Former Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley has given the thumbs up to the appointment of Dr Kevin Greenidge as new Governor of the Central Bank. The leader of the Alliance Party for Progress told the Sunday Sun his personal preference for the post would have been former Barbados Labour Party colleague Ambassador Dr Clyde Mascoll, but he had no issue with Greenidge’s elevation. “I have no problem with the appointment …
It is an admission by many Barbadians that debates in Parliament, including the Lower House and the Senate have become rather lacking in enthusiasm, to put it politely.The fireworks that used to be a feature of the Senate during the tenure of former senator Caswell Franklyn and former Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley in the Lower Chamber, have dissipated.Though there are a few occasions when everyone is not singing from the same hymn sheet, there are some speakers from whom the public can expect interesting perspectives on legislative amendments, new laws, or simply topical issues.Among them is Government Senator Gregory Nicholls. Recently, he chided the Financial Services Commission (FSC) for possible regulatory over-reach into the management of credit unions.
Barbados TODAY broke the story ‘Alarming Test’ in our Tuesday, October 4, edition. Our report stated that the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training administered an exam to first form students at secondary schools across the island. However, some parents complained that the test was “distasteful and invasive”.Parents who spoke to Barbados TODAY said their children were quizzed on their sexuality, gender identity, substance use and abuse as well as personal information about their parents.One parent lamented: “I didn’t know about it until my daughter got home, but I honestly think that some person needs to be held accountable for this. These are 11-year-old students and some of these questions, in my opinion, planted seeds in their heads. Do you think a child is thinking what gender they want to be? Asking children questions like if they think about sex often and if they take illegal drugs without their parents knowing, all of that was distasteful!”A
The Mia Mottley administration is being challenged to make legislative amendments to allow an Independent Senator to chair the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).The recommendation has come from Democratic Labour Party (DLP) President Dr Ronnie Yearwood who also demanded more staff for the Office of the Auditor General and certain constitutional protections for the critical office.His calls are consistent with requests made by Auditor General Leigh Trotman in the latest and other previous reports.“The Auditor General has suggested appointing one of the Independent Senators and making a constitutional amendment to do so. At the moment, I see nothing wrong with that suggestion,” Yearwood told Barbados TODAY.
Authorities are being urged to come clean on what is happening at the Government Industrial School (GIS).Former Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley made the call as he expressed concern about the conflicting information coming out about the state-run institution, in particular the Female Unit at Barrows, St Lucy.“We have to stop playing around with this situation. It is children we are dealing with here. We have to stop playing around with this. One is unclear as to what is happening. People who speak officially on behalf of the Government speak from a situation where they are properly informed. And then, conversely, we get the impression that people outside of Government speak as equally informed and based on proper information. So you are confused,” he lamented in an interview with Barbados TODAY.“You get the impression that an investigation is ongoing and reports will be done. What happens after those reports, why is the investigation taking so long and some of these thin