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itswallstreetpr · 4 years

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Pharmacy Services Back on the Radar (MDRX, WBA, RXMD, CVS)

The big step from here is an improvement and normalization in terms of our relationship with healthcare. But, because of what we have all endured through the pandemic process in recent months, and the months ahead, many changes that may have occurred in any course over coming years have suddenly happened all at once. One upshot of that process is the potential for interstitial healthcare stocks (pharma, pharmacy services, prescription data, medical research, etc) to become much more profitable as we link up the needs of healthcare consumers with 21st century technology. With that framework top of mind, we look at some of the most interesting names that fit this bill here, including: Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:MDRX), Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA), Progressive Care Inc (OTCMKTS:RXMD), and CVS Health Corp (NYSE:CVS). Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:MDRX) bills itself as a company that provides information technology solutions and services to healthcare organizations in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company also just announced a new deal with MSFT that we will cover below. MDRX offers electronic health records (EHR), connectivity, private cloud hosting, outsourcing, analytics, patient engagement, clinical decision support, and population health management solutions. The company operates in two segments, Clinical and Financial Solutions and Population Health. Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:MDRX) recently announced Carol Zierhoffer has been named to the Board of Directors of Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX) Healthcare Solutions, Inc. A former executive at engineering and construction company Bechtel Corporation, Zierhoffer has more than 30 years of experience in information technology. She will serve as a member of the Audit Committee of the Board. Most recently and until her retirement in October 2019, Zierhoffer served as the Senior Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer at Bechtel, where she oversaw the company’s Global Information Systems & Technology organization. Zierhoffer’s responsibilities included Bechtel’s business and technology solutions, cybersecurity, infrastructure and operations, innovation, emerging technology and knowledge management for the company’s business lines and projects worldwide. The context for this announcement is a bit of a bid, with shares acting well over the past five days, up about 12% in that timeframe. Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:MDRX) generated sales of $416.7M, according to information released in the company's most recent quarterly financial report. That adds up to a sequential quarter-over-quarter growth rate of -7.6% on the top line. In addition, the company is battling some balance sheet hurdles, with cash levels struggling to keep up with current liabilities ($212.1M against $1.2B, respectively). Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA) trumpets itself as a pharmacy-led health and wellbeing company that operates through three segments: Retail Pharmacy USA, Retail Pharmacy International, and Pharmaceutical Wholesale. The company’s Retail Pharmacy USA segment sells prescription drugs and an assortment of retail products, including health, wellness, beauty, personal care, consumable, and general merchandise products through its retail drugstores and convenient care clinics. It also provides specialty pharmacy services and mail services; and manages in-store clinics. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA) just announced that contactless same-day curbside pick-up is now available at more than 8,600 participating stores nationwide. In as little as one hour, Walgreens customers can conveniently order and pay for select household essential and health & wellness products online and then pick these items up curbside at their selected store. "We are always looking to provide our customers with safe, easy and convenient contactless shopping options to get the retail items they need, whether that’s via same-day delivery through our collaborations with DoorDash and Postmates, same-day pick-up with our order online pick-up at drive-thru, or now via our newest digital enhancement, order online pick-up at curbside," said Stefanie Kruse, vice president, digital commerce and omni-channel at Walgreens. The context for this announcement is a bit of a bid, with shares acting well over the past five days, up about 2% in that timeframe. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA) pulled in sales of $34.6B in its last reported quarterly financials, representing top line growth of 0.1%. In addition, the company is battling some balance sheet hurdles, with cash levels struggling to keep up with current liabilities ($943M against $26.6B, respectively). Progressive Care Inc (OTCMKTS:RXMD) promulgates itself as “a personalized healthcare services and technology company”. Do a little digging and you find this is a company that has been showing strong top and bottom-line growth in the regional pharmacy services space, but is now increasingly set to expand operations into telemedicine, ecommerce, and a range of scalable growth strategies while maintaining its footprint in the Florida pharmacy services space. The company has put up impressive numbers, with consolidated monthly gross sales across all locations during May totaling $3 million, representing year-over-year growth of 67%. It was 54% the month before, and 105% in March. And it was even better before the pandemic hit. Progressive Care Inc (OTCMKTS:RXMD) just announced the expansion of the Company’s PharmCo branded pharmacy operations and presence in the Orlando metropolitan area. According to the release, the Company is moving out of its current Orlando pharmacy location, which is a 700 square-foot mini-pharmacy operating under the “Five Star” brand designation, to a 3,700 square-foot full-size pharmacy that will open under the PharmCo brand designation. The Company is also very pleased to report that this move, which represents an expansion in property size of more than 400%, will not increase monthly lease costs. Once completed, the move will allow for a dramatic expansion in the services and products offered in the Orlando market, including the full scope of PharmCo pharmacy goods and services, as well as therapy management, patient management, cost management services, and rapid-results testing services (COVID-19 IgG/IgM) as authorized by the FDA under its Emergency Use Authorization (“EUA”) guidelines for conducting SARS-CoV-2 antibody presence and COVID-19 infection diagnosis testing. If you're long this stock, then you're liking how the stock has responded to this and other recent announcements. RXMD shares have been moving higher over the past month overall, rallying about 70% on strong action with a consistent bid in place. Progressive Care Inc (OTCMKTS:RXMD) generated sales of $9.1M, according to information released in the company's most recent quarterly financial report. That adds up to a monthly year-over-year growth rate of 62% on the top line as of the Company’s last monthly performance update. CVS Health Corp (NYSE:CVS) is a health services company that offers plans in the United States. Its Pharmacy Services segment offers pharmacy benefit management solutions, such as plan design and administration, formulary management, retail pharmacy network management, mail order pharmacy, specialty pharmacy and infusion, Medicare Part D, clinical, disease management, and medical spend management services. The company's Retail/LTC segment sells prescription drugs and general merchandise, such as over-the-counter drugs, beauty products, cosmetics, and personal care products, as well as provides health care services through its MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics. Its Health Care Benefits segment offers traditional, voluntary, and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, medical management, Medicare plans, PDPs, Medicaid health care management services, workers' compensation administrative services, and health information technology products and services. CVS Health Corp (NYSE:CVS) said on recently that it would require customers to wear face coverings while shopping at its U.S. pharmacies, joining a host of retailers in the country in their push to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Retailers including Walmart Inc, Kroger Co and Kohls Corp have already made it compulsory for shoppers to wear masks, which is widely accepted as one the most effective ways to keep the virus in check. The stock has been acting well over recent days, up something like 3% in that time. Shares of the stock have powered higher over the past month, rallying roughly 14% in that time on strong overall action. CVS Health Corp (NYSE:CVS) generated sales of $66.8B, according to information released in the company's most recent quarterly financial report. That adds up to a sequential quarter-over-quarter growth rate of -0.1% on the top line. In addition, the company is battling some balance sheet hurdles, with cash levels struggling to keep up with current liabilities ($12.7B against $59.6B, respectively). Read the full article

#COVID-19 #COVID-19pandemic #healthcare #Pandemic #pharmacytechnology #pharmastocks #telehealth #telemedicine

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thechasefiles · 5 years

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The Chase Files Daily Newscap 25/6/2019

Good MORNING #realdreamchasers! Here is The Chase Files Daily News Cap for Tuesday 25thJune 2019. Remember you can read full articles for FREE via Barbados Today (BT) or Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS) OR by purchasing by purchasing a DailyNation Newspaper (DN).

$97M BOOST – BARBADOS’ COFFERS ARE IN for a near $100 million top-up. This is as a result of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board’s approval yesterday of this country meeting all the programme targets in the first review under the Extended Fund Facility in March. The review is part of the conditionalities of the IMF loan, which include meeting a number of fiscal targets. This approval means US$48.7 million (BDS$97.4 million) can be immediately disbursed out of the US$290 million IMF loan committed for the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT) programme. This would bring the total disbursement of IMF funds to US$98 million.(DN)

DEFEND US –Minister of Energy and Water Resource Management Wilfred Abrahams has condemned “fake news” from unofficial sources, being used to discredit the Government.Abrahams, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Christ Church East was addressing party members attending a Barbados Labor Party (BLP) branch meeting in the constituency when he declared, “the attacks have begun”.Referencing numerous untrue social media messages about the actions and movements of cabinet Ministers, Abrahams accused power -hungry opposition forces of attempting to destabilize the Government.“A year has passed and the attacks have begun. You all would have seen the stuff circulating about the Attorney General being in Disney World and all sorts of foolishness,” Abrahams said.Instead, he explained: “The Attorney General was attending a meeting in Orlando dealing with the crime situation in the Caribbean. He was at an official meeting sanctioned by the Cabinet of Barbados. He was not out there on a frolic of his own. He was not shaking hands with Mickey Mouse, but the reports are coming in.”In response, he urged members of the BLP’s branch to defend Government’s reputation.“All I am going to tell you is that when you see those [messages], look at what is in there and reconcile that with the person that you know and you would know this is just a whole set of foolishness and fake news by a desperate set of people who are now out of power and are desperately trying to lay the ground work to get back in.“The attacks have started and you need to defend the people that you know and you believe in. You all need to defend the people that you walked around in the hot sun with and knocked on doors with and told Barbadians to vote for because you believed in them.“When people come with foolishness, do not sit down and say nothing. Represent your MP in the same way you want your MP to represent you. When you sit down and say nothing, people feel emboldened and feel that what they are saying or reading is right,” Abrahams stressed.During the Sunday night meeting, Abrahams responded to complaints from some constituents, who said their interests are being placed secondary to his ministerial portfolio.To the contrary, Abrahams argued that the country’s 27-member cabinet has been busy trying to “get Barbados working”.“Somebody recently told me, ‘Mr. Abrahams, I saw you in St. Joseph helping the people with water. I saw you in St. Thomas and St. James. I saw you during a fire at the dump…. I didn’t elect you to help them, I elected you to help me,’” the MP recalled.“The reality is that we are stretched as Ministers and MPs are trying to correct Barbados on a national level. If we don’t get Barbados working, then the constituencies are not going to work either. I am asking and pleading with you, who are my eyes and ears on the ground, to help me.”Abrahams also discussed with constituents the need for well-coordinated efforts to prepare for the possibility of hurricanes.“I would like you to keep checking on those in your area who are vulnerable, who have children and cannot feed their families. That is the sort of information I want on a continuous basis,” he said.(BT)

CALL FOR RADICAL CHANGES –OPPOSITION LEADER Bishop Joseph Atherley says it is time that several critical factors affecting Barbadians’ standard of living undergo radical reform. “We need to take a serious look at land policy in Barbados. In a circumstance of small size, we need to relook building policy. We need to review foreign land ownership privileges. "We need to re-examine the matter of land concentration in the hands of a privileged minority,” he declared during a service at First Baptist Church on Constitution Road, The City, yesterday to mark the establishment of the People’s Party for Democracy and Development (PdP). The new party, which Atherley previously said was formed last November, was officially launched on June 8.(DN)

STRAUGHN: PENSION MONEY WILL KEEP COMING –Pensioners have been reassured of the financial viability of the National Insurance Service and its ability to pay them. It has come from Minister in the Ministry of Finance Ryan Straughn as he spoke Saturday night at the annual awards ceremony of the National Insurance Department, which is marking its 52nd anniversary. “This department has received Government paper which will facilitate the repayment of monies owed by the Government of Barbados and ensure that the fund is no longer endangered by the kind of recklessness that obtained before,” he said during his feature address at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.(DN)

NIS CLAIMS UP SHARPLY, FINANCE MINISTER SAYS – The National Insurance Department has reported a sharp rise in claims for the first four months of the year, when compared year on year with 2018, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Ryan Straughn has disclosed.Straughn reported a 45 per cent increase in claims across all benefit categories, with the largest increase among claims for sickness benefits. “These statistics do not bode well for our goals of maintaining the health of the nation, and this trend does not augur well for annual expenditure projections across all benefit categories. “With respect to the increase in sickness claims submitted, steps are being taken to identify causes and have action taken to halt, slow or reverse this trend.As he spoke at the NIS’s GEM Awards Ceremony, at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, he commended the staff for diligently expediting these claims in a timely manner.“The impact of the increase in claims has been an increased workload for the staff of the department, who have been called upon to process more claims and face the increased demands of the public.“The staff’s response has been commendable, and they are keenly aware that the department is the nation’s lifeline.”In a wide-ranging speech, Straughn also said Government was working with the NIS to introduce paternity leave, as was recently announced by Prime Minister Mia Mottley.He said: “This is but one of the many social improvement strategies that the National Insurance Department will be able to extend to many a family in Barbados. “I certainly look forward to working with your board and your members of staff to be able to bring that policy to fruition in the soonest possible time.”NIS is currently collecting the Health Services Contribution payroll tax to pay for the operations of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).The NIS, he said, had been partly responsible for tens of thousands of dollars being distributed to the QEH since late 2018.Straughn said: “This funding will contribute to a substantially higher standard of healthcare in the country. “In addition, the improvement of primary care in the island’s polyclinics, through the implementation of a 24-hour service at a number of polyclinics, improved security and an improved staffing complement will add to this multi-pronged approach of strengthening the health of the nation, one Barbadian at a time.” = The Minister gave the assurance that Government was committed to ensuring the National Insurance Scheme was “never again” jeopardised by the actions of a few.He said that since the beginning of the IMF-sponsored economic restructuring plan the Mia Mottley administration had committed to staying current on paying NIS contributions to workers, and had put in place a structure for recouping the Government’s own unpaid contribution to the NIS over the last several years.“The department has received Government paper which will facilitate the repayment of monies owed by the Government of Barbados and ensure that the fund is no longer endangered,” Straughn said. NIS Database Administrator Christopher Cox was awarded Employee of the Year, while the Director’s Award was presented to Claudette Moore and the Supervisor of the Year title went to Lisa Wood. Gloria Haynes, who worked 40 years at the department, received one of the many long service awards.(BT)

FLOW GRANTS LEAVE FOR MEN AT CHILD’S BIRTH –Men working at Flow are now entitled to paternity leave, while women would be getting an extra month of maternity leave.This is because Barbados’ leading telecommunications provider has unveiled a groundbreaking parental leave policy for all full-time staff.Officially introduced on June 1, employees of Flow can now look forward to benefitting from paid maternity leave of 16 weeks and paid paternity leave of eight weeks.The new policy, which was developed by parent company Liberty Latin America, will also provide paid leave to employees following the birth of a child via surrogacy.Thirty-eight-year-old Flow employee Janelle Waterman, the first worker to benefit from the extra month maternity leave, said she was looking forward to spending those extra weeks home with her three-month-old son Chance who she described as a bubbly, peaceful child who only cries when he is hungry.“I am back at work now, but I can’t wait to be back home, spending time with him. You see when we do the 12 weeks; you have to try to wean the baby off of breast-feeding from very early to prepare him for when you come back out to work. And, you miss a lot of important developments in the baby’s life. So an extra month for me, feels great,” she said.Waterman explained that returning to work after a three-month maternity leave after the birth of her first child, was tiring because her body was just not ready to be thrown back into work, especially since she was a first-time mom.“So I think this is great. I think that other companies should join with Flow and give this to the parents,” the Flow employee of four years who works in the Quality Assurance Department said.“Evolving our parental leave policy, quite simply, is the right thing to do,” said Kerry Scott, Chief People Officer, Liberty Latin America.“We recognize that diversity drives success, and family dynamic and structures have changed. Our new policy demonstrates our commitment to a culture of diversity and inclusion and one that puts our people at the heart of our success,” Scott added.Meanwhile, Jensen Sylvester, Country Manager of Flow Barbados welcomed the new policy and described it as a seminal moment for the company.“As a business leader, I’m very proud that we’ve introduced such an innovative and progressive policy. Equally, as a father myself, I know the value of creating special moments with your newborn, so I’m proud to be part of an organisation that truly values its people,” Sylvester said.“The same way we create moments that matter for our customers each day, we also want our team members to enjoy the special moments in their life and there’s nothing more special than the birth of a child. It’s initiatives such as this that make us one team and demonstrates our unique company culture,” Sylvester added.Flow’s Corporate Communitions and Public Relations Manager Marilyn Sealy said that Flow implemented the parental leave policy because it was the right thing to do.“We would have had parents, mothers and fathers who would have gone off on leave and they would have wanted more time to be with their children before coming back out to work, and our parent company Liberty Latin America recognizes this.“This policy puts our people at the heart of our success.”(BT)

RAISE THE AGE LIMIT –President of the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) Sharmane Roland-Bowen has renewed her call for the age limit for the purchase of alcohol to be raised. The road safety advocate this time is calling on Government to raise the age limit to 18, saying 16 was much too young.She first made the call three years ago to the then Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration, but at the time suggested it be moved to 21.However, addressing a media conference on Monday to launch the BRSA’s annual campaign against drunk driving, Roland-Bowen said as Government makes changes to the process of obtaining a liquor licence under the Liquor Licence Act, it should also consider increasing the age limit.“The Barbados Road Safety Association is making an appeal to Government to rethink and seriously consider the minimum age allowed for persons at the young and tender age of 16 to purchase alcohol in this country,” said Roland-Bowen.“The BRSA is making a recommendation to this new administration that one of those changes be raising the minimum age to purchase alcohol to 18 years old,” she said, adding that if Government cared about the young people it would “do everything within its power to save and reduce potential harm to those vulnerable persons in our society”.She also called on Government to move with haste to implement the promised breathalyzer testing.“What is currently preventing the training of our police officers in the utilization and administration of the breathalyzer devices along with the needed refresher training in drink drive laws?” asked Roland-Bowen.Adding that training for the use of the devices could be carried out over a two-day period, Roland-Bowen said: “Why up to this time is there no form of educational campaigns conducted by the Ministry of Transport and Works to inform the public of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and how the breathalyzer testing will be conducted in an effort to deter and to increase compliance with this new regulation?”Stating that she was concerned about the delay, Roland-Bowen said she hoped it was not a case where Government was changing its mind on introducing the measure.In November last year, 12-months after the Road Traffic Act was amended to accommodate the breathalyzer testing, then acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport Mark Cummins reported that stakeholders were meeting and getting ready to implement the measure.At the time, Cummins said once the number of breathalyzer testing devices needed were confirmed they would be ordered and training would be carried out.However, Government is yet to say if the training was done or when that section of the law would be enforced.The island recorded 27 road fatalities from 25 accidents last year. However, it is not known how many, or if any, of those accidents were as a result of individuals driving under the influence.“This is a critical time, the devices are here, the law is here and the police officers are here, but still no enforcement of this law through the testing of impaired drivers especially at such critical time of the year – the Crop Over season,” said Roland-BowenShe said while she welcomed the paved roadways and patching of several potholes across the island, “things need to start happening that will make our roads safer”.In relation to the association’s 2019 drunk driving campaign, which is being held in association with Banks Holdings Limited (BHL) under the theme Designate One, Roland-Bowen said the initiative was intended to encourage individuals to appoint someone to drive them prior to going out to parties this Crop Over season.She explained that a designated driver should be someone who would not consume any alcohol prior to, during or after a party.Residents will have an opportunity to win several prizes this year during the campaign, which runs until the end of the Crop Over season in August.(BT)

BOARD WARNS COMMUTERS ABOUT FAKE SMART CARDS – Unknown perpetrators have begun to photocopy the Transport Board’s Travel Smart Cards and the police may soon get involved. Acting general manager Lynda Holder said they had recorded a few instances of counterfeit cards up to yesterday, when a man brought in a $32 card without the board’s security features. “There has been an influx of counterfeit Travel Smart tickets in the public domain and the Transport Board is urging commuters to be vigilant. Authentic Travel Smart tickets are laminated and can be easily identified by their watermarked logo and the embossed seal of the Transport Board,” she said.(DN)

NO LIAT TALKS YET – Within the next two weeks Barbados is hoping to start negotiations with Antigua and Barbuda regarding the sale of its LIAT shares. So says Barbados’ lead negotiator Attorney General Dale Marshall, who has revealed that Government is currently awaiting word from the regional airline carrier on when those negotiations can be held. Earlier this month and amid much speculation, Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced in Parliament that Barbados would be giving up its majority ownership of LIAT to Antigua and Barbuda. She however did not disclose if Government would be selling its entire 49.4 per cent stake in the cash-strapped regional airline. Antigua and Barbuda is the second largest shareholder with 34 per cent ownership of the airline which serves 15 Caribbean destinations with almost 500 flights. Speaking to members of the media today, Marshall said he was hopeful he would be able to meet with authorities from Antigua and Barbuda before the start of next month’s 40th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government. “Negotiations have not commenced yet. We indicated to LIAT dates that were convenient for us a few weeks back and they didn’t respond. “We’re now trying to see if we can get those negotiations commenced next week. We’ve sent another communication to LIAT to say that we’re available next week and next weekend and we can jump right into it and we’re once more waiting for them to respond to say whether it can be accommodated or not,” Marshall said. “But we’re hoping that before the Heads’ conference, July 3 to 6, that the negotiations would have begun in earnest.” Mottley has maintained that Barbados simply was not in a financial position to support LIAT due to the country’s current economic position and as a result had made a decision to “take a step back”. Suggesting that the regional airline was in a need of an overhaul, the Prime Minister promised Barbados would continue to support intra-regional travel. “The current model which LIAT has within the 1974 Limited is not an attractive model and what is needed is significant restructuring. Indeed a new model of governance, a new financial model and a new operational model in order for it to be able to extract greater benefits and provide the services which it does,” Mottley said at the time.(BT)

RESIDENT WATCHES ‘SHOULD TEAM UP’ FOR NATIONAL SECURITY – Local neighbourhood watch programmes and residents associations were urged to unite in the interest of national security.Radio journalist Stetson Babb, speaking as chairman of the Graeme Hall Residents’ Association and Neighbourhood Watch, made the call as the new body launched at the Maurice King Sports Complex on Sunday.Crime in the Graeme Hall area has been low over the years, Babb said, but he told the modest gathering that no citizen is excluded from the ongoing scourge of crime and violence. In the presence of nearly a dozen police officers, Babb encouraged residents not to view the worst and most violent manifestations of society as only limited to certain individuals and communities. “Barbados is too small for that, too interconnected and too interrelated.“I propose that we seek to establish a national coalition of residence associations and neighbourhood watches that don’t just function as disparate entities, but as a network of active and activist communities that shall support and assist law enforcement and be a catalyst for initiatives at the national level that build strong, positive communities.”While promoting the Graeme Hall Neighbourhood Watch as being integral in pursuing the residents’ common interest, he insisted that the nation’s economic and societal challenges required a collective anti-crime response. Babb said: “We cannot and must not import and copy the worst values and attitudes of other places. We must cooperate with, aid and assist the authorities in the fight not just to solve crime but also to prevent crime. “Each of us, accepting our individual responsibility as citizens to act, to assist and contribute and not be made bystanders. That is the call to duty for each of us today as residents of Graeme Hall and beyond, but also as residents of a nation.“Beyond any economic turbulence or fiscal challenges, is a crisis of culture and values that represents an existential threat to our traditional ways of life. This was traditionally characterised by an abiding commitment to and respect for the value of life, decency, honesty, thrift and hard work.” The veteran journalist and Graeme Hall resident also pledged the community’s support to the “agencies of the state, including and especially the RBPF”, whose vital work, he said, must be assisted by right-thinking Barbadians.RBPF Superintendent Elfine Moore meanwhile underscored the central role of community policing in the fight against crime and disorder and praised Graeme Hall residents for their commitment.She said: “I am honoured to be among you and it gives me great pleasure to know that you are launching your neighbourhood watch. Kudos to you, this is one of the better decisions you have made in the group.”(BT)

‘STOP, FRISK’ TO FIGHT CRIME – A former detective is advising the police to step up its stop-and-search tactic in a bid to drive down the wave of violent crime And Valman Thompson has suggested bringing soldiers into the act “if we need to”, as he spoke at the launch of a new anti-marijuana pressure group. “I am not saying that we have to go so far as bringing in soldiers to help us, but I am saying that if we need to we should. “But I think it is time for the police force to step up and do more stop-and-search and go into those areas where we see that there is a hype and use of this marijuana drugs in Barbados,” he recommended. Thompson, who spent 18 years in the force until 2009, put forward the suggestion on Monday as he threw his support behind the newly-launched Coalition For a Safe, Healthy and Productive Barbados at a media conference at the Co-operators General Insurance office. The coalition has been introduced primarily to educate residents about the dangers of using marijuana should a referendum be held on the use of the weed for recreational purposes. A date is yet to be announced. Thompson recalled that during his police career, most of which was spent as a detective at the Central Police Station, he gathered information that suggested that most crimes on the island were as a result of the illicit drug trade. He said: “I used to be in the Orleans, Chapman Lane, and all around The City areas, and the majority of these areas you go where fellows are smoking the marijuana. After smoking the marijuana you see the effects. “Some of them become very slow, then some get in the habit of begging… and they start stealing and committing crimes just to get money to buy drugs, or they get involved in some other illegal activity – the bad behaviours that are taking over the entire communities and then you have this block culture.” He continued: “A lot of the crimes people say were due to when they get high…or they commit these crimes to get money to buy the drugs.” So far, there have been 30 murders this year, two more than in all of 2018. And while authorities have been giving the assurance that they were doing all they could to combat this scourge, there have been increasing concerns from residents and tourism industry figures. Thompson told reporters there was currently a school of thought that there is a link between the high murder rate and “the drug culture in this country”. He insisted: “Some people are saying ‘no, it is not a drug culture’, but if you check it carefully the majority of them have some relation or link to drugs in this country. I know the police force has a rough time to deal with the drug.” But recalling that the late Inspector Anderson Bowen would mount regular stop-and-search operations both day and night, as well as carry out search warrants “at places that we know used to have these drugs”, Thompson suggested the time had come to get back to those methods. On the proposal to hold a referendum for the recreational use of marijuana, the coalition’s members said they were concerned that this could lead to even more crimes, road fatalities, and even more children using or being affected by people around them using. Reverend Paul Leacock of the First Baptist Church, a member of the coalition, told journalists while he could not speak on behalf of all churches in Barbados, he believed several questions must be answered before a referendum for the recreational use of marijuana was even considered. He questioned if the country had a social safety net to cater to any “fallout”, the manpower in the form of psychologists and psychiatrists, and if there would be changes to the education system in relation to duties of teachers and the number of guidance counsellors to handle any impacts. Leacock also questioned if the island’s lone psychiatric hospital was capable of handling any likely increase in the number of patients from marijuana usage or if the island was prepared for any loss in people from the labour force. “These are just a few of the questions that need to be raised, and if we as ministers of the gospel are interested in the well-being of our people, which we are, we have to ask. “We ask them so that those responsible for policy formation may do so and be aware that we are interested, and that we want to see the good of our people and of our land.”(BT)

NO BACKDOOR BUSINESS – A new campaign group, opposed to the eventual legalisation of marijuana use, was launched on Monday, issuing a sharp warning to patients to source medical cannabis drugs through legal channels.Pharmacist Paul Gibson, a member of the Coalition For a Safe, Healthy and Productive Barbados, declared there were already several individuals engaging in “suitcase trade” in medical cannabis and urged the Ministry of Health to police cannabis-based drugs entering the island.He was speaking at a media conference at the Co-operators General Insurance on Monday, where the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) officially introduced the coalition along with its annual campaign against drink driving.Gibson, a former president of the Barbados Pharmaceutical Society, said he was gravely concerned that individuals were sneaking items into the country without knowing if the contents were legit.He said: “We are suggesting that we, through the Ministry of Health, continue to manage the gate of entry. I want to warn Barbadians of something – everybody is starting to bring in these oils illegally or illicitly, through different ports of entry, suitcase trade, post offices and so on.” The pharmacist was unable to say exactly how widespread was the alleged suitcase trade in products containing Cannabidiol, the marijuana-derived substance sought for its medicinal properties. But he said he was “mindful that this is something that is happening a lot and we have to be very careful of it because you are not sure what you are getting”.Just last month, while announcing that five medical cannabis products were to be added to the national drug formulary, Minister of Health and Wellness Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic revealed that some food stores and health shops were already selling items containing cannabis extract.Besides a hefty fine, Gibson warned today that there were other consequences associated with using medical cannabis products that were not prescribed by a medical doctor here and that were not purchased through the correct channels.He said: “How do you know that the content in those brown bottles are what they say they are? You have absolutely no way of knowing that somebody went on a high-quality computer, printed a label, stuck it on a bottle and sent it here to you. We really don’t know.“We are also warning persons, do not engage in the use of cannabinoids that are being sold across the country. There is a fine of $250,000 for it. It is not authorized and you are not sure what you are getting. You really could be getting anything in those bottles. Because it is popular people want to jump onboard [but] we are urging people to be very careful.“There is also the issue of being poisoned. You don’t know what is in some of these things. This is a grave concern.” Through the coalition that was officially introduced, the BRSA is advocating its opposition to legalisation of marijuana for recreational use in Barbados.The Labour Party administration has already promised that while laws would be changed to accommodate the implementation of a medical cannabis industry, a referendum would be taken to determine if the country should go the route of legalizing a certain amount of the weed for recreational or sacramental use.President of the BRSA, Sharmane Roland-Bowen, a vocal critic of marijuana use, said she believed the medical cannabis introduction was “a strategy” to “soften the attitude of persons before they go about implementing recreational marijuana use”.As such, she said the coalition was established to educate Barbadians on the use of the drug, adding that no facts would be held back.“It is therefore in the interest of the public that any decision, either for or against, be carefully considered with all the information on the dangers associated with this form of use of this drug,” she said.The alliance is made up of the BRSA, and representatives from among private Public Service Vehicle (PSV) owners, the pharmaceutical society and the Church. (BT)

GOING LEGIT – Legislation could soon be coming to put an end to accused persons sitting in jail for prolonged periods without a court hearing. Three weeks after it was revealed Winston Agard had spent seven years in HMP Dodds without attending a court hearing, Attorney General Dale Marshall said he was pushing to have Criminal Procedure Rules put in place. The 50-year-old Agard, who had been charged for theft of a handbag and its contents, only appeared in court after a prison officer highlighted his plight to the relevant authorities. He was subsequently given bail to return for sentencing. While describing Agard’s situation as “unfortunate” Marshall said measures needed to be introduced to ensure there was no possibility of such a recurrence. “That was an anomaly, an embarrassment to our country, but it is not a state of affairs that you would consider to be rife. But the important thing is that we have to take steps to make sure if they are any others in the system, that we deal with them immediately,” the Attorney General maintained. “We are now considering the passing of Criminal Procedure Rules which will help to codify all of the arrangements that have to be made in respect of those things. I expect to be able to move to Cabinet within the next few weeks and seek their permission to put rules in place. We already have some draft rules under consideration but I think that piece-by-piece, we’re going to get all of those things ready.” The Attorney General said once he became aware of Agard’s case, he spoke to Minister of Home Affairs Edmund Hinkson who subsequently provided him with a list of persons on remand at HMP Dodds for two years, as well as persons on remand for over six months. He said both lists had been provided to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for review. Marshall said initiatives were already in place to address similar issues in the short term. He pointed to the recent move by Justice Randall Worrell, who suspended matters in his court to hear the status of some prisoners on remand and their intentions. “Judge Worrell has begun a process that we had actually agreed on in a meeting that I had with himself representing the High Court Criminal Bench and the private bar and also the DPP. We sat down and we looked seriously at the issue of what structures we could put in place in an administrative way to get people down to deal with bail issues,” the Attorney General said. “Often people will apply for bail, but when they get to court they say to the judge ‘Well Sir I didn’t really want bail, I just wanted an opportunity to come to court to plead guilty’, but that is not a feature of our system.” Marshall said he believed the backlog in the judicial system would eventually be relieved once these systems were put in place. However, he admitted it would not happen overnight. “When we add new Criminal Procedure Rules to additional High Court judges, it is a slow process, but I think we’re moving in the right direction,” he said. (BT)

BRITISH BACKLASH OVER DEATH – The United Kingdom Government has announced that it will be complaining to the Mia Mottley Administration for local heart specialist Dr Alfred Sparman, following the recent death of a British citizen at his privately-run clinic here. The issue was debated in the British Parliament last Thursday after being introduced by Member of Parliament Alec Shelbrooke whose father-in-law Gordon Spencer died at the Sparman Clinic on February 13 this year, 26 days after his arrival for treatment. Under-Secretary for Transport, Minister Nusrat Ghani said the matter would be taken up by her Government and relayed to the Barbadian authorities. Minister Ghani was responding to Member of Parliament Colonel Bob Stewart who intervened during her speech and stated: How can we actually allow this man to be continuing to do his work in Barbados? What can the British Government do to stop it? Are we going to report the man to the Barbadian Government? And are we actually going to complain about the way the port agent dealt with this case? Because actually, that’s something that I believe is very practical and might stop another family going through the hell that the Shelbrooke family have been through.” The Minister assured the MP that the since the matter was raised on the floor of Parliament it would be reflected in all the government agencies “and I do not doubt for one moment that this message would be reaching Barbados, especially once the meeting takes place with the IMO (International Maritime Organisation) as well.” She pledged to immediately lobby the IMO to change the law to ensure that passengers are sent to a “fit and proper” facility and that cruise ships carry out their duty of care to make sure such action is taken on behalf of their patients. Due to possible future legal issues, Barbados TODAY is constrained from going into the details of the circumstances surrounding the death at the Sparman Clinic. However, MP Shelbrooke informed the British Parliament that his father-in-law became ill with a chest infection and cough while on a cruise with his wife Jackie. “Jackie took Gordon to the ship’s doctor who diagnosed double pneumonia and high blood pressure and started treatment through antibiotics. The doctor also performed…tests and categorically confirmed that Gordon did not have a heart attack,” he told the parliamentary debate which was streamed on Facebook. Shelbrooke also quoted the ship’s doctor as saying that Gordon “was improving at the point of medical disembarkation.” The parliamentarian also criticized the port agent in Barbados for referring the patient to a private clinic when the nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) was the preferred primary acute care public medical facility for visitors based on a 2013 report which he quoted entitled: Caring for non-residents in Barbados, authored by the Medical Tourism Research Group. “Within the Caribbean, Barbados is regarded as a favourite destination for regional patients, particularly for those smaller islands lacking advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities and a capacity to offer to treat high-risk patients,” the MP cited the report as saying. “It goes on to say the Queen Elizabeth Hospital serves as the main referral hospital for the entire Eastern Caribbean. Consultants at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital have the ability to admit private patients, such as ill vacationers not covered by the island’s public health system.” He added: “Therefore Mr Deputy Speaker, on Friday the 18 January, with a major hospital available just two miles away from the port with an 86-year-old man with double pneumonia, who according to the ship’s doctor, was improving at the point of medical disembarkation, the port agent in Bridgetown decided to send Gordon to the privately-run Sparman Clinic some three miles away from the port which is owned and operated by Dr Alfred Sparman.” When contacted late tonight, Dr Sparman promised to get back to Barbados TODAYwith a comment but up to the time of publication there had been no response.(BT)

SPONSORS SCAMMED – Efforts to defraud people in the north using a sponsored card earned a 21-year-old man a mere $9 and his first criminal conviction. The dishonest actions of Shakeel Ricardo Antonio Alleyne, of Bedford Lane, Roebuck Street, St Michael will also cost him a $350 fine. The amount must be paid in one month or he will spend three months at Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds. Police went to Queen’s Street, Speightstown on Saturday after receiving information that Alleyne was asking persons for donations on a sponsored card. On arrival he was taken into custody and during a search to which he consented, the card was found tucked in his waist. A further probe revealed that the card was a copy and Allyene had not been given permission to collect the funds. When asked to account for it he admitted to police that he collected the donations for his personal use but denied manufacturing the copy. Alleyne explained to Chief Magistrate Christopher Birch today that he was travelling on a bus when he found the card and concealed it since he knew who it belonged to. “I asked three people for a sponsor and get $9 . . . . I concealed the sheet . . . and the police came soon after. I concealed the sheet because I was on probation. I get sentenced to community service,” Alleyne said. He denied being “a person in need”. The Chief Magistrate chided him for preying on the charity of others. “When someone genuinely comes to get a sponsor the person is going to think twice because they will think they are like you. When they hear about this – thieves and vagabonds – they will not be willing to open their wallets because of people like you.“You were given a break but you can’t get a second break. All of that for nothing,” the Chief Magistrate told Alleyne before imposing the fine.(BT)

TEEN MUST FOLLOW RULES –Restrictions on Internet use and other house rules are apparently causing trouble at a St Lucy residence. Sixteen-year-old Misael Melero-Ramirez, of No. 40 Aqua Avenue, Husbands Development, St Lucy appeared before Chief Magistrate Christopher Birch today charged with unlawfully damaging a motorcar belonging to Ambrose Johnson – his stepfather. The two live at the same residence and prosecutor Station Sergeant Peter Barrow informed the Chief Magistrate that tensions there have been ongoing. However, the stepfather said he did not wish for the secondary school student to be remanded to HMP Dodds “at this time” once he gave the assurance that he will follow his rules until the two appear before the District ‘E’ Magistrates’ Court on June 27 where the case will be heard. “There are some matters that need to be addressed . . . [and] he has some issues he needs to deal with,” Johnson told the court. Melero-Ramirez was not required to plead to the charge but admitted “I have caused some problems in my house . . . because of some restrictions . . . [pertaining] to the Internet.” The Chief Magistrate made it clear to the teen that he was a child and as such did not make the rules under his stepfather’s roof. “Your end of the bargain is to be obedient. You don’t like it, fair enough. The world is not fair. The faster you get that through your head the better you will be . . . until you are 18. “He restricts the Internet, so what?” Birch questioned, even as he warned the teen to “button your lip and humble your self.” The teen replied: “I tried to behave a little better than I used to. The restrictions are still there . . . . I could not contact my friends . . . . The car was taken away . . . . It ended up being very stressful at home.” However, the Chief Magistrate told him he had a fast and profound decision to make – either adhere to the rules or be remanded at Dodds. “I accept the deal. I promise I will keep my word,” the teen said before he was granted $1,000 bail with one surety.(BT)

MOTORCYCLIST MUST PAY $2,000 IN FINES – When Abdullah Akoojee realised that law enforcement officers were driving behind his unlicensed motorcycle he “panicked” and took them on a chase from St James to St Michael. The 22-year-old cashier from King Street, St Michael was riding the motorcycle around 4:58 p.m. yesterday when police who were on duty along Prior Park Road observed he did not have a rear number plate. As they continued to follow, Akoojee looked back and on seeing the officers, speeded up and drove in the direction of the traffic lights, at Hinds Hill Road, which indicated that he should stop but he never did. Station Sergeant Peter Barrow said police turned on the siren and followed Akoojee onto Grenville Way where he again failed to stop at another traffic sign. He then proceeded on to St Stephens Hill, Grazettes Main Road and Pembroke Road where his motorcycle and the police vehicle collided. Investigations by police discovered that he did not have any insurance or licence and was not registered with the licencing authority. “Officer I know I was wrong. I got frighten and panic and that is why I ain’t stop. I was planning to pay the insurance and the tax next Wednesday,” Akoojee allegedly told police when he was detained. He was charged for not having insurance or a licence as well as driving without a rear or front licence plate, failing to comply with a traffic sign, failing to draw his vehicle as close to the left as possible and not stopping at the sound of the police siren as well as proceeding beyond the stop line on a carriageway. When Akoojee appeared before Chief Magistrate Christopher Birch today he pleaded guilty to all the traffic offences. For proceeding beyond the stop line on the carriageway he was fined $500 to be paid in two months or two months in prison. For failing to stop at the sound of the siren, a fine in the sum of $500 in three months or two months in prison was imposed. Akoojee’s lack of insurance will cost him $1,000 in two months or two months in prison. He was convicted, reprimanded and discharged on all the other offences except the charge of failing to comply with a stop sign for which he was reprimanded and discharged. All licences held by Akoojee for any other vehicles have also been suspended for a year. He must hand those licences in to the District ‘C’ St Matthias Magistrates’ Court by 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. (BT)

GIRL SENT TO GIS – The island’s top magistrate today chastised four female minors telling them that their focus should be on school at this time and not on “having your names appear on charge sheets”. Chief Magistrate Christopher Birch scolded the 14-year-olds this afternoon in the District ‘C’ St Mathias Magistrates’ Court where they appeared on several assault charges. They were not required to enter pleas. The four, all students from the St Michael area, was sent to the Government Industrial School (GIS) after a probation officer gave Birch a brief school report on them. “They have not been in school long enough to be getting into fights. The only fights they have are with the books. That’s the only fight that they should be having, getting into their education, wrestling that knowledge down to the ground and making sure that . . . they get some good grades that is the only fighting that they should be getting into,” the Chief Magistrate said. The probation officer also informed the judicial officer that in one case threats are being made via social media involving a parent. “They certainly should not be involved in any social media feuding, aided and abetted by the parent. That is not what our taxpayers’ monies are paying for.” Birch went on to tell the accused teens they should be mindful of their other actions as anything captured on social media was permanent. “You’ll be 20 years down the road and it is still there to be seen when you go to apply for community college, the polytechnic and the university. When you all go to jobs, some officious and ill-minded person will bring it back up. Are you all learning nothing from all that has happened with other people?” He said at this stage in their life the focus should on pending examinations and summer vacation. “All of you at 14 should be getting ready for your first round of school-based assessments, for your CXC’s not having your names appear on charge sheets. “At 14 you should be getting ready to enjoy your summer vacation. It’s very hard to enjoy summer vacation when you are at the Government Industrial School. “I find that a lot of us in this society aren’t thinking ahead of the consequences. We only think of actions in the moment. Words, blows, bullets – three things that once you throw them out there they do not come back,” the concerned Chief Magistrate stated before remanding the girls to the GIS until Wednesday, June 26. They will appear before the Juvenile court judge on that day.(BT)

DOUBLE DEATH AGONY –The desperate cries for help from 82-year-old Barbara Forde from inside her burning home will forever haunt the residents of 1st Avenue, Alleyne’s Land, Bush Hall, St Michael. Late Saturday night, Forde’s timber and concrete house, which she shared with her 53-year-old son Carlton Forde, was destroyed by fire. They both perished in the blaze, the origin of which remains unknown. When a DAILY NATION team visited the neighbourhood yesterday, the scent of smoke still lingered in the air, the charred remains of Carlton’s white taxi remained at the scene, and the solemn looks on the faces of many of the neighbours told the tale of the tragedy that took place just hours before.(DN)

INJURED RUSSELL OUT OF CUP – West Indies lost their gamble with Andre Russell’s fitness on Monday when the injury-plagued all-rounder was forced out of their beleaguered World Cup campaign after failing to recover from a long-standing knee injury. The injury-plagued 31-year-old managed just four games of West Indies’ six outings in somewhat of a farcical experiment and will now be replaced by batsman Sunil Ambris, who was a part of the side’s pre-tournament camp in Southampton last month. Russell’s withdrawal comes as little surprise despite West Indies’ insistence he would continue to feature in the World Cup campaign.(DN)

SPRINT DOUBLE FOR JACKSON – THERE WERE a few sparks but no real fireworks as no-one blazed the track at the National Stadium on Sunday night’s low-keyed finale of the National Athletics Championships. Ariel Jackson completed the women’s sprint double and it was redemption for Burkheart Ellis, but there were no additional qualifiers for upcoming meets even though some athletes were a heartbeat away. The 24-year-old Jackson sped to victory in 23.91 seconds, edging fellow United States-based athlete Lisa-Ann Barrow (23.93) in their 200 metres home stretch duel. With Mario Burke, Ramon Gittens and Shane Brathwaite missing, Burkheart Ellis easily retained his Men’s 200 title in 20.79 seconds beating fellow United States-based sprinter Brandon Parris (20.89) and Nicholas Deshong (21.32).(DN)

HUSBANDS LANDS TRIPLE WINS – Veteran Patrick Husbands reminded his rivals he was still a force to be reckoned with at the Woodbine track when he reeled off a triple on Saturday’s 10-race card. The Barbadian ace jockey, who turned 46 last month, won with 4-1 bet Rosemere in race two, partnered with another 4-1 choice Winandyourin to capture race three before taking race seven with 3-1 bet Bet On Mike. The outing once again reiterated Husbands’ return to full fitness following a couple of recent surgeries to rectify injuries sustained in a bad fall last November. A seven-time Woodbine champion, Husbands opened his account in a 6-½ furlong sprint when he guided the four-year-old brown filly Rosemere to a length win over the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares. He forced the pace set by Adelle’s Princess before duelling with Silent Mistake and then grabbing the lead in the upper stretch. Husbands followed up when he made all the running with bay filly Winandyourin to beat the three-year-olds over seven furlongs, reaching the wire a length clear. And his third win of the day came in another 6-½ furlong trip when he partnered with five-year-old bay gelding Bet On Mike to dismiss the three-year-olds and upward by a length.(BT)

GRYNNER TO BE ‘KING OF SPRING GARDEN HIGHWAY’ ON SATURDAY – Government has finally released details of plans to honour seven-time Road Marchwinner, Mighty Grynner, after details leaked in a viral social media photo.Grynner – real name MacDonald Blenman – is to stake a permanent claim to the title of ‘king of the road’ with the renaming of the Spring Garden Highway as the Mighty Grynner Highway on Saturday, it has been announced.A sign bearing the new name was briefly installed and later taken down after the photos prompted a wave of congratulation and speculation.A lavish unveiling ceremony is to be held at the mile-long tarmac stretch’s junction with the Exmouth Corner. A monument designed by two-time Crop Over Festival Designer of the Year, Kevin Small is to be erected on the highway and three signposts with the new name are be installed along the stretch, it was revealed.The event which is to be streamed live, is to feature live performances from the Red Boyz Band, of which the Mighty Grynner was a founding member, as well as the Royal Barbados Police Force Band, the Barbados Defence Force Band, the St Leonard’s 100 Boys Choir and a cast of noted Barbadian calypsonians who are to to honour the revered calypso stalwart.Minister of the Creative Economy and Culture John King in unveiling plans to journalists at a news conference today,stressed that cultural practitioners should be recognised and honoured by the public before they die.“The time has come when Barbadians and Barbados must celebrate people when they are alive and not wait until they are on the other side and then talk about how great they are.”Grynner has claimed fame from the early 1970s with hits such as Crop Over Bacchanal, Ah Coming, Leggo I Hand and most recently, Turn On De Speaker and King O’ De Stage.The veteran calypsonian-turned-culture Minister contended that the 78-year-old legend has waved “the flag for Barbadian calypso” over years.King said: “I remember in the early eighties and late seventies there were not a lot of people recording music and you could depend on Grynner to provide you with that infectious music that everybody wanted to dance to and touring with him you could see the respect and love that he would gather from people all over the diaspora.”The Ministry of Information is to disseminate all updates on road closures and traffic diversions via social media, and on radio and television for the two-hour ceremony, which begins at 4:30 p.m. (BT)

For daily or breaking news reports follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter & Facebook. That’s all for today folks. There are 189 days left in the year. Shalom! #thechasefilesdailynewscap #thechasefiles# dailynewscapsbythechasefiles

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