The financial and public sectors have already bestowed accolades on Sir Harcourt Lewis, but more praise was given when the Bethel Methodist Church held a thanksgiving service in his honour on Saturday evening.Sir Harcourt, who was knighted in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list, was heralded for sterling development to the country and the credit union movement, and also for his work in the church, of which he has been a member since the 1940s.Sir Harcourt was highly commended for the work he did in the Barbados Public Workers and Cooperative Credit Union alongside Keith Bourne, both guiding lights during the formative years of the union and contributing to the wider movement with distinction over the years.Managing director and chief executive officer of the Insurance Corporation of Barbados Limited (ICBL), Wismar Greaves, said Sir Harcourt’s knighthood had come as no surprise – only one that had occurred in the fullness of time.“We thank you for the significant work you have put in at the ICBL” he told Sir Harcourt, who had started that institution back in 1978.ICBL’s first managing director David Deane, Minister of State (Ministry of Finance) Senator Darcy Boyce, Keith Bourne and Reverend Keith Rae were among those who paid tributes to the stalwart.Reverend Solomon Odoom in his homily said Sir Harcourt made way for those who did not think it possible to succeed at certain levels.“But you can only do those things through God who strengthens you; and it is God that has strengthened Sir Harcourt . . . ,” he told the congregation. (CT)
Aussie women take crown
THE THRILLING finish that was missing from the men’s ICC World Twenty20 final was provided for the women’s version last night.In a match that went down to the wire, Australia prevailed in a tense conclusion, beating New Zealand by three runs under the lights at Kensington Oval.If this was expected to be something of an anti-climax, it was far from and it came down to the very last ball to decide the outcome.The match might have lacked consistent big-hitting, but there was plenty of excitement during the last two overs that made it a contest to remember.New Zealand, chasing 107 to win, hardly appeared to be in the match for most of their response, but after a big penultimate over in which Sophie Devine lashed a four down the ground and a six over cow corner off successive balls, the match suddenly came to life with 14 runs needed from the final over.A single came off the first ball against fast bowler Clea Smith and Devine was good enough to manage four successive twos, the last of which she was denied a four from a magnificent diving save on the point boundary by Shelly Nitschke.Had Nitschke not stopped the ball, New Zealand would have needed three off the final delivery to win and two to send the match into a Super Over decider.Instead, five were needed off the last ball and a firm straight drive that might have had the potential for a boundary was partially stopped by the bowler’s foot on her follow through.As Devine ran through for a single, she dropped to the ground in disappointment and Australia celebrated the title that had eluded their men’s team earlier in the day when they were soundly beaten by England.While Australia avoided the double disappointment on the day, New Zealand endured a second successive defeat in the women’s final after losing to England at last year’s event.It was Australia’s sixth women’s global title and this victory came against the background of having won only half of their previous 20 matches in this format ahead of the tournament.They had to dig deep after New Zealand kept them down to 106 for eight. It appeared a modest total, but those who follow women’s cricket closely will tell you that around 120 is the par score in this version of the game.The vast majority of those who watched the men’s final remained on for the women’s event and would have been impressed with the manner in which Australia defended their total.New Zealand, dubbed in women’s cricket circles as the White Ferns, are known for their aggressive hitting but Australia hardly allowed it.New Zealand paid the price for the enterprising intentions in the early stages and Australia also sustained the pressure with the key wicket of semi-final hero Sara McGlashan who was run out by a direct throw in the fifth over.Devine, who batted at No. 4 and finished unbeaten on 38 off 35 balls, had to consolidate for most of the innings after New Zealand were reduced to 36 for five.Devine and Nicola Browne, who made 20, added 41 for the sixth wicket but there was a feeling that the big hitting was left for too late.Most of their problems were caused by 19-year-old medium-pacer Ellyse Perry who took three for 18 and won the Player Of the Match award.
YOUTH CALL
ARCHBISHOP Dr John Holder says it is important that young people make the most of the multimillion-dollar investment in their education.The Bishop of Barbados made this call at the Diocesan Synod of the Anglican Church at the St Michael Cathedral yesterday.“It is understandable why there will be the type of discussion we are hearing, if it is perceived that some of our youth are not making the best use of the golden opportunities for their development that are available to them.“When the largest item in our budget, well over $500 million, goes towards the development of our youth, from education in schools to a wide range of other education activities, there is need for vigilance to ensure that there is a sense of responsibility from those who benefit.”The Archbishop of the West Indies said it was natural there would be some concern.“There is a need to ensure that the taxpayers’ money is put to good use and those who benefit from it understand the responsibility that comes with the opportunities it provides.“Whenever there seems to be wastage, whenever there seems to be a lack of understanding of how much we are spending on education by those on whom the money is being spent, there will be the concern,” he added.“We must, however, ask ourselves two questions: is the trend that we are detecting among some of our youth simply a case of young, inquisitive, restless minds following ways that may not be too useful for their wholesome development?“Or secondly, is it one that is the direct result of adults taking their hands too quickly off the rudder and not offering the firm guidance and the support that are critical for helping our youth in their development into responsible adults, thus allowing others to entice them into negative behaviour?”Turning his congregation’s attention to the global economic recession, the archbishop said there were lessons of character for Barbadians to learn from.“They can teach us about our limitations and our strengths. They should remind us of our vulnerability but also about our resilience in crisis.“These are qualities that we need to have at work in our country at this time. They are the type that we readily associate with the Barbadian personality,” he said.Holder said that countries, like companies, were being driven to bankruptcy.“There is Iceland and Greece, and the list may get longer. What just a few years ago seemed impossible is now harsh reality. But the challenge before us is not simply one about creating jobs and balancing budgets. “It is also about grappling with a sense of vulnerability, the type of which we probably have not experienced for a long time, if ever. For even if we are able to reconstruct a far better world economic system, the taste of our vulnerability will linger long in our mouths.” (MK)
‘Confusion rife’
Far too many statutory corporations in Barbados can’t get the job done because of the Cabinet reshuffles and frequent changes of board chairmen since 2008, says Opposition Leader Mia Mottley. Mottley argued that before state enterprises could settle down under one minister or chairman, the Thompson administration changed them. The upshot, Mottley contended, was that the corporations and their professionals were unable to function effectively,“As if that wasn’t bad enough,” she added, “it was taking the Government too long to make up its mind about filling key posts in the public service. “It is happening in Foreign Affairs, the judiciary and in other entities,” she told the Daily Nation in New York where she met with Bajans and other Caribbean immigrants in the city. “And when they do make decisions, there is an unusual number of changes for a Government that is only two-and-a-half years old.“You had three chairmen at the BIDC [Barbados Investment & Development Corporation] in two and a half years,” she charged. “You had three chairmen at the SSA [Sanitation Service Authority] in two-and-a-half years. “You had at least two chairmen at the NCC [National Conservation Commission]. You had changes in personnel. You had a Barbados Tourism Authority board where half of the people were sent home more than a year ago, pending a restructuring; and nothing has happened with the restructuring. “There is a sense that you get that the Government has not yet settled down . . . [and got] into the governance of the country.” Mottley said the frequent changes were disruptive of the corporations’ work because the professionals and the staff were unable to establish effective working relationships with the ministers or the chairmen.“The staffs have to get to know them, how they work. There is the human element that we are not counting for,” she said. “The only people who are suffering are the wider population and the country.”Mottley held a town hall meeting in Brooklyn over the weekend at St Gabriel’s Episcopal Church on Hawthorne Street. She also met with the BLP’s New York branch.“It has been a very productive visit,” she said.Mottley, who arrived last Thursday is due to return home today. She was accompanied by Opposition parliamentarian Cynthia Forde, the general secretary of the BLP and former Minister of State in the Ministry of Education during the Owen Arthur administration.
T20 triumph
THE MOTHER COUNTRY chose Little England yesterday to finally make history on world cricket’s stage.England, the county which invented the sport and hosted the first three World Cups, are proud holders of a global title for the first time.In front of hundreds of their countrymen who travelled 4 000 miles from London to Bridgetown, they conquered seemingly invincible Australia with a perfect game to capture the ICC World Twenty20, courtesy a seven-wicket triumph in a final at Kensington Oval in which they closed out the opponents from the beginning.In the process, they denied Australia the unprecedented honour of simultaneously holding the ICC’s three major trophies.Never before in 18 international tournaments over 35 years has an England captain lifted silverware, but Paul Collingwood enjoyed the huge satisfaction of doing so moments after he was swarmed by teammates after hitting the winning run.“This is a very special moment. The guys deserve everything they’ve got today. We’ve won a World Cup. You cannot take that away from us,” Collingwood told reporters.“We fully deserve the victory because of the way we played throughout the tournament. We’ve been consistent. We’ve taken the game to the opposition. The guys fought well for themselves.”Australia, fresh from a tournament high 197 in a sensational penultimate ball victory against Pakistan in the semi-finals, were restricted to 147 for six due to a combination of high-class fielding and probing bowling.After a sound start, they made light work of the target, accomplishing their mission in 17 overs with a match-winning partnership between the dynamic South Africa born batsmen Kevin Pietersen and Craig Kieswetter in which they unleashed a series of remarkable strokes once they asserted themselves.Their only worry appeared to be when the sightscreen at the northern end stuck, leading to a short delay during which time the players went off the field.Man of the Match Kieswetter cracked 63 off 49 balls and Player of the Tournament Pietersen 47 off 31 balls, the pair adding 111 for the second wicket that settled the outcome of the match, but it was England’s effort in the field and with the ball that set uptheir victory.They hardly put a foot wrong after they chose to field first – their accustomed preference in the tournament in which they won three of their last four matches when chasing.The first four Australia wickets to fall came from wonderful efforts that left them in tatters at eight for three and later 45 for four.The first piece of brilliance came from an alert Graeme Swann who dived to haul in a catch at first slip after wicket-keeper Kieswetter muffed the initial offering from Shane Watson, one half of Australia’s dangerous opening combination.The other half, David Warner, didn’t get going either, falling to a run out from a direct underarm throw by Michael Lumb.Kieswetter made no mistake second time around to take a high leg-side catch from Brad Haddin that gave Ryan Sidebottom a second wicket, but television replays appeared to show that the ball came from the body and not the bat.In the past, Australia displayed plenty of depth to work their way out of uncomfortable positions. Not so this time. They didn’t completely collapse, but most of the innings was spent rebuilding instead of dominating.David Hussey led a recovery of sorts with 59 off 54 balls and added 37 with captain Michael Clarke who made a run-a-ball 27 before he was prised out by a neat low catch by his opposite number, Collingwood. Cameron White threatened with a quickfire 30 off 19 balls, but it was too little, too late.Australia came into the match with an unbeaten record and six successive victories, needing only to win here to achieve the only piece of silverware missing from their collection.Afterwards, skipper Clarke admitted they were second best on the day.“The boys were very keen and excited. We knew it was going to be a great game. We had to be at our best. We knew England was going to be tough. They are a very good Twenty20 team,” he said.“It didn’t help after losing those three wickets early and it put a lot of pressure on our middle order. We were probably 30 runs short. The way how England batted, we were probably about 50 runs short.”
Central Bank salutes stalwarts
STAFF MEMBERS of the 38-year-old Central Bank of Barbados were lauded for their contributions to the institution in a tastefully and well-produced Twelfth Annual Awards and Recognition Ceremony at the Hilton Barbados on Saturday evening.Awardees, almost one for each year of existence of the Church Village, St Michael financial institution, were dressed to the nines as they celebrated one another’s milestones.The ceremony was divided into presentations of ten, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35-year awards and was enhanced by entertainment interludes featuring dancers Akeima and Renice Bostic, spoken word poet Adrian Green, and jazz singer Marissa Lindsay accompanied by Mike Sealy on guitar.In his opening remarks, Central Bank Governor Dr DeLisle Worrell encouraged staffers to renew their commitment to making the bank a caring community that worked cooperatively to attain the highest goal and standards.He challenged his charges “to be steadfast in our determination to reach that goal no matter how often we may stumble”. Worrell also described the event as an “excellent opportunity to sit back from our everyday task and to celebrate the achievement of the Central Bank over the almost 40 years of its life . . . and the contributions that our long-serving colleagues have made to these achievements”.He said the occasion was a time for the bank’s employees to remind themselves about how far they had come and “the achievement of the Central Bank in providing analysis and advice for Government and the general public; in providing a sound regularly framework for the expansion and diversification of financial services; in providing currency and payment systems that have kept up with the times and in providing another range of services to the finance and business community”.Worrell also described the night as one when the staff should renew their commitment “to the vision that we have for the future of the Central Bank”.“Coming here tonight, we make real at least for tonight the vision of a happy family of well-motivated individuals all supporting each other in pursuit of the goals of excellence and efficiency in all that we do.”After the formalities, staffers and guests were treated to dinner and dancing. (JS)
‘No part in plot’
PORT-OF-SPAIN – Fuad Abu Bakr, Political Leader of the New National Vision (NNV) and son of 1990 attempted coup leader Yasin Abu Bakr, has categorically denied any link between his party and five persons who were arrested after police unearthed a plot to disrupt the 2010 general election.Abu Bakr was responding to the detention of five suspects last Thursday at a house at McKenzie Drive, Point Cumana, Carenage in which police allegedly found a deadly AK-47 rifle, ammunition and T-shirts belonging to the NNV.Last Friday at an emergency press conference, Acting Police Commissioner James Philbert stated that police had information that there was a plot by certain people to disrupt the elections.He said their information led them to a house where they arrested five suspects.But, in a press release issued late on Friday night, Abu Bakr said his party had no connection with the detained persons or any alleged plot to destabilise the country during the election proceedings, describing the incident as a “timely political ploy to discredit the party (NNV)”.Describing the discovery of the gun, ammunition and NNV jerseys as alarming and “coming at a very convenient time for the NNV opponents”, Abu Bakr said: “We certainly have no desire or intent to disrupt this coming election given our excellent progress.”The suspects are expected to be charged with possession of a gun and ammunition and appear before a Port of Spain magistrate today. (Trinidad Express)
One for the books!
AT LAST!After 35 years of global cricketing contests, England finally took on the world in the sport they created – and won.Being long-suffering seems to be an English sporting trait and global titles have been few and far between for the sports-mad nation.One FIFA World Cup title. One Rugby World Cup title. And now, a global cricket title: the ICC World Twenty20.Even before the start, it was clearly England’s day as West Indian fans, Sri Lankan fans, South African fans, Pakistani fans and everyone else who was not Australian, temporarily became part of the Barmy Army – sort of.In fact, the main similarity between the men’s finals in the morning and the more low-keyed women’s final in the afternoon was that everyone was cheering lustily against Australia.A group of Pakistani fans in the Greenidge & Haynes Stand summed up the feelings of most of those around the ground with a sign which implored:“England, please thrash Australia.”With the crowd firmly on their side and hundreds of flags of Saint George fluttering around Kensington Oval, the English team set about doing just that.Within the first three overs, the Aussies, who had looked invincible for the entire tournament, suddenly looked vulnerable. Three wickets fell for a mere eight runs and Kensington rocked with the roars of English fans, both real and newly acquired.The Oval continued rocking as the Australians stumbled to 95 for 5 in the 16th over but their eventual score of 147 for 6 was better than they looked yesterday.However, England’s multi-cultural team made the total look small, led by their South African-born batsmen Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen, Man Of The Match and Player Of The Tournament respectively.As Kieswetter and Pietersen started to flow in their match-winning 111-run partnership, England’s fans seemed to be caught between euphoria and disbelief.Even as their victory became imminent, the vast majority of the English supporters were surprisingly quiet. They waved their flags at each boundary but otherwise seemed almost afraid to jinx the victory with too much early vocal celebration.On the other hand, the colourful Mornflake Marauders, a group of English rugby players/cricket supporters, whose costumes gave them a striking resemblance to the Teletubbies, were firmly on the side of euphoria.“I’m feeling hotter than the sun!” declared a Marauder encased in a skin-tight purple bodysuit.“But I don’t care! We’re going to beat Australia!” he screamed jubilantly. And they did.
Tired of being abused by the man I love
Dear Christine, I am a woman of quite a few problems. You see I’m a bad judge of character.
I say that because almost all the men I have dated have abused or battered me in one form or another. Be it punching, kicking, mentally, emotionally and even sexually. At this moment I feel like a pack of bread on a shelf that everyone squeezes, but never wants.
You see Christine, some years ago, I met a guy, he was nice in the beginning or so I thought. He smokes that “mind altering” stuff, while drinking a mixture of Hennessy, Magnum and Guinness. He then wants to do ungodly things to you. Things that make you afraid and ashamed to look in a mirror because the face staring back looks familiar, but you wonder who are you.
Christine, people that read this would want to know why I put up with him, but I thought my love for him could make him see he was hurting me. In our relationship, there were other women. I was assured that because he was my junior and I was dedicated to him every which way he would stop.
But I was wrong. He left me for someone else. I was with him for nine years. Never once cheated. How can he do that to me? I don’t have any diseases or anything of the sort. But do you know how I feel? After all of that we still made love. I don’t want another man. I am terrified.
My body has so much bruised blood, so much aches and pains, emotional scars. He even once raped me after a night of mixed drinks and partying with his friends. I told him I was going to the police, but he said he couldn’t get in trouble for that – I’m his woman.
Christine, there are things I would not mention because he would know it’s him. I once complained to the police for him and one of them told him. So I never did it again. I sometimes feel like ending my pain.
I am physically, emotionally, psychologically scared and drained. I can’t do this anymore. Can I get some feedback from your readers? – IN A WORLD BY MYSELF
DEAR IN A WORLD BY MYSELF: I do hope you get some constructive feedback from readers. I am not sure what I can tell you that would make you feel better.
I’d like to say –STAY as far away from this man as possible. But from what you say. I don’t think you know how. Whatever happens, do not end the pain in the way I think you mean.
You need to think of all the bad things this man has done to you, and you will see why you must stay clear of him for you own good health – mental and otherwise. If you’d like to talk to someone who will listen and try to help you through – call the crisis centre hotline at 435-8222.
– CHRISTINE
FirstCaribbean backs UWI
The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, has received US$1.2 million from FirstCaribbean International Bank to date and stands to benefit from a further US$375 000 over the next three years.Last Thursday, the university and the financial institution signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that provides for the bank’s disbursement of US$125 000 each year for three years. This is the third consecutive MOU between the institutions.The bank also pledged grants of US$45 000 to provide capital to graduates of one of Cave Hill’s newest programmes, SEED (Student Entrepreneurial Empowerment Development), to help them start businesses.According to executive chairman of the bank, Michael Monsoor, the new arrangement was designed to give support to students by encouraging and developing self-reliance.“Also, as part of this MOU, FirstCaribbean is pleased to take part in another new programme that supports students of the university in their transition [from] academia to the work environment. “Over three years we will be establishing a pilot graduate placement programme where students can benefit from career development workshops and register for both long- and short-term job placements in their areas of specialisation . . .“We consider this new MOU bigger, better and more comprehensive – not only because of the level of funding but more particularly because the net has been widened to ensure that even more students benefit from all planned initiatives,” said Monsoor.Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the university, Sir Hilary Beckles, said that over five years ago, UWI recognised that no campus could survive without full support of the private sector.“We reached out the best we could to urge our private sector stakeholders to participate in the development in our new funded model . . . and to assist us. “FirstCaribbean Bank is one of the first institutions to come to our assistance to speak with us about how best to achieve these targets for the institution,” he said.Beckles said the university had been able to develop some infrastructures at the campus. He reported that they now had the First Caribbean Suite, which was used for consultancies, training and teaching.The bank also provides scholarships to students. (MM)