  The effects on daily cases by Election activities is not yet evident – Source: Lyall Small
See BU Covid Updates Page

BU Covid Dash – Fighting the Numbers

Enclosed are the charts for the week ending 14th Jan 2022.  I’ve omitted the Vaccinations chart and added a reproductive number chart which gives some idea about the rate of reproduction of the virus and a daily official isolations chart to get some indication of the position re. incidence of persons sickened by the Virus.  Total isolations are increasing gradually but Official Isolations are going down slowly and the Reproductive rates are actually decreasing at this stage.  Deaths are still relatively low.  The charts seem to be indicating that we might yet escape the dire UWI model predictions.  So far, so good.

Lyall Small

BU Covid Dash – Omicron January 19

Attached are charts for week ending 7th January 2022. So far, the daily cases have not topped 600 and have indeed been dropping v. slowly for the past 4 days. The charts suggest that Omicron has been here for nearly a month but the rate of increasing daily cases has dropped. Deaths and isolations have increased, but only marginally. Vaccinations uptake is still very slow.

Source: Lyall Small

See BU COVID 19 Updates page

Caswell Franklyn: A Nurse’s Cry

A call to Bajans at home and abroad

Submitted by Tee White

The attached recording, of a striking nurse phoning into Down to Brass Tacks, needs no explanation. This moving call speaks for itself. The issue is what we as Bajans are going to do about the situation. As the saying goes, evil triumphs when good people do nothing. We have a responsibility to take a stand in defence of the nurses and to condemn the government’s attempts to starve them into submission. We can raise our voices, especially in this election period, and demand that the government stop its attacks on them and sit down with their representatives to address their issues. We can also donate to their strike fund. Bank details are presented at the end of the transcript. We have a responsibility to the striking nurses. Let’s take it up.

A striking nurse phoning into Down to Brass Tacks 29/12/2021

For those of you who have or are not able to listen to the phone in call, a transcript is below.

Nurse: It was always said to us “It’s not the right time to strike. It’s not the right time to take action. Just wait. We’re going to talk and see what happens”. This has been years and nurses are now to the point, just fed up. It’s real hard every day you go to work. And the conditions you have to work in and you’re not seeing a salary at the end of the month. You’re overworked, overlooked and you’re still expected to come work with a smile on your face and work to the best of your ability.

I myself have gone more than four months without a salary. I have colleagues that have gone longer and it’s hard. You are at work. You owe the nursery, you owe the bank and no one wants to hear “oh I didn’t get my salary yet”. They’re still calling you expecting you to pay them. So I have all that stress from elsewhere on me. I’m still not receiving my salary.

Persons are saying that we’re only making noise about hazard pay. That is not the case. Nurses are not even receiving their regular salary and it’s hard. They’re saying even not only a basic salary, nurses have also gone on to be qualified, even if it’s a psychiatric nurse, a geriatric nurse, we go and specialise. You’re not even receiving the money that you’re supposed to get on your salary for these qualifications. There are nurses that have gone over ten years and have not got the increase on their salary.

And persons think this is fair. They’re saying it’s Covid times, things are going on. We shouldn’t be doing this. But look at it. Would you, yourself, go and work?

Would you continue to do that? There are times you don’t see ‘go to the bathroom’, you work through lunch, you work through break just to make sure that your patients are good. But you, yourself, your health is deteriorating. But no one is looking at you and it’s hard.

The prime minister came on and said she gave the nurses hazard pay. Persons were appointed. If there were 600 nurses and you appointed two, what happened to the other four? My thing is, the other four will still have problems and they said they gave hazard pay. To my knowledge, a lot of my colleagues have not

received hazard pay for the month of December either. Seen not a cent of this hazard pay.

And I go to work. Where I work, I have been spat on. I have been hit, cussed. I have went through it and it’s just frustrating and hard to hear persons saying that we don’t care and we still go to work in all these conditions and they’re saying we do not care. How could that be?

Phone in host: I’m really sorry to hear this call and all of the things that you have expressed. Tell me, what do you think is going to happen over the next few weeks while we are waiting for an election? Do you think you will get any resolution? Are you willing to go to the work in the interim?

Nurse: No and it was very interesting that she did not hear out the nurses and our problems before they even run and do that. That meeting that was supposed to be held was cancelled. You did not hear all our problems, and you are saying that this is a critical time in terms of health care, and you did not hear out the nurses that are on the front line. How dare you?

Nurses have families at home. There were many nurses that had not seen a salary for December, and they have families. When you were home having your meals, what were they doing and telling their children? But no we’re to come to work every day with a smile on our face.

They’re saying they didn’t have enough nurses, so they had to bring in nurses.

Ask them why they didn’t have enough nurses. Because persons from England are recruiting our nurses. Persons from the States are recruiting our nurses because we are really good nurses. So if they’re recruiting our nurses, the nurses, are leaving because you’re not treating us right. The nurses have no choice than to leave. It’s been years we have been asking. We have been asking to be heard we are not being heard. If someone else is recruiting us, why should we stay?

Phone in host: This is really difficult to listen to, not because anything that you said is wrong. But I can hear the pain in your voice. And I really do hope that something can come of this, because it is really important that we treat those on the front lines, our health care professionals much better. You are very important to us to our healthcare system, and you need to be treated properly. So I hope that you will get some kind of resolution. I hope it will be sooner rather than later. And I don’t know what is going to happen in these three weeks leading up to the election, but I hope that something is being put in place at the level of your union to assist those of you who are on strike. And I hope that you all are able to make a decision that benefits you in terms of whether you will remain on strike or go back to work. But thanks.

The strike fund of the nurses can be supported by making donations to:

Unity Workers Union

Republic Bank (Warrens), Barbados

Account # 108291982001

Transit# 00010

SWIFT BNBABBBB

A Just and Fair Society – according to the Charter!

Submitted by Steve Prescott LLB (Hon)

Having considered the background I must stand with all those who support the Nurses and offer my 2
cents. There’s a legal and a moral dimension to all this.

It’s not in dispute that any employee who experiences poor working conditions and no pay has a
legitimate right to raise those concerns before a competent employer. A look back in history will put
this strike into context. It spans several years during which the nursing profession has been raising
grievances about pay & working conditions.

As far as I can tell these grievances are not vexatious, frivolous or manifestly unfounded. Mr Bostic
appears to believe they are legitimate. But what is an employee to do if those grievances go
unresolved over any length of time? Any right-thinking employer would know, there will appear a
bright line in the sand – the point at which employees say ‘thus far and no more’. In legal parlance it
would be cited as the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

The point of a grievance process is to act on and resolve the issues it raises in a timely manner.
Hence, I come to this “crisis” with some expertise in labour law. Well drafted employment law should
create balance in the relationship between employer and employee. Any detrimental action against
an employee must be considered objectively against the back drop of reasonableness. It is trite to say
that an employee’s right to strike is a lawful and essential part of developing an organisation’s mind
around the concepts of justice and fairness.

I take my starting point at s2 & s40A of the Trade Unions Act 1964. Since this is available to be read;
I paraphrase it;

Section2, “For the purposes of this Act, the expression “employer” means “the Crown”, with respect
to any person employed in a civil capacity thereunder. The title to section 40A; Adversely affecting
employee or employer on account of trade union activities. s40A. An employer who – (a) adversely
affects the employment or alters the position of a workman to his prejudice because that workman –
ss(ii) being a member of a trade union, which is seeking better labour conditions, is dissatisfied with
his conditions; is guilty of an offence”.

It’s clear their complaints have gone unresolved over several years. The extent to which this inaction
has adversely affected the nurse’s employment is a question of fact and degree. Assuming resolution
of the grievances in favour of the nurses is objectively necessary, then failure to resolve them has
prejudiced the Nurses to the extent that it hastens strike action – which then causes the PM to adopt
a legal footing.

Is it reasonable to reduce the pay of a worker who does not turn up to work? Objectively? Yes. The
bargain struck between employer and employee must be a fair bargain. I doubt any employer
anywhere in the world would pay a person to deliberately not turn up for work. But, that’s only one
side of the employment coin. A fair question to ask is; is it reasonable or even lawful for employees
to suffer hazardous working conditions that may adversely affect their safety and health? Is it
reasonable or even lawful to pay employees sporadically? Objectively, the answer must be no.

Part of the problem here is, this legislation is at odds with the Public Service Act 2007 – the section
the government relies on, s20. This presents a conundrum that needs to be resolved in the courts –
since withholding pay adversely affects employees.

Moreover, if the reports about freezing bank accounts are true then, ladies and gentlemen of the
Republic of Barbados, you don’t need me to tell you that is an absolute violation of the Constitution,
and action within the gift only of lawful authority in pursuit of the proceeds of a crime.
The action taken by the Government toward nurses appears high handed and politically charged.
Why? Because there is still the moral dimension in which it’s worth asking the question; within a
landscape which shows some years of under pay, sometimes no or late pay, poor working conditions,
long hours, increased risk to personal health, and no sign from any Government of positive action to
remedy these matters, is it reasonable to dock their pay and freeze banks accounts?

Now that things have got this far, it seems somewhat churlish that opponents of the strike besmirch
the nurse’s professional integrity for the position they take. The Government appears to have made
their moral responsibility toward their employees subservient to the moral responsibility of Nurses
toward their patients and thereby make State action far less unconscionable; this is wholly unjust and
manifestly unfair. To be clear; a striking nurse does not, by their strike action, say, imply or infer that
they care less about their patients or the State. That is a step to far. No one asked for this pandemic
and nurses have been on the front line fighting it for months – in less than favourable working
conditions. Had their grievances been properly resolved, pre-pandemic, perhaps this action would
never have arisen.

Contractual performance cuts both ways. But for any Government’s inactivity to remedy the Nurse’s
grievances, this action would not have happened. It is neither just nor fair to hold nurses over the
moral ‘barrel’ whilst deliberately, or otherwise, failing to act upon their own legal and moral
obligations.

Correct me if I’m wrong.

BU Covid Dash – Is Omicron Here?

David;  Attached are the charts for the week ending 24th December 2021. The cases and positivity charts are showing slight upticks, perhaps presaging a possible Omicron upsurge in the coming weeks. The vaccination charts are continuing to show the slow growth in vaccine uptake.  The Worldometer charts show a declining trend in deaths.  Reports on Omicron suggest that it aggressively outcompetes the other existing variants and that its effects are relatively mild thereby offering a small ray of hope for the future containment of the epidemic.

Source: Lyall Small

 

All-out Support for Striking Nurses

Nurses defend their strike action against attacks from the government, employers and BLP aligned trade union leaders

Submitted by Tee White

On Wednesday 16 December after a meeting of the Social Partnership which brings together the government, employers and trade unions, Prime Minister Mia Mottley hosted a press conference in which she unleashed a scathing attack on the striking nurses and, in particular, Caswell Franklyn, the opposition senator who is also the leader of the Unity Workers Union (UWU) which represents the striking nurses. Prime Minister Mottley accused the nurses of prematurely initiating strike action without following the accepted procedures and accused their leader of using the strike action to further his own political ambitions. She further denounced the UWU leader for encouraging its members to abandon patients and declared that since the nurses were on strike, the government would dock their pay.

The Prime Minister’s attack on the striking nurses was, not surprisingly, fully supported by the Barbados Private Sector Association but, more surprisingly, also backed by the leaders of various trade unions including the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP), the Barbados Nurses Association (BNA), the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) and the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB). Openly violating the basic principles of working class solidarity, which as leaders of workers’ organisations they are supposed to uphold, these trade union leaders distanced themselves from the striking nurses and made common cause with the government and employers in their attacks on the nurses. The members of these unions will need to hold these leaders to account for their betrayal of basic trade union principles.

In the face of the onslaught from the government and the forces it had mobilised against them, the nurses have held their ground and more nurses are joining them in the strike action in defence of their rights. The trigger for the dispute was a botched attempt by the government to introduce its mandatory Covid 19 vaccination policy under the guise of ‘safe zones’ at the geriatric hospital. The management of this institution put up a notice at work identifying unvaccinated nurses who would have to undergo weekly PCR tests. The UWU had previously made it clear to the management that any attempt to impose the mandatory vaccination policy, without consultation with the union, would be met with strike action. Although the Ministry of Health backed down and stated that the management of the geriatric hospital had acted prematurely since the mandatory vaccination rollout had not yet been approved, this action nevertheless triggered the nurses to take a stand on a number of other issues which had remained unresolved for years. These included better pay, better working conditions, health insurance, continuous training and better nurse to patient ratios. These are issues which the nurses have been raising for years and which successive governments, including the current one, have failed to address. Therefore, any claim that the nurses initiated strike action prematurely is clearly false. In fact, the nurses have put up with unacceptable conditions for too long and it is the government who is in the dock on this issue. Speaking about her lived reality in the Barbados health care system, one nurse declared, “We are standing in solidarity with our colleagues against the authorities trying to implement safe zones without consultation with us. We also have our own grievances at Edgar Cochrane, such as not having enough resources – gloves, blood collection bottles, gauze.

Enough is enough. Imagine having to tell a patient they have to buy their own catheter bag; some of our patients can barely afford the bus fare to get to us”. Another nurse complained that nurse to patient ratios could sometimes reach 1 to 32 patients to nurse per day while the suggested ratio is 1 to 6. Directly addressing the despicable claim by the Prime Minister that the union had encouraged the nurses to abandon their patients, Kathy Ann Holder, a registered nurse of 12 years declared, “The whole entire time, never have we abandoned or left our patients for the last two years, with or without pay, with or without the testing, with or without the vaccine when there was none”. In fact, another nurse made the point that the nurses’ struggle is actually aimed to benefit the patients, when she stated, “We are not only standing up for ourselves, but for the patients too”.

In the face of the just cause of the nurses, the government has initiated extreme measures to suppress their’ struggle. On the 18 December, the UWU claimed that the government had put a freeze on some striking nurses’ bank accounts to prevent them accessing some of their money in addition to not paying them their December salary. Director of Finance, Ian Carrington denounced the claims as “total and complete foolishness and utter rubbish”. However, a recording of a nurse speaking to her bank and asking why a portion of her bank balance was unavailable has been circulating on social media. In the recording, the bank’s customer service representative explains to the nurse that her money has been frozen because the government of Barbados had placed a hold on a portion of the money in her account. In the lead up to the holiday period, the oppressive measures of the government against the nurses must be condemned and they give the lie to the Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s claim that she would not “unfair workers”.

The attack on the striking nurses by the current BLP government reflects the fundamental anti-working class nature of this government and is consistent with its attacks on the hotel workers when they were protesting to get their severance payments. While praising the working class activism of Clement Payne and the martyrs of 1937, the government is hell bent on crushing the struggle of the workers for their rights in 2021. Although they claim that it is the leader of the UWU that is using the nurses’ strike for political ends, they are actually the ones who have called on all the political parties in the country to condemn the nurses.

The cause of the nurses is just and the efforts of the government to suppress them are unjust. All out to support the nurses in their struggle!!

YOUR Credit Rating May Take a Hit IF…

Submitted by Kammie Holder

What will be the unintended consequences? What is the real, real, real, real reason for getting involved in a Credit bureau rather than enacting legislation to control Credit Bureaus? Asking for my late friend Douglas Trotman. Sorry, but we both never trust governments. 


Extracted from Barbados Today December 15th,2021:


Senator Boyce: Credit reporting bill needs ‘longer runway’

While commending the fundamental purpose of the Fair Credit Reporting Bill 2021, Senator Kevin Boyce is of the view that some of the parties involved in administering the various aspects of the legislation need more time to be brought up to speed on the roles they will play.He told the Upper House on Monday evening, during debate on the Bill, that while the legislation will help people access finance, control their spending and, in some respects, provide a safety net, “all the parties involved need a longer runway so that they can come up to speed with what is expected of them”.

For example, in Sections 2 and 3 of Clause 16, it speaks to credit information providers. We would assume that this means these people will provide information to the credit bureau. From my interpretation, it seems as though this will include utility companies such as the Barbados Light and Power, the Barbados Water Authority, the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office and the Land Registry.

So, does this mean that if a person is in arrears to any one of these entities, they might have difficulty in accessing credit as they seek to improve their lives?” the Independent Senator questioned. In response, Deputy Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Senator Kay McConney, said: “We agree that in Clause 16 (3) there is the identification of designated entities as those allowed to provide information to the credit bureau. However, those listed under Section 16 (1) under financial institutions are those which are automatically captured, such as banks, insurance companies and credit unions and they will be included as soon as the Bill comes into effect. The utility companies and other such entities will come into the picture once they meet the requirements spelled out by the Central Bank of Barbados.” (DH)

BU COVID Dash – Time to Make it Official!

Attached are updated charts for week ending 10th December.  Vaccinations are slowly increasing; Daily cases are slowly decreasing and Daily test positivity is gradually declining although still some distance from the sub 5% level. There has been no movements in the charts suggestive of changes in disease incidence attributable to last weeks Republican celebrations.

Lyall Small

BU COVID Dash – Testing is Down!

David;  Attached are updated charts for this week. Positive cases remain on a downward trend.  Vaccinations are slowly increasing and test positivity remains substantially above the goal of <5%.  Indeed, the 7 day positivity trend line is showing a slight uptick.  Increased uptake of vaccinations, vigilance and compliance with protocols seems to be necessary, especially as the Omicron variant is on the move and threatens.

Lyall Small

BU COVID 19 DASH – OMICRON VARIANT


World is put on high alert over the Omicron coronavirus variant

BIvana Kottasová, CNN

Updated 11:03 PM ET, Sat November 27, 2021

(CNN)As fears mount over the newly identified coronavirus variant Omicron, governments around the world are scrambling to protect their citizens from a potential outbreak. The new mutation, which is potentially more transmissible, was first discovered in South Africa and has since been detected in the United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Czech Republic and Hong Kong.Israel is banning all foreigners from entering the country in response to Omicron fears, authorities announced Saturday. The ban, pending government approval, is expected to last two weeks. Israelis returning from a country on the red list, which includes countries in southern Africa, will be required to isolate for seven days in a designated hotel. 

There are seven suspected cases of the variant in Israel, in addition to one confirmed case found in a person returning from Malawi, its Health Ministry said. 

Read full article

BU Covid Dash – The Lost Decade…lost generation(?)

The measure of a caring society will always be how it takes care of the most vulnerable. The news some elderly persons are being denied access to being vaccinated against Covid 19 by relatives is cruel. The Covid Dashboard for all countries confirm senior citizens have been affected more than any other group.

The other concern with deep implications for Barbados society is the inability of government to get children back to face to face learning. It is one thing to see key players in the education sector grip and grinning in the media receiving electronic devices to be distributed to children to support online learning, it is another to observe children on the streets during school time. A chat with any teacher about the challenges of online learning an a few become emotional. There is no need to list the challenges in detail, the education directorate and stakeholders are aware. We need to fix it!

Before the pandemic there were legitimate concerns about the quality and relevance of our education program and indiscipline among our youth. We make a lot of noise about the so called lost decade. Soon we may be discussing the lost generation.

A word to an educated country should be enough.

BU Covid Dash – Safe Zones Long Talk

In recent months the developed world has forged ahead with implementing measures to ensure citizens get on with the business of living, albeit not at pre-Covid 19 level. We watch our TVs daily and marvel at the sight of thousands of spectators crammed into sports stadia, persons reporting to work, travelling on business, leisure and other ‘getting back to normal’ activities.

Regrettably Barbados continues to be a country divided on how mirror what is happening in the developed world. The medical association (BAMP), teachers associations, political parties and not to forget the idiots.

It is interesting to note head of the BCCI Tricia Tannis has thrown support behind the safe zone concept. Head of the BAMP confirmed at the recent press briefing although vaccinated and unvaccinated persons can spread the virus, unvaccinated do it more efficiently. With Christmas shopping window about to open in a couple weeks and tourist winter seasons open, the shortening of the curfew period has not come as a surprise. What we will see in the weeks to come, if government continues to waffle on the implementation of safe zones the private sector will take the initiative to implement.

We need to ignite commercial activity in the country. The time to stop dithering is with us.

BU COVID Dash – Incidence Curve Beginning to Plateau

DAVID; Attached are charts for week ending 5th November. I changed the positivity graph to make it more noticeable. We are still far from the acceptable positivity rate of below 5%. The incidence graphs are very slowly trending downwards – Source: Lyall Small

BU Covid Dash – Does the CMO Have Courage to Deviate from the ‘Script’?

The Covid 19 pandemic rages largely because of the highly infectious delta variant and it has raised questions about the quality of decision making by the public health establishment. 

In Barbados recommendations from the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) continue to be at odds with public health directives. Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anton Best was obliged to support government’s recent decision to amend the travel protocol to allow fully vaccinated visitors with a valid PCR test to skip a second test and to observe quarantine. Bear in mind the ease in the entry requirement comes at a time the Covid 19 infection curve has not plateaued. 

The other question being asked is the reluctance of the medical fraternity in Barbados, both, public and private to deviate from the ‘script’ by prescribing off-label drugs like Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine. Although the establishment has not authorized these drugs to treat Covid 19, several favourable reports have been reported by some medical practitioners. We know the several Covid 19 vaccines are certified to prevent serious illness and death BUT …

Has the time come for Barbados health officials both public and private to agree to expand therapeutic options to treat Barbadians in the prevailing environment, approved by the FDA be damned?

Difficult Conversations – Open Letter to the Anti-Vaxxers

Submitted by Grenville Phillips, Chartered Structural Engineer

Dear Anti-Vaxxers:

Long before COVID-19, you were against vaccinations for your own reasons. Those reasons were accepted by the Government and people of Barbados, and you lived among us in peace – for decades. You did not advocate that Barbadians be forced to adopt your lifestyle. You simply lived – and let others live.

With the advent of COVID-19, your reasons for being anti-Vaxx no longer mattered. It was decided that all unVaxxed had only two choices – either be jabbed, or be forced into bankruptcy, homelessness, and poverty.

IRREDEEMABLE.

The Government divided the unVaxxed into two groups, hesitant and anti-Vaxxers. The hesitant are supposed to be redeemable simpletons who can be bought, like how our enslaved ancestors were sold, with cheap trinkets. The Government is reportedly trying to find the right ‘incentives’.

You, the anti-Vaxxers, are supposed to be too hardened to be redeemed. You are supposed to be spreaders of dangerous misinformation, and a threat to the economy and social fabric of Barbados. You are supposed to be the real enemy of Barbados.

FALLING DIVIDED.

The Government talks about unity, while actively dividing Barbadians. Jesus stated that a house divided against itself cannot stand – so ruin is foreseen. Frustratingly, this division is unnecessary. So, what is the way forward?

With COVID-19 now out of all control in Barbados, we should design a system assuming that most Barbadians will be infected with COVID-19. To capture everyone, the system should be designed specifically for you.

PRODUCTIVITY AIM.

We should aim for COVID-19 not affecting our productivity. The current policy of shutting down schools and businesses, just because one person got COVID-19, only achieves unproductivity.

To achieve the productivity aim, people should try to avoid getting COVID-19, and if they get it, they should prepare themselves to recover quickly. We can try to avoid getting COVID-19 by following the sanitary protocols.

RECOVER QUICKLY.

We can prepare to recover quickly by giving our bodies strong immune systems to fight the virus. Therefore, we should live healthy lifestyles, including healthy eating. If we cannot obtain sufficient daily fruit, then we should take one 500 mg tablet of Vitamin C every day.

If anyone feels sick, then that person, and those who share the same home or work space, should take 1,000 mg of Vitamin C each day for the next two weeks. If someone gets COVID-19, and they recover, then they should have a natural immunity, which recent studies show is superior to the jabs.

JABS FOR THE VULNERABLE.

The vulnerable groups are the weak, the sick, and those who chose to live unhealthy lives. Given the high death rate in these vulnerable groups, they should be given the first option of the jabs. Anyone else can follow.

Barbadian tax-payers support all Barbadians who fall ill. Barbadians are encouraged to reject the high-fat, high-salt, high-sugar, and highly processed unhealthy fast food. But if they fall sick, we do not discriminate between those who responsibly lived healthy lifestyles, and those who irresponsibly did not.

LIVE AND LET LIVE.

Taxpayers pay to medically treat both the sexually faithful and the sexually promiscuous – we do not judge the sick. That is why the movement to withhold medical treatment to the unVaxxxed is so disgusting.

Those who want to trust the jabs to fight the virus should be allowed to do so. Those who want to build their immune systems naturally, and trust their bodies to fight the virus, should also be allowed to do so.

LIVE AND LET DIE.

The jabs should never be forced on anyone. Neither should living a healthy and moral lifestyle be forced on anyone. In such matters, the Government’s role should be to set national standards of the majority, and allow persons the freedom to both discuss and strive towards them.

So, what should you, the health-conscious anti-vaxxers do? Given the general unhealthy state of many Barbadians, your method of keeping to yourself was evidently a live and let die approach. Perhaps it is time that you became more vocal in advocating a healthier lifestyle, so that you may truly live and let live.

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer. He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com