??
Seven??officers from the Media Resource Department pose with the frames which they developed during the??Framing workshop conducted this week at the Elsie Payne Complex, by Anthony Norville, Director of Courage and Faith Picture Framing Company (centre front in blue plaid shirt).?? (photo courtesy of Everon Walker – Media Resource Department)????

Framing a picture of the Head of State, the Prime Minister, or any significant aspect of our Barbadian landscape will soon be easily accomplished within the public sector.

That is because the Media Resource Department (MRD) has embarked on an initiative to train officers in the art of framing.

Beginning with 10 of its own staff members, the department recently initiated the exercise in wooden frame-making arising out of a demand for picture frames from across the public service.

Chief Media Resource Officer, Walter Harper, in elaborating on the training said, "What we have found is that a number of persons from different Ministries were calling and asking if we framed pictures, especially when there was a change of Prime Minister, Ministers and Governors General. They would also ask if we provided the frames.

"As you know, one of the areas that we are into is the production of photographs, charts and diagrams but the cost of frames is prohibitive; so what we have decided to do is have an in-office training workshop on the making of picture frames and to use the trainer of trainer model."

According to the MRD, from their own experience, the cost of framing pictures of the Prime Minister and Governor General could be as much as $600 collectively or $300 per picture. When added to the cost of other items, including awards and certificates usually framed by the department, the figure could be higher.

Additionally, for a place like the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, which has several departments and schools that may wish to display these photographs along with one of the Minister of Education, this figure, says the MRD, could be exponential.

Disclosing that the department had purchased all materials and tools for officers to work with, he said the initiative would allow the MRD to build its own frames to facilitate photography done either internally or by agencies such as the Barbados Government Information Service.

He stressed: "While we cannot satisfy the demand we can surely attempt to satisfy part of that demand. So, we are going to use the trainer of trainer model and next summer the training would be extended to others in the Education Ministry and eventually the [public] service so that they too would have the skills needed to produce frames.

"Our officers will receive the training and spend next year perfecting their skills in framing by seeking to satisfy our demand and that of the Ministry of Education, then we will run the course ourselves, for teachers, Ministry officials and civil servants."

It was, however, pointed out that the extension of the course throughout the civil service would depend on numbers and the available budget to allow it to be conducted over some length of time.

While suggesting that Government might soon have to re-examine the role of his department, Mr. Harper said: "This is because our mandate is to education and anything we do outside the Ministry of Education and schools, that we serve, is really a favour and it has to be done when we can since the demand is so huge and we have limited technical officers."

The workshop was facilitated by Anthony Norville, Director of Courage and Faith Picture Framing Company, located at Sealy Land, Bank Hall, St. Michael. In commending the enthusiasm displayed by the staff during the hands-on workshop, Mr. Norville said he was pleased with the end products.

joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb

Pin It on Pinterest