The Eyrie House

by Anmar Goodridge-Boyce Local football is set to score big following a decision by the region’s governing body Concacaf to fast-tracking an annual subvention of US $175,000 to all member associations amid the global coronavirus outbreak. The advanced payment is welcoming news to the  Barbados Football Association (BFA)  despite president Randy Harris reporting last month that the entity is financially stable to withstand the economic threat posed by the deadly virus, which has brought international sports to a standstill. “What usually happens is Concacaf would give their members money and usually you have to submit the areas that it will be used for. In this case of  COVID-19 , they are accelerating the funds to the members, so that any problems that may have arisen financially due to the virus, it would give them some immediate assistance. All members are entitled to this,” Harris said  during a telephone interview. BFA President Randy Harris ...

By Tonisha Rock-Yaw Take care of your health because what doesn’t happen in a day can happen in a year. That was the advice of Joycelyn Millar who has suffered with Diabetes for 27 years. On top of that, the 50-year-old woman also has to contend with weekly dialysis treatments due to her kidneys issues that were identified about two years ago. “After about 10 years of having diabetes, I went over to the hospital and then randomly they give me a blood test to check my kidneys every year, one day I went I would never forget when I went the doctor told me test is showing that the toxic levels in my blood is getting higher and higher. One day when it got to a certain level which is chronic they told me I have to go on dialysis to take the toxins out the blood.” She added, “The first time the doctor told my kidneys failed I honestly sat in her office and cried but then when I come home and spoke to my family we prayed about it. I just asked God to take me through it but rig...

By Akeel Lovell Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world off its axis and put it into a constant spin of disrepair, many of us have been eagerly anticipating and guessing when the world will return to some sense of normalcy. This unfortunate paradigm shift has left people thousands of people either unemployed or working from home with businesses and schools being closed.  This of course means children will be out of school. At such a critical time in the educational sector, term 3 of the school year, many wonders when school will reopen. They also query what alternative method would be used to ensure that students preparing for exams, such as the Barbados Secondary Schools' Entrance Examination, will not be disadvantaged. E-learning has been touted by Government as that alternative. However, given this country’s diverse socio-economic-demographic, many cannot and do not have access to the needed  resources to do so. So, are we ready for E-learning? A...

by Adriana Murray Although the enslaved people were oppressed by their masters. They found a way to make life more palatable for themselves. How was this possible? The African Slaves returned to their roots using a tool to communicate and entertain. The enslaved sometimes did this through the unwitting help of the plantation owner. The drums are synonymous with Africa and slaves used their drums to communicate with each other. Slaves were able to use the drums to send messages to each other from one plantation to another. The British colonizers believed that music was a motivator. Surely it was used to strengthen and motivate rebellions. It was through this belief that slave masters banned the beating of drum. Ultimately the use of the instrument was banned in 1675. It seems the British felt threatened by the beating of the drums. In 1688 all drums and loud instruments were burnt. Despite this attempt to suppress the drum, Tuk music was born in the 17 th century on the plan...

                                                                                                                                                         photo by BTMI by Adriana Murray Some of the elements of the plantation alluded ...

Cancer couldn't beat Windell "Fergie" Fergusson but the coronavirus did. (Guest Ph By Kimberley Cummins When Windell Fergusson was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the early 2010s it was one of the most devastating pieces of news he had ever received. This was compounded by the fact that he would have to deliver this information to his family. This was a difficult prospective but one, that one of his close friends, who asked not to be named, said Fergie, as Fergusson was affectionately called, took with stride. He fully embraced  it because he resolved to be a survivor and not a victim. A couple years later in 2013, Fergie underwent an operation to remove the cancerous tissues that were found in his prostate region. It was a success.  He wasn’t 100 per cent back to his usual self but he was happy, his family was overjoyed by his improving health and he embarked on living life to the fullest.  However, this reignited fire was prematurely exting...