The Unionist - Vol 14 No 9 2011

A Publication of the Barbados Workers’ Union Where There Is No Vision The People Perish

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me”.

John 14:1

Vol.14 No. 9 2011

Happy May Day, 2011 “Strengthening the Social Partnership for Recovery and Sustained Growth”

Members of the 2011 May Day Planning Committee are pictured at Brown’s Beach, site of the May Day celebrations

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CONTENTS Editor’s Note Book 2 From the Desk of the General Secretary 4 2011 May Day Celebrations 6 Week of Excellence 2011 8 The Launch of May Day 2011 10 Julian Hunte – on CCELD Team 12 Workers’ Group Resolution to ILO Governing Body 13 Government Praised Re: ILO Global Plan of Action 13 BWU Welcomes UN Summit on NCDs 14 Kissing HIV Stigma and Discrimination Goodbye 12 Taking HIV/AIDS Education to the North 18

Charter on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights in The Workplace in Barbados 19 International Women’s Day 2011 20 Congratulations: Beverley Beckles 22 BWU Calls for tests for petrol 23 Should We Treat Back Pain As A ‘Preventable Disease’?

24 ILO Official to visit Barbados 25 Back to the Basics 26 More Than A Savings Programme 27 Errol Barrow Day Celebrations 28 The Spread In The Sandwich 29 Protect Workers’ Rights 29 National Pride And Industry 31 ‘Powering Our Nation’s Progress 1911-2011 32 Information concerning this Publication should be addressed to: Bro. Orlando Scott Editor, The Unionist Barbados Workers’ Union, “Solidarity House”, Harmony Hall, St. Michael, Barbados Tel: (246) 426-3492/5 ● Fax: (246) 436-6496 Email: bwu@caribsurf.com ● Website: www.bwu.bb.org Photos by Brooks / La Touche Printed by Panagraphix Inc.

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EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK Orlando Scott, BSS

Senior Assistant General Secretary, Barbados Workers’ Union

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n this edition, we honour the workers, past and present, of two companies, who have been making significant contribution to national development. We refer to the employees, management and non-management, of the Barbados Light and Power Company Limited (BL&P), which will celebrate its 100th anniversary on June 19th, this year, a remarkable landmark; and the employees of the Barbados Port Inc., which will celebrate its 50th anniversary on May 6th, this year.

The BL&P and the Port have each played remarkable roles in Barbados’ development over the last hundred years. In the matter of the BL&P, it is patently clear that no country can advance without electricity. And while, in that regard, it may appear unnecessary to overstate the BL&P’s role in the modernisation of Barbados, we would clearly wish to emphasise the point that no business enterprise could exist for a century if it were not professionally managed and staffed.

The two companies will figure prominently in the 2011 May Day Street Parade and celebrations on Monday, May 2.

Bridgetown Port Long before the establishment of the Bridgetown Port in 1961, the picturesque Carlisle Bay, then our principal gateway to the outside world, was the means by which Barbados became “The Jewel in the British Crown”, through the export of sugar and its by-products to England and North America and through which we imported food, clothing, building materials, and other essential cargo. Port workers then have played their distinct roles in the building of Barbados.

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Of significance is the fact that the two groups of workers have been among the founders of the local labour movement from which the Barbados Workers’ Union was born. Port workers, among them longshoremen and ships’ carpenters, were among the members of the nascent Labour Movement, being an arm of the Barbados Progressive League during the latter half of the 1930s. And when the Union was formally established on October 4, 1941, two port workers, Reynold Grant and Bourne (Christian name not known) were amoung members of the first Executive Council. During the period of the 1940s, the waterfront workers, were the dominant force of the Union. This section represented more workers than any other division and possessed the militancy the Union required at that time.

Electric workers Electric workers, as they were then called, although they did not hold prominent leadership positions in the Union during its formative years, were also members, from as early as 1943. A booklet, which was printed to mark the 5th Anniversary of the Union in 1946, listed Electric Company workers as members of the organisation. It stated: “At the Third Annual Delegates’ Conference, there was no great increase of strength, but at the Fourth Annual Delegates’ Conference, the Executive Council reported a jump in membership to 5,487 with 22 active divisions. These included carpenters, masons, bakers, engineers, electric company workers, C.R.B. workers, produce porters, store and shop porters, steamer warehouse porters, ships carpenters and printers, among others.

So, it does show that both groups of workers – Port Workers and Light and Power workers, were among the early leaders of the local trade

H. G. Drakes

Pres. Ship-carpenters’ Division

E. L. Alleyne

Vice Pres. Shipcarpenters’ Division

union movement. And Union records show that the Executive Council was making efforts to ameliorate the wages and working conditions of Electric Workers during the first five years of the Union’s formation.

The Minutes of the Executive Council meeting of April 10, 1946, held almost 65 years ago to the writing of this column (April 15, 2011), referred to a discussion at the Council which highlighted the support given by the Engine Room Staff at the Electric Company for increased pay to the “Yardmen” in light of the increased cost-ofliving. I must state for readers that, although the “Yardmen” did not receive the 25% increase suggested by the Engine Room staff, on the advice of the General Secretary, Hugh Springer (now late Rt. Excellent Sir Hugh), a subsequent general meeting, chaired by the then assistant to the General Secretary, Comrade Frank Walcott (now late Rt. Excellent Sir Frank), made proposals to deal with the issue at a later date. The Minutes are silent on the actual outcome of the negotiations.

To say that dock workers made a substantial contribution to the early Labour Movement is to under state the facts. While the Foundry Engineers’ Division was a militant group in the Union in its early years, and, in fact, were early beneficiaries of negotiations for improvements in wages (as early as 1942), of the workers featured in “The Fifth Anniversary” booklet, published

E. Walcott

Produce Porters

G Small

Stevedores

C. A. Bushell

Lightermen’s Division

G. B. Burnett

Scretary Ship Carpenters’ Division

in 1946, Ships’ Carpenters, Lightermen, Stevedores, Coopers, Stevedore Porters and Produce Porters, all workers associated with the waterfront, featured prominently. Among the notable divisional leaders cited were - C.A. Bushell, President of the Ships’ Carpenters’ Division and H.Gardiner Drakes, a Lighterman, who was highly spoken of in the early years of the Executive Council. Also mentioned were E.L. Alleyne, Vice President of the Ships’ Carpenters’ Division, G.R. Burnett, Secretary, Ships Carpenters’ Division, Evelyn Walcott, Produce Porters’ Division, D. Lawrence, Coopers’ Division and G. Small, Stevedores’ Division.

It is worth mentioning, too, that the successor to Sir Grantley Adams, (now) late Rt. Excellent Sir Grantley, who was President of the BWU from its start in 1941 to 1954, when he became Premier of Barbados, was a port worker, McDonald Blunt, who was later knighted. The latter was President General of the Union from 1954 to 1971. In the last quarter of the 20th Century, the Port threw up a group of forceful leaders who served the Executive Council and the Union, with distinction. Among them were Samuel Carter, Austin (“Boots”) Brathwaite and Dennis Gibbs who was Treasurer of the Union for more than two decades.

We look forward to this generation of BL & P and Port Workers accepting the baton of leadership and running the course. ■

W.E. Griffith

Stevedore Porters

D. Lawrence Coopers

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FROM THE DESK OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY Sir Roy Trotman, K.A. General Secretary, Barbados Workers’ Union

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Mid-Term Meeting

he following is an edited version of the address by the General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, Comrade Senator Sir Roy Trotman, which was delivered at the Union’s Mid-Term meeting at “Solidarity House” on Sunday, February 27, 2011. Sir Roy had earlier addressed the meeting on the Executive Council’s efforts with regard to succession planning in the Union.

On the issue of the Barbados Workers’ Union giving greater service to the public, I would really only want to make a few comments which need to refer to what is happening in our country at a time like this. In Barbados and in any other country where there are difficulties arising out of a crisis, financial or economic, people will be more judgmental than they would otherwise be.

Where people have the slightest feeling that they ought to have been able to accomplish more they will be much more critical than they might otherwise be.

Part of our commitment, as a body of workers, and under the instruction of the Executive Council, has been to ensure that we are much more visible; that we establish and maintain a reporting relationship with our membership that would definitely show that we are much more responsive to their needs. That does not mean that, from time to time, we will not get criticisms that we have not done enough about this or that. Sometimes, given the nature of the ‘call-in’ programmes, we may be accused of failure to act because persons might see ‘what

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appears to be’ without being fully aware of ‘what really is’. I like what Comrade Yvonne Walkes (BWU Senior Assistant General Secretary) said earlier and that was putting an acronym to FEAR: “False Expectations Appearing Real”.

That, at this stage, may happen and may happen frequently.

The expectations that, even though there is a crisis, we can provide more people with more jobs, with more pay and more benefits in the immediate time, is fear. It is very often used by persons who know better and who wish to mislead for their own personal or organisational ends.

The truth is that the Barbados Workers’ Union has never stood still on the matter where workers should stand within this crisis. Some of you may remember that a Member of Cabinet in February last year spoke out about there being a need not only for a wage freeze for a year but for a redo of wages and a complete freeze. Our position was very clear. Before anybody else, we made it clear that this announcement was not the way to go. We believed that we had a responsibility to speak for our members when we heard them and knew their expectations.

We spoke to our members and showed them that the best route was not to get a marginal adjustment upwards for some Public Servants but to proceed on the basis that we had offered to the previous administration: a proposal that spoke to the protection of jobs and the increase, where possible, of jobs. We knew then and we know now that in such a regime, concessionary bargaining might have to take place.

People have heard us speak to this, over and over again. They know that the position we

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have taken is the right way to go and that it does not make sense to have 100 persons get an increase in salary while 500 go without a job and without being able to feed their children.

Greatest Good We have to move therefore to an approach that pursues the greatest good for the greatest number of people in our country. We have to look at the broader picture; not only at those who have jobs but at those who do not have jobs.

We have to get more people employed. Where there are people working, part of our approach is to try to work with employers to see if we may share the work time, rather than have people go home and be without work, while others remain for whatever reason you may have.

We remain committed to that approach and we think that that has very much to do the overall sustainability of our country within this crisis period. Our concern therefore will continue to be for the protection of the largest number possible. We have to carry that approach to the Private Sector but we have, as well, to carry it to the Public Sector. It is easier to get it done in the Public Sector where there is single employer. When we deal with the Private Sector, every company is a different employer, with different expectations, and with different limitations and so our task is multiplied many fold. Yet we are able to say to the public that we have met employers and have been able to arrive at a reasonable level of understanding, even though sometimes the results may be less

than our expectations.

Many employers over the last two years have responded to our offer of concessionary bargaining.

It has helped. Some of them have now sought to depart from that but we are still hoping to keep Government, as the example, to provide jobs and not to fall back on that. Recently the Minister of Finance, Mr. Chris Sinckler, on behalf of the Cabinet, gave the assurance that jobs preservation still remained the focal point of Government’s response to the crisis. Using this, we will try to make private sector employers understand that we believe that we are on our way out of the crisis and that they ought not to go the route of sending home people at a time when we have helped them to weather the storm. The workers need to remain there to share in the turn around in the fortune of those companies. We think this can be done if there is a greater emphasis placed on improving the consumption base of those persons who are living and working in Barbados.

Minimum Wage We have to stimulate demand and even though there are employers that do not like to hear me say it, we have to treat with that Minimum Wage. If persons are unable to buy more bread to give satisfaction to their families, then more bread cannot sell; and then bakeries will have to reduce numbers. If you start there, the numbers who are going to be laid off would bring about a deflationary spiral when in fact we do not want spirals in one direction or the other. We want consistent improvement in the numbers employed.

We need to reach a stage in Barbados where we examine what is a decent Minimum Wage.

We need to develop a regime where consistently continued on page 23 The Unionist | 5

2011 May Day Celebrations T

he 2011 May Day planning committee has been sparing no effort to ensure that the substance of the theme, ‘Strengthening the Social Partnership for Recovery and Sustained Growth’ bears fruit.

The committee, made up of representatives of the Barbados Workers’ Union, Government ministries, para statals, the Private Sector and NGOs have anchored the celebrations on three pillars – public support for local goods and services, the promotion of Bajan cuisine, and health promotion.

Buoyed by the backing of the Barbados Manufacturers’ Association (BMA), an all-out effort is being made to garner support from Bajan consumers to buy locally-manufactured goods in an effort to maintain employment in the country. The BMA has been playing a key role in the May Day celebrations over the past decade and will participate in the street parade again this year. A number of local manufacturers, BICO Limited, WIBISCO Limited and ORAN Limited will be involved in this promotional drive.

The Barbados Workers’ Union is of the view that Barbadians should seek to optimise the use of local foods, especially staples such as cassava, yam and potato. Over the past few years, Ms. Marion Harte of the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (BADMC), operating from the BADMC’s tent at the May Day celebrations on Brown’s Beach, has been demonstrating to Barbadians how they can use these staples to make nutritious and healthy meals. Based on the success of last year’s exposition, the planning committee is 6 | The Unionist

looking forward to larger crowds at the BADMC’s food booth. Together with the BADMC’s booth, the Ministry of Agriculture will be handing out literature to May Day patrons in relation to growing food crops.

Against the backdrop of the High Level Summit on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) which will be held at the United Nations in September, the May Day planning committee will be promoting a multi-dimensional health promotion package in the street parade as well as Brown’s Beach where the celebrations will be held. The promotion will be presented by the Ministry of Health, Barbados Family Planning Association, HIV/AIDS Foundation, HIV/AIDS Commission, Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the Cancer Society of Barbados and will illustrate these organisations’ fights against diseases such as NCDs (which include cardiovascular diseases and cancer), as well as HIV and AIDS and drug addiction.

The colourful May Day street parade will have its share of pomp as the Cadet Corps and the Corps of Drums of Her Majesty’s Prison Service will form part of the parade.

Apart from its educational aspect, the two-hour long street parade, which starts at the historic Garrison Savannah at 9:00 a.m., will highlight significant landmarks of two of the participating companies: the Barbados Light and Power Company Limited, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary and the Barbados Port Inc., which will be marking its 50th anniversary.

Both companies will be showcasing how they contributed to national development over the years of their existence.

Apart from the above-mentioned companies and organisations, the groups which will be participating in the May Day activities will include the Barbados Shipping and Trading Company Limited (BS&T), TMR Sales and Services, United Commercial Autoworks Limited (UCAL), the Barbados Workers’ Union Cooperative Credit Union Limited, the Transport Board, the Public Transport Cooperative Credit Union Limited, the Warrens’ Connection (comprising groups of workers who are employed by companies in the Warrens complex), the Barbados Water Authority, the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Tourism, the Productivity Council, the Central Bank of Barbados, the Ministry of Social Care, and Constituency Empowerment, A key feature of the May Day celebrations will be the ceremony for the signing of Protocol V1 at Brown’s Beach where the heads of the Social Partnership will deliver addresses before the May Day gathering.

An exciting entertainment package has been prepared and those of us who will be at the May Day celebrations can expect sampling of music genres beginning from the 1940s to the present.

The 2011 May Day season will start with visits to retired shop stewards on Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23 and continue Heroes’ Day, on April 28, when the Executive Council will visit retirees, shut-ins and bring cheer to patients at the various geriatric hospitals across the island.

Reverend Dr. Mark Harewood of the Love and Light Ministries will preach the sermon at the May Day Thanksgiving Service which will be held at the “Solidarity House “ on Sunday, May 1, starting at 4:30 p.m. The Band of the Royal Barbados Police Force will provide the music and the Excelsior Choir and the Christ Church Foundation School Choir will perform pieces.

The Celebrity Cricket Match, which will be held at Rices, St. Philip, on Friday, May 27, will bring the season to a close. ■

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Week of Excellence 2011

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Sir Roy Trotman, General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (l) sharing a light moment with the Hon. Chris Sinckler, Minister of Finance at the Grand Salle, Central Bank of Barbados.

ngagement, Empowerment and Effective Results: Getting Employees and Employers to Deliver Excellent Customer Care”, was the theme of the highly successful 2011 Week of Excellence celebrations..

A record number of employers, human resource managers, supervisors and employees attended the workshops, which covered areas such as taxation, productivity, health and productivity, service excellence, and team motivation.

The ‘week’ was off to a grand start with the traditional thanksgiving service, held at the Grace Bible Church on Paddock Road, where the congregation made up of members of the Social Partnership, led by the Minister of Labour, Dr. the Honourable Esther ByerSuckoo and including Brother Cedric Murrell, President of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados, Sir Roy Trotman, General of the Barbados Workers’

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Union and former Chairman of the CTUSAB, along with Mr. Peter Williams, representing the Employers, were blessed by the inspirational singing of the choir and stirring sermon by Pastor Carl Naitram.

The Honourable Chris Sinckler, Minister of Finance, delivered the keynote address at the opening ceremony, which preceeded the week’s introductory workshop, held in the Grand Salle, the Central Bank of Barbados. This workshop, organised for CEOs in the Private Sector and Managers in the Public Sector, was also addressed by the spokesperson for the Private Sector, Mr. John Williams, the Chairman of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados, Mr. Cedric Murrell and the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Cleviston Haynes.

Preferential Taxation of Productivity-based Bonus Payments to Workers”, presented by Professor Roland Craigwell, Department of Economics, University of the West Indies,

The National Initiative for Service Excellence booth, in Heroes’ Square, Bridgetown.

and “Macro Productivity Indicators Project: Implications for Improved Enterprise Productivity”, delivered by Mr. Anthony Sobers, Chief Programme Officer, Productivity Council, were the main subjects discussed at the workshops for the CEOS and managers.

At the very well attended workshop for human resource managers, held at “Solidarity House”, Professor Henry Fraser, physician specialist and clinical pharmacologist, addressed the participants on the subject of ‘Health and Productivity’. Professor Fraser, a former deputy Chairman of the Commission for NCDs, gave an outline of the negative impacts which illness but particularly the chronic non-communicable diseases – can have on the working population.

His talk was followed by a discussion, led by Mr. Ian Carrington, Director of the National Insurance Department, on the impacts of ill health on worker productivity.

Two other well-received presentations were made at the workshop for supervisors and line workers, held at the BWU Labour College, the first on ‘Motivating Teams Towards Achieving Excellent Business Results’ by Mr. Shawn Callender, Senior Training Officer, the Productivity Council, and the second on ‘Timeliness, Attendance, and Core Values as they Impact Worker Productivity’ by Mr. Ed Bushell, a human resource consultant.

A lecture on “The Guiding Principles of Good Service”, facilitated by Ms. Tracey Austin, Client Services Advisor- Customer Service, from the National Initiative for Service Excellence (NISE) assisted by Marsha Hunte, Marketing Officer, BWU, was delivered at the Christ Church Foundation School on Thursday, February 24, for senior students.

The focus of the presentations made at the workshop for principals of public secondary

BWU Deputy General Secretary, Hon. Robert Morris speaks at the Week of Excellence Workshop at the Central Bank. On his right is C. Anthony Walcott, Executive Director, Barbados Employers’ Confederation.

Professor Henry Fraser as he addressed the Week of Excellence workshop at Solidarity House. Also pictured are Andy Armstrong of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce, Michael Archer of the Office of Public Sector Reform.

schools was on industrial relations. The principals participated in two discussions, the first on “Negotiating Skills”, led by Mr. Robert Morris, Deputy General Secretary, BWU, and the second on “Protocol V”, by Brother Patrick Frost, a former General Secretary of the CTUSAB. This was the third in a series of presentations organised for the principals.

The week was brought to an end when teams from the organising committee interacted with the public in Heroes’ Square, Bridgetown, in the programme ‘Taking Service Excellence to the Streets, in which they shared ideas and opportunities for developing personal excellence. Mr. Murrell and Sir Roy also made addressed the mixed gathering of shoppers and tourists.

The Week of Excellence was organized by a committee representing the Barbados Employers’ Confederation, the Productivity Council, the Central Bank of Barbados, the Office of Public Sector Reform, the National Initiative for Service Excellence and the CTUSAB. ■ The Unionist | 9

The Launch of May Day 2011

BWU General Secretary, Sir Roy Trotman

“Strengthening the Social Partnership for Recovery and Sustained Growth” The 2011 May Day launch was held at “Solidarity House”, the BWU headquarters on the evening of Friday, April 15. The 2011 May Day season was declared open by Dr. the Honourable Esther Byer-Suckoo, Minister of Labour. Other addresses were made by BWU General Secretary, Sir Roy Trotman and Mr. Alex McDonald, Country Manager of LIME, co-sponsor of the event. The following is Sir Roy’s address.

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ay Day 2011 has challenges for Barbados as a whole. It has particularly difficult challenges for the poor and for those on the lowest rungs of the economic or the financial ladder.

The almost daily announcements of other increases forced on our fragile Barbados Community tax the resourcefulness of the breadwinner and of the housewife in the family.

Sometimes they are one and the same person in our many single parent families.

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However for us all, May Day 2011 must still hold out a message of hope that says if we keep holding together a little longer, working for the national wellbeing, we will turn the corner to recovery.

But the struggle has to be given ease at the door of the shop. The increases in electricity, in bread, in flour will soon be followed by other hard to overcome costs.

The Government seems at last to be heeding my call. It seems that the Minister of labour has summoned the Minimum Wages Council to meet. Let us hope that the most vulnerable, those most in need of cushioning, will receive minimum wage and minimum allowances relief.

Remember this was one of the first May Day Platforms which had to be mounted.

A second pillar of the struggle which the working masses had to undertake to survive and thereafter to improve their conditions was the Pillar of Social Protection and Social security.

It is a very important consideration which every

community should strive to maintain and to improve upon especially in this awful recessionary period.

As a mark of our commitment to the health of Barbados and its social security the Barbados Workers’ Union has got the support of the Minister of Labour to have a special Social Security presentation on May 05.

We shall have a public lecture at “Solidarity House” on Social Protection and Social Security by the Executive Director (for Social Protection) of the International Labour Organisation, Dr. Assane Diop.

Mr. Diop is Executive Director, International Labour Organisation responsible for Social Security particularly as it relates to ILO Convention #102.

He is responsible too for the HIV and AIDs campaign in the ILO and includes in his portfolio as well, responsibility for Safety Health and the Environment.

The project started on this important subject by the ILO in February this year, owes much to the assistance rendered to us by Assane Diop.

At the Public lecture on Thursday, 5th May Dr. Alan LeServe will also be in attendance. They are both here formally to launch the OSHE programme. Dr. Ana Romero Director of the ILO Regional Office in Trinidad will also be in attendance.

A third pronouncement I wish to make on this year’s May Day launch speaks to the matter of Tripartite Social Dialogue.

Even in these testing times Barbados was identified in 2010 as one of three countries where our efforts to resist the global financial, economic and social crisis were being bolstered by the work that we were attempting together.

The other two countries were Belgium and Singapore.

This year following talks with us, the ILO has undertaken to bring together in Barbados Singapore, Mauritius and the host Barbados.

On May 16, 17, 18 we will explore the experiences of these three countries in the functioning of the Tripartite Social Partnership, and will seek to develop leadership guidelines which might be followed.

Participation will be Tripartite from across the region. ■

The public at all levels is invited to hear Dr. Assane Diop on 5th May.

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with these challenges. Taking people out of their day-to-day environment, and exposing them to thinkers and leaders working and living on other locations in a proven way to accomplish this;

Julian Hunte – on CCELD Team

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omrade Julian Hunte, Senior Assistant General Secretary Industrial Relations, will be the Barbados Workers’ Union’s representative on the inaugural installment of the CaribbeanCanadian Emerging Leaders Dialogue (CCELD). The CCELD is a programme which has been designed on the successful model of the The Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conference and the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference.

The CCELD brings together an assorted group of persons identified as current or potential leaders for study tours of communities and immersion in cultures from which they are to draw from the proven leadership experiences of others.

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to establish a strong peer network from business, government and civil society and across the Caribbean and Canada with a shared experience and commitment to shaping the future of their sectors, nations and the region; and

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To strengthen ties across the Caribbean and between it and Canada amongst people who will be important actors in business, labour, government and civil society for decades to come. It will help break down barriers across sectors, cultures and nations.

Emerging Leaders

Comrade Hunte will join with the other emerging leaders in their travel to Ottawa, Canada for two days of orientation and group presentations, starting May 27, before they break out into smaller groups to visit various locations in Canada from May 31 to June 3, Bermuda and the Caribbean from June 8 to June 12. The participants will meet in Barbados from June 8 to 12 for plenary and reporting. Comrade Hunte will tour Toronto and the Bahamas.

“Growth Through Connection – Enabling Sustainable Progress” is the theme of the Dialogue.

The intense two-week experience will permit an examination and discussion of governance, regional cooperation and infrastructure, innovation, sustainable economic growth and social inclusion.

The CCELD is an executive leadership development programme with three primary objectives:

Teamwork and cross-cultural relationship building will feature prominently in the delivery of the programme.

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Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, princess Anne will join invited guests and the Emerging Leaders on the Barbados closing leg of the Dialogue when participants will make presentations on their observations and learnings.

The Theme

to make Dialogue participants more effective leaders in achieving results from their organisations, sectors, societies and nations in our region and exposing them to the strategies and approaches being taken by other senior leaders in dealing

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Comrade Hunte has described the Conference as an opportunity to exchange nation building ideas with other emerging leaders outside of Barbados. “It also affords us the chance to expose non-Barbadians to key aspects of our ethos and to help cement Barbados’ place as a small country having global capacity’, he said.

“In the case of Cote d’Ivoire where there is now de facto civil war, the Workers Group deplores the failure of mediatory Governments to effect a much needed settlement. The Workers’ Group deplores the threat to life and limb of the leaders of civil society including of trade union leaders and their families.

The other Barbadians who are part of the CCELD programme are Liesl Harewood, Business Development Director, Dykon Developments Inc, Marilyn Sealy, Senior Corporate Communications Officer, the Nation Publishing Company Limited, Richard Green, Education and Research Officer, the National Union of Public Workers, Sean Sealy, Research Officer, the Ministry of the Environment Water Resource Management and Drainage, David Bynoe, Senior Agricultural Assistant (Agronomist), the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, Industry and Small Business, Gail Niles, Head of Marketing, Cable and Wireless Barbados Limited/LIME, Jacqueline Marshall-Clarke, Corporate Communications Coordinator, the Barbados Light and Power Company Limited and Cynthia Blackman, Programme Manager, National Initiative for Service Excellence (NISE) ■

“The Workers’ Group urges the Employers’ Group as well as Governments to join us in deploring all acts of violence wherever they exist and whatever their origin, and calls for greater effort towards the creation of global peace.” ■

Workers’ Group Resolution To ILO Governing Body

Sir Roy, who is the Chairman of the Workers’ Group in the Governing Body of the ILO, said that the Government should be equally commended for its support during the adoption of the Plan of Action in March. Sir Roy added that it should be said that “our Caribbean Governments were all examples of sound and humane leadership throughout that debate”.

The Workers’ Group of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation, chaired

by Sir Roy Trotman, General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, has sent a resolution to the Governing Body of the ILO regarding the suffering and of loss of civilian life in Syria, in Libya and in Cote d’Ivoire among those many other areas where there has been unrest.

The resolution reads in part: “The Workers’ Group laments that in many instances children and civilian women have been made human shields as protagonists in armed conflict have defied the right to life of such innocents in their pursuit of their narrow objectives.

Government Praised Re: ILO Global Plan of Action The General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, Senator Sir Roy Trotman has commended the Government of Barbados on its “clearly articulated position during the debate towards the adoption of the ILO Global Action Plan to promote Implementation of the HIV and AIDS Recommendation No. 200.

In March, this year, the Governing Body of the ILO approved an ILO action plan to promote the implementation of ILO Recommendation 200 on HIV/AIDS adopted in June 2010.

Sir Roy considers that, as an appropriate follow-up to our declaration of support for the Plan of Action we should, as a first step, invite the Leaders of the Social Partnership to meet, review the Governing Body’s plan and determine what elements we need to approach jointly, with what resource and within what time frames. ■

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BWU Welcomes UN Summit on NCDs The Resolution calling for the Summit was proposed by CARICOM, whose Heads convened a summit on NCDs in Trinidad in 2007.

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Professor Trevor Hassell

he Barbados Workers’ Union welcomes the news that the United Nations General Assembly, the principal decision-making body of the United Nations (UN), that represents all UN member states, will be holding a UN Summit on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) at UN Headquarters, New York, from September 18 to 20, this year. That summit is being held in order to bring global attention to NCDS and agree on a plan of action to address them.

The BWU is hoping that the Governments of the Caribbean will work in a coordinated manner in order to present a common and united front during the meetings in September. The Caribbean is the region of the Americas most affected by chronic diseases, with heart disease, cancer diabetes, stroke and hypertension being ranked as the leading causes of death in the region.

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The Summit is the biggest and best opportunity to put NCDs on the global agenda. It has the potential to secure commitment Heads of Government for a coordinated global response to NCDs, substantially increase financial resources for NCDs and save millions from premature death and debilitating health complications. It also has the potential to lead to measurable targets and commitments from governments to take actions on NCDs for which they can be monitored and held accountable through regular reporting.

Speaking at the launch of the Caribbean Health Revolution Campaign, ahead of the September meeting, Professor Trevor Hassell, the chairman of the Commission on Chronic Non-Communicable Disease in Barbados and Chairman of Healthy Caribbean Coalition, said that not only is 11 to 18 per cent of the people in the Caribbean suffering from diabetes, but one fifth of all people in the region has hypertension.

Professor Hassell has lamented the fact that this group of diseases has not been given the attention at the global level and is not featured within the policies of countries or even at the level of the UN in terms of the Millennium Development Goals. He also thinks that the amount of money that has been set aside for chronic diseases does not match the extent of the problem they represent.

Since 1996 following a Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO)sponsored meeting in Port-of-Spain, at which the BWU was represented, NCDS have been placed high on the agenda of the BWU’s health promotion and, in the ensuing years, the BWU has been partnering with the Ministry of Health and organisations such as the Commission on Chronic Non-Communicable Disease, the Cancer Society, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Diabetes Association to develop wellness programmes to improve the health status of workers and the wider Barbadian community.

The BWU has sat on the Commission on NCDs since its inception in 2007, and to register the serious stance it takes in relation to NCDs and worker health, in 2009, the BWU invited

Professor Trevor Hassell to address itsAnnual Delegates’ Conference.

Cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease comprise the main disease groups of NCDs. Principal risk factors include tobacco consumption, inadequate diet, physical inactivity and the improper consumption of alcohol, all of which are avoidable and preventable social determinants of health and also increase levels of arterial hypertension, dislipidemias and obesity. The four diseases are responsible for approximately 60% of total deaths and 44% of premature deaths in Latin America. ■

The Unionist | 15

Chairman of the NHAC, Dr. Henrick Ellis

Kissing HIV Stigma and Discrimination GOODBYE H

IV-related Stigma and Discrimination continue to present challenges at many different levels within the Barbadian society.

‘Stigma and Discrimination fuel the epidemic and hamper prevention and care efforts by sustaining silence and denial about HIV as well as reinforcing the marginalisation of those who are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection.

UNAIDS notes that since HIV is linked to social taboos, such as sex, drug use and death, there are enormous levels of ignorance, denial, fear and intolerance about the disease in many communities. It has also been proven that because of these fears and prejudices that people stigmatise and discriminate.

The National HIV/AIDS Commission (NHAC) has identified Stigma and Discrimination as major barriers to greater success of the National AIDS Programme. It has been shown that wherever this twin feature of HIV-related stigma and discrimination exists it leads to nondisclosure of status, denial of vulnerability and forces the disease further underground and out of reach of prevention services, treatment, care and support. The Commission has therefore pegged as a priority a national campaign against 16 | The Unionist

HIV-related stigma and discrimination in our society and in all its forms as a priority to move the NAP forward, especially in its emphasis on most-at-risk populations (MARPs) In February, The NHAC launched the first phase of this comprehensive campaign aimed at reducing and ultimately laying the groundwork for the eradication of HIV-related stigma and discrimination in Barbados.

“It’s time to kiss stigma and discrimination goodbye,” the theme of the campaign, was well received by members of the general public as they came out in hundreds to Jubilee Gardens in the city.

Minister of Family, Culture, Sports and Youth, the Hon. Stephen Lashley, addressed the campaign launch and commended the NHAC for mounting a multifaceted initiative aimed at addressing Stigma and Discrimination at all of its vantage points.

“Stigma and discrimination, if left unattended, could possibly expunge numerous years of hard work. Barbados, as a country, has always subscribed to the philosophy of tolerance for all marginalised or at risk groups.

It can occur anywhere and everywhere including the family, community, schools, places of worship, workplaces and legal and health care settings.

Stigma and discrimination can be so widespread that people can discriminate in both their personal and professional capacities, while institutions can discriminate through their practices and policies”, he said.

Chairman of the NHAC, Dr. Henrick Ellis, noted that “some of the people living with HIV are sometimes at the receiving end of harsh criticism and ostracism. According to him, the “HIV positive” element of the campaign would seek to turn such negatives around.

He explained to the audience that the campaign’s main tool was a specially branded t-shirt, provided free to individuals to wear and show their support at reducing HIV related Stigma and Discrimination.

“Wearing the t-shirt should hammer home the message that you can’t tell who has HIV by looking at a person. “Even if a person is HIV positive, does their HIV status really matter?

They are still human and entitled to dignity and respect at the end of the day,” he said.

At the front of the shirt, there is the message “HIV positive” while at the back the message “should it matter? Treat others as you would like to be treated,” is displayed.

Dr. Ellis noted that everyone who wore their “HIV-Positive” T-shirt would be considered an ambassador for the rights of those people living with HIV (PLHIV). “You will be the ones to take the lead and raise the consciousness of those who stigmatise and discriminate. Your participation would be an unprecedented signal of the damage caused by stigma and discrimination is,” the NHAC Chairman said. (NHAC) ■

The Unionist | 17

Taking HIV/AIDS Education To The North Wilma Clement

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he Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) was most fortunate to be part of the team of volunteers led by Ms Rhonda Boucher, HIV/ AIDS Project Coordinator in the Ministry of Labour, on a tour of businesses and agricultural farms in the north of the island on 20 January 2011.

Comrade Wilma Clement, Tutor at the BWU Labour College, who represented the Union on the tour, described the tour as being “a novel way to raise awareness and to get a sense of the attitude of workers regarding HIV/AIDS”.

She stated that the response to the Ministry’s message at its meeting with the workers on their own turf was “positive” .

The tour included several stops to plantations and poultry processing plants in the north of Barbados and the volunteers, used the opportunity to demonstrate the correct use of the male and female condom, distribute condoms, educational literature, and engage in discussions with the workers on matters pertaining to safe sex and HIV and AIDS. The exercise also provided, from the Union’s 18 | The Unionist

perspective, an opportunity to interact with shop stewards and union members and to take note of the demographics of the workforce employed in agriculture in the North of the island. This information should prove to the Union in relation to its plans to reach out and to build education and awareness-raising programmes on matters pertaining to Safety and Health at Work for such workers.

Commenting on her own experience, Comrade Clement said: “The day was well spent. I was able to see our members working in their everyday environments and more importantly, to talk to them and other workers about the role of the Barbados Workers’ Union and their own concerns. This is something we need to build on, at the Union.”

Indeed, this work has only just begun and thanks to a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Labour, it is apparent that there are many possibilities in reaching out to our members wherever they are in Barbados. So Barbados workers, here we come!! ■

Charter on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights in The Workplace in Barbados T

he AIDS Foundation of Barbados Inc. (AFBI) is a business coalition charged with the responsibility to persuade workplaces that it makes business sense to introduce HIV and AIDS policy statements as well as programmes to inform and advise employees of the dangers of the HIV virus and how to avoid infection, and where to source treatment, care and support.

We are also able to lobby on matters that deal with stigma and discrimination, as we strongly believe that education to reduce stigma and discrimination is the key to changing sexual behavior patterns in a positive way so as to reduce the incidence of the virus.

The AFBI found virtue in publishing a Charter on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights in the Workplace in Barbados to demonstrate to the business community the UN best practice in the matter of Human Rights as it affects the workplace and the challenge of HIV and AIDS. The AFBI had a formal launch of the Charter on World AIDS Day 2010 and invited businesses to sign it as evidence of their commitment to the principles enshrined in the document. Not only is this document consonant with the UN Declaration of Human Rights, but also with the ILO Code of Conduct on matters such as nondiscrimination, confidentiality and privacy. We must also remember that a generic statement of Human Rights is included in the Barbados Constitution.

The publication of this Charter is an opportunity to once again demonstrate the urgency of the challenge and for Government, the business enterprises, the labour movement and other interested parties to show a shared commitment to an integrated effort to upholding human rights and winning the war against the HIV virus and its attendant issues of stigma and discrimination.

Has your workplace adopted the Charter?

If you are an employer or employee in search of more information on the Charter, please contact the AFBI at 426.0674 or email us at adminafbi@gmail.com or visit us at www. aidsfoundationbarbados.org â–

The Unionist | 19

Comrade Wilma Clement (BWU) shakes the hand of Dr. the Honourable Esther Byer Suckoo in Heroes’ Square.

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International Women’s Day 2011

qual Access to Education, training, science and technology: Pathway to Decent Work for Women was the theme for International Women’s Day 2011 throughout the world. The Gender Equality Committee of the Barbados Workers’ Union embraced the theme and set out to include its essence in the activities which were planned to commemorate the day.

The Gender Equality Committee partnered with the International Union of Food Workers (IUF) and the UNI, to host three successful activities which emphasised that awareness building and education were at the core of Decent Work for women.

A symposium entitled Safeguarding the Vulnerable: Empowerment through Education heralded the beginning of the activities. This was held at “Solidarity House” 20 | The Unionist

on the evening of Sunday 6 March 2011. A panel, comprising Ms Tonni Brodber, Programme Specialist for Ending Violence against Women of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women., Comrade Yvonne Walkes, SCM, Industrial Counsellor with the BWU and President of the National Organisation of Women NOW and Chief Labour Officer, Mr Vincent Burnett, engaged the audience on issues pertaining to vulnerable workers such as Domestic Workers, Gas Station Attendants, Security Guards, and Shop Assistants, to name a few.

Participants heard that workers were at risk owing largely to fear on their part, which prevented them from seeking assistance in situations where their rights and dignity were being assaulted. It was suggested that there was need for a ‘crisis hotline’ to offer advice to workers, on a part-time or full-time basis.

at the upcoming International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Conference in June 2011.

This symposium set the tone for the next International Women’s Day activity which was a two-day seminar, entitled The Role of, Labour Education in a Time of Economic Difficulty, which was held at the BWU Labour College and Solidarity House on Monday 7, and Tuesday 8 March 2011.

The issue of gender-based jobs and gender stereotyping was placed on the table. It was suggested that there was a need to examine how gender inequalities placed both men and women at risk, but the most vulnerable workers were mostly women, who were usually the first to lose their jobs in crises such as the one we are now facing.

Over seventy women and men participated in this education forum to discuss The Effects of the Economic Crisis on the Workplace, The Importance of Education, Training and Retraining and Workers’ Rights and Responsibilities, among other subjects.

Participants also took part in a Walk of Recognition which was organised on 8 March 2011 to honour the work of individuals and institutions which were involved in building awareness and educating the masses of Barbados.

There was a suggestion that, in considering gender stereotyping, the responsibility of care was an important issue which needed attention, so that workers would not be forced to choose between work and family responsibilities.

It was proposed that there was a need to understand what was meant by vulnerability, so that the information gained could be used to assist workers in creatively turning it into excellent opportunities for a skilled, informed and adaptable workforce.

The audience also heard about the safety nets, including national insurance, which were provided under the law, and of the protection which several pieces of legislation offered to workers such as the Employment Miscellaneous Act, dealing with night work, the Protection of Wages Act, the Shops Act, the Domestics Order, the soon to be introduced Employment Rights Bill and the Sexual Harassment Bill .

The walk began at the headquarters of the Barbados Workers’ Union, “Solidarity House”, Harmony Hall and ended at the historic Fairchild Street Market Square, adjacent to its original headquarters, where the Union, during the 1950s through to the 1980s, held dozens of protests rallies in defence of workers’ right as well as rallies which were aimed at educating and building awareness among workers and the ordinary man and woman in the street.

Participants in the workshop were also assured that Barbados had supported, and would continue to support, the draft ILO Convention on Domestic Workers which will be discussed

Along the route, stops were made at the Calvary Moravian Church, Roebuck Street, where the workers heard about the work of that church which was the first such institution to teach The Unionist | 21

While at Fairchild Street, the workers were also addressed by Brother Dennis Depeiza, General Secretary of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) and Comrades Yvonne Walkes and Evette Gibson, two long-serving members of staff, who have playing a major role in uplifting women in the union and elsewhere in Barbados.

BWU President General Comrade Linda Brooks (c) is pictured at the Moravian Church on Roebuck Street during the International Women’s Day Event.

International Women’s Day 2011 was indeed an education, and a lesson in resiliency.■

slaves and ex-slaves to read and write. The Reverend Sonia Hamblin received a plaque of appreciation from President General, Comrade Linda Brooks, on behalf of the BWU. A similar activity was conducted at the James Street Methodist Church where local preacher, Mr Harry Mayers gave a short presentation on the work of National Hero, Rt. Excellent Sarah Ann Gill, at the site of her grave. He too, received a plaque from the President General, in appreciation of the work of the Methodist Church in educating Barbadians in post slavery Barbados.

Before adjourning at Fairchild Street, the marchers met the Minister of Labour, Dr. the Honourable Esther Byer-Suckoo, and presented to her, a petition on behalf of Domestic Workers, asking the Government to support the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers which will be discussed at the International Labour Organisation’s Conference, in Geneva, in June 2011.

At the Fairchild Street Market, the workers recalled that that was used by the then General Secretary (now Rt. Excellent Sir Frank) Frank Walcott, to address workers from the balcony of what is now the BWU Co-op Credit Union’s headquarters, on trade union and matters of national interest. The workers applauded the fact that from Fairchild Street to Mangrove, the BWU’s unswerving commitment to raising awareness and educating the workers and publics of Barbados, remained steadfast.

22 | The Unionist

CONGRATULATIONS: Beverley Beckles

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he Executive Council and Staff of the Barbados Workers Union congratulate Comrade Beverley Beckles on graduating from the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill, in October 2010 with First Class honours in the Bachelors of Science (BSc) Management with Psychology. In addition she was the recipient of the Department of Management inaugural John Mayers award.

Comrade Beckles is now pursuing a Master of Science (MSc) in Management with International Management. She has been a member of the Executive council for the past nine years. ■

BWU CALLS FOR TESTS FOR PETROL The Barbados Workers’ Union has requested Barbados’ Energy Minister, Senator D’Arcy Boyce to move with undue delay to examine the petrol which consumers are receiving at the pump. Moreover, the BWU wants what is being pumped to be tested and the results publicly announced.

In a letter to Barbados’ Energy Minister, Senator D’Arcy Boyce, BWU General Secretary,

Senator Sir Roy Trotman has stated that every effort should be made to soften the price “blows” at the pump by an improved product.

Sir Roy Trotman stated that whenever BWU members met their message was the same. He added: “They, like us, are unhappy about the price and would like to see it controlled”.

According to Sir Roy, “many members will testify that a full tank would take them further once. The same tank is not taking them as far.

And it appears to be having adverse effects on the quality of performance of many vehicles”. ■

From the Desk of the General Secretary continued from page 5 that the Permanent Secretaries or other persons in secure jobs have their payments adjusted. It is unreasonable to have the most lowly paid denied the right to have wage reviews and adjustments at regular periods. Other countries practice that arrangement. Barbados should be no different.

Furthermore, the persons at the bottom should not be hearing us talk only about an adjustment that will meet the cost-of-living for the persons at the bottom. If all you get is the cost of living, you will continue always to be at the bottom level. There has to be a regime which endeavours to put those people at an earning level when there is an adjustment higher than what the inflation rate or the cost of living is because the intention has to be to raise their

standards so that they are better off two years down the road in relative terms than they were two years earlier; that is part of what we are endeavouring to do in the BWU. We make no apology to our critics for saying that that is our position. If the critics do not like it then we are saying that maybe they have another way of trying to improve the standards of the most vulnerable. We want to be in a position then, to improve the social and economic standards of all but particularly for those at the bottom. We want in a real sense to ensure that a social protection floor is put in place so that particularly those who are most vulnerable in our society are in a position to have themselves and their families look forward to a better future. ■ Roger Weekes (4th from left), captain of the Barbados Workers’ Union cricket team which played against Yorkshire in the finals of the Barbados Cricket Association’s Second X1 final at the Pickwick Grounds, Foursquare in January 2011, is pictured with team members and umpires.

Two members of the team, Winston Gibson (5th from left in the back row) captured 47 wickets and his nephew, Rohan,Gibson, (2nd from left in the back row)the BWU’s wicketkeeper, had 28 dismissals behind the stumps. The two were awarded by the BCA. The BWU cricket team was also the losing finalist in 2009.

The Executive is however pleased with the performance of the BWU Cricket team.

The Unionist | 23

Dr. C. V. Alert

Family Physician

Should We Treat Back Pain As A ‘Preventable Disease’?

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ow back pain is a major health problem among populations in western industrialised countries and a major cause of medical expenses, absenteeism, and disablement. Barbados has no specific immunity in this regard.

For some time now, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has been noting that the single largest medical condition that causes the scheme to pay out worker’s compensation (millions of dollars annually) is back pain; funds paid out to back pain sufferers have accounted for a little more than 50% of all the funds that are paid out annually.

In speeches about health, our ‘Health Decision Makers’ often make a strong case for ‘Prevention’, usually when the chronic non-communicable diseases are being considered, and perhaps more so in recent times at the worldwide recession forces us/them to realise that it can’t be ‘business as usual’ when it comes to health economics.

Is there scope then, for preventing back pain?

Apart for personal health benefits, the NIS statistics strongly suggest that as a country there could be economic benefits as well.

There are of course some occupations, particularly in the ‘blue-collar’ workforce, that are more prone to back pain. Although my working years at the hospital are long behind 24 | The Unionist

me, I can still remember individual members of the nursing staff, and the orderlies, for whom lifting was an integral part of their everyday activities, complaining of back pain, or going off on prolonged sick leave with back pain. I had the good fortune of working alongside a local physiotherapist a few years ago as we organised a ‘back pain’ seminar for those young men and women who loaded our many suitcases into airplanes, some massive, some small, but all with limited cargo spaces.

Many of these aircraft-loaders suffered back pain from time to time, in which their cramped working environment was a contributor.

Participants at the seminar were taught, and had to demonstrate, good posture, correct lifting techniques, exercises that strengthened the core muscles, aerobic conditioning, and exercises for general fitness. They all paid glowing tributes after the two day seminar.

A ‘back pain’ seminar will not stop all cases of back pain, but has the potential of significantly reducing the number of individuals who experience work-limiting back pain; and to reduce the severity of symptoms, and the workhours lost, in those who do go on to have back problems.

Many individuals within our workforce work in manufacturing and in construction, and fall in this category. If we are going to be serious about prevention, then the physical therapists must be approached to implement the preventive

programs that these workers need.

Thus ‘back pain prevention’ has particular significance in places where there may be a large group of persons at risk of developing the condition, where the condition is costly, and where rehabilitation is difficult and generally prolonged. All these apply here.

Targeting segments of the workforce in this way has traditionally been considered ‘occupational medicine’, and prevention in occupational medicine normally means wearing

the appropriate safety equipment.

Adopting ‘back pain prevention’ strategies allows an important interaction between prevention and occupational medicine, and redefines the boundaries of preventive medicine.

Thus our ‘Health Decision Makers’ may do well to consider the many conditions that have a negative impact on the health of the people they serve. In remembering that ‘an ounce of prevention is better (and cheaper) than a pound of cure’, specific preventive efforts directed towards back pain in our manual laborers has the potential for significant benefit. ■

ILO Official to visit Barbados

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r. Assane Diop, Deputy Director General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Geneva, will pay an official visit to Barbados from May 4 to 6, during which time the Union will promote a public forum at union headquarters, “Solidarity House”, where Mr. Diop will present on social security issues.

Mr. Diop will officially launch the ILO’s Programme on Occupational Safety and Health and the Environment (OSHE) in the

Caribbean which was started by way of the consultations held in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad on February 9 and 10. Those consultations, in which the Barbados Workers’ Union participated, brought together persons who are working in various aspects of the field of OSHE. While in Barbados, Mr. Diop is also expected to meet with officials from the Ministry of Labour and the Barbados Employers’ Confederation. ■

The Unionist | 25

Back To The Basics A

s we move forward in 2011 where productive and progressive behaviour is the call of the day, I am mindful of Mr Bizzy Williams exhortation to his colleagues at the company’s Christmas award ceremony. He told his team “Not to forget the reason for the Christmas season.” Yes Bizzy, I like those words of encouragement and would wish to add to them by reminding our fellow countrymen that we need to get back to base principles since these are the foundation of our efforts that lead to real success.

In this regard, I would like to share the words of a song that I heard ten (10) days ago. The words stirred my heart and may they be a blessing and the effective and fervent desire to all of us. The title of the piece is The Basics of Life We’ve turned the page, for a new day has dawned We’ve re-arranged what is right and what’s wrong Somehow we’ve drifted so far from the truth That we can’t get back home Where are the virtues that once gave us light Where are the morals that governed our lives Someday we all will awake and look back Just to find what we’ve lost We need to get back to the basics of life A heart that is pure and a love that is blind A faith that is fervently grounded in Christ The hope that endures for all times These are the basics, we need to get back to the basics of life The newest rage is to reason it out just meditate and you can overcome every doubt

26 | The Unionist

after all man is a god, they say God Is No Longer Alive But I still believe in the old rugged cross And I still believe there is hope for the lost And I know the rock of all ages will stand Through changes of time Bridge We’ve let the darkness invade us too long We’ve got to turn the tide Oh and we need the passion that burned long ago To come and open our eyes There’s no room for compromise What wonderful words! Is there a connect in some measures with these words and several lines in our National Anthem? Check it out.

Thanks to Dr Basil Springer for opening scriptural quotes in the weekly column in 2010 and special thanks to Sir Roy for his many encouraging perspectives during the light moment when we reflected on the basics, beauty and truth of Genesis Chapter One on several occasions. You too reminded us of the Basics.

“Christian or not everyone needs to get back to the basics of life in some form and quit being blinded by the sugar-coated, superficial, exclusive non-essentials that are often thrown at us!” argues James Jacob. ■

More Than A Savings Programme T

he BWU Credit Union SMART STEPS Youth Savings and Development Programme (SSYSDP) is the only savings and development programme of its kind in the island. This innovative programme is fully supported by the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development and is currently being implemented in the 25 Primary Schools in the Northern Zone of the Island. It also has some presence in the Central Zone with St. Paul’s School being an active participant and is targeted for introduction in

the South-Eastern Zone by third Quarter of 2011 . The SSYSDP was launched on the 19th of January 2011 at the All Saints School in St Peter. SSYSDP is a savings and development programme specifically with at persons of school age and even prior. The programme is one which sees the Credit Union dealing directly with the schools on an individual basis and introducing the benefits of Credit Union membership and sound financial habits to the students and their parents and guardians.

As its name implies, the SSYSDP is more than a Savings Programme. There is also a Small Business Component which will be developed through partnership with the YESS Juniors and the Youth Commissioners for the individual parishes.

The programme also provides opportunity for participation in Sports and access to Scholarships and Grants.

The Unionist | 27

The SSYSDP has benefits to those involved far beyond the financial. Teachers benefit through increased interaction with their peers from other schools resulting in an exchange of ideas. In addition there is opportunity training in various sporting disciplines. It encourages creativity among PTA Bodies and cooperation between parents and teachers at the various schools.

When one looks into the future of the SSYSDP one can see far reaching benefits for the students, parents and Credit Union alike. The Credit Union is indeed fulfilling its mandate to touch lives in a meaningful way and contribute to the development of the Nation’s youth.

OPTIONAL: The BWU CCUL acknowledges the strong support of the Ministry of Education and various agencies and partners in this programme of development for our youth. ■

Errol Barrow Day Celebrations The audience, comprising members of the Executive Council, staff, and members of the St. Philip community, was thrilled by creative and dramatic presentations, in honour of National Heroes Rt. Excellent Errol Barrow, and late leaders of the BWU, Rt. Excellent Sir Grantley Adams, Rt. Excellent Sir Hugh Springer and Rt. Excellent Sir Frank Walcott. ■

BWU President General Comrade Linda Brooks takes the salute during the march past by Cadets at the BWU Labour College, on Errol Barrow Day, 2011. On her immediate left is the Attorney General, the Honourable Adriel Brathwaite.

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he Executive Council of the Barbados Workers’ Union, through its Youth Arm, organised another successful Errol Barrow Day activity at the BWU Labour College on January 21.

The opening ceremony was addressed by the Honourable Adriel Brathwaite, Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Agriculture, Dr. the Honourable David Estwick.

28 | The Unionist

Students paying tribute to the life of National Hero, the late Rt. Excellent Errol Walton Barrow.

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The Spread In The Sandwich

n each occasion that I prepare a sandwich or am offered one, I begin to think of the position in which a supervisor is placed in the work setting.

Supervisors like the spread or the meat that is placed between the two slices of bread (which we call a sandwich) are often pressed between opposing social and industrial relations forces in the workplace setting, with management and their consultants on one side and workers and their trade unions on the other. And, often, it can be off-putting for the supervisor who is usually in a “no-win” position since he/ she may be slammed by management for being “too soft” or “worker friendly” or, on the other hand, being severely criticised by workers who accuse him or her for being “a tool of management”; the supervisor therefore ends up with no support from either side.

But what is the role of the supervisor and what are the expectations of management and the expectations of the supervisor’s subordinates? Supervisors play a key role in the management of the organisations, since their job is to oversee and guide the work or the activities of organisation for which they work. Their role as supervisors is the more important since, apart from being able to competently deal with the technical aspects of their jobs, they must be able to efficiently manage human capital and understand the vision and mission of the business for which they work.

The supervisor is expected to be a role model, always attending work and always punctual, a consummate professional, never having a bias, continuously challenged to improve the productivity and performance

of his or her subordinates - as well as his or her own.

As we examine things a bit closer, who is responsible for the implementation of any change in the organisation?

Who is to interpret management policies and communicate them to staff?

Who is the one that has the opportunity to take the pressure off both sides and use them to strengthen the organisation? Who is the person who experiences the wrath of the workers after Labour negotiations are completed? Who is the one who must carry the blame if there is a disturbance or production is low and overtime is high?

Top management has the shareholders, the Board of Directors, other managers and consultants to offer support; workers have their trade unions, their shop stewards, and their informal groups. But who supports the supervisor? He/she truly walks alone.

Supervisors, should be able to adapt to all situations and circumstances, since they are the link in the business chain.

And since supervisors are the link between the top management and lower level workers, they must be appropriately trained to tactfully deal with both groups. Yet, notwithstanding the importance attached to their role, the training for supervisors, may lag behind other members of staff.

The need therefore to implement a comprehensive approach to supervisory training is paramount if the organisation is to improve its performance in the areas of productivity, industrial relations harmony and increased internal and external customer satisfaction which are the impetus for growth in this ever challenging environment. ■ The Unionist | 29

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NATIONAL PRIDE AND INDUSTRY

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n an island that is 166 sq miles, with limited natural resources, our single greatest resource is the hard working people who make up our labour force. It is because of their efforts that our economy has the potential to rebound and grow; they are the bloodline of our economic health and May Day is geared toward celebrating them.

The two verses of our national anthem read: “In plenty and in time of need when this fair land was young, our brave forefathers sowed

the seed from which our pride is sprung, A pride that makes no wanton boast of what it has withstood, that binds our hearts from coast to coast - The Pride of Nationhood.

“The Lord has been the people’s guide for past three hundred years. With him still on the people’s side we have no doubts or fears. Upward and onward we shall go, inspired, exulting, free, and greater will our nation grow in strength and unity” Barbadians have built a strong foundation for a bright future through hard work, diligence, determination and co-operation. Our nation depends on working people to produce the goods and services that have created our high standard of living. While some still try to say that manufacturing is dead, the manufacturing sector has demonstrated that it is a significant contributor to the workforce of Barbados, the industry statistics below show: Continued on page 37

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the Company’s Vision: to be “an energy service provider, delivering world class service and reliability.” The “closed” end of the semi circle on the left also represents the end of an era, while the open end points to the future.

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uring 2011, the Barbados Light & Power company will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary of electricity in Barbados.

We are proud of this achievement and invite all Barbadians to celebrate this milestone for the country under the theme ‘Powering our Nation’s Progress since 1911’.

The celebrations will focus on the role electricity has played in the overall development of the island. This milestone represents a source of pride for Light & Power staffers who are pleased to be associated with a company which has helped to transform the face of Barbados moving it from a simple agricultural society, to one which is viewed as one of the top developing countries in the world.

Light & Power considers the 100th Anniversary milestone as an opportunity to look back at its history while anticipating the future and the infinite possibilities which lie ahead. This sentiment is symbolised in the 100th anniversary logo, which was created for use during the anniversary year. The logo incorporates elements from the current corporate logo: the Company’s name and mascot Reddy Kilowatt, which overlooks a free flowing rendition of “100 Years” and “1911-2011” along with the theme: “Powering Our Nation’s Progress.” The double broken lines in the semi-circular design represent the axis of the globe and speak to

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The symbolism of the 100th Anniversary logo will come to life more vividly in a video presentation and a book, penned by historian and university lecturer, Dr. Henderson Carter.

The book will be launched in time for the Company’s anniversary month of June. While both the book and the video chronicle the development of the Barbados Electric Supply Corporation and later, The Barbados Light & Power Company, the historical data pertaining to these companies is treated as the backdrop against which national development takes place.

Celebrations of this milestone will take place throughout the year and will be tailored to involve employees, shareholders, customers and the general public, in whom the Company will seek to build a greater awareness of the value of electricity and its role in providing a sustainable future for all Barbadians.

The Light & Power Story in a Nutshell!

The Barbados Light & Power Company Ltd. is the sole electric utility in Barbados. Its forerunner, the Barbados Electric Supply Corporation (BESC), was formed in 1909, following the passage of the Electric Light & Power Act by the Barbados House of Assembly in 1899 and its enactment in 1907.

The laying of underground mains in Bridgetown and along the Hastings Road as far as St. Lawrence Gap began the next year and on June 17, 1911, the Electric Light Works was officially opened by Lady Probyn, wife of then Governor, Sir Leslie Probyn. The electrification of the island proceeded slowly over the next few decades, with all the expected growing pains.

As demand grew, the BESC ordered more equipment, but the Company found it difficult to get permission to erect poles and substations on the property of individual homeowners and businesses.

In 1936, the year before the Disturbances, which opened the pathway to the modern history of Barbados, the BESC got its original franchise extended to cover the remainder of the island on a non-exclusive basis. By that time, the Company had acquired five new vehicles. By 1940, the total capacity of the BESC was 2,000 kW, and by 1955 it had tripled to 7,044 kW, with peak demand on the system totaling 4,200 kW. In 1955, The Barbados Light & Power Co. Ltd. (BL&P) was formed to take over the local assets of the BESC, which remained as a holding company in London. Half a million 5 1/2% shares were offered to Barbadians and the issue was over subscribed. That same year Hurricane Janet devastated the island, causing severe dislocation to the operations of the Company.

But the Company recovered and in 1958, its first 2,500 kilowatt steam turbo alternator was installed.

As demand grew, the Company found that its existing plant could not cope and in 1959, then Premier, Grantley Adams, threatened to nationalize it, but never did, although a oneman Commission of Enquiry was set up to do so.

In 1960, the BESC sold its shares in the Company to the Mitchell Engineering Group, also of the UK and three years later, control passed to the Canadian International Power Company.

The development of the Company has been steady, with wise financial planning and sound investments in human resources, plant and equipment playing a major role in its success over the years.

In 1997, BL&P’s shareholders voted to have all of the Company’s shares exchanged for shares in a new parent Company, Light & Power Holdings Ltd and in January 1998, The Barbados Light & Power Company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Light & Power Holdings. Thirtyeight percent of Light & Power Holdings shares were owned by Canadian International Power Co. Ltd., whose parent Company, Leucadia National Corporation of the USA, has now

sold this to Emera of Nova Scotia, Canada. In early 2011, Emera purchased additional shares in Light & Power Holdings increasing its shareholding to approximately 80%.

The Barbados Light & Power Co. Ltd. is a fully investor-owned utility serving over 120,000 customers throughout 166 sq miles of the island.

It has a generation capacity of 240 megawatts installed at three generating stations - Spring Garden, Garrison and Seawell - to serve a maximum peak demand of 167,500 kW. The largest, single development to date has been the installation and commissioning of a new 60 megawatt Low Speed Diesel generating station at Spring Garden, which has been in operation since May 2005 and was officially opened in November of that year. This plant operates on the lowest cost residual fuel available to us and is realizing considerable fuel efficiency. The benefits are all being passed on to customers.

Electricity is generated at a frequency of 50 hertz and transmitted at 24 kilovolts and 69 kilovolts to 17 substations throughout the island. The total energy sales for 2009 were around 952.2 GWh (952,000,000 kWh).

Employing approximately 525 persons, the Company is headed by a Managing Director, who is ultimately responsible for the operations of eight departments – Accounts, Administration, Customer Services, Distribution, Generation, Human Resources, Information & Communication Technology and Marketing and Corporate Communications.

It is the vision of The Barbados Light & Power Company Limited to be “An energy service provider delivering world class service and reliability.” The Company’s mission is “Working Together to Satisfy Customer Requirements” and it is to this end that employees commit themselves to service excellence and to providing customers with a safe and reliable electricity service.

On Service Excellence……

The LUMINOSITY awards are a celebration and recognition of Barbados Light & Power’s The Unionist | 33

employees who have exhibited outstanding contributions towards the achievement of the Company’s goals throughout the review period.

One of the instruments that inform the selection of top performers is the performance appraisal system (PIMMS).

Other criteria are based on the Corporate Strategic Objectives, core values and core competencies. The core values are excellence, adaptability, safety, courage, integrity, social

Anderson Henry receiving the coveted Department Star Award (Generation Department): from Stephen Worme, Chief Marketing Officer.

Dwayne Burke and Ricky Greaves – winners of the Stellar Service award.

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responsibility and trust and mutual respect.

Each department’s top two employees with the highest PIMMS score are automatically considered for the most prized recognition of Department Star among whom the employee and supervisor of the year are selected. Additionally, and for the first time this year, employees were able to nominate their colleagues for all awards who they believe exhibit qualities and attributes worthy of recognition. Other categories of awards include Star Volunteer, Safety Star and Stellar Service.

Among those recognized for their performance this year are a number of delegates as pictured below and member Cyrilene Bryan.

We congratulate them as they work together to satisfy our stakeholders’ requirements.

Wayde Dottin receiving his Safety Star award from Fredrick Adamson, HSEQ Administrator.

Cyrilene Bryan receiving her Star Volunteer award from Tyrone Alexander, former Employee of the Year.

Retired employees of the Company with HR representatives.

Tomas – Operation Restoration On October 30 Barbados suffered from the effects of the passage of Tropical storm Tomas.

The employees of the Barbados Light & Power responded tremendously to the restoration effort. Some team members came out from their holiday while others volunteered to assist in areas outside of their normal areas of responsibilities to answer anxious customer calls and queries and to supply meals to the many crews dispersed around the island.

By mid November 99% of the island’s power had been restored and the efforts of the team were recognized by the public and other stakeholders.

Congratulations on a job well done!

....Stalwarts who helped us to get there 100 years of existence is no trivial feat. Amidst the changing technologies and environments one thing that has remained constant throughout the years is the quality of highly skilled and dedicated people who call the Barbados Light & Power their place of employment.

We would like to recognise the stalwarts who have gone on and those who are still with us who sacrificed so much so that the Company can proudly be what it is today.

We caught up with some retirees at a recent BLPC sponsored BARP lecture presented by Prof. Henry Fraser.

To them we say “Thank you”…you have contributed significantly to this nation’s progress and have paved the way for those who remain.

The achievement of 100 years of electricity service is a notable one for Light & Power and for Barbados. Everyone uses electricity and The Unionist | 35

any celebration of electricity is essentially a celebration of the Barbadian lifestyle. Indeed, the range of activities and events being planned to commemorate the milestone will afford the Company the opportunity to portray the

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anniversary as one that is national, while simultaneously celebrating the achievements of the past, anticipating the future and acknowledging employees of the Company (past & present) for their commitment to service over the years.â–

National Pride and Industry Continued from page 31

Indicator

Value

Period

Number of Registered Companies

279

December 2010

8,566

December 2010

Domestic Exports to CARICOM

BDS $205.3 million

2010

Total Exports

BDS $254.9 million

2010

Employment

The contribution of the manufacturing sector to Barbados’ Real GDP continues to be commendable. To this end, manufacturing continues to offer one of the best avenues to capitalize on local resources, local talent and local strengths.

Regrettably, however, a sizeable gap still exists between the contribution of the industry and support for the sector.

While there is evidence that there has been some positive change where some are making an effort to choose local manufacturing and production first, there is still a long way to go. We need to be able to make the link between local production and a sustainable economy. Too many still do not realise that when we choose an imported product over a local product this results in the exporting rather than the supporting of jobs, increased unemployment, dependence on the State, higher import bills and increased foreign exchange spend. This is not the formula for a recovering or successful economy.

This is a call for all Barbadians to support local manufacturing, thereby providing great opportunities for sustainable livelihood for the workers; while at the same time maximizing the opportunities available for the development and advancement of local businesses.

To quote our national anthem again “Upward and onward we shall go, Inspired, exulting, free, and greater will our nation grow in strength and unity”.

Strong, favourable partnerships between the Unions, Employers and Employees are a key ingredient in our national success, if we continue to work together, our future will be bright.

Workers are the heart and soul of our nation.

Yet, we will only see wages grow and the number of jobs steadily increase for those workers if we emphasize education and training, partnership between labor and management, and responsibility by all for improving the quality of the goods and services that we produce. Let us all strive towards greater Pride and Industry.■

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