Tag Archives: Kay McConney

All TALK about Education Making me Mad

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Submitted by Observing
Former Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw, deputy BLP leader
Minister of Education Kay McConney

On a political platform in 2018 the then leader of opposition announced that “Common Entrance must go!” The crowd cheered.

For three years the appointed Minister pronounced ad infinitum that “Common Entrance must go!” The masses bellowed.

For the last two years this Minister (when she actually speaks) joined the choir to lustily sing that “Common Entrance must go!” The audience applauded.

And of course the 66 year old once retired Director of Reform said emphatically and conclusively in the House of Parliament that the new system would be in place by September 2022 and “Common Entrance must go!” The pundits thumped their desks.

Now here we are.

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Business as usual at Ministry of Education

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Pollster and FORMER Brasstacks Moderator Peter Wickham
Chief Education Officer Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw
Minister of Education Kay McConney

Prime Minister Mia Mottley is on leave until November 3, 2022 and the public – despite offering strident dissatisfaction about the colossal muck up at the Ministry of Education arising from the infamous IDB Science Test – not a single person has been terminated for such a fatal mistake. The only casualty appears to be Peter Wickham.

Vote!

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No Quick Fix

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Submitted by Just Observing

Every once in a while this government finds a catch phrase and sticks to it. We had our “nothing to see here” moments. There was the famous “lost decade” and “old guard.” Once upon time it was “all uh we, my friends and no retreat no surrender.”

The newest catch phrase is “no quick fix.”

Dale Marshall’s response to the spike in crime that equals or surpasses that of 2006-7 which he criticised??

No quick fix.

The Central Bank Governor’s response to bank fees AFTER the Prime Minister said it has to stop?

No quick fix

The Prime Minister’s response to abolishing Common Entrance after proclaiming it so on a political platform and after Dr. Denny bragged about a 2023 end in Parliament?

No quick fix

The roll out of the Summer Nutrition Programme which NO ONE knew about before it was announced??

No quick fix

What about integrity legislation and freedom of information? After all, it’s 30-0 with a packed Senate

No quick fix

Cost of living. Tax on gas? Increasing prices? Decreasing items on shelves?

No quick fix

Legislation to protect the elderly and the vulnerable?

No quick fix

Legislation to protect hard working farmers from praedial larceny?

no quick fix

Repairs to housing damaged by Elsa and the provision of low income housing?

No quick fix

Covid numbers again at 400 with a consistent 33%+ positivity rate?

No quick fix

But then again, what should we expect. We were told to “gimme de vote and watch muh.” We were also told of “mission criticals” “many hands make light work” “we got dis” and “this is who we are.”

Whether BOSS, BERT, SUN, REAP, BOUNCE or whatever…. I guess it’s just back to life and back to reality.

No quick fix!!!

Leaders in Education Under Review

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Submitted by Paula Sealy

From Santia Bradshaw to Kay McConney, Dr. Karen Best to Joy Adamson to Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, June Chandler to Sandra Phillips to Janet Phillips to Betty Alleyne-Headley, to Dr. Idamay Denny, women have controlled education since 2018. It has become all but their exclusive domain. With a few male principals the message may be that educational leadership is really not for men. When the new deputy principals of secondary schools and principals of secondary and primary schools are announced it will be interesting.

Where do our young men as students and teachers in the education system turn to see role models?

We continue to see our young men regress in education and in society. As they fall behind little is being done at the policy level to avert the social and familial crises which will inevitably befall Barbados as educational leadership is monopolised more and more by women. 

Without the establishment listening to the men and women teaching in the schools who experience, know and comprehend the issues, identifying the real issues in education is a guessing game which is very costly to society. Developing solutions in the comedy of education reform is as thoughtful as NAPSAC promoting a healthy lifestyle to primary school students but accepting sponsorship from Chefette when high fat, high sugar and high salt content in foods are known to contribute to childhood obesity. The NSC and BUT cannot be serious as the organisers of NAPSAC. 

Issue Five Year Driver’s License to Senior Citizens

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wayne-cadogan

Submitted by Wayne Cadogan, Retired Garment Manufacturer, Trainer, Consultant

Recently the Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology (MIST), Senator Kay McConney, while she was speaking during an interview on CBC TV8 announced that Barbadians will be able to renew and pay for their driver’s licenses online by the end of June this year.

Yes, while this is an excellent and welcomed initiative, the government needs to revisit the legislation where at seventy years of age you can no longer get a five-year driver’s license. The government needs to come in line with the rest of the world, where all over the world five-year licenses are issued to drivers regardless of age.

The issuing of a one-year license at the age of seventy is a lot of red tapes, a hassle in all the running around to get a doctor’s certificate as well as having to stand in a long line to pay, a waste of material, paperwork and most important a waste of human resources that could be spent on more important internal matters.

There are many people in our society over seventy years that are in better physical shape than a lot of people under the age of seventy years, who are more responsible and adhere to and respect the motor laws of the country. They are a lot of younger people who have physical challenges and eye challenges and are allowed to have a five-year license. There are a number of other changes that need to be made to the road laws and one of them definitely would be the extending of the one-year license to five years.

Although the reason for the one-year license might be more of an income revenue earner for the government which in my mind I cannot see it raking in that amount of taxes as compared to five years and the waste of human resources as well as all the hassle for the license holder.

Another point that should be taken into consideration would be the many short and long term tourists that come to our shores each year and have to go through the same hassle as the local license holders in obtaining a license for a short period of time that they are here[. More than likely, all these tourists would be holders of a valid five years’ driver’s licenses from their respective countries.

Madam Minister, I am making an appeal for myself and on the behalf of those over seventy years that the government would amend the legislation on this law to bring it in line with some international countries