|| Cybercrime Bill Report Rejects…|| USAID’s Closure || Restructured Gov’t Agencies…|| More…
More Government Agencies to be Restructured
Two more government agencies will merge if a bill before the Barbados Lower House is passed. These agencies are the Urban Development Commission and the Rural Development Commission. The full article and background can be found here.
Senate Cybercrime Report Rejects Franklyn’s View
Caswell Franklyn’s submission that the Senate was not authorized to send the Cybercrime Bill 2024 to a committee was rejected. This was one of the revelations of the brief prepared for the chairman of the Joint Select Committee on Governance and Policy Matters, Mr. Edmund Hinkson, by the Clerk of Parliament. Read the full article here.
Will the “Closure” of USAID Affect Barbados?
The short answer to that question is “Yes!” The longer answer is, “Yes, in the short run”. Barbados, like most Caribbean countries, has depended on USAID (United States Agency for International Development) money to fund various projects ranging from climate change to gender studies to sustainable energy. Read the full article here.
Barbados Minister Announces Merger of Three Energy Companies
Three entities in the Barbados energy sector will merge on 01 April 2025. Those entities are the Barbados National Oil Company Limited (BNOCL), Barbados National Terminal Company Limited (BNTCL), and National Petroleum Corporation (NPC).
This announcement was made by Minister of Energy and Business, Senator Lisa Cummins, as she delivered the keynote address at the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Third Green and Renewable Energy Expo, at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. You can read the full original GIS article here.
BU will provide some commentary and analysis on this move in the context of Barbados’ economic and financial situation at a later date.
Barbados Senate to Meet Wednesday 05 February
This Wednesday the Senate holds it regular weekly meeting. On the Order Paper are several items of public interest including the second reading of the controversial Cyber Crime Bill 2024.
Also on the Order Paper is a bill “to move the passing of a Resolution that the Honourable the Senate approve the Report of the Joint Select Committee (Standing) on Governance and Policy Matters on the Cybercrime Bill, 2024”.
The full order paper can be accessed here.
BPS Resumes Service to Canada
Effective today 3 February 2025, the Barbados Postal Service resumes mail to Canada which has been halted since the Canadian Postal workers went on strike on November 15, 2024.
According to globalnews.ca, (Jan 07/25) postal workers returned to the job on Dec. 17 after they were ordered by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to end the strike.
Canada is an important economic and cultural partner of Barbados and is home to a large Bajan diaspora. According to the 2016 Canadian Census, there were some 37,780 Barbadian Canadians. Many Canadian citizens also live in Barbados and regard it as their second home.
As the next election draws near yet another political party has declared its intent to contest the elections constitutionally due 2026 – 2027. But is this party making the same mistakes as others before it? Click the image to read our guest writer’s insightful but balanced critique of this political development.
Barbados Water Authority Issues Press Statement
On January 28, the Barbados Water Authority issued a press statement on the quality of the water supply in Barbados. The statement reads as follows:
Contrary to what is circulating on social media with regard to the quality of the water supply in Barbados, please note that no warning has been issued to the Government of Barbados by the World Health Organisation (WHO) regarding failure to meet the WHO drinking water guidelines in Barbados.
The potable water supplied by the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) is safe for human consumption and all development activities.
The BWA, Ministry of Health & Wellness (MHW) and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) have rigorous and continuous monitoring programmes for both the water in the distribution system and from groundwater sources.
Any breaches of the water quality guidelines are promptly addressed through standard protocols which are stipulated by EPD, MHW and WHO. (ENDS)
The original press release can be found here