A redacted version of the merger application of the Barbados National Terminal Company Limited and BNTCL Holdings Limited (a subsidiary of Sol St. Lucia), provided by the transaction parties, is now available.
The document may be viewed at the office of the Fair Trading Commission, Green Hill, St. Michael, Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, until Wednesday, March 8.
Comments from industry participants, representatives of consumer interest groups and other interested parties should be submitted via mail to the Chief Executive Officer, Fair Trading Commission, Good Hope, Green Hill, St. Michael, or via email to info@ftc.gov.bb, no later than 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8.
Persons may contact the Commission at 424-0260, for further information.
BNTCL and BNTCL Holdings Ltd merger application available for viewing
SEDU Community Outreach in Vieux Fort – St. Lucia
The Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU) of the Department of Commerce, International Trade, Investment, Enterprise Development and Consumer Affairs will be hosting a Business Community Outreach in the town of Vieux Fort on Wednesday, March 1st 2017 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Vieux Fort Primary School.
The event forms part of the Department s Entrepreneurial Development Programme which
focuses on the promotion of an entrepreneurial culture and the development of best practices
amongst potential and existing micro and small business owners. This community outreach is the second in a series of outreach meetings which will be held once a month in various
communities around the island in 2017. The first community outreach held at the Soufriere
Primary School on January 25th, 2017 was hailed a resounding success.
This week s session will address the following:-
· SEDU s Services (which includes assistance with Business Name Registration)
· Consumer Affairs Department s Services (which includes Consumer Rights)
We therefore encourage all persons who either own businesses or intend to start a business to attend this activity. This is expected to be a very interactive session where persons would receive the information necessary to start or build competitive businesses.
Kindly contact Mr. Egbert Stevens at 468-4223, 468-4221 or 285-4573 or visit us on the 4th Floor of the Heraldine Rock Building for any additional information regarding this and other upcoming training opportunities for existing or prospective entrepreneurs.
Regional Steering Committee Meeting of the United Nations
The United Nations Belize invites you to the Closing and Press Briefing
WHAT: Annual Regional Steering Committee Meeting of the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework.
WHEN: Wednesday 1 March 2017, 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Belize Ocean Club Resort and Spa, Maya Beach, Placencia
WHO: United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework Regional Steering Committee
WHY: The annual meeting of the Regional Steering Committee (RSC) of the UN MSDF takes place at the Belize Ocean Club Resort, Placencia, Belize from the 28th February to 1st March, 2017. This meeting will define the strategic direction for the UN MSDF for the next year. In attendance will be the members of the UN MSDF Regional Steering Committee which consists of selected United Nations heads of agencies from across the region, as well as the United Nations Resident Coordinators (UNRC) for the English and Dutch speaking Caribbean:
- Mr. Christian Salazar Volkmann – UNRC Belize and El Salvador, current Chair of the RSC
- Mr. Richard Blewitt – UNRC Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten
- Ms. Mikiko Tanaka – UNRC Guyana
- Mr. Stephen O’Malley – UNRC Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
- Mr. Bruno Pouezat – UNRC Jamaica, Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos
The United Nations Multi-country Sustainable Development Framework (UN MSDF) is the strategic plan for the UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes in 18 English and Dutch speaking Caribbean for the period January 2017 to December 2021. The countries covered are Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of Dominica, Curaҫao, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
This Framework defines how the Agencies, Funds, and Programmes of the United Nations will use their comparative advantages within a single strategic framework that aligns with and supports the overarching strategic goals of the Caribbean’s governments, development partners and key stakeholders. The focus of the framework is on four priorities: An Inclusive, Equitable and Prosperous Caribbean, A Healthy Caribbean, A Safe, Cohesive and Just Caribbean, A Sustainable and Resilient Caribbean. The MSDF focuses on promoting increased access to quality education and lifelong learning; enhancing equitable access to quality social services for all; fostering voice and accountability; universal access to quality health care; climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable energy programs.
This framework aims to ensure that no one is left behind in national development efforts, and exemplifies the commonly-shared belief that the similar development challenges of the Caribbean countries require a coherent and coordinated response by the United Nations.
This framework signals a new day for UN operations in the Caribbean. In keeping with the UN mandate “Delivering as One” UN Country Teams are delivering one programme, one budget, one operating system and one communication strategy with one leader.
The UN MSDF supports the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the SAMOA Pathway, and the promotion of all international human rights instruments that have been ratified by the 18 countries. The UN MSDF is also closely aligned with CARICOM’s “Strategic Plan for the Caribbean Community”.
The MSDF as well as additional information on initiatives in the region is available on the website: www.2030Caribbean.
OECS Member States develop Curriculum Framework for ECIT
Competency based Tourism Training and Education for the Region
Representatives from all Member States of the OECS participating in the OECS Network of Excellence for Tourism and Hospitality Training and Education (NETHTE) project assembled in Antigua & Barbuda from February 22 – 23, 2017 to discuss and validate the Curriculum Framework for the proposed Eastern Caribbean Institute of Tourism (ECIT).
The Curriculum to be developed by Member States for ECIT programs will be centered on the Competency Based Training and Education Approach. This approach was found to be ideal as it best facilitates the needs of the sector in terms of equipping tourism industry personnel with not only the knowledge, but also the skill-sets and attitude needed to effectively perform at all levels in the region’s highly service-oriented and very diversified tourism industry.
The OECS Member States of Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines were represented at the workshop which was held at the Jolly Beach Resort in Antigua.
The OECS Network of Excellence for Tourism and Hospitality Training and Education (NETHTE) project is being implemented with funding support from the European Union through its 10th EDF Programme of Economic Integration and Trade of the OECS region.
Individual effort needed to achieve excellence
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has challenged individuals at all levels of the private and public sectors to bring excellence into their workplaces.
Mr. Stuart, who was at the time addressing Monday’s launch of the 2017 Week of Excellence at the Grande Salle, Central Bank of Barbados, also called on Chief Executive Officers, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments to do what was in their power to “take excellence off the page and make it come alive”.
“Each of us, every day, in everything that we do, in whatever work we are engaged, should seek to find at least one thing that we can do better to increase productivity,” Mr. Stuart charged.
He stated that the Barbados Growth and Development Strategy 2013-2020, the Barbados Human Resource Development Strategy and the Skills-for-the-Future Programme were some of the initiatives which signalled Government’s commitment to human resource development.
However, the Prime Minister noted that while the institutional framework was in place, excellence must still come from the individual.
“A commitment to excellence requires a personal engagement with the job; a personal understanding of the importance of what one does to the good of the nation; a personal interest in improving the lot of the nation and, by extension, that of the family,” he pointed out.
Furthermore, Mr. Stuart observed that excellence was also expected at the organisational and institutional levels, and therefore issues of general health and wellbeing, the effects of chronic non-communicable diseases, and the challenge of absenteeism, must be taken into account.
“The achievement of excellence will require a higher level of engagement by all, which in turn requires constructive relationships based on mutual respect,” he said.
The Prime Minister added that Barbadians must be inspired to reach their full potential in order to contribute to a country that is socially balanced, economically viable, environmentally sound and where there is good and honest governance.
Stating that he was awaiting the updated results from the National Initiative for Service Excellence Employee Engagement Index, Mr. Stuart noted that the discussion surrounding productivity and excellence was not new.
In fact, he challenged Barbadians to “steel themselves to face the competitive world”, especially in light of changes such as the Brexit phenomenon and the inauguration of a new United States administration.
President of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados, Cedric Murrell; General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, Toni Moore; and Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, Cleviston Haynes also made presentations during yesterday’s opening ceremony.
World Bank and OECS conduct Regional Microdata Documentation Workshop
The World Bank, in collaboration with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, conducted an OECS Microdata Documentation Regional Workshop during the week 13-17 February, 2017.
The workshop was organised to support the implementation of the OECS Regional Strategy for Development in Statistics (RSDS) and to respond to requests of OECS Member States expressed at the Eighth Living Standards Measurement Committee (8th LSMC) Meeting.
It is the hope of the planning committee that, after the week-long session, participants would have gained the skills needed to document and preserve survey microdata according to international standards and subsequently produce documentation for surveys from their agencies.
The workshop, held at the Coco Palm Resort in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, was facilitated by a team from the World Bank who manage the World Bank’s Microdata Library and the International Household Survey Network survey catalog. Participants included a four-member delegation from the OECS Commission and representatives from National Statistics Offices (NSOs) within the OECS Region with responsibility for the preservation and dissemination of survey data and results.
SLAA Competition Calendar 2017
St. Lucia Athletics Association 2017 Competition Calendar
| DATE | EVENT | TIME | VENUE | INFORMATION |
| JANUARY | ||||
| 14 | GENERAL MEETING | 10am | Marchand C.C. | |
| 21 | League Mini Meet#1 | 10am | George Odlum Stadium | MLD/Throws |
| FEBRUARY | ||||
| 4 | Council Meeting | 10am | Olympic House | |
| 11 | Kevin Malcolm 5K, Mon Repos | Mon Repos Sports Council | ||
| 11 | League Mini Meet #2 | 10am | George Odlum Stadium | Sprints/Jumps |
| 18 | National Sports Awards | 7pm | National Cultural Centre | |
| 19 | Mon Repos Road Relay | Mon Repos | Mon Repos Sports Council | |
| 19 | DASH Independence 5K | Castries | DASH Colour Run | |
| 25-26 | Independence Games | 10am | George Odlum Stadium | U15, U18 & Open |
| MARCH | ||||
| 4 | League Meet #3 (General) | 10am | George Odlum Stadium | |
| 6-7 | Inter Secondary School (Northern Qualifier) | TBA | MYDS | |
| 9-10 | Inter Secondary School (Southern Qualifier) | TBA | MYDS | |
| 18 | League Meet #4 (Distance) | 10am | George Odlum Stadium | |
| 22-25 | Inter Secondary School (Semi-Finals & Finals) |
TBA | MYDS | |
| APRIL | ||||
| 1-2 | National Juniors / Carifta Trials | 10am | George Odlum Stadium | U18 & U20 |
| 5 | Inter-District Primary Championships | TBA | MYDS | |
| 8 | Grenada Invitational | 5pm | St George’s, Grenada | |
| 15-17 | CARIFTA Games | Willemstad, Curacao | U18 & U20 | |
| 18-30 | CECS Level One | WEST COAST | ||
| 22-23 | General Meet | TBA | George Odlum Stadium | |
| 22-23 | IAAF World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | ||
| 29 | Martinique Invitational – APM | Fort-De-France, Martinique | ||
| 30 | 4th Elite Invitational | 10am | Mindoo Phillip Park | Elite Athletic Club -TBC |
| MAY | ||||
| 7 | 1 Nat’l Bank Age Group Championship Zonal Qualifier #1 NORTHERN | 10am | Mindoo Phillip Park | U15 (Castries, Canaries, Gros Islet, Dennery, Anse La Raye) |
| 13 | ‘Night’ Games | 7pm | Marchand Grounds | |
| TBA | World Athletics Day | 11-1pm | Gros Islet Playing Field | TBC |
| TBA | World Athletics Day | 3-5pm | Mindoo Phillip Park | TBC |
| 21 | 1 Nat’l Bank Age Group Championship Zonal Qualifier #2 SOUTHERN |
10am | George Odlum Stadium | U15 (VF, Micoud, Mon Repos, Choiseul, Laborie, Soufrière) |
| 20 | Caribbean U16 Games | Lorrain, Martinique | Athlete Born 2001/2002 | |
| TBA | Hampton Games | 10am | Trinidad & Tobago | |
| 27 | Council Meeting | TBA | Olympic House | |
| 27-28 | Hypomeeting | Götzis, Austria | ||
| 28 | Combined Events Challenge | George Odlum Stadium | ||
| JUNE | ||||
| 4 | 1 Nat’l Bank 14 & Under Games Finals | 9:30am | Mindoo Phillip Park | U15 |
| 3-4 | Whitsuntide Invitational | St George’s, Grenada | Grenada Athletics Assoc | |
| 7-10 | NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships | Eugene, Oregon | ||
| 10 | Club Relays & Field Events | 10am | George Odlum Stadium | |
| 14-15 | NACAC Age Group | Port Of Spain, TTO | ||
| 24-25 | Nat’l Individual Championship | 10am | George Odlum Stadium | Open |
| JULY | ||||
| 1-2 | OECS Snr Track & Field Championship | Grenada | NACAC | |
| 3-5 | Pan Am Combined Events Championship | Ottawa, Canada | ||
| 8 | Anti-Doping Seminar | 9am-6pm | TBA | |
| 12-16 | IAAF World U18 | Nairobi, Kenya | IAAF | |
| 14-16 | CAC Seniors | Cali, Columbia | NACAC | |
| 19-23 | Commonwealth Youth Games | Nassau, Bahamas | SLOC | |
| 21-23 | NACAC U20 Champs | Trujillo, Peru | ||
| 24-28 | First Aid/CPR | TBA | Red Cross | |
| 29 | Council Meeting | 11am | Olympic House | TBC |
| AUGUST | ||||
| 1 | Freedom Run/Relay 10k | 6am | Castries | |
| 4-13 | IAAF World Championship | London, England | IAAF | |
| Pine Hill Fun Walk | Vigie – Pigeon Point | Peter & Company Ltd | ||
| SEPTEMBER | ||||
| 3 | Run A Mile Series | 7am | Gros Islet | |
| 17 | Cross Country Series | 7am | Vieux Fort | 2k,4k,6k, 8k |
| 24 | Cross Country Series | 4pm | Choiseul | |
| OCTOBER | ||||
| TBA | SLHTA Run Saint Lucia | |||
| 8 | Run A Mile Series | Vieux Fort | ||
| 14 | 10th Anniversary NACAC 10k Petit Bourg | Petit Bourg, Guadeloupe | ||
| 21 | Annual General Assembly | 10am | TBA | |
| 22 | Cross Country Series | 10 Am | Mabouya Valley | |
| 29 | NACAC Chatoyer International 10k | Kingstown, VIN | ||
| NOVEMBER | ||||
| 5 | Run A Mile Series | Soufriere | ||
| 19 | Cross Country Series | 9:15am | Vieux Fort | 6k – Open |
| 26 | Cross Country Series | 7am | Pigeon Point | 4k,8k & 10k |
| DECEMBER | ||||
| 2-4 | Run Barbados | Barbados | ||
| 10 | Cross Country Series (Final) | 4pm | TBA | Road Running Committee |
| 13 | Nat’l Day Athletics Festival | Jeremie St, Castries | ||
| 13 | Run A Mile Series (Final) | 7am | Castries City Circuit | |
Sea Cucumber Fishing Season Notice
In accordance with Section 11 of Statutory Instrument No. 67 of 2009, under the Fisheries Act Chapter 210 of the Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2000-2003, the Fisheries Administrator hereby informs all fishers and the public that the season for the extraction for all species of sea cucumber will remain closed for 2017. Thus, no person should fish or have in his possession any sea cucumber.
This is necessary for the Department to undertake a more comprehensive assessment of the stocks to strengthen management measures for the conservation and sustainable utilization of this species. The cooperation of the fishing community and the public is greatly appreciated.
For additional information or to report any illegal fishing activity please contact the Fisheries Department office at telephone number: 224-4552 / 203-2623 or email: fisheries_department@fisheries.gov.bz
Launch of the Belize Archives Advisory Board – BARS
The Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture launched the Belize Archives Advisory Board at a meeting held in the Conference Room of the Belize Archives and Records Service (BARS) in Belmopan.
The current members of the Advisory Board are: Ms. Marian McNab, Chairperson, Dr. Wilma Wright, Mr. Lawrence Vernon, Mr. Nigel Encalada, Rev. Lancelot Lewis, Mr. Rudy Aguilar and Mr. Derryck Satchwell. The Director of BARS, Dr. Herman Byrd is Secretary of the Board. Mrs. Adele Catzim-Sanchez, Chief Executive Officer with responsibility for Youth, Sports and Culture in the Ministry of Education, deputized on behalf of the Hon. Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education. CEO Catzim told the Board, that “The Belize Archives and Records Service are at a critical juncture in its development.
The work of BARS remains at the core of nation building. The work is not only about the collection, preservation and dissemination of information; it is about showing and telling us who we are as a people. Key historical documents (photographs, letters, reports, and newspaper articles) represent moments in time that bring meaning to the experiences we share today.” In addition, she noted that the Belize Archives and Records Service also has the mandate for ensuring that current records remain protected and well-managed in government ministries and departments. The Chairperson, Ms. McNab thanked the board members, the Director, administrators, and staff for their commitment and dedication to the work of BARS.
The Director stated that a major undertaking will be the preparation of a strategic plan to better position the Department to effectively carry out its dual tasks of preserving historical records and promoting effective management of public sector records.
Contact: Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Adele Catzim-Sanchez, Youth, Sports and Culture, Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture- 631-5285. Ms. Marian McNab, Chair – 610-3977. Dr. Herman Byrd, Director- 822-2247.
Pig farmers to work in Canada
A selection of local workers with experience in pig farming and animal husbandry has satisfied the requirements to work on Cronin Farms in Ontario, Canada.
The employment opportunity was highlighted recently, when Minister of Labour, Senator Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo received farm owners, Mike and Amy Cronin, for a courtesy call at the Ministry of Labour, Warrens Office Complex.
During the visit, Mrs. Cronin revealed that they were looking for 12 to 15 persons initially to work indoors on their farms; and facilitate the upkeep of their pigs over a two-year period. As such, Minister Byer Suckoo assured the potential employers that the selection of the “right” candidates was critical to her Ministry.
“The selection and screening process includes the application, interview, medical screening, as well as police checks through our police department, which would verify that their records are clear…
“Through this process we try to eliminate those who don’t appear to have the requirements or the right attitude,” she explained.
The Minister further noted that foreign agricultural programmes of this nature had provided good opportunities for Barbadian workers over the past 50 years, enabling them to support their families through gainful employment.
She opined that although Barbados, with its “tiny” labour force, could not provide the same quantity of workers as countries like Guatemala, Mexico and Jamaica; the positive reputation of Barbadians in the programme spoke to the quality of our workers. And, she insisted, it was important that this reputation was maintained.
“At the end of the day…we do not want employers to stop looking at Barbados as a source country because we have sent the wrong individuals,” the Labour Minister stressed.
While noting that the Cronins also had farms in the United States, the Minister revealed that she recently travelled to Washington DC to meet with US Agricultural Employers, to secure employment for workers on the US H2A Agricultural Work Programme. She added that her presentation there was received with “much interest and enthusiasm.”
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Marva Howell; Liaison Officer to Canada, James Inniss; Assistant Liaison Officer to Canada, Shirley Wall-Mayers; and Senior Labour Officer with the National Employment Bureau, Yvette Walcott-Dennis; were also present at the meeting.
