BRUSSELS (CMC) – African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries say financial resources promised by Europe to enable banana producing countries to remain competitive have not yet been made “available to all ACP countries”.

A report from the Working Group on Bananas submitted during the Ministerial Consultations on Bananas, noted that the Geneva Agreement of December 2009 devotees an important section to the accompanying measures to enable the ACP-banana exporting countries to remain competitive.

It said so far, in spite of the adoption of the Banana Accompanying Measures (BAM) in 2011, and the 2012 submissions by Belize, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Dominica, Ghana, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname of their national adaptation strategies “which were approved in September 2012 by the European Union...the financial resources have not yet been made available for all ACP countries”.

The report  noted that on the basis of the indications provided by the European Commission, about 166 of the 190 million Euros available have been committed for 2012 and the remaining 23.5 million Euros should be committed in 2013.

The report noted that the implementation stage of the BAMs in the ACP countries varies considerably from one country to another, and as had been pointed during a similar meeting in June, “the concerns of the ACP countries remain current.

“For example, additional support for the banana sector, upon expiry of the Banana Accompanying Measures appears now, more than ever, the only way of preserving the banana sector in the ACP-exporting countries.

“In fact, analysis of the export figures and the development in the market access conditions for ACP countries, coupled with the situation on the international banana market, particularly regarding the European Union, since the signing of the Geneva Agreement, points to this need,” the report warned.

THE PRINCESS MARGARET Secondary School has made a drastic turnaround in its Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate results.

​Acting principal Wayne Willock said the school had recorded a 61 per cent pass rate this year compared with 37 per cent last year. Seven of their ten departments had recorded 100 per cent success.

Speaking at the school’s annual speech day and prize-giving ceremony on Friday, Willock said one student had achieved five passes; four returned four passes; 19 three passes and 26 two passes.

Of the 293 students who took the exam last year, 180 of them had passing grades, he said. The school’s music department recorded three students with distinctions and six with merits.

Willock also reported positive steps in deportment, morale, discipline and sport and commended the teaching staff for their dedication.

He said it was his dream for Princess Margaret Secondary to become the “[National Vocational Qualification] [Caribbean Vocational Qualification] university of secondary education in Barbados”.

“Already we are the farthest ahead in our endeavours, being audited and certified by the [Technical and Vocational Education and Training] Council from September of this year. We currently offer cosmetology, commercial food preparation, masonry and amenity agriculture, and barbering has even eased in without even thinking about it.

“In addition, we intend to add plumbing (and) autotronics as soon as we can raise the necessary funds to make this dream a reality. . . . Our infrastructure also needs to be strengthened in order to make this happen,” he said.

However, Willock said they continued to grapple with issues concerning students caring for ailing grandparents, lack of communication between parents, punctuality and the possession and use of cellphones and other forbidden items as well as lingering issues with deportment despite the positive steps taken.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, the keynote speaker and a past teacher at the school, echoed some of Willock’s statements, praising the students’ efforts as well as those of staff. He said he was happy with the direction the school was taking.

“I am delighted to see Princess Margaret Secondary School emerging as a centre of excellence in technology and business studies. These skills will be helpful as Barbados strives to promote business enterprise and the use of the latest technology as a means of pulling the economy out if the current downturn,” he said.

In giving the students advice, Stuart said he too had to navigate peer pressure as a youth and encouraged the students to make smart choices.

“Fifty years ago, I was a secondary school student like all of you. And I remember, very clearly, both the good and bad advice I received. Some of my peers tried to put pressure on me to do what they thought would be fun [and while] I was no saint, I knew how to distinguish between right and wrong based on the values which were instilled in me by my mother and father and which were buttressed by the church and school.

“I had the common sense to listen to what others were saying to me, then make up my own mind . . . but, like me, you will need the constant support of your parents and school and you will also need to nurture a core of spiritual and moral values,” he said.

Stuart urged the parents, teachers and students to continue to build on the rich history of the school according to the school motto sublimiora petamus: Let Us Seek Higher Things. (CA)

The songs and carols heralded the fact that Christmas is in the air, as the University Of The West Indies (UWI) presented the Festival Of Nine Lessons And Carols last Sunday evening in Lecture Theatre 1, Roy Marshall Teaching Complex, featuring the Cavite Chorale, supported by the Clarion Singers and G Syndicate.

​Despite the evening showers, a large crowd was in attendance and joined in the singing of the seasonal songs, such as OnceIn Royal David’s City, As With Gladness Men Of Old and O Come All Ye Faithful.

The smooth-running programme also featured the Christmas story read in nine different lessons by various people selected from the audience.

The Cavite Chorale, which was formed some 40 years ago at the UWI Cave Hill Campus, was the main act of the production, with its director Ryan Boyce. They presented carols which included O Come Emmanuel, O Little Town Of Bethlehem and Ding Dong Merrily On High, which were all well presented by this chorale which throughout the years has always produced excellent music.

Soloist Andrea Burnett did a piece by Petro Yon called Gesu Bambino which was preceded by a popular solo number Ave Maria, done by soprano soloist Shonelle Branker, in which both soloists did justice to these numbers that was well applauded by the crowd gathered.

Supporting group the Clarion Singers showed their experience and talent as they did a number of pieces, namely Christmas Lullaby, Feliz Navidad, and We Three Kings, in which they did well to excite those gathered. The event coincided with the celebration of UWI’s 50th anniversary Path To Prosperity programme.

Taking a break from the piano and taking up the flute was John Burnett, who played a Christmas favourite, O Holy Night.

Overall, it was an evening when the spirit of Christmas was truly in the air. (RL)