STAR Newspaper - 30 June 2018

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The Star (St.Lucia)

SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2018

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Is Allen Scared Of Kenny’s Whirlwind?

Nothing Personal.

It’s Just Business.

ST t Dynamic Duo ag Bodybuildin s Championship ISSUE 202

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30 JUNE 2018

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r Sta r HE aPE IN tEWSP N SportS & HealtH

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STAR Businessweek:

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It’s been a while since the prime minister (pictured) announced in parliament an investigation into some “smoky” issues including Grynberg.

Since then, not a word, not a word, not a word! (See page 4.)

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• Tel: (758) 450-0021 / 31 / 728 1000 • Fax: (758) 450-0092 • Email: info@bluewatersslu.com • Website: www.bluewatersslu.com

info@stluciastar.com

02 LOCAL

A-M u s i n g s Musings are thoughts, the thoughtful kind. For the purpose of these articles, a-musings are thoughts that might amuse, entertain and even enlighten.

Grouse

By Michael Walker

N

ow I have no way of knowing how many of you Dear Readers know what a grouse is. I suppose it is best described as a Game Bird, which does not mean you can play games with it, quite the opposite; it means the bird is killed, usually shot, for sport—so in a sense the bird does take part in a game with its killer—and its carcass cooked and put on a plate for the supper for the wealthy huntin’, shootin’ set.

Grouse (plural grouse or grouses but never ‘grice’) are birds that feed mainly on vegetation such as buds, catkins, leaves and twigs that typically accounts for over 95% of an adult bird’s food by weight. Thus, their diets vary greatly with the seasons.

Hatchlings eat mostly insects and other invertebrates, gradually reducing their proportion of animal food to adult levels.

All grouse spend most of their time on the ground though, when alarmed, they may take off in a flurry and go into a long glide, which brings me to the second topic of today’s A-Musings.

Grouse don’t really fly; they glide.

Humans, despite their oft-stated assertions, do not fly either; they are flown from place to place in tubular containers, like cigars of varying quality and aroma. I have just completed several such flights comprising dozens of hours, which has given me cause to grouse a bit.

Oh, I forgot to mention that ‘grouse’ has several other meanings; Grouse can be a noun or a verb meaning a complaint or to complain, as in ‘She is always grousing like a bear with a sore head’, or ‘I am tired of his grousing [or grouses] all day long.’

Somewhat amazingly, grouse is used in Melbourne which, as you all know, is Australia’s second largest city. It is used in the vernacular to mean something wonderful or amazing, as in ‘Kangaroos are grouse, mate!’ But don’t worry about it: Australians are different.

Anyway, let me get back to my grousing.

When I was a young man I remember my first flight on a jumbo jet from Amsterdam to Boston. The plane was jaw-droppingly huge!

I mean really grouse, man! (Whoops, sorry, I lapsed into some Melbournese there.) The damned thing was so huge and the overhead lockers were big enough to sleep a whole family from Guatemala arrested on America’s southern border, but of course they didn’t

june 30, 2018 THE STAR

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arrest people and separate them from their families in those days—this was pre-Trump.

Yes, I was really impressed by those lockers. Now I wish they would tear them all out and restrict cabin baggage to one small briefcase or handbag, and here’s why.

Before planes are certified the manufacturer has to show that they can be evacuated in a certain time—less than three minutes—in case of an emergency, for example. Well, forget that! In today’s world it takes three to four times as long to load a plane than it did twenty or even forty years ago. Sometimes I wonder if my fellow passengers are filled with an obsessive desire to take everything they own on board with them. And Caribbeans are right up there!

Then there is the problem of the passengers who cannot fit their baggage in the compartment above their seats so they have to push and pull their way further down the plane until they find space, which means they of course block the aisle for embarking passengers. This problem is naturally much worse upon disembarkation at the destination when almost before the engines stop people leap up and dash down the aisle to get their bags.

The answer to this problem is simple: enforce the rules! Recently I have noticed that airlines are now making announcements like this: “We are operating a full flight today and we have limited overhead storage capacity in the lockers.” When you get to the gate, airline staff check your carry-on bags for size and weight, which invariably results in the bags being confiscated and put on a trolley for loading in the cargo hold, which is wonderful because we can then all stroll on board without all the hassle of finding non-existent space. A strict adherence to this policy would result in safer, more efficient, more comfortable travel. It really is time for the airlines to put their feet, or landing gear, down and insist that passengers follow the rules.

On a recent one-hour flight between Amsterdam and Copenhagen we spent 45 minutes embarking. We had a tailwind so we made up the time and landed on schedule.

Unfortunately, the flight at our arrival gate could not depart because of problems embarking its passengers and all their hand luggage, so we ended up being 40 minutes late at the arrival gate, which meant I missed my connection, which resulted in a nine-hour enforced layover. I think I had every right to grouse a bit!

Alliance Française gifts talented Local musicians

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ince it began in France some 37 years ago, Fête de la Musique has toppled over the borders of Paris and into not only Francophone countries, but also the rest of the world. Fête de la Musique literally translates to “music festival” and is recognized annually on the summer solstice, June 21, with free music performances. The idea is to create a concert without borders, with both established and amateur musicians participating.

The festival is not widely celebrated in Saint Lucia but on June 21 this year Alliance Française, in its mandate to promote cultural diversity, did its part to carry out Fête de la Musique at its home—The Pyramid in Pointe Seraphine.

The highlight of the event was a competition during which three talented Saint Lucians sang their hearts out for an appreciative audience, and for the prizes awarded by Alliance Française and the Embassy of the Republic of France in Saint Lucia.

Zandilli Lucien, Kristian Lawrence and Kurt Felix were the shining trio. Each performed three songs; the first two were to compete for the people’s choice 2018 Fête de la Musique award and the third song— which the contestants sang in French—determined who would

win the title for best song in that language.

The competition was light-hearted and friendly.

While the contestants worked hard for their rewards, there was always the feeling that everyone came out primarily for a night of fun. Kristian, a Saint Mary’s College student, was definitely the crowd favourite.

He won himself a round-trip to Martinique and one semester’s worth of education from Alliance Française with the 2018 Fête de la Musique award.

After some see-saw action between His Excellency Phillipe Ardanaz and Stephane Dovert of the French embassy, Kurt Felix was finally awarded the “best performance in French”. Felix also received a trip for two to Martinique and a scholarship to Alliance Française, as did Lucien. The “everybody’s a winner” spirit at Fête de la Musique was possibly due to Lucien’s heartwarming final performance throughout which she carried her baby son.

The evening also featured seasoned artistes such as Linda “Chocolate” Berthier who performed a tribute to the late Francis “Leebo” Delima, an icon in the local music industry.

Delima’s daughter was also in attendance but as a member of Bamboo Productions, the youth-oriented theatre group known for its recently produced

Kurt Felix was the winner of the award for his performance in the “best song in French” category.

play, A Little Folktale. Some of the funds raised from Fête de la Musique’s food sales will be contributed to Bamboo Productions.

---Claudia Eleibox

SHOE REHAB KICKS OFF ITS BACK TO SCHOOL SHOE DRIVE S hoe Rehab, a locallyowned shoe company that specializes in Shoe Restoration and Footwear Procurement Services is set to host its annual Back to School Shoe Drive.

The aim of this initiative is to repurpose footwear so that children in need can be provided with suitable shoes to start their upcoming school year.

Manager and Proprietress Mandisa Morrison, who is passionate

about this cause, stated, “It is our corporate responsibility to play our part in assisting persons in the community as best as we can.”

The public is asked to participate in this initiative by donating any gently worn children’s footwear towards the cause. All items will then be restored and distributed to persons through various schools and foundations islandwide.

Contributions of backpacks, school supplies,

socks and schoolbooks will also be accepted.

All items can be dropped off at either of the business’s two locations: the JQ Rodney Bay Mall or the Gablewoods Mall in Sunny Acres, between the hours of 9am and 5pm.

The deadline for all donations is Saturday July 21, 2018.

For more information visit www.theshoerehab.com or call 728-4904.

THE STAR

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june 30, 2018

LOCAL

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We are never too young to learn the importance of kindness T

hree years ago Saint Lucian authour Loverly Sheridan published her fourth children’s novel entitled “Be A Buddy Not a Bully”.

Sheridan’s book is the story of a young bully who later becomes a victim. The book is packed with lessons on the importance of kindness and is designed with children four to ten years old in mind.

With her book, and also while carrying the message of kindness, she toured the US in a determined effort to combat bullying among children. Now the author has returned to her home shores where she aims to continue her project.

One recent stop was the Tapion Primary School.

On Thursday morning, with the Castries Harbour as their backdrop, students huddled up with Sheridan as she read excerpts from her latest book.

Later a conversation ensued with students relaying their

understanding of bullying.

The event continued into the afternoon, giving both infant and primary school students the opportunity to open up about their personal experiences.

In a brief interview Sheridan revealed that the Tapion school was her second local stop thus far, she having first visited Odsan Combined.

At both institutions, she said, the students had been particularly receptive to her message. One who suffered under the attacks of a bully was even moved to tears during a session. Another student had actually acknowledged her bullying behaviour, apologized and promised to make every effort to be a better person.

“We have to raise awareness in children from a very young age and teach them about the consequencies of their words and their actions,” said Sheridan during her interview. “Really, that is what

Loverly Sheridan, author of “Be A Buddy Not A Bully”, connecting with students during an anti-bullying campaign at Tapion Primary School.

I was inspired to do; to get them to think before they speak, think before they act. If they’re going to do something, it must uplift, not destroy others.”

Also part of Sheridan’s tour is the building of “buddy benches” on school compounds. She said: “Basically, the buddy bench is an initiative that started in the US to encourage children to be kind to one another. If they need a friend, if they’re feeling sad, they go sit down on the bench and somebody could come and talk to them and ask them what’s wrong. While on the tour in the US, I saw the bench and said, 'You know what, I want to start that in Saint Lucia to create a climate of kindness and friendliness.'”

The session at the Tapion school was jointly facilitated with the Buddy Up Campaign which is spearheaded by a group of parents who have formed alliances across the island to work with children in the anti-bullying fight.

--- Keryn Nelson

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JUNE 30, 2018 THE STAR

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IS THE GOVERNMENT AFRAID OF KENNY ANTHONY’S WHIRLWIND? Joshua St. Aimee

O

ne of the many promises by a campaigning Allen Chastanet in 2016 was to get to the bottom of the 17-year old Grynberg issue, centred on a 2000 controversial agreement between the Colorado oilman Jack Grynberg and then prime minister Kenny Anthony. The arrangement remained a secret for nine years and to this day remains, to quote current prime minister Allen Chastanet, “surrounded by suffocating smoke”.

In a related statement he delivered in parliament on April 3 this year, Chastanet said: “We are determined to deliver on all our election pledges, regardless of impediments deliberately put in our way. Our country was sick and dying of business as usual; we need to put an end to

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it . . . or die trying!”

Referencing a number of controversial subjects, the prime minister went on: “I repeat my party’s election pledge to get to the bottom of a number of suspicious undertakings by our predecessors. The undertakings were neither transparent nor accounted for. We must clear the suffocating smoke that conceals the truth about Mr. Walid Juffali, Robert Lindquist, St. Jude Hospital, the infamous minister’s account and Grynberg.”

This was the reaction of the former prime minister Kenny Anthony a day following Chastanet’s statement: “It is clear that his actions are motivated by revenge, malice, spite and ill-will . . . I have been through persecution before. He himself must never come to the altar of justice with unclean hands and mind.”

Will Allen Chastanet keep his election promise to get to the bottom of the Grynberg mess or is he too afraid of Kenny Anthony’s threatened “whirlwind”?

Citing Chastanet’s announced smoke-clearing undertaking, Anthony threatened: “Don’t do it, or you’ll pay the price.” His forefinger indicating the seated prime minister, Anthony said:

“When he embarks on whatever action he embarks, I will make sure that he reaps the whirlwind for his actions!”

Nearly four months later, the prime minister has said not a word, not a word, not a

word on the smoke-clearing expeditions.

On June 18, questioned on the matter by this reporter, Mr. Guy Joseph, for a change, sounded heavy-tongued.

“I stand by what I’ve already said publicly,” he said. “Dr. Kenny Anthony has refused after all these years to answer any questions on the Grynberg matter. How can it be that a prime minister can go into an agreement to lease our seabed to an entity, and not be accountable to the country? I want to know: Why are we still paying to defend and reclaim the seabed in Saint Lucia?”

“But isn’t it up to the government to investigate how that was possible?” I asked. He responded: “There are certain things government can do, and there are certain things government cannot do.”

Pressed further for a more meaningful answer, the

minister said: “But how can you go into the man’s mind as the government and find out why he did what he did? Everyone knows the governor general is the only one under our Minerals Act authorized to issue exploration. And we know on good authority that the governor general knew absolutely nothing about the Grynberg transaction.”

All of which suggests there is no investigation in progress, so far as Grynberg is concerned.

Readers are free to speculate about what is preventing the prime minister from keeping the particular promise that contributed to his party’s election in 2016. Could it be he is wary of Kenny Anthony’s “whirlwind”? Meanwhile the government continues to spend millions for the services of defence lawyers in the breach of contract suit brought by Jack Grynberg in 2011.

Roofing demolition project set for the George Odlum Stadium

he Government of Saint Lucia has engaged the services of a local contractor to commence the removal of the fiberglass roofing at George Odlum Stadium. The fibreglass sheeting has been severely compromised by the elements and poses an immediate hazard to both staff and clients of St. Jude Hospital.

A bird’s-eye view of the George Odlum Stadium reveals more clearly the threat posed by the fibreglass roofing on the facility. Gaping holes are clearly visible compromising the integrity of the structure.

Loose particles of fibreglass are already an issue at the facility.

This week management and staff of St. Jude Hospital met with the contractor, Brice and Company Ltd and the Consultant Engineer on the project, Norman St. Ville.

St. Ville explained: “The reason we’re discussing this with the staff is because we want their inputs because the

contractors are here and they need to know the concerns of the staff so that they can put it into their programme and make sure the way they take off the roof sheeting will be in consideration of the staff concerns.”

St. Ville added that the contract is guided by the British standard for demolition agreed to for the project.

He said: “So within that specification the contractor is required to understand where he is working, what he is doing and he has to understand the processes that take place. The work must go on while the hospital remains functional.

No matter what the dangers of the site, he has to put it into consideration within his programme and he has to do that safely and make sure that he does not compromise anyone or anything that goes on, even the process for all the patients and staff of this facility.”

Chief Executive Officer at St. Jude Hospital, Verna Charles,

A bird’s-eye view of the compromised fibreglass roofing that shelters the St. Jude Hospital staff and patients.

said staff expressed concerns about their safety during the demolition process. “What has been explained to the staff is there will be dialogue throughout the entire project with the contractor and the Ministry of Economic Development. We are

aware that it is fibreglass material. We have conducted a study and also we will be putting in place measures for demarcation for redirecting our traffic so there will be diversion of both human and vehicular traffic,” said Charles.

She added that the contractors have agreed to conduct most of the operations at night when there is a reduction in both human and vehicular traffic.

Charles continued, “So anything which will tamper or

interfere with operations, we will be communicating with our contractors to be able to change the scope of the project to ensure that staff, patients and anyone accessing the compound is safe.”

The consultant engineer stressed that the roof is already compromised and is best brought down in a structured operation. He said once the roof comes down it will set a series of events into motion.

“But once the fibreglass sheets come off it means the process of removing the rest of the roof must follow in a sequence. It must follow. So the moving of the hospital from this facility, it must happen. Once this sheeting comes off, that’s it, the sequence of events, you would say, has started. So the hospital must be taken off from this stadium in the shortest possible time.”

The project is expected to be completed within the next three months.

THE STAR

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june 30, 2018

Instead of Sneaker Day, Why Not Old MacDonald Had A Farm Day? O

n Wednesday this week the National Insurance Corporation observed its third annual “Sneaker Day”, the purpose being to encourage workers island-wide to show up at their places of employment in sneakers, not in their customary footwear. Even the prime minister was photographed dashing (okay, heaving himself) in and out of black automobiles, all suited up as usual, but sporting shoes normally associated with jogging.

The idea behind Sneaker Day, I am reliably assured, is to reinforce the importance of good health and the benefits of an active lifestyle, particularly for those whose jobs require them to sit at desks for hours on end, five days a week. The initiative was undertaken after the NIC noted a continuous increase in sickness benefit claims, which it attributes to a significant increase in non-communicable health issues such as heart disease, stroke and cancers. This time around workers were encouraged to take selfies with their sneaks on and then post the images on their social media pages with the hashtag #758sneakerday2018.

While the NIC understands it cannot directly reduce the number of ailing patients at our local hospitals, its ambition, as with many hashtagdriven initiatives, is to build awareness. But what if we really took this idea and, er, ran with it? What if we went the extra mile and truly maximized the benefits of spreading a healthy message?

An ever-thoughtful colleague proffered this idea: instead of encouraging the use of sneakers—all imported—we could take the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

What if, instead of Sneaker Day, we had, say, a No Sugar Day—with No Sugar Today emblazoned on . . . Now that’s

The NIC has declared Sneaker Day a success!

What other creative ideas might we invent that would at once benefit local health and commerce?

the hard part. Emblazoned on what? More imported tees?

How about stickers on our vehicles? Another no-no, for obvious reasons. What exactly do we produce in Saint Lucia, anyway, that might warrant free promotion even as we promote good health habits? What the heck, I think I’ve got it: Clean Air Day. It would require that all gas-guzzlers be left where they were last parked. We could walk to work, or ride to the workplace on a bike. Think of it. A whole day without car exhaust fumes.

Oh, but that wouldn’t work either. Just remembered bikes, too, are imported. Oh, but donkeys—by whatever name— are not. And they’re just about

everywhere. William Peter Boulevard, Jeremie Street . . . Simply Beautiful Saint Lucia is like old MacDonald’s farm, only instead of ducks and hens it’s donkeys we have. At every corner. Here an ass, there an ass, everywhere a jackass . . . Oh, but I see another discouragement: I can’t tell which is worse, car fumes or jackass droppings.

I guess we’ll be stuck for a while longer with Sneaker Day. At any rate, until we start producing our own sneakers and local consumers begin to take seriously our Buy Local Campaign. By the way, whatever happened to that?

--- Keryn Nelson

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june 30, 2018 THE STAR

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SAINT LUCIAN BUSINESSES TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU BENEFIT FROM NEW ISL INITIATIVE

By Michael Walker

needed, now more than ever, “thanks in part to vertical integration taking place across many sectors”.

Vertical integration describes a company’s control over several or all of the production and/or distribution steps involved in the creation of its product or service. For instance, a food manufacturer and a chain of supermarkets in the supply chain merging together.

The programmme will involve two stages. The first will be the incubation stage, where concepts from businesses will be nurtured, after which will be the accelerator stage where assistance is focused on scalability. Scalability means that a business is prepared to handle an increasing number of customers, clients, and/or users.

The ultimate goal, Mr. Boodhoo revealed, is to “create a network of avenues so Saint Lucian businesses can touch Europe, the US and Canada”.

Through the Chamber of

This serves as notification to the public that the following customers brought items on the specified dates to the Harry Edwards Jewelers Service and Repair Centre.

These items have been repaired and must be claimed by August 10, 2018 or they shall be put to auction.

Contact 758 458 6025 for more information or to make arrangements for pickup.

Date Customer’s Name

Date Customer’s Name

6/28/2004

Mangal Colis

12/6/2007

2/12/2005

Brain Moncherry

12/21/2007 Cecilia Lawrencia

Al Lubin

9/13/2005 Trevor St.Catherine

12/24/2007 Troy Lamontagne

11/9/2005

Tricia Warner

1/4/2008

Wayne Pierre

11/9/2005

Tricia Warner

4/11/2008

Ricardo St.Marthe

2/1/2006

Herman Amadee

9/30/2008

Desmond Knight

3/17/2006 Augustas Gustave/VF

3/6/2009

Earl Modeste

5/5/2006

Christine Elizee

4/10/2009

Carleen McQuilkin

6/13/2006

Andy winters

7/11/2009

Samantha Joseph

11/21/2006 Yesie Melbourne

8/12/2009 Raymond Dalphinis

1/4/2007

Mary James

7/1/2010

Sharon Pierre

1/29/2007

Charles Louis

7/15/2010

Humbert Cox

5/7/2007

Vincent Patrice

7/15/2010

Andrew Baptiste

7/3/2007 Glenda

8/17/2010

Francis Emmanuel

7/10/2007

Olivia Felicien

10/15/2010 Barrington Dolcie

8/8/2007

Wayne St.Rose

10/19/2010 Tracey Charles

8/31/2007

Shirman Alphonse

12/24/2010 Hilary Duval

9/5/2007

Oliver Scotland

5/9/2011

N/A

Bill Robinson

Louise Simmons

Part of the interior of the island.

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L-R: Natasha Edwin-Walcott, ISL’s manager for policy advocacy; Agnella Joseph, Chamber of Commerce executive director; and Mr. Jodi Boodhoo, ISL deputy chairman.

Commerce, Saint Lucia hosted the Get in the Ring selection event on March 21. Patrick Eze, CEO of Eze Green Energy Company, and Denell Florius, co-founder of EcoCarib, emerged as the winners.

Both travelled to Portugal for the Global Start-up competition.

Despite not placing in the final round of the event, the chamber’s executive director Angella Joseph is glad “they were able to network, and share experiences with like-minded individuals”.

--Joshua St. Aimee

Saint Lucia a Big Hit at Caribbean 305

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aint Lucia’s culinary team showcased its gastronomic prowess this past Saturday, June 23 during Caribbean 305 at the famous Jungle Island in Miami, FL. The exposition was part of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s Taste of the Caribbean, which brought together top chefs and mixologists from 16 countries across the region. The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority was the gold sponsor of team Saint Lucia at Caribbean 305.

Chefs and mixologists from each island were required to prepare 900 tasting-sized portions of two dishes and 700 samples of a cocktail.

The Saint Lucia culinary team served up Yam Balls with a chutney, plus Bounty Rum Cheesecake and topped it off with a Lucian sparkler cocktail.

The cocktail was made from

beetroot juice, grapefruit juice, homemade passion fruit syrup and rosemary tea served with a choice of Bounty Rum Premium, Bounty Dark, Bounty White, Bounty Spiced, Bounty Coconut or Bounty Lime.

“Patrons relished our food with many asking for seconds.

They also lauded our booth with its Creole theme,” stated Hortensia Joseph, SLTA US Sales Manager – Consumer.

The team, managed by Chef Richardson Skinner, consisted of chefs Billy Mauricette, Niguel Gerald, Kisha Prosper, Robert McDonald, Klent Abel and Nissa Paul with mixologist Germain Sydney.

This year’s Saint Lucia brand ambassador was Creole Queen Sandra James of Children of Helen Alliance in West Palm Beach who was on hand to welcome patrons and offer them some Saint Lucian Creole treats.

new inter-active series of programmes from IETV to engender pride in our nation by promoting literacy and local general knowledge. The series can be viewed on channels 118 (FLOW), 102 (Karib analogue), 32 (LIME) and on NTN. 1. These buildings are probably a. part of a housing development. b. the remains of an old estate. c. a tourism development.

2. The buildings seem to be placed a. according to a plan. b. haphazardly. c. according to tradition.

3. The open space seems a. to have occurred naturally. b. to be man-made. c. be the result of a landslide.

4. The surrounding countryside a. is quite barren. b. is well cultivated. c. is forested.

5. The estate is situated a. on the slope of a valley. b. on the floor of the valley. c. on a ridge above a valley.

6. The road a. is full of sharp bends. b. winds its way up the hillside. c. is quite precipitous.

7. The buildings are a. somewhat derelict. b. well maintained. c. recently restored.

8. The estate is probably a. in the very south of the island. b. in the very north of the island. c. somewhere in the centre of the island.

9. The nearest large community is a. Babonneau. b. Laborie. c. Micoud.

10. This might have been the estate house of the a. Dennery Estate. b. Mamiku Estate. c. Babonneau Estate.

Answers: 1 b, 2 a, 3 a, 4 b, 5 a, 6 b, 7 a, 8 c, 9 a, 10 c.

I

nvest Saint Lucia is launching an incubator programme to help assist local startup businesses. Incubator programmes are designed to help small businesses get off the ground by providing them with the necessary support, both financial and technical.

The announcement was made on June 21 at a press conference jointly convened

by ISL and the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce.

Natasha Edwin-Walcott, ISL’s manager for policy advocacy, says the support provided will come in the form of “a physical facility to incubate and accelerate incubates, providing mentorship with a robust policy framework to help support start-ups”.

She disclosed that following ISL’s call to the public in January to indicate interest in the programme, some forty businesses had reacted positively.

Jodi Boodhoo, Invest Saint Lucia’s deputy chairman, said an incubator programme is

The Caribbean 305 event also featured Caribbean cultural and musical entertainment.

“Feedback has been great from 305 and I think we all agree that the Saint Lucia booth looked incredible! One of, if not, the best in the room!

It was great to see Saint Lucia stand out from the crowd and set itself apart from other destinations!” stated Mark Ferguson, Managing Director, Coco Palm Resort.

During the CHTA’s Taste of the Caribbean competition in Miami from June 22 – 26, 2018, Saint Lucia copped gold for Best Vodka Cocktail. The team also received second place awards for Culinary Team of The Year, Best Pastry Chef, Junior Chef of the Year and Bartender of the Year.

In addition, the team secured third place honours for Chef of the Year, Individual Seafood, Individual Beef and Individual Chocolate.

THE STAR

june 30, 2018

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08 comment

june 30, 2018 THE STAR

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TOWARDS FOOTBALL WORLD CUP 2026 Peter Josie

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ootball experts agree that countries like ours, with minuscule populations, would be hard-pressed to send a team to football’s greatest event: the World Cup. The argument is based on the tremendous resources needed to train and prepare a national team for international competitions. If Saint Lucian football is to improve, it must begin at the grassroots level, training enthusiasts from an early age: no drinking, no smoking, no drugs; better nutrition, plus positive thinking at all times.

Improved coaching and administration at the club and community levels is therefore crucial.

Above all, young footballers must be taught at an early age to respect themselves and to avoid negative friends and situations. They must be prepared to let insults and name-calling slide like water off a duck’s back.

This leads me to the question: How will

APPLY NOW FOR SEPTEMBER 2018 INTAKE Today, let’s celebrate our football stars who play overseas. Tomorrow, let’s focus on training the youth to bring our nation pride in the future.

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Saint Lucians feel watching one of their own wearing another country’s uniform in a football World Cup match? Saint Lucians have played football for various clubs in Europe. Had those individuals decided to change nationality and make themselves available for their new country, would we feel proud, jealous, or indifferent?

By comparison, how many Saint Lucians are waiting in line for a United States citizenship? Who in their right mind can begrudge a person who welcomes opportunity?

A Saint Lucian playing football for another country should stir admiration and support, not derision and loathing.

One way to participate in football World Cup 2026 is through negotiations with Trinidad (or another) and for FIFA to allow team Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenada to participate in the Trinidad professional football league.

If it can be negotiated, and FIFA approves, the Trinidad Football League can schedule competitive matches in all four islands, using FITA professional referees. Players from each island-team will then be entitled to play for Trinidad & Tobago, if selected. Such a competition would open up the professional league in Trinidad and add more players to the competition.

The same sort of arrangement exists in cricket given its interconnectedness with Caribbean history.

For my part, nothing is impossible for

those who envision a different and better future for football, and for sports in general.

In the meantime, we need to continue improving local football. There was a time when the game was inextricably linked to cricket on the island.

As cricket improved, football followed and both progressed simultaneously. This may have been due to the close affiliation between those who administered the two major sports at the time. Today, there are many more sports organisations, and management seems too thinly spread for high impact. Still, there is hope if new sports administrators are rigorously screened and closely monitored and supervised.

In this regard, we look forward to the opening of the new school year, paying close attention to the Gros Islet Secondary School as it seeks to implement a new policy promoting sports development.

We need to remember that to be the best means constantly competing against the best.

Indeed, that ought to be the ultimate goal of education and sports. Saint Lucia must aim to produce the equivalent of Nobel laureates in sports.

When we visualize the future, our thoughts must turn towards overcoming obstacles in new and creative ways.

To aim to be the best means overcoming hurdles often deliberately strewn in our paths. Sucking our teeth and turning our backs is not what winners do. To turn around defeated is not an option for serious sportsmen and women.

No! We need to think of ways to break new ground, to overcome old foes, and to trace a new path to progress and success.

I end with a short tribute to our sports writers who obviously enjoy their work as much as we sports lovers do. To borrow a phrase totally disconnected from sports, without them what would little boys (and girls) do?

It doesn’t help that our politicians show scant interest in athletics, gymnastics,

bodybuilding and so on. That here and there a game is named for them has less to do with sports per se than with publicity for the particular politician.

It’s small wonder that Saint Lucia cannot legitimately consider itself a sportsloving country. Too many who administer sports are selfseeking. If there is nothing in it for them, they shy away. Free travel, monetary perks, favours for their kids and friends and the opportunity to defraud their association are but a few of the reasons some persons become involved in sports administration.

In the past, ministers of the government were energized to serve sports. They were often assisted by friends, businesses and former sports personalities. That breed of helpers seems to have died out. Thankfully, there are a few individuals who still spend time and money helping sportsmen and women. Darren Sammy, Digicel and Sandals are the most obvious, but there are others!

THE STAR

june 30, 2018

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LOCAL

june 30, 2018 THE STAR

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Taiwanese Ambassdor Gives Big Boost to Hummingbird Beach Project

MERCURY BEACH GOES P BACK HOME

Tourism Minister Fedee anticipates that Mercury Fest will be bigger than Mercury Beach, with opportunities for local vendors, previously denied them.

A

fter a four-year run in Saint Lucia, the hugely popular Mercury Beach event will be no more on our shores. French nationals from Martinique hosted the foam, alcohol and music event at Pigeon Island beach. Hundreds of boats brought in thousands of visitors who last year reportedly deposited some EC$12.1 million into the local economy.

But the fruitful marriage has ended. On July 27 and 28, 2018, Mercury Beach will be staged in Martinique, its place of birth.

At the government’s pre-Cabinet press briefing on Monday, the tourism minister Dominic Fedee explained some of the many reasons for the big fallout. He said that by a previous contract, the Saint Lucian government paid an EC$200,000 subvention to the organisers. At the end of this arrangement, negotiations for a new contract in relation to the 2018 instalment got underway. “During this time,” Fedee revealed, “the promoter requested EC$300,000 additional to the $200,000.”

By the minister’s account, the Invest Saint Lucia negotiating team was taken aback. “What could possibly have changed in the scope of this event to justify a 150% increase in the subvention?”

Fedee wondered.

Then there was the

matter of the refusal of the Mercury Beach organisers to pay Value Added Tax. “All events pay VAT on ticket sales,” Fedee reminded reporters.

“Even Events Saint Lucia, a government agency, would actually pay VAT.”

The minister admitted the break-up between Saint Lucia and Mercury Beach was disappointing for more than one reason. “We found out about the decision to pull the event from Saint Lucia via an advertisement in the French media.” He lamented that successive governments had invested over EC$600,000 in the organiser.

Nevertheless Saint Lucia has been quick to move on.

Replacing Mercury Beach this year will be the newly established and curiously named “Mercury Fest”. Initial publicity suggests it is already attracting significant interest from Martinique. Like the original Mercury Beach, it will be a two-day event, with one significant change: local vendors will now be allowed to sell to patrons.

As negotiations continue for the new event, Fedee disclosed that the cost to government is now approximately $250,000, and could increase, but “nowhere near to $500,000”.

--- JSA

hase two of yet another reconstruction project is about to get underway in Soufriere thanks in part to the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

During a small ceremony on Tuesday, in the company of Mr Nigel George, chairman of Soufriere Foundation, and media personnel, Taiwanese Ambassador Douglas C.T. Shen presented a cheque for EC$281,638.60 to planning minister Herod Stanislaus.

The money will go towards the Hummingbird Beach Project.

On behalf of his government, Ambassador Shen declared a key reason for his country’s interest in the project: “It is my firm belief that it will not only contribute to the tourism industry of Saint Lucia but also provide a better quality of life for the residents of Soufriere.”

The ambassador disclosed that he had visited the site and was happy with what he had seen.

Addressing the ambassador, minister Stanislaus said: “We appreciate and thank you immensely for facilitating this contribution towards the

L-R: Nigel George, chairman of Soufriere Foundation; Taiwanese Ambassador Douglas C.T. Shen; and Minister of Physical Planning, Herod Stanislaus.

continued development of that area in Soufriere. I am very excited about the construction of this facility which will create a new beach hotspot for our people as well as visitors.”

The project was instated in 2011 as an initiative to revitalize the Hummingbird beach, which

is situated close to the Soufriere Marina and the town’s main street.

By Mr. Stanislaus’ reckoning, the project is nearly 85% complete. Still to be finished are the electrical fixtures, landscaping, paving of the car park and screening

of the floors. The area will feature a timber-frame deck to accommodate vending shops and washrooms, along with recreational and eating zones.

The project is slated to be operational by August.

--- KN

SAINT LUCIA TAKES UP CHAIRMANSHIP OF CARIFORUM

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s of July 1, 2018, Saint Lucia takes up chairmanship of the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) for one year until June 30, 2019. At present, the twin island state of St. Kitts and Nevis serves as chair. The chairmanship rotates annually, in alphabetical order, among the CARIFORUM States, thus making Saint Lucia next in line.

Minister with responsibility for Commerce, International Trade, Investment, Enterprise Development and Consumer Affairs, Honourable Bradly Felix, in his capacity as Minister for International Trade, will serve as chairman of the Council of Ministers of CARIFORUM.

Established in the early 1990s, participating states of CARIFORUM include the fifteen CARICOM member states, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. The core functions of the Directorate of CARIFORUM include managing and co-ordinating relations between the Caribbean States which are signatory to the Cotonou

Agreement; programming and managing the implementation of regional resources made available to the Caribbean Region by the European Union (EU) through the European Development Fund; co-ordinating the implementation of the CARIFORUMEU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA); managing CARIFORUM-EU political dialogue and promoting Intra-CARIFORUM Co-operation. The Council of Ministers of CARIFORUM is the highest decision-making body of this grouping.

On Thursday, June 28, 2018, Honourable Bradly Felix met with Director General of the CARIFORUM Directorate, Mr. Percival Marie, to discuss issues which will require focused attention during Saint Lucia’s chairmanship. Among the issues discussed were Governance of CARIFORUM; BREXIT; the African, Caribbean and PacificEuropean Union (ACP-EU) Post Cotonou Relations; Status of EPA Implementation; CARIFORUM-EU Development Cooperation and the Future of the ACP.

Director General Marie indicated that Saint Lucia will have to provide political and technical leadership in those areas in order to have optimal and fruitful outcomes for the region.

Minister Felix added, “Saint Lucia is ready to serve and provide the much needed direction and support to the region in fulfilling the goals and objectives of

Director General Percival Marie with Hon Minister Felix.

CARIFORUM and realizing the benefits of the trade agreements to which the region is signatory.”

The Director General also held discussions with the Honourable Prime Minister, senior officials of the public service and representatives of the private sector.

THE STAR

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LOCAL

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Kevin Williams soon to be Called to the Toronto Bar

evin Jerome Basil Williams is a Saint Lucian obviously destined for great things.

The 32-year-old is the son of Justice Lorraine Williams and Hon. Basil Williams S.C. Justice Williams is the former High Commissioner for the OECS in Canada and currently the Resident Judge in St. Kitts and Nevis. Mr. Williams is Guyana’s attorney general and legal affairs minister.

Although his first love was medicine, Kevin quickly changed gears after a year of pre-med studies. He is now well on his way to following in his parents’ footsteps. During a recent sit-down with the STAR, Justice Williams spoke with touching pride about her only offspring.

His journey began as a student of the Saint Mary’s College where he was the valedictorian as well as Student of the Year in 2004.

Shortly after graduation, he left home to further his studies in Canada, where he joined his mother, then head of the OECS mission in Ottawa. In 2009 Kevin Williams graduated

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www.stluciastar.com

june 30, 2018

Kevin Jerome Williams standing tall at his graduation from University of Ottawa in 2009.

from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Law and Political Science degree, summa cum laude. He later attained a Masters in International Affairs at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, also in Canada, and then it was on to the University of Ottawa Law School where he earned his JD. As for the possibility of her son returning to practise law in

Saint Lucia, Justice Williams took her time answering.

Finally she said: “I will never say never, especially when the decision is not all mine to make. But I imagine it will be a while before that happens, if at all.”

Meanwhile young Mr. Williams takes every opportunity to demonstrate his closeness to the land that gave

him birth. At his graduation in 2009, he proudly carried with him onstage a miniature version of the flag of Saint Lucia.

Justice Williams also revealed that her son is “a very spiritual person”. Always when problems seem insurmountable, when he has been tempted by thoughts of dropping out for one reason or another, “his strong belief in the Almighty has seen him through to his goal.

His faith has kept him afloat, regardless of how stormy the waters.” This writer had the feeling the younger Williams may have inherited from his mother more than just a passion for justice.

So what’s next for Kevin Jerome Williams? He has now joined a law firm in Toronto where he will undergo a mandatory 10-month term of articling, on completion of which he will be called to the Bar of Ontario. The late Parry Husbands, a prominent jurist who for several years served the John Compton administration as attorney general, would’ve been justly proud of his grand nephew!

---JSA

SCHOOL OF MUSIC AWARDS 50 FULL TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS

he Saint Lucia School of Music (SLSM) has received a grant from the Windsong Foundation (a US-based philanthropic organisation) to assist in the delivery of a music project aimed at students with talent and a strong interest in music. As a result, fifty at-risk youth have been granted a full tuition scholarship to attend intensive orchestral/choral training three days per week at the school’s main campus at Tapion, Castries. The project, deemed “The System of Youth Orchestras and Choirs” (and launched as part of a series of activities to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the school) is being delivered by highly trained faculty of the SLSM supported by young mentors and teacher trainees.

This after-school project, officially launched on Saturday June 23, 2018, has a strong social-inclusion focus and will use music as a transformative tool to provide greater opportunities to vulnerable

An outdoor string class for the school’s new students.

children aged 8-15 years. The project, which builds on the school’s past successes in this area, uses a highly structured environment to provide young participants with a foundation in music along with other transferrable skills that will help prepare them to be the next generation of mentors, leaders and positive contributors to the general society.

In addition to tuition scholarships, transportation and a limited number of orchestral instruments have been provided for a period of one year (or the duration of the grant period). The new recruits will join other students at the school who have access to an integrated foundation in the practice of music using an adapted “El Sistema” model.

Within the scope of the project, there is an additional component for music with emphasis on special needs. It is the school’s intention to train teachers of music in this area, along with a number of students who are differently abled.

In identifying and selecting the students who met the strict criteria, the SLSM worked closely with the Ministry of Education through the relevant District Education Officers, Principals and Music Teachers.

Over fifty schools participated in a competitive application and selection process. Due to the prohibitive cost of return transportation and anticipated lengthy commute times, it was not possible to extend scholarships to students who reside outside the education districts one-four for this phase. The SLSM hopes that with increased public/private sector support it will be able to extend its reach to a greater number of students island-wide.

Notice is given that: WHEREAS, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank has revoked the licence granted to St. Lucia Mortgage Finance Company Limited to carry on banking business effective July 2nd, 2018 on the basis that the company has not carried out banking business as defined in the Act since the granting of the licence, pursuant to section 14 (1) (a) of the Act. We advise the public that St. Lucia Mortgage Finance Company Limited though not a bank is a company incorporated under the Companies Act Cap 13.01 of the Revised Laws of Saint Lucia and its Memorandum and Articles of Association gives authorization to carry on its business of lending.

In addition, the Government of Saint Lucia

by Agreement with St. Lucia Mortgage Finance Company Limited dated the 5th day of October 2005 has agreed that St. Lucia Mortgage Finance Company Limited may lend money to borrowers approved by St. Lucia Mortgage Finance Company Limited subject to certain conditions stated therein being observed

by St. Lucia Mortgage Finance Company Limited and the Government of Saint Lucia.

12 comment

JUNE 30, 2018 THE STAR

www.stluciastar.com

IMPACS Co While The Na A

Then police commissioner Cuthbert Phillips at a press conference following what at the time was described as “St. Lucia’s biggest cocaine bust.” It later turned out that the pictured firearms among the other exhibits had first been issued to the police—and never reported missing!

concerned citizen called a local radio program this week with a national complaint that long before the majority of today’s teenagers were born had been crying out for resolution. This was how he addressed Newsspin’s Timothy Poleon: “I am very concerned about the problem of home invasion in our country.” He referenced an elderly couple whose Desruisseaux residence had recently been invaded by individuals widely believed to be blood relatives. Alerted by the 71-year-old woman’s piercing cries, concerned neighbors discovered her bleeding from terrible machete wounds outside her doorway, barely alive. Her 74-year-old husband was not as lucky. He had succumbed to vicious blows to his head and other parts of his body. The attack, allegedly related to a long-running dispute, had taken place in broad daylight.

“All you ever hear from the police is that they are investigating,” said Poleon’s caller, his volume indicative of his frustrations. “Investigating what? They never have anything to say about how these investigations are going. The Desruisseaux couple’s relatives have received no useful word from them.”

He said the police station nearest the scene of the crime normally shut down after six

o’clock, “as if it were a shoe store or something.” As for desperate calls to headquarters in Castries, Poleon’s caller suggested it would be easier to get the governor general on the line than to contact a helpful policeman after regular business hours. Another Newsspin caller, hell-bent on defending the police (or the government!) ignored the expressed concerns: that defenseless people in their homes, including the elderly, were regularly attacked at all hours, most of the time without a consequent arrest, and even when a suspect is taken into custody he is within a few hours set free, “for lack of evidence.”

It seemed the second caller’s sole purpose was to say how unfair it was on the police when people attacked rather than appreciated their efforts. He said the police were “doing their best in their circumstances”—an observation that the program’s host enthusiastically supported, if only to provoke more listener reaction.

The undeniable truth is that “doing their best in their circumstances” is just another local euphemism for sub-standard. There has hardly been a time when the police were adequately equipped to perform their vital role as protectors of our lives and property, and here I speak both of quality manpower and modern equipment.

I cannot recall a time when there was not a shortage of magistrates and judges, or when they did not have just cause to complain about

THE STAR

JUNE 30, 2018

COMMENT

www.stluciastar.com

Cobwebbed ation Bleeds!

I have written for this newspaper countless accounts about inmates who had bargained with corrupt officials for a few hours of freedom.

When they failed to keep their promise to return at an agreed time, the desperate prison wardens would report them missing to the Special Services Unit. It mattered not that all indications suggested the inmates had not broken their work environment. Our justice out of their cells; neither did system has for too long suffered at anyone see the need for followthe hands of uncaring successive up investigations after the governments that evidently never escapees had been returned, quite understood a country without usually with bullet-riddled limbs a dedicated and well-trained police that often required amputation. force free of political interference

Too often Rastamen, is a disaster waiting to happen. starting in the late 80s, were Which is not to say the Philistines viciously abused by police are not already upon us. Certainly officers, mainly because of their the incessant calls for justice, the appearance. Rastas were also scores of unresolved murders, rapes, considered synonymous with choppings and other serious crimes not only the verboten herb but almost daily committed, often in also with crime generally. They our “Simply Beautiful” sunlight, are were soft targets for the police. unchallengeable proof of that. And to If they claimed a Rastaman think we brought this mess down on was responsible for a public our own heads. Yes, we the “doing the disturbance, a burglary, a best they can” enablers. murder, many in authority were

The inescapable truth is that disinclined to waste taxpayers’ doing “the best they can” often money on due process for the does not begin to be good enough. suspect, let alone a verminSometimes the best you can do is infested 2x2 cell with free get the hell out and make room for meals. others committed to doing in the

Terry James, Corbeau, general interest what must be done.

Yamaha were all famously Otherwise, we perish. Conscious dispatched without argument. enablers as well as enablers by our But cornered rats have been silent endorsement of mediocrity. Let known to take on seemingly us admit crime in Saint Lucia had impossible odds. Slowly but already reached intolerable levels from surely abused citizens began to as far back as the early 90s. Violent arm themselves—sometimes crime, particularly. Ironically, the police with guns forcefully lifted from themselves may have contributed the officers, sometimes peacefully introduction of illegal firearms to the acquired from crooked cops civilian population, by now a major in exchange for money or headache. There was a time when our drugs. In one unforgettable uniformed protectors were without instance related to what was question free to shoot unarmed described as “the biggest escapees from our particularly porous cocaine bust in our history,” two prison on Bridge Street, before it was loaded Magnum pistols were relocated and misnamed Bordelais confiscated by the police and Rehabilitation Facility. inadvertently placed on display

with other exhibits from the record raid. Only much later did the police acknowledge what the STAR had published about the guns was true: originally the firearms had been issued to the police and had never been reported missing.

Thankfully, even though the police shootings continued unabated, less than four officers were shot between the 80s and the present time—the most easily recalled victim being Superintendent Alphonse. He was gunned down in 1979 as he sat with friends at a late-night bar, with a police weapon. I might also add that there was much evidence that Alphonse may have been the casualty of a conspiracy related to police promotions. In all events, by the time an inquest got underway his alleged shooter had been taken out by an SSU squad as, unarmed, he took refuge at an unoccupied Hospital Road address. Dead men tell no tales. Even inquest reports can sometimes prove otiose—as 18-year-old Terry James, Corbeau and Yamaha would’ve attested given the opportunity!

And so we come to the matter of IMPACS that may have driven the final nail in the coffins of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force and our long broken justice system.

According to the prime minister Kenny Anthony in 2013, reading from a report, in 2010-11 a number of “citizens deemed to be criminal” had been fatally shot by cops in possession of “a death list.” Moreover, that the police commissioner at the time had turned a blind eye to the alleged illegal activities. The prime minister’s investigators had determined

that weapons retrieved at the scenes of the police shootings had been planted. The U.S. State Department entered the picture on the basis of a human rights treaty to which Saint Lucia is a signatory, and demanded an investigation and credible prosecution of the report submitted by a group of Jamaican officers attached to IMPACS, never mind that local inquests had cleared suspects

of wrongdoing. Kenny Anthony informed the nation via his televised address that the Americans had no faith in the coroner’s court, therefore his government would have to take “corrective steps” before much needed economic and other assistance under the Leahy Law would again become available.

The E.U. has also demanded a credible judicial resolution to the “gross violation

13

of human rights” allegedly committed by the police, evidently to no avail. Police credibility continues to plummet under the Allen Chastanet government. There has been no official word on the immediate future of the IMPACS report but usually reliable sources say new investigations are underway, albeit very quietly.

Meanwhile the people bleed!

Ministers Say Yes to Enhanced Adaptation Action F

ollowing an intense one-year consultation process, the Cabinet of Ministers approves Saint Lucia’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2018-2028; Sectoral Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan for Water (Water SASAP) 2018-2028; Sectoral Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan for Agriculture (Agriculture SASAP) 20182028; Sectoral Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan for Fisheries (Fisheries SASAP) 2018-2028; Climate Change Communications Strategy; and Monitoring and Evaluation Plan of Saint Lucia’s National Adaptation Planning Process.

The NAP process, established by the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations

Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), builds on the progress that countries have already made in terms of climate change adaptation policy and action.

It consists of continuous planning and implementation cycles and implies the iterative assessment of sectoral and cross-sectoral adaptation needs, the identification and prioritisation of actions to address those needs and the implementation of prioritised actions. The NAP process entails strong information management, coordination and communication efforts across sectors and among stakeholders, and requires the resources and skills needed to assess, plan, prioritise, coordinate, implement, monitor and review progress.

“Cabinet has noted this

extensive national adaptation planning process, including an impressive number of outputs,” says Honourable Dr. Gale T. C. Rigobert, Minister for Sustainable Development.

“Saint Lucia looks forward to forging partnerships and alliances that will assist in developing SASAPs for other sectors and implementing the measures, programmes, projects and activities outlined in our NAP, SASAPs and other support documents." The Honourable Minister Rigobert has put out the call that the Government of Saint Lucia welcomes finance, technology transfer and capacity building from a variety of sources, including public, private, bilateral, multilateral and alternative sources in its thrust towards building climate resilience.

14 LOCAL

june 30, 2018 THE STAR

www.stluciastar.com

Are you and your home natural disaster-ready?

Organisations and locals work together to magnify the importance of natural disaster mitigation. of the Caribbean are almost one month into hurricane season with no major disasters lice Joseph is a Gros Islet tearing through the islands. resident whose house sits However, the Ministry of Health near the bottom of a big is expecting an “above normal” hill. Her home has never been hurricane season. The National flooded, with good reason. “I Emergency Management make sure I have a drain,” she Organization (NEMO), alongside says, pointing at the patterned the government, is warning cement pressed into the ground, citizens to prepare for any flush with the grass walkway at natural disasters—from floods, the entrance of her courtyard. to hurricanes.

The water comes from

“It takes one major the top of the crest and rushes hurricane to have a significant downhill to her home, where it impact disrupting the overall reaches her man-made trough operation of the Ministry of that craters about 15 cm into Health,” said health disaster the ground. It carries all of coordinator Dr. Glensford the water away, safely. Alice Joseph, in a press release explains that her metal roof is earlier in the month. “We’re bolted in securely to the tops of taking every measure to the white-brick walls that create ensure that we are adequately the structure of the home. This prepared to respond efficiently excludes any chance of a storm and effectively to any potential blowing the roof away. storm or hurricane that we may

Although hurricanes and face.” large storms aren’t necessarily

NEMO has identified common in Alice’s region, she different types of natural always carries meal supplies, disasters, besides hurricanes, water, candles and batteries: that can still damage a home “I’m all prepared.” and tremendously affect a

Saint Lucia and the rest family’s life. Extreme heat

By David Venn

A

Natural disasters can be hard-hitting. Be prepared!

events, floods, landslides and storms created in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITZC) are more common natural disasters that can set people back.

NEMO has set out guidelines for households to ensure minimal damage to the wellness of families and their homes. Before the storm arrives, NEMO recommends that families stock up food, water and other safety materials

for five days, per person. It is equally as important to store folders, papers and other easily damaged materials in plastic containers. Be sure to check up on your home and auto insurance to confirm you are protected against any damages caused by the storms.

For some, these types of modest precautions can’t protect their homes from disaster. In Bexon, flooding is exceedingly common. A severe

flooding happens about once a year. Residents practise much more drastic measures to guard their valuables and houses from floods. Some have seen their neighbours strapping furniture and valuables to the roofs of their homes. Others have started to reconstruct their houses on stilts that rise over a metre and a half off the sullen ground.

“It comes in my house and destroys everything I have,”

says Harold Fevrier, a resident of Bexon. Where he lives, his neighbours have built a wall to block the water from reaching their house, but sometimes even that isn’t enough. Bexon is prone to flooding due to a poor drainage system and waterways clogged by garbage, overgrown foliage and debris.

The school, as well as the church in Bexon, sits high on top of a hill, overlooking the rest of the community. When a natural disaster strikes, the residents are prepared and gather at these bunkers.

Different areas of Saint Lucia are affected by different types of hazards. The relief organisation points out that it is important for individuals to know the history of weather hazards in their community in order to better prepare for those events.

See this week's special 12-page edition of The STAR Businessweek devoted to Disaster Preparedness.

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THE STAR

A DAY WITHOUT BREAD IS NOT A GOOD DAY

Looking almost too good to eat did not stop guests devouring the delicious French breads.

By Doretta Francois

T

he French know a thing or two about bread. For them, it is more than a piece of dough baked in the oven. For the French, every ingredient, the kneading of the dough, the baking process and the presentation are supremely important. This was demonstrated on the evening of Friday June 22 when Bonne Baguette Bakery Ltd hosted a Fete de Pains Francais, presenting a new range of gourmet French breads to complement its existing line.

Walking into Le Mistral Lounge at Royal Saint Lucia Resort and Spa was like stepping into a bakery paradise. Landmark Events had adorned tables with beautiful arrangements of Bonne Baguette’s breads. Wonderful selections of French cheeses and tapenades were temptingly laid out. Nobody could resist,

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june 30, 2018

especially with the selection of wines served by La Cantina Wines.

His Excellency Philippe Ardanaz, the ambassador of France to the OECS countries and Barbados, based in Saint Lucia, addressed the guests, describing how bread and wine are so much more than just food and drink. He explained that, for the French, they are a way to communicate; they are part of the fabric of life. “A day without good bread and wine is not a good day for a French person,” bemoaned the ambassador.

His Excellency confirmed that, for the French, no meal is complete without bread and, of course, it has to be of the highest quality. He commended Riquette Bonne-Smith, the owner/manager of Bonne Baguette Bakery Ltd, on her use of flour imported from France and how she employs traditional French methods in

her preparation and baking to ensure that the breads possess an authentic French taste and look. Indeed, he declared Mme Bonne-Smith to be an “ambassador” for France through her breads.

Mme Bonne-Smith is proud that all the artisan breads, plus her pastries and cakes, are made at Bonne Baguette’s own bakery here in Saint Lucia and that the products have no preservatives, chemical additives or colouring. “I love beautiful food and I love to see people enjoy what they’re eating; my breads bring pleasure and are wholesome,” she proclaimed.

Varieties of bread include rustic country, fruits and cereal, olive, ciabatta, baguette viennoise and a selection of rye bread slices and of pan loaves.

They are available from the Bonne Baguette Bakery cafe/ bistro in Rodney Bay, tel.

(758) 450 8306 / 486 5871.

Come Walk with a Cop on Sunday!

alk With a Cop is organised by the Rodney Bay Police Station, the Rodney Bay Community Association, Boot Camp and MBC TV. The event is scheduled for Sunday July 1, 2018. It will start at Reduit Beach, from “The Ramp”, at 5:30 a.m.

Walk with a Cop is a completely free event and everyone is invited to bring along a yoga mat and enjoy breakfast afterwards. This event is expected to continue every other Sunday.

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What will we do about our certificated jackasses?

orrect me if I’m wrong, but I detect a growing level of desperation within the ranks of the St. Lucia Labour Party that I hadn’t noticed before. That sense of which I speak leads me to conclude that instability has returned to the SLP. Why else would leaders and supporters of that party be falling over themselves to condemn the UWP leader for using the word “jackass" at a public rally, without identifying any specific target?

There was a time when a simple response to an insulting name-calling was, “It takes one to know another.” If a youngster told

his parents someone had called him or her a jackass, this is the advice they would receive: “Don’t worry, he is a bigger jackass!” There was also the “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can do me no harm” comeback. Such responses usually ended the silly name-calling. How times have changed—for the worse!

Incidentally, calling someone a jackass nowadays has lost its sting. The reason may be that there are so many home-grown savants, smartmen and con-artists daily walking the streets. Indeed, insulting words have validity, only when we give it to them.

The word jackass therefore has no impact on someone who is

confident in his own skin and knows where he is headed.

In the vicissitudes of life, one can never tell for certain who will be the next prime minister of Saint Lucia.

What we can confidently say is that a thin-skinned, psychologically damaged individual who takes offence at name-calling ought not to be allowed near the prime minister’s chair; neither should a known jackass, no matter his university qualifications. After all, a university degree has never been a guarantee of wisdom!

---Peter Josie

16 LOCAL

june 30, 2018 THE STAR

www.stluciastar.com

The District 5 Independence Pageant competitors (front row) were all gifted with Flow merchandise and were encouraged to strive for excellence.

Flow Thrills Primary Schools Queen O

ver the years, the Caribbean’s leading telecommunications service provider, Flow, has played a major role in Saint Lucia's National Carnival Queen Pageant. But more recently Flow partnered with education District 5 (Dennery North) to support a group of upand-coming queens, when the prize-giving ceremony for the District 5 Independence Pageant was held at Derniere Riviere Combined School.

The winner of the pageant, which was held at Fond D'Or Nature and Historical Park, is soon-to-be 11-year-old and Grade 5 student, Odile Zackisha Harper.

Whilst all eight of the participants were given Flow backpacks and water bottles, Odile won herself a Vonino Xylo Z smartphone with a 30-day XL pre-paid combo plan.

The young queen expressed her utter delight at having won, and at picking up a fine prize, to boot. She says her career ambition is to become a gynaecologist but she is quickly becoming enamoured of pageant life. She was presented with her phone by Flow Saint Lucia product manager for broadband and TV, Adriana Mitchel-Gideon.

District education officer Gabriella St. Paul was on hand. She praised all of the participants and explained the rationale behind the event, saying: “We want you to do well in your maths, English, social studies and sciences. But we want more. We want you to be good stewards. We want to teach you theatre arts, music, and physical education, so you can dance, sing, perform and bring your talents to the fore. This pageant bore testimony to what we work towards in our different schools.”

Meanwhile, Adriana encouraged the young ladies to use the pageant as a springboard to the future.

She noted that Flow is thrilled to have been part of the process: “When I look at these girls, I am so proud of the work they have put into this competition, and I can truly say that we at Flow are very proud to have been part of the District 5 pageant. Saint Lucia is overdue for another Nobel laureate and, who knows, one of these young delegates could fill that void. You can become engineers, or even one day work in telecommunications and perhaps make Flow an even better service provider in the future. You have put your confidence, your intelligence and your talents on display. Keep working hard and I am sure that there will be greater things still to come for all of you down the road.”

THE STAR

REGIONal 17

www.stluciastar.com

june 30, 2018

USAID SURGE CAPACITY TRAINING IN ST. LUCIA AND ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

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isaster Risk Management specialists from the United States Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) are partnering with National Disaster Coordinators in the Caribbean to ensure that systems and personnel are in place to handle any eventualities that arise during the current hurricane season.

As part of the United States Government’s Risk Management Training and Technical

Assistance Program for Latin America and the Caribbean, Hurricane Preparedness Surge Capacity meetings are hosted across the region.

Surge meetings were recently held in St. Kitts and Nevis on June 13 and in Saint Lucia on June 15,. Additionally, a follow-up partners meeting in St. Kitts hosted approximately 30 Disaster Management practitioners who examined their roles and responsibilities in disaster preparedness and response.

According to Disaster Risk Management Specialist (DRMS) and Consultant with USAID/OFDA, Ann Jean Baptiste, the purpose of the annual Surge Capacity Meetings is for stakeholders to review the duties and protocols guiding the work of surge team members who serve on a voluntary basis. She explained that under the direction of USAID/ OFDA’s Regional Advisor, they are usually placed on standby once a storm system has the possibility of reaching landfall.

Health: Nuclear Technology being used to treat diseases in the Caribbean

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he Euro 8.9 million Guadeloupe Center of Molecular Imaging (CIMGUA) officially opened on June 18. This is the first medical centre enabling the screening and treatment of diseases, such as cancer or neurological and cardiac diseases, in the Caribbean through advanced nuclear technology. CIMGUA will facilitate access to advanced healthcare within the region, providing an alternative and often less expensive option to patients.

The centre was officially opened in the presence of the President of the Regional Council of Guadeloupe, H.E. Ary Chalus; the Chairman of the CIMGUA and the Sem Patrimoniale, Mr. Guy Losbar; representatives of the University Hospital Center; the Regional Health Agency, the Minister of Health from Anguilla Hon Evans Rogers and the Head of the OECS Commission Health Unit Dr. Carlene Radix.

Nuclear technology contributes to major advances in the area of cancer care and the CIMGUA is equipped with a cyclotron and a PETscan. The combination of both pieces of medical equipment facilitates the screening and treatment of cancers. The cyclotron enables the production of a radiotracer, namely Fluorodeoxyglucose, which is inoculated into the patient to label the cancerous cells. After this first phase, the PETscan measures the metabolic activity of the cancerous cells and facilitates their identification and treatment.

President of the Regional Council of Guadeloupe H.E. Ary Chalus.

The new medical centre has been given the all-clear from the Nuclear Safety Authority – the body that ensures the regulation of nuclear safety to protect the public and the environment from the risks of undertaking nuclear activities. Authorizations were granted in July 2017 and May 2018 certifying that CIMGUA was officially ready to begin its operational phase.

Head of the Health Unit at the OECS Commission, Dr. Carlene Radix, participated in the inauguration of the medical centre and commended the joint efforts which were critical to achieve the project. “The Center of Molecular Imaging of Guadeloupe was truly a reflection of cooperation between the civil society,

health specialists and several government agencies in Guadeloupe. We look forward to close co-operation so that these services can be extended to citizens living in the OECS,” Dr. Radix said.

The highly innovative Guadeloupe Center of Molecular Imaging provides opportunities for closer collaboration in the area of health between the French territory and neighbouring islands. Patients from the Eastern Caribbean who are usually required to seek medical assistance in North America and other international countries will now be able to access health services in the French territory of Guadeloupe, which is currently in negotiations to become an Associate Member of the OECS.

“If the country is impacted then we activate the surge. They report what is happening on the ground in their areas. The surge team normally stands down after the all-clear is given, and depending on the gravity or impact, may be required to work a bit longer,” she said.

The USAID/OFDA official explained: “As Disaster Risk Management Specialist for Bahamas, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia, and as organiser/supervisor of the surge, I call meetings at the onset of the Atlantic Basin hurricane season to ensure new surge members gain an understanding of their expected roles and responsibilities when activated.”

She also noted that the forums provide an opportunity for surge members from previous hurricane seasons to share experiences and lessons learned.

Partners meetings are initiated by National Emergency Management Associations (NEMA) in the respective countries, and Ms. Jean Baptiste stressed that the frequency depended on the priorities of individual countries.

A practical exercise to demonstrate the importance of fostering partnership, collaboration and networking among partners in Disaster Management.

Public, private, and NGO representatives participated in the St. Kitts meeting on June 15, 2018, which reviewed existing protocols to identify gaps and recommend improvements, and also discussed the role of NEMA, management of shelters, post-disaster initial damage assessments, management of Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) and school safety.

USAID is prepared to respond to the 2018 hurricane season in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basin with an experienced team of disaster

management professionals; pre-positioned emergency relief commodities and communications equipment; and agreements with partners to support the delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

See this week’s special 12-page edition of The STAR Businessweek devoted to Disaster Preparedness.

WATER AND SEWERAGE COMPANY INC. (WASCO)

John Compton Dam Rehabilitation of Spillway Wall Expression of Interest Submissions are invited from suitable qualified persons for the Rehabilitation of the John Compton Dam (JCD) Spillway Wall.

Deadline date for the receipt for Expression of Interest (EOI) is no later 12:00 Noon on 13th July, 2018.

Interested persons are requested to visit the Government of Saint Lucia Website and the National Printing Corporation (NPC) Website for a detailed description of the Expression of Interest (EOI).

18 HEALTH

KIM’S KORNER

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cupuncture is becoming increasingly popular in treating not only pain, but a vast range of conditions. As East meets West, the way healthcare is delivered is changing. More and more people are turning to complementary and holistic therapies when looking for healthcare solutions.

Acupuncture is commonly associated with traditional Chinese medicine and is an art that dates back to 1000 BC. It involves stimulating various points on the body, usually with needles, to relieve pain and treat certain illnesses and conditions. It has even been used to help people with addictions, whether related to eating, smoking, alcohol or drugs.

So exactly how does it work? The Chinese believe that as well as blood vessels and nerves running throughout the body, there are also channels called meridians. These meridians are not actually physical vessels but channels through which Qi, energy, or life force, flows. They believe that in order for the body to function in harmony and be

june 30, 2018 THE STAR

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free from disease, there needs to be balance, and Qi needs to flow evenly through the body. This balance requires opposites known as yin and yang and can be likened to western philosophies of day and night, light and dark, cold and hot, heavy and light.

Disruption of this balance is what causes dysfunction and the manifestation of symptoms.

Simply put, if yin and yang are operating in harmony there is health and well-being.

Imbalances arise in a number of ways including: • Environmental factors such as weather and temperature, and pollutants, • Physical traumatic injury • Internal imbalances from our emotions, thoughts, and genetic make-up • Lifestyle imbalances from overwork, improper diet, poor posture and poor sleep

So how is balance restored? The simplest way of explaining this is by looking at how the meridians work and what it all means.

There are fourteen main meridians and eight extra meridians that run throughout the body. Along each of these

channels there are points that are linked to organs and certain parts of the body. The World Health Organisation has listed 361 main points and 48 extra points running along the extra meridians but in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there may be as many as 2,000 points. By stimulating points, harmony is restored, bringing balance back to the body and, with it, good health.

Although acupuncture is growing in popularity, there are still sceptics. But as more evidence emerges of its benefits, it is becoming more accepted by health professionals. Some doctors and physiotherapists are using it to treat pain and promote relaxation as it has far less side-effects than some modern practices and medicine.

Unlike traditional acupuncturists, who undertake a course of study lasting 2-3 years, doctors and physiotherapists often take shorter courses, focusing on certain points known to treat certain conditions and ailments; and rather than focus their assessment on Eastern methods, such as looking at the

What’s the point of therapeutic acupuncture? tongue, eyes, hair and pulses, they will ask questions about symptoms and base their treatment on those findings.

Although safe when properly administered, there are a few situations where acupuncture is contraindicated. For example, pregnant women, people afraid of needles, and people who have uncontrollable movements and spasms.

The list of conditions that can be helped by acupuncture is lengthy, ranging from headaches to foot pain and earache to giving up smoking. Studies have shown acupuncture to be effective in treating high blood pressure, asthma, arthritic pain, sciatica, headaches and nausea, back pain and even dental pain.

For those who would like to try acupuncture for its benefits but are scared of needles, there is a solution: acupressure.

Acupressure follows the same basic principles as acupuncture but, instead of inserting needles, pressure is applied to points along the meridian.

For those who are still unsure about using acupuncture

or acupressure to find relief from pain, either chronic or from an injury, physiotherapists use many other modalities, such as massage, electrotherapy and exercise, that promote pain relief, rather than relying on medication or surgery. They aim to improve your function and also prevent injuries, helping you lead a more independent and positive life.

Kim Jackson is a UK-trained physiotherapist with over 20 years’ experience. She specialises in musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction including back pain and sciatica, stroke and other neuro conditions plus sports physiotherapy, having worked with local, regional and international athletes and teams treating injuries and analysing biomechanics to improve function and performance. She is registered with the Allied Health Council and is a member of PASL. She currently works at Bayside Therapy Services in Rodney Bay, O: 458 4409 or C: 284 5443; www.baysidetherapyservices.com

WLBL PART OF Clean-up Activity

WLBL team members with fellow helpers and some of the collected garbage.

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indward and Leeward Brewery Ltd. (WLBL), in partnership with the St. Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority, Saint Lucia National Trust and the Department of Fisheries, embarked on a clean-up activity on June 27, 2018 along the Allan Bousquet Highway, near the Babonneau bus shelter. The area was seen as a high priority of concern by all stakeholders as the garbage and debris accumulated in that area, filters directly into drains and rivers nearby, thus having a major impact on Saint Lucia’s local environment.

“We have made global commitments to Brew a Better World through our

business operations. But more importantly, as a company that has been operating in Saint Lucia for close to 45 years, we want to secure the environments in which we are operating, especially as we know that climate change is one of the biggest threats to society.

We feel the responsibility, for future generations, to do all we can to protect our local environment,” stated Oscar Garcia, Managing Director WLBL.

Over a period of two and a half hours the team filled more than fifty large garbage bags with debris which included foam food containers, plastic bottles, oil containers, cans, forks, straws, plastic cups, etc.

“This clean-up campaign,

ties directly into one of our key pillars of our Brewing a Better World strategy, which is to protect water resources.

In Saint Lucia specifically, with regards to protecting water resources, we have made improvements in our water efficiency and usage at the plants, and made significant investments in projects that can reduce water wastage, consumption and utilize sustainable practices in our homes and businesses, and shared these practices with members in various communities,” Garcia continued.

WLBL will be conducting more environmental activities in other communities around the island.

THE STAR

local

www.stluciastar.com

june 30, 2018

19

Baptism by fire for St. Lucia’s National Basketball team!

By Kim Jackson

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his week the Saint Lucian National Basketball Team finds itself in Suriname for the FIBA Americup 2021 Caribbean pre-qualifiers.

Last week saw Suriname host the Caribbean Women’s Championship where seven teams—Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Domincan Republic, Guyana, Suriname and St Vincent— took to the court to battle for first place. Cuba turned out the winner, with Dominican Republic second and Bahamas third.

The men’s tournament started on June 24, with Saint Lucia facing the home team, in their first game.

Team Saint Lucia began training for this tournament in October 2017 when forty-four men showed their skills on the court for a chance to represent ‘758’ (a chant that can be heard wherever the team goes).

The team was cut to 35 men in October and, at the end of February, to 19. For the next four months the team members were put through their paces twice a week on the outside

court at the Vigie Complex.

This has been a new initiative—the first time that a programme like this has been put together in Saint Lucia. It was instigated by the Saint Lucia Basketball Federation (SLBF) and is headed by the technical director Anthony Lamontagne. Under the lead of head coach John Sutton and with the support of coaches Rafael Damon and Andy Simons Santiesteban, trainer Melissa John, manager Laurah John and physiotherapist Kim Jackson, the vision begins.

The team in Suriname has two overseas and ten local players ranging in age from 22-32 and they are happy to be at the beginning of an exciting adventure for Saint Lucian basketball.

Says John Sutton: “There is a tremendous amount of potential in Saint Lucian basketball. If the resources are put in the right places, such as youth development and grassroots programmes, we can develop the game at an early age.

“The national team programme would be better suited with a stronger local

While the world follows FIFA, Saint Lucians are making new strides in basketball.

competition format, at least twice a year. Players are not used to high-level competition.

“Resources are limited.

Training for the national team took place 90% outdoors for a 100 per cent indoors competition. Competing in International competitions without proper overall preparation is a like putting a Band Aid over a jugular wound.”

Additionally: “I am proud to have coached an amazing group of guys who exemplify a level of discipline and national pride unmatched by any group I have ever worked with. I look

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

forward to working with all who have tried out for the national team and those who were fortunate enough to represent their country in Suriname. I look forward to also working with coach Rafael and coach Andy and those who have made this venture possible.

“Basketball has been a passion of mine for more than 25 years and I look forward to teaching the game that I love, to those who are willing to learn.

From an administrative point of view I look forward to getting involved in the development of the sport in Saint Lucia and the region.”

The team, under Captain Marcian Calderon, a 32-year-old firefighter, left Saint Lucia on Friday June 22.

The team spirit was high as players went into their first game. They went in to win but this was a team with minimal experience playing on an indoor court. Most had never seen the inside of a stadium like the Anthony Nesty Sporthal, named after the Surinamese swimmer who won a gold medal in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Barely two minutes into the first quarter Suriname scored their first three points and by the end of the quarter they led 24-16. Saint Lucia fought hard but just could not manage to find the plays they needed. But although they did not lead during the game, they managed to close the gap several times. In the third quarter they actually scored five more points than Suriname.

But it was not enough and they ended up losing the game by 19 points. Suriname, the home team, with a huge crowd cheering them on, defeated Saint Lucia 80-61.

Looking at the statistics from the game it was a very

different picture; Saint Lucia definitely gave Suriname a good fight but their downfall was free throws. They made only 35% of their attempts compared to Suriname’s 73%.

Top performer for Saint Lucia in the game. Marcian Calderon, said: “This is the first international tournament I have played in. I normally play and train on concrete and this the first time I have ever played on a wooden surface. I would like to see us playing at a higher level in Saintt Lucia and encourage younger people into the sport, and better playing facilities.

“Most of the players on the Suriname team have played at a professional level and ours are mainly local but, although the Suriname is a professional team. we are not very different.

Our talent is on the same level but they have more exposure at this level than us. We did not feel confident we could compete at that level and we made little mistakes; it all boiled down to exposure and experience. I believe if we had more experience at this level, we would have played better and succeeded.”

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

SAINT LUCIA DISASTER VULNERABILITY REDUCTION PROJECT IDA Credit #6000-LC

SAINT LUCIA DISASTER VULNERABILITY REDUCTION PROJECT IDA Credit #6000-LC

Assignment Title: Consulting Services – Procurement Officer

Assignment Title: Consulting Services – Senior Procurement Specialist

Reference No. SLU-DVRP-CS-IC-PM-01-17 Saint Lucia has received financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services for engagement of a Procurement Officer.

The Consulting Services (the Services) include preparing, maintaining and updating the Procurement Plan, contract management records, data bases, Contract and Fixed Assets Registers for Project assigned. The Officer will work with the Senior Procurement and Monitoring Specialist in managing the outcomes of procurement data/activities and contracts and monitoring of approved project objectives, acting in accordance with the regulations and guidelines on procurement and contracting outlined in the Operations Manual and in consultation with the Project Coordinator. The Officer will oversee the shopping process relating to the project under responsibility.

The Department of Economic Development, Transport and Civil Aviation now invites eligible individual consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should obtain further information by accessing the Ministry of Finance Website “www.finance.gov.lc” or contact the Project Coordination Unit via the address below during office hours 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

(0800 to 1630 hours).

Expressions of Interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by July 16, 2018.

Project Coordination Unit Ministry of Economic Development, Housing, Urban Renewal, Transport and Civil Aviation Attn: Project Coordinator 2nd Floor, Finance Administrative Centre Trou Garnier, Pointe Seraphine Castries, Saint Lucia Tel: 758-468-2413 E-mail: slupcu@gosl.gov.lc Website: www.finance.gov.lc

Reference No. SLU-DVRP-CS-IC-PM-01-17 Saint Lucia has received financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services for engagement of a Senior Procurement Specialist.

The Consulting Services (“the services”) include leading and reviewing the work of the Procurement Team in order to meet Procurement Deliverables. The Senior Procurement Specialist will prepare, maintain and update the Procurement Plans for the assigned Projects, review the Procurement Plans for all other Projects, prepare procurement reports including expenditure reports and monitoring of approved project objectives, acting in accordance with the regulations and guidelines on procurement and contracting outlined in the Operations Manual and in consultation with the Project Coordinator; and oversee the bidding process relating to approved projects.

The Department of Economic Development, Transport and Civil Aviation now invites eligible individual consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should obtain further information by accessing the Ministry of Finance Website “www.finance.gov.lc” or contact the Project Coordination Unit via the address below during office hours 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

(0800 to 1630 hours).

Expressions of Interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by July 16, 2018.

Project Coordination Unit Ministry of Economic Development, Housing, Urban Renewal, Transport and Civil Aviation Attn: Project Coordinator 2nd Floor, Finance Administrative Centre Trou Garnier, Pointe Seraphine Castries, Saint Lucia Tel: 758-468-2413 E-mail: slupcu@gosl.gov.lc Website: www.finance.gov.lc

20 LOCAL

june 30, 2018 THE STAR

www.stluciastar.com

Saint Lucia participates in Sixth BARON Global Environment Facility (GEF) FOODS WINS Assembly in Vietnam ANOTHER T GOLD MEDAL he Government of Saint Lucia joined over a hundred countries, civil society organisations, private sector and intergovernmental organisations in Da Nang, Vietnam, from June 27 to 29 for the Sixth Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly.

The GEF was founded in 1991 and, to date, is the largest donor of grant funding for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Countries with Economies in Transition (CEIT).

The GEF started as a pilot project within the World Bank on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and is about to start its seventh replenishment with a portfolio of over US$4 billion.

The GEF provides financial assistance to countries through eighteen implementing partners in the focal areas of biodiversity,

climate change, chemicals and waste, land degradation and international waters.

Moreover, the GEF is the funding mechanism for five multilateral environmental agreements including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Conventions to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD).

GEF’s Assembly is a governing body and comprises 183 member countries. The Assembly meets every four years at the ministerial level to review and evaluate the GEF’s operations, based on reports submitted by the GEF Council; to review the membership of the Facility; and to consider for approval by consensus, amendments to instruments

Flow Customers Winning with Hottest Summer Ever!

Baron Foods’ win of the iTQi gold medal signifies the company’s dedication to quality.

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aron Foods Ltd. has been awarded another gold medal at the International Superior Taste Award 2018, for its Baron Pasta Sauce product, from the International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi) in Brussels, Belgium.

On the iTQi Sensory Evaluation Graph, the product’s visual appeal ranked the highest followed by the taste and texture.

This pasta sauce is one of eleven products that make up the Baron Gourmet Collection, launched in October 2011. This convenient collection was well received and has given birth to the catchphrase “meals in minutes”, gaining popularity for this range.

CEO, Mr. Ronald Ramjattan said, “We are particularly proud of the innovative thinking that led to these products being developed and the ease of use that accompanies each

product.”

He continued: “Being a result-oriented company, with a strong customer base, we have gone from being a local company with roots in Saint Lucia to a regional company with a full agro-processing plant in the islands of Grenada and Trinidad & Tobago. We came with a vision of providing innovative and quality products to our customers, whilst building a true Caribbean brand.”

The iTQi Superior Taste Award is the only international certificate for taste endorsed by experts—Michelin-starred chefs and sommeliers. Above all, it is a guarantee of buying a product recognized for its gustative qualities; while for producers, it is a valuable and efficient communication tool to differentiate their products, uplift their brand images and attract new clients.

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ustomers are winning with the Platinum Sponsor for Saint Lucia Carnival 2018. Flow, Saint Lucia and the Caribbean’s leading telecommunications service provider, has been giving cash and tickets to some of the most keenly anticipated Carnival events as part of its Hottest Summer Ever promotion.

The National Carnival Queen Pageant has been sold out for weeks, with nine beautiful and intelligent, young women set to hit the stage at Royalton this evening. Thanks to Flow, Zane Romulus won two tickets just by signing up for a prepaid mobile data plan.

Not only did she win tickets to the sold-out show, she also got automatic double data on the island’s fastest, most reliable, and most affordable mobile data network.

Another mobile winner was Darius Greene who won $250 by simply activating a prepaid combo plan and getting double data. To activate a mobile plan, prepaid customers can dial

*129# and get twice the data on Saint Lucia’s first 4G LTE network.

Meanwhile, as part of the Flow Carnival Village on June 23, 2018, Sanz Bailey of Corinth won a ticket to Colour Me Red next Saturday, July 7 2018. Sanz posted a photo to Instagram with the hashtag #RedThursday, wearing red attire, and won based on having the most likes.

With the Hottest Summer Ever, Flow is giving mobile, TV and internet customers the chance to win tickets and VIP passes to Saint Lucia Carnival events such as National Calypso Semi-Finals, Inter-Commercial House Calypso, King & Queen of the Bands, Panorama, National Calypso Finals, and the Soca Monarch Competition, all under the Soleil umbrella, plus U4RIA, Transcend, Colour Me Red, Mess, and more.

Customers can also win costumes in Red Unlimited, Fuzion Mass, and Legends, plus movie tickets, smartphones and free service.

for the establishment of the restructuring of the GEF, based on recommendations by the GEF Council.

The Minister of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, Honourable Dr. Gale T. C. Rigobert is in attendance and is accompanied by Ag. Deputy Permanent Secretary Ms. Caroline Eugene and Sustainable Development and Environment Officer, Ms. Jeanel Volney, both of the Department of Sustainable Development.

Minister Rigobert addressed the Assembly with a theme focused on the ever-thriving GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) in Saint Lucia. She praised the work undertaken by the programme with special mention of a young entrepreneur, Mr. Karlis Noel, who, with funds from the

SGP, developed a prototype for desalination system, which will now be replicated in Nauru.

Minister Rigobert was also a Panelist on a Chemical and Waste Roundtable entitled ‘Preventing a Toxic Legacy— Transforming the Chemicals Industry’. In her contribution, Minister Rigobert spoke to, inter alia, the role that the political directorate can play to ensure sustainable chemical management in their countries.

Saint Lucia is expected to receive approximately US$4 million from the GEF to undertake projects in the focal areas of climate change, land degradation and biodiversity.

See this week’s special 12-page edition of The STAR Businessweek for an interview with Karlis Noel.

SDRF Dock Wardens Receive Training in ISPS Code

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n Tuesday June 26, 2018, ten Dock Wardens completed a two-day certification course in the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code at the conference room of the Soufriere Regional Development Foundation (SRDF).

The two-day session, which ran from Monday June 25, was facilitated by the Director of Maritime Affairs, Mr. Christopher Alexander of the St. Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA). The Wardens were brought up to speed on how to effectively ensure security of ships/vessels using the port facilities at the Soufriere Docks. At the end of the course, the Wardens were tested on their knowledge through a final exam.

Mr. Alexander expressed his contentment

with their performance: “I am overwhelmed by the participants having obtained an over ninety per cent passing grade. The Wardens are now equipped to provide a better service at the docks in Soufriere with what they learned during the course.”

Upon the completion of the course, the ten participants received certificates during a brief ceremony addressed by the Acting Executive Director Mr. Lester Cazaubon, Director of Maritime Affairs Mr. Christopher Alexander, Chief Security Officer Mr. Nicholas Nestor and Dock Wardens Supervisor Mr. Lennox Perpie.

Participants were thrilled to have completed such an important course of training and pledged their willingness to change the operations at the Soufriere Docks.

THE STAR

Venezuela’s Arreaza Meets Saint Kitts’ PM to Strengthen Ties

Venezuelan Minister Arreaza (middle) has been on a diplomatic tour to deepen ties of co-operation and friendship with Caribbean nations.

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area of security and the fight against crime, including drug trafficking, Venezuela said in an official statement.

“It was a frank meeting.

With a view to the future, we saw the regional situation; the world situation. We are very grateful to Saint Lucia, to her people and to Prime Minister Chastanet; we are going to continue working together,” Arreaza said after the talk.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ prime minister Ralph Gonsalves also met with Arreaza and expressed his solidarity with the Bolivarian Republic, terming it as a “challenging period” for the Latin American country.

“As always, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is in strong solidarity with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, its people, its government, and we are in a challenging period globally, and in the hemisphere,

we have to think strategically, we have to keep in solidarity with one another, to work out our problems,” Gonsalves said in a statement following the meeting.

“We culminated a successful tour of the Eastern Caribbean. We thank the Prime Ministers of Antigua and Barbuda/Santa Lucia/San Vicente and the Grenadines/ San Cristóbal and Nieves for their respect, support and renewed willingness to work together. The Caribbean today more united than ever!” wrote Arreaza in a tweet.

Venezuela is a member state of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), a hub that helps form dialogue and political consensus among the 33 member countries.

---TeleSur English

21

Caribbean Historians & CXC Raise Concerns About Effects on Society of Shift Away from Humanities

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s part of the ‘Bolivarian Diplomacy for Peace for the Caribbean’ tour, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister, Jorge Arreaza, met with Saint Kitts and Nevis’ prime minister, Timothy Harris, on Thursday to strengthen ties with the Caribbean nation.

Arreaza began his diplomatic tour Tuesday with the aim to deepen ties of cooperation and friendship with the Caribbean nations, and it comes at a time when the U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is touring several right-wing Latin American nations this week to further deepen the chasm between Venezuela and these countries.

Arreaza met with Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Allen Chastanet on Wednesday.

During the meeting with Chastanet, bilateral ties were solidified with a view to deepening co-operation in the

REGIONAL

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JUNE 30, 2018

general shift away from studying the humanities, and history specifically, has regional academics and the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) worried that postindependence gains will be undone by future generations across the region.

“[CXC] was concerned that a decline in historical literacy among the youth of our region is having a negative effect on the fabric of our societies and could, if allowed to continue, undermine more than forty years of effort by CXC to produce empowered citizens and promote nation-building in the Caribbean,” expressed Professor Alan Cobley and Janice Mayers of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus, St Michael.

The academics raised this concern in their contribution to the “Perspectives on the Future of Caribbean History” panel in the opening session of the Association of Caribbean Historians (ACH) 50th Annual Conference on Monday, June 11 at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination on the UWI, Cave Hill Campus, which was sponsored by CXC.

The co-presenters were speaking to the findings of a 2016 task force set up by CXC to investigate the reasons for the decline in entries in Caribbean History at CSEC and CAPE levels.

Dr Glenford Howe and Halima-Sa’adia Kassim, also of the Cave Hill Campus, put forward that the decline in interest in history and wider humanities subjects starts from primary school levels and is driven by society’s privileging of subjects deemed to be more financially viable and generally beneficial.

“In most areas enrolments have been declining, in the face of an increasingly antagonistic discourse about the relevance of history and the humanities relative to an emphasis on the sciences and technology, to graduate employability, and sustainable socio-economic development,” stated the copresenters.

In his contribution to the panel, Dr Richard Goodridge, also of UWI, Cave Hill, emphasised that the study of history in the Caribbean, particularly African history, is important because “when we learn of the struggles and triumphs of our ancestors, we are likely to become stronger.

More importantly, it emphasises the central issue of group identity and its link to the study of history.”

He also stated that history must be central to any plan for a programme of reparatory justice aimed at properly developing the people of the Caribbean.

“Reparations without history is analogous to erecting a building

without firm foundations,” he added.

The ACH is committed to ensuring the future of Caribbean history teaching and learning remains an important part of the region’s development, particularly in many of our tourism-centred economies where history and heritage are becoming levers for economic development.

“The data that was presented is welcome.

However, there is need for not only a quantitative but also a qualitative assessment so that policymakers can fully understand the current context and introduce the impactful changes that are needed,” said ACH Vice President, Heather Cateau, Dean of Humanities at The UWI, St. Augustine Campus.

“These changes must also take into consideration the current needs of the Caribbean and the mandate of The UWI to focus on the strategic areas of access, alignment and agility as we contribute to the next phase of Caribbean development. The Deans of the Faculties of Humanities and Education at The UWI have been working toward this goal and we welcome contributions from other Units as well as from other Universities to deal with this problem which is in fact an international one,” she said.

Retirees returning to Jamaica face ‘extreme’ murder risk, say police

J

amaican expats who return home to retire after decades in the UK face an “extreme risk” of murder, a former police chief on the Caribbean island has said, as official figures revealed that at least 85 Britons, Americans and Canadians have been killed in the country since 2012.

Senior police figures told the Guardian that returning residents were seen as soft targets by criminals and needed

much more protection following the murders of three British retirees on the island in as many months.

Gayle and Charlie Anderson, aged 71 and 74, had only recently retired to Jamaica when they were fatally stabbed and their bodies burned following a firebomb attack at their “dream” home in Mount Pleasant, in the island’s Portland parish, last Saturday.

The double murder followed the

killing in April of 63-year-old Birmingham charity worker, Delroy Walker, incidents that have put renewed focus on the disturbing pattern of elderly returnees being violently targeted by Jamaican criminals.

It is not known how many of the Britons murdered were of the Windrush generation but a large proportion of those targeted were pensioners, like Charlie Anderson, who left

Jamaica as a child and returned to the Caribbean to retire after decades working in the UK.

Mark Shields, Jamaica’s former deputy commissioner of police, said returnees were seen as easy pickings by criminals, who see them as wealthy and naive to the country’s security risks. “I’ve always considered them to be an extreme risk,” he said, adding that police chiefs had previously “under-appreciated”

the scale of the crime but that it was becoming a major issue.

“There’s a significant risk to returning residents for robbery, fraud and the ultimate crime of murder,” he said.

Shields, who now runs his own security firm in Jamaica, advised Jamaican expats to “think very carefully about immersing themselves in local Jamaican culture in a rural community when they haven’t been back that much”.

Some gangs are known to wait until retirees’ pensions land before striking, while others tail them in rental cars from Kingston or Montego Bay airports and rob them once they reach their destination.

Undercover police officers patrol the two airports on the hunt for corrupt baggage handlers or taxi drivers, who have been known to tip off gangs about new arrivals returning to live in Jamaica.

---The Guardian

22 international

Ed Sheeran sued for allegedly copying Marvin Gaye hit 'Let's Get It On'

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nglish singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran was sued on Thursday for at least $100 million for allegedly copying large parts of Marvin Gaye's classic "Let's Get It On" for his smash hit "Thinking Out Loud."

The lawsuit was filed by a company owned by David Pullman, an investment banker who in 1997 arranged the pioneering $55 million sale of "Bowie Bonds," which made David Bowie the first musician to sell bonds backed by royalties from his catalog.

According to the complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, "Thinking Out Loud," which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 2015, copies the "melody, rhythms, harmonies, drums, bass line, backing chorus, tempo, syncopation and looping" of "Let's Get It On," which hit No. 1 in September 1973.

Other defendants include Sony/ATV Music Publishing and the Atlantic record label.

Representatives for Sheeran and Atlantic did

not immediately respond to requests for comment. Sony/ ATV spokesman Paul Williams declined to comment.

Those defendants have denied any infringement in a related lawsuit filed by heirs of the late producer Ed Townsend, who co-wrote "Let's Get It On" with Gaye. Pullman's company, Structured Asset Sales LLC, owns one-third of Townsend's estate.

Sheeran, 27, has faced infringement claims over other songs, including "Photograph" and "Shape of You."

Gaye was fatally shot by his father in 1984 at age 44.

On March 21, a federal appeals court upheld a $5.3 million judgment for Gaye's family against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for copying from another of his songs, 1977's "Got to Give It Up," for their 2013 smash "Blurred Lines."

Pullman, 56, invests in music, entertainment and other intellectual property assets, and securitizes some of them.

In an interview, Pullman said

june 30, 2018 THE STAR

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FIFA to review fair play rule after World Cup following Senegal elimination

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people interviewed for news coverage about "Blurred Lines" noted similarities between "Let's Get It On" and "Thinking Out Loud."

He said three musicologists compared the songs independently and found them "substantially or strikingly similar," a legal standard used to determine infringement.

"We wanted to do everything right in terms of the detail," he said.

Other recording artists to face copyright claims in recent years have included Miley Cyrus, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Led Zeppelin and Madonna.

While many cases are settled or dismissed, Pullman said artists should not wait until after their songs become hits to get necessary permissions.

"It's sort of 'catch-meif-you-can,' after the fact," he said.

---NBC News

IFA has said it will review the fair play rule that saw Senegal eliminated from the World Cup because they had received more yellow cards than Japan.

The rule, in use for the first time at the World Cup, meant Japan barely attacked at the end of their 1-0 loss to Poland on Thursday because they were due to qualify on the strength of their disciplinary record.

FIFA competition director Colin Smith said officials would evaluate the rule after the tournament "but as it currently stands we don't see any need to change."

Smith defended the rule as preferable to drawing lots to determine who qualifies, although "the preference is that slots and teams advancing is on the basis of goals and results and there's clear winners . . . the fair play criteria is an additional

criteria and it's very clear."

Japan coach Akira Nishino said he had not intended to settle for a 1-0 defeat, calling his reliance on fair play "a very tough and risky situation."

But Senegal counterpart Aliou Cisse said his side did not "deserve" to advance to the knockout stage as they became the first team to be eliminated via their fair play ranking.

"We haven't qualified because of fair play. We have fewer points in fair play and Senegal doesn't qualify because we don't deserve it," Cisse said. "This is one of the rules. We have to respect it.

"Of course, we would prefer to be eliminated another way. It's a sad for us, but we knew these were the regulations."

---Associated Press

THE STAR

june 30, 2018

CLASSIFIED 23

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WATER AND SEWERAGE COMPANY INC. (WASCO)

Expression of Interest Rehabilitation of the Access Road to the John Compton Dam (JCD) Submissions are invited from suitable qualified persons for the Rehabilitation of the Access Road to the John Compton Dam (JCD).

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Interested persons are requested to visit the Government of Saint Lucia Website and the National Printing Corporation (NPC) Website for a detailed description of the Expression of Interest (EOI).

The deadline for submission is 15th July 2018.

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