分类： society

Barbados’ National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS) has announced a landmark milestone for its specialized Self-Employed Unit, revealing that more than 3,000 independent workers have signed up for national social security coverage in just over 14 months since the initiative launched. Officials made the announcement Friday during a celebratory ceremony held at Speightstown Esplanade, where they detailed the community-centered strategy driving the program’s rapid growth and unveiled new flexible payment options tailored to the unique needs of self-employed workers.

Alethea Thomas, acting project manager of the Self-Employed Unit, presented the official progress update at the event, breaking down the results of the unit’s ground-up outreach approach launched on March 17, 2025. By the end of the program’s first full year, 3,039 self-employed Barbadians had completed new registrations, with a sharp late surge pushing totals even higher. Thomas shared that April 2026 alone saw 678 total processed registrations, including 543 first-time sign-ups and 135 reactivations of lapsed coverage, a result she credited to the unit’s intentional, community-facing model.

Unlike traditional social security outreach that relies on centralized bureaucratic offices, the NISSS initiative has shifted to meet independent workers where they already operate. To date, the team has hosted 28 interactive workshops and community sessions across every part of the island, connecting directly with street vendors, skilled tradespeople, creative professionals and other independent workers in their daily work environments. What started as a registration drive has evolved into a long-term relationship-building framework, Thomas explained, that has made NISSS more visible, accessible and trusted among the self-employed community than ever before in the institution’s history.

A key new rollout announced at the ceremony is flexible payment terms designed to accommodate the irregular, fluctuating income streams that are common for independent workers. The initiative’s 15 field officers, all recruited from the local communities they now serve, have been central to the program’s success, Thomas noted, adding that their existing connections to the populations they engage with has helped break down barriers to registration.

Thomas emphasized that the self-employed workforce, whose members make a deliberate choice to “bet on themselves” through independent work, deserve the same long-term social protection that traditional employees access through the national insurance system. “The self-employed persons of Barbados work hard, and they make the necessary sacrifices for themselves, living on their own terms through skill, labour, creativity, and courage that deserves to be honoured,” Thomas told attendees. “What we are offering through the NISSS is the assurance that that hard work pays off, not just today, but for the rest of their lives — that the years of hard work and hustle will lead to somewhere safe, secure, and worry-free.”

She added that every Barbadian, regardless of whether they work for an employer or run their own business, is entitled to financial security during retirement. “Every Barbadian, whether employee or self-employed, deserves those golden years, and it is the mission of the Self-Employed Unit to assure this.” Immediately following the ceremony, the unit’s field officers departed for new outreach stops in Six Men’s Bay and Mile-and-a-Quarter in St Peter, continuing the ongoing registration drive to reach remaining unregistered self-employed workers across the island.

As secondary school students across Barbados increasingly turn away from long-established conventional professions to explore unconventional vocational paths, the Barbados Association of Guidance Counsellors (BAGC) has broadened its industry partnerships to meet this shifting demand. The expansion was announced Friday by BAGC president Sharnell Clarke, during the opening of the association’s 19th National Career Showcase, hosted this year at the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill.

Clarke noted that while core traditional careers including law, medicine, and education still draw significant student interest, a clear divergence in vocational preferences has emerged in recent years. To reflect this changing landscape, organizers this year added non-traditional roles to the showcase lineup – including a professional fruit carving artist, one of the creative vocational paths that has piqued growing curiosity among attending students.

“More young people are actively broadening their horizons and opening themselves up to career options their parents or older generations rarely considered,” Clarke explained in an interview on site. “That’s why we worked to bring in representatives from every corner of Barbados’ economy, from skilled creative trades to public service roles that many students have never gotten the chance to learn about first-hand.”

This year’s showcase brought together 70 distinct organizations spanning virtually every major sector of the Barbadian economy: finance, insurance, education, medical and mental health, business development, entrepreneurship, tourism, agriculture, animal control, food nutrition, and skilled creative trades. Even niche public service sectors got a spot in the event: the Barbados Police Service brought representatives from its canine unit and traffic division, while the national agriculture ministry featured six separate departments to introduce students to roles in agribusiness and rural development. For sports-inclined students, Barbados’ iconic cricket legends were also on hand to walk attendees through what it takes to build a professional career in competitive sports. BAGC also hosted its own exhibition, to demystify the work of guidance counsellors and encourage students interested in education and mental health to consider the profession themselves.

Unlike past years, when the showcase opened to secondary students from third to sixth form, resource constraints – including limited event space and tightened funding – forced organizers to refocus the event exclusively on third-form students. This demographic, Clarke explained, is at a critical career juncture: they are just weeks away from selecting specialized subjects for their fourth and fifth form studies, a choice that directly shapes their future post-graduation vocational options.

All secondary schools across the island were invited to send their third-form cohorts, including the specialized Derrick Smith School and Vocational Centre. According to Clarke, the core mission of the annual showcase is to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world work, giving students access to professionals and industries that most would never encounter in their daily school lives.

“For most young people, there’s no way to learn what a typical day looks like in an unfamiliar career until you actually talk to someone who does that work every day,” Clarke said. “This event gives them that chance: they can ask questions, get behind-the-scenes insight, and even discover entirely new careers they never knew existed before.”

Clarke added that a national, centralized showcase offers unique value that smaller, individual school career fairs cannot match. As an island-wide association, BAGC has the resources and network to bring together a far wider range of professions under one roof, giving every attending student access to a broader scope of vocational opportunities no matter what school they attend.

On a bustling Friday at the University of the West Indies’ Cave Hill campus in St. Michael, hundreds of third-form secondary students from across Barbados stepped into a world of professional possibility at the 19th Annual National Career Showcase, hosted by the Barbados Association of Guidance Counsellors (BAGC). Held under the forward-thinking theme “A Bright Future Loading… Planning Your Vision,” the three-day event brought together 70 local and regional businesses, professional organizations, and educational institutions to demystify career pathways and break down the academic requirements students need to pursue their professional goals.

Unlike traditional career fairs that rely on static brochures and brief handshakes, this year’s showcase prioritized interactive engagement to spark long-term interest. Exhibitors set up hands-on demonstrations, immersive challenges, and guided conversations to help young students, many of whom are just beginning to map out their post-secondary plans, connect classroom learning to real-world work.

One of the biggest crowd-pleasers of the event was the booth hosted by Robot Adventures, where students lined up to crowd around live robotics displays, test their skills at maneuvering robotic arms, and complete hands-on technical challenges. Chief Instructor Jelani Payne, who leads the organization’s youth outreach programs, told attendees that robotics and related automation fields represent one of the fastest-growing professional sectors across the globe and the Caribbean, with a vast range of untapped opportunities for local graduates.

Payne highlighted several fast-growing subfields that are already creating high-demand jobs in the region, from drone technology and autonomous systems to 3D printing and underwater robotics. “The career paths here are incredibly broad,” Payne explained. “For example, drone technology is already being used for farm security to prevent petty larceny, and to secure private property. We also see growing demand for professionals who can program autonomous drones and robotic systems that can complete tasks without any human input.”

He noted that underwater robotics has emerged as a particularly promising field for Barbados, given the island’s deep maritime ties. Underwater robotic systems are used for deep-sea exploration, environmental monitoring, and hull cleaning for commercial ships – work that is often too dangerous, dirty, or repetitive for human workers to complete safely and efficiently. For students interested in joining the field, Payne advised focusing on multidisciplinary STEM coursework during secondary school, noting that robotics draws from mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science. Key foundational subjects include physics, chemistry, information technology, mathematics, and technical drawing, he added.

At the BAGC’s own booth, Parkinson Memorial Secondary School guidance counsellor Kara Clarke led an effort to educate students on two fronts: the range of services guidance counsellors provide to students in schools, and the rewarding career path that counselling offers. Many students who visited the booth told Clarke they only had a limited understanding of what guidance counsellors do day-to-day, and some were surprised to learn that counsellors support students with academic planning, mental health, social conflict, and college applications, beyond just discipline referrals.

Visitors interacted with the same worksheets, educational games, and counselling resources used in schools, and many who stopped by expressed genuine interest in pursuing counselling as a career. Clarke walked prospective students through the standard educational pathway: most entering professionals earn undergraduate degrees in psychology or social work before completing a master’s degree in school counselling or clinical psychology.

Beyond inspiring the next generation of guidance counsellors, Clarke said the booth served another important purpose: reducing the stigma around seeking counselling support in schools. “We wanted to let students know that reaching out to your school guidance counsellor is nothing to be ashamed of,” she explained, adding that the day’s conversations with students had been “very enriching” for all participating counsellors.

Other exhibitors highlighted opportunities in sectors that are foundational to Barbados’ economy, from tourism and logistics to cricket administration. Neil Hoyte, a representative from local firm Foster and Ince, focused on educating students about the wide range of jobs linked to the cruise industry, a core driver of the island’s tourism sector. Hoyte explained that many students have no idea how many different roles are needed to keep cruise operations running smoothly, from tour guides and vessel turnover coordinators to freight managers, transportation staff, and administrative teams. “We have roles for people with a wide range of skills and interests,” he noted.

Natasha Yearwood, a representative from Platinum Port Agency, added that the firm’s detailed ship models on display were a huge hit with students, helping spark natural conversations about maritime and hospitality careers both on-board cruise vessels and in local on-shore roles.

Even the island’s iconic sport of cricket was featured as a source of diverse professional opportunities beyond playing professionally. Alicia Gittens, administrative assistant at Cricket Legends of Barbados, explained that the cricket industry needs skilled workers across every professional function, from administration and finance to community outreach and management. “There are so many roles beyond stepping onto the pitch,” Gittens said. “Even working with retired cricketers to preserve the sport’s legacy and keep it active in local communities is a rewarding career, and cricket as a whole gives young people the chance to make a real impact on the next generation.”

For organizers, the 2024 showcase once again delivered on its core mission: helping young Barbadians make informed choices about their futures, connecting local industries to emerging talent, and opening doors to opportunities many students never knew existed.

For years, neighbours of a small-scale backyard chicken operation in Haynesville, St James, Barbados, have lived with a suffocating stench that has infiltrated their homes, ruined outdoor relaxation, and attracted unwanted pests – and according to affected residents, repeated complaints to government regulators have yielded little to no relief.

When Barbados TODAY visited the residential neighbourhood to investigate the growing dispute, local businessman Anthony Ifill, whose home sits just feet from the chicken pen, detailed the three years of daily discomfort he has endured. Ifill explained that the sharp, pungent odour of accumulated chicken manure hangs over his property constantly, turning his post-work return home into anything but the peaceful retreat he craves.

Ifill said his repeated attempts to secure intervention from government environmental health officials have been met with unfulfilled promises and bureaucratic stonewalling. According to Ifill, after a senior ministry official pledged to personally oversee an inspection and follow up on his complaint, she never contacted him again despite multiple reminders. That inaction, he said, has mirrored the behaviour of the area’s assigned inspector, whom he and his family have attempted to meet with for three years without success. “They wouldn’t even let you put the complaint in writing that you were actually there to make a complaint; all we got was that it would be logged in the book,” he said. Ifill added that the chicken farmer briefly cleaned up the site after complaints, and the odour disappeared temporarily, but the problem quickly returned once attention faded. The farmer has shown little consideration for the quality of life of nearby residents, he argued.

Randy Mason, another resident whose backyard abuts the chicken pen’s back fence, said he has dealt with the nuisance since moving to the neighbourhood two years ago. Beyond the persistent stench, Mason said the accumulated manure has drawn a surge of unwanted pests to his property, including flies, rats, centipedes, and massive numbers of cockroaches that swarm the yard after sunset. “You see when six o’clock and the sun goes down? cockroaches are in that yard like bush,” he told reporters.

Mason explained that the odour soaks into laundry left hanging to dry, leaving clothing permanently scented with manure. While he said he does not oppose the farmer earning extra income from the small operation, he and other neighbours demand basic consideration for surrounding residents. “Other neighbours told me that when the rain falls, the smell gets really strong. But I live directly behind the pen, so it’s affecting me a lot,” he said. “I don’t want to stop them from doing what they doing because everybody has to make an extra dollar. But they have to do something about the stench by cleaning more often.” Mason added that the farmer has refused to engage with neighbours to discuss a mutually acceptable solution.

When Barbados TODAY reached out directly to the Haynesville woman at the centre of the complaints for comment, she did not immediately issue a response. However, environmental health officials confirmed Wednesday that they have received the complaints and have officially served notice to the small chicken farmer.

Acting Chief Environmental Officer Euroline Welch-Drakes confirmed that officers from the Brandford Taitt Polyclinic launched an official investigation into the nuisance claims. Citing confidentiality rules, she declined to share specific details of inspectors’ initial findings, but confirmed that formal notices have been issued to the property owner.

Welch-Drakes explained that the department follows a structured procedural process to resolve nuisance complaints, and that investigators avoid contacting complainants while engaging with the accused property owner to prevent unnecessary conflict between community members. Once the process is complete, the department will follow up directly with the residents who filed complaints, she said.

If the inspection finds violations of Barbados’ Health Services legislation, the property owner will receive formal instructions to abate the public health nuisance and a set timeline to complete required changes. Failure to comply with the order can result in administrative penalties, starting at a $300 fine for the first offense, with an additional $10 fine added each day the violation remains unaddressed after the deadline. Welch-Drakes noted that unpaid fines can be added to the property owner’s land tax bill or recovered through formal court proceedings.