Black Immigrant Daily News

PHILIPSBURG — Ombudsman Gwendolien Mossel was highly critical of the Parliament and the Ministry of Public Housing, Urban Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) during an interview with Oral Gibbes on his TV-program Oral Gibbes Live.

“In 2019 we addressed the problems with capacity and expertise at the ministry of VROMI. We see now that they are not able to respond to the public in a timely manner or they answer not at all. In 2020 we addressed the parliament with the request to do something about this. We are now in 2022 and we see an increase in complaints against the VROMI-ministry. We have had 66 complaint and half of them are attributed to VROMI.”

The Ombudsman said that the problems at the ministry have to do with a lack of leadership, guidance and policy. “That is the cause of not working effectively and efficiently. We have addressed this in 2019 and we are now in 2022. What we see is the result of the parliament not doing anything about it. It is very difficult to get responses and that is not fair to the public.”

With VROMI-Minister Doran’s observation that the Ombudsman-investigation into the solid waste collection-tender was incomplete and unbalanced (while the report found that the tender was unfair and not transparent) in mind, interviewer Gibbes started the interview with the question: “Are you making a lot of trouble?”

Mossel laughed. “Some call it trouble, others are saying you are doing a good job, so continue. I am doing what I was appointed to do.”

Mossel emphasized that the office of the Ombudsman is there to assist the parliament with its supervisory role. “It is our job to investigate complaints from the public. We make a report and send it to parliament. It is up to the parliament to look at the report and to hold the respective ministers accountable, to make sure that they execute the recommendations.”

When Gibbes suggested that politicians experience the Ombudsman as “a pain” Mossel noted that the office of the Ombudsman is under threat in several countries. “When they are in parliament they praise the Ombudsman but when they are in the executive branch they change. They see the Ombudsman as a pain, as being difficult.”

This is not how Mossel sees the role of her office. “We are a critical friend. We are here to assist. It is just about promoting good governance, but it is never easy.”

The Ombudsman, who took office as the successor of Nilda Arduin in 2019, pointed out that her office investigates propriety: “Is what the government is doing toward the public proper? We base our findings on international standards of proper conduct for good administration.”

When the Ombudsman releases a report, like the systemic investigation into the tender for solid waste collection, it is up to the parliament to do its due diligence and to take action. But that does not always (or almost never) happen.

“In 2019 we addressed the problems with the lack of capacity and expertise at the VROMI-ministry. But like with many of our reports, if the parliament had done its due diligence we would have been further along right now and a lot of things would have been dealt with.”

Mossel was quite clear about the solid waste tender-investigation. “We approached the minister and asked questions but he was reluctant. Things went back and forth. We asked to file certain documents at our office, but instead the minister offered these documents for review. We had to go to his office and look at them. That is not the same as submitting documents to the Ombudsman. We said that we needed a complete file. When we finally received it we found things that resulted in our decision to start a systemic investigation. We held hearings with the evaluation committee, cabinet members, heads of departments, the minister and his secretary-general. It appeared that we had not received the complete file.”

The terms of reference for the solid waste collection-tender where hastily put together. “That is one of the bottlenecks,” Mossel said. “They were pressed for time and everything went very fast. But you cannot use capacity problems as an excuse all the time. This is where the parliament comes in. In my opinion, you do with what you have and you do what you have to do.”

Mossel said that her office had given Minister Doran three weeks to react to the preliminary report about the tender. The minister took eight weeks to respond. While Doran claimed that the investigation was incomplete and unbalanced, Mossel notes that he did not indicate what was incomplete. “But our report is clear. It is based on facts, but important documents were not provided, like those that have to do with post-awarding, even though that is also part of the process. The minister claims that he has given us all information but that is not so. We have done the investigation and we have the facts and the documents to back them up.”

The next step is in the hands of parliament. “They have to deal with accountability. If they do not do their due diligence, then that is it. I am not going into a political back and forth. These are our findings and it is up to parliament to do something with them. If the parliament does not act then all we have is a report.”

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Video: Journalist Ralph Cantave questions minister about Ombudsman report>>>

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Barbados has confirmed the first case of Monkeypox on the island. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES.

The confirmation came by way of a statement from Minister of Health Ian Gooding-Edghill.

The full statement is below:

Good morning.

You will recall that yesterday, I informed the Barbadian public that there was a suspected case of Monkeypox in the island. In keeping with my Ministry’s commitment to transparency and full disclosure, I’m here to inform you that Barbados has recorded its first confirmed case of Monkeypox.

This case is a Barbadian male in his thirties, who attended the Winston Scott Polyclinic with symptoms of a progressive rash, body pains and fever. He sought medical attention at the Polyclinic within hours of his arrival in Barbados.

The patient was seen and assessed based on a history of recent travel and clinical manifestations. The patient was swabbed and the samples were sent to the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory for testing where results revealed a positive case of Monkeypox.

These results of the locally done test were obtained within 24 hours as against the days awaiting results when the tests were done in Trinidad by CARPHA.

The patient remains in isolation and is under the direct care and medical supervision of our Medical Officer of Health. In the interest of patient confidentiality, no personal details will be disclosed.

I am confident that the Ministry’s speedy announcement of this case will, as has occurred with our response to Covid-19, get from the Barbadian public the same level of cooperation in our ongoing management of the Monkeypox health issue. The Ministry of Health and Wellness has commenced contact tracing as a responsiblepublic health measure.

Let me assure the public that the Ministry is fully prepared to handle any cases of Monkeypox in our nation. I wish to thank the Ministry’s public health team for their continued dedication and commitment as we continue to manage public health in Barbados.

Thank you.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

We have listened to you, our loyal readers, and have included some new and exciting features in the latest version of the Loop News App.

The updates, available for both iOS and Android systems, are sure to enrich user experience.

Now included in the app is the Dark Mode feature, which will offer some relief to your eyes as you enjoy your favourite source for News, Sports, Entertainment, Business and Lifestyle content in a low-light area.

So you want to keep up to date on the latest happenings but you are on the move — busy with chores or driving or you may just want to rest your eyes. Not to worry. You can now listen to articles, thanks to the Loop Listen feature. (Loop Listen is only available in our Trinidad, Jamaica & Barbados markets, for now.)

The app now gives you the ability to enlarge photos, both the main image and those embedded within articles.

Now, we know that you absolutely love your Loop News app and will remain loyal but we have added a Delete Account functionality, as per Apple guidelines for any app that has an accounts system. This functionality is maintained in Android as well.

Enjoy the new features and thank you for using the Caribbean’s No. 1 News app.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Despite having scored a whopping 8,540 runs with a highest of 291 in 121 Tests, and another 6,721 in 187 ODI matches, legendary batsman and former West Indies captain, Sir Viv Richards, said the real satisfaction came from seeing the pride and joy instilled in every single Black fan in and around the stadium, and by extension the world, every time his team would triumph. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES.

Sir Viv, whose stance against racism was magnified when he and others turned down blank-cheque offers to play for a rebel West Indies squad in South Africa during the apartheid era in 1983, and again in 1984, saw his ability with the bat as an opportunity to stand up for his race, his brothers who could not stand for themselves.

“I am there, I’ve got a platform, and there are times you see things that are not right and I can’t sit back and allow it, and especially when, most times when you’re giving your inspirational stuff like just before the team talk and all of that, my first thing would always be to remember the people we are representing. This is just not for us here [playing], but about the people we are representing and what it does,” he said.

“If it’s fair to be said, that period of time when West Indies was doing well Caribbean people were at their happiest so it’s this sense of pride that it gives to people and to me, you can’t beat that,” he added.

The South African rebel tours were a series of seven cricket tours staged between 1982 and 1990. They were known as the rebel tours because the international cricketing bodies banned South Africa from competitive international cricket throughout this period because of apartheid.

Sir Viv said that turning down what was probably the most lucrative offer for any cricketer at the time was probably one of the easiest decisions he’s ever made, encouraging today’s players to stay grounded and humble no matter the circumstances.

“It was nothing like what it is today but you were appreciative of what it was then, and I have no problems with these sorts of things. The thing that would really amaze me is that from where I would have grown up from, and to see where I ended up and the things that, sometimes, you get in your life in terms of the appreciation from all walks of life, you just can’t beat that. I would say to folks who have this sort of negative idea about sports is that it can take you places man. It has taken me to a place where I should be flying, but I remained grounded,” he said.

Sir Viv also scored 1281 runs in World Series Cricket with five tons at an average of over 55, which was regarded as the highest and most difficult cricket ever played. As a captain, he won 27 of 50 Test matches and lost only eight. — Neto Baptiste / OBSERVER

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