Yolande Forde has always been a pioneer of sorts. Not only is she the first criminologist in Barbados, but 20 years ago she became the first student to be awarded a scholarship by the Errol and Nita Barrow Educational Trust.
Forde, who was then 26, was studying at the London School of Economics (LSE) – Errol Barrow’s alma mater – was able to do so with financial help from her parents.
“My father allowed me to leave here on his financial steam.
However, when I got there I realized the money I had wasn’t enough to sustain my living and academic expenses in England, and so I continued my quest for funding,” Yolande told EASY magazine. “I approached the Errol and Nita Barrow Educational Trust in England and told them about my situation.
She so impressed Sir Roy Marshall of the Barbados High Commission and chairman of the British branch of the trust by the way she presented herself that the trust awarded her $2 393 (pounds).
Those funds were greatly needed to finalize payment for her studies, because Forde had already received warning letters from LSE stating that non-payment would result in termination of her studies.
Forde and many other Barbadians students have benefited tremendously from scholarships offered by the Errol and Nita Barrow Educational Trust which gives a total of $60 000 in scholarships annually to five students. Over the last 20 years, 80 people have received scholarships.
“These scholarships make the difference in a student going or not going to pursue their dream,” said Basil Springer. “The scholarship is for graduate study in non-traditional areas, so we really want to give people an opportunity to do something that will help Barbados, and we encourage them to come back.”
Not only did Yolande come back, but after completing her Masters in Criminal Justice Policy at LSE, she has become a force in her profession in Barbados and the wider region as well. During her 20-year career as a criminologist, Yolande has specialized in policy initiatives involving issues relating to border security, transnational organized crime, crime reduction strategies, correctional reform and legal and judicial reform. Currently, she is the manager of the National Council on Substance Abuse.
Though Forde has never forgotten the generosity of the Errol and Nita Barrow Educational Trust, and applauds the 79 students who have benefitted since she did, she questions whether Barrow himself would be fully pleased with where education and his country have come in 2011.
“He would have been proud of what I’ve achieved, but I would have wanted to do more,” she said. “However, when you are dealing with crime prevention it falls squarely within the context of government. The public service does not always facilitate the type of innovation and creativity that would have been brought to bear on the challenge at hand.
“I think Barrow would have been pleased with Barbados somewhat because we made tremendous strides as a small country without any natural resources and limited resources. But in that tide of modernization and development, while there are positive elements there are negative elements which need to be managed.”
Forde feels that Barrow would be particularly disturbed by the educational deficits she feels are becoming rampant in Barbadian society.
“The very opportunity of which he was the champion, which is state-sponsored education, is not being exploited by as many as our young people,” said Forde. “Now we have too many young people for whom school is a burden and for whom the teachers are a nuisance, and too many young people are not taking advantage of this tremendous privilege.”