Home Blog Page 10

Research must drive better health care

Carlos Atwell
-
0
Research must drive better health care

Medical research and practical medicine must meld seamlessly to the benefit of the public.

This was the consensus during the opening ceremony of the 25th annual Errol Walrond Scientific Symposium, held last Friday in the auditorium of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Martindale’s Road, St Michael.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Senator Lisa Cummins, delivered the feature address.

She asked the participants what their legacy would be.

“What will be your legacy? In whose shadow will you stand, and who will stand in yours?

This [symposium] is about medical ethics. This is about the future of health care. This is about how policy, ethics, empirical research, implementation, and operationalisation all collide to be able to give an outcome.

“What is the role of the people in this room in developing solutions to solve today’s problems? How do you stand in the shade of Sir Errol Walrond and pave the way – I call it institutional scaffolding – for those who will come behind you to stand in your shade?” she asked.

Cummins said change was happening fast, and medicine was at the forefront of it and asked the audience more questions they needed to answer for themselves.

“Artificial intelligence is already reshaping what we do, robotics is redefining the operating theatre and climate change is creating public health emergencies that many of our textbooks historically never considered and never conceptualised.

So let me be plain – change is happening; change is already here, and more change is still to come.

“So the only question left for you, researchers in the room, is: Where will you lead? When will you lead, and in what areas?

We have to be able to figure out what our niche areas are going to be. We can’t do everything, but let’s also look at what we have,” she said.

The minister said resources such as the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre of the University of the West Indies, the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory and the Barbados Living Laboratory were readily available and pledged her and Government’s support.

“I believe in the people that I work with. I believe in the doctors, administrators and management of this hospital because you cannot blow up the house that you are inside of.

So I am committed to working with all of you and to being able to face the challenges that we need to be able to solve while being able to rebuild and to reform and to transform and to give something new to those who will come after us.

“We have the ingredients. We have them right here. They may not all fit neatly together; we know that, we accept that. But we have the ingredients, and it will be my commitment to you to work together with the University of the West Indies, to work together with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, to work together with all of our professionals across the way to be able to knit them together deliberately, intentionally, cohesively, and strategically into a single-built ecosystem,” she said.

Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Dr Damian Cohall, said the symposium was a way to show the public their research and how it could be applied for practical purposes.

Cohall said his faculty remained committed towards enhancing medical education, research developments and advancements in healthcare, not only to Barbados but also to the region.

“To emphasise this commitment, we have certainly been doing a lot of things internally and externally.

Some of these are specifically related to oral programming. Of course, one of our primary areas of focus is medical education, so we continue in that space to develop new programmes that meet the needs of today’s healthcare systems,” he said.

Cohall said they recently launched a suite of programmes and currently feature a post-graduate certificate, post-graduate diploma and postgraduate master of science in digital health and innovation. In addition, he said they had re-emphasised the importance of ethics, adding their ethics conferences were now mandatory and were attracting more than just trainees.

The Dean also said they had recently received funding to refurbish their Williams annex, adding he wanted to develop it into a centre of excellence in translational and prescription medicine.

“The University of the West Indies, historically, has always been considered the academic and clinical leader in this hospital. And in my eyes, that space will be symbolic going forward, because it will now be the symbolic centre for the University of West Indies in the hospital, where we expect cutting-edge knowledge ideation to take place,” he said.

The ceremony also featured remarks from the director of medical services at the QEH, Dr Carlos Chase and UWI deputy principal Professor Winston Moore. There were also presentations of Professor Sir Errol’s book A Question of Ethics by the author himself. (CA)

Sammy wants Caribbean qualifiers

Philip Spooner
-
0
Sammy wants Caribbean qualifiers

West Indies have already determined that they will have to play in the qualification tournament in order to reach the next ICC Men’s World Cup tournament.

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy spoke on Tuesday night after the end of the five-match series against New Zealand and told members of the media they are already planning to go that route.

They lost the series 3-2 to the Black Caps and are now on 77 points in the ICC points table for ODIs. They started the series 10 behind Bangladesh in the race for the last automatic spot for the marquee global tournament, which will be played in southern Africa in October and November 2027.

They improved their standings but remain six adrift of Bangladesh, who are ninth on 83 points, and are unlikely to catch up by the September 30, 2026 deadline.

The DAILY NATION asked Sammy directly about his thoughts on the variables surrounding the various scenarios and he expressed confidence they will do what is required to make the big show. He also said it would be good to consider hosting the qualification tournament in the Caribbean, even though no dates or venues have been announced by the ICC. Sources said the likely time line was early next year and the likely venue would again be Zimbabwe, where the tournaments were played ahead of the 2019 and 2023 World Cups.

Out of our hands

“We have no information on where and when it’s going to be. We do understand, though, the qualifying method, but as to when and where – we don’t know at this stage. I did ask the director of cricket a question on that earlier this week and he’s going to get back to me on that.

“If we have a choice, home is where the heart is,” Sammy said. “I’m pretty sure all the guys would love to play at home in Barbados, St Lucia or even Antigua where we do quite well, but it’s out of our hands. Actually, myself and the analyst, we were checking during the game to see if there was a possibility, but it looks like we really have to go through the qualifiers and then book our place.”

The DAILY NATION also asked Sammy his thoughts on the outcome of the just concluded series, which saw his team lose 3-2. West Indies won by two wickets on Tuesday night but New Zealand won the series when they clinched a win in Game 4 on Sunday evening at the Oval. They also won the second match by five wickets and the third by six wickets after the Windies took the series opener by seven wickets.

“No, 3-2 is not a fair result at all . . . . Before that Sri Lanka series we tried to make home our fortress, and we were on the cusp of doing that. We won the last four series in a row before Sri Lanka, and we wanted to continue winning games. Guyana was a challenge, but yet we started off the series quite well. I think if we reflect and look back, too many opportunities we had to win, the batting really did let us down, especially batting first. It doesn’t matter the score at home. When we’re chasing, it’s just a boost of confidence for the guys and I think we really need to change that mindset . . . but I think 3-2, we were not looking for that result,” Sammy said. (PS)

Oil prices hit $100 for the first time since May

Nationnews Desk
-
0
Oil prices hit $100 for the first time since May

Oil prices hit $100 a barrel for the first time since May as the escalating conflict in the Middle East reignited fears over global energy supplies.

Brent crude – the global benchmark for oil prices – rose more than 5%on Thursday after several days of increases as the US stepped up military strikes against Iran.

Prices spiked after Houthi militia attacked oil tankers in the Red Sea, threatening a key export route that Saudi Arabia has used to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

Gas prices have also risen steadily over the past month, with the benchmark UK gas price currently at around 150 per therm, up from around 98p per therm on 26 June.

On Thursday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said three tankers had abandoned an attempt to pass through Hormuz after an explosion aboard one of them caused it to catch fire.

A temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran has failed and this week US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the people in charge in Iran were “not ready to make a deal”. (BBC)

NCF announces Pic O De Crop refunds

Natanga Smith
-
0
NCF announces Pic O De Crop refunds

The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) has announced refund arrangements for patrons who have already purchased tickets for the Courtesy Garage Pic O De Crop Finals which will no longer be held at Kensington Oval and have been relocated to CARIFESTA House, Waterford, St Michael.

In a release yesterday, the NCF said the event, scheduled for July 31, will now take place at the new venue.

“The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) wishes to advise the public that the Pic O De Crop Finals, scheduled for Friday, July 31, have been relocated from the Kensington Oval to CARIFESTA House, Waterford, St Michael,” the foundation said.

According to the NCF, patrons holding Upper 3Ws Stand tickets may opt to receive either a full refund or a refund of the difference in ticket price.

The release explained that customers who purchased their tickets online would have the applicable refund credited directly to the account used for the purchase.

Those who bought tickets at physical box offices are being asked to return to the same box office where the tickets were purchased to process either a full refund or a refund of the difference in ticket price.

All other valid tickets will be honoured for admission to the Finals at CARIFESTA House. (PR/NS)

Home-made gun costs youth $10 000

Heather-Lynn Evanson
-
0
Home-made gun costs youth $10 000

You don’t even want to see a picture of a firearm.

This Content Is Only For Subscribers

Please subscribe to unlock this content. Enter your email to get access.
Your email address is 100% safe from spam!

Death toll in Guyana ferry tragedy climbs as regional recovery effort expands

Nationnews Desk
-
0
Death toll in Guyana ferry tragedy climbs as regional recovery effort expands

 Search, rescue and recovery operations following the capsizing of the MV Barima have intensified with the arrival of maritime assets and personnel from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and the Brazilian Navy.

The foreign teams have joined the Guyana-led operation, providing support for diving missions and other specialised recovery efforts at the site of the disaster.

Authorities say 19 vessels and three aircraft are now involved in the operation. Smaller vessels from the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration Department have also been deployed to search inland waterways for any remaining passengers.

Technical teams continue assessing the overturned vessel to determine the safest way to right it and improve access for divers. The recovery plan involves repositioning the wreck before attaching maritime salvage airbags to restore buoyancy. Once refloated, the vessel will be towed closer to shore to allow for continued search and recovery operations.

Three additional bodies were recovered since the previous official update, bringing the number recovered on Wednesday to five. The overall death toll now stands at 65.

Officials said relatives have positively identified 44 victims, while 23 bodies have already been released to their families for burial. The number of survivors remains unchanged at 76.

Regional authorities and the Ministry of Health continue to work with grieving families to facilitate identification and the release of victims.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has declared three days of national mourning in honour of those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

National flags are being flown at half-mast throughout the mourning period.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Guyanese gathered Wednesday evening at the Kingston Seawall Bandstand in Georgetown for a National Interfaith Prayer Service to remember the victims and support survivors and their families.

Among those attending were Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, Cabinet ministers, members of the diplomatic corps, religious leaders, members of the disciplined services, indigenous leaders and citizens from across the country.

Addressing the gathering, Phillips described the sinking of the MV Barima as one of the darkest moments in Guyana’s recent history.

He extended condolences on behalf of Ali, the Government and the people of Guyana, telling grieving families they would not face the difficult days ahead alone.

The prime minister also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the ongoing recovery effort and praised the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, Guyana Police Force, medical personnel, divers, local fishermen, volunteers and private sector partners for their dedication since the disaster.

Additional memorial events are scheduled with a night of reflection and prayer to be held in Port Kaituma on Thursday and in Mabaruma on Friday.

The Government said every available resource will continue to be deployed until the recovery operation is complete, while support remains in place for the families affected by the tragedy. (CMC)

Crackdown at housing project

Nationnews Desk
-
0
Crackdown at housing project

Government officials yesterday descended on a National Housing Corporation (NHC) contracted housing project in Brighton, St George, ordering the immediate removal of migrant workers who had been packed into unfinished houses.

The swift crackdown comes hot on the heels of yesterday’s MIDWEEK NATION exclusive investigation that exposed the shocking living conditions of workers from India and the Philippines hidden within the middleincome housing project.

Minister of Labour Colin Jordan told the DAILY NATION that officers from the Labour Department visited the site yesterday morning and had been addressing the matter throughout the day.

Last Sunday, a NATION team descended on the compound and was informed by Filipinos that as many as 13 of them were living in one of the houses. It was discovered that every room contained three to four makeshift beds. The kitchen had one small stove and the bathroom buckets. Clothes were hanging on the walls and thrown on beds. The walls of the newly-built houses were dirty and greasy, as were the kitchen cupboards.

Hit by thieves

The NHC contracted the building of the houses to developer Ismail Bhana. Forty-seven houses are being constructed on the site.

Bhana justified the workers living in three of the houses, pointing out that the construction site had been hit by thieves on multiple occasions. He also said he had enquired about a barrack licence from the Ministry of Health and Wellness but was informed that a house did not fall under the category of a barrack. He noted that the site had been inspected often by health officials.

Of yesterday’s crackdown, Jordan stated: “This morning officers of the Labour Department visited the workers housing in St George. The Department has been addressing the matter the entire day. We are taking a whole-of-Government approach, working with ministries, including the Ministry of Health and the Immigration Department. The approach is similar to that employed in the previous situation (JADA).”

He confirmed that the contractor was told the workers could not remain on the site.

“Once housing conditions are substandard, workers will not be permitted to reside in them,” Jordan said. “All of the requirements and permissions around the establishment and use of any structure for housing workers must be met – whether planning, electrical, environment or health. They must all be in place before any workers are housed in them. We are continuing our work to protect all workers, both Barbadian workers and migrant workers.”

Yesterday’s intervention comes exactly three weeks after a high-level team led by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, Jordan and officials from the Barbados Workers’ Union visited barracks occupied by migrant labourers employed by JADA Construction. That team condemned the living conditions and ordered the workers relocated immediately. JADA was subsequently forced to renovate the barracks and apply for a barrack licence before the workers could return.

Pull agencies together

When asked for an update on the JADA situation, Jordan said it was still being processed through multiple Government channels.

“These matters go beyond Ministry of Labour and they definitely go beyond Ministry of Health as well. There are a number of other agencies that have to weigh in. While Government is traditionally seen as very siloed, we are working to pull agencies together so that we can address these things holistically,” he said.

He listed the agencies involved in these investigations as the Immigration Department, Planning and Development Department, Barbados Fire Service, Government Electrical Engineering Department, the Environmental Department and the Barbados Water Authority.

(Nation News Desk)

MISSING: Richard Rudolph Cumberbatch

Sherrylyn Clarke
-
0
MISSING: Richard Rudolph Cumberbatch

A 53-year-old St Thomas man was reported missing, last seen around 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

Ayshford resident Richard Rudolph Cumberbatch was at the time wearing a red polo shirt, light blue long jeans, and a pair of white sneakers.

He is approximately 5’4″ tall, with a slim build and brown complexion. He has a square-shaped head and face, a low black haircut with a receding hairline, small brown eyes, a bulbous nose, small ears – each pierced once – a small mouth, and thin lips.

Cumberbatch has an erect appearance and walks with his head tilted slightly to the left. He also speaks softly.

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Richard Rudolph Cumberbatch, is asked to contact the District ‘D’ Police Station at 419-1726, Police Emergency at 211, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIPS (8477), or any police station.  (PR/SAT)

Estate residents say they’re being left out of $18m project

Diara Springer
-
0
Estate residents say they’re being left out of $18m project

Some residents of the historic Codrington Estate in St John are feeling shut out of a multimillion-dollar reparations project they say is meant to benefit them.

 They are calling on the Codrington Trust to open real lines of communication on the roughly 700-acre estate, stretching from Consett Bay to The Lodge School, which has stood since the 1700s. 

“The trust is not communicating with the people,” long-time resident Ian Brathwaite told the DAILY NATION. 

Keith Forde, who has been raising concerns about the project, said the $18 million reparations initiative – set to be disbursed at $1.8 million a year over ten years – was developed without any real consultation with the people living on the estate. 

“We’ve got documentation from the USPG [United Society Partners in the Gospel] confirming that there has not been any consultation with the residents on the estate. The only thing the residents will be consulted on is how the burial places should be memorialised.

“When you look at the make-up of the project, you’ve only got two parties – the Codrington Trust and the USPG – and no representative of the tenants. Simply by that fact, it cannot be a reparative project for the atrocities that were committed on the estate,” Forde charged.

He also raised questions about the source of the project’s proposals. 

“They’re saying there was a report done in 2020,” he said, while questioning why a copy of it was not provided.

He pointed to a United Kingdom architecture firm’s website describing a project it did for the trust, aimed at helping it “attract investors so they can provide themselves with a stable financial future” – proposals he said closely resembled the road-repair plan now being pitched to tenants as reparative justice. 

“If proposals are meant to put you in a steady financial future, how is that reparative justice on the estate?” he asked.

Brathwaite, who helped form the Farmers and Tenants Union out of one of the project’s early public meetings, described being turned away from a more recent meeting at Codrington College. 

“The guard came politely to us and told us no one knew about the meeting and asked us to leave,” he said.

Residents said they had also asked the trust for copies of its accounts going back ten to 15 years, without success. 

Asked what reparations should look like, Forde called for a medical programme addressing hereditary illnesses linked to slavery-era diets, an education programme spanning primary through tertiary levels, and a genuine voice for residents in managing the estate. 

“At the end of the day, it is we that are living on the estate. Anything that happens on this estate would affect us, not them,” he said.

Efforts were made to get a response from the Codrington Trust on the residents’ concerns. When Anglican Bishop of Barbados Michael Maxwell, one of the trustees, was contacted, he referred all queries to Kevin Farmer, the trust’s executive secretary. 

Farmer indicated he would be in a position to address questions on the matter next week, once he has returned to the island. (DDS)

Son of Obadele Thompson secures spot at World Athletics U-20 Championships

Nationnews Desk
-
0
Son of Obadele Thompson secures spot at World Athletics U-20 Championships

Twenty-six years after Obadele Thompson stood on an Olympic podium in Sydney, the Thompson name is going global in ultramarine, gold and black once again.

This time, it will be through his son Amir who was named to Barbados’ squad for the 2026 World Athletics Under-20 Championships from August 5 to 9 in Eugene, Oregon.

Back in 2000, Obadele Thompson took bronze in the 100m at the Sydney Olympics, finishing behind Maurice Greene and Ato Boldon.

Fast forward to present day and Amir headlines the group of 16 athletes making the journey to Eugene which also includes several names known to local track and field enthusiasts. He has a personal best 20.37 seconds in the 200 metres.

Jahkye Brewster, Jayden Walcott, Aidan Moore, Nyah Clarke and Zachary Wall all featured in the Under-18 team sent to the NACAC Under-18 and Under-23 Championships earlier this month, while Jayden Green, Rashad Gibson, Shamari Greenidge-Lewis and Aniya Nurse came through the Under-23 side at that same meet.

Combermere School shot putter Jayden Walcott set a CARIFTA record with an 18.41 metre throw in Grenada, then went even further at the NACAC Under-18 Championships launching the implement 21.82m to smash the meet’s Under-18 record and rank among the world’s leading throwers in his age group.

Jahkye Brewster has been the standout sprinter among Barbados’ Under-20 boys all year and lowered his 100m personal best to 10.56 seconds.

Nadal Seale, Aidan Moore, Brewster and Shamari Greenidge-Lewis made up the Under-20 boys’ 4x400m relay quartet that delivered one of the signature moments of this year’s CARIFTA Games, running 3:05.49 minutes to win gold and break a 13-year-old meet record.

Kadia Rock took silver in the Under-20 girls 400m at CARIFTA this year in a personal best 53.52 seconds. At the NACAC Under-23 Championships, she finished second in the Under-23 Women’s 400m final with a time of 51.92 seconds, breaking Sada Williams’ national junior record of 52.07 set in 2016.

Ashlyn Simmons, a two-time CARIFTA gold medalist this year in the Under-20 girls’ 800m and 1500m will also be in Eugene.

Jayden Green failed to defend his Under-20 200m title at CARIFTA but clocked a wind-assisted 20.17 seconds to win the Under-23 boys’ 200m at NACAC. He placed second in his heat of the 200m prelims and lowered his personal best with a new time of 20.42 seconds, following his 20.46 from the Barbados Grand Prix on July 4.

Running the operations in Eugene will be team manager Renee Layne. Ramon Armstrong is head coach with Alwyn Babb as assistant coach. Shonelle Trotman will serve as physiotherapist. (NM)

1...91011...13,684Page 10 of 13,684