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BCC closes early due to water outage

Nationnews Desk
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BCC closes early due to water outage

The Barbados Community College’s Eyrie Campus will be closed from 10:15 am today, Monday, March 30th, 2026 and classes will be moved online.

The closure is due to a ruptured Barbados Water Authority main along Howell’s Road, St Michael that has left much of the surrounding districts, including the Eyrie Campus, without water. 

BWA crews have been deployed to repair the main, however, in the interest of the health and safety of students and staff, the College’s Administration has taken the decision to facilitate classes online for the remainder of the day.

Classes, both daytime and evening, will be administered online through the Trident Learning portal and Microsoft Teams. 

The College is expected to return to normal operations tomorrow, Tuesday March 31st, 2026.

More questions over Barnett’s re-appointment

Nationnews Desk
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More questions over Barnett’s re-appointment

KINGSTON – Former assistant secretary general of CARICOM, Joseph Cox, is raising questions regarding the re-appointment of Dr Carla Barnett as the Secretary General of the 15-member regional integration grouping.

“Can Dr Carla Barnett effectively serve another five year term in the face of open objection, procedural concerns and underlying divergence among member states? Because in CARICOM, and indeed in small state regionalism more broadly, authority is not imposed,” said Cox, who resigned as the assistant secretary general for economic integration, innovation and development in August 2024.

“It is conferred through consensus, reinforced through process and sustained through trust. Remove those pillars and the position may remain legally intact. But operationally, it becomes far more difficult to hold.

“That is the real issue now confronting the community. These are not procedural questions. They are questions of institutional direction and institutional credibility,” Cox said in his weekly Caribbean Business Review (CBR) podcast yesterday.

Last week, in a brief statement, CARICOM chairman and St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew said Barnett had attained the “required majority” from among regional leaders regarding her re-appointment at last month’s CARICOM summit held in Basseterre.

However, Trinidad and Tobago has insisted that it was “not invited” to the deliberations that led Barnett’s reappointment, with Port of Spain adding that Antigua and Barbuda and The Bahamas were also absent. (CMC)

More Sagicor shareholders sell

Shawn Cumberbatch
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More Sagicor shareholders sell

More Sagicor shareholders in Barbados have been cashing in on the opportunity to sell their stock to local entity Barbados Stock Trading Company LLC (BSTC).

The company, which says it specialises in the purchase of shares in public companies from shareholders resident in the Caribbean, where the shares are not listed on a local exchange or where arranging the sale may be challenging, is targeting more. 

However, anyone selling their shares to BSTC is doing so at a significant discount based on the financial services group’s share price on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), where it trades exclusively.

In September last year, BSTC regional operations manager, Andrew Chiam said that the company paid 68 Sagicor shareholders here about $1 million to acquire 130 000 of their stock.

Last week, he reported that the company had now bought 420 000 shares from 300 of the Barbados-based shareholders, paying them $2.7 million.

BSTC took out a whole-page ad in the last MIDWEEK NATION in an effort to reach 626 Sagicor shareholders in Barbados to whom it sent an offer to purchase their shares.

“Each of those offers was unable to be delivered owing to outdated postal details,” Chiam said.

The regional operations manager said that overall his company’s cash offer to purchase Sagicor shares “has continued to be popular”.

BSTC’s offer to stockholders sought to buy 500 000 Sagicor shares from them at US$3.75 (BDS$7.50) per share. At the time it contacted shareholders, this cash offer was below the CAD$7.63 (BDS$11.06) closing price of the shares on the TSX on March 24, 2025.

On Friday on the TSX, Sagicor’s shares closed at CAD$9.15 (about BDS$13.18).

“The offer may be attractive to those shareholders who do not have an account with a stockbroker,” the company said in its offer to Sagicor shareholders here.

“While shareholders may receive more cash by selling their shares on the TSX than by accepting the offer, the offer provides a relatively easy way to sell their shares, if they wish to do so.”

Chiam said: “As it stands, BSTC has purchased shares from over 300 shareholders, all of whom have received payment by electronic funds transfer to their local bank account.

“A total of $2.7 million has been paid to shareholders. Where a person’s shares have not yet been transferred to BSTC or if we have written to them requesting further information or documents, those shareholders will be paid in due course.,” he added, urging shareholders with enquiries to contact BSTC, which has an office at One Welches, Welches, St. Thomas.

Sagicor, which has 135.4 million issued and outstanding common shares, has been cautioning its shareholders about the BSTC offer, calling it “an unsolicited mini-tender offer”.

“Sagicor is in no way associated with BSTC and does not recommend or endorse acceptance of this unsolicited offer,” the group stated.

“The unsolicited offer represents a discount of approximately 36.32 per cent below the closing price of Sagicor’s common shares on the TSX on September 4, 2025, the last trading day before the mini-tender offer was commenced, and a discount of approximately 36.29 per cent to the closing price of Sagicor’s common shares on the TSX on October 17, 2025.”

Sagicor, which owns and operates insurance companies in the Caribbean, United States, and Canada, said that mini-tender offers were “designed to seek less than five per cent
of a company’s outstanding shares, avoiding disclosure and procedural requirements applicable to most bids under Canadian and US securities regulations”.

“Securities regulators have expressed serious concerns about mini-tender offers. Shareholders should carefully review the BSTC offer documents and current market price for Sagicor common shares and consult their investment advisors regarding any offer they may receive and review with their advisors all options for their investment in Sagicor common shares,” it advised.

“According to BSTC’s offer documents, Sagicor shareholders who have already tendered their common shares can withdraw their shares no more than 14 days after the date of delivery of their tender form to BSTC by following the procedure described in the offer documents.”

One shareholder in Barbados who received the BSTC correspondence said that while Sagicor’s shares no longer traded on the Barbados Stock Exchange and individuals who wanted quick cash may find the offer attractive, “I will hold on to mine to get full value”.

A stock market observer, while questioning BSTC’s motives, noted that even if the company acquired 500 000 of Sagicor’s shares, as indicated in its most recent offer, this was “a mere
0.37 per cent of Sagicor’s overall common shares listed on the stock market in Toronto, in other words, a mere drop in the bucket for a group with more than $50 billion in assets”.

DLP Acting President Stephen Lashley outlines party restructuring

Ashminnie Moonsammy
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DLP Acting President Stephen Lashley outlines party restructuring

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is moving to restructure and reconnect with the public following the February 11 General Election.

Stephen Lashley, who was appointed Acting President at a General Council meeting on March 24, filling the vacancy left by former party president and Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne, said the party was re-examining its purpose and relevance while engaging more directly with Barbadians.

“We have to listen to Barbadians as to how they wish the Democratic Labour Party to reshape itself,” Lashley said at the party’s first press conference at its George Street Headquarters since the General Election. 

He added that outreach to constituency branches and members across the island would be intensified, with the aim of reigniting engagement and rebuilding public trust.

Lashley acknowledged recent electoral setbacks but said lessons have been learned. 

“The public of Barbados has spoken very strongly in favour of seeing a Democratic Labour Party that is focused, that is united, and that is full of purpose,” he said. 

He also stressed that regaining the confidence of Barbadians was central to the party’s role in strengthening democracy.

DLP general secretary Pedro Shepherd said: “Today marks another step forward as the party continues to strengthen its presence, sharpens its voice, and deepens its engagement with the people of Barbados”.

He added the party was “reordering ourselves internally while continuing our commitment to be a responsible, responsive, and effective voice in the national conversation”.

Senator Ryan Walters, who will chair the spokespersons group, introduced the team, describing it as a collective voice representing both the party and the concerns of Barbadians.

The spokespersons will focus on key issues including the cost of living, housing, jobs, education, healthcare, and small business. Members named include:

• Corey Greenidge – Legal Affairs, Attorney General and Criminal Justice

• Pedro Greaves – Sports and Culture

• Rasheed Belgrave – Tourism and International Transport

• Ian Griffith – Housing, Transport and Works

• Amoy Gilding-Bourne – Agriculture and Fisheries

• Quincy Jones – Education and Trade

• Jason Phillips – Small Business and Entrepreneurship

• Felicia Dujon – Health and Elder Affairs

• Janine Butcher – Youth and Community Empowerment

• Ryan Walters – Finance and Economic Affairs

Walters described the announcement as phase one of the party’s restructuring. “It’s just the beginning… as we go forward, we will rejig and other voices will be added to enhance how we communicate with the public.”

He added that the spokespersons’ role was to scrutinise government policies, offer solutions, and maintain accountability, ensuring the party remains closely connected to the concerns of Barbadians.

Forde: Foreday needs more structured approach

Nationnews Desk
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Forde: Foreday needs more structured approach

One of the directors of Vida by Esquire, Senator Ryan Forde, is proposing a safer, more structured approach to Foreday Morning Jam, including the use of multiple venues, as concerns grow over private events being hosted alongside the national festival.

Speaking during Vida by Esquire band launch at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre recently, Forde told the Weekend Buzz the increasing size of Foreday bands and shifting patron preferences point to the need for change, particularly where safety and organisation are concerned.

“I haven’t jumped in Bridgetown for Foreday since probably my early 20s. The people Barbados attract to come to our events they stopped before the private events started, they stopped going into Bridgetown for different reasons at night and how things are going they just felt more comfortable to try something different something fresh.” 

He added: “I’m not going to get into the argument with the Foreday bands and the larger company that is coming but I think all of us can add to the festival in one way or the other but stay true to the culture.”

Forde explained that such an approach would allow for better management of crowds while catering to different types of revellers.

“I always thought that because of the size of Foreday bands growing, we could probably have three designated areas, you could have Bridgetown for the traditional experience, somewhere like Vaucluse for another group and then a space like Bushy Park for a different style of event and then make it mandated that all three areas depending on the style of band if its party, if its culture, if its boutique then at least you have dedicated three areas and you can spilt five to seven bands in that area,” he said.

He added: “It may come down to resources, but if private and public sectors work together, there’s a way to make it happen.” 

His comments come as several Foreday band leaders raised alarm over private events being staged on the same day, arguing that they drew patrons away from the traditional celebration. However, Forde said the issue must be viewed in context, noting that the shift towards alternative events has been happening for years.

“I think this started from a couple of years ago. Once you open it up for people to do different things, it then comes back to whether what you’re doing aligns with what Foreday was created to be.”

Despite the concerns raised by traditional bandleaders, Forde maintained that private events can complement the overall Crop Over product.

He said his team has taken that approach with the introduction of a new foreday event, Staind, which aims to provide an alternative experience while remaining rooted in Barbadian culture.

“We said we would do our own Foreday, something that reflects what we believe in. It’s a collaboration with Breakfast, the Bajan Experience, which is the Sunday brunch party and then it’s combined with Events Barbados and key individuals in the industry. Everything we’re doing is centred around the culture. We’re trying to bring back some things that are no longer around. Remember Cohobblopot when you had the best time ever? We bringing that element back.”

According to Forde, while there may be slight Caribbean influences, the focus remains firmly on local identity.

“We may add a little bit from the Caribbean because that’s part of who we are, but we staying very hard and true to Bajan culture,” he said.

While acknowledging that tensions may exist between traditionalists and newer promoters, Forde said he prefers to focus on contributing positively rather than engaging in disputes. (TRY)

Judge urges faster action in seizure case

Heather-Lynn Evanson
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Judge urges faster action in seizure case

Justice Anthony Blackman has urged attorneys to “expedite the pending process” in relation to the seizure of assets from a woman convicted of having a high-powered rifle, ammunition and cocaine.

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Chairman disappointed Netherlands declined to support slavery declaration

Nationnews Desk
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Chairman disappointed Netherlands declined to support slavery declaration

PARAMARIBO – Chairman of the National Reparations Commission (NRC), Armand Zunder, has described as a “slap in the face to descendants of enslaved people in Suriname” the decision of the Netherlands to abstain from a United Nations resolution designating transatlantic slavery as the gravest crime against humanity.

Last week, the 80th UN General Assembly approved the resolution designating the ”Trafficking of Enslaved Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity”.

The resolution was adopted with a majority vote of 123 in favour, three against and 52 abstentions. All Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states voted in favour of the Resolution.

The United States, Israel, and Argentina voted against, while the Netherlands was among the 52 countries that abstained from supporting the resolution, which was submitted by Ghana.

Zunder said that the Netherlands has actually taken steps towards recognition and reconciliation in recent years.

In 2022, then-prime minister Mark Rutte offered an apology, followed by King Willem-Alexander on July 1, 2023, who also asked for forgiveness for the history of slavery. During his state visit to Suriname in December, the Monarch reiterated this request in conversations with, among others, the granmans of the Maroon tribes and other leaders of the Afro-Surinamese community.

“Here in Suriname, a group consisting of granmans and Para plantations, I believe, and perhaps a few other people, has even granted the King forgiveness for what the Dutch government, or at least what former Dutch administrators, have done. So this is a slap in the face, you could say, for this group, because the Dutch government has now actually taken a different stance on this world front,” said Zunder.

According to him, given the earlier apologies, The Hague should have supported the resolution:

“But on the contrary, they did not support the resolution; they abstained from voting,” Zunder said, noting that now that this has occurred, it would be “wise” for Suriname’s Minister of Foreign Affairs or the President to ask their Dutch counterparts for “further explanation” in bilateral consultations.

Zunder said ahead of the UN resolution debate, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had sought advice from the NRC which the committee said fits within a longer international trajectory. (CMC)

Coach: Athletes reaping success under initiative

Jonteau Coppin
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Coach: Athletes reaping success under initiative

Director of the Junior Development Programme, Gabriel Burnett, says he believes the revamped initiative can take Barbadian athletics to new heights, with early signs of progress already visible on the track.

In an interview with NATIONSPORT, he was clear about the programme’s ambitions.

“We want to take Barbadian athletics to the top. I think the coaches that we have and the athletes that we have are very, very talented. We’re trying to build our affairs to where we think they should be. We’re not just doing it with physical training. We’re looking at media sessions. We’re talking about nutrition,” he said. 

“One of the big things that we’ve been able to do is that every week, the athletes are exposed to physical therapy so they get to do some rehab work.”

He added that international collaboration has strengthened the programme’s delivery.

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Frank Carter passes away

Sherrylyn Clarke
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Frank Carter passes away

Just over a decade after being released from Dodds Prison having served time for one of Barbados’ crimes that transcended into the realm of folklore, Frank Anderson Carter has died.

The DAILY NATION received news of his death yesterday.

Carter was released from Dodds Prison on December 11, 2015 (along with Anthony “Nagga” Austin), having served 26 years behind bars for the February 19, 1984, murder of Alfred “Uncle Look Up” Morris.

On January 25, 1985, after a trial by jury, then Justice Lindsay Worrell ordered Carter be hanged for the crime, but almost five years later, that sentence was commuted to life in prison. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, at the time Barbados’ highest appellate court, said he should serve at least 30 years before being eligible for release.

Carter, who was a deejay at a fete, got into an argument with one of Morris’ sons and his girlfriend on February 18. The incident happened the next day – one-and-a-half sticks of dynamite tossed into the home – and he was picked up by police. Nitroglycerine, the key ingredient in dynamite, was found in his car on a piece of newspaper. Samples were also found at the destroyed home.

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For the latest stories and breaking news updates download the Nationnews apps for iOS and Android.

Fogging Schedule: March 30 to April 2

Nationnews Desk
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Fogging Schedule: March 30 to April 2

The Ministry of Health and Wellness’ fogging exercise will be concentrated in northern districts next week.

Communities in St. Lucy will receive the attention of the Vector Control Unit when it conducts its mosquito reduction programme.

On Monday, March 30, the team will go into Harris’, Greenidge’s, Springer Road, Retreat Road, Higginson Road, and neighbouring districts.

It will be the turn of North Point Gardens, Northumberland, Hope, Seaview, and Bishops on Tuesday, March 31.

The Unit will spray Durhams, Jemmott’s Road, Rock Hall Road, Chance Hill, Mount View Road, and environs on Wednesday, April 1.

The next day, Thursday, April 2, the team will concentrate their efforts in Glendelough Road, Mount View Drive, Josey Hill, Josey Road, Peterses Road, Free Hill Road, and surrounding areas.

There will be no fogging exercise on Friday, April 3, which is Good Friday, a public holiday.

Fogging takes place from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. Householders are reminded to open their windows and doors to allow the spray to enter.

Children should not be allowed to play in the fog.

The public is advised that the completion of scheduled fogging activities may be affected by events beyond the Unit’s control. In such circumstances, the Unit will return to communities affected in the soonest possible time. (BGIS)

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