标签： Barbados

On Saturday, a community-focused workshop titled “Your Difference is Your Superpower” opened its doors at the Derrick Smith School and Vocational Centre in Barbados, offering parents, educators and frontline caregivers actionable, real-world tools and expert guidance to better uplift children navigating learning challenges. The event was organized by the Kiwanis Club of Pride of Barbados, in collaboration with the host vocational center and the Educational and Psychological Assessment Unit of The University of the West Indies.

The one-day gathering united child development specialists, K-12 educators, and family members across a packed schedule of interactive sessions. These sessions were crafted to help attendees spot early signs of learning difficulties in children, while also walking them through the full network of local support resources that are accessible to families.

According to Requell Griffith, who serves both as secretary of the Kiwanis Club of Pride of Barbados and lead of the organization’s Youth Services Committee, the workshop was developed directly in response to rising concerns from parents across Barbados. Many families have reached out to the club in recent years seeking structured guidance, as they struggle to find appropriate support for their children who face barriers within the national school system.

Griffith emphasized that the programming was intentionally inclusive, designed not just for children who struggle to keep pace with traditional academic expectations, but also for gifted learners who encounter unique challenges in standard classroom environments. Event organizers centered their planning around a clear core goal: to send every attendee home not just with new knowledge, but with concrete, step-by-step pathways to access ongoing support services for children.

“We wanted to make sure that in addition to having the information, that persons also have the resources and know where they can go once they’ve gotten the information to assist them and assist their children on their educational journey,” Griffith explained in an interview on the sidelines of the workshop.

Trained facilitators from The University of the West Indies led the majority of the day’s sessions, sharing evidence-based practical strategies, actionable care tips, and detailed breakdowns of local and national agencies that offer specialized support for children with learning difficulties.

For Griffith, the initiative is a deeply personal project, which she described as her “baby.” The idea first took root last year, after repeated conversations with parents who shared that they felt lost navigating the support system, unsure of where to turn for reliable help. “It came up with just conversations with parents and hearing the challenges that some parents experience with their children having learning difficulties and not knowing where to go, who to talk to, what information is out there,” she said.

At its core, the workshop was built to advance a broader mission: to deliver evidence-based, accessible high-quality information to families, and to bridge the gap between households and the specialized organizations and institutions that can help children thrive both in the classroom and in social settings. The event marks a key step forward in addressing unmet needs for caregiver support in Barbados, and organizers have signaled potential interest in expanding the initiative to reach more communities in coming months.

Caregiving for a dependent family member, loved one, or ward is far from a simple undertaking. The constant physical, emotional, and mental demands of the role often leave caregivers struggling under the weight of their responsibilities, even as public focus almost always remains on the people receiving care rather than the people providing it. On Friday, a small but impactful event at a Christ Church garden centre sought to change that narrative, carving out dedicated space to honor, listen to, and support caregivers whose tireless work often goes unrecognized.

Barbados TODAY reporters on site at Nature Care in Lowlands documented the event, a Mental Wellness Day hosted by staff from the Barbados Council for the Disabled (BCD) and led by counselling psychologist Janelle Skinner, who herself lives as a paraplegic. Drawing on both her professional expertise and personal experience as a disabled person relying on care from her mother, Skinner opened with a frank discussion of the little-discussed crisis of caregiver burnout.

“Caregiving drains you in every way – emotionally, physically, mentally – and burnout is a very real experience that far too many caregivers go through,” she explained. Skinner emphasized that caregivers cannot sustain their work without intentional breaks, even short ones, that let them step away from their role and recharge. “Too many caregivers operate in constant survival mode. They pour every bit of energy into the person they care for and completely ignore their own needs. They never stop to ask, ‘What will happen to the person I care for if something happens to me?’ That’s why creating spaces where caregivers can receive care themselves is so critical.”

Speaking from her own experience, Skinner noted that she has learned to spot early signs of burnout in her mother, Joan Skinner-Graham, who has served as her primary caregiver for 26 years. “I do everything I can do independently to reduce her load, but there are some things I cannot do on my own. The key is being attentive to those subtle signs that fatigue is building, both for the disabled person and the caregiver themselves.”

Skinner also pointed to the importance of professional support and strong personal networks, sharing that she sees a therapist herself to manage the emotional weight of her work and personal circumstances. “There is no shame in therapy – it helps. Having a support network means you always have people you can turn to, people who can step into the caregiving role temporarily so you can step back, reset, and refocus,” she said.

For Joan Skinner-Graham, the journey of caregiving began with a devastating phone call 26 years ago, when her daughter was on holiday in New York. “My niece called and said she had bad news. Janelle was in the hospital, paralyzed. I got on a flight the very next day and stayed with her until she could come home,” she recalled. Through decades of care, she has held fast to a core principle: never let the person you care for feel like a burden.

“When you care for a person with a disability, you must never let them see your frustration or anger,” she said. “They will internalize that, think they are a burden, and that sets back their own progress. If you feel overwhelmed, step away for a few minutes, take a breath, and come back when you are grounded. That small break makes all the difference.”

Now retired, Skinner-Graham admitted that the long-term weight of caregiving brings quiet worries, especially as she ages. “Many nights I pray for strength to be here for my daughter. What I’ve seen over the years is that unaddressed stress kills caregivers. Too many people bottle up their feelings instead of reaching out, and that stress makes them sick, and then there is no one left to care for them. That’s why we need more accessible counselling and support for caregivers – we need spaces to talk through what we’re feeling instead of holding it all in.”

When it comes to balancing daily care with other life responsibilities, Skinner-Graham relies on intentional planning and unapologetic self-care. “I plan out my days, and I stick to my plan. I get Janelle set up for her work day, handle household tasks, and when I need a break, I tell her straight: this is mommy’s time. I sit down, play my game, and recharge before I come back. There’s no shame in taking that time for yourself.”

BCD President Patricia Padmore-Blackman, who is blind and cares for a disabled son, echoed that call for intentional self-care for caregivers. “My son has been with me since birth, so it can feel like I never get a break. There are definitely days when I need to step away,” she said, crediting her own support network of family, friends, and professionals for helping her sustain her role over decades. “That support is non-negotiable. We can’t do this alone.”

BCD Operations Manager Roseanna Tudor explained that Friday’s gathering was designed specifically to prioritize the mental and emotional wellbeing of BCD’s own frontline staff, who navigate high-stress, emotionally demanding work supporting disabled people and their families every day. “This event was about reducing emotional fatigue, building stronger connections among staff, and creating a culture of psychological safety,” Tudor said. “When we invest in our staff’s wellbeing, that directly improves the quality of the services we deliver. We need workplaces that prioritize care for the people who care for others, and I encourage every organization to host similar events for their teams.”

Law enforcement authorities in Barbados are calling on community members to help track down a wanted individual suspected of involvement in serious criminal activity. The Barbados Police Service has issued an official appeal for public assistance locating Shane Anthony Greene, who is also known by the street aliases “Thuggy” and “Shaney Poo”, as investigators work to move forward with questioning in an ongoing criminal probe.

Authorities have released detailed identifying information to help members of the public recognize Greene. His last confirmed address was in Ashby Land, along Lodge Road in the parish of Christ Church. According to police descriptions, Greene stands roughly 5 feet 10 inches tall, has a dark complexion, and a slim physical build. He also has two distinct identifying tattoos: the word “Thug” is inked on his right hand, while his left hand features the word “Faith” paired with a tattoo of several birds.

In a formal notification to the suspect, police have stated that Greene may voluntarily surrender to investigators at the Criminal Investigations Department housed within the Oistins Police Station. Authorities have added that he is permitted to bring a legal representative with him when turning himself in.

Police are urging anyone with current information about Greene’s location to contact law enforcement immediately. Tip lines available for leads include the Oistins CID office at 418-2609 or 418-2612, the national 24/7 police emergency line at 211, the anonymous Crime Stoppers hotline at 1 800-8477, or any local police station closest to the member of the public.

The Barbados Police Service has also issued a critical reminder to the public: harboring or intentionally providing aid to a wanted person is classified as a serious criminal offense under Barbadian law. Anyone found to have helped Greene avoid arrest will face prosecution, authorities confirmed.

A 27-year-old man from St James, Barbados, has been ordered to pay a $5,000 fine after entering guilty pleas to three violent offenses, including wounding and two counts of assault. Justin Jamar Maynard, who lives in the Block 7C neighbourhood of Haynesville, faced his sentencing at the Holetown Magistrates’ Court on Friday, where the details of his May 19 offences were formally processed before Magistrate Cuffy Sargeant.

Alongside the steep financial penalty, the court issued a strict timeline for payment: Maynard must settle the full $5,000 fine within the next 30 days to avoid additional legal penalties. In an unusual procedural step, the court has also scheduled a follow-up court date for June 18, 2026, requiring Maynard to return to the Holetown courthouse nearly two years from now for official check-in on his sentence compliance.

Three months after Barbados’ February 11 general election, constituents in two St Michael constituencies are already witnessing tangible progress on key campaign pledges, from long-overdue road repairs to new skills-training initiatives aimed at empowering young people. During a 100-day checkpoint visit to communities across St Michael Central and St Michael West, Barbados TODAY spoke to dozens of residents who shared mixed but mostly positive reactions to the new administration’s early delivery.

In St Michael Central, one of the most visible changes is the full resurfacing of Powder Road, a thoroughfare that had sat in dangerous, disrepair for years. Today, motorists and pedestrians move along the smooth pavement without navigating gaping potholes or uneven terrain that made travel difficult for decades. Longtime resident Trey told reporters he never thought he would see the road fixed in his lifetime. “A couple years we’ve been dealing with this mess, but I’m so glad they got it done—it looks real good,” he said. “We couldn’t even walk along the side of the road properly before. This is the first promise we’ve seen delivered, but we’re willing to wait for the rest. What we really need now is more opportunities for idle young people, to keep them occupied and off the streets.”

Elderly resident Mrs Mayers echoed that gratitude for the resurfacing, but flagged a new safety concern that has emerged since the project was completed. Speeding vehicles turning from the main road onto the minor side road now pose a major risk to pedestrians, she explained, pointing to the sharp corner that leaves walkers with little warning of oncoming traffic. “They will have to put some kind of speed control or signage at the corner there, because somebody is going to get knocked down,” she warned. “But otherwise, I love the new road. It’s a world of difference.”

Fellow resident Sherlock King called the road work a long-awaited win for the whole community. “Great, splendid, marvellous—we were waiting for them to do this for years, because this was the most dangerous road out here,” he said. “We thank the Lord for that. Everything takes time, and we understand that, but this is a great start.”

Beyond infrastructure, St Michael Central’s Member of Parliament Tyra Trotman has already launched two people-focused programs aimed at reducing unemployment and empowering local residents. The first, Faces of the Future, is a six-week makeup artistry training course for young women in the constituency. Trinisha Farrell, parliamentary liaison officer, told Barbados TODAY the inaugural cohort wrapped up training last month with 17 graduates, all of whom are now certified to work professionally in the field.

The program far exceeded expectations, with demand spilling over from neighbouring constituencies. “We actually had an influx of persons calling the office from other areas asking to be a part of the program as well,” Farrell said. “It was a hit across Barbados, and definitely a hit with our constituents because we had an overflow of people wanting to join even after the course had already started. Many of our graduates have already gone on to launch their own small makeup businesses. If any of them need help registering their businesses through Business Barbados, Trotman has committed to walking them through that process step by step.”

A second cohort of 15 participants is set to begin training next week, just a short delay after the first round wrapped up. Organizers originally planned to cap each cohort at 16 participants, but adjusted to accommodate extra interest in the first round. Moving forward, the program’s continuation depends on securing additional funding to cover training costs and materials. “Funding is the main barrier we have to work through right now,” Farrell explained. “We’re actively seeking funding to keep the program running because it’s clearly filling a need. The whole goal is to help more people in the constituency become self-sufficient entrepreneurs, and that’s something we want to keep building on.”

Trotman’s second new initiative, the Walk the Bush program, was launched to connect unemployed men in the constituency with paid, flexible work assisting vulnerable households. The pilot started with 11 participants, who work three days a week completing property maintenance and yard work for elderly, disabled, disenfranchised residents and single-parent families that cannot afford or complete the work themselves. The program has already been expanded to accept requests from any local resident who wants to hire the participants for small jobs, with payments going into a centralized fund that keeps the program running and guarantees participants steady pay. The next phase of the initiative will focus on helping participants build the skills and connections needed to launch their own independent service businesses, with the goal of having graduates go on to mentor other unemployed young men in the constituency.

Over in St Michael West, residents of Greaves Land are equally enthusiastic about long-awaited road repairs to a thoroughfare that had been neglected for more than 30 years. The project hit a minor snag earlier this month when a water main burst damaged a section of the newly patched road, but workers have already made quick progress repairing the damage. One local business owner, whose shop sits directly along the road, said she doesn’t mind the temporary dust and construction disruptions, because the end result will be life-changing for the whole community.

“Once it’s done I can wear high heel shoes again, instead of sticking to sneakers and slippers just to get to my door,” she said. “My feet won’t get covered in dust and mud every time I step out anymore. I’m so glad the government got this patching machine to fix all these potholes that have been here for decades. Now the kids can run and play on the road, as long as the ZR route vans don’t come speeding through cutting people off.”

She added that while she is grateful for the work, residents are waiting to see how the road holds up during the upcoming rainy season, since low-lying sections of the road have historically flooded and pooled water after heavy storms due to the natural slope of the land. “I got to wait til the rainy season to see how it goes now, you can see the land slopes down that way,” she said, pointing to the low side of the road. “But I’m thankful, that’s the truth. The workers have been working hard, and this is more progress than we’ve seen in 30 years.”