HAVE YOU EVER thought how great it would be to be able to take a look at almost any part of Barbados with just the click of a mouse?

Well now you can. It took Paul Richings three years and more than $16 000, but he has managed to put Barbados not only on CD, but hopes to stamp Barbados more firmly on the international map.

"I did CD Barbados because tourists sometimes
go to the beaches but miss out on everything the island has to offer. They can buy the disc and go home and continue to explore," he said.

But Richings, a restaurant manager, said the CD could be of local use as well.

"Barbados is always changing and this disc could be a visual encyclopaedia for schoolchildren or as something in which parents could interact with their children or even for expatriates," he said.

In addition to more than 800 pictures of every aspect of Bajan life, from land and seascapes to personalities, CD Barbados includes an interactive map, pictures of local flora and fauna and even recipes for local dishes.

Not only that, but Richings will donate BDS$5
to the Barbados Children's Trust for every CD sold.

"I found it therapeutic to take pictures, then
I started to categorise them. As I was developing
the photos, the idea came to me.

"I am very passionate about this island and I wanted to represent it in its totality. It was fun although the most difficult part was getting the software developed," he said.

This was where Steve Walker came in. He was the man responsible for conceptualising Richings' dream.

"I had to learn everything along the way in terms
of design but Steve took what was in my mind and
put it on the screen. We make a good team," he said.

The CD works with both Mac and PC computers
and takes up 512 megabits of RAM. But it is more than the CD itself – Richings has also developed a website
to further enhance the Barbadian experience.

The website, www.cdbarbados.com, features separate forums for tourists and locals interested in having discussions about anything you like; an activity list which includes the cinema and restaurants; links to the web pages of the services and business in Barbados; weather info; news and events and more.

His next step is to approach the Barbados Tourism Authority to get Government involved in marketing his venture and to see how well his hard work will pay off. (CA)