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Source: www.thebalancecareers.com

Panellists at a TT Chamber of Commerce virtual workshop said while there are still things to be considered while looking into a work-from-home policy for both the public and private sectors, it wouldn’t hurt to start the conversation about working from home, what is needed, its benefits and its drawbacks.

“It wouldn’t hurt to seed the idea and move toward it,” said Jonathan Cumberbatch, vice president at the University of TT (UTT). “I appreciate that there are difficulties, but having said that, it wouldn’t hurt to raise the topic and get it out there.”

Cumberbatch said the issue of traffic has reached crisis levels.

“I watch that traffic every morning and I cannot comprehend how someone would do this every morning – the idea of seeing these cars in front of them, then the flashing brake lights for two hours both ways. That is some people’s version of hell. It is unacceptable.

“I cannot speak to every job being laptop-based or what have you, but we do know that so much of the tasks can be done at home with a minimal IT infrastructure.”

The statement came in the wake of the Prime Minister saying that TT was not “sufficiently prepared” for a work-from-home policy while responding to questions in light of the increases in fuel prices announced in the 2022-2023 budget read on September 26.

“I don’t know that we are sufficiently prepared for that to be a major initiative, largely because it requires certain technical infrastructure and a certain level of discipline,” Rowley said. “Some people not even working in the office, so we have to be careful how we talk about that.” The PM later clarified that he was talking about the public sector.

In 2021 Newsday reported that the Ministry of Planning was drafting a work-from-home policy. Minister Camille Robinson-Regis said working from home for public-sector employees would require a robust digital environment, including infrastructure, skill redevelopment and revamping systems. She added that the Ministry of Digital Transformation would be instrumental in such a transformation of the work environment.

On Monday, during the third session of the Standing Finance Committee, Minister of Public Administration Allyson West echoed Rowley’s statements while fielding questions from the opposition.

“The public service is not quite ready for work from home, because we need to ascertain what needs to be put in place to allow for that in a seamless manner,” West said. “There are rules, there are KPIs to be drafted, there are kinds of equipment that has to be secured to allow for work from home. We have to assess those who can work from home.”

The government allotted $1 million to assess the requirements fora work-from-home policy.

“The plan is to engage a service provider to investigate the situation and advise us on what the work-from-home policy is, craft one for the TT public service and roll it out as the circumstances allow us to, as the public service becomes ready to handle work from home,” West said.

She said a request for proposals had been drafted and would be published soon.

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Full statement from Public Works Ministry:

The Public is hereby notified that as of MID-NIGHT TONIGHT, October 11, 2022, vehicles weighing 18tons and under will be allowed to transit the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), however, this will only be allowed under a special arrangement.

Hon. Bishop Juan Edghill, Minister of Public Works, says following another inspection of the bridge by Structural Engineers, the bridge’s Management Team has advised that the retractor span can accommodate 18tonnes with specific restrictions.

“Firstly, Structural Engineers are recommending that the weight of 18tonnes and under be allowed to cross the bridge, but only between the hours of 00:00hrs (12:00 PM) to 04:00hrs (AM), when there is far less traffic on the bridge.

“There is also a stipulation with the speed limit, drivers must adhere to the speed limit of 32KMH while traversing in ONE direction at a time,” The Minister has made clear.

Minister says Shift Supervisors, along with the Special Constabulary Ranks will be closely monitoring the transit of vehicles on the bridge to ensure adherence to the temporary special arrangements.

“I want to reiterate my gratitude to commuters and drivers for their patience during this unexpected ordeal and urge them to use the bridge with care, I implore you to follow the rules, your safety is very important, and we want you to reach your destination safely.

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Barbadians who wish to get in-tune with, and stay on top of their health, are being given the opportunity to receive a free health check, thanks to a recent partnership between Sagicor and the James Street Methodist Church.

The insurance and financial institution is providing monetary and human resource support to the Church’s health screening programme, offering free health checks to members of the public from 7:30 am until 12 pm on the first Saturday of every month. During this time, Sagicor’s in-house nurse, Rosanna Springer, along with representatives from the church will be on hand to test individuals’ cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure; capture weight, height and waist measurements; and provide tips and advice on maintaining good health.

Paul Inniss, Executive Vice President and General Manager for Sagicor Life (Barbados) Inc, said the decision to work with the Church on this programme was an easy one, as it falls squarely in line with Sagicor’s commitment to educating the public on ways to improve their health and reduce the risk of disease.

“Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), hormones and waist circumference are key indicators of our risk for major illnesses, therefore, understanding this is the first step towards reducing our chances of developing medical conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. We therefore encourage Barbadians to take full advantage of this opportunity, and to stay on top of their numbers by making regular visits to their physician”, Inniss stated.

Speaking on the initiative and the church’s partnership with Sagicor, was Reverend Derick A. Richards, Superintendent Minister of the James Street-Speightstown Circuit and Bishop of the South Caribbean District of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and Americas, who thanked the financial institution for facilitating the recommencement of the programme, which had previously been derailed by the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Barbados is known for having a high number of cases of heart disease, diabetes, and other medical conditions, many of which go undiagnosed for years. During the pandemic, Barbadians understandably were not making regular visits to their physician, therefore, there was a serious threat of more cases going undetected. Having Sagicor’s support on this initiative is key to our efforts to help our members and the wider public to get on top of their health, and we are so grateful for their assistance”, said Reverend Richards.

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Dans le cadre de la journée internationale de sensibilisation au deuil périnatal, l’association Zétwal An Syèl organise une rencontre ce samedi 15 octobre, de 10h à 18h, à La Familiale de Fond Pérèz, à Saint-Joseph.

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Rescue workers using drones and trained dogs searched for survivors Monday following a massive landslide in central Venezuela, as the death toll rose to 34 and residents described harrowing tales of escape from the water and mud.

Jose Medina recalled how the water streaming into his home in the town of Las Tejer?as on Saturday night had reached waist level. He and his family were trapped, he realised.

So the 63-year-old turned his refrigerator sideways, opened its door and used it as a boat for his granddaughter. Meanwhile, he held on to the fridge with his wife, and pinned it to a table so that the strong currents of water would not push them downstream.

Medina described their survival as a “miracle.”

“I’m happy that we’re alive but I’m also sad,” said the retired construction worker who lost his home and all of his belongings.

His plight began when torrential rains caused by Hurricane Julia unleashed mudslides and floods that destroyed several mountainside neighbourhoods in Las Tejerias.

On Monday, Venezuelan officials said at least 34 people died in the flooding and 60 are missing following the worst natural disaster to hit the cash-strapped South American country in recent years.

In Las Tejerias, a city of 50,000 people located along Venezuela’s main industrial corridor, crews were using heavy machinery to clear debris from neighbourhoods whose streets were still blocked with mud. Meanwhile, rescue workers used drones and dogs to find people buried under the debris.

“We are still hoping to find people that can be saved” said Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as she toured one of the neighbourhoods affected by the mudslides.

For those who survived, the country’s dire economic situation will make recovery more challenging.

Medina said his pension – which is pegged to Venezuela’s monthly minimum wage – is worth just $17 a month. Now he will depend on government assistance to survive, but added that he considers himself lucky that he did not lose relatives in the mudslide.

Venezuelan authorities said 317 homes in Las Tejerias were wiped out by the mudslide and another 750 homes sustained damage.

Residents said they only had minutes to leave their homes late Saturday, as the avalanche of mud, rocks and tree logs swept over several hillside neighbourhoods in the city.

Some people were praying at an evangelical church when the mudslide occurred, while others were at a children’s party residents said. Several children are among the missing.

Venezuelan president Nicol?s Maduro on Sunday declared three days of mourning for the victims and sent rescue workers to Las Tejerias, which lies along a highway that connects Caracas to the industrial city of Valencia. Maduro said that 11 states in the country sustained damage from floods over the weekend.

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By MAT?AS DELACROIX and JUAN PABLO ARR?EZ

Associated Press writer Jorge Rueda contributed from Caracas

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