Prevalence of Salmonella on commercial layer farms in Barbados, 2009-2010

During January-March 2009, an outbreak of Salmonella was detected in four commercial layer farms in Barbados. During the outbreak, a total of 511 layers died, and 3,257 layers were voluntarily culled from one affected farm. Salmonella Enteritidis was identified in avian tissues (ovaries, liver, uterus), and egg samples submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, Industry and Small Business Development (MAFFI) Veterinary Services (VS) Laboratory by managers of the affected farms. As a result of this outbreak, MAFFI VS conducted a survey to investigate the prevalence of Salmonella on commercial layer farms in Barbados. In addition, the relationships between farm-level exposure factors and diagnosis of Salmonella were examined. This paper describes the results of this survey. (Texte intégral

Does Consumer Price Rigidity Exist in Barbados?

This paper uses a unique micro data set of price records underlying the Barbados retail price index between 1994 and 2008 to provide a detailed assessment of consumer price rigidity. The major aim is to calculate price durations and the patterns of price-setting across sectors. We also check whether price cuts are as frequent as increases, and whether there is specific downward nominal rigidity. We find that prices in Barbados tend to change relatively frequently, with between 50 and 80 percent of items in every category reporting a price change every month. While there are regular monthly price reductions as well as increases, the reductions are always smaller and fewer than the increases. The paper also reports no measurable impact of changes in the money supply or national inflation on the frequency of price changes

Loan loss provisioning in the commercial banking system of Barbados: practices and determinants

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the process of loan loss provisioning within the commercial banking system of Barbados. It uses questionnaires and interviews to ascertain how banks set their provisional standards and levels. In addition, the results from this approach reveal, for the first time in Barbados, the individual banks‟ procedures for loan loss provisioning. An evaluation of the impact of macroeconomic and bank specific factors on commercial banks‟ provisions utilising panel dynamic ordinary least squares is also undertaken. Both sets of factors are found to influence the level of provisions. In particular, loan loss provisions are heavily dependent upon the performance of the real economy and competition in international markets is shown to have serious implications for the banking sector in both the short and long run. Moreover, this study asserts that larger banks in Barbados are better able to screen loans and avoid defaults.Loan Loss Provisioning; Banking System; Loan Classification

Stock market co-movement in the Caribbean

This paper investigates co-movement in five Caribbean stock markets (Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas and Guyana) using common factor analysis. The common factors are obtained using principal component analysis and therefore account for the maximum portion of the variance present in the stock exchanges investigated. We break our analysis down and test for co-movement in different periods so as to ascertain any changes that have taken place from one period to the next. In particular we examine 10-year, 5-year and 3-year periods. We also specify a vector autoregression model and test for co-movement between the five markets during the sample period through impulse response functions. Both of our tests fail to find any evidence of co-movement between the exchanges over the entire sample period. However, we find evidence of periodic co-movement, particularly between exchanges in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago

Education and development in the caribbean: a cointegration and causality approach

This paper uses cointegration and vector error-correction models to analyse the causal relationship between education and development in Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago using annual time series data from 1964 to 1998. Expenditure on education per capita is used as the proxy for education, while gross national income (GNI) per capita is the proxy for development. The empirical results provide some evidence of bi-directional causality in the short in Jamaica. There is no evidence of causation running from per capita expenditure on education to per capita gross national income in either the short or long run in Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago. A major policy implication of the findings is that countries with higher per capita gross national income (GNI) seem to be spending more per capita on education.

Gender Earnings Gaps in the Caribbean: Evidence from Barbados and Jamaica

This paper analyzes gender earnings gaps in Barbados and Jamaica, using a matching comparisons approach. In both countries, as in most of the Caribbean region, females’ educational achievement is higher than that of males. Nonetheless, males’ earnings surpass those of their female peers. Depending on the set of control characteristics, males’ earnings surpass those of females by between 14 and 27 percent of average females’ wages in Barbados, and between 8 and 17 percent of average females’ wages in Jamaica. In the former, the highest earnings gaps are found among low-income workers. Results from both countries confirm a finding that has been recurrent with this matching approach: the complete elimination of gender occupational segregation in labor markets would increase rather than reduce gender earnings gaps. The evidence is mixed regarding segregation by economic sectors. Occupational experience, in the case of Barbados, and job tenure, in the case of Jamaica, help to explain existing gender earnings gaps.Gender, Ethnicity, Wage gaps, the Caribbean, Barbados, Jamaica, Matching

MRS. GANDHI GAVE NEW ECONOMIC APPROACHES

Plenty of food, Sufficient clothing, Proper monitoring of the Key Socio- Economic factors, with commitment to Domestic Productivity were the Essence of the Administrative strategy of Mrs. Indira Gandhi (Late Prime Minister of India). These approaches could be critically related to the remarkable Economic advancement of the Indian sub-continent, with Self- sufficiency in Agriculture, leaving a surplus for export and strides in Industry, Atomic Research, and Space Exploration in India. The author feels that these unique thoughts and approaches of the late Prime Minister could serve as an eye-opener to all the Third World Nations to Accelerate their pace of Social and Economic development. ================================================================ Between 1972 and 1981, the author was a Social worker in India, and a Honorary Consultant for the effective implementation and monitoring of the 20 Point Socio-Economic Development programs designed by Shrimathi Indira Gandhi, the late Prime Minister of India. Centre page article by DR.VSRS in the Barbados Advocate, the largest circulated Daily in Barbados, West Indies, and the English speaking Caribbean Countries. Page 4 - Tuesday - January 8, 1985. During 1982 - 1986, the author was a “Consultant Adviser - Computer Services”, to the Caribbean Development Bank, Barbados, West Indies ( World Bank / UNDP Setup ), under nomination from his assignment as the “Data Processing Expert” to the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co- operation, London, UK.20 Point Program, Economic Development, Development Ratios, Government Strategy, Indira Gandhi, Key Ratios, Management Decision, Mass Development, Mrs.Gandhi, Political Economics, Productivity, Redefined Productivity, Social Development, Socio-Economic Development

The beetles of St. Lucia, Lesser Antilles (Insecta: Coleoptera): diversity and distributions

The published beetle fauna of the island of St. Lucia is summarized. It contains 135 genera, and 175 species in 25 families. Four species are accidentally introduced by human activities. Twenty three species are endemic (restricted) to the island. Twenty seven species on St. Lucia are shared only with other islands of the Lesser Antilles, and 22 species are widespread Antilles endemics. The remaining 56.6% of the fauna is otherwise mostly one which is widely distributed in the Antilles and the Neotropics. This suggests that it is mostly an immigrant fauna originating in the continental Neotropics. Undoubtedly, the actual numbers of species on St. Lucia are many times higher than now reported and may originally have been as high as around 1400 species. Of the St. Lucia species known to occur on other islands, the largest numbers are shared with Guadeloupe (102), St. Vincent (79), and Martinique (55)

Small Island Developing States and their suitability for electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid services

Small Island Developing States (SIDS), while at the forefront of international climate action, face a number of development challenges linked to their historic, geographic and socio-economic characteristics. Small populations and limited energy demand cap the penetration of renewable energy technologies. Electric vehicles offer solutions for electricity storage, grid services, reduced fuel imports, and reduced pollution with associated health benefits. This paper provides a comprehensive review of literature on island applications of electric vehicles, making the case for SIDS as an area of opportunity for further exploration, and presenting the southern Caribbean island of Barbados as a case study