Ordrick Samuel, also know as Jicky or Montgomery, operates the MRS Radio Station from his home. He broadcasts from speakers on his roof on Monday to Saturday at 6.30 am to 7.15 am and when necessary in the afternoon. He provides Barbudans with general news, village information, notices, and birthdays. Every Tuesday morning Elder Mills broadcasts religious thoughts and music. Every Friday morning Pastor Ralph Payton of the Seventh Day Adventist Church advises on marriage education. MRS Radio also features guest DJs. Jicky can be contacted on 460 0087 within Antigua and Barbuda.
We carry the latest news as it happens in Barbuda. Moreover we feature forthcoming events anywhere in the world, for example family reunions or graduations. Use the contact us form to provide information about your activity and we will include it here.
Barbuda's carnival - Caribana - was held again this year over the Whit weekend. On Thursday Randolph "T C" Beazer, the Chairman of the Caribana Committee, opened the celebrations. On Friday evening Naketa Walker won the Talented Teen competition from Stephanie Harris and Juliet Beazer. On Sunday there was a beach bash at the Martello Tower with horseracing later in the afternoon. A talent show was held in the evening. Tickets were priced at $20 and $25 for adults, $15 for children, and everyone had a good time.
Chad Knight-Alexander graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a masters degree in architecture. Chad received his primary and secondary education at the Holy Trinity School in Barbuda and at Antigua State College, where he took A Levels and a teacher training course. Before studying in Georgia, Chad taught music and science at the Holy Trinity School. He has been working as a freelance photographer for five years. At his graduation, Chad thanked the Coco Point Trust Fund, the Barbuda Council, and the Board of Education for their invaluable financial assistance. Congratulations Chad from all in Barbuda.
The Barbuda Falcons Athletics Club held a sponsored bike ride on National Clean Up Day. About 50 children cycled to the church camp site at Rock Bay as rain had made the Two Foot Bay road too muddy. They raised over $800 for the Barbuda Falcons Athletics Club. The participants did some cleaning of the beach and surrounding areas, enjoyed refreshments and prizes, before cycling back to the village. The ride started from the Holy Trinity School at 9.00 am. The organisers, Peter Cuffy, Gabor Gyorgy, and Claire Frank, wish to thank everyone who sponsored the riders.
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The Young Leaders Group of the Holy Trinity School won prizes from the Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago at their awards ceremony held at the Cathedral Cultural Centre. The HTS group were the national project winners and also winners of the debate competition. Our Young Leaders received a distinction award ahead of the four other schools who completed projects.
Each student received a $100 gift voucher to purchase school supplies and a RBTT bank account. The school received $5000 and the co-ordinating teacher received $2000. The group will travel to Trinidad on 9 June for the Regional Awards Ceremony where the regional winners will be announced. Congratulations to the students and especially to Cleo Issac (co-ordinator), Darlene Beazer, Paula Henry, Danie Joseph, and Sandra Mussington, the teachers whose hard work and dedication made this success possible.
Rexford James, who is in charge of PE at the Ministry of Education, will be testing the physical fitness of all students. He leads a group of 10 fitness professionals, who will record age, weight, height, as well as different aspects of each student's physical fitness. The aim is improve the fitness of the nation's youth by identifying the ones who need help. The group, which includes a professor from Cuba, will be assisted by all the Barbuda Council coaches. The fitness tests are linked to the introduction of physical education as a subject at CXC examination level.
The BPM held a dinner at the Holy Trinity School to honour the retiring parliamentary representative Hilbourne Frank. Hilbourne had represented Barbuda since the 1989 general election. In spite of the rain 150 people attended the sit-down meal of pumpkin soup and barbecued meat with various salads and wine. The meal was cooked by Norman and Aldis Beazer, Cerene Deazle, and other Barbudans. It was served by the Coco Point staff.
Gabor Gyorgy, who is finishing teacher education at the University of Toronto, has been assigned to the school for a month to help with physical education. Gabor is part of the Health-Promoting Schools Initiative in the Caribbean, which is sponsored by Scotiabank. The aim of the initiative is to bring out the champion in everyone through PE and a healthy self-awareness. Gabor is one of 15 student teachers who are working in Tortola, St Vincent, and Antigua and Barbuda.
The Barbuda Turf Club held its second meeting of the season. Results will appear on the sports page in due course.
By popular demand the Holy Trinity Young Leaders returned to the Cathedral Cultural Centre to present A Challenge for a New Society. The cast included Cordette Beazer, Shiann Charles, Stephanie Harris, Sabesha James, Crystal Jeffrey, and Jameel Jones. The director, Cleopatra Issac, described the play as a satirical comment on the human condition of the Caribbean man.
A workshop for primary teachers on alternative methods of assessment was held by Mrs Esther Utoh and Ms Cynthia Crump, tutors at Antigua State College. The tutors focussed on the various methods of assessment of students capabilities other than the traditional "sit down, pen and paper" tests. Mrs Maureen Lewis of the Mininstry of Education accompanied the tutors.
Maverick Weatherhead won gold medals in the 1500 and 800 metres and several Barbudans reached finals at these track and field games at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Trinidad. Eight students and one member of the community (Shallico Charles) were invited to represent Barbuda. The student athletes were Micahson Desouza, George Francis, Artesha Nibbs, Kohen Prescod, Derol Thomas, Zachary Thomas, Vansito Versailles, and Maverick Weatherhead. They were accompanied by Peter Cuffy, Connie Desouza, and Darlene Beazer, coaches of the Barbuda Falcons Athletics Club
Students and teachers paid $2 each to wear home clothes to school. They raised $473.60 to send nine athletes and three coaches to the Hampton International Games in Trinidad.
Trevor Walker, the new member of parliament for Barbuda, was sworn in by the Governor General, Sir James Carlisle, at a ceremony at Government House in Antigua. Trevor will serve as Minister of State for Barbuda in the UPP cabinet. Mackenzie Frank, the new senator, received Instruments of Appointment at the same ceremony; he will be sworn in as a senator at the next sitting of the Upper House. Mackenzie replaces Fabian Jones as senator because Fabian can not serve as Chairman of the Barbuda Council and as a senator at the same time. The occasion was attended by Trevor Walker's family and BPM supporters.
These championships were held in St Kitts over the weekend. Maverick Weatherhead of the Holy Trinity School and Barbuda Falcons Club won gold medals in the 1500, 800, and 400 metres, breaking the previous record in each race. He won a silver in the 200 metres and another gold medal in the 4 x 400 open relay, when the Antiguan and Barbudan team broke their own record. Maverick was named as the most outstanding athlete at the championships.
Sponsorship is desperately needed for Barbuda's athletes. No money was forthcoming for them to attend the trials for St Kitts, therefore, no Barbudan athlete qualified to attend the youth championships. Maverick was invited to compete because he received two MVP awards at the Inter-School Games in March.
Barbuda held its second general election in a month. This time Trevor Walker prevailed with 408 votes over Arthur Nibbs with 394. Prime Minister, Baldwin Spencer, has made Trevor Walker a member of the cabinet with responsibility for Barbuda.