by CHERRI-ANN BECKLESBARIM IMMEDIATEPAST-PRESIDENT (ARCHIVIST)

IN BARBADOS, there are manywell established, long-standingbusinesses that have madesignificant contributions to theadvancement of Barbadian societythroughout the years.

These contributions areunknowingly enshrined in some ofthe records that have accumulatedas a result of their business activityover time. Corporate records,regardless of their form, areinitially created, received andmaintained by businesses inpursuance of their objectives andobligations, providing evidence oftheir daily transactions andactivities.

However, as time passes, someof these records accrue secondaryvalues by revealing the history anddevelopment of the business within

the Barbadian context. In otherwords, a small percentage ofbusiness records are archival,possessing enduringadministrative, legal, fiscal,cultural, intrinsic, artifactual orhistorical value and thus theybecome a vital part of the history

and heritage of the business and ofthe nation.

Tragically, many businesses inBarbados have lost significantproportions of their valuablearchival materials due toinappropriate storage andindiscriminate destruction of theserecords. The absence of acomprehensive recordsmanagement programme meansthat they are unable to properlyappraise their records in order todetermine which ones havepermanent or enduring value.

Additionally, Barbadianbusinesses, as well as many acrossthe region, have not understood orembraced the concept ofpreserving corporate memorythrough the establishment of aBusiness Archives. This practice isalready deep-rooted in thedeveloped world where reputableand respected businesses recognisethe benefits and value of taking

special care to preserve theirarchival records both old and new.

Preserving corporate memorythrough business archivesenhances the ability ofdirectors/managers to makeaccurate, sound and informeddecisions by providing historicalcontext and perspective. Valuablelessons can be learnt from businessarchives on the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ ofbusiness in order to avoidrepeating the same mistakes or baddecisions and/or improve on pastgood ideas.

There is also the added benefitof being able to demonstrate thelongevity of the business, therebyimproving the image of thebusiness as an experienced,trustworthy and reliable one.Putting the past to work for yourbusiness today should be seen asan investment in the futuresuccess of anybusiness.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2008.

FIVE-PAGE FEATURE

by MORETA FORDEPRESIDENT, BARIM

THIS YEAR’S theme focuses on theimportance of records andinformation to businesses and whymanagement and staff should seethem as key to the functioning ofthe company.

Records and Informationmanagement is everyone’s businessand companies should ensure that

records are accurate, authentic,have integrity and be useable.

In driving value in businesses, itmust be understood that a recordmust be made – captured forpurpose and intent and kept in aproper medium be it in paper,electronic or a hybrid system.

Accurate records and soundinformation management practicescan give a company a competitiveadvantage and assist in maximisationof profits.

With a good system, decision aredocumented and stored for easy andquick retrieval.

Such documentation providesevidence which could be used tojustify certain actions, if thecompany ever faces litigation or acustomer/client wishes to challengea decision.

Another way of driving value inbusiness is proving the authenticityof records and information.

There must be proof of whocreated or sent the record; thatit was distributed in a timelymanner and the actual recordand information are what theypurport to be.

The assurance that a recordhas integrity is another way ofdriving value in business.

It must be proven that thedata was never altered andfollowed an accepted record andinformation managementprocess – creation, retention,disposition.

Additionally, access torecords should be granted toauthorised persons only.

CHERRI-ANN BECKLES

MORETA FORDE

It’s everyone’s business

by BRIAN COZIERBARIM EXECUTIVE/FLOOR MEMBER

ISO 15489 definition of a record: A“record” is information created, received,and maintained as evidence by anorganisation or person in the transactionof business, or in the pursuance of legalobligations, “regardless of media”.

If we look at records and informationmanagement in terms of its value tobusiness – imagine not knowing who yourclients are, who owes you money, or whoyour employees are.

It would be impossible today for anybusiness to survive without accuraterecords, stored and maintained in a way tokeep them current and easily accessible.

The basic process

All businesses therefore need to collectinformation that due to the nature of theiroperations and functioning are necessary.

That information needs to be easily andquickly updated.

The information collected should alsobe accessible by all of those in theorganisation who require it.

In addition, that information should beproperly disposed of when it is no longerrequired.

I will try to demonstrate how each of

the above points affects both businessesand their clients every day.

We take for granted that when weinteract with a service supplier, forexample, our electricity supplier, theyknow who we are. You will first be askedfor your name, address, and maybe yourmeter number. That is because we expectthem to know who we are, and where welive. We expect that they have a record ofus. We also do not expect to be asked aboutour blood type, as this has no relevance tothe supply of electricity to our home. Theexpectation is therefore that the companyis only collecting information that isneeded to perform the service.

If we are questioning a charge on ouraccount, we expect that they have access toupdated information, such as the lastpayment we made. Today that expectationis for the service provider to have almostreal-time data, meaning that if I made apayment even just yesterday, I expect thecompany to know that. It is also relevantthat they have historical information (thepayments that I have made over the past12 months), but to be useful the companymust have system to constantly updatetheir records.

We also expect that when we call thecompany’s customer service department,the person that we are interacting with hasat least this basic information. This means

that the company must have a system todisseminate the right information to theright people within their organisation.Having the right information but notmaking it accessible benefits no one.

The final point has more to do withinternal company functions than clientservicing does. Try to imagine if anorganisation kept every record for clientspast and present forever. Well the BarbadosElectric Supply Company, the forerunnerto the Barbados Light & Power Co. Ltd.opened in June 17, 1911! It would beunnecessary for the company to have clientrecords detailing every installation, everyinvoice, and every client interaction foralmost 100 years!

It is therefore necessary that anorganisation has a documented and

well-managed system of identifying on anongoing basis what records can bedestroyed without having a negativeimpact on business operations.

Of course, I also assume that even aftermy death that the information that thecompany has gathered concerning me,would be confidentially disposed of.

In closing, I hope that I have been ableto articulate how important recordsmanagement is to us all, as we really takeall of the above for granted, but it doesrequire people, systems and managementto work, for all businesses to function and,more importantly, provide a good service.

BRIAN COZIER

MIDWEEK NATION. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2008. 37A

Records are recordedinformation regardless ofmedium or characteristics.Records can be defined as“Information created,received and maintained asevidence and information byan organisation or person,in pursuance of legalobligations or in thetransaction of business”.(ISO 15489-1, 2001)

The old saying, “What youcan’t see won’t hurt you…”has never in the history of theworld been further from thetruth than today, especially ingovernment.

In this information age,evidence of our activities,present or past, professionalor private, is also recorded inelectronic format.

Even more significant isthe pace at which variousplatforms and electronicrecord storage media change.

Are the people managingthese electronic recordsaware of vulnerabilitiesassociated with newtechnologies?

Are policymakers(including permanentsecretaries) aware of theirresponsibility as the‘responsible officers’ for therecord keeping process?

These are challengesBarbadian policymakers andinformation professionalsacross the public service aregrappling with.

Whatever the nature of thebusiness, ministry ordepartment, it must berecognised as a vitalunderpinning.

The development of astrategy for managingrecorded information acrossall platforms – bothtraditional paper-based andelectronic – is paramount andit must conform to prevailinglegal mandates, as well asreflect management practicesand technological options.

Legal Aspects ofRecordsManagement: TheRecords RetentionSchedule

A records retentionschedule identifies theperiod a records seriesmust be retained in activeand inactive storage beforefinal disposition topermanent storage,archival preservation, ordestruction. When organisationssanction the destruction ofrecords in the normalcourse of business, the

employment of a retentionschedule should provideevidence that they haveofficial policies for disposingof records in compliance withany legislation affecting theorganisation.

This can help avoid certainlegal problems associatedwith illegal and arbitrarydisposal of records.

There are usually manyoutside regulations thatoblige records managers toapply consistent, structuredmanagement to theirorganisation’s documents.

These apply equally toelectronic documents.

A sampling may include:Government legislation

which may require employersto destroy sensitiveinformation (such as personalemployees/data) after aspecified time, or keep certainlegal documents for aminimum period.

Adhering to a consistentschedule of retention anddestruction will strengthenthe defence of anorganisation’s records-keeping, if required to do soby any court action.

Courts accept records as“evidence” if they aremanaged according tocorporately sanctionedpolicies and procedures.

Records managementhelps identify documents thatshould have a formalcertification process appliedfor destruction.

In some cases, the priorconsent of a CEO/permanentsecretary/or archivist may berequired.

Legislation may requirethat vital documents(essential to continuation ofthe business in the event of adisaster) be properlyidentified, handled, andmonitored and properlyprotected.

Access toinformation/privacylegislation may oblige an

organisation to produceaccurate and reliableinformation at the right time.

With sound recordsmanagement in place, it isless likely that theorganisation would find itselfunable to supply requestedinformation.

NB. A major legal objectiveand benefit of a retentionscheduling programme is toserve as evidence to indicatethat the organisation does, in

fact, observe an official policyfor the disposal of its businessinformation, and the policy isimplemented systematicallyin the normal course ofbusiness.

A legal researchexercise

A sure way of minimisingor eliminating potential legalthreats would be thedevelopment of a legal

research plan with legalrepresentative/counsel.

This can be addressed via:• Identifying which

general business activitiesmay be subject to records-keeping statutes andregulations.

• Determining theorganisation’s products orservices which could be

subject to legal record-keeping requirements. (forexample; in the bankingsector/utilities companieswhich keep customers’personal data by law).

• Examining which of theorganisation’s industries orbusiness activities are

• Continued on Page 40A.

by EMERSON O. ST. G. BRYAN

38A. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2008. MIDWEEK NATION

EMERSON BRYAN

by JANICE “CANDY” BROWNEFOUNDING MEMBER & FORMEREXECUTIVE SECRETARY (BARIM)CAMPUS RECORDS CENTRE,UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

HAVE YOU EVER had the experience oftrying to find an important document, forexample, an invoice to validate an exchangetransaction, a certificate to confirm a jobopportunity or educational pursuit; or evenyour original birth certificate toauthenticate your existence as obvious as itmay seem?

If your answer is yes, then you have anappreciation of the importance of recordsmanagement within the home.

Without efficient and effectivemanagement of important and vital recordsin the home, chaos will inevitably occur.

While every home may not have a fullyequipped office, it is still imperative that asecured area be allocated for the keeping ofdocuments and records.

There are filing cabinets and boxes in avariety of colours and sizes to fit the needand décor of every household.

Here is a simple generic plan that youcan follow to start or improve the recordsmanagement system at home.

One will need a sturdy cabinet or box(initially), along with file jackets, folders,and labels.

The cabinet/box (under lock and key),should be kept off the floor in the event offlooding, and away from windows in case ofrain, and direct sunlight.

One should also invest in a sturdyportable waterproof container that canstore and carry all the vital

(See Table at right).Of course, each home has its

uniqueness, and there may be differentcategories like sports, fashions, cuisine, lawsuit, music, personal letters and so on.

I am mainly addressing paper records inthis article, but there are other forms ofrecords – for example, electronic records,photographs, stamps, memorabilia and soon – which require special methods ofstorage and maintenance.

Effective and efficient management willensure accurate and quick access to yourrecords, thus saving much time,

effort, and money.It is also important that a simple

retention schedule is practiced (forexample, bi-annually) so that records arenot kept longer than are necessary, and arediscarded in an appropriate manner – forexample by burning of sensitive/personalinformation.

Without the correct management ofrecords in your home, you lose the identityand uniqueness of your family.

Records not only reflect what hashappened in the past, but are availableso that planning, decision making,performance assessments can bedone, and control can be maintained.What would this world be like if therewere no records within the home?

My favourite book, the Bible, is arecord of several families and howthey managed their lives.

We would not know who we are,and where we ought to be if God didnot preserve his record, the Bible.

Should you need further advice onthe efficient and effectivemanagement of your home records,you may contact BARIM, or email meat janice.browne@cavehill.uwi.edu.

JANICE BROWNE

MAIN SUBJECT SUB HEADINGS (File folder for each of these)HEADINGS

EXPENSES Valuables (Household items e.g. furniture, equipment,etc, Vehicle, Boat,etc) Miscellaneous (Groceries,Stationery, Clothes, Travel, Events, etc.)

FINANCE Charge Account, Credit Card Account, Magna Awards,Savings Account, Credit Union, Insurance Company (house, car,etc.) Income tax, mortgage, budget, pay slips, etc.

HEALTH Dental, Optical, Medical, Spa, Hair care etc. (correspondencearticles, receipts)

ASSOCIATIONS BARIM, Employee, Church, fitness club, Social Club, etc.

VITAL RECORDS All original documents re: Travel (passports),Education, immigrant/residency status, birth, deeds, wills, covenants, insurance, social security, work permit, medical records, identification, etc.

EDUCATION Past papers, research papers, correspondence, receipts, etc.

MIDWEEK NATION. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2008. 39A

THE Barbados Association of Records and InformationManagement (BARIM), was officially launched on October 27,2004 at the Amaryllis Beach Resort, Christ Church.

The objectives of the association are:• To promote and advance the improvement of records

and information administration and management and relatedfields through study, education and research.

• To advance professional knowledge and techniques bysharing and exchanging experience and information relatedto the field of Records and Information Management.

• To develop and advance standards of professionalcompetence in the field of records and informationmanagement.

BARIM was formed in May 2004 when a group of recordsprofessionals and practitioners met at Cable & Wireless(Barbados), Windsor Lodge, St Michael, to discuss the idea ofa records and information association established inBarbados.

It was spearheaded by Vera Iyatunde Forde, the currentRecords and Information Corporate Administrator at Cable &Wireless.

The first committee was established by founding memberswho put together ideas for establishing the association.

The Executive Committee 2007-2008 is as follows:• Moreta Forde – Cable & Wireless Barbados – president• Ingrid Cumberbatch – Barbados Archives –≠vice-president• Sharon Alexander-Gooding, assistant registrar-records,University of the West Indies, Cave Hill (InternationalDirector of ARMA International). ARMA (Association forInformation Management Professionals) – advisor• Vera Forde, Cable & Wireless Barbados – executivesecretary• Eglah Atwell – FirstCaribbean International Bank(Barbados) – treasurer• Helena Lyte – personal assistant, Cable & Wireless –assistant treasurer• Emerson Bryan – Caribbean Regional NegotiatingMachinery (CRNM) – public relations officer • Elena Henkel – Illuminat Barbados – executive/floormember • Brian Cozier – Secure Shred Inc. – executive/floormember • Cherri-Ann Beckles – University of the West Indies –immediate past president

The bi-monthly general meetings – on the last Wednesdayof the month – promote sound records and informationmanagement via various presentations, and encourageparticipation of all members so that information can beshared.

BARIM has successfully coordinated threeworkshop/seminars as well as other activities promoting thediscipline of records and information management.

Last month there was a social networking event: AnEvening With BARIM, at Cedar Court, Wildey, ChristChurch, and there will be another workshop/seminar onFriday, April 25, celebrating the month as InternationalRecords and Information Month at Sherbourne ConferenceCentre.

BARIM presently has on record approximately xxmembers, and is on a membership drive to encourage greaterparticipation from the wider Barbadian community andbusiness sector.

Contact Information:BARIMc/o The Archives and Records Management ProgrammeUniversity of the West Indies,Cave Hill Campus,Cave Hill, St Michael,BARBADOSTelephone Number: 246-417-4052Email Address: barim2004@yahoo.co.ukGroup: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/barim2004

currently or could potentially be regulated by governmentand thus be subject to record-keeping laws andregulations.

NB. This may be best approached by identifyingwhich agency (ies) of government oversees theorganisation’s activities.

• Researching the organisation’s litigation history andwhat it suggests in terms of developing future recordsretention policies to better protect its interests.

• Examining what future roles legal counsel may wishin the development and operation of the records retentionprogramme as well as consideration of the geographicalareas that the organisation conducts business.

Documenting the legal researchIt is advisable to document results of legal research

because attorneys should be provided with completedocumentation to determine whether the law has beenreasonably and appropriately applied.

It may be necessary in the future, to do a follow-upexercise, or to provide evidence to regulatory officials or,in cases of litigation, that the organisation did its best tocomply fully with all legal requirements.

Simple ways of doing this include posting the properstatutory or regulatory citation of all legal requirementson record inventory worksheets; making copies ofrelevant laws and regulations and filing them assupporting papers along with inventory worksheets or ina separate file; or posting a summary of the legalrequirements on the retention schedules themselves oron separate supporting documentation.

Documentinglegal research• From Page 38A.

40A. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2008. MIDWEEK NATION