The Minister of Labour, Sen. Dr. Hon. Esther Byer-Suckoo with (from left) Tre Alleyne (special prize); Melora Maloney; Nailah Browne; Ceilidh Bain and Tianna Blackman (collected on behalf of Tyrell Blackman).
The Chief Labour Officer Mr. Vincent Burnett (third right) posing with (from left) judges Ms. Valerie Quintyne, Mrs. Claudette Hope-Greenidge, Mr. Ladepoo Salankey, and Mrs. Janice Brathwaite-Thompson and winners Matthew Howell, Xaria Hardy, Lucius Louis and Natifah Richards. (Missing is Donai Johnson, winner of the seniors division).
Winner of the seniors division Donai Johnson receiving her award from Minister of Labour, Sen. Dr. Hon. Esther Byer-Suckoo
An essay competition was conceptualized as a part of the Labour Department’s commemoration of 75 years of service to our nation in 2015. This competition was launched in both private and public schools at both the primary and secondary levels during September and October of the first term of the school year. The list of winners in each category of the competition is outlined below:
Children (aged 8 to 11) on the topic ‘True Labour Heroes of Barbados’.
1st – Melora Maloney of Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary School
2nd – Nailah Browne of Trinity Academy
3rd – Ceilidh Bain of Wills Primary School
Juniors (aged 12 to 14) on the topic ‘What is Justice in Employment?’
1st – Matthew Howell of Barbados Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School
2nd – Xaria Hardy of Barbados SDA Secondary School
3rd– Tyrell Blackman of Combermere
Seniors (aged 15 to 18) on the topic ‘75 Years of Labour Reform – What Has Changed?’
1st – Donai Johnson of Queen’s College
2nd – Lucius Louis of Barbados SDA Secondary School
3rd– Natifah Richards of Deighton Griffith Secondary School
The school with the most entries was the Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary School.
The Labour Department hosted a year of activities in celebration of its 75th anniversary in 2015. The various activities hosted catered to many segments of the population of Barbados. The calendar of activities, which opened with a church service, included:
– a road tennis competition among Public Sector employees;
– a staff appreciation day;
– three symposia on the work of those national heroes of Barbados, also considered to be’ national heroes of labour’;
– a ‘Back to Queens Park’ activity which saw many of the services of the Department offered to the public, from that location. It was at this location that some of the services of the Labour Department were offered several years ago;
– a theatrical production and concert in the Steel Shed; and
– an awards ceremony recognizing individuals and organisations that have contributed to the work of the Labour Department during 2015 and over the years.
